V2, I5 - May 26, 2017

Friday, May 26, 2017

In-security

The Student Newspaper of Jones College Preparatory High School

Security compromised after man wanders into classroom

BASILISA HERNANDEZ ‘17 Lifestyles Staff DARNYSHA MITCHELL ‘17 Lifestyles Staff

After a stranger entered the North building in 2013, Jones has faced more se- Flores ‘17. “I know people who sneak in Building side doors and made their way into curity threats via the side doors connecting and out of those doors because they [securia classroom on the fourth floor, students both buildings. The glass doors, intended ty] don’t really watch them.” have questioned the reliability of the securi- for emergency use only, are often used as an Some students express a lack of ty at Jones and are worried about the chance exit at the end of the day so that students do concern with security, claiming that the of a similar incident taking place in school is located in an area with the future. heavy security all around because

“Now, after visitors of our closeness to downtown. check in with security, security They feel that there hasn’t been will escort them to their destinaenough security threats in genertion instead of going on their own,” al, and none that have become a said Assistant Principal Eric Fay. real event, to merit feeling unsafe “That’s including any relative; like or to feel that security is not doing a spouse of a teacher or relative of enough. a student.”

“I’ve been here for [almost] four

While it seems that seyears. We’ve had people come curity has a keen attention span into the lobby before, and in my when it comes to the behavior of four years of being [at Jones], this students, the stranger entering was the first time an incident like the building and sitting in on a this has happened when it comes Photo by Jack Quinn ‘17 to security,” said Fay. “We’re at a class without the security noticing makes students wonder if the se- PLAYING IT SAFE Security guards come in as early as 6 a.m. and risk of this happening considering curity should keep a closer eye not stay as late as 8 p.m. to provide security coverage. we’re in a big city like Chicago, esonly on the students but other peopecially in the loop. But I think the ple that enter the building and areas that are not have to walk all the way to the main en- school is pretty safe. No one was injured, so not monitored properly. trance and are monitored by security guards I’m glad that it turned out how it did.”

“They catch students doing things as students leave the building. But despite Fay believes that this new policy that aren’t even bad like not wearing an I.D. cameras and security monitoring the site, will prevent any other non-Jones students but can’t catch strangers who aren’t already students admit they do not feel safe. from entering the building without permisin the building,” said Jasmine Yeung ‘17.

“Especially in the old building, sion and that Jones remains a safe place for

Since the opening of the south those side doors are not safe,” said Miguel students and staff.

Alt-prom

Senior offers alternative to traditional prom HANNAH GILLESPIE ‘17 School Staff

Fancy dresses, tuxedos, bowties, stretch limousines, dancing, and food with friends: the tradition of prom has been an important part of the high school experience for decades. For many seniors, it is the crowning glory of their final year in school. At Jones, however, some students are looking to change it up this year.

Prom this year is scheduled for May 27 at the Shedd Aquarium. Acquiring the Shedd has been an arduous journey for the senior class Student Government Association and their sponsors. Months of correspondence with aquarium officials, Chicago Public Schools legal department, DJs, and photographers have eventually come together to create a unique prom experience for the senior class.

“I know that SGA has spent countless hours working on this year’s prom,” said senior class Vice President Alyssa Hilko ‘17. “We knew that our class really wanted to have prom at the Shedd, and we wanted to make that dream a reality.”

Maia Feruzi ‘17 wanted to have a big event her senior year, but wasn’t interested in the prom that was already planned.

“I’m organizing my own version of prom that’s mostly just a senior party,” said Feruzi. “It’s for those who don’t like the idea of the Shedd or can’t afford [to pay for the] JCP prom.”

With the increase in class size comes the increase in the price of prom tickets. This year’s event will be $125, com-

pared to the average price of $100 over the past five years. For many students, this price may turn them away from participating in the prom e x -

perience. T h e price of tickets has been a hotly debated issue amongst students, the expensive venue driving up costs.

However, a ticket to the “alternative” prom is $55 and would act as a substitute party for those who want a classic prom experience, but don’t want the classic prom price tag.

“I’m not trying to boycott prom,”

said Feruzi. “I just know some people like myself really don’t like the idea of the Shedd. In my head, prom is really regal and formal, but the Shedd brings it down. I don’t want to pay that much for an aquarium, so this is just to see if anyone would be into an alternative.”

SGA understands that cost may turn students away, and is working on a solution to include more students in prom.

“We fully understand that the main concern students have is the price of Jones’ prom which is why we are working tirelessly to put in place some fundraisers to lower the cost of prom,” said Hilko. “Of course, this goal will only be met if the entire class works together to support fundraising.”

Another concern from SGA is that this other party will take away from the importance of prom.

“My concerns with this alternative prom is that we will lose student participation to this event,” said senior class Secretary Cyan Simmons ‘17.

“SGA has worked very hard to make sure that prom this year is beyond amazing, and I hope that everyone attends.”

Artwork by Chloe Crookall ‘17

Volume 2, Issue 5

H2-Okay

Biology teacher gives cloudy water the all clear CERRENA GALVANA ‘17 Lifestyles Staff

SEMIRA GARRETT ‘18 School Staff

As you climb that last flight of stairs, panting, out of breath, gasping for air, one might think, all I want is a cold, refreshing sip of water. You press the button on the fountain, as you purse your lips a milky dusty stream pours out, suddenly your thirst has vanished.

“The water looks so chemical-ly, “ said Zuzanna Koscielniak ‘17. “I have a hard time thinking the water at school is clean when it comes out pure white.”

Some students even have a preference on which floors they choose water from.

“Water on the seventh floor seems way better than the water would be on the third floor,” said Andrenne Rogers ‘18 . “The water on the third floor is just cloudy and nasty.”

The pressure is what causes certain water fountains to release water that looks white and cloudy.

“That’s just air bubbles in the water,” said AP Environmental Science teacher Eric Hancock. “If you just let it sit for a minute it will go back to normal.”

A majority of the students that do not drink the fountain water fail to consider that it could be better than water in stores nearby. Students put this idea to the test in Hancock’s AP Environmental Science class.

“We tested for ammonia, phosphorus, and nitrate in both Ice Mountain water and Jones’s third floor water fountain,” said Sabrina Hersh ‘17. “Ammonia is in our sewage, so if it in is then that’s a sign of unhealthy water”

The results surprised students involved in the test.

“Neither of the waters had ammonia in them. But, the Ice Mountain had both phosphorus and nitrates in greater quantities.

Jones’s water only contained nitrates at a lesser value,” said Hersh ‘17.

Despite popular belief, saving the two bucks you’d spend on Ice Mountain and filling your water bottle instead would be beneficial to your wallet and the environment.

“Tap water around the city seemed pretty consistent” said Hancock “There appeared to be one outlier though.”

Hancock’s class also made another interesting discovery.

“Chinatown’s water appeared to be worst than any water in the city compared to everywhere else,” said Hancock. “Nothing completely alarming but it would warrant further investigation into it”

According to Hancock, Jones’ water seems to be fine.

“School” water is no different than the water in your home’s faucet.

PAGE 2 Exclusively on jonesblueprint.com

Read the full “Lollapinions” review for more artists on each day of the festival.

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Ghost Town

Over the past four years, Jones has steadily deteriorated from an inclusive and energetic hive to a dry and intimidating ghost town. The Class of 2017 has this unique perspective of seeing Jones transition from a tight knit, smaller school to a traditional full population high school and through this journey, Jones has lost what made its community truly unique.

This claim may seem purposely incendiary. Students may say that we have no idea what we are talking about. Their experience has been nothing but smothering love and emotional fulfillment. Power to you. This argument addresses that some seniors feel that the full Jones felt more complete during our freshman year despite being far under capacity and that younger classes do not maintain our level of spirit or community.

The first year in the new building, our freshman year, was extremely similar to the feeling of Old Jones. Freshman knew seniors. Sophomores hung out with Juniors. Through sports, clubs, and general connectivity it was easy to know a good portion of school just by being present in a friend group. With a bigger school it makes sense that you would know less people, but currently it barely feels like the

Senior laments promposal phemonenom as unnecessary

classes interact at all outside of specific cliques and sports teams. It would be difficult for any of us to name more than ten freshman outside of the mentor program.

A good example of this separation was this past year’s pep rally. There has not been a more disappointing show of “pep” in the history of Jones. As you might remember, our rally was separated in half with only two classes participating at a time. Jones has plenty of spirit within our own classes, but the solidification of students within their own class, save for specific exceptions, proves we are more distant than we ever were.

A common gripe among people at Jones is that no one attends sports games. This has never been one of our strong suits as most sports require a bus or train ride to attend. On some sports w e have actually gotten better. Important basketball games and recent girls soccer events have been

JOSH GERENRAICH ‘17 Promposals are a relatively new trend that girls looks forward to all of high school, but there is no real point to them. What happened to the simple times when we asked someone to go to prom and that was it? Since when to we need signs, big crowds, and cupcakes to ask a girl to a dance? The incommodious acts of disturbing people’s days by causing a scene is ouright annoying. The ‘90s had it right when all the guy had to do was muster up some courage to ask the girl out. All of the posters and extra details are nothing but pointless add-ons just to get likes on socil media.

To start, everyone does a similar, cliche promposal. They make a sign with a pun asking the girl to prom. They have a cupcake and take a photo for social media to brag about who asked them and how cute they are with their pretty little poster. Every single girl pushes the guy to make their promposal better than everyone else’s when in reality, no one cares. It’s just a lame excuse to get attention from other girls and attempt to make other girls jealous for their personal self-esteem. These girls live for this moment of fame in front of their fellow girlfriends and classmates. Senior year is almost a waiting game to have this big surprise from a guy a month before prom. It is almost as if the promposal is more important than the dance itself.

In the guy’s point of view, they want to do something nice for the girl, but the amount of work that guys have to put in is absurd. The promposal is practically required by the girl and they won’t accept anything “below standard.” Often times, guys will draw a blank on what they are supposed to do. The girls want this moment to be as memorable and as meaningful as possible, but it is the guy’s job to set it all up and do it. The guys are the ones who ask, so they should be the creative minds to decide how they do so.

Guys want to have someone they would like to go to prom with and maybe have a little fun away from the dance floor.

Personally, I don’t understand why it is so important to have a knock-off wedding proposal for a high school dance. When people look back on there isn’t a great passion about the club’s prom, they remember the dance, not the promposal. topic, students just want to start a club to It shouldn’t matter how fancy someone’s sign is, but be able to add another activity to college should matter only if the guy is sincere and genuine. applications. We put so much pressure on having leadership and participation in multiple clubs on college applications Seth Bartusek ‘17 that people are starting clubs just to add to Editor-in-Chief Dominic Zerillo ‘17 their resume. They want it to read “Jane Associate Editor, Print Orla Levens ‘18 Associate Editor, Online Doe - President and Founder of Insert Associate Editor, Design Jack Quinn ‘17 Darcy Palder ‘17 Club Here”, just because it looks Managing Editor Maggie Bedore ‘17 impressive to the people reading School Editor Jack Bonney ‘17 college applications. After its on School Staff Michael Brandt ‘17 School Staff the applications, many clubs are aban- School Staff Hannah Gillespie ‘17 Jeiyanni Hollings ‘17 doned after a few School Staff Adrianna Lopez ‘17 meetings. Because School Staff Susana Chenmei ‘18 of this, I’m sure not School Staff Leslie Diaz ‘18 School Staff all 70+ clubs listed School Staff Semira Garrett ‘18 Abraham Jimenez ‘18 on the Jones website are still ac- School Staff Lane Kizziah ‘18 School Staff tive.

Eryn Barnes ‘19

They could be School Staff Ellie Lawrence ‘18 Lifestyles Editor abandoned because Assistant Lifestyles Editor Daisy Conant ‘18 Cerrena Galvan ‘17 of lack of commu- Lifestyles Staff Josh Gerenraich ‘17 n i cation, as well. After Lifestyles Staff Basilisa Hernandez ‘17 a club is formed, getting the word out Lifestyles Staff Stephanie Meyer ‘17 Lifestyles Staff to the entire school can be difficult, and Lifestyles Staff Darnysha Mitchell ‘17 Ivy Rejman ‘17 many clubs that are actually around for a Lifestyles Staff London McGarr ‘18 while aren’t always advertised to every- Lifestyles Staff Sara Weiss ‘18 one, and can be exclusive. A club will end Sports Editor Julissa Santoyo ‘17 Assistant Sports Editor up turning into the same group of friends Sports Staff Max Bottcher ‘17 Mike Cleland ‘17 hanging out, not necessarily closing their Sports Staff Alfred Jackson ‘17 doors on anyone, it’s just not easy for oth- Sports Staff Ulisses Regalado ‘17 er people to know the club exists or really Sports Staff Ethan Soderna ‘17 Sports Staff when it meets.

John Lund Advisor

Having copious amounts of clubs could be great, but we should worry Letters about the quality of the clubs first.

Letters to the Editor are encouraged and will be screened for libel,

properly filled out; however, these are only consistently achieved through the internal community of the senior class.

After the senior class takes its bravado and cult-like energy, school spirit at Jones will take years to regrow. Seniors found their class spirit by experiencing the last breaths of Old Jones. Underclassmen never experienced the same environment, so they have no need or want to create what existed before.

Although the larger size of the school currently does contribute to the disconnect between classes, it is apparent that students, after the seniors graduate, need to interact more outside of their respective grade levels. Freshmen need to mingle with juniors and sophomores and vice versa. The only way that the tight-knit community will remain in some shape or form is if people can be friends outside of class lines. Spirit should be the common bond that unites students in the hallways, not cliquishness or separation of the grade levels.

Senior says it’s time to come clean about extracurriculars HANNAH GILESPIE ‘17

As freshmen walk through the doors on their first day of school, they are bombarded with posters and signs for all the different activities and clubs Jones offers. Comedy Club, Who Crew, Neuroscience Club - there really is a club for everything. Administrators boast to the students about how many clubs are offered for all interests, and that even if you can’t find one you that fits your needs already in existence, it is very easy to just start your own!

Joining a club can be a great way to get involved at school, but there comes a lot of problems with having too many clubs out there.

Jones has over 70 clubs listed on the homework website - and that’s not even all of them. Don’t get me wrong, having a lot of options to choose from can be a great thing for new students trying to find their place in the school, but it can easily be overwhelming, and honestly, quite unnecessary.

Many of the clubs could be combined due to their similar interests and goals in order to create a club with a strong following. A fair amount of the clubs Jones offers are service clubs that could easily work together in order for students to be involved in different ser-

vice activities without the hassle of dealing with multiple schedules for multiple clubs.

One reason there are so many clubs at Jones, is because it is extremely easy to start a club. All you need is an

idea, a sponsor, and a couple of signatures from other students and you are good to go. You can pretty much start a club for anything, which many people take advantage of. We’ve had clubs for aquariums, comic books, and even Ramen noodles. You can have a club for anything in your wildest dreams.

For some of the clubs started,

Graphic by Hannah Gilespie

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irresponsiblity, and obscenity. The Editorial Board may edit or shorten letters as long as the meaning is unchanged. All letters must be signed and include your email for verification. Requests to withold the writer’s name from publication will be considered. Letters can be sent to jonesblueprint@gmail.com or dropped off in Room 201.

PAGE 3

No School

Classes are not in session on May 29 to observe Memorial Day. JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Feast or famine: seniors ante up for sold-out venue, juniors stand up organisers Senior wants costs taken behind the shed(d)

Juniors fail to show up to their own prom

Sadly, a rule was put in place to curb those great food fundraisers. But where is the action from our student government to change this rule? Students will

Prom is a spectacular event, but at be more inclined to give money when a steep $125 per ticket. The cost might seem the fundraisers have tangible benefits.

By now, all of the prom tickets high, but if the venue, activities, and buffet though major dinner are considered, the price tag seems will be sold. Even cannot be very worth it. Not to mention, the Navy d e c i s i o n s or Pier fireworks display as the cherry on top. changed

Prom is the pinnacle of high a d d e d school: an event made to celebrate the to, small completion of the last four years of hard a s p e c t s work, dedication, and sleepless week- of prom be nights. It’s the one night that you can can truly say that you felt the weight of high brought to school off of your shoulders. There needs in to be a passion for prom and its embodi- m a k e ment, and here is where my problem arises. the eve The cost is high, but at what ning pervalue? The Shedd Aquarium is fantas- fect. tic, and the idea of having it as a back- While we drop to prom is amazing. However, will may not need smoke every Jones student willingly fork over 12 $125 to attend? Prom is not just an indi- and laser mavidual event. You and many of your best chines, an extra friends will be celebrating as a group for light here and the collective accomplishment and rela- there or fun tionships you all have made. Everyone contest prizes can have a great time without worrying could go a long about long weeks of work ahead. That is way. Additionwhy the senior class needs to come to- ally in the fugether, lead by the Student Government, ture, the SGA could reach out to make a huge push for prom fundraising. to external sources for prom funding.

Greater amount of funds will en- Friends of Jones is always an option.

Outside institutions and local comable SGA to spend more on the fine details of the event. Prom is the one event in high panies around Jones provide unmatched school that no expenses should be spared. fundraising and grant opportunities. With Sure, the ticket price can be expensive, but these new opportunities embraced, the if students realize the true value behind experience of prom can be elevated now, prom, then their investment will be worth it. and going forward for future events.

Here’s the bottom line: improving

Maybe add a raffle for some- thing trendy, like those new Air Pods! the experience for everyone should be the Sports teams and clubs at Jones have had priority, and an effort needs to be made to ennumerous successful fundraisers. Remem- sure prom’s success as a memorable night. ber those churros that broke the bank?

ELLIE LAWRENCE ‘18

JACK QUINN ‘17

It is not uncommon to hear a Jones student complaining about the lack of school spirit and unity. The Class of 2018, for example, is composed of those who talk the talk but do not walk the walk, as evidenced by the small amount of students at May 19’s Junior Prom. As students danced to the music played by the DJ, security guard and coach Jarard Nathaniel, one couldn’t help but notice the overwhelmingly female, e x -

ceptionally small crowd that barely filled the venue, Room 1520. Whether it was money, lack of friends going, or just thinking they were “too cool” for this type of thing, the junior class evidently failed to muster a decent turnout for their prom.

At the end of the night, one would be hard-pressed to find an attendee who wouldn’t admit to having a great deal of fun. Even administrators were asking students where the rest of their friends were. So, where was everyone else?

Of the 200 tickets available, only 125 were sold. Anticipating them to sell out

quickly, SGA even went as far as to place limits on the amount of tickets that could be bought each lunch period. Some students were running to the office during their lunch periods, afraid that they wouldn’t be able to grab one in time. But it quickly became apparent that the demand was much lower than expected. A few days after tickets became available, the SGA announced that guests would be allowed in an effort to sell more. Still, sales were a flop, and up until the Thursday before the dance, class officers tried to convince students who’d decided not to go to attend.

Some students felt that the $35 ticket price was a bit hefty. Understandably, this could be seen as an unnecessary expense for some students, especially considering the other costs, such as attire. For many people, senior prom is looked forward to for all of high school as the pinnacle of their teenage years. But talk about expensive.

Admission into this year’s senior prom costs $125 per ticket. Though it is common to hear students grumbling about it, the 480 tickets sold out completely. The thing is, those that chose not to go because of money have overlooked the fact that the more tickets sold for junior prom, the less senior prom will end up costing. With the venue and food generously donated, the money from ticket sales actually goes to our class funds. If more people had bought tickets to junior prom, they would have been fundraising for next year’s prom, saving everyone a bit of money overall.

Financials aside, juniors this year failed to demonstrate the school spirit that they constantly complain about. SGA works hard to plan events like junior prom, and the best way to support your class is by actually showing up to dances and fundraisers in addition to pep rallies and sports games.

Art by Chloe Crookhall ‘18

Racial profiling, documenting memories, creativity take stage at first TEDx event

The lights dim, an image is projected, and the spotlight widens until it focuses on a familiar face. On April 25, five students took the stage at Jones’ TEDx event. The TedX program is part of the Ted Talk family, but is independently organized and executed. It showcases people from all walks of life that are willing to share with the world.

At Jones, the TEDx event was organized by Abby Barton ‘18 and Olivia Landgraff ‘18. The theme chosen for the event was “Tipping Point,” so students interested in the event were were asked to submit ideas they would like to talk about related to that theme. After the initial submission, the students Photos by Orla Levens ‘18 sent in a video of them speaking as part of the audition pro- TALK IT OUT From left to right, Zaid Abdullah ‘18 talks about an experience he had cess. 15 people auditioned, and 5 were selected. At the event, being a muslim in the Holocaust museum, Abby Barton ‘18 and Olivia Landgraff ‘18, each student shared their perspective on the “tipping point.” organizers of the event, explain the theme of the talks to a packed auditorium.

Michael Murray ‘18 Carly Klein ‘17 Laura Davalos ‘19 Q: How did you know what you wanted to talk Q: How did you know what you wanted to Q: How did you know what you wanted to about? talk about? talk about?

A: “TED is about ideas that will change the A: “I work a lot with students who have A: “I always was really interested in creworld, and every speaker does something disabilities in the ACES art and PE class ativity, and I also am a very creative person. that’s unique or has unique thoughts on a cer- as well as at my sleep-away camp. I’ve I do watch a lot of Ted Talks, mostly about tain topic. Filming my life with my GoPro is always loved helping others express creativity and how to improve creativity, so basically the only unique thing I do. But what themselves, especially through art. I think that’s why I decided, this is what I wanted was unique, was the story of how and why I the world as a whole needs to understand to talk about.” began using my GoPro it was different and had people with disabilities are more alike us Q: How did performing feel? a message that I really wanted to share.” than different.”

A: “I was definitely nervous. We had to Q: How did performing actually feel?

Q: What has the response been? memorize this whole speech, and I was like A: “It was my first time doing anything on a A: “It’s been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve ‘what if I freeze?’ because that’s one of the stage, and I had never recited the talk in front had people tell me they loved it and they scariest things, to forget what you’re sayof such a big crowd, so it was a weird feeling. felt inspired and want to talk ACES next ing. So that was definitely what I was conI was super nervous and convinced that I was year. The platform TedX gave me I feel cerned about, but towards the end during going to mess up, but once I was on the stage is not only benefitting myself, the people the last paragraph, I thought, ‘I really have and saw familiar faces, giving the talk became watching, and people who have disabilities. to savor the moment because this is a big way easier and I felt more and more calm as It’s a small step but I really do think the deal’ and it was great.” the talk went on.” world will become more inclusive.”

Zaid Abdullah ‘18 Q: How did you know what you wanted to talk about?

A: “This was an event in my life that really stuck with me and I truly felt that this was the right platform to share my story and message.”

Q: What has the response been?

A: “Most of the people who have came up to me have said that they really enjoyed the speech. A lot of people seemed interested in performing themselves in the future so I’m glad to be able to motivate like that.”

Ellie Sharp ‘18 Q: How did you know what you wanted to talk about?

A: “I didn’t really think that Yoko Ono was going to be the topic I went with, I just put that as a rough idea, and with the interviews, I just kept coming up with more ideas, so this is what I actually wanted to talk about.”

Q:How did performing feel?

A: “I felt really nervous before I went on stage. But then I got on stage, looked out at everyone, and felt very confident in my talk and thought I could perform it well. I thought it was one of the best things I’ve ever written so I was just really excited to show it off to people, and they were so receptive to the topic.”

Briefs compiled by Abraham Jimenez ‘18 and Hannah Gilespie ‘17

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JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Politics in the classroom

Art Attack AP Studio Art will host a display of their work in the north lobby on June 1 from 3:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

In current political climate, keeping one’s views to themselves proves challenging CERRENA GALVAN ‘17

vironment,” says Gonzalez. However, Gonzalez believes there is not always a balance in respecting each other’s opinions. “I hear their arguments (other students) but I don’t think they hear

Two cents seem to have a lot of value for Jones mine.” students. From red vs. blue to other heated socio-political Similarly, Lund views conflictissues, Jones students are always giving their opinion, and ing beliefs can be beneficial. they don’t hold back.

“We are in a very liberal bub However, rarely do you hear a teacher state their ble,” said Lund. “There’s a whole school opinion within a classroom setting. of thought out there and it’s appropri“If teachers do voice their opinion, it must be in a bal- ate that you know what that school of anced way, For example, if it’s election time if you put one thought is, otherwise you’re not going poster of a political candidate, you must put the others,” said to be fully prepared for life beyond.”

Principal P. Joseph Powers. “The only rules that stand are Some conservative students not posting your beliefs because it may seem like some sort also encourage teachers to give their of propaganda.” opinion in order to develop a much Teachers voicing their opinion could be a way of needed conversations between two building bridges between instructor and student. For Social sides.

Science teacher, Jennifer Harned being honest is key to get“Yes, teachers should definitely know ting to know her students. your political beliefs,” said Will Catino

“Voicing my personal opinion is helpful in build- ‘18 “Because they know the most about ing relationships with my students and allowing them to politics. I love to give them my opinion and Photo courtesy of Jaye Thomas ‘18 I would SITUATION ROOM Social science teacher John Lund challenges AP US l o v e Government students to analyze the current political climate. to here cept the facts and evidence on climate change as it is occurtheirs in an informed discusring.” sion”

At times, however, teachers disregard their own Furthermore, teachers opinions because they know they do not have all the anrecognize that differing beswers. liefs is a part of the learning

“When I hear something about [President] Trump experience. For Lund, polthat upsets me, I try not to bring it up because I know some itics are all around but stupeople may be excited or hopeful about it and I don’t want dents being comfortable is them to think I have all the answers,” said Harned. “Hownecessary, ever, it’s hard because you don’t always know when to bite “You have such a your tongue.” diverse student body of

At some points though, students can create an enshapes, sizes, colors, and vironment that does not feel safe for others. At this point, political persuasions, “ says teachers find a way to address this issue while remaining Lund. “We’ve got a bunch respectful of people on the liberal side

“We live in world of such echo chambers where we and a minority on the cononly see one side, it’s good to have people challenge that,” servative side. With that says Lund. “Even when people disagree, it is good to do that said, we don’t want to make civilly and have a discussion and not attacking each other.” someone feel alienated. You

The goal for teachers is to create a safe space for have to be careful because their students. It is inevitable to interject themselves into you do not want someone to their lessons, but necessary to step back and listen without feel ganged up on.” judgement.

Finding when and “I think it’s okay for them to share their personal Photo by Cerrena Galvan ‘17 when not to bite your tongue, beliefs as long as it doesn’t dominate the classroom space,“ DEEP THOUGHTS Social science teacher Jennie Harned contemplates the course becomes blurry and is a chalsaid student Olive Jenkins ‘18. “As long as they don’t treat of discussion with her World Studies students. lenge for some teachers. students with different beliefs differently.”

“There are times when understand the perspective of where I’m coming from, and I have to tell myself ‘I can’t say that.’ It takes strength, and also it is important for them to understand that what they are sometimes I slip up and say hearing from me is coming from a person who holds partic- something that may alienate ular values or beliefs,” said Harned. “And to an extent, you someone, and people make have to judge whether or not you agree with or trust what I those mistakes, “ said Magam going to say.” gid. “I try to stay consistent

AP US Government teacher John Lund keeps his and listen to my students.” political beliefs to himself, as students should form their Some teachers beown opinion, lieve for the most part, opin “I think I’ve done a good job about playing both ions should stay out of the sides,” said Lund. “I have students that come to me like ‘I classroom for teachers, can’t figure you out. I can’t figure out if you’re liberal or “I don’t think I or conservative,’ which is good because you shouldn’t let my my colleagues should interbias persuade you.” ject their political opinions

As a leader, a safe space is necessary when it because it is easy to make comes to disagreements. people feel uncomfortable,”

“I don’t want students who have opposing views said Lund. “Your first job is from me to feel like they can’t have a voice,” said Social to make them feel like they’re Science teacher Ryan Maggid. “I don’t want someone to in a safe environment. I don’t feel intimidated or fearful. I sometimes want people to dis- think you should harp on your agree with me because Jones is 85% one political belief [lib- opinion, you can put hints of eral] so there’s not many people on the other side. If we can it in there. But the goal should encourage others to come out and voice their opinion it’s a be to make sure people are positive as long as it is not harming others.” comfortable.”

Although teachers promote students sharing their Others don’t mind political views, conservative students may not always feel ruffling up a few feathers with comfortable doing so. the facts.

David Gonzalez ‘18, a conservative student says “It is important for now he shares his political opinions in class but he was not us science teachers to mainalways confident in giving his input. tain our stance because we

“There is always that risk of you being mischarac- base our perspectives and our terized,” says Gonzalez. claims on evidence,” said

Despite the tension created by differing political chemistry and astronomy Photo by Cerrena Galvan ‘17 views, both liberal students, and conservative students agree teacher, Peter Podlipni. “I JAZZ HANDS Social science teacher Ryan Maggid provides energy to his classthat contrasting views can help when it comes to learning. accept the facts that support room with animated conversations.

“Different opinions are better for a learning en- the theory of evolution, I ac-

Lifestyles Staff SEMIRA GARRETT ‘18 School Staff

School of fish Senior prom is tomorrow at the Shedd Aquarium.

PAGE 5

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Familiar face

Peter Grafner goes from Jones Commericial, to Jones College Prep, to substitute

edgeable, it seems as everything he has

known his entire life is brought to life, in

his style of teaching,” said Kenton Kiser ‘18.

During a time when the majori- In 1998, when Jones was undergoing its transity of us students were nowhere near being born tion from a two year “commercial” high school yet, Peter Grafner was walking through the doors to a four year magnet high school, the school of Jones Commercial eager to teach. Grafner is a went through drastic changes. All current staff former full time social science teacher and cur- members needed to interview to maintain their rent part time substitute teacher. Primarily having jobs. Some teachers lost their jobs and were retaught both American History, and AP U.S Gov- placed by new educators like Frank Fitzpatrick, ernment, but also having some experience teaching current social science teacher. In an awkward world studies, sociology, psychology, economics. time of change and chaos, Fitzpatrick was aston “My strong interest in history is what brought ished by Grafner’s very professional behavior. me to the profession of teaching,” said Grafner.

“With Mr. Grafner there was no animosi Having taught a combined 32 years both ty, he was very friendly and willing to help the new in public and Catholic schools, and 27 years full people like myself coming in,” said FItzpatrick. time at Jones, Grafner is anything but a rookie.

This sense of admiration and appreIn 1980, Grafner spent 10 weeks practically work- ciation of Grafner’s style of teaching was not ing every day as a substitute teacher at Clemente only felt by current students like Kiser but High School, on Chicago’s southside. But one day also from Grafner’s long time colleagues. was filled with “He really did bring his disappointment own style and knowlwhen there was no edge into the classroom,” longer a need for a said Fitzpatrick, “I used substitute teachto hear lots of students er, for a previouspraise Grafner for openly absent teaching up about his own er had returned. personal experiences The next day he to tie into the lesson.” was requested to After over two fill in for an ill decades of teaching at teacher at Jones Jones, Grafner came to Commercial, and the realization that it Photo by Michael Brandt ‘17 was time for his retirehere Grafner’s life changed forever. WISDOM Former Jones teacher and current substitute Peter Grafner ment. Not because he discusses the merits of the 14th amendment.

Teachers at Jones lost his passion for the were quick to spot Grafner’s true knowledge profession but because he wanted to have time to and natural ability to teach and wasted no time do the things he adored but did not have time to in recommending him to the assistant principal do while working full time. Therefore retirement at the time. This was the same knowledge that was not time for him to slow down his pace, instands out to students today, several decades later. stead he looked to speed up during retirement.

“The man is just so wise and knowl- “I planned to not only substitute teach, but ABRAHAM JIMENEZ ‘18 School Staff

also do more reading then I had in the past, volunteer time at the USO and more traveling,” said Grafner.

Adopting a new role in any circumstances is not always easy. And for an experienced, veteran teacher like Grafner, adapting to the ways of a substitute teacher would not be easy.

“Jones is getting much larger and by being a substitute I don’t get to see students on a regular basis, so I feel as if I might not have the same impact on students,” said Grafner. “It’s still rewarding but it’s not nearly the same as being a full time teacher.”

However Grafner does realize that although not a full time teacher, his presence at Jones is still felt and enjoyed.

“As I said in my farewell speech to the faculty, it’s like I am now playing the role of the grandfather, I interact with the students for a short period of time maybe one or a few days in a row, then I give them back to their parents, the regular teacher,” said Grafner.

This idea of only interacting with students for short periods of times, is a role that is understood by all substitute teachers.

“Some substitutes let us do whatever, others give up and become really mean or grumpy, but he [Grafner] is always respectful and ready to help,” said Kiser.

Others argue that even if you do not know Grafner well, it is easy to spot his love for teaching.

“Grafner isn’t one to read off lesson plans, and check emails for the rest of class. He’s interested in what we are doing and asks if there is any way he can help us,” said Isaiah Velazquez ‘18.

Until the day comes where he know longer wants to spend time inside the classroom, it is publically known that his presence is enjoyed by his peers.

“I’ve been in the department the longest now here at Jones, and the majority of my colleagues that I worked with in 1998 have retired,” said Fitzpatrick. “It’s always nice to see a familiar face and to be able to maintain our friendship.”

Hack on, hack-a-thon

Students to participate in 12-hour coding event SUSANA CHENMEI ‘18 School Staff ADRIANA LOPEZ ‘17 School Staff

During the upcoming months, there’s no doubt students will flock to the salvation of air conditioned rooms and computer screens to escape the summer heat. Though a contrast to the usual displays of Twitter and Buzzfeed quizzes, at Jones’ Hackathon students can expect lines of coding and intricate computer software.

Lead by Kiley Marron ‘17, CPS’ first ever Hackathon is a free, 12-hour event. Groups of no more than five CPS students will work together to design and program a software application that targets a social issue the groups are concerned about. The event will provide industry professionals as mentors that students can rely on for support and advice.

Art by Chloe Crookhall ‘17

“I originally had the idea for a hackathon during my junior year,

b u t I didn’t have the time to actually plan an event of that mag-

nitude,” said Marron. “I knew that I would regret it if I didn’t at least try to have the event this year, so I pitched the idea to some teachers and staff members. They all decided to go for it.”

Marron consulted Librarian Fran Feeley on her idea of the Hackathon, respecting his advice after she worked with him in AP Research.

“Kylie and I have worked together a lot this year,” said Feeley. “I also knew that she was in a leadership position for Girls Who Code and she came to me and mentioned her desire to create a Hackathon event so I have been counseling with her since.”

In addition to Feeley, Marron also spoke with office clerk Troy Hilbrands who has a strong interest in computer science.

“I know Mr. Hilbrands has some minor experience with programming,” said Marron. “But I chose to work with him because he has valuable event planning experience and was really excited by the prospect of having a hackathon at Jones.”

Though Hilbrands appears nervous about the event’s end result, he believes the Hackathon event will “highlight Jones as a leader in computer science.”

PAGE 6

Senior Finals

Senior finals will be held on June 12 and 13.

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Grab your “Get Out Of School Free Card” now!

Students reveal why (and how) they graduated early LANE KIZZIAH ‘18 School Staff

As second semester is now in full swing, many students have been feeling the brunt of learning new material, studying for more tests, and pulling more all nighters just to keep up. For some, it seems as if there is no end in sight.

What if there was a way to make all of it- the stress, the homework, the all nighters- come to a screeching halt? What if there was a way to expedite one’s time at Jones? To snag a “Get Out Of School Free” card?

For these three students, there was: graduating early.

Rachel Williams ‘17 technically began high school as a 7th grader at Kenwood Academy’s academic center, allowing her to obtain multiple high school credits before she started at Jones in 9th grade. Williams collected enough credits to graduate one semester before her peers.

“I was actually able to graduate at the end of junior year because I had all of my required credits, but I wanted to stick around for my last season of high school volleyball,” explained Williams.

Taking into consideration her recruitment to Babson College’s volleyball program next fall, her passion for the sport was large factor in her decision to graduate early.

“I wanted to graduate early so that I could really focus on training for volleyball and rehabilitation,” said Williams. “I recently had surgery on my ankle, and considering the fact I’m playing volleyball in college, I really wanted to be physically ready.”

With her schedule now open, Williams plans to balance her time between physical therapy, applying for scholarships, looking for a job, and helping care for her grandmother, who is in the early stages of dementia. While she has taken on a large amount of responsibility, the experience has already been enlightening and eye opening for her, allowing her to dabble in new hobbies.

While Williams recommends graduating early, she advises that any student considering it should make sure they have a solid plan as far as college and what they want to do with their downtime and academics.

Jessica Enhelder ‘17 has similar advice for those thinking about shortening their high school career.

“If you’re ready for [graduating early], it’s a great idea,” said Enhelder. “I am mentally ready for it and ready to be

Bidding farewell

independent but if that’s not [for] you, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Because she came into high school with 6 credits from Taft Academic Center, Enhelder was able to make a last minute decision to leave her class of 2018 behind and graduate a year early with the class of 2017.

“Setting up my graduation was defi- nitely not an easy process for me, because my decision to graduate early was so last minute,” said Enhelder. “I only started the process to graduate in October [of junior year] so the entire thing has been very rushed.”

Though the end of her time at Jones is coming to a close, Enhelder feels like she’s had a full high school experience.

“I’ve basically been in high school since 7th grade so I feel like I’ve had that experience,” said Enhelder. “I’m also involved with all the senior activities this year so I’m not missing much.”

As for her time after Jones, Enhelder doesn’t plan to take time off.

“I’ve applied to 10 or 11 colleges and I’m waiting to hear back from 8 of them,” Enhelder says of her college plan. “My first choice is Miami of Ohio.”

For the students who weren’t able to walk in on their first day of high school with a few credits under their belt, fear not.

Hannah Starbuck ‘17 was also in that position, and was still able to graduate a semester before her peers.

“It’s all about being smart with the classes you really need to take,” said Starbuck. “I evaluated my credits my junior year and realized I only really needed my English IV credit and a few electives. I was able to take my remaining credits through an online honors course that works with CPS and double up on credits my last semester at Jones.”

Starbuck only had to receive help from her counselor and approval from ad-

ministration in order to graduate early. However, she did find the online coursework more time consuming than an in school class, and occasionally struggled with it throughout her junior and senior year.

“The difficult part was juggling [these classes with] my existing Jones classes, as well as my part time job out of school,” said Starbuck.

For Starbuck, graduating early was all about being able to have more time to work, travel, and learn about herself before pursuing a higher education. With her newfound extra time, Starbuck has been working in numerous jobs and taking language classes to prepare for her travels this year. In March, she will head to Madrid, visiting a family friend who plans to mentor her in “his world of language, art, music and fashion.”

“I’ve always been one for getting ahead and advocating for myself in any way possible, and making the effort to personalize my path in education gave me more control of my life overall,” said Starbuck.

While she has applied to a few colleges, Starbuck explained that at the moment she is more focused on figuring out what she really wants to do before investing in a higher education. While she has only been out of school for a little over a month, Starbuck has already been able to take those first steps.

“High school is not for everyone and certainly wasn’t for me,” explained Starbuck. “I would recommend early graduation for anyone who wants to take control of their life and who are ready to start their adult paths.”

While Toni Smith ‘17 will still be graduating with her class, she has only had to come to school for one class this year to meet her graduation requirements.

“I set my classes up right freshman through junior year so I only had to take an English class this year,” Smith said. “I wish I had known sooner [that this was an option] because I would have taken an extra class my junior year. It’s really easy [to meet the graduation requirements] because I didn’t really know I was doing it until halfway through last year.”

In her new free time, Smith has

been working a part time job and has recently started working full time.

“That’s why I wanted to only take one class this year, because I needed to work,” explained Smith. “I’m working at an auto shop and as a restaurant hostess.”

Despite her hectic work schedule, Smith’s college plans have been positively impacted by this choice.

“I was recently accepted at my first choice school,” Smith said, “And I feel like working this year has made me stand out [in the admissions process].”

Smith is looking forward to her next step, but did enjoy her time at Jones.

She plans on visiting but also focusing on her college plans and academics. She credits the classes and teachers at Jones witrh giving her the drive that allowed her to achieve her goals and choose as well as make the big step forward in her life.

Asa McNaughton, a former member of the class of 2018, was able to leave high school in the dust without ever receiving a diploma.

Almost all colleges require graduation from high school but McNaughton found a program that let him bypass the last year and a half of Jones and head straight to Simon’s Rock, an “Early College” within Bard College in New York.

“I was able to transfer out midway through [junior] year,” said McNaughton.

“I’m taking college classes, but most of the people here are 17 or 18.”

This unique option gave McNaughton exactly what he was looking for when he decided he needed a way out his sophomore year.

“I was really unhappy,” said McNaughton. “I considered transferring to other high schools or dropping out. I got a mass email from [Simon’s Rock] and the more I looked into it, the better it sounded.”

While his time in high school was short, McNaughton believes he got enough of a high school experience for him.

“I’m not a prom or big dance kind of person,” said McNaughton.

“I’m really happy here so I don’t think I missed out on anything important.”

His one piece of advice for prospective early grads- know yourself and your level of readiness.

“I would say this is a great option if you’re ready for it,” McNaughton said. “It’s not just enough to be ready academically; you have to be in the right mindset to start college and all of the social implications that go along with it.”

MARGARET PINAGLIA After 31 years of working in CPS and 29 years working at Jones, school clerk Margaret Pinaglia has decided to retire and move to Fort Myers, Florida with her husband, who has also retired. “I love my job,” said Pinaglia. “Some people say it sarcastically, but I actually do.”

KAREN STOLZENBERG After decades of painting, soldering and sketching with Jones students, Karen Stolzenberg will be retiring. “For a while I am just going to sit back and relax, and I have a lot of interests. I’m even toying with the idea of going to pastry school,” said Stolzenberg.

Artwork by Chloe Crookall ‘17

Four staff members call it quits

WHITNEY COVALLE The day has come that Whitney Covalle has decided to let go of Jones. “This job is really demanding, not just physically but emotionally as well, and I want to be more present for my kids,” said Covalle. Her career is not over, she plans to return to music someday.

ALLIE PASKE Whether students had her as Canfield or Paske, the AP Psychology teacher is taking her job back out west to San Francisco. Paske plans on continuing teaching in the Bay Area.

“It’s going to be really hard leaving Jones,” said Paske. “I really love it here.”

Briefs compiled by Maggie Bedore ‘17, Julissa Santoyo ‘17, Josh Gerenraich ‘17, and Jack Bonney ‘17

Photos by Michael Brandt ‘17 and Maggie Bedore ‘17

PAGE 7 Second Semester Finals Finals for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will take place on June 14, 15, and 16.

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

These are a few of my favorite things: Blueprint seniors share memories

SETH BARTUSEK ‘17 College Plans? Grinnell College.

Favorite Memory? Junior prom was an incredible night.

Favorite Class? AP Biology.

Favorite Teachers? Mr. Dominguez and Mr. Lund because they’re both great life advisers and really good people.

MAGGIE BEDORE ‘17 College Plans? Indiana University Favorite Memory? When my story with Orla was front page of the first paper.

Favorite Class? Math 1 Favorite Teacher? Ms. Bowman, she’s an awesome person

JACK BONNEY ‘17 College Plans? Indiana University.

Favorite Memory? The French exchange program was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.

Favorite Class? Drama or French 1.

Favorite Teacher? Lund or Waterman.

MAX BOTTCHER ‘17 College Plans? Indiana University.

Favorite Memory? Cooking bacon in Saldivar’s class during a lockdown.

Favorite Class? Math 1 with Ms. Bowman.

Favorite Teacher? Strok.

CERRENA GALVAN ‘17 College Plans? John Carroll University.

Favorite Memory? Basketball senior night.

Favorite Class? World Literature.

Favorite Teacher? Mr. Lund.

CERRENA GALVAN ‘17 College Plans? University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Favorite Memory? Homecomings.

Favorite Class? Black Literature.

Favorite Teacher? Gilmer.

JOSH GERENRAICH ‘17 College Plans? University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Favorite Memory? Freshman Connection.

Favorite Class? Drama.

Favorite Teacher? Lyons.

HANNAH GILESPIE ‘17 College Plans? Northwestern University.

Favorite Memory? Going on a cruise with the band.

Favorite Class? AP Calc.

Favorite Teacher? Ms. Bowman.

BASILISA HERNANDEZ ‘17 College Plans? St. Olaf College.

Favorite Memory? Getting Thai food after seeing a play with my Latino Literature class.

Favorite Class? Latino Literature.

Favorite Teacher? Mr. Hancock.

ALFRED JACKSON ‘17 College Plans? Eastern Illinois University.

Favorite Memory? Not many of those.

Favorite Class? Lunch.

Favorite Teacher? Lyons, Lund, or Maggid.

JEIYANNI HOLLINGS ‘17 College Plans? Pace University.

Favorite Memory? This year’s pep rally.

Favorite Class? Gym is where I can relax a bit.

Favorite Teacher? Ms. Harned.

She is so sweet and funny.

ADRIANA LOPEZ ‘17 College Plans? University College Dublin.

Favorite Memory? Freshman year’s pep rally was the best.

Favorite Class? Drama. Mr. Lyons can’t not roast someone.

Favorite Teacher? Mr. Bastyr.

DARNYSHA MITCHELL ‘17 College Plans? Illinois State University.

Favorite Memory? The pep rally my freshman year.

Favorite Class? Sociology/Psychology.

Favorite Teacher? Ms. Harned.

STEPHANIE MEYER ‘17 College Plans? Lawrence University.

Favorite Memory? Mr. Lyons’s stories from Drama class.

Favorite Class? AP Research-- it’s super fun to delve into topics that I actually want to learn about.

Favorite Teacher? Ms. Miller.

DARCY PALDER ‘17 College Plans? Georgetown University.

Favorite Memory? Setting up for the Eagle Games for SGA and learning of my acceptance to Georgetown at the same time.

Favorite Class? AP Government.

Favorite Teacher? Too many to list.

JACK QUINN ‘17 College Plans? American University.

Favorite Memory? Mock Congress in AP Gov. Favorite Class? Digital Imaging 1 with Dominguez.

Favorite Teacher? Lund. He’s built up the newspaper so much.

ETHAN SODERNA ‘17 College Plans? Ohio Wesleyan University.

Favorite Memory? Ac Lab sophomore year.

Favorite Class? AP French.

Favorite Teacher? Ms. Bowman.

She was super nice and taught us well.

JULISSA SANTOYO ‘17 College Plans? Belmont University.

Favorite Memory? My freshman year pep rally.

Favorite Class? Creative Writing.

Favorite Teacher? Bowman because she is the epitome of a patient and loving teacher.

ULISSES REGALADO ‘17 College Plans? University of Minnesota at Twin Cities.

Favorite Memory? Soccer season.

Favorite Class? APUSH, I loved how the class was taught and the content that was in it.

Favorite Teacher? Kaminski. His teaching style was very likable.

IVY REJMAN ‘17 College Plans? Taking a gap year.

Favorite Memory? My friends will live in my memory forever.

Favorite Class?AP Language.

Favorite Teacher? Mr. Gunnink taught me so much more than a teacher normally does.

DOMINIC ZERILLO ‘17 College Plans? Illinois Institute of Technology.

Favorite Memory? Performing stand up for the first time.

Favorite Class? I slept through it.

Favorite Teacher? I love 4 of them equally.

Seniors’ Favorite Classes

MICHAEL BRANDT ‘17 College Plans? St. Olaf College.

Favorite Memory? My senior year volleyball season.

Favorite Class? Digital Imaging because it relates to the field I want to go into.

Favorite Teacher? Mr. Myers.

PAGE 8

PAGE 9 JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Eagles leave the nest

60 percent of graduating seniors plan to leave Illinois American University: Felix Hecht, Jack Quinn Arizona State University: Dani Schulgasser Babson College: Michael Diaz, Azana Washington, Rachel Williams Bard College: Charlotte Geissler Belmont University: Jack Harris, Julissa Santoyo Beloit College: Natalia Branas Benedictine University: Amanda Arroyo Bradley University: Latasha Ellis, Patricia Guerrero, Bryson Phillips Bringham Young University: Aileen Hernandez Brown University: Alex Kruse, Kaeri Martinez Butler University: Nicole Katzin Carleton College: Trevor Hughes Carnegie Mellon University: Rachel Jones Carroll University: Zach Benes Case Western Reserve University: Katie Cerda, Russell Gordon Clark Atlanta University: Kyra Johnson Clark University: Amelia Curry Coe College: Darielle Hilson College of DuPage: Miah Emano College of the Holy Cross: Couper Tanko Columbia College Chicago: Paige Baldwin, Ian Garces Colorado College: Isabelle Leadbeater Columbia University: Claudia Szaflarski Concordia University: Adamari Casas Denison University: Ngozi Amadikwu, Luisa Bryan, Harry Hicks, Kaila Kasper Denver University: Patrick Conroy DePaul University: Aditya Alapati, Alexis Huante, Sam Johnson, Ismael Nuno, Angeli O, Delaney Oakes, Ella Peterson, Kianti Turner-Walton DePauw University: Joe Kelleher Drexel University: Daniel Bamford, Liam McGhie Eastern Illinois University: Alfred Jackson Eastern Michigan University: Kalice Savage Eckerd College: Stephanie Koll, Sophie Levinson Fashion Institute of Technology: Claire Hallman Georgetown University: Darcy Palder Grinnell College: Seth Bartusek, Maya Dru Hampshire College: Daisy Maass Hampton University: Sydney Jackson Harold Washington College: Andres Hernandez, Shanae Hill, Odalys Pastenes Harvard University: Sydney Sorkin Harvey Mudd College: Zoe Jackson Howard University: Ajane Davis, Heather Drain, Meagan Forney, Sydney Jackson, Audrey James Illinois Institute of Technology: Gilberto Andrade, Eric Moy, Jordache Yuen, Jesus Zaleta, Dominic Zerillo Illinois State University: Julia Gaworski, Darnysha Mitchell Indiana University: Maggie Bedore, Joey Bergren, Jack Bonney, Max Bottcher Victoria Burke, Victoria Gnat, Sophia Mastroianni, Ashley O’Donnell Iowa State University: Cesar Gutierrez, Tommy Janopoulos Ithaca College: Yahaira Tarr IUPUI: Sydney Pilarczyk, Andrea Untalan John Carroll University: Mike Cleland Kalamazoo College: Angela Ruiz Knox College: Max Caplan, Andrew Liput, Mia Prekop, Arthur Santoro Lawrence University: Stephanie Meyer Lewis and Clark University: Leland Nelson LIM College: Nicki Bletnitsky, Chata Pratt Loyola Marymount University: Isabella Velasquez Loyola University Chicago: Sophie Elder, Desiree Garcia, Mercedes Loeb, Giovanna Medina, Nicolas Teodosescu, Victoria Tso, Nicole Zapotoczny Macalester University: Nico Diaz, Sophie Freedman, Leah Stern Marquette University: Emmanuel Achemeapong Antonio Frutos, Alondra Gonzalez, Estrella Limon, Elena Walker, McGill University: Anna Klevatt Miami University of Ohio: Katie Bump Michigan State University: Kian Fayz, Miranda Matern Middlebury College: Will Oppenheim Minnesota State University: Zoe Wright Monmouth College: Emily Krueger Moorehouse University: Langston Harris New York University: Isabel Ebeid, Nora Morsch, Mae Schuberth, Jack Siebert Northeastern University: Maia Feruzi Northern Illinois University: Hassan Boyer, Brelynn Lowery, Aaron Morfin Northern Michigan University: Frankie Brinkman Lowe Northwestern University: David Flores, Hannah Gillespie, Jillian Korey, Alka Meresh, Desmond O’Keefe, Sam Pulido, Jamarielle Ransom Marks, Jia Xue Ohio State University: Aviana Aguilar Romero, Arthur Siegle Ohio Wesleyan University: Ethan Soderna Pace University: Jeyianni Hollings Pomona College: Jeremy Adans, Janelle Herring Pratt Institute: Carly Klein Purdue University: Amanda Crain, Kyle Gujral, Alex Lawson, Brian Ma, Adeline Naon, Julie Zapata Robert Morris University: Da’necia Schaffer Saint Xavier University: Jessica Magana, Fernando Ortiz Sarah Lawrence University: Will Moran Savanna College of Art and Design: Irina Rasinariu School of the Art Institute of Chicago: Elaine Heppner Seattle University: Fabiola Horta Southern Illinois University: Veronica Cahill Spelman College: Myra Mitchell, Lamariah Smith St. Olaf College: Michael Brandt, River Gerding, Basilisa Hernandez, Patrick Holtzman, Colin Kolasny, Ethan Sieben Swarthmore College: Louisa Carman Syracuse University: Chloe Crookall, Zuzanna Koscielniak The New School: Miranda Poedke, Zoe Varga Tufts University: Hannah Nelson Tulane University: Jaimie Meyer Tuskegee University: Noelani Pierce, Cyan Simmons Union College: Elias Kuhns University College of Dublin: Adriana Lopez University of California at Berkeley: Karsyn Terry University of California at Davis: Klaudia Poprowska University of California at Los Angeles: Gabrielle Harvey, Claire Waller University of California at Santa Barbara: Nate Russell University of Central Florida: Anthony Yaghmour University of Chicago: Xiaomin Luo, Berenice Martinez, Faryn Thomas, Katie Treskow University of Colorado at Boulder: Dylan Turner University of Illinois at Chicago: Kuba Biedron, Janai Cedeno, Kassandra Cortez, Destiny Cruz, Dezjha Hilson, Ken Huang, Arita Kalaba, Chris Katsaros, Alex Kells Sam Kugel, Kalvin Lee, Francisco Leon, Erick Martinez, Sofia Mirshed, Matthew Mota, Stassy Muller, Jason Sandoval, Bona Sileikaite, Michael Wu University of Illinois at Urbana Champagn: Francisco Almazan, Dawid Bogdal, Evelyn Busso, Michelle Campos, Megan Carney, Samantha Cisneros, Chrisheka Daniels, Priscila Diaz, Abby Dizon, Matt English, Katelyn Esquivel, Jacqueline Fabian, Diana Fernandez, Cerrena Galvan, Josh Gerenraich, Ciara Greene, Alice Jiang, Noah Kaiden, David Kierpiec, Sylvia Kierpiec, Ethan Kuruc, Maria Martinez, Taylor Mazique, Caitlyn Menchaca, David Okabe, Giovanni Ortega, Josh Osemwengie, Liliana Perez, Andrew Situ, Yiren Tu, Gabby Castellanos, Alejandra Herrera, Danylo Sovgut, University of Iowa: Sofie Hall, Sam Nathan, Tessa Schmidts, Dominic Scumaci University of Kansas: Ethan Greenberg University of Michigan: Dane Andrews, Luis Cinnamon, Morgan Dechter, Vanessa Gonzalez, Dylan Keefe, Mikaela Uddfolk, Sydney Weisman University of Minnesota at Twin Cities: Emily Adamson, Joey Bailey, Jenny Ginden, Ulisses Regalado University of Missouri: Maeve Harvey-Camillione, Virginia Trickey University of Notre Dame: Aggie Laboe University of Pennsylvania: Kiley Marron, Eivan Herrera University of Pittsburgh: Landon Bryant, Emma Vanzale University of Redlands: Aris Brickler University of San Diego: Lucas Chase, Kira Ford University of Southern California: Anthony Wagner University of Texas at Austin: Dani Bletnitsky University of Washington: Sabrina Hersh, Yulissa Quezada, Emma Wilson University of Wisconsin Madison: Chloe Chan, Alexis Soto, Derrex Woo Valparaiso University: Jada Harris Vanderbilt University: Jessie Petrey Vandercook College of Music: Ashley Barajas Villanova University: Catherine Clifford Warren Wilson College: Margaux Reifman Washington University in St. Louis: Alyssa Hilko, Olivia Quinn Whittier College: Pablo Palafox Wright College: Lily Radom

40%

Seniors surveyed by Blueprint staying in Illinois for college

6

HBCU colleges and universities represented

39

Students attenging Unitversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champagn

27%

Seniors attending Big Ten colleges

4 out of 8 Ivy League schools represented

Top 5 states with most graduating seniors: Illinois (118), Indiana (20), New York (18), Minnesota (15), California (14)

PAGE 10

Top Honors JCP National Spanish Honor Society wins first for work at Casa Central at national level.

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

A hop across the pond ADRIANNA LOPEZ‘17

When you grow up on reduced meals and unemployment checks, college doesn’t always seem like an option.

From the start of elementary school, the idea of pursuing a higher education is ingrained in us, and in this modern day society, almost to an extent coerced. Despite attending a college preparatory high school, it wasn’t until junior year that I was faced with the reality of scholarships and college applications. However, most, if not all, of my efforts were solely dedicated towards finding awards and grants, and it was not until late October of senior year that I realized I had yet to apply to any universities.

The process of selecting a school is no doubt tedious, and with the recent confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, applying to a public establishment has no guarantee of a stable environment. As it stands with present complications involving Chicago Public Schools, it is difficult to say where the corruption of public school education ends, at least, within the city. With the outrageous tuition costs of most universities, I felt attending an institution with threats of job and budget cuts, wasn't worth the student debt.

Perhaps it was the controversial election result that finally prompted me to apply international. Despite never traveling outside of the country, the ten-

sions that arose over the past few months left me unsure of the opportunities that would be available in the future within the United States. Researching the educational systems of foreign institutions proved to be quite the challenge in regards to transferring earned credit from Jones. Canada seemed the most immediate and obvious choice, however, attending a university so closely related to the American school system felt mundane.

Although I was accepted into Concordia University in Montreal, it did not offer the experience nor education that suited me.

Applying to Ireland was a somewhat spontaneous decision. Though I am not of Irish descendant, I spent a decent amount of my childhood attending a primarily Irish Catholic elementary school on the South Side. Though I do not consider myself a particularly religious individual, the University College Dublin still seemed to remind me of my previous schooling in an atmospheric sense. Being the ‘Global University’ of Ireland, international students make up nearly half of the student population encompassing 127 different countries.

Admittedly, the university’s credibility made it intimidating to even begin an application, much less turn in the final materials. The process is fairly similar to common application for any other institution, save the ability to apply directly to programs rather than the institution as a whole. With a bit of pressure

and coaxing, I was able to apply to the Liberal Arts and Sciences Department, encompassing the architecture, arts, social science, business, and science programs. Though the four year education structure is based loosely on the American university structure, the courses offer reign true to Ireland’s standards.

In April, a luncheon was held at a pub for international students residing in the Midwest, to speak with representatives and professors of the university, as well as meet other admitted students.

Naturally accommodation was the common theme of most conversations, a sense of relief flooding over the group at the announcement that housing is guaranteed for first year international students.

Meeting other applicants was definitely a surreal experience, most of which were attending private high schools and even a French Academy. It's easy to be overwhelmed by my peers’ experiences, but in that moment, rather than seep into a feeling of inadequacy, I felt pride of my accomplishments in becoming a part of this exciting community. Of course, essentially moving out of the country when the farthest distance I have ever travelled was the beaches in Miami, terrifies me.

Yet this new experience, a possibility that I could never even begin to fathom with my previous complicated financial status, seems like such an exciting educational experience, I cannot wait to begin.

Dreams come true

Ivonne Jimenez ‘17 and Cristal Martinez ‘17 are two of the few Dreamers at Jones that successfully overcame the rigorous process of college applications despite their status

count the states during the application process.

“I know for some colleges, you’re not even allowed to apply,” said

As seniors trudge through their Martinez.

“In Georgia, you can’t even final high school days, Ivonne Jimenez apply because it’s illegal to apply.”

‘17 and Cristal Martinez ‘17 take a deep

Applying for college was provbreath after the strenuous process that is ing to be rigorous and both girls felt the applying for college. Though many sepressure. niors may feel this same sense of relief, “Your whole year is going to Jimenez and Martinez take be applying to scholarships,” said pride in completing the fiMartinez. “You’re not even going nal step towards attending to get sleep.” college as undocumented In the end, the pressure would students. get to them and nearly discourage

Jimenez and Marthem, but they would pick themtinez are ready to graduate selves back up. from Jones and move on “At one point you do get a little to the college bound route, bit frustrated and you don’t want but both have experienced to do it anymore,” says Jimenez. a rollercoaster of obstacles “But then at the end of the day, as they applied. For startyou need it.” ers, they had to dive head After finishing their college first into the process all by applications, both girls felt the rethemselves. grets that came with it.

“I mostly did it “I guess I didn’t look into by myself,” said Jimenez.

Photo by Maggie Bedore ‘17 into financial aid as much as I “[My parents] don’t know ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT Cristal Martinez ‘17 (left) and Ivonne Jimenez ‘17 know what’s going on. (right) flip through college brochures. Jimenez will attend University of Illinois at should’ve. I should’ve looked into it from the beginning inThey just don’t know.”

Springfield in the fall. stead of saying, ‘Oh, let me see

Despite their self

“They have different scholarif I get in there first,’” said Jimenez. reliance, they both took matters into their ships available and they do have resourc Instead, both girls agree that own hands. The first and biggest obstacle es but most of them are like ‘keep applyno one should make their same mistakes they faced was the lack of financial aid. ing to scholarships,’” said Jimenez. and make this whole process for fellow

“It’s not that we couldn’t get

Instead, both decided to search dreamers less messy. into the college we wanted to,” said “I did not really want to go to Jimenez. “It was just we couldn’t afford at institutions instead for the financial support the were looking for. schools that are undocumented friendly it.”

“Don’t rely on scholarships, rely because most of the schools are too easy.

Martinez and Jimenez both exsolely on how much money you know I didn’t want to apply to those so now perienced getting into some of their top that the institution can give you because I’m just telling my friends ‘you know colleges but had to decline because of the you don’t even know if you’re going to what, just go.’

You’re going to pay a little low financial aid given. get those scholarships,” said Martinez. bit, you’re going to get in, you’re going

“I think, as an undocumented

Aside from financial support, to get money.

It doesn’t matter,” said student, it’s more on looking, realistiboth expressed the need to take into acMartinez. cally, if the school is going to give you LESLIE DIAZ ‘18 School Staff

money or not. If you know it’s flat out not, unless you want to say ‘I really want to go to this school,’ there’s no point in applying because you’re not going to be able to go either way,” said Martinez.

Seeing as money was the biggest issue, both seniors looked to scholarships but were disappointed with the lack of support they offered.

Early exit

Senior skips second semester LESLIE DIAZ ‘18 School Staff

As students panic for finals the last week of the first semester, Audrey James ‘17 prepares to call it her last semester at Jones. Audrey James has officially been able to graduate a whole semester earlier than most of her peers, making her time at Jones shorter by the second.

James officially finished her required credits back in junior year but has just now finished high school. Her time in an academic center had previously brought her into Jones with more credits than needed. Soon enough, she was able to use her previous credits to graduate early.

“I had enough credits officially my junior year,” said James. “ I talked with my counselor and made sure that everything is right with my credits and then she just approved my resume.”

Despite her time off, she seems to have more to do rather than less. James will be attending extra courses outside of Jones an attempt to go into college with more credits than most people.

“I’m enrolled in Harold Washington right now so I’ll be taking three hour credit courses there for the spring semester and then those credits will transfer over to the college/university I want to go to in fall, ” said James.

Her time at Jones also seemed quite regular despite her extra time off. James states she came to school like anyone else and won’t even miss prom.

“Everyone’s like ‘oh I’m so jealous of you’, stuff like that but I don’t feel like I’m too different from everybody else,” James said. “ I still went to the same classes they did, it’s just because it’s short. I’m still in school, it’s not like I’m sitting at home, you know, doing nothing.”

Seeing as she has already fulfilled her credits, James admits she didn’t have to worry about picking specific credit based classes for her senior year.

“It’s more freelance so last year I basically just picked my classes off of either what I wanted to do in college or what I wanted to do just to finish of highschool because majority of high school is you taking classes you need rather than taking classes you want to take,” James said. “Because I had the opportunity to actually pick classes I wanted to take, I took advantage of that and that’s why I took classes like Financial Lit and ACES.”

But arriving at such a decision seemed to be harder than picking classes. James admits that picking to graduate earlier was harder than what it seems.

“I had to weigh out my pros and cons about graduating early. I think that the pros kinda outweigh the cons, cause there’s not really much I’m missing out on. Of course I’m missing out on the social life at Jones in the second semester, but I’m also gaining college classes, and also gaining college credits or jobs or independent skills. They outweigh each other,” James said.

Having to make such a decision, James ultimately decided to leave early.

“I wanna go into college with a little money in my pocket and I also want to go into college with credits,” said James. “How I came into high school with more credits than I needed, I kinda want to do the same thing for college, so I can get some of those extra credits out the way and I can probably graduate college earlier like go into med school early.”

Even if she decided to leave Jones early, it didn’t stop her from feeling emotional.

“There’s going to be some people I still see because I still have my dance team here and they practice after school so I’m still going to come up here when they have practices but of course I’m always going to miss seeing my friends in the halls,” James said.

PAGE 11 Home and Identity

Eagle Leaders are putting on end-of-year plays on June 1 and 2.

T.A.C.O’s tasty jams

Creative oasis showcases youth talent

IVY REJMAN ‘17

Lifestyles Staff

JOSH GERENRAICH ‘17 Lifestyles Staff

Teen Artist’s Creative Oasis (TACO), a sanctuary for teen creativity, has sprouted in Chicago from the work of Seamus Masterson ‘18, Kenton Kiser ‘18, and their sisters who run the organization. A city with such vast inspiration lacked a way to express their artwork; without public galleries and venues, there was a need for an outlet to display artistic talent from teens until this collection started.

Young musicians and artists have been on the rise, feeling inspired and motivated to share their talents with the world. For many, it can be difficult to get their music and art out there and create a name for themselves, or feeling that others don’t support the work they

spend time making art. The arts often don’t get enough support, and what this movement has done is pretty brilliant in the way it draws a crowd for artists.”

T A C O was first started four years ago by two former Northside Prep students, Bella Masterson and Bella Kiser, the sisters of Seamus and Kenton. First taking place at a DUET Ava Brennan, a junior, performs with Sam Tweedy, a senior, both stuFlaco’s Tacos, the dents at Northside. The crowd takes a seat to enjoy the music, and appreciate girls transformed a the talent. restaurant into the selves and their art.” had owned and they took the ultimate art gallery.

Four times a year idea and ran with it making it

“Kenton and Sea- Masterson ‘18 and Kiser ‘18 bigger and better than it ever mus took it over two years host a seasonal Arts Open, started out. ” ago,” said Jim Masterson, where different bands and There have been an the father of Seamus and artists are encouraged to array of charities that TACO Bella Masterson. “Before come and display their talent. has collected donations for in that, their older sisters want- “With every chang- the past from each seasonal

ing season the showing. boys put to- “[TACO] always gether a sol- has a cause to donate to,” stice,” said said Maggie Arguelles, KenCharles Kiser, ton and Bella Kiser’s mother.

Kenton and “This time it is the ACLU, Bella Kiser’s and before this was Michelle father. “They Obama’s initiative for Let have to work Girls Learn. They donated a around peo- lot of money which helped ple’s sched- fund a computer literacy proules, and there gram.” have been Teenagers lack an delays, like a outlet to go and experience flood that just healthy fun, so they often recently hap- resort to hanging out on the pened in the streets, getting themselves space, but they into trouble. This gem on the manage to get northside allows for young IT’S LIT Taken from the side of the stage, TACO is lit up with lights as colorful e v e r y t h i n g adults to get a taste of what as each artist’s mind. The crowd mingles as they wait for the next performance to together and life will be like once they’re begin. make it hap- allowed more freedom, with pen.” the supervision of some do. TACO aims to change ed to give teen artists a plat- This oasis was also open-minded parents. this, shedding light on the form; a place to either per- inspired to be a collection for “There should be many creative young people form musically or display donations. This winter sol- more venues where this can hoping to leave a lasting im- their art. The original Bella stice event raised $1,000 for happen,” said Charles Kiser. pact on the world. idea was that they had their the American Civil Liberties “There aren’t a lot of places

“TACO gives the music, they had their art, but Union (ACLU) by charging a for teenagers to hang out. If youth a space to create to- they had nowhere to display five dollar entrance fee. an 18 year old is old enough gether, and show each oth- it.”

“[The Bellas] also to take a bullet for their er their new music without As a teen in a city wanted to start a charity and country, I think they should any judgement, while com- with nowhere to express and raise money for a cause, so be able to have a safe enviing together as a artistically display their art, this collec- they put the two together,” ronment to enjoy.” supportive community,” said tion caught young artists’ said Jim Masterson. “It origSeamus Masterson’s brother, attention as a new hope for inally started at a restaurant I Photos courtesy of TACO Michael Masterson, a junior recognition. at Beacon Academy.

“We’re a

It’s greatly popu- space for teenagers lar amongst kids throughout all across Chicago, chicago to go experience and even across and support their peers in the the country to dispassions that they have while play their art, and having fun. just get their art

“I come to TACO out there because because it’s one of the few a lot of the time environments that attempts they can have a lot to rethink the way teens of trouble getting normally socialise, it has a their work seen by purpose and it’s a commu- others,” said Masnity that I can respect,” said terson ‘18. “This Theo Reeves ‘19. “I want is a way for us to to offer any encouragement change that, and to I can to my friends which help teens be com- JAM Teddy Holcomb ‘18, and Eric Hu, a junior at Northside, both members of are motivated enough to fortable with them- the band Boise Noise, play their music at a TACO event.

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Junior in Jerusalem Leo Dunn ‘18 spends a semester abroad in Israel

Imagine: You’re sitting in math class, taking notes as your teacher gives their lesson. Slightly bored, you turn your head to gaze out the window; but instead of seeing the 20 story office buildings and parking lots that line State Street, your view consists of a gold-domed synagogue peaking over weathered stone walls. Instead of daydreaming about shopping or going out with friends over the weekend, you’re thinking about the tour of the Old City of Jerusalem you have planned for Saturday. To most Jones students, this unique school day experience could only be a dream. For the past four months, this has been Leo Dunn’s ‘18 reality.

In January, Dunn traveled from Chicago to Israel to spend his second semester of junior year abroad through an organization called the North American Federation of Temple Youth, a reform Jewish youth group, with about 61 other students from all over North America.

While at first some of his teachers and friends were surprised to hear that the commonly quiet and reserved Dunn was taking a semester abroad 6,000 miles from home, Brady Gunnink, Dunn’s AP English Language and Composition teacher, was very excited.

“[During first semester] I came to see how engaged he was in topics about Israel and about his religious and cultural identity,” said Gunnink. “I can see how it’s a really great fit and a really exciting opportunity for him to be part of something and explore something that he’s really passionate about.”

Currently, Dunn is living and taking classes on a Kibbutz, a traditional communal settlement about six miles outside of Jerusalem.

While he is still participating in many of the classes he was in first semester, his school day differs vastly from the average Jones student.

“On a normal day, I have two hours of Hebrew class and three hours of Jewish History in addition to my normal classes: French, Math, AP Lang, AP Gov, and Biology,” said Dunn. “I am in school for a solid 11 hours.”

Although he has a heavy workload, Dunn described how the program balances the students’ time providing them with Jewish history trips and giving them the opportunity to learn all over Israel.

“The cool thing about living in Israel is that it is full of history, and it is all right there for everyone on tour,” said Dunn. “We’ve toured the Old City of Jerusalem, gone to museums, and traveled to Jewish, Christian, and Muslim historical sites all over the country.”

In addition to field trips throughout the country, Dunn has also spent a week of basic training with the Israeli Army and spent a week in Poland, touring concentration camps, visiting Polish villages and cities, and learning about Polish life and the Holocaust.

“It was emotionally tough, but extremely meaningful,” said Dunn.

As his semester comes to a close, Dunn plans on heading back to Chicago within the next few weeks. As a high school junior, it’s not common to take a semester abroad when there is so much going on in your academic life, but Dunn believed it was worth it.

“For me, the most important part was learning how to be truly independent,” s a i d Dunn.

LANE KIZZIAH ‘18 School Staff

PAGE 12

Practicing Pomp & Circumstance Rehearsal for the Class of 2017’s graduation ceremony will occur on June 14.

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Fear the tiers

Socioeconomic test-in situation creates student cultural divide

DARCY PALDER ‘17

Managing Editor

Chicago considers itself a city astutely aware of the groups and neighborhoods that exist within it.

But, there is a whole other group of neighborhoods not marked by common Chicago maps: the tiers labeled

by Chicago Public Schools for selective enrollment admissions. They are marked regions of Chicago, lines that determine which socio economic class you will be competing against for a spot at one of the coveted 11 selective enrollment schools. Most significantly, it can also determines the population of the student body at a selective enrollment school.

“[The Tier system] definitely does [influence the makeup of the student body],” said Karsyn Terry ‘17. “When the tier system first became a thing it affected, it increased, the black and brown students in almost all the selective enrollment schools.”

The Tier system has become a way to gather the best and the brightest through their test scores, but its original intention was to ensure race diversity in schools. It replaced an older system that selected students based on racial quotas.

“Previous to [this system] we had an actual racial component,” said Principal P. Joseph Powers. “Certain percentages were set aside and then cut off scores were set accordingly for African Americans, Hispanic and so forth that was all done by court decree going year back in an effort to desegregate scores.”

When the court decree was vacated six years ago, the city turned to the Tier system.

“Rather than just going to a straight ranking system, which CPS thought, and I think rightly so, would have skewed heavily toward white and more affluent communities,” said Powers. “They adapted a system to try and do it not on race, but on socioeconomic factors. I think it has helped prevent the re-segregating of the [selective] schools.

CPS recognized the relationships that often exists between race and socioeconomic status and chose the Tier system to try to ensure that race was accurately represented.

Continuing diversity appears to be the main selling point of the Tier system and students agree that it was certainly better than the previous system.

“I feel like the racial quotas were problematic in that it expected less of people of color,” said Alyssa Travis ‘17. “So it’s successful in eliminating the stereotypes for peo-

ple of color, but it’s unsuccessful in actually promoting diversity.”

Despite the city’s purpose, students believe the tier system has not helped diversity at Jones.

“It’s diverse numerically, statistically, if they did a poll of how many black people there are, how many Latino kids there are, how many white kids there are,” said Yahaira Tarr ‘17. “But I think being diverse is more than numbers.”

However, Terry that the minority numbers at Jones have also lessened, “When we first came to Jones it was like 20, 20, 20, 20 across the board and now it’s like 45 percent white, coming down to 10 percent black. You see the percentages increasing with the white populations and decreasing among everyone else.”

“And I feel like that’s also because of the tier system,” adds Travis.

Terry’s numbers are not that far off. Right now 36 percent of Jones identify as white. However,

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

and different socioeconomic groups, you want to find people you identify with,” said Juliet Schmidt ‘18. “So it has definitely has made me realize that who I am friends with are people who I identify with on a socioeconomic basis.”

However, in their most basic role, tiers separate students based on their intelligence measured by their test scores. As a student from Tier four, the area with the highest median incomes, Drake Os-

e n berg ‘18

Tier 4

it was never equal across the board, knew he had four years ago the white population to score was 30 percent. Yet, it is still the higher than largest increase of any racial population at Jones with the black population dropping from 22 percent to 16 percent. This may be because 30 percent of the spots at each selective the maenrollment admit solely based on jority of stutheir selective enrollment score and dents his age do not take Tier into account. That if he wanted 30 percent is similar to the straight to be acceptranking system that CPS initially ed to Jones. objected to as it would have favored “ B e i n gf r o ma white, affluent communities. The selective Tier percentage is small, but with the ex- four neighborpansion of class size the 30 percent hood means that does mean an increased number of you have to students who were admitted due to o u t p e r f o r m their high score. the very best in the city,” said

Students prominently feel a Osenberg. “It presents a significhange, not only in race diversity, cant roadblock towards getting into but in class diversity as well. a selective enrollment school.”

“The high income people The roadblock became very we do have, they’re a lot higher in- clear when he scored an 883 out of come,” said Travis. “There’s kind of 900 and was rejected from Jones. like an in-out group in terms of fi- Osenberg’s score was 15 points nancial abilities.” higher than the previous year’s cut The Tier system ensures that off score. there is a representation of each so- Students from Tier four cioeconomic class, but students re- neighborhoods are supposed to port that it has caused sharp divides be students of the highest income and a segregation of class. brackets in Chicago, each tier below

“The people you live around it is supposed to have students of are in a similar financial situation successively lower income with Tier as you so when you come to Jones being the lowest. However, another with people from all over the city assumption is made about students

in each Tier: their test scores. The higher the number in a tier, the higher the student’s test scores are expected to be. While this system does make it more difficult for some students, it could benefit students who live in a lower income neighborhood because their scores do not have to be as high (though that is relative because even students in Tier one need to gain above an 800 in order to gain admittance to Jones). It is a loophole that creates a significant flaw in the tier system.

“A lot of people are using the tier system to their advantage to get into Jones, “ said Travis. “I know a lot of people who moved into a lower income neighborhood solely for the purpose of applying to high school so they could get in more easily.”

Students are very aware of the flaws in the tier system, but suggested solutions appear to concentrate more on changing the structure of neighborhoods and perhaps removing the need for selective enrollment schools and the tier systems altogether.

“I feel like in any system in a selective enrollment school there are going to be issues, there are going to be ways to cheat the

system, that’s inevitable, “ said Terry, “I feel like a better way to change everything would be to change it at its source, to [to give] poor neighborhoods resources.”

“I agree starting everything from the ground up,” adds Tarr.

“Making every school on the same level playing field so it’s not so hard to get into these good schools, so it’s not so hard to get a good education.”

Photo courtesy of CPS

PAGE 13

Senior Awards Graduating seniors will be honored by the academic departments on June 14 in the Robin Bennett Auditorium.

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Lollapinions Acts not to be slept on at

Grant Park’s annual festival

MAGGIE BEDORE ‘17 ORLA LEVENS ‘18 JACK BONNEY ‘17 SETH BARTUSEK ‘17 Riding the coattails of a successful 25th anniversary that saw the addition of a Thursday lineup, the 26th edition of Lollapalooza is bringing back the fourth day from Aug. 3-6 this summer.

Whether this can be seen as a simple money grab, it’s good news for music lovers and festival goers alike who are trying to get a bit more out of the festival. Now that the schedule has been officially released, we can get down to the basics of which bands/singers/producers deserve your attention over the late-summer weekend.

Declan McKenna (12:00pm-12:45pm, Lake Shore Stage) OL: Out of everyone on Thursday, I am by far the most excited to see Declan McKenna perform early at the Lake Shore Stage.

McKenna emerged from his English background with alt-rock guitar riffs and political lyrics, winning major talent competitions when he was in high school.

Now 18, he will play his first Lollapalooza gig, hopefully teasing his forthcoming album What Do You Think About The Car? and performing songs such as “Isombard” and “Paracetamol.”

The O’My’s (1:50pm-2:30pm, Pepsi Stage) SB: One of several Chicago bands playing at this year’s Lollapalooza, the O’My’s are tough to describe. A mix between rock, calming indie, and rap, this group has perfect music to spend an afternoon listening to. This show certainly won’t be as crazy as some found on other stages, specifically Perry’s, but they have great music and certainly have a great vibe to jam out to a festival. This band is not a headliner by any means but will surprise you with their music, don’t miss this show.

Jain (2:00pm-3:00pm, Tito’s Stage) OL: Combining musical elements from a plethora of countries, Jain’s unique sound reflects her multicultural makeup, having roots in France, Madagascar, the United Arab Emirates, and the Congo. Her debut album, Zanaka, layers African drums with synth sounds, creating a perfect alternative to pop from lead singles to hidden gems. Her extraordinary blend of music makes her an act not worth missing at the Tito’s Stage, and her early set time of 2 to 3pm insures an intimate and interesting dance party in the park.

Lorde Bud Light Stage, 8:45pm-10:00pm) MB: Signaling Lorde’s return is the upbeat “Green Light” maintaining the lively storytelling quality of her songs. Her sophomore album Melodrama will be available June 16, so I expect her Lolla set will be filled with new music.

Even with massive audiences, Lorde makes her shows incredibly personal and intimate. I saw Lorde at her Lolla debut in 2013, it is one of my favorite Lollapalooza performances ever.

LORDE

The Lemon Twigs (1:45pm-2:45pm, Lake Shore Stage) JB: One of the new hot bands of the circuit, the Lemon Twigs are two California brothers that really know how to rock out.

Both possessing incredible talent on both guitar and drums despite being teens. They really appear to have been born in the wrong century, looking like they belong opening up for The Beatles or The Who… Bishop Briggs (5:15pm6:00pm, Pepsi Stage) MB: She’s fierce and so is her music, I have no d o u b t that Bishop Briggs BISHOP BRIGGS will slay her Lollapalooza performance. The style of Bishop Briggs’ music is incredibly its own, her commanding voice is complimented by creative beats which is best exemplified in “Wild Horses” and “The Way I Do.” All of Briggs’ songs sound individual but maintain an energetic quality, I know I’ll be dancing at what is sure to be a forceful performance.

Whitney (7:45pm-8:30pm, Pepsi Stage) SB: Another Chicago artist at the festival, Whitney came out of Chicago’s north center neighborhood after being formed by two former members of Smith Westerns. Their 60s pop sound is certainly what contributed to the widespread success of wistful debut album Light Upon the Lake. Lead guitarist Max Kakacek’s smooth riffs help out the sound of Julian Erlich’s falsetto, a sound which is very unique to the band. Whitney also has one of the best songs of the year in “No Woman.” They always put on a good show so don’t miss it.

The Killers (8:45pm-10:00pm, Grant Park Stage) JB: The Las Vegas natives are returning to Lollapalooza after having an album that has been reported to be in the works for a while, and now it seems like it’s finally coming out. Every song on every album is catchy, leading from their debut album Hot Fuss to their last big album Battle Born that was released in 2012. Overall, this will definitely be a show that you won’t want to miss.

Glass Animals (4:15pm-5:15pm, Grant Park Stage) OL: The Lolla alums will return at the Grant Park Stage this year, marking their second appearance at the festival since two years ago.

Their newest masterpiece, How To Be A Human Being, is lyrically captivating, a quality that is not new to the band’s repertoire, ranging from their biggest hit, 2014’s “Gooey,” to newer songs such as “Youth” and “Agnes.” The band has collaborated with fellow festival performer Joey Bada$$ on the track “Lose Control,” which might bring a special guest appearance to the set if we’re lucky.

Alt-J (6:15pm-7:30pm, Grant Park Stage) SB: Perhaps odd is the best way to describe Alt-J’s music. They are a mix of electronic and alternative which their fusion of synth melodies and instrumentals. They will have a new album out by the time of the festival and will have music to vibe to which interesting beats and melodies.

The majority of their show will consist of An Awesome Wave, the album that made the band famous and has some absolutely amazing songs. They have played Lollapalooza before so they have a feel for the magnitude and crowd, this will be a wonderful show.

The Head and the Heart (7:00pm-8:00pm, Bud Light) MB: “All We Ever Knew” is one of my favorite songs of all time, the sunny quality has the ability to instantly improve my mood.

The incredibly lively sound of this band should translate well on stage which is why I am so psyched to see them. I expect a very spirited performance with an equally excited audience. Other favorites of mine include “Rhythm and Blues” and “Lost in My Mind,” these songs illustrate the range The Head and The Heart have and the upbeat energy maintained in all of their songs.

Chance the Rapper (8:30pm10:00pm, Grant Park Stage) JB: It should be to no surprise that Chance is headlining for a second time in 3 years. If you’ve been living under a rock, former Jones student Chancelor Bennett ‘11 has really made a name for himself in both the music world as well as Chicago’s community, winning three Grammy awards in the process. You can be sure that every person in the crowd will be screaming them at the top of their lungs.

Noname (2:50pm-3:30pm, Pepsi Stage) SB: Yet another Chicago artist, Noname (originally Noname Gypsy) has finally found success with her debut album Telefone. She doesn’t have the type of rap music that will get a crowd jumping up and down, but she has great songs that are very cool and v e r y differe n t from other rap artists.

She’ll put a good end to Lollapalooza NONAME and get you grooving to her songs.

The Shins (6:30pm-7:30pm, Grant Park Stage) OL: Out of all 100+ artists playing over the course of the four day festival, I am the most stoked to see The Shins.

This is the first opportunity to see them play in Chicago since they last played the festival five years ago in support of their album Port of Morrow. With their long-awaited album Heartworms having been released in March, The Shins’ return will be an unforgettable homecoming.

Arcade Fire (8:45pm-10:00pm, Grant Park Stage) MB: As a final act on Sunday night and with the skyline as their backdrop, Arcade Fire is sure to provide the grand finale Lollapalooza deserves.

With a highly anticipated album release any day now, Arcade Fire will hopefully debut new music during their set.

I am especially anxious to see the stage as the band is known for electric and creative stage designs like a vintage movie theatre set which they used for The Suburbs. Combining new music, a breathtaking stage and their astonishing talent, Arcade Fire will provide an epic ending to Lollapalooza.

CHANCE THE RAPPER Graphic by Orla Levens ‘18

PAGE 14

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Graduation The Class of 2017 commencement ceremony will be held at the Auditorium Theater on Thurs. June 15.

NCAA-bound: 18 prepare to compete at next level Jeremy Adams ‘17 Pomona College; Cross Country/Track Since Adams has committed he has maintained working hard academically. He is “not too worried about the college transition,” and is consistently practicing to get himself ready to compete. “Compete at a college level, you should be open to it, and give it a try,” said Adams.

Elias Kuhns ‘17 Union College; Baseball Kuhns feels more relieved, however he knows he has to get good grades to attend the University. He says he has to play harder and get better because the level of competition gets better. “It’s easier to get recruited when you have better grades, so work hard in the classroom,” he said.

Seth Bartusek ’17 Grinnell College; Baseball Bartusek is very excited that he knows he gets to play baseball after high school. He knew that he had to work hard to keep his grades up, but he was calm knowing he was into a college.

“Dedicate your time, and work hard for your sport,” said Bartusek. “But know that it is also important to enjoy your social life, and your family.”

Hannah Nelson ‘17 Tufts University, Cross Country/Track Nelson was not guaranteed a spot with running at Tufts, but it helped in the Early Decision process. When she got in, she did not lose any motivation for succeeding in school and running.

“Recruiting processes are different for each sport and each school,” said Nelson. “Do not be afraid to reach out to the coaches and show interest in their program.”

Zach Benes ‘17 Carroll University; Cross Country and Track Benes feels more relieved and looks forward to his future athletic career. He is not focusing on college and just staying consistent on his training. “Focus on one sport a lot, so you can keep your talents specialized,” he said.

Jordan Martin ‘17 Robert Morris University; Basketball The academics at Jones helped Martin become both the basketball player and the person he is now. He says that playing basketball at Jones was a unique experience. “It is best to get your name out as soon as possible,” he said.

Janai Cedeno ‘17 University of Illinois, Chicago; Soccer Cedeno knows that she has to train harder than before, even though she knows she is playing soccer collegiately. She knows that studying is important, and that school comes before sports. “Reach out to schools that you are considering, and don’t forget the school must fit both your athletic and academic needs,” she said.

William Oppenheim ‘17 Middlebury College; Baseball Oppenheim says that he feels a lot less pressure since his commitment. Since he committed, he has gone harder in training so he can be at the college level.“You have to really want to commit to playing a college sport, it is a lot of work and you have to want it [badly,]” he said.

Michael Cleland ‘17 John Carroll University; Basketball Cleland felt a lot of pressure on himself to play well because he knew this was the last chance he had to show coaches what he has got as an athlete. He said that as soon as basketball was over, senioritis hit. “Start as early as possible and go after the coaches because otherwise it will be hard for them to find you,” said Cleland.

Arthur Santoro ‘17 Knox College; Track Santoro is trying to not fail academically as he knows he is already in a college. He is pushing himself to his limit to be the best runner he can be. “Make sure you talk to coaches, they can change your perspective on a college,” said Santoro.

“And try to commit early.”

Latasha Ellis ‘17 Bradley University; Track and Field Ellis learned how to manage a high GPA while still being a student athlete. She also learned about how hard work translates to success. “You have to have a passion for your sport,” said Ellis. “Once you find your passion, pursue it by reaching out to coaches. Believe in yourself and do not wait for coaches to find you, it is best to build a relationship with a coach.”

Ethan Soderna ‘17 Ohio Wesleyan University; Baseball Soderna is excited to continue his passion for baseball throughout college and working hard to become the best player that he can. “It’s best to put yourself out there and instigate conversation with coaches so they can become interested in you,” he said.

Rachel Jones ‘17 Carnegie Mellon University; Cross Country/Track Once Jones got in via Early Decision, she knew she was going to run in college. She felt thankful for the opportunities from Jones, and knows without them she would not be where she is now. “Take an active role and start early,” she said.

Sydney Sorkin ‘17 Harvard University; Ice Hockey Sorkin committed to Harvard in the Summer of 2015. She feels that she needs to maintain her physical level of play. “It is important to stick with it and present your best self whether it’s on or off the field,” said Sorkin. “Grades are one of the most underrated things when it comes to sports because you still need to do well in school to get into the school you want to.”

Kaila Kasper ‘17 Denison University; Volleyball Kasper feels like there is a weight off of her shoulders now that she has committed, but she still wants to finish the school year with good grades. “Start the process early,” said Kasper.

“It is difficult, but it is worth it when you get to sign a paper in front of a crowd with your college hat on.”

Couper Tanko ‘17 College of the Holy Cross; Rowing Since Tanko has committed, she feels more pressure since Holy Cross is a hard school to get into and feels she needs to train harder especially since she is rowing Division I. “Start the recruiting process as soon as you can and stay open minded because you might end up somewhere you wouldn’t have thought of, but it is the perfect fit,” said Tanko.

Carly Klein ‘17 Pratt Institute; Soccer Klein loved playing soccer at Jones because she was able to have a great balance with her academics, and making friends and staying in shape. She had a different process since she is primarily going to Pratt for art, but she suggests sending your videos and to get yourself out there.

Zoe Wright ‘17 Minnesota State University, Mankato; Soccer Even though Wright has committed to Minnesota State for soccer, she still feels the pressure of academics because she still needs to qualify to get into the school. When it comes to training, Wright feels like she needs to work harder to be great at the college level. “Start the recruiting process early, and don’t lose faith in what you love to do,” she said.

Briefs by Ethan Soderna ‘17 and Maximilian Bottcher ‘17 / Photos by Michael Brandt ‘17 and courtesy of Zach Benes ‘17

PAGE 15

Baseball Goes to State Playoffs

Baseball team’s first state playoff game Friday, May 26 at 4 p.m. at Lyons Township High School.

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

The Controlling Coach

Student athletes describe their frustration with time-hogging coaches

Down by 4 with 30 seconds to go; the coach stepped into the timeout huddle and a state of calm fell over the team. They said all the right things, and just as quickly as the score had shifted, the team lifted their heads with a new hope. It’s no surprise that the people who can make great teams better and hopeless teams optimistic are often adopted as parental figures in athletes’ lives.

However, the high school atmosphere shifts this dynamic slightly, to the point where many student athletes feel this mentorship has turned into a state of control.

“My [baseball] coach determines if I’m going to bed at 10 p.m. or 2 a.m.,” said Nick Nelson ’18. “[If he found out I joined another club] I’d be kicked off the team.”

The student athletes admit there seems to be a sense of ownership over a player if the coach feels there is a chance that their dedication to the team could be compromised.

“A coach has ownership over his players because [the athletes] don’t want to disrespect their coach in any way, as [the coach] determines whether [the student] gets a chance to play,” said varsity baseball player Dennis Barber ’20. “This keeps me from doing other activities because there is a fear of disappointing your coach and letting him down.”

However, splitting time between a sport and another program may not lead to disappointment, depending on how the individual manages it.

“I have a number of guys that play baseball that play on basketball, too, and that’s fine.” said boy’s varsity basketball coach Frank Griseto.

The dedication coaches yearn to see from their players, though, stems from a place of respect for the sport.

“To be a part of varsity athletics is an honor, and to have that honor you need to hold the responsibilities that come with it,” said girl’s varsity basketball and boy’s baseball coach Michael Strok. “That’s being at practice everyday and being at games; the only time you’re missing a practice is illness or injury- that’s it.”

For many, participating in clubs or the theater program can often become a juggling act when trying to balance school and sports simultaneously.

“If I tried to join the play, my coach would laugh at me,” said Anna Bianchi ’18. “He would tell me to stick to sports- stick to what I’m good at.”

On the other hand, though, there are more than just one contributing factor as to why a student-athlete’s time becomes increasingly limited.

“The difference today is the club teams [outside of school],” said Griseto. “Realistically, today, unfortunately the way it is is that [players] have to compete on these club teams if you want to have any kind of success.”

Talk about coaches seems to have a universal constraint on it, though, as students fear slandering their coach’s leadership style will result in less playing time or less constructive criticism. It should be noted that many students declined interviews because they feared speaking about some of their coaches’ policies would get them benched or removed from the team completely.

“I have to miss family birthdays [for practices and games],” said Nelson.

However, most coaches played high school sports LONDON McGARR ‘18 Lifestyles Staff

Eagles in the hunt Girl’s Lacrosse

themselves, and view this schedule as quite manageable.

“I just think that because I was able to make it work, I don’t see why other people can’t make it work,” said varsity girl’s swim coach Lauren Zillmer. “I just think that if you’re dedicated on a varsity sport, you should never miss practice, unless you’re seriously injured or sick. I think it’s hilarious when people miss for family birthday parties.”

This attitude towards attendance is a considerable piece in the framework of Jones sports programs.

“If you’re sick, or have a family situation, those [would be reasons to miss practice],” said Griseto. “Even homework sometimes- but we have an AcLab two or three times a week where you can catch up on what you’re doing, you shouldn’t be behind, unless you’re just doing absolutely nothing during AcLab.”

Students feel they have to miss important events, though, and this demanding schedule seems to be a common unwritten rule amongst the school-run sports programs.

Photo courtesy of Tony Gadomski

KNOCK IT OUT Dennis Barber ’20 celebrates with teamates after an RBI single. “No matter what, you don’t want to disappoint your coach in any way,” said Barber.

“Since [coaches] won’t let us miss for family events or appointments, we’re supposed to schedule them [around the team schedule], and if it interferes it becomes a problem.” said Bianchi.

Although, when it comes to participating in multiple programs, coaches’ outlooks had more complex reasoning behind it than just having a sense of “ownership” over their players.

“I think being a part of other clubs is great, but you need to do it during your off season,” said Strok. “Varsity sports is one of the most rigorous [programs] you can be in. That should be your priority, and if it isn’t, that’s not something against you, but there’s something out there that’s better for you, without being a varsity athlete. Somebody else wants that opportunity that’s in this building, and when other people are willing to do it, that’s when you need to step-down.”

A similar sentiment is offered by other varsity coaches, as well.

“I would encourage people to [play two sports],” said Griseto. “I’m not into the specialty thing.”

Being a part of a team is a chance to grow as an individual and as a cohesive unit, but the ability to manage multiple programs ultimately comes down to priority. The question is are these players willing to forfeit some opportunities for others?

Girl’s Soccer

Fighting for first

Sophomore wins gold in national judo championships

SARA WEISS ‘18 Sports Editor

After sweeping the Judo National Scholastics Championships last month, Michael Mutz ‘19 has earned a spot as a member of the USA’s Judo Cadet World Team.

On March 18, Mutz traveled to Reno, Nevada to compete against the toughest and best judo athletes from across the nation. Entering the 81kg Male Cadet Division for Birth Years 2000 to 2002 after months of training and recovery from previous injuries, Mutz fought his way to the top of the podium, bringing home a gold medal.

“For this tournament, I put everything I had into preparing for the competition, so it was nice for all the blood, sweat, and tears to pay off with a win,” said Mutz.

Mutz says that the feeling isn’t new to him.

“Michael began Judo at age 9 and has competed in numerous local, regional and national tournaments over the years; he has stood on the podium in all but one tournament he has entered,” said Mutz’s father, Michael Mutz.

“My wife and I could not be more proud of Michael’s accomplishments.”

Additionally, Mutz went undefeated in national competitions in 2015, earning the top roster position as national champion. Later that year, he fought as a member of Team USA at the Pan American Junior Judo Championships in Cordoba, Argentina where he won a Bronze medal.

Sensei Brett Wolf attributes Mutz’s accomplishments to his mature technique, hard work, and passionate commitment to the sport.

“He embraces every aspect of his training. It’s not something you can fake. For Michael it’s more than an activity or something that he does- it’s a big part of who he is,” said Wolf.

However, his road to success has not been smooth.

Over the past few years, Mutz has faced a multitude of challenges in both Judo and his life in school. Michael injured his foot in the PanAm tournament and further damaged it at the 2016 Scholastics Championships, and would require foot surgery.

“At that point, he set a goal to return for the 2017 Scholastics Championships and to earn a spot on the Cadet World Team. Michael spent the next 6 months recovering, doing hours of physical therapy, resuming his judo training in order to reestablish his position on the national judo stage.” said the elder Mutz.

Along with Mutz’s judo training, he also has to face the pressures of sophomore year, and learning how to balance the two.

“The heavy workload of sophomore year has taken more time than I’m used to. Regardless, nationals required a ton more training than normal competitions because of the fact that it’s a ‘win or go home’ situation. At first I had trouble managing the time, but with some help, I made it work.” said Mutz.

The Scholastics Championship that Mutz conquered served as the qualifying tournament for the USA Judo Cadet World Team. Mutz will compete as a member of Team USA at the World Championship Cadets & Teams Tournament in Santiago, Chile on August 9-13, 2017.

There he will face the best judo athletes and teams from around the world, including those from Japan, France, Russia, Brazil and many others.

Season Overall Record: 16-4-2 Season Overall Record: 3-5 Wrapping Up: After an incredible seaWrapping Up: After only their son of winning 16 of their 22 and tying second year in existence, Jones girls 2, the Jones girls soccer team competed lacrosse held their own in a league in the CPS finals. Although they lost with many long-established programs. to Lane Tech 5-2, the girls have never They finished the season winning made it that far in Jones history. They three of their eight games against fought hard throughout the entire game Payton, Mather, and Lincoln Park, and getting to their position in the city however, lost in the city quarterfinals championship was a huge accomplish12-6 against Taft. ment for the eagles.

Bright Spots: Ellie Lawrence ‘18, Bright Spots: Zoe Wright ‘17 scored Photo courtesy of Ken Paulson Ashley O’Donnell ‘17, and Sydney CUT Annie Rix ‘18 (center) gets jostled for po- the winning goal against Walter Sorkin ‘17 scored the final six goals, sition in the first half of a May 11 defeat against Payton, leading the team to the city placing the team in fourth in city.

Taft High School by a score of 12-6 while Sara championship against Lane Tech.

Players To Watch: Audrey McMahon Priya Charles ‘18 Players to Watch: Devin Barry ‘19, Weiss ‘18 (left) looks for a pass.

‘18, Gigi Isbell ‘19, Noa Wedren ‘19 Izzy Kamba ‘20, Martina Bianchi ‘20

Boy’s Tennis

Season Overall Record: 3-4 Wrapping Up: After a solid season winning three of their seven games against Lane Tech, Lincoln Park, and Taft, the Jones boys tennis team finished their season wrap up their season after a couple losses in the singles category against Saint Ignatius and Whitney Young.

Players To Watch: Ben Keeler ‘18, Brent Gin ‘18, Matthew Richards ‘19 Bright Spots: After losing a singles match against Lincoln Park High School, the Jones men’s tennis team swing back with a fantastic comeback winning the game 4-1.

PAGE 16

Spring Sports Banquet

JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT MAY 26, 2017

Strike at the right moment

Baseball team continues quest for hardware in City, State tournaments

MICHAEL CLELAND ‘17 Sports Staff

Assistant Coach Michael Strok ‘05, believes that this team has the best depth in the conference, as well as the most experience. Speaking on his days as a

It was a cool Saturday afternoon in April when player, he is proud of the way the program has advanced the Jones baseball team wrapped up an uplifting vic- but still feels there is a missing trophy in the trophy case. tory over conference foe Morgan Park, a team that had “We have one of the most experienced rosbeaten the Eagles by a score of 20-5 the previous year. ters that we’ve had at Jones in a long time,” said With this victory in mind, as well as the team’s growing Strok. “Our experience and maturity is one of the 15-4 record, many have raised the question of if Jones reasons why we have a really good shot at city.” baseball could finally win their first City Champion- There is a difference between having a senior heavy roster and a roster with senior leadership. If nobody is willing to step up and lead by example, then experience doesn’t matter.

Michael Keller ‘18 believes that this year’s seniors have embraced the leadership role.

“They’ve done more than just help the younger guys with how to bat right or how to throw the ball correctly,” says Keller. “They have also taught us how to represent ourselves off the field and how to present ourselves as a real team.”

Another big difference from last year’s roster is that this year the pitching rotation is arguably the best it has ever been at Jones.

Led by Oppenheim, who is considered one of the top five pitchers in the city, the eagles also present lethal weapons in Joe Margolis ‘19, Dylan Spector ‘18, Bartusek, and Soderna. With these five on the mound, the rest Photo courtesy of Tony Gadomski of the team feels like they can beat anybody.

STRIKE Pitcher Will Oppenhiem ‘17 throws a pitch to catcher “When those guys are pitchDennis Barber ‘20 in the first inning of a 12-7 win against Morgan ing, we feel pretty good about getPark High School on April 17 at Kerry Wood Field. ting a win as long as the infieldship. Different from last year’s inexperienced roster, ers and the outfielders do their jobs,” said Kuhns. the team poses six senior leaders in Elias Kuhns ‘17, Going into the City tournament, Jones sat Langston Harris ‘17, Will Oppenheim ‘17, Joe Kelle- at 8-5 in the conference putting them in third place her ‘17, Seth Bartusek ‘17, and Ethan Soderna ‘17, behind Kenwood (11-1) and Solorio (8-5). Two nowho could potentially bring them to that historic win. table losses of the five came at the hands of Ken wood in thrilling games, but the Eagles still felt

In for the kill

Record season has Volleyball team moving up to top division in CPS SETH BARTUSEK ‘17 Editor-in-Cheif

In a school where sports like baseball and basketball are far more well-known than men’s Volleyball, the blood, sweat, and tears spent on the stairs during winter workouts, the weight room benches during a lifting sessions, and on the gym floor during spring practices had not been noticed. Until now.

Since going 3-6 in 2014, the dedication of the team has rapidly brought the program to being one of the best in the school. Now four years later, the experienced and resilient team came to play with a vengeance this year going 9-0 in conference, good enough to move the team up to the Gold Division, facing the best competition in the city. The special season is a tale of ups and downs as the players sought to follow through on their potential.

The season went all the way back to March 7th when the sounds of bouncing balls and squeaking sneakers reverberated off the gym walls, echoing the first day of practice. This year expectations were high amongst the team due to a deep roster loaded with seniors whose promising efforts last year led them to an 8-1 conference record.

“There was a drive to compete at the level we were close to last year,” said captain Michael Brandt. “We all knew we had a right team this year to set up the program for success in the future.”

Regardless of expectations going into the season, the Eagles were tested in their first game against Little Village High School. “[The game] was going to be a good indicator for this season,” said coach Jake Myers. “I wanted to gauge where we were in Chicago Public Schools, Little Village is one of the better teams. Their coach reached out to us because we are a very comparable competitor and we barely lost in a tiebreaker.”

However, the hard-fought 2-1 defeat gave the Eagles their first taste of adversity. Rather than backing down, they came out a day later to beat Guerrin 2-0 and went into their 9 game conference schedule with confidence.

“The loss to little village humbled us,” said cap-

Athletes on Jones’ spring teams will celebrate the conclusion of their seasons on June 8.

like they didn’t perform to their full potential.

“If we played them ten times, we would win eight,” said Soderna. “We should’ve won both games, but we didn’t step up when the time came. All we can do is hope we get another shot at them.”

Outside of conference play, the other teams that stack up with Jones are Taft and Lane, two teams that Jones has struggled with in the past. Last year Jones lost 15-4 to Lane and 2-0 to Taft in the city playoffs.

“We’re going to hold ourselves to accept nothing more than to beat them this year,” said Oppenheim. “Lane embarrassed us last year and Taft knocked us out. That should motivate the guys off a little bit.”

The two remaining games for the Eagles were matchups against Harlan and Solorio. They lost to Harlan 2-1 but then were able to take the game against Solorio on April 28 by a score of 2-0.

“All the cards are aligned in our favor,” said Head Coach Dave Rosene. “Now it’s going to be a race to the finish line and a matter of who wants it more.”

Unfortunately the Eagles hopes were dashed in the second round of the city playoffs. Their first round matchup was against Walter Payton College Prep on May 12, the eagles’ senior night, ended victoriously, riding a complete game by Dylan Spector to a 5-2 win. Then on May 13 the Eagles squared off against Lakeview High School at Kerry Wood field for a spot at the City Semi-finals.

After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the eagles battled back behind Ethan Soderna to take a 5-3 lead going into the seventh, and last inning, relief pitcher Joe Margolis came on with no outs and a man on first and after walking one hitter, allowed the next batter hit a walk off three-run homerun to give Lakeview a 6-5 win. With a season full of high hopes and emotion, the loss was a dagger.

The Eagles battled back to beat St. Ignatius on May 17 10-2, and then tying Fenwick High School 2-2 on Monday. Next the Eagles look toward state playoffs with their first regional matchup on May 25 against Lyons Township High School.

tain Michael Diaz. “It showed us that just being [a] good Schools playoffs, a deep run would be the cherry on top of [team] wouldn’t make other teams roll over. But we knew their already memorable season. The first round game was that a loss was not an indicator of how good our team was.” held against Foreman High School. In front of the largest After setting a high bar with an outstanding re- crowd of the season the Eagles ran away with the contest cord in 2016, a perfect season was needed to improve winning in straight sets. Next Jones faced Taft High School, on the year before. Doing good upon their word, the a familiar team having played Jones to a tie four days earlier.

Eagles went undefeated in conference games. As icing

“We lost to a good team but they were beatable,” on the cake, in nine games the team did not lose a sin- said Diaz. “We were one point from winning the first set two gle set, going a combined 18 for 18 in conference sets. or three times but couldn’t get over the hump. [The loss] hurt “We were playing our game,” said Brandt. “Its a lot because it was our last run at City [championships] and nice to see guys put skills that they had been working it’s in my last year, but at least we are moving up a division.” on to use. I saw a lot of our players come out of their shells and play like we knew they could.”

Then, as a tuneup for the City Playoffs, the team played a tournament against their best competition yet.

“We wanted to see the caliber opponent we were going to see in the playoffs,” said MyPhoto courtesy of Katie Brandt ers. “We have a big SPIKE Captain Michael Diaz’ 17 sets to Dawid Bogdal ‘17 in a regional semi-final team so a lot of play- victory over Hancock High School on Tuesday. ers were able to get some playing time. I think Despite the loss, a spectacular season canthey played well, we took second in a tournament not be overshadowed. The volleyball team will be against teams that have outranked us every year.” moving up a division and building the founda The Eagles turned in an immense effort tions for a strong program in the years to come. playing 5 games in a row and beating Holy Trin “We did what we needed to do this year in terms ity and Little Village, tying with Taft and Whit- of conference, going undefeated and moving up to the Gold ney Young, and losing to Wheaton Academy. Division,” said Myers. “We played really well in that [pre “It was good to finally face some strong competi- city] tournament which showed me that we can compete tion,” said Brandt. “Its tough to play that many games but with big suburban teams which is exciting. Yes, I wish we we played like we knew we could and got some big wins.” would have played better in the city tournament, but I’m

Now the team looked ahead to the Chicago Public not disappointed at all in the season, I think it was great.”