Centerspread

from Kaneland Krier Volume 49 Issue 2

News

THE INACCURATE REPRESENTATIONS PORTRAYED IN THE MEDIA

BY KATIE PFOTENHAUER

Editor and Columnist Manager

Since its inception, the media has influenced society in many ways, and as forms of media expand, that influence only grows. TV shows and movies have the power to change someone’s perspective and make them see the world through a different lens, or rather, a screen. They have the power to make people feel sympathetic toward characters who are going through hardships and happy for those who experience triumphs. Consumers, then, can develop mixed feelings towards characters because of their stereotypical behaviors and misrepresented traits that are commonly portrayed through the media. In teen dramas, for example, there always seemingly happens to be the jock who gets multiple recruitment opportunities from colleges with the popular cheerleader by his side. When athletes go into high school with those scenes from movies and TV shows in their heads, it can create false expectations of what will happen. While that is just one of the frequent examples seen in high school-based movies and shows, other stereotypes repate high cognitive load and reduced academic focus and performance.”

Stereotype threats made by the media can negatively impact a student’s academic success because they often target a person for things that do not necessarily relate to their educational abilities. When it comes to finals, Advanced Placement (AP) exams or other tests that can impact future opportunities, stereotype threat can affect a student’s ability to reach their full potential.

According to Future Ed, an organization that creates analysis on education issues, “In high schools offering 18 or more AP courses, white students taking at least one AP exam had an average passing rate of 72%. For Black students in these circumstances, the average passing rate was 42%. Latino students are not experiencing the same gaps in access as other ethnic and racial groups, but they do have lower enrollment and pass rates.”

Another group of individuals who are commonly stereotyped is older people. When someone marries an older person, people often assume it is for money and not love. There is also a common belief advanced age and her involvement in anti-war movements.

While not all stereotypes are discriminative of gender and age, they do make people see a group of people a certain way. Besides stereotypes, many TV shows and movies create a false reality of certain situations.

As students are finishing their homework and settling in to fall asleep, it is easy to throw on a TV show or movie while getting ready for bed. While scrolling through Netflix, they may see a series like Criminal Minds under the recommendations tab. So, if they decide to start watching, then like many fans, they might be hooked after the first episode.

In recent years, crime TV shows and movies like Criminal Minds and Making a Murderer have grown increasingly popular. While the ethics of true crime have repeatedly been brought into question because critics say it is unethical due to the exploitation of victims’ families, lack of attention to critical details and the use of real-life tragedies as a form of entertainment, the one thing that is for sure is that people are obsessed with this genre.

Have you ever felt stereotyped because of the media? Do you agree with the stereotype that was given? Do you think the media inaccurately represents people? Have you ever caught yourself stereotyping others?

YES 73.6%

NO 26.4%

NO 52.2% N/A 27.7%

YES 20.1%

YES 88.1%

NO 11.9%

YES 79.9%

NO 20.1%

resent race, culture, gender and identity. For example, women who are interested in the field of math and science may choose a field that is not in STEM for fear of being in a male-dominated field.

According to the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center For Teaching and Learning, “Stereotype threat refers to the risk of conforming to negative stereotypes about an individual’s racial, ethnic, gender or cultural group which can cre12 Centerspread

The following polls are based on the voluntary responses of 159 Kaneland High School students. that the elderly are forgetful. While this can be true, it is not always the case. This belief can also lead to discrimination against the elderly in the workforce.

According to USA Today, there are many elderly individuals who still have an impact like actor and director Robert Redford, who some may know from the movie All the President’s Men, and Jane Fonda, an actress and activist known for her roles in TV shows and movies at an While some people cannot seem to get enough of crime entertainment, it does make one wonder just how accustomed people have become to this sort of thing. Criminal Minds, for example, is fictional, but some crimes in the show are based on real-life events. So, do reality and fiction get skewed when watching true crime? When people watch the news, they see all sorts of disasters, conflicts, wars

Photo by Elliot Krippelz Photo by Elliot Krippelz A computer displays search results for a “highschool aesthetic” on Pinterest. Pinterest allows users to browse through photos to find inspiration.

and ongoing crimes. Crime-based entertainment depicts gruesome acts. Reality and fiction are bound together, and crime-based entertainment can make news headlines have less of an impact.

Criminal activities and international crises can grow to the point in popularity where they are not just stories people see on the news, but they are viewed as entertainment. Some crime shows and movies focus on the facts, which are mostly in the form of a documentary. Then some are fictionalized, with the main focus being entertainment over accuracy.

The recently released docuseries Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has received mixed reactions from fans.

The Dahmer series on Netflix is just one of the many adaptations of the Jeffrey Dahmer story, but with this adaptation, some fans have grown empathetic towards him and the reasons behind why he became a murderer. Part of the reason is the actor himself. Many people know and love American actor Evan Peters, who played Dahmer in the series, but this has led to some fans romanticizing Dahmer. Some even believe because of Dahmer’s childhood, people should somehow be more understanding as to why he committed the murders. This can especially be hard for young viewers to understand.

Junior Keara Richardson has been an avid watcher of true crime since middle school and believes there is a difference in accuracy when it comes to watching documentaries versus shows and movies.

“In the show [Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story], they wanted you to feel bad for him and sympathize with him. [For the] people who worked alongside him, it was completely different. I think there are a lot of things that are sheltered from the media and things that are not shown as Page design by Elliot Krippelz

Photo by Elliot Krippelz Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is displayed on the Netflix home screen. The docuseries shows his crimes through different perspectives.

[they should be for accurate representation],” Richardson said.

Not only can TV shows and movies misrepresent what is happening, but so can the media in general. There are commercials, news organizations and social media platforms available to everyone. While it is crucial to stay informed about what is happening, it is equally necessary to go to more than one source to get accurate information.

Many people get information and news from social media apps like TikTok. Since it is a social media platform that anyone can post on, the information is not always accurate. For instance, misinformation about the war in Ukraine spread across the platform as people would post videos that were not taken in Ukraine despite making that claim. When people are misinformed on real-world topics through fake news, it can lead to a damaging impact on their beliefs because it can make it harder for them to see the truth. People may not know when the information they get is inaccurate, but it can lead to false assumptions and opinions that are not facts.

In addition to not being sure about what is true and what is distorted or completely fake, misrepresentation in the media can have an impact on people who do not feel they are regularly seen and known about in the media.

Sophomore Kayleigh Dado is a type 1 diabetic who feels misrepresented in the media because of the lack of representation of her condition, which makes her oftentimes stereotyped as the kid with the free pass who can get out of anything she wants.

“In the media, I am nowhere. I am not represented. When I was younger, I would glance around at the characters

Photo by Samantha Dunne A student opens TikTok on their phone. TikTok has become one of the most widely used forms of social media among students.

on the screen in a movie to see an insulin pump, a continuous glucose monitor or anything I could connect to, beaming when my mom would point it out to me and I would finally see something I could relate to in a movie,” Dado said.

People can be negatively affected by seeing only perfectly healthy and non-diverse characters in shows and movies, as they do not accurately or realistically represent all people. The media has gotten better at having diverse and accurate representation in recent years, but progress can still be made.

According to Paramount Insights, a broadcast media production and distribution company, “Poor representation leaves people feeling defeated and distanced. Of those who feel poorly represented, 59% say this makes them feel unimportant, ignored or disappointed. This sense of alienation has profound impacts, affecting their self-esteem and confidence (41%), sense of belonging (40%) and opportunities in life (34%).”

We live in diverse societies, so why can we not see that diversity in some of our favorite movies and TV shows?

According to the American Field Service, cultural generalizations and cultural stereotypes are different from each other, but they are often confused. Cultural generalizations are the patterns within a culture that make it that culture, but cultural stereotypes are when all members of a group are categorized as having the same characteristics.

Inaccurate stereotypes can leave a long-lasting impact on society, and distorted news may continue to leave its mark on society. While the media has improved in representation for all, the line between fact and fiction can often be blurred.

BY LILLIANA BOBÉ

Holidays can be an essential part of family traditions or a form of casual enjoyment among many individuals. Many holidays are geared toward a younger audience, leaving us to question the value of enjoying such holidays after our youth. While some try their best to enjoy holidays for as long as they can, others can struggle with getting older and feeling like they don’t enjoy them as much as they used to. However, there are ways to have a more positive mindset about such things. One example could be to take advantage of the position of being older by hosting parties or going to fun attractions like haunted houses and corn mazes around Halloween. To expand on that idea with other holidays, watching movies you have never seen or playing

games unique to your family can bring enjoyment.

Usually, younger kids dress up and go house to house for candy on the night of Halloween. While it is not uncommon for a teenager to participate in these activities as well, it is something that might lose its appeal as we grow older. Sophomore Logan Ferreira-Flesch, though, still participates in Halloween every year and hopes to keep it that way for years to come.

“I still [participate in] Halloween, and I plan to for as long as I can. The best thing to do is to hang out with your friends and try to find people to spend your holidays with. You’ll never be old enough to hang out with people,” Ferreira-Flesch said.

Junior Benjamin Vicker, on the other hand, feels differently about holidays now than he did at an earlier stage of life.

“Now that I am older, the magic of holidays has worn off because I don’t believe in things like Santa Claus anymore,” Vicker said. “On top of that, I grew apart from my family members, specifically my cousins, who I used to spend a lot of time with during holiday seasons. We all became different people as we grew up. That makes holidays feel less fun than they used to be.”

Another way to enjoy holidays is to discover more of them. There are many interesting and fun national holidays, such as National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, National Caramel Popcorn Day and National Strawberry Parfait Day. These holidays may not hold any sentimental value, but they can be indulging and enjoyable to talk about. Holidays like these happen regularly and could create joy in your day.

Some holidays have religious associations that play into their meanings as well. Some examples include Christmas, Hanukkah and Easter. Although many holidays originated for religious reasons, some such as Christmas have other elements that do not require the practice of that religion. Junior Madison Mittman has continuously spent her life participating in holidays like Christmas without including or celebrating the religious aspects. She likes to spend these moments with her close friends and family, but her enjoyment has recently deteriorated.

“Christmas for me has been amazing every single year except last year. The euphoria and serotonin I get during December is great. Last year’s Christmas was so bad, bleak and sad. After it ended I was like, ‘Well, I guess that was Christmas.’ It didn’t have the magic anymore and didn’t give me the same serotonin like it once did,” Mittman said.

The disappointment of losing the enjoyment of something you once loved can be difficult to comprehend. This can lead to isolation from the thing you loved and fading hopes that you will ever find that joy again. Instead, finding new ways to enjoy a holiday can help you see it from a different perspective. This can also lead to discovering new aspects of that holiday or new holidays in general.

Of course, everyone’s experience with holidays is different. Some may still find gratification from engaging in holidays, while others may feel indifferent. Even so, there are still many ways to keep your spirit afloat. As you progress in life, it is important to remember the appreciation you once held for the holidays. One way this can be done is to develop new traditions as you move through life. Social studies teacher Jessica McNally, for example, has developed a fun annual tradition with her family to move from one holiday to the next.

“We have a [playlist] of all our Christmas music with over four days’ worth of music on it,” McNally said. “Every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, everyone gathers around the Playstation and we put [the playlist] on shuffle. We all guess what we think the first song of Christmas is going to be, and we’re never right because there are too many [songs].”

Photo by Lilliana Bobé Aurora’s Hobby Lobby displays Christmas trees well before the actual holiday. Decorations can help you enjoy holidays beyond childhood. Frivolous Treasures, one of Elburn’s vintage shops, displays holiday decorations outside of their store during holiday seasons.

Photo by Paige Whiteside

Photo by Paige Whiteside Elburn’s Amazing Grace Antiques is filled with unique vintage items and decorations. Here, a few friendly ghosts gather in front of the store.

Cartoon by Lilliana Bobé Students often find it hard to focus their attention when doing schoolwork. This problem can either be caused or worsened by the fact that there are so many distractions on social media.

THE REALITY OF HIGH SCHOOL

The image of life as a high school student has remained the same for decades in the public eye. However, with the development of social media and the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, the average high school student’s day-to-day life has gone through drastic changes in the past several years that make it very different from the general public’s ideas and experiences. These sometimes problematic changes have been very impactful to young people nationwide, and it is important to acknowledge them and find solutions.

Within the past 20 years, cell phones have become commonplace for high school students, but social media has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. With that, social media and the hazardous effects it has on young people have also 24 found their way into the school environment.

Social media platforms make it so that students are in constant contact with their peers, and this affects students’ daily lives, in and out of the classroom. For one, students never truly get a break from their school social lives. When their social activities are not in person, they exist online through social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Twitter. Being able to disconnect is very good for a student’s mental health and helps to improve their ability to manage priorities. An inability to disconnect from the social side of their lives causes plenty of stress in a student’s day and only piles onto the preexisting responsibilities students typically have, such as schoolwork, jobs and extracurricular activities.

Social media has also caused many problems regarding students’ attention spans and addiction. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are made to rapidly deliver users content without end. For students, content that is tailored to their interests can be a lot more interesting than homework or in-class activities. On top of this, these platforms are oriented around much shorter videos, which has had a major effect on many students in that they have a harder time focusing and generally get distracted easier.

Another major problem social media causes is a negative effect on addiction and depression levels in students. Constantly comparing themselves to their peers based on what they see on social media can be extremely harmful to a student’s mental health, especially by hyper-fixating on the number of likes, views and followers they have.

In more recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many problems for students and has caused setbacks for their social-

0izing skills. Following the stressful and isolating quarantine, many students returned to school with intense social anxiety and struggled to maintain the routines of day-to-day school. While this may be old news at this point, the effect it has had on students remains very noticeable today.

On a lighter note, as schoolwork continues to become more and more oriented towards online material, many aspects of school that were once essential to students are nowhere near as prominent as they used to be. For example, most students do not use their lockers and many students use laptops or other devices to take notes rather than notebooks.

The life of a high school student has changed in recent years because of many factors, especially the prevalence of devices and COVID-19. It’s important that these changes are recognized by the general public and kept in mind when looking at the younger generations of high school students. To some, they may seem careless, lazy or inattentive, but in reality, these problems stem from recent intense changes in young people’s lives.

Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 www.kanelandkrier.com

Member of IJEA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA IHSA State Finalists 2013-2022 IWPA Silver Pen 2017 NISPA Golden Eagle 2017 IJEA First Place for Krier Online 2021 IJEA First Place for Best Hybrid Publication 2021 & 2022 IJEA First Place for Best Overall Publication 2021 & 2022 Subscription rates: Five issues, three supplements School-delivered, $20; Home-delivered, $30

Kevin Sigrist Editor-in-Chief of Print and Production Executive EXECUTIVE STAFF Paige Whiteside Editor-in-Chief of Web and Copy Editor Ashley Vanderhoff Design Executive and Ads & Business Executive

Samantha Dunne Photography Executive Zoey Pozen Co-Sports and Activities Executive Benjamin Warford Co-Sports & Activities Executive

MANAGING EDITOR STAFF Zoey Pozen Samantha Dunne Social Media Social Media

Andrew Valentini Broadcasting Lyla Christakes Broadcasting Katie Pfotenhauer Columnist

Tiffany Johnson Podcasting Sela Valignota Podcasting

Lifestyle Sela Valignota

Voices 1 Abbey Mondi EDITORIAL STAFF

News 1 Kira Helm and Arianna Failor Feature 1 Jackson Kottmeyer and Ethan Bollhoffer

News 2 Tiffany Johnson

Voices 2 Katie Pfotenhauer

Feature 2 Lizzy Sidman

Sports 1 Andrew Valentini

Sports 2 Sofia Williams

Editorial Taylor Anello

Centerspread Elliot Krippelz

Advice Lyla Christakes Profile Delaney Calabrese

Photos Lilliana Bobé Opinion 1 Rafika Khan Opinion 2 Dane Coyne Advertisements Ashley Vanderhoff

STAFF Xitlaly Abundiz, Isabel Alba, Alyssa Almaraz, Lauren Babka, Hannah Boyer, Nicholas Casey, Bryan Cisneros, Carly Duffing, Makayla Egert, Eric Escobedo, Lucas Fiedler, Carli Filek, Natalie Foss-Ortega, Zoe Gannon, Cameron Guernon, Teaghan Hardy, Freddy Hassan, Michael Janito, Neela Keefe, Olivia King, Nathan Lapitan, Kayli Loonam, Kiara Lopez, Natalie Lycan, Barbara Martinez, River Mullins, Blythe Niemeyer, Madelyn Pabian, Jasper Paulson, Carmella Rio, Adalynn Ruh, Johanna Salter, Nathan Sand, Sarah Slattery, Savannah Suehs, Preslee Sutherland, Riley Swiderski, Ellen Taylor, Madison Taylor, Sophie Thill, Tom Thill, Audrey Walker, Adrianna Wells, Keiton Westfall, Lexi White, Avery Zahlit

Emily Biala Cartoonists Lilliana Bobé and Dane Coyne Print Production

Matt Seidel

ADVISORS

Dominic Bruno Krier advisor Nicole Larsen Print advisor Drew Malone

EDITORIAL POLICY

Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily the opinion of Kaneland administration, staff, students or parents. The Krier Editorial Board consists of designated Advanced Journalism students: Taylor Anello, Lilliana Bobé, Ethan Bollhoffer, Delaney Calabrese, Lyla Christakes, Dane Coyne, Samantha Dunne, Arianna Failor, Kira Helm, Tiffany Johnson, Rafika Khan, Jackson Kottmeyer, Elliot Krippelz, Abbey Mondi, Katie Pfotenhauer, Zoey Pozen, Lizzy Sidman, Kevin Sigrist, Andrew Valentini, Sela Valignota, Ashley Vanderhoff, Benjamin Warford, Paige Whiteside and Sofia Williams. Students make all publication decisions. Letters can be sent to the address above or e-mailed to krier@kaneland.org. Letters must be signed (names may be withheld under extraordinary circumstances as deemed by the editorial staff) and must be under 300 words. The Editorial Board has the right to work with writers to edit for clarity and length. Any material that is potentially libelous, obscene or disruptive will not be published at the discretion of the Editorial Board. All decisions to publish or not publish letters are made by executive editors. The Krier has been an open forum since 1974. As an open forum, we restrict editing to staff members only; prior review and editing are prohibited by people outside the staff.

BY LIZZY SIDMAN

Cartoon by Dane Coyne

As a female-presenting person, it has always been difficult for me to find a consistent size when it comes to clothing. It is a guessing game every time. I assume in some brands I’d be a size 14 in pants, but after trying them on, I find I’m a size 12. I’ll try on a different brand, assuming I’d be a 12, only to find that I’m a size 16. Women face systemic disadvantages throughout their lives, and while mundane, sizing inconsistencies are another annoying pitfall that affects them.

While it is impossible for mass-produced clothing to fit every woman perfectly, it should not be as complicated as it is to find something that works for different body types. These confusing inconsistencies started in the 80s with what is known as vanity sizing. This meant that many brands adjusted their sizing, making what would previously be a size 26 now a size 24, for example.

Jessica Murphy, a co-founder of True Fit, a platform that helps shoppers find their true size, voiced her opinion in an article with Today on women’s sizing.

“Decades ago, there was a standard in sizing - a time when a medium was a medium, no matter what - but that faded as the market became more brand-centric and each brand developed its own sizing system,” Murphy said.

As brands started to diverge from consistent sizing, many brands, especially ones considered trendy, began to focus their designs on a specific body type. This body type was typically a skinny woman with a small waist and long legs. This can cause a struggle in finding fashionable clothes for the many people who do not fit this standard, like senior and retail worker Emma Wilson.

“A lot of the issues with women’s sizing stem from the desire to be thin or to [have] an ideal body. I say this as someone who [does not have] the ‘ideal body’. Finding clothes in a specific size should not be that hard,” Wilson said.

Plus-size fashion is scarce in today’s society, and even within the small, medium and large size ranges, many people can find it difficult to find clothes that fit their body shape.

Fashion major and paraprofessional educator Benjamin Rogers studies draping, the physical construction of clothing based on individual measurements for a range of body types. He has personal experience dealing with the production of clothes so that they fit each person perfectly.

“As unfair as the fashion industry is, the thing that is difficult about making clothing for people is that there is a difference between size and shape. You can have a general pattern size for female or male sizing, but you can’t trust that it will fit the shape of a person,” Rogers said.

Bodies can be described with terms such as rectangle, pear or hourglass, giving specific shapes to different people. Two women of the same size could look completely different in the same piece of clothing because of their body shapes.

People who make their own clothing, like sophomore Kenneth Guo, use a pattern with a general size, but because of their shape have to make adjustments. As the size range goes up, the average person tends to become rounder, echoing the apple body shape, or down with the rectangle shape.

“Sizing is based on one ideal body. It’s made for one person, just scaled up and down,” Guo said.

Instead of adjusting patterns for different sizes, companies tend to just enlarge the article of clothing. This especially affects larger or plus-sized people, making it difficult for them to find clothes that fit them well.

“I did a lot of work with opera. In opera, there are traditionally a lot of larger people. People are very pleased when you make something that fits them and it’s the first time in their life that they’ve put something on that they’re not pulling to fit, something that fits perfectly. That is extremely rewarding [for me to see],” Rogers said.

Naturally, there is a need for clothes that fit people correctly, especially women’s clothing. The main issue is convincing big clothing companies to spend extra money to promote inclusivity.

Rogers believes that initially, inclusive and consistent sizing would cost more for these huge corporations, but not enough to justify the outdated method of sizing. He argues that in the long run, these companies would actually make more money than they would lose in the admittedly stressful change in the fashion industry.

“There are ways to change [the fashion industry] for the better without bankrupting everybody. If the fashion industry welcomed more people like me [as a seamster who caters to different sizes], that would be the first step,” Rogers said.

The fashion industry has a long way to go when it comes to tackling the challenge of inconsistent sizing, but with progressive designers coming into the field working toward women’s interests, the future could hold an easier and more consistent shopping experience.

, YOU ANSWERWE ASK

WHAT IS YOUR HIDDEN TALENT?

“I have perfect pitch. As a child I used to play piano a lot and a lot of music. I don’t know if it’s getting better or worse. I can’t tell at times. A lot of the music department knows I have perfect pitch. It comes in handy when people ask me to transcribe music.” Senior Matt Manugas

“I make balloon animals. I started making them a couple of weeks ago.

I got the idea from my friend Matt Manugas.

I was inspired to make balloon animals because it looked fun, and I thought it would be cool to have something fun to do.” Junior Thomas Whitney “A secret talent that I have is I do cup stacking. [Cup stacking] is competitive around the world. I have competed in tournaments and had a chance to compete in the Junior Olympic Cup Stacking Tournament, but because of COVID I couldn’t.”

Freshman Jake Buckley

“A hidden talent I have is the ability to do a jump snap kick. I was enrolled into martial arts by my parents when

I was really young. So, the jumping snap kick was one of the things I learned there. Even after

I quit, the ability still stuck with me. When people see it they’re just shocked and look impressed.” Senior Kianna Gumban

BY DANE COYNE

Editor

Many people are only known for their one defining characteristic. When this happens, other qualities that an individual may possess are often overlooked and ignored. Senior Ryan Algrim has been subjected to this, primarily being known for his success with football. While he may be a great football player, he has many other interests that set him apart from others.

At just 17 years old, Algrim is a fivestar long snapper and is currently ranked number 16 in the nation at his position, according to Rubio Long Snapping. In addition to being a talented and successful football player, Algrim is very interested and involved in fire science.

“Football is one of my biggest passions, but on the side, I’m really into fire science. That’s my career goal, so through that, I’ve been able to commit to the University of Minnesota to play football for them next year,” Algrim said.

Besides having college as a motivating factor for his football career, there are more personal things that inspire Algrim. His father is a firefighter and his mother is a nurse, so it’s no surprise that his family is a source of inspiration for him.

Algrim wasn’t always set on football. He played baseball until his sophomore year, but then something occurred to him that shifted his focus.

“Growing up, I played baseball and football, but I stopped playing baseball sophomore year and started focusing more on football because I realized my [potential] and abilities,” Algrim said.

Algrim is set on his path with football, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t struggled with balancing everything he wants to do. Algrim’s future college doesn’t offer exactly what he wants in terms of a major. This is a source of conflict for him when it comes to his academic career.

“In college, I will be studying physical fitness and health promotion, so it’s kind of being like a personal trainer. Having background knowledge of the human body will help me [become] a paramedic down the line,” Algrim said.

Algrim knows what he wants to do, and although the two main things he wants to succeed in are quite different, they come full circle, as they both relate to physical health and training for physical activities.

“[Football and fire science] have conflicted at times. [The problem about] going to school next year is that they don’t have a major that fits me for the fire service, but I have been trying to work my way through that to figure out something that will benefit me in the long run,” Algrim said.

Algrim committed to the University of Minnesota because he felt welcomed and accepted when he first visited.

“The way [the University of Minnesota] took me in when I was up there was really nice. All of the people and coaches were so welcoming, and they were all asking me how I was doing,” Algrim said.

Algrim may seem like he’s perfectly confident in what he is doing, but just like everyone else, he feels discouraged at times. Even though he has played football since he was little, he is aware that there is always a chance that someone may be better at what he does than him.

“I’ve played [football] my whole life, so it’s just been ingrained in my brain as a kid. It’s tough out there. Everyone is a different size. Some people are stronger than you, and it’s just hard work out there,” Algrim said.

His experience brings confidence, but even the most confident people can feel pressure. “One of the most intense things I did was in a camp over the summer. It was called Top Twelve. There were 40 of the top guys across the nation just competing at one camp over three days. We’re all friends and buddies, but when you’re out on the field competing, it’s just a lot of pressure,” Algrim said.

While it may seem exciting to be looked up to by peers, sometimes standing out can be a lot for one high schooler to handle, especially in a small school where many people know each other.

“It’s a lot of pressure because everyone is looking up towards you and at you. When walking through the hallways, you kind of have to maintain the image of being a great football player, but also a good person,” Algrim said.

Along with maintaining an image, Algrim deals with personal issues too. Being popular can be motivating and enjoyable, but it comes with its downsides. Knowing many people doesn’t necessarily mean having more friends. Algrim would rather people focus on him as a person instead of just associating him with the sport he’s good at.

“A lot of people just know me [because of] football. They don’t talk with me a lot, and I think it would be nicer if they would stop focusing on [only football],” Algrim said. Algrim, after all, isn’t only interested in sports. Family and friends are also very important to him.

“I love hanging out with [my parents], my grandparents, my cousins and my sister,” Algrim said. “We all have a great time. In the wintertime, we go snowmobiling around here.”

Algrim is especially close to his cousin, senior Drew Malone. With Malone being in the marching band and Algrim playing football, the two of them have different interests and schedules. However, despite these differences, the two of them spend a lot of their time together and enjoy hanging out with their family.

“He’s one of my favorite role models. Ryan is a very hard worker. I mean, he lifts every day for football, sometimes twice a day. He does long snap practice almost every day of the week,” Malone said.

Although Algrim is a hard worker with a busy schedule, he finds time to hang out with Malone, doing things like playing video games and visiting their grandmother’s house.

“Last year, I was working out five or six days a week, and I was pushing myself way too hard,” Algrim said. “I was working out for two or three hours every day, so over Spring Break, I had to stop for a week because my body was just hurting too bad.”

From his vantage point, head varsity football coach Patrick Ryan recognizes all the outstanding qualities that Algrim possesses. Ryan has worked with Algrim since his freshman year, so he has seen his fair share of his skillset and personality. Ryan considers Algrim to be one of the best players he has ever coached.

“[Algrim] is a very coachable player. He’s hardworking, shows great leadership and is a nice kid. He leads by example,” Ryan said.

Ryan has a specific vision of what defines success in the game of football, and it involves more than just what happens on the field.

“The focus isn’t always just [on] winning, but instead on the whole student-athlete,” Ryan said. “We want to teach our football players to not only be successful on the field but off the field as well.”

Algrim, who balances the challenges stemming from his football and academic responsibilities as well as his personal life, represent’s Ryan’s vision. Pursuing a career in fire science to become a paramedic is no easy task, and being a kind and generous person while balancing a budding football career on top of that is admirable. Algrim demonstrates how to chase all of your dreams, no matter how different they may be from one another.

Family in the ARMED FORCES

BY ANDREW VALENTINI

Editor and Co-Broadcast Manager

OWEN DADO

JOHN SWIMS

JACK ANDRAE

Brandi and Ryan Dado are the parents of senior Owen Dado. Ryan served in the Army and Navy, while Brandi served in the Navy. Ryan first served in the Navy where he and Brandi met, then served 15 years in the Army and did two tours in Iraq. He was in the infantry as a staff sergeant. Brandi served as a member of the Military Police (MP) and was also a Petty Officer Third Class in her time with the Navy.

Larry Swims, grandfather of freshman John Swims, is 72 years old and served for two years in the Vietnam War. Swims was a part of the U.S. Army. He was a truck driver who had the responsibility of carrying ammunition and supplies. John’s favorite memory with his grandfather is working on projects and learning how to use different tools.

Bill Andrae, father of junior Jack Andrae, is a 53-year-old U.S. Army veteran who spent 13 years in the service. He was involved in Operation Desert Storm, which took place in the Middle East from 1990-91. Andrae worked in communications, specifically, and recalls the camaraderie and friendships he made with his fellow soldiers.

Alex Copoyians, uncle of senior Kellie Peters, entered the Navy at the age of 25 and served from May 2011 to June 2014. He was a seaman and a Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) candidate. During BUD/S training, Copoyians tore a ligament in his ankle and left the military to become a registered nurse.