Kaneland Krier: January 24

K R

E R

Page 3

The high school graduation rate in Illinois is

86 percent,

according to the Daily Herald.

How to stay fit

WHERE ARE WE NOW? 91 percent of

teens already know their dream job,

according to Payscale.

The average cost to attend

$24,286

college is for Illinois residents,

according to College Tuition Compare.

Volume 45 • Issue 3 • Kaneland High School • 24 January 2019

A successful future comes with no guidelines

Page 8-9

CONTENT Letter 03 from the 04 Executives Involving yourself in high school can impact your future in a great way. There are many ways to be involved here at Kaneland High School, and they will all give you different skills that will help you in the future.

In this issue, the students featured have expressed themselves in different ways to show how they are getting involved or taking different paths that will help them succeed in life after high school. Students have taken various paths, such as joining the Marines, enrolling in online classes and working for family businesses.

The Krier is here to report on all paths, traditional or unconventional, that can lead to success outside of school.

Richies Tiv Editor-in-Chief

Kt Mattern Web Editor-in-Chief

Priscilla Purnell Ashley Edwards Production Manager Webmaster Madeline Hockey Design Executive

Dylan Calabrese Sports Executive

Abril Salinas Ad/Business Manager

06 07 08 10 12 13 14 16 17

TRENDING HOW TO STAY FIT

VOICES

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY?

OPINION

FIGHT WITH YOUR WORDS, NOT YOUR FISTS

EDITORIAL FINDING VALUE IN ALL ACTIVITIES

FEATURE

A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE COMES WITH NO GUIDELINES

CENTERSPREAD EVALUATING YOUR FUTURE: WHAT’S IMPORTANT?

NEWS

SIZING UP THE SUCCESS OF KANELAND HIGH SCHOOL

INVESTIGATIVE FINDING MORE VALUE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

PHOTO

DONATIONS THROUGH THE YEARS

SPORTS

KANELAND BOWLER TAKES SKILLS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

ACTIVITIES

BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN THE COMFORT OF A CLUB

HOW TO

STAY FIT

24 January 2019 Feature

Left: The Snap Fitness gym, located in Elburn, is open 24 hours.

Middle: An example of a healthy nutritional label is shown on the Made Good chocolate chip granola bars.

Right: The fresh produce section in Jewel-Osco is filled with an abundance of healthy and nutritious foods.

BY SAMANTHA CALLAGHAN, Editor

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common New Year’s resolution is starting a healthy lifestyle and getting fit.

Contrary to common belief, staying fit is more than going to the gym a few days of the week.

It involves different aspects like nutrition, sleep and exercising throughout the day.

These three aspects affect how your body feels and functions. A lot of Kaneland teachers make it a priority to stay fit and healthy, even with their busy lives at school.

“The most important aspect is eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting a lot of sleep,” English teacher Michael Cimino said.

Each person values these things differently. The importance of each revolves around a person’s reason for being healthy and trying to stay fit. Reasons can go from feeling and looking good to taking preventative measures for future health.

“The meaning of fit or healthy is different and personal for everyone. I want to be able to live a lifestyle where I am able to do what I want and not have poor health hold me back,” physical education teacher Jill Carpenter said.

Students are often reminded that, in order to properly function, we should get 8-10 hours of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Sleep is an underrated element in a fit lifestyle. The amount and quality of sleep should be taken into consideration.

A big culprit in lack of sleep is technology distractions. Cell phone, television and com-

Page design by Madeline Hockey

puter addictions are common in teens.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, a blue light emitted by cell phones, televisions and computers restrain the production of melatonin, a hormone that controls your sleep cycle. This makes it harder to fall and stay asleep.

“Cell phones are your worst nightmare. Get your phone and put it somewhere else other than your nightstand. You need that eight hours of sleep every night,” health teacher Cindy Miller said.

Checking phones at night can lead to fewer hours of sleep, which will have a negative effect on how active a person is during the day.

Meeting your body’s sleep requirements improves your immune system, decreases risk of obesity and diabetes and wards off heart disease, all while giving you energy to stay active.

“Lack of sleep leads to different problems.

Lack of focus, lethargy and eating more than you should are a few,” Carpenter said.

Nutrition is a huge factor to staying fit and leading a healthy lifestyle. Within the busy lives that the majority of us have, we often grab fast food or quick snacks to satisfy our hunger. A lot of times, we neglect nutrition labels hiding unhealthy ingredients.

“We’re a very busy society.

We don’t take time to eat like we should,” Miller said.

Fast paced lives can get in the way of nutritional values.

However, packing lunches or snacks will save money and be a healthier choice. Always look for good ingredient lists.

“Look at the ingredient list on food you purchase. If you can’t pronounce it, you shouldn’t be eating it. Good food will most likely have five ingredients or less,” history teacher Scott Parillo said.

Everyone benefits from exercise, no matter their age. There are numerous ways to work your body. A key element to enjoying your workout is finding something you like.

“Get into a routine of doing something physical every day. Whether it’s dance, walking, biking, rollerblading, don’t give up the routine,” Miller said.

Research done by KidsHealth says teens should get 60 minutes or more of physical activity per day. An hour can seem like a lot, but the majority of it is done while walking to each class every day. Going to the gym after school and doing even more can add benefits for your future and current energy levels.

“A lot of my friends seem to complain about being sore or tired or feeling lazy. I don’t generally feel that way or deal with those things.

I’ve found that I am probably as athletic in terms of speed, quickness and reaction time.

I still play in basketball leagues [and] men’s softball, so I’m still in game-play environments,” Cimino said.

Trending

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Feature 24 January 2019

“I would save some for college, give some to my family and buy a farm,” sophomore Dani Espino said.

DANI ESPINO

BRENDAN NEIS

“I would run away. I would buy a motorcycle and ride it from here to southern Argentina,” senior Brendan Neis said.

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Voices

ILLISTRATIONS BY ABRIL SALINAS

Page design by Gianna Provenzano and Abril Salinas

24 January 2019 Feature

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY?

CONNOR BOTTORFF

“I’d change my name and move out of the country, and when I come back I won’t tell anybody so I won’t be killed,” junior Connor Bottorff said.

PHOTOS BY GIANA PROVENZANO AND BAILEY PRICHARD

Page design by Gianna Provenzano and Abril Salinas

KAILEY KRAJEWSKI

“I’d go on vacation to Bora Bora and donate some to cancer facilities. Then I would buy a lot of dogs,” senior Kailey Krajewski said.

Voices

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Opinion 24 January 2019

FIGHT WITH YOUR WORDS, NOT YOUR FISTS

BY BAILEY PRICHARD, Editor

W

hen you have a disagreement with someone, the first thing that comes to mind should not be to sock that person in the face. Talking to the individual face to face, instead of taking action by fighting them in the hallway, is the best way to solve a problem. Using fists rather than words will only cause the issue to get worse.

While walking to English, it is not uncommon for me to see a circle form in the middle of the hallway. All of a sudden, a flip is switched and the mood has changed from calm and collected to loud and chaotic, and the next thing I see is a fight. People get a sense of aggression and do not know how to handle it. Some handle it by holding what they feel inside, which can later cause them to have an outburst.

“When we choose to bury our feelings, we act differently. We may not make ourselves available to others and may withdraw, or just not be fully engaged when we do spend time with other people,” psychotherapist Barton Goldsmith said on psychologytoday.com.

Expressing how you feel is better than keeping it inside, which can lead to stress and anxis not worth getting in a fight. At iety. It Kaneland, we have fights that occur what feels like all the time. The students involved get two or three punches in and a couple swear words. The most recent fight that I witnessed included teachers who had already been in student crossfire.

After a fight, the consequences can range in severity. Getting a suspension is not worth fighting over something that will not matter a week from then.

At a young age, kids learn about being respectful towards one another. When I was growing up I was told to be kind, say please and thank you and use manners.

If a conflict occurs with another student, try to work it out with them one-on-one. If they refuse to stop, talk to a trusted adult.

However, the current generation gets blindsided by T.V. and video games that

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Opinion

can involve violence. These factors glorify a disrespectful, angry and rude way of dealing with others. Students may not fight at a young age, but as they get older, the things they see influence their daily lives.

According to mathrider.com, those who watch a lot of simulated violence, like what you can see in video games, can become immune to it.

“There is little empirical data that proves violent video games result in an increase behavin aggressive ever, ior in youth. Howsome studies have shown that

children who constantly play violent video games have less emotional sensitivity toward violent images and situations,” psychology teacher Mark Meyer said.

Having a face-to-face conversation will be more beneficial than if you were to aggresively text or physically fight someone you have a conflict with. Texting somebody can lead to more conflict because communicating through a phone can be misleading or interpreted the wrong way. Growing up, we are often told by our parents to treat others how we would want to be treated. Throughout elementary and middle school, I would hear students speak badly about other students.

Due to the unsolved drama, kids develop the habit of showing disrespect not only to students but adults as well.

From personal experience, I’ve realized that getting in a disagreement just leads to unnecessary tension and unsolved conflict that simply does not matter. As I’ve grown up, I learned it is better to approach a person face-to-face and have a discussion.

In high school there are many cliques with different interests. They want to prove that they are better than others, but that is unnecessary. If someone says something about you or someone you care about, it is just as easy to go and tell them to knock it off as it is to throw a punch and make the problem worse. When I watch fights, I consider them as people seeking attention. Going through the halls you might hear whispers of a fight and automatically you are focused on who is involved and where it is happening.

Fights happen due to the fact that people think they are big, but in reality, they are not.

They just want to start something to boost their ego.

Fights are an unrewarding way of expressing your feelings towards a situation. Everything would work out better if you simply went to someone and talked to them instead of making a scene in the halls. Fighting doesn’t solve anything.

Instead it just brings more people into the situation and makes the problem grow.

CARTOON BY NINA PIAZZA

Page design by Jacob Booten

FINDING VALUE IN ALL ACTIVITIES

24 January 2019 Editorial Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 ext. 71236 www.kanelandkrier.com Member of IJEA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA IHSA State Finalists 2013-2017 IWPA Silver Pen 2017 NISPA Golden Eagle 2017 IJEA First Place for Krier Online 2017 IJEA Second Place for Krier Print 2017 Subscription rates: Five issues, three supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $25

Richies Tiv Editor-in-Chief of Print Ashley Edwards Production Manager

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Kt Mattern Editor-in-Chief of Web

Abril Salinas Executive Ad & Business Manager

Priscilla Purnell Webmaster Madeline Hockey Design Executive

Dylan Calabrese Sports Executive

EDITORIAL STAFF

CARTOON BY MARISA SOSA “Seventy-nine percent of America’s middle and high school students regularly participate in activities both after school and on weekends, and 57 percent have some kind of non-school activity nearly every day,” according to Public Agenda.

C

oming into high school as a freshman, you are usually told you need to get involved in as many clubs, activities, classes and sports as possible. Doing this is supposed to help you enjoy your four years of high school and get into a good college.

When it comes to getting involved, you should do what you want to do. If you want to be in a certain club or sport, then go for it. Extracurriculars are only a small part of the application process. Your GPA and academics should not be abandoned at the cost of activities.

Instead of participating in every activity in high school, pursue the ones that will allow you to focus on your interests. Find the clubs and activities that will be enjoyable, but will also allow you to have time to focus on academics and studying.

The things you do in your free time can give colleges a good idea of who you are and what you can contribute to their schools. For example, participating in a sport can show colleges you possess skills such as long-term commitment or leadership. Colleges want to know what you’re passionate about, and the extracurricular activities you can list on an application can really help them get to know you. Trying out new clubs can help you in the long run because you might find a passion for something you never knew you were interested in.

Colleges obviously have many different activities to offer, but there’s the possibility that they may be more expensive

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Page design by Jacob Booten

than they would be in high school. It is a better idea to try out clubs and activities during high school when it is potentially cheaper and students have more time.

If you find something you love in high school then you have a better understanding of classes or a major you might want to have in college.

Getting involved in a club you enjoy is a great way to meet new people who share the same interests as you, and you may even end up finding a lifelong friend.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, getting involved in an extracurricular may help students feel more attached to the school, decreasing the likelihood of school failure and dropping out.

“Becoming a part of a club means you become a part of a larger interest community. This means people who are interested in the same thing as you all get together to do something that everyone in that community has a passion for. These are great places to make new friends and be involved with the community. Being in a club can greatly boost your self confidence and academic performance,” according to WH Magazine.

Joining an activity may lead you to discover that you are passionate about something that you might not have thought to try before. By putting yourself out there, you will learn new skills, meet new people, and gain knowledge that will help you in higher education and life.

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Cover Ashley Manzo

Table of Contents Madeline Hockey

Trending Madeline Hockey

Voices Gianna Provenzano

Editorial Jacob Booten

Opinion Jacob Booten

Centerspread Ashley Manzo

School/Community News Casey Schanks

Investigative Casey Schanks

Activities Ben Durbala

Sports Ben Durbala

Photo Page Bailey Prichard Feature Sami Callaghan

STAFF

Ayshe Ali, Anna Blankenhagen, Dylan Brazeal, Conor Brennan, Sasha Clinnin, Corinne Condos, Rachel Cormier, Kailey Davison, Isabella Haulk, Ashlyn Klecka, Jenna Lin, Abby Lycan, Amanda Malawski, Sophia Mullins, Regan O’Brien, Nina Piazza, Emma Schaefer, Katelyn Schultz, Marisa Sosa, Giancarlo Valle, Madalyn Webb and Mychelle Williams

Print Production Fox Valley Career Center Graphic Communications II students

ADVISERS Dominic Bruno Krier adviser

Nicole Larsen Print adviser

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: Jacob Booten, Dylan Calabrese, Sami Callaghan, Ben Durbala, Ashley Edwards, Madeline Hockey, Ashley Manzo, Kt Mattern, Bailey Prichard, Gianna Provenzano, Priscilla Purnell, Abril Salinas, Casey Schanks, and Richies Tiv. 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.

Editorial

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Feature 24 January 2019

A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE COMES WITH NO GUIDELINES CASEY SCHANKS, Editor

E

veryone wants to be successful. For many Kaneland students, that would mean graduating high school and getting a job or going to college.

High school students all have a skill set that is unique and a passion that is different from everyone else. Often, students find that the typical path isn’t the best way for them.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGGIE COOPER Former Kaneland student Patrick Milton (middle) excites the crowd with his performance.

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Feature

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ast year, Patrick Milton was halfway through his sophomore year when he began making regular trips to Wisconsin to work on music with his cousin, and school became difficult to manage. With school having affected his schedule too much to keep producing music and DJing, Milton decided to start looking for a way to do both.

“Leaving was a hard choice because I really liked the atmosphere at Kaneland and everyone there was super nice,” Milton said.

Since he left and is now studying from his screen, Milton has found that online school is more flexible for his busy schedule.

“I’ve been splitting time between Illinois and Wisconsin and that made it hard to balance school and music, so I started considering alternate education routes,” Milton said.

Milton hopes he can continue his education while having a career in music throughout college as well.

“So far, my plan for the future is to attend college and keep pursuing music. Hopefully, it all works out,” Milton said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGGIE COOPER Milton (left) checks the sound sytem during his show.

Page design by Samantha Callaghan

24 January 2019 Feature

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGEL SANTILLAN Angel Santillan welcomes Aurora’s mayor Richard Irvin to Santi’s Pizza. Santi’s Pizza is located at 733 Aurora Ave. in Aurora.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GIO SALLY Gio Sally shakes hands as he is sworn in.

Being sworn in consisted of a verbal oath of joining the Marines.

W

hen junior Angel Santillan is in school he can be found laughing and smiling in the hallway, but being in class is what causes him to struggle to come to school every day.

“I don’t like the concept of school. I could be doing better things like working and making money, and in my opinion, I don’t need to know most of the things I learn in school to do that,” Santillan said.

The Santillan family now owns a muffler shop and a pizza place, which are run by Angel and his dad.

“I have a lot of respect for my dad because we came from nothing,” Santillan said.

As for the pizza, people seem to like having a new place in Aurora.

“I get tired of Rosati’s and Little Caesars. It’s nice to see something local that tastes better than any big chain,” senior Jake Brumbaugh said.

S

enior Gio Sally has been planning carefully for life in the Marines after high school. Hoping to eventually become a police officer, Sally plans to be in San Diego the day after he graduates to complete basic training.

“I’ve always been really interested in law, and I want to have a career where I’m not going to be bored every single day I wake up,” Sally said.

Sally does plan to go to college, but under much different circumstances. After four years of active duty in the Marines, he will then become part of the Marine reserves. During that time he will have to train at a base one weekend each month. He will also be in school to work on earning a degree in law enforcement. Sally hopes he can build a profile for himself and work for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

“This is what sets me different from all of the other guys,” Sally explained.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GIO SALLY Gio Sally (second from left) crosses a river during training. This is one of the many missions that Sally went through.

Page design by Samantha Callaghan

Feature

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Feature 24 January 2019

EVALUATING YOUR FUTURE:

WHAT’S IMPORTANT?

BY ASHLEY M AN TO O Z H

O

P

SAMANTHA C AL BY

AN GH A L

Y BE OB T O

N DURB AL A

TO

PH O PH

Top: A student works on her paper during class.

Middle: The Kaneland golf team celebrates a win at Hughes Creek Golf Course.

Bottom: Student Council president, senior Miranda Hansen, speaks at one of the club’s meetings.

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Centerspread

BY RICHIES TIV, Editor in Chief ASHLEY MANZO, Editor

S

tudents are often told of the distant real world, where responsibilities pile high and new challenges await. High school is supposed to prepare you for college, and college for this real world.

But is any of it really worth it? After all, the list of successful people who did not graduate from college seems to say no: Ellen DeGeneres, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell and so on. So do high school and college even matter?

“High school has allowed me to find my true self, true friends and what I like and enjoy.

It also made me meet other people. People I would never expect to be friends with,” senior Peyton Giffney said.

Some students believe that high school is important because of how it prepares them for their future.

“I think high school gives you the ability to find out what you really like and what your interests are so you can get an idea for what you want to do in college and life,” senior Evangeline Beck said.

High school can also give students the opportunity to get involved in different sports and activities in order to find their passions.

Kaneland offers plenty of extracurriculars that allow students to find what they are most interested in and try that out.

“Playing tennis for four years gave me a team bonding experience. It definitely helped me socially,” senior Lauren Zablocki said.

Just as much as being involved can help students, not being involved can hurt them.

Senior Jaime Anzorena regrets not being a part of many clubs in high school.

“I’m kind of getting more shy, more social anxiety and awkward,” senior Jaime Anzorena said.

However, some students feel that extracurriculars are not significant in high school.

“I don’t think it’s important to get involved in school. People can do other things with different professions and live their life how they want to. Students can get good grades and just stick to themselves. They don’t have to be out there and open. That’s why community college is a thing,” sophomore Layne Congelosi said.

Some students make sacrifices because they see the benefits in getting involved in extracurriculars after school. There are a variety of students playing sports and who are involved in academic and drama clubs.

“Activities and sports teach [students] teamwork, time management and responsibility. That’s what the colleges are looking for. Do [students] have those characteristics?” counselor Cynthia Violett said.

According to economists Jeffrey Zax and Daniel Rees, 75 percent of changes in characteristics of middle-aged people could not be predicted from what they were like in high school. So there is still a lot of time for teens to change and develop beyond high school.

High school, though, helps you to find your personality.

“At Kaneland, we are teaching you guys to be independent, handle things on your own, be self sufficient, self reliant and learn what your strengths, weaknesses and goals are,” counselor Andrew Franklin said.

Page design by Ashley Manzo

24 January 2019 Feature Franklin views college as an important stepping stone in life. In fact, he does not even view education as the most important part of college.

“When you get into college it’s not just about learning, it’s about meeting people who have knowledge, who have dreams, desires and a vision. Two people together have more power to make a difference than one person.

It’s not what you’re learning at a university, it’s the people around you and what you can do together and plus off each other,” Franklin said.

College is not the only place where students can gain this experience though. Many students still see that there are other alternatives to college.

“If you’re going into a field that requires college, then yes. But, if you’re planning on doing something that doesn’t necessarily require it, like trades, then I don’t think it’s really worth it,” senior Madison Bayard said.

With such value placed on college these days, the monetary cost is sometimes overlooked.

“I wanted to do something my parents couldn’t and their parents couldn’t because of money,” Anzorena said.

Finding a higher form of education after high school does not mean that students must drown themselves in debt and apply to expensive colleges. There are plenty of alternatives to attending a big university.

“As long as students are going somewhere to learn something that’s important to them, going to make them stronger, more independent, productive citizens, where they can do their civic duty and have a voice, they do not need to go to college. It’s important they’re doing what they do because they love it,” Franklin said.

Although there are plenty of ways to be successful in life without a degree, students should think twice before skipping college.

The unemployment rate for millenials without a college degree is three times higher than those with a degree, according to Cornerstone University.

One of the greatest advantages of college is the freedom that young adults are able to experience.

“It’s basically learning how to be independent, how to be a young adult, handle your life the way you want to handle it, organize it, manage it. It’s a big difference, but the freedom is awesome,” Franklin said.

COLLEGE PRO V. CON PRO MEET NEW FRIENDS BECOME INDEPENDENT POSSIBLY HAVE BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES GRADUATE WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE

CON INCREASED TIME COMMITTMENT POSSIBLY A MOVE AWAY FROM FAMILY COST POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A BAD ROOMATE

PHOTO BY DYLAN CALABRESE

Page design by Ashley Manzo

Centerspread

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News 24 January 2019

SIZING UP THE SUCCESS OF KANELAND HIGH SCHOOL

HOW KANELAND COMPARES TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND OTHER AREA SCHOOLS FOR ACADEMICS, SPORTS AND SIZE

BY JACOB BOOTEN, Editor

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actors like graduation rate, SAT/ACT scores and AP enrollment all contribute to making Kaneland an above average high school, according to niche.com. However, Kaneland is more than its academic ranking.

According to niche.com, Kaneland is in the top 19 percent of Illinois schools for sports and the top 25 percent of college prep public high schools in the state.

“There’s a new rating system (the Illinois Report Card) where every school is looked at [for] a lot of different things and factors, like if the freshmen are on track for graduation.

When they came out with this, there was a four-tier rating system and Kaneland came as exemplary, which is one of the fewest in the area,” Principal Jill Maras said.

According to illinoisreportcard.com, Kaneland has a 97 percent graduation rate compared to the 84 percent national average reported from usnews.com.

According to counselor Cynthia Violett, Kaneland only has a two percent drop out rate, while the U.S. average is 7.4 percent, according to dosomething.org.

“Kaneland typically has higher scores than the state average,” assistant principal Carri Oslager said.

Kaneland students have earned an average SAT score of 1041.1, while the state’s average is 1007.1, according to illinoisreportcard.com.

Many reasons could be given to why Kaneland performs better than the state average, but Oslager believes it starts at home.

“I would have to say it has to do with parental involvement. That is a big piece with students coming to school and feeling safe and feeling they have a place to go home to.

Also parents that care. They make phone calls.

They worry about their kids’ grades and what they’re learning and what they’re doing for homework. Then that falls into the students themselves and caring about whether they do well or not,” Oslager said.

The size of Kaneland can also affect students. Not being big enough could mean that opportunities are lost and classes won’t be offered, but keeping things in perspective is also important.

“Kaneland challenges me a lot more academically because at Amboy High School we

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had the same teachers all four years, and now I have to learn all new types of teaching each year, but socially I’ve been able to make a lot more friends,” senior Michaela Gibbons said.

Academics isn’t the only way Kaneland is excelling compared to the state. Athletic Director David Rohlman believes sports at Kaneland are doing well.

“We’ve had a very successful fall season.

Boys cross country, golf, volleyball and football all won conference, and that’s just conference, not even the full season. So we’ve been very successful,” Rohlman said.

The sports landscape in Illinois is also changing. Kaneland is in the process of moving conferences yet again.

“One of the reasons that we want to find a home is so we don’t have to keep changing conferences. We’ve gone from Suburban Prairie, to the Western Sun, to the Northern Illinois Big 12 and now to the I-8 all in about 10-

15 years. So we’re really looking for a home.

And another reason for this is so we can keep building these rivalries,” Rohlman said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW FRANKLIN Senior Lizzie Laudont and special education teacher Brian Lindstrom race during a tricycle medley.

PHOTO BY JACOB BOOTEN A DeKalb receiver starts in motion while the Kaneland defense awaits the snap.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW FRANKLIN Student Council president Miranda Hansen and senior Leo Espinosa emcee the Homecoming pep assembly. At the end, they announced the ranking for class spirit.

School and Community News

PHOTO BY JACOB BOOTEN The football team prepares to run out of the Knightthemed tunnel before warming up.

Page design by Casey Schanks and Abril Salinas

24 January 2019 Feature

FINDING MORE VALUE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS HOW THE OLD MEREDITH MIDDLE SCHOOL IS BEING PUT TO USE

BY BEN DURBALA, Editor

I

t’s the large, often unused, frequently igdeal, it is still not quite enough. there’s a lot more available,” Bermes said. nored, formerly flourishing building ca“We use [the old middle school] about With the addition of the $35.8 million pable of many things for District 302 that Harter Middle School in 2009, many issues 2-3 times a month, especially during holiday might leave some questioning: What is the old involving practice and meeting space were breaks. The building helps to get all the staff middle school being used for? partially addressed. The 223 thousand together and makes planning easier,” Director Right now, the old Kaneland Middle square feet, two-story building has many of Educational Services Mike Rice said.

School does not serve as much of a purpose When Harter was being built, the initial plan features that Meredith lacks, such as a large as it once did. The was to use both building does host buildings. Meredith sports practices School’s classrooms and games, Fox Valare rarely even used ley classes and SAT now. testing. With the “As long as I’ve building being so known about it, close in location to when they built Harthe high school, it ter Middle School, can be convenient they were going to to use for a few of have two middle Kaneland’s needs. schools both feed However, the old into the high school,” middle school is Rohlman said. not equipped to freWith the limitquently provide for ed space at the old our school’s sports middle school and and activities. the commonality of “If you look at basPHOTO BY BEN DURBALA fieldhouses at other ketball, we have six high schools, chatter basketball teams: of a Kaneland fieldthree levels of girls house has continued. and three levels of “Eventually having a boys. We only have fieldhouse would proso much space for vide enough courts basketball in our and space for everyfacility. If you count body. I have been to Meredith, that only Burlington Central’s gives us four places new fieldhouse that to play basketball. they opened this When you have six year, which was part programs and only of around a 20-year four places, that plan. It was a nice fameans two teams cility. A fieldhouse are always going to [at Kaneland] would PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGAN GILLOGLY change everything,” PHOTO BY DYLAN CALABRESE practice later and Girls varsity basketball players practice lay-ups at the old Fire Science students are in full uniform after practicing not after school, Rohlman said. middle school. safety techniques. which is a concern,” Right now Kaneland teams are left to pracAthletic Director compound-gymnasium, theatre, football tice in the East, West and Auxiliary Gyms, David Rohlman said. field, outdoor track, tennis courts, large prac- along with the limited space at the old midOne of the Fox Valley classes that fretice fields and much more, according to the dle school. Though an addition of a fieldhouse quently utilizes the old middle school is Fire building company Nicholas and Associates, at Kaneland would come with an expensive Science. Junior Nate Bermes enjoys learning Inc. District members and staff use Harter price, the need for space would finally be adat the Meredith campus and would like to see for meetings and activities several times dressed. it used more often.

“The discussions [of a Kaneland fieldhouse] throughout the school year, and middle and “I think it should be used more efficienthigh school sports teams use the gyms for are around, but there’s no meat behind it right ly. I know when we use it for Fox Valley, we practices and games as well. While these ad- now because it all comes down to funding,” only use two or three of the classrooms, and ditions offer the Kaneland community a great Rohlman said.

Page design by Casey Schanks and Abril Salinas

Investigative

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Photo

2015

2011 PHOTO BY PRISCILLA PURNELL

The Fox Valley graphics classes print and create many shirts and flyers for the Kaneland community. They continued to do that with their donated 3-D printer. “This machine cures ink onto t-shirts. It was donated from West Aurora High School when they closed their graphics program,” graphics teacher Nicole Larsen said.

The koi pond, located across from the West Gym, is a unique aspect of Kaneland. Built in 2014 with the combined efforts of Future Farmers of America (FFA), horticulture classes, Science Club and Aquascape, Inc. of St. Charles, IL, the koi pond has helped science teachers and their students in many ways.

PHOTO BY ABRIL SALINAS

PHOTO BY RICHIES TIV

2013

14 Walking into the East Gym, people can glance at the mural of the Kaneland mascot riding a horse, along with many other cavalrymen in the background. Through a group effort, the Future Educators of America (FEA), National Honor Society (NHS) and Student Council donated the Knights mural.

DONATIONS THROUGH THE YEARS

Feature 24 January 2019

Page design by Bailey Prichard

Page design by Bailey Prichard

2018

PHOTO BY ABRIL SALINAS

2018 PHOTO BY PRISCILLA PURNELL

The PC repair class has benefits from the donations of old computers, laptops and server equipment. Students took them apart and rebuilt old laptops and other robotics to understand how they worked. “Having old computers to play with is definitely essential. If we stopped getting donations, we would require more funding to purchase broken machines for practice,” teacher Danielle Wukitsch said.

This year, Steve and Nancy Henrickson donated two high end scoreboards. Not only will they be used for games, but also for functions and assemblies, and the Sports Boosters will be able to advertise to generate revenue. The previous scoreboards are located at the Meredith facility for volleyball and basketball games and other events.

PHOTO BY ABRIL SALINAS

2018 PHOTO BY PRISCILLA PURNELL

The students in automotive technology rely on community members, local businesses and police and fire departments for the 6-10 cars that they receive per year and use to learn how to make repairs. With these donations, students learned how to fix brakes and engines. “If you were studying to be a surgeon you wouldn’t practice on live people, you would use cadavers. We use donated cars as practice before we ever let the students touch a live vehicle that’s ever going to go down the road,” automotive technology teacher Clayton Hansen said.

2016 During an assembly, former Kaneland student Don Beebe donated his Packers football jersey to the high school. He competed for six Super Bowl rings and won one, and he is now the new head football coach at Aurora University.

24 January 2019 Feature

Photo

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Sports 24 January 2019

KANELAND BOWLER TAKES SKILLS TO THE NEXT LEVEL VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY COMMIT & USA NATIONAL TEAM MEMBER

BY ASHLYN KLECKA, Reporter

S

enior Mabel Cummins lives a busy life.

With both bowling and music being important to her, finding a balance can be difficult.

“It’s a struggle every day, finding time to do all my homework, and obviously I spend eight hours of my day at school. Oh, and getting enough sleep, that’s my priority,” Cummins said.

Cummins is part of the Junior Team USA, an elite team of junior bowlers from around the country. Cummins is also a member of the bowling team here at Kaneland. Although the program might not have as many members as others in the school, Cummins fulfills her passion while dedicating a majority of her time to the sport.

“Our school [does not have one of the] most distinguished programs, but it’s still pretty cool to get honors within our school,” Cummins said.

Cummins started bowling around the age of three, all thanks to her dad.

“I was born in Alaska, so on Sunday nights, my dad would come home from work and take me bowling. You know there’s not a lot to do in Alaska,” Cummins said.

Because of frequent competitions, Cummins is used to strategizing before matches.

“The playing field or lane is always changing due to throwing balls down the lane, and there are other people bowling with you.

When you roll the ball it picks up oil, changing how the shot will react,” Cummins said.

But keeping your cool comes easy to Cummins, thanks to her role models.

“Most of my role models are bowlers. One specifically is a coach for Team USA, Kelly Kulick. She’s definitely taught me about perseverance and the mental game. Also staying cool when things get tough in bowling. That’s definitely one of the most important things,” Cummins said.

When Cummins is not bowling or doing school work, she dedicates her time to music.

Cummins is a member of Madrigals, where she has made strong friendships.

“Spending a large amount of time together really brings us closer. I enjoy making music, but the bonds I have made with my classmates are unbreakable,” Cummins said.

Cummins’ accomplishments don’t stop there.

She will be attending Vanderbilt University in

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Sports

Nashville, Tennessee, on a scholarship, something her dad is very proud of her for.

“I’m very proud of Mabel for doing the hard work necessary to achieve a full scholarship at Vanderbilt. More importantly, I’m impressed with her planning to complete a 10year curriculum to become a pathologist. She knew a long time ago what she wanted to do, how difficult it would be to accomplish, and yet she took the steps and continues to do what’s necessary to achieve her goals,” Raymond Cummins said.

While attending the university, Cummins will be taking the road less traveled when it comes to Pre-Med students.

“My major is Biomedical Engineering. It’s an odd major for Pre-Med. [People] usually go Biology or Chemistry, but the analytical nature of the major is what attracted me,” Cummins said.

As for her future, Cummins hopes to continue bowling while still at school.

“I would like to stay on Junior Team USA and eventually make an adult team and further my education. It’s a lot of school,” Cummins said.

No one is more proud than her father.

“Mabel has always been an above-average athlete and excelled in most sports, but since becoming a national champion and member of Team USA, she has developed quickly to an elite level in both the mental and physical aspects of competitive bowling. During tournaments, I have seen her exhibit behaviors that are common only to seasoned, professional athletes, and I wonder, ‘Where did my little girl go?’ In truth, I’m simply amazed by the level of maturity she has at such a young age, and I just hope there are a few more opportunities to enjoy being a teenager,” Raymond Cummins said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIVING & LOVING PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Mabel Cummins bowls for a strike during a competition.

Page design by Ben Durbala

24 January 2019 Activities

BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN THE COMFORT OF A CLUB

CHESS CLUB A N D SCHOLASTIC BOWL

UKELELE CLUB

BY ASHLEY EDWARDS, Executive Editor

BY MADELINE HOCKEY, Executive Editor

F

or the last 20 years, math teacher Kenneth Dentino has been the sponsor of Kaneland’s Chess Club. Although Dentino never participated in Chess Club as a student, he played throughout high school and decided that it would be fun to sponsor.

“The principal at the time decided he wanted a chess team and thought I might be interested in it,” Dentino said.

The 16 members in the club meet every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays to practice moves and play games.

“The guys go over past games and talk to each other about what the better moves would have been and things like that,” Dentino said.

Chess is more of an individual activity, but with the help of teammates, members can improve their playing strategies.

“We welcome beginners, and the guys are really good about helping beginners along and making them better players,” Dentino said.

Anyone is welcome to join Chess Club, even students who do not know how to play.

“I would just say to try [Chess Club], even if you don’t think you’re going to be good at it,” senior captain Muize Rahman said.

Jumping in to help improve a club that could be taken to the next level, Dentino also began sponsoring Scholastic Bowl 21 years ago.

“The club actually did exist before, but it existed very minimally. The person that did it before only took them to conference and regionals, and the principal at the time wanted more and decided it was time for a change,” Dentino said.

Even though Scholastic Bowl did not exist when Dentino was in high school, he still decided it would be a good opportunity to take on. Scholastic Bowl currently has 26 members who practice on Mondays and Wednesdays, where they review questions and participate in practice matches.

Scholastic Bowl competitions quiz players on trivia questions that are based on academic subjects.

“I know a lot of random facts that I would not have known otherwise, and it helps me learn stuff that I will learn in later years,” sophomore Addison Adams said.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BEN DURBALA

Page design by Ben Durbala

S

trumming the strings, tapping the beat and humming the melody is what Ukulele Club is all about. Confidence in playing and making new friends are also benefits to the club.

Meeting once a week on Tuesdays, English teacher Mallory Sunday is proud to say that she has been the sponsor for the past three years.

So far, the 12 members come together in B106 and bounce ideas off of each other.

“We come together and bring in Chromebooks. We usually use The Ukulele Teacher off of YouTube. It’s also really social so sometimes I have to say, ‘Let’s pick up the ukulele and get some playing done.’ But it’s a nice place to get to know people,” Sunday said.

Senior Meaghan Johnston has found interest in the club due to how laid back the environment is during meetings.

“My favorite part about Ukulele Club is probably the environment of the club. Everyone is super chill and it makes it easy to enjoy. It’s far less intimidating than many people think because you really don’t have to have much experience in order to have fun,” Johnston said.

The hopes for Ukulele Club members are to one day be able to perform in front of a live audience.

“Ideally, eventually, we would like to get comfortable enough to play on stage at The House Cafe. That’s what we are hoping for,” Sunday said.

Everyone is invited to come play. There are no requirements to join Ukulele Club.

“All skill levels, from absolute beginner to more advanced kids who have a better understanding of how to tune and how to play, are welcome, but we also encourage kids that have other instruments to bring them in for nice collaborations. It’s not expected to know how to play or even own a ukulele because we tend to have more than one available,” Sunday said.

Johnston has joined the club to get more involved in the school and meet new people.

“Playing the ukulele is one of my favorite hobbies. This club is a great way to share similar interests with people I might not know.

It’s a great way to expose yourself to new things and people,” Johnston said.

Activities

17

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