Kaneland Krier: 4th Issue

KANELAND

KR ER 50 Years with FVCC p. 13

The Culture of Kaneland pp. 10-11

K AN E L

AN D H I G H S C H O O L

AUDITORIUM

Volume 46 • Issue 4 • Kaneland High School • March 19, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

03 04 06 07 08 09 10 12 13 14 16 17

Lifestyle Voices Opinion Editorial News Investigative Centerspread Feature Feature Photos Sports Activities SPRING CLEANING

WHAT WAS YOUR BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MEMORY?

IS THERE A LACK OF TEACHER DIVERSITY?

THE MEANING OF SUCCESS

LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IN ILLINOIS

A LOOK INTO STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH

THE CULTURE OF KANELAND

ONE MORE DEGREE, ONE MORE DISASTER

50 YEARS WITH FVCC

SPRING INTO THE SEASON

EFFORTS TO KEEP ATHLETES SAFE

KANELAND CHOIR HITTING A HIGH NOTE

Executive Letter Everything changes with time, and we have noticed a shift in our culture within the Kaneland community. For some of us, our friends, our older siblings and maybe even our parents attended this same school. What they experienced and what we currently see are different in some cases. Many of these changes have impacted how we as a community interact, how we learn and how we engage in school events.

A lot of what we perceive as a school culture is determined by the students.

So we ask: What are you doing to influence the school culture?

Ben Durbala Editor-in-Chief

Casey Schanks Web Editor-in-Chief

Gianna Provenzano Bailey Prichard Production Manager Webmaster Jacob Booten Design Executive

Bailey Prichard Sports Executive

Sami Callaghan Ad/Business Manager

Spring W

BY ABBY LYCAN, Editor

March 19, 2020 Lifestyle

Cleaning

ith the upcoming spring season, resolutions and hopes for spring cleaning are in full swing. It is common for people to feel like they need to get their life together at this time of year. But if you are not an organized person, it can be hard to know where to even begin.

One of the best ways to stay organized is by using a planner, or finding some other means of keeping track of your schedule and all of the things you need to do. The Reminders app on your phone is a really good way to make sure you are focused on the goals that you want to achieve. You can create separate lists as well as schedule different things that you need to do, helping you stay on task.

Senior Leanne Steenwyk likes to use separate folders for each class as well as a planner to hold herself accountable.

“I have a folder or binder for each class. I have it labeled, and I keep notes and homework separate from each other. So if I have homework for the night, I put it in the homework spot and then write in my planner that I have homework for the night to make sure I do it,” Steenwyk said.

The space that surrounds you is such an important piece of your mental state. According to Psychology Today, people who keep their space clean and organized tend to be healthier and more productive as opposed to those who do not. Being surrounded by a dirty space can make it harder to focus and complete tasks. So if you feel like you are very unproductive and stressed, something as simple as organizing your closet could be a quick fix that may leave you feeling so much better.

“I keep my closet super clean. It is color coded, and whenever I take something off the hanger I make sure to put it right back so that there’s not always stuff everywhere,” senior

Page design by Emma Schaefer

Nicole Stanley said.

Keeping yourself organized while also juggling life may be a little stressful, but there are easy ways to destress. One of the best ways to destress is to take a shower or a bath. In a study conducted by Pentucket Medical, a multi-specialty physician group, researchers found that baths and showers reduce the levels of stress and anxiety in your body as well as improve your mood. And while baths and showers can aid in destressing, they also make you smell a lot better. So if you struggle with your appearance or self image, showering can be a very easy solution.

“Whenever I am feeling stressed or anxious, I take a shower or bath because I feel refreshed and so much calmer afterwards,” Stanley said.

Staying productive can be hard, but one way to feel more productive and on top of things is to exercise. Staying active is a way to help boost productivity and alertness. While staying active increases your productivity, it also improves your physical health. Exercising can reduce body weight, as well as help to overcome mental health obstacles such as anxiety and depression.

“I find that when I am staying active I am so much more productive and able to get everything done that I need to,” Steenwyk said.

Staying active is just one part of a complicated puzzle, though. In combination with exercise, eating healthy is also very important.

Eating healthy can aid in weight loss, help prevent the development of certain illnesses, improve mood and allow you to get better sleep.

Being a healthy, organized and productive person just requires some proactive steps.

Look at what is best and most conducive for your lifestyle, and determine how to become the best version of yourself.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAIGE BEATTIE Senior Paige Beattie’s bullet journal is used as a way to track her habits and her attitude throughout the week. Bullet journals are a creative way to plan your schedule and create positive daily routines.

PHOTO BY EMMA SCHAEFER Cleanliness is essential to keeping a positive mindset.

Baths, like this one with candles, facemasks and bathbombs, are a helpful way to destress.

Lifestyle

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Voices March 19, 2020

EST B R U O Y S A Y? R WHAT W O M E M L O CHO S Y R A T N E ELEM we cess when re ly b a b “Pro es we what gam decide d ause to play bec were go ing osh of like a m d in k s a w reit ally don’t re I d n a pit f ro m ything else shmember an scho o l,” f re y r ta n e m le e . s Alba said man Andre

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ASHLYN KLECKA

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Voices

“Reading poetry books outside of my classroom with my best friend because we liked poetry and it was cute and fun,” junior Gracie Lou Lenz said.

Page design by Ashlyn Klecka

March 19, 2020 Voices

“I thi n to be k it wo ul dh w inte made r whe ave a me n we We t atbal l o co mb ok mulc shop. h an ine d d it w it to m h sno ake m w sell t eatba o l senio the other ls to r k sai d. Jack Hale i d s,” y

“Probably Fun Lunch because it’s what comes to mind when I think of elementary school.

Pizza was my favorite one,” junior David Kolev said.

Page design by Ashlyn Klecka

Voices

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Opinion

March 19, 2020

IS THERE A LACK OF TEACHER DIVERSITY?

BY JENNA LIN, Editor

BY EMMA SCHAEFER, Editor

T

he topic of diversity among students and teachers in a school is something that many people have become completely blind to. Websites like usnews.com, illinoisreportcard.com and niche.com come out with annual reports sharing with the public the demographics of each school. 98.6% of the 294 teachers in Kaneland School District 302 are white, according to the most recent data from illinoisreportcard.com.

Kaneland and other schools across the nation lack diversity among teachers. Several articles have been published discussing the diversity, or lack thereof, of teachers over the past several years. Most discuss how the environment of the school is what affects the students’ ability to learn.

“There are many things that contribute to children’s academic achievements, including teachers’ experience and training; school funding and zoning; and families’ incomes and home environment. And teachers have long been predominantly white and female,” New York Times writer Claire Cain Miller said.

The lack of teacher diversity at Kaneland is something we as students have been used to since the start of our education here. It has become something we barely notice anymore.

However, after graduating there is going to be diversity in all aspects of life that we have not been exposed to.

Along with Kaneland, surrounding schools like Geneva, West Aurora, Yorkville and DeKalb all exceed 90% of teachers being white, according to illinoisreportcard.com.

Public schools around the world follow a similar pattern as well. The National Center for Education Statistics found that in 2015-16, about 80% of public school teachers in the United States were white.

English teacher Joshua Maurice has also noticed the lack of diversity in the teaching staff at Kaneland.

“I think we as a school just don’t really have a lot of diversity in general. So when

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Opinion

CARTOON BY CORINNE CONDOS Like many neighboring schools, Kaneland’s staff is not particularly diverse. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 80% of public school teachers are white, 9% are Hispanic, 7% are African American and 2% are Asian.

the students do see any sort of diversity that’s different from them, I don’t think that’s doing them any favors,” Maurice said.

The Center for American Progress released an issue on teacher diversity stating that the teacher demographics are not keeping up with the growth in diversity among students. Many school districts have students who represent several different races and ethnicities. However, this reality is not reflected in the demographics of the typical faculty.

As we move into various career fields, we will see people from different ethnicities and backgrounds. If we are given the opportunity to move to a new area of the country for a job or a school, we will have the opportunity to experience those differences that make us diverse. Having experience dealing with diversity will help our students to be more prepared to enter the working class. However, it begins with our educators and the people who surround us to let us experience just how many different types of people we have in our world.

Consequently, that is exactly what we’re missing out on with our education at Kaneland.

A teacher’s influence on a student, though, can affect them beyond just their race, culture

or ethnicity. Director of Human Resources at Kaneland Dr. Chris Adkins believes that Kaneland is working towards their mission statement, whether or not we have diversity within our teaching staff.

“I personally believe that a good teacher will positively impact students regardless of teacher or student gender, race or ethnicity.

The power of teaching stems from the relationships built between teacher and learner,” Adkins said.

The reason why most teachers at Kaneland are white is because of the location of the school. The majority of the residents in communities within the district are white, but that does not mean our teaching staff cannot represent more diversity.

“Most teachers are predominantly white because the region and location we are in is mostly Caucasian, so there is a less likely chance for a person of color to apply for a job. I think it does affect students, especially students of color and minorities, because they don’t have anyone who is like them in the school. It makes minorities feel less included and uncomfortable when almost every teacher is white,” senior Cimran Nakum said.

Page design by Abby Lycan

March 19, 2020 Editorial Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 www.kanelandkrier.com

CARTOON BY ALLISON VOGT Sometimes it can get stressful trying to balance a variety of different responsibilities. Keeping up with the stresses of school can be difficult when there are so many other obligations in a student’s life.

THE MEANING OF SUCCESS

B

y definition, success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Success once was the happy family living in the suburbs with a white picket fence. Today, it might not necessarily look like that. To some, it could be setting a new personal record in a sport or getting straight A’s throughout high school. Success may look like rising to the top of a company or inspiring those around you. Ultimately, success will look different from person to person.

For some people, reaching success in life could mean living the American dream. That dream involves the idea that hard work and taking risks can lead to success. Buying property and getting a strong education are often big parts of this idealized lifestyle. If living the American dream or being wealthy are your goals in life, then yes, that can get you success, but ultimately this isn’t the standard for everyone. Success means that you have found joy and are truly content with where you are in your life.

According to the 2017 Harris Poll Survey of American Happiness, only about 33% of Americans described themselves as happy.

This is an increase from the 31% who reported being happy in 2016, but it is still at a conceringly low level.

“While the attitudes on the economy may be improving, we’re seeing that this is not translating into an improvement in overall happiness,” Senior Vice President of the Harris Poll Regina Corso said.

Success means finding true happiness and being completely content with what you have and where you are in your own life. Whether that means having great health, obtaining a stable and enjoyable career or growing a big family, success can be achieved through

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Page design by Sophia Mullins

happiness. Making a lot of money doesn’t necessarily equate to happiness in all cases. If you are working a high paying job but you are constantly miserable, then you aren’t really successful. Getting a strong education doesn’t always lead to joy either. People who go to college may not necessarily find themselves where they want to be. Trying to find what truly brings you joy will lead to the success we all long to find in life. High school gives us a chance to keep learning about what makes us happy.

Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington says that we often associate success with money and power, but we need to add a third metric to the system.

“To live the lives we truly want and deserve, and not just the lives we settle for, we need a Third Metric, a third measure of success that goes beyond the two metrics of money and power, and consists of four pillars: well-being, wisdom, wonder, and giving,” Huffington said.

Making a mark on the world can help you feel a stronger sense of accomplishment, leading you to a higher level of success.

“Success is looking back at your life, when you are in your final moments, and possessing a great amount of pride around your creations, accomplishments, and legacy, while possessing little to no regret about what you did not do and missed opportunities. If I can die feeling this way, I believe this is success,” CEO of Conductor, a marketing company, Seth Besmertnik said.

Rising to the highest level of success will be unique to each person. It will happen at different times for everyone. Success can’t be defined through a certain amount of money or a particular level of education. There is only one standard for success: Happiness.

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Member of IJEA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA IHSA State Finalists 2013-2019 IWPA Silver Pen 2017 NISPA Golden Eagle 2017 IJEA First Place for Krier Online 2017 IJEA Second Place for Best Hybrid Publication 2019 IJEA Second Place for Best Overall Publication 2019 Subscription rates: Five issues, two supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $25 EXECUTIVE STAFF Ben Durbala Editor-in-Chief of Print

Casey Schanks Editor-in-Chief of Web

Sami Callaghan Ad & Business Manager

Gianna Provenzano Webmaster

Bailey Prichard Sports Executive & Production Manager

Jacob Booten Design Executive

EDITORIAL STAFF Cover Jenna Lin

Table of Contents Ben Durbala

Lifestyle Emma Schaefer

Voices Ashlyn Klecka

Opinion Abby Lycan

Editorial Sophia Mullins

Feature Regan O’Brien

Centerspread Jenna Lin

News Bailey Prichard

Investigative Rachel Cormier

Photos Sasha Clinnin

Sports Ayshe Ali

Activities Gio Valle

Advertisements Sami Callaghan

Videographer Scott Dunne

STAFF

Leonard Anderson, Mia Bergman, Dylan Calabrese, Paige De La Bruere, Delaney Douglas, Sophia Drancik, Patrick Gampfer, Cody Ganzon, Sandra Garcia, Josh Hanold, Jack Holder, Karmyn Hookham, Sarah Janito, Moses Kim, Madeleine Little, Brianna Michi, Nicholas Mitchinson, Matilyn Mumm, Anna Olp, Sophia Opp, Olivia Ortegel, Gabrielle Parker, Morgan Phillipp, McKenna Ryan, Casey Walters

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: Ayshe Ali, Jacob Booten, Sami Callaghan, Sasha Clinnin, Rachel Cormier, Scott Dunne, Ben Durbala, Ashlyn Klecka, Jenna Lin, Abby Lycan, Sophia Mullins, Regan O’Brien, Bailey Prichard, Gianna Provenzano, Emma Schaefer, Casey Schanks and Gio Valle. 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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News March 19, 2020 PHOTO COURTESY OF ERICA JOHNSTON

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSALIE BASS

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA CALLAGHAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERICA JOHNSTON

PHOTO BY RACHEL CORMIER

On Jan. 1, 2020 recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois. “Illinois is the 11th state to legalize recreational weed, and only Oregon had a comparable first-day performance. That state also brought in $3.2 million in sales on day one,” according to Ally Marotti of the Chicago Tribune.

LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IN ILLINOIS

I

BY RACHEL CORMIER, Editor

llinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s bill to legalize recreational marijuana was officially enacted on Jan. 1, 2020.

In the first five days of sales, consumers spent nearly $11 million on recreational cannabis. On New Year’s Day, Chicago’s shops had lines around their blocks with people waiting several hours to purchase marijuana.

The bill was approved to legalize what was previously a minor offense, but was still considered a crime for nearly 800, 000 people, according to the Chicago Sun Times. Pritzker’s legalization pardoned more than 11, 000 people convicted of minor cannabis possession.

Pritzker’s efforts have included working with minorities to end the prejudice that African Americans face with cannabis use.

Illinois is taking a firm hold on how recreational cannabis can be used in public, including efforts to make it hard for minors to acquire. Smoking cannabis is prohibited in all public areas and in any motor vehicles. Smoking near an adult under 21 years old or near most officers of the law is also prohibited.

Challenges that officers are dealing with involve the identification of motorists driving under the influence of marijuana and of people who are the prime sources to minors.

Kaneland’s School Liaison, Deputy Ryan Fetzer, warns that there are risks that come

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News

with buying from an illegal source.

“The only issue that we’ve seen is the price of cannabis is through the roof, and if you don’t want to pay that price you’re going to find it on the street for cheaper. I’ve seen it here in Kane County, where we’ve had stuff that has been added with honey or fentanyl.

[Dealers] are making tainted stuff because they don’t want to use all their products, so they add things to it to make it seem like you’re getting more than you actually are,” Fetzer said.

Dispensary employees are required to formally identifiy every consumer that enters, and a number of dispensaries check again at the time of purchase.

Marijuana is considered the next multi-billion dollar industry, and some small communities in Illinois are taking advantage of the opportunity.

“Marijuana Business Factbook estimates the legal-marijuana industry’s economic impact in the U.S. was between $20 billion and $23 billion in 2017. It estimates the economic impact could reach as high as $77 billion by 2022,” according to Business Insider.

Elburn has recently approved the zoning for a dispensary in the downtown area, with a potential location in the vacant building next to Schmidt’s Towne Tap. Village President

of Elburn Jeff Walter supported the decision because of the benefits in tax revenue that a potential dispensary would have for Elburn’s businesses.

“It’s an opportunity to bring more people into town, which of course increases our retail taxes, which allows us to do more things like fix streets and build parks,” Walter said.

The Elburn Village Board will also be able to tax an additional 3% over the standard 8% sales tax for revenue that will go towards the town.

A potential dispensary is still in discussion, but the Elburn Board is currently talking with two vendors interested in opening on Main Street.

In contrast, Sugar Grove’s Village Board declined the opportunity for a dispensary. Like Elburn, the Sugar Grove Board had to consider their limited legal areas that a dispensary could occupy. Sugar Grove Village President Sean Michels was the deciding vote in the matter, and he admitted that location had a big impact on their decision.

“The one location that Sugar Grove was considering was across the street from Waubonsee Community College. If we were going to deny the place across from the Waubonsee Corporate Center, we might as well say no to it all,” Michels said.

Page design by Bailey Prichard

PHOTO BY AYSHE ALI

A LOOK INTO STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH

March 19, 2020

Investigative

PHOTO BY AYSHE ALI

BY AYSHE ALI, Editor

Suicide and depression pamphlets can be found outside of the commons. There are pamphlets on varying topics available for all students.

H

igh school should be a time for exploring your interests, making memories with friends and finding who you truly are. It can also be full of challenges that may eventually lead to issues like depression and anxiety. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in every six people from ages 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder in 2016.

Many wonder why the rate is so high, and research shows that a lot of it has to do with the rise in social media popularity.

“All of a sudden you’ve got this new platform of social media where teenagers can attack each other anonymously. And all of a sudden, you drop a device in their hands where they can do it any time of day with complete anonymity, then you’re going to have some serious problems,” psychology teacher Mark

PHOTO BY SASHA CLINNIN Messages that joke about death and suicide in the girls bathroom present a negative message to students.

Page design by Rachel Cormier

Meyer said.

The University of Pennsylvania conducted a study of 143 college students to see how the amount of time they spent on social media correlated to their mental health. Half of the students continued their normal use of social media, and the other group could only use it for a maximum of 30 minutes per day. When they evaluated the results, it was clear that the less time spent on social media led to better mental health.

Social media has created many problems among teenagers, inluding an increase of teen

PHOTO BY AYSHE ALI

Two students convey the message “You are not alone” to symbolize the importance of looking to the people around you during a difficult time.

mental health issues. Students have a lot on their plates, and both local and national school counselors and psychologists have noticed this trend.

“Honestly, I’ve had more students this year hospitalized for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues than ever,” chair of the National Education Association School Counselor Caucus Kathy Reamy said. “There’s just so much going on in this day and age, the pressures to fit in, the pressure to achieve, the pressure of social media.”

To combat these issues, psychologists are studying new ways to help patients lead lives where their mental health doesn’t have to take over their daily lives.

“When you’re talking about depression, it’s very treatable. In America, around 25% of people are taking an antidepressant. What I

Social media can be a distraction to students, but it is also a source for cyberbullying that can result in a toxic environment.

worry about is when kids don’t say something.

There are ways to help. You can go to therapy.

There are tons of medications for depression.

Typically when you take those medications, it’s got a high rate of improvement,” school psychologist John Markovich said.

Psychologists, including Markovich, encourage students to speak up when they need help.

“Talk to someone, talk to a friend, reach out and be willing to go to therapy. The saddest part is I think there’s a stigma to go and talk to someone. You are not weak when you go and talk to someone. You are strong when you go and talk to someone because you’re being vulnerable enough to say, ‘I need help,’” Markovich said.

PHOTO BY AYSHE ALI Sophomore Shaynah Anderson’s semicolon tattoo represents success in overcoming personal struggles and shows that her story is not over.

Investigative

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Centerspread March 19, 2020

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PENNON 2000 The 2000 Kaneland Rowdie crowd cheers during the Homecoming football game against Elmwood Park. The spirit weeks in 2000 included games during lunch like the Twinkie eating contest and car crams, where students tried to fit as many people as possible into one car.

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67.8% att e Ho m e c o m n d e d ing t s cho ol ye his ar PHOTO COURTESY OF @KHSKNIGHTCREW ON TWITTER Although some might think the spirit of Kaneland has diminished throughout the years, the Rowdie crowd at football games still stand. Students dress up for the theme of the games and cheer on the football team.

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Centerspread

Page design by Jenna Lin

THE

CULTURE OF KANELAND

K

BY SOPHIA MULLINS, Editor

BY REGAN O’BRIEN, Editor

aneland opened its doors for the first time in 1958. The perception of Kaneland from people who don’t go here might not be the same as the people who know it best. The way that someone perceives their school’s culture is entirely different depending on their experiences. Every word that a student hears in the hallway, every spirit week full of costumes and face paint and every school dance full of bumping music and new memories affects how a student sees their school. The status of today’s culture depends on each individual in the building.

“Being a senior in high school, I was obviously able to see the spirit from previous years that the underclassmen never got to see, and I feel like the fun and motivation is no longer existing,” senior Julia Biard said. “More and more kids developed the mentality that it was ‘lame’ to participate but then complain when it’s not an option.”

Based on a poll of 311 students, the number of respondents who attended Kaneland’s inaugural Winterfest was less than 13%, and this year only 24% of the student body plans on attending. These low numbers are troubling to the students who help organize the event. The amount of time and money being put into Winterfest is not being reciprocated by interest from the student body.

“People always just go off of what everyone else does or has done, and that’s why nobody ever gave Winterfest a chance. The biggest comment made to us has been students wanting a winter dance and when we gave them the opportunity to do it, they trashed it without even going. Those people who went out and tried it all really enjoyed it,” Biard said.

Students were not the only ones who put

effort into the Winterfest event. Math teacher Jennifer French played a big part in organizing the dance. It was advertised throughout the school with posters and daily announcements.

There were weekly Instagram Lives held by the dance’s organization to promote the event.

Even with constant advertisements, French was conflicted on Winterfest’s success. Was all of the work worth the effort?

“Experience wise, yes. Attendance, no. I wish more students would take advantage of fun opportunities like Winterfest. High school is what you make it,” French said.

French has also noticed a decline in school spirit within the student body.

“It seems the students like the idea of school spirit, participating in events and being Rowdies, but there is no follow through. I’m all about school spirit and think we could have an amazing student section and have fun at events but can’t find the buy in,” French said.

Other teachers have also seen student motivation fall tremendously. Students may not be putting in effort when it comes to school spirit, and according to math teacher Tim Larsen, they aren’t putting effort into schoolwork either.

“What I’ve noticed is that less and less of my students are doing their homework. When I ask, some of them say because in standards based grading [they] don’t get points for doing homework, so [they] are not going to do it,” Larsen said.

Without consistent accountability for do ing homework, some students won’t feel the need to keep up with it. This mentality can be harmful when college comes around and deadlines for assignments are taken seriously.

Behavioral issues and rule breakers exist in every high school, but has Kaneland made

March 19, 2020

Centerspread

delinquency trendy? Recently, the amount of vandalism in public areas is difficult to not notice. Security guard Lisa Weiss is shocked by the extent of damage that is being done to school property.

“Somebody just recently vandalized that [Fox Valley] bathroom. They tore the door off of one stall, and took [stuff] and rubbed it all over the other seats. We have been having a lot of the Fox Valley kids wandering away from that bathroom, just to find a decent place to go,” Weiss said.

According to a recent Krier poll, 37% of students at Kaneland have witnessed some form of vandalism. There have even been social media accounts dedicated to documenting messes created in the bathrooms.

Despite the issues that might negatively affect Kaneland’s culture, many individuals are making a concerted effort to improve students’ experiences here at school. There are plenty of people at Kaneland who try to create a comfortable environment for others to be themselves and to do what makes them happy. Pop Culture Club leader and junior Skylar Landorf sees her club as a space for students to pursue their interests.

“We try to be as welcoming as possible to everyone, and this has kind of earned us a reputation as a fun club. We are sure to include everyone present, and we love to host events such as video game tournaments to invite students outside of the club to join in,” Landorf said. “We welcome everyone’s differences and interests with open arms. We’re all unique in our own ways, and Kaneland needs more outlets to show this.”

Culture is completely dependent on people’s perspectives, and Kaneland’s culture is a direct reflection of the student body. If school spirit seems lacking, it is up to us to make a change for the better. Our lack of motivation won’t exist if we take the time to put in the work. Our bathrooms don’t need to be an embarrassment. Our dances can be better attended. If the students and staff put in the effort, making a better Kaneland is a very achievable possibility.

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY JENNA LIN

Page design by Jenna Lin

Centerspread

Feature March 19, 2020

ONE MORE DEGREE, ONE MORE DISASTER

BY SAMANTHA CALLAGHAN, Executive Editor

O

BY BAILEY PRICHARD, Executive Editor

pinions about climate change differ throughout this building, let alone our global community, based on certain beliefs and what people hear about the environment from a variety of sources. There is conversation on every social media platform about natural disasters being caused by global warming. The wildfires in Australia and the Atlantic Ocean’s rising sea level near Puerto Rico are only signs of what is to come.

“Climate change is happening, humans are causing it, and I think this is perhaps the most serious environmental issue facing us,” Bill Nye the Science Guy said.

An increase in the rate of climate alteration and natural disasters will continue to happen if we don’t take conscientious steps to protect the environment.

“In order for things to start changing in a positive way, everyone needs to do their own part. It is one of those things where if it becomes a trend, people start to do it. We live in a world of social media where everything is trending. If we can get people to focus on bettering our lives and the environment and making it a thing where it is ‘cool’ to care about the environment, then I think more people will hop on the bandwagon,” science teacher Jason Foster said.

Recently, restaurants like California Pizza Kitchen have decided to not give people plastic straws unless they ask for them. Even local businesses like Elburn’s Corner Grind offer reusable straws for purchase rather than plastic straws in hopes of decreasing how much plastic we use. Plastic that does not get recycled adds to air, water and land pollution.

“In 2017, plastic products generation was 35.4 million tons, or 13.2 percent of generation. This was an increase of four million tons from 2010 to 2017, and it came from durable goods and the containers and packaging categories,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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Feature

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA CALLAGHAN A street sign in Fort Collins, CO, influences people to turn off their car engines with the hope of improving the environment.

PHOTO BY BAILEY PRICHARD The Kaneland High School greenhouse provides an ideal environment for the growth of plants.

PHOTO BY AYSHE ALI Solar panels are an alternative to fossil fuels that also help to lower utility costs.

NASA.gov claims that 2019 was recorded as the second warmest temperature since 1880. The past five years have been warmer than the temperature in the past 140 years, which is due to the increase in carbon dioxide levels being emitted into the atmosphere.

“For more than a century, burning fossil fuels has generated most of the energy required to propel our cars, power our businesses, and keep the lights on in our homes. Using fossil fuels for energy has exacted an enormous toll on humanity and the environment—from air and water pollution to global warming,” according to nrdc.org.

Despite the abundance of scientific evidence that our climate is changing, there are still people who are unaware of or who simply neglect the issues.

“When you have overwhelming evidence dealing with a specific topic, it is ignorant to ignore it, and when you are looking at climate change there is overwhelming evidence. So we are looking at CO2 concentration that is completely off the scale. It is ridiculous,” Foster said.

It is difficult to disregard the massive bushfires that took place in Australia starting in the beginning of September. It is dramatic changes to our climate that increase the likelihood of such natural disasters.

“Something that we see even right now is changing weather patterns. The extreme droughts in Australia that ultimately led to the massive forest and bushfires and rising sea levels are definitely an issue,” science teacher Joanna Edelman said.

The Australian fires have led to topsoil being exposed that will result in dust storms much like the 1930s Dust Bowl, Edelman mentioned. A potential step towards environmental progress could stem from more public attention.

“I feel like our government doesn’t do enough as far as advocating for those environmental needs. I know when I was a kid there were a lot of commercials and advertisements about recycling, and I feel like people recycled more due to that. We need to advertise it more now too, so all generations can see those effects,” horticulture teacher Brooke Heinsohn said.

Human behaviors can cause environmental issues, just like the recent California wildfires.

“It’s anthropogenic, meaning that it’s human-driven. There is enough scientific data to support it, hence 98% of scientists believe that it is truly happening, and it is because of human impact,” Edelman said.

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50 YEARS WITH

BY BEN DURBALA, Editor-in-Chief of Print

March 19, 2020

Feature

BY GIO VALLE, Editor

H

igh school can feel repetitive and pointless for students interested in starting a career right after graduation. The Fox Valley Career Center (FVCC), currently celebrating its 50th year, provides students with realistic, technical courses to help them develop skills that will be beneficial for their intended or potential careers. For some, this makes school a lot more enjoyable PHOTO BY BEN DURBALA and meaningful.

The electricity room in the Fox Valley Career “Sometimes students take classes because they are required, but for every one of our Center is filled with wires and metal rods. Stuclasses, the kids are here because they want to be here. So you’ll never see someone say, ‘Ah, I dents wire doorbells and light up bulbs here. have to go to class,’ because they’re here because they want to be,” FVCC Director Rick Burchell said.

The Career Center was founded in 1969 and began with students from only four school districts: Kaneland, Batavia, Burlington Central and St. Charles. Since then, it has grown in the number of classes offered and has welcomed students from Geneva and West Aurora as well. Kaneland originally became home to the FVCC, initially called the Vocational Center, because of the open fields and space surrounding the school.

“We’ve been as big as 900 students in the Career Center. At one point we were bigger than Kaneland High School’s student body,” Burchell said.

Students who go through some FVCC programs can even come out of their classes with certifications that will help them find work in the future. For example, if a student takes and completes the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) program, they are prepared to take the EMT State Exam. This certifies the student from the Illinois Department of Public Health, allowing them to be qualified for an array of EMT jobs at various places like hospitals or fire stations.

“The EMT class is great because we get to work in the hospital emergency room. It helps by giving us the hands-on skills for the career we want. We also get interviews, and if we do well on the interviews PHOTO BY BEN DURBALA we can get hired right away,” senior Aidan Berleman said.

The automotive technologies, computer technologies, cosmetology, electrical systems, fire Junior Aiden Watkiss works in the Fox Valley Career Center welding room. science, graphic communications, basic nursing assistant training and welding classes all offer certifications for students upon completion of certain class requirements. Looking ahead, the FVCC hopes to continue to grow in size and to leave a lasting impact on their students.

“Fox Valley has impacted me in a very positive way. I think that students should definitely take at least one Fox Valley Career Center class because they are not only fun, but productive too. It gives students the opportunity to see careers not presented in a college setting and also gives students the chance to get a feel for what they like and don’t like,” senior Emily Janecek said.

PHOTO BY BEN DURBALA

Students in the Fox Valley Career Center auto technology class work on a suspended vehicle.

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Feature

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Photos

March 19, 2020

SPRING INTO THE SEASON

WNDR MUSEUM

PHOTOS BY GIANNA PROVENZANO

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Photos

If you are looking for a setting to take creative pictures, Chicago’s WNDR Museum is the place to go. The museum includes several rooms and takes about an hour to walk through, and when you are done it offers other actvities like arcade nights and cupcake making classes.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SASHA CLINNIN

Page design by Sasha Clinnin

March 19, 2020

Photos

PHOTOS BY AYSHE ALI

iPanic in St. Charles includes multiple themed escape rooms. iPanic features rooms like Monster Mayhem, which you can see in the pictures to the right.

Other rooms include Big Foot, Alien Encounter, Gold Heist, The Witching Hour and Dragon Slayer.

IPANIC ESCAPE ROOM

PHOTOS BY SOPHIA MULLINS

FUNWAY

Funway in Batavia is a great place if you are looking for a variety of activities.

Funway offers everything from rollerskating and bowling to an arcade and bumper cars.

Page design by Sasha Clinnin

Photos

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Sports March 19, 2020

EFFORTS TO KEEP ATHLETES SAFE PHOTO BY AYSHE ALI Senior Zakary Martinez gets ready to wrestle during practice. Competitors wear headgear to protect themselves from a variety of injuries.

PHOTO BY AYSHE ALI Freshman Grant Keppy gets his ankle taped before a basketball practice. Students go to the trainer’s room to treat any injuries they might have.

I

BY SASHA CLINNIN, Editor

f you play a sport, you can probably relate to the adrenaline rush athletes get every time they step onto the field. It’s the reason they play, and that feeling of excitement is what drives them to test themselves. But some may think that the risks associated with this pursuit of excitement are not worth the potential rewards.

Sports have safety concerns, but in some cases the efforts to protect athletes can be misguided. For example, in soccer, players often wear concussion headbands. This may sound like a safe and effective method to protect a player from concussions, but the headbands do not help players avoid serious head injuries. According to an article written by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, concussions are not any more or less severe with the headband. A concussion is caused by your brain sliding into your skull, and the headband just cushions your head in the event of any form of direct contact.

Girls soccer is the second most dangerous sport behind football, with the second highest competition-related injury rate, according to the Colorado University Medical Campus.

Changing some rules would be beneficial to the sport and the players.

“It seems like there are more injuries now than in previous years. As soccer goes, I think 12 and under, they’re not even allowed to head the ball to stop concussions. Overall it should

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Sports

be safer. Even we limit the amount of heading we do in drills and warmups,” Kaneland varsity soccer coach Scott Parillo said.

We see the risk of injury in every sport, not just soccer. Football players incur the risk of traumatic head injuries every time they set foot on the field.

“Helmets protect your head but they can’t fully protect your brain. This helps to explain why football players incur brain trauma that may lead to debilitating brain disease,” according to a research study conducted by Scientific American.

In 2018, the National Football League instituted a new rule that prohibits helmet-to-helmet contact in an effort to cut down on these head injuries. Speculation persists among football coaches that such efforts will truly reduce the risk.

PHOTO BY AYSHE ALI Kaneland cheerleaders stretch before practice. This is a necessary step before all of their performances.

Kaneland head varsity football coach Patrick Ryan does wonder if the efforts to make the sport safer are receiving too much attention.

“There are sometimes fears of kids getting hurt, and the media maybe has blown out of proportion head injuries. The media talks about NFL players that have played football for 10-15 years and then played four years of college, and they are playing at the highest level against the biggest, fastest, strongest human beings on the earth. While 14-year-old freshmen in high school aren’t playing at that level,” Ryan said.

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has started programs like Play Smart.

Play Hard. These programs help teach athletes how to minimize the risk of head injuries. In the past, the IHSA has also hosted classes pertaining to specific dangerous circumstances.

One class taught baseball and softball players how to address mechanics and condition themselves so they don’t overthrow. Other athletes outside of traditional high school sports, like gymnasts, can sometimes be required to take these classes.

“Gymnastics comes with a lot of pain physically and mentally, and taking injury prevention classes can be really beneficial because you always have a risk of getting hurt and if you’re prepared before, it can save your career,” junior Danielle Espino said.

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T

BY SCOTT DUNNE, Editor

he choir is one of the most active and engaged school activities, running year-round and featuring a whole slew of great personalities. On Feb. 13, the choir performed at Kaneland’s Winter Choir Concert. Everyone had a part to play, and everyone needed to prepare to make it a successful production.

“To prepare for our concert, we’re always practicing. In class, we work. [Choir Director Brian Kunstman] does not waste time; we’re always on the grind,” junior Ryan Nelson said.

A typical day in choir involves various vocal and musical exercises.

“We start by trying to get at least a little physically active with stretching and such,” Kunstman said. “Then we dive into vocal warmups and work on our technique, work through various parts of our range, look at various concepts that show up in our music, and try to establish a uniform sound throughout the choir. That usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and from there, we usually do some sight reading, building music literacy skills, and we have some different online assessment tools for students too.”

When they have concerts coming up, they still conduct class normally and prepare accordingly. The choir is unique because they are a class but are also always preparing for the next concert.

“It’s pretty much the same progression so students are aware of what our progression is going to be,” Kunstman said. “In general, we take out some of the music literacy aspects of it and focus more on the performance aspect of it.”

That’s not to say they don’t have fun, of course. The choir hosts a winter retreat each year where they get together and spend quality time bonding as a group. The retreats allow students to team build and engage in fun activities.

“One of my favorite memories from choir is playing this game called Gaga Ball,” Nelson said. “It’s a game kind of like dodgeball but in this small pit, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Some members of the choir have qualified for and participate in an All-State chorus through the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA), which is a great honor.

If a student is interested in joining choir, sophomores and older can join the non-auditioned class of Concert Choir.

“Our choral setup is somewhat tiered. We have the beginning level for freshmen, incom-

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KANELAND CHOIR HITTING A HIGH NOTE

PHOTO BY SCOTT DUNNE The choir prepares as Choir Director Brian Kunstman walks across the stage before their concert on Feb. 13.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AINSLEY KINTZ The Madrigals gather around their king and queen. Their annual performance took place from Dec. 13-15.

PHOTO BY SCOTT DUNNE Junior Logan Gresser speaks to the audience about the next piece the choir will sing.

ing tenors and basses, then we have Concert Choir, which is non-audition but brings a lot of the sophomores through seniors together to perform some of our larger works,” Kunstman said.

Freshmen also have an opportunity to join

March 19, 2020 Activities choir right at the beginning of their high school career, albeit in the form of an auditioned part.

There is a freshmen bass/tenor choir consisting of nine male singers and a treble choir consisting of nine female singers.

“From Concert Choir, people can audition to be part of Bella Voce, which is our advanced soprano and alto group, and Madrigals, which is our advanced Chamber Choir,” Kunstman said.

Bella Voce and Madrigal/Chamber Choir are also audition-based opportunities for sophomores and older. According to the course descriptions, Bella Voce focuses on “moderate to advanced women’s choir selections.” The chorus consists of all girls, so they produce quite a unique sound compared to ones that feature male voices. In fact, it’s a fairly new class, as it was introduced to the school in 2012. It continues to be a worthwhile experience for those who join.

The Madrigal/Chamber Choir focuses on preparing for the Madrigal Dinner performance in December, but they also perform various Chamber Choir pieces. The Bella Voce ensemble also participates in the Madrigal Dinner.

The Madrigal Dinner is one of the choir students’ biggest productions, held every December and featuring nearly 100 students each year. A full traditional-style meal is served to guests while the chorus performs various Renaissance-style songs and small skits for entertainment. The previous Madrigal Dinner was Kaneland’s 42nd time hosting it.

The chorus is consistently an award-winning group, and many students each year are chosen to sing with the ILMEA District 9 Chorus. The reason it is District 9 is due to the way ILMEA decides to organize Illinois. Kaneland falls into the smallest district of District 9.

“ILMEA is this process where everyone auditions at this high school and sings a sight reading excerpt and scales. Based on those auditions, they calculate your score to determine whether you move on to district and subsequently state,” senior Ainsley Kintz said of the state competition. “Being surrounded by the best musicians in the state is really a wonderful experience because everyone is so extremely intelligent and extremely talented, and we can get a lot done in a little bit of time.”

This summer, the choir students will be going on a trip to Italy, Latvia and Estonia to explore, bond and sing.

Activities

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