Kaneland High School welcomed three new administrative staff members for the 2023-24 school year to replace outgoing administrators Adele Dalesandro, Carri Oslager and Joshua West. Noel Escamilla, Lawrence King and Nathan Schroll now hold the positions of Dean of Students, Assistant Principal of Student Services and Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction, respectively.
Escamilla has 10 years of education experience; he spent eight years as a truancy officer at Kishwaukee Education Consortium and two years as an English Language Learner instructor at Sycamore High School. This experience, along with having four children of his own, has helped him realize that every student is different and that creating open communication is key to solving an issue, not just addressing it. He keeps a puzzle box in his office that he got on a trip to Budapest, which, similar to students, takes effort to open up.
“There’s a story in there, but you have to unlock it to get it,” Escamilla said. In his free time, he likes to hunt, garden, smoke meat and spend time at home with his family.
Although Schroll went to college for teaching, he didn’t start out as a teacher. He worked in group homes for a few years but then went to graduate school before becoming an English
teacher. He taught English for eight years before working as an Instructional Support Coach (ISC) at Yorkville High School and then eventually came to KHS in a similar role last year. Now that he’s switching from an ISC to an assistant principal, he has some goals for his new position.
“I hope to contribute in my own way,” Schroll said. “I like working on teams and working on collaboration, and I think that learning is collaborative when it’s best.” He believes that the health of a school system depends on the health of its members, and he cares about the happiness of people. As a self-identified “hobby nut,” Schroll enjoys beekeeping, woodworking, reading, studying genealogy, writing poetry and learning new things.
Although this is his first year as an assistant principal at Kaneland, King is not new to the district. He spent the last five years as the Special Education Department Chair and spent three years head coaching the boys tennis team at KHS. Along with coaching, King also likes to watch and play sports in his free time. He pursued this new position because he wanted to branch out and connect with students and staff in different ways.
“My goals are to provide strong support and resources for the students while creating a positive environment for the school,” King said.
The school you attend can have a lasting impact, and Kaneland is no different. While some students may argue that the cornfields surrounding our school are what makes Kaneland stand out, is that all? And if not, what makes Kaneland different from other districts?
While social worker Amanda Weiberg is a newer staff member, there is one thing that makes Kaneland special to her.
“Kaneland is unique because of the amount of land coverage the district takes in. You have kids from small towns, bigger towns and out in the country,” Weiberg said.
Our district may be dispersed between two area codes, but that does not create a lacking sense of community.
“In a way, we all look out for each other,” Special Services Administrative Assistant Renee Kuryliw said. “I have been in the district since 1998, so I had the joy of watching my kids go through the district. I know the staff really cares about Kaneland and the kids, and even as the district has grown, I still feel like we are close-knit.”
As sophomore Sawyer Loebbaka plans for his future, he knows there are teachers who want to help him succeed and find what he is interested in.
“Through the Fox Valley Career Center (FVCC), Kaneland students can be involved in programs like fire science, criminal justice and welding,” Loebbaka said. “Other schools may not have these opportunities, and it’s a bonus that it’s on our campus.”
FVCC classes can allow you to explore interests in future careers, which other schools may not offer.
However, Kaneland is more than just a school. Weiberg described community events as the center of Kaneland, as we “take pride in honoring tradition and being involved.”
So while there may be some complaints about the school and its seemingly remote location, there are plenty of ways to view it in a more positive light.
In the words of celebrated climate justice activist Greta Thunberg, our house is on fire. Our Earth’s climate is deteriorating at a catastrophically increasing rate due to humans’ actions, or lack thereof. Humans, who are the most advanced and intelligent organisms in the world, are killing the planet they need to survive.
Before climate change was largely acknowledged, upcoming generations had no reason to fear the irreversible damage that people might be causing. Evidence of climate change has existed ever since industrialization eras erupted across the world throughout the 1800s, resulting in Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius’s 1896 discovery of the greenhouse effect and English engineer Guy Callendar’s 1938 revelation that carbon dioxide increases and global warming were intertwined. Following those findings, some people began to make changes to reduce the damage, but even then, there was no documentation of widespread anxiety regarding the environment until the late 1990s.
Generally, this generation of young adults and adolescents are the first to live most of their lives with the threat of a point of no return looming in the future. As our generation matures, many are beginning to understand the failures of our elders and the existential threat that the climate crisis imposes.
As new information regarding climate change emerges daily, there seems less and less of a chance of remedying our broken planet. From climate-related crises, what is known to psychologists as climate anxiety can arise.
Climate anxiety, or eco-anxiety, is described as “heightened emotional, mental or somatic distress in response to dangerous changes in the climate system” by the Climate Psychology Alliance in their ongoing project, Handbook of Climate Psychology.
Climate anxiety is a new diagnosis that can be given by
a mental health professional and is particularly evident in young people. Despite the medical terminology, climate anxiety is rarely diagnosed as a mental disorder but rather a rational reaction to our deteriorating world.
“I don’t see anxiety about climate change as a problem to be solved or a condition to be medicated,” seasoned psychotherapist Steffi Bednarek said in a 2019 interview with Therapy Today. “To me, it’s an important encounter with our awareness of our impact on the world and the reality that the world is facing a climate emergency.”
Real disorders, like anxiety, surrounding climate change discussions can be stress-inducing, but psychological professionals like Bednarek maintain that a little anxiety regarding this issue could be beneficial.
According to a 2021 study by environmental research journal The Lancet Planetary Health, 57.8% of 1000 surveyed Americans between the ages of 16 and 25 expressed anxiety regarding climate change. With these high rates of anxiety among young people, one might expect them to be secluding themselves and overwhelmed by fear, but that is not the case.
Today, young people are leading the charge against the climate crisis. As some are dedicating their lives to the survival of future generations, climate anxiety may be the push that inspires the movement.
The now 20-year-old Thunberg is a pinnacle representation of climate activism, as she started skipping school on Fridays to protest in front of the Swedish parliament at just 15.
Over the years, Thunberg’s protests attracted worldwide attention, and she soon became one of the faces of the climate action movement.
Thunberg is appealing to audiences because of her fear and her anxiety. Thunberg, like many other young people, fears the point of no return. Scientists have been unable to agree on the exact time frame, but many believe we are less then a decade away from damage that cannot be fixed. Her fear motivates her to push boundaries and call for further action.
Spreading awareness for the impact of air travel on the environment, Thunberg also famously traveled for 14 days on a carbon-neutral boat to speak at the United Nations. This effort was exemplary, but such endeavors can unintentionally spread a false message that individual choices alone can save the climate.
It is an admirable effort to stop using plastic bags, go vegan, use an electric vehicle or sail across the ocean instead of flying, but these attempts are just one drop of water sprayed on our house engulfed with flames.
Some people will acknowledge humans’ failure by saying, “It’s all our fault,” but they are not entirely correct. Some humans’ actions are responsible, yet it can be dangerous to blame the average person who simply exists in a broken system. Climate anxiety can be helpful, but it is futile if it is used to fuel anything other than dismantling systems that allow for such a climate catastrophe.
Activism is the answer. The youth are the answer. Climate anxiety is not ideal, but it is far better than feeling nothing as our world deteriorates. If we refuse to wait for politicians to find time for climate discussions and dictate legislation themselves, there is a future. The end is not near if we have something to say about it.
There is a saying that goes, “Show me your friends, and I will show you your future.” Yet teens may not think about how their friends will impact them later in life and only focus on what is happening now. However, the people currently surrounding you can be influential, as our interactions may contribute to the adult we become after leaving high school.
When you first meet a lifelong friend, you may not know how deep the relationship will go. As we get to appreciate a person and spend time with them, a connection can form. However, a friend can also be unexpected, which is what freshman Ollie Fair experienced.
“I met my best friend in preschool, and it is a funny story because [we were not close] for most of my childhood,” Fair said. “Then, we met back up in middle school, and I realized [who she was]. We became close, and now she is my best friend.”
No matter when you meet a friend, that friend can impact your life.
“Friends act as our primary confidants, motivators, and activity partners in life,” practice manager Kyndal Sims said in an article from the Colorado-based Birch Psychology. “We bring them with us to the mall to go shopping, we call them during fights with our partners, and they cheer us on every post we make on social media. They are our gift in life, people not related to us by blood who are just as loyal.”
The loyalty of a true friend can go a long way, and Fair knows just how good that can feel.
“What makes someone your best friend is how they make you feel because it is good if they make you feel supported, happy, in a safe environment and worthy of having friends,” Fair said. “For me, my best friend makes me feel supported, and I think she is
the sweetest person once you get to know her. I see her as a sister.”
Friends can influence how you feel, but they can even help with motivation.
“When [my friend] and I hang out, we will work out together, which makes me want to work out more because I am with someone I like being around,” senior Vincent Van Dusen said.
Van Dusen also believes that friends can continue to shape his life in the future.
“It will make the activities more enjoyable because I will remember all the times we worked out or watched a movie together,” Van Dusen said. “I think it will also help me continue to do those activities in the future and find more friends who have those similar interests.”
Not only can friends continue
While you may not know your friend is hurting you until after something serious happens, the consequences of having negative friends can lead to unpleasant repercussions.
According to Nemours KidsHealth, a physician-reviewed source for information and advice on children’s health, “People may feel pressure to conform so they fit in or are accepted, or so they don’t feel awkward or uncomfortable. When people are unsure of what to do in a social situation, they naturally look to others for cues about what is and isn’t acceptable. The people who are most easily influenced will follow someone else’s lead first.”
When teens think of peer pressure, they probably think of it more negatively with a statement like, “Everyone else is doing it.” Peer pressure can influence
pressure because trying to please people is one of my biggest weaknesses,” Fair said.
When teens want to fit in, they may feel that their only choice is to give in to the pressure, which can lead to consequences later in life. For instance, a nicotine addiction may form when someone is around people who smoke. As the people around an individual smoke, they may feel the need to par take in the bad habit as well, which could result in an addiction.
However, that all depends on the people we surround ourselves with. Also according to the AACAP, “It helps to have at least one friend who is also willing to say ‘no.’”
As the new school year begins, students may feel nervous. Whether you are in your first or last year of high school, you may face the predicament of having no friends in a class. Though this might be a daunting situation, there are ways to change this.
“I would honestly just say go up and talk to people,” Van Dusen said. “I know it can be
nerve-racking to do that, but talk [to others], be yourself, do stuff you want to do by inviting people and be like, ‘Hey, want to see a movie?’ It is the best way to make friends.”
Fair has a similar approach to making friends but understands that there can be limitations.
“If you just try to be yourself, and
befriend. Good friends can lift you up, while bad friends may push you down. As the friends you make can impact your future, it may be beneficial to consider which ones are leaving a positive influence versus a negative one.
BY TIFFANY JOHNSON AND SELA VALIGNOTA
The release of the Barbie movie brought many girls of different ages, interests and backgrounds together to enjoy their shared experience of girlhood. Barbieland shows a world filled with girls who care for one another and run society all by themselves - untouched by misogyny, sexism and prejudice - and reveals peaceful solidarity for girls.
As Barbie discovers the truth about the role of women in the real world, she represents every little girl who has faced the emotional hardships so many women face due to our patriarchal society. Although the film captures some unfortunate sides to womanhood, there is still an empowering message throughout: There is more to being a girl than any expectation that is given to us. Beyond being a toy that children would play dress up with and give unfortunate, permanent haircuts to, the Barbie doll represents the limitless possibilities for every little girl. In the movie’s final scenes, the founder of Barbie, Ruth Handler, played by Rhea Perlman, ties the creation of Barbie dolls to her own experiences as a mother.
“We mothers stand still so our daughters can look back to see how far they have come,” Handler says. The Barbie doll and film were not only created as messages of empowerment but also to showcase the support you have. No matter the exhaustion, discouragement and hopelessness that may come with being a girl, there are those around you who want to see you fulfill everything you desire. Barbie isn’t just a doll. She’s all that a little girl playing with her sees when she dreams of her future.
In anticipation of the release of Oppenheimer, many were unprepared for the intensity that occurred through the three hours of an incredibly moving soundtrack written by famous composer Ludwig Goransson and the constantly evolving plot done entirely with practical effects from renowned cinematographer Christopher Nolan. The movie is broken into parts that showcase the beginning of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s career, his works on the Manhattan Project and the legal aftermath of Oppenheimer building a weapon of mass destruction.
The pace of the film establishes that the climax comes during the final testing and explosion of the first atomic bomb, showcasing all the work, efforts and sacrifices every contributor gave in one scene. However, it can be argued the true peaks involve the consequences that Oppenheimer faces through his decisions. He must bear guilt over the death of more than 100,000 Japanese civilians, but continue to be praised and congratulated for it as an accomplishment to be proud of.
During Oppenheimer’s time of potential nuclear war, the idea of mankind destroying itself was acknowledged often. However, as decades go by in the trajectory of supposedly positive technological advancement, many seem to forget the true power man holds in their hands. Although the creation of the atomic bomb was a transformative event in American history and the scientific world, the film serves as a reminder that the power of man’s intelligence has led to the capability for its own destruction.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse took over the first part of this past summer. The film was released on June 2 and did not fall short of expectations that it would be one of the biggest movies of the season.
The Spider-Verse series has a unique and distinct visual style that creates a sense of nostalgia by mimicking the origins of the Marvel comics. As we see new characters appear in the sequel, the visuals go beyond the first film because of a different artistic style and creative aesthetics for each character and its universe. There were over a thousand different artists and techs who worked on creating the film. The visuals were not the only thing drawing viewers in; it was also the special storyline that opened a whole new universe for Spider-Man fans.
Throughout the movie, the audience becomes increasingly aware of how big the Spider-Verse is and the connection between each Spider-Man through similar canon events. The film’s creators do a fantastic job of planting Easter eggs in both movies that foreshadow the events that play out at the end of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
“I was wondering when people might start noticing,” Associate Editor of the film Andrew Leviton said in his retweet to a fan’s post that called out that there were two versions of the movie after seeing different screenings. With the cliffhanger ending, Across the Spider-Verse fans are left wanting to rewatch the films to discover what might happen next.
“One of my favorite songs this summer was Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA. I love this song because the lyrics make me think about how fast time goes by, especially certain memories from this summer and how important it is to live in the moment and appreciate what is going on. That moment will be over before you know it.” - senior
Ansley Faivre
“My favorite song is I Know You by Faye Webster because her lyrics are very relatable, but at the same time, she makes the songs feel alive. And for the summer, this is the ideal type of song.”
- freshman Laney Cattero“God’s Plan by Drake is probably my favorite song of the summer. It’s catchy and fun, and when I am in the car with my friends, it’s the one we all like to listen to.” - senior Landon
Trull
“This summer, my favorite song has been The Great War by Taylor Swift. I like this song because it shows that you can get through hard times, and most things aren’t as big of a deal as I think they are.” - sophomore
Madelyn Cook
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