Kaneland Krier Volume 49 Issue 4

Learning to be your own person and embrace creativity

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 News

11 Feature

3 Lifestyle

9 Sports

an adult, developing your unique personality and determining your future all while managing the preexisting responsibilities that come with being a student, life can be very stressful and draining. In this issue, we discuss the different aspects of the typical high schooler’s life and the ways you can gain individuality as you begin to enter adult

CUSTOMIZING PERSONAL LIVING SPACES

BY LIZZY SIDMAN Editor

Blindingly bright teal paint, a strangely distorted poster of my favorite soccer player Alex Morgan and warm white Christmas lights defined the walls of my room. I painted my room that teal I grew to hate when I was 10 years ol d. As much as I used to love my room, I had changed, and my room needed to do the same. It was freeing to pick a much more mellow, neutral gray. Over the years, I collected and cycled through posters, each representing my personality and interests at the time, before I went on to the next thing. Adapting personal spaces, especially individual rooms, to your personality can be essential in discovering yourself, especially as a teenage high school student.

Finding yourself in a sea of students can be extremely difficult, but picking out physical representations of who you are can be helpful. For junior Luke Bucholz, seeing himself reflected through decor on his walls is a positive experience.

“How I decorate [my room] is very representative of me. It’s very messy-looking but still somewhat organized, which reflects me as a person,” Bucholz said.

When you take a step back and truly observe aspects and traits of your room, it is easier to pull out adjectives and see if they fit you. Like trying on different outfits until you find your style, room decorating can reap the same benefits.

Apart from personal decoration, some interior designers have adjusted their design tactics to follow human-centered design (HCD). This idea puts human needs, capabilities and behaviors first to create a less generic and more personalized living space.

With a similar concept of what is known as design psychology, Chinese researchers at Qingdao Hengxing University of Science and Technology led by Yanping Chu observed 134 residents with interior design needs that were randomly divided into a control group and a group using design psychology. They were then told to rate their experience based on the Life Sat -

isfaction Rating scale (LSR).

“Interior design based on design psychology has a significant positive impact on residents and can ensure that their LSR score is at a high level,” Chu wrote.

While design psychology and HCD are helpful in many adult lives, teenagers are a different story. Most teens do not have an interior designer working with them to create an aesthetically pleasing environment. Instead, they must discover what works best for them and what they like by themselves.

A common issue that can be observed in many teen and high school students’ lives is when they struggle with a unique variety of stress from school and other personal issues. Even in a room full of decorations representing the subjects that make them feel happy, many struggle to maintain that feeling in the long run. Some people can fall into depression and create what is known as a depression room.

rooms that result from a depressive ep isode. Depression can make it impos sible to get out of bed, so understand ably, living spaces pile up with clothes, water bottles and other miscellaneous objects.

room] is really bad and I can’t even walk in it. Whenever my room is cluttered or trashy, it is very overwhelming, and I end up feeling lazy and depressed. I feel like it [isn’t] my room anymore. I feel like [I am] losing myself,” freshman Ace Raheem said.

others like them create enjoyable spaces for themselves, as Raheem collects tapestries, each

with a special meaning that they say represents them, rooms can become messy and unpleasant to be in. Decorating a room will not eliminate the possibility of a mess and will certainly not cure anyone’s depression on its own, but finding yourself through interior design can help you create a safe space and leave you feeling more relaxed.

Senior Ella Gatz’s room is self-described as lively and colorful, with lots of books and music-related decorations. Even with bright, natural lighting and vivid colors, it can be relaxing if your room feels like you.

“My room is very much my safe space; I spend a lot of time in there,” Gatz said.

Decorating your room is not just about making it look nice when a friend comes over; it is about your comfort. Your room should be your safe space, as Gatz said, filled with representations

Junior Luke Bucholz decorates his room with artists and media that he enjoys. He customized the room to represent himself.

Photo by Paige Whiteside

ADDITIONAL HELP IN MATH DEPARTMENT

BY TIFFANY JOHNSON Editor and Co-Podcast Manager

teachers during their lunch or study hall periods.

Math teacher Jennifer Serviss started the program during the 2021-22 school year, and it has since grown in size. Students who need extra help retaining and learning material from their math classes and those who need help catching up from previous years have a chance to do so by attending the program.

teachers Serviss and Alyssa Thurman run math recovery. However, almost all math teachers are involved in helping students through this program.

Serviss has spent time assisting many students who need extra support and finds the program to be very helpful.

The math department has grown with the introduction of a math recovery program. In this program, students can get extra help from their

The math department has always tried to come up with different solutions for students who need additional help, one of which was seeking assistance through online videos. But some students find it more beneficial to have an in-person experience when it comes to learning. During lunch periods, math

KHS EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

BY ASHLEY VANDERHOFF Design Executive and Ads & Business Executive

The Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE) holds an annual Educator of the Year contest featuring educators from across the county. The contest aims to highlight nominated educational professionals who share a passion for education and are active members of their communities. This year, Kaneland High School’s nominee is math teacher and coach Daniel Ponczek.

Ponczek is known for teaching math as well as actively participating in the Kaneland community. He has taught at Kaneland for eight years, coached girls bowling for two years and volunteered his time to coach events like the annual Powderpuff game. His participation in his community has made him close to many KHS students and staff members.

“I’ve shared [the news of the nomination] with most of my [current] and former students who have [given me] awesome support. I absolutely love Kaneland, and I try to support it in any way I can,” Ponczek said.

Ponczek was originally unaware he was being nominated as KHS Educator of the Year. The surprise, he reflected on, was overwhelmingly positive.

“Some of my colleagues wrote a letter on my behalf on why they thought I should be the Educator of the Year,”

Ponczek said. “I got to see the original [letters] those teachers submitted, and it was very humbling to hear their perspectives.”

After an educator is nominated, they compete against all the nominated teachers from Kane County. Educators request letters from students, parents, community members or colleagues reflecting on experiences they shared with the nominee. The letters, which together form a booklet, are sent off and reviewed by the ROE. There are nine categories educators can win, including being named the overall Kane County Educator of the Year.

Senior Enza Liga had Ponczek as a teacher and was his student assistant for a semester.

“I think [Ponczek] is one of the most genuine teachers out there. As one of his former students, I know that he’ll make sure you feel comfortable and welcome in his class,” Liga said.

Ponczek feels both honored and grateful for a chance to be recognized.

“Every year I try to be a better teacher than I was the year before. I think [receiving this nomination is] great because this year I’m trying out some new things that I love in the classroom. It is awesome to feel recognized,” Ponczek said.

“I think it’s always important to have a place for students to go to ask specific questions. I feel like it’s a need. With STEP no longer happening, homeroom doesn’t seem to be enough. Having a place during all these lunch periods that they can come and go helps, whether it’s just for one small question or needing help on an entire unit,” Serviss said.

For math recovery, a student will go to rooms A201, A204 or the MultiTiered System of Supports walk-in lab during any of the four lunch periods and be given time to work through different math problems. Sophomore Evan Nordenberg started going to math recovery earlier in the year and has had a beneficial experience.

“Usually, you will go into the room with your own work and questions and a teacher will give you help or extra work based on what you are struggling with,” Nordenberg said.

Students can either be referred to math recovery or choose to go themselves. This program is essential for those who have failed past math classes and need to make up for lost credit. Thurman has seen significant growth in both student effort and work ethic.

“I have three students so far who have completed [assignments] from previous years and two students who have completed [assignments] from just last semester, and we are only on week three of semester two,” Thurman said. “There’s definitely been an increase in student confidence, and that helps build a [solid] work ethic.”

With more and more students getting necessary help, the math department hopes to see growth in the program in years to come. If students are seeking math assistance, they can go see Thurman during fourth or fifth periods or Serviss during sixth or seventh periods. Students can also visit the MTSS lab during second or eighth periods.

Math teacher Jennifer Serviss helps a student with math work. She helps run math recovery in her room, A201.

Photo by Tiffany Johnson

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

NEW RENOVATIONS TO THE AUDITORIUM

BY LYLA CHRISTAKES Editor and Co-Broadcast Manager

The Kaneland High School performing arts department has needed to be flexible due to recent auditorium renovations. The delayed construction process has caused many complications for programs who use the space.

Director of Buildings and Grounds

Mark Payton has been in charge of handling the auditorium project, and the delays have been out of his hands. Although the auditorium closed at the beginning of 2023, the project has been in the works for quite some time.

“We started engineering and talking about the project probably two years before we actually started, and then there was a whole bid process,” Payton said.

The arts community has been waiting in anticipation for this project, as it will bring much-needed updates to the space.

“They are replacing the dimmer rack system and all the house lighting. They are future-proofing [the auditorium], you could say,” Payton said. “They are also running communication lines so we can start switching from old to new technology and lights and [adding] new LED theatrical lighting that has control for dimming. You can [now] change light colors with keystrokes on

a computer.”

The project will grant Kaneland access to a new age of technology in the theater.

“What’s going on is a lighting system upgrade. The [older technology] was probably 18 or 19 years old, and the manufacturers of the old lighting systems don’t exist anymore,” Payton said.

This project, just like the earlier project involving the doors outside of the East Gym, has been repeatedly delayed.

“It was supposed to be done at the end of February, but [because of] global supply chain issues, we haven’t gotten all the parts we need for it. Our new target is May 1,” Payton said.

Other factors have come into play, making the project more difficult for Payton’s team to finish.

“Cost was a big issue at the beginning of it because we had a price range for the project, and it came in at about double what we were expecting. [This was] largely because of supply chain issues,” Payton said.

Those complications have caused some issues for the theater program. This year’s spring musical, The Wizard of Oz, has been impacted, and theater director Rachel Giles has been forced

story on stage.

“We are going to do our shows out of the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, which is a really cool opportunity. Obviously, we would really love to do it in our space, but it’s cool we get to go out there,” Giles said.

Rehearsals have been particularly difficult for those involved with the musical.

“All of the rehearsal time and prep time [has to be done] in the black box theater, which is a little challenging because it is a way smaller space, but we make it work,” Giles said.

Other programs that are affected include the band program and pit members who play during the spring musical.

As a student in choir, band and theater, senior Levi Kovach has used the auditorium his whole high school career and is now, just like his director and peers, experiencing the need to be flexible and creative.

“Because of the construction, we were not able to have the auditorium space as our performing space, which means we’ve had to outsource. So the choir and the band have used the Northern Illinois University School of Music’s auditorium,” Kovach said.

The auditorium stage is filled with construction materials rather than actors and actresses. This ongoing project was supposed to be completed in February, but due to global supply chain complications, the new projected date of completion is May 1.

Photo by Lyla Christakes to think of other ways to get the

Photo by Lyla Christakes

The auditorium looks different with construction equipment scattered throughout. The stairs will be fitted with new carpeting and lighting.

ANDOR: A FRESH TAKE ON STAR WARS

BY KEVIN SIGRIST

Editor-in-Chief of Print and Production Executive

On Sept. 21, 2022, Disney released the first three episodes of an all-new Star Wars series titled Andor to their subscription service Disney+. The remaining episodes were released weekly following the premiere, coming to an end on Nov. 23, 2022.

The series follows mercenary-for-hire Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, and serves as an origin story for the character as he is a member of the main cast in the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Those who watched the series offered seemingly unanimous praise. But the unfortunate reality was that many did not even notice it, so it therefore was not discussed anywhere near as much as other titles. This reality is rather unfortunate, as Andor is arguably the best piece of Star Wars content put out since the original trilogy, as well as some of the best sci-fi television in recent years.

Andor does many things that are different from other recent Star Wars projects, almost all of which are great adjustments and decisions. For one, the show is entirely lacking big cameos or appearances from iconic characters in the universe. This may be thought of as a bad thing to some,

but what’s become apparent from other recent Star Wars projects, such as The Book of Boba Fett from early 2022, is that some series have ridden off the backs of cameos to remain interesting and relevant. Andor proves its validity as a standalone project through its ability to keep audiences captivated without the use of Jedi, Sith, Skywalkers or other notable fan-favorite aspects and characters of the main storyline. Almost all characters introduced in the series are entirely new and never-before-seen. Because of a lack of Jedi, Sith and the more magical aspects of Star Wars, the series also feels more grounded and practical than past projects. Andor lacks the ability to explain a plot point solely through the force (Star Wars’ magical power similar to telekinesis that is seen in most projects), so it has much more pressure to be interesting and thought-provoking, which it succeeds in doing. A lack of fantasy elements makes the characters’ lives feel far more valuable and their deaths even more impactful.

Andor tells the story of the very beginning of the rebellion and the characters who started it.

Given the situation the characters are in, attempting to go against the major power that is the Empire as a small few, it’s to be expected that things will go wrong,

and this is where Andor excels. In recent Star Wars projects, the ideas of death and sacrifice are poorly handled and often resolved unrealistically to cater to a more family-friendly audience. In Andor, characters like the fan-favorite Luthen Rael, played by Stellan Skarsgård, are seen making terrible but necessary decisions in the heat of war and conspiracy. This far more serious topic, as well as the lack of gimmicky, fantasy-like concepts, creates a new and refreshing feel to what has become a dull franchise.

Its uniqueness is not the only thing that establishes it as entertaining, however. It features some of the best cinematography of any Star Wars production, and instead of following a more episodic approach, plot points are spread amongst multiple episodes to create a much more digestible story.

Another aspect that makes Andor’s storytelling all the more interesting is the decision to tell different elements of the story from several unique perspectives. The main storylines that are followed include those centered around Cassian Andor, a mercenary; Luthen Rael, a leader of the newly formed rebellion; Mon Mothma, a senator; Dedra Meero, an Imperial officer; and Syril Karn, a government police officer. These characters are all protagonists, but because of this the viewer forgets they aren’t all the “hero.” This creates more conflict when these protagonists clash and come across one another.

Andor is not only an incredible show, but it is capable of reviving a Star Wars franchise that has been long forgotten. Since Disney purchased Lucasfilm and therefore the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars has lacked its original purpose in promoting peaceful and anti-war messages. Disney’s Star Wars titles have been severely underdeveloped, incoherent and inconsistent from project to project. Andor has established the precedent that they are capable of better quality and deeper messaging.

Overall, Andor is an incredible show on its own that also displays Star Wars’ capability for genuine quality content. The second season is set to come out in 2024, so check out the first one before it starts again.

Cartoon by Dane Coyne

“I base my self-worth on my success because I feel if you push yourself hard enough you will always be successful.”

“I base my worth on my athleticism because I do cross country and track. The team I am on [really] helps me realize my worth and is very supportive.”

- senior Emma Perry

“I base my self-worth on how kind I am to other people. I am aware when I say something nice because it makes people happy and then I know I did something good.”

“I base my self-worth on my athleticism because I like staying active. I am able to have fun with my friends and do stuff like playing sports because I am active.”

“I base my self-worth off of the sports I [play]. If I feel I am not doing well in softball, then I feel like I am not doing well in general.”

“Mine is based on my academics because it makes my parents happy when I do well [in school]. I care a lot about [my parents] and want to make them proud.”

“My self-worth is based on my accomplishments. I feel [accomplished] every night when I go to bed because I know I did something.”

WE ASK, YOU ANSWER ON WHAT DO YOU BASE YOUR SELF-WORTH?

BY ANDREW VALENTINI

- junior Kyle Hesselfeldt

- freshman Jack Nevenhoven

Page design by Katie Pfotenhauer

- freshman Kayden Johnson

- freshman Brynn Woods

- freshman Madeline Moses

- junior Griffin Bergmann

TRAINERS: THE BACKBONE OF ATHLETICS

BY AUDREY WALKER Reporter

Just three minutes after the final school bell rings, several student-athletes have already started filing into a medical-looking room. They vary by year and sport, but all have one thing in common: they are there to see the trainer.

Athletic trainers are healthcare professionals who treat, prevent and help athletes recover from injuries and play an incredibly important role in athletics. Kaneland’s own trainer, Maggie Walker, said she saw up to 40 to 60 different athletes per week this past fall, and she typically sees some of those athletes multiple times per week. They each come in with their own needs and ailments, though.

“It totally depends on the sport,” Walker said. “During football this year, I saw a lot of shoulder stuff. With basketball I see a lot of ankle stuff, and with track I see a lot of lower body stuff.”

Between fall, winter and spring sports during the 2021-22 school year, Walker wrote 80 student accident reports, which she writes when she refers an athlete to a doctor. The injuries that are not as serious, however, can be treated at the school. Head wrestling coach Kenneth Paoli explained that treating injuries keeps athletes competing.

“The most important thing is keeping our athletes safe,” Paoli said. “Without [trainers], I think we’d have kids that would not come back, if that makes sense.”

Sophomore cross country runner Evan Nosek gets injured frequently

during the season and visits the trainer for help.

“I find it very helpful when Maggie’s there, able to support my injuries and everything,” Nosek said. “Last year during track I had a hip injury, and I would come in every day to get it wrapped up.”

Not only do trainers treat existing injuries, but they also work to prevent new ones.

“Obviously she treats the kids as they are injured, but I think she does a lot of things with preventative medicine too,” Athletics and Activities Director David Rohlman said. “You know, if I roll my ankle a little bit and I just go back out there, I may make it worse. But with Maggie around, she can help me strengthen that and then probably prevent another injury down the line.”

Working with coaches is an important part of treating and preventing injuries.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Athletic trainers provide a vital communication link between the injured athlete, the physician, the coach and sometimes the athlete’s family to determine when it’s right to return to practice and competition.”

Last year, shin splints were a big issue for the boys track team, so head boys track coach Andy Drendel and Walker worked together to solve the concern. The athletes now have stretches and exercises that they can do at practice or at home to prevent new cases of shin splints from popping up.

“Pretty much the whole team does certain proactive stretches for the shins because with our kids training in the hallways, shin splints are going to happen pretty much for everybody,” Drendel said.

In addition to providing physical care, an important part of athletic training is building healthy relationships with athletes.

“I think that [Walker] does a really good job of building relationships with our student-athletes, so she has a very good idea of what kids need to be seen for what reasons,” Rohlman said.

Walker agrees that positive relationships with athletes can be helpful. But those relationships can make it

difficult when the time comes to break tough news.

“For me, it’s always hard telling a kid their season is over, especially when they’re a senior or something like that,” Walker said. “I hate being the one to break that news to them. It’s just the hardest thing possible. There are just many times when kids get hurt, it’s hard for me not to be emotionally attached to it too. So when a kid does get hurt, I find myself almost tearing up.”

Despite the challenge of delivering unfortunate news, helping athletes is rewarding.

“Seeing someone [go] from an initial injury and helping [them] build back so that they can be successful in their sport, that’s the ultimate reward in this job,” Walker said.

With all that trainers do, between looking out for future injuries and treating current ones while being trusted influences for athletes, they are incredibly important in the athletic ecosystem.

“I think if you talked to any athlete and any coach in the building, they would all tell you how valuable [Walker] is and what she brings to the table,” Drendel said. “Without her, our athletic program wouldn’t be anywhere near as good.”

Photo courtesy of Matthew Falk

Senior point guard Gevon Grant defends his LaSalle-Peru opponent. Grant and several of his teammates often get wrists or ankles taped before their games.

Photo by Audrey Walker Athletic trainer Maggie Walker wraps the wrist of an athlete before practice. On Wednesdays, Walker gets extra time to treat athletes because of Kaneland’s early release schedule.

CHALLENGES OF LEAVING A SPORT BEHIND

Student-athletes question the future of their athletic careers

BY SOFIA WILLIAMS Editor

Kenneth Paoli is currently in his ninth year of coaching varsity wrestling at Kaneland. Spending this much time as a coach, he was bound to come across athletes finding themselves in the predicament of determining whether or not to end their wrestling careers.

“The stigmatism of quitting a sport is real. It is worse if it happens during a season. It can put a barrier between you and your teammates. I am a firm believer that you should honor your commitment and your word, and for athletes, this means finishing the season you start,” Paoli said. “The only exception would be an emergency in the life of an athlete. If you decide after finishing a season that the sport is not for you, talk to your parents about it and communicate with the coach concerning your decision. I believe handling it the right way will lessen any negative feelings others would have towards you for quitting.”

Sometimes there are other circumstances that can influence an athlete’s decision-making process. It is never easy, for example, for women to compete in a male-dominated sport. Sophomore Carly Duffing is currently in her second season as a wrestler. Before this, she played football.

“I had been playing football for a while. It was fun in middle school, but high school football was a lot different. The drills were harder and my teammates were a lot bigger and stronger,” Duffing said.

Making the switch from football to wrestling has been a positive change for Duffing. Girls wrestling has been increasing in popularity throughout the state and much of the country. Duffing enjoys her teammates and feels empowered by those involved in the program.

In an athlete’s career, there may come a time when they have to question their future within a sport. There are many reasons why an athletic career could end, but no matter the situation, it is always a hard decision to make. There is a fear of judgment that surrounds the idea of quitting, and whether that means leaving a sport or a job, nobody wants to be perceived as a quitter.

“This is my second season wrestling. I definitely think the wrestling camaraderie is a lot better than football. We treat each other like a family, and we support each other,” Duffing said.

The relationships between athletes on a team can be key factors to overall success, and although some sports may be more independent than others, the concerns over being judged are still very much there.

Sometimes the desire to stop playing a sport does not always come from

a lack of passion or interest. In some cases, it is because of a challenging obstacle that life has thrown at you.

Senior Leo Perez played basketball from eighth grade through his junior year. But during the summer before his senior year, he arrived at a crossroads where he had to determine his priority. His primary concern was working full time in order to pay for a car. It was not the easiest decision to make, though.

“The biggest thing for me was my mom wanting me to [continue playing through this year]. I do still wish I played sometimes, but at least [I’ve been staying busy],” Perez said.

It can be hard to make these tough decisions when others try to influence you. There is a sense of pressure to follow through with a sport until the end, and the decision can be even harder to make when a parent’s influence is involved.

It is common to have moments of regret after quitting a sport, but being able to look at the situation in a positive light can be beneficial when reflecting on a past experience.

When contemplating the end of an athletic career, athletes tend to seek guidance from people they trust. It can be hard to navigate a discussion like this from a coach’s point of view because they might be losing valuable talent, but with the honest input from a mentor such as a coach, this decision can be made easier.

“It is hard to see young people have to choose between playing a sport and working, specializing in another sport or focusing on another activity. It is hard as a coach because you see all the potential that athletes had that will never be realized,” Paoli said. “I let students know that this is the one time in their life that work does not have to be a priority, and they should take advantage of extracurricular opportunities. I encourage students to work less or not at all during the season to focus on their extracurricular activity.”

Whatever the circumstances may be, ending an athletic career is rarely an easy decision. There is much time and thought that goes into it. The fear of judgment and of not being able to finish what one started can make athletes nervous to quit a sport they have been putting a lot of effort into.

Photo by Sofia Williams

Senior Leo Perez holds a basketball on the court he used to regularly play on. Deciding between playing a sport or fulfilling other responsibilities can be a difficult choice for a player to make.

DIFFERENT POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS

BY ABBEY MONDI Editor

The thought of possible future career choices can be daunting for any student. After high school, students are left with many options in terms of where life may lead them. Some will go to college to take courses that will hopefully one day result in a degree. But there are different options besides college that include going straight into the workforce, attending a trade school or joining the military. Some students may even feel that they need to take a break from everything by choosing to use a gap year. Regardless of which route a student takes, they can find a successful and fulfilling career.

A gap year can be used for a multitude of reasons. Some students may need to take a year or two off from school and work to decide what they would like to do in the future. Many students use gap years to find themselves and discover their passions.

“A gap year can be used for travel or self-exploration. It means you’re at home with the financial support of a parent and you’re actively using that time to figure out what’s next,” high school guidance counselor Kate Ozarka said.

After high school, many seniors may choose to further their education by attending a community college or a four-year university. Both options can leave students with beneficial training for their eventual careers. 2019 Kaneland graduate Kristin Layne went to Illinois State University (ISU) in hopes of becoming an elementary school teacher.

“The ISU education program allows college kids to learn a lot about teaching in a variety of settings. By being in different classrooms [and seeing] what happens day to day in literacy and math programs, it allows for a good experience to see what it’s like to be a teacher,” Layne said.

In the Kaneland High School cafeteria, the College and Career Readiness Center is open to any students who need assistance planning their futures. Ozarka, who spends much of her time in the Col-

lege and Career Readiness Center, is ready to help students with a variety of important decisions pertaining to what comes after high school.

“I help [students] plan for post-secondary options like jumping into a career, [joining] the military, taking a gap year, going into the trades or college,” Ozarka said.

The military is an option that allows students to go through training and begin to work right away. The military has a variety of fields and positions that anyone who joins can pursue. In the military, there are six different branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. Joining the military allows students to learn valuable skills and continue with a career that can sustain them their whole lives. Senior Charles Burtell is in the Army National Guard and started training this past summer.

“If you join the military during your junior year, it’s called the [Split Training Option], so this summer I wasn’t here. I was in basic training. Next summer, I leave for Advanced Individual Training (AIT). You pick a job when you join where you have to complete basic training, and then you go to your job training,” Burtell said.

Many students who want to continue their education can do so through various military programs. The students complete training while continuing with their education. This allows many students to get college experience while making money and working towards their goals. Joining the military can become a lasting career or something students just do while still in school.

“If you enjoy being in the military, you can go full duty so you can be in the military working every day, and it would be your full-time job,” Burtell said.

The military can pay for a student’s college and all their necessities, like housing and transportation. Being enlisted in the military also allows someone to earn money on top of what is provided for basic needs.

For some students, attending college or joining the military might not be preferable options. Instead, they may want to join the workforce after high school. Many students have the ambition to work straight out of high school, and one way they can do this is through the trades. Senior Timothy Luehring plans on pursuing a career as a pipefitter.

“I grew up in a workforce family, so I know that I can provide for myself, and [pipefitting] is something I am good at. I am following in the footsteps of my family,” Luehring said.

When a person decides to go into the trades, they will typically first apply to a union. The union will then set them up with an apprenticeship where they will learn more valuable skills to help with their future career.

“With a career in the right field, sometimes you will be required to go to college or get a certificate to get training. This is called a baseline; you start from the bottom and work your way up in your career [field],” Ozarka said.

CAREER PATHS

67%

8% Plan on working a full-time job

13% Are undecided

12% Will pursue other post-secondary plans

Photo courtesy of Annabelle Happ

Plan on enrolling in a 2- or 4-year university

Class of 2022 Kaneland gradute Annabelle Happ works for the Geneva Fire Department. She graduated from the fire academy this past December.

With a career in the right field, sometimes you will be required to go to college or get a certificate to get training... You start from the bottom and work your way up.

- counselor Kate Ozarka

This data comes from a study by Youth Truth, a national nonprofit student surveying service, on seniors’ post-secondary plans.

THE IMPACTFUL INFLUENCE OF MUSIC

BY ELLIOT KRIPPELZ

Music is something that undoubtedly brings people together, whether that is through sharing songs with others, playing music with a group of people or attending a concert. For centuries, music has provided a sense of community for many people. Different genres and subgenres of music are created over time as music evolves, and communities and cultures coming together is the effect that comes from these developments.

When people find the specific genre or artist that allows them to feel most connected to what they’re listen ing to, that can then bring groups of people with similar tastes together. The many diverse categories of music allow for creative freedom and the natural formation of communities for those with shared interests.

Junior Cassidy Krohn has been playing guitar for 10 years and hopes to continue using music for her even tual career path. Krohn finds that mu sic is a way she can creatively express herself.

“I think that the type [of music] that you listen to can influence [you] a lot. For example, someone who listens to rap can be [perceived differently] than someone who listens to indie music,” Krohn said. “I feel like everybody could listen to all [types] of music, but I also think everyone has their own [genre] that represents who they are.”

Subgenres in music take preexist ing genres and make them more spe cific to cater to a select community who enjoys that type of music. Genres like pop or rock have subgenres like indie pop or alternative rock. The difference between rock and alternative rock is that the alternative type is more inde pendently created and not as main stream when compared with the tradi tional rock music that most are familiar with.

Da Capo Music Studio in Elburn, run by Ben Westfall and Kristin Paxinos, has been providing music tutoring for 14 years. Starting in the Elburn & Coun tryside Community Center, Da Capo has moved to a strip mall near the Elburn Jewel where music tutors help create different bands and provide many types of lessons.

Westfall shared his experience from teaching music for many years.

“When you go to a concert and everyone is feeling the same emotion, it is [influential] because that is what a song does. It has that impact on everyone there who is listening to it. That is one of the magical things about going to a concert,” Westfall said. “Everyone there is [part of a] community experiencing it together.”

Shared encounters with music are what create a fully immersive experience that many people love. Different

music.

“I think that in a smaller area like around here, many people like the same types of music and they bounce off each other. There are a lot of different types of music to choose from, and a lot of people have similar music tastes because of that reason,” Breedlove said.

Religion also plays an important role in the influence of music. Many religions use music in churches or other places of worship to connect with their beliefs. In a religious setting, many

Page design by Lizzy Sidman

Illustration by Lizzy Sidman

WHAT HIGH SCHOOL WOULD BE LIKE WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA

It may be hard to imagine a life where a person cannot like Instagram posts, tap through Snapchat stories or scroll their For You pages on TikTok. So while different trends like the Snapchat dog filter and the once popular lip-syncing app Musical.ly, which merged with TikTok, are not as prevalent as they once were, teens are used to social media being a factor in their everyday life.

According to an article released in 2022 by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank that informs the public, 54% of teenagers say it would be hard to give up social media.

That number may be startling to some, but who could blame today’s teens for thinking that way?

Today, teens and children are known for their heavy use of technolo gy and social media, with some young children labeled as “iPad kids” by Tik Tok users. Technology and social media are all high schoolers know, and it has become the standard, as teens today are the first generation that cannot re member a time before the internet.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization focusing on clin ical practice, education and research, “Social media allows teens to create online identities, communicate with others and build social networks. These networks can provide teens with valu able support.”

Junior Alex Nelson recognizes those values, as social media has im pacted him in positive ways.

“I have gained a lot of friends from social media and learned a lot more about myself,” Nelson said. “It gives me more perspective on the world be cause sometimes [it feels like] people live under rocks. Obviously, people are not going to know everything, but with social media, [you] can sometimes learn things you other-

wise would not have known.” With the benefits social media has to offer, the drawbacks also have to be considered. The fear of missing out (FoMO) that social media can induce is one example of a negative aspect.

According to PsychCentral, an independent mental health information and news website, teens are most susceptible to FoMO, and leaving FoMO unaddressed can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and

lives. However, some users still take staged photos, defeating the purpose of the app.

On social media platforms like Instagram, users can follow anyone they want, and that can lead to comparing themselves to other people. While people have always compared themselves to others, recently the average person seems to aspire to look or live like their favorite Instagram, Twitter or TikTok creator who shares their life

BY KATIE PFOTENHAUER DESIGN BY ELLIOT KRIPPELZ

post because I [enjoy seeing people’s lives],” junior Gianna Walgren said. “I think high school would have a lot less drama if there were no social media, but it might be boring. I could give it up, but I would probably develop FoMO because nothing happens in my life, so sometimes I feed off others’ experiences.”

Similarly, while an individual can communicate with others in different ways online than they can in person, that also opens up the possibility of bullying,

ing to the Mayo Clinic, “Social media use can also negatively affect teens, distracting them, disrupting their sleep and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic views of other people’s lives and peer pressure.”

Math teacher Maya Grantcharov recognizes how students are easily distracted by what is on their phones, causing their learning to be disrupted.

“I think [social media] is causing students now to not focus on one thing consistently and to not do things with [complete] effort. When you divide your attention up and try to do [too many] things at once, you cannot be productive,” Grantcharov said. “Let’s say you can listen to the teacher and think about something, but if you go on your phone to check social media, suddenly, there is some drama going on, and your mind immediately goes there. Now, you are [not focusing] on whatever work you were doing

A student may not typically see bullying in person in ways that are so often portrayed in movies, where a stereotypical

jock picks on a nerd, for example. But social media has encouraged bullying to spread to other platforms that didn’t even exist in many of the popular and stereotypical high school movies of the past. While high school has never been exactly like the movies, without social media, would bullying, rumor spreading, lack of sleep and image problems go away or at least become less common?

Visualizing a world without Instagram feeds and Twitter threads might seem impossible, but at one point, it was the standard.

“When I was a student, I was paying attention in school. Time was not divided between learning and looking at a phone. There were no cell phones in my high school, and we did not even use calculators,” Grantcharov said. “Young people [today] have a hard time paying attention because someone will text them, and they will say, ‘Who’s texting me? I have to check my phone.’ Without social media, students could talk to each other and have a normal conversation.”

Even though giving up social media is possible and even easy for those who rarely use it, giving it up can be difficult for anyone who believes social media has impacted them positively.

“I would be okay with giving up social media, but it would be hard because I have a lot of friends online. Not having social media would make me upset because I would lose that part of my life, and I don’t want [that],” Nelson said.

High schoolers today deal with both the real and virtual worlds presented through social media. While it may be all they have known, it is not everything, as teens before have lived without it. But by occasionally going back to the so-called good old days, one may find out what high school was like without social media, when people interacted without using screens.

LEARNING TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT

HOW TO HANDLE NEW RESPONSIBILITIES WHILE TRANSITIONING INTO ADULTHOOD

BY SELA VALIGNOTA

As we continue through our high school careers, it slowly becomes more apparent that adulthood is not too far away. After graduating, some will feel overwhelmed with the many responsibilities abruptly pushed onto their plate.

In preparation for adulthood, it is important to not only acknowledge how close it is but also the independence that comes with it. From going out to get groceries to scheduling your own doctor’s appointments, gaining self-sufficiency as a teenager and young adult is extremely important.

Social worker Jenna Cartwright understands the significance of learning independent skills, especially in high school. This is not only because many students will be becoming adults soon, but also because as teenagers, we have the time and capacity to be learning and developing certain habits and skills.

“These are your foundational years. This is when you learn skills to prepare you for college or if you go away. If you don’t know [these] skills in high school when you have four great years to do that, then you’re dumped into the deep end and have a harder time,” Cartwright said. “You’re at the age as a high school student where your brain is understanding that independence piece, and because your brain is like a sponge where you can absorb so much, right now is a great time.”

Having these skills and habits at a young age can help you prepare for adulthood, as well as bring more productivity into your day-to-day life. Senior Jaden Schneider is recognized among his peers as a self-sufficient, responsible teenager. While holding a job, Schneider also puts in the extra effort to do chores and maintain the

household.

“I help out around the house, especially when my family’s not at the house a lot, and I keep it running,” Schneider said. “Being independent helps you with being productive and doing the things needed to guarantee that you will have a solid future.”

There are many ways to start practicing being self-sufficient. As a teenager, Cartwright was instilled with many independent skills and responsibilities.

“I had parents who were willing to take care of a lot of things that, as I got older, I became more responsible for. My parents did instill independence in me,” Cartwright said. “I think I had a good mix of both, but I did have parents who had me go out and get a job and made me do things.”

Many of the things Cartwright had to do were learning experiences that helped prepare her for when she had to go about her adulthood independently. Gaining these skills at a young age is beneficial when understanding and establishing future responsibilities.

“I had to learn how to go and get prescriptions for my grandma by myself. I had to call and make my own appointments and go to the doctor by myself. You should be doing these things and taking more ownership of your life and health,” Cartwright said.

Most high school students can start taking control of their lives by taking on responsibilities such as getting a job or serving others. Schneider finds getting a part-time job to be a good way to start establishing self-sufficiency. Whether it is a job or another important responsibility, building independence can be hard at first, but beginning to practice these habits at a young age makes you more prepared for the future.

“Having a job helps you pay for your

own [things] and prepares you for college,” Schneider said. “Getting a job is the first and hardest part, but making short goals and getting into the habit makes it easier from there.”

It’s important to reinforce that independence doesn’t necessarily mean doing everything alone. Many people around you can help and support you through your transition from adolescence to adulthood. Knowing the difference between independence and isolation is very important to remember on your path to self-sufficiency.

“This is the emergence stage [where you learn when] there are gaps in your independence. [Knowing] when you need to ask for help is another really important long-term skill,” Cartwright said. “You’ll have your parents if they are willing to help out, [as well as] your boss or your teachers, as your support team to help answer questions along the way.”

There is no shame in having a support system to walk you through your transition into becoming an independent young adult, and most would prefer it that way. According to Being Lonely vs. Being Independent, an article by Natasha Maya, a writer for Sunway University’s student newsletter Echo Media, gaining your independence can be difficult, but it does not have to be done alone.

“Many dream of being independent, the idea that you can prosper on your own without anyone’s help. That can be both empowering and devastating at the same time,” Maya said. “To achieve great things, you must go to great lengths; many confuse this understanding and assume that they would have to go through it alone. But the truth is, you don’t. One does not have to be alone to be independent.”

Senior Jaden Schneider prepares food for his lunch the next day. Prepping food ahead of time can make morning routines more efficient.

Photo by Ashley Vanderhoff

Between intimate couples in the hall, argumentative conversations between periods and dramatic videos of fights, it’s nearly impossible to avoid drama as a high school student. Being aware of the role high school plays in your life and having a good outlet are two great ways to handle drama.

REALITY OF STUDENT DRAMA

As high school students, drama that may appear to an outsider as unimportant holds far more weight considering the fact that school is a huge part of our lives. High school is where young people make friends, socialize and maintain a routine. For four years, high school generally dictates teenagers’ lives, so it’s understandable that students would care a lot about the drama and gossip they’re exposed to. However, the amount of energy some put into the social climate and drama of high school is generally unnecessary and can be damaging, considering how little time the average person spends in this environment.

Overgeneralizing and ignoring the fact that high school drama can be incredibly serious can be damaging. Problems like bullying and abusive relationships are not uncommon in high school and should not be taken lightly. That being said, many instances of drama in high school consist of unfounded rumors about other students or their relationships, which, while still potentially serious, can be handled differently than how they typically are.

Physical fighting, further spreading rumors or involving more students than necessary are all unproductive yet frequently seen solutions that students take when in disagreements with peers, but there are easier solutions that will end in better results.

As part of his job, Dean of Students Joshua West works to help students overcome their disputes.

“If you’re dealing with something

serious, utilize your resources. We have a great student service team: MultiTiered Systems of Support [staff members], social workers, counselors and Student Services,” West said.

When dealing with a problem, there are ways to assess whether it is important or not.

“Sometimes, people take some things that are happening outside of school and bring it to school, whether that’s social media or things with family,” West said. “I think a lot of our issues come from our ability or inability to have conflict resolution.”

The years students spend in high school are few but important, as lives change in a short period of time.

“It’s important that students are aware of the big picture. High school is only a small [part] of your life,” West said. “There are tons of things that are going to happen once this small [period] of time ends.”

With how much people’s lives change following high school, caring strongly about how people perceive you during this time is understandable but not worth dwelling over in the grand scheme of things, as it is such a short span of time.

High school is a major focus of students’ lives as they go through it. However, high school does not last very long and there is much more to experience once you graduate. Because of this, it’s important to not get hung up on drama. Use this time to have fun, set yourself up for success and grow as an individual.

Zoey Pozen

Andrew Valentini Broadcasting

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MANAGING EDITOR STAFF

Samantha Dunne

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STAFF

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

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EDITORIAL POLICY

Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily the opinion of Kaneland administration, staff, students or parents. The Krier Editorial Board consists of designated Advanced Journalism students: Taylor Anello, Lilliana Bobé, Ethan Bollhoffer, Delaney Calabrese, Lyla Christakes, Dane Coyne, Samantha Dunne, Kira Helm, Tiffany Johnson, Rafika Khan, Jackson Kottmeyer, Elliot Krippelz, Abbey Mondi, Katie Pfotenhauer, Zoey Pozen, Lizzy Sidman, Kevin Sigrist, Andrew Valentini, Sela Valignota, Ashley Vanderhoff, Benjamin Warford, Paige Whiteside and Sofia Williams. Students make all publication decisions.

Letters can be sent to the address above or e-mailed to krier@kaneland.org. Letters must be signed (names may be withheld under extraordinary circumstances as deemed by the editorial staff) and must be under 300 words. The Editorial Board has the right to work with writers to edit for clarity and length. Any material that is potentially libelous, obscene or disruptive will not be published at the discretion of the Editorial Board. All decisions to publish or not publish letters are made by executive editors. The Krier has been an open forum since 1974. As an open forum, we restrict editing to staff members only; prior review and editing are prohibited by people outside the staff.

Cartoon by Lilliana Bobé

INEQUITY OF EXTRACURRICULAR FUNDING

BY RAFIKA KHAN Editor

With over 70 extracurriculars to choose from, there is little limit to what a student can do during their time at Kaneland. However, the treatment of these activities by the school is another story altogether. While some popular programs appear to be more heavily funded, others seem to need more support. Even if it is not on purpose, this lack of financial support has negatively impacted some clubs and activities at the school.

One thing that every Kaneland extracurricular activity needs is funding. Whether it is theater or volleyball, financial support is something all programs could use. But how does the school determine how much money is required for each activity?

“In my experience with the performing arts programs, the school hands the teachers their budgets at the beginning of the semester,” Kaneland Arts Initiative’s executive director Maria Dripps-Paulson said. “They’ll have a deadline to review the budgets and let the school know if they need more money and how they will use it. The school will also inform them if they will take specific money out of their budgets, which could lead to funding issues.”

While all Kaneland extracurriculars receive budgets, there are differences in how funds are allocated between them. However, the school sometimes does not provide enough financial assistance to clubs that need it.

“I’ve known funding to be a huge issue for lacrosse since joining the team,” junior Adam Leach said. “Lacrosse is one of the only pay-to-play sports at Kaneland, and funding for in-season

necessities is quite low considering how expensive things are. We are a newer sport since we [were] founded in 2015, but I feel our lack of funds is still unfair compared to others.”

Along with a low budget, the lacrosse team also faces the issue of an unmaintained field and little promotion. This bothers Leach, who has played on the varsity lacrosse team since his first year at Kaneland.

“Our field is so unkempt that it has gotten to the point where lacrosse players from other schools get visually disappointed when they have to play against us here,” Leach said. “We also get less representation in the school than other sports, despite having a team every year and winning multiple playoff games. I think that should earn us more than what we currently have.”

The opportunities that clubs have to promote themselves at Kaneland are another essential need. With them, programs and clubs can get their name out in the community and gain support. Without them, the social advancement of such activities will often be hindered. Freshman Brooklyn Brown is a member of Kaneland’s dance team and feels that this is true.

“I think opportunities to get the word out about our program would be helpful for the dance team,” Brown said. “Performing during assemblies and basketball season, along with fundraising, can allow for more training time and publicity outside of competitions. This could let us continuously improve and make a name for ourselves.”

Still, Kaneland does attempt to offer any support it can to the activities they oversee. For example, the dance

team has received more funding and chances to perform at assemblies in recent years. This has been beneficial to and appreciated by the team.

“We’ve gotten to the point we are at now because of the school,” Brown said. “I’ve heard that they’ve helped us more in the past year than ever, and we also receive support from parents, teachers and the student body. Though we want a little push to extend further, the school has not yet brought us down.”

Though Kaneland’s encouragement of some of its extracurriculars cannot be ignored, their imbalanced treatment is still apparent. This highlights the possibility of an unfair disparity and calls into need at least some further conversation.

“I understand that we are not the school’s top priority since we are not an overly large or strong team,” Brown said. “That doesn’t mean that we don’t have issues. We couldn’t have a choreographer to help with our routines this past season, leading our 15-member team to do it ourselves. Things don’t always go [as planned] and, though [we are still left with] enjoyable memories, more support from the school community could assist us and other [programs] in great ways.”

Whether it’s due to the prioritization of specific programs or not, Kaneland should improve how they help each extracurricular activity. If the school can find a way to offer more funding to a wider variety of programs, the programs will improve as a result. This would benefit the students, school and community as a whole as everyone would feel more appreciated.

Extracurricular activities are an essential part of a student’s social, physical and academic development throughout their years of schooling. In a study conducted by the United States Department of Education, it was shown “that students who participate in extracurricular activities are three times more likely to have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.”

Cartoon by Lilliana Bobé

LIVING UP TO PARENTS’ EXPECTATIONS

BY JACKSON KOTTMEYER Editor

We all have dreams and aspirations, but sometimes those dreams can be clouded by the pressure and expectations of our parents. It’s natural that parents want to see their children succeed, but parents who over-involve themselves in their children’s dreams often do not realize how damaging this can be.

In high school, these pressures and expectations often come in the form of athletics or academics. Sometimes parents expect straight A’s, an All-State athlete or even both. For many students and athletes, these may be unobtainable goals.

Children may also face pressure from their parents in terms of their future. One of the biggest mistakes that young adults can make is to sacrifice their own passions and interests for a career or further education that their parents have chosen for them. This can lead to depression, dissatisfaction and a lack of success later in life.

Parents often envision their child having a career in medicine, engineering or other fields associated with financial stability or even wealth. According to Anusha Bhowmik, a graduate of the University of Calcutta with a bachelor’s degree in people management, this pressure can prevent a child from reaching their full potential.

“If the child’s choice or oth er paths to success are ignored, then the constant pressure to live up to the parents’ expectations takes a toll on the child’s mental health,” Bhowmik said. “[Being] burdened with the pressure to excel in a field in which one may have no interest can hamper the true potential of the child.”

However, many believe that parental influence in a child’s future can help them narrow down a logical career path that fits them. With age comes experi ence, so taking into account some parental opinions can be helpful as long as they are not overbearing with their ideas.

Parents can also put pressure on their children by, for example, attempting to live vicariously through the experiences of their kids. These parents, while often

well-intentioned, tend to overwhelm their children with high expectations when it comes to sports. Success is typically seen as the norm, and failure often results in disappointment and frustration.

When parents put expectations like this on their children, they can start to develop a fear of failure that might make academics or athletics miserable experiences. Instead of pressuring them to do something beyond their abilities, parents can support and encourage their children in realistic ways.

Support can come in many different forms. To junior Zachary Konrad, support from his parents looks very different from pressure.

“To me, support is encouragement after a bad game, buying my equipment or even going to all my games,” Konrad said. “My parents have found a great balance between supporting me to do my best, while also not being too pressuring. If they acted like some other parents who scream at [their kids] after a bad game, I don’t think I would still be playing baseball.”

While many parents live through

their children’s athletic activities, it is also common to see parents doing so through academics, whether this is by hiring expensive tutors for their children or requiring perfect grades throughout school.

Children who are pushed too hard academically may become overwhelmed by the pressure to perform and might not be able to complete their work to the best of their ability. Additionally, they may develop a negative attitude toward learning and may not be as motivated to succeed in school. This can have long-term effects on their ability to succeed in college and in their future careers.

Like athletics, it is important for parents to support and assist their children academically while not putting too much pressure on them. One of the best ways for parents to support their child in academics is pushing them to do the best that they can. Parents should focus their attention towards the effort that a child puts into their work instead of the final grade.

Supportive parents can often play a big role in a successful student. Junior Kaitlin Liu, one of the top students in the class of 2024, has supportive parents who have played a part in her success at Kaneland High School.

“Academics are definitely very important to me, but my parents especially value A’s on my grades,” Liu said. “While they do not punish me for getting bad grades, they do expect me to do my best in school. The only way they pressure me is by sometimes prioritizing my work over doing something like going out to eat or checking my grades constantly.”

Parents who live through their children often put too much pressure on them to perform, which can lead to many side effects like mental health issues, fear of failure and a sense of dissatisfaction. Knowing the difference between unrealistic expectations and appropriate support is important for parents to understand.

by Dane Coyne

Cartoon by Dane Coyne

ERIC BARON: A FRIEND AND MENTOR TO ALL

BY AUDREY WALKER Reporter

Balancing his job as a teacher, his devotion to family and his passion for running and coaching is tough, but Eric Baron handles it with patience. He is a dependable figure for students, athletes and his family all at once, and he has positively impacted the people around him.

Baron is a well-known name amongst Kaneland students and staff. He has accumulated a combined 25 years in education by teaching Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses at Kaneland Harter Middle School and Kaneland High School, but he didn’t always want to be a teacher. He majored in architecture for three years at Eastern Illinois University before realizing he wanted to teach.

“When I was in college, I worked at Mooseheart as a summer recreation counselor, and that’s where I saw how much I loved working with students and kids,” Baron said.

He ultimately switched from architecture to education after an internship where he spent the summer drawing windows for garage doors. He realized then that architecture wasn’t for him.

With the variety of different classes that he teaches, including engineering, Computer-Aided Design/Drafting (CAD), applications of technology and construction courses, Baron interacts with many students. Out of all of these classes, though, engineering is his favorite to teach.

“I just really like the problem-solving and creativity that comes with [engineering],” Baron said.

Not only does he enjoy teaching engineering, but his students enjoy learning it as well. Out of a group of 20 seniors from the 2010 boys track team, which was recently inducted into the Kaneland Hall of Fame for their second place finish at the State meet, six of them are engineers. Among these six individuals are one aerospace engineer working for NASA and the chief engineer for the city of Minneapolis. The success of Baron’s students shows how much impact he has through teaching, though not all of his former students have had to work at NASA to prove that.

Physical education teacher, health teacher and head boys track coach Andy Drendel was Baron’s student

Photo by Paige Whiteside

during his first year of teaching in the Kaneland district. Drendel was in Baron’s industrial technology class, where one project was to work with drywall.

“I still remember how to repair drywall, specifically from that class in sixth grade,” Drendel said.

Drendel also touched on the passion Baron has for teaching.

“He cares about the kids,” Drendel said. “You could tell that he wanted the kids to be successful.”

This observation is consistent among people close to Baron, including his wife. Deborah Baron, who has been married to Baron for almost 24 years, said three of his defining characteristics are his determination, caring nature and outspoken passion.

“He has a genuine desire to help, teach and support people,” Deborah Baron said.

Baron started coaching right out of college at Tinley Park Middle School as the assistant cross country coach and the head girls track coach. In his first year of coaching track, he had only seven girls on the team, yet they placed second in the conference. By year two, there were 200 girls and they won the conference meet. In his first year teaching at Kaneland, he was a volunteer track coach.

In 1999, he started coaching cross country at KHS, and that team placed second in the state. He began coaching boys track in 2000 as an assistant coach and took over as head coach in 2006. He continued coaching cross country until 2012 and track until 2016, when he stepped away from the programs to spend more time with his family. He started coaching cross country again in 2019, and the boys team won the State championship. He started coaching track again too, this time for the girls team.

He ultimately ended his time as a Kaneland coach when he took the position of head girls and boys cross country coach at Waubonsee Community College in 2022. This was a tough decision for him but was ultimately what he needed to do to prioritize himself.

“It was really a difficult choice because, for the first time in my career, I was choosing something for myself instead of [for the] good of my students or my athletes,” Baron said.

Throughout his ever-shifting coaching career, one thing has stayed the same: Baron’s impact on athletes that reached beyond giving instruc -

tions and taking times. Deborah Baron described the positive effect he has on the student-athletes he has worked with.

“The impact that he has on his runners and students goes far beyond [athletics] and academics,” Deborah Baron said. “Through developing relationships with athletes and students, he shows that he values them as people. The number of former runners and students who maintain a relationship with him after high school is very telling.”

Drendel, who has coached and taught with him, shares similar sentiments.

“Probably the biggest takeaway that I’ve [gotten from having] him as a coach and teacher was ‘talk to every kid,’” Drendel said. He explained that Baron knew every athlete, regardless of talent or ability. “He knew what your passion was, what your goals were [and] what you wanted to get out of [sports]. That’s something that I’ve carried over for myself because I saw the value in it, and I saw how much kids responded to it when they know the adult cares about them as a person.”

Aside from his love for interacting with kids, Baron’s own running career played a part in his decision to coach.

“I had good coaches throughout my career,” Baron said. “I think seeing what they did and how they impacted so many lives guided me into coaching.”

Baron first started running in his physical education class when he was in fifth grade at Kaneville Elementary School and continued to run as a student at what is now St. Charles East High School. He had an extremely successful running career, as he ran under 15:00 for three miles and made the All-State team twice. To this day, he still holds the fastest freshman mile time at St. Charles at 4:30.20.

Although his high school career didn’t end as he had hoped, as his team did not quite perform to the level of expectations at the start of their season, he continued running at Eastern Illinois University where he received an athletic scholarship. There, he was a 14-time All-Conference performer and ran an impressive time of 24:09 for 8,000 meters. After college, he ran unattached while he was completing his student teaching. During this time, he ran 4:02 for the mile. Although his racing career tapered off after he graduated college, he didn’t stop running. Running has al -

ways been a way for Baron to release stress and anxiety, although now he incorporates other activities into his exercise routine, such as biking and yoga.

Baron’s tendency to teach extends outside the classroom. He urges athletes to learn from their sports. One of his fondest memories of his family comes from his senior year cross country State meet. His team was ranked first in the state, but didn’t perform well and finished ninth. His dad walked with him afterwards and gave him guidance.

“His comment to me was, ‘It’s a sport. What did you learn today?’” Baron said. “That was some of the best advice my dad ever gave me because I learned a lot about who I was from failure.”

Along with his dad, Baron has some of his own wisdom to give. In sports, mental health is often overlooked, but Baron thinks that it is important to be open about it.

“Don’t be afraid to talk about [mental health],” Baron said. “It was something that I wish I would have learned when I was in school.”

He urges people to understand the importance of putting not only mental health but also family above athletics.

“The world never ends with sports. Your family [and] your well-being are way more important than your performance at a meet, or any sporting event,” Baron said.

He’s had to prioritize himself and his family before. In 2016, he stepped away from being the head boys track coach.

“I stepped away for my family,” he said. “[When] ranking the things that are most important to me, my family would always be first. That’s one of the things that I’m trying to teach to my student-athletes too. You [have to] love and take care of [your family] because they may not always be there.”

Deborah Baron agrees that it is tough for her husband to balance so many commitments but that he “reminds himself that much of being a good coach and teacher relates to the personal relationships and values you foster with your team.”

To achieve proper balance, Baron lives by the philosophy of being patient. Handling the various facets of his life is a big undertaking, but Baron goes on to make a positive impact on those around him. After all, he believes, “If I can make one student smile each day, I’ve achieved the greatest gift.”

A student in Art Club shapes a pot made from clay. In Art Club, students can work independently or collaborate with each other to make different projects using materials like clay and acrylic paints.

Students spend class time in AP Art working towards completing their personalized art portfolios for submission to the College Board. Their artwork often contains meaningful and relatable topics that are expressed through a variety of mediums.

Fulfilling activities Kaneland students

BY EDITOR LILLIANA BOBÉ

Left: In Human Body Systems, a course through the Fox Valley Career Center, juniors Ryann Williams and Gianna Walgren models and evaluate data to gain a better standing of bodily functions like reflexes piration. Right: Junior Mason

the human skeleton in Human Body Systems.

Page design by Lilliana Bobé

Houghtby

Photo by Lilliana Bobé

Photo by Lilliana Bobé

Photo courtesy of Jordan Theis

Photo courtesy of Mason Houghtby

activities for students

course offered Walgren build better underreflexes and resHoughtby studies Systems.

Fulfillment can come in many diverse ways depending on the individual and their preferences. Something as simple as finishing a formative homework assignment or something a bit more complex like working on a passion project linked to your future can both bring feelings of accomplishment and relief. Kaneland High School provides many opportunities and activities for students to choose from. Different classes, clubs and sports are available for students to consider, and each one offers students the opportunity to express themselves and find their passions. Students may find fulfillment in the end result, whether that is from a good grade on a group project or cheers from a crowd of supporters. No matter what a student finds personally fulfilling, all it takes is looking around to find something that will appeal to them.

design by Lilliana Bobé Photos

Photo by Lilliana Bobé

From left to right: Junior Adam Walker, junior Ben Broz, college freshman Isabella Bobe and junior Jordan Theis participate in a study session in the Teen Room at the Sugar Grove Public Library. Study sessions are a productive way to collaboratively prepare for academic courses.

Junior Amelia Jensen reads a book for her English 11: Dreams and Nightmares class. Reading, for class or otherwise, can be a fulfilling activity.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Theis

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