Sports

BY BRADEN BABKA

Editor

For most of their childhood and now on Kaneland’s varsity team, seniors Madison Buckley (outside hitter) and Meghan O’Sullivan (setter / right side hitter) have been playing volleyball, training to be able to compete at the collegiate level. With their goals set high, they both knew they would be able to play at the next level if they worked hard enough. As a result of that determination, both girls will be playing volleyball next year in college. Buckley will be at Ball State University and O’Sullivan at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). Buckley and O’Sullivan’s strong relationship isn’t hard to pick up on. However, what might not be so obvious to Kaneland students is that these same girls who walk the school’s halls every day are going to play NCAA volleyball. The girls’ appreciation and love for the sport have brought them a long way. “I love that everybody has to work together to score points, and it’s not necessarily one person,” Buckley said. With teams of six players on each side and a maximum of three hits per side, there are many moving parts and strategies to make a strong volleyball team. Equally important to skill, however, is the bond between players. “Being competitive together throughout the season, learning more about each other, working together and just having fun and being around the girls is what makes this sport fun,” O’Sullivan said. The girls have grown up playing volleyball, O’Sullivan starting in sixth grade and Buckley in fourth. Since then, both girls have also played year-round to get more experience on the court. They play for Club Fusion Volleyball when not in season at Kaneland, and this is where colleges took notice of their skills the most. “Mainly through our club when we go to tournaments, there are coaches watching and they can contact us. We will email a bunch of them, and our coaches will help us from there, like making recruiting videos to send to the coaches. Then you can set up visits to colleges,” Buckley said. Once it’s fall and time for Kaneland’s volleyball season, it’s also time for the girls’ focus to shift to the school’s team, and they are eager to do as well as possible this year. Led by head coach Cynthia Violett, they work hard after school every day to be the best they can be. A typical practice consists of drills, conditioning and scrimmages. Outside of practice, the team also puts in time for team bonding. “We did a ropes course together, which was zip lining and rock climbing stuff. We all got on a bus together to do that. We have an annual car wash fundraiser, and during the season we tend to have team dinners once a week,” Buckley said. Buckley and O’Sullivan know how important it is to have a strong team connection. Everybody needs to be on the same page with each other in order to succeed. Communication while playing and being supportive of one another are big parts of thriving as a team. “[Buckley and O’Sullivan] are great leaders. They always try to push others to do better by being their biggest cheerleaders, whether they are on the bench or not,” Violett said. “They could easily come in [to practice] and not try, but they come in and have goals to take the team

Photo by Kyra Motyka

Senior Madison Buckley warms up in hitting lines before a game. The Knights will next take the court tonight against LaSalle-Peru High School. to State.” Outside of volleyball, both girls also have additional hobbies and responsibilities. O’Sullivan likes to bake and work at her restaurant job as a waitress. Buckley also bakes and likes to craft in her free time. Next year, O’Sullivan is thinking about going into business at GVSU, and Buckley wants to go into interior design at Ball State. One of the girls’ favorite memories from playing volleyball at Kaneland was a game against Morris during their junior year. It was a very competitive game because of how good each team was, and it was a test to the girls on how to handle the pressure. “There was a lot of smack talk across the net, and I love that stuff. We were just going at it with each other,” Buckley said. O’Sullivan also remembers having fun because of the intensity of this game. “One of the players started blowing kisses at us through the net, so we were doing it back at them. So because of that, we had a lot of fun even under the pressure of competition,” O’Sullivan said. The girls won that game and plan on keeping that same ambition going into this year’s season. As of our press deadline, the Knights are 16-1 overall, and Buckley and O’Sullivan plan to do all they can to contribute to a successful postseason while getting ready for the next step in their volleyball careers.

BY NICHOLAS MITCHINSON

Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print

The Kaneland boys and girls cross country teams are both currently in season and striving for success. As usual, the coaching staff of each team has ambitious goals for their collective groups and individual athletes to work towards and accomplish throughout the season. Team goals that are more broad allow the entire team to work together towards them and build a sense of unity. Individual goals allow each athlete to measure their success by their personal improvement. Boys head coach Chad Clarey is confident his runners are aware of their goals without having to explicitly tell them what they are. Clarey also will focus on helping his athletes with their individual goals. “Some unspoken team goals that have been set are to qualify for the State Finals, win a conference title and try to outrun our preseason rankings in State polls,” Clarey said. “Varsity celebration is not the only focus; we strive to focus on the efforts and successes of every young man in the program.” Those team goals have become staples of the program, and runners are able to progress from their freshmen to their senior years with the understanding of what is expected. Senior runner Nolan Allen knows what he hopes to get out of this season and is going to continue working hard to achieve those aspirations. “Some of my individual goals this season are to run an under 16-minute threemile and also medal at state,” Allen said. Similar to Clarey, girls head coach Doug Ecker knows what he is looking for out of his group of runners this year. “My goal [for the team] is to see individual improvement because this is probably the first time in 10 years that we do not have anyone on the team that has any kind of State experience. I am just looking for improvement,” Ecker said. Junior runner Mira Ory also has some similar hopes for her team and is going to do her best to help her teammates become better runners. “Some goals we have as a team are to help one another become the best runners we can be and to have fun, even being as competitive as we are. But nothing is more important than enjoying the sport,” Ory said. In order for the boys and girls athletes to accomplish what they have set out to do, they must take time as a team and individually to mentally and physically prepare for their competitions. They have to consistently adjust the way they run and get into the right mentality to be successful. “To physically prepare for a meet, we usually do an easier, shorter workout the day before. To mentally prepare for a meet, we really just take some time to get in the right mindset and encourage others on the team,” Ory said. Recovery in this sport is important and is taken seriously by the coaches and athletes to make sure they will be ready for the long season ahead, particularly with the possibility of a postseason in their future. Sophomore Eric Ramos understands the importance of recovery in his sport because he knows he must be fully prepared for his next meet. “We spend a lot of time recovering from running,” Ramos said. “Obviously since running is very taxing on the body, precautions must be taken to assure strong performance in competitions.” For the boys team, Clarey has realized to be successful he must have his team do more than just run. Clarey has his team improve their overall health in order to make sure he has his team prepared for the duration of each season. “Participants can run up to 11 miles, as well as speed work in intervals of 4001600 meters. Threshold and recovery runs are blended,” Clarey said. “We work closely on core strength and flexibility. Time in the weight room is found, and we are focused on a healthy diet and championship sleep.” The preparation and recovery that teammates must commit to during the season takes a lot of responsibility and desire. Ecker has noticed that his team has both of these qualities and sees them as some of their overall strengths. “They listen very well and get along really well. I’d say that their strength is that they want to get better and they listen no matter what their ability is, and they seem to be responsible and do the things they are asked to do,” Ecker said. The boys team has also shown strengths that can elevate their chances of success, which has allowed Clarey to distinguish a common theme for his team. “A constant theme of our program is the ability to stick together,” Clarey said. “We work hard and with humbleness. This is often the formula for past, current and future success.”

Photo courtesy of Mira Ory Junior Mira Ory (left) and senior Kaitlyn Swims (right) run in a home cross country meet. The team is always encouraging and supportive of each other in order to build confidence throughout the season.

Photo courtesy of Brayden Cattero Members of the boys varsity cross country team run out of the starting line at the Sycamore Invitational meet. This was the team’s second meet of the 2021 season.

BY MADISON KLEIVO

Editor

Volunteering allows us to connect to our community while also making it a better place. It lets us make a difference and have a positive impact in local areas, while also providing us with new experiences and perspectives. Our time to venture out into local areas, spread kindness and show our work ethic is now. While volunteer opportunities are widespread throughout our various communities, offering people of all ages a chance to help, giving back has become an especially big part of life for teenagers because it allows them to obtain service hours for college. Dedicated organizations are always looking for additional help, and many welcome younger volunteers who are excited to assist them in their journey of giving back. There are plenty of nearby organizations that help those in need, such as DuPage Pads in Wheaton that provides shelter to homeless families and Teen Parent Connection in Glen Ellyn that assists pregnant teenagers. The western suburbs are home to a variety of life-changing non-profit organizations that rely solely on the dedication of volunteers. One popular 501c3 organization in the Kaneland community is the Kaneland Youth Football League (KYFL), which invites high school students to be cheerleading coaches or football staff assistants. Cheer coach, nurse and North Aurora mom Laura Wilson finds the KYFL volunteering atmosphere to be very enjoyable. “I initially volunteered because I wanted to be there with my daughters and help them cheer. It was a good change from the hospital setting I’m used to. KYFL has become so much more between the friendships that I have gained and the love I have for everything our cheer team does,” Wilson said. Feed My Starving Children, with one nearby location in Aurora, is another local option for Kaneland students. Here, volunteers dedicate a few hours to packaging food and preparing it for shipment to countries in need. The process is educational and enlightening, giving students a different perspective on the lives of others. The Fox Valley Special Recreation Association in Aurora offers students more service opportunities for anyone interested in helping people with special needs. Duties include being an aid or helper at the Vaughan Athletic Center

during their various classes and activities. Also, spending a weekend at a humane society or pet shelter leaves many teenagers feeling happy and fulfilled. Local examples of opportunities like that include Paws and Purrs Humane Society in Aurora and the Naperville Area Humane Society. When we volunteer and help from the heart, we develop a sense of purpose and form bonds with others. But for some, getting out and about in the community may not seem possible due to limited time and other commitments. Luckily, Kaneland has clubs and organizations that are mainly based upon volunteering and are always welcoming new members who are eager to help. These clubs include the Key Club and Helping Others Prosper Everyday (HOPE). The National Honor Society (NHS) is another club that dedicates time to volunteering. Whether you are in your first year of high school or your last, it is never too late to begin volunteering. Key Club offers so many great opportunities to volunteer. Key Club secretary and senior Angelica Dabek has experienced the value of being in a club that gives back. “My most rewarding experience in the club has been all of the service projects we’ve done and just helping out around the

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Sayasane NHS members and seniors Jordan Anderson (left) and Rachael Peters (right) visit the Northern Illinois Food Bank last March. The group helped by packaging and organizing food products in preparation for distribution to hunger relief corporations. 10 Feature My most rewarding experience in the club has been all of the service projects we’ve done and just helping out around the community. Senior Angelica Dabek

community,’’ Dabek said. Key Club recently held an art supply drive for the HOPE program that ran between August 24 and August 31. Senior and social media officer Amanda Garcia has high hopes for the future of Key Club. “I hope the Key Club grows and recruits more people to share these amazing opportunities,” Garcia said. HOPE is a volunteer group where high school students come together to assist their peers with special needs. From helping them with physical education activities to attending field trips, HOPE volunteers are an important part of Kaneland’s special education program. NHS is a national organization that also includes volunteer opportunities. NHS club member and senior Joshua Brunscheen has been in the club since his sophomore year. “I like volunteering at a lot of places, but food pantries are probably my favorite because I like to see how I can directly impact people,” Brunscheen said. Volunteering can heal the mind, soul and negative consciousness that people may have at times. Therefore, it is never too late to start a journey to help others. “I think volunteering during our high school years is the best time to volunteer because it’s very beneficial for everyone in the community,” Dabek said. “We’re also young and ready to work. When I volunteer, I feel very fulfilled because I’m working towards bettering my community, and it’s just always such a good time.”

Photo courtesy of Amanda Garcia Many Key Club members sit in attendance at their first meeting of the 2021-22 school year. At the meeting, they brainstormed new ideas for the busy year ahead, such as blanket making and raising funds for homeless veterans. Page design by Kevin Sigrist

BY SAMANTHA DUNNE

Editor

Last school year, Homecoming was out of the question. The hallways were empty. There was no Spirit Week, no football game and no annual dance. Thankfully, now that the school year is slowly returning to how it used to be, the Homecoming dance and many of the associated activities are officially back on. The Kaneland varsity Homecoming football game will be this coming Friday, Oct. 1, against Morris at 7 p.m. Student Council members have made the decision that the theme for the game will be a white out. For senior football player Samuel Gagne, this will be his last Homecom-

ing game, and he is motivated to win for the school and community. “This last Homecoming game definitely is bittersweet because it is my last Homecoming game,” Gagne said. “I am going to go 100 percent for the fans and give them a well deserved win for how well they have been supporting us this year.” The football game will be the last school event to celebrate Homecoming before the actual dance. In early August, Student Council members began to brainstorm ideas and started to prepare for this year’s Homecoming events. The dance will be held on Saturday, Oct. 2, and this year’s theme is “Starry Night.” Sophomore Student Council member Alexis White has been working on the new Homecoming decorations and is excited to see the final result. “So far it has been so much fun working with the Student Council, and I am excited to see the upcoming events finally come to life,” White said. Junior Breanna Roberts was also especially excited for the Student Council to be able to gather in person as a whole group to come up with ideas for the dance and other Homecoming week activities. “Since everything was canceled last year, it was hard not seeing everyone and working together to plan everything out, but I am most excited to get back to nor-

mal and start preparing again and seeing everyone’s faces when they see the decorations and what we have accomplished,” Roberts said. One of the biggest changes for Homecoming this year is that it will look different when it comes to recognizing students who are nominated for Homecoming Court. Instead of voting for and then declaring a Homecoming king and queen, there will be a Royal Knight. As has been the case in recent years, each club and sport gets to nominate two students for Homecoming Court consideration. The 10 students with the most votes will then be selected to be the Homecoming Court. Ultimately, only one person will be declared, based on student votes, as the Royal Knight, as opposed to the past where a king and queen were announced. This change from the traditional Homecoming king and queen was inspired by the idea to make sure everyone at Kaneland felt included. Having a Homecoming king and queen put limitations on who could be represented in the Homecoming Court, whereas having a Royal Knight takes away any restrictions on who could be selected. “Being inclusive is definitely a part of [why we made the decision to have a Royal Knight],” principal Jill Maras said. “If we would have continued what we have done in the past, we would have said it is

the top male and female. Well, what if the top two vote-getters were both female? Or they were both male? Or both unidentified? Why would we ever put the identities of who could be selected to only the top female and top male?” At Kaneland, the goal will always be to make sure everyone feels included in every type of way. If inclusivity is the goal, then the king and queen did not fully represent everyone at Kaneland, and that is why they made the change to the Royal Knight. “I think our goal at Kaneland is to always make the students feel acknowledged and supported and a part of who we are,” Maras says. “Inclusivity, not based on just gender but all kinds of inclusivity, will always be our goal.”

Photo by Anna Olp Drum major and junior Ethan Yost conducts the marching band. The band has been preparing for their halftime show that will be performed at the Homecoming game.

Seniors (left to right) Savanna Battista, Megan Noel and Taylor Seaton cheer on the Knights against Woodstock North. The theme for this Friday’s Homecoming game is white out.

Photo by Nicholas Mitchinson

Photo by Nicholas Mitchinson Junior Dawson Trebolo awaits the opening kickoff in the Knights’ game against Woodstock North. Friday’s Homecoming game is against the Morris Redskins at 7 p.m. Senior Maddyx Wald leads the student section in cheers. After spirit week, the students and community are excited for Friday’s Homecoming game and Saturday’s dance.

Photo by Nicholas Mitchinson

HOW KANELAND STUDENTS NAVIGATE WORK, SCHOOL & PERSONAL LIFE

Photo by Anna Olp Senior Matilyn Mumm fills out cash forms for her job at the Vaughan Athletic Center. Gym members are able to drop their children off in the child care area to play and be chaperoned while they work out.

BY SOPHIA OPP

Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print

As high school students, we endure a lot of stress and pressure. We already have plenty to juggle while balancing school, sports, activities, friends, family and regular life responsibilities, but adding a job to that list of priorities can be overwhelming. Work conditions and experiences tend to vary from person to person, but as students, some of us can relate to both the struggles and perks of student-work life. It is normal to gain obligations as we get older. Typically, having a job is not something a middle schooler, for example, would have to worry about. However, the older we get, the more pressure there seems to be to work. Many parents stop willingly handing out money, paying for gas emerges as a reality and saving for post-secondary plans becomes a necessity. Perhaps the real question is why teenagers feel compelled to get jobs in the first place. Senior Matilyn Mumm works in the child care area at the Vaughan Athletic Center in Aurora and at Culver’s in Sugar Grove. She has been at Culver’s for over a year and at the Vaughan since August. She works about 23 hours a week between the two jobs, attends school every day and participates in clubs and sports, leaving her with a busy schedule. While many of us hope for our last few years of “childhood” to be relatively carefree, Mumm felt some pressure in regards to taking on these responsibilities. “I initially decided to get a job because I do think there is a lot of pressure being a teenager and hearing all your friends talk about their jobs. Sometimes your friends with jobs sort of make you feel guilty for not having one and spending ‘Mommy and Daddy’s money,’” Mumm said. Oftentimes, parents are the ones influencing students’ decisions to get jobs, but as Mumm pointed out, our peers can actually have a substantial impact as well. Whether it is a playful suggestion, wanting to work with friends or a judgemental accusation that those without jobs are lazy, many working teenagers are probably guilty of putting pressure on their peers. For those not struck by peer pressure, parent expectations are a more traditional motivation for working. Young children cannot be expected to pay for their own

HOW KANELAND STUDENTS NAVIGATE WORK, SCHOOL & PERSONAL LIFE

food, clothes or other miscellaneous items for an obvious reason: they are too young. Once we reach an age of perceived maturity, we are often expected to provide enough for ourselves to pay for these kinds of things. “It’s nice to have money to spend on dumb stuff that teenagers want instead of having to feel bad for asking my parents,” Mumm said. Once spending your parents’ money is not an option anymore, the value of financial flexibility is a lot more obvious. Managing your own money teaches someone a lot about responsibility and how to practice cautious spending. Junior Kellie Peters has worked at Genoa Pizza in Sugar Grove since October of 2020 and has also been faced with this life lesson. “My job has taught me how to be responsible with money. Using my own money makes me cautious about how much I am actually spending,” Peters said. Whether you view spending your own money as a learning experience or a burden, there are many other aspects to working that are both positive and negative. Depending on the type of job you have, there are a large variety of lessons and experiences you will encounter. As Mumm and Peters mentioned, responsibility is probably the most apparent takeaway. Having a job allows us to practice being on time, completing meaningful tasks and sometimes even handling money that is not our own, and these are just a few of the benefits. When we have jobs that involve working with customers, one of the biggest things we learn is how to communicate more effectively with others. Talking to numerous new people every shift forces us to put ourselves out there, even if it is just through basic small talk. “My job definitely made me more mature and more social, I’d say. I find it way easier to make friends and even talk to adults,” Mumm said. Along with all the positives, having a job while being a high school student also has its drawbacks. The most common reason for avoiding a job while in school is not having enough time. School takes up about seven hours every day, homework for each class must be completed, sports practices and games are major commitments for some and seeing friends is a necessity for teenagers. With all of those realities, it can be hard to find time to work a long shift as well. Luckily for Peters, she found a way to balance school and work life. “If I work three days out of the school week, then the other two days are designated days for school, homework and projects. If I know that something is due the next day, then I won’t work so I can focus on that,” Peters said. If balancing school and work does not seem like a doable task, going through the school year without a job can be advantageous. Senior Evan Beck worked at Jewel-Osco in Sugar Grove last summer but decided it would be best to leave and has since felt great about his decision. “Between doing a lot of work for classes and participating in clubs and extracurriculars, I don’t have much free time, but my workload has definitely lessened without a job,” Beck said. “I probably will not get a job as long as I am a student at Kaneland because there are many other things I already have to do that benefit me and take up too much time to get a job.” Beck does agree that having a job is great for earning money and finding something to do, but overall, he does not feel it is right for him. As college approaches for some of us and our futures are in question, we may want to begin preparing for the eventual careers we want. For some, high school is the perfect time to get a job that prepares you for your future. “My job at the Vaughan ties into my future because I want to work with children, and it is a great experience for heading into that field,” Mumm said. If tying your high school job into your future is something you want to do, there are many options out there; all it takes is a little bit of research. Getting a job can sound intimidating and demanding, and as students, it can be bothersome that we are expected to handle so much all at once. If having a job is not something that sounds enticing to you, do not let the pressure from others control you. On the other hand, it can be a great experience and can teach us a lot about the real world.

NO 72.9% YES 27.1%

DO YOU HAVE TWO JOBS?

YES 19%

NO 81%

HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU WORK PER WEEK?

11-20 42.9% 21-30 17.3%

>30 5.6%

1-10 34.2%

IF YOU HAVE A JOB, IS IT SOMETHING THAT RELATES TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE?

YES 20.1%

NO 79.9%

BY KYRA MOTYKA

Editor

The truth about advice is that no one really wants it. As students, we often come home stressed. Sometimes you get home and immediately begin complaining to your parents. If you and your parents communicate well, they may sympathize with you or offer condolences and try to help if they can. However, at some point everyone has become more stressed when their parents start lecturing and telling them about the ways you could magically relieve your stress by following their advice. As tired students, having our stressors belittled is a great way to ruin our day. Whether you’re a parent, a friend or just a classmate, if someone rants to you, it becomes your job to figure out when someone wants or doesn’t want advice. It’s usually best to hold off on the life lesson when someone confides in you. Senior Macie Cox believes she would qualify as a good listener. “When people just need to rant, then that’s when I know they just need listening to,” Cox said. “But when they actually ask for advice, that’s when I know that I can give some.” Knowing when someone wants advice is truly simple: give advice when you’re asked for it but not when you’re on one end of a stress-relieving rant. The worst thing you could do to someone who needs a support system is tell them how simply they could fix their issues. Doing so just makes them feel incompetent and ridiculous for being upset. Instead, offer your sympathy and remind them that everything will turn out alright. If you’re confused as to whether or not they’re looking for advice, just ask, “Do you want me to try to help you, or do you just need me to listen?” Knowing the answer allows both parties to open up to the conversation. Kaneland math teacher Daniel Ponczek, known by many as Mr. Ponz, gave the same advice. “One thing that I’ve been working on is trying to ask, ‘Are you seeking advice, or are you just looking for somebody to rant to?’” Ponczek said. “I do think some students aren’t ready yet for some advice. They’re just trying to rant, and then later on they’ll come to me.” Ponczek also said walking the fine line of giving advice to a student versus accidentally making them feel stupid is very subjective and at times difficult. “I think in my first few years of teaching, I might have said things like, ‘Okay, this should be easy. Everybody should get this,’” Ponczek said. “I’ve kind of learned to stay away from quotes like that because I don’t want you to feel like, ‘Aw, he said

Photo by Kyra Motyka Senior Macie Cox knows that sometimes people would rather be listened to than given advice. Communication is a huge part of any teen’s life, and healthy listening makes the process easier for everyone. this should be easy. I don’t get it. He’s not going to want to talk to me.’ I really want every student to come up to me with any misconception they have, so that I could try to help them figure out where it stems, and then we will address that.” Ponczek is not the only person who agrees that good advice doesn’t automatically translate to being a good listener. Freelance journalist Moya Sarner wrote an article for The Guardian where she shared what she’s learned about the art of listening. “On day one, in my first training session, I realized to my horror that I wasn’t a very good listener at all. All the habits that I thought made me good at it, all that advice I was giving my friend, was just getting in the way,” Sarner said. Sarner’s listening trainer believes giving advice before you’re asked for it is a bad habit everyone should break. According to the trainer, “Giving advice is not listening, and often it’s not helpful… It shuts people down. If you feel a responsibility to fix your friend’s problems, relinquish it.” Another problem with giving unwanted advice is that it makes the person subconsciously ignore you. No matter how appropriate or great your advice is, if someone doesn’t want it, they aren’t even going to remember it when the conversation is over. It will travel in one ear and out the other. Licensed clinical social worker Sharon Martin wrote a story for Psych Central about unwanted advice as well. According to Martin, giving unwanted advice can also hurt relationships. “Repeatedly giving unsolicited advice can contribute to relationship problems. It’s disrespectful and presumptive to insert your opinions and ideas when they may not be wanted,” Martin said. “Unsolicited advice can even communicate an air of superiority; it assumes the advice-giver knows what’s right or best.” Next time someone comes to you to rant, focus on being a support system instead of a problem-solver. Most times, the best way to make people feel better is to allow them to vocalize their issues. Some problems don’t need to be solved; they just need to be let off someone’s chest.

Photo by Kyra Motyka Math teacher Daniel Ponczek offers his support and expertise to freshman Jacob Smith. Ponczek is always willing to help students with school or personal life in his study hall.

Cartoon by Dane Coyne Respecting and celebrating our service industry workers and acknowledging the hard work they do are not things we practice enough. Implementing basic manners, being empathetic and even leaving a tip if possible is all that is needed to display our appreciation.

RESPECTING OUR WORKERS

From a young age, we are taught to treat others how we want to be treated. While this is a seemingly straightforward rule, many people tend to disregard it when interacting with service industry workers. It is always important to be kind and understanding to those working in positions that typically come with lower wages and higher rates of personal interaction, not only because they are regular people that deserve respect just like the rest of us, but also because of many 19 other factors that affect their work life and go into making their jobs difficult. Everyone has their own struggles, so we should be able to understand that service workers are no different, and they also have their own hardships. For many of these workers, school has an enormous effect on their levels of stress. It is common that high school students constitute a considerable amount of low wage employees, so with the already stressful school day and job life comes even more stress stemming from sports, activities, friends, family and life in general. Adding unpleasant and short-tempered customers to this list is obviously not ideal. This last year and a half has been difficult for some. Finding jobs has not been easy, as businesses were closing and in many cases struggling for money during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial opportunities that these jobs provide should not be ruined by customers who fail to demonstrate kindness. Not to mention, the current minimum wage ($11 an hour) is barely enough to live comfortably on by itself. Being a source of conflict in a job that barely pays enough is something that we as a society need to work on. Recently, there have been many businesses that are both short staffed and running low on products. This has been an understandable inconvenience to many customers, however yelling at employees, asking to speak to managers and causing a scene will not solve anything. Unfortunately, when working many of these service jobs, these kinds of issues are out of employees’ control, so customers acting out towards them is insensitive and impolite. 0 Each customer has different priorities and standards, and it is hard to please everyone. Employees are typically given very specific instructions on what to do and how to do it. Many times, if these directions are not favorable to customers, they blame the workers. This is unfair and not something that needs to be held against our frontline employees. Again, not everything is in their control, so we should not condemn them. Everybody makes mistakes. While this may sound cliché, it is something to keep in mind when interacting with others. Regardless of how bad your day has been, how long a wait is, how frustrated you are or how badly the worker has messed up, everyone does make mistakes. No one likes making errors, so causing someone to feel bad, complaining or letting a small issue ruin both your day and someone else’s is not worth it. Workers in the service industry are human too. Remember: Being kind is never too much to ask. Everyone around you deserves to be treated with respect, and that includes those who work lower wage service jobs. If anything, we should be going out of our way to be nicer to these employees because there are so many other things they have to worry about. Their interaction with customers should not be one of those concerns.

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Sophia Opp Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print

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MANAGING EDITOR STAFF

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EDITORIAL STAFF

Lifestyle Kyra Motyka

News 1 Alan Tapia

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Voices Samantha Dunne

Sports Braden Babka

Feature 1 Kevin Sigrist

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Opinion 1 Benjamin Warford Opinion 2 Sarah Janito Profile Gabrielle Parker

Photos Madison Kleivo Advertisements Gabrielle Parker

STAFF Taylor Anello, Ashlyn Becker, Lilliana Bobe, Ethan Bollhoffer, Lilly Boose, Delaney Calabrese, Lyla Christakes, Bernard Clark, Dane Coyne, Chloe Crewse, Arianna Failor, Kira Helm, Tiffany Johnson, Rafika Khan, Jackson Kottmeyer, Bailey Krippelz, Alexander McLean, Bonnie Michelkamp, Abbey Mondi, Cameron Neis, Katherine Pfotenhauer, Sophie Ponce de Leon, Angelina Provenzano, Sarah Schimmel, Mikalah Seward, Elizabeth Sidman, Paulina Sommesi, Jordan Theis, Andrew Valentini, Kisella Valignota, Sofia Williams

Casey Walters

Adam Wold Cartoonists Dane Coyne & McKenna Goss Print Production

ADVISERS

Faith Bartkowiak

Dylan Conklin

Dominic Bruno Krier adviser Nicole Larsen Print adviser

EDITORIAL POLICY

Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily the opinion of Kaneland administration, staff, students or parents. The Krier Editorial Board consists of designated Advanced Journalism students: Ayshe Ali, Braden Babka, Samantha Dunne, Karmyn Hookham, Sarah Janito, Madison Kleivo, Madeleine Little, Nicholas Mitchinson, Kyra Motyka, Anna Olp, Sophia Opp, Gabrielle Parker, Zoey Pozen, Kevin Sigrist, Alan Tapia, Ashley Vanderhoff, Casey Walters, Benjamin Warford and Paige Whiteside. 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 McKenna Goss Numerous Kaneland students are dissatisfied with the prices of parking passes. For many, it is unclear where this money goes and why the prices are so high, which only feeds into students' frustration.

BY SARAH JANITO

Production Executive

Each school year, plenty of juniors and seniors (and some sophomores) spend $180 on a parking pass at Kaneland. To some, it is a sound investment as they prefer not to take their bus and enjoy being able to arrive a bit later than they would otherwise have to. To others, it is an outrageous price to pay to simply park their car in a spot and not be able to leave campus for the entire school day. No matter what students think, many still pay the price and park anyway without knowing where exactly all their money is going. Thoughts about the cost are all up to perception, as students often do not take into account the amount of work and money it takes to keep our lots clean and fresh along with the requirements set to be able to park in the first place. There are surrounding schools that do charge similar prices, but there are others charging less than Kaneland. According to each of their respective websites, Sycamore High School charges their students $120 for the school year, and Geneva provides options with the least expensive lot costing $50 per semester and the most expensive costing $100 per semester. One can only wonder what the school does with the money raised from parking costs: Does it go exclusively towards the high school? Does the entire district get a certain percentage? What exactly is it used for? According to Associate Superintendent Dr. Julie-Ann Fuchs, the high school is the only lot receiving maintenance with these funds, and some goes towards mitigating the costs of the security guiding traffic at Keslinger and Dauberman Roads every morning and afternoon. “We sealcoat every three to five years depending on how bad it gets and how quickly. Oftentimes we’ll sealcoat, say the student lot one summer, then the next we do the south lot. We do different portions because of the cost. It also goes to snow removal, which happens every year,” Fuchs said. Each time Kaneland re-paves the high school’s lot, according to law, several companies send in proposals (or bids) stating how much they charge for the service. Fuchs said she and other members in the district office look at each proposal and have to choose the lowest price each time, so the company and cost slightly differs from year to year. Thousands of dollars come in each year and, according to Dean of Students Joshua West, Kaneland sees about 410 to 415 spots sold each year, adding up to between $73,800 and $74,700. Parking in front of the school without a pass costs even more, as $4 per day adds up to $708 with 177 days in the school year if the student pays every day. These costs may not seem too out of the ordinary, as paying to park in a spot also means paying to have it maintained throughout the year. However, teachers at Kaneland are granted parking privileges at the beginning of each year cost-free. They do work for Kaneland and make a salary here, but many students also have jobs, and theirs are ones that tend to pay minimum wage or not much more, meaning not every upperclassman has the kind of money to spend each year they are allowed to purchase a parking pass. Though Kaneland’s goal, according to West, is to be comparable to surrounding schools’ prices, students who buy passes are taking a significant amount of money out of their pockets. This could impact possible college savings funds, and it can make the money a student earned from hours of working a tiring job after spending eight hours at school and still having homework to do afterwards feel wasted, especially with the requirements to park set by Kaneland. Students who fail to follow the rules stated under the parking section in the Kaneland handbook are subject to $20 fines for each violation they commit. They may face pass suspension, and their vehicle can be towed whenever Kaneland deems appropriate at the owner’s expense. Students’ vehicles are also subject to inspection at any time from the on-campus police or other school officials without a warrant. These conditions seem a bit harsh considering some cars that enter campus could belong to a student’s parent and could contain items unbeknownst to them. On top of that, even mentioning the possibility of towing a student’s car seems too extreme to try and keep everyone in line with the regulations to park. Is renting a tow truck worth a minor violation? People park at the high school and do not pay very frequently with seemingly no consequence. Seniors Alexis Johnson and Brandon Weissmann each bought a pass, but they drive together most days and consistently leave school to see others parked in spots that they did not pay for. And to them, it seems those incidents aren’t often caught by administration. “So far, we’ve been able to carpool almost every day, and every time we’ve left school there has been someone parked in whichever spot we didn’t use that day. It’s very upsetting because we paid a lot of money to reserve those spots, and other people are taking advantage of it. Whether it’s Fox Valley kids or Kaneland kids wanting a better parking spot, it’s irritating to see them take our spots,” Johnson said. It is possible that students underestimate how much labor and material it takes to maintain the parking lot. After all, Fuchs said we spent $22,000 on our snow services alone last year. Kaneland already accepts the lowest offered price when sealcoating, and snow removal takes quite a lot of work. Meredith, Keslinger and Dauberman Roads are hotspots for accidents, which can lead to more vehicular damages for students to pay for in addition to the parking lot expenses. The cost of passes certainly pays off in regards to maintenance; it all comes down to our specific restrictions instead. Students who are considering paying for a parking pass should all ask themselves one question: Is the price to park worth the conditions set by Kaneland?

BY PAIGE WHITESIDE

Tattoos, dyed hair and piercings have become more popular in recent years, but many people have opinions on them that seem to be stuck in the past. People who choose to alter their appearance by changing their hair color or getting new piercings or tattoos are just as capable of performing well at their job as people who do not. The thought that someone’s appearance could change their work ethic, experience or capability to perform well at their job is insulting, and it is something that society needs to change their mindset about. As long as someone’s productivity is not being affected by their style, things such as piercings and tattoos should not be reasons to turn someone down at an interview. While some may argue that it is unprofessional to show tattoos and piercings at work, it can be argued that it is even more unprofessional for a manager to judge a potential employee based on those factors. Fortunately, there is a positive outlook for the future. In a study conducted by the Robert Half company Accountemps, 2,800 senior managers were interviewed at companies in 28 different major U.S. cities. 60% of the managers said that societal standards have loosened in the workplace, and most of that change has been influenced by younger generations of working people. As time goes on and the world goes through many changes, people’s beliefs change too. Seeing young workers with piercings and dyed hair may have been viewed as unacceptable in the past, but today, more young people can be found sporting these choices in style. In office jobs, these features are less common, but over time these styles are finding their way in almost every profession. Negative stereotypes that surround these people have faded over the years, with a large portion of society realizing how unfair these assumptions are. While continuing to look on the bright side of things, many workplaces such as salons and tattoo parlors encourage their employees to have changes to their appearances. This creates a welcoming environment for customers and assures them that their staff knows what they are doing since they have personal experience. Not all businesses have such open minds, though. Before change can be made, an issue that needs to be recognized is the fact that an employer is legally allowed to deny someone a job in America if they have tattoos. Many job applications state that there shall be no visible tattoos and piercings at work, and at some fast food establishments, hair dye has been banned. This should not be allowed in a country that says it prides itself on the freedom of expression, as stated in the First Amendment. Senior Buggy Sandberg agrees, believing that people should not be pressured to change themselves for others. With blue hair and multiple piercings, they have been told by many people that they need to conform to a certain standard. “People are told not to be themselves, and it is unfair. In a world where lots of aspects of our lives are regulated and kept in check, at the least we deserve the freedom of expression. I will never base my physical appearance on what other people want for me,” Sandberg said. One commonly mentioned drawback to hiring individuals with tattoos or piercings is that many tattoos have explicit words or images that would be inappropriate for work settings, or that some piercings can pose a safety hazard, possibly getting caught on work equipment. These statements are true in certain situations, but not allowing these modifications will cause more problems than solutions by making it more difficult for qualified people to get hired, as well as sending a discouraging message about self-expression to others. Tattoos, dying your hair and getting piercings are expressions of individuality to many. As someone who has dyed hair myself, I love my hair color, as I feel it compliments my personality and goes along with my fashion choices. I have a job and have never had issues related to my hair color. Being able to express myself in this way is important to me and lots of other people as well, and if others have issues with the way that people alter their appearance, it should be up to them to deal with their feelings about this. Social studies teacher Scott Parillo, a simultaneously tattooed and successful teacher, is able to talk about his own experiences with having a unique look in the workplace. “I think you need to get to know a person before you make decisions about them. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Going places looking the way I do, I definitely get some looks, but I am a nice guy,” Parillo said. Nobody should be judged based on their appearance, especially when it comes to the workplace. The idea that a person is unqualified for a job based on something like dyed hair, piercings or tattoos is a mindset we need to move past. Having piercings, tattoos or dyed hair has no negative effects in the workplace.

Cartoon by McKenna Goss According to author Anisa Holmes at Dalia Research, a 2018 study showed 46% of U.S. citizens have tattoos, and over half of them have piercings. With such high percentages, why would employers want to turn away potential workers for the way they modify their appearances?