Kaneland Krier Volume 48 Issue 2

KANELAND

KR ER

EXPLORING THE GOOD Promoting positive relationships, changing for the better and pursuing interests and passions Volume 48 • Issue 2 • Kaneland High School • November 18, 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5 News

Advice

14

9 Sports

18 Profile Letter from the Execs

It can be difficult to recognize the things that make us feel good in the time of stress

and responsibility that accompanies high school. In this issue, we explore all of the positive angles of different factors in our lives that are most relevant to us as teenagers. From social media to the relationships we build with our teachers, there are many ways we can enrich our lives and have better attitudes overall.

November 18, 2021 | Lifestyle

FINDING YOURSELF THROUGH INSTAGRAM

BY MADISON KLEIVO

I

Editor

nstagram has grown tremendously over the last 11 years ever since it was first launched on Oct. 6, 2010. Within the first 24 hours of the app releasing, it gained 25,000 users. As a worldwide social media platform in 2021, Instagram now has roughly one billion active users.

The modernized app allows people to connect with friends and loved ones between photos and videos.

Instagram is similar to art because people can share parts of themselves and are free to express their personality through their profiles. Students at Kaneland High School can agree that the app encourages their style while also enhancing their interests. Freshman Ryan Nowak first downloaded Instagram when she was in second grade.

“Aesthetically, my Instagram page is very pink and girly and all about cheer, my friends and the beach,” Nowak said.

Nowak’s favorite feature is the Instagram stories because users are able to post while also attaching music and stickers to them.

Throughout the years of Instagram, those who have had the app downloaded for quite a while have grown with it. Finding what inspires their creativity through experience and time is what makes Instagram such a popular social media platform.

“I am slowly finding my style by posting aesthetic pictures with no filters on my personal page. I personalized my profile to have natural and pure images without adding hyperediting to them because it creates a more genuine design,” senior Hannah Wootton said. While not applying major filters to her photos, Wootton still slightly adjusts her pictures by using the basics of editing. “I also love posting my candid photos because I think it makes my page really authentic and exciting.

Sometimes I like to do photoshoots wearing my new outfits because it helps me find myself without having to fit into any fashion trends,” Wootton shared.

Wootton enjoys the new Instagram feature that allows people to hide the number of likes on their own posts because sometimes this can cause pressure and anxiety.

“Social media is a relatively new experience for the human psyche. With social networks becoming more ingrained in people’s lives each year and each generation, it is vital that we understand the full impact each social network has on our mental health,” according to psychalive.org.

Page design by Kyra Motyka

Ryan.Nowak

Alisa.James

Camille.Edgar Madison.Kunzer Adam.Wold

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217 likes Hannah.Wootton I like to do photoshoots wearing my new outfits because it helps me find myself without having to fit into any fashion trends.

View all 12 comments Ryan.Nowak My Instagram page is very pink and girly and all about cheer, my friends and the beach.

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All photos by Madison Kleivo

While Instagram can potentially feed into self esteem issues and anxieties, the app has additional settings to help alleviate these pressures.

When it comes to editing Instagram photos, many enjoy taking advantage of the free range of filters and other simple editing basics.

“My first impression of the app was just how cool it was and the fact that I was able to see everyone’s cute photos in one feed. While editing my photos now, I love adding the supersaturated, bright and colorful look to them. I also enjoy using

Instagram’s story highlights on my profile page. For each one of my highlights, I designate a topic to them that is personalized to me,” junior Alisa James said.

She shared that she loves to highlight activism awareness and her styles by posting different outfits.

While some Instagram users enjoy indulging in filters and editing their photos, some are content with not having an obvious similarity amongst their pictures.

They instead prefer posting any kind of photos that don’t revolve around a specific theme.

“I think I have a personable Instagram account because of the fact that I don’t have an existing theme throughout my posts. I feel I’m more authentic to myself when I don’t have a theme present on my profile because it creates a more genuine and natural overall effect and representation of myself,” junior Camille Edgar shared. She is also inspired by celebrities on the app, with Emma Chamberlain being her favorite and acting as her fashion inspiration.

A theme could be putting a distinct filter on each post, like making every picture black and white. However, many students along with Edgar don’t have an evident style on their profile page.

“I don’t have a forced theme on my personal profile but I tend to post bright, colorful and positive photos of my close friends and nature. My favorite aspect of Instagram would be the ability to upload multiple photos in just one post,” senior Madison Kunzer said. Kunzer knows she doesn’t purposely try to represent a specific look on her personal Instagram page, although she does feel her posts lean more towards a bohemian style.

Senior Adam Wold first downloaded the app in 2017 and has really enjoyed certain features of Instagram for exploring and inspirational reasons.

“I like Instagram because it tailors to my interests on the discovery page, which is a personalized and universal Instagram page that refreshes content for individual Instagram users,” Wold said.

The craft of Instagram can be complicated but inspiring, letting those who download the app begin a journey of finding their style, interests and aspirations. This creative app helps build a sense of community as well, encouraging those to unite by finding similar motivations. It also allows people to discover their own self-identity through the endless amount of creativity within that small colorful icon.

Lifestyle

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News | November 18, 2021

NEW LAW APPROVES MENTAL HEALTH DAYS

BY ASHLEY VANDERHOFF

T

Editor

he 2021-22 school year for all high school students has been a balance of student-life getting back to relative normalcy while dealing with the leftover struggles from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While teenagers struggling with mental illness has always been a worldwide problem, the inconsistency of the last few school years is complicating the issue. The increasing number of breaks students require during a school year, whether for physical or mental health reasons, has led to conversations about whether or not taking a day off for mental health concerns is valid. For Kaneland students and others throughout the state, the opportunity to do so will be provided shortly.

Illinois students will be able to take up to five days off for mental health reasons starting in January. Students will not be required to provide a doctor’s note and will have the opportunity to make up any missed work. The bill mandates that schools will be required to come up with a plan to implement mental health days before the end of the year as required by new state law. The bill was signed into law in August 2021 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

According to the bill, if a student misses school for mental health reasons on consecutive days, the school will reach out to parents or guardians. In that situation, school counselors plan to offer resources for the family of the student to help provide any professional help that may be needed. While the law focuses on assistance from school staff, Kaneland High School guidance counselor Cynthia Violett hopes that parents will also step up to assist by getting their children the help they need.

“We would hope that those families,

if there was something that was really going on or emotionally needed, would reach out to us, to begin with, for some resources,” Violett said.

While the school counselors will be providing resources, most of the assistance for students will be provided outside school walls.

“In this school counselor setting, it is hard for us to do therapy training here because you don’t want to go so deep into something and then send them back to class. So we are more like the band-aid kind of thing. We’d refer them out if they need it for deeper therapy,” Violett said.

COVID-19 has disrupted education immensely. Last year was extremely different for students. As students faced the hybrid schedule, many classes became more challenging, and students struggled with navigating online school. Now that students are back full time, many have expressed the struggle of getting up for school every day. And with many students having busy schedules outside of school, some cannot keep up with their schoolwork. The number of students, then, advocating for their mental health to be seen as a priority has only grown.

“It’s really stressful for students when they’re like, ‘Oh, I should take one, but I can’t because I have a test or something,’ and I think [mental health days] are important because you don’t have to worry about that,” sophomore Victoria Rivota said.

Students and parents may have been using sick days as mental health days for a long time now. However, with COVID, the excuses for missing days have become increasingly difficult to define for students. Sometimes, students just need a day to relax or catch up on work.

Photo by Ashley Vanderhoff

A Kaneland School District 302 board meeting takes place at Harter Middle School. Kaneland holds board meetings every other Monday to address a range of updates and concerns about the district.

4 News

Photo by Ashley Vanderhoff

Counselor Cynthia Violett works in the Student Services office. She is one of five counselors students can visit throughout the day for academic reasons or emotional concerns they want addressed.

“I know a lot of times the weekend won’t be enough time for homework, and that’s all we get. So even just for when there’s a lot of work, it’ll really help me out because I won’t have to worry about pretending to be sick or the school thinking I have COVID,” Rivota said.

Violett also realizes that students have been using days for mental health reasons far before they became a permissable thing.

“To be honest with you, I think kids were just calling in sick before. But I think it lets them know it’s okay now to call in sick and use it as a mental health day, ” Violett said.

While students may understand the stress of school and the importance of taking time for themselves, stress-related depression and anxiety seem to keep increasing. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six students exhibit enough symptoms to meet the criteria for one or more childhood mental disorders.

Additionally, anxiety disorders were reported the most. The strategies for dealing with anxiety and mental health can look all sorts of ways.

“Self-care things can look like meditation, yoga or anything like that,” Violett said.

Similar to sick days, students will still need parental permission to stay home and will need to be called in for an excused absence. Violett feels that the new law may provide families with a more open mindset.

“I think it’s a start. I think it’s families opening up about mental health too, and allowing them to accept mental health in the home,” Violett said.

Page design by Alan Tapia

News | November 18, 2021

COVID-19 UPDATES: VACCINES AND TRAVEL

BY ALAN TAPIA Editor

VACCINES FOR AGES 5-11

O

n Dec. 11, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first COVID-19 vaccine for those who are 16 years and older.

On Oct. 29, almost a year later, the FDA authorized a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for those who are five through 11 years old. In addition, as of Nov. 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the vaccine to around 28 million children and allows for them to get the shot as quickly as possible.

Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech, recently known for their effective COVID-19 vaccines in adults, have accompanied each other in developing and running clinical trials for this newly approved vaccine over the past several months. According to both the CDC and the Detroit Free Press, trials have shown a 91 percent effectiveness rate in preventing the disease. According to the Detroit Free Press, “Children in that age group would get two, 10-microgram doses about one-third the amount adults are given, spaced three weeks apart.”

Before the vaccine could be ap-

FEWER TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

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n Sept. 20, 2021, President Joe Biden announced that starting in November, international travelers will be allowed to visit the U.S. again, including those from the European Union and the United Kingdom.

This new policy under the Biden administration allows non-citizens to enter the U.S. provided they have both a vaccination card and a negative COVID test within three days of boarding the plane.

Those who are fully vaccinated will not be required to quarantine after arriving.

This announcement reverses the previous administration’s ban of international travelers from flying into the U.S. during

Photo by Anna Olp

United Airlines customers must wait in line to board their flights at O’Hare International Airport. As air travel restrictions are modified, more passengers pass through the airport each day.

Page design by Casey Walters

ing tested, Director of the National Institutes of Health Dr. Francis Collins stated, “I’ve got to be honest, I don’t see the approval for kids - 5 to 11 - coming much before the end of 2021.”

As of Oct. 29, however, with the official approval of the vaccine, that claim has been disproved. BioNTech earlier stated that once the vaccine for ages 5-11 is officially distributed, they plan to start on a vaccine for those between the ages of six months and two years.

proved by the FDA, there had to be many tests and trials, in addition to research and monitoring. The FDA stated that all children in clinical trials should be monitored for at least two months to observe side effects. This was done as a precautionary measure to detect any rare side effects and promote safety and effectiveness before full approval. According to NBC Chicago, many people, specifically parents, have been hesitant to accept this new vaccine because of concerns over long-term impacts that have turned up in other younger vaccine recipients, which is why all of this extra testing was necessary. Throughout these trials, though, side effects were considered mild and mirrored those found in adults.

According to the CDC, “COVID-19 vaccines have undergone - and will continue to undergo - the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.”

Despite the unknowns and skepticism that can accompany any vaccine, this vaccine was still able to be approved long before many expected.

While it was still in the process of be-

The Walgreens in Sugar Grove has a specific desk for people to check in to receive their COVID-19 vaccine. They have also started to offer booster shots.

the height of the pandemic. Former President Donald Trump placed restrictions on travelers hailing from the United Kingdom, China, Brazil and Europe.

These restrictions were still in place when Biden first took office, but according to KFF.org, “As of [the first week of November], federal data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 67% of the total population in the United States have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.”

As this number increases with time and new information is released every day, rules and policies can change.

The CDC has also taken new steps to minimize further spread of COVID, including enhancing contact tracing, requiring airlines to collect phone numbers and collecting emails from foreign visitors.

The White House also announced they will be implementing tougher rules on unvaccinated Americans that are coming in from countries overseas. Unvaccinated Americans returning from international travel will be required to show proof of a negative COVID test within 24 hours of returning home. The CDC currently recommends that unvaccinated Americans from overseas be tested three to five days after returning and

self-quarantine for seven days. Additionally, those who don’t get tested are asked to self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.

This has been done to encourage unvaccinated people to consider doing so.

Meanwhile, the airline industry, which has lost significant revenue from travel restrictions, has rejoiced at the news.

Many airlines have praised the decision, as it’s a lifeline for the industry. For many employees, this has provided more work opportunities and will generate revenue for the affected airline companies.

The U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow called the decision “a major turning point in the management of the virus,” and he hopes that it “will accelerate the recovery of the millions of travel-related jobs that have been lost due to international travel restrictions.”

As restrictions change daily, people are hopeful for opportunities to come.

“Science tells us that vaccinations coupled with testing are the safest way to re-open travel, and we are optimistic this important decision will allow for the continued economic recovery both in the U.S. and abroad and the reunification of families who have been separated for more than 18 months,” Delta Air Lines spokesman Morgan Durrant said.

Photo by Casey Walters

News

5

Voices | November 18, 2021

“Tangled from Disney. When I moved when I was little, we only had one DVD for our DVD player, which was Tangled. I watched it repeatedly and never got sick of it.”

Olivia Yarbrough (Senior)

H S W O N

WHAT IS YOU MOVIE OR

“I know it’s cliche, but The Office because it’s just so good. After all my schoolwork is done at night, that is always what I choose to watch because it is really funny to watch. It’s just legendary.”

Ethan Volkening (Junior)

“I would say Space Jam, because why not? There is a lot of creativity in there and a lot of good characters that I enjoy.”

Alexander Orrala (Junior)

6 Voices

Page design by Samantha Dunne

November 18, 2021| Voices

HOWIN G

UR COMFORT TV SHOW?

“I used to watch the movie Cars a lot when I was little. I could never seem to get tired of it. I loved watching it over and over with my brothers.”

Cameron Phillips (Senior)

“Mamma Mia because I like the setting of the movie. I love the actors, and it is fun to watch.”

Berlyn Ruh (Sophomore)

“God Bless the Broken Road because it has a great story behind it, along with a great message. It kind of reminds me of why I have faith, and it reminds me that however hard things get, it always gets better.”

Georgia Harvell (Sophomore)

“I watch First Take on ESPN because it is funny to see all sports analysts argue their different opinions.”

Austin Koup (Freshman)

Page design by Samantha Dunne

Voices

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Sports | November 18, 2021

THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR SCHOOL SPORTS

BY KYRA MOTYKA

W Editor

hether you’re a star athlete, a number one fan or nowhere in between, it is clear in daily life that sports, to many people, are more than just hobbies. Playing or being involved with a sport can create fulfilling careers, lifelong friendships and lasting memories.

Senior and four-year varsity softball player Olivia Stoker said almost every aspect of the game of softball has been a positive experience for her. She has played for 12 years.

“Sports have had a huge impact on me, most of them positive… [but] softball is such a game of failure, so the sport has taught me how to get through things, how to realize when you need help and how to make the game fun again,” Stoker said.

Stoker has made lifelong friends in softball and has visited a few of her former teammates at college as well.

“I went to see Olivia Ortegel, who graduated last year, and see how she’s doing in college, and seeing [2021 graduate] Rose Roach play at Auburn is so cool. And my high school teammates are definitely people I will never forget and will hopefully stay in touch with for a long time,” Stoker said.

Similar to Stoker’s view of softball, senior and three-year varsity soccer player Jack Rissman has great relationships with his current teammates and is still in touch with several former ones as well.

“Being around teammates in classes or seeing them in halls has helped develop relationships and bonds. Those I’ve connected with on past club teams or from Kaneland have allowed me to have

Photo courtesy of Marisa Janecek

Sophomore Cora Heller prepares for a vault at a track meet last year. Heller hopes to break the school pole vaulting record this or next season.

8 Sports

Photo courtesy of Brian Beattie

Senior wide receiver Samuel Gagne lines up before a play at Sycamore. Senior Brian Beattie posted this picture on his Instagram account @tbworks.

support outside of just the sport,” Rissman said.

Playing a sport offers many positive impacts outside of making friendships.

For sophomore cheerleader and track athlete Cora Heller, sports have aided how she carries herself every day.

“Track has extremely positively impacted my life,” Heller said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot of leadership skills and gained a lot of confidence.”

Even being involved in a sport without playing brings benefits. Senior Brian Beattie, an avid photographer and videographer, has had the opportunity to film high school and college basketball, in addition to high school football.

“I’ve been able to film the Purdue basketball team, and one of their players is supposed to go top 10 in next year’s draft,” Beattie said. “[I’ve also filmed] a bunch of high schools around Chicago.”

Before finding his passion for filming in January of 2020, Beattie has been a huge sports fan since his childhood.

“I’ve always loved sports. I’ve always loved watching sports and playing sports, and it has helped me make new friends.

It’s like a connection, or a family almost,” Beattie said.

Rissman, Stoker and Heller all said that the support provided by their teammates at Kaneland has only positively impacted their relationship with their sports.

“The amount of support when it comes to activities throughout the school has always been a positive to being involved in sports,” Rissman said.

But support can come from more than just your teammates. Stoker believes that culture goes much farther than the

team alone.

“The Kaneland culture is the reason why I’ve stuck with softball for so long… in general, we have the best fans, coaches, even outside, like [Athletics and Activities Director David Rohlman], umps, even boosters. Everyone helps out, and it makes it super fun,” Stoker said. “Coach [Mike Kuefler] here at Kaneland has definitely had the best impact on me and probably the whole team. I love that guy.”

Heller agrees that her coaches help in ways beyond succeeding in her sport.

“The track culture at Kaneland has allowed me to love the sport and want to go further with it. It makes me a little more determined and happy to go to practice and want to go places with it because it’s just so much fun to be around the people there,” Heller said.

Beattie said as a photographer and fan, it is easy to tell which teams prioritize or depend on teamwork. As a result, his interest in filming has broadened to other sports than just basketball. “[My passion] used to purely be basketball, but this year I’ve learned that if you know the team you’re filming for football, it’s so much of a better experience. It’s more of a family than basketball is. There’s just something about it that’s different,” Beattie said. “In basketball, a single player can take over the game, but in football, there’s no success without everyone coming together.”

Watching a game can entertain you in more ways than mindless activities.

Kaneland offers many sports and athletic clubs for anyone interested in becoming a part of the athletics family, and every team is always looking for a fan base.

Photo courtesy of Olivia Stoker

Senior Olivia Stoker waits on second base to see the play develop. She has played softball through the school and on a travel team for 12 years.

Page design by Braden Babka

November 18, 2021 | Sports

STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN UNIQUE SPORTS

BY NICHOLAS MITCHINSON

W

Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print

alking into the arena, the stadium lights beam down on the rodeo contestants tacking up their horses and getting their ropes ready. The spectators and the rodeo competitors are all dressed in jeans, boots, button-up shirts and Stetson hats. It isn’t one particular sound that makes the arena loud; it is the combination of the goats’ nickering, the horses’ neighing, the announcer’s voice, the music playing and the shouts of the rodeo contestants.

Kaneland High School students participate in a wide variety of sports, whether they are through the high school or not. While there may be more participants in basketball, volleyball, football and cross country, there are also students at Kaneland who compete in less widely known sports.

Rodeo, for example, is a sport that may not have as many participants as others, but there are some students here who compete. Senior Kaitlyn Swims began her rodeo career in November of 2020 thanks to the convincing of her friends. Starting to rodeo at this age is very late because most people are either born into it or start at a very young age.

“I started doing rodeo just to see if I would like it. I was very hesitant to join because everyone was so good and that made me scared and nervous, but once I started I fell in love with it instantly,” Swims said.

Rodeoing is a sport consisting of many different events that allow people to demonstrate their riding and roping skills. One event that Swims competes in and takes very seriously is goat tying. She trains in general almost every day, but she also specifically trains to get better at goat tying.

“When I go out and tie goats, it could only be fifteen minutes, or it could be up to an hour. It just depends on how that day is going. Before I finish the training, I usually try to make three good goat runs,” Swims said.

Rodeoing is not the only unique sport that requires serious and extensive training for improvement. Junior Ella Kuffel weightlifts outside of school in her family gym at home. She typically trains for about two hours a day and six days a week. Kuffel originally started to weightlift during March of 2020 due to all of the free time she had on her hands because of the pandemic. She is hoping to start participating in weightlifting competitions in May of 2022. The competitions are not through Kaneland and are open

Page design by Braden Babka

Photo courtesy of Adam Gerlach

Senior Adam Gerlach skates after the puck during a hockey game. Gerlach has developed new friendships by playing with students from other schools.

for anyone who wants to sign up.

“For my first competition, I am not necessarily worried about how well I do compared to the other competitors. I just want to see how it feels to compete and just get to see what the competition I am up against is like,” Kuffel said.

Kuffel also has experience playing other sports and is involved in wrestling, tennis and softball. Since she has experienced team sports as well as weightlifting, she has been able to see the variety of differences between team and individual sports.

“I think I like weightlifting because it’s more of an individual sport, and it is not as stressful as team sports can be,” Kuffel said.

Kuffel also realizes that having a weightlifting team at Kaneland is probably not possible, but there are other ways to get people together who all enjoy the sport.

“We probably wouldn’t be able to have a team at the school because there are no other school teams to compete against. It would be nice to have a club to meet more people interested in lifting,”

Kuffel said.

Hockey is another sport that is less popular at Kaneland but still played by some local students. Senior Adam Gerlach has been playing hockey for the past 10 years and was introduced to the sport by going to his older brother’s hockey practices. When Gerlach was at one of his brother’s practices, one of the coaches saw him and asked if he wanted to give it a try, and from the beginning Gerlach was ahead of the competition.

“One of the coaches came up to me and asked if I wanted to skate. Usually when they do that, the coaches expect you to not be able to skate at all. But once I got on the ice they sent me right to the medium level skating, which never happens for beginner skaters,” Gerlach said.

Instead of having their own team, Kaneland hockey players can combine with students from some other nearby schools to form one. The team name is the Fox Valley Hawks, and it consists of players from five different schools: Kaneland, Saint Charles East, Saint Charles North, Batavia and Geneva. The team usually practices on Tuesday nights and Friday afternoons, and then they compete in games on Saturdays and Sundays at either the Fox Valley Ice Arena or the West Dundee Ice Arena.

Gerlach is one of the few Kaneland hockey players on the team, and because it is a combined group many people at Kaneland do not even realize this team exists.

“Since it’s a combined high school team, a lot of people don’t actually know that we have a hockey team, which leads to no one coming out and supporting our team,” Gerlach said.

Photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Swims

Senior Kaitlyn Swims starts her trail course event at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, OK. Swims qualified for Nationals during her first year of rodeoing and has made some of her best memories in these competitons.

Sports

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Feature | November 18, 2021

SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS

BY NICHOLAS MITCHINSON

A

Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print

s you walk through the halls of Kaneland High School, it is impossible to ignore the existence of many high school relationships. While no two high school couples are the same, there are certain things that anyone can do to start or maintain a healthy relationship.

Every relationship has a beginning, a point at which two people decide they want to take their friendship and make the commitment of being more to each other. Every couple’s experience is different, and there is not a rule that dictates when you have to make it official. However, most good relationships form from a strong existing friendship rather than rushing in and becoming a couple right away. According to everydayhealth.com contributor Jessica Migala, taking time to figure out who you both are is a better choice than rushing into something you may regret. This will take away the pressures of dating and truly allow you to be yourself. If you rush into being a couple, you may be timid and scared to make a mistake and possibly lose your partner.

“When you first meet someone, you’re usually not your complete, full self with that person,” love and relationship coach Jennifer Spaulding said. “You stay on your best behavior and may also avoid being vulnerable.”

By both people being themselves, it will allow them to actually know whether or not they are the right person for each other. It also does not take an expert to realize this is a more appropriate way to transition into d a t i n g someone.

Many high school students here at Kaneland have had a friendship that has developed into a relationship, and they too realize how well that

10 Feature

worked.

Seniors Evelyn Taylor and Samuel Regelbrugge are currently dating but began as friends. They have been friends since sixth grade, but they did not start dating until their freshman year of high school.

“Everyone has their quirks, and being friends lets you see those kinds of things before there is commitment and pressure. Spending time as friends allows you to be sure you know that the relationship will be something you both will take seriously,” Regelbrugge said.

Having this friendship before solely committing to each other will also allow time to develop communication and trust. According to thehealthy.com, in order to have a healthy relationship, there must be strong communication and trust, which takes time and practice to develop. Trusting each other and having good communication eliminates all the unnecessary arguments in a relationship.

To build trust and good communication, both people in the relationship must work together. For trust specifically, it does no good if one person is trustworthy and the other is not. Likewise, it is important for both people to understand each other and how they can communicate most effectively without creating a problem or making it worse. 2016 Kaneland graduate Larissa Aurelio had experience dating in high school and now is married to her high school boyfriend. Aurelio dated her now husband throughout high school and knows from experience how important communication and trust are in high school relationships.

Graphic by Anna Olp

“While I do believe communication is important in a relationship, I think that trust is of equal importance. You can tell someone something all day long, but if you do not trust what they are saying, then it does not really matter,” Aurelio said.

Beyond being able to trust and communicate in a relationship, it is important to show that you care about each other.

While it may be hard to consistently do huge things for your partner, there are still many simple things people do to show they care, like day taking trips, surprising each other with gifts and going to special events. When Aurelio was still in high school, she and her husband would do certain small things for each other. “[We would offer] simple gestures that showed the other that we cared about them. We would write each other notes, we had inside jokes and we supported each other in everything we did.

The constant support from the other person really helps,” Aurelio said.

Along with not being able to do all the things that may come with adult relationships, the life of a high schooler is very busy even without a significant other. There are so many things that go on in the daily life of a high school student, and being able to realize that both you and your partner have other responsibilities is key. Understanding that you need to make time for everything else in your life aside from them will lead to a healthier and stronger relationship.

“I think my relationship lasted through high school because we understood that we were not the only thing going on in each other’s lives. While we made time for each other, we also made time for friends, family, school and work. It is important to keep a balance between those; do not focus too much on one,” Aurelio said.

Page design by Zoey Pozen

Feature | November 18, 2021

UNDERSTANDING ALL GENDER IDENTITIES

BY PAIGE WHITESIDE

A Editor

s society progresses, our collective and much-needed acceptance and respect for transgender individuals also continues to grow. However, there is still a lot of misrepresentation and confusion about these people, causing bigotry and hostility towards them. With so many members of modern society feeling more comfortable with coming out and expressing their unique identities, it is necessary for others to understand all the aspects of gender in order to respect one another.

For a long time, the idea of being transgender or presenting oneself as a gender that did not align with the gender assigned at birth was strongly looked down upon. However, in more recent years, society has started to become more accepting, allowing transgender individuals to express their true identities.

The rights trans people have in the U.S. today are still in need of a lot of improvements. Their legal protections are sparse, side s by

Photo

Paige

tor Rachel Giles, a cisgender woman, has seen the effects of a lack of understanding of trans people, especially at school. Though many people experience incidents of transphobia at school, there are also a lot of accepting and welcoming students and teachers who are there to support them.

“I have friends and former students that I have witnessed [misgendering and transphobia] happen to. I think this is more prevalent in a school environment.

On the flip side, I have also seen people at school be very supportive of gender non-conforming and transgender people,” Giles said.

Cisgender individuals identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, while transgender people do not identify with their

themselves as disconnected from the boundaries of strictly male and female identities.

Freshman Zero Niemeyer finds that they don’t have a definitive decision on what their gender is, falling under the gender non-conforming category. Using she/he/they pronouns, she gives people many options to refer to her.

“I just feel more comfortable with letting other people decide how they want to perceive me since I do not really view myself as any specific [gender], to be honest,” Niemeyer said.

In order to understand gender

e

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soph and ntity. s r e Rog der ide son n r Ma one’s ge o i n e y s r , e r v ideneye tand e s Niem ero to under tities fully, it Z n ant shma also helps to have an , fre s import n e l l i A understanding of the usage of olan er, it ior N each oth n e s , pronouns and their relation to gender. t s c e l e i resp el G birth-givEveryone has pronouns, though many Rach To truly r o t irec nouns. en gender. Trans- people do not realize this. Pronouns are er d o theat their pr d n gender people are either words that refer to someone who is being a g r n i e y each ispla . male or female, like cis people, talked about. For example, “She went to ish t signs d l g n d , E r e - depending on how they transition. A ma- the store” is a sentence that could be said right gren hol ft to al e l W a m sulting in a jority of transgender people experience about someone who uses she/her pron o n r F ia re G large amount of vio- gender dysphoria, a sense of discomfort nouns. For someone with they/them proomo

lence against them. In 2015, the U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) found “disturbing patterns of mistreatment and discrimination” against transgender individuals when it came to the basic elements of life, such as getting a job, finding a place to live and accessing proper medical care, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE).

The majority of the problems transgender people face are due to a lack of education among the population. Misunderstanding the proper meanings of different gender identities and the purpose of pronouns are issues that can be resolved by research, but many people do not educate themselves on these topics.

English teacher and theater direc-

Page design by Kevin Sigrist

due to a mismatch of one’s biological sex and gender identity. After experiencing this, many trans people take action to be able to present as either more masculine or feminine, taking steps such as getting surgery to change their anatomy, changing their name or changing their appearance with the way they dress.

A range of gender identities fall under the umbrella label of non-binary, or gender non-conforming. Non-binary people do not identify as exclusively a man or a woman but as either a mixture of genders or no gender at all. There are many different labels to describe gender that are under the umbrella of non-binary genders, but the main characteristic of gender non-conforming identities is that people who fall under this category view

nouns, you could say, “They celebrated their birthday.” Some people even have multiple pronouns that they are comfortable with. When someone says that they use he/they or she/they pronouns, or any combination of them, this means that when speaking about this person, one should switch between pronouns.

Sometimes the pronouns that people use may not match how they present themselves. These people do not owe anyone masculinity or femininity.

“People need to educate themselves on how to respect one another,” senior and transgender student Mason Rogers said. “If we all listened to each other and understood what everybody is going through, we would be able to achieve respect in society, which we all deserve.”

Feature

11

Centerspread | November 18, 2021

Photo by Kevin Sigrist

Christina Staker is a teacher in the English department, teaching classes such as English 10 enhanced, AP Literature and Composition, creative writing and occasionally communication studies.

Because of this variety in classes, she encounters a range of students and tries to put herself in their shoes in order to remain understanding.

“I think we just have to remember what it was like to be a student, and I think that gets harder as the years progress. But one of the big takeaways I had from college was when I had a professor say, ‘Never forget what it was like to be a student,’ and I think I’ve tried to keep that mindset in the 14 years that I’ve been teaching. To know that there are times where I feel overwhelmed by grading, then [the students] have to feel bogged down and overwhelmed by schoolwork,” Staker said.

Photo by Ashley Vanderhoff

Kenneth Dentino teaches math, specifically enhanced geometry and pre-calculus. He is also the coach of Kaneland High School’s chess team. Dentino is very well-known for his approachable personality and how he makes his subjects very easy to understand. When asked what he thought was important in making a class that students can be successful in and understand, he made the analogy of teaching a class being like a game.

“I think putting your stuff out there and saying, ‘This is what [our class] is going to be,’ needs to be known. As complicated as your system is, whatever your system and however it fits into the jigsaw of what the school requires you to do and what your colleagues want you to do for that class, you’re still going to have your own little quirks, and students need to know that. If they know the game, then it’s a fair game to play,” Dentino said.

Photo by Kevin Sigrist

Kenneth Paoli teaches the three levels of chemistry and also coaches the wrestling team. He is very liked amongst students and is known for his ability to connect with them by having open communication. When asked how he builds relationships with his students, he discussed finding a medium between building bonds and staying efficient with the material.

“I think when teaching a class, the absolute most important thing is that students are engaged in the material. I think my way or my method of engaging students in the material is by building relationships, by trying to make the material relatable and by having fun and joking around in class even during those lecture times. There are some kids who just do not want to be in class, but I think most of the students that I have look forward to and want to be in my class,” Paoli said.

According to massadvocates.org, “An analysis by the Review of Educational Research of 46 studies found that when teacher-student relationships are strong, improvements are seen in key areas, such as student academic engagement, attendance, grades, disciplinary actions, and school dropout rates.” For many students, coming to school every day is not exactly ideal, and it can be hard to feel connected to the people around them. However, the more positive relationships we’re able to build, specifically with teachers, the better school can be for everyone.

12 Centerspread

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

November 18, 2021 | Centerspread

HOW KANELAND TEACHERS CAN HELP THEIR STUDENTS

BY KEVIN SIGRIST

H Editor

Photo by Kevin Sigrist

Mark Meyer is the Kaneland boys golf coach, and he teaches psychology and AP human geography. He is very liked by many students and is praised for being kind and organized. When asked how he is understanding of his students and shows that he cares, he discussed the balance of establishing genuine bonds with students while staying efficient.

“Forming a relationship with the students and showing them that the teacher genuinely cares about them [is really important]. I tend to be very organized, and I do tend to get down to business faster than other teachers, and sometimes I think that sacrifices some of the relationship building I could be doing with students and helping them understand that I really do care about them and what they’re doing outside of school as well.

So it’s about finding that balance,” Meyer said.

Cartoon by Dane Coyne

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

igh school is a very busy and memorable time in most people’s lives.

You learn important lessons and information, make new friends, discover who you are and find your interests. You are also tasked with maintaining a healthy balance between school, extracurriculars, jobs, a social life and many other things that may be specific to an individual. Because of this, it is really important that within the realm of school and the work that comes with it, teachers are understanding of students’ need to balance their responsibilities and take measures to ensure their class is not a disproportionately heavy burden.

One of the ways teachers can do this is by having a comfortable class environment. Teachers who have fun decorations that exhibit their personality or organize their desks in unique ways rather than just in rows make the environment more exciting and welcoming.

“Presentation is very important. Having a classroom filled with things that are enjoyable to look at is a lot better than just having a plain white classroom because when you walk into an undecorated classroom, you think, ‘Wow, this is not going to be a fun class.’ A classroom that has good decorations makes you think, ‘I want to be a part of this,’” sophomore Louis Blickem said.

Class environment does not stop at decorations, however. It also pertains to the teacher’s personality and attitude towards a student. A teacher who is too focused on the curriculum and does not spend time to get to know or form genuine bonds with the students is something that can make or break how much a student enjoys a class, and by causation, how well a student performs academically in that class.

Senior Andrew Ryan understands the importance of the relationship between class difficulty and the teacher’s attitude towards students and how much it can change the enjoyment of the class.

“To me, the most important thing with a teacher is having a good attitude towards the students,” Ryan said. “I’ve had teachers where the work has been near unbearable and they had been really strict, but they were at least nice to be around, and they still helped you with your work even if you were behind. They were still nice towards the students, and doing that helps every other aspect of

teaching.”

Teachers spending time to make their class environment friendly and welcoming and building strong bonds with their students makes the class more comfortable, and this generally leads to better experiences in the long run.

While the in-class environment is a heavy portion of a student’s perception of a course, the work assigned outside of class is something that can cause the most problems for students as they juggle extracurriculars like clubs, sports, arts and jobs.

Junior Caitlyn Grobe is a student taking the Foundations of Education class and has developed opinions on how teachers should assign homework.

“I have a problem with homework every night because, especially in high school, people have their emotional needs they need to attend to, a lot of people are in sports or band, they have jobs and they also need to spend time with their friends and their family. If every teacher is assigning homework every night, then [students] have to start sacrificing one of those things, or they have to start sacrificing sleep,” Grobe said.

“That is going to ultimately affect their grade. [Teachers who] assign homework on Wednesday or Thursday and have it due on Monday, or teachers who assign projects and have it due in a few weeks [do it right].”

Blickem also runs cross country and feels the schedule he has to balance during the fall season is difficult to manage.

“A class can be fun while sticking to the curriculum by giving less out-ofschool work because [I have] band for [three hours], and the two-hour gap between school and band is filled by cross [country],” Blickem said.

During the fall, the marching band rehearses from 5:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, and the cross country practices are every weekday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

It is very important that teachers understand and care about their students by creating a comfortable environment and a manageable class. They can do this by developing a good classroom culture and a positive attitude, not assigning too much homework and having clear communication with their students to ensure that no one is falling behind.

Centerspread

13

Advice | November 18, 2021

TIPS ON HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT GIFT

BY SAMANTHA DUNNE

T

Editor

rying to find the perfect gift for a family member or friend and hoping it won’t end up in the trash is a prime example of pre-holiday anxiety.

With holidays right around the corner, friends and family members are usually scrambling to find last-minute gifts at the busiest time. But as you can imagine, the pandemic has presented some unique and ongoing challenges with a significant shortage of products in some of your favorite stores, which could make it hard to find that perfect gift. Sometimes gift-giving can be difficult, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

A truly thoughtful gift will mean more than the most expensive one. Sophomore Lauren Andrews enjoys Black Friday because it’s the perfect time to find gifts for her friends, and the feeling she gets after their reaction makes it worth it.

“I love shopping at Target and Barnes & Noble because they have a wide variety of options, and they have decent prices. I always try to find something [my friends] will love and remember for many years to come,” Andrews said. “The feeling of giving someone the gift is better than the gift itself because I know they’ll love it as much as I do.”

As we all know, social media has a big impact on today’s society, and that includes affecting the way we shop for gifts. Many businesses can keep their customers updated on any special offers or exclusive deals that are only available online. Rather than shopping through the big rush and crowds, a better idea is to stay where you are and shop from the comfort of your home. It is more convenient to shop online because you can usually find more options and exactly

what you need without having to travel all over the place. It is not worth waiting in long lines at stores for the same deals or better ones - that you can find on your computer.

Math teacher Kristin Massey typically shops on the internet for gifts for her two kids rather than in stores.

“I like shopping online for my kids’ gifts during Black Friday because I don’t have to worry about the big crowds, and I don’t have to worry about the risk of things being out of stock or someone taking the last item in the store,” Massey said.

While shopping online and spending less money may be frowned upon, it still has the potential to lead to a good gift. All that matters is that the gift means something special and you put in the effort.

LISTENING FOR IDEAS

PRESENTING WITH THOUGHT

GIFTING ADVENTURE

D

A

F

uring this eventful month, Thanksgiving is arriving soon, and then the calendar will turn to Black Friday. If you know you tend to struggle with gift-giving during the holiday season but want to make sure you find ones that will put smiles on your loved ones’ faces, then pay attention to the smallest details while you hang out during the upcoming weeks. It is important to pick up on key things they bring up in conversations that could relate to any gift concept. More often than you might think, people will tell you exactly what they want during the course of a conversation without even realizing it. Listening carefully to these hints can be very helpful when planning what to get for someone. The earlier you start thinking about the gift you’re going to buy, the more time you have to listen closely. Listening for phrases like, “I wish I had...” or, “I really like…” can lead you straight down the path to a great gift idea. Without listening carefully, generic gift ideas can lead to generic reactions. When it comes down to the time you need to buy your gift and you still don’t have a good idea, the worst thing to do is ask the gift recipient directly what they want. Finding a good idea by listening can lead to unique reactions and great surprises. A personal, thoughtful gift is not as hard to find as it seems. All it takes is attentive listening.

14 Advice

nother important step on how to give the perfect gift is presentation. A gift can still look good and not be complicated at all. You should consider all of the possibilities of how to put it together.

Depending on the gift, you can add a bit of creativity by using something like a mason jar or a fun basket instead of just a bag or box. If you still choose to put your present in a traditional bag or box, there are many ways to make it look and feel more special.

You could try and wrap the gift in their favorite color or use a bag with a unique design.

Another thing you could possibly do after you finalize your gift is write a note. It can be one sentence or a full letter. It will lead to an emotional and thoughtful gesture either way. Spanish teacher Michelle Jurcenko is a wife and a mom and understands the importance of the presentation of a gift. She always makes the extra effort to make sure the presentation of the gift is special.

“Part of giving a good gift is the presentation, so if you can find some wrapping paper that is specific to them that is great. I always try to tie something to the outside of the gift, like a big and pretty bow or some ribbons to serve as an appetizer to the gift,” Jurcenko said.

Giving a gift with thoughtful presentation shows that you put in more effort and can only improve the quality of your gift.

inding a thoughtful gift is a great way to show your gratitude, but it does not always have to be an object. Instead of finding something on a store shelf, you can get someone you care about tickets to a special event or something to do in a unique location. This is a great gift because they will be going somewhere they enjoy rather than being given an object that they may or may not care about, and a trip to somewhere fun tends to lead to a great experience. Local spots where people would enjoy going are places like Color Me Mine in Geneva and iFly Indoor Skydiving in Naperville. Also, if they would rather do something in an outdoor environment, good options are either Six Flags Great America or a local outdoor concert. Another option instead of giving them gift cards or tickets to some place is taking them to the place yourself. When you take them there yourself, not only do they get to experience what you had planned for them but they get to do it with someone else, which always makes the experience better. The perfect adventure gift has no limits. It does not have to be a local visit, so you can go downtown Chicago as well. You can venture through the city by going to restaurants unlike any we have nearby, internationally renowned museums and a variety of places near Lake Michigan such as Navy Pier or the Shedd Aquarium.

Page design by Nicholas Mitchinson and Anna Olp

November 18, 2021 | Editorial

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

Cartoon by Dane Coyne

Celebrating our minimum wage workers and acknowledging the work they do is not something we do enough. Using basic manners, being patient and sympathetic and even leaving a tip if possible is all that is needed to display our appreciation.

Cartoon by Dane Coyne

According to the Mental Health Foundation, “An act of kindness can boost feelings of confidence, being in control, happiness and optimism.” Especially as students in high school, it can be hard to stay positive, but there are endless benefits to being a kind person.

POSITIVITY IS ALL YOU NEED

I

n this day and age where everyone is quick to ask, “What’s in it for me,” it can be hard to remember the morals once taught to us as children: Always choose kindness over hate. No matter how nice somebody is, we can all acknowledge that it can be easy to slip up and let the bad take over the good.

However, there are absolutely no benefits to spreading pessimism or putting negative energy out into the universe. Instead, releasing positive energy is something we should all be doing more of, and ultimately, this will lead to receiving that positivity back.

Spreading positivity means more than just saying “please” and “thank you.” The way that a person carries and presents themselves are big indications of their character. Being able to do this in a way that attracts others and makes you a better, nicer person is the prime goal.

When people hear the word energy, they may think of crystals, manifestation or other things of that nature. Energy, though, is not always spiritual; when you think about kind people that you know, you may describe them as having good vibes. That “vibe” is really just energy that they are putting into the universe. Being this way has numerous advantages, while again, being rude and neglecting these values has none in the long run.

Believe it or not, being nice actually affects you as much as it does other people. In other words, the behavior you exemplify will eventually be returned.

Treating everyone with respect, paying someone a compliment out of the blue and being encouraging to people are all actions that will compel others to reciprocate that kindness. It is a common phrase

20

Page design by Sophia Opp

that “what goes around comes around,” and that could not be more true; it is hard for people to ignore or not want to match that positive energy that you put out.

This idea relates to karma. Karma is defined as “the sum of a person’s actions... viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.” It is like a cause and effect situation. Your behavior towards others is the cause for the eventual effect, which is what you receive back.

The feeling of improving someone’s day is something that never gets old. It feels incredible to be a good person.

Keeping this concept in mind and putting it into practice will build self-confidence, exercise social skills and promote more positive interactions amongst peers.

Optimism is like a domino effect; this outlook inspires people to act the same.

In turn, more people feel content, and the world is a better place.

Again, even though most of us are aware of these benefits, being human means making mistakes. In moments of frustration, for example, it is easy to lose sight of your positive energy and snap at someone. The issue arises when people who are fully aware of their rudeness avoid making changes to their attitude.

In these moments, take a step back, and think about a few things: Is what you are doing making you feel good about yourself? Is what you are saying poorly affecting others? Does the way you are acting have any benefits whatsoever? If the honest answer to any of these is no, a change must be made. Letting off some steam may feel relieving, but in the end, there is nothing that validates negativity, and positivity is always the answer.

0

Member of IJEA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA IHSA State Finalists 2013-2021 IWPA Silver Pen 2017 NISPA Golden Eagle 2017 IJEA First Place for Krier Online 2021 IJEA First Place for Best Hybrid Publication 2021 IJEA First Place for Best Overall Publication 2021 Subscription rates: Five issues, three supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $25 EXECUTIVE STAFF Sophia Opp Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print Madeleine Little Editor-in-Chief of Web

Nicholas Mitchinson Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print & Sports/Activities Executive Sarah Janito Production Executive

Anna Olp Design Executive & Photography Executive Gabrielle Parker Ad/Business Executive

MANAGING EDITOR STAFF Casey Walters Technology Manager

Ayshe Ali Assistant to the Advisor

Karmyn Hookham Social Media Manager

EDITORIAL STAFF Lifestyle Kyra Motyka Voices Samantha Dunne

News 1 Alan Tapia

Sports Braden Babka

News 2 Casey Walters Feature 2 Zoey Pozen

Feature 1 Kevin Sigrist

Centerspread Ashley Vanderhoff

Advice Paige Whiteside

Editorial Sophia Opp

Opinion 1 Benjamin Warford

Opinion 2 Sarah Janito

Profile Sarah Janito

Photos Madison Kleivo

STAFF

Advertisements Gabrielle Parker

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, Elliot Krippelz, Alexander McLean, Bonnie Michelkamp, Abbey Mondi, Cameron Neis, Katherine Pfotenhauer, Sophie Ponce de Leon, Angelina Provenzano, Sarah Schimmel, Mikalah Seward, Elizabeth Sidman, Jordan Theis, Andrew Valentini, Kisella Valignota, Sofia Williams Cartoonists McKenna Goss & Dane Coyne

Print Production

Ryan Nudo

Nicholas Montalbano

ADVISORS Dominic Bruno Krier advisor

Nicole Larsen Print advisor

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.

Editorial

15

Opinion | November 18, 2021

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS NEGATIVE EFFECTS

BY ANNA OLP

S

Design Executive and Photography Executive

ocial media is inescapable. According to an early 2021 phone survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 69% of U.S. adults use Facebook.

If you are a part of this majority, it is more than likely that you have felt the impact of social media on you and your dayto-day life in one way or another. While there are benefits to having the world at your fingertips, the negative effects that social media have on its users begin to outweigh the benefits.

Accessing social media is as simple as tapping your screen. Because our phone is with us everywhere we go, this simplicity can lead to social media usage in place of productivity.

“It’s tricky because it’s in your pocket.

The second it buzzes, you take it out and look. Whatever you were doing a second ago gets put by the wayside,” Kaneland High School psychologist John Markovich said.

In high school classrooms, it is very commonplace to see students on their phones during class periods. Work time lost due to social media can lead students to fall behind in their assignments and consequently result in sinking grades. To so many students, their letter grade is everything, and it can even define how they feel about themselves and their worth.

There are no benefits of using social media in this setting that can outweigh these negatives.

“Students need to learn how to balance social media and their workload in school so they can learn how to be productive before going to college or getting a job. Social media isn’t going away, and it’s better they learn how to balance it in school rather than getting fired from a job in the future,” business teacher Douglas McNally said.

This effect of social media should not be simply chalked up to the procrastinating tendencies of high school students.

The fast paced culture of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat fills users’ feeds with new, recent posts almost every time any of those apps are opened. This creates the need to check these apps frequently to keep up on new information.

The urge to check social media no matter the time of day happens to many users, not just students.

“I feel as though there is that need to keep on top of it because if you don’t, you could miss a little or a lot of what is going on in the screen,” Markovich said.

Social media can be addicting. Ac-

16 Opinion

cording to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “There is a growing scientific evidence base to suggest excessive social networking site use may lead to symptoms traditionally associated with substance-related addictions.”

These addictive tendencies have the potential to affect sleep as well. We’ve all been there, laying in bed at night with our eyes glued to the screen. For some people, this can be more extreme than others, but social media usage can keep people, like myself, up for hours.

According to SleepFoundation.org, “Unfortunately, social media and sleep don’t mix well. Excessive use of social media close to bedtime can reduce sleep quality and increase the risk of a multitude of sleep issues.” This lack of sleep, along with the lowered self-worth that comes with decreased productivity, can lead to a decline in mental health.

There are many aspects of social media that are detrimental to mental health. Self-image is a common problem for users of apps such as Instagram. In a modern mindset where how you look is of utmost concern, photos on social media becoming the norm for body image are dangerous for many reasons. Photos can be, and very oftentimes are, edited.

Because influencers with thousands of followers are seen so commonly, the way they look has become the norm. When what people view as normal cannot be achieved naturally, it leads many to see themselves very negatively.

“Not being able to see the negative aspects of social media posts can really affect the way we view our own lives. People put their best traits out there for everyone to see and hide the stuff that’s not

favorable,” Markovich said.

Even if you have managed to keep yourself from making an account on Facebook or Instagram, these apps can crawl into your life nonetheless. From the classroom and sports to family and friends, social media is used by many as a communication hub.

Social media has given us the opportunity to connect with others like never before. It allows us to reach people even on the other side of the globe. Whether it is distant family members or new friends met online, the reach of social media is impossible to replicate.

While reaching others has never been easier, genuine communication through social media is difficult. Not having another person’s face to look at makes it far easier to create toxic communication whether intended or not. Almost everyone has typed something that they would not have said to the recipient’s face. Where some people differ is the decision to either backspace and fix the message or simply hit the send button.

“A lot of communication problems are caused just because it’s not talking face to face. You can’t read body language, and it’s easy to misread what someone wanted to tell you,” Markovich said.

Social media has a grip on adults and an even firmer grip on teens. Most of Generation Z in America has grown up with an iPad in their hands. Access to social media has been available to us from a very young age, and so have the negative effects. Recognizing that these effects override the positives is essential to ensure we don’t inflict these consequences on anyone who can avoid them.

Cartoon by McKenna Goss

Social media has made an impact in the lives of most teens today. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, “Surveys show that 90% of teens ages 13-17 have used social media.”

Page design by Benjamin Warford

November 18, 2021 | Opinion

SOCIETY’S EVOLVING CLOTHING OUTLOOK

BY BRADEN BABKA

F

Editor

ashion in society has drastically changed from what it was in the early 2000s. Nearly every person has the ability to create their own fashion and wear what they want, including hairstyles and makeup. The bigger question, then, surrounds what is deemed acceptable to wear in public. With the tendency for fashion to change by the day, it seems that some people’s perceptions of and expectations for how others dress haven’t changed much at all. Are certain restrictions too close-minded for today? The simple answer is yes. Certain segments of today’s society have standards for what other people look like that are too limited for our ever-changing clothing norms.

People who go to school or a job are most likely familiar with the dress codes in those buildings. Strict or laid back, most places have them just as a baseline for the extremes, such as wearing a bikini or underwear to school, which are reasonable restrictions. Some places, however, might be more questionable with rules, such as not allowing shorts that are too short or shirts that are cropped too high.

One of Kaneland’s dress codes, which seems hardly enforced, doesn’t allow students to wear clothing that exposes the entire middle of their body.

Why is this a rule? The Kaneland dress code states that it’s in place so “students’ dress and grooming does not disrupt the educational process, interfere with the maintenance of a positive teaching and learning climate, or compromise reasonable standards of health, safety, and decency,” but how does wearing something like a crop top intrude on these standards? It doesn’t. Students are forced to cover up even though wearing these items are popular fashion choices.

This clothing could also be something that students feel fit their body shape or personality. It shouldn’t be criticized to wear something that you want to wear and feel comfortable wearing.

Many workplaces have strict codes because the people who impose them want to create the appearance of a more professional work environment for their business. However, that sort of mindset doesn’t apply to today’s standards. Many people have dyed hair and piercings.

It’s completely common, and employees who prefer that look shouldn’t be forced to change their style.

By contrast, some employers make their workers wear certain clothing rather than allowing them to wear what makes them comfortable. The job might require

Page design by Sarah Janito

Cartoon by McKenna Goss

The scrutiny young women are constantly facing regarding their clothing choices seems to increase each year, especially in schools. Expressing yourself through clothing and comfort can allow a person to be more open and confident.

that men wear suits and women wear dresses. In past years, it seems men have been able to get a little lazy, dressing more casually in jeans and dress shirts, but that still leaves women wearing dresses, skirts and heels. Not to mention the expected nice hairstyles, nails and makeup. This seems to single out women because of the extra money and effort they have to spend to dress for work. Women should be able to dress casually and have a choice when it comes to makeup usage.

Moving back to Kaneland dress codes, the rules pertaining to after-school sports are unfair as well. Boys are told not to take off their shirts when at practice, and girls are told not to wear sports bras. In the brutal heat athletes face in the summer, early fall and late spring seasons, the last thing they want to do is cover up, making it even hotter and preventing them from performing their best.

Many athletes find the dress code unreasonable since they are outside and not in the school building.

“I feel when we take our shirts off, we run a little quicker at practice,” junior cross country runner Nolan Hosking said.

“I think if we are out there and it’s a hot enough day, there could be an exception, especially if it could be a heat hazard.”

Many student-athletes are unsure of why this dress code is in place. Most assume it is from an individual complaint against a team practicing outside with no shirts being worn.

“I don’t see any point in the rule. The same thing for the girls. I heard they can’t wear sports bras,” Hosking said. “I think neither of them are viable rules. I guess

people are getting distracted, but really, you shouldn’t be getting distracted by other people practicing. There’s nothing inherently distracting about that.”

On the tennis courts, it can feel a lot hotter than it really is during hot days. “[The school dress code] is unfair and not even enforced, so what’s the point if it’s not enforced,” sophomore girls tennis team member Abby Grams said. “Athletes should be able to wear whatever is comfortable for them to work out in, and if there is no dress code in school that’s enforced there shouldn’t be one for extracurriculars.”

There’s also the issue of shaming, whether it’s publicly or behind closed doors towards those who wear what others may view as suggestive clothing.

Falling under the category of bullying, the shaming issue can be hurtful to those it’s aimed at. Everybody has freedom of expression and shouldn’t be ashamed of what they want to wear. People should learn to accept the wide variety of clothing options and understand that it’s 2021, and things have changed.

It can be agreed that there’s a certain extent to the freedom regarding what a student can wear to school. Wearing no shirt in school is definitely pushing the limits, but a rule against wearing a skirt that’s above your knees is unreasonable.

Schools and jobs should adjust to the new norms of clothing and make standards that fit them correctly; the dress codes should be looser. This also isn’t just a school and job problem. This is a societal issue. People should understand the changing of society’s clothing norms and should grow to accept it.

Opinion

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Profile | November 18, 2021

18 Profile

Page design by Sarah Janito

November 18, 2021 | Profile

HOW JOSHUA BRUNSCHEEN GIVES HIS BEST

BY SARAH JANITO

S

Production Executive

enior Joshua Brunscheen has always had a lot on his plate, but his plans for life after graduation have him balancing being a part of four after-school clubs, having three jobs and playing a sport in the spring season. He also currently takes four AP classes at Kaneland (which comes with three to four hours of homework per night), is ranked second in the class of 2022 and has a GPA of 4.225.

As for how Brunscheen balances having so much to do, he describes himself as more of a “go with the flow” person, and being nice, open-minded and helpful to others is one of his top priorities. Brunscheen, to outsiders, may naturally seem like a very positive person most of the time, but what they do not know is that he feeds off of others’ positivity to achieve that mindset for himself. Being around other people and experiencing their happiness makes him feel good and keeps him going.

“I just like to be around people. I don’t really like being alone. I have to be around people to be positive. So, as long as there are people around me, I feel pretty uplifted,” Brunscheen said.

While it does not seem like he has much free time, Brunscheen finds joy in being with his friends as well as being involved in Scholastic Bowl (which he describes as being similar to Jeopardy, but in teams), National Honors Society (which recognizes community and academic achievements), Mathletes (an after-school math club that holds competitions), Spanish Club and tennis at Kaneland. In fact, Brunscheen finished third last season in the first singles position at the Interstate 8 conference tournament. His head coach, Larry King, appreciates Brunscheen’s outlook on life and what he brings to the court each practice, even if it means playing in jeans when he comes from work (an anecdote King was fond of recalling when thinking of Brunscheen.)

“Josh overall is an excellent leader. He does a great job as a teammate.

He’s always there supporting his team. At practices, he takes the lead and helps assist and gives feedback to his teammates.

He really takes pride in what he does,” King said.

Aside from the variety of clubs he is a member of and the many AP classes that Brunscheen takes part in, when he gets a chance to step away from all the responsibilities and classwork, he has three sporadic jobs he attends to as needed.

He babysits for a good family friend, is a math tutor for anything pre-calc and un-

Page design by Sarah Janito

der and pet sits for just about his entire neighborhood.

“It’s not every day, like I don’t work at Dunkin’ Donuts or anything. I don’t have a schedule or anything for my jobs. [My routine] is not super regular. It’s mainly my classes and then my free time. I know what I have to do for each of my classes and clubs, and everything else is just whatever I want,” Brunscheen said.

Brunscheen, if given the choice between his multiple responsibilities, prefers to be with his friends or family when he has time to step away from everything else. He has a small group of friends whom he is close with, and he gets along well with his siblings. For Brunscheen, having just one person he considers a best friend is not ideal, as he values each and every person in his life. He would rather have a small group of friends he is close with, and he definitely relies on them. He and his brother, sophomore Matthew Brunscheen, get along well and are close.

“We have a strong relationship with a lot of trust. If I were to describe him as an older brother, I would say he is very protective, caring and trustworthy,” Matthew Brunscheen said.

Staying positive is important to Brunscheen, especially since he is looking into some of the top colleges in the nation to major in computer science (along with considering a minor in Spanish). He used to have a lot of performance-based test anxiety, but he recently has learned to overcome it and uses what he knows in class as opposed to focusing on specifics. He learned to lean back a bit this and last year by playing piano, watching YouTube and Netflix and constantly playing music to calm himself while doing homework. He also has learned to take breaks in between homework sessions to avoid burnout. So far, this has worked out very well, as he is looking into going straight to a top tier, four-year school. He is aiming to apply to Ivy League schools, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to pursue his major, but he does not currently know what will happen.

One of Brunscheen’s close friends, senior Scott Remrey, has been inspired

by Brunscheen as both a friend and a student ever since they met in Challenge ELA their eighth grade year.

“Josh always inspires me to be a better person and friend. He is a hardworking student who takes his education very seriously, challenging himself with class-

es and always giving his best, yet still finds time to care about his friends and does his best to make people happy,” Remrey said.

While other clubs like Spanish Club or Scholastic Bowl are regular commitments throughout the school year, the tennis team Brunscheen also commits his time to only takes place in the spring. Last year was the first year of the boys tennis program at Kaneland, so Brunscheen and King hope to make the best of their time left together before graduation in May. “I’m hoping for big things for him this year. I hope he has a good opportunity to possibly get down to State,” King said.

Brunscheen mentioned that being around other people uplifts him, which may be true, but he has also learned to use his own resources to sustain his motivation and support his mental health through times when stress runs high for him.

“People think that I’m super positive, but the majority of the time I’m putting myself in the mindset of being positive because you’re more likely to become positive. I really care about other people being happy,” Brunscheen said.

With all he does, it seems very stressful to have so much work to do all while maintaining deep and meaningful relationships with friends and family. However, Brunscheen uses multiple methods to stay upbeat and driven, those that include using coping methods while completing schoolwork, keeping a planner filled with his many duties, feeding off of other people’s happiness and trying his best to stay positive and be kind to everyone. His mother, Jessica Brunscheen, is especially proud of her son’s accomplishments not only academically, but socially as well.

“What makes me most proud of my son is his awareness and dedication to be accepting of everyone,” Jessica Brunscheen said. “He truly makes it a priority to spread kindness in our world.”

Everything about Brunscheen, from clubs to AP classes to his positive attitude, can seem unmanageable to those who don’t know him. But to him, it is just another day he gets to live to make a difference to those around him.

“Josh is a very intelligent, very caring person who seems to always put others’ needs in front of his own when he can, simply because he genuinely cares about people,” Remrey said. “You can tell he gives his best in everything, whether it comes to his education, his friends or himself.”

Profile

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Photos | November 18, 2021

THE VALUE IN HAVI

W

Seniors Kirk Blanco and Logan Dickerson have been friends for five years. When together, they enjoy playing games, watching shows and sharing a very similar sense of humor. The two have a very close relationship and are always there for each other. “These five years have been amazing with all the memories we’ve made, and I hope for more fun adventures in the future,” Blanco said.

Juniors Makayla Barsotti and Jenna Soucie have been friends since middle school and are always by each other’s side. Some of their favorite things to do are go on drives, bike ride and eat food. “Makayla is my best friend because she has always been there for me the past five years, and we always have fun together no matter what,” Soucie said.

20

Photos

hen life gets hard, we all need that on one who can make us laugh when we’ when we’re stressed. We all need a b A best friend means more than just havi night. Best friends are your go to source for trust into. Best friends can be your immediate ter the group of people. Best friends aren’t ju a while. According to the Mayo Clinic, true fr and purpose, boost your happiness, reduce y self-worth, help you cope with traumas and e lifestyle habits.”

A real best friend has the power to com person can make all the difference in your r teachers, classmates and even yourself.

Kaneland High School is fortunate enough tic and genuine duos each and every day. Som niors Kirk Blanco and Logan Dickerson, junior Jordan Anderson and Isabelle Gerlach, senior and seniors Isabella Humm and Jack Rissman in the hallway or cracking jokes with each oth each and every day.

School can get stressful, work can becom over what feels like everything. Having a spe we can ask for. So this year, remember to than you, and also remember to be extra kind to yo idea how much they appreciate you.

Seniors Jordan Anderson and Isabelle Gerlach were one. Being next door neighbors, the two some of their favorite games being cherry bom we’ve known each other forever. We’ve been frie

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November 18, 2021 | Photos

ING A BEST FRIEND

ne person we can go to. It helps to have some’re crying, happy when we’re sad and carefree best friend. ng someone to hang out with on a Saturday r happiness. This is the person you put your e plus one to every social gathering, no matust someone you have fun with every once in riendships “increase your sense of belonging your stress, improve your self-confidence and encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy

mpletely change your life for the better. This relationships with your other friends, family,

h to be filled with so many positive, enthusiasme of these include, but are not limited to, sers Makayla Barsotti and Jenna Soucie, seniors r Abigail Burroughs and junior Keelyn Devine n. Seeing these best friends walking together her is an instant mood boost to so many of us

me overwhelming and family issues can take cial person by your side is the greatest relief nk your best friends for everything they do for our own partner-in-crime because you have no

h have been friends with each other since they o have grown up together playing outside, with mb and kickball. “Jordan and I are neighbors, so ends for as long as I can remember,” Gerlach said.

Page design by Madison Kleivo

Seniors Isabella Humm and Jack Rissman have been friends for the past 10 years beginning in elementary school. Their selflessness and kindness towards each other is what makes them best friends. “We’ve been friends for so long [because] it’s not hard to get along when you’re able to communicate and when you’re both mature enough to hold that relationship,” Humm said.

Senior Abigail Burroughs and junior Keelyn Devine began their close friendship in high school after meeting through cheerleading. Besides doing cheerleading together, they enjoy getting ice cream and going to amusement parks. “Keelyn is my best friend because she’s so nice, and she’s always there for me. I love her,” Burroughs said.

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