Kaneland Krier H S
September 2012-March 2015
MARKS OF FORGOTTEN MEMORIES
THE HARMONY WITHIN A CHARITY BUILT AROUND A STUDENT KILLED IN COLUMBINE ASSITING SUICIDE IS MURDER
NIck Boose Journalism String Book
Achievements Kaneland Krier Editor-in-Chief 2013-2014
Kaneland Pennon Editor-in-Chief 2014-2015 NISPA Bronze Certificate 2013-2014 Illinois Journalism All-State Team 2014
Kaneland Krier Stories 2012-2015 Knights win regional in overtime The Summer Movie Hit List All-American BBQ Review Student Programs Introduce Merger Steps to College In-Depth Marks of Forgotten Memories Sleeping the Day Away Knights Basketball Starts Their Season Balancing Thanksgiving and Black Friday The Harmony Within Michels Wins the Mayoral Race Superintendant Resignation Rachel’s Challenge Flu Season on the Rise Ebola Myths
Putin Opinion Assisting Suicide
The first sports story I have ever written. It was a good experience for me, as a young reporter, to go out and interview upper classmen. The story enabled me to get a good experience interviewing.
Senior Bryan Van Bogaert looks for an open teammate while being guarded by senior Trever Heinle during practice on March 1.
Photo by Brody Kuhar
Knights win regional in overtime BY NICK BOOSE, Reporter The Knights captured their first regional title since 1999, defeating Rochelle in overtime in a come-from-behind victory. The team started off slow with foul trouble and getting out-rebounded and at the half they were down 33-20. They came out of halftime with intensity and slowly but surely cut the lead down. “We’re a second half team. We never give up,” senior Tyler Heinle said. The team went on a 8-0 run to tie the game to send it into overtime, then continued with a 6-0 run to clinch the championship against the Hubs. The team never looked back as they pulled off a 65-61 comeback victory.
It was the season’s biggest win, but winning has been the Knights’ specialty this season. The team had just come off a huge victory against Sycamore in the first round of the class 3A Rochelle regional, defeating the Spartans 55-45, and faced off against Rochelle for the third time this season in regionals. The team lost to Rockford East 66-54 in the first round of sectionals, but Coach Brian Johnson was happy with their success overall. “The team started really strong. We were able to build early momentum and win us 17 games,” Johnson said. The team’s record this season is 17-11. The Knights’ leading scorer has been senior Marcel Neil, who is averaging 13 points per game.
BY JACOB JORDAN
HARDEST PART OF YOUR SPORT
“Once I got here, it was really easy. I discovered that everyone here already knew me,” Neil said. Neil has had a lot of success, but he credits the rest of the team, knowing that it’s not a single player game. “My scoring is all because of the teammates, they help out a lot. They set up nice screens and picks,” Neil said. Neil said he clicked well with sophomore Thomas Williams, who averaged about ten points per game for the Knights. “Marcel and I just had an instant bond when he came here,” Williams said. All-conference players include Neil and Williams, and Heinle recieved Honorable Mention. The Knights finished conference tied for second with Yorkville.
WHO WOULD YOUR AGENT BE?
WHAT ANIMAL WOULD YOU SPEAK TO?
“It is not hard because I strive to be the best.”
“‘Someone Like You’ by Adele.”
“Cathy Peters because she would be the best fit for me.”
“I would love to pick a giraffe’s brain for a day because I want to know what they are thinking.”
“Overcoming your mindset. You have to have a lot of endurance.”
“‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele.”
“My dad because he loves me.”
“Elephants because they bring you good luck.”
“The competition is very hard. You have to be mentally and physically prepared.”
“I don’t have one.”
“My dad because he knows how I could improve without being mean.”
“A dog because they are everyone’s companion.”
Jordan Jones
Senior, Baseball
Know Your Knights
Contributions by Shane Fergus
SONG YOU CAN SING THE BEST
Carolina Tovar Senior, Track
Sarah Kitz
Senior, Softball
Contributions by Jacob Razo
My first taste in designing a page and writing the story to go on it This assignment prepared me to work on unique desing for my upcoming role as the In-depth editor.
the
HITLIST
Six supernatural flicks will likely be
“Snow White and the Huntsman”
ASomething DATE atclever the goes DRIVE-IN here!
1
Opens June 1
A fairy tale returns to the big screen in epic proportions. “Snow White and the Huntsman” takes the classic tale up a notch. The jealous queen (Charlize Theron) sets out to destroy one fairer than she (Kristen Stewart) by sending her huntsman. Their fate is changed when the two fall in love and have to fight the queen.
“Prometheus”
Opens June 8 Director Ridley Scott, creator of the sci-fi horror classic “Aliens,” is coming out with a prequel to the series. It’s being hyped as one of the summer’s biggest hits and stars Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron and Patrick Wilson. A group of scientists travel to the edges of the earth to save the future of mankind.
“The Amazing Spider-Man” Opens July 6 Peter Parker is a teenaged boy who gets bit by a spider one day and gains strange supernatural powers. Parker is played by Andrew Garfield from “The Social Network”; Emma Stone from “The Help” plays Gwen Stacy, Peter’s love interest.
“The Dark Knight Rises”
Opens July 20 The final piece of Chris Nolan’s epic Batman trilogy finally arrives this summer. “The Dark Knight Rises” picks up eight years after “The Dark Knight” ends. Now Batman (Christian Bale) must defend Gotham from the brutal Bane (Tom Hardy), a challenge with his ruined reputation from the crimes of Two-Face.
“The Bourne Legacy “
Opens August 3 This continuation of the Bourne Trilogy stars Jeremy Renner (“Mission Impossible”) as CIA operative Aaron Cross. He comes from the same secret world as Jason Bourne, who isn’t in this film, and “The Bourne Legacy” tells a story like Bourne’s: an agent put in by the government for Operation Treadstone.
“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” Opens August 15 Timothy Green’s parents don’t know where he came from. After being told that the couple could not have children, Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim Green (Joel Edgerton) write down everything they wished for their child to have. They buried the papers, and the next thing they know, Timothy mystically appears.
–Marissa Mulligan and Nick Boose, reporters
2 3 4 5
Geneva Park District Locations vary; call (630) 232-4542 for information. Here’s a chance to see a free movie in the park. “Cars 2” shows at Moore Park on June 14; “Field of Dreams” at Mill Creek Community Park on July 12; and “Puss in Boots” at Sunset Park on Cascade Outdoor Theatre 1100 E. North Ave., West Chicago Watch a double feature for $14 per carload on Sundays. On Friday or Saturday nights, admission prices are $9 for adults, $5 for children (5 through 11) and children under 5 and pets are Cantigny Park 1S151 Winfield Rd., Wheaton Visit most any Thursday for a movie in the park, starting June 21 with “Toy Story 3.” Other features include “How to Eat Fried Worms” and “Kung Fu Panda.” Entrance is just $2 per car. Route 34 Drive-in 4468 East 12th Rd., Earlville See a double feature any Friday, Saturday or Sunday night. Adults 13 years or older pay $8, seniors 62 years or older pay $7 and children 5-12 years pay $6. Midway Drive-in & Diner 91 Palmyra Rd., Sterling Catch a double feature on a Friday or Saturday or see a triple feature any Sunday night. Admission prices are $7.50 for adults 12 years and older and $4 for children; children under 3 are free. –Marissa Mulligan and Nick Boose, reporters
My first attempt at a review. It was an interesting experience. I had never gone into a restaurant doing anything other than eating. It was a great time. This story was one of my best in terms of word choice. I took careful consideration to each sentence to really pull in the reader.
“Project X” album sets high standard in movie soundtracks
Only costing$4.95, the Italian beef isn’t overly expenisive, and still can fill a hungry customer.
Photo by Nick Boose
The new burger, beef and barbeque bonanza BY NICK BOOSE, Reporter When a place is named All-American Barbecue, there are certain expectations, and this tiny Sugar Grove fast food spot lives up to them. Let’s get one thing straight: this place isn’t the fanciest. It’s very casual and a little cramped inside, with seating for just two people and a counter for the staff. What All-American Barbecue does have is good barbecue. The staff said the BBQ pulled-pork sandwich ($5.25 with fries or $4.75 with chips) is their specialty, so that’s what I ordered. It was a generous portion of shredded pork covered in tangy, sweet barbecue sauce and served up on a soft bun. It was one of the best pulledpork sandwiches I have had, which is especially nice because it’s the only place in Sugar Grove selling pulled pork. The sandwich came with a small portion of thin-cut fries, which were decent overall but a little on the greasy side. One warning: the service is very slow, so the best thing to do is call in an order and then go pick it up. After I called in, I had to wait 30 minutes for my food; once I got to the establishment, I stood at the front counter for five minutes before it was ready. And don’t expect a fancy presentation — mine came wrapped in tinfoil in a paper bag. But the food makes up for the slow service. Beyond pulled pork, All-American Barbecue features an All-American menu that ranges from traditional Chicago-area favorites like
Italian beef ($4.95 with fries) to a half-pound hamburger ($4.50), hot dogs ($2.25 with fries), pizza (prices vary), and a variety of typical American appetizers, including mozzarella sticks ($4.95), jalapeno poppers ($4.95) and chicken wings (prices vary) . The Italian beef is the other specialty, according to the staff. It was a traditional Italian Beef sandwich. The beef was finely sliced, drizzled with juice and tucked into a crusty Italian roll. It came tightly wrapped in tin foil and was accompanied by chips or fries. Though it was good, there was nothing special about it. Honestly, something everyone expects is a hamburger from every American-style restaurant. All-American BBQ’s version did not disappoint. The hamburger was monstrous. It was a thick portion of beef with just the right balance of meat and topping, and it came piled high with the standard ketchup, mustard, onions, tomato, lettuce, pickles and mayo. AllAmerican BBQ certainly isn’t the only place to get a hamburger in Sugar Grove, but it’s one of the better ones—and while it’s not surprising that it would be better than McDonald’s, it is surprising that it was better than the burger at the far more elegant Fireside Grill. All-American Barbecue is a great place to grab a bite to eat and is a welcome addition to Sugar Grove’s limited restaurant scene. It’s located at 80 S. Main Street, near John Shields Elementary. Call orders in ahead of time to avoid a long wait; their phone number is 630466-5000.
Right behind Bruce Springsteen’s album “Wrecking Ball” and Adele’s “21,” the soundtrack album for “Project X,” a movie about a teenager’s house party that gets completely out of control, is crashing the party and taking the position for number three on the Billboard Top 200. Featuring popular artists such as Kid Cudi and Far East Movement, the album provides a great variety of songs, from techno to rap, that would add an ultimate party playlist to anyone’s iPod. Every song has a get-up-and-dance feel. The disc opens with “Trouble on My Mind” by Pusha T, a standard hip-hop song. Keeping the energy up, it provides various remixes such as A-Trak’s versions of “Ray Ban Vision” and “Heads Will Roll,” and they did an amazing job with them, skillfully transforming the original songs into full-blast techno tracks. Bringing some old school presence to the album are artists Nas, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. And, of course, no party is complete without Steve Aoki’s remix of “Pursuit of Happiness.” Overall, the album was a success and worth the purchase. It is available on iTunes or CD, with 17,000 copies sold in its debut launch. -Courtney Reiss, editor
The Fray look to come back with “Scars and Stories” After 2005’s “How to Save a Life,” The Fray has been struggling to make another hit album. Their new album, “Scars & Stories,” that is a fair attempt to reach their 2005 high again, but it’s not quite there, though it is much better than their self-titled album that came out in 2009. The second I started listening to “Heartbeat,” the first track on the new album, I instantly fell in love with the song and the way lead singer Isaac Slade’s voice melts into your ears with his slurred singing style. As the rest of the songs played, however, I slowly became bored with one slower paced piano-rock song after another. The songs and the album itself have a reasonable length. “Scars & Stories” has the perfect amount of 12 new songs. The song amount makes listening to the entire album easy, it can be listened to it’s entirity on just a drip downtown, which suits people that have a hard time listening to long albums with a lot of tracks. People that like The Fray and other similarbands will enjoy “Scars & Stories,” but if songs that seem identical in sound or lyrical choice. The similarity in songs is common with The Fray, and usually doesn’t suit many music fans. I would adivse buying one or two hand-picked songs to avoid the repetition that “Scars and Stories” brings to the table -Liz Such, reporter
A hard news stroy, I really didn’t run into many problems with the story. The only thing that came up was just patience when waiting for decisions to be made by each side.
Kaneland Care Week influences school
Four days during the week were dedicated to a different student or teacher who has an illness or disease. Students and faculty showed their support for Pratt, Bridget Sweeney, Jennifer O’hara and BrianWillis by wearing purple, Disney apparel, pink and sports jerseys. “I wanted to support ending cancer and help the people I know that have it,” junior Michael Stanley said. Each day during the week a prize basket was raffled off at lunch. A “purple” basket, a Disney themed basket, a “pink” basket and a sports
themed basket including two Chicago Cubs tickets were raffled. Students got raffle tickets by donating their loose change at lunch. April 16 was Band Night in the Kaneland Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. which was an admission of $5. On April 17 “Frozen” played 6:30 p.m. in the Kaneland cafeteria and money was raised by selling concessions during the film. The money raised was added to the Kaneland Care Fund along with the money raised at the Mr. Kaneland talent show. The money raised is going to various community members in the Kaneland School District. Kaneland Care Fund raised a total of nearly 1,500. “A group of school administrators will determine who receives the money,” Peer Leadership sponsor Lori Grant said. The money will help needy families in a variety of ways. Gas gift cards, grocery store gift cards, charities and other ways of distributing the money are being considered by the Kaneland Care Fund. “I am very thankful to be a part of a place that cares so deeply about each other. Big things and little things happen around here all the time. When someone is suffering it is important that they know Kaneland is here to support them in any way we can. Sometimes that is a listening ear, and sometimes it is a meal, pick-me up card, visit, or many other act of kindness. We all hope we never have to use these, but find great comfort in knowing that Kaneland will be there for us if needed,” Principal Jill Maras said.
changes in sponsors and other areas going on,” Student Council sponsor Sally Wilson said. According to both sponsors, some students are uneasy about the merger of the two groups. Junior Kendall Krawcyck is the Junior Class Vice President in Student Council and a PLA in Peer Leadership. “I wish it wouldn’t merge. It’s not for the best. There will be just too many opinions on everything,” Krawcyck said. Other students like Junior Gracelyn Sizemore support the merger of the two groups. “We do so many common things and we have the same basic ideas, and there would be
more people. I’m especially for it when we are decorating for homecoming. We need people to help decorate,” Sizemore said. According to Wilson and Grant, the structure of the program isn’t “quite set in stone.” The tentative structure would be under an umbrella called Student Council. There would be subgroups called Peer Leadership and Student Government that the the members can be a part of. Everyone involved would participate in things having to do with spirit, such as Mr. Kaneland and Homecoming. “[The merger] is just a growing experience for people,” Sizemore said.
Peer Leadership sponsor Lori Grant collects donations from students
By Nick Soucie and George Strang, Reporters Kaneland Cares “Spirit Week” was held on April 14-17 to benefit students and faculty members affected by illness and disease. The event was sponsored by the Peer Leadership and Student Council programs. Originally created as a fundraiser for sophomore Julia Pratte who was diagnosed with a form of life threatening cancer earlier this school year, “Care Week” was expanded into a larger fundraiser to benefit and raise money for even more people in the community who are affected with illness or diseases.
Photo by Brian Motta
Student led programs introduce a merger By Nick Boose, Executive editor
Student Council and Peer Leadership have proposed a joining of the two groups starting in in the 2014-2015 school year. “Student Council approached us at the beginning of the school year about merging. We have finally taken the leap,” Peer Leadership sponsor Lori Grant said. As of press dead the merger between Student Council has not been approved by the school board for the 2014-2015 school year. “We felt like this was a perfect time to put the merger into action because of all the
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Steps to College BY SAM SCHREPFERMAN AND NICK BOOSE, Editiors
Franklin helps Senior Jack Childress in the new college career readiness center.
College is a once-in-a-lifetime chance that all high school students take steps towards to reach their destination and future career. The process is a long one but essential to a student’s best potential.
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ENIOR SEAN FLAMAND IS APPLYING TO COLLEGES LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. HE IS LOOKING AT COLLEGES WITH GOOD MAJORS AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY CAN GIVE HIM.
He has already applied to a handful of colleges by filling out their applications. Some things he is proud to put on his application are his involvement in student council and National Honor Society. Just like Flamand, students all head down the same road toward college. The first steps toward applying to college are smaller than the rest, but they all have the same impact. Each year students set their goals high for college but they all apply to college in high school. They choose their favorite college, apply to them and choose the one for them. Every college hopeful does this in three different steps.
Picking out colleges
The first step towards college, according to counselor Andrew Franklin, is finding the top ten schools that have a degree in a certain field of interest. Keep in mind your financial status. According to Patrick Ritter, author at classesandcareers.com,there are six different types of colleges to choose from: online institu-
tions, campus institutions, community colleges, state colleges, state universities and private colleges/ universities. Online institutions are more focused into one main career. They are specialized for just classes that are important to that degree. Careers like teaching classes would focus on certain grade levels and subject. A career like physical therapy classes that would focus on muscles and exercises instead of math and history. Campus institutions are offered online and on campus grounds. This type of school gives different classes other than the ones gear towards a certain degree. Community colleges are small knit colleges usually found in local areas. These colleges offer an associates degree and sometimes bachelor’s degrees. State colleges are state funded colleges that offer college designed courses. They also offer anywhere from and associates degree to and doctoral degree. They are a lower division school and are known but not well enough. These colleges will give out academic scholarships. State universities are a tax funded school. This school is usually found in a large college town. They offer all the different types of de-
grees. They are well known and are a higher division college. These colleges will give out full rides for sports. Private college are not funded by taxes because they only take donations. They are considered the top colleges. They have every degrees from associate to a doctoral.
Applying to colleges
After finding ten schools, find out what the schools are looking for in their application. Some colleges look for a letter of recommendation, academic history/related high school courses, ACT scores and sometime a essay. Also look for scholarships to any certain school. “The goal for applications at Kaneland High School is to have application filled out by halloween. Make sure to research college applications deadlines, each school is different,” Franklin said. When getting a letter of recommendation, look for a teacher or any staff member that has positive comments to say. Even try and get a couple different letters for options when applying. Sophomores and juniors should talk to a counselor on what they can do to help with grades and ACT scores especially. There is an on-
line prep course for all student preparing for the ACT at ACT inc. The course is $19 and is created by the same people that created the ACT. The essay part of an application differs for each school. Some can be as simple as “ What is the best advice you have ever received? Why? And did you follow it? ” (University of Pennsylvania). It could even be “If we could only admit one more student to the University of Pittsburgh, why should it be you?” (University of Pittsburgh) or it could be anything that schools want. The last part of applying for colleges if there is college scholarships. When there are scholarships try see what division the school is. If they are a division three schools, they can only give out academic scholarships. If they are a divisions one or two they can give both academic and sports scholarships. When applying for college and looking for a scholarship send letters to both the coach for a sport and the school. According to National
perfect fit. Finally look for all the things that may be minor details but still important. Distance is a huge deal to most people. The farther away the harder it is to get home. Cost maybe a factor for a lot of people. Look for ways that will help with financial aid and student loans. Picking a college is one of the hardest part of senior year. Don’t become swamped with so many things to do; start sophomore and junior year and make the difficult decision of picking a college an easier one.
College and Career Readiness Center “A place to research colleges and possible career paths. Students can use the Naviance Family Connection to exlore their post-secondary options, apply for colleges, and apply for scholarships.
“We’re very excited to have this opportunity in place this year to help support students as they discover all the options available to them,” said Shore.
Types of Colleges
According to Classes and Careers, these are the different kinds of colleges and their descriptions. Online Institution: Online colleges are are created to be a more general career-focused college. They receive a portions of their revenue through student tuition and from the government.
Campus Institution: These types of schools offer online and campus locations. These are still more career-focused, and are a forprofit school
Community College: These types of schools are smaller. They offer Associates’s and paoosible Bachelor’s degrees. This school od funded by tax revenues from the state or locality.
State Colleges: Collegiate Scouting Association. All athletes should start to look for scholarship by at least their junior year in high school.
Choosing a college
When choosing a college it is a good idea to attend the campus when class is in session to get a feel for the school. “ When you go to campus when class is in session you feel the excitement of rushing to class,” said Franklin. First, look for what each school has to offer academically and socially. Each college will have clubs, sport teams, and even local get-togethers. Each college will also have many different class to choose from. Second look at the size of students attending each college. Some colleges will have lecture hall filled with hundreds. Depending on how each student learns one or the other will be the
The college and Career Center is open during Smart Start on Thursday mornings and throughout the lunch periods. Mr. Franklin, as well as counseling interns, are available to answer questions and help navigate students through Naviance. Student Services will be using Naviance to inform students about upcoming college representatives and speakers from the work force,” said Counselour Erin Shore. This is a huge resource for all high school students who are looking to find the right college for them. Getting ready for college is a huge task. Looking for, applying to, choosing a college could be one if the most important responsibilities of someone’s high school career. Remember that this can all be done with the help of parents, teacher and counselors. Just remember, all the hard work that has been put in will benefit you greatly in the end.
State colleges are funded by tax revenues. These schools can give anywhere from and Associates to a Bachlors degrees.
State University: These schools are funded by tax revenues. These schools are usually a higher division school and are well known to the state.
Private : These privately funded schools are funded by private donations endowments, and student tuitions. These schools are renowned educational schools like Yale and Harvard.
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ENIOR ANDREW HARPER KNOWS THE FEELING OF BEING SCARED EVERYDAY. FOR HIS MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER THE ONLY GOOD WERE WHEN THE BIG GROUP OF BULLIES WEREN’T IN SCHOOL. DURING THOSE YEARS .HARPER WAS IN THE BATAVIA SCHOOL DISTRICT. EACH DAY HE HAD BULLYING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. “It wasn’t often that they were absent, considering they were in sports,” said Harper. Harper was bullied constantly. He says his days were either a day of small amounts of bullying or very severe cases. “An okay or good day consisted of verbal let downs. Like calling me weak, pathetic, telling me that I’m a nobody, or a loser,” said Harper. Some of the okay days even consisted of physical harm to. He was pushed and locked into lockers. One day, the group of bullies locked him a locker for more than two hours. For Harper, physical harm was either an okay day of bullying or an awful day. “I remember the worst day very clearly. It actually started off being somewhat fine. During our lunch period, two guys jumped me, they folded me up and put me in a trash can. I was facing my head to the top of the garbage can and my feet were right in front of my face. The boys took the trash can and rolled it down a flight of stairs. Once I got to a landing they rolled me down another flight,” said Harper. Harper came out of that with a sprained ankle, sprained wrist, gashes on the head and leg and a busted lip. The school staff found out only when Harper limped into the nurses office bloody and dazed. Harper had hit his breaking point. There was no way to fix the damage that had been done. It was later that day Harper was in terrible emotional shape. He sat in a chair with a rope in
B U L LY
Dear bully please stop tormenting me Your words and actions sure do sting May I have a moment’s peace? Just one moment for this pain to cease? You taunt, you tease and name-call Loser, wimp or Neanderthal I am too short, I am too tall
hand. A beam above his head. A Bible in his lap. He thought to himself that if God has a plan for him, he should show it now. Harper opened the Bible to a page and read the passage: “God puts you through trials. He puts you in them with trust that and faith that you will overcome them.” Harper closed the Bible and put the rope and chair away. The thought of suicide has never crossed his mind again. In this case, the bullies were given their punishments. One of the boys was given a detention and the other was suspended for five days.
than it was. The focus here is on prevention and intervention according to superintendent Jeff Schuler. At Kaneland, there are certain steps to be taken with each bullying incident. The main focus is showing the bully what they have done and how it has affected the other students around them. This is meant to prevent bullying in he long run. In the new bullying policy, bullying is broken down into three levels. Each level is based on the severity of the act. Based on the action the bully is not only given a consequence, but they are put
“I have been bullied myself. I question why someone would bully, for personal issues or other motives,” said junior Alex Specman. There is no doubt that bullying happens in any school in any school district. How you handle it is what counts. Constant research has been done on the topic of bullying. According to a NIHS News Release a total of 10.6 percent of students said that they had been bullied. A total of 8.5 percent said they were targets of moderate bullying. A total of 8.4 percent said they were bullied frequently. About 30 percent of students have been bullied on school grounds alone, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In the Kaneland School District, this situation would have been handled much differently
Skinny, fat, smart you say with gall Yes I have tried to disregard The names like stupid and retard I try to ignore but what’s the use? You then turn to physical abuse Have I done you a complete wrong? For you to pick on me is running low
through forms of intervention. Harper says that intervention is a good idea, on paper. Talking to a student about what they have done wrong won’t do anything. They have to have some kind of life changing experience, in his opinion. Intervention is the second stage of the effort to rid bullying. Preventing a situation plays a key role to bullying. Principal Chip Hickman says part of the prevention is establishing culture. Establishing culture will raise awareness within the students. According to Schuler, reporting is a standing issue within the kaneland schools. However kids
A poem by Nadya Resche
My self-esteem is running low But I make sure it doesn’t show Teacher do you have help to spare? I am in a crisis. Do you care? But should I tell you, do I dare? The term ‘fink’ is a shame to wear Will it help or will it worsen?
If heard by this bully person? Is there anything if you please? To put my mind at restful ease? You say you can’t watch everyone Forget the problem, it will be gone Then you ask the dreadful question Was it something I might have done?
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By Sam Schrepferman and Nick Boose, Editors are taught from a young age that telling on people is bad. To fix this, Hickman wants to link the community and parents to establish the culture of trust and reporting incidents. A big part of raising awareness in students is reporting issues that happen. At Kaneland Harter Middle School, there is a tip line that students and parents are able to text and call to report an incident. Hickman expressed interest in setting up a ghost e-mail for reporting in the high school. “I want a culture where students trust our staff to report issues. They should have a relationship with their teachers beyond academics,” said Hickman. According to Schuler, bullying has been a problem since the beginning of time. “We need to engage our community on what our plan is, and getting their feedback on the plans in place,” said Schuler. In order to further stop bullying, the Kaneland School District reaches out to outside firms for advice and support on the fight
Oh counselor I do declare This cruel strain is hard to bear Then comes the repetitive song “To this person what did you do wrong?” My mood is sour, I am bitter I need a friend, not a baby-sitter You say anger is like cancer
Forgotten Memories Photo Illustration by Sam Schrepferman and Kristan Staub
against bullying. Making the community more involved in the efforts against bullying is a huge need. “Our [school district and community] efforts are towards the same thing,” Schuler said.
Kaneland School District Bullying Policy
The policy is distributed into three levels. Level one is the lowest severity of bullying, as the level increases then the severity of the act increases and so does the punishment. The forms of bullying under level one include exclusion, rumors/gossip, physical contact with no harm or intent to harm such as poking or invasion of space and cyber bullying. At level one, there are intervention efforts put in place to make the bully realize his or her wrongs. The forms of bullying under level two include aggressor enjoys popularity from the bullying, aggressor feels the target deserved the actions, physical aggression, cyber bullying with intent to incite group mentality, aggressor feels
Violence is not the answer What can I do, I’m in despair If I can’t fight then it’s not fair How do bullies stop when they won’t listen Nothing but contempt in their eyes glisten All hope is lost, I’m in a rut I feel like an unwanted mutt
superior and authoritative over the target and racist remarks. In level two, there is a deeper search into the aggressors vulnerabilities. This is done in order to possibly find the source of the bullying, the reason why the aggressor is doing the actions. The aggressor at level three is thought to be manipulative and a repetitive liar. Actions that fall under level three include verbal and physical attacks, multiple acts on one target, aggressor perceives others are against them, termination of someone close to them, feels superior with intentional harm and enjoys the status of being feared. With a level three act, the incident is immediately referred to administration to conduct an investigation. Intervention includes invite outside support, mandatory anger management training, and research support system including outside medical interventions. Bullying is a seriouse problem and will be handled acordingly. Every precaution will be taken to ensure it has been stopped.
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Sleeping the Day
A W AY ZZ Z
S
By Sam Schrepferman and Nick Boose, Editors
OPHOMORE ELLIE TATTONI WAKES UP ALMOST EVERY MORNING WISHING SHE WENT TO BED EARLIER THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. SHE FEELS LIKE NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP AFFECTS HER AWARENESS OF HER SURROUNDINGS.TATTONI GETS GOOD GRADES BUT SHE THINKS GETTING MORE SLEEP MAKES PEOPLE AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS. Just like Tattoni, many more students are having the same problems with sleep. These problems affect the amount of work students get done in class, their ability to drive properly and many more issues concerning their well-being. The way sleep takes a toll of the students body and life is noticeable. Work ethic becomes less and less. The attention span students have during school become shorter. Even the appearance of students start to show the amount of sleep they are receiving every night. Studies and survey were conducted to show the teen sleep patterns and why this is becoming such an epidemic.
What’s the big deal? The constant battle with modern-day teens is getting the proper amount of sleep. They are told the proper amount, but the reality is that more than half of teens aren’t getting it. What many students don’t understand is that lack of sleep can have serious effects on every aspect of their lives. It is scientifically proven that adolescents need more sleep. Teens tend to have irregular sleep patterns across the week and typically stay up late and sleep in late on the weekends. This can affect their biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep. The right amount of sleep for the average teen is about nine and a half hours of sleep. Although this is the proper amount of sleep adolescents need, only so many students are receiving it. At Kaneland about only eight percent of students are receiving the proven amount of sleep needed according to Brown University. Teens will experience serious side effects due to the lack of sleep that are mentally and physically altering. “With the lack of sleep, teens are more likely to become depressed, have negative physical health, poor school performance, school absenteeism and drowsy driving,” author and research scientist Atlanta Danice Eaton said.
Not only are students affected emotionally but also in their basis of their everyday lives, including their education.
Educational Matters When teens lose sleep they become more vulnerable to the conflicts within their school life. The conflicts include the grades they receive, paying attention in class and the overall life aspect of their school life. “The more sleep you have, the better you will function during school,” junior Matt Alfrey said. Many students who aren’t receiving the proper amount of sleep are spending their time slaving away finishing their homework and cramming their studying in for a big test the next day. Especially with the schedule change at Kaneland, students are having a hard time adjusting. Due to having up to four more classes and 40 minutes less of time in class, students are being forced into a new routine. Humans are creatures of habit. They stick to one standard routine and it takes a while to change it. If our habits are changed if greatly affects us. Just like everyday life if anyones sleep patterns become changed they are strongly affected by it. The sleep everyone get helps them last the whole day and accomplish what needs to be done. With all the schedule changes and amount of homework given out, students are having a harder time adjusting to the their new life at school. “The amount of homework that I do overnight makes me tired and sleep the next morning,” sophomore Kaylee Ferrell said. The early morning starts to the school day have a noticeable effect on students. Kaneland students have been used to started class at 8:14 in the morning, but are now starting class at 7:35, making sleep at a greater issue. The early morning starts may be a burden to many of the students, but administration claims that the effects for moving back the start time for school would have a more extensive effect on the community. Early mornings make it more difficult for students to focus in class, particularly if the proper amount of sleep from the night before wasn’t reached. Many students can be less active in the morning and have little motivation to be active or awake during the class. “Mornings are not my favorite time of the day. I love sleeping in. The mornings make me
ZZ
feel so tired,” sophomore Jordan Bednowicz said. On Thursdays, however students get the chance to sleep in. The Smart Start on Thursdays provide the opportunity for students to be well rested. The extra hour gives students a chance to sleep in once a week and to have extra time to do homework or school work in the morning. Although the majority of students get a chance to sleep in, many clubs have taken advantage of this time and meet at the same time school would start. This takes away the extra amount of sleep students get the chance to have every week Even though many club members like student council have priorities to take care of on Thursday mornings, students have taken advantage of the Thursday morning late start. “[On] Thursdays, I feel well rested for school,” freshman Julia Schafer said. With the extra sleep teens get on Thursdays make them more active and happier to start of the day. Their emotion and attitude is more positive and active.
Thought and emotion The amount of sleep a teen receives can also affect the way they remember events or ideas and their emotions. Learning in school becomes pointless if the lessons you learned in school aren’t remembered for the next day. Studies show that with the lack of sleep students’ emotions can become unclear and at an uneven keel. Also, the lack of sleep affects students. Scientists measuring sleep have found that the lack of sleep deprivation leads to lower alertness and concentration. With this lack of sleep reaction time slows .This affects your everyday life with regular activities related to walking writing and even driving.
Driving into effect Along with school work, driving is another part of student life that can be affected by the lack of sleep. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the lack of sleep causes the driver of a car to become drowsy and fatigue. This causes more than 100,000 traffic accidents each year, and young drivers are at the wheel for
more than half of these crashes. “Drowsiness impairs your ability to focus and make good decisions,” drivers education instructor, Ernie Colombe said. It has been reported that 65 percent of students who have been in a previous accident have reported driving while sleepy, compared to the 35 percent of the subjects who have not been in a crash. “As soon as you notice drowsiness, try to avoid driving. Pull over, get out of the car and walk around to get some fresh air,” Colombe said. The amount of sleep students are receiving during the night it’s a recommended amount of sleep to be driving on. Only six percent of students have gotten the recommended nine hours of sleep, and 58 percent have tried to catch up on their sleep over the weekends. “ The drivers who drive when they’re tired scare me. I feel like they are going to drive off the road,” Ferrell said.
Turn off not zone off For teens, there are so many distractions surrounding them, trying to hold their attention. After school activities, homework and especially cellphones distract teens for what’s important. Electronics grab the attentions of thousands of teens. Facebook, Twitter and other social networks hold and keep adolescents from getting tasks done. A study from the Journal of Pediatrics, published a survey of Philadelphia-area teens. It was found that two thirds of the adolescents tested had a television in their room, one third had a computer in their room, 90 percent had their own cell phone and 79 percent had a personal music device. “These technological devices activate the mind. It’s like having a stressful work conversation just before getting to bed,” Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Dr Jonathan Pletcher said.
Students struggling to stay awake during class.
Z ZZ ZSCHEDULE Kaneland’s Sleep
A poll was conducted of 192 Kaneland students. Students were asked a variety of questions about their sleep routine. The results are as follows.
11%
of students think sleep affects their grades
8%
of students get 9 hours of sleep each night
of students feel well rested often
77%
ZZZ Z Z
70%
of students get A’s and B’s
21%
of students get home after 9 pm Sidebar Compiled by: Jarod Erlandson
My next sports story was a general story covering a short span of games. I followed the same tools I used for the first sports story I did. The only improvement I would make is taking a new photo.
Senior Dan Miller looks to drive against a Morris defender.
Photo by Nick Boose
Knights start season Early conference win against Morris
BY NICK BOOSE, Editor After winning regionals last year, the Knights are ready to take on the new season. The Knights started off the year with a rocky start. The boys went 0-3 at the tournament over the Thanksgiving break. The tournament over break was rough for the Knights, but they continued to make improvements. Throughout the tournament, the Knights averaged a score of 50 points per game. Their
opponents averaged a score of 57.7 points a game. Throughout the games, the Knights out-rebounded their opponents. The Knights had 69 rebounds, while allowing their opponents 62. “We are working on our defense during practice. We gave up a lot of points during the tournament,” senior Dan Miller said. A major scorer throughout the tournament was senior Matt Limbrunner. Limbrunner scored 39 points in the tournament. Follow-
By Sam Wolf
FAVORITE FOOD AFTER A GAME
McDonald’s
WHAT’S ON YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST?
A cat
ing closely was junior John Pruett with 37 points. The two leading scorers are also the two leading rebounders for the Knights. Limbrunner lead the team with 18 rebounds, while Pruett followed close behind with 16 rebounds in the tournament. “We have a whole different group this year. Each player is improving with every practice,” head coach Brian Johnson said. Limbrunner stood out in the tournament leading the team in a few categories. Along with leading the team in points scored and rebounds, Limbrunner also lead the team with 3 three-point shots in the tournament. “The gameplan is to get the ball to me and work it to me. It really gets the offense going during the game,” Limbrunner said. The Morris game was particularly tough. The scoring was back and forth scoring between Kaneland and Morris. The Knights rallied together in the final seconds of the game. In the final seconds, the Knights were down by one, junior Tyler Carlson laid in a loose ball. The Knights took Morris 31-30. After the game against Morris, Pruett now leads the team with 48 points. Pruett is making 76.1 percent of his shots during games. Following Pruett in scoring is Limbrunner with 47 points. Carlson follows with 30 points. Limbrunner leads in total rebounds with 27. During practice, Johnson works on fundamentals for 30 minutes. The rest of practice is spent on preparing for the upcoming games. “Every player is a key player,” Johnson said.
FAVORITE WINTER ACTIVITY
Sledding
A dog, lssie
Know Your Knights
Cheer, Sophomore
Big Mac
The Kaneland varsity wrestling team started their season off against Burlington and WheatonWarrenville South to kick off their season. “We have been conditioning to get ready for practice after school every day,” said senior wrestler Connor Williams. Over the past couple years, the varsity team has been progressing not only in skill, but also in number of members. “I feel like we are going to do pretty good this year.We have a pretty solid senior class on the team,” said Williams. Senior Dan Goress believes that the team has been doing great throughout the conditioning days, and he feels they are prepared for this exciting season. Wrestlers have improved by going to wrestling camps, and going to the conditioning practices at school this year. The wrestling team also did community service over the summer. “My personal goal this season is to get 35 wins and finish off my senior wrestling with a trip to Champagne,” said senior Zach Theis. As of Dec. 6, the team has participated in four meets and will be hosting the annual Margaret Flott tournament on Jan. 12 at home. The Knights have a strong tournament team consisting of seniors Stephen Gust, Esai Ponce, Goress, Williams, Nick Sharp, and Thesis. “I feel like, as a team, we have gotten a lot stronger, and there are less open spots in the varsity roster in the meets so we don’t give up as many forfeits,” said Theis. -Lexi Roach, Executive Editor Contributions by Andrea Halsey, Reporter
DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?
Allie Carney
A Cornell wrestling sweatshirt
Knights hit the mat
VARSITY Schedule Dec. 22
Snowboarding
A dog, Ike
Basketball vs. Plano Tournament Away
Jan. 3
Wrestling vs. Rochelle
George Strang
Home
Jan. 19
Wrestling, Freshman
Wrestling vs. NIB XII Conference Away
Smoothie
Clothes
Ice skating
A dog, Reggie
Jan. 22
Basketball vs. Sycamore
Home
TBD
5:30 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
7:00 p.m.
Sydney Strang
Basketball, Junior
Boys Sports / December 19, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER
Honestly, I didn’t have an opinion on Black Friday vs. Thanksgiving. I still don’t. But the staff came to me and asked if I could write a counter to the opinion for the page, because it just wasn’t long enough. So I agreed and wrote this in about 40 minutes.
Find the right balance this Thanksiving By NICK BOOSE
Staff Writer Turkey, gravy, stuffing, pumpkin pie and shopping, lots of shopping. Who wouldn’t want to stuff their face and then go hunt for the best deal hours later? Retail stores around the country open up early to get families into their stores. By kicking off the greatest family time of the year: “The Holidays.” Let’s face it, people go to Grandma’s house for a quick meet and greet. We see cousins that haven’t been seen in ages for a couple hours and leave. Why not carry on that time with them and go shopping? Yeah, the lines are long, and people can be obnoxious. But standing in line and talking to cousin Joe about college, football and Gossip Girl makes the time go by faster. According to Buzzfeed, 57 percent of Black Friday shoppers enjoy shopping on this day. In a study done by Georgetown University, it was found that 60 percent of Black Friday shoppers will get all of their shopping done on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Both days are easy ways to get the holiday shopping done and out of the way so there is more time for family. Black Friday isn’t a sacrifice of family time. It’s a modern way to spend time with the whole family making memories and finding great gifts. Black Friday shopping is no different than putting up the family Christmas tree. It serves as time to spend the evening or day together doing something that so many love, and it gets everyone into the holiday spirit. Christmas music jingles and hums through the aisles of everyone’s favorite stores like Best Buy, Walmart, Target and many more. It’s impossible to not hum along with the songs. “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear,” Buddy the Elf said in the movie Elf. Besides family bonding time and spreading Christmas cheer, Black Friday is once a year opportunity to get great deals. Deals that can’t be found on any other day. Mom and Dad can finally get that new TV to replace the dated TV from 2005. Instead of it being $600 it’s now $400. There is no passing up a deal like that. So, if Thanksgiving happens to come to an end early, scavenging for rediculously low priced items is the next best way to spend the rest of the night.
By TAYLOR EAVES
Editor On November 27, families across America come together to feast and talk about how thankful they are for what they already have. Even though family members only come together once or twice a year for holidays like Thanksgiving. Must be cut short due to Black Friday? It’s a pitty that deal-stealing values override family time. Most stores open around midnight, but the lines of shoppers start forming outside of stores hours prior. Target, Macy’s, and Kohl’s open at 8:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. This is the earliest all three of these stores have opened on Thanksgiving in history. Black Friday is slowly but surely engulfing the precious family time that goes hand in hand with Thanksgiving. Nothing’s wrong with wanting to save money on purchases, but to go as far as waiting in line for hours upon hours, just to snatch a good deal? A larger than life screen T.V. or the newest video game may be 70 percent off in the wee hours of Black Friday, but spending time with family is priceless. Committed shoppers aren’t the only one’s short changed of cutting the Thanksgiving celebration short. People who work retail on Black Friday may have to leave dinner early to prepare for the chaotic shopping ahead. The only difference between the
Cartoon by Kristen Staub
dedicated shoppers and the working students is the fact that not all students are so willing. This will be Junior Julia Gulanczyk’s first time working on this year’s Black Friday, and she’s not excited to do so at Old Navy. “I’m not really looking forward to working on Black Friday. Old Navy is thinking about opening at 4:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, so not only will my co-workers and I have to work on Black Friday, but most of us will get shifts that cut into the time when we’re supposed to be eating dinner with our families,” Gulanczyk said. Unlike Old Navy, other businesses are taking Thanksgiving family time into consideration. Stores like DSW and Costco aren’t opening until the morning of Black Friday. DSW opens on 7:00 a.m. and Costco opens at 9:00 a.m. that friday. Both stores claimed that Thanksgiving should be spent with family rather than working according to reports from WCNC. America’s priorities need to be considered on the day on Thanksgiving. Everyone needs to keep what the holiday is all about into perspective. Sophomore Maddie Keifer, who is happy about not working at the restaurant Sorrento’s on Black Friday, has put the holiday’s worth into consideration. “Thanksgiving is a time to come together as a family and embrace each other’s company,” Keifer said.
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was my recovery from the In-Depth. This story did in the design with great pic. It was a very fun story o design. The only thing I ing a more enticing lead.
Photo by Samantha Schrepferman
During study hall some students prefer to listen to music to help focus, while others do not.
The
Harmony Within
By Sam Schrepferman & Nick Boose, Editors
A
LL HIS LIFE, SENIOR TUCKER DEBOLT HAS BEEN IN LOVE WITH MUSIC. DEBOLT IS IN BOTH BAND AND CHOIR. MUSIC IS HIS LIFE. “[Music] is always going through my head,” Debolt said. “I’m always sharing music with people.” Debolt listens to music all the time, whether its doing homework, at school, or listening at home. Because of his love of music, he wishes to continue his performing life after college. Just like Debolt, music is something that many individuals listen to. Music lovers have their personal favorite genre(s). The music students listen to reveals what mood students might be in, or even just gives a way to accomplish tasks on-hand. “[Music] is something I need in my life every single day,” freshman Ally Heinzer said. Based on our poll, conducted Feb. 21, Kaneland students tend to listen to pop more than any other music genre. Fifty-three percent of Kaneland students listen to pop. To some people, music is just a way to stay focused, to release stress or to even just gives them motivation. For Kaneland students, it’s mostly a way to calm down and focus. Many students believe that music affects emotions, both positively and negatively.
“The tone or flow of the music will make you form of empathy,” Edward Large Ph. D said. feel different,” sophomore Austin Beaulieu said. Other studies show how different types of music can affect your brain. Many studies like this have been performed to help people with depression, Williams synMusic fans have their own likes and dislikes. drome or other diseases. Being stressed and depressed impacts the With the type of music students like, it tends to reflect emotion. The music students listen to brain. It affects the level of serotonin in the also affects the way their brain responds to the brain. According to Your Dictionary: Science, listening to music increases the levels of serodifferent highs and lows of the music. “Some songs pick you up, but some bring you tonin in the brain. With the increase of serotonin, it creates positive effects with learning, down,” sophomore Jeremy Faletto said. Scientists at Florida Atlantic University have mood, sleep functions and other processes. Certain genres of music have been proven identified key aspects of musical performance that cause emotion-related brain activity. They to cause the mood of students to be negative. had people listen to a synthesized version and According to The Mental Mind, rap and heavy metal can cause students to feel more anger and regular piece of music. Both pieces of music had the same melody, hatred. Pop and alternative rock seems to sway emoharmony, rhythm, average tempo and volume. But only the piece with expressive performance tions more positively. Music sometimes alters included dynamic changes in tempo and volume. brain waves even after listening to it. This in turn creates a better mood even after the music. This evoked different emotional responses. This study showed that the human touch to music has a greater emotional effect on the human brain. “It had previously been theorized that the The Marconi Union is a British Musical Trio. mirror neuron system provides a mechanism On Oct. 16, 2011, the Marconi Union joined with through which listeners feel the performer’s the British Sound Academy to create the most emotion, making musical communication a relaxing song possible. They created an eight-
Emotional Music
Marconi Union
minute song, calling it “Weightless.” The purpose of the song is meant to put a listener into a trance-like state. Once there the song is to calm the mind and make the listener relax. The song contains several instruments. The intentions of each instrument are meant to calm the mind. According to the Mindlab Institution, “Weightless” has a huge impact on brain waves and brain activity. Listeners gained sixty-five percent less anxiety than they had started out with. It also brought the heart rate down to thirty-five percent of its normal resting rate. The song captured the ears of many. In Nov. 2011, Marconi Union was featured in Time Magazine. They were on a list of inventors of the year because of their creation of “Weightless”. “Music just solves everything,” sophomore Anna Hayman said.
Kaneland’s Groove
From school to home, students at Kaneland listen to music everywhere they go. During the poll conducted students were asked a variety of questions about music. “I literally listen to music everywhere I go. Music is my life. I couldn’t live without it,” sophomore Grace Sizemore said. Forty percent of students believe that music changes the mood of a student. “Music is very emotional and can bring back memories, good and bad. It can calm people down and help them maybe listen to a voice of reason and not feel so alone,” sophomore Morgan Withey said. Many students have set up different play lists. Each playlist has different songs for it to be played depending on the emotion they feel. “[I have] a Christian playlist. There is one with a smiley face, and there is one for sleep,” Withey said. Students listen to a variety of music. Fiftytwo percent of students at Kaneland listen to rap. The next most listened to genre is country. Forty-eight percent of Kaneland students listen to country. “People are brought up listening to different types of music,” Withey said. Kaneland music background comes from everyone’s own personal taste. Their background in music can even come from the way they are brought up or even from who they are friends with.
Music Therapy
According to the Music Therapy Association, music therapy is the clinical and evidencebased use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. During a session with a music therapist, they will look at one’s emotional responses to different music being played. Through the results they find, the therapist designs musical sessions for the patient within groups or sessions alone. Each song is supposed to influence the brain
waves. The alteration of brain waves changes the emotions of the listener. People of any age can benefit from music therapy. It helps with wide range of problems that include learning disabilities, substance abuse, mental health needs, chronic pain and much more. Hayman looks forward to being a music therapist in the future. “[Music therapy] basically helps people with their problems through music. The problems include both motor skills and social skills,” Hayman said. In order to prepare herself for the possibility of being a music therapist, she is taking three music classes and is going to start taking voice lessons.
Music Myths
With music being a way to help people as seen with music therapy, there have been myths about what listening to music can do to help. It has been said that listening to music before a test can help students perform better, or music can make anyone smarter. In 1993 there was a study called the Mozart Effect. This was a study showing that if people listened to 10 minutes of Mozart before a spatial skills test it improved performance. Soon after the Mozart Effect, there were other studies with specialized authors like Stephen King so see the outcomes of brain levels. Researchers soon after dug deeper to find out why the Mozart Effect was happening. It was a mystery to people why the benefits of music were being overstated. “It’s really not a mystery,” University of Toronto psychologist Gabriela Husain said. “It’s a well known fact that if people who feel vigorous and are in a good mood score better on test.” The Mozart Effect showed ways music affects your brain. The music makes people feel good about themselves and are ready to take the test. The music was just acting like a confidence booster to help anyone with the test, it did nothing to make them any smarter. Music therapists try to stimulate the emotions through music. Trying to convey their thoughts in a tangible manner. Within music therapy many people believe that only a person with musical talent can benefit from music therapy. According to the official website of music therapy, this is not the case. Anyone can benefit from having music therapy. The therapy sessions are decided based on the clients needs. Having a musical background has no bearing on that at all.
What
Kaneland Wants to Hear Emily Grams, Sophomore Favorite artist(s)
Favorite emotional song
“Lady Antebellum”
“‘Silent Night’”
Favorite song
Best dance song
“‘Heart Like “‘Harlem Shake’ Mine’ because I because of just saw it in Brandon Kigyconcert” os”
JT Karr, Junior Favorite artist(s)
Favorite song
“Labyrinth”
“‘Sweet Riot’”
Favorite emotional song
Best dance song
“‘Waste’ by Foster The People”
“‘Winning’ By Charlie Sheen”
Covering a political election never really seemed relevant to me until the opportunity for this story arrose. At the very beginning I fell in love with writing about politics. Even though it is small town news.
Michels wins mayoral race
Community
NEWS
2013 summer festivals Taste of Wheaton May 30; Wheaton
Michels greets guests at his election night.
BY NICK BOOSE, Editor Sugar Grove held their 2013 elections Apr. 9. Going up against each other for the Sugar Grove President position were Kevin Geary and current president Sean Michels. “I started to get involved to connect into the community. When the opportunity for village president came, I thought I could make a difference,” Sean Michels said. Being involved in the community politics since 1997 made him feel like he was fit for the role of village president. When the opportunity came about, his confidence and leadership roles were key factors in his original decision to run. His daughter, sophomore Maddy Michels, expected her dad to win the reelection. She knew that being president for as long as he has been would have an effect on the views of the voters in the community. “He was village president for this long because my dad is a good guy, and he gets things done. I knew he was going to win,” Maddy Michels said. Sean Michels won the election 700 votes to 530 votes. He won by 13 percent. His children stood by him the entire race. “I was really relieved [when he won]. We were finally done with dealing with all of the stress,” Maddy Michels said.
Courtesy Photo
The win brought relief to all of the Michels family. The stress of the campaign was finally over. The next day, Sean Michels got right back to work. Sean Michels believes in setting long-term goals for where he thinks Sugar Grove should be. Setting these long-term goals should help set up shorter goals. He said some short-term goals include bringing in more businesses and making necessary road improvements. In his campaign, Michels looked to lower the rates of real estate taxes, make a deal establish an intergovernmental agreement with the Kaneland School District and complete the developments that have been stalled because of builders financial difficulties. “We reached out to other developers to ask them to consider building in Sugar Grove to get the building going again,” Sean Michels said. Michels has long-term goals that include enhancing Sugar Grove to its full potential. Funding for improving the Rt. 47 and I-88 interchange construction is coming close to the amount needed for the village. The village has $17 million out of $20 million raised. “I am very proud of my dad and happy that he was able to follow his dream,” Maddy Michels said.
Pride of the Fox Riverfest June 7; Saint Charles
Swedish Days June 18; Geneva
Naperville Ribfest July 3; Naperville
Corn Boil
July 26; Sugar Grove
Summerfest July 29; Chicago
Elburn Days August 16; Elburn
-Felicia Steik, Editor
All four years of my journalism career I worked hard to establish relationships with adminstrators and secretaries. It proved to be valuable for all stories, but this one in particular was most important. I was able to get the first scoop on the resignation of our superintendant.
KHS hosts foreign student By JACK COYLE
Leaving her friends and family behind was another sacrifice Geiger had to make to come to Kaneland. “I left behind my boyfriend, but thats going easier than I thought it would be. I have group messages with all of my friends and family so I get to talk to them almost every day, but I still miss them.” Geiger’s culture shock was not as bad as she thought it would be, and she believes it is because of her host family, the Alcantara’s. “They’re so nice and the food they cook is so good. I was worried at first because when I left, my friends would say ‘oh you’re going to the U.S. You’re going to get so fat,’” Geiger said. Overall, Geiger is enjoying the hospitality at Kaneland and is looking forward to a good year. “The U.S. is really interesting, the people are so open minded,” Geiger said.
Executive Editor
Through a thick German accent senior Anne Geiger explained the scholarship that allowed her to spend a year in America. “I’m with the American Field Service but I got a scholarship from CBYX (Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange),” Geiger said. Geiger had to go through a rigorous process to be accepted into the program, including a test about Germany, a quiz on U.S. current events and a meeting with a German congressman to make sure she’s the right student to represent her country. Competition was tight for the scholarship but Geiger’s credentials were more than substantial. Along with her impressive grades she also played saxophone for a nationally recognized big band, and fluently speaks German, English, Spanish and French. Even through her preparation, some things surprised Geiger. Bad Bergzabern, Germany “It’s so weird, you all have lockers. In Population: 7,547 Germany we can bring our backpacks State: Rhineland-Palatinate everywhere because Mayor: Harald Bratz they aren’t so scared of guns,” Geiger Area: 4.14 sqare miles said.
Fast Facts:
Berlin
Bad Bergzabern
Schuler resigns, moving to Wheaton Warrenville district By NICK BOOSE
Editor On Aug. 11 the District 302 Board of Education accepted Dr. Jeff Schuler’s letter of resignation. Schuler resigned because of a job opportunity given to him in the Wheaton Warrenville District 200. “It had nothing to do with anything here. This is a great school district,” Schuler said, “I have an opportunity to impact 14,000 students. It’s on a bigger scale.” Schuler said his main focus in the Kaneland School District was increasing students opportunity to be college and career ready. “To help get students ready, we have focused in on technology. In the district we now have one device for every three students,” Schuler said. Kaneland Educators Association President Laurie Shroka has only words of praise for Schuler. “His resignation is sad for the district because he is good for any district,” Shroka said. Currently, the KEA and the District 302 School Board are in contract negotiations for the teachers. Shroka hopes the resignation of Schuler will not affect the negotiation process in anyway. “[Schuler] is a great communicator and he is very flexible for meetings. His time is our time,” Shroka said.
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By Nick Boose
ERHAPS THE MOST COMMON KNOWN FACT TO LIFE; LIFE AS ONE KNOWS IT CAN CHANGE IN AN INSTANT. NOT MANY LIVE UP TO THIS WORD. IT CAN GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. RACHEL SCOTT, A STUDENT AT COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1999, EXPERIENCED THOSE EXACT TWO THINGS. On the worst school day imaginable two students took things to a whole new level. Many know it as the Columbine shooting. Scott was the first victim shot and killed on that day. Altogether thirteen people were killed on that day. Scott’s legacy of kindness known to all that surrounded her, has started the chain reaction she always hoped for. Six weeks prior to the massacre, Scott turned in an essay to her English teacher, entitled “My Ethics, My Codes of Life.” In this essay she challenges her reader to follow a chain reaction of kindness. She gives five ways to follow her footsteps: look for the best in others, dream big, choose positive influences, speak with kindness and start your own chain reaction of kindness.
Rachel’s Challenge The Scott family created a foundation called “Rachel’s Challenge,” which sends speakers out to schools to present Rachel’s goals in life. On Oct. 1, Kaneland High School hosted one of those speakers. He told of Rachel’s mission in life and how we must carry on her legacy. “We [at Rachel’s Challenge] spread the message to move the chain reaction forward, to instill the fact that we need to treat others better,” speaker Dave Hills said. A key point in the presentation was Scott’s small acts of kindness. Hills said Scott had many small acts of kindness that made a difference. “One day a girl named Amber had her first day at Columbine High School. She had the worst day a new student could. No one acknowledged her nor even made eye contact with her. So at lunch she went to the back of the cafeteria and sat alone. “Rachel seeing this went over and asked for Amber to join her friends for lunch. Amber declined. Rachel, seeing the need for friendship, went back to her table and dragged her friends back to where Amber was sitting and they all ate lunch together.
“Amber months later told Rachel’s dad that it meant more than Rachel had ever known. Amber’s mom had just passed away in a car accident and was in need in companionship. The worst day of school Amber ever had then turned to the best,” Hills said. According to Scott’s older sister, Dana Scott, it was all part of Rachel’s chain reaction of kindness. She wanted to reach out to the people that were unreached. She targeted students with special needs, new students and students that were picked on. “It [the presentation] makes me want to really be nice to the people that don’t have many friends, talk to the new people and join PE leadership next year,” junior Brandon Kigyos said.
Destined For Greatness According to Hills her family knew Scott had a good heart, but it wasn’t until after she had passed that they found the true extent of her kindness. Scott took down journals to record the successes, the failures and the events in her life. “A month after the shooting, Rachel’s father received a call from a man he had never met. He said that for the past month he had been having a dream of Rachel’s eyes crying onto something and her tears were creating life. The man asked if this meant anything to Rachel’s father. Mr. Scott said no, but took down his number in case anything came up. “About five weeks after the shooting, the police called the Scott’s home and told Rachel’s father he could pick up her stuff. Like any good father he rushed to the department and claimed her goods. In order to feel closer to his daughter Mr. Scott flipped through her final journal to her last entry. He saw his daughter’s eyes with 13 tears streaming down the page onto a growing rose. Thirteen people had died that day at Columbine. One of Rachel’s teachers had asked her about the drawing the morning of the shooting. Rachel claimed she was inspired. She told her teacher she would one day touch millions of hearts,” Hills said. Health education and drivers education teacher Kristin Crawford said its a mystery. “If you believe in divine intervention, there is something or someone out there looking out
Executive Editor
for us. It reaffirms your faith,” Crawford said.
Chain Reaction of Kindness According to Crawford, being personable is a huge key to continuing Scott’s chain reaction of kindness. Crawford said getting to know people is truly the first step in achieving Scott’s goal. “My codes may seem like a fantasy that can never be reached, but test them for yourself, and see the kinds of effects they have on the lives of people around you. You may just start a chain reaction,” Scott said in her essay. According to junior Sam Payton her codes of ethics seem to have come easy to her. This is not always the case. “It can be hard but if you put your mind to it you can do anything,” Payton said. In the presentation, Hills told of ways that others can make Scott’s “Codes of ethics” possible in everyone’s everyday life. In order to look for the best in others, Scott wrote that you need to give people three chances. “Don’t have any prejudice. I see three words in that: pre judging others. Give someone three chances before you decide how you feel about them. The first time you meet them they could be having an off day. Give them a chance,” Hills said. Scott believed the next step was dreaming big. She set goals for herself that she knew would happen one day. After the shooting, the Scott family had started to take apart Rachel’s room. Behind her dresser they found traces of her two hands on the wall. Written inside it said, “I will touch the hearts of millions one day.” “Rachel never said I hope I will touch the heart of millions. I hope I will make a difference in this world. She always said I will. After that she took it two steps farther, she wrote it down. Then she never stopped pursuing them,” Hills said. Her next step was to speak with kindness. The Scott family said she knew that words could build you up or tear you down. Her final goal was for everyone to start your own chain reaction of kindness. She wrote, “People will never know how far a little kindness can go.” “You have to be nice to people. It’s really the little things that make the big difference to people in their life. Being personable and getting to know people is key,” Crawford said.
what would ed for tomorrow? The Scott family said that Rachel was influenced by two main people. Her first major influence was a writer much like herself. Hills said that she read Anne Frank’s diary multiple times. Scott felt she had a special connection with Frank. They both knew from a young age that they were going to die young. Scott’s second influence was the late great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hills said. “Dr. King focused on breaking the chain of evil, while Rachel focused on starting a chain reaction of kindness,” Hills said, “Rachel would have been so awe struck. Dr. King’s son Martin Luther III was the keynote speaker at the Columbine memorial.” Being a part of Rachel’s Challenge, to start your own chain reaction of kindness, is something everyone should strive for Hills said. It’s a challenge, but its something that everyone can do if they try. “If I see someone struggling I try to always be there for people,” Payton said.
Acts of
Kindness
End today as if its your last day The presentation ended with a self-reflection. Hills instructed the audience to close their eyes. “Close your eyes and picture the person in your life that you look up to the most. In the next three days I challenge you to go up to that person and tell them how really love them. Don’t do it jokingly go do it. You never know if tomorrow you or them is going to be gone forever,” (need last name) said. Scott’s legacy is lived on by the organization ran by her family. Rachel’s challenge is a nonprofit organization that strives to get a chain reaction of kindness to spread to others. They want her legacy to live on. Rachel’s challenge has truly reached the hearts of millions just like she said she one day would. Over 19 million people have heard Scott’s story. Every year an estimated two million is added on to that number. “Compassion is the greatest love humans have to offer,” Scott said.
“Volunteering at the Hesid House (Homeless Shelter) makes me feel like I am making a difference in their lives,” senior Kelsey Goodwin said.
“I volunteer at Marklund because it feels good to help someone else in need,” junior Dominick Cozzi said.
“It is very rewarding to have the oppertunity to spend one on one time with the clients at the Marklund Home,” senior Riley Coyle said.
Kaneland families and students listen attentively about Rachels Challenge.
Photo by: Jarod Earlandson
This story was a typical feature story. Focusing in on Flu season. It wasn’t anything too difficult, but it was very nice to work on a topic that I had never written about before.
High season for respiratory misery By Nick Boose, Executive editor
Since the beginning of a young child’s life, flu vaccinations are important. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that every person above the age of six months should get a flu vaccination. People that may have a sevre reaction should avoid a flu shot. According to the CDC says that anyone with a sevre illness or a fever should ask a physician before getting a flu shot. Last year, flu case numbers hit an all time high mark. In an interview with CNN, CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden confirmed that 381,000 people were hospitalized with the flu in 2012. “This is higher than we have ever seen,” Frieden said. The CDC estimates that the flu vaccination prevented 6.6 million people from getting the flu in 2012. Walgreens Pharmacist Liz Kaspar said that flu vaccinations this season have been steady compared to last season. “At this point, personally I haven’t [seen an increase]. We haven’t been dispensing more tamiflu than we normally do around this time of year,” Kaspar said. The CDC has a three step process to fight against the flu. The first step is to get a vaccination. Flu vaccinations are ideally given in October, but are continued to be given out when the virus is still circulating. Places that give flu vaccinations include doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments and pharmacies. The next step in the process is to use the normal preventions against germs. These actions include things like washing one’s hands
and disinfecting germ infested areas. To further fight off germs, the CDC recommends staying away from people that seem like they may be sick. If there is a possibility that one has contracted the flu, they should stay home for 24 hours after a fever is gone. The prevention is simple; cover mouths and noses for sneezes and coughs.
The final step in flu prevention is to just simply take the medicine a doctor prescribes. Typically doctors perscribe the perscription drug Tamiflu to help with flu symptoms. “You have to take it. If you don’t take it, you are going to have more severe symptoms for a longer period of time,” Kaspar said.
Unknown facts about the flu
People with the flu can spread it to someone from 6 feet away, so avoid close contact with someone when they’re sick. Staying physically active, gettin plenty of sleep, drinking liquids and eating nutritious foods can help prevent viruses. The flu can be passed from someone before they even know they’re sick, and up to 7 days after they obtain the virus. Keep hands clean and don’t touch eyes, mouth or nose.
?
Flu is unpredictable and how severe it is can vary widely from one season to the next
The truth behind the virus
Influenza is a disease that affects nearly everyone, and can lead to hospitalization
or even death. Over 31 flu seasons, between 1972-2007, flu related deaths range
from about 3,000 to 49,000 people. The “seasonal flu season” in the United States
can start as soon as October and end as late as May. The flu tends to strike deaths
in older people around the age of 65, but taking precautions as a teenager or young adult is always safe.
Sidebar information from CDC
King works to accomplish body builder dreams By Shannon Gilkey, Reporter For most teens, the four years spent enclosed in the walls of a high school can be a lot to handle. Between school work, friends, and after school activities, stress levels are always on the rise. For senior Maddie King, the schedule of a typical teen is a breeze compared to her daily rituals. “On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I wake up at 4 a.m. to go to the gym,” King said, only beginning to explain her typical day in the life: the life of a young body builder in training. She continues explaining how her week goes: spending hours at the gym, working at Xsport three nights a week from 4 p.m. to midnight and still keeping up with her schoolwork. Her dedication is admirable, an inspiration to anyone who gives her a chance to tell her story. “She wants this more than anything,” Olivia Houben, King’s best friend and training partner, said about her friend’s drive. “She has a vision and knows exactly what it will take to get there. She is willing to make sacrifices for her goals and even when it’s tough, she doesn’t quit. She has no fear.”
When it comes to achieving her goals, King refuses to back down. Despite the sacrifices she has had to make, like spending endless hours at the gym, she believes it is worth it. “I have lost friends because I spend all my time training, I miss them everyday. But I have a dream. It’s something I will never give up on,” King explained how her life has been changed since she began lifting. King is no stranger to the gym life, despite only beginning bodybuilding eight months ago. Her focus has always been on being fit; she played volleyball for years and has been attending a gym with her family for 15 years. “I’ve never seen her happier,” her father, Tom King, said about the changes. “Her focus and determination is the best she can get out of herself.” Although neither of her parents are bodybuilders, her mother is a health coach and her father has his personal training certificate. “Our family is getting closer because we all have it in common,” King’s mother, Shawn King, said speaking proudly about her daughter’s accomplishments. King has an extremly a strict diet during
the “cutting phase,” the period of time before a show. Her mother supports her by helping her to achieve her required diet of 180 grams of protein a day, which is no easy feat considering King is a vegetarian. “She is going to prove to everyone you can eat a vegetarian based diet and still be a bodybuilder,” said King’s mother, who handles all of Maddie’s nutrition and meal plans. King’s mother also explained how eating vegetarian will help prevent diseases and other health issues such as cholesterol issues, heart problems and obesity. When it comes to goals, King isn’t afraid to go big. She pushes herself as far as she can by training day and night. “Having Maddie as my training partner is like having the little voice in my head that says ‘Don’t give up, push a little harder, you’re capable of this,’ except in real life.” Houben said. King will never ever give up on herself, or her dreams. “First I want to take overall at my first show, make it to Nationals, earn my Pro Card by the age of 20 and someday, step onto the Olympia stage,” King said.
This short piece on Ebola gave me some flexibility. Instead of a typical story, we set it up to be more of a Q&A. It got more students involved with the magazine, and it was a lot of fun to hear some of the students answers.
BRIEFING
World News explained at a local level for students, by students
Common misconceptions on By NICK BOOSE
Staff Writer When Ebola hit the United States, horror stories were spread from all corners of the nation about the deadly disease. Unfortunately, a lot of the information that reached students was either completely false or a stretch of the truth. The following are the most common misconceptions associated with the virus and what Kaneland students really know about Ebola.
How contagious is Ebola?
The United States is prepared for Ebola… “We are not prepared. It’s all because the doctors and caregivers fear for their lives. They think they will get Ebola and then just die,” junior Jessica O’Donnell said. As a whole the United States is as ready as we can be. Because of prior flu-like outbreaks, many hospitals have plans in palce to care for those who fall victim.
“Very contagious. If you throw up the particles are in the air,” junior Emily Tickle said. “It is kind of contagious. It is transmitted through bodily fluids,” junior Melissa Stachowaik said.
What will happen if you get Ebola?
This isn’t completely true. Compared to many other diseases ebola isn’t particularly contagious.
“I’ll die within a week. I would start bleeding out of my eyes or something crazy like that,” senior Joseph Kurby said.
Who can you get it from?
In prior outbreaks of Ebola the death rate was up near 90 percent. This outbreak however contains only a 45 percent death rate. It is
“Only people that have it,” Stachowaik said. People with Ebola generally have a 21 day span where they could have it, but aren’t showing symptoms. The possibility of this is very low. An individual can only get ebola from another victim.
Symptoms according to CDC.gov
more controlled and monitored closely.
Story continued online at KanelandKrier.com
I wrote this opinion piece as soon as I saw Russia taking actions against Crimea. I was driven to get my thoughts out to the community about what could potentially happen.
Birth control’s reputation isn’t always right By Alexia Orosco, Executive editor
We all know the girl who likes to party, drink every weekend and has a tendency of getting a little carried away with guys that don’t typically care for anything more than a one night stand. As if you don’t already think bad of her, you find out she’s on birth control. Your immediate reaction is “the pill is the only thing that’s saving her from getting pregnant,” or “she’s probably only taking the pill so she can have sex whenever she wants.” Ever since contraceptive pills were first invented, there have been people with strong opinions towards birth control. The pill has many benefits though. What you don’t know is that the boy-crazy party girl has actually been taking the pill since she was 14, and is on the pill to prevent the extremely painful menstrual cramps she would get during her irregular period. Forms of contraception from condoms to medication have been around for many years, but the birth control pill was approved in 1960
by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and was actually first used to prevent menstrual cramps. President and Chief Executive of Planned Parenthood, Tara Broderick states that 95 percent of women in the United States use the pill at some point in their lives. According to LiveScience and the FDA, the pill is the number one prescribed medicine in the world. There are other forms of birth control other than the common pill form though, and they still serve the same healthful purposes as the pill. Women have the opportunity to choose from over 70 different contraceptives today. The birth control ring, the shot and the patch are all just as reliable as the pill, and depending on the girl, maybe easier to remember than a tiny tablet each day. When hearing a girl is on birth control, don’t automatically assume it’s because she’s in a serious relationship and wants to have sex freely, or that she’s a no-good party girl with bad intentions. Maybe bad facial acne is in her genetics,
and the pill is helping her control it. Maybe she’s an athlete and all the exercising she does causes her to have an irregular period, but the pill has helped her to stay on a consistent cycle. The birth control pill has changed over the years, but according to historian Elaine Tyler May, most women do not begin taking it to prevent pregnancy. Nemours, one of the largest nonprofit organizations devoted to teen health, states that the pill actually benefits females in many other ways, as it can prevent acne and protect against certain types of breast disease, anemia, ovarian cysts and ovarian and endometrial cancers. According to Mayo Clinic, it also regulates menstrual cycles and keeps it on a consistent schedule. We all know that birth control can give girls the freedom to have safe sex, and yes, it tends to spark sexual intentions, but it doesn’t deserve that negative reputation that some people give it.
Putin’s actions similar to another tyrant’s By Nick Boose, Executive editor On Mar. 12, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed the country of Austria. Nazi German leader Adolf Hitler’s goal was to unite German speaking countries. Sound familiar? Russian President Valdimir Putin’s actions against Ukraine are going to force the start of a possible third world war. A long struggle in Ukraine proved a win for the Ukrainian rebels, creating a new government. In the beginning of March, the new weak government of Ukraine began mobilizing troops in the fear of a Russian invasion. Putin says the reason for invading Ukraine is to put back in place the Pro-Russian government. In lieu of a vote in Crimea seceding from Ukraine, citizens have been lining the banks to withdraw their cash, unsure of the future. The European Union and the United States disagree greatly with Russia’s decision to annex the Crimean Peninsula. Their answer: sanctions. Sanctions on Russia don’t propose a real threat. If they are going to do it, European powers need to back their threat with a real consequence. “Russia will face more serious consequences and I will push European leaders to agree further EU measures,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said, according to BBC News. How truthful are these so called threats? So far, the Western powers have just talked the talk, but not yet walked the walk. Sanctions aren’t going to stop Putin in annexing the Crimean Peninsula. The Russian government requires much more harsh penalties than anything financial. The actions Putin is taking almost exactly resembles what Hitler was doing in 1938. If society doesn’t do something more than stop trade, nothing will stop Putin. Allowing him to place military personnel on
Russian President Vladimar Putin’s annexing of the Crimean Penninsula is sparking controversial debate.
the Crimean Peninsula only establishes the precedent that annexing parts of countries isn’t acceptable. He will continue to find reasons to annex countries that have strategic value or economic value. If the Russians hold the Crimean Peninsula, it will be their only warm water port. This makes mobilizing a year round possibility. Sending troops into another country on a personal vendetta is an unacceptable action for a “democratic” country. Becoming a tyrant like Hitler is a great way to be seen from the people of the world. The majority of Americans in the world we live in today disagree with the United States be-
Cartoon by Austin Kintz
ing the “police” of the world, but the only way to put an end to Putin is to enforce some sort of military action. Sanctions against Russia won’t stop them from doing as they please. In a press conference, Putin made remarks claiming that parts of Southern Ukraine were part of the Soviet Union. The world should fear further actions by the Russians. History has shown that a country allowed to “take over” another country doesn’t stop at just one. They continue until military action prevents further spread. Countries of the world need to step up and prevent the possibility of a third world war.
As depressing and serious as the topic is, this story was a lot of fun to write. I got some insight into things that I’ve never really thought about before. The counter argument really helped me form my opinion, and back it up.
Assisting suicide is the same as murder Death is a part of everyday life. Heart attacks, cancer and freak accidents are all common deaths, yet according to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in 2012 a suicide was committed every 12.9 minutes in the United States. Suicide has existed since the beginning of time. Recently, there has been an increase in physician-assisted suicide. Terminally ill or just fed up with life, suicide is a selfish and senseless act. Life is a precious thing in this world. Assisted suicide starts with the terminally ill, but it’s a slippery slope to be traveling. The approval of helping the terminally ill will translate to, people that just want out of this world to search for a physician to aid them. We live in a world where giving people an inch, translates into taking a mile. One country in particular has legal-
ized physician-assisted suicide, the Netherlands. According to the Patients Rights Council, the Netherlands has had a system of guidelines for physician-assisted suicides since 1981. Between the years of 1981 and 1990 there were 2,300 suicides assisted by physicians. However, abuse of the law was noticed in some cases. For about 45 percent of patients who were euthanized without consent, their families were unaware as well. Corruption within the system is very common within the Netherlands. This may happen in the United States if physician-assisted suicide is made legal. According to Wisconsin Right to Life, guidelines in the Netherlands has made it legal to kill newborns with disabilities. Euthanasia is a terrible thing, and once the ball starts rolling it won’t stop. As cliche as it sounds, you only live once, everyday is a true opportunity to do something in this world. Each day is a blessing. Helping a patient take their
life kills that blessing. A physician that assist suicides for the “better” of the patient commits terrible crime. It is the same as murder. Assisting suicide is nothing shy of being an accomplice to taking a life. Every person has the right to live out their life to the fullest. Even given three days to live, someone can fulfill so many items on a bucket list. What professional would take away someone's right to live out their remaining days? Depression is a serious illness, but it has a cure. Even if the patient wants to die, suicide isn’t the answer. Physicians, since the beginning, have been healers. Society will never understand the things they truly do in everyday life. Physicians are life savers everyday. We are taught to trust them. Taking a life isn’t healing. Allowing physicians to assist people suicide attempts causes more harm than good. It creates a rift in the social structure and the true meaning of doctors.
What’s your stance? By NICK BOOSE
Staff Writer
By ASHLEY DORSEY
Editor
Suffering from pain is worse then death
In recent weeks, physician assisted suicide has made the headline and run the social media gamut when Brittany Maynard chose “death with dignity” to end her battle against brain cancer. Assisted suicide, according to the American Medical Association, is when a physician helps a patient by providing the necessary means and information to allow the patient to perform the lifeending act. The patients are prescribed sleeping pills and information about the lethal dose. In the US there are three states: Oregon, Vermont and Washington that have legalized assisted suicide. There are certain people who believe it should not be a option, but it's helpful to those who feel like it’s best for them. Many of the patients who decide to end their life early are terminally ill patients; patients that are in pain or know
that they can’t be cured of their chronic illness. People are troubled with intensely painful and terminal conditions that have prohibited them from living a normal life. It is cruel and inhumane to refuse their pleas. It may be called assisted suicide, but that’s necessarily true. No one wants to die, but no one wants to suffer either. Recently to protect her family and her family’s memories of her being healthy and full of life, Brittany Maynard decided to die with dignity. Maynard was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Instead of suffering through her last few months, she went to moved from her home state of California to Oregon to be qualified for assisted suicide. In her article from CNN, “My right to death with dignity at 29,” she talks about her position on assisted suicide. She had the medication for weeks, but
didn't take them. “I am not suicidal. If I were, I would have consumed that medication long ago. I do not want to die, but I am dying. I want to die on my own terms,” Maynard said. It is unsettling that some would rather have terminally ill patients die by their cause of death rather than letting them leave on their own terms. Some patients suffering from a terminal, painful or debilitating illness may come to the decision that death is preferable than to face the pain. But a vocal section of society believes taking your own life under any circumstances is wrong. Isn’t it common knowledge that as humans, we have a moral imperative duty to relieve the suffering of people and to respect their decision and dignity? Compassion demands that we respect their wishes and cooperate.