KRIER Volume 43 • Issue 3 • Kaneland High School •26 January 2017
Sensitive students crave safe spaces from reality page 7
Why are teens so The notable knights of KHS stressed? page 16 page 10
Index 26 January 2017
Letter from the Executives
Being a teenager isn’t easy. Teenagers are given more responsibilities than ever before and it can be very hard to balance. Learning how to be independent is difficult when you’ve spent your entire life being dependent on someone else. The transition into adulthood is scary at times and this issue of the Krier is here to help guide you. The biggest thing to remember is that you are not alone in this, teenagers all over the world are learning just like you. Balance is challenging. There is more to life than living up to societal expectations. There are plenty of resources for you, reach out to others.
Table of
Contents
Kaitlyn Becker Ava Mandele Caitlyn Rawers
Entertainment
4
Big screen themes to small town realities
News
Arts initiative brings people together
5
Opinion
6
Early bird gets the worm... But it is too early?
Feature
8
A glimpse into the past
14 15
Dangerous culture influencing teens
16
The notable knights of KHS
The many ways students deal with stress
Activities
18
Brennan conquers the triathlon grind Overcoming everyday challenges: Sofie Carillo
battles cerebral palsy
19
You fight like a girl...boy you wish!
Lucas Rotter
2
Table of Contents
kanelandkrier.com
Page design by Caitlyn Rawers
26 January 2017 Index
7
SENSITIVE STUDENTS CRAVE SAFE SPACES FROM REALITY
10
WHY ARE TEENS SO STRESSED?
12
THE STRUGGLE OF AN AMERICAN TEEN
Page design by Caitlyn Rawers
kanelandkrier.com
Table of Contents
3
Entertainment 26 January 2017 An introverted freshman is taken in by two seniors who show him the real world. This movie is based on a book, published in 1999, and shows issues amongst teens such as peer pressure, being shy and insecure and how others can help overcome one’s own introvertedness.
“Loving Someone” is about loving whoever and supporting LGBT people. Matty Healy, lead singer of The 1975, also criticizes the media for compulsory heterosexuality, according to annotations on genius.com. According to Goodreads.com, twins Noah and Jude are incredibly close at thirteen, but three years later, they barely speak to each other. Told in both perspectives, this book shows many current issues such as divorce, homosexuality and love.
4
BIG SCREEN THEMES TO SMALL TOWN REALITIES BY JULIA JANIS, Editor
W
hether it’s a funny post or an inspirational quote, teens are always looking for something that relates to them. Try these movies, songs and books that relate to a variety of issues in teen life.
According to Goodreads.com, this story is about teenager, Craig Gilner, who is determined to succeed at life, and is accepted to a strict but prestigious school. He eventually attempts to commit suicide over the stress, which leads to him being admitted into a mental hospital. He then discovers himself and what he wants while staying there. The author wrote the book based on his own experiences, making the tone of the book relatable to teens struggling with depression.
According to Cara in an interview about “Scars to Your Beautiful”, “Basically, that song is about body image. It’s directed at women, but I think men can relate to it as well. It’s just a song about these things that certain women go through on a daily basis in order to feel loved or in order to love themselves…”
A famous writer, his ex-wife and their teenage children come across different forms of love over the course of one year. This movie is great for expressing first loves and difficult relationships, especially with the teenage son.
Pulse
kanelandkrier.com
Page design by Bella Vargas
26 January 2017
News
ARTS INITIATIVE BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
STUDENTS GET CHANCE TO SHOWCASE THEATRICAL TALENTS
1998 Planning begins to have a fine arts festival for the elementary schools.
1999
1st Fine Arts Festival, held at Kaneland South Elementary School, now called John Shields Elementary School. Approximately 200 people attend.
2001 Kaneland Fine Arts Festival is moved to KHS and considered a district wide event.
2008
A community committee is formed to help assist in planning with the Festival. Over 3,000 people are now attending the Kaneland Community Fine Arts Festival.
BY VANESSA PITTS, Editor
T
he Kaneland Arts Initiative winter show is an opportunity for the community to come together and appreciate one another’s arts and talents. The performance show was started four years ago by Bonnie Whilden, a former Kaneland John Stewart art teacher. She wanted to bring new types of art to the community. “We try to bring arts to all ages, it’s not just for students here at the school, it’s for everyone. Kids who are trained in performing arts, students from different schools and adults are all welcomed to volunteer to perform in our show,” volunteer coordinator Laura McPhee said. The show brings together a community of actors and actresses. “We all come together like a family and we all help each other, there’s never any arguing or anything. All everyone wants to do is show their talents,” senior Betsy Mills said. This year’s show will be “Marvin’s Room”. The show was made to give the actors and the audience a new experience. “This year will be a reading instead of just acting it out, we’ll just sit and read a script. It is about an older gentleman who is living with his family and what the family is going to do with him. It shows how they react to his aging and how they cope with everything,” McPhee said. A previous show was about a gay male who was beat to death for his sexuality. The program tries to relate to controversial topics so they can lead a discussion on
“
The show brings a community of actors and actresses together.
2017
2013 The Kaneland Community Arts Festival becomes the Kaneland Arts Initiative. The new name is more accurate for an organization that is far more than the founding, singular event. Page design by Annika Berger
it after the show. “After every show we have a talk back to kind of reflect on how we did and how we feel about the subject. We talk about topics that are just out there and kind of touchy,” McPhee said. The show is done in the Black Box Theater at KHS. Since the space is so small there are not many props used in productions. “We don’t use a lot of props so it’s more about the people acting. It’s really amazing to see what some of the kids that come here can do. The adults that try out learn a lot from the kids and that’s really cool,” McPhee said. All money from the tickets goes towards funding the shows for scripts, sets and whatever else the cast needs. “We don’t raise money for anything, we just want to give people a chance to show their talents. The money for tickets is what helps the show function,” executive director Maria Dripps-Paulson said. Tickets sold online will be $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and at the door it will be $12 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. “There’s no student discount. Students can’t show their IDs and get in with a discount like they do for school productions. We have no funding for props or anything so that’s why everyone has to pay for tickets,” McPhee said. The show was performed for three days from January 20 to January 22 at 7:00 p.m. and one show on the 22 at 2:00 p.m.
“
THE BEGINNING
Today, KAI continues to grow, working with the Kaneland School District to provide programs to enhance the quality Arts curriculum in the schools, partnering with the many communities that the district serves, and expanding to work with professional artists in the Midwest.
kanelandkrier.com
Community and School News
5
Opinion 26 January 2017
EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM...
BY DYLAN MONDI, Executive Editor
E
very year, Kaneland students are often faced with the problem of too many classes to take but not enough room in their schedule to fit them in. There is the option to take an early bird class, but taking that gym class is the only option for students. That isn’t enough, especially for students that barely have room in their schedules to take all the required classes. For example, juniors will typically take a math, gym, language, history, English and speech courses, not including a STEP/lunch. If you were to take all those classes it would only leave room for one elective, or a study hall. More early bird classes in this situation would be incredibly useful as it adds one extra spot in your schedule that you could use to add another class. Early bird classes could be used for other semester classes like economics or programming. Giving students the chance to take electives during early bird would be a big help to students as it not only gives them the chance to explore what they are interested in but also allows them to pursue new interests such as ceramics or acting. We should have the option to explore our interests. Requiring App. of Tech for graduation doesn’t make us college, career and community ready. We could be using that class period to take an elective. The early bird hour should serve as an opportunity for students to explore more of what we are interested in and ease the schedule load.
6
Opinion
CARTOON BY JULIA JANIS
BUT IS IT TOO EARLY?
BY EMILY JANECEK, Reporter
G
etting up at 6 a.m. isn’t everyone’s favorite part of the day. What Kaneland’s staff doesn’t know is that rising early causes more harm than health to students. Health issues and accidents are problems caused by getting up early. If something must be changed at KHS, change the start time. Lack of sleep causes physical and psychological problems. Due to puberty, teens sleep cycles are between 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. According to a Centers for Disease
kanelandkrier.com
Control (CDC) study, a majority of American high school students don’t meet sleep recommendations, and the same study showed that 69% of them rest less than eight hours. Not getting enough sleep could put not only you but others in danger. 56% percent of students admit to have driven when tired because of school. A study by the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and Liberty Mutual showed that nearly 1 in 10 students say that they completely fallen asleep at the wheel going to school. Schools want their students to be safe but would put them at risk without realizing. Starting school later has more benefits. When schools delay the start of the day, communities see a decrease in tardiness, sleeping in class and car crash rates. Improved attendance, graduation rates and standardized test scores also improved. With all of the benefits that starting later brings to the table, we as a school should try this out ourselves. Contributions by Julia Janis
Page design by Julia Janis
SENSITIVE STUDENTS CRAVE SAFE SPACES FROM REALITY
26 January 2017
Opinion
KRIER Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 ext. 71236 www.kanelandkrier.com Member ISHSPA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA NISPA Silver Certificate 2013 IHSA State Finalists 2013 NISPA Golden Eagle for Krier Online 2015 IJEA Second Place for Krier Online 2015, 2016 IJEA Third Place 2015, 2016 Subscription rates: Five issues, two supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $32 EXECUTIVE STAFF Ava Mandele Caitlyn Rawers Editor-in-Chief of Web Editor-in-Chief of Print Lucas Rotter Kaitlyn Becker Executive Executive Dylan Mondi Special Project Editor
EDITORIAL STAFF Feature Karina Sanchez
CARTOON BY BAILEY RAMIREZ
I
Social media has contributed to the increasingly sensitive teen.
magine lying on the couch, scrolling through social media when your phone warns that the battery life is at five percent. Ignoring the warning, you continue strolling, suddenly noticing a mean comment from your ‘friend’ saying how much you annoy her. Your phone dies. ‘NOOOOOO!!!!!’ you scream and race to your room. While waiting for your phone to light up, that comment keeps racing through your mind. Teenagers are deeply affected by the opinions of others, causing them to be increasingly sensitive. They need to understand that not everyone is going to like them. Teenagers need to be able to coexist with each other and accept other viewpoints because that is how the best solutions are brought forth. However, instead of trying to get teenagers to acknowledge and accept differing viewpoints, universities have created safe spaces. Safe spaces are university centers that are intended to shield students from traumatic ideas. However, according to CNN, safe spaces are now places of refuge for like-minded people who do not want to defend their viewpoints. This is very harmful because it creates a closed-minded society. In fact, according to The Washington Times, gay conservative speaker, Milo Yiannopoulos, was scheduled to speak at
14
Page design by Dylan Mondi
DePaul University on May 24, 2016. However, student protesters shut down his speech by taking over the stage. When college republicans asked the university if Yiannopoulos could speak again, the university denied the visit, claiming that Yiannopoulos was unworthy of university discourse. Understanding the abused use of safe spaces, some professors and colleges have advocated for safe spaces to be banned. According to jurist.org, Yue Zang, an associate professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago, believes that safe spaces create fragile and spoiled students. In fact, the University of Chicago has gotten rid of safe spaces because they believe that students should commit to academic freedom, which means the ability to possess one’s own opinion without being corrupted by another’s opinion. Intended on having a positive effect on students, the use of safe spaces have fed student’s sensitivities, blockading them from the real world. Teenagers need to learn to live with people’s viewpoints without crying over every disagreement. Teenagers need to get over the sensitivities and develop a tougher shell because the world allows for the opinions of others. This change will make teenagers stronger people who are able to discuss, debate and fix issues that the previous generation has not yet been able to do.
1
kanelandkrier.com
Opinion Julia Janis
Table of Contents Caitlyn Rawers
Indepth Matt Cushman
Photo Page Bridget McCracken
Pulse Bella Vargas
Community/School News Annika Berger
Social /Voices Vanessa Pitts
Editorial Dylan Mondi
Cover Jessica Tiv
Sports/Activities Justin Erlandson Amanda Malawski
Centerspread Jessica Tiv
Lifestyle Lucas Rotter
STAFF
David Babula, Aaron Beasley, Dylan Calabrese, Lesley Chavez, Thomas Eastham, Ashley Edwards, Gabrielle Faletto, Hannah Garbacz, Megan Gillogly, Emma Glennon, Mycayla Grayson, Alexis Graziano, Abigail Grotto, Shelby Harper, Madeline Hockey, Emily Janecek, Joshua Kellum, Stevie Kumar, Hannah Leeper, Alexander Malawski, Reaghan Maloney, Katharyn Mattern, Allison Mitchinson, McKenna Mosley, Priscilla Purnell, Abril Salinas, Donatela Sommesi, Richies Tiv, Sydney Torrente.
FVCC Graphic Communications
Ben Hasenbalg, Kyler Cavish, Jon Bierlein, and Lauren Maki
ADVISERS Kimberly Reese Krier adviser
Nicole Larsen Print adviser
EDITORIAL POLICY
Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily the opinion of Kaneland administration, staff, students or parents. The Krier Editorial Board consists of designated Advanced Journalism students: Jessica Tiv, Dylan Mondi, Ally Smith, Caitlyn Rawers, Annika Berger, Ava Mandele, Justin Erlandson, Bridget McCracken, Karina Sanchez, Amanda Malawski, Bella Vargas, Matt Cushman, Vanessa Pitts, Julia Janis, Kaitlyn Becker, and Lucas Rotter. Students make all publication decisions. Letters can be sent to the address above or e-mailed to krier@kaneland.org. Letters must be signed (names may be withheld under extraordinary circumstances as deemed by the editorial staff), and must be under 300 words. The editorial board has the right to work with writers to edit for clarity and length. Any material that is potentially libelous, obscene or disruptive will not be published, at the discretion of the editorial board. All decisions to publish or not publish letters are made by executive editors. The Krier has been an open forum since 1974. As an open forum, we restrict editing to staff members only; prior review and editing are prohibited by people outside the staff.
Editorial
7
Feature 26 January 2017
A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST
BY KARINA SANCHEZ, Editor
H
igh school now isn’t what it was like back then. Students watch movies from the 80’s and 90’s and think ‘why aren’t our high school years like that?’ TV shows have depicted high school as the best years of your life, but in reality students stress about getting to class on time and meeting expectations. According to Yorkville High School principal and former KHS teacher David Travis, things have changed starting with the basics of teaching. “When I went to school, your fate was determined relatively early, we had a career track. As a freshman you were a vocation kid, business kid or college prep kid, once you were on one of those tracks it was hard to get out of a track,” Travis said.
“
When we were tardy, we had to go into the office to say why we were late. Audrey Huggins
“
High school students now have more options as to what classes best fit their needs. Students are even given the chance to join Fox Valley Career Center to give them a taste of what the real job force is like. In addition, students also have the opportunity to take AP classes that provide college credit and challenge students. “We didn’t have too many fun classes, they were all traditional, and we didn’t have AP classes since our school was so small,” Travis said. One thing that has changed greatly throughout the years is the tardy system. Kaneland has switched to the Hero system, but back then technology wasn’t as advanced. Hero was non-existent. “When we were tardy, we had to go into the office to say why we were late. It seemed to be pretty lenient. It was
8
Feature
Brad and Audrey Huggins, high school sweethearts, attended prom together.
there is a student who is interested in starting a club, the Kaneland administration is open to the idea of starting something new. What isn’t known or heard of now is the Girls Athletic Association. “We had GAA, Girls Athletic Association, that was very well attended. We sponsored dances and overnights. We [members of GAA] use to have overnights at the school. It was just like a big party. Pizza would be ordered, pop, games. We would also stay one or two nights a week when there were games and make posters for those games to put in the hallways and cafeteria,” Audrey Huggins said. Every year around December students now have the opportunity choose the classes they want to take and meet with their counselors to discuss the steps to becoming college, career and community ready.
kinda easy to skip school or skip class I should say,” Audrey Huggins, Kaneland graduate of ‘76, said. Now, students are running from point A to B to avoid being late to class. Back then it would be as simple as going to administration and explaining why you were late, instead of receiving a punishment. “There was more informal discipline from teachers, either verbally or physically straightening people out a little bit,” Brad Huggins, Kaneland graduate of ‘74, said. Typically, suspensions aren’t the first disciplinary actions that are given when a student misbehaves, but they seem to be becoming more apparent than they were back then. “We had detentions and suspensions, but I don’t recall anyone being suspended at all,” Audrey Huggins said. Kaneland now has a wide variety of clubs and classes offered to students. If
This picture appeared in the 72’ yearbook under the student life page.
kanelandkrier.com
Page design by Karina Sanchez
26 January 2017 Feature
Recently, Audrey Huggins met with some of her old classmates reminiscing high school at her 40 year class reunion. ILLUSTRATION BY KARINA SANCHEZ
“Things are very competitive now and that’s the major difference, graduation was a huge thing then and now you are expected to graduate, and it’s just a milestone. Students are now more focused and driven, you guys know what you want, and how you want it. You are more apt to express your views in terms of how you want to be educated,” Travis said. At times high school can be frustrating and gets rough, but no matter where you go you can always count on your teachers. Nowadays they play a vital role in high school, they’re not only your teacher, but your support system in terms of education. Compared to what alumni have described, teachers were strict, and there was no compromising
on what would be taught or how students were taught. “The game of teaching has changed quite a bit. Now our job is not just to teach, but for you to learn, we need to be motivators and connect with kids. We have to be able to get to students to understand why they have to do it. Back then it was you were taught now you have to learn it,” Travis said. Social groups always seem to be a big deal in high school but living in a small town means everyone knows everyone and there aren’t as many social barriers. “I would say that we had cliques but I also grew up in a small town, I was with the same kids from kindergarten to senior year, but my closest friends in life were the people I grew up with, but I also hung
out with the guys I played sports with and everyone knew everyone,” Travis said. Thanks to social media it has become easier to get a glimpse of people’s lives, who they are and what interests them. Older generations who are new to social media have recently gone looking for their graduating class and view it as luxury. Imagine a few years from now when everyone has graduated and the time comes to reunite with your class. A lot can change in a matter of five years and looking back, high school will be have been a stepping stone to the person you will become. “The five year reunion was great. It was before anybody had any inflated opinions of themselves. We were all still the same people,” Brad Huggins said.
Page design by Karina Sanchez
kanelandkrier.com
Feature
9
Feature
26 January 2017
why are teens so
stressed sensitive depressed BY MATT CUSHMAN, Editor
Y
ou just get home, the school day is finally over, and you are preparing to go to work. As you change, you feel a pain in your stomach. Your mind starts racing with everything you still have to do today and what you have to do in the future. Stress is felt everyday whether people know it or not, and can completely alter a person’s mindset. There are many reasons people could be stressed such as certain environments or people, like a bully. Constant strains on a person’s mind can cause some symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, low energy and upset stomachs. Simple places or people like school, a workplace or your parents can cause a lot of stress. While school can be a good place to gain an education and create friendships, it also comes with a lot of other problems and activities out of school that must be done. There is also the expectations to getting sleep, keeping a good GPA, all while balancing outside of school activities. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), teens report that their stress level during the school year far exceeds what APA believe to be healthy. While the healthy level is about a 3.9 on a 10-point scale, students feel that they are at a 5.8. Many teachers also assign different amounts of homework, some even assigning about an hour worth every night. According to New York University, 48 percent of students reported to have at least three hours of homework every night. This could be a reason that people have difficulty doing different activities after school.
SCHOOL According to APA, three-quarters of Millenials reported work being a major source of stress and a half reporting job stability.
10
Indepth
According to APA, 35 percent of females and 30 percent of males say that they are good at managing their stress.
WORKPLACE Along with school, many students have jobs that they balance with school work and socializing. This could have effects on the efficiency and quality of students work due to how much has to be done in a small period of time. According to APA, remember the old saying, “Find a job you love and you’ll never work another day in your life.” Most people spend about 25 percent of their adult lives working. If you enjoy what you do, you’re lucky. But if you’re the proverbial square peg and your job is a round hole, job stress hurts your productivity and takes a serious toll on your mind and body. While a workplace supplies money and an occupation, it also comes with some negative stress. According to APA, sometimes your work setting creates physical stress because of noise, lack of privacy, poor lighting, poor ventilation, poor temperature control or inadequate sanitary facilities.
kanelandkrier.com
Even though parents are looking out for their child and want the best for them, adults own stress on themselves can also impact their children, whether it’s intentional or not. Parents also become stressed with expectations and goals that their child may not want to achieve. While parents try their hardest to keep a good appearance for their children, the stress that they have greatly impacts their children. According to APA, when the parents are stressed, their children can be sad, stressed, frustrated or worried. Parents can also remain oblivious to their children’s stress levels. Although it is not necessarily intentional, it could cause some trouble with family matters. According to APA, 69 percent of parents of teens say that their stress has slight or no impact on their children, yet only 14 percent of children report that their parent’s stress does not bother them.
PARENTS According to APA, younger generations like Millenials and Gen Xer’s reported to deal with stress with alcohol compared to other generations. Page design by Matt Cushman
26 January 2017
In the last month due to stress...
Sources of stress on teens...
65%
23%
financial concerns for their family
of teens report skipping a meal
4.8 MALE
getting into a good college
school and grades
of teens lied awake at night
of teens report feeling tired
69%
83%
35%
36%
Feature
Average stress levels on a scale of 1-10
5.5
FEMALE
CARTOON BY NEHEMIAH LEE
LOW STRESS
HIGH STRESS
3.2
VS.
hours
2.0 hours
spent online per day Information compiled from a 2013 APA research survey.
Page design by Annika Berger and Matt Cushman
kanelandkrier.com
Indepth
11
Feature 26 January 2017
BY AVA MANDELE, BELLA VARGAS, Editor in Chief, Editor
Everyday teenagers are immersed in endless cycles of negative and positive media. Whether it’s a Twitter fight between friends or just someone ranting about their Social Media terrible day, the messages we are exposed to With little or no regulation on social on social media and the news has a serious media, teenagers are free to post anyaffect on teenagers’ well-being and mood. thing they feel at that exact moment. The ability to type whatever you feel has benefits, however it also has consequences for people other than the one posting. Many times social media creates a communication barrier between the sender and receiver that can cause people who view the post to feel sad or indirectly attacked. Because posts are so easily misinterpreted, simply miswording something can destroy a relationship in a matter of minutes. When people receive information through social media, email or text, they automatically lose 93 percent of the basic components of communication. According to Dr. Albert Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 rule, 7 percent of communication is based on the spoken words, 38 percent is based on tone and 55 percent is based on body language. It is difficult to add a clear tone in a tweet or instagram post and impossible to add body language to PHOTO BY BELLA VARGAS any type of post. Freshmen Rachael Hendricks and Paige Beattie Social media also plays a huge role in reinforcing teen stereotypes. Teenagers are constantly shown photos of models with the perfect body and lavish life that only the luckiest people are aspire to have. The constant exposure of material items that are out of reach to the majority of teens can create feeling of disappointment and resentment against their average life.
12
Centerspread
kanelandkrier.com
Page design by Jessica Tiv
26 January 2017 Feature
Advertising
In recent years, advertisers have now shifted their primary audience from adults to teenagers. By doing so, they are Television, Movies and Music ingraining their products into the brains of teenagers. Even if the teenagers are not Media such as television, movies and of age to buy the product, such as alcohol music have started to desensitize young and tobacco, advertisers aim to familiarize kids to violence, the use of drugs and alteenagers with the product and company cohol and the dangers of sexual activities. for when they are able to buy and use it. According to studies done by the CanadiAccording to the American Academy an Paediatrics Society (CPS), watching of Pediatrics (AAP), the tobacco industry violent television programs and movies spends $11.2 billion a year on advertisers does show an increase in violent behavior their products, which can lead to an inby children. crease of smoking later in life. According to the CPS, “The average According to the AAP, “two unique and child sees 12,000 violent acts on television large longitudinal studies have found annually, including many depictions of that approximately one third of all adolesmurder and rape. More than 1,000 studcent smoking can be attributed to tobacco ies confirm that exposure to heavy doses advertising and promotions.” of television violence increases aggressive Advertisers also use the appeal of sexes behavior, particularly in boys.” to sell products. Usually, women cast for Music videos are a large source of alcocommercials, magazines and other adhol, smoking, sex and violence, particularvertisements are portrayed as the “ideal ly against women. woman” to help appeal to male According audiences, leading to body to the CPS, image issues. “Up to 75% According to AAP, “Amerof videos conican advertising also fretain sexually quently uses female models explicit matewho are anorectic in appearrial and more ance and, thus, may conthan half tribute to the development of contain vioa distorted self-image and lence that is abnormal eating behaviors often commitPHOTO BY BELLA VARGAS in young girls.” ted against Nine year old Brady Travis watches an ad on YouTube. On the flip side, advertisers women.” use physically fit and masculine Often, men to appeal to audiences women. By women are shown in a condescending way frequently creating the idea of an “ideal that can affect views on gender roles. Blacks man” having those characteristics, teenage are also represented as aggressors which can boys can feel added pressure to be overly lead to reinforcement of stereotypes. masculine. Page design by Jessica Tiv kanelandkrier.com Centerspread
13
Feature
26 January 2017
DANGEROUS CULTURE INFLUENCING TEENS BY AMANDA MALAWSKI, JUSTIN ERLANDSON, Editors
Information compiled from a poll answered by 1,163 KHS students.
23% of students responded “yes” to trying illegal drugs.
17% of those students who answered “yes”
76%
also answered to doing illegal drugs on special occasions.
56%
of students responded “yes” to trying alcohol.
responded to never trying illegal drugs.
35%
of those students who answered “yes” also answered to drinking alcohol on special occasions.
43% responded to never trying alcohol.
“Given the right circumstances, do you believe that teens should engage in sexual activities?”
60% of students agree with this statement. 40% disagree. 75% of students answered to never smoking marijuana.
4%
answered to smoking marijuana everyday.
students answered to never 87% ofsmoking cigarettes. to smoking cigarettes 3% answered everyday.
ARE TEENS TOO SENSITIVE? Information compiled from a poll on Twitter.
81% 14
Voices
19% NO
kanelandkrier.com
YES
Page design by Vanessa Pitts
26 January 2017
The many
ways
students deal with
Feature
stress
BY BRIDGET MCCRACKEN, Editor
DO’S:
DONT’S:
Healthy Eating: Make sure to eat well balanced meals to help relieve stress. Drink lots of water, and try to eat breakfast. Also, stress eating may seem comforting but causes you to overeat. According to WebMD.com, eating oranges, spinach, pistachios, almonds and avocado can also help relieve stress.
Holding it inside: Keeping all your feelings inside doesn’t help in any way. There are various sources of stress and expressing that you feel stressed can only benefit you. According to familydoctor.org, keeping feelings inside can take extra energy. That energy could be used for something more beneficial.
Write: As stated by WebMD.com, writing can help relieve stress that teens feel by letting them vent without having to say anything out loud. Writing doesn’t always have to be about yourself. You can write a story if you don’t want to think about what’s making you stressed. Writing a letter to someone that is causing your stress may also be helpful. Putting your thoughts down on paper in some way, shape or form can help relieve your stress and can make you feel better.
Overbook: Nowadays, teens are trying so hard to do everything that they are creating more stress for themselves than what’s needed. They get their homework for the day but then someone else asks them to do something for them. It can be challenging to say no to helping someone out, but if you already have a heavy workload then it may be best to say no. By saying yes, you are adding to the amount of things you have to do and that makes you more stressed than you already were.
Talk to someone: A simple way to relieve it is to talk about it or get help. Talk to a trusted friend or adult about the stress you have and see if they can give you any good advice for how to make things better. You can also talk to a therapist or school counselor. A lot of help is given online through websites like helpguide.org or harvardhealth.edu where you can find tips to help you destress.
Drugs: Drugs, including alcohol, may seem like a good idea to help relieve stress, but it has some bad effects. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, using drugs while stressed makes you more likely to become addicted to those drugs and can put you more at risk for substance abuse. It can also leave you in a more stressed state.
CARTOON BY REAGHAN MALONEY
Page design by Lucas Rotter
kanelandkrier.com
Lifestyle
15
Feature 26 January 2017
u m n G e or ut
NOTABLE
gi
A
THE
CREATING APPEARANCES: GORY OR MAGNIFICENT
No
a h B e rg e
r
RACHEL RICHTMAN RUNS VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY AS A FRESHMAN PHOTO BY ABBEY KING Within the walls of her home, sophomore Abbey King paints one of her latest works of art on her own face.
n St. Pet e
r
a Ry
L iz
PHOTO BY MADELINE HOCKEY Racing Burlington Central, freshman Rachel Richtman tries her hardest to get in the lead. Richtman finished the season placing 5th at her first high school state meet.
16
Photo
n
s
M
ab
To w ell
el C u m mi
Check out kanelandkrier.com for the full story on some students and what unique things you might not know about them.
kanelandkrier.com
Page design by Bridget McCracken
T
re
P
at
ric k
M ur p
h y
KNIGHTS OF KHS
26 January 2017 Feature
vor C a nnon
Sh
ae
an
STUDENT’S LIFE WITH P.O.T.S.
M a n g a li n
d
WADDLE FOR DISABILITIES
PHOTO BY DONNY SOMMESI Gaining a dose of knowledge everyday at the Elburn Public Library reminds junior Ally Smith how much the power of education can affect her overall level of intelligence.
DABLR CREATES CHANCES FOR TEENS TO EARN MONEY
PHOTO BY CASSIDY GARLAND Senior Cassidy Garland, freshmen Benjamin Turk and Katie O’Brien pose for a group picture all dressed up in their costumes for the DeKalb performance of Shrek.
M
ad
i Te g t m a
n
Gr
a n t Wil k
PHOTO BY DYLAN CALABRESE Seniors Jake Obremski and Neil Glazier surf their website to make some modifications.
Page design by Bridget McCracken
kanelandkrier.com
Photo
17
Activities
26 January 2017
BRENNAN CONQUERS THE TRIATHLON GRIND BY GABRIELLE FALETTO, Reporter
N
ot many people get to say that by the time they are 15, they can finish a three continuous and sequential endurance competition, known as a triathlon. Sophomore, Tessa Brennan is doing just that. She is among the few who compete in a series of events that involve swimming, cycling and running. Brennan, born and adopted from Russia, began her passion for triathlons five years ago when her family participated in a local 5K. Dan Brennan, Tessa’s dad, noticed she had a little more potential than others. A triathlon coach reached out to Brennan and persuaded her to join a team. “After Tessa competed in her first triathlon, she never looked back and hasn’t stopped competing since,” Dan Brennan said. As Brennan’s triathlon commitment grew stronger, her competitions took her all over the nation. With her dad driving the team trailer, she competed in Seattle, Colorado, Florida, Virginia and several other states across the U.S. “I like the Seattle race because it was
PHOTO COURTESY KEN JOHNSON Exiting the water, Tessa Brennan gets ready to transition into the biking portion of the Sarasota-Bradenton Triathlon in Sarasota, Florida.
Scan the QR code on the left for Gabrielle’s story and scan the QR code on the right for Emma’s story with Snapchat to read the rest of the stories online at kanelandkrier.com
the most scenic race I’ve been to and we even got to tour the city of Seattle. I remember my dad and I went out to dinner for sushi and as we sat down, our view was of the mountains,” Brennan said. These travels also gave Brennan the opportunity to meet her role model. “I recently got the chance to meet and train with Gwen Jorgensen in Colorado. She is the Olympic Gold Medalist in triathlons. She is a very good athlete, very talented, has a great work ethic and because I met her, she has given me valuable techniques,” Brennan said. It’s moments like these where Brennan is feeling the most motivation and gratefulness to her teammates, friends and parents. Even Brennan’s closest friends describe her as funny, hardworking, pretty, dramatic, energetic and lovable. “The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Tessa is her laugh. She has the best laugh and she always gives me so much sass. I also love when she impersonates people, especially me. She keeps me on my toes,” friend Becca Richtman said...Continued online.
OVERCOMING EVERYDAY CHALLENGES:
SOFIE CARRILLO BATTLES CEREBRAL PALSY BY EMMA GLENNON, Reporter
H
igh school can be a challenging time for many students, whether it is difficult situations going on at home, hard classes or the notorious KHS blender. None of these things are the most challenging for Sofie Carrillo, who has Cerebral Palsy faces and her own personal challenges everyday. Carrillo is a freshman who loves to draw and has a very misunderstood sense of humor. Although she uses a wheelchair and is limited physically, that does not mean she is limited as a person, physically or mentally. Her goal is to try to get through the everyday academic and social obstacles of high school. That is a normal day for Carrillo. “Cerebral Palsy is different in every case and in every person and it affects different parts of the body. But for me it mostly affects my growth, especially in muscles in my legs whenever I have a
18
Activities
growth spurt. So, when I have a growth spurt my bones grow quicker than my muscles do, and say then we do mat stretches you’re literally stretching out your muscles so that they are the same as your bones. As for mental, it’s not as strong as some would have in other cases, but it can still be seen,” Carrillo said. Sometimes people find it uncomfortable to discuss topics they are not familiar with. However, it can be difficult to talk or focus on these challenges. “I think the fact that a lot of people don’t have any background knowledge about what it is, so you have to sit there and explain to them the whole process. Like, with other diseases it could be simpler, but for us it’s not because there’s so many cases of ‘what ifs’ or ‘how does this work’ or what affects you that some might not affect you,” Carrillo said...Continued online.
kanelandkrier.com
PHOTO BY EMMA GLENNON When students walk up and down the ramp, they may not realize how steep it actually is. For Sofie Carrillo, it harder to get up and down on than she makes it look.
Page design by Amanda Malawski
26 January 2017 Activities
YOU FIGHT LIKE A GIRL... BOY YOU WISH! BY ASHLEY EDWARDS, Reporter
W
hen you think about wrestling, normally you picture two males going head to head, but here at Kaneland things are a little different. Sophomore Marissa Vanik is preparing to wrestle for the first time this season since her five year break. Vanik is 15 years old and has a passion for wrestling. Being the only girl on the team can bring a lot of pressure on Vanik, but she is ready for the challenge. At home, she spends her time watching videos of professional female wrestlers and asking her siblings questions. One wrestler that she admires is Helen Maroulis, who won gold in women’s freestyle at the Rio Olympic Games this year. Maroulis was the first ever female to win gold for the United States in her division. “I was around age six when I started wrestling and quit at 10, now I’m back into it,” Vanik said. During Vanik’s younger years, she looked up to her older brother Riley Vanik, who is a senior here at Kaneland. She knew she wanted to be a wrestler like him and make her family proud. He is now one of the captains for the wrestling team and makes
PHOTO BY ASHLEY EDWARDS Working hard, the Kaneland Knights wrestling team is excited to have a female join the sport. Vanik, shown on the left, is preparing herself for a season of wins and accomplishments. “I’m not the best, but it’s something that I can work towards,” Vanik said.
wrestling a little more comfortable for her. Vanik not only wrestles, but also has played many other sports in her middle and high school career. “Cheer, kickboxing, basketball, soccer, track, I throw shot and discus for that, and in the spring, I’m going to be doing another type of wrestling called freestyle,” Marissa Vanik said.
PHOTO BY ASHLEY EDWARDS Coming back from a five year break, Marissa Vanik prepares for her first match with her teammate, Trevor Jones. She is excited to be back and making her family tradition continue.
Page design by Justin Erlandson
kanelandkrier.com
She came back to wrestling to bring on the family tradition. “I’m not that bad, but I’m not the best, it’s something I can work towards and do good in and make my family proud,” Marissa Vanik said. It’s easier for Vanik since her brother is there, he knows his sister’s limits. He makes sure that she is okay with certain things such as wrestling guys and training in a room full of males. Not only at practice but also at matches she has to wrestle males, and she seemed perfectly fine with that. “The main coaches will normally ask my brother if it’s okay and most of the time he says ‘Yes, she knows what she signed up for,’” Marissa Vanik said. Coach Michael Thorgesen, one of the assistant coaches, knows Vanik and her family, and he wasn’t shocked that she wanted to come back to this sport. “It’s definitely different having a female on the team and very rare, but I know Marissa and what she is capable of,” Thorgesen said. Vanik hopes to see herself winning many matches, going to state at the end of the season and going to a college or training camp for wrestling after she graduates. “One word to describe wrestling would have to be intense, it’s more of a physical sport. It’s different because with basketball you have a team to rely on, but with wrestling, you are all on your own. You are in the spotlight, what you do only affects you,” Marissa Vanik said.
Sports
19
Ads
26 January 2017
Coloring Page
20
Ads
kanelandkrier.com
Page design by Kaitlyn Becker
Brain Teasers
26 January 2017
Ads
1. What can be seen once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years? 2.Feed me and give me life. But give me a drink, and I will die. What am I? 3.What gets wet when drying? 4. What travels around the world staying in the same corner? 5. I’m always somewhere between the ground and sky, always far in the distance, always moving further away if one attempts to come closer. What am I? Answers: 1. The letter M 2.Fire 3. A Towel 4. A stamp 5. The horizon
Page design by Kaitlyn Becker
kanelandkrier.com
Ads
21
Ads
26 January 2017
One night free stay of boarding when 3 nights are reserved
22
Write a letter to the Editor and turn it in to Room B109! Ads
kanelandkrier.com
Page design by Kaitlyn Becker
26 January 2017
Page design by Kaitlyn Becker
kanelandkrier.com
Ads
Ads
23