KRIER The student newspaper of Kaneland High School
Volume 41 Issue 4 December 18, 2014
For the love of the game: student-athletes speak
Wrestlers strive to improve this season “Call of Duty� steps up its game Page 4.
Page 11.
Chicago sports teams raise ticket prices Page 15.
NEWS
The latest about Kaneland, the local community and the world
School district worries over lack of subs
Substitute Marie Gatz fills in for Spanish teacher Heather Spaetzel in class.
By AVA MANDELE AND CASSIDY GARLAND
Reporters
For the past two years, the Kaneland School District has had a difficult time completing the once easy task of filling all the classrooms with substitute teachers. Kaneland uses an electronic system called Aesop to fill substitute positions. A teacher that plans on missing a day enters the date and duration of their absence into Aesop, then any substitute teacher registered within the district can accept or decline the substitute job. Recently there has been a major shortage in substitute teachers accepting jobs. “We can’t help that substitutes aren’t accepting the jobs,” the Dean’s secretary Susan Hammermeister said. Many people throughout the district are under the conception that this re-
Photo by Bailey Crimmins
cent problem is caused by the lack of pay and benefits substitute teachers receive. However, school officials claim that most substitute teachers within the district are a part of the Illinois Teacher Retirement System, which allows substitute teachers to receive the same benefits of a full-time teacher and are well paid compared to other school districts in the area. “We have done research to compare what other school districts are paying their substitutes, and we are very competitive,” Director of Educational Services Mike Purcell said. School officials that deal with the substitute teacher problem on a daily basis blame the job market as one of the reasons this problem has become an issue. As the job market has increased, being a substitute teacher has become a less desirable profession.
Statement Piece Boutique First UV Tan Free (1 per client) First Time Clients : 2 for $25 Versa Pro Spray Tan $25 Custom Organic Spray Tan
Couture Couture Tan Tan
Open Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat. 9am-5pm Sun. 11am-5pm
472 Rt. 47 N. State St. Sugar Grove, IL 630-466-4421 Offering UV/Versa Pro/Custom Sjolie Spray Tan
2 School News/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
The rural location of Kaneland schools is another thing school officials blame as one of the reasons substitute teachers aren’t accepting jobs. “Many substitutes live closer to other schools within the district and end up taking the closest job available to them,” Assistant to Educational Services Linda Ross said. To make up for the lack of substitute teachers, the district is forced to pull full-time teachers from their planning period and lunch hour to help fill in for other teachers; this is not an ideal or permanent fix to the problem. When a teacher is pulled from their classroom to fill a position other than their own, they are losing their planning period which potentially could affect their classroom learning environment. “It’s weird having my science teacher fill in for my Spanish teacher sometimes,” freshman Morgan Ryan said. School officials feel they would need 200 to 300 substitute teachers available at all times to officially solve the issue. The school district is working constantly to fix the problem and achieve that number of substitutes by advertising the positions and accepting job applications from new teachers. “We are constantly working hard, but have only seen a little relief,” Purcell said.
ABOUT THE COVER: The cover illustration features junior Mitchel Groen and was shot by Jack Coyle. Cover design by Jack Coyle and Amelia Likeum. THE NEEDHAM SHOP BLACKSMITH AND WELDING EST. 1871
We make wrought iron railing and fencing and do custom metal fabrications and repair!
Call 630-557-9019
Kaneville, IL
Annual light show offers Prayers, Hope more than just a tradition & Love for local resident By SHANNON GILKEY
Editor
For many families in the Kaneland community, the “Larsen Light Show” has become a beloved holiday tradition. Aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents and grandchildren all pile into their cars to enjoy extravagant lights together on snowy nights during the holiday season. Junior Marissa Michi has been visiting the light display for nearly five years with her family. “It’s become a family tradition. Every year around Christmas my grandparents, aunts, and uncles all go together,” Michi said. The light show is put on at 42W891 Beith road by owner of County Wide Landscaping, Brian Larsen and his family. Last year the display won a 50,000 dollar prize on ABC’s “Great Christmas Light Fight.” Larsen has loved the holidays since he was a little boy. Growing up he has memories of his family going out together to see Christmas lights. As an adult he is determined to continue that tradition for & his own family Abercrombie Fitch and others in the community.
“People tend to forget the holidays, they tend rush through it,” Larsen said. Freshman Alex Ponce and her family have built their own traditions around the Larsen’s light show. Ponce enjoys visiting the display each year with her loved ones and believes the community feels the same. “For the community, I think it’s a tradition. They go with their families to watch it,” Ponce said. Sophomore Jessie Weber has been attending the light show with her family since she moved to the Kaneland area nine years ago. “Each year they keep adding stuff to it, my favorite song they play is ‘hot chocolate,” Weber said. The light show consists of well over a million LED lights and is set up with an FM radio transmitter that plays music matching the lights. Programming the display is not a little job, but Larsen and a few friends control the entire show themselves. Visitors can tune into 88.5 FM radio to enjoy the show for free MondayThursday from 5:00p.m. to 10:30p.m. and Couture Friday-Sunday from 5:00p.m. to Juicy 12:30p.m.. Limited Donations are welcomed.
Sell Your Cool Stuff Today! We buy gently used brand name clothing & accessories for teens and young adults
Aeropostale Lucky Brand American Eagle Old Navy Arden B Pink Baby Phat Victoria Secret Bebe Roxy Charlotte Russe 7 For All Diesel Mankind DKNY Silver Ecko Steve Madden Express Wet Seal Forever 21 and many more! Gap Guess Like us on Hollister Facebook! Larsen Light Show, J. known for incredible display, attracts people annually. Crew
Photo by Shannon Gilkey
By CAITLYN RAWERS
Reporter
In honor of Pat Hill, purple wristbands decorate the arms of students and faculty with the phrase, “Prayers, Hope & Love for Pat Hill.” Many students as well as community members know Pat Hill as the owner of the famed Hill’s Country Store and being the village president of Kaneville. Unfortunately, Hill was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. In response, community members Cathy Kovach, Jennifer Long and Stephanie Gruber have set up the wristband fundraiser to give money to the Give Back to Pat Benefit. The wristbands are $5.00 each and are available in the front office of the high school. On November 26, a race was held in her honor. Also, on December 6, the Fishermen’s Inn hosted a night for her benefit. Hill is best known for organizing numerous events in Kaneville. From those who have just moved here to those who have passed on or fallen ill, Hill always provides a supportive gesture. “She’s so selfless; she’ll do anything for anyone,” Kovach said. Attendance secretary Mary Scholl has known Hill for a long time and believes that she is an important part of the community. “She’s the pillar of Kaneville,” Scholl said. As a small town, it is important that the community takes care of one another. “The fundraiser is definitely a good idea. She does so much, it’ll be good to give back,” freshman Morgan Jurgens said. According to Scholl, Hill is overwhelmed with the generosity that has already been shown.
SW Corner of Randall and Fabyan 1900 S. Randall Rd Ste 100 Geneva, IL 60134 www.platosclosetgeneva.com Community News/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
3
Cheerleaders prepare for competition By GRACE DODIS
Reporter Head cheer coach Jennifer French leads the varsity team of 16 into competition season in hopes of accomplishing big goals. During competition, 13 of the varsity girls hit the floor with the other three being alternates. Any of the girls who were on varsity for football season are automatically on the competition team, while girls on JV have to be pulled up to be on the team. “We did pull one girl up from JV, Mel Henne,” French said. Before the competition, the girls have a set time of 15 minutes to warm up. “Then, they go out in an entire gym full of people and judges and perform their routine which is about three minutes,” French said.
From football season to competition season, the girls do a lot more work according to French. “It’s drastic. During football season, we work on sharpening moves and stunts. Competition season is so much harder, and we constantly have something to do. We do a lot of conditioning,” senior leader Nicole McClellan said. Each cheerleader has their own way of coping with the nerves that come with performing, but the team as one knows what to do to be ready. “What we do first is work on each piece of the routine, the cheer, movements and dance,” French said. The girls also work on stunts and tumbling. Morris, IMSA and Providence are just three of many schools that Kaneland competes with. Both McClellan and senior leader
Lexi Lund agree that Yorkville is one of Kaneland’s biggest rivals, but French has other ideas. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a team that is their biggest competition. The competition that means the most to the girls is conference,” French said. Lund and McClellan think the team’s goals are to place at conference and qualify to go to the IHSA state Competition, while French thinks that having the right attitude is also an important goal. “Over the past few years we struggled placing [at conference], and our hearts weren’t really into it,” Lund said. To get to those goals, French has the girls taking stunts and tumbling that they’re working on now and making them more difficult in the future. They also work on staying positive. “We work on the small goals first to get to the big goals,” French said.
als, get the team to state and to see as many kids get to state individually as possible. “A goal for our team is to show improvement throughout the year in all the kids,” Vanik said.
Orosco’s long term goal for this team is to improve the amount of state participants and to have at least double the amount of state qualifiers this year by practicing 12 hours a week, not including their morning conditioning.
Wrestlers strive to improve this season
By LEXI GOODWIN
Reporter The Kaneland Varsity wrestlers officially began their season on Tuesday, November 25, and team members have set their sights high. “Our team goal would be to win more than one match against Yorkville this year,” freshman Keith Clausen said. In the past couple years, Kaneland has only had on average one pin, or take down, against their Yorkville opponent during a meet. Last year their dual record, (when a wrestler goes up against an opponent of the same height and weight) was 157. “A short term goal would be to improve our dual goal,” Varsity Coach Joe Orosco said. Sophomore Riley Vanik also said he would like the team to win region-
Wrestlers practice up to 12 hours a week in season.
Want Better Grades?
Club Z! 1-On-1 In-Home Tutoring Can Help! • All Subjects • Study Skills • ACT/SAT Prep • LD/ADD/ADHD • Qualified Tutors • Affordable Rates
4 Activities/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
630-277-8117 www.clubz.com
$50 OFF OF TUTORING!
Photo by Lexi Goodwin
Letters to the Editor can be dropped off at room B109!
EDITORIAL
An open forum for columns, letters and opinions KRIER Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 ext. 236 www.kanelandkrier.com
Member ISHSPA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA NSPA First Place 2010 Quill and Scroll First Place 2010 NISPA Golden Eagle 2012 NISPA Silver Certificate 2013 IHSA State Finalists 2013 Subscription rates: Nine monthly issues, two supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $32 EXECUTIVE STAFF
The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Cartoon by Brandon Park
The wage needs to be raised
When the midterm election results rolled in, America had things to discuss. Both the House and Senate are now controlled by Republicans, which puts America in an interesting situation with a Democratic president. Perhaps more importantly for our high school audience, many states (including Illinois) polled voters on their opinion about raising minimum wage. CNN found that 71 percent of those polled support a federal raise of minimum wage. President Obama even signed an executive order to raise the minimum wage to $10.10. So why is there still no raise? Because despite all evidence there are still some who oppose the raise. A commonly repeated argument against it is, why do teenagers need to make that much money? In short, teenagers aren’t the majority of minimum wage workers anymore. According to the United States Department of Labor, 88 percent of those who would benefit from a federal minimum wage increase are 20 years or older. Another popular argument: if they want more money, they should have gone to college and gotten a
better job. Last year, over 260,000 Americans with bachelor’s degrees or higher worked for the minimum wage or less (tipped minimum wage), according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Opponents to the raise the wage movement seem to
Editorial Board Vote Agree
Disagree
12 2
forget that a degree doesn’t guarantee a job. That, with the fact that tuition has risen to the point where students are leaving college with more debt than ever, has accounted for the recent influx of degree holders working for minimum wage. Besides, this argument implies that the lack of a degree should determine whether an individual lives in poverty or not which defeats the purpose of minimum wage. The federal minimum wage was created in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt, stating that the wage was to keep America’s workers out
of poverty. Currently, a full-time minimum wage worker would make $15,080 annually which would place a single parent (or two person household) below the poverty line. Another popular argument for the opposition is raising minimum wage will create job losses. Which kind of makes sense in theory; if you have to give each worker more money then you can afford less workers. However, That’s not the case. A study done by Economics at the University of Massachusetts, the University of North Carolina and the University of California on minimum wage, concluded that a higher minimum wage did not cause job losses. A follow up study done by UC Berkeley confirmed these results even in a time of recession. Though the current state of the economy and poverty is complex, all evidence points to the conclusion that raising the minimum wage would benefit workers and the U.S. economy. It’s time to raise the minimum wage, and the information used to rebuttal that is poor at best.
Maddy McDermot Production Manager
Jack Coyle Editor-in-Chief Katrina Paulick Design/Content Manager
Jarod Erlandson Business Manger
EDITORIAL STAFF Centerspread Shannon Gilkey Lifestyle Taylor Eaves Activity/Sports Sam Wolf Assistant to Adviser Amelia Likeum
Opinion Ashley Dorsey
Pulse Dean Divizio Digital Media Emma Wallace
Investigative Madeline Mohatt Copy Editor/ Editorial Austin Kintz
Assistant to Adviser Michelle McCracken
Webmaster Gabby Cano Assistant to Adviser Sam Schrepferman
Assistant to Adviser Nick Boose
STAFF
Amanda Bade, Kaitln Becker, Kristen Becker, Jessica Bowgren, Devon Buri, Lesley Chavez, Claire Chevalier, Grace Dodis, Jason Edwards, Autumn Georgi, Rebecca Geringer, Jenna Lancaster, Lauren Lindow, Anthony Messina, Dylan Mondi, Hannah Nauert, Emily Nolte, Kyle Osborne, Sabeen Rahman, Caitlyn Rawers, Cody Schrepferman, Megan Wolski, Katherine Albano, Mckenna Flint, Cassidy Garland, Alexa Goodwin, Zoe Haenisch, Taylor Heiser, Joshua Justus, Eric Layne, James Leach, Erika Leeper, Aliya Lorenzo-Kuhnlohe, Ava Mandele, Sarabeth McEvoy, Samantha Nuno, Alicia Rocha, Skylar Rolle, Lucas Rotter, Patrick Turyna
GRAPHICS Riley Hannula, Melanie Bateman, Amairin Dominguez, Madison Locke, Claudia Isais
ADVISERS Kimberly Reese Krier adviser
Nicole Larsen Graphics 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: Nicholas Boose, Amelia Likeum, Michelle McCracken, Sam Schrepferman, Gabrielle Cano, Jack Coyle, Jarod Erlandson, Austin Kintz, Madalyn McDermont, Katrina Paulick, Emma Wallace, Samuel Wolf, Dean Divizio, Ashley Dorsey, Taylor Eaves, Shannon Gilkey, Madeline Mohatt. 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/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
5
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
6 Opinion/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
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.
SHIFTING VIEWS OF
SINGLE-SEX
VS CO-ED
SC H OO LS By AMELIA LIKEUM
Staff Writer Imagine walking down the halls of KHS surrounded only by students of your gender. That’s what it is like for kids at Rosary or Marmion: schools that only allow a uni-sex. Something that Kaneland students have been used to for years is now a point of confliction for parents and scientists trying to figure out which type of schooling is more beneficial. The debates over single-sex education versus co-ed schools have waged on for years. Scientific proof has constantly shifting views of which type of schooling creates better test results and a stronger drive to complete education. People in favor of co-ed often argue that putting students into a single sex school does not sufficiently introduce students into the real world where they must work with both genders. However, others argue that a co-ed school will put more pressure on a student to conform into a gender stereotype. For example, if it was generally accepted that men are better in economics than
women, a male student might be more ashamed of getting a low grade than a female student. Policy and Programs Studies Service collected data in 2005 concluding that 17 percent of studies thought that a single-sex education gave students a higher self-esteem, while 33 percent ruled in favor of co-ed, and 50 percent said there was no difference. The study, also touching on social impacts, stated that eating disorders were more common in co-ed schools than single-sex education. “I feel like when guys are around, girls tend to be more competitive about superficial things,” senior Alex Martinez said. The study went on to say that singlesex schools were more likely to have students graduate than co-ed. Graduation rates in high school were much higher coming from a unisex school for both males and females, while post secondary graduation rates stayed equal between the two types of education.
Diane F. Halpern, the lead author of The Pseudoscience of Single-Sex Schooling, states that the research of single sex schooling is misconstrued and weak in support. Halpern calls out Dr. Leonard Sax, the executive director of the National Association for Single-Sex Education (NASSPE), saying that his views of gender segregation is much like the views of racial segregation not too long ago. According to Sax, “We are not asserting that every child should be in a single sex classroom, we are simply saying that there should be a choice.” However, under Title IX, a law which requires equality for both men and women in every aspect, the opportunity for uni-sex classrooms in a public education system is often lacking. According to 2011 research by the NASSPE, around 506 schools around the US have single-sex classes available, while 116 of those can be considered uni-sex schools. “Personally, I wouldn’t be able to handle all girl classes,” Martinez said.
Peg’s On Main
Full Service Hair Salon
A great old-fashioned meat market Try one of the many flavors of snack stick or beef jerky
Beef Jerky Midwestern Sweet and spicy Teriyaki California Heat
Elburner Tex Mex Bloody Mary AND MORE!!!
630-365-6461 210 Main St. Maple Park, Il 60151
Phone: (815)827-3051
128 N. Main Street Elburn, IL
Snack Sticks Bier Stix Sweet and Spicy Summer Sausage
Teriyaki California Heat Ghost Pepper AND MORE!!!
STORE HOURS:
Monday to Friday, 9 to 6 Saturdays, 9 to 4 Sundays 11 to 4
Feature/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
7
For the love of the game: By AUSTIN KINTZ AND GABBY CANO
Special Project Editors Kaneland Track and Field had a saying printed on clothing that read “Kaneland never stops.” That is true in the offseason for KHS athletes of all sports. The training never stops and neither does the success. Although it is a fact that offseason is a time to relax and recuperate after a draining season, training during the offseason has countless benefits. In NSCA’s Performance Training Journal, Thomas M. Erickson writes about the benefits of training in the offseason. “Intelligent use of the weight room, just like the intelligent implementation of a running program, can have a dramatic influence of the competitor,” Erickson said. Off-season training regimens often include lower intensity workouts for a longer duration. These workouts help the athlete maintain or build on their fitness so that they improve their skills during the season. This type of workout still leaves room for repetition injury: injury that is caused by repetitive tasks. Many athletes train year round, but also take time off to let their body rest
and recuperate. According to Dave Heidloff of Athletico Physical Therapy, taking time off is crucial. “Without taking time off from high-level activities, the body will eventually begin to wear down faster than it can repair itself,” Heidloff said. Heidloff continued by explaining that non-stop training can lead to burnout, both mentally and physically. Student-athletes are more likely to have higher stress levels compared to traditional students due to the pressure they face to maintain good grades, a social life and possibly work. So what happens when the stress is left unattended? According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), stress causes both physical and mental symptoms that are similar to anxiety disorders. Junior Joe Laudont is a prime example of a student-athlete who experiences stress-related symptoms. “Getting stressed-out happens all the time for me. I get all edgy and usually start doing poor on my tests. My performance on the field starts to suffer because I’m not focused,” Laudont said. Physical injuries may also occur due to overuse. Freshman Matthew Richtman experienced what it is like to train too hard. As
a result, he missed multiple weeks in his cross country season. “I did get hurt training, and had tendonitis in my heel. Resting was the only way to heal it, and also I wore heel cups,” Richtman said. Stretching, icing and preparing properly can prevent injuries. According to Stop Sports Injuries,a successful preseason strength and conditioning program prevents short and longterm injury. Kaneland High School baseball coach, Brian Aversa,suggests staying comfortable before a game by laughing, listening to music and staying focused in order to relieve stress. “During the game we focus on breathing because it’s something we can control. We can’t control the overall situation, but we can take control of our breathing so we can get in the right frame of mind,” Aversa said. A student athlete may have to sacrifice their social life occasionally to succeed in their academic and athletic life. Junior basketball player Mark Lilly knows that despite the luxuries of having a social life, keeping sports and school a priority is key. “You have to sacrifice going out with friends or watching something on TV, but it’s worth it,” Lilly said.
Day in the life of track and cheer athlete Nicole Sreenan 7:30 a.m.
Sreenan begins a typical school day
9:30 p.m.
Cheer practice ends
2:50 p.m.
She heads straight to track practice
5:30 p.m.
Track practice ends, Sreenan rushes home
11:30 p.m.
2:00 a.m.
Sreenan begins homework and eats dinner
Sreenan usually goes to sleep
8 Centerspread/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
6:30 p.m.
Cheer practice begins
6:00 a.m.
Wakes up to start her day again
student-athletes speak
PX
Coach’s Prescription KANELAND HIGH SCHOOL 47W326 Keslinger Rd, Maple Park, IL 60151
Krier interviewed three coaches and asked them:
what do you recommend student-athletes do to relieve stress?
“I take a lot of my stress out with physical activity because it takes my mind off of other things.” -Travis Berth
“Getting proper sleep is a big component in relieving stress. A student-athlete should have a strong family foundation as well. Also, never fall behind in your schoolwork.” -Tom Dillivan
“A great way to relieve stress is to exercise. Choose something you enjoy doing that will take your mind off of whatever is stressing you out.” -Brian Johnson
Centerspread/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
9
LIFESTYLE
Tips and tricks for living a fuller, healthier life
Kaneland faculty’s all time favorite
READS
Lorna Code can’t put down In Cold Blood By SABEEN RAHMAN
Reporter
Photo by Jessica Bowgren
Renee Grisch is in love with A Prayer For Owen Meany
Kaneland High School librarian, Lorna Code, said her favorite book is In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, which she enjoys because it’s a memoir. “It’s about these men who randomly go out in the country and slaughter a family, but it actually happened. It tells the tale of a random murder and the psychological reasons it was committed,” said Code, “I think anytime you can look and somebody else’s experiences and compare them to your own, you’re grateful.”
By JESSICA BOWGREN
Reporter A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving kept teaching and learning coach Renne Grisch attached until the very end. “It’s a story about a young boy whose life started out rough in a difficult time period. He finds the good in people and knows life isn’t about money or material objects, but about faith,” Grisch said. Although it look some time for Grisch to really fall in love with the story, it’s one of her favorite books until this day. “Half-way through the book I realized it was my favorite, and I couldn’t put it down. I’ve read it about five times. It sits by my bed and when I don’t have anything else to read I read a couple pages and the whole book comes back to me,” Grisch said.
Photo by Autumn Georgi
Emily Fuchs gets lost in the pages of The Namesake By AUTUMN GEORGI
Reporter
Photo by Sabeen Rahman
English teacher Emily Fuchs’ favorite book is The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. The story is about a man who is a first generation American who copes with learning and growing up with his career path set out for him even though he is certain that he has too much creativity for the job. “I like the book because it correctly characterizes being a first generation person, which is not a major subject used in literature. It also helped me understand my first generation friends better,” Fuchs said.
Peterson Pool Service & Supply, Inc. Specializing in above-ground pool installation, sales and service
Phone: (630)774-9320
10 Lifestyle/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
Mission Briefing People collectively play almost 2000 years of Call of Duty every day. The daily amount of people who play Call of Duty could fill 80 of the world’s largest sports stadiums.
“Advanced Warfare” showcases what we can expect from future “next-gen” titles. Courtesy of Call of Duty
“Call of Duty” steps up its game By DEAN DIVIZIO
Editor In
correlation with its predecessors, Activision’s latest installment in the “Call of Duty” series has become an instant hit. What makes “Advanced Warfare” different from every other title since the first installment of “Black Ops”? It actually deserves to be a hit. Starting the campaign you’re greeted with a cutscene that looks so amazingly lifelike, I almost couldn’t tell that it was animated. The short introduction movie grabs the player’s attention with fantastic voice acting and extremely realistic characters, and shows them just what they need to understand the basis of the story and prepare for the rest. When all the movies were over and I began playing, I noticed that some of the controls were pretty slow. There was an excessive amount of time between when I pressed the button to aim down the sights, and when that actually happened. Looking around was also a bit awkward initially, but adjusting the default sensitivity settings solved that problem. I suggest having a sensitivty setting of at least four.
Having not played many first person shooters in a while, I almost died while encountering the first set of enemies. I’m happy to say though, that I quickly adjusted and by the end of the first mission, was comfortable and doing very well. The end of the first mission has some impact and shock value (as characters dying and emotional intensity tend to go together) and in general was a good way to start the game and set the scene for the rest of the story. That being said, in no way does it compare to the first mission of The Last of Us. Switching to multiplayer was a letdown at first. After doing as well as I did in the campaign, I was expecting to do a lot better in my first few games online. Let’s just say my first few matches were a little rough. I was pretty much ready to quit after the first two games. Other players just seemed to be way better than me from the start, which was really discouraging. However, once I started unlocking new weapons and being able to custom-
100 million people have played “Call of Duty” at some point. Even if it was just once. The actual cost of all the UAV’s used ingame, is equal to the entire U.S. federal budget, 5,422 times over.
End Transmission ize my classes (after about a half hour of play), I quickly started doing a lot better and in turn, started having a lot more fun. For the first time in a long time, I was overall very happy with the multiplayer experience. There seemed to be a lot of thought put into most of the maps. The maps that I played, made good use of the player’s ability to boost jump, were appropriately sized, and (in correlation with the rest of the game) looked really good. At the end of the day, “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare” would make a great gift this holiday season for anyone looking for a new first-person-shooter. I give it an 8/10.
Pulse/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
11
INVESTIGATIVE
In-depth Information collected by Krier reporters
Wi-Fi hotspots at Kaneland High School By EMMA WALLACE
Special Project Editor The frustration of finding Wi-Fi connection is very apparent in Kaneland High School. Especially with the new cell phone rules (regarding phone usage during class), Wi-Fi is essential. Some teachers ask students to look things up on the internet which can be a difficult task when a student isn’t receiving a strong wireless signal. “It seems like the Wi-Fi at our school is constantly down. Whenever I try to use it, it doesn’t work,” senior Tatiana Lee said. There is always the option of using data, however, using cellular data eats up battery life on a phone and makes an expensive monthly bill. Using cellular data is a point of frustration for many students. “I hate using data instead of Wi-Fi because I have zero signal at the school. I really wish we had better Wi-Fi here,” sophomore Paige Guerrero said. Finding a strong Wi-Fi signal in the school can be a challenge. Certain places in the building have better signal than others. “There are over 100 Wi-Fi access points in the High School. Every classroom has one, and there is equal access in each classroom,” Director of Technology Tim Wolf said. However, depending on the surroundings in each classroom, the Wi-Fi will work differently. “Classrooms usually support around 50 devices at a time. Laptop carts being in the classroom can affect the value of the Wi-Fi signal. Also, bluetooth devices can interfere with the signal,” Wolf said.
Even when the signal may be strong and the internet is fully working, many students are upset about what apps or websites are available for access through the KHS network. “There are defined rules in the firewall that dictates what is filtered and what isn’t. Many categories have been considered on whether or not the students should have access to certain websites or apps. For example, websites that fall under the categories of gambling, pornography and sex education have been blocked,” Wolf said. Twitter, Pandora and Facebook are some of the most popular apps, yet students can’t access them using the school’s Wi-Fi because they can be a
How to connect to the Kaneland High Wi-Fi:
1) Select “NonKanelandDevices” 2) Username: Student email
Password: Student Password
www.conleycare.com
PH: (630) 365-6414 • FX: 6434
P.O. Box 8049, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL 60119
distraction for students during class. Also, Pandora, according to Wolf, takes up a lot of the wireless signal that may be needed for educational purposes. “I wish that we were allowed to go on Facebook and Spotify. I don’t think that being allowed access to apps and websites distracts from school. Students usually go on them during their free time. Also, it can be hard to do school project when educational websites that we want to use are blocked,” Lee said. According to Wolf, that has been a problem within the school. “There have been websites that teachers want to access for school purposes but can’t. In that situation, they can call the tech department and ask for permission to make that website available,” Wolf said.
12 Investigative/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
Sidebar by Madeline Mohatt and Emma Wallace
DECEMBER Kaneland Server’s Choir practices for the Madrigal dinner that took place December 12, 13 and 14.
Photo By orgi Autumn Ge
s ca prepare a V n la y D r Junior throw afte e e r f a t o o to sh e in the gam d le u o f g bein Francis. against St.
Pho Jason E to By dward s
uys choir) (g e v o V a ll Ko from their k a e r b a s e tak playing practice by e hallway. games in th
Photo By orgi Autumn Ge
Photo/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
13
//
Students strive to survive brain draining classes 1 currently taking Phys“Iicsamwith Mr. Carter. It is dif-
Day until Winter Break
Alex Spence
“My hardest class
this year is English Enhanced with Ms. Fuchs. It’s difficult because I am not very creative, but overall it is interesting and a lot of fun.
”
Survival Tip: Take your time and don’t rush.
“Economics with Mr.Conroy is chal-
ficult for me because I tend to use the wrong equations. Some days are hard: some are fun, but it’s relatively fun.
lenging because it’s a lot of stuff you’ll be doing after high school. You have to understand the basics because it’s going to be in your life
”
”
everyday.
Survival Tip: Study, go deep into how to work the equations.
Survival Tip: Study a lot and keep up on homework each night.
Lyan Gerodias Algebra Trigonom“ College etry is challenging for me with Mrs. Wisniewski. You have to try it’s by no means a blow-off class.
Stephanie Luebke Kiley Roach AP U.S. History is hard since it is a college course. Each week Mr. Martinez burns through a chapter. If you are interested in history it’s a great class, but it’s not easy.
“
Survival Tip: Pay attention and do the homework.
”
”
Survival Tip: Study and read.
Austin Vickery
with Mrs. Murphy is my hardest class “Chemistry this year. There is a lot of information you have
I is the most challenging “Algebra for me because I don’t like the
to generally understand without just memorizing.
”
Survival Tip: Lots of studying.
Krier’s App
concept and the use of all the letters. It’s a hard class, but I like Mr. Smith as a teacher.
”
Survival Tip: Study often.
Hannah Bauman
Check out
Henry Nosek
Sidebar compiled by Katherine Albano and Katrina Paulick
LATE NIGHT STUDY NIGHTS Town and Country Public Library in Elburn will keep its doors open late for students who will be studying for final exams at the end of this semester.
The Library will stay open until 10:00 pm on: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights, January 15 — 17. The Library will provide these services for students:
Study areas throughout Library. Meeting places for study groups. Internet access. The Library is also Wi-Fi accessible.
Paisano’s pizza and beverages!
TOWN AND COUNTRY PUBLIC LIBRARY
320 E. North Street, Elburn 630.365.2244 www.elburn.lib.il.us
14 Voice/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
Buy one small cone get one free!!!
BRIEFING
World News explained at a local level for students, by students
Chicago sports teams raise ticket prices Average Ticket Prices Bulls Blackhawks Bears White Sox Cubs Chicago fire
$77.65 $278.16 $108.44 $26.05 $ 44.16 $ 40.23
Information collected from Statista.com All information from the 2014 year
Junior Nicholas Soucie and English teacher Jennifer Sayasane are sporting jerseys.
By SAM WOLF
Special Project Editor Chicago, the third biggest city in the country, has its fair share of professional athletic teams. The city has more than six prominent teams in the best leagues in the country. As a result, fans never have a shortage of games to watch no matter what the time of year. Season tickets are available for the most loyal fans, although they don't come at an easy price. Blackhawks front row seats cost $410 per game. For a season, one seat in front of the glass costs a staggering $18,040 according to Chicago Business. These prices come after five years of ticket price increases, totaling a 68 percent rise. That doesn't stop fans from coming back every year, and rightfully so; the Blackhawks have won two Stanley Cups in the past four years.
Photo by Jack Coyle
The Bears have not had the success that the Blackhawks have, but their ticket prices have also have risen prices in the past years. For the 2014 season, ticket prices were raised an average of 4.1 percent. The ticket prices have been raised every year since 2003, with the exception of one year. Bears fan and English teacher Lori Shroka usually attends about four games each year, both at home and on the road. This year she didn’t because of the recent poor performances by the bears. Most season ticket holders still buy them no matter how the team is doing. Senior Morgan Withey and her family have bought season tickets every year for over twenty years as a tradition. Shroka has noticed the recent jumps in ticket price. “I think that sometimes they price
the real fan out of being able to go,” Shroka said. She continued by explaining that the high prices make it hard for the average Bears fan to attend as many games. Season tickets may seem like a lot to pay for games, but they come with added benefits. About 75 percent of Blackhawks tickets are season tickets; this makes single game tickets extremely hard to find, according to Chicago Business. “You get better seats buying season tickets,” Withey said. Many times, season ticket holders also get reduced prices on merchandise and access to special events. There are 15 added benefits owning season tickets listed on the Chicago Cubs website. The Chicagoland baseball teams are part of the very few teams who have lowered their ticket prices in recent years. Sox tickets were lowered more than 30 percent after the 2011 season, following mediocre seasons. Neither team has made the playoffs since 2008 and have seen attendance declines. For the 2014 year, the White Sox didn’t change their prices and the Cubs slightly lowered them.
Briefing/ December 18, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER
15
Treating Kaneland students, faculty and administration for 30 years! • Backaches • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome • Fibromyalgia • Headaches • Knee and Foot Pain • Neck Pain • Sport Injuries
ELBURN
C&A
HIROPRACTIC CUPUNCTURE
319 S. Main St., Elburn
630.365.5432
“We’re more than just backs!”
Display Your Achievements with...
AWARD JACKETS by Game
More Specials at Facebook.com/ kirhoferssports Available: •Boys & Girls Jackets •Tall & XXL Sizes •Special Orders
Sewing and Embroidery Work Done as well
$10 off Award Jacket Expires 3-31-15
KIRHOFER’S SPORTS 2112 W. Galena Blvd. Aurora 630-897-2322
Facebook.com/kirhoferssports