Bear Facts Student Media December 2014

presentations

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AP Classes money extracurricular urricular ricular activitie acti a it studying change ge homework hom testing iinsecurities iti

bear facts student media @LZBearFacts | december 2014 school lake zurich high december 2014

seeking shelter from

stress

dealing dealin aling g with ith depression d i obesity ty fundraising f

appearance peer pee pressure fitting instudent student dent loans loa s clubs applications CT appli g grades gra vacations sp sports tsACT finances health lth t ffamilyy sc school ooll shopping anxiety control cont contro exhaustion h ti tion addiction public bli speakin speaking king g

relationships

PARCC discrimination is mination iscr nat jobs

bf

bear facts

letter from the editor

Dear Readers, Some days, a to-do list just never seems to end. When stress builds, it feels like days have fewer hours and minutes have fewer seconds. There just does not seem to have enough time in the day.

The weight of everything you have committed to (but have no idea how or when you will get it done) can feel like the weight of the world. The reality is that stress is part of everyone’s life, however, there’s always a glimmer of light even in our darkest times.

That’s the power of hope.

Our cover this month shows the downpour of stresses students our age have to deal with on a regular basis. From juggling the pressures to succeed on tests to budgeting for the financial burdens of this time of year, Bear Facts decided to discover and highlight the stresses of students walking the halls of LZHS. The yellow umbrella shows the hope in the world, a way to protect yourself from drowning in stress, allowing you to still remain dry when you feel flooded with anxiety. We also explored those ideas, but you have to find them; our gift to you this holiday season are the yellow boxes throughout the magazine. They might help you find a solution to your stressors.

Whether it’s the stress of paying for college, the anxiety of public speaking, or fear of being true to yourself, being a teenager means being stressed out. We hope that this month’s issue lets you know you’re not alone and that there are ways to cope pressures of life. with the pr

print editor-in-chief: lexi fye

print managing editors: genna danial meagan bens

web editor-in-chief: lexi miranda

web managing editor: emmy schwerdt

staff writers: hannah bostrom allie brandl michael gallagher madison hart julia ketcham jemma kim stephanie pavin amanda pflaumer brianne saab jenny steinberg katie szarkowicz danna tabachnik natalie ullman

Sincerely, Your Editor-in-Chief, Since

adviser: carolyn wagner Bear Facts Student Media Lake Zurich High School 300 Church Street Lake Zurich, IL 60047

Lexi Fye, senior

TopWeb Printing 5450 N Northwest Highway Chicago, IL 60630

cover art by lexi fye

About Us All decisions are made by the Bear Facts staff. The adviser is responsible for making recommendations based on school rules, applicable laws, ethical journalism, and other concerns. However, final authority rests with the staff.

Bear Facts staff strives to inform, entertain, and showcase high quality work to our readers on a monthly basis. We always seek to uphold standards of journalistic integrity, acceptable ethics, and truth.

Website Bear Facts is also published online at http:// www.LZBearFacts.com. Online materials report daily news occasionally related to our print publication.

Advertising To advertise in Bear Facts, please contact our editorial board at bear_facts@lz95.org.

Prices vary on size and placement of the advertisement.

Letters to the Editor Students are invited to submit articles or letters to the editor. Students submitting can contact any Bear Facts staff member at bear_facts@lz95.org. Staff reserves the right to edit any material submitted while retaining intent.

Special thanks to our sponsor: Offbeat Music Store

For a complete editorial policy, please see our website.

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december 2014 | LZBearFacts.com

What’s inside? holiday 6 real stressors Find out what you can do to avoid stress this holiday season.

8

60

second story

the stress of holiday shopping

Learn about one student’s experience working on Black Friday, and the issue with consumerism.

scared of 10 being speaking Look into the minds of students who stress about speaking in public settings.

your 12 managing money Find out how one student dealt with the ups and downs of the college application process.

of being 16 stress yourself Listen to the difficulties of those who are different in a heteronormative world.

teen 18 revealing despair Read about how one teen fought back against depression and its effect around the school.

photo used with permission of bledian ajorja

Student surpasses stresses of Tae Kwon Do by michael gallagher

Learning a new lifestyle is a struggle for anyone, but adapting to the Korean martial art of hands and feet, commonly known as Tae Kwon Do, has put pressure on a student athlete to excel in his chosen sport.

Bledian Ajorja, sophomore, has trained for the past eight years in this martial art, but the burden of performing this physically demanding sport all started with a dream.

“I wanted to start Tae Kwon Do because one of my role models was Bruce Lee, and I was interested how nunchucks [worked],” Ajorja said.

After entering the world of Tae Kwon Do, the stress of achieving his ultamite goal as an athlete fueled his desire to overcome the obsession for perfection.

“I was always interested in getting my black belt; I think black belt is the beginning of Tae Kwon Do. That’s when you have to face the real challenges,” Ajroja said.

The challenges continue from there, but the road to achieving that ambition is filled with stresses, but knowing and living the lifestyle of Tae Kwon Do is the mountain he sees worth climbing.

As a part in his growth and development in Tae Kwon Do, Aroja worked tirelessly, and he recently became a second degree black belt. Just like how there are different levels in a sport itself, there are different levels in being a black belt: first degree, second degree, and third degree.

“Being a second degree black belt is like getting another black belt,” Ajorja said. “Your degree represents the amount of techniques and knowledge you have about Tae Kwon Do, but one thing I love about Tae Kwon Do is having the experience to talk with my master on what I can improve on.” bf lexi fye and hannah bostrom contributed to this article @LZBearFacts | december 2014

3

“Gonna sleep and hang out with my friends and family.”

-Sydney Wilkerson, soph.

“Hanging out with my family.”

-Mark Lukowski, fr.

relaxing

How do you plan on

over the holidays?

“I’ll be hanging out with my friends, and you can probably find me at McDonald’s because that’s where I usually end up.”

-Matt Pontious, jr.

“I’m traveling, going to be in Cancun tanning by the ocean.”

-Jessica Dunteman, sr. photos by michael gallagher

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december 2014 | LZBearFacts.com

Around the

Town

The Lake Zurich community, as well as surrounding areas, host various activities and events throughout the month. Check out our calendar for something fun to do this December.

#lovemybf

we love your tweets Bear Facts @LZBearFacts Tweet us a pic of you wearing your ugliest holiday sweater!

12/2

David Gillespie @DDavidGillespie 12/2

at the high school Chamber Strings, Bare Voices, and Blue Notes Concert: December 16 at 7:30pm in the Performing Arts Center. The concert will highlight performances from members of each group.

Dodgeball Tournament: December 18 at 6pm in the Field House and Tonelli gyms.

Help support Charity Bash and watch fellow classmates compete by attending the event as ticket sales will benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

lisle The Illumination show at the Morton Arboretum, “Symphony of Light,” features a mile-long walk-through light show synchronized with music from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The light show will run every day though January 3, 2015. Tickets are available on the Morton Arboretum’s website.

12/2 H A L E Y :) @laliberte_haley It’s about as ugly as you can get :)

deer park Kids can visit with Santa at Brilliant Sky Toys & Books from 1pm to 4pm on December 20. long grove Breakfast with Santa is available at the Long Grove Cafe on December 21 from 9am to 11am. Reservations are required.

12/2 Shelby Rigsby @RigsbS5343 This is from like 2012 but that’s alright

Don’t see your picture? Check the website at http://LZBearFacts.com! @LZBearFacts | december 2014

5

real

holiday stressors

Wrapping up hope this holiday season by katie szarkowicz and amanda pflaumer Gift exchanges, homework, and vacation plans are all things that most teenagers worry about during the holiday season, but what if you did not have enough money to buy groceries during the holidays, let alone gifts to give to friends and family? During the holiday season especially, the stressfulness of these situations can be magnified to an overwhelming degree.

“Expectations play a big role in the amount of stress that people experience during the holiday season. Expectations can be either generated internally or be felt like an external pressure, but they generally take the form of a list of ‘shoulds,’” said Marci A. Etienne, Ph.D. Director of Counseling Services at Trinity International University and mother of senior Brian Etienne.

When people feel like they can not meet these expectations, they might feel as though they are being constantly bombarded by them. These expectations become a constant thought in the back of one’s head and make the person feel helpless against them.

According to Etienne, even good things can be stressful, like holiday celebrations.

“The holidays should be wonderful, special, or magical is one type of expectation. This one is facilitated by how the media portrays holidays as wonderful family gatherings where everyone is loving and exuberantly happy.

However, many life circumstances won’t allow for that type of holiday experience and that contrast can lead to

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december 2014 | LZBearFacts.com

stress from trying to create that experience and great disappointment when it’s not attainable,” Etienne said.

Etienne suggests that images on social media portraying families with tons of gifts and things to be thankful for make those with less feel stressed.

Many area families indeed can’t afford the stereotypical wonderful holiday experience. According to lakecountyhomeless.org’s 2010 Homelessness Counts in Lake County report, 474 people in Lake County fit the federal definition of homeless as of January 28, 2010. A little over 46 percent of these people were part of families.

Etienne suggest simple guidelines to keep seasonal stress in check.

“Be realistic about your limitations in finances and free-time. You may not have time to attend every celebration you are invited to. You may not have the money to buy a gift for every friend,” Etienne said. “Being mindful of these limitations in advance can keep you from overextending yourself and creating stress as the holiday season progresses.” bf

Find out more!

Check out our website to find out more about how you can help LZ residents this holiday season.

Emmaus House

Gift of Love

Donating bikes

Emmaus House, an organization that helps local families in the community financially, works to fight homelessness in the community, and aims to prevent future homelessness, as well as to feed the hungry. About 2.4% of people in the 60047 zip code live below the poverty line, according to zipskinny.com. Emmaus House helps families financially in many ways, from hosting a community dinner every Sunday to paying parts of people’s rent, mortgage, and utility bills.

“The community dinner helps because people do not have money to pay for food on their own. We also have a food pantry as well, so people can spend money they would normally spend on groceries and actually pay rent, their mortgage, or their utility bills,” Dana Rzeznik, Emmaus House volunteer, said.

Although the community dinners are a big part of the organization, Emmaus House does much more to help out people in need. All in all, Emmaus House helps families to stay in their homes and preventing their eviction or foreclosure, according to Rzeznik.

In total, about 150 to 200 people on average attend dinner every Sunday at St. Francis de Sales Parish’s Emmaus House, but the number increases to about 220 to 230 during a holiday, according to Rzeznik.

“It’s a very heartwarming feeling to work with the people we work with,” Rzeznik said.

If you would like to help Emmaus House and community members during this holiday season, consider volunteering or donating to St. Francis de Sales.

In a season based on giftgiving, one program’s mission is to help make sure every family can provide presents to celebrate the holidays.

National Honor Society (NHS) members organize Gift of Love each year, where students and faculty can sign up to sponsor an anonymous individual or family in need by buying gifts and gift cards for that participant. When the day comes to turn in the purchased gifts, the sponsor wraps and brings the gifts to the table during their lunch period.

“We have a stockpile of people in need [who are] anonymous. We don’t actually know their names, just ages, and they list three things they need or want for Christmas and along with each person you also give a ten dollar gift card to a grocery store, to guarantee that they have food,” Sophie Zaccarine, senior and NHS president, said.

NHS brings the gifts to St. Francis de Sales Parish, who also sponsors a Gift of Love program each year. When it is time for the sponsorees to pick up their Christmas gifts, they come to the church where volunteers are there organizing the event and carrying gifts to cars.

“An experience I remember really well was when I did this through St. Francis and I was helping to pack up the gifts and organize them. I saw people receiving gifts and they were always very excited to receive them,” Rachel Burroughs, senior and NHS member said, “It’s just great to see the impact you can make on someone’s life in a small way.”

Boy Scout Troop 309 is helping less fortunate kids in the area through a bike drive. In this drive, the troop accepts donations of bikes, and then fixes and cleans them before giving them to less fortunate families in the community.

“The bikes come from people all over the community, and a lot of bikes donated come from [St. Francis de Sales]. The drive is going really good this year. We have 84 bikes, but will have 88 bikes when we finish,” said Luke Thurston, freshman, who is running the project this year after participating in years past.

The Boy Scouts, along with adult leaders, work to repair the donated bikes to get them ready to distribute to local families.

“Some of them go to St. Francis de Sales people, some go to other churches. It’s kind of a broad region,” Thurston said.

Many Scouts, as well as individual families within the troop, have participated in the bike drive for years.

“My dad started helping as an adult leader four or five years ago with my brother Eric. Eric led the drive three or four years ago, and my other brother Nick led the drive around two years ago. I led it this year, it’s kind of a family thing,” Thurston said.

In order to help the troops, Thurston has one suggestion.

“Donate bikes, just donate,” Thurston said, “ that is what makes the difference, having the bikes to fix.”

@LZBearFacts | december 2014

7

viewpoint

Consumerism has

taken over Christmas by michael gallagher Let’s put a big X through Xmas this season. Xmas should be done away with, and Christmas should be the focus of celebrations this time of year. A dramatic shift in how we view this incredibly important religious holiday needs to be rethought.

Consumerism has turned a time of being thankful and reflecting on what we have into a sales gimmick. The overdone ads and obnoxious sales are luring customers to front doors of big name stores just for a good deal.

By the media over-stressing how important it is to buy gifts and eat select foods, the true holiday has been lost.

“I’m not against some of the things the media has turned [Christmas] into—I think presents are cool, you show that you love someone by giving them a present,” Danielle Selvais, senior, said, “but I think it has become a little bit about what we’re getting, not remembering what we’ve gotten in the past and how God has been there for us.”

2011 $52.4 billion $398 per person

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december 2014 | LZBearFacts.com

Selvais, a Christian, celebrates Christmas because it is the birthday of her savior Jesus Christ. The holiday is something she is very excited about.

“I think the holidays for someone who is a Christ follower [are] really important because it reminds you that Christ lived on the earth and was in situations like you and why you were created and your purpose and that you’re loved, worth saving and dying for,” Selvais said.

Selvais says she is open about her religion. During the school week she partakes in Uprising, an LZHS Christian-based club, and worships at Willow Creek on Sundays. Even with a strong faith life, she admits she is not perfect, but tries to remember Christmas is about more than presents.

“I’ve spent more time thinking about what I’m [going to] get than being thankful for my faith, God, and Christ,” Selvais said. “It’s hard to remember in all of the [holiday] craziness to be thankful.” bf

the cost of Black Friday

The four-day weekend of early morning shopping for deals starts on Thanksgiving, brings out millions of shoppers across the United States and brings in a large amount of revenue for companies.

The National Retail Federation has developed averages from a survey of people who shopped or planning on shopping between the online and in-store deals. These averages then determine the estimation of the average amount spent per person and the total for the four days. source: https://nrf.com/media/press-releases

2012

2013

$59.1 billion

$57.4 billion

$423 per person

$407.02 per person

2014 $50.9 billion $380.95 per person

the stress of

holiday shopping

The National Retail Federation conducted a survey of consumers by which it estimated the number of shoppers for the entire Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and entire four-day weekend.

43.1 million on Thanksgiving

133.7

million total

86.9

million on Black Friday

BlackFriday’s dark reality by jenny steinberg

Legally, high school students under the age of 18 are nus holiday pay can help [these employees] out on any permitted to only work 20 hours a week; however, when month,” Gewargis said.

During the holiday season, Best Buy stays open the annual Black Friday sales roll around, those rules about one to two hours later than normal, impacting may not always apply.

For senior Mark Gewargis, who works at Best Buy, employee’s work schedule. But those aren’t the only Black Friday meant working half of his work week hours hours changing for the shopping season. Traditionally, in the two days between Thanksgiving and Black Friday when Black Friday deals began at midnight, employees were required to arrive at work late on Thanksgiving, but this year.

“Of course I am upset [missing Thanksgiving] but in with stores opening on Thanksgiving itself, now some the end, it is just the nature of retail. It is obvious [that employees have to rearrange family celebrations or miss Black Friday] is working for the business since custom- them all together.

Gewargis says he understands the competitive nature ers are still coming in,” Gewargis said. “My parents were more upset the first year [I missed Thanksgiving], but of the retail industry, but he questions whether the bottom line is worth the sacrifice. now it is just something that we were expecting.” “[These hours] are just the nature of the business; it Best Buy, which Gewargis says is notorious for having long lines and campers awaiting midnight opening is just something to expect in retail now in most stores. for the Black Friday deals, expects employees to be ready However, I don’t think businesses should be allowed earlier too. Due to Black Friday deals starting earlier, to open on holidays like Thanksgiving,” Gewargis said.

“Certain states did not allow retail Gewargis has missed Thanksgiving stores to open on Thanksgiving; they for three years straight.

Find out more! had to open at midnight like before.

“If I had a choice, I would not Look at our website to To stop the 6pm openings, the state be working on a holiday, but I know learn more about other needs to step in to stop retail stores. there are some retail employees who holiday shopping events Otherwise, they will continue the are living from paycheck to paylike Cyber Monday. competition between stores about check that need each day of work who will open first.” bf that they can get. This [type of ] bo-

@LZBearFacts | december 2014

9

being

scared to speak

getting a grip on Public Speaking fear

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fear

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shaking panic

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by jemma kim Forget spiders or flying, what scares Americans most is speaking in front of others. Public speaking ranks as the top fear, according to Washington Post. The sudden discomfort and stress that comes from talking in front of your peers and co-workers can make you believe that you are just not meant to be a public speaker, according to Dawn Kozlicki, public speaking teacher.

“The first time I can remember public speaking was when I was in 8th grade and we had to write a series of poems for English class. And the teacher made us share them in front of everyone. I remember being petrified as I walked up to the front of the class to share what I wrote.

When I was up there, I just kind of mumbled everything as fast and quietly as I could, so I could just sit back down in my seat,” Hannah Butler, senior, said.

Butler’s fear is not unusual. 74 percent of people rank public speaking as a stressful or scary situation, according to StatisticBrain.com.

“I think that everyone has had that certain incident where they realized they weren’t good at public speaking, where it doesn’t come naturally to them,” Shannon Eichwald, speech and acting team coach said, “And that leads some people to think that they are not made for public speaking.”

Public speaking is associated with social anxiety, where instead of being shy and nervous, you purposefully avoid sitations in life where you might be embarassed, according to HelpGuide.org. “[Stressing from public speaking] comes from daily life and how we interact with different people. And when we don’t get a response that we want based on what we said, the fear starts

photo illustration by jemma kim

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december 2014 | LZBearFacts.com

photo by lexi miranda

to build,” Laura Stanton, speech and acting team coach, said.

Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, can start at any age, where a certain experience can traumatize you and leave you afraid to speak again in front of others, according to Eichwald. Dwelling on that fear can make the fear bigger.

“Being afraid of public speaking made me a more shy person. During class I would be afraid to talk to anyone or answer questions, even if I knew the right answer. I was afraid of everyone in the class paying attention to me,” Butler said.

Butler was afraid to talk to people, and that made it hard to make friends. The fear would be the most intense when trying to talk to people. It made speaking to a group really jittery and awkward, she said.

“Every time I got up in front of a group, my hands would start to sweat and my voice would drop down like a man’s. I would stutter and say ‘like’ basically every other word,” she said, “Sometimes, when I got really nervous, I felt like I wanted to puke.”

Butler finally made the decision

sophomore year to take the Public Speaking class. She was tired of being nervous and wanted to be comfortable talking to a group of people, formally or not, she said. Overall, Butler became less afraid of being judged by others.

“Now I still get nervous, but not nearly as bad. My voice doesn’t stutter nor drop. I no longer feel like I’m going to puke when I get in front of a crowd,” Butler said. “I raise my hand in class more and I actually voice my opinion in group projects instead of sitting there quietly.”

To get better at public speaking, the very first thing is to look over your speech or practice with a friend.

Admit to yourself that you can work through this fear, said Eichwald, because it is vital to the process of getting rid of the fear. Developing this courage can help with the aid from other students and peers, such as

Find out more!

Check out our website to read more about the speech and acting team.

Kevin Hurley, senior, practices his speech for his peers in the Public Speaking class. Speaking skills are important whether in high school or in college because they aid in the general workforce as you grow older, Dawn Kozlicki, teacher, said.

practicing public speaking in a class.

“We create an environment where all the students feel comfortable, where [the students] know each other, where they can feel relaxed and speak freely about any serious topic,” Kozlicki said.

In the Public Speaking class, Kozlicki offers the opportunity to work with everybody in the class, with quick, informal practices to build up to the bigger, more important speeches towards the end of the year.

Developing confidence plays a key role in how comfortable the students will be later with the skills of public speaking, according to Kozlicki.

“I would take the class either to fine tune [public speaking] skills or get over that fear. And so I always recommend to get your feet wet in high school,” Kozlicki said.

Speaking in front of others will never end for anyone as they grow older, as some colleges require freshmen to take a public speaking class, Kozlicki said. Nevertheless, public speaking may be a hard feat to conquer, but will be necessary to you in the future. bf

@LZBearFacts | december 2014

11

managing your

money

Drowning in student debt by hannah bostrom

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december 2014 | LZBearFacts.com

With the rising price of college tui on, students are overwhelmed with trying to pay off all their loans.

Dreams can be expensive, but for some, the cost of pursuing a dream can be an economic nightmare.

“My absolute dream school was Boston University,” Sara Pardej, 2014 graduate, said. “I found out a couple of weeks after I sent my application that I couldn’t afford to go to Boston. My parents sat me down saying, ‘Okay, we’ve done all of the calculations, and there’s no way that we can afford it,’” Pardej said. “So, I actually hoped I wouldn’t get into Boston, or I’d get wait listed because it would be like, ‘Okay fine, I don’t have to worry about it.’ But when I got the letter saying, ‘Congratulations!

You’ve been accepted to Boston University!’ I felt devastated because I knew I had to say no to my dream school. I got into all of the other colleges I applied to, but they weren’t Boston.”

Because of the high price of college tuition, some students’ choices of college are restricted, like Pardej’s was. Prices were not always as high as today. The cost of college has increased 12-15% over the past decade, according to Chris Bennett, economics teacher. Today, the cost per year can be upwards of $80,000, depending on the specific college.

“I think you have a number of factors

[for the rising price of college],” Bennett said. “Just think about everything that goes into college. You have professors, you have food, you have dorms, and you have the space the college takes up.

I think the cost of all of those things has gone up dramatically. And on top of that, the cost for everything has gone up, so if you put those two together, then college costs more, and I don’t think it’s stopping anytime soon.”

No matter the reason for the dramatic cost, college attendees are still stuck with the task of paying now or borrowing and paying later.

But students do not have to wait until college to help manage their tuition costs. Students can apply for scholarships and grants to help bring down tuition in the first place.

“Between grants and scholarships, you almost always end up paying less,” Carl Krause, college counselor said. “The best source for scholarships is the college you are going to go to. That is where you are going to get awarded the most money. There are scholarships for so many things, like Tall Club of Chicago for girls over 5’10” and guys over 6’5”.

There’s one for being Norwegian, for being left handed. The problem is you need

to find them, and then they are usually very competitive because they are national, so you and every other person that found that same scholarship gets one, so it’s very, very competitive.”

Students and their families sometimes sit down together to come up with the most cost effective plan so they know what the family and student can realistically handle. That is exactly like Pardej and her family did.

“We had those talks pretty much every night at dinner,” Pardej said. “My dad lost his job, which was why money was such a big thing for us. My mom is only a teller at a bank, and she doesn’t make any money because what she does make goes towards our health insurance so we can go to the dentist and the doctor. Every night at dinner, my parents would remind me, ‘Make sure you’re applying for scholarships and looking at grants.’ What was difficult was my dad didn’t go to college, and my mom went to college in Poland 20 some years ago, so they didn’t know anything. We really had to sit down and worry about FAFSA, how scholarships work, how grants work, how scholarships within schools work, and private scholarships. Because my parents didn’t know how to do any of

@LZBearFacts | december 2014

13

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total cost $22,826 The following percentages are average costs for a public four year in-state college.

The majority of the class of 2014 are attending this type of institution.

that, I had to sit down and do the FAFSA forms, help out my parents, have out the tax returns, you know, guide them because they were learning at the same rate I was. That was frustrating.”

Another topic families should talk about during these discussions is the price of a college compared to a student’s projected salary from a career choice associated with their major in order to figure out whatever student loans are worth it, according to Krause.

“Are you going to pay $50,000 a year to become a teacher? Because you are going to take a long time to make that money back,” Krause said. “But are you going to spend $200,000 to become a physical therapist? That makes sense because you’re going make that money back a lot faster. The bottom line is: are you making good decisions on how to spend your money and your major, whatever that may be?”

Even though Krause can help students make good decisions about how to spend their money, he cannot help students keep up with their classwork during the application process. Students are still expected to complete all homework to keep their grades up just in case a college looks at senior year grades. The

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december 2014 | LZBearFacts.com

stress that puts on students can be overwhelming, like Pardej experienced during her application process.

“At the moment, I was super stressed,” Pardej said. “FAFSA opened sometime in January. I still had school going on, so there were papers, and homework, and AP and honors classes, and I had to get all that done, and I had a job, and I still had to find time to apply for all these things, and then I would have to find time with my parents to sit down with them and have them explain taxes to me; it’s a total mess.”

Even after keeping up with school work and applying for scholarships and grants, the money taken off the tuition is still too high to pay off without any help.

Students can apply for loans either from the government, banks, or the school itself to help pay off the rest of these fees.

The amount of loans can be excessive, so it can take a long time to pay off, according to Krause. One strategy to help pay off your loans is to create a budget, according to Bennett.

“It took me until I was 27 years old [to pay off my student loans],” Bennett said. “I just made a budget and stuck to it. I took that money out of my paycheck right away, then I paid my rent,

then whatever I had left over is whatever I had left over for the month. Just like many 20-somethings, I was poor for many years. To get along, you live in a four bedroom apartment down in Wrigleyville with some of your friends and split your costs. You eat as cheaply as possible by making a giant pot of chili on Sundays and eating that all week long. You do whatever you have to do for however long you have to do it.”

But not all students can have their loans paid back by their 20s.

“I have friends in their 40s still paying off their college loans,” Krause said.

“I think it all depends where students get their loans from. Most loans outside of government control are private loans, so they come from banks. Banks charge a high interest, and when interest accrues, it takes longer to pay everything off. If you go to a private school at $30,000 a year, and you don’t start paying it back until after graduation, that’s $120,000 when you’re 22. It’s going to take a while to pay that back if you’re a profession like a teacher.”

That is where budgeting can come in and help students to save early and often, like Pardej has figured out. “[I like to] know how much money I

Instead of college you can... buy a Tesla Model S with 66 years worth of charge power

+ or take 6 trips around the world on an all expenses paid cruise

or name 278 stars on the online star register

sources: forbes.com, supermoney.com

have, and how much I can spend,” Pardej said. “I [budget] on a monthly basis. I give myself a certain amount of money I can spend, and if I spend it too early, which I have done one month, then I only let myself use my credit cards for emergency money. I will avoid going out, I will walk across campus without ordering Chinese food, and I will get dorm food on my meal plan. I think if you know what you have, you’re not going to go over it. That’s something I definitely have to keep reminding myself every once in a while.”

The stress of budgeting and balancing student loans is enough to make anyone question the benefits of going to college. But, according to Bennett, the potential earnings with a college degree outweigh the cost of tuition: those with

a college degree will earn around $1.4 to $1.6 million more over a lifetime compared to those without a college degree.

Pardej also realizes the potential earnings, which is why obtaining a college degree was the right choice for her, regardless of the high costs.

“I know, at first, going into college I was thinking, ‘why is it so expensive,’ but then I realized they’re training me how to do what I’m going to do for the rest of my life,” Pardej said. “I just have to keep reminding myself that if I don’t do this, I won’t be able to be successful.

People don’t have to go to college, but in order for me to be happy and do something I’m passionate about, I have to be going here, and I have to keep reminding myself of that. The money is going to hopefully be worth it.” bf

photo used with permission of sara pardej

Stay above the tide

Sara Pardej, 2014 graduate, struggled to deal with affording her college education. Below are her top three tips to stay afloat during the storm.

Tip 1: Ask questions. There’s no such thing as a stupid question, especially when it could potentially save you money.

Tip 2: Apply for federal aid as soon as possible. The earlier you apply, the more money you could get. Remember, every penny counts. Even if people tell you they “only” got a couple hundred dollars, that is still money you do not have to worry about.

Tip 3: Apply for a job on or near campus over the summer. Once the school year starts, finding a desirable job becomes more difficult.

Find out more!

Check out our website to learn how to cut down on college costs

@LZBearFacts | december 2014

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thestress stressofof the

beingyourself yourself being

Pulses of pressure, heartbeats of Hope students struggle to express true colors in high school by madison hart “Hiding it was so hard and so difficult, and I didn’t even feel like I was me. On National Coming Out Day, I wanted to just scream to the world… but I felt so hidden,” Darby Millan, senior, said.

Across the nation, thousands of nonheterosexual teens face fear of the bullying, harassment, or discrimination they may suffer throughout the school day, according to pflagnyc.org. This fear causes some homosexual students to become stressed not only over their school work, but over who they are as a person as well.

Millan came out as a pansexual in a Gay Straight Alliance meeting after previously calling herself an Ally, which is someone who supports gay rights and homosexual people. The thought of being open about her sexuality with her peers caused her anxiety over their reactions, Millan said.

“It’s a lot different being an ally, and then going to switching over into the community and joining it. But I have asked certain people before things like, ‘Hey, if I came out to you, would you still be my friend?’ and some of them just told me that they really couldn’t [because of their religion],” Millan said.

Though Millan was originally stressed and concerned about her peers’ reactions, she has found the GSA Club to be one of her biggest support groups. “[GSA] was really one of the first places that I felt comfortable coming out, and I have met so many amazing people. We are all like a big family, and we all support each other, especially because a lot of us have difficult times trying to deal with who we are,” Millan said.

“We’re really just a big group of weirdos… but all in all it’s just a really safe environment where nobody is going to give you weird looks or question you as a person.”

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For some, it takes years after high school to finally be comfortable about coming out as gay, bisexual, pansexual, or something other than heterosexual due to fear of other people’s reactions, Millan said.

“I think I was most nervous about the people I really knew and how they would react. I didn’t really care about what some random kid in the hallway was going to do, but some of my friends are religious and I didn’t really know how it was going to line up with their [beliefs],” Rachel Paul, senior, said.

Last year, Paul came out as a pansexual, which means she is attracted to both male and females without using their sexuality as a factor. According to Paul, one thing that worried her was getting the wrong term when she decided to come out.

“I felt as though if I came out as one thing and then I changed it, people would think both were illegitimate and say, ‘Well, are you sure?’. But I think that it’s a good idea and healthy to explore your identity and experiment with different labels,” Paul said.

There was never a certain event that made Paul completely realize she wasn’t heterosexual, but looking back she sees that there were signs in her childhood that helped her find herself.

“There were instances in grade school where I would be really chill with just hanging out with girls. I was a very touchy [kid] naturally, such as hugging, which doesn’t have to mean you’re gay. It was more the way I thought about it in how it didn’t matter what gender I was dealing with,” Paul said.

Paul is a leader in GSA and suggests that people who are curious about their sexuality or want to come out should take their time with it.

“People don’t have to come out if they feel that they aren’t going to be comfortable doing so. But I think if they feel that their close friend group is still going to be supportive, then I think they should go for it because those people are going to be a buffer to you,” Paul said.

Though some students are afraid of peer reactions, other people say that sometimes parents can be a challenge as well.

When a person opens up about their sexuality to their family, some families are not always open to the idea and may take some time to get accustomed to it, said an anonymous transgender male student who changed his name from his female birth name when he realized he is pansexual. Bear Facts has honored the request of the student to remain anonymous. “[My parents] are trying to be supportive of me, but they are not supportive of [me changing my name],” said the student.

Though family is a stressful thing to consider when coming out, this student has found that he has a support group of peers at LZHS who accept him.

“I’ve never really had people be rude about my name change. I’ve had people forget, but those are normally the people that have known me for a long time. Other than that, everyone has been really supportive and didn’t really question any of it,” the student said.

When it comes to people who are still in the process of discovering their sexual identity, both Paul and the anonymous student agree not to rush the process.

“Just try and take things slow and figure it out for yourself,” the student said. “Take small steps and try things out because honestly the best thing you can do is let yourself be yourself.” bf

photo by brianne saab

What is GSA? GSA is a club run by students and is a safe place for students who are of any sexuality.

The club is a place for students to talk about issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity. They also work to end homophobia and transphobia in not only the school, but the community as well. For more information on what the club is about, visit the GSA club webpage on the District 95 website.

Find out more!

Visit our website to hear a grad’s explanation of how being open about sexual orientation gets easier after high school.

@LZBearFacts | december 2014

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revealing

teen despair

Uncovering

Depression photo illustration by amanda pflaumer and katie szarkowicz

by amanda pflaumer Feeling down every so often is a normal part of life. However, when you’re gripped by an unrelenting sadness or hopelessness that keeps you from going about your usual routine, it’s time to start paying attention, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Adam Fackler, senior, knows the grip of depression all too well.

“I was having a really crappy week and decided, well, I’m not going to live anymore,” Fackler, said.

Rather than make such a rash decision, he chose to go see his counselor. “Something in the back of my head was telling me, ‘No, go to your counselor right now.’”

Ever since that day in 2012, Fackler has been receiving help from his therapists and psychiatrists. Fackler was put into inpatient treatment at Streamwood Hospital for a short amount of time and started walking down the path of recovery.

Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and

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those who care about you, says the National Institute of Mental Health.

Depression is a common but serious illness of the brain.

At any point in time, three to five percent of people suffer from major depression, and the lifetime risk of suffering depression is 17 percent, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Fackler decided to come forward with his story of recovery after being diagnosed with anxiety and depression so he can spread awareness for others and reassure people with depression that there is hope.

“Even though I’m getting a lot better than I was, [the fear of not ever fully recovering] is always there,” Fackler said.

Fackler says that he still struggles with depression and anxiety to this day. He has had to work with himself as well as the resources given to him to make progress.

“Fear is the strongest emotion that people have. Healthy amounts of fear help us to survive as the human race, but some [people] have

too much of that protective emotion,” said Toni Rey, a licensed clinical social worker of Lake Zurich.

Many people who experience depression are afraid of reaching out and asking for help.

“You do not have to do this alone.

There is no one right way [to receive help]. Medication, when it is necessary, along with talk therapy, is the best treatment we know of right now for dealing with depression and anxiety,” Rey said.

As Fackler gains more experience with handling his depression, he sees teaching others about this illness as part of his own treatment.

“You’re not alone. Whether you know it or not, everyone knows someone with depression,” Fackler said. “A lot of times [people] just feel like they are completely alone with [their depression], even though they’re really not.” bf

Find out more!

Check out our website to find out more about how depression affects teenagers’ lives

bf

How do you deal with the stress of staying in shape over bears box break? “I deal with the stress by keeping what I eat under control and making sure I’m working out or doing something physical.�

nicole marguerite freshman cheer “I definitely watch what I eat, and I have dance practice four days a week.�

dana nelson bowling

sophomore

“A lot of times I go for a run after [a meal] or I go play basketball.�

rachel kuehr basketball

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All freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors are invited to join us for our Sunday Life Nights in Jesus Christ! Have fun and meet other teens from the community. Join us on Sunday evenings for our 5 p.m.

Life Teen Mass and then stay unĆ&#x;l 8 p.m. for our Life Teen events, including Movie Nights, Game Nights, discussions and more!

To learn more, visit www.sĆžrancislz.org.

junior

“I have a lot of discipline, like watching how much I eat and drink to keep my weight.�

josh spiwak wrestling

senior @LZBearFacts | december 2014

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will mcclaughry

ben madura

taylor kuhn

Athlete of the Month

natalia panico

brittney pettinger 20

december 2014 | LZBearFacts.com

rachel dawson

Bear Facts asked all varsity coaches of sports in season to nominate an “athlete of the month” for their sport. Their nominees are listed below for sports in season as of press time.

girls’ basketball rachel dawson, senior “Rachel is a three-year member of our varsity basketball team and one of our returning starters. She is our captain and is often tasked with guarding the other team’s best player, whether they are a guard or post player. This is a very difficult role to take on, but one Rachel always performs to the best of her ability.”

-Chris Bennett girls’ bowling brittney pettinger, senior “Brittney has dedicated herself to bowling and improving each year. She bowls yearround, as well as participating in other sports. She is a great team leader for our team.”

-Mel Fox

boys’ basketball will mcclaughry, senior “Will is a 6’6” senior forward who was a varsity starter as a sophomore and junior and is being recruited by dozens of college basketball programs.

He has worked very hard in the off-season at camp, open gyms, fall league games, playing AAU, and coming in for morning workouts. As a senior, Will is showing great leadership and dedication for our program. The coaches are very proud of Will’s effort and leadership.”

-Billy Pitcher

poms natalia panico, sophomore “Natalia has a very positive attitude and an exemplary work ethic. She regularly stays after practice to work on the routines, and she is always willing to help others. Natalia is wonderful to coach, and she is a valuable team member.”

-Teri Johlie boys’ bowling ben madura, senior “Ben has worked hard in the off-season to improve his performance, and he continues that hard work every day in practice. To start the season off, his first game was a 254 and led us to victory over Libertyville.”

-Peter Kupfer cheerleading taylor kuhn, junior “Taylor is a third year member of the varsity team. She is a hardworking and driven young woman. After playing the same position for the past two years, we asked her to step up and learn a new position for us this year. This is a huge challenge, and can be extremely stressful, as it requires an entirely different skill set. She is doing a great job, putting in lots of extra time outside of practice to make the changes that are necessary. She is a great asset to our team, and we are super proud of her!”

-Pam Bonnevier

To vote for your favorite Athlete of the Month, visit our website at http://LZBearFacts.com. Voting closes on Friday. An interview with the winner will be posted online next week. @LZBearFacts | december 2014

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sports highlights Though the girls’ bowling team has almost an entirely new JV team this year, they still have most of the members on the varsity team that they did last year.

“We were relatively undefeated last year, a few losses before conference, but then we got distracted emotionally in the conference,” Emily Shaw, senior, said. “We got lost in our emotions. When we would lose a game, we would be really hard on ourselves.”

This year, the team wants to work on their “emotional game,” according to Shaw.

“A lot of us girls bowl in leagues over the summer and through the school year, and I feel that we will do really well this season.”

Last year, three boys from the varsity wrestling team went to the state conference. The team is working on improving their skills so that they get a similar outcome this year.

“We’re really going to be focusing on conditioning to start the season since we used to get winded so easily at meets,” Tommy Clancy, senior wrestler, said.

The team is off to a good start and many people on the team are stepping up and showing leadership according to Clancy. The coaches are eager to start the season.

boys’ basketball

The boys’ basketball season officially began over Thanksgiving break. However, the team has been preparing for this season ever since last season ended, according to Jack O’Neil, senior.

“Our team goals for this season are [to have over] twenty wins, and to win a sectional game. We are going to focus on one game at a time and not take any teams lightly,” O’Neil said.

Playing as a team is one of their strengths, according to O’Neil. It has helped to develope the team and to create strong chemistry on the court. “[Another strength] as a team is that we have a starting lineup with all shooters. This allows us to stretch the defense out and open driving lanes for the whole team,” O’Neil said. “We’re really stressing defense this year. We have a lot of returning experience and hope to use that to our advantage.”

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poms

all photos and articles by bear facts staff

wrestling

girls’ bowling

The varsity Poms team is preparing for their competition season, as well as a new national competition this year.

“We’re all really excited. This year we are going to a different nationals, so that is for sure one of our biggest focuses,” Jenny Olen, sophomore, said.

According to Olen, the girls on the team are cracking down harder than ever before.

“We’re definitely kind of silly sometimes; that gets in the way sometimes,” Olen said. “But we get stuff done really quickly and that helps us a lot. We are really working hard on cleaning and perfecting dances faster.”

for sports coverage, follow @lz_scorecenter on twitter

The competition cheer season starts this month, and the varsity cheerleading team is putting all the parts together from April of last school year in order to conquer this competitive season.

“It’s finally that part of the year where we get to show what we’ve really been working for since tryouts and all through the summer,” Nicole Furio, junior and varsity cheerleader, said. “Even though we do cheer at football games, we’ve put so much time into what we want our season to look like: top of the podium at State.”

The State finals for cheerleading are the first weekend of February, but with the competition season starting up, it is a way for the team to compete side-by-side with other teams in their division and see where they really rank.

“Being in the large varsity division is argued to be the hardest and most competitive division to win in,” Furio said. “I just love the first time we get to go out and make our mark on the floor and show the other teams what we’re really made of. It’s a huge reality check in the world of cheerleading.”

Every week before a competition, both junior varsity and varsity teams host a “Family and The girls’ basketball team has five seniors on varsity this year, compared to last year, when the team had none. Elly Daleske, senior, says having seniors on the team who have experience playing on varsity has been beneficial. The team practiced hard during the summer and off-season to improve their offensive skills and to develop better defensive skills for this season, according to Daleske.

“Together we have to overcome all the adversity that comes our way to show the other teams that we are a new, mature and dynamic team,” Daleske said.

“As a team,we focus on always playing our best and push others to play hard. We want to make sure that we put up great effort and move farther in this year’s playoffs.”

girls’ basketball

cheer

Friends Night,” where they invite anybody to come into their practice as they perform their routines in preparation for the upcoming weekend.

“Those nights are great practice, especially for the new people on the team,” Furio said. “It gives them a crowd that’s already on their side, but also holds true to the pressure of a real crowd at a competition.”

boys’ bowling The boys’ varsity bowling team has a new mind set to continuously strike out this 2014-2015 season.

This year the team will be more focused on the simple techniques of the sport. With multiple practices per week, they spend time working hard to make sure they know what they are doing.

“We plan on driving home the fundamentals [of bowling] because we sometimes get into the bad habit of trying to do too much at one time, which has gotten us into trouble in previous years,” Donny Gross, senior varsity bowler, said. “If we can focus on the basics and keep our composure, we have high hopes of returning to state this year.” @LZBearFacts | december 2014

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