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S P E C TAT O R Right to vote at 17?
VOLUME 92 NUMBER 6
By Kristen Van Tine News Editor
A recently passed Illinois law permits 17-year olds to vote in primary elections. Teenagers who will turn 18 by the November election will all be able to legally vote for their desired candidate or issue, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. However, permitting 17-yearolds to vote in the primaries may not affect the results of the General Election. “In the primary election after all, voters are merely nominating the candidates who will run in November, so if anything, the law changes only the Democratic and Republican electorates,” said Northern Illinois University Political Science Professor Matthew Streb the Chicago Tribune reported. The bill was signed into a law last summer by Governor Pat Quinn on Stevenson High School’s football field in Lincolnshire. Stevenson’s Social Science Department worked relentlessly to pass the bill. Government
1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045
Teacher Andrew Conneen was especially keen on having the “Suffrage at 17” law being put into effect. More than 11,000 17-year-olds voted in the Primary Election. However, it seems that either very few, if any, LFA students took advantage of this new opportunity. The lack of participation in the primary voting may be a result of the new law not being properly publicized. “The new law should have been publicized more. If I had known I could vote, I would have voted in the primaries,” said junior Stanton Cope, who turns 18 by September, so under the “Suffrage at 17” law he could have voted in the March elections. United Press International reported that Rep. Carol Sente, the Democrat who sponsored the bill, said the allowance was “only fair” because 18-year-olds “are already voting for candidates in the general election.” .In recent years more states have permitted 17-year-olds to vote in the primary elections. Roughly 20 other states have passed the “Suffrage at 17” law to date.
Some LFA members, however, are hesitant to support the state’s decision to drop the voting age for the primaries. “Anytime you get more people involved in the democratic process it is a good thing. But voting does come with the responsibility to know more about the issues at hand. So if people have this priv-
Theresa Zaiff, Dean of Students Office Manager, fills out a voter registration form allowing a student to vote in the upcoming election. Students who will be 18 by November were able to vote in the primaries.
Parents Association planning an “Out of this World” Pre-Prom party for LFA students
By Mary Kate Patton Editor-in-Chief
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT One Acts are successful after schedule change page 7 CENTERFOLD LFA and Ferry Hall celebrate 40th anniversary of merger page 8 FEATURES Lululemon faces severe sales decline worldwide after controversial comment page 12 SPORTS Boston Marathon turns last year’s tragedy into joy page 14
able to vote. They tend to be juniors enrolled in US History, so they are learning sufficient background information regarding politics, but dropping the voting age any lower than 17 would be a bit strange,” said junior Madeline Sommer.
Photo by Miranda Dunne
This month... NEWS Wi-Fi? Why, Yes!
ilege to vote, they should not take it lightly—they should be educated very well about the issues,” said Mrs. Diane Cooper, a history teacher. On the other hand, there are many avid supporters of the new law. “Seventeen-year-olds have enough political education to be
APRIL 25, 2014
Every year the students of Lake Forest Academy wait with intense anticipation to learn the location of Prom, but it is up to members of the Parents Association to plan the Pre-Prom party every year. This year’s prom will be at the Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee and the theme will be “Out of this World”. The Parents Association is known for its work on Pre-Prom, but this group of parents does much more behindthe-scenes work to support the LFA community throughout the year. According to Mrs. Mary Ellen Patton, the new President-Elect, Pre-Prom planning begins in ear-
ly February where Junior Class representatives and students meet with members of the Parents Association. The Parents Association works closely with the Junior Class to help fulfill the vision for decorations and food. “The Parents Association works very closely with the students during the planning process. After the initial meeting, we will have a follow-up meeting at the end of March to ensure that we are executing the students’ vision for their party,” said Patton. “We are blessed to have a generous and talented group of parents in our school community.” The Pre-Prom party is not the only event that the Parents Association is in charge of during the year. Other big projects include the Caxy Life Auction, Harvest Hope, the Faculty and Staff Ap-
preciation Dinner, and the Spring Gala. The Parents Association also handles the Caxy Care exam packages, Chipotle lunches, and volunteering for Caxy Concessions at sporting events. The current projects that members of the Parents Association are taking on include the Gala and finding “Ambassadors”, existing parents in the LFA community, to help new families whose children will be attending LFA in the fall. The Gala is a major fundraising event that will be taking place on May 3. All parents of LFA students are members of the Parents Association and are welcome to volunteer for any of the upcoming events. The board members of the Parents Association are elected
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THE SPECTATOR
News
2
World News Roundup Compiled by Amy Krivoshik
Spinal stimulation helps paralyzed men Four men who are paralyzed from the waist down have been able to regain some movement with the help of spinal stimulation, according to BBC News. Doctors and researchers at the University of Louisville and the University of California have been working to use electrical stimulation to help people who are paralyzed regain some control of their spinal cords below their injuries. Though still unable to walk on their own, the four men could flex their toes, ankles and knees and control their legs at a precise pace.
New invention provides people with clean water Harvesting water from condensation in the air, the Warka Water tower is a new invention that can provide clean drinking water to remote areas, according to the Smithsonian. International field tests have demonstrated that these 30 feet high, vase-shaped towers can generate greater than 25 gallons of water during one day, industrial designer Arturo Vittori, who invented the Warka Water tower with his colleague Andreas Vogler, reported. Built to withstand heavy winds while letting air pass through, the Warka Water tower is named for a fig tree native to Ethiopia. Installing each biodegradable tower costs $500. By next year, Vittori would like to have two Warka Water towers installed in Ethiopia, where children travel for up to six hours in search of water that is often contaminated with animal waste and infectious bacteria.
Ebola outbreak in Guinea The UN World Heath Organization reported that an outbreak of the Ebola virus has resulted in more than 100 deaths in Guinea, as well as 10 deaths in neighboring Liberia. To date, there is neither a cure nor a vaccine for Ebola. According to BBC News, concerns about the spread of the virus have driven Mali, where nine suspected cases of Ebola were reported, to say that it would strengthen border controls. In addition, Saudi Arabia suspended the visas of the Muslim pilgrims who live in Guinea and Liberia in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading.
APRIL 25, 2014
Wi-Fi? Why, yes!
LFA looks to expand internet capabilities By Romaer Chopra News Editor For every member of the LFA community, the internet has been, and will continue to be, a vital part of their learning experience. It has also been a source of some student complaints. LFA has been a school known to be at the cutting edge of technology with an educational purpose. When it comes to internet connectivity, LFA has reached high level of success, but the school’s IT Department is consistently looking to improve connectivity for users. According to Mr. Dave Aykroid, Director of Information Technology, the school’s Internet capability is easily above average standards. Aykroid believes the Internet connectivity is all part of a larger role that technology is playing in the LFA community. With everyone having an iPad and many others having more devices at school, members of the LFA community are almost always connected to the Internet. Despite some students complaints to the contrary, Aykroid believes LFA’s Internet capability is more than adequate for its needs.
“I have seen how far we have come in the past five years, and I am old enough to remember when the school communicated with paper memos and plastic transparencies,” said Aykroid. The LFA community has changed significantly in the last few years. The addition of new buildings and technological additions like the iPad program or the media commons all play into a much larger plan. As LFA looks to improve the learning experience for their students, it is also dedicated to making sure each student has an abundance of resources easily available to them, and a large part of this process has been to create the fastest and most reliable Internet connectivity. LFA’s internet has come a long way in the last ten years, and the IT department looks to continue improve its connectivity. The IT department has made certain plans, subject to administrative approval, for improvement of the school’s internet capabilities over this summer. Such improvements would undoubtedly expand and improve both the reliability and the connection of LFA internet.
The Network Composer at LFA a hindrance or good protection ? By Justin Nakasu Senior Features Editor Network Composer, a computer software that blocks the access of “harmful” websites and is used by LFA, has some students wondering how far the school can go to monitor internet activity. Oh Joon Kwon is a boarder in Warner and who reports often having trouble doing homework or research for classes because of the filters set in place by the school. The filter set in place at the school uses keywords and known malicious site lists to block websites, but sometimes it can block non-harmful websites. Network Composer uses blanket blocking for its websites so that as long as one page of a website domain has flagged material, it is blocked. This can and does cause many websites such as Urban Dictionary, and even sometimes Wikipedia, to appear blocked for some pages even when there might not be any inappropriate material. “It’s fine to a certain degree because there are a lot of morbid places [on the internet]. But when you’re blocking harmless things like Urban Dictionary, then that is not fine,” said Kwon.
Kwon is not the only student on campus that feels this way. The sentiment that the filter is more of a nuisance than a protector is shared by many boarders. “So many websites I use to watch TV and movies are usually blocked for file sharing,” said junior Jeffrey Xue. Xue is a boarder, as well, and claims he uses these websites recreationally after school in Atlass Hall, when day students would normally go home to an unfiltered internet service. However, this “censorship” may not be the administration’s decision. Director of Information Technology Dan Aykroid says that Lake Forest Academy is required by law and the Children Internet Protection Act to provide a filter for its internet. Network Composer also acts as a package priority controller which allows LFA to allot the bandwidth of certain activities. Aykroid says that about 70 percent of the entire school’s bandwidth is dedicated to recreational use and that percentage is altered during the school hours and after school according to how much bandwidth they predict users will need. “We put in place the filter to protect our students,” said Aykroid.
Many students complain and find the Internet to be lacking speed.
“I am old enough to remember when the school communicated with paper memos and plastic transparencies,” -David Aykroid
The IT department attributes these occasional moments of slow connectivity to the massive amount of devices on campus, the age and layout of LFA’s buildings, and possibly a student’s location on campus. However, the IT department is more than eager to aid students who have had recent struggles with their Internet connectivity. “I encourage students and faculty alike who are having issues to contact the I.T department staff -- we are here to serve the LFA community and provide a rich educational environment,” said Aykroid.
Photo courtesy of clipartbest.com
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provide leadership and direction to the volunteers. “Our mission is to enhance, communicate, and build community among parents, faculty, staff and trustees as well as to support fundraising activities,” said Jenny Emery, President of the Parents Association. When asked if she wished the LFA community should recognize the work that the Parents Association puts in, Emery commented that she feels there is a high level of awareness and appreciation for the work that the parents do. “One of the greatest rewards of being President of the Parents’ Association has been the increased interaction I have enjoyed with faculty and staff as well as the Board of Trustees,” said Emery. “My wish is that we can continue to encourage parents to join the PA Board as it is such a great way to feel involved in the LFA community.
THE SPECTATOR APRIL 25, 2014
News
LFA to utilize WhatsApp on campus network
By Michael Phillips News Editor
The multi-billion dollar company Facebook, owned by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, recently purchased the up-and-coming WhatsApp, an app that allows cheap and easy international communication, for $19 billion. At an academic institution such as Lake Forest Academy, where students come from all over the world to receive an education, apps such as WhatsApp are a critical and essential medium to communicate with friends and family back home.
For those unfamiliar with WhatsApp, the app, founded in 2009 by former Yahoo! Employees Brian Acton and Jan Koum, allows for quick and easy communication (usually texting) with people who are international. What makes the app so useful and popular is the option to find people on the app via cell phone number, but then send messages via mobile broadband, making the app both cost-effective and convenient. While LFA may only be a school of 435 students, WhatsApp alone has 450 million users, including increasing by an additional million users per day. This growth stuns many, including the now-owner of the app,
Photo courtesy of ffbsccn.wordpress.com
Zuckerberg. “No one in the history of the world has done anything like that,” said Zuckerberg in a conference call with CNN. Many wondered whether or not the new management of WhatsApp would change the app. While this app may serve hundreds of millions of users around the world as a useful form of communication, many students at LFA, both day and boarding students, use this app to maintain strong friendships and bonds with friends and family abroad. Fortunately, students at LFA did not notice a negative change to the app after the purchase. “I do not think [WhatsApp has changed much],” said junior Jeffrey Xue, a boarder from Illinois who has many international friends. “No matter who purchased it, it is still a really nice app to talk with my friends around the world [and] it is really easy to use.” Sophomore James Mai from Taiwan also added that the app has not changed much after the purchase by Facebook and still believes it is a useful way of chatting with friends from other countries. This new medium for texting has left many at Lake Forest Academy pleased that they can go to school in Illinois, but still have easy access to friends and family overseas.
Facebook’s owner, Mark Zuckerberg, shown above, led the company’s acquistion of social media company WhatsApp.
Freezing winter leaves dorms frozen and students angry By Matt Filip Op-Ed Editor Students and faculty have been vocally upset because living and class room situations were so uncomfortable at LFA during the Polar Vortex this year. The cold winter, the worst in recent memory, tested the LFA dorm infrastructure and heating systems. Students said that end rooms, cold at the best of times, were freezing this year. On several occasions space heaters had to be used to keep pipes from freezing and potentially bursting. Boarders and faculty alike had to use space heaters to keep their rooms/classrooms warm, particularly in the aforementioned end rooms and in Upper Reid. Students were sleeping in extra clothing in order to stay warm in multiple dorms. Although he did not offer any specific comments on the state of the school’s heating system, Chief Financial Officer Andy Kerr did state that the winter took a budgetary toll on the school, as well. “It should come as no surprise to anyone
that the exceptionally cold and snowy winter has taken a toll on the cost of our utilities at LFA,” noted Kerr. “Utility expenses are 3.4 percent of the school’s total budget. We had been tracking very well over the last few years, actually decreasing our utility costs. And then came this year.” According to Kerr, electricity and natural gas consumption on campus skyrocketed. Electricity costs increased 29 percent, and natural gas costs shot up 15 percent. Overall utility costs were up 14.7 percent, in part because of new classroom space and new dormitory space adding to the utility demand. Several boarders from multiple dorms have mentioned discomfort at the conditions of their rooms because the window insulation did not stop cold winds or ice forming. “They put a thermostat outside our door; it says that it’s 75 all the time. But we came back to the room when I was ready to go to bed and it was really cold on my side because I have a corner room, and I have a
pillow by the windowsill and I took the pillow out to see why it was so cold and there was a little strip of snow on the pillow. So the next day they put duct tape and saran wrap over the windows,” said Madison Olivieri, a Ferry Hall resident. Some residents told The Spectator that either the windows must be replaced or, if this turns out to be cost prohibitive, additional insulation must be provided before situations become that unlivable next winter. One male boarder noted that Home Depot sells window insulation kits for five to twenty dollars each, and the school will easily recoup these costs in heating bills over the course of almost any conceivable Chicago winter. The consensus among residents interviewed for this story was that a school with an operating budget in the millions, fully capable of erecting multiple buildings in a decade, ought to be able to insulate the dorms it builds and ensure they have good working heating systems.
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Campus News In this space, The Spectator provides further details on ongoing and upcoming events at Lake Forest Academy Compiled by Emily Shanley-Roberts
Yik Yak allows cyberbullying among teens in North Shore Yik Yak, an anonymous message board, became popular in high schools across the country this spring. It was created last fall by recent Furman graduates Brooks Buffington and Tyler Droll as a “virtual bulletin board” on which posts are visible to anyone with the app in a five-mile radius, according to The Huffington Post. The app and its creators received backlash from school officials and communities around the country in early March amidst a string of cyberbulling and threats at high schools. After dozens of complaints from Chicago-area schools, the creators blocked Yik Yak in the entire city. After consulting with Maponics - a company that “builds and defines geographic boundaries” according to The Huffington Post - they proceeded to block usage of the app in the 5-mile radii of mapped schools nationwide. At LFA, its usage was blocked following a warning from administrators that anyone caught posting on the message board would face disciplinary action. This app, though controversial, has its uses. It is anonymous, according to Buffington, “because that guy in the back row of your science class might be the funniest guy you never hear.” Its success stories include college students finding help in dorms, telling jokes, and sharing observations. However, like many new forms of social media, it is marred by misuse and immaturity.
Photo courtesy of yikyakapp.com
Pictured above, the seemingly harmless yak is really the logo behind the app.
THE SPECTATOR
Opinion and Editorial Personal opinion
4
APRIL 25, 2014
Student Fundraisers should offer more than clothing By Jenna Selati Editor-in-Chief I have a special pile of clothes in my closet. In this pile, t-shirts, sweatpants and sweatshirts coexist, living quietly on their shelf. Occasionally a few pieces from the pile will be worn, though it has grown so large that the items at the bottom of the stack are not likely to resurface. Having now lived through four different groups of Sophomore Seminar projects, it is no wonder that I have accumulated such an impressive pile of clothing. I have t-shirts from many sports teams’ fundraisers, bracelets from student clubs and organizations, and a tank top from AIF that my mom won’t let me wear in public because I “look like a tool.” It sometimes hurts my head to think of the grand sum of money I’ve spent on fundraisers at LFA. However, it hurts a lot less to know that it has gone to respectable charities. It’s just so hard to say no to a cute little sophomore
Photo by Allison Hechtman
Senior Sean Cleary signs one of the many charge sheets available in Hutch.
trying to sell me an item I already have. Especially when they make me late for my 3rd period class because I have to wipe mascara off of my face after watching their Sarah McLachlan homeless puppy video at Morning Meeting. But, eventually I have to put my foot down. It hasn’t happened yet, but it will happen soon. I know of
many other students who struggle to say no, though are not comfortable buying everything being sold. Although the profits are donated to admirable causes, it is impossible for students to come up with the amount of money it takes to support every single group and project. Back in my Sophomore Sem-
inar days, my group decided to ditch the shirt/pants/socks/clothing idea of nearly every other group and experiment with an unconventional puppy chow sale. After hours of hard labor, we had produced enough puppy chow to feed the entire LFA community at a reasonable price. Our sale was a success, and the proceeds were
promptly donated to a local animal shelter in an attempt to stop the production of those heartbreaking homeless puppy videos. Though my Sophomore Seminar group’s project involved selling an item to students, there are certainly other options for future fundraisers. Groups could organize sponsored events such as a 5K run or something along the lines of St. Baldrick’s Shave for the Brave, for which students could collect donations from family members and friends on their behalf. Offering the occasional sponsored event amongst the typical items sold would be a fun adjustment to fundraising at LFA that wouldn’t necessarily require much money from students. Needless to say, Lake Forest Academy and its students are involved with a lot of charities, and that is a really great thing. Generosity and charity are of high importance in my family, and I am proud to attend a school that instills the same values within its students.
Inquiring Photographer How do you feel about the temperature in your dorm? The Spectator went out to hear what the LFA community had to say about temperatures in the dorms last winter.
“[In Warner] it’s too hot. Even when I open a window, it is still too hot”. -Chris Collins, ‘14 “[In Field] it used to be really cold in the winter. If the air conditioner or heater is broken in the front rooms, it doesn’t work for the rooms past it”. -Emily Meyers, ‘14
“[In Field] our air conditioners leak cold air so we have to tape plastic bags over them”. -Dani Hristev, ‘14
“[In Warner] I’m pretty happy with my temperature. My room is fine because we control it pretty well but in the commons it gets really hot, so we open a window and it gets really cold”. -Sean Cleary, ‘14
“[In Field] we Saran Wrap our air conditioner so that the cold air doesn’t come through but the wind makes it cold anyway.” -Matti Franks, ‘14
Information and pictures compiled by Miranda Dunne
THE SPECTATOR APRIL 25, 2014
Editorial
Opinion and Editorial T h e L a k e A c a d e m y
Change in Primary voting age offers equality A new Illinois law allowed 17-year-olds to vote in the March 18th Primary Election, provided that they would reach 18 when November General Election rolled around. The idea was that the teenagers who would vote in November should have some say in what issues or candidates were picked for that vote. Governor Pat Quinn introduced the bill in the summer of 2013. While some argue that 17-year-olds do not possess the maturity or knowledge to participate in a Primary Election, The Spectator is in favor of this new legislation. The immaturity and lack of knowledge of teenage voters was not the only problem with this bill, however. Practically no one was notified of the legislation or the chance for teen voters to take part in the Primary. To The Spectator’s knowledge, no one at LFA took advantage
of early voting. This could be due to Spring Break, which conflicted with the Primary, but may have also been due to the general lack of publicity about this new teen voter privilege. Upon popularization, the slight change in voting age could be utilized to everyone’s advantage. From an educational perspective, political education could begin at an earlier age or be more in depth. The majority of high school students do not vote, and although this legislation does not completely change voting age, it does allow students to start voting earlier. Government classes can push juniors and seniors to vote in the Primary election while also educating students about who they vote for. With so many parties— Democratic, Republican and Green parties to name a few— students most likely will not have a full understanding of each party’s beliefs and ideals.
With more students voting, political education will, hopefully, be encouraged so that all teens participating in the Primary and General Elections have a true understanding of what they vote for. Despite the naysayers, there is no reason for students to not be offered this opportunity. Shouldn’t those who are almost 18 be able to have a say in whom or what they’ll be voting for in the General Election? There simply is no reason for these teens to not be offered the opportunity. There is no doubt that this legislation is reasonable, fair and beneficial to our community. The remaining factors are in the hands of those directly affected by the bill. Education is truly vital to a strong government. It is up to students to educate themselves and to take advantage of being able to vote.
Caxy Rant: Social media proves to have extreme annoyances By Romaer Chopra News Editor
Almost every active social media user out there has experienced the terrible annoyance of “those people” who never seem to stop posting on social media. Don’t they have something else to do? There are three types of people who tend to be the most annoying when it comes to sites like Facebook or Twitter. First, and probably most annoying, is that constant updater. This is the person who feels the need to consistently update the social media world about everything in his or her life. This can range from getting a bagel, to using the toilet, to going to the dentist. This person posts constantly throughout the day with the believed notion that someone actually cares. However, the harsh reality is that close to no one actually does. Next, there is the person who consistently posts with the hope of getting attention. These posts range from updates on relationship statuses to posts about life being so tough. Again, although I
5 F o r e s t
S P E C TAT O R
STAFF LIST Editors-in-Chief
Managing Editor Senior News Editor News Editors Senior Features Editors Features Editors
Sports Editors Arts & Entertainment Editor Op-Ed Editors Photo Editors Faculty Adviser
Margaux Boles Mary Kate Patton Jenna Selati Michelle Whitehead Emily Shanley-Roberts Amy Krivoshik Romaer Chopra Michael Phillips Kristen Van Tine Justin Nakasu James Paige Sophie Hanson Ayo Ifatunji Yousuf Kadir Aban Yaqub Brandon Amoroso Ned Kennedy Jordan Wolff Madison Olivieri Matt Filip Allison Hechtman Amanda Bozorgi Miranda Dunne William Murphy
PUBLICATION
The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Lake Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.
EDITORIALS Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Mr. Murphy at wmurphy@lfanet.org. Photo by Amanda Bozorgi
Junior Kyle Shannahan poses for a quick Facebook update.
hate to be the bearer of bad news, no one cares that “he/she is just not worth it.” This is the person who posts the deepest and most philosophical posts all to get the spotlight on them. Finally, the least frequent and the one I can personally live with the most, is the person who posts enormous paragraphs on Facebook. Obviously, Twitter has a 140-character limit and hence avoids this problem, but Facebook still sees its fair share of these paragraphs. Oftentimes, people who post such long paragraphs actually have good knowledgeable things to say. Yet, there are other times when they seem to just be ranting about the most random topic on earth. The semi-
nice thing about this type of post is that it is easily avoidable. Most of this probably sounded like complaints, and many would simply offer the solution of un-friending the annoying people on social media. However, the biggest point here is that maybe some people should stop posting every possible thought to social media. We seem to have lost the value of expressing our thoughts face to face with a friend, and we now choose to toss our thoughts to the hundreds of our online friends, and many times it comes off with the wrong intention to the reader. Maybe I should post this idea on my Twitter feed?
AWARDS The Spectator has been awarded several prestigious journalism awards in recent years. It has consistently taken first place in competitions against schools of similar size held by the American Scholastic Press Association and the Kempler Moraine Press Association.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.” -Anais Nin
THE SPECTATOR 6
Arts and Entertainment
APRIL 25, 2014
Dinner and a Movie
We’re definitely glad we “Found” this place
By Justin Nakasu and Michelle Whitehead Staff Writers
Found Kitchen and Social House is a warmhearted and cozy restaurant with creative dishes that surprise you with their great flavor and presentation. From the moment we walked in, it was apparent that we were in good hands. The staff was friendly and attentive and, although we were late for our reservations due to the lack of parking anywhere in Evanston, we were taken through the enormous Friday night crowd and seated at a raised couch for two at the bar. The couch wasn’t an accent piece, but a part of a row of two-seater raised couches placed conveniently in front of the open
kitchen. The kitchen had an old-fashioned baking oven that filled the air with the mouth-watering aroma of fresh bread. Everything on the menu is designed to be shared so we decided to get a large meal and a smaller dish for the two of us. For the small dish, we got the twice-fried chicken wings with smoked chilis, lemon and honey. They were flavorful throughout and crunchy but, unlike most crunchy wings, not at all devoid of sauce. Michelle, who had a bit of trouble with all the sauce, was grateful when the waitress kindly supplied us with hot, wet towels to clean our hands and faces. For the bigger dish, we shared the grilled slagel farm steak with sunchokes, yogurt, chickpeas, pancetta and zatar. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and it was cut for optimum sharing. The sauce that decorated the plate
was creamy with notes of salt and rosemary and the pancetta was crunchy, smoky perfection. The steak blanketed the bed of crispy grilled sunchokes that had both the fresh light flavor of vegetables and had also absorbed the aroma of the steak. For dessert, we had the cookie plate which consisted of chocolate caramel brownies, orange macaroons, and homemade cashew cracker jack. The brownies were crunchy on the outside and deliciously gooey on the inside with a hint of salt. The macaroons tasted like marshmallow-filled Trix which, believe it or not, was quite pleasant. Justin thought the macaroons were the most delicious thing on the menu and, just like with the sunchokes, had to restrain himself from eating all of them. The cracker jack was a bit bitter for Michelle’s taste but not unbearably so.
VERDICT: Found’s friendly staff and delicious food is great for a date or an outing with friends.
Wes Anderson’s newest film proves worthy a dreamlike quality to the film, which is enhanced by the pastel color scheme throughout the hotel in its golden time. These bright, happy colors provide a con-
By Amanda Bozorgi A&E Editor
The Grand Budapest Hotel was, in all aspects, a cinematic success. Each carefully crafted character added its own light of humor to an entertaining, yet deeply meaningful film, and each respective actor skillfully played their character. As is typical of director Wes Anderson, the movie created a beautiful and decorative visual atmosphere, bringing the glory of the hotel to life in the viewer’s eyes as extravagantly rich guests strolled through the pastel rooms. The film opens with a young woman
walking swiftly through the streets of the fictitious world of the Republic of Zubrowka, on her way to visit a grave. Once she reaches her destination, the camera pans up to the bust on top of the grave, as though the viewer is seeing through the woman’s own eyes. The bust is then suddenly filled in with the real man, an author from the country, who is visiting the hotel years after its golden times, where he meets the owner, Mr. Moustafa, who goes on to describe the history of the hotel and his own life. The layering of narration, with the story being told through the writing of an author who recounts the memories of an elder man, looking back on his youth, adds
trast with the drab state of the hotel when the author visits it, providing a visual transition when scenes switch from Mr. Moustafa’s memories to the more present times in the run-down hotel. These ingenious visual effects, and skillful cinematography, only add to the brilliant story. The plot is incredibly engaging, taking highly unexpected turns that jolt the viewer to attention, while also exploring the depths of human nature. The film’s dark corners, characterized by the sinister Dmitri, played by Adrien Brody, and the terrifying Jopling, playing by Willem Dafoe, with his vampire-esque teeth and skull brass knuckles, portray the evil. Meanwhile, the concierge, mentor and friend to Mr. Moustafa, touches hearts with his honestly kind nature, which is sometimes masked by a pungent layer of cologne and a touch of snobbiness. One of the more incredible pieces of this film was the unexpected performance by
VERDICT: This film was amazing and highly entertaining, with humor and deep emotion.
Tony Revolori, who played Mr. Moustafa’s younger self, Zero Moustafa. Revolori, completely unknown until this film, epitomized everything that made The Grand Budapest Hotel great.
Theater Review
Renaissance Place - Close to restaurants - Delicious selection of snacks and drinks
- Tasteful selection of films - Unusually comfortable seating
- Nearly empty on a weeknight
THE SPECTATOR APRIL 25, 2014
Arts and Entertainment
7
One Acts cast and crew pleased with the successful schedule changes this year By Madison Olivieri A&E Editor In past years, the One Act plays have taken place in early May. This year, however, the performances took place on the nights of April 11-12. Despite some limited rehearsal time, cast members expressed their excitement and enthusiasm for perfecting and performing their individual acts. In addition to the switch in dates, this year’s One Acts also showcased all of the plays on both performing nights. This setup has only occurred once in the past, according to Director Mark Dryfoos. The re-introduced aspect was beneficial, allowing students who couldn’t make it one night another full set the following day. “It’s going to be perfect,” student director Chinara Hill said of the set up, “because people can come either night and see every-
Photo by Madison Olivieri
Tommy Clarke ‘14, Madeleine Pattis ‘14 and Nick Lin ‘17 perform “Never Trust a Psych Major.”
thing that everyone’s done, rather than choosing which night they want to go to and then missing out on other plays.” Conveniently, the new schedule of One Acts is also clear of the AP Exam schedule, which used to be
a conflict each year. While the new dates have their perks, actors are reportedly also pressed for rehearsal time. “I think it has affected us a little bit,” actor Samantha Friske stated. “It’s nothing bad, I just think
we’re a little crunched for time.” According to Dryfoos, the new One Acts schedule overall had its pros and cons, but it was still manageable. Aside from the changes that One Acts saw this year, there were the usual general
challenges that the plays provided for both actors and directors. According to student director Olivia Steveson, time for character development was cut short ,which made it difficult for the actors to establish the characters. For some actors, though, this may have allowed for more creative freedom. “You don’t have the whole beginning with the entire story line; it’s just a single moment, so you really get to express your creativity,” stated Friske. One Acts also provided an opportunity for LFA students to make the transition from acting to directing. Dryfoos stated that he enjoys that transition. He saw students put into an unfamiliar situation in which they had to push themselves and challenge their abilities. “The challenge,” Dryfoos said, “is to do justice to the piece and to the director’s vision. And the payoff is the actual performance.”
LFA students take part in the new Blockbuster hit, Divergent By Aban Yaqub Features Editor The film adaptation of Divergent, the first installment in Veronica Roth’s acclaimed dystopian series, which earned the No. 1 box office ranking during its opening weekend this past month, features a few members of LFA’s community. Three LFA students had the opportunity to be cast in the film as extras: current seniors Dani Hristev and Anne MacLeod and recent graduate Kat Delby ’13. “When I got the callback, myself and around 150 others out of like 5000 people were instructed to meet at the Cinespace Production Building located near the south side of Chicago, where they tested our abilities,” said Delby. Working for a total of four days, ranging up to 16 hours long each along with a casting call (which Hristev missed her first ACT to attend), the extras filmed all across Chicago, including downtown, in a school, and in several different warehouses throughout the city, where complete neighborhoods were recreated as set
pieces. At the casting call, actors completed screen tests in which they made different expressions and poses as their photos were taken, and were “inspected” by director Neil Berger to designate their faction according to their “look”. Additionally, actors were required to perform their martial arts ability, like Delby, who has experience with Karate and Kung Fu, and Hristev, who has been a third degree black belt since age 12. “They asked us to learn a choreographed fight and practice with a partner. They walked around and watched all of us, and separated us by ability. Then they asked us to jump off a platform and land in a somersault, which was scary but fun,” Delby added. Seemingly simple scenes, like crowd surfing, took up to 6 hours because of the variation of angles the crew needed to shoot. “All the ‘movie magic’ is lost when you see how everything is made. All the drama and intensity and the atmosphere you see in the movies is just editing; the music sets the mood; and the lighting is
what they really concentrate on,” commented Hristev. The experience was one each of the girls agreed they would do again if given the opportunity, as eye opening as it had been. “It’s daunting to see how many other people want to do the same thing you want to. Who’s to say I’ll make it, or someone else won’t? It was probably the biggest hit on my self-esteem,” Hristev admitted. Additionally, the extras were able to meet several of the main actors in the film, including protagonists Shailene Woodley (who apologized to MacLeod for bumping into her and offered Delby her coat) and Theo James. However, they weren’t as star-struck as one would assume. “When you see how normal they are, it’s ridiculous to see these huge distinctions made people who are just like us but only separated by their elevated status and are idolized,” commented Hristev. The film was released on March 21st, 2014, and the DVD release date is yet to be announced.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com
Shailene Woodley’s character, featured in the movie poster, is a member of the Dauntless faction in the dystopian film.
THE SPECTATOR 8
Centerfold
APRIL 25, 2014
Lake Forest
and Ferry H
Photo courtesy of idaillinois.org
Lake Forest Academy students standing at the school’s Commencement Day in 1974.
By Ella Ekstrom and Maggie Meyer Staff Writers Ms. Lynn Kulieke is in the unique position of being the last member of the LFA community to have worked at Ferry Hall. Kulieke had taught at Ferry Hall for eight years and has been working at the merged
institutions for a total of 40 years now. “Well, the immediate reaction was that ‘it was a new experiment,’” said Kulieke when interviewed about the merger between the schools. According to Kulieke, Ferry Hall and Lake Forest Academy maintained an active relationship before the merger through
40th ann extracurricular activities. The schools performed musicals and held dances together throughout the school year. “There was quite a bit of interaction, but they didn’t have classes together,” said Kulieke. When the schools combined, the shared classes had bussing from one campus to
Reasons for the Merger By India Shelley and Madeline Widjaja Staff Writers
Faced with declining enrollments, growing financial challenges, and a trend toward co-ed schools, Lake Forest Academy and Ferry Hall decided to merge in 1974. Although much has been retained, much has changed in the 40 years that followed. Forest Academy’s main building, Reid Hall, burned down in 1946. There were no injuries and the school successfully moved to a new campus, but the reconstruction was costly. Even before the burning, LFA was experiencing financial need. Only a year after World War II, going to an expensive boarding school seemed too much of a challenge for many families to afford. The headmaster at the time, Mr. Ebenezer Francis Bowditch, was able to call his trustees and raise funds for the purchase of Melody Farms. After the purchase, both faculty and students worked tirelessly to convert the old Armour House estate into a proper boys school with new dorms in just six months. The result was a rushed, but com-
plete school in the fall of 1948. In the thirty years that passed after the fire, admissions had dropping significantly for both LFA and Ferry Hall as parents chose to enjoy their wealth in different ways instead of sending their children to boarding school. In the 60’s and 70’s, people’s views were becoming much more liberal, and coeducation was becoming a popular, more acceptable option. Many parents were beginning to see the benefits of sending their sons and daughters to a co-ed school, which put single sex schools in a bad competitive position. By the late 60’s, almost all of the people from the baby boom were done with high school, leaving admissions down at schools across the country, LFA and Ferry Hall were no exceptions. It became obvious that while both schools were going through hard times, Ferry Hall would not survive. However, as Melody Farm was more than large enough to host both LFA and Ferry, a merger appeared to be in the best interest of both. LFA had very limited options, and administrators considered a merger to be the best option for their school. On the other
Photo courtesy of idaillinois.org
Ferry Hall students congregate in Lake Forest Academy’s Corbin Academic Center in 1974.
hand, Ferry Hall tested a plethora of scenarios before landing on the merger. One of the options created by Mr. John Bird, the headmaster of Ferry Hall, was to turn Ferry Hall into a performing and visual arts high school. They felt that in order to raise enrollment, they needed to create a school that pleased a niche market, to a group of people who didn’t have access to the ideal school for them. Another idea was to create an all-girls school for students with special educational needs. Bird felt that there was a lack of good quality special educational schools on the North Shore, however, both of these ideas were eventually abandoned in favor of merging LFA and Ferry Hall in the fall of 1974. Despite some reservations, LFA today is living proof that this was the best choice for both schools. The school and faculty have grown significantly in size. There are now additional dorms and impressive campus facilities. Most importantly, the combined institutions, operating as LFA, can be proud of continued academic strength and an impressive list of colleges that accept LFA graduates yearly.
the other, thus requiring passing periods of 20 minutes (as compared to the current passing periods of zero). Both groups of students commuted to the other’s campus allowing for Ferry Hall and Lake Forest Academy teachers to maintain their positions. “Ferry Hall certainly brought an openness
In the He
By Tori Koontz and Staff W
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• Aug. 8th- Richard Nixon resigns from • Unknown- Rubik’s Cube is invented
This Page was created and produced by the Mills, India Shelley, Maggie Meyer Arthur He, Seongsik Kim, Jason L
Photo courtesy of idaillinois.org
Ferry Hall girls dance with Lake Forest Academy boys at a school event in 1967.
THE SPECTATOR APRIL 25, 2014
Centerfold
9
t Academy
Hall merger:
niversary to the Academy and the Academy showed itself open to receiving the young women,” stated Kulieke. However, Kulieke also said that the boys had negative opinions towards the new female teachers, believing they were “flimsy,” though soon afterward the boys found out the female teachers “were just as hard.”
eadlines:
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Despite the boys initial thoughts regarding the merger, there was minimal criticism towards the newly merged institution. With the merger, there the inevitable compromises between Ferry Hall and Lake Forest Academy. Many Ferry Hall traditions were inducted into LFA, including the House Cup competition, Move Up Day
Ferry Hall students at the school’s Commencement Day in 1974.
ceremony, and Monty the Bear. Though these traditions survived the merger, several others did not. The May Day celebration and the annual May Pole Dancing were left behind at Ferry Hall. Though the merger was 40 years ago, LFA is still working on keeping Ferry Hall alive. The newly completed girl’s dorm,
Photo courtesy of idaillinois.org
Ferry Hall, as well as the Women of Distinction Award both serve a purpose to keep Ferry Hall’s memory alive. “Well, I’m the last teacher, so I think it [LFA] will become more one school,” concluded Kulieke. “People will lose why Ferry Hall is called Ferry Hall when it becomes fully integrated.”
LFA’s transition to coed By Seongsik Kim and Jason Lee Staff Writers
Since the merger of Lake Forest Academy and Ferry Hall that happened in 1974, administration sources have said that LFA as a whole community has started to develop and evolve into a stronger institution. “The merger occurred for several reasons: to move from single-sex education to a co-ed school as many of the boarding schools did in the early 1970s. In addition, we wanted to create a stronger institution, both financially and re-enrollment compared to the two separate schools,” explained Dr. John Strudwick, the headmaster of the merged institutions. Since Eloise Ruthven Tremian’s departure in 1947, Ferry Hall had gone into a financial depression and the enrollment rate that was filled to capacity during World War II had dropped significantly. In the 1970’s, headmaster John A. Bird started working with LFA to achieve co-education, and in the spring of 1973, the last class of Ferry Hall graduated.
Photo courtesy of idaillinois.org
Students stand in co-ed rows at Lake Forest Academy’s 1981 Commencement Day.
“The goals (of the merger) were co -education and improved financial stability. Both appear to have been achieved,” stated Strudwick. Having a co-educational institution also improved the learning environment of students significantly. Many schools were starting to become co-educational in the 1970s. “Many teachers say that male students were able to learn certain subjects more easily,” explained Strudwick. “There were studies that showed that female students had a harder time learning math and science and had fewer chances for leadership experiences which led to some opposition, but most teachers claimed that the positives of co-educational environment outweighed the positives of a single-sex environment.” However, there were many obstacles the institutions had to face. Although many trustees supported the merger of the two institutions there were also many oppositent. “There was understandable opposition from alums, students and faculty from both schools who wanted to retain their independence and own identity,” explained
Strudwick. Merging the two schools meant that the Ferry Hall buildings would be sold and the school would be lost. Also it was decided that the school would drop the name Ferry Hall and just go by Lake Forest Academy. Many of the Ferry Hall students and alumnae felt betrayed by this fact and there were many who were disappointed. But, according to Strudwick, Lake Forest Academy has come to follow and respect many of the Ferry Hall traditions since the merger, thus letting the legacy of the girls’ institution remain alive. “One thing we did was to build a new girls’ dorm and name it Ferry Hall. There is a Ferry Hall prefect to keep the traditions of Ferry Hall alive; in fact we’ve already been following Ferry Hall traditions,” explained Strudwick. Some of the traditions include Move Up Day, the House Cup competition, and the two houses, Sargent and Bird. Strudwick later added, “We wanted to make sure that we acknowledged Ferry Hall and made sure that we’re proud to have the girls’ institution as a part of us.”
Photo courtesy of idaillinois.org
Ferry Hall students participate in “wheelbarrow” races on Field Day in 1974.
THE SPECTATOR 10
Features
APRIL 25, 2014
Organizational app “Canvas” finishes its pilot year strong By Amanda Bozorgi Photo Editor
As Lake Forest Academy continues to refine its use of iPads in the classroom, it has constantly searched for the best apps to use for the various aspects of each class. Each teacher has specific preferences, which has led to some students having multiple apps for similar purposes on their iPads. Some feel this has caused confusion and disorganization. To solve this problem, LFA has introduced an application known as Canvas to a pilot group of teachers, who have used the application for the duration of this school year. The app is now in consideration to be used as a Learning Management System next school year. LFA began its iPad program allowing teachers to use any application they preferred to simulate a real-world experience for students. Media Instructor Ashley Kolovitz explained that in the workplace people have to draw materials and resources from various different platforms, and must learn to organize those materials on their own. However, this approach may be too chaotic for some students to handle effectively, and further organization may be necessary in the future.
“We think that uniformity might be in the best interest of the students,” said Kolovitz. Canvas is in consideration because of its capability as a “virtual classroom,” as Kolovitz describes it. The application boasts not only the capability to post class cycle sheets and materials, but can also serve as a class discussion board, and important notifications and announcements can be posted. Teachers can post class notes in the form of videos, and the app can even be used as a portfolio for students. The app also has a fuller web option to complement the mobile version. “Canvas is a robust, powerful tool,” said Kolovitz. The Canvas help-support team is also a positive aspect of the application. Unlike many other apps, Canvas has a team of knowledgeable employees who are ready to answer questions and provide aid at any time. Canvas is one of the few applications that offers the option of contacting a real human, not a recording, over the phone at any time. At the beginning of this school year, the pilot group of teachers was given the Canvas application with only the instruction to utilize it in their classes. With zero training,
the teachers were supposed to learn how to use the app through their own training. This approach allowed LFA to determine how flexible the layout of the app is, and
labor exchange” gives a window into the feelings of disrespect that the laborers both back in the Industrial Age and now. When the song’s chorus hits and Wilson screams, “They tell you day after day, to make your way through the factory gates. What you make on the factory floor, you take straight to the company’s door”. It really drives in the point that these workers feel underap-
preciated. My Life”, on the other hand, has a completely different feel to it. Where “The Factory Gates” was a rock anthem, “My Life” is a willfully take-charge tune. The first thing you hear is a chorus of synth strings played on the piano that make gives you a feeling to take control of your life and that is exactly what the song address-
how much training would be required for teachers and students if the app were to be used throughout the next school year.
Photo by Amanda Bozorgi
Senior Melissa Meritt accesses all of her classwork with the helpful iPad app.
Music Spotlight: Kaiser Chiefs’ Education, Education, Education, and War will school you in Rock and Roll By Justin Nakasu Senior Features Editor One of the biggest and best current rock bands, Kaiser Chiefs, came back recently with their fifth studio album, Education, Education, Education & War and it does not fail to impress. The album is a mix of head-banging rock anthem songs such as “The Factory Gates” and catchy pop rock songs such as “My Life”. One can’t help but pick up a Kaiser Chief flag and march along with the beat after hearing this album. Drawing upon Green Day and other early 2000’s rock anthem bands, Kaiser Chiefs started in 2003 in Leeds, England and rose to become one of the most prominent English rock bands today. They’ve played at music festivals such as Lollapalooza Brazil and Chile, as well headlining with Green Day on a stadium tour last summer. It’s safe to say that they are chiefs of the live music scene. The album starts off quiet with wind and seagull sounds in the beginning of “The Factory Gates”, but then quickly picks up to catchy electronic piano chords, distorted guitar riffs, and Ricky Wilson’s powerful vocals. The song’s first words, “So this is the Age of the Train, all aboard to the
es. The chorus of “I can work it out, I can live another night. This is my life,” gives you a feeling to take-charge and maybe a confidence boost when you need it. Education, Education, Education & War is an electrifying album that is bound to make you get on your feet.
The Kaiser Chiefs released their fifth studio album, Education, Education, Education and War in 2014.
Photo courtesy of boudist.com
THE SPECTATOR
Features
APRIL 25, 2014
Off the Cuff By Sophie Hanson Features Editor Tumblr. is not your typical social networking site. While it is cloaked in the common blue background it shares with Facebook and Twitter, the microblogging platform caters to the world’s artists, creators, bookworms, fangirls and introverts, among them a number of LFA students and faculty. “It’s not as social as Facebook and Twitter,” junior Allie Wolters said. “You really have to reach out to people, or they have to reach out to you. It’s basically antisocial
networking.” Tumblr. was founded in 2007 by current CEO David Karp. Since then, the site has generated over 178.8 million blogs (two of which belong to me) and 81.6 billion posts. Tumblr. users run their own blogs dedicated to any and all topics. They sift through the millions of available blogs and follow the ones they most enjoy. I, for example, follow one blog dedicated entirely to the actor Tom Hiddleston, and another blog that posts only pictures of nature ordered by color. Posts from those blogs then appear on a central ‘dashboard,’ creating an endless stream of content to scroll through.
11
Tumblr promotes widespread creativity
Caxy Match Photo courtesy of Mediaspace Solutions
The popular microblogging platform Tumblr. has the same features available in app form.
Photo courtesy of www.stereogum.com
Photo by Amanda Bozorgi
The Spectator staff agrees that sophomore Brandt Dudziak bears an uncanny resemblance to actor Chris Mintz-Plasse, who played McLovin in the 2007 film Superbad.
When a blogger finds something they like, they can hit the ‘reblog’ button, and the post will appear on their own blog. Users can also create and post their own artwork, writing, films, photography or music. “It’s kind of like a collage of everything that I think is who I am,” said sophomore Annmarie Morrison. “It’s a way to express myself. Not a lot of people know my URL, so I don’t have to worry about what people are going to think about what I posted.” Indeed, anonymity is one of the main aspects that draws people to Tumblr. The site is based in mutual interest, if that’s K-Pop, Marvel, Dr. Who, poetry or Arctic Monkeys, rather than personal information. While there have been instances of bullying on the site, I have found this relative anonymity generally creates an atmosphere of acceptance rather than one ripe
for judgment, as is increasingly common on other more public social sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instragram. “You bring out another side of yourself that’s more vocal than you are in real life,” said senior Emily Meyer. “It doesn’t matter what you look like or what you do outside. It’s comfortable to be yourself.” In 2013, the web information company Alexa ranked Tumblr. the 35th most visited website in the world, just below Instagram and not far behind the immensely popular photo-sharing site, Pinterest. The site is gaining popularity with remarkable speed, and it’s no wonder why: Tumblr. offers something for everyone, coupled with the freedom to express those interests free of judgment.
THE SPECTATOR
Features
12
APRIL 25, 2014
Former Chicago resident and Auschwitz Nazi guard on trial in Stuttgart for war crimes By James Paige Features Editor Today it is easy for Americans to feel removed from the horrific violence which took place during World War II. Such violence included the Nazi concentration camps of the Holocaust and the estimated six million Jewish prisoners who were systematically slaughtered. However, news of further delays in the trial of former Chicago resident and Nazi concentration camp guard, Hans Lipschis, serves as a grim reminder that many Nazis have integrated into post-war society. Hans Lipschis, originally from Lithuania, immigrated to Chicago around 1956, and settled in the Ashburn neighborhood. Lipschis lied about his Nazi past in an apparent attempt to avoid legal prosecution by the Wiesenthal Center, a well-known international Nazi hunting organization based in Los Angeles. The Wiesenthal Center ranked Lipschis as the fourth most-wanted Nazi on their target list. As a result of his identity concealment, the United States Justice Department deported Lipschis to Munich, Germany in 1983. Lipschis opted for deportation in order to avoid trial be-
fore an immigration judge. “Lipschis was able to avoid prosecution in Germany for the next three decades because prosecutors could not link him to a specific crime against a specific victim,” said Efraim Zurroff, the director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center office in Jerusalem, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. The Chicagoland area has a unique connection to the Nazi Party and their World War II Holocaust. According to a publication by the University of Kansas, one out of every six Jewish citizens in Skokie during the late 1970s was a survivor -- or was directly related to a survivor of the Holocaust. Additionally, the city of Chicago is home to a very large number of Eastern European communities. The city is home to the largest populations of Poles and Lithuanians outside of their respective countries. Many Nazis like Lipschis originated from Eastern Europe, and therefore found it easy to integrate into these communities. German prosecutors have found Lipschis to be a former member of the Waffen SS, a Nazi unit. Lipschis has allegedly been assigned to camps at Auschwitz and
Birkenau, Poland. Despite accusations of killings, Lipschis maintains that he served as a cook. Early this March, the trial of the 94-year old was postponed for the second time due to health issues. According to a statement in the Huff-
ington Post, the Ellwangen state court of Germany said Lipschis was suffering from the onset of dementia and was unlikely to be able to follow a trial of this magnitude, complexity and length.
Photo courtesy of praag.org
The trial of Hans Lipschis has been delayed for a second time due to his health issues.
Lululemon quality control controversy leads to severe sales decline around the world By Ayorinde Ifatunji Features Editor When one walks into a store such as Lululemon Athletica, they immediately fall in love with the trendy workout gear. However, in the last year, consumer concerns have risen about not only the quality of their clothing, but also about the ethics behind the people in charge. The Lululemon brand has become quite popular as they special-
ize in yoga and running clothing for men and women. Their clothes are even more popular amongst students at Lake Forest Academy. One might often find many students working out or just lounging in their clothes after school. Senior Penny Tornes is one of many at LFA who do just that. “I probably use it 50/50, I go to track practice and work out in their pants and shirts and then afterwards I keep them on
Lululemon’s famous variety of yoga pants shown above at a retail location.
and hang out in them, which is really nice,” Tornes said. According to the Business Insider, in 2013 the popular brand had to recall 17% of their products because of sheerness. Even after that problem was supposedly fixed, they now frequently receive complaints about pilling and shredding between the thighs of their apparel. To make matters worse, founder of the company Chip Wilson was
Photo courtesy of lovesacvalleyfair.wordpress.com
quoted by one media outlet as saying that the reason for the quality issues in their pants was because, “they don’t work for some women’s bodies.” Such remarks from Wilson quickly put the company under fire, as women began to question whether or not the $100 yoga pants were worth not only the chance of low quality, but also funding someone like Wilson. When being interviewed, Tornes also expressed her worry about buying products from a company who would say such things. “It’s hard because I really look down on the company for saying that, and it’s also hard because they make great products,” she remarked. “I think it’s the company’s responsibility to not pick one body type to cater to.” Tornes herself hasn’t bought anything from Lululemon since she has heard about Wilson’s comments, and doesn’t plan on buying from the store as frequently in the future. There seems to be a trend among many women who have heard about these comments to do the same as Tornes, if not completely cut out Lululemon from their shopping trips altogether. Though Wilson has agreed to step down, the brand of clothing has seen plummeting sales since his remarks.
THE SPECTATOR APRIL 25, 2014
Features
13
Spring Break 2014
Photo by Amy Krivoshik
Senior Sophie Shoemaker climbs down a ladder at the entrance to a cave at Bandelier National Monument near the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.
Photo courtesy of lfahos2014.tumblr.com/
Photo courtesy of William Murphy
Students on the Head of School Symposium trip spend their last night in Paris dining in the picturesque Montmarte.
Students Claudia Kirby ‘15 and Kelly Chen ‘16 pose in the stocks at Warwick Castle on the trip to England.
Photo courtesy of lfachina.tumblr.com/
Students Evan Walters ‘15, Nick Lin ‘17, Julia Gillette ‘16, Katie Zhou ‘16, Shai Kiven ‘16, Judith Villemure ‘16, and history teacher Sam Wold take part in a calligraphy lesson in southern Taiwan as a part of the trip to China and Taiwan.
Photo courtesy of Stanton Cope
Photo courtesy of Aban Yaqub
Tommy Chandler ‘14, Stanton Cope ‘15, and Cole Simpson ‘14 pose in traditional dress with a Moroccan family.
Sophomores Tyler Heise and Agatha Walgreen and junior Aban Yaqub visit the city of Ronda on the spring break trip to Spain.
THE SPECTATOR 14
Sports
APRIL 25, 2014
LFA employee wins bronze By Yousuf Kadir Features Editor Former LFA athletic trainer Aja Evans won a bronze medal for Bobsled at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Evans worked in the Morison Fitness Room where, during the 2011 second semester, she helped facilitate strength and conditioning programs for LFA athletes. Evans was a track and field athlete at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and then transferred to the University of Illinois. She was one of the best sprinters on the team. Evans was a three-time Big Ten Champion and owns two school records at Illinois. Although she was an excellent sprinter in college, she transferred that speed to her pursuit of bobsledding. “Physically and athletically, the transition to bobsledding was not that bad. I had good running technique and mechanics. Athletically, I brought a lot to the table from my track background,” Evans said. “The hardest transition was learning the best technique behind the sled, running and learning the behind–the-scenes work.” Evans had only been training for bobsledding for two years before the Olympics. She has won several medals during the World Cup in 2012 and 2013 in Calgary
and Park City. Evans comes from a long line of athletes in her family, including her brother Fred Evans who is a defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings, her uncle Gary Matthews a retired MLB player, and her father Fred Evans who was the first black collegiate swimming champion at Chicago State University. For Evans it was very important to become an athlete.
“I have a long list of athletes in my family and so it was only right that I pursue those athletic goals,” Evans said. “It was almost natural. It was in my blood.” When Evans had qualified for the Winter Olympics, her focus didn’t deter amidst rumors of a terrorist attack in Sochi. She continued to pursue her ultimate goal to win an Olympic medal. “We didn’t focus on [the security concerns
in Sochi]. We were just out there to compete. We wanted to represent team USA” Evans said. Evans was a brakeman in the two-woman bobsled competition. She has to sprint and provide all the momentum for the entire course. “The start of the race is my show, and then after I jump in the back of the sled my head is down by my knees and I try to stay as relaxed as possible. Kind of a lot is going through your head. As a brakeman I don’t see it happening and what is going on. I have to trust my driver and trust that we are sledding down as fast and efficiently as possible,” Evans said. “It’s a battle trying to be relaxed and being able to fully trust your driver.” When Evans stood up on the medal stand, received her bronze medal, and watched the American flag slowly rise, it finally sank in that she had won an Olympic medal. “That was the moment where I felt like I won a bronze medal. So much went into the sport and so much went into the two years of training I had,” Evans said. “I was representing my country and that was an amazing, amazing feeling.” Evans is now focusing her talents towards qualifying for track and field events for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.
2:26:25. Amazingly, East Africans have won 24 of the last 26 men’s races and 17 of the last 19 women’s races. Shalane Flanagan, the top American female runner, finished in fourth place, and is seeking redemption in this year’s race. 2014 will be a very different experience for both runners and spectators. Runners will not be allowed to wear costumes and baggy clothes, and will also be required to have their faces able to be seen at all times. There will be no bags and backpacks allowed along the marathon route. In addition to this, unregistered runners, a tradition of the marathon, will not be allowed to run. “We are aware that many people want to participate in some way in this year’s Boston Marathon as a display of support, but we ask that those who are not official participants to refrain from entering the course for the safety of the runners and themselves,” wrote the Boston Athletic Association. Undercover police will be scattered throughout the route to ensure the highest possible safety. The community of Boston is also showing support for the victims in many ways. The theme for this year’s marathon is “We Run Together”. The city has also created
special banners displaying this theme that will be put up along the route. “This year, we have the opportunity to reflect and draw inspiration from the strength and courage of all those affected by last year’s tragedy—by the heroics of our first responders and caregivers, and by the countless acts of selflessness throughout
our community,” said Mayor Marty Walsh. In addition to the theme and banners, the John Hancock company backed a project that took the 2013 banners and turned them into bracelets for this year’s participants. Despite the great tragedy that occurred at last year’s marathon, runners and spectators are eager to honor last year’s victims.
Photo courtesy of the LA Times
Aja Evans, former LFA employee, celebrates in Sochi after finishing in third.
Boston Marathon turns tragedy into joy By Jordan Wolff Sports Editor The Boston Marathon is heralded as the greatest race in the United States and is a premier showcase for top athletes from around the world. Tragically, a bombing overshadowed the amazing display of athletic talent last year. Since then, the City of Boston has come together, grown stronger, and is looking forward to one of the largest races in its history, with 36,000 runners participating. Last year, Chechen brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev exploded two homemade bombs at approximately 2:49 pm EDT, killing three people and injuring an estimated 264 others near the finish line. The following five days were dominated by one of the largest manhunts in U.S. history as the entire surrounding area of Boston was almost completely shut down. Tamerlan died in a gunfight with police and his brother is currently awaiting trial. Lelisa Desisa Benti of Ethiopia won last year’s men’s race with a time of 2:10:22. The marathon was one of the closest races in history with Benti finishing only five seconds ahead of second place, and six ahead of third. In the women’s competition Rita Jeptoo of Kenya won with a time of
Photo courtesy of fitsugar.com
Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo crosses the finish line to win the 2013 Boston Marathon.
THE SPECTATOR
Sports
APRIL 25, 2014
15
Throwing with LFA track team Boles finds throwing harder than it looks By Margaux Boles Editor-in-Chief Internationally-known sports journalist George Plimpton made his reputation by writing books about being an amateur athlete and trying to play football for the Detroit Lions, hockey for the Boston Bruins, and pitching in a Major League Baseball exhibition game. Plimpton lived the sports fantasies of many Americans and then captured the events in words. This year I have been attempting a series of Plimpton-like experiences and writing about them. On Wednesday March 26, 2014, I joined the track team and had the opportunity to throw the shot put and discus for the first time. I was lucky enough to join the track team while they were one of the few teams that was practicing outside during the warm spring weather we were experiencing in Chicago right after spring break. I bundled up and headed to what would probably be the first and last track practice in my life. This year the track team has more than 70 athletes and no one really seemed to notice that I wasn’t even a “real” member of the team. The practice started with a full team warm up, which included two laps around the track and dynamic stretching. The throwing coach, Mr. Adam Gerber, pulled me aside during the warm up to teach me the basic techniques of the sport. I quickly learned from his explanation that I could easily get injured doing this sport, which made me realize I knew very little about throwing. While throwing the shot put, one has to be very careful not to throw it in a way that would injure their shoulder. I assumed that you were supposed to throw it like a baseball, however this was very wrong. You had to balance it just above your palm and push it out, as if you were doing a pushup with one arm, which is nothing like a baseball throw. After a quick team track meeting, everyone broke off into their respective groups. I joined the other throwers as we walked to the shed to retrieve the shot puts and discuses. I learned that the
Senior Margaux Boles throws a shot for the first time with the LFA track and field team.
shot put and discus weigh different amounts for boys and girls. We first started practicing throwing the shot puts by taking turns, while Gerber gave us tidbits of
advice of how to improve our next throw. I had a lot of trouble remembering to use my legs, which Gerber had to remind me of after every one of my throws.
Photo by Miranda Dunne
I never realized how important your legs are in throwing. Junior Vadim Vasjonkin, who has been throwing for two weeks, also has problems with using his legs.
“The hardest part about learning how to throw is the process of learning how to place your legs and use them more than your arm,” said Vasjonkin. “It is hard to use your legs because when I throw, I am focused on the shot or the discus which leads to a bad release.” After a few rounds of this we moved to the official shot put area. This has a ring that you must enter from the back and leave from the back during a meet or else your throw will not count and will be considered a scratch. We again took turns throwing the shot put while making sure to walk in and out of the ring correctly. After doing this a few times we moved over to where the discus is thrown, which is protected by a net. I quickly learned that the net is very, very important because throwers can sometimes lose control of the discus and release it too quickly resulting in a heavy object catapulting through the air hitting the closest person in its path. Everyone had to remain behind the net for that exact reason, which I made sure to do. Gerber told us that you do not want to grip the discus but you want to wrap the top of your fingers till it touches your first knuckle around the discus. This was very uncomfortable for me at first because I did not feel like I had a good grip but after a few tries I started to get the hang of it. I again did not use my legs enough and had to remind myself to do it each time. I came to the conclusion that I was not a natural at throwing either the shot put or the discus. However, the discus was much easier for me to throw. I believe that this is because the discus was much lighter than the shot put. Throwing is very different than any sport I have done before because of how slow and technical everything is. It did not take me long to realize that this was because there was absolutely no running involved, which was (in fact) a nice change of pace, but I do not think I could do it every day. It was completely different from field hockey or basketball, and I decided that if I became a track star in my later days that I would have to be a runner.
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Sports
APRIL 25, 2014
Rebuilding year for volleyball
By Brandon Amoroso Sports Editor
The Lake Forest Academy Boys’ Varsity Volleyball team faced off against Chicagoland Jewish High School recently, winning in two sets, 25-7 and 25-17. Before the game, Mr. Jeff Bateman, in his ninth year of coaching volleyball at LFA, pinned the key to winning the game on one specific task. “For tonight our key to success is to pass the ball properly. There’s not going to be a whole lot of defense we have to do. If we pass the ball properly to our setters and set our hitters up then we will dominate the game. If we don’t, then it will be a close one,” said Bateman. As predicted by Bateman, with the Caxys passing crisp and clean CJHS was constantly on the defensive trying desperately to prevent a blowout. Standout players Chris Collins and Cody Van Lierop, the two main outside hitters for the Caxys and both senior leaders, led the way toward victory. The Caxys came into the game looking to dominate CJHS team, jumping out to a 9-0 lead in the first set with overwhelming spikes by Collins that set the dynamics for the rest of the match. The Caxys skill and team chemistry was too overwhelming; the match was never a contest. CJHS was overmatched by the larger, more athletic, and more talented Caxys. In the second set of the match all members of the Caxys got
in on the action. The Caxys have a much younger crop of players than in years prior, including three freshmen (one that starts at setter). Bateman looks to continue to be competitive despite the inevitable development period for the freshmen players. Collins also has high hopes for the freshmen this year expressing his approval of them. “I’m excited to see the freshmen develop throughout the year. All of them began the year much stronger than most years. The main transition for them will be adjusting to a faster-paced game than they may be used to from middle school,” said Collins. Bateman has steep expectations for the Caxys this season, despite it being considered a developmental year. “We’re looking forward to a good season, I’m predicting a 13-3 record or somewhere in that range. It’s a developing year but we’re still going to do well,” said Bateman. The Caxys are looking forward to their all-day tournament at Latin on May 3rd, a favorite for the players and coaches. Collins is looking ahead towards a rematch against Wheaton Academy, mini-rival of LFA, in which LFA will attempt to beat Wheaton Academy for the first time. “I’m looking forward to playing Wheaton Academy again this year. We have somewhat of a rivalry with them. Since I’ve been playing for LFA, we have always played our best games against them and hopefully this year we can win for the first time,” said Collins.
Cody Van Lierop, senior captain, gets ready to serve in a recent home game.
To figure out what the real consequences this winter will have on sports teams the head of Athletics Darrin Madeley agreed to answer some questions about the upcoming season. As most sports teams are not in a league, rescheduling could be difficult. “Boys’ Lacrosse is in a league, so those will be rescheduled. and with every other sport we will try our best to reschedule,” said Madeley. Another potential problem for Madeley and the teams is if the fields will hold up, and how worried Madeley should be about maintaining the fields. In general, Madeley doesn’t seem to have a problem with using the fields as long as the players are safe.
“No, not at all because you have all summer for them to come back to life. If we look at them, and they seem like they will not be putting kids in danger, that is more of a factor to me than the field condition,” said Madeley. So because weather conditions were prohibitive, some teams were able to find indoor practice facilities. Other teams went up to the weight room, and some teams were lucky enough to have their sport be an indoor sport. With the weight room crowded, it seemed like there were too many sports for not enough room. “Volleyball has first priority with the gym because it is their court for the season. We
Photo by Miranda Dunne
Severe weather affects spring sports By Ned Kennedy Sports Editor This winter has been one of the worst in Chicago history, with 79.1 inches of snow, the second worst on record, and the average temperature of 18.8 degrees ranks third among winters. Spring sports are coming up which means that coaches and students have already noticed the ramifications this frigid winter has had on their sports season. For teams like soccer and lacrosse, the fields have been unplayable, and they have had to play inside. Lucky for them, they have been able to play on different playing fields near the campus.
Baseball fields across Illinois are covered with snow, prohibiting spring games from being played at their original scheduled date.
have such a small area, it is tough to practice inside. Baseball and softball have been sharing the batting cage in the hockey rink, and soccer has had the use of a local dome. Otherwise we will have to take it day by day,” said Madeley. Many athletes, like junior Peter Wallace, were worried about how the fields would hold up over the course of the season with the constant use of them. But so far the frigid winter hasn’t seemed to have a large impact on games or teams being able to play outside since Spring Break. According to Madeley what has really been detrimental has been the constant rain that has ruined many scheduled games.
Photo by Ned Kennedy