The Spectator - February 2018

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S P E C TAT O R

VOLUME 96 NUMBER 4

1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045

Featured Stories NEWS

Follow-up on final exams changes for second semester

page 3

Review on Trump’s first year of presidency page 4 FEATURES

#MeToo movement support at the Golden Globe Awards page 8 FEATURES

BSU’s plans for Black History Month

page 9

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Preview of winter musical Urinetown

page 11

SPORTS

Squash’s successful sports season

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FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Increased crime rates in Lake Forest not due to opioid crisis

Downtown Lake Forest recently has seen a spike in crime rates, especially home burglaries and stolen motor vehicles, due to gang - affiliated activites

By Tyler Medvec Op-Ed Editor

OP-ED

d

The City of Lake Forest, home to LFA, has always been an incredibly safe and secure place to live. With one of the lowest crime rates in the nation, families who reside in Lake Forest are often unaware of any crimes that take place within the city.

And although Lake Forest is known for its safety, this bubble has recently been broken into by higher crime rates than in most previous years. The recent homicide-suicide that took place in downtown Lake Forest on January 3 of this year has opened the eyes of many residents to the potential crimes that can and are taking place. Lake Forest Academy students should be aware of the following when visiting downtown.

Residents of surrounding neighborhoods have seen the recent increase in crimes – mostly burglary – and many are looking to blame this increase on the opioid crisis that has swept Lake County. In drug-related crimes, items such as cars, jewelry, and other pawnable items are stolen in order to supply the criminal with money to purchase drugs. But that might not be the explanation in Lake Forest as The Spectator found out after sitting down with Lake Forest Deputy Chief of Police Robert D. Copeland, to discuss if the opioid crisis has had anything to do with the rise of crime in Lake Forest, and if LFA students should be concerned.

Copeland did confirm that there has been a recent spike in motor vehicle theft

crease on gang activities in Lake Forest.

Many of the 26 cars that have been stolen in the past nine months haven’t been pawned off. According to Copeland, the criminals operating in Lake Forest are merely taking the cars, often expensive brands such as Audi or BMW, for “joyrides”. Many of the stolen cars have been found in Chicago, abandoned on the South and West sides, sometimes with the ignition still on.

Copeland also stated that in the case of Lake Forest, the opioid crisis has not had a major impact on the rise of crime.

“Most burglaries in Lake Forest are not drug-related, but are done by professional thieves,” stated Copeland.

Even if the recent rise in crime has not been due to the opioid crisis, Copeland said that the LFPD has increased patrols in certain areas.

“In high crime times,” Copeland stated, “the police department emphasizes that officers patrol subdivisions.”

Rather than focus their attention on traffic enforcement as often, Copeland has said that the police have been focusing more on patrolling the residential and business regions of Lake Forest that so often fall victim to these professional criminals.

In any case, Copeland emphasized that there are methods to reduce chances of being burglarized and that residents should take notes of these to help protect themselves from becoming the next victims of a professional burglary. These methods consist of being cautious about not leaving valuable items in the car and always locking the car, even if the car is only unattended for a few minutes. If these methods are

Photo courtesy of the LF Police Department

The Spectator spoke to the LF Deputy Chief of Police Robert Copeland about how there have been higher crime rates than previous years.

Crime Statistics in Lake Forest - six residental burglaries in three weeks (almost 1620 a year) - 26 cars stolen in 8-9 months (cars found on Southwest Side of Chicago) - two homicides in three months (first anomaly in 17 years)

always followed, along with the increased police patrols, hopefully Lake Forest can help minimize this rise in crime before it gets out of hand.

as well as home burglaries in the past eight to nine month

period,

blaming the i n -

page 12

Photo courtesy of Chron.com

THE SPECTATOR

News

2

World News Roundup

World News Roundup is a compilation of some of the prominent events occurring in the World today.

Compiled by Angelina Chan Staff Writer European Commission chief maintains offer for Britain to remain in EU Despite both sides being in the second phase of Brexit negotiations, JeanClaude Juncker, the European Commision chief, told EU legislature on January 10th that he will continue to offer Britain the possibility to stay in the EU. “We would like [the British] to stay.

And if they so wish they should be allowed to do so,” commented Juncker.

The UK is set to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.

(Source: Associated Press)

China bans recyclable imports A recent ban on the import of 24 types of recyclables to China, which took effect on January 1, has affected many Western countries.

Numerous waste disposal sites in the US, Britain, Canada, Ireland, Germany, and other European countries have reported a buildup of recyclables, and are currently looking for a new market for the waste.

In 2016, China processed 7.3 million tons- at least half of the world’s exportsof recyclables.

(Source: The New York Times)

US plans continuation of military presence in Syria The US plans to continue this military presence to ensure the protection of previously liberated areas from attack from the Islamic State.

With currently about 2,000 US troops in Syria, the US additionally referred to the humanitarian crisis of millions of displaced Syrians, and the “continued strategic threats” of the IS, among other groups, as its reasoning to sustain its presence.

Photo courtesy of Marketwatch A Syrian trooper reloads his gun in order to prepare for comabt.

(Source: BBC News)

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Brand new iPads distributed this spring

By Kennedy Hayes News Editor

After many ongoing conversations with various constituencies around LFA about laptops-vs- iPads as the main educational tool, the new 2017 iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation) is to be handed out to both faculty and students this spring.

“It’s the latest and greatest iPad model, with a faster processor and more storage,” stated Director of Information Technology Christopher Kozlov.

The original shift from laptops happened five years ago during the 2012-2013 school year. Before rolling out an-other iPad for the LFA community this time, numerous surveys went out to students before and after Winter Break. Some survey questions brought up questions regaring the condition and usage of iPads, as well as whether going back to laptops, instead of iPads, was more appealing.

Technology Coordinator Anthony W. White noted that feedback from almost 75% of the school community gave good response regarding using their iPads often in their daily LFA lives. Kozlov added that one of the benefits of having the

functionality of iPads is that since most students have iPhones already, they aremore comfortable with the content and navigation of the iPads. The IT department is also working an analysis into other types of ad vanced capability that we might be able to utilize on iPads in the future.

For now, the IT Department believes that “utility portion of the iPad is unmatched,” said Kozlov.

While some students feel that since they do not often use their iPads the update and swapping will not affect them too much, others echo Kozlov’s comment that iPads are the “one device that can have everything on it.” Other students note that the light weight and easy access for apps, traveling and quick searches online are the best parts about having iPads.

“I can get my textbooks on my iPad so it makes my backpack a lot lighter, and if I forget to bring my computer or iPhone one day then I can bring my iPad that has everything I need on it,” said Lauren Salliote.

According to Salliote, she prefers her laptop as opposed to her iPad overall, but for Canvas and Notability the iPad is the most useful platform.

H owever, some students said they do not

find themselves using iPads as much as their laptops due to the drawback of not being able to type as fast and effectively on the iPad. “I never use my iPad unless I am playing games at the airport,” senior Josie Reynolds stated. “I think laptops are easier because I cannot type on an iPad since their keyboards are too small.”

Photo by Kennedy Hayes Sophmore Shaliya Heard uses her iPad for looking at her homework on the Canvas cycle sheets.

Photo by Kennedy Hayes Senior Josie Reynolds uses her laptop for writing her AP Biology objectives.

The Flu Vaccine storm hits LFA

By Parker Amoroso News Editor Every year, millions of people in the United States head to their local pharmacies and doctors to get a flu shot in hopes of preventing what is, in many cases, a long lasting illness. However, the effectiveness of the shot all depends on how it matches up with the most prominent strands of the virus that year, and, unfortunately, this year it seems to have been a miss. With what is now being called a flu epidemic facing the United States, according to Dr. Michael Osterholm, who was interviewed

by Business Insider magazine, this year’s shot is only roughly 10% effective on the most common flu virus (H3N2) this winter.

As the season progresses, the virus only seems to be getting worse. One example can be seen in an entire Texas school district that, according to Breitbart News, is closing down for a full week so the district schools, buses, and more can be thoroughly cleaned as a result of the widespread and rampant illness. That said, with Illinois being one of the states most effected by this epidemic, how have Lake Forest Academy and its students and faculty been effected?

According to a Spectator survey of LFA’s students and faculty, of more than 160 rehopefully lessen its effects with the proper treatment. spondents, roughly 70% repor ed knowing at least one person who has gotten the flu this year. Furthermore, 20% reported to have dealt with illness themselves this year. So what can students do to help prevent themselves from getting the virus?

tprevent themselves from getting the virus?

“The number one thing you can do is wash your hands often throughout the day. Use Purell or something similar when you can’t wash your hands. Wash before every meal especially well,” said Academy Nurse Michelle Reich.

With the epidemic continuing, many students and faculty have found themselves considering getting the flu shot with 11% of the respondents to the survey reportedly considering getting the shot in response to the epidemic and 7% having already gotten the shot in reaction. On top of that, 45% of the LFA community respondents have already received the shot this year. According to the school nurses, 100 members of the community have received the shot from the infirmary: 31 students and 69 faculty members. Though t he LFA infirmary only has 100 flu shotsavailable to administer to the community, all of which are now gone, the shot is still

available at local pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS. Though the shot is not very effective this year, doctors still argue that it can reduce how severe the illness is if one happens to come down with it.

In the end, no matter what one does it isimpossible to completely prevent getting the virus. As a result, it is important to remember that if you’re feeling ill to visit the nurse as soon as possible to not only prevent the spread of illness, but also to catch the illness in its early symptoms so as to down with it.

In the end, no matter what one does it is impossible to completely prevent getting the virus. As a result, it is important to remember that if you’re feeling ill to visit the nurse as soon as possible to not only prevent the spread of illness, but also to catch the illness in its early symptoms so as to “[The LFA nurses office is] open 7am-7pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am-1pm Saturday and Sunday. Students often forget that we are here on the weekends too,” noted Reich.

Graph compiled by Parker Amoroso This graph shows the total of those who received flu shots at LFA this following 2017-2018 year.

THE SPECTATOR FEBRUARY 2, 2018

News

3

Following up on the final exam changes

Lake Forest Academy’s Academic Council has made their final decisions on second semester exams

By Shreya Singhvi Editor-in-Chief In the last issue of The Spectator, the paper reported the possibility of final exam changes on the horizon. The LFA Academic Council has now decided on some changes for the coming exam season, and they are planning on making more adjustments for next year’s fall semester. Although some of the changes mentioned in the November issue are not taking place, this semester’s final exam structure will be a bit different.

“We are looking to implement changes for next year but at this time, many people felt that there were just too many changes (for second semester) without enough time to prepare it,” stated Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs Kristine Von Ogden.

May exams will continue to take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with two departments assessing a day, unlike the extended schedule proposed during the deliberation period. This is because “many people felt strongly that we shouldn’t make changes to the planner for testing dates that were already in print,” stated Von Ogden.

The Academic Council was concerned that families may already have planned trips or vacations around what was written.

Von Ogden has rebutted the “unfounded” rumors circulating the LFA community concerning exam week. Many students,

especially seniors with AP Exams, were upset to hear that they would have to come in during exam week and sit for two hours, despite finishing all their exams before this period. Students who don’t have sit-down finals will still need to come to school during the two-hour exam period to turn something in for the class, like a paper or project, but they will not need to spend the duration of period in school. This is in order to get rid of “mirror days,” so students will not finish up three-to- six days earlier.

In fact, the Academic Council hopes this will ease some of the stress students feel during this time because they will be receiving a few more days to work on their final assessments. The ultimate goal for this change was “to have all students do something meaningful on the exam day.”

“Trust that we will always do what we feel is best for the students, first and foremost, and what’s best for our faculty, learning environment, and the school overall,” Von Ogden said.

The Academic Council makes many decisions for the school. It consists of the department chairs, the Dean of Faculty Tom Johnson, the Dean of Students & Academic Affairs Chris Tennyson, Von Ogden, the Director of Academic Technology Jeremy Sands, and finally, the Executive Director of the Stuart Center for Global Leadership Matt Nink.

Image courtesy of McHumor Cartoons LFA students probably wish getting good grades on their exams was this easy!

LFA’s annual College Workshop for juniors

By Dieter Villegas Managing Editor of Features

Photo by Tyler Medvec

Mr. Ben Wetherbee talking to the Washington St. Louis University college representative about ideal college applicants.

The annual College Application Workshop is a moment for the juniors at Lake Forest Academy to gain a better understanding of the college admissions process by meeting with school counselors and different college representatives. The college workshop took place last week and all the juniors and their parents gathered in Cressey Center for the Arts to get a brief explanation of the college process.

“It gives [the Juniors] a better understanding of the factors in play when schools are reviewing their applications, and who best to hear from than the people who actually review their applications,” said Dean of Counseling Andrew Poska.

To further explain the complex process of applications and see how it truly works, the students were assigned to a smaller group with a college representative to act as an admission officer. They were then given three applications to thoroughly read over.

After they read through all applications, each individual made a decision whether the student got accepted, deferred (sent into the regular decision pool), or denied.

As a group, they discussed the final decision they would bring back to the whole group. This allowed the students to see

the process of how college admission officers review applications and what they are looking for. Hopefully, it cleared up any misunderstanding the students have and any questions they have about the process.

After each small group has made their decisions, they gathered again to discuss their selections. Each group shared their reasons for each of their decisions, and it showed the differences of each small group which represented the possible differences of each college admissions committee. This showed the students how schools may have a different way of looking at an application.

“I learned that the stereotypical ‘connections’ to schools you might possess, are inevitably beneficial to your review, but your true emotional investment in the school will shine through to the admission officers and make a more significant difference than a simple application submission, ” said senior Dominic Scheerer.

This year there were 12 colleges participating in the college workshop: Rollings College, New York University, Washington University in St. Louis, Cornell University, Lake Forest College, St. Mary’s College, University of Michigan, Dickinson College, Providence College, Pomona College, University of Pennsylvania, and Marquette University were among the colleges participating.

THE SPECTATOR 4

Opinion and Editorial

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Trump’s first year as president: Pro

By Daniel Chia Managing Editor of Op-Ed Donald Trump, our nation’s 45th president, recently completed his first year in the White House.

Looking back to his inauguration, there have been many positive effects of the Trump presidency.

The headlining event this year is what appears to be the economy taking off. This can be partially attributed to massive tax repeal in the form of the $1.5 trillion Tax Cut and Jobs Act. In the largest tax cut in the last thirty years, corporate taxes were reduced from 35% down to 21%.

Despite coming under much fire for supposedly only helping the owners of multinational corporations, there have been positive effects for most all workers.

Apple was at the forefront of a series of almost 190 employers who raised wage or handed out bonuses enabled by the tax cuts. Apple itself has announced plans to inject $350 billion into the U.S. economy, mostly by bringing back many of its international holdings. Additionally, they will be building a new U.S. campus, increasing their workforce by 25%, and giving each of

This graph depicts how the DOW Jones Industrial average has dramatically increased in value since Trump’s election.

its employees a $2500 stock bonus. CEO Tim Cook himself said that in large part, these massive domestic investments have been made possible by the tax cuts.

Looking not just to the future but at the present, unemployment is down to the lowest it has been in 17 years at 4.1%. GDP, an indicator of the value of the U.S. economy, has increased by 2.3 percent, growth 27% greater than the pre-

vious year. The S&P 500, an index of the 500 largest companies used to indicate the strength of the stock market, is up 23 percent to 2,810.30 and the DOW recently hit a historical high of 26,253.62.

There have been more than economic victories for Trump this year. Namely, battlefield victories over ISIS. Trump reduced restrictions on the rules of engagement, a decision followed

by decisive victories over the terror group. In July, they lost their primary stronghold, the city Mosul, to the U.S. led coalition.

Trump also followed through on his campaign promise of deregulation. One of the core founding beliefs of the Republican party is less government control, a concept Trump followed closely.

While on the campaign trail, he promised to cut two regulations

Photo courtesy of CNN Money

for each new one his administration created. The reality was quite different than the promise, but for the better. The Trump administration canceled or delayed more than 1,500 regulations in the first year, ultimately slashing 22 regulations for each one they created.

Despite many people’s fears for the worst, Trump’s first 12 months as president have had significant upside.

Trump’s first year as president: Con

By Adriana Rivera Op-Ed Editor

During Trump’s campaign, he made many promises that he vowed he would fulfill once he became president, as many do when campaigning for presidency. Given that his first year of presidency has come to an end, the question the American people are now left with is, did Trump’s first year benefit or damage America?

Prior to Trump’s presidency he promised many things, including to “Make America Great Again”, but many of those commitments he made have yet to be achieved, or if they have been put into place, they’ve done more harm than good. He has simply taken unethical actions as president.

According to USA TODAY, Trump dismantled a policy previously put into place by Barack Obama, The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This policy allowed immigrants who came into the US while they were under the age of 16 to live in the United

States after completing a background check and meeting certain criteria. DACA gave opportunities to foreigners, children who had no control over the lives they were born into, to have a chance to obtain the American Dream.

This decision to end DACA has split up a significant amount of families. It also will send people back to countries that they were born in but know nothing about. It’s going to leave some of these people without jobs, families, in a place foreign to them.

In addition to making unethical decisions, Trump has also been very well known for using the social media platform, Twitter, to express his strong opinions.

Many of those opinions are inappropriate to share as president and give a wrongful representation of America and its people.

Recently he has used Twitter to slander the Democratic party as a whole by claiming they want to “take desperately needed money away from our military.” The president wrongfully accused a

Photo courtesy of CNN

This picture is from one of the anti-Trump protests that sprang up all around the country after he was elected.

political party that represents a significant amount of the American people. This is completely hypocritical because he is supposed to be everyone’s president.

Trump has on multiple occasions accused journalists of producing fake news and slandering him, yet he publicly did the same

thing right on his twitter account for everyone to see. On February 24, 2017 Trump tweeted a strongly opinionated tweet referring to fake news in the media.

He wrote, “Fake news media knowingly doesn’t tell the truth.

A great danger to our country…”

The irony in this tweet is he

has been caught lying on multiple occasions. A good president shouldn’t want division within their country. A good president should work to unite the American people despite their political parties. In his first year, Trump has divided the house against itself, and it will not be able to stand.

THE SPECTATOR

Opinion and Editorial

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Editorial:

Do your part. Get shot.

By Daniel Chia Managing Editor of Op-Ed The staff of The Spectator agrees that people should just get their flu shots. It helps protect everyone from both serious illness and minor inconvenience, and it’s not hard to get.

On the personal level, an influenza vaccination obviously can help prevent you from getting the flu. The designers of the vaccine try and guess which three or four variations of the flu are going to be prevalent in the coming year, put them in a vaccination, and they get injected into your arm. Your immune system absorbs these dead viruses and produces the complementary antibodies. Then, if you ever come into contact with the flu, your body is primed and ready to quickly crush it.

Now this might be a surprise to

some, but there are other people besides yourself. Similarly, the benefits of a flu shot go beyond just your own personal prevention.

In biology, there is a term called “herd immunity”. It’s a scientifically proven concept which says that, should enough of a population be immunized against a certain disease, in effect the entire herd will be immune. One unvaccinated person who was sick would be unable to transmit it to the many more people around them who are vaccinated, and anyone unvaccinated is unlikely to come into contact with someone else unvaccinated. The value of this “herd immunity” is two-fold.

First, is that having some semblance of herd immunity greatly reduces the epidemic qualities that the flu can take on, like it did this year. The current strain(s) of flu sweeping through

the country is both rather severe and extremely contagious. This problem could’ve been mitigated greatly if a larger percent of the population got their flu shots.

It’s estimated that only about 45% of the U.S. adult population receives a flu shot every year, and the critical point for herd immunity to take effect is 75%.

The second benefit is that this herd immunity protects those who are unable to get the flu vaccination because they’re unlikely to come into contact with someone who has the flu.

Getting a flu shot isn’t hard.

Don’t want to go to your doctor? Fine, go to Walgreens, CVS, or any other number of places that offer shots. Are you a boarder (or just don’t want to go through the trouble of traveling)? LFA offers flu shots. Just please, pretty please, go get shot.

Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Trump’s first year?

Caxy Rave

T h e L a k e A c a d e m y

5 F o r e s t

S P E C TAT O R

STAFF LIST Editors-in-Chief

Ananta Srivastava Shreya Singhvi

Managing Editor of Production

Jasper Fisher

Managing Editor of Op-Ed

Daniel Chia

Managing Editor of Features

Dieter Villegas

Managing Editor of Sports

Jack Mahon

Managing Editor of A&E

Katy Morrison

News Editor

Kennedy Hayes Parker Amoroso

Features Editor

Jasmine Filawo Tiffany Filawo

Op-Ed Editor

Tyler Medvec Adriana Rivera

Sports Editor

Jack Selati

Digital Editors

Max Hayes Elizabeth Christoph Ayaan Ahmed

Staff Writer

Kiki Hood Grace Curran Margaret Waldman Angelina Chan

Faculty Advisor

William Murphy

Online Faculty Advisor

Jeremy Sands

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

“I’ll just say that I think its funny that they celebrated (the end of his first year) by shutting down.”

-Anna Markey ‘18

“No matter what I say, people are gonna get angry.”

-Anonymous

A quick word on opinions

By Daniel Chia Managing Editor of Op-Ed

“If I speak out for (Trump), the school will get angry, and if I speak out against (Trump), some students might get angry” -Anonymous

Going around the school and trying to gather the opinions of the student body, I was somewhat surprised to see how wary people were about openly expressing their opinions, regardless of their position on Trump. People are still very cautious about what they say and to whom, so very few people wanted to publicly express their opinion in a forum like The Spectator. This attitude, born of the extreme polarity present in today’s political atmosphere, prevents effective dialogue, with both sides far too invested and entrenched in their mindset. In my opinion, if there is ever to be productive conversation, everyone needs to have a more open mindset.

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.

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 Kettle Moraine Press Association.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“The central dilemna in journalism is that you don’t know what you don’t know.”

-Bob Woodward

THE SPECTATOR

Centerfold

6

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

A look at the 2018 Winter O Olympics temporarily unifies Korean nations

By Jack Mahon Managing Editor of Sports February, 2018 will see the latest Winter Olympic competition take place in PyeongChang, South Korea. Not only is this event significant for the fact that hundreds of international athletes will be competing for the 102 gold medals available, but a slight-

ly more rare reason. This year’s opening ceremonies will see athletes from North and South Korea walk together as a unified Korea. The games will also feature a combined North and South Korean wome’s hockey team. With all the unrest currently going on in the region, many will be pleased at this display of camaraderie and integration from two hostile nations. The move to combine the two was announced January 20 by the International Olympic Commitee in Sydney, Australia.

Photo courtesy of the New York Times

A NHL-less Olympics

By Jack Selati Senior Sports Editor

This year the Olympics and the NHL have decided to part ways. The owners of the NHL decided not to allow their players to participate in the Olympics due to the fact that they are paying millions of dollars for them to win a championship, and if they are to get injured in the Olympics that could ruin an entire season for an NHL team.

This move to take out NHL players from the Olympics has angered many.

For most people, ice hockey in the Olympics was a chance to watch stars from around the world support their countries and go head-to-head for the gold medal.

Many casual fans won’t recognize their nations amateur players. These no-name amateurs have yet to become household names like the players in the NHL. Without NHL players some viewers are deciding to skip this year’s ice hockey event due to the unknown talent competing.

“Like any sport, people watch because their

favorite players are on the ice,” commented LFA Varsity Hockey player Charlie Kilborn.

He believes that the reason the Olympic hockey games were so enjoyable to watch was due to the fact that every player was known because they play in the NHL. While people like Kilborn believe that this switch to amateur players will lessen viewers on men’s ice hcokey in the Olympics, others like Athletic Director Darren Madeley disagree.

“The Olympics to me should be amateurs and always should have been amateurs,” Madeley said while commenting on the recent change.

Madeley and many others believe that amateurs and players unable to play in the NHL should be given a chance to showcase their skills on an olympic stage. This could lead to other great moments like the “Miracle on Ice Team.” That team was compiled of all amateurs. Madeley also believes that the amateurs appreciate the experience more than the pros do.

“I think amateurs appreciate it more. I love at the end, when the players get their medals, everyone is so excited and emotional.”

Inquiring Photographer: North and South Korea also walked as a unified Korea at the opening ceremonies in 2006 in Turin.

What do you like about the Olympics?

“I like watching the Winter Olympics because I think it is very interesting to see all the nations come together in a sporting event “ -Ava Ascroft ‘19

“I enjoy the Olympics because it gives a chance for small nations to take the world stage if they win a medal.”

“I like the male figure skating because they are very dynamic in their movements while competing.”

“I don’t like the Olympics because they are too long and there are too many events to keep track of.”

-Jackson Levin ‘21

-Dominic Scheerer‘18

-Liv Markey ‘20

“I like to watch the Olympic because it is intersting to see how much more athletically superior all th Olympians are than us watching at home.”

-Alex Alutto ‘19

“I like to watch the Olympics because it reminds me of the great times I have enjoying the slopes with my family.”

-Davis Priest ‘20 All photos by Jack Mahon

THE SPECTATOR FEBRUARY 2, 2018

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Olympics in PyeongChang LFA’s own Olympic gold medalist

By Jack Mahon Managing Editor of Sports

At 5:00 AM CST on February 2, millions of people from across the globe will tune in to the Olympic opening ceremonies in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Athletes from 93 countries will walk around the stadium. One of those athletes, representing team Canada, attended Lake Forest Academy. Genevieve Lacasse, who attended LFA among a few other schools, is one of the goalies for Canada’s women’s ice hockey team.

Born in Montreal in the French region of Canada, Lacasse played high level hockey from the time she was young.

After her time at LFA and Marian High School in Detroit, the now 28- year-old played Division I hockey at Providence College. A strong contributor in the net for all four years, Lacasse won numerous awards, such as the Hockey East rookie of the year in 2008/09 and a New England Hockey Writer’s All-Star selection

in 2012. She is Providence’s all time leader in games played, wins, saves, and shutouts.

After college, Lacasse won Most Outstanding Goalkeeper in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League while playing for the Boston Blades in 2012/13. Lacasse has been featuring for Canada in major tournaments since the World Championships of 2012. In 2014, Lacasse was on the roster for Canada’s gold medal winning team, but didn’t feature in the tournament.

Lacasse is part of a team which is synonymous with success in this event. In women’s ice hockey’s debut in the winter Olympics in 1998, Canada lost the gold medal game to the US, collecting silver. Since then, it has won four consecutive gold medals, most recently taking gold in at the 2014 Sochi games with a 3-2 overtime victory against the US. Through team Canada has finished runners up at the last three World Championships, it’s clear that the players wouldn’t be satisfied unless they win gold. Everyone at LFA will be pulling for her success.

Photo courtesy of Zimbio Lacasse skates around before a practice in February 2014, preparing for the Sochi games in Russia.

Question & Answer with Genevieve Lacasse Q: What was going through your mind when you walked through the tunnel at the opening ceremonies of your first Olympics?

Lacasse: It was the absolute best feeling.

It’s hard to put into words but I just took it all in. That was the moment where I felt my dream had truly come true to become an Olympian. I had goosebumps and just made sure to take it all in and feel all the emotions Q: What does it mean to you to represent your country?

Lacasse: I feel very humbled to be able to represent my country. I come from a military family and so for me to be able to wear a uniform with the Maple Leaf on it and represent Canada is an honor.

Q: What has been the peak moment of your hockey career?

Lacasse: The peak moment of my career would be winning gold in Sochi in 2014.

Q: How does your mindset change playing at the Olympic versus another competition? Does it change?

Lacasse: Mindset doesn’t change.

We’ve been preparing for the Olympics as a full team since May and we practice and play all of our games as if it’s the gold medal game. When you come to the rink or gym everyday with that attitude, it makes the transition to the Olympics feel like you’ve been there already.

Photo courtesy of The Sun

The Olympic rings signify the five different continents, and the different colors are to symbolize every competing nations flag.

Q: Do you have any pregame routines/superstitions?

Lacasse: Nothing too crazy. It’s usually the same routine when I get to the rink. I play spikeball. Warm up. Do my visualization. Once I put my equipment on I usually put my equipment on right side first. That’s about it for routines on a game day. In terms of meals on game day I’m not too picky. Usually chicken and pasta or something like that.

Q: Are there high amounts of pressure

on you to succeed and win every game, because of team Canada’s great past successes?

Lacasse: Yes there’s pressure that’s there for sure but we feel a great privilege to be able to have that pressure. It makes our preparation even more important because when we do the little things day in and day out we know we are ready and will put our best on the ice when it comes to game time.

Q: Do you remember your first shutout? Is that moment still important to you?

Lacasse: My first shutout against the US came this year in December in Winnipeg. We won 2-0. It was an awesome game. My family was there which was great and there were over 11,000 people at the game. It’s always special playing against the US and especially in Canada.

Those are the games we look forward to.

Q: What nation do you like playing against the most?

Lacasse: Definitely the US. It’s the best competition and always a great game.

THE SPECTATOR

Features FEBRUARY 2, 2018 Messages Fireside Chat: A chance to catch up Across La Mer with Dr. Strudwick about the Academy Adventures at School

8

Year Abroad: France

By Audrey Taillon Staff Writer

In case you don’t know, I am spending this year as a Student Abroad in France.

The past few months I have had wildly unexpected encounters. You’d expect that living in France though, right? Well, not exactly. Daily life here is almost like life back home: wake up, school, stress over homework - which makes those moments of meeting people truly unforgettable.

Take what happened on November 11.

We ended up being part of a WWI remembrance ceremony, standing in the rain for two hours. What happened next I still find hard to believe. We clamored into the town hall and before I knew what was happening, my friend and I were taking a picture with the mayor of Rennes! The most embarrassing part? I found that out hours later, after showing the photo to my teacher - I had no idea who she was while actually taking it.

By Ananta Srivastava Editor-in-Chief

Head of School Dr. John Strudwick was to host the annual Fireside Chat with the Parents Association on Tuesday, February 6th at Lake Forest Academy. Approximately 35 members of the Parents Association helped in organizing the event, which begins at 6:30 pm, where parents take part in informal evening of conversation and dining.

“The Fireside Chat is an opportunity for parents to come together, to get some close-up conversation with the Head of School, and ask any questions on their mind,” stated Director of the Parent Relations Sheila Moller.

Moller said that the Fireside Chat was open for all LFA parents or guardians. It is a chance for them to provide feedback that Strudwick could disseminate to Department Heads and the Deans Council memers. She explained that this event is part of the process for communicating internally by taking input from parents. According to Strudwick, the Fireside Chat also gives him the chance to inform parents about the current state of the Academy. He planned to discuss the school’s approach to reviewing the 2014 School Strategic

Plan. Strudwick also described that he would explain the timeline regarding the transition to the next Head of School.

“We do it [Fireside Chat] in the evening, so if anyone wants to travel or working parents can come,” Strudwick reported. “We want to make it accessible from a timing standpoint” Chat is a chance for parents to hear information straight from the source. He said that he believed the face-to-face conversation allowed for better communication with parents. Strudwick said he was open to hearing directly

from parents on any concerns that they had.

Moller said that any parents that were unable to attend the Fireside Chat would be able to view a video recording.

The link to the recording would be sent in the LFA E-news the following week. “ My wife and I host a number of parenting events during the year, particularly for the freshman incoming parents and for senior parents. We like doing that because we get a chance, in a more informal setting, to interact and talk about Lake Forest Academy,” explained Strudwick.

Photo courtesy of SmugMug Dr. Strudwick was seen speaking at the Fireside Chat in the Little Theater last year.

Golden Globes bringing awareness to sexual assualt

By Tiffany Filawo Features Editor

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Above is Nathalie Appéré, mayor of Rennes, France who Audrey ran into unknowingly.

A month later, my host family’s neighbor invited me to play piano at his Christmas concert. After performing, I sat next to a girl about my age, Lea. When I told her I was from Chicago, she mentioned she often visited Winnetka. I thought I’d heard her wrong. Logic was saying it couldn’t be the one near Chicago, and yet it was. Somehow, I had found the one other person in France who knows the random town of Winnetka, Illinois exists.

One last thing before I go. Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend one of the only trilingual MUN conferences, held in Geneva, Switzerland. It was extraordinary to see, in three days, the deep bond everyone in my committee formed. I found friends from Kuwait, England, Germany, Côte d’Ivoire, and what’s amazing is, I know these are people I’ll keep in contact with for the rest of my life.

The Golden Globes took place last month at The Beverly Hilton in California. Celebrities brought activists as their dates and wore black attire in support of Time’s Up, an organization committed to providing legal necessities and aid to individuals who have experienced sexual assault.

Students and faculty from Lake Forest Academy took notice and formulated their own opinions on using the Awards show as a platform for activism.

“They’re sending a message that this is wrong, it has to stop, and the time is up now,” said sophomore Charnice Hoeginifioh, who plays one of the leads, Officer

Barrel, in LFA’s winter musical, Urinetown.

Senior Anna Markey, playing Ms. Pennywise in Urinetown and a three year arts concentration student, said she admired the awards show and the message participants tried to communicate.

“I think it’s a really great movement because this anti-sexual assault campaign was started by celebrities, actors, and actresses with the Harvey Weinstein case, and so to see actors and actresses support the movement openly at awards ceremonies is fantastic,” stated Markey.

The night reached its climax with Oprah Winfrey’s speech after receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award, earning her a standing ovation.

Senior Maya Lieberman, play-

Photo courtesy of InStyle Pictured above are a few celebrities at the award ceremony who participated in the movement.

ing Hope Cladwell in Urinetown and an arts concentration student, said that she appreciated Oprah’s speech.

“I was in tears hearing Oprah’s words in her speech. My mom was in tears; we were both completely overwhelmed by what she was saying… she said, all men, all women, we all need to deal with this, we all need to work on this, and we can,” expressed Lieberman.

A counterpoint to the movement was reported by NBC News which noted that French actress Catherine Deneuve, claimed #MeToo was being propelled forward due to “hatred of men” and has turned into “Puritanism.”

The Fine Arts teacher Mr. Matt Boresi strongly rejected Deneuve’s statement.

“I disagree with her,” stated Boresi.

“Sexual harassment and sexual assault are extremely serious, and the pendulum is currently too far in the direction of predators being able to get away with it.”

Lauren Saliotte, a sophomore very active in the arts at LFA, wanted to reassess Deneuve’s point of view with a different justification.

“I fear that harassment has not been properly defined, and that this may create a bad environment between men and women,” expressed Saliotte.

This topic of sexual harassment has sparked a national debate as to where the line should be drawn so that no one feels harassed in any setting, whether it is on college campues or in Hollywood.

THE SPECTATOR FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Features

9

BSU’s focus on Black History Month

By Kiki Hood Staff Writer According to Mrs. Tamika Carter, Black History Month is important to her identity at Lake Forest Academy.

“During this time, I feel empowered to talk about who I am. I think that’s so important in this community—to feel empowered,” said Carter, a Spanish teacher and the faculty head of the Black Student Union (BSU) at LFA for three years.

Carter feels that the month of February, which is Black History Month, is a time for everyone to celebrate their differences.

“We are looking to expand our celebration, so that even though you don’t look black, you are celebrating it, because it’s a part of history,” Carter explained. “That goes for all of our affinities. We are here to celebrate our differences and to make sure that everyone feels welcome to celebrate how they’re different and their identity. That’s a celebration.”

The festivities begin February 9th with a festival sponsored by community members and parents.

“Don’t be afraid,” said Teni Bakare, a co-leader of BSU along with Shaena Wright, Denzel Annan, and Keyra English. “We are just trying to celebrate our history that we feel isn’t always represented in mainstream media. Enjoy it. Come celebrate with us.”

“[We will] play games, eat food, listen to music, meet and greet, and love on each other because the idea of the celebration this year is black love -all about love and unity,” said Carter.

There will be trips to see new movies such as, Black Panther and Proud Mary.

On Feb. 24th, the Junta Jazz Ensemble is coming to perform at LFA, sponsored by Bakare’s parents.

“We are really excited about that. It’s going to be a fun night,” said Carter.

Throughout the month, there will also be student-led discussions.

“It helps build our community beyond race by normalizing discussions about race,” said Carter.

Bakare is most excited for the Morning Meeting presentations.

“Come to the sponsored events, and pay attention in Morning Meeting when we give presentations. Food and movies aren’t specifically limited to one race.

Everyone can eat cake,” said Bakare.

Carter encourages anyone who wants to participate to reach out to her.

“I really hope everyone takes advantage of the diverse group of students we have and support their peers for all of these events.

We are very privileged to have a place like this to express ourselves without the limitations that other schools have,” said Carter.

Photo by Bill Murphy Mrs. Tamika Carter, the faculty sponsor of the Black Student Union, has been instrumental in helping the club’s student leaders organize their popular events.

LFA’s Fandom Club has high hopes for the new year

By Grace Curran Staff Writer

Photo by Bill Murphy The Fandom Club’s founders, Emma Sloane and Angelina Chan, discuss upcoming plans to attend the C2E2 event in Chicago. The club has high hopes for the upcoming year as membership continues to grow.

It’s 2:00 AM on a weeknight. There is the option of attempting to get a good night’s rest, but instead the “Next Episode” button is clicked, with excitement to discover what happens next. Whether it is an obsession over a book the new Lake Forest Academy students Emma Sloane and Angelina Chan decided to bring these sources of attraction and obsession together by establishing the school’s Fandom Club, where those who are dedicated to comics, movies, Anime and more are able to hold conversations about their obsessions.

“I thought if we could get a good group of people together, we could start a club where we talk about stuff we watch or read, that we enjoy and that other people enjoy,” stated Sloane, who reported that the club’s membership has reached 16.

The typical meeting consists of recaps on recent entertainment events. It also includes discussions about upcoming movies and overviews of news concerning actors. At the beginning of the school year, the co-founders emailed the student body a survey to figure out which fandoms were most popular. One common topic of interest was the Netflix original series, “Stranger Things.” As soon as

the second season became available, the Fandom Club sponsored a watch party.

“It was actually pretty nice! About 15 people showed up for the first day,” said Chan with enthusiasm.

Because this event had a satisfying turnout, leaders of the club were eager to announce possible events that could take place before the end of the 2018 school year. Though their plans are not set in stone, they have hopes of weekend van runs to see films, including the new “Avengers: Infinity War.” In April, the club wants to attend a convention called the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo.

C2E2 is an event where the fandom community can interact with one another, dress as their favorite characters and meet the creators of their most beloved stories. Many guests will be attending, such as Veronica Roth, who wrote the “Divergent” series.

“It’s a place where people who enjoy that kind of stuff can hang out and share content,” stated Sloane.

However, the organization process will take some effort. Finding teachers willing to drive students and the creation of detailed costumes are just two of the many tasks that come along with the trip.

“I am hoping that if we get some more LFA teachers on board, we can pull it off,” said Sloane determinedly.

THE SPECTATOR

10

Arts and Entertainment

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Music Musings: Anderson East’s Encore

By Jasper Fisher Managing Editor of Production

Michael Cameron Anderson, otherwise known by his stage name Anderson East, released a new album entitled “Encore” at the beginning of this year. Before this album East was known for being a rhythm and blues musician based out of Nashville.

East has previously released three other records, but in “Encore” he has branched out into another music genre. East began to morph into the Pop and Alternative world over the summer of 2017 with his released single “All on My Mind,” and with the release of his full album he was firmly pushed to musical stardom.

“All on My Mind” is the eighth track on the album and was co-written by Ed Sheeran and Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid. The song reached musical success at number one on the Billboard AAA (adult album alternative) charts. With a large power house behind the production of the song, it was bound to be a success. With an energetic staccato beat and smokey vocals, this love song by East perfectly captures his captivating mood.

The other headlining track for the album is “Girlfriend,” a song with in interesting story but excellent backing instrumentals. The song is oddly about East

falling in love with someone else’s girlfriend. While the song has an odd premise, its 70’s style compressed synthesizer and an artificial horn track enables East to bring a nostalgic sound to a Pop song.

The first track on the record, “King for a Day” is a country-inspired soulful song. If you are looking for a relaxing and laid back song, this is the one for you with a constant harmonies from East and a powerful guitar piece by Chris Stapleton, a renowned country star.

East also incorporates a soulful cover of Willie Nelson’s “Somebody Pick Up My Pieces” and goes back to his roots as a rhythm and blues musician. With full supporting chorus and a light bluesy guitar tone East gives Nelson’s famous song a proper tribute.

One of the more upbeat songs on the track is the seventh track “Surrender”. The song has a happy sound with a full horn section and raspy vocals. This song would be able to brighten any moody day. Its fast beat especially lends itself to the chorus making you want to jump and move.

Chicago has notoriously gray Februaries so if you are looking for some happy and upbeat music to lighten these coming winter months. I highly recommend Anderson East’s “Encore”. I am sure it will not disappoint.

Monthly Word Search

Photo courtesy of Anderson East’s Youtube Channel Anderson East performing in his official music video for All on my Mind.

Caxy Match

Photos Courtesy of Google and Instagram

Every month, The Spectator chooses one person at LFA who bears a striking resemblance to another. This month, we have paired senior NewYear Resolution Celebrate Confetti Traditions Cheers Friends Family BackToSchool TwentyEighteen Jack Mahon with Manchester City Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

THE SPECTATOR

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Arts and Entertainment

11

Are you in town for Urinetown?

By Katy Morrison Managing Editor of A&E

With the end of one LFA theater production comes the start of another as Lake Forest Academy prepares for the winter musical, Urinetown, set to debut on February 15th and with additional performances on February 16-17.

Urinetown, described by director Mr. Matt Boresi as a ‘dark comedy’, takes place in a near-future dystopia where society has been suffering from an extreme, 20-year drought. Due to the circumstances, people are now forced to pay to use the restroom, as the urine is then converted to usable water. However the plot thickens due to rising prices and a love story between the daughter of the corporation leader who controls restrooms and one of the rebellious advocates for ‘free-pee’.

“It’s nice because there is something for everyone,” Boresi commented.

Because there are elements of the plot that are serious, elements that are silly, and elements that are dramatic, Boresi feels the show adopts a “unique tone”, one that he believed sophomore Elizabeth Campisi was able to adopt relatively quickly.

Campisi believed that one of the primary aspects of the show was that the cast was able to genuinely connect to their characters, making the production much more entertaining as it pulls the audience into the story.

Musical director, Mr. Tim Plambeck, continuously brought light to the high energy that he regarded as “cool, cutting-edge, and new”, finding thorough enjoyment by channeling the cast’s energy.

And while the energy of the show and cast were fervently mentioned, held in equal regard were the various aspects of the show that were new production elements brought to the show.

For the first time in recent years, the set is being designed largely by a student, junior Kiki Hood. In many past years LFA hired an outside professional architect and set designer to create the sets for the show, having the tech crew helping with tasks like painting or drilling. This year however, Hood, with the help of a couple other members of the tech crew have been designing the set and crafting it all on their own.

In addition to crafting the unique set, the stage crew is also designing the costumes, using a ‘steam-punk’ style and thrift store finds.

There has been an incredible amount

of coordination present during the production of this years musical.

Plambeck, Boresi, and the echoing members of the cast and crew all have high hopes for the show.

who has been singled out by the Fine Arts faculty for his theater contributions.

Morrison currently studies under Mr. Jason Koenig in the Theater Tech class where he has been working with vari-

ous lighting, sound, and staging elements of the class for more than three years.

“There is still more to learn, even after numerous semesters,” admitted Morrison, even after three years of dedicated theater work.

According to Morrison, the class was originally designed to be a one-semester course. Morrison has turned it into an eight-semester intensive study of subjects that were only lightly-covered in the first semester such as lights, sound, cameras, and woodworking tools, using programs such as Logic Pro and Dante.

“I love when everything comes together and all parts of the team bring together a great show,” Morrison stated.

Entering the college application process, Morrison believes that the skills he has learned at LFA will set the foundation for career work, possibly applying it to studies for television and movie production.

Morrison will be attending Elon University where advanced technological facilities will allow him to continue his work.

“The hardest part is definitely getting used to when I make mistakes. When there is a problem with the show, eyes turn to the sound booth; however the challenge is one of the most rewarding parts of the process,” Morrison commented.

If you have a piece you’d like to see in the paper, contact Katy Morrison, kmorrison@students.lfanet.org

“The great thing about directing at LFA is how smart and interested the students are. [Directing] no longer feels like just a chore because the students truly make it fun,” Boresi added.

Photo by of Tiffany Filawo The cast and crew of Urinetown is hard at work during a final rehearsal for the 2018 winter musical set to debut on Thursday, February 15th.

Featured Artist of the Month: Chris Morrison

By Katy Morrison Managing Editor of A&E

This month, The Spectator is shining a spotlight on senior Chris Morrison,

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug Chris Morrison ‘18 working with the sound aspects of this past year’s the fall play.

UPCOMING FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT DATES

January 30: Winter Chamber Concert

February 15, 16, 17: Winter Musical; Urinetown March 1: Laptop Orchestra Concert March 6: Choir Oratorio Concert

Photo courtesy of LFAsmugmug Students performing during the 2017 musical.

The Featured Artist of the Month is an LFA student who demonstrates excellence and showcases exceptional prowess in the fine arts.

Sports

12

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Team spirits are high for the LFA Girls Varsity Hockey despite lackluster season

By Margaret Waldman

players new to the sport and only 4 or 5

Staff Writer

with long-time experience. They also did not have a goalie to start the season. Soph-

Ordinarily a team that has lost the ma-

omore Li and junior Olinger both stepped

jority of its games during a sports season

up for this position without previous goalie

might have trouble with moral. But the

experience. Despite these setbacks, Coach

young LFA Girls Varsity Hockey team has

Gia Puch, who has been with the team for

kept spirits high and continues to build

the last six seasons, said that the team was

confidence on the ice as the season pro-

resilient.

gresses. New players work with the help

“I think that our team really has a lot

of captains and coaches to improve their

of courage. They go out there the same ev-

skills. They look forward to more games

eryday as if nothing’s going to phase them;

to come.

they’re going to do the best they can,” said

“We’re having a good time, moral is still

Puch. “At the end of the day whatever

high even though we aren’t the best team

they’ve done to improve their game and

in the league,” shared Coach Nina Puch.

work better as a team makes them happy

The Caxys latest game was a 9-0 loss to

and that’s really nice to have as a coach,

Maine Township H.S. on January 18. De-

especially in a rebuilding season like this.”

spite the lop-sided score the Caxys played

Captain Elizabeth Christoph remarked

an energetic game until the final whistle.

that senior Suzanna Newton and co-cap-

The girls fought hard. They started out

tain Daniela Gendron, both advanced club

strong and gave a solid effort. Goalies

hockey players, help out despite other

Sydney Olinger and Cher Li both made an

hockey commitments.

appearance on the ice and had many no-

“They aren’t always able to make our

table saves, while their teammates skated

practice. During the games they’re really

hard and made many successful passes.

good at passing and telling people where

The team is currently going through a rebuilding year with more than half of their

to go. They’re really helping out the new

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug

Lake Forest Academy Girls Hockey faces off against Warren High School.

kids.”

Promising improvement for LFA Squash during first season with a new coach

By Adriana Rivera

We would not be where we are without

Op-Ed Editor

him,” said senior Izzy Moody, the only female member on the squash team this

Lake Forest Academy Squash, a team

year. Moody, who was both on the team

that is very underrated during a success-

last year, and this year has experienced the

ful season, has achieved great triumph this

transition in the coaching and recognizes

winter. After going 3-15 last year, the team

the level of knowledge and skill Rooney

has completely turned around this season

possesses.

as they’re scheduled to play eleven games

Great wins this season include victories

and they’ve established a 5-0 record. Last

against both Lake Forest High School, and

season, the team contained many great

The Latin School of Chicago. Last sea-

talented seniors, but despite their loss to

son LFA faced a tough loss of 1-6 against

graduation this year’s the team has been

LFHS and 0-7 against Latin. This season

victorious given new talents among both

LFA beat LFHS 13-2 and Latin 8-5. These

the players and the coaching staff. Much

wins show the significant amount of prog-

of the team’s current success can be partly

ress the squash team has made in just one

be owing to one of their new coaches, Mr.

season.

John Rooney.

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug

Pictured above is Lake Forest Academy’s John Tobin ‘20 playing squash.

The team still has six games left this

Rooney, originally born in Ireland, is a

season that they’re scheduled to play and

professional squash player and has a tre-

given their record, things are looking up

mendous amount of experience both play-

for them. With the help of their coach and

ing and coaching. Coaching at both Yale,

the talent on the team, they are expected

and the Tennis and Squash Club in Buffalo,

to continue their success in their future

New York he has a lot of previous experi-

matches.

ence that has obviously benefitted the team

Looking ahead to next season, the team

tremendously. As both a player himself and

will be losing ten seniors, many of whom

a coach, Rooney brings a lot to the LFA

are key players to the team. With the sub-

squash team.

stantial loss in players, the hope is that the

“Our coach is the best! He is very tal-

new players from this season continue to

ented...and passionate about squash which

grow and get better and that the team also

definitely reflects through his coaching.

gets new talent next year.