The Spectator January 2014

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S P E C TAT O R

VOLUME 92 NUMBER 4

1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045

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JANUARY 31, 2014

POLAR VORTEX!

By Mary Kate Patton Editor-in-chief Who knew that a massive low-pressure system from the Arctic could cause record low temperatures and spawn a name that would cause two-thirds of the United States to cringe? The Polar Vortex, named Hercules, arrived on January 5th, causing freezing temperatures throughout the Midwest, leaving both Chicago, its suburbs and Lake Forest Academy to face extreme winter conditions. Hercules wreaked havoc on LFA’s winter budget and even forced classes to be cancelled for a day.

The Chicago area was faced

with -16 degree temperatures, but it felt like -40 degrees with the wind chill. The real problems came for LFA students and teachers whose flights were cancelled in their attempt to return to school after Winter Break.

LFA faced a school cancellation on January 6th, the only cancellation for cold temperatures in more than a decade, according to Dean of Students Chris Tennyson. Despite the lack of classes, this day was met with hard work from the facilities team as they worked against the elements in order to keep LFA running as smoothly as possible.

Kelly Mede, Director of Facilities, said that 20 tons of road salt

This month...

NEWS Carson’s departure leaves void to be filled

page 2

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LFA Selfie Olympics

page 13

FEATURES

Homelessness: Still prevalent on the North Shore

page 5

SPORTS

2014 Sochi Olympics

page 16

OP-ED

Editorial: Chinese New Year

page 11

CENTERFOLD

A look ahead to Black History Month

page 8 and 9

were used during the course of the Polar Vortex. Mede said the usual amount of road salt used during a snowfall is 4 tons. Mede said she needed to call in extra help throughout the storm in order to keep up with the snowfall.

“They [the facilities workers] pretty much worked nonstop from 8 o’clock that New Year’s Eve through 2:30 the next day,” said Mede, “but then they came back the following day and through the weekend. They were here all weekend long.”

Mede said the last time they saw weather this bad was in February 2011 when the school saw 23 inches of snow in 24 hours. She said that then her

crews had help from some faculty members to shovel the roofs of the buildings as a precaution.

Andy Kerr, the Chief Financial Officer, said he wouldn’t be surprised if the school’s gas bill increased by 10% because of the extreme weather conditions.

Kerr said that the biggest challenge in maintaining the campus during the winter is plowing the parking lots. The challenge is moving the snow into areas where it will not obstruct anyone’s vision while driving. Kerr stresses their biggest concern is driving on campus. Their goal is to make sure the campus is safe for their faculty, students and staff to drive

and walk around campus.

“Miss Mede will work with her schedule so that we can stagger people to have them coming in different times of the day.

The key is to keeping people [the staff] healthy and we want people to get proper rest,” said Kerr. “There are times where it is all-hands-on-deck in order to do what we can to keep the campus and sidewalks clean.”

“The Polar Vortex may have come and gone but what else are we expecting, when are we expecting it, and how long will it be?” said Kerr. “The temperatures are going to dip down again and that has us

Chinese New Year gallops into LFA

By Kristen VanTine News Editor Chinese New Year 2014 will take place Jan. 31. LFA will be hosting festivities for the event on this weekend. To kick off the calendar of events, an all-school dinner will take place in Reid Hall on Thursday, Jan. 30. There will also be a weekend trip to Chicago’s Chinatown as well.

The Chinese New Year is based on the Lunar calendar which is traditionally observed and celebrated in other parts of Asia as well, such as Vietnam, Taiwan, and Thailand. The new year approaching, according to the Lunar calendar, is year 4712.

According to Chinese legend, Buddha called all the animals to him on the New Year. The 12 animals that came to Buddha were each used to name a year. So, depending on what year a person is born, the animal of that year can determine their personality and compatibility with others.

This new year will be the Year of the Horse. The horse can be characterized as cheerful, skilled with money, witty and perceptive.

According to organizers, the Lunar New Year Dinner will begin in Reid at 5:30 p.m.. The all-school dinner consists of traditional Chinese food served from a nearby Chinese restaurant.

Students who celebrate the Chinese New Year will be serving the food and explaining the significance of each dish. These students will be rewarded for their efforts, taking all leftover food back to their dorms.

“It’s fun. Kids can hang out and get some food,” said Mr. Adam Gerber, Associate Dean of Admission and Director of Global Outreach. “Two hundred or more students usually attend the dinner--it fluctuates depending on the times of sports practices.

It’s hard to schedule around the sports practices.”

There will be seating available

for 140 students. Students will come and go throughout the allotted time of the dinner.

On Friday, students will be able to make dumplings in Field. The Chinese New Year celebration will also be shown on the television channel CCTV in the dorm. Saturday will consist of a trip to Chinatown for traditional Dim Sum and later a movie will be shown in the dorms related to the Lunar New Year.

Chinese New Year celebrations at LFA are always really popular, and not just among our international students,” said Director of Residential Life and Activities Jonathan Freeman.

The faculty plays a large role in creating and making the events possible for students to enjoy.

“Ms. Jiang and Ms. Zhou have been tremendously helpful in the past, and the weekend duty faculty are always willing to lend a hand,” said Freeman.

THE SPECTATOR

News

2

World News Roundup Compiled by Amy Krivoshik

Chinese obstetrician trafficks in babies In China, obstetrician Zhang Shuxia was sentenced to death, with a two-year reprieve, for kidnapping and selling seven babies to child traffickers between November 2011 and July 2013. According to BBC News, she told parents that their newborns had a serious disease to convince them to give them up. One baby girl died; the other six were rescued.

US to contribute an additional $380 million to help Syrian people Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Jan. 15 that the US will contribute an additional $380 million in humanitarian assistance to aid victims of war in Syria, bringing the total American commitment to $1.7 billion, CNN reported.

“The Syrian people desperately need the global community to provide urgent humanitarian support, to press for a political solution that will put a stop to the violence, once and for all,” Kerry said.

He said the money will go to help people inside Syria and refugees in host countries.

Significant decrease in West African lion population A six-year survey by the non-for-profit organization Panthera indicates that only around 400 lions remain in West Africa, covering only 1.1% of their historic West African range, BBC News reported.

"Lions have undergone a catastrophic collapse in West Africa," said Panthera's President Luke Hunter. "The countries that have managed to retain them are struggling with pervasive poverty and very little funding for conservation."

Tide gauges show rising sea Tide gauges along the East Coast, in particular at Norfolk, Va., have assessed the long-term rise in sea levels. According to The New York Times, this increase was both the result of rising sea and sinking coastal areas. Evidence from the tide gauges indicated that the sea-level rise has likely accelerated to approximately a foot a century.

JANUARY 31, 2014

Carson’s departure leaves void to be filled

By Romaer Chopra News Editor

For any member of the Lake Forest Academy community, it is easy to see that there have been drastic changes to LFA over the last few years. LFA has become a much more technologically advanced community that has adhered to a much more modern learning style. However, LFA will now have to continue on with this transformation without the man who sparked many of the changes at LFA: former Director of Academic Technology, Mr. Grier Carson.

Carson, who has moved back to his home state of Indiana, was responsible for many of the technological changes that excited or shocked the LFA community over the last few years. Carson personally viewed his installation of the iPad program as his greatest accomplishment at LFA. However, he was also one of the leading figures in the design and construction of LFA’s Media Commons, as well as the leading figure in the removal of the majority of the library’s physical books. He created some controversy because he began loaning video games out from the library. Carson, who taught Electronic Music at LFA, was also one of the leaders of this year’s Head of School Symposium.

“How can anyone who cares about current culture dismiss such a revolutionary medium (video games) as inappropriate simply because it seems to appeal to a younger audience?” said Carson in response to severe criticism from some of the faculty that questioned the placement of video games in both the LFA Library and the new Media Commons.

Carson sought to create a school and community that incorporated technology and embraced a modernized learning style at LFA. This included the iPad pro-

Photo courtesy of Cathy Morrison

Carson, shown above, proposes the construction of the new Media Commons at last year’s Gala.

gram, but also included video games and TVs in the Media Commons, among other forms of technology. Carson wanted LFA to be one the leading institutions nationally when it comes to integrating technology into an academic environment. Carson gained many critics through these changes, especially for his removal of many of the books from the library. However, Carson didn’t give in to the critics, but rather he continued to push for a 21st century learning style at LFA. With Carson gone, it remains unknown who exactly will fill the many roles he played at LFA. According to Mr. Phil Schwartz, Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, replacing Carson will involve more than just one person.

“Mr. Carson’s background in electronic music production, information services, and academic technology use is a skill set that is unique to him so it would be foolish for us to look for someone with the same attributes,” said Schwartz.

Schwartz believes the search will revolve around a replacement who will focus on the academic technology part of Carson’s role, and some of his other roles will be filled by current members of the LFA community.

“I am looking for an individual who can work effectively with faculty to provide them with support as they integrate 21st century skills into the classroom,” said Schwartz.

Northwestern, Washington University in Saint Louis, Pitzer College, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Wisconsin, Madison have also accepted members of the class of 2014. Many LFA students have gotten into schools that would be considered well-known and high-achieving according to society’s standards. But, according to Gorowski, what the College Counseling department wants seniors to do, first and foremost, is find the best fit for them. This includes things like how they fit in the school academically, whether they prefer a larger or smaller environment, the location and what types of things are offered at the school that the student is especially interested in. All these are great things to consider when choosing a school, but Gorowski believes that in order to make sure it is the right place for the student, they must visit the campus first.

“It’s a feeling they can’t necessarily articulate, but they get a sense that they fit in when they go and visit,” she explained.

The Early Action or Early Decision portion of the college process has been a stressful time for the majority of the senior class, so the sigh of relief is a large one as they are now getting time to rest a little as the decision letters roll in. Early Action and Early Decision deadlines can take serious tolls on people, as their time is limited to prepare application materials.

However, senior Emma Stolarski, who is going to Pitzer College in the fall, feels as if the decision to apply Early Decision was the right one for her.

“I feel like I can relax now and there aren’t a bunch of options running around in my head,” Stolarski expressed. “I know where I’m going to be, and I’m happy with where I’m going to be.”

LFA seniors find success in early decision

By Ayorinde Ifatunji Features Editor Lake Forest Academy students are known to set high standards when it comes to college acceptances, and this year is no exception. In fact, early indications are that LFA students have produced a record-setting performance on Early Actions and Early Decisions from colleges.

According to Carolyn Gorowski, one of LFA’s five College Counselors, more than 65% of the seniors had Early Action or Early Decision deadlines to meet and the majority of them found great success.

Though not all acceptances have been recorded yet, LFA students have seen early success with multiple acceptances into Harvard, Yale, and Brown.

Though there has been Ivy League success, the achievements of the LFA seniors do not end there. Universities such as

THE SPECTATOR

News

JANUARY 31, 2014

Utah to suspend same-sex marriages until further notice

By Allison Hechtman Op-Ed Editor

In 2004, Utah banned same-sex marriage, but a judge struck down that law this past December. The bill allowing same-sex marriage lasted only 19 days before being set aside by Gary Herbert, governor of one of the most socially conservative states in America. In January, Utah announced that it would again no longer recognize same-

sex marriages until further consideration by the Supreme Court. Until the Supreme Court hears the case, officially called Herbert v. Kitchen, all same-sex marriages are frozen in terms of state benefit applications and other legal protections.

On January 10th, President Obama announced that the federal government would protect the approximately 1000 same-sex marriages performed in Utah and allow those people federal benefits, such as tax breaks, but could not overrule state law.

Photo courtesy of Deseret News

Marriage equality protest in Utah brought LGBTQ allies together.

The status of newlyweds is still unclear.

Utah’s attorney general, Sean D. Reyes, has pulled together a team to review “caseby-case” which benefits and policies apply to which newlyweds.

The last case to go to the Supreme Court regarding same-sex marriage was Hollingsworth v. Perry, the case that struck down Proposition Eight in California and opened the doors for same-sex marriage. The pending case of Herbert v. Kitchen could take months or even years to be ruled upon.

However, the first round of oral arguments is set to start as soon as March.

In the past year, same-sex marriage was legalized in nine states: Maryland, Delaware, California, Minnesota, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Hawaii, Illinois and New Mexico. “[Same-sex marriage being recognized] in ‘13 was really the culmination of about 20 years worth of work nationwide,” said Ned Flaherty, Projects Manager for Marriage Equality USA. The emergency appeal for the status of same-sex marriage in Utah was filed with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Analysts are saying that this case could be the definitive decision for the same-sex marriage debate across America.

As of now, 33 states ban same-sex marriage. The pending case could take months or even years before it is called up for ruling.

“It could be the challenge that a lot of people have been waiting for, which is: does the United States Constitution guarantee a right to marriage for everyone?” said CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Tobin. “It could take quite some time.”

Nuclear power plant dangerously decomissions near LFA

By Amy Krivoshik News Editor It would take a Caxy van less than half an hour to the reach the site of the Zion Nuclear Power Plant from Lake Forest Academy.

Located just about 14.5 miles away from the LFA campus, the Zion Nuclear Power Plant is currently the center of the most expansive decommissioning of a commercial nuclear power plant ever conducted in the United States. This January, the Zion Nuclear Power Plant began a crucial stage of decommissioning, involving the handling of radioactive fuel rods. This may be the closest anyone currently at LFA will come to such a dangerous situation in their lifetime.

It is a part of a $1 billion, 10-year project that first began on Sept. 1, 2010, though the plant had ceased operating on Jan. 15,

1998 and just became an electrical grid voltage-stabilizing facility. According to The New York Times, it closed because it was no longer profitable to Exelon Corp. of Commonwealth Edison, the company that began building the plant in 1968. From 1997-98, workers removed fuel from the two reactors at the site and stored the fuel there in spent fuel pools of water. Even after the Zion Nuclear Power Plant stopped producing nuclear power, it still took up to 400 workers to maintain the site.

It will take a year for four teams of 10 people working constantly to clear away 1,500 tons of nuclear waste from the pools.

Some of that waste has remained there for 40 years. According to the Chicago Tribune, the majority of the process to remove the waste takes place underwater. On its website, Exelon Corp. stated that work-

ing underwater protects workers and the surrounding community from exposure to radiation.

Workers transport the “spent fuel” to immense concrete storage bunkers. Unless the federal government resolves to relocate it, the waste will remain in the bunkers on the site near Lake Michigan. The 400-acre site of the Zion Nuclear Power Plant divides the northern and southern sections of the Illinois Beach State Park. Thousands of visitors frequent the park every year and tens of thousands live nearby.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the company EnergySolutions, stationed in Utah, is carrying out the decommissioning of the Zion Nuclear Power Plant. Energy Solutions is transporting the actual plant by train in pieces to a low-level radioactive waste facility in Utah.

3

Campus News

In this space, The Spectator provides further details on ongoing and upcoming events at Lake Forest Academy Compiled by Romaer Chopra and Amy Krivoshik

No new clues in LFA iPad theft Earlier this year, The Spectator reported about a theft at Lake Forest Academy involving more than 400 of LFA’s ipads. The theft, which occurred over the summer, shocked the LFA community. Many were shocked to find out that such a crime could even occur at LFA. According to Mr. Dave Aykroid, the director of Information Technology, the investigation has yielded no new updates. While the Lake Forest Police are still looking for the person responsible for the crime, they have reported no new leads regarding the case to Aykroid. The police will continue to search for the culprit.

Charter Day approaches Feb. 13 marks LFA’s Charter Day. Like a birthday, it is a chance for the LFA community to celebrate the school.

Chamber Concert The Chamber Concert was held on Jan. 29 at 7 pm. It featured an array of musical talents, from classical music to musical theatre. According to Choral Director Timothy Plambeck, the Chamber Concert provided LFA students that have been studying music with a chance to demonstrate their skills.

Wheeler charged by Delaware state courts Attorney General Beau Biden’s office has obtained an indictment charging former Dean of Students and Assistant Head of School Christopher Wheeler with 25 counts of Dealing in Child Pornography, the official website of the state of Delaware reported. Wheeler is still in jail with a $1.5 million cash bail.

THE SPECTATOR 4

Features

JANUARY 31, 2014

Rapport is key in Relationship Education

By Michelle Whitehead Editor-in-chief

STDs, pregnancies, contraceptives, abstinence, healthy relationships and anatomy are just a few of the things that freshmen learn about in Lake Forest Academy’s sexuality education course, formally referred to as Relationship Education. This four-cycle course is taught by Mrs. Jennifer Madeley during the normal time slot for Freshman Seminar. Staying true to the National Health Education Standards, she makes sure that her students have the tools they need to “make the choice that’s best for them,” said Madeley.

“Abstinence is talked about a lot because it is the only 100% way to protect yourself against pregnancy and STDs,” said Madeley. “With that being said, if that’s not the choice you’re making, then the things that I teach you will hopefully give you the knowledge to make the best choice for you and your health.”

Although Madeley is only in her third year of teaching this class, Lake Forest Academy has had a similar approach on the topic since the current seniors were

freshmen and Kyle Koncz was still teaching the class.

“I think they hit all of the main points that you should know,” said senior Daniela Alvarez. “If you have any questions, you can definitely ask whoever is teaching the class.”

The one thing that Alvarez didn’t like about the course was the textbook that all freshmen must read. Fortunately for her, Madeley plans to discontinue the use of the book beginning this semester.

“I’m not changing the information that I’m giving. I’m coming up with better ways to teach,” said Madeley. “I want to give kids a chance to help me build the curriculum.”

Along with building a curriculum, Madeley has also worked to build a rapport with her students over the past semester in order to ease the tension. She explained that learning and teaching sexuality education tends to go much more smoothly when the kids are comfortable with the teacher and vice versa.

“I do a whole disclaimer that what we’re going to talk about is a serious topic and we need to be respectful of everyone,” said Madeley. “There are going to be gig-

Photo courtesy of notenoughgood.com Mrs. Madeley teaches students about a variety of contraceptives in relationship education.

gle-worthy moments but there’s not going to be ‘laugh at people’ moments.”

Keeping it light-hearted, Madeley explained, makes it easier for students to learn about important topics and not shut off their brains out of fear or embarrassment. One of the ways she does this is by making sure she is always honest and ready to answer questions, no matter what

the lesson is. She explained that honesty is important even after a lesson on the proper use of condoms.

“The number one question kids ask me is ‘Were you embarrassed buying 100 condoms at one time?’” Madeley revealed.

“Actually, I wasn’t. I bought them online.”

Students’ eating habits generally poor despite varied options

By Sophie Hanson Features Editor Hutch is stocked with a vast array of healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but LFA students do not always take advantage of these opportunities. Of course desserts, chips and other comfort foods are available, but fresh fruits and vegetables, at least two entrees per meal, a salad bar and a deli bar are also available to students. Despite this variety, many students, especially boarders, are not getting the nutrients they need to maintain a healthy body and mind.

“Students go for the things they’re used to,” Mrs. Debbie Lindstrom, LFA’s Director of Food Services explained. “If you have a bad day and you come to Hutch, you want something comforting.”

The Hutch staff has attempted to provide healthier entrees, like whole wheat pasta, but the changes were met by disapproval from the student body. A similar problem persists at Sonia’s Snack Bar. It is primarily the student body that dictates what Sonia sells. Most of the snacks sold have little nutritional value, although they certainly bring joy to LFA’s students.

Foods containing added sugars and fats constitute 40% of American teenagers’ diets, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These “empty calories” come primarily from things like pizza, soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts and whole milk.

Sonia has attempted to sell snacks with

Vending machines in Field Dorm provide cheap, easy alternatives to healthier meals available at Hutch.

more nutritional value, like fresh fruits, rice chips and bottles of whole milk. These sales generally failed. The milk and fruit rotted and were thrown away.

“I can’t order things that they don’t want,” Sonia said. “I’ve ordered healthy foods, but no one wants it.”

A bigger problem persists in the dorms.

When boarders have too much homework, or sleep in, they miss meals. They can keep fresh food in their refrigerators, but eventually that food will perish. Boarders

then turn to tasty, but heavily processed foods like Mac n’ Cheese and Ramen Noodles. The vending machines located in the dorms, stocked with the candy bars and chips that boarders desire, are cheap and easy alternatives to full meals.

“When you’re not made to do something, you never do it because your parents aren’t here,” senior Raje Meenakshi said. “Day students have parents there to tell them what to eat.”

These eating habits that many boarders,

Photo by Sophie Hanson

and some day students, have developed contribute to poor physical and mental health. Although most students at LFA consume more than enough calories each day, their diets are often based on empty calories and lack the necessary vitamins.

According to the CDC, these eating habits can lead to a serious form of malnutrition, and other health problems in the future.

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 31, 2014

Features

5

Homelessness: Still prevalent on the North Shore

By Matt Filip Op-Ed Editor

Despite being one of the richest counties in the nation, Lake County has had to face the stark reality that homelessness has been on the rise and this was made more evident by the effects of the recent Polar Vortex. PADS, the main organization dedicated to homelessness in the county, saw a record number of people pass through its doors the last fiscal year (ended June 30, 2013). This year they are on pace to break the record again. The particularly cold winter has strained PADS’ capacity to care for 130 people in affiliated overnight shelters, though no one has been turned away this winter.

Many people from the North Shore of Chicago don’t even recognize the existence of the homelessness problem. It exists all across Lake County, with PADS serving 48 of the 51 communities over the past two years. And Lake Forest, specifically, has not been immune to homelessness, in the words of Executive Director Joel Williams.

“We serve people from Lake Forest quite often. This is an issue that we face out here,” he said.

There is no typical homeless person in Lake County. The age, gender, and ethnicity spans the whole spectrum. Many are children, as part of families experiencing homelessness. Nor are the reasons for homelessness uniform, either. Some people simply cannot save enough for a security deposit, some suffer from addiction, men-

Photo by padslakecounty.org

A homeless mother reads to her children in a shelter in Lake County.

tal health issues plague others and each of these need to be handled in a different way, with different resources.

“What we are seeing every day is that homelessness does not discriminate in who it affects” said Williams. “We have every age, every family composition, every race, every gender. All are subject to the experience of homelessness.”

In terms of resources available to the local homeless population, PADS is capable of holding many in day shelters (providing laundry, showers, etc) as well as casework to help put people in limited housing. Every night the homeless are then transported

Photo courtesy of howstuffworks.com

This infograpfic illustrates the distribution of homelessness among U.S. citizens.

to churches and affiliates that house them overnight. The winter is more crowded, explained Williams, due to the harshness of the elements, although more choose to risk spending the time outdoors in the summer.

That tends to happen especially among the segment of the homeless who suffer from a wide array of mental illnesses. The local health department and other behavioral experts offer treatment through the PADS program to those in need.

Towns in the area provide some combination of referrals to those in need and money to the PADS program. For the most part, Lake County officials believe they are

successful in getting all of the homeless off the street.

“There is not a large unsheltered population. We do a good job of getting them into shelter here,” said Williams. “As far as moving them on to permanent housing, it all depends on the peoples’ individual barriers.”

The average person can help in a few ways. Firstly, you can just be aware that there is a homeless population locally.

Secondly, you can donate money, time, or goods to PADS and the affiliate programs that help house and care for the homeless on a day-to-day basis.

Photo by libertyville.suntimes.com

A homeless family is offered bedding in a homeless shelter.

THE SPECTATOR

Features

6

JANUARY 31, 2014

Off the Cuff S napchat alters the way we communic ate

By Sophie Hanson Features Editor Anyone who has a cellphone, tablet, or laptop knows first-hand how easy it is to get sucked into forms of social media. We constantly update our statuses on Facebook, send out tweets on Twitter, and

post pictures of our latest activities on Instagram, complete with artistic filters. The newest kind of social media comes in the form of an app called Snapchat and a recent informal survey shows about 20 percent of the LFA community is using it.

Snapchat is a photo-sharing app that is available on Android and iOS devices. It

Caxy Match

Photo by Miranda Dunne

Photo courtesy of brandchannel.com

The Spectator staff agreed that sophomore Florian Jeschenko bears a remarkable resemblance to Hayden Signoretti who plays “Hans Strudel” in the Pillsbury Toaster Strudel commercials.

Snapchat has become more popular amoung LFA students.

allows for the user to send images called ‘snaps’ to a select person or group of friends for a short period of time, usually 1-10 seconds. After that chosen period of time has elapsed, the image is forever deleted from the sender’s and recipients’ phones, unless it is specifically saved via a ‘screenshot.’ If a screenshot of the image is taken by the recipient, the sender is immediately notified. The app also allows its users to draw on their pictures with a wide array of colors, and type short messages in banner form across their pictures.

“It’s a great app because on Snapchat you’re sending something about yourself to just a few friends,” said senior Ken Shen, who does not have a Snapchat account, but plans to get one soon. “On Facebook, you are sending it to a wider audience. You’re building stronger relationships with friends on Snapchat.”

The Spectator’s recent email survey that showed 20 percent of respondents using Snapchat would seem to confirm the recent AB News poll that showed 20 percent of iPhone users have downloaded the app worldwide. Interestingly, 70% of those who downloaded the app are women.

Photo courtesy of Snapchat Inc.

“I think the advantage is that you can send pictures to multiple people,” said senior Rhyann Robinson. “It’s a picture instead of just words, and it goes away after.”

Unfortunately for Snapchat users both at LFA, and in the wider world, the database was recently hacked. According to NBC News, 4.6 million names and phone numbers were stolen from the Snapchat databases, resulting in greatly increased levels of spam, and strangers being added to contact lists. In the wake of the attack, Snapchat updated its security measures, but the damage was done.

Thankfully, most LFA students who were victims of the attack reported little backlash.

“Not much happened,” said senior Madeline Sommer. “My number got leaked, and a lot of people have tried to friend me. I just ignored them.”

Despite the uncertainty that followed the attack, students can still be seen sending ‘selfies’ to their friends around LFA’s campus, myself included.

THE SPECTATOR

Features

JANUARY 31, 2014

7

Singapore Math introduced in local schools

By Amanda Bozorgi Photo Editor In response to concern over poor math scores on worldwide tests in the United States, a new math program has invaded grade schools both locally and nationally.

The innovative program, Singapore Math, rides the line between traditional instruction and reformed math pedagogy, creating a compromise between both math programs. Singapore Math is being used in local K-8 schools like Lake Forest Country Day School and Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth.

The program aims to provide a deeper understanding of the most basic elements of math. The pace is very slow to begin, and it approaches each concept from all angles to allow students of all learning styles to grasp the material. In fact, most of the time the teachers are trained to continue teaching a concept until every student has mastered the unit. This ensures that no student is left with holes in their basic math education.

With a very strong base, students are able to begin an accelerated pace beginning in fourth or fifth grade. As a result, many of the students in the Singapore Math program are able to be a year or two ahead of students in other programs by the time they

Photo courtesy of mconline.us

This chart shows the techniques used in the new teaching method called Singapore Math.

attend middle school.

Many students approach math with apprehension, and learn to dread the subject from an early age. According to proponents, the slow and thorough nature of the Singapore Math program allows many stu-

Music Spotlight

dents to eliminate the stress that they associate with math and even begin to enjoy the learning process.

In an interview with the Lake Forester, Head of Lower School at Lake Forest Country Day School, Sally Bullard, spoke

of these virtues of the program.

“I know from teaching for 40 years that math anxiety can have a great impact on what a child can learn, and what we’ve seen with this program is that kids have much less anxiety,” said Bullard.

The only complaint of the program is that it can be very difficult to transition into due to extra teacher training and cost. The Singapore Math Program requires even the teachers to approach math in a different way than they are accustomed to, and many schools are forced to hire additional math coaches to train teachers. Also, in many cases more math teachers are hired to accommodate the program’s demand for one-on-one attention to the students.

The success, or possible failure, of Singapore Math will be felt in coming years at Lake Forest Academy. The strong base of fundamentals that the program will provide may place students in more advanced classes by the time they reach high school.

Students from Lake Forest Country Day School and Sears may find themselves in the upper levels of math at LFA. They may also have quicker computation skills in classes such as Physics and Chemistry, giving them an advantage over their peers.

Electronic artist Derek “Pretty Lights” Vincent Smith releases his new album

By Justin Nakasu Senior Features Editor Derek Vincent Smith, more commonly known by his stage name, Pretty Lights, released his newest album, “A Color Map of the Sun” in late 2013. The album mixes strong hip-hop drum lines with glitch-like electronic accompaniment and ties it all together in a pretty knot with soulful vocal samples.

This album has something for everyone. It doesn’t take long to find your favorite track off the album. If your taste leans towards Electronica and EDM, listen to “Let’s Get Busy” and “Prophet”. Both of which carry a hard catchy beat and have predictable and amazing drops. “Let’s Get Busy” borrows more from his glitch music samples, featuring a hard rock guitar and distorted vocals. “Prophet” however, gives off more of a futuristic feel and provides a more danceable song.

If you are more into hip-hop or cool

jazzy music, listen to “Around the Block” which features Talib Kweli’s rap verses and a wide variety of instruments from trumpet to piano to electric guitar. And “Press Pause” has the interesting sample of using trombones as a main melody over a smooth riding drum line.

My personal favorites from the album are “Vibe Vendetta” and “Yellow Bird”.

Both amazing tracks, but completely different. “Vibe Vendetta” has a quick staccato mallet melody and fast-paced beat that is exciting and trance-like to listen to. To provide an image to go along with the song, it sounds like rain drops falling on a sheet of clear ice. “Yellow Bird”, on the other hand, is relaxing and calming; the soft bass guitar and the smooth electric guitar make for great driving music, running music, anytime music.

The album was recently nominated for a Grammy in the dance/electronic category and when it was released in late 2013, it was #2 on the Billboard dance/electronic

Photo courtesy of rollingstone.com

Pretty Lights releases a new album, “A Color Map of the Sun”.

album chart. This album is Smith’s first release in two years and the first one of his albums to have completely original samples. His previous albums have always borrowed certain elements from other musician’s tracks.

Smith has his own label, Pretty Lights Music, which has signed such artists such as Gramatik, hip-hop electronic group

Break Science, and Paul Basic. All of whom Pretty Lights has either performed or collaborated with.

Overall, “A Color Map of the Sun” has great variety and amazing individual tracks which come together to make a spectacular album. Definitely give Pretty Lights and “A Color Map of the Sun” a listen.

THE SPECTATOR

Centerfold

8

JANUARY 31, 2014

The Spectator celebrate

In honor of the upcoming Black History Month, The Spectator staff decided to dedic celebration of recent achievements and notable members of the black community wo emy’s connection to it through faculty, students, clubs and activities.

Faculty spotlight: Lusanda Mayikana and

1773: Phillis Wheatley, a Boston slave, becomes the first black woman to publish a book.

1807: President Jefferson passes a law forbidding American slave trade.

1895: W.E.B. Du Bois becomes the first African-American student to receive a PhD.

1909: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is founded.

1954: The Supreme Court rules that school segregation is unconstitutional in Brown v.

Board of Education.

1955: Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a city bus.

1957: The United States Congress passes the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

By Aban Yaqub Features Editor With such exceptionally notable figures in the African-American community as Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad and Zora Neal Hurston, accomplished members of the African-American community nearest us are sometimes glossed over. At LFA, the community can take pride in a former world-traveling actress and an English teacher who grew up in apartheid-ruled South Africa who are still driven by, and take pride in, their heritage.

As a college student during Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment, one can only imagine how such a scene could stimulate a person’s mind. Ms. Lusanda Mayikana’s educational background is as vast as it is impressive; she has attended the University of South Africa, the University of the Witwatersrand, and Middlebury College. She was also a fellow in African American Studies and the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University. She previously taught at the University of the Witwatersrand, the

Soweto College of Education, the Aurora and Performing Arts at LFA, Mrs. MoniGirls High School, and Bophelo Impilo. ca Palmer was an actress, working with Mayikana’s primary role at LFA is the Denzel Washington and traveling to Europe. PalmDean of Pluralism and “Our actions today pave the journey for tomorrow, er believed Multicultur- and so in everything that I do, I make sure I have it pivotal to quench her al Affairs, in integrity.”

-Monica Palmer passion in which, as she states, she “gauges the social climate of LFA”.

Her work concerns cultivating socially aware students in today’s globally-connected world. Although the role existed prior to Mayikana’s arrival to LFA, she felt she had a certain unique quality to add to the school’s curriculum. As a member of the English department, she has manifested her belief through teaching two electives on the African Diaspora and the Harlem Renaissance, on top of teaching English 11 year-round. Outside of the classroom, Mayikana advises several humanitarian-based clubs, including the Black Student Union, Interfaith, and Cultural Diversity.

Before settling down as Director of Fine

order to ren-

Photo courtesy of myemail.constantcontact.com

Monica Palmer, the current Director of Fine and Performing Arts, is in her third year at LFA.

Not just Nelson: Five other recently in

By Emily Shanley-Roberts Managing Editor

Dr. Cornel West is, according to his website, a “prominent and provocative democratic intellectual” who speaks and writes on race relations. A graduate of Princeton and Harvard, he has written 19 books, edited 13 and is best known for Race Matters and Democracy Matters.

West has created three spoken-word albums, regularly appears on various TV shows and was formerly the Class of 1943 Professor of African American Studies at Princeton. He is a well-respected source on race relations, African American history, and civil rights in the United States, and is regularly invited to speak at universities and schools.

This April marks the 20th anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa - a fight not easily won by Nelson Mandela and countless other citizens and leaders.

The world was reminded of this fight by Mandela’s death on Dec. 5, 2013. As LFA looks ahead to Black History Month, The Spectator will honor him and others who have fought for racial equality worldwide, as well as other notable members of the black community worldwide and their achievements in the past twenty years.

Photo courtesy of greatthoughtstreasury.com.

Photo courtesy of freedomoutpost.com

Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa who helped to defeat apartheid, passed away last month.

Kofi Atta Annan won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for his work as the Secretary General of the United Nations.

He worked as the UN–Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria during the conflict two years ago. He graduated from Macalester College, the University of Geneva and MIT and is currently a Ghanaian diplomat. He is recognized worldwide for his work in making the world a better and more peaceful place.

Photo courtesy of theurbannews.com

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 31, 2014

Centerfold

9

es Black History Month

cate this issue’s centerfold to a orldwide and Lake Forest Acad-

d Monica Palmer der a fulfilling life.

With three degrees from the University of California at Santa Barbara and Columbia University, she taught theater at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University, Barnard College, and the Madeira School. Her love for the arts and radiating charisma make her an ideal teacher for Freshman Foundation in the Arts and Public Speaking at LFA. Yet, Palmer doesn’t take all the credit for her success; she considers it “an extension of the legacy she’s been given”.

“I love Black History Month, my heritage is the blood that runs through my veins.

My trials and tribulations are not as bad as when my ancestors were denied housing, education, a place to eat or a seat on a bus. Education is a gift that I value, and I hope my students do too. I have to work 10 times harder than my counterpart. Our actions today pave the journey for tomorrow, and so in everything that I do, I make sure I have integrity,” she said.

BSU brings forth Black History

By Madison Olivieri for black people--to recap on the triumphs A&E Editor over the past years, and appreciate what LFA’s Black Student Union (BSU) has people have overcome,” said Ifatunji. planned multiple presentations and fun BSU’s activities planned throughout Febactivities in order to spread awareness of ruary are targeted at achieving this goal of Black History Month throughout February. reinforcing the meaning of Black History There will be four Morning Meeting an- Month. There will be movie nights which nouncements, historical presentations and feature prominent motion pictures about movies as part of the monthly observance. black history, such as 42 and Fruitvale Station. One can also This will demonlook forward to prestrate how student sentations and slideleaders Ayo Ifatunji shows made by memand Rhyann Robinbers of the club once son have been worka week during Morning this year to make ing Meeting. These BSU more active in announcements will the community. focus on themes such According to Ifas black musicians, atunji, BSU has had one main event Photo taken by Amanda Bozorgi activists and writers.

Senior Rhyann Robinson and junior Diago “[BSU’s main goal every year: Soul Quinn attend a BSU meeting. is] to show that we Food Night. This year, though, February promises a greater have a presence at this school. We want to assortment of activities all pertaining to show that we’re here, and that we come toblack history. According to BSU organiz- gether to support each other. It’s to make ers, black history is not taught in its entire- other people aware of some of the things ty in many schools, making this upcoming that we’re going through that not exactly month an important time to reflect and everyone knows about,” Robinson stated. learn about the role that black history plays BSU is striving to educate the student body and create bonds within the community in American history and culture.

“I think this should be a time--especially through the cultivation of black history.

nfluential members of the black community Though most of her famous work was completed outside of the twenty-year time frame, Naomi T. Gray was an incredibly influential person in health and family planning. She was the first woman Vice President of Planned Parenthood, the organization for which she worked from 1950 to 1970. She founded the African American Education Leadership Group, served on the NAACP and was a member of dozens of other community health, family planning, education and equality groups. In her life, she opened doors for other African American women to serve in leadership roles and affected the lives of countless children and women.

1962: Basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in a single NBA game; record standing.

1962: Malcolm X becomes national minister of the Nation of Islam.

1963: Dr. King gives his “I Have a Dream” speech in the March on Washington.

1963: Sidney Poitier becomes first black actor to win an Oscar for Best Actor.

1993: Carol Moseley Braun becomes the first African-American woman to be elected to the US Senate.

2008: Barack Hussein Obama is elected the first African-American president of the U.S.

Photo courtesy of npr.org

Photo courtesy of britannica.com

Wangari Maathai was the first African female recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

It was awarded to her in 2004. She was an Honorary Councilor of the World Future Council, an elected member of the Kenyan Parliament and an influential member of the environmental community following her founding of the Green Belt Community.

She was a huge advocate of women’s rights, environmental conservation and equality until her death on Sept. 25, 2011.

Desmond Tutu was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 for his work as a social rights activist. After helping to rid South Africa of apartheid in his role as the country’s Archbishop, he has devoted his life and relatively high profile to fighting AIDS, sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia and other issues worldwide. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and countless other awards in the following years for his work in fighting for social justice.

Photo courtesy of thehistorymakers.com

1961: The Congress of Racial Equality begins to organize Freedom Rides throughout the South.

THE SPECTATOR 10

Opinion and Editorial

JANUARY 31, 2014

Caxy Rant: A Bridge Too Far

By Brandon Amoroso Sports Editor Four minutes -- that’s how long it takes to walk from Korhumel to the nearest bathroom and back, not even taking into account your personal level of urgency to reach a bathroom. Lake Forest Academy classes are only 45 minutes long, and every second counts. The lack of a bathroom in Korhumel is a petty problem, but still a problem. I don’t feel like missing valuable class time to walk to the other side of Corbin Hall just to use the bathroom.

Daniel Bunning, a junior at LFA, loves that the nearest bathroom to Korhumel is all the way in upper Corbin for the wrong reasons.

“Honestly, I like it because it gives me more time out of class.

Even though it’s not that super long of a walk, my bathroom breaks can be as long as 15 minutes without a teacher questioning my motives. That’s one-third of class I get to miss right there,

with no points,” said Bunning.

Some students feel differently than Bunning, including senior Carter Snyder, who dislikes the missed class time and wishes that there was a bathroom located in Korhumel. The long walk is a minus for Carter because he knows that he could be missing information that could be on a quiz or test the next day. According to Snyder, a bathroom should be placed in Korhumel.

Korhumel’s lack of a bathroom is not ideal; however, it is not the current administration’s fault. When Korhumel was built, back in 1969, LFA was still an all-boys school and no steps were taken for a bathroom to be included in the construction.

Korhumel is scheduled for renovation in the coming years and a bathroom in Korhumel would be beneficial to the learning environment of LFA. However, according to the Academy’s CFO, Andy Kerr, there are no plans for this to occur. No plumbing is available

Photo by Miranda Dunne

Freshman Slava Troshchenko makes the trek from Korhumel to Corbin.

in Korhumel for a bathroom to be erected and all space is currently being used inside the building.

Despite the building seemingly being a separate entity from Corbin, the heating and cooling come from Corbin, and the City of Lake Forest has no complaints about the bathroom situation.

“The fact that Korhumel is linked to Corbin by the bridge means that, to the City of Lake Forest, this is one extended facility and the bathrooms in Corbin are sufficient to support both buildings,” stated Kerr.

In my perfect world, the extreme annoyance of having to

walk what feels like a mile to a bathroom from Korhumel would be ended. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem possible and some students will continue to be able to skip part of a class, while other students, like me, will have our education hindered by missing valuable class time.

Personal opinion

Drone strikes in the Middle East are here to stay

By Michael Phillips News Editor Many decisions made by the United States government evoke strong advocates as well as staunch opposition - unmanned drone strikes in the fight against terrorism in the Middle East are no exception. However, when looking at the facts, and nothing but the facts, there is compelling evidence that the United States is not in the wrong when it comes to their support of drone strikes in the war against terror. With civilian death rates falling significantly since 2008, as well as the deaths of Islamic militants and high-ranking Taliban officials rising, it has become clear to advocates that drone strikes are rational and effective in combatting Muslim extremists who intend death and physical harm against the United States as well as other non-extremists.

One of the most common arguments against drone strikes is the civilian casualty rate. However, analysis of the facts shows the death of citizens as a result

of drone strikes is on the decline and much lower than what was originally thought. According to the Pakistani Government as well as the New York Times, only 3%--far lower than the anticipated 6%--of the 2,227 killed in U.S. drone strikes in 2008 were civilians. I strongly agree that even one civilian death is one too many. That being said, the 2,160 Islamic militants killed by drone strikes is a far greater number and has likely prevented additional terrorists attacks, both overseas as well as in the United States.

High ranking terrorist leaders have been killed by drone strikes.

For example, in 2012, a United States drone was used in killing Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, Abu Yahya al-Libi, which was seen as a major blow for the terrorist organization and a huge success for the United States.

Events like these force those against drone strikes to step back and consider the wide-reaching and significant benefit that can be a result of drone strikes.

The issues and complexities

surrounding drone strikes are too complicated to fully express in this space. But what I do know is that at this very moment, there are men and women piloting these unarmed artillery vehicles, as opposed to participat-

ing in gun-to-gun combat in the terrorists’ native lands. Whether you support drone strikes or not, all signs point to them as a focal point in the United States fight against terrorism for a long time to come. As technology and

weaponry advance, the deaths of innocent civilians should continue to drop, while the deaths of terrorists wishing death and dismemberment upon innocent men and women should continue to rise.

Photo courtesy of Express Tribune

Drone strikes will remain a focal point in the war against terrorism for a long time.

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 31, 2014

Opinion and Editorial

Editorial Chinese New Year Lake Forest Academy’s diverse student population is a huge benefit of attending our school— but is our mixing pot really as mixed as it seems? We have a very diverse student population, but that only defines the school positively when we are boasting on a neat little recruitment pamphlet. The reality of it all is that LFA’s diversity lacks depth: we hang out with various versions of ourselves and few of us ever venture out of our comfort zones to take advantage of the school’s diversity.

Boarders hang out with boarders, and day students gravitate towards other day students. People of certain ethnicities tend to group up, as well as people of the same religion. It is human nature to find people like ourselves, and so we

are all guilty of just hanging out with people similar to ourselves.

Incredibly, LFA seems to think that conversation groups during All-School Meeting are the best way to promote diversity — but The Spectator begs to differ.

Every year, Chinese students work incredibly hard to set up an authentic Chinese New Year celebration, including a big dinner. Those celebrating the holiday are most likely go to the dinner and sure, some boarders looking to escape Hutch will join in on the festivities, too. But have you ever seen a day student at the celebration? Probably not, or only a few people at most. The upcoming Chinese New Year offers us the chance to be truly diverse, but will the LFA population allow this

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

F o r e s t

S P E C TAT O R

STAFF LIST Editors-in-Chief

chance to slip by? We hope not.

We at The Spectator must admit that we too are guilty of these crimes. We appreciate the diversity around us and all of the chances to experience other cultures.

The only problem is that very few people take advantage of the opportunities. We may be a diverse school in our pamphlets, but we are shallow in our diversity. Let us all resolve in 2014 to challenge the whole LFA community to embrace our diversity and willingly take part in the cross-cultural sharing that could happen in our classes and dormitories daily.

Let’s not just boast about being more diverse. Let’s actually mean it.

Personal Opinion

Senioritis

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.

By Yousuf Kadir Features Editor It is that time of year again where you see seniors watching Netflix during class and spending less time in the library; the senior slack has begun. Every year, as soon as seniors get into college, or are finished applying to colleges, they realize they do not need to study—or even work—nearly as hard as they did in the previous semester. In fact, I am currently half-writing this article and half-watching the Broncos game. But where does this procrastination and carefree attitude come from?

In a system where students are taught to work hard to get into college, it is hard to see the reason to continue to work hard once a student has achieved their goal. Many students are pressured by their parents to get into the highest-ranking college on US News Report. The pressure from their parents, teachers, counselors and themselves is too stressful for an 18-year-old to handle. Seniors need a break and a semester that seems to not matter is a perfect opportunity.

As a second semester senior, I understand that my grades no lon-

11

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 Photo by Miranda Dunne

Seniors spend their free time playing charades in the library.

ger affect my college acceptance, as colleges only look at first semester senior grades when considering an applicant. However, more universities have recently looked at second semester grades to ensure accepted students don’t have a drop in grades. If a senior slacks off, and their GPA is reasonably below their average from the previous seven semesters, then a college reserves the right to rescind the admissions letter.

Even though that is rare, seniors should not take the risk. But time and time again, we see seniors postpone their work and only have a drop in grades just enough to keep their college acceptances. Personally, I think going into college after a three-month long

break will be difficult enough; seniors shouldn’t extend that break to eight months and go into college not knowing how to study.

However, even though I’m passing this advice to my fellow classmates, I’d argue that Senioritis is inevitable. Seniors are so burnt out from working their butts off for seven semesters that they need a break. And if they keep their grades at a reasonable level—to achieve minimal expectations— they will still matriculate to the college of their choice. Even though I think seniors should not take the risk and slack off near the end of their high school careers, because we are so burnt out, Senioritis is ….(do I really have to finish this story?)

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

“When a dog bites a man, that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news.”

-John B. Bogart, editor, New York Sun

THE SPECTATOR 12

Arts and Entertainment

JANUARY 31, 2014

SELFIES

By Jenna Selati Editor-in-Chief

Over the past couple of years, a new form of photography has taken the world by storm: the selfie. A picture taken of oneself while holding the camera at arms length, selfies have grown in popularity across all forms of social media. The hashtag “#selfie” is one of the most frequently used on both Twitter and Instagram, where countless selfies of boys, girls, and even celebrities can be found. In fact, the selfie is now the most taken and shared type of photo in the world.

Britain’s Oxford University Press declared “selfie” as the word of the year for 2013. The publisher of the Oxford dictionaries said that “selfie” has experienced a significant jump in usage over the past year. The word no longer refers exclusively to self-taken features on Twitter and Instagram, and “selfie” has become a universal title for the photograph.

Popular trends like the #SelfieOlympics, found on Twitter, have taken the art of the selfie to a whole new level. The #Self-

ieOlympics add an element of competition to the popular trend. The Twitter page features selfies of people in outrageous costumes, an astronaut in space, and some who have even dragged barbecues and kiddy pools into their bathrooms. “Selfies at Funerals” is another popular Internet compilation that displays photos of people who posed at wildly inappropriate times.

BuzzFeed recently compiled a list of “The 23 Most Important Mirror Selfies Of All Time.” Displayed in this unambiguously titled arrangement of selfies are memorable photos like “the public restroom in a bikini with a baby selfie” and “the laptop selfie.” Various other websites have published similar pieces.

Selfies have arguably become the greatest photographic trend of the modern day.

Neuroscientist James Kilner of University College, London wanted to decipher the reasoning behind this. He concluded that people’s mental images of themselves are often a poor representation of their actual appearance, which could drive the worldwide obsession with selfies. They allow people to take and retake pictures of them-

selves until they get the image that serves as the closest match to how they think they look.

Despite their innocent nature, however, selfies have proven to be useful in law enforcement. Several iPad and iPhone thieves have been busted after selfies taken on the stolen device show up on the owner’s iCloud photo stream. When the police were given blatant images of the criminals’ faces, identifying and catching them was significantly easy.

The selfie’s crime-solving capabilities haven’t been enough to win everyone’s approval, though. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin shared on Facebook recently that she thinks the country would be better off with fewer selfies.

“I think this world would be better off having more young women holding a fish in their picture than holding their camera in front of a bathroom mirror, taking a selfie,” said Palin.

The post featured a photograph of Palin in coveralls and waders, handling fishing nets. It also collected almost 20,000 likes within an hour of being published.

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 31, 2014

Arts and Entertainment

13

LFA SELFIE OLYMPICS

Amanda Bozorgi takes a selfie in the middle of Mr. Makovec’s math class.

Mary Kate Patton, Dija Diouf and Claudia Jones pose for a selfie at Morning Meeting.

Hannah Sklarov, Michaela Crowley and Carly Thomas snap a selfie in the middle of their hockey game.

THE SPECTATOR 14

Arts and Entertainment

JANUARY 31, 2014

Dinner and a Movie

Café Aroma is tasty and romantic

By Justin Nakasu and Michelle Whitehead Staff Writers

Café Aroma in Winnetka, with its cool, polished atmosphere and interesting entrees, makes for a great, traditional place to take your date for Valentine’s Day, or your friends on any other day -- as long as you are okay with what Justin considered ant-sized tables.

This little bistro located on a street corner near the Winnetka train station provides a convincing rustic Italian atmosphere and friendly waiters. When we went in on a Wednesday night, the room was dimly lit with antique-looking light fixtures and the red walls were decorated with oil pastel paintings. It was romantic and distinctly European.

As a pre-bread course, we were served fried mozzarella and risotto balls with spiced breading. These were a bit salty but the risotto and mozzarella combination was pleasantly different, according to Michelle. Justin found them a bit greasy but enjoyable due to the fact that they were free. After we finished that, the bread was served. It was soft rosemary focaccia with tomato sauce and a side of olive oil with roasted garlic. The oil was a little bitter due to the garlic but the bread by itself was flavorful. The rosemary complemented the tomato sauce nicely and the bread was light and airy.

After an average house salad as an appetizer, Justin had the veal, which was wine-soaked and topped with grilled onions. Along with the potato wedges and tomatoes, the dish really came together.

It was chewy like veal should be and very

flavorful. For the main course, Michelle had the ciopino, which is mussels, shrimp, scallops, clams, potatoes and olives. The mussels and clams tasted fresh, despite the lack of an ocean in the general vicinity. The shrimp was a bit bitter but the olives and potatoes were delicious. All the ingredients were served in a light tomato broth with hints of red wine. The dish, as a whole, was enjoyable and Michelle ate the whole thing without noticing.

For dessert, we shared a piece of cheesecake topped with orange zest and blueberries. For someone who doesn’t normally enjoy crust, Michelle loved the crust and the cheesecake itself. It was sweet but not too sweet, the crust melted in her mouth, and there were delicious and unexpected hints of vanilla throughout. Justin claims he didn’t get to eat any, even though he ate most of it.

VERDICT: Café Aroma is great for Valentine’s Day, date night, or a night out with friends.

“American” hustles in the Golden Globes

By Amanda Bozorgi Photo Editor To everyone that has said recently that “American Hustle” was a terrible movie, I honestly do not know what is wrong with you. The Golden Globes that the cast gleefully carried off the stage on Jan. 12 prove my point. “American Hustle”, which tied with another film, led the pack with seven category nominations. “American Hustle”’s leading lady, Amy Adams, picked up Best Actress, and Jennifer Lawrence took home Best Supporting Actress. Also winning Best Motion Picture, “American Hustle” became the most successful film of the night.

These awards were all more than deserved. The film was both highly entertaining and, at times, hilarious, but also thought-provoking. David Russell managed to achieve this ideal balance with a star-studded cast that performed to the best of their abilities. I had expected great things from Russell after his success with “Silver Linings Playbook”, but “American Hustle” even exceeded my expectations.

Amy Adams was beyond captivating, and seemed to fill the screen in every scene. Sparks flew between her and Bradley Cooper, as the troubled love between her character and Christian Bale pulled at heartstrings. Cooper’s manic and troubled character is in some ways similar to

his role in Silver Linings, but he still manages to make his performance in “American Hustle” both unique and compelling.

His intense outbursts added the energy that the film needed in quieter moments.

The plot itself was complex, but not confusing, and kept my eyes glued to the screen for the duration of the two hours.

Despite the fact that Christian Bale is both a con artist who has stolen thousands and thousands of dollars from desperate people, as well as an active adulterer, his diary-like voiceover commentaries make his situation seem almost justifiable. At times I would find myself feeling sorry for him, as he schemed and cheated, without realizing that this sympathy had crept up on me.

To be entirely honest, I decided to see this movie because Jennifer Lawrence was in it. I hadn’t read any reviews on it, and I was not familiar with the plot. However, this movie was so much more than just Jennifer Lawrence. She was fantastic, as is evident by her Golden Globe, but she simply added to the individual greatness of this film. I left the theater in a daze, feeling like I had been entirely submerged in the story. Movies

VERDICT: American Hustle was fantastic, and is worth anyone’s time.

like this don’t come along as often as they should, and I recommend seeing it. Now.

Theater Review

Showplace 8

- Cold popcorn - Courteous staff - Clean bathrooms - Comfortable seats - Difficult to find parking - Simple access to nearby restaurants

- Quick trip from LFA

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 31, 2014

Sports

15

The essential winter sports gear

By Jordan Wolff Sports Editor Whether you’re playing basketball, skiing down a treacherous mountain, playing an intense game of ice hockey or just playing in the snow, having the proper sports gear is essential to success and enjoyment. The proper equipment could be the difference between enjoying a game and focusing on the rather harsh and cold temperatures, withholding you

Photo courtesy of bckicks.com

Nike Hyper Dunk 2011: “They’re good because they have a lot of support so jumping a lot doesn’t hurt after a while and they are extremely comfortable. They are also light so running feels a lot faster,” said senior Mbasa Mayikana.

from peak performance. As the Polar Vortex kept many people indoors contemplating winter sports because it was too cold to actually go outside, The Spectator took the time to compile a list of the essential sports equipment for the most popular winter sports by referencing expert opinions, online reviews and student thoughts. Now that the daily temperatures are allowing athletes outside, here are our recommendations:

Photo courtesy of arcteryx.com

Arc’teryx Sidewinder: “The redesigned shell has a relaxed fit for comfortable layering. An offset zipper prevents stacking, and allows for easy opening. The Sidewinder is durable, lightweight, and packs tight,” wrote Powder Magazine.

Photo courtesy of escaperoute.ca

DPS Skis: “They are really light and made of carbon fiber; they are convenient for hiking and easy to work with in powder,” said junior Peter Wallace.

Photo courtesy of totalhockey.com

Bauer Vapor Apx2 hockey stick: “The people that design it played hockey, and they understand what players need. They make different sticks for different types of players,” said LFA Hockey Coach Darrin Madeley.

Photo courtesy of Powder Magazine

Burton Process Snowboard: “It’s twin shape and directional flex makes the 2014 Burton Process a fast, all-mountain machine,” wrote Transworld Snowboarding.

Photo courtesy of hockeyworld.com

Bauerr, Easton, Graf hockey skates: “It really just depends on the feel. It’s exactly like a pair of shoes. Each person is going to feel differently and want a different feel,” said Madeley.

Girls help support the boys’ swim team

By Margaux Boles Editor-in-Chief The Lake Forest Academy boys’ swimming team is looking forward to a successful season this winter. The team is also looking forward to having some girls joining them in practice and in home meets.

This year the swimmers that are joining the boys for the season are freshman Marilou Cameron and sophomore Caroline Miller.

“I am looking forward to just being with the team. Just becoming more of a team. I feel that we have a positive group of boys that want to win and want to grow together as swimmers,” said Head Coach Brian Sheu. “I am just looking forward to working with them because of their positive attitude.”

This year the team is made up of about 20 boys and two girls, not the first time this has happened at LFA. The captain this year is senior Yousuf Kadir and his co-captain is junior Jeffery Xue. “I really hope that this team can get so much better than last year because we did not lose that many seniors and our best swimmers are sophomores,” said Xue. “I want them to get much faster than they are

right now.”

The girls this year have helped the team out greatly through their encouragement and positive attitude. Unfortunately, they are only allowed to compete in home meets.

Some schools will also not swim against them; therefore, Sheu has to swim them at the junior varsity level. Xue believes that their cheerfulness helps the swimmers in practice and in meets.

“They reinforce the positive attitude.

They are very happy,” said Sheu. “They work hard. Because they are there and work hard, I feel like the boys complain less.”

This is Miller’s second year swimming with the boy’s swim team. Although she wishes to compete in all the meets, she loves the fact that she is allowed to practice and swim with the boys on a daily basis.

She has been swimming for as long as she can remember and has been a competitive swimmer since 6th grade.

“During meets the whole swimming pool area is filled with us cheering for each other. We stand at the end of the pool and yell as loud as we can,” said Miller. “I encourage the boys just like I encourage Marilou (the other girl swimmer on the team) or any

other girl on any other sports team. Likewise, I feel as though the boys support me just the same as any other guy.”

Sheu hopes to end the season with a winning record, break the 400 freestyle relay record, and one other individual record

for the swim team this year. Xue, like his coach, also hopes to have a winning season. He also aspires to beat his personal record in one of his events.

The swim team has their next home meet on February 6 against Taft High School.

Photo by Amanda Bozorgi

Freshman Marilou Cameron prepares to start in a recent home meet.

16

Sports

JANUARY 31, 2014

2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

By James Paige Features Editor As February draws closer, Team USA prepares to compete in Russia for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, the most anticipated event of 2014. Inevitably, politics have begun to tarnish the competition as talks of boycotts in protest of Russia’s strict anti-gay legislation, terrorist bombings and declarations of jihad by rebel leaders undermine the progress of the event.

In 2013, the Russian Parliament unanimously approved a controversial law which prohibits propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors.

As a result, public displays of affection and pride parades are illegal and warrant punishment. The passing of the law reflects President Vladimir Putin’s aim to promote conservative values in Russia.

“I completely disagree with Russian policy against propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations. I support Team USA since I strongly believe that this is one of the few opportunities to bring this issue out to the whole world. The only way to change Russian legislation is for a foreign country to address the issue,” said junior Sofya Freyman, a boarding student from Russia.

In recent years, the once peripheral conflicts of the Chechen Caucasus Emirate movement and the Circas-

Russian police clear the streets of Volgograd after two suicide bombings.

Photo courtesy of globalnews.ca

sian nationalist movement moved to the forefront of international politics.

They now are a source of major concern from a security perspective for Sochi.

Russia’s history has been marked by conquest, and the Russian Federation exercises control over numerous republics and oblasts with extremely diverse ethnicities, languages and cultures.

Throughout the 19th Century, Russia fought a long war in the North Caucasus. In 1859, Russia’s efforts culminated in the ethnic cleansing of Circassia (a

region west of Chechnya and Dagestan), where Russian forces displaced 1.5 million Circassians from their ancestral lands.

“They were exiled from their land to the Ottoman Empire under inhumane conditions,” wrote a Circassian writer on nosochi2014.com.

Russian tactics included murder and the burning of villages and farmland. The 2014 Sochi Olympics will be held on a site that some activists consider a graveyard.

They have declared these winter games the 2014 Circassian Genocide Olympics.

The Chechen-Russian conflict is another major security concern for the upcoming games. After two decades of brutal civil war, the increasingly Islamist Chechen independence movement has conducted numerous bombings and kidnappings.

The self-proclained Emir of the Caucasus, Doku Umarov, continues to mobilize Chechen terrorist cells and fighters in Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia. The recent bombings in Volgograd which killed six people have given Russia security forces more to worry about in Sochi.

senior, he was averaging almost nine points and nine rebounds per game. N’Diaye tried to go to the NBA, but unfortunately no

One of the most successful players that came out of LFA was Dylan Ennis, who now plays for Villanova. The Spectator

myself, but having the time to play basketball, workout, as well as get my school work done, helped me be prepared for what I am faced with now in college,” he said.

Ennis played under Coach Matt Vaughn while at LFA and he taught Ennis many important keys to the game.

“The most important thing that Coach Vaughn taught me was that patience was key. Do not be so fast to rush success,” said Ennis.

This year, current LFA students watched closely as the Ennis brothers faced each other when Syracuse defeated Villanova.

“Playing against my brother was very interesting. It was weird but I enjoyed it and wouldn’t trade the experience for the world,” said Ennis.

Ennis had some advice for the current LFA players that are trying to go college for basketball.

“Work hard every day. Do not prepare yourself to be a good high school player.

Prepare yourself to be ready for the college game by working hard and listening to coaches. They know what they are talking about,” said Ennis.

LFA athletes succeed at higher levels

By Ned Kennedy Sports Editor Over the last ten years the Lake Forest Academy mens’ basketball team has been more successful than almost all other schools in Illinois at sending players to the college ranks. LFA also has a number of former players taking part in European professional basketball.

There are still five LFA basketball players in college and some of them are striving towards the NBA. Todd Zafirovski is a redshirt senior at Duke, and Angus Brandt is also a red shirt senior for Oregon State.

Remy Ndiaye is playing for Dallas Baptist in his senior year. The other two players from the LFA mens’ team are brothers: Tyler Ennis plays at Syracuse and Dylan Ennis plays at Villanova. All of these players had great careers at LFA, which transferred over well to the college ranks.

Some former Caxys are now starting their professional basketball careers overseas like 7-footer Aziz N’Diaye from Senegal.

N’Diaye played for the Washington Huskies from 2010 until 2013. When he was a

Photo courtesy of cbssports.com

Lake Forest Academy alumnus, Dylan Ennis, celebrates a 3 point shot.

team showed interest in what he had to offer. Now he is playing in Spain on the Club Ourense Baloncesto Sad Basketball team.

N’Diaye hopes to do some great things overseas that could help him one day make it to the NBA.

recently interviewed Ennis over Facebook.

Ennis has had a lot of success during his years in college and there are many reasons why.

“Being at LFA helped me by putting me in a college-style environment. Living by