The Spectator, May 2017

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S P E C TAT O R

Volume 95 Number 7

1500 West Kennedy Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045

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May 26, 2017

End of Year Awards SENIOR PRIZES

Alexander Award.............................................................Adam Wisco

For the senior boy who best exemplifies the spirit and ideals of LFA.

American Legion Award..............................................Andrew Ryder

For the senior who exemplifies honor, courage, scholarship, leadership, and service.

Butler Award....................................................................Jake Upshall

For the senior who has earned academic achievement through persevence.

DAR Award.............................................................................Eli Kuli

For the senior who exemplifies the ideals of service, leadership, patriotism and dependability.

Faculty Award..............................................................Peter Corsiglia

For the student who has in thought, word, and deed embodied the ideal of scholarship.

Freeland Award...............................................................Zhuri Bryant

For the senior girl who best exemplifies the spirit and ideals of LFA.

Waldie Award..........................................................................Eli Kuli For the senior who, by the nature of his or her presence, has substantially impacted LFA.

Hixon Award................................................Maxwell (Zhiwen) Wang

For the senior who is outstanding in friendliness and concern for others.

Speidel Award.................................................................Zhuri Bryant

For the senior girl who is outstanding in sincerity, courtesy, and thoughtfulness.

Vaile Award..............................................................................Eli Kuli For the senior who has most imaginatively discharged administrative responsibilities.

Wetzel Award..................................................................Erin Snoddie For the senior girl who has best exemplified the spirit of Ferry Hall.

DEPARTMENTAL AND UNDERCLASSMEN AWARDS Harvest Hope Award: .................................................................................Angela Zhou

Jonathan Fremd Award: ............................................................Annie Gifford and Anna Schilling McLaughlin Prize: ....................................................................................................Teni Bakare Jewel J. Jackson Award: ..............................................................Jenny Levitt and Dieter Villegas E.J. Barry Language Award: ....................................................................................Olivia Shaw Nelson Award: ......................................................................................Maxwell (Zhiwen) Wang Overdorf History Prize: .........................................................................................Evelyn Pineda English Award: ................................................................................................Marilou Cameron Dana W. Niswender Prize: .......................................................................................Daniel Chia English as a Second Language Award: ...........................................................Michael Lentskevich Ainsworth Award: ...................................................................Tiger (Yili) Luo and Sammy Zeng Mathematics Department Award: .................................................................Ailey (Hongyi) Fang Louch Award: ......................................................................................................Tiger (Yili) Luo McCormick Prize in Drama: ..................................................................................Nelly Siddiqui McCormick Prize in Music: ...................................................................................Natalie Clarke Mc Cormick Prize in Visual Arts: ...................................................................Amina Gimranova Everett E. Grace Music Prize: ........................................................................................ Nick Lin Fine Arts Department Award: ........................................................................................Nick Lin Pridmore Award: .........................................................................................Oliver (Zichen) Yuan Taylor Award: ................................................................................................Jack (Cheng) Zhong Theater Tech Award: ................................................................................................Erin Malcolm Yearbook Award:................................................................................................ Marilou Cameron Delaplaine Burnet Prize in Economics: ...................................................................Peter Corsiglia Spectator Award: ...............................................Austin Clamage, Sandra Shaw, and Hunter Wolff Kulieke Award for Spanish: ....................................................................................Peter Corsiglia Cum Laude (Seniors inducted this year): Jackson Bedward, Marilou Cameron, Blake Cedergren , Jacon Chagoya, Austin Clamage, Peter Corsiglia, Zixuan Cui, Rishi Gudivaka, Chenduo Hu, Nakyung Lee, William Li, Ziwei Li, Nicholas Lin, Tiger (Yili) Luo, Wasu Ngamkanjanarat, Natalie Nunez, Gabrielle Osher, Claire Pastrana, Olivia Shaw, Erin Snoddy, Zhiwen Wang, Sammy Zeng.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP 2015-2016

Prefects: Jenny Levitt, Kennedy Hayes, David Krivoshik, Clint Shi, Angela Zhou, Ailey Fang, Ananta Srivastava, Annie Lee, Krishna Nair, Ayaan Ahmed, Anna Markey, Evelyn Pineda, and Natalie Clarke.

Proctors: Abby Hernandez, Isa Blankers, Joan Karstrom, Sofia Vazquez, Norah Ntagungira, Evelyn Pineda, Jenny Levitt, Ailey Fang, Zhenya Dubavets, Clint Shi, Max Wigfield, Caleb Dusek, Jelani Nicol, Ryan Gullang, Dima Zaiets, and Edwin Wang.

All-School President: ................................................................................................Dieter Villegas Senior Class President: ...............................................................................................Tommy Filip Representatives: .....................................................Pliny Smith, Edwin Wang, and Shaena Wright Junior Class President : .............................................................................................Tyler Medvec

Representatives: ........................................Teni Bekare, Carrington Newsome, and David Sun Sophomore Class President: .....................................................................................Anna Schilling

Representatives: .................................................Caitlin Anasi, Joey Kollarz, and Davis Priest Discipline Committee Chair for 2015-16: ................................................................Evelyn Pineda Master Keys: ..........................................................Katy Morrison, Emily Xu, and Shreya Singhvi Masters of the Houses: .......................................................................Natalie Clarke and Annie Lee

Photo courtesy of Bill Murphy

Longterm Lake Forest Academy Athletic Director, Mr. Darrin Madeley, was chosen to address the senior class of 2017 at their upcoming graduation.

Madeley speaks at graduation for the memorable Class of 2017

By Katy Morrison A&E Writer

For every graduation, there’s a graduation speaker. This year, Athletic Director Darrin Madeley was chosen to bid farewell to the Class of 2017 seniors during their graduation ceremony.

Undisclosed to many, Madeley has been asked to speak at several graduation ceremonies prior to this year, yet has politely declined each year. However when Dr. Kerry Cedergren and Ms. Ashley Kolovitz, the senior class advisors, approached him and told him he was in the ‘final four’ for this year’s graduation speakers, he was inclined to say yes. According to Madeley, this class has meant something extra to him , and he hopes to use his speech to honor that.

At first thought, Madeley was hit with a sense of fear about public speaking, but for the most part, he was honored.

“The fact that they felt that they wanted [me] to stand up and to make that final speech for them, that feels special and I was honored,” said Madeley, the students overwhelmingly cast their votes for him as speaker.

In past years, Madeley has been to a number of graduations and has heard a variety of speeches made. Commonly, he has realized that the majority of speeches tend to focus more on general future advice and less specifically on the class itself. This led him to

want to go a little differently. In his speech, Madeley hopes to focus on what the senior class has meant for the school, but also what they have meant for him individually.

He went on to discuss further plans stating that “[One is] supposed to give them words of wisdom. But to me, it’s going to come more from the heart than anything… talking about what I’m hoping for them. Not telling them what to do or what they should do, but more of what I hope for them to do and remember.”

As valedictorian at one of his own personal graduations, Madeley has some experience as a graduation speaker. But, with the exception of his valedictorian speech and speaking at a couple hockey conferences here and there, this is mostly new terrain for him. Normally on the calendar of endof-year events, the athletic banquet is truly the only speaking commitment he has, and the addition of another event is unusual.

This led Madeley to give kudos to Headmaster Dr. John Strudwick, who is required to make numerous speeches the final week.

“It’s a happy time, and it’s a sad time too,” said Madeley, who spoke about how graduation is the last time that he, and many of his faculty colleagues will see many of the seniors. A majority of the senior class will return to their hometowns in other states or countries and may never return to the Lake Forest Academy campus again.

THE SPECTATOR 2

News

May 26, 2017

Goodbye Caxys LFA’s Class of 2017 College List Adam, Margeaux University of Colorado Alban, Luis Emory University Alexander, Joseph Junior Hockey Annibali, Elizabeth Lake Forest College Ansari, Obaid University of Wisconsin, Madison Aronin, Ashley University of Miami Baldwin, Brede New York University Bedward, Jackson Hamilton College - NY Bilinkis, Alexandra Boston University Browning, Davis

Junior Hockey Bryant, Zhuri Duke University Cameron, Marilou McGill University Cedergren, Blake University of Illinois Celano, Caleb Marquette University Chagoya, Jacob Emory University Choi, Sangwon “William” Villanova University Cirame, John University of San Diego Clamage, Austin Brandeis University Clarke, Kenan Cornell University Corsiglia, Peter University of Richmond Cui, Zixuan University of California, Berkeley de la Garza Sanchez, Luis Northeastern University Dozois, Katherine Miami University, Oxford Dudziak, Cameron Boston University Dusek, Christopher Junior Hockey Dwyer, Patrick University of Southern California Everett, William Arizona State University Farhood, Kaynaz Pepperdine University Gamache, Alexander Georgetown University Gedikoglu, Nevzat Babson College Goodsell, Nakoma Truman State University Gray, Jaleel University of Michigan Grumhaus, Tyler Grinnell College Gudivaka, Rishi Northwestern University Hamilton, Tyler Arizona State University Han, E Joon Rhode Island School of Design Han, Xuyuan University of Southern California Hao, Simeng University of Rochester Harris, Christopher Missouri University S&T Hershenhorn, Sarah Boston College Hu, Chenduo Colgate University Jacob, Lucas Texas Christian University Jensen, Reiss University of Utah Judge, Cameron Northeastern University Jung, Min Seo University College London Kivanc, Hande Zeynep Wagner College Kostov, Stephen Gap Year Krzeminski, James Texas Christian University Kuli, Elijah New York University Kwon, Hong Joo New York University Lee, Nakyung Virginia Commonwealth University Lewis, Zoe Western Michigan University Li, Runnan Brandeis University Li, William Johns Hopkins University Li, Ziwei Claremont McKenna College Lin, Han Johns Hopkins University

Lin, Nicholas Northwestern University Liu, Jikun University of Michigan Luo, Yili Grinnell College Malcolm, Erin Santa Clara University Mienville, Darius University of Edinburgh Moore, Arjun University of Wisconsin, Madison Moore, Taylor Lake Forest College Mullarkey, Ashley Rhodes College Ngamkanjanarat, Wasu University of California, San Diego Nolan, Ryan Junior Hockey Nunez, Natalie Georgetown University Osher, Gabrielle Tufts University Park, Ha Yeon Fudan University Park, Sang Yoon New York University Park, Yang Sun Tufts University Pastrana, Claire Yale University Pinel, Thomas Palm Beach Atlantic University Rabin, Daniel Tulane University Rayzman, Steven Northwestern University Reddy, Nithin University of Illinois Reidy, Cameron The University of Tampa Rempala, Grace Tulane University Rose, Zachary Junior Hockey Ryder, Andrew University of Wisconsin, Madison Sawyer, Aleeya Howard University Schroeder, Julia Wellesley College Shapiro, Samuel University of Colorado at Boulder Shattock, Nathaniel Wake Forest University Shaughnessy, Logan Cornell College Shaw, Olivia Washington University in St. Louis Shaw, Sandra Vanderbilt University Shi, Stella Cornell University Siddiqui, Nelofer University of California, Davis Snoddy, Erin Swarthmore College Stoll, Margaret Santa Clara University Stott, Mitchell Southern Methodist University Su, Jiameng New York University Sutkowski, Hanna Nova Southeastern University Swinford, Kyle Beloit College Thauer, Ian University of Denver Thomas, Joseph Furman University Torres, Allison Bryn Mawr College Troshchenko, Viacheslav University of Illinois Upshall, Jacob Memorial University Wang, Zhiwen Georgetown University Weinfield, William Tufts University Wetzel, Max Miami University, Oxford Wisco, Adam Junior Hockey Wolff, Hunter Indiana University Yang, Cheng-Yin Bentley University Yuan, Zichen Pratt Institute Zeng, Samuel University of Chicago Zhang, Anran Hong Kong Baptist University Zhang, Hongyue “Kori” University of British Columbia Zhang, Linjie Boston University Zhong, Cheng New York University

List provided by the College Counseling Department Note: This list is not final and is subject to change

THE SPECTATOR

News

May 26, 2017

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Spectator staff passing the pen

By Allison Torres Managing Editor With the 2016-2017 school year coming to an end, a year when The Spectator was named the Most Outstanding Newspaper in the ASPA’s national Journalism competition, current graduating editors of the LFA publication must pass on their jobs on the paper to a new set of rising seniors. Next year’s Editors-in-Chief will be Shreya Singhvi and Ananta Srivastava. These two young women will have the responsibility of upholding The Spectator’s performance record, a record that includes 10 consecutive First Prize awards in the national judging.

“While I do feel a little nervous because I will be taking over a big responsibility, I also am extremely excited about being Editor-in-Chief next year because the newspaper has a great group of students that I am looking forward to be working with,” said Srivastava about her new position.

The positions for Managing Editors for the various sections of the paper have also been decided. Daniel Chia will take over Op-Ed, Jack Mahon will do Sports, Katy Morrison will do Arts

and Entertainment, and Dieter Villegas will be managing Features. Next year’s Online Editors will be Ayaan Ahmed, Elizabeth Christoph, and Max Hayes.

The new Editors-in-Chief already have some plans and goals set for next year’s Spectator with regards to editing pages, new sections, and approaches to get more readers.

“I’m want to change the way that pages are edited, and I’m also going to try and incorporate some new creative features that will help the student body more actively interact with the paper. Hopefully this will get some more readers in the process,” stated Singhvi.

Both editors also have plans that will incorporate the diversity here at Lake Forest Academy.

“I look forward to having the student body more involved with the newspaper by adding ideas such as dedicating a section that will talk about countries that are represented in the student body,” said Srivastava.

“I want to incorporate a new feature in which we spotlight a different club every month so that might be something I end up writing next year. I also want to keep mu-

sic reviews even though (Hunter Wolff) is graduating,” said Singhvi about possible new topics to write about next year.

The online portion of The Spectator is also coming up with new ideas to better the website and to help it develop more readership.

“I would like to advertise the page more since most of the LFA community does not know about the unique aspects of the website. Once these aspects are revealed, I feel like viewership might increase,” commented Ahmed.

Photo courtesy of Hunter Wolff

Farewell to seven faculty members Ananta Srivastava and Shreya Singvi preparing to take on head spectator positions.

By Sydney Olinger Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug

Mr. Bowkett talking to a player on the sidelines of a varsity football game.

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug

Mr. Sheu coaching girls varsity volleyball.

Photo courtesy of Cathy Morrison

Dr. Palmer directing an arts performance.

Following this 2016-2017 school year, Lake Forest Academy will say goodbye to seven faculty members who have each left their unique mark on the students and staff. The LFA community says farewell to Dr. Monica Palmer, Mr. Brian Sheu, Dean Susan Hoagland, Mr. Robin Bowkett, Ms. Lauren Fowler, Ms. Katie Miller, and Dean Cathy Morrison.

“I’m not just leaving a place of employment, but I’m leaving home,” explained Dr. Monica Palmer.

LFA becomes a home for many, both students and faculty, whether you live on or off campus, which makes it a difficult goodbye for many staff members. Palmer will be taking on the position of Dean of Faculty at The Governor’s Academy in Byfield, Massachusetts as the first African-American to hold a Dean’s position there. Her contributions made to the Fine Arts program at LFA were greatly appreciated.

Sheu, who teaches math and coaches both volleyball and swimming, said he will miss the students, and the relationships he has formed with them, the most. Sheu will remain a math teacher, but will be teaching at a yet-to-be-determined school in the city.

“Being closer to family and be-

ing in an urban environment is what I’m looking forward to,” said Sheu.

LFA’s football Coach Bowkett, is another member of faculty that has been a hard-working addition to the admissions and athletics department.

“The kids here are great, so they make coming to work everyday pretty easy,” stated Bowkett.

As a coach and dorm parent, he said that his family has made close bonds with the students, as a well as faculty, which is going to be a hard thing to leave. Bowkett, or as most of the students know him, Coach B, will be another tough goodbye, but he will succeed as a paraprofessional working with children with disabilities and as a football coach at Souhegan

High School in Amherst, New Hampshire.

Next year’s staff of The Spectator wishes these faculty members, and the new faculty filling their spot at the Academy, luck on their new career paths.

They will forever be remembered as family at Lake Forest Academy, and their presence will certainly be missed.

“I would have loved to be here, but I believe that things happen for a reason, and you are destined to be at places where you are supposed to make a difference,” expressed Palmer.

THE SPECTATOR

News

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may 26, 2017

Dieter Villegas takes the reins as the new All School President

By Charlie Shattock Staff Writer

Rising senior Dieter Villegas was recently elected the new All School President.

Villegas is seen throughout the community as a leader and a friend. From being a key player on varsity soccer to performing in the winter musical, Villegas has experienced every aspect of LFA. He ran for class president his freshman and junior year and won both times, and has completed countless hours of community service.

He is more than qualified for the position.

In a recent interview with The Spectator, Villegas said he has loved his time at LFA, and and while he sees a close and special community, he firmly believes that there is room for improvement.

Due to 2016’s presidential election, LFA experienced a particularly divided community. Villegas believes that to strengthen the LFA community and reconnect with one another, students need to start accepting each other. Villegas claims that in order to create a truly functioning community, the entire student body must understand and accept that different people have different views.

“You need to learn to coexist and understand that some people won’t agree with you no matter how hard you try. That’s just life,” commented Villegas.

Villegas has some new ideas plans to reconnect the various groups within the school. These include more friendly and open alternatives to community dialogues, and instilling a new mindset among LFA students through fun and cooperative ac-

Dieter was recently elected as the new All School President.

tivities. He also plans to bring new energy to the House Cup competitions, which have lost participation in recent years. Villegas hopes to accomplish this by connecting LFA’s various student-based leadership positions like prefects and Student Council members. He plans to use this connection to create quick and lasting change using the new voices and abilities of the people

Photo by Charlie Shattock

Dieter lays out some of his plans for his presidency.

Photo by Charlie Shattock

he will work with.

Having said that, Villegas believes that LFA does have a special community in which there are ways of cultivating a better environment.

“Let’s be honest, it’s different from other schools- I have friends from different schools who see the campus and are blown away,” Villegas claimed.

As a whole, Villegas loves LFA for the opportunities it creates which give anyone the ability to make a change. From the block schedules to the enormously diverse community, the new president recognizes LFA as a unique school. In Villegas’s eyes, one of the perks of LFA is that its tightly knit community creates opportunity for improvement and change.

One of the changes Dieter plans to make is the community dialogues. Every candidate running for All School President recognized that these meetings need to be improved, but Villegas brings a unique stance on this issue.

Villegas believes that instead of removing these meetings, they should be focused more on fun activities that create friendship and encourage cooperation. Different activities focused on participation and social interaction would bring everyone closer and ease tension when needed.

“We don’t want friend groups separating we want everyone to merge together and have fun as a class,” commented Villegas.

According to the new president, the House Cup competitions also need to change. Villegas claims that there needs to be better rewards to encourage participation. Rewards need to be greater than just having the planner change color.

“Something like a jeans day, which doesn’t cost the school but is fun for the students would be great,” said Villegas.

Overall, Villegas plans to use his role as All School President to bring the school together, revitalize exhausted programs, and create lasting change through utilizing all the opportunities LFA offers.

Photo by Charlie Shattock The new All School President is interviewed by Charlie Shattock

THE SPECTATOR

Opinion and Editorial

may 26, 2017

Editorial:

The stress of LFA benefits the students Here, at Lake Forest Academy, students are engaged within a rigorous and ambitious course program that challenges and educates the student body to its fullest ability. One can obviously see the negatives of having such a rigorous course schedule such as AP and final exams, constant quizzes, hours of homework every night, and a day filled with new information spanning five or six subjects. However, here at the Spectator, we look to find the benefits of the stressful schedule that LFA puts upon its student body and how in the long run, the stress of LFA will actually help the students more than hurt them.

The argument over the benefits of stress versus the negatives has long been debated, both throughout the school and among scholars today. However, the Spectator believes that in terms of the stress that LFA places on its students, it is more beneficial than it is hurtful to the development and engagement of the student body.

Manageable stress, according to one UC Berkeley study, has been proven to increase alertness, performance, and memory. Constant and extreme stress has been proven to have a neg-

ative impact on the development of the brain however moderate amounts of stress have a positive impact on the brain.

The classes here at LFA can often feel like a constant cycle of tests, papers, and presentations, however the stress that the courseload places on students increases the need for students to be aware of time-management, a crucial skill outside of the classroom. When LFA students go off into college and the workplace, the skills they have learned at LFA to be more productive in order to avoid extremely stressful situations, are invaluable.

As we come to the end of the

year, the impending stress of AP exams along with final exams and projects can certainly feel like a lot. Some ways to combat the stress of these tests are meditation, making sure to drink plenty of water, and exercise.

It’s also important to realize that those stressful exams aren’t the end of the world and that the stress you feel while studying will dissipate after taking the exam.

So the next time you’re stressing out about that exam, project, or presentation, focus on the benefits of that stress for college and the rest of your life, and just take a deep breath.

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

STAFF LIST Editors-in-Chief

Austin Clamage Sandra Shaw Hunter Wolff

Managing Editor of News

Peter Corsiglia

Managing Editor of Photography

Allison Torres

Managing Editor of Op-Ed

Will Everett

Managing Editor of Features

Andrew Ryder

Managing Editor of Sports

Obaid Ansari

Managing Editor of A&E

Hong Joo Kwon

News Editor

Ananta Srivastava Dieter Villegas

Features Editors

Shreya Singhvi Ayaan Ahmed

Op-Ed Editor

Daniel Chia

A&E Editors

Elizabeth Christoph Katy Morrison

Senior Sports Editors

Jacob Chagoya Lucas Jacob Nithin Reddy

Sports Editors

Jaleel Gray Max Hayes Jack Mahon

Staff Writers

Alex Jackson Tyler Medvec Jack Selati Ben Sebolt Charlie Shattock Kennedy Hayes Jasper Fisher Adriana Rivera Sydney Olinger Tiffany Filawo Jasmine Filawo Lena Ansari Audrey Taillon

Faculty Adviser

William Murphy

Online Faculty Adviser

Jeremy Sands

Photo by Tyler Medvec

Personal Opinion:

By Adriana Rivera Staff Writer One word, six letters, and an infinite amount of stress: FINALS. As each semester comes to a bittersweet (mostly sweet…) ending, we are all faced with the dark cloud above our heads right at the end of the finish line. That dark cloud, my friend, is final exams and as the school year comes to a close, I don’t know about you guys, but I want some sunshine.

Finals are one thing that every student at Lake Forest Academy can relate to. Whether you’re taking five finals as a freshman or one as a senior everyone has taken them. Finals means the school year is coming to a closing, many are looking forward to the summer and others are simply excited to have a break from schoolwork, stress, and grades. For some, there is that sense of urgency that creeps upon you as the semester comes to an end. This stress and urgency stems off of the fact that students have so little time to

“I don’t know about you guys, but I want some sunshine” recall this mass amount of information that teachers expect to be known for final exams.

These exams test everything you’ve learned throughout the entire semester and for some throughout the whole school year.

Students are expected to recall information that they learned months previous to the exam, and for some they have approximately a week or so to do it.

Five days to go over five months of tests, quizzes, homework, and new material is not enough. In addition, many teachers have continued to teach new information until just a few days before the final. With the stress of already

having to know five months worth of work, adding the pressure of being expected to know brand new material just a day or two before the final is unrealistic and quite frankly, unfair.

Students should get more than a week of both in-class time and outside-of class time to prepare for finals. If the students had more in class-time, they’d have be able to get a stronger understanding and review for what will be on the final because they could utilize their teachers to ask questions. The more time that students are allotted to solely focus on finals, the more likely they are to do better.

F o r e s t

S P E C TAT O R

Jack Selati, a sophomore at LFA, studies for his AP and final exams.

The light at the end of the FINAL tunnel

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PUBLICATION The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Lake Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.

EDITORIALS Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Mr. Murphy at wmurphy@lfanet.org.

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.

THE SPECTATOR

Centerfold

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Before our seniors on The Spectator take their leave, we would like to thank them for all the dedication and time they have put into making this paper possible. They have formed such a great community together over the past three years and became people we have looked up to in everything we do. We’d also like to thank the online senior staff, Jacob Chagoya, Jaleel Gray, and Nithin Reddy, for everything they have done outside of the newspaper. For more information on them, please visit the online edition at caxynews.com. To catch up with the seniors before they head off to college, we asked them a few questions about their experiences here at LFA and what their thoughts were on the future ahead.

May 26, 2017

We’ll Miss Y

The Graduating S

1. What will you miss most about being and working on The Spectator?

2. What was the most important lesson you learned at LFA? 3. What are you most excited for in college?

Page compiled by Lena Ansari and Audrey Taillon 1. I’ll miss working with the staff and with everyone on The Spectator.

It’s always fun getting pages in, even though sometimes it’s stressful and hectic. To get stuff in is always fun, and everyone is always contributing.

Obaid Ansari This year, Obaid was the Managing Editor of Sports on The Spectator. He has written sports articles for two years.

2. Something I learned on The Spectator is staying on top of your assignments and being responsible for what you have to do because if you don’t get it done, you’re not just hurting yourself, you’re hurting the whole group.

3. I’m excited to build more good friendships as well as being able to experience more freedom and independence.

1. Working with all the people in the class was really fun. Also, I’m going to miss writing the stories because you get to hear about things that you didn’t know before and being on The Spectator lets you investigate that, which is fun.

Austin Clamage Austin is one of the Editors-in-Chief for this year’s editions of the Spectator. He helps keep everything in check.

2. Actually, this is something I learned from The Spectator. When you approach something, don’t form your opinion off of a bias view. Get the facts first, and then make your opinion. Be unbiased and see both sides of the story.

3. I’m definitely excited to play basketball, but also moving out of Chicago and really branching out and meeting new people.

Top Row: Jaleel Gray (University of Michigan), Lucas Jacob (Texas Christian University), Peter Cor (Brandeis University), Nithin Reddy (University of Illinois) Bottom Row: Obaid Ansari (University of Wisconsin), Hunter Wolff (Indiana University), Will Evere versity), Jacob Chagoya (Emory University)

1. Something I am going to miss a lot is being able to mentor and being a senior figure to the kids in Journalism II by teaching them how it works to be in a senior position.

1. I’ll miss working with everyone in the class. We have fun working together and helping each other out. I’ll also miss learning more about this school and community through interviews and stories.

2. LFA taught me to be more intrinsically honest, not so much as lying, but being honest with yourself about things that you can and cannot handle.

You take on a tough workload here, so LFA taught me what is best for myself.

2. I learned that you don’t just do what other people think you should do, like when it comes to a certain class or sport others think you should try, really try and do what you actually want to. Whatever makes you happy is most important.

Peter Corsiglia Peter is currently the Managing Editor of News for this year’s Spectator. Last year, he was one of the News Editors.

3. Just the freedom to schedule your own time, go do stuff whenever you want, and study what you want. You don’t really need to worry what others think.

Will Everett Will has focused his writing for The Spectator on Opinion Editorials. This year, he became the Managing Editor of Op-Ed.

3. I will be studying journalism in college, so I get to continue what I have done here.

I will be learning from kids who are older and have more expertise to share, so I can’t wait to take up what they have to teach me.

THE SPECTATOR May 26, 2017

Centerfold

You Seniors

Spectator Seniors

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1. I’ll miss the group I work with because I work with a lot of my friends that are my friends inside the classroom and out. I’ll also miss working with Mr. Murphy, who is a really great teacher and joins in with our group in class to share moments with us.

2. Here, at LFA, I really got to experience diversity for the first time. That’s been my favorite part at LFA, just having a much broader friend group.

3. I’m really looking forward to being able to focus in on what I’m interested in, becoming more creative, and really starting to shape my own path.

Hunter Wolff Hunter is one of the The Spectator’s Editors-in-Chief this year. His position last year was as a Features Editor.

1. Definitely what I’ll miss most is working with my peers, who bring such a unique energy to the class every time.

2. I learned not to confine myself to one way of thinking, to know that there are many other perspectives that other people hold that we should learn more about and respect.

3. I’m most excited to meet all the new and different people that I’m going to become really close to. Also, I’m excited to just be in a new surrounding, a different place where I’ve never been before. It’ll be something new, and that newness is what I’m looking forward to.

Sandra Shaw Sandra was an Op-Ed Editor last year.

This year, she became one of the Editors-in-Cheif for The Spectator.

1. I am going to miss working with the people because I have known a lot of them since middle and elementary school, so I will miss seeing their faces every day.

2.The most important lesson I learned was to manage my time well by meeting deadlines and getting my work in on time. I think The Spectator did a really good job of that because if you don’t make your deadline, Mr. Murphy is really going to get on you.

Photo by Lena Ansari and Audrey Taillon

rsiglia (University of Richmond), Andrew Ryder (University of Wisconsin), Austin Clamage

3. Since I am going to Madison, Wisconsin next year, I am excited to meet new people in a different. atmosphere.

rett (Arizona State University), Angela Kwon (New York University), Sandra Shaw (Vanderbilt Uni-

1. My favorite part of being on The Spectator would definitely be going out to interview people. I always thought that was fun. It would be really fun to get to know stuff that other people couldn’t find out.

1. I am going to miss the idea of planning and working with different kinds of people as well as getting to know the community better through writing for the newspaper.

2. The most important lesson I learned was time management because not only at LFA, but going into college, there is going to be a heavy workload, and time management will make it easier for me to do well in the courses.

2. Always keep track of your time and manage it well. It’s easy to get sidetracked with all the activities you have access to, and you should always try to stay organized.

3. I’m excited for the freedom I’ll have to be able to do what I want and learn what I want. I’m also going to be able to utilize all the skills I’ve learned at LFA in a college environment.

Andrew Ryder On The Spectator, Andrew has worked on feature articles, and this year, he was the Managing Editor of Features.

Lucas Jacob Lucas has been writing sports articles for The Spectator these past two years.

This year, he is a Senior Sports Editor.

3. Since I am going to New York, I am excited about the city-life because it is going to a lot different from Chicago, and there is going to be a lot more people.

Angela Kwon This year’s Arts and Entertainment section of The Spectator was led by Angela as the Managing Editor of A&E.

THE SPECTATOR 8

Features

May 26, 2017

High School Starter Pack Are you nervous or anxious about what next year will bring? Do you want to know what you should be prepared to encounter next year? On this page, we have all the advice you will need. From both male and female students, this advice will put you one step ahead. Whether you’re a boarder or day student, every year brings new challenges and new experiences. Make no mistake, next year might be a drastic change for you, but that’s why we’re here to help. All photos and quotes were compiled by Kennedy Hayes and Alex Jackson.

Sophomore Advice

Teni Bakare studies for her English 10 class.

John Kuhns studies in a pod.

“What advice can I give to the rising sophomores? I’d have to say the biggest thing is to work hard. Pretty generic answer but what I mean is that by working hard sophomore year, doors will open for you to take more challenging and interesting classes as an upperclassman. The last thing you want to do is to slack off for most of your sophomore year. For example, you may realize in April that you want to take AP Chem or AP Lang and are crushed to hear that your grade of a B won’t let you take that class. Work hard now and you will be able to take whichever class you want without petitioning.”

-John Kuhns

“Sophomore year is a time where you are more aware of things in LFA. You should use this time to join more clubs you heard of last year or join a sport you think is cool! Also, ask for help in classes. Many classes in Sophomore year are harder than Freshman year. Being able to talk to your classmates about homework or setting up cycle meetings will help you a lot in classes like Advanced Chemistry or AP World.”

-Teniola Bakare

Junior Advice Bridget Collins calculating in the math wing.

“Rising juniors should take advantage of having teachers on campus. When you don’t understand something, ASK. This is where planning ahead helps out because if you see when you have an upcoming test and don’t understand something, you can plan to meet with a teacher to make sure that by that test comes around, you’re ready for it. Overall, junior year can be seriously stressful, but if you manage your time right, it can become less of a burden and you can enjoy it a bit more.”

- Bridget Collins

Khrishnanand Nair prepares for class.

Senior Advice

“Junior year may seem really hectic, especially with the several activities we engage in all throughout the school year. My advice would be to get on task as fast as possible after finishing up extracurricular activities. There definitely will be some nights when you will stay up late finishing up homework and studying for tests, but as long as you don't procrastinate, junior year will not be too much to handle.”

- Khrishnanand Nair

Ellie Han types a U.S. History paper.

“Use you summer very wisely. As an international student, I went to an SAT academy in Korea and spent the majority of my summer there. I also worked on my college apps because I wanted to spend a good amount of time and effort into my college apps. In additon, I took a season off in fall because I thought it would be tougher on me to work on my college app while also working on my school work.”

- Ellie Han

Jacob Chagoya runs the 1600 at a home track meet.

Comics courtesy of Charley Li

“My advice would be that when college decisions start coming out, don't compare yourself to others. Who gets accepted and who doesn't has no reflection on you as a person, and you should not compare yourself to others. Be happy for your peers and most importantly be grateful and happy for your accomplishments and acceptances.”- Jacob Chagoya

THE SPECTATOR

Features

May 26, 2017

9

Orchestra relocates to the old Student Center

By Jack Selati Staff Writer In the middle of Lake Forest Academy’s campus is the Cressey Center for the Arts. This is the building where students, faculty, and parents can come to watch, perform, shows, and compose music. Previously, when you entered the front lobby of Cressey, you would find chairs and music stands used by the orchestra scattered around. The students frequently used this as a practice area. However, the Lake Forest Academy orchestra has found a room all to themselves in the old Student Center where they can leave their instruments, have more space, and not be interrupted during their rehearsals.

Adam Schlipmann, head of orchestra at Lake Forest Academy, was very excited to move into the old Student Center for many reasons. He was very happy to have their own place to practice because they would be able to leave their instruments and equipment in their own room, without having to clean it up at the end of every practice session.

“It’s nice to not have to move chairs and stands when we have other events,” Schlipmann said in an interview about their move to the old student center.

While Schlipmann liked how orchestra would not have to move their things from room to room anymore in the old Student Center, he did not like some of the aspects of their new location. The sound in the old Student Center is not as good as the sound was in the Cressey lobby. The old Student Center has ceilings that allows the sound to bounce of walls which is not similar to being on stage.

“I do miss the sound of the lobby, because it was almost exactly what you get on stage.” Schlipmann said when com-

Photo by Jack Selati

Members of the orchestra practice one of their pieces for graduation in the old Student Center.

menting on the sound quality in their new room.

A main area of focus for Schlipmann and the orchestra is to better the sound quality in their new room, and they have done this by hanging sound baffles throughout the room to allow the sound to be more similar to what you hear when they are on stage. In Cressey, they were able to have rehearsals in the lobby, which mimicked the sound heard on stage during their concerts. In the end, Schlipmann was still excited to move

into the old Student Center.

An exciting aspect of their new practice space is the multiple quiet spaces, which allowed for one-on-one attention to be given to certain people. They had the old security offices, the old Sonia’s, and the old school store.

“It gives us some storage space that we didn’t have before and some individual practice rooms.” Schlipmann inquired about the Student Center.

Schlipmann was very happy that the

orchestra and its members can have their own individualized practice spaces where they could hone in on certain skills. This allows the orchestra students to have one on one practice sessions, where they can practice their instrument without having the sound of other instruments disturbing them.

While there are still areas in the orchestra’s new home that need improvement.

Schlipmann and the orchestra were very excited with the possibilities for this room.

Inquiring Photographer How do you feel about orchestra leaving the Cressey Center for the Arts and moving into the old Student Center?

“I don’t like it because the lobby was more convenient and the acoustics there were better.”

“I feel pretty good as the lobby can now be cleared for new uses.”

“It is a nice change as being in the middle of Cressey is kind of inconvenient, and it is better to have our own space.”

-Peter Hwang ‘19

-Raymond Yang ‘19

-Rich Park ‘20

“We outgrew our space in the lobby five years ago. Although the acoustics in the lobby were great, we needed a place that was more available to the students.”

-Dr. Monica Palmer All photos by Tyler Medvec

THE SPECTATOR

Features

10

May 26, 2017

New incoming freshmen:

The diverse Class of 2021

By Dieter Villegas and Jasmine Filawo Staff writers Every year, Lake Forest Academy’s Admission Office, led by Dean of Admission Carolyn Gorowski, has to undertake the process of selecting the incoming freshmen class. This upcoming year, LFA will be preparing for the arrival of the largest freshmen class in the school’s history with 96 members. The admission process is well defined as aspiring students had to fill out the application, get teacher recommendations, take standardized tests, undergo an interview, and if they wish, attend a shadow day.

This year, the admission office received more than 700 applications. In the process of selecting the incoming Class of 2021, the admission office tried to hit certain targets, according to Gorowski. These targets were to keep a 50:50 gender ratio, maintain balance between boarding and day students, and accept at least 25% international students. Next year’s ratio will consist of 59:41 day to boarding and 52:48 male to female. Gorowski stated that it was important to try and maintain an even ratio. With these goals in mind, the admission office looked for certain traits in a student.

“We look for students with geographic, racially ethnic, and socioeconomic diver-

sity. That is really important to us because that’s the core of who we are as an institution,” said Gorowski. “Students gain so much from having peers from all different backgrounds in their classes and as friends.”

The new international students will come from: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Thailand, Ukraine, and Vietnam. While the domestic students will come from: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.

In addition, Gorowski claimed that LFA looked for students who can handle the rigor of the institution, as they want to make sure they are successful during their time here. Beyond academic qualifications, the admission office looked at classes, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation to get a complete profile of each applicant. The personal interview is also important. “[During the interview] we get a sense of how they see themselves at the Academy, and we get to know them better,” said Gorowski.

The most important criteria in the admittance of freshman are if they will be a good

fit in the community. The interview, essays, and feedback from shadow days determine this. According to Gorowski, the admission office does not have primary criteria regarding what students to admit. However, they want the class to contribute to all areas of the school.

Gorowski pointed out that aside from the Class of 2021 being the largest class, it also added a new country to the list—Singapore. Interestingly, this incoming student is also a holder of an Australian passport.

Class of 2021 Statistics

List of Countries

Cartoon of a struggling freshman courtesy of Google Images

Also, this class will contain a set of three twins. This year, the overall acceptance rate was 30%. However, with over 300 applicants from China it made the acceptance rate 10% for Chinese students.

In addition, this incoming freshman will be the first class to take part in the new retreat during preseason that LFA is trying to implement to their program.

“I’m really excited to work with them and see their success at LFA,” expressed Gorowski.

Australia Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia France Germany

Hong Kong Malaysia Mexico Russia Singapore Spain South Korea Thailand

Ukraine

Vietnam

List of States California Colorado Florida Illinois Indiana Maryland

Michigan New york Pennsylvania Texas Wisconsin

THE SPECTATOR May 26, 2017

Features

11

A closer look at diversity at LFA

By Shreya Singhvi, Tiffany Filawo, and Elizabeth Christoph Staff writers

Lake Forest Academy has been known to be a school filled with people from different backgrounds. Its efforts to create one of the most diverse campuses for a college preparatory school in the Midwest made it a school where students can find themselves stepping into a different country just talking to someone from Mali, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Turkey, and many of the other countries represented here.

“I feel like LFAdoes a good job of embracing everyone and those differences between everyone,” said junior Shaena Wright.

LFA offers many opportunities to be culturally aware about the world. LFA’s most well-noted way to celebrate all of the cultures is Multicultural Day, a day at LFA solely dedicated to learning about different cultures from peers.

“It helps to open people’s eyes to different ways of seeing, being, living and how we interact with the world. Many different perspectives are the benefits of having a diverse student body,” said Dean of Pluralism & Multicultural Affairs Lusanda Mayikana.

Graphic by Tiffany Filawo

This pie chart shows the makeup of the student body at LFA. While LFA has been able to boost its diversity, it still has a long way to go in order to achieve its goals.

The day begins with community dialogues facilitated by students, focusing on topics ranging from customs and traditions to food and drink. Then, students can enjoy a multicultural fair in which different countries set up booths to educate people and often times give out lots of delicious food. The day comes to an end with

the International Talent Show. Students sing, dance, and show off their cultures.

“I feel like knowledge is power, being aware of what is going on around you is so important and essential towards being diverse and more culturally aware,” said Wright.

Although LFA does its best to be as di-

verse and pluralistic as it can, some students interviewed still felt as though there is room to improve. Some argue that this is up to the student body, while others say the administration needs to make some changes. Certain minorities feel underrepresented, and in certain situations, silenced. While there are enclaves for people to go to such as clubs like BSU and JSU, many feel that the school as a whole must work on being more inclusive. Some students have even made suggestions on how to improve this problem.

“When we are having group projects, we can group people from different countries because sometimes we group people from the same countries and this doesn›t help us grow our knowledge about other countries,” remarked Charley Li. “I used to feel that it was really hard to make friends with people from other countries, but now I feel if you share the same values and interest with someone from a different country, it’s really easy.”

While LFA is still successfully trying to represent more parts of the globe, it surely does give the rights to those already here to speak out for themselves and their heritage.

“I feel like everyone really has a voice here,” stated student Turan Mienville.

Student Union: A great addition to the LFA campus, but is there room for improvement?

By Parker Amoroso and Max Hayes Staff writers

When the construction of the new Student Union was first announced two years ago, speculation and anticipation were everywhere throughout the halls of Lake Forest Academy. With new facilities including ping-pong, pool, and a new cafeteria, the Student Union seemed to offer tons of brand new opportunities for students and faculty alike. But now, as the 2016-2017 school year winds down, the Student Union has just about finished its first full-year of service giving LFA the chance to reflect on the structure. Did the Student Union live up to everything students anticipated? Did it accomplish what it was intended to? Can it be improved?

According to LFA Dean of Students Chris Tennyson, the Student Union was everything he hoped for.

“I think that the Student Union has been everything we wanted it to be.

It’s the hub of the campus, a gathering spot for all students,” said Tennyson.

However, many students were really looking forward to the new dining hall

and, unfortunately, it seemed to fall short.

Long lines and sub-par food compared to that of LFA’s long time cafeteria Hutch have left many students disappointed.

“During 4th through 6th periods, the lines for food just get really long to a point where students are waiting for 15 minutes. There’s got to be a better way to run the cafeteria,” said junior Justin Hone.

On the positive side, according to many students, the Student Union was successful in bringing the LFA community together. With plenty of activities and lots of school-hosted events, the Student Union has been busy throughout the year.

“The Student Union is a wonderful place. Its addition to LFA’s campus has really brought our community together in numerous ways,” said new Senior Class President Tommy Filip.

In the end, regardless of which side one may fall on, there is still lots of time for things to improve, and, according to Tennyson, the school has plans for the future, starting even as soon as next year.

“It’s going to expand next year to also include some new classroom/meeting spaces so this will just make it even bet-

Photo courtesy of Max Hayes

A place to eat, study, and socialize, the Student Union has become a vital part of an LFA student’s experience over the past year.

ter for our community,” said Tennyson.

In the end, it seems like there are plenty of plans for the Student Union, and though

right now few things are certain, it is safe to say that LFA will continue to work to improve the space in the years to come.

May 26, 2017

Sports

12

April rain brings May pains

By Jasper Fisher Staff Writer

The 2017 spring season has been fraught with terrible weather, which proved to be a major issue for many of LFA’s sports teams. Having constant rain for weeks on end stopped many Caxy teams from getting outside for normal day-to-day practices, and it cancelled numerous games. Boys baseball, girls soccer and softball, and both genders of lacrosse have fallen victim to the terrible weather patterns of North Shore Chicago.

According to representatives from each of the teams, anywhere from a quarter to a third of their seasons have been rained out.

Because most LFA sports teams are not members of a league, when games must be canceled because of weather, other schools prioritize re-scheduling league games first making it extraordinarily difficult for LFA teams to regain those games. Boys lacrosse, for example, lost three games on their schedule because of rainouts.

The first solution to a weather problem is practicing indoors elsewhere. That is not usually a practical solution because many indoor facilities are booked in advance and the LFA Athletics staff cannot predict the weather. The only other solutions are The Crown Fitness Center, and the wrestling and dance rooms. Some teams, however, did more working out than actual practicing or playing their sports.

LFA needs another solution for the spring season sports.

Baseball Coach David Wick outlined the issues that both baseball and softball had with the rainy season. Wick claimed from his many years of experience that the greatest issue with a baseball diamond and that form of field is drainage after a storm.

Heavy rainfalls render a diamond useless because of the drainage issues that the field form creates. Wick recommended a turf field to remedy the drainage issues and permit playability in all weather (excluding lightning storms). He also spoke of the difficulty of off-field practice in baseball. A pitcher, according to Wick, needs to practice from of a mound, and while

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug

Sophmore Audrey Mullarkey on the dry soccer pitch. Soccer lost 30% of their season.

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug

During one of the early season games played on a turf field, that was not rained out, Senior Thomas Pinel speaks to coach William Murphy.

there are batting cages on campus, practicing correct pitching is made much harder.

Alexander Gamache, a player on the varsity baseball team spoke of the difficulty of procuring games and practice time during the rainy season. He also felt that a procurement of a turf field, if at all possible, would greatly help the spring season of baseball. Gamache also spoke of the difficulty of re-scheduling games caused by the cancellations.

“Since we are not in a league, we do not take precedence, if a school is choosing between making up a league game versus playing

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug

Senior Alexander Gamache at bat. Baseball lost 45% of games to rain.

LFA. Nine times out of ten they will choose the school in their league,” said Gamache.

Aleeya Sawyer, a player on the varsity girls soccer team claimed that because of rain-outs 10-15% of all games and practices have been canceled since the beginning of the season. She felt that this affected the cohesion and skills development of the team. She recommended turf as a solution to the prevalent weather problem.

Girls Soccer Coach Paul Makovec spoke of the problems in procuring indoor space during bad weather. Other organizations had reserved time at these indoor facili-

Photo courtesy of LFA SmugMug

Sophmore Henry Seebeck in possession of the ball. Lacrosse lost 30% of their season.

ties way in advance, said Makovec. He also mentioned that the girls are often relegated to the weight room and running to attempt and keep up game-style conditioning and that is not optimal. Makovec feels that the best solution for the weather implications is turf, for the girls to play on when the weather goes sour.

Lilah Roth, a player on the softball team spoke of the frustrations experienced by the team in cancellations, nearing almost half of the season. She felt that the constant rain-outs deeply affected the cohesion of the team and that some other solution needs to be reached.

MJ Alexander and Lily Drury, both on the girls lacrosse team, claimed that 45% of games and practices have been missed this season. Yet they both felt that the cohesion and spirit of the team was able to stay positive through those many rain-outs.

Nick Kakavas, a player for the boys lacrosse expressed his frustrations as his first year playing goalie in lacrosse.

“I have played ice hockey forever, so I am used to the team aspects of lacrosse, but for others who might be brand new to team sports it would be kind of difficult to integrate with a season like the one this year.” claimed Kakavas.