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S P E C TAT O R
VOLUME 93 NUMBER 2
1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045
Featured Stories NEWS
Project Pumpkin perfected by Prefects page 3
NEWS
Healthy Choices day to have changes in curriculum page 2 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Grease presents new opportunities for winter musical page 13
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OCTOBER 31, 2014
Co-ax finds new melody amidst suprising changes By Romaer Chopra Editor-in-Chief For Mr. Steve Ryder, faculty sponsor for LFA’s Co-ax band, the time seems right to give the students more leadership within the band. While Ryder remains the sponsor of the band, he greatly surprised many of the members by giving the students a chance to run more of the day- to-day operations on their own. As of now, this is meant to be a semester long experiment, and the band will re-evaluate its status at the end of the semester. Ryder has placed students in charge of things such as scheduling practice, choosing who plays on certain songs, and, to a large extent, choosing the music. While it is an experiment, Ryder believes that the increased leadership has worked very well to this point, but it remains to be seen how the band will perform at its upcoming concerts. “I am still overseeing things, and I may not play in this concert, but I may play in future concerts. We’ll see how this experiment goes; we’ll see how the band runs with more student input and with students running more day- to- day operations,” said Ryder. According to senior Daniel Bunning, the increased leadership came as a surprise to the students, but it was nothing they weren’t prepared for. Bunning recalls a few occasions when Ryder relied on his seniors to run practice, and Bunning believes this has helped prepare them for the current changes.
“We were honestly just really surprised because Mr. Ryder has had that role for so long. But because we had run practice before, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. But at the same time, we miss the quality control that he has because he as so much experience,” said Bunning. During the change, some members of the band have found it as an opportunity to develop new ideas and interests for the band. According to Bunning, the band is considering doing a type of performance with the new club, Bucket Crew. The band also uses
By Brandon Amoroso
“Canvas can help provide a portal to information, a system for faculty and student communication and collaboration. I do not see it as a driving force for our curriculum, but a way in which we can provide students with greater support and organization,” said Schwartz. Quinn Foley, an LFA senior, uses Canvas in his AB Calculus class and can see Canvas in the same way that Schwartz does. “The great thing about Canvas is it lets you have all the information you need for a class all conveniently located in one app, which really allows students to become more organized as they do not have to deal with the clutter of having various papers for the class syllabus, cycle sheets, homework, etc,” said Foley. Despite the general school-wide support for Canvas, a few teachers and stu-
a new rule where half the people playing a song have to approve the song in order for it to be preformed. This was added as a way to guarantee that the band is playing the most popular types of music. The change has also motivated members of the band and created a stronger bond among the existing members. “This being my first year, I didn’t really know the flow of things, but the changes have helped me become more comfortable with the group,” said senior in his first year with the band Lander Braggs.
Senior Lander Braggs sings at Parent’s Weekend concert.
Photo courtesy of Oliver Yuan
Canvas allows new collaboration between students and faculty
OP-ED
Gender inequality: real and prevelant page 5 SPORTS
LFA Soccer ends five year drought against LFHS Scouts page 16
Staff Writer Canvas has been taken in by the LFA community in approximately 25 classes, and has slowly begun to replace GoodReader, iTunesU, Edmodo, Quia and many other learning management systems that LFA teachers have utilized in their classes. Canvas allows teachers and students alike to post assignments, files, grades, and videos seamlessly, connecting student, teacher, and classroom all through technology. Mr. Phil Schwartz, Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, doesn’t see Canvas as being a driving force of the LFA curriculum but sees one of the greatest impacts of Canvas as providing a standard and consistent platform for students to access information regarding their courses.
dents remain a little skeptical of leaving behind their old and reliable ways such as GoodReader. Brian Sheu, Mathematics Teacher, does not use Canvas for any of his classes, instead opting for GoodReader. “I don’t use Canvas because we’ve had so many platforms at this school, so many different ways. I want to see what other teachers think first before I give it a try. I like the S-Drive, it’s a very easy click and drag that the students have access too. Unless I am presented with something that’s better than the S-Drive than that’s what I’ll use,” said Sheu. With all of the many platforms circulating LFA and its’ curriculum, Canvas seems to be one of the more favored options available. As of now, there are no plans to make Canvas a requirement for teachers to use, however.
THE SPECTATOR 2
World News Roundup Compiled by Julia Mills News Editors The Spectator compiles a monthly summary of the current world events. Below are the most pressing issues this month. Ebola vaccine trials begin Alarm continues to grow throughout the World as the fatal Ebola virus spreads rapidly. Since March more than 4,800 have died of Ebola, mainly in West African countries such as Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. The Mali government recently confirmed its first case of Ebola in the country when a two-year girl who arrived from Guinea was diagnosed. The World Health Organization has recognized two experimental vaccines to combat the virus. Trials of the vaccines will be given to more than 200,000 health-care workers. A study is also starting in Guinea in which the blood of Ebola survivors will be used as a treatment or cure. The study will test the transfer of antibodies in the immune system that are used to fight Ebola from a survivor to a patient. Protestors flood Hong Kong The streets of Hong Kong have been flooded with thousands of pro-democracy protestors. A recent Chinese government ruling that declared a nominating committee, dominated by pro Beijing groups, must vet all candidates for Hong Kong’s 2017 chief executive elections has been a major reason for such great protest amongst many Hong Kong citizens who have called it a “fake democracy”. The current Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has angered many protesters by commenting that an entirely democratic election would lead to populist polices in which poorer residents would have a prevailing voice in politics. These remarks caused a large sum of protestors to rally outside the residence of Leung and further criticize his stance on democratic reform. Sources: BBC, The Week
News
Math Lab: By Jason Lee News Editor
Over the summer of 2014, along with the renovation of Corbin and Korhummel, the Math Lab was created in the Science Center basement. Equipped with much standard lab equipment, the Math Lab is predicted to provide the students with hands-on experiences related to mathematics, thereby broadening their scope of learning. Even though it was carried out during the summer of 2014, the plan of creating a Math Lab in school had been considered for a long time, according to Mr. Jeff Bateman, the Mathematics Department Chair. Listening to teachers from the Science Department saying that some of the students were having tough time transferring the mathematics to the science scenarios in the laboratories, the mathematics department felt the need to build a lab for mathematics. Bateman’s empirical insight also added up to fuel the plan. “In today’s current market, if you can do, you can get the job,” said Bateman. Through his personal experi-
ences, Bateman found out that the people that were getting jobs tended to be the people that could do hands-on tasks, use technology, interpret graphs and data, and manipulate practical skills. Therefore, those people were considered more marketable and more competent members of the society. “Let’s get our kids in the lab,” said Bateman, representing the mathematics faculty at the time. “Let them know how the mathematics relates to everything that is going on instead of just being all theoretical.” Currently, the Math Lab has
OCTOBER 31, 2014
Going beyond the confines of a classroom
numerous pieces of Vernier equipment, which is an economical way of being able to do all kinds of measurements, such as pressure, voltage, and velocity. There are also computer interfaces and the laptop cart that could be used when doing the experiments. In addition to that, new pieces of equipment, such as the cycloscope or function generators would soon be ready for use in the Math Lab. Eventually, the Math Lab will be equipped with “all kinds of standard lab equipment that could be found in engineering firms”, according to Bateman.
So far, the entire school has had the chance to do a lab in the Math Lab and both the students and the faculty seem to have positive reactions to the experience. “I think doing labs really helps since the students can do handson activities and it really helps,” said LFA Mathematics instructor Brian Sheu. According to Bateman, there have been several faculty members who have come down to help others. It forms a nice collaboration amongst several faculty members and students, setting an atmosphere for broader, collaborative learning.
Photo by Arthur He
Juniors Graham Erbs and Carolina Borjas recreate the process of examining their results from an experiment.
Healthy Choices Day to have changes in curriculum for 2014 By India Shelley Arts and Entertainment Editor
Every year, the Lake Forest Academy student body gathers together for Healthy Choices Day, a day in which each grade level explores a different topic concerning anything from bullying to leadership. This year, there have been a few changes made to the curriculums in order to create an even more interactive and educational experience for all of the students, in particular, the freshmen and sophomore curriculums. Each curriculum is tailored to work with materials studied each grade’s seminar class. “This allows this allows us to make sure that the seminar curriculum satisfies the health and wellness state mandate requirements,” said Mr. Chris Tennyson, dean of students, “things that
were unable to fit into our curriculum are able to be explored further or introduced on this day.” For example, Sophomore Seminar discusses leadership and service to a greater worldwide community, and this year, LFA is bringing in the Civic Education Project from Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development to discuss communities and how some local communities do not have adequate resources and how students can address those needs. This program differs from previous years in that there will be no concrete planning for the sophomore service project that students organize later in the year. “We’re just talking about ways in which collaboration and leadership really work when you’re working on a project like this,” said Mrs. Sarah Collins, director
of service learning. Collins says that this should translate more effectively to the seminar class and the final service project. Another major change in curriculum is the freshman topic of discussion for Healthy Choices Day. In past years, the day has been focused on nutrition. This year, however, the entire day will be centered on the topic of bullying. The main points of discussion will be the definition of bullying, how to recognize bullying, and will also include the viewing and discussion of the documentary Bullied. “The main thing I would like to accomplish is for the students to realize what bullying is, the full spectrum of what it could be, and to realize how someone else will feel if they say something…that could be hurtful,” said Ms. Valerie Sorenson, language instruc-
tor. Other minor changes have also been made to the senior curriculum which focuses on sleep, nutrition, and healthy relationships in college. These changes include new speakers, including an LFA graduate, coming to discuss these topics with them, plus, CPR and AED training which will satisfy the Illinois state heath requirements. The junior curriculum will be the same as last year, which involves discussions of sexual assault and consent. “(They will be) breaking out by gender and having conversations about consent and what one’s responsibilities in relationships are and all those things,” said Tennyson, “it’s pretty deep.” Tennyson hopes that with the new changes, this year’s Healthy Choices Day will be one of the
THE SPECTATOR
News
OCTOBER 31, 2014
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Illinois economy was highly debated in gubernatorial vote By Kristen Van Tine Managing Editor The polls indicate a close 2014 Illinois gubernatorial race between Republican candidate Bruce Rauner and current Democratic Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. The two candidates have clashed over various political issues in their debates. The primary target demographic of many of the Rauner-Quinn debates has been middle class voters. One issue that will affect the Illinois population is minimum wage, which is currently $8.25 per hour. Rauner was initially in favor of lowering the minimum wage to the federal level of $7.25 per hour in the primary election. However, as of now, Rauner has stated he would like the minimum wage stay where it is currently and would even consider raising it if other business reforms came as a result as well. Quinn is completely supportive of increasing minimum wage. Ideally, Quinn
said the state’s minimum wage should be more than $10 per hour. “An economy must be an economy of inclusion not exclusion that means those who work and work hard 40 hours a week should not have to live in poverty,” Quinn said as quoted by ABC7 in Chicago. Another point of discussion is the Illinois income tax expiration that was issued in 2011. Rauner would like to let this tax increase expire. He claims a graduated income tax, which would raise tax rates for higher-income citizens, would ultimately economically hurt middle class family finances. Quinn, on the other hand, views a graduated income tax plan as simply raising taxes for the richest Illinois residents and lowering taxes for middle class families. Although the altering the state constitution is ultimately in the hands of lawmakers and voters, the candidates continue to make this a point of conflict. Outside of political debate, the two gubernatorial candidates
spar on a personal level, individually attacking one another. Quinn argues that Rauner is out of touch with the population, since he is technically in the “1%” of America possessing the most wealth. Repeatedly, Quinn associates Rauner’s personal earnings to his ability to address income inequality. Rauner claims Quinn is corrupt and holds many similarities to former Illi-
A group of AJK students trick-or-treat throughout Corbin in 2012.
violence in Chicago. Chicago is the largest Illinois city, and the intercity problems should be discussed on the state level,” said History Teacher Suzy Vaughn. “The candidate who can most successfully address economic issues should be supported. Illinois’ major issues right now all revolve around the economy,” said History Department Chair Christopher Dozois.
Photo courtesy of chicagotribune.com
Republican candidate Bruce Rauner and current Democratic Illinois Governor Pat Quinn debate their opinions.
Project Pumpkin perfected by prefects By Julia Mills News Editor
Photo courtesy of Hillary Werner
nois Governor Rod Blagojevich. “He [Quinn] is the worst governor in America, he has failed the people of Illinois, we [Rauner’s campaign] are going to hit him hard,” said Rauner as quoted by ABC7 in Chicago. LFA teachers display a variety of viewpoints regarding the gubernatorial race. “The candidates should be more focused on controlling the
Halloween is almost here, and at Lake Forest Academy that means one thing: Project Pumpkin. For the past six years LFA has provided students from the A.J. Katzenmaier Elementary School of North Chicago with a fun, safe and unique way to celebrate their Halloween. The annual celebration welcomes AJK students onto LFA’s campus for a night of Halloween- related activities ranging from trick-or-treating in Corbin to scary story telling in Atlass Dorm. This year’s community service event took place this past Thursday and was most definitely an exciting experience for all of the AJK and LFA students who participated. Project Pumpkin was started almost a decade ago at LFA as a community service opportunity for the whole school to get in-
volved in. Elementary school students in the afterschool program at AJK were given the opportunity to participate in the project and come to LFA’s campus to celebrate Halloween. The prefects run the project in conjunction with Literacy Corps and whomever wishes to volunteer. This year,s Project Pumpkin student leaders were Evan Walters, Jennifer Ma, Cece Boles and Darlene Ineza. “Project Pumpkin distinguishes itself in that it is a community service opportunity that is not only hosted on the LFA campus, but also engages the campus facilities,” said Walters. The project encompassed virtually the whole school. When AJK students arrived on LFA’s campus they were separated into different groups headed by student volunteers and got to trick-or-treat throughout Corbin, eat dinner in Hutch, do art and crafts in Reid, and listen to spooky stories in the
Atlass Dorm. “It is nice to come here and have it be nice and light and playful,” says Mrs. Kate Jones, Assistant Dean of Students, who helps to arrange the project, in regard to the benefits that Project Pumpkin provides The myriads of activities organized kept the entire night entertaining and exciting. Students were given the opportunity to decorate a bag they could trickor-treat with and use to collect candy throughout the night. Other arts and crafts activities included mask and pumpkin decorating in Reid Hall, and “Hutch Punch”. After a fun afternoon of crafts and collecting candy AJK students got to enjoy a delicious Hutch meal, provided by Sodexo, and fun stories told by Atlass Dorm members. The coordinated Halloween party was a fun, stress-free event and a safe way for AJK kids to celebrate the special holiday.
THE SPECTATOR 4
Opinion and Editorial
OCTOBER 31, 2014
Personal Opinion: Harrasment is the new brutality By Matt Filip Senior Op-Ed Editor Just raise our taxes. That’s the takeaway I arrive at more and more as I read about the various escapades of our nation’s police forces. Increasingly law enforcement is being used as a de facto fund-raising mechanism for our nation’s various levels of government. Have you ever heard of asset forfeiture? If the police can provide anything resembling proof that your property was involved in a drug offense they can straight up seize it and sell it. The burden of proof is on you, the theoretically-still person, to prove that your stuff wasn’t related to drugs. This isn’t a rarely used rule either, and it isn’t applied once someone is proven guilty of selling crack to a toddler. Some estimate that asset forfeiture is approaching $2 billion dollars annually, seized by the government from people who do not even have to be charged with, much less convicted of, a crime. Asset forfeiture records are broken by
states on a consistent basis. It’s a new way for cash-strapped governments to raise money quickly, and if you oppose it, well suddenly you’ve become soft on crime. No one wants to be labeled soft on crime. In some states there isn’t even a warrant required, a state official just needs to be able to prove “probable cause” to take your property. It’s no coincidence that now, in an environment in which it is politically toxic to suggest raising taxes, especially on the wealthy, governments are turning towards backdoor ways of raising money. The state, or at least aspects of the state, are in no way doing this to promote safety. Cutting the length of yellow lights has been shown to increase accident risk dramatically and red light cameras have not yet been proven to stop accidents, but they have been proven to create many more tickets. Some tickets have literally hundreds of dollars of fees attached to them by the courts, the towns, the state, and that means pretty
much anyone involved can have a hand in the cookie jar. These revenue streams are becoming more and more crucial for the job security of the people theoretically in charge of enforcing our laws objectively. To say nothing of the fact that such ticketing (made famous by NYC Police Commissioner Bratton’s “broken windows” theory in the 90’s) disproportionately targets the young, the poor, and minorities. Traditionally disad-
vantaged groups are being targeted by the state in an effort to raise funds without having to call it taxes. In some (mostly poor, mostly black) cities there are more warrants (usually for unpaid bills) than there are residents. The rich can afford to pay off these tickets and just move on. It’s hard to ask hundreds of dollars of someone at or below the poverty line, and if you don’t pay the government is an amazing debt collector. You can get a warrant for
your arrest placed, barring you from many jobs or programs that would help lift you from poverty. Police brutality, the breaching of our right to protest, and police militarization are all frightening issues completely worthy of every bit of outrage and coverage they get, but they are the tip of the iceberg. Big parts of the system are fundamentally broken. It goes so much deeper than Ferguson.
Photo by The Guardian
Strictly enforced speed limits, like shown above, are used to produce revenue in many towns.
Inquiring Photographer
What does the LFA student body think of healthy choices day? The Spectator went out to hear what the LFA community had to say.
“Healthy choices day is very informative (during freshman year) to learn about the school and choices that we can make.” -Zhuri Bryant
“Healthy choices day is good. People need to make wise choices. And, we are taught how to make those specific choices during various sessions on the day.” -John Pan
“It’s a really important thing for us to learn about sexual assault not only for college but for the rest of our adult lives.” - Maria Pereira
“Healthy Choices Day is a lot of fun, but there are many things I can’t remember so I think it can be improved.” -Zoe Lewis
“Healthy choices day isn’t very effective since no one takes it seriously.” -Allison Torres
“I don’t remember any healthy choices day because it wasn’t valuable at all.” -Kevin Lu
THE SPECTATOR
Opinion and Editorial
OCTOBER 31, 2014
Editorial
T h e L a k e A c a d e m y
Healthy Choices Day Healthy Choices Day has been both rejoiced and bemoaned by the students at Lake Forest Academy, but here at The Spectator, we love Healthy Choices Day. Besides the obvious— an extra night to do homework, a day without classes, and a late start of 8:40 am— HCD offers discussion topics that all students can participate in, learn from, and appreciate, even if they don’t initially realize the benefits of the special schedule. Each topic is designed to supplement the grade’s student seminar syllabus. Freshmen focus on a variety of health topics, including drug awareness, nutrition, and physical wellness. Colorful speakers keep the classes fresh and interesting. Physical wellness is taught by hosting a yoga class in the garden room, a good way to distress and unwind. Sophomores focus on leadership, but The Spectator isn’t
a fan of this topic. While proper leadership skills are useful and can easily be taught, the sophomores don’t truly learn anything. In past years, a group called the Global Youth Leadership Institute has come to LFA, but their presentation is more of a sales pitch to recruit students than it is information on how to be a good leader in the community. This year, Northwestern University’s Civic Education group is coming to campus, and hopefully their new curriculum will teach the sophomore class useful skills. Juniors have the shocking but necessary sexual assault conversation. With college in their future and with maturity, it is important for both boys and girls to understand the law and rules of consent. The somewhat heavy conversation is supplemented by the serious additional topic of sexuality and defining gender. Seniors, with college preparation in mind, discuss and learn
about issues such as personal addiction, binge drinking, and street smarts. At the risk of sounding too cheesy or like a lecturing parent, The Spectator believes that the lessons learned are necessary and taught well with engaging speakers and activities. HCD is coming up in a few days. We urge students to take advantage of all that the school offers, starting with the half hour of extra sleep. An interesting power point speaker who tends to be a member of the community starts off the day, followed by an extended advisory allowing for thoughtful discussion. LFA has special schedules for a reason, be it PSAT days or HCD. Taking a day off of traditional education is a nice break, but keep in mind that we are still learning, and these are sensitive lessons that can be difficult to teach in a classroom. Enjoy your healthy choices day!
Personal Opinion Gender inequality: real and prevalent By Sophie Hanson Senior Features Editor When actress Emma Watson announced her “He For She” campaign to the General Assembly of the United Nations, my chest swelled with pride, though I only knew her through her films. It was moving to see an internationally renowned woman not only speak for women’s rights, but clarify the need for men to get involved in the struggle for gender equality. The first time I became aware of the disparity between the genders was when I was 11 years old. Myself and the other girls in my Tae Kwon Do class were taken aside and instructed to shout ‘fire’ instead of ‘rape’ if we were ever approached by a sexual predator. It was explained that passersby often dismissed shouts of ‘rape’ as jokes, or considered such pleas irrelevant. That lesson has stuck with me, mostly because I found it incredibly disturbing. It mirrors the fact that many people, both men
and women, deny or downplay the existence of gender inequity. This is known as antifeminism. While the United States has come far since the days when women could not vote, own property, or divorce their partners, we are startlingly archaic in our treatment of women in the media, workforce, and daily life. American women have a onein-five chance of being sexually assaulted in their lifetime. That means 40 of the roughly 200 female students at LFA will be sexually abused before they die. Additionally, women in the United States still earn only three fourths of what their male counterparts make yearly for the same amount of work. In the media, particularly in comic books and action movies, women are often reduced to objects of sexual desire. Even the women who are portrayed as headstrong must be physically attractive in order to balance their demanding personality, otherwise they
are simply considered obnoxious. Across the world, misogyny has taken a terrible toll. Only six months ago more than 200 Nigerian school girls were kidnapped by the terrorist organization Boko Haram simply for attending school. Gender inequality doubtlessly exists, and you don’t need to look far to see it. As the movement has grown, the definition of feminism has become somewhat twisted, inclining people to either ignore or degrade it. Harmful terms like “feminazi” are tossed around as jokes. To be clear, feminism is the belief that men and women should be treated with equal respect, and provided equal opportunities. It does not involve women replacing men at the ‘top’ of society, nor does it condone misandry. It is a sect of basic human rights, one that all men and women should concern themselves with and in which they should be involved.
5 F o r e s t
S P E C TAT O R
STAFF LIST Editors-in-Chief Managing Editors
News Editors
Senior Features Editors Senior Op-Ed Editor Op-Ed Editors Senior A&E Editor A&E Editor Senior Sports Editor Sports Editor Staff Writer Faculty Adviser
Romaer Chopra Jordan Wolff Amanda Bozorgi Allison Hechtman Michael Phillips Kristen Van Tine Tori Koontz Catherine Kvam Jason Lee Julia Mills Sophie Hanson Aban Yaqub Matt Filip Arthur He Joseph Kim Madison Olivieri India Shelley Ned Kennedy Ryan Wong Brandon Amoroso William Murphy
PUBLICATION
The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Lake Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.
EDITORIALS Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Mr. Murphy at wmurphy@lfanet.org.
AWARDS The Spectator has been awarded several prestigious journalism awards in recent years. It has consistently taken first place in competitions against schools of similar size held by the American Scholastic Press Association and the Kempler Moraine Press Association.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“The courage in journalism is sticking up for the unpopular, not the popular.” -Geraldo Rivera
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Features
OCTOBER 31, 2014
ber: Your own private driver By Jordan Wolff Editor-in-Chief The current battle between ride sharing services Uber and Lyft has produced a large amount of publicity. Uber, founded in 2009, received over $1.2 billion in venture capital back in June. Lyft has raised a total of $335 million since 2007. With its capital, Uber has slashed prices, creating a hostile war with Lyft, and, unintentionally, with taxi services. Uber has been accused of canceling thousands of rides with Lyft drivers—causing a decrease in revenue— and stealing taxi business. But despite the negative accusations against Uber, named USA Today’s tech company of 2013, it remains the most popular riding sharing service. Uber is an app that could be very useful to LFA students visiting Chicago. The service is like your own personal driver. You wait inside a building or stand on the street corner, use the convenient app to contact a driver, and watch your driver approach through the app. Once you get in the car, you tell the driver where you’re going and, upon arrival, you just step out of the car. Uber is simple, convenient, and safe. I traveled down to the city of Chicago on September 6, 2014 to test the Uber service. Uber has four levels of service: UberX, UberTaxi, UberBlack, and UberLux, all of which use Uber’s app to match drivers and riders. The different levels of service translate to nicer cars, but also higher prices. When using UberX, a rider will get picked up in an entry-level sedan, such as a Honda Accord; UberTaxi picks up riders in taxicabs. UberBlack and UberLux transport riders in luxury sedans and SUVs. During my trip to the city, I was able to test UberX, UberTaxi, and UberBlack. My experience with all three levels of service was incredible. The drivers always arrived on time and called me to make sure they were picking me up in the right location. The drivers often opened the door for me and provided complimentary bottled water. They were courteous and friendly, and made an effort to get to know me as a passenger. The drivers always got me to my destination on time and, most importantly, safely. Uber drivers have to go through a full day of background tests and interviews. In addition, they’re required to have their car checked to make sure it passes all of the necessary safety precautions. Uber drivers are mandated to drive cars that are no older than model year 2004, and are also
only allowed to pick up riders through the app. But, despite the amount of regulation, Uber drivers are very pleased with the company. “The best part of the service is the convenience. I can work whenever I want, wherever I want. Uber pays its drivers weekly, and takes 25% of our earnings, but I never have to wait very long between rides and I have a frequent amount of business,” said Anis, an UberBlack driver. Many drivers are earning more money with Uber than they were with conventional taxi companies. According to the Washington Post, UberX drivers can make
Photo courtesy of Scott Wolff
Senior Jordan Wolff watches the Uber app as his driver approaches his destination.
not tip my through the app, and they have to tip me in cash. And when I don’t have
Photo courtesy of Scott Wolff
Jordan Wolff steps into an Uber Black car. The service is now in over two hundred cities.
up to $90,000 a year. Considering the price of an UberBlack is almost twice as much as UberX, black drivers could make significantly more. “Uber can cost 60% less than a taxi cab, which actually causes more people to use the Uber service. Uber always has a promotion going on, which makes more people want to use the service as well. This translates to more business for me, and I make a lot more money driving for Uber than I did when I drove for a taxi company,” said Ahmad, and UberX driver. The Uber service however is not perfect. For instance, riders cannot tip their driver through the app, which causes problems because most drivers do not carry cash for safety purposes. “I use Uber about 70% of the time I am working. 95% of my clients are businessmen, who want to tip me. The worst part about the service is that these riders can-
any cash, it can make receiving a tip difficult,” said Mihai, an UberBlack driver. Another way drivers use Uber is as a supplement to a normal taxi company. This allows them to fill open time with guaranteed rides, and save them money on gas fees. “I drive Uber and two different taxi services from 4am to 4pm. Before I had Uber I used to drive around the city, waiting for somebody to flag down a ride. But now, I can constantly watch my app for when people need rides, and as soon as I drop someone off, I can go to my next ride. Uber is really good for supplementing my normal taxi rides and I am making good money since I started using the service,” said Jacob, an UberTaxi driver. Overall, both riders and drivers love the Uber service. As a result the service is gaining popularity all across the United States and is expanding worldwide (they’re already in 45 countries). According to Travis Kalanick, Uber’s CEO, revenue is doubling every six months. If this trend holds true, watch out for Uber to revolutionize the way people travel.
THE SPECTATOR
Features
OCTOBER 31, 2014
7
The Spectator staff visit to bird rescue center in Northbrook deemed a success By Michael Phillips and Jordan Wolff Staff Writers On the outside, it appears to be a regular house in a quiet Northbrook neighborhood. Inside, all is quiet until the soundproof doors are opened and the cacophony of 50-70 exotic birds screeching with excitement bgeins. Working as a non-profit organization with the primary mission of educating the public about the proper care of exotic birds, A Refuge For Saving Wildlife Incorporated certainly has its hands full working 24/7 to provide these birds with shelter, food, and love. Executive Director Richard Weiner, a police officer in Glencoe for almost 30 years, used to be seen driving around with Ninja—his umbrella cockatoo—and shortly after began receiving numerous requests from people who could no longer take care of their birds. “After seven [permanent residents], he realized financially that he couldn’t afford to keep bringing in peoples’ birds, and he started the not-for- profit rescue,” said his wife Karen Weiner. Richard and Karen actually met back in 2003 when she was looking to adopt another bird. “We got married in 2009,” said Karen. “And that’s what got me into it. I already had birds before, but I got brought into the
[rescue] situation. That’s how it all started.” The Spectator traveled to Northbrook, Illinois to interact with the birds and learn about the bird rescue. The experience was awesome! Karen, the head of the day-to-day operations of the bird rescue, greeted us. We started by interacting directly with the birds. As we entered the area where they keep the birds, a soundproofed addition to their home, the birds began greeting us with the beautiful, and loud, calls. The Weiners have 67 birds housed in their addition, about 20 of which are their own personal birds. Mrs. Weiner took some of the birds out of their cages and allowed us to hold and play with them. The birds really enjoyed perching on our shoulders! She walked us around the space explaining the different species of birds they have and how she cares for them. The Weiners have been bird owners for almost 25 years and are incredibly enthusiastic about the work they do. There are so many birds that cannot find proper homes, and the service they provide is no doubt essential. The experience of being able to interact and observe exotic birds was incredible. A Refuge For Saving Wildlife Incorporated accepts volunteers, so if you’re looking for a fun weekend activity, or a community service option, the birds are a great opportunity.
Michael Phillips ‘15 plays with an cockatoo with a heart condition.
Photo by Jordan Wolff
Photo by Michael Phillips
Jordan Wolff ‘15 allows Prince, the first bird rescued by the organization, to perch on his hand. Prince lost the lower portion of his beak in an injury.
Birds at the rescue center range from exotic breed to indigenous owls.
Photo by Michael Phillips
THE SPECTATOR
Features
The Pumpkin 8
ByAmanda Bozorgi Managing Editor
The Pumpkin Spice craze has gripped the United States, and Lake Forest Academy, tightly. It is hard to turn a corner without catching sight of the autumn flavor lurking in each fall-themed Starbucks cup, or recently in more unusual food products. Pumpkin Spice hysteria can be traced back to 2003 when the coffee chain giant released its iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte, fondly known by its more devoted fans as the PSL. In fact, the acronym PSL was even trademarked by Starbucks in 2013. The idea was born when the marketing group at Starbucks was searching for a new fall flavor to follow up the booming success of their festive Peppermint Mocha. They put together a preliminary list of flavors that evoked feelings of fall and released them in a poll to customers. Some of the options included chocolate and caramel variations, as well as a pumpkin pie latte. The pumpkin pie latte flavor was ranked near the bottom of these flavors once the poll was returned. Despite its disappointing start, the pumpkin pie idea was pushed through and went through several experiments, at which point the pie part was dropped, and spice was added. In fact, the PSL contains no real pumpkin at all, just a pumpkin flavoring of sorts. Starbucks also markets its Gingerbread Latte towards its steady flow of cold weather and holiday season customers. However, neither the popular Peppermint Mocha or the Gingerbread Latte enjoy the sky-rocketing popularity of the PSL. The Pumpkin Spice beverage took off, and Starbucks has sold more than 200 million PSLs since their launch in 2003. Today, the drink sells for $5 for a Grande, and has accounted for at least $800 million of Starbucks’ revenue since its release. In fact, in 2013 Starbucks saw an increase of 7% in overall sales during the quarter when PSLs were offered. The fall drink enjoys an incredibly expansive following. T-shirts, posters, phone cases, and even pet costumes feature the PSL, and Twitter and other social media practically explode from excitement every time the drink’s seasonal debut is around the corner. There is even an entire Twitter dedicated to the PSL, as well as several Facebook pages and even a Buzzfeed article titled, “16 Fall Outfit Ideas That Go Great With a Pumpkin Spice Latte,” with a slightly mocking tone. As with any trend, there were immediately hundreds of brands swooping in to get their slice of the Pumpkin Spice pie. Pumpkin Spice food items crowd grocery stores,
from the delicious to the odd. For example, it is possible to find pumpkin spice bagels, with pumpkin spice cream cheese of course, and even Pringles has released a pumpkin spice flavored potato chip. Oreos, Hershey Kisses, and others have all jumped on the Pumpkin Spice bandwagon. Pumpkin Spice gum has begun to show up, and even Pumpkin Spice flavored alcohol. But what is Pumpkin Spice exactly? Although many claim to adore the spice and its aromic qualities, not many can name what constitutes Pumpkin Spice. The Old Farmer’s Almanac defines it as a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and
OCTOBER 31, 2014
allspice. The well-known spice brand, McCormick, even sells their own blend of Pumpkin Spice. Pumpkin Spice has infiltrated the world beyond food items as well. The fragrance especially seems to have taken a hold of the population. It is becoming hard to find anything fall-themed that is not pumpkin spiced. Candles, air fresheners, car fresheners, and even shampoo and lotion can all is found in Pumpkin Spice variations. One company, La Dolce Vita, sold on Etsy, even boasts Pumpkin Spice scented deodorant. Although some may argue that the Pumpkin Spice trend has gone to far, it is impos-
sible to ignore. Pumpkin Spice is here, and it does not seem to be going away anytime in the near future. Or, so it seems. The Huffington Post has reported that Starbucks plans to release its first new holiday drink in five years. The new beverage is set to be released on Novermber 12th of this year, and it will be named the Chestnut Praline Latte. The title practically screams Christmas, and Mashable speculates whether this latte will take down the infamous PSL. Only time will tell. Infographic by Jordan Wolff
All nutrition information is for a Grande PSL.
THE SPECTATOR
Features
Spice Craze
OCTOBER 31, 2014
What does LFA think?
“The Pumpkin Spice Latte is average. You can’t have a whole cup of it, otherwise you feel sick.” -Justine Felitto, ‘15
“I like the flavor of pumpkin, but I haven’t tried the Pumpkin Spice Latte. My favorite dish with pumpkin is pumpkin pie.” -Daniel Chia, ‘18
9
The Best and Worst of Pumpkin Spice Best: Worst: 1. Eggo Pumpkin Spice waffles 2. Einstein’s Pumpkin Spice cream cheese 3.Thomas’ Pumpkin Spice english muffins 4. Quaker Pumk i n Spice instant oatmeal 5. Nestle Tollhouse pumpkin flavored chocolate chips
1. Pringles pumpkin pie spice potato chips 2. La Dolce Vita vegetable protein Pumpkin Spice deodorant 3. Pumpkin Spice Jell-O 4. Wrigley’s Extra Pumpkin Spice chewing gum 5. Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Photo courtesy of augustafreepress.com
“I might have tried it in high school. I try to stay away from artificial flavoring. I like Trader Joe’s pumpkin mochi; they’re really good.” -Emily Asher, English teacher
“I have not tried [the Pumpkin Spice Latte]. I don’t like pumpkin flavor, but I prefer chocolate flavoring.” -Gaston Adam, ‘16
“At first it was good, but then I didn’t like it. It kind of tasted like a candle.” -Shreya Singhvi, ‘18
“I thought it was great, the flavor tastes a lot like cinnamon.” -Kendall Logan, ‘16
“It was not very flavorful; I was expecting a stronger pumpkin flavor.” -Maya Lieberman, ‘18
“I don’t know what it is. I don’t eat a lot of pumpkin, just pumkin pie.” -Sonia De Castro, manager of Sonia’s Cafe Compiled by Jordan Wolff
For more information on this issue, visit The Spectator online at www.caxynews.com.
Page compiled by Jordan Wolff Amanda Bozorgi, and Allison Hechtman
THE SPECTATOR 10
Features
OCTOBER 31, 2014
A monthly review on refreshing new apps worth swiping through
Kim Kardashian-West game very lucrative
By Aban Yaqub Senior Features Editor “My photo shoot ends in 5 minutes!” and “my manager will not stop calling me” can now be heard as students sit in Hutch or their dorm room, with the recent launch of the “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” app, created with the partnership between style icon and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian-West, and administrators of Glu, a top mobile game publisher. Released during the summer, “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” became an instant success as millions of people, both men and women of various age ranges, took a dip into life as Kim Kardashain-West. After having only been available on the App Store for four months, the game has made more than $50 million and topped charts worldwide as an international hit, according to VentureBeat. The interactive role-play app allows users to rise to stardom alongside Kim Kardashian-West. The objective of the game is
to achieve prominent celebrity status, and with Kim’s help, players rise within the levels of the game’s social hierarchy of the E-list to the A-list, as they complete multiple tasks to amp their lives as a socialite. Activities range from attending photo shoots and filming television scenes, to frequenting exclusive promotional parties, thus gaining publicity and fans. Users can also go on dates, take selfies, and even get married, mirroring Kim’s activities. Players start out as a sales associate at a clothing shop in downtown Los Angeles, where they meet Kim on a chance occurrence during which they do her a favor, and in return, become Kim’s apprentice. The player is taken under the wings of managers Simon and Maria, who coordinate the player’s social life.
Photo courtesy by android.mob.org
Players of the “Kim Kardashian-Hollywood” can complete tasks to gain fans, such as attending photo shoots, filming television scenes, or walking the runway.
“I am your friend taking you through your journey to become an A-lister…You pick your friends, you pick your clothes, it’s just a fun little game,” commented Kardashian-West on the app. In accordance with the Kardashian name
“K” trademark, users “kustomize” their avatars with classic features such as gender, and also finer traits, which include brow shape, lipstick shade, and eyeliner thickness, in resonance with the expected glamour associated with the Kardashian brand. In addition, outfits, accessories, and hairstyles, either handpicked by Kim herself, or worn by her or her sisters, can be purchased and also gifted to other users, using the monetary system of the game. Units of standard cash and the more rewarding “K Stars” can be earned by completing tasks central to improving the player’s image within the public eye.
Since the release of the game, “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” now spans locations like Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Punta Mita, Paris, London, and Sydney, where players can purchase and furnish condominiums and villas, as they work their way to international celebrity status. Whether jet setting around the globe or walking the runway in company, users are granted an extension of their fifteen minutes of fame under the light of Kim Kardashian, a chance distinguishable from any other role-playing games the App Store has seen.
as many DVDs per month for less than $8—from a monetary perspective, there’s no denying that Netflix has the advantage. “[Netflix] is just easier,” said senior Cece Boles. “You’re just in your house on your computer instead of hav-
ing to spend money to go to a movie.” Boles also added that she would be willing to wait a few extra months for a movie in theaters to make its way on to Netflix. The sporting world is going through the same trend, but for reasons divergent
from the obstacles facing the movie industry. According to telecompetitor.org, at least 77% of American households have at least one High Definition TV. “HD is no longer an option—it’s the only option,” said College Football Lead Writer Adam Kramer of bleacherreport.com. With the visual and audio quality of televisions growing exponentially, sports-goers no longer feel that the best sports experience occurs inside the stadium itself. “I consider myself a diehard sports fan,” said junior Hampden Keil. “But when it’s cold and windy, it’s only fun at the game for ten minutes. Why wouldn’t you choose to be sitting inside where there is heat and you are with your friends watching the game?” Both industries have acknowledged the attendance problems with their audiences, but have yet to come up with a solution that is advantageous to both parties. There is certainly no lack of investment by viewers, but neither of these businesses would deny the obstacles they face in recouping their audiences.
Does technology hur t the movie and sports industries? LFA students react By Michael Phillips Managing Editor Movie theaters and major sporting events have an attendance problem. Not an interest problem, but a convenience problem. In today’s technologically advanced world of 2014, it is all too easy to stay home and watch exactly the same material one would see at a theater or sports stadium as they would on their own computer or television. Most students at LFA now use Netflix—a website where people can either stream TV shows and movies straight from their computers or have DVDs and Blu-ray Discs delivered to their houses. With the rise of Netflix, many moviegoers have now forgone going to the theaters altogether in exchange for a movie that they can watch in the comfort of their own homes, and while convenience certainly is a factor, the financial perspective is just as telling. According to slashfilm.com, the average cost of a single movie ticket is $8.38. Now compare that to Netflix’s DVD exchange plan where users can have
Photo by Tori Koontz Junior Sam Longley stays in her dorm room in Macintosh to watch a comedy show on Netflix.
THE SPECTATOR OCTOBER 31, 2014
Features
11
Ukrainian students respond to recent Russian involvement By Catherine Kyam News Editor The media has been carrying daily images the fighting between Ukrainian soldiers and pro-Russian separatists. In the wake of recent events in Ukraine, LFA students Dima Zaiets and Viecheslav Troshchenko recently took time with The Spectator to reflect on the political upheaval’s impact on their lives, as well as their families’. “There is a clear aggression from Russia. The war is real in the eastern part of Ukraine. Russian mercenaries are destroying infrastructure in there. I have never thought that our closest friends can do these horrible things,” said Zaiets. Questions of civil war continued to arise as pro-Russian protestors took over key government offices of Eastern Ukraine.
Earlier this year, Russia seized the Crimea from Ukraine and held an illegal vote which allowed the people to decide their citizenship. “Right now in eastern Ukraine we have so called peace with the terroristic pro-Russian organizations (DNR, LNR), but Mariupol and villages around are being bombed. The Ukrainian army still controls the airport in Donetsk, but they are surrounded,” said Troshchenko. “There is a tension between Russia and all the other ex-USSR countries. There is a reason Russia is called the prison of nations.” These feelings have existed for a long time, dating back to the Soviet Union. Additionally, Troshchenko’s brother is in the Ukrainian Army, and he is currently stationed in Western Ukraine. He
Caxy Match
Photo taken by Amanda Bozorgi
Photo courtesy of freshprince.wikia.com
The Spectator staff agrees that freshman Jelani Nicol distinctly resembles actor Alfonso Ribiero, who is well known for playing the preppy, eldest son, Carlton Banks, on the hit 90’s show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.
Photo by Arthur He
Ukrainian student Dima Zaiets ‘18 (left) discusses the Ukrainain crisis from his perspective with Warner dorm parent Mr. Smith (right).
and his family endured the disorder of the Ukrainian revolution. “During the revolution my family was scared because of the chaos which occurred in (Kiev) and nearby,” said Troshchenko. In February, protests increased in violence to call for the removal of then President Viktor Yanukovych. Since then, several adjustments have been made to the Ukrainian government. “The government became more democratic and pro-European. People chose the new president who seems like a good leader. There are parliament elections right now,” said Troshchenko. Zaiets and Troschenko have similar opinions on the measures that need to be taken to avoid further conflict and resolve current issues.
“(The) Ukrainian government did everything they could, but it’s all about Russia,” said Zaiets. Troschenko feels that Ukraine should be assisted regarding monetary issues. Ukraine’s economy continues to feel the burden of war. “Ukraine should get help from other countries to resolve the economic gap problems,” said Troshchenko. “I think that it would be good if the US directly involves itself in the situation but let’s be realistic- nobody wants to start a new war. Also, the US already helps Ukraine a lot whereas the EU cares more about the export of gas from Russia. I don’t really judge them for that.” “The World can see the truth about Russia,” said Zaiets.
THE SPECTATOR 12
Arts and Entertainment
Date Night
OCTOBER 31, 2014
With Amanda Bozorgi and Allison Hechtman
Pinstripes hits a strike for date night By Amanda Bozorgi and Allison Hechtman Managing Editors What better combination is there than bocce, bowling, and good food? This month, we took our date night to Pinstripes, the popular bowling and bocce center located in Northbrook. With a quick drive of thirty minutes, we spent our time blasting tunes. Our favorite song right now is Watch Out For This by Major Lazer, which, we have to admit, is a bit lacking in romance. Allison and I made up for that lack of romantic mood by staring deeply into each other’s eyes in between bowling rounds. Upon arrival, we checked in for our reservation. The hostess was rather rude, possibly due to our age, but all of
the other staff was hospitable. We were given bowling shoes and a lane. Allison’s already small feet looked even smaller in bowling shoes! We boasted to each other about our bowling skills and then proceeded to put the bumpers up. A useful feature at Pinstripes is the ability to change settings for the lane per player, meaning that if one player prefers no bumpers, it is customizable so that bumpers are either up or down depending on which player has their turn. On the lane two over from us, kids were having a birthday party. Allison went to Pinstripes for birthday parties quite often when she was younger. The kids were not too loud and although
they rough-housed, they stayed in their area. To be honest, we were hoping for o n e of them to come bug us and for
t h e parents to send us an apology by means of their delicious looking cake. Every two lanes are put to- gether, sharing a ball return and a common area furnished with comfy leather couches and a coffee table. Each lane had its own individual screen. The coffee table has a nice cubby area underneath, perfect for stashing shoes and jackets. Luckily, no one was in the lane sharing our common area. We feel that it would be a bit awkward to have to share a table with strangers, especially if food is ordered. It’s hard to avoid uncomfortable eye contact when eating across a small table from complete strangers. Amanda started off with a strike, while Allison followed with a spare. After the first round, we ordered dinner. The service was quick and the food arrived piping hot from the oven. Allison enjoyed a grilled vegetable flatbread while Amanda dined on a chicken avocado flatbread. Other tempting menu items included an open-faced grilled salmon sandwich and an apple and brussels sprout salad. Photo by Amanda Bozorgi Although no dessert was ordered, the Amanda’s chicken flatbread (left) was savory and filling, while Allison’s vegetarian flatbread menu provided a few options, includ(right) was sweetened with caramalized onions.
ing s’mores, cheesecake, and bread pudding. We played and dined interchangeably, noting the high quality, as well as
freshness, of our food. It makes sense that Pinstripes would have good food because they also boast a fully functioning individual restaurant with a slightly expanded list of food, and, for our adults out there, an impressive wine list. However, we would not recommend Pinstripes if the date is solely dinner, due to its lack of dining atmosphere. After 10 rounds that were nearly neck and neck, we ended up with a score of 98 to 108, proving Amanda’s superiority, although Allison insists it was due to a lucky spare. Allison was also treated to an undeserved strike in the middle of the game, due to a glitch in the computer. We did not play bocce ball, but the four large bocce courts looked nice. A few were filled with adults who were wining and dining, with some recreational bocce on the side. The bathrooms were nice and clean, always a bonus for any date location. We found the building easy to get to and the parking lot easy to navigate, as well as large enough to provide everyone with a parking spot. The location of Pinstripes also makes it very easy for a Friday night destination after school. Pinstripes is a great date location for casual fun without the extreme casualness of your local bowling alley and with delicious food.
VERDICT: Pinstripes offers great food and casual fun for everyone, and is without a doubt a must try for any date night out on the town.
THE SPECTATOR OCTOBER 31, 2014
Arts and Entertainment
13
Grease presents new opportunites for winter musical By Arthur He Features Editor The auditions for Grease, a musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey set in the 50s at Rydell High School, took place on October 27th and 28th. Since it is a Rock and Roll musical, Director of Performing Arts Mark Dryfoos is preparing his actors to fulfill the many different expectations from previous years. The musical explores the stories of ten working-class teenagers and the many problems they have to deal with as adolescents. When the show first closed in 1980, it was named one of the longest running shows in Broadway history. It is fairly well known worldwide, and according to Dryfoos, it is very different from what LFA students have done before. “We haven’t done anything like this in probably six or seven years,” said Dryfoos. “It’s the first time I have ever done Grease, ever. So this is a new show for me.” In the past two years LFA students have done musicals mainly set in the earlier eras, so the more modern approach of Grease is going to present a much different
and interesting musical this year. Grease is going to be a new experience for not only the director, but also the actors. The audition required more skills this year since it is consisted of one part sing, one part reading the script, and one part dancing. The show itself is filled with energetic dancing scenes and Dryfoos is inviting professionals to campus to coach the actors. “We are going to hire a choreographer for this show because it is such a dance show,” said Dryfoos. Because of the amount of character roles, Dryfoos believes this show will be a great opportunity and a starting point for people who want to try doing musicals. Being such a famous show, Grease should definitely attract many new students to audition. “It’s familiar to a large segment of out student population,” says Dryfoos, “It’s a big show.” There are a lot of male characters in the musical; however Dryfoos has no concern about getting enough actors to play the parts. Dryfoos is confident that Grease will be a really fun show for lots of people. “Lots of saddle shoes and poodle skirts,” concluded Dryfoos.
Photo by Amanda Bozorgi
Senior Michael Zaucedo laughing along with other Bucket Crew members.
New Bucket Crew drums into LFA By Madison Olivieri A&E Senior Editor
New to Lake Forest Academy this year, Bucket Crew has made quite the impression on the student body. The club currently consists of seniors Liza Tarr, Gio Harold, Michael Zaucedo, and Junior Brandt Dudziak. However, the five are opening the club up to anyone that is interested: experienced or not. The idea started when Zaucedo and Dean Romanchek (who was later unable to participate) wanted to use buckets as drums for the talent show. Harold and Dudziak jumped onto the idea, and the three began practicing. At the talent show, Zaucedo, Harold, and Dudziak performed on stage for the first time using black lights and glow in the dark drumsticks in order to attract the audience. After the show, Tarr approached the three, vocalizing her interest in starting a club for Bucket Crew.
Photo courtesy of http://www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk
Grease, the famous Broadway musical, is coming to LFA this March.
“I have been playing drums for a while, and my old drum instructor started a bucket crew with the kids that he taught,” stated Tarr, “I was already in one and it was so much fun, so I wanted to start one at LFA my senior year. Then at the talent show Michael, Gio, and Brandt did it, so I ran down after watching them and told them I wanted to make it a club.” Since then, the four have been practicing whenever they can. While Tarr has
experience as a drummer, Dudziak shared that he had no previous experience with percussion instruments but still picked up bucket drumming fairly quickly. “My favorite thing is just kind of messing around. The four of us will sit around and just start playing stuff,” stated Dudziak, “and then someone will start doing something and we’ll just build off each other. It’s completely improvisation and it’s so much fun to do.” Bucket Crew devotes a major chunk of its practice time to improvisation, unlike other campus music groups like Vox or Orchestra, because of its innovative free style. “We do practice certain routines,” stated Harold, “but most of the time while we’re practicing someone will just start hitting the bucket and come up with a random beat, and then the three other people will come in with it.” While Bucket Crew has no set concert dates, they hope to find small performance opportunities throughout the year. They’re also hoping to keep the student body interested, and want to incorporate different items other than buckets into their performances. “We’re finding random things – not only buckets, were hoping in the year to use chairs, use the floor, use our voices, use our feet. I think you’re able to make music, not just with traditional instruments, but with anything,” stated Tarr, “it just shows you that – the expression that music is all around you – you really get to embrace that.”
THE SPECTATOR 14
Arts and Entertainment
Local garage band from Chicago takes the big stage By Madison Olivieri A&E Senior Editor
Hailing from Elmhurst, Illinois, local garage rockers The Orwells were named one of the most criminally overlooked artists of 2012 by MTV. The band consists of singer Mario Cuomo, guitarists Dominic Corso and Matt O’Keefe, bassist Grant Brinner, and drummer Henry Brinner. The five released their first two albums, Head and Oh! Well, while still in high school together. They formed in 2009 when cousins Cuomo and Corso began practicing with the Brinner twins and their friend, O’Keefe. They handed the albums out to students at the school, spreading their music to everyone they could until it reached Autumn
Tone in 2011. The released their first studio album, Remember When under that label in 2012. Their freshman album features lo-fi, garage rock tracks with Cuomo’s wavering voice and Corso’s distorted guitar. The first track, “Lays at Rest” starts out with some simple strumming, then picks up with a wavering bass line, evening out to a slow, winding rhythm. Demonstrating their young age, “All the Cool Kids” harps on their high school experience. It starts as a quiet humming, which is then covered by a snip of audio from a horror movie. The song then picks up, and the percussion and guitar slowly progress. The beat changes when Cuomo begins singing, wrapping the anthemic lyrics into an awesome lo-fi mess of instruments. Their 2013 sophomore album, Disgraceland, still embraces their youthful take on garage rock with a clearer sound; the album has a lighter sound and shows more
experience than Remember When. The single off the album, “Who Needs You” exemplifies their slight change in sound. The song starts out with a clapping rhythm before progressing into a clear, metallic rush of guitar. Similar to the tracks off of Remember When, the lyrics are very anthemic, with Cuomo’s unsteady voice delivering them perfectly. Other tracks such as “Dirty Sheets” show off The Orwells new, clearer sound. In certain parts of the song, you can hear Cuomo’s voice graduating from a high school screech to something more Jim Morrison-esque. As The Orwells continue working on their next album, Cuomo stated in a SPIN article that they “aren’t trying to hide behind any lo-fi [sound].” The Orwells played a set at Lollapalooza in 2013 and delivered an impressive live performance. They are currently touring through the US and Europe, and will be back in Chicago on New Years Eve.
OCTOBER 31, 2014
Caxy Playlist- Fall Mix 1. October. . .Broken Bells 2. England. . . The National 3. Boy With a Coin. . .Iron & Wine 4. Yellow Flicker Beat. . . Lorde 5. Halloween All Year. . .The Orwells 6. Romeo Had Juliette. . .Lou Reed 7. Cecilia. . . Simon and Garfunkel 8. Mercury. . . Moon Taxi 9. This Head I Hold. . . Electric Guest 10. Love Minus Zero. . . Bob Dylan
The unaccompanied voice: Vox’s transition to a capella By Tori Koontz News Editor
Although it has existed for hundreds of years, the recent interest in “acappella”, a style of singing without instrumental a ccompaniment, has been rather noticeable in the media, with movies such as Pitch Perfect. Now, the interest in this unique singing style has reached the Lake Forest Academy campus: Vox has decided to experiment with some a cappella songs this year. This incorporation of a new and challenging singing style has excited many members, who hope to grow musically from this experience. “I think our switch to a cappella is expanding our musical horizons... I think it’s going to be very interesting and we’re going to learn a lot,” said Nick Lin, a sophomore member of the group. This enthusiasm is shared by many Vox singers, including the
group’s leader, Mrs. Peg Plambeck. She stated the initial idea to try some a cappella works in Vox was due to the number of talented singers involved. This year has seen a huge increase in student interest, especially from new students and males. Vox now includes 42 members, 15 of which are boys. Because the group has established itself as collection of strong and capable performers, bringing in a new challenge for members to work on was a goal for her. “I think a cappella is a great new challenge for the group to be able to face as a whole because we’ve never done anything quite like this before,” said senior Stanton Cope. Despite its appeal to the group, there have been some challenges with the transition. For example, some of the songs Vox is working on includes ten different parts, whereas usually an a cappella song will include somewhere
Photo by Tori Koontz
Members of Vox singing their a capella songs during their Monday night practice.
around four. There are also obvious differences between this singing style and the more traditional approach that the group is used to. It is a very group-oriented process and requires the cooperation of all the singers, said Plambeck, which can sometimes be difficult when members are absent due to conflicts.
“Now that we’re doing music that’s more challenging, it’s even more important that everybody always be there, and so working around conflicts has been a little more challenging because this music requires that everybody be there as promptly as possible,” explained Plambeck. However, this certainly isn’t stop-
ping the group from facing this challenge with enthusiasm and a willingness to improve. Vox is currently working on three a cappella pieces: one with girls only, one with boys only, and an ensemble. The group will perform these, as well other pieces, solos, and duets at their upcoming concert on November 18th.
THE SPECTATOR
Sports
OCTOBER 31, 2014
Girls volleyball team showing great potential throughout the 2014-2015 fall season By Joseph Kim Staff writer The Lake Forest Academy Girls Varsity Volleyball team, which is graduating only five seniors, finished its 2014 season showing great potential for the future years. Although, their record of 6-8 may not have been the magnificent season everyone hoped for, the bonding and development of the team throughout the year showed great potential. “A lot of games we played really well. We just haven’t ended up winning, but we played some really good games this year. Our record just doesn’t show how many wins we were actually close to,” explained Mrs. Becky Arrowood, the team coach. Many of the games the team played were outstanding, especially the win against Woodlands in their second match up of the schedule after losing the first meeting. The win shows how much the team was able to grow and develop as the season went on. “They looked so good. Everyone was on their game and got to play. Nobody looked scared and it was a really good game,” explained Arrowood. Over the last year, the members of the Volleyball team changed significantly. With many seniors graduating the past
year, the returning members took different leadership roles and new members joined the team. Some leaders of the team include, Carly Thomas, a returning 4-year senior and captain, Maria Pereira, a returning junior and captain, and Karisma Chhabria. “The new members on the team, including the new sophomore and freshman on the team, have come in to fill the spaces on the team, so it has been excellent,” explained the Assistant Coach Ardelle Hagar. “Karisma was on varsity last year with a smaller role, and her role this year has been incredible. She stepped up as a setter and the way she grew, as a player, has been amazing. She is so smart on the court and even her blocking is exceptional. She has done a one-eighty,” said Arrowood. The returning players had to get used to having a new setter. Many of the new members on the team needed time to adjust to joining the group. As a result many players on the team didn’t fully believe in their talent. According to Arrowood, one of the biggest challenges of the year was making the players believe in themselves so they could push to their limits. “You never know what you’re going to get in a smaller, boarding school like ours,” explained Arrowood. “We now have six ju-
By Ryan Wong Sports Editor
a moment to catch up with both team coaches recently as they prepared their teams for the final invitational of the year. The Boys’ Cross Country team, coached by Mr. Joe Ward, has had an impressive season. The Caxys have made major pos-
Junior Maggie Meyer serves in LFA’s volleyball game.
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Photo by Joseph Kim
niors with starting roles on the team, and a sophomore and freshman who will most
likely get plenty of playing time next year.”
itive strides since the start of the season. Led by senior captain Kyle Shannahan and Richard Melville. The Caxys have pleased Ward with numerous strobng performances, most recently with a strong showing during the previous meet, which was the Latin Prep Classic last Thursday. “It was a very good meet overall. It’s a little hard to tell because we ran a twomile race instead of a usual three mile race, but based on the speed in which they raced, two thirds of the team probably had their best race of the season,” said Ward. In his first year coaching the cross country, Ward wasn’t sure what to expect, but he came away a very good impression of the team after the completion of their first season together. “I think they worked hard, and I think we have had some really nice races, particularly last Thursday. I’m very looking forward to the race on Saturday because they seem ready to run and ready to run well. We have had some athletes who really brought their times down this year,” stated Ward. Junior Tony Fu, who is one of the fastest runners on the team, is very satisfied with how the team performed in meets and practices this season as well. He believes that the coaching system this year is a lot more organized than the previous
years. This produced athlete improvement. “This year we had more organized schedules since Mr. Ward sent out the workout schedules every week,” said Fu. “There are much clearer improvements this year because individuals can see themselves progress over this season, and there were a lot of times that changed. Kyle ran really fast during last Thursday’s meet, and he was 1:30 faster than his previous best personal record. As a whole, the coaching was great because everything was so organized and systematic.” The Girls’ Cross Country Team, led by Coach Chris Dozois, is also completing a fun season. Though the team has been dealing with a lot of injuries, they are still remaining strong and positive. “We are very happy with the team this year since the girls have lots of spirit and lots of good performances. Julia Yerger would have been our top runner if she hadn’t gotten hurt throughout the season. Anna Markey is a freshman who did great, and Katie Dozois, who is a sophomore, has been running along with Anna all season. Overall we are also very pleased with the development of the new runners, and we are happy how much fun they have had and how much stronger they have gotten,” Dozois said.
Boys and Girls Cross country find great success behind a changed schedule and new boys coach Both the Boys and Girls Cross Country teams experienced success throughout this Fall season. The Spectator took
Photo courtesy of John Pan
Juniors Matthew Fallon and Alexander Mullarkey run in a meet.
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Sports
OCTOBER 31, 2014
Three LFA students are excited to continue their soccer success at the college level By Ned Kennedy Sports editor LFA athletes going on to play sports in college have been a common occurrence in the last couple of years. This year there are three soccer players that are going onto the next level: Stephen Payne is going to California to play for the UCLA Bruins, Jacob Rooth is headed to Nebraska to play for the Creighton University Blue Jays, and Calum Bishop is going to Pennsylvania to play for the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks. All three of these athletes agreed to sit down and share their feelings about moving onto the next level. Each one of these players were excited to answer questions. The overall skill of play seemed to be a common worry among the three players. “The level of play is going to be a lot faster and there are going to be stronger players. I am going to have to be prepared for that,” said Payne. Bishop, like his two other counterparts was also concerned about the tempo of the game. “Probably the speed of play or the size of some of the guys,” said Bishop. There is plenty to be excited about when
considering the next level. When asked about their excitement, they all agreed that they were excited to take on the challenge as well as the environment that they will be playing in. “I love competition and I know I am going to have to compete right when I get there,” said Payne. “The fact that I was brought in to compete for a starting spot freshman year,” said Bishop. Not only will the challenge of playing at the next level prove motivating, some of the athletes, like Rooth, are very motivated about playing in front of bigger crowds. “They get a lot of big crowds so it should be a really intense environment,” said Rooth All three of these stars have played for the LFA soccer team at one point during their careers. This year, however, only Payne is playing on the LFA team. The other two decided to focus on their club teams. Both Bishop and Payne play for the Chicago Magic PSG U 18’s, and Rooth plays for the Chicago Fire U 18 Academy. With all three of their college seasons starting in the Fall of 2015, these athletes will have a very immediate immersion into the college game.
By Ned Kennedy Sports Editor The Lake Forest Academy Caxy soccer team took on its neighboring rival the Lake Forest High school Scouts last week and earned an exciting 5-3 victory. Senior Stephen Payne lead the team with a hat trick, scoring three goals, including one penalty kick. Through out the game the Caxy’s had complete control, keeping the ball on their offensive side of the field for the majority of the game. Nat Shadek scored what could be called the best goal of the game with a screamer passing everybody from 40 yards out. Philippe Alban scored the other goal with a beautiful left foot top corner strike. The crowd flourished back and fourth from a quite bunch to a group of crazed fans excited to support their team. When the whistle finally blew a couple of loyal fans stormed the field to show their support for their school and team. Before the game Coach Paul Makovec agreed to answer a couple of questions about the season and the upcoming game against their rivals. When asked about the upcoming game against the Scouts Makovec was very confident that his team would be able to pull
out the victory despite falling short the year before. “I expect to win. You know last year we had a down year. We didn’t play very well over there. We lost a lot of games last year because we were really young. We start-
Photo by Amanda Bozorgi
Senior Stephen Payne brings the ball up field.
Varsity soccer ends their five year drought against the Lake Forest High School Scouts ed a lot of freshman, and hopefully the high school will be overly confident today thinking that we are going to role out the same team that we rolled out last year, unfortunately for them we are but a year older and a year stronger,” said Makovec
Photo by Amanda Bozorgi
Nat Shadek attempts to block a pass.
When asked about the star players on the team Makovec was very enthused to talk about his stars. “Stephen Payne is one of the great high school soccer players this year and a lot of people know he has already committed to UCLA. They are a top ten team in the country and it is outstanding to go from here to there,” said Macovec. “He leads our team currently with 17 goals and he has something like seven or eight assists which is pretty solid. If your just going with goal scoring we also have Luis Arella. As a sophomore he has 10 goals and 10 assists, which is great and it’s a huge bump up from his scoring from last year, so he has grown a lot as a player.” Makovec also noted that this season has been much more successful than last year. So he was more confident about this year’s rivalry game than previous matchups against the Lake Forest High School Scouts. “Two years ago we tied them 2-2; we had them beat and we tied in the last few minutes, Last year we went out to their place and got beat pretty handily, but, as I said, we had a really young team last year so we kind of had a down year,” said Makovec.