Issue 4 -- January 25, 2019

Volume 109, Issue 4

Hinsdale high schools face possibility of major cuts $166 million referendum fails to win support from Hinsdale, surrounding communities

Page 2: Learn all about the health problems firefighters are faced with on Page 2.

Page 12 has the full story on the possible budget cuts that District 86 may face in the next fiscal year—starting July 1, 2019.

Right: Hinsdale Central student Donovan Lahmann ‘19, speaks at School Board on Dec. 3 as LTHS athletes show support in background (Valdes/LION).

Bookstore hero retires after 15 years

completely by surprise,” Yena said.

Eventually deciding the right thing to do was sell their house, Yena’s family moved to the other side of Western Springs; several

by Harper Hill years later, Yena became a proud @harpss42 member of the LT class of 1972.

Two years ago, former NC “I love LT,” Yena said. “LT has bookstore manager Mary Yena been a part of my heart since I was received news her husband was a little kid. I met my husband in ill. Since last March, his conhigh school. We went to homedition progressively worsened. coming junior year and the rest is Failing to see any improvement, history. We’ve been married for Yena announced her intent to almost 42 years.” retire last September. Yena offiYena and her husband raised cially retired from LT on Dec. 28, a family in the community, and but she left a large mark on the her three sons—Michael, Matt high school and community. and Mark—grew up admiring “We are fortunate at LT to LT sports. The boys attended LT have so many amazing people, themselves, adding to the Yena and Mary is great example of family legacy. Yena began working that,” Principal Brian Waterat the NC bookstore 15 years ago, man said. taking on many overlooked roles.

LT employees gather with bookstore manager Mary Yena (second from the left) on In 1962, Yena moved into a Dec. 20 to say goodbye and wish her happiness (photo provided by Waterman).

At the end of each school year, it 92-year-old house on the Perot is the bookstore’s job to hand count Farm in Western Springs with her brothers and parents. Just four years all books and school supplies—down to every last eraser—and take invenlater, former LT Superintendent Donald Reber showed up at their door tory, Yena said. New books and supplies are then ordered and the school unannounced, stating their house was preventing LT from constructing processing operation begins.

Bennett Field; LT wanted to buy the property. Taken aback, Yena’s parents “A good portion of the employees get to have the summers off, but there were conflicted. are several departments that work all summer,” Yena said. “It’s not easy.

“It’s not that they didn’t want to [sell the house], it’s that it took them Continued on page 4

LT alum, bookstore manager leaves lasting impact on school

Pregnancy center opens in LaGrange

by Lars Lonnroth and Pilar Valdes @larslonnroth and @pilarvaldes55

Driving down LaGrange Road, one’s interest may be piqued by the bright pink sign outside of a house converted into an office building. The building is home to the newly opened branch of the Women’s Care Center (136 N. LaGrange Rd.), an Indiana-based pro-life organization offering ultrasounds and counseling to women with unplanned pregnancies.

Across the country, a host of pregnancy resource centers like the Women’s Care Center have sprouted up in communities large and small. Some medical professionals and reproductive rights advocates, however, have said these organizations often use deceptive practices to get people into the door and provide misleading information to their patients.

LaGrange Park resident Maura Quinlan, assistant professor at Northwestern University and an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN)—a doctor that specializes in women’s health and pregnancies—argues that the Women’s Care Center is a Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC), or an organization that attempts to convince women with unexpected pregnancies to not get abortions.

“The concern is that people with unplanned pregnancies need to be given all the legal options

North Campus

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available to them, with appropriate counseling to find what is really right for them and their circumstance,” Dr. Quinlan said. “These institutions don’t do that.”

The Women’s Care Center did not agree to an in-person interview, but in emails to The LION, officials repeatedly claimed that they provide their clients the whole slew of options when it comes to pregnancies and abortions.

Organizations with similar goals as the Women’s Care Center, however, have long been a source of concern for many advocates of women’s health, and are a hot topic in the debate over abortion. According to Slate Magazine, in 2015 CPCs outnumbered clinics that offer abortions three-to-one.

Evita Almassi, the Digital Marketing and Communications Manager with the National Women’s Health Network—which advocates for women’s reproductive rights, including a “women’s right to choose”—alleges that these clinics often warp the truth and use scare tactics to deter women from getting abortions, she said.

“Women who walk into one of these fake [medical] clinics seeking contraception or abortions find themselves being bullied, shamed and lied to,” she wrote in an email.

Quinlan and the National Women’s Health Network laid out examples of misinformation that some CPCs have utilized in the past, such as overstating the risk of death from abortion or falsely stating that abortion is linked to an increased chance of breast cancer or infertility.

PH

aper ighlights

Look here for some quick reads on this issue’s features.

by Mary Okkema @MaryOkkema

Women’s Care Center opens its doors, met with skepticism from pro-choice critics

Friday, January 25, 2019

But Dawn Fitzpatrick, member of the board of directors at the pro-life Chicago March for Life and the Senior Coordinator for the Human Dignity and Solidarity Ministry for the Archdiocese of Chicago, claims that all of the information these clinics offer women in crisis is accurate.

“The critics are wrong. Of course [critics] are discouraging people from going to the centers because they would prefer to advance the centers that offer abortions,” she said. “The fact of the matter is, there is nothing false that is coming out of those pregnancy centers or we as the church would not support them.”

The church is strongly against abortion and argues that life begins at conception and ends at natural death, Fitzpatrick said.

“The church has always understood that abortion takes a human life,” she said. “The reason we don’t support [abortion] is because it takes a human life and hurts the people involved.”

As a doctor, Quinlan, the assistant professor Northwestern, said that medical professionals— especially when it comes to abortions—have a right to not provide care that they disagree with.

But she argues that they should not allow that to influence the advice that they provide their patients.

“We are told in medical school that the patient comes first. You don’t have to do what you’re not comfortable with, but they come first,” Quinlan said. “You need to tell them that we don’t offer this here, but here is where you can go.”

100 S. Brainard Ave. LaGrange, Ill. 60525 South Campus

Page 3: Dr. Waterman’s hometown faced destruction from recent tornados. Read all about what Student Council has been doing to help the cause on Page 3.

Page 4: Remember when the All-school Assembly was cancelled? Well, it’s back. Check out Page 4.

Page 5: LT is filled with sounds of music. Look to Page 5.

Page 7: Of course the grid is fire. Flip to Page 7 to check it out for yourself.

Page 8: How do you feel about Ancestry testing?

See what two LION staff members have to say about this topic on Page 8.

Page 9: Do you have an opinion on the Speak-UpLine? Learn what our staff thinks about it on Page 9.

Page 10: Read all about LT’s Hockey team successes on Page 10.

Page 11: Check out Page 11 for full coverage of the Special Olympics Pack the Place game.

Page 12: Two athletes are featured for AOTM this issue. Turn to Page 12 to see what they’ve accomplished.

Page 13:

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, Issue

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Page 14-15: What’s Fake News you ask? Pages 14-15 have all the information.

Page 16: Which “Harry Potter” movie is your favorite? See some staff members share their opinions on Page 16.

Continued on page 4

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4900 Willow Springs Rd. Western Springs, Ill. 60558

NEWS

Page 2

Friday, January 25, 2019

Firefighters at high risk for disease Recent studies indicate firefighters face greater chance of developing cancer, heart disease

by Greg Smith @StateGreg Jacob Metzger ’19 studies fire science at the Technology Center of DuPage and is a part of the Western Springs Fire Explorer program, which includes career training and instruction in hands-on skills. In addition to skills such as first aid and the handling of a fire hose, these programs emphasize how important it is to properly clean personal protective equipment (PPE) to a firefighter’s health.

Recent studies of and newly available information on the incidence of diseases such as cancer and heart disease in firefighters are showing that firefighters generally face a much higher risk of the diseases due to exposure to burning materials, Metzger said.

“It’s been a hot topic and has been for a few years in the fire service,” Western Springs Fire Captain Chuck Lichtenauer said.

Two years ago, Lichtenauer attended a large firefighter conference in Phoenix, Ariz., on possible solutions to this exact problem, he said.

Repeated exposure to carcinogens common to fire scenes from dumpsters to residences causes the increase in cancers in firefighters, Lichtenauer said. Firefighters have 2.02 times the risk of developing testicular cancer and two times the risk for mesothelioma compared to the rest of the population, according to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.

“The big push now is for decontamination and proper use of the layers of protective equipment,” Metzger said. “You have to wash your gear and take care of yourself after the fire.”

Firefighters can take certain actions immediately following a fire on the scene can help reduce exposure to carcinogens, Lichtenauer said. Some of these processes are based on newly developed best practices and standardized procedures.

Firefighter PPE is also currently changing. A three-year study called “Validation of Cleaning Procedures for Fire Fighter PPE” works to identify dangerous contaminants common to PPE and also how to properly remove them from the gear, the NFPA said. A supplement article in Fire Engineering Magazine on the study’s findings says that fires should be treated as hazmat incidents. While most focus on personal protection for firefighters has previously been focused on burn protection, now firefighters must also focus on protecting themselves and their PPE from contaminants that can harm them even after a fire.

New hoods and gloves are currently being developed to be thicker and prevent carcinogens from settling on a firefighter’s skin, Lichtenauer said. Most harmful chemical ex-

Left: Western Springs firefighter Stefan Krkic demonstrates safe PPE washing technique in specialized equipment to cleanse the material of harmful toxins. Right: Krkic hangs up the uniform to dry properly in the fire station (Smith/LION).

posures are now being found to occur around the neckline.

PPE is removed in a specific order, Lichtenauer said. Special wipes are used on the face, neck, and hands in order to decontaminate before firefighters are able to fully clean themselves off the site. PPE and tools are stowed securely away from the cab in which firefighters ride back from the station in order to avoid contaminating the air, as the “Validation of Cleaning Procedures” study recommends. PPE is washed in specialized extractors meant to remove toxins.

Immediately after a fire is extinguished, the team of firefighters goes through a process called salvage and overhaul, Lichtenauer said. The process includes inspection of the structure and removal of the family’s valuables. In the past, Lichtenauer said, firefighters would sometimes go through the house not using a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), and would then be exposed to harmful chemicals in the smoke still lingering in the air. Now, current standard operating procedure is to always remain in gear and on SCBA while a safety officer monitors the air, Lichtenauer said.

Several long-term studies are underway to examine the effects of exposure to contaminants on firefighters’ PPE and, more importantly, their health. According to the National

Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the University of Arizona is currently leading a three-year study called the “Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study.” According to the FFCCS, Cancer is the leading cause of fire service death. Firefighters are exposed to multiple carcinogens through both skin contamination and inhalation. Exposure through skin can cause diseases other than lung cancer, such as liver, colon, or bladder cancer, Metzger said.

“The cancer numbers are mostly coming from modern construction and the materials used in it,” Metzger said.

For example, when polyurethane and polyethylene (substances commonly used in paints and plastics respectively) sre burned, they release carcinogens that are not released when natural fibers burn. Polyurethane and polyethylenethat were formerly used in home construction and furniture making.

“The cancer prevention efforts [are] being put forward by everybody from chief officers to line guys,” Metzger said.

“We should see results, and big ones. We need to take care of ourselves first, and that’s the key to curving the cancer rate.”

The most common trait among firefighters is that we all look out for each other.”

LT celebrates MLK Jr., Contract finalized for upcoming five years honors his legacy Negotiations come to an end after many months, both parties vote yes on new teacher contract

Black, Multicultural club hosts celebratory event for community

by Grace Kulat @gracekulat

There was an immense sense of community in the SC Performing Arts Center on Jan. 15 as students, faculty and community members came together to celebrate the life of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and joined in singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

The audience enjoyed performances from many students, including the LT Steppers. The Steppers performed an educational number about the history of step cultural and how long it has been a part of many peoples’ lives.

The performances promoted unity and love as well as encouragement. Victor Metzger ‘19 gave a speech titled “Visualize The Dream,” in which he quoted King saying “man must evolve for all human conflict, a method which rejects aggression, rejects revenge and rejects retaliation.”

“This quote directs us as individuals and collectively to reject retaliation, reject aggression and reject hatred no matter how much we’ve felt we have been marginalized or left behind,” Metzger said.

Brandon Jackson ‘18, a composition student at Berklee College of Music, came back to perform violin arrangements and a special tribute he wrote called “For The Lost.” Constantly seeing negative events such as fighting and death on the news encouraged Jackson to write this song. He said that he dedicated this song to a friend of his who commited suicide in high school.

Guests from the Neighborhood United Methodist Church in Maywood were in attendance. Colion Wesley Green and Gerald Hayes, musical directors from the church, played piano tributes as well as taught the difference between gospel music and spiritual music. Hayes said that it’s only right that people celebrate King with music because as a pastor he loved music.

Daniel McCarthy, an LT paraeducator, provided the audience with insight into King’s life and

Sisters Anne-Marie Mitchell ‘20 and Olivia Mitchell ‘19 perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the musicfocused celebration of Dr. Rev. MLK Jr.’s life on Jan. 15 in the SC Performing Arts Center (Kulat/LION).

also encouraged people to think about others with his emphasis on the quote “let justice roll down like waters.”

“The one dream that we can all hold in common is the dream of justice, that someday justice will be done to us and to our fellow beings,” McCarthy said.

After McCarthy’s speech, guest speaker Rev. Dr. Geneace Williams was welcomed to the stage by the Black and Multicultural club sponsor, Elizabeth Watkins. Williams expressed that she was was grateful for the opportunity to speak at the event and to honor King. Williams highlighted all that King had done for people throughout his life, and all that people are still doing today to fight for justice as well as honor people who have fought for justice in the past.

“Some will give a day of service to those whose fight and cause echo in a world where human dignity and common good aren’t always so kind,” Williams said.

by Grace DeKoker @grace_dekoker Just as finals were beginning for LT students, the Lyons Township Education Association (LTEA) voted on a new contract that would be effective immediately, pending the Board of Education’s (BOE) approval. The agreement passed on behalf of the LTEA with a large majority on Dec. 18, and was approved by the BOE on Jan. 22, officially finalizing it.

Because of negotiation rules, neither the LTEA or the BOE could offer any information regarding ongoing contract negotiations. A vast majority of teachers voted yes on the 2019-2024 contract, and a majority of seven BOE members voted for it as well.

The contract situation has been ongoing since the summer. LT teachers attended the BOE on Nov. 19 meeting all wearing gold LT shirts as a show of respect for their fellow staff members. After that meeting, two closed-door negotiation sessions occurred between the members of the LTEA and BOE, and the negotiating committee agreed on a contract on Dec. 12. The contract was sent out to teachers just under a week later on Dec. 18, and the LTEA vote occured on Dec. 21. The BOE voted yes just earlier this week, at the Jan. 22 BOE meeting.

The LTEA vote was not unanimous, so there may be changes in that are unappealing to some teachers at LT. Specific details about the new terms negotiated for the upcoming years are to be released later this week, and could not be discussed with anyone outside of the LTEA and BOE until a formal agreement was officially released, Superintendent Timothy Kilrea said.

LT teachers often participate in many day-to-day activities that are not listed in their contracts, such as coming in early or staying late to offer additional help on class material, and working through their lunch or study halls in order to support their students and assist them.

Turn to the editorial on page 9 to see how The LION staff feels about the work the teachers do, and check our website, lionnewspaper.com to see an overview of the new contract in the upcoming days.

LTEA Union President Joseph Maffey speaks at the Nov. 19 Board meeting, expressing gratitude (Breen/LION).

NEWS

Friday, January 25, 2019

Page 3

Principal’s town struck by tornado

Students walk around with collection cans, raise money to help residents of Taylorville, Ill., Dr. Waterman’s hometown

by Taylor Schmitt @TaylorSchmitt15

After Principal Brian Waterman’s hometown of Taylorville, Ill., was hit by a severe tornado Dec. 1, student council began raising funds to show their support. Student Council members collected just under $500. They worked on gathering donations from Dec. 13 to Dec. 21.

“I’m just humbled someone thought of it,” Waterman said. “A lot of the messages I’ve received via email and on social media have been really heartwarming, and to me, that’s enough. It’s been awesome what they’ve done.”

Fortunately nobody was killed in the EF3 tornado that touched down in the Southern Illinois town, and no one from Waterman’s family was injured, he said. The 155 mileper-hour winds did damage to the town sporadically, with different areas devastated around the town. In addition to structural damage to houses, residents are also suffering from power outages.

“I think it will be a long recovery for the town,” Waterman said. “But just from what I’ve seen on social media and the people I’ve talked to, they didn’t have school Monday Dec. 3 and one of the cool things I heard was all of the clubs and activities and sports teams from the high school were going around

Residents of the town survey and search through the extensive damage done to many homes in Taylorville, Ill. following the unusual tornado storm in early December (Tribune News Service).

town helping people out, which is what we do when these things happen.”

People from Taylorville are taking monetary donations in addition to water, canned food and any other essentials that the citizens there may need.

“I think, being in Illinois, we’re used to March, April, May having storms and potential tornados, but in early December? It’s very

rare. Especially on the heels of having snow, and then temperatures warmed up then on Saturday, a tornado,” Waterman said.

Student council collected money from students in cans through the end of finals, Director of Student Activities Peter Geddeis said. The funds that they raise will be given to Taylorville High School for their student council. While they didn’t set a dol-

lar amount for a goal, they will try to raise as much money as possible in the short span.

Student council decided to collect money and donate it to Taylorville High School, ironically whose mascot is a tornado, after talking to Waterman and receiving his recommendation, Geddeis said.

“I’m very humbled,” Waterman said.

“Certainly not expected, but very, very humbled. I think it speaks to our students and our community here, how it really doesn’t matter the cause, they’re always willing to help out and support those in need. We’ve shown that time and time again.”

This isn’t the first time student council has stepped up to help communities in need, Geddeis said. Last year students participated in a fundraising opportunity to collect money for Puerto Rico, and the first time student council used carrying cans to collect money was to sponsor an Honor Flight back in 2012.

“I’m proud of student council that they’ve risen to the occasion,” Geddeis said. “I can’t say I’m surprised that they have, they always seem to do that. I’m proud that they took the opportunity when it presented itself.

It would have been very easy to say that it doesn’t affect us and it’s really close to finals.

There would be any number of reasons not to do this. And they didn’t. They took the bull by the horns and are moving forward with it, and I’m really proud of that.”

Senior starts conversation University of Illinois race groups for Spanish, French team visits LT auto shop Local library hosts meetings for students, people of all ages

U of I race team educates LT students about engineering

native speakers who join, to share their expertise and cultural background,” Booth said. “Personally, participating in the group When Kylie Jabjiniak ‘19 initiated Span- helped me brush off my rusty Spanish and ish and French conversation meetings at the more easily communicate on a recent trip Thomas Ford Memorial Library, she wanted to South America.”

The meetings are held in the boardroom to create a venue for people to engage with languages and share their cultural curios- of the main floor of the library, and they are ity. She got the word out to others about free so anyone can participate. The ages of the meetings by putting information in the the participants vary, and there are usually library newsletter and website in hopes peo- six to 12 participants for each meeting per language. ple would join.

People can At LT, Jabattend the jiniak talked library’s with her Spanconversaish teacher toin groups Lisa Plichta to whenevget the word er they are out to students able.

Beabout these cause of the conversation construcgroups. tion at the “I really library for love the lanthe majority guage, and deof January, cided I really the foreign wanted to push language myself to bemeetings come fluent,” will soon reJabjiniak said. Participants of all ages practice various foreign languages sume, start“One of ways with each other at Thomas Ford Library (Almase/LION). ing again on to do that is to practice speaking, and there weren’t really Feb. 3. Meetings are usually held on the a lot of resources in the community that I first and third Sundays of the month, with knew of that I could use. As a leader of the Spanish groups held from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Teen Board [for the library], I figured we and French groups from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

“It made me incredibly proud to see could do a language conversation group.”

The Spanish and French conversations [Jabjiniak] inspire community members are a casual and social group that meet at the with her Spanish,” Plichta said. “Kylie is Western Springs library, Head of Teen and such an effective leader that one of the oldTween services Heather Booth said. The er ladies, who is a heritage speaker, was so meetings are opportunities for people who enthusiastic about the group that she wantare interested in expanding their foreign ed to start organizing field trips for everyone to have more cultural experiences and speaking skills.

“The goal of the groups is to encour- language practice in the Chicago area. The age participants to feel more comfortable entire hour [of the meeting] was an excelin speaking Spanish or French, and for the lent experience.”

by Dani Almase @AlmaseDani

@lionnewspaper

@ltlionnewspaper

@wltlradio

outside the classroom,” Hennessy said.

Along with their presentation at LT, the team also visited Willowbrook and StevenTo inform students about engineering opson High School because that was where portunities and highlight how helpful it is to other team members went to school, Shah get involved, the Illini Society of Automosaid. A few students that are currently on tive Engineers Formula race team, including the team first joined after hearing about it at Tim Kogucki ‘16 and Joe Koszut ‘17, visited high school visits a few years ago.

LTHS on Nov. 19.

“All of us on the team were in the same “We try to inspire the next generation spot as the current upperclassmen at one of engineers, but that wasn’t the entirety point,” Koszut said. “We wanted to come of the point,” Kogucki said, “The point [for back to give advice and answer less typical students] was to get involved in college and questions to help set them up for a smoother go above and betransition to colyond in something lege.” bigger than themThe team is selves.” preparing for upThe team viscoming competiited the LT auto tions in Michigan shop and spoke to and Nebraska, Koseveral engineergucki said. ing and automo“One of my fative classes taught vorite things about

by Blake Sauder, the team is the satKogucki said. isfaction of seeing “We hoped to that car cross the show them what finish line every getting involved year and seeing can get you in U of I student races in Michigan last year in the car the respect we get terms of friends that University of Illinois team built (Kogucki). from other teams and career success, for the quality of and what they can do if they set their mind work we do,” Kogucki said. to it,” Kogucki said.

Every year the team competes against Each year, the team designs and builds a around 100 teams and is currently ranked new car that they compete with, club presififth in the nation, Koszut said. dent and driver Niket Shah said.

“It is always something we are trying to “The race team visiting was interesting maintain,” Kogucki said. “There is a level of because they build everything in the race quality and professional engineering work car from the ground up and it is entirely stuthat is expected to come out of our shop.” dent-run,” Maggie Hennessy ‘19 said.

Along with being students , many of the The team brought its car from the previteam members, especially those who have ous year and answered questions about the leadership positions, spend between 30 to team, engineering and time management, 50 hours each week working on the car, KoKogucki said. gucki said.

“One thing I took away is that there are “The feeling of being successful in this many hands on experiences that college ofendeavor that we commit hours to is what fers for its undergraduates to pursue learning drives me forward to keep doing it,” he said.

by Nicole Klein @nicolecklein1

@ltlionnewspaper

LT teacher displays light show in yard

by Anna McCormick

Eagle Scout makes difference in community

by Tessa Voytovich

The Aragon Ballroom parties with Carti

by Xavier McDonald

NEws

Page 4

Friday, January 25, 2019

All-school Assembly bounces back

After 2018 cancellation, popular event returns with high hopes for outcome

by Grace Kulat @gracekulat

On Feb. 8, the sound of LT students singing the fight song will be heard from blocks away. The All-school Assembly is one of the best days of the year at Lyons Township High School. Underclassmen from SC take buses to NC to enjoy performances from peers and outside performers. This year the event’s theme is beach party.

“It’s the only opportunity during the school year where all 4,000 students are under one roof so it’s the one time that we are a single school, not a school with two campuses,” Director of Student Activities Peter Geddeis said.

The All-school is a day of watching peers perform, play games and compete against each other. Other than one outside act, the event is completely student based.

“We try to get as many sports and clubs involved as possible so that no one feels excluded,” Student Council president Pilar Valdes ‘19 said.

Mary Yena retires from LT Continued from Page 1

We need every single minute to get things packed, and get it right. It takes time to do it the right way.

The summers are a lot of work, but [they] are fun.”

Yena has worked with many kids over the summer, along with her three sons, especially Michael and Mark. They have contributed much of their time to assisting Yena in the heavy lifting and dirty work that coincides with processing.

“I’ve always called them ‘The Commandos,’” Yena said. “They are the ones that move things. They do just about everything [and] give me a little comic relief.”

Alongside handling books and supplies during the year and organizing the April processing, Yena’s priority is the students and their wellbeing. Students often showed up at the bookstore with questions and concerns, and it was Yena and the rest of the bookstore staff that committed to assisting them.

“The mark she would want to leave on LT is the kindness she shared everyday with the students and staff she interacted with,” Mark said.

Over the years, the job has begun to slowly change because of the new computers they’ve installed, Yena said. The computers are used for contacting people instead of previously when phones and in-person conversations were the main source of communication.

Yena still found a way to appreciate human interaction in light of the ample technological advancements.

“I like the human touch, and the human part of contacting people, rather than the computer contacting people,” Yena said. “Over the years I’ve had many parents that have called and needed help, and I enjoyed helping people with things, and the computer just can’t do that. It’s the human touch, it’s talking with people. I’m a people-person I guess.”

Yena’s retirement will allow for the opening of many new doors, she said. Her five grandchildren will take up much of her time, as well as her ill husband.

“I am extremely happy she is retiring,” Mark said.

“She has busted her butt for over 40 years. She has worked hard, day in and day out and set a positive example for our family and it is her time to retire. She deserves to live her life surrounded by the people she loves and not have to worry about working anymore.”

On Dec. 20, LTHS staff and faculty gathered in the NC staff cafeteria for Yena’s retirement celebration to honor her dedication and hard work, as well as wish her well in retirement.

Yena plans to stay involved in the alumni association, something that has allowed her to form many bonds over the years with other LT enthusiasts, she said. She held the president position of the association for several years.

“I love the history of LT,” Yena said. “We’re a big school—diverse. This building is pretty neat; it has a place in my heart.

Poms performs in 2015 All-school Assembly (Lidia Breen/LION).

The assembly always tries to include activities from seasons other than winter sports, which helps to promote school wide inclusion.

“This year, we are including Math Team, Science Olympiad, GEMS and FHP, which we’ve never done before,” Valdes said. “We hope that this will engage more people.”

When planning this year’s assembly the student council members have been trying to include a variety of clubs and

sports so that the same clubs don’t perform every year.

“Because of the resurgence of the LT Weirdos, they will be featured,” Valdes said.

Many acts change at the last minute, so it is hard to say exactly who will be performing on the day of the assembly.

The goal of the assembly is to promote unity and inclusion, and to bring the entire school together.

“At its core, the All-school Assembly is really about celebrating LT,” Geddeis said.

The event tends to be somewhat similar from year to year,but this years assembly may be a little different because it’s assistant principal Kris Costopoulos’ last year. She was the founder of the All-school Assembly so student council wants to try and honor her.

Last year, the highly-anticipated assembly was canceled due to a security concern.

“I’m confident that the security measures that the school has undertaken this year in particular will create a secure environment,” Geddeis said.

Positive about the new security measures and the activities they have planned, Geddeis and the Student Council plan to have an exciting 18th annual All-school Assembly.

Women’s health care clinic in La Grange sparks questions Outside view of the Women’s Care Center on North LaGrange Road (Lonnroth/LION).

Continued from Page 1 Katherine Manion, outreach director at the Women’s Care Center, said—while the organization does not provide abortions or refer women to places that provide them—the organization does not seek to take away a woman’s ability to decide what is best for her.

“Women facing unplanned pregnancy do not need a lecture or moralizing,” Manion wrote in an email. “They need love and support. And the end result is most often life. I think we can all agree, that is a wonderful outcome.”

She added: “No matter the situation, becoming pregnant is life-altering. Some women are blessed to have the support they need, however, for those who don’t, Women’s Care Center is here to help.”

At the bottom of their website in the ‘About’ section, The Women’s Care Center parenthetically states that they “do not offer ongoing prenatal care or abortions.” Manion said they do not refer people to facilities that offer abortions, but stated that they are 100 percent open about their medical information and their pregnancy options with their clients. But Quinlan is not sure how much she believes that.

When Quinlan went to visit the clinic in LaGrange in early December, the person she talked to said that, when asked, they do provide information about abortions, she said. However, Quinlan expressed concerns about the veracity of the facts they provide, as they were unwilling to show her the informational packets they provide women.

“If you came to my office and asked to see the information I provide my patients, I would hand you a stack of medical, scientific and factual information,” Quinlan said. “It concerned

me that I couldn’t see it because it makes me think it is inaccurate which is unfair to women who go to them thinking they are getting unbiased information.”

A LION reporter went to the LaGrange office in January to request information or literature that the organization provides to their clients but they refused to provide any pamphlets on that visit.

Manion did not call the organization a health care center, but rather a pregnancy resource center for any women thrust into the uncomfortable situation of an unplanned pregnancy.

Although the organization is not a medical organization, Manion said that the medical director of the organization is an OB/ GYN, but they are not on staff at the organization.

The Women’s Care Center also provides women pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and parenting classes for free.

Almassi of the National Women’s Health Network claims that the services CPCs provide, such as pregnancy tests and ultrasounds services, seek get women into the door at CPCs while also making these centers look as similar to a medical office as possible.

“Everything from a CPC’s waiting room decor to a woman’s initial interaction with staff is designed to hide the fake [medical] clinic’s religious purpose and mimic a real medical clinic,” Almassi said. “But the counselors aren’t medical providers and they aren’t required to give out medically accurate information—as long as they don’t charge for their services. It’s ‘free speech.’”

The Women’s Care Center has 32 centers in 11 states. The organization serves 28,000 women a year, according to their website. For more information on pregnancy and the risks that accompany it, visit www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/.

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Friday, January 25, 2019

IMpact

Page 5

The halls are alive with the sound of music! As we begin second semester, the LION has highlighted just a few of the musicals, concerts and performances put on by LT’s talented students.

ILMEA All-State approaching, musicians reflect

LT sends nine of its best musicians to compete in, perform at three day state music festival, concert in Peoria, Ill.

by Isabel Tuisl @isabeltuisl

Every year, high schools from all nine districts of the state choose students to participate in the Illinois Music Educators All-State Festival (ILMEA). LT band, choir, orchestra, jazz band and vocal jazz ensemble can audition to take part.

For oboist John Quinlan ‘19, the concert he performs allows him to not only play amazing and challenging music, but come together with new people from all around the state to be able to produce a wonderful product in less than 48 hours, he said.

“To me [the concert] is less of a competition and more of a gathering of young musicians who are enthusiastic about sharing their love of the art,” cellist Max Schultz ‘19, said.

ILMEA takes place Jan. 24-26 in Peoria at a local high school or college, band instructor Mark Dahl said. The audition process for the festivals began in October, and over

2,000 students tried out for the District level ensembles.

“This year, LT had 48 students selected for district ensembles in the areas of band, choir, orchestra, jazz band and jazz choir,” Dahl said. “These students form district level ensembles with other selected students and spend the day rehearsing and working with the guest conductor, and then the experience culminates with a performance that evening.”

The students with the highest scores in each district across Illinois are submitted to a meeting of all district presidents of ILMEA, Dahl said. At this meeting, district representatives choose students from each district to play in all-state ensembles. This is equivalent to an all-state athlete.

So the kids with the highest scores from the nine different ILMEA districts are selected to be all-state musicians. This year there were more than 13,000 students who auditioned across the state and LT has nine student representatives at the all-state level. LT is located in District 1 and more than

80 high schools are in District 1, who participate in auditions on a yearly basis, making it very competitive.

“These students get to attend the state music convention (Illinois Music Educators Conference or IMEC), Dahl said.

“Once students are selected, they either have their audition reviewed or they re-audition at the state conference for placement in the all-state or honors level ensembles. They spend three days in rehearsals, again with a guest conductor and give a final performance at the end of the third day.”

The all-state festival is only open to sophomores and above, and Quinlan has been a part of it every year since he was a sophomore, he said. Schultz has made it to all-state each year since sophomore year as well.

“It’s fun because there’s a lot of new faces, unlike an orchestra that meets regularly,” Schultz said. “Yet, we are still able to create music as a single unit. It really unveils the power music has to bring people together and feel the same emotions despite our potential differences.”

LT welcomes junior high ‘Newsies’ features student choirs at Choral Festival actors, premieres tonight Junior high students travel, prepare to sing with LT choirs

students. I love seeing the camaraderie blossom among all grade levels on this shared @miabonfiglio day of music-making.”

A total of 244 junior high students from The Junior High Choral Festival is an anfive different schools participated this year, nual event where music students from junior plus the choral groups at LT. All of the LT highs in the area are invited to LT to perform choir students mentored the junior high a concert with the LT choir students. students throughout the day of the festival, “The awesome thing about the Junior leading up to their final performance.

High Choral Festival is that it brings to“This is a great way to introduce middle gether 350 to 500 people of diverse ages and schoolers to what choir at LT is like and enbackgrounds, but what they have in comcourage them to sign up mon is that they for it if they come to all sing,” choir diLT,” choir student Kate rector Constance Finnerty ‘19 said.

Lyda said. “When The LT choral facyou see and hear a ulty directs the festival choir that big, it’s each year. Lyda, Harta very powerful ley and choir director thing. It’s a giant John Musick each metaphor for the teach and conduct one fact that there are of the songs performed. things that bring Every year the choir people together, has a tradition to sing and one of those is LT choir, including Paul Murphy-Gartner, sing “Dubula”, Lyda said. It any of the arts.” is a South African folk The festival took with middle schoolers (Lonnroth/LION). song that is very upbeat, a classic for the place on Jan. 10. Students practiced in the Choral Festival. There are also songs sung SC field house from 11:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., separated by gender. This year the girls’ song attended a pizza party at 5:30 p.m., and endwas “Let Me Fly,” a spiritual song, and the ed with a performance at 7:00 p.m. in the SC boys sang “Sivela Kwazulu”, another South field house.

African song.

“The Junior High Choral Festival is a “[The choir] thinks it is incredibly imwonderful way to help get future LT stuportant that humans share some essential dents excited to sing in LT choirs,” choir dicommonalities in spite of the divisiveness rector David Hartley said. “It is great to see we see in the world right now,” Lyda said. our LT singers interact with the junior high

by Mia Bonfiglio

After months of practice, Stage Door expects great show

by Maggie Kahn

The actors in this production range from third grade to high school seniors, Smith said. With kids coming from LaGrange, “Newsies”, premiering tonight, Jan. 25 Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, at 7 p.m. at The Community House in Hin- Brookfield, Riverside, Downers Grove, and sdale, tells the story of a young boy named St. Charles, the cast boasts over 100 people.

Jack Kelly who will lead his fellow cowork- The show is one of the largest that the Stage ers in a strike against power-hungry news- Door Fine Arts company has ever staged.

Auditions were on Oct. 17, and rehearsals paper owners of New York.

“This show is important because it is a began a week after. The cast rehearsed twice a week, Fridays from 6 true story of young to 9 p.m. and on Sunkids working for days from 1 to 7 p.m., something they beNate Scriba ‘21 said. lieve in and not giv“The cast has ing up,” Director worked so hard to Don Smith said. make the show what “It’s set in a time beit is today,” Scriba fore cell phones were said. “Learning the constantly in everydances was especially one’s face. I think the hard but we all, [parcommunity will find ticularly] the younger this show important kids, have made great because it has a great message: even the Nate Scriba ‘21 (right) rehearses (Kahn/LION). strides since the beginning of rehearsals little guys can inspire and are helping make the show look great.” others if they are determined.”

Due to the advanced choreography, the The show dates include Jan. 25-27 and Feb. 1-3. Friday and Saturday shows begin dances in the production come close to what at 7 p.m. and Sunday shows begin at 2 p.m. the professionals would do as well, Smith Tickets range from $20-$25 depending on said. The kids have worked tirelessly and evage. Based on the 1992 Disney motion pic- eryone is proud of the show. “This show has ture and inspired by a true story, the pro- been a blast to work on because the music duction focuses on the struggle between is amazing,” Smith said. “Everyone has been the local street newspaper vendors of and working so hard and it has been awesome to powerful publishers who raise prices at the watch the actors be challenged and rise to the demands of this intense show.” newsboys’ expense, Smith said.

@kahn_maggie

LT Theatre to perform fun, classic musical ‘Grease’

Large cast, new directors, intensive choreography all promise strong performance

by Nicole Klein @nicolecklein1 Due to directors wanting to put on a popular, well-known musical, LT theatre will be producing the beloved high school teen-romance “Grease” Feb. 14-17 in the NC Reber Center.

“We hope everyone in and watching the musical has fun,” director Mike Kuehl said. “If the audience doesn’t leave singing a song in an upbeat, toe-tapping style, something went wrong.”

With the retirement of theatre teacher Eugene O’Reilly, Kuehl and Lawrence Keller will be co-directing, Keller said Musicals in the past have only had one director, Kuehl said.

Having co-directors will be new to everyone.

“I think their teamwork is going to bring a whole new light to the stage, which will be exactly what this show needs,” Assistant Choreographer Kristen Flaws ‘19 said. “I think the similarity of it being a new thing for everyone will bring the cast, crew and each person involved closer.”

Kuehl, Keller and music director John Musick discussed many potential musicals and ultimately decided on “Grease,” Keller said.

“We wanted something fun that would get as many kids involved as possible,” Keller said.

“Grease” is doing just that. The cast includes over 60 stu-

dent actors, as well as musicians and a large backstage crew, Keller said.

“It’s honestly the perfect musical for our school because it utilizes a big cast with lots of fun dancing,” Kate Paras ‘20, playing the role of Sandy, said.

One challenge for the staff is coordinating all the elements of the show, Kuehl said. Yet, the directors did not struggle with getting people interested because of the familiar title.

“Since the audience already knows the show, we want people to look for how we can exceed the expectations of what they know and how can we create a fun event where

Camryn Maclean ‘19 and Clark Anderson ‘21 practice the student-choreographed dance routine for a song (Kahn/LION).

people have a good time,” Keller said.

Since the musical is expensive to put on, this is the only show of the year by the theatre board that will not be free with a student ID, Kuehl said. It will cost $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.

“I hope that we get as many people to see this show as possible, especially people from the community and middle schoolers who are interested in theatre at LT,” Paras said.

Anyone 8 years or older is encouraged to come, Kuehl said. The audience may range from people who saw the film when it first came out to people who are more familiar with later remakes.

“There are many different versions of ‘Grease’ but what our show does best is we bring in a new, fun-loving energy,” student director Olivia Janik ‘20 said.

The two leads are Paras and Clark Anderson ‘21, but this play allows many more students to be showcased as well, through acting, singing, and dancing.

“We want people to see all the amazing things LT students can do,” Kuehl said.

The costumes will be fun, pretty, classic outfits from the ‘50s, Janik said. The set will have a balance between a large set and fitting 60 kids on stage, while maintaining a clean and precise look.

“LT has a pretty good track record of putting on musicals and our goal is [to] follow in that tradition,” Keller said.

Page 6

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Friday, January 25, 2019

Friday, January 25, 2019

opiniOns PageSevenPhotoGrid

Page 7

GuestColumn R is for respect

I have the mouth of a Welcome to the Page Seven Grid, which some of you may know as the only page in the paper. This is where sailor. With two older we can watch people (attempt to) be funny. Your classmates are asked a series of questions, to which they brothers, I respond with the most humorous answers! If you have a funny or unique question, bring it to Room 220 and heard every Pilar Valdes swear you maybe you’ll see it in here next issue! can think of, all before the age of 10. I will say any word in the English language, except one.

If aliens looked like one What two teachers What warm winter drink It’s not that hard. It’s one Name LT’s Wifi password. celebrity who would they would you form a band are you? word. Six letters. You can elimilook like? with? nate it from your vocabulary.

You can call something stupid, dumb, idiotic. As I walk down the halls every day I hear it I would start a rap group over and over again. So I say: I am hot coco mixed with LT’sWife123434 “Hey, can you guys not say with Mr. Mshar and some marshmallows Lindsay Lohan that word? My aunt has special Mrs. Rads. needs so it really bugs me when people say it.”

Tyrese Shines ‘19 People usually immediately apologize. There is no need to apologize: change your words.

Mr. Musick and Señora By now you know what The dandelion latte (I have Guy Fieri- so I could hear Plichta because we could word I’m talking about. I unNumber1wordswithWano idea what it is and I hate 5,000 “Diners Drive Ins and revive Mr. Musick’s a termanfans coffee, but I looked up hot Dives” at once, it’s a person- cappella group and make derstand where the term comes from. Before mental disabilities winter drinks and this looks al dream of mine. bilingual a capella the were understood, anyone who the sickest) next hip thing. was born with a disability was Mary Beck ‘20 classified by this term because their brains work differently than yours or mine. Those mental disabilities are understood now, they have proper medical Señor Buetikofer and Hot caramel chocolate HackMe Morgan Freeman names and there’s no longer Mr. Stormont one blanket term used to describe hundreds of disabilities.

This word isn’t used medically Justin Backus ‘21 anymore, so it shouldn’t be used at all.

This is not the case. If something we’re learning seems El Tea (ed. note—do they not Warm egg nog Betty White Mr. Musick (duh) and Mr. like it will have no use in our careers; it’s described by this teach you how to spell until Walker word. If your friend trips and sophmore year?) falls down the stairs; they are called this word. If you are Alec Paras ‘22 trying to describe someone or something in a negative way; this word is used.

Leonardo DiCaprio beYes, words can be reclaimed. salevale324 Peppermint mocha Mrs. Park and Ms. cause then we wouldn’t be By taking what was once a slur Marinec afraid of them. and spinning the connotation to the positive, the word loses its power. The same cannot be said Profe Kraus, Spanish Teacher compiled by Olivia Janik and Pilar Valdes about a slur used to insult those with special needs. No one, anywhere, has any right to use a word that belittles those with special needs. Not only because The LION staff strongly supports the First Amendit is disgusting, but also because Did you hear that? Here, the Random Chatter Box, often times, those people don’t ment rights to freedom of expression and opposes LION compiles some of the funniest, weirdest, and have the mental capacity to censorship in any form. or reclaim the word. most random comments we hear in the halls of LT. fightMyback LION is a newsroom for journalism students designed to serve the community aunt Sarah is 48. She of Lyons Township. has the mental capacity of an It is LION’s responsibility to cover the events and issues that may have rele8-year-old. Would you call vance to the readership in the community. an 8-year-old that slur? No. “Hair doesn’t grow on bone!”-Sam Peters ‘20 So don’t say it about my aunt.

LION will attempt to cover all aspects of the school; however, coverage will greatly depend on the item’s news value. News value is determined by timeliness Every time you say it, you are and how relevant the item is to the majority of the newspaper’s readership. LION implying that those with special editors reserve the right to determine the news value of content. needs are nothing more than LION will clearly identify sources of news, except in cases when it is clearly their mental capacity. You are necessary to protect the source’s identity. implying that someone is less “I just busted my butter.” -Edward KruLION will avoid sensationalizing the news. LION does not invade the personal of a person because they have szynski ‘19 privacy of sources. a disability. You are implying Each issue of the paper will feature staff editorials. Although they are written that those with special needs by individuals, they reflect the viewpoints of the student staff. are not worthy of respect.

LION is written primarily for LT students and faculty.

People with intellectual LION makes every possible effort to correctly spell the names of sources. disabilities are just that: people.

“A craisin is just a fruitier flower.”-Deniz All facts must be checked for accuracy by the writer. Any unverified informaPeople deserving and worthy of tion will not be printed in LION. Kelemet ‘19 love and friendship and respect.

Most of what is published is the work of individuals. The writer’s name will be Stop saying it. Think before you printed by every story, except for the editorials. The entire staff is responsible for speak. Think about my aunt, or all content that is published. Administrators have a non-review role and do not the boy I babysit. Think about control the content prior to publication. the Special Olympics basketball LION strives for the highest standards of accuracy in its presentation of mateteam and how amazing it is rial that time allows. The staff accepts responsibility for the accuracy of these facts. to see them in the All -school “Ghost prostitute!”-Hannah Orndorff ‘19 Rumor, gossip and innuendo are not included in a story appearing in LION. Assembly, and how happy it Sources interviewed for a story will be given the opportunity to look through makes them to have 4,000 of their interview notes and verify their quotes prior to the printer’s deadlines. their classmates cheering them Every reporter and other member of the staff will face the ramifications for on. Now think about how they any inaccuracies presented in his or her story. would feel if they knew that you were using something they have absolutely no control over—their disability—as an Have an opinion on a story or the world? Bring a insult.

Don’t say it. Period. No ifs letter to NC Room 220, Mr. Scales’s mailbox or email ands or buts; the word is a slur, it to Olivia Janik at jan506339@d204.lths.net. no matter how you spin it.

Make sure the content of the letter is appropriate, I just wrote an entire column about a word without using said sign your name and make sure to put down your word once. It’s really not that email! LION reserves the right to edit all letters. Not hard. Think about your words. all letters will be published.

Change your words.

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Page 8

Opinions

Friday, January 25, 2019

Why not?

2019 and Me

LION surveyed 264 students on their opinions on ancestry testing.

PawsUp

n To the egg—nothing makes us happier than a Kardashian being dethroned by an unborn baby chicken. n To Girl Scout cookies—breaking my healthy lifestyle goals has never tasted so good. n To gym relaxation— finding my Zen gives me a legit excuse to sleep in school. n To Casey’s queso—putting Tostitos to shame. n To flannel lined khakis—comfort and style in one. n To new Wifi at LT—now we can play Kahoot! in the basement. n To “Bird Box”—thanks for the memes and Youtube challenge videos. n To moms who have snapchats—you're not like regular moms, you're cool moms. n To the platypus—whatever nondenominational higher being you believe in was freestyling when he/she/it created you. n To theatre kids—thanks for fueling our afterschool layouts with your fruit snacks. n To toenail polish—you can survive the third world war. n To Dr. Waterman—we speak for the whole student body when we say we <3 u.

PawsDown

n To kids who got Airpods for Christmas—I’m telling FAFSA. n To picking gym tracks— if I get stuck in weight training again, I’ll be too swol for the general public to handle. n To birds—has anyone seen one since the government shut down? n To Demi from the Daily Mail Snapchat story—who are you? n To forgetting your gym shoes—timbs do not go with a gym uniform. n To people who wear shorts in the winter— what are you trying to prove? n To Netflix prices going up—don’t make me start using Hulu. n To the 10-year challenge—crazy how you look different than you did when you were 7! n To theatre kids—we can’t boost your egos too much with that Paws Up. n To January—it’s not fair that you have to follow December, but that’s how it goes. n To people that watch “Friends” and “The Office”—you do realize that liking those shows isn’t a personality trait right?

DNA or ancestry tests use samples of DNA to match the results with certain traits, characteristics or other family members. of respondents said ancestry can be useful in learning about your family medical history

of respondents said they have done or know someone who has done an ancestry test

of respondents said they don’t trust DNA companies with their data, but need to use their services so they use them anyways

Know your roots

In April of last year, the police arrested the suspected “Golden State Killer” a man who scared California for over 10 years with killings, rapes and burglaries.

The arrest came 40 years after his reign of terror, thanks to a DNA website.

Olivia Janik According to the New York Times, the website GEDmatch was used to track the DNA from the crime scene and created a family tree using a relative of the suspect. His arrest was only possible because of new technology that find people through the DNA of their relatives.

Thanks to DNA testing, a serial killer and rapist will be held accountable for his atrocious actions.

In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to send DNA to companies like 23andMe to discover ancestry information. Gene testing companies provide services that give information about peoples’ ancestry, genetic health, and trait reports. These companies have settled themselves into our world, through advertisements, gift idea lists, and that one aunt who is obsessed with your family history. It’s not a bad thing that DNA and genetic testing have become more common.

DNA testing has had a positive impact on the 21st century because it gives its customers valuable information about their family disease history and helps people feel more connected to their family.

One of the great benefits of DNA testing is that it can give its customers a genetic health report that highlights their risks for different degenerations, deficiencies and diseases. The new developments in DNA technology have led to more people making healthier decisions to prevent diseases and conditions that they are more likely to develop

due to their genetics. For example, because my dad has a history of Alzheimer’s in his family and my mom has a history of heart disease in her family, my parents have cut many highly processed foods, like cool whip that lead to these diseases out of their diets as preventative measures.

For some people, family history holds a high value in their life, and ancestry testing can help make meaningful connections. After my mom’s best friend lost her father, she started using ancestry.com as a way to trace her family history. She traveled to Panama, to see where her grandpa helped build the Panama Canal, and to Europe to meet distant relatives and see where her family lived centuries before her. Through the connections she made, she was able to feel closer to her dad, even though he was no longer with her. People may consider family history to be useless, but it can help ease the parting blow, or help them learn new things about the people who were dear to them.

Genetic testing is beneficial in various different circumstances, but that doesn’t mean that it always is. Health insurance companies can use DNA to determine health conditions of their customers, and even deny them coverage if they have too many health issues. New technology is created to make people’s lives easier, and give them new opportunities. Giving health insurance companies their customers’ DNA is wrong and does not serve the public.

In order to end the risks that DNA testing has, we need to continue learning about our DNA and what this technology can give us. Knowing your roots is important and DNA testing brings even more information to our fingertips about our families, our health and who we are. DNA testing isn’t going anywhere and it is clear that there are huge benefits to this innovation.

Would you ever post your social security number on your Instagram? No. You would never share something that private because you know that once someone else has it, your information can be abused and your identity stolen. Your DNA is Diane Makovic your genetic social security number, and it would be foolish to give it away. Once you send your DNA, you have no control over what the company is doing with your information. The company can’t take ownership of your DNA, but they can claim ownership of that sample and reuse it in the future.

When you send in your spit for a DNA test, you are also giving away your family’s DNA. Peoples’ data has been used during criminal cases, such as the “Golden State Killer.”

While uncovering criminals is a good thing, being able to track people through others’ DNA is not. You can unintentionally give away family members’ genetic information, even if that person doesn’t take a test themself.

Just like with any company, the database that stores all your genetic information can be hacked. If your information is hacked, there is no way to get it back or reverse the situation. Unlike with a credit card hack, there is no way to “cancel” your DNA or get a new DNA sequence.

Since you can do these tests on your own, it can be hard to interpret results without the help of a doctor. It can be helpful, and in some cases lifesaving, to learn genetic information because it can help you take preventive and precautionary steps against diseases such as cancer. While giving away ancestry tests as holiday gifts can seem like a fun experiment or a useful tool, in reality, you can be giving

your relatives much more stress and unwanted responsibility as a result. Families have learned unwanted information such as adoptions that were unknown previously, according to an article on Mashable.

Some ancestry testing companies have started to use mutations in DNA sequences to look for a few serious diseases, such as celiac disease, Parkinson’s, and late-onset Alzheimer’s. For example, 23andMe received permission from the FDA to test and identify risk of breast cancer in three mutations in two genes, according to NPR. This incomplete test can rule out thousands of other mutations that can also lead to an increased risk of breast cancer, which can lead to a decrease in the number of women who pursue follow-up tests. People who have participated in an ancestry test need to know that the results are a starting point that can be used as a follow up with your doctor, but they can not be substituted for common checkups and other routine healthcare necessities.

While health insurers and employers are prohibited from accessing your DNA test results, long-term care and life insurance companies can both view your results and change your rates based upon it, according to the same Mashable article. The company 23andMe recently gave access to user’s data to GlaxoSmithKline, a British pharmaceutical company. Once you’ve sent in your DNA, the results are in the company’s system and they aren’t in your control anymore.

On the surface, DNA tests can seem like a fun experiment to do with your family, but in reality there are many privacy concerns that go along with allowing companies access to your genetic code.

Do-Not-Allow

Many of our elected public servants are good, hardworking Greg Smith people.

Unfortunately, many others disingenuous, self-obsessed and self-promoting. While not smart, they’re convinced of their own brilliance.

Why don’t more smart people go into politics? Here are my best guesses as to why: Being a politician tends to degrade people. You’re at the mercy of the preference of imperfect people, so in order to keep your job, you first need to pander to their imperfect likings. You also don’t keep your job without owing people favors. You need to do imperfect favors for imperfect people who are not meant to be given preferential treatment by the constitutional system that gives you power. And playing politics with other politicians tends to be a shallow game that leaves one empty. How do we know this? Look at how horribly a president ages over his tenure. Nearly every single one (notably Lincoln and Obama) exhibits dramatic signs of aging from the stress of the rat race.

Political success these days, let alone meaningful contribution to the country, doesn’t come the way it used to. It used to be about putting in your time forming coalitions, making connections and compromises, and actually doing work to build a record on which you could run for higher office. Now it’s just about being famous and saying things that get you attention. Don’t believe me? Two of the most popular politicians these days (President Trump and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) show the world this principle on the daily. Their meteoric rises to success followed absolutely no political experience; one can argue that in both cases it followed no meaningful life experience at all. They are very active on Twitter. Both show some political sense, but mostly ignorance. They attack members of their own parties like little children seeking attention. And after all this, both are hailed as the bright future of their respective parties. God help us all.

When it was founded, some of the best and brightest in the land pledged their lives, fortunes, and their sacred honor to one another at the conclusion of the Declaration of Independence. Some elected officials live up to the humility and moral courage of the founders. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL 3) comes to mind. Although I agree with him on virtually nothing, I have immense respect for the fact that he takes a lonely and courageous position on abortion, for which he has been shunned and isolated by certain members of his own party. It’s encouraging to know he’s still in congress despite their best efforts.

When free to choose its leaders, you and I should have little faith in the electorate to make the right choices even a majority of the time. I do, however, wholeheartedly agree with Winston Churchill that “democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

Opinions

Friday, January 25, 2019

StaffEditorials

Page 9

Another View

Fix up the Speak Up The Speak Up Line started with good them keeps students safe. Those who are intentions. Unfortunately, it hasn’t lived up to caught face punishments from the school that its goals. And because of its failure, it should are meant to resolve issues that may contribbe replaced by a more effective program that ute to underage drinking and drug use as well will do a more efficient job helping students as deter such behavior in the future. From suffering from both mental health and drug the results of the Illinois Youth Survey, it is abuse problems. apparent that LT needs these measures for its The Speak Up Line now serves to bring students now more than ever. mainly two issues to the attention of school But the Speak Up Line is not the tool by officials as they arise: mental health and which students abusing substances and alcosubstance abuse. Students are encouraged hol should be punished and receive help. to “anonymously report unsafe behavior.”

The system is, first of all, based entirely on Students report instances where one of their anonymous reporting from students. There peers has expressed thoughts is a stigma associated with reof harm to themselves or their porting other students for drug Our Position: The classmates. For cases such as use. So, many reports related Speak Up Line has this, the Speak Up Line is effecto substance abuse are based on tive. Students can also report good intentions, but personal vendettas against ansubstance abuse. The way it is needs to be replaced other particular student, rather used for this purpose renders with a program that than genuine care and concern the mechanism broken. for one’s peers. It seems that benefits all strugGuaranteed anonymity too often the Speak Up Line gling students. when reporting a concern about gets people into trouble instead a peer’s mental or emotional of getting them out of trouble. state is a wise resource for the school to offer This tattling in order to get students into students. When a friend shows signs of detrouble constitutes a form of bullying. The pression or suicidal thoughts, it can be difficult fact that discretionary enforcement of the for teens to tell trusted adults because those rules is left into students’ hands is a farce, who are struggling sometimes ask their friends but no one is laughing. It isn’t fair that some to keep quiet. Telling an adult is the best and students decide to hold each other accountbravest thing that someone can do to help a able for breaking the rules while others go struggling classmate. Talking to a trusted adult free. LT tells its students to “treat each other is the best thing for a struggling teenager to with dignity and respect.” Students who tattle do. It may not seem like it at the time, but on each other as revenge and only mean to seeking professional help is the first step to cause misery by doing so are not acting in a recovery and living a healthier life.The fact dignified manner towards their peers. This that the Speak Up Line offers this opportunity behavior should not be encouraged. But the makes it easier for students to do the right bottom line is that the Speak Up Line allows thing for their friend without feelings of guilt. this to happen.

This offer of anonymity can save lives.

To be sure, the Speak Up Line can do But it can be offered without the other edge good. When it helps a student recover from of the sword that the Speak Up Line brings. an addiction or a mental health problem, it The Speak Up Line is meant for students to saves a life, and its existence to this point can report unsafe behavior. Students unfortunatebe justified. But it needs to be replaced by ly sometimes use it as a means to get people in something allowing students to anonymously trouble, rather than to help people who are in report legitimate mental health and substance danger get out of trouble. abuse concerns (about themselves or their The school and the government have rules peers) without promoting anonymous tattling about substance abuse (e.g. the drinking age) for illegal activities. We need to do better that are meant to keep people safe. Following than this.

Illustration by Tommy Layden

Staff Vote: 19-5

A job well done Before winter break, all LT teachers then use their whole day, including their were working under the terms of last year’s lunch and unscheduled periods, to look after contract. The teachers received a contract students. There is much additional effort that on Dec. 17, and on Dec. 21 it was voted on goes into all those extra activities, yet they still and passed with overwhelming approval take the time to do them. (see page 2 for full the story).

Writing letters of recommendation for stuWhen contracts are negotiated, the cost dents that are applying to college and offering of living in the U.S. is considered, meaning before and after school help are more examthat as the cost of living increases, so do ples of actions our teachers do daily to help us teachers’ salaries in most cases. When the learn and prepare for college. teachers’ contracts expire, the union has The teachers continued to do all these multiple courses of action they can take, activities for their students for a whole semesaccording to Labor Notes ter, without knowing when website. The teachers’ a new contract would be Our Position: We union attempts to negotiate made. Some teachers could should take the time with the school board on to appreciate that our have decided not to continue an entirely new contract. doing a lot of the additional teachers still helped They can agree to extend work because of not having their students to their an agreement, but they contheir last contract, go on a utmost ability even strike, or work without a tinued to work without many contract. Since no agreewith all that was going students even realizing that ment was reached between on behind the scenes. there was even a problem. the Lyons Township EduTeachers from other cation Association and LT’s school districts have gone Board of Education by the start of school in on strike for days and sometimes even weeks, August, the teachers agreed to work under preventing students from getting their educalast year’s contract as negotiations contintion. For example, in April of 2018, Oklahoma ued. teachers walked out because the teachers felt Not only did teachers continue to they were underpaid, according to the New work on the extended contract, they also York Times. The lack of a contract thankfully continued to do numerous day-to-day did not reach the point of a walkout at LT. activities for students that are not in their The staff felt it was necessary to continue on, job description. knowing that things would sort themselves When teachers use their unscheduled out eventually. Since the staff and school periods, for example their lunch period, board came to a conclusion that attempted to to allow students to come in for extra help remedy some of the union’s biggest concerns, or make up tests, they are not getting paid the months without contract have come to a extra for that work. When teachers take close. Make sure to thank your teachers for students on field trips, they have to take the effort and care they put into your first the time to get the field trip approved and semester and beyond.

Illustration by Olivia Janik

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sports

Page 10

Hockey team’s strong bond produces success Team trains to win after several complications

by Maggie Kahn @kahn_maggie

The LTHS Hockey Club is performing above expectations, with teamwork fueling the drive to win.

“I’m really fortunate this year that the boys really get along well on and off the ice,” first year head varsity coach Benjamin Engle said. “[There is] a unique bond they have that I haven’t seen in the past couple years with LT.” With 18 players on both the JV and varsity teams practicing three times a week and playing approximately two games each week, hockey is a full time commitment. The season begins mid-August with bootcamp and tryAidan Sheehan '20 prepares to charge down the ice in a recent game (Kahn/LION). outs, going all the way through the end of February or early March, depending on how perfecting their skills. the proceeds were donated to a charity of the team performs in state playoffs, defender “Our biggest challenge throughout the choice, the American Heart Association.

Aidan Sheehan ‘20 said. season has been consistency, which has been “I was actually diagnosed last January Along with the necessary dedication to hard to find due to several injuries that we with heart failure, and I have been manthe sport, this season the team has had to have dealt with throughout the first half of aging this condition for the last year with adapt to other obstacles as well, alternate the season,” Davi said. doctors’ visits and daily medications,” Davi team captain Matthew Korallus ‘19 said Within LT’s conference, teams such as said. “My prognosis is not bad, and we are “Our head coach from last year quit, so we Glenbard, Hinsdale Central and Oak Park hoping to continue to see improvement. had to adjust to a new head coach,” Koral- River Forest, pose potential challenges for Given the uniqueness of the situation, the lus said. “However, he [also left] early in the the team, Engle said.

American Heart Association was chosen.” season and our assistant coach from last year In order to better prepare to play these The players were very supportive of the became the new [varsity] head coach. This competitive teams, the LT team has been charity selected because their coach’s conhas put our team in a tough spot because we reinforcing the “game by game” philosophy, dition is quite important to them as well, had a slow start to the season.” taking it one step at a time and focusing in Sheehan said.

The team’s current record is 14-17-3, on one opponent before jumping to the next, “Last year [Davi] announced he was batwhich not exactly where they would like to Engle said. tling heart disease and the team and club as be, but still impressive given the special cir“Each day, each practice, each game, you a whole really rallied behind him,” Sheehan cumstances, Korallus said. can see the kids gelling a little bit more to said. “[Davi] is one of the nicest people I With the addition of eight freshmen, the become a better hockey team,” Engle said. have met and has taught me so much.”

JV team has had to guide the younger playOn Dec. 14, LT played against the Hinsdale T.+he varsity team plays next at the ers in becoming accustomed to high school Devils taking home a win for the JV team, but Seven Bridges Olympic Rink against Benet hockey, JV head coach Brent Davi said. As not for varsity. At this Winter Classic game High School on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.. a result, the team faces some interruption in at the Bobby Hull Ice Arena in Cicero, all of

Track seasons start with a bang

Girls' team expects another successful year, prepares for upcoming season's meets

by Liz Gremer @lizgremer It is a sunny May day, and the girls’ 4x400 meter relay team has just clinched the fourth place state title. The quartet of Renata Wingert ‘19, Lizzie Scotty ‘19, Sonia Slusarczyk ‘18, and Tara Schwarz ‘18, glow with their medals on the podium.

“The track team shaped my experience at LT,” Wingert said.

“It formed me into a better, more disciplined person, and I know a lot more people because of it.”

Following a strong end to last year’s season, the girls’ track and field team is approaching its upcoming season with optimism.

The team’s goal is to win conference, and improve their state finish, head coach Greg Frandsen said.

“Our conference is always one of the top conferences in that state,” Frandsen said. “Other teams know that they have to respond to try to keep up with our team.”

The team began its season on Jan. 14. An estimated 200 girls are on the team, making it the largest team for girls at LT, Frandsen said. Indoor season begins in early February, and the season lasts until the end of May, ending at the state meet. Each event

hosts different amounts of team members, and this group sticks together throughout the season, Frandsen said.

“The team is a second family to me,” Francesca Mitchell ‘20 said. “We all show that we care about everyone on our team.”

The team also consists of six returning All-American athletes, Frandsen said. All-American status is achieved at the IHSA state meet depending on how members of the team finish in their events.

“We’re excited for the season,” Frandsen said. “We have a lot of good girls coming back, and I know they are excited for the season. We’re excited to see what we what we can do,” Overall, the sport boasts 16 different events for girls to participate in, ranging from sprints to shot put. Track is unlike most sports, as it only involves the strength and endurance of the human body, Frandsen said.

“It’s the only really pure sport there is,” Frandsen said. “Everything else uses balls or bats, but [track] is you against somebody, running, jumping, or throwing.

It’s as about as pure as a sport as you can get.”

The team’s first meet is Feb. 9 at the SC Field House.

Lizzie Scotty '19 and Deajah Monet '18 race in a meet (Devine/LION).

Boys' team sees potential across runners, hopes to qualifiy atheletes for state meet

by Diane Makovic @dmakovic The boys track team is looking to send as many runners as possible to the state meet following a sectional win and state champion last season, varsity coach Mike Danner said.

“We want to be competitive at conference, win the sectional title, and qualify as many [runners] as possible for state,” he said.

Boys’ track is a limited sport, but typically is one of the largest teams at LT. The upperclassmen are looking to assist and motivate the younger members of the team, Robby Cicciarelli ‘19 said.

“I want to help the younger kids out and have them fall in love with the season like I did,” Cicciarelli said.

The runners have prepared for the season by going to winter running throughout December and January, Danner said. The distance group trains daily, and the sprinters meet on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday for intramural running. The runners coming from the cross country season took a short break between seasons, but have been preparing for track by building back up their training, Jack Ehlert ‘20 said.

“I took a month off after XC because of an ankle injury,”

Ehlert said. “Now I’m back and conditioning for the indoor season.”

While the track season is the longest high school sports season, many runners are already looking towards end of the year goals, Ehlert said.

“A lot of our guys on this team have the potential to run in the state series,” Ehlert said. “We are a team with a lot of energy and potential, so I think some other guys could have some big seasons.”

The 2018 boys track team came out of the season with a sectional win, sending 20 runners to state. Danny Kilrea ‘18 was the state champion in the 3200m run.

This year’s team is looking to improve upon last year’s conference finish, in order to battle for the conference title, Cicciarelli said.

“It’s a continuous battle each year,” Danner said.

Track is a more individual sport, since runners qualify for state based on their own sectional performances, Ehlert said.

“I’m definitely just looking forward to coming back completely fit and hopefully doing some big things in track,” Ehlert said.

The boys’ first meet in on Saturday, Feb. 2 at Proviso West.

Ben Cranny '18 launches off in his relay event (Devine/LION).

Friday, January 25, 2019

Cody Parkey is a name that has now become infamous, a name that is circulating in the thoughts of Bears’ Tommy Layden fans everywhere.

After an excitingly prolific season, the Bears lost in one of the worst ways possible, a missed field goal with just seconds to spare. This was not the first game that was lost in the waning seconds. The 12 and 5 record the Bears finished with is one of the best that Chicago fans have seen in years, but it easily could have been better. Four of the Bears' five loses were by three points or less. This is the moment where most would blame Parkey, but these close loses are characteristic of a young team — which the Bears are.

Over the past five years, good football and Chicago were words that did not mix, but in 2018 the Bears have become a different team. In the 2017 season, the Bears had the 10th best defense in the league. This rank is okay, not great and not terrible, but definitely not typical to great Bears teams.

With the new additions of Khalil Mack and Roquan Smith, the defense has been transformed from decent to having the league’s best rush defense and the third best pass defense. What the Bears did to the LA Rams in week 13 was disgusting; they held arguably the league's best offense to 214 total yards. The Rams averaged 424.1 yards per game, a margin only falling behind the KC Chiefs this season. A few seasons ago, no Bears fan could ever predict that they would once again be able to torment a team on defense, but the Bears this year have been on a continuous improvement streak — and they aren't looking like they'll stop anytime soon.

Another reason to lose faith in the Bears is the departure of Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, but honestly it is hard to have a bad defense with all of the high caliber talent the Bears have at this moment. Even more promising is that of the Bears 11 starters this past season, seven are under a contract with the team through 2021, and that does not even include rookie stud, Roquan Smith. On offense things are different, the team was clearly stronger on defense, but Head Coach Matt Nagy has gotten results out of Mitchell Trubisky. In this modern era of the NFL any team that wants to play at the highest level has to have a good quarterback, and Trubisky has lots of work to do, but he is taking steps in the right direction.

For right now, the players need to rest and the Bears management needs to focus on making a few important moves to continue the winning culture. The first problem is the lack of star power on the Bears receiving crew. Allen Robinson had a good first season, but if the second best option at receiver is a running back and neither of them are able to break 800 yards, that’s flat-out just not good enough to be at the level of a Super Bowl contending team. With around $20 million in cap space, the door is wide open for the Bears to trade for or sign a new receiver from free agency.

In addition to this move, the Bears need to get contract extensions on the remaining key players whose contracts will expire in 2019 and 2020. Once the team has completed these adjustments, the Bears will remain stable and a good team for the years to come. Without these moves, the Bears will remain a feared defense, this will get them to the playoffs but they will not get much farther than the first round without the addition of another elite receiver.

Overall, the Bears are still a playoff team and only a few moves away from a becoming a true Super Bowl caliber team, but right now the Bears are still the best team in the NFC North. It has been a few years since any Chicagoan could say that, or take take pride in our football team.

sports

Friday, January 25, 2019

Pack The Place prevails

Fans turn out in large numbers, affirming snow has zero effect on LT’s school spirit

by Tommy Layden @layden_tommy

Just before 5 p.m. on Jan. 18 LT’s NC field house was buzzing; clubs were setting up fundraising tables, players were warming up and coaches were helping organize each aspect of the game. All of this was in anticipation of the Pack The Place games—as soon as you walked in the gym you could feel something in the air and knew that a special night lay ahead.

As the teams warmed up the excitement was palpable. Some of the players were at their very first Pack The Place event. But for Will Medina ‘16, it was a bittersweet last dance.

“I am not too nervous, we are really hoping to get the W,” Medina said before the game.

Luckily for Medina, LT got three consecutive wins; 36-26 in the gold game, 22-20 in the blue game, and 53-10 in the white game.

But what truly makes this event special is most players did not even bring up the win as their favorite moment. “[The games’ best moment was] when Oscar [Orders ‘21] made his basket, because he had not made a basket all year [and] that was his first,” Ben Ellenby ‘19 said Zak Lavaty ‘17 who just played his sixth Pack The Place game, had an entirely different take on his experience and thrived on the crowd’s energy.

“The best part is seeing my friends in the stands, and hearing the band play, [because] I was in marching band for four years,” Lavaty said.

Although this will be the last Pack The Place with Medina, he did not go quietly. Medina opened the game with eight points in the first quarter, and ended with a game high of 17 points, alongside an eight-point effort from Kendall Wright ‘19.

“I had to believe in myself and my teammates, and without that we wouldn’t get this win,” Medina said.

The players are not used to games with large amounts of people in the stands cheering them on, so the fan presence created a unique and memorable environment.

“It was really good a lot of the audience was screaming out of

Ethan Garcia ‘22 storms onto the court prior to the white team’s game against York Community High School (Dougherty/LION). their lungs to cheer us on,” Medina said. “I couldn’t ask for a better crowd.”

Even though forecasts predicted blizzards and snow storms, students poured in. By 6 p.m. the gym had a larger crowd than last year. “[The crowd] was not as big as I thought, but it was very understandable because the weather was predicted to be really bad,” Ellenby said.

Coaches Emma Colangelo and Gabby Silva were pleased that the snow had held off throughout the duration of the event, and that students, parents and faculty came out to support.

“I love that some of the other teams like the wrestling team comes to support us,” Silva said.

This event creates a opportunity for LT students to come together to support their sports teams showing what it is to be a Lion on and off the court. “[My] goal for tonight was just being out there getting a basketdidn’t matter as long as I’m out there, and I [hope] I can help the team stay positive no matter what happens. I can do that on the bench and on the court,” Ellenby said.

Turn to page 12 to see a double feature athlete of the month story on Ellenby and Wright.

Head varsity football coach resigns Coach Kurt Weinberg steps down to make time for family

by Isabella Sorice @isabella.sorice After 10 years of coaching at LT, head varsity football coach Kurt Weinberg is leaving to spend more time with his family.

“I haven’t been able to see my kids play their sports in the fall,” Weinberg said. “It’s time to put family first.”

Weinberg finishes his LT football career with a record of 60-46. He made the IHSA playoffs nine out of his 10 years, advanced to the Sweet 16 four times and progressed to the quarterfinals three times in 2010-12.

“I am proud of the games won, and that we did things the right way: treating players with respect and running a quality program,” Weinberg said.

Although he is leaving football, Weinberg will continue his career at LT. “I will continue to teach, as well as coach lacrosse, and now be able to see my kids [play] during the fall,” Weinberg said.

Varsity quarterback JJ Dutton ‘19 has good memories playing under Weinberg’s

coaching. He was pushed to do his best, but also had fun, Dutton said.

“He was so easy to talk to and I loved being coached by him,” Dutton said. “I could take his critiques and ask him questions. I knew he had been there before in his days so he was awesome to have around.”

Throughout his three years being coached

by Weinberg, varsity linebacker Sean Rickman ‘19 learned life long lessons. Weinberg taught Rickman and the team to not only succeed on the field, but in their everyday lives, he said.

“He’s a great guy and great coach who doesn’t only care about having a good football team but also cares about the kind of men his players will grow up to be,” Rickman said.

On the field, Weinberg helped his team stay collected, Rickman said. Weinberg was able to give the team needed motivation before games and the reassurance they needed after, Dutton said.

“He was really good at calming the nerves that a lot of guys get going into a game,” Rickman said. “He would always remind us to enjoy it and not worry about the outcome

Kurt Weinberg and JJ Dutton ‘19 discussing plays during a game (Photo courtesy of Gazis).

but just give it our all every play.”

Looking back, Weinberg is happy with his time spent coaching football at LT. “Being able to work with great coaches and players while here has been the highlight,” Weinberg said.

Poms qualifies for IHSA state

Team prepares for basketball performances, competition season

by Mia Bonfiglio @miabonfiglio

After qualifying for IHSA state for the first time in LT competitive dance team history last year, varsity poms has much to live up to this season. They won first place and a High Point Award at the Illinois Drill Team Association (IDTA) state competition last year.

“This season so far has been a really good learning curve in how to adapt to big and new changes we weren’t used to,” Andee Mazurowski ‘19 said.

The team dances in competitions every weekend leading up to IHSA State on Jan. 25 and 26 and IDTA State on Feb. 9. They travel to several high schools around the suburbs to compete.

“This year a lot is different,” Sarah Tobin ‘20 said. “There are a lot of underclassmen, but it’s still a lot of fun.”

Head varsity coach Brittany Knickelbein previously coached the JV team for six

Varsity poms team strikes a pose during a competition (Steve Martin).

years. This is her first year coaching varsity. The team is large and freshmen are allowed on varsity, which was restricted in previous years.

“Making it to the second day of state would be amazing,” Knickelbein said. “My goals are to continue to create a well rounded spirited and competitive dance team for LT and make a name for us as an IHSA sport.”

This year the team learned their routine fairly late into the season, Tobin said. They only had a few weeks to perfect it before their first competition that occured in December.

Despite the restricting time challenge, the team performed incredibly well, Knickelbein said. Their routine is used throughout the whole season at competitions.

The team also performs at basketball games, and will be performing at the All-school Assembly in February.

“Normal practices are a break from reality so we can focus on the dance, perfecting it and still having some fun with friends,” Mazurowski said.

The focus of practice is working on the competition routine, Tobin said. Half of the team’s practice time is spent working on the routine being performed at the next basketball game and the other half of practice is spent on perfecting the competition routine. The basketball halftimes switch every week and are typically jazz routines they learned over the summer.

For state, the team goes through the dance, cleaning up every section, Mazurowski said.

“I would describe the team as a family because we are all so supportive of each other and push each other to not only be better dancers but better people,” Mazurowski said. “We spend so much time together that one day off feels like a month apart.”

Page 11

After watching Trevor Lawrence make two spectacular passes to Justyn Ross that ended Alabama’s historic season, it reminds us of the crazy Hayden Claesson moments that make college football so amazing. College football is one of the most watched sports leagues in the United States, and every season has its crazy moments that will never be forgotten.

However, having all of the hype and nuttiness of the college football season end with a playoff season that allows just four teams playing for a national championship is almost an insult to fans, as well as a blatant insult to some teams. A college football playoff of eight teams would create more balanced playoff picture as well as a better fan experience.

It’s always those two teams. It seems like every year there are two teams that seem to have “just missed” the playoffs or have been screwed by the playoff committee, and in the past two years, one of those teams has been the Ohio State Buckeyes. They managed to have a one game slip up in the middle of the season which cost them their chances of competing for a championship. While this may drive Buckeye fans to madness, it shows one of the things I like about the current playoff format: in order to compete for a national championship, a team needs a near perfect season. This means no mistakes against unranked opponents, and basically makes two loss teams unable to even be in the conversation. All the regular season games count, so teams have to play at full throttle in every game in order to make it to January.

However, this comes at a tradeoff; some teams do everything they can and still do not make the playoffs. This is the part you have all been waiting for where I talk about the University of Central Florida. In case you either don’t follow college football or just live under a rock, the UCF had an undefeated season in each of the last two years, yet still didn’t get the nod to make it to the dance. The main reasoning for this is UCF’s weak strength of schedule, with only playing one Power-Five team in Pitt, and only one top 25 win over Cincinnati. The weak schedule isn’t the players fault.

These guys go out on the field and give it their all every single week to try to make it to the playoffs, and they can’t make it because of something that is entirely out of their control is just a travesty. If the playoff picture expanded to eight teams, you would have more teams like UCF that have done all they could to make it in.

Another great thing about having an eight team playoff would be that conference championships would matter more.

It’s called the “Power-Five” conferences for a reason, that is they contain the premier teams of college football, and only having four (many times less than that) of the five conferences just plain sucks.

It makes fans not care as much knowing their conference is not even represented.

If expanded to eight teams, the field could contain the conference champions of each of the power five, plus the three next best teams. This could include either the next best team in each conference, or non power five teams like the aforementioned UCF. Finally, something that every college football fan would love, is if home field advantage played a role in this newly expanded playoff. One of the arguments against expanding to an eight team playoff is that then the top four teams would have no real advantages. However, if the first round of the playoff would be played at home for the higher seed, it would create a huge advantage over the lesser seeded teams that would give teams incentive to work for those top spots in the playoff rankings. Also from a fan’s point of view, there would be no better atmosphere for a college football playoff game then if played at home. Just imagine a playoff game in Ann Arbor, the whordes of tailgaters and waves of blue and gold coming to cheer on their teams would be a sight to never forget.

Also, eight teams means more football, which I’m sure everyone can get behind.

Page 12

SPORTS

Friday, January 25, 2019

Hinsdale Central, South face budget cuts

by Mary Okkema @maryokkema

T

here was little room left in the Hinsdale Central cafeteria on Dec. 3, 2018 when members of the community gathered at the District 86 School Board meeting to advocate against proposed budget cuts.

“I think we are thrilled by the support we see here tonight for the things we care about just as much as you in this audience care about,” Board Member Bo Blackburn said.

“Or else, none of us would be unpaid, sitting up here, wrestling with choices that are frankly unacceptable to each and every one of us.”

After the $166 million referendum failed to win the support of the community on Nov. 6, the District 86 School Board may be forced to make cuts to both Hinsdale South and Central budgets for the 2019 fiscal year.

“When you see educational opportunities possibly being pulled right next door, it is a reminder that no school or district is immune,” Superintendent Timothy Kilrea said. “We are extremely thankful for the support of our communities, taxpayers, parents and staff because it is only with their help that our students continue to achieve. It takes a financial commitment and an investment to run state of the art facilities and keep them up to date and functioning properly.”

The cuts Hinsdale proposed include a total of $726,026 from athletics including, football, poms, cheerleading, swimming and more, $61,921 which would eliminate the marching bands, $205,878 from activities/clubs at South and $199,415 from activities/clubs at Central including yearbook, drama club, newspaper and more, District 86 chief financial officer Josh Stephenson said.

“I think that the community will drastically change if the board decides to cut many of our sports and other activities at Central,” HC student Claire Watkiss ‘20 said. “Our

HC swimmer Lauren Keating ‘19 speaks to the School Board about budget cuts to the swim program (Valdes/LION).

school unites the town we live in, and when you get rid of most of what makes up our school, you take away the spirit and pride that everyone in the district has. I think the cuts would discourage many people, and potentially push them to send their children to other schools, and eventually move out of the district all together.”

The board did not take a poll after the November referendum, so there is no definitive data as to why voters voted for or against the tax increases, District 86 Chief Communications Officer Karen Warren said.

“Without polling, it is difficult to know what voter concerns were in November and it is also difficult to know if the information voters had was factual or if they made decisions based on misinformation,” Warren said.

District 86 had a very vocal and well-funded anti-referendum group.

“There is a divide in our community, and that divide I don’t think is between the families of South and the families of Central,” Blackburn said. “The divide sits in the people that do not come into this room, and the people who do not email this board. Those are the people that voted no, and...that no vote did not chose to do better. It chose to do nothing.”

The potential loss of programs and activities has caused a considerable response from the community. The Hinsdale Central cafeteria became an open forum for students and community members to voice their opinions about the cuts.

The focal point of most citizens concerns was the possible closure of the pools.

The board did not make the final vote to cut the programs that night. However, board members made it very clear that without funding their hands were tied.

“We have a fiscal responsibility to make financial decisions tonight and throughout the next months to come,” Blackburn said. “Our responsibility is to do it as if there will be no funding to make up for the needs and fixes that these schools have to have. We are up the wall, and it is a credit to staff and administration, that these schools have provided excellence for as long as they have on as bare bones of a budget as they have.”

Some members of the LT boys’ swim team made an appearance at the board meeting to show their solidarity with the Hinsdale swim programs.

“We have a relationship unlike any other with those guys,” LT swimmer Ben Lynch ‘19 said. “Rivalry aside, we’re all pretty good friends, and we love to race each other. Having another competitive and fast team in our conference and sectional has always kept us on our toes and

“

given us the extra motivation to swim fast in season when we’re tired. We practice with some of them and race them at many meets in the offseason and share a love for swimming that not many people understand.”

Although the loss of the athletic programs seem to be the most controversial topic, many are unaware of the other cuts that will be made and the impact they will have on the schools.

“I think drama is one of the most important, if not the most important, club to be a part of in high school,” HS drama club member Kate Cvengros ‘19 said. “It has taught so many of us self-confidence, responsibility and has honestly allowed us all to grow up. It has inspired so many of us.”

However, nothing is finalized yet. The board voted to put a new $130 million referendum on the April 1 ballot. This coincides with school board elections.

The changes made to the referendum include the proposed pool at South which has been reduced from a brand new, six-lane, 40yard pool to renovating the current six-lane, 25-yard pool and the proposed pool at Central has been reduced from a 10-lane, 40-yard pool in a new location to renovating the current six-lane, 25-yard pool, Warren said.

Since the HC pool will remain in the same location, the conversion of current pool space into wrestling and gymnastics gyms and the conversion of the current wrestling space into two new science labs and three classrooms will be excluded from the April referendum. Sound and lighting systems for both auditoriums and flexible furniture that would have supported the schools’ one-to-one environment have also been eliminated.

“If the referendum does not pass, I know just how upset HC students will be,” Watkiss said. “Athletes are angry at the cuts being made; many of them are unsure how their college experience will play out without the opportunity to continue their sports career in high school with hopes of playing in college.”

Every student and athlete could give many reasons why their specific activities should not be cut. If the activities are cut, students would have to look elsewhere to fill the void.

“A few of my friends, and even myself, have all talked to our parents and are looking into possibly transferring to a private school in the area if these cuts follow through,” Watkiss said. “We all want to have a fun, engaging senior year, and with all of the cuts being made, we just can’t see that happening. I mean, what’s a high school without a football team? And if there’s no football team, there’s no pommers, cheerleaders, band, choir or even homecoming.”

“When you get rid of most of what makes up our school, you take away the spirit and pride that everyone in the district has.”

-Claire Watkiss ‘20,

“

$166 million referendum shot down, students now fear loss of activities

Hinsdale Central student

basketball,” Wright said. “We’ve even played together and he beats me sometimes.”

In playing basketball, he found something he loved.

“He got on that court and we saw something in him,” his father, Kendale Wright said.

Kendall Wright ‘19 and Benjamin Ellenby ‘19 started playing Special Olympics basketball at Park Junior High School in the seventh grade. Over the years, they have learned “Just a burst of energy.”

Although being a student athlete can create a stressful schedule, Wright’s mom, Lekia the recipe to having a successful team, not just in the way they play, but in the way they Wright, has helped him deal with it since the beginning. interact with each other and the student body.

“She taught me how to be confident,” Kendall said. “She helped me calm down when I “Although we might not be the most athletic of teams and we might not have the had trouble with something and she would help me follow through and knowledge, that’s only half the battle,” Ellenby said. “But we have a lot of chemistry, see it to the end.” because we have been on the court working together for so long.”

The Wrights continue to motivate him in basketball due to his They have a bond that has aged well over the years and they have started to see each success with the sport. other as extended family, each as valuable as the next.

“When he does a sport that he loves and excels at, it is thrilling,” “We are all talented and no one can say or do anything that can change Lekia said. “As long as he’s happy doing what he’s doing, it motivates that,” fellow teammate William Medina ‘19 said. him. We support what he does as long as he is proud of it.”

No matter their skills or ability levels, everyone can find some way in Ellenby, this issue’s second AoTM, brings more to the potluck which they can help the team. of what makes a good team: the support of the student body.

“I have fun with all of them,” Wright said. “They look after me and I “When looking out into the crowd during the Pack the look after them; they make me feel better.”

Place game, it feels amazing,” Ellenby said. “I see a sea of Even off the court, some of Wright’s friends and teammates people in every direction. I really like it.” have helped refine his basketball skills over the summer, while The student body doesn’t just energize Ellenby and eventually noticing his talent on the court.

Wright on the court; the love shown to these student-ath“My man Kendall is like a baller over here,” Medina said. letes carries over into their interactions throughout a Kendall displays how there are more key ingredients to normal school day. playing basketball well and being a team player than just “Random people say ‘you’re on the basketball team’ in luck and talent. the hallway or they remember seeing me from the Pack “Practicing, trying your hardest and good sportsmanthe Place game,” Ellenby said. “I feel very special. Of all ship are all keys for a good team,” Wright said. “Even the members on the team, they decided to remember me.” when we don’t win, I always say ‘good game, good team Playing basketball has allowed Ellenby to add spice and effort.’” variety to his friend group.

There is more to the secret sauce than that, however; “I think I have gained a more diverse group of friends,” he all you have to do is look under the bun. The support that said. “ If it wasn’t for basketball, I wouldn’t be as close to the comes from families can make all the difference. people I am now.”

“My dad watches the NBA and he taught me a lot about Ben Ellenby ‘19 (left) and Kendall Wright ‘19 (right) selling T-shirts for the pack the place game (Shearrill/LION).

by Nina Shearrill @ninashearrill

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Friday, January 25, 2019

Page 14

FACing the facts

Volume 109, Issue 4

Contrary to popular belief, ‘fake news’ has been around since before President Donald J. Trump coined the term during his 2016 campaign.

While it certainly is a popular phrase now, we’ve compiled a timeline of notable instances of fake news, both literal and figurative, from the past.

1927

19241953

People tend to read what appeals to them and seek information that proves their bias, resulting in a swayed sense of the media. As students, we use sources in our everyday lives and especially at school. Below is a list of commonly used sources and their biases for you to keep in mind next time you’re checking a source.

Dorothy Cochrane Logan, a British doctor, claimed she swam the English Channel for 13 hours straight. She was celebrated by European newspapers, which wrote about her accomplishment and gave her money as a reward. The story later arose that she had secretly completed most of the “swim” by boat.

Communist leaders viewed false-information as an effective war strategy. Joseph Stalin used this tactic to discredit enemies like the United States and the Roman Catholic Church. This strategy of misinformation was also used to falsely frame civilians.

1983 1991

A rumor spread through American news outlets that Vladimir Lenin’s body would be auctioned off for millions of dollars. The Russian government became angry, and the editor of Forbes eventually admitted the story was fake.

Lenin

2004

Jon Stewart’s satirical coverage of the George W. Bush presidency was the epitome of fake news in 2004. To many, messages from “The Daily Show,” seemed like the best protest against what was happening in Washington.

Bush

2016

A viral rumor about Hillary Clinton circulated, saying that she led a child sex-trafficking ring, in the basement of a pizza restaurant. This conspiracy was referred to as Pizzagate on Twitter.

Clinton

2017

The Boston Tribune reported that Barack Obama’s mother-in-law received money from the government for taking care of her grandchildren, Sasha and Malia. The story reached mainstream media but was quickly shut down, as it had no evidence and was completely false.

Right biased sources

CNN: Strongly biased liberal news source that leaves out news that may harm liberal views or standpoints. They use emotional words in the headlines to benefit their liberal views.

Fox News: Strongly biased towards conservative views. 47% of consistent conservative people use this as their main source of news. They commonly use ProTrump sources.

New York Times: Pew Research Center classified them as “consistently liberal,” and since 1960 they have only endorsed Democratic candidates.

They have a balanced story selection but left leaning word choice and headlines.

‘Filter bubble’ affects what you click, contributes to bias Internet phenomena interprets recent searches, delivers partisan results

by Georgia Dougherty @georgiadoc6

significantly in a short period of time.” As for localization they responded: “Localization is extremely useful in making results relevant. People in the US searching for ‘football’ do not generally want UK football results, and vice versa.”

Half a decade ago, Eli Pariser coined the term the “filter bubble.” The filter bubble refers to your Google search results, and how they are manipulated based on your personal But these only hold true for searches incognito, or in a private browsing window.

The filter bubble is particularly precarious as it can influence politics and become data. While the survey taken at LT indicates that students are not as aware of the filter challenging to democracy. As your personal filter bubble is created, it becomes a bubble bubble, it still has a substantial influence on what you click. Google has an algorithm that of your own unique information, but you can’t see what doesn’t get into it, Pariser said. predicts what you are most likely to click on, so it moves links up or down based on the While the Internet was created as a release from the people who were controlling and information Google has on you. editing what information you saw, these people have been replaced with algorithms that This information could be anything from your purchase history, location, what kind of browser you are using, to what kind of computer you are on. The problem with this, as lack the ethics that we value in a democracy.

For example, say you are a liberal. As you click on more and more liberal based Pariser puts in his TED talk, is that “the internet is showing us what it thinks we want to links, Google’s algorithms will start prioritizing these links in your search results, and see, but not necessarily what we need to see.” conservative results will show up lower and lower. Why is this an issue? It leads to You can imitate a study that search engine DuckDuckGo did to prove personalization confirmation bias and does not unlock the full potential of the internet, which is to give in search results. Grab a couple friends and try individually searching topics like “gun us information that is uncomfortable and provides us with other points of view. control,” “immigration,” and “vaccinations” first in your private browsing mode and then In his farewell speech, President Barack Obama said, [We] retreat into our own logged out. These were the top findings of DuckDuckGo’s study with 87 participants: bubbles … especially our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like most people saw results unique to them. Google included links for some participants that us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions. … it did not include for others. They saw significant variation within the News and Videos And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we start accepting only infoboxes. And finally, private browsing mode and being logged out of Google offered information, whether it’s true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions almost zero filter bubble protection. on the evidence that is out there.”

Google’s response denied the filter bubble. In a Twitter thread last year, Google When Google, and even Facebook and Yahoo, are putting these algorithms to use, they credits people getting different search results with two factors, time and localization, are deciding what we see or do not see without our permission or knowledge. And while not personalization. As for time Google said this: “those who search a few hours or even these algorithms are most likely not some nefarious conspiracy, we should be receiving a minutes apart may see variations as new and updated material is added to our search balanced and diverse range of information. engine. In particular, our ‘Top stories’ section, which is never personalized, can change

The Wall Street Journal: A moderately- conservative bias.

In the past they have endorsed right wing politicians. They tend to have low biased news articles, but publish right-leaning editorials.

Least biased sources According to the Knight Foundation/Gallup survey found on Business Insider, the Associated Press and PBS News were polled to be the least biased news sources.

Compiled by Anna McCormick Sources: MediaBias/FactCheck, BusinessInsider, Gallup

Don’t forget to always double check your sources.

Consider the credibility of the author and the articles’ sources.

Read beyond the headline and make sure the article is not satirical.

Lion surveyed 257 students about their knowledge and use of sources and the term ‘fake news.’

How likely are you to double check that all the sources you use (in research, essays, etc.) are trustworthy?

16% Always check

70% I sometimes check some of my sources

2018

Left biased sources

Washington Post: They use highly credible sources, making them a reliable news source but swayed toward liberal causes.

They have only been endorsing Democrats since 1976.

Stalin

The Patriot newspaper published the article “AIDS may invade India: Mystery disease caused

by U.S. experiments.” The false story was picked up in newspapers from 50 countries. It cited an anonymous American scientist suggesting a “deadly new disease had been created by the Pentagon.”

Page 15

Which of these do you think is the most unbiased source?

14% Never check

37% PBS

29% BBC

14% FOX News

20% CNN

Obama

President Trump came out with a list of “Fake News Awards” which included mentions of The New York Times, CNN, ABC, The Washington Post and more. The document listed many specific articles from these publications, saying that their facts were harmful to his reputation.

Have you heard of the phrase “fake news?”

100% YES

In your opinion, what contributes most to the spread of “fake news?”

71% Social Media

5% Other reason 20%

Misleading headlines 4% The filter bubble

Trump

Compiled by Isabella Sorice Sources:Rolling Stone, New York Times, Cloudfront.com

Page 16

The legacy that lived

by Grace DeKoker @grace_dekoker I’m not saying that I’m the biggest Harry Potter fan on this staff, but you’d be hardpressed to find someone who’s read the series over 20 times, who can name specific chapters that events happen in, and is a proud owner of an Ollivander’s wand. When “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” originally debuted, I was ecstatic. Any extension of the Harry Potter series makes my heart sing. The movie was magical, and brought out my inner 8-year-old discovering the Wizarding World for the first time.

I subsequently had high hopes for the “Crimes of Grindelwald,” which featured scores of new terminology and twisting plotlines. For many though, such a barrage of new information definitely would have been confusing.

While the movie certainly held my interest and captivated me, I have to say I was somewhat disappointed when the credits began to roll.

“The Crimes of Grindelwald” is the second in a five-movie series, featuring the Wizarding World on an international scale. The film kicks off with an elaborate ruse where the new villain is able to escape his imprisonment and head to Europe. Newt Scamander is tasked by a young, (dare I say) dashing Dumbledore to find Grindelwald and end his reign of terror. Along the way, several subplots are introduced and woven in, eventually culminating in a final battle scene that gave me goosebumps.

Throughout the film, old and new characters fly in and out. I appreciated seeing characters such as the lovable, clumsy muggle/“no-mag” Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) pine for his wizarding fiance Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) and search for her sister Tina (Katherine Waterson), a magical law officer. The subplots revolve around characters’ family history, Credence’s search for an identity and Grindelwald’s growing power.

I was riveted by the plot, though my devotion and knowledge of the Potter-verse definitely helped. Many fans were confused, and easily so— there was little explanation to anything.

The movie was a whopping 134 minutes, and though the length allowed for increased buildup, there wasn’t much that was built up to. The entire film seemed to be an exposition for the third installment, and it seemed as if there was

Reporter, Liz Gremer ‘20

a lot of information being thrown at viewers.

New terms weren’t explained, and family trees were twisting and interlinking characters that the audience hardly knew. The movie jumped from scene to scene without much examination, and left many strings untied.

Despite the choppiness of the plot, individual scenes were smooth and filled with magic.

Director David Yates did a phenomenal job incorporating the soundtrack to each moment, and the music was a fantastic accompaniment to outstanding acting. The original Harry Potter movies were so well-cast, and that continues in the new series: each character is well-cast and plays their role perfectly.

What I really loved about this movie was the rise of a new villain— Gellert Grindelwald.

Portrayed by a blond Johnny Depp, this new antagonist is set on allying pure-blood wizards against humans, mirroring some of the racism seen in the world today. A movie is only as good as it’s villain, and while Voldemort was bone-chilling and evil to his core, he was motivated by his own selfish desires for immortality.

Grindelwald wants a revolution, an uprising against the muggles that have forced witches and wizards to hide their magic, and believes those with magical blood are superior to those who are without.

There are definite motifs and themes that relate to the political world today, and anyone who follows JK Rowling on Twitter knows where her political beliefs stand. Furthermore, Grindelwald has a history with Dumbledore, the two having been canonically confirmed as being lovers in their youth. The interaction as Grindelwald goes dark and Dumbledore fights for the light is fascinating, and I can’t wait to see it play out in the next three movies.

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie, but I can accept that it has some pretty important flaws.

I definitely think that it was leading up to the third installment in the series, and I’m staying optimistic that much of the build-up will come to fruition in the third movie. I give it a solid four out of five paws.

4/5

Disagree? Watch us hash out these rankings and discuss our personal favorites online: lionnewspaper.com

2. At Seventeen by Janis Ian

7. Falling Back by Vacation Manor

3. Greek Tragedy by The Wombats

8. I Couldn’t Be More in Love by The 1975

100 S. Brainard Ave. LaGrange, Ill. 60525

11. California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas 12. Daft Pretty Boys by Bad Suns 13. The Louvre by Lorde

9. Never Enough by The Hunna

14. With Or Without You by U2

10. Landslide by Fleetwood Mac

15. How Do You Feel? by The Maine

Type of Pet: Rescue Cat Age: 8 months Weight: 6 lbs Owner: Audrey Parkes ‘19 Hobbies: Licking the sink Fun Fact: He LOVES cashew milk Editor’s Rate: 13/10 Am I allergic?

Yes. Will I still pet him? Yes. North Campus

compiled by seniors Camilla Breen, Grace DeKoker, Georgia Dougherty and Pilar Valdes

6. Boyfriend by COIN

Give this playlist (and others) a listen on our 5. The Fool On The Hill by The Beatles Spotify: lionnewspaper

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In honor of the recent release of “The Crimes of Grindelwald,” our panel of expert muggles and mega-nerds definitively ranked all of the Harry Potter movies. Check out our rankings below.

1. Hold My Girl by George Ezra

4. Before We Disappear by Chris Cornell

Friday, January 25, 2019

Want your pet to be featured in the LION? Send a photo of your pet with a short bio to val505305@ d204.lths.net for a chance to win! 

South Campus

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compiled by Liz Gremer and Pilar Valdes 4900 Willow Springs Rd. Western Springs, Ill. 60558