LION Issue #1

Jury finds John Wilson Jr. guilty Jury reaches verdict after two hours of deliberation

by Brittany Grosser-Basile @BrittanyGrosser

The Kelli O’Laughlin trial ended on Sept. 15 when the jury concluded with a guilty verdict for John Wilson Jr. The trial for her murder officially began with the jury selection at Bridgeview Courthouse on Sept. 2, about three years after her murder on Oct. 27, 2011. Sentencing will occur next month.

“It’s like you’re reliving everything,” mother Brenda O’Laughlin said in an exclusive interview with LION on Sept. 13.

“To relive that particular day again has been very difficult.”

Following jury selection, each side made their opening statements. Defense attorney John Paul Carroll alleged that O’Laughlin had committed suicide.

“I couldn’t let what he said get me angry because I knew it wasn’t true, so I just took it with a grain of salt,” Brenda said.

This theory was dismissed when the medical examiner showed the autopsy photos in court on Sept. 11. There were 12 photos displayed on large screens, showing eight stab wounds on Kelli’s chest, neck and back. The judge had said those who could not keep their emotions in check during that part of the trial should leave the courtroom, ABC-7 reported. Brenda stayed during this time.

“It was important for me to be in the room and be there for Kelli,” Brenda said.

The message made out of cups on the bridge on Plainfield Road has a new message as the O’Laughlin trial has progressed (Riley Carroll/LION).

“I found her. I really wanted to know what really happened to her.”

Around 500 pieces of evidence were collected by the prosecution, including the red hat that had a rock in it and was used to break through a window to enter the O’Laughlins’ house. A DNA test confirmed the hat carried Wilson’s DNA. Another strong piece of evidence were the records that tracked Wilson’s and Kelli’s cell phones.

“He broke into our house and was stealing our stuff, but he didn’t have to stab Kelli to death,” father John O’Laughlin said during LION’s interview on Sept. 13. “He could’ve just run away.”

Also shown in court were the texts sent to Brenda from Kelli’s stolen cell phone, with one of the texts reading: “She wanted me to tell you something before I killed her,” ABC-7 reported.

“Not only do we deal with our own feelings, but we see other people’s reactions to the different things that we’ve known about

for years, like the text messages,” John said.

“It’s awful.”

During the course of the trial, nearly 50 people testified for the state, including Kelli’s friend Elyse Campion ‘15.

“Having to testify was extremely hard, but the attorney was really nice and just said to look at him the whole time like a conversation,” Campion said. “He made the experience better.”

The O’Laughlins are grateful for Campion’s bravery.

“It’s not right for a 17-year-old to have to testify at a murder trial for her friend,” John said.

Throughout the trial, other students and members of the community have gone to watch.

“I wanted to go because I felt I needed to do that and also pay respect to the O’Laughlins,” Annie LeFevour ‘15 said. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought, considering I had my parents and my friends’ parents there to support

me. The whole thing didn’t seem real but deep down I know I had to be there.”

Despite all of the sadness, the O’Laughlins are still spreading Kelli’s joy.

“What we really are focused on is the legacy: how she’s remembered with the foundation, the scholarships and the good stuff in her name,” John said. “We don’t really consider this trial a good thing; it’s just something we have to go through.”

An upcoming event for Kelli includes the third annual Run for Kelli on Nov. 16. Also, pop tops are being collected in Kelli’s name for the Ronald McDonald House. Once 790 pounds, or one million pop tops, are collected, a plaque will be dedicated to Kelli.

Information about Kelli’s memorial fund and events can be found on kjofund.com.

“We thank [the students] for their kind words of support and being friends with us,” Brenda said. “It’s meant a lot to us throughout this time. We know it’s been rough on them just like it’s been rough on us.”

Laws restrict fundraisers

Change in code

by Anika Ranginani @a_rangs

by Gillian Dunlop @gilliandunlop15

Students scramble to find ideas to skirt the new nutrition law

New federal and state laws restrict high-caloric, sugary foods from being sold to students in school, forcing clubs at LT to rethink their fundraising model.

Frequently referred to as the “bake-sale” laws, the changes in nutrition law originated from the 2010

Healthy, Hunger Free Kids act and Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move Campaign.”

Because homemade products used in bake sales don’t have a nutrition label, they can no longer be used for fundraisers at LT. The new laws require any food sold in schools to have a primary ingredient of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy or proteins, Student Activities Director Peter Geddeis said Early this school year, a handful of fundraisers, including the Krispy Kreme sale for Social Action Club on Sept. 19, were submitted and approved to sell unhealthy food before school before the specifics of the law were understood, Geddeis said.

Those technically non-compliant fundraisers will be grandfathered in, however, any future decisions about fundraisers will follow the guidelines of the nutrition laws.

For now, students can still sell unhealthy snacks after 3:30 p.m. on school days, Geddeis said. Students can also sell fundraising items anytime off-campus because the law focuses on student choices made during the school day.

Teams or clubs that sell items like cookie dough can still continue to sell at school because students have to eat it at home.

“Clubs will have to adjust until this law gets changed,” Geddeis said.

The changes are shifting the role of the student activities director. In the past, Geddeis had been responsible for making sure that similar fundraisers did not overlap and compete with each other. Now, he has to be a lot more selective on what fundraisers actually can and can’t happen. This impacts clubs looking to make small money with in-school food sales.

Lack of Code of Conduct forms distributed at club meetings raises questions of code changes For over 15 years, LT administration mandated that Code of Conduct forms be distributed and signed for every individual club and sport a LT student participates in. This year, a decision was made to eliminate the printed-out version of the Code of Conduct form due to impracticality and to place a stronger emphasis on the student handbook doled out to every student at registration.

The main challenge of issuing a Code of Conduct form to every student for each individual club and sport is managing students who join clubs later in the year, Student Activities Director Peter Geddeis said.

“The other challenge is it struck us as a sort of a waste thing. Threefourths of students are involved in activities and the vast majority of students are in more than one club. Where could we store three to four codes per student each year?” Geddeis said.

Although written-out codes will no longer be distributed, administration will be reinforcing the code before major events.

Club sponsors had some discussion about whether or not it would be a good idea to have a meeting to highlight safe and unsafe behavior, Student Assistant Program Coordinator Jeanne Widing said. However, this change has not been precipitated by student behavior.

The administration stresses that despite the Code of Conduct not being distributed during club meetings, students will still be expected to read and understand what is in the handbook.

Geddeis intends to send out reminders throughout the year that sponsors should remind students about their responsibilities to the code.

“I don’t think students can be held accountable for reading their handbooks, but having clubs fully explain the consequences in meetings would not be a bad thing,” Liz Wyckoff ‘15, a participant in such clubs as Model United Nations, Peer Leadership and Student Council, said.

LT’s administration has decided to take a different approach this year in how the code is enforced; however, the first class principles read out at every Freshman Experience Day and intermittedly throughout the year remain the same and apply to all students and faculty.

“The thing to remember is that the Code of Conduct was not established to punish students,” Geddeis said. “It was established for students’ own good.”

Continued on page 2 LT construction

NEWS, 5

Learn more about the various construction projects and see a timeline of events.

North Campus



Grade inflation

OPINIONS, 7

Athlete of the month

SPORTS, 12

Are LT and other high schools suffering from grade inflation?

Michael Rasmussen weighs in on the issue.

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

Check out this issue’s athlete of the month, Division I-boundLeonard Ross ‘15. 

Fantasy Football

PULSE, 19

LION staffer gives his draft picks for this year’s fantasy football.

4900 Willow Springs Rd. Western Springs, Ill. 60558

Pausing PARCC As of January 2014, nine states filed to remove themselves from the PARCC initiative due to cost concerns.

NEWS

Friday, September 19, 2014  Page 2

Pizza predicament According to a Congressional ruling made in 2011, pizza is technically a vegetable and therefore can be served in school cafeterias.

Testing uncertainties While free ACT remains available, PARCC shrouded in uncertainty

by Joe Okkema @joe_okkema

As the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) seeks to align itself more fully with national Common Core Standards, it will no longer administer the Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE) to all high school juniors across the state.

In the wake of state legislation passed in July, the PSAE, composed of a one day ACT test and a second day of workplace-oriented WorkKeys testing, has been eliminated from the state’s standardized testing requirements.

“There is a whole litany of things regarding testing that could impact our students,” Superintendent Dr. Timothy Kilrea said.

“To change the assessment structure midstream, I don’t necessarily think is a good option for our students, but the situation is better than it was a year ago because the state is now providing an ACT test for all juniors, which was not part of the state’s original plan.”

While a free ACT will no longer be offered as a component of the PSAE, the state will still provide a free ACT test to school districts throughout the state, including LT, on March 3.

Despite this year’s situation, the continuation of offering a state-funded ACT to all juniors in the state may only last through this school year, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Scott Eggerding said.

The March ACT will still provide all juniors in the state with the opportunity to assess their college preparedness regardless of their financial status, but the test will be given nearly two months before the usual April 23, 24 dates of the PSAE. The earlier date of the ACT will limit the time students have to prepare for the test, and will also throw off the scheduling of ACT prep classes offered through the school, Kilrea said.

“I don’t believe the situation is optimal for our students,”

Kilrea said. “I believe the state should continue to provide an ACT test to all juniors because that is the test that colleges and universities use for admission purposes, and our students see as relevant to the next step in their educational careers.”

The test that will replace the PSAE as the state-mandated standardized test is the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test.

Designed to conform to Common Core standards, the PARCC test will allegedly offer students a more interactive approach to testing through its computer-based administration.

Despite the possibilities this new test claims to offer students, it’s administeration at LT still remains uncertain, Eggerding said.

If LT can give students a paper version of the PARCC test, the test would take a portion of nine school days during the second semester, Eggerding said. However, if the state requires that LT administer the online portion of the test, testing would last much longer, as the school does not have a computer for every student that would be testing.

In order to accommodate for the uncertainty surrounding test administration, LT has based the school calendar around the scenario in which testing would last longest.

“As of last spring, the State Board of Education had not developed a concrete plan for school assessment for 2014-2015, so we built this year’s school calendar based on the doomsday testing scenario, so no matter the end result, LT will be able handle it,” Kilrea said. “We are still waiting for the State Board to provide a clear picture as to how the state assessments will work for this school year.”

One proposed method for administering the test over an extended period has been a series of extended late start days on which those students who are required to test come in early, and those students who are not affected come to school later; however, no clear consensus has been reached due to a lack of information surrounding the test.

“There a lot of little issues with the administration of the test that we still have to figure out and the state hasn’t given us quite enough information on how to handle that yet,” Eggerding said.

Law restricts fundraisers Continued from page 1

French Club can no longer sell Bon Bons during the school day, and members are still seeking a way to make up for the loss of their only source of funds, French Club President Elizabeth Trop ‘15 said.

“We’re not going to have any money,” Trop said. “We’re trying to think of ways to get around the law because we’re not sure what else we could sell.”

In the future, marching band students will have to find an alternative to $1 Fannie May chocolates. Last year, all the band students, including Michaela Walsh ‘15, combined raised more than $4,000 in one week, Walsh ‘15 said.

“I don’t think as many kids would have bought any healthy treats because most people, if given the choice, would probably choose candy instead of something healthier,” Walsh said. “I am not sure sales would even be half as good.”

Operation Snowball sold Sweetest Day cards—a card with a note, a flower and candy. They used the money to ensure that those students who were financially restricted could still join, Snowball Advisor Angie Patel said. Now Snowball will have to stop selling the candy that comes with these cards.

“It’s hard to develop a policy like [the nutrition law] and expect it to fit with 300 million people,” Geddeis said.

Administrators as well as teachers question the effectiveness of the laws in practice, regardless of their purpose. Because of all the complexities of the law, concessions stands after school will not be affected. Additionally, students can still sell unhealthy snacks to teachers during the day.

“If students feel that they really want the candy, then they will have their parents buy it,” Geddeis said. “Ultimately, this will shift the purchasing to outside school hours.”

Supporters of the nutrition law seek to counteract the unprecedented growth in childhood obesity rates by mandating that students be given healthy food at school. Patel considers the aim a good one, but poorly implemented.

“The idea of the law is good but you have to be careful that you’re also looking for artificial sweeteners,” Patel said.

Because of the law’s emphasis on preventing high-caloric food, school vending machines have made the shift from selling regular soda to diet soda in order to fit the regulations.

The artificial sweeteners used in diet soda to replace high-calorie sugars have many adverse effects.

Since artificial sweeteners are 100 times sweeter than natural sugars, they can dampen students’ taste buds until fruits and vegetables no longer taste as good. They have also been linked to increased risk for type 2 Diabetes, Patel said.

Over the next couple years the kinds of food that can be sold to students at school will become more restricted, since Illinois legislature has allowed a transitional period. Because not many whole grain products are even available to be sold, schools have one year where they can continue to sell regular grains, Patel said.

Want one of your tweets featured in the next issue? Follow us on twitter @LTLionNEwspaper. To be eligible to have your tweets in our paper you have to follow us. So if you think you are funny, clever or witty enough to have your tweets in here, follow us and keep the tweets coming!

GEMS experiments

@Decker_Spencer: *finishes essay at 8* *turns into turnitin at11:45 so teacher doesnt’t think you are a loser* -Spencer Decker ‘15

New club encourages leadership in female science enthusiasts

@GodBessTheUSA: my cat’s name is Gracie but sometimes I call her Peter Francis Gracie -Bess Connelly ‘15

by Amy Lacny @amylacny

@the_mardles: Someone tried to high-five me but I didnt want to take my hands out of my pockets so I used my shoulder instead of my hand & kept walking -Mardi Sramek ‘15

When Madeline Bernstein ‘15 looked around her math and science classes sophomore year, she noticed predominantly male participation, with girls remaining more reserved, hesitant to speak-up even if they knew the answer. Everything around her seemed to prove the age-old adage true: girls are just not interested in math and science.

“LT is a really welcoming and supportive environment, and for me to see girls struggle to have a voice was very discouraging,” Bernstein said.

Thus, the idea for the club GEMS, Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science, was born.

The club was created with the intention of forming a supportive community for young women interested in math and science. GEMS meets Wednesdays bimonthly and balances between sit-down meetings and informal outings to local labs, universities and outreach opportunities. “[GEMS] gives girls a chance for leadership and the confidence to explore a field they might not otherwise be interested in,” Dheeksha Ranginani ‘17 said.

Encouraged at the idea of inspiring a new generation of GEMS, the club is in the process of organizing an outreach program to encourage local middle school girls to pursue math and science. Callie Pogge, a Biology teacher, is in the process of replacing Bruce Falli as the club’s official advisor, and she remains optimistic about the future of GEMS. “We hope GEMS becomes and official LT club in the near future and is able to recruit girls for years to come,” Pogge said. “I want GEMS to be something people hear about and talk about, not only in the school, but in the community.”

@JenniferGrissim: If you were butter, I would churn you on.

-Jennifer Grissim ‘16 @ notmattfisher: when someone drives around alone blasting loud rap with the windows down I assume you have low self confidence -Matt Fisher ‘15 @carney_jamie: When you’re falling asleep in class but are trying really hard to stay awake: -Jamie Carney ‘15

@goobz_galassini: Miley’s in the Calculus book?

-Gaby Galassini ‘15

@aidainvannest: If you have a chance please go visit my art exhibit at Baker’s Square. Up until bus boy clears it.

-Aidain Van Nest ‘15

NEWS

Boyhood bands World-renowned rock band U2 began when a group of high school age classmates formed a group in Dublin, Ireland in 1976.

Friday, September 19, 2014  Page 3

Regional relief The Helping Hand location in Countryside serves over 500 children and adults from over 70 surrounding communities.

Helping Hand receives $1 million

by Gaby Sabatino @gabysab8

When Executive Director of the Helping Hand Center Mary Beth Hepp began working there four years ago, the organization heavily depended upon financial aid from the state of Illinois. The money they needed would go to assisting disabled clients in the area; however, the state had only provided Helping Hand with enough money to keep their doors open for nine months out of the full year.

Today, with the help of Dr. Asok K. Ray of MacNeal Hospital and his generous donation, the institution plans to grow significantly and support its clients in a way that has never been done before.

The Helping Hand Center is a local organization, located in Countryside, which provides living assistance and education to children and adults with severe developmental disabilities. The foundation just launched a $4.5 million expansion that was made possible by Ray’s donation.

“I was completely surprised,” Hepp said. “It is going to help so many people and we won’t have to turn down as many children and adults.”

The general donation and expansion is mainly going to increase the number of clients that the Helping Hand Center can take in. It will also provide necessary financial support so that clients can eventually live on their own with the full capacity to take care of themselves.

Other aspects that the money will go towards include building renovations, furnishing, equipment, education programs and staff hiring.

Another factor impacting the growth of Helping Hand is the work that is provided through the assistance of their student volunteers.

Amanda Bolton ‘15 works with adult clients weekly and experiences the acceptance and interaction that is dedicated to the clients, she said. Bolton has been volunteering at the organization for the past three years.

“The employees who I work with are so committed to helping people with special needs and they deserve so much credit,” Bolton said. “The work they do is amazing.”

The donation will be provided in large amounts of monetary increments over the next several years. This strategy will allow them to successfully expand their services to all

Helping Hand Waiting List

PLEASE Take A Number

As the Helping Hand Center expands its finanical horizons, the clients on the waiting list can now recieve the assistance they need to accomodate themselves. The donation will supply the organization with the means to support more clients within the different services.

Total number of people on the waiting list:

Local organization expands program to help clients with disabilities

the different sectors of the organization. The one million donation is the largest amount of money that Helping Hand has ever received.

Former Board member of Helping Hand Bill Bright has been an active part of the organization for the past 28 years.

He also is the legal guardian of Phillip Meyers, one of the clients that has been supported by the Helping Hand Center in efforts to assist his living and social environment.

“The goal of Helping Hand is to help each individual client achieve the highest level of independence,” Bright said.

As of this year, the Helping Hand Center has around 744 children and adults that they assist. Based on growth from the donation, they expect to be serving up to 831 children and adults by next year. The organization is also now only 45

416

percent reliant on the state for their funding compared to 85 percent back in 2010, which makes them more self-reliant.

The collaboration of Ray’s and the fundraising that has been done provides Helping Hand with the opportunity to spread their assistance to even more clients.

“Our clients are no different than anybody else,” Hepp said. “They just need their own tools and resources in order to grow.”

AP courses change Bands win at state battle

Revised courses focus on application skills

by Lauren Hucko @laurenhucko

This year LT has made changes to many AP courses to comply with the new additions and revisions that the College Board has made to the AP tests. Teachers have been working together over the summer in order to prepare themselves for the changes and to ensure success for their students.

Both the College Board and LT teachers have noticed that it is more beneficial for students to learn how to apply their knowledge than memorize facts, Scott Eggerding, nine-year director of curriculum and instruction said.

“The memorizing names, dates and facts are not quite as essential as being able to use that information to form a coherent argument or to put something into context of the time period,” AP U.S. history (APUSH) teacher Andy Newcomb, said. “I think it’s much more of a hands-on course than it has been in the past.”

Newcomb, along with the other two APUSH teachers, have been working all summer to prepare themselves for the changes. Starting this year, the APUSH test will be further aligned with Common Core standards and will focus on skills such as historical thinking rather than information, Newcomb said.

“The biggest benefit [for students] is the skills that they take away from the course, [which] are going to be much more valuable than the facts that they learn, because information is readily available to students in this age,” Newcomb said.

Next year, AP European History will begin evolving the way APUSH has this year.

In years to come, the AP European History course will have five themes and 19 key concepts, Eggerding said. The changes will make AP Euro very similar to APUSH. Another change to the LT AP curriculum this year is the addition of AP Physics 1 in the place of Physics Accel.

Physics teacher Kevin Murphy proposed the change in physics courses to the department.

“I have the weight of the program on my shoulders right now,” Murphy said. “I feel it.”

Many aspects of AP Physics 1 are very similar to those of last year’s Physics Accel. In order to comply with the College Board’s test for AP Physics 1, the physics teachers switched around some units and made others that were previously extra credit units into normal units, according to Murphy.

“Students have really had to work hard as long as I have been here to get a good grade in accelerated physics,” Murphy said. “So if they do in essence the same work, now they can get an AP course on their transcript and potentially college credit.”

Not only did APUSH and AP Physics 1 change this year, but AP Art History and AP Computer Science have undergone some application based changes as well, Eggerding said.

“One of the problems with [the old] tests is that they didn’t often measure how a student could think” Eggerding said. “They were most often a mind dump. Now it is taking information and doing something with it.”

Two student bands perform, place at state competition

by Garrett Ariana @garrettariana3

As Christian Naval ‘15 closed his set for the Illinois Battle of the Bands, jamming on the guitar to “Sweet Home Chicago” by Rob Johnson with his senior band, Far-Sighted, a feeling of gratification swept over him.

Far-Sighted finished second in the statewide competition while another LT band, Trance, took first place.

“I felt really proud of LT,” Naval said. “The fact that two bands from the same district took first and second really speaks for the LT music program.”

This elite competition consisted of five teen bands from Illinois on Aug. 16 in “The Shed” at the Illinois state fair in Springfield. To get there, Far-Sighted won the Buffalo Grove Local competition and then placed second at the Algonquin Regional competition, according to the Battle of the Bands website.

Their style of classic rock and blues led them to perform pieces like “Hard to Handle” by the Black Crows, “Messin with the Kid” by JR Wells and an original written by Mitch Galgan ‘15 called “Come Back Again”. This band consisted of Naval on guitar, Galgan on bass and vocals and Nathan Zaworski ‘15 on drums.

“I had a great time preparing with the band and really developing our sound and taking it to the next level,” Galgan said. “It was really good to hear feedback and be able to get better as a group.”

The sophomore band, Trance, that placed first in the competition consisted of Nick Chompko ‘17 on piano, August Domanchuk ‘17 on guitar, Jared Frank ‘17 on bass, Ryan Gorey ‘17 on drums and Ally Lubera ‘17 on guitar, piano, saxophone and vocals. Trance got there by playing some more well known songs like “Counting Stars” by One Republic, “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix and also an original “It Ain’t Easy” by Frank.

Trance was formed in a local school jazz band has been together for three years and plays various forms of pop, rock and blues. This already success-

Top: Far-sighted performing (Far-sighted).

Bottom: Far-sighted (Far-sighted).

ful band has an illustrious legacy and plans continuing to play shows and to do what they love, Gorey said.

“We were definitely more confident than in the past years and we’ve absolutely gotten better as a group,” Gorey said. “We knew we had the potential to get to the state competition and we came together as musicians and were really able to succeed.”

Social star The most followed person on Twitter is Katy Perry, with over 56 million followers.

NEWS

Friday, September 19, 2014  Page 4

Tweeting trends China boasts the largest recoreded number of Twitter users, boasting over 35 million registered accounts.

Waterman connects with students

New principal makes strides to interact with community

opment for Lyons Township and the surrounding community, bringing them closer to school administration.

Student Council President Thomas Cushing ‘15 considers Waterman’s Twitter account an essential.

“It is awesome that Dr. Waterman has one and I’d recommend other administrators get one too if they’d like, because almost all students are on Facebook and Twitter. The school has to follow that,” Cushing said. “They have to go where the students are going to tell them what’s going on.”

In regards to the administration’s use of social media, Waterman considers his Twitter to be an experiment for now with room to grow.

“I think it’s kind of one step at a time. We’re kind of experimenting with it in our community because every community is different. We want to see how much success or lack thereof we have with it and my goal would be to generate an environment where it’s seen as a useful communication tool with our community.”

Overall, Waterman’s goal is to make his stay at LT a permanent one and create a lasting impact on the community.

“I feel very strongly regarding continuous improvement,” Waterman said. “I said this to the faculty on our first day: if we can try to be better tomorrow than we were today, or next year than we were this year, whether it’s academically, extracurricular or athletically, we’ll continue to move the organization forward and ultimately do great things for students, which is what we’re here for.”

by Ceili Doyle @ca_doyle18

At the end of the jam-packed hallway as a throng of noisy gum-chewing teenagers part, one man stands animatedly talking to each student who passes him, offering a “Good morning!” and a navy “We Are...LT 2014-15” bracelet. This man, LT’s new principal, Dr. Brian Waterman, continues to greet students who come his way in a very off-the-cuff manner, taking the time to ask students how their summers went and wish them a good day.

Most students appear slightly bemused and perplexed.

“Wait a second—who is that again?” is the general consensus that runs through everyone’s head. But as the first few weeks of school trudge by, Waterman has created a large presence in the halls of LT. Waterman has a lot on his plate during his first year as principal of LT, but his main priority is connecting to the LT community: specifically its 4,000 plus student population.

“One thing I try to do is to be as visible as possible—try to see students on a daily basis, try to talk to students and see how things are going and attend events,” Waterman said.

“I also do a little bit of social media with Twitter to try to engage with the student population that way. It’s not a one size fits all. I’ve learned over time it takes a lot of different strategies and a lot of different ways to really connect with students, so I try to use everything that’s available.”

So far, this hands-on approach seems to be working and subsequently has been noticed by the student population.

“If anything, [Waterman’s] everywhere,” student representative for the Board of Education, Amanda Bolton ‘15 said. “Students will see him four times before they go to their first period class, which I think is good because then they recognize him as a familiar face. He’s very outgoing in that regard.”

Dr. Timothy Kilrea spoke very highly of Waterman’s presence at LT so far.

“He’s a very positive person, very conscientious, and he pushes himself to get better,” Kilrea said. “I have received many positive comments about Dr. Waterman from stu-

dents, administrators and parents. His primary focus is where it should be: on students, and he is an excellent addition to the LT family.”

In addition to being a new face throughout LT, Waterman is also providing a new presence on social media through the implementation of LT’s first official Twitter account: @LTWaterman.

Students have taken notice and vested a great deal of interest in this unique and unprecedented social media devel-

Dr. Brian Waterman interacts with students. (Ceili Doyle/LION)

IMPACT

Construction cluster Construction is one of the nation’s largest industries, consisting of 8.3 million workers.

June 6-9

Beginning of renovation for Reber Center

June 18-26

Stage demolition, construction

July 1

Ceiling replaced for acoustics

July 8

Granite and bricks found from original 1888 building

July 11

Demo begins

July 17

Outer structure has begun to be layed

Sept 12

Tennis court project to be completed

Nov 2014

Work will begin on the interior of the cafeteria

March 2015

Reber and cafe projected completion

Friday, September 19, 2014  Page 5

Brick bundles The 102-floored, 1,454 foot-tall Empire State Building is composed of 10 million bricks.

Construction affects classes

Noise, dust from windows causes distractions for students, teachers

by Abby King @abigailann_01

Of all the normal distractions in a school day for children throughout the nation, a jackhammer pounding steadily on bedrock is not typically the sound that comes to mind.

For some students of LT, however, it has been a normal part of the routine for the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year. All of the noise and ruckus that the NC students have had to endure will end in March with the new cafeteria and Reber Center improvements.

This has been the year of change for LT. At SC, several of the roofs have been redone, six new science labs have been added to J wing and the tennis courts have been renovated.

At NC, the Reber center, cafeteria, pipework, 20 additional air conditioning units and a new entrance to the library are just a few of the improvements that happened over the summer and continue into the school year. According to Superintendent Dr. Timothy Kilrea, an estimated $23 million has been allocated for these capital projects.

The district accomplished this by retiring old debt and issuing new bonds.

“We will continue to do the best we can to minimize noise,” Kilrea said. “We’ve been able to start school on time, which was expected, and the kids have been very flexible with some of the changes that have been implemented, like the temporary cafeteria in the Vaughan Gym.” It is clear that the construction workers are determined to finish the job and also to do it accurately. Despite the weather conflicts and unforeseen problems, for the most part they have managed to stay on track. The two main fa-

cilities that are still being worked on are the Reber Center and the cafeteria.

“In terms of summer it was as aggressive of a timeline as you see in construction,” Principal Brian Waterman said.

Because of the warm first few weeks of school, the windows need to remain open to help air circulate through the classrooms, which means more noise for the classes around the courtyard during the day. If the situation becomes unbearable, the administration had the idea of moving the classes affected by noise to other parts of the school.

“Obviously having six of my classes on the interior part of the school has affected my ability to concentrate in class, especially when taking tests,” Danny Shannon ‘15 said. “It is a bummer being a senior and only being able to use the lunchroom for the last two months of my four years, but it will be worth it for the future classes at NC.” The anticipated future cafeteria is set to be ready by March 2015. This new area will have natural light with a pathway to walk into the courtyard to eat lunch. The entire space will be opened up and available before and after school for activities and clubs as well.

Due to the fact that the original building was built in 1888, there are several unforeseen conditions encountered —which is not unusual—that the general contractors and the administrative team have been working to hammer out together in their weekly progress meetings, Kilrea said. An example is hitting bedrock in the courtyard, hence the jackhammers. But together, as a team, they have been able to move past these minor discrepancies and continue to finish the massive project.

Even though the construction can be troublesome, the administration thought it was necessary to repair and fix the school in effort to create a better learning environment for the students. This cafeteria and new Reber Center will benefit future students.

Students, staff adjust to temporary cafeteria Cafteria construction makes progress

by Brittany Grosser-Basile @BrittanyGrosser

The construction of the new NC cafeteria that began this past summer continues to progress as students adjust to eating in the temporary cafeteria in the Vaughan gym.

“I think that our kids have been amazing, but it has been really uncomfortable,” Associate Principal Kevin Brown said. “It’s been really hot, which makes the way kids have been handling it even more amazing. You see lots of people just trying to make the best of it, and we knew they would.”

Making the gym into a cafeteria didn’t happen without some changes being made. Obvious adjustments include the temporary floor that is rolled out over the existing gym floor and the temporary ramp installed to bring in hot food from SC. “I expected it to be worse than it is,” Jamie Carney ‘15 said. “The setup is nice and makes it feel less like a gym.”

Additionally, new drains were made to allow for running water.

“It wasn’t like one day we were all going to head over and start eating,” Superintendent Dr. Timothy Kilrea said. “When you’re moving an entire location across the street that feeds 2,000 kids a day, I’m certain that there have been a few hiccups, but I think our staff has done well, the Sodexo staff has done well and most importantly, I think the kids have adjusted well.”

The construction contract states that the cafeteria will be done by March of 2015.

“We’re hoping for sooner,” Kilrea said. “We have been told that we can count on March, and anything we receive before that is great.”

Students can expect many differences in the new cafeteria compared to the old. It will be extended further into the courtyard, which will allow for more student seating, and it will have a two story wall of windows to bring in natural light. Also, students will no longer stand out in the hallways while waiting to purchase lunches, because the serving line is being reconfigured to be like a food court style line.

Other changes include a new kitchen and the installation of air conditioning.

“You get to watch little by little in the courtyard how it’s progressing,” Kilrea said. “You can get a feel for what it’s going to look like.”

In addition to aesthetic changes, there is discussion that there will likely be a change made to the bell schedule beginning in the 2015-16 school year. Having more seating in the new cafeteria enables the schedule to be changed from having five lunches to having four. With this, students will likely be given 25 minutes for lunch and 25 minutes of time to be used for things such as tutoring, talking to teachers or doing homework.

“There’s nothing better about having four lunches until you start making things better for students, teaching and learning,” Brown said. “I’m very optimistic that we’ll find lots of great ways to use this.”

To see more photos of NC construction, visit lionnewspaper.com.

Top: Students in sixth period eat lunch in the temporary cafeteria that is located in the Vaughan gym. (Amy Lacny/LION).

Bottom Left: A view of the cafeteria looking towards the courtyard, where the new cafeteria’s wall of windows will be.

Bottom Right: A view of the width of the cafeteria and pillars from original construction (Brittany Grosser-Basile/LION).

“Why can’t I just have a courtship with a boy like the Duggar girls?”

-Maggie Bruck ‘16

Random Chatter

NEWS

Random Chatter

“I’m half woman. No, I’m more than half woman. I’m an English teacher.”

-Frank Alletto, teacher

Friday, September 19, 2014  Page 6

The annual tailgate in memory of Jimmy Reynolds (former LT ball boy) took place on at Bennett Field on Aug. 22.

Attending fans watched a scrimmage between all high school football levels. Towards the end of the night, Lyons Football Club (LFC) grade-schoolers played the varsity team. All profits and additional donations went to the Jimmy Reynolds Scholarship Fund.

(Amy Lacny/LION)

As summer officially comes to a close, here is a brief overview of the major headlines of the past three months: Welcome back to The Breakdown. compiled by Ceili Doyle Aug. 11-Robin Williams, comic and sitcom star in the ‘70s-turned Oscar-award winning actor, died by suicide.

The beloved actor will forever be known for his charismatic and groundbreaking roles in films such as: “Good Will Hunting”, “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Dead Poet’s Society”.

July 17-Flight MH-17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was downed, killing all 298 passengers after losing contact 25 miles from the Russian-Ukraine border. Investigators confimed as of Sept. 9 that the aircraft was shot down by a large number of high energy objects.

Aug. 9-Micheal Brown, an unarmed African American teen in Ferguson, Missouri, was shot to death after an altercation with police officer Darren Wilson. The encounter has caused unrest in Ferguson and raised questions about the treatment of minorities by law enforcement.

Sept. 9-Aspiring artist Christiam Ramos created a portrait of Miley Cyrus made completely out of more than 30 tubes of toothpaste. Ramos spends around 200 hours on each artwork depending on the size. His other works include pieces on Sir Elton John, Emma Watson and the late Robin Williams.

Sept. 8- TMZ unveiled the shocking video of starting running back for the Baltimores Ravens, Ray Rice, knocking his then-fiancé unconscious. The Ravens responded by releasing Rice from the team.

Sources: www.express.co.uk, MCTCampus

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OPINIONS

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Get it published in the paper! Submit any opinionated piece as a freelancer and you may see your work in our next issue.

Friday, September 19, 2014  Page 7

PageSevenGrid

GuestColumn

Well, this is The Grid. It has lines, questions and humorous responses; But most importantly, pictures.

Heck, why do we even have this intro when we could just expand The Grid for bigger, better pictures?

If you were a fly, what would you whisper in everyone’s ear as you passed them?

LT asks you to make a The Sci-Fi channel needs a new monster movie. What giant sculpture in the new Turns out Dr. Waterman is is your monster and what is courtyard. What is your secretly _________. work of art? the name of your movie?

“Obama is the CIA”

A bunch of monster stars attack earth. It’s called “The Fault in our Stars.”

A giant gold statue of Tommy Fiedler ‘16, wearing nothing but a leaf.

Canadian

“Your shoe’s untied.”

My monster is the head of Shannon O’Neill and the body of a horse. The movie is “Attack of the Shantaur.”

Fergie being clumsy.

Teen pop sensation Hannah Montana

“Hey little mama, let me whisper in your ear.”

My monster is Ben Gawthrop and my movie is “Rise of the Planet of the Albino’s.”

Statue of the one and only, Connor Madell.

an unfriendly guy

“I’ve pooped on your hand.”

“Slow Walkers: Battle of E-wing.”

Justin Bieber. [ed. note I’m sure that would never get vandalized.]

Leo Gabrek ‘15

Jamie Carney ‘15

Nolan Delaney ‘16

Illuminati [ed. note -PROOF!]

Heather Casper ‘17

“Scooby Doo: Attack of The Giant Scooby-Doo.” [ed.

“WLTL controls your mind note - thanks for ruining when you listen to it.”

LT’s collective childhood]

Sam Rahman ‘18

Franson.

Illuminati

compiled by Will Most

LionLadies

Lion’sMissionStatement

Dear Lion Ladies, I’ve been having a hard time finding my personal ideology. I need to make up my mind, but there are so many options! It’s all we talk about in English, and my indecision is negatively affecting my performance in class discussions. Transcendentalism, existentialism, nihilism, romanticism, why are there so many –isms anyway? Please help me, I feel so lost in the world.

Sincerely, Lonely Wanderer

LION is a newsroom for journalism students designed to serve the community of Lyons Township.

It is LION’s responsibility to cover the events and issues that may have relevance to the readership in the community.

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 and how relevant the item is to the majority of the newspaper’s readership. LION editors reserve the right to determine the news value of content.

LION will clearly identify sources of news, except in cases when it is clearly necessary to protect the source’s identity.

LION will avoid sensationalizing the news. LION does not invade the personal privacy of sources.

Each issue of the paper will feature two lead editorials. Although they are written by individuals, they reflect the viewpoints of the staff.

The LION staff strongly supports the First Amendment rights to freedom of press and opposes censorship in any form.

LION is written primarily for LT students and faculty.

LION makes every effort to correctly spell the names of sources.

All facts must be checked for accuracy by the writer.

Any unverified information will not be printed in LION. Most of what is published is the work of individuals. The writer’s name will be printed by every story, except for the editorials. The entire staff is responsible for all content that is published. Administrators have a non-review role and do not control the content prior to publication.

LION strives for the highest standards of accuracy in its presentation of material that time allows. The staff accepts responsibility for the accuracy of these facts.

Rumor, gossip and innuendo are not included in a story appearing in LION. Sources interviewed for a story will be given the opportunity to look through their interview notes and verify their quotes prior to the printer’s deadlines.

Every reporter and other member of the staff will face the ramifications for any inaccuracies presented in his or her story.

by Gillian Dunlop and Clare Mikulski The following situation is fictional.

Dear Lonely Wanderer, Because you’re dramatic enough to sign an anonymous letter “Lonely Wanderer,” you’re looking for a philosophy with a big reputation. No Zoroastrianism for you! You’ll want a creed that will get you major attention from artsy hipster chicks (or dudes, Wanderer isn’t gender exclusive, and Lion Ladies would never judge) when you start effusing over the glories of Emerson, or Nietzsche, or Kierkegaard, or whoever authored the philosophical flavor of the month.

It is easier to find yourself than you think. Read a book, take a couple Buzzfeed quizzes and go for a jaunt in the forest (but remember to bring your pepper spray). It’s true that we’re being forced to decide our futures before we can go to the bathroom without asking for permission, but that doesn’t mean you can’t figure out who you really are before winter break. Take time and really reflect introspectively. There’s more to you than you think. Or maybe there isn’t. Fake it ‘til you make it. That’s all ideology really is: a load of crap. At the end of the day, it won’t matter. Take that and run with it!

Love, the Lion Ladies Continued from Guest Column at right

Sure, pluses and minuses can be added to letter grades at the end of the year, but in LT’s grading system, they don’t mean anything in regards to GPA. This is why college admission counselors defer to the ACT and SAT to measure students’ holistic achievement in high school, since a comparison can be boiled down to a single number; and no matter how basic and contrived judging a student on a single test measurement seems, it may be one of the only college

admissions can objectively measure a student’s high school performance.

The nation’s educational institutions are heading in the wrong direction. We need to recognize this problem and perhaps alter the grading system statewide to a typical collegiate scale, where pluses and minuses are taken into account for a student’s entire GPA. If this is accomplished, students will be assessed fairly according to their ability. Going forward, it’s of great importance for high schools to have the ability to evaluate our students accurately and effectively.

Grade inflation

It’s not necessarily fair to say that LT’s too easy. Last year, 94 percent of LT students taking Michael Rasmussen AP examinations passed with a score of three, four or five and the same percentage of all graduating seniors decided to pursue some form of higher education.

LT does an excellent job preparing students to perform at the next level.

But when it comes to letter grades, are Lyons Township and other high schools in the nation too lenient?

If a general student in a prep-level course pays attention in-class and completes all of his or her work on time, they should expect a passing grade of at least a “B” or a “C”. I think that’s fairly reasonable when compared to other high schools in the nation.

The trend of rising grades has only increased in recent years, and whether due to more lenient grading, or higher student achievement, it looks like this trend is here to stay. According to the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress, overall high school GPAs increased from 2.68 in 1990 to a staggering 3.00 in 2009.

In today’s American society, a bachelor’s degree is no longer seen as optional to attain a certain degree of financial success. High schools are ingraining the idea that a college education is a necessity into the minds of students and parents. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that college enrollment increased a whopping 32 percent from 2001-2011.

The reasons for high school grade inflation stem from collegiate pressure, like collegiate grade inflation stems from career-based pressure.

First, students work harder to achieve good grades in order to gain admission to college, rather than to graduate. Second, school curriculums and grading practices have relaxed over the years to help students gain acceptance to college.

For example, the traditional bell curve grading model is all but extinct in our nation’s high schools. For those who are unaware of how a traditional bell curve works, the mean grade on a certain assessment is always a “C”, with students graded purely on a comparison between themselves and how their peers achieved. A select amount of students will always receive an “F” while the same amount will receive an “A”. This scale is extremely harsh, yet it makes a clear distinction between the achievers and underachievers on any given test.

We’re accustomed to seeing curved grading in the more challenging courses at LT, but there’s never a time where a student’s letter grade on an assessment is lower than their raw score. Usually, everyone’s grades are compared to the highest achiever and then a certain amount of percentage points are added to each grade – basically bonus points. The problem with the normalization approach is that it has become increasingly difficult to differentiate between the top 20% of scorers with such a curve.

Another example of blatant grade inflation at LT is the new addition of AP Physics I, which is essentially accelerated physics from last year with an AP title and a heavier weighted scale. I’m taking it this year, as a senior, so if I earn a “B” in the class, my weighted GPA will be affected the same as my peers who earned an “A” in a similar class last year. That’s not fair to last year’s juniors, as once again, grades are inflating yearly.

Write in and make your voice heard.  100 S. Brainard Ave., La Grange, Ill. 60525  LION reserves the right to edit all letters.

Continued at left

OPINIONS

Random Chatter “What do you think a hexagon’s sexual orientation is?”

- Dan Devine ‘15

Random Chatter “I don’t get the joke, but I’ll laugh anyway because you’re hot.”

- Bridgett Turro ‘15

Friday, September 19, 2014 n Page 8

Is LT constructing a distraction?

LION polled 343 North Campus students about issues regarding the recent construction during the school year.

PawsUp n to trains: What are they? And where are they going?

nto pickles: the

upgraded cucumber

nto gravity: ain’t noth-

Do you find the noise of construction to be distracting?

No 38%

No 49%

Yes 62%

ing but a g thang.

Yes 51%

Are the current renovations necessary for the school?

nto embellishment: the

fancy way of saying I lied straight to your face.

nto neediness: Please

find this funny. Isn’t this paw funny? Please laugh!

Classroom environment 18%

nto

Hinsdale South: Thanks for your principal.

nto

weather: Nothing says Illinois like wearing tank tops one day and fleeces the next.

nto

growth spurts: everything looks a little better eight inches higher.

nto wingdings: the best. nto your mom- That caught your attention.

nto

the adminstration for the couple of days of "relaxed dress code:” girl shoulders are a total turn on.

nto sweatpants:

fashion's equivalent of saying “I give up."

PawsDown n to lunch in the Vau-

gahn Gym. Nothing is quite as tasty as waffle fries with a side of ringworm.

nto teachers’ handwriting: I’m going to assume you wrote terrific, and not terrible.

nto Cleveland: Because, c’mon.

nto teachers who say

work is “review from last year:” how do they expect me to remember formulas when I can’t even remember my gym combo?

nto loud LT construc-

tion: acceleration= jackhammer / bulldozer2

nto getting asked what

my passion is in high school: I have trouble deciding what dressing I want on my salad. How am I supposed to tell you what sets my heart on fire?

nto sports figures: Yeah, these are the people we think are role models...

nto paws down to inse-

curity: All these paws are awful. No one will find them funny.

Peaceful learning environment 6% Parking 12%

Where has construction had the most negative effect?

Sports fields 8% Lunch 26%

Lunch 62%

Air Conditioning 53%

New Reber Center 13%

What are you looking forward to the most after renovations are complete?

Point

Building a better future

The long-term benefits of the NC construction far outweigh the current noise and minor distractions that students have to deal with now.

While the noise does occasionally make it hard to hear in the classroom, most students are able to ignore the clamor and keep focused on their work.

If the renovations are really that much of a disruption to the classroom, teachers could just close the windows to help mute Drew Cushing the sound. And if the construction really is bothering someone that much, they can make a request to the teacher to get their seat changed to a spot in the room that isn’t as close to all the racket.

Even though the construction makes some areas difficult to be in, students are able to go about their normal routines without being disrupted by the renovations, besides a few detours in the basement and also the trek to the Vaughan Gym for lunch. By now, so many students are used to the barriers that it hasn’t even become a disturbance anymore and we’ve been able to devise routes so we can arrive to class on time despite all of the hullabaloo that renovations brings to the school.

While construction is loud in the morning,

students can just raise their voices so classmates and teachers can hear them. An improvement of the construction will also be getting the upgraded lunchroom that students will be able to eat in, hopefully by this March. There’ll also be the new Reber Center, which will be a huge improvement for students in theater, among other groups.

Another advantage that the construction brings to the school is that it now supplies air conditioning to many more classrooms throughout the school so students won’t have to worry about wearing a gray shirt to school because they’re going to be sweating so much from the heat.

The renovations will also bring improved tennis courts to the school so now there won’t be any weeds growing through cracks on the court anymore. Although the new tennis courts constrict LT’s cross country course, that problem was fixed by restructuring the race course at the LT invite.

And as for the parking issues that construction supposedly brings, students can just as easily take the bus and if they aren’t given a bus, then they live close enough to walk to school. And sports players commuting to NC can use the activity bus; it’s there for a reason. While the construction may be a hassle for now and will likely continue to be for quite some time, it’ll definitely all be worth it for next year.

CounterPoint

Construction causes disruption

I’m sure we all love screaming over the jackhammers in class so the teachers can hear us, but I think it’s safe to say that the construction and the noise it produces are not ideal. The excessive construction at LT consistently inconveniences students and faculty, making it easy to question its necessity in the first place. And it’s not only hot in school, but incredibly humid, Grace Gumbiner so water is a top priority, yet, the three most convenient water fountains at North Campus are out of order.

Walking to the Vaughan gym is a time-consuming hassle, especially when you are eating in a place that has been the wrestling gym for countless years.

The athletic study hall room is packed, some periods forcing students to sit on the stairs due to lack of seating, because the library is already overcrowded.

The real question is: Why is this all being done at once? We do not have access to a typical lunchroom, thus the occupation of the Vaughan gym as the cafeteria, leaving it unavailable to the wrestlers or anyone else needing indoor gym space. The tennis team has had to cut more players than usual because the space at Gilbert Park is limited, which will also leave the girls with extra space on the roster when the new courts are finished.

The largest participation sports at LT, girls’ and boys’ cross country, lacked a course to race on just days before the annual LT Invite, due to construction. The Reber Center is also being redone, and although it needed some alterations, a drastic renovation could not have been timed more poorly. It only squeezes the amount of available space more, because events once held there now need relocation.

Athletic study hall is conveniently located directly above the Reber Center, where pounding on the ceiling is constantly heard. The normally-air-conditioned Reber Center usually has a cooling effect on athletic study hall, but because of construction, a room containing over 60 student athletes is overcrowded, stifling and clamorous.

I would like to say the construction would all be worth it if we were getting air conditioning in all of the rooms, but we are not. The window units are not considered “presentable” enough for classes on the outside of the building. Has the lack of air conditioning not been the largest complaint from LT students for years? Even when air conditioning units have been installed, the rooms are unreasonably frigid.

We seem to move from one extreme to the next.

If the construction really has the students’ best interest in mind, it would seem to be beneficial rather than obstructive and distracting as we go through the day.

Will’sWord Equality has always been a primary issue in the United States, and over the years we have worked to make the world we live in as equal as possible.

However, the push for equality between the genders has come to a standstill in recent years.

Exact numbers are debated, but women are making about 75 to Will Most 80 cents to every man’s dollar. The fact that that this inequality still exists is ridiculous. Women are every bit as hard-working as men, and there, to me, seems to be no reasonable or plausible argument to prove women shouldn’t have equal pay.

Look at it this way: conservative standpoints throughout history on issues of equality are now all looked at as unpopular. At one point, traditional values favored slavery and lack of civil rights; conservatives believed women should not be able to vote and that only land-owning males should vote.

So really it ends up as a choice.

When they write the history books 40 years from now, which side do you want to be on? The side that time looks upon favorably or the side that is constantly frowned upon?

While pay inequality between the genders may be the most important issue regarding gender inequality, another is quickly becoming apparent. Men are falling behind in education. And without some sort of action, it seems that the trend is likely to continue. At one point, education— particularly college and other higher education—was dominated by males. Over time, women evened out the system and an appropriate balance was obtained.

But in a trend that has continued in recent years, men, according to New York Times, only consist of a little more than 42 percent of the current college population. This change is due to a multitude of factors, some of which are still not yet known at this time. However, if I had to attribute it to anything, I’d say lack of effort.

Many years ago, it was once considered common knowledge that men’s brains were intellectually superior to women’s. In countries all around the world, facts backed this up as men scored higher on IQ tests.

Then, as the world became more modern, women improved their IQ scores at a drastic rate. They were working harder than men so that they could learn more. Now, as far as IQ tests go, the division between men and women is marginal, but in favor of women.

Sure, IQ tests aren’t a measure of real education. They don’t show us how people might succeed in a school environment. So take LT for example, or, more specifically, LT’s National Honor Society. After a long and strenuous tally count of the NHS e-mail list, the division between men and women at LT alone is shocking.

Women make up 57 percent the National Honor Society, which seems like a marginal percentage at first, but when you consider that that makes up the top 20 percent of our one thousand person student body, the percentage should seem more significant. The reality of the fact is that men and women are, or should be, intellectual equals.

Both genders should thrive equally in the battle royale that is higher education.

Ultimately, I’m not that worried about women never getting equal pay as men. It’s something that will eventually be corrected over time, just like every other inequality America has experienced previously.

Men falling behind in education scares me, because it’s not something that legislation can correct. Young men everywhere have to realize how important their education is and apply the correct amount of effort so that they can get everything they need out of school.

Random Chatter “My day consists of eight hours of pants and 16 hours of freedom.”

- Ellie Sovcik ‘16

OPINIONS

Random Chatter “That was a really good looking hobo.”

- Patricia Stamatelos ‘15

Friday, September 19, 2014 n Page 9

StaffEditorials

Feud with Ferguson

AnotherView

treat this great power, these military grade The world may never know the exact weapons, with great responsibility. It’s what consequences that led 18-year old Michael most normal human beings would do. But Brown to be shot dead on Aug. 9, but we do for some reason, this thought doesn’t seem know a few things: he was unarmed, the to register with those who are meant to responsible police officer was white and he “promote the general welfare”. Instead, it sustained six bullet wounds, one of which appears many officers do what a psychotic was at the top of his head.

The shooting has ignited protests, lootings person might do if they were given a military grade weapon: shoot to kill. and riots over what many see as a senseless Only weeks after Ferguson in St. Louis, and racist killing. The entire story is a mess, a knife-wielding liquor store robber was and the way the authorities have handled shot to death upon advancing towards a it has only made the situation worse. The police man. The police said that the man problems with the police force are numerous, and are the true problems with not only was advancing towards them against their Ferguson, Missouri, but many cities around demands and was a dangerous individual. the world.

But how dangerous could this individual The first horrible fault of the new Amerhave been? He literally brought a knife to a ican police force is its rush to unnecessary gun fight, and was clearly at a disadvantage militarization. Created Our Position: The recent to the police. A quick shot in the in the 1960s, SWAT events in Ferguson, Missou- leg could’ve ended the fight and teams, originally ri, reveal essential problems stopped the advance. intended for high Incidents like this pop up too with America’s police force, danger situations such such as its recent extreme often. Minor robbery turns into as hostages, have ex- militarization and urge to dead criminal. Each shooting ponentially grown. feels the same: police show up to shoot to kill.

According to the a store to find an overwhelmed, book The Rise of the Warrior Cop, by Radunarmed robber, who due to nerves and lack ley Balko, about 26 percent of towns with of knowledge, does something he shouldn’t populations between 25,000 and 50,000 had and ends up getting shot. These stories have SWAT teams in 1984. In 2005, that number become so commonplace that they have five reached 80 percent and has continued to seconds dedicated to them on newscasts and grow in the period since. Nowadays, SWAT end up in the middle pages of the Chicago teams are used to smash down doors of Tribune or Chicago Sun-Times. alleged “drug havens” with only a single tip.

That’s why Ferguson is such a big deal.

And due to the National Defense AuthoriIt’s a hot bed of all these problems with the zation Act, your local town of 37,000 could police force, and suddenly they’re under the have a tank patrolling the streets. This is not microscope of national television. Hopefully an exaggeration; these are military grade we can capitalize on this meaningful event tanks and heavily armored vehicles. and turn it into purposeful legislation that Do you think a town only relatively larger fixes the problem. Maybe the idea of Ferguson is already out of everyone’s mind and than LaGrange really needs a tank? Television coverage of Ferguson shows a police people believe it simply stopped happening, force that seems prepared to take on ISIS, because of the lack of media coverage. Hopefully, however, we remember Ferguson and not a crowd of protestors. the problems it exposed.

You would think that police would

Vote: 19-7

Social media as a source? with each innovation. The accessibility is In this day and age, articles railing against not only heightened in a physical sense, but social media are completely obsolete. The intellectually as well. benefits of a user-friendly communication Social media is not currently restrained by network that spans the globe are so abundant the same boundaries, real or imagined, that and obvious that any argument in opposition surround more traditional news outlets. This to social media is laughably old-fashioned. unfiltered nature gives social media news While it is virtually impossible to a particular tone, an ethos created entirely effectively bash social media for its value by its relative newness that can’t be found and practicality, it can at times fall short in conventional print or online journalism. in credibility. Too often, citizens turn to platforms like Twitter and Facebook for their Most of the photographs from the conflict in Gaza came from amateur photographers and daily news fix. While the increasing prevalence of legitimate news platforms on social were widely circulated online. However, if media makes it easier to find valid journalism “unfiltered” translates to “sloppy,” “biased” online, this can sometimes result in people and “misinformed,” social media news suddenly loses all of its integrity, treating biased or Our position: The value of social and all of its potential. otherwise compromised information media to journalism is undeniBloggers are quick to with the same re- able; however, with great access to pounce on scraps of informaspect they would a information comes great respon- tion, which they then blow up release from CNN sibility. Consumers of news must into huge editorial tantrums. be careful to only trust credible This kind of shameless, inor BBC. cendiary clickbait, if widely Getting the news sources. spread, can cause unnecessary bulk of your news anguish to countless parties. If the informafrom half-baked retweets will result in gross tion that makes up the base of the argument misinformation, which does greater harm is defective, the argument becomes dangerthan most people know. Misinformation ously defunct, because the abrasive argument breeds ignorance, and the downfall of the potentially becomes slander, and the ignoaccessibility of social media is that this ignorance spreads with deadly speed. rance spreads like an illiterate disease.

Think of how often gossip sites report “ruTurning to Twitter for your news isn’t mors” of celebrity pregnancies, divorces and necessarily a bad idea, but it’s important deaths, and how often those rumors prove to to know who it is you’re really turning to. be completely false. Yet it takes less than half There is nothing wrong with getting news an hour for Twitter to buzz with speculation through social media so long as the source over the fabricated news. If this is the kind of is reputable. The problem arises when the uproar that comes from small entertainment person behind the Twitter account doesn’t blips, imagine the disturbance an incorrectly know what they’re talking about. Technology shows no signs of slowing down in the fureported major world incident would cause. ture, and neither does the speed with which Social media creates the opportunity for we are able to communicate. In order to use a revolution in journalism. The speed with social media for its full journalistic potential, which information can travel both astounds we must match this increased speed with and thrills us; the horizons of communicaStaff vote: 25-1 tion were vastly widened with the advent of even greater accuracy in what we report, and social media, and the borders only expand greater scrutiny concerning what we believe.

Vote: 26-0

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LION The Voice of Lyons Township Students Since 1910

September 19, 2014 n Volume 105, I ssue 1

Open Forum The opinion section of Lion is a public forum. Opinions expressed in columns and letters to the editor are the opinions of individuals. Letters to the editor must be signed and represent only the views of the signed writer.

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Youth soccer As of 2012, the United States had 3,020,633 kids playing youth soccer; 73,692 of these players were from Illinois.

SPORTS

Friday, September 19, 2014 n Page 10

Indiana ball The Hoosiers ended last season with a 64-54 loss to Illinois in the Big Ten tournament, finishing the season 17-15.

LT rugby players tour Europe Compete against finest English teams, team experiences European style of play

by Garrett Ariana @garrettariana3

As a result of their hard work and skill, some elite members of the West Suburban Bulls Rugby team were selected to go on tour to England and Wales for 15 days this summer to play against cream of the crop competition.

There was an extensive tryout for this outing that was held over a period of nine months for James Kowalski ‘15, Joe Dillon ‘15, Ethan McGahay ‘15, Anthony Gonia ‘15, Pearman Clarke ‘14, Mitch Ciszewski ‘15 and Michael Rasmussen ‘15 to be selected for this tour.

In November, January and March there were a series of “trials” where the boys tried out to be a part of this team, Ciszewski said. At the end of the school year, the team was announced and they practiced all summer.

One of the main reasons this trip was organized and executed was to get the boys some first-rate competition against people who have been playing this game their entire life. President of the Chicago Area Rugby Football Union, Lou Raymond, who has been involved with the game for over 25 years now, was one of the coaches in Europe for the group and aimed to enhance their experience with the game against these other teams.

“I wanted to expose the boys to this culture, a higher skill level, and this sense of camaraderie,” Raymond said. “They learned as they met with others that they could embrace each others differences and bond as they all had goals they were trying to meet.”

The team traveled to various places, including Chobham, Brighton, Rotherham, Colwyn Bay and Nailsea & Backwell. Although it was the only game they lost out of the five played, Dillon and McGahay enjoyed playing in Brighton the most. McGahay loved it because it

Joe Dillon ‘15 works for the tackle and then the steal. (Joe Dillon)

was right on the English Channel and lays claim to having the third oldest rugby team in the world.

“I loved playing in Brighton,” Dillon said. “It was really fun because those [were the] nights we slept in tents on the pitch. It was easily the best field we played on, and it had a cool setting.”

McGahay, Dillon and Ciszewski alike agreed that there was a huge difference from playing in America to playing in England. Due to the influence of American football here, the game becomes much more physical as compared to England.

“In England the game was a lot faster and focused on quickness and technique rather than power,” McGahay said.

Rugby, being a relatively new game in the U.S, is given very little attention. According to the Guardian newspaper website, USA Rugby has around 115,000 members, and its CEO, Nigel Melville, said that more than 750,000 kids are playing non-contact “rookie rugby.” This sport has shown that it is slowly catching on and many believe it is much more team oriented than other sports.

“In rugby, everyone needs to be doing their job in order to succeed,” McGahay said. “American sports on the other hand, like football and basketball, rely on star athletes that carry their team like quarterbacks and point guards. It isn’t like that in [rugby]. We all need each other.”

Basketball alum transfers to Indiana Zeisloft expected to have impact on team

by Michael Grace @_michaelgrace

As Nick Zeisloft ‘11 stepped onto the court in Montreal, Canada, on Aug. 13, wearing the Indiana crimson and cream uniform, he knew that he made the right decision. Zeisloft has recently transferred from the Missouri Valley Conference’s Illinois State (ISU) to Indiana University (IU) and will look to be a key leader for the Hoosiers this year as a red-shirt junior.

“I’ve been around the game for three years now at the college level,” Zeisloft said. “I’m just trying to bring my leadership and experience to this team.”

The former LT star averaged 8.8 points with a 55 percent three-point average this summer for the Hoosiers during their

exhibition games regional titles. in Canada. ZeisZeisloft’s skill loft has clicked is rooted in his with IU’s scheme competitiveness and has meshed and athleticism well with his new but furthermore teammates along in his unmatched work ethic. the way.

“He really “I love all my made it a goal teammates,” Zeisloft said. “We’ve of his to be the been in the gym best basketball a lot together. It’s player he could been a wonderful be,” LT Head start and we’re Basketball Coach Tom Sloan said. going to keep “Some people moving forward.” just have that All roads lead internal drive.” to Zeisloft being Indiana Head IU’s new sharp Tom Coach shooter from Nick Zeisloft ‘11 goes up for a Crean was able behind the arc. layup. (Jonathan Campbell) to see Zeisloft’s During his time at LT, Zeisloft captured the record work ethic first hand when he for most career three-pointers arrived to find Zeisloft working (108) and helped lead the Lions out at 6:45 a.m., by choice, before to back-to-back conference and the team bus departed for Canada

at 8 a.m. Sloan spoke to the impact Zeisloft will have at IU. “He’s the type of person that when he’s in your program, your program is instantly better,” Sloan said. “Indiana is getting a great kid.”

Although the Hoosiers lost some players, they still pose a threat to many teams in the Big Ten. With a tough schedule for the beginning of the season, IU will need to beat teams like Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. With the help of Zeisloft, IU looks to reclaim their Big Ten title and capture a post-season berth in route to the Final Four. The Hoosiers are excited to compete for a championship.

“Those are the games you dream of growing up,” Zeisloft said. “Playing in those games, winning those games. There would be no better feeling in the world. That is the pinnacle of college basketball, to win it all.”

CollegePlayoff

Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no doubt college football will be making waves across the sports world for the next few months. From insane blowouts to game-winning kick returns, ESPN Bailey Blum highlights will certainly be reputable.

This year, a new aspect of college football will be making the news. Normally, the top teams are ranked by various polls from one to 25, with all the others being unranked. At the end of the season, the one and two rankings battle it out for the greatest unpaid sports title imaginable: the National Championship.

This year, however, will be the first year since 1970 that the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) is gone. Normally, the BCS committee would select the top two teams to play for the title. However, in its place will be a four-team playoff—the first time in the entire existence of college football that an event like this will be held.

This change from the BCS selecting the top two teams to a playoff format is a definite push in the right direction. If you’ve ever watched college football, you know that one mistake, one loss, can ruin your entire season. Take Alabama last year: the number one team in the nation, the team that everyone expected would play for all the glory. With one second left in the game, they tried a field goal to win, missed and arch rival Auburn returned it for a touchdown therefore winning a trip to the National Championship. Alabama was left dazed and confused. One second determined their entire season. You can’t even call that skill; that’s luck, pure and simple.

Don’t get me wrong, Auburn had every right to play for the championship. But so did Alabama, and in the previous system of college football, it wouldn’t have been possible for them both to compete. The national championship game didn’t come down to the two best teams; it came down to who got lucky, who lost the earliest in the season and had a chance to climb back up the rankings. If they lost near the end of the season, their chance at a championship was pretty much shot.

Now, there’s hope for all the Alabamas of the league. Losing late doesn’t hurt their chance at a title as much since they can still make a semifinal game. In a system where error used to be fatal, it is now just severely damaging.

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day just got a heck of a lot better. It’s about time college football had a playoff format, albeit if it’s just four teams. In the future, I’d like to see eight teams though, so those fatal mistakes might end up not so fatal after all. But this is a start.

Soccer star plays at international level in Europe

“

Junior to play in England for rest of school year

“The perception of American players is that we aren’t as good. Hopefully I can go surprise a few people and play just as good as they can.

Or better.”

Chicago. Newark. Amsterdam. Southampton. A taxi ride followed by an hour ferry trip to the Isle of Wight. And to top it all off, Aaron Onion ‘16 would be fulfilling his dream of playing soccer for an English youth club team, with the future possibility of signing a professional contract.

And this was just day one of Onion’s sixmonth trip to Newport, England. Onion said when he checked his email in the summer of 2013, he never expected that a year from then he would be leaving home to play soccer in England, with the possibility of signing a professional contract.

Onion was given the opportunity by International Football Exchange (IFX) representatives who had seen him play. They set him up to join the youth team of A.F.C. Bournemouth, a soccer club based near Newport, England that plays in England’s second-tier league, The Championship. If Onion does well, at the end of his six-month “tryout” he could be offered a contract to stay with the team longer, and possibly play for the professional reserve team.

Aaron Onion ‘16 dribbles the ball. (Onion)

“I’m really excited,” Onion said. “It’s the possibility of a lifetime. It’s always been my goal to play professionally, and this would definitely help.”

Despite his apparent eagerness, Onion said it hasn’t been all fun and games. Onion will have to stay with a host family he has never met before. Additionally, he will have to assimilate into a new school and the different “soccer culture” he will face there, which unfortunately doesn’t look highly on American players.

“The perception of American players is that we aren’t as good,” Onion said. “Hope-

-Aaron Onion ‘16

“

by Bailey Blum @ultimatebailey

fully I can go surprise a few people and play just as good as they can. Or better.”

Another aspect of leaving that Onion had to face was saying goodbye to LT and all of his friends. In spite of his departure, he said his friends have been overwhelmingly supportive and have been motivating him even further to take this opportunity.

“I think he’ll do great,” Chicago Fire Youth Soccer Club teammate and LT student Trace Mortimer ‘16 said. “He’s a very hard worker, and he’s always wanted to do the best, to be the best at what he does. This will help him do that.”

His friends weren’t the only ones supporting Onion in his decision, though. Marc McElligott, a coach at his previous club team, the Chicago Fire Youth Soccer Club, was also extremely supportive of him, Onion said.

“Aaron spending time playing abroad is great for his development,” McElligott said. “Being exposed to an environment immersed in soccer can only help make him a better player.”

While there, Onion will only attend school three days a week for only three hours a day in order to focus on soccer. His team practices every morning to train for upcoming games. Recently, Onion said the team has had specific focuses to get back into shape for the season.

“It’s been a lot of running and core strength,” Onion said. “We’ve also been doing technical drills and lots of scrimmages to get back into the swing of things.”

Onion lost his first game away from the States on Sept. 10 against the Wycombe Wanderers, 5-2. Despite earning a starting position for his club, Onion has goals for the next game.

“We need to be more organized and finish our chances,” Onion said.

Onion’s next game was against Birmingham City FC on Sept. 17, which occurred after LION’s print deadline.

SPORTS

Masterkova miles On Aug. 14, 1996 Svetlana Masterkova from Serbia, holds the womens fastest mile time record at 4:12:56.

Serena slams

Friday, September 19, 2014 n Page 11

Serena Williams won the U.S. Open, tying for fourth on the all-time list of Grand Slam winners, with 18.

Tennis plays through construction Court construction affects team; players enter season with O’Laughlin in mind

by Abby King @abigailann_01

As fall approaches, the senior girl tennis players prepare for a successful season in memory of Kelli O’Laughlin, despite the obstacle of the courts being renovated. Anyone who has been to SC can attest to the cramped tennis courts with cracked foundation and viewing section on the Driver’s Ed range. That will all change this year, with construction that started on June 3 to transform the courts into a spacious and crowdworthy experience.

The construction is projected to be complete by Sept 12, but due to weather delays and labor problems, this date may be pushed back into late September or early October; however, this will not stop the girls from keeping O’Laughlin in mind while playing.

O’Laughlin’s bright energy and enthusiasm that she brought to the court as a freshman will be always be remembered by the team. The loss of O’Laughlin, in what would have been her final varsity year, is an obstacle that no other team in their conference has the misfortune of facing.

“Not having her spirit and enthusiasm is a loss whenever we play,” Meghan Hickey ‘15 said. “When we play, we play for her.”

Yet, this tragic loss has also helped unify the team. For example, O’Laughlin’s parents generously donated new team

uniforms with their daughter’s initials printed over the players’ hearts, so every time they step on to the court, they are reminded that she is with them.

“I think the uniforms were a great idea,” Meggie Donley ‘15 said. “It used to be that varsity had one uniform and JV had another, but now the Kelli uniforms help unite us as a team.”

The construction has been a roadblock for the players this season and has tested their unity as a team. It has forced the varsity tennis team to use the Gilbert Park for practice, and the frosh/soph and JV teams to use the courts at Spring Rock and Sedgwick Park. This caused Varsity Head Coach Bill Wham to make some tough decisions during tryouts, making him choose a smaller varsity team because of court restrictions.

“Because we had court limitations for the beginning of this year, the depth on the team will be affected. We’ll only have 14 kids this year,” Wham said. “I am, however, pleased with what [the administration] did with the courts. These facilities are a great improvement and should be some of the best courts in the state. I believe they will drain well and should be worth the wait.”

Another problem with tennis practice at the new location is transportation for underclassmen who play on varsity but are unable to get there in a timely fashion. Players on the frosh/soph team have been supplied a bus from SC to Spring Rock, while underclassmen varsity players have had to find other modes of transportation. Wham estimates that the varsity team loses about half an hour every day due to traveling and starting late.

Girls XC looks to improve performance Minimization of running groups leads to modified practice routine that focuses on intervals in an effort to increase the depth, quality of the team’s runners for future competitions

by Drew Cushing @drcushing32

After not qualifying as a team for the state competition for the first time in 14 years last season, the girls cross country plans to improve this year by changing its practice routine.

One change they are implementing is cutting down from four groups of runners to three groups. This change will cause a larger amount of girls to be running together with two coaches looking over each group to ensure that each runner puts forth her best effort.

“The hope is that the runners will get better and the overall quality of running will

Joie Reisch ‘18 tracks the ball as she serves. (Joe Rossetti/LION)

According to Wham, since the tennis courts were originally built on a bog, a great deal of June and July was used to correct soil and add an effective sewer and drainage system underneath the courts to help maximize drainage. This will help reduce cracks and seepage on the exterior. The first set of courts will slope West to East, and the second set will slope East to West. There will be four courts on one side, with stands parting the middle, then six courts on the other side. “[The construction] is definitely a huge obstacle,” Donley said. “But with only four courts, there is not much you can do.

We, as a team, definitely look forward to the improvements and think it will help us in the future.”

improve,” Varsity Coach Stetson Steele said. “We want to improve the quality of training and instill the idea of hard work on a consistent basis.”

The reduction of running groups allows for the girls to focus more on intervals and to go on longer tempo runs during practice to get the best workout from each runner.

“It motivates the girls to get more mileage, because moving up to the next group seems more accessible, and they essentially can become better runners,” Sam Stuba ‘15 said.

The team’s goal is to qualify for the state meet this year, something they are very hopeful about since they have a deep lineup that consists of many talented four-year runners. The cross country team is focusing on the idea of “committing” to better each runner and the team as a whole. The larger amount of people in the groups helps with team morale.

“I think we’re all good teammates and try to support each other, and now there’s more people to push you in the group workouts.” Katie Hamor ‘15 said.

According to Stuba, the seniors are showing more leadership qualities and everyone likes to help encourage each other. The runners are eager to show how they have improved over the last year.

“Our team expectations are to be competitive in conference, at our major invitationals, and ultimately, to make state,” Steele said.

LT competes in the WSC Silver conference, which also includes Oak Park and Hinsdale Central, both of which placed Top 15 in the state meet last year.

The varsity team placed second behind Valparaiso at its first meet, the LT invite, which was at SC on Sept. 6.

Girls handle tension

Football kicks off

Speculation surrounds the relationship between LT, club volleyball teams

Entering conference, Lions look to rely on experience, revamped defense for success

by Gaby Sabatino @gabysab8

by Joe Okkema @joe_okkema

As a new school year begins, the LT student body prepares to get back into its regular routine of homework and rigorous studies. But the LT varsity girls volleyball team heads into yet another season with hopes of victory for the coaching staff and all the players involved.

However, tension surrounding the program has raised questions about the relationship between LT and club teams and whether or not those relationships affect the final team selection.

Varsity Head Coach Joann Pyritz has been coaching and building this successful program over the past 25 years. She has led the team to two state championships in her time as head coach. As the years have gone on, however, she has seen more girls start to play for a variety of club teams throughout the school year.

“It has become more club-oriented,” Pyritz said. “Almost 100 percent of the players play for club now and only one third had been involved in club volleyball when I started.”

In August, the girls try out for the LT team to play in the fall for Pyritz but following their school season, they continue to play for club teams like Lions Jr. and First Alliance. These teams are not affiliated with LT’s program. All the players who make up the LT team come from various club teams that compete against each other when in season.

Madisen Babich ‘16 has been playing volleyball for eight years and made the varsity team as a freshman. She plays on the First Alliance club team as a libero and believes that the club teams do not affect the selection for the varsity team at LT. “Coach P looks at everyone to make sure they have a fair shot,” Babich said. “She wants to put the best six players on the court to win.”

One student, who wishes to remain anonymous, has experienced both sides of the LT and club teams and feels that where they play during the off season does, in fact, make a difference on choosing the final roster.

“As time went on, it started to become more drama and less volleyball,” an anonymous source said. “I believe that it has strongly affected the chemistry of the team.”

Regardless of this perspective, it does not take away from the success that has come out of this program and the hard work that the players put into every season.

“At the end of the day, we all come together to play and have one mindset of winning,” Babich said.

Learning from last year’s defensive shortcomings, the Lions football team took the opportunity afforded by the offseason to institute a new defensive package, switching from a four-man to a three-man front that will utilize five linebackers instead of three. Combined with a thoroughly experienced lineup, the team looks to this new defensive strategy to lead to a successful season and optimal postseason results.

“Our hope every year is to try and win conference,” captain Joe Dillon ‘15 said. “As for now though, we’re going to go one game at a time, and focus on winning each one of those games.”

This defensive strategy has paid off, allowing them to hold each of their opponents to under 30 points in their first three games.

“It just changes the whole defensive philosophy from conservative to very aggressive,” Dillon said. “We always have pressure in the backfield.”

Led by returning starters like Dante Stefanini ‘15, Aaron Smith ‘15 and Dillon, the defense showcased its ability on Sept. 12 in the out-of-conference game against Leyden, shutting out the Eagles and making three sacks in the process.

With an experienced returning lineup, this year’s team has a degree chemistry that allows them to work well together, captain Blaze Nacker ‘15 said.

While totaling over 350 yards of offense during its Aug. 29 season opener against Warren Township High School, the offense was crippled by penalties and four turnovers, preventing the team from converting drives into touchdowns and ultimately leading to the 17-14 loss.

“We just missed too many opportunities during that game,” Varsity Head Coach Kurt Weinberg said.

Learning from mistakes early on, the team proceeded to correct them in a 25-21 victory over Willowbrook High School on Sept. 5.

The following week, the Lion’s dominant performance against Leyden, highlighted by three rushing touchdowns from Leonard Ross ‘15, demonstrated the teams’s offensive potential.

“We just have to play to our potential and execute when we have the opportunity,” Nacker said.

The team will play its first conference game Sept. 20 away against rival Glenbard West.

“I’m sure it’s going to be a tough, physical game,” Weinberg said. “As always, they’re going to play fast and hit hard.”

Top: Cori Hansen ‘15 goes up for a block during the team’s practice.

(Joe Rossetti/Lion) Bottom: Leonard Ross ‘15 tries to inspire the team while the offense is off of the field. (Izy Scott/LION)

Little league In Williamsport, the Jackie Robinson West Little League team was led by Darion Radcliff batting .529, Pierce Jones with 17 hits and Trey Hondras and Josh Houston with eight RBIs.

SPORTS SPORTS Friday, September 19, 2014  Page 12

Scores 

Highlights  Profiles

JRW wins LLWS national title

South Side Chicago team beats odds, claims championship

by Joe Rossetti @joe_rossetti

After an early loss to Nevada in the 2014 Little League World Series (LLWS), the championship berth of the Jackie Robinson West team looked doubtful, but the team’s consistent attitude, approach to the game and fundamental skillset allowed the team to ignore this early loss and win its way through the losers’ bracket, ultimately claiming the title of United States Little League World Series Champions.

“I don’t like losing,” first-basemen Trey Hondras was quoted as saying in the Chicago Tribune. “It’s like a girl dumping you and going to your best friend. It really hurt. Getting revenge is like getting a better girl and showing her off to your best friend.”

After losing to Las Vegas 13-2 in its second game of the LLWS, the Jackie Robinson West team had to be perfect throughout the rest of the tournament, winning four straight games, to contend for a championship. The team rose to the occasion and so did its level of play.

“They deserved to be where they were at,” LT Head Freshman Baseball Coach Charles Witt said. “They were fast. Their team speed was incredible. They forced the issue. Teams had to make perfect plays to get them out. I could look at those guys and tell you that there were several of them that would make the team here.”

The team played with an enormous amount of pressure. Having played in Little League championship situations, LT right-fielder Chris Cooper ‘15 could relate.

“It’s like having the world bearing down on you,” Cooper said. “Any error can dramatically change the momentum of the game. Championships are like any other game, but with more eyes in the stands.”

The Jackie Robinson West team enjoys the parade in honor of their victory. (MCT Campus) “The mechanics in their swings [needed For many teams, losing a game like the Jackie Robinson West team did to Las Vegas improvement], but that’s true for any kid that would have been cause to shut down and hang age,” Witt said. “The JRW players couldn’t heads. As Cooper said, errors, or in this case hit some of the better, faster pitchers they losses, can change momentum, and in the case faced, because their mechanics were poor. Just of Jackie Robinson West, the momentum shift because kids are hitting it far doesn’t really mean that they’re mechanically swinging can be for the better.

“I really did feel like the game we lost was very well.”

The players’ attitudes and their ability to a blessing,” Jackie Robinson West Manager Darold Butler was quoted as saying in the play together were perhaps their biggest assets, Chicago Tribune. “It woke us up. The kids allowing them to make for a successful team have been more focused than they’ve been that never gave up. These were ideal aspects all year. It’s hard to beat a team twice. These that coaches would like to see in every team. guys are so competitive. They want the shot. I “Something that was very unique for them can’t see that game being exactly like it was the was that they never got too down on themfirst time.” selves,” Witt said. “They were behind in sevThe team’s game play was solid through- eral different games, and they didn’t let that out. At the plate, the team was carried by bother them. That never-say-die attitude was Darion Radcliffe, hitting .529, Josh Hous- really cool to see in them. The players were ton, hitting .474 and Hondras hitting .429; buddies, they were friends. If you don’t have all had at least eight hits in the World that chemistry, that’s going to affect you someSeries. Despite this near perfect play, there where down the road. Those guys seemed to were areas in which the team could have like each other. I think they had great chemimproved, that only a trained eye could istry, and that definitely goes into the formula have seen. for a great team.”

by Izy Scott @izy3213

When Leonard Ross ‘15 steps onto the field, his usual joking, sociable attitude is completely transformed into a focused and poised football powerhouse, ready to take on any opponent. Not only has the LT community witnessed this transformation from inviting to intimidating, but so has the Miami of Ohio football coaching staff. This past August, Ross verbally committed to play at Miami of Ohio in order to pursue his goal of becoming a college student-athlete.

“When I went to Miami [of Ohio], the campus was so beautiful,” Ross said. “Then I heard about the new coaching staff and they came in and introduced me to everyone.

Academically, it’s a great school. It’s a win-win situation for me.”

Ross said he had interest in Big Ten schools like Purdue, Indiana and the University of Illinois, but decided Miami will be the right combination of athletic and academic opportunity. Despite the losses Miami faced on the field during conference last season, Ross is still confident in the new direction the team plans to take under former Notre Dame offensive coordinator, Chuck Martin.

“They said they needed a lot of help with running backs, so I’m hoping to see the field my freshman year,” Ross said.

Training hard with his LT teammates has kept Ross ready for college play, but the more pressing goal for Ross and the team this season requires only five letters: state.

“Knowing that college football is right around the corner is exciting, but right now I’m more excited about our LT season.”

Ross said.

Being one of LT’s four player-voted captains, (along with Joe Dillon ‘15, Blaze Nacker ‘15 and Dante Stefanini ‘15) Ross is responsible for keeping his teammates in line. With three years of varsity experience and a J. Kyle Braid award, he is well prepared for the pressures of being a captain.

“If we [as captains] see someone slipping, we call them out, including ourselves,” Ross said. “We always make sure that we

know what we’re doing so that when someone asks questions, we can answer.”

Nacker thinks the captains have been meshing together well, and after playing with Ross since freshman year, has noticed his leadership abilities on and off the field.

“Whenever I’m with him off the field, it’s all joking and having a fun time but then as soon as we’re on the field, he’s in a very serious mood and wants to get the job done,” Nacker said.

Head coach Kurt Weinberg has also known Ross since freshman year, coaching him for three-plus seasons, and saw potential in Ross early on.

“It was his combination of speed, size and athletic ability,” Weinberg said. “He’s a full-package player and he’s also very intelligent. He has all the attributes you want in a great player.”

Seeing him lead almost every day at practices and games, Weinberg is pleased with Ross’ leadership.

He also thinks that Miami of Ohio was a great decision for Ross, who has appreciated the knowledge he’s gained from his coaches over the years. “[Freshman year], I didn’t really get the concept of the coaches being hard on me because in my mind back then, I was very immature, but now I see they’re great teachers helping me in life because that’s how life is,” Ross said. “It’s going to be down on you, but you have to pick up from that. I appreciate them for that.”

Lucky bracelets on, pre-game prayers recited and a blue and gold 33 on his jersey, Ross will take the field this season ready to defeat the opposition alongside his teammates and coaches.

“He’s an all-around great kid,” Weinberg said. “He’s a good student, he’s a good person, and he’s a good football player. He’s allaround somebody we’re proud to have in our program.”

Sports history On Sept. 19, 2002, Bartolo Colon of the Montreal Expos earned his tenth win of the season, becoming only the second player in MLB history to have ten wins in both leagues in a single season.

PreseasonPredictions It’s that time of year again: the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. Like a lot of kids, my escape Joe Rossetti from the school year is sports. And what better school to enjoy sports at than Lyons Township? Let’s have another record-setting year LT. Here are my predictions: Football As the football season enters its height, look to quarterback Tom Fiedler ‘15 and running back Leonard Ross ‘15, to be pivotal on the field.

Despite their obvious skillset and knowledge of the game, they aren’t the team’s entire offense. Wide receiver Emmett Corrigan ‘15 is a consistent player who doesn’t drop passes and is likely to come up huge as the season heads into full force.

Girls Volleyball Hannah Juley ‘15 and Jesse Skonning ‘15 are already committed to University of Wisconsin and Manhattan College respectively. Their varsity experience combined with that of Toni Saracco ‘15 will create a commanding half of the court for the Lions.

Wrestling I want to start by saying that I may be more than a little biased as I’m a member of the wrestling team, but look to Mac Casella ‘16 to lead the wrestling team to an all-state finish, not only individually, but as a team. As a two-time varsity starter, entering his junior year, he is a presence on the mat.

Casella is the embodiment of the wrestler mentality: kill or be killed. Don’t forget to keep an eye on Zach Villarreal ‘17 who will quietly run away with the award for most takedowns.

Boys Basketball Watch for Harrison Niego ‘15 and Jaquan Phipps ‘15 as they lead the basketball team, hopefully, to a conference championship. Don’t be surprised when Sean Lannan ‘15 is huge with the boards, Connor Riordan ‘15 comes in clutch from behind the arc, or Joey Brunner ‘15 steps up as an influential all-around player.

Boys Baseball As baseball rolls around in the spring, look to the returning slugger Chris Cooper ‘15 to stand out. Cooper had clutch performances at the plate last year and has only improved. I wouldn’t count him out as a presence in the outfield either. His speed, arm and ability to judge a fly ball will land him comfortably as the starting right fielder, but don’t be surprised if he steals the show at first base. I expect nothing less from Tom Hickey ‘15 than to assume the role of the team’s ace. Coming off a 10-1 season with a 0.85 era as a junior, the team is going to depend on him for wins. If Hickey had the strength to match his size he’d be deadly, especially when you factor in his baseball IQ .

Badminton Expect Stephanie Lin ‘15 to lead the badminton team. Coming off of two consecutive state championships, Lin is LT’s best and could contend for an undefeated season and her third state title.

Girls Gymnastics Kelsey Kurfirst ‘15 and Kelly Ryser ‘15 have much to live up to as they compete this year with two consecutive state championships under their belt.

These two girls are likely to compete for first place in nearly every event they participate in this season, as they make their way to their third state title.

Regardless of whether or not I mentioned them, there will be standout athletes and unexpected MVPs in every sport. So keep your eyes open, LT.

PULSE

compiled by Mary Hadley and Izy Scott

Friday, September 19, 2014 n Page 14

Travel

Last year, Caroline Westrick ‘15 studied abroad in Melbourne, Australia. She left July of 2013, and spent her year living with a host family and attending school daily before coming back this past April.

“The organization coordinated a tour of central Australia for only exchange students; we just hopped on a coach bus that tooled around the desert,” Westrick said. “It was really educational because it gave us exposure to the Aboriginal culture. Their ways of hunting, marrying and surviving in the rough climate are amazing. They’re a beautiful, awe-inspiring people.”

Riley Frisbie ‘16 traveled to South Korea just outside of Seoul for one week this August for the LG Cup International Women’s Baseball Tournament.

Representing team USA All Stars, Frisbie and her teammates faced opponents from Australia, South Korea, Japan and China. While there, she was forced to overcome language barriers on and off the field as she experienced new foods, cultures and made new friends from around the world.

“I’ll definitely remember this for the rest of my life,” Frisbie said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance that I will never forget.”

Far flight

With the linguistic knowledge from only a semester of German I, Maggie Bruck ‘16 left for a year-long exchange in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany. She applied through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program, left in August 2013 and returned July 2014. After three weeks of language and submersion courses, she moved in with her host family of four and began to learn the ways of tricky grammar, strange grilled foods and horseback riding.

She was enrolled in classes instantly, slowly adapting to her new lifestyle and was near-fluent in German by February 2014.

“My year in Germany wasn’t just going there to learn the language because there were so many moments where I was alone and didn’t know anybody,” Bruck said. “I was completely on my own, and that really built me as a person and I’m more at peace with myself now.”

With six other friends, English teacher Chris Bass and science teacher John McKendrick took a month-long hiking trip to the Nordic countries of Scandinavia. Their travels included stays in Copenhagen, Denmark, Oslo, Norway and Reykjavik, Iceland.

Taking advantage of the 24-hour sunshine, they were able to trek world-renowned hiking destinations until 9:30 p.m., leaving plenty of daylight to scale boulders, spot wild reindeer, and even get caught in a lightning storm. Despite his plane having an emergency landing in Iceland on his way home, Bass still hopes to visit again someday.

“In some ways, it was a surreal place,” Bass said. “It was very different than here. The landscape was so dramatic, the people were so nice, and the atmosphere was so cool, and that I will remember.”

“It was nice to be in a place where the sun never set,” McKendrick said.

This past summer, Kristen Young ‘15 spent seven weeks in the Russian Federation as a part of the scholarship program National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) that is sponsored through the U.S. Department of State to study languages deemed critical by the U.S. government abroad. There she attended school where she attended classes daily to learn Russian. It was intended to be a full immersion of the Russian culture where even the Russian instructors only speak Russian.

“The most memorable part of being abroad was the family and life that I created,” Young said. “I was dropped into Russia with no Russian skills whatsoever and from day one was living with a host family. It teaches you humility.”

Throughout this past year, many adventurous LT students and staff members went on life-changing journeys across the world. Whether their travels were for an entire year, or for a week, these inspiring stories of wordly ventures give us a closer look at the lives of the people who make up LT. The longest recorded commercial flight was from Singapore to New Jersey, covering 9,500 miles.

The longest recorded paper airplane flight was from Japan to Japan that lasted for 29.2 seconds.

Short soar

Finland fact

Finland created a National Failure Day in 2010, to learn from mistakes and not repeat them.

PROFILES Friday, September 19, 2014 n Page 15

Principal’s past

Waterman taught business education at Westmont High School, later becoming assistant principal.

LIONPlaylist Free association with Principal Dr. Brian Waterman

by Claire Quinlan and Lidia Breen @cquinlan @lidia_breen

We have all seen Dr. Waterman handing out LT bracelets and offering a friendly greeting to anyone near, but who really is the man in the suit? We decided to find out, in the weirdest way possible, with ridiculous questions and even goofier answers.

As WLTL was the number one radio station in the country just a year ago, its staff is working hard, looking to reclaim its title. Take a look at the songs inside the studio with Assistant Music Director Matt Danbury ‘s (‘16) top playlist. compiled by Michael Grace @_michaelgrace

“I Want I Want”-Walk the Moon “A slow, moody, sensual song with teen angst and a great harmony.”

“Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”-Vampire Weekend “Always a favorite of mine, love to jam out to that.”

“Take it or Leave it”-The Strokes “It has a special place for me. It’s one of those things I really connect to.”

“This Must Be The Place”-Talking Heads “An older band but this is a classic.”

“Little Monster”-Royal Blood “A newer band from the UK. I would honestly recommend the whole album to anyone. I’m looking to see great things from them.”

“Paris”-Magic Man “A newer group, very fun. You’ve probably heard it on the radio somewhere.”

“Naked As We Came”-Iron and Wine “Chill music from a solo artist who writes all of it.”

“We Used to Vacation”-Cold War Kids “I love the singer and the piano playing is incredible.

It’s sporadic and fun to listen to.”

“Taro”-Alt-J “I love all the instruments used on it. It’s a good conclusion to an amazing album.”

“Missed The Boat”-Modest Mouse “I don’t know how to describe it. It has some subjects that really connect with me.”

“D is for Dangerous”-Arctic Monkeys “It’s got a fiery rage that provides a little twist to their music.”

“Third Planet”-Modest Mouse “Another great song from my favorite.”

“Red Eyes”-The War on Drugs “Good music from a newer group.”

novel? What is your favorite type of novel?

Dr. Waterman: I’m definitely a big non-fiction guy, and I love reading about the civil rights movement. Sports, business, leadership and civil rights are the things I enjoy reading about most.

LION: What is your favorite summer LION: Do any of your students call you Dr. job that you ever had?

Watermelon?

Dr. Waterman: I was a camp counselor for YMCA when I was in college. We spent certain days at the pool, certain days at a campsite and playing football.

We spent certain days at the YMCA facility doing arts and crafts; it was a perfect experience job for working in education. I had a great time; it was a good time spending the days outside.

Dr. Waterman sits in his new office (Riley Carroll/LION)

when you have that heated of a rivalry, Dr. Waterman: Actually yes, there are a few there are more things similar between the schools than different. students at SC who call me that.

LION: What do you think hides in science LION: In the LION, we have a system teacher Dave Stormont’s beard? called PAWS Up, and PAWS down.

Could you tell us your best ones?

Dr. Waterman: I think that there’s probably some lab equipment up there, some beakers, Dr. Waterman: Paws Up to the beginand he probably spends a fair amount of time ning of the school year; it’s been awein the bio courtyard, so who knows what some!

LION: If you could be a chip, what kind kinds of insects and bugs are up there. Maybe Paws Down to no tennis courts finished of chip would you be?

I could grow a beard like Mr. Stormont… for the girls’ tennis team.

Dr. Waterman: I would be a Chipotle tortilla chip—my favorite type of chip.

I would absolutely have guacamole and mild salsa as well. You’ll learn quickly that my favorite food is Chipotle. I probably, in a normal year, average eating there twice a week—and I get the same thing, chicken burrito bowl with cheese and corn salsa.

LION: With your departure from Hinsdale South, and your new position as Principal of the rivals of Hinsdale Central, is it safe to say you hate Hinsdale?

Dr. Waterman: I joked in my interview that coming from Hinsdale South, it would not be difficult to dislike Hinsdale. But, I will also say that no matter what school you go to, especially in this area, there are LION: What is your favorite book or phenomenal people in all schools. Usually

LION: Lastly, as you know it has been a hot start to the year—how have you felt wearing a suit every day? Have you ever considered wearing a T-shirt with a picture of a suit on it, instead?

Dr. Waterman: It’s been very hot… and absolutely! Someone told me I should do that, but I definitely think I would lose some respect, and that reputation would be tough to recover from.

Finnish exchange student dives into LT Acrobatic foreign exchange student Alli Hagman shares her LT experience

by Amy Lacny @AmyLacny Visit Finland in a year and you might find Alli Hagman ‘16 in the circus, swinging swathes of fabric as part of an aerial acrobatics act. For now, however, the 17-year-old Finnish exchange student is content here at LT, mastering her English, bickering with host siblings, and groaning about homework alongside the rest of the student body.

Given the opportunity to study abroad for a year, Hagman said she jumped at the idea of doing something different. Moving form a small-town school of 300 to the cavernous halls of LT certainly qualifies as different.

“Everything is bigger,” she said, though LT’s size has allowed her to meet new people and make several friends.

The trip has not come without adjustment, though Hagman’s host family, the Johnsons, hopes to ease the transition.

Hagman lives, eats, and works alongside their four kids, and plans to vacation to

Guatemala with the family this winter.

“We are blessed to have [Allie] in our household,” host mother Diana Johnson said. “She is a very sweet girl and we feel lucky to have her.”

For Hagman, fluent in Finnish, English, and Swedish, and working to master French, LT’s classes are not difficult. The main difference, she said, is that our school provides more homework.

Despite this hurdle, Hagman has taken up new hobbies while here in the U.S., among them a fashion design elective and girl’s cross country.

“Fashion is always good,” she said, “And I like cross country because I used to run at home for fun.”

Still Hagman maintains that circus is her passion.

In the circus, she performs aerial acrobatics alongside partner Minttu Karhu, who has known Hagman for four years.

A typical performance, Karhu said,

Alli Hagman ‘16 said everyone smiles more in the U.S. (Amy Lacny/LION)

entails a routine of aerial gymnastics, and utilizes full body jumpsuits. Karhu and Hagman do both pair acrobatics and flexibility together, with Hagman on fabric and Karhu on trapeze.

“Allie is so skillful and beautiful when she performs,” Karhu said. “We always have so much fun together.”

Hagman is unsure about the path she hopes to pursue in life, but said the circus is among her open options.

“I’ve got some of my best friends from circus, and there’s this certain feeling when you are in circus,” she said. “It’s like, you feel that you are a part of something.”

www.lionnewspaper.com

Don’t forget to visit our website for additional stories

Social safety

College chatter

There are currently 227 college Yik Yak pages and counting which can be viewed through the app’s “peek” section.

Yik Yak was used to alert sudents from the University of Washington that there was a nearby shooter at Seattle Pacific University.

Yik Yak

Friday, September 19, 2014  Pages 16 and 17

Is an Up worth a life?

Juvenile jokester

Immature individuals According to the creator of the app, Yik Yak is banned at high schools because they think that psychologically high schoolers aren’t ready.

In California, a high school student jokingly posted on Yik Yak that a shooting would occur at two local high schools.

Yik Yak, released early in 2014, has developed into a community based network of people sharing their thoughts anonymously. This widespread app has made its way into the lives of students in our local area, causing a major bullying problem. App users can vote up or down on these thoughts, driving the trends and comments.

Yak

Attack as told to Anika Ranginani

LION reached out to a student who had been targeted on Yik Yak to find out how they reacted to the negative comments. The student has chosen to remain anonymous.

I made some mistakes this summer and the Yaks just started popping up. I don’t live close enough to LT to get the Yaks, so I first found out that people were talking about me on the app when my friends started texting me, sending me screenshots. At first I was confused— why would people want to say that? I was upset about it but I couldn’t do anything because I didn’t know who had posted it.

by Gillian Dunlop @gilliandunlop15

We hear it during Freshman Experience Day. We hear it on the first day of school. We hear it reiterated to us every day for four years, yet why is treating each other with dignity and respect so hard?

How hard is it to hold back unwelcome comments? To censor yourself online as you would in person? To understand that the anonymous comments you post are not just going to a computer screen, but to a person?

In a world of Twitter feeds and Facebook posts, cyberbullying has increased substantially over the last 10 years. With newfound apps such as Yik Yak, the anonymity of the author’s poses a very severe threat to the mental health of teenagers everywhere, not only at LT. An app designed for college campuses, Yik Yak has infiltrated high schools all across America, allowing the portal for cyberbullying to open even further. Aside from the cowardice of hiding behind an iPhone, anonymously writing hurtful and cruel posts about someone can have serious consequences.

In an age where teen suicide is becoming a norm, it is despicable that students who have had so much training and so many lessons on the dangers of bullying, succumb to one app. We all hypocritically look down upon those who blatantly torment other students in the hallways. We call out unfair treatment in the classroom. We look at news stories surrounding bullying with a sense of disgrace, but somehow online behavior gets a pass.

To dispel a lie that many online bullies tell themselves, just because you can’t see the person doesn’t mean what you are saying hurts any less. In fact, it probably hurts more, because what cyberbullying does is expand the network of torment. It is no longer restricted to Calculus or to the bus ride home, it is anywhere with internet access. And in 2014, that is pretty much everywhere.

The basic lesson of this, and what many high schoolers are failing to see, is that words hurt. Simple as that. What someone posts or says can have a severe impact on someone else’s life, and who is to say that any of you deserve to have that much control over another person? Sure, it is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

Yik Yak is not only shameful in itself, but if someone were to seriously try to harm themselves over a post, how is the police supposed to apprehend the culprit? How would justice be served to that poor victim? That’s right, it wouldn’t.

I urge you all to think before you Yak. Is it really worth it? Are 47 ups greater than one life? You tell me.

LIO froN’s fa m t vor he ite LT yak are s a “Snoop used to be a dog...now he’s a lion. #LTpride” “If you got Portillos and don’t get cheese fries, did you even go?”

“Waldo’s parents must be worried sick”

“Tips on going to Naz -- don’t go to Naz”

“I’d pay like half a million bucks to watch the Kardashians play Scrabble.”

“It came to a point where I would look at the app, and every single Yak would be about me.”

Yik Yak: Garrett’s 10 Tips for a successful Yak game

by Garrett Ariana @garrettariana3

This new social media, coined as an “anonymous Twitter,” has been sweeping the LT nation and has become the new hit for high school and college students across the United States. From discussing the word on the street to talking about the constant pressure of high school, the 708 has been bumping on the Yak scene. As a veteran yakker with a yakarma over 16,000, I’m here to give you some tips for success on this innovative app.

1. The four components of a successful yak: truth, simplicity, humor, timing.

2. If a yak is at -4, put it out of its misery, even if you think it’s great.

3. Copying other people’s yaks is like wearing cargos: it’s a terrible mistake, but people do it anyway.

4. People love supporting a common cause, like Jackie Robinson West or U.S. mens soccer.

5. Make sure you use hip and cool phrases like “swag” and “turnt up”!

6. Complain about air conditioning/ dress code at LT. 7. Hinsdale hate always goes a long way.

8. MAKE SURE YOUR LOCATION IS OFF- side note: unless you like uninvited visitors.

9. You actually have to be funny... Ladies, your good looks won’t get you very far on this app.

10. Ride the Yak. “Remember when we spent an entire year learning cursive? That’s why the other countries are winning.”

“I’ve got 99 problems but they aren’t due til 11:59 on turnitin.com.”

Many people make similar mistakes that I made over the summer, but I am unlucky in that my actions, and I personally, have been attacked on Yik Yak. It came to a point where I would look at the app, and every single Yak would be about me. It’s sad that people have to make comments like that anonymously. If you really have a problem with me, come up to my face and say it. That way, even if people’s judgments made me upset or emotional, at least I would know the context and who said all the mean stuff.

I’ve realized words really do hurt. They are definitely powerful enough to cause serious depression, even if in my case I wasn’t driven to such a severe reaction. I never felt like online bullying was a problem at LT until all of this went down. Since Yik Yak is anonymous, people find it easier to say mean things. They never have to go public because their stuff doesn’t have their name on it. Now cyberbullying has definitely become a problem at LT. Sometimes I can tell who made the posts, but the people still act as if everything is still the same when I’m face-to-face with them. But sometimes I don’t know and the people who yakked could be anyone. It could be someone from one of my classes, it could be a friend, or it could be someone that I don’t even know.

Whenever I do find out about someone who made posts, I’m honestly shocked.

Recently I found out that a friend of a friend posted some of the awful yaks about me and it made me so mad. I never imagined that she would do that. I didn’t even really know her, and she didn’t really know me. She just saw all the Yaks about me and reposted them because she was trying to be funny and get “ups.”

I want the people making these comments to know that even if it makes you feel good when you get “ups,” you have to think about how it would feel if people were writing things about you. It’s as simple as treating other people the way you want to be treated.

People treat me differently now after all of the attention from the yaks. Literally everything I do ends up being talked about. Some of my friends have come up to me and told me that I need to “be aware of what I do.” Other friends are trying not to hang out with me as much because of the stupid mistakes I made.

I haven’t used the Speak Up Line or talked to the school about it because it was all in the summer and the problem hasn’t carried into the school year as much. People still bring it up occasionally, but I just ignore it because I think it will blow past. At least, eventually.

“North Korea still thinks that they won the Little League World Series” “I swear one day there’s just gonna be naked people on Abercrombie’s bags” “Sister gets backseat, Chipotle gets shotgun”

“Hinsdale kids eat at the Chum Bucket”

“S/O to girls who text you first...Love you Mom”

“If her first iTunes purchase was $1.29, she’s too young for you bro”

“Hottest incoming 4th graders??”

“Is he flirting with me or does he actually not know what the homework is?”

Breaking bank Fantasy football has an economic impact of around $3 billion a year in the United States.

FantasY

by Dante Stefanini @dantestefanini

The new school year brings not only a season of stress, but a season of Fantasy Football that will turn anyone’s Monday, Thursday and Sunday into a nacho-eating paradise. While stuffing our faces with game time eats, the strategizing never ends. We have put together a guide to fantasy football so your fantasy of league domination can become a reality.

Pigskin pointers

by Michael Rasmussen @mikeras55 Autumn begins this weekend – soon the leaves will brown and shrivel away, leaving the lush trees of summer as a distant memory. This seemingly dismal seasonal transition is only a sign of good things to come. It’s finally football season: what more could anyone want? And this fall will be glorious, I can assure all of you of that. We’ve got the brand-new College Football Playoffs, the Bears looking to make a run with one of the best offenses in the league, LT’s team vying for a state title... but perhaps most importantly – fantasy football.

Fantasy football is unforgiving, that’s what’s so great about it. Nobody cares if you gave the season your best shot – good sportsmanship is totally thrown out the window and beaten with a sledgehammer. Your best friends quickly devolve into your worst enemies. It’s basically a three month-long game of Mario Kart, with football and real-life consequences. Your players will get injured, your first-round pick may be the bust of the year, and you may win your first seven games only to drop the next eight and be eliminated from playoff contention.

If you’re still reading this and don’t have a burning desire to immediately get into some fantasy football goodness, you’re probably the kind of guy who brings veggie burgers to a barbecue. But in all seriousness, if you’re going to play, you’ve got to be cognizant of the kind of player you are and use that to your advantage. Some people like to stalk the waiver wire and pick up the fantasy flavor-of-the-week, every week. Others like to propose grandiose and often pointless trades daily (e.g. Reese Dellios ‘15). Don’t be either of those guys. Your best bet is to mix waiver wire signings and a few key trades while keeping a solid core of starters to last you through the year. Like most things in life, balance and moderation are the keys to success Take it from me, champion of one of LT’s most competitive fantasy leagues last year, ESPN’s “Football’s Finest.”

Regardless of how you feel about fantasy sports, it’s hard to ignore the fact that fantasy is quickly becoming a cornerstone of American sports culture. I mean, fantasy football is already a billion-dollar industry that’s growing by the day. And in my opinion, it deserves every massive mound of cash that it’s earned so far. No other type of media will make one follow the NFL with the amount of intensity and dedication required to win a fantasy football league, or bring a group of friends closer together (or further apart). Give it a shot and I’m sure you’ll have a great time.

Dante’s Picks

compiled by Dante Stefanini

Jamaal Charles Last year Charles was rated as the number one fantasy running back. Charles had 259 carries for 1,289 yards and 12 touchdowns, as well as 70 receptions for 693 yards and seven touchdowns. Even though Charles had a disappointing performance against Tennessee, he has an entire season to get the Chief’s offense back on track.

LeSean McCoy No one benefitted more from Chip Kelly’s offense than McCoy in 2013. He was the focal point of the up-tempo attack with 314 carries for 1,607 yards and nine touchdowns. If you are lucky enough to draft this shifty running man, points will flow like the mighty Mississippi.

Running Backs

Quarterbacks

Let the smack talking, tailgating and Sunday traditions flow.

With the start of the football season comes the second most important thing to many fans: The Fantasy Football season.

Fantasy Football allows you to simulate being an NFL team owner or manager, adding an extra layer of fandom to regular football watching. Before I started playing Fantasy Football, I only really cared about the Bears game each week. However, once I had my very own team made up of players from around the league, I suddenly cared about a plethora of games. All of a sudden that Patriots game matters because Tom Brady is YOUR starting quarterback. It truly enhances your Sunday viewing experience because you are involved with a team that is completely your own. You are the one calling the shots for your squad. After you assemble a team, you’ll rely on what your players do in actual games every week to generate points.

The popularity of fantasy sports has been on the rise as 19 percent of males in the U.S. play them, according to Forbes magazine. This has a direct correlation to how extremely easy it is to play. Simply gather some of your buddies and make a league on espn.com, then set up rules of the league and a draft date. The games are always more intense if your league has a specified buy-in, otherwise what are you playing for?

If there’s nothing on the line why does it matter whose players score more fake points for your fake team? I digress. After your team is set you sit around on Sunday and watch football: nothing to it.

The most crucial part of any successful fantasy season is team maintenance. Always check players for injuries and bye weeks, because if they’re in the starting lineup at the beginning of the match it can be detrimental to your team’s performance.

It doesn’t hurt to do a little research on injuries, suspensions, and last minute cuts. This ensures that you are making good draft decisions and are setting your team on the right path.

Good luck to all players, except the other team owners in my league: you’re going down!

Drew Brees Throwing for almost 5,200 yards last season with 39 touchdowns, Brees may be one of the most consistent fantasy players one could draft for their squad. Over the last three years he’s posted 20-plus Fantasy points in 37 of 48 games, more than any other player.

Visit lionnewspaper.com to read Will Most’s best fantasy football team names.

Friday, September 19, 2014 n Page 18

Fantasy football for dummies

Peyton Manning Although rather mainstream to choose a running back as your first pick in the draft, don’t be surprised when a league member snatches up Manning in the first round. Throwing for just under 5,500 yards with 55 touchdowns last season, Manning is projected to have another stellar year (especially when paired up with receivers like Wes Welker and Demaryius Thomas).

Nifty names

Pittsburg Steelers While they ranked ninth against the pass they also ranked a disappointing 21st against the run. That is not the kind of football that can be considered up to par with the once great Steeler defense.

To that end they have drafted linebacker Ryan Shazier to help with run support as well as outside linebacker Arthur Moats and nose tackle Cam Thomas. Look for the Steeler defense to return that hard nosed, smash mouth play they are known for.

Calvin Johnson Most commonly referred to as Megatron, this 6-foot, 5-inch receiver is a must have in any fantasy team’s receiving core.

He’s played a pivotal role in 46 games over the last three years and has posted at least ten Fantasy points in 32 of them and 20-plus points in 15 of them. He’s bound to be drafted first round because he is an extremely desired and worthwhile pick.

Demaryius Thomas Although Peyton Manning already established Thomas as his go to receiver in the 2013 season hitting him with 92 catches for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns, he will play an even larger role in the first four games of the season due to Wes Welker’s recent suspension for his racetrack mishaps. With the precise passing of Manning and Thomas’s adhesive hands, this is a duo made in fantasy heaven.

Kickers Robbie Gould This choice is slightly biased due my die-hard Bears fan background; nevertheless Gould is indeed a logical choice as he’s nailed at least 83.3 percent of his field goals for eight straight seasons. It’s usually up in the air when picking a kicker since they are all good enough to be in the NFL, so what does it matter which one you choose? However the right kicker can make or break a close game.

Jimmy Graham This 6-foot, 7-inch, 265 pound behemoth may be one of the most talented receivers of his era. He will not only be the first tight end drafted in every league across the nation, but he’ll be a first-round pick in every league. His stats over the past three seasons have been nothing short of outstanding with 29 games of ten plus fantasy point production (That includes 12 out of 16 games last year). He is the alpha male of the NFL’s newer breed of mammoth tight ends.

Tight Ends

Defensive Special Teams

Wide Receivers

Damaging diagnosis

About 5,600 Americans are diagnosed with ALS each year, which is about one person every 90 minutes.

ALS

Positive progress

Friday, September 19, 2014 n Page 19

It’s rare, but ALS can stop progressing.

Some people even experience a reversal of symptoms.

Chillingly Clear

by Claire Quinlan @cquinlan97

I don’t believe that the meaning behind the ALS Ice-bucket challenge has penetrated the thick skull that is our generation. Many times, perusing my Facebook feed, I cannot seem to find a post that is something other than a video of friends of friends pouring lukewarm water (with recently added ice) onto their perfectly arranged hair, after a witty, pre-written intro.

A particularly memorable video included a student (who will remain unnamed) who actually forgot what they were pouring water on themselves for. I believe the quote was, “For AIS…ASL… wait what was it again?”

This should make us sad. Personally, when reading or listening to the news and our generation is generalized as being uncaring, aloof, and self-centered, my mood plummets to frightening depths.

There are exceptions everywhere. But I’m terribly afraid that the ALS Ice bucket challenge has not exposed our best qualities. Even after doing the challenge myself, it seems like I did it more for me than actual empathy for the cause. It has exposed the parts of all of us that care more about likes than actual integrity or a worthy cause.

According to the ALS website, you have two options after being challenged: refrain from the outpour of water and donate $100 to the ALS foundation, or pour water on your head, post on some social media outlet about it AND donate some amount of money to the ALS foundation. Whether $1 or $500, any amount is welcomed and necessary to fully complete the challenge. I can confidently say I have not seen more than a handful of LT students do the challenge right.

Apart from pure neglect of the challenge rules, the ice bucket challenge has had global consequences. According to the Guardian Newspaper, the challenge has exhausted the water of the Scottish Isle of Colonsay, as all drinking water budgeted for the month was poured down the drain. The water system thought that a water main had broken with the exponential filling of buckets.

Celebrities have also taken to the challenge and added their own spin.

Matt Damon completed the challenge with toilet water because he logically believes that wasting drinkable water is horrifying when millions in developing countries don’t have any. Pamela Anderson rejected the challenge because of the unethical experimentation on rats by the ALS foundation. Homer Simpson completed the challenge. A sobbing two-yearold completed the challenge. One man from Milwaukee mistakenly believed that it was the boiling water challenge.

Please don’t get me wrong. The ALS association has reported raising a total of $88.5 million since July 29, more than half of it raised since Aug. 21 as the challenge reached a ridiculous peak.

Research is being done and lives are being improved. But if everyone who has participated donated just $1, the ALS foundation would have raised $122,533,700. A big difference in the long wrong.

Understandably, the association does not seem to mind that most water dumpers care more about the self-promotion of their bikini body than helping the nerve-degrading disease. Other haters have dubbed it “slacktivism,” signifying that the first goal of the challange is vanity, second is charity.

Although intentions are questionable and some motivations seem self-centered, at the end of the day, ALS research funds are growing. It was fundraising genius to spread to the world of Facebook and Instagram, and if people have to get some likes out of this, so be it.

This past summer, the viral popularity of the “Ice Bucket Challenge” brought the attention of the world to the little-known disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), raising awareness and money in order to learn more about the disease, and possibly find a cure. As the Challenge took LT by storm, LION explored the effects of participating in this chilly challenge.

What kind of Ice Bucket Challenger are you?

by Anika Ranginani @a_rangs

Overachiever-A simple bucket of ice over the head wasn’t good enough for you. You either used a full cooler, or a mini-pool or spent time editing your ice bucket video on iMovie. What this really means is that you had nothing better to do, or were desperate for that extra like on Facebook.

Do-Gooder-This is probably the 50th time you’ve told people that they were supposed to dump ice water over their head and donate (like you did). Unfortunately for you, it’s probably also the 50th time they’ve heard it.

Protester-You uploaded a video onto your timeline, but viewers soon realized they weren’t getting the ice bucket over the head that they wanted. Instead, they heard you preach about how no one really knows what ALS is and how people should just donate instead of wasting water. You’re not my mom, thanks.

Forgotten-Despite the craze you never got nominated. Don’t worry, my grandma didn’t either. Then again, she doesn’t have Internet. When people ask, you probably say that you didn’t want to get nominated, they believe you, we all move on with our lives and you go back to being forgotten.

Ignorer-Even though you were nominated, you blatantly ignored it. Just because someone told you to donate or dump ice water over your head doesn’t mean you were going to do it. While strong-willed, you might not be the most enthusiastic or generous person.

Bandwagon-Along for the ride, you pretended to be angry that your friend nominated you. Then, because everyone was doing it, you dumped a bucket of ice over your head. What’s ALS anyways?

Improv Show

LT Theatre Board proudly presents, “So ____ You’ll ____ 6: Who ____ed?” an evening of high-stakes, competitive improv comedy on Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m, and Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. in the SC PAC. Admission is free for LT students with student ID.

Friday, September 19, 2014  Page 20

GET OUT Weekend Entertainment  Reviews

Weekend Weather Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Cloudy High: 74 Low: 62

Cloudy High: 78 Low: 61

Rainy High: 76 Low: 54

Venture into Vietnamese cuisine Reviews Movie Review: ‘Dead Poet’s Society’

Omai offers diverse options, plenty of exotic taste

by Riley Carroll @Riley_Carroll_

by Lidia Breen @lidia_breen

/ out of 5 Paws

Nestled in downtown La Grange at 50 S. La Grange Rd., surrounded by pizza places and a burger restaurant that scream stereotypical American cuisine—Omai Vietnamese is anything but typical. Though it looks non-descript and bland from the outside, just a typical building with a small sign and out-door seating, don’t judge a book by it’s cover. The tastes that you’ll find inside are full of interesting, rich flavors and many menu options allow you to explore the delicious exotic cuisine of Vietnam.

My friends and I have never had Vietnamese food before, and I’ll admit, we weren’t sure what to expect. Upon entering the restaurant, nothing special stood out; there’s a very simple décor of plain tables and wooden chairs and we were immediately seated by a very speedy wait-staff who handed us a large menu.

While the décor and atmosphere of the restaurant was not spectacular, what was phenomenal was the food. While seemingly a little pricy at first (an entreé was about $12, and $16 with seafood), the sheer amount of food given to us more than made up for the price. We ordered five dishes and were given enough food to feed an army.

The appetizer of vegetable rolls with tofu was fairly bland on its own, but when paired with a hot peanut sauce given on the side, they were transformed into a completely different taste—spicy, flavorful and peanuty with a crunchy texture.

Sept. 20-21- Taco Fest. in Lakeview Chicago, 12 p.m.

Sept. 27- LT Homecoming at SC fieldhouse, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28- Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field, 12 p.m.

Oct. 2-Nov. 2- Haunted House at Navy Pier, all day Oct. 3- LTHS vs. Hinsdale Central varsity football at Bennet Field, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 3- Twenty One Pilots at the Aragon Ballroom, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 11- Chicago Blackhawks vs. Buffalo Sabres at United Center, 7:30 p.m.

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Omai offers a variety of traditional Viatnamese food, including vegetable rolls (upper left), duck salad (bottom left), and Hanoi noodles. (right) (Riley Carroll/ LION).

For entreés, we ordered a traditional Vietnamese beef “Pho,” which was served in a bowl the size of my head, and filled with warm broth, succulent beef and perfectly cooked noodles. While I felt that the Pho had no problems, my friends did say that they felt it had a strange, minty aftertaste—either way, we ate the entire bowl.

We also had a duck salad and Hanoi noodles with shrimp, both of which were incredibly flavorful with perfectly cooked and flavored meat. The noodles were spicy but still delicious, and the duck salad was covered in an interesting savory sauce.

The one thing that we ordered that didn’t meet the exceptional flavors set by all the others was the chicken fried rice. It was mushy and, compared to all the other

flavors we had at the table, very bland.

Chicken fried rice is traditionally a Chinese dish, so if you make the trip to Omai, make sure to order the traditional types of Vietnamese food.

My friends and I left Omai surprised and stuffed with amazingly exotic flavors, succulent meats and lots and lots of noodles. I’ll definitely be making a trip back to Omai, and would recommend it for family dinners, as it’s a little pricier than a typical teenage hangout; however, Omai is defiantly worth the price.

Bottom Line: Though it doesn’t look like anything special from the outside, the incredible flavors, large portions and variety found inside Omai Vietnamese make it a must-visit in La Grange.

Everybody’s talking about donuts Baby Donuts delivers delicious taste, variety

Movie Review: ‘Let’s Be Cops’

By Anika Ranginani @a_rangs

/ out of 5 Paws

by Claire Quinlan @cquinlan97

A block from the tracks at 4472 Lawn Ave., nestled next to a baby store and across from Vie, lies a delicious and casual to-go window with treats of tiny proportions. With charming colors and tons of options, bb’s donuts is welcomed by Western Springs as well as my stomach Walking up to the window, we spot numerous options abound for toppings to put on these mini donuts. Keep in mind: these are not munchkins. Donuts from bb’s are just miniatures of the real thing. The décor is quaint with a polka-dotted awning and chalkboard menu. Traditional toppings offered include powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar, which you can buy in a half dozen ($3), dozen ($5), or bucket size (30 donuts for $12).

The next category is “Designer” flavors, including chocolate and vanilla frosting to nutella, peanut butter, coconut, oreo bits, strawberry jelly and much more. These designer flavors come in the half dozen ($4) or dozen size ($6) as well.

Very seldom can one find a dated movie that transcends time to deliver a message that is as relevant, if not more so, now as it was when it first Riley Carroll came out. “Dead Poet’s Society” is undoubtedly a film that will timelessly remain at the forefront of the film industry.

This past August, actor Robin Williams died nearly 25 years after the release of what could easily be one of his greatest films. It is no surprise that Williams plays a charming protagonist who appeals to children, because that is what he is often known for, but his character in “Dead Poet’s Society” goes far beyond his typical roles.

Portraying John Keating, Williams addresses an issue that has been rooted in education for decades: how does one make learning fun? By bringing his usual charismatic personality and infusing the ideal amount of intellect into the role, Williams plays upon the audience’s funny bone as well as their heartstrings.

With a superb script, exceptional directing and stellar co-stars, Williams is able to increase the incredibility of the film by giving an absolutely believable performance that will make you wish he was your English teacher.

Bottom line: “Dead Poet’s Society” displays Williams at his best; it not only is an enjoyable film, but will leave you thinking about life, love and carpe diem.

bb’s donuts is located in the heart of Western Springs. (Claire Quinlan/LION).

We chose a half dozen of the caramel, nutella, and vanilla frosting options with sprinkles, as well as a half dozen of powdered sugar.

Although the menu specifies that you can only order one topping on each half dozen/dozen, the employees were flexible with mixing and matching to customize to your taste specifications.

The donuts were made right before our eyes in a mini donut maker, so they were steamy hot when we got them a minute later.

As the weather was nice, we sat outside. The inside seating area was closed at the time; assumedly, it opens up when the weather changes.

Overall, I was impressed by how yummy the donuts were. Powdered sugar, their signature topping, had the perfect proportion of sugar to

hot dough, the nutella donuts were melty and rich, and the vanilla with sprinkles reminded me of birthday cake. The donuts are the perfect bite size, and small enough for a quick treat without going over the top. Served with a fork in a paper carton, they taste like elephant ears at a country fair—except fresher and quainter. I did not love the caramel just because it tasted less fresh and more artificial than the other toppings.

Inside the shop, they sell coffee and other warm drinks to complete your snack. At bb’s donuts, there does not seem to be a combo that would not make your mouth water.

Bottom Line: A step up from your typical fairgrounds grub, bb’s donuts offers tons of delicious options to satisfy every breakfast (or lunch, or dinner) sugar craving.

“Let’s Be Cops” has a cast full of stars including Nina Dobrev, Andy Garcia, Robb Riggle and the awesome duo, Jake Johnson and Damon Anika Ranginani Wayans Jr. from “New Girl.” Despite these big names, the movie has little else to offer, lacking any form of subtlety.

The premise behind the movie is that two unsuccessful roommates Ryan (Johnson),who is unemployed, and Justin (Wayans Jr.), whose video game ideas are dismissed, dress up as cops for a costume party and then continue to role play.

I don’t deny that blunt comedy works, at first. Some scenes in “Let’s Be Cops” are so ridiculous and implausible that I found myself bursting with laughter. The problem was, I wasn’t laughing at the jokes, but at the silliness of the plot, like when Ryan confiscates weed from some kids on the street and then proceeds to smoke it.

At one point, Ryan even says, “Even the cops think we’re cops.” Yeah, right.

Instead of witty punch lines and clever schemes, Ryan and Justin bungle around.

Making people laugh at the cliché jokes is the only purpose of this movie. Even after Justin and Ryan are discovered to be fakes, the real police officers disregard the fact that Justin and Ryan were committing a felony by impersonating law enforcement. There are no morals and no big ideas, only some famously funny actors.

Bottom Line: If you want to check out for two hours, “Let’s Be Cops” is a perfect comedic fit. If not, skip these old overused jokes and just get back to watching “New Girl.”

Flipped Classes ‘Sprock’ Updates Club Athletes of the Month Check out how SC Learn abut club athletes of the Get the scoop about teacher month, David Fiflis ‘15, Alex the Spring flips her Contreras ‘16 and Christian Rock Park classroom Sanchez ‘16, who play for renovations with an iPad Chicago Fire Youth Soccer Club on LION mini. instead of LT’s varsity team. online.  North Campus 100 S. Brainard Ave. LaGrange, Ill. 60525  South Campus  4900 Willow Springs Rd. Western Springs, Ill. 60558