Volume 4, Issue 4

The McHenry Messenger

Freshmen Campus 1012 North Green Street McHenry, IL 60050 (815) 385-1145

Upper Campus 4724 West Crystal Lake Road McHenry, IL 60050 (815) 385-7077

TheMcHenryMessenger.com

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NEWS

Teen girls ‘engulfed in growing wave of sadness,’ new national data finds MCHS takes ‘the plunge’ to raise money for Special Olympics

ON THE COVER

The new (and some say best) way for the school to communicate with us is through email. But many students are left to wonder: How much is the school not communicating with us? This leaves students confused and upset.

Allie Everhart

This month’s cover photographer

5 8 11 13

OPINIONS

MSU students need more time to heal after mass shooting

FEATURES

Partial disclosure

A matter of respect

SPORTS

The great indoors

The battle for McCracken

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

“The SpongeBob Musical” soundtrack is a fun surprise Indie musicians deserve to be paid better

Guitar students wait to perform during the Winter Choir Festival in the Freshman Campus main gym on March 2. Several student groups performed, including all of MCHS’s choirs, the school’s guitar classes and the 8th grade choirs.

Photo By: Maddie Canada

McHenry High School

The McHenry Messenger

Mission Statement

Student journalists have the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press in high school media. The McHenry Messenger is a byproduct of these rights. We hope to use this platform to inform and engage the students and staff of McHenry High School as well as its broader community.

As a student-driven publication, it is important to us that we represent every group within both campuses and provide a platform for them to speak their truth. We intend to provide access to objective, relevant information that they need to know during these unprecedented times.

The McHenry Messenger hopes to maintain editorial independence while continuing to nurture our connections to the community.

As we strive to fulfill our journalistic mission, we recognize that learning and growing through our experiences as reporters, writers and editors is a core aspect of what makes this a student publication. When we make mistakes, our organization is prepared to take responsibility for the stories we publish and hold ourselves accountable.

Published

McHenry High School in McHenry, IL

Kennedy Tetour, Managing Editor

Allie Everhart, Artistic Director

Vanessa Moreno, News Editor

Alayna Majkrzak, Features Editor

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor

Mackenzie Sroka, Sports Editor

Gabe Santos, Arts and Entertainment Editor

Ella Trimingham, Freelance Editor

Brooke Danz, Copy Editor

Nikki Sisson, Marketing Director

Lydia Lawrence, Business Director

Staff Writers

Illustrators and Photographers

Special Thanks to Advisor

FightingthroughMarch’smalaise

As we approach fourth quarter, students and staff may find motivation hard to come by. The countdown to spring break has begun, and students eagerly anticipate a break from their studies while teachers struggle to keep their classes engaged and focused during these final weeks. In other words, we all really need the break.

Despite this, the McHenry Messenger’s hopes to keep both students and staff informed and entertained with essential information as we approach spring break. Although lack of motivation has presented some challenges (yes, even in our newsroom), the Messenger’s staff is fighting through the malaise to deliver the highest quality issue we can. That way, you know the news before you leave for vacation.

This edition of the McHenry Messenger features a deep dive into a problem at MCHS — miscommunication — and it can lead to misunderstanding and a variety of other issues. We also look into the mental health crisis teenage girls are experiencing (the CDC describes it as a “growing wave of sadness”) and the rise in disrespect facing students and staff at MCHS.

Hunter Blake, Preston Boysen, Savannah Drost, Eli Frommes, Tati Rubi and Krystal Zamudio

Beth Brackmann, Maddie Canada and Claire Guzman

Cary Byer, Matt Connor, Betsy Goy, Gina Nomikoudis, Jeff Prickett, Mitch Stengel, Emma Theel, Tribune Content Agency and VIP

Dane Erbach

Both the McHenry Messenger’s print and digital editions have been established as designated forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues related to their audience. Though the student media advisor is responsible for teaching students sound journalism skills and judgment, this paper does not engage in prior review and, thus, all content published by both editions of the McHenry Messenger reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself (unless attributed accordingly).

If you would like to get in contact with the McHenry Messenger, please email the advisor at erbachdane@dist156.org or call (815) 385-1145 and leave a message on his voicemail.

But not all of the news in this issue is heavy. We also review the music featured in the school’s “The SpongeBob Musical” and cover the polar plunge, which raised money for Special Olympics earlier this month. That being said, this month’s issue aims to provide a well-rounded and informative perspective on issues while sparking conversations that can lead to positive change in the community.

As we near spring break, we hope that you enjoy the latest print edition of the McHenry Messenger. And, with the semester slowly nearing its end, we wish you all the best in finishing strong and encourage you to continue to stay focused on your goals — even if you’re experiencing the same lapse

Opinions Editor

Teengirls‘engulfedin growingwaveofsadness,’ newnationaldatafinds

American female and LGBQ+ youth display disproportionate mental health, violence and substance use struggles

Vanessa Moreno News Editor

Adolescent female and lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning students display increasing mental health challenges as hopelessness, suicidality and sexual violence reach new highs, CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey finds.

Conducted every other year, the YRBS tracks 29 variables to “provide data on key behaviors and experiences related to sexual behavior, substance use, experience of violence, mental health and suicidality.” This data, collected in fall 2021, is the first since the coronavirus pandemic.

“Although most schools had returned to in-person instruction by that time … disruptions in daily life also remained common during the time of collection,” the data report

reads. “Other research and surveys have described the impact of the pandemic, which was severe.”

Mental Health and Suicidality

Nearly three in five (57%) female students reported persistent sadness and hopelessness, compared to 36% a decade prior and 29% of male students. Multiracial and Hispanic students were more likely to be affected.

“It is especially heartbreaking to see the data for female and LGBQ+ students,” Anna King, president of the National Parent Teacher Association, said in a briefing. “We’ve been saying our nation is facing a huge mental health crisis, and this data makes it even more devastating.”

Similarly, 69% of LGBQ+ youth experienced persistent sadness and hopelessness, and 45% seriously considered suicide. Ultimately, 22% LGBQ+ and 13% female students reported a suicide attempt.

“I think that’s accurate,” junior Victoria Sadowski said. “I can’t really talk about this from personal experience, but I feel like it has to do a lot with societal pressure and expectations. I think that’s why the stats are so high.”

The CDC believes the coronavirus pandemic, among other factors, played a role in mental health challenges, as students were out of school and isolated.

“I think that [the pandemic] hardened people a lot, and, in regards

Last month, the CDC released a Youth Risk Behavior study that shows female and lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning adolescents display a startling increase in mental health challenges compared to recent years.

Photo By: Kenzie Sroka

to adolescents, it hardened their perception of the world prematurely,” Margaret Mitchell, MCHS social worker, said. “The influx on social media is a factor as well. It can be difficult to set boundaries … when it’s right at our fingertips.”

Though female and LGBQ+ youth were the most affected, 42% of all students surveyed felt sadness and hopelessness. Four out of six “Mental Health and Suicidality” variables were moving “in the wrong direction.”

Experiencing Violence

LGBQ+ (18%) and female (22%) youth were too disproportionately affected by sexual violence, defined as non-consensual kissing, touching or being physically forced to have sex.

“Female and LGBQ+ students face far more adversity than their heterosexual male counterparts,” Nicole Czaja, MCHS social worker, said. “The lack of support can cause great harm … additionally, bills/laws targeting [them] enable violent and discriminatory behavior towards this population.”

A variable focused solely on being forced to have sex found 14% of female students and 22% of LGBQ+ students were affected. American Indian and multiracial youth were the most impacted.

“This is truly alarming,” Kathleen Ethier, CDC director of adolescent and school health, said in a briefing. “Think about what I just said. For every 10 girls you know, at least one of them, probably more, has been raped. This tragedy cannot continue.”

Though bullying at school decreased overall, rates remained higher for LGBQ+ youth at 23%. Cyberbullying through social media and text was also higher for female (20%), American Indian (21%) and LGBQ+ (27%) students. Only two “Experiencing Violence” variables were headed “in the wrong direction.” Three showed no change, and one moved “in the right direction.”

Substance Use

Though substance use amongst adolescents decreased, female and LGBQ+ students were likelier

to engage in substance use behaviors. 27% of female students reported drinking alcohol within the last 30 days, and 18% reported current marijuana use. For male students, 19% drank alcohol, and 14% used marijuana. Why female students deal with substance use more than males is unclear, but the CDC theorizes it can be due to increased violence and mental health struggles.

“We know that, with sexual violence, it can be associated with mental health issues and substance abuse,” Houry said. “That’s why it’s so important to focus on prevention. There’s not one single thing leading to this.”

Additionally, 21% of LGBQ+ youth reported using illicit drugs in their lifetime. “Illicit drugs” included cocaine, inhalants, heroin, methamphetamines, hallucinogens or ecstasy. 20% also misused prescription opioid drugs.

From 2019 to 2021, the percentage of students using electronic vapor products decreased from 33% to 18%; however, LGBQ+ and female teens used said products more at 22% and 21%, respectively.

“Adolescent e-cigarette use in the United States poses a serious public health risk to our nation’s youth,” FDA Center for Tobacco Products Director Brian Kind said. “Together with the CDC, protecting our nation’s youth from the dangers of tobacco products … remains among the FDA’s highest priorities.”

No “Substance Abuse” variables were headed “in the wrong direction.” Four were “in the right direction” and two showed no change.

Mental Health Support in Schools

In a Feb. 13 briefing, the CDC described schools as “vital lifelines” for students and called on them and Congress to support the nation’s youth.

“Many of the challenges [teens face] are preventable,” Houry said. “Schools are on the frontlines of the mental health crisis. And they must be equipped with the proven tools that help students thrive.”

At MCHS, the amount of families needing support has increased in

recent years, as has the intensity of that support, Czaja noted.

“However, MCHS has done an amazing job in developing grade level teams to support the increased need,” she said. “Social work and psychologist support has been added for staff to be able to build relationships and support students in need.”

Upper Campus has three social workers, six counselors and three psychologists. Two counselors, one social worker and one psychologist are at the Freshman Campus. All can help students in need of support.

Each campus also has a “Chill Zone” where students can take a break or talk to a student services member, who can further help.

“We also work with students who might be experiencing a mental health crisis,” Maura Reid, MCHS prevention and wellness coordinator, said. “We help facilitate a Crisis Call where we have someone from outside of school perform a mental health evaluation [and] will work with the family to come up with the best course of action.”

Reid urges struggling students to reach out at any time and to bring a friend to provide comfort and support when talking to Student Services.

“If a student is concerned about having the school involved, they should speak with a trusted adult who could help them get connected to resources outside of the school system,” she said. “The McHenry County Mental Health Board’s website has all the social service agencies in the county listed with their information.”

Although MCHS has support for its students, some schools throughout the United States do not. Following the YRBS data, the CDC and advocacy groups have urged Congress to pass legislation increasing access to resources in schools and communities.

“While the YRBS data is beyond heartbreaking, it shows that we have, right now, to take action to address the youth mental health crisis with our nation’s leader,” King said. “Every adult should have a vested interest in ensuring our children and young people are home, physically and mentally. As my mama used to say, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’”

KeyClubhelpsraiseover$3000for SpecialOlympicsinannualPolarPlunge

Students who raised over $100 participated in a plunge to raise funds for Special Olympics

Every year, MCHS’ Key Club helps out the Polar Plunge, an organization to help raise money for the Special Olympics. This year, it was held in Crystal Lake on March 5 at noon.

All Special Olympics athletes compete free of charge, which helps fund all of the activities throughout the year. The Key Club has had members participate in the plunge for about a decade now. All plungers need to raise a minimum of $100 in order to participate.

“It was a beautiful day actually,” sophomore Grace Hunt, who attended the plunge, said. “The sun

was shining. It really felt like summer but the water was like 32 degrees. It was kind of nerve wracking, but it’s for a good cause!”

Emma Theel, Key Club advisor, mentions that the event ended up having 18 students plunging. And as of now, the team raised $3200, which is more than they raised last year.

“Once we got up there we kind of just ran in the water,” Hunt said. “It was pretty slick and shallow, so I had to kind of dip down to get super wet. It happened so quickly that it wasn’t too bad, but it was really fun.”

The entire event at Crystal

Lake had over 350 plungers and raised over $125,000.

“The best part of the event was participating as a school,” Sean Sterner, a teacher who participated in the event, said. “I’m proud to work at MCHS, and I love seeing our school make an impact on the community. The worst part was the fact that the water was shallow. I tried getting all the way under but it was hard because of how shallow it was.”

Many who participated in the event this year are looking forward to recruiting more staff members to participate next year and the many years to follow.

Tati Rubi Staff Writer

Students from MCHS’s Key Club splash into the water at the Crystal Lake Beach on March 4 to raise money for Special Olympics.

Photo By: Emma Theel

MSUstudentsneedmoretime tohealaftermassshooting

Michigan State students were expected to return to classes a week after a shooting killed three students on campus

Only a week after a traumatic shooting took place, Michigan State University students and staff were expected to return to classes as normal. Students whose classes take place in halls where they experienced the violence may find it difficult to return to an area where their sense of safety has been shattered.

A week is not enough time for them to completely heal and regain their trust in the environment.

This shooting killed three students and injured five others. Many others are left with irreversible emotional scars that may take months or years to heal. Returning to classes only a week after the shooting does not give those affected time to recover. Although the campus is offering counseling and other resources, the traumatic experience may still be very fresh in the minds of students and faculty. It is important to prioritize mental health and provide sufficient time and support for those impacted by the tragedy.

Social media has responded to the school’s deision. “It wasn’t the po-

lice’s fault,” says user myken03 in a Tik Tok post only 3 days after the shooting. “It wasn’t the school’s fault. It wasn’t because we aren’t allowed to carry. It’s because a disgustingly sick man decided he wanted to do this. Three innocent students who had bright futures had their lives taken from them. It’s sickening. I don’t want to be on campus. I don’t even want to go to Lansing.”

Students have gone to the extent of creating a petition to move classes to an online or hybrid format, nearing almost 25,200 signatures. This shows how deeply the incident has affected them and their trust in the safety of in-person classes. It’s clear that students want to take action.

The State News, MSU’s school newspaper, posted an editorial titled “We’re not going to class Monday.” The editorial was a call to action, highlighting the fact that these students are not at all ready to return to classes.

“We can’t physically sit in a classroom on Monday,” the editorial says. “It’s been less than a week since

Tomasello Opinions Editor

we lost three fellow Spartans in those classrooms. We aren’t ready. “But we also can’t log onto Zoom on Monday and meaningfully engage in our classwork,” the editorial continues. “We’re processing trauma. We’re coming to terms with grief. We can’t be worried about a deadline or an exam. We need more time to process without a class to worry about. MSU must extend the pause they’ve given us so we can decide how we need to proceed to feel safe and secure.” This decision must not be taken lightly, as the health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff should be the top priority.

Although some may argue that it is important for the community to come together and push past this hardship, it is an unrealistic expectation to have. This trauma cannot be overlooked and must be addressed in a way that is both sensitive and thorough. It is important to provide support and resources for those affected by the event, while also working towards preventing similar incidents in the future.

Freedom

From left, Ella Huff, of Grand Rapids, joins fellow Michigan State University students Sophie Apple and her sister, Abbey Apple, both of Washington Township, as they place flowers at “The Rock,” on Feb. 14, 2023, the day after a gunman killed three students and injured five others in a shooting on campus.

Photo By: Todd McInturf / The Detroit News / TNS

Partial disclosure

Communication can often lead students, staff and administrators towards a common goal, but MCHS sometimes struggles to keep everyone on the same page

Kennedy Tetour Managing Editor

Communicating important information is a tough job for a high school, who has to keep students, staff, and parents in the loop of every major event and decision. Still, many stakeholders at MCHS wish communication from the district was clearer.

Photo By: Allie Everhart

A student walks into class, hearing rumors of a snow day from students and staff alike. She opens her email only to find no update from administration. No email means no snow day but, with no update to clear up the rumors, the student has no idea how she should prepare for the days ahead.

Since the dawn of the COVID pandemic, MCHS struggled to communicate with students, staff and the wider school community. Though this issue mainly affects things such as upcoming events or days off, it can also affect the way that students and staff feel about the school.

“I have been out of the loop about every activity, closure due to weather, scheduling change, etc.,” states Thomas Rosegay, a senior at the Upper Campus. “I can’t understand the announcements anywhere in the school basically.”

Though the morning announcements come out of the Upper Campus intercom system each day, it can be hard to understand what they say when a classroom full of students is talking over them. In addition, announcements tend to be skipped on early release days, leaving students and staff uninformed on daily events through this channel.

Announcements are not the only way the school communicates, but they can be a vital part of keeping the community informed on a daily basis. MCHS is also known for sending out newsletters directed towards the wider community, as well as emails to teachers

and parents.

Dean Roehrborn, a Social Science teacher at the Upper Campus states that the school tends to communicate very effectively with teachers and staff throughout the district. “From a teacher’s perspective, I feel like [the school] communicates very well,” he says. “I get a ton of emails every single day.”

Roehrborn notes that there isn’t a strong common goal between teachers, students and administrators. Each person in the school have different priorities or stakes to focus on, so communication is vital for keeping everyone equally informed on what’s happening around them.

“There’s a lot of moving parts inside of the school, whether it’s your administration, the teachers, or the students, everybody’s got their own kind of role play.” Roehrborn says, “I think communication is important in high school because it kind of focuses everybody in the same direction.”

Communication is an integral part of keeping a high school community safe and informed. This means clearing up rumors before they can spread, in addition to reaching out to students to ensure their needs are met, including mental and physical health needs.

Avery Riemann, a senior at the Upper Campus, notes how the school often picks and chooses when to communicate with students.

“I feel our school communicates only when it needs to.” Riemann says,

”They never go out of their way to make themselves known or show that they care. They’ll reach out when the weather is bad, or when someone gets an achievement, but they never appreciate the little things.”

It can be difficult for administration to keep tabs on over 2,000 students at once. Riemann believes that, if the school reached out every once in a while to check up on students’ mental and physical health, it could ease the minds of the community and raise morale in the district.

Additionally, basic communication can make students, staff, and local families feel like an important part of the school community.

“Communication is a beautiful thing, of course it is important for a high school community, it’s deadly without communication.” Riemann adds. “Students need someone pushing them forward. That’s what school is all about. We need someone advocating for us, telling us how good we’re doing, and how it’s okay to be a little late sometimes. I’m not sure about you but that would be cool instead of the automated emails and Schoology messages.”

The student finally receives an email from administration. It notes the rumors about having a snow day, breaks down the weather report, and suggests what supplies students should bring home in the case of a snow day. The student’s mind is at ease knowing that her school communicated clearly about what she needs to do.

In a recent Panorama Education survey, 39% of MCHS’s students reported they feel disrespected frequently, or almost always at MCHS. That’s a startling number, and one that MCHS’s staff hopes to correct in the coming months and years.

Amatterof respect

Both students and staff have noticed disrespect running rampant at MCHS this school year — and the numbers confirm their hunches

Eli Frommes Staff Writer

Photo By: Claire Guzman

A student in gym class doesn’t know how to play basketball, the team sport of the week. They are yelled at by the other students saying, “Hey! Come on! You could have made that!” The student leaves gym class feeling discouraged, unwilling to even try.

MCHS students get bullied, disrespected, and hurt in fights, which creates a bad environment at the school. Not only that, but teachers also feel disrespected through students being on their phones or just being loud and disrupting class.

A poll from Panorama Education shows that 39% of students feel disrespected frequently, or almost always at MCHS. But what is the school doing to stop this from happening, and how can students prevent this?

Sophomore Kittrix Reeves says, “Anywhere that you go you feel uncomfortable because you can have friends around or people who … don’t care, but there’s always people who will go out of their way to make you feel uncomfortable whether it’s throwing insults at you, or just staring in a very obvious way and laughing with their friends.”

Students may not be trying to be rude or disrespectful, but if they aren’t thinking about what they are saying, it can come off that way.

“Sometimes the students don’t always think about how their actions… hurt other students by either being embarrassing, by maybe being a little too aggressive, or even physically hurtful, or just sometimes getting in the way,” says English teacher Abby Kirby, “If it’s paying attention in class, or if it’s like trying to make a genuine connection, sometimes things don’t exactly meet up and that’s where that unkindness comes from.”

A 10th grade behavior/bullying questionnaire shows that 30.6% of 10th graders say that students are frequently disrespectful to their peers at school, and 11.8% say that students are almost always disrespectful.

“Racism is a form of bullying, and I do think it’s a way to put someone down,” says Upper Campus Dean Hillary Agnello, “It has a separate avenue to it, but it is a form of bullying.”

Agnello sees racist comments from students as a problem that can be solved.

Agnello says, “To prevent racism you have to teach kids what it looks like. And sometimes kids don’t realize that they’re actually being racist… and they don’t even realize it. Some do. Some don’t. So education is a big piece. What does it look like?”

MCHS provides resources such as the chill zone and social workers to help students that are struggling. Agnello says, “Our school social workers are in my hallway. So I see a lot of kids coming in. I think the Chill Zone is a wonderful way for kids to have access to them. I honestly couldn’t say if the entire student body takes advantage of it enough though. I know they’re very busy, but that doesn’t mean it’s the same kids over and over again. We might be missing a larger population.”

The same student returns to gym class the next day knowing he will have to play basketball with the same students. He decides to take advantage of his resources and go to the chill zone. While he is there, he is able to talk with a social worker and leaves her office feeling ready for tomorrow.

Thegreatindoors

Hunter Blake Staff Writer

Indoor track season has begun for the 2022-2023 season at MCHS, with runners and coaches preparing for the outdoor season by competing in invitational events held by surrounding schools with indoor facilities.

MCHS competes in a series of indoor track and field events every year to prepare for their outdoor seasons, with events being held in Huntley, Burlington, Crystal Lake Central, and Antioch. This is a time for the coaches to get a feel for how their runners will perform in the future outdoor events, and this year both the coaches and players on the team are optimistic about what this year will bring to the team.

Varsity boys track head coach and physical education teacher Dennis Hutchinson is looking forward to this season and is optimistic of what the team can do, and feels it is important to use the indoor events to start the year as preparation for the outdoor season.

“During our indoor season we are working on building a strong base as we progress through the season,” Hutchinson said. “Our different sprint and jump groups focus on increasing max velocity, while our distance crew builds up mileage which will increase their aerobic threshold.”

Hutchinson also explained how they are fortunate to be able to use the indoor facilities whenever they can, and how the main focus of the team this year is for the upperclassmen to serve as leaders and help out the younger members of the team.

“We compete at nearby schools that are fortunate enough to have some of the nicest field houses in the state. Places like Huntley, Antioch, and Burlington have first class indoor track facilities,” described Hutchinson. “We utilize both the upper and freshman campus as well to prepare our athletes for the season. We have done a great job utilizing the facilities available to us and appreciate the support from [superintendent] Dr. [Ryan] McTague and [athletic director] Mr. [Joel] Beard. The coaches are also looking forward to the season and have a great group of upper class men to lead the way. We return with a good young crew that will contribute early on.”

Indoor track has been doing well in its preparations for the approaching outdoor season

It is not just the coaches who are optimistic about the upcoming season, sophomore Jimmy Rades, a runner in the 4x100 and 4x200, is excited about his improvement since the last season and is optimistic on what the season will bring.

“I feel like I’ve done ok so far, and there is still plenty of room for improvement,” explained Rades. “I feel like I need to improve on my stamina the most.”

Rades is also part of the young core of the team that they will need to rely on this season, and has noticed the difficulty of being a younger runner in the events, even though he has ran well in the events so far.

“Trying to compete and race people who are twice the size you are and more physically fit as well as stronger is one of the challenges I have noticed so far this season,” Rades said.

Though the boys season and training is underway, the girls indoor track season has also started as well with indoor events. Senior runner, Lynda Rotundo is one of many excited for the season to officially start, and is noticing the improved team chemistry from last year.

“I feel that the chemistry on the team so far is better than what I expected and really hoped for. I train with Danielle Jensen and I am so lucky to have such an amazing athlete and hard worker to inspire and work with me throughout all the workouts,” explained Rotundo. “The chemistry between the distance girls is unmatched, they are all such hard workers and extremely tough and ready to take any

challenge. And in my opinion, the distance girls I know are some of the mentally toughest of all the track girls.”

Rotundo, like some others, are feeling optimistic about this indoor season, and feel this year has changed the view of dedication to the sport.

“Last year I wasn’t able to compete in the indoor track season because of health issues and COVID, it was super hard to enjoy the sport at the beginning of last season I also wasn’t yet doing an event that was suited for me, unlike this season,” described Rotundo. “It has definitely been a full 360 from last season. Overall I feel as though I am no longer messing around with the idea of being good at track and decided to go all in this season.” Rotundo said.

Along with noticing growth from last year, the scores and times are showing the growth for many of the girls and boys track team members.

“Overall, I have achieved three PRs so far in my recent races, which reflect my growth since last season,’ said Skylar Balzer. “I think the team chemistry has been really good, everyone is so supportive of one another and we have a really positive team environment which I believe is so crucial to our success as a team.”

As the track team progresses in their indoor season, it has been proving to help both the girls and boys team grow as individuals and score wise. Both teams are feeling confident in themselves to perform well during the outdoor season that is approaching fast.

Lynda Rotundo pushes herself for one more lap at Lakes High School on March 4 for District 117 Winter Grand Prix, one of several indoor meets that the track team participates as the season warms up.

Photo By: Allie Everhart

Thebattlefor McCracken

As the wintery spring continues, many of the grass fields have not thawed. Typically this would track most spring sports inside, however, MCHS’s newly implemented field allows the sports to get outside and practice. The new turf field and track is an option that the sports can turn to in order to prepare for early spring games.

Currently, girls and boys track, girls soccer, girls lacrosse, boys lacrosse and baseball are using the field. While not all of these teams will always play off of the turf field, they require access to it at the beginning of spring season.

This time of year, the grass fields these teams often play are not ready to be in use. By having access to the turf field, they are able to get outside and prepare for their season earlier.

“Early March, it’s gonna be tough,” explained Joel Beard, MCHS’s current athletic director. “We are already thinking those games are gonna have to be on the turf because we don’t know if their grass fields gonna be ready.”

Using the turf can help teams practice or play in poor weather conditions, but it can also help teams prepare and get used to playing on turf for the season.

“Pretty much all of our games except for one are played on turf fields, but practicing on grass and playing on turf are completely different,” described Brad Roberston, the girls lacrosse head coach. “Just the way the ball rolls the speed, of running on grass first are a completely different game, so practicing on turf is going to be huge for us.”

Teams that do not play on the turf field, such as baseball, still need access to the field during the early spring season. They

are able to then run drills that they can not run within a gym setting, while waiting for their field to be ready to play on.

“When we set it up,” explained Brain Rockweiler, the boys varsity baseball coach, “we did some throwing and then we set up an infield so we can work on some situational type stuff, as far as if your goal is like some first and third situations. We took a ton of ground balls, a ton of fly balls. So we just get a lot of reps, probably more reps than we could have, even if we got on a baseball field at this time of the year.”

Since it is so important for all the teams to have access to the turf field, it is key that each team gets time on the field. This requires communication from our athletic department and coaches.

“It was tough from the beginning because, like I said, you have so many different sports,” explained Andrew Stegenga, the girls varsity head coach. “So you have so many different coaches and not everybody, like we’re not all going to get what we want. And that’s what’s tough. We just needed to have that meeting probably three weeks ago and, if we had that, it would have probably lessen some of the conflict that happened. You’re gonna advocate for your program, you’re gonna want the turf, everybody’s gonna want the space and want their space and if you don’t get it, then it makes it look like you’re not advocating. I think that was tough just because everybody was trying to do what was best for their programs, which makes sense.”

Each of the team’s coaches want access to the field, which meant that it was necessary to work out a schedule for the teams to utilize the turf field, the gyms, and the grass fields, if ready.

“I would say that there is a schedule,” described Mikaela Mitsch, the girls varsity softball team head coach, “but it was received very close to when we were starting all of our practices. Then it was misunderstood that there was going to be another schedule sent out by our athletic director, and that kind of changed everything up. Earlier communication would be helpful, and continued communication would be helpful as well.”

To create a schedule, the athletic director has had to have communication with the coaches in order to figure out each teams practice schedule, which can become a difficult process.

“It is a long and collaborative process because we have to talk with each coach and look at game schedules,” stated Beard. “Wherever they practice in the past and what has been what’s the pattern of practice in the past.”

The athletic department hosted multiple meetings in order to create a schedule for each team to have a time to utilize the McCracken facility.

“The meeting we had the other day for sure made it much better,” explained Stegenga. “We have a schedule and everything settled with that. I’m gonna have another meeting to set up games and things like that, but we do have to share the turf like there’s no way we can play everything out there

As the spring season progresses, track will shift from their indoor season to outdoor season. This will cause the turf field schedule to need adjustment. The schedule is an ever moving puzzle, that needs to be adjusted with constant communication occurring within the athletic department.

The spring season sports all and want need access to the upgraded McCracken facility, but there’s only one field

Kenzie Sroka Sports Editor

McCracken Field was upgraded during the summer and finished just in time for football season. But scheduling difficulties made many players and coaches worried that the football team would be the only one to enjoy the new facilities.

Photo By: Dan Boro

Iamnotasimplesponge

Gabe Santos Arts and Entertainment Editor

The MCHS Theatre Department is well into the spring musical season and this year they’re putting together a real showstopper. “The SpongeBob Musical” which debuted on Broadway in December of 2017 with the original cast recording being released that same year is a maximalist, over the top show that captures the essence of the cartoon to a tee, and the cast recording manages the same feat even without visuals.

In order to convey character and story, especially with subjects such as SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward, the actors need to play up their performances, and with this cast recording, it’s even more of a challenge as there are no accompanying visuals. However, the vocal performances are both impressive, and well acted. In particular, Emmy Raver-Lampman’s performance as “Pearl Krabs” has the most astonishing vocals in the show, like on “Daddy Knows Best” where she belts with expert perfection and power that leaves the listener starstruck.

When the musical was first announced, to say people were skeptical would be a vast understatement. Largely, adaptations of popular media on Broadway are rarely successful, and nobody expected it to be very good. However, director Tina Landau had a unique method for constructing the music for the show that would result in something very special. The cast recording boasts writing credits from David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Panic! At The Disco, T.I. and Aerosmith, among others. The method of outsourcing for the songs was a big risk, as the songs could’ve felt too different, however this was not the case. In a pleasant surprise, “The SpongeBob Musical” became critically acclaimed, and the writing takes a lot of credit for this. Attempting to make a large scale

MCHS’s musical, inspired by the long-running Nickelodeon show features a colorful, quirky collection of songs

Broadway production feel like a cartoon like SpongeBob was a challenge, but it was accomplished with flying colors, and particularly on the cast recording, the lyrics and character writing (primarily based on a book by Kyle Jarrow) shines most on the opening number “Bikini Bottom Day.”

Production was also outsourced, with collaboration between the artists and Tom Kitt, who was in charge of making sure it all flowed together. He and the artists they reached out to perfectly captured the essence of the show, and how vast and applicable it is to multiple genres. There’s regular Broadway music, ‘70s glam rock, polka, rap, gospel and more. Particularly though, the standout when it comes to instruments on the cast recording is “Bikini Bottom

Boogie,” which was written with help from Aerosmith. It’s a classic rock song with great energy, vocal layering, and guitar work that makes it very satisfying to listen to.

This surprise hit on Broadway is also a surprise hit on the ears. This musical truly ascends the need for visuals with the cast recording— a real perfect storm of variables all coming together to make it work. Now the MCHS Theatre Department faces the challenge of matching that energy. “

‘The SpongeBob Musical” opens in the Upper Campus Auditorium on the March 9. Any kind of fan of SpongeBob or musicals will not only love the show, but should make it a point to see MCHS’s production.

The cast of MCHS’s “SpongeBob: The Musical” sing on stage during a rehearsal on March 6 in the Upper Campus Auditorium.

Photo By: Nikki Sisson

Indiemusicians deservetobepaidbetter

Independent musicians deserve to be paid better for all the hard work they put into their craft money from venues that they perform at, but usually the money ends up being spent on more music equipment.

Musicians are some of the most impactful people in the world, with music being the only universal language. Music is a massive part of how people express themselves in their day to day lives. However, Musicians are under-appreciated for so many reasons partly, because they don’t get paid nearly enough.

Small scale musicians put forth their best efforts to get their name out there. Becoming known for music is one of the biggest uphill battles that musicians have to fight. This hard work and stress that musicians are put under means they should be getting paid even more for their work.

“I don’t think smaller musicians get paid enough because I only really see them perform on weekends which leads me to think that these musicians are working full time jobs during the week.” Kyle Buzek, a senior at McHenry upper campus said. Musicians do make some

Mackenzie O’Brien is a former student of MCHS who went on to pursue a career in music. She knows first hand the struggles that come with becoming a musician, that being the fact that even the money they make goes toward making more music.

“Some musicians get paid very well such as the session players I have worked with in Nashville. However, session players are at the top of the game! Most musicians are greatly underpaid. A lot of folks do not figure in all of the costs that come along with performing.” O’Brien states. “I get paid for each booking I have; however, I have to practice often, attend and pay for vocal and other lessons, have to pay for my stage clothes, pay for trips to Nashville to record and pay some studio fees. I also have to pay all of my

Preston Boysen Staff Writer

band members”

“Not only does a large amount of what musicians are paid go toward their career, but there are other factors that play into the little pay that smaller musicians get. Part of the issue is the large discrepancy between pay at different venues among other changing variables.

“Some gigs pay very well, but some gigs I take because perhaps it means I’m opening for a big name. Sometimes those gigs result in no pay at all!” Says, O’Brien.

Independent musicians, just like popular musicians deserve to get paid for their art. The amount of work that is put in by smaller musicians deserves to be appreciated more by the general public, and a lot of times that appreciation is shown through money. Smaller musicians deserve to be paid more for their art as well as be able to have a successful career for their talents.

A lot of people assume that, if an artist’s music is on Spotify, then they must be a rock star making a million dollars. The truth is that many artists, especially those in independent and underground music, probably aren’t making much money off of their music at all.

Photo By: Beth Brackmann