November/December Student Inscape

INSCAPE

Student Edition Vol. 73 Issue 3 November•December 2021

3 Facebook faces the music 4 ‘Nothing left’: Madagascar’s devastating drought 9 Ready, set, State!

Social media is ‘cancelled’ As a society, we are completely consumed by the media. We let the media decide what is socially acceptable, such as the clothes we wear, what our bodies should look like, songs we listen to, shows we watch and trends we participate in. We turn to it for the latest news on current events and we trust it to communicate the most accurate information to us. However, accuracy is not always the goal of the media. The goal of the media is entertainment.

Most news today is at the tip of our fingers.

Not only can we access information moments after release, but we can share that information just as quickly. Even though people are able to access recent news and become aware of occurring events, potential false news still circulates through the media. The phrase “seeing is believing” is not used enough when referring to the media. We tend to believe anything we read or hear even when no picture or video is available to provide credible evidence.

On the contrary, we are falling for fabricated videos and pictures that are clearly not real.

News isn’t often fact-checked by the public. We have become so receptive to the media that we

believe anything they tell us without question.

Social media has become the primary news source. Teenagers form their opinions from the side of the story they see on social media and the opinions of influencers or popular accounts they follow. While social media provides easy access, it also creates a huge prob-

“Even though people are able to access recent news and become aware of occurring events, potential false news still circulates through the media.” lem in our society. For instance, a single video or picture can be posted to Instagram that ignites controversy among the platform. Users are analyzing and advocating for or against the “wrongdoing,” whatever it may be. Yes, in many instances, the social media platform is shedding light on an issue that deserves justice. Regardless, our culture is so quick

to judge based on the small snapshot that is available to us. Stemming from this is the rise of “cancel culture” which is a term for social media collectively deciding to “cancel,” or remove, someone from the platform based on something they posted. While sometimes it is justified, other times people are wrongly canceled due to a misinterpretation of the situation or a false accusation. We are only seeing a small portion of a situation, not the entire context. Without the full picture, and possibly missing major details, we cannot be so quick to deem social media sources accurate.

Our ignorant belief of the media stems from our value of entertainment. The media caters to our want for entertainment not by the stories they tell, but by the way they tell those stories. We want to read the story with the most interesting headline or attention grabber.

On social media, we choose to believe the side of the story that elicits the most interesting and popular reaction from the platform. The media takes our desire for entertainment and makes that its priority when presenting a story.

What’s inside this edition

2 Mac News

5 Feature

7 Opinion

9 Sports

3-4 News

6 Student Life

8 Science & Tech

10 A&E

Inscape staff Co-Editor-in-Chief Co-Editor-in-Chief Layout Editor Copy Editor Art Director Mac News Editor News Editor News Editor Feature Editor Student Life Editor Opinion Editor Columnist Science & Tech Editor Sports Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Advisor Advisor

Mary Philip Moira Cosme Aine McIntyre Jo Gomez Elena Fernandez Ella Martin Annie Duggan Claire McGrath Mairead O’Carroll Cat Ohle Daniella Hall Nora Harvey Caira Hosty Lily O’Connor Julia Earley Keira Jarrett Lisette Corral Evelyn Ivers Thomas Bochenczak Abigail Sheahan

Editorial Policy: The opinions expressed in this magazine are the views of the individual authors, and not of the Inscape staff or Mother McAuley High School. Inscape is an open forum that welcomes letters to editor, comments, and feedback from all readers. All letters to the editor must be signed in order to be printed.

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School 3737 W. 99th Street Chicago, IL 60655 (773)-881-6500 www.mothermcauley.org Principal Mrs. Eileen O’Reilly Vice Principal Mrs. Meg Gardner Director of Curriculum Instruction Mrs. Kimberly Turnbull

1 table of contents and staff editorial

front cover by Nora Harvey back cover by Mairead O’Carroll

november/december 2021

Introducing ‘Latinas Lead’ Ella Martin

“Latinas Lead is a club whose purpose is to bring unity within the Latino community around us. Our goal is to become a safe place where we can not only discuss and highlight issues, but also empower and support Latinas that walk the McAuley hallways.”

This is the written mission statement for the Latinas Lead Club.

Latinas Lead is a newly established club whose goal is to learn the importance and expression of Hispanic culture. It was created by juniors Lisette Corral and Andrea Villinueva during the start of this school year.

“For me, creating a club that inspired girls around our age really caught my attention.

When I first came to McAuley, I felt as if I was an outcast due to the lack of Latino presence in the McAuley hallways, and I didn’t want other Latina students to feel that way as well,” said Villinueva.

Both club moderators find it extremely important to establish a safe and comfortable environment for the members of their organization to express themselves and their cultural values.

“I didn’t realize how many people didn’t know what día de los muertos is or even how big it can be. For me, embracing my culture is super important. Many people eat our food

and listen to our music but don’t know much about our culture.”

Previous social injustices and discrimination also sparked Corral and Villinueva’s idea to create Latinas Lead.

“I was also inspired to make Latinas lead because of the social injustices and discrimination I have seen,” Corral said.

Corral and Villanueva believe the McAuley community will strongly benefit from the lessons provided in their monthly meetings.

“I believe McAuley needs this club because, even from the first meeting, it brought unity within the group of girls and made them feel appreciated and happy,” said Corral.

“The first meeting was so heartfelt because I can already see girls coming out of their shells and talking to us. We really want this to be a safe space for them to talk.”

The Latinas Lead club encourages students of every background to join and participate in the monthly meeting activities.

“No matter where you come from, there’s always someone there for you to talk to, who you can relate to, and there’s always someone there with an open mind to listen to whatever you have to say,” said Villanueva.

graphic by Ella Martin

Reduce, reuse, recycle Lisette Corral During such a busy time, EcoMacs has driven to make a difference for the McAuley community by being more serviceoriented than ever before. EcoMacs is an environmental service club that does activities like upcycling and stewardship.

Something always overlooked is how important recycling is. It helps prevent pollution, reduces the need to harvest new raw materials and even saves energy.

They strive to recognize their role in helping the environment. EcoMacs spends time learning what is needed to better our community, especially during earth week when they do many activities like seed growing.

Eco Macs is run by teacher moderator Mrs. Vail, president Madeline Obrzut 12, Vice-President Abby Manos 12 and Senior Leader Rachel Henneman. Emily Manos, Abby Olsen, and Ella Martin are the Junior Leaders.

McAuley’s EcoMacs club goal is to reduce waste and spread awareness about environmental conservation with the McAuley community.

“We are participating in the Illinois Green schools challenge. We have a mentor that guides us for a waste reduction project, which is due by April 1st,” Moderator Vail explained.

This challenge is a very big deal because they want to reduce cups, especially styrofoam.

“EcoMacs is becoming more service -oriented than in previous years. Our leadership team, including Mrs. Vail, has been working daily to ensure that we are staying updated on our ideas and plans for the future,” said Obrzut.

EcoMacs stresses the importance of recycling. These challenges will not only encourage them to do a better job but also collect data to see what they could do to help McAuley make these strong changes.

EcoMacs have put their time and effort into lesson plans and going over everything they can to make this challenge.

EcoMacs has a very huge outreach to the McAuley community. EcoMacs stresses this isn’t just for the club but for the administration, students and even families.

“I am so proud of what my leaders have done. They do a task, even a lesson plan, and have what they need for us to roll for the next meeting,” said Vail.

Vail discussed possible plans of a green house for McAuley as well. This way, the whole community could be involved and could spread the word.

“For me, EcoMacs has become a way to express my voice as an activist and share what I am passionate about. We have seen a drastic increase in club attendance over the last year,

and it’s so inspiring to see others find their voice in environmental activism,” said Obrzut.

graphic by Lisette Corral

november/december 2021 mac news 2

Facebook faces the music With almost three billion people on Facebook, there is always a problem or change happening to the app to make sure all users are as happy and content with their profile as possible. With that being said, a more recent change to the app has created a sense of relief and surprise for users. Facebook plans to shut down their facial recognition system to be able to find the right balance on the app. This means that they are deleting their face scan data that was used to tag people in photos for over one billion users. This software was released by Facebook in 2010, and it had always been a concern for privacy and safety by all. It even caused a lawsuit. The President of Artificial Intelligence at Facebook, Jerome Pesenti, claims the change in the app is needed and important.

“Every new technology brings with it potential for both benefit and concern, and we want to find the right balance,” Pesenti said.

People over the past decade have complained about the law enforcement using facial recognition that led to mistaken and wrong arrests. Fear has spread among many user of Facebook. Some states have even gone so far as to ban the technology in their own cities or state as a whole. The entire point of the feature was so it was easier for users, and they could save time when posting. The software

Julia Earley

works by having the option to automatically connect the faces in the user’s images to the face’s account and tagging them.

This change was needed for all users to have a sense of privacy and not feel like the recognition will tag them in photos they don’t want to be tagged in.

“Making this change required us to weigh the instances where facial recognition can be helpful against the growing concerns about the use of this technology as a whole,” said a spokesman, Jason Grosse.

Although this change may seem for the better, some users are not ready for the switch because it changes how Facebook works. It requires users to get used to a new software and an entirely new app. Before, the user would receive a notification if they were tagged in a new photo, and now, that feature is being taken away. This makes many people’s daily use of the app switch and might cause confusion and irritation.

Facebook is currently meeting up with companies to better understand how to use privacy better in their company. The problems of worrying about facial recognition have finally come to a conclusion after 10 years of lawsuits and battles between users and the company.

“We will continue engaging in that conversation and working with the civil society groups and regulators who are leading this discussion,” said Presenti.

In late October, Facebook changed its name to Meta in hopes of rebranding themselves.

The company plans on expanding beyond the social media platform and hopes its new title will reflect that. Critics have said the new name change is a way of deflecting attention away from the recent news reports that have criticized the company. The new logo reflects the brands “DNA” as a company that was created to connect people.

Despite its many allogations that have surfaced over the years, the new branding of the company shows that they are not slowing down any time soon.

above: Facebook’s new company name and logo

Is equality light-years away?

Annie Duggan One of the most prominent quotes demanded of and towards women is, “Break the glass ceiling.” Women are constantly told and reprimanded of all the possibilities the world gives them to become great and successful. Yet being compared to men and with a man’s accomplishments still remains an obstacle. While healthy competition exists, gender itself sometimes becomes an issue that comes into play. Sexism can exist in more places than others though.

Colonel Wang Yaping, a forty-one year old woman, is a space veteran in China.Yaping is a pilot of the Air Force of the People’s Liberation Army. She is set to become the first Chinese woman to walk in space during her six month mission. Regardless of gender, this is an amazing and lifelong achievement.

However, she is being put down. Chinese Media focused their attention on comparing men and women’s physiology instead of solely admiring her accomplishments. There was mention of menstrual cycles. Pang Zhihao, an employee of the China National Space Administration, made sure to supply the cargo capsule with sanitary napkins and cosmetics.

He then condescendingly announced his thoughts to the public: “Female astronauts

may be in better shape after putting on makeup.”

In addition, the media pointed out that she will be leaving her five year old daughter behind. There was no mention of the children of her male colleagues though.

There are barriers that exist for women in politics as well. The Chinese political party has only one woman. In addition, women in the workplace are put down for becoming pregnant and usually fired after. Feminists in China have tried to take a stand against this problem by initiating the “Me Too” movement. The “Me Too” movement started as a global hashtag as a way for survivors of sexual harassment and sexual assault as well as bullying to share their stories. Specifically though, in China the “Me Too” movement is an online website run by Chinese women fighting for the inclusivity and fair treatment of women in China. There is a lot of backlash in China surrounding this movement. Lupine, a woman from China, also founded an online forum to express her feminist views.

She was then kicked out of the Internet.

The “Me Too” movement in China still exists though, and women will continue to fight against backlash.

Colonel Wang is still set to take off as well, and she will rise above this sexism. Regarding her thoughts on facing backlash, she speaks on this subject with confidence: “ For me, being an astronaut is not a profession, but a career--a career that I love eagerly, “ she said. “This love is enough for me to overcome all the difficulties, overcome all the barriers, and even sacrifice my life.”

above: Colonel. Wang Yaping becomes the first Chinese woman to preform a spaakcewalk

3 news november/december 2021

‘Nothing left’: Madagascar’s devastating drought Southern Madagascar is on the brink of being in the world’s 1st climate changedriven famine in modern history. This devastating drought is affecting smallholder farmers, villagers, children, plants, animals and saldy most of the individuals within the communities. The word “Kere,” meaning hunger, echoes around Madagascar, and for the past four years, this lack of food has become constant.

In Madagascar, there are two different seasons. There is the summer, with a large amount of rain, and there is the winter, which is extremely dry. But there is not much difference between these two seasons anymore. The severe lack of rain, depleting food sources, dried up rivers and sand storms render farmable land infertile. In the hardesthit communities, people have been forced to eat wild cactus leaves and tubers to survive.

In the article “S. Madagascar on the verge of climate change-induced famine: How to help,” Patrick Vercamme, the World Programme’s emergency coordinator says, “Having sandstorms in this kind of landscape is not something usual and having the effects of sandstorms shows that nature is changing, the environment is changing, and that climate change is affecting this area.”

The situation has also led to widespread malnutrition affecting over 1 million people

Cat Ohle

being classified as “catastrophic” by the United Nations. According to the World Food Programme and UNICEF, at least half a million kids are acutely malnourished and already are in severe condition, having irreversible damage to their growth. Madagascar has only produced 0.01 percent of the world’s annual carbon emissions for the past eight decades yet is suffering the worst effects.

“It is not fair...these people have not contributed to climate change because they do not have electricity, they do not have cars etc., and they’re paying probably the highest price in terms of the consequences of climate change,” country director of the World Food Programme in Madagascar Arduino Mangoni said.

As the climate warms, Madagascar is expected to grow even hotter causing more frequent drought, only worsening the situation. David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, told The Associated Press in an interview that what’s happening in Madagascar is “the beginning of what we can expect” to see as the effects of global warming become more pronounced.

“Madagascar was heartbreaking,” Beasley said. “It’s just desperate.” People have been reduced to selling their household pots and pans to try to buy food. We are urged to consider this really big problem, and how it

could bring a fast impact to any population.

Donating is an immediate solution, but longer term, there needs to be understanding on how to mitigate climate change.

“In many ways this can be seen as a very powerful argument for people to change their ways,” said Dr Rondro Barimalala, a Madagascan scientist working at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Currently, The World Food Programme is working together with the Malagasy government to alleviate some of the needs in this region by preventing and treating children experiencing malnutrition. This is one step towards many that are being taken in order to help and prevent climate change issues around the world.

photo by Jules Bosco

Is online trading worth the risk?

Claire McGrath

It has become popular for people today to be using online “trading” as ways to shop. Facebook Marketplace, Craig’s List and Bedlist are all similar sites that are used to purchase items locally and meet face-toface with the seller. However, meeting with strangers to purchase items has sadly become life threatening.

On Nov. 1, Chicago (CBS) reported “A man was robbed at gunpoint after he thought he was meeting a buyer through Facebook Marketplace, and it was all caught on camera.” Mohammed Addil attempted to sell his phone over Facebook Marketplace in a public spot, but when he made contact over the phone with the seller, the “women” guilt tripped Addil by saying she is disabled and cannot drive. She then asked him to meet her near her house. Addil fell for the trick and went near her house to do the swap. A man showed up where he was told to come, then suddenly the gun was pulled on him. The man was threatening Addil to give him the phone.

He stood there frozen not knowing what to do.

Because it was captured on security cameras, police were able to arrest the culprit.

“I was interacting with that person – somebody else came from my back and pointed a gun towards my head,” Mohammed Addil says.

Unfortunately, Chicago CBS reports, “It would not be the first time. At least six people selling items through social media have been robbed since September – all within a oneblock radius in South Chicago.” This is why it is crucial to have extra precautions while meeting with strangers to purchase things. Fox News reported another story about a similar incident and also some helpful guidelines from police about trading safety. “Only bring enough cash for purchase, come with a friend, do not give your personal information and trust your gut.” They also state, “If the person you’re doing business with does not want to meet in a safe location, such as a police station, that is a red flag that maybe you should not be doing business with them at all.”

It is crucial to follow these guidelines in order to make sure you’re safe. If you catch any red flags from the person, either cancel the trade or at least be sure to meet in a public area. It is very important that you tell a family

member or a friend where you are going before you go to ensure people know your whereabouts. Always trust your instincts and do not doubt your gut. Most of the time you have an idea if something feels unsafe or not right. If you’re ever unsure, go over the precautions and see if you followed all the safety guidelines.

above: example of a trade safety sign. These are located in areas with surviellance to ensure safety of both the buyer and seller. graphic by Claire McGrath

november/december 2021

news 4

Children erased Nora Harvey

“When she heard me speak my language, she’d lift up her hands and bring the stick down on me. I’ve still got bumps and scars on my hands.” -Musqueam Nation former chief George Guerin, speaking about the Kuper Island School.

In the United States, November is officially known as Native American Heritage month--a designation only made long after the month has already become synonymous with Thanksgiving.

It is a time to celebrate the innumerable accomplishments and resilience of Native Americans. But as 2021 nears a close, Indigenous people have been forced to undergo another chapter of grief.

2021 brought back into headlines one of the most egregious acts committed against Native Americans in the Americas: the Canadian residential school system. The system dates back to the 1880s. In 1879, the Canadian government commissioned research to be done on the already-in-existence residential schools in the United States. These schools pursued a goal of complete assimilation, to “Kill the Indian, Save the Man,” as said by Gen. Richard Henry Pratt, who resided over a residential school in Pennsylvania.

So, having been inspired by the efforts of assimilation in the United States, the Canadian residential school system was established beginning in the 1880s. By 1920, all First Nations and Inuit children were required to be enrolled in these schools. The focus of these schools was not on academics, but rather on erasing all traces of Indigneous culture in the children’s lives. Students were punished for speaking their Native language, physically abused and even barred from communicating with their siblings.

The schools were poorly managed, with issues of overcrowding and neglect. In 1907, it was found that a staggering 24% of First Nations children at residential schools fell ill and died while in school, according to the First Nations studies program at The University of British Columbia.

The title of “school” can be considered misleading. Life in the residential schools was nothing like that of public school children. The teachings focused on practical skills rather than academic, and as a result, many children were

above: An interior view of the school in 1946 as students sit for class at the Brandon School in Manatoba, Canada.

years behind in their education. Children adhered to strict schedules that only included academic instruction half of the time. The other half was spent on unpaid labor. Due to the schools being so devastatingly underfunded, their upkeep depended on the labor of the children.

By the 1950s, residential schools began to be phased out as church and state officials were forced to acknowledge their detrimental effects.

Regardless, the last residential school did not close its doors until 1996. This would mean there are survivors as young as 30.

Less than 30 years after the last residential school closed, the gravity of their existence is still being unpacked. In 2021, the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation conducted a survey of the grounds of a now-defunct residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia. Their findings?

The unmarked remains of 215 children. What came next was a domino effect of similar discoveries across the nation. As of September, the number of these unmarked graves is said to surpass 6,509 (Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies).

It is notable to acknowledge that the Catholic Church was involved in running many of these schools, and Pope Francis has declined to issue an apology as of today, even after being approached

by Prime Minister Justrin Trudeau in 2017.

Canada’s Catholic Bishops officially apologized in 2021. The church has still not fulfilled a fund promised in 2007 for reconciliation and healing.

It was not until 2007 that Canada established its Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). From 2007 to 2015, the TRC gathered information and testimonies about the schools, culminating in a 2015 report detailing the abuse, ongoing effects and further action needed. The result was 94 calls to action by the commission.

As of June 2021, 14 have been completed (BC Treaty Commission).

Although Indigenous activists and survivors have been demanding action for years, 2021 marked a turning point in how the country sees these tragedies.

Sept. 30 is a day known in Canada colloquially as “Orange Shirt Day.” Originating from a survivor-led event on the grounds of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) School in BC in 2013, it has above: Students attending the Metlakatla Indian Residential School, British Columbia become an international movement. The day’s photo by Library and Archives Canada/Ernest Alexander Cruikshank namesake comes from the experience of Phyllis

5 feature

photo by Library and Archives Canada

Webstad, a survivor of SJM. For her first day at the residential school, her grandmother bought her a brand new orange shirt. For Webstad, a new outfit was a huge deal considering her family did not have much money. When she arrived at school, she was stripped of her clothes and never got them back. “The color orange has always reminded me of that and how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared and how I felt like I was worth nothing,” said Webstad at what would become the first Orange Shirt Day event.

This past September, the Canadian Government declared Sept. 30 a federal holiday, the official name being “the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.”

In the United States, national probes have only just begun. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, who is Indigenous, began the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative in June.

The most profound displays of grief could be found across Canada, where children’s shoes were placed on the steps of these schools and other public spaces.

“I have had to live with the tragedy of the residential school for all my life,” Donna Dubie, director of The Healing of The Seven Generations, said to CTV News. “Nothing has been done to help us through the grieving process.”

above: A rock is painted for Orange Shirt Day, “Every Child Matters” quickly became a rallying cry.

photo by Province of British Columbia

november/december 2021

Handling the finals week frenzy Jo Gomez

What’s your funniest Christmas memory?

“We got a real tree and it was about 12 feet tall and it did not fit in the house.

We were able to get it in, but we weren’t able to put a star on it and it was drooping in the corner of my house.”

-Chole Berten 9

“For a family Christmas picture we decided to take pictures with this big Christmas sweater. We were all in it and my little cousin didn’t like it and she tried to break free. She almost fell but we were able to catch her. We also ripped the sweater trying to catch her.”

-Bertha Espinoza 10 “On Christmas 2018, I was playing a game called fashion frenzy on Roblox. This specific topic was “popular,” and my drip was immaculate. But then some girl stood right in front of me, looked at me for a while, and started changing her outfit. She changed her outfit just to look EXACTLY like me. She ended up being first on the runway making it seem like *I* was the one that copied her. And guess what?

SHE ENDED UP WINNING AND I GOT LAST PLACE. Right after she left the game.”

- Isabelle Leonard 11

“My family also celebrates Kwanzaa and all we do is play board games together. One time, we were playing Uno and I put a “draw 32 card” in the deck and my uncle found it and actually picked up 32 cards before I could say it was a joke.”

-Asia Gandy 12

photos by Elena Fernandez

How to write an email Keira Jarrett Do you ever struggle to find the proper way to email a teacher? Many teachers within the McAuley community have stressed the importance of having a well constructed email to faculty members throughout the year. In the article How to Write a Clear, Polite Email to a Teacher, the author, Jennifer Gunner, provides tips on how to write a clear and concise email.

When first putting together a message, it is important to be clear, brief and polite.

According to the article, when contacting a teacher, “Focus on exactly what you want to say and limit the length to 3-4 sentences maximum. Anything longer than that should probably be an in-person conversation.” Many teachers are flooded with hundreds of emails each day, so reading a three paragraph email about your missing assignments is most likely not at the top of their to-do list.

Starting with the proper greeting is a key component to contacting an adult or teacher.

It is important to use the correct abbreviation pertaining to their marital status. Gunner says that you should not, “...use overly casual greetings like ‘Hey’ or ‘What’s up?” and “Don’t refer to the teacher by their first name unless they have indicated that they’d prefer that you do so.” While writing out your thoughts and concerns, make sure to keep everything formal. This email is being read by a teacher —not a friend or classmate.

Keep in mind that while contacting a teacher, they are taking the time out of their day to read your email, so keeping a respectful tone is important. The article mentions, “There’s a fine line between explaining yourself to a teacher and all your grievances.

Complaining to a teacher via email puts them on the defensive--and makes it un-

likely that you’ll get the solution you want.”

Proper punctuation and grammar is crucial in your message. Gunner expresses the importance of this by stating, “Writing a welledited email is a nice way to show teachers that you respect them. It also demonstrates how effective their teaching is.” Showing a teacher you put the time and effort into contacting them will most likely get a more effective response, rather than quickly sending them a message filled with slang and improper language.

When closing your email, make sure to always thank the teacher for taking the time out of their day to help you try and solve the issue. Everyone’s schedules are hectic around this time of year, so to make everyone’s lives easier, having a well constructed email is beneficial to everyone.

november/december 2021

graphic by Keira Jarret

student life 6

Hot takes

Edward Cullen: creepy or caring?

Jo Gomez and Elena Fernandez Jo: I’m here to tell you why Edward Cullen is caring, not creepy. Edward has, and will always be, the best option for Bella. Edward looked out for her from the start of the movies until the end. In the first Twilight movie, he put himself and his family at risk to rescue Bella from the car that almost hit her. Even though practically the whole school was in the parking lot watching, he risked exposing his vampire side by pushing the car away from her. He would stop by Bella’s room at night while she was asleep not to creepily watch her, but to protect her. Edward just always wanted to make sure she was okay. At the end of the first movie he entirely saved her by drinking her blood after the vampire James attacked her. Even though he did struggle to control his thirst at first, his love for her overpowered his desire for blood, and he stopped. Bella was a normal, teenage girl pitted against thousandyear old vampires who were constantly hunting her. Edward was extremely protective because he knew a young human girl could never outrun evil vampires on her own.

Everything Edward did was for Bella’s benefit and out of love. As Edward once said, “No measure of time with you [Bella] will be long enough. But let’s start with forever.”

Elena: Sorry not sorry, Edward Cullen is a creepy stalker. When his relationship began with Bella, it was just loads and loads of creepiness and cringe scenes. In the first movie, it was a huge red flag when he was watching her sleep. The reason “I just like to watch you sleep” is not cute or romantic--it’s borderline stalkerish. That’s how it begins for stalkers.

They look through your window, follow you everywhere you go to try and get to know you from a distance rather than just walking up and starting a conversation. Yet Bella took it as cute? NO WAY! The reason why the cops weren’t called and why he wasn’t exposed was

above: Elena Fernandez, hiding from creepy Edward.

Hopefully he doesn’t spot her on the other side of the door. photo by Elena Fernandez and Jo Gomez

above: “I know what you are.” Bella’s not the only one who knows what you are, Edward. Yeah, you’re a vampire, but it’s okay because I still love you. photo by Jo Gomez

because he was hot. He had his broodiness and mystery behind him that makes every girl want to know the deep depths of his soul that are nonexistent--you know, since he’s technically dead. This is called pretty privilege, and it’s not right because what he did was still wrong, but his behavior is just excused because he’s this attractive, glowing vampire. Are we also going to ignore the fact that he literally almost killed Bella in the first movie by doing EXACTLY what a vampire does? Yeah yeah, he was trying to save her life, but his vampire instincts kicked in and told him it was blood sucking time. Apparently that is considered a romantic gesture, almost killing the love of your life, but then again we are talking about Edward Cullen, the hunk of a vampire that teenage girls swoon over for just breathing.

One last important thing to mention: his overprotectiveness was literally off the charts--not in a good way. His need to protect Bella basically tells girls that they need a man to be protected, especially when Bella was portrayed as this scared and weak young, teenage girl.

An unfortunate truth Nora Harvey

Lately, I’ve had to come to terms with my own delusion. As much as I hate to say it, I do care about what people think of me.

As a society, we hold this quality of not caring about what anyone else thinks in such regard. To be free of any sort of human influence means the most respectable liberation, sending many people on a search for a liberation that does not exist. Indifference to what other people think will not result in the payoff we expect.

You could say the desire for being totally independent from what other people think has fueled--if not is--the backbone of all “ self-help” efforts. Like many, I sought to break from the chains of opinion. What I believed to be an honest effort to discover and understand myself led me to act like a dog chasing its tail. My greatest fault was ever thinking that the pearly gates of self-actualization was being able to say “I really don’t care what anyone thinks of me.” I would be a liar to say Sr. Nancy telling me she enjoyed my college essay didn’t send me on a months-long ego trip. For too long, I blamed my shortcomings in life on caring too much about what others’ opinions of me were, and I know I am not alone in that. With pride, I claimed to be free of caring about what other people think. It is generally seen as an accomplishment to reach this level of independence. That is where we are fooling ourselves. With envy, we watch people that we believe to not care, ignoring the near impossibility of that state.

True maturity and self-help comes from the acceptance of our own human desires. We will get nowhere denying our primal-like need for validation and affirmation. If you cannot accept natural instinct, how will you ever move on to accepting the more complicated parts of yourself? I got stuck on wanting to be that person other people envied, not realizing I was doing the opposite of not caring. I was caring the most.

above: Elena Fernandez on the run from creepy Edward, but can she really outrun a vampire? photo by Elena Fernandez and Jo Gomez

7 opinion november/december 2021

‘Tic’ Tok? Lily O’Connor A new mental health crisis is emerging, and experts have linked it to the popular video content app, TikTok. Pediatric movement disorder centers have reported an increase in patients with tics this past year, especially in teenage girls.

Johns Hopkins University Tourette’s Center saw pediatric cases of tic behaviors increase from 2% to 3% in 2019 to 10% to 20% in 2021. Experts in movement disorders are currently debating the cause of this rise in tic disorder diagnoses.

John Piacentini, a clinical child and adolescent psychologist, is one of the experts that believe that TikTok could be a factor in the rise of tic disorders. He has recently copublished a series of research papers on the topic of tics. Piacentini believes that 18 year old Chailyn Thorne, who has recently been suffering from paralyzing tics, has TikTok to blame. Thorne was not born with her tics, and there is no apparent medical reason for them.

There are many creators on the platform who have Tourette’s Syndrome and create videos highlighting their tics. Trending hashtags like #tourettes have almost 5 billion videos.

Piacentini believes that Thorne and other users are seeing these videos all over their feed and mimicking the tics of the video creators.

He says that mimicry is natural, but the scale of this phenomenon is a reason for concern.

“They see all these influencers who seem to have very strong and happy lives, and

Tourette’s has become infectious in some ways,” Piacentini said.

Many experts and doctors disagree with Piacentini. Movement disorder researchers have found that Tourette’s often accompanies another mental illness like Attention- Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in mental illnesses, with rates of mental health problems in children in the UK jumping from 10.8% to 16% this past year. Dr. Joseph McGuire, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University, believes that the increase of mental health problems is linked to the increase in tic disorders. However, he and other experts have not ruled out TikTok as a cause entirely. They are considering the possibility that influencers with Tourette’s are spreading awareness about the illness and teenagers are realizing that they also experience those symptoms.

“There are some kids who watch social media and develop tics and some who don’t have any access to social media and develop tics,” Dr. McGuire said. “I think there are a lot of contributing factors, including anxiety, depression and stress.”

Despite all of the research, the question still remains: is TikTok a trigger for tics?

above: Graphic represents the percent of people who have Tourette’s Syndrome and another pre-existing condition. graphic by Lily O’Connor

RFusion finds key to future Imagine a person is lying in their bed scrolling through social media when they look in the top right hand corner of their screen.

Instantaneously, tragedy strikes; their phone is on 1%. Finding a phone charger for a phone in this state is crucial. This person looks where their charger would usually be and it’s not there. In months prior, they would have to dig through every pile of clothes, shuffle through every drawer, and search every square inch of their house until they found the charger.

Now, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) RFusion robot, that lost phone charger can be found in minutes.

The RFusion prototype is, in the simplest terms, a robotic arm that can find missing items. The arm is equipped with a camera to help spot the item and a radio frequency antenna to communicate with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. RFID tags are a development of battery-less tags that are to be stuck to an item for the RFusion to detect.

The RFusion sends a signal from the antenna to the RFID tag to communicate where the RFusion is located. The RFID tag responds to the antenna with a signal

Moira Cosme

to communicate where the item is located in proximity to the RFusion. This response from the RFID tag helps the RFusion create a spherical area where the tag is located.

After receiving the primary signals, the RFusion moves around, exchanging additional signals with the RFID tag from different spots to get a more precise location of the item.

Once the robot pinpoints the exact location of the item, it begins to move items that may be covering the item of desire. Once the item is seen by the camera, the robotic hand grabs it and verifies that it is the correct item.

“This idea of being able to find items in a chaotic world is an open problem that we’ve been working on for a few years,” said Fadel Adib, associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the Signal Kinetics group at the MIT Media Lab. In today’s world, it is not only easy for items to get lost, but it is easy for people to get lost in their day-to-day life.

The RFusion robot provides a relief from that chaos by giving users an easier and faster way to find their lost items.

above: QR Code for demonstration video of the RFusion robot finds lost keys

november/december 2021

graphic by Moira Cosme

science & tech 8

Ready, set, State!

Aine McIntyre

Daniella Hall McAuley sent off the Mighty Mac volleyball team and diver Abby Manos 12 to IHSA State competitions the weekend of November 12 and 13. With impressive accomplishments both on the court and in the pool and the entire school community supporting them, both Abby Manos and the volleyball team earned their spots competing for state titles.

Manos acquired an impressive array of awards that included the following: first place at the Sandburg Invite, first place in conference, the title of Senior Conference Diver of the Year and first place at Sectionals.

Manos’s favorite part about State was being able to compete with the best of the best, and she made McAuley proud!

“I am truly grateful for all the support from my fellow Mighty Macs, teammates, coaches and family,” Manos commented. “It was an incredible experience, and it was worth all of the hard work and effort throughout the season!”

The road to rings also continued for the volleyball team as they competed at the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals in Normal, Illinois. The team won against Edwardsville High School in two sets in the semifinals.

They advanced to the finals Saturday night to face off against Metea Valley High School. It was a tough loss with a battle that ended in three sets, but the Mighty Macs worked hard this season with that game being only one of their few losses.

“My favorite part about going to state was the first time I stepped foot into the arena!”

Gigi Navarrete 11 said. “It was huge and felt like a dream.”

Navarrete also commented on their impressive season as a whole.“I loved when we had our sectional and super-sectional game at home,” Navarrete said. “We had a huge supportive crowd and fan section.”

The McAuley community is so proud of Abby and the volleyball team for their achievement-filled seasons and competing in state!

above: The MMc Volleyball team poses with their trophy and medals with Mac Nation fans

above: Abby Manos diving in the IHSA State Diving competition.

photos provided by Ms. Halleran

The Sky is the limit for Chicago Evelyn Ivers

Oct 17th, 2021: the day more than 10,000 Chicago sports fans joined together to watch sports history change forever. The Chicago Sky, Chicago’s representation in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), won their first ever national championship against the Phoenix Mercury at Wintrust Arena.

The 2021 season brough t many challenges and changes to the Sky, but their drive and determination never faltered. Entering the playoffs as the sixthnumber six seed, with a record of 16 wins and 16 losses, the odds were stacked against them. After their first round victory against the Dallas Wings, the Sky was led by forward Kahleah Cooper who racked up 23 of their 81 points who continued to lead the Sky in points throughout the finals tournament.

Cooper was given the championshipgiven championship game Most Valuable Player award.

In addition to their triumph over the Wings, the Sky also beat the Minnesota Lynx, 89-76,

Play like a girl

before competing in the four game semifinal series against the Connecticut Sun in which they won three of the four games , pushing them forward into the finals.

The final series included four games against the Phoenix Mercury , resulting in three wins for the Sky and one win for the Mercury. After four intense games of basketball, the Sky came out victorious winning the championship game 80-74.

The Sky’s championship run also allowed two players who had grown up in the vicinity of Chicago, Allie Quigley (Joliet) and Candace Parker (Naperville) to showcase their abilities.

Parker, a graduate of Naperville Central High School, carried the Sky , leading the team in rebounds throughout the whole WNBA playoff tournament.

The Chicago Sky brought through the championship win in an unforgettable season that that brought a new light to Chicago sports!

9 sports

“Growing up I lived in the bowling alley,” Tamia Edwards 12 said. “Bowling was a big part of my family life.”

After many weekends spent in the bowling alley since the age of five, Edwards’s appreciation and passion for bowling accompanied her at McAuley.

“The friendships and memories I’ve made during the bowling season have been a key part of my high school experience,” Edwards said.

Edwards’s leadership and long history of bowling have helped her thrive during her three years bowling at McAuley.

Edwards’s plans to celebrate the small successes of her team and incorporate positive reinforcement during games and practices this upcoming season.

“On the bus rides to our games last year, I tried to keep spirits high with fun music and words of encouragement,” Edwards said. “I plan to do the same this year.”

Edwards’s personal high score was a 256 out of a possible 300 points, and that was a game she will never forget.

“The adrenaline was so high. It was such an unforgettable accomplishment,” Edwards said. “I hope to relive a similar experience when I go to college.”

Edwards plans on bowling in college but is undecided on where she will play.

“As a senior this year, I’m looking forward to making this the best season with lots of fun and lots of wins,” Edwards said.

photo by Elena Fernandez

november/december 2020

Artist spotlight Mary Philip

Senior Anna Fagan is ending her high school music career on a high note.

Throughout her time at McAuley, Fagan has been actively involved in the Brother Rice-Mother McAuley band, wind ensemble, jazz band and other smaller ensembles. Although she has spent a great deal of the last four years advancing in her craft, her interest in music goes way back.

She first joined band when she was in fourth grade. She started playing the clarinet and switched to her current instrument, the alto saxophone, in sixth grade. Because of band, Fagan has been able to explore her individuality in a new way.

“I enjoy being able to do an after school activity that is different from a sport because I can learn to do things on my own that does not need to be a group effort,” Fagan 12 said.

The amount of extra time and energy, beyond the school day, that Fagan has put into music has made her multitalented.

Besides her specialty instrument, she has also been able to play the piano, the tuba and the trumpet. Music has been a huge part of Fagan’s life, and she will continue to explore this interest beyond her time at McAuley.

“In college I plan on pursuing at least a minor in music or a major in music education,” Fagan 12 said. “If I decide to go a different route, I hope to still be able to play in groups at events or play my saxophone in some way.”

above: Anna Fagan plays the saxaphone at the State of the Art Competiton with the BRMM band

above: Anna Fagan plays her heart out at the “Bandcake” Christmas breakfast photos provided by Anna Fagan

Christkindlmarkt in Chicago Ella Martin

The season’s most remarkable tradition is coming back to the city of Chicago this year. Opening day for the Christkindlmarkt starts Friday, November 19 and wraps up on Thursday, December 23 for the holiday season. They are established in several locations such as Milwaukee, Wrigleyville and, most famously, downtown Chicago. The event offers guests a chance to see bands, ballet performances and partake in scenic ice skating. The Christkindlmarkt makes it their sole purpose to make traditions and memories for families during the holiday season.

The Christkindlmarkt that Chicagoans know was originally inspired by the traditions of the first Christkindlmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany in 1434. There, the market offered lavish holiday gifts and delightful food options. Today, the Christkindlmarkt provides the same experience with vendors selling holiday necessities. Shops are stocked with colorful ornaments, as well as numerous food vendors selling the market’s fan-favorite hot chocolate, also known as Kakao, and roasted pecans. The market values its traditions and cultural background, and the market works hard to incorporate them into its seasonal activities. Around the market, you can see many cultural representations of Germany, such as the vendor’s carts designed with vivid colors and big tents resembling the ones used in German Christmas celebrations. They also

display their culture in food through the warm German pretzels or a Brezel that are sold.

The Christkindlmarkt is widely well known for its diverse number of vendors selling holiday cuisine and gifts. The market’s most memorable and awe-inspiring tradition is their variety of holiday mugs being sold.

Since the very first downtown Chicago Christkindlmarket in December of 1996, mugs have been used by visitors walking around the market for refills on warm beverages such as hot chocolate and coffee to keep you warm on these chilly, winter nights. Every year the Christkindelmarkt designs a new mug for visitors to save and reuse each holiday, making new traditions for many families all over Chicago.

The Christmas holiday is only here for so long, so don’t forget to visit the Christkindlmarkt with your friends and family this year. Make sure to pick up your Christmas 2021 souvenir mug on the way out.

above: Daley Plaza during Christmastime photo by Tom Gill

Britney breaks free Ciara Hosty

After years of the #FreeBritney movement, the Los Angeles Superior Court judge completely released Britney Spears from her 13-year-long conservatorship on Nov. 11, more than a month after the father James Spears was suspended as the conservator.

Before uncovering what rights Spears has gained back, one must understand exactly what rights she lost when becoming a conservatee. By the California Courts’ definition, a conservatorship is “a court case where a judge appoints a responsible person or organization (called the ‘conservator’) to care for another adult (called the ‘conservatee’) who cannot care for himself or herself or manage his or her own finances.”

The conservatorship exists until one of two things occurs: the conservatee dies or the court terminates the conservatorship.

Per her father’s request, Spears was placed under a conservatorship in 2008 due to concerns about her mental health, with Spears’s father taking control of an estimated $60 million dollar estate as the conservator.

However, Spears’s career did not halt there.

She went on to release four albums and signed for a residency in Las Vegas, regularly performing from 2014-2017. The fortune she

made during this time, however, was well beyond her reach. According to her court statement in September, she didn’t want to do the tour in the first place.

“I couldn’t even get my own attorney, so out of fear, I went ahead and did the tour,” Spears said.

Any sign of resistance to her management was met with immediate treatment. In fact, Spears’s therapist prescribed her lithium at one point in her career, which she claims was a drastic change from the medication she previously had been taking.

“You can go mentally impaired if you take too much [or] if you stay on it longer than five months, but he put me on that and I felt drunk,” Spears said. “I really couldn’t even stand up for myself.”

The courts met Spears’s demand to remove her father as conservator in the September hearing. However, it wasn’t until Nov. 11 that she was finally freed from the conservatorship once and for all. Soon after the announcement, Britney tweeted out to her fans, along with a video of a rally that took place that day.

“I think I’m gonna cry the rest of the day!”

Spears tweeted. “Best day ever… ”

november/december 2021

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