Student Inscape January/February 2021

INSCAPE

Student Edition Vol. 69 Issue 3 January • February 2021

3 Capitol Hill riots 4 Kamala Harris makes history 6 Body image during COVID-19

The importance of unity The popular motto, “United we stand, divided we fall,” is a phrase that almost all Americans have heard before. However, in today’s political climate, unity is rare. Subject matters that both political parties see eye to eye on are few and far between. This past year has only deepened the political division within the county. Between the 2020 presidential election and COVID-19 pandemic, it seems as though Americans are unable to agree on anything. It is truly disheartening that our country is currently filled with so much dissension and hatred.

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools,” Martin Luther King Jr. said.

Unity is power. There is something special about working with others and coming together as one. One person can only accomplish so much alone. When we join forces with our peers, we can achieve greatness. Not only does unity have the power to accomplish things, but it creates hope as well. When people unite and work together towards a common goal, optimism for the future arises.

As a result of the pandemic, Americans have been unable to congregate together in person due to stay-at-home orders. Not only are we stuck at home, but many of us are greatly struggling and hurting, both physically and

mentally. The economy has taken a massive dive, and according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 12.6 million Americans were unemployed as of October 2020. Over 439,000 Americans have died from COVID-19.

This number continues to grow each day.

“A pandemic has the possibility of bringing us together in ways none of us would have been able to predict or expect”

On her Apple TV+ series called “Oprah Talks COVID-19,” Oprah Winfrey said, “A pandemic has the possibility of bringing us together in ways none of us would have been able to predict or expect.”

Winfrey was right. Across the country people

have discovered new ways to come together while staying apart. Families and friends have been able to keep in touch via video chat programs like Facetime and Zoom. Drive-by birthday parades have become a popular way to celebrate while socially distancing. Communities have rallied around local restaurants and businesses. Others have gone out of their way to thank and support healthcare workers. The pandemic has brought out so much compassion and empathy in people, So many people have played their part to make these unprecedented times a little less challenging.

It is amazing to see how much good has come out of something that has been so tragic. However, it is sad that it took a global pandemic to bring people together. It is also a shame that it seems to be the only common ground between many Americans, and even with that not everyone agrees. We as a country must do better. The word united is in our own name, so we must exemplify unity. That does not mean agreeing on every law or global issue, but respecting the opinions of others and actively listening to make them feel heard. It means putting our differences aside in times of need and coming together for something greater than ourselves.

And if the past year has taught us anything, it is that unity is much more beneficial than division.

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 Managing Editor Layout Editor Copy Editor Art Director Mac News Editor 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

Colleen Rooney Bridget Gallagher Meghan McCann Molly McDermott Sofia Jasso Jo Gomez Moira Cosme Mairead O’Carroll Sydney Banks Aine McIntyre Mary Philip Brisa Torres Nora Harvey Janey Hynes Kenzie Williams Anna Fagan Deirdre Sullivan Kathleen Carter Angelica Topor Elena Fernandez Diana Burban 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.

1 table of contents and staff editorial

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

front cover by Janey Hynes Sports reel by Janey Hynes

january/february 2021

Macs give back Mary Philip The season of giving never ends at McAuley! Sisters Madison (11), Tegan (9), and Megan (9) Taff exemplified their generosity while representing McAuley girls. On Dec. 13, 2020, the sisters organized a food drive for the Morgan Park Food Pantry. After discovering the short food supply, they wanted to make sure the pantry was filled for the holidays.

With the help of their parents, they were able to make it possible.

“My parents put out a post on Facebook that we would be collecting food at 115 Bourbon street,” Tegan said. “My Dad, my sisters, Madison and Megan, and I all organized this food drive. We collected food out of people’s cars as they drove up to the fire truck we stocked.”

With the support of donors, the Taff sisters were able to fill up the entire fire truck for the pantry and receive over $200 in check donations. Freshman sister Tegan feels pride in the experience she was able to have.

“The whole experience was great, I was truly amazed at how many people wanted to help,” Tegan said. “From this experience I learned that doing a few hours of work can change the lives of others around us and I was

glad to be a part of feeding many families over the holidays!”

Taff was not the only one impacted by this experience. Morgan Park Food Pantry Executive Director Karen Oversight offered her gratitude about the eager help offered by the Taff sisters.

“The Taff Sisters and their donation to the Morgan Park Food Pantry this past December bolstered the pantry’s capabilities to provide the additional distressed eligible households, and the single families, with two weeks of groceries around the holiday season,” Oversight said. “The Taff Sisters’ contribution, along with other generous donors, made it possible to achieve the Food Pantry’s mission feeding the 2,050 food insecure neighbors residing in Beverly, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood and other nearby communities.”

Thanks to the Taff sisters, local families inneed were not left hungry. Their generous act was able to make a big impact on the lives of others and in support of the pantry.

“Their generosity makes our mission possible – feeding the hungry amongst us and providing each person with a modicum of hope and dignity,” Oversight said. “You

are a community. We can not do what we do without YOU!”

photo provided by Ms. Kathleen Kelly

BSU’s Black history month Mackenzie Williams

graphic by Mackenzie Williams

Mother McAuley’s Black Student Union is preparing to celebrate the importance of Black History Month. In preparation for the events, the board and members of the union are planning a movie night, Kahoot!, and informative videos involving black alumni.

Students can also expect an Historical Black College and University college night, a black alumni panel video, and a traditional Muntu Dance performance during school.

“Especially with the formation of BSU, it’s important that we celebrate black people because so often our history is overlooked,” senior Noadiyah Jones said. “This Black History Month; we want everyone to be comfortable to celebrate each other.”

With all the events planned throughout February, the board members expressed the need for conversation on why black celebration, especially during Black History Month is necessary.

“Sharing black stories and history is important because it allows students to become more aware of the struggles that black people have gone through for freedom and equal opportunities that are still not fully equal today.” senior Noadiyah Jones said.

McAuley’s Black History Celebration is different this year because it was created and

will be run by students. During the month of February, participants can show what the modern image of black history is and how it will reflect in years to come.

“For example, it is really important that we let the students pick what movies are shown that are uplifting to black people, instead of harsh movies that aren’t as celebratory.” senior Carlie Hall said.

The BSU wants to acknowledge the people who paved the way for black people today in America. BSU wants to commemorate those legacy’s so that the student body can learn and move forward with a better understanding of one another.

“It’s necessary for us to be one and come together, regardless of our different outer exteriors,” Ke’Lena Thomas 12 said. “We’re starting something new and trying to be represented and that’s really important, especially for people of color.”

january/february 2021 mac news 2

Capitol Hill riots Colleen Rooney On January 6, 2021, Congress held a session in the U.S. Capitol Building to certify President-Elect Joe Biden (D) as the 46th President of the United States when a mass of over a thousand loyal supporters of Donald Trump (R) stormed the building.

Rioters broke in using force, breaking windows and ambushing the front doors. The congressional session was immediately halted and government officials, like Vice President Mike Pence (R) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D), were ushered to safety by secret service members. However, many more senators were trapped inside of the building relying on Capitol police to keep them safe.

Some intruders broke into Pelosi’s office and a one man was photographed with his feet on her desk and stealing her mail, which is a federal crime. Many members of Congress were forced to remain inside of their chambers and hide behind desks in order to shield themselves from the rioters.

“They may have been hunting Pence and Pelosi to stage their coup, but every one of us in this room right now could have died,” Representative Jamie Raskin (D) of Maryland said, according to the New York Times.

On an episode of 60 Minutes that aired the following Sunday, a video was shown where mob members were chanting, “hang

Pence [Vice President Mike Pence]” and “where’s Nancy?”

Several lawmakers called upon President Trump to demand that his supporters leave the Capitol, including President elect (now sitting president) Joe Biden.

“I call on (former) President Trump to go on national television now, to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and demand an end to this siege,” President Biden said in a televised speech.

Members of the Republican party also spoke-out against President Trump, including Senator, and Republican leader, Mitch McConnell. According to the New York times, McConnell spoke about the rioting, claiming that the mobs were “provoked by the president and other powerful people.”

Five people were killed during the siege, including a rioter and Capitol officer, with many more injured.

This attack caused the House of Representatives to issue articles of impeachment against President Trump for the second time in his presidency, this one for inciting insurrection. The articles were certified by the House of Representatives on Jan. 13. Joe Biden was inaugurated as the President of the United States on January 20th, ending President Trump’s leadership,

photo credit: TapTheForwardAssist, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

photo credit: Tyler Merbler from USA, CC BY 2.0 , CC via Wikimedia Commons

Local business Belle Up Boutique Aine McIntyre

The U.S. Census Department estimates that clothing and shoe sales fell by over 50% in March 2020 versus the previous year.

The drastic drop in sales negatively affected clothing stores globally and especially hurt small, locally owned businesses. Jamenda McCoy, a former employment lawyer, now founder and CEO of the Beverly located clothing shop, Belle Up Boutique {bu}, used her creativity to withstand the severe business disruptions caused by the pandemic.

“I believe it impacted Belle Up for the better,” McCoy said. “Indeed, it challenged my team and me to ‘think outside the box,’ and affirmed for me that we are capable of innovating and pivoting to meet our customers where they are.”

To McCoy and the team at Belle Up, listening to their customers has always been important. With the difficult circumstances in 2020, new techniques were implemented.

“Last year we invested heavily in our eCommerce platform and social media marketing strategy—ensuring that our customers stayed informed about, and could easily navigate our platforms to purchase our offerings,” McCoy said. “Now, customers can find us at our brick and mortar location, at

our web store (www.BelleUp.com), through fun weekly videos on IG TV, in our Facebook stories for “Try-On Tuesday” or even for quick tutorials on TikTok.” Before reopening in June, the Belle Up team met to go over new safety protocols for the shop, which include but are not limited to: a mask requirement; hand sanitizer use upon entry; sanitation of touched surfaces (from door handles to payment keypads) between customers; strict capacity limitations; and sanitizing apparel that has been tried on or returned. Aligning with mandated restrictions, McCoy and her team ensured the safety and health of their staff and customers with new business operations.

“For those customers who prefer not to come into the shop or wish to stay home, we also implemented a curbside pick up option, as well as free no-contact home delivery from Beverly to Oak Lawn.”

Belle Up’s commitment to fashionably styling its clientele inspires and brings the best out in her team.

“As a ‘non-essential’ business, we were closed from mid-March to June. My team was eager to safely return to work,” McCoy said.

“While every member of my team has unique gifts and talents, we’re all ‘creatives’, driven, at least in part, by the fast-pace of retail life.

Having a bustling customer vibe in the shop with unique, ever-changing inventory is what keeps us motivated.” McCoy said.

McCoy’s confidence and creativity keeps her business successful.

“Today, I don’t worry so much about walking a set path,” McCoy said. “Rather, I’ve learned enough about myself to know that where a trail doesn’t already exist, I’m more than capable of blazing a new one.”

Business owner Jamenda McCoy poses with store manager Damion Love photo provided by Jamenda McCoy

3 news january/february 2021

Kamala Harris makes history Meghan McCann Kamala Harris holds four very important titles from prior positions as the United States senator from California, 32nd attorney general of California, 27th district attorney of San Francisco, and now Vice President. On August 11, 2020, Harris accepted President Joe Biden’s invitation to be his running mate.

After the two Democratic candidates won the election, Harris stepped into office as the first female Vice President and also the first woman of color to hold the position.

“My mother would say: ‘Don’t sit around and complain about things, do something.’ So I did something,” Harris said.

Harris was also the first African American woman and the first Asian American on a major party’s presidential ticket. Harris expects to work very closely with President Biden. Her goal is to help him see through a perspective molded by a different background to make the best decisions for everyone, not just one group.

According to USA TODAY, women created a Facebook group that encourages others to wear pearls on Inauguration Day to “uplift the power of women.” This was not to praise a certain political party, but to remind

others of many famous and powerful women throughout history who have also worn pearls for this same reason. The number of group members have climbed past 400,000 and counting. Many wore earrings, rings, necklaces and more which were passed down from generations as a way to truly capture the aspect of women empowerment.

Kamala Harris, newly elected Vice President, was born in Oakland, California.

Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan from India, and her father, Donald J. Harris from Jamaica, both immigrated to the United States. Harris has a very big and blended family. Harris married Doug Emhoff, who is of Jewish descent, and became a stepmother to his two children, Cole and Ella. The siblings came up with her nickname “Momala.” Besides her immediate family, Harris has a large and very proud group of family and friends behind her.

“I feel like our ancestors are rejoicing,” Senator Cory Booker, who is one of the three African American senators, said “For the first time, a Black and South Asian woman has been elected Vice President of the United States. My sister has made history and blazed a trail for future generations to follow.”

photo credit: Office of Senator Kamala Harris, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

History of impeachment Elena Fernandez In light of recent events inside and outside Capitol Hill, the 45th President of the United States has been impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time in his presidency. Former President, Donald Trump, was impeached on January 14 for inciting a violent insurrection against the government.

This is the first time in United States history where a president has been impeached twice times in a single, four-year presidency. So, what exactly is impeachment?

In article 2, section 1 of the U.S. Constitution it states, “The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

According to Merriam-Webster.com, impeach is, “to charge a public official before a competent tribunal with misconduct in office.” Impeachment has been around since the creation of the Constitution. Only three presidents have been officially impeached: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998, Donald Trump in 2019 and again in 2021.

Although these presidents were impeached, they were not necessarily removed from office.

Rather, they had been charged for a crime by the House. Presidents are removed from office

if they are put on trial by the Senate and are found guilty of those charges.

According to history.house.gov, “Impeachment comes from British constitutional history. The process evolved from the 14th century as a way for parliament to hold the king’s ministers accountable for their public actions. Impeachment, as Alexander Hamilton of New York explained in Federalist 65, varies from civil or criminal courts in that it strictly involves the ‘misconduct of public men, or in other words from the abuse or violation of some public trust.’”

Impeachment proceedings are not just for the president. All federal officials can be impeached for breaking the law. Throughout American history, the House has initiated more than 60 impeachment cases but less than one-third of those initiations have led to full removal from office. A cabinet secretary, 15 judges, a U.S. senator along with the three presidents mentioned above have been impeached by the House. In only three instances has the Senate taken extra precaution to bar a federal official from taking office again in the future. Democracy is founded on the principle that citizens can hold public officials accountable for crimes and impeachment has set the precedent that no

matter how powerful one may be, government officials must face the consequences of their actions.

january/february 2021

photo by Elena Fernandez

news 4

A

Black artists celebrate inclusivity Sofia Jasso As part of the ongoing efforts for social reform and equality, teenagers have used many outlets to bring attention to issues affecting Black people. Through high-traffic platforms, such as social media and news outlets, Generation Z has presented a new chapter of the Black story and continues its progressing theme of beauty, ancestry and most importantly, cultural impact. One of the biggest parts of this cultural impact is art. Art shows its face through music, architecture, food and much more. It is an implemented part of daily life. However, many people and students use art to not only spread awareness of Black culture’s global influence, but also appreciation.

“Black artists give the rest of the world a peek into the black community by representing real emotions and circumstances,” junior Andrea Gaddy said.

Gaddy, an art student here at McAuley, explained that art can be used to communicate with people about current events surrounding Black people. These current events can revolve around dire issues, such as racial injustice, or simply give a closer look into Black communities and the unity within them. Art can also spread awareness in local communities.

“Over the summer I was a part of a commission program and we were assigned to do a collaborative mural for BMO Harris on plywood from the protests,” Gaddy said. “I chose to paint something depicting unity and people speaking out against the injustices that our community faces.”

Freshman Naailah Lane believes Black artists do not receive enough recognition in the art community. Throughout her educational career, she has rarely seen focus on historical and monumental Black figures in her classes, let alone artists.

“Black artists are never really introduced to us,” Lane said. “I feel like we see art from Black

painting created in Advanced Drawing and Painting

artwork by freshman Naailah Lane drawing created in Introduction to Drawing and Painting

artwork by junior Andrea Gaddy painting a part of Gaddy’s personal work

artists all over the place, but their names and the recognition is always left out.”

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, traditional African aesthetics, such as sculpture and color, influenced several art movements in Europe. This impact is due to colonization, slavery, and its westward expansion to America. Although African culture has evolved into Black culture, it remains an underappreciated and often forgotten piece of American history.

The long timeline of Black influence in history stretches back centuries, yet it continues to lack recognition in modern society. However, today’s generation of artists use their work to bring attention to this recurring issue and teach the importance of appreciation over appropriation.

“Black people are so diverse in ways and in gifts that impact the world so much, but they haven’t gotten their credit when it is due,” junior Laniah

Dennis said.

Dennis expands on the idea that through art, Black artists give the world a taste of Black culture and its uniqueness that makes it so special.

As movements surrounding racial justice and equality gain worldwide attention, so does the recognition of the talents and beauty the Black community shares.

“Black artists know what the Black community is going through,” Dennis said. “Their art connects deeply to the people as it tells a story they can truly understand.”

Art reaches an audience beyond sentences and news stories. It touches people through its creativity and individuality from other forms of communication. McAuley’s own Black art students express this individuality through their own works of art but share a sense of community. Their talents join a global movement for a wider appreciation of historical and modern Black art and its role in celebrating Black culture.

“Through their art, [Black people] bring the Black community together as well as other communities,” Lane said. “Art sends strong messages that everyone can interpret and see.”

artwork by junior Laniah Dennis

5 feature

artwork by junior Andrea Gaddy painting a part of Gaddy’s personal work

january/february 2021

Body image during COVID-19 Sydney Banks As the pandemic emerged in early 2020, people had a seemingly unlimited amount of time to take a look in the mirror and fixate on their insecurities while being at home.

The idea of acquiring society’s definition of “the perfect body” became the ultimate trend during quarantine. Teenagers turned to social media as a coping mechanism but little did they know, it would only worsen their mindsets. The media was overflowing with new workout routines and diets that were said to be a ‘quick and easy’ way to achieve your dream body.

“Being stuck in the house without anything to distract myself led me to obsess over how my body looked, and the diets and workout routines that were popularized in March and April provided me with another avenue to

explore my dissatisfaction with my body,” a McAuley student said. “When these two-week ab routines didn‘t work, I was convinced that it was my fault and that if I just worked harder I would be able to attain the perfect body, which is impossible to achieve.”

According to a survey in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, 62% of people in the United States with anorexia experienced worsened symptoms as a result of the pandemic. In addition to this, about one-third of Americans with a binge eating disorder noticed an increase in episodes due to extreme food availability.

“The uncertainty of COVID made me fixate on the one thing that I felt like I could control, which was my body,” a McAuley student said.

“I began doing hours of workouts a day and

eating maybe one meal if even that. I was only seeing fitness bloggers on my social media with the perfect body and I felt as though my body was completely different and undesirable.”

As a way to shed a positive light on a negative atmosphere, many social media influencers promoted self-confidence by posting unedited photos of themselves where they exposed their insecurities. They also began sharing personal struggles regarding their journey to self-acceptance.

“COVID also exposed me to a lot of resources for body positivity and recovery,” a McAuley student said.“I was able to see people with different body types talk about how they have grown to love their bodies, which really inspired me to move towards that path as well.”

Make it sustainable Angelica Topor

In recent years, more and more businesses have made sustainability a new focus for their products, but what exactly does the term “sustainability” mean and how can consumers benefit from it? Essentially, living sustainably means utilizing materials that are least harmful to the environment to keep the planet healthy into the future.

Senior Lena Bryan is one student dedicated to living sustainably. Bryan and her family try as best they can to not use disposable products and to buy items in bulk so that they can refill containers instead of buying completely new ones. Bryan has also been following a vegan lifestyle for the past five years as a way to contribute to a better environment and to work towards stopping the abuse of animals for the production of animal products.

“I chose to begin following a vegan lifestyle because I am passionate about fighting for animal rights,” Bryan said. “Once I continued this lifestyle I became educated on how beneficial a vegan lifestyle is for the environment as well.”

It takes about 1,799 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef according to foodtank.com, a non profit organization focused on educating people on ways to eat sustainably in order to work towards relieving hunger. Besides using large amounts of water, the production of animal products contributes to 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions with 65% of that coming from the production of red meat and dairy products, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Overall, there are lots of ways to live sustainably. While this does mean recycling and using reusable products, it can also mean supporting sustainable businesses, consuming fewer animal products and encouraging others to live more sustainably.

“I have tried to guide others towards living a more sustainable lifestyle through social media,” Bryan said. “I am very active on social media like Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. I find informational articles and share them with my friends. I also have a vegan vlog channel on Snapchat where I show my friends everyday vegan meals that I have. It influences them because I show how vegan food could be just as delicious as food derived from animals and it is better for the environment too!”

What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?

“I went on a first date to Starved Rock.

I consider myself an amateur scrambler (climber) and wanted to show off; I ripped my pants at the seam all the way down to my knee. I had to borrow his flannel and tie it around my front for the remainder of the date. It wasn’t a love connection.”

Mrs. Dowden

“When I was in college, my boyfriend at the time called and asked to take me out to dinner for Valentine’s Day for our first official date. He told me to make all the plans and he would come to my college and take me on a date. It was the day of our first date and, I certainly learned the hard way that to go out to dinner on Valentine’s Day, not only do you need a reservation, but you need one several days in advance. We drove around for about an hour and tried to get into 5-6 different restaurants. No luck. I was so embarrassed. We finally found a diner in a mall parking lot. I will never forget the name - Diamonds. We ended up having a nice time but I thought that this would be the last time I heard from this handsome boy. But I was wrong, we ended up dating for 6 years and I ended up marrying him. We still joke to this day about making plans ahead of time on Valentine’s Day! Needless to say, Mr. White makes all the plans for Valentine’s Day!” Mrs. White -

“It was Christmas Eve around 1978 and I had invited a guy from college to stop by for our fabulous traditional Italian meal. I bought this great red Christmas dress and I was rockin’ that thing! I really liked this guy!!! Cute and muscles to match.

I was so excited and nervous. Everyone had been warned numerous times not to say or do anything stupid. Finally, the doorbell rings! I open the door, and to my surprise, he is there WITH A DATE!!!! What the heck???? Devastated, I invited them both in and I don’t remember one thing that happened at that dinner table. What a jerk, right? Well, not so much. It has a happy ending. He is sitting here with me, married for 36 years. Thank God I gave a second chance to show me just how sorry he was. LOL.” Sra. Lesch

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student life 6

Review Crew: Hot ones

Judge Janey Janey Hynes

Brisa Torres and Nora Harvey Brisa: After months of avoiding the question “Can we do a hot one’s Review Crew article?” posed by Colleen Rooney, I finally gave in. The first thing you must know about me is that I am not a spicy food enthusiast.

That being said, my will to entertain our readers is stronger than my fear of spicy foods.

After spending $20 and waiting for Nora and Colleen to arrive, we began our endeavor.

We utilized Wing Stop’s spice scale,starting with the least spicy wings progressing to the spiciest. We began with the Hawaiian BBQ wings. These wings were full of sweet and savory flavor. There was relatively no spice, meaning I was able to enjoy the flavor rather than reap the wrath of the heat. They don’t taste like normal barbecue but instead, there’s a touch of pineapple, one that isn’t overwhelming but not underwhelming, I give these a 10/10.

After our sweet and savory wings, we went on to try a few wings with a kick. I’m going to be honest and tell you that I have to group the mild and hot wings at the same level of hotness. They tasted the same to me; there was a small kick but nothing particularly overwhelming. They would’ve tasted better with ranch because they were a bit dry by themselves. There was nothing special about these wings. If you gave me generic wings from the frozen aisle in the grocery store and these, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

I give them a 4/10.

Ahh, the Mango Habanero Wing. At first, the taste was enjoyable because they had

Nora: Well, I thought the wings overall were more like “mild ones. ”We tried a variety of Wingstop wings with varying levels of heat.

In order from least hot to most hot the flavors were Hawaiian BBQ, mild, hot and Mango Habanero. Starting with the blandest flavor, to call the Hawaiian BBQ wings “hot wings” would be a stretch. These tasted like chicken wings with a fun sauce. I think I would like these better if I wasn’t expecting a kick, which never happened. 5/10.

Next up was the “mild.” I was pretty disappointed by these because they didn’t even have a tinge of spice to them. Also, they

photo by Angelica Topor

were noticeably dry. They were mid tier and mild. 4/10 for disappointment.

The “hot” flavor was when things became somewhat interesting. These had more sauce than the mild wings, which I liked, and were hot enough that I was reaching for my water after the last bite. I would definitely recommend this flavor if you’re someone who doesn’t handle spices well (ahem….

Colleen...). 7/10.

Finally, the Mango Habanero I really enjoyed. These weren’t dry in the slightest and full of spice. The sweet mango paired with spicy habanero created an interesting flavor.

The spice hit me a couple seconds after I took a bite, making for a fun experience. Also, they were by far the hottest. 9/10, truly, a hot one.

Scan the QR code to watch the video! photo by Angelica Topor

a sweet spice-less tang and a potent mango flavor. That is until the heat kicked in. The hit somehow becomes worse as more time passes, forcing me to drink a full glass of water and hold my tears in to wait for the heat to subside. I give these a 6/10 because the flavor at first bite was balanced and more than bearable, but once the heat hit I had a small sense of regret.

I have a bone to pick with a certain ‘Hallmark Holiday.’ To be meta for a minute, I’m writing this column several weeks before Valentine’s Day. When I went to the grocery store earlier in January, my eyes were bombarded by the flood of red and pink candy, flowers and other gifts filling the aisles. Heartshaped boxes containing chocolate were fillings ‘mystery’ with photo by Bridget Gallagher shockingly left untouched and most of the sweets packaged in bright pink bags were, to my disbelief, the same ol’ stuff you’d usually find in the candy section, but now you get to pay more for the ‘festive’ packaging. An exception to this would, obviously, be SweetHeart suckers. I’d die for a bag of those. To give you all a brief timeline of Valentine’s Day, I will begin by saying that its origin is rooted in violence and misogyny, involving harming women with dead animals, which doesn’t sound very loving in any sense and seems as murky and questionable as the private lives of many celebrities. It then became a day to remember St. Valentine and was later a day romanticized by poets and artists. What followed next, of course, was the commercialization of love through the production of cards, a.k.a. ‘Valentines.’ Thankfully, violent rituals are no longer an appropriate way to celebrate any sort of holiday but Valentine’s Day, nonetheless, is a bogus holiday that capitalizes on the fear of being lonely in order for big corporations to secure a check.

I’ll be the first to say that it’s so important to show others you love them. Love is very cool, super cool, even. But, I have a problem with the hyper-commercialization of love.

Love doesn’t always come in the form of heart-shaped boxes or gigantic teddy bears you’ll appreciate for a week or two, although who am I to define what love means? But I do know one thing–you can’t buy love. Nothing is a bigger buzzkill than having corporate companies shove their products in our faces so that we can ‘properly’ show others we love them. I love thoughtful gifts, but when there’s an expectation to receive or to give a gift just because you’re supposed to, love seems like a marketing scheme and more superficial than real. Movies and shows paint love to be about performing grand gestures or wild professions of love in the pouring rain. Teenagers, you know, literal children, apparently have no homework or responsibilities and their parents seemingly don’t care about their whereabouts. The guy is supposed to ‘get the girl’ and girl is supposed to find the ‘boy of their dreams,’ but the majority of their actions are unrealistic or lame. I know it’s unfair to harp on an obviously-fictional story, but content like this capitalizes on teenagers’ susceptibility to want something that seems perfect or to look at their life and wonder why they don’t have a special person professing undying love to them in front of literally every person they know. And you know what? It works every time! I love watching garbage shows and movies about love because who doesn’t enjoy a loosely tied together plot with perfect characters?

You may be thinking, “Janey, you’re just bitter because you’re single” or that I’ve been too concerned with the ‘man’s’ corporate greed and that these columns are a manifestation of my own existential crisis. Maybe that’s all true. I’m not a pessimistic person by nature, but don’t you think we all deserve more than just a day or some sappy movies to celebrate love? Maybe you’ll be spending this day with the love of your life, or it’ll be spent eating a whole pint of ‘Chunky Monkey’ ice cream alone in your room while watching “10 Things I Hate About You,” to give a nonspecific, totally impersonal, example. So, whether Cupid’s arrow has found its home in your rear, or if you’re like me and you find it hard to participate in a holiday that’s overly commercialized, just know that regardless of the number of nonessential gifts or love letters from secret admirers that you receive, you deserve to be loved every single day. Love is too great of a thing to only be celebrated one day out of the year.

XOXO, Your Secret Crush

graphic and video by Brisa Torres

7 opinion

january/february 2021

Arctic circle Due to rising temperatures across the globe, polar ice caps in the Arctic are melting at an alarming rate.

The Arctic sea ice reaches its lowest point each September. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has taken a satellite photo of the Arctic sea ice cover every September since 1979. Each year, the ice cover has decreased as a result of climate change.

There are many factors that have contributed to the recent change of climate, but carbon dioxide (CO2) has played a major role. CO2 is a heat-trapping, or greenhouse, gas. While it can be released naturally, human activities can also emit CO2. Electricity, deforestation and gasoline vehicles are just a few examples of human activities that release CO2 into the atmosphere.

“You can clearly see Arctic sea ice and glaciers shrinking at accelerated rates in satellite images,” Environmental Science teacher Mrs. Vail said. “This is undoubtedly due to elevated CO2 levels in our atmosphere caused by human activity.”

According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions have warmed the globe by around 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit

Bridget Gallagher and Colleen Rooney

over the past 50 years. However, the Arctic’s temperatures have increased over twice as much. These influences on the environment have put animals that live in the Arctic in serious danger.

According to the New York Times, polar bears could become extinct by the end of the century due to the melting ice caps. They rely on the sea ice in order to survive, which is why The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed them as vulnerable to extinction.

However, not only animals are being affected by the increase in temperatures.

When the Arctic’s temperatures become warmer, the polar vortex becomes dysfunctional. Polar winds and cool temperatures are being pushed south of the Arctic. These freezing temperatures have reached Chicago, resulting in many days and nights below freezing. These temperatures are incredibly harmful for humans and the environment.

“When polar winds become unstable they ‘escape’ the Arctic and travel down to our region,” Mrs. Vail said. “Unfortunately, polar vortex winds in Chicago can cause death, close businesses and contribute to even more use of fossil fuels to keep warm.”

graphic by Molly McDermott and Janey Hynes

History of vaccines Mairead O’Carroll

january/february 2021

science & tech 8

Manager to Division 1 athlete Molly McDermott

Tara O’Malley, a 2018 McAuley graduate, was a four-year varsity player for the Mighty Macs basketball team scoring over 1,000 points in her high school career. This fall she made her collegiate debut at the University of Illinois after serving as the team manager for two years.

“Our coaches reached out and asked if I’d be interested in joining the team,” O’Malley said in an interview with the Beverly Review.

“The call was completely out of the blue. I had no idea, but I jumped at the opportunity. It was very, very surreal.”

As a manager her freshman and sophomore years, O’ Malley attended every game, and her day-to-day tasks included filling water bottles, handing out towels and loading suitcases on the team bus. She was able to stay in shape for basketball by being a member of the practice roster as well as a part of a recreational team during this time.

“I was definitely in shock when I found out, but I’m so thankful for the opportunity,” O’Malley said in an interview with the Beverly Review. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. “I’ll gain my confidence back and get

back in even better shape. I’m so grateful for the support from my coaches, teammates, family and friends too.”

O’Malley hasn’t seen much playing time in games, but she recognizes the valuable role she has in practice with the long season ahead of her.

“I knew how hard my teammates at McAuley worked in practice to make themselves better,” O’Malley said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. “Even if they didn’t play, they pushed us to be able to perform in games, and I was so grateful for those teammates. Now I’m kind of in their same position. I know I might not get a lot of playing time, but I want to keep getting better.”

photo provided by Tara O’Malley

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Back at it again Jo Gomez

I’m glad I was able to do cross country, so I really hope it’ll be the same for soccer,” senior Janey Hynes said. “Fingers crossed that it happens like it’s supposed to.”

McAuley athletes are more than ecstatic to be able to have their senior seasons. It’s something they’ve been working towards for three years, and none of them want their hard work and dedication to their sport to go to waste.

“I have looked forward to my senior volleyball season for the last three years, and have been looking at this situation optimistically to take this extra time to prepare,” senior Molly McDermott said. “Our team worked hard over the summer, and now that we are expected to have a spring season, I’m excited to play with my friends one last time before I take on collegiate volleyball.”

9 sports

Anna Fagan

While most volleyball programs begin around fifth grade, senior Connie Lebel began her volleyball career in first grade. Between McAuley’s summer camps and Sunday camps with Elite volleyball, Lebel found ways to get involved in volleyball every chance she got.

“I pretty much only played basketball and volleyball growing up, but volleyball has always been my favorite,” Lebel said.

After deciding to stop playing travel basketball in sixth grade, Lebel started to really focus on her volleyball career. She attended private lessons, club practices and grammar school practices. Once getting to high school and making McAuley’s volleyball team, Lebel’s next goal was to play college volleyball.

Lebel conquered balancing her academics, school volleyball and club volleyball which is currently a member of the First Alliance 18 Silver Team.

“I knew I really wanted to play in college because I love being occupied with volleyball all the time,” Lebel said. “College has always been the end goal.”

During her junior year, Lebel suffered an injury to her ACL, MCL and meniscus. But that did not deter her from her dreams of playing college volleyball. After undergoing surgery in March for her injuries, Lebel worked harder than ever to get back on the court. Once she was able to play volleyball again, she dedicated as much of her time as possible to getting her strength back up for senior year.

This year, Lebel’s hard work paid off when she committed to play volleyball for Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.

“As I’m approaching the end of my senior year I’ve really been making great strides after coming back from an injury to get ready for Ferris,” Lebel said. “While I’m there I really want to establish myself on the court, learn from my new coaching staff and become a goto player for my team.”

photo provided by Connie Lebel

It was no secret the majority of the 20202021 sports seasons were going to be pushed back due to the pandemic. Those that were previously postponed have now been given official dates by the IHSA for the seasons to resume. Spring sports are expected to start on time in April, and fall sports are anticipated to begin in March. All seasons are a little shorter than normal, however, falling short of two full months of play. McAuley’s winter sports, bowling and basketball, are beginning now, and will go until March 13.

“Having the bowling season be postponed has definitely been disappointing as a senior,” senior Katie Quinn said. “But, I’m thrilled that we are still getting a season, regardless of all the changes we’ll have to make. Our practices and games are always so much fun, and I’m going to make the best of it.”

While the IHSA can’t guarantee anything, they are putting their main effort towards all the spring sports happening, since they don’t want this to be their second year in a row of having a canceled season.

Play like a girl

january/february 2021

Paintings for a purpose Bridget Gallagher

Thanks to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdowns, pet fostering and adoptions have risen. However, animal shelters across the country are still in need of pet supplies.

Business has increased greatly for WrightWay Rescue, an animal adoption center in Morton Grove. Between March 16 and April 16 of 2020, Wright-Way Rescue received over 6,600 adoption applications. This number more than doubles the amount of adoption and fostering applications the organization usually receives within a month.

“Essentially, every animal in our care is getting adopted by the first weekend they are available,” Katie Muldoon, Wright-Way’s chief of staff said.

Although more people began to adopt and foster dogs and other animals, the need for pet supplies at nonprofit animal shelters never fully diminished. Over Christmas break, senior Lindsey Vidmar helped out the pets that were not lucky enough to find their forever homes.

“I decided this past Christmas to give back in a way that is more personal to me, where I can share my talent with other people and give back to the four-legged friends that impact our everyday lives more than we realize,” Vidmar said.

Vidmar raised over $600 by painting custom pet portraits for friends and family. All of the proceeds were used to buy pet supplies for animal shelters. Blankets, towels, collars and toys were just some of the goods Vidmar was able to buy. All of the supplies were donated to various local nonprofit pet organizations, such

as The Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago.

Vidmar used acrylic paint for all of her commissioned pet portraits. The majority of the portraits she painted were of dogs. She enjoyed painting dogs so much that it is now her main focus.

Dogs and other animals who have been adopted or fostered during the pandemic have commonly become referred to as “COVID pets.” According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 3.2 million shelter animals were adopted last year. Vidmar and her family rescued their own COVID puppy at the beginning of the pandemic. A few months later they added two more puppies to their family.

“You can’t save them all, but big or small, anything helps!” Vidmar said.

graphic by Kathleen Carter photo provided by Lindsay Vidmar

The show must go on

Moira Cosme

graphic provided by Ms. McCasland

After almost a year without McAuley plays or musicals, the McAuley theater program is starting-off the year with the announcement of the spring musical, “Shrek”. However, the audition process was different from previous years. Mrs. McKee created a Google Classroom page for those interested in auditioning virtually and it consisted of assignments given to each grade for singing, dancing and acting audition videos.

At the beginning of Christmas break, McAuley theater students were given the opportunity to prepare and submit their audition videos by Dec. 28. Once these videos were submitted and reviewed by the directors, callbacks were held over Google Meets. Even though the process was different, McAuley girls still cheered each other on.

“We took turns reading and singing and we all still got the same support from each other as if we were in person,” Sarah Heidorn 11 said.

Virtual rehearsals are currently scheduled through Google Meets but as filming week

approaches, they will be rehearsing together outside while wearing masks and maintaining social distancing protocols. The play will not be in person but instead, it will be filmed.

The entire cast will remain socially distant for the filming as well. The directors hired a cameraman to help with the filming, which will start the week of April 19th. The release date of the filmed musical has yet to be determined.

Despite the differences in the process of the musical, the actors and actresses are excited to get back into doing what they love.

“What I’m most excited for is that we are able to perform a musical even if it’s not in front of a live audience,” junior Nora Riordan said.

“It still feels great knowing that we are able to have this opportunity of performing no matter the circumstances.”

Many of the actors and actresses have not been able to apply their acting skills in months because of COVID-19.

“I am most excited to be in a show again,” Heidorn said. “ It has been a long year of no musicals and to get to do anything is something I look forward to.”

january/february 2021

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