FoxTales Newspaper October/November 2015 by mrskcalder

FoxTales

YORKVILLE, IL

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sports Fans of non-Chicago teams find it’s worth putting up with some harassment to cheer for their favorites.

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features Students have a say in their school with the new Pricipal Student Advisory Committee.

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

WWW.Y115.ORG

The College Struggle Seniors turn to new College and Career Center for help with applications. By Melissa Pielet It’s that time of year again for high school seniors around the nation: time to start college applications. For the first time, these students will be deciding where they want to go and what they want to do with their education, and the pressure is on as many deadlines are quickly approaching. The whole college process is overwhelming and many seniors are still stuck in the stage of scrolling through college sites and trying to narrow the close to 4,000 schools to under 10. “Not knowing what schools to apply to is stressful and the application fees limit what colleges some people can apply to because of the high fees,” senior Gabi Ornelas said. Many seniors can empathize with being consumed by acceptance rates, prices, and the recent class’s ACT and GPA averages. Then, once seniors do know

National Merit Commended Scholars named Seniors Hacker and Wills honored at homecoming assembly.

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A PUBLICATION OF YORKVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

By Melissa Frieders Seniors Kate Hacker and Taylor Wills were both honored as National Merit Commended Scholars at the homecoming assembly

which schools they want need. Hopefully seniors struggle for most is time. to apply to, it is time have sucked up to at Between searching for to start filling out those least a few teachers over colleges and visiting lengthy applications. the years, or they may be them, applying, re-taking Sadly, it feels like the in trouble. the ACT, trying to obtain admission board wants “Knowing that scholarships, working, to know every detail of you have no relationship extra-curricular everything the student with any of your teachactivities, friends, family has ever done. ers is scary because you and actually trying to en “If you do the could basically be sayjoy senior year, it seems common application, it has a lot of in-depth questions that sometimes you just don’t know the answer to,” senior Wesley Smith commented. For the lucky ones, the application will also ask for a personal statement, and for the even luckier, multiple statements. This usually requires writing, and rewriting, and then rewriting again. “The concept was easy, but actually writing it was more difficult because you want to show them [the admissions board] your personality, but in 600 words, it can be frustrating,” senior Maddie The new College and Career Center is located in the former English department office near the new wing of classrooms. Students can Konecny said. get hel from Mrs. Holubetz with everything from application essays And while the to scholarships. Photos by Melissa Pielet. student is working on his or her personal statements, he or she ing goodbye to a good nearly impossible. cannot forget to pester recommendation,” senior teachers over those recSarae Underwood said. SEE STRUGGLE p. 2 ommendations that they The biggest on October 2. To be considered a Merit Scholar, students have to take the PSAT exam during the fall of their junior year and place in the top 5% of scores nationally. “They take the 50,000 top scores and then two thirds of the top are commended like us,” Hacker said. “The top third go on to compete for the actual scholarship,” she said. Students take the PSAT, a test that mimics the SAT college admis-

sion test. The PSAT “I was really conincludes reading, writing fused, like ‘Mom why and language, and math are you here?’” Wills sections. said. “If you get This recognition questions wrong you will benefit both Hacker get points marked off,” and Wills as they apply Hacker explained. for colleges and scholar Both Hacker ships. and senior Taylor Wills “Hopefully that were called down by Mr. will do a lot for [me],” Travis during the homeWills said. coming assembly, where they were both met by their mothers, Travis, and superintendent Mr. Shimp and given certificates. This was a surprise Hacker and Wills pose with parto both girls.

ents and admin. Staff photo

2 STRUGGLE Cont’d from p. 1 However, there are ways to get help. New to the high school is the College and Career Center, which focuses on helping students through this stressful time. “Every school is different in what they require. It can seem overwhelming because a lot of times kids assume they are going to need to a lot of things [essays, recommendations, etc.], but then once you actually sit down and look at it and make note of what the application process is, it doesn’t seem as overwhelming,” CCC Counselor Mrs. Holubetz noted. Then seniors can look forward to months of anxiety waiting for a decision from strangers who have your future in their hands. Hang in there seniors.

Future educators rise Club changes name, but not mission. By Chloe Longust Educators Rising is a club for students who plan on going into a career in education after high school. This organization gives members experience in the field before they go off to college. The club consists of around 30 students ranging from freshman to seniors,

New wall art spices up science hallway Senior Haupt captures essence of subject through mural. By Tommy Romero Recently, a new imaginative mural was added to the science hallway at YHS. Current senior Molly Haupt spent over three months completing the newest addition to our school. For the last three

New art space a nice change for students

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Because of spacing issues and large class sizes in the art department last year, the old classrooms were torn down and renovation began in the upstairs of the new addition. The two art rooms were then crowded into one, and a few of the classes were even moved to the stage in the music hallway. “I had a class on the stage last year, and there aren’t any sinks,” art teacher Ms. Leadbetter said. “Teaching clay projects and painting projects without sinks was such a challenge.” However, both

students and teachers across the board agree that the new wing was definitely worth the overpopulation and space issues last year. The wing takes up a large portion of the upstairs hallway above the library, split into two rooms filled with easels, sinks, and tables. “The biggest difference obviously is the windows in here, versus the no windows in the old rooms,” Leadbetter said. Lighting is extremely important for art projects, and to have natural lighting is extremely useful. Not only is there a great amount of space inside, but a balcony was also added to the outside of this wing, looking out over the field and farms next door to the high school. Junior Dominic Hernandez says this is definitely the best part of the new art area, as students get to work outside whenever the weather is nice.

who are all interested in education. Miss Renda is the teacher representative, and thinks that the club is extremely beneficial. Educators Rising is involved with many different activities and fundraisers throughout the school year. Club members participate in Read for the Record, teacher shadowing, the Walk for Education, and they even compete with local area Education Rising chapters. The club raises money through fun fundraisers like Penny Wars, which take place during Homecoming week.

“We make numerous teacher appreciation gifts throughout the year to say ‘thanks’ to our teachers here at YHS,” Renda explained. Ms. Renda is a very proud leader and hopes to give students a good idea of what being a teacher is like. “I chose to be the teacher representative of Educators Rising because I am inspired and excited by the teaching profession. I hope to encourage the next generation of educators to be passionate about their profession and make a dif-

ference in the lives of their students.” This organization not only exposes students to the life of an educator, it also gives them the opportunity to decide if going into education is a good fit for them. “We provide passionate students with hands-on teaching experience sustain their interest in the profession, and help them cultivate the skills they need to be successful educators.”

months of the 2014-2015 school year, Haupt worked on creating and perfecting the masterpiece. Located in the science hallway, the mural incorporates pieces of its surroundings. “It was based off a quote about how we’re all connected with chemistry and biology; I went back and forth with the science department till we all liked it,” Haupt said. With her canvas prearranged, Haupt was given boundaries, but that never stopped her creativity.

“We came up with the DNA strand and most of the background; we still had some freedom,” Haupt said. Always having a passion for art, Haupt started drawing as soon as she could pick up a crayon, but finally got more serious when she reached middle school. Although Haupt says she’s usually unhappy with her work, working with a partner made her more pleased with the outcome. When Haupt was told that she was going to be the one to do the mural,

she wasn’t very nervous. “I was more overwhelmed that I wouldn’t finish on time. We went into the summer two days,” she said. Though she’s not always the biggest fan of her own work, many students view the mural differently, seeing it as a beautiful addition to the school. Junior Isabella Perez said, “It’s really colorful and makes the school less dull. I think she did a really good job.” Senior Alondra Sanchez stated, “Hopefully they make one in the music

Construction ends as new art room and patio host first classes By Bailey Shimp

The art space includes more room and a patio. Staff photo.

FoxTales is published 6 times per academic year by students in the Journalism Class at Yorkville High School. Content is determined by the staff and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Yorkville High School’s faculty, administration, adviser or student body. Students are protected in their exercise of press freedom by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Signed editorials and columns reflect the views of the writer. Letters to the editor and guest commentaries are encouraged and must be signed, although anonymity can be granted on a caseby-case basis. The editorial board reviews letters to the editor, advertising and guest commentaries and reserves the right to edit and refuse material. Reasons can include length, clarity, libel, obscenity, material disruption of the educational process at Yorkville High School or violation of copyright laws. Send Letters to the Editor to: yorkvillejournalism@ gmail.com Identification Statement FOXTALES NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED SIX TIMES PER ACADEMIC YEAR c/o Yorkville High School 797 Game Farm Road Yorkville, IL 60560 hallway next, that’s what I want.”

The new mural in the science hallway includes a DNA strand and words related to the quote on which the concept is based. Staff photo.

news Parking woes abound in new lot More student drivers mean longer wait times and more safety issues By Alexis Jernstad The parking at Yorkville High School has expanded quite a bit since the 2014-2015 school year. Students are now able to park at the high school with the purchase of a parking tag at the cost of $80. More students were able to purchase a tag this year with the expansion of the parking lot now that construction on the school has ended. “About 110 spots were added to the high school’s parking lot this year, and students park mostly in the red lot in the back of the school with the exception of the a few students over in the black lot behind the freshman academy,” associate principal Mr. Wyeth stated.

“Tajmalibrary” offers flexibility and function Students get use out of new “wired” desks and comfortable space By Madeline Rannin Throughout the summer, construction workers and custodians worked feverishly to finish renovations throughout the entire school. Many students can now enjoy our new and improved school and use the upgrades on a daily basis, espeLibrarians Mr. Eichcially hammer and Mrs. the Brueck. Photo by new Madeline Rannin. library. The librarians work with much more ease due to the long overdue improvement to the main

Most of the students are happy about the new parking expansion; however, some of the students aren’t too fond of the busy lots this year and feel the set-up should be changed. “The parking lot is too crowded this year and it takes too long to get out of the lot after school,” said senior Haley Mackowick. “I get to my car at like 2:40 and I don’t leave the parking lot until 3:00 sometimes. The crossing guards in the front of the school let all of the kids who get picked up out first; I feel like they need to split it so we’re not all waiting for them. But I do love my spot considering its right by the door,” Mackowick stated. Another problem students face is that many drivers are so focused on getting out of the parking lot after school they don’t worry about anyone else except themselves. This creates some safety issues for student drivers. “I park in the red lot right in front of the athletic entrance by the door [and] I love my spot; however, it’s too crowded and none

of the students let anybody out,” senior Cameron Wicker said. “Once in a while somebody will wave you in, but it’s rare.” In the past, underclassmen were not allowed to purchase a parking pass, but with additional parking spots available, many students in the lot are underclassmen. They are less experienced when it comes to driving and parking, so the lot becomes a mess at times. “I park next to this kid who cannot park. He’s always over the line no matter what,” senior Alaina Harris said. “I just feel like students should have to be able to park before they’re able to purchase a parking pass, because it’s ridiculous that I have to squeeze in to my parking spot every single day,” she said. The larger parking lot is a nice benefit to students who drive; however, measures could be taken to ensure that students don’t have to spend anywhere from 10-30 minutes to get out of the lot after school every day.

campus library. Students are also more interested and diligent when it comes to engaging themselves in classes by using resources in the new library. Librarian Lisa Brueck said, “My favorite part of the library is the new integrated technology for the students. We have more students come in and more books checked out. They are also more respectful of the library this year rather than last year.” Teachers are also benefitting from this transformation; teaching is easier and more interactivefor the students, helping them to enjoy learning and be more engaged. Classes in the library can take advantage of several new technological advancements. “There are four screens that come down [from the ceiling] for teaching. [There are] outlet plugs for charging, new computer labs, and the new spaces for students to work at,” Brueck said. “It’s been made easier for everyone

and I look forward to coming to work each day.” The librarians have very few complaints about structural changes made to expand the space and they are excited about additional modifications that are scheduled to happen as well within the next few months. Librarian Mr. Eichhammer said, “New chairs, more plants, and hundreds of new books are coming in soon. After waiting two years in that awful cafetorium, this is a massive step forward to a modernized way of learning. It [the library] covers every aspect of what we need at the school.” Students and teachers alike look forward to coming to the library to study and learn. The library can be used not only for work, but for recreational and social time as well. The new library is one large improvement for the school’s education and overall outlook on learning.

3 Spain trip prepares for departure Students excited about trip abroad By Steven Godinez 41 students will have the opportunity to take a ten day journey of a lifetime through Spain during spring break. The lists of places the YHS Spain travelers will visit include Granada, Madrid, Sevilla, Costa Del Sol, and Morocco. Senior Cameron King is amazed that he will have the chance to experience a different culture outside of the United States. King has taken Spanish classes since he was a freshman, and he is currently in an advanced Spanish class. He is looking forward to interacting with the people of Spain. Furthermore, he also wants to get rid of the feeling that he is a tourist. He hopes to fit in by wearing native clothing. “I hope to experience the language with other people, in terms in Spanish,” King said. “Overall I hope to have a good productive time eating delicious authentic food and exploring the dif-

Group dynamics Christian club meets before school to connect By Melissa Frieders Students interested in discussing the Bible and praying together recently formed a club that meets at 6:45 on Friday mornings, and is open for anyone to join. “We started the club just to have a place during school where we can just be in God’s word and learn about him and hopefully spread it to more and more people,” said senior Taylor Wills. Each meeting follows a similar pattern. “Every meeting we start with a few announcements. Then we pray and

ferent parts of Spain [the trip visits]. I really hope to see different animals in Spain rather the ones in the United States.” Junior Ben Schafermeyer is also one the special candidates attending the Spain trip. Schfermeyer expects to use his background knowledge in the language to apply it in a real-world setting. Moreover, he is very curious to experience the different environments to which he will be introduced. He would like to analyze the similarities and differences between the United States and Spain. “I would like to taste the foods Spain offers,” Schafermeyer said. “I especially hope it tastes as good as Salsa Verde. I wonder if Spain has American food or similar Spanish food,” he said. Schafermeyer is also looking forward to seeing Madrid for the first time. “Overall, I hope to be involved in anywhere we plan to see. I’d like to have deeper conversations with the native people of Spain.” Overall, it seems many of the 41 students that were chosen are very ecstatic to go on the trip in March. read a passage from the bible and just ask questions and talk about it,” explained Wills. The club participated in See You at the Pole on September 23, where students around the country planned to meet at their respective flag poles to pray for their school and country. The students are also getting involved in the community by planning a trip to volunteer for Feed My Starving Children. “Anyone who wants to join just show up on Friday morning,” Wills said. “You can join, there are no requirements. You don’t even have to believe in God,” she said.

4 Principal Student Advisory Committee recruits members

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Wind Ensemble

Members have a say in initiatives that affect students By Kayla Baumgardt The Principal Student Advisory Committee is a group of mostly upperclass volunteers who get together once a month in the athletic lobby to discuss changes students want in the school. In his previous schools, new principal David Travis used the PSAC to hear student’s voices. There are some ideas from students that Travis can allow right away, like having video announcements during access., but others, like allowing hats in school, must go through a process. He wants students to know, if they want a rule to change, they first have to obey the rule. “If we were to give students more responsibility, [they] need to understand that with responsibility comes accountability,” Travis said. Travis wants students to have a voice in the school. He has an advisory at the main campus and one at the academy. The two groups will get together to collaborate on ideas with

New sculpture brightens outdoor space Summer class adds interesting and symbolic creation to YHS By Lina Shakhanova The new art sculpture was built this summer by Mr. McCulloch’s public art class. Mr. McCulloch originated the idea, then gathered Art Club members to spend time helping and having lots of fun. Junior Rachel Hart became one of the volunteers. “It’s made of cinder blocks and concrete,” Hart explained. “We drew the

Principal David Travis meets with the Principal Student Advisory Committee on the learning stairs. Photo by Kayla Baumgardt.

other administrators. “If you want it, you have to own it: Student Advisory is that empowerment piece for students,” Travis said. The PSAC’s goal is to make YHS a better school every year, so the new classes coming in will know the positives left behind. Travis has a strong concept of legacy and he hopes to achieve this with the advisory. “I’m a big believer that each of you need to think about your legacy,” Travis said. “[It] isn’t just about me, it’s about us. I want you to be constantly thinking about making Yorkville High School a better place ... than where you started.” Throughout the spring and summer, Travis has been transitioning to

the job in Yorkville. Most of his administrative team was going through the same thing. Once he started in July, he began asking more questions than he was answering. “[The transition] has been absolutely amazing. Going from one place to another definitely has challenges, but it’s been a great experience for me,” Travis said. “Everyone has been friendly and kind.” One of Travis’s goals is to develop a comfortable atmosphere and to make the school “everyone’s school.” “It’s a student’s school, it’s a parent’s school, it’s a teacher’s, it’s their school,” Travis said. “I need to balance all these groups [and] find a common ground.”

plan, Mr. McCulloch gave us all the materials, and the work started.” It took seven weeks to make. During the work, students met some obstacles. “One of teachers called it ‘a rock with a face,’” senior Sara Swartwout said with a laugh. “While people were working, everyone had concrete everywhere; because of that, we were not allowed to come to the classroom anymore. But we went there anyway and it took a couple of days after to clean the consequences. My friend offered for me to join their group, and Mr. McCulloch talked about the sculpture a lot,” Swartwout

said. The sculpture is called “Thought Vision Action”. It is a tribute to education. But what is the main idea of the sculpture? According to an email McCulloch sent the staff, “The idea is all we need in order to build everything and accomplish our goals are the three elements of thought, vision, and action. Through their simplicity we create grand complexity. In guiding our students to harness these three tools, we grant them the ability to do or be anything.” The sculpture consists of a human’s head and his hand. “Its symbolism is

but Mr. Anderson was excited because it was nice to see new bands in a different Student musicians class. earn spot in Super “It was hard State competition walking in there and seeing these huge bands, By Alondra Sanchez it was like Jack and the beanstalk,” Mr. Anderson Our YHS Wind said. Ensemble has a lot of Sadly, Mr. Anderson experience going to Sudecided not to return to Super State an event held by per State. He felt that each the University of Illinois year it was getting harder to to which only the highest have students prepare with bands go. Luckily, enough everyone’s busy schedules, of the Yorkville Wind Enand he felt that going every semble auditioned and got in. Members have attended year would get boring. This year, the band will be for the past four years and attending a new contest that auditioned only two years is held at Western Illinois because the U of I honor University. band automatically quali He is very excited fies. to be going because the “Going to SuperState was an honor,” senior competition lasts for two days and the band will get Brandon Randall said. to “Being work able to with know several that we guest could conplay as ducbeautiful tors as people and thought musiwe were cians. was an Mr. Anderson conducts the wind ensemble amazing during a practice at YHS. Photo by Alondra “Super feeling.” Sanchez. State was intense: everything Because the school’s about it was beautiful. I am enrollment increased, the glad I got to experience Suband moved up to class 3A. They were the smallest per State, but I am looking forward to [what] WIU has band there and everyone for us,” Randall said. was nervous because they thought it would be so much more of a competition with the bigger bands,

really weird, actually. There is a hole in his palm for Safe Club to plant the tree. In my opinion, it represents knowledge growing, but others may think differently,” Hart shared. All of the volunteers would like to join the next project, if they have a chance. “I just like the way we put it together. The teacher just gave us an idea, he let us come up with offers and additions, if we wanted to. He just showed us, what has to get done, and we built it together,” junior Becky Katula exlained.

Senior Sara Swartwout and junior Rachel Hart work on the sculpture over the summer. Staff photo.

features ILL-INI Journalism students travel to the University of Illinois for the IJEA Fall Journalism Conference By Emily Gray On September 18, students in Mrs. Calder’s Journalism and Publication class took a field trip to the University of Illinois to expand their knowledge of journalism. Students also got an idea of what U of I has to offer in terms of future occupational courses. The conference included three sessions covering various topics related to newspaper and yearbook journalism. Each student was given a choice as to which courses they wanted to attend, one class from each session. As soon as the first class began, everyone went their separate ways with their partner or group to see the first lecture. Each session lasted 45 minutes, with a couple minutes in

Student teaching a positive experience Ms. Dobbs learns to manage history classes during her time at YHS

what we are expected to do for the newspaper and the yearbook for this year, and give more experienced journalism students more to keep in mind while writing articles and stories. Every student took something different from this trip that could help them out class and in a career in journalism if they between to find so choose. out where “I honestly enjoyed the next session myself because I learned would be. many crucial lessons about “I visited working in the field ‘1001 Journalism of journalism, a caLaughs, Podcast reer I would like to and Mass Media find myself workPhotography,’” ing in,” said junior said senior Lina Kyle Davison. Shakanova. But at the Some of end of the day these courses had everyone got to souvenirs that experience what you could choose college life is really from if you wanted one, such Photos, clockwise from top left: the U of I student union (photo by Melissa Pielet); seniors Me- like, and what would be as buttons that lissa Frieders, Chloe Longust, and Bailey Shimp; grafitti at U of I (photo by Jake Snow); senior expected of them had funny say- Madeline Rannin. as students and ings on them or on their list to choose from. this college at all honestly later in life with a even textbooks that could Others have only one colbecause I already have a career. be used in journalism class lege in mind and college in mind,” “I learned on this or in the future at school. would love to take another senior Jazman Murrie said. trip that [if I end up] work Some students field trip to a college they This college visit helped ing in the field of journalthought this would eventually want to attento the newer journalism ism, [I should] not be full be another college to put “I would not go to students get the hang of of myself,” Davison said. excited because I really enjoyed my high school experience and I can relive the feeling through the students,” she said. Dobbs is currently going to college at North

By Jake Snow Ms. Dobbs, who is student teaching for Mr. Fornell in the history department, has the opportunity to “practice” teaching at YHS this semester. Her dream has been to teach. After high school, she found some old items from kindergarten where she had written that she wanted to be a teacher. During high school she was inspired to be like her history teacher when she’s older, and now she is pursuing that. “Coming into [the year], I had a lot of background in student teaching,” Dobbs said. “I wasn’t that afraid. I was also very

Student teacher Michelle Dobbs conducts class. Photo by Mr. Fornell.

Central College in Naperville and is majoring in Social Science History and Secondary Education. As a senior in college, she is required to student teach before getting her degree. “I was lucky enough to have Yorkville’s curriculum [focused] around my favorite subject, the Civil Rights Movement,” Dobbs said. “I love teaching this subject be-

cause I got to visit a lot of areas of the movement,” she said. Her biggest weakness is trying to be strict when she needs to be, but it can also be her biggest strength because her students open up to her. “My favorite moment being a teacher is when the kids get into the subject as much as I do and truly understand it,” Dobbs said. As a teacher, you have that moment that can make your day, and Dobbs loves seeing her students after they “get” something. Dobbs is a very educated, hardworking individual who will do anything to see her students enjoy what she loves to teach. “I teach to help kids know about the past,” Dobbs said. “I’m so passionate, putting my all into the work I do.” There is not a day that Dobbs is not helping a student.

You’ve been RAK’d By Jazman Murrie Everyone deserves to have a good day, even if it means that you do something as simple as write someone a note. That’s what a RAK is for. RAK stands for “random act of kindness”, and it’s something that you do for someone just to brighten their day. Ms.Tercs, who teaches Adult Living, Parenting, and AP Psychology at the main campus, uses RAK as a choice project for her students. Her Adult Living classes are doing it in first semester, and her Parenting classes are going to be doing it next semester. She has been offering the project for three years now. “I have honestly done the random acts of kindness myself since I can remember,” Tercs said. “Now I run Key Club and

the whole point [the club] is community service and helping out your community,” she said. The idea for RAK comes from the humor site “The Chive”. “They’re my favorite kind of people in the whole world because they are misfits with a heart of gold and they come together for good causes and touch a life to make a difference,” Tercs said. “I absolutely love it.” One example involves a student who lived in New Orleans. She had noticed several homeless people with pets in her city, so she decided to go and by a bag of dog treats. Each time she saw a pet, she gave it a treat and sat down to talk to some of the homeless people as well as give them what she could spare. Even if it’s just giving your time you can still make an amazing difference in someone’s life. Go ahead and RAK.

6 Powderpuff game a clear win for seniors Homecoming week activities include a killer football game by Yorkville’s senior ladies. By Jackson Gillette PreGame Seniors come out to make a statement by completing a two pete against the other girls and their classes. Heading into the game, senior coach Bryce Shewan said, “The sophomores will be our biggest opponent; everyone has said they will be good this year.” According to Shewan, “We had a lot of practices and we set the tempo very high. We plan on giving the ball to [se-

It’s a weight room, not a “wait” room New equipment and space benefits YHS athletes in training. By Dylan Souza 12 new racks with inlaid platforms, 25 yards of turf, 15 TRX stations, six cable columns and two sets of dumbbells: this is what athletes get to train with in the new weight room for their high school athletic career. According to Coach Chatman, “We earned it, we all earned it.” The new

The outsiders Students with different sports loyalties fight for their right to be fans By Melissa Frieders October can be an exciting time for fans of all sports. The NHL begins its new season, the NFL is in full swing, and postseason baseball begins. For most students at YHS, it’s easy

sports nior] Louisa [Washburn] and [senior] Semra [Memedovski]. They play hard and work well together.” Washburn was the powerhouse behind the senior offense, behind senior quarterback Haley Delgado, along with many other powers on offense. Senior coach Lee Humphrey, on the other hand, thought that it would be the juniors who would be the seniors’ biggest trouble. “It kind of brings confidence going into things. When you’re confident going into things, it always ends up well.” Humphrey said about the previous year as a coach with this team. Junior coach Austin Avery was disappointed in how their tournament came to an end last year, when as sophomores the group ended up in last place. Avery pushed hard in practice and thinks that the junior class

will get some redemption this year. “I think that our biggest trouble will be the senior class because they did win last year [as juniors],” Avery said. Junior Stephanie Schlicting didn’t play last year and came out this year with the hope of bettering her class team’s chances against the returning senior class. “I think that we will have to look out for the senior class. Mostly Louisa ,because she is really fast and is an all around athlete. I will make sure that she will not have anymore 80yard touchdowns,” Schlicting said.

weight room shows what Yorkville sports are all about: from cross country winning state championships like it’s nothing, to other sports putting in the work only to see great results, Yorkville has been put on the map finally. It was not the easiest thing in the world to get state-of-the-art equipment. The designing process took about a year and a half. Chatman and other coaches got together and made lists of what they wanted the most and they made rough drafts of how it would all fit. Chatman talked to different companies and just tried to figure out what

would work the best for the school. He finally came to an agreement and everyone couldn’t be happier. With cross country’s state title streak still going strong, it makes it easy to say that those athletes earned this new training facility. Other sports like football have also contributed after making the playoffs, and wrestling has always been a very strong competitor. Baseball players have also done well because of their off-season training. Most people don’t realize how much time and effort athletes put in. This weight room is another reward for all the hard

work student athletes put in to better themselves and be competitive in their sports. “The weight room gives our athletes and students a safer environment and an up-to-date style,” Chatman said. Coach Chatman loves this new weight room because it is a good place for athletes to train, for them to learn to be better teammates, and it is also a place to learn. The thought of not having to wait te minutes to get your main lift in also sounds pretty good. The new weight room has brought athletes and students closer together.

to rally together to support their favorite teams, like the Blackhawks, Bears, and Cubs. But for some students, circumstances have led them away from rooting for the same teams as their peers. Some students are born into their fandom. Senior football fan Cole Fahey is a third generation Green Bay Packers fan. “My grandpa grew up in Green Bay, and he lives like a block away

from Lambeau [Field], so my dad is a Packers fan, so I’m a Packers fan,” Fahey said. But students like senior baseball fan Cameron Wicker have opinions that differ from their families’. “They’re all Cubs fans, but I’m a Cardinals fan because I think they have the best catcher, Yadier Molina, and I think they have a really good program all together,”

Wicker explained. Recently the St. Louis Cardinals fell to the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series. “Now that the Cubs, won I’m mad that the Cardinals lost, but the Cubs better go win the World Series so that they can say that they lost to the champs,” Wicker said. Although their opinions may differ from those of their friends and family,

Post Game This year, seniors won the tournament, beating the sophomores in the championship game. “We got things

done, we did our jobs, that is what we do,” Shewan said after the game. “Haley Delgado took control as quarterback and did what she had to do to get the W, and we came out on top.” “The team came out and did the best that they could do and that’s all we could ask for,” Humphrey said. They left their powerful legacy here behind two years of wins in Powderpuff. The juniors ended up in third after a disappointing loss to the sophomore class with little time left in the game. “I think that we played pretty well,” Avery said. “We had a few hiccups that ended up getting at us in the end. Next year we are going to have more practices with the coaches because we only had one with the coaches this year.”

Oh, cubbies! Fans hope 2016 ends differently By Alexis Jernstad The Chicago Cubs finished an amazing 2015 season by returning to the post-season after seven years, and if the Cubs were to win the World Series, it would be the first championship in 107 years according to Sports Illustrated. “The Cubs have been doing phenomenal this season. I’m proud of their performance and their improvements throughout this season,” said secretary Mrs. Bara. “I honestly feel Jake Arietta has improved most this season and his pitching progressively got better. I feel like the Cubs will win against the Mets and win it all for the 2015 season.” Non-Cub fans are hoping they lose the playoff games so they’ll be out until next season. “I’m not even a Cubs fan, I’m a Cardinal’s fan, and to be honest the Cubs are doing surprisingly well this season,” senior Cameron Wicker said. The Cubs unfortunately lost the last playoff game against the New York Mets, which officially kicked them out of the playoffs. They won’t be playing again until the following 2016 season. Cubs fans all over were extremely upset; some were crying and some were too mad to even speak. Other Cubs fans left the stadium before the game even ended due to their rage and anger of the loss. the friendly competition does not get in the way of their friendships. When in season, both Fahey and Wicker agree that there is a lot of trash talking among friends about their favorite teams. Fahey jokes, “But the Packers are better, so it doesn’t matter.” Being given a hard time about their apparel is a small price to pay for supporting their team.

entertainment A hauntingly good time Students experience thrills and chills at area haunted houses during Halloween season By Tommy Romero Although science tells us that humans are driven to pursue pleasure and avoid pain, myriads of people pursue the chaos hidden in haunted houses every October. It seems that every town has its own haunted houses to attend, and each has its own personal touches to make it house unique. With all the possibilities, each horrific house has positives and negatives. Some of the best known haunted houses around Yorkville:

haunted house, Statesville is one of the most known haunted houses. Due to its fame, Statesville has many mixed reviews. Many people agree that the price is too high, and the lines take a while to get through. But on the other hand, with four houses adding to the horror, maybe people enjoy the different themes for each house. Statesville also has a zombie paintball house if you pay extra. “I think the houses were really cool, but it took forever to get in because the lines were so long,” senior Melissa Frieders said.

are typically shorter as well. Basement also has a separate clown house. “I thought this was better than Statesville just because it was cheaper and the lines were shorter,” senior Jake Snow said.

High school primer

13th Floor, Chicago ( http://13thfloorchicago. com/index.html ) Taking place in a cemetery, this haunted house has many different rooms and is one of Chicago’s best. For one of the houses, you go through a cemetery, and for another, an elevator takes you down to the haunted 13th floor. Many reviewers even said they had to leave due to how scary it’s been. Typically, lines get longer the closer to Halloween you go, especially on weekends, but loads of people enjoy it enough to wait anyways. Senior Alondra Sanchez said that she was scared, so it was definitely worth the money.

High school is probably not going to be the best four years of your life, but whether you like it or not, you are stuck here for all four years. However, there are a few tips you’ll learn by senior year that might help you enjoy it just a little more. Fortunately for you, you’ll learn them before it’s too late.

You don’t even necessarily have to commit to a college at the beginning of senior year, let alone a major or career. Don’t let adults scare you into thinking you have to make a decision earlier than you need to.

GO TO EVERYTHING.

The future is scary, but it can be a weight off your shoulders to get some decisions out of the way. Visit as many colleges as you can and apply for general scholarships so you don’t have to handle everything at once.

Statesville Haunted Prison, Lockport ( http://www. statesvillehauntedprison. com/ ) With over 40 rooms, 150 live actors, and 19 years of being a top

Basement of the Dead, Aurora ( http://42fear1-px. rtrk.com/ ) With two top rated haunted houses at the same location, Basement of the Dead is full of horrific scenes, many different rooms, themes, and great reviews, including several from adults leaving through emergency exits to escape as soon as possible. At a cheaper price than Statesville, lines at Basement of the Dead

Happy Halloween

can’t find a costume in the stores for the character you want to be.

kinds of great craft ideas on Pinterest, along with directons on how to make them.

If you didn’t celebrate in style, then you didn’t do it right.

● Try a scary make-up tutorial on the internet: do something simple or make it really realistic and scare some trick-or-treaters.

● Go to a halloween parade:look up some activities that go on in the area and go to some that you would like. Bonus: more free candy.

By Emily Gray Halloween is the time of year you can be whatever or whoever you want to be, so if you didn’t make it one to remember this year, use these tips to spend next Halloween doing something more than just trick-or-treating. ● Halloween Parties:grab a group of friends and make some fun scary themed snacks to eat while you visit and play games.

● Dress as a character you know or think is cool: go all out to the smallest detail and use a favorite tv character, music artist, etc. ● Go to a haunted house near you, or go to one that’s really going to scare your socks off: there are many in the area that do a great job of giving people the fright of their life (see suggestions above).

● Go to the movies: go see a movie that you have been wanting to see whether it’s scary or not.

● Stay home and and have a scary movie marathon: invite friends and eat the candy you bought instead of giving it out!

● Create your own costumes: it’s always fun to know you made something yourself if you

● Do some halloween crafts: decorate your house with scary little crafts that you made. You can find all

● Play some scary video games: go to a Red Box near you to rent one, or buy a scary game and play it with some friends. Just remember to keep the lights on! ● Give little gifts instead of candy: if you go to a halloween store you can find all kinds of cute gifts for trick-or-treaters, especially those with food allergies. Last but not least, don’t forget to take pictures. The most fun Halloween activity is getting to relive your past experiences again the next year.

Advice from a senior about how to maximize your high school years. By Bailey Shimp

Go to homecoming, go to football games, join as many clubs as you can. Even if you don’t think school spirit is your thing, try it all at least once-getting involved is better than just going through the motions. ONE WORD: ACCESS. This class was essentially made for procrastinators. Why do something at home when you can do it in Access the next day? WORK SMART, NOT HARD.

away when you’re a freshman, but one bad grade can bring down your cumulative GPA, and it’s a lot harder to bring it back up than it is to bring it down. DON’T FREAK OUT TOO MUCH.

BUT FREAK OUT A LITTLE BIT.

DON’T CLOSE YOURSELF OFF TO NEW PEOPLE. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have your best friends in every class. Talk to the random people in your classes-some might surprise you and wind up being a big part of your life.

Don’t take shortcuts on important assignments, but it is easy to figure out your teachers’ grading and classroom habits within the first few weeks of school. Some, for example, only grade homework for completion, not accuracy. Use this to your advantage.

MAKE MISTAKES.

TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING.

WHO CARES.

Pictures are the best way to keep memories. Photograph your friends, your family. Take as many as you can. Plus, it’s fun to look back as a senior and laugh at your awkward freshman self. TAKE SCHOOL SERIOUSLY. Senior year and college seem like decades

Don’t let being afraid get in your way. There’s a thin line between having fun and being careless, but without making a few mistakes here and there ,you’d never learn anything.

Life is a lot more fun once you stop caring if people think you’re weird. You’ll never see most of these people after you graduate anyway.

the final word

Decorating the Dorm The most exciting part of college is buying new stuff. Emily Krouse shows you how to live in technicolor on a black and white budget. College is fast approaching the current seniors, and one of the toughest decisions is ahead of themchoosing what to bring to college. Now obviously you can’t bring everything in your bedroom- so what DO you bring? Here is your College Checklist: Bedding- one thing to keep in mind is to keep it simple. Most college students have at least one roommate, and you may not like the same things. Choosing a more neutral color and decorating with accent pillows may be best. A plain comforter is about $18.00 at Target. Sheets are about $16.00 at Target as well. Adding an accent pillow is around $16.00 as well. Remember that the beds are Twin XL!

All over that social media FoxTales and Mi-Y-Hi yearbook move into the twentyfirst century. That’s right, readers. You can now find both the YHS newspaper, FoxTales, and our yearbook, Mi-Y-Hi, on social media. Why now? Because, dear readers, we need your help. We are only human, and we can’t always make it to every event or game or meeting. Please be our eyes! Follow us on Twitter @yorkvillejourno. Send us things!

Total Cost: $50.00 Organization- No matter how hard they try, most people bring more clothes to college that can fit in their tiny closets. The best way to maximize space is to buy a closet organizer. This Hanging Sweater Shelves, found on Dormco.com, is around the price of $10.00. Be sure to bring lots of hangers as well. When doing your laundry at school (or bringing it home to your mom) a laundry hamper is important. Most students use a collapsible mesh laundry bag found at Kohls, bought for about $18.00. Another key part of organization is a shower caddy, which can be found at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for about $13.00. Using these organizational tools will not only give you more space, but really make it feel more like home!

Total Cost: $41.00 Keep in mind other things you can use to make your room your own. Whether it’s a coffee maker, some posters, or your pet fish, make the most out of your college dorm and out of your whole college experience. Time flies fast, so be sure to enjoy it while you can! (images courtesy target.com, kohls.com, and bedbathandbeyond.com)

Out of Sight Travel smart for maximum fun By Lina Shakhanova Travelling abroad is always an exciting, helpful, and expensive hobby. So what if you decided to have some rest from your everyday routine and bought a ticket to an unexplored land? After choosing a country or a town and a way of reaching your destination, you might open your suitcase and realize that you don’t know what to take with you. As an exchange student attending Yorkville High School, I am here to help. We had to prepare

ourselves for a whole year in a country we have never been to. Some of the things we brought were necessary, but there are also things that we realized we have never used. Here is our comprehensive list, which also includes tips about how to have an amazing experience: Travel Tips • Make two copies of your documents; leave one of each at home or with a reliable person. This will help you in case you lose an original. • Look up the appropriate monetary conversion and make sure that your credit card will work in your chosen country. Don’t rely

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only on credit cards; you should bring local cash, too. Bring a map with you if you are traveling once you arrive. Look up whether or not your destination country needs a charger adapter and buy that before your flight. Some of airplanes have sockets in them! Pack an extra set of clothes in your carryon. Bring snacks on the airplane. If there’s a need, bring copies of your national dish recipes. Exchange students need that for presentations and sharing our culture. Take photos of your luggage in case it gets lost.

• Write down your expectations for the trip. Put the letter in an envelope and hide it to read later. After traveling, compare your expectations to reality. • Bring any medicine that you will need. • Load up some movies and music on your laptop to watch during the flight. • Don’t take too many clothes. If you need something, stores are always open for customers.

a few important phrases to get you around. • Take your hosts up on every opportunity they offer for sightseeing. You are here for an experience, not to sleep all day long! • Compare countries, but don’t decide which one is better or worse. The phrase “Not better, not worse, just different” should be your slogan. Even if something is not normal in your country, just don’t pay attention and enjoy.

Enjoy the Experience • Try new food. If it makes you feel sick, stop and try something different. • Learn the language of your destination country, or at the very least,

Now that you are ready, check for the passport, luggage and cell phone. That’s why you should always arrive an hour earlier for any flight. Hurry up! Your destination and a fun trip await.