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S P E C TAT O R Volume 89 Number 7
1500 West Kennedy Road Lake Forest, IL 60045
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May 13, 2011
Caxy math team wins at state By Bailey Ayers Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Witmer and Associates
Witmer and Associates is the architect firm that will be helping LFA add the seats to Cressey Auditorium.
110 Cressey seats to be added By Bailey Ayers Staff Writer When new freshman walk into the Cressey Center at the beginning of school next year they will see Cressey; however, when returning students walk in they will see a larger, expanded Cressey altered to fit the growing LFA community. Cressey was built 10 years ago and when it was built it could house the entire student body, faculty, and staff. However, as is obvious during any morning meeting, LFA has outgrown Cressey. If the new construction plan goes as planned, Cressey will soon have a seat for everyone. Thanks, in part, to the money raised at the recent LFA Spring Gala, the construction will consist of knocking out the back walls into the storage area surrounding the light booth and moving the light booth back and reducing
the size. Once the wall has been knocked out, two to four rows will be added on all three sides and 110 seats will be added. Construction will begin after graduation and will be finished by time school starts in the fall. Chief Financial Officer Andrew Kerr, said, “Funding will come from Trustees, Parents, Alumni, friends of the school, faculty, and staff who donated both annually and through the Gala.” According to Kerr, the new seats will look almost identical to the seats there now. The same company will manufacture the new seats as the original ones. The construction company who built Cressey will do the construction for this project. Overall, students tend to be excited about the project. “I think that having new seats in Cressey will be a really good addition to our school,” said sophomore Calin Cave. “It is definitely inconvenient when there aren’t enough seats for everyone.
Photo by Sophia Salsbury
The back wall of this section in the auditorium will be pushed back in order to create more space.
The LFA Math team won two championships and took two other medals at the recent Illinois State Math Competition. That followed a dominant performance by the Caxys at Regionals and added to LFA’s string of recent impressive performances. With such a small team of 15- 20 students this is an incredible accomplishment. Although the team did not qualify, as a whole, for the state team competition, numerous students qualified individually or with smaller group to compete in their events. “Every member of the math team was excited to participate in the state math tournament,” said Robert Lee. “We won 2nd place at the regional competition, despite being short-handed, and I felt we would do well at State.” Lee has been a big contributor to the success of the math team during his time at LFA. Freshman Oh Joon Kwon and John Luttig won the State Championship for the two-person Freshman/ Sophomore team. Kwon also led the 8-person Freshman/ Sophomore team which took first place at State, having a full complement of team members this time, unlike Regionals. Angel Zhang won fifth place in the individual Geometry category, and Lee took tenth in the Algebra 2 Individual competition. The team made a powerful impact on the Regional Competition despite being small. The Freshman/ Sophomore eight person team won first place despite only having four people: Kwon, Luttig, Zhang, and Zunaira Arshad. March Patikorn won first place in the Precalculus individual competition. Kwon received first place in the Algebra I individual competition. There was a five-way tie for first place in the Algebra II individual competition, including Lee, Yunshu Dong, and Tiger Tian. Both the Junior/ Senior and Freshman/ Sophomore two- person teams won first place. The Algebra II and Pre-calculus teams both won first place as well. “Competing with larger schools makes it harder to score points for the team competition,” said sophomore Zunaira Arshad about competing in an eightperson category with only four people.
10 8-9 15 Disrespect in Hutch
See page 10
Keeenan Johnson leads baseball team to success
Two new state laws that could affect you
See page 8
See page 15
lfa spectator
news 2
may 13, 2011
World News Howard Dubin: LFA Alum with a life-long Roundup dedication to journalism
Assembled by Mary Kate Hayes and Ariana BhaNews Editors tia
Obama’s forces kill Osama bin Laden
Information from CNN (CNN) Obama marked May 1, 2011 as “a good day for America” regarding Osama bin Laden’s death. A DNA match and photographs of the body confirm the success of the operation. US forces invaded a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The compound was located only 30 miles north of Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. The operation was originally intended to kill the al Qaeda leader, not take him alive. The death of the 9/11 plotter caused crowds of patriotic Americans everywhere to celebrate.
Photo Courtesy of Tribune Media Services Osama bin Laden topped FBI’s Most Wanted list.
NATO airstrike leaves Gadhafi family members dead
Information from CNN A NATO airstrike in Libya killed Moammar Gadhafi’s son and three of his son’s children. Gadhafi and his wife were also in the targeted house but are in good health. The Libyan government has declared to retaliate with “death to invaders in the nation.” On May 1st, unoccupied Western embassies were vandalized. The attack is being called an “illegal act” and a “war crime.” Not only were there fatalities, but the attack demolished the house in Tripoli, creating a immense crater.
Pope John Paul II beatification rallies Catholic support
Information from CNN Devoted Catholics gathered in Rome to celebrate the declaration of Pope John Paul II as “blessed,” the level below sainthood. Pope Benedict the XVI beatified Pope John Paul II and a large tapestry with a youthful picture of John Paul II in the beginning of his papacy was revealed. The crowd at the Vatican was believed to be the largest since the funeral in 2005, more than a million Catholics showed up in Rome. Many of the pilgrims chanted for Pope John Paul II’s consideration into sainthood.
Hong Kong sets minimum wage
Information from CNN In order to lessen Hong Kong’s wealth gap, a minimum wage was implemented for the first time. The new $3.60 minimum wage has created some criticism. Business complain about the costliness, business leaders predict that small business will have to fire workers, and critics say the minimum wage goes against Hong Kong’s free market. But the move to a minimum wage is expected to benefit “street sweepers, secu-
By Ariana Bhatia News Editor Almost 60 years ago, Mr. Howard Dubin was a senior at LFA in charge of the St. Patrick’s Day issue of The Spectator (which he decided to print in green ink). Today, Dubin is a well-established journalist who is both Chairman and treasurer of Manufacturers’ News Inc, the company he bought just seven years out of high school. Howard Dubin, LFA class of ’50, has followed his passion and dedicated his life to Journalism. He has also become an internationally-renowned supporter of Journalism. Anyone who has watched the BBC News on American public television has heard the promotional announcement that followed many broadcasts: “Tonight’s broadcast of the BBC News was made possible by a grant from the Howard and Ursula Dubin Foundation.” Coming from a journalistic family, Dubin was steered towards the industry from childhood. However, he didn’t jump in right away. After graduating LFA, he and a fellow LFA grad toured the country from coast to coast. “We hit most of the jazz stops throughout the country,” commented Dubin. The trip was such a success; he decided to do it again— but this time on a larger scale. Fresh out of college, Dubin and a fellow Northwestern grad toured over 30 different countries from South America, to South East Asia. The trip was an eye-opening journey. Not only did they both meet their future wives in Germany, but they also gained life experience. “I learned that I hadn’t learned very much in my college career about the world...I learned about the economics and the politics of all these countries,” Dubin recalled. While most who graduate from the Medill School of Journalism chase the hard-hitting news stories, Dubin forged a unique path as he went into the business of journalism. He became an expert in helping journalism groups manage their finances. Seven years out of high school he
revived the then dormant com-
Wall Street Journal, Chicago
pany Manufactures’ News Inc. His original plan was to work on the firm’s annual directory for six months and travel for the other six. “I heard about this company in London and they were publishing a dictionary and they were like 10 years behind deadline, and I thought that’s the kind of thing I want, to publish an annual and not have to worry so much about the deadline,” said Dubin. However, the firm quickly flourished and now publishes 51 annual directories, keeping Mr. Dubin more than busy. “I had no employees when I started and then we got as high as 134 employees,” he commented. Manufactures’ News Inc. publishes an annual book for every state and serves as a specialized database of American manufacturers online. Additionally, Dubin sponsors English-speaking versions of foreign language television for the PBS stations as well as sponsors BBC. While Dubin acknowledges that his is not the purest form of journalism, he is very active in the Society of Professional Journalists. He has been a member of the national board for 9 years and on the foundation board for over 30. Originally starting out in the local chapter, the Chicago Headline Club, Dubin moved on to be on the chapter’s board of directors and served as chapter president. Currently, he serves as treasurer to the society. “They always need somebody who knows how to run a business,” commented Dubin. When asked what he thought the future of journalism, Dubin didn’t doubt the future of the industry but questioned the medium it will come to be delivered in. “It will always be there, it won’t be delivered on paper... but somebody has to produce the content and the readers are going to have to pay for the content... they can’t expect to get it for free,” he stated. Still an “old fashioned newspaper guy,” as he put it, Dubin reads the New York Times,
Tribune, and Dailey Northwestern each day. Rather than one favorite writer, Dubin follows a few choice writers such as David Brooks and Jonathan Alter. While he feels the columnists in America are still “pretty good,” Dubin finds the social media making journalism increasingly superficial. “I want to know the news in depth...I want to know why and what’s the background behind what’s happening and you can’t get that on the social media. Everybody’s in it but are they really being informed?” said Dubin, “Nowadays American newspapers and television stations, when there’s a crisis, they’ll parachute into a place and report on the action that’s happening but they don’t have anyone there full time to know how that story developed.” His biggest complaint lies in the fact that newspapers today spend too much time on trivial matters such as “Gaga and the Brits’ wedding.” Despite these objections, Dubin continues to give back to the journalistic community. Through the Howard and Ursula Dubin foundation, he supports “journalists and other animals,”—quite literally. The foundation supports journalism groups through out the country as well as animal organizations because of his daughter’s love for animals. Furthermore, Dubin has endowed a scholarship in Pepperdine University for students looking to go into web and internet journalism. Dubin offered parting words of advice for high school students looking at journalism as a career. “Number one, do it. Don’t be afraid of journalism because of the changing media structure...I also advise them to become globally knowledgeable,” said Dublin “You do run into dangers and problems but it makes for an exciting and interesting life.”
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may 13, 2011
2011-2012 All School President: Casey Coulter By Georgiana Wagemann Managing Editor This past month, the LFA community elected Casey Coulter as the All-School President for the 2011-2012 school year. Coulter defeated three excellently qualified candidates to gain the position. He not only used a clever video, but also delivered a powerful speech to the community at All School Meeting, both establishing his presence and creating a lasting imprint on the minds of students and faculty. Why did he run for the presidency? “I felt as though I can really represent the LFA student body; I just felt as though I should,” said Coulter. And he most definitely does embody the impressive qualities that make LFA such a unique community. Not only did Coulter deliver his speech with an immediate affability and confidence, he also revealed other characteristics that may serve him well as president.
“I was born in Ottawa and raised in Montreal,” said Coulter. “Then I moved to Lake Forest, followed by Paris and London, eventually coming back here.” Many people might view this continuous change of pace as disruptive and difficult, but Coulter believes that it built character as he was able to learn from the experiences he had. Coulter also showed the LFA community that he has a defined sense of humor. Singing to the tune of a well-known song from “The Hangover,” Coulter worked a pair of shades and strummed a guitar while stating some changes he desired to make. The video basically went viral throughout the LFA Facebook community, as it was viewed byand commented on- by countless students. “It was just something fun to do to show off some of my creativity,” Coulter said. And Coulter plans on bringing the same creativity to the job next year. As he outlined in his speech, Coulter has plans to elaborate on some of current
Assembled by Ariana Bhatia and Mary Kate Hayes News Editors
May 12th-13th One Act plays
Students in theater concentration will be directing student plays starting at 7:00 p.m. both nights
May 13th - End of AP Exams AP exams end with Spanish Literature. Newly elected All School President Casey Coulter.
president KC Chilamkurti’s recent incorporations. “I intend to expand the LFA Stud Council website to include more information, but more importantly a voting system to allow for a majority vote. I’m also going to create a monthly newsletter in order for everyone to be informed,” he announced. Clearly, the presidentelect is not opposed to pushing the boundaries – and taking on some extra work -- to make certain that the entire LFA community is well-informed. But for the moment,
Photo by Sophia Salsbery
Coulter’s plan will have to wait as Chilamkurti finishes out his senior year and his term of office. However, he does have some current responsibilities, including counting the votes for the most recent Student Council elections and running the unforgettable annual game of Senior Assassin. Coulter himself anxiously awaits his own senior year, assuring that it should be great. Said Coulter, “I really want everyone to have as much fun next year as I try to do every year.”
Nuclear disaster in Japan forces Illinois to consider local power plants By Ariana Bhatia News Editor In light of the ongoing nuclear disaster in Japan, the concern about nuclear power plants in the U.S. has increasingly been discussed. The issue of nuclear plants in Illinois, in particular, has raised many fears. Of the 104 nuclear plants in the nation, 11 are in Illinois—the highest number of plants in any single state. Four of these 11 plants have the same Mark 1 design as the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor that failed. All four were given 20-year license extensions after exceeding their estimated 40-year life spans by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Exelon Corp, parent of ComEd, currently owns all eleven of the plants in Illinois. Ten of the nuclear power plants are within a 200 miles radius of LFA. When asked if they thought anything like the Fukushima disaster could occur near LFA, students gave mixed responses.
“Speaking in terms of nuclear disasters, I don’t think we are well prepared at all. I even didn’t know there was a major fault line in Illinois until today and what the protocols are if such disaster were to occur,” said senior Sandy Cho. “I think there needs to be more awareness regarding disasters and what the citizens could do if it were to occur.” “Certainly nothing of the same caliber as the disaster in Japan would happen in the Midwest—partially due to the surrounding area—tsunami proof with plenty of water to cool any overheated reactors,” junior Sophia Smith argued. “I believe that we are as ready as anyone else. No one knows when something that terrible can happen,” said sophomore Katie Reid-Anderson, “All we can do is look at what has happened and prepare ourselves based upon what the Japanese couldn’t do.”
A majority agreed with freshman Caroline Duckworth on the fact that if a nuclear disaster were to occur, she “would freak out and not know what to do, but want to get as far away as possible.” There are “numerous and redundant safety systems,” insisted John Rowe, Exelon Chairman, in a recent media interview. However the Nuclear Information and Resource service has stated the Mark 1 design of the Dai-ichi reactors had fundamental safety flaws. “Most U.S. reactors can withstand only a 4-hour blackout, as opposed to the 8-hour time frame of the Japanese reactors,” said David Lochbaum, a nuclear engineer and a member of the union of Concerned Scientists, “dozens of U.S. reactors fail federal fire protection regulations.” “You can’t make them disaster-proof,” conceded Professor James Stubbins, head of the
University of Illinois’ Department of Nuclear Engineering. Contrary to common knowledge there is a major fault line called the New Madrid Seismic Zone that exists downstate. While it is not the biggest earthquake zone in the nation, nor are any of the plants built directly over it, it has experienced earthquakes up to a magnitude of 7.5 or 8.0 on the Richter
May 14th - Ra Weekend and New Family Day
Outdoor celebrations will be held for Ra Weekend and New Family Day.
May 15th- Final House Cup Competition & Co-Ax Dress rehersal The final house cup competition of the year will be from 1:00- 3:00 p.m. and the Co-Ax rehersal will go from 1:00-5:00 p.m.
May 17th- Cum Laude Induction Ceremony
New members of the Cum Laude society will be inducted after classes
May 18th- Pops Concert
The choir and orchestra’s spring concert will be at 7:00 p.m.
May 24-26 Final Exams
Final Exams start with language exams at 8:30 scale— a.m. on the 24th
large enough to create problems.
As the Japanese struggle to contain the spreading radiation, Illinois senators have moved to further ensure the safety of plants at home. The current areas where improvement are needed include expanding evacuation zones, as well as keeping a greater supply of potassium iodide pills—pills that help prevent radiation-caused thyroid cancer.
May 27th Move Up Day
Move-Up Day rehearsal is at 11:00 a.m. followed by the ceremony at 2:00 p.m.
May 28th- Graduation
Graduation begins at 2:00 p.m.
lfa spectator
Around Campus
lfa spectator
news 4
Robotics club
may 13, 2011
Takes 20th out of 51 in competition By Eric Clamage Editor-in-Chief
In only its first year of existence, Lake Forest Academy Robotics Club has already successfully participated in a regional robotics competition. Led by junior Alex Pankhurst, the first-year club took 20th place out of 51 teams at a recent competition held in Milwaukee. Competing against teams from six states and two foreign countries, the team added to its accolades by winning the award for highest- ranked rookie team. The team included Simon Lee, Kai Chang, Casper Clausen, March Patikorn, Andy Lee, Ben Shaughnessy, Jackie Domrowski, John Luttig, and Alex Pankhurst. The faculty sponsors were Mr. Phil Schwartz and Mr. Keith Cameron. “As a rookie team, we did well at the competition,”
said Schwartz. “The entire process was an excellent learning experience, and now that we
have seen what our competitors are capable of building, we realize that to compete at a higher level next year we will need to improve our design and build skills.” “We spent most of our time learning how to wire and build a base in order to add on to. Once we had the basic robot driving around, we then worked together in order to build a simple but efficient arm that would be able to lift the tubes while competing,” explained Pankhurst about the planning process. The team was given only six weeks to complete a robot that could move freely and lift tubes to put them in specific places. Pankhurst explained that the group spent two hours per night, five nights per week, and 30 hours on the final week-
end in order to finish the robot. The team was sponsored by JC Penny, which donat-
ed most of the $8,000 needed to build the robot. “We are looking for people interested in: mechanics, electronics, industrial design, artistic skills, web design, car-driving skills, video game skills, strategic planning and critical thinking, and creative problem-solving skills to join the group next year,” stated senior Casper Clausen. “Right now, the team is continuing to work each week in order to further our skills in different areas such as pneumatics,” noted Pankhurst. “A large amount of people have come to ask to join the team for next year, so I think as years go on the team will grow to be very big and popular amongst students.” Simon Lee works on the robotics teams robot.
Phot courtesy of Alex Pankhurst
LFA spring break trip to India By Eric Clamage Editor-in-Chief LFA has a tradition of international trips and service opportunities for its students. One of the latest editions of that tradition was this year’s trip to India where students and faculty spent almost two weeks doing community service and touring the country. The trip was an offshoot of this year Head of School Symposium which focused on India, Pakistan, and other parts of South East Asia. Mr. Justin Jones and Head of School Dr. John Strudwick organized the trip with help of GYLI (Global Youth Leadership Institution). Students who took part in the trip included: Nadeem Bandealy, Brian Challenger, Kai-Hsiang Chang, Beatriz Chufani, Oh Joon Kwon, Shao-An Lee, Shao-Ping Lee, Michael O’Doherty, Keying Que, Abigail Ripoli, Mariel Rogozinski, Devan Rottman, Jerome Sacherer, Christopher Shadek, Christopher Siemasko, Jae Young Soh, Catalina Todd, and Nancy Wang. Faculty members on the trip
were: Jones, Dr. James Quillin, Ms. Kathleen Schlosser, and Ms. Loring Strudwick. “One of the goals of the trip was to look at the poverty and economic situations in India, as well as do service learning,” Jones said. In Mumbai the group worked with the SPARC (the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers) doing service learning in a slum that housed approximately seven million people. In the city of Pune, the group worked with the environment, specifically in the area of transportation and waste management. “Our biggest service opportunity consisted of us planting trees in one of the most polluted cities in India. We planted a few trees on a large mountain, between the seemingly endless sea of buildings, and watered the plants for hours in the hot sun by forming a bucket brigade,” noted senior Catalina Todd. On one of the days on the trip, the group did a village home stay where the students were able to stay with a native family. During that day, the stu-
dents helped plant crops, manage livestock, and cook meals. Many of the students and faculty agreed that the best memory that had on the trip was participating in the holiday Holi. “My best memory was celebrating Holi, which consisted of throwing powdered pigments while shouting happy Holi! Everyone enjoyed being covered in colors and celebrating with many strangers. It really helped us feel connected to the cultures and people of India,” explained Todd. Jones’ favorite memory on the trip was crossing the streets in India. He talked about how there are no traffic patterns and it is complete chaos. “Crossing the streets was very interesting, you could die at any moment. Traffic in the U.S. is nothing compared to India. We even saw a family of five riding in one motorcycle,” he recalled. English teacher Kathleen Schlosser added that observing people and walking through markets and bazaars were among her favorite mo-
LFA students pose in front of the Taj Mahal.
ments on the trip. “My favorite thing that we did was exploring the Amber Fort in Jaipur,” said Dr. Quillin. “It is an amazing fortress/palace built into the side of a mountain. Inside it’s like a three-dimensional maze with countless temples, audience chambers, secret passages, etc. I could have spent many more hours exploring it.” Just about everyone that went on the trip said that they hoped they would go back
Photo courtesy of Beatriz Chufani
to India in a few years in order to see how the country develops. “In the meantime, we can try to raise money for clean water and building projects,” stated freshman Michael O’Doherty, when asked what the community of LFA can do to help India in future years. “I think most importantly, we need to keep an open and positive outlook on India because it is growing at such a quick pace,” noted Jones.
ar ts and enter tainment 5
fame
LFA Students get over 2,000 hits By Mary Kate Hayes News Editor Four Lake Forest Academy students have unexpectedly caught the attention of over more than a thousand YouTube viewers and a larger, internet-based audience. Freshmen Cole Simpson and Mikey Lozicki, junior Ryan Arnett, and senior Dimitri Kapetan gained internet popularity by chance recently. “Dorm Wars” was a pranking contest consisting of two teams; one was Simpson and Arnett. The team set out on their first prank: scaring Lozicki. Lozicki was kept away from Simpson’s room, and Arnett had climbed into Simpson’s wardrobe. Simpson set up a camera on his desk to make sure the prank was recorded. The YouTube video entitled “Dorm Wars: Wardrobe Prank” captured the hilarious scene in which Arnett popped out of the wardrobe as Lozicki entered the room. Arnett began to fall, and the wardrobe came down with him. The top of the dresser did in fact hit Lozicki. “Although he was in some pain after he watched the video,” Arnett recalled, “he couldn’t help but laugh.” It was then that the students realized the humorous potential of their “fail” video. Simpson cleaned up and edited the video. He then uploaded the video onto YouTube. The video itself includes regular
motion, slow motion, and reverse motion, allowing viewers to realize the candidness and comedy of the prank. In only a short amount of time, the video became an almost instant success. “In about two weeks we already had about 2,000 views,” said Arnett. “I never expected it to become so big so fast.” But, the video’s popularity reached newer levels when the students found themselves with an offer from TruTV. The company wanted to show the video on two shows: “It Only Hurts When I Laugh” and “Top 20 Most Shocking.” Much to the students’ surprise, the video has earned them $700 in fees from the TV shows. Additionally, the video is on various websites such as “Failblog” and “Huffington Post.” The video is also seen in a collection of “fail” videos called “Biggest Fails of February 2011.” The success has been an unexpectedly revealing experience for the Warner dorm residents. “It surprised me how it really took off,” commented Kapetan. “I really didn’t think much about it at the time. I thought it was jut going to be another video that we would watch for fun.” The video is easily searchable, again showing its popularity. Search “Wardrobe Prank” on YouTube and the first video that comes up is the prank involving four LFA students.
A screenshot of the YouTube video “Dorm Wars: Wardrobe Prank”
Image Courtesy of YouTube
Choir takes trip to New York and returns with musical memories By Rickey Larke Op-Ed Editor
Continuing old traditions, the Lake Forest Academy choir took New York City by storm last month during its three- day trip to the Big Apple. The choir, headed by Mr. Tim Plambeck made a Thursdaythrough-Sunday visit where students got to take a big bite out of the musical and theatrical life of New York City. The choir had two singing engagements, one at St. Paul’s Chapel across from the World Trade Center site, and the other during their Lincoln Center
tour. Then the group managed to see three musicals, including Sister Act, while on their visit. “The kids got to do a little bit of everything from singing to watching musicals, to dancing; and in between all of that, we got to check out a really cool city,” said Plambeck about the itinerary for the trip as he showed off all the pictures and videos. According to Plambeck, the highlight of the photo album was surprising a video which showed the entire choir at a special dance rehearsal and learning the chorography of one of Broadways most popular musicals of
the year, Anything Goes. The video, which features a very high tempo and upbeat dance, was just one of the more amazing things planned for the choir that weekend, but a another fan favorite seemed to come outside of the musical realm when the choir members visited the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. “I had a former student that I taught at my old school who got us some passes to see the entire stadium,” explained Plambeck, as he showed pictures of Caxys in the Yankee dugout. “That was something we had
never done before so it was awesome for those people who have already gone to New York to have a new experience like that.” The trip itself was musical in nature, but many students came home with non-musical memories. “My favorite part was visiting Yankee Stadium, definitely,” said junior Reggie White, “because I play baseball too. It was really cool we could do that, but riding the train was cool because we got to hear all types of performers in the stations and you don’t find that a lot in Chicago.” Junior Laura Davey
added that between Catch Me if You Can, Sister Act, and Anything Goes, Sister Act was the best musical and a must-see if you find yourself on Broadway. “The best part was not only seeing them all, because they sang so beautifully, but also meeting the actors after which was awesome,” added Davey According to Plambeck, the trip was also a great time for the students to just forget about LFA life, tests, and studying, and to enjoy a wonderful city and wonderful music for three days.
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Failed prank turns into
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ar ts & enter tainment 6
Co-ax celebrates 25th year anniversary By Andrea Shen A&E Editor Twenty five years… a quarter of a century. No student, and at least one teacher, currently at LFA has been alive that long. But Co-ax, LFA’s faculty-student rock band, will celebrate its 25th anniversary on May 16th this year. “Co-ax started in 1986 as a faculty band for us just to be rock stars, even though we were teachers,” remembered Co-ax’s faculty advisor Mr. Steve Ryder. “A couple of students helped us out, since we didn’t have a lead guitarist.” Over the years, Co-ax became a club, held concerts, and gained recognition within the community. Although there were only five members when Co-ax was first founded, the group has expanded in size since then, with 15 students and three teachers, Ryder, Mr. Alec Anderson and
Dr. James Quillin, taking part this year. “It slowly gained credibility over the years and became something that people really liked around the school,” said Ryder. “When Cressey was built, that was when [Co-ax] really took off. Parents got really involved. People realized that we weren’t just about playing music, but we were also about teaching leadership skills and organizational skills, and teaching people to be more confident through performing.” “I personally have learned a lot more about music than I would have found out on my own. You can learn a lot from your peers, and it’s great to be around such talented people. We hope the community appreciates the hard work we put into what we do,” said sophomore Kemmer Cope. To celebrate its 25th year
anniversary, the group has held a T-shirt designing contest and has invited many of its alumni members back for the spring concert on May 16. “There’s going to be a big reception afterwards. We’re going to get a lot of alumni flying in from different places. Hopefully it will be a great turnout, and we’re going to have a big alumni jam at the end of the concert,” said Ryder. Co-ax performs at two All-School Meetings, LFA’s annual Spring Gala, and holds a winter and spring concert during the year. The band has also played at off-campus venues; in past years, Co-ax has participated in the Battle of the Bands in Lake Forest. This year, the band teamed up with Harvesting Hope and performed at AJ Katzenmaier School in North Chicago as part of Enrichment Day. Co-ax plays a wide
may 13, 2011
range of music genres, including some that were hugely popular in past decades, such as heavy metal, jazz, blues, classic rock, disco, reggae, rap, and hip hop. “We play a wide variety of music. The one thing we play the most has to be classic rock, but we’ve played anything from rock, to reggae, to soul, to Korean pop music,” said four-year Co-ax member Jack Schweighauser. Throughout the years, Co-ax has achieved great success and has become a prominent aspect of the LFA community. “Everything about Coax is great, but my favorite part about Co-ax is performing. Going up to perform on stage in front of my teachers and fellow students is such a great feeling. As for the future, I hope Co-ax will still have the same presence in the community,” said Schweighauser.
Phioto Courtesy of Alexandra Campbell
Senior Justin Kim plays at recent all school meeting.
Theater Concentration students direct One-Acts By Sophia Salsbery Photo Editor One of the many things to look forward to as the yearend festivities begin at LFA will be the One Act plays on May 12 and 13 at 7 p.m. Although students from every grade level participate, whether it be directing or acting, this year there are quite a few seniors who will be having their final moments in the theater of Cressey. For senior Catalina Todd, doing her third One Act play is not making her nervous. She does expect the usual adrenaline rush of making sure everything is ready for the show and that her actors know their lines memorized. Her play is called “Stuck”, starring Rickey Larke and Jamie Balkin. Not all of the seniors have had three years of directing under their belts; Emily Kulas has spent a lot of time onstage but she has never been behind the scenes. “Because it’s my first time directing, I am taking baby steps for the whole process. It takes a lot more thought than I originally believed,” said Kulas, who will be directing “Pop Culture Anarchist” by Jillian Gates. Not all of the directors are working with a published script. In fact, Graham Harwood wrote his One Act play, “Serving Our Future” starring Matt Stevens, Will Stolarski, Tom Gallagher, Miriam Fraga, and Jacqueline Cooper. How does one go about choosing the proper One Act play to direct? After sifting through numerous 10-minute plays Greta Nagel eventually chose “Missed Connections”, which will star freshmen Madeline Pattis and Emily Meyer. “I liked it because it has strong female roles and because of the transformations that occur with the characters by the end of the play,” said Nagel. Junior Jessica Gunderson chose a play she recently had to recite in class called “Barbies”, which will star Chinara Hill, Carina Baker, and Beverly Li. Mercedes Nagel eventually settled on “The Find” by Susan Sandler, starring Caroline Hale and Tommy Clarke. Another One Act to keep an eye out for is an excerpt from “Proof” directed by Jerome Sacherer. Break a leg!
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may 13, 2011
We love Mrs. Zaiff! S P E C T A T O R STAFF LIST
Quiet and kind, she is often the first face many LFA students see at school every day. Her ready smile and sense of humor often distract us from how organized and skilled she is at doing her job. She checks students into school in the morning. She signs students out of school when they are done for the day. She is the friendly, but professional, face that we see in the Dean of Students Office every time we pass by. Mrs. Teresa Zaiff is a someone we all count on and appreciate very much, but her hard work and care for students sometimes goes unnoticed. We all probably don’t show Mrs. Zaiff enough gratitude for the myriad of tasks she does behind the scenes that helps the school day run smoothly. Without Mrs. Zaiff, a student who did not have class at the end of the day would have to linger around campus, waiting to leave until 3 pm. Without Mrs. Zaiff, students would not be able to schedule planned absences. Without Mrs. Zaiff, seniors would not be able to sign out for lunch in the middle of the day. She helps us notify home when something happens and helps home get messages to us when we are in classes. In addition, Mrs. Zaiff seems to have an endless supply of care for us and a willingness to help students whenever they
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy
Mrs. Zaiff helping an LFA student in the Dean of Students Office.
may need it. She has even driven students, especially boarding students, to appointments or places they need to go, if they do not have transportation. Mrs. Zaiff can even be seen tossing candy to students during the day, a pickme-up that every high school student loves. Mrs. Zaiff even seems to know every student’s name, indicative of her genuine interest in the Lake Forest Academy community. As if she doesn’t already do enough, Dean of Students
Chris Tennyson explained that Mrs. Zaiff hopes to become more involved in community service in the 2011-2012 school year by helping Mrs. Collins or lending the current clubs a helping hand. All in all, her sincere care for our community and happiness to be at LFA shines through every day, and should not go unnoticed.
With the amount of service learning opportunities available at LFA, it is impossible for any student to say they have never found an opportunity for service. In fact, LFA is so dedicated to promoting service learning, they reserve an entire day for students to partake in volunteer jobs around the community. However, with LFA’s undying commitment to community service, students often start to feel bombarded with the amount of service projects, many of which require fund raising, that are simultaneously going on in the school. Sure, clubs should be able to raise money for community projects through school drives and raffles, but when five different clubs are doing the exact same thing, community
service all of a sudden become a nuisance rather than a voluntary effort. Also, with monetary donations, students are put in a hard position because they have to decide which club to promote. No one wants to have to decide whether to give money to Feed the Children or the Earthquake Relief Fund. Since many service clubs that fundraise use charge sheets to collect donations, some students merely charge multiple donations to their parents’ account, perhaps without consulting their parents. How much community service is it when you are spending someone else’s money? Instead of having multiple vague service projects going on simultaneously, LFA, as a school, should determine
Editors-in-Chief News Editors Managing Editor Feature Editor Sports Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Op-Ed Editors Entropica Editor Photo Editors Staff Writers
Eric Clamage Lucy Emery Taylor Jenkins Ariana Bhatia Mary Kate Hayes Georgiana Wagemann Lucy Irungu Chris Boudreaux Takia Broomfield Andrea Shen Rickey Larke Natasha Patel Erica Lewis Mark Yingling Kathleen Kennedy Sophia Salsbery Matt Stevens Grace Coburn Carina Baker Phil Pray Zunaira Arshad Jane Xu Sarah Clark Mimi Moses
Faculty Adviser
William Murphy
PUBLICATION The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Lake Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.
EDITORIALS Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.
SUBMISSIONS
Editorial Charity being stretched too thin
F o r e s t
a limited number of service initiatives to be promoted each semester. This would not only help raise more money for the fewer projects, but the LFA community could be better informed about each of the service projects and more students might be able to make a more meaningful contribution of effort to each. If service learning is meant to be a rewarding experience, then we should have fewer service projects on which students, and the community as a whole, could make a bigger impact.
The Spectator welcomes submissions from the community. If you would like to write an article, please see Mr. Murphy (please note: if space is limited, priority goes to journalism students). We also welcome short stories and poetry for our “Featured Writers” column, and we are always interested in publishing student artwork and photographs. Please send all submissions to Mr. Murphy via e-mail at wmurphy@lfanet.org, or hand them to him directly.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Mr. Murphy at wmurphy@lfanet.org.
AWARDS The LFA Spectator has been awarded several very prestigious journalism awards in recent years. 2008 The American Scholastic Press Association... 1st Place 2008 The Kempler Moraine Press Association... 1st Place 2009 The American Scholastic Press Association... 1st Place 2009 The Kemper Moraine Press Association... 1st Place 2010 The American Scholastic Press Association... 1st Place
quote of the month “Journalism is organized gossip.” -Edward Eggleston
lfa spectator
Editorial
T h e L a k e A c a d e m y
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may13, 2011
lfa spectator
New state law Death penalty removed
Illinois frees criminals from death penalty punishment ByTakia Broomfield A & E Editor
Photo courtesy of Tucson Citizen
Inquiring Photographer LFA community were asked their opinion on the removal of the death penalty in Illinois and here are the responses they gave.
“The death penalty is too painful for people and their families so I think it’s good.” – Reggie White
“Yes I think it’s good because I think we make too many mistakes and it doesn’t deter crime.” – Mrs. Sheila Moller
“I think it’s bad because now prisoners can get off easy.” – Kurt Hanebrink
“It’s good. It gives criminals a second chance; however they should be put on death row.” – Nick Ustaski
Illinois governor Pat Quinn abolished the Death Penalty on Wednesday, March 9 due to fear and concern that many Death Row inmates may have been wrongly convicted in the past and did not receive due process of law. Quinn also removed the remaining 13 Illinois inmates from Death Row and commuted their sentence to life-in- prison. When the new law takes effect on July 1, Illinois will become the 16th state that has put an end to punishment by death. Quinn said he hoped other states would follow. “Illinois stands out because it was a state that used it, reconsidered it, and now rejected it,” said Richard Dieter of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington. Many families of the victims of Death Row inmates were unhappy with Quinn’s decision. “I can’t see my son at all no more. I can’t see him grow old,” Pam Bosley, the mother of 18-year old murder victim Terrell Bosley argued. “They took all that from me, so I feel that their life needs to be ended.” “You are not alone in your grief,” Quinn said. He said that everyone in the state must reach out to help family members recover. Despite angry families and friends of victims maliciously murdered by convicted Death Row inmates, Death Penalty opponents argued that there was still no guarantee that an innocent person couldn’t be put to death, which is why the Death Penalty should be abolished for everyone. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan pleaded that Governor Quinn veto the bill, along with many county prosecutors. They verified the accuracy of the Death Penalty by saying that certain safeguards, including videotaped interrogations and easier access to DNA evidence, were in place to prevent innocent people from being wrongly executed. David Protess, a professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism for 29 years, started Northwestern’s Innocence Project to teach journalism scholars investigative proficiency that, literally, had life-or-death impact. Under his leadership, students exposed evidence that saved five men from death row and at least another six
inmates from prison. Unfortunately days after the Death Penalty was abolished in
Illinois, Protess was fired as a professor at Northwestern for unknown reasons. Quinn said that the ruling on removing the Death Penalty was
the hardest decision he has ever had to make, for he once was a firm supporter of the Death Penalty himself. In spite of the opposition to Quinn’s decision, many residents of Illinois are happy with the
decision to end the Death Penalty. “I think we’re on the right side
of history here,” said Rep. Karen Yarbrough, a Democratic sponsor of the bill. The practice costs taxpayers more money than imprisonment and many feel that it is better to let 10 guilty people live
than to wrongfully put an innocent person to death. A potentially innocent man or woman given life in prison can retrieve his or her life back, but an innocent man or women put to death, can never live
again. The death penalty is flawed justice, and flawed justice is no justice at all.
A picture of the Illinois capitol building where these laws are being
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may 13, 2011
g passed.
lfa spectator
ws to watch Concealed hand guns banned in Illinois
New law to allow concealed hand guns throughout the state has been rejected By Taylor Jenkins Editor-in-chief
Late last week, the Illinois
House rejected a law that would have al-
lowed concealed firearms to be carried
throughout the state. House Bill 148 was narrowly denied. The House voted in favor of the bill by a count of 65-52-1, but
it failed because it needed a two-thirds
supermajority to pass. Illinois is still one of only two states that don’t allow concealed carry of weapons.
The debateon this issue was
heated, as gun advocates pressed for this controversial law, and are expected to continue to press for new legislation on the issue. If passed this law would
Photo courtesy of southdakotapolitics.com
have allowed for Illinois residents to
carry a concealed firearm after a background check and eight hours of training.
“Eventually, we’ll have enough
people in Illinois who want guns — hunters, shooters and such. Then you’ll see more people get involved,” said Rick Eccles, president of the Piasa Rifle and
Pistol Club in Alton, in a recent media interview.
Many supporters it is only a
matter of time until concealed guns are
permitted in Illinois. The facts support this belief as the District of Columbia and Wisconsin are the only other areas
to not allow concealed weapons. Wisconsin, on the other hand, allows open carry meaning that any firearm may be carried in visible sight.
While there is a strong argu-
A concealed weapon in a school classroom.
Photo courtesy of the Oklahoma Daily
Inquiring Photographer LFA students were asked their opinion on the new law banning concealed hand guns in Illinois and here are the responses they gave.
ment for the right to own firearms the
opposition has a strong counter point in the fact that concealed carry states ap-
pear to be no safer then before concealed carry was allowed. In many instances the amount of gun-related crimes increased as a result of the law.
“I can tell you firsthand that
having more guns on our street is no an-
swer. We lost five Chicago police officers to gun violence,” said state Representative Edward Acevedo, who served as a
police officer. “More opportunities for gun use by these people who shouldn’t have them is no answer. Fewer guns
“I think that it is a little on the scary side. Yes it could come in handy sometimes, but a majority of the situations are unnessesary.” -Hailey Arnold
“I dont like it. No weapons for any one. Humans are not competient enough to hold concealed weapons. You need lots of training, an IQ test, and emotional tests.” -Tom Gallagher
“I dont like because I don’t think think it’s safe.” -Emily Shanley Roberts
“I don’t think it is a good idea because you dont know who has the gun.” -Olivia Steveson
means less violence, less injury and less death.”
While it seems, for now, that the
law will not go forward, Eccles plans to continue his fight for legalization saying,
“People don’t understand that nothing is
going to change. I live next to Missouri, and things over there have not changed.” Photo courtesy by cityprofile.com
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may 13, 2011
Is saying “thank you” too much for us when it comes to eating in Hutch?
Eight LFA Seniors work in Hutch and realize that the LFA community is anything but polite to the staff Complied by Lucy Emery Editor-in-Chief
“The lack of respect and consideration that the kids and adults show is unbelievable. Kids and adults both walk in and every day complain in all shapes and sizes,” Joanie Davis noted, “While walking out to replace the popcorn shrimp, I heard, ‘Seriously? I hate this meal, its gross!’ Within hearing distance, the Sodexo staff still has a smile on and greets everyone with a warm heart, and usually no greeting is given back to them.”
Quotes taken from the Literature in Rebellion Class: Hailey Arnold, Olivija Cepaite, Joanie Davis, Lucy Emery, Lindsay Hanig, Jenna Madeley, Rachel Rich, Holly West. Taught by Ms. Ann Frkovich
“We [Emery and Hanig] cleaned the tables while a few students were still sitting and hanging out and what shocked me the most was that students saw us cleaning and making everything clean but then when they got up they left their cups and a mound of crushed chips on the table.” Said Lindsay Hanig.
“The Sodexo staff arrives close to 5:30 am, which allots them a two-hour period where they can get breakfast cooking. After making an extravagant meal of bacon, eggs, and pancakes, they immediately start working on lunch,” explained Davis. “A detailed schedule of what to serve when is posted on the wall in the back kitchen. The numerous options per day including side dishes, soups, salads, and desserts are labeled accordingly, and a lunch is never repeated twice in one week.”
“Keep in mind that every time someone shoves napkins into a cup filled with pop, or makes a disgusting concoction of different foods on their plate, someone in Hutch has to clean it up,” said Olivija Cepaite. “Just as all of us have a close bond to Sonia and love her so much, we should develop a stronger bond to those who work for hours on end to make us our meals and have to deal with all our complaints.”
“After four years of the seemingly repetitive lunches, I felt like I knew everything about Hutch and there were never any options. Now, after meeting the Sodexo staff and seeing first-hand how our food is prepared, I realized how spoiled and ungrateful we are as a community.” said Hanig.
Lake Forest Academy prides it self on the four pillars that each student is meant to embody, but upon entering Hutch, you only see a deterioration of these distinctive traits, not a further development of them. The senior elective English class, “Literature of Rebellion and Social Change”, taught by Ms. Ann Frkovich, which I am currently taking, took a more in-depth look into how students behave inside Hutch by volunteering to work for free periods, doing whatever the staff asked of them. Through preparing, cooking, serving, and cleaning up the food, we found that LFA students constantly utter deconstructive comments about the food, completely insensitive to the fact that the staff is well within hearing distance. Many students and teachers seem to be unaware, and perhaps uninterested, in the amount of work the Sodexo staff does in Hutch. The staff works long hours, doing jobs most of us would be incapable of accomplishing in such a timely manner. Though this group of seniors had spent four years eating in Hutch, after spending just a few minutes in there working, the class members were able to see and experience the blatant lack of respect for the staff and the cafeteria. The four pillars of LFA are echoed all around campus, yet for some reason, students are under the impression that the traits of character, citizenship, responsibility, and scholarship are exempt from their personality once they enter Hutch. People hurl abuse about the food in front of the staff as if the staff is invisible and immune to thoughtless comments. Though this high school, the basic kindergarten Golden Rule is still one that students and staff clearly need to be reminded of: treat everyone and everything the way you want to be treated, and there is no reason to stop being respectful once we go to Hutch.
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“What I found most interesting, though, was when I had to wipe down the counters in Hutch,” recalled Rachel Rich. “After some students saw me completely wipe down a counter they would create an even bigger mess. Some would look at me and say sorry but others would just leave the spilled [food] on the counter or floor.”
“Before, I would be perturbed by the thought of yesterday’s hot dog buns being today’s garlic bread, but the more that I thought about it; it’s the same as leftovers from home!” Explained Hailey Arnold, “They are not going to throw away perfectly fine hot dog buns because they are a day old. Most people keep bread in their houses until it molds! They are just being frugal and efficient.”
I also took part in working in Hutch, being a part of the class. After working just a few minutes in Hutch, I had developed pet peeves and a strong sense of annoyance towards the LFA community. Let me start by saying that if you’re humor and status at the lunch table rest on your ability to mix food together, then something is wrong. Not only does it lack comedic value, but is a huge pain for the staff. When it came time to fill the salt and pepper shakers, I had just about had it with the LFA student body, and then to find that a majority of the salt and pepper shakers had to be replaced, not because they are empty, but because they are inedible due to the medley of salt and pepper, only added fuel to the fire.
When talking to Debbie Lindstrom, the Sodexo Manger, about the negativity towards the food, she expressed frustration for a number of reasons. Lindstrom’s frustration rooted from the fact that there is always something to eat. If you don’t love the hot meals they are offering, make a salad, or a sandwich, but at least try the food. Unlike most schools, you can get all you can eat and go up as many times as you want, so at least try something. “I was told I would be working on grilled cheese sandwiches. Couldn’t be too hard, I thought,” recalled Holly West. “After all, it was just grilled cheese. Yeah, except when you’re making fifty at a time. In and of itself, the process seemed simple: Bread, cheese, bacon, flip, cut the sandwiches. Slide it unto a huge metal plate and serve to a line of hungry Lake Forest Academy students. However, you don’t even have a second and you’re back at the stove. There isn’t any time to sit and relax. I finally realized just how difficult of a job Sodexo workers have. I was exhausted and I heard chants behind me of how much ‘Hutch sucks today.’”
“The staff at Hutch could have done everything I did in about 15 minutes.” said Jenna Madeley. “I felt like I was slowing them down the whole time. However, they were really nice to me and were very patient. After only a small 45-minute period I was exhausted.”
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may 13, 2011
She nailed it: LFA’s guide to spring nails Page compiled by Sophia Salsbery and Kathleen Kennedy
Spring time has finally arrived, which means skirts, sandals and bright spring colors are making an appearance on just about every girl in the LFA community. A great accessory to a fun spring outfit, other than the typical bracelet, belt, or long silver necklace, is nail
2011 Spring Colors 1. Nature Nudes 2. The Blues Clues 3. Peachy-Keen Pink 4. Lovely in Lavender 5. Gun-Metal Grays 6. The Can’t Miss TopCoats
polish. Believe it or not, just as clothes and shoes come and go with the seasons, so do nail polish colors. We are here to assist you in choosing the perfect color for your nails. Spring of 2011 has new colors, new designs, and new styles to help you add a little color and fun to any outfit.
Take A Chance
1. Crackle Nail Polish 2. OPI “Midnight Blue Glitter” 3. Sally Hansen “Salon Effects”
Top Brands Colors To Avoid
1. Rescue Beauty Lounge “No More War” 2. MAC “Dry Martini” 3. RBL “Aged Chartreuse” 4. KLeancolor “Neon Yellow”
1. OPI 2. Essie 3. Sally Hansen 4. Revlon 5. Sinful Colors
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may 13, 2011
lfa spectator Photo courtesy of www.lolpranks.com
Priceless senior pranks Here depicts another version of the LFA senior prank done by the class of 2007. Trying to get past all these cups of water and keeping your feet dry is simply impossible.
By Lucy Irungu Features Editor
From parking cars in the Reid Courtyard, to stealing classroom chairs, the LFA seniors have upheld the tradition of pulling off some of the best (and worst) spring semester pranks in LFA history. The fact that current regulations require seniors to get their prank preapproved by the administration has always generated some hot debate on the topic. As the end of the year approaches, the Class of 2011 is planning to make this senior prank one of the best LFA has ever seen. “I am really excited for the senior prank, It a great time for all the seniors to have fun together and make their last few memories together as a class” said senior Ella Petersen. The senior class not only wants the prank to be entertaining, but to be remembered for years after graduation. “I’m really looking
forward to our senior prank. It is our last chance to make our mark as seniors, so it has to be really good.” said Olivija Cepaite.
One of the best senior pranks I have ever witnessed was a prank done by one of the senior classes in the 1980’s...They took a dead deer and sat it in a desk in front of Hutch with a cigarette in between one of its hooves. -Mr.
Bill
Dolbee
In the past, senior pranks have required a lot of
planning, from blowing up hundreds of balloons to fill the Dean of Students office, to taking down all the clocks in the academic buildings, to parking a golf cart inside the Senior Square in Reid Hall. “Putting together the prank last year was hard work,” said LFA alumna Diana Martinez, who helped soak underclassmen with water guns for their senior prank. “I remember having to keep quiet about it all day long, which was hard because I really wanted to tell all of my underclassmen friends.”
places on campus where students were allowed to smoke with parental permission. One of the places was in front of Hutch. They took a dead deer and sat it in a desk in front of Hutch with a cigarette in between one of its hooves. So when people came out all they were all shocked to see a smoking deer out there.” However, even though the seniors have been very clever with their pranks, they do not always turn out as planned. In order to stop this from happening, Dean of Students Mr. Chris Tennyson has
Associate Head of School Mr. Bill Dolbee, who has been a part of the LFA Community for more than two decades, recalled some of the best pranks during his time here in a recent interview with The Spectator. “One of the best senior pranks I have ever witnessed was a prank done by one of the senior classes in the 1980’s,” said Dolbee. “There used to be
made it a rule to get all pranks approved before they happen. “I typically request seniors to clue me in on it to make sure that the prank is not too-over-theline.” commented Tennyson. Although many seniors complain about the approval system set in place by Tennyson, he reiterates that the reason why it is in place is to make sure that
all pranks are in good fun and not “disruptive” to the community. “Approving the prank takes the entire essence of the prank away from the act itself and sort of renders the act pointless to me” explained senior Henry Lopez. Tennyson, who has been a part of the community for 12 years, has seen some of the best senior pranks to happen at LFA “My favorite prank of all time was probably the cups of water that were put all around the school” said Tennyson. “It was funny and will be remembered for years.” After much discussion on the previous senior pranks, Tennyson leaves the senior class with one last piece of advice. “The seniors should use this prank as a fun bonding experience and I hope that they can pull off a fun and creative prank,” he concluded.
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DeBrincat, Burke leading lacrosse in its first season at LFA By Chris Boudreaux Sports Editor Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the nation, and it is apparently the fastest growing sport at LFA as well. According to new LFA Head Coach Robert Degen, this Spring was the perfect time to add a Lacrosse team to LFA. “Lacrosse is a great addition to the list of sports at LFA, and all the best prep schools in the country have lacrosse. I expect to grow the program to where we eventually can compete with the best prep lacrosse teams in the nation” said Degen. Currently undefeated, including a 14-0 win over Immaculate Conception in the season’s first home game, the boys lacrosse team was required by state guidelines to start at the junior varsity level. Next season the team will compete as a full-fledged varsity team. The team opened the season with a 7-4 victory over Warren High School. Juniors Andrew DeBrincat (attack), Shane Hiley (goalie), and Ross Burke and Sam Mannion (midfield) all had great performances in the triumph over the team from
Junior Andrew DeBrincat races past an Immaculate Conception defender.
Photo Courtesy of Alexandra Campbell
neighboring Gurnee. The captains of this year’s team are DeBrincat, Hiley, Burke, and Phil Pray. Joining Degen on the coach-
ing staff are LFA teachers Mr. Eric Rosado, Mr. Nat Small, and Mr. Bill Murphy. Despite limited experience playing lacrosse, Degen said the team is extremely motivated and willing to learn. There are several members of the team with significant lacrosse abilities learned in youth lacrosse or at other schools. Unfortunately due to poor weather, the team had to reschedule at least three games on the schedule. According to Degen, this has worked out for the best because the team has gained a few more weeks of practice to hone its skills. At this point the team appears to be progressing quite nicely. “The season’s going very well so far; we improve a lot every practice” said DeBrincat. DeBrincat’s sentiments were shared by Hiley, in his first ever season as a lacrosse goalie, who stated that he was “very much enjoying the season.” According to Degen, the team’s most exciting games of the year should come during the season-ending tournament. St. John’s Military Academy is holding a tournament in MidMay for all of the varsity lacrosse teams in Wisconsin and LFA has been invited to attend.
Volleyball fields athletic roster Team improving as season comes to a close By Chris Boudreaux Sports Editor The boys volleyball team has taken up the task of playing a challenging schedule this season. The team, currently 3-7, was entering its next big tournament at the Latin School of Chicago as this newspaper was going to print. The team has played some big public schools, including North Chicago and Fenton, and also has Mt. Carmel on the schedule. According to Coach Jeff Bateman, the upcoming Lake Front Tournament is going to be very competi-
tive with Latin being a tough competitor, as well as a few other talented schools. The team’s captains this year are juniors Brian Berry and Casey Coulter. They join five seniors to round out the bulk of the team. Most of the team is returning from last season, but it is a new player that is making a very big and immediate impact. According to Bateman, Will Stolarski, who joined the team this season, has made a big difference on the floor. Stolarski, a junior, joins Rich Barber as the team’s middle hitters. “We have a really athletic group of kids
that know how to make practices and games fun” said junior Johnny Malusa According to Bateman, as the season progresses the team seems to be improving. “It’s been a fun season overall,” said junior defensive specialist Frankie Senese. “We haven’t won a lot of games yet, but we have definitely improved since the first day and are playing like a volleyball team.” Despite the tough start to the season, the team looks to be much more successful in its remaining games due to the time and effort spent practicing in these recent weeks.
Photo Courtesy of Alexandra Campbell
Junior Frankie Senese is a defensive specialist for the team.
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Rivalry game against LFHS today By Matt Stevens Staff Writer The Girls Varsity Soccer team has gotten off to a solid start this year with a 8-2-1 record. They have had very strong defense with six games resulting in a shutout. The team’s only two losses so far have been at the Glenbrook South Tournament. They faced some of the toughest competition of the season and still came away with a tie against Deerfield. Their other chief competitor is neighboring Lake Forest High School, who they will face on May 13. According to Head Coach, Mr. Kevin Versen, it is one of the games that “everyone is looking forward to.” Anyone who has wanted to see a Varsity Girls Soccer game should go because it will be one of your last chances to see them play. Despite some tough competition on the field, it seems as though the girls’ toughest opponent this year will wind up being the weather. In Antioch, they had to sit through a tourna-
ment that was cancelled because of hail, 40-degree weather, 30mile per hour winds, and rain. Only halfway through the season, three games have already been canceled and many more practices have been cut short. “The girls have been playing well,” said Versen. “It’s tough to keep a positive attitude with the amount of rainouts of practices and such. It’s tough to create a continuity and a flow to the season, but the girls have been doing very well dealing with that.” Captain Joanie Davis acknowledged that the worst part of the season so far has been “playing in monsoon weather with arctic temperatures.” However, things have been going well on the days when they are able to play. Defenders Corry Lane and Kathleen Kennedy have been able to establish a strong defense that is a foundation for the rest of their game. “Our defensive line is able to distribute the ball better than the competition,” said Ms. Erica Wood, assistant coach.
“They aren’t afraid to control the pace of the game from the back.” Goalie Michelle Moon has also stepped up this year. She has played soccer since she was a freshman and has been a goalie since sophomore year, but this is her first year on varsity. “It’s definitely a lot more pressure than JV,” said Moon, “but the encouragement from the team has really helped.” There are eight seniors on the team. They provide good leadership and experience, and all of them are starters. The team will miss Kennedy, Georgiana Wagemann, Ella Peterson, Lindsay Hanig, Sam Nelson, Davis, Erin Peterson, and Moon when they graduate this year. That also means that only three starters will be returning next year. The coaches will be looking to returning players like Corry Lane, Lauren Stevenson, and Kate Diaz to step up and lead the team. “Those are the girls who are going to be carrying the team on their shoulders,” said Wood.
Photo By Kathleen Kennedy Senior Samantha Nelson dribbles the ball past Elgin Academy defenders.
Varisty baseball proves competitive against tough competition By Hunter Johnstone Staff Writer
Junior Eric Bauer has been a solid pitcher for the team.
Photo Courtesy of Alexandra Campbell
Despite its 4-7 record, the LFA Varsity Baseball team has held its own against tough opposition so far this season. According to Coach David Wick, the team has been competitive in almost every game, losing several by small margins to the larger public and Catholic schools that have been the Caxys primary competition this year. When playing teams of a similar size to LFA, the Caxys have a winning record. As more of those smaller teams appear on their upcoming schedule, Wick and his players are confident about finishing the season strong. “This year we are playing some of the best competition in the area and coming out with some wins,” said senior Nick Ustaski. “The team has greatly improved from last season with a nice mix of upper and underclass men coming together to make a good team.” Older players and
coaches have also been complimentary of the team’s freshmen for their contribution this season and their ability to sustain the team in years to come. Wick assured LFA Varsity Baseball fans that “[they’re] in good shape for next year” despite the amount of players graduating this season. “The team has a lot of young players with great potential,” said senior Eric Clamage. “We have great chemistry and everyone has high expectations heading into the second half of the season.” As for players to watch, Keenan Johnson, senior, is going on to play college Division 1 baseball at Indiana University. As of May 2, Johnson had a .325 batting average with two homeruns, three triples, 13 runs scored, seven RBI, and 13 bases stolen. Junior Graham Wick had a .316 batting average, 12 runs scored, three triples, two homeruns, eight RBI, and four stolen bases. Nick Ustaski has the team’s highest batting average (.428) and pitcher Eric Clamage threw a one-hitter against North Shore Country Day School.
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Girls Soccer begins season 8-2-1
The place where stuff happens
Asking to Prom: The good ideas, the bad, and the ugly
Top 10: Worst talent show ideas By Mark Yingling
By Erica Lewis
Entropica Editor
Op-Ed Editor
A simple mention of the word “prom” to any average high school student can ignite an array of emotions ranging from a state of pure, uncontrollable bliss to an overwhelming feeling of nausea, humiliation, and utter embarrassment. Asking someone to possibly the most important dance of your life in high school is no easy feat; so for all of those LFA boys out there whose hands go clammy at the thought of next year’s prom, the Spectator has helped you out by polling girls around campus to find out how NOT to ask a potential date to the 2012 prom:
The Lake Forest Academy Talent Show is coming up soon
and many people are excited because they can’t wait to show off some of their unique skills. However, what you might think is a great idea, might not be so good. Just remember that the Talent Show is recorded on video so if something goes wrong, it has a 50/50 chance of ending up on YouTube. Unless you want to be the next “Scarlet takes a tumble”, I’d recommend not dancing on tables, or chairs, if
Facebook chat is a great way to find out your math homework or what your friends are doing over the weekend, but inviting a girl to the prom over the internet could end up with you going dateless. “Over text, or just electronics in general. It just doesn’t look like they put a lot of effort into it…It looks like they don’t really care about going to prom with you,” warns Junior Kate Lee. Remember, the big asking moment isn’t over immediately after the girl answers- play it cool and don’t force any awkward, uncomfortable humor. “Replying ‘thought so’ after a girl says yes to you just makes it really uncomfortable,” says Junior Allie Matherne. “Walking/sprinting away after the girl says yes sort of ruins the moment”, says Freshman Monterey Pepper.
you’re really feeling crazy. But, if worse comes to worst, you can always just take a deep breath, and remember that your embarrassing Talent Show performance will only haunt you for a solid decade or so. If you think that sounds intimidating, then just think of it as about only 3,650 days until you’re free from the embarrassment. In the end, it is much easier if you don’t give an embarrassing performance in the first place so I have come up with a list of the ten worst ideas that you should really reconsider if you’ve thought about doing them in front of the whole school.
Not asking the girl yourself can get extremely confusing and uncomfortable; you don’t want her to get all excited because she thinks your friend is asking her. “Having one of your friends ask a girl to prom for you is so lame. Man up!!” Complains Sophomore Lauren Stevenson. Leaving your potential date a gigatic mess to clean up herself isn’t necessarily guarenteeing you a “yes”. “Probably TP-ing someone’s house and spelling out prom in toilet paper, then making them clean it all up themselves,” explains Senior Catalina Todd.
Riddle of the Month Two fathers and two sons went fishing and they all caught one fish each. There are a total of only three fish, how is this possible? Answer: Father, his son, and the son’s son adds up to two fathers and two sons; but only three people.
“I Spy”
10. Don’t sing if your voice sounds remotely like William Hung singing “She bangs”, as seen on American Idol back in the day. 9. If you’re not on Bomb Squad, don’t dance. 8. If you don’t plan to marry Mariah Carey and you aren’t sky-skysky rocketing, then I would suggest not giving a speech. 7. If you think walking and talking at the same time is a cool talent, I’d recommend sitting this talent show out. 6. Don’t walk off stage in the middle of the performance. 5. Burping the ABC’s – nobody wants to see that. 4. Doing a silent reading. 3. Don’t try to dunk a basketball if you don’t meet the requirements to ride a rollercoaster (are you listening, freshmen?) 2. Try to stay away from magic, especially if you plan on performing the trick where you cut someone in half because that just can’t turn out well.
To continue the theme of trying to find people/ things around school, we have taken a picture of this object that is located somewhere within the school. This will test your knowledge of how well you really know your school. Where/what is it?
1. Don’t try a spitting contest.
Caxy Double
Photo by Mark Yingling
Photo courtesy of character.com
Answer: This is th clock that you probably see evryday and you don’t even know it. It is located in Hutch and sits on the walll behind the first serving station.
lfa spectator
entropica
may 13, 2011
Photo by Sophia Salsberry
This edition’s look-alike is a comparison between an LFA student and a famous cartoon character. The senior, lamees Esmail, and cartoon, Penny Proud, who is seen on the show “The Proud Family.”