Issue 3 2019-2020

THE

PROSPECTOR

801 WEST KENSINGTON ROAD, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056

THE VOICE OF PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1959

VOLUME 59, ISSUE 3

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019

DIMINISHING OUR FOOTPRINT Efficient lighting helps to reduce energy waste, carbon emissions ELIZABETH KEANE Copy Editor

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enior Lauren Ellstrand and her friends decided to go to North Avenue Beach on the last day of their junior year. After lounging for two hours and growing bored amongst the surplus of people at the beach that day, Ellstrand stood up and observed the remains that all of those people left behind.

“There were water bottles, cans and bags of garbage everywhere … [my friends and I] got up and walked around for an hour, picked up everything and put it in the recycling bin,” Ellstrand said. “We were doing that for like an hour or two, but it felt like we were doing it for ten minutes.”

Ellstrand is the co-president of the newly-reinstated Environmental Club. She is leading the club alongside junior Sophie Palomo with science teacher Michael Higdon as the sponsor. The club is now making a comeback after it disbanded when science teacher and previous sponsor Mollie David retired at the end of the 2017-18 school year.

While the club plans to focus on reducing waste, recycling more and spreading awareness about environmental issues, another aspect of this topic is the conservation of energy through lighting, heating and cooling systems.

Stanford University has implemented LED lighting as a more sustainable light source throughout their facilities. LED lighting, converting 95% of its energy to light and only wasting 5% as heat, is up to 80% more efficient than traditional lighting such as fluorescent or incandescent lights.

According to Building and Grounds Supervisor Oscar Acevedo, Prospect has LED lighting in both the fieldhouse and the gyms that was installed two years ago in

(illustration by Mara Nicolaie)

place of the previous 400 and 250 watt high pressure sodium light bulbs that were being used.

According to Principal Greg Minter, before they were replaced, the lights in those areas used to stay on from the morning and into the night. Now, the lights have dimmers.

The locker rooms and academic bathrooms have occupancy sensors that will shut the lights off when there is no one in them.

Furthermore, any time lighting is replaced in classrooms, it’s changed to the more energy-efficient option; Minter said that he would like to see this LED lighting be implemented in all classrooms, but the drawback comes from it being too expensive.

Minter also points out the fact that all classrooms and offices have two light switches in order to give the option for teachers to have more dim lighting when only one of the switches is flipped.

The majority of classrooms use T8 41 light bulbs while some of the newer science labs use T6 bulbs. According to Acevedo, both of these bulbs use less energy than the standard T12 light bulbs.

In the future, Acevedo plans to look into replacing all of the classroom bulbs with LED lighting. All of the outdoor lighting, including the parking lot lights, has been LED since 2015.

Although there have been no district-level meetings to discuss environmental action that Minter is aware of, Prospect is planning to redo the exterior walls of the building and roof this summer to provide better insulation that will result in less energy-use of heating and cooling systems.

During the hotter months,

larger facilities like Prospect are asked to participate in “blackout days” and turn off the power of the building for a few hours of the day.

According to Minter, Prospect participates in these days when they occur — about five times a year, typically in the summer.

As for our heating system, gas is used to heat water that circulates through pipes around the building. Fans then blow this heat through the vents. This system is switched to “cooling mode” once the weather starts getting warmer.

For the cooling system, there are tanks on the roof that produce ice that is used to chill the water in the pipes. According to Minter, this system allows the water to recycle itself effectively. “[Prospect tries] to minimize our [energy] usage, and I think we do a fairly good job,” Minter said.

“Things are monitored all the time; we turn things off when we’re not using them … I think we do the best we can.”

Environmental Club is more focused on the individual impact a student or group of students can have by implementing small changes in their daily lives.

Ellstrand, Palomo and Higdon all agree that education regarding what students can and cannot recycle is extremely important. One common belief that spread among students was that the garbage and recycling bins at Prospect were being mixed together.

However, Higdon talked to the janitors about it, and they do not.

Palomo further elaborated on this, saying that although the trash and recycling are technically mixed together, it is all sent to a location where it can be sorted through properly.

“If you look at my google searches, [they’re] like, ‘Can I recycle toothpaste?’ [or] ‘Can I recycle tissue?’” Higdon said. “I’m always trying to learn because if

To read more about the new Environmental Club, “The Green Team,” go to prospectornow.com

anyone asks me, I want to be able to tell them.”

Slightly discouraged by the amount of times she sees plastic water bottles being thrown into the garbage, Palomo feels as though the most effective way to combat this ignorance is by spreading awareness of the importance of recycling to younger generations.

Through Environmental Club, Palomo wants to have club members visit the local middle and elementary schools to speak on the subject of conserving the planet, as well as raise more awareness throughout Prospect and the rest of D214. “[Environmental Club’s] main goal is to inspire a young generation of leaders to be environmental stewards not only through education, but [through] advocacy, action and working together on solutions,” Palomo said.

Ellstrand is also concerned about the amount of food and single-use plastic that is wasted in our lunchroom daily. Higdon is a big advocate of reusable water bottles and using tupperware for lunches in place of these single-use plastics.

“Try and invest in a bit more expensive things like coffee canisters, [reusable] water bottles; you don’t have to get yourself a Hydro Flask — you can just get yourself a water bottle,” Higdon said.

In addition to trying to reduce plastic-use, Palomo feels that volunteering for environmental projects such as planting trees is important, and she hopes to give opportunities like these to students in the club. She enjoys doing this at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Spring Creek Farm located in Schaumburg.

“I think we all should be [passionate about helping the environment],” Ellstrand said. “I don’t know if I’m particularly more passionate [than others] …

It’s our home, and we’re growing up quickly. Time keeps moving whether we want it to or not, and it’s something that we can control.”

2 NEWS

prospectornow.com

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

English classes get AP exam changes RACHEL ZURBUCH Executive Features Editor

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tarting in 2020, the AP exams for classes AP English Language and Composition (AP Lang) and AP English Literature and Composition (AP Lit) will be changed.

The AP Lang exam is comprised of one hour of multiple choice in five sets and three free response questions: one synthesis, one rhetorical analysis and one argument.

For the 2020 exam, parts one and two of the multiple choice will be the same as last year, but parts three through five will be different.

There will be no footnote questions (questions that refer to the bottom of the page for extra information about the passage) anymore. The College Board will also be lowering the usage of verbs on passages and questions that are a higher level in order to accommodate for all students.

According to AP Lang teacher Elizabeth Joiner, the College Board decided to change this to have the questions emulate more rhetorical analysis, since that’s the basis of the AP Lang class.

The rubric also changed. Prior to this year, the College Board used a holistic rubric, which was to judge the overall essay from its quality. This went from a one to nine scale to a one to six scale.

Originally, a score of seven, eight or nine was deemed as effective, five and six was adequate, three and four was inadequate and one and two was little success.

Now, they use an analytic rubric that’s measured differently.

It has up to one point for a thesis, four points for evidence and commentary and one point for sophistication.

Joiner says that the college board changed the rubric because some teachers complained that the feedback wasn’t specific enough to hone in on the areas in need of improvement.

AP Lang teacher Matt Love believes that this rubric is more divided than the old one, but he has concerns about the new rubric because he feels that it is a lot more

CLASS REVISIONS: AP English Language and Composition (AP Lang) teacher Matt Love goes over a rubric with one of his students. For the 2020 AP exams, the college board made changes to the classes of AP Lang and AP English Literature and Composition. These changes included a new type of rubric, which raised concerns for AP Lang teachers. (photo by Mara Nicolaie) formulaic. “[Formulaic writing] has its place, but they’re training wheels, and you take the training wheels off once you get your balance,” Love said.

Love explains that writing MEATCons as freshmen is good practice in preparing students for higher level writing like AP Lang, which is why he feels that the new rubric lowered the standards.

For example, if students were to receive one point for their thesis, Love wants to know if that means that the thesis had to be good or just good enough to make sense for the prompt.

“It’s disappointing to see that the scoring system has taken, what I would say, a step backwards,” Love said.

Love feels the same way about students earning one point for sophistication. Under sophistication,

counterargument is listed; however, Love believes that it’s necessary to have counterargument in an essay and believes it’s unclear whether, if students have one, they will automatically get the sophistication point for their writing.

Neither Love nor Joiner know the logistics of what the grading process will be like because this is the first year, and the college board didn’t provide a sample essay graded with the new rubric until the school year had started. They both feel that this year’s students are “guinea pigs” when it comes to the new changes.

“I think it’s fairly unprofessional of the College Board to not provide the material until Oct. 1 when I’ve been teaching since Aug. 12, and I’ve had all summer [to prepare],” Joiner said.

In light of this, they’ve both talked to their students about the

Dual credit courses cause cutting of English electives BRENDAN BURKE Copy Editor One of the best parts of English teacher Tim McDermott’s day is being able to teach the senior English course Contemporary Literature. Not only does he believe the content covered in the class is interesting, but he also believes that the class is the perfect course to have available for students looking to explore their passions and interests within the English department. They do this through reading unique texts and exploring new topics. Because of how different it is from typical English courses, McDermott sees large numbers of students in his classes; however, a rise in dual credit courses may cause the end of Contemporary Literature.

According to Principal Greg Minter, 45 sections of electives were cut this year due to a decrease in enrollment. Sections are the number of class periods offered by a specific course per semester. Paired with the rise of dual credit classes, students deciding to explore different English courses worry that a class they plan to take when they are seniors may be much harder to enroll in because of the planned cutting of sections for next year.

According to the Division Head of English and Theater Adam Levinson, every English elective is running this school year despite the cutting of sections. Levinson said that being able to predict which classes could possibly get cut is like “trying to clap with one hand.” Certain courses experience

different enrollment each year, so there is no way of telling which one will go first.

At Prospect, the class that is starting to dominate over classes such as Creative Writing and Contemporary Literature is College Composition 101, a dual credit English courses for seniors. Levinson states that nine sections of College Composition are being run, whereas Contemporary Literature only has four sections. Before College Composition, this class has had up to nine sections being run.

Despite loving everything about Contemporary Literature, McDermott understands why this class is being cut down and respects the choices being made by the District 214 administration. Senior Teagan Boyle, a student who has taken the English class AP English Language and Composition and is currently taking Humanities, is not happy about the decrease in the available sections of English electives. She feels that too much pressure is being placed on students to take dual credit courses.

As a senior, Boyle has been stressed with college applications and feels that she needs classes that are not as heavy on the amount of homework. Boyle took Humanities this year because she needed to condense her amount of schoolwork. “[The seniors] are busy with their college applications,” Boyle said. “We shouldn’t have to be worrying about our classes when we’re trying to apply to college.”

Although Prospect has a variety of English electives despite the rise in dual credit, Elk Grove High School (EGHS) has a lack of basic English electives because of their

changes and looked at the new rubric with them.

Joiner and Love feel that if they teach their students most of the same methods as before, they will continue to do well in the class and on the AP test.

All of the AP Lang teachers do in-class essays throughout the school year as part of their curriculum. They usually follow the guidelines of the AP rubric, so it prepares the students for the AP test in the spring.

This year, Love has an adapted in-class essay rubric. It has the six points like the new rubric, but he has broken it down more by making a 2.5 point in the evidence & reasoning category, which goes from one to four. This is called “limiting,” which tells them specifically what they can do better.

He also added more limitations to the thesis point to help students

understand the quality of their theses better.

All of these changes, he believes, will make his students write better, and if his expectations are more demanding, then the students will only benefit from them on the AP test.

AP Lit changed to the same scale from a nine point scale as well. The AP Lit exam includes one hour of multiple choice and three free response questions: one poetry analysis, one prose fiction analysis and one literary argument.

On the last question, students are given a theme and asked to write an argument with it. The exam usually gives a list of examples that students can use if they can’t think of anything, according to AP Lit teacher Karen Kruse.

For the 2020 exam, College Board will still include the translation list, but literature that is translated from another language to English will not be included.

They are also including more 21st century and 20th century titles.

Because of these changes, Kruse believes that she has to push her curriculum to more 20th century and beyond literature.

This means that the curriculum will include less literature like Shakespeare, the ancient Greeks, Victorian novels and more.

Kruse believes this a big change because the AP Lit curriculum starts with that older literature.

She will be working to adapt her curriculum to accommodate this.

For example, she’s thinking about adding “Their Eyes Are Watching God” as a whole class novel instead of just a lit circle novel.

That being said, Kruse is definitely going to keep some of the pre-20th century materials, such as Shakespeare, and will still be working on the balance.

“The problem with teaching a literature class is that there’s always way more good stuff that you’d like to work with than you have time to work with,” Kruse said. “So you’re always thinking, ‘If I add this, then what am I going to give less time to?’”

CUTTING CLASS: The demand for dual credit courses is leading to the cut of sections for English electives. Sections are the number of class periods per semester and have lowered this year due to a low enrollment. (photo graphic by Mara Nicolaie) rapid increase in dual credit classes. Mecca Sadler, the Division Head of English and Theater at EGHS calls dual credit courses a necessity for students because of the fact that post-secondary tuition raises beyond inflation rates.

“Unfortunately, the dream of a college education is an expensive reality for students, especially those who are first-generation high school graduates,” Sadler said. “As a public school system, it is our moral responsibility to ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve their post-secondary ambitions.”

According to Sadler, dual credit courses allow students to receive college credit that they need because of their AP level content.

At the end of the day, Levinson says that the decision is entirely up to the student and that they can always take a class that is fit for them, regardless of it being dual credit or not.

“Forget about dual credit courses; I have many years where I will run four sections of a class like Contemporary Literature and less of a dual credit course,” Levinson said.

“At the end of the day, I don’t think any [classes] are going anywhere.”

prospectornow.com

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

NEWS 3

PMK concludes season on a high note JOEY DELAHUNTY Entertainment Editor

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n Oct. 26, the Prospect Marching Knights (PMK) travelled to Bands of America, an annual band competition, at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Eighty-five high school marching bands from across the Midwest showed up to play and compete. At the end, the PMK was ranked third in Class 3A, meaning they were the third best band of their size.

According to band director Chris Barnum, the students in band consider this their “best show of the year.”

“I think they did an awesome job this year,” Barnum said. “I was really proud of them.”

Leading up to Bands of America, the PMK competed in many different competitions: one at Northern Illinois University, one at Illinois State University and one at Lake Park.

The band’s success doesn’t come easily, according to senior drum major Maria Neri.

The annual summer band camp occurs in August and June, Monday through Friday, from 1-9 p.m. Once the school year starts, band students practice twice a week from 5-8:45 p.m., as well as on weekends.

“Everyone [was] really nervous because [Bands of America is] basically our biggest competition of the season,” Neri said. “I’m really proud of everyone because we worked so hard and I feel like it really showed during our performance.”

Although the band didn’t end up making finals, Neri said she wasn’t disappointed.

“We knew there was a 50-50 chance of making finals, and we were OK with the fact that, if we didn’t make it, we knew that we tried our best, and, if we did make it, we would be really proud of ourselves,” Neri said.

The PMK goes to the Bands of America event nearly every year, and Barnum says it’s because the band always puts in the work.

“They work super hard; that’s one of

MARCHING TO THE BEAT: An overhead shot from a drone of the Prospect Marching Knights in the George Gattas Memorial Stadium. On Oct. 26, the PMK went to the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to compete in the annual Bands of America competition. (photo courtesy of Max Lanham) the things I really like about our band students is [that] they work really hard, starting with … stuff in the summer,” Barnum said. “Throughout not only the fall with marching band, but year-round, they’re working hard as musicians to TRUMP(ET)ING THE COMPETITION: get better at what they do.”

Senior Sean Spenner marching in the According to Neri, the way that PMK. The band placed third in Class 3A band can succeed is to keep doing at the Bands of America competition. what they’re doing.

“Never … settle and always (photo courtesty of Sean Spenner) push for excellence … ” Neri said.

“Throughout the season, we’re always looking to do our best, and we always pushed ourselves.”

AP World History changes course curriculum content RACHEL ZURBUCH Executive Features Editor Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, AP World History (APWH) has changed from starting the class in 8000 BCE and onward to starting at 1200 CE and onward.

In light of these changes, Prospect APWH teachers have made new 25 question tests per unit and 50 questions per time period.

They did this because there are only five periods now, which means only five tests a year. In order to have more assessments, they created smaller 25 question tests per each individual unit; right now, they’re not sure how many will occur this year but will continue to work on the balance. They have also made a “Unit Zero” that covers all this prior material.

This is similar to the content they have covered the years before, but they’re only spending around two and a half weeks on it, as opposed to the previous five.

APWH Teacher Brock Collins says that they cover “Unit Zero” because it’s the basis for material covered in later units. However, the material is less specific than before since they cover it quicker. “[We are] pairing it down to the great hits,” Collins said. “This is the stuff they need to know for the context in the future …

‘Why are things the way they are?’”

Kaminsky says that with this extra time, they have added in smaller stuff such as review days, working more on explaining the content and doing more essays.

They can also go through a few more things in the more modern units and have more discussions that are interesting for students, according to Kaminsky. “[Sophomore year is] the only time you’re ever going to take AP World History, and it’s kind of weird for the three of us because of all the changes,” Collins said. “But … as a student, the big picture concepts have not changed. Those are the things I’m trying to get them to understand anyway.”

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4 OPINION

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rick Lytle

VISUALS EDITORS Mara Nicolaie Abby McKenna Alexis Esparza Grace He ADVISER Jason Block MISSION STATEMENT The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news and explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community. We, the Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide an unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions. The Prospector is published by students in Journalistic Writing courses. Some material is courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

ADVERTISING For ad rates, call (847) 718 5376 (ask for Jason Block), email or write the Prospector, 801 West Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, prospectornow@gmail.com.

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by Jenna Koch, photos courtesy of WikiCommons)

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BROADCAST EDITOR Grace Baldino

ASTROLOGY CRASH COURSE

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SPORTS EDITORS Alyssa Schulz Jake Terpins Cameron Sullivan

Astrological natal charts provide the signs of all planets, not just one’s sun sign. Personalized charts can be found on a myriad of websites, and all one needs is their birth date, birth place and birth time. Each of the planets’ signs TA correlates to a different aspect of everyone’s life. Here’s a cheat-sheet for U reading your own chart. (info courtesy of Co—Star Astrology)

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ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Tommy Carrico Joey Delahunty

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ASSOCIATE ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Kim NEWS EDITORS Ryan Barich Adriana Briscoe

Although Schaps agrees that it is probably more effective to target offenders’ time, she was initially not pleased that the police’s role was taken out of the first offense process. However, she says the more she thought about it, the more taking time out of one’s Saturday morning seemed like a more effective consequence.

According to Schaps, it is worth mentioning that while consequences for nicotine have changed, the rules for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have not.

Since THC is the component in marijuana that gets people high, being caught with it is the same as being caught with marijuana under the age of 21. Because, according to Schaps, it is technically an arrestable offense, students will still be either issued a $120 civil citation or be referred to peer jury.

As vaping has become a dangerously popular phenomenon, moral and financial restrictions are less likely to affect students’ life choices — despite effect on personal health.

While money and forgiveness can be earned back, the same cannot be said for time.

the Teen -‘age of Aquarius’

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COPY EDITORS Brendan Burke Elizabeth Keane Shannon McGovern

academic school, student’s time at Prospect is valuable. Whether students wanted their Saturday to sleep in and relax or catch up on homework, a mandatory four-hour computer program causes a brutal speed bump in the fast-paced lives of high school students — let alone Prospect students.

Some may question the effectiveness of these new punishments because Schaps says that the amount of kids being caught vaping has gone up. However, we believe this is attributed to Schaps’ more effective methods of catching vaping compared to previous years.

This includes more cost effective and efficient drug kits that can more accurately test for the intended product. In addition, Schaps made it a point to elicit more help from teachers in reporting suspicious behavior.

Despite the increased number of vaping offenders, there has yet to be any repeat offenders. Although Schaps says it is still early in the school year, we feel that this is correlated with the effectiveness of the vape educate program — specifically because it targets students’ time.

GO VIR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jenna Koch

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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Grace Givan Ryan Kupperman

As of this school year, Prospect is piloting a district program pertaining to vaping consequences.

According to School Resource Officer Lisa Schaps, for a student’s first offense in having or using an electronic smoking device — containing nicotine only — they are subjected to a mandatory four-hour vape educate program that only takes place on Saturday mornings.

For a student’s second offense, they can be issued a local ordinance in the form of a $75 ticket, as well as being subjected to a new mandatory eight-hour in-school suspension where they will go through the vape educate program for the entire day.

As far as repercussions, we the Prospector feel that taking students’ time away from them is a much more effective deterrent than issuing them fines.

With tickets, it is far too likely that the money will be paid off by the offender’s parents with neither side being the wiser. With this four-hour vape educate program, however, we believe students are much more likely to think twice about vaping.

Especially at a highly competitive

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staff

New vaping policies prove effective

Staff Editorial

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Drop off letters to the Prospector in the box in the library, in room 216 or email letters to prospectornow@ gmail.com. All letters must be signed. Limit letters to 400 words.

The Prospector reserves the right to edit for style and length.

prospectornow.com

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

A B C D E F G

Your sun sign determines your ego, identity and role in life.

Your moon sign rules your emotions and moods

Your Mercury sign determines how you communicate Your Venus sign determines how and what you love Your Mars sign determines how you assert yourself Your Jupiter sign rules optimism and expansion Your Saturn sign rules responsibility and boundaries

AS Your ascendant sign is how you appear to others

*Generational determiners: Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto are missing from this chart since each planet stays in a sign for several years because their orbit is longer relative to other planets. Uranus stays in a sign for seven years, and rules progress. Neptune stays in a sign for 14 years, and rules imagination. Pluto stays in a sign for 30 years, and rules power.

experienced my spiritual awakening prayer leader, noted that for the first time in in my basement last summer when I the mosque’s history, teenagers are just not put my birth date, time and place into coming to service. a website that spit out my entire life story.

“In previous generations, community cafeastrology.com told me that I’m nurtur- was found at school and in church,” Camaring yet overbearing, that I often try to sort della said. “It played a much larger role in out my emotions, that love is the most imbringing communities together whereas portant thing in my life and that I’m terrible now, communities can be formed without at focusing. leaving your couch.”

I already knew I had those qualities, but For the most part, I see this as positive. now I had an explanation. I’m not emotion- Young adults and teenagers feel less of a ally unstable; my sun sign is just pressure to conform to their famin Cancer! Obviously it’s not that ily’s or culture’s religion. They simple, but there’s something incan choose which, if any, relicredibly appealing to that way of gious path they want while still looking at the world. having plenty of other places to Astrology and other spiritufind the same sense of communiality movements seem to have ty. resurrected from their popularity However, Generation Z in the ‘60s and ‘70s. On Instagram doesn’t have the same hope that alone, the #astrology has 4.2 milreligion provided for other genlion posts and astrology accounts erations. This is where astrology boast follow counts into the huncomes into play — it allows us to JENNA KOCH deviate from traditional religious dreds of thousands.

Those interested no longer norms while still giving us a way Associate need to buy a book or seek the to make sense of everything. help of an astrologer to learn Editor-in-Chief In middle school, I completed more; all of that information is confirmation through the Chrisnow online. However, there’s another, more tian church I grew up in. I begrudgingly important reason why younger generations went to church every Sunday with an hourhave latched on to it so much. long class afterwards, got up early to be an According to Pew Research Center, about altar server and completed 30 hours of comone-third of both Generation Z and Mil- munity service. lennials are not religious. World Religions All I have to show for it is a Bible that’s teacher John Camardella says in his 10 collecting dust on my shelf. years teaching the course, he’s seen a drop As I was finishing up confirmation, I in “devotional assertions” made by students made my first Tumblr blog at age 13 as my during class discussions. alternative kid rite of passage. I was immeIn addition to this, he says houses of diately introduced to the eye-opening world worship are losing youth attendance. He of astrology memes and textposts that slowly points to a local Turkish mosque he recent- began to replace the faith in Christianity I ly visited as an example; the head Imam, or had as a child.

Sophomore and Sagittarius Luiza Zanon says she doesn’t really believe in any religion, but she thinks astrology is fun and scarily accurate. Junior and Taurus Kam Reed believes in astrology and practices Shamanism, which he describes as a religion that sees the Earth as a god. He says the two pair well together as both help him have a more “connected sense of self.”

Astrology has the benefit of being less orthodox than most major religions, so those who follow it can tailor it to their own lives and other religions they may follow.

I prefer to use astrology to explain seasons and periods of time rather than myself or others, since I find that a bit limiting. I fit my birth chart really accurately, but I’d rather not accept that I have a set of qualities that I can’t change.

I find it more comforting for what’s temporary. If I’m having a bad day or week, astrology can explain why. Maybe Mercury’s in retrograde, but it won’t be forever.

I use the moon cycle as a way to plan little self-care and reflection nights, which gives me a sense of stability and routine. Astrology reminds me that everything exists on a cycle.

My beliefs sound more like an optimistic personal philosophy with a couple of planet name-drops thrown in than an actual religion, but astrology fits so well into the new wave of spirituality and mindfulness in that way. It’s secular enough for young adults, but it still gives us something to believe in.

Astrology isn’t based in science, but neither is any other belief system. I don’t want it to be, either, because where’s the spirituality in that? Where’s the mysticism?

For me, astrology has opened the door to all sorts of other religions and spiritual practices. For others, it’s just a meme.

prospectornow.com

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

OPINION 5

White House criminal Ukraine scandal sheds light on Trump’s corrupt presidency

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ast month, the American people learned that President Donald Trump made a phone call in July to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in an attempt to obtain damaging information on former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading candidate for the 2020 Democratic primary.

Not only was Trump’s attempt ineffective, it was also an unethical method of political gain that has since led to an impeachment inquiry led by Democrats in the House of Representatives. Trump is finally being held accountable for his actions, and the future of his presidency is now in jeopardy.

When I was doing my homework on Tuesday, Sept. 24, I got an urgent alert on my phone from CNN to tune in to their live broadcast of a press conference being held

by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of RepreBRENDAN sentatives.

Perplexed, BURKE I listened Copy Editor to a brief broadcast in which Pelosi announced that the House would be pursuing an impeachment inquiry against Trump, and I was ecstatic to see that I had so many allies within Congress.

When Trump took his presidential oath of office, he stated, as all presidents have, that he would “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States;” however, Trump has done the exact opposite of that by cheating the American democratic system.

AP Government teacher Tim Beishir said that the Constitution states the causes for impeachment as “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” Because of this unclear wording, the New York Times reports that Congress is currently debating whether Trump’s actions fit the impeachment clause or not.

“Impeachment is a political act,” Beishir said. “The Constitution’s [impeachment clause] is super vague [and] has been used in history as a political tool. Ultimately, it’s a vote for politicians and not a criminal trial, even though they call it a trial.”

The reason the Ukraine phone call has raised red flags is because Trump asked Zelensky to investigate into Biden, his son Hunter Biden and the company Burisma, a

PLAYGROUND POLITICS: American President Donald Trump is not offering military aid to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky unless he agrees to participate in the investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden. The House of Representatives began an impeachment inquiry against Trump after he asked Zelensky to investigate Biden on Tuesday, Sept. 24. “We are in a full-blown constitutional crisis,” said Hal Snyder, a member of the Mount Prospect political group We The People. “The traditional checks and balances which we’ve regarded as neccessary for our democracy are no longer serving to restrain a president who ignores laws and ethics.” (cartoon by Mara Nicolaie) Ukraine-based business that Hunter worked for in 2014.

In 2016, top Democrats, many Republican senators and Biden pushed to get Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin fired because of his inability to cut down on corruption in Ukraine.

However, Trump believes that he did this in an attempt to protect his son because Shokin was investigating Burisma and believed that Hunter may have been involved in wrongdoing, according to CNN. Although Trump may have been honestly pursuing what he believed to be a crime, the fact of the matter is that he still attempted to use a foreign government to investigate his political opponent.

The Washington Post reported that Trump held back military aid in the form of weapons and training from Ukraine as a way to convince Zelensky to participate in an investigation. That is stone-cold bribery and a major justification for his impeachment.

“Not only is this impeachment wise, it’s necessary,” said Hal Snyder, a member of the Mount Prospect political group We The People.

“I don’t want to waste my energy thinking about what could’ve been if [the inquiry] came sooner; I just want us to focus on what’s happening now and how we can solve this crisis.”

According to NPR, the Trump Administration stated that they will not comply with impeachment proceedings — as if they have a choice. Not only is this a sign of

pure ignorance, it also shows how quiry, Trump has had the furthest much disrespect Trump has for thing from a clean presidency. Acthe American democracy. This cording to the Wall Street Journal, man believes that he gets to decide Trump approached the director whether or not he wants to follow of the FBI in 2017 for a request to the democratic system as if he is curtail the investigation of former above the law.

National Security Advisor Michael Senior Ben Sell, a student who Flynn. worked on the campaign for forFlynn was under investigation mer Republican governor Bruce on the belief that he lied to the FBI Rauner last year, describes about a conversation Trump’s behavior as he had with the Rusunpresidential besian ambassador in cause he does 2016 and was later not possess the convicted of a felocalm, profesny charge for this sional qualities crime. Luckily, the that a president FBI dineeds. Accordrector ing to Sell, did not Trump’s reacabide by tion to the imTrump’s peachment inquirequest ry shows his lack and alof intelligence l o w e d about the AmeriAmercan government. ica to He states that no see that amount of money Trump or power can save commitTrump from the ted oblaw. struction - Ben Sell, senior “We have the of jusability to imtice. Obpeach elected officials for a reastruction of justice is a class four son,” Sell said. “I think it’s great felony in which a person interferes that we have [impeachment] built in an ongoing investigation. Alinto our system, and regardless though the FBI did not explicitly of the amount of money you have, state that Trump committed this you can still be held accountable crime, his actions are clear reprefor your actions.” sentations of this felony that ConEven though the Ukraine phone gress plans to investigate further. call triggered the impeachment inWe have a criminal sitting in the Oval Office who has absolutely no political experience and is under the impression that he can do whatever he wants with the office that he holds. I just cannot help but wonder — if bribery and obstruction of justice are not causes for impeachment, then what is?

The fact that Congress is struggling to justify impeachment is appalling considering that one of two presidents to be impeached, Bill Clinton, was impeached by the House in 1998 for committing perjury to a grand jury and obstruction of justice. Clinton was never removed from office because he was acquitted of all charges by the Senate during his impeachment trial. Not only has Trump committed one of the crimes Clinton was impeached for, he has also com-

Regardless of the amount of money you have, you can still be held accountable for your actions.”

mitted a crime specifically stated in the Constitution as a cause for impeachment.

There has only been one moment in American history where a president genuinely faced the possibility of being removed from office, and that was in 1974 when Richard Nixon was facing impeachment charges for his role in the Watergate scandal.

The Watergate scandal was a political conspiracy in which members of the Nixon Administration arranged the bugging of the Watergate hotel, the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee, in order to get information that could help Nixon in the 1972 election.

Carl Bernstein, the legendary journalist that uncovered the Watergate scandal alongside journalist Bob Woodward, told CNN in an interview about the Ukraine scandal that “we’re watching a cover-up” because of the conspicuous acts done by the Trump Administration.

Bernstein said this because they attempted to hide the transcript of the Ukraine phone call in a top secret computer and are not cooperating with congressional subpoenas. These are the same offenses that started impeachment proceedings for Nixon, but he avoided a trial after becoming the first and only president to resign on Aug. 9, 1974.

Because Trump is now being held comparable to Nixon, most of America cannot help but support an impeachment of the president.

According to a poll done by Fox News, 51% of Americans want Trump impeached and removed from office.

“We are in a full-blown constitutional crisis,” Snyder said. “The traditional checks and balances which we’ve regarded as necessary for our democracy are no longer serving to restrain a president who ignores laws and ethics.”

With the scary similarities that this scandal has to Watergate, I hope to see Trump held to justice for his actions. No more bribery or corruption can occur within the executive branch. It is time for our country to take charge and do what must be done: lock up the criminal in the White House and reinstate our democracy.

6 OPINION

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

prospectornow.com

Burning the midnight oil

Over-involvement compromises sleep, mindset

D

uring my junior year, “sleep schedule” was not a phrase in my vocabulary. I would even go as far as to say the same for many of my peers. On multiple separate occasions, I’ve bonded with my peers over having been up for six hours by second period or having gotten in a whole two REM cycles the night before.

1:30 a.m. seemed to be a particularly familiar time for me, as this is around the time one of my friends and I would FaceTime each other in order to stay awake and finish our homework.

It’s no secret that, as high school progresses, the workload increases and sleep tends to take a backseat for many students.

According to an anonymous survey of 202 Prospect students, 35.5% of students get six or less hours of sleep per night, and 60.4% of students sacrifice sleep at least four nights a week for sports, activities or homework. For GRACE GIVAN some, this isn’t as an issue; Editor-in-Chief seen I definitely didn’t care either.

However, going on my final year of high school, I’ve learned that what tends to slip under the radar is the toll that sleep loss takes on motivation and the pride people take in their work. With course registration approaching for juniors, sophomores and freshmen from Nov. 11 to Dec. 2, students need to take into account the draining effects of too much involvement.

During course registration or when deciding to be involved in a new activity, I had the perception that I was incapable of being overwhelmed or stressed; my ego said things like “I can handle evGo to erything because I have time management skills,” or “I’m not lazy; I’ll get everything done.”

The source of this thought-process was to have an impressive college application, and, now, I can’t even fit all of my activities on my CommonApp’s 10 slots.

This mentality is a result of our toxic workaholic culture where measurable and tangible success is valued more than health. Accomplished people in the public eye, such as President Donald Trump, boast getting four to five hours of sleep per night — the idea being that he has more time to work and further his “success.”

School psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson compares this to the farm mentality that some students seem to have — waking up before the sun rises and cutting off their sleep is necessary for a farmer to work in the maximum amount of sunlight — but students at Prospect don’t work on a farm.

“Everyone is trying to get A’s and perfect grades so they can go to Harvard. And you know what? Harvard is not for everybody,” Kyp-Johnson said.

According to the aforementioned survey, 49.5% of students named homework as the biggest factor contributing to their lack of sleep.

I had this mentality freshman through junior year. At one point, I was contemplating having three jobs at once — I ended up having only two, but thank God they both ended in November — on top of a schedule of all AP and honors courses, no lunch period, involvement in two sports and what-

ever else I thought looked good on a college Any hobbies I had going into junior year application. went out the door; I neither had the time, “Colleges and universities are not lookmotivation nor mood to pick up a book or a ing for students to be maxed out; in fact, pencil to draw. It was just a cycle of school when you are maxing yourself out in high and sleep and no in-between. school, you “If you’re not are already in a good place short-changing mentally, you’re your capacinot in a place to ty to go even do well in your The amount of nights per week that students further and classes anyway, compromise sleep for homework, sports or push yourself so it’s just not activities: in college,” going to be a winGuidance win scenario. At Counselor a certain point, Lauren Collins your mental said. “You’re health is always burned out algoing to be first,” ready; you’re Collins said. tired, so to arI obviously rive in a unididn’t get the versity where memo on this and you’ve already looked to coffee pressed the as a replacement gas a little too for the sleep I was much, you are losing.

Which, going to find spoiler alert, was burnout rate an awful idea. and stress so There would much faster in be times where college where I had slept four you need to be hours for a few pressing on the consecutive days gas pedal, not in a row, and I *according to a Prospector survey of 202 students easing off.” would prepare Sleep loss two thermoses of impairs the coffee (in addition ability to remember, concentrate, think abto my morning one) for when the previous stractly and solve problems, according to one had worn off. Then, I would get home, Stanford Medicine News Center. In short, have no hope in a power nap, yet still be exit makes you brain-dead. I lost motivation hausted and do my best at completing my to be creative, and it didn’t help that I had homework. no longer found my classes interesting in I developed a real dependence on coffee, the slightest. and, being somewhat self-aware — again, This impacted my articles in the newssomewhat — I decided to stop drinking it paper, an activity I do by choice and have cold-turkey, not understanding the root of always enjoyed. However, looking back at the problem was simply not sleeping the some of my articles from my junior year, recommended amount. I woke up at 2:00 despite having potential, I saw no reward a.m. with a pounding migraine and didn’t in taking some of the stories to the next go back to bed until 6:00 a.m., and you best level. I was just bet I drank coffee when I woke up an hour concerned with later for a University of Arkansas visit that getting my work I presently don’t even want to apply to. done.

In some ways, this is a really cheesy “Your attitude metaphor for the fact that I’m out here about life can burning the midnight oil for abstart to fall apart. solutely nothing in return Of course you’re — besides a .05% better thinking ‘Why am chance of getting I banging my head into Harvard. against a wall doWaking up ing all this work if I’m not really not going to get anything [out of it] and go to college and start all over again?’ I think people underestimate how precious mental stability is,” Kyp-Johnson said.

Every day of my junior year, once I got home from school, I immediately calculated how many hours of homework I had, followed by the calculation of how much sleep I could get that night once that homework was done.

Sleepless knights

Want to know the biggest factor leading to lack of sleep among Prospect students?

Prospectornow.com

for that college visit didn’t point me in the direction I want to take my life and neither did FaceTiming my friend until 1:30 a.m. to figure out a physics problem.

The part where caffeine becomes even more dangerous is when it becomes part of an ongoing cycle; people use it to rectify sleep debt that accumulates as the week progresses, yet it keeps them up later and only feeds into the cycle. This leaves them more exhausted, increases their demand for caffeine and makes it impossible for them to catch up on the sleep they lost.

According to the same survey, 39.5% of students have used caffeine as a “quick fix” for sleep loss and 15.5% of students have used it as a long-term replacement for sleep.

This mentality towards academic perfection has caught the attention of administration, according to Collins. The idea had existed that if you can get an A in multiple AP classes, it would impress colleges, but, in reality, colleges want to see what makes students individuals.

As a result, counselors are taking a career approach towards course registration and extracurricular activities. For example, if a student wants to go into STEM, there would be no reason to take an AP English course. Counselors want students to explore passions, not overload themselves.

Yet, despite this push, Collins still occasionally has to call home to try and prevent burnt-out students from overloading their schedules during course registration. She holds teens’ underdeveloped frontal lobes responsible for not allowing them to see the bigger picture when it comes to creating their schedules.

“You have to not bite off more than you can chew; [don’t] fill your plate with a full plate of food if you have a [small] appetite,” Collins said.

Success can’t exist without sleep, and limiting sleep only limits success. There aren’t any shortcuts to this concept, either.

“Catching up” on sleep over the weekend scientifically doesn’t work, and, in fact, that’s procrastination. And procrastination is a sin in the workaholic community.

Don’t contradict yourself.

prospectornow.com

FEATURES 7

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

Gronski leads lifetime of compassion MARINA MAKROPOULOS Staff Writer

A

little girl in second grade was sitting with her family at a restaurant when a little boy holding his mom’s hand walked out. Referring to a man sitting with the little girl, the boy asked “What’s wrong with him? He looks different.”

His mom’s response: “He’s retarded.”

The little girl who experienced this appalling scene that caused her to cry was Jacquelin Gronski, a special education teacher at Prospect for the past 12 years. Gronski’s Uncle Steve was the man who the little boy was referring to — Steve has Down syndrome. He is now 56-years-old, which means that he has far surpassed his estimated life expectancy of 21.

Gronski remembers asking her parents what that word meant and them telling her that it meant he was special and physically FIGHT BLUE, FIGHT WHITE: Special education teacher Jacquelin Gronski coaches the varsity cheerleading team looked different.

“I think it didn’t really strike me until through their routine. While Gronski didn’t do cheer in high school, she has found a love in coaching it. Senior varsity cheer later where I was like, ‘Wow, an adult said member Nancy Vegetabile sees Gronski as a second mom. “Gronski pushes you to the point where she knows you’ll sucthat,’” Gronski said. “Retarded can mean ceed. She has helped me see that there is better in me than what I saw,” Vegetabile said. (photo by Alexis Esparza) anything, but the fact that someone just threw that word around like it was nothing her realize that she wanted to be a special ski how to change her approach with stu- overthinking things, but she had the guid— within our earshot — really bugged me.” education teacher. dents. She believes that the reason behind ance and support of Jeff Siegal; Siegal is Gronski believes that part of being a Gronski has always known that teaching many kids acting out or constantly getting in a cheer legend at Buffalo Grove and is the teacher in special education or any classwas for her and has never considered antrouble is because they are in need of a con- most successful coach in IHSA cheerleading room is educating people that retard is not other career. One of the first moments she nection with someone that they can talk to. history with eight total state championships. a word people use anymore. Gronski also realized this was when she asked for a chalk“I think a lot of kids in this building don’t “Having been at state for boys’ volleyball, said that “You should never say someone’s board as a gift in second grade. realize how many amazing teachers are in I decided to look at cheerleading as a chaldisability; always put the person first.” She Gronski said that she loved her time as here that would want to have a relationship lenge and set a goal to get my cheer team to was referring to the concept of person-first a student at Buffalo Grove High School; this with them. Once you have a connection with state,” Gronski said. “And we did make it language which eliminates generalizations, led her to want to come back and teach at a [a student], it’s the best thing ever,” Gronski to state. We made PHS history winning our assumptions and stereotypes by focusing on high school to give others the chance to have said. first MSL competitive cheerleading title, two the person rather than their disability. a good high school experience as well. GronA friend of Gronski’s who was the head sectional championships and two top 10 fin“It bothered me that someone could just ski taught at Highland Middle School in cheer coach at Buffalo Grove High School ishes.” classify my uncle as a retard without even Libertyville for a year as her first job, and, asked her to fill in a JV coaching spot for half Senior varsity cheer member Nancy knowing him,” Gronski said. although she recalled that it was a great exa season while in her third year of teaching Vegetabile was a part of the team that made Gronski said that her uncle taught her a perience and a wonderful first job, she at Prospect. It was a bit overwhelming for Prospect cheer history when, during her lot about patience, but, most of all, he knew that she wanted to Gronski because she was also an assistant freshman year, they were the first team to taught her to be mindful teach in a high school. coach for freshman boys’ volleyball at Buffaadvance to day two of state. of people with disabili“As a teacher, you lo Grove at the time, but she decided to fill in “I was able to come in as a freshman, perties and how to accept tend to bond with certhe position anyway. form with varsity and upperclassmen and be them. Whenever she tain kids whether it Prospect had an opening to fill a JV able to leave my legacy as making Prospect heard someone use that is through something cheerleading spot the following season, and history and being a part of that team, Vegword in her classroom, good or something negbecause she was already teaching at Pros- etabile she would always share ative that has turned pect, her response was “absolutely.” GronVegetabile also said that Gronski has imthe story of her uncle at positive,” Gronski ski was able to learn the fundamentals of pacted her as a cheerleader by the way she the restaurant. said. cheer by taking a few tumbling classes and was always there for her; she sees Gronski Steve would like to One particular stuhas learned a lot from the experience over- as a second mom that she can go to when take full credit for Grondent, whom Gronski all, including skills such as body awareness, she needs to talk about anything unrelated ski becoming a special edhad written up more core conditioning and progression of skills. to cheer. ucation teacher. He believes times than she has ever Gronski is currently the head varsity coach “Gronski pushes you to the point where that the societal view of peowritten up any student, of the cheer team. she knows you’ll succeed. She has helped me ple with Down syndrome has did a complete 180 transiPrior to coaching cheerleading, Gron- see that there is better in me than [what] I changed from when he was tion within a year. ski didn’t see it as a sport. The length of saw,” Vegetabile said. born in the early 1960s: it - Jacquelin Gronski, Gronski recalls Gronksi’s cheerleading career used to be common for physpecial education meeting with him extended up until she was in midsicians to advise parents to a few lunch periods dle school, and, since she stopped teacher immediately institutionalize every week to disparticipating, she had not realized children born with special needs. Howcuss his behavior and make him feel comhow much more athleticism went ever, the acceptance of people with different fortable. into it than she remembered. challenges has grown tremendously over She knew that his trust in her had “I love to coach; it doesn’t retime. changed when, the following year as a jually matter what I’m coaching,” Because of how close Gronski is with nior, the student had a major change in his Gronski said. “Obviously I feel her uncle, as a child, she would always work behavior and came back to apologize for more confident if I know [the with him and help him get involved at famthings that had happened in the past. sport], and now I know both [volily dinners or at places such as Medieval “It’s so great to see something change leyball and cheer].”

Times that require socializing with others. and [see] that the student is going in a really When Gronski first started These experiences, as well as encouragegood direction,” Gronski said. coaching cheerleading at Buffalo ment from other family members, helped This experience taught GronGrove, she realized that she was

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It’s so great to see something change and [see] that the student is going in a really good direction.”

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Senior Jack Delahunty The Boyfriend

Senior Catherine Cook The Subject

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Senior Julia Newford The Best Friend

Red

5’6”

P

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California

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Favorite color?

Height?

Red

5’6”

Dream vacation spot?

California

Blue

5’6”

Colorado

P

Chocolate Pixies

Gigio’s

Favorite candy?

Favorite restaurant?

Nerds

Cici’s Pizza

KitKat

Red Robin

W I N N E R

X

8 IN-DEPTH

prospectornow.com

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

TRANSFORMING MEDIA INFLU 2018 and 2019 Digital Marketing Budget 20%

$0 $0

info according to Later.com

$250K to $500K $250K to $500K

10%

16%

13% $100K to $250K $100K to $250K

10%

$50K to $100K $50K to $100K

13% 12%

0% graphic by Ryan Kupperman

17%

16%

= 2019

7%

8%

17% 13% 8%

7%

Over $1 million Over $1 million

20%

= 2018

$750K $750K

22%

Under $50K Under $50K

As companies begin to see more potential for business on social media platforms, they are setting aside more money each year dedicated to digital advertising.

According to Later.com, these 2018 and 2019 graphs show the increasing difference between marketing budgets for a pool of companies.

Percent of Budget

Allocating to media

$500K to $750K $500K to $750K

30%

Budget Funding Ranges

Youth reach increased audience on Instagram RYAN KUPPERMAN Editor-in-Chief

E

very two weeks, junior Caroline Ayala comes into some money.

Not by scooping ice cream or waiting tables — as is per-usual for most teenagers. Instead, Ayala makes roughly $40 every two weeks promoting the company Novashine, a teeth whitening company, on Instagram.

While it doesn’t take much on Ayala’s part, teens across the country have been becoming more and more influential. As more companies take advantage of social media popularity, the stronger hand they have in affecting the everyday lives of teenagers. Therefore, Instagram-sponsored teens such as Ayala serve an increasingly more prominent role in influencing her peers.

Ayala says she’ll usually put sponsored posts on her Instagram stories, not on her account, as well as limit the amount of sponsored posts she does because she knows it could get annoying.

According to Ayala, companies look at your followers when deciding whether or not to reach out to you for a sponsorship. In order to be qualified for a sponsorship, Ayala says you must have over 1,000 followers. As of Oct. 29, Ayala has 4,538 followers on her Instagram account, @carolinegraceayala.

Although it provides a few extra bucks, Ayala actually uses the product that she endorses. While normal whitening strips hurt her teeth, Novashine doesn’t and is easy to use. According to Ayala, she would never endorse a product that she didn’t approve of; in fact, she was using Novashine before she was ever approached about being sponsored.

Regarding being picked by the company to represent their product, Ayala says she was too excited and surprised that she was approached at all to ask how the company had found her Instagram page — especially since Novashine’s headquarters is located in Missouri.

Media Analysis teacher Cambria Myers specifically explores this phenomenon in her Media Analysis class. Usually referring to people like Ayala as “Instagram influencers,” Myers touches on the effect of using a teen to sell products to other teens.

“It goes back to ‘Who is the target audience?’” Myers said. “Obviously, it costs a lot of money to have a celebrity endorse something. Is it effective?

Yeah, that’s why people do it. But when you can get a smaller scale, more local version of a teenager with a following, multiply that by however many [teenagers] across the country … [the consumer gets] a little bit more of ‘Here’s an everyday person that I can see myself in.’”

According to Myers, being sponsored and being an influencer isn’t always the same thing.

Contrastingly, Ayala would consider herself an influencer because she promotes a product while getting paid to do so. However, she admits that others who might have a full-time advertising job may be more invested in the work or have more of an influence.

According to the Atlantic, teenage influencers rarely have to sign contracts in order to advertise a product. When reaching out to teens, most companies will either send their product for the teen to wear in a picture, or just send images to be worked into a post.

In addition, companies tend to offer guidance on how they’d like their product to be featured, as well as when the post should go up. However, most brands leave advertising guidelines up to the teen in order to make the endorsement more authentic.

In Ayala’s case, Novashine will direct message her on Instagram — usually asking if she has time to post. Then, they offer her money for each product post she makes. If she was able to post one within the next day, that would be $10 to $15; however, if she could post twice, that could be up to $20 to $25.

According to OurSocialTimes.com, celebrities with over 7 million followers can make between $150,000 and $300,000 per post.

In terms of how she does a sponsored post, Ayala is given direction on what to say from the company. Usually, this will include that their brand is better than typical whitening strips. In addition, the company will have her

say what she likes about it.

According to Myers, this type of business guideline is becoming more and more common, as teens’ honest opinions about a certain product makes the product, and thus the ad selling process, more genuine.

“I think that it’s, on one hand, really smart advertising because it’s more authentic,” Myers said. “It’s not, ‘Okay, let me come up with this big elaborate, professional ad campaign — that we then push out to the masses.’

Instead ... [they] put the product in the hands of the actual teenager, so that they can show their opinion of it.”

This type of advertising, according to Myers, is way more effective in attracting the mind of the consumer.

“With a celebrity, it’s ‘Here’s someone I idolize, here’s someone I admire, here’s someone I want to be like,’ whereas with another teenager it’s a little bit more within reach.” Myers said.

Myers thinks that, on the company’s side, it’s a far less expensive way of advertising. Companies often end up giving their products to influencers to advertise them, as well as paying money for a certain amount of followers or likes.

In turn, they save money by not spending millions of dollars on an ad campaign. The influencer marketing company Linqia reports as of 2019, the majority of businesses have a budget of $250,000 to $500,000 to spend on advertising with influencers (See Making Room for Media).

While Myers recognizes the amount of potential for businesses to save money, she also recognizes the effectiveness of having teens do product placements.

According to Myers, the advertising industry has changed dramatically since the invention of social media.

A few years ago, there was a reason that a 30 second Super Bowl commercial cost $5 million: it was an effective method in reaching the company’s intended audience.

Now, Myers says that a company can pay $750,000 to run a sponsored Snapchat filter for a day, and the reach per dollar amount on Snapchat is the same as a commercial on the Super Bowl.

“If I’m trying to get you to use the filter, and you use it, and then send it 20 of your friends, and now they’ve all seen my branding too — that’s the future of the ad industry,” Myers said.

“Instagram is a form of native advertising, where a lot of times people who are looking at it don’t even realize that it’s an ad. What they notice first is, ‘Oh she looks cute,’ or ‘Ooh I like her makeup.’ And then they realize, maybe, after the fact that it’s an ad.”

Myers believes that the more social media platforms grow in users, the more you’ll see advertisers live on those platforms. As of late, Myers says that print advertising is dying.

Although an ad could still be designed as a print ad, it might never run in print at all. While it could run in a Sports Illustrated magazine, it could also run in the same exact format on Facebook.

“Instagram ads, Snapchat ads, other kinds of user-generated content … those are going to continue to grow because that’s where people are spending their time,” Myers said. “If people aren’t reading a print magazine anymore, then why are you running ads in a print magazine? You [have to] find somewhere else to run your ads.”

Myers also points out that fast-paced social media helps the advertising business.

Although the amount of seconds a person spends thinking about an individual Instagram post is minimal, if a person can relate enough to the post, the process of buying a product is at their fingertips.

“I think that a girl who is looking at a post, if they can see [another] girl and say ‘I’m a lot like that girl’ in their minds, that’s all it takes,” Myers said. “And then being able to click on that link in their bio, and it takes them straight to the website to buy that material, to buy that product … I think that’s powerful. It’s right then and there in the moment.”

TikTok e

When I first heard about thought I was going to get on I felt like I had better th would crash quickly anyway Yet, when I saw people gram, fear of missing out go I got the app, started scro to like the videos several ti couldn’t like, follow or post Consequently, I signed u TikTok is just too enter cause the quick skits, danc to get hooked on, and I’ve fo than other social media plat However, as with every important to be conscious of the content you choose to po A tech company in Beiji TikTok, acquired Musical.ly In August 2018, TikTok to transferred to TikTok autom Junior Concetta Rolfe ha over to a TikTok account, a noticed between the two is selves lip-syncing.

prospectornow.com

UENCERS Increased platform opportunities lead to higher rate of teenage,online popularity

SMILE! Junior Caroline Ayala stands on a social media stage, endorsing a teeth-whitening product for the company Novashine. With nearly 4.5K followers, Ayala has a desired following size for companies to advertise their products to younger audiences. According to Media Analysis teacher Cambria Myers, businesses are beginning to make more profit for encouraging teenagers to sponsor their products, rather than big name celebrities. “It goes back to ‘Who is the target audience?’” Myers said. “Obviously, it costs a lot of money to have a celebrity endorse something. Is it effective? Yeah, that’s why people do it. But when you can get a smaller, more local version of a teenager with a following, multiply that by however many [teenagers] across the country ... [the consumer gets] a little bit more of ‘Here’s an everyday person that I can see myself in.’” (photo graphic by Grace He)

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

IN-DEPTH 9

Internet tries not to breach free speech OLIVIA KIM Associate Online Editor-In-Chief Senior Kylie Schneider carries a following of over 3,000 on Instagram ... along with a pressure to dress well, put on makeup everyday and to post things that people will double tap on. Schneider typically posts moments of happiness and occasionally more personal feelings like her dog passing away. But to her surprise, one day earlier in the year she received “malicious” comments from some of her peers. “[Seeing hateful comments] makes me upset. If something [you’re posting is intended] to be mean and you know that, then I don’t think that’s okay,” Schneider said. “Say it to yourself. You don’t need to post that and bring other people down.”

The limitations of speech have been often debated throughout history. Users on social media platforms have often tested the boundaries of the freedom of speech by posting hate comments, slandering statements and even through cyber-bullying. “[Social media] is an easy way to say mean things because you’re behind a screen and sometimes you can say it anonymously. That’s just the day and age we live in. And it’s sad, but people think that’s an easy way to target people,” Schneider said. “It’s not OK, but, it’s easier to [hide behind] ‘free speech’ and say whatever you want on social media.”

The first amendment protects the freedoms of speech, religion, press, the right to peacefully assemble and the right to petition the government.

American Law and Psychology teacher Jay Heilman believes that the freedom of speech is the most important right the Constitution guarantees to citizens.

“As human beings, what else do we have if we’re not able to express ourselves?” Heilman said.

However, Heilman understands that the right to freedom of speech is not all encompassing.

Statements that incite unlawful acts and false statements that can cause someone damage are not protected.

Claims that are written are called libel, while those that are spoken are labeled as defamation.

“Your right to [free] speech ends where somebody else’s right to protection [is infringed upon] from what you say,” Heilman said.

Alex Jones, the talk show host of “The Alex Jones Show” and “InfoWars,” was

sued by Leonard Pozner, alongside eight other families of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting, after Jones alleged that the shooting never really happened and that it was all a leftwing scheme for stricter gun laws, according to the BBC. Pozner won the defamation case in July after proving that he was forced to move and had received numerous death threats from people following Jones’s message.

Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel of the Student Press Law Center, a non-profit organization that aims to protect the press freedom rights for student journalists, was appalled at Jones’s actions, but not surprised that this happens.

“It strikes all of us when someone doesn’t have any decency,” Hiestand said.

What Jones did was proven to have caused a negative effect on those he was targeting, but many courts have trouble deciding what would constitute a “negative effect.”

Upsetting or hateful comments that could be considered as cyber-bullying are debated in courts as to whether one can be sued for making them, according to Hiestand.

A Washington state statute criminalizes “making an electronic communication to … a [person] with intent to harass, … torment, or embarrass any other person” if the communication is made “anonymously or repeatedly,” according to the Washington Post.

Similar laws have been made to prevent cyber-bullying in Albany County, New York and the state of North Carolina, but both have been invalidated due to their excessive broadness, according to Middle Tennessee State University.

Hiestand noted that there is no legal definition for “humiliating speech” because that would impede on too much protected speech.

“It’s difficult for the courts to get into because it’s subjective,” Heilman said. “[The right to free speech] is not black and white. It’s mostly gray, and I think it always will be.”

That leaves most of the regulation of what can or can’t be said on social media to what each person decides is ethical since there is limited government regulation.

“I will repost something on Instagram

that I believe in, just because I’m doing it in a way where I [can say] what I believe,” Schneider said. “But I’m not saying it in a malicious way.”

Schneider tries to keep her feed peaceful because she is aware that her larger following will reach more people and doesn’t want to receive upsetting comments, or distribute them.

“You feel like you need to be a good role model for the younger people,” Schneider said.

Nick Olson, Division Head for Student Success, Safety and Wellness, believes that those who have more power and influence on social media have an even higher responsibility on their shoulders.

“People [with larger followings] on social media should be more mindful of what they post … because they’re going to influence a lot of people. Especially for people that are influencing younger generations that are more vulnerable,” Olson said.

If Schneider sees something hateful on social media, she tries to respond to it and say “that’s not cool” and to “not do that.”

Lisa Soukup, Division Head for Student Success, Safety and Wellness, believes that more people are knowledgeable on how to respond to these situations, and understands that these situations have more weight than in the past.

“I think students are a lot more likely to report [inappropriate posts]. I think there’s a significant campaign that [says] it’s not cool or appropriate. It’s perceived as something that is immature and harmful,” Soukup said.

“There are social consequences [of posting hateful statements].”

While legal regulation is limited, Soukup and Hiestand believe that people are learning how to respond to these situations and understanding what is ethical to post or not.

“Social media really came without an instruction manual,” Soukup said. “[Before social media], it was hard for people to have a platform for their voices to be heard,” Hiestand said.

“I like the idea that we’ve opened up the spigot to more voices, but as a society, we are still really trying to figure out what these new tools are and how to best use them to better ourselves to make this world a better place.”

enters social media spotlight, wastes all of my time

t TikTok last spring, I never n the app. hings to do, and that the app y. e posting TikToks on Instaot the best of me. olling and I tapped the heart imes, only to find out that I unless I got an account. up and got addicted. rtaining for me to delete beces and challenges are easy ADRIA NA ound that it’s quite different News tforms that I’ve used. other social media app, it’s f how much time you’re spending on it and ost. ing, ByteDance, which had already owned y in November 2017 for about $1 billion. ook over Musical.ly, and all accounts were matically. ad a Musical.ly account before it switched and she said that the main difference she’s that people mostly posted videos of them-

On TikTok, however, there’s a wider variety of content — people dance, do challenges, perform skits and much more.

TikTok is not only different from its prior platform, Musical.ly, but it’s also different from other social media platforms.

On some apps, such as Instagram and VSCO, posting is a competition — there’s a pressure to create a certain aesthetic and show off who you are and what you have. Other apps, like Snapchat, are used mainly to communicate with others.

TikTok, however, has a “Vine” feel to it. Vine was BRISC OE a popular video app that crashed in 2017. I never had Editor a Vine account, but I saw Vine compilations on YouTube consisting of people falling, doing challenges or dancing. From this, I noticed that TikTok is similar to Vine in that most people post quick, 15 second videos that are funny or impressive, which satisfies many people’s hunger for immediate entertainment.

I feel like TikTok’s unique spin on Vine is what makes it so addicting, and it’s also why TikTok is referred to as “Vine Two.” When I go on Instagram or Snapchat, my eyes don’t glue to the screen when I see a Chicago post for the millionth time. But if I watch a funny video of someone stacking Oreos on TikTok, I’m tempted to watch it over and over again.

It’s also easier to go viral on TikTok. On most forms of social media,

it’s hard to become popular because they require one to get people’s attention through good pictures in order to get them to follow an account. On TikTok, if someone makes a clever or silly video, it can get many likes or views in a short amount of time.

For instance, I saw a TikTok of a girl who filmed herself doing makeup to look like the Mona Lisa. When she showed the results, a line from a spoof of “Senorita” by Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes played, with the lyrics being, “I love it when you call me Mona Lisa” instead of “I love it when you call me Senorita.” The video got two million likes and 9.8 million views, yet her caption stated that it was her first TikTok: she went viral impressively fast.

Following trends on TikTok is another easy way to go viral, as shown when Rolfe got over 1.3 million views on a video of her dancing to “Spooky Scary Skeletons.”

I think this occurrence is partially due to the fact that TikTok videos can be instantly viewed on the home page; therefore, if a good video pops up in someone’s feed, they are likely to give it a like and share it. I also think that videos tend to impact us more than pictures do because we can actually watch a person as if we were seeing them in real life — that personal touch can influence us to follow someone more than if we were to just see their pictures.

TikTok’s unique trends and interface provide a fun way to make memories.

“I’m going to look back and laugh at myself and be like ‘Why did I do that?’” Rolfe said.

10 FEATURES

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

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Unseen struggles of an invisible illness GENEVIEVE KARUTZ Executive Opinion Editor *name changed for confidentiality

S

enior Gertrude Smith* was lying in bed around 1 a.m. when she felt her heart beating irregularly and quickly. Though her parents thought it was just caused by anxiety over school, Smith felt worse as the week went on. Later that week, she felt a shortness of breath in class and went to the nurse. Her heart was beating extremely fast. When she went to the doctor, she was officially diagnosed with Sinus Arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythms.

“I got really freaked out and thought I was going to die,” Smith said.

What Smith suffers from is one of many “invisible illnesses” –– chronic diseases that cannot be perceived by others because the symptoms are not externally visible. These people may look healthy, but they are actually very sick. Sufferers of such conditions often struggle emotionally, as they feel the need to prove to others that they are ill.

According to the Huffington Post, around 10% of people have an invisible illness. Junior Hannah Abbott suffers from a gastrointestinal motility disorder which means her digestive tract does not work properly. She is also affected by dysautonomia, which is an autonomic nervous system disorder. Additionally, Abbott is severely gluten-intolerant.

Abbott had often been sick as a child with gastrointestinal issues, but at around 12 or 13-years-old, she developed serious pains in her stomach. It took several gastroenterologists to identify her problem. All of Abbott’s conditions are different medically, but they have one element in common: they could never be discerned from Abbott’s outward appearance.

“When I was first diagnosed, I was really upset. It’s hard finding out something is drastically wrong with you,” Abbott said.

However, Abbott understands that everyone has struggles, and her invisible illnesses are just her own.

“My disorders affect everything I do including eating, school, exercise and hanging

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: Hannah Abbott suffers from “invisible illnesses,” which means her symptoms are unknown to the public. “It’s hard finding out something is drastically wrong with you,” Abbott said. (photo illustration by Mara Nicolaie) out with friends,” Abbott said.

Similar to Abbott, Smith has to monitor her levels of stress and be aware of how much coffee she is drinking that can be a factor in her stress levels. Senior *Emery Kirkland suffers from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). It is a condition that affects blood flow, and symptoms manifest when a person stands upright.

POTS affects many things in Kirkland’s daily life. Because of her disorder, she is unable to do activities such as exercising, attending gym class or attending concerts like Lollapalooza where she would need to stand up for a long period of time.

Kirkland’s process of diagnosis was tedious like Abbott’s; she had to see many doctors during her sophomore year when she felt constantly sick, tired and unable to exercise.

But unlike those who have a condition

that is observable, people with invisible illnesses face skepticism, according to Abbott.

In her experience, these people are accused of just being moody and often endure other dismissive judgements.

Abbott has had people question if her condition is really that serious because she does not look sick. Abbott has been told on many occasions that she fakes being sick.

Not only has Abbott heard this from classmates, but also from teachers who have told her that she was “over-exaggerating” and that she “didn’t look sick.”

Abbott takes multiple medications every day, including a daily 90-minute treatment program to control symptoms and pain.

Kirkland experiences the same skepticism from others.

“On the outside, I look completely healthy, and everyone around me assumes that I’m doing completely fine unless I tell

them what’s happening,” Kirkland said.

Kirkland misses many days of school and falls behind on homework when the disease flares up. She tries to persevere through hard times because she knows they won’t last forever.

“I try not to let [POTS] control my life,” Kirkland said.

Invisible illnesses do not have to be physical ailments. Mental illnesses such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder impose many of the same burdens on patients.

Abbott wants people to know that she and others with invisible disorders suffer just as much as those with visible disorders. However, Abbott tries to keep a positive outlook.

“I want people to know that, no matter the illness, people with chronic illnesses or disabilities can do anything they want,” Abbott said.

Student business takes off

MANISHA PANTHEE Features Editor Beauty has been a part of junior Jane Hamilton’s life for as long as she can remember. In second grade, she had a mini nail salon at her house; she would apply nail polish for her own friends and mom’s friends. In fifth grade, Hamilton did makeup for her sisters when they went to prom. She even had a YouTube channel where she posted makeup tutorials.

“I’ve always loved makeup and beauty because you can express yourself through it,” Hamilton said. “You can even change it or take it off at the end of the day and love you for you.”

Inspired by this philosophy, Hamilton created her own lip glosses during her sophomore year. Although it took her a while to think of her website name, she eventually decided on boujeebabeboutique.com.

“The brand is meant to be fancy and boujee. [When deciding the name], I wanted something that was me,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton creates her own lip glosses by using Versagel (a base for glosses), oils, vitamin E and other ingredients to moisturize lips. Once the gloss is created, she uses syringes to fill tubes and places the glosses in packaging. She currently has six different colors to choose from.

During the first three weeks of distribution, she sold more than 50 lip glosses. Eventually, people from outside Illinois heard about her lip glosses from friends and wanted to buy them. To make shipping easier, Hamilton created a website for her lip glosses this past summer.

Although she started off only selling glosses, Hamilton eventually expanded to apparel and accessories. Some other products available on her site are false lashes, swimsuits and jumpsuits. Regarding apparel, she partners with warehouse clothing brands who agree to sell their items under her brand through her website.

Hamilton manages her website and brand alone for the most part, but she has some help from her parents. Her dad is able to help with the financial aspect.

Her mom, Mary Hamilton, is a stay-athome mom with an Etsy site, so she is able to help Jane with shipping. The support she

has received from family and friends has been overwhelming.

“A lot of people at school have been really supportive,” Jane said. “[Hearing people talk about] my products in class and in the hallways is really cool.”

When Jane first approached her mom with the idea of creating a business, some of Mary’s biggest concerns were Jane’s ability to keep up with demand as well as her lack of experience. Mary soon realized that Jane had already thought through every concern and question she had.

She specifically remembers that she asked what Jane would do if she ran out of product and people kept ordering; Jane replied that she had already set limits on the website to correlate with the stock she had left.

Due to the support she has had from everyone, Hamilton hasn’t faced many issues so far. Maintaining school and her business has not been a problem.

“I always thought [selling beauty products would be] so much more [difficult] than it ended up being,” Hamilton said. “I found out I could actually [create a business].”

The only issue that Hamilton faces is the promotion of her products. Currently, some of her friends have promotion codes that they post on social media to attract more customers who can use the code to receive a discount.

Promoters receive a commission on every purchase of a product that uses their code.

Despite the success that Jane has had thus far, Mary knows that businesses can sometimes be fickle and worries that if there is a downturn in her customers, Jane will feel discouraged. Nonetheless, she knows Jane will not back down from a challenge.

“I’m really impressed with her resilience to always stick with things,” Mary said.

“She’s always been good at finding new avenues to get at it.”

Although the company started off as just a hobby for Jane, it is something she wishes to create a career out of. Once the website gains more traction, Jane hopes to open a physical boutique. In order to grow her website, she plans to study business management in college.

“It’s exciting seeing my [business] grow from an idea in my mind to [a reality],” Jane said.

Fake-Woke Failure

prospectornow.com

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

Pretending to be cultured hinders social progress

A

fter spending my entire junior year deeply invested in my Twitter account, I learned a lot about “fake woke” culture. Being “woke” is supposed to be a positive thing — it means you’re cultured, worldly and in-the-know about social and political issues.

Being woke is a great thing, which is why so many teenagers try to fake it. We crave the acceptance and admiration that comes with professing a politically correct culture.

Even I can admit to liking or retweeting a few fake woke tweets because I thought it would make me a better person.

However, liking a tweet calling Stan Lee racist and homophobic after he died did not make me an activist. I didn’t even know who he was at the time, so trying to jump on a DEVIL IN DISGUISE: A girl points at her shadow shrugging behind her. Social bandwagon of assumptions probably made media users and companies alike pretend to be cultured for their own personal gain, me a worse person if anything. which can discredit real activism. (photo illustration by Mara Nicolaie) Based on my Twitter experience, I define selves through replies on Twitter. For ex- portance of the issue. When I saw the tweet, fake woke as taking some form of media and ample, recently, R&B news account Rap-Up my first thought wasn’t, “Oh wow, there’s a finding any way to criticize it to seem moraltweeted the headline “Kylie Jenner reunites Muslim genocide in China right now.” ly superior or more culturally sensitive. with Tyga after Travis Scott My first thought was, “Is someone seriThe idea of being fake woke acbreakup.” Twitter user “naur” re- ously making a Kylie Jenner headline about tually goes against everything it plied to this by tweeting “there’s a genocide?” appears to stand for; it minimizes a muslim genocide happening in Everyone knows news stories about Kyimportant issues and warps the china right now.” lie and Tyga are ridiculous, so it’s difficult viewer’s sense of what being morNow, don’t get me wrong; I to see the fake woke responses as anything ally good or politically correct don’t see a problem with trying more than cheap even means. to raise awareness on what’s hap- shots. They simply While it would be the most pening in China, but what is Rap- seem like opportubeneficial if we could stop proUp supposed to do about it? nities for people to fessing fake woke ideals altoAttacking a hip-hop gossip ac- pat themselves on gether, there’s obviously no way count is probably the worst way the back and say to control other people’s actions MADISON to go about spreading awareness. they’ve done their online. As a result, the responsiMANCZKO In case you don’t know, people moral duty for the bility falls on us, the viewers, to don’t visit Rap-Up or TMZ for se- day, but that’s not combat this ignorance by educatOpinion Editor rious world news. exactly activism. ing ourselves on important issues By using a Kylie Jenner news Fake woke before we accept fake woke tweets as fact. headline to start a conversation about geno- opinions can be Most fake woke opinions reveal themcide, the tweet seemed to minimize the im- frustrating to see because the person’s intentions are extremely questionable. It’s common for people to profess fake woke ideals for the purpose of popularity, likes or retweets.

“People tweet things that are fake woke because they want others to agree with them,” Sara Canton, three-year active Twitter user @brendontruce, said. “They want the recognition, the attention and the validation.”

Canton has also observed that people often pretend to care to seem more involved and culturally aware. They don’t actually care; it’s simply “in” to care.

A prime example of this is the infamous Kendall Jenner Pepsi commercial that came out in 2017. In the commercial, Kendall Jenner is pictured ending racism and police bru-

ENTERTAINMENT 11

tality by handing a police officer a … can of Pepsi?

The commercial is so transparent it’s almost laughable, and it was even pulled by the Pepsi brand a day after it came out due to its controversial nature.

However, Pepsi was just doing the same thing as the fake woke Twitter users — exploiting prevalent social issues to gain more attention. In Pepsi’s case, they attempted to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement to sell more Pepsi.

To gain attention on social media, users can also try to retroactively woke-test something that was popular years ago in an earlier decade of pop culture. For example, the TV show “Friends” remains a constant victim of this, as people continuously try to cancel it for not upholding 2019’s politically correct values.

Calling out “Friends” for out-of-date jokes accomplishes nothing when it comes to social and political change.

It’s true that there are many jokes in “Friends” that would be considered unacceptable today, like the running gag of “fat Monica” or having a cisgender actress playing a transgender woman.

However, “Friends” came out in 1994 and ended in 2004. How can we expect a show that came out in 1994 to reflect a politically correct culture that wouldn’t be prevalent for another 25 years?

Being fake woke is no doubt an ignorant way of thinking, but, in some ways, seeing a fake woke opinion is better than not seeing anything at all. This is because if you see a fake woke tweet, you are given an opportunity to combat its ignorance.

Essentially, the fake woke cycle can only be ended by the viewer.

A tweet can be a learning experience if you’re willing to educate yourself with real, unbiased facts.

If you’re not willing to do that, it then becomes your responsibility to be cautious and avoid automatically taking fake woke opinions as the truth. If you fail to do both of these things, you become a part of the problem.

“There’s a genuine need in society for people to care,” Canton said. “Outlets like TMZ and Worldstar aren’t going to provide you with important social issues. People need to care enough to seek information from sources that cover issues that actually matter.”

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Read about the differences between high school in real life vs high school on TV shows and movies, as well as its impact on actual teenagers.

12 ENTERTAINMENT

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

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Mentally ill characters enhance stigma RYAN BARICH Executive News Editor

*name changed for confidentiality

O

ne of the most anticipated movies of 2019, “Joker,” was released on Oct. 5 and has received startling reviews from film critics on its alternative storytelling.

Prospect parent *Robert Tell went to the movie with his nephew during its first week of release. Upon entering the theater, Tell noticed the heavy police presence surrounding the movie, and that’s when he began to worry.

During the movie, Tell witnessed the sheer shock and horror other viewers displayed while witnessing the protagonist’s brutal murders, anarchist actions and descent into madness.

These were reactions Tell had never seen before in a movie theater, and it became apparent to him why the police were concerned. “[‘Joker’] does stand for anarchy,” Tell said. “There are hate groups and protesters out there that might look at this movie and see it as a calling sign.”

Movies like “Joker” normally use mentally ill characters to personify messages of isolation and revolting against a domineering society. It’s a structure that has proven to bring in millions of dollars at the box office and even academy awards.

However, the American Psychological Association (APA) found that three out of five times, Hollywood will make characters with a behavioral disorder the serial killer or anarchist — praised for going against “the man.”

This portrayal works to send the initial message, but to the actual mentally ill, it says something completely different about how they are perceived.

Psychology teacher Daria Schaffeld feels that these movies create a self-stigma in those suffering from mental illness that can worsen their already fragile mental and social state.

“These movies promote ostracism, plain and simple,” Schaffeld said. “It’s a horrible attempt at a cash grab.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: An audience views the maniacal, mentally ill character as an honest represenation for the mentally ill. The misrepresentation of the mentally ill in movies has created a serious stigma. (cartoon by Mara Nicolaie) These movies create such negative connotations for people with behavioral disorders that in another APA study, 60% of surveyed patients admitted that they avoid interacting with others due to fear of persecution, and 40% confessed that they keep their condition completely hidden when socializing.

School psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson has worked with students with such disorders and has seen the stigma’s effects first hand.

“They’re terrified, absolutely terrified, of people turning their backs on them or worse due to a preconceived image of them,” Kyp-Johnson said.

This is in part caused by how movies tend to oversimplify the disorders themselves so much that they marginalize an entire group of mentally ill people into one social stigma.

There are four different types of bipolar disorders for example, yet movies will say that the society-hating anti-hero is just plainly and simply bipolar.

“What really, super bothers me is that ‘Joker’ idolizes a severely ill person and says

that he’s just severely ill when he’s really a way over the edge depiction,” Kyp-Johnson said.

Movies don’t only oversimplify, they sensationalise mental illness too, so much so that it creates an actual social stigma that perpetuates these fears that Kyp-Johnson has seen.

To a lot of people, these movies are their first exposure to mental illness, and that in turn starts to create this belief system that all mentally ill people are wild anarchists, according to Kyp-Johnson.

Kyp-Johnson has found that they’re more timid and quieter than overly violent or deviant as the stereotype suggests.

In fact, in a study conducted by Mentalhealth.gov, they reported that only 3 to 5% of violent crimes can be attributed to people suffering from mental illness, and mentally ill people are actually ten times more likely to be victims of violent crimes than perpetrators.

“The Joker is a super flamboyant, anti-social hedonist, and there are people that

extreme in moderation, but the majority will go on in their lives with these disorders quietly,” Kyp-Johnson said. “You shouldn’t have to be any more wary of a mentally ill person than any other person.”

Schaffeld appalls these type of movies for this very reason, as she feels it creates a stigma that the public should fear those with serious mental disorders.

“You could see X, Y, Z movie where a mentally ill person is violent. That perpetuates your belief and it’s just not the truth,” Schaffeld said. “I don’t support and fund movies that perpetuate the stigma; I think it’s just wrong.”

As to why movies tend to use behaviorally challenged characters to lead a story, creative writing teacher Teresa Buczinsky believes their use is to show an audience a reflection of their own darker, more deviant impulses.

“These characters apt to teach us about ourselves because they tend to be extreme versions of traits that we recognize within ourselves,” Buczinsky said. “A lot of us have problems regulating our emotions at times.”

In essence, movies will use these characters to symbolize a type of person that audience members could become.

Dr. Louise Mares, a professor of liberal arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, found in a study of 482 participants that the average person will enjoy these types of movies because they offer “meaningful insights into [his or her] emotional condition,” “People that have an experience that takes one out of oneself, even into dark places, is very fascinating,” Buczinksy said.

These messages and inspirations can be personified in a mentally healthy character, but according to Buczinsky, movies will always turn to the scapegoat of blaming the mentally ill due to the already existing stigma.

It’s a stereotype that has been pushed onto viewers time and time again, but due to a recent upheaval in social activism, studios are working towards being more “self aware,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“They don’t choose to be mentally ill,” Schaffeld said. “This stigma just prevents kindness, and I think the world does need a lot more of that.”

Lyrics produce negative emotions, strong reactions In an interview with Beats 1 Radio about “Lovely,” a song by Billie Eilish and Khalid, Eilish said she and Khalid decided to call the song “Lovely” because of its melancholy.

“The song was sort of really freaking depressing so then it’s like oh, how lovely. Just taking everything horrible like, you know what? This is great. I’m so happy being miserable,” Eilish said.

A trend I’ve noticed in recent years is that songs are becoming more centered around problems. Sad music can be soothing and even therapeutic in tough times, yet sad lyrics can affect us in harmful ways we might be unaware of.

According to a study done

by Lior Shamir, a computer scientist at Lawrence Technical University, songs have ADRIANA become increasingly sad and News angry since the 1950s. Shamir analyzed more than 6,000 songs using IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence platform. Different emotions in songs were given scores from zero to one, with zero being the weakest degree of a certain emotion and one being the highest.

For example, “Blueberry Hill” by Fat Dominos (1956) got a high joy score of 0.89, while Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me” (2015) got a joy score of only 0.15.

This trend doesn’t surprise me, as music is a way for artists to express their unhappiness, according to school psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson.

“Music and songs are a source of speaking the unspeakable,” Kyp-Johnson said.

“Nobody wants to hear people drone on and on about their lost girlfriend. But if you sing a song about it, everyone wants to hear it.”

The trend of sad songs becoming more popular contributed to my sinking mood over the past few years. I don’t know if it’s just because I was surrounded by happier

music as a child, or that all music in general is more depressing nowadays. Either way, both the music I hear in my everyday life and the music I choose to listen to has become sadder.

Music has always been a significant part of my life. I’ve been dancing since I was three-years-old, I played the violin in middle school, and I listen to music every day. Even though I quit violin (I no longer had the patience for it), I’ve really grown to appreciate slower, melancholic songs in which the singer’s voice seamlessly blends together using a violin or piano.

“Lovely” is the perfect example of this kind of song. I first discovered this song last BRISCOE year when I was scrolling through Eilish’s albums on Editor Spotify. When I first heard it, I thought, “This is really beautiful.” Because I liked it, I started listening to it every day — sometimes listening to it five times in one sitting.

I thought that this was helping me feel better. I thought that relating to a song would be a good reminder that I’m not alone in the challenges I face.

However, doing this was not the best choice because it amplified my feelings of loneliness and hopelessness. Whenever I heard the first part of the chorus, “Isn’t it lovely, all alone?” I’d literally think to myself “Yes, it’s very lovely.”

The song reminded me of my freshman year, when I was surrounded by people who didn’t respect my decisions and preferences.

It made me feel like I was reliving the criticisms I heard and the nights I spent crying myself to sleep. After I separated from those people, I felt relieved, but at the same time, I felt lonely because I didn’t have anyone to talk to.

A CASE OF THE BLUES: Senior Maddy Dorsch listens to the slow, depressing sounds of the song “Say Something.” Melancholy music can encourage listeners into depressive states. (photo illustration by Mara Nicolaie) According to Kyp-Johnson, music can affirm either positive or negative messages, depending on what you listen to.

“What you put into your ears, you put into your head,” Kyp-Johnson said.

Listening to sad songs intensified my feeling of loneliness, which caused me to stay in that mood and isolate myself even more. It makes sense, because if I constantly hear “Isn’t it lovely, all alone?” those words end up sneaking into my subconscious mind, causing me to distance myself from others without being fully aware of it.

Another song I got hooked on was 1-800273-8255 by Logic, Alessia Cara, and Khalid.

The title of the song is the suicide hotline.

While this song is meant to be inspiring, it contains lyrics that can be saddening and even triggering: “I don’t wanna be alive, I don’t wanna be alive, I just wanna die today.

I just wanna die…They say every life precious but nobody care about mine.”

I listened to this song whenever I felt worthless. Sophomore and junior year, I struggled with feeling inferior to others. I constantly compared my grades and looks to others. As a result, I fell into a depressive episode junior year because I felt like, “What’s the point? I’ll never be good enough.”

Although my depression was definitely not caused by that one song, the lyrics made me feel worse because they affirmed my neg-

ative thoughts, making me less and less motivated to try and get better.

It got to a point where every day, I would wake up and be like “Oh god, I have to do this all over again.” It felt impossible to do my homework or even complete the simplest tasks.

One thing that helped me feel better was listening to more positive music whenever I felt down, rather than listening to relatable sad music (see “Prospector Playlist” on prospectornow.com).

That may seem like a no-brainer — of course positive music will lift you up. But when I’m feeling sad, I have a tendency to want to stay that way and listen to something sad. I learned that while this made me feel calmer in the moment, it didn’t help me feel better in the long run.

Listening to happy music is something that Kyp-Johnson implements into his life as well. He has a “pick me up” playlist of positive songs that he listens to whenever he feels down.

The key is balance: listen to sad music if you like it, but don’t immerse yourself in it completely.

“I think that music is so great ... I really think it has saved me in my life,” Kyp-Johnson said. “But I think you can also get into the wrong kinds of music that do bad things for you.”

prospectornow.com

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

SPORTS 13

“Tempo” creates success within football CAMERON SULLIVAN Sports Editor

O

n Sept. 28, the currently 4-0 Knights’ football team was playing to clinch a playoff spot. This game was a rare occurrence where they played Elk Grove High School on a Saturday morning; they were originally supposed to play the previous night, but the game was cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

The team had a big game as they ran over Elk Grove 42-7. This was a pretty prestigious milestone as they now have been to the playoffs in back-to-back years, and before last year, they haven’t made the playoffs since 2012.

Their record this year was 7-2, which is two games better than last year, and they also broke the single season records for most points scored, with 356. Some players who have made some big contributions this year are junior quarterback Gary Moeller, who has thrown for 1,794 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Another junior who has stepped up is running back Luke Zardzin. He has 1,113 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.

On the defensive side, senior Adam Mekky has also made a big impact.

Playoff Preview

Prospect is set to play the 6-3 Dekalb Highschool on Nov. 1 at George Gattas Memorial Staduim, for the first round of the IHSA playoffs.

Seeds: Prospect is the 14th seed and Dekalb is the 19th seed Information about Senior Adam Mekky Dekalb: Dekalb is coming off a win against Alton, they have scored a total of 266 points and they have only allowed 203 points.

Possible Opponent: Winner of Dekalb vs Prospect will play winner of Rolling Meadows vs Chicago (Lincoln Park)

Clinching a playoff spot so early in the season is a successful task, as they didn’t do it until week nine last year. Clinching it so early didn’t make the players look at the season too much differently; both Zardzin and Moeller said they would continue to play the same.

“I really think that our program is ready for that next step, and we are not going to be satisfied with just making the playoffs, we want to make a run at this thing,” head coach Dan Debouef said.

Many things have gone into this season that has led to their success; some of which they haven’t done in previous seasons.

“It comes back to the work that we put in the offseason, like in January and December. We worked really hard in those months, so it’s paying off now,” Zardzin said.

Debouef agrees with this, as he said they have put in much more work in making them a bigger team. In the offseason, they do a bunch of lifting and working out. The players go in early every morning during the school year for ‘‘zero hour’’ lifts. ‘‘Zero hour” is a PE class that students take where they come in early each morning to workout, and the football players usually lift or go run on the track.

They haven’t done much lifting in past years, and now they have done a ton of different lifts from arm days to leg days.

“A year ago we looked kind of small, now we are bigger than who we are playing, so I think that is a big factor,” Debouef said.

Moeller has different reasons for their success this season.

“I think it’s just the coaching and the tempo [the coaches] have,” Moeller said. “They give us the tools we need to succeed and keep us fast pace.”

“Tempo” is considered the program’s motto, and it just means to keep everything fast. Debouef always wants players to keep their tempo and speed.

Along with keeping this tempo, it has allowed lots of sophomores and juniors to play for varsity.

“We’ve got a really good senior class, junior class and sophomore class, and when you put all those guys together, you can kind of see the pieces together,” Debouef said.

Moeller and Zardzin also played on varsity as sophomores. While they were sophomores, Zardzin and Moeller were both

ROLL OUT: Junior quarterback Gary Moeller (right) looks to pass the ball while junior running back Luke Zardzin (left) goes out to block a defender. Prospect goes on to beat Elk Grove Highschool and clinch a playoff spot for the second year in a row. (photo by Grace Baldino) awarded All-Conference.

Moeller didn’t win it as a quarterback though, as he played cornerback last season.

He switched to quarterback because the former quarterback, Jimmy Martin, graduated last year.

Other players who have played a big role in helping the team this year are junior wide receivers Noah Marx (416 yards and six TD’s) and Tyson Splinter (167 yards and two TD’s).

Another wide receiver who has stepped up is senior Matt Meyer who has 333 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

There have been some sophomores who have done a great deal to help the team: offensive lineman Sam Tsagalis, defensive lineman Chandler Dorado and linebackers Peyton Burgh and Jacob Grzesiak.

This year Debouef has started something called the “link system” where each player needs to receive their link by teacher

or coach recommendation before they can dress on Friday nights. The link is a physical chain link that is on a necklace that the players can wear.

Debouef got this idea from his college, Carthage College, where he did the same thing. He thinks that it affects the team by being a visual reminder. It’ll hopefully remind them to think about the school and team before they make a negative decision.

“I think it’s a really cool thing to see, and it’s helped me stay more in contact with the teachers, more so than usual,” Debouef said.

This team feels that they have got a lot to prove, as they aren’t always projected to do well.

“We’re good, people need to stop sleeping on us … they just don’t expect anything from us and always predict us to lose, even after we have proven ourselves multiple times,” Moeller said.

Varsity girls’ XC overcomes negative mental barriers OLIVIA KIM Associate Online Editor-In-Chief For junior Annika Erickson, the anticipation before each cross country race drives nerve-wracking fears of disappointment through her mind. Memories of a defeat from a recent race followed her where she ran three miles in 19:34, a slower time than her best, putting her in fifth place on Oct. 1 at the MSL East Meet at Elk Grove High School.

Erickson decided that in order to perform better, she needed to escape the oppressive thought process that said she couldn’t perform better than her last race.

WORK! Sophomore Audrey Ginsberg (left) and Annika Erickson (right) practice for a meet. Teamwork and mentality has helped them throughout the season. (photo by Mara Nicolaie)

At the invitational in Peoria on Oct. 5, she forced herself to overcome her own mind and reversed her previously negative mindset to a positive one, which ended up driving her across the finish line at a faster time than she expected prior to the race: 17:53.

This broke her previous record, placing her in sixth place and helped to win Prospect first place.

“If you have a bad race, it’s hard mentally knowing that you could do better,” Erickson said. “If you get negative thoughts, [it] goes downhill from there. You have to stay positive.”

The utilization of a strong mindset has resulted in the girls’ cross country team being at 5-1 this season in dual meets. “[Mental state] is probably the largest part of our sport that people don’t recognize,” said head coach Pete Wintermute. “I’d say our sport is about 90% mental. When it gets tough out there, you need [a positive mindset] to rely back on.”

Not only has Erickson embraced an advantage in having a solid mindset, but she has also passed on this knowledge to her younger sister, freshman Hailey Erickson, who is on varsity with her for the first time.

Annika started her cross country career in sixth grade, and Hailey followed two years later when she was in sixth grade. For the three mile, Hailey has a best time of 18:32.

“Sometimes I get competitive [with her], but it’s fun a lot of the time,” Annika said.

While Annika feels some rivalry between them, Hailey doesn’t feel quite the same sentiments.

“I don’t feel pressure to be as good as her or better, I just try to be the best that I can be,” Hailey said.

The sisters sometimes practice together with other teammates as Annika has seen Hailey’s abilities reveal great improvement.

Annika not only felt that she needed to step up this year as a guide for her sister, but also as a leader for the team. Now, Annika stays diligent during practice and feels a pressure to pay more attention to detail in

order to help guide the others through workouts. She wanted to do this in order to help strengthen the teamwork between the runners, which is one very valuable factor she feels that leads to the improvement of the team’s performance.

Sophomore varsity runner Audrey Ginsberg appreciates the close connections made on the team as well. “[Being part of the team] is a really great experience,” Ginsberg said. “You make really close connections because you’re seeing each other through the pain, working together and pushing each other through it, knowing we can keep moving on, [which] is really important. You can always trust your teammates.”

Wintermute agrees, as he is still close friends with many of his former cross country teammates.

The energy shared between the teammates helps drive an adrenaline rush within the runners to push them to achieve more instead of just being on edge before the race, according to Wintermute.

He remembers a former cross country

runner that graduated coined the term “nervited” — meaning that before a race she would be excited and nervous at the same time. Wintermute finds it important to be able to turn that anxiety from before a race to adrenaline to help push to the finish line.

“I like how rewarding [cross country] is; you have to mentally push yourself and know that you can keep going,” Ginsberg said.

While mindset can be what drives one through a race, it can also be what determines a defeat.

“The hardest part of cross country is telling yourself that you can push harder,” Hailey said. “ … if you’re not positive throughout the race, then your race may not turn out the best because you know you can physically, but sometimes mentally you can’t.”

Ginsberg finds relief in the knowledge that she can trust her teammates and her practice when she runs.

“We always try to push each other and remind each other that we need to run for each other,” Ginsberg said. “We need to trust our training because we’ve worked so hard.”

14

Currently on Prospectornow.com...

Read about the differences between playing college sports at the Division 1, 2 and 3 levels from golfer Kelly Kavanagh, soccer coach Jason Cohen and golf coach James Hamann.

SPORTS NOVEMBER 1, 2019

REAL MEN WEAR PINK

Boys’ JV1 soccer team shows support for teammate’s mom with breast cancer SHANNON MCGOVERN

support and see so much support for Johnny ,too. It was one of those moments as a parent where you are like, ‘Wow, we are exactly Copy Editor where we are supposed to be.’”

After boys’ JV1 soccer coach Jason Cohen got the email informing him of Cari’s After recently being diagnosed with recent diagnosis, he knew exactly how he breast cancer, Cari Wilkins knew the path wanted him and his team to respond. He did to recovery was going to be a difficult jourthis through ordering said jerseys and havney for herself and her family to endure. ing a discussion about showing their supHowever, she never doubted the support the port on the field.

Prospect community would give both her In the 20 years Cohen has been coaching, and her son, junior JV1 soccer player Johnno soccer team has ever worn pink for breast ny Wilkins. cancer awareness during the month of OctoOn Oct. 3, Cari truly saw this support ber, but him and his team has changed that. when she received a heart warming text “I was proud to be their coach, but [the from her son: “Prospect’s soccer proboys’ support and cooperation] wasn’t gram might be some shocking,” Cohen said. “Those on the of the greatest team are a really great group of guys people on the who are very caring individuals.” planet. They Johnny too notices how kind-heartbought our ed everyone on the team is and is glad e n t i r e that he gets to be a team pink part of something jerseys that will always with the be there for him. back that “[My relasays ‘Team tionship with the Wilkins’ team] has always to wear to all our been close, but games.” once we got these Receiving this jerseys, it brought text from her son, us together — alCari knew she most like a famihad to get to that ly.” game somehow, Cari Wilkins, breast cancer Although the even though she journey ahead for could not drive at the time. patient and Prospect parent the Wilkins family She hopped into a friend’s will not be an easy one, both Johnny and his car and they drove over to James B. Conant mom agree that this support is exactly what High School where the entire team was waittheir family needs to get through this diffiing for her on the field — wearing their new cult time. pink jerseys with her name on the back of Not only does showing this support imthem. pact how Johnny and his mom feel, but also “There really aren’t words for it,” Cari fellow teammates of Johnny. said. “It was so powerful to feel so much “I thought that [wearing the jerseys] was very touching,” junior Alex Mho said. “I was Varsity loses in regional final just happy that we got to support [Johnny] and his mother in some way.”

Final Record:8-8-4 (4-6-1) This rise in breast cancer awareness Key Results: shows how common this type of cancer has • 3-0 win over defending MSL become. According to breastcancer.org, East Champs Buffalo Grove breast cancer is the most common cancer found among women, aside from skin can• Upset win over Niles West cer. in first round of playoffs, lost Moreover, in 2019, it’s estimated that to #3 seed Evanston in about 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in regional final women will be breast cancer. This is why • 1-1 tie with powerhouse Prospect’s athletic programs participate in Glenbrook South spreading breast cancer awareness during Senior Bryan “Goobie” Morrison the month of October through various fundwas one of the leading scorers raisers and community events. for the Knights with 5 goals.

It’s been overwhelming

Water Break

and amazing how much support we have from our Prospect family.”

PRETTY IN PINK: Johnny Wilkins (left) and his mom, Cari (right) pose for a picture after the JV1 soccer team played their first game wearing “Team Wilkins” jerseys. The JV1 team’s support has tremendously helped the Wilkins family in their fight against cancer. (photo courtesy of Cari Wilkins) Along with boys’ JV1 soccer showing their support, Prospect’s volleyball program also takes part in raising money for breast cancer research.

According to girls’ JV volleyball head coach Mike Aldworth, the team sells “Volley for a Cure” shirts and donates all the money that is collected to Northwest Community Hospital for the “gift a mammogram” program, which allows women who are in need to get free mammograms. Mammograms are x-ray screenings used to examine the breast for diagnosis and screening. A total of $5,000 dollars was collected this year.

Because of programs like these that dedicate their time and effort into researching ways to fight cancer, families like the

Athlete: Sarah Skaggs Year: Senior Sport: Volleyball Stat: 39 digs

Q A Q A Q A

Wilkins can take comfort in knowing that there is hope for becoming cancer-free in the near future.

“It’s been overwhelming and amazing how much support we have from our Prospect family,” Cari said.

According to both Cari and Cohen, it’s not so much the material things that Prospect does for this cause, but rather how each individual truly cares for one another simply because that is who they are.

“It’s their relationship with Johnny that’s important and their relationship with his family that’s important ­— the pink shirts were just a symbol of that,” Cohen said. “Regardless of who wore pink jerseys or not, they still would’ve been there for him.”

What is your favorite moment from this season?

When we played against Maine South, the ending point in that game was so much fun, and there was so much adrenaline rush during that time.

Who has inspired you the most?

Coach Gerber has a lot to do with [making me love the sport] because she just makes the environment really fun. It’s intense, but she finds a way to make me enjoy every second.

What is your favorite part about being on the team?

I love the girls that I play with, and a lot of them are my really close friends. Volleyball’s a team sport; there’s no way one person can do it by themselves.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Skaggs, Interview by Alyssa Schulz