Issue 2

The

Students, teachers

comment on

minimum wage $10.94

By Mike Stanford The minimum wage in 1968 —adjusted

highest in US history.

$8.25

the current minimum wage in Illinois

See MINIMUM WAGE, page 3

Shouting school spirit

Want to reminisce about Knightimes Week?

Check out photo albums galore and a profile

on Distinguished Alum Andrew Golden. Missed the football game against Hersey? Watch a full

replay complete with student commentary and

highlights. Find all this and more at ...

Prospectornow.com!

LET ME HEAR YOU KNIGHTS YELL: (Top) Seniors show their school pride during the pep

assembly Sept. 26. (Right) Students pose together before throwing blue and purple powder on

themselves at the football game against Hersey Sept. 26.

VOTE: AP GovernAre students qualified to vote? ment teacher Tim

By Grace Berry Beishir poses as Uncle Sam to encour

age students to vote. Many

seniors will have the opportunity to vote in the Nov. 4

primary.

See VOTE, page 2

Volume 54, Issue 2

801 West Kensington Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056

Friday, October 10, 2014

Follow us! @Prospectornow

Prospector

Debating the price of living Executive News Editor

Junior and Dairy Queen employee Ellen Paczko sat in her home two weeks after starting her first job. It was time for her to receive her first paycheck.

Though she was paid Illinois’s minimum wage, $8.25 per hour, opening the paycheck was a rewarding experience for Paczko.

“It was nice having that feeling like, ‘I worked for [this money],’” Paczko said.

The minimum wage that Paczko and 1.6 million other Americans earn

is topic of heated debate among politicians, business owners and employees.

Those who call for an increase in minimum wage argue that many minimum wage workers need the pay bump in order to escape poverty, but others are unsure if minimum wage employees deserve a raise, and more still worry about the effects that raising minimum wage would have on businesses.

Voters will decide on a referendum this November that could raise minimum wage to $10.

The minimum wage was first implemented in the United States in 1938. Franklin Delano Roosevelt set the wage at $0.25 per hour as a part of the New Deal during the Great Depression.

Since then, the minimum wage has in-

creased to $7.25 per hour nationally and is a dollar higher in Illinois.

Because many people are trying to recover from the recession and Illinois’s poverty level hovers near 30 percent, many politicians, including President Barack Obama and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, have made it their mission to increase minimum wage.

Obama has tried to rally support in Congress for an increase to $10.10 per hour, but he has been unable to secure bipartisan support.

In addition to raising families out of poverty, raising minimum wage could boost morale that would save companies money through employee efficiency, according to a re-

photos by Cassidy Selep

Executive News Editor

AP Government teacher Tim Beishir remembers feeling civic pride after the first time he voted.

“The act [of voting] itself is not very exciting,” Beishir said. “You stand in line for a minute, and then you walk in, and you had kind of made decisions [about candidates] beforehand, and then you leave.”

Beishir was a freshman in college when he voted in the 2004 presidential election. He attended Knox College in Illinois, but because he grew up in the swing state Missouri, he sent an absentee ballot there instead of acting as an Illinois voter.

Many seniors will be able to vote in the Nov. 4 primary election. The governors’ race is one of the positions being voted on. (See “Who’s running in the upcoming election?”)

Senior Marika Maggos has already registered for the election and is glad for the chance to vote.

“It’s a really exciting milestone in your life,” Maggos said. “[Voting] really shows that you are a part of this country.”

Maggos believes many teenagers don’t know enough about candidates to vote, especially since many don’t follow politics or talk about it at home. She doesn’t feel like she knows enough about this year’s candidates, but she’ll research before the election.

“Because I’m able to vote now, I’m taking more responsibility for learning about [elections],” Maggos said.

Beishir agrees teenagers don’t always know enough about elections to make good decisions, especially because the Illinois race isn’t as frequently discussed as national elections. “[Teenagers] have the same power that I have, and that scares me,” Beishir said.

Beishir explains it’s everyone’s civic duty to vote, but citizens should only do so after they become educated about the candidates and topics they’re voting on.

“You have to be informed to make educated decisions and not be influenced by the last commercial you saw, what your parents say or kind of a red-team-vs.-blue-team mentality,” Beishir said. “You need to know about what you’re voting for.”

Beishir wants to be proud of the American democracy, but it can be frustrating and disappointing when people have little political knowledge.

“If you have uninformed voters … if [candidates] can pull the wool over the voters’ eyes with vague platitudes … then our leaders [aren’t being held up to] a high enough standard,” Beishir said.

Beishir believes having good politicians in office comes down to voters.

“It’s super easy to complain and be cynical about government,” Beishir said. “But, if you’re not taking the time to do your part, then I think that’s hypocrital.”

port by the Harvard Business Review.

Senior and McDonald’s employee Jackie Lin agrees with the logic of the study.

“You’re more motivated to go to work when there’s more money on the line,” Lin said.

While an increase in minimum wage may seem like an easy prescription to the poverty problem, a raise could come with some unexpected side effects.

One potential problem is unemployment. According to Harvard Economics Professor Greg Mankiw, 500,000 people across the nation would be laid off if minimum wage were to increase 10 percent. Making minimum wage $10 would be a 21 percent increase. As the least skilled members of the work force, teenagers would be most susceptible to layoffs. Teen unemployment, already at 24.1 percent in Illinois, would become

2

October 10, 2014

prospectornow.com

News

VOTE: Maturity needed to vote smart?

CONTINUED from front page

“[Voting] is taking on more According to civicyouth. org, in Nov. 2012, only 45 per- responsibility,” Maggos said.

“At least, you cent of people aged do a 18-29 voted in the Student voting should little bit of represidential elecsearch to be tion, which is down statistics an informed from the 51 perOf 78 senior students voter.” cent of 18-to-29Beishir year-olds who surveyed ... believes stuvoted in the of seniors did dents’ edu2008 election. cation is one In addition, not know the date of the way to help many teenupcoming election on fix teenagagers beNovember fourth. ers’ lack of lieve their knowledge vote can’t of seniors about polimake a are unsure if they can tics and elecdifference vote in this upcoming tions, but it in the elecalso comes tion even election. down to the though there of seniors maturity of are 41 million peovoters. ple aged 18-to-29 did not know the “At some compared to 39 milcurrent governor point, it lion senior citizens. of Illinois, Pat Quinn comes down When Scotland was running for to, ‘Do you care voted on secession, re-election. to [research 16-and 17-year-olds upcoming eleccould vote, causing some tions]?’” Beishir debates on voting ages, but said.

Beishir and Maggos agree that 18 is the right age for people to start voting.

Who’s running in this election?

Democrats Republicans

In case you missed it ...

Distinguished alum: Andrew Golden

Bakery re-opens

91%

10.3%

2/3

Governor’s Race Bruce Rauner

Governor’s Race Pat Quinn

Secretary of State Mike Webster

Secretary of State Jesse White

State Senator Jim Oberweis

State Senator Dick Durbin

Attorney General Paul Schimpf

Attorney General Lisa Madigan

State Treasuer Tom Cross

State Treasurer Mike Frerichs

Girls’ volleyball sweeps Rolling Meadows

Boys’ golf wins conference

Alumni board instituted

By Jack Gabriel News Editor

Italian teacher Lyn Scolaro walked into the reunion for the class of 1994 on Sept. 27 and was amazed by what she saw. There were around 150 alumni walking through Prospect’s halls again, impressed by all the changes. “[The alumni] still have a strong feeling about their high school,” Scolaro said. “And they still have so many memories from Prospect.”

The alumni wanted to see their classrooms again, and it took two hours for the group to tour Prospect because of all of the memories they had. “[Alumni] grow up, come back and buy houses here because they want their kids to have the same experiences that they had at [Prospect],” Scolaro said.

With the help of some alumni, social media and an apparel company that created shirts and a logo, Scolaro was able to create the alumni association.

“The association is not a club.

I’m not looking for a, ‘Let’s go to a restaurant!’ or, ‘Let’s have a party!’”

Scolaro said. “I’m looking for a way to make connections among alumni after graduation.”

In order to do this, Scolaro is first looking to create a board. This board hopes to help reconnect alumni and help students and teachers by providing them with internships and scholarships.

Scolaro hopes that the alumni will be able to create three scholarships: one for a boy, one for a girl and a one for a teacher who is continuing their education. Scolaro plans on paying for the scholarships through fundraisers.

Another goal that Scolaro has for the association is for alumni to provide internships for current students, which she believes is the perfect way to give back to Prospect.

“I would love to get these alumni who are in these wonderful roles and to do a Prospect-to-alumni connection,” Scolaro said. “If students are looking for internships, why not go back to our own alumni who are always looking to do stuff like that?”

“It’s a great way to give students opportunities in the fields that they’re interested in,” senior Alex Blethen said. “If students get internships when they’re younger, then

they are going to be able to give internships when they are older.”

Scolaro really wants to create a stronger bond between the students and the alumni. Now that the association has been created, it’s leaving some students with mixed emotions.

“It would have been nice if the association was bigger when I was a freshman,” Blethen said.

“But I feel like it is good that it is growing now, so maybe I will be able to give back to [Prospect] when I get older.”

Senior Sam Garcia also thinks that the board is a good idea.

“It’s great that Scolaro is making an attempt to connect students even after school,” Garcia said.

“It’s a great addition to Prospect.”

Though the association could run into problems if alumni choose not to participate, Blethen and Garcia agree they would be happy to help.

“I, personally, would definitely participate bephoto courtesy of Kristen Ray cause we all [went to the same school], and it’s nice CLASS OF ‘94: Prospect graduates Kristen to give back,” Blethen Ray, current PHS Sociology teacher, and Ryan said.

Porter pose for a picture at their 20th high school Garcia believes that reunion. Above the photo is the association’s logo. other seniors would participate because “it’s a Scolaro hopes to make shirts bearing this logo for great way to stay connect- all alumni. ed no matter where you go high school, or maybe you were not [after Prospect].”

Scolaro hopes to have some of the involved in clubs,” Ray said, “but alumni come back for graduation to you can [do] this now.”

Scolaro and Ray agree that the tell students there’s life after Prospect, but that they shouldn’t forget association will take a while to get started. about their time in high school, ei“[The association] is going to ther.

This is exactly what happened take a couple of years to get built, with Kristen Ray, a 1994 Prospect but [Scolaro] is very excited about graduate and current Prospect teach- [the association],” Ray said.

Scolaro has been working on er. Scolaro told Ray that she needed people to help out, and Ray thought the association for two years, but that this would be a great way for her she believes that now all the pieces have to fall into place for the assoto help Prospect.

Ray also believes that other people ciation to affect Prospect students.

“It is going to be slow,” Scolaro will participate in the association because it’s a great way to help the said. “But I am looking forward to bringing all the alumni back and school.

“Maybe you were not an athlete in seeing what we can do.”

Girls’ golf dominates MSL

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prospectornow.com

October 10, 2014

News

3

Changes jolt French exchange

By Jack Ryan News Editor

Senior Farzana Ahmed sent in her French exchange essay and application in April and waited until mid-summer for word of acceptance to one of the most important experiences of her high school career. After waiting nervously, Ahmed was finally accepted to go on the exchange.

“I was just thrilled and exhilarated because it’s been something I have been looking forward to since freshman year,” Ahmed said. “I was just like, ‘Well, I’m going on this exchange one way or another.’”

Prospect students normally meet their exchange students when they go to France over spring break, but for the first time, the French students are coming from Oct. 13 to 23. In addition, 16 students are participating in the exchange as opposed to 14 last year. Also, last year no French teachers went on the exchange, this year, both French teachers, Kathryn Wilkens and Jenna Sanstead will be attending.

Ahmed’s family has already started preparing for her ex-

photo courtesy of Farzana Ahmed

FRIENDS FROM FRANCE: Senior Farzana Ahmed’s French exchange student, Noe Koenig, (right) poses after a race.

photo courtesy of Gary Judson

THEY’RE HERE!: The French exchange deals with the effects of change as they have a new organizer, new amount of students attending the trip, and a new arrival of students. “It’s more exhilarating... more exciting to see everything come together [from] the planning stages to the arrival of the students,” French teacher Kathryn Wilkens said. (photo taken from last year’s French exchange in Paris) change student, Noe Koenig, to arrive. In order to accommodate Koenig, they have already started moving things around in their house.

At first, it was awkward for the two to get to know each other through email and Facebook messaging, but as time went on, they started feeling comfortable talking to each other about anything.

According to the French teacher from SIS Sevres, the French students love visiting Prospect and seeing what it’s like to go to an American high school.

According to Wilkens, they love seeing the technology and extracurricular activities Prospect has to offer because in France students have to join-

activities outside of school.

Koenig runs every week, and he plans to run with Ahmed in her cross country practices.

Just like Ahmed, senior Caroline Hempleman waited to hear if she got on the exchange.

“I waited for [the French exchange] since I started high school,” Hemplemen said, “and it’s one of the things to look up to when you get to your senior year in French.”

Now that she’s gotten to know her exchange student, Rozenn Revois, through Skype and Facebook, the exchange is even more exciting.

Hemplemen has started preparing for Revois’s arrival by preparing for their weekends activities. In order for her to balance school work and

MINIMUM WAGE: Teens end up paying the price her family business.

“Something’s gotta give,” Fortuna said. “You can’t give everybody one to three percent. this big raise and have more payroll In addition, prices may raise with [because] then that will eat into your minimum wage. Companies who profits. Then if you raise prices, cusdo not want to lay off employees or tomers are going to get upset. You’re decrease profit will be left with no in a bind.” choice but to raise prices.

According to Fortuna, Jay’s Beef When California’s minimum will seriously consider terminating wage raised from eight to nine dol- contracts if minimum wage goes up. lars in July, many restaurants were Although Fortuna is fearful of forced to raise prices two percent. Al- a minimum wage hike, Arlington though that may not seem like much, Heights Park District (AHPD) Superif a similar inintendent crease were imof Human plemented in Resources Illinois, a one-a- “There is no right or wrong Nancy Alday Starbucks drich does answer for [minimum wage].

Caffe Latte not think the would cost over We don’t have an answer key raise will $1,400 more per harm their year. business. for real life.”

According to M o s t Paczko, an in- Cathy Fortuna, business teacher t e e n a g e r s crease in priconly work es would scare for AHPD away customduring the ers, but freshman Claire Strother summer, so nobody would need to would be willing to accept the trade- be laid off, and Aldrich anticipates a off. minimum wage bill that would only “In a couple years, I could have a apply to employees 18 and older. job,” Strother said. “I’d rather have While Fortuna is troubled by the more money [even if it meant] sac- effects an increase would have on rificing a few bucks here and there.” Jay’s Beef, she is unsure of the effect While both sides debate, many on the economy as a whole. business owners see uncertainty.

“There is no right or wrong anBusiness teacher and Jay’s Beef swer [for minimum wage],” Fortuna owner Cathy Fortuna worries about said. “We don’t have an answer key the effects an increase would have on for real life.”

spending time with Revois, she plans to complete her school work during the day.

Because French teacher Mark Russell is now working at Highland Park High School, Wilkens has had to step up to the plate and plan the exchange for her first time.

“It’s more exhilarating, more exciting to see everything come together [from] the planning stages to the arrival of the students,” Wilkens said. “It’s been a very rewarding experience. It’s been a lot of work, but this is going to be a very successful trip.”

Wilkens plans to take the French students to landmarks like the Willis Tower, University of Chicago, and Millennium Park. She also wants to expose

them to American culture by going to the movies or having a barbecue.

Sanstead will be experiencing the exchange for the first time this October.

“I’m very excited to experience this trip with the students and see their reactions to those things they have only heard about,” Sanstead said.

She is not nervous going on the exchange because Wilkens is accompanying her. To prepare for the upcoming exchange, the French program had their first parent-teacher meeting and talked about what to expect during the exchange.

In addition, one major change to the French exchange is that they plan to publicize it by making t-shirts and banners, featuring the exchange students on the announcements, and adding pictures of them to the Prospect website.

“We definitely don’t get as much recognition [as other exchanges],” Ahmed said, “but I feel that it’s nicer because then we don’t have to share our French correspondents with the entire school, which is nice because then it’s more personal time and an actual one-onone experience.”

photo courtesy of Caroline Hempleman

SALUT!: Senior Caroline

Hempleman’s French exchange student, Rozenn Revois, poses on a street in France.

What would you do with some extra cash?

CONTINUED from front page

“[I would] probably save it for when I go to college because I don’t want to work in college. To be honest, [I would] spend it on food [too].”

Alli McCabe, senior

“[I would] pay off my car and phone.

[Also], I would basically save up as much money as I can for college.”

Maddie Ramirez, senior

“[I would spend it on] college because it is an important investment to get the career I want.”

Anthony DeFrancesco, senior

4

October 10, 2014

prospectornow.com

Opinion

Minimum wage not about teens Staff Editorial

If a Mount Prospect family of four only has one income provider who earns minimum wage at their full time job, the family is doomed to fall short of the cost of living by $23,168 each year. The $8.25 per hour minimum wage they earn, one dollar higher than the national minimum of $7.25 per hour, is $12.10 per hour less than they need to afford modest living conditions.

MIT’s Living Wage Calculator, a calculator which converts the minimum cost of living to an appropriate

minimum wage for locations across the country, has shown alarming differences between the established minimum wage and the wage citizens need to earn in order to survive.

Even in Mississippi, the state with the lowest cost of living, a similar family of four needs a minimum wage of $18.28 per hour. Things don’t look much better for minimum wage employees without spouses and families. Back in Mount Prospect, they need to earn $10.48 per hour, $2.23 per hour more than minimum wage ac-

iPhone 6, 6 Plus new, unnecessary I’ve come to believe that sold over 10 million iPhone 6 there are two things that will and 6 Pluses in 10 countries convince the average Amer- including the United States, ican to get off of his or her France and Japan in just three couch, sign out of Netflix and days. That crushed Apple’s previous record of wait outside in the 5 million iPhone cold and rain.

5s sold during its The first is a Big opening weekend in Mac. The second, a 2013. new iPhone.

On one hand, I Twitter exploded, guess it’s reassurand excitement leving that in this day els shot through the and age, Americans Earth’s stratosphere can still band towhen Apple unveiled gether and unite, the new iPhone 6 even if it’s only for and iPhone 6 Plus Elai Kobayashitheir love of sleek, Sept. 9. Pictures of Soloman overpriced gadgets. iPhone enthusiasts Opinion Editor But, it also begs camping in front of the question, what Apple stores spread through the web faster than is it that makes the iPhone rumors in a Prospect hallway, 6 so revolutionary and rewith some avid Apple lovers se- cord-breaking compared to its curing their spot in line weeks predecessors?

Not much, really. before the iPhone 6 and 6 plus Although Apple managed to were released to the public.

And, as it turned out, the disguise it with their stylish borderline-hysterical anticipa- and catchy promotional vidtion wasn’t just for show. Apple eos and their descriptions of customers showed yet again the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus being that when it comes to Retina “the biggest advancements in HD displays and 128GB of stor- iPhone history,” the iPhone 6 age, their willingness to throw is not all that different than the iPhone 5, or even the iPhone 4 away money is second to none.

In fact, Apple reportedly for that matter.

The Staff EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ellen Siefke Kelly Schoessling MANAGING EDITOR Aungelina Dahm COPY EDITORS Caroline Binley Krzys Chwala ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jack McDermott ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Beth Clifford

commodates. Teenagers, on the other hand, rarely need a job to survive, as they fall into the category of dependants rather than breadwinners.

For many students, the minimum wage debate seems like an issue that revolves around teenagers, the population it affects the least. However, the question at hand is not whether teenagers deserve a wage hike, but whether families should be forced to fight poverty on a wage that accounts for less than half of the expenses they are expected to pay.

We, the Prospector, believe it’s important to keep the wage debate in perspective and, instead of rallying for what we feel teenagers deserve, remember it’s families who protesters are fighting for.

Over the years, the cost of living has climbed due to inflation (the increase of general prices of goods and services over time), but minimum wage has not adjusted proportionally (see “Minimum Wage Over Time”). In fact, minimum wage actually reached its peak in 1968 at $1.60 per hour, equivalent to $10.94 per hour in today’s world. That wage was just even to the minimum cost of living for a single adult, but minimum wage fell back below the cost of living by the next time minimum wage was adjusted in 1974, and it has only decreased since then.

This disproportionality and its toll on minimum wage families is what

iPhone 6 Plus

the debate centers around, not how much more pocket money teenagers could earn on higher wages.

When the debate is refocused on teenagers, it is easy to find a side of the debate to support. It’s understandable to argue that minimum wage should rise so teenagers can save for college. It’s just as easy to claim minimum wage should stay stagnant because teenagers don’t need even larger piles of expendable cash. Yet, neither argument truly reflects the situation at hand.

When put back into perspective, the wage debate does not have a clear answer.

Raising minimum wage has the potential to save families from poverty — a line 19 percent of families live under — and make it possible for struggling families to make ends meet, or at the least bring those ends closer together.

However, that isn’t without a harsh trade-off. Businesses would be forced to find ways to compensate for higher payrolls, and prices may raise, employees may be terminated and struggling businesses may be pushed into nonexistence.

Whether you choose to support increasing minimum wage or not is your own choice, but you should only make your choice after deliberating how your decision will affect the families the debate is really being fought for.

iPhone 5S

vs.

$299

$99

- 0.28 inches thick - 6.22 inches high, 3.06 inches wide - On/Off button on the side - slightly better graphics and camera

- 0.30 inches thick - 4.87 inches high, 2.31 inches wide - On/Off button on the top

Sure, it’s slightly thinner, has a bigger screen and looks a bit different (see “iPhone 6 Plus vs. iPhone 5S”), but having an extra row of apps doesn’t seems like enough of a reason to spend $299 on a new iPhone 6 Plus.

The weird thing is, I have a feeling that a lot of people who bought an iPhone 6 would agree with that statement. If they stopped for a moment to think while they waited in line

or scrolled through the Apple homepage, they would say, “Hey, even though the posters look nice, and all my friends have one, maybe I don’t need to get a new 6 Plus. In fact, if I really wanted to, I could probably get an iPhone 5 that can do pretty much everything this new phone can for a third of the price.”

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not some crazy anti-capitalist saying that it’s bad to buy new

ONLINE ASSOCIATE EDITOR-INCHIEF Lauren Miller

OPINION EDITORS Iulia Vesel Elai Kobayashi-Solomon

ONLINE EXECUTIVE EDITORS Eva Schacht Mary Kate Moloney Molly Mueller

FEATURES EDITORS Shreya Thakkar Flynn Geraghty Ivanka Norhrup Rachel Parks

SPORTS EDITORS Devin Prasad Ryan Molini Peter Fusilero

ONLINE EDITOR Spencer Ball BROADCAST EDITOR Alyssa Duetsch NEWS EDITORS Grace Berry Mike Stanford Jack Gabriel Jack Ryan

IN-DEPTH EDITORS Diana Leane Shannon Smith Katy Ryan ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Abby Sunu Isabelle Rogers Garrett Strother Marci Kiszkiel

VISUALS EDITOR Cassidy Selep PHOTOGRAPHERS Amanda Downar ADVISER Jason Block Mission Statement The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news as well as explain its meaning the community. We, the Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide a school forum for the unrestricted

things. I’m not even saying that you shouldn’t buy an iPhone 6.

All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t build a habit, one that’s become deeply ingrained in our culture, of closing our eyes and buying something because it’s new or available.

There will always be new stuff to buy — a new iPhone or a faster car. But if we spend all of our time worrying about what’s next, can we ever be content with what we have now? 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 Aungelina Dahm), fax (847) 718-5306 e-mail or write the Prospector, 801 West Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056, prospectornow@gmail.com.

Letters to the Editor Drop off letters to the Prospector in the box in the library, in Rm. 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 letters for style and length.

prospectornow.com

October 10, 2014

Opinion

Seeking a future for yourself

5

Ignore critics, chase success

Journalism plays a vital role in the balance of power between a government and its people. When a country’s journalists are silenced, so are It seems like ever since I got its people.

This argument is the exact to high school, the two most one I make to the frequent questions people that say at family gatherings journalism is a dying have been, “Do you field. have a boyfriend?”

It will never die. and, “What will you There will always major in?” be stories to cover.

Excitedly, I Whether it’s about a reply “no!” to the government attack, first question and a controversy or a proudly respond national tragedy, “journalism” to the there is always second. something to say, and That second reply Aungelina Dahm it is our job to say it. always seems to Managing Editor Of course, be met with faces twisted in horror and concern. distribution methods have My relatives constantly warn changed dramatically over FACT: Journalism is a dangerous career. Just in the last three years, 267 journalists have been killed on me journalism is a dying the past decade. The use of career and will leave me with websites, blogs and other the job. Despite the risk, I will continue to pursue my love and passion for journalism. thousands of dollars in debt media will continue to rise a job, because according to sparked some fear inside me respectful and listen to what while actual newspapers and a useless degree. they have to say, but in the end, Forbes, the unemployment rate that I’ve been trying to ignore.

Now they get to add that probably won’t be around for I read article upon article do what will make you happy for recent college journalism it’s a life-threatening career. much longer. by journalists describing the and successful. grads is 7.7 percent, about half Newspaper advertising has The ISIS beheadings of two It’s cliché, I know, but it’s a point lower than the national struggles they went through American journalists, Steven decreased along with funds, with money and jobs, and it got your life. Don’t live a life where average.

Sotloff and James Foley, have and according to writer and you would regret not pursuing me thinking I might not be able So, I also understand I activist Barbara shown the public the dangers political probably won’t grow up to be a to support myself in the future. your dream.

Ehrenreich, a journalist could of the job.

I might still be classified as multi-million But then I found the ones that written In reality, journalists have have dollar writer. truly spoke to my heart and a poor college kid when I’m been risking their lives to the same story A c c o r d i n g represented the way I feel well in my 40’s, but at least I’ll “I might still be bring knowledge to the public five years ago be the happiest one out there. to Forbes, a about journalism. earned for decades. According to and In the words of Ehrenreich, They explained that they recent college the Committee to Protect four times the j o u r n a l i s m would rather continue what “As long as there is a story to be he Journalists, 1,080 journalists amount grad makes they love to do making a told, an injustice to be exposed, have been killed since 1992, or she would on average mediocre amount of money a mystery to be solved, we will with 61 of those deaths today. about $32,000 than be miserable at a high- find a way to do it. A recession I understand occurring in 2014. won’t stop us. A dying industry Is paying job.

Many people deem right out of but at least I’ll be athat year. won’t stop us. Even poverty That’s why, in the midst of enough journalists stupid because they college, I will college application season, it’s won’t stop us because we are to live off choose to go to countries like probably have all on a mission here. That’s the essential for seniors to seek out while making mediocre Syria to cover stories. But just a meaning of your journalism p a y m e n t s a future for themselves. think. If journalists weren’t editor position When you run into pressures degree. Do not consider it a towards my some out there risking their lives to at college loans? from someone criticizing your certificate promising some bring the public the news they n e w s p a p e r , choice of college or career, let sort of entitlement. Consider it Probably not. need, we would forever be in a somewhere around the country.

Statistics like these actually them talk all they want. Be a license to fight.”

I’m lucky I will most likely have state of ignorance.

Finishing career, leaving lasting legacy It was his last game when he hit the game-winning single to drive the winning run home.

It was as if time had slowed down for everyone to realize how special that moment was.

Derek Jeter, “The Captain,” played his last game at Yankee Stadium. He will finish his career as arguably the most valuable player of his generation.

But, what stands out from Jeter’s career is not the “Rookie of the Year” award, all-star games or five championship rings. It was his class.

In a baseball era tainted with steroid controversy, Jeter stayed clean. He played in a media-hungry city that hardly caught a whiff of any bad press.

“I think I did a good job

of controlling my emotions throughout my [20-year] career,” Jeter said in an interview with the New York Daily News.

Controlling those emotions on and off the field is crucial for any high school athlete during his or her four-year career. One mistake can ruin a reputation. It takes discipline and a positive mindset to leave a legacy.

As a freshman, former Prospect quarterback and 2010 grad Miles Osei realized he would need to fight to be the best.

“I just wanted to try my hardest and give it my all,” Osei said. “That was my whole mindset. In the classroom, I wanted to get off to a good start.”

Leaving a legacy isn’t just about the raw skill. There is much more to it.

“I think leaving a legacy is everything you do that isn’t involved with talent or performance,” Osei said. “It’s the little stuff: what I can offer to the seniors all the way down to the freshman is to be courageous.

That’s how I want to live my life, and that’s how I live my life. I think if those freshmen come in with that mentality and those seniors leave with that mentality, they will have success in life and being able to do what they set their mind to.”

Courageous enough to be willing to get in the gym. Courageous enough to say no to partying. Courageous enough

to say no to any temptation that is in the way of success.

For assistant varsity coach Frank Mirandola, he had the opportunity to coach Osei and saw his competitive drive from the beginning.

“One thing that always stood out about Miles was the fire in his eyes,” Mirandola said. “He was a really coachable guy and he really hated to lose more than anything else.”

Mirandola believed Osei made the right choices in everything he did.

“He said, ‘I have to take care of certain things in my private life and personal life to put me in a position to be successful,’” Mirandola said. “Staying away from trouble, taking care of grades and ultimately becom-

ing a leader of not only his football team, but of the senior class. He established a model and precedent of handling everything.”

There are only a few names who left legacies like Jeter and Osei. Regardless of the level of competition, they are always associated with positives on and off the field. I tip my cap to both of you.

Who Knows You Better?

The subjects

Grant Noble

Favorite vacation?

Favorite style of dance?

Favorite social media?

Place of birth?

Least favorite food ?

Favorite musical artist?

Italy

Hip Hop

Tumblr

Park Ridge

Meat

Eminem

Italy

Hip Hop

Instagram Hoffman Estates

Tomatoes

Eminem

Hip Hop

Instagram Rolling Meadows

The results

The Boyfriend

Tina Payne The Subject

Elizabeth Gambino The Best Friend

Guam

Tomatoes

Eminem

WI

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6

October 10, 2014

Features

prospectornow.com

Kaminsky: beyond the cardigan

By Flynn Geraghty Features Editor

of rtesy s cou photo

ky

mins

a Jon K

Every night before dinner, a young Jon Kaminsky would sit on his mother’s lap, waiting for his father to come home from work. His mother, Deborah Kaminsky worked during the day, while his father worked nights, so it was just Jon and his mom in the evenings.

Some nights, they would read books or learn how to count, but mostly, they would talk.

Their conversations usually started with Deborah asking a question, followed by Jon’s response.

“We spent a lot of time just talking in general — talking about what was happening on TV, what was happening with that bird, what was happening across the street,” Deborah said.

Little did they know those talks would prepare Jon for the teaching career that awaited him.

At age 8, Jon dreamed of playing on a travel soccer team with his best friends.

The coach of the local team decide to give him a oppor tunity to try out.

T h e problem was that it

wasn’t a sure thing. The team lacked a definite spot for him, which left him shaking in his cleats.

At the very last second, he turned around and said, “I’m not going.”

Deborah knew that her son wanted this more than anything else and wasn’t about to let him give up just because he had the jitters.

“I think I said something like, ‘You’ve been asking for this for three months.

We’re going!’” Deborah said.

It turns out she was right to push her son into the tryouts. He did well and was accepted onto his dream team. He stayed with that team through eighth grade and met some of his closest friends while on it.

Despite being a star on the soccer field, he had to overcome a few bumps in his academic career.

Jon struggled with his eighth grade honors algebra class. When his mom inquired about school, he would tell her he had an 87 percent, well above his actual grade of 60 percent. He thought he was in the clear since his mother was none the wiser.

It wasn’t until later that she got a call from his teacher informing her of her son’s grade. It wasn’t the grade that made her upset. Granted, the grade didn’t exactly put a smile on her face, but it was the fact he lied to her that got him in the dog house.

His mother put him under house arrest, and he couldn’t do anything, except play soccer. It was the only time Jon can remember her punishing him.

However, it wasn’t the only time she

on Jon Kaminsky himself, head over to prospectornow.com!

got involved in his education.

During his third year in college, he was just about ready to give up on teaching. He originally wanted to major in history, but his mother suggested he get a degree he could “actually do something with.”

He hated the education classes at college, because he thought the professors didn’t know how to teach real high school classes. This made him think teaching wasn’t right for him. “[He told me at the parents’ night football game.] He said, ‘I don’t think I’m going to do teaching.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I think you are,” Deborah said.

His parents weren’t going to pay for three years of college that wouldn’t result in a usable degree, so Jon had to continue. He didn’t have to become a teacher, but he had to earn the degree.

But as soon as he started student teaching, he found he actually loved it.

“I’m sure there was an ‘I told you so’ moment in there,” Deborah said. “I mean, how can you pass that up?”

Whether it be in pursuing the right career or cheering for his team on the Prospect soccer field, Deborah seems to know everything that’s best when it comes to her son. There’s just one thing she can’t answer: “I don’t know where this whole cardigan thing came from,” Deborah said.

“We’re not exactly a cardigan family.

It’s just Jon.”

Med and Ed academy draw motivated seniors

By Rachel Parks Features Editor

Medical Science Academy (Med Academy) and Education Academy (Ed Academy) are internship opportunities for seniors in District 214. Each program runs through a cycle; Med Academy switches through different departments of the hospital, while Ed Academy rotates through different types of schools.

Participants must be seniors, provide their own transportation, have a strong interest in medicine or education and maintain good attendance.

Med Academy: When senior Natalie Tuczak told former counselor Dustin Seemann she was interested in nursing, he recommended she apply to Med Academy.

After one month of med academy, Tuczak says she’s open to more sectors within the medical field, like radiology.

This hands-off program, which involves only observing nurses and doctors, meets at one of three hospitals, Glenbrook, St. Alexius or Alexian Brothers, every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

The other days are spent in a classroom during periods one and two at Prospect.

All allotted 15 students from District 214, including five from Prospect, come to Prospect for the classroom.

Every year, about 25-40 students apply. They fill out an application explaining their interest, obtain two teacher recommendations, a parent evaluation and interview with program supervisor Mollie David, who also looks at their attendance and transcripts.

Students go in depth into many sub-

jects in the medical field, which is beneficial to a career in medical science. David says Med Academy is a college-level class; although no college credit can be given, the classroom portion provides students with an example of what a real college class is like.

David says that since the class is so small, students get to know each other well throughout the year.

“Almost everyone in the class dressed up [in] togas [during homecoming week], even though they weren’t from Prospect, so that they would be part of Prospect or something,” David said. “It was pretty funny.”

Students knows their individual departments ahead of time, and they rotate every five to six weeks. Students go to their respective departments and meet and shadow doctors and nurses.

The program started 14 years ago in the district and 10 years ago at Prospect, with David as the supervisor. She communicates with the hospitals at the beginning and end of the school year.

Throughout the year, she only communicates with them about every four weeks.

Tuczak thinks the program is worth it, including driving to the hospital every day.

“I came in thinking I wanted to do nursing, but after being in the hospital, I’m open to a lot more possibilities because I really like the departments I’m seeing,” Tuczak said.

Ed Academy: Since the fifth grade, senior Lauren Becherer has wanted to be a teacher.

It started when she helped her sister, a teacher, grade papers. Becherer believes that Ed Academy is preparing her for college more than any AP class.

Ed Academy meets from 1-3 p.m. dai-

photo courtesy of Natalie Tuczak

STAT!: Senior Natalie Tuczak poses in front Northshore University Healthcare. She currently observes doctors and nurses who work in the Ambulatory Care Center. “I came in thinking I wanted to do nursing, but after being in the hospital, I’m open to a lot more possibilities because I really like the departments I’m seeing,” Tuczak said. ly. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, students go to schools for a hands-on internship program.

Each student stays at each school for 10 weeks, and the school they go to depends on which teachers are willing to have an intern. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students meet at Rolling Meadows High School for their classroom portion.

Like Med Academy, Ed Academy started in District 214 14 years ago as a talent development program. It is bigger than med academy, with 20-25 students in the program, but there are only five from Prospect.

Becherer is currently at South Middle School, working with Liz Ruggles’s history classes. During South’s seventh period, she observes Ruggles, and teaches on her own during eighth period. “[Ruggles] is a really great teacher when you look at the way she teaches,” Becherer said. “[She is] really good about telling the class throughout the day how this is helping them in your lives. Like, this is helping your critical thinking, this is helping you speak in

public.”

The traditional classroom portion at Rolling Meadows is three hours long, which teacher Linda Pribyl thinks is good because it is similar to an actual college class, and a lot of material can be covered.

Students prepare for a national exam at the end of the year that certifies them in foundations of education; Pribyl says the majority of students pass it and do very well.

Topics covered in class include education standards, classroom management, types of instruction and lesson planning.

The program benefits students who wish to pursue a career in education; it also prepares students for a real college course.

“If you want to be a teacher, this is the best thing you could possibly do,” Becherer said. “[And] it really prepares [me] for college more than any AP class I’ve taken, and I’ve taken a lot of AP classes. It’s something that prepares you for life more than anything else in high school ever could.”

prospectornow.com

October 10, 2014

Features

7

Horses stirrup lifelong passion Students dedicate time to equestrian sports, compete year-round

By Ellen Siefke Editor-in-Chief

Every Saturday morning, junior Jes Skudlarek wakes up around 7 a.m. and prepares for her day by putting on a pair of jodhpurs, special pants for horse riding, and her boots. She then drives to Tudor Oaks Farms in Barrington and stays there until 6 p.m., essentially taking a full day to train, care and spend time with her horses, Trixie, 16, and Rausta, 8 in the barn.

While other teenagers may have outgrown their horse phases long ago, some students have continued with their passion for equestrian sports and dedicated much of their time to their own horses.

Skudlarek first became interested in horses when her mom, an avid rider, signed her up for pony rides at age 3.

Wanting more control over the horses, she officially began riding at age 6 with Dan Hansen, a trainer at White Birch Farms in Wisconsin.

Like Skudlarek, junior Ali Jehn’s mother played a role in getting her involved with horses. Her mom worked at an assisted living facility with her trainer, Jocelyne Vetrano. When Jehn was in fifth grade, Vetrano mentioned that she was opening a stable at McCarthy Farms called Grandcorsa and could

photo courtesy of Ali Jehn

GOOD BOY: Junior Ali Jehn takes a moment with her horse, Quest, after a training session. Jehn has been training at

photo courtesy of Jes Skudlarek

JUMP THIS WAY: Junior Jes Skudlarek practices her jumping on her mom’s horse, Monty. Skudlarek trains every day at Tudor Oaks Farms in Barrington and looks to compete in the Junior Olympics in the three-day event, which includes vaulting, cross use some students. Jehn agreed to try it out, despite having no previous experience.

She continues to train and develop because she enjoys the therapeutic element of riding; working with horses helps her calm down on stressful days.

She also likes the “down-to-earth” people at the barn and having responsibility for a horse.

While Jehn has stayed at the same barn for her entire riding career, Skudlarek now works with Jennifer Rousseau, in Barrington, about 30 minutes away. She travels there every day, alternating intense workouts and easier days.

Jehn owns one horse named Quest, 4. At first, she shared a horse with another client who suddenly left the stables. Coincidentally, a new group of horses was being tested, and Jehn was assigned to Quest.

She was the only one who could ride him successfully, and her family bought him. Left abandoned at a California farm, Jehn thinks he became attached to her because she took care of him.

Jehn’s training became serious quickly, as she started competing in the long stirrup division for beginners in Place to Start (PTS) and Northern Illinois Hunter/Jumper Association (NIH-

JA) shows just a month after undertaking the sport.

She rides in the hunter/jumper category, which consists of five different courses. Three are hunter courses where only the horse is judged, and the other two involve jumping in an arena.

The points from each course add up and determine the winners.

Although now in the mini medal level, Jehn was a champion in long stirrup in PTS and sixth in NIHJA. Her competition season lasts year-round, starting Dec. 2 and ending mid-October, and most events take place in Gurnee or Marengo.

“I like the thrill of competing,” Jehn said. “It’s crazy to think that you control another animal and that you’re in it together. Your scores depend on you and the horse.”

Skudlarek started competing at age 8. At first, she tried jumping for the speed and adrenaline, but she soon came into her element, focusing on three-day events involving cross country, vaulting and stadium courses.

With an ultimate goal to compete in the Olympics, she has taken small steps to move up through the ranks, starting with purchasing Rausta, a more athletic horse than Trixie. Although she shares a special bond with Trixie — she

only has to point her head, and Skudlarek knows where to scratch — the older horse doesn’t have the same abilities as Rausta.

Now that she has worked with him for a few years, she is focusing on qualifying for the Junior Olympics. This year will be her last chance to compete in the 16-18 year old category, but she believes her best shot will be for the 2016 or 2017 Junior Olympics. For now, she is focusing on training and fundraising to compete in a few bigger shows to gain experience in a more intense environment.

Spending almost every weekend at the stables, Skudlarek has to juggle her time with school and track in the spring. In eighth grade, her family considered moving to Wisconsin to be closer to White Birch and avoid the 90-minute drive every weekend.

They looked for 20-acre lots with enough space for a barn. However, they were unable to sell their house and opted to stay in Mount Prospect; Skudlarek then decided to transfer to a stable closer to home.

“It was tough to leave because I had learned so much, but something had to change,” Skudlarek said. “It was kind of like, ‘Thanks for everything, but we have to go.’”

During the school year, she often has to stay up later and tries to complete her homework on the road. At competitions, she works after she finishes her events for day, usually around 9 p.m., until 11 p.m. or midnight.

In the spring track season, she misses weekend practices while at the stables, and former head coach David Wurster gave her the day off while she was there. Weekends are important for training because riders can spend the day working with their horses and not have to worry about schoolwork or practice.

On the weekends, Jehn normally arrives at her stable at 10 a.m. and stays until 5 or 6 p.m. She cleans tack, her sadde equipment, and the barn in addition to working with the horses. Her weekday lessons, including the 30-minute drive, last between three and four hours. She spends an hour working with Quest and then a half hour each with one or two other horses.

Despite her busy schedule, Skudlarek has never wanted to step back or take a break. Although she doesn’t plan to ride for a college team, she will attend a school closer to home that will allow her to come home at least every other weekend to train.

“I’m very serious about riding,” Skudlarek said. “It’s always going to be a big part of my life, and it’s always going to be my number-one priority.”

In case you missed it...

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Visit ProspectorNow!

8

October 10, 2014

prospectornow.com

In-Depth

Equality debated in dress code Prospect Dress Code

By Diana Leane

Executive In-Depth Editor When talking about the human body and “private areas,” shoulders don’t usually come to mind. Yet, those two bones manage to raise a lot of controversy in dress codes today. Junior Megan Weiss knows what it is like to be caught up in the this drama.

While walking through the cafeteria one day, Weiss was scolded by a teacher she didn’t recognize for wearing a tank that violated Prospect’s dress code. According to the dress code, specific types of tank tops, such as spaghetti straps or one shoulder tank tops, are banned, but tank tops in general are allowed. Still, Weiss was reprimanded while male students seldomly are called out for a tank top, in her opinion.

Junior Sara Connole has seen more similar instances happen at Prospect, too. In the hallway, Connole has seen a female student ragged on for wearing a shirt deemed too low-cut while a male student had worn a shirt that day that came to the same point on his chest, yet no one scolded him.

However, there are individuals making efforts to promote equality at Prospect. Mike Sebestyen doesn’t allow male and female students to wear tank tops during his class by making them cover up with jackets.

Sebestyen is a big enforcer of the dress code, and he bases that belief on the experiences he had at his all-boys Catholic high school, where he wore dress pants, a dress shirt and a tie every day.

While Weiss believes the school doesn’t generally enforce the dress code equally for both boys and girls, she agrees that Sebestyen is fair when enforcing the dress code in his classroom.

“I can control what happens in my classroom and [how] the school expects [the dress code to be enforced],” Sebestyen said. “That’s all I can do.”

Sebestyen believes the dress code is equally directed toward both male and female students but also believes the situation is more complicated with females.

“I think there are more potential wardrobe issues that could be brought up for women in our school, but there are also more fashion choices that women wear that probably influence that,” Sebestyen said. “There is stuff more directed towards the guys, too. I don’t see many girls having pants hanging off their butts and underwear showing the way guys do.”

Dean Mark Taylor agrees with Sebestyen, observing that most male students wear simple attire like jeans and t-shirts. According to Taylor, if any student violated the dress code, he/she would have to change or call a parent to bring clothes (see Prospect dress code to read the full dress code).

The same dress code has been enforced for years, but it is reviewed and tweaked by the Parent Committee every year. Taylor has received complaints about the code, but he still stands by the policy.

“The dress code was put in place to create an environment where kids can learn and teachers can teach,” Taylor said. “Kids have free speech, and they can wear some crazy things on their clothing, just not at school. “[Students] have four years here at Prospect.

[They’re] not going to be here forever. [Students] don’t have to come on the weekends, and [they] don’t have to come during the evening, either.

If [students] want to wear those type of clothes, [they] have plenty of opportunity to do that, but [they] don’t have to wear them here at school.”

Although it may not seem like students spend most of their time in school, an average American student spends 1,016 hours in school a year.

That is more than 16 percent of the time students spend awake during an entire year. Weiss’, mother, Karla, believes the time the students spend at home is the time when a dress code should be put in place.

She thinks that rules controlling how children dress should be created by the parents because she doesn’t completely agree with all of Prospect’s dress rules. She doesn’t understand why students can’t wear certain tank tops because she doesn’t think showing shoulder is a big deal. She also agrees that the dress code is more directed toward girls.

When Karla went to high school, she remembers the dress code consisting of one rule banning any clothing with profanity on it. Although her parents didn’t have specific rules for her own teenage wardrobe, she oversees what her children wear and has one rule.

Her children also are not allowed to wear anything with profanity on it, continuing her own parents’ values.

“I think [determining what children wear] should be the parent’s responsibility because some families have different values [on] the way somebody should look,” Weiss said.

Clothes banned: Sun hats, caps, bandanas, hea visors, hoods and head co Clothes banned: Halter tops, tube tops, sleeveless undershirts, strapless tops, spaghetti strap tops and racerback tops

Clothes banned: L tops, backless tops, tops

tops, crochet tops and sw Clothes banned: Short shorts, short skirts

Clothes banned: U wear worn as outerwea riding pants displaying or sweatpants

Other clothes banned: bership, gang activity or gang

Graphic by Cassidy Selep, Caroline Binl Pictured: Natalia Dmitruk and Jackson

Read about dress code controversies across the U.S. on ProspectorNow.com

To be or not to be

Steps taken to improve gender e Gender Demographics in STEM

By Shannon Smith

Executive In-Depth Editor Over the summer, sophomore Madie Roman attended Girl’s Adventures in Mathematics, Engineering and Science (GAMES), a summer camp at the University of Illinois. This camp gives academically gifted girls a chance to explore different math- and science-related careers.

After completing this program, Roman knew that she wanted to pursue a career in either mechanical or electrical engineering.

Other schools such as Penn State, Purdue, South Dakota State, Kettering University and Texas A&M have programs that only girls are able to attend. The goal of these camps is to evoke female interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers during middle school and high school.

In 2010, the American Association of University Women suggested girls should be actively encouraged to pursue STEM areas because more men than women are in STEM fields (see “Gender Demographics in STEM”).

WildStang, the robotics club for Prospect, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling, is hosting the Miss Maker Fair, a half-day workshop designed to get middle school girls interested in STEM on Saturday, Nov. 1,

prospectornow.com

October 10, 2014

In-Depth

9

Fieldhouse namesake more than just a name

By Katy Ryan

In-Depth Editor

nglasses, adbands, overings

Low-cut with one

wimwear

Underar, lowboxers

ley and Diana Leane n Doughty

Many students may not know it, but Prospect’s fieldhouse is named after one of girls’ sports biggest contributors: Jean Walker, a retired physical education teacher, coach and sports enthusiast.

Walker was highly influential in the development of girls’ sports at Prospect. She began at Prospect as a physical education teacher in 1968.

At the time, girls could only join the tennis team and Girls’ Recreation Association, a program where girls participated in sports for a half hour a few days a week. However, they did not compete against other schools.

According to Walker, girls were prohibited from playing team sports.

They could only join certain individual sports like archery, tennis, badminton and golf, and Prospect’s only girls team was the tennis team.

Walker said that many people had the mindset that girls didn’t play sports, and that affected the opportunities for girls of the era.

Four years after Walker started teaching, Title IX was put into place.

Enacted on June 23, 1972, the law made gender equality a must for everything related to government-funded education. This made it so that girls had to have the same opportunities to play in the IHSA as boys.

The Mid-Suburban League started planning for female participants before Title IX was passed, so it was able to get the girls’ programs up and running quickly.

“Obviously, everybody wasn’t thrilled that the girls were going to get this opportunity because it took away facilities, and it just changed a lot of things,” Walker said. “There was a lot of hard work that went into adding girls’ sports to what was already there ... We had to work on [gym space] and money and coaches.”

Initially, girls were only allowed to have “sports days.” Instead of interscholastics with around 20 contests, girls were only allowed to participate in two to four contests during the entire season. Since they had few competitions, they were able to have five seasons instead of three.

Walker helped coach volleyball,

for me to retire because ... I just love my job and love Prospect.”

Jean Walker

Photo courtesy of Jean Walker

GIRL POWER:

basketball, track, bowling and softball during these “sports days.”

According to Walker, the first basketball season was highly successful.

The team won three of the four games it played.

“When my girls actually got to practice in the fieldhouse and play in the fieldhouse, they were just thrilled because for the most part, they had to stay in the [back] gyms,” Walker said.

The sports days turned to interscholastics fairly quickly, and Walker decided only to coach the girls’ badminton, tennis and basketball teams.

She eventually gave up coaching tennis and badminton due to seasonal conflicts, but she continued to coach basketball until 1995.

The first girls’ state tennis tournament was held at Arlington Heights High School in October 1972. Walker helped to run it for the first few years and then became the tournament director. She helped with this tournament for almost 40 years.

Walker retired from teaching at Prospect in 2000.

“It was really difficult for me to retire because I loved everything about it,” Walker said. “I just love my job and love Prospect.”

On Dec. 28, 2004, Prospect High School named its fieldhouse after

-

Walker during the halftime of a girls’ basketball game. She was recognized for her help developing girls’ sports at Prospect and her contribution to the state tennis tournament, along with her involvement in other activities. She has been told that she was the first female in the state to have a public high school fieldhouse named in her honor.

“It’s one of those things that you can hardly believe,” Walker said. “I mean, I still go in there and kind of look at it like, ‘Oh my gosh, is this real?’ … It’s just such an honor to be rewarded like that … To have other people say they thought I had done a good job was really special.”

Burnett can testify to Walker’s effects on the school. Walker was Burnett’s health teacher, and she inspired Burnett to go into teaching health and physical education.

“She influenced my life in a big way,” Burnett said. “Once I had her as a teacher, I was like, ‘That’s exactly what I want to do.’”

Burnett says that Walker had a passion for health and P.E. that she wanted to share. She came back to Prospect after she retired to volunteer at track meets and watch basketball games. She even came back this season watch a girls’ volleyball game.

In addition to watching Prospect games, Walker helps with the badminton invite every year. For the first 10 years after she retired, she also ran a leadership program for athletes called LEAP that took place on late arrival day every month.

With Title IX and people like Walker, more opportunities have opened up for girls.

“I think that if someone wants to be involved in a sport here at Prospect, there are tons of things they can choose from,” Burnett said. “If someone wants to do something, there’s plenty of opportunity.”

Walker agrees that girls’ sports today are better now than they were 40 years ago.

“I think the girls have wonderful opportunities now,” Walker said. “So that’s important, but I think it’s [also] important that you never forget that you need to keep working at to make sure that it’s all fair and equal.”

Photo courtesy of the Crest

e equal: that is the question

equality in STEM at Rolling Meadows.

Junior Veronica Boartyn, a robotics club member, is the Prospect’s project leader for the Miss Maker Fair.

“The idea is to make this abstract and scary sounding thing like engineering [or] math and taking it and applying it to hands-on activities so that girls can see that they can in fact do this,” Boratyn said.

Boratyn thinks early exposure to what STEM careers actually entail is important to get more girls interested those fields of work.

“It’s not a lack of talent because I’ve seen extremely talented girls do science activities,” Boratyn said. “People always think that engineering is really straight forward, boring and based purely on logic, but there’s a large element of creativity in being able to imagine different things and then taking it from theory into practice.”

Boratyn first got interested in STEM when she joined South Middle School’s Science Olympiad team.

Boratyn had a knack for science, and the program appealed to her competitive side.

She continues to compete in Science Olympiad at Prospect and takes Robotics, an after-school class that involves Prospect, Wheeling and Rolling Meadows students. When Boratyn started taking Robotics freshman year, she felt she had to prove that she could keep up with the demanding curriculum.

“People always think engineering is really straightforward, boring and based purely on logic, but there’s a large element of creativity: being able to imagine different things and then taking it from theory into practice.”

Veronica Boratyn, junior According to Business Insider, the stigma that girls aren’t good at math and science is one reason why girls choose not to pursue STEM careers. Many studies show that girls underestimate their intelligence whereas boys often overestimate their intelligence.

Along with that, in order to encourage their success, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) actively recruits girls by sending current female students to high schools to get girls interested in STEM majors.

MIT is close to a one-to-one ratio of boys and girls.

According to US News, 55 percent of students enrolled are male while 45 percent are female.

Although MIT has close to the same number of boys and girls majoring in STEM fields, the average number of girls majoring in STEM around the country is significantly less. According to 2011 Digest of Education Statistics, only 18.1 percent of majors in Computer Science and Information Science were female, and only 18.3 percent of engineering majors were female.

Now, many colleges are trying to admit equal numbers of males and females to their STEM programs.

According to College and Career Counselor Diane Bourn, girls may have an advantage getting into more competitive STEM schools as colleges trying to diversify their STEM programs. Less girls apply to these programs, so most girls who fit a school’s GPA and ACT criteria have a very good chance of getting into the school. On the other hand, a large number of males apply to competitive STEM schools, so just meeting the criteria is often not enough.

Junior Isaac Ginnodo wants to major in engineering, and he does not think it’s fair that girls have an advantage getting into STEM programs. He doesn’t believe that girls should have an advantage when applying to STEM schools because of the gap of women in STEM. Instead, he believes that the best qualified candidates should be admitted, whether male or female.

“I believe in meritocracy,” Boratyn said, “which is [when] your ability to do something well gets you farther, but I think colleges are correct in making sure there are a certain amount of girls [going into STEM] because it’s not meritocracy if half the population doesn’t even get a fighting chance.”

10

October 10, 2014

prospectornow.com

Features

photo illustration by Cassidy Selep

Students deal with divorce Students reveal

tire world. [For others], it’s a relief. But, any kind of marital discord is pretty disruptive to anything our students do.”

According to Pecho, she had a tough time dealing with almost a five-year long divorce process. It was especially hard because her parents had arranged to share the house while the divorce

By Shreya Thakkar process was still ongoing.

Pecho’s mom would have the kids Executive Features Editor Monday through Friday until 7:00 p.m.

At age 3, junior Heather Pecho no- Once she drove away, Pecho’s dad would ticed her parents were different than come to the house and have the kids until Monday morning. other kids’ parents.

“I guess I understand they did that “Normal parents always hold hands and are hugging or what not, but my because they wanted to keep me and my sister in the house, but it was realparents didn’t do that,” Pecho said.

Then, at age 9, Pecho’s parents start- ly hard on us having one parent there ed going to different churches, despite for half the time [for five years,]” Pecho said. “Sometimes, we had this parent sharing a religion.

“I didn’t really get why my mom and this set of rules, and then other didn’t go to our [usual] church, so I times, we had another parent and a dif[always went] to church with my ferent set of rules.” “[On top of that,] I was having a bad dad,” Pecho said. “But then my time in elementary school. I was in mom started makfifth grade, and I was being me and my ing bullied at the time, [younger] sister and then right after, go to church with my parents got diher every other vorced. So I got weekend. Then I depressed and knew that somesuicidal.” thing was going According on.”

1 out of 2 to American In FebruAssociation marriages ary 2008, when for Marriage end in divorce Pecho was 10, and Family her parents had Therapy, up a “big fight.”

Information courtesy to a quarter “It all went of Utah University of children downhill from whose parents there,” Pecho divorce expesaid. rience ongoing Pecho is among emotional and be17.8 percent of Proshavior difficulties, pect students who have as compared to 10 perdivorced parents. Accordcent of children whose ing to school psychologist Jay parents do not divorce.

Kyp-Johnson, each student deals with Unlike, senior Dane Schweinzger divorce differently.

“It’s not a linear equation,” was 2 years old when his parents got Kyp-Johnson said. “We think [divorce divorced, so it is nothing but the norm affects people in different] ways. [For] for him.

However, he can understand the some people, it totally upsets their en-

“[As a kid,] I always thought it was weird that all my friends had moms and dads, but my mom didn’t really have a partner . . . I was always going to my friend’s houses, and their dads would be there, which was weird because I never really had a dad growing up. But I’m still close with my dad. I still love him.”

Dane Schweinzger, senior struggle of having two different sets of rules because he primarily lives with his mom but goes to his dad’s house every other weekend.

“There are still a lot of downsides to [my parents’ divorce],” Schweinzger said.

“There are different rules at both sides of the family that you have to get used to. It’s a struggle because my dad owns my car, but my mother has rules on the car, so that’s a very touchy subject.”

According to Schweinzger, who now has five step-siblings, he also noticed differences between his family and others’. “[As a kid,] I always thought it was weird that all my friends had moms and dads, but my mom didn’t really have a partner until she met my step-dad when I was in second grade,” Schweinzger said. “I was always going to my friend’s houses, and their dads would be there, which was weird because I never really had a dad growing up. But I’m still close with my dad. I still love him.”

For Pecho, who now lives with her dad, her parents’ divorce forced her to mature more quickly than most kids.

“I grew up really, really fast. I didn’t really have a childhood because I had to basically be taking care of my sister.

Sometimes I really like [having responsibility] … because I get trusted with things most kids my age usually aren’t trusted with ... but then sometimes I don’t like it because instead of getting

my homework done, I have to be doing chores.”

“It [kind of] sucks because I didn’t really have a childhood, so I don’t have all those fun childhood memories. But I’m still making childhood memories now, I guess.”

Although she has to take care of her sister, Pecho believes her sister is also her strongest support system.

“I [was] suicidal in the beginning, and for me, my [support system] was my sister because . . . I [wanted her to have] someone to count on,” Pecho said.

After things got rough for Pecho, her mom took her to see a counselor, and now her dad takes her to a different one who specializes in child tragedies.

“Going through all of this, I learned to bury everything down,” Pecho said.

“So I go to my [counselor] to help me deal with it.”

Pecho believes that although the divorce was tough, she has learned a lot from it.

“It really helped to [make] me who I am today,” Pecho said. “Before, I was a really shy kid, but then [ever since] I came out of it, I am more open and like to express my feelings. I try to make people smile a lot because, even if it’s a random person, you don’t know how their day is going, and they could be in the same situation I was in five years ago. If I make them smile, it might be something that helps them throughout the day.”

How to get through a parent’s divorce School psychologist Jay Kyp-Johnson, along with counselors in Student Services, is always available for students who are going through a parent’s divorce, and offers advice about how to get through it.

1. “[Students] need to know, that if

Jay Kyp-Johnson [their] parents are disagreeing [and]

even if they are pulled into the argument, parents don’t get divorced be-

cause of their kids. Parents get divorced because they can’t work something out. Even if they say it’s over the kids, it’s not.”

need to do is focus on keeping yourself well, taking care of yourself, making sure you’re safe and doing positive things at school.”

2. “The best thing to do is not try to be the adult or to try to be the rational one — the one who solves the problems.

You need to try to not be pulled into a role in the family; you can’t become your parents’ counselor. What you really

3 body to talk to, just to be at an even emotional state. [We] have a little more the heck is going on and how to take care of yourself.”

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October 10, 2014

Features

11

Bookworms are picky eaters Teachers relate to students on assigned reading il war’s impact on a group of young boys, and she enjoys the Honors Written and Oral book because it ties in Communication teacher Teri with the global issues Buczinsky remembers a read- unit.

Although some stuing assignment in sixth grade she absolutely couldn’t stand. dents may not enjoy the She sat in class when a sub- book because of the gore stitute teacher walked in and and serious topic, she feels it teaches students important handed the class a bunch of lessons. “dry science” articles to read.

Sophomore and avid read“Our instruction for, it felt like hours to me, was that we er Brooke Wilson enjoyed the book. were supposed to read these “I liked that, in the introducarticles,” Buczinsky said. “But they were incomprehensible. tion, there was a nice lead-in to how the author wrote the I remember just feeling story, and I thought that the gross injustice of it. made it more relatable to It was so inappropriate us,” Wilson said. for us. It made me anHowever, Wilson could gry enough that I still see how some students remember it today. may not have enjoyed It was just an t h e book. unfair assign“I don’t realment.” ly have issues Because of with blood her experience, and guts,” Buczinsky can W i l s o n relate to stusaid. “There dents who were parts of don’t enjoy it though, that I their assigncould see people ments, yet she being disturbed still believes by.” that the books that While Honors she teaches have World Literature value. and Composition For example, (HWLC) teacher Buczinsky loves Karen Kruse knows “They Poured Fire enjoy on us from the Elizabeth Joiner gives students Sky,” which “The Pearl” a rating of reading books they like, she advocates is about the reading books outSudanese civside of their com-

By Ivanka Northrop Features Editor

photos by Cassidy Selep

Lori Amedeo gives “Stargirl” a rating of three out of 10. fort.

“I think you have to expose yourself to different kinds of books or different genres,” Kruse said. “As far as argumentation, it’s always good to look at the other side of an argument or see how another group builds their evidence.”

Kruse thinks the books and stories taught in HWLC are beneficial and are worth reading and discussing in class.

“I think they’re a really nice mix of books,” Kruse said. “I think particularly in World Lit, there’s a nice mix between the ancient and the modern. I mean AP [English] Literature is [going to be] classics, whatever way you slice it. But then you get a nice mix of drama, poetry, novel and short story.”

Freshmen also read a vari-

ety of different texts including found one that worked as well “To Kill a Mockingbird” being as “They Poured Fire on us From the Sky.” one of them.

“Kids don’t realize it,” When Buczinsky first read it, she found it slow and Buczinsky said. “But we really thought the history of the don’t want to teach books that Finch family weighed down they hate.”

Finding a book that works the plot.

“I hated it for the for both teachers and students first five chapters,” has proven to be difficult.

“I literally spent over 100 Buczinsky said.

“That book is slow tak- dollars buying books. I would ing off … It’s hard. It’s get about 100 pages into them, got all these allusions and then I would go ‘no!’ ... that kids don’t get. So I’d get to the middle and go I read that first chapter, and ‘There’s no way! They’re not I [thought] ‘You’re kidding! I going to love this,’” Buczinsky have to teach this to freshmen? said. “Then I’d be discouraged, and I would go out and and try This is going to be terrible!’”

However, she has grown to to find another book … It’s so love the book and now reads it hard to find something that’s every year. By the fifth chap- really going to work. It takes a ter she was captivated by it, lot of time and energy to read and loved the characters and 100 pages just to see if it’s going to work.” themes of the story.

Buczinsky feels that Because of her own people should read what experiences, she always they’re passionate about. reads the first chapter She said that it’s very with her class, explaindifficult for a teacher ing references and to read something that themes early on. they aren’t enthusiasBuczinsky and tic about because her fellow Honors passion needs to and Written and be contagious in Oral Communicaorder to get the tion teachers make students excited sure they are pasabout the materisionate about the al. books they teach.

“I think life is This will be the last too short to conyear “They Poured stantly read books Fire On us From the that you don’t feel Sky” will be taught passionate about,” because they decidBuczinsky said. “You ed that it is too low want to keep growing of a reading level as a person.” for the students.

They started Nicole Stoltz gives looking for new books last spring, “Things Fall Apart” a but they haven’t rating of six out of 10.

From teachers to students

By Krzys Chwala Copy Editor

Every Thursday, math teacher Alexandra Budden drives for at least 90 minutes to DePaul University’s Lincoln Park campus for her Advanced Linear Algebra graduate class.

According to Associate Principal Scott McDermott, every District 214 teacher must continue his or her professional career for the administration to be satisfied with their academic standing. The district also has a Professional Development Plan that rewards any teacher who takes graduate courses or completes certifications by raising the teacher’s base salary.

For math teacher Dominique Davis, who has her master’s in curriculum instruction, the salary raise was a motivator, but she ultimately pursued it because she thought it was necessary to learn new teaching methods and networking strategies with other teachers.

Budden thinks it is easier for her to commit time to taking math classes for her master’s in mathematics because she enjoys the subject. Nevertheless, pursuing a graduate program is a major time commitment for any teacher.

Davis typically spent 10 hours a week, both in and outside of class, working on getting her master’s in curriculum instruction. She recalls it with

a relief when she finished the program six years ago.

When Budden started her graduate program this fall, she was enrolled in two courses: Advanced Linear Algebra and Group Theory. However, the additional workload proved to be too much for her to handle.

The Group Theory course was set up similarly to a flipped classroom. Each week, the class read a chapter of the textbook and the professor’s lecture notes and then did about 50 practice problems in addition to completing other homework assignments.

This added up to 10 hours of work outside of class each week. She dropped it because she didn’t think she could handle the workload.

In her Linear Algebra class, homework alone typically engrosses four hours a week, and just two tests will make up 90 percent of her total grade.

“I don’t know how I’ll [balance work and school then,] especially because these tests tend to have four or five questions,” Budden said. “So, if you don’t know one question, you’re kind of up a creek.”

Her solution is to be responsible and study for the exams early on.

Davis, on the other hand, recalls the many nights and weekends she stayed up late to complete both her Prospect and graduate work.

Being back at school is a constant reminder for Budden about what it’s like to be a student and the struggles that come with it.

As a result, she is more understanding as a teacher when students are incapable of finishing assignments. Nevertheless, she still holds them accountable for whatever work they don’t complete because she believes every assignment has value.

She tries not to assign meaningless work because she re-

photo by Cassidy Selep

STUDY: Math teacher Alexandra Budden’s workload has increased ever since she started her graduate program in Mathematics this fall at DePaul University. “I’d love to be in bed by nine, but I usually go [to bed] at 11,” Budden said. members a class she took for her bachelor’s in which she was assigned weekly readings that were never addressed afterwards.

In her 3.5-hour long linear algebra class, there is no class participation; the professor talks the entire time.

While the class organization may work for her professors, Budden says she wouldn’t implement such a teaching style herself.

“It’s very passive,” Budden said. “It’s not what I envision for my classes. I don’t think so much is learned from listening as from participating.”

On the other hand, Davis believes that her graduate program completely changed her teaching style.

She remembers her professor emphasizing group work and repetition,

and both of these things have made their way into Davis’s classroom. “[My students] can finish a sentence of mine by the time we’re done with a particular topic because they hear me say it so many times,” Davis said.

Junior Melissa Spacapan finds Davis’s emphasis on group work helpful.

“It’s good because you don’t have to necessarily wait for the teacher to come around and help you,” Spacapan said.

“It’s just more efficient.”

Although Budden may not necessarily have the same experience, she is happy to be in graduate school.

“I think it’s always important to better and develop yourself rather than staying stagnant, especially in education where things are always changing,” Budden said.

12

October 10, 2014

prospectornow.com

Entertainment

Early bands last for ‘centuries’

their music throughout high school.

“There’s a lot of nostalgia associated with [Blink 182] because my friends Junior Gianna Honcharuk came and I liked them, and now my friends across Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco all went away to college and came back liking country and My Chemical Romance on Pan01 music for some dora in second Fall Out Boy 20 reason. I don’t grade. understand it,” Senior MagCollins said. gie Best also “The one thing discovered her that we still favorite bands have in come th Panic! at the Dise ar s ng Boy so mon is that co, Fall Out Boy k ic Most Fall Out tr Pa d an stuff that we Wentz’s lyrics and All Time Low, te Pe of lt su re . listened to in in grade school Stump’s music high school, so by chance. She rewe don’t have to kill each mains a fan.

“I just liked their lyrics and other when we listen to that music.”

Collins is also familiar with Fall Out how it’s actually more like music than most pop-music is these days … I like Boy because his friends as well as his fihow the words actually have a deeper ance, Lauren Ciesemier, attended local meaning” Best said. “It’s also fun to ... concerts.

Fall Out Boy originated in Chicago see them basically grow up and see how in 2001 as a pop- punk side project to their music style changes.”

Since these bands made their debut Pete Wentz and Joe Trohman’s hardin the early 2000s, many teenagers to- core bands.

Their debut album, “Take This To day discovered them in grade school.

Even social studies teacher and mu- Your Grave,” gained them a loyal fansic fan Brock Collins first became a fan base. Honcharuk and Best both enjoyed of Blink 182 when he was in seventh the album’s minor success “Grand grade, upon the 1997 release of their Theft Autumn.”

Collins believes that their success album. “Dammit (Growing Up).” He is due to earning a loyal fanbase at the and his friends listened to start of their career.

“I think in order to last a long time, you probably have to first appeal to some type of subculture or sub-genre to gain a really good following there and to have some kind of legitimacy,” Collins said. “Once you get that good fan base in that subculture, I guess eventually that sub-culture becomes more and more and then The band’s first practice was in Spencer mainstream, you basically have to go more and more to the Smith’s grandmother’s house. middle, more and more to the mainstream until you gain those people in the middle.”

Panic! at the Disco

Marci Kiszkiel

Entertainment Editor

2005

Panic! at the Disco’s third studio alachieved success through the same bum, “Vice and Virtues,” showed concept. The band was formed a return to their initial debut style. by childhood Honcharuk admires the friends Ryan band for being Ross, Spencer Fall Out Boy 2014 able to change Smith, Brent its sound while Wilson and maintaining a Brendon Urie. distinctive style.

They recordHowever, not ed their first all bands formed demos in high in the early 2000s school, and At a concert , a fan sugges were able to shortly after te d B “F oy al ” l Out stay in the mainfor the band’ forming, res name, and it stuck. stream spotlight. corded and Although their released their debut second album, album “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” “Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge,” in 2005.

The album included hit singles, “I gained platinum status, My Chemical Write Sins, Not Tragedies, and, Best’s Romance officially announced their favorite, “The Only Difference Between separation on March 22, 2013.

It is uncertain as to why the band Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverchose to break up, but a final post on age.”

Over the years, the bands have un- their website claimed that the band’s dergone many changes in both sound career has come to an end.

Collins believes that other bands, and image. Although Best prefers her such as Bowling For Soup and Simple favorite bands’ older albums, she Plan, were unable to stay successbelieves that changes are inful because they strove to apevitable.

From the peal to the mainstream too “I understand [the chang2013 album: early in their careers. es] because ... they need to grow “Too Weird to “They came during up and so do we,” Best said. ‘We Live, Too Rare the height of the [pop-punk] need to accept the fact that wave, and they just tried to they’re growing up, and to Die” appeal to the masses right we need to accept the away,” Collins said. “When changes.” you try to appeal to the massPanic! at the Dises right away, you don’t get those co went through many people that are actually loyal to changes in members unyou.” til Brendon Urie However, lead singer of My and Spencer Smith Chemical Romance, Gerard Way, were the remainreleased his first solo album on Sept. ing members of 30, “Hesitant Alien.” the original band.

These bands have been an importHoncharuk’s ant part of Honachruk’s life, and she favorite album Brendon Urie expects to be a fan in the future. from the band, originally “I had a crush on Pete Wentz and “Pretty.

Odd.,” joined the band pop-punk was kind of my thing. I showed a departure guess I never really got over that,” from their original (Panic!) as a Honcharuk said. “Even though it’s pop-punk sound, as replacement not that big anymore, I still like to it was inspired by guitar player. jam out to their old stuff.” bands from the 1960s.

Dystopias thrive among teen audience “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” the first novel in the young adult series “Harry Potter,” sold 325 million copies after its release in June of 1997.

The post-apocalyptic trilogy “The Hunger Games” similarly gathered a large fan-base after selling 11.7 million copies in 2010.

Just last year, the “Divergent” trilogy sold a total of 10 million copies after its initial 2011 release.

However, these popular franchises share more than success.

They also have a common setting: dystopia, an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.

Whether the country is being divided into “Districts” or “He-Who-MustNot-Be-Named” is creating an army of death-eaters, universes on the brink of an apocalypse are not only common; they’re popular.

Knights’ Learning Center librarian Christie Sylvester attributes teens’ infatuation with these stories to their themes.

“If you look at [young adult] novels in general, they’re really about teens discovering themselves and who they are,” Sylvester said. “In essence, it’s about them getting away from ‘the nest,’ or getting away from their parents.”

Sylvester explains that this theme of self-reliance is why the protagonists of young adult novels are often missing a parental figure or role model.

Senior Vraj Patel believes escapism sets dystopias apart.

“Most of them [are not like] real life, so it’s this imaginary [world] that teens look for,” Patel said.

Sylvester agrees teenagers turn to these novels for adventure.

“I think for students who have a stable home life or [think] their lives are stale, certainly reading a novel is a way to be in another word,” Sylvester said.

Freshman Sophie Speedy, who has read “The Hunger Games” and “Harry Potter,” thinks these novels are popular because they interest both teenagers and adults.

Sylvester, who is an avid “Harry Potter” fan, agrees that these dystopian stories can transcend age.

She attributes this to the wide range and variety in the dystopian genre.

For example, Sylvester suggests someone who doesn’t enjoy “The Hunger Games” might be a fan of “Star

Wars.”

Although dystopian stories feel like a new trend, these post-apocalyptic plots have existed for several decades.

Sylvester points out the 1927 film, “Metropolis,” which revolved around a futuristic world where the city is divided between city planners and the working class.

George Orwell’s “1984” illustrated a society with the “Big Brother” government always watching.

The famous novel was similarly published before the dystopian craze in 1949.

Sylvester ultimately believes these settings have maintained their relevancy and continued their popularity because of the obstacles they put readers through.

“In dystopian novels, we’re facing these challenges from the comfort of our own room. When you’ve had enough, you can close the book,” Sylvester said.

“You’re safe when you’re back in your room.”

By Kelly Schoessling

Editor-in-Chief

photos courtesy of imdb.com and Entertainment Weekly

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October 10, 2014

Entertainment

13

Gourd-gous pumpkin crafts

As the weather gradually gets colder and the air carries the scent of autumn, the green leaves on the trees are slowly turning to the warm

By Isabelle Rogers

Entertainment Editor

Dripping-crayon pumpkin: These pumpkins are a lot easier (and cleaner) to make than jack-o-lanterns when decorating for fall (or Halloween). Using colors of your choice, you can create a dripping blood

Face mask: The rapidly changing humidity of fall causes dry skin because we never get a chance to adjust to the lack in moisture. Fall is dangerous because even though the temperatures are cooler, there is no lack of sunlight, and dry skin is more susceptible to sun damage. If you mix four tablespoons of pumpkin purée with a teaspoon of honey, you can easily help reverse the weather damage on your skin. The Vitamin A in pumpkins protects from sun damage, Vitamin C helps create scar tissue and ligaments, and zinc has shown some potential in preventing and alleviating the

your favorite color crayons, and glue around the stem of pumpkin. Use a blow dryer to heat up the wax until

acne. Apply to face and let sit for 15 min-

Candle holders: This fall craft spices up already fantastic candles. Get the small pumpkins for as many candle holders you want to make. I suggest using regular or electric tea

Center piece: To spice up your dinner table, use this beautiful fall craft. Instead of just a regular clean out pumpkin and let the inside dry for a few hours. Then

pumpkin and trace a circle the size of the tea light on the top of the pumpkins. Cut around the tracing and deseed and gut the pumpkin. Let the pumpkin sit out until dry inside and slip the tea light in.

Hair mask: Fall weather not only damages your skin, but also your hair. Blend one cup of freshly cooked or canned pumpkin purée with four tablespoons of coconut oil in a food processor.

The Vitamin C in pumpkins creates stronger hair, and the zinc has qualities that can help get rid of

Pumpkin seeds: a totally underrated snack. They are rich in magnesium, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. After carving a pumpkin, just wash

protects it from everyday damage as well as heat damage. After mixing the ingredients, completely coat hair and wrap up your hair in a shower cap or plastic bag. Leave mixture in your hair for 30 minutes, then rinse out and follow with two washes of your regular shampoo in order to com-

preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Mix seeds with oil or butter and salt. (or until golden brown); mix occasionally.

Piñata: This simple party game puts your leftover pumpkins to good use.

Clean out the inside of a medium or large

Pumpkin spice lattes: Though everyone gets excited for Starbuck’s annu-

with candy. String up the pumpkin by poking two holes on opposite sides of the open top. Then let your friends take a swing at this homemade piñata. It’s a fun activity with candy as a bonus!

drinks, not many people realize how easy, healthy and better-tasting homemade pumpkin spice lattes are. Instead of spending six dollars and a messed up order, make this delicious drink yourself.

Pumpkin spice latte recipe Go to prospectornow.com to see a video tutorial!

Ingredients more to garnish Freshly ground black pepper

1 can of whipped cream Equipment Mixer, whisk or hand blender Saucepan Wooden spoon Whisk Blender Instructions 1) Heat the pumpkin and spices. In a

small saucepan, over medium heat, cook the pumpkin with the pumpkin pie spice and a generous helping of black pepper cooked. Stir constantly. stir until the mixture looks like a bubbly, thick syrup.

3) Warm the milk: Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. Warm gently over medium heat, watching carefully to make

sure it doesn’t boil over. the milk mixture with a hand blender or in a traditional blender (hold the lid down tightly with a thick wad of towels!) until frothy and blended.

5) Mix the drinks: Make the espresso add the frothed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon or nutmeg.

14 October

10, 2014

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October 10, 2014

Sports

15

Mighty Myers Sophomore leads volleyball team

confidence level, and Haaning is excited for the future Myers has to offer.

Just like Myers, sophomore Maggie Porwit has had the challenge of fitting in with experienced upperclassmen.

Senior middle Catherine Sherwood

By Ryan Molini feels the socialization of the team varSports Editor ies on and off the court.

“During the game, The most memorawe mesh very well,” Kaeli Myers’ stats ble moment for sophSherwood said. “Soomore Kaeli Myers Serving cially, we are still so far this volleyball Aces: 5 getting used to each season was being seother.” lected for the all-tour- Attempts: 97 New head coach nament team in the Errors: 3 Gabrielle Lovin Sept. 20 Glenbard West In %: 96.9 stepped into her poInvitational.

Myers Points on sition this offseason achieved the award Serve: 54 and has made some for her outstanding adjustments to the play during the tour- Hitting formation of the nament against girls Kills: 59 team and its pracmore than two years Kill %: 29.4 tices, but she’s kept older than her.

Error %: 8.0 (Team Avg 14.9) some aspects similar According to their as well. teammates, sopho- Passing Last year, the more outside-hitters Digs: 79 (Team Avg 63) practices mixed Myers and Mary Ma- Dig %: 91.6 (Team Avg 80.6) the varsity and JV zurek have contributteams. Now that this ed more to a varsity Points season has reached team than sophomores Total: 70.0 (Team Avg 45.2) its midpoint, the protypically do.

Team % of Pts: 11.9 gram has brought “[Myers] has been *stats as of 10/6 the mixed scrimmagawesome this season,” ing back to practices. junior setter Michelle “We are working a lot more with JV,” Haaning said. “She’s really stepped up, Haaning said. “Everyone is more comeven with her shoulder [injury.]” fortable with each other when we have Throughout the past few weeks, Myto move people around.” ers has played through the pain of a Not only have the players become shoulder injury while still improving more comfortable with each other on her performance on the court. the court, but their 10-11 record (as of “At first, I was really nervous and Oct. 6) has shown its ups and downs so scared,” Myers said, “but Cat [Sherfar this season. wood] and [Haaning] have really helped “We feed off of each other,” Lovin me adjust and become a better varsity said, “If one person has positive energy, player.” that’s what we have to feed off of.”

Myers also said that senior libero The players have accepted that posiSarah Cutaia has helped strengthen her tive energy is key to their success.

photo by Lauren Miller

GET UP: Junior right side hitter Brenda Kendziera (#6) spikes it to the Rolling Meadows defenders on Oct. 2. Kendziera has been one of the key upperclassmen to help usher in the younger varsity members.

“We have a young team this year, and we came in with a lot of positive energy,” Haaning said.

Myers has enjoyed the energy and fast-paced competition the varsity level has to offer her.

Because of their two losses to Hersey already this season, the team can not win the MSL East. However, they are looking to get revenge against the Huskies later in the playoffs.

“As a team, I think we can make it to regionals and beat Hersey,” Myers said. “[Myers] has been awesome,” Sherwood said. “She is usually the one with

the most kills in a game, and she’s really stepped up to become a huge part of our offense.”

Before the season started, the team made it a goal to become MSL East champions, but they now look to see what they can do in the playoffs.

“Well, our coach flew here all the way from Florida to coach our team [this season],” junior right side Brenda Kendziera said. “She always says, ‘I’m not leaving here without a regional title.’ I’m mostly excited to make that happen for her, and it would be really cool if we went out with a bang this year.”

Football team appreciates support from The U

By Devin Prasad

Executive Sports Editor At the end of the first half of the Aug. 29 football game, the first of the year, a storm came in and temporarily put the game on hold. It depleted Prospect’s student section, the Underground (The U), and in the second half only a fraction of the students remained.

According to head football coach Mike Sebestyen, the atmosphere was different, and it showed on the field. The Knights were up 13-0 at the end of the first half but Glenbrook South rallied to win 27-13. “[The U has] been a huge factor,” Sebestyen said.

“I’ve been very impressed and very happy with what they have done.”

So far, the team is 0-6 but feels it is starting to show signs of

“[The U has] been a huge factor. I’ve been very impressed and very happy with what they have done.”

Mike Sebestyen, head football coach success. Sebestyen is happy with the way the team played against Palatine Sept. 19 and how it fought the talented 5-1 Glenbrook South team that, according to maxpreps. com, is the forty-second best team in the state.

Despite Prospect’s record, The U is

HIT STICK:

Senior wide receiver and defensive back Mike O’Malley reaches for a Hersey receiver during the homecoming game on Sept. 26.

photo by Cassidy Selep

still present at each and every game, ready to cheer the team on.

Senior Eryk Krzyzak feels it is important to support the football team because they represent the school. According to Sebestyen, there was recently a time when The U was not a huge factor, so Krzyzak and the rest of the U leaders have taken it upon themselves to revive the student section. So far, The U has used ideas such as the ice bucket challenge and a powder throw to get kids out to games.

According to Krzyzak, The U has united the school, and this shows in the way students interact. Seniors talk to freshmen, sophomores talk to juniors, and everyone is a part of The Underground.

“It brings everyone together,” Krzyzak said. “We’re just improving the school little by little as best as we can.”

The football players themselves are grateful for the student section that, according to the Twitter account Smack High Illinois, is one of the best in the state.

“The U has been so supportive, and that’s best for us,” senior quarterback and wide receiver Greg Suarez said. “I think they realize that we put

in a lot of work, and we appreciate it.”

The team has worked to help less experienced players feel what it is like to play on varsity. The team has many sophomores, juniors and even seniors who are playing in new positions. In practice, the team has worked to mimic other teams’ defenses and offenses to help the younger players know what a game will be like. Sebestyen is starting to see some of that inexperience disappear, and a lot of players are maturing. “[Inexperience] can hurt,” junior center Luke Wrede said.

“It can also [show a] bright future, especially with our offense. We have a lot of young kids on there that are going to have experience next year.”

According to Sebestyen, the team struggles because it is not playing the full 48 minutes on the field, meaning that there are times when the players are not giving it their all.

To improve upon this, the team has started to break practice into 48 minute increments in addition to doing rapid fire drills to get the players prepared for game speed.

In order to be successful, Sebestyen believes the team has to prepare for each game individually.

“We have seen [our potential] transfer into some success already,” Sebestyen said.

“It may not be on the win/loss column, but I think we’ve seen some guys have some successes, and think [we’ve] seen [our] defense get remarkably better, even though we are still struggling at points. I think [we’ve]

seen our offense get better.

So there has been some success.”

Check this out on ProspectorNow...

The Knights took on the Rolling Meadows Mustangs on Oct. 2 and swept the entire program. The varsity team won in two straight games 25-20 and then 25-17.

The girls’ golf team took meet on Sept. 30 for the seventh straight year.

Leading the Knights in scoring was Kacie O’Donnell with a 76 who took second place individually.

SPORTS

On ProspectorNow.com ...

Friday, October 10, 2014

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Smashing the competition Girls’ tennis works to get in sync

By Peter Fusilero Sports Editor

Alexandra Gorodiski was a sophomore when she competed for a state medal alongside doubles partner Lauren Saike. Entering her senior year, Gorodiski is in the position she looked up to two years ago. Gorodiski now teams up with sophomore Hannah Haeberle as the number one doubles team.

According to Gorodiski, it was a pairing that was surprising but meant to be.

The relationship that they have created on and off the tennis court is special.

“It was kind of out [of] the blue,” Gorodiski said. “She caught on very quickly, and I was in her shoes sophomore year because I had to move up from JV first singles to varsity doubles.

I love playing with her, and we work really well together.”

However, it’s not just Gorodiski and Haeberle who have been in sync. Everyone in the varsity program has been pushing each other because they understand that every match counts.

“It’s not one doubles match that makes up the whole meet,” Gorodiski said. “You need four matches to win,

whether it’s three singles and one doubles or four doubles and no singles. Yes, it is an individual sport, but at the same time, it isn’t because of this entire new element.”

Senior Paige Bennett, the number two singles player, gets the opportunity to play junior Natalie Lysik, the number one singles player. Bennett has seen her own game steadily improve as a result.

“Playing Natalie [Lysik] every day at practice has gotten me a lot better,” Bennett said. “The top of the lineup, the one and two spot, are very competitive.”

The team has taken that competitive drive and applied it to every meet they play in.

On Wednesday, Sept. 24, a match against Buffalo Grove went down to the wire. Unfortunately, the team did not come out with a win, but head coach Mike McColaugh recognized his team’s growth as competitors.

“It’s not necessarily the kid with the most skills, but it’s the kids who can grind out points and compete hard at a high level,” McColaugh said.

McColaugh doesn’t have any concrete goals moving forward, but Gorodiski would love to qualify for state again. Yet, she understands that conference is the first obstacle she has to overcome.

“These conference matches are what’s going to give you that seeding in sectionals [and] get you that placement

to get into state,” Gorodiski said. “We have to take it one step at a time and go from there.”

For Gorodiski, her tennis career as a Knight will be memorable because of the people who were involved.

“I’ve been playing tennis since I was four, so there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be a part of the tennis program,” Gorodiski said. “What I

didn’t know was how much of the camaraderie there was and how much it helped me throughout my high school career in general … Prospect tennis is known for the snacks before matches or the Fun Fridays, but it’s not all about that, either. We work really hard. We know how to have fun and really be successful. I think that’s going to continue for many years to come.”

Coaching Connection For girls’ tennis head coach Mike McColaugh, join the program wasn’t too big of an adjustment. coaching basketball together for eight years.

Brad Rathe good friends, and it helps,”

Mike McColaugh

page with how we relate to kids. Our program has the same philosophy opportunity to succeed.” the program. ... basic things like how match days and practices work, to just the best

WATER BREAK WITH MIKE ANDERSON Year: Senior Sport: Cross Country Best time this season: 15:14 Potential colleges: Bradley, Marquette, DePaul, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State

Q. A. by leading the top pack, scoring high and doing well for the

Q. What are your goals for the rest of the season?

A. Team goals: I want to get top three in conference as a team. For sectionals, we’d like to get top three [or] top four and then just qualify out, and then for state we want to ence. For regionals, I’d like to be a medalist, which is top

Q. What will you remember about your time running at Prospect?

A. of a coach Stokes is because he is the president of the [state cross country coaches’ association] It’s a great group of guys to be around, and we always do a lot of fun things during the season and out of season.

like top 10.

Q. What will you take from running cross country at Prospect?

A. I mean, it’s a tough sport, and we expect it not to be

M ik e Ande r son

Q. What has coach Stokes taught you during your time on the team?

A. examples for others.