Issue #2 2021-22

THE

PROSPECTOR

801 WEST KENSINGTON ROAD, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056 THE VOICE OF PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1959

VOLUME 61, ISSUE 2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

BEHIND THE SCREENS Instagram, Facebook attempt to hide negative impact on teen’s mental health ALYSSA SCHULZ Editor-in-Chief *name changed for confidentiality

T

he Russell Senate Office Building was silent as former Facebook data scientist Frances Haugen prepared to speak. She adjusted her microphone, shifted in her chair and glanced at her papers before addressing the Senate Commerce Committee — and everyone watching on live TV. During the hearing, which took place on the morning of Oct. 5, Haugen testified that Facebook has repeatedly put profit above public safety on its social media platforms.

Furthermore, she stated that internal research done by Facebook showed that Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, creates a toxic and even dangerous environment for its users.

In fact, in an internal Facebook study revealed by Haugan, 13.5% of teenage girls who use Instagram stated that the app led to an increase in their suicidal thoughts. In the same study, 17% of girls reported that Instagram worsens their eating disorders.

According to Statista, an estimated 108.1 million teenage girls use Instagram, which means that 14.6 million teenage girls have had an increase of suicidal thoughts and an approximated 18.4 million have worsened eating disorders.

These numbers may seem alarming or even inaccurate to some, but to others, such as senior Jade Anderson*, it’s nothing out of the ordinary from what she sees on a daily basis.

“You definitely hear girls comment or say [things] like, ‘Oh my gosh, look at how perfect she looks,’ [or] ’I wish I looked like that,’” Anderson said. “You just have to remind yourself that that’s a really good picture of [them], and that’s why it’s shared.”

Although Anderson has not personally experienced mental health problems because of social media, she does know many people that have been negatively affected by it.

Sophomore Linor Saquin-Salie believes that one of the main causes of this negativity is the amount of Photoshop and filters that are used, specifically by girls, on Instagram.

According to Saquin-Salie, because Instagram makes some girls feel like there is only one type of perfect body, they then Photoshop their body and therefore continue the cycle.

“When I see [posts on Instagram] that are clearly photoshopped, I just feel a bit sad,” Saquin-Salie said. “I get why [they]’re doing it, but it’s sad that [they] don’t like [their] body how it is and feel like [they] need to change it.”

SINISTER SCROLLING: At a hearing on Oct. 5, Facebook Whistle Blower Francis Haugan testified that Facebook has knowledge of the damaging they are doing to teens through social media; specifically teen girls. Despite this, a Knight Media survey of 224 Prospect students shows that an average of 2.7 hours is spent on social media per day. (photo illustration by Alexis Esparza and Alyssa Schulz)

photo illustration by Alexis Esperanza and Alyssa Schulz

SEE FACEBOOK ON PAGE 2

What’s inside?

Opinion

INDEPTH

ENTERTAINMENT

Sports

Knight Media Staff discusses homecoming dance allegations, asks for action (page 5)

BLOCK SCHEDULE, RETURN TO IN PERSON LEARNING CREATES STRESS AMONG STUDENTS (Pages 6 & 7)

MICROTRENDS, SOCIAL MEDIA CREATE UNSUSTAINABLITY, UNREST IN FASHION INDUSTRY (Page 9)

BOYS’ GOLF GOES DOWN TO STATE, expects continued IMPROVEMENT next year (page 12)

2

NEWS

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

Middle school takes on COVID-19 CHARLIE DAHLGREN Managing Editor

W

hen eighth grade ELA teacher Amy Traversone took her athome COVID-19 test, she was just trying to play it safe. Being a self-described “rule follower,” Traversone wanted to make sure that she was just suffering from her typical seasonal allergies, feeling confident that being fully vaccinated would protect her, her family and her students at Lincoln Middle School.

But this sense of security crumbled after said test (and a second professional test done the following day) confirmed that she had, in fact, been infected with COVID-19.

“I was crushed,” Traversone said. “I was riddled with worry as a parent, as a daughter [and] as a teacher … and then I got so sick that I couldn’t even worry.”

With COVID-19 cases on the decline and school seeming to get back to normal at Prospect, the situation is incredibly different just across town at Lincoln Middle School, where, because of the age of the student body, only around half the student body is eligible to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Like many other people, Traversone thought that the situation last March was just going to be an extra week of spring break.

But one week turned into months, and like most of the country’s teachers, Traversone didn’t teach another in-person class for the remainder of the year.

When Traversone finally did return, only special populations in the school, like the special ed students, were in person. She didn’t see her students fully in-person until April 12 of this year, and when they returned, it wasn’t exactly how Traversone expected.

Students were to be assigned to one group, in which they would take all their classes together. The catch? Said students were confined to a single classroom, where they had to stay seated in their desks as the teachers themselves moved from one classroom to another.

“Middle school is such a social time,” Traversone said. “So it felt really punitive for kids who couldn’t mix or didn’t have good friends in those classes… [additionally] it was hard because natural movement is such a big deal for middle schoolers and they didn’t have it.”

Traversone says these issues were brought up to the administration by teachers throughout that mitigation strategy, and Lincoln Middle School Principal Paul Suminsky along with the rest of the administration soon realized that it was not a sustainable method of teaching looking ahead to this school year.

Right now, Lincoln is operating much like Prospect, with masks required indoors, but students are allowed a lot more freedom to move from class to class freely.

STOPPING THE SPREAD: A sign is shown outside of Lincoln Middle School. Lincoln has suffered from multiple COVID-19 cases due to the fact that only about half of their student body is eligible to be vaccinated. This has taken on toll on everyone at Lincoln; including the teachers who have had to quarantine. “ ... Being in quarantine for any amount of time ... is hard to come back from,” eighth grade Lincoln Middle School ELA teacher Amy Traversone said. (photo by Charlie Dahlgren) Lincoln is, however, a lot more strict “[It was] an eternity to be away from the about separation because of their students’ classroom,” Traversone said. heightened risk of outbreaks due to their Traversone hadn’t missed that many days vaccination status. Changes from previsince her maternity leave, and says that this ous years include three situation was almost harder because she to six foot separation already knew the students. boundaries (based Needless to say, when Traversone’s on room size) and mandatory quarstaggered lunch antine ended, she periods. went right back Although to school. But she Sumiski is states that she proud to report probably went that there have back far too earbeen no instancly, as she was still es of a widespread extremely weak, transmission withmalnourished in the school, Traand dehydrated. versone has had “I kind of felt eight to 15 students like a shell of a quarantined over the person,” Tracourse of the year, versone said. “I including three to six just think being in the same class. in quarantine for Traversone says any amount of that she can’t be sure time like that … when or where she is hard to come was infected when b a c k Amy Traversone, eighth grade she had her run-in with from.”

COVID-19, but says the six Lincoln middle school ELA Teacher Her days she spent outside of s t u school were incredibly strenuous, and not dents were “amazing” to her and are conjust because she was sick. tinuing to be supportive as she makes a slow

recovery to where she once was before quarantine. Traversone said there were no letters sent home about the reason for her absences, but in these times there is a sense of understanding when teachers miss that much time.

“Throughout all these mitigations, I’ve ... been inspired by the kids because they make the best out of any situation,” Traversone said. “The kids have been so resilient [and] I think that adults could take some lessons from them.”

Traversone feels the school has been really great when it comes to handling the pandemic, and appreciates the adaptations the administration has made to make both students and teaches feel safe.

“I think we’ve come really far,” Traversone said. “Unless they can make the pandemic go away, there’s probably not a whole lot more they could be doing.”

Suminski agrees with Traversone and is satisfied with the mitigations at Lincoln.

Because he suspects the majority of exposure and cases are coming from family and friends outside of the school, the final challenge of beating COVID-19 inside the school is beating it out in the community.

“It’s not just about Lincoln Middle School,” Suminski said. “I’d love for us to be able to say we’ve gotten rid of it at Lincoln, but ultimately it’s a neighborhood ... [and] community thing.”

most targeted on social media,” Snyder said.

“Because of [this], it’s hard [for them] to develop a proper self-worth in that kind of atmosphere.”

Snyder is also concerned by the amount of dangerous false information that circulates on social media.

Haugen similarly expressed her concern for the amount of misinformation specifically on Facebook and Instagram and accused Facebook of amplifying misinformation in order to garner a higher profit.

Haugen acknowledges that changes in the algorithms of Facebook and Instagram were put into place during the 2020 election to reduce the spread of falsified election information.

However, she states that as soon as the election was over, Facebook went back to leaving misinformation unchecked just as they had before.

Although both Saquin-Salie and Anderson are well aware of how Instagram and social media’s misinformation and hate speech can be harmful to others’ mental health, for the most part, it doesn’t affect their own, as they generally try to stay away from the negativity.

Anderson does this by “keeping [her] circle small” with a private Instagram account, only letting people that she knows follow her.

She also states that she tries to stay away from misinformation by avoiding “getting stuck going down any rabbit holes.”

“When [misinformation] gains viral attention on social media, [it spreads] like

claims that they catch about 90% of hate speech on their platform, in reality, they only catch about 3%. “[Regulation] shouldn’t be the main thing that we as a society rely upon in order to stop the spread of misinformation or stop teenage girls from having low self esteem,” Myers said. “Our job as a society is to have the skills to be able to recognize uncredible, biased information.”

However, as Myers states, while it is impossible to eliminate all of the negativity on social media, it is important for social media platforms, especially ones as large as Facebook, to try.

“Facebook knows from internal studies that especially Instagram … cause[s] girls to be led in the direction of eating disorders, low self esteem and body image issues,” Myers said. “Now that … lawmakers are informed because of [Haugan’s] internal information, it might actually lead in the direction of oversight that forces [Facebook’s] hand to make adjustments to their [platforms].”

Though there have been others that have similarly accused Facebook, few others have had the ability to speak with as much depth as Haugan has or have come prepared with thousands of pages to back up their claims.

“It’s a real game changer,” Myers said.

“The fact that this woman [has] not only … all kinds of specific [Facebook] data, but [also] that she [is] willing to go on the record and testify to Congress about the inner workings really pulls the rug out from under Mark Zuckerberg.”

THROUGHOUT ALL THESE MITIGATIONS, I’VE BEEN INSPIRED

BY THE KIDS BECAUSE THEY MAKE THE BEST OUT OF ANY SITUATION.”

FACEBOOK: new generation of regulation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The damage caused by social media is clearly understood by many teenagers as, in a Knight Media survey of 224 Prospect students, it was found that 91% of students believe that social media negatively affects their own mental health, or that of someone they know.

Despite this, the survey shows that Prospect students still use social media an average of 2.7 hours each day.

So if the majority of teenagers know about the negative effects of social media, why do so many still choose to use it?

According to psychology teacher Emily Snyder, this is, in part, due to dopamine chemicals that are released in the brain when someone sees a post they enjoy on social media.

Although most teenagers know that social media is harmful to their mental health, they still use it regularly to get that same instant gratification.

Snyder describes this process as a “reward loop”: even when users see something that makes them unhappy, many will continue to use social media in hopes of getting that reward of dopamine.

Snyder believes that although the original intent of most social media platforms was to have a positive effect on their viewers, over time some have begun to care more about profit than the people on it.

“It has been shown over and over again that girls, especially teenage [girls], are the

wildfire,” Anderson said. “But when you see stuff, you can look [it] up, find a credible news source and read about it in further detail to educate yourself. You don’t want to take your [news] straight from social media.”

Media Analysis teacher Cambria Myers, who has been on Facebook “since Facebook was a thing,” agrees with Anderson’s approach and often tells her students that whenever they see information online or on social media, they should always “have their Media Analysis brain on.”

By this, she means that students should always be aware of a news source’s credibility, bias, diction and image selection.

Myers believes that, in a perfect world, misinformation on social media should be regulated. However, it is something that she believes Facebook won’t do on its own.

“Unfortunately, [private] companies are [in it] for the money, which comes from advertising,” Myers said. “I think it’s unrealistic for us to expect them to regulate [misinformation].”

Although Myers, Snyder, Anderson and Saquin-Salie do think that social media platforms should regulate misinformation and hate, they all think that this hope is unrealistic.

“It’s simply not doable,” Myers said.

“You’re talking about billions of people on Facebook, for example; there are not enough humans or computer algorithms in the world to actually police all of that for hate speech and misinformation.”

According to Myers, although Facebook

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

NEWS

3

Applications feed exasperation Seniors struggle with balancing school work and college admissions

classes have, saying the new block schedule is allowing them more time to get everything done.

Polinska, however, thinks the opposite, saying that seniors are just trying to get through everything and that the block schedule is hurting instead of helping.

According to Polinska, the homework load is now distinctly different from last year. With the block schedule, the homework is typically whatever doesn’t get done in MAEVE MOLINA class, which Polinska says can start adding up really quickly. With most classes using Executive Features Editor this method as opposed to last year where Polinksa says there was more of a standard ith tired eyes, senior Emily Poamount that was expected each night, the linska walked down the stairs of amount of homework being sent home by all her home at two in the morning. classes combined is overwhelming.

After spending hours working on homework “You know, me and my friends definiteand college applications, Polinska faced her ly are not handling this well; we are all parents and asked to be called out of school stressed,” Polinska said. for that day. She needed one day where she Bourn acknowledges seniors generally didn’t have to worry about the busy halls, have additional stress on top of school work. homework, tests and college applications.

“First semester senior year is really typiThe month of October brings changed cally the most challenging classes [students leaves, cozy sweaters, Halloween movies, have] ever had,” Bourn said. “And on top of pumpkin patches that, you have college and apple cider, but % of seniors with extra stress applications, which I it also brings about often say … [are] alseniors’ next step from college applications most like a whole other for adulthood: colcourse.” lege applications.

This stress has been Seniors are long coming for many finding themselves seniors, as Prospect filling out applistarts the college procations, sending cess sophomore year transcripts and according to Bourn, all working tirelessly, in the name of getting a according to a Knight Media survey of 224 students trying to put their head start. best foot forward Getting sophomore students to start putto their dream school all before the Nov. 1 ting together college lists and their “requiredeadline. ments” for their dream schools is meant to But at what expense? lay the foundation, so when the time comes In a survey of 53 Prospect seniors, it was to choose a school, seniors are ready. found that 86.6% feel overwhelmed by the Polinska started getting “prepped” for amount of things that they have to do on top college and all that comes with graduating of filling out applications and writing essays. high school her sophomore year, but doesn’t The stress of trying to look good on paper is think that it helped her feel any better about making some seniors, like Polinska, crack applying to schools now. under the pressure. She finds herself strugPolinska says that she was not really gling to find personal time while applying to thinking about college her sophomore year, 10 colleges within the United States and an and as a result feels just as unprepared now additional six schools abroad on top of going as she did then. to work and school.

Polinska feels that making students Diane Bourn, post secondary counselor, think about college sophomore year is really thinks current seniors are handling colgood for those who know what they want to lege application stress better than past PHS do after graduation, but for those who don’t,

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96.2%

DEAD END: A student slumps over their desk while working on college applications.

Finding the time and energy to work on both school assignments and college applications is growing to be too much for this year’s seniors. (photo by Luis Hernandez) the presentations aren’t as helpful.

College and Career Center Assistant Kirsten Anzalone gives advice to seniors who come into the center to recieve help with college applications, and understands where the seniors are coming from with their stress.

She sees how this class’s experience with applying is different than any other class’s yet. With their last “normal” school year pre-COVID-19 being their sophomore year, the class of 2021 had limited opportunities to go visit colleges and weigh their options prior to their senior year.

One little light in this dark, stressful tunnel of applications is the fact that 72% of colleges and universities adopted test-optional policies last year, with most continuing this practice into this application year, according to Fair Test, an American educational organization.

For Polinska, having colleges opt for test optional policies is definitely more beneficial than not, even though she feels good about her scores in terms of her chosen colleges.

“I will be honest, I somehow pulled the biggest fraud in ACT history,” Poliskna jokes. “I should not have gotten that score, but I did.”

Even though she got a decent score, Polinska knows other seniors who didn’t receive the scores they were hoping for, and is happy they won’t get counted out by their top colleges just because of one bad day.

Anzalone, also a former SAT and ACT tutor, thinks colleges’ decision to make test scores optional is the best thing for the application process. She appreciates that colleges are now accepting students based on a holistic review, and that they are actually reading their essays and recommendations.

“I love that [the students] are no longer a number, and that a test score is not tied to their name,” Anzalone said.

Bourn’s advice for any senior struggling: visit the college and career center for application help, take time for yourself to destress or take a breather, and don’t worry too much, as difficult as that sounds.

Knowing that teachers are figuring out the best way to help their students through this stressful time, Polinska suggests that in the future, teachers try to give seniors a break from any deadlines and assign minimal homework the last week of October.

“I feel like that would be so helpful for everyone, since that is our crunch time to get all of our s**t done,” Polinska said.

4 NEWS

Beyond misbehavior NOVEMBER 9, 2021

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

painting by Ondine Cella

Misconduct increase poses concern

More students fall victim to rise in misbehavior post-pandemic OLIVIA KIM Editor-in-Chief

*name changed for confidentiality

T

he first thing sophomore Joseph Rickher witnessed when walking into the mens’ bathroom was the sight of other male students emptying out the menstrual product dispenser, peeling open the products and throwing them onto the ground.

“I didn’t know what to say. I was dumbfounded,” Rickher said. “I felt really uncomfortable ... I felt as if I didn’t belong there.”

As a transgender man, Rickher says that this occurrence pushed him to use the gender neutral bathroom even though it’s located all the way adjacent to the nurse’s office on the first floor. He naturally finds it frustrating to make the trip, but not doing so isn’t worth the risk — he doesn’t feel safe using the gendered ones.

This wasn’t the first nor the last case of trans-phobia Rickher has experienced at Prospect. These instances have occurred not just in the bathrooms, but also the in stairwells and even in classes — where he’ll hear students misgender someone on purpose and face no reaction nor repercussions from the teacher.

Having faced bullying in middle school, Rickher stayed closeted, but he hoped that his peers would display more maturity now that they were all coming back to school as high school sophomores — unfortunately, he realized that his expectations were too optimistic.

In addition to the trans-phobic comments and actions, Prospect has seen nearly a 100% increase in behavior referrals this year compared to years pre-pandemic, according to Dean Nic Olson. These behavior referrals include a variety of misdemeanors from parking violations to hate speech. But the referrals that stand out are those for bullying and vandalism.

In a typical year, freshmen and sophomore boys are found to be responsible for most acts of mis-

conduct, however, this school year, there has been a significant rise in those populations’ misbehavior.

This increase drove administration to schedule a 45-minute long assembly on Oct. 19 for each graduating class to address the issue and 25 minutes in school on Oct. 21 dedicated to smaller classroom discussions on the topic.

Principal Greg Minter says that coming back out of remote learning, the faculty and staff were prepared to deal with helping students academically and through mental health struggles; one way they did this was by implementing tutoring groups. But they didn’t predict the impacts of the lack of socialization last school year.

“We’ve never experienced this before,” Minter said. “We’ve never had to have these meetings [addressing behavior with the student body]. We’ve never had these kinds of behaviors [at this level].”

Olson and Dean Adam Levinson have already caught about 20 students who vandalized the building. Some even posted videos of their misconduct on TikTok, and Olson said one student told him about how many likes it got and “how good it made him feel.”

Despite the positive affirmation from social media, students must go through a police investigation for vandalism and theft since it’s a crime chargeable up to a felony and often leads to suspension from school. As for using hate speech, the direct consequences can be suspension or even expulsion on top of completing an educational project on why that behavior is wrongful.

While there may be some digital validation promoting certain actions, a number of students at Prospect are disappointed by the rise in misbehavior. The most targeted groups of harassment are transgender students and students of color, according to Minter.

Senior Valeria Navaro* is one of those students of color that has noticed and even been victim to instances of racism on campus. For Navaro, her boots are a symbol of her Mexican culture, and they help bring her closer to her family. With

the recent passing of her grandfather, she felt more encouraged to embrace that part of her culture, so she decided to wear her boots to Prospect.

Not long after, she heard a number of people making comments about her shoe choice, asking why she wore them and adding that they were ugly. People she knew even started notifying her that other students were making distasteful comments about her attire.

“I feel like having that ... taken away from me … I can’t be myself, and I can’t express myself as a Hispanic,” Navaro said. “I was really hurt when people were talking about my boots, because they come from Mexico, and I think they’re so beautiful; they helped me feel

water. At that point, this activity on the bus was normal, and she decided to email administrators about it along with her enraged parents.

The next few days after she reported it, there was a lull in the discord, but the bus resumed to its perpetual water park-state a week later even after a number of those students had been suspended.

Patyk, Navaro and Rickher were all happy that the assemblies happened and that administration specifically mentioned certain behaviors, but they do fear that not much change will come out of it if it isn’t repeatedly discussed or followed up on.

It wasn’t a surprise to Patyk to hear students laughing about the assemblies either — it just reaffirmed her fear that she may need to start finding a dif ferent mode of transportation to school by next month.

And for R i c k h e r, he worries that he won’t be able to use the *according to Dean Nic Olson bathroom most beautiful. And then hearing negaconvenient for him. For Navaro, tive things said — it hurts.” she is uncertain that she will be Even off campus, it’s a struggle able to display her heritage proudfor some students to get home un- ly without receiving negative comaffected by other students’ behav- ments from her peers. ior. Nearly every day, without beOlson acknowledges that many ing a target and solely a bystander, of the perpetrators don’t realize junior Noemi Patyk is hit by either the magnitude of their actions unfood or drenched in water being til they end up in his office to be inthrown across the bus that she vestigated. At Prospect, depending takes to go home. on the gravity of the violation, a “It’s just really frustrating be- student may face losing the ability cause after a day at school, you’re to participate in an extracurricular tired — you just want to go home, or even expulsion. but then [those kids] just start One student, Olson recounts, screaming and throwing water ev- was mortified about the possibilierywhere,” Patyk said. “It’s just ty of his coach outside of Prospect chaos.” hearing about his behavior, knowPatyk remembers having to ing that he would barely be able to walk home from the bus stop just face the fact that he let down his for her parents to see her soaked in team.

This year, there have been

nearly 2x as many behavior refferals as years prior to the pandemic*

“For them, the worst part … is the disappointment [from others],” Olson said. “When they’re in here with their family [with] that embarrassment, and they’re crying and feel horrible, you know [they regret it]. Good kids make poor decisions at times, and that’s OK. That’s what we’re here [for] — to help them learn.”

At the assemblies, administrators stressed the importance of notifying the school about misbehavior and have placed QR codes on fliers around the school providing a link to an anonymous tip line. Olson recognizes that it’s difficult to speak up and understands that most bystanders don’t, but he hopes that students realize that it will make a difference.

Navaro is the type of person to stand up for others, and she has in the past, but she does admit that it’s hard sometimes to do so. One time, she was told that she was a “snitch” and a “p*ssy” for using her voice.

But in another instance, she saw a freshman boy walking through the cafeteria as other freshmen made him their target to throw food at.

Navaro asked if he was OK, and he said he wasn’t — and that they had been tormenting him since middle school. She went to the deans to report it, but sometimes she passes him in the halls and still sees other students laughing at him.

Even though Navaro may not see immediate resolutions to these situations despite her intervention, she still advocates for herself and others because she doesn’t want to stop trying. Rickher, Patyk and Navaro all know fully well that change doesn’t come easily, but learning to talk about it and help others is the very first step in that process if there is hope for any shift in behavior.

“I just feel like we all shouldn’t be scared to speak up. There’s people that … [know what they are observing is wrong], but they still won’t do anything,” Navaro said.

“But .. we should all stick together and take care of one another.”

Currently On Prospectornow.com...

Watch students’ responses to the class assemblies

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Olivia Kim Alyssa Schulz MANAGING EDITOR Charlie Dahlgren COPY EDITORS Kailie Foley Kevin Lynch Ella Mitchell ONLINE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Jacob Siciliano Cameron Sullivan KNIGHT TV EXEC PRODUCERS Juliet Aquino Emma Letzig KNIGHT VOICES EXEC PRODUCERS Nolan Hamilton Kaylie Pasternak KNIGHT TV LIVE EXEC PRODUCER Luis Hernandez PROSPECTOR EDITORS Maeve Molina, Zach Moreth, PJ O’Grady KNIGHT TV DIRECTORS Cedex Estella, Katherine Lytle, Henry Kauke, Matthew Neimczyk ONLINE EDITORS Joey Delahunty Marina Makropoulos REPORTERS Dean Carlson, Alyssa Degan, Nic Fardella, Tito Gavin, Olivia Macina, Chris Rodriguez, Owen Walter VISUAL EDITORS Bella Brouilette, Ondine Cella, Alexis Esparza, Grace He, Abby McKenna ADVISER Jason Block MISSION STATEMENT The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news and explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community. We, The Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide an unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions. The Prospector is published by students in Multimedia Production courses. Some material is courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

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5

Homecoming dance starts discussion After claims surface, students ask: what’s next?

because we follow up on everything,” Minter said. “We have an obligation to [follow up on Senior Allie Winkler rereports], and we do so. But at members hanging out with the same time, I have to balance her friends in the middle of that with creating some level of the football field at the homealarm.” coming dance when she saw a We, Knight Media, thank small, young girl’s dress getting administration for mentioning ripped down the front, and she soon realized that it was not an the sexual assault and harassment from homecoming at the accident. The girl was visibly distraught, but the crowd was assemblies and for allowing stuloud, and the scene was dark as dents to start a club to spread awareness about the issue. Howcolored lights flashed on and off. ever, we believe that the school The following school day, Winkler went to voice her con- should not end the discussion cerns to Prospect’s administra- here.

Now that the unfortunate tion about the situation.

“Just to experience some- events from the dance are being thing like that would be incredi- talked about among the student bly traumatic,” Winkler said. “I body, administration should take this chance to evaluate think that was the one [scene] how students are taught about that got me the most [outraged].”

This was not the only situa- sexual assault during a school year. Sexual assault is defined tion she witnessed at the dance. as “sexual contact or behavior She also observed an incident that wasn’t sexual assault but that occurs without explicit conwas still extremely distressing: sent of the victim,” according to a tall male student grabbing RAINN, an anti-sexual assault another petite girl’s waist and organization.

It is foolish to believe that throwing her into the mosh pit even if only two students reunwillingly.

It’s been over a month since ported these instances formally to the school that it doesn’t Winkler saw this incident at need to be acted upon further. homecoming, and over a month The school has since students a place to edureported cases cate students in of sexual assault a safe environand harassment ment and should from the dance take action to to the school. teach students According to about how to Principal Greg talk about sexMinter, only two ual assault and students came harassment, how forward to reto report it port incidents, and how it so he is unable can impact to get a compeople. plete picture of We unthe scale of the d e r s t a nd number of stuthat the dents impacted school is and the number d e a l i n g of cases that ocwith other curred. Because b eh av ior a l of this, he said, *according to the National Sex- issues at the he didn’t want to send out a commu- ual Violence Resource Center m o m e n t , but discussnication to the school and community which would put every- ing the topic of sexual assault shouldn’t be only addressed by a one on “high alert.”

Minter specifically men- guest speaker or solely as anothtioned the claims of assault and er one of the behavior problems overall. harassment at the Oct. 19 class The two brave girls that meetings to discuss general acts of misbehavior in the com- came forward shouldn’t be the munity. Minter also approved only reason the school plans the establishment of a club for to address this behavior, and discussing sexual assault that it shouldn’t be addressed only is being initiated by juniors once. This should be taken as an Hannah Lifton and Juliet Aqui- opportunity to review how the no. The club will be supervised school has been educating stuby a counselor, so that there is dents about sexual assault and someone knowledgeable on how harassment and how they can to discuss those topics appropri- promote more safe discussions.

The sooner the issue of sexual ately.

“I certainly don’t want any- assault is addressed with a safe one to think that we’re sweep- discussion, the sooner students ing something under the rug, can feel safer at school and in

Someone is sexually assaulted every

98

Seconds

STAFF

OPINION

28% However, only

of those report it*

wrong sources because their first encounter with information about sex is not through parents nor schools but through pornography. Especially now their own bodies.

Within the required health with the internet, there is more access to misguiding material. class that sophomores take at This leads Marnstein to think Prospect, there are two days that how sexual assault is talkafforded to discussing the toped about and viewed is a societal ic of consent and sexual abuse. issue.

Children’s Advocacy Center, an “I think we’re really far from organization that works to pregetting to where we need to be, vent child abuse and assists vicso I think the constant thing to tims, comes in to speak for one do is to keep talking about it, to day within keep addressing that semester it [and] to keep long course. talking about H e a l t h what’s acceptable teacher Aarbehavior,” Marnon Marnstein stein said. says that there Winkler obare a number served a number of topics the of students disstate requires playing inapprothe health priate behavior unit to cover first hand when Voting results of The in the human being educated sexuality unit Knight Media staff in about the topic from pregnanregards to this editorial in health class. cy to anatomy, She remembers so they only have so much time walking through the Clothesto teach each topic. line Project display, in which However, Marnstein does victims of sexual assault anonthink that two days in a four ymously write their stories on year curriculum is not enough time to teach every aspect of the t-shirts to be hung up during health class, and hearing a few topic let alone enforce an appropriate mindset about it. Whether male students in the back making jokes. it’s coming from a guest speaker While Marnstein underassembly or studying the topic stands this behavior is inapprowithin another class like an Enpriate, he believes that it’s often glish or social science course, he thinks that it’s important for the result of students not emothe topic to be taught about in a tionally knowing how to deal with learning about the topic. If structured environment.

“The more … [a topic] ... is he sees those kinds of responses put to the forefront, the more from students, he will discuss it’s likely to change [attitudes with them why it’s harmful to around it],” Marnstein said. “I act that way.

But even feeling that humor think that we can’t talk about it is the only way to cope with proenough to be honest.” cessing that kind of information In order to bring the topic just reaffirms the realization of sexual assault to discussion, Marnstein organized for a guest that most students don’t know how to talk about this topic. And speaker to come talk about sexthe only way to solve that probual assault nearly a decade ago. lem is to discuss it more across He thinks that it was important the board — not just in health to have someone send out a mesclass and not just in a voluntary sage about a serious topic. extracurricular club.

At the time, the guest speakMinter says that the school er gave a speech to the students hopes to implement some form who were later split into smallof education on the topic in the er groups within their classes coming months but states that to discuss. Marnstein says that it was a successful session, but many of the school’s resources have to be allocated to addressthere hasn’t been one to speak ing the other behavioral issues on the topic since. in the school at the moment.

Repeated education, how“There’s a lot of people that ever, is important. A Columbia are pretty upset about [the University study found that events from the dance] and women in college were half as … feel as though their school likely to be sexually assaulted isn’t helping the situation. And when they took sexual education classes before college. But that’s just scary,” Winkler said.

“When you see reports of sexual sexual assault isn’t a women’s assault going up, and you see so problem when most perpetramany young girls like literally tors of the act are male. scared to go to school, or scared However, education for evto wear a dress to homecoming eryone is clearly important, and because they think somebody it’s clearly needed if any change is going to grope them at your is expected to happen. school ... you need to do someMarnstein sees that increasingly younger kids are getting thing about it.”

0

Against

28

For

the wrong information from the

painting by Ondine Cella

6 INDEPTH

BACK TO SCH NOVEMBER 9, 2021

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

Adjusting to block scheduling OLIVIA MACINA

Entertainment Reporter

A

fter switching to a block schedule due to COVID-19, Prospect had to decide whether or not they should stick with it moving forward. After many debates and a staff vote in February of 2021, the administration decided to pilot the block schedule going into the 2021-22 school year with COVID-19 still being a factor. In January of 2022 the staff will vote again to decide whether to keep the block schedule in future school years.

Entering into the second year at Prospect with a block schedule, there are many mixed opinions about the change. There are definite benefits to the schedule, such as students only having to process four classes a day, but some teachers at Prospect feel the change is a negative one because there is less overall class time with the block schedule.

In the original eight class-perday schedule, there were 48 minutes in a period and classes were taught five days a week, leaving 480 minutes of lesson time every two weeks. With the block schedule, there are 80 minutes in a period and classes are taught every other day. Every two weeks, classes meet for a total of 400 minutes, a total loss of 80 minutes every two weeks.

This decrease in class time has been leaving some Prospect teachers very stressed. This stress is

especially seen in teachers who teach AP classes, since it is critical for them to get through all of the material in order for the students to be successful on the AP test.

With the time cut, AP Psychology teacher Daria Schaffeld has had to go back and look over the AP test to see exactly what she needs to cover. This way she can focus on the essential information in each unit, instead of spending time on content that is not on the test.

“I have to adjust, so I don’t see it as cramming, I see it as a critical look at my curriculum, at my craft, and how I can be functional in this new environment,” Schaffeld said.

Math teacher Dominique Hernandez feels that there is a different kind of stress with the time cut in regular classes as opposed to AP classes.

Although there is no critical need to get through all the material, there are still problems to be faced.

“You know at some point cutting [material] will mean that down the road you are missing out on something, so it is very diffi-

cult to figure out what should and should not be cut,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez has been cutting down on homework and even some assessments to gain more instructional time. She thinks about what material students will need in the future and focuses on that instead of going over topics that students may have already seen in previous years.

Senior Madison Payne prefers an eight class-a-day schedule much more, and thinks that the drawbacks of the block schedule outweigh the positives.

“It’s so much harder to retain information and practice when we are only having … [class] every o t h e r day,” Payne said.

She also feels that teachers have been piling up on homework with the block schedule.

A l t h o u g h there are downsides to the block schedule, there are definite positives too.

Schaffeld feels - Daria Schaffeld, AP Psychology that it is good for students to said. only have to think As a senior, Cambria Richards about and process four classes a likes the block scheduling conday, rather than eight. She also siderably more. She feels like the thinks that it is valuable to have limited number of classes per day longer periods so that teachers makes the week go by faster, especan dive into the content without cially if you are looking forward interruptions and so that students to a specific class. can have more time to ask quesRichards also feels that she is tions in class. more productive under the block Likewise, Hernandez feels schedule, and finds it easier to that it is easier on teachers, manage her time and plan out since she only has to prepare when to complete her homework for four classes a day. assignments.

“I like the block schedOverall, the block schedule is ule for the personal reasons definitely a big change for everythat I think gives flexibility one, and takes much adjusting to. to both teachers and stu“Change is hard,” Schaffeld dents,” Hernandez said. “Change doesn’t have to be bad though, because you learn things. As an educator I am learning things on how to do this in a totally different environment. I find that very invigorating and exciting.”

I HAVE TO ADJUST, SO I DON’T SEE IT AS CRAMMING, I SEE IT AS A CRITICAL LOOK AT MY CURRICULUM.”

Listen to a Knight Voices podcast to hear the perspective of students living with depression

HOOL BLUES PROSPECTORNOW.COM

INDEPTH

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

7

In-person learning challenges student mental health I felt the pressure of the teacher I once trusted avoiding contact with my eyes, as I explained my rapidly declining mental health to him.

I felt as if I had reached a breaking point, and the rapidly growing workload seemed unconquerable atop the mountain of stress I was already ascending.

As our v i s i o n finally crossed p a t h s , his eyes l o c k e d onto mine, not with support, but with c o n d e KAYLIE scension PASTERNAK and apathy as he Executive told me, Knight Voices “I think you should Producer be able to get it all done.”

At that moment, I felt a new pressure; as I became misty-eyed, the tears started to cascade down my cheeks as I struggled to hold myself together.

Throughout the pandemic, Prospect staff were strongly encouraged to check-in on students and their mental health, according to Principal Greg Minter.

Teachers were allowing more late turn-ins and became more understanding when it came to students’ personal and school life.

After returning back to school in person, there seemed to be a drastic dip in mental health check-ins, breaks during 80 minute blocks and lenience with late work. While teachers had to make adjustments throughout the years, it is unacceptable that teachers are going back to their ways of ignorance in order to get more assignments done. In turn, they are tanking students’ mental health in the process.

According to Dean Nic Olson, last March, the administration went into overdrive in order to create a safe and understanding learning environment.

“I did over 100 home visits … on mental health. [We had] kids just shutting down because they were going through such hardships,” Olson said.

While online learning commenced, the staff participated in weekly meetings with administration in order to ensure the wellbeing of their students

at home, according to Minter.

To aid students’ mental health during the pandemic, staff members were encouraged to check in on students as frequently as possible during class.

“It was strongly emphasized all the time,” Minter said. “Just that we are in a pandemic, so we don’t know what everyone’s situation is.”

So coming into the 2021-22 school year, students such as junior CC Lumia thought that the grace given by staff in order to complete projects and assignments was still going to be present. But as COVID-19

numbers started to dwindle, the staff’s respect for students appeared to as well.

“Yeah, they don’t do that anymore,” Lumia said. “They don’t care.”

While students finally get to come back into school and participate in activities, there is still the looming aftermath of having to stay at home for a year. Many students had a loved one pass away, lost their job or had immense anxiety about a deadly virus running rampant.

But for many teachers, it seems to be back to business as usual, with no consideration for the students’ well-being. With the loss of learning during online classes, teachers care more about the amount of assignments getting done than the mental wellness of their students.

“Oh, I’m very stressed,” Lumia said. “Even though I’m doing well in some classes, it’s just a lot of work … The teachers have different expectations now.”

Another new factor of in-per-

son school is the block schedule.

While 80 minutes is a great time for classes like fine arts, it is a long time to be sitting at a desk.

With seemingly few teachers giving explicit breaks, this leads to students zoning out and struggling to learn the material given.

In order to reach a better learning environment for students, teachers need to be able to make active changes in their way of thinking by focusing more on students’ mental health and less on the letter grade given.

Teachers also need to build more of a relationship with the students to understand who the student is as a person and how their brain works, something that science teacher Micheal Higdon knows best.

Knowing the students personally will allow the school year to glide by easily, while also creating a more enjoyable environment for the students and teachers.

“I want students to know that it’s not like a prison cell for 80 minutes,” Higdon said.

“It’s kind of more of an oasis.”

... I’M VERY STRESSED ... TEACHERS HAVE DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS NOW.” - CC Lumia, junior

57%

Of students say teachers care less about mental health than last year*

*according to a Knight Media survey of 224 students

cartoon by Grace He

8

FEATURES

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

Across borders, into global learning New EL teacher pulls from her passions, past to cultivate classroom environment GURLEEN VIRK Staff Reporter

P

atricia Hernandez grabbed the handle of her classroom door and opened it to find a plethora of students sitting in their seats. Sixteen students were all waiting for Hernandez to begin her Spanish lesson, while all of them were already proficient in a variety of their own native languages. In her classroom based in Dubai, Hernandez was able to experience culture and language in a way she never was able to before. “[Living abroad] made me a better human,” Hernandez said. “I learned so much about the world, myself and the U.S.” Throughout her experience working in Dubai, Hernandez was able to become immersed in a diversity that she has never seen replicated in her classrooms while teaching in America.

Hernandez is so passionate about not only teaching those students, but about the learning experiences she gained from teaching them. Culture has always played an important role in Hernandez’s upbringing and she has always wanted to explore the many different cultures around the world.

Hernandez grew up in America with her parents who immigrated here from Mexico, who were labor workers.

Along with teaching, she loves learning: especially about different places. Hernandez loves to travel and explore the many different languages and cultures the world has to offer. She also is an advocate for many social movements, hoping to make a positive change and help those in need.

Hernandez grew up in a diverse area where she was surrounded by and found a love for her Mexican culture. Her parents would take her and her siblings to Mexico every summer when they were kids not only to help them learn more about their culture but to encourage the importance of who they were and strengthen their identity.

“It solidified my sense of belonging,” Hernandez said. “I’m very grateful for that because that’s why we have been able to maintain it [their culture].”

The first time Hernandez really experienced a change was when she went to college at DePaul University. There, she got a degree in secondary education and a bachelor’s degree with a content area in Spanish.

Hernandez explained about her experience in college that it was the first time in her life comments were made to her, specifically because she was a product of Chicago public schools, a daughter of immigrants, bilingual and a first generation college student.

Hernandez realized here that she want-

INTERNATIONAL: English Learners (EL) program teacher Patricia Hernandez assists students with a project in class. After travelling around the world, she participated in Chicago-based movements to further education for underserved communities. Since teaching in Palatine, this is her first year at Prospect. (photo by Bella Brouilette) “She was an advocate of this,” Christina explained. “ Even as young as a second grade student, her social activism started.”

Continuing with Patricia’s social activism, her passion for creating change within her community really jump started when she was a senior in college. She became part of a movement in Little Village regarding high schools being built. The mayor in Chicago had promised three high schools be built, but only two were.

In Little Village, where the Mexican-American community was very prevalent, there was a huge need for another high school and the mothers of the students went on a hunger strike. The hunger strike began in her senior year of college and the community was able to get the third school built through the hunger strike.

“I was very lucky to be part - Christina Hernandez, sister of of that movement,” Patricia exEL teacher Patricia Hernandez plained. “I loved being able to make a difference… and there was just a really strong sense of pride.”

Hernandez’s sister, Christina Hernandez, Later, Patricia went to teach at the school was able to recount a time where she first rethat was built through the strike and became alized how important standing up for those a teacher the first year it opened. who were less fortunate was to Patricia. She “It was a very fulfilling position for me,” explained how in Hernandez’s second grade Patricia said about her time teaching in that class there was a student who was a cancer school. “I felt that I was just one part of a largpatient. Due to his sickness this student lost er movement in a community that has a lot all of his hair and was made fun of for it by of struggles but is also very rich on so many his other classmates. But, Hernandez stood different levels.” up for him, telling others that it was wrong to Patricia’s love for teaching and the acdo so and call this student mean things.

ed to make change within her community as well as in the world. She felt it was unfair that these remarks were able to be made because she was a woman of color that fit a certain stereotype. She knew she was passionate about helping others, and did not want the unfair things that happened to her to continue happening.

EVEN AS A SECONDGRADE STUDENT, HER SOCIAL ACTIVISM STARTED.”

companying fulfillment has taken her many places after teaching in the Chicago Public Schools for six years, she went a taught in Dubai for eight years, returned back to the U.S. and taught for one year in Winston Campus Junior High School in Palatine last year, and is currently teaching English Learners (EL) program at Prospect.

Patricia said Winston Campus was another very valuable experience for her because not only was she teaching the students, but she was able to see and learn from them as well.

Many things from that experience will stay with her forever, including the fact that some of the students she worked with there were actually held in the cages at the U.S. and Mexico Border.

“It was very difficult,” Patricia said. “I learned a lot about resilience and gratitude from twelve and thirteen year olds.”

Not only has teaching taken Patricia many different places, but her love of traveling as well. She has traveled all over the world, including to Brazil to watch the Soccer World Cup, and all the way to Europe for 6 week long backpacking trips.

Everything from traveling to teaching and creating change within her community, Hernandez has become a well-rounded person.

“Because I have such a broad perspective of everything,” Hernandez said. “It’s what fuels my interest in wanting to ideally create more equity in the world.”

Pollnitz pursues education after career-ending injury JULIE REYES Staff Reporter It was the fourth quarter with only 3:59 left on the clock. Tiarra Pollnitz was on the free throw line. She squated, bent her knees and began to arc her arm. She shoots and scores. The crowd went wild.

It was Jan. 20, 2012 at Jefferson County Large School girls’ tournament championship. Coming into the game, Pollnitz had no idea how important it was going to be until she sunk her 1000th point and saw her coach start to nod, which confirmed what she had done.

“They kept it a secret from me everytime I would almost score,” Pollnitz said. “The crowd would almost jump up.”

Throughout the game, Pollnitz noticed everyone seemed to be on the edge of their seats every time she’d shoot but just continued playing the game. “... The gym just went absolutely nuts,” Pollnitz said. “I’ll never forget the feeling I had.”

Pollnitz grew up in Birmingham, Ala. with her parents and three siblings. Basketball wasn’t the only sport she played. She also dabbled in softball. She played pitcher

and catcher but decided to quit as she didn’t have enough time for it since basketball was a full time job.

Pollnitz started playing at a youth team when she was four years old and has played basketball ever since. At thirteen-years-old, Pollnitz attended Shades Valley High School and played varsity for all four years. She averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Not everything was smooth sailing.

Throughout her whole basketball career Pollnitz suffered multiple injuries.

In 2012, during regionals, Pollnitz ended up breaking her hand. Though her hand was hurt she carried on with the game, which she never informed her coach it was broken until the end of the game. The score ended up being 56-44.

Towards the end of senior year, she received numerous recruitment calls and ended up attending University Southern Mississippi, until she transferred after her freshman year and signed with Pensacola State College: where she was then ranked 5th in state on ESPN. After college her goal was to play overseas but then a tragic accident happened. During work a plywood fell and cut her thumb off.

She got her thumb amputated and took this accident as a sign to not pursue professional basketball anymore.

But she still helps coach kids how to play smart and strong: just like how her former coach Tonya Hunter and her husband Cedric Hunter taught her.

“I think Tiara was one of the ones that was really really strong naturally and really really smart naturally,” Hunter said. “She understood the game.”

Her jump shots aren’t the only thing she’s checking. Currently, she’s a Library Tech Assistant at Prospect, but she is working to become a P.E. teacher. She’s currently one of the freshman coaches for girls’ basketball, too.

Tiara and her fiance relocated to Chicago a couple months ago and already feel as if they have a place here.

Though Pollnitz went through a lot of hardships, she still continuously keeps a positive mindset and refuses to lose. She never backs down whenever a challenge comes to her.

“One of the things that I learned from her [is] just watching her go through her day-today [life] and [how to make he most of it],” Hunter said. “It inspires me everyday.”

photo courtesy of Tiarra Pollnitz

9

Monster Movies’ Undying Magic PROSPECTORNOW.COM

W

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT

hat makes a piece of entertainment a classic? Is it something that has stood the test of time and is still highly regarded today? Is it a work of art that was a pioneer in its specific genre? Is it an excuse for English teachers to force students to read an outdated 1000-page monstrosity in the span of a week?

Whatever the true definition of the word is, it can be widely agreed upon that a classic is generally something released a long time ago that still holds significance, even in light of modern improvements to its formula.

Where things get murky, however, is in the “significance” part. Does a classic have to still be enjoyable and relevant today, or is it enough for it to have simply been revolutionary in its time? There’s no true authority on what gets to be a classic, making it an incredibly subjective and unreliable way to describe something.

Oftentimes, society as a whole imposes the “classic” moniker on pieces of media sort of as a general rule, making it somewhat difficult to discern why these so-called “classics” were even beloved to begin with.

For example, take Dracula. How did Dracula become so popular? What made him into the cereal-inspiring, bloodsucking icon he is today? Most people can draw from vague knowledge of books and movies he’s appeared in, but in the end, he’s just Dracula: a character so iconic that we can shell out our hard-earned cash to watch Adam Sandler do a mocking impression of him for 90 minutes without batting an eye. Parodies like “Hotel Transylvania” work because evMONSTER MASH: While classic monster movies might seem like nothing more than outdated, cheesy flicks, they actually hold ery single audience member is familiar with the original characters in some way. many profound themes from their time period and offer a unique perspective of their time period. (art by Ondine Cella) But these characters must have come Their lineup of horror movies, including you could count the number of daytime nation and that some ancient superstitions from someplace, or, more importantly in the scenes across all movies on one hand — but and cultures are better left to rot in the past. case of Dracula, some time. So, out of bore- films such as “Dracula,” “Frankenstein,” for the majority of the time I spent watching In all movies, however, it is the mistakes of dom or some misguided attempt at having “The Invisible Man” and more, put them on the map in the film industry. This led to them, I was more so bemused than actually humans that lead to the conflict in the plot; fun, I watched six “classic” monster movies the studio churning out movies frightened. not those of the so-called monsters. in order to see if they live up to and sequels at breakneck pace That’s not to say I wasn’t invested in the Say what you will about the social comthe nearly century-long buildthroughout the decade, making movies, though — far from it. While they mentary offered by a movie that features a up. them the veritable “Call of Duty” might seem campy and outdated on the outdisembodied pair of pants doing a jig down You see, most of the movies of the 1930s. side, there is something about each and evthe road, but the movies like “The Invisible that fit this criteria were released These certainly might seem ery one of these movies that makes them feel Man” feel like a silly yet pointed evaluation during The Great Depression, a more like the overdramatized, almost otherworldly. of society at the time. A well-intentioned time period likely named as such fantastic escapes that many While that might seem like an obvious man being corrupted to the brink of insanbecause none of the movies at the would assume movies at the time descriptor for movies that feature monsters, ity by his brilliant discovery feels about as time were in color. In all seriousembodied. However, they often mad scientists and people returning from accurate as it gets when one remembers the ness, in light of such a dark time have much more profound and the dead willy-nilly, the world portrayed events that would take place less than a defor the world, what was termed central themes than could be ex- in these films doesn’t feel like it ever could cade later in the ‘40s.

“The Golden Age of Hollywood” KEVIN pected, offering a commentary have existed, even 90 years ago.

Maybe in the end these are just silly movwas born in new movie theaters LYNCH on society at the time that many In the movies, people talk like they’ve ies with silly acting, silly special effects and springing up across the country. movies today could only dream to been carefully planning what they’re about silly plots, but they’re mature in their own It’s popularly believed that Copy Editor match. to say for the past several minutes, and the right. cinema was so popular at the Many such movies were based setting feels like a bizarre mish-mash of On the surface level, a movie could have time because of the escapist fanheavily off of novels of the same whatever the filmmakers needed to service a silly story about scientists being menaced tasy the movies offered. However, accordname released decades prior such as those the plot. by an amphibious creature in a mysterious ing to the Irish Independent, the majority

by Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley and H.G. Not that this is a bad thing by any means; lagoon with corny-as-hell acting, but when of movies at the time were grounded in the you consider the message it might be sendharsh realities of the period they were cre- Wells. There it is folks: proof that, yes, movie the fact that I couldn’t place the exact setstudios were just as unoriginal 90 years ago ting of the film also made it seem even more ing about the dangers and pitfalls of human ated in, such as gangster and crime movies as they are now. like a whole different world; obviously fake incursion into the domain of nature, it gets that went against the traditional domestic Compared to today’s movies, however, painted backdrops created a surreal landeasier to ignore the goofy rubber monster values of the time. costume.

In the center of it all was Universal Stu- the six that I watched felt remarkably sin- scape that felt incredibly familiar yet alien cere; it felt like every member of the cast and at the same time.

And sure, the movies might be samey, dios, who, while a minor player in the film The slow and methodical nature of the and the dark-haired heroes and starry-eyed industry at the time compared to their sta- crew was genuinely trying to deliver the best movies is also particularly engrossing; damsels might start to blend together days tus today, was an important one nonethe- experience they possibly could. Try saying that nowadays as you walk into theaters to sure, sometimes it’s a little tedious to watch or weeks after viewing, but the impact they less, according to Digital History. watch the Rock give the same performance Dracula spend a minute and a half going up left upon me is undeniable; a movie doesn’t he’s already given in a flight of stairs, but in most instances, the have to be good to be a classic, and a movie 30 other movies. unusually meticulous acting pulled me in doesn’t have to be a classic to be good.

However, no even more.

These movies aren’t up to the standards amount of sincerity Of course, many of the details and effects of today — far from it. Viewed from a modcould truly make I’ve listed could just as easily be chalked ern lens, it could seem incomprehensible up for how, shall we up to the cheap and outdated nature of the that such obviously cheap and low-quality say outdated, these films, and not everyone is going to be able to films could achieve Rotten Tomatoes scores movies are. I can’t overlook the glaring flaws and differences rivaling those of the all-time greats, or that properly go off on a present in these films. they were ever praised in the first place. tangent about the But that outlook as applied to these clasI’ll admit it; I went into this hoping themes and tone of sic monster movies is, frankly, kinda dumb. these movies would be bad. I was practicalthese movies when This was the nineteen-freaking-thirties for ly counting on it. After all, I didn’t want to the majority of crying out loud — when electricity was still have to sit through six movies in a row that viewers can easily a hot new commodity and communism was would actually scare me. see these movies as still just “that thing going on over in RusBut instead of the movies being scary nothing more than sia.” and foreboding, I discovered something enan outdated relic of While it may be easier and more enjoytirely different. This group of movies feels the past. able to sit down and mock the movies merlike a pocket left over from a bygone era, one It’s true: the cilessly until you get bored and decide to where men could be monsters as much on filmmakers oftenwatch something else, trying to understand the inside as on the outside. They feel like a times lacked the and appreciate the significance the movies portal to another universe where, for a little proper means to had at the time of their release is far more over an hour, the world shrinks to a grainy, convey themes or insightful and rewarding. monochrome journey into an era not seen in emotions that they It offers a glimpse into a time when scinearly a century. wanted to. Calling ence could seemingly accomplish anything, Whether you yourself could enjoy these these the “first horeven making a man invisible or stitching a movies is up to you; but after spending over ror films” feels a bit living creature together from corpses. eight hours watching these movies, I would disingenuous when Underlying all of the movies I watched be lying if I said I regretted the experience. even a fraidy-cat like was a pervasive fear of the unknown; sciI truly felt like I had come away having myself was rarely entists who tamper with nature in “The Inlearned something new about filmmaking, spooked. visible Man” and “Bride of Frankenstein” even from movies so seemingly simplistic Sure, they aren’t ultimately pay the price, as do the innocent and outdated. Maybe the distinction beall sunshine and people around them. tween good or bad, funny or scary and new rainbows — in fact, Likewise, “Dracula” and “The Mummy” or old isn’t so black and white after all.

I’m fairly certain show that some things scorn scientific expla-

For a complete Ranking of the movies, visit Prospectornow.com:

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

10

Microtrends a macro problem New unsustainable fashion trends lead to lack of innovation, environmental harm JULIET AQUINO KnightTV Exec Producer

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old red lips, little black dresses and S-bending corsets are all examples of past fashion trends that are still relevant today. But what happens when the length of these trends shortens to the click of a button, and they’re forgotten just as quickly? Introducing: the birth of microtrends.

Contrasting to macrotrends, which usually last about five to 10 years, microtrends only last up to five years — typically even less. An example of a recent microtrend is the current popularity of colorful, chunky rings. One well-known macrotrend is the popularity of bell bottom jeans in the ‘70s.

Prospect 2020 alum and current sophomore at the Fashion Institute of Technology Abby Weiss loves the long-lasting, exciting trends that have set the tone for American fashion in the past but believes that microtrends are harming the culture of the current fashion industry.

TRASHIN’ FASHION: A shirt depicting an environmental slogan floats discarded in the middle of the ocean. The production “[With faster trends], you never really get and consumption of fast fashion products such as these is very harmful to the environment and, according to UNEP, roughly to cherish the items,” Weiss said. “You never 20% of all wastewater comes fabric dyeing and treatment from the fashion industry. (painting by Ondine Cella) really get to grow [them] into your style. It’s always just the next thing.” than ever. ing her up to 10 years. brand’s impact. The company’s use of fair Arguably, the biggest culprit of this new Because of the sheer amount of new clothBut she recalls that she has never owned labor, environmental effects and actions reextreme of “out with the old, in with the new” ing our society is producing as a result of mia piece of clothing from a fast fashion retailgarding animal welfare policies all factor is social media. Weiss believes that “TikTok crotrends, the World Bank reports that 10% er, like Forever 21, that was high quality. into the organization’s rating system. has a really cool side of fashion, but it’s also of all global emissions come from the fashion Prospect’s Environmental Club sponsor Using Good on You’s system, the price of a kind of insufferable in a way, [because] industry. According to the United Nations and science teacher Micheal Higdon believes plain white women’s T-shirt from their least you see the same outfits Environment Programme, around 20% that the most impactful way to shop sustainrated sustainable brand was far from the over and over again.” of wastewater worldwide comes from ably is to research the companies you are price of one of their highest rated sustainAlthough Weiss fabric dyeing and treatment. purchasing from. able brands. loves that social There are more sustainable ways to He thinks that the blame for the rapidly The sustainable T-shirt by the Classic media allows find clothdeclining state of the environment doesn’t T-shirt company was $58, and the unsustainfashion to be ing; Weiss fall on individuals but rather on the corporaable T-shirt by SHEIN was $6. more accessible says that tions that individuals support.

Shopping sustainably cannot always be to a wider range thrift shop“If we want to start getachieved because of of people, she ping, tradting things to its higher hates the dising clothing change, we prices, but ingenuous cycle with friends can’t keep supfast fashthat apps like Inand up cyporting busiion causes stagram and TikTok cling your nesses that are our planet create. She thinks old clothdoing things in to consume the rapid spread ing are all an unsustain80 billion of fads on the apps great ways able manner,” new pieces takes a lot of charm to be more Higdon said. of clothing out of the once-origsustainHe also urgeach year. inal ideas of fashion. able when es the imporT h i s She cites a new it comes to tance of voting year humicrotrend involvfashion. Upcandidates mans coning overexaggerated cycling is into office that s u m e d patchwork, differwhen you support the en400% more Abby Weiss, Prospect alum ent colors of fabric and thread repurpose old vironment and clothing bound together, to show that a once-unique or damaged clothing that you don’t wear take action to than they idea created by inexperienced designers has did only anymore into something new that you will be more envinow become more mainstream and, theretwo dewear more often. Examples of this are emron ment a l ly fore, has lost its charm. cades ago, broidering plain shirts, adding patches to conscious.

The overproduction of these once-unique according to the United tattered jackets or even transforming a deAlthough both Weiss pieces also contributes to the fast fashion inNations Environment signer bag into a top. and Higdon share the same dustry. Fast fashion is defined as the quick Programme.

Senior Amy Maigler has experience with passion for shopping susproduction of cheap, trendy clothing. Some When asked why buying from fast fashion brands but has also tainably, they do underpopular fast fashion stores include SHEIN, he believes that living used more sustainable shopping practices stand that fast fashion is Forever 21, Princess Polly and H&M. With a sustainable lifestyle is important, Higdon like shopping at thrift stores. She says she more accessible because of its cheap prices. microtrends enabling the production of fast simply replied: “Because otherwise, we’re wears her oldest clothes and thrifted clothGood on You is an organization that rates fashion clothing, the environmental impact all going to die.” ing the most, with some of her clothing lastclothing brands’ sustainability based on the of the fashion industry is currently worse

[WITH FASTER TRENDS] YOU NEVER REALLY GET TO CHERISH THE ITEMS ... IT’S ALWAYS JUST THE NEXT THING”

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One sustainable method to stay in style is to create a capsule closet, a minimalistic wardrobe made up of versatile clothing

WATCH A BROADCAST STORY ABOUT THE PITFALLS OF FAST FASHION Learn about the importance and history of soundtracks in video games

Listen to a special edition of rivals podcast about one prospect student’s encounter with Aaron rodgers

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NOVEMBER 9, 2021

SPORTS

11

Injuries challenge girls’ volleyball KEVIN LYNCH Copy Editor

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n the girls’ volleyball team’s first game playing Hersey, senior right-side hitter Lauren Wiley went up to the net for a block, directly facing the opposing player as she jumped up to try and knock the ball back onto the other side of the net. When she came down, however, she landed on the opposing player’s foot, rolling her ankle in the process.

“Immediately when I went down [with] my injury, I knew I was going to be out, and it was super upsetting because it was towards the end of our season,” Wiley said. “ … I was super upset that I was going to miss Volley for the Cure and senior night.”

Wiley’s injury was one of several injuries on the team this season, according to head coach Laura Gerber. In spite of this, however, the team has found some success as their season draws to a close.

The girls’ volleyball team’s 2021-22 season is now complete as the team finished with a record of 17-18 overall and 9-4 in conference.

After finishing 8-2 in conference last spring, girls’ volleyball returned to its regular season in the fall; alongside this change came the lifting of several COVID-19 restrictions on their play.

Because it is an indoor sport, volleyball players are still required to wear masks, as mandated by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Last year, other restrictions such as spectator limitations and the cancellation of out-of-conference matches were also implemented. However, these changes are not the only major difference from previous seasons.

“In the past years, I’ve had maybe one … [player injured] the entire season,” Gerber said. “This year we’ve had five or six kids out at once … We never see injuries like that.”

While the number of injuries on the team has increased exponentially from past seasons, Gerber doesn’t attribute the phenomenon to anything in particular, outside of the fact that the team lacked a “normal” season the previous year. In addition to this, they had a different summer camp than usual, preventing the team from doing all the things that they typically would to prepare for the season.

According to Gerber, the main injuries the team faces are concussions and ankle injuries. Concussions, she says, are hard to avoid because of the nature of the sport, with

SPIKE: Junior Kinga Slawacki jumps up at the net for a hit during Volley for the Cure. In spite of the many injuries on the team this season, such as ankle and head injuries, the team still finished with a record of 9-4 in conference and an overall record of 17-18. “This year we’ve had five or six kids out at once … We never see injuries like that,” head coach Laura Gerber. (photo courtesy of Laura Gerber) lots of movement on both sides of the net and with balls being hit around all at once during practice. The players are, however, required to wear an ankle wrap to help protect them from potential injuries, though this isn’t always foolproof. “[It’s] frustrating for sure,” Gerber said.

“I’m so disappointed for them, because you really want to end strong, and then, when you have an injury like that, it takes away weeks of what you could be doing.”

Having multiple players being unable to play had another consequence: forcing other players to swap positions mid-season to fill in the gaps caused by injuries.

Senior Mackenzie Fieser started the season as an outside hitter until other players’ injuries forced her to switch off between right-side hitter and defensive specialist; she then finally landed in the position of libero, which she played for over a month, forcing her to approach the game in different ways.

Fieser had to switch her mentality from being a mainly offensive player to the defensive position of libero, whose main job is to

get the ball to the setter. Despite this, Fieser says the transition was smoother than expected.

“It’s kind of like a bittersweet feeling,” Fieser said. “I’ve played outside [hitter] for probably all of my volleyball career, and I enjoyed it, but playing libero was something new, and it’s something I actually turned out to be pretty good at and … feeling all the support from all my teammates for it just made me enjoy it more …”

Gerber, Fieser and Wiley all agree that the bond formed by the team helped the players cope with the changes undergone due to injuries. “ … They get along really well … which, when you have a season with so many injuries, it makes it so much better,” Gerber said.

In addition, Wiley believes that the shortened time between the spring and fall seasons was also beneficial to the team in this way.

“I think we were already comfortable with each other because we had just played together in the spring and over the summer,

wasn’t as bad as previous golf meets because she just wanted to focus on enjoying her time at the state meet. In the tournaments leading up to state, she said the pressure was a little higher, because she really wanted to perform her best in order to qualify.

To Riesing’s benefit, a couple of her friends, juniors Izzy Klicker and Johnson, made the trip to watch her compete at state.

“Seeing Kate play at state was really fun and I really enjoyed watching her play,” Klicker said. “I was actually nervous for her, but in the end, she did a great job.”

During her time at state when she wasn’t competing, Riesing would talk with her friends, hang out at the hotel and participate in state traditions. One of the state traditions is that whenever someone makes it to state, they go to a specific restaurant — similar to Benihana — and they eat there. So, Riesing went there after her first round of golf and said it was a great experience.

In the end, Riesing was happy with her performance on the green. She shot 85 strokes the first day and 89 strokes the second day. In total, she finished 79th overall.

She looks forward to next season where she hopes she can top her performance this year.

“It’s really exciting, and I’m proud of myself, because I didn’t think I would make it to state as a junior,” Riesing said.

Looking back, Rathe explained how Riesing was very “up and down” with her performance throughout the last month of the season. Luckily at sectionals, Riesing showed the team just how much potential she had.

After her spectacular sectional performance, Riesing had the opportunity to compete and play for Prospect at the state tournament.

Moving forward, Rathe envisions Riesing only becoming a better golfer.

“I certainly think that she doesn’t want to

PUTTIN’ IT: Junior Kate Riesing took 13th in sectionals and earned herself a trip to compete at state as a junior. “I certainly think that ... she wants to compete for [a state title] next year,” head coach Brad Rathe said. (photo courtesy of Kate Riesing)

Girls’ golf star rises above expectations at sectionals ZACH MORETH & PJ O’GRADY

Executive Sports Editors Junior Kate Riesing started out “rough,” scoring a double bogey followed by a triple bogey (going two and three strokes over par). Although the start to the sectional meet didn’t go as planned, the rest of the course was a breeze for her.

“After my first couple holes, I felt like my chances [of going to state] were over, because it was rough,” Riesing said.

Riesing had shot 13 strokes in the first two holes.

After her shaky start, Riesing persevered throughout the rest of the course and stuck with it. “[Riesing] played the next 16 holes probably better than anybody on the course, so it was fun to watch,” Head girls golf coach Brad Rathe said.

She ended up shooting 80 strokes overall, which was 10 over par, and took 13th in sectionals.

Even with the notable sectional performance, Riesing was still in disbelief when her teammates broke the news after her 18th hole at the sectional meet. Junior Teammates Taylor Knott and Maia Johnson informed her that she would be the only girl from the Prospect team going to state. She was really surprised, because she thought her performance in sectionals was not good enough to advance.

“After a bunch of people came over to congratulate me, then I started to realize ‘oh it’s real, it’s like happening,’” Riesing said.

Riesing was the only representative for the Prospect girls golf team in state, but that didn’t stop her teammates from supporting her.

Riesing said that the pressure at state

just get back [to state], but she wants to compete for [a state title] next year,” Rathe said.

“It’s hard to compete for a state title, but to be in the mix would be pretty cool.”

State isn’t the end of the golf road for Riesing, as she has another season to look forward to next year. Riesing explained that she is excited to meet the new players next year and improve her golf game.

Riesing’s goal is to make it to state once again, but this time with her teammates as well. Riesing believes in order to reach her goals, she and the team needs to practice more on the course and on their own. She especially thinks her and the team could work on putting and limiting the amount of strokes around the green.

Riesing works hard to develop her skills throughout the off-season. She said she

… [and] I think they did a really good job filling in for the key seniors [that graduated] last year,” Wiley said.

Gerber is optimistic about the team’s chances going forward, especially given the strength of their underclassmen players.

“Our JV in conference is 8-1 right now, [and] our freshmen are 8-1, so that says we have depth,” Gerber said. “So … coming forward we should be pretty solid.”

Though the team lost their regional game against Lake Zurich in a close match, luckily most of the injured players were able to return to play in the playoffs.

Wiley, as it turns out, was able to return to play again on Oct. 7, the day of senior night.

“It was so fun to come back,” Wiley said.

“I felt like I’d missed months and months of the season even though it was just two weeks, but when I got my first kill on senior night, me and my setter just looked at each other so happy because we … finally [got] back … our connection.”

worked on her golf game a lot during team practices, and then on the weekends she would play on her own. In addition to that, she sprinkled in some tournaments over the summer to keep her golf game sharp.

Rathe talked to Riesing about seeing a swing coach through the winter, who she if she felt the need to make some adjustments to her technique.

“Every time I’d add something new to my swing, my scores would improve,” Riesing said.

Along with Riesing’s advanced skill set, she brings pride to her game as well.

“She is a great representative of the program just in how she handles her business.

Working at golf, obviously, the classroom, being a good person … She’s a good rep,” Rathe said.

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Boys' golf shatters goals during season PJ O'GRADY Executive Sports Edi tor

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oys' head golf coach Jim Hamann booked the state hotel rooms for the team in early September. The state tournament was held the weekend of Oct. 8 and Oct. 9.

“Coach [Paul] Hennig and I, we believed in this team from the start of the season, and the boys just had to believe in themselves and they had to go and perform and that’s what we did,” Hamann said.

Hamann had supreme confidence in his team, and they answered with a strong season and a notable performance at state.

The competition, was top-notch throughout the boys' golf state tournament. The competition for the state title was held at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington.

The team finished eighth in state with a score of 322. After the first day they were in third place with an impressive score of 293, but the course conditions got much harder the second day.

Hamann said that holes five, six, seven and eight were the most challenging in the course due to the amount of water around the holes. The team had a great practice round and they knew the course really well, but their problem was teeing off on holes six and seven.

The tournament was structured with a practice round the day before the meet started. Each team played six kids, but only the four best scores were counted for the team.

On the first day, all 12 teams golfed, but on the second day only eight teams advanced.

Both days were 18 hole rounds, and the team with the best combined score on both rounds won.

Hamann explained that he has never seen anything like the talented golfers at state this year. He said there seems to be a surplus of exceptional golfers in Illinois right now.

Hamann attributes the higher numbers of golfers in Illinois to the pandemic, because it’s an outside sport without the need for a mask. He also said it’s a hobby anyone can pick up at any time.

According to Hamann, 16 boys in the state tournament shot under par for two days. Hamann explained that even if one watched a professional tournament, those stats would be impressive.

Sophomore Patrick Raupp said that

Achieving their goals Hamann's goal: shoot under 300 as a team State performance: In the first round they shot 293

CONFERENCE CHAMPS: The boys pose for a team photo after they win conference. They shot a 305 with sophomore Luke Kruger leading the way with a score of 71. (photo by Alexis Esparza) teams like New Trier, Glenbrook North, Hinsdale Central and Glenbard West were all dominant teams they faced at state. Glenbrook North was the favorite to win the tournament. They ended up winning the state tournament after two of their golfers landed in the top five.

Although the competition was going to be tough, Hamann had confidence in the team.

“We went down with the attitude that we belonged [in state], and that we were ready to compete,” Hamann said.

While the teams they faced at state were good, prospect held their own and proved they could stick around with the best.

Over the season, the team's average score was about 307 strokes. Hamann's main goal for the season was for the boys to shoot under 300 as a team.

They shot 302 multiple times, and they crushed their goal at the Mustang Invitational, shooting 294. At the state finals, the boys played their best, shooting a 293 on day one of the tournament.

“We started playing our best golf towards the end of the season, and our confidence was riding high,” Hamann said. “We felt like we would be able to make some noise and that’s exactly what we did.”

Hamman thinks that this team has a bright future ahead of them in the next couple of years, despite losing five seniors this year. The team will miss them, Hamann

said, but he isn’t worried about a lack of leadership.

Hamann said that this year, sophomores Luke Kruger and Patrick Raupp are their best scorers and leads the team in work ethic. In addition to that, he said the seniors next year should provide the experience needed.

The team has a plethora of sophomores ready to continue the golf team’s legacy. For example, Kruger led them in scoring all year and Raupp had the second best scoring average of the team.

Hamann said that he is very excited about both of those guys, and he said that in all his years of coaching, he hasn't seen anyone work harder than them.

“He [Kruger] works very hard; we’ll have the team practices and he’ll be there before practices hitting putts and he’ll be there after practice hitting balls [and] getting his swing right for matches,” Raupp said.

Adding to that, junior golfer Jack Friar said they also have lots of good freshmen too.

Cole Bielecki and Andrew Sawadski both played up at the JV conference meet.

What makes this Prospect team so special is how tightly-knit this group is. Friar explained that since golf is a solo sport, most high school teams just have individual players focusing on themselves, rather than having a team mindset.

Friar and Raupp both said that often-

times after a golf meet they would all go out to eat at fast food places like Chick-Fil-A or Raising Cane’s.

“If we had a bad match or some people played bad, we’ll get together, talk through it and get everybody on the same page and ready for the next match,” Raupp said.

One of Raupp’s favorite memories was the rides down and back to compete at a golf course in Bloomington. The two-and-a-half hour bus rides were a great way for him to connect and get to know more people.

Friar explained that they push each other to do their best and try to win as a team instead of just for themselves.

Friar said he is particularly impressed with junior Michael Madayag. Friar continued saying that Madayag hits the ball well and is locked in when it’s time to play golf.

Friar explained his confidence in the team and that they will be ready to compete next year. He said they need to improve on their putting game on the greens and they need to put in a little more effort to succeed further.

“We’re gonna be even better because we’ve been down to state once," Friar said.

"We know what it feels like, and we know how to handle the situations we got put in. . . So that we could just repeat the same year and do even better."

Cross country teams make a historic run for state NIC FARDELLA Sports Reporter

ALYSSA DEGAN Features Reporter The girls' cross country team excelled in the championship season by achieving the trifecta; varsity placed first in conference, regionals and sectionals for the third year in a row and headed to state on the 6th. This was the main team goal for the girls.

The team had two top 10 finishers with sophomore Lily Ginsburg placing eighth with a time of 17:50, and junior Hailey Erickson placing 10th with a time of 18:05.

The team overall had 86 points which was 42 points better than the second place team.

Going into state, the team's goal was a top three finish.

Coming back from last year without having a state meet to run at, the girls are excited to see how they can improve from 2019.

“We have been working hard for it all season and we are really excited to see what will come at state,” Erickson said.

For the first time since 2016, the boys' cross country team will be heading to state this weekend on Nov. 6. The boys finished seventh at sectionals with 186 total points.

Leading the way for the boys' with three top 30 finishers were seniors TJ. Garland and Sean Kura. Garland got 12th with a time of 15:47 and Kura who got 29th finished with a time of 16:02. Junior Luka Kuzmanovic, got 14th with a time of 15:50.

The boys' are hoping for a top 10 finish at state.

“Our goal is to go out there, compete at our absolute hardest and run a lot of [personal records],” Kura said.

STATE BOUND: The boys' and girls' varsity cross country teams qualified for state after an impressive performance for both teams at sectionals. They both traveled to state on Saturday before we went to press check Prospectornow.com for the results. (photo by Alyssa Degan)

Scan the qr code to watch the girls' cross country team prepare for state