Issue 4 23-24

idols' environmental impact

Celebrity carbon emissions leave long-lasting effects on environment

AMANDA FEINBERG Managing Editor

After seeing Taylor Swift and her blueeyed cat on the cover of Time Magazine as 2023 Person of the Year, earth science teacher Michelle Tantillo was shocked. Tantillo, who generally doesn’t consider herself a fan of Swift, was surprised to see Swift named Person of the Year after learning about her carbon footprint; Tantillo believes that there are better role models for people to look up to.

“For her to be named Time’s Person of the Year means we should all want to be like her and yet, is she the greatest role model?” Tantillo said. “There’s a lot of people who are trying to make huge changes … such as Greta Thunberg.”

Swift’s musical talent is enjoyed by millions of fans; she sat on top of the Billboard Artist 100 list in 2023 and her Eras Tour became the frst concert tour to surpass $1 billion in revenue. However, Swift tops yet another list: most carbon emissions by a private jet in 2023, according to The Economic Times.

According to National Geographic, carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of human activities. The burning of fossil fuels, such as natural gas, is the number one contributor to climate change. Such fossil fuels can accumulate from methods of transportation including cars, trains and airplanes.

Swift currently owns two Default Falcon jets which have amassed 8,293 tons of carbon emissions in 2022 over 170 fights, according to The Economic Times. This is 1,184 times more than the average person’s total annual emissions, typically from driving cars and fying on commercial planes. To ofset these emissions, according to the Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, 2,282 trees would have to be planted and grown for a decade.

Senior Maddy Mann, who has grown up listening to Swift and had attended the Eras Tour at Soldier Field, respects Swift’s musical talent, feminist attitude and advocacy. She also believes that it is important to look up to those who are setting a positive example for the younger generation.

“I love her music … It’s the main reason why I choose to support her,” Mann said. “But also looking at each person as a whole … if they’re a good, well-rounded person, it’s easier to like [them].”

When confronted with allegations about her carbon emissions, a spokesperson for Swift stated that she had purchased more than double the required carbon credits –– a permit that allows the holder to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide –– to ofset all Eras Tour travel, according to The Economic Times.

“I hope [Swift] would take responsibility [for her carbon footprint],” Mann said. “I’d want her to … make a change and decrease [her emissions] in any

8,293 tons

the amount of CO2 Taylor Swift’s private jets released in 2022

78% of students*

believe that it is important to look up to environmentally friendly people 2

the number of private jets Taylor Swift owns

ed. The consumer spending on tickets for the Eras Tour amassed $4.6 billion dollars, which could signifcantly improve the US economy from a potential recession, according to Time Magazine. Still, Tantillo does not believe that celebrities’ actions and popularity should be idolized, and she thinks that the climate is a more immediate issue.

“I think there’s so many people we could look up to for such positive reasons,” Tantillo said. “Even if Swift was able to stop the recession, was that the biggest need this year for people to look up to? I don’t personally feel that way.”

In addition to her concert travel, Swift frequently fies between New York and Kansas City to see her boyfriend Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs. In regards to the upcoming Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Swift will have to fy from her Eras Tour performance in Tokyo, Japan to Las Vegas, Nev.

“[Swift] is adding a lot more carbon emissions just from taking that trip from point A to point B,” Tantillo said. “And I get that she

*according to a Knight Media survey of 309 students SEE “CO2” ON PAGE 2

way that she can.” Juniors Aspen Dittmer and Norah Knight, who both lead environmental club, believe that Swift should take more responsibility for her actions given that she has more resources than the average person.

“[There is a] glamorization of taking a private jet and having enough money to where you can do whatever you want and not really have consequences, when really we should be worried about what’s good for the planet,” Dittmer said.

Although Swift’s jets emit CO2, she uses them as a means of transportation for her recent Eras Tour in which she had 151 shows across fve continents. Other bands have been making strides towards sustainability such as The 1975, who use upcycled, older merchandise to make their new merchandise. Similarly, Coldplay vowed to plant one tree for each ticket sold for their Spheres World Tour in 2022, according to REVERB, a brand dedicated to making musicians and music lovers aware of environmental issues. None of these bands, however, match the popularity that Swift has accumulat-

wants to be somewhere else, but at what cost?”

Wanting her students to recognize the severity of the climate crisis, Tantillo’s fnal project in her earth science class is to come up with reasonable solutions to climate issues that her students can use in their everyday lives.

Some projects Tantillo has seen have suggested carpooling to reduce CO2, using metal straws, cutting out plastic grocery bags and changing a laundry routine to use less water. She highlights the fact that all of the solutions are attainable for high schoolers to implement in their everyday lives.

Setting an example for her students, Tantillo also uses these eco-friendly alternatives. She turns of her lights when not in use, uses reusable grocery bags, lowers her thermostat, composts, and plants her own vegetables in the summer.

Both Dittmer and Knight also implement sustainable alternatives such as reusable straws, composting and recycling. They believe that simple and inexpensive lifestyle changes can contribute positively to the environment — changes that can be made by high schoolers and celebrities alike.

“It’s important because as we grow up … we are going to be in charge of things,” Dittmer said. “We have to make the switch now.”

For those who have more resources, such as celebrities, Knight would hope to see them go out of their way to leave a lasting impact instead of simply writing a check to an organization. Volunteer work and using their platforms to advocate for climate awareness are some of the ways celebrities can advocate, according to Knight.

“When you have that much money, it’s easy to do whatever you want and then give a very small portion of that money away,” Knight said. “The check may seem like a lot, but compared to their wealth it’s not the same as someone else who isn’t a multimillionaire.”

Swift is not the only celebrity with a lasting carbon footprint. Placing second on Yard’s list of celebrities with the worst CO2 emissions was boxer Floyd Mayweather with 7,076 tons over 177 fights. According to The US Sun, Mayweather frequently uses his jet to fy to destinations such as Monte Carlo, Hong Kong, Fiji and Tokyo for vacations.

(Art by Nicole Antczak)

Casting new ballot on teen voting

SARAH MATZKIN News Reporter

For senior Claire Stonitsch, politics were not a foreign topic growing up. Stonitsch’s dad is the Village Manager of Woodridge, meaning he oversees village employees and runs village events. This led to Stonitsch’s interest in local government at a young age. To some, this might be overwhelming, but for Stonitsch, her dad’s position helped her understand what government is and how it can change a community.

“I have a passion for government and making an impact in our country,” Stonitsch said.

Voting in the United States is a way for citizens to be connected to the government, whether it be at a national, state or local level. When the 26th amendment was passed in 1971, the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18.

There are many teens who are excited to vote and see voting as their civic duty. Voting is a way to make changes in the country that they care about. Stonitsch plans on voting in the upcoming election since she believes government is important, but she acknowledges that it is difcult to prepare to make such a big decision.

Stonitsch uses social media, the news and her classes, such as AP Government and Politics, to stay informed. She realizes that people have bias in the media, so she has to fnd a way to balance and know which political direction news stations typically lean. She looks at both sides at times to have all the information.

“People see certain things and only believe what they want to believe,” Stonitsch said. “Our country is very individualized and people believe their way is the better way.”

VOTES ARE IN: Some students think they should add input to government issues while others hesitate to make such a big decision (photo by Alyssa Kowols).

AP Government and Politics teacher Timothy Beishir discusses the use of media in the government with his class. He acknowledges the benefts of teens using it to learn about candidates and see them speaking, which will in turn help teens learn what issues the candidates are talking about.

“[Social media] is a force,” Beishir said. “It changed politics. You don’t even need the party support because you have your own microphone if you have a big social media presence.”

Beishir believes social media has grown so much as a political tool because people have an expectation of being current and staying up to date to the minute. Social media provides a live feed of what’s going on and can help voters decide which party they gravitate towards more.

“A lot of it comes from the media,” Stonitsch said. “All the diferent laws

that have been passed and the progress our country has made and wanting more progress to be made.”

Beishir notes that teens like Stonitsch usually align with their parents because that’s where they get their information before researching it on their own. While he describes it as a high cost of knowledge, it can be helpful for teens to know where they personally align on a political spectrum.

“It’s one of those things that’s the transition from childhood to adulthood,” Beishir said. “It’s one of those things you should start paying attention to and consider caring about. You cement your own [political beliefs] and fnd what you believe to be true.”

While Stonitsch sees voting as a stride into adulthood, this is not the case for all teens. The teen voter demographic is historically low, but Stonitsch recognizes this and hopes

for change.

“Teens have a big impact on voting since we are a large age group,” Stonitsch said. “Historically, we haven’t had the biggest voter turnout, but if we get more people [to] vote, it will have a bigger impact on the election.”

According to statista.com, about 55 percent of voters aged between 18 and 29 participated in the 2020 election.

Many people like Stonitsch hope to increase voter turnout for teens.

Margaret Doyle, part of the League of Women’s Voters, believes teen voting turnout depends on the issues on the ballot.

The League of Women’s Voters is a non-partisan organization that promotes voters’ rights and works to register voters and increase voter turnout in Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Bufalo Grove. Doyle believes that if teens are more interested in a topic such as reproductive rights or climate change, then they are more inclined to vote.

The League of Women’s Voters also works with local high schools like Prospect to encourage eligible teens to vote. They help teens register to vote and have a program called “Stroll to the Polls,” where students pass out fyers about where and when to vote. The League also has an emerging leader position for young people interested in government.

While many teens and adults want to vote and have it as a high priority in their life, not all people do. For some teens such as senior Alexia Bisak, voting is more stressful than exciting.

Bisak is not planning on voting in the 2024 presidential election because she feels she doesn’t know much about the election.

According to an article from the New York Times, fewer than half of Americans 18 to 29 voted in the 2016 presidential election.

Bisak acknowledges that she is not really interested in politics. Since her family doesn’t talk about it a lot at home, she does research politics herself, but fnds that it’s hard to separate facts from fction.

“I’ll search up facts [about politics] and make sure it’s actual facts instead of believing something someone said, but it’s like playing the game of telephone,” Bisak said. “A person would tell another person and the story would change, and by the time it gets to you, it’s a whole diferent story.” Bisak also distrusts candidates making empty promises, which sways her away from voting.

“I feel like there’s so many campaigns,” Bisak said. “And the [candidates] say something, but then when we vote for them, they don’t do it.’’

Bisak feels that students are not educated enough about voting, aside from history classes and she wishes Prospect would do a better job of teaching students about political topics.

One way she feels Prospect could do this is by creating a Schoology page containing information of where you can vote, who you can vote for and what each candidate believes and focuses on.

“I don’t think the frst thing seniors are thinking about is voting, but [Prospect should] give them overall information on the who, what and where,” Bisak said. “When I know more about who’s running, I’ll probably vote just to put my two cents in.”

Teens and adults are able to choose how informed they want to be and what they want to be informed on. Beishir believes the choice to partake in voting is up to the person, awnd it is an important one to make.

“Representative democracy only works when the citizenry is informed and activated,” Beishir said.

CO2: “Swift” emissions spike

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Planning an upcoming vacation to Savannah, Georgia herself, Tantillo is conscious about the carbon footprint she will leave as a result of her fight. When booking her tickets, she was able to see how much carbon emissions she was producing as a result of each fight.

“I’m very aware of ‘This fight is better than that fight because this fight is direct versus stopping or laying over somewhere,’” Tantillo said. “… I don’t know if people who have private jets [understand] that that’s how much [carbon they are emitting].”

Amidst the recent Israel-Palestine confict, Mayweather has also used his jet to send supplies such as food, water and bulletproof vests to the Israel Defense Forces and civilians, according to Yahoo. On Instagram, Mayweather wrote: “I stand with Israel and Jews all around the world. I condemn antisemitism at all cost. I stand for Peace. I stand for Human Rights!”

Tantillo believes that using a jet as a means of helping people is more benefcial than strictly traveling. She notes, however, that Mayweather could have sent supplies on a jet already headed in that direction instead of sending his own.

“That’s good that he’s using his wealth for positive [things] in terms of supporting people,” Tantillo said. “So, [using his jet to send supplies] certainly is diferent in terms of travel and getting from point A to point B.”

Seventh on Yard’s list was Kim Kardashian, who accumulated 4,268 tons of CO2 over 57 fights. In addition to Kardashian fying her jet, her clothing brand, SKIMS, mislabels their packaging as recyclable and compostable. In fact, the packaging features a number four icon, indicating that it is made from a synthetic plastic that is diffcult to recycle, according to EarthDay.org.

Although the SKIMS brand of being basic clothing that can be worn every day is a sustainable idea, both Dittmer and Knight are not surprised to hear about Kardashian’s mislabeling. They see a danger in consumers purchasing SKIMS products believing that they are environmentally friendly when in reality they are mislabeled.

“I’ve never seen any of these celebrities have a huge push to be environmentally friendly when they have all the funds to do so,” Knight said. “I don’t have a lot of faith in most of these people.”

In response to claims about her brand’s environmental impact, as well as Kardashian breaking water-usage rules amidst a Los Angeles drought, she responded to Interview Magazine by saying,

“I believe in climate change and I believe that anything can help. But I also believe in being realistic and I think sometimes there’s so much to worry about on this planet, and it can be really scary to live your life with anxiety.”

The mindset, values and lasting impact of celebrities is considered by Dittmer when she is choosing who to look up to. Dittmer doesn’t focus on how much money a person has donated to charity, but how the celebrity acts day-to-day and what they promote on their platforms.

“It’s important to choose a person who … is trying to do the best thing,” Dittmer said. “It’s hard to choose a celebrity because celebrities are sometimes not well-rounded people.”

Kardashian has also been criticized for her juxtaposition of the climate crisis and her new SKIMS bra. Although Kardashian attempted to gain attention with her lingo, the joke she used in her campaign ultimately came across as insensitive to many consumers.

“The sea levels are rising,” Kardashian said. “The ice sheets are shrinking, and I’m not a scientist, but I do believe everyone can use their skill set to do their part. That’s why I’m introducing a brand-new bra with a built-in nipple. So no matter how hot it is, you’ll always look cold.”

When considering which companies to purchase from, Tantillo takes into account their environmental impact as well as the company’s greenwashing –– the act of making a product appear to be more environmentally friendly than it actually is.

“To me as a consumer, [the environmental impact is] certainly something that I always look at and think about,” Tantillo said. “If I was down to two companies trying to decide something, I would look at [their environmental impact].”

Knight frequents thrift stores to purchase second-hand clothes and tries not to purchase items she will not wear often. When she realizes her closet is getting full, Knight often repurposes her clothing and transforms them into new pieces she can wear.

Both Knight and Dittmer believe that the younger generation has the most impact on the climate crisis and that it’s up to them to demand change from celebrities and companies who are not environmentally conscious.

“The lasting impact that these people will leave will be the fact that they made the climate crisis come signifcantly quicker,” Knight said. “We don’t have time to sit around and baby Taylor Swift, and … we also don’t have time to avoid doing things to take care of the planet.”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Drop o letters to the Prospector in the box in the library, in room 162 or email letters to prospectornow@ gmail.com. All letters must be signed. Limit letters to 400 words. The Prospector reserves the right to edit for style and length.

sta

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Mollie Kearns, PJ O’Grady

MANAGING EDITOR

Amanda Feinberg

COPY EDITORS

Alex Bonnette, Stella Palm, Justin Peabody ONLINE

Brooke Michalczyk

ASSOCIATE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Tessa Trylovich

Kenny Munao

Amelia Maslowski

KNIGHT

Ben Walczak

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ONLINE EDITOR

Dean Carlson

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Abby Damasky

REPORTERS

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Alyssa Kowols

ADVISER

Jason Block

MISSION STATEMENT

The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news and explain its meaning and signifcance 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 Communications courses. Some material is courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

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PE waivers challenge freshmen

Staff Editorial

When things start changing, news spreads faster than the Prospect Plague around the school. One of the shocking changes for the upcoming 24-25 school year that spread quickly was the news of a diferent PE waiver policy.

Previously, anyone on a sports roster could apply for a study hall waiver from their PE class during their athletic season. This, however, is all coming to a crashing halt next school year. But only for a specifc grade level.

Always with the short end of the stick, the freshmen will be disqualifed from receiving a PE waiver next school year. This decision originates from a principals’ meeting called by the District 214 Superintendent Doctor Scott Rowe so all schools in the district can get “more consistent” on PE Waivers. Prospect Principal Greg Minter explained that PE waivers are a privilege, not a right, and that these changes are for a good reason.

“We fnd that freshmen having two study halls [is something] they don’t need,” Minter said. “It’s a lot of free time that [freshmen] seem to struggle to navigate.”

This seems to be a one sided opinion as many freshmen, especially athletes, fnd that their study hall enables the perfect transition into high school. Freshman swimmer Cora Richer found that, with an overwhelming schedule, the additional study hall was a godsend. It allowed her to have more time during the week to dedicate to school rather than staying up two or three hours longer after a swim practice to try and get homework done.

“I love having [a PE waiver] because it lets me really get into studying,” Richer said. “It allows me to just have fun with my sport and not have to worry about homework before or after practice.”

WORK IT OUT: New PE policies say that all freshman have to take PE next year and won’t receive waivers. (photo by Claire Wynkoop)

Samp, who currently has a waiver, study halls have been a source of stress relief.

“I had used my study hall a lot because I would have practices and meets,” Samp said. “It was really forgiving because in case I forgot to do an assignment, I would think ‘Oh I’ve got an extra study hall,’ and that really helped.”

With the changes being made, athletes, like Richer and Samp, understand how hard it would have been to make the middle school to high school transition without the added study time.

15 4 Against

Voting results of the Knight Media staff in regards to this editorial. For

Not only do many freshmen fnd the added time to be helpful, returning athletes also fnd that having an extra 80 minutes of strictly study time is the only way they feel productive. Yearround athletes especially feel the squeeze of both constant athletics and school pressures. For freshman cross country and track athlete Landon

“I defnitely think [my PE waiver] has helped if I’ve been overwhelmed and needing a break,” Samp said. “Its given me the space to take a break and feel better for the day.”

We, KnightMedia, believe that PE waiver privileges should be open to all student athletes regardless of their grade. Due to the high levels of pressure that come from athletics, PE waivers are a small piece of the day to help relieve stress and anxiety from student athletes. Furthermore, athletes are already getting their fair share of exercise from their designated sport — deeming PE as an unnecessary outlet for athletes’ time and energy.

Although, freshmen schedules are, in all hon-

Sephora kids coping

On Jan. 26, junior Jessica Stankova had her eye on the clock waiting for her six hour shift at Ulta to end. Suddenly, a group of miniature godzillas burst into the store, destroying everything in their path. They pulverized all the makeup testers in sight and left a giant pile of Starbucks cups behind. These creatures were destroying the store. No, it wasn’t Godzilla in Ulta, it was an online phenomenon in real life: the Sephora Kids.

“[The kids] stormed the whole store,” Stankova said. “All the testers [were] destroyed, gone, obliterated and it [was] so messy after they [left]. It [was] insane.”

In the past few months, a trend on TikTok has brought the Sephora Kids to popularity. These tweens go to Sephora or other makeup stores in order to buy different makeup and skin care brands, like Drunk Elephant Skincare. Often, they are disrespectful towards the employees.

Kids have always wanted to grow up quicker, and Sephora Kids are no exception. Psychology teacher Katherine Miles explains how this feeling is universal.

kova said. “People are terrifed of them, and I get that, but genuinely they just annoy me.”

Part of Stankova’s annoyance comes from the impact they have on her work. These kids are causing chaos by testing all of the makeup in the store, not caring that someone will have to clean up their garbage, all while being rude to the workers.

When the kids make a mess, Stankova is in charge of cleaning up, throwing away and replacing each tester. This process can take up to thirty minutes.

“[This feeling] is just natural human nature of wanting to grow up,” Miles said. “Just like when you see things that you can’t have … you want them.”

Gaining traction on TikTok, lots of viral videos show people either telling stories about Sephora Kids or people claiming the kids are too young for the products. Many teenagers, like Stankova, have expressed their dislike of them, often due to the kids’ rude behavior

“I fnd them so annoying,” Stan-

Stankova’s most difcult encounter was when one of the Sephora Kids came in looking for a Charlotte Tilbury “dupe.” Charlotte Tilbury is a popular skin care and makeup brand, and a dupe is a duplicate made by another company to sell for cheaper. Stankova walked over to where the product was located to see that they had taken the tester and dumped out the product all over the shelves, foor and EVERYWHERE else.

While these kids can seem annoying, they ultimately just want to grow up faster. When I was younger, I was also so excited to grow up. I still am excited to be able to have my own money, go out with my friends whenever I want and, most importantly, decorate my own house. Specifcally, I want to repaint my room to cover up the vicious hot pink that I picked when I was seven, which I haven’t been able to change.

Simply put, kids want the freedom that adults have because their parents don’t show the down sides

esty, not as rigorous as an upperclassmen’s, they still can use a PE waiver to substitute for other classes. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, the only physical education requirement for students is that they engage in physical activity three to fve times a week, which is why PE waivers are ofered; athletics covers that requirement in spades.

All athletes, even freshman, meet this requirement with after school practices that run anywhere from two to four hours each day. If having multiple study halls is deemed a problem, opening up an additional class to freshman athletes, such as an art or consumer ed class, can help them get a headstart on graduation requirements. That being said, this change seems to be fnal for the foreseeable future. Minter was adamant that, if need be, there may be a time of re-evaluation next year, but that this change seemed to be for the best. In opposition, some current freshmen feel for the incoming class as they realize the unfair policy they will be dealt.

“I don’t think it’s fair to freshmen,” Samp said. “I think not having it is really going to be difcult for them.”

On the other hand, the administration makes understandable points about the concerns that study halls, for freshmen especially, are not as productive as they should be. Despite those concerns, student athletes meet and go far beyond the minimum physical activity threshold and should be allowed the opportunity to receive a waiver during their athletic term.

MESSY: Cases are often left askew in the aftermath of ‘Sephora Kids.’ (photo by Jessica Stankova)

of being an adult, such as bills, taxes and mortgages. Instead, they showcase the happier parts of their life, such as having independence.

“Kids just want to be older because things look cooler,” Miles said. “There is also a science behind it. When you observe … older people doing things, you just want to copy them.”

However, this admiration leads to negative consequences. Kids are losing some aspects of their childhood, something I would give anything to go back to. Kids are now wearing LuluLemon instead of Justice and Kendra Scott necklaces instead of Rainbow Loom, something I was oddly obsessed with when I was a kid.

Along with this, some kids are buying products that aren’t safe for their age. Retinol, which is an over the counter serum containing Vitamin A used to get rid of acne, is a common chemical in many skincare products that Sephora Kids are buying. Although this can be helpful, Retinol can lead to signifcant effects on bone development, according to First Skin Foundation, so if a child is still growing, it may not be the smartest option for them to put on their face.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, older kids have been trying to go back to their childhood. A prime example of this is how teenagers have been wearing bows in their

hair, which I stopped doing when I was seven. Other examples include girls dressing up in pink to go see the Barbie movie and buying stufed animals, such as Jellycat and Squishmallows.

Due to Covid, we all lost a few years of our childhood and put everything on pause. Now that the pandemic has ofcially ended, it has allowed life to go back to some sort of normalcy. So when we experience things that remind us of our childhood, we feel a sense of comfort. When I’m upset, it feels so comforting to go watch a Disney movie and just feel like a little kid again instead of worrying about the SAT and college.

“We want comfort, we want structure,” Miles said. “[If] we’re not getting [that comfort] …. we’re going to try to fnd something else to fll that.”

Although the Sephora Kids are a bit obnoxious, they are also just kids. They are trying to live their life and don’t deserve the amount of bullying that they are receiving. Because of their access to social media, they just want to grow up quicker, which isn’t their fault at all. I believe that people should let other people do what makes them happy, unless it poses any danger. Let kids go to Sephora. Let teenagers watch kid shows. We only live once and might as well live life to the fullest.

Student IEPs and 504s steadily rising

PJ O’GRADY Editor-in-Chief

After 17 years of thriving in a school environment, now senior Ryan Kapuscinski started feeling the pressure of an already rigorous junior year. On top of his course load and standardized testing, he began to run into trouble with longer homework assignments and exams, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic ended.

When working on homework for longer than 20 minutes, he’d notice his focus would start to waiver. For some tests, he would fall behind and eventually run out of time with multiple blank questions left. Because of his struggles, he was confdent that he had ADHD, although it took a bit longer until he ofcially got tested.

“I was fne for a long time,” Kapuscinski said. “Around junior year is when I noticed things start to get difcult, and I couldn’t pay attention, and not studying and things would really hurt me. So … [my parents] let me get tested and then they were like ‘Oh yeah, you’ve actually got it pretty bad.’”

for a student plan. However, according to Special Education Coordinator Sandra Adkins, they are overseen by diferent people within schools — 504 plans are managed by counselors and other specialists like psychologists or social workers, while IEPs are managed by special ed case managers.

The main diference between IEPs and a 504, though, is that they are defned under two separate laws. A 504 is found in section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and for IEPs, schools are required to provide them for all students who qualify for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The number of D214 IEPs and 504s has risen by about 10.8% in the last fve years*

*According to statistics sent by Director for Special Education Meghan Muldoon-Brown and Director of Student Services Dr. Jessica Herrmann.

As a result of his ADHD, Kapuscinski fled for a 504 plan, which is a legal document of accommodations or services, to help him in school. After a meeting with his case manager, his counselor and his mom, they settled on a few accommodations to ensure Kapuscinski’s success in spite of his diagnosis: First, is time and a half, which is extra time on assessments, on both standardized and class tests. Second, he can turn in homework a day late with no penalty — to accommodate for times when he forgets to actually submit the homework. Third, if he ever feels overwhelmed, he can put a Post-It Note on his desk and take a break in the hallway, although he said he uses that accommodation the least.

Similar to 504 plans, there are also Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that are available for students with certain disabilities (see Disabilities Needed for an IEP). The two plans are alike in that they both ofer personalized accommodations for students, and anyone can make a referral

“You are eligible for a 504 if you have a condition that limits a major life activity in a substantial way,” D214 Director for Special Education Meghan Muldoon-Brown said.

Since a 504 can be included with any federally funded program, a person’s plan stays with them as long as they continue the renewal process, but will ultimately look diferent in college. On the fip side, IEPs cease to exist upon high school graduation, although disability services may still be available in a diferent manner after high school, according to Adkins.

For high school, a key diference is that IEPs involve specialized education and an altered curriculum, while 504s are only implemented for students in general education.

While both plans need to be renewed every three years, the evaluation process for the two plans is diferent. Students with IEPs are involved in an approach called a case study evaluation, Adkins explained.

“They look at the data they currently have on students,” Adkins said. “[They analyze] where they’re struggling, where their strengths are, and then they would do other testing, interviews, rating scales, get more information … Then you look to see based on the information you have if the student qualifes.”

For 504s, upon approval, a meeting takes place

PAPERWORK: A stack of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) lie on a table. In a KnightMedia survey of 288 PHS students, 21.5% said they currently have an IEP or 504 plan. (photo by PJ O’Grady)

to decide the accommodations that a student will receive. In Kapuscinski’s case, his meeting took 45 minutes until they fgured out his plan.

Muldoon-Brown explained the reevaluation process for the plans: both must be updated at least every year, however for IEPs, students have to physically meet with their teams each year. After three years, a domain meeting takes place with multiple school professionals to observe and collect data on that particular student with an IEP to see if they are still eligible and if changes are needed.

Some common accommodations for both a 504 and an IEP include extra time on tests, builtin breaks during class and access to copies of class notes. Having named just a few, there are nearly endless accommodations that can be implemented.

Just like accommodations available, Muldoon-Brown said there’s been a recent and observable rise in IEPs and 504s that have been fled for District 214 in the last fve years, and more specifcally for Prospect.

Muldoon-Brown documented in January of 2023 that there were 197 IEPs and 241 504 plans at Prospect. For January of 2024, there were 213 IEPs and 326 504 plans in use.

Adkins attributes this increase to the signifcant adjustments in school schedules that resulted from the pandemic. Additionally, she believes that some learning conditions are on the rise, which need to be paired up with either a 504 or IEP to aid in academic settings.

“Certain disabilities are kind of ticking up in numbers, so we’re seeing more people identifed with certain disabilities than we’ve seen in previous years, for a variety of reasons, so those people need a support system in school,” Adkins said.

In order to adjust to the increase in educational plans, Adkins said that Prospect has added instructional aides and special ed teachers to the department this year. She expects even more stafng in the special ed department for next year.

Muldoon-Brown stated that school stafs are becoming more fuid to the needs of students; she noted this year’s addition of an extra psychologist and social worker for each school’s Student Services Department in the district.

D214 Director of Student Services Dr. Jessica Herrmann described the change in narrative when it comes to student support.

“Schools across the country are fnding that we can also be places to help build social, emotional skills and prevent mental health crisis, whereas ten years ago [or] 15 years ago we were focusing a lot on a student that really needs support [in that moment], and now we are actually trying to be proactive and provide prevention efforts in place,” Herrmann said.

Kapuscinski feels the added support after receiving his plan — noting solid and consistent progress in his grades.

“There’s actually been noticeable differences since I had it … ” Kapuscinski said.

“Since the 504 plan, the extra time on tests and the ability to turn something in late gets me just enough of those points back [where] I am feeling drastically better about [my] grades.”

While it sometimes feels weird to use his Post-It Note accommodation to take a break, Kapuscinski has gotten over that feeling. In addition, he said that his teachers are supportive of him, especially his physics teacher, Mark Welter, since Kapuscinski uses his accommodations the most in that class.

For some teachers, it may be difcult to keep track of the ever-increasing number of accommodations. However, Adkins believes that the Prospect staf is well-equipped to efectively teach all their students, with or without a student plan. Given that 504 plans and IEPs are legal documents, teachers are obligated to follow the necessary accommodations. If they do not, students and families are equipped to take legal action. Nonetheless, Muldoon-Brown said most teachers are not intentionally refusing to comply with the accommodations, but rather they need more knowledge and help to uphold the accommodations

To prevent this, it is important to educate teachers on what a particular student’s accommodations may look like in the classroom. If further action is needed, a case manager may be sent out for observations during a specifc class, Muldoon-Brown explained.

Applauding their accountability, Muldoon-Brown has noticed over the years that more and more students are working towards garnering suitable plans to help themselves succeed.

“I am consistently [and] pleasantly surprised and proud of our students,” Muldoon-Brown said. “I feel like I continue to see an increase in students’ ability to advocate for their needs, [who] are not afraid of the stigma associated with mental health and disabilities, and so are able to communicate around those.”

*According to an article by Understood

Exploring interests in internships

Students try different careers to fnd perfect match

ALYSSA KOWOLS Executive Visuals Editor

As junior Lea Babjak was taking a drink from the water fountain, she looked up and noticed a poster advertising student internships for District 214 staring right at her.

She had never heard about the opportunities before, so Babjak decided to ask Student Success Coach Kristine Thompson about it, and together they determined that she would apply for a teaching internship.

“The longer I did it, the more I realized that teaching is for me,”Babjak said.

While Babjak was completing her internship, there were 23 others at Prospect getting experience just like her. That number has been getting bigger for the past few years because of new businesses sprouting up in the local area.

According to Thompson, internships are a great way to gain experience and see what a job is really like.

Requirements for a D214 internship include that a student has to be 16 by the start date and have taken one class in the corresponding career pathway. Usually, all students that apply for an internship get paired up with a company picked by a placement specialist; For Prospect, the placement specialist is Katherine Schmidt.

The placement process starts a week after the deadline and students are contacted for an interview to determine the type of internship they are looking for. About two months later, the students are notifed about whether or not they

got the internship. After this, an orientation takes place to learn about the requirements of the internship. Finally, about two and a half months after the internship deadline, students begin their workplace experience.

Over the years, Thompson has realized that the most popular internships are usually in the healthcare feld, whether it be frefghting, policing or being at the hospital.

The most popular time for an internship is over summer break because that’s when students are most available.

Internships can take up a lot of time and it can be hard to balance them, especially with extracurriculars. For Babjak, she got to do her internship during her frst block study hall; her internship was in the fall, from September to December. Luckily for Babjak, the timing often didn’t interfere with any of her after school activities like Academic Bowl, Peer Tutoring and judo.

According to Thompson, some people have to wait until the next opening to do their internship, or sometimes they have to pick between an internship or sports.

For some sports that are time consuming, it might be harder to do an internship. Thompson said that most of the time the scheduling conficts end up working out.

Internships are also extremely helpful for college, according to Thompson. They add career related experience to resumes and can leave the intern ahead of other applicants.

“They grow [during] their internship,” Thompson said. “[They] become more confdent and fnd out if they get a good feeling when in this career.”

When at an internship, it can give the intern inside information about the job and if they really want to pursue it. Additionally, it gives the intern memories that will last a lifetime.

For Babjak, her internship gave her a reality of teaching that she wouldn’t have known otherwise. Specifcally, Babjak was a teacher’s assistant to seventh graders at Lincoln Middle School in Laura Juliano’s classroom. When she was

there, she got some tips and tricks on lesson planning and grading.

Babjak interned almost every other day, so she got to see what a lot of the days looked like while teaching. At the beginning, Babjak questioned herself but ultimately realized that in her future she wanted to apply for secondary teaching.

“I’ve never really gotten hands-on experience, and I’ve never really been on the teaching side of things,” Babjak said. “So by going in and doing this internship, I could see that this wasn’t just a dream. It was something that I could actually be really good at.”

Another person that got experience was senior Julia Seta. She was also placed at Lincoln Middle School for her internship, as she wished to see frsthand how a teacher’s job is.

At the start of her internship, Babjak would only observe, but once the kids got used to her, she would start to engage with them. A regular day for Babjak started at 7:30, where she would help set up the classroom.

Through the time Babjak was there, she would observe and help kids who couldn’t fnish a problem or didn’t understand the material. Usually, when the kids started their homework for the day, Babjak would walk around with an answer key and check the students’ work.

For Seta, this internship was important because it taught her valuable teaching skills, efective information, and how to leave a positive impact on students.

By the end of the internship, Babjak and Seta were glad that they took the opportunity. Both of them got to learn many new skills they wouldn’t have known about before, as well as having a jump start on what type of work they enjoy doing.

“It was just a good feeling when I would get a kid who was struggling with a problem,” Babjak said. “The way I saw that click moment when they fnally fgured it out, and once I did a couple more problems with them, I could really see how they were improving and that was just something that I got to see … That impacted me a lot.”

Mental health not meant to be stressed over

Mental breaks act as lifesaver from school anxiety

ALEX

BONNETTE Copy Editor

Mental health days act as a way for stressed students to take a break from the obligations that school may require from students. As a way to combat mental health issues, the Illinois State Board of Education allows for students to take up to fve excused mental health days per year. Last year, now senior Linor Saquin-Saile used all fve of their days, as well as having 75 regularly excused absences due to mental health issues.

During their junior year, they faced depression, and because of their high grades, lost motivation in school. During this time, they saw it unnecessary to come to school and needlessly worsen their mental state by being in an environment that stressed them.

the gates for mental health accommodations. One of the products of this focus are mental health days. They were implemented in schools within all of Illinois, which ofcially started in January 2022.

During Saquin-Saile’s time away from school, they felt less pressure and stress while doing schoolwork. While away, they would do their work they would have otherwise missed, which Saquin-Saile said was much less stressful than being at school.

They admit that this would be much harder to do this year due to less lenient policies set in place to encourage attendance, like EveryKnight EveryDay. In fact, they haven’t used a single mental health day this school year so far.

“I was too depressed at school,” Saquin-Saile said. “I just didn’t want to go, so I took mental health days.”

During the coronavirus pandemic, mental health became a much more frequently brought up topic, especially within schools. There are many answers as to why schools have focused more on mental health, but according to social worker Andrea Salzman, it is because of the isolation and lack of structure that online classes ofered to students.

“Compared to how we have physical classes and a bell here [at school], that wasn’t happening [online],” Salzman said. “We also weren’t physically moving either, instead sitting in our chairs.”

Steps were made since then in order to open

The campaign, which started at the beginning of the school year, encourages students to have good attendance by giving out rewards like snacks, as well as rafing of six “premier” parking spaces for those with perfect attendance.

Saquin-Saile fears that this may keep students at school regardless of their mental state, sacrifcing mental health for potential rewards. They believe that this harms students who struggle under the anxiety and pressure that school may cause them.

“[EveryKnight EveryDay] doesn’t pertain to everyone,” Saquin-Saile said. “Because there are people who do better outside of school.”

That isn’t to say that there aren’t resources one can use to combat stress while still being at school. Salzman very commonly works with students sufering from anxiety and depression and helps with forming strategies in order to better control stress while in a learning environment. These may include things like class breaks, breathing exercises and schoolwork planning.

Salzman believes that it is important for students to be physically present, as the school’s environment is benefcial to learning. Being present in the school also means that communication with teachers is as easy as asking a question in class, as opposed to an email that may take several hours to get a response.

PHEW: Mental health days act as a way to rest from the stressful responsibilities that school demands. (cartoon by Alyssa Kowols)

Despite her belief in the importance of attendance, Salzman isn’t opposed to suggesting mental health days to students if she feels a break would help in improving their time at school.

“We tend to be the last person we take care of,” Salzman said. “Having [mental health days] is very meaningful and sheds light on how important it is to take care of yourself.”

However, it’s important to keep in mind that Salzman supports mental health days as a method to alleviate built up stress and anxiety that is accumulated at school. She suggests saving them until they’re needed, not to use them because a student doesn’t feel like going to school one day.

She recommends that during these days, school should only be a priority if the student feels comfortable working. Otherwise, Salzman says that they should focus on themselves, whether that be through hobbies or other methods of stress management.

According to Salzman, it’s all about how an individual chooses to go about their day while away from school. There is no wrong way to improve mental health.

“If you have a game plan, and if you have a list of what to do [outside of school], you can utilize [mental health days] perfectly,” Saquin-Saile said.

Scan here to learn about Prospect’s UKnight For Minds club

ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Senior CJ Dahlgren interned as a frefghter in the summer. During this, he was able to control the basket ontop a fretruck aerial ladder. (photo courtesy of CJ Dahlgren)

Learn to appreciate

Hook up culture becomes the norm

prepare them for this goal.”

For those who aren’t familiar with high school hook up culture, it is where teenagers meet someone of their preferred sex over Snapchat or Instagram and they start “talking.”

TESSA

*name changed for confdentiality

“Hooking up,” “Netfix and chill,” and “Friends with benefts.” Nearly all teenagers have heard these terms before, but what do they actually mean? According to a KnightMedia survey of 313 students, 57% defne hooking up as a range from making out to having sex. Is all romance lost in high school relationships now that they have migrated towards casual hookups?

Health teacher Michele Burnett shares how she feels about high school hook up culture.

“I hear more people talking about dating someone they have never met,” Burnett said. “They discuss people they met online, [and] they also talk about “hooking up” with people and not necessarily dating. This concerns me because what they are learning is to get something and move on. They are not learning what a relationship is. Most students want to get married in the future, and [hook up culture] does not

Students may have heard the term “talking” or “sliding into someone’s DMs” before, which is a way that high schoolers mainly communicate with each other. They usually meet each other, not in person, not through a friend, but through social media. Then, they meet up in person to “hook up.”

According to the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 40% of high school students have had intercourse before, and 29% of high school students are currently sexually active. Of the students who are currently sexually active, 19% drank alcohol or used drugs before their last sexual intercourse.

Sophomore Abigail Woods* shares her thoughts on this.

“A lot of people are drinking in high school, and I think that really afects whether they hookup with people or not because they don’t think clearly,” Woods said. “Being under the infuence is a big problem because people's mindsets change.”

Burnett thinks that, along with underage drinking, high school hookup culture in the media plays a big role in what teens do these days.

“I just think that there are more outside factors that are infuencing teens,” Burnett said. “Social media, TV shows, movies, etc. glamorize the “hooking up” lifestyle. They see that 24/7. Teens then think it is the ‘norm.’ Lessons need to break down the stigma of abstinence and hooking up. Both are a decision, but ultimately, understanding the risks is the most important.”

For example, in the HBO series “Euphoria," season two of the show focuses a lot on the characters Cassie and Nate's hookups and glamorizes that culture and promotes anti relationships.

Another example is in the show “Never Have I Ever,” in which the main character Devi never commits to a relationship and is always scrambling between which boy she should choose. In the end, when she’s made her decision, none of them even want her because they become aware of the fact that she has been stringing them along.

Woods, who has participated in high school hookup culture, sometimes fnds it hard to set boundaries before hooking up with someone.

“I think sometimes if you're texting before it happens, it's easier [to set boundaries],” Woods said. “But, I [do] think it's really hard to [set boundaries] in person and be able to say, ‘no, I don't want to do this.’”

According to Burnett, because the media glamorizes hook up culture, many teenagers think that it is easy to have conversations about it, but it becomes very difcult on the scene. In their sophomore year, students learn about boundaries, among other things, in their Human Sexuality unit in health class. Burnett covers sexuality and fnds it important to

have these conversations with her students.

“I have [to teach] this lesson each semester in health,” Burnett said. “We talk about the negative efects of any sexual relationship, [and] we focus on the mental, physical and social consequences of sex. Most students only think about the physical consequences, but all [of the] aspects of health can be afected.”

The only beneft that Woods can think of for hooking up is that it may help to get over a previous relationship, also known as “rebounds.”

Considering the pros and cons, she is aware of the negative efects of hookups and explains how they can mentally afect people.

“I feel like it just ends up with you getting attached,” Woods said. “I think if a girl hooks up with one person [for] one time, then it causes a lot of drama, or you can get called a whore, and I just think it never really leads to anything good.”

Contrary to this time, Burnett compares relationships from when she was in high school to the relationships she sees at Prospect now. She believes they are highly diferent considering less people date nowadays because of high school hook up culture. According to a study from YouGov.com, a global opinion and data company, the share of American teenagers who have gone on a date has decreased over the last 40 years.

“In the past, when I went to high school, I could easily tell who was dating,” Burnett said. “Couples would walk hand in hand in the hallways going to class, [and] they would often give a quick hug or kiss in the halls.”

According to an article from the National Library of Medicine, nowadays, most relationships are primarily online, and many high schoolers are just texting instead of living their relationship in-person.

Most importantly, Woods frmly believes that students should stray away from the physicality of a relationship and should instead look for bonding on a deeper level.

“I think a lot of people think that physical interactions [and] physical connections will lead to an emotional connection, but I think the reality is [that] an emotional connection can lead to physical connections,” Woods said. “It should always start out with an emotional connection if you want it to go somewhere because normally physical connections just end [with] at least one of the people just wanting physical connections and then nothing else.”

appreciate the heartaches

THE CROSSP ECTOR

ACROSS

1. The ancient Roman god of love

4. Red fowers

7. Two people who are married, engaged, or otherwise closely associated romantically or sexually

10. The day Valentines Day is celebrated on DOWN

2. To get down on one knee

3. When you are in a relationship with someone

5. When you have feelings for someone

6. Something you give someone

8. Something we celebrate on February 14th

9. Wrapping your arms around someone

Chronicles of a third wheel

Being single on Valentine’s Day sucks, but not as much as you think

It’s 1:35 am on a particularly lonely February night (or morning, I guess), and I’m rotting in my bed, emotionlessly scrolling through an endless number of Instagram couples going on super fun and unique dates and participating in super cute and funny trends.

I moved to TikTok.

After scrolling through 15 diferent variations of “Top fve things to do with your partner this Valentine’s Day!” and eight diferent “I surprised my girlfriend with THIS for Valentine’s Day!” I opened Snapchat to (hopefully) lighten my mood.

No dice.

In fact, it was even worse because the people doing the super cutesy couple stuf were the people I knew — the people I had shared a childhood with. We all grew up the same, yet I was the only one “alone.”

What was I doing wrong? Why couldn’t I just be like my friends?

about you and all that other mushy stuf is cool and all, but the constant pressure makes it easy for those without that person to doubt themself of their strengths.

If you’ve ever been single for any longer than you’d prefer, you know what it’s like to feel left out when the whole world is telling you that dating is absolutely necessary to feel happy. But from my, uh, well, I’ll just call it research with being single (my admittedly very extensive research), I’ve learned it’s even more important to love yourself.

XANDER ADKINS Executive Opinion Editor

After hours of indulging in self-deprecating internet posts, I fnally turned of my phone. The refection of the screen showed me my blank, sleep-deprived gaze: the face of an insecure and jealous teenager who was too tired to critically think about what would make him happy.

Then I fell asleep, and the next morning I purged that night from my memory because of how dumb it felt to worry about fnding a soulmate at the ripe old age of 14 (well, purged it until now).

Relationships are, like, THE thing. Whether you check social media, talk to friends or read your school’s newspaper, you’re bound to fnd endless coverage of the topic. Wanna take a break from all the noise by watching a movie or TV show? Too bad! There’s 100% a romance subplot somewhere in there to remind you of what you NEED to have (seriously, though, can you name a Disney movie without some romance-based subplot?).

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure having someone that loves you unconditionally, appreciates everything

I know, it sounds as cheesy as those super cutesy TikToks I was scrolling through that one night, but self love is a skill that will help you become a better partner anda better person, even if you’re single.

Psychology teacher Katherine Miles vouches for the importance of taking care of oneself.

”You can't really show other people love without making sure you love yourself frst,” Miles said. “My biggest priority on Valentine's Day will be myself … and making sure I feel loved. I want everybody to do that too.”

To frame that mindset, I have a motto: if you wouldn’t date yourself, then you need to view yourself in a better light (not counting anything intimacy-based … ew). Obviously you don’t want your ego to get too big, but if you’re a single person on Valentine’s Day I don’t think that’s an issue.

But let's say, hypothetically, you don’t love yourself. Maybe it's something about the way you look, an ugly part of your personality or some horrid combination of the two.

It’s okay, we’ve all been there (except for me, of course. Look a couple paragraphs up and you’ll clearly see that I’m the most handsome bachelor alive), but you’ve gotta be okay with working your butt of if you actually want to improve.

Yep, we’re diving into the self-improvement rabbit hole.

You know those totally jacked

OUT OF MY LEAGUE: Single students feel like they’re missing out when they see couples their age, especially around Valentine’s Day. (art by Nicole Antczak)

guys you see online that are all like

“I don’t need a girlfriend, I need to hit this PR!” or the guy in a hoodie you see in the back of the gym fghting demons on the treadmill? That’ll be you. Y’know, just your everyday David Goggins or Sam Sulek on the long, hard journey of self improvement.

Becoming the best version of yourself is the greatest thing you can do to make yourself happy (yes, believe it or not it actually feels better than hating on couples), but unfortunately, even with a hearty amount of self-fulfllment, being single on a holiday dedicated to the opposite can still suck.

Fortunately, Valentine’s Day can still be celebrated as a single person. Before you mention it, no, I’m not talking about having seemingly happy couples go through each others’ phones (why would you even think that, Mr. Strawman?).

Remember the whole “If you wouldn’t date yourself, then improve” thing I was just talking about? Well, if you would date yourself, then you deserve to treat yourself! For me, that includes heading over to the nearest Target or Walmart the day after Valentine’s Day and buying

all of the on-clearance candy.

Oddly enough, Miles has a very similar tradition.

“I love chocolate,” Miles said.

“There’ll be chocolate covered strawberries at Jewel, [and] Mariano’s; all the grocery stores have chocolate covered everything [around Valentine’s Day].”

If you’re single and somehow don’t get immense satisfaction from munching on heart-shaped candies or chocolate-covered fruits all day, getting together with other single friends is how some spend the holiday.

I know a party full of single people on Valentine’s Day sounds like the most depressing thing ever, but junior Alexis Muntean-Hapa shares her fun experiences with these gatherings in the past.

“[When I was single], I usually spent [Valentine’s Day] with my friends,” Muntean-Hapa said. “It would be like a little ‘Galentine’s Day.’ [Once], one of our friends had made cookies in the shapes of hearts, and she brought them over for us, and we just ate cookies and watched rom coms.”

As much as I can talk about selflove, platonic love and all that other

great stuf, I don’t want to pretend that being single on Valentine’s Day doesn’t kinda sting.

Like I said, being single on a day dedicated to having a partner can be tough, but I think, if anything, it’s a test to see whether or not you’re happy with yourself when you’re by yourself, if that makes any sense at all.

And, hey, if you’re not, then reread this story to hopefully muster some new-found motivation.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m of to stare in the mirror and boost my self-confdence until I become an egotistical jerk.

Because that's exactly what Miles meant when she stressed the importance of self-love, right?

“I think [the point of] Valentine’s Day is, above all, [to] love yourself and treat yourself and do the things that make you happy,” Miles said. “You can love other people as much as you want, but if you don’t love yourself the most, all that love for other people doesn’t really matter. So I think [whether] you’re single or not single, make sure you’re loving yourself on Valentine’s Day, and every day, but Valentine’s Day especially.”

ANSWERS IN ORDER: CUPID, PROPOSE, DATE, ROSE, CRUSH, GIFT, COUPLE, LOVE, HUG, FOURTEENTH

Incoming year of dragon; Inclusivity

Lunar New Year celebrations spark talks on representation

PETER RADOSH KnightTV Director

After watching the annual CCTV New Year’s Gala with her family, eating dumplings and receiving her red envelopes, a young Amy Xu found it hard to fall asleep as the midnight freworks went of outside her home in Tianjin, China. These freworks, traditionally meant to ward of evil, symbolized the end of winter, the start of the New Year and the beginning of spring.

“I remember it was really hard to fall asleep, because they’re so loud, and there were freworks all the time,” Xu said. “It was very exciting.”

Every year, the whole of China waits in eager anticipation for the Spring Festival, or more com monly known as the Lunar New Year; this year, Lunar New Year will take place on February 10. It’s commonplace for people to start getting ready for the Lunar New Year a month in advance in early January, according to Xu. People put up decorations and everyone starts to feel the anticipation and holiday spirit.

lanterns, as far as the eye could see. The windows of each house lining the block were covered with intricate paper cuttings and door frames were adorned with the lines of poems.

Atop of each door was the character 福 (pronounced fu), meaning good luck. This character is usually put upside down so its luck would pour out on those who passed through.

On the eve of the Lunar New Year, Xu would get together with her family. Like many other families on this night, they enjoyed a large meal consisting of various traditional dishes where like many other cities in Northeastern China, dumplings were a must-have at the table.

Her family would also partake in a tradition loved by all Chinese children and children in the Chinese diaspora: the giving of red envelopes.

During the Lunar New Year, elders in the family will traditionally give children red envelopes with money inside. In Xu’s family, the children would have to say New Year’s wishes to the elders before collecting their reward.

“It’s a lot of money to be honest, because all the elders would give you [red envelopes], then you have this little pile of cash laying around and your mom would eventually take it from you and ‘save it for college,’” Xu said.

On the day of the Lunar New Year, Xu and her parents would visit her grandparents, where she would eat more food and receive more red envelopes.

But aside from those common practices, every province in China has their own way of celebrating. In Tianjin, the city where now-junior Xu grew up, the streets would be decked out with decorations, such as red

In China, Lunar New Year is a time of collective celebration where one can enjoy the company of their family and community. However, when she moved to the United States at the end of sixth grade, Xu realized the stark diference between Lunar New Year in America and the Lunar New Year in China, given that the holiday is not widely celebrated in the United States.

“[Lunar New Year] is one of the times that I miss China the most,” Xu said. “In China when you celebrate it, there’s a shared feeling and your joy and excitement get amplifed … whereas now, there are some of my friends that don’t even know what Lunar New Year is.” Xu believes that the change in commu nity has made the dynamic around Lunar New Year diferent.

“It’s become something that we celebrate within the family versus something that I can share with my friends and the people around me,” Xu said. “I think the excitement has turned kind of sad, because that’s when you miss your hometown the most.”

you need to go through,” Xu said. “A lot of it is not your choice … a lot of times it’s survival.”

The cultural assimilation in America isn’t only felt by those who are immigrants. Many children of immigrants cite feeling the need to ft in as a reason why they feel like they are losing touch with their culture. Asian Stu dent Association Treasurer and senior Mia Lardizabal explains how having to ft in has afected her view on her Filipino roots.

“Sometimes I feel [there is a] loss of my culture because of being whitewashed or being surrounded by American culture,” Lardizabal said.

Many immigrants and their children fear this loss of their culture due to having to conform to the greater American culture, whether that be through language, food, clothes or holidays.

For many people, their language is the frst thing to disappear because it’s the hardest thing to keep in an English speaking community. Spanish teacher and Asian Student Association adviser Cindy Pak has observed this change in her own family.

“My frst daughter speaks, reads and writes Korean, my two younger ones do not, and it’s because we didn’t intentionally teach them, so they’re not going to speak Korean to their kids,” Pak said. “It’s sad, but it’s just what happens with immigrants.”

The loss of language for immigrants is just one of the many efects caused by a lack of representation and understanding from the majority culture around them. Associate Principal for Instruction Joyce Kim recalls her struggles with representation in high school; Kim went to a high school with very few Asians and a lack of representation of Korean culture in her community.

For example, books centering on Asian-Americans weren’t in the curriculum at her high school. The absence of conversation about the Asian-American experience meant that if Kim felt judgment for her culture or traditions, she felt like she had to defend herself. The lack of representation didn’t just afect Kim on a day to day basis though. Not seeing people who looked like herself in books or the wider media led Kim to underestimate her opportunities.

Xu felt that in America, she couldn’t be the same person she was when she was living in China. She sees this in her sister, just a little bit younger than her, who is struggling with balancing English and Chinese.

“I certainly didn’t think I could become a teacher, I certainly didn’t think I could become an English teacher, which I ended up doing,” Kim said. “Still now in my career, I don’t see a lot of Asian female administrators, and I think it’s because there was no representation. So if I don’t see it, I don’t think I can do it because it’s not even a possibility that enters my mind.”

struggles of a Chinese immigrant living in the US. Similarly, Kim explains how characters such as Marvel character Shang-Chi have helped break the stereotype of Asians being either nerds or martial arts masters.

“Shang-Chi is an Avenger, he’s funny, he’s smart, he’s handsome, he knows how to talk to women, he knows how to talk to ene mies, he knows how to speak up for himself,” Kim said. “That’s powerful. To have fgurines, dolls and toys that look like you, that’s something that we didn’t have. It reinforces a message that you can be anything you want to be and you’re not limited to these two buckets.”

Pak has also noticed a change in Asian representation and the reception of Asian culture in District 214 (D214). 30 years ago when Pak started teaching in D214, diversity was scarce.

“I started teaching at Elk Grove and I was the only Asian teacher in the whole district,” Pak said. “I think at Prospect, we’ve had more and more diversity … over the years … We’re on the right track to doing things to make people more open and aware.”

Pak’s observation of the change in representation and reception towards Asian culture is important especially because Prospect has been making attempts to become more inclusive.

These attempts are characterized by the many cultural clubs which were started in the past few years, such as Latinos Unidos, Ebony Club, Eastern European Club, Jewish Students Of Prospect and Asian Student Association. Another key part in the attempt to become more inclusive is the Annual EveryKnight Multicultural Fair. When it comes to Lunar New Year specifcally, on February 2, the district held a Lunar New Year celebration at Elk Grove.

Although these eforts for representation and inclusion are steps in the right direction, according to Kim,

when it comes to holidays, many minority students still think

“[Prospect doesn’t] do much to really educate or teach people about [other cultures’ holidays],” Lardizabal said. “They do little things, like they let people know that a holiday is coming up, but then there’s not really much to tell people what it means or what it signifes to people from that group.”

Lardizabal suggests that a possible future solution to this could be including messages about the meaning of incoming holidays in the morning announcements. Another, more current solution for students, is through joining clubs of cultures that they are interested in.

For those interested in Asian cultures, the Asian Student Association (ASA) meets every other Wednesday from 3-4 p.m.. ASA is dedicated to uniting students from all backgrounds who are interested in learning about Asian cultures. Their hope is to reach a larger audience than just the Asian population at the school and teach people about holidays, food and other traditions.

When it comes to a broader scope of inclusivity, Kim encourages people to be respectful of other cultures, but curious to learn more about the world around them.

“Just be open, curious and don’t be judgemental,” Kim said. “So even if you talk to a friend and they talk about a food that they eat, don’t say ‘eww’ or, ‘Oh my gosh that’s so gross how can you eat that’ … That’s being completely closed of to something new and diferent. If you’re going to be closed about food, you’re going to be closed about me. Just genuinely be open and curious.”

Illustrations by Siena Mirandola and Alyssa Kowols

“There is a certain process of assimilation that

But now, years after her time in high school, things have started to change. Asians are now getting more representation in the media, with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” being a great example about the

Check out what happened at the D214 Lunar New Year Celebration on February 2.

10 things I hate about rom-coms

Over time, movie genres usually evolve. Thriller movies become more thrilling, horror movies become scarier, and comedy movies become funnier (hopefully). But they change for a reason: because audiences want them to.

This is assuming that movie producers listen to their viewers and want their flm to be successful, which, let’s be honest, doesn’t happen as much as it should. Specifcally, the horrible sequels for movies that NOBODY asked for (yes, I’m talking about YOU, “Pitch Perfect 3!”)

However, there’s one movie genre that hasn’t really evolved: rom-coms… or so I thought. Now, I’m sure that in this past year, plenty of mediocre, random rom-coms have come to my local AMC Theater.

ways go back to the genre because most of these flms are feel-good movies that never fail to give me some sense of comfort.

Recently, I have had quite a few of these movie nights, and I’ve noticed something about all of my lovely rom-coms: they’re all the same. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE these movies, but I’ve also realized that some of the fan-favorite romcoms are over 20 years old.

Fortunately, I have a life and don’t spend all my free time in the disgusting, popcorn-flled movie theater chairs watching said mediocre flms.

But every now and then, I fnd myself without plans on a Friday night with nothing better to do than cuddle up in a blanket and eat my entire pantry while watching a movie.

If you think I just choose any random movie when I’m bored, then oh, you’re dead wrong. Every time, without fail, I watch a rom-com. I al-

Every rom-com follows the same format: characters meet, they part ways for some reason, and then always, almost without fail, the two characters realize their undying love for one another and reunite.

I think the best semi-recent rom com that doesn’t follow this typical format would be “La La Land” (2016). I could talk about this movie for an embarrassingly long amount of time, but for your sake, I’ll stay on topic.

Anyway, this format is obviously successful; I mean, I keep going back and watching these movies. But it is far from perfect. One of the main things that bother me is the fact that the main female character always seems so “Clueless” and that her entire life is centered around some random guy.

Media Analysis teacher Cambria Myers describes how this pattern is conveyed in the movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” (2003).

“Usually the entire story, [the main female character’s] whole identity is centered on either the absence of a relationship or the desire for a relationship or something like that,” Myers said.

Until I saw “Anyone but You” (2023), I thought this stereotype was true for all main female characters. While it’s obvious that in order for a rom-com to be a rom-com, the main focus has to be a relationship, ‘Anyone but You’ showed how the main female character, Bea, didn’t really need a partner. I think this is honestly why the movie is as popular as it is. Most people want a main character as someone they can admire and maybe even look up to. Personally, I don’t really see myself wanting to be like Bianca Stratford in “10 Things I Hate About You” (1999) simply because I have interests other than wanting some

In “Anyone but You,” Bea might have ended up with a boyfriend (as all main characters do in rom-coms), but she had diferent goals.

Even though she dropped out, she was in law school for a while and didn’t quit just because of a man, but equally because she didn’t like it. It’s also law school, which clearly isn’t an easy process, especially if Bea wasn’t passionate about it.

Another reason why I love this movie so much is because of how relevant it is. I mean, duh, I know it was made in 2023, but myself and many other rom-com fans are used to the only good rom-coms being made over 20 years ago. This newer movie made me realize how much better a flm is once it’s somewhat relatable and applicable to life now. Junior and fellow

rom-com lover Erin Coleman saw “Anyone but You” over four times in theaters (the movie was released on December 22, 2023). I talked with Coleman on January 22, 2023. If you’re bad at math like I am, that means Coleman saw the movie over four times in 23 days. Maybe, just maybe, she might have liked the movie a little bit.

Coleman also appreciated the new, relatable lens this movie exposed viewers to. “I feel like the audience, the people who went to see it, can take away so much from it, and it’s kind of relative in everybody’s lives,” Coleman said.

nism has evolved, movies should match this development.

“I think in order for them to be successful in an era where girls like you are still wanting to see romance and still wanting to see some sort of love story, there’s a place for them,” Myers said. “But if they continue to roll out the same tropes, I don’t think that they will be popular in the way that they used to be because [of how] cultural values have shifted.”

I think this romcom has the potential to become as popular as its competitors. Yeah, I’m talking about “10 Things I Hate About You” and “When Harry Met Sally” (1989) potential. It was that good.

Now, I love “When Harry Met Sally.” I mean, who doesn’t? Like many of its fellow ’90s romcoms, the movie is starting to become outdated. My love for this movie will never spoil, but at some point, people will want to see something more relatable.

After all, these movies are meant to be re latable. There’s a reason why not many people are picking up classic literature in libraries. Are books like “Lord of the Flies” still heavily appreciated and read in Prospect’s fresh man-year English classes? Sure. Do people fnd the book to be in touch with mod ern-day trends and relevant? I would be concerned if you did.

It’s the same thing with rom coms. There’s a reason why movies need to change: people are going to start getting bored of the same old story.

With Bianca Stratford in movies like “10 Things I Hate About You,” stereotypes such as the “dumb blonde” are outdated as well. Women empowerment is at a high right now, and some people might not tolerate how women could have been treated in the ’90s.

Coleman thinks this even contributes to the plot of some older rom-coms.

“Rom-coms in the past [were] male driven, even though it was mostly seen by women audiences,” Coleman said. “It was kind of more focused on what the men do and what the men can do.”

I can tell you right now that the last thing I want to watch is a story about some egotistical man who thinks he’s always right; I have PLENTY of that in my life as is.

What I would like more of in my life, however, are more rom-coms like “Anyone But You.” It’s apparent to me that at the end of the day, rom com-enjoyers just want a movie they can relate to, not a movie that sets unrealistic standards about relationships.

I can agree with Myers that in a day and age where things like femi

Penovich’s mindset: pins, wins

Sophomore looks to bounce back after ‘falling short’ at state

NICK EYLES Exec. Sports Editor

Six wrestling mats set the stage for last year’s IHSA boys individual state championship, hosted at State Farm Center in Champaign. As the only freshman in his weight class (195 pounds) to compete in the tournament, Jaxon Penovich felt ready for his opportunity on the big stage. His record of 41-5 showed his dominance throughout his frst regular season as a high school wrestler, and he had the confdence to beat anyone in the state.

“That was my expectation; my goal was to win it,” Penovich said. “I had plenty of horsepower and everything, and I knew I was right there with those guys. All those guys were beatable. It felt great though. I think [in the] next three years, I’m going to get what’s mine.”

For many student athletes, going to state to compete is a goal, but for Penovich, it’s an expectation. Once the three-day championship had fnished, he placed ffth in his weight class. While his placement is still an incredible achievement at such a young age, he wasn’t satisfed with the closure to his season.

“It’s not how you start, it’s how you fnish, I think that’s the perfect way to say it,” Penovich said. “[I] came in [and had] a great freshman year; I started phenomenally, and at state, I think I fell short.”

This year, Penovich sits with a total record of 36-3 with 19 pins and 14 technical falls (see “Wrestling Glossary”).

One of Penovich’s most notable achievements this season included placing frst in the 63rd Mudge-McMorrow Invitational hosted at Prospect on Dec. 9. According to www.trackwrestling.com, Prospect placed third overall as a team with 212 total match points. Penovich recorded two pins out of the team’s 14 total.

One of Penovich’s most memorable tournaments of the season was the 37-team Cheesehead Invitational held at Kaukauna High School in Wisconsin. Despite placing fourth in his weight class, Pe novich said he and his team gained much needed experience and chemistry for the rest of the season.

“It’s a great tournament, [and] our new coaches loved it,” Penovich said. “I think it was just a great [experience] overall for the team.” Senior Gi orgio Difalco has known Pe novich since he was in seventh grade. They frst met each other as members of the Arlington Wrestling Club based in Arlington Heights. Founded in 1980, the club is a part of the Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation and is run by volunteer coaches and parents.

regional champions.

At the start of his freshman year, Penovich started to train with several coaches at Relentless Fitness, about an hour drive from his house. He goes there four times a week to get physically and mentally stronger. He credits his trainers and teammates for his substantial growth throughout his high school journey so far.

“They’re working out with me, making sure immensely [that] I am strong, making sure my mindset’s amazing before a big tournament or big match, making sure I feel good and all of that,” Penovich said. “I think my coaches have been doing that really well.”

Before a matchup, Penovich is reserved and stays ready for the moment he meets his opponent on the mat. He is unfazed no matter what age or size his competitor is.

“I don’t really try to put my mind to be like ‘alright this guy does this,’ I just want to wrestle my match,” Penovich said. “I don’t let what he does afect my style. I just go in there with [the mindset of] he has to defend what I do. I can’t think about what he does … I am not going to let that afect how I wrestle in a match. I’m just going to go out there and dominate.”

From Difalco’s perspective, Penovich’s mindset is what makes him a special teammate and a worthy opponent to wrestle.

“I think his greatest asset is his confdence; that’s a key part in wrestling,” Difalco said. “Jaxon is never scared to go into a match … and that’s a big thing. He is always focused, and knows what he needs to do to get the points that the team needs, and he’s pretty energetic.”

With Penovich’s competitive mindset and the team’s overall drive for success, he and head wrestling coach Ashton Brown believe the future is bright for the program and that the entire team can qualify for state together.

“We have seven sophomores right now [who] are starters for us, so we look forward to Jaxon being a leader and helping [himself] and the other sophomores grow,” Brown said. “To continue getting better as a team this year and next year, and the year beyond.”

Penovich knows he has plenty of responsibility on his shoulders as far as leadership goes. He believes that the team needs to have a stronger mentality during matches against rival schools, like Hersey (who has won the MSL East three consecutive times), in order to reach their full potential.

Despite Penovich being injured after his frst match at the Cheesehead Invitational, Difalco was impressed with his performance against some of the best high school wrestlers in the country.

“He had a really good run,” Difalco said. “He faced a lot of top nationally-ranked kids, and he showed that his technique is really good because some kids were a lot older and more physically mature, and he was able to still edge them over … so that was pretty exciting.”

Penovich fnished frst in his class in the MSL Conference Tournament hosted at Elk Grove High School on Jan. 20 and 21. Prospect put up the second most total match points (354), only behind Barrington with 364. They also avenged fve losses handed by other schools earlier in the year.

Prospect’s second place fnish at conference helped them advance to the regional tournament as a team, hosted at Glenbrook South High School on Feb. 3. By the end of the fnals, Penovich placed frst in the 190-pound weight class, advancing to sectionals. As a team overall, Prospect won eight of nine matches in the fnals, crowning them as

DOMINATE: Sophomore Jaxon Penovich and head wrestling coach Ashton Brown work on wrestling techniques during practice in preparation for regionals. (photo by Priyanka Shah)

“I put so much hard work and dedication into the sport that I love, and I just feel like no matter what, D3, D2, D1, I just want to go to college and keep pursuing my dreams,” Penovich said.

Penovich has his sights set on what he wants to accomplish throughout his high school career. He has always known that he has the ability to win, and he cannot wait to take advantage of every opportunity given to him on the mat.

“I want to become a three-time state champion for Prospect,” Penovich said. “Keep working hard, training hard, and I’m right there. There’s not going to be too many people in Illinois that’s going to stop me, and I think it’s a perfect goal.”

“I wouldn’t let that get to my head. Especially for me, it’s just like, ‘Alright, this kid’s high-level? I want him. I want this match,’” Penovich said. “I am not going to say, ‘Nah, I don’t want to wrestle, and don’t put me in.’ You want those matchups, and I feel like if our kids get the mindset of that, I think our team could be really special.”

Brown’s goal for his program is to be more “dominant” during meets, and he said Penovich’s mindset is the perfect example.

“He’s got a great personality, and it’s fun because he is constantly looking for ways to score,” Brown said.

“He’s a great leader in that sense to where kids can see he’s always trying to score points, and that’s something we talk a lot about as a program.”

Penovich is undefeated against wrestlers from Illinois, only giving up one takedown to an opponent in the state. Brown knows Penovich wants to go up against the best, which is what sets him apart from most high school wrestlers.

“[What makes him so talented is] his commitment and his drive to be great,” Brown said. “He wrestles year-round, [and] he seeks out competition. It’s one thing to go practice your sport, but he really wants to compete.”

Penovich feels confdent in his craft, and he aims to control his match through his game. His ambitions go beyond the state level as he continues to wrestle other athletes throughout the country.

“Right now, in the state of Illinois, I think I kind of got everyone’s number, and I think I have been doing a good job of that, but nationally [is] the level I want to be on,” Penovich said.

After high school, Penovich aspires to wrestle in college. Although he is uncertain if he wants to go further after college, he wants to enjoy every moment of the high school season with his teammates.

Managing to make memories

EMILY TOROK

Executive Sports Editor

Anxious and intimidated as the clock ticked closer to the time she would step foot on the mat for her foor routine, junior Cameron Lobacz was comforted by her teammates’ words of encouragement as she walked out for her performance.

Cameron, who is a part of the URise Program and struggles with low vision, joined the team at the beginning of the season this year in November after reaching out to Prospect’s badminton coach Lindsay Gibbel, who previously helped Cameron become the team manager for the girls’ badminton team this past school year.

Working with Gibbel, Cameron became the manager of the girls’ gymnastics team after reaching out to one of the girls’ gymnastics coaches, Monica Donner. When the girls’ gymnastics informational meeting rolled around, Cameron told her mom, Andrea Lobacz, she was going to the meeting as the new manager. Upon hearing the news, Andrea was so proud of Cameron for fnding a way to become the next new team manager.

Right of the bat, the girls’ noticed that Cameron made a positive impact on the team. One of the gymnasts’, senior Meghan Smith, thinks that Cameron helped unite the program as a whole.

“I think she really just brought all the teams together,” Smith said. “Usually, I feel like varsity, JV and freshmen are kind of separated, but she brought us all together by making a group chat for the whole program to communicate throughout the season.”

Not only does Cameron attend each practice, support the team at nearly every meet and help organize team activities, but she also has been able to make her debut during two of the team’s meets for her very own foor routine.

The other manager, senior Avery Wagner, was in charge of teaching Cameron her routine during gymnastics practices, and she was super happy to create a foor routine with Cameron.

“It was really easy to teach her,” Wagner said. “She picked it up really fast, and she learned it really well … She was able to add in things she wanted to and took out the stuf she didn’t [want to do]. It was just really fun teaching it to her.”

Cameron performed her routine at the team’s meets against both Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg on Dec. 14 and against Bufalo Grove and

Conant on Jan. 17.

Although Cameron was excited to perform, she was nervous having never competed before. Nonetheless, the team supported Cameron before, during and after she completed her foor routine.

“They reassured me that it was going to be fun and everyone cheered me on,” Cameron said.

Cameron’s foor routine performance is something Wagner can speak highly about to this day.

“Honestly, I was so proud of her just because she spent so much time practicing it, and she was a little bit nervous beforehand to do it and show everyone it,” Wagner said. “So I was really proud that she did it, and she did really well.”

Happy to see Cameron getting an opportunity, the team stood around the foor as she did her routine to help support her and calm her nerves

during the performance.

“I was just so happy she got to do it because she likes being with us at practice, but I think she also wants to do gymnastics herself,” Smith said. “So I know doing that routine made her happy, and it was so great to see the team encouraging her to do it before and as she performed.”

Not only was the team cheering her on, but Cameron’s family was also there to support her. Even the opposing teams encouraged her throughout the routine.

Andrea explained how powerful it was to see her daughter perform at the two meets with everyone in the gym supporting her.

“When it was time, one of the girls was holding her hand and brought her to the corner,” Andrea said. “They started cheering for her and just pushing her to do it until she got out there

Lineup change lifts team spirits

ZOE BROWN

KTV Sports Director

The boys' basketball team started of their season 4-0 in the St. Viator Thanksgiving tournament and won the championship game. To make it to the fnal game, the team defeated St. Viator during their second game of the season 62-53, on Nov. 23. During that big game, junior guard Ryan Lifton did not even see the court. However, on a team with a strong senior presence and players with a lot of varsity experience, Lifton knew that he would have to prove himself if he wanted to get time in the big games.

“At frst I was pretty disappointed,” Lifton said. “I wanted to play in that Viator game pretty bad, and it’s just unfortunate how I was able to play because Ben got injured, and obviously you don’t want to see people getting injured, but because of that I just had to take on a bigger role and step up.”

Point guard and junior Ben Schneider sufered a season-ending knee injury during the second game of the season. This loss changed the entire dynamic of the team.

Junior steps into new role, adds to depth HE CAN HANDLE THE PRESSURE

“What ended up happening was Jerry Drucker and Ryan Lifton, our two guards of the bench, shifted,” assistant coach John Camardella said. “All of a sudden, Drucker moved into the starting spot and Lifton moved into the top guy of the bench, and then he started a few games as well.”

All of these big changes to the lineup meant that players like Lifton would have to

… [Then] they all hugged her at the end. It was amazing.”

However, Andrea was not the only person in the room who was moved by Cameron’s performance.

“I was standing next to another mom, and I was recording it,” Andrea said. “I turned around and the other mom was crying and she said ‘How are you not crying?’ and I said ‘I don’t know. I think I am just in the moment.’"

According to Cameron’s mom, this performance was a big step in Cameron’s growth in independence and confdence since the frst day she came through Prospect’s doors.

“I was so proud that she got out there and did it,” Andrea said. “She came home from school that day glowing.”

Not only is this team special to Cameron and her family, but they are also grateful for the amazing community Cameron has been able to grow up in at Prospect. Andrea was not shy about expressing her appreciation.

“Since freshman year, I cannot believe how confdent she has become since going to Prospect,” Andrea said. “Everybody at Prospect, every student she encounters, every teacher, they are just so supportive of her and caring and encouraging, and I think it just increased her confdence more and more.”

Her URise teacher, Kathleen Raferty, has been Cameron’s teacher for the last three years and sees the same progress that Andrea does. Every year, Raferty notices Cameron becoming more assertive and self assured within herself.

“Her confdence has tremendously improved, and I feel like she is very confdent in who she is,” Raferty said. “It shows when she shows up at school and her classes. She is way more social and wants to be involved and loves coming to Prospect every day. Her best parts of Prospect are seeing the people she has made connections with … from the gymnastics team, the badminton team, Best Buddies, PE classes and things like that.”

Cameron has loved being one of the team managers for the Prospect girls’ gymnastics program, and her and her family hope Cameron can continue being manager and competing as part of the team in the future.

“I love it [for her],” Andrea said. “She is just so happy. She loves spending time with the girls, and the girls are so supportive of Cam, and the coaches are so supportive. It just makes her feel like she’s a part of something.”

step into bigger roles if they wanted to accomplish their goals for the season. This season, Lifton is averaging 6 points per game, and he has had some pretty big games which helped to team tie with Rolling Meadows for the MSL East title.

“Where Ryan has just been instrumental in this success we have had so far is that he doesn’t take bad shots, and he understands his role on the team,” Camardella said. “If you look at the seniors who are playing around him on the court, they know how big of a help he is.”

Being one of the frst of the bench in games, Lifton must bring energy of the bench to help the team keep up the momentum and continue to execute on the court.

“Hitting the frst shot is pretty big for me because that usually gets me going and my teammates going too,” Lifton said. “It helps the ofense fow too, knowing if I am on, and they are looking for me it gets us going. And it also allows me to fnd other teammates if people are focused on me.”

which went into double overtime and ended with a score of 75-71. They were down by fve points in the fourth quarter with 35 seconds to go, and Lifton hit a three to get the team within three points of Hersey. Then, fve seconds later, Lifton got a steal and passed the ball to Jerry Drucker, who made a layup and got fouled, which put the Knights up by one. He went on to hit another three in double overtime to tie the game again with three minutes left.

“[The Hersey game] was the craziest ending of any game I have ever been a part of,” Camardella said. “We were down six and committed an intentional foul with less than a minute to go and came back and won.

Lifton showed that he is capable enough to hit big shots in the team’s win against Hersey on Monday, Jan. 22,

- Drew Terpins, senior

That never has happened. But the way we did it was Lifon comes in and bangs in a three and then hits another three in overtime.”

Lifton’s ability to make big shots in games comes from the way his teammates push him in practice. Lifton’s teammate, senior Drew Terpins, played a big role at practice to make him a better player.

“Drew pushed me the most,” Lifton said. “From the beginning of the season when I was not playing much, and we would do scrimmages, he would always be guarding me and telling me ‘This is how you are going to get better.’”

Terpins, who is a captain on the team and the leading scorer, believes that Lifton’s role on the team has evolved from the beginning of the season.

“At the beginning of the season, his role was kind of just to get in and hit a couple of shots and then go out,” Terpins said. “But now he can handle the pressure, he can handle the ball, he

can make passes. He’s a three dimensional player now.”

One important aspect that Lifton brings to the court is his ability to understand the game. With the way the team plays, every possession is crucial if they want to pull out a win at the end, and the team as a whole must be taking good shots.

“Ryan, who is really the only junior who is getting minutes, is always ready to go, and his body language is always the same,” Camardella said. “That’s a high level of basketball IQ, where if you take a shot in the frst possession

of a game, or in overtime with the division title on the line, you’re able to keep your composure, and that’s what Ryan does.”

Next year, with the boys’ team losing all fve senior starters, Lifton’s role and leadership on the team will change even more.

“Next year him and Ben just need to be able to handle the pressure and keep making shots,” Terpins said. “I think if he really works he could be the MSL East player of the year, and I think he defnitely will be one of the best players in the conference.”

SUPPORT: Junior Cameron Lobacz encourages her teammates to continue their hardwork while socializing. (photo by Emily Torok)

SUCCESSFUL SHOTS: Junior guard Ryan Lifton sinks a three-pointer against a player from John Hersey high school on Feb. 2. (photo by Priyanka Shah)

Relive the moments and emotions of Prospect cheer qualifying for state at Rolling Meadows on January 27.

Weight class sports exhibit growth

MOLLIE KEARNS Editor-in-Chief

As she woke up for school early each morning, junior Viola Pianetto would grab a pen and a neon colored Post-It note. On the sticky note, she would jot down one thing she was grateful for that day or words of encouragement. This ranged from messages such as “I can do it,” “I am grateful for my friends and family” to Bible verses that resonated with her, as well as specifc goals that had been circulating in her mind: to qualify for the IHSA wrestling sectionals and to make it to state.

She then stuck the small piece of paper to a wall in her bedroom, which was flled with many more similar notes like this that had been collecting since the start of her season.

This practice of refecting and showing grati tude, Pianetto believes, has allowed her to become increasingly proud of what her body is able to ac complish and how it is able to perform through out the wres tling season. Given that wrestling is a weight class sport, where ath letes have to meet a certain body weight to compete, Pianetto said that thanking her body at the weight it is at creates a much more positive mind set instead of hating it only for a number on the scale.

Bassler and Pianetto see the common misconceptions people have around the sport of wrestling, most notably being the image of athletes running around in vinyl suits, sitting in a sauna to lose weight or skipping multiple meals a day.

“A lot of misconceptions that people have around weight cutting is like you just starve yourself, and it's completely the opposite,” Pianetto said. “You want to make sure that you're putting the best food into your body and at the same time staying in a slight defcit ... It would mainly just be fueling yourself around your workouts and fueling yourself for recovery.”

While some may see weight class sports as toxic due to the fact that so much of the sport relies on the number on a scale, Bassler notes that weight classes are necessary for fair and safe competition.

“The weight classes help make it an even play-

ONE-THIRD

Of high school wrestlers have reported engaging in weight cutting practices more than 10 times per season*

*according to nfhs.org

“[That allows you to] start being less mean to your body because your body is a vessel that allows you to do the things that you love,” Pia netto said. “If you're constantly being rude to it, and if you're constantly criticizing yourself, then it makes everything less fun. It makes the things that you love less fun.”

While there has been a negative connotation around weight class sports for years, according to Pianetto and girls’ wrestling coach John Bassler, there has been a positive movement in recent years to practice healthier ways of maintaining body weight for athletics. Although practices for cutting weight have become safer, there are still elements of weight class sports that can negative ly afect body image in young athletes.

“I think wrestling always has this kind of stigma to it,” Bassler said. “Wrestling has actually made a lot of changes over

Uvakova started training and competing in powerlifting. When she began to train, Uvakova had to gain weight and build muscle to continue progressing. While she had gained strength in bench, squat and deadlift, she had to cut weight prior to her competition to ft into the weight class she was set to compete in; one way to ensure she made weight was by limiting her liq-

“I was so dehydrated,” Uvakova said. “I completely bombed on a bench because I was so dehydrated. I drank a whole [bottle] of Pedialyte [to lose weight], but it didn't do anything. I remember I was tired, and I messed up my bench [as a result]. I was really mad about that.”

Judo is another sport that utilizes weight classes for competition. Junior Lea Babjak started the sport when she was around three; her dad used to compete when he lived in Europe, and once he started coaching, she became in-

Babjak describes that in the weeks leading up to

muscle, it also made Uvakova more aware of the way weight training

While Pianetto appreciates how the sport of wrestling has evolved to incorporate healthier ways of staying in a certain weight class, she still

most common weight class sports: Wrestling Powerlifting Weightlifting Rowing Judo Boxing

ing good nutritional habits in place makes it easier for the athlete to lose weight at a steady pace throughout the season, according to Brown and Bassler.

“With any sport, food is fuel, and wrestling has in the past had a very bad relationship with it. Instead of getting an extra workout to lose a little bit of weight, people will just skip a meal or something like that,” Brown said. “And then, they'll be weaker, or they'll be fatigued because of it. And then, weakness and fatigue leads to more injuries.”

Brown attributes his knowledge of nutrition to his mom. When he wrestled in high school, he was thankful that his mom was understanding of the sport and made sure to buy healthier food options, such as those with more protein, while Brown was in-season. However, he understands that not all kids have access to this kind of diet, so he makes sure to send even the smallest of helpful nutrition tips their way.

“This year, I sent the kids a dietitian/nutritionist on Instagram, and the kids were reading some of the stuf and then I actually heard them talking about following some of her tips when they're in a weight class sport," Brown said. "It’s nice to see as an educator; you want to fnd professionals, and maybe that's not me, but then this person is an expert in that feld who can help the kids be successful.”

Bassler tries to use more positive language around his athletes when it comes to body weight. When it comes to the word “cut,” he reminds them that they are not cutting weight; instead, they are maintaining.

Pianetto said that being open about nutrition and weight has helped to create a positive atmosphere on the team.

“We just keep each other accountable by talking to each other like, ‘Hey, are you over or are you under?’” Pianetto said. “We just talk to each other; communication [within the team] is

selves before and after every practice to see how much weight they lose during training but also to

“[Body image] is huge because you're put onto a mat in a singlet that's skin tight,” Pianetto said. “It's scary because you're stepping out here and everybody knows your weight … It might not be universal, but I'm very self Babjak said that one of the struggles of being in a weight class sport in high school is how it can be hard for her peers to understand the mental toll it can

“I feel like a lot of times, people joke about it, or they just kind of see it as part of the sport,” Babjak said. “But I just don't think that there's enough awareness about how damaging it is to all the athletes. I'm on social media, and I'll see a lot of TikToks that talk about weight cutting or making jokes about weight. And it'll be like a joke like, ‘Oh, I'm wrestling 106 and I'm 140 today, time to cut 30 pounds of weight.’”

Pianetto can also see these perceptions of weight class sports in the media, where there is an assumption that in order to “look the part” for wrestling, an athlete must have a specifc body type.

“You need to have the athleticism, but also people have a perception of like you need to have an athletic body type,” Pianetto said. “And sometimes that insecurity can get to a lot of people … I do feel like there is some body dysmorphia behind it, defnitely.”

In order to try and combat the negativity that Judo at times may take on Babjak, she implements self-refection practices to improve her headspace.

“I defnitely like to just watch old videos of myself competing to remind myself why I enjoy what I do,” Babjak said. “I do journaling just to see how I'm feeling … or to see if this is something that's worth it or if I need to cut back.”

Pianetto feels fortunate that the Prospect wrestling community is extremely supportive when it comes to the idea of weight classes and body image. As the IHSA has continued to promote a healthier approach to making weight, Babjak feels that sports like Judo still have a long way to go when it comes to supporting athletes’ goals in a positive manner.

“It's so ingrained into the sport that I don't really see it changing,” Babjak said. “… I think that honestly change needs to start with coaches ... realizing that forcing their athletes to cut lots of weight isn't the solution to trying to win more ... Happiness in the athletes themselves is a place that coaches need to start.”

TAKE DOWN: Junior Viola Pianetto practices for a wrestling meet. Pianetto said she has grown more comfortable talking about her body weight through the sport. (photo by Priyanka Shah)