Issue 4

THE

PROSPECTOR

801 WEST KENSINGTON ROAD, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056

THE VOICE OF PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1959

VOLUME 56, ISSUE 4

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

Knights’ tech staff wards off millions of attempted hacks graphic by Diana Leane and Elisabeth Rohde

BY DIANA LEANE Online Managing Editor

S

enior Jimmy McDermott immediately knew something was amiss after he picked up his iPhone. After checking his messages, he noticed texts sent from his number that he didn’t send.

Upon further investigation, he saw the messages included a link to an inappropriate website. Further worsening the situation, he discovered they were sent to random contacts. Three of the recipients were speech coaches he knew throughout the nation, and he expects to see them at competitions this upcoming season.

“That really sucks, and of course [the coaches] know it’s not me because that’s just not who I am and obviously it’s a hacker, but still it’s unnerving,” McDermott said.

He frustratingly recalls approaching various people, like acting teacher Jeremy Morton, to warn them about corrupt emails sent from his account.

McDermott knows hackers

are application, presentation, sesmanaged to send emails and texts from his number by accessing his sion, transport, network, data link and physical. iCloud account through his school The seven layers provide the email. Overall, McDermott’s email district with a very complex, has been hacked into five times. strong defense system, according Although he doesn’t know to District Technology Services Suwhere the hacks originate from, he suspects they come from over- pervisor Nicolas Mazza. Additionally, the district further protects seas because of the broken English their accounts in the corrupt emails. “[Discovering hacked texts] by directly conthe gooMcDermott’s really sucks, and of course necting gle accounts to situation is be[the coaches] know it’s not the district. coming more Students can common as the me because that’s just not observe this secomplexity and who I am and obviously curity measure frequency of atwhen they log in tempted hacks it’s a hacker, but still it’s to their emails increases, acunnerving.”

— the second cording to usnews.com.

To Jimmy McDermott, senior login the website prompts procounter this, the vides the extra district has an intricate cyber security system protection.

District Technology Services that protects students and teachSupervisor Rudy Gomez says just ers’ information.

The system involves seven lay- 10 years ago, the district’s securiers and follows the Open Systems ty differed greatly. For example, students’ email passwords were Interconnection (OSI) model. Actheir birthdays. As hackers concording to Microsoft.com, the sevtinue to become more advanced, en layers are stacked into a hierarthe district will continue to expand chy. From top to bottom, the layers

PMK performs Turkey Day parade in New York City

BY RILEY LANGEFELD Copy Editor Following months of preparation and anticipation, the Prospect Marching Knights traveled to New York to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 24.

The band performed in both the parade procression as a representative of Prospect and the state of Illinois.

This is the first time in Prospect history that the band has taken part in this massive event, which is attended every year by roughly 3 million people and watched by more than 50 million viewers nationwide.

But in addition to the honor of performing in the parade, the band was selected to participate in the opening act of the event with the Muppets. They were the only band to do so. Additionally, the band was the last one to perform in the procession, which meant that they carried the role of introducing Santa

Claus for his appearance in the parade.

According to band director Chris Barnum, this selection was a great honor. Barnum says that the parade is also different from most events because of its widespread recognition.

“For a lot of things that our marching band does, we have to explain to people,” Barnum said. “We have to tell people what it is. But when you say you’re in the Macy’s Parade, there’s no explanation needed.”

The band was one of 10 selected to perform in the parade procession alongside the NYPD Marching Band and the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, signifying that they are one of the top marching bands in the nation.

On Thanksgiving Day, the band members woke up at 2 a.m. at their hotel in New Jersey to get dressed for an early morning rehearsal. After taking a bus to Manhattan,

EXchANGE Changes

Prospect offers three international exchanges for students to participate in every year. To learn more about the foreign students and partner schools, turn to ...

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SEE PARADE, page 2

its measures, and Gomez says he wouldn’t be surprised if soon a password had to be at least 10 characters long.

“The philosophy of if it’s working, leave it how it is doesn’t apply anymore,” Mazza said. “With technology, you have to keep it up-todate.”

Furthermore, the district blocks certain websites to avoid viruses or hacks. However, according to Gomez, the district also does this to prevent students from using the wifi for recreational online activities since they don’t have an unlimited bandwidth.

“We don’t develop policies just for the sake of being difficult — it’s for a reason,” Gomez said.

Despite these security measures, on the rare occasion, vulnerabilities go unnoticed, causing a security breach. According to Mazza, the district fights about 500,000 attempted hacks a week, so the occasional attack is unavoidable.

Gomez says the majority of these attempted hacks originate overseas, coming from codes rather than individuals. Whenever one is detected, the district immedi-

ately takes all necessary security measures.

The different security strategies vary on a case-by-case basis, one including temporarily shutting down hacked accounts.

“Every day is a challenge in our department, so this [constant threat] will be just one more challenge,” Mazza said.

When McDermott first discovered strange emails sent from his account, he notified the tech help desk.

Because McDermott is wellversed in technology and code, he has had students approach him about their hacked accounts. McDermott advised them and advises others to immediately go to the tech help desk because they know how to handle the situation in the quickest, most effective way.

McDermott commended those who helped him, mentioning they even stayed after school one Friday for 45 minutes to aid him.

McDermott doesn’t know how hackers found a way into his account because he is very careful SEE SECURITY, page 2

On prospectornow.com ...

The Cubs championship parade was the largest human gathering in American history. To read about how students experienced the day and the entire championship run, visit ProspectorNow.com.

photo by Grace Berry

Coverage includes: • Prospect parent working Wrigley • Watch party roller coaster ride • Community celebrates Series

• The day no one came to school • Confessions of a bandwagoner • Student sourced photo album

Student Directs films

Winter is Coming

Senior Rhegan Graham produces her own movies. Junior Patrick KellyDutile starred in one of her films and is featured in the photo to the left. To see more about them, flip to ...

Winter sports’ seasons are underway. To read more about the different teams, including cheerleading, and their expectations for this year, turn to ...

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News

December 2, 2016

prospectornow.com

Staffs succeeds at national convention

BY COLE ALTMAYER Entertainment Editor

E

ven for decorated publications like the Prospector or the Crest, it’s never wise to walk into a convention expecting acclaim, especially one like the recent National Scholastic Press Association conference (NSPA) in Indianapolis from Nov. 10 to 13.

But even if they were expecting a win, neither staff expected victory to be as sweet as it was. The Prospector placed 2nd best in show in the category of 12-to-16 page newspapers, and The Crest placed 8th in the category of yearbooks with 330 or more pages.

These are the most successful NSPA results ever for both publications. Personal accomplishments were no less impressive: 14 of the 25 Prospect students there were recognized in various convention write-off events.

“After [the fifth and fourth place finalists for best in show] were named, I thought ‘That ship has sailed. It’s a good try, but I guess we don’t get anything this year,’” Prospector adviser Jason Block said. “Obviously, that turned out not to be the case.”

According to senior Crest editor-in-chief Katie Wills, yearbook adviser Nicole Stoltz showed a similar outlook when she told READY, SET, WRITE: The Crest and Prospector staffs were at the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) conference Nov. Wills where to pick up the award in case of a 10-13 in Indianapolis, IN. The Crest won 8th Best in Show for 330 or more pages in a yearbook, and the Prospector won 2nd Best in Crest victory, but then assuring her shortly Show for 12-16 page newspapers. Both staffs have never done this well in this contest. (photo by Jason Block) after that even placing in the top ten was a “You write a story knowing that you’re He won a national championship in what we paper’s editors to spread themselves thin. pipe-dream. do everyday.” proud of it, but you never write it thinking “[Receiving] this big honor let everyone A lot of the yearbook staff felt like it was This camaraderie and teamwork between you’ll get an award for it,” Stanford said. “So know that we’re okay as a small staff,” Berry impossible for them to place. They had never members of the staff is essential, according when I heard was a story of the year finalist, said.

“We can still do big things.

We can be made the top ten before, and the issue of the I kind of did a double take, because I felt like to Block. successful.” yearbook they had submitted into the conIt’s something he tries to foster during that’s an award I typically wouldn’t imagine Other members of the Prospector agree test was missing an important component: their beginnings in the Journalistic Writing myself getting.” with her sentiment, there were no score“I still haven’t processed it. The Garkisch was among three journalists 1 course. But for the current team, he feels including junior boards on the sports who were put into the superior tier for edi- like they need no further guidance. copy editor Leo Garkkid that I work with everyday, team pages to show “All of the staff learns from each other,” torial writing, based off a performance at a isch and senior edvital statistics such as the kid that I sit next to every convention write off that received a perfect Block said. “[After Journalistic Writing 1], itor-in-chief Mike win-loss percentages. sixth period... He won a national Stanford, each of score, which was something Block had never they hold each other to an incredibly high “We were all standard… If it weren’t that way, you would even seen before. whom had their own shocked because we championship in what we do “I did not expect to win superior,” Gark- just see those top few kids winning awards.” personal successes at didn’t think we had a every day.”

And though the Prospector staff feels that isch said. “I was really proud after I won it convention. chance,” Wills said. this unity is what made their NSPA entry so because I’ve worked really hard to get better Stanford’s story “And it just showed Leo Garkisch, junior well-received, Berry stresses that it isn’t all last year was about at writing and it paid off.” that the rest of the just for the acclaim.

Even despite his own victory, Garkisch the differences bebook made up for the fact that we didn’t have “We don’t always think about awards remarks that the most thrilling part of contween MSL East and West division high scoreboards.” when we do this stuff; we do it for ourselves, vention in his eyes was when Stanford won school sports teams and was named Sports Senior Prospector print managing editor and we do it to be good journalists,” BerSports Story of the Year.

Story of the Year.

Grace Berry had her own worries about the “I still haven’t processed it,” Garkisch ry said. “I think we’re successful because This is the first time a Prospector memProspector’s chances, as recent understaffawards aren’t our goal. We want to be better ber took first place in a Story of the Year said. “The kid that I work with every day, ing of the publication has caused each of the the kid that I sit next to every sixth period… than we were the issue before.” contest.

PARADE: PMK makes history at Macy’s CONTINUED from front page they practiced the opening act for NBC cameras and ate breakfast at 5 a.m.

After the opening number, they took buses to their place toward the end of MARCHING:For the first time ever, the Prospect Marching Knights (PMK) the procession and then played “Budwill perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. PMK was honored to dy and Santa’s Flight,” a song from the perform in the parade after they had to compete in a rigorous selection process movie “Elf,” in Herald Square as their of 100 bands. (photos by Riley Langefeld) main performance. rade, the band spent several days in “The amount of joy that was in that Preparation for the event began months before. The selection process is room — it was just this feeling of unity New York before Thanksgiving seeing rigorous and includes over 100 bands with the band and so much pride in how sights and exploring the city. Speedy much work we put in,” thoroughly enjoyed the daily itinerary vying for spots in the and felt that the band was getting the Speedy said. parade. Applications “The amount of joy According to Speedy, most they possibly could from the expeare submitted almost that was in that the band members gen- rience. Barnum says that this was his two years in advance, and the chosen bands room — it was just this erally focus more on the exact goal for the trip. He hopes that the band members will be able to fondly reprocess than the results are announced shortfeeling of unity with of their performances, member the trip for years to come, callly after. Barnum apthe band and so much but their selection for the ing the event “once-in-a-lifetime.” plied without telling “I hope that they have a lot of fun, parade was gratifying for the band members, pride in how much and I hope that they are able to soak in the entire group. wanting the news to be work we put in.”

“We never talk about the whole thing,” Barnum said the week a surprise if it came. before the event. “Being a part of an our awards. That’s not The band was initially Sophie Speedy, junior what our program is event like this is something that’s really informed of their selecabout. The recognition special. And they’re going to be sharing tion in May 2015. kind of caught me off guard,” Speedy it with their friends and bandmates. …

Junior drum major Sophie Speedy I think that not only will the event be said. “That’s not what we’re doing it was a freshman when the band was told special for them but the people they’re for. But we work so hard … and take so they would be in the parade. She was ecsharing it with will make it special for static, and she says that the rest of the much pride in our show.”

In addition to performing in the pa- them.” band shared in her excitement.

SECURITY: D214 fights thousands of hacks daily CONTINUED from front page online. Regardless, he thinks his account is hack-free.

According to Gomez, a common way students become susceptible to hacks is through visiting a compromised website. Many online gaming sites have malware running in the background, so students’ iPads are hacked into, yet often without them realizing this.

One hacked iPad can cause a web of problems because, for example, an email with a malicious link may be sent to the owner’s contacts, who then click it and compromise their own devices.

Gomez says cyber security is being woven into other classes students take, so they learn how to keep their online information safe.

According to usnews.com, in 2014, about 47 percent of American adults said they had online information breached, making this a valid concern for teenagers to counter.

According to teensafe.com, teenagers can protect themselves online by monitoring their privacy settings, only chatting with people they know in real life, rejecting social logins in third-party websites, refraining from filling out sensitive information when making accounts and logging out from accounts before leaving a website.

McDermott also warned against phishing websites that disguise themselves as well-known sites like Google.

He says these websites can be identified through their URL addresses. Gomez hopes students follow these precautions with their personal accounts since the district’s safety measures don’t apply. “[Cyber security] needs to be on everyone’s mind.

It’s a new type of threats. As long as people are vigilant,” Gomez said.

prospectornow.com

December 2, 2016

Differences in schools abroad other countries, but there are also discrepancies between schools.

Associate Editor-in-Chief These similarities and differences eaving the village of Beg- in turn have an effect on how stuues, Spain, sixteen-yeardents experience high school. old Jordi Brull took the For example, Spain’s closest train and a bus to get to his high equivalent to the ACT or SAT is a school, or “Bachillerato,” in Barcecumulative test over several sublona. On his way there, Brull found jects called “La Selectividad” that himself thinking about his dream students take at the end of high job of studying medicine and then school. They need a certain score becoming an astronaut and going to get into certain programs in to Mars, or he would think about universities, and if they do not get an upcoming test in his science the score they want, they have to class. And up until a few weeks take senior year over again. Brull ago, Brull imagined what traveling says this test forces the students to to Prospect would be like. study months in advance.

Upon arrival, Brull couldn’t beClasses are also set up differentlieve how crowded Prospect is. ly. According to Brull, classes are “There was people everywhere, “compressed,” meaning that, for just everyexample, where,” Brull Spaniard Jordi Brull’s current class picture biology, said. “It was a chemislittle hard to try and move.” physics Brull is can all one of twenbe taught ty Spanish within students who the same arrived on science Nov. 9 for class. the annual T h e r e exchange. is also While part m o r e of their trip is dedicated to sight- of an emphasis on learning more seeing in Chicago, the exchange languages in his school, and the students also spend time getting students start learning English as accustomed to Prospect and visit- early as the Spanish equivalent of ing different classes. It is during elementary school. this time that the students comThis emphasis led Brull to purpare and contrast their school with sue becoming bilingual. He is alProspect. most fluent in English and wants There are many parallels beto learn French as well. tween what high school is like in “I wish more classes were the U.S. versus what it is like in taught in English,”Brull said. “It’s

News

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BY CALEY GRIEBENOW

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CLASS ACT: 2016 graduates Olivia Sykes, Nikki Matters and Lauren Miller enjoy last year’s Spanish exchange. The Spaniards on the current exchange just visited Prospect, and they noticed the differences between schools, including how classes are structured, after-school activities and testing. (photo courtesy of Lauren Miller) so helpful.”

While students at Prospect attended a variety of different middle and elementary schools, students in Spain have been attending school with the same group of kids since they were six months old, for the most part.

For 2016 graduate Olivia Sykes, who was part of the exchange last year, she believes that allows for a certain closeness that students in the U.S. do not have.

“There’s a super close bond between students [in Spain],” Sykes said. “Everyone knows everyone.”

Brull estimates his teachers give the same amount of homework as teachers at Prospect do, so he spends a similar amount of time doing homework after school. But major difference is after-school activities take up less time for students in Spain than they do in the U.S. Brull’s school does have sports teams, such as soccer, basketball and handball, but it is much more

common for students to play club sports outside of school yearround. They do not have seasonal sports. Brull is passionate about soccer and is on a club soccer team that practices around four hours each week. Brull says there are also fewer clubs to join, and it’s almost unheard of for Spanish students to have an after-school job.

Spanish teacher Mike Aldworth has been a part of the exchange for seven years, and he says this cultural difference points to Americans’ desire to always be busy.

“Students can be at school for 10 or 12 hours a day sometimes, and it’s just not like that over there,” Aldworth said. “I think that speaks to them wanting to spend time with friends and family more so than spending time at school.”

All in all, Brull does admire some aspects of American high school. Schools in Spain have no pep rallies or high school dances, and sports games are not as big a deal as they are in the U.S. Brull

wishes his school could have a prom dance because it seems “cool and exciting.”

The college application process is also different for seniors in Spain. It is not as extensive as students don’t need to include a list of activities or letters of recommendation. The cumulative test decides if they can get into a college.

It is also expected that Spanish students stay close to home so they can visit their family often.

If Brull had it his way, he would want to attend a prestigious college in the U.S. because he thinks it would better prepare him for the real world. In reality, he will most likely attend the University of Barcelona.

One thing he is certain about is that he will come back to Chicago, either to study abroad or when he is an adult.

“Chicago is amazing,” Brull said. “The kids here are very, very nice. I cannot say anything bad about Chicago.”

Foreign exchanges unique, life-changing experience

BY GRACE BERRY Print Managing Editor Italian teacher Lyn Scolaro and her students were at the Catullo Airport in Verona at 5:30 a.m. when it became apparent that everyone had to say goodbye to their exchange students, who had to pass through security to reach their gate. Alumnus John Magnino had lived with an Italian student and his family, who had a younger brother around six years old.

“All of the sudden you see the little boy just turn around and put a bear hug around [the Prospect student], and he said in Italian ‘Don’t go. You’re my brother,’” Scolaro said.

“Tears were rolling down the students’ eyes, and everybody at the airport was crying.”

Scolaro believes that shows how impactful the exchange is to her students and the families. That was the second year of the Italian exchange, which is now in its tenth year. Scolaro loves the exchange because she

says it is life-changing for her students to see a new culture and experience Italy with an Italian family. “[The exchange] is so special because it becomes so very personal,” Scolaro said.

Prospect is the only high school in District 214 that has foreign exchanges. Prospect students travel to Italy, Spain and France every year. Although some schools in the district go on trips to other countries every other year, they don’t have exchanges.

According to Gary Judson, World Language and Social Science Division Head, many schools don’t have exchanges because teachers have to make connections with the foreign schools in order to make them work.

“It takes a lot of commitment [from] the teacher’s point of view to take their spring break to [go with the students] and to organize the exchange,” Judson said. “Plus reaching out and finding the best school is always a challenge.”

The first exchange program at Prospect

French exchange The French exchange was the first foreign exchange at Prospect. It started 13 years ago when former teacher Scott Russell was contacted by a school in Sèvres, France. (photos courtesy of Kathryn Wilkens)

2011

2015

2016

was in the French department. Former recent years many terrorist attacks around French teacher Scott Russell was contact- the world have led some to question the safeed by a school in Mt. Prospect’s sister city, ty of foreign exchanges. Judson explained Sèvres, France, about beginning an ex- safety is always a concern for students when they’re traveling, but it can’t rule their lives. change program. French teacher Kathryn He doesn’t foresee our exchanges stopping as Wilkens went on the inaugural French exlong as the teachers are continuing to lead change 13 years ago. these programs.

According to Wilkens, the first year only Students go on exchanges with many eight students went on the exchange because teachers and administrators, and teachers at the time people were afraid of going to are constantly monitoring another country and livthe news to make sure the ing with a different family.

“It brings more trip will be safe for everyWilkens says the exchange is one. Wilkens believes peoa lot more competitive now. meaning to the ple should not live in fear “On both sides of the lens, language. It gives when going to another counthe program is well-estabtry to learn and experience a lished and just has an excelus more global language. lent reputation,” Wilkens understanding. I think “Even when I talk to parsaid. it’s one of the best ents, the message is -- over Wilkens planned the and over -- we are not going French exchange with Rusthings we do.” to stop living our lives,” sell until he transferred Wilkens said. “Why are we schools three years ago.

Gary Judson, World taking French, … Italian Now Wilkens and French teacher Jenna Sandstead Language and Social or Spanish but to use these languages in an authentic have planned the exchange Science Division Head setting to discover the world together for the past three around us and to hopefully years.

Scolaro wanted to start the Italian ex- make friends in the process?,” Wilkens said.

Wilkens has seen the benefits of the exchange after she had problems in previous year with students traveling to Italy and change in her students’ French.

“I see first hand as a teacher the direct staying in hotels. She emailed two friends to impact and the transformation that occurs,” see if they had any ideas of high schools that Wilkens said. “Sometimes it’s more subtle wanted to do an exchange. and it comes out in discussion weeks later afOne of her friends that went to the Uniter we get home, but more often than not, it’s versity of Illinois responded right away that during those 10 days and on the plane home he had met a teacher from Italy who had alwhere you see a very real transformation as ways wanted to do an exchange in the U.S. “It was 20 [minutes] to 8 [a.m.], and I sent far as [their] level of confidence [in French].”

Judson agrees that Prospect’s exchanges him an email. By five to 8 [a.m.] he responded, and I turned to the kids and said ‘We’re are extremely impactful to students.

“Once you get there and you’re really going to Verona’,” Scolaro said. able to make those personal connections, Both Scolaro and Wilkens agree that then you get a great feel for the culture,” not only are exchanges a great way to learn about a new culture, but they are also a lot Judson said. “It brings more meaning to the language. It gives us more global underless expensive than traveling and staying in standing. I think it’s one of the best things hotels.

Although there are always concerns we do.” when traveling across the world, throughout

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Opinion

December 2, 2016

prospectornow.com

Staff Editorial

Pool policy pesters population W

hen senior Jennifer Strickland was rounding first base in a softball game last July, a girl on the opposing team ran into her and Strickland’s kneecap slid out of place. The injury meant she had to wear a brace for several weeks, and she could not participate in the upcoming swim unit in gym class.

If students have a medical excuse that lasts over three weeks, like Strickland did, they do not have to participate in swimming or do a makeup assignment. However, the makeup assignment policy for the students who miss class for other reasons is much different.

During the swimming unit, students who have a parent note, which can be used for an excused absence up to three days, will have to complete a makeup in addition to filling out a water safety packet from the Red Cross during class.

The rest of the makeup includes

coming to school early on Thurs- should not abandon swim makeups days and swimming laps. If the stu- because he wants them to learn wadent does not come in to complete ter safety. the makeup, they will get a zero for “Our goal is to get everybody the day, even if they completed the to have the ability to learn how to water safety worksheet. swim and increase their swimming According to P.E. teacher Aar- [abilities],” Marnstein said. “If on Marnstein, they do end up the makeups missing swimare worthwhile ming days, we and students are going to enshould strive to courage them to earn the points come back and they missed do a makeup from not swimswim” ming.

While stu“If you’re dents should not there, you value particidon’t earn the pation in gym, Voting results of the Prospec- the makeup polpoints,” Marntor staff with regards to this stein said. “We icy for missed encourage class can be ineditorial. students to do terpreted to be makeup workmore of a punouts to earn those points back.” ishment than a chance to get points Marnstein believes that students back. Not being able to sleep in on

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Thursdays in combination with swimming laps is not effective in attracting students to complete their makeups. In addition, simply swimming laps does not further water safety education; it is a strenuous activity that could turn students away We, the Prospector, believe that while students should complete makeup assignments for their P.E. class and work to earn their points, there are ways to improve the policy. There could be more of an emphasis on water safety, not just swimming back and forth.

If the policy were to be changed and makeups were less about laps and more about learning helpful safety tips, it would be more worthwhile in the long run. Students may be more inclined to work for their points if the makeup was not a chore, but a chance to learn skills they can only learn in the pool.

Culture turns to swearing for the “hell” of it When math teacher Janet Pacini dance of swearing is perceived as was in high school, swearing was normal, but we need to realize that not part of the culture. Pacini gradthese words are now becoming cliuated in 1973, and students couldn’t ched parts of our language because wear a shirt with the word “suck” of our overuse of them. on it without facing consequencComparisons of the data coles from the school. With strict lected by Jay made it evident that language rules during her youth, swearing habits are changing bePacini can’t believe the amount of tween age groups as well. Collecswearing she hears among students tively, this data indicated that many today. children are swearing by Pacini’s observathe age of three. Jay contions have been backed cluded that the rise of up by the studies of Timvulgarity among adults othy Jay, a psychology has lead children to curse professor at Massachuat earlier ages than ever setts College of Liberal before. By the time these Arts (MCLA). Jay has kids go to school, they are

BY AYSE ELDES studied and published saying all the words from Executive Opinion works on the science of which we try to protect Editor swearing in society. Afthem. And that shows the ter analyzing different ineffectiveness in our efage groups’ perception of inapproforts to do so. priate language, he compared the Whether you’re someone who results to data obtained in the 1980s. never uses vulgar language or He found that even though the someone who can’t go two words amount of swearing is increasing, without swearing, toddlers cursing new swear words aren’t being introshould be shocking. And this age duced. This means that we are just group expansion is not accidental. using the same four or five vulgar According to Psych Central, words when we can’t think of anthe frequency of swearing tradiother word to say. tionally peaks around a person’s As a result, the point of cursing teenage years, and declines thereis losing meaning. When everyone after. School psychologist Dr. Jay uses the same word constantly, it Kyp-Johnson finds that the reasondoesn’t have that shock value and ing is because high school is the expression of emotion anymore. In middle ground before adulthood a school environment, the abunand youth.

“In high school, I think there’s a whole lot more, from a sociological psychological viewpoint, eying for supremacy and marking your territory,” Kyp-Johnson said. “‘I’m letting you know I’m dangerous and I’m cool and I can Top five states where swear just like everybody people swear the else can.’” most.

If a person feels the need to swear in order to feel “adult” and supreme, that’s only a pathetic attempt to cover up immaturity.

Kyp-Johnson explained how this conflicts with student effort to succeed and hbe perceived positively by teachers.

This is something that some students overlook. If you don’t care what others think of you when you constantly swear, teacher perceptions can definitely change their approach to teacher recommendations for a student.

“My perception changes dramatically … I think of it as a information kid who totally lacks discipline,” courtesy of NPR Kyp-Johnson said. “There’s a lev-

Pottymouth states

staff Editor-in-Chief Mike Stanford Managing Editors Grace Berry Diana Leane Copy Editors Riley Langefeld Leo Garkisch Associate Editors-in-Chief Flynn Geraghty Caley Griebenow Online Copy Editor Erin Schultz Social media Editor Jack Ryan Online Sports Editor Wyatt Dojutrek News Editors David Fang Ben Dojutrek Opinion Editors Ayse Eldes Katie Hamilton Features Editor Amanda Stickels Entertainment Editors Cassidy Delahunty Cole Altmayer Sports Editors Jack Ankony Paul Evers Visuals Editors Elisabeth Rohde Graphics Editor Alex Guerra Adviser Jason Block

WHAT THE: Swearing in conversations is now normal. Sophomore Rebecca Fayhee doesn’t think it has to do with increased behavioral problems. (photo illustration by Riley Langefeld) el of maturity to Prospect students that they let us see constantly, but there’s also a level of immaturity that they really hide from us quite a bit. They don’t tell us things ... and I’ve heard kids — who I’ve never heard swear when I was coaching them — just swear because they’re talking to a friend. And I’m like, ‘Oh my god. You missed my message.’”

In addition to considering the negative reputation students build for themselves, cursing displays a low English language literacy.

These words have turned into space fillers for conversational language, dramatically changing our generation’s experience with swear words. AP Language teacher Matthew Love isn’t bothered by the use of these words and explained how their use isn’t necessarily an indicator of low language intelligence.

“I think somebody can think very precise and be very articulate with what they want to say. And they can pepper it with profanity,” Love said.

Love pointed out a quote from Henry Drummond of “Inherit the Wind” that portrays his opinion: “I don’t swear just for the hell of it.

Language is a poor enough means of communication. I think we should [use] all the words we’ve got. Besides, there are damn few words that anybody understands.”

This approach is understandable because swear words can’t be an automatic label on a person’s intelligence. However, who determines the line between swearing because of low vocabulary and swearing because someone’s articulately advanced? In this case, the harms outway the theoretic benefits. Jay’s summary of his MCLA findings is a strong extension of that argument.

“The effect of language on identity is probably more profound than we generally imagine. That is, we learn to live in language and we exist through the language we learn,” Kyp-Johnson said.

His studies may not mean that those who swear are idiotic human beings, but it teaches us an important thing about the words we use.

Cursing indicates a person’s perception of themselves, others’ perception of them, their self-respect and their “colorful” vocabulary.

If we choose to ignore the social harms it brings us, continuing the overuse of these words will keep wearing them down.

So what will we do next? Use the amazing language skills we have made for ourselves to come up with better words? As the shock value of swearing is being worn out, we will only find ourselves just swearing for the hell of it.

Mission Statement The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news as well as explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community. We, the Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide a school forum for the unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions. The Prospector is published by students in Journalistic Writing courses. Some material is courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Advertising For ad rates, call (847) 718-5376 (ask for Mike Stanford), fax (847) 718-5306 e-mail or write the Prospector, 801 West Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056, prospectornow@gmail.com.

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Limit letters to 400 words. The Prospector reserves the right to edit letters for style and length.

prospectornow.com

W

K

hen math teacher Tim Will first began his career, chalk was fashionable. It was cheap and accessible. He could use a variety of colors to draw the diagrams and spell out the equations he needed, and it resonated with students.

Fast forward 40 years, and the overwhelming majority of classrooms feature whiteboards or SMART Boards. But upon visiting room 336, where Will teaches, one can still find multicolored chalk fossils adorning the room’s front blackboard.

“I’ve never asked to have it changed,” Will said. “I’m happy with a chalkboard. … [Expo] markers are always running out.

That’s why I don’t particularly like the markers. It just seems wasteful, expensive to me.”

Throughout Will’s time at Prospect, teaching mediums have evolved in many ways. Today, technology plays an integral role in many classrooms. But even within just the math and science department, the extent to which teachers have embraced technology ranges from the traditional-style teaching of Will to the use of the iPad to even the flipped classroom curriculum.

One teacher who has welcomed the advancement of technology in classrooms is math teacher Mike Riedy, who is now a firm proponent of the iPad. But when he began teaching 25 years ago, his lessons were taught using chalk. Throughout his time at Prospect, Riedy has integrated and welcomed new technology into his classrooms when it has become available.

“The first major transition for me was the switch to whiteboards, which took some getting used to because I missed the chalk,” Riedy said. “I didn’t miss being all covered in chalk like Mr. Will is on a daily basis.”

After whiteboards, Riedy moved on to a SMART Boards, a touch-sensitive interactive whiteboard, which he said improved his teaching. It allowed him to audio and video record each lesson and post it online, allowing students to then go back and watch the lesson if they were absent or confused about a particular concept.

Next came Riedy’s full-fledged immersion in the digital world of the iPad. “The transition to the iPad is just another extension of the SMART Board where I have the app to distribute things through a digital medium to the kids,” Riedy said. “That, in my opinion, just makes things transition a little bit smoother. It’s also kind of nice be-

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Longform note-taking proves more effective

Junior Connie Vuong The Best Friend

students in each group studied for the next 10 minutes, and half did not. Here were the results of the subsequent test they were administered:

In a study of 109 UCLA students, researchers gave each student the same brief lecture. Half took notes with a pen, the other half with a computer. Half the

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*from a Princeton University and UCLA study of 109 UCLA students her students were learning. Some students fell behind easily, something she hadn’t anticipated going into the year. Nonetheless, Davis stuck with the format, and it paid off.

In each semester of the 2014-15 school year, two years into teaching Honors Advanced Algebra as a flipped class, Davis saw an increase in the percentage of students earning an A or B of over 40 percent from two years prior, when the class was taught traditionally.

“I think kids, because they’re doing more work, they’re doing it more accurately,” Davis said. “They have the help when they need it, and they don’t get stuck as often.”

But Weerts, who was in Davis’s Accelerated Honors Pre-calculus course as a junior, prefers a more traditional classroom setting.

He says that although flipped classrooms provide students with more opportunities to get help on homework and talk with the teacher, it was a “hassle” to watch lectures on his own time. He also says that it was easy for students to get distracted by talking to friends while doing homework in class.

From the teaching standpoint, Will agrees that the flipped class presents some

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The Boyfriend

Junior Shawna Stokes

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Features

(graphic by Diana Leane)

BY LEO GARKISCH Copy Editor

ing able to walk around with an iPad and have an entire five classes worth of work all wrapped up in an iPad.” Senior Rick Weerts agrees that the iPad can help with organization.

“If you need to, you can contact your teachers after school easier now,” Weerts said. “[The iPad] is helpful for turning in homework assignments because you don’t need to be at school.”

But at the same time, he prefers when teachers physically write on the board for math. A student in Will’s third period AP Calculus BC class, Weerts says he feels it is easier for teachers to show exactly what they want to with specific graphs and formulas when they physically draw or write them out. Nonetheless, he respects iPad-geared teachers.

“I think it’s nice that they’re integrating technology into teaching and they’re trying to come up with new teaching styles,” Weerts said.

Although Riedy uses Schoology and AirPlay to display lessons in his AP Calculus AB course, homework is to be completed on paper. And even though in his Algebra 70 course Riedy is “fully committed” to the iPad, tests and quizzes are administered on paper. But technology has been arguably the biggest game-changer for Riedy in his Honors Geometry 92 course.

“The epitome of technology for me personally is geometry, where I’ve got a redundant classroom going, a SMART Board going, the iPad, Schoology, Notability — all of that — and calculators, for that matter, all being used at the same time,” Riedy said.

When he began teaching, students had to use compasses and protractors to draw shapes. Now, with the use of programs like Geometer’s Sketchpad, Riedy can draw shapes with a stylus and input the exact angle measure, arc length or side length he desires. With so many different pieces of technology he has had to get used to, Riedy says that each time he changed teaching platforms, he was doing so by choice.

Another innovation teachers have chosen to use is the flipped classroom, where students watch pre-recorded videos of a lecture at home and utilize their time in class to complete the “homework” for the lesson.

The format has reshaped how lots of students at Prospect learn math.

Math teacher Dominique Davis, who is in her ninth year of teaching at Prospect, was one of the first teachers at Prospect to switch over to teaching in a flipped classroom setting. She said adapting to the new medium was difficult for at least the first year, as she had to build the entire curriculum from scratch. The lectures she recorded were often only a day or two ahead of what

Percent of questions correct

Flipped room, tablets replace traditional tools

December 2, 2016

Favorite lunch?

Chick-Fil-A

Middle name?

Ann

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setbacks.

“I don’t particularly like learning from watching a screen, like for a flipped classroom,” Will said. “I don’t like to teach that way. To me, part of the fun of teaching is being able to interact with people and kind of being able to look at people’s face and see [if they] get it. I wouldn’t like to teach to a screen at home just to have people watch it at home somewhere. To me, that’s not appealing.”

But Will says that just because the flipped classroom isn’t conducive to his teaching style doesn’t mean that other teachers shouldn’t prefer the medium.

“Part of the district goals are preparing students for the future, and I think that certainly having a good handle on technology is a very valuable skill,” Will said. “But for math, just because the technology is available doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better for learning, from my viewpoint. And some people really like the flipped classroom, and other people don’t. You get one teacher, you do it one way. You get a different teacher, you get different learning styles. That’s just different teaching, different learning.”

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In-Depth

December 2, 2016

The families of

Ado com

Sophomore finds new family, life

BY FLYNN GER Associate Edit

BY AMANDA STICKELS Executive Features Editor *names changed for confidentiality

S

ophomore *Claire Smith felt the relief as she stepped through the doorway of her best friend, sophomore *Anna Nelson, and her family’s

A BROKEN HOME: Sophomore Claire Smith was raised in a home that was less than preferable until she moved in with her best friend’s family, the Nelsons. “I feel like I don’t have to keep looking behind me all the time to make sure nothing bad is going to happen,” Smith said. (photo illustration by Elisabeth Rohde)

house.

About two steps in, Nelson jumped out behind a closet “I felt bad for all the homeless people because now I door and scared Smith. Smith, startled at first, laughed knew what it felt like to not know where you’re sleeping with her best friend and her family. At that moment, she that night or where your food is going to come from,” realized that she finally found a stable and supportive Smith said. “It sucked. It sucked knowing that your famhome.

“I was really excited,” Smith said. “I was just like, ‘Fi- ily was sleeping in a warm house. Everything was fine over there, and you’re out here.” nally. Thank God.’” When Smith finally told Anna about her situation, she The Nelsons decided to take Smith in after hearing about her rough childhood from Anna. She and Smith was shocked and immediately wanted to help.

“I heard stories about similar things like that –– peomet in biology class during their freshman year, and the ple that have difficult lives at home with their family. But two became fast friends. However, it wasn’t until a few now that it’s a reality for someone I actually know, it’s months later that Smith would tell Anna about her diffijust like, ‘Wow,’” Anna said. cult home life.

At first, Anna was hesitant to ask Growing up, Smith had an unstable her mother if Smith could stay with family life. Her father was absent most them, but she said yes after hearing of the time. Her mother struggled with about Smith’s background. For about alcohol and drug addiction and has been a month, Smith lived with the Nelsons physically abusive toward her children unbeknownst to Smith’s mother. Everyon multiple occasions, leaving Smith thing seemed to be working out until with deep emotional scars. her mother’s boyfriend called saying “It was very hurtful because daughthe police were looking for her. ters aren’t supposed to be afraid of their After a month of not knowing or mom,” Smith said. “It wasn’t a good caring where Smith was, her mother feeling because I wanted my mom in a her as a missing person. Smith way that a kid would want their mom. I - Anonymous sophomore reported then went back home to ask her mother wanted her to comfort me, but she was if she could permanently live with the Nelson family. never there for me in that way.”

Her mother refused to answer and told her to stay in As a result of her mother’s situation, Smith was exthe house. Anna, expecting Smith to come back, began to pected to take care of her younger siblings. worry as the days went by and Smith wasn’t responding This entailed waking up in the middle of the night to take care of the two babies, who are currently three and to any texts or calls.

“There wasn’t one night when she was gone that I six years old. She had to change them, dress them, and wouldn’t be crying,” Anna said. put them down for naps in addition to feeding the whole Finally, after two weeks of agony, Anna got a Facefamily. book message from Smith saying that she was in another Mothering her siblings taught her patience, awareness and organization, but Smith believes it took away foster home since DCFS found out that her mother had more than it taught her. It exhausted her to the point of been kicking her out.

After two months in another foster home, Smith not being able to go to school. Smith was also unable to moved in with the Nelsons as they became her “fictiget involved in extracurricular activities and hang out tious kin,” meaning they were not family but friends with friends. of the family, which legally allowed Smith to stay “I was a child. I can’t deal with adult problems. I’m not with them. supposed to,” Smith said. “There was that gap like I grew In August, Smith moved in, and she was ecup with a mom, but at the same time, I didn’t because the static. The transition was smooth, and she fit mother aspect wasn’t there.” right into the family as Anna says they are exAs a result of her tough childhood, Smith slipped into depression and anxiety, which led her to the hospital in tremely accepting. “[The Nelsons] taught me how a family is eighth grade. supposed to be because I wouldn’t consider While Smith was in the hospital, the workers found out about her mother’s instability and notified the De- what I was in a family,” Smith said. “It was partment of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The totally hectic, but it’s nice to know that other families aren’t the way I was and nice to know department stepped in and put Smith and her siblings they have structure. People are there for each into foster care.

Although Smith thought her foster family was kind, other and support each other, and it’s not like she wanted to be back with her siblings. After two months, every man for themselves.”

However, Smith’s siblings are still in the cusSmith’s mother cleaned up the house, got two jobs and tody of her mother, who doesn’t allow her to conpassed sobriety testing, so the children went back into tact any of them. her custody. Although this was what Smith had wanted, “[Being away from my siblings] is horrible,” she was worried about living with her mother again.

Smith then started her freshman year at Prospect Smith said. “It’s really hard because I mothered them, and met Anna. However, Smith transferred to a different and they’re pretty much like my own. I used to get upschool when she and her family moved in with her moth- set when they would make messes and be loud, but now er’s new boyfriend. Anna was confused, but the move did I miss them being loud and making messes. Yeah, they not halt their budding friendship. They texted often, but were annoying, and they would get into my stuff, [draw] Anna didn’t know that Smith would often get kicked out on the walls and throw up on me. But when I’m away from them, it’s the worst feeling ever. It’s kind of like you of the house after heated arguments with her mother. don’t care how much they throw up on you. You just want She drifted between friends’ houses but would sometimes them back.” have to sleep outside on park benches.

Although this situation is tough for Smith, the Nelsons have been there to support her. When Smith starts thinking of her siblings, the Nelsons tell her to keep her head up and keep praying, which helps Smith cope.

In the same way the Nelsons help and support Smith, Smith has impacted the Nelsons. Anna says that Smith has changed her perspective on life. “[Her situation] has definitely taught me to be grateful and stop being a whiny baby over small things,” Anna said.

She also believes that Smith brought her family closer together.

“It’s really awesome having an extra link that we get to know,” Anna said. “It’s like a whole different new family with an extra human being, and it’s really great.”

Anna sees this firsthand as she says her parents have started bonding more through their foster licensing classes, which has helped them to work together. They recently finished their last class and will soon be able to officially become Smith’s foster parents. This will allow the Nelsons to make more medical and legal decisions for Smith.

Smith is very excited for this and is grateful overall for the kindness and support of the Nelsons.

“I feel like I don’t have to keep looking behind me all the time to make sure nothing bad is going to happen,” Smith said. “I feel more at ease like I don’t have to be on edge.

I don’t have to go to bed wondering what’s going to happen. I don’t have to worry about being scared.”

Biology tea when she saw Holidays,” wh formed throu paid no atten Conners foun time the first After doing she wanted: sh For some P tion has provi Towards th kept her plans “If my fam pers,” Conner This is crazy.’

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“It was lik was what I nee ily is very div throughout lo thing I needed Conners ad national, whic Guatemalan a In the sum the boys she w spend time w with Aaron, l baby. Then, s “birthday num de leche cake one.

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What ethnicities make up Prospect families?

th D transition

December 2, 2016

The average Prospect student has two siblings

52%

of students consider

their mother to be their primary caretaker

13%

acher Deb Conners was at home one Christmas w an adoption special on TV called “Home for the hich showcased several families that had been ugh adoption. Conners, being a single woman, ntion to it at the time. However, the next year, nd herself watching the same special, but this family featured was led by a single mother. g more research, Conners decided this was what he was going to adopt children.

Prospect students and staff like Conners, adopided them a way to form a family. he beginning of the adoption process, Conners s a secret from her family and friends. mily [came] over, I would hide the adoption pars said. “[I would say], ‘Oh, they’ll think I’m nuts. ’” until the third year of the process that Conners she could tell her loved ones, most of whom were

ds were all, ‘Oh that’s awesome!’” Conners said. me people who didn’t know me so well say, ‘Why t adopt a dog?’ It’s like, ‘Not quite the same. This middle of February I don’t have to take them out m.’ A few people said, ‘Why don’t you just find d get married?’ [I said], ‘No, this is what I want

le, Conners wasn’t sure what kind of child she opt. Then, it all clicked when a friend told her ne she knew who had adopted a girl from Gua-

ke, ‘Bing! Winner winner,’” Conners said. “That eded. I speak Spanish. My mom’s side of the famverse. … I was connected to the Hispanic culture ots of different things in my life so that was the d.” dopted her sons through Small Miracles Interch was one of only a few agencies that organized adoptions at the time. mmer of 2007, Conners organized a visit to go see was adopting, Elijah and Aaron, who she got to with on the trip to Guatemala. First, she stayed learning how to take care of a seven-week-old she visited with Elijah and got to be there for mber one,” which they celebrated with a dulce e adorned with M&Ms spelling out the number

hile Conners believes that the experience was nforgettable, she felt anxious about what was coming.

“I came home thinking, ‘I don’t think I can do this,’” Conners said. “I was tired.

I was worried about all the things I had to do, especially because I had gone down there by myself.”

However, when Conners did bring her boys home, she wasn’t alone. Her sister-in-law and brother were around the house a lot, helping with chores and her young boys, who both had respiratory issues. Not only that, Conners’s “church family,” community members from her church, would also come over and help in any way possible.

“You know you have friends when they’re folding your underwear,” Conners said.

“People were coming into my house [and saying], ‘You rest.’ They’re doing my laundry.

They’re doing my dishes. They’re taking care of the boys while I rest.

Anything and everything so that I could try and keep up. [It was] just a major blessing. There was no way I could’ve done it by myself. To just have all these people hat were willing to help, it was just amazing.”

Despite all that help, motherhood was still a big n.

“It was shocking,” Conners said. “And it doesn’t matter if you go to the hospital and your baby is born. It’s like you’re all alone, you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. And then, ‘Wham!’ ... You never get more than four hours of sleep. I still remember coming out after finally getting some sleep and looking at a pile of laundry on the floor in my family room. I’m like, ‘How does something so small go through so many clothes?’”

Even though it might’ve taken longer to get them here, Conners feels like her sons were the perfect fit.

“My mom passed away four days before Aaron was born,” Conners said. “And she had seen pictures of Elijah. She was left-handed. Elijah is left-handed. They both have asthmatic issues; I’m an asthmatic. … We fit really well together. They like math; I love math. Elijah’s hysterically funny, which fits really well into our family. There are these things that are just like, ‘Perfect!’”

Conners hopes that one day, she will be able to take her boys back to Guatemala so they can experience their Hispanic heritage firsthand. She wants their Guatemalan culture to play as big a role in their lives as their adopted culture here in the United States.

Similarly, junior Emily DiBenedetto’s birth family has been a large part of her life for as long as she can remember. Her birth mother is a captain in the U.S. Army and decided to give up DiBenedetto as a baby in order to keep her from a life of hopping from base to base. Despite not living with her birth mother, DiBenedetto is still close with her and considers her to be like an aunt.

The first time the two reunited, DiBenedetto was on a trip with her family to South Carolina.

While her mother and brother flew back home, she and her father stayed behind and drove to her birth mother’s house in North Carolina.

According to DiBenedetto, when they arrived at the house, her birth mother was outside waiting, and the two said hello with plenty of hugs and tears. DiBenedetto loves being close with her birth family, as it feels like she has another family that is all her own.

“It’s a bigger family,” DiBenedetto said.

“In most families, you’ve got Mom’s side of the family and Dad’s side of the family. But, with [us], you’ve got Mom’s side of the family, Dad’s side of the family, Emily’s side of the family, [my brother] Eddie’s side of the family. You’ve got your own family unit that’s all yours. It’s different, and it’s really nice. It’s just more family, you know? All the more to love.”

However, not all adoptees are as close with their birth family as DiBenedetto. Health and physical education teacher Michele Burnett has never met her birth parents and only knows a few things about them, like their first names.

“I kind of always wondered, ‘Where did they live? What do they look like?’”

Burnett said. “But, all through high school, all through college I never really wanted to meet them. Now, it’s more that I wish I could meet them to learn about the family.”

For Burnett, adoption has always played a large role in her life, especially because both her brother and father were both adopted as well.

“They used the word [adoption] all the time when I was growing up,” Burnett said. “It was just always a word I knew. My grandparents always said the word. They always said, ‘Oh you’re adopted.’ It was just part of my growing up. It felt so normal to me. It felt like, ‘Oh, people get adopted.’ It was [such a big part] of my family.”

Burnett, Conners and DiBenedetto all agree that they wouldn’t change a thing about their adopted families.

“I was very lucky,” Burnett said. “I wouldn’t trade [my family] for the world.”

7

of students are first generation college students

option brings joy, creates, mpletes Prospect families

RAGHTY tor-in-Chief

In-Depth

The majority of Prospect families have one pet

1 out of ers and her Deb Conn er ch a te y Elijajh Biolog Aaron and s, n so d te p ado

8

Prospect students only have one parent

3% of Prospect students are adopted

The majority of Prospect families are Christian Junior Em ily DiBen edetto an adoptive d he parents a nd adopte r d brother, E ddie

1 out of

20

Prospect students have step-parents

11%

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Results from Prospector survey of 400 students

8

News

December 2, 2016

prospectornow.com

Clowns strike fear into student body especially at night.

Although the trend of clown sightings has been scaring children and adults alike car came to a rolling stop right next to a group of high school recently, the sightings themselves started in girls at 8 p.m. on Halloween. In- America in 1981 with a clown attempting to lure a boy into a wooded area. This predatside, a clown stopped and stared at junior Megan Konieczka and her friends with its ed Stephen King’s movie, “It,” but occurred after the John Wayne Gacy murders, who window wide open.

Having a run-in with a clown at 8 p.m. posed as Pogo the Clown for children’s birthon Halloween in almost pitch black darkness day parties in the Chicago area for years.

“I used to live in the area where [the Gacy would be enough to send anyone running, events] happened,” school psychologist Jay but that’s not why Konieczka became afraid of clowns. Ever since seeing a horror mov- Kyp-Johnson said. “Boy, kids for 20 years were… afraid because ie with a clown they knew people like in it at a young Students vs. clowns that really existed.” age, Konieczka The evil side of has been scared of The percentage of stuclowns didn’t appear clowns almost her dents who have a fear of to the public until the entire life.

1950s, when Ronald clowns or are creeped “I was very McDonald and Bozo out by clowns scared and nerthe Clown were introvous,” Konieczka duced.

The percentage of said. “[The car] Many psychologists students who say they stopped and the and social workers atclown was just are aware of the recent tribute a fear of clowns staring. It felt like clown phenomenon to the inability to see forever -- minutes one’s true nature unmaybe -- but it was The percentage of studer a clown mask or actually only secdents who want to stay makeup. It closely coonds.” incides with the fear of informed and updated According to the unknown because on clown-related events a survey of 101 you cannot tell someProspect students, Results from a survey of 101 students one’s true intentions 82 percent of behind a disguise. It is Prospect students also the inability to see human emotion or have a fear of clowns or are creeped out by them, the majority of which are freshman expression under a veil that adds to their and sophomore girls. However, 93 percent more eerie or evil side.

“We have some strains in our culture of all students are very aware of the clown right now that are getting woven in togethphenomenon and scared of “creepy” figures,

BY RYAN KUPPERMAN Staff Writer

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CLOWNING AROUND: In recent months, people dressed as clowns have been sighted in places across the nation, including several sightings in the Chicago area. Prospect students, many of whom fear clowns, are closely following the phenomenon on social media and various news outlets. (photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) er, this, almost sort of, unreality of the fear of the unknown, fear of the unidentified,” Kyp-Johnson said. “There is this whole pop-culture thing of what are people really like and what do they represent themselves as. I think the clown is the perfect icon for that because they’re representing themselves as one thing, and you have no idea what they really are.”

Social media and pop culture have also had huge roles in the spreading and awareness of clown sightings worldwide.

“If one instance gets a lot of attention and it’s shared, [it might be] repeated, because people model after each other right?” psychology intern Lianne Paterson said.

“That’s how most of our learning happens. If one thing catches on to social media or news reports, you will -- a lot of times -- see imita-

tive behavior, and that can sometimes spiral out of control.”

The idea of the clown has transformed from the humorous joker to someone hiding their true selves from the world in order to induce fear and panic. The recent clown sightings have attracted the attention and fear of people worldwide, and have provoked questions from many psychologists, social workers and potential victims. “[Clown sightings] play on the whole fear right now of things and people you can’t predict, and that’s part of what terrorism is about,” Kyp-Johnson said. “It’s just a constant barrage of fear, and I am a fully grown adult with a doctorate and it still gets to me.

What are you going to do? You can’t build a bomb shelter over a clown.”

Chronic sitting leaves students with health problems gitte Cueter puts it.

While constant sitting may not Staff Writer affect students as much as adults, During the hours upon hours it cannot hurt to be aware of its that students sit in class enduring effects and whether they can be worksheets, lectures and notes, reversed. many unconsciously start to do The British Journal of Sports something that jeopardizes their Medicine concluded that for peohealth and worsens their perforple over the age of 25, every hour mance in school. of watching television decreases This action that almost every their life expectancy by 22 minperson has done is slumping in utes. This has their chair.

“I know if I’m feeling sluggish earned sitting When stuthe title of the dents slouch, because it’s getting to be “new smoktheir lungs ing” due to later in the afternoon, if I’m are actually the study that being comstanding ... [there’s] a lower discovered pressed and chance of being sluggish. In each cigarette not giving other words, it’s pretty hard subtracts 11 a satisfactominutes from ry amount to be sleepy while you are a person’s life of oxygen to expectancy. standing.” the brain to However, function at its each of these best.

Penny Harney, College minutes may The only not have to Career Assistant way to escape slowly accuthis reality mulate and shorten a person’s life. is to sit with perfect posture to The very serious effects of sitting allow the brain to operate at its are avoidable. maximum capacity. This can be Constant sitting can even indifficult for even adults to do for crease the risk of certain cancers over 4.5 hours straight, which is according to Peak Fitness. For how long an average student sits instance, an unhealthy amount per day. of sitting can increase the risk of Along with this lack of brainlung cancer by 54 percent, uterine power, sitting too much can even cancer by 66 percent and colon lead to organ damage, weight cancer by 30 percent. gain, muscle degeneration and As a solution to this issue, back and neck pain. sophomore Susanna Stasik has Despite these very serious suggested a longer P.E. period to risks, students seem to “not really extend the amount of physical acthink about it,” as freshman Bri-

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tivity in students.

But there may possibly be a different solution that could attack the problem right at its root.

Standing desks are an option many schools have considered investing in. They increase heart rate, maintain insulin effectiveness, burn more calories than sitting, lower risk of weight gain and obesity, can lower blood sugar levels and heart disease, appear to reduce back pain and increase life span, according to Authority Nutrition.

The benefits do not end with health, though. Standing desks can also improve school environments.

With traditional desks, students are less likely to focus on schoolwork because of compressing lungs. Yet if they were standing, their lungs would be entirely capable of inhaling all of the oxygen needed to maximize productivity and focus.

College Career Assistant Penny Harney, who has a standing desk, has experienced how standing desks can affect the body’s behavior first-hand.

“I know if I’m feeling sluggish because it’s getting to be later in the afternoon, if I’m standing ... [there’s] a lot less chance of being sluggish,” Harney said. “In other words, it’s pretty hard to be sleepy while you are standing.”

However, all good things come with a price. Literally.

According to Greg Minter, Associate Principal for Student

Services, quality standing desks process,” Minter said, “...To tranwould cost around two to three sition the entire school into it or even half the school to it.. It would times more than our current take a number of years.” desks, which cost $120 a piece.

However, the real question is Of course there are cheap ones whether the out there; Sitting soreness expense of the however, standing desks the kind of While sitting may seem like a would be worth desks that benign activity, spending more the benefits. are needed than 10 hours a day sitting Harney cerwould have tainly thinks to be able to down can lead to long-term so.

As someendure the health issues. Here are a few one with back wear and examples: problems hertear of conself, her standstant stu• Lungs: compressed lungs, less ing desk has dent use. oxygen getting to the brain and benefited her In fact, cancer greatly.

She Minter has b o u g h t • Brain: loss of brain power and stands at her desk around 7.5 some staff brain damage hours per day members • Torso: organ damage and sees results their own • Limbs: muscle degeneration as soon as the standing day is over. desks in the “Being able to stand and kind past.

One of the teachers Minter has of move around a little bit while I bought one of these desks for was am typing is really, really helpful to me,” Harney said. “And I find Keith Bellof, Math and Science Division Head, when Minter asked that when I do use it I have less aches in my back at the end of the if anyone was interested in using day.” one. It cost $335.

Yet, according to senior Jed If the school were to make the change from our current desks to Kozlowski, all of these benefits standing ones, the plan would be could be reversed as quickly as to sell the ones Prospect has now student gets home.

“Whatever we do to the desks to help with the expense. here won’t really matter much Yet, it would still be an extremely lengthy process to change since at the end of the day, someall of the desks in the school even body can go home and just sit down at a computer for 10 hours,” if money was not an issue.

“To embark on something Kozlowski said. “Nothing we do here is going to change that.” like that, it would be a fairly slow

prospectornow.com

December 2, 2016

Entertainment

9

Winter play underway

BY DAVID FANG Executive News Editor

THAT’S A WRAP: Senior Rhegan Graham (far left) helps edit footage on the set of a student film entitled “Traveling Without Moving.” Graham has worked on several other productions since her first crew experience, but none as large or professional as “Traveling Without Moving.” (photo courtesy of Rhegan Graham)

Moving out of the spotlight Senior finds passion in movie production, visual storytelling CASSIDY DELAHUNTY Executive Entertainment Editor

S

ince senior Rhegan Graham was three years old, theater has been a huge part of her life. As her mom was a theater teacher and had created a community theater for their neighborhood, Graham was always involved. In sixth grade, Graham decided she wanted to branch out from community theater and started auditioning for commercials and other bigger projects.

Graham was ready for a life of being in the spotlight, complete with an agent in Chicago and a schedule of constant auditions. But despite her efforts, Graham had little luck landing any roles.

About two years ago, Graham auditioned for a role in a student film called “Traveling Without Moving.” When she didn’t earn a role in the cast, Graham got an offer from the executive producer, who she had worked with previously, to be on the crew.

“It was the most amazing experience that I ever had,” Graham said. “I realized that I loved [production] way more than being in front of the camera because I could be in charge … and [work] with technology.”

Since “Traveling Without Moving,” Graham hasn’t participated in any other professional projects but has produced several of her own films and shorts, including promotional clips for the League of Women Voters and several documentaries, the latest of which was about the pow-

exactly what she was doing before she had er of the media and video editing. to do it,” Kelly-Dutile said. “Her planning One of her largest projects is a four-minout everything so well made it easier for ute fictional short entitled “Stills.” Following the story of an aspiring sports pho- herself, and it made it easier for us actors. tographer who can only get a job taking I just followed orders. That was all her.”

Despite the dark subject matter of the pictures of stillborn babies for parents, the film, the actors and Graham say that they film explores the journey of a man decidhad a wonderful time working on the ing what he really cares about. short.

Since she created the short to use in “We’ve worked together, we shared a college portfolios, Graham did most of the small space for a long period of time, and work on “Stills,” including the camerait was kind of uncomfortable. But now, … work, editing, music writing and directing. Nonetheless, Graham gives a lot of we’re really close.” Graham said. “When you work with credit to the other people, no matmembers of the ter how great cast and crew for the scale of the the quality of the movie, you’re project. always going “I was really to find those lucky,” Graham bonds.” said. “The actors Graham has were really talentfound that those ed, so I didn’t have bonds can have to direct as much Want to see more of professional as I would have.”

Rhegan Graham’s projects and benefits as well.

Junior Keiproductions? Go to...

On the set of lyn Howard, who her first profesplayed the nurse project, in Graham’s TELEGRAHAMFILMS.COM sional Graham made short, thinks Grafriends with the ham’s talent was a second assishuge contributor. tant director and recently asked him for “The actors she chose take direction well,” Howard said. “She probably doesn’t a letter of recommendation, which he was want to give credit to herself, but I think more than enthusiastic to give her.

Graham is not in it for the connections she is a good director. She knows what she or the flashy lifestyle, though. Her favorwants, and she says that. It’s very helpful ite part has gone from dreams of fame to for actors.” something a little more subtle.

Junior Patrick Kelly-Dutile, who “Movies are the ultimate escapism,” starred in “Stills,” said that Graham’s dedication to the end result was very obvious Graham said. “To be able to give someone in the quality of his experience and the that gift of escaping their realities … and to bring them joy –– that’s what it’s all quality of the short. about.”

“The thing about [Graham} is she knew

Unlike most of the fall sports teams wrapping up their extracurriculars, the theater department knows no offseason. Coming straight off of their fall production of “The Trail to Oregon,” the department has turned their sights to their winter production, “The Butler Did It.” Unlike last year’s winter production, which was written by director Steven Calzeretta, “The Butler Did It” was written by American playwright Tim Kelly.

“The Butler Did It” is meant to be a parody of every classic, English detective story, but with an American twist. The story unfolds as a group of mystery writers are invited to Ravenswood Manor, a foreboding mansion off the coast of San Francisco, for a weekend party. Everything runs smoothly until a murder takes place, sending the production into an out-of-control, humorous spiral.

According to Calzeretta, many roles are based off prominent characters from previous mystery books, TV shows and movies. Several Hollywood influences shine through the characters.

The spirit parody is even highlighted in the names of the characters. Miss Marple, a detective character in several of Agatha Christie’s short stories, is instead Miss Maple. Earl Derr Bigger’s fictional Asian-American detective, Charlie Chan, is replaced by Louis Fan. Even the detective duo Nick and Nora Charles have been changed to Rick and Laura Carlyle.

According to Junior and Student Director Gracie Indelli, much of the humor comes from the characters. Indelli said that most of characters’ personalities are written to be exaggerated and silly. While great for the audience, the nature of these characters can prove to be a challenge to actors. To help with the over-the-top acting required, Indelli said that Calzeretta instructs the actors to maintain a serious and focused attitude while acting even though the play is so ridiculous.

[Kelly’s] comedy will only work if you’re committed to the character and you play the character seriously,” Calzeretta says. “You need to play the character as if it’s a drama.”

Sophomore Jacob Siefke plays one of the more exaggerated and silly characters, Louie Fan. His character is meant to be a “buffoon” and say nonsensical things. Siefke mentions a specific moment in the play where the other characters are discussing money and Louie Fan responds with: “Money? Like sweet, smelling flowers attracts the bumble bees.”

Despite these challenges, Calzeretta said that the cast is ahead of the game.

“They’re all committed to progress and everything that’s going on,” Calzeretta said. “I told them I couldn’t be prouder of them. They’ve all come so far.”

Despite all the challenges the entire production has faced, Calzeretta is looking forward to the end result.

“Truthfully, [the play] is really just … enjoyable,” Calzeretta said. “It’s not scary, heavy-duty, dramatic or anything. It’s just if you want to go out and have a good time and laugh at some silliness.”

What is your favorite thing to paint?

Honestly it’s just random. I usually go off of different stories I think of in my head or different characters. The latest thing I’m doing, it’s about this little boy’s dream, and he goes to this different place when he dreams and in the morning he comes back. I just really like dreams and memories and how that can be interpreted at different ages and [by] different people.

Could you see yourself ever making a career out of art?

My hope is to become a children’s book illustrator or an art teacher, so I can do both at the same time if I’m trying [really] hard. I hope to go into teaching art for high schoolers or hopefully [become] a professor somewhere. That’s my ultimate dream.

How does it make you feel when your art gets recognized?

Lauryn Ciulla, Junior

I usually don’t expect much. I don’t do [art] for recognition or for anybody else; I do it because I enjoy it. So anybody else complementing it, I get really flustered, like, oh God, this is happening.

10

Sports

December 2, 2016

prospectornow.com

Small school sports complicate search and as college approaches, she has realized that she does not want her career to end this spring. aving weighed the academic offerThis decision was confirmed when she ings, class sizes and social scene, attended a summer program in Wisconsin 2015 graduate Kyle Beyak still called Camp Shutout, which is designed spewas not sure about his college plans during cifically for goalkeepers and is led by 50 colthe spring of his senior year. Even though he lege coaches and 50 college athletes. had not even heard about the school until a “I talked with them about it, and they year before, he was leaning toward the Uni- were like, ‘You’ll regret it if you don’t play. versity of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

College sports just continue what you love,’” One of his favorite aspects of the school McDonnell said. “I couldn’t imagine not was that he would be able to continue his playing soccer. It’d feel too weird.” basketball career. He To pursue this goal of also liked that he would playing college soccer, Day in the life of a be able to study radioMcDonnell is looking at a Division III athlete logical sciences, a niche few smaller Midwestern major.

Similarly, alschools, including GrinUW-Oshkosh basketball though UW-Oshkosh is a nell College near Des player and 2015 Prospect Division III school, it is Moines, Iowa. However, alumnus Kyle Beyak says at the larger end of the she currently has a knee that the time commitment is spectrum with 13,500 stuinjury, and if she needs dents. the most challenging aspect to have surgery, she will Still, something had likely forgo sports and atof college sports. Here’s an not yet clicked. That motend Indiana University. average day for Beyak: ment came in an epiphaBecause Indiana is ny when he was driving 6:30-8 a.m. lift roughly 30 times larger and saw a UW-Oshkosh 8 a.m.-3 p.m. classes than Grinnell, McDonbillboard less than five nell recognizes that it 3-6 p.m. practice minutes from his house. has a much larger social 6-7 p.m. shower and dinner Beyak took this as a sign, scene and academic en7 p.m.-completion studying prompting him to make vironment, which she the final decision to atbelieves has its pros and tend the next fall. cons.

Like Beyak did two years ago, senior stuAlthough she knows that social events dent-athletes are forced to weigh whether or like football games and parties will be on a not to continue their sports in college. For smaller scale, McDonnell prefers a smaller students unable to earn Division I scholschool for her major, education. In addition arships at powerhouse schools, this desire to enabling her to play soccer, she hopes that adds an extra element to their search pro- more intimate class sizes will lead to stroncess, something counselor Nicholas Olson ger relationships with professors and theredescribes as “an individual process for every fore better student-teaching placement. student.”

Senior track and cross country runner For senior soccer goalie Madden McJames Riordan is in a similar situation. BeDonnell, this is not a difficult choice. She cause racing has become deeply ingrained has been playing soccer since kindergarten,

BY MIKE STANFORD Editor-in-Chief

H

I’M TAKING MY TALENTS TO: A football lies in a pile of college search material.

Many seniors, including senior cross country runner James Riordan, are evaluating attending large universities and small schools where they can play sports. “There’s a trade-off, but I’m willing to do [it because running is] my passion,” Riordan said. “It has been for a lot of years of my life, so I want to continue it. [College sports have] been a goal of mine, so I think it’s a good trade-off.” (photo illustration by Mike Stanford) into his lifestyle, he wants to run in college, but he recognizes that this will require attending a much different school than he might otherwise. Riordan’s top schools at the moment are University of Northern Iowa and UW-Eau Claire, but if it were not for running, he would be strongly considering a larger school like Iowa State University.

“There’s a trade-off, but I’m willing to do [it because running is] my passion,” Riordan said. “It has been for a lot of years of my life, so I want to continue it. [College sports have] been a goal of mine, so I think it’s a good trade-off.”

Beyak also believes the benefits of playing college sports offset whatever sacrifices athletes have to make, and he is pleased with his decision. He warns, however, that being

an NCAA student-athlete is not easy. While he has been able to handle the challenges associated with it, he has seen some other athletes at UW-Oshkosh who have not.

“You really have to love it,” Beyak said.

“Playing a sport at any level in college is not the same as high school. It’s a lot harder. It’s a lot of time [commitment].”

Despite having confidence in his decision, Beyak occasionally does have doubts about it, but he believes it is important to keep everything in perspective.

“You always think, ‘What if?’” Beyak said. “With social media you see what everyone else is doing, and you’re like, ‘If I went there, maybe I’d have that much fun.’ But …

I would say [that] you’re going to have fun no matter where you go.”

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prospectornow.com

December 2nd, 2016

Sports

11

Deflate rate As NFL ratings decline, students, teachers share rationales, solutions

BY JACK ANKONY Executive Sports Editor

W

eek seven of the 2016 NFL season was marred by what social science teacher Jon Kaminsky describes as a game that no one wants to watch. He points out this game as a prime example of why NFL ratings are down.

The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals tied 6-6 after kickers Steven Hauschka and Chandler Catanzaro couldn’t convert chipshot field goals in overtime.

Kaminsky, whose longtime viewership of the NFL has culminated in a boycott this year, explains that he no longer gets excited for the NFL because of the product they are putting out.

“Any sport can be boring,” Kaminsky said. “But because it is that one time slot a day, you are getting excited for it. Sometimes when the NFL is bad, it’s bad. [But] when you look at a game like the Seahawks and Cardinals, that is — by most people’s count — a four-hour waste of time.”

Through the first eight weeks of the NFL season, there was a 12 percent drop in television ratings, a number that has commissioner Roger Goodell dumbfounded. Theories that the MLB playoffs and the presidential election were drawing viewers away have risen.

In a CNBC poll, 32 percent of people said that the play on the field is not what it used to be.

While English teacher and football coach Nick Lussow still believes that football is the most popular sport in America, he has seen a decrease in the level of play, especially at the quarterback position.

Lussow credits this to the difference in styles of play in college compared to the NFL. This has resulted in quarterbacks not being comfortable enough in pro-style offenses right away, although they

are expected to win.

Compared to the NFL, senior Mike Miller believes that college football produces a more interesting product.

He believes that the main reason is because every college program is playing for the ultimate goal of a bowl game or the playoffs, whereas a lot of NFL teams tank to get a higher draft pick, and the players don’t care as much if they lose because they are still getting paid.

“I feel bad for players that get drafted high — especially for anyone in Cleveland,” Miller said.

“Johnny Manziel was so upset [when the Browns drafted him] because after trying for maybe six games, they are throwing the season away for a draft pick. It takes the fun out of the season. Why watch them play if they are just going to lose?”

The trend of rushing quarterbacks into starting roles is why Lussow thinks rookie quarterbacks are not ready right away.

Teams expect their first round draft pick to be a franchise player, but for quarterbacks recently, this has not been the case.

Out of the 26 quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2007, only 11 are still starters on the team that drafted them.

“Teams used to draft quarterbacks and let them develop over a couple of years,” Lussow said.

“Now if you draft a guy, and he’s not a starter or pro-bowler in the first couple of years, you missed.

And you start over.”

Lussow points out that some of the most popular quarterbacks in the NFL — Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning last year — are all in the back ends of their career.

“When I was a kid, you could name the quarterback, running back or top receiver of each team,”

Reasons people don’t watch the NFL Most Common •Are you distracted by election season?

Yes - 49.3%

•Are you offended by players not standing for national anthem

Yes - 55.8%

Least Common •Have you seen a decline in quality of play on the field?

No - 53.6%

•Are you drawn away by the increase in head injuries?

No - 58.6%

(stats from Seton Hall Sports Program)

Lussow said. “Now it’s like a rotat- thinks the NFL has turned away a lot of viewers because of the way ing [roster] of players. New Orleans just gave [Drew] Brees an ex- they have handled concussions and suspensions. tension and he’s 37 years old. You “A lot of it was also not knowdon’t see that in any sport. They just know that there’s not really ing the double standards of the league,” Kaminsky said. “Ray Rice much coming up through the pipeisn’t in the league. Josh Brown gets line.” a one-game suspension. Greg HarWith some of the best quarterbacks in the league nearing retire- dy is in the league. The Tom Brady suspension I thought was one of ment, Lussow thinks the level of play in the NFL could continue to the stupidest things of all time.”

In addition, decrease.

“I’m not watching 55 percent of peo“As these older because I care about ple say part of the players leave the reason they don’t the game. Mostly I’m game, I think it’s going to be more watching to see how my watch because of the players who and more watered fantasy players perform. don’t stand for the down,” Lussow Then you start realizing national anthem, said. “I don’t know according to a if there’s an answer ‘I can do that just from CNBC poll. While [to how long the levstats.’” larger topics have el of play in the NFL Jon Kaminsky, social contributed to the will keep decreasdecline of NFL rating].” science teacher ings, high school Kaminsky believes that fantasy football has had and college football are still as popa positive impact on the NFL be- ular as ever, especially at Prospect.

Lussow points out that high cause it has made it easy for people to gamble on games and also allows school and college football are more accessible for students. people to follow the sport without He also thinks that pride for watching a second of any games on one’s school often overtakes the deTV. “I’m not watching because I sire to possibly pay $90 or more for care about the game,” Kaminsky a ticket to an NFL game.

“I still think there’s a certain said. “Mostly I’m watching to see how my fantasy players perform. aspect to high school — and even college football to some degree — Then you start realizing ‘I can do that is there is more ownership bethat just from stats.’”

The impact of fantasy football cause you are rooting for your own school,” Lussow said. on the NFL’s ratings is still to be Lussow says that students at decided, according to Kaminsky, who has played fantasy football Prospect do a good job of promoting the games, which creates an since high school. attraction for students to go to a “I don’t know if fantasy will game and sit with friends. hurt the NFL in the long run,” “I think [high school games] are Kaminsky said. “I think it is the going to continue to be a popular reason the NFL is so incredibly popular. I know football is popular, thing whereas pride in your local professional team might not be but I have a hard time believing that people are going to tune into quite as important,” Lussow said.

According to Miller, going to a Thursday night game between Jacksonville and Tennessee if they high school games is not about watching the actual football game weren’t betting on the game.” for most people; it is centered Similar to Kaminsky, Lussow around spending time with friends watches more games in which he has fantasy players — games and having as much school spirit as possible. which he wouldn’t have otherwise The attraction of Friday night watched.

Lussow believes that young football games might never go people follow the NFL more on away, and Lussow, Kaminsky and their phones or iPads instead of Miller think the NFL can do things to win their viewers back, too. watching an entire game.

Kaminsky points out addressEven for Lussow, there aren’t as many attractive games to watch ing concussions more seriously, making the gameplay more attracon Sundays anymore.

“You don’t have Manning ver- tive, speeding up the game and sus Brady,” Lussow said. “You allowing players to express themselves as major strategies for indon’t have those big-time matchups. There aren’t that many games creasing viewership.

As of week eight, the NFL has each Sunday that you are looking fined players a total of $170,155 for forward to see, regardless of fantacelebration penalties in the 2016 sy.” season. Kaminsky believes that Aside from how the game is played and watched, Kaminsky fining players for celebration takes

some of the fun out of the game.

“I’m not watching this to see somebody who is going to score a touchdown and behave like a lawyer,” Kaminsky said. “You’re playing a sport; you’re going to entertain. I want to see a spike.”

In an interview with ESPN on Nov. 3, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman voiced his thoughts on why the NFL’s ratings are down. “[The ratings are down] because the league isn’t fun anymore,” Sherman said. “Every other league, you see the players have a good time. It’s a game. This isn’t politics. This isn’t justice. This is entertainment, and they’re no longer allowing the players to entertain. They’re no longer allowing the players to show any kind of personality, any kind of uniqueness, any individuality. Because they want to control the product. They want to control the messaging.”

Kaminsky highlights a non-football play as one of the moments that has stuck out to him this NFL season.

“My favorite moment of the entire football season has been Gronk saying ‘What touchdown comes after 68?’ Just stupid things he says — that’s the personality type I think the NFL needs more of,” Kaminsky said. “They just need guys that are likable, or even hateable — who’s hateable anymore? There are like four players that anyone cares about now.”

Miller believes that the excessive amount of injuries has caused games to lack star players who draw people to watch the games.

“Every year you are going to have some bad teams,” Miller said. “But this year more than ever, a lot of teams are having rough years. Once they make the games safer and eliminate the excessive amounts of injuries, it becomes more competitive and fun to watch.”

Avoiding head injuries by stressing the correct way to tackle is a way Miller thinks the NFL can decrease injures.

The solution to the NFL’s ratings problem might not be obvious, but teams are doing everything they can to keep football the most popular sport in America for 32 years running.

“If you were to ask me these questions a year ago, I think the NFL had its all-time highest popularity rating last year at this time so I don’t know what the cause is, if it is just bad play or if it is something else,” Lussow said. “There is definitely more pressure on each market to succeed, but I don’t know how you fix that unless you take that attitude away.”

SPORTS

FRIDAY, DEC 2, 2016

LAND AND WATER

TIPOFF

Boys’ Cross Country, Girls’ Cross Country and Girls’ Swim and Dive all went to state in the past few weekends. Check out the coverage of the events on prospectornow.com

Boys’ Basketball began its season in the St. Viator tournament. Check out early season coverage at prospectornow.com

Senior thrives in three sports, classroom

BY PAUL EVERS Sports Editor

A

s soon as the final out was made, senior Grant Whitebloom jumped up and started rushing towards the pitching mound. The boys’ baseball team just won the regional championship behind junior Ryan Howe’s no-hitter.

“Obviously it was a great individual performance by Ryan, but I think that as a team it was cool to see us put it all together,” Whitebloom said. “[We] really connected together and played our best when it counted and mattered the most to win a championship.”

Whitebloom himself has really put it all together in athletics and academics. Whitebloom is entering his second year where he is expected to play three sports at the varsity level as well as taking on the challenging course load of 4 AP classes this year.

“You’ve got to appreciate the sports, and I think it’s important to have fun with sports, but school has got to come first,” Whitebloom said.

KEEP IT IN FRONT: Whitebloom (24) stares down the ball in a soccer match against Fremd on Sept 21. Whitebloom played three years on varsity soccer. (photo by Elisabeth Rohde)

Even with his school-first mentality, Whitebloom has still been able to thrive in athletics. Whitebloom was a starter on defense and one of the captains for the boys’ soccer team, played a vital role for the boys’ basketball team last year and established himself as a key member of the varsity baseball team last spring.

Boys’ varsity basketball assistant coach Brad Rathe doesn’t see many athletes with the talent that Whitebloom possesses for each of his sports.

“That’s rare enough to play three sports,” Rathe said. “You have others that do that… but it’s pretty impressive that he’s such a large part in all of them.”

Heading into Prospect, Whitebloom said he tried to cut down on the amount of sports to play.

Before the winter season of junior year, Whitebloom almost quit playing basketball to focus on training for baseball season.

However, he kept playing and thought it was a great decision because he knows he would have missed playing basketball.

The hardest part of playing multiple sports according to Whitebloom is the transition he has to make from season to season. Whitebloom said it’s hard to “shake off the rust” between sports and the transition from the end of one season to the start of another is very drastic because of how varsity athletics are geared towards the playoffs.

“You’re really in the groove at the end of the season; that’s where everyone wants to be playing their best,” Whitebloom said. “So just going from being in a groove to a sport that you obviously haven’t played in a long time can sometimes be a little challenging.”

Also working against Whitebloom is the fact that he missed a lot of offseason work with his teams while his other sports were in season.

Rathe explained how in the summer before junior year, Whitebloom rarely played in weekend tournaments with the basketball

team because of baseball. Whitebloom also missed basektball open gyms in the fall because of soccer.

This past summer, Whitebloom said he had to juggle travel baseball, baseball summer league, basketball camp, basketball summer league, soccer camp and soccer summer league. He missed a lot of basketball because of travel baseball and he missed soccer as well between travel baseball and college visits.

Even with all this missed time over the summer, Rathe is impressed with how well Whitebloom was able to adjust during the basketball season.

“It’s hard to split up your time like that, and it definitely takes some time to kind of get into the flow of basketball season, too,” Rathe said. “It took him some time, but he adjusted pretty quickly.”

While it may seem like a coach would be frustrated that an athlete would miss time for his or her sport while playing other sports, Rathe actually supports his players participating in other sports.

“I would never really encourage guys to step away from other sports,” Rathe said. “They can teach you such good lessons and also keep you in shape in a different way.”

Whitebloom believes his passion for sports drives him to not only compete in all of his sports, but motivates him to perform at a high level at each sport.

Whitebloom also competes in travel baseball over the summer, which requires him to attend three practices a week over the winter as well as his other commitments for basketball.

Whitebloom also applies this motivation for sports in the classroom, which has pushed him to excel in his classes.

While Whitebloom has never gotten less than an A for a final grade, he doesn’t think that necessarily makes him a genius.

“I think the good grades are more of a reflection of my hard work,” Whitebloom said. “I do have some natural intelligence but

RUN THE POINT: Whitebloom slows his dribble to survey the defense in the Blue vs. White scrimmage on Nov 18. Whitebloom is playing his second year on varsity basketball this season. (photo by Elisabeth Rohde) there are far more people who are a lot smarter than me at Prospect.”

Rathe had Whitebloom in his AP U.S. History class last year, and the work Whitebloom put forward in class and outside of the classroom is what he believes every student should do.

Rathe sees Whitebloom’s focus for academics appear when he graded Whitebloom’s work for his class.

“I don’t know how he budgets his time, but he does his homework incredibly thoroughly and does well on all the tests. He’s well prepared,” Rathe said. “He is pretty impressive in the classroom, too.”

While he does find it hard to budget his time between three sports and school, Whitebloom focuses more on what’s going on in the present instead of worrying about what he has to complete in the future.

“When I’m playing, I just like to be involved in the moment,” Whitebloom said. “[I don’t] want to

Q. Athlete: Jillian Hennig Year: Senior Sport: Cheerleading

A.

What do you think are the team’s expectations?

“Our expectations are to win our division and to win our conference. I think though our team’s biggest expectation is to make it back to state.”

Q. A.

What is your favorite part of cheerleading?

“I really like the tumbling part of cheerleading. I also really like doing competitions, competing against other teams and just showing our competition the skills that we have.”

Q. A.

worry [about things] too far ahead or too far behind.”

Whitebloom says he puts specific time aside for homework, about two to three hours a night. He also tries to keep athletics and academics separate, as he’ll only do homework during travel for athletics if he absolutely has to.

Whitebloom’s mentality has him striving to do as much as possible, but there has been times when even he has doubted if he could continue his busy lifestyle.

“Sometimes I get stressed out with all that, especially junior year with the ACT and all that. Sometimes I’m thinking, ‘Why am I doing all these sports when I could be focusing on school and maybe getting even better grades?’,” Whitebloom said. “But just my love for all the sports that I do and the moments where I’ve been successful, all the good things that we’ve done as a team over the years — that keeps pushing me to do it.”

What do you think of this season’s cheerleading squad?

“I think our team will be very good this season... our team is as good as last season’s team if not better. I think we have worked hard to get where we are... this team is the hardest working group of girls I’ve ever been around.