Issue 5

THE

PROSPECTOR

801 WEST KENSINGTON ROAD, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056

THE VOICE OF PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1959

VOLUME 56, ISSUE 5

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2016

Knights’ culture cuts through the haze

BY DAVID FANG Executive News Editor

S

enior David Contreras was barely in eighth grade when both of his brothers and the rest of the Maine West varsity soccer team were sent to the police station. One of the players had accused the team of hazing.

Although it was revealed later that his brothers were simply bystanders to the incident, six other students were charged with misdemeanor assault in juvenile court.

Maine West is one of several local schools that have fallen victim to hazing. Lake Zurich High School had also been investigating an alleged hazing case before police stated that no charges were being filed. Despite these local incidents, Prospect has gone to great lengths to ensure that the staff creates a culture that reduces the risk of hazing incidents.

School psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson knows firsthand just how important efforts to stop hazing are. Kyp-Johnson has worked in four high schools and has seen how hazing can occur. As a staff member at one of these schools, he said that students would do “one of the worst things” he has ever seen.

As a school tradition, upperclassmen would come the night before the first day of school to trash the campus and write messages such as “go home freshmen” and “f*** you freshmen” on the main path leading into the school.

During his time there, Kyp-Johnson says that there were few efforts to stop this “tradition.”

Kyp-Johnson says that in that specific case, the staff “inadvertently sanctioned” the acts. Although he believed that most of the staff was completely against the behavior, they often encouraged the event with how they spoke to their

A HAZE OF PROBLEMS: Despite several hazing incidents emerging from other local schools, Prospect has remained without a major hazing incident since 1997. Staff and administrators have cited the positive culture and vigilance of teachers as reasons for this environment. (photo illustration by Elisabeth Rohde) students. “[The staff] kind of supported it in the sense that you would occasionally hear them say, ‘Oh god, those stupid freshmen’ or ‘Those froshies,’” Kyp-Johnson said.

“They would say that to students, and they would pick up on that and [think], ‘We have the right to treat [freshmen as] lesser than us.’”

Unfortunately, the incidents at his previous school were only some of the several Kyp-Johnson has witnessed. During his time at Maine South High School, he witnessed upperclassmen pelting underclassmen with pennies during homecoming week. He said that he would end up walking down penny-covered hallways.

At both of these high schools, these traditions came to a halt af-

ter staff began to “prowl the territory.” In the case of Maine South, this did not start to happen until the school needed to meet a behavioral standard to be accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, a regional accreditation group. Attaining this accreditation would have meant that the school complied with some standard of excellence and would have been more reputable.

In many cases, hazing is perpetuated by a harmful or flawed culture.

“Traditions” like this have also taken place at Prospect in past.

The act of “froshing,” or drawing on underclassmen with markers, was commonplace during homecoming week. Assistant Principal of Student Activities Frank Mi-

D214 studio provides new career pathways in media

BY GRACE BERRY Print Managing Editor Elk Grove social science teacher Bruce Janu was very excited to be involved in a creating new opportunity for broadcast journalism students throughout District 214. “[District 214] wanted to open up a new career pathway in a very unique way,” Janu said. “As far as we know, this is really one of the only programs like this around. It’s quite an opportunity for kids.”

District 214 asked Janu and Hersey media teacher Todd Hatfield earlier this year to help create a new program starting next semester for media students called “D214 Studio.” Both were asked to run this program because of their knowledge of film and broadcast journalism. The students selected for the program will be filming and producing a TV show called “High School Flip”, a show about a house being flipped.

The high school students in the Practical Architecture Construction (PAC) course will be flipping the house. The architecture students from classes across the district are focusing on designing the remodeling of an older home.

After the winning design is chosen by professional architects and district employees, the PAC students will build the renovations next fall. This is a change from previous years when the PAC students built an entire house designed by students in architecture classes.

The media students were added to the program to involve as many students as possible.

“We realized the biggest impact we could have would be involving these two programs,” Hatfield said. “Let’s start educating

A New Hope

Senior and marching band drum major Hannah Thornton won the Bob Hope Band Scholarship. She was the only band member in the parade to receive this award. To find out more, turn to ...

page 5

randola says that froshing took several years to phase out and only stopped once teachers began to be more vigilant. He also said that coaches began a policy of making sure that those who partook in hazing would not be a part of their team.

In addition to the staff’s neglect, Kyp-Johnson also says that a lack of a sense of community contributes greatly to a risk of hazing.

“Hazing is a lot about [people being] insiders and outsiders, like, ‘Hey, you’re not one of us,’” Kyp-Johnson said.

Contreras can confirm this with his experiences playing soccer at both Prospect and Maine West. Contreras has noticed vast differences in the cultures of each school. He says that at Maine West,

the soccer team would often divide itself into groups based on race, which caused a culture of insiders and outsiders. This, he says, would often foster a sense of hostility. “[The culture] is different because [the team is] more peaceful at Prospect,” Contreras said.

“I know most of them at Maine West. They’re not violent, but they can be when they want to. Here at Prospect they are friendly, and they don’t separate you from the group.”

Contreras also says that if the coaches at Maine West had been more strict and vigilant with the players, the incident could have been prevented.

Other athletic teams also try to take extensive anti-hazing measures. Varsity football coach Mike Sebestyen says that he tries to prevent such incidents by continuously having conversations with his team on ethical behavior. “[We talk about] how to behave in general as a person, how you want to be looked at and remembered as teammate, what’s appropriate and not appropriate,” Sebestyen said.

He says that all coaches create an environment of respect among teammates, an environment students like senior baseball player Colin King enjoy. King says he does not see any problems between older and younger players. He says that when younger members are pulled up to varsity, there is very positive attitude towards them.

“All the older kids have a sense of respect for these younger kids that are playing up because they are there for a reason,” King said.

“Everyone really knows their role on the team.”

As a former track and field SEE HAZING, page 2

On prospectornow.com ...

Check out photo albums by visuals editor Elisabeth Rohde from the basketball game at Hersey on Dec. 2, as well as the win over Buffalo Grove on Dec. 9.

SEE STUDIO, page 2

Sneak Peek

Latulip blooms

Junior Elijah Mahan has been buying and selling sneakers for four years.

He is heavily involved with sneaker culture, and his business has taken him across the country. To read more, flip to ...

2012 grad Mike LaTulip was the all time leading scorer at Prospect during his high school career. To see where his after high school basketball journey has taken him, turn to ...

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News

December 16, 2016

prospectornow.com

STUDIO: D214 engages media kids days and Thursdays from 4–5:30 p.m. Hatfield said the program is after school because many stuthe public on the amazing dents don’t have room in their things our PAC kids are doing, school schedules, and the program and then let’s also allow the kids we have in these communication, includes kids from across the district. broadcast and journalism fields to Hatfield explained the media show off their skills.” students will start filming next seD214 Studio is looking for stumester. The goal is to create one or dents interested and skilled in two episodes of “High School Flip.” making videos (see “Steps to sign The episodes would be about the up for D214 Studio” to learn how to backstory of the family that lived apply). in the house and “We’re lookSteps to sign up for the architecture ing for the 25 D214 Studio students’ design best communicacompetition for tion, broadcast its interior. and journalism 1. Go to d214studio.org and When creatstudents in the go to the apply tab. ing the episodes, district,” Hatstudents will field said. “We 2. Submit information and use a TV studio need more than the District is just a paper ap- upload a video to YouTube building at Forplication.

You showing your interest in est View. It will need to showcase broadcast media. be constructed your work and over the sumyour talent. To 3. The application deadline mer, but all new a certain degree is Jan. 4. Students will find equipment has … we’re really out within two weeks if they been bought and making an allmade the program. is ready to use star team.” for the upcoming The program semester. starts second semester, and stuStudents will receive course dents will be working at Forest credit and internship credit beView Educational Center on MonCONTINUED from front page

CONTINUED from front page coach, Mirandola says that it is especially important to monitor locker rooms because many hazing incidents occur when people are “hanging out” in locker rooms for extended periods of time.

According to Kyp-Johnson, coaches and staff also make sure that small chores like carrying a bat bag is a task that rotates between players regardless of seniority to prevent a sense of superiority based on age from developing.

Despite all the precautions he and the staff have taken, Mirandola says that the risk of hazing can never be completely eradicated.

“We have a great culture here at Prospect that reduces the risk but does not eliminate the risk of something like [hazing],” Mirandola said. “I think once you let your guard down and say, ‘It could never happen here,’ that opens you up to being vulnerable.”

But Mirandola cites programs like Knight’s Way and LINK as integral parts of the positive culture that combats hazing. He says that they allow for an open and honest forum of discussion between upperclassmen and underclassmen.

“There is a certain level of respect that students have, and they look up to the upperclassmen,” Mirandola said. “When upperclassmen don’t partake in these types of activities, the standard of normality becomes falling in line with what they do, which is being compassionate, being invested and having a general enthusiasm and excitement for Prospect High School.”

ACTION! This is the house on Dryden Street that will be remodeled.

Students in the Practical Architectural Construction (PAC) will be doing the remodeling while students in the new D214 Studio program will be filming for their TV show “High School Flip.” (photo by Mike Stanford) a resume and a portfolio that has professional-grade work.”

Janu is also excited for this new experience, and students’ opportunity to create a professional-grade TV show on their own.

“I haven’t heard of anything like this where kids would come together in a studio environment

and shoot, direct, plan, edit an entire TV show,” Janu said. “It just sounds like something out-of-thebox. There is really nothing available like this for kids in a career pathway for those interested in broadcast media or film production.”

72 Broadcasts mid-major games 73 Opposite of own 74 Newspaper staffer’s favorite activity

HAZING: Monitoring ensures safety

cause students will have to miss school sometimes to film the construction of the house during the fall of 2017 or other types of footage.

Hatfield says the district has already bought the house that will be flipped. It’s a 65-year-old house on Dryden St. in Scarsdale. The original owners died, so the district purchased it from their children, who inherited it.

Hatfield is very excited for the program to start next semester because he’s very passionate about media journalism and believes students are getting a very unique opportunity.

“If I wasn’t teaching, this is what I’d be doing,” Hatfield said.

“My heart is here. My passion is here. I absolutely love it. The experience we’re providing for the kids here is the most valid real experience a kid could ever get.”

Eventually, when all the episodes have been created, the students and staff are going to see if they can get the TV show picked up. Hatfield is not counting on the TV show getting picked up because the TV industry is so large.

“If it’s picked up, great. If it’s not picked up, guess what? It really isn’t the end of the world,” Hatfield said. “[Students have] put together

Down 1 Describing Pacific volcano geographic pattern 2 Plural taxonomic suffix 3 Not good, not bad 4 Muslim military commander 5 Describes the morgue in Poe’s mystery 6 Home of Sun Devils abbrev.

7 Features Dome of the Rock, West Wall 8 Scent that fills the room 9 Focal point of “Glee” 10 Are no fun unless you share with everyone 11 World’s longest mountain range 16 Ad ___ 17 SEC football team in decline 21 #ImWith___ 23 Easy as ___ 24 45 down ___ 25 League including Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, etc.

27 Christmas egg drink 28 Neglect; yields no point loss on old SAT 30 Honorary British title 34 Describes a grove and a lodge 35 Known for its legalist philosophy 36 Reptilian monster Across 37 ___ moment 1 The Eternal City; 54 across lies within 38 Reunification of this city in 1990 39 Common lunchtime marked Cold War’s end 5 Title given to Indian noble, e.g. king, 40 Capital of republic deemed part of prince 41 Research Data Alliance 9 Founded in 1861; not ideal place to be “axis of evil” 42 Happened to Ryan Lochte in Rio 44 Don’t want one in your headphones 43 Sibling’s daughter homophone black 46 Runner up in bid for 2016 Olympics 45 ___ 24 down 12 Unit used in checkout lines 48 Snowden’s former employer 13 One who consumes illegal drugs 47 International shipping company 51 Slang for present participle of “go” 14 Domestic fowl 48 Birthplace of pizza 53 Half of the McDonald’s logo 15 Northwestern’s journalism school 49 “___ ___ it!”

18 Step Harden uses; unstable currency 54 Pope’s pad in 1 across 50 French denonym suffix 19 Disorder characterized by reoccurring 58 Edison’s type of aquatic animal 59 Psychologists encourage patients to 52 “___ it in the bud” thoughts, actions 54 Alessandro after which unit of electric potendo this 20 You’ll get kissed for being this 60 Liked by neither Trump nor Kanye 22 Man in black on the diamond or tial is named 62 Organization where all partners behind the dish 55 More adorable 24 Chinese principle; with ying and yang enjoy limited liability 56 Three 63 Common father-son baseball activity 57 Antithesis of no shows path 66 Question nobody asks during a 26 Capital of Messi’s homeland 61 Tangent times cosine break-up 29 Sections of a curve 64 61 down abbrev.

31 Native name for 1 across; Totti’s team 69 Catfishing poster child 65 Bump, ___, spike 70 Borders city that blew 3-1 lead 32 New York’s current time abbrev.

71 Has taped glasses; hangs in math-sci- 67 Magnetic body part diagnostic exam 33 Alt. name for cavities; football stat 68 New York’s time abbrev. in six months ence resource room homonym

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prospectornow.com

December 16, 2016

News

Competitive dance sees new success

BY RILEY LANGEFELD Copy Editor

S

enior Dana Iverson and her teammates had lost hope. They were sitting in the South Elgin High School gym on Nov. 23 and waiting for the competitive dance team’s award category. The second- and thirdplace awards had already been given out, and they certainly weren’t expecting to hear the announcer call out “Prospect High School” for first place. But he did.

“It was a really special moment because we’d never been called under those circumstances before. So it was a lot of screaming, giggling and laughing all at once,” Iverson said. “It was an incredible moment of celebration.”

In fact, the team was so caught up in their excitement that they completely forgot to receive the award. The announcers had to walk across the gym and hand it to them.

Nevertheless, the team’s performance at South Elgin was indicative of a newfound success in this year’s competitive season. In addition to winning their first competition, the team has been achieving higher scores at all of their competitions and has followed an upward trend through the first part of the season.

The team was started in the fall of 2014 and is currently in its third season. The team experienced limited competitive success in its first two seasons. Head coach Kristin Burton points out that the choreography during these seasons didn’t work well with the team; it didn’t play to the dancers’ strengths, which left them with negative impacts on their scores. However, this year she took a new approach in creating the dance.

Burton hired choreographer Lyndsey Podowski to create the dance in Oct. 2016. Unlike previous years, Podowski spent time with the dancers and watched them dance extensively before she began choreography. According to senior Hanna Bondarowicz, this made a significant difference in the final product and the team’s performance.

“It’s really rewarding because last year we put in so much work and so much time, and we kept getting negative feedback,” Bondarowicz said. “This year it’s been really nice to see that our hard work is paying off and that we’re doing something right. ... We’re bringing more to the table and using our talents in a more efficient way.”

Burton shares this feeling, adding that the choreography has also improved the dancers’ attitudes.

“This year, I am so happy with it,” Burton said. “The girls are excited about dancing it. I think that’s half of it. You have to be excited about what you’re doing on the floor in order for it to show that you’re enjoying it.”

Iverson also points to the determination and friendship among the team as key contributing factors to their success.

“I think the team members are still just as dedicated as they were last year. We still have a lot of camaraderie, and we work really hard during each practice to make sure we’re doing our best,” Iverson said.

During practices, the team starts with a 20-minute warm-up and quickly progresses into running the dance. As a co-captain of the team with Bondarowicz, Iverson drills individual groups on their dancing as Burton works with others. They run through the dance to fix any errors point-

DANCE REVOLUTION: The members of the dance team pose for a photo after performing their winning dance at South Elgin High School on Nov. 23. The team is experiencing a new period of success with this year’s season. (photo courtesy of Kristin Burton) ed out in the judge critiques from their most recent competition, and Burton makes notes for individual dancers. Then they run the dance again, repeating the process until the practice is over.

Iverson says that despite the rigor of the practices, her teammates help to make the process thoroughly enjoyable.

“One of my favorite things about practices is that we are always laughing and having fun,” Iverson said. “I really enjoy having those moments of fun amidst the moments of work.”

On most days, Iverson dances with Orchesis from 2 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. before going to dance team practice from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

As a result, she doesn’t get home until around 8 p.m. She says that this schedule has been challenging at times, but she appreciates the fact that she is not alone in this struggle.

“I feel that there is a strengthened bond when you’re doing something really difficult with your peers,” Iverson said. “And when you know that everyone is working really hard, it makes you

really grateful that you have such great teammates that are working hard. And it just makes you want to continue your progress.”

Additionally, this ordeal is not a new one for Iverson. Iverson has been a member of the Orchesis team since her freshman year. She heard about the dance team during her first year in Orchesis and immediately wanted to join. She wanted to pursue dance artistically and athletically, and her participation in both Orchesis and the dance team allowed her to achieve this balance.

Burton, who came from a competitive dance background in high school, also says that the dance team offers a different style from the one that Orchesis employs.

Competitive dance is much more structured than Orchesis, and Burton says that the team tries to be as creative as possible within those restraints.

At competitions, the team’s one minute, 56 second dance is judged in 10 different categories, each scored out of 10 points. These categories include choreography, difficulty, technique, group syn-

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chronization and showmanship.

However, the actual performance is brief in comparison to the 12hour competitions.

On competition days, the dancers arrive at Prospect at 8:30 a.m..

Burton drives them to the event, and they immediately start working on their hair and makeup, which require three hours of meticulous work to perfect. Iverson said that this time can be taxing, but that synchronization in their appearance is a part of a successful performance. After this process, the team spends roughly an hour warming up before going to the gym floor to compete.

As the dancers wait for awards, they eat, sleep, watch the other dancers and do homework. During the awards, the top three teams in each category are announced.

The team hopes to carry the success of their regular season competitions into the state series.

On Jan. 21, 81 teams will compete in sectional competitions across the state. The top 36 teams will advance to the state meet, and the top 12 of those teams will compete in the state finals. Burton says that the team’s goal is to be among those elite teams, which would be a first for Prospect.

Beyond this, Iverson hopes that the team can continue its improvement through the coming years and credits Burton for the team’s prosperity.

“I think one of the greatest reasons for our success is [Burton]’s dedication,” Iverson said. “She’s really harnessed the potential for our team and the talent that it has, and she’s been able to push us so that we all succeed. I’m grateful that she has given her time and her experience to make sure that we all come together, and we can create something really special.”

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Opinion

December 16, 2016

prospectornow.com

Commons condition causes concern limited to the commons. While not system- tion are the same students who misuse it on ic, students too often disrespect what the a daily basis. Most students are not guilty, school provides them. but this does not diminish the importance For instance, students are fortunate to of the issue. have iPads, but using them We, The Prospecto play games in class is an tor, believe that abuse of this privilege. Simstudents need to be ilarly, the KLC is a convemindful that they nient space to study and coltake pride in their laborate, but students often school not only when ignore the librarians’ rules they find it easy and by eating food. enjoyable to do so, The lack of respect and but also when it is school pride in these situnot. Only by taking ations is in contrast to the care of the school in widespread involvement in every way possible Voting results of the ProsThe Underground. Some stucan we ensure the oppector staff in regards to dents who proudly represent timal experience for this editorial. the school in the student secall students.

0

Against

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For

Although picking up garbage in the commons is not a quintessential high school experience, and following the rules will not win any student-section award, these actions are no less vital to being a student at Prospect High School.

Nor is it any more difficult. All that is necessary is more attention to what people do already and how they impact others while doing so. This would be as simple as waiting 20 minutes to eat or walking 10 steps to a trash can.

At the core of a community’s existence is each person’s coexistence with others, and at Prospect that takes form in having school pride and a sense of responsibility by living the Knights’ Way. We can best ensure harmonious daily interactions by remaining cognizant of these ideals.

Staff Editorial

S

tudents at the Dec. 3 meeting of Principal’s Advisory Council painted a bleak picture of the commons. They mentioned Cheetos ground into the fabric of the couches, wrappers stuck between cushions and used pizza trays littering the tables.

Their disgust was shared by administrators, and for good reason. When the renovations to the commons were proposed in February 2015, the cost was estimated to be $4 million.

Principal Michelle Dowling said that many people advised her against spending such a large sum of money on something students would likely destroy.

The realization of these fears is discouraging, especially at a school that prides itself on school spirit. And the problem is not

Atheism struggles to overcome misunderstandings from society in the existence of gods, is comStanding around his family, monly misunderstood. Through math teacher Mike Riedy waited a study of the Pew Research Cenfor his family’s Christmas prayer ter, apparently 41 percent of peoto end. He stood there silently in ple in today’s society anticipation of the Christperceive atheism to be mas festivities. anti-religion or having Riedy does not partake a lack of morals. in his family’s religious Comprising only events since he is atheist.

3.1 percent of the He is not against the holAmerican population, iday season because he atheists are vulneraenjoys the happiness and ble to harassment and joy that surrounds it, but judgment. This percepit has caused his family BY JACK RYAN tion is inaccurate and to have different opinions Executive Social harmful, and I’ll admit, about him being atheist.

Media Editor I was part of the probHe chooses not to parlem until my sophomore year. ticipate in them because they During Secret Santa in one of go against his beliefs, but Riedy my classes, a student did not parknows that people will misunticipate. Upon asking her why, derstand and judge him for being she said she was atheist. Suratheist. Riedy has lost friends in prised, I thought the past for being atheist, and has how weird it is for seen first-hand how people do not her to be atheist. I understand the values of atheism. was not accustomed Atheism, which is the disbelief

Theistic Characteristics 1. An ideology that guides a group 2. Belief in supernatural beings like Gods 3. Ritual acts pertaining to certain religious events 4. Believing that places or objects are sacred (e.g. relics and mosques) 5. A set of moral codes that theists follow and or live by (e.g. 10 Commandments) 6. Praying to deities to communicate with them 7. Groups who join each other for worship (e.g. gatherings at church to worship their deity)

information courtesy of atheism.about.com

staff Editor-in-Chief Mike Stanford Managing Editors Grace Berry Diana Leane Copy Editors Riley Langefeld Leo Garkisch

to hearing people identify as such.

This attitude has its origins in Ancient Greece and Rome. In both civilizations, according to atheism.about.com, being atheist was a capital crime. People believed that being theist gave their government legitimacy, and anyone who defied this thinking was seen as a threat to society.

That thinking has persevered into today’s society, and has contributed to misconceived notions of what atheism is. It has also caused me to make inaccurate perceptions about a girl in my class for her belief.

This judgment of mine was wrong. According to Austin Cline, regional director for the Council of Secular Humanism, says atheism is not the absence of beliefs but rather an ideology that defies all characteristics of theistic religion.

Throughout my life, I have often encountered people who miss this nuance. I have heard claims that atheists are devil worshipers and immoral for not believing in a religion.

Riedy thinks people form their morals based on their religion, and he has heard people claim that atheists, therefore, lack morals.

According to a CNN, morality came long before religions were established a couple thousand years ago.

Also according to the study, the Netherlands, where 60 percent of the population are atheists, tested just as high as keeping a moral society than a religious nation.

This experiment along with Riedy’s statement shows one can be atheist and still have morals, and puts into perspective that Riedy, like all oth-

Associate Editors-in-Chief Flynn Geraghty Caley Griebenow

News Editors David Fang Katie Hamilton

Online Copy Editor Erin Schultz

Opinion Editors Ayse Eldes

Social media Editor Jack Ryan

Entertainment Editors Cassidy Delahunty Cole Altmayer

Online Editor Amanda Stickels Online Sports Editor Wyatt Dojutrek Broadcast Editor Claire Strother

Sports Editors Jack Ankony Paul Evers Visuals Editor Elisabeth Rohde

BELIEVE IT: The bright red “A” at North School Park in Arlington Heights represents Atheism. Holiday decorations like the Nativity Scene and Christmas sayings like “Happy Holidays” overshadow the “A’ and the belief system, and this has led to common misconceptions about the ideology. (photo by Jack Ryan) er atheists, are no less human than a person who believes in a religion.

People just want to come to hasty generalizations without serious research.

Along with the belief atheists are immoral, Riedy also faces the misconception that atheists force their ideas onto others. People want others to be like them, so this is undoubtedly true to an extent.

However, this zeal is no different than any other theists forcing their religion on others, like common missionary work.

Atheism provides people who are not certain that there is a god with an outlet to express their beliefs. I flirted with becoming atheist at the end of my junior year because I did not know if I agreed with the teachings of my Catholic upbringing or those of any religion. Although I decided against becoming atheist, I have come to understand the ideology.

The free mindset and other per-

GRAPHICS Editor Alex Guerra Adviser Jason Block 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

sonal events are the reasons Riedy has been atheist for over 20 years. “[To me] atheism means I live everyday to the fullest because I don’t have that promise of an eternity of bliss or of a heaven to look forward to or to be threatened with,” Riedy said.

This spiritual freedom might make some think atheism is not a legitimate belief system, but this nonconformity atheism embraces makes it different than any other type of belief system.

According to Riedy, he is not burdened with the fear of living up to the expectations of someone or something else. His decisions are based on what he believes are true and best for his family and friends, and not based on what someone or something tells him.

Regardless of theological alignment, everyone should seek the same bliss. Only with that goal in mind can one understand the world around them.

courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

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prospectornow.com

December 16, 2016

5

Features

Thornton scores major scholarship CALEY GRIEBENOW Associate Editor-in-Chief

S

K

itting in a luncheon in the Dream Hotel in New York City, senior drum major Hannah Thornton wasn’t expecting anything special to happen. The luncheon was honoring the band members who had entered to win the Bob Hope Scholarship, since each marching band that participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was able to nominate one member.

The scholarship aims to honor one outstanding band member who demonstrates superior leadership and a commitment to music.

According to the Bob Hope foundation, each applicant must write an essay in order to be considered for the scholarship.

Last year’s winner was a member of the marching Illini, so although Thornton had confidence in her application, she knew the competition was tough.

A speaker at the luncheon read a letter from Bob Hope’s daughter Linda, which was personally addressed to Thornton about the essay she wrote. This was when Thornton realized what was happening.

“After he was done reading, he said ‘Representing Prospect High School, Hannah Thornton,’ and my heart was pounding,” Thornton said. “I was completely surprised.

I was so honored to represent the band in this way.”

Thornton was named the recipient of the 13th annual Bob Hope Band Scholarship on Nov. 22, meaning both she and the band program were awarded $10,000. She plans on using all of the money for college.

Thornton’s essay was a dialogue between herself and the late Bob Hope and how she tries to exemplify his commitment to leadership and music. She worked on the rough draft for a few hours and spent weeks revising it. She chose to include a dialogue because it was out of the box.

“I thought, ‘Well these poor people are going to be reading a lot of essays that are probably pretty similar,’ so I wanted to do something a bit more creative to make myself stand out,” Thornton said.

Band director Chris Barnum agrees with Thornton. He believes her essay made an impact on the people who read it.

“I think the essay that she wrote was incredibly unique and creative,” Barnum said. “I just don’t think it was the sort of thing they usually see, and I think that really impressed the people on the committee.”

Thornton’s fellow band members were ecstatic for her. Junior Theresa Schafer, who plays the flute in the marching band, was proud that she was part of the band that inspired Thornton to write an award-winning essay about leadership.

“We stand together as a band, so it was really cool to see how I was part of the group that allowed her to be a leader,” Schafer said.

Thornton was in seventh grade when she was first exposed to the band. She was watching them perform because her older brother was part of it, and she recalls being captivated by one specific moment: the drum majors’ salute at the beginning of the show.

o Wh ws o n

Sophomore Evan DeRicco walked over to the chair where he would be playing in the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) All-District Festival.

There, he played alongside the top musicians in the district, which is comprised of schools from all around northeastern Illinois. He noticed that his chair was at the end of the tuba section, immediately assuming he was last chair. However, the director soon told DeRicco that he would be playing the solo part, and only first chair plays the solo. “I didn’t really believe that I was first chair,” DeRicco said.

An exerpt from Thornton’s winning essay, which features a fabricated conversation between Thornton and the late Bob Hope

For the rest of the story, head to...

prospectornow.com

SALUTE: Senior Hannah Thornton leads the marching band in the Lake Park Lancer Joust. In her second year as a drum major, Thornton was awarded the Bob Hope Scholarship, which honored her essay and her dedication to the band. (photo courtesy of Hannah Thornton) As a four-year member of the marching band with two years as drum major under her belt, Thornton has solidified herself as a leader of the PMK. Thornton decided to try out for drum major in April of her sophomore year because she wanted to continue to strive to become better.

“I loved the time commitment because we know we’ll be successful,” Thornton said. “It’s all or nothing –– eight hours in the summer and practices after school and competitions on the weekends or quit –– and I didn’t want to quit.”

The tryout included conducting the beginning of the next show, an interview and clapping and yelling out in front of other people to show she was comfortable being loud, which she said was awkward at first.

She estimates 9–15 people try out each year, and most years there are three drum majors

“I just remember thinking it was coolest thing ever,” Thornton said. “It just looked powerful.”

At the time, Thornton was on the fence about following in his footsteps. She then played the trumpet at South Middle School but wasn’t enjoying it as much as she wanted to.

By the time she entered her freshman year, she thought she would just “give it a whirl” and joined band. That meant dedicating much of her summer to band camp, which ran through June and August, from 1 to 9 p.m. almost every weekday.

She knew almost right away that she had made the right decision.

“There was an immediate community I could join with boys and girls from all four grades,” Thornton said. “I don’t think there’s any other group at Prospect like that to that scale.”

Sophomore Mike Tuleo

9

Train tracks

The Subject

B

Sophomore Julia Seaman The Best Friend

j.acquieg

P

The Boyfriend

Sophomore Jacquie Gadow

etYto u er?

Underclassman qualifies for All-State band

“‘I’ve reprinted so much lost sheet music it isn’t even funny, but that’s another story.’

‘That is leadership though,’ Mr. Hope says with a shake of his head. ‘Hannah, if someone feels they can approach you and trust you to solve their issues, that makes you a dependable young lady.

That says more about you than you know.”

Shoe size?

Biggest fear?

8

Spiders

8

P

selected.

Thornton found out she was selected to be drum major a few days after the tryout and couldn’t believe what she had accomplished.

“I was pretty much shocked,” Thornton said. “I was freaking out because I was so excited.”

Barnum has been impressed with Thornton’s dedication to the band, and he credits her success to what she brings to the band program.

“I think [what makes her successful] is inherent,” Barnum said. “She never really gets down. I don’t think it’s that I taught her everything she knows. I think a lot of it comes from just who she is. She brought a lot of who she is to the role.”

According to junior and alto-saxophone section leader Abby Citterman, Thornton is a natural leader.

“She is always positive, and her dedication is so obvious,” Citterman said. “She [is] often the first to get to rehearsals and the last to leave, and she’s always willing to help others.”

Thornton gave Citterman advice on how to work better with the other saxophone players when they were having issues connecting and working cohesively.

Thornton values the leadership skills she has gained since becoming drum major, and she believes she has a stronger idea of who she is because of band.

“It taught me everything about myself that I know now,” Thornton said. “[It taught me] I love helping other people and how to tell people what to do, but how to have fun with those same people.”

Now that her final marching band season is over, Thornton is able to reflect on how it changed her high school career for the better.

“It’s an experience. It’s unique,” Thornton said. “We really put in all the blood, sweat and tears to be as successful as we can be. Otherwise, it wouldn’t feel as rewarding.”

Honey and Shelby

P

The Breakfast club

P

X

Instagram Pets’ names? Favorite username? movie?

Honey and The Breakj.acquieg fast Club Shelby

Spiders

j.acquieg

P

P

Honey and Shelby

P

Enchanted

W I N N E R

6

In-Depth

December 16, 2016

‘Sneakerheads’ reap benefits of thriving shoe culture

BY LEO GARKISCH Copy Editor

A

s then-seventh-grader Elijah Mahan waited in line for Air Jordan 5 Retro Grape sneakers, all he could think about was the profit he would turn when he resold them. Hours later, he had the shoes in hand and would go on to flip them for a $40 profit.

Little did he know, but that purchase would kick off a career in the resale shoe business that has earned Mahan, now a junior, the opportunity to travel nationwide, get sponsored by eBay, receive acknowledgement from Kevin Durant on Instagram and earn tens of thousands of dollars in yearly profits since that first sale.

“For me it was the most fun and quickest way to make money,” Mahan said. “[Shoes] were already a hobby of mine, so making money on the side –– I liked that a lot.”

A self-declared “sneakerhead,” Mahan is just one of the thousands who have shaped the resale sneaker industry, which, according to the Financial Times, is valued at an estimated $1 billion.

“A lot of people are really starting to pick it up, and a lot of people are really passionate about it,” senior sneakerhead Nick DeCapri said. “It’s a way to express yourself.”

DeCapri says sneakerhead culture is “totally based on fashion.” This is apparent in the rise of Yeezy shoes, a collaboration between Adidas and rapper Kanye West, who has in recent years expanded beyond rap and into the fashion world. Mahan says Yeezys a have been a “game changer” because they put Adidas back on shoe collectors’ maps.

Yet, according to eBay, 96 percent of all shoes bought and sold on the secondary market are Nikes. With the rise of “athleisure” clothing, athletic gear worn as everyday clothing, shoes traditionally reserved for the basketball court are finding their way onto the feet of everyday people. According to stockx.com, the world’s first sneaker stock market, the median age of a sneakerhead is 19, and 98 percent are male.

So it’s only natural that a large proportion of sneakerheads are, like Mahan and DeCapri, high-school-aged males. But DeCapri can’t specifically pinpoint what drives his passion for sneakers.

“I don’t know. It’s like my thing.” DeCapri said. “Some people do that thing where they find coins from certain years. It’s sort of that hobby. My things are hats and shoes. It’s just fun to do. It’s fun to collect.”

Mahan sees it differently.

“I think a lot of

people buy what rappers wear or what athletes wear because when they see all these rappers and athletes talking about Jordans and Yeezys, they buy them,” Mahan said. “Then there’s also the people who love Jordan, love Chicago, just respect the culture of the shoe and the people who respect everything that the shoe means –– why it was made, what it impacted. It changed the game even back in the day when Jordans were created. It was just able to hold its legacy so well.”

Regardless of why sneakers were so attractive, Mahan recognized early on that he could use the passion he and others shared to create an organized and lucrative business. Soon after making his first sale, he went to a sneaker swap event in Chicago and befriended Kenny Weiner, a middle-aged lawyer from Chicago who he had met on Facebook. At the time, Weiner had the largest sample shoe collection in the world.

Mahan saw his opportunity and jumped on it. Weiner agreed to pay him to travel around the country to various conventions and events and help buy shoes. Soon, Mahan had enough money to start his own collection and sell his own shoes at events.

As the two expanded their sneaker business, they traveled the country together in a van packed full of over 300 shoes, bringing “no limit” of cash, often thousands of dollars, so they could add to their collections. Even at big events like Sneaker Con in New York and Chicago and Cleveland’s Got Sole, the two were always the first vendors awake to set up their array of eight tables’ worth of sneakers.

In time their profits drew the attention of eBay, who agreed to sponsor them and pay for all their hotel and travel expenses.

“If you know the market and you save up the money, then any time you see that opportunity where you know this shoe’s going to sell for $400 and you see it for $350, if you can make a quick $50, then you do it,” Mahan said. “With these shoes, it’s just supply and demand.”

And conventions aren’t the only places Mahan turns a profit. Online mediums like eBay allow him to buy from and sell to customers around the globe. Through the use of “bots” –– software designed to immediately purchase shoes as soon as they are released online –– he can be one of an exclusive few to buy limited-edition releases, which often sell out instantly.

With the connections he has developed at conventions, Mahan also says he has an advantage when it comes to big releases sold in online raffles.

DeCapri, who started getting seriously involved in the shoe business with fellow senior Deegan O’Malley in November, has not had the same luck.

In the most recent raffle he tried to

win, DeCapri created six accounts for the website through which the shoes were being sold, trying 54 times to get a pair of Adidas NMDs, but he fell short.

Mahan reiterated that his understanding of the sneaker market and his experience are what set him apart from other sneakerheads.

After traveling so frequently and being immersed in sneaker culture for so long, he says he has learned from past his mistakes, some of which expose a darker side to the business. “[Vendors] will put out one shoe to sell not thinking that one shoe will get stolen,” Mahan said. “But people go around stealing one left shoe, one right shoe, and they get both shoes.”

At one convention, a thief took off with just the left shoe of a $4,500 pair of Air Yeezy 2s from Mahan’s table. Another time, someone stole two of his Air Jordan 10 OVOs, but they were both left shoes.

“I just had one right pair, so I would sell a right pair,” Mahan said with a laugh.

DeCapri talked about how some people are passionate enough about sneakers to kill for them. That’s exactly what happened in Houston, Texas in December of 2012 when 22-yearold Joshua Woods, carrying three pairs of newly released Air Jordans, was shot to death in broad daylight. According to the Houston Chronicle, Woods’s mother argued that Nike and Michael Jordan were to blame for creating the culture that led to her son’s killing.

DeCapri says he could never imagine going that far for a pair of shoes.

“I just think it’s ridiculous. I don’t know how shoes can be worth that much. They’re just something you wear on your feet,” DeCapri said. “Nike has created this culture where there’s these releases of shoes that are limited, and people go crazy about them. But that’s just them doing their business. That’s them trying to make money, make profits. I don’t think you can blame them for people that will kill over shoes.”

Despite not willing to kill for shoes, Mahan has gone to great lengths to buy a pair he has had an eye on. One time he staked out at the store Sneaker RSVP for 15 hours to pick up a new release. To him, it was well worth the wait.

“Coming out with the shoes was just the greatest feeling ever,” Mahan said. “Every time I get a shoe that I can make a large amount of money on, I always feel so great.”

As would be naturally expected of someone as determined to turn a profit as he, Mahan wants to major in business at college, where he says he will continue to run his shoe business.

DeCapri says he also wants to continue his sneaker business ventures in college but says he wants to stay focused on the fashion of sneaker culture and not get sucked into the monetary side of it.

“Making money is awesome. I mean who wouldn’t want to make money?” DeCapri said.

“But I got into [the sneaker business] because I liked pairs of shoes. That’s what it’s always been and will continue to be. … If you’re going to do it, just love it.”

JUST FOR KICKS: Junior Elijah Mahan has spent the last four years of his life traveling the country buying and selling sneakers at conventions and events. Here, he holds a pair of his business partner’s “What the KD” sneakers, designed specially for NBA star Kevin Durant, that he estimates are worth $16,000–$20,000. (photo courtesy of Elijah Mahan)

Mahan’s Convention Sneaker Buying 101 Browse the floor Mahan walks around from table to table looking through various shoes.

Approach the vendor When Mahan sees a pair with which he thinks he could make a profit, he walks up to the vendor and expresses his interest.

Engage in small talk Mahan asks about the model and color of the pair, asking how and when the vendor acquired it.

Inspect the shoe He then takes a closer look at the shoe, validating its authenticity and looking for any defects that could bring down the price or signal that it’s fake.

Find asking price He then asks the vendor what he or she wants for the pair.

Walk If the seller is asking for way more than what Mahan knows is the market price, he won’t continue to engage in discussion.

December 16, 2016

In-Depth

Junior Instagram mogul gains millions of followers ly posts timed ads on his page for companies, which are advertisements that he leaves up for around an hour before deleting them. This nets Morrison around $200 per ad.

Instagram is a serious business for junior Morrison has advertised some relatively Connor Morrison. While his peers might post a selfie now and then, or maybe a landscape popular products, including the mobile game shot showing off their most recent vacation, “Color Switch” and a cell phone charging case called “Goat Case.”

Morrison has more on the line when he posts Morrison feels that the experience of being a picture; namely, he has millions of people a page owner has paid off; not many other jobs to impress, and his paycheck hinges on their allow him to hang out with his friends and resatisfaction.

Morrison is the owner of “satisfy.post- lax at home while still making money.

Barbara Morrison, Connor’s ings,” an Instagram [People tend to] think it’s mother, also agrees, and feels page with a following that his ownership of the page of 7 million users. The really cool and weird has made him a more responsible page posts videos and that they even know person. pictures of anything “Through trial and error he that could be considsomeone with that many lost money, which I look at ered satisfying, like people following them [on has as a valuable lesson in business, food, clothing and naInstagram]. That’s 7 million but he has also generated quite a ture shots. Each post bit of money, too,” said Barbara gets a worthy applause followers. That’s a lot of Morrison. “As parents we try to of about 200,000 likes. people. guide him with our business exHe also is a co-ownperience [as well]. ... We are very er of five other popular pages, with follower Connor Morrison, junior proud of him.”

Being a page owner isn’t alcounts ranging from ways as easy as it sounds, and the hundreds of thouhis page’s popularity can prove tedious at sands to 2 million (see “Morrison’s follower times. He can’t shout out every single page count”). that wants a shout out, and he often finds his Not many people even have that many direct messages and comments stormed with Instagram pages to begin with, and even fewer have one with a follower count that’s just small pages begging for shout outs. Morrison estimates he gets a new request for a shoutout about equal to the population of Bulgaria; in every two minutes. fact, according to a survey by the UK-based When looking for shout out candidates, he news site The Telegraph, the average Instatends to favor pages that have unique content gram user only has 208 followers. “[People tend to] think it’s really cool and and have been getting plenty of their own atweird that they even know someone with that tention lately, so when they cross promote he gets his own share of the follower love. many people following them,” Morrison said.

However, most of the time he cross-pro“That’s 7 million followers. That’s a lot of peomotes the same 100 or so accounts that he ple.” trusts from previous work he’s done for them.

Morrison bought “satisfy.postings” for around $800, back in 2013 when it was known He almost sees these pages as business assoas “d.a.r.e.s,” with the intention of making ciates, some of them even as friends. Even amidst the chaotic Instagram business, Mormoney. Most large Instagram pages turn a rison has kept in touch with some other ownprofit through advertising for companies or ers of big pages and has even met up with in other Instagram pages. Promoting other Insreal life. tagrammers is usually done on a “shout out These meetings represent the blend of socifor shout out” basis, meaning that Morrison ality and business that Instagram has become will make a post directing his followers to go follow another page. The other page does the for Morrison. He usually meets up with fellow page owners to meet with companies that same for Morrison.

Since most pages have a smaller following want him to sponsor them, but Morrison also feels a sense of camaraderie between them than “satisfy.postings,” there’s a good deal of that could only come with being the heart of a page owners who are willing to pay Morrison platform that connects millions of people. for the opportunity.

“We’re all friends,” Morrison said. “We’ve Companies are willing to do the same using a process called affiliate marketing. Mor- [just] never actually seen each other before. rison will provide a link to an app or a website It’s no different than hanging out with my offline friends. We just all work together.” in one of his posts, and will gain a profit for each click that link gets. He also occasional-

BY COLE ALTMAYER Entertainment Editor

MORRISON’S FOLLOWER COUNT satisfy.postings

7 million

sciencereactions

2 million

vacation

1 million

king price

r the pair.

Negotiate lower the price to a point where

SEE RED: Mahan (second from left) and his buisiness partner Kenny Weiner (far left) pose for a picture with Bulls star Jimmy Butler. (photo courtesy of Elijah Mahan)

videofashion.s

643K

wedding

490K

satisfy.posts

70K

7

8

Entertainment

December 16, 2016

prospectornow.com

Kids’ films lack purpose T

lieves many movies can be put out just for entertainment he first thing social science teacher Michelle Fonvalue and nothing more. sino looks for when getting family movies is vioWhat Disney successfully released, though, was its new lence. Since Fonsino’s two-year-old son has no atmovie “Zootopia”, a movie about Judy Hopps, a bunny who tention span for TV, her observant three-year-old son is the grew up on a farm and left her family to pursue her dream one watching the movies. of becoming a cop.

When Fonsino’s son saw “Minions,” he fell in love. The The storyline revolves around issues among the record-breaking movie had a $1.2 billion box office revenue. prey and predator animals in the metropolis. Because However, because of the movie’s use of cartoon guns, he beof their predator history, the animals are labeled as “savgan making what he called “shooters” out of anything that age” and blamed for incidents happening around the city. was long.

Eventually, officer Hopps brings an end to the issues, but “I don’t want that,” Fonsino said. “How do you explain only after persevering through the obstacles that come what a gun is to a three-year-old?” with being a female bunny. The simple plot is full of mesFonsino’s experience with her son is the epitome of an sages focused on respecting and supporting female characongoing problem: unethical and negative messages in chilters along with addressing the negative effects of discrimidren’s movies. With gender, diversity and violence issues at nation in the metropolis. According to Box Office the center of many national discussions, AmeriMojo, Zootopia’s $73.7 million opening weekend can media should alter its movie platform to ofbox office revenue made it the best-ever opening fer progressive messages and themes about these for Disney animation. problems to youth.

The movie scored a 98 percent rating on RotColin Stokes is the director of communicaten Tomatoes, which summarized the movie’s tions for the nonprofit Citizen Schools, an Amerglowing reviews in a concise piece. “The brilican organization that partners with middle liantly well-rounded ‘Zootopia’ offers a thoughtschools across the United States to expand the BY AYSE ELDES ful, inclusive message that’s as rich and timely as learning day for children in low-income commu- Executive Opinion its sumptuously state-of-the-art animation — all nities. Stokes draws attention to many Pixar and Editor while remaining fast and funny enough to keep Disney movies failing to pass the Bechdel Test. younger viewers entertained.”

This three-question test gauges whether or not This consensus highlights the movies’ ability to be enthese movies convey a positive message about gender to tertaining and still carry a good message. This goes to show children. It asks specifically about the female characters in that if studios start making more movies with these messagthe movie (see Beauty and the Bechdel Test). es, there may not be a risk of losing money. Movies are put The questions are simple; however, too many movies fail out for entertainment, but that doesn’t mean the goal should to pass the test. The original “Star Wars” trilogy, the “Lord be purely entertainment. Morals and values should be taken of the Rings” trilogy, “Finding Nemo” and “The Little Merinto account, too. maid” all fail.

According to Fonsino, the messages in movies change to Even though Disney is a world-renowned provider for reflect society and what we want. This is key to understandyouth entertainment, its movies often fail to have a progresing what’s wrong with these movies. We have the ability to sive goal for the future of the youth. The sequel to a well reestablish themes in films that teach the youngest part of our ceived movie, “Despicable Me 2” is about a recently-retired population lessons about equality and respect. villain and his entirely adult problems: confusion about faFonsino touches upon a point that illustrates therhood, dating at middle age and dealing with his evil exactly why the messages in children’s media minions once he doesn’t want to be evil anymore. matters. Even when people watch movies like When watching “Despicable Me 2”, which has “Star Wars,” they should think about how the hero the fourth highest grossing opening weekend of achieves their goal. Stokes asks a key question. any animated film, are children picking up on “Are they absorbing the story that a male hero’s job themes of staying true to oneself and following is to defeat the villain with violence and then collect dreams? Or are they captivated by the unrelatthe reward, which is a woman who has no able issues the protagonist has to friends and doesn’t speak?” Stokes solve? “Despicable Me 2” is a persaid. “Are we soaking up that stofect example of a movie that missed ry?” the opportunity to convey a better The point here isn’t that Disney, message to the millions of children Pixar, or any other company’s movwho watched it. With releases like this, ies are of low quality or are purposefully impressionable children are offered meplanned to have negative messages. It’s that dia that isn’t constructive to their social the company can do more than entertain development. with their movies — because unfortunateEnglish and ly, the current fundamental structure of Fine Arts Dimany isn’t beneficial. vision Head If our movies showcase these values, then Adam Levinson that’s evidence that our society doesn’t prioroften takes care of itize the right mentalities. When we complain his girlfriend’s about negative cultural norms, it shouldn’t young twins. As end there. The key to correcting wrong socia teacher of Prospect’s etal ideas is through the power of media. It media analysis course, should be utilized.

Levinson is careful when choosing what the boys watch. He be-

Beauty and the Bechdel Test The Bechdel Test is one of the most popular methods of testing if a movie properly utilizes its female cast members. A film passes if it has at least two named female characters who have a conversation about something that isn’t a man.

Take a look at some of the Disney films that did or didn’t pass the test: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Passed!

Pinocchio

Failed!

Dumbo

Failed!

The Lion King

Failed!

The Jungle Book

Failed!

Cinderella

The Little Mermaid

Passed!

Failed!

Mulan

Passed!

Peter Pan

Passed!

Aladdin

Failed!

Tangled

Passed!

Wreck-It-Ralph

Passed!

Frozen

Passed!

Zootopia

Passed!

information courtesy of bechdeltest.com

Q: What kind of art do you like to do?

A: I play bassoon, violin, clarinet and I sing, dance and act. Music is a part of everything I do.

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

A: Yes. In fact, I plan on it. I plan to pursue a degree in music education and I have already been accepted into a few universities. I hope to teach general music education and direct beginning band, orchestra, choir and any theater performances at an elementary school after I graduate. I love little kids, I love music, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life spreading my love [for] music to others.

Q: How do you feel when your art is recognized?

Senior emma simon

A: I am not one to search out recognition, but it always feels great to have someone notice all of your hard work. I never really want people to put me on a pedestal because I don’t belong on one, but it’s great to have someone say, “Hey, you did good, kid.” I don’t make music or perform for other people’s admiration or recognition; I make music because it makes me happy.

prospectornow.com

December 16, 2016

Entertainment

9

Cooking in a winter wonderland Every year when winter rolls around, a few important things are on everyone’s minds: family, friends and food. Besides the joy of spending quality time with loved ones, the joy of digging into that one dish you wait all year long for is nothing to be brushed aside. Here are favorite holiday recipes from our own Prospector staff.

BY CASSIDY DELAHUNTY Executive Entertainment Editor

Katherine Hepburn Brownies Ingredients 2oz unsweetened baker’s chocolate 8 tablespoon (1 stick) softened butter 1 cup white sugar 2 large eggs ½ teaspoon vanilla LEO GARKISCH ¼ cup flour Copy Editor ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup chopped nuts OR ¼ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Procedure 1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt the baker’s chocolate and butter together completely. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Keep the butter wrapper to use for greasing the pan later on.

3. When the pan has cooled slightly, add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the saucepan and beat well.

4. Add the flour and salt. If you are using the chopped nuts, add them here. Mix until fully combined. If you are using the chocolate chips, wait until the batter has cooled before adding them to prevent them from melting.

5. Grease and flour and 8x8 oven safe pan, using the butter wrapper from earlier. Shake out any excess flour from the pan.

6. Pour the batter into the pan. Tap the pan against a counter or other hard surface several times to prevent bubbles. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place in a cool place and wait for at least an hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator for best results.

Corn Casserole Ingredients 1 can creamed corn 1 can corn, undrained 3 eggs CASSIDY DELAHUNTY 1 box Jiffy muffin mix Executive half stick of butter Entertainment Editor small onion 1 package of grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Procedure 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Dice the onion and sautee it in the butter until onions are slightly translucent.

3. Beat the eggs until fluffy, and mix in the cans of corn, the Jiffy muffin mix and the onions. Pour into a casserole dish and cover the top of the casserole with grated cheese if desired.

4. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.

Cinnamon Chip Scones Ingredients 3 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons of sugar, divided 2 ½ teaspoon of baking powder ½ teaspoon of baking soda ½ teaspoon of salt ¾ cup of cold butter, cubed 1 cup of buttermilk 1 package (10oz) of cinnamon baking chips 2 tablespoons melted butter

GRACE BERRY Managing Editor

Procedure 1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk just until moistened. Fold in the chips.

2. Turn onto a lightly-floured surface; knead gently 10-12 times or until dough is no longer sticky. Divide in half; gently pat or roll each portion into a 7-inch circle. Brush with butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

3. Cut each circle into six wedges. Separate wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Sweet Bread Ingredients 1 stick of butter 1 tablespoon of sugar 1 tablespoon of salt 1 ½ cups of milk 2 packets of yeast ½ cup of warm water ½ teaspoon of vanilla 2 eggs 6 cups of flour ½ package of raisins 2 tablespoons of anise seed ½ package of red cherries ½ package of candied fruit

RILEY LANGEFELD Copy Editor

Procedure 1. Beat together the butter, sugar and eggs until fully combined.

2. Mix the yeast with the water and the sugar. Wait until it “blooms”, meaning it looks foamy and bubbly, and then add to the mixture along with the milk and continue beating.

4. Add the vanilla, the anise seed and the fruit.

5. Add the flour one cup at a time and mix until fully combined.

6. Knead the dough. Split it into two lightly oiled bowls and allow the dough to rise for several hours in a warm, dry place.

7. Remove the dough from the bowls and top with egg white and colored sugar. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to an hour or until browned.

Dinner time!

What is the favorite holiday dish of Americans nationwide?

32% 7% 3%

say turkey is the dish they look forward to most.

Look ahead to eating pie during the holidays.

Sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes each earn a vote of

information courtesy of theharrispoll.com

10

Sports

December 16, 2016

prospectornow.com

Straight Outta’ Feeder Feeder program helps shape boys’ varsity basketball

Bowling trying to pick up steam, spares

BY WYATT DOJUTREK Online Sports Editor

BY PAUL EVERS Sports Editor

S

enior Matt Szuba received the ball on the high post.

He held the ball for a second and bounced it behind him without even looking.

The pass found the hands of senior Frankie Mack, and he put the ball up for an easy layup. This play that occurred on Dec. 9 vs. Buffalo Grove is a perfect example of the trust that was taught to the team LET’S TALK IT OUT: The boys’ varsity basketball team huddles back in the feeder basketball produring a stoppage in play against Hersey on Dec. 2. The team’s gram, according to senior Michael chemistry and communication has its origins from their playing days Ritchie. in the feeder basketball program. (photo by Elisabeth Rohde) “Always trust in your team,” Ritchie said. “The biggest key for The goal of winning has car- grow into those molds.” us was not going 1-on-1 and [inReed says that the Prospect ried over to the varsity team, and stead] playing as a team. … That’s Ritchie thinks that’s not the only feeder program has become what carries us through the East well-respected in the area but that part of the team that has followed and carries us through these games they are especially respected for them from feeder. is playing as a team, as a union, not “We almost have the same roles the relationship they have with the individually.” as when we were in seventh and high school program.

The boys’ feeder program, Cooperation extends to Camareighth grade,” Ritchie said. “Now which has teams for 6th, 7th and [we’re] a lot more developed and della checking in on how feeder is 8th grade, is headed by Bill Reed. performing from time to time. under a more developed program, Reed says the program strives to “I’m at games a lot more than but [it’s the] same ideals.” develop kids into the best basketOne of the goals of feeder is to the under-level [coaches] are,” ball players they can be and evenbring kids together from the mid- Camardella said. “As the head tually contribute to the success dle schools that feed into Prospect. of the program, I want to make of the high school basketball proRitchie especially benefited from sure [feeder] is running smoothly, gram. this goal because of his situation in which it is.”

Senior Jon Raupp also spoke to Reed appreciates the involvemiddle school. the positive effects that feeder has “I went to a Catholic school, and ment and time Camardella puts on this year’s team. into the feeder program.

I didn’t really know most of the “I feel like feeder gave us all the “I really wanted a coach that kids who go to Prospect,” Ritchie chemistry our team has because would be integral to the feeder said. “It was good to get integrated we’ve known all the guys for a with the guys and get used to play- program,” Reed said. “[Camarwhile, and we’ve been playing with della] was one that always wants ing with them.” each other,” Raupp to embrace everyone in the proReed says the “Our feeder program said. “Ball moveand he considers the feeder has been an absolute program finds it gram, ment is just easier program a part of the high school very important to with chemistry staple in my 14 years represent the com- program.” and all the talking Camardella has seen feeder as munity well when here at Prospect. on defense.” an important part of the program playing.

The strength When they get [to since he started at Prospect.

“We can’t alof the feeder provarsity], they’re ready ways control how “Our feeder has been an absogram is evident lute staple in my 14 years here at good we are, but we to go.” with the current always can control Prospect — understanding our sysvarsity team. Reed how good we act,” tem, wearing Prospect on their jerVarsity head coach said that almost all seys, learning some of our philosoReed said. of the players on John Camardella Varsity head phies offensively and defensively,” the varsity team Camardella said. “When they get coach John Caplayed feeder, and that the senior [to varsity], they’re ready to go.” mardella finds representing the class had an extremely talented While the feeder program is community harder in basketball team. because of the environment play- considered a part of the high school While the feeder program program, success at the feeder levers play in. doesn’t officially keep track of el is not the same as success at the He thinks feeder does a good job wins and losses, Ritchie says that high school level. Reed now wants of teaching this hard lesson to the the team went 99-10. The team’s to see the varsity team succeed at kids. winning ways back in feeder are the top level.

“Basketball is like playing in still instilled in the team now, ac“I don’t want [the varsity playa fishbowl. Everyone sees everycording to Raupp. thing you do,” Camardella said. ers] to talk about what their record “We all have the common goal was in feeder basketball,” Reed “You don’t have a helmet on. You’re that we’ve been thinking about said. “I want them to talk about not way off in some field away from since feeder,” Raupp said. “Our everyone. It’s very intense. Most their record when they were segoal is to win as many games as niors in high school and won the people can hear what you say… I possible [and] push ourselves to regional and the sectional and think the years of feeder help guys the next level.” something like that.”

Senior Arie Upshaw was looking for a sport to play during third grade when her neighbor, junior Allison Buck, invited Upshaw to be on her bowling team at Beverly Lanes. She received lessons from the owner of the bowling alley and has been addicted to the sport of bowling ever since.

Entering the final year of her high school career, Upshaw has qualified individually for two IHSA state tournaments and broke the Prospect single-game score record with a 298 during last season’s MSL Championship.

This experience has led to early excitement for the Knights during the first match of the season against Palatine at the Palatine Invitational on Nov. 28. According to head coach Ashley Ruszczak, the team got off to a bumpy start coming out of the gates. However, the girls kept cheering for their teammates and executed their spares to win their first game of the season.

Ruszczak believes that after the Palatine victory, she saw a different side of the team. “[I] saw a huge amount of growth after that game,” Ruszczak said. “This is a very young team, and for some of these girls to have never have had bowling experience — just the girls’ knowledge and doing what we tell them and

STRIKE: Senior Arie Upshaw bowls during a practice on Dec. 13. The team won their first match of the season against Palatine at the Palatine Invite on Nov. 28. (photo by Elisabeth Rohde)

making those final adjustments.”

The team’s win against Palatine gave the Knights a confidence boost as they sit in third place in the MSL East behind Hersey and Buffalo Grove. Ruszczak believes this confidence needs to manifest itself in all aspects of their game in order to surpass Hersey and Buffalo Grove in the conference standings.

“I think that team sportsmanship and excitement is huge in a sport like bowling,” Ruszczak said.

“Those qualities are something you cannot coach. It is something that naturally happens, and for it to happen that way — I think that it will benefit us going forward.”

Buck thinks that Upshaw has contributed to this by being an inspiration to the team. “[Upshaw] has taught me so much, and she has been such a positive influence on our team [by] getting the rest of the team involved with cheering on our teammates,” Buck said. “I think that [Upshaw] has put a lasting impact on Prospect bowling.”

Upshaw will also miss playing with her original bowling partner.

“I’ve known [Buck] since I was in third grade, and she was in second,” Upshaw said. “This is our last season bowling together before I go off to college, and just thinking about going away, both of us started crying.”

According to Ruszczak, the team’s bond has been a strength early on in the season. Upshaw agrees and says that the team’s togetherness has helped improve its focus.

“We all really work well with each other. In the other three years that I’ve been on the team, there has always been one bad apple,” Upshaw said. “I think that since we have good relationships with each other, we don’t have that bad apple like in years past.”

The team’s expectation is to finish in the top three in the MSL and to try and get back to the sectional meet.

“Our goals are not only [to] match where we were last season, but to surpass it,” Upshaw said.

“I really think that we can make it out of sectionals as a team, and we honestly have the girls who are consistent enough to make it.”

Ruszczak also thinks that the team has the potential to make it to sectionals once again.

“I think that with the great talent we have on the team, we can make it back to sectionals,” Ruszczak said. “I know a lot of the girls are very close outside of school, and that gives us a really good advantage at the lanes.”

ROAD AHEAD: Andryushchenko strives for senior team CONTINUED from back page assignment as a member of the national team was to the Pan-American Games in Bolivia during the summer of 2016, only this time he would compete. Then disaster struck.

Max had been experiencing discomfort in his back, but he thought he could work through it. About a week before leaving for the games this past summer, Max was diagnosed with spondylosis, a type of stress fracture that involves a vertebrae slipping inward, and was forced to take eight weeks of rest from training. Not only was the injury painful, but watching his teammates win gold without him once again hurt just as much.

“It was really tough just looking at social media and … [seeing] them post about winning their gold,” Max said. “I got pretty upset, but then again I used that as motivation … to come back even stronger.”

As he was returning to form, Max was

involved in a lengthy college recruiting process. He visited five Big Ten schools before ultimately accepting an offer for a full ride from Ohio State. Max was initially interested in Ohio State because he knew head coach Rustam Sharipov through his father. He decided to commit after seeing the quality of the rest of the coaching staff and the camaraderie of the team during a visit.

For Sharipov, Max’s strong approach to the sport made him an attractive recruit.

“His character, dedication and attitude to work hard — that’s what I need,” Sharipov said. “The majority of the guys on our team — that’s who they are. They try to lead by example. I’m hoping Max will come here and continue to lead the team to get back to the top of the NCAA and Big Ten Championships.”

Another aspect that makes Max desirable is his ability to compete in the all-around.

According to Sharipov, youth training has trended toward specialization in one or two

events over the past 15 years, so Max will be able to make an especially large impact on the Ohio State team.

As Max prepares to transition to the collegiate level, his work with his father as a coach is coming to an end. For Arkadi, the experience is surreal.

“When you look back, you think, ‘Man, how quick it happened,’” Arkadi said. “Just yesterday he was a little boy having his first competition. … Now he’s a big man wearing a jacket with USA on his back.”

In addition to how Max has grown as a gymnast over the past 12 years, Arkadi is amazed by the transformation in their relationship.

“When he was a little boy, it was just me pushing and screaming,” Arkadi said. “Now he’s … finally understanding that I’ve been pushing and screaming not because I’m just a crazy guy. It’s because I want him to have a better future.”

Max is charging into this future with a

clear goal in mind: the Olympics. To qualify, he must first make the senior national team because the Olympians are drawn from that squad.

Arkadi shares this aspiration for his son and hopes Max is ready for the road ahead.

“At this point, it’s him,” Arkadi said.

“There’s nothing I can do about it. I can only dream about it.”

Max acknowledges that this is a difficult task, but he believes that he can achieve it by continuing his tireless devotion to the sport.

Sharipov agrees and sees no limits to what Max can accomplish.

“I don’t [see] any future [obstacles] with Max because he has goals, and his goals are big, and he’s one of the guys who is going to do what is right during the next four-to-five years when he is [at Ohio State],” Sharipov said. “He can change the future of his life by getting an education and doing his best in the gym.”

prospectornow.com

December 16, 2016

Sports

11

LaTulip finds ‘Wright’ fit on the Horizon ? now y e th are e r e Wh ‘12 graduate perseveres to fulfill lifelong dream of Division I basketball JACK ANKONY Executive Sports Editor

I

n Mike LaTulip’s basketball career, he was the all-time leading scorer at Prospect with 1,484 points. LaTulip, who graduated Prospect in 2012, was on the varsity team since his sophomore season, and helped set a new standard for Prospect basketball, according to head coach John Camardella.

During his junior season the Knights played Barrington in the conference championship, and though LaTulip, who averaged 22.5 points per game in his career, didn’t have a signature high-scoring game, he believes this game defined him as a Prospect basketball player.

A 56-44 win gave the conference championship to the Knights. LaTulip credits players like 2011 graduate Terry Redding, who had 16 points and 14 rebounds, for stepping up and securing the victory. LaTulip scored 14 points on 4-for-14 shooting and four assists.

“I’ll be the first to admit that in high school all I cared about was scoring,” LaTulip said. “It was a game that I didn’t score that much but we still won. You start to realize after the game how good it feels to win a conference championship as a team — not just yourself.”

After LaTulip’s illustrious career at Prospect, he took a preferred walk-on spot on the University of Illinois basketball team. After four years there, he transferred to Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where he is averaging eight points per game so far.

According to Camardella, LaTulip was one of the best players he has coached in his 10 years at Prospect. LaTulip had to step in and play a bigger role during his sophomore season when his older brother, Joe LaTulip, who won a conference championship with Prospect the season before, went down with a torn patellar tendon.

Camardella says that in LaTulip’s sophomore season, he was limited to being a three-point shooter since he was undersized, standing at only about 5 feet 8 inches and 130 pounds. But when he scored 29 points in two games that season, Camardella knew he would develop into an amazing player.

“As he got older, he became more and more dynamic,” Camardella said. “He figured out ways to get to the line [and] averaged about 23 points [per game] his senior year. It was pretty remarkable — the amount of skill he had as a high school player.”

Playing at Prospect, Camardella believes LaTulip was one of the most competitive players he has seen. Camardella thinks this competitive attitude that LaTulip, alongside 2012 graduate Brad Reibel, instilled resulted in the whole team improving because they set high expectations.

LaTulip credits Camardella for being so impactful in his life during what he believes are very impressionable years in high school.

“We worked a lot on my reactions to things,” LaTulip said. “I think I was pretty demonstrative with the way I acted sometimes, so [Camardella] reeled me in on that.

It taught me a lot to be mentally tougher, and that really helped me out in the long run.”

In the years after LaTulip graduated, Camardella thinks LaTulip helped set new expectations for the way Prospect basketball is played.

“Basketball is like playing in a fishbowl,” Camardella said. “Everyone sees everything — your facial reactions, the words you use, your verbal reactions. He was a fiery player, and I think that attitude transferred down to a lot of future players that are with us right now.”

Mike LaTulip by the numbers Prospect 2009-2012 • Prospect High School’s alltime leading scorer with 1,484 points • Averaged 22 points, four assists and 2.7 rebounds as a senior • Made 75 three-pointers on the season while shooting 38.5 percent from behind the arc • Scored a career-high 44 points and hit seven three-pointers vs. Buffalo Grove (Feb. 10, 2012) • Second-team All-State selection by the Champaign News-Gazette

University of Illinois stats 2012-2016 Fr. season 12-13 • Played in 16 games on the season • Made 4-of-11 shots from the field, including 3-of-9 from 3-point land, and a perfect 8-for-8 at the line • Scored season-high seven points in eight minutes vs. St. Francis-N.Y. (Nov. 12) Soph. season 13-14 • Played in 12 games, scoring 11 points •Season-high six points in opener vs. Alabama State (Nov. 8) Jr. season 14-15 • Played in 16 games • Scored career-high nine points in eight minutes vs.

Austin Peay (Nov. 21) When it was time to decide on where to play in college, he looked to Camardella for advice. At this point, his choices came down to the University of Illinois, South Dakota State University, Loyola University in Chicago, Saint Mary’s College of California and Princeton University.

Camardella offered advice to LaTulip while he was getting recruited. LaTulip ultimately chose to play at Illinois because of the combination of competitive Big Ten basketball as well as a good education. LaTulip graduated from Illinois with a communications degree. At Illinois, LaTulip played in a total of 44 games in his first three years and scored 83 total points.

“People ask me all the time if I would have rather gone somewhere else and played more,” LaTulip said. “But I don’t think I would have learned as much as I would have learned at U of I about myself. I’ve gotten to the level now where I am confident with who I am and what I’ve done.”

LaTulip points out his freshman season at Illinois when the Illini made the NCAA tournament as his most memorable moment of his time there.

He explains that it was one of the team’s biggest goals going into the season, and that all the hard work throughout the season paid off then. The seven-seeded Illini beat 10-seeded Colorado in the first round but fell to two-seeded Miami in the round of 32.

While at Illinois, LaTulip built a strong relationship with his teammate, Michael Finke,

Wright State 2016-2017 • Team record: 6-3 • 8.3 PPG • 3.0 RPG • 1.7 APG • 26.7 minutes per game • 42.9 FG % • 82.4 FT % • Season high 18 points on 6-8 shooting, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals vs CSU-Bakersfield on Nov. 25

photos courtesy of Mike LaTulip who he still talks to today.

“Off the court we are really good friends,” Finke said. “Even though he’s gone at Wright State, we still keep in contact all the time. He’s a really good guy. We even went to a Justin Bieber concert and might have been the only two straight guys in the whole place.”

Finke, a redshirt sophomore, explains that LaTulip is one of the hardest workers he has ever been around. “[His hard work] can carry over into the classroom and the work field once basketball is over,” Finke said. “Whatever you want to look at, he’s going to give you his best in whatever he does.”

The biggest takeaway from playing at U of I, according to LaTulip, is the amount of valuable knowledge he gained.

“There are a lot of ups and downs,” LaTulip said. “But I think that is what I’m most appreciative for because it’s really the times that you’re in adverse situations that you learn the most about yourself.”

Finke says that at Illinois, a lot of fans doubted LaTulip’s ability and didn’t think he had what it takes to play at that level, and this was reflected in his playing time.

“We were close enough that we could talk about it,” Finke said. “I would tell him to keep his head up and your time will come.

I think it’s great that he’s playing at Wright State because he is getting an opportunity to show that he’s a really good player and can play at that level.”

Approaching his senior season at Illinois, LaTulip decided to redshirt, giving himself another season of eligibility at a different school. LaTulip explains that he decided to transfer because he wanted to play a bigger role on a team.

“I just wanted to play kind of like I used to at Prospect,” LaTulip said. “To be able to play and to be able to make mistakes and just move on.”

Wright State, Georgia State and Central Florida were the three main schools LaTulip was considering. During the spring of 2016, Camardella and LaTulip took a trip out to California to see Stephen Curry, his favorite player since his 2008 season at Davidson, play as well as decide on a college for LaTulip.

Camardella says that they broke down all the opportunities for LaTulip and decided on Wright State, which had a record of 13-5 in conference the season before. Wright State has a Division I basketball program in the Horizon League. LaTulip chose Wright State because it is close to home, and the team was successful last year. He would also have a chance to play a lot and liked the players and the coaching staff.

The team has a 6-4 record through the first 10 games of the season. LaTulip’s highest scoring game came when he had 18 points against CSU-Bakersfield on Nov. 25.

“So far it has been everything I could ask for, so I’m playing a lot,” LaTulip said. “I have a great group of guys, and I’m excited to see where the season goes.”

Though the season is still young, Wright State head basketball coach Scott Nagy says LaTulip has already brought a lot of value to the team. “[LaTulip] brings a lot of experience and is a really good shooter who helps us space the floor offensively,” Nagy said in an email interview. “He is a hard worker and is always in the gym getting extra shots. We have always liked [LaTulip]. We recruited out of high school, and we are glad to have him now to help build the culture at Wright State.”

Camardella has had the opportunity to see LaTulip play in college and is impressed with the player he has become.

“He and I spoke before the first Wright State game at Southern Illinois [University],” Camardella said. “He and I joked that the last game he started was in 2012. Think of it that way. He has been grinding it out for four years — going on five years — having never started a game since high school, so that is a testament to who he is and the commitment and love he has for the game.”

Playing at Wright State, LaTulip has started in all ten of the team’s games so far.

LaTulip says that in contrast with his attitude at Prospect, he is not as concerned with statistics at Wright State. “[Statistics] are not really a focus for me,” LaTulip said. “I’m really about being a good teammate, and as a fifth-year senior, you have to do that. It’s not about you. It’s not about one person.”

LaTulip explains that looking back on his time at Illinois, even through ups and downs, he was able to develop as a player and as a person.

Thinking about the possibility of playing basketball in Europe after his last year at Wright State, LaTulip says that he is keeping an open mind and will have a better idea after this season.

“I think it would be awesome to say you are a professional basketball player,” LaTulip said. “It’s not something a lot of people can do so I would definitely pursue that [and] see if there are any places out there for me.”

If LaTulip keeps his strong work ethic, Camardella believes he can continue to succeed with whatever he chooses. “[LaTulip] is one example. I think [he] uses a lot of the lessons that [he] gets from the program and it carries [him],” Camardella said. “Where he goes from here — that’s up to him. ... I think his work ethic and his dedication and his commitment to his craft and skill is going to benefit him wherever he ends up.”

Hoping to continue basketball in the future, LaTulip explains that playing Division I basketball was always a dream of his, and he is happy he was able to accomplish that.

“The past five years have been unbelievable,” LaTulip said. “They have really showed me who I was and who I will become, so I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

SPORTS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2016

FEELING THE LOVIE

straight poolin'

Senior Alex Palczewski has been recruited by University of Illinois head coach Lovie Smith among others. For more on his high-profile recruiting process, visit ... prospectornow.com

Senior swimmer Matt Inserra is ready to lead the boys’ swimming and diving team as they try to win the MSL East.

To read more, go to ... prospectornow.com

Max-imum power Senior storms USA gymnastics scene, scores scholarship

cially when that gymnast is your son,” Arkadi said. “It was happiness. There are no other words to describe [it].”

According to both Max and Arkadi, making the national team at the 2016 P&G Championships has been the apex of

BY MIKE STANFORD Max’s career so far. This journey began Editor-In-Chief when Max was five years old and will conhe oppressive humidity only tinue with a full scholarship to The Ohio added to the weight senior Max State University next fall.

Andryushchenko had to bear.

Arkadi admits that Max never had a As he arrived in St. Louis for the 2016 choice about doing gymnastics. As a forP&G Gymnastics Championships last mer member of the Ukrainian National June, Andryushchenko knew this Team and a coach at the Lakeshore would be his most important Academy of Artistic Gymnascompetition to date. tics, he began teaching his son A top 10 showing would as soon as possible, even if mean earning a place on Max was less than enthusithe U.S. Men’s Gymnastics astic at times.

Junior National Team, Gradually, Arkadi bethe pinnacle of Amerilieves that Max has dedicatcan junior gymnastics. ed himself fully to the sport. or e ch Although Max says that in the Ma A poor showing would be x Andryush unthinkable. After falling beginning his training was relduring three of his 12 performancatively lax, he increased his training es in 2015, redemption was not an regimen at age 10 in order to have more aspiration but “an obligation.” time to refine difficult skills. Since then, Nevertheless, Andryushchenhe has practiced four-hours-a-day, sixko felt prepared. He visited the days-a-week. arena twice to get comfortable This work led to Max serving as an with the equipment and re- alternate for the American delegation to moved unnecessary fats and the bi-annual Pan-American Games in carbohydrates from his diet in Brazil during his freshman year. Max dethe days preceding the event. scribes the experience as “bittersweet.”

This preparation began to The team won gold, but he wishes he pay dividends immediately. could have been one of the gymnasts on After the first day, Andryushthe podium. Nevertheless, Max believes chenko was in 10th. Then on the this was an important moment in his casecond and final day of competi- reer. tion, he posted the second-highest “I was talking to one of the coaches afscore, placing him at fifth overall ter [the team] won gold in Brazil, and he and making him a member of the said, ‘Don’t feel salty about it just because national team. Arkadi, his father and you didn’t compete. You’ve got to use this coach, fondly remembers the moment as motivation,’” Max said. “I definitely Max finished his final routine and sedid because I saw how [my teammates] cured his spot. felt when they won gold and said, ‘I want “It was one of the greatest feelings the same thing.’” that a coach can ever have, espeAs he continued to pursue this goal,

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Max decided to join the Prospect gymnastics team.

During his freshman season, Max set the school record in the all-around, the combined score from all six events, with 9.37 points out of 10. Because the IHSA postseason was at the same time as the national championships, he was unable to contend for the state title, but Max is proud of the impact he made.

The demands of training meant that freshman year could be Max’s only season on the Prospect team as he focused his energy on making the junior national team.

After falling short of this goal in 2015, Max decided he had to become more focused and efficient in his training. He believes this gave him a mental edge that enabled his 2016 success.

Since becoming a member of the national team, Max has been able to work alongside the other nine top gymnasts in international competitions and at training camps held four times every year. However, the benefits of his membership go beyond his experiences in the gym.

“It’s a good feeling knowing that people know you’re qualified enough to go represent USA at such a high level and not only represent yourself but the whole country,” Max said.

His first international SEE ROAD AHEAD, page 10

RAISING THE BAR: Senior Max Andryushchenko competes in the parallel bars at the 2014 P&G Championships, the top national gymnastics competition. In the same tournament in 2016, Andryushchenko finished fifth and secured a spot on the U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Junior National Team. (photo by Jessica Frankl)