Issue 7

Volume 54, Issue 7

Friday, March 6, 2015

801 West Kensington Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056

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The

Prospector “The U” leadership

To read about how the class of 2015 has brought more life to The Underground, flip to . . .

3 News

Art Club involvement

This is a computer-generated model of the commons after renovation, courtesy of KI.

Read about student involvement in Art Club and art classes on page . . .

10 Entertainment The brain game

To learn about the mindset of positive thinking, plus math and athletics, turn to . . .

6-7 In-Depth

Commons to get renovation in summer

By Grace Berry

Executive News Editor The commons have had the same design since the 90s. Associate Principal Greg Minter believes that since education and collaborative learning are evolving, Prospect needs a new space for students to work and socialize together. “[The main goal of the renovations] is to give ourselves some nicer, newer facilities,” Minter said. “We just want to modernize the building a little bit.”

This summer, Prospect is undergoing major renova-

tions to the commons, the- New lighting will be installed, ater and entrance near door and the entire ceiling will be 30. The construction will be replaced.There will also be charging done before stations on the start of Commons quick facts many tables. the 2015-16 •The commons will seat Minter school year 165 people believes the and will not commons affect any •The renovations will cost will become activities at roughly $4 million a nicer area Prospect.

•There will be charging for students Minter stations at tables to relax and explained •Renovations will span this work.

He the comsummer thinks the mons will new design look similar to a college union, activity cen- will attract more people simiter or Starbucks. There will lar to the way the library did be tables, chairs and couches. when it was first refinished.

If the commons looked and felt nicer, freshman Sara Horvath thinks she would hang out there with friends more often.

She tends to only spend time in the commons when waiting for Poms practice to start.

Horvath also likes that the new renovations will allow the commons to have more places to sit with less unused open space. “[The commons] is going to have this brand new sort of modern feeling, and I think it will be a place people will gravitate to,” Minter said.

Vaccination debate heats up

By Aungelina Dahm Managing Editor

The 14th case of measles turned up in Illinois Feb. 17. Starting in late January, the outbreak has been centered at the KinderCare Learning Center in Palatine.

This daycare is located just two miles from the home of social science teacher Brad Rathe, his wife Kendal and his five-week-old son, Harrison.

“It’s been unnerving,” Rathe said.

“Everyday stuff like my wife going to

PLAYTIME: Social science teacher

Brad Rathe plays with his five-week-old son, Harrison, at his home in Palatine.

Rathe lives just two miles from the KinderCare Learning Center in Palatine where 14 cases of measles were reported. (photo by Cassidy Selep)

Mariano’s is a little intimidating.”

Measles is a respiratory disease that in rare cases can cause brain swelling which may lead to death. It can also result in serious complications including ear infection and pneumonia. The virus can live in the air or on surfaces for two to four hours and can be transmitted through coughing and sneezing.

“Luckily we’re not in the situation right now where we have to send [Harrison] to daycare,” Rathe said. “If [we were], I would be way more in tune with it. But I feel like the best defense is to keep away from it, and right now we have the luxury to do that.”

As a result of the Palatine cases, KinderCare’s national chain is requiring all staff working with children younger than 15 months to be vaccinated.

Eighty-two percent of measles cases in the 2013 outbreak were in unvaccinated persons, while nine percent of those people were unsure if they’d been vaccinated.

Therefore, Rathe is concerned with parents who voluntarily bring their infected children in contact with healthy children like his, who has only gotten the Hepatitis B vaccine.

When Harrison reaches 2 months old, Rathe can make the decision to further vaccinate him. Then starting around 12 months old, Rathe will have the option to get Harrison the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot.

“I don’t really know what else you can do besides walk around with a measles detector,” Rathe said. “It’s tough.”

The recent measles outbreak has spiked new popularity in the vaccination debate. For example, some families are still being influenced by the

belief that the MMR shot is linked to autism development, even though the CDC reported that as false in 2013.

“I tend to trust the pediatrician,” Rathe said. “They’ve gone to school for a lot of years, and there has to be a sense of trust between [a doctor and patient].”

However, not everyone is as trusting of their doctors, as about five percent of kindergarteners in the U.S. are not vaccinated according to CNN. According to voicesforvaccines.org, anti-vaccinators have made the claim that breast milk protects from all disease, and better hygiene and sanitation are responsible for the massive decreases in disease, not vaccines.

Some other claims made by antivaccinators include the belief that safety studies on vaccines are extremely lacking evidence. In response to that, school nurse Cheryl Novak said that it is “just not true” and believing that is unsafe.

She also added that the MMR vaccine is mandatory for all incoming freshmen, but there are “more than a few” students who have waived out of various vaccinations. If students have a medical or religious conflict, they can be waived from having the vaccine if they get a letter from their doctor or church.

For instance, junior Nikki Matters was waived from getting a vaccine with a letter from her Christian Science church. According to christianscience. com, the religion focuses on resolving challenges with health, relationships and other issues through prayer.

Although the Matters family’s beliefs are not as extreme as what was defined by christianscience.com, Nikki’s mother, Julie Matters, states their first line of defense is to take the spiritual path.

“We pursue our highest sense of right,” Julie said. “We always address our spiritual connection with God, and then we do what we feel is best given the situation that we are presented.”

In the situations they were given, one reason Julie decided to get Nikki and her freshman brother Zach some but not all vaccinations was their involvement in sports.

Similarly, Rathe thought the best idea to stay safe from disease, especially while working in a highly populated school, was recently updating all of his vaccines.

Along with that, Novak chooses to get her and her children a physical every year to simply ensure good health.

“I don’t want to get sick, and I don’t want my kids to get sick either,” Novak said.

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March 6, 2015

News

Deans reform tardy policy

By Jack Ryan News Editor

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As the new semester is in full swing, Deans of Students Mark Taylor and Lisa Soukup saw their tardy policy not as effective as they would have hoped. Taylor noticed many students were not affected greatly by their tardiness because they did not receive a detention slip the next day.

As a result, the deans decided to make a new policy for students late ak kar to class. The new policy, Shreya T h which has been in ef- ion by t fect for a week, cuts st ra u detention times o ill from 30 to 15 minutes for students who are late to class.

The deans also believe the new policy will facilitate the process of giving out detentions.

Last semester, teachers had to go through three steps to give students a detention.

They first would write a referral to Tienet, a website teachers used to mark tardiness.

Then the referral would go to the division head, and then finally the deans would learn about the tardy. According to Taylor, it took a couple days or a week before the deans talked to the students about the tardy.

Because it took so long for tardies to

reach the deans’ desks, they knew something needed to change. According to Taylor, this new policy will be quicker and more consistent because they will talk to the student about his or her tardy in a shorter time frame.

Math and science teacher Ben Torrisi found out about the new policy from an email the deans sent out to all teachers.

He thinks that this new policy is a great change from the old one.

According to Torrisi, the previous policy was ineffective because many students got out of serving their detentions and thus did not care when they were late to class.

When he gave a detention, the student would get mad because other teachers might not have enforced that policy.

As the new policy is being put in place, he hopes that it will be easier to enforce compared to the last one.

“I think that it will encourage teachers to make sure they are marking students when they come tardy, and hopefully the fact that the students will be seeing consequences each time will have a greater effect on making them want to get to class on time,” Torrisi said.

Torrisi teaches a first period class and sees more students late that period compared to his others.

“I know that sometimes it is hard to get

First is the worst

In case you missed it ...

DECA qualifies 25 students to state

Total number of tardies per period from Jan. 20 to March 2, 2015

1st: 465 tardies 2nd: 93 tardies 3rd: 76 tardies 4th: 82 tardies 5th: 84 tardies 6th: 105 tardies 7th: 115 tardies 8th: 64 tardies

#OOTD Claire Marzolf

*information courtesy of Mark Taylor

moving in the morning, but the first period classes are just as important as the rest of the day’s classes,” Torrisi said.

According to Torrisi, students would come in five or 10 minutes late, and it would disrupt the concentration of the class, setting them behind in the day’s plans. He hopes the new policy will change that.

Unlike Taylor and Torrisi, junior Nathan Katzman does not believe the new policy will be effective. He feels students will view the lessened detention time as more of a reason to ditch. Katzman thinks students will like it more because they will have to serve fewer minutes of detention.

Personally, he does not care that the deans changed this policy because he does not care if he is late or not.

“I guess I’m just a free spirit,” Katzman said.

Although Katzman does not mind the new policy, he thinks that the deans should have stuck to the old policy. Katzman and the rest of the student body were not notified about it like the teachers.

“They probably should have just stuck to the old one because like me, not a lot of other people were aware of it,” Katzman said. “People like to know what their consequences [will be] they get in trouble.”

Science Olympiad mixes hard work, dance parties tions give the students a chance to show off their talent in a competitive way, but it also gives the team a chance to bond.

In between events and before award At the local Mount Prospect and Ar- ceremonies, the team spends time tolington Heights Public Libraries, Pros- gether. When the awards are running pect students, like junior Katie Gravag- behind, the event coordinators will na, are working harder than ever. These sometimes play music and all the teams students are busy scheduling weekly will have a dance party. study sessions on their Aside from working own time and preparing with others, Science for the upcoming Science Olympiad has given Science Olympiad regional comsome students a glimpse Olympiad Events petition on March 21. into their future. Since While Science Olymjoining the club some piad is a club supported Science Olympistudents have found their by the school, most of the ad encompasses 23 passion, while others studying and preparing events. Some of these have known it all along. for these competitions are: Gravagna has known happens outside of Prosthat she wants to pursue pect’s walls. a career in biology since - Astronomy With a small coaching fifth grade, and Science Compound staff of Kathleen Brej, Olympiad has given machines Paul Schoenbeck, and her the chance to make Benjamin Torrisi, a large - GeoLogic Mapping strides toward her goal. amount of responsibility - Forensics Some of her events have falls into the hands of the - Fossils been Protein Modeling, students. Broken off into - Chemistry Lab where she builds and astheir groups of three to - Bridge Building sembles different types four people, the students of proteins, and Diseased narrow their attention to Detectives, where studies their own event. patterns of disease and different ways With the 23-plus events, students can to prevent them. join Science Olympiad to discover their Gravagna’s wants to work with either passion or to meet and work with new the Center for Disease people. Such events range from Air Tra- Control (CDC), a fedjectory, where students try to shoot a eral agency that works ping-pong ball and have it land on a tar- on prevention and get placed on the ground, to Entomolo- awareness of different gy, the study of insects. diseases, or the United “You really have to learn to coordi- States Army Medical nate and divide work,” Gravagna said. Research Institute of “This is a very long-term thing. You Infectious Diseases have to break down a huge amount of (Usamriid), a United information and divide that between a States Department of few people.”

Defense that studies After the students have spent hours highly hazardous bacworking on their event and perfecting teria. Gravagna’s goal it, it’s time to compete. The competi- is to help people glob-

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Boys swim and dive sends three to state

Guitar club performs in cafeteria

Visit ProspectorNow.com!

By Cate Meersman Staff Writer

PHYSICS IS PHUN: Sophomores Lara Fakhouri and Drew Reiser participate in Science Olympiad at Libertyville High School on Jan. 26. The Knights will continue their season at the regional competition on March 21. (photo courtesy of Kathleen Brej) ally with medical outbreaks.

“That would actually require me to actually take up a contract with the government, and work with anthrax attacks,” Gravagna said. “If I managed to get into that program that would be amazing.”

Gravagna once placed first in a com-

petition against two New Trier teams despite taking on the competition partnerless.

“I don’t know how I managed to pull that off. I will probably tell my grandkids about that,” Gravagna laughed.

“It’s nice when you medal to see your hard work pay off.”

Class of ‘15 rejuvenates The U’s soul

March 6, 2015

News

By Mike Stanford

scene with a t-shirt giveaway and a packed student section.

However, as the years Hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road, Principal Michelle went on, The U shrank Dowling was leaving the parking lot fol- to a shadow of its former lowing the first game of the football sea- self. According to senior leaders son. Having escaped the clamor of the Underground marching band and the fans, she drove Alex Blethen and Eryk Krzyzak, the student body in silence, overwhelmed by the intensisuffered from lack of leadty of the game.

However, she was not thinking about ership and separation bethe score or the halftime show. She was tween classes, with a low impressed by the dedication and or- point during the 2012-13 ganization of The Underground (The school year.

“If we are able to inU) leaders when they orchestrated the largest ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to crease school spirit, it really comes down to original date.

Although Dowling found the event ideas and leaders that are going itself spectacular, she was especially to say, ‘OK, this is my outlet for creproud of how the senior leaders of The ating positive change at Prospect High U handled the event. Three minutes pri- School,’ and seize the opportunity,” Mior to the scheduled time for the ALS Ice randola said. “Sometimes you have inBucket Challenge, a portion of the stu- dividual classes that are bitter for some dent section mistimed the dump of the reason or don’t want to be involved in the school, and it’s unfortunate.” ice water.

According to Blethen, last year’s seAccording to Dowling, instead of languishing in what might have been, niors recognized a lack of school spirthe seniors refilled the buckets in time it and started The U back on the road to create an Ice Bucket Challenge video towards becoming a stronger force at with over 4,000 views. For the first time Prospect by improving game atmoof many this year, the devotion of the sphere with speakers, hyping the games through creating a Twitter account and leaders of The U stood out to Dowling. “[The leaders of the U] love this putting commercials on the morning announcements. school,” Dowling Entering this said. “It’s really obviTurnabout 2015 school year, the seous. There’s no way niors wanted The you can talk about U to become more The Underground will make its a school and show than a student secdebut in sponsoring Turnabout passion [like they tion. They wanted this year. do] unless you really to become an all-enmean it.” compassing student Dowling is one Date: March 7 movement, and they of many people who Time: 8-11 p.m. did not want to waste credit the leaders Place: Cafeteria any time establishin the class of 2015 Theme: Grease: “U” are the One ing their identity. for taking school That I Want The U believed the spirit and The UnPrice: $15 during lunch hours, $20 way to create their derground to levels image was the ALS at door higher than ever beIce Bucket Chalfore. lenge.

“School spirit is “We knew we had to do something big what the class of 2015 [is] all about,” soright away,” Mirandola said. “We had to cial science teacher and Underground sponsor Frank Mirandola said. “They seize the excitement for the new school [are] Prospect through and through. year and do something that put The U [The seniors bleed] navy blue and co- on the map, not just for seniors but for lumbia blue, and it’s exciting to be a all class levels. I think the [ALS] Ice Bucket Challenge did that well because part of that.”

While today The U is known for gran- people were like, ‘That really looks awediose schemes at sporting events, it has some,’ and if you weren’t there, you felt not always been a dynamic force in the like you missed something.”

While the leaders were satisfied with bleachers.

Founded in 2009 at the Mid-Suburban the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, they League Boys’ Basketball Championship knew that they could never do the event game, The Underground burst onto the again because it was a social media fad.

Struggling to find an idea for Executive News Editor

Use Aurasma on this picture to see the Underground’s entry in the IHSA Student Section Showdown!

“U”-NITY: Members of The Underground (The U) cheer on the girls’ basketball team in the MSL Championship game against Fremd. The Underground is looking to cap off its year with Turnabout on March 7. (photo by Cassidy Selep)

3

photo illustration by Caroline Binley and Mike Stanford

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Homecoming week, Blethen and other “Grease: ‘U’ are the Only One That I Underground leaders were inspired by Want,” a play on words from a song in pictures from Color Run 5k’s. the musical “Grease.”

The U obtained the same type of powTwo weeks after Turnabout, The der for the Homecoming football game.

U will discover its fate in the inauguOn Sept. 26, 250 pounds of powder ral IHSA Student Section Showdown. were thrown in the air prior to kickoff, To enter, the U created a video that inand the event came to be called “Color cludes clips summarizing the activities the Knight.” of The U this year. While The UnderLater in the fall, The U began their ground has already been named one of next undertaking: U-Knight for a Cure. four finalists in the 3A/4A division, the Traditionally, the girls’ volleyball winner will be announced on Saturday, team hosted Volley for a Cure each Oc- March 21, at the boys’ basketball state tober, but this year, the event was can- tournament. celed. As a volleyball player and a fan According to Dowling, the video, himself, Blethen was disappointed that made by senior and Underground leadthe event was being taken away. er Beth Clifford, displays the intensity Then when he was talking about the and emotion that has fueled The Underelimination of Volley for a Cure with ground this year. his coach and math teacher Mike Riedy, “The first time I saw [the video], I Blethen realized Volley for a Cure could wanted to cry,” Dowling said. “I [was] have a second life. like, ‘Look at these kids. These kids are Shortly thereafter, the seniors went so amazing.’” to work to bring the breast cancer fundGoing forward, Blethen believes the raiser back to life across all fall sports, class of 2015 will continue to impact and they raised $11,050 for breast can- Prospect students. cer research by the end of the week.

“There’s a much better runway [goMirandola believes ing forward] for their success is a people to find these true testament to avenues to enjoy “[The seniors bleed] their leadership. themselves and to “[The leaders] navy blue and columbia have a large student said, ‘How can we body presence,” blue, and it’s exciting to Blethen said. “But make it bigger?

How can we make it the younger classes be a part of that.” better? How can we have to take advanreally make a diftage of it, and I realference in people’s ly think they will.”

Frank Mirandola, lives?’” Mirandola Next year, jusaid. “A lot went on social science teacher niors Ryan Molini, behind the scenes Lauren Miller and that our leaders reLiam Benson will ally went to town on, and I couldn’t be likely be taking over the reins. Benson prouder of them.” believes they have gained experience by Similar to U-Knight for a Cure, The observing the seniors, but he is slightly U found out that Poms had decided not concerned with how his class will folto sponsor Turnabout and took matters low up on this year’s performance. into their own hands.

Mirandola agrees and believes that “When we heard Turnabout was not the class of 2015 not only has changed going to happen because Poms [wasn’t] the landscape of the student body, but going to sponsor it, we were down a lit- also will inspire future classes to contle bit,” Krzyzak said. “We felt like that tinue to develop The Underground. was something Prospect students like, “The true test of [the class of 2015’s] so [when] the idea was brought up to leadership will be their legacy,” MiranThe Underground, our members and dola said. “It’s going to be how the juMirandola if we would like to sponsor niors and sophomores really take this it, right away we jumped on board. We [year] as an example and say, ‘What can [are doing] everything we [can] to try to we do to match and surpass the class of bring it back and revitalize it.”

2015?’”

The U hopes to generate excitement in the student body by creating a better ambiance than in years past. The seniors interviewed several DJ’s and bought new speakers in anticipation of the dance.

According to Krzyzak, while Poms held voting for a Turnabout King and Queen each year, The Underground decided to abolish the court to establish a greater sense of unity among students.

The dance has the theme,

March 6, 2015

The Staff EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ellen Siefke Kelly Schoessling MANAGING EDITOR Aungelina Dahm COPY EDITORS Caroline Binley Krzys Chwala ASSOCIATE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shreya Thakkar ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jack McDermott ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Beth Clifford ONLINE ASSOCIATE EDITOR-INCHIEF Lauren Miller ONLINE EXECUTIVE EDITORS Eva Schacht Mary Kate Moloney Molly Mueller ONLINE EDITOR Spencer Ball BROADCAST EDITOR Alyssa Duetsch NEWS EDITORS Grace Berry Mike Stanford Jack Gabriel Jack Ryan OPINION EDITOR Elai Kobayashi-Solomon FEATURES EDITORS Flynn Geraghty Rachel Parks IN-DEPTH EDITORS Diana Leane Shannon Smith Katy Ryan ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Abby Sunu Isabelle Rogers Garrett Strother Marci Kiszkiel SPORTS EDITORS Devin Prasad Ryan Molini Peter Fusilero VISUALS EDITOR Cassidy Selep CARTOONIST Veronica Holloway

Tardy policy progresses Last week, Deans of Students Mark Taylor and Lisa Soukup decided to replace the three strike tardy procedure with a new policy that will assign 15 minutes of detention per tardy. Taylor realized Prospect needed a new policy when he noticed students who were chronically tardy weren’t improving their attendance.

He believes that was because teachers were unsure about when to issue punishments due to the ambiguity of the previous policy.

This new, 15-minute policy is a significant improvement from both the three strike policy and the long-standing policy that assigned 30 minutes of detention per tardy.

We, the Prospector, believe this new policy is a step in the right direction; a flexible and reasonable system has been long overdue. However, there is more room for improvement.

When the policy gave 30 minutes

per tardy, it was easy for students to accumulate hundreds of minutes for being late to class a handful of times.

Now that the policy is 15 minutes, students will not be so heavily penalized for being just a couple minutes late.

However, instead of having a set amount of time for each tardy, deans should assign consequences based on students’ individual situations.

Students who have been tardy a few times but cannot serve their time due to involvement in Prospect sports and activities should not be held to the same standard as those who are chronically late for no apparent reason.

It’s not expected that deans cut down the detention time of a student who is late time and time again because that behavior is inexcusable.

Regardless of policy, students need to be proactive about arriving to class on time. But the student that was only

Letters to the Editor Drop off letters to the Prospector in the box in the library, in Rm. 216 or email letters to prospectornow@gmail.com. All letters must be signed. Limit letters to 400 words. The Prospector reserves the right to edit letters for style and length.

late a few times should be cut some slack, especially because having detention time also comes with losing parking and school dance privileges.

Along with using more flexible methods, administration should make more of an effort to notify students of changes in the detention policy; the policy has been changed three times over the past two years, and while administration has notified teachers, they have not told students about the change via the announcements or email. The only way students find out is through word of mouth.

Although the detention policy does not affect all students, it is important that administration maintains a transparent policy and makes sure students know about it, especially so that students who have detention time know exactly what their options are.

Pain is temporary, traumatizing childhoods are forever My older brother was so upset when he heard I was born a girl that he refused to hold or even look at me for days. Being 3 years old at the time, he was devastated to be the only boy surrounded by two sisters.

In fact, the only incentive my dad offered that made him forgive my gender was a proposition to raise me as a sporty girl.

Let’s just say it didn’t go according to plan.

Soccer

First, I tried soccer.

However, as I soon came to realize, you need to know the rules of a game before you play it. There’s nothing more terrifying to a 6-year-old than pretending to know what you’re doing in front of a bunch of parents while other kids run around you. At first, I acted like I understood the positions my coach assigned me. Eventually I got so lazy that I would just move around the field shouting, “Here?” until he nodded.

It wasn’t all bad, though. I learned a few things about myself while quivering in fear of being pelted in the face with a ball. One was that I am in no way competitive. You want the ball? Fine, take it.

Joke’s on you. I’ve got a gatorade bottle in my backpack for halftime.

So who’s the real winner here?

It wasn’t a lack of motivation that was my problem, though. The real problem was that I’m not aggressive. Seeing of a cluster of kids violently kicking into a sea of legs freaked me out.

In the words of my dad, “Kelly, you know you can’t score a point if you don’t try to touch the ball, right?”

My dad had a point. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I knew moving in the opposite direction of the ball and the players wasn’t productive.

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 courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

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

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Opinion

Staff Editorial

4

Golf

So I didn’t do too well in the physical sports; that was fine with me. I figured I’d switch to a different sport, a game of patience and concentration: golf.

No, I’ve never actually been on a golf course or played a real game, but I passed a unit on swinging different golf clubs in my middle school gym class.

It was all fun and games until a kid in my gym class let go of their club mid-swing, and it landed two feet from what could have been my face in a “Final Destination” movie. I took this as sign that the universe was not supportive of my professional golf career. Sorry, Tiger.

photo by Kelly Schoessling

Basketball

The next sport I decided to try was basketball. All of my friends were signing up, so I thought it might be fun. It wasn’t the first time I was gravely mistaken.

For years, I managed to slip by as a mediocre basketball player who double-dribbled only every other game. However, as I got older, it was no longer cute to look like a deer caught in headlights.

Have you ever seen a grown man get so angry you can see his neck veins sticking out from the bleachers? I have.

My last year playing basketball, my coach yelled at me so often that he literally lost his voice for a game. He then proceeded to smack the ground with his hand to signal us when we were doing something wrong. His hands didn’t look so good by the end of that game.

To this day, I get war flashbacks whenever anyone smacks their hands against something.

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March 6, 2015

Opinion

5

Enlist in the Procrasti-Nation

To-do lists

When asked for a few words to describe Elai Kobayashi-Solomon, those who know me probably wouldn’t have that hard of a time.

The first would be my hair. Left unattended, it looks as though someone threw a nuclear bomb at a fuzzy, over-inflated beach ball and placed the smoldering remains on my head. The second, and I’m sure many of my friends can attest to this, is my incredible ability to procrastinate.

I can force my hair down, or, although I’ve never tried, could maybe even flatten it if I was given a couple hours with a laundry iron. However, there is no such solution to Elai Kobayashimy procrastination tendencies. No matter how many homework assignments I’m faced with, how many tests I have to Solomon study for or how many projects and essays I have to write, I Opinion Editor will always put it all off until the last possible second.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, it is becoming increasingly difficult to be a dedicated procrastinator. As high schoolers, we’re constantly pressured to work, work and work some more, whether it be for good grades, the ACT or school sports.

And while I’m not saying that you should follow my example and blow off every single assignment, sometimes it’s important to give yourself a break, kick back and watch videos of cats rather than stay up all night solving atomic equations. So as a self-proclaimed procrastination expert, here are some ways to continue down the path of distractions and unproductivity.

Study groups

Worried that you’re running out of obscure YouTube videos to watch? Feel as though you might actually start concentrating on your math homework? No problem! Simply form a study group, an easy and sure-fire way to hang out with your friends and get absolutely nothing done. Not only will this leave your parents satisfied and impressed at your unwavering dedication to your studies, but it will also give an excuse to spend a couple hours at a local Starbucks.

iPads

To-do li even bee sts have recentl y n Times as discussed in pub become more an li d more p ciently an a way to set tan cations such as Forbes an opular. They’ve gi the peop d as productively ble goals and w d The New or le as possib York their ow who wrote those le. Howev k towards them n. They as effiar er , ti I’ cl m es never w would hav of time th il li n g tried to b e otherw ise know creating a To-D et that iad of bene whole process en o n my own efits To-Do lists ds up being. Upon what an absolute list of m p top, read y freshman year. ossessed, my mom hearing about th waste y I e supposed to start typing, w remember sittin convinced me to myrg down in hen I real to go abou create searches , it was 10 t making the list ized that I had n front of my lapo idea how salt – now :30 p.m., itself. Aft an er h I was a coup first item ere near starti d I was looking ng my T up video le quick Google o-D s of following that would have been on o list, much less clams licking day. it: an En glish assi completing the gnment due the

Asexuliaty recognition vital for understanding, tolerance By an anonymous Prospect student

Let me just take a moment to say no, this is not an article on asexual reproduction. This is about asexuality, which is where someone does not experience sexual attraction towards any sex or gender, a definition I wish I’d heard years ago.

Although I’ve only been identifying as asexual for two years, it was apparent to me early on that I didn’t seem to fit anywhere on what I assumed was the sexuality spectrum. I was taught that you were either gay, straight or bisexual, and that belief absolutely crushed me.

Growing up asexual meant making excuses for myself. I told myself, “You don’t like anyone yet because you’re too young. You’re just a late bloomer. You haven’t met the right person yet. You’re just very, very picky.”

I figured if I told myself I was attracted to someone long enough, some placebo effect would come into play and I’d magically understand what all the fuss about sex and relationships was about.

Needless to say, my efforts proved futile.

Nevertheless, I persisted in my desperate denial, but that only became more difficult as I got older.

Catholic school told me sex was the ultimate temptation.

Media told me sex was required for a healthy relationship. Health class never mentioned someone might not feel the desire for sex, just that they might choose not to have it.

I felt like there was something genuinely wrong with me, and I grew up fearing romantic relationships because the topic of sex was bound to come up at some point, and I didn’t know how I’d explain to someone that I wasn’t sexual-

ly attracted to them.

That is until I came across the word asexuality by chance online. There aren’t really words to describe the relief I felt upon discovering there was a word for how I felt, and it must mean there are other people like me.

However, I didn’t identify with the word right away. Years of convincing yourself you’re something you’re not will do that to you. It wasn’t until I began to discover the asexual community online and read about stories that were similar to mine that I began to gradually accept the fact I was, in fact, asexual.

I told a few close friends that I might be asexual a couple of months after considering it. I figured even if they didn’t quite understand, they’d try to. They’d always been open-minded people, and I knew they’d heard of asexuality themselves.

Uttering the words “I think I’m asexual” for the very first time and being met with complete support and understanding was important to me. I was finally accepting who I was, and I was met with nothing but positivity for it.

However, the world outside of my lunch group was not as kind. Something you learn when you’re anything but straight is that most people are not actually aware of the existence of a fantastic search engine known as “Google,” and will proceed to bombard you with any and every inappropriate question on your sexuality they can think of.

I get it. They’ve never heard of asexuality before. Even if they have, they’ve probably been programmed with the same ideas on sexuality that I was. But there’s a difference between genuine curiosity and asking me if I split in half to reproduce.

I haven’t been a part of any study groups since I entered high school; I prefer communicating through emojis and a couple of abrupt “LOL”s than talking to people face-to-face. However, middle school was a completely different story, and I’m pretty sure my friends and I had more study group sessions than actual tests we needed to study for. Of course, the closest thing we ever did to “studying” was to count the number of commercials between episodes of “Lost.”

In my darkest hour, just when it seemed as though I would be swallowed up by the pressure to become a hard-working, dedicated student who completes his homework on time, Prospect High School extended a golden hand from the heavens in the form of a shiny, $400 toy. In fact, I was not the only one Prospect benevolently saved from the path of productivity; most freshmen and sophomores now spend the seven hours they’re at school desperately attempting to beat their high score on Crossy Roads. Speaking from personal experience, a good indication of whether you are putting off as much class work as possible is if you go to school with your iPad fully charged and come back with the battery blinking red and your thumbs sore from all the fruits you chopped during your math class.

Information courtesy of asexuality.org

Either that or they’ll just flat out look you in the eyes and tell you your sexuality isn’t real.

Sometimes they might even deny your existence to the point where they just completely erase you from anything to do with sexuality.

Much like bisexuality, asexuality often experiences erasure within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and asexual (LGBTQA) community. Frequently, the “A” in the acronym is wrongly replaced to represent straight allies rather than asexuality (because apparently you get a gold star for being a decent human being).

With erasure comes ignorance, and ignorance brings discrimination.

Although the asexual community is mainly online with websites such as The Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN), without visibility there’s no way for the average person to know asexuality even exists, which means they probably won’t seek to understand it.

Although asexuality is still widely unheard of, it’s gradually gaining recognition and more study within the scientific and psychological communities.

On February 11, GLAAD, a non-governmental organization which monitors media for proper LGBTQA representation, recently recognized that the “A” stands for asexual, agender and aromantic and apologized for their incorrect usage of the “A” as representing straight allies in the past.

Such a huge organization acknowledg

ing the existence of asexuality and apologizing for their erasure in the past is a huge step in gaining more recognition within the LGBTQA community and promoting visibility of asexuality.

It’s vital for asexuals to understand that their sexuality is in fact, a sexuality, and it is perfectly healthy and natural. Regardless of where you fall on the asexuality spectrum, you are valid, and if anyone tells you otherwise, feel free to steal their wallet. Apparently we don’t exist anyways, and the police can’t catch you if you’re not real.

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March 6, 2015

prospectornow.com

In-Depth

Winter days contribute to student’s depression haze When someone has depression with a seasonal pattern, symptoms worsen during the winter or summer months.

It drains a person’s energy and makes *Name changed for confidentiality them moody. The majority of cases worsen during winter months, beginning in Junior Hannah Nichols* dreads the late October and ending around April, coming of winter every year. when the weather starts “I don’t like the winto change. However, a ter. Not only do I [disPeople at risk small amount of cases aplike] cold weather, but pear during the summer I know it’s a bad time for seasonal months. for me,” Nichols said.

Depression with a seadepression: “I feel amazing in the sonal pattern is brought summer. … I feel a comabout by changes in plete 180.”

Women: sunlight rather than While seasonal 60-90 percent of differences in temperachanges from fall to people affected by ture. In the winter, winter can cause some SAD are female the lack of sun may people to get the “wincause changes in ter blues,” the shorter Young adults: circadian rhythms, a days and lack of sundrop in serotonin levPeople between light can cause real els and increased mela15 and 55 years are medical issues for othtonin production. at greater risk ers.

According to nih.gov, Nichols is one of circadian rhythms are the four to six perRelatives of people behavioral, physical, or cent of Ameriwith depression mental changes in a percans who have son’s daily cycle. They depression People far from are mainly affected by the with a seasonal equator: change in light or darkpattern.

People who live ness in an environment.

“I had such a Serotonin is a neurotransfarway North or South hard time admitting mitter in the brain that of it may be more at risk beit to myself,” Nichols regulates mood, and low cause there is decreased said. “People would allevels of it can cause desunlight during the winter ways be like, ‘Oh, it’s pression. Melatonin is renothing. You’ll get over and longer days during the sponsible for controlling it. You’re fine. Don’t summer months sleep patterns, but too worry about it.’ Even much can cause people to though I knew I had oversleep or have contin[depression], I didn’t want to admit it to ued periods of drowsiness and signs of myself because everyone was always [telldepression. ing me I’d] get over it.”

The Mayo Clinic says that those with

By Katy Ryan

In Depth Editor

By Diana Leane

depression with worsening symptoms in the winter may be over-sensitive to rejection, have trouble getting along with other people, have a leaden feeling in their limbs, lack energy, oversleep constantly, and crave foods with lots of carbs, gain weight or feel irritable and tired.

After having these symptoms for a long time, Nichols finally realized that she had depression and needed treatment.

“I was sick and tired of feeling like crap all the time,” Nichols said. “It really wears you down constantly feeling like walking through the hall and being like ‘Oh, I wonder if they’ll come to my funeral.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, all signs of depression should be taken seriously, even if they only seem to last for a season.

This depression can cause complications like social withdrawal, problems at work or school, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts or behavior.

The symptoms can be mild or severe and tend to worsen as winter progresses.

However, they can be treated.

Nichols uses phototherapy to treat her symptoms along with increasing the dosage of her Prozac prescription, an antidepressant, during the winter. Phototherapy uses a box that gives off light mimicking sunlight. Symptoms go away completely for 50 to 80 percent of those who use light boxes. If that doesn’t work, talking to a psychologist might also help.

Nichols is glad that she finally realized her symptoms were more than the average “winter blues.”

“I used to keep it a secret,” Nichols said.

“I can talk about it openly now, and it’s the best feeling in the world. Just being able to talk about it like it’s no big deal … is such a relief. I don’t have to make up excuses for where I’m going … I can say I’m going to therapy. It’s a great feeling.”

Mood mirrors music

Executive In Depth Editor Senior Timmy Banna is known for the various faces he makes while playing. The faces are an outcome of the deep connection Banna feels with the pieces he plays.

Banna’s emotional connection with music is one of many unseen effects music has on people. This was researched thoroughly, which led to scientists discovering music alters mood, affects productivity and improves academics.

Banna’s mood while playing a piece is influenced by the composer’s state of mind. He finds researching what was happening in the composer’s life when the piece was written helps him connect to it.

Recently Banna played Tchaikovsky’s sixth symphony. Before playing the piece, Banna discovered Tchaikovsky wrote the symphony a week before he committed suicide. Knowing this background info, Banna was able to portray the mood of the piece better.

“You can really just feel what [the composer] was feeling through what he had written,” Banna said.

Due to the relationship between mood and music, trying to improve mood while listening to a sad piece like Tchaikovsky’s sixth symphony would be hard. According to healthline. com, a study was conducted where subjects were told to improve their mood through listening to music, and they were only able to improve their mood when listening to upbeat music.

Psychologist Dr. Lisa Kohut recognizes the connection between music and mood and frequently recommends music as a treatment to her clients.

Kohut is in the process of starting a group where teenage girls can share their stories. In the group, Kohut plans to use music to aid the girls in expressing themselves. Part of the group will consist of the girls picking a song that would help others to understand their stories.

Kohut also uses music as a treatment for those who suffer from anxiety.

“I may be working with clients that are feeling really tense or feeling anxious, and I’ve seen music really slow down that feeling,” Kohut said.

However, music doesn’t affect band director Chris Barnum’s mood. Barnum spends all day around music, and it only causes feelings of inspiration, not mood changes.

“Music can still evoke certain feelings,” Barnum said. “I can still hear a piece of music and feel really inspired ... or I can still feel like, ‘Wow this is really awesome!’”

Despite the fact Barnum is surrounded by music all day, when he needs to get work done, he makes sure there is no music playing around him. Though music distracts Barnum, it helps many to focus.

Kohut has seen debate over whether or not it helps productivity because the argument is listening to music while working is divided attention while just working is focused attention. Kohut has personally seen music to help some of her clients.

“I’ve seen clients who had a difficult time focusing without distractions, and from the music they’ve been able to focus and produce more,” Kohut said.

In Banna’s case, music that he is very interested in, like solo violin pieces and pieces he has played before, makes him less productive. He becomes invested in the music instead of the work.

Besides productivity, music has been linked to improving academic success in students. According to time.com, researchers discovered that students who regularly attended and participated in music classes for two years showed larger improvements in reading scores and in how the brain processes speech.

According to Kohut, music improves academic success and other skills like switching between tasks because music involves both halves of the brain. Since someone who is surrounded by music uses both halves of the brain, switching between tasks becomes easier.

Banna and Barnum have played music since elementary school, so they have reaped the educational benefits of music. However, music has impacted Banna in many ways unrelated to education.

“Music enhances my life in so many different ways,” Banna said. “It’s benefitted me in a bunch of different ways such as being able to really appreciate art, music, the world just in a different way through the perspective of music.

There are so many different types of music and it can convey so many different feelings and emotions, and I just feel like without it I’d be such a different person.”

prospectornow.com

In-Depth

March 6, 2015

7

Champion frame of mind produces champion athlete

By Shannon Smith

Executive In Depth Editor

Psychology of happiness Q&A What is happiness?

Research in psychology states that there are several universal emotions.

Happiness is one of those universal emotions.

There is research by Carroll Izard that demonstrates that it is inborn. It’s not a learned thing. The facial expressions [of happiness] are present in babies all over the world.

Daria Schaffeld

What happens in our brain when we are happy?

Chemicals in the brain [are] called neurotransmitters. There’s one neurotransmitter in particular called serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that when it is flowing through the body at a nice level it allows to experience the sensations of pleasure and happiness.

Low levels of serotonin is one of the causal factors for people who are depressed.

It is one of the biological explanations for people that are depressed.

Dopamine is also implicated in happiness. Neurotransmitters are not one trick ponies. They do many things in the body.

Serotonin handles happiness; dopamine also handles happiness.

Antidepressants specifically assist with serotonin. They help the body have more serotonin flowing through it.

Correlation research is research that shows that certain behaviors are linked to other behaviors. When you have a high correlation that means that the predictive relationship is very strong.

During the 2012 girls’ track and field season, seniors Abby Banna, Christine Grossman, Kathleen Kennedy and Melissa Jones came together to try and qualify for state as a team in the 4x100 or the 4x200 meter relay.

Their time for the 4x100 meter was close to qualifying time, but their time for the 4x200 was nowhere close. The team hoped that they could qualify by placing first or second at sectionals in the 4x100.

The team did not qualify for state in the 4x100. They came in third by .04 seconds.

According to Lance Burmeister, assistant girls’ track and field coach and football coach, these seniors were usually positive and had a strong mentality.

After placing third, their positive attitudes dissipated because their last chance to qualify was READY. SET. GO: Having a positive attitude while competeing in the 4x200, which seemed unimproves an athletes performance according to appliedsport.org. attainable.

“After the 4x100 we were dev- (Photo illustration by Cassidy Selep and Shannon Smith) astated because that was supposed to be our saving grace,” an athlete mentally approaches ing is another important aspect of sports. Burmeister sees failJones said. “It was crushing competition.

According to Burmeister, not ure as an opportunity for an when the one time all four of us could go [to state] together was being able to handle self doubt athlete to improve. He believes or the pressure that comes with failure means the athlete is getcrushed by .04 seconds.”

Burmeister realized he need- competing often leads to having ting pushed out of their comfort zone, and that’s how an athlete ed to say something to get them a poor performance.

Burmeister has come across becomes better. refocused and motivated on If an athlete can’t see failure qualifying for state in the 4x200. very few people that don’t doubt He told each girl they only had themselves, but with a good sup- as an opportunity to improve, to cut a small amount of time port system and learning how it can be detrimental, which is to qualify, but he underestimat- to overcome that doubt, people why it’s important to learn how ed the time on purpose to boost have more confidence in them- to deal with failure. According selves and perform better. to active.com, the best way to their confidence.

Wilson puts away her self deal with failure is to learn to With the doubt when view each failure as a learning whole team competing, experience.

Successful people who cheering and she also “There [are] good races and from the failed has the sup- bad races,” Morikado said. “I sidelines, port of her know how I’m feeling [is] gothe team Babe Ruth often held team. ing to dictate how I’m going to was able to the most strikeouts in swim. I always watch my races qualify for a season.

When afterwards to see what I could do state. asked about his better and how I could improve “I realhigh amount “[There on that next race.” ly do think is a] team of strikeouts he The 2002 football team was that [havhuddle be- able to win the state title giving said, “Every strike ing] a posfore hand,” Prospect back-to-back champiitive attibrings me closer to the Wilson said. onships, but earlier in their seatude was a next home run.” “[We] tell son they lost twice. According huge faceach other, to Burmeister, unlike the 2001 tor,” Jones ‘You’ve done team, the 2002 team was very said.

“We stuff that’s negative.They didn’t put the all trustBefore The Beat- way harder same effort into their perfored Burles were super than this. mance because they had already meister stars, they You’ve done won the previous year. more before, But after losing twice during were told it than he by a record [and] you’ll the regular season, the team reknows.”

Sophcompany “no” be able to alized they needed to work just omore because the company do it just as as hard as the year before to win Brooke Wildidn’t like their sound, and they well as you the state championship again. did the last Head Coach Brent Pearlman got son, who thought the guitar sound was time.’” them refocused and motivated runs cross on its way out.

People on winning by reminding them country deal with that they still loved football. and track, self doubt According to Morikado, in thinks that in many the last few years the swim team the mendifferent hasn’t done as well as they’ve Before creating Mictal aspect ways.

Ac- wanted to at the end of the searosoft, Bill Gates of running cording to son, and that has motivated him may be and Microsoft appliedand the team to work harder. even more Co-Founder, Paul sportpysch.

Whether motivated by failimportant Allen, created Traf-Oorg, a couple ure, coaches or themselves, than the Data, and the product miserof ways to mentally tough athletes set both physical asably fail. build con- long-term and short-term goals, pect. Along fidence are and they are able to carry out with Wilvisualizing these goals by staying commitson, senior being suc- ted and working hard. and swimmer Michael Morikacessful, giving pep talks, clearWilson sits down with her do views swimming as a “very ing the mind to only focus on coaches during track and cross mentally taxing sport.” the task at hand and keeping a country to establish realistic During the cross country and goals that she can accomplish track seasons, Wilson can see positive attitude.

For Morikado, self doubt during the season, and the same the effects of having a strong mentality. According to Wilson, isn’t a problem, but overcoming goes for Morikado.

“Everyone can come into some girls on the team do ex- his “mental fatigue” is. He often tremely well during workouts, tells himself, “Why am I still do- [the fitness center] and lift and but in meets their times don’t ing this?” and “Swimming is so train, but if you don’t have just mirror what they are capable taxing,” but the support of his as strong of a mental approach, of in practice, or some do very coaches and teammates keeps you’re kind of wasting your time,” Burmeister said. well in meets, but not during him going.

Staying positive while failworkouts. This is due to how

8

March 6, 2015

prospectornow.com

Features

Not bi, not tri, but multilingual

idea, but her father was not as open to it, although he ultimately allowed it because he knew it was what she wanted What is Islam? What is a and that it wasn’t a thoughtless Muslim? What is the Taliban? decision.

These questions appeared “It’s gotten to the point that on junior Lauren Monsen’s he can make fun of it, and 9-11 terrorist attack pre-test for I’m OK with it,” Monsen said. her seventh grade Global Per“Once you can make a joke spectives class at South Middle about something, it’s starting School, and she was stumped. to get better.”

When she realized she had Learning so many languagno idea how to respond, she es had its challenges, and Monthought to herself, “Wow, I sen admits to thinking about probably should.” quitting.

This is what first got Mon“Just last night when I was sen interested in Arabic culdoing my Italian homework, I ture and language. She loved was like ‘I can’t do this. I just it so much that she borrowed cannot do this. It’s so hard. I a book from the Arlington don’t want to look up [another] Heights Public Library and single word on wordreference. started to teach herself Arabic. com. I cannot do this,’” MonWhile her Global Perspecsen said. “I took a break and tives class got her interested in then said, ‘Yes, you can. This is Arabic, she attributes her fondwhat you want to do. … Thinkness of languages to her miding about all the benefits in the Use Aurasma on this picture to hear dle school French teacher, Don future is so worth all the strugSlavicek. Monsen says his stoLauren Monsen in five languages. gles right now.’” ries about traveling the world Junior Lauren Monsen speaks five languages: English, Arabic, Spanish, In the future, Monsen plans SPEAKING IN TONGUES: made her sign up for a Spanish French and Italian. She plans to major in linguistics with a specialization in Middle Eastern languages in to major in linguistics with a class in addition to her French specialization in Middle Eastclass freshman year. college as she hopes to work for the CIA, FBI or NSA. (photo by Lauren Miller) ern languages, and she aspires This year, Monsen is taking AP French and Honors Span- saying in Arabic, but she still also an Arabic instructor at would typically take months to to work for the CIA, FBI or NSA. ish 4. She also sits in on an occasionally struggles to re- the Mount Prospect Public Li- progress to.

Arabic culture has also had brary.

Wilkens finds Monsen to be Honors Italian 3 class during spond.

“I just wanted to do every- a considerable impact on Mon- exceptional for knowing what Among the first things she her lunch, and she continues learned were the Arabic al- thing to help her,” Wilkens sen’s life. After familiarizing she wants to do at such an earto learn Arabic on the side.

Arabic is very different than phabet and the phrase ‫ مسب‬said. “I knew [Takrouri] was herself with Arabic culture, ly age.

“She’s 16. When I heard that, the other languages Monsen is ‫( هللا‬pronounced biz-mill-ah), [Palestinian]. I knew she spoke Monsen decided to convert to Arabic, so I approached her Islam on July 6, I kept thinking, learning. She started learning which means “in the name of 2013, which about helping [Monsen] ...

Her ‘Yes, I know it through textbooks and free Allah” and is consisted reaction was that you’ve trials of programs such as said before of projust so calm skipped a most acAccording Rosetta Stone. Although she Lauren Monsen’s claiming and [open to few levtions. didn’t find the programs ideto a study playlist that Althe idea].” els [of When al because they never directly conducted lah is the Never French] Listening to foreign music defined vocabulary, she did Monsen by the University having seen only God and is one of junior Lauren learn from them. Now, Mon- made the of Chicago, that each oth- and such, sen’s favorite way to practice transition to Monsen’s favorite ways of learning foreign er before, Muhammad but to have other languages is by listening high school, learning and practicing languages increases is his messenTakrouri reached this told to foreign music. (See “Lauren she foreign languages. brain power and improves recalls tell- ger. point [of her French Monsen’s playlist” for some of Here are some of her She was going Monsen decision-making skills. maturity] at teacher, her favorite foreign songs.) favorite songs: she would ing to convert graphics courtesy of WikiCommons the age of Because Arabic is such a Kathryn be the only a few months 16 is mind Arabic different language, Monsen Wilkens, one wearing a headscarf in the prior to then, boggling,’” “Amarain” sometimes finds it difficult to that she was teaching herself but she decidlibrary .

After they met, TakroWilkens said.

Arabic and was considering

by Amr Diab learn and practice. ed to delay it uri was astonished with how “She’s going “When you can finally mas- converting to Islam. Wilkens so she could knowledgeable Monsen was. to do so well then introduced her to ‘13 grad ter [parts of the language], Spanish discuss it with “She was so smart for a for herself.”

Bayan Takrouri, an AP French it’s super gratifying,” Monsen “Ciega, Sordomuda” freshman. The first thing I no- her parents.

One of student who said.

by Shakira She specifticed about her was that she Monsen’s faMonsen can usually un- was knew so much about history,” ically rememvorite things derstand what others are bers the anximon languages Takrouri said. she has French m o C russian — 1.6% Every Thursday morn- ety of telling gained from “Ça Ira” These are the top 10 most ing, they would go over her mother. learning so latin — 1.9%

by Joyce Jonathan commonly learned foreign “I went on various Arabic topics, many lanArabic — 2.1% languages in the United starting with the alphabet a drive with guages is her Chinese — 3.6% States, according to and progressing to writ- my mom, runopenness to Japanese — 4.4% ning errands, and I was so ner- diversity. ing words and sentences. the American Institutions vous to tell her.

Then I sort of According to Takrouri, “It opens you up to a lot of of Higher Education. italian — 4.8% Monsen was a quick learner; just blurted out, ‘I think I want different things,” Monsen said.

Sign language — 5.5% within two weeks, she was gen- to convert religions,’” Monsen “Once you [learn more about German — 5.7% erating words and phrases that said. “And she knew. She said, other cultures], you start to ‘You want to convert to Islam, realize you shouldn’t have asFrench — 12.9% right?’” sumptions about anybody.”

Spanish — 51.4% Her mother accepted the

By Krzys Chwala Copy Editor

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Who Knows You Better?

The subjects Sophomore Alyssa Scala

Favorite Blackhawks player?

Favorite beverage?

Shoe size?

Last four digits of phone number?

Last movie watched?

Favorite vacation destination?

The results

Kane

Fanta

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7433

Step Brothers

Bora Bora

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4

4

4

Winner

Keith

Fanta

12

7340

Step Brothers

Bora Bora

Hossa

Coke

12

7439

no idea

Bora Bora

The Girlfriend

Sophomore Jack Pruban The Subject

Senior Jessica Pruban The Sister

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prospectornow.com

March 6, 2015

Features

9

Best friends for never

By an anonymous Prospect student

Back in elementary school, the social worker would talk to us about developing our social skills (I recall puppets being involved at some point). In one session, we talked about bullying. Among other things, she told us, “A bully is not your friend.”

For a long time, I believed this. From what I saw on TV and in movies, bullies were jerks nobody liked or wanted to be around. However, I soon found bullies and friends could go together as effortlessly as peanut butter and jelly.

It started in middle school, probably because it was such a drastic change. In elementary school, everything was laid out, so everyone had similar experiences. There weren’t any AP classes or extracurricular clubs to join, and the only kids that were available to mingle with were those at your designated lunch table.

Then, in middle school, there was suddenly a lot of

freedom, and we could choose who we were friends with and start making our own decisions.

For a while, this seemed to work for me. I met new friends through school-sanctioned activities like the musical. I went to their houses, and they came to mine. For a while, I was happy.

Suddenly, they started acting distant. They stopped talking to me, and they wouldn’t sit next to me at lunch anymore.

I remember a girl running towards the last empty seat at the lunch table and sitting there, just so I couldn’t. When I asked them to make room for me, they would avoid eye contact, mumble some form of agreement and act as put out as possible as they shifted one seat over. As I sat down, the group would look at me like a pimple: an inconvenience that would hopefully be gone soon.

In retrospect, I could’ve just sat someplace else. But it felt like a serious betrayal of trust.

I had been emotionally bullied by people I thought were my

friends, and for some reason, I still wanted to chase after them.

When I started high school, I thought things would change for the better, but they only got worse. I made friends with another group of girls. Once again, I was happy. Then, history seemed to repeat itself, and they started making plans to go out without me.

When we spent time together, I always seemed to be the butt of the joke. They made fun of my clothes and compared my grades to theirs, specifically so they would seem superior.

Then I started getting ominous phone calls and anonymous notes in my locker that said they were following me and watching me, and they knew exactly where I lived.

Needless to say, I was scared until I found out it was actually my friends playing a “joke” on me.

I went home and cried to my parents about everything my friends would do to me.

My parents would ask me, “Why don’t you just stop

talking to them?”

My response was simple: “I can’t.”

I hated these girls for what they did, but I still considered them my friends. That’s why each time they did something to me, I was shocked and saddened, but I still joined them at lunch the next day, secretly hoping they would treat me right.

Only recently, I discovered this was relational bullying.

This involves someone you consider a friend doing things like spreading rumors or being nasty to you while saying it’s all in good fun.

Apparently, I wasn’t alone when it came to relational bullying. In a study done by Elizabeth Englander, a founder of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University, 30 percent of 18-year-olds said their friends had bullied them at least once.

In cases of relational bullying, sometimes friends make an honest mistake and don’t know they are being hurtful.

Peanut problems prove painful

By Colleen Stanford Staff Writer

Two-year-old Annie Walsh was at a daycare center and was eyeing a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on the table.

Soon enough she couldn’t resist, and it was in her mouth. For most children a Reese’s would be seen as a great treat, but for Walsh it was not. She no longer was a small, little girl. She turned into someone unrecognizable.

“I was like this giant, swollen red thing,” Walsh said.

Walsh had gone into what is known as anaphylactic shock, the reaction that occurs after a person comes into contact with the substance that they are allergic to. Allergies are caused by abnormalities in a person’s immune system which makes the body attack itself when the allergen enters the body.

Similar to the now freshman Walsh, about 30 to 40 students at Prospect have severe, life-threatening food allergies according to school nurse Cheryl Novak. The most common allergies are with peanuts or tree nuts.

While some food allergies may be seen as annoyances, they can be serious.

According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, food allergies alone account for 30,000 emergency room visits each year and over 200 deaths annually.

There are different ways to treat allergic reactions depending on the severity of the specific person’s allergy and how much contact they had with it.

According to Novak, the first step in treatment is

to recognize what symptoms the student has. Most allergic students have a personal allergy action plan, which has been filled out with their parents and doctor.

Novak typically then gives the student an allergy medication, like Benadryl.

But if that is not enough, epinephrine must be used. Epinephrine is a quick-acting allergic reaction reliever found in an auto-injector form, either an EpiPen or Auvi-Q. It is only used in emergency situations. It quickly improves breathing, stimulates the heart, raises a dropping blood pressure, reverses hives and reduces swelling of the face, lips and throat.

According to Walsh, she tries all options before having to use epinephrine.

“You pretty much go to every resource until nothing works,” Walsh said, “Then that’s it. You go to the Epi-Pen.” In Novak’s six years as the school nurse, she has only had students use epinephrine twice.

But for Walsh, using epinephrine is not a strange concept given that she has used her Epi-Pen 13 times in her life so far.

“Statistically speaking, when you think of how many things you eat and how many times you could have a reaction ... it is probably 0.00001 percent of the time [that you have a reaction],” Geralyn Walsh, Annie’s mom, said.

While stepping up and admitting you’re uncomfortable is, well, uncomfortable, it can be beneficial.

However, in more severe cases, relationships have to stop. It isn’t easy to break connections at first, but these self-destructive friendships are toxic.

When I confronted my bullies, it didn’t go as planned.

The day they ended the charade and told me they had been slipping the threatening notes in my locker, I turned to them and said, “So whose idea was this? Who said, ‘You know what would be hilarious? Scaring our friend to death so she’s afraid to walk home!’?”

They laughed at me. They shook their heads and said, “What? We were just kidding.

Don’t take it so seriously!”

I guess it’s only serious if it happens to you.

While I still see these girls, we don’t spend time together outside of school. Being bullied by my friends has damaged my ability to trust; if you can’t trust your friends, who else is there?

While allergic reactions happen to people infrequently, they are very scary when they do happen, according to Geralyn.

When Annie goes into reactions, she breaks out in hives. Her throat starts to close, she can’t breathe because her airways close. Her eyes and lips swell shut, and she experiences uncontrollable sneezing.

Given the seriousness of the reactions, students like Annie always need to be prepared for a reaction.

For Annie, she needs to be able to respond first with Benadryl then Epinephrine within 5 to 10 minutes of eating her allergen, or else her life is in jeopardy.

According to Novak, many students carry a form of Epinephrine with them at all times while others feel safer leaving theirs in the nurse’s office. Many, like Walsh, do both to be extra safe.

In the case of a student who forgets their epinephrine or a student who has the symptoms of anaphylactic shock but does not have any previous known allergies, the nurse has a stock of Epi-Pens to use. The Illinois law allowing nurses to have stock Epi-Pens was first made in 2011 and then a new law modified it to allow trained personnel to administer Epi-Pens if the school does not have a full-time nurse.

Epinephrine is life-saving in the event of an allergic reaction. While epinephrine will stop an allergic reaction, Annie believes that allergies should not be taken lightly due to their severity.

“I feel like everyone should respect [allergies] ... because for me, it is life or death,” Annie said.

10

March 6, 2015

Art extends beyond class

By Garrett Strother

Entertainment Editor Adorning the bookshelves of the Prospect library are silhouetted figures, cast in wild positions and looking down upon students. They are a familiar sight to most, but not all know where they came from.

The sculptures were constructed by Prospect’s Art Club, which meets every other week on Thursdays after school in Room 135. 3-D Art teacher Li Christoffersen is the sponsor for Art Club, though the club is student guided.

This doesn’t mean that students are required to be in art class or even have a background in any particular subject.

“It’s not an extension of one of the classes or curricula. It’s a combination of everything.

It’s definitely a culture of creativity and fun around art,” Christoffersen said.

This gives an opportunity for students that are interest-

ed in multiple art forms, such as senior Eric Reier, to explore different areas. Reier has taken Photos 1 and 2 as well as Intro to 3-D Art and 3-D Art classes 1 through AP. He favors 3-D art such as sculpting.

“You’re working in space,” Reier said. “You’re working out of space. You’re really making an object.”

Freshman Mac Burgess, on the other hand, enjoys working more with drawing and sketching. While he hasn’t yet taken art classes at Prospect, he is enrolled in some outside of school and plans to take Prospect art classes in the future.

In the meantime, he participates in Art Club to connect his high school experience back to the art world.

Burgess and other students can use Art Club to really explore new kinds of art, and since it is student-run, some endeavors may even beyond the teacher’s experience.

In the fall, Christoffersen and the members of Art Club

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Entertainment

LIFE IMITATING ART: Senior Eric Reier (left) and Freshman Mac Burgess (right) pose in front of work they have done in different art classes. (Photos by Cassidy Selep) experimented with tie-dye.

“It was my first time doing it, too,” Christoffersen said.

“We actually watched some videos on YouTube to figure out how to do it. Sometimes it’s

more fun to discover it together.”

Art Club’s openness also allows for some projects that might not fit in a classroom environment.

“In Art Club, we’re much more open. Next week we’re going to make clay zombie heads,” Christoffersen said.

“It just depends on what they want to do.”

Marc Ford wins Best Male Vocalist for Mixed Co.

By Caroline Binley Copy Editor

Senior Marc Ford waited to hear the results of the In the Spotlight Competition Feb. 28 in Brodhead, Wisconsin.

Distracted by the disappointment of a friend not winning Best Female Vocalist a minute prior, all Ford heard was a mumble he assumed was another student winning Best Male Vocalist. But the announcement kept going, and soon the announcer was reading off Ford’s name.

Ford went up to receive his award, cheered on by his friends in Mixed Company.

“I just had a big smile on my face,” Ford said. “I just remember going up there and looking back at my group and they were going crazy. My best friend, [Maggie Martorano,] was like, ‘Yeah, that’s my best friend!’ and I was just really happy about everything. It was a good moment.”

Ford, a participant in Mixed Company, choir and the school musicals, has loved singing all his life.

“[I love] how personal it can be with someone, or [how] you’re just yourself,” Ford said. “It lets you see a part of you that you tend to hold back.”

Encouraged by his mother, he joined choir in third grade at Lion’s Park Elementary School. He continued with choir at Lincoln Middle School and then at Prospect.

“My mom would never tell me not to do something,” Ford said. “[Singing] is what I was always doing, so that’s what she encouraged me to do. I just kept with it, and I’ve loved it ever since.”

Over the years, Ford has grown considerably as a singer.

“When he came his freshman year, [Ford] was a very good singer, but he had a very raw kind of sound,” choir teacher Jen Troiano said. “He didn’t really find his voice until the end of his sophomore year, beginning of his junior year. … Ford works really hard on his voice. He does things outside of school ... and he’s also really naturally talented. He takes it very seriously. He’s very passionate about music and singing.”

After so many years of singing, music has become part of Ford’s identity.

“I define myself with singing, choir, show choir and all that stuff,” Ford said.

“I don’t define myself with ‘I’m good at math,’ [or] ‘I’m good at this.’ ... I’m literally a part of music.”

Ford plans on double majoring in music education and vocal performance at Bellmont or Millikin University.

“I’m just kind of letting [my future] run its course. Like, if I get a choir position, I’ll be happy with that, but if I get a vocal performance [position] at the [Chicago Symphony Orchestra] or the Lyric Opera, [that would be] awesome.”

Troiano is excited for Ford’s future.

“I was glad that he won Best Male Vocalist in the show because I told him it kind of lets you know that you’re going into the right field,” Troiano said.

Though there can be big bumps in the road to a music career — as Troiano pointed out, most schools only need one choir teacher, and not many schools have music programs as successful as Prospect — Ford doesn’t feel the need for a fall back.

“It’s all music based,” Ford said. “I don’t have any other backup plan. I’ve always just done music, so that’s what I’ve tried to stay with.”

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Entertainment

‘XOXO’ finds new life Early 2000s teen dramas see surge in popularity

11

Teens share favorite guilty TV pleasures

By Isabelle Rogers

Entertainment Editor

By Ellen Siefke

As I sat with three of my best friends, all crammed onto a single twin bed, I thought to myself, “there’s nothing I’d rather be watching than these Disney Channel reruns.”

Though I am nearly 17 years old, my love for crappy sitcoms and cartoons, such as “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “Drake and Josh” are still prominent today, and many Prospect students share this love of embarrassing TV shows.

Editor-in-Chief

Junior Emmalynn Cronin traveled to Wilmington, North Carolina, this past summer to visit the filming site of the TV series “One Tree Hill.”

Airing from 2003-2012, the show depicted the lives of a group of North Carolina friends as they journeyed through high school and beyond.

While walking through the town, she could see how the landscape had changed since the filming. For example, the River Court, a basketball court, had been torn down.

However, she was able to recognize some elements that had remained, such as Karen’s Café.

A friend of hers initially told her about the show, and since then, she has remained a steady fan.

“One Tree Hill” isn’t the only of its kind that has found a new audience in contemporary youth, however. With the help of Netflix, shows in the early 2000s have reemerged in popularity with today’s teens.

Junior Kate Zardzin first got into her favorite show, “Gossip Girl,” after getting a Netflix account. At a friend’s suggestion, she started watching it. She was hooked.

“I love all the drama,” Zardzin said. “There’s so much, and it would never happen in high school. Everyone is filthy rich and almost famous.”

“Gossip Girl,” which aired from 2007-2012, showcased the lives of ev-

March 6, 2015

eryone’s favorite Upper East Siders, with all of their dirty secrets revealed via text message by the mysterious Gossip Girl. According to medialifemagazine.com, at its peak, the show garnered 2.48 million viewers.

Besides “One Tree Hill,” Cronin’s other favorite shows include “Friday Night Lights” (2006-2011) and “The OC” (2003-2007). “Friday Night Lights” focuses on a high school football team and its coach, and “The OC” portrays the lives of teenagers and their families in a wealthy community in Orange Beach, California.

Cronin likes the overall varied storylines and characters. In “One Tree Hill,” for example, her favorite characters are Brooke Davis and Nathan Scott — although she didn’t care for them at first, they became more likeable individuals. For instance, Nathan Scott shed his bad-

“We on a b were reak!”

Prospect’s picks for best remerging TV shows

*According to a survey of 305 Prospect students

boy image in favor of a dedicated husband and father.

Both Zardzin and Cronin believe part of these shows’ appeal comes from the teenage main characters.

For Cronin, the friendships between Brooke, Peyton and Haley on “One Tree Hill” resemble her own.

“The problems presented in the shows will never disappear,” Cronin said. “They deal with a lot of problems that high schoolers face.”

Zardzin adds that the actors themselves boost the allure of the shows.

In her words, “everyone loves Blake Lively and Chace Crawford.”

Zardzin and Cronin differ in their explanations as to why these shows lasted for several seasons while similar ones today don’t.

Zardzin believes Netflix has given more options for TV audiences to peruse. Before, viewers tended to stick with a select few.

Cronin, on the other hand, believes the plot structure helped the longevity.

For example, “One Tree Hill” incorporated a time jump between the fourth and fifth seasons. She says this allowed for new problems like the challenges of marriage and starting a family, instead of confining the characters to a high school life and “redoing old problems.”

Ultimately, with the expansion of Netflix, as shown by the recent addition of “Friends,” Zardzin believes teenagers will continue to rediscover old classics.

“Netflix has influenced a lot of people to look back at these old shows and realize that they’re really good,” Zardzin said. “So many people are able to watch it for free, all the episodes are in one place, and the recommendations help you to discover even more shows.”

Junior Karson LeComte

Freshman Claire Strother

Occasionally, freshman Claire Strother watches older cartoons like “Kim Possible” and other shows like “Hart of Dixie.”

Junior Ryan Morton

Astrology predictions prove absurd “sort of ” credible.

“12, 13, 14 ...14 eggs!” FiveHow can people sincerely year-old me says proudly. My believe masses of gas burnolder sister begins counting. ing millions and millions of “19, 20, 21 … I have 21 miles away have an effect on eggs!” This was the fourth people based on what time of week in a row she had beaten the year they’re born? me.

An answer may be found Every Saturday morning, in the 1955 work of French my sister and I would battle psychologist Michel Gauqueto see how many eggs were lin. Using a star chart to track in our dinosaur oatmeal. Caley Griebenow which planets were most Whoever had more eggs won. Staff Writer prominent in the sky during Could my chronic failure be people’s birthdays, he found due to the fact that, as a Capricorn, the moon was blocking the good that, in hundreds of subjects, Mars was luck vibes that Jupiter was sending me? prominent in professional athletes, JuAs ridiculous as that may seem, an piter in actors, Saturn in scientists and increasing number of Americans be- Moon in writers. This study is known lieve that astrology, the study of celes- as the “Mars effect.” The study uses tial beings and their supposed influence all kinds of crazy formulas and charts, on behavior and events, is a legitimate but his stance is clear: astrology is no science. This increase could be a result joke.

This suggests that planetary posiof a variety of reasons, but it is most likely due to people’s inability to think tion has some bewildering influence over people’s talents and, therefore, the critically.

According to a survey by the Nation- career they choose to pursue. A picture of Saturn wearing a lab coat and gogal Science Foundation, the majority of 18- to 24-year olds considered astrology gles pops into mind.

LeComte still watches “NCIS,” “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “NCIS: New Orleans.”

“They’re not embarrassing. They are the greatest shows on earth.”

What about people’s day-to-day lives being influenced by the stars?

Deciding to investigate, I paid close attention to the horoscopes that astrologer Nancy Black published daily in the Chicago Tribune. After two weeks, I saw even less of a possibility of the stars controlling me, my personality traits or my experiences.

On Jan. 27, Venus was supposed to help me focus and make studying fun.

However, I don’t consider studying electron configurations “fun,” and I found myself practically falling asleep second hour. On Feb. 2, my touch was “goldenrod.” Maybe the Tribune was saying everything I did was golden. As flattering as that is, I know some of my efforts toward in-class essays are less than spectacular.

Other signs said things like “take time for yourself,” “learn to compromise with friends” or “you may feel like splurging; save for the future.” That sounds like something Miss Manners would say with pursed lips.

Can’t all of those predictions apply to any person at any point in time? The

Junior Ryan Morton indulges in shows like “Trailer Park Boys” and “Blue Mountain State.”

Keeping up with the zodiacs How often do students check their horoscopes?

*According to a survey of 54 Prospect students

horoscopes appeal to people’s pride; they say what people want to hear in an incredibly vague way. People who believe in horoscopes fall right into this trap of a pseudo science.

So are the moon and stars and planets to blame for my loss of the dinosaur oatmeal battle? Maybe. But it could also be that my sister rigged the oatmeal when I wasn’t looking.

12

March 6, 2014

Sports

prospectornow.com

College decision proves difficult

By Peter Fusilero Sports Editor

Not everyone can be the Jahlil Okafor of their sport. Not everyone can be the most highly recruited basketball player in the nation, a McDonald’s All-American and an IHSA state champion. As a college freshman, he is currently starting for Duke at center on a full scholarship and is expected to be the number one pick in the NBA draft.

Most high school kids do not have the luxury of getting to play for a college both known for its academics and athletics, especially for free.

A typical high school athlete’s dilemma comes down to two factors. The first factor they consider is lowering their academic standards to play sports while the second is to pursue a more prestigious university, but to sacrifice the sport.

Senior Patrick Donohue chose to “walk on” to play baseball at Valparaiso University. Donahue has a weighted 4.96 GPA and scored a 31 on the ACT, and his academic accomplishments helped his recruiting.

“I got into a bunch of schools and was able to get money from those schools [academically],” Donohue said.

“Then it was the process of going to the coaches and asking ‘I already have money, now can I play baseball?’”

Some of those schools included St. Louis University and the University of Illinois but it ultimately came down to the University of Chicago (Division III) and Valparaiso University (Division I).

“Baseball would have gotten me into the University of Chicago, but at Valparaiso, it was my academics that helped me get on the team,” Donohue said.

Donohue says his travel baseball coach was able to get Valparaiso to watch his recruiting video. He believes that connection made a difference.

Donohue’s travel coach, Tom Barnard, was a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to Donohue, his ability to network with many people in the baseball community helped “things take off.”

Donohue has not yet decided his major, but says if professional baseball doesn’t work out, he believes his academic strength can help pursue a law degree.

Senior swimmer Nick Tuczak also has an impressive academic resume, sporting a 5.4 weighted GPA and an ACT composite of 30. However, he will be choosing a university for its academics and not its athletics.

During Tuczak’s freshman and sophomore years, he thought about the idea of swimming collegiately.

However, the idea began to fade when he attended Indiana University’s swim camp the summer going into junior year.

“I just saw how much they practiced, and I looked at how they really worked out,” Tuczak said. “It was really intense and really overwhelming. Like, I’m not at this level at all, and there was really no point to pursue this path.”

Tuczak was accepted into Michigan and Purdue, but plans on attending University of Illinois. Even though he won’t be a Big 10 swimmer, he plans on joining the rowing team or intramural swim team.

Aside from Donohue and Tuczak,who have already made their decision, there are athletes that are still on the fence.

Senior Eryk Krzyzak’s love for volleyball pretty much started since birth.

Head volleyball coach Mike Riedy held him as an infant.

Krzyzak has always been serious about his academics, but the realization to play collegiately started when he made the decision to stop basketball junior year and do club volleyball in the winter.

THE DECISION: Senior Patrick Donohue is an example of a high school athlete who made the choice to play the dream sport in college instead of pursuing a different university with a much stronger academic reputation. (photo illustration by Cassidy Selep) “Club is the only way to get exposure, especially since volleyball is such a small sport collegiately,” Krzyzak said.

Riedy has been alongside Krzyzak throughout the entire process and believes there are three big questions a coach should ask his or her player.

“Do you want to play sports because you enjoy it and it’s just an extension of your high school career?” Riedy said.

“Do you want to play college sports to get things paid for because you only see it as a financial option? Do you want to play sports because you think you’re good enough to move on [professionally]?”

According to Riedy, it’s a tough line to walk as a coach because coaches only want the best for their player.

“There are kids who are really good

athletes, but are not strong academically, so they only see [college] as a way to play sports,” Riedy said. “However in Eryk’s case, he is a really strong academic athlete. Sometimes students have to step down to a college that doesn’t have the academic rigor. It’s a difficult choice. Where he could play volleyball and where he could be challenged academically could possibly be two different schools.”

For all athletes in this predicament, the decision is not easy. In a case like Donohue’s, it just comes down to the love of the game.

“It was pretty much pick between the dream or the [fifth ranked] school in the nation,” Donohue said. “I went with the dream.”

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WILL POWER: Senior Taylor Will (far left) and sophomore Haley Will (far right) compete in their last game together against Hersey Feb. 24. Over the last two years, the sisters have helped each other grow and have worked toward success of the team. This season the girls went 26-3 and 10-0 in conference. (photos by Calla Flanagan)

The Wills to win Sisters Taylor, Haley Will build program over two years

By Devin Prasad

Executive Sports Editor Gina Will was out of town for a Prospect girls’ basketball game against Willowbrook, but she soon got news of the win. Sophomore Haley Will, Gina’s daughter, described the game in great detail, but what kept popping up was the way Haley’s older sister, senior Taylor Will, had played. Haley repeatedly described Taylor’s toughness and the way she was able to score by driving down the lane for a lay-up.

Gina says that Taylor serves as an inspiration and motivator for Haley.

From the time she could walk, Haley was following Taylor’s lead and doing her best to shoot hoops.

Their family has always has a passion for basketball, so it was natural for both of them to take up the game.

Both Haley and Taylor played basketball throughout elementary and middle school on various Amateur Athletic Union travel teams.

When Taylor was in eighth grade and Haley in sixth, they got their first opportunity to play together.

According to Gina, they dominated and worked very well on court.

The girls won the league championship and provided a glimpse into future success.

“They played so well together,” Gina said. “They looked for each other, and they were so cooperative. We thought, ‘Wow, this is great. They’re going to be good together.’”

Following that season, Taylor moved on to high school, making varsity her freshman year, and Haley worked toward her goal of making the varsity team her freshman year. According to Taylor, the way Haley worked to make the team was humbling for her.

“Thinking about high school [has] always been [about] playing with Taylor,” Haley said.

Haley achieved that goal, and freshman year, she had the opportunity to rejoin her sister. Now in their second year together, Haley

March 6, 2015

Sports

and Taylor have meshed their play also able to learn from each other’s personalities. According to styles.

“On the court, we have the same Gina, Haley is a thinker, and Taymindset,” Haley said. “We always lor just plays all out.

So for Haley, having Taylor know where [the other is], and it is really helpful because we always as an example allows her to stop know what [the other] is doing be- over-thinking and just play.

“She really helps me think fore they do it.”

Off the court, the girls have al- about the game in terms of ... all ways been best friends, but play- the different mindsets you can ing basketball together these last have during a game,” Taylor said. two years adds to their friendship. “And I think that I help her loosAccording to Haley, by playing to- en up and relax a little bit because gether, they are able to spend more there’s times in stressful situatime createing lasting memories tions when all you really need to do is loosen up.” on and off the court.

With Taylor graduating this “They act more like best friends than sisters,” head coach Ashley year and Haley in two years, the Graham said via email. “They Will family is all but finished leaving their mark have a very on Prospect special rebasketball lationship Girls’ basketball history. There that goes season recap is a third Will much deepsister, 10-yearer than the old Andie, basketball Overall record: 26-3 who currently court. The Most wins in Prospect serves as the relationgirls basketball history water-girl. ship they Andie is in have ...

MSL East Record: 10-0 many ways to helps them First undefeated season since Haley what on the court 2001 Haley is to and in their Taylor.

She personal has grown lives.”

All-conference players: up watching When Senior Taylor Will Haley play they are Senior Catherine Sherwood and following playing toSophomore Haley Will what she does. gether, TayAccording to lor helps The team won regionals beatGina, Andie Haley grow ing Grayslake North and Rolling is confident as a player.

Meadows.

For a full season that she will According recap visit ProspectorNow.com. be successful to Graham, at Prospect.

Haley lisWhen Taytens and ablor broke the sorbs what all-time scoring record, Andie reTaylor has to say.

On the flipside of that, Haley is sponded with, “Well, go ahead and also able to make Taylor a better set [the records] because I’m going player. Taylor feels she has pushed to break them all.”

“She has the drive and the pasHaley to become a better scorer and to be more confident in her- sion for [basketball],” Taylor said. self while Haley has helped Taylor “That’s just going to take her so far play her hardest and leave every- because if you love what you do, you are going to work at it.” thing on the court.

These last two seasons Taylor and Haley’s connection allows them to push each other have meant a lot to the Will because neither of them takes the family, as they have waited many years for Taylor and other’s criticism negatively. “[They] can challenge each oth- Haley to play together at this er a little more and really push level.

“Last year was great,” each other in practice to go their hardest in order to get better as in- Gina said. “But this year, Haley dividuals and as a team,” Graham was more confident as the point said. “They are two of our hardest guard, and Taylor stepped up. It workers, and a lot of that is due to was just such a great team feeling, the way they have been raised and and they not only worked well together but were committed to the the type of kids they are.”

While working off each other’s team [and] making everyone feel criticisms, Taylor and Haley are that sisterhood.”

13

How far would you go for the sport you love?

The news went viral because he did it again. Most of us were probably thinking, “He’s done. Derrick Rose is done.”

But a few days after the announcement, a spark of hope came about when Rose underwent a meniscus surgery that his doctors are calling successful. They expect him to be back in four to six weeks.

However, the million dollar question is whether or not he should come back.

If this was the first time, we might be more optimistic, but let’s face the facts. First it was the torn ACL in 2012 and then it was a torn meniscus in 2013.

Adidas, how about that #TheReturn3 campaign?

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Chicago Bulls fans, myself included, will have a tough time accepting the fact that the Rose we once knew is no more … and I think he knows it, too.

Back in November, Rose released a statement as if he was predicting this type of injury to happen.

“I’m thinking about long term,” Rose said in an interview with ESPN Chicago. “I’m thinking about after I’m done with basketball. Having graduations to go to, having meetings to go to, I don’t want to be in my meetings all sore or be at my son’s graduation all sore just because of something I did in the past. [I’m] just learning and being smart.”

I can see why people would be so critical. The public is probably asking: Who cares if you will be sore in meetings? Why is Derrick Rose worrying about life after basketball when he’s getting paid millions of dollars to play it?

What happened to the Derrick Rose who said, “I will die on that court”?

Fans believe that Rose should only have one goal: winning an NBA Championship. It’s a harsh reality that comes with a lot of pressure.

But what about young high school athletes who are injured as well? They’re not professionals, so is it really worth dying for the sport they love?

Senior soccer player Rosie Pettenuzzo will be sidelined this spring due to tearing the hyaline cartilage in her knee six months ago. From freshman to junior year, Pettenuzzo has been awarded All-Conference, All-Area and All-Sectional honors. She would have been a vital piece to this year’s team.

“It was very tough [deciding not to play this season] knowing that I have put so much into the last three years,” Pettenuzzo said. “I had to do what was right for recovery and the college season.”

The recovery process varies for all athletes, and the pressure to come back to the sport is different for the individual. There is less pressure as a high school athlete because most are not trying to pursue the sport professionally.

However, regardless of the situation, health needs to be the priority.

Damaging the body should not be because of money, potential trophies or fans’ expectations. I understand it’s silly for Rose to talk about being sore in meetings and at graduations, but we should focus on the true message he is trying to deliver.

As human beings, we only get to walk through life once. We shouldn’t have to suffer in the long run with a limp.

photo courtesy of Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT.

SPORTS

On ProspectorNow.com ...

The girls’ gymnastics team ended their season on a high note with a sixth place team finish at state. Senior Maddie Larock took second individually in the all-around. To see season recaps of winter sports, go to ProspectorNow.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Wrestling makes state debut

By Ryan Molini

Tournament results

Sports Editor

Nearly a year ago, the boys’ wrestling team was eliminated by Hononegah Community High School in the sweet 16, one win away from a state berth.

After the loss, the coach called individual meetings, and each player set a goal to make it to state as a team the next year. “[From] that point forward, they did everything possible to work to get [to state],” head coach Tom Whalen said.

The past couple of weekends, the team has been accomplishing that goal.

The team managed to qualify for state Feb. 24 at Deerfield High School.

This was the first state berth for the program as the Knights obtained a 30-29 victory over Grant High School.

“Winning [the] regional [meet] gave us a chance to go to state as a team, which is something Prospect has never done,” junior Alex Preissing said.

Whalen credits the team’s achievement of a state berth to the attitude that the state qualifiers brought back the week after their individual state meet, along with the chip the team has had on their shoulder since a year ago.

The three-day individual state event the previous Tuesday, Feb. 19, proved a success for sophomore Matt Wroblewski as he traveled down to Champaign.

Placing fourth in the state as a sophomore, Wroblewski managed to wrestle his way into the third place match for the 170 lb weight class.

Wroblewski created some havoc along with other Prospect wrestlers in the individual sectional meet Feb. 14.

Alongside Wroblewski, junior Tanner Strobel (160 lbs), Preissing (120 lbs) and senior James Ford (220 lbs) advanced to state in their individual weight classes.

With the intensity the individual state meet brought for the four wrestlers, they still remained focused on the team sweet 16 match Feb. 24.

“They came back and had [the right attitude] in the room this week,” Whalen said. “It passed over to our team, and, obviously, we had the right mindset going into [the sweet 16 meet.]”

Preissing has also noticed that the entire team has played a role in affecting how each teammate practices, per-

Place

Tournament

Date

4TH Barrington Invite 11/29 1ST

Mudge-McMorrow Tournament 12/13

1ST DeKalb Invite

12/30

MSL Conference

3RD Tournament

1/30

IHSA Regional

1ST Tournament TOP 8

2/07

IHSA Team State Tournament

2/28

21-5 Overall Team Record TAKE DOWN: Senior Adrian Wroblewski takes down an opponent at the

IHSA team state meet Feb. 28. This was the first year in the program’s history that the team qualified for state. Four individuals also qualified for the individual state meet Feb. 21 with sophomore Matt Wroblewski taking 4th. (photo courtesy of Chris Strobel)

forms and improves.

“The whole lineup does their part,” Preissing said. “The kids that aren’t in the lineup in the room pushed everyone to get better.”

Junior Joe Siracusa proved Preissing’s words true when he stepped up in the Grant meet to start the Knights off with a quick six points and a pin.

“Siracusa, right off the bat, [got] a pin against one of [Grant’s] better wrestlers,” Whalen said. “Joe’s been a backup wrestler for us, and we bumped him into the lineup a couple times in key moments, and he’s come through both times.”

However, Preissing has noticed the example Ford has set in practice and during workouts. “[Ford and Whalen] help us reach

our goals,” Preissing said. “They push us to do what we need to do to get where we want to be.”

Whalen felt that the experience of only having six guys in the program down at the individual state meet left a sense of need for the entire team to get down there the next week.

“With only six guys down there and not our whole program, because we were back here training, it was a bit lonely,” Whalen said. “But when we walked into the gym [Feb. 24] for our team sectional with everybody there, it was an intense atmosphere, [and] you could tell how much our kids, our parents [and] our program cared about each other.”

Heading into the team state meet Feb. 28, the team was set to face Glen-

bard North in the quarterfinals. The Panthers defeated the Knights 42-19 while juniors Preissing and Bobby Jarosz (152 lbs) won their matches. Also winning their matches were Matt Wroblewski and senior Adrian Wroblewski (182 lbs).

The quarterfinal exit marks the furthest any wrestling team at Prospect has ever gone, and Whalen seemed very pleased with the way his team has approached this entire year.

Even though the spotlight of the season was the team’s advancement to the state meet, the varsity team won the 55th annual Mudge-McMorrow Wrestling Invitational Dec. 13.

The invitational is named after former Prospect wrestling coaches Dick Mudge and Gary McMorrow.

“This is the most balanced team I’ve ever coached,” Whalen said. “From top to bottom. We have a lot of people that care about the program. As far as leadership, everyone’s a leader in their own way.”

WATER BREAK WITH SAM GABRIEL Q. How did you feel about the 15th place finish at state?

A. It was alright. Top 12 make finals and I was 13 tenths of a second away from 12th, so that was a little disappointing, but I’m happy with how I did and happy to be done. Swimming is so mentally exhausting, [so] it’s nice to have a break.

Year: Senior Sports: Swimming, water polo College: Carthage College State Qualified Events: 100 yard backstroke with a time of 51.80 seconds Q. How do you feel about the team’s results overall this year?

A. I thought we did [well]. We had a lot of fast swims at the end of the season, which was awesome to see.

Q. How have you grown in your four years at Prospect?

A. I’ve grown in maturity with leading a team and trying to set a good example. I’ve gotten faster in all my strokes and grown in leadership with trying to keep people motivated.

Q. What impact has Coach Alfonso Lopez had on your swimming career?

A. He has had a big impact. [Lopez was] always there to keep me motivated and always pushed me for my best. Nothing less than that.

Sam Gabriel

Q. What have you learned from Prospect that you are going to use when you swim for Carthage?

A. [You] have to go into your swims physically prepared as well as mentally prepared. I’ve learned that everything is mental, and you need to believe you can before you can start [your race]. Swimming is 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental.