Issue 9

THE

PROSPECTOR

801 WEST KENSINGTON ROAD, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056

THE VOICE OF PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1959

School of rock

superhero Faceoff

@PROSPECTORNOW PROSPECTORNOW.COM VOLUME 55, ISSUE 9

Linguistic life

To read about the success of Prospect’s most recent musical, School of Rock, flip to ...

Columnist Bridgette Jasinski debates Debbie Cunningham to determine the ultimate superhero: Spider-Man or Batman.

Page 6

FOLLOW US ON:

Students and staff reflect on the benefits of learning other languages and how it changed their openness and compassion towards others.

Page 12

Page 7

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

Celebrity deaths To learn more about the influential people that passed away this school year, turn to ...

Page13

Weighing in on grade inconsistency Courses taught by multiple teachers

BY CAROLINE BINLEY Online Editor-in-Chief

E

very night, junior Jake Murray completes his Accelerated Honors Pre-Calculus homework, ensuring he’ll get the points if his teacher decides to collect it the next day. Murray’s work ethic may be what you would expect, but it’s not what is required — at least not for students who have Pre-Calculus with another teacher.

Forty points separate Murray’s class from a second section of the class, where only 10 points of homework have been collected this semester. Murray has watched this gap send students in the point-light class a different message about how much work they have to do.

“I feel almost cheated in a way,” Murray said. “I’m over here doing my homework almost every night and getting credit for it, but then [another] class is like, ‘Oh, [my teacher is] never going to collect it.’ They don’t have to do it. They can spend less time on it than I do, and I feel like that’s a situation that isn’t always fair.”

A third section of Pre-Calculus is on the spectrum’s other end; the teacher collects homework every day, accounting for 210 points in the gradebook. Junior Deegan O’Malley enjoys the chance this gives him to pad his grade. Tests and quizzes account for 66 percent of his grade and 89 percent of Murray’s, while those same assessments compose 96 percent of the other class.

These different setups are symptoms of a larger phenomenon: when a single course is taught by multiple teachers, each teacher has the opportunity to adopt their own grading systems, often leading to inconsistencies that impact the experiences of students in that course.

Homework is the wildcard once again in AP Calculus AB, though the point difference is more subtle — 40 to 0.

THE WEIGHT OF A POINT:

As a result of a schedule change, senior Jon Ciske had both Calculus AB teachers this year, and he enjoyed both systems, though for different reasons. When his teacher collected homework, it motivated him to stay on top of his work, and now in a class where homework’s only benefit is practice, Ciske has the chance to motivate himself.

Because he did his homework both semesters, the impact on his grade has been minimal, and he doesn’t believe that varying collection rates are a problem.

“You’re getting rewarded for something you should already do, so I don’t think it should make much of a difference,” Ciske said.

Math and Science Division Head Keith Bellof finds no fault in letting teachers adopt their own grading philosophies, even when the points add up, and Murray concedes

the importance of teacher’s choice. Still, he doesn’t sway from his belief that differences in homework collection create “an unbalanced and an also unfair scenario.”

The debate extends from the homework students should do to the quizzes they must take.

In AP United States History (APUSH), the amount of quizzes differs with the teacher leading each section: one class took eleven quizzes, another six and the third only two.

These quizzes are part of a homework and quiz category, weighted 20 percent, in which each class has a comparable amount of total points.

Language and Social Science Division Head Gary Judson accepts differences in testing and quizzing as long as the points are comparable, as they are in this scenario.

However, Murray finds the situation un-

balanced, as students who quiz more often have to stress more over those points.

O’Malley, whose class has taken six quizzes, enjoys not having the stress of five more, but he recognizes there’s another viewpoint: students who are motivated by quizzes to learn class content may be at a disadvantage in his or the even-less-quizzed class.

However, as long as a teacher is consistent in their own quizzing style throughout the year, O’Malley doesn’t see a problem in teachers using their own quizzes with their own difficulty level — an occurrence in Honors World Literature and Communication (HWLC).

HWLC teachers share materials, but when it comes to quizzes and small assignments, each teacher picks and chooses what See GRADES, page 3

Crest soars to new levels with historic recognition “They’re not just kids running around and taking pictures. They’re starting to get the recognition they deserve because we’re not just the scrapbookers in room 208, which we had been believed to be.”

BY KRZYS CHWALA Editor-in-Chief Senior Kendall Neumann, editor-in-chief of the yearbook Crest, received a picture message during her trek to gym class of the yearbook staff celebrating in a bus from adviser Nicole Stoltz.

The rest of the Crest travelled to the College of DuPage on April 22 for the Northern Illinois Scholastic Press Association (NISPA) conference, where they received a Golden Eagle, the highest award given by the association, for last year’s yearbook and blue ribbons — the highest award available for each individual category they entered.

Neumann was immediately thrilled and proud of what her staff had accomplished.

This was the first time in the Crest’s history that they received such an award, in addition to awards from national associations, like the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, earlier this year.

For Stoltz, this achievement is particularly fulfilling because it provides tangible evidence to both the Crest’s staff and the rest of the school about their work.

Nicole Stoltz, adviser

YEAR OF THE ‘YERD’ :

“Our staff is finally at a point where they feel like they are a program,” Stoltz said. “They’re not just kids running around and taking pictures. They’re starting to get the recognition they deserve because we’re not just the scrapbookers in room 208, which we had

been believed to be.”

Stoltz finds herself constantly telling her editors how great of a job they do. With this recognition, she feels it is easier to take a step back and let the editors accept praise from organizations and other students alike, instead of just ac-

cepting praise from her.

Neumann appreciates the recognition because it reminds students who forget about the yearbook until its distribution about the ongoing effort necessary to create it.

“The yearbook only comes out

once a year, but it’s not like we go dormant,” Neumann said. “Winning these awards makes [the students] remember that we’re here.”

These awards, however, were a result of the yearbook program’s development over the past years with Stoltz’s guidance and not just the final product.

Neumann recounts her sophomore year as a turning point. Previously, she did not think the program was taken seriously by the editors and instead was merely a See YEARBOOK, page 2

2

News

May 6, 2016

prospectornow.com

District distributes annual budget

BY DAVID FANG Staff Writer

P

rospect students may still be trying to crawl to the end of this year, but within the administration offices, budget preparation is already underway for next year.

According to Cathy Johnson, Associate Superintendent for Finance and Operations, district-wide budgeting began in January for the fiscal year that begins on July 1.

Money distribution to each of the six schools in the district varies based upon the projected student population. For Prospect, a school of 2,192, the number is estimated to be around $700,000, according to Associate Principal Greg Minter.

This lump sum, known as the building allocation, is used by the school to cover different contracts that the school maintains throughout the year. These contracts cover everything from transportation to lab equipment.

Minter says the money left over from these expenses is rather minimal and is distributed as needed.

As a result, the school typically does not have a lot of discretionary money to spend.

In terms of activities, any expenditures not covered by each activity’s budget are usually taken up personally with Minter.

He says each activity’s fees don’t

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: District 214 allocates its funds to its schools after experiencing a two percent cut in budget for the past 5 years. Last year, Prospect spent a portion of its budget on the newly renovated theater. (photo by Riley Langefeld) nearly cover the costs of the activity.

Minter also explained that other fees that students pay — like parkings passes — go straight to the district.

In terms of building management and maintenance, the building allocation typically covers

District 214’s capital expenditures Wheeling: new music wing, gyms, security vestibule Hersey: classroom renovations, parking lot expansion, Elk Grove: install synthetic turf, theater renovations Rolling Meadows: new musical instruments, black box theater Prospect: renovations to theater, commons, new pool add music wing, outdoor concessions, acedemic resource center

smaller projects like carpeting or desks. However, enormous projects like the new pool are financially managed by the district.

Budgeting at the higher administrative levels is typically a more complex issue. Each year, District 214 prepares a balanced budget, spending less than it receives.

The budget prepared is in anticipation of revenues based on state funding, tax dollars, local money and grants. Overall, property taxes are the district’s main source of revenue.

Expenses are typically estimated because the district’s main costs, salaries, benefits and building upkeep fluctuate from year to year. For example, the 12 district staff members that are expected to be retiring by the end of 2016-2017 school year need to be taken into account because their replacements’

starting salaries will be lower.

In cases of a surplus at the end of the year, the money is allocated to the District General Fund.

If all goes according to plan, the district will typically end up with extra money to put towards its fund balance.

Johnson notes that certain years may come with extra complications. In 2010, when tax revenue dollars were “not as timely” as the district expected, money was taken from the fund balance to sustain expenses. Johnson reports that the rule of thumb is to have six months of fund balance to address problems similar to that of 2010.

Many may perceive having a large surplus as a positive point; however, District 214 has long been criticized by community members for keeping too much money on reserve and not utilizing it. For the 2015-2016 year, the

fund balance was approximately $145.4 million. As result, the district has responded by implementing policies that state if the district’s reserves reach a certain threshold, the district will evaluate appropriate uses for the money.

This threshold was reached as recently as in the past two to three years. In 2014, the district approved $45 million in capital expenditures, which included the renovation of Prospect theater and the construction of the new pool.

Other schools in the district also have major projects in action (see edge “District 214 Capital Expenditures”).

Looking forward, the district expects costs to rise in the future, with insurance expected to increase six to eight percent and transportation expected to increase two to three percent. Taxes and fees from the Affordable Care Act will also cost the district an additional $260,000.

In addition to increased expenses, the district also expects to receive less money as a result of the state’s financial situation.

Most of these problems trickle down to affect Prospect. Minter said that the district has been cutting Prospect’s budget by about two percent annually for the past five years.

Minter said that Prospect’s rising student population is met with a decreasing amount of money for the school. Minter also pointed out that this is due to the state not feeding money to the schools in several years.

Despite the many financial obstacles, the district is still running smoothly.

“Today, the district is in good shape,” Johnson said. “The district continues to strive toward a balanced budget. With the uncertainty of state of Illinois funding, the district continues to be conservative in our planning, keeping our students as the top priority.”

YEARBOOK: Crest evolves with guidance, experience as a result, the skills they focus on change.

For next year’s yearbook, which was proyear, however, the staff collectively decided duced during this school year, the writing to strive for some awards. portion of the yearbook was held as a higher According to Neumann, Stoltz’s guid- focus, according to Neumann. ance was crucial in this regard because she “This year’s book is very different than stays up to date with modern design trends last year’s design-wise,” Neumann said. “I and helps with editing. can’t say how it’ll do [in competitions], but “She’s such a great motivaI feel super confident about tor, but she’s also really good it. I think it’s a very pretty “We create a within the yearbook-world,” book.” historical piece that Neumann said.

The progression of the According to Stoltz, howpeople will keep for program thus far has set the ever, her guidance serves as high for upcoming years, the rest of their lives. bar only an aid to bring out the according to Stoltz.

I truly love being a full potential of her staff as While she believes they writers and designers. will continue to grow as a part of yearbook “Sometimes, I slide [Neuprogram, they will also face because … of what mann] a magazine layout the obstacle of losing key edand say, ‘This is cool. Create we have the ability itors such as Neumann. something like this,’” Stoltz “The other staff members to do.” said. “The next day she would are fully capable of doing evcome to class, and she would erything, but [Neumann] is have it created, and it would the type of student who takes Nicole Stoltz, be perfect.” initiative,” Stoltz said. “I yearbook adviser Last year, according to trusted her so much because Neumann, working with difI knew she would produce a ferent design fads and styles high quality product.” was a primary focus. For example, one of Regardless, Stoltz is most excited about their goals was to incorporate white space, the opportunity her students have for the a current trend. rest of the school.

Inspiration for these designs came from “We create a historical piece that people various sources including magazines and will keep for the rest of their lives,” Stoltz other high school publications, such as said. “I truly love being a part of yearbook Glenbrook South’s Etruscan. because … of what we have the ability to Every year, the staff tries new things and do.”

CONTINUED from front page

GOLDEN: The 2015-2016 yearbook (above) is a result of the development of the yearbook program with adviser Nicole Stoltz’s guidance. Since 2012 (below), the yearbook

prospectornow.com

May 6, 2016

News

3

New drum majors prepare for role the musicians’ movements across the field, resolve any issues with band members and act as interhen the final bell rang mediaries between the band and at 2:50 p.m., sophoChris Barnum, the band director. more Sophie Speedy Thornton says that her experishot out of her eighth period class ence as a drum major has had a sigand ran down to the fine arts hallnificant impact on her experience way. She knew that the Prospect at Prospect. marching band’s drum majors for “It’s not a piece of cake,” Thornthe coming year had been posted ton said. “It’s a lot of pressure, and outside of the band room. it’s a lot of people relying on you.

When she saw her name on the While that’s kind of difficult at bulletin board, she didn’t know first, it’s an incredible opportunity how to react. that you don’t really get anywhere “I had wanted it for so long, else.” and it was that The drum moment of Band roles and majors also satisfaction. positions act as the I had worked face of the so hard at evband, accepterything and Drum majors lead the entire ing awards it finally paid band and conduct during perand recognioff,” Speedy formances and competitions. tion at comsaid. “That was petitions on There are typically three, and probably the behalf of the they are selected by a special best moment band. During drum major committee and I’ve had at band pracProspect.”

Band Director Chris Barnum. tice over the Speedy is summer, the one of three Section leaders play with drum majors drum majors— and lead their respective spend more the student than eight instrument sections. There are leaders and hours each typically around 24 of them, conductors for day working and some sections require the marching to perfect the band—who more than one leader. They band’s perforwere recentsubmit applications are selectmance for the ly selected, ed by Barnum each year. competition along with juseason; while niors Hannah conducting, Regular musicians play Thornton and they identify their instruments and coorMaggie Ward. and fix probdinate within their section to Thornton is lems that the returning for provide their sound for the band is hava second year ing during in this role performance. while Ward In order to become a drum maand Speedy are entering their first jor, prospective applicants must year, taking the places of seniors go through a complicated audition Eddie Brown and Olivia Sykes. process. Each year, roughly 10 stuDuring competitions and footdents try out. After attending sevball games, these leaders, who eral clinics, where they learn about stand at the top of tall podiums, the responsibilities and skills that conduct the musicians as they the position requires (particularly march. However, their role inconducting), that Barnum runs, volves more than simply leading they begin the auditions. the band in performance.

Here, they try out before BarThe drum majors lead the band num and the drum major commitmembers in daily stretches, coortee, a group of upperclassmen who dinate with section leaders (see are particularly involved with the “Band roles and positions”), direct

BY RILEY LANGEFELD Executive News Editor

W

TO THE BEAT: Juniors Hannah Thornton, Maggie Ward and sophomore Sophie Speedy pose together in their new drum major uniforms. The trio was recently selected to lead Prospect’s marching band in the coming school year. (photo by Riley Langefeld) band but do not want to become drum majors.

The members of this committee play a key role in deciding who will lead them in the coming year.

The applicants show their vocal skills and conducting knowledge at the audition, and then they are interviewed by the committee and Barnum.

“The pressure’s really on to say the right thing,” Brown said. “It’s really nerve-wracking, but it’s an important part of the process.”

After this, the committee gives feedback to Barnum, who ultimately decides who the next drum majors will be.

According to Thornton, drum majors need to act as role models for the rest of the band, especially because attention is often focused on them. According to Barnum, this is a major consideration during the application process.

Barnum uses his perspective, having watched the applicants as

active band members for several years, as well as feedback from the drum major committee, to select students with strong leadership qualities.

“These are the three kids who you are looking at as your model band members and what it means to be a band member,” Barnum said. “They have to be a great example of what that is.”

Next year’s drum majors also have the added responsibility of representing the band at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in November.

“It’s really lucky that it ended up falling into place on [my and my class’s] senior year,” Thornton said. “We’re all very passionate about band. We’re all just very excited to have our senior year with the Macy’s Day Parade.”

After being selected for the parade, Thornton, Brown and Sykes traveled to Springfield on Apr. 5.

There, they were recognized by the

Illinois Senate for their selection for the parade and met Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, an experience that Brown says was amazing.

“Representing Prospect was great. I’m so proud of this school,” Brown said. “It felt good representing something that was bigger than myself.”

Brown feels confident that Thornton, Speedy and Ward will carry this pride into next year.

While he says that his departure is a somber one, he is glad to have had the experience he did.

“Being a drum major is a very commanding and rewarding position,” Brown said. “It’s a huge time commitment, but it’s really rewarding to work really hard and see good results come from it, especially when you’re in a leadership position in such a traditionally excellent group. It was an honor, and I’m very happy to have had the opportunity.”

GRADES: Playing the weighting game in grade books Clarification: While our information was correct at the time of reporting, the Accelerated Honors Pre-Calculus class with 210 points of homework has since been corrected so that homework makes up 10 percent of students’ grades.

CONTINUED from front page to use. HWLC teacher Karen Kruse uses a mixture of her own quizzes and those written by English teacher Michael Andrews, who taught HWLC with Kruse when she first took on the course.

Are her quizzes harder? She says it’s “probably true.” She gives each class period a different quiz to prevent cheating, and making different forms requires her to quiz on finer details. This, coupled with Kruse’s desire to challenge all of her students, creates a difficult set of quizzes though they and unit tests comprise only 30 percent of students’ total grades—a percentage secondary to essays and further balanced by vocabulary and homework categories.

“In the end, that’s life,” Kruse said. “I might end up with a harder boss than someone else, and that’s just the way it is. You roll with it. You might end up with a class in college and [someone else] gets a class where they quiz every week. That’s just the luck of the draw.”

Sophomore DeeDee Cipek, who has Kruse for HWLC, also drew this parallel to collegiate life, but with a different spin. As a high school sophomore in a non-AP class, she doesn’t want her quizzes at that difficulty level. In fact, she sees it as “inconvenient” and “unfair.”

Murray experienced similar quiz dis- and another’s,” Bellof said.

For example, unit tests and major escrepancies in AP English Language and Composition. When his class was quizzed on says are comparable across the board. This its ability to add details to a Sparknotes sum- assures that everyone who goes through a mary, another class was given a more diffi- course meets the same benchmarks.

In Judson’s departments, these benchcult quiz on who said what quote, yielding marks are known as “black and whites.” The “skewed results, as if one class isn’t working requirements are broad but non-negotiable; as hard.” for example, Human Geo must write MEATThese results could be skewed further Cons; APUSH by different Students estimate consistency must practice weighting DBQs; no extra systems.

The Prospector asked 88 students to rate credit is allowed.

While both grading consistency on a scale of one to 10.

He hopes these Judson and must-haves help M u r r a y Overall, provide students consider Sophomores said: students said: with similar exweighting periences. the bare Whether or minimum not teachers can that should Juniors said: take different be consison a scale of 1 routes to these tent within to 10.

Seniors said: benchmarks is a course, part of a larger there are question: how discrepancies in Written and Oral Communication. much freedom do teachers have over their One teacher weighted homework at 30 per- classrooms?

On a national level, Common Core ancent, tests and quizzes at 30 percent, vocab at swers that as long as students learn certain 10 percent and writing at 30 percent. Another had an additional category, presentations skills, teachers can use their own curricuand projects, worth 15 percent, which pulled lum to guide them there. At Prospect, Kruse, Judson and Bellof agree that free reign for from the weight of homework and vocab. teachers is the most conducive environment Despite these individual cases of inconsistency, Bellof believes Prospect is consis- for good work.

The teachers assigned to a certain course, tent in its grading.

“I think if we look overall at the grades, called Professional Learning Communities you’re not going to see a huge discrepancy or PLC groups, meet on Thursday mornings to ensure these benchmarks are universal, between one teacher’s grading philosophy

5.5 5.4 6.0 6.7

setting goals and calendars for each unit but teaching their own way within those time frames.

“I don’t think anybody would want to work in an environment where they’re told on a day-to-day basis, ‘This is what you’re doing,’” Kruse said. “There’s not a whole lot of room for creativity and innovation.”

She gave the example that requiring a teacher to spend time giving a quiz could force them to abandon an exciting lesson plan. Judson doesn’t want to see this kind of sacrifice for the sake of standardization.

“Teaching in a way is an art, and each teacher is a little bit different,” Judson said.

“Some are storytellers, some like more activities, and each teacher brings their own strengths or qualities [into the classroom], and so I think it’s important that they’re able to use those. … We want to encourage teachers to take risks and do something different.”

Ciske and O’Malley agree, arguing that the more freedom teachers have, the more they can personalize the curriculum to a class and create an environment that suits the most students.

But for Cipek and Murray, a line still has to be drawn.

“The line comes at the point where if you have two classes with two different teachers, the effort that gets put forth between the two classes varies too much,” Murray said.

“That causes an issue because you want students putting the same work and the same effort. I think if one class is having to put in less effort but coming out with the same grade, that’s where the issue lies.”

Opinion

4

May 6, 2016

prospectornow.com

Staff Editorial

Student input needed in decisions P

osters of motivational quotes have been going up along the walls and in the commons from Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Oprah Winfrey. While these murals may appear nice on the exterior, more thought should have gone into which quotes to use and who said them.

Although they are successful, Jobs and Zuckerberg did not embody the Knight’s Way. According to Business Insider, Jobs was known as being short-tempered and cruel toward his employees.

He let his wife and daughter live on welfare for a several years while he became rich. Similarly, according to The Daily Beast, Zuckerberg made a website prior to Facebook called Facemash, where guys could rate the looks of Harvard girls; this website was a precursor to Facebook as we know it today.

These people should not be our role models. People like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Lincoln were just as influential as Jobs and Zuckerberg, if not more so, and they always maintained strong integrity.

In addition, Jobs’s and Zuckerberg’s fields of success were both technology, and although it is an important field, our role models and walls should reflect the diverse interests of our student body.

According to Associate Principal Greg Minter, the quotes were decided upon by himself, Associate Principal Scott McDermott and incoming Assistant Principal Frank Mirandola, and character was a consideration.

“We’re all human beings and we have strengths and weaknesses,” Minter said.

“But we also didn’t want to put quotes from Machiavelli or someone like that where it’s

hard for people to relate.”

However, it is impossible to guarantee students will relate without gathering their opinions. Because administration skipped this crucial step, they widely missed the mark.

We, the Prospector, believe students deserve more input regarding the decorations because students know best what messages represent the student body.

While the posters opposing each other in the commons were designed by a developer who met with students and staff, no similar process was utilized for the quotes. Going forward, administration should gather students’ opinions, whether it be through surveys, focus groups or another similar system.

According to Minter, the decoration going up in the halls is an ongoing project.

Left without any siblings to Leane on Standing in front of the vending machine outside the cafeteria while eying the Cheez-Its, I opened my wallet to find nothing but faded receipts and pennies. At this point, I would typically text my sister, Jenna, begging for a dollar; on a good day, she would eventually succumb after receiving seemingly endless exasperated and tearful emojis from me.

While convincing her to leave class and come down three flights of stairs to lend me a dollar was always a challenge, it was possible. This year, with over 150 miles separating us, it is not.

Last fall, my two sisters, Mara and Jenna, left for their junior and freshman years at University of Illinois. When May—aka college

BY DIANA LEANE decision time—came for Jenna last year, I realized I would soon be Copy Editor walking through Prospect’s doors as the sole Leane; now many siblings of current seniors find themselves in this position.

As an empty-nested sibling, although I knew I would miss seeing my sister’s face in the hallway, I was clueless as to how much I depended on my siblings to help me out when I was forgetful or overwhelmed. I realized two days into the school year I needed to become responsible for myself after walking away from the vending machine empty-handed.

This responsibility, however, did not come easily.

Claiming that that one situation immediately led to independence would be false, and if the vending machine situation seems minor, that’s because it is.

But that’s the issue. My sisters frequently did small things to help me throughout my 16 years with them, so until this year, I never truly had to rely on myself.

When I was little, Mara and Jenna established a system where whenever I would cry—albeit often because of them—they would sit me down in front of the TV, grab me my blanket and pour me a glass of apple juice to console me. In elementary school, they told me about the various teachers and how to stay out of trouble, and their studious and respectful demeanors allowed me to walk into a new teacher’s class already liked.

When entering middle school, they walked through my schedule with me, they taught me how to open a lock, and Mara drove me and my friends to our dance classes. In high school, they convinced me to try the activities that I love and met many of my friends through. Jenna drove me to school, lent me money in a pinch and brought me on countless after-school Panera and Starbucks runs.

In response to the inability to turn to them for help, I have become much more organized. I now keep a detailed calendar and plan out what I need to bring to school when,

SUPPORT SYSTEM: After my sisters left for college last fall, I realized how much they supported me, so I had to learn to stand on my own two feet. (cartoon by Flynn Geraghty) yet even this leads back to my siblings since Mara was the one who helped me choose a planner and showed me how she stays organized. What I’ve found harder was learning to be emotionally independent.

Before, whenever I had drama, I would come home and rattle off every thought and feeling I had about the problem. While they were often a bit annoyed by my babble, Mara and Jenna always listened and, as two people who had successfully lived through whatever age and grade I was in, they reminded me that life goes on.

As a junior, most of my problems are academic and are actually important since they affect my future, leading to record-high stress levels. When my siblings were still at home and I was stressed, they would make me feel better by doing something nice. Once, after a particularly stressful audition, Jenna surprised me with a cookie. Now our only way to interact is by occasionally calling or texting.

Because of the distance between us, I appreciate the time I spend with them much more, but I also can rely on myself by following their leads. When I’m overwhelmed, I try to do what they did as successful high school students, which was to study when they needed to and let go of past undesired grades.

By learning to mature through imitating my sisters, now I pay for myself whenever I visit the vending machine, and I individually handle my drama; if a problem arises and they can’t verbally guide me, I know I can instead cope by using their exemplary actions as a guide.

ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Alyssa Duetsch

Editors-in-Chief Krzys Chwala Shreya Thakkar Copy Editors Diana Leane Mike Stanford Associate Editors-in-Chief Grace Berry Marci Kiszkiel

Letter to the Editor

St. Patrick’s Day appropriated by non-Irish people To The Editor:

Online Editor-in-Chief Caroline Binley

staff

There will still be more decorations added to the hallway, like photos of students in class and in their activities, and the quotes will be changed out every year or two to keep them from getting stale.

Putting up quotes and decorations is a good idea since the project can make our school look nicer and send students important messages.

However, this ability comes with responsibility, and Jobs and Zuckerberg do not send students the right message. We should be able to choose what does.

Because this is an ongoing project, administration has the opportunity to rectify the process and diversify the message. The halls are still a mostly blank canvas, and student input can enable the school to create a portrait of what represents us best.

Online NEWS Editor Molly Mueller Online A&E Editor Anna Indelli Broadcast Editors Lauren Miller Erin Schultz News Editors Riley Langefeld Amber Alerta Jack Gabriel

Opinion Editors Bridgette Jasinski Features Editors Flynn Geraghty Jess Darcy Caley Griebenow In-Depth Editors Jack Ryan Kelsey Philippe Rachel Parks Entertainment Editors Isabelle Rogers Cassidy Delahunty Garrett Strother Kit Fitzgerald Sports Editors Devin Prasad Jack Ankony

As I was reading the article “Holly appropriates Bollywood” from the last issue of the Prospector, one thing kept coming to mind: my own culture and religion. I am Irish and Catholic, two identities I am very proud of and love to share with others. But as I was reading the article, it struck me that the very culture that was claiming to be discriminated against was discriminating against mine on St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day is a Roman Catholic holiday celebrating the feast of St. Patrick and his death in the fifth century. It has been celebrated

by Irish Catholics for over 1,000 years. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is credited with bringing the Catholicism to Ireland. He used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irishmen.

St. Patrick’s Day was brought to America in 1762 to celebrate the first St. Patrick’s Day parade and help the Irish soldiers serving in the English military reconnect with their Irish roots.

The holiday’s importance was heightened in the U.S. when the Irish Potato Famine struck Ireland and the Irish began pouring into the U.S. These first Irish immigrants were highly discriminated

against due to their strange religious beliefs and cultural traditions.

Now, St. Patrick’s Day has become huge in the U.S. for all to celebrate, especially in our home city of Chicago.

Thousands of people dressed in green pour into the city to celebrate on the day of the St. Patrick’s Day parade. People from all different cultural backgrounds and religious traditions love to celebrate this holiday. Many even claim to be “Irish for the day” or “Chi-rish.”

Sure, as an Irish Catholic, I do not receive anywhere close to the amount of discrimination towards other cultural and faith backgrounds, but does that give others the right to be hypocritical? “If anyone can just use the culture, then there’s no point to culture, to religion, to beliefs, to anything like that,” as said in the article. However, people forget it can be hypocritical to be upset when their culture is used, but then use parts of another culture/religion.

I love the hype and excitement surrounding St. Patrick’s Day. I love sharing and celebrating my culture with others. What I don’t love is hypocrisy.

Sincerely, Senior Ellie Cole

Ben Dojutrek Ryan Molini

courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Visuals Editor Cassidy Selep

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

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

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.

prospectornow.com

May 6, 2016

Opinion

5

Remembering beauty through loss Belle and I through the ages

Me holding Belle for the

-

I

Belle’s love of food only grew from knew the day was coming for a that day; she tried a little bit of everywhile. The signs were getting thing. Whether it be a whole salmon, worse daily. Belle was dying. a dozen muffins or a rib bone that However, at the time, I would not would lead to a late-night Christmas let that thought in my mind. In some Eve veterinarian visit, she always dark corner at the back of my mind, I had a full tummy in the end. Howevknew what was going on, but I refused er, it was food that showed to fathom the idea.

Belle’s decline.

Belle was my famiIt all started when we ly’s 10-year-old, 90-pound came back from spring golden retriever. Don’t break this year. Belle was let the name of her breed always visibly upset with fool you. She never once us leaving her with friends learned what retrieving for a week every year, but was. She was the only dog

BY JACK GABRIEL she would get over it in a in her obedience class Staff Writer day or two. This year when who failed because she we got back, Belle stopped refused to walk through a eating all of her food. hula hoop tunnel, no matWe thought that maybe she was ter the treat on the other end. tired of eating the same food every We got Belle when I was in first day, so we changed her food. Belle still grade, and she quickly showed us who did not eat. My parents were thinking was in charge. She may have seen my that it might be time, but I was sure dad as alpha, but I was nothing more that she was just sick. than another puppy and playmate.

On Wednesday, April 6, my parBelle chased me around the yard events took Belle to the vet while I was ery time I got back from school. She at school. That morning, it became chased me up and down stairs and clear that Belle was not doing well. even over and under couches.

My mom put a muffin, which she It almost seemed as if Belle would would typically eat in a second, in her never run out of energy, especially food dish, but Belle couldn’t eat it. when she wanted go on a walk. When When I came home for lunch that I was in fifth grade, I woke up at the day, she was gone. My parents were at same time as my sixth grade brother, the vet, and I knew that I did not want and my mom and I would take Belle to ask how Belle was doing. It wasn’t on the same walk. We would drop until I got home that night after a pasmy brother off at his bus stop, walk ta party that I was told Belle was put through the park, say hi to the same down. crossing guard on the corner of ArIt was a lot to take in, and I did not lington Heights Road and Park Street, even try to do so. Sadness, anger and smell the lilacs by the Finnerty’s depression can create awkward situahouse and talk about all of the world’s tions. I am already awkward enough problems. All the while, Belle trudged as is, so add in prolonged silences and ahead. tears, and it becomes unbearable. So Belle’s energy didn’t last into her I resorted to the best method I knew old age for her love of food was too how to change the mood: humor. great. I don’t remember it well, but I The first thing I said after hearing have been told that there was a time the news was, “I guess I don’t need when I could leave a plate of food near to wake up early tomorrow to walk the edge of a table without fearing Belle.”

Belle would eat it. That all changed I was in denial, and I did anything when Belle learned she liked human I could to not think about Belle. I talkfood. One day, I got out of summer ed about how the physics teachers school and was riding home. My mom played guitars to demonstrate electrosaid we had peanut butter sandwiches magnetic induction. I discussed how waiting, but, to my family’s surprise, terrible Trump would be as president. we came home to three empty plates I even relearned how to play the piaand a passed out puppy with a smile no. All of my thoughts and memories on her face.

of Belle were put into a safe, and the key thrown away.

I didn’t start accepting the truth until the next day, but I still find it hard to believe. When I got home from school the day after, I walked all around house looking for her even though I knew I wouldn’t find her. I checked inside all of the holes she dug outside, under all of our couches and behind my parents’ bed, but she was gone.

When I was home sick with a cold the next week, it was the first time I could remember being truly home alone. I hear a creak in the floor and expect to see her coming around the corner. I swear I hear her grunt, but it is nothing more than my imagination.

There had been a running yearlong joke in my family when someone didn’t want to help with Belle: “Go walk Belle because she’s going to die soon.”

I never took the joke seriously, but now I wish I could see her again.

Whether it be walking her to the end of the block, brushing her for five minutes or drying off her paws after a rainy day, I would give anything to have another opportunity.

As time has gone by and I have forced myself to write this, I’m glad to have spent her last days with her. We used to take Belle geocaching in Busse Woods and would walk for miles from geocache to geocache. On the Sunday before she was put down, we were able to take her to Busse Woods and walk about a half mile, which was great considering her average walk was to the end of the block and back because she could not go any further.

Now that I have started to accept the fact that she is gone, I have been able to appreciate all of the memories I had with her.

The only problem I have with my parents not telling me they were going to put her down is that I was never truly able to say goodbye. I didn’t have the chance to pet her or have her lick my hand one final time, so here’s my goodbye.

To Belle, My pet. My playmate. My closest friend.

1/06/05-4/06/16

Overcoming perfectionism

BY LAUREN MILLER Online Editor I love high school.

No, seriously, I do.

Some of my best moments happened here in the 847, like tripping over the fence in excitement as I tried to rush the track after the homecoming game and madly spinning around to “Come On Eileen” with my best friends and the 20 other people that came to Turnabout this year. I found some of my passions during high school: photography, feminism and politics.

For these insane highs I’ve experienced, I’ve equally had my lows.

I’ve avoided a class because I didn’t get the work done.

I’ve taken more “mental health days” than “sick days” because I needed to take a step back from all the pressure. I usually got 4-5 hours of sleep per night. I constantly strove for perfection in my classes and activities because that felt like what all the other Prospect students did.

Prospect is consistently a fantastic school but at a cost; it fosters a culture of competition in pursuit

of excellence. Being on the honors track all through high school, I felt sometimes a need to succeed at any cost. If that meant I only slept two hours a night to perfect a paper, it was acceptable if not expected.

I told myself it was normal because I so badly wanted it to be.

It wasn’t until I found myself on my bathroom floor at one-inthe-morning crying and repeatedly saying, “I can’t do this. I can’t do this,” that it felt like I had a real problem. I had been stretching myself too thin for too long. I had ignored my crumbling stability by covering my exhaustion wounds with bandages of caffeine. I wasn’t OK. I didn’t just do too much, I also tried to do it all perfectly. I wasn’t able to accept being bad at some things and OK at others.

I thought I could keep up with the competition because strong work ethic runs through my veins. When I was younger, I would fall asleep to the lulling sound of my dad typing away at his keyboard.

That click-clack of the keys was a constant reminder of how hard my dad worked to keep our small family business successful. My

parents never put pressure on me, but I felt a need to work hard for them.

I grew up with a brother a year older than me, and he always set a bar that I needed to meet. If Grant could do it, so could I. I may need to work a little harder, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t match or beat him.

I got a five on the AP Human Geo test because he got a four.

I took AP Calculus BC because Grant took it and succeeded, even though he has a mind for math, and I don’t. I kept my head down, and I kept grinding.

That became a trend for me. I told myself that if I just got through this assignment, test or event, I could rest and enjoy life after I got accepted to my dream school, Boston University (BU).

However, there never was an after; there was always something else. I’ve taken eight AP courses and rotated through at least five extracurricular activities at a time. I didn’t know and didn’t care about my mental limits. I just wanted to be good enough.

The idea of “enough” took over my life. I wanted to be good enough to get the same grades my brother, make good enough videos to match the U’s state win last year and leave enough of a positive impact on the Prospect community. I was basing my “enough” off of what others had done, but I would never

THE SIMPLE THINGS:

be them, and thus, I would never be “enough.”

For as much as I tried to be perfect, in the end, I wasn’t good enough for BU. Once I received the email that I got waitlisted, it felt like everything I had worked so hard and long for wasn’t good enough either. I had failed and was devastated.

By being forced to face my failure, I began to realize that through holding myself to such a high standard, I had been suffocating myself. All the pressure I constantly felt was something I had created.

I began to value myself more for accepting the things I’m OK at, not for being perfect.

Now I can proudly say, as I sit with my 63 percent, that I am absolutely horrible at Calc, and I probably shouldn’t have taken the class.

And as badly as I want to be fluent, right now I am only OK in Spanish, which is OK. But on the other hand, I am great at critically analyzing passages and speeches, and history just clicks for me.

I am more than good enough in all of my strengths and weaknesses. I realize that my mental health and happiness is much more important than succeeding in everything. I’m still accepting some of my imperfections, but if I can never accept them all, that’s OK, too.

I’m not perfect.

6

Opinion

May 6, 2016

prospectornow.com

vs.

Debate between two of the most popular heroes rages on of Gotham is consistently told.

I like my superheroes just how lery? Money. Motorcycle? MonWhen I was about 6 years His back-story is evident and I like my coffee: tall, strong and ey. Super-suit? Money. Batman old, my uncle introduced me to captivating. In regards to Spidark. Batman has been a part of is merely an extremely wealthy my first comic. It was Batman. I der-Man, audiences never trumy life from watching old Adam man who is protecting his ficwatched the show, saw the movly see how his parents’ death West reruns with my dad at age 5 tional city, Gotham. ies and dabbled in the comics. I shaped or influenced him to beto seeing the midnight premieres If Batman (for some unforeseemed destined to be a fan of the come the person he was when he of the “Dark Knight” trilogies. seen reason) were to lose his Dark Knight. got bit.

Though I never got into the money, he would be thrown into I recall being skeptical of evBY BRIDGETTE JASINSKI This cinematic preference comics, I grew to adore the Dark calamity and lose his position as

BY DEBBY CUNNINGHAM ery other super hero. I found it towards the Dark Knight is eviKnight through exposure to the Guest Writer preposterous to believe that any- Executive Opinion Editor a hero. Without money, Batman dent, as the Batman films have films and television series. The is powerless. In a fictional world one could possibly top the 1966 been ranked higher in overall interest I had for this superhero of superheros with extravagant Batman and Robin duo or that satisfaction consistently. Though, to comis what sparked my love for others. Though abilities, why prefer someone who is merely any phrase could seem cooler than “To the one of my top five favorite superheroes, Spi- pare the trilogies of these series alone, acwealthy when you could root for the nerdy Batmobile!” der-Man was never on-par with the complex- cording to the Internet Movie Database, the underdog in a Spider Suit swinging around Then I flicked on the television one day to Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy ranked ity of Gotham’s Knight, nor has he kept me the buildings of New York City? find an episode of the 1994 “Spider-Man Anian average of 20.3/30. as intrigued.

In regards to superhuman abilities alone, mated Series.” I was immediately captivated While still highly ranked, this rank is The first drawback in my eyes is the overSpider-Man surely holds the upper hand.

by Spidey’s bitter sense of humor and sarall storyline of Spider-Man. A teen gets bit significantly lower than that of the Batman Batman may have legendary gadgets and castic remarks towards his villainous foes. by a spider and develops powers that makes trilogy which ranked an average of 25.8/30. various preeminent hand-to-hand combat Almost immediately and shockingly, my It is evident that the complexity of Batman’s him stick to things. While the way in which abilities, but he fails to trump the abilities adoration for the Dark Knight faded. I was a story and his popularity as a hero in the cinhe obtained this powers of Spider-Man. When people think of Spider-Man fan, and that has never ceased. ema world trumps that of Spider-Man mereis creative, Spider-Man, Now, there is no denying Batman is a fanly based on the preference the Dark Knight they often tastic and well-written character, but he is holds in cinema. fail to My original comic lesser in comparison to Spider-Man. comic sold for This lack of complexity or familiarity see his It is true that Batman has a tragic sold for $1,100,000, my towards Spider-Man’s back-story in com$1,075,000, and my t r u e back-story. As a child, Bruce Wayne was parison to Batman is also evident through power. present as his parents were murdered and of $1,578,707,099. their villains. In the Batman series, his plot Spileft with no one but his butler Alfred. As $2.223,014,560. is driven not only by his heroism, but also der-Man a result, many feel sympathy towards his Peter by the complexity of his relationship with can lift up to character.

P a r k - villainous foes.

15 tons. He can That’s all lovely, but Spidey certainly has Specifically the relationship he shares er never truly block bullets with it worse. Peter Parker, too, grew up without “earned” his pow- with the Joker; though a psychotic foe to his webbing, which his parents. According to the original comers.

A n y - the Dark Knight, there is a legitimate underis not only thanks ic, Richard and Mary Parker died in a plane standing that Batman cannot kill him conseone could have to his incredible crash, leaving Peter in the care of his Uncle quently the Joker can not kill Batman. been unobservant speed, but also the Ben and Aunt May. They are not wealthy, In Spider-Man’s case, his arch-nemesis, and been bitten strength of his webs but they do what they can to take care of the Green Goblin, was a close family friend by that spider. (which also hold their unconventionally shy, coy, nerd of a who turned evil and betrayed Peter Parker’s Batman’s powers trains, cars, people, nephew. trust. The dynamic between the Osbourne were not derived massive villains, For Spidey, the tragic back-story does not from a radioac- family and Parker is over-dramatic and boretc.). What’s more, end there. When Peter Parker is first bit by Source: Insidermonkey, dacardworld, tive bug. Instead, ders the plot line of a bad soap opera.

Spider-Man was not the radioactive spider, he is only 15 years The relationship between villains and the Batman pushes deterred from acting old. As his muscles suddenly grew with his himself to the limit and uses his skills to pro- hero makes the storyline have more depth. responsibly with his super-human abilities, powers, so did his ego.

The infatuation people have with the Battect the citizens of Gotham. despite his young age.

Parker allows this power to get to his man villains is prominent in comparison This is generally portrayed in I find that my mind was not wrong when head, and therefore (as the original comic to Spider-Man and only further proves television shows like “Gotham”, it discovered the superiority of Spider-Man tells), when the TV station he is working at Batman’s superiority. and within the Batman movies. at age 6 He has invariably remained my fagets robbed, he is too selfish to stop the robYou want to look at the person His whole life story from vorite hero. I could never relate to Batman ber. behind the mask when it comes when his parents like I could Spider-Man. Spidey is heroic This selfish attitude results in further to judging who is better. died during his despite his qualms and tribulations. He has tragedy for Peter Parker. The burglar he Though the owner of a bilyouth, to always provided me with a sense of hope and had earlier refused to stop breaks into his lion-dollar company, him saving optimism, an optimism that Batman could little New York home, shooting and killing Bruce is grateful for the city never offer. his Uncle Ben. Upon this discovery, Parker everything he has is overcome with remorse and is flooded and never lets his with the lasting sentiment that “with great money corrupt him. power comes great responsibility” (a He is a well-reway cooler phrase than “To the Batspected man in the mobile!”). city of Gotham and This tragedy leaves doesn’t ask for much Parker as the sole provider for in return. Outside himself and his aging Aunt May. of his suit, Spidey is Beyond the responsibilities of the just a hard-working average student, concerns about teenager. the mortgage and fear of bullies So, in the end, I like Flash Thompson, 15-year-old have to go with my Peter Parker also chooses to beDark Knight in shincome the protector of New York ing armor.

City.

Thus it is clear that Peter Parker has far more on his plate in comparison to billionaire Bruce Wayne, who had his every need tended to as he made his way to adulthood.

Additionally, despite how captivated fans are by Batman’s supposed superior intellect and mysterious aura, his heroism is obtained almost exclusively by monetary means.

Batman, according to Forbes, likely has a net worth of about $6.9 billion. Before the tragedy, Wayne lived a life of perfect comfort, and after, he still had consistent financial stability.

Batman’s powers, like many things involving Batman, were also premeditated, planned and bought.

Bat Cave? Money. Batmobile? Money. ArtilCartoon by Bridgette Jasinski

Cartoon by Debby Cunningham

prospectornow.com

May 6, 2016

Features

7

Determining if ACT affects success

BY RACHEL PARKS In-Depth Editor

W

hen senior Peter Hong first saw his ACT score, he did not believe it. He thought his score was from a sample grading sheet.

When he realized the bold ‘36’ at the top of the page was his true score, he was amazed.

“I put the paper down and clutched my chest, like, ‘Oh, wow,’” Hong said.

Hong attended the first sessions of Prospect’s ACT prep class, but he stopped when he scored a 34 on the practice test. While taking the state-required test in March, he knew he did well, but did not expect to get a perfect score.

Colleges use scores to assess students’ applications, so test-prep is emphasized. For many high school students, the ACT is a constant source of stress. However, the ACT analyzes more than students’ skill sets.

According to school psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson, scores are used in the wrong ways. For example, Prospect is ranked 11 out of all the high schools in the state, according to USnews.com. One of the largest factors for this rating system is the school’s average ACT score.

Kyp-Johnson believes that students, as well as staff, put too much emphasis on the ACT. He thinks that getting a ‘good’ score is a cultural phenomenon involving America’s obsession with success and competition.

Kyp-Johnson says perfect scores are advertised, but they are not a true measure of success.

“There are plenty of people who are very, very smart but don’t know what they want to do or don’t have the social skills to be successful,” Kyp-Johnson said. “[The ACT is] based on our fantasy in America that the smartest people do the best, which is not necessarily the case.”

Likewise, Hong thinks his ACT score gave him a reputation for being smart. In the first weeks after Hong found out he got a 36, some people were shocked because it is so rare. According to the Huffington Post, just .04 percent of students get a 36. Other students seemed jealous, according to Hong.

36

22

28

ALL IN MY HEAD: Students often compare themselves based on their ACT score.

School psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson believes students put too much stress on their ACT score. “It’s like saying we took this picture once a couple years ago, and we’re going to judge you by that,” Kyp-Johnson said. (photo illustration by Grace Berry) Other students teased him when he got a question wrong in class, saying, “You’re supposed to be smarter than that!” Hong realized they were joking, but the comments were a direct result of his ACT score. Additionally, his parents seemed to expect more from him; they began to encourage him to apply to Ivy League schools.

While Hong was proud of his score, he did not get into any Ivy League schools; he will be attending Purdue University in the fall.

Meanwhile, senior Marisa Romanelli was also happy with her score, but she knew she was benefiting from a system that has hurt many of her peers. Since students put so much stress on their scores, the test can lead to disappointment.

According to Kyp-Johnson, students who are unhappy with their scores come to him and think their life is over. He believes the ACT should be an indicator of where you are academically and where you need to im-

prove; however, people put too much stress on the number.

“It’s like saying we took this picture once a couple years ago, and we’re going to judge you by that,” Kyp-Johnson said. “It sets limits, and that’s what bothers me the most about it.”

Hong agrees that any standardized test is going to be unfair to some people, but he believes the fair part is the test is not based as much on prior knowledge such as the SAT. Hong found that the ACT was based mainly on reading comprehension, grammar and math skills. He argues, however, that these are not the most important skills for life.

Kyp-Johnson concurs that it is a good measure of what a student knows at any given time, but there is no correlation between an ACT score and long-term success. It is not an intelligence test, and even intelligence does not equal future success.

While many view the ACT as a subjective

measurement, Romanelli believes that the ACT is designed for a bell-curve distribution of scores, meaning that most people fall somewhere in the middle.

Being able to work hard and ask for help is more valuable than what the test measures, according to Romanelli. However, she respects that colleges want an indicator of where students are at; the benefit is convenience while the drawback is accuracy.

With a more holistic admissions process, Romanelli believes colleges are moving away from relying on ACT scores. With essays and interviews, colleges can get a true idea of the student and how he or she thinks.

Similarly, Kyp-Johnson thinks that a more detailed admissions process would be better, although it is less convenient. The ACT does not measure character or dedication, and he wishes colleges would take the time to look at students closer.

In Kyp-Johnson’s experience, while he did not get a great ACT score, the college he went to provided him with a great education and did not impact his life in the long-run.

Hong agrees; he does not think an ACT score makes much of a long-term difference in a person’s life.

“I don’t think people should worry about it so much,” Hong said. “I got [a 36], and it was great, but in the end, it didn’t do much for me. If you already have a score you’re satisfied with, don’t feel pressured by your parents or peers to get a higher score. In 10 years, it [probably] won’t affect your life very much.”

Romanelli agrees. While she does not agree with the standardized testing system, she knows that it won’t change in an instant.

She believes students should choose the path that will be best for them and should not rely on numbers and statistics such as ACT scores.

“At the end of the day, [whatever you do with your life], if that’s what works, you should be proud,” Romanelli said. “[In the future], when half the people in your high school don’t even remember your name or what you look like, you will be happy with yourself.”

Languages lead to compassion ate the connection.”

There can be many benefits to learning foreign languages. AcFrench teacher Kathryn cording to the American Council Wilkens was starting to become on the Teaching of Foreign Lanvery nervous. She had been at a guages, some of these benefits intrain station in Germany with two clude better scores on standardized of her friends, but she had some- testing, better memory, stronger how just lost them. It was even problem solving skills and more more nerve-racking for Wilkens openness to others’ cultures. because she did not know a word of Junior Darko Bojin has expeGerman. rienced these benefits firsthand She was since he is in studying fluent in three Language statistics abroad in collanguages: lege when she •Total languages: 6912 English, Rodecided to get manian and on a train to Serbian.

•Total languages extinct: 516 Copenhagen His parents because she taught him •Language with most native had a train these three speakers: Mandarin Chinese pass and had languages always wantwhen he was •Country with most languages ed to go. She growing up, spoken: Papua New Guinea got on a train and he has (820 languages spoken) to find there been learnwere no seats ing French in left, so she •Language spoken by the school since found some greatest number of non-native sixth grade. students When he was speakers: English like herself growing up, and stood by the languages them. She ended up standing by he learned blended together, but as a Danish fencer who had compet- he got older it became easier to difed in the Olympics when saw two ferentiate between them.

Swedish sisters talking.

Bojin sees additional benefits to Wilkens knew a few key expreslearning other languages, as well. sions in Swedish, like “hi” and He thinks it is easier for him to “how are you,” and started speakconnect with his family. His mothing to them. They looked over er’s side of the family is Romanian and smiled, and they immediately while his father’s side is more Serstarted to talk more with Wilkens. bian. He has gotten to visit his famThe sisters ended up inviting her ily in Romania and Serbia and beto their house in Sweden, and she lieves he has been able to become eventually ended going. closer with that family because he “It was that openness and inican speak so easily with them. tiative and realizing how we are all “You can just talk with the loconnected,” Wilkens said. “It’s just cals,” Bojin said. “Obviously I have that language that’s going to initi-

BY GRACE BERRY Associate Editor-In-Chief

an accent that’s American, and obviously I can’t speak as well as they can, but it still makes it easier.”

Bojin has also made connections with people at school who speak Romanian or Serbian.

“Whenever I hear someone speak Romanian or Serbian, it’s an instant bond,” Bojin said. “[I’m] friends with them immediately.”

Senior Kamila Widalski feels the same; she made many of her friends in elementary school because they spoke Polish like her.

She still has friends that speak Polish because it’s easier to relate to them. They share a tie to another country, and it is easier to talk about the difficulties they face like having parents not as Americanized as themselves.

Like Bojin, by knowing the lanPICTURE PERFECT: Senior Kamila Widalski took this photo when guage, Widalski finds it easier to connect to the half of her family she visited Poland. She speaks Polish and therefore believes it is much that lives in Poland. She Skypes easier to connect with her family that lives in Poland. (photo courtesy with her family there frequently of Kamila Widalski) and calls her grandparents every worked to make a good life for her.

French, she has met a lot of interweek. Widalski thinks it would be esting people that have impacted “It’s made me more open to the hard to be a part of her family if possibility of there being so many her life. she did not speak Polish.

She decided on her senior redifferent cultures and the values “I’d feel distant from them. I’d that each culture has,” Widalski search project in college when she feel like they’re my family, but it’s stopped and talked with an elderly said. the kind of family that you don’t French woman at a bus stop. She Wilkens agrees with this. She even know about has also made life-long friends has found learning because I would with a couple that had responded another language To read about the never be able to rehelps develop toler- to an advertisement she put up in evolution of languaglate to them or talk ance and respect for France offering to teach English to them,” Widalski lessons. others, and that it is said. visit ...

Wilkens believes foreign useful in understandWidalski sees prospectornow.com ing the mindset of languages are most important, other benefits in other people, employ- though, in improving people’s speaking another compassion for others. ment, helps mind delanguage, as well.

“It’s more about the human velopment and creativity.

She finds it easier to connect with experience and becoming more She is fluent in English and people of different cultures and open-minded and just seeing how French and also knows phrases in difficult backgrounds because her Spanish, Swedish and Ukrainian many doors will open to you should parents were immigrants from Po- because her mom is from Ukraine. you speak a foreign language,” land, and she saw how hard they Because Wilkens is fluent in Wilkens said.

8

In-Depth

May 6, 2016

Determing the ‘A’ in

most classes:

90%

in

AP Physics C:

85%

in

AP Calculus

AB and BC:

80%

Although the majority of classes are graded on a 90-80-70 scale, some classes such as AP Physics C and AP Calculus AB and BC have adopted their own scales (see “What defines an ‘A’? on left).

These differing scales were not arbitrarily chosen, though.

When AP Physics C teacher Mark Welter took over the course, he researched the College Board grading scale for the AP test. He found that the College Board proctored the exam to college students in introductory-level courses to determine an appropriate stratification for the test.

The college students with an A in their course mostly scored 5s, though some scored 4s. To Welter, this signified that an estimated score of 4.5 would equate to an A, and he proceeded to correlate this with class grades.

AP Calculus BC teacher Timothy Will adjusted his class’s grading scale to allow him to give students more challenging work year-round without it being a detriment to their grade.

Welter sees the year-round rigor as an additional benefit.

“Students can see where they have to go instead of being lulled into a sense of complacency, where [students] say, ‘Oh, I can do this,’ but not realizing they have to do a next step,” Welter said.

a

orm

Inf

Course reputat

BY JACK RYAN Executive In-Depth Editor

I

t came down to a simple yet crucial decision for junior Hanna Bondarowicz. She had to decide if she should enroll in AP World History or regular World History for her sophomore year. She discussed it with her counselor and mom. Bondarowicz’s counselor pushed for her to stick with AP World History, but her mom told her not to do so because it would relieve unneeded stress. After contemplating for a couple months, she decided to enroll in regular history.

According to Bondarowicz, it was a difficult decision because she did not want to lose her pride by dropping from an AP class to a regular course.

Bondarowicz had heard multiple accounts of AP World History being difficult and intense. She heard from upperclassmen who had taken the course the AP test was difficult, and since most of the colleges she was planning on applying to only accepted fives, she did not want to do all the work and not be rewarded in the end. . s t me den “I honestly think it was [the] better decision because r stu ng at ho be h with truggli ery pro I had a breath of fresh air and could relax,” Bondaron o i ues an s ract n ev wicz said. inte ather th work o sk me q m” a e o “R vely upon th Bondarowicz is in AP United States History ng t tryi can acti le b d n m a u y (APUSH) now since she succeeded in regular World e t e s s h ,t lA ys u hey lem ile t History, and she would be able to handle moving mh wA alwa h o C t w D o s n er tion said.

RzY it back up to AP. Additionally, many upperclassmen e did f end each

BY K ith avis ever, sh om. th t on’t sp ec- Chi e a D In d w sub m r e d l say that APUSH is more manageable and not as o w t o t r r o n n i s s i e e H h Ed se clas rim king her ents clas ning to riod time intensive as AP World History. ped d expe ile ma e p d p i Stud avis’s e r l t f e a a wh ha he D d lis end th ework he e y e o s l e i h Like Bondarowicz, many students are inh s r u s S , u p e io as ng om ys iniq class p e prev s soon recordi t to do , the uld be h lt of th fluenced by their peers when deciding which r e d i c a e a o n e t o n th d st su wo le s, bu ente a re hat whi decided s. In classes to take, according to business teacher plan voice ture ng on w ass, as implem nt and cl ki Catherine Fortuna. Guidance counselor Lynn s wa she own ed out” wor egular lway said. om atch k a o r a w r I e s a Thornton says, the reputation of a course deg r s s f t n i as “ l i in g n v a c h e et ed . tud ” Da r, on owin pends on both the teacher and the subject. e s som er did, it. flipp ears ago t her s the foll v a e e w b v h y “It t ne go, how e day When a course does not have a good repuu two ery nig ture on x b e i s th do , sh s a ec Ev lly tation, it can lead to less enrollment, and ed to o year te day ool year ics ed l ter. sica classd t a r a b s u o m c Tw sch stit al re phy a n n e i a re subject y according to Thornton, when a course has o y h a i t s b t of d her ent s of m ing adi teac he start sion le ut hav day’ y stud f the tr ore n less than 20 students, it cannot run.

I m . s o t e “M see ork d [o fore ed a s Page ab When Thornton looks at World Relied ahea said. “I of the w tching d d i s n c e r i e e a att hou Davis . dd Kat ore d w doing n m gions, for example, she sees a high enr m n a o e a g o h d teac d classr inspire s said. es,]” nts doin passive tually er s in rollment and believes while students h a c i e t e f g e a v p s d r o n a D he ll flip was ju stu e ’re bei it,” had are interested in the material, having ed a they elves, w of thos d of “I st do y flipp cts she e s stea cture, o u j m m d l e o l l s ’ o e h e n t I John Camardella as the teacher truly f t l f e t m e e r d a th ud me roo ad f oos s fo he s hich h lem al class ven ch ed o t b S s o i r s e , w n p n r pt not ses, ditio r co g he ed. once cour ticipat the yea ecordin a tra nts may .” m c ect, is o n o f r e a k r . o not lass t Prosp ordstud mewor rest 1 a.m it,” d c c ho The p until orth ippe ndant a ity. Ac erl the f u ll w how I g a n i s y The ot abu popular the Am sta t wa s I saw perres. duca gh n nal ay, i d by lectu ither w s soon a nd their ” thou g natio nducte ering E ents a in A co it.

“E ud ine gain survey kids id. “ orth Eng llion st oms, for is sa ct with t was w i o a r v m s y g a t s n e 5 D i i la ra Soci an 3 ed c new inte can nce, I k ican more th in flipp yle t s a e . , s r g form tion ide a ect area teachin idual j onw nati s all sub rs this re indiv o s fe acro vis pre for m ows l Da l a it use beca

le y t s g n n i r h e c d Tea to mo d e p p fli

t

our

c tion

t

f Ca

o esy

ill

eH

in her

draws people to enroll in Although the reputat only factor in course en in it, according to AP E ford.

“I’m certain [student because when you hear accuracy every day, tha hear that you don’t hav people,” Stanford said.

Stanford understand ent reputations, but she course is difficult or not According to her, if st ed, then they will not be telligent students do poo work hard, and she has s their first AP course and Another student tha a course into considera rington.

When decision time c classes for next year, H AP Physics 1.

From talking with o was difficult class to su lar Physics because she a student in AP Physics junior year is going to be want to put extra stress Harrington does not a course finalize her dec listen to what they say course.

When Thornton has s options for the coming y cision because she feels dent body and wants th on their own.

“I think our opinion sition as a counselor, e [where] a counselor-slas Thornton said.

While many student sions on their own, acco

May 6, 2016

Math 5%

n tio

si

po

Other 5%

om dC

istry Chem t en c r 6 pe

an re 5 %

tu ra

ite dL

Prospect’s toughest classes

l or W

l

Spa ni 10 % sh

Chemistry 26 %

Hu m 15 an G %

eo

ry Histo World 13%

Sop

hom

ore

Bio 20 log % y

Math 29 %

9

In-Depth

Unite

d Sta tes H istory 17 %

Physics 11 % Other 23 %

Wo rl 17 d Hist % ory

Other 15 % Math 15 %

Junior Class Physics 62 %

.

ey of 88 students

*Based on a surv

Cla

ss Senior Class

tions influence enrollment

n the course. tion and rigor of a course is not the nrollment, it does have a major part Economics teacher Christine Stan-

ts influence each others’ decisions] AP Stats has graded homework for at scares people off, and when they ve that in Econ, that might attract

ds that certain courses have differe believes that it does not matter if a t. tudents do not put in the work neede successful. She has seen many inorly in classes because they do not seen students take AP Economics as d succeed. at took the reputation and rigor of ation was sophomore Caitlin Har-

came this past December to choose Harrington decided to not enroll in

other students and hearing that it ucceed in, she decided to take regue believes the only difference is that s receives college credit. She knows e a challenging year, so she does not on herself. let other students’ comments about cisions about enrolling, but she does y, especially if they have taken the

students come in and discuss course year, she lets them have the final deProspect has a very compliant stuhe students to make their decisions

ns are important, but we’re in a poeven when we’re doing counseling, sh-therapist does not give advice,”

ts tend to make their course deciording to Fortuna, the reputation of

a course has a significant effect on the Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses. She sees enrollment fluctuate throughout the years but sees the most students enroll in Personal Finance since it fulfills the Consumer Education requirement, which needed to graduate.

Fortuna believes the best way to keep enrollment up is through word of mouth between students. Additionally, she has seen multiple students take Intro to Business or Personal Finance and then saw them again in College Business or College Accounting.

BY K R Another way that the CTE department has kept enrollz Ys C h wAlA ment steady is due to the creation of DECA, a business club, Ed ito r In - Chief five years ago. To join the club, a student needs to take a Accor ding t business course, allowing for enrollment in classes like Incess o Readi o Join f mak n g er, th a su from tro to Business or College Accounting to stay around. ing th a lso v bpar a typ ese ru e pro- te ery t e i s c achin s d a b horou ay Fortuna understands that many students want to take ent i l finds g as gh, w rics is s s som ly stellar benef istant hich stufor En etime icial.

AP courses over regular courses like Intro to Business, as she for an For e s dif glish ficult intr xamp teach Joine AP courses are worth 6.0 on our 5.0 GPA scale. g o l l e ish te d e, sh r Eliz r. a e an abeth ry-lev u c t o She has seen courses in the past, like Entrepreneurship, d En and M chers Mich Despi el cou t a a e rse t e t t l hat w liking Love Andr has a disappear due to lack of enrollment.

Engli ews recre ssign as si them sh La a mit t , l h e a d e r s their he nguag stude After seeing past CTE courses go away, she now tries the A sition essay nt a g P w to what s e and resea d r he e o a s C u d r to make her classes orientated towards real life because, e e ld enc ompo ch pa rves.

The r “It of - w per th ounte ten st ecrea h when inks t r i t i according to USA Today, the top college major is Busis i l o e m y n ear. onths spann o they’r teach high of th ed a ing e dow hit them said. ness Administration and Marketing. a s d e c f m h d e “It’s n,” J ing to ool w conti hard oiner a grade nuou Durin .

“I don’t want to say we keep [CTE courses] easier,” to giv sly s. I do Durin Google doc g e t t n u g h i ’t m this ment ose me fe a diff like it e, she Fortuna said. “But we try to keep it a little more hands day, . el bad e . r was g J I e t o nt in make iner ed by ,e radnot m on.” stitut and h s spent h e y wor ven thoug r pro e b er co the en hi fes k as I’m ju lleagu Fortuna sees the majority of graduating seniors go tire d rubri st a so or anythin t’s es s ed on how sor ay re cs. g f h t v . i e a well e that … into business or marketing but is perplexed on why g m r Engli p a i d At th ng ed the way.” sh t work class’s the b eache they have not taken a business or marketing class believ e end of th . oard r s e day es ev acros encou sibili , Join After eryth in high school. s on a q nter t ty of e ward ing f uestio he po s s, u alls b r would b m j n of e ective s“At the end of the year, in the senior issue of the ore so she confe a “ c t I k h g h t i r h c rence a a s a ve to her p ding, . n in o becau Prospector, it will ask the seniors, ‘Where are you b with rofess ody,” be fa ther c se of or reg ir to Joine lasses the in the n conte ardin going? What are you majoring in?’ and there will every every r sai divid ature nt. g d. “If one g ual gr o f t r h S a ades.

I be so many kids that say business, and [yet] they e h des b them To c e g a h v a e ri e d , o c t f u a h u u n e r se I li ter t y wou ther e ence finds have never taken a business class here at ProsThat’s his, ked xpewith herse ld all Joine not g ethics lf mak she c have tailed pect,” Fortuna said. r o a a i n i when u n A n y ght tw g to g rigi ’s. t rubri h i n g whom teach d, de. I’m cs to o stu her st pare ensur d suppo you she k udent you t e all o new w ents, sed t giariz s rece o hav gradi o f t o ell, pl i i p n ve an the n ng ex e r g e s k w aills to ext cl hile equal their per tion t ass, a she w an in go on teach o mak ience, in f n l i d a a n t s g g e addiing su iving d grad assist know They you ant. re stu e does Accor what both dents r n d is mo o ’t i r in the es on ng to eceiv help.” she g st imp ed ze writin J the e ives ortan was w g assi ssay, a gra oiner, wh t s “It’s u e r g i e e n g d n which h ment e, sh she w e t e a d s c y ourse h e stuff o e t u a m o e l v d x a ily in p , and kes plain on th feel c she h ing it eir pa ut all this the omfor plagia I real ad to ents a to the per, b table rism ly wa discu n u s w d t t n u ith th what her b t is a f d ss e er sai “ n I t t wa , parem. oss. ocus., d. “If She b s ha ” Join I mar when elieve gram r d e k , a s o I sier w matic espec gradi ff for ial every ng be al er but th saw them ple m drews ith experi ror t came at’s ju afterw ly ake, f e h n a a c g t s o ards, J e r t r exam , and oiner peoees. p think a r t Ansaid. of the “Afte ple, I that’s do job,” even stead Andr how m r grading helpfu n’t I can e w I s a d ny th c o l. Inu say, ‘H n e what x s ’t s t e e over know ousan nsive s exp I’m p ey, th the p ly d ectati ds of ayi ment is is That isast 1 ons f paper make s wit way w ng attentio or as 5 s s h y an A e s t a n to.’ t hen I signh u r e mar s s d y are , wh or B p e ibly c n t give a s core, at on th to en aper i lear,” gram … I fe e sam sure s incr the sc Andr “As l el goo e pag edJoine ore I ong a ews s d abo e. give t w r a s i h I’m a d. had a ut t er st hem.”

I e rticul an e xpect art to ate in ven argum , ther this colleg earlie’s ne ent a exper e, wh ver an b o A ut [th ience ndrew ere s y e gra s said he ha in ding] . d to ,” be a

Teach ers co unter subjec tivity with m orals

10

Features

May 6, 2016

Motivation Giddy up!

Riding horses is one of senior Jes Skudlarek’s favorite passtimes and is a very large part of her life.

prospectornow.com

Freshman advice Ap Exams are phun

Cubs trivia Turner Syndrome

This year marks the first year that juniors can take a stab and the AP Physics 1 test.

Good vsclay vegan Pots and Senior Amy Kruse loves pottery and is constantly surrounded by it.

Sophomore Theresa Schafer recounts her life living with Turner Syndrome.

Head to prospectornow.com for breaking news, videos, contests and more!

Saying adieu to Adair Social science teacher bids farwell after three decades of teaching, looks forward to upcoming adventures Adair’s roles over the years

1986 Began teaching special education at Prospect

1998 Served as the Special Education Director coached football, wrestling and softball.

1999 Began teaching social studies and coaching softball.

1986-2008

K

Led 31 11-day summer high school outdoor expeditions as a part of Township High School District 214’s Upward Bound Program

BY CALEY GRIEBENOW Features Editor

W

hen Forest View Educational Center was about to close in 1986, then special-education teacher Jim Adair had to decide where he would work next.

He initially had no intentions of coming to Prospect because he assumed he would move to Forest View Alternative School with his colleagues.

It was former Prospect principal Jim Stevens who suggested Adair apply here, saying it would be “like a vacation” because the “kids were so amazing.” Looking back, Adair realizes what a positive decision it was to teach here.

“I was very lucky to be able to teach [at Prospect], especially at a new job and new division,” Adair said. “That’s pretty unheard of.”

Adair, who currently teaches Law and the Individual and Human Geography, is retiring from Prospect after 30 years of teaching and 25 years of coaching various sports, including softball, wrestling and football.

Adair is most known for his Law and the Individual class, since he has worked over the years to create all the lesson plans and revamp the program.

The class has become so popular that it now has 12 sections that always fill up. The OJ Simpson trial has also become a favorite unit for the class, as it combines popular culture with the logistics of law and individual rights.

Sophomore Lauren Caldrone, who plays softball for Adair, enjoys taking the class because it is obvious Adair is passionate about his job, and she believes that makes him a more effective teacher.

“He just knows so much about the topic, and you can see he loves to do what he does,” Caldrone said. “He cares so much about his students; he wants to see everyone do well. That’s what makes him such a good teacher.”

Caldrone says Adair makes the class fun with his dry humor by making corny jokes and trying to rap to songs about the OJ trial.

“I try to entertain myself and keep the kids intrigued,” Adair said.

“Sometimes that means having a bit more fun than I should.”

His sense of humor is not only admired by his students, but also his colleagues. For athletic director Tom

ho Ww s o n

Martindale, Adair’s humor is one of his many admirable qualities.

“After working with Adair for 16 years, I admire his sense of humor, his professionalism and his ability to work with kids at a high level,” Martindale said. “When [Adair} is on the top of his teaching game, there’s no one better.”

When Martindale initially found out Adair was retiring, he felt a little anxious for what Prospect will look like without him.

“I was happy for him, but [his retirement means] there’s a new horizon for me,” Martindale said. “I am going to miss my friend. It’s been a real joy to work with him. [Knowing him] has made me a better coach, teacher and person.”

While Adair knows it is time to retire because he is ready for a new chapter in his life, he will certainly miss seeing the work from both students and staff pay off.

“If you have an expectation, the students will meet it. They will challenge it,” Adair said. “The staff works hard to make this school work, but so the kids.”

While Adair isn’t sure what he will be doing this upcoming fall, he knows he will stay busy and not work at a desk job.

Adair will not only be leaving his teaching position, but also his coaching positions. He originally coached football and wrestling but later dropped those sports and began coaching softball. He was impressed with the girls’ dedication to stay at open gyms until someone kicked them out.

“They set the record straight,” Adair said. “They showed they were there to work and to work hard. It’s very hectic [being the head coach], but it’s so much fun to do. ” When he retires, Adair will miss coaching softball because of the unique experiences it offers.

“There’s nothing like being out there in the spring,” Adair said. “It’s all about being out there and getting better.”

For both Caldrone and softball player senior Hannah Brummer, they will miss Adair’s enthusiasm for the team, his positivity and his reliability.

“Prospect is very lucky to have

Junior Rachel Prisby The Girlfriend

Senior Ray Beyer The Subject

B

Y et to u er?

Senior Zach Fyke The Friend

FINAL COUNTDOWN: Adair teaches in front of his sixth period Law and the Individual class, a class he has worked over the years to build up its reputation. On June 10th, after 30 years of coaching and teaching, Adair will

by Cassidy Selep.)

Adair,” Brummer said. “He makes sure everyone has the chance to improve. It’s inspiring. I aspire to be like Adair because he always goes out of his way to help everyone on the team believe in themselves.”

Assistant softball coach Krystina Leazer is grateful to have learned how to keep a positive attitude from Adair, and she admires his unique personality and how he cares individually about the girls.

“Adair is one-of-a-kind. He could write a book with all of his stories,” Leazer said. “While the softball program will miss him, I’m sure he’ll be around.”

On his final day of school, Adair anticipates that he will get emotional while handing in his keys and cleaning out his room, since that has been his home away from home for 30 years.

“It’s going to be tough to leave and not see these people every day,” Adair said. “If you think about it, I have been going to school every fall since I was four. Now it’s going to be something different.”

For Caldrone, no one will be able to fill Adair’s shoes as a teacher and coach.

“Adair has such a big heart, and he will leave that behind,” Caldrone said.

4th period class?

Hero?

College?

Cats or dogs?

Rocky

Lunch

His grandpa

Harper

Dogs

Lone Survivor

Lunch

His grandpa

Harper

Dogs

Rudy

Lunch

His dad

Harper

Oxen

Favorite movie?

W I N N E R

X

prospectornow.com

May 6, 2015

Features

11

PADS protects homeless, fosters community

BY MIKE STANFORD Copy Editor

FIRE THE CANNONS: Physical education teacher Dominic Cannon watches his JV baseball team play on May

‘Livin’ the dream’ Cannon builds relationships

BY SHREYA THAKKAR Editor-in-Chief

W

hen then-junior Brandon Kiran was debating dropping out of high school, he knew he could come to P.E. teacher Dominic Cannon. Kiran was dealing with problems at home that had become almost too much to handle and dropping out seemed like the only way out. However, Cannon helped him realize that school was a way for Kiran to escape stress from home, and his education would be his only true path to success. “[Cannon] supported [me] through all … my hard times,’” Kiran said.

“He was there to back me up no matter [what] or how I was acting towards him. There would be days that I would come in, and I would just be completely mad at everyone. He showed me that he still cares and that he’s a teacher there that wants to help.”

During his 23 years at Prospect, Cannon’s primary goal has been to make an impact on students. Until 2013, he did that through teaching special education, particularly the EDSC program, which helps students struggling with drugs, alcohol and ditching school. Cannon has accumulated a variety of degrees and posi-

Additionally, Kiran didn’t think his tions throughout his career, ranging from and undergraduate degree in family would be able to afford to pay for college. But with Cannon’s encommunications to a Master’s degree in Special Education. Now he teaches couragement, Kiran will be attending Rockford University to play football physical education while also coachnext year, an outcome that Kiran being freshman football and JV baselieves wouldn’t be possible without ball, and he believes it gives him the Cannon. flexibility to continue “Cannon [told to impact students. “[Cannon] is one of me] ‘If you get your “All those guys the most passionate grades up, they’ll in EDSC are still my men I’ve ever met. give you money to guys,” Cannon said. come play sports.

“But now I’m P.E. I He just has a care for If you change your can help a lot of stuevery single one of habits and the way dents. Now in P.E., his players and you you are and the peoI see 200 students. ple you hang around Before I saw 15. … can see it in the way with, things are goEverybody thinks he talks to people. ing to get easier and P.E. teachers are not better,’” Kiran said. smart. Not this one.”

Everyone knows him, “Cannon was the Kiran met Cannon and everyone loves one who brought me his freshman year behim. He just has that back. He said ‘Liscause he had him as a football coach. Initialthing about him where ten, you have to get your head back into ly, he didn’t realize you want to be around sports. You’re built the impact Cannon him. ” like an athlete. You would come to have have potential to on him.

Luke Wrede, senior make it in school.’”

“It was intimidatE s p e c i a l l y ing, but still I knew he would be someone I would eventually through coaching, Cannon thinks he open up to. I could tell that he was a has been able to make an impact on students. Senior Luke Wrede had Cankind person at heart,” Kiran said. “As non as a coach sophomore and junior soon as you got to know him, he’s has a hard exterior, but on the inside he’s year and credits him for making him like a dad to me now. That’s kind of a tough person.

“He’s one of the most passionate how I see him.

Going into freshman year, Kiran men I’ve ever met,” Wrede said. “He just has a care for every single one was dealing with anxiety, depression of his players, and you can see it in and a loss in the family, and as a result quit football his sophomore year. the way he talks to people. Everyone knows him, and everyone loves him. He just has that thing about him where you want to be around him. He makes you want to come to practice, and he makes it fun.”

As a coach, Cannon’s focus isn’t on winning games but on mentoring kids.

“I like to build relationships with students because I think the sport will take care of itself,” Cannon said.

“I think you should mentor kids in different ways and teach them to be young men. The older I am now, the wins and losses don’t really mean much to me anymore. They never have. It’s the relationships - teaching kids to be young men and teaching kids how to be on a team, and then seeing the kids when they come back when they get a little older.”

Cannon believes he is fortunate to work with kids at Prospect, and Kiran feels lucky to have him.

“I definitely don’t think he gets as much credit as he deserves at this school for [his impact on] the students,” Kiran said. “They’re not huge things that the school will hear about, but Cannon is one of the biggest reasons I made it through high school.”

Senior Annie Boarini was volunteering at a PADS homeless shelter at Trinity United Methodist Church when a woman entered. Because she was dressed in a suit and appeared to be coming from work, Boarini thought she was just another volunteer or community member. Then Boarini heard her story.

Communicating was difficult at first. The lady, who was from Albania, was not a native English speaker and was almost deaf. To talk, they had to pass notes back and forth.

On these pieces of paper, the lady told Boarini how her husband had died of cancer two years prior, leaving her both alone and with high medical bills. On top of that, she had just been laid off. She also was looking for her 18-year-old son who was in a homeless shelter.

The shelter was one of 18 PADS shelters in the Northwest suburbs, including St. Mark’s, St. James, Our Lady of the Wayside, First Presbyterian, Congregational United, Our Saviour’s and Trinity United Methodist in Mt. Prospect and Arlington Heights. The network is composed of churches that each serve homeless people one night a week from October to April. With roughly 1,600 homeless people in the Northwest suburbs, shelter manager Amy Pratt believes PADS serves a need far greater than most suburbanites realize.

Boarini has witnessed this reality first-hand as a volunteer. At the recommendation of her elderly neighbor, Judy Schreiber, Boarini has been working with PADS since second grade. At such a young age, the experience was eye-opening.

“It was interesting, but it was also overwhelming because I was just a little 8-year-old,” Boarini said. “I didn’t really understand the concept of homelessness.”

At first, she simply tagged along with her neighbor and fulfilled her mandatory service hours for St. Raymond’s. However, over time, PADS became more than that. Boarini latched onto the community feel of PADS and has been a weekly volunteer ever since.

During her freshman year, Boarini invited her classmates Heather Dao and Marlee Hoffman to volunteer with her. The trio works every Friday after school from 3 to 4:30. They chat and listen to music while setting up the dining area, sleeping arrangements and movie room.

Because PADS policy dictates that minors may not directly work with guests, they have only interacted with homeless people when they arrived before operational hours like the Albanian woman did.

According to St. Mark’s site director Paul Brask, volunteering with PADS can show young people new perspectives on life.

“When you’re 16 or 17 years old, you start to think [high school] is your world,” Brask said. “If you come to [PADS], … you will see a range of behavioral and intellectual problems that most people should take stock of and be darn glad they don’t have.”

However, while PADS guests often have mental and physical disabilities, homelessness is not confined to these disadvantaged groups.

“Some of our clients you meet, and you’re like, ‘Wow. That could be my cousin,’” Pratt said. “That’s hugely awakening because I think it changes the look of what people think of as poverty and think of as homelessness. There are days where I go, and it’s a constant reminder that you could be one paycheck away from the same situation. It’s incredibly humbling.”

Although Pratt often sees how easily people can fall into dire situations, her work constantly reminds her of the important role PADS plays.

“You realize, ‘Thank goodness this exists,’” Pratt said. “I sometimes think that if I was ever in this particular situation, thank goodness there is a place where I [could] actually go to bed and get a warm meal. … I’m so thankful that our community cares as much as it does.”

According to Brask, not only do community volunteers help improve the lives of the guests, but they themselves benefit in a way most volunteering cannot provide.

“Most guests are very appreciative of what they’re getting.

That’s the joy of this,” Brask said. “If you’re collecting coins on a street corner for some illness that is trying to be cured, that’s great and that’s important to do, but [PADS] is an inyour-face reminder of what you’re doing, and you get to see the value in it.”

12

Entertainment

May 6, 2016

prospectornow.com

‘It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll’ Musical sells out

students and teachers to purchase tickets.

Morton also relied on his student directors for public relations and marketing.

They broadcasted commercials on the announcements and orchestrated

BY ISABELLE ROGERS the large decorations lining the comExecutive Entertainment Editor mons and cafeteria hallway in order to help keep the show visible. ine arts coordinator and “There is a lot more excitement musical director Jeremy about this [show,]” pit member MarMorton was at lunch when tin Brablec said. “There is so much a student came up to him and starthype around this [show] because it’s ed raving about the spring musical, such a good musical, but it isn’t as “School of Rock.” established, so people are … curious “Oh my god! [The musical] was about how it will turn out.” rocking!” the student said. “The lights Morton also believes that the wideand the [music]—I mean, I felt like I was at a concert. It was one of those spread popularity of the movie helped draw people in. really cool rock experiences.” “[“School of Rock” is] about His favorite part of the show was According to allowing kids to find their the story itself.

Morton, this was “It’s about alnot an isolated inpassion and voice. ... I think lowing kids to find cident. we together as a cast have their passion and The first time found our voice and our voice,” Morton the Prospect Theatre Department story is being heard, and I’m said. “The kids at Horace Green are came close to sellglad it’s heard by over 440 not heard by their ing out all shows parents or their people every night.” of a production teachers until this was 2014 in their Jeremy Morton, director crazy substitute production of comes in and al“Shrek: the Musilows them to be themselves and help cal” when they sold out four of the six them find this passion. I think it’s exshows.

This spring, the Prospect Theatre citing for me. I think it is a beautiful story. I think we together as a cast Department sold out all four shows of have found our voice, and our story “School of Rock.” is being heard, and I’m glad it’s heard Each night, approximately 440 by over 440 people every night.” people filed into the theatre to watch Although School of Rock was an one of the most “difficult and rockincredibly successful show, Morton ing” shows Prospect has ever put on, doesn’t believe there should be the according to Morton. same expectations of popularity or to “Shrek was close [to selling out,] sell out future shows. but the fact that we’re literally still “Each show is different,” Morton turning people away is awesome. said. “It’s hard to set standards or ex… What we have is incredibly spepectations. One show has a different cial,” Morton said after the sold-out experience than another. Prospect is Wednesday premiere. “Being one of known to have a standard of excelthe first high schools in the nation lence in all of our fine arts, so I think to do such a show is a challenge that we just met that again. As long as we we’ve attacked, and I think people keep striving for that excellence, then want to see what we’re doing.”

In addition, many of the cast and we are going to achieve that standard.” crew have spread information on how entertaining the show is, which Morton believes inspired many parents,

STICK IT TO THE MAN:

F

Teachers, students work to express their novel ideas

BY JESS DARCY Features Editor For English teacher Heather Sherwin, transitioning back to teaching after being a stay-at-home mom for three years was very difficult.

Although she loved returning to teaching, she was having a hard time being away from her kids.

When she decided to write a novel about her experiences, it was very therapeutic for her.

“It was like keeping a journal,” Sherwin said. “It gave me a way to make something positive out of a bad time.”

Her novel is called “A Hundred Days.”

She’s been writing it for five years, and although she hasn’t finished it on account of her busy work schedule, she hopes to in the future.

Sherwin says writing novels is a major goal that only experienced writers can achieve. It can be very difficult, but, students and teachers alike still try to write novels, either for their own pleasure or to spread their voices to those around them.

However, junior Silvio Icka decided to start writing for more practical purposes.

Six and a half years ago, Icka came to America from Albania. He didn’t speak English very well and knew that to better learn

the language, he would have to read and write a lot. To aid this process, he began to keep journals in English. “[My teachers] suggested [for me]… to write stories,” Icka said. “Later on, after a personal event in my life, [I was driven] to express my thoughts and ideas by writing more and more.”

Icka’s most recent endeavor is a historical fiction and fantasy novel. The novel is made of short stories from many different character standpoints whose points of view follow each other over the timespan of the story.

Although Icka eventually ended up loving to write, junior Hannah Thornton has loved writing since she was very little. She said she was able to “write” before she could actually, physically write because she would babble stories and her mom would write them down.

Her book is a fantasy novel about an alternative universe where people are trying to defeat the enemies we know as nightmares.

She said writing a book wasn’t so much as a decision as just something for fun because she’s always loved writing.

“I like [to write] because if there’s any dissatisfaction with this world, I can just create a new one,” Thornton said. “You can write whatever you want, you can design characters to be however you want. There’s

no bounds with writing because it’s your own creation.”

When Sherwin was in elementary school, she submitted short fiction stories to the Young Authors contest and won awards a couple years in a row: twice at the district level and once at the state level.

“It was exciting,” Sherwin said. “It made me think, ‘Oh, maybe I’m good at this. Maybe I can do something. I was not athletic. I had no other talents, so that was the only thing I thought I was maybe decent at doing.”

Although she has tried writing fiction, Sherwin says some of the best things she’s ever written are her first-hand experiences because they are more than just imagination.

“When I look back at [my stories], I’ve written some about my husband and my kids and baseball or when my one son was growing up and the moments in his life or when the goldfish died,” Sherwin said. “[I’ve realized] that [these are memories], and [memories are] more than just a picture. [They’re] a story.”

Sherwin tries to share her vision of writing with her students.

She knows that some kids won’t understand the appeal or the creativity of the subject, but she tries to help them understand not just the subject but the importance of all writing because some kids don’t understand

short stories and poems are as substantial as novels.

Whenever she tells her students that she loves writing, she is always met with the question, “What novel did you write?” She believes this is because people consider writing a novel as the end-all, be-all of writing.

Sherwin says this sense of accomplishment is one of the reasons she wants to finish one of the many novels she’s started.

She wants to be able to show everybody that she is a great writer.

“I think there’s a sense of ‘You’ve accomplished something if you write a novel,’” Sherwin said. “Not articles, not stories; that’s not as great as ‘The Novel’. … If you’re an adventurer, you climb a mountain; if you’re an athlete, you finish the race; and if you’re a writer, you write a novel.”

Icka wants to finish one of his novels as well.

Icka says he loves to write because it is a good way of expressing his thoughts and developing his vocabulary in addition as calming himself down. “[Writing] is much like painting,” said Icka, who is also an artist. “With painting, you are using many different techniques and mediums to create a holistic and meaningful picture. Writing does the same thing with words.”

prospectornow.com

May 6, 2016

GONE, NOT FORGOTTEN

D

P

H

W

G

K

David Robert Jones, more wellknown as David Bowie, was a singer, songwriter and actor from Brixton, England. He was born on Jan. 8, 1947, and he died at age 69 from liver cancer Jan. 10, 2016. Over five decades, Bowie made a name for himself as a very popular glam-rock musician and hit the peak of his popularity spanning during the 1970’s. He is most famous for his androgynous alter-ego Ziggy Stardust. Bowie also pursued a career in acting. He starred in movies like “The Man Who Fell to Earth”, “Labyrinth” and “The Prestige”.

According to Billboard, Bowie impacted more music genres than any other musician. Bowie broke out of his influential glam-rocker persona and paved the way for musicians like Marilyn Manson in the industrial rock realm and brought electronic music to a mainstream audience. Even his record, “Let’s Dance”, paved the way for the future wave of alternative dance music. Bowie has gone down in history as one of the most artistically adventurous musicians in all of the rock and pop genres.

Wesley Earl Craven, known as Wes Craven, was a film director, writer, producer and actor from Cleveland, Ohio.

Craven was born on August 2, 1939, and died on August 30, 2015, from brain cancer at age 76. Craven was best known for his creation of “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, the “Scream” franchise and “The Serpent and the Rainbow.” He was also one of the 22 directors that worked on “Paris, Je T’aime.”

Craven’s characters, Freddie Krueger and Ghostface, will live on infamy, and Craven himself will as well. His impact on the horror genre will live on; he is even known for reinventing horror itself. Craven’s horror movies are famous for depicting everyday people as its villains, not ghosts or goblins.

Craven also slipped many social and political messages in his movies. Craven reinvented the slasher subgenre in movies “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and in the “Scream” franchise.

Prince Rogers Nelson, commonly known as Prince, was a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was born on June 7, 1958, and died April 21, 2016, from unknown causes at age 58; however, many suspect influenza or drug overdose. Prince was well-known for his innovative music style and many names, including Jamie Starr, Alexander Nevermind, Joey Coco, and the Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Prince was known as one of the best selling artist of all time for selling 100 million records worldwide and receiving seven Grammys, a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award.

Prince, known for his innovative music style, was called “a master architect of funk, rock, R&B and pop”

by New York Times writer Jon Pareles, and Miles Davis regarded Prince as “an otherworldly blend of James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, Little Richard, Duke Ellington and Charlie Chaplin.” However, while Prince was mainly loved for his eclectic music production, much of his image will be remembered for showing the mainstream media defiance towards racial stereotypes and signifiers of gender. Regardless, Prince will always be remembered as always being himself.

Sir George Henry Martin, known as George Martin, was a record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, audio engineer and musician from London, England. Martin was born on January 3, 1926, and died on March 8, 2016, at age 90. Martin was commonly referred to as the fifth Beatle and was mostly known for his work with the Beatles. He had picked up the young group when Decca turned them down, but originally, Martin thought the Beatles were an unpromising group.

Martin arranged and conducted the music for many of their hits like “Penny Lane,” “Yesterday,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “In My Life” and “A Day in the Life.” Martin also continued to work on Kenny Rogers’s, UFO’s, Cheap Trick’s, Elton John’s and Celine Dion’s music until he started to suffer from hearing loss. Martin’s impact will live on as long as the Beatles’ music is continued to be heard.

Entertainment

13

BY ISABELLE ROGERS Executive Entertainment Editor

Nelle Harper Lee, more well-known by her pen name Harper Lee, was a novelist born in Monroeville, Alabama. She was born on April 28, 1926 and died February 19, 2016 from natural causes at age 89. Lee attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery but never completed her degree. She then assisted her friend Truman Capote in research for his famous novel, “In Cold Blood.” Lee was most famous for her 1960 novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” but also recently published the book’s sequel, titled “Go Set a Watchman.”

Lee was awarded the 1961 Pulitzer Prize for “To Kill a Mockingbird,” as it was an immediate hit. Also, Lee’s contributions to literature won her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007. “To Kill a Mockingbird” was loosely based off of events and racist attitudes in her hometown, including a court case that ended in the hanging of two black men. Because the book has themes of racial and social injustice, schools across America have required their teachers to include it in the curriculum.

President Obama also heaped praise when on Lee when he said, “Lee changed America for the better. … When Harper Lee sat down to write “To Kill a Mockingbird,” she wasn’t seeking awards or fame. She was a country girl who just wanted to tell an honest story about life as she saw it.”

Keith Noel Emerson was a keyboardist and composer from Yorkshire, England. Emerson was born on November 2, 1944, and died on March 10, 2016 from suicide after suffering from depression caused by his inability to play music due to nerve damage in his hands. Emerson was most famous for being one of the founding members in Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP).

ELP was one of the first well known progressive rock supergroups and was very successful during the 1970s. Emerson wrote and arranged much of the supergroups music, especially on albums “Tarkus” and “Brain Salad Surgery”. Emerson is regarded as one of the top keyboard players from the progressive rock era, and Allmusic stated that Emerson was, “perhaps the greatest, most technically accomplished keyboardist in rock history.”

To see more about Amy Kruse’s pottery, go to Name: Amy Kruse

“You take a ball of mud and make something beautiful out of it,” Kruse said.

prospectornow.com

Grade: Senior know if it’s going to explode or if it’s goSenior Amy Kruse has been doing pottery and working with ceramics since she was in middle school and has been taking 3D Art classes through the school since her freshman year.

Kruse’s father, who started working with ceramics when he was in college, taught her how to use a pottery wheel as soon as she was old enough, and it soon became a family experience.

know how it’s going to turn out, but yet there is some control.”

Kruse also plans to minor in ceramics in college.

Kruse recently was featured in the D214 Arts Unlimited booklet and also won a scholarship through the Arlington Heights Art Guild. Kruse is proud of these accomplishments because they show that the time she has put into her

Kruse said she enjoys ceramics because of the spontaneity. photo by Cassidy Delahunty

photos courtesy of Amy Kruse

14

Sports

prospectornow.com

May 6, 2016

Boys’ volleyball crowns new ‘King’ The transition was a little tough for King because he has been coaching both the JV and varsity levels, but now he has gotten used to being the head of the entire program.

With a change in head coach, sophomore outside hitter Quinn Benson has noticed a change in the focus during practices and

BY RYAN MOLINI during drills.

Executive Sports Editor “We’ve been experimenting with new strategies,” Benson said. “Our game plan he varsity boys’ volleyball team and focus [with King has been] more on baheaded into the Warren High sics and fundamentals.”

School tournament on April 15 to According to Benson, the team has been face the top-seeded Loyola Ramblers. trying to keep the energy up and stay posiThe Knights battled for three games, wintive during games. ning two of them by four With the graduation Multi-sport seniors points or less to secure of hitters Alex Blethen Four of the six seniors on the their first win of the seaand Eryk Krzyzak last son. team play another varsity spring, the front row has “We weren’t supposed also been searching for to win that game,” senior a consistent offensive setter Scott Baackes said. weapon.

“It was fun proving evBoth King and Benson eryone wrong.” agree that the team lacks According to Baackes, consistency altogether. the win against Loyola The team started off with turned things around for two sophomores who the Knights. After earmoved up to varsity but ly season struggles, the now has three as King is team has picked up their trying to meld senior explay and added more perience with the youngwins in conference as er players’ energy. their young roster has gained varsity-level “We’re really looking at our seniors, esexperience. pecially [Baackes], Liam Benson and Mike As of May 2, the team’s record stands at Poulos to step up and take charge [of the 6-21. However, in their last 16 games, the team],” King said. “Without them, this seateam is 6-10. After a much rockier start, the son would be a lot different.” boys have been finding success by taking Quinn feels that himself and other sopheach match game-by-game. omores Zach Matters and Josh Kern have The team was faced with adversity when held their own on the varsity level so far. head coach Mike Riedy stepped down from Personally, Quinn attributes his perforhis position due to family reasons. Former mance to experience he gained by playing head JV coach Peter King stepped up to fill club volleyball during the offseason. the role.

King agrees that club has helped Quinn

T

SERVED: Seniors Scott Baackes #2 and Mike Poulos #15 shake hands during their -

and stresses the importance of playing it to the program.

“At this day and age with volleyball, I feel [playing] club [volleyball] is a necessity,” King said. “As long as you’re getting [repetitions] and seeing touches, you’re going to get better.”

Both Baackes and Quinn are able to tell which players on opposing teams play club in the offseason because their skill is noticeably different, especially during the beginning portion of the season.

“If certain teams have players who don’t play club, you can tell that they’re a little rusty,” Baackes said. “It takes awhile to get into volleyball form.”

With sophomores like Quinn who have

the ability to play club during the offseason and now play up on varsity, King hopes to implement an expectation to play club in order to compete at the varsity level.

Heading forward, King and his players are looking to compete in conference play and maintain a consistent playing style that brings energy to the floor and lets the team compete during the postseason.

“We need to make sure that we continue to play together,” King said. “Hopefully by the time the postseason comes around, we all have that chemistry, and we are all comfortable playing next to each other. … We have good leadership on the floor. We’re just trying to find consistency [in] maintaining a [high] level of intensity.”

prospectornow.com

May 6, 2016

Sports

15

‘Tenacious’ team takes East have not only gone 8-1 in conference, but they have also won the East for the first time since 2012. y the end of the first half of their “[The girls] are tenacious. They work game on April 12, girls’ water polo hard, and they want to get better,” Tucker was in trouble. Facing Rolling said. “Every game they learn together to Meadows, the team was down 3-0. come back from those deficits.”

“They have great defense and offense,” The Knights went up against Fremd in senior Lauren Broz said. “We all weren’t the conference game sure that we were going on Thursday, May 5th. to take the W.” Although results were diversity of team According to head not available at press coach Natalie Tucker, time, full coverage is Goals this game had higher available on Twitter • So. Colleen Doyle (36) stakes because Rolling @ProspectorLive.

Meadows was the only Tucker believes that team to beat Prospect in • So. Ann Fulk (13) the chemistry of the team conference. According to is one of the key reasophomore Colleen Doyle • Sr. Lauren Broz (71.5%) sons the team has been that loss was a turning Steals successful this year. Acpoint. cording to her, the team • Jr. “After losing that is comprised of a strong Assists game we practiced hardblend of seniors, juniors • Jr er,” Doyle said. “We’re all and sophomores, which working harder because creates a range of personAll stats as of May 2 we wanted it, everyone alities and experiences. was committed.”

“There is a nice sense This time, instead of succumbing to of hope from the younger girls and a sense of the pressure, the Knights were able to hold focus from the older girls,” Tucker said.

Meadows and score two goals by the end of Tucker believes that an example of this the third quarter. By the fourth, the Knights happened during the team’s most recent were able to bring the score 3-3 before wingame against Wheeling on April 13, a game ning with a last second goal by junior Gracie that went into double overtime, which is Dix. unheard of in most matches. Since the overBy using the same effort and skill featime rule was implemented in 2014, Tucker tured against Rolling Meadows, the Knights

BY BEN DOJUTREK Sports Editor

B

TOSS IN THE WATER: (Top) Senior Faye Barry winds up to throw the ball

during a practice at Wheeling High School. Barry has recorded 12 assists and 15 steals so far this season. (Bottom) Seniors Gianna Honcharuk (left) Faye Barry (middle) and to a close. (photos by Cassidy Selep) believed that she would never see a sudden death overtime. The average water polo match usually never goes over the two overtime quarters.

The Knights were able to win by blocking the Wheeling attack and working cohesively in order to secure the win, according to Tucker.

Tucker believes everyone played to their advantages. In this game and throughout the season, she says, the key players for the Knights have been Broz and Dix, who lead the offense and defense with intensity. Broz has a 71.5% save rate, the highest on the team, while Dix has had 34 goals. “[Broz] has been clutch for us and is second in the MSL East with saves,” Tucker said. “She has a great attitude and keeps the girls focused.”

With Dix, Tucker believes that her years of playing water polo as kid gave her the tools to be a successful and consistent contributor for the team. “[Dix] has that confidence,” Tucker said.

“When she’s shooting, passing and defending, she has that success and experience.”

Broz agrees and believes that the team’s overall unity has been important for this year’s achievements.

“Having a lot of high intensity drama or bad connections can lead to losses in games,” Broz said.

The statistics show that the team is more

likely to work with than against each other. Five players finished the regular season with assists in double digits.

To build this unity, the team practiced more often together and simply focused on the road ahead in order to become a better team. According to Doyle the team does this by spending practice doing drills in pairs.

These one on one “matchups” allowed them to get a better understanding of their skills as well as forming a strong team bond.

The singular focus, according to Broz, allowed the seniors to pass down their knowledge and experience.

However, Tucker believes the team success were also created by having a strong focus.

“In years previous, athletes have let their goals move them without understanding the attitude and commitment to achieve them,” said Tucker. “Whereas this team differentiates itself by being hopeful and dedicated.”

Because of this dedication, the team has been able to defeat Elk Grove, Buffalo Grove, and Hersey in the MSL east and secured themselves the East championship.

For Tucker and the rest of the team, the successes earned this season is a culmination of many years.

“It feels like the fulfillment of a lot of years of hard work for the coaches and the team,” Tucker said.

Boys’ tennis rallies around youth to compete in MSL ers usually can deploy spin and depth with ease.

Sophomore third doubles playThe boys’ tennis team was able er Cam Gates agrees. For him, the to battle Hersey on May 3 for a immediate shock of the varsity levchance to win the division. While el was the pure talent of opponents. the outcome did not play out in the Another person adjusting to Knights’ favor, losing 1-6, first year the game is Rathe. Early on, Rathe head coach Brad Rathe feels the focused on picking up the game score does not tell the full story. again at a high level. He played “The funny thing about tentennis in high school and has nis is you can take coached girls’ tennis games to deuce and the last four years, but lose a bunch of close transitioning to the ones, and the scorehigher level of boys’ board doesn’t really varsity took some acreflect it. It’s a funclimation. His wife, ny game like that,” who played collegiate Rathe said. tennis, also helped With a win over him relearn some Wheeling, the boys strategy. are going to will still be able to According to Norfinish second in the ton, Rathe has transiEast. tioned nicely to fill the The team’s record hole left by previous us, is currently 5-4 overand coach Tom Kujawa all and 3-1 in the diby getting to know the we have to be vision. team better.

According to seRathe feels that a nior second doubles key part of the transiplayer Steve Norton, tion for both him and a lot of things for the — Steven Norton, the sophomores on the team are still coming senior team has been the setogether, especially nior leadership under with the inexperience at the varsi- David Slupski, Adam Nadler, Mike ty level.

Schwingbeck and Norton. AccordThe team is comprised of five ing to Rathe, they have set the tone sophomores and six upperclass- for the team and set expectations of men. According to Rathe, the main how to compete and work hard. difference between the varsity and Norton is proud of the leaderjunior varsity levels is the consisship role that he and the other setency of opponents. niors have taken on this year.

At the lower levels, it is likely “If we work hard, the kids that a player makes mistakes of- younger than us are going to work ten, but at the varsity level, playhard,” Norton said. “And if we

BY DEVIN PRASAD Executive Sports Editor

“ If we work

hard, the kids

younger

than us

work...hard.

They really

follow role models

“

for them.

don’t work, they’re not going to work. So they really just follow us, and we just have to be the role models for them.”

At this point in the season, however, Norton believes the leadership role has come naturally thanks to the team’s camaraderie.

“It doesn’t even feel like we’re seniors, and kids like [Gates] are sophomores,” Norton said. “We’re all just one unit.”

The team as a whole has faced some hard tests early on, including in the tournament Prospect hosted early in the season. Although they did not have the success they would have liked with an overall record of 1-17, the team has used the tournament as a benchmark, according to Norton.

“There were some good teams here,” Norton said. “We got whooped, but there is a lot we got out of it. Because of the good competition, we just know how hard we have to work to get to that level.”

One area of the game that Norton feels could still be improved is serves. The team has been double-faulting frequently and giving up many easy points. Rathe also feels that, in order to gain consistency and an edge later in the year, the team also needs to focus on finishing long rallies.

The team hopes to improve in hopes of placing well in the conference tournament starting on May 12.

“A lot of revenge, rematch type matches take place [at the conference tournament],” Rathe said.

“That’s where we have to get [opponents] back.”

SMASH: Sophomore Cam Gates swings and hits a forehand shot. majority of teams’ rosters. (photo by Cassidy Selep)

SPORTS

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

Girls' soccer

GIRLS' WATER POLO Girls’ water polo is experiencing continued success this season including an MSL East title. For a full feature on the team turn to page 15.

The girls’ soccer team won their tournament on April 23.

To read about their final game and victory visit... prospectornow.com

Ups and downs Polo seeks to overcome regular season lows to formulate postseason run steam and heading in the right direction heading into sectionals.”

The thought of sectionals has been jumping around a lot in the Against Barrington’s boys’ varminds of the players and coaches, sity water polo team, the Knights Grzybek especially. The team’s put up a tough fight. Prospect was biggest goal now is to do well in up for the majority of the game the sectional meet since winning because they played together as a the MSL East division is out of the team. According to senior driver Isaac Ginnodo, what helped es- picture. The Knights finished third in the East behind Wheeling and pecially well was isolating BarBuffalo Grove after beating Hersey rington’s best player and shutting 4-3 on April 25. him down.

Prospect earned the fourth Although the team ended up losseed in their sectional behind Freing 8-7, Ginnodo was proud of how the team played against the 18th md, Barrington and Conant. The Knights best team in Water Polo Positions will square state. He beoff against lieves that Saint Viator game shows in the first that they Hole-set: The player who positions round startcould beat himself in front of the opponents ing on May Barrington 11. at section- mates pass him the ball and from “I think als. there he decides to shoot or pass we can do For head really well coach Steve Driver: The player who constantly and go someGrzybek, where if we this game are on top of d e f i n e s our game,” what he besenior hole lieves has of the goal) Defense set Matt Culbeen an upliton said. a n d - d o w n Hole guard: The player that guards After losseason for the hole-set ing by two the (13-12 goals in the as of May Goalie: The player who defends the first round 1) Knights. goal and blocks opponents shots of last year’s While they sectional, have shown info from sportspectator.com Grzybek they can hopes to imcompete prove and get past the hurdle of the with teams ranked far ahead of first game. their 46th in state ranking, GrzyFor Ginnodo, another possible bek thinks the Knights sometimes have a tendency to play down to matchup against Barrington is on his mind. weaker opponents in terms of inAccording to Grzybek, the tensity.

“At the very beginning [of the emergence of sophomores Jacob Kosinski, Dan Macina, Carter Belseason], it was very promising. lows and Reidar Erbe have helped Then we hit a bit of a rough patch at spring break,” Grzybek said. out the varsity team by contributing solid minutes.

“But I think we are picking up

BY JACK ANKONY Sports Editor

DRIVE: Sophomore Sam Truppa prepares to shoot in a practice. Truppa is one of the younger players in the program. “I feel like the youngest kid out there,” said sophomore Jacob Kosinski. “Not just because I am, but because everyone is constantly giving me advice and helping me get better because I don’t have the experience they do.” (photo by Cassidy Selep) “They have been huge for us,” Ginnodo said. “Kosinski is actually starting at point, which has been huge for us because we needed to fill that position.”

Culliton thinks the younger players have been developing quickly and have potential to be great players down the road.

Heading into the season, Kosinski wasn’t sure if he would be on varsity, but is now a strong contributor for the Knights. He explains that teammates like Ginnodo and Culliton have helped him become more comfortable during games.

“I feel like the youngest kid out there, not just because I am, but because everyone is constantly giving me advice and helping me get better because I don’t have the experience they do,” Kosinski said.

In Kosinski’s mind, their win against MSL East leading Wheeling showed the team’s potential.

The Knights are 1-1 in their games against Wheeling this season.

“It shows how if we really try and get together, we can play really

do you feel about the success of the team?

Q.How We weren’t that successful last year. This year we’ve just been and playing our best left and right. It has brought the team closer together, and we have developed into playing very A .winning aggressive and very motivated. is it like to be a senior and a leader on the team this Q.What year?

From the start of the season, it was really cool because I knew was going to be a leader on the team. It started when [head A .Icoach Tom] Froats wanted me to be the captain junior year, and then this year he nominated me for a leadership award.

are you hoping to accomplish at Carthage College?

Q.What I want to branch out of my own position. Right now I play outside midfielder and forward, and I want to branch out by an all-time forward or be more confident in my skills in a A .being 1v1 environment. I just want to create bonds with new people.

well as a team,” Kosinski said.

Culliton thinks the team’s defense was key to beating Wheeling.

While playing as a team is a big focus for the Knights, a lot of individual battles are fought during games. According to Ginnodo, water polo is an extremely physical sport with constant physicality between you and your opponent.

“It might not be as physical as football, but it gets to a point where you are basically fighting underwater,” Ginnodo said.

Ginnodo explains that continuous contact, whether it be punching, kicking or grabbing, is almost always allowed as long as it is under water. However, contact above the water can result in a foul or even an ejection.

According to Culliton, water polo is most physical off the ball because the referees do not call fouls in that situation.

The games against New Trier and Naperville North have stood out to Ginnodo as the most physical, mainly because of those team’s high skill levels. Ginnodo thinks

Athlete: Taylor Sliwa Year: Senior Sport: Soccer College: Carthage College

“I think we are picking up steam and heading in the right direction heading into sectionals Steve Grzybek.” head coach these games were also rougher than other games because they were in tournaments, where referees tend to be more lenient with foul calls.

As conference season ends, the team is now focusing on finishing the season strong. Grzybek thinks the key to a successful end of the season is consistent intensity against every team they play.

“We’ve been improving, but we’ve had some bumps on the way where we have underestimated teams, but overall we have potential to beat good teams,” Kosinski said.