Prospector Issue #8 2010-11

Volume 50, Issue 8

Friday, April 8, 2011

TheVoice of Prospect since 1960

ROSPECTOR

Most teenagers are familiar with pop artists like Ke$ha or Lady Gaga, but some indie artists like Regina Spektor are a highlight of the music scene, too.

For a take on lesserknown artists, see...

Entertainment, page 12

801 West Kensington Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056

Looking to the bright side It’s often easier to look at the glass half empty rather than half full. But being positive can be more helpful than one might expect. For an opinion on !"#$%#&#'(!)$*+$ optimism, turn to...

Going green

Opinion, page 6

Adventures in rap music A lot of teenagers like rap music with artists like Eminem and Jay­Z topping the charts, but senior Zac O’Hara doesn’t just listen to rap — he writes it.

For more on O’Hara and his experience recording rap music, check out...

Features, page 7

The struggle to lose weight In a society that emphasizes physical beauty, some go to extreme lengths in an attempt to lose weight, even when it may not necessarily be healthy. For a look at weight and the healthy ways to lose it, see...

In­Depth, pages 8­9

Photo by Ian Magnuson

School copes with sudden tragedy, sophomore’s death

By Gina O’Neill and Kate Schroeder Copy Editor and Editor-in-Chief Sophomore Jack Gavin was at volleyball practice last year, “screwing around” with his friends, when he hit freshman and JV coach Dan Puglisi purposely in the head with a volleyball.

According to Gavin’s friend, sophomore and teammate Adrian Wojtowicz, Puglisi then made Gavin run about 30 laps around the gym. Later, when Gavin hit him once again, on accident this time, he didn’t even wait for Puglisi to punish him.

“He just got up and started run-

for Gavin

ning,” Wojtowicz said. “We were all laughing.”

“He definitely was the comedian of the team,” Puglisi said. “Our team photo was supposed to be serious faces, and he was the one kid smiling. During practices, he would be the kid that would run to the ball cart and knock all the balls down. [He would] just create laughs.”

Over spring break, on Thursday, March 24, Gavin didn’t show up to morning volleyball practice. According to assistant varsity boys’ volleyball coach Daria Schaffeld, a couple of his friends and teammates tried calling him, figuring he had just overslept.

But 30 minutes into practice, Assistant Principal Greg Minter came into the gym to give the coaches a message, with varsity coach Mike Riedy as the first recipient. Schaffeld saw Riedy crouch down and put his head in his hands.

At that point, the team was informed there had been a serious, life-threatening car accident involving Gavin early that morning, around 12:40 a.m. Thirty minutes after the first message, Minter and Assistant Principal for Student Services Lee Stanley returned, relaying the tragic news that Gavin had died.

“First was ... shock,” Puglisi said.

“Riedy told me, and he was already choking up, [but] as I first heard the name come across, it didn’t really register. After 30 seconds or a minute, then that’s when my eyes started welling up, just thinking, ‘Jack’s not here.’

“It was a lot of tears from the coaches. ... When we told the team all together, a few of them started crying at that point; a couple of them got up and started walking away crying.”

After Gavin’s death, the student

See GREEN, page 3

The long road to graduation day Prospect goes extra mile to keep students in school

By Sharon Lee and Maddie Conway Associate Editor-in-Chief and Executive News Editor Fifth-year senior Kevin Neubauer came to Prospect last year out of his element: new to the environment — and the inevitable idea he would not graduate with his class.

Neubauer, then a senior who had already gone to two other high schools, had previously failed a couple classes and couldn’t start at Prospect first semester because he had moved to the district too late. Because of that late start into his year at Prospect, he wasn’t able to graduate with the senior class last year.

But instead of dropping out of Prospect when he failed to get his diploma, Neubauer stayed in school, and in May, he’ll finally get it — because, he said, of the support he’s received from Prospect.

More than at his past schools, Neubauer said students and staff at Prospect encouraged him to finish high school because they really do want to help him graduate.

To help students like Neubauer walk across the stage on graduation day, the school goes to great lengths to keep students in school, contributing to Prospect’s high graduation rate — 98 percent for the class of 2010.

With 21 credits combined in certain subject areas needed to earn a diploma, graduating, according to Dean Dr. Patricia Tedaldi-Monti, isn’t as easy as one might expect. If students don’t keep track of their credits, it’s easy to fall short of that “magic number” of 21.

Even so, students running into issues with graduating is an “infrequently occurring phenomenon,” she said.

Prospect’s approach to helping students graduate on time begins from the day they start high school — not when they fall behind in their classes as upperclassmen, according

See DIPLOMA, page 2

Photo courtesy of Tom Brennan With a tsunami in Japan in March, the world has felt the impact of natural disaster this past month — and so has Prospect. An earthquake hit former English teacher Tom Brennan’s hometown in Christland, New Zealand (above), on Feb. 22.

For the full story, see Features, page 11

2 NEWS

Friday, April 8, 2011

Prospect goes bald for cancer !A LITTLE OFF THE TOP: Seventeen teachers got their heads shaved for cancer research on March 31, including Daniel Kim (left) and Paul Schoenbeck (right). (Photos by Ian Magnuson)

By Andrew Revord News Editor No, St. Baldrick isn’t a real saint, but Prospect still celebrated his day. Held on St. Patrick’s Day, St. Baldrick’s Day is a chance for volunteers to shave their heads while benefiting kids with cancer.

With the event now held at Prospect by service club coordinator David Jacobson, it wasn’t just the boys’ track and field team who shaved their heads this year. An additional 23 students and 17 teachers participated.

For $10, students got a St. Baldrick’s T-shirt and a parent permission form to shave their heads during lunch hours on Friday, March 17.

As part of the event, seventh-hour classes collected money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The six classes that

raised the most money each chose from a list of 20 male teachers to have his head shaved during the March 31 assembly.

According to Jacobson, Prospect raised just over $2,500.

He said it was Spanish teacher Mike Aldworth who “put the bug” in his ear about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

“Without him, I don’t know if we would have actually done [St. Baldrick’s events at Prospect],” Jacobson said. “He was pretty much the inspiration.”

Aldworth was involved with the foundation at Naperville North High School, where he previously taught.

While there, he learned the police liaison’s son had recovered from cancer, and a few teachers participated in the event out of solidarity. At first, only a couple staff members participated, but the numbers grew every year. By Aldworth’s third year of participating

in the event at Naperville North, 38 students and 16 teachers shaved their heads, and they raised $35,000.

Senior Pat Moran learned about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation from his dad, who in turn discovered it through his work.

“Everyone should be aware of this,” Moran said. “All the donations are necessary because [cancer] could be curable with enough money.”

Moran and his family now donate to the foundation, which, according to St. Baldrick’s representative Diana Cortez, receives many donations from schools, particularly in the Chicagoland area.

Previously, Prospect donated to Pennies for Patients, which supported the Leukemia Society. Jacobson said fundraising for Pennies for Patients was getting “a bit stale,” so they wanted to try something new.

Jacobson said interest has been slow

to catch on for St. Baldrick’s. He blames limited incentive for students to participate.

Next year, he plans on getting the word out earlier and coming up with an additional reward for the highest-raising class, such as a pizza party.

Moran thinks having the students shave their heads in a more public place would also help raise awareness and participation. He also thinks there should be alternative ways to participate. Some of his friends were willing to donate to the foundation but not shave their heads.

Aldworth is excited about the increased attention St. Baldrick’s has received this year but hopes students will play a bigger role in the event instead of teachers.

“I think with a little more of a push, we can do more than [what we’ve been doing],” Aldworth said.

DIPLOMA: More students graduate with school’s help CONTINUED from front page to Principal Kurt Laakso, and programs to support students are set in place to help them succeed.

According to counselor Colleen Carroll, with the 21-credit goal in mind, counselors keep an eye on students’ progression throughout their four years.

Ideally, freshmen should have a total of five credits, sophomores 10 and so on, and when there’s an inconsistency, counselors address the problem then.

Response to Intervention (RTI) Coordinator Dan Puglisi, who helps organize the school’s approach to students’ struggles, emphasized that the school doesn’t wait to intervene when students have problems in their classes, instead taking action as early as the first quarter of freshman year.

“We [try to] respond to [any problems] a little quicker,” Puglisi said. “[We don’t say], ‘Hey, this kid failed freshman year. Now we have to try to do something sophomore year.’ It’s more proactive versus [a] wait-and-fail model.”

There are several options for helping those students. Counselors may suggest the student drop an elective for a study hall, and after that, there are more structured programs to intervene (see

A helping hand).

The school takes extra care to make students feel comfortable at Prospect in other ways as well. Tedaldi-Monti said they go out of their way to get reluctant students to come to class — even, in some cases, by making a home visit if inconsistent attendance persists.

“We’ll say, ‘Please,’ almost begging, saying, ‘Please, come to school,’” Tedaldi-Monti said. “We can’t help you if you’re not here.

“But it’s easy to [stay home] — and everything is an excuse. [Students who don’t want to go to school] are not going to come on Friday because it’s a short day; they’re not going to come Thursday because it’s late arrival. Every day could be a reason, [but] you have to come to school.”

For some students, though, the traditional classroom environment may not be ideal. For students who have trouble reaching their full potential at Prospect, there are other options, including the alternative school Vanguard and night classes at Rolling Meadows High School, which are offered by the district.

Another option for students is the Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED), which is a five-section test that takes

A HELPING HAND Prospect offers several programs to help students keep up with their academics, including guided study for freshmen and sophomores.

Response to Intervention (RTI) Coordinator Dan Puglisi said guided study is a more intense, teacher-led study hall that addresses habits of work that students may be lacking, including organizational skills and study habits.

There are also programs to recover from past failures and make up lost credit.

Other than summer school, the after-school program Credit Recovery helps !"#$%&#'(#)"'(*"#+,-()!-#"(!),.,'/(&)-%(0"(1'/.,$%(2"$-($#&#$-#"3(1'/.,$%(-#)*%#"( Nicole Warren said it helps students learn the basic skills they missed.

For schoolwork, Student Services offers Saturday Academy. Students can go into school on some Saturday mornings to work with teachers for extra help.

Junior Maddy Mazanek, who has gone in for math, said getting one-on-one )--#'-,0'(!"0&()(-#)*%#"(,$()(4#'#2-(0!(-%#(5"0/")&3(6-7$(/"#)-(-0($##8($%#($),+8( that faculty are willing to spend their weekends helping students.

!STUDY BUDDY: Students get help at Saturday Academy on April 2. Saturday Academy is one of several programs offered to keep students on track academically. (Photo by Ian Magnuson) the place of a high school diploma.

According to Carroll, very few Prospect students take the GED in place of graduating. But some do, including former student Lexi Conklin, who withdrew from school in the fall for medical reasons. She is planning to take the GED test in May and go on to Harper College to take nursing classes.

Conklin said the biggest difference between high school classes and the GED is how independent her studying has to be.

“I have to force myself [to study],” Conklin said. “You have to take more responsibility for yourself than if you were taking classes for school.”

She said the process of getting her GED is just as difficult as taking high school classes, just in a less traditional format.

“A lot of people have a [misconception] that if you don’t go the traditional route, like finishing high school, then life’s over,” Conklin said. “You can still go out and have the career aspirations that you want to.”

But even with options like the GED, most students find success at Prospect, which Laakso said is partly a result of the school’s high-achieving culture.

Carroll said the support for education in the community is key to the school’s success.

“It’s normal here to want to do well,”

Carroll said. “We don’t have to convince kids that high school’s important. They already believe it.”

At conferences with other schools, Puglisi noticed the difference between some other schools and Prospect with all the resources Prospect has to support students. He has even received comments from other educators like, “Wow, I wish I was at your school.”

“Every teacher [at Prospect] I’ve ever come in contact with [has] always been supportive — always said they can do whatever they can to help [students] out,” Puglisi said. “I’ve never had a teacher say, ‘I have to leave at 2:50 [p.m.] because that’s when the day is over.’

Every teacher is willing to stay after, willing to give extra help during lunch hours, before or after school.

“I think we’re at the top of our game — kind of a leader — in terms of all the different programs that we offer and all the support that’s there.”

Neubauer said the support he’s received from the staff has made a huge difference, especially from his counselor, Dustin Seemann, who helped him enroll at Harper. Without all that support, Neubauer said he may not have made it to graduation.

“I’ve never had people really care for me like this,” Neubauer said. “They actually want me to graduate. They don’t want to shove me out of school.”

NEWS 3

Friday, April 8, 2011

GREEN: Friends, family show support after tragedy CONTINUED from front page

BOYS DO CRY

body came together to remember him, creating support groups like “Green for Gavin” and black T-shirts — made by the boys’ volleyball team — with his number, seven, on the back. Instead of the administration spearheading these programs, students are taking the lead not only to help each other cope but also to pay tribute to his memory.

After Gavin’s friends had talked about his favorite color green, sophomore Christine Hood’s first idea was to make “Green for Gavin” T-shirts and send out a message to Jack’s Memorial — a group on Facebook — and the faculty to wear green on Monday, March 28. Hood also organized a picture with Principal Kurt Laakso for all who wore green that day after school in the field house.

“On Monday, I can’t remember not seeing someone wearing green,” said sophomore Ali Preissing, who was friends with Gavin.

“Everyone wore it in support — even if they didn’t know him.”

Sophomore Maggie Devereux sold green wristbands Jack Gavin for $3 that say, “Always in our hearts” and “3.24.2011.” All the profits from the bands go to the Jack Gavin Memorial Fund. All the money going to the fund — set up by friends of the family — is

When assistant varsity boys’ volleyball coach Daria Schaffeld heard at morning volleyball practice that sophomore Jack Gavin had died on Thursday, March 24, she knew she would not be coaching the boys on serves, hits and bumps.

“We talked to the boys about the importance of mourning to whatever extent they needed — whether they knew him or not,” Schaffeld said.

“You need to cry, and it’s OK to cry, especially with guys.”

Schaffeld knows that it is atypical to see adolescent boys who are able to open themselves up when they are emotional. “[You need to] allow yourself to feel whatever emotions you are [feeling],” Schaffeld said. “Whether it’s anger,* whether it’s sadness [or] whether it’s fear, there is no wrong emotion.” to help the Gavins pay for funeral costs.

“It was important to do something as a group together to show Jack how much we all cared and to show each other how much we cared,” Hood said. “[The team] banded together,” said World History teacher Dave Schnell, who had Gavin in class. “They’re relying on each other pretty well. They’re being remarkable.”

“I have been so impressed with our community, students, staff and parents in their display of support in their solidarity,” Laakso said. “It is amazing to see so many people pulling together, doing the right thing and grieving in a

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! DEEP­ROOTED GRIEF: Friends and family decorated a memorial for sophomore Jack Gavin, who died in a car accident early morning on Thursday, March 24 due to bad weather conditions. The car slid on black ice into this tree. Gavin’s classmates wore green T­shirts in honor of Gavin’s memory on Monday, March 28. (Photo by Ian Magnuson) way that is genuine and sincere. I see Hoffman and asked him if they could them grieving together to help each oth- dedicate this volleyball season to Gavin, er make sense of [the tragedy] as much and Hoffman told him they would.

Laakso also attended the wake, spoke as possible, and I see them being availwith the Gavin family and witnessed able for those most in need.”

The volleyball team also wanted to the support the family was receiving.

“I couldn’t believe how thoughtful actively remember Gavin. Senior and varsity volleyball captain Dan Hoffman and courageous they were so soon afwas particularly shaken up after hear- ter the tragedy,” Laakso said. “It was a ing the news of Gavin’s death. Hoffman tremendous of display family unity and had seen the accident when coming support from friends and community. It home the night before but did not know was inspiring despite the fact that the display was occurring in the context of who was involved in it.

One teammate who was close to Gavin a devastating tragedy.”

The initial reaction of the whole asked Hoffman if the team could make T-shirts in remembrance of Gavin, school was shock, especially due to the recent death of and Hoffman orsophomore Steganized ordering ven Taylor. Wojtothe T-shirts with FOR THE LOVE wicz pinned it as Schaffeld. Along OF THE GAME “surreal.” Hood with the T-shirts, said she didn’t Hoffman brought According to freshman and believe it was in markers to an JV volleyball coach Dan Puglisi, real either, but optional practice sophomore Jack Gavin worked hard when she finally on Friday for all and played club in the offseason to believed it true, it of the program make this year’s JV team. was “emotional, to write “RememGavin died on Thursday, March 24 sad, draining and ber” on their left in a car accident. As a member of the not fair.” shoe and “Jack volleyball program, Gavin was known “ G o i n g No. 7” on their as a funny, outgoing teammate and for through two right. They also his love for volleyball. “[He was] a kid who just loves to be deaths in the wrapped tape around volleyball,” Puglisi said. “He same class in around their finlived and breathed volleyball.” less than three gers with Gavin’s months is really number on it. difficult because “The boys inspired all those things,” Schaffeld said. everyone is saying [that] no one should “The boys really came together. That’s be going through a loss [like this] at our really how they felt: like they needed to age,” Preissing said.

Hood feels the tragedy called for stumourn together and to be there for each other. It was interesting to watch as the dents to be strong and take an active coaches kind of stood back and let them role in remembering Gavin.

“We all had to grow up really fast,” do their thing. We were passive particiHood said. “It’s really scary because pants in it — we didn’t run it.”

The varsity team also decided to some people haven’t been through these participate in the Buffalo Grove tour- situations in their lives.”

“Even if you weren’t close to the pernament on Saturday, March 26, even though they were still mourning son, you still experience it,” Preissing Gavin’s death. According to the team, said. “It still affects you. It changes you — I guess for the better — because you Gavin would have wanted them to play.

“Every time I went back to serve, realize that life is short.”

Hood agreed, adding that people I thought of him because we had his name on our fingers,” Hoffman said. “It made amends with others they had not made me play a lot harder. Even though talked to in awhile.

“It hits close to home ... [it] helped us we didn’t do good, we were definitely come closer,” Hood said, “But we also fighting for him.”

The volleyball team decided to go to realized that our friends could be gone Gavin’s wake together. The team signed the next day.”

“At the beginning, it seems like it’s several volleyballs that laid on the casket at the funeral home for the family, always going to be negative,” Preissing and Schaffeld rented vans to drive the said. “In the long run, you gain somefreshman, JV and varsity teams to the thing out of it: knowledge [and] life lesfuneral home together as a program. sons — not to be cautious with life but One of Gavin’s relatives came up to to appreciate life more.”

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OPINION 5

Friday, April 8, 2011

Forgetting their promises

The Staff MANAGING EDITOR Deanna Shilkus COPY EDITOR Gina O’Neill ASSOCIATE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Sharon Lee Riley Simpson NEWS EDITORS Maddie Conway Jane Berry Andrew Revord OPINION EDITORS Whitney Kiepura Katie Best Nikki Gallup FEATURES EDITORS Megan Maughan Carly Evans Allie Fleming IN-DEPTH EDITORS Emmy Lindfors Jenny Johnson ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Kevin Mallin Tallyn Owens SPORTS EDITORS Maggie Devereux Nick Stanojevic Miranda Holloway PHOTO EDITORS Ian Magnuson Walker Brewer Ali Preissing CARTOONISTS Quinn Blackshere Katie Maigler ADVISER Jason Block Published by students in Journalistic Writing courses, the Prospector has won, most notably, the 2004-05 and 200607 National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker and the Gold Crown from Columbia Scholastic Press Association in 2006.

Mission Statement The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news as well as explain its meaning and sig!"#$%!$&'()')*+'+&%,&+-'%!,'(.&' community. We, the Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide a school forum for the unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions.

Advertising For ad rates, call (847) 7185376 (ask for Deanna Shilkus), fax (847) 718-5306 e-mail or write the Prospector, 801 West Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056, prospectornow@gmail.com.

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Staff Editorial

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kate Schroeder Neel Thakkar

The common man’s opinion of politicians often includes cynicism, skepticism and pessimism. One reason for all of our “isms” is many politicians’ pursuit of their own self-interest, coinciding directly with their inherent desire to get re-elected, and ultimately steering their policies in whatever direction the popular wind is blowing.

The current situation in Libya is the most recent example of a politician winning an election based on one principal but executing another.

President Obama ran a campaign highlighted by anti-Bush policies and helped by the economic collapse taking place in the midst of the campaign.

A main winning point for the Democrats were the blunders that were the Iraq war, Afghanistan war and the entire “blood for oil” concept

many believed had plagued establish a ceasefire and a us for eight years. no-fly zone.

On Feb. 15, protests But in the process of miliagainst Libya’s Muammar tary action, President Obama Gaddafi, who had ruled has abstained from his most Libya for 41 years, began basic campaign promise: to peacefully and followed the use diplomacy and not the success of the Tunisian and military in order to create Egyptian revolutions. peace in the world. It is our

By Feb. 17, the protests responsibility as high school turned to viostudents, and lence all across the future votthe country and ers of America, For Against began calling not to allow this for Gaddafi’s to continue. resignation and We, The the re-estabProspector, belishment of the lieve that poliold constitution Voting results of The Prospector ticians should staff regarding this editorial which preceded stick to their Gaddafi. major camAfter over a month of un- paign promises and not what rest between Gaddafi’s forces will get them re-elected. It is and the rebels, and in effort our job to also hold the electto create a democracy in Lib- ed officials to this standard. ya, Operation Odyssey Dawn After all, if Obama serves began. Odyssey Dawn was an two terms, by the time he is American-created military out of office, most of us will plan to protect civilians and be out of college and starting

31

4

careers, where topics such as the energy crisis, the debt, tax rates, offshoring and oil will become relevant to us and will continue to be used as political footballs.

In addition to only being tossed around, these issues are still not solved and seem to be saved for the future generations to solve. The Social Security bubble, for example, which is so frequently discussed during election season, continues to grow.

When we are the main taxpayers of America in 10 years and the baby boomers are in the middle of retirement, we will feel the crunch, but it will be too late. All will go to waste if we do not force the politicians to actually act on the ideas they present to us.

And two Presidents into the 21st century, it seems blood may still be thicker than water, but it sure doesn’t beat oil.

Disaster drills Japan tragedy should change school ‘s disaster responses Living in the Midwest, it’s hard to imagine the magnitude of the earthquake and resulting tsunami that rocked Japan on March 11. But what we lack in earthquake drills, we make up for with fire drills, tornado drills, blackouts, and lockdowns.

The hardest part of practicing for various types of natural disasters is trying to keep it realistic.

Junior Ken Nakanishi-Stanis experienced such a disaster when he went to Japan to visit relatives a few years back. Nakanishi-Stanis was sitting in a restaurant when a small earthquake rumbled through the town.

“Everyone became Whitney Kiepura very quiet,” NakanishiExecutive Stanis said. “They all just waited to see what Opinion Editor would happen.”

Due to the many earthquake drills the Japanese practice, they were able to keep calm. However, Nakanishi-Stanis, unaccustomed to earthquakes, became much more unnerved.

He said how amazed he was that a whole nation could handle a disaster so successfully. Regarding both the recent tsunami and the tremor that Nakanishi-Stanis experienced, the ability to remain calm is a

Graphic by Ian Magnuson life skill that should be taught in schools.

Due to the fact that the general population of Japan was able to remain calm, a larger number of deaths were avoided (see Playground escape).

If Prospect was faced with a similar disaster, the drills students practice throughout the year would not prepare them well enough to escape catastrophe. The lighthearted, apathetic attitude students have toward the drills ruins the reality a true crisis can bring.

The drills come on a frequent-enough basis that everyone knows to duck into a dark corner if a mysterious person enters the building. If the field house catches on fire, we know how to walk out of the building in a calm and orderly fashion.

But at the same time, during these drills, there seems to be an air of disbelief that anything tragic could actually happen.

The drills we follow are set up by a crisis team. Dean Dr. Patricia Tedaldi-Monti explained that the district comes up with emergency plans based on the layout of each building, and then they try and plan

PLAYGROUND ESCAPE Due to its place at the edge of two tectonic plates, Japan endures about 20 percent of the world’s strong earthquakes. Because of this, the nation annually practices disaster drills like the ones every student experiences at Prospect. Now that some of the chaos has settled down regarding the recent earthquake and tsunami, many tales of bravery are surfacing from the rubble.

One story tells how 562 elementary and middle school students escaped together from their schools. The two schools congregated in their joined playground and then ran a kilometer

together to higher ground. When they believed they were far enough away, they looked behind to see their schools engulfed by the waves.

In their school, students are taught three things: 1. If the ground starts shaking, don’t go back to your house; run to high ground.

2. Don’t necessarily follow the hazard map; examine the current situation, consult with others and make the best

Information courtesy of Japan Subculture Research Center

for any disaster or dilemma that might occur during the drill.

Every time they run a drill, the police and fire department are on site to observe and “to see any glitches in the system,” Tedaldi-Monti said. “As light and jovial as the drills might be, they depend on adults who know what to do.”

The quickest way to dissipate that air of youthful invincibility would be to enter some controlled danger into these drills.

For example, the administration could introduce an “X factor.” This factor would be five to 10 students strategically placed throughout the school who would purposely panic.

They could cause any type of mayhem from running for exits to screaming. Their goal would be simply to see if their actions could effect the whole group. In a disaster, people are more likely to think of their own survival before the group’s safety. So by having students obviously focusing on themselves, it will be a test for the student body to resist the natural urge to escape.

These students would act as sparks to disorder and might throw off the calm atmosphere, just like a real disaster would.

By adding potential chaos, the practice drills would be more realistic compared to when a real disaster does occur.

Although it’s impossible to experience an earthquake and a tsunami this deep into the continent, by channeling a bit of the Joker’s chaos, Prospect could be able to handle one more twist 2012 might throw.

To read about the advantages of procrastination see “Destination Procrastination” And to hear about what it’s really like to be vegetarian see “Vegetarianism” by going to prospectornow. com.

6 OPINION

Friday, April 8, 2011

Transformation to Tigger Optimistic view improves life The characters in Pooh Bear’s 100-acre woods each have talents all their own. Rabbit grows a garden, Pooh eats honey, Roo is curious and Owl is wise.

For me, the traits of Tigger and Eeyore have always hit close to home. Tigger knows what he is good at — he even declares that “bouncing is what Tiggers do best,” but as far as Eeyore is concerned, he is not Miranda Holloway good at anything, never has been Sports Editor and never will be.

As a professor at Carnegie Mellon University pointed out, these two lovable childhood characters are models for two types of personalities (see An inspiration).

In essence, there are two kinds of people. One is someone who is upbeat and energetic: a Tigger. The second is someone who walks around with a rain cloud over his or her head: an Eeyore.

For years, the rain cloud over my head was more like a thunderstorm. I was a bit of a “Debbie Downer.” When we played softball in gym, all I could think was that I would get hit in the face and break my nose. If my family went out for dinner at a new restaurant, I predicted that we would all return with food poisoning.

Looking back, I know why I was such an Eeyore. I was afraid that I would be hurt when life didn’t go my way, and I was certain not to be disappointed if I already expected an unhappy ending to every story.

My attitude got so gloomy that it was beginning to annoy people; they would roll their eyes when I talked about the test I was “definitely going to fail” or shake their heads when I doubted that a situation would work

out for the best.

M y perpetual Eeyore attitude was affecting my friendships, so I began to contemplate a Tigger transformation.

By New Year’s, it was time for a change. My resolution: become more positive. Like most people, I rarely follow through on my New Year’s resolutions. This resolution, however, was destined for greatness.

This transformation was hard but not impossible. Eeyore was part of my attitude, and changing that attitude does not come easily.

“I do believe that people have an innate attitude. But that doesn’t mean that it is determined and that you can’t change it or do anything about it, “ school psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson said. “It takes some focus and takes some time and concentration on yourself ... but I think that people can change pretty dramatically when they want to.”

I had to ease into my reform. At first, I would try to catch myself every time I thought about being outwardly cynical. The fewer negative comments I made, the less pessimistic I began to really feel. I would try to think positively about the tests that had previously stressed me out.

Before I knew it, Tigger had taken over.

It has been about four months since my attitude adjustment, and I’ll be frank: being positive is fun.

The fact that I’m easily amused might have helped, but I find seeing the positive points of a situation make the little joys in life more enjoyable. I used to hate it when my sister would wake me up early during spring break, but this year, I got to make my family French toast.

There are two kinds of people: the upbeat Tigger and the cloudy Eeyore.

AN INSPIRATION In 2007, Carnegie Mellon University Professor Dr. Randy Pausch, a father of three, was dying from pancreatic cancer when he gave a speech and wrote the book The Last Lecture about the importance of having fun and following childhood dreams. Here he made the comparison between Eeyore and Tigger and encouraged others to live life as a Tigger. In his book he claims that being a Tigger will offer a fuller, more enjoyable life.

Unfortunately, Pausch died a year later, but his book spent more than 85 weeks on the New York Times Best-seller list.

To see the Youtube video of Pausch’s speech, check out Prospectornow.com.

Surviving spring break slump *Name has been changed for confidentiality

Cartoons by Nikki Gallup On top of all of this, as strange as it may sound, I feel physically better. In previous years, I had missed a good chunk of school in the winter because I was always getting sick. So far, I have only missed one day.

As it turns out, this is not too crazy. According to the Mayo Clinic, researchers have found that people who are more optimistic have a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, a greater resistance to the common cold and even a longer life span.

Physical health and a better immune system are not the only benefits of having a good attitude.

Emotionally, positive people tend to flourish more than negative ones.

“Everyone is going to have insults or difficult times in their life, and people with a positive attitude tend to bounce back quicker,” KypJohnson said.

But when optimism gets in the way of reality, the approach can become unrealistic. There is a time and a place for an upbeat attitude. Those times do not include: the moment that someone is failing a class the week before finals, the time when someone is still at home the minute before the bell rings or when someone is still doing homework at 4 a.m.

I am, by no means, happy all the time. I would not advise speaking to me before 6:30 a.m., and making me skip lunch is not something I would recommend. Being positive all the time would make me more obnoxious than when I was an Eeyore.

I won’t go as far as saying that being positive makes life easier; it just makes it more fun. What I’m trying to say can be said best by Tigger himself: “The wonderful thing about Tiggers is Tiggers are wonderful things!/ Their tops are made out of rubber/ Their bottoms are made out of springs!/ They’re bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy/ Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!/ But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is/ I’m the only one” But, I’m not the only one, so to all the Tiggers out there: keep on bouncing.

Every year after spring break, a certain kind of apathy sets in for all high school students: spring break slump.

Students stop doing all of their homework, studying for tests and reading their books for English.

And when they do decide that homework is worthy of their time, it happens to be one period before it’s due. Even with the excuse of senioritis, slacking off at the end of the year doesn’t help anyone.

Like everyone else, I fall victim to this slump. Trigonometry homework, Shakespeare, case studies — it’s not that I don’t have time to do them. I just choose not to.

My senioritis takes over, and before I know it, I’m watching “NCIS” and “The Tyra Banks Show” reruns for hours. While these shows Nikki Gallup Opinion Editor do distract me for a while from the stress of how much homework I have, I eventually have to come back to the reality of massive amounts of work and not so massive amounts of time to get it done. And ending the year with a lackluster transcript is the last thing colleges want to see.

Patty West*, a senior, has experienced similar situations.

In her last semester Advanced Composition class, she put off doing her homework for weeks. Admittedly, we’ve all been guilty of the same deed. But, then the progress report was mailed home: F. West wanted to raise her grade, but she put off doing her essay for two weeks when ‘‘plans came up that were more important.’’

West decided to have her friend write her paper for her. Obviously, any senior is aware of the plagiarism policy and wouldn’t risk getting caught, even in an ‘emergency situation’ like this. This attitude of apathy toward schoolwork, especially with seniors, is a recipe for disaster.

This time of the year, seniors are only focused on summer and hanging out with friends.

Like West, most seniors put forth that effort on making plans with friends. I understand the attraction to sitting around and gossiping is much more interesting than reading about Heathcliff and Catherine’s love, but this is not going to help our literature grades.

Rushing through homework is not the best idea for most of us, especially when teachers know how to spot a paper that was done the night before. Teens need about nine hours of sleep each night, according to sleepfoundation. com, but rarely get it.

Because of poor planning skills, students end up doing our their homework when they should be sleeping, which is what I had to do over break.

A smart idea would have been to do homework before break, but I chose to play Pokemon Emerald with a friend instead.

And my grades have suffered the side effects.

Spring break slump: 4. Me: 0.

Spring break slump wins again.

What’s your opinion of Charlie Sheen?

“I think that he has blown a great opportunity because he is obviously a very talented guy, but he has wasted a lot of his talent.

- English teacher Erik Hammerstrom

“He’s stupid.

He has no respect for women, himself or his children.”

- sophomore Carolyn Fujara

“Someone needs to arrest him and forcibly put him in the psych ward.

He’s a threat to America.”

- junior Mary Sullivan

“He embodies the American spirit because he does what he wants. People may disagree with him, but he doesn’t let other people’s opinions ,';<#'*#(=%)-(%#( does. He’s the man.”

- senior Brendan Moriarty

Friday, April 8, 2010

FEATURES 7

Writing rhymes Julie showed her support by purchasing Reason music software, a virtual studio with tools that allow ideas to become music. She also gives him quiet time in the basement in order to record his raps. Yet, his mom wants

By Allie Fleming him to keep the raps clean so that she Features Editor can send them to his grandparents.

When O’Hara decided to start rapWhen senior Luke Bergman heard ping, he used his iPhone to send out that his friend, senior Zac O’Hara, his original songs to his friends. He started to pursue a love for rapping, soon realized that the quality he had Bergman said he wanted on his iPhone was not the same a rap dedicated to him. An quality his friends were receivhour later, Bergman reing. ceived a multimedia text “The quality on my phone is message. He clicked play, terrible, so before the website and for the first time — started, I always listened off but definitely not the last my boy Kevin Miller’s phone,” — he heard “Luke BurgyBergman said. man”: O’Hara’s first origiO’Hara now uses the internal rap about a friend. net to broadcast his songs. He O’Hara’s rapping ca- Senior Zac O’Hara uses the website soundcloud. reer started a few months com — designed for people to ago while listening to the hip-hop upload their music and sounds for group, A Tribe Called Quest. Listen- others to hear — and has his own pering to their music made him question sonal page. if he could rap too.

Bergman further explained that the His mom, Julie O’Hara, said he has website is great because everyone can always been musically creative. In the hear O’Hara’s raps now, and the qualpast, O’Hara only played around with ity is better than his cell phone. He the music and beat aspect; however, also likes the website because the rap now he is adding lyrics to his beats.

“Luke Burgyman” has the most views.

“I think he is just scratching the TOP WEBSITES TO surface right now,” Julie said. “He BROADCAST MUSIC loves music but has no formal training.”

She further explained that she hopes he goes to school to study music and get the formal education he has yet to receive.

“I’m not planning on being a rapper, but if it happens, it happens,” O’Hara said.

Student shares rapping hobby

Tyler Ward is a full-time music producer based out of Denver, Colo. He also publishes his own music via Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Reverbnation, and Myspace, not unlike many teenagers who are aspiring musicians like senior Zac O’Hara. This Q&A interview was conducted via e-mail with the Prospector.

5 4 3 2 1

Info courtesy of articlesbase.com

To listen to Zac’s raps and read about two Prospect students’ experiences with their own YouTube channels, go to prospectornow.com.

College roommate: best friend or worst nightmare?

I’ve only seen her brush her teeth three times since we’ve been living here.”

Her roommate then began to save food from the dining hall, storing it unWhen ‘10 Prospect graduate Katie Fisher was randomly assigned to her der her bed and in her closet. She never roommate at Illinois State University, leaves the room and always lays in bed, she wasn’t concerned. She began talk- taking three naps a day.

“She killed her fish,” Fisher said. ing to her roommate on Facebook be“She poked him fore the school to death with a year started, ROOMSURF straw.” and she warned Horror stories Fisher she was One alternative to searching on such as Fisher’s a homebody and colleges’ Facebook admissions pages are what comdidn’t have a lot is roomsurf.com, an online college pels students to of friends. roommate search engine connected turn to Facebook The only inthrough Facebook. Students can browse or other roomformation Fishfor other incoming freshmen going to their mate search sites er found strange $*%00.()'+($#)"*%(-%#,"(5"02.#$(-0(2'+( so that they can was her roomsomeone with similar interests. Then, avoid the mysmate said most they can message each other to begin tery of a random of her friends talking and decide to room together. roommate. were her old Senior Brie teachers from Kelly found her future roommate, Morhigh school. However, she brushed it off and thought her roommate would gan, on Facebook. After searching on the University of Kansas Class of 2015 “turn out to be a really cool person.”

For the first month, everything page on Facebook, she friend requested seemed fine; they would hang out to- a girl who had posted that she was lookgether, and nothing was going wrong. ing for a roommate.

After that, Kelly and Morgan began After about a month, however, the situtalking on Facebook, discussing what ation took a turn for the worse.

“She stopped showering for week- their hobbies were, how clean or messy long periods of time, and sometimes they were, what they liked to do, when it would go longer,” Fisher said. “And they hung out with their friends and

By Megan Maughan

Executive Features Editor

what they were looking for in a roommate. The girls then exchanged phone numbers and started texting each other instead of talking just on Facebook.

About a week after exchanging numbers, Brie went to go visit the University of Kansas, and since Morgan’s home in Iowa was on the way to the school, Kelly decided to visit her. After that, they decided that if Kelly was sure that she wanted to go to Kansas, then they would room together.

“It’s almost pathetic how much we talk. We Facebook message every day; we write on each other’s walls, [and] she’ll text me every day,” Kelly said.

“She was in Cancun and just brought me back a shirt and mailed it to me, and we send letters. It’s pretty cool.”

Because of the good experience Kelly had with finding a roommate, she always advises other seniors to look for

Cartoon by Quinn Blackshere one online as opposed to going completely random.

“I think that choosing random is scary because once you get that roommate, you’re kind of stuck — even if she’s really rude or steals your stuff,” Kelly said. “I like how I’m able to know Morgan and got to basically choose someone who I knew that I’d get along with really well.”

Fisher agrees that finding a roommate online beforehand might have helped her in getting a roommate who she would have gotten along with better, but she doesn’t think that’s a guarantee.

“If you meet someone on Facebook, you can kind of get a feel of what they’re like, but you can’t know everyone,” Fisher said. “It’s completely different once you’re actually living with someone.”

8 IN-DEPTH

Friday, Apr

The Prospector takes a look at the pitfalls and successes of teenage weight loss

Weight lo

Lofty perception of perfection them looking for a quick fix. Pearlman said he always gives them the same answer: losing weight is a long-term change.

“The process of losing weight is really a lifestyle change,” Pearlman said. “[Diet supplements] directly contradict that mentality. They make it seem like losing weight is an easy fix, and it’s not.

You have to change your entire lifestyle to

By Sharon Lee effectively lose weight.”

Associate Editor-in-Chief Ledger has, in a way, changed her lifestyle. She bought a pill called HydroxyAll senior Kelsey Ledger wanted was cut from Walgreens, which recommends to “look good” in a bikini for the summer. taking six pills a day. Ledger takes two However, with only three months left till pills 30 minutes before each meal. She summer break, she decided to turn to a also works out at least three times a week quicker alternative for losing weight. while taking the pills in order to lose Ledger had looked into diet pills last weight faster because the pills speed up year, but because she was not dedicated her metabolism, allowing her to burn enough to taking them, they didn’t work calories faster. for her. But this year, Ledger decided to Ledger said it is a pain to have to refully commit herself to taking the pills member to take the pills every day, but every day because she believes that los- she never misses her intake. ing weight will bring her closer to achievAccording to Pearlman, diet pills and ing the “ideal body shape” and make her other supplements may be effective in more confident in herself. losing the weight, but Similar to Ledger, many the chances of mainDIET PILL RISKS girls do not have confitaining that weight dence in their body image. loss is very low. Ad-Anxiety or nervousness According to healthyplace. ditionally, the risks -Insomnia and a feeling com, 75 percent of “northat come with these of restlessness or mal” weight women think supplements are sev-Hyperactivity they are overweight, and eral — from physical -High blood pressure 90 percent of women over-Tightness in the chest to psychological (see estimate their body size.

-Heart attack Diet pill risks).

PE teacher Brent Pearlman “Any time you’re Information courtesy of teenvogue.com said this is mostly a result altering the way your of society. body works, there are “There are mirrors everywhere,” thousands of dangers,” Pearlman said.

Pearlman said. “You constantly see yourLedger said she has extensively reself. You have a lot of feedback on how searched the risks of Hydroxycut — even you look. I think that’s probably creating learning of the death of a 19-year-old boy even more self-consciousness and more who had taken Hydroxycut — but she is motivation to achieve the ‘optimal look.’” willing to take those risks.

Because of this, Pearlman has encoun“I’m a little more overweight than tered many students who have asked for most people, so because of that, I will do advice on how to lose weight, most of what it takes to be fitter,” Ledger said.

Students use go to great lengths for ‘perfect body ‘

“Whatever it takes, I’ll do, just so I’ll fit in and be happy with myself. I’m not confident right now.”

Senior Tracy Vadakumchery also works out in order to get more fit and “tone up” because she wants to be able to fit into the clothing that she sees “skinny models” wearing through online clothing websites like Forever 21.

“I think, unfortunately, there’s a specific body image that has become the standard for what [people] should look like,” Pearlman said. “I don’t think it’s necessarily achievable for all people ... [but that’s] what we see most often.

“A lot of what we see has been touched up. There’s things they can do techno-

logically to make people look a lot better than they do look.”

Vadakumchery understand this, and although she said she “has been affected by society,” she is working to achieve the body type that she is comfortable with.

“I definitely don’t have the perfect body,” Vadakumchery said. “People say I’m skinny, but when I look in the mirror, I see a lot of other imperfections that other people don’t see, but that’s how everyone is. When they look at themselves in the mirror, they see stuff that other people won’t take a magnifying glass and look at.”

In order to achieve the body she wants, Vadakumchery works out consistently,

CELEBRITIES’ WAYS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT Besides working out in her selfdefense class, junior Urszula Tyl enjoys using “The Biggest Loser” trainer Jillian Michaels’ workout videos.”

“The workouts were pretty intense,” Tyl said. “They made you actually feel the burn in the legs, arms and abs.”

Tyl found the workout to be “helpful,” but she also discovered they are only effective if “you stick to them” and are really focused on strengthening your arms, abs and legs: the main targets of the videos.

Due to the lack of adequate physical activity during the day — about 29 percent of the United States population are lacking according to the Centers for Disease Control — people around the country are keen on keeping thin and active. Celebrities are one of the main groups of people who are following suit.

Celebrities like Heidi Klum have created exercise videos, written books on exercising and eating healthy and have used their name on labels for weight-loss and/or exercise products.

Michaels is one of many celebrities that has her own workout videos and

programs. Even though Michaels has an advantage when it comes to knowing what techniques work effectively– since her claim to fame is a celebrity trainer – Michaels still uses her ')&#(-0(,'*"#)$#(5"02-$(0'(-%#(>,+#0$3( Viewers have seen her work on “The Biggest Loser” and have a hope that it will help them, too.

In PE classes at Prospect, like Martial Arts, workout videos are a main 5)"-(0!(2-'#$$(+)?$3(@)"0'(A)"'$-#,'( teaches Martial Arts, and he doesn’t use videos that feature celebrities.

When deciding what videos to use, Marnstein will work out to it on his own.

He chooses videos that he feels his $-<+#'-$(=,..(4#'#2-('0(&)--#"(=%0(,$( in them.

“I ask myself, ‘Is this a good workout, or is someone trying to just make money off of it?’” Marnstein said.

“It doesn’t really depend on who’s doing the work out ... it matters how good [of a workout out] it is.”

–Emmy Lindfors

Workout Regulars 1) Cura gets ready to work out by stretching out his muscles.

2) Then he heads over to the weight machines to strengthen his up‐ per body.

3) After that, Cura heads over to the free weights to further enhance his upper body strength.

4) Cura ends his workout by stretching out his muscles.

Prospect’s fitness perception

62

Junior Jon Cura and sophomore Molly Driscoll are part of the 31 percent of students who regularly use Prospect’s Fitness Center. However, Driscoll a n d Cura have created their own workouts.

To read more about Driscoll, Cura and other stu‐ dents who regularly use Prospect’s Fitness Center, go to Prospectornow.com.

Photos by Ian Magnuson

percent of students are not comfortable with their body

Based on a Prospector survey of 231 students

1) Driscoll starts out her workout with a one‐mile run on the treadmill.

2) Next Driscoll loosens up by stretch‐ ing.

3) Driscoll then strengthens her core by doing crunches on the medi‐ cine ball.

4) Finally !"#$%&''()*#$+,$( her workout by lifting weights.

61

percent of stu dents makes an effort to work out outside of gym

61

percent of students say they practice healthy eating habits

IN-DEPTH 9

ril 8, 2011

DO’S AND DONT’S FOR LOSING WEIGHT HEALTHILY

oss woes

- Have a balance between exercise and eating healthy foods.

-Cardiovascular activities (i.e. elliptical and biking).

-Watch how the food is prepared.

-Replace sodas and juices with water.

-Walk more than 30 minutes throughout each day.

-Take less food than you think you need. You can always go back for seconds, but you’re likely to eat everything that is in front of you — even if you aren’t hungry.

-Eat 90 percent of your meals at home.

-Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice BC$#($5,*?(;)>0",'/$3((D0<"(40+?(

DO:

Graphic by Emmy Lindfors

DON’T:

-Eat “empty calories,” found in food that lacks nutritional value.

-Consume grease, sugars and precooked meals, like TV dinners.

-Resort to a crash diet (anything less than 1,500 calories a day).

-Keep clothes that are too big.

Staying a smaller size so you don’t have to buy new clothes is a big incentive.

-Buy coffee from store chains. Make your own coffee.

-Drink whole milk. Instead, drink two percent or low fat milk.

-Eat with a large group.

-Cut carbs and eat tons of meat.

-Drink lots of caffeine.

Information courtesy of health teacher Cristen Sprenger

Athletes mold bodies to meet sports’ demands By Jenny Johnson In-Depth Editor When senior Joe Randazzo was in middle school, he and his fellow football players, seniors Anthony Babicz, Steve Dazzo, Grant DePalma, Zach Lewis and Beau Zanca watched many Prospect football games together. The six of them set a goal that when they were in high school and on the team, they would win a state

championship. mind about quitting wrestling,” In order to achieve this goal, Randazzo said. “I can’t imagine Randazzo had to pack on weight not wrestling these next four over the spring and summer. He years at college.” ended up going from 150 to 170 Similarly, freshman Gianna pounds at the beginning of this Scala has been in gymnastics football season. Unfortunately, since she was in first grade and the playoff game against Lake started competing in fourth Zurich ended that dream as the grade. players walked off the field for “When I started competing the last time. is when I realized I wouldn’t However, Randazzo had a give up the sport for anything,” new goal he needed to focus on: Scala said. lose about 20 pounds in 12 days By the time Scala got into to get ready for the wrestling high school, she was competing season. The pressure to lose in four events: bars, floor, vault weight in such high amounts is and beam. In regionals, she got likely the greatest in wrestling, first in bars and floor and secbut most athletes face it in some ond for vault and all-around form. gymnasts.

Wrestling demanded a lot Gymnastics head coach Ranof Randazzo, making him lose dy Smith describes gymnasts as much more than the recom- “lean, short and probably the mended two to three pounds per strongest athletes out there.” week, according to a study by Scala fits the gymnastics stethe Massachusetts Institute of reotype perfectly. She maintains Technology. However, Randazzo her skinny, yet healthy, body at has lost weight rapidly before the weight of for wrestling 110 pounds since he has while havbeen involved ing strong in the sport muscles to since freshman help her in year. events that “During footshe competes ball season, I in. Still, muleat everything,” tiple body Randazzo said. types can “When it comes succeed in to wrestling, I the sport. have to eat re“ F o r ally healthy and shorter and in small pormore mus-senior Joe Randazzo tions. It’s a huge cular girls, change.” it is easier While preparing for the hy- for power [when competing on dration test — the pre-season floor while] taller girls are more weigh-in for wrestlers — Ran- graceful,” said Scala, who fits dazzo would only eat once the first category. or never during the day and When preparing for a meet, wouldn’t even touch food on any Scala makes sure she takes in weigh-in day during the season. a lot of carbs. She also makes Randazzo succeeded in his sure she “eats a big breakfast goal and morphed into the and a sandwich before the meet sport’s compact, muscular body but not too much food that type. Despite the sacrifice, Ran- would get me sick.” dazzo plans to continue wresEndurance also plays a sigtling at Indiana University next nificant role in competition. year.

According to Smith, endurance “I never had any doubt in my is built up throughout the sea-

“During football season I eat everything. When it comes to wrestling, I have to eat really !"#$%!&'(((')%*+'#'!,-"' change.”

12

percent of students believe they are overweight

67

percent of students read nutrition labels

10 FEATURES Metropolis supports young performers

Friday, April 8, 2011 !

FUNNY LIKE A CLOWN: Guided study instructor, Nate Weatherup, performs stand up at Zanie’s, a popular comedy club. Weatherup performs regularly at all of the Zanie’s locations.

(Photo courtesy of Nate Weatherup)

By Deanna Shilkus Managing Editor Tom Manetti took over as President of the Metropolis Ballroom in 2006 and soon after got an idea. Downtown Arlington Heights had been redeveloped and revitalized, and he felt it was time for a change in the entertainment area.

He started a program for youth, eventually transforming into a new division for “On stage at the Metropolis Ballroom,” a series of planned, live entertainment events that are scheduled through the spring and summer.

The new outreach program for young musicians will be a part of “On stage at the Metropolis Ballroom” in that young students from around the area will be the opening acts for professional performers who are scheduled to play at the ballroom.

The program has just started, and all students interested in joining must be in either junior high or high school. These local area students will use their talents in either playing in a band, singing or playing their instruments; they could even do comedy.

According to Manetti, there are already seven to eight shows booked with students to perform the opening acts. They currently have about one show per month.

Jessie Bolash, who graduated from Prospect in December, will be performing at the ballroom on May 21.

She is looking forward to her performance because she is hoping this experience will jumpstart a career in musical arts for her someday.

“Being a classical voice major, I sing nonstop,” Bolash said.

In order for the students to be able to perform, Manetti or his talent manager holds auditions.

They will cast the deciding vote on who will perform in the program.

Manetti is making sure to invite the press and talent agents to the shows as well.

As far as his goals for the program, Manetti hopes to give students a chance to interact with professional musicians and allow them to learn more about pursuing a career in music.

“Any experience in front of paying customers is a good experience for students who want to get into the performing arts,” Manetti said.

Photo courtesy of Metropolis Ballroom

life that were funny, Seinfeld would “notice things that were just askew” and Carvey was “that crazy guy.”

Weatherup wanted to combine the three stars’ humor into an intelligent and edgy comedian.

“I always wanted to be that crazy guy on stage,” Weatherup said. “But I’m not — don’t worry.”

Instead, Weatherup focuses on more ordinary topics. Weatherup’s material mainly consists of school experiences and sometimes even jokes about Prospect. The jokes about Prospect are light-hearted and occasionally are about some of his experiences substitute teaching. is quite the opposite.

But, more often than not, his “[In high school], I never want- material is about his experiences ed attention, but now I crave it,” in school versus how school is now.

Weatherup said. “I finally started Other material includes his stories to realize: If everybody doesn’t love of family. Weatherup grew up in Deme, I don’t care.” troit, but his parents are from AlaOne aspect of comedy Weatherup bama. wasn’t expecting was the way the “I said ‘y’all’ all the time,” WeathZanie’s manager lectured him and erup said. “Until I realized I was in his fellow comeDetroit.” dians. One day Despite more the owner sat HOW TO GET AN than half of his down all of the jokes being about AUDIENCE TO new performers his family, WeathLAUGH and told them erup still has a not to expect strong relationStep one: Be universal. Have people to just ship with his parall different types of jokes and offer them teleents. material in order to appeal to a vision appearAfter a perwider demographic. ances or roles. formance one Despite what night, Weatherup Step two: Don’t tell your life the owner had found out there story. The audience isn’t there said, within had been a critic to learn; they are there to laugh. the next week, in the crowd. He Weatherup rewent online and Step three: Make what is funny ceived an unexsaw a review writto you funny to the audience. pected call. The ten about him. The Bring them into your life, but call was from a review praised don’t cross the line. casting director Weatherup as the who had seen highlight of the Weatherup pernight. For Weathform. She was interested in hav- erup, it was “the nicest thing anying him audition for Fox’s “Rais- one has ever said.” Immediately ing Hope.” Of course, Weatherup after, Weatherup called his mother. jumped at the chance for a headlin“I was like ‘Mom! Someone wrote ing role on a new sitcom. an awesome review about me,’” and “Clearly the audition went too she said, ‘Oh, well you still owe me well because I’m not on it now,” money for college,’” Weatherup Weatherup joked. said.

Even as a child, Weatherup was Juggling two jobs isn’t easy, but interested in comedy. Weatherup Weatherup says he’s doing what he would listen to tapes and watch loves. The combination of jobs can’t stand up with his dad. The most last forever; Weatherup will eventucommon comedians he would watch ally have to choose between his two were Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld and loves — stand up and teaching.

Dana Carvey.

“Teaching is a blast,” Weatherup Weatherup explains they all had said, “but comedy is a dream. It’s different types of comedy but were like someone asking you, ‘Would all equally humorous. Cosby was you rather do a job you love or be a more into telling stories from his millionaire?’”

n line to headline Teacher pursues dream career in stand-up comedy

By Carly Evans Features Editor In a small, dark comedy club, a voice streamed across the crowd introducing a new, young comedian. Guided study instructor Nate Weatherup was waiting anxiously: He walked toward the stage and then held the microphone. The first joke — no one laughed. Second joke — silence.

“But then, [after] the next joke, the whole room laughed, and I knew I was stuck [doing comedy],” Weatherup said.

Ever since that night, Weatherup has been performing as often as possible. Most of his performances are at one of the three locations of Zanie’s, a popular comedy club in Vernon Hills, Chicago and St. Charles.

Other than being a comedian, Weatherup is a Guided study instructor and runs the Literacy Center after school. Occasionally, Weatherup will substitute for a teacher in need.

Weatherup’s current experience at Prospect is different than when he was in high school. Weatherup wasn’t the “class clown” everyone assumes he was. He was actually extremely quiet and shy.

“I never wanted to say something I thought was hilarious and then [have] everybody shun me,” Weatherup said.

Rather than risking the potential embarrassment, Weatherup would resort to telling his jokes to his friends after class. Now, Weatherup

Who Knows You Better?

This issue, the Prospector interviews senior Brittany Wils’ boyfriend, senior Zach Lewis, and best friend, senior Lisa Benway, to see who knows Brittany better.

What is Brittany’s favorite restaurant?

! Olive Garden

What is Brittany’s English class this semester?

!

What is Brittany’s sister’s middle name?

!

What color was Brittany’s prom dress last year?

! Black and white

Black and white

! Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

If Brittany could see one performer, who would it be?

W I Advanced N Comp N E Elizabeth R

The Best Friend

W I N N E R

Senior Lisa Benway

The Subject

Olive Garden Advanced Comp Elizabeth

!Olive Garden

The Boyfriend

! Advanced Comp Senior Brittany Wils

! Elizabeth

Senior Zach Lewis

Black and purple

! Taylor Swift

FEATURES 11

Friday, April 8, 2011

Kia Kaha: Forever Strong Prospect substitute lives through New Zealand earthquake

By Jane Berry News Editor Substitute teacher and former English teacher Tom Brennan experienced the definition of a disaster. In his hometown of Christchurch, New Zealand, where he spends his winters, an 18-second earthquake struck without warning on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

Brennan and his wife were out of town during the earthquake but returned to find a stream of vehicles escaping the city. According to Brennan, all the gas stations were out of gas within a two-hour radius.

They returned home to no toilets, no tap water, no electricity, no traffic lights, no shops, no phones and no cell phones once they ran out of battery.

“Everything was turned upside down,” Brennan said.

call 847-255-2526

421 W. Prospect Ave. Mt. Prospect, IL

!AFTER SHOCK: Students at the University of Canterbury shovel silt knocked loose by the earthquake. The recent New Zealand earthquake has devastated the town of Christchurch. (Photo courtesy of Tom Brennan) In an e-mail interview with The Prospector — the disaster made it difficult to communicate via telephone — Brennan said because Christchurch and the surrounding areas were out of power, his friends in Chicago knew much more about the disaster than anyone in New Zealand.

Rebecca Hagberg-Cohen, English teacher and friend of Brennan, said she heard about the earthquake in Christchurch on the radio while she was driving home. She e-mailed Brennan as quickly as possible.

“When I started to see the pictures on the news, I got really worried, so I e-mailed [Brennan] again,” Hagberg-

Cohen said. “The photos were devastating.”

By Wednesday night, Hagberg-Cohen received a forwarded e-mail from the Brennans. All of their friends in the states have been passing on as much information as possible.

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake was very close to the earth’s surface, which caused a lot of damage for Christchurch.

“It is impossible to really [prepare for] a situation when all of the things we take for granted (water, sewage, electricity) are gone in an instant,” Brennan said.

A cordon, a circle of guards, was placed around the Central Business District (CBD) immediately, and people were evacuated while Urban Search and Rescue went to work to search for survivors. Many people have come to help Christchurch. Urban Search and Rescue has come from all over the world, including Australia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

Nearly 300 police officers have come from Australia to help, and people have been sending food and wishes of encouragement. The cordon is still in effect today, but now buildings are being torn down.

“It has been [an] amazing process to see the city cope with a disaster of this kind,” Brennan said, “It’s one of those things one must live through to understand.”

According to Brennan, there was a woman within his town who was very upset with the damage done to her house by the Sept. 4 earthquake. After the recent earthquake, she lost her house and her office building, but she is just happy to be alive.

“I have been reminded of the brevity

BREAKING THROUGH Aya Andejeski woke up on March 11 to her father telling her to come look at the TV. (((((E6(2/<"#+(,-(=0<.+(4#($0&#-%,'/( not that important,” Andejeski said, “but what I saw was devastating.”

Andejeski saw the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, where she was born and where her mother’s family still lives.

The Andejeskis were very worried when they could not get ahold of Andejeski’s grandmother.

“I cried all day,” Andejeski said, “I just didn’t know what else to do.”

Andejeski’s mother called to try and comfort her, but, according to her, “you could hear the fear in her voice.” (((((@-(FGHI(53&3(-%#(!)&,.?(2')..?(%#)"+(( thorugh their cousin’s facebook that she was safe.

For an opinion on Japan’s disaster drills, turn to page 5... and uncertainty of life,” Brennan said.

Although the rebuilding will begin in six months and take close to 10 years to complete, the most pressing issue for the town of Christchurch is how to restore the heritage buildings for which the city was known. Brennan said the biggest challenge will be patience.

Nearly a third of their central business district is gone, 10,000 homes have or will be demolished and 100,000 more need serious work. There are entire suburbs that will need to be relocated because the ground they are on is no longer stable.

Brennan said the locals have been “stoic and determined.” As the University of Canterbury was closed, thousands of students took to the streets to help remove the estimated 300,000 tons of liquefaction (silt). Farmers also came in with machinery to help clear the streets.

The disaster has really brought the town together. Brennan e-mailed a group of about nine people to meet at a restaurant. Neighbors passed the news on and over 30 people ended up coming for dinner.

“The mayor, Bob Parker, has been inspirational [throughout the disaster],” Brennan said.

In the future, the earthquake proofing building code will be even more rigorous. The schools will continue to practice earthquake drills. But most importantly, the town will be “kia kaha”— a native New Zealand saying that means “forever strong.”

“It’s a cliché, but the people around us are more important than the buildings and cars around us,” Brennan said. “[It] seems to me we remember that at Thanksgiving ... and after a disaster.”

SINKING SEDANS Substitute and former English teacher Tom Brennan returned to his home in J%",$-*%<"*%8(K#=(L#).)'+8()!-#"(-%#(:#43(MM(#)"-%N<)O#(-0(2'+(#P-#'$,>#(+)&)/#( and the city in chaos.

“The city streets were severely damaged,” Brennan said, “covered in liquefaction and mounds of soil and silt and dotted with sinkholes and craters ... many with cars half submerged.”

According to brighthub.com, sinkholes form naturally due to the erosion of 4#+"0*O(*)<$#+(4?(-%#(;0=,'/(0"(&0>,'/(=)-#"(4#'#)-%(-%#(/"0<'+7$($<"!)*#3 In New Zealand, the salt water created salt bed caverns naturally under the ground. When the shaking from the earthquake loosened it, the ground collapsed.

Photo courtesy of Tom Brennan

12 ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, April 8, 2011

Hidden gems Headline photo courtesy of KUOI Radio

Disgusted with today’s awful !"#$%&$'&()*&+**,-."/0123)*-4%$15*6($%71-.899*1(-:;186-.;''1)"#*-0816$#*%*0-"-(%*"1;%*-(%$#*$'-;/8<;*-8/08*-"%(81(1=->?$/9-+8()$#*%#8*+1-$'-()*8%-'"#$%8(*-."/02()*-6$?;:/81(1-)"#*-8/6?;0*0()*8%-'"#$%8(*-(%"6,1 KAKI KING

REGINA SPEKTOR Spektor, a bubbly, curly-haired Russian-American, began to study piano at age eight, taking such a liking to it that she insisted on taking it when her family fled Moscow for New York in 1989. Her heritage and passion was on display in her 2004 label debut, “Soviet Kitsch.” Spektor’s sound is best described as a melodic, powerful collection of piano rock with the pipes of a BroadRecommended Tracks: way diva. Her poetic lyrics make you smile but still make you think.

One such track, “Laughing With,” speaks hauntingly of the ambiguity “Dance Anthem of of God: “But God could be funny at a cocktail party when listening to a the 80s” and “The good God-themed joke.”

Ghost Spektor’s music is personal, even slightly narcissistic because you’re left alone with just the instruments and her voice. “Somedays,” an emotional ballad from “Soviet Kitsch,” sings: “[Somedays] so much stronger than the friends you try to keep/ By your side” but also includes a characteristic tempo change to the lighthearted. She creates music that is crisp and intimate in a sea of generic, shrill female vocalists and allows any willing music lover to embark on an introspective, effortless pleasure cruise.

-Tallyn Owens

Beginning with her 2003 debut album, “Everybody Loves You,” the indie music community lauded Kaki King for her complex finger-picking styles and guitar-induced rhythm. Since then, she has expanded and changed her style tremendously, going from the percussive sound of “Ritual Dance” from the movie “August Rush,” to the entirely instrumental “Kewpie Station” and the vocal-intensive “Jessica.” Though not yet well known, King’s spot on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “New Guitar Gods” suggests she is making her way into the world of master players.

-Zak Buczinsky

Recommended tracks: “Bari improv” and “night after sidewalk”

mc chris Considering the popularity of terrible, auto-tuned hip hop, the choice of a rapper as one of the best underground musicians might be surprising. However, the tracks “Fett’s Vette” and “Hipster Hunter” will void all preconceptions of mc chris (lowercase, no dots) as the run-of-the-mill rapper. Born in Libertyville, Christopher Ward had no place to write rhymes about financial hardship and growing up on the mean streets. So, instead of faking it like Drake (“Nothing was done” for you? You were on “Degrassi.”

C’mon), mc chris makes his songs playful, talking about anything from working a part-time job in high school to candy and the bounty hunters Recommended tracks: from “Star Wars.” Ward’s other hallmark is his high voice — something “006,” “older that even he pokes fun at in his song “10 Year Old.” Now, crowd” and “Hijack” with his jocular style and background as an improv comic, it would be easy to call him a gimmick. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Mc chris has released six full albums with a seventh coming out this summer and has more technical rapping skill than most “legitimate” artists. Writing rhymes about money and women is easy; incorporating Boba Fett’s history into a rap while maintaining a quick flow is genius.

-Kevin Mallin

Chicago­bred punk band Rise Against recently released their sixth album, “Endgame.” Go to Prospectornow.com for a review of the group’s latest effort.

Kaki King photo courtesy of Elizabeth Padawer

LOS CAMPESINOS!

THE MARS VOLTA Finding a good, unique rock band is a rare experience these days, but The Mars Volta is just that. The band’s sound comes from three precursor bands, all from different genres: At the Drive-In (classical), De Facto (dub/ reggae) and The Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group (techno). The Mars Volta’s lead singer, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and guitarist, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, led all three, and, as a result, the band’s sound is a creative, instrumental fusion of Recommended Tracks: all three. Bixler-Zavala “Eriatarka,” “Inerhas a passive sound tiatic Esp” and “The that can, in a second, Widow” ignite his lyrics with a fiery passion, much like Rush’s great Geddy Lee. Meanwhile, the drum and bass keeps the tempo and creates an energy high. Currently working on their sixth album, the band was recognized as the best progressive rock band of the year by Rolling Stone Magazine in 2008 — and they’ve restored my faith in rock.

-Jordan Fletcher

FREE EXAM AND X-RAY TO ALL PROSPECT STUDENTS 500 West Central Road Suite 103 Mount Prospect, IL. 60056 CONTACT US 847­259­6605 by phone online at midwestchirocare.com

Specializing in pinched nerves, sports injuries, and nutritional counseling

Though their Spanish name translates to “The Peasants,” Los Campesinos!

(LC!) don’t sing in Spanish or live in fields but are rather a group of soccer-crazed British hipsters. Lead singer and lyricist Gareth is so fond of the sport that in one track titled, “We’ve Got Your Back,” he confesses: “Every girl I ever kissed — I was thinking Recommended Tracks: of a pro footballer.” The eight-piece indie pop “This is a Flag. outfit released their first single, “We Throw There is No Wind.” & Parties, You Throw Knives” in 2006.

“Broken Heartbeats LC! has managed to create variety and ensound like Breakbeats” ergy for itself in a subgenre filled with introspective, somewhat poetic rock bands (Death Cab for Cutie, I’m looking at you). Packed with snarky lyrics, obscure instruments — like the glockenspiel — and an infectious stage presence I saw live last April, LC! has a way of channeling teen angst without sounding whiny.

-Tallyn Owens

ENTERTAINMENT 13

Friday, April 8, 2011

Rated

R

for Riley

A great American legend in training

!KNOCK ON ‘WOODS’: Senior Pat Moran and junior Connor Fitzgerald sing their duet “Agony” with the orchestra for Prospect’s spring musical “Into the Woods” (Left). Junior Riley Mangan, freshman Jenny Ruda and senior Laura Matthews read from their scripts (Right). “Into the Woods” will hit the Prospect stage Wednesday, April 27 at 7 p.m. (All photos by Ian Magnuson)

‘Into’ challenging territory Cast, crew take on tough musical ‘Woods’

By Riley Simpson Associate Editor-in-Chief On the first day of rehearsal for Prospect’s spring musical “Into the Woods,” director Jeremy Morton had his actors do a writing assignment.

On sheets of paper, they had to explain why their respective characters go into the woods, as the play’s title suggests.

“Any kind of character development is essential to any show,” Morton said. “If a performer can identify with the motivation of a character, it’s a good start.

“All good performers do their homework.”

And by homework, Morton means good preparation for a role. Usually, musicals are mostly about the music and dancing. In Morton’s eyes, his actors should know more than their lines and dances.

“Characters are real people,” he said. “[The musical] can’t just be song and then dance. There has to be inspiration.”

Morton found that the best way to encourage the importance of motivation is to continually question his ac-

tors about their characters.

According to junior Connor Fitzgerald, any warm-up the actors do in rehearsal is centered around building their characters. For example, they play theater games to explore how their characters walk. “[We figure out] what we want [with our character] and how it compares to our own lives,” Fitzgerald said.

“We’re looking more for meaning and purpose in our characters.”

“Woods,” which will celebrate its 25th birthday this December, follows well-known fairy tale characters like Jack, his Beanstalk, Cinderella and Rapunzel as their stories become intertwined in the forest. For Fitzgerald, who plays Cinderella’s Prince, “Woods” strikes similar notes as “Wicked” and “Shrek,” with its fractured fairy-tale format. The play premiers on Wednesday, April 27 at 7 p.m.

“Woods” has proven difficult in ways besides character development.

The music itself is “a lot more intricate and a lot more sophisticated” than in previous shows, according to Fitzgerald.

Senior Breanna Lucas, who plays the narrator in “Woods,” said that the songs are “all over the place.” The music often switches keys, which can be difficult for the soloist.

“A lot of the time when we’re singing, it’s almost frustrating with the orchestra because sometimes they’re playing stuff, and I think, ‘That doesn’t sound right. That sounds wrong,’” Fitzgerald said. “You just

have to trust it and keep singing the music. [At least] from an audience point of view, it sounds really cool.”

Fitzgerald sings duets in the songs “Agony” and “Agony Reprise” with senior Pat Moran, Rapunzel’s Prince.

Stephen Sondheim, the composer for the 1986 premier of “Woods,” was known for clashing notes and sounds in his musicals.

“That’s what tricks us [singers] because it’s hard to sing,” Fitzgerald said. “[Sound-clashing] sounds awful, but you just have to trust it.”

Morton said that “Woods” is a combination of both music and dialogue.

With good character development and motivation added in, this show is shaping up to be quite difficult.

“I feel like every year could be right for it, but we felt like this year was the year to challenge ourselves,” Morton said.

The past two years saw two very different musicals: the heavily-musical “Smokey Joe’s Café” in 2009 and “Curtains!”, which was more of a book musical last year. Morton felt that neither year was right for this tricky production.

However, when Morton saw the talent in his cast this year, he took “Woods” off the holding shelf it’s been resting on for years.

“I think that Prospect High School is very lucky,” Morton said. “We have incredible musicians. We’ve got great teachers and private tutors and instructors. We’ve got very talented performers overall.”

TECH CREW POPS Tech manager Matt Erbach has done Prospect’s spring musical “Into the Woods,” in which fairy-tale characters meet up in the woods, before at Rolling Meadows High School. Fifteen years ago, Erbach was on the tech crew for “Woods.” That experience and this year’s Theatre Fest at the University of Illinois — where “Woods” was the all-state performance — ,';<#'*#+(1"4)*%7$(,+#)(!0"( Prospect’s show.

“We’re trying to theme the entire set on a pop-up book,” Erbach said, “so they’d be two-dimensional elements that fold out.

For example, the trees that make up the woods will be made out of two-dimensional wood planks that slot into each other as opposed to three-dimensional fake trees.

“We’re trying to keep it simple along those lines. Of course, cutting them out and painting them is a lot of work, but we’re trying to keep the style very simplistic.”

Erbach and his crew have also made literal books (see picture) to represent the three main storylines: “The Baker and his Wife,” “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Cinderella.”

Instead of having a set for those scenes, the books will serve as backdrops.

“We just wanted to add some pop-up elements to make it a little more 3-D and make it a little more real.”

As a child, my definition of late-night talk shows was the hour mommy and daddy watch TV before they “go to bed.”

In reality, late-night TV is really based around celebrity advertisements. It’s called plugging: a movie star like Owen Wilson will present clips of his new movie while the host interviews Wilson about the film (Wait, Wilson is still a movie star?).

However, at 11:37 p.m. on weeknights on CBS, celebrities don’t always remember to plug their shows. They forget because they’re having too much fun.

Craig Ferguson, the Scottish host of “The Late Late Show,” makes a point of ripping up his interview questions before his guest sits down.

He asks about his guest’s life with genuine interest, which is lacking in other late-night hosts like David Letterman, who treats his show like a chore.

On one “Late Late Show,” comedian Denis Leary talked with Ferguson about dirty Christmas cards, masturbation and Irish families before hurriedly plugging his Comedy Central special, “Douchebags and Donuts” in the last minutes.

They even planned Leary’s next visit: Both he and Ferguson will be dressed in drag for the whole interview.

Granted, Leary is an old drinking buddy of Ferguson (one that he doesn’t remember drinking with), but this is the same deal five nights a week. Ferguson’s ludicrous speed energy lasts for 62 straight minutes, while Letterman can’t utter a joke without five or six “ums.”

Oh, and while I’m talking about Ferguson and alcohol, the guy is a recovering alcoholic, yet he makes fun of his drunken past nightly. If that’s not respectable, then Leslie Nielsen isn’t a great American legend.

Also, the interviews aren’t even the best part of Ferguson’s show. His monologues kill me every night. Although they’re mostly scripted, Ferguson’s improv sets his comedy apart from the likes of Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon (George Lopez does NOT count as a late-night host).

However, Ferguson surprised me in his Feb. 28 show. The first sequence was a comparison of the the media’s lampooning of the Charlie Sheen scandal — see page 6 for Prospect’s view of the actor — to the mental hospitals in London in the 1600s, where people would pay pennies to laugh at the mentally ill through peepholes.

Ferguson declared that he wouldn’t be cracking any jokes about Sheen or his recent heroic exploits. I never thought I’d see such respect and compassion from a late-night host, let alone the usually crass Ferguson.

The studio of “The Late Late Show” is barren, save for a desk, some chairs and a robot sidekick, Geofferry Peterson (fun fact for the Science Olympiad/AP Science kids: His robot was built by “Mythbusters” co-host Grant Imahara).

Ferguson doesn’t have the glamour or the spectacle of other late-night talk shows. I mean, at least the other shows provide their hosts with human sidekicks — except for David Letterman’s right-hand man, Paul Schaffer. He’s Canadian.

His energy, hilarity and humility make up for his show’s average appearance and budget. Ferguson may just join the ranks of Nielsen as a great American legend someday.

Er, I mean a great Scottish legend.

14 SPORTS

Friday, April 8, 2011

Pulling for Pohlman Baseball field named in former coach’s honor

By Nick Stanojevic Executive Sports Editor After 29 seasons coaching Prospect baseball, former head coach Larry Pohlman finally got the call that was years in the making. Principal Kurt Laakso was on the other line informing him that Prospect’s varsity baseball field will be named after him.

“I was excited and a little numb [after hearing the news],” Pohlman said.

“It’s been a long time in coming I guess; I have not coached there since ‘96. Happy pretty much sums it up.”

From 1967 until 1996, Pohlman was the head varsity baseball coach, winning 435 games and posting a .587 winning percentage.

During his time, he coached a number of players who went on to greater baseball success, including current Cubs manager Mike Quade.

Larry Pohlman A committee consisting of Boys’ Athletic Director Tom Martindale, Associate Principal Greg Minter, former Daily Herald sports columnist Bob Frisk and senior Matt Molini advanced the proposal through the Board of Education,

A VETERAN’S PERSPECTIVE During Larry Pohlman’s time as head coach of the Prospect baseball team, high school sports teams were not allowed to travel outside of their state to compete. While the baseball team was allowed to take a spring trip, they could only compete in innersquad games.

Spending most of the winter in Florida, however, Pohlman had the opportunity to watch the current boys’ baseball team on their spring trip, where they won both of their games, 10-2 and 5-2.

“They looked good; they did very =#..(!0"('0-(%)>,'/(4##'(0'()(2#.+(,'( a game situation ... they should have a nice season,” Pohlman said. “It was fun to see them play and to see them compete. ... [The opponents] had probably 15 games played already when Prospect came down, so they certainly had the advantage. Prospect went right after both of them, scored early and took command.” which approved the renaming of the field to “Larry Pohlman Field.”

The committee, needing a current player of the sport, selected Molini to help for a student perspective in the proposal.

“Naming the baseball field is a big deal,” Molini said, “and [considering] a person like Pohlman and what he has done for the community and Prospect, I felt honored to be part of the process.”

Current head baseball coach Ross Giusti was a former player for Pohlman and served as an assistant coach to Pohlman for his final two years.

!COACHING THE COACH: Former varsity baseball coach Larry Pohlman coaches then senior Mike Quade, the new Chicago Cubs manager, in 1975. Prospect will rename its field to “Larry Pohlman Field” on April 21, 2011 in honor of Pohlman’s 29­year coaching career at Prospect. (Photo courtesy of Crest) “I think it’s great what we’re doing for Larry,” Giusti said. “He’s welldeserving. He put in so much time and hard work into this program over the years, and it’s a great tribute to him.”

Besides work ethic, Giusti also remembers Pohlman as having a terrific mind for baseball.

“He had such a calming personality that he always put you in a situation that you were going to succeed [in],” Giusti said. “I observed that trait with him as a player and a coach that he was able to get his point across in many dif-

ferent ways, whether moving you in a lineup or putting his players in situations they were going to succeed in.”

On April 21, a ceremony open to the public will be held honoring Pohlman before Prospect’s game against Hersey.

For Pohlman, however, this is a familiar process.

“I’ve gone through this before because my father was my high school coach, and the field in my hometown is named after him,” Pohlman said. “I went through that in the 80s, so I’m just following along in his footsteps.”

SPORTS 15

Friday, April 8, 2011

@ Knight Remembering the good ol’ days

! KICKING AND SCREAMING: Freshman Alex Wilson (left) shields the ball from a defender during her game against Barrington, and sophomore Dana Kozinski (right) finds an open teammate for a pass. This year, the MSL elected to make the freshman level more competitive. (Photos by Ian Magnuson)

Kicking it up a notch

MSL chooses to switch around girls soccer levels, unify program

By Jack Mathews Staff Writer Before this year, the last time freshman Amanda Ehlert played soccer was fifth grade, so when she found out she made the sophomore team this year, she was excited just to have made a team at all.

In previous years, this would have been a big accomplishment for any freshman, but this year, some reorganization has mitigated the accomplishment.

In order to try and increase the level of play of the incoming freshman teams this season, the MSL has decided to attempt to make the freshman girls’ soccer team the third most competitive level in the girls’ soccer program, putting it ahead of the sophomore team and below junior varsity and varsity.

In the past, the most talented freshmen in every class would be moved up to the sophomore team.

This year, however, those girls will

stay on the freshman squad.

Accordingly, girls that the coaches think would benefit more from being on the sophomore team were moved there.

In the long run, varsity head coach Tom Froats thinks this decision will help in the development of more players.

“It’s about getting the girls who deserve to play a chance to play,” Froats said.

One of the problems this move helps to solve is the issue of bumping freshman up to the sophomore team and seeing limited playing time.

The change hopes to get the most talented players the most playing time.

Although this change could potentially be detrimental to the talent of sophomore coach Jason Cohen’s team, he is mostly indifferent about the new rule.

His main focus is still on developing the skills of the players on his team and to help prepare them for varsity and junior varsity in years to come. “[Cohen] tells us we are a developmental team, but we should still work hard so that we can make the program better in the future,” sophomore player Maria Dellanina said.

Fittingly, the motto for the Prospect girls soccer program this year is “One team — one goal.”

“The girls are going to learn the

Need more Prospect sports?

The baseball team went up against Glenbard East High School on April 6. For coverage of the game visit Prospectornow.com.

For a recap of the girls’ soccer game against Rolling Meadows from April 6, see Prospectornow.com.

same skills they would learn in any other program, so it doesn’t really hurt us,” Cohen said. “It is just rearranging the traditional way.”

Traditional or not, both Ehlert and freshman Hannah Tittle are happy enough on the sophomore team.

“The coaching is really good, and they do a good job of training you so that you can make JV or varsity in the future,” Tittle said.

Ehlert also likes the coaching and likes that she feels there is less pressure on the sophomore team as opposed to the freshman team. According to Ehlert, the girls also goof off more, and the atmosphere is less competitive.

Although at first Dellanina was upset at the change of order because she thought it would hurt her team, she now agrees with it for the reason that it will benefit the program overall.

“It might be worse for the sophomore team, but I think it’s better for the program,” Dellanina said.

On the other side, Freshman Kim Welk, who made the freshman team, is also happy with the way things worked out because she likes the style of coaching.

No matter what team it is, they are all trying to work toward a common goal.

“The goal of everything we do is to make the soccer program as successful as possible,” Froats said, “and we feel this move is a step in that direction.”

HOW THE SEASON HAS FARED Varsity Record: 1-1 Scorers: Junior Jessica Petrovski (2), senior Agnes Stankiewicz, sophomore Adrian Falagario, sophomore Rachel Suarez.

The girls lost their season opener 1-0 to Barrington, but beat Wheeling 6-0 in their home opener on April 4.

Upcoming games - Vs. Schaumburg (4/11) - Vs. Palatine (4/13) - Prospect Invite (4/15-4/16) - @ Hoffman ( 4/18)

When Michael Jordan destroyed Craig Ehlo’s career, when he fought through the flu in game five of the 1997 NBA Finals and when he pushed off of Karl Malone to hit the championship-sealing jumper in 1998, he created the everlasting images of 90s basketball.

They also symbolize both the greatest player, and probably team, ever.

The greatness of the Chicago Bulls and their six championship teams from 1991-1998 is brought up often. Especially in Chicago. No matter what has happened in the near 15 years since Chicago’s sixth title, nobody has forgotten.

When people say, “Kobe will never be Jordan” and “no team will ever win 72 games again” these are frequent reminders for us.

But, with a young and talented core already competing for the first seed, the Bulls look like a team bound for great things. They are the only current Chicago team that can build an elite team for years.

After all, Michael Jordan said this present team is capable of winning six championships, which is the equivalent of Jessica Biel calling you attractive: it doesn’t get old, and it means something.

I decided to embark on a journey of figuring out what the Bulls of the 90s looked like to current teachers and coaches — who were, believe it or not, young at the time — and how this team compares to them.

Current Prospect head basketball coach Jon Camardella remembers the 90s Bulls vividly.

His fondest memory is asking his parents to stay up to watch the late-night games, including the 1991 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Having to ask my parents to watch it, the answer wasn’t always yes,” Camardella said, “but I got to watch it when they finally beat [Los Angeles].”

Camardella also remembers people leaving during both junior and senior prom to watch the Bulls in the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals in the hotel lobby.

Despite the current team’s success, Camardella, still an avid Bulls fan, is hesitant to compare the two eras.

“Obviously Derrick Rose has people very excited, and he can do things most point guards can’t do and [have never] done,” Camardella said.

“And the fact that forwards like Noah throw alley-oops to him is pretty silly. I don’t know if they are primed for a playoff run — that’s what I think anybody who watches basketball is interested to see.”

World history teacher Jon Kaminsky also remembers the 90s Bulls from his younger days.

And their impact on him was lasting. “[They are] the reason I could still watch the Bulls when they were winning 12 games a year,” Kaminsky said.

Naturally, however, Kaminsky is also skeptical for early comparisons.

“I think they are a good team; it’s kind of what the Bulls teams from years previously did when they lost to Detroit,” Kaminsky said.

“Who knows if they are going to meet their match and turn into a really strong team that never puts it all together. … The potential is there ... but they need to put it all together to be apt for comparison.”

Even though these teachers don’t want to jump the gun — and neither do I — I think we might have something special brewing. Of course injuries can still run a team into the ground, but we have to have some optimism.

Plus, I can’t wait to continue hearing Stacey King yell out, “Get up, or get out the way!”

SPORTS Friday, April 8, 2011

On Prospectornow.com...

Look for a preview of the boys’ tennis team and their talented freshman *.)$$3((6'()++,-,0'8(?0<(*)'(2'+( continued coverage of all the spring sports throughout their seasons — all on Prospectornow.com.

Game over Code violations keep athletes off the field — sometimes permanently

Graphic by Ian Magnuson groups of minors and adults, about 30 to date — and that the served them with court dates vast majority have been given and sent them home — those to athletes. Last year, he recalls *Names changed for confiden- under 18 with their parents. giving out about 20.

As Lumpkins and Sark had Sark is not particularly wortiality ried about his court date, which not received codes before, they The party had been going on is in May. He expects a fine or would have to sit out a fourth of for about an hour or two when perhaps community service — their spring season. For basethings took a sudden turn for “Nothing too, too serious,” he ball players, this also meant foregoing the the worse. A latecomer arrived said. team’s spring For the at what he thought was the break trip to a t h l e t e s , right house and knocked, only Florida. to find unfamiliar faces look- there was a For others bigger coning back at him. He realized who received cern: their his mistake soon enough, but it their second status on the was too late. codes, the team.

“The people who were [in punishments When they the other house] got suspicious were more seand contacted the police,” said returned to vere — either the senior Noah Sark*, an athlete school a half-season next week, who was at the party. “And suspension they met then that’s when it happened.” or suspension According to junior Glen o n e - o n - o n e for a full calwith AssociLumpkins*, the police surendar year, ate Principal rounded the house, entering e f f e c t i v ely Greg Minter, -annonymous junior athlete the house through the back ending their who told the door as the students at the athletic caparty tried, unsuccessfully, to athletes that reers (see Code levels). they had violated the District’s hide.

Over the next several days, According to Sark, there co-curricular code, or stanthe athletes had to face their dards of behavior expected for were about twenty students parents, coaches, teammates students involved in activities — roughly half of whom are athletes — at the party, which and sports (see Not just for ath- and classmates. “[My parents] were the took place in late February. Be- letes). first people I told,” Sark said, Minter said he has had to cause there was alcohol presdescribing their reaction as give out an unusually high ent, the police sat the students “more disappointed than mad.” number of codes this year — down, separated them into Senior Howard Herbert*, who was not at the party but received a code for drinking the BACK IN THE DAY summer before his sophomore year, had a similar response with you and your parents.”

When baseball coach from his parents.

Even 15 years ago, when Ross Giusti played baseball “I was grounded for quite Giusti took the head coaching in at Prospect in the 1980s, a while,” Herbert said. “I had job, there was more “gray the system of codes was area” in the code. “totally different.” to do a lot of stuff with them.

Nowadays, in most cases, “The times were different,” The trust factor — it’s been two punishments are “cut and he said. years now, [and] they still think dry,” which he appreciates.

Unlike today’s coabout that, I’m sure. If I’m go“If [the coach] is put in curricular code, which has ing out on a Friday night, it’s the middle, some people will *)"#!<..?(+#2'#+(*)-#/0",#$( like, ‘What’s he doing?’” judge you that you didn’t and punishments, the code Instead of getting mad, give enough of a penalty. was vague back then. coaches also try to convey a Or sometimes they might “There weren’t a lot of sense of disappointment. technical rules involving these criticize you that you gave Baseball coach Ross Giusti, it too harsh,” Giusti said. “It things,” Giusti said. “It was who had two players receive can be judged all types of more or less: If a coach got codes from the party, has indidifferent ways, and I think wind that you might be doing vidual discussions with coded people don’t like going there.” something to jeopardize the team, they would have a talk players, emphasizing that “rep-

By Neel Thakkar Editor-in-Chief

“[Making the right decisions] is easy to do when &.,*/"'#%'+0!..$1'2,%'3%*+' a lot harder to do when &.,*/"'.,%'.4'#'5/36#&' night or a Saturday night.”

utation is everything.”

“What type of reputation do you want to be known for?” he asks them. “Do you want to be known for a person that is sound in academics and athletics, or do you want to be a person that’s known to be out goofing around and being the class clown?”

“People gossip, ‘Hey, did you hear what happened to that guy’ and that type of thing,” boys’ Athletic Director Tom Martindale said. “And so [getting coded] is a negative, … but you’ll be judged on what you do after that. You really will.”

Coded players also come to realize how their absence hurts the team.

Although Giusti doesn’t make the point himself, he encourages “peer discussions” among teammates. When a team has big goals, he said, it generally steps up to say “‘Hey, any foolish decision you make can have an effect on all of us.’”

Still, the criticism is gentle.

“It’s kind of hard for kids to get on other guys,” Sark said, “because everyone knows stuff like that is going on.”

NOT JUST FOR ATHLETES Although the code system is most familiar to athletes, it applies equally to mathletes, among others: - Marching band - Jazz band - Debate team - Speech team - Scholastic Bowl - Science Olympiad - All plays and musicals - Cheerleading - Poms - Orchesis - Chess team - Student Council - Class Board - Cricket - Robotics team - Show Choir

HOW CODES WORK Under District 214’s co-curricular code, there are two different levels of code violations — Level A, for more serious violations, like the possession or use of alcohol or drugs, theft or possession of weapons, and Level B, for smaller offenses.

Codes build up throughout a student’s high school career; there is no way to erase them.

The school can charge students with code violations through three differ#'-(=)?$G(4?(-%#(>#",2*)tion of a district employee, through the police or if the student admits guilt.

According to Associate Principal Greg Minter, the school generally doesn’t investigate anonymous tips or secondhand reports.

Though both levels receive equal punishment on -%#(2"$-(0!!#'$#(Q()(.0$$( of a 25 percent of the season — the consequences diverge from there, from another loss of 25 to 50 percent of the season to the loss of a full calendar year.

For juniors or seniors, a second or third code is usually the end of their athletic careers. Still, the system provides for up to four codes. On the fourth, the student is suspended permanently.

Both Martindale and Giusti highlight the power of codes to change athletes’ behavior.

“Typically, I’ve seen kids turn it around,” Giusti said.

“They just don’t want to be there again.”

Minter backs that up; after a first code, he does not often see a student get a second.

However, the athletes themselves are a little more realistic.

“I will admit, I do [drink], but it’s a lot more careful now,” Herbert, a senior, said. “I’ve definitely toned it down.”

Juniors, who have another year of sports ahead of them, are not taking risks. Lumpkins and junior Mike Nell*, who was also at the party, said they had made major changes after getting their first, or, in Nell’s case, second codes.

Because Nell was not drinking at the party, he received a Level B code, missing half of his spring season but staying eligible for the fall. The distinction was crucial for Nell, who hopes to play his sport in college.

Seeing how a situation might affect him is “easy to do when you’re at school, but it’s a lot harder to do when you’re out on a Friday or a Saturday night,” he said.

“I’m not going to [drink] for a long time,” Lumpkins said. “If I get caught again, I would lose a full year of sports.

Sports are my biggest passion, and I don’t want to lose that because of one choice I made of having fun.”