Issue #1 2021-22

THE

PROSPECTOR VOLUME 61, ISSUE 1

Hit me with your best shot

801 WEST KENSINGTON ROAD, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS

Immunization requirements create controversy OLIVIA KIM Editor-in-Chief

D

ana Bright was scrolling through her phone one day when she saw social media posts stating that the COVID-19 vaccine may cause fertility issues.

As a senior manager of Immunization Initiatives at the American Academy of Pediatrics, her initial reaction was to laugh because she found it so absurd that it must have been a joke, but she realized that many people may not share the same thought.

Her next reaction was fear because when people spread misinformation about a topic as important as the COVID-19 vaccine and accuse it of causing serious health consequences, it makes public health issues much trickier.

“When those sorts of concerns start to circulate, it can be really dangerous, and it can [take] a lot of backtracking to really provide the assurance and provide people the correct information,” Bright said in an interview with The Prospector.

Bright also recollects driving around and seeing crowds of people protesting masks and vaccines on street corners every so often. This pushed her to think that educating the public on health issues will only be an uphill battle from here on out.

President Joe Biden announced on Sept.

9 that vaccines would be required for federal employees, healthcare facilities that accept Medicare or Medicaid and businesses with 100 or more employees. Those that refuse

THE VOICE OF PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1959

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2021

vaccinations must face weekly testing. with the FDA approval of the COVID-19 vacThis executive order is expected to affect cine on Aug. 23. tens of millions of Americans, according to Ian Van Dinther, Senior State Governthe Washington Post. Beforehand, a state ment Affairs Analyst at the American Acadmandate that required all Illinois K-12 eduemy of Pediatrics, said in an interview with cators to be vaccinated went into efThe Prospector that generally, states decide fect Sept. 5. on what vaccines are required for students, Last year, bebut some states like California allow schools fore vaccines to create their own list by district. Illinois were widely public schools ava i l a b l e, follow a list that physics the state apt e a c h proves. er Katie Van Dinther Page renotes that no members state has ever the anticrequired a vacipation she cine be taken felt when she by every citizen came back into and that all the the building bills that have with students attempted to do alongside many so failed to pass. other faculty Even though and staff memthe COVID-19 bers. vaccine is not “I would say currently -Katie Page, physics teacher required by it was very bittersweet [when students came state, certain back to school last year] because we were exschools have still taken action regarding cited to sort of have a little bit of normalcy, vaccinations. Bright said that irrespective even though it was completely not normal,” of COVID-19, when school immunization Page said. “But then [I felt] also a little bit requirements are in place, there are higher terrified. So, [I had] lots of mixed feelings vaccination rates. Van Dinther pointed out there.” that schools in areas with low community At the beginning of the pandemic there vaccination rates had to return to remote inwas uncertainty, but Page notes that with struction like some in Georgia. the increased access to vaccines, the stress To ensure public health while simultahas been minimized. Her concerns have neously keeping students in classrooms, grown slightly since the onset of the Delta to Bright and Van Dinther the answer is to variant, but she doesn’t think it will have the educate the public more on the importance impact that the disease presented in the past. of getting vaccinated. However, AP GovThis is especially the case because there ernment teacher Tim Beishir feels that the is now more clarity in the research about educational campaign for the vaccine has alhow to prevent the spread of the virus along ready convinced everyone it is going to.

SEE POLARIZATION ON PAGE 2

IT FEELS LIKE PEOPLE HAVE ABANDONED ANY KNOWLEDGE ...

OF SCIENCE ... AND ANY TRUST THEY HAVE IN EDUCATION IN GENERAL.”

20%

of students are unvaccinated

80%

of students are fully vaccinated

14.3%

feel unsafe in school with regards to COVID-19

85.7%

according to a voluntary and anonymous Knight Media survey of 230 students

feel safe in school with regards to COVID-19 painting by Ondine Cella

2 NEWS

OCTOBER 5, 2021

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

Down to the wire, trying to hire

Current labor shortage leaves companies seeking to find employees MAEVE MOLINA Executive Features Editor

F

or the past 30 years, the percentage of unemployed Americans has averaged around 5.77% according to Trading Economics. That was until April of 2020, when the percentage of unemployed Americans skyrocketed to 14.8% due to COVID-19.

Slowly falling since the start of the pandemic, the percentage is now at 5.2% as of September 2021.

However, as you walk around cities and towns, many businesses have “Help wanted” or “Now hiring” signs displayed in the windows.

Currently, a lot of businesses are struggling to find employees to stay or even to interview for a position.

Smoothie King, in Mount Prospect, is specifically having a hard time finding employees. Sonal Patel, owner and manager of Smoothie King, opened the Mount Prospect Smoothie King on March 27, 2021. During the opening of the store, Patel had many employees to cover all times of day.

HELP WANTED: Many business have ‘Now hiring’ or ‘Help wanted’ signs in their windows. Tons of busiIn contrast, since August, finding employees who work during the day has been hard. nesses right now are looking for employees to hire due to a labor shortage. The current employees of these Patel has tried posting to job sites, like Inbusinesses are struggling with being understaffed. (cartoon by Grace He) deed and Snagajob, as well as word of mouth and in store signage. chaels in Randhurst Village since Dec. 2020. themselves or others. conducted by Hibob, a people management Although there have been many people Throughout her time at the store, there has Patel is grateful for the employees she platform, 45% of American workers aren’t who have applied, only a few come in for an been a revolving door of managers and cadoes have and who put in so much work to comfortable with going back to interview. shiers. help her run her first business. As the owner, work.

“That’s been my hardest thing,” “I think people who apply can’t fully she is very conscious of making sure there is Kathryn A. Edwards, a said Patel. We’ve had very few commit to the hours or work needed to cova balance, in both customer and job satisfaclabor economist at the nonpeople show up for interviews, er shifts, or they simply dislike the managetion. profit, nonpartisan RAND very few, like less than 2%, ment,” said Wisniewska.

Patel takes on any shift or time needing Corporation, wrote, “An inhave actually shown up for In addition to Wisniewska’s regular work to be covered, since there are only eight part d iv idua l an interview.” tasks and expectations, like cashiering and time employees, Patel is the one full time emworried At the height of sumstraightening up the store, she has to worployee. about conmer, Patel had 13 employry about the customers “I didn’t t r a c t i n g ees, but now, there are wearing their masks think it was goCOVID-19 eight part-time employand following Michaels ing to be this might be ees working at Smoothie COVID-19 policies. d i she a r t en i n g more hesKing. In an ideal world, “Telling people to to find [employitant to Patel would love to have wear a mask, it’s kind ees],” said Patel. take a job twelve employees, with at of hard to do,” said The employif vaccinaleast two to three full time Wisniewska. “You don’t ees Patel has are tion rates workers. really want to go up to hard workers are low, With more COVID-19 them and ask. … Most of who have lots cases are spikes, many who want to them will say ‘No’ anyof integrity to spiking, - Sonal Patel, business owner apply for jobs and many way.” come into work customers are who need jobs are nervous The exchanging of and do a good not required to wear masks or a combination about returning to the public. money and returned job. By spreadof all three.”

In an interview with WTTW (Window to product, specifically at ing the word, Since the spikes in COVID-19 cases, plus the World), Dr. Aderonke Pederson, a mental Michaels but also at alPatel hopes to the additional Delta Variant, Illinois has inihealth specialist at Northwestern Universimost every job, is a scare gain more emtiated the second Illinois mask mandate as of ty’s Feinberg School of Medicine, said, “givfor Wisniewska.So much ployees to not Aug. 30, which now gives employees an addien the disruption the pandemic has caused in merchandise is being touched and picked up only ensure the store’s success, but to give tional responsibility to make sure customers so many people’s lives, and the length of time in retail stores that employees have to clean, the current employees more of a balance. are following the state rules as well as their it has lasted, it is natural for people to have be around and exposed to for longer periods “Our hiring is on an ongoing track,” Paown stores. concerns about returning to work.” of time, which is a risk that some might not tel said. “… I’m hoping that we can develop According to senior Victoria WisniewsEspecially with the new Delta variant, be willing to take. a reputation in our local community that ka, being employed during a pandemic is many workers are hesitant to actually apply A lot of people are scared to risk exposing [Smoothie King] is a good place to work.” difficult.

Wisniewska has worked at the Miand accept work. According to a recent study

I DIDN’T THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE THIS DISHEARTENING TO FIND [EMPLOYEES].”

4.9%

is the average unemployment rate of mount prospect and arlington heights

POLARIZATION: mandate becomes wedge issue Continued from page 1

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Page said. “… It feels like people have abandoned any knowledge that they have of science that they learned in their life, and any … trust they have in education in general. It’s confusing to me why people don’t trust their doctors anymore.”

A lot of the polarization due to the vaccine has to do with the politicization of it, according to Beishir. These conversations about COVID-19 seem to carry much more tension than a typical conversation about politics, because it really isn’t about politics; it’s a con-

versation about health.

Beishir referenced a video clip from the New York Times he showed in his classes where a man on a ventilator with COVID-19 was asked why he didn’t get vaccinated and responded with his political ideology instead of any health or science related answer.

“Politicians have decided that this is a wedge issue they need to talk about: an issue they can gain support through,” Beishir said. “… But is that because they’re doing a bad job, or is it because we the people are showing them that will produce results?”

Partly because of the aforementioned rea-

sons, Beishir wasn’t surprised by the mandates; he thinks that they were just waiting to press a button that said “mandate” as soon as the vaccine was approved by the FDA. He feels the same about the quick reaction times of certain politicians in pushing back against the vaccine like Gov. Mark Gordon of Wyoming who plans to take action with the state’s Attorney General.

Beishir argues that Biden’s vaccine mandate is not an overreach of government; it’s the government exercising its power to its very extent. He says it may very well be triggering to those that do not like the govern-

ment doing so.

Especially considering the controversy of the COVID-19 vaccine throughout politics and various media platforms, Page and Van Dinther emphasize the need to come together if there is any hope of solving a situation like a pandemic.

“It is my hope that on the other side of this experience, the public will have a better understanding of how vaccines work,” Van Dinther said. “[There’s] value in people making a mental pivot in understanding that if you receive a vaccine, you’re doing it not only for yourself but for your community.”

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NEWS

OCTOBER 5, 2021

3

From water slides to rock walls First Ascent brings climbing scene to Arlington Heights

tions in Chicago.

Junior Andrew Littman, who has been rock climbing for five years, is one of these people; he has gone a few times to First Ascent locations in Chicago.

However, because of the distance Littman mainly went to the YMCA to rock climb — that is until it closed in 2020. Because of this, he is excited to have a new rock climbing ALYSSA SCHULZ gym in the area; especially since it’s a First Ascent one.

Associate Editor-in-Chief Littman is not the only one looking forward to the opening, in a Knight Media surhen First Ascent co-founder Dan vey of 404 students, nearly 50% stated that Bartz walked into the abandoned they will rock climb more often when First water park, previously known Ascent opens. as Coco Key, he immediately thought: “This This, in part, is because of the increase in has to be a climbing gym.”

Even though the water slides, lazy river popularity of rock climbing. In fact, accordand pirate ship were still in the building, ing to the New York Times, the commercial climbing industry grew at a rate of 6.9% in when Bartz closed his eyes he imagined 2016, 10% in 2017 and 11.8% in 2018 and is the structures reexpected to keep increasing. placed with massive First Ascent is a clear example of rock walls. this, as three gyms opened in 2017, 2018 The water and 2019. park stood Even though abandoned for First Ascent only nearly eight opened its first years until gym in 2014, by Bartz and the end of 2022, First Ascent’s they will have a three other total of six climbco-founders being gyms: three gan considering it in Chicago, one for their fifth rock in Peoria, one climbing location in Arlington in 2017. Today, the Heights and one gym is on track to in Pittsburgh. open in January of The reasoning 2022 — nearly five behind the popyears in the makularity of rock ing. climbing could be According to due to a variety of Bartz, First Ascent reasons. Accordpicked this specific ing to Littman, location because it one of them is the was big enough to sense of satisfacfit all of the aspects they wanted to in- - Dan Bartz, First clude, such as 50-foot rock walls. This Ascent co-founder tion that comes from successfully way, major construction would not be climbing a wall. needed on the outside of the building.

“After month after month of trying to get Additionally, since Bartz states that a hold [on a rock wall] and then after all of many people from the Arlington Heights your [hard work], you finally get it; it’s just area already visit their other climbing locaawesome,” Littman said.

Additionally, Littman states that rock climbing is an overall unique experience where mind and body can really connect.

“When I’m climbing, I’m in the moment and I can’t really think about anything else,” Littman said.

“You’re devoting all your energy to climbing and making sure you don’t mess up. It’s just a really cool feeling.”

According to Bartz, rock climbing is an alternative way to exercise instead of going to a fitness gym and “slog[ing] away on a treadmill.”

“You’re having fun, socializing and meeting new people,” Bartz said. “[Not only] are you getting a good workout in, [but] you’re also experiencing some adventure in your day to day life.”

Although Littman states he would mainly utilize the rock climbing walls at First SCAN QR Ascent, a full schedule of yoga classes and a CODE FOR MORE fully stocked fitness area are also offered; all INFORMATION included with a monthly membership of $85 (see WHAT’S INCLUDED...).

INCLUDED...)

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WE WANT [FIRST ASCENT] TO BE A PLACE WHERE ANYONE CAN ... FEEL LIKE THEY’RE NOT JUDGED ... JUST BECAUSE THEY’RE A NEW CLIMBER.”

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN A FIRST ASCENT MEMBERSHIP? -ACCESS TO ALL LOCATIONS - A FULL SCHEDULE OF FREE YOGA CLASSES - ACCESS TO EVENTS, SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS

Scan the qr code to learn about a “devious” tiktok trend that has made its way to phs

REACHING THE NEXT HOLD: A man rock climbs at one of First Ascent’s locations in Advondale, Illinois. Another First Ascent Climbing & Fitness located in Arlington Heights is expected to open in January 2022. “We’re really excited to bring our unique spin on climbing and climbing gyms to Arlington Heights,” said First Ascent co-founder Dan Bartz. (photo courtesy of Dan Bartz) This way, Bartz states that First Ascent “can be your gym, too, [and not] just your climbing gym.”

Another big part of First Ascent’s effort has been to introduce new people to climbing and make their spaces feel welcoming to everyone — regardless of skill level.

“We want it to be a place where anyone can try climbing, have a good time, feel like they’ve had success and feel like they’re not judged or looked at just because they’re a newer climber,” Bartz said.

Even though it is challenging to open a new location during COVID-19, Bartz believes that there have been many good things that have happened because of it.

According to Bartz, since people have been dialing back on the amount of socializing they have due to COVID-19 for a while, people are more eager than ever to leave their homes. Since a climbing gym is a wide open space, it’s easy to social distance.

“With [COVID-19] policies and protocols

Currently on Prospectornow.com...

we have in place, people are able to [have fun and work out] in a way that keeps [them] safe, but still gives them a chance to get out and about and socialize,” Bartz said.

All in all, First Ascent Arlington Heights location will be a great addition to not only Arlington Heights itself, but also to all area climbers as a whole.

“Since starting [First Ascent], it’s just been great to see the climbing community grow and flourish,” Bartz said. “We’re really excited to bring our unique spin on climbing and climbing gyms to Arlington Heights.”

Scan the qr code to LOOK AT THE PHOTO ALBUM OF THE FINAL DAY OF ARLINGTON PARK

SCAN QR CODE TO GO TO FIRST ASCENT’S WEBSITE

4

OPINION

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Drop off letters to the Prospector in the box in the library, in room 216 or email letters to prospectornow@gmail.com.

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

staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Kim ASSOCIATE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alyssa Schulz MANAGING EDITOR Charlie Dahlgren COPY EDITORS Kailie Foley, Kevin Lynch ONLINE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Jacob Siciliano, Cameron Sullivan KNIGHT TV EXEC PRODUCERS Emma Letzig, Juliet Aquino KNIGHT VOICES EXEC PRODUCERS Kaylie Pasternak, Nolan Hamilton KNIGHT TV LIVE EXEC PRODUCER Luis Hernandez PROSPECTOR EDITORS Ella Mitchell, Maeve Molina, Zach Moreth, PJ O’Grady KNIGHT TV DIRECTORS Cedex Estella, Katherine Lytle, Henry Kauke, Matthew Neimczyk ONLINE EDITORS Joey Delahunty, Marina Markropoulos REPORTERS Dean Carlson, Alyssa Degan, Nic Fardella, Tito Gavin, Olivia Macina, Chris Rodriguez, Owen Walter VISUAL EDITORS Ondine Cella, Alexis Esparza, Grace He ADVISER Jason Block MISSION STATEMENT The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news and explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community. We, The Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide an unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions. The Prospector is published by students in Journalistic Writing courses.

Some material is courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

ADVERTISING For ad rates, call (847) 718 5376 (ask for Jason Block), email or write the Prospector, 801 West Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL, 60056, prospectornow@gmail. com.

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Time for change in D214 dress code Staff Editorial

Current sophomore Raia Uvakova entered Prospect last year eager to start her first day of in-person classes after six months of online learning. She looked forward to catching up with old friends after staying home, but instead, she was met with an embarrassing display of systematic misogyny.

As she scanned her I.D, she was stopped at the door by security and told her outfit violated the dress code. Security then made her pull down her shirt in order to cover up more of her body. Uvakova was wearing black ripped jeans and a long sleeve top that showed an inch of her midriff.

“It was really annoying,” Uvakova said. “I wasn’t trying to get in trouble. I was just excited to see my friends.”

Uvakova is not alone. The District 214 dress code has restricted primarily women’s right to self-expression from its inception. With the dress code consisting of clothes mainly worn by women, it leads many students to infer that the dress code disproportionately affects women.

The D214 dress code, along with most others in the United States, comes in part from the Supreme court case Tinker v.

Des Moines where it was ruled that school officials could not prohibit freedom of expression except on the suspicion that the speech might disrupt the learning environment.

Some articles of clothing that the district prohibits in order

The punishment of students to not “disrupt the educational on the basis of the dress code process” are disproportionately which targets mostly women worn by women. This leads Uvakova to believe that it’s time for contributes to systemic sexism in the worst place possible — a the D214 dress code to change; school. We should not be teachespecially as we move forward ing girls that it is their fault that societally into being more body their bodies are distracting . positive.

Therefore these changes D214 sent out a survey asking should be considered by the for student input on the dress district when recreating the code in January 2020. Dean dress code. It has already been Adam Levinson confirmed that over eight the dress code m o n t h s will be modified since D214 at the district sent out level, but cana student not clarify the survey, and exact date the it has long adjustments will been time be made.

He for the disstates that the trict to make oldtimeyness a tangible of these rules change. has been made Voting results of The “In the clear in light of Knight Media staff in last two the many femyears … lots inist and body regards to this editorial. of differpositivty-geared ent things in our society have movements. changed,” Levinson said, “... So We, Knight Media, commend D214 for taking steps to revise I think what is important to note the dress code in order to allow is that things happen so drastically in a truncated period of self-expression and promote equity among students. It is undertime … It takes longer for people to kind of process all that.” standable for clothing including Levinson finds it important depictions of profanity, alcohol for a school district to be proor drugs to be listed in the dress gressive and adapt to the changcode as inappropriate, however, other items shouldn’t. ing times so as to not seem puniThere is nothing offensive or tive to its students. However, he disagrees with some of the disdistracting about the following tricts in our area who have deitems and should be eliminated cided to abolish a dress code enfrom the dress code: spaghetti straps, crop tops, halter tops, tirely, saying that it might create more problems than it avoids. racerback tops, low cut tops, While Uvakova understands backless tops, tops with one shoulder, bare midriff tops, cro- the need for a dress code in general, she sees the majority of the chet tops, short shorts and short current dress code restrictions skirts.

0

Against

27

For

as policing women’s bodies. Instead of forcing young women to wear something that doesn’t distract others, she thinks that should be placed on those objectifying, and thus becoming distracted by, their bodies.

“Even if it was [a distraction], that’s not my problem,” Uvakova said. “[If] you [are] looking at me and having thoughts and being distracted, ... that’s a personal issue, and you need to get yourself out of that situation ... You need to walk away: not me.”

As D214 schools await revisions to the dress code, administration and staff are becoming more lenient when it comes to enforcing the dress codes policies. Now, they only require students to change what they are wearing if it depicts drug paraphernalia, profanity or material deemed too inappropriate for school — not for showing too much skin.

“I think people have more freedom of expression, a byproduct of body shaming that we want to get away from or amount to get away from,” Levinson said “… People’s bodies are their bodies, and you own it … And you should respect that. That’s important.”

When asked about Uvakova’s experience getting dress coded last year, Levinson states that she likely wouldn’t have been dress coded had she worn the same thing this year.

“It’s rooted in misogyny,” Uvakova said. “... Teachers are definitely becoming a little bit more lenient about it, but it just shouldn’t have ever been an issue in the first place.”

Pandemic leaves lasting learning gap A

s a Knights pated that Inspired to these losses Teach (KITT) in learning tutor, I was helping a would take sophomore with their geplace because ometry homework in the every student fishbowl of the library. has a different At first, the homework story of how they presented to me they learned seemed like an assignduring the ment I would never be pandemic.

MARINA able to figure out given Kim feels that I did not exactly MAKROPOULOS that a teachcruise through geometry er-student Online myself. connection News Editor But after I began mencomes before tally breaking the homework learning does, which down, it became a matter of simI agree with. I am less likely to ple algebra skills. pay attention in a class where My flood of panic that I would the teacher doesn’t at least make be unable to help the student an effort to not bore me to death. quickly washed away. The probTo combat this, Kim said she lem was a matter of finding the encouraged teachers at the beslopes of various lines that interginning of the year to incorposect with each other. In simpler rate team building and games terms, it dealt with the famous into their plans so that students y=mx+b equation that I figured genuinely enjoy going to school. anyone who made it through “I think connection needs algebra would already have to happen before learning hapingrained in the back of their pens,” Kim said. “So to not have brain. a connection piece; it’s questionI guess I was wrong. able. How much learning really The reason this student could did take place? I don’t know.” not correctly answer the quesAdditionally, the Every tion was because they were inacKnight Achieves (EKA) tutorcurately trying to find the slope. ing program was established as I have to admit that it was diffia sect of KITT tutoring, which cult to hide my surprise, but I is an intervention program for don’t know if I was more shocked students who are academically at this discovery or at the unafstruggling. fected response the student gave I know that it would be wrong me once I told them what they to get frustrated with the student were doing wrong. that I tutored for not doing more It wasn’t until tutoring this last year in their algebra class student that I came to realize the to ensure they were better preimpact that remote learning due pared for their sophomore year to COVID-19 had on students. because I didn’t even do that. I However, after analyzing don’t know that I can say many this situation, I know that I do others did either. not blame the student or any During this confusing period, of their teachers for this gap in the concept of education felt like their knowledge. Rather, I blame millions of light years away to it on the environment that the me. This was noticeable when I pandemic created for students picked up on my refusal to simworldwide. It was almost a do-it- ply start my homework. yourself classroom, which can Of course, I have always had never turn out good. issues with procrastination Joyce Kim, Associate Prinsince middle school, and even becipal for Instruction, anticifore then, but I always managed

PUZZLE: As a result of remote instruction, students find it difficult to transition back to school since many were unable to learn fundamental concepts in class. (cartoon by Ondine Cella) to finish the tasks I was assigned in the past.

The most dreadful of assignments were certainly my AP World History reading guides.

The illogical fear of starting these daunting reading guides consumed me.

I found myself stuck between reaching for the fading memories of my old, motivated self and moving forward with the person I was becoming, who I didn’t like very much.

I like doing well in school. I like the feeling I get after doing well on a test because I know that I used every last waking minute I had to study for it. I haven’t felt that way in a long time, though.

Spanish teacher Ryan Schultz feels that the students whose motivation experienced a steep decline because of remote learning probably did not have an initial desire to learn the language.

“I don’t think the pandemic or anything has changed that,” Schultz said. “I think intrinsic motivation to learn a language will carry you where you want to go. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of dedication.”

From the moment I walked into Spanish class on the first day of sixth grade, I recognized that I had a need to learn as much as I could and knew that this was something I wanted to continue with.

Despite the multitude of setbacks in my knowledge of vocabulary and conjugating tenses, I have continued to deepen my knowledge as well as my passion for the Spanish language. The same can not be said for my other subjects.

This is why I think that the most deficiencies are seen in the basic skills of school. The lessons you are supposed to learn during middle school, which then become so familiar that you almost don’t even have to think about doing them.

Read the full stoRy online at PRosPeCtoRnoW.CoM

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

OPINION

OCTOBER 5, 2021

5

On-screen complicity in toxicity Media teenagers consume impacts their relationships

W

hether it be a swoony speech, kissing in the rain or the classic move with the boombox, it is not uncommon to crave that rom-com worthy moment. With so many happily ever afters, it’s so easy to look up at the big screen and think, “I want that.”

But do you really? What about the part when they hire a private investigator to hunt down their high ELLA s c h o o l s h ?

MITCHELL cOrr u when they’re Executive actually Entertainment an immorEditor tal vampire who watches you sleep and thirsts after your blood? Or what about when they are only going out with you because their sister’s boyfriend bribed them to do so?

Yeah, no thanks.

Yet behaviors such as these are not entirely uncommon to see on screen. Especially when it comes to media targeted towards teenagers, creepy behaviors and toxic relationships can be found at every turn. When these on screen connections are then passed off as romantic or all in the name of love, the results are frankly dangerous.

Denise Ambre, licensed clinical social worker and owner of her Arlington Heights practice, defines three golden rules of sorts when it comes to determining healthy versus unhealthy relationships.

“An unhealthy relationship is a relationship that doesn’t have good boundaries — from emotional boundaries to physical boundaries,” Ambre said in an interview with The Prospector. “[It is] any relationship in which you can’t be yourself without being ridiculed or injured in some way. And any relationship in which you can’t communicate your needs.”

When it comes to the portrayal of relationships on screen, the number of ships that fall under these categories outnumber anything that could be counted on one’s phalanges. Take Ross and Rachel from “Friends,” Laura and Luke from “General Hospital” or Nathan and Haley from “One Tree

Hill” for example.

Many of the couples listed above are among the most popular couples in their respective shows.

You’d have to be living under a rock for a solid decade to not hear of Ross and Rachel. The episode of General Hospital featuring Laura and Luke’s wedding still remains one of the highest rated soap opera episodes in American daytime television history. Nathan and Haley have hundreds of “Naley” Pinterest boards dedicated to the ship, and junior Jenna Young, who admits that many of the beginning behaviors in the relationship are toxic, calls them one of her favorite couples. So what makes them so appealing to the audience despite the icky-ness?

Ambre suggests that people’s fascination with fantasy plays a role in it. There is something exciting about it all, something that doesn’t exist in real life. The audience is captivated by it.

Young agrees that some of the fascination with the unrealistic plays a role but cites her enjoyment of the drama as the main reason. Acknowledging many toxic past behaviors of her favorite ship “Naley,” she still roots for the couple due to the ways they have progressed in their relationship.

Playing into the common bad boy and good girl trope, Nathan is a basketball player who spends a lot of time with other girls and, as a generality, can be pretty mean to everyone. He starts dating a shy girl, Haley, to make her best friend mad. But cue the dramatic music because low and behold, they fall in love and live happily ever after.

Even with the rocky start aside, Young still enjoys watching all the couple’s cute moments within the show even though she knows it’s unrealistic.

“That’s a nice story, and they’re like, my favorite couple. But in reality, that doesn’t really happen,” Young said. “I’ve talked to a bunch of older people, and they’re always like, ‘Don’t say you can change him; you probably can’t.”

Which is all great and swell until the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur.

According to a study conducted

by Julia R. Lippman of the University of Michigan, the effects of aggressive male behavior portrayed in the media often leads to women thinking it is more acceptable in real life.

The study examined women’s response to questions regarding aggressive romantic behavior after watching a series of films with varying themes. Lippman found that those who watched films featuring persistent romantic pursuit, including “There’s Something

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TOXIC: On-screen toxicity is seeping into the mindsets of young consumers of media, effecting their relationships. As toxic relationships are being romanticized more commonly, the results have and will continue to be detrimental. (art by Alyssa Schulz) About Mary and Management,” were much more likely to accept that sort of behavior over those who watched films depicting frightening male aggression.

Additionally, it was found that women who watched those same films with persistent romantic pursuit are more likely to accept stalking myths, or highly false or exaggerated beliefs about stalking that often trivialize its seriousness.

When someone strongly endorses stalking myths, that would mean they take it less seriously. Obviously, not something we want happening.

When it comes to creepy behavior, like stalking, sending messages like these can cause people to ignore major red-flags in real life situations that mirror those on screen. Such messages are dangerous because they could cause women to doubt their instincts or downplay the creepiness of a situation.

The meaty claws of creepiness extends further, as Ambre suggests Hollywood’s romanticization of toxic relationships contribes to today’s rape culture. She uses Laura and Luke from “General Hospital’’ as an example. Fans had been rooting for the couple to get together for a little while, but then Luke raped Laura. Yet they were still seen as this huge love story.

“They ended up getting married, and it was the wedding of the century. And it was disgusting to me because he raped her at one point,” Ambre said. “It’s horrible, yet all these people in the world seem to overlook that point.”

Similarly to the study done on stalking, it shows how desensitized audiences have become to many toxic relationships.

Ambre says that people watch media with unhealthy behaviors in it for a variety of reasons. Whether it be the intrigue of an unattainable fantasy or a train wreck, you can’t quite take your eyes off; people keep coming back to these shows.

Psychology Dr. Felix Casados adds that the emotional appeal is another factor. People enjoy watching things they can identify with — whether it be depressing, thrilling, exciting or something in between.

Even when people can’t identify with certain emotions happening, the shock factor still reels them in. Casados draws a comparison to headlines.

“That’s what we are drawn to,” Casados said in an interview with The Prospector. “We’re drawn to the explosions and all that. Even like stand up comedians telling their stories about drug use or

their troubled relationships. We’re attracted to that because it’s so dramatic. And so we’re pulled into those. But, what people don’t realize is that a lot of those stories are rooted in reality.”

Both Casados and Ambre agree that a good story is also a big factor and a lot of times these toxic messages get overlooked in favor of that.

The effects these types of messages have on people is drastic. For one, victims of abusive situations might doubt themselves and their experience after seeing the romanticization of similar situations on screen.

“I think it can be very confusing,” Ambre said. “For girls that it’s happened to, [they are] watching it on screen and saying, ‘But it didn’t feel like that, it didn’t feel OK.’ So why is it being portrayed as romance?”

Portraying toxic relationships as romance is its own downfall. It’s when it is served on a silver platter as something desirable to the audience, that is where the real problem lies.

That’s not to say that toxic relationships should be banned from all media everywhere, kept in a musty dungeon never to see the light again. That is not the reality we exist in today and until we live in a utopian society eradicating creeps everywhere, there remains a need for depiction of toxic relationships.

It is important to note that the way in which toxic relationships are depicted is crucial. Romanticizing them, in a way that happens far too often now, is not something we should deem acceptable as a society. There has to be consequences to the perpetrator. There cannot be a magical relationship bandaid through some grand romantic stunt that makes all the past toxic behavior “go away.” Everything cannot be all tidy and swell at the end of the movie because these toxic behaviors are simply passed off as quirky mannerisms or mistakes.

No. We cannot accept this in the media we consume.

Instead, the key to a well pulled off toxic relationship is the nuance in which it is explored. If the rela-

tionship is allowed to continue with no conversation, only to be swept under the rug, it is not getting the depth and discussion it needs.

Young says that while this discussion doesn’t really take place in “One Tree Hill,” the three main actresses on the show have created a podcast called “Drama Queens” where they discuss the experience and how it shouldn’t mirror reality in a few episodes.

She says that they do a really good job addressing the problematic behavior in the show and stresses the fact that it is a television show that should not mirror your everyday life.

C o nve rsations like these are so important whether they be within the show, with parents, in the classroom or even on a podcast. Pointing out the flaws in the media we consume and understanding that these behaviors are not okay is a solid first step to interacting with toxic relationships in media in a healthy way.

As long as one can acknowledge these flaws, there isn’t a real reason why they should avoid shows or movies featuring toxic relationships. Fiction exists for a reason; it doesn’t have to mirror reality 24/7.

I’m not trying to mess with anyone’s trusty form of escapism, but the great responsibility that creators of such content hold must be acknowledged. The media they are creating goes out to audiences and they have a responsibility to hold themselves to a certain standard.

However, the responsibility doesn’t fall solely on the creator.

As consumers of this media, it is also our responsibility to think beyond the common sense skills of a cricket and consider the information being depicted on screen. It is up to us to decipher fiction from reality and to call out problematic behavior that is not acceptable in real life.

Stephen Chbosky captures the idea well in his book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” when teacher Todd Anderson hands the main character, Charlie, a book to read saying, “Try to be a filter, not a sponge.”

“PORTRAYING TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS AS ROMANCE IS ITS OWN DOWNFALL.”

INDEPTH

OCTOBER 5, 2021

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

Looking back In February of 2020, then-president Donald Trump signed an agreement with the Taliban for the United States to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by May 30 of this year, with that date later being changed by the Biden administration to Aug. 31. Despite Biden’s claims that a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was not guaranteed after the U.S. withdrawal, in August the Taliban quickly collapsed the government and seized control of the country as U.S. troops and diplomats were evacuated. As the dust settles on the conclusion to this decades-long conflict, people across the country reflect on the road to and effects of the tumultuous journey that has been the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

Narcotizing weakens coverage on major issues KEVIN LYNCH Copy Editor

positive. According to Gjemica, spent countless dollars to achieve regard. The factors leading to the desensitization is also applicable this, the show’s ratings, Block narcotizing and eventual decrease in situations where the subject besaid, were dismally low, not even in coverage for a topic can vary, lieves they are helpless or unable surpassing those of an NFL preBlock said, but they typically tie to change their circumstances. season game. back to how much they affect the “Let’s say there’s a child that “It’s kind of like … eating your day-to-day lives of most people. is not getting their needs met,” vegetables versus having your “What’s going to deterGjemica said. “So they cry and dessert,” Block said. “You need mine if, as it loses that timeliness cry, [but the] parent just doesn’t those vegetables, and … it might after a day, a week, a month, … if respond, ... so they get used to it. not be as much fun to read an it stays in the news, … [are] things … They stop asking for help.” article about the conflict going like how close it is to us,” Block While not all examples of this fall on halfway around the world, but said. “Afghanistan is halfway into such an extreme, they can [it’s more important around the world, so it lost proxstill have negative effects, than] an NFL imity really quickly.” such as with narcotizing, preseason According to Gjemica, which Gjemica says is game.” people can become more or less a clear form of this Judesensitized towards a topic based desensitization. nior Matthew on their personal connection to it; “The word for example, somethat always comes one with a family up is numb,” jourmember living in nalism and Media the area of a major Analysis teacher conflict would be Jason Block said. less easily narco“After the media tized to news about has covered whatever that conflict. She it might be for a length says this can also of time, people become be what helps some numb to it; they start tunpeople recognize ing it out, [and] it is not others’ narcotizaon their radar anymore.” tion towards an Block, who issue. However, worked as a journalist even if someone for three years before can recognize the creating the Media Analphenomenon, its ysis course at Prospect, effects are still believes that the blame widespread.

-Jason Block, Media Analysis teacher for this phenomenon can lie with According to both the public and the media.

Block, the media’s He said the public can be blamed Pancini agrees with Block that power to control public perception for taking the past of least resisboth the public and the media of the news is one of the main tance and not challenging their share the blame for the decreasthings taught in the Media Analworldview by keeping up to date ing coverage of certain events; ysis course, as the way stories are with the news. However, Block however, he is also concerned by reported can shape people’s beliefs believes that the media is many potential effects of the current concerning a certain subject. times also at fault for prioritizing profit-driven system most news “If the media continued profits and giving viewers what companies are guided by. their quest to inform the pubthey would like to see rather than “I don’t think there’s lic about what was going on in focusing on important issues. anything we can do about it, Afghanistan, would people have Block cites the example of when unfortunately,” Pancini said. “But demanded a withdrawal sooner?”

CBS transported their entire … I don’t think it’s good that our Block said. “Would they have nightly news organization to news is only coming to us if it demanded that we stay longer, that Afghanistan early in the conflict makes businesses more money.” we allocate more resources, that to portray a broader scope of the However, not every conflict or mawe should increase our number events there. While the network jor event is treated equally in this of troops? Who knows, but if

they continued to make that their focus, would that have changed perception of what’s going on in Afghanistan … if people had been following it all along?”

Information has been proven to be a key factor in public perception of major events in the past. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2002, 66% of Americans incorrectly assumed that Saddam Hussein was connected to the 9/11 attacks, an important piece of information given the debate at the time over whether to use military force to topple Hussein’s rule in Iraq.

“Mass Communication, Popular Taste, and Organized Social Action” also argues that the way news is reported influences not only the public’s knowledge of that topic, but their actions on it as well. The more people become aware of and exposed to the issues on the news, it states, the more comfortable they are with those issues, leading to decreased motivation to act and create real change.

Block believes that not all ages are affected equally by this phenomenon, however, and says that social media and quick news updates can lead to a form of narcotizing for younger people.

Pancini, however, has the opposite view, believing that older demographics are more susceptible to being influenced by the news cycle and that teenagers have developed better critical thinking skills that can help them see what issues really matter. He does acknowledge, however, that social media can create problems as well.

“I think, in a way, … it comes with good and bad things,” Pacini said. “Because … we have all this information at our disposal, but the information just goes by super fast and a lot of times we aren’t able to effectively absorb the information.”

In the end, both Block and Pancini agree that narcotizing plays a large role in public opinion and news consumption in general, and that its effects can already be seen with the current coverage of Afghanistan.

“When it’s doing its job correctly, the media doesn’t tell people what to think; it tells people what to think about,” Block said. “ … That’s their role, so they get to decide ... what you’re talking about at lunch with your friends … they tell you what to think about, and in the case of the last … 15 years, they were not telling you to think about Afghanistan.”

Suicide bombers killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. soldiers outside an airport in Kabul on Aug. 26. Yet while 182 lives and counting were claimed in moments that day in Afghanistan, for many Americans, the conflict that led up to this loss of life was barely discussed until that August.

According to the Tyndall Report, which tracks and categorizes each network’s nightly news, ABC, CBS and NBC spent a combined total of five minutes of coverage on Afghanistan in all of 2020 combined. In spite of this, however, dozens of casualties were caused in Afghanistan in a single day just months after this figure was reported.

According to Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, the number of minutes of coverage on Afghanistan decreased from 940 in 2001 — the year of the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent American invasion of Afghanistan — to 81 just two years later in 2003. The United States was at war for nearly 20 years; but for many of the years following, the time spent covering the war was a fraction of what it was originally.

The war in Afghanistan did not disappear for over a decade; but, according to the report, for much of America, it might as well have.

Multiple contentious topics currently permeate public consciousness such as the drama in Afghanistan, the new Texas abortion law and the daily COVID-19 news, and many Americans try to stay up to date on these subjects.

However, as quickly as these topics might arise, they may seem to disappear from public knowledge just as easily. This is explained by a phenomenon referred to as “narcotizing,” where people become less affected by news that they once found shocking or impactful after continued exposure to it.

According to 1000 school psychologist Fitore Gjemica, this can be explained by a broader behavioral phenomenon called desensitization, 750 where people gradually adapt and become less reactive to events and experiences around 500 them that once stood out. It is also the basis of exposure therapy, where patients are exposed to 250 something causing them anxiety or nervousness over a period of time in order to reduce those reactions.

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 However, this phenomenon is not always

After the media has covered whatever it might be for a length of time, people become numb to it; they start tuning it out, [and] it is not on their radar anymore.”

Media Coverage of Afghanistan in minutes since 2001

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

OCTOBER 5, 2021

7

INDEPTH

on Afghanistan Hardships in Afghanistan shift perspectives

Journalist: real people have lost the war

copters.

Quraishi said the military didn’t explain why that building was such a valued target or what was happening. He continued saying that, when they were out there, it really helped him and his team to understand the PJ O’GRADY situation. But they realized how close they got when bullets were Exec Sports Editor fleeting by them. After that, they were forced to rush back to the heOn a Sunday morning on March licopter.

17, 2002, the former CNN reporter During the attack, Quraishi exAsh-har Quraishi expected a nor- plained that they had an up-close mal day off considering he hadn’t view of a killed Pakistani soldier. had a day off in a while. In contrast He said the soldier was involved in a to what he expected, firefight and died on the he learned there was a battlefield. So some solchurch bombing where diers wrapped his head he was near in Islamin a camouflage jacket, abad, the capital of Paand they loaded him on kistan. He and his team the helicopter. rushed to the scene to In order for Afreport the disaster. ghanistan to improve, He said it was in the Quraishi says that AfU.S. embassy which was ghanistan needs some a very secure area, but rebuilding like infratwo attackers were able structure and education Ash-har to sneak into the church. for the “men, women, “Authorities allowed Qurai-shi and children who have journalists inside the wanted nothing but to church just shortly after the at- live their own lives with their hopes tack occurred,” Quraishi said. “It and dreams.” was gruesome; that’s the only way Afghanistan was a completely I could describe it. It was a horrify- different country before the Soviing scene. [It] really left an indelible et invasion in 1979, according to mark on me as a journalist [and] as Quraishi. a human being to see the horrors of “You look at Afghanistan that attack.”

Pre-Soviet invasion and it was a Quraishi kicked off his broad- beautiful country that had a beauticasting career at the University of ful culture, beautiful language, muIllinois in their college of media. sic and arts,” Quraishi said. “And From there, he got an internship it really has suffered over the last at a small local news station in Il- four decades … as a result of it being linois. Soon enough, he was doing used and abused.” stories in Pakistan on the hunt for Ultimately, Quraishi hopes that Bin Laden, the war on terror, and in the government forms functions for investigative reporting. All that ex- the Afghan people. perience gave Quraishi the insight “They really deserve peace and he needed about the Afghanistan/ prosperity after decades of war Pakistan border. and being caught in the middle of Oftentimes, reporters traveled things,” Quraishi said. “… The ciwith the military near Afghani- v i l i a n s stan. At one point, there was a mili- really are tary operation against an Al-qaeda the ones base on the Pakistan-Afghanistan who have border. So Quraishi’s team of re- lost.” porters were taken out along with the military in a helicopter. There was an intense firefight going on in the tribal areas of Pakistan, and one of the buildings was being destroyed by Pakistani forces and Apache heli-

Soldier explains what went wrong in Afghanistan PJ O’GRADY Exec Sports Editor

B. Ryan went through over 12 jobs in 2011 searching for something to do. He felt he didn’t have the commitment and independence that he thought he needed to have at the age he was at. At age 24, his parents were covering his bills when it was needed. He explained that he couldn’t continue the way he was living. “[I] learned a job, got bored, went to the next job, and, so, it was more ‘I can’t keep sustaining this lifestyle; I have to just commit to something,’” Ryan said.

Some of the jobs he had that year were a worker at Lowe’s, a waiter, a drug test administrator, a strength and conditioning coordinator and a cross fit trainer.

He explained that he was always pretty physically fit since he swam at Maine West High School. He figured the military would be good for him since he was looking for a more challenging approach.

“When I read more into this military stuff, it seemed more competitive; it seemed more up my alley to keep generating more drive to stay hungry,” Ryan said.

Ryan’s cousin told him about the military, because he was in special operations. After a lot of research, Ryan concluded that he was going to join the Green Berets (special operations force) as a medic.

The three years of training he would endure would be the final test before combat. He said he got through training by reminding himself that what he was going through would end at some point. “ Ever ything comes

to an end whether it’s the training, life, disease or friendship,” Ryan said. “Everything is finite.”

He had to go through basic training, airborne training, pre-selection and selection. Once he was selected, it took another 2.5 years for him to become a Green Beret. After he joined an ODA (Operational Detachment Alpha), Ryan was sent off to Camp Brown at Kandahar AirField in Afghanistan. He served there from November 2016 to May 2017.

Ryan didn’t expect how friendly the locals were in Afghanistan. He explained that some of the Afghans had contracts with the U.S. military to clear out mines for the soldiers and vehicles. It was a risky job for both the citizens of Afghanistan and the soldiers who both had to rely on each other. He said the soldiers were able to learn about the Afghan culture and language through the limited communication they had with each other.

“Everyone was just warm, very genuine and nice,” Ryan said. “... And, I mean, it’s not that my idea of a person from Afghanistan was not, but I’m going over there for war in full kit and battle.”

He said it was a very humbling moment for him, because he developed great relationships with the community. When Ryan and his team went on ground missions through Afghanistan Ryan’s engineer would stop and give gum and sweet tarts to the children. He said that the kids loved it, and they would run over to their vehicle as soon as they saw the candy.

Ryan noticed him and his team were doing the same job as all the other Green Berets had done before him in the last 15 years. All the soldiers’ visions were the same. They were going to train Afghan forces to be able

to sustain their military and aid their government.

Ryan explained that in those 15 years, not much really changed. He said that when you teach a child something, your goal is for them to be able to do it for themselves. So he said you have to release the reins for people to learn something.

“Maybe it was poor planning from the Bush administration through the Obama [administration] to end out with [the] Trump [administration],” Ryan said.

“I mean none of them had a full on plan on how to pull us out, because they all said ‘We’ll get there, I’ll be the one that changes it’”.

Ryan said troops needed to get pulled out eventually. He didn’t agree with how Biden went about it, but he said it had to happen at some time. He said he expected the Afghan government to fall apart after U.S. troops would leave.

“At least from who I interacted with, and the dependencies I saw on our money, on our training, on our presence on all the missions, . . . [the Afghan government] was dependent on the U.S. to do that,” Ryan said.

Although a number of things could’ve been changed or done, he said he doesn’t place the blame on anyone for how it turned out.

He said it was going to happen either way.

As much as Ryan and his team could do to the war in Afghanistan, Ryan explained that he was a “small fish in a big pond,” and that, in the grand scheme of things, he recognized that what he did was very helpful to his men, but also not revolutionary towards the war. He said that the compassion and understanding of different perspectives was one of the valuable things he learned from his time in warfare.

“I can go forth and be a better person, be more educated in my judgments [and] in my feelings towards others and how I act going from there,” Ryan said.

8 FEATURES

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Politics find place on front porch

Tensions grow as political flags, yard signs go mainstream

CHARLIE DAHLGREN Managing Editor

O

K

ne evening over Memorial Day weekend in 2021, Arlington Heights resident Suzanne Miceli — feeling particularly patriotic — decided to endorse her then-favorite politician by putting up a yard sign: a bright and colorful campaign poster depicting President Donald Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again.” But Miceli didn’t expect to see what she awoke to the next morning.

The sign, which had been up for less than one night, had been stolen right off her front porch.

“I was kind of stunned,” Miceli said. “I was getting mad.”

Immediately that morning, shortly after calling police, Miceli went on a temper-fueled spree of political endorsements in and around her house.

She started by putting up a flag depicting the Trump campaign poster that someone had donated to her after hearing what happened, fixed right above her front door. Then, Miceli headed to her basement where she unearthed old shirts from her retired Americana motorcycle clothing company. The shirts featured a crusader’s cross and the slogan “Take America Back.” She then folded the clothes and stapled more than 35 around her home.

“How dare you steal from me,” Miceli said. “I don’t steal anybody’s Black lives matter [or] LGBTQ flags. I don’t steal your Biden signs.

So why are you stealing from me?”

But Miceli is not alone; political signs and flags are a mainstream way that Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect residents show their support for various candidates and issues.

According to a Knight Media survey of 404 Prospect students, more than 17% of students and their families display political flags or yard signs

o h W ws no

outside of their homes. But as with any popular methods of political advocacy, these silent demonstrations are being met with controversy, crime and combativeness.

Just three doors down, Arlington Heights Village Board member Mary Beth Canty was facing an almost identical situation with her left-leaning political signs, too, being stolen and vandalized outside her Arlington Heights home of 12 years. However, both Canty and Miceli agree that the positives of publicizing your politics far outweigh those negatives.

Miceli has received gratitude mainly from people who tell her that they are too scared to show their conservative beliefs in public, not wanting to jeopardize their jobs or social standings. One man even brought Miceli a six pack of beer to show his gratitude.

Canty sees the signs as an important way to reach out to others in the community that might share her values and respect her perspective. During election season, Canty will cover her yard with dozens of candidates’ signs to show her support in federal, state and local elections.

“My husband came home one day and [said], ‘So I see we’re now a polling place,’ because I had so many signs in the yard,” Canty said. “They were kind of lined up like dominoes.”

As an elected official with a career in public service, Canty understands the impact signs can have on elections at all levels. When she ran for Arlington Heights’ Village Board in 2019, she utilized the power found in yard signs and plans to keep signs as an integral part of her campaign after announcing her candidacy as a Democrat for Illinois’s 54th district in July.

“When it comes to the local races ... yard signs are a huge factor because a lot of [decision-making] is done almost on name recognition alone,” Canty said. “You kind of look for yard signs in the yards of people you know and trust to help y o u find your footing.”

But like Miceli, Canty, too, faces issues with vandalism, often finding her signs bent, stolen or uprooted, typically found tossed on neighbors’ lawns.

In response, both women have installed security cameras.

Both Canty and Miceli know dozens other

STOLEN SIGNAGE: Political signs and flags hang around an Arlington Heights front porch. After having a Trump sign stolen out of her yard this May, Miceli got upset and continued to hang more than 40 signs around her house. (photo by Charlie Dahlgren) than themselves who have had their signs stolen and vandalized, yet according to Arlington Heights Police Department (AHPD) Sergeant Ray Finnerty, the AHPD does not keep track of how many reports they have received for sign or flag theft.

Finnerty has been with the AHPD since 1999 and has served through numerous local, state and federal election cycles which, he says, are when sign theft and vandalism is at its highest. He added that although he feels that these instances of theft and vandalism are not often reported to police, he is confident that there are far more happening in the community than he and the AHPD are aware of.

Finnerty also said that crimes of this variety are uniquely challenging to solve considering how

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easy it is to achieve anonymity while outside, and doesn’t know of a single case of this variety where charges have been pressed.

“There are a lot of things that [determine] the solvability of a crime,” Finnerty said. “Do we have witnesses? Do we have a time frame for when it happened? Are the people willing to sign a complaint if we catch somebody? Because if you’re not willing to sign a complaint, then charging somebody is probably not going to happen.”

Every time a call is made about sign theft, a police report is written and is then handed off to the detective bureau to determine whether or not it is investigatable.

“They are difficult crimes to solve,” Finnerty said. “[But] things like Ring cameras are certainly helping us now.”

The Arlington Heights Municipal code makes it clear that “It shall be unlawful for any person to display upon any sign any obscene, indecent, or immoral matter” but the AHPD doesn’t actively search out signs fitting that criteria. They simply respond to complaints, but even then, it is often very difficult to do anything.

According to Finnerty, it would probably be generalized if somebody were to call 9-1-1

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and complain about a sign that happened to offend them. Because there is a constitutional amendment protecting free speech, officers would then have to make the determination whether or not it is violating the First Amendment.

So it comes down to finding where your freedom of speech stops me from saying something that’s mean and offensive to others.

The importance of that freedom is something Finnerty, Miceli and Canty can all agree on, and all three think that more people should put their views on display, no matter their party affiliation.

They see political signs as a way to bring people together, not push them apart.

“There is strength in numbers,” Canty said. “When you’re in your home and you’re not really ever talking to your neighbors about politics … you might sometimes feel like you’re alone ... But when you start to put out those signs, you can start to build bridges with people and realize, you’re not alone …

That’s the nonpartisan thing about signs, you’re going to find kinship when you start putting your signs out there.”

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PROSPECTORNOW.COM

OCTOBER 5, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT

9

Popular heroes pass on politics Classic stories keep popularity, lose original themes, importance

A

s kids across the country entered comic stores in September 1941, a new comic began popping up on shelves. On the cover, a man dressed in red, white and blue and wielding a matching shield was depicted throwing a punch into the face of Adolf Hitler, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Captain America was created in 1940 by the now-legendary Joe Simon and JOEY Jack Kirby — notably both Jewish DELAHUNTY Americans — to Executive represent the U.S. and fight Nazis.

Online Editor While Nazi Germany certainly wasn’t popular in the U.S. at the time, it was still before the U.S. had formally joined WWII. Throughout the war, Captain America would become an incredibly popular character and acted as anti-Nazi messaging. After the war, he disappeared for a few years before re-emerging as a McCarthyist “commie smasher” in the ‘50s, then once again disappeared until joining the Avengers in the ‘60s.

Captain America remains an incredibly popular character in the present, but over the years there have been subtle changes in stories he appears in. In September 1941, only 64% of Americans wanted to join WWII, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum: a number that wouldn’t change much until the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of that year. It was certainly a majority, but not an overwhelming one. Anti-Nazism, despite what it seems, was a somewhat controversial position when “Captain America Comics #1” came out.

Over the years, though, the character has become subtly different. While modern Captain America still supposedly represents the U.S., he’ll rarely take any real stance on a controversial subject. A real stance is a risk, after all, and the corporation that owns the character wants as many people as possible to buy in. Instead of representing a specific stance or viewpoint, he’s just the generic and agreeable “America.”

While many now-popular characters and stories started as overtly political, as they grew into their modern popularity they were often sanded down thematically to make them more palatable to wider audiences.

These readaptations over time often leave

WHAM! Captain America punches Adolf Hitler in the face on the cover of “Captain America Comics #1” from 1941. While many popular characters started as explicitly political, over time they’ve often been sanded down to be more pallatable to wider audiences. (art courtesy of Marvel Comics) the most marketable elements intact, such as action or romance plots, while taking away the parts more likely to cause a stir, like political stances or themes. They still make for fun movies, but the versions of these stories without their essential themes are ultimately just empty money grabs. One of the best demonstrations of this is, somewhat surprisingly, the “Star Wars” franchise.

Despite the massive multimedia juggernaut it’s grown into, “Star Wars” started as just a very strange kids movie, drawing clear inspiration from westerns and samurai movies — just with a bizarre sci-fi twist. However, nearly all Star Wars media from before Disney’s purchase of the franchise in 2012

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was very overtly political.

In the original trilogy, he Empire is a representation of the United States during the Vietnam War according to Director George Lucas. This is perhaps most clear in “Return of the Jedi” where the final battle is set in a massive jungle, and is only won by the Rebels due to non-traditional fighting and greater knowledge of the terrain.

It’s also been said explicitly though, like when Lucas responded to a question from a reporter in a 1981 press conference about if the Emperor was a Jedi.

“No, he was a politician. Richard M. Nixon was his name. He subverted the senate and finally took over and became an imperial guy and he was really evil,” Lucas said.

“But he pretended to be a really nice guy.”

The new Disney-made trilogy, in contrast, doesn’t have much to say about anything, political or otherwise. Even at the most surface-level viewing, the original movies are clearly anti-imperial, but in the new ones it’s never even clear what the First Order is or what they represent. Weirdly enough, the new trilogy also lacks any real apolitical themes.

In “Return of the Jedi,” the Emperor is defeated when Darth Vader turns on him to save Luke, sending a clear message about redemption through love and familial bonds.

In “The Rise of Skywalker,” by contrast, the Emperor defeated when Rey is empowered by the spirits of past Jedi, which doesn’t tie in thematically with anything the movie was doing.

This may seem like just meaningless fandom argument, but it’s a good signifier of a larger pattern in corporate-owned media.

Movies in these massive franchises function perfectly fine as fun, pointless action movies, but they don’t have anything to say. Don’t get me wrong, I love pointless action movies, but that isn’t what stories like this are meant to be.

Partially to blame for this trend in movies is the fact that so many properties are owned by just a few massive companies. Their goal when making a movie is simply to make as much money as possible from it, which tends to be easier the less controversial the movie might be.

These attempts to make something more palatable to a large audience often take the form of abstracting any particular moral

stances a work might take.

Captain America doesn’t punch political figureheads anymore; he’s just American.

How does he feel about the war in Afghanistan? What about police reform? When he doesn’t take a real stance, the answer is easy: he agrees with you, dear reader.

All of this serves the singular purpose of trying to make sure the viewer is never confronted or made uncomfortable by the media they are consuming. Our heroes are simply “good,” and the evils they fight are usually so far removed from the real world they aren’t representative of anything. Escapism and fantasy are fun, but they aren’t a replacement for actual commentary and analysis of the world.

However, that’s not to say that fiction with political themes is necessarily subversive or bold. In fact, according to Contemporary Literature teacher Tim McDermott, political fiction is actually more effective in reinforcing existing ideas than swaying those who would disagree with it. This helps people feel comfortable in their beliefs, and makes it increasingly difficult to discuss with people who disagree.

“All of a sudden we started to view each other as enemies rather than as other human beings who might have a different opinion,” McDermott said.

While this is a somewhat different problem than themes being removed from works, it still exists for the same reason of allowing the audience to feel unchallenged in their beliefs. Of course, it’s sort of ridiculous to entirely blame fiction for this, but it does still further the problem.

Complaints about things like this can seem petty or pointless, but they have real effects and dangers. Palatable, meaningless stories are easy to sell and easy to buy, but that’s not what storytelling is about. Pieces of narrative art are inextricably tied to real beliefs, and any attempt to separate them ultimately either fails or just leaves an empty husk.

The corporations who own these stories don’t want to take any risks with them, and having a real stance is definitely a risk. Without taking that risk, though, creating a real, worthwhile story isn’t possible. Any good story needs to have something to say, even if saying it doesn’t sell as well.

10 ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER 5, 2021

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

Stage lights turn on once again OLIVIA MACINA

Entertainment Reporter

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he morning before the district summer musical was performed, all the students were waiting inside and staring out the windows, watching the rain fall, praying that their performance would not get canceled.

The musical was being performed outside at the Lions Park Memorial bandshell due to COVID-19 precautions.

The musical had already put on two successful performances in the sunshine, and the cast was hoping for a third. When the performers finally walked on stage, the audience was full of friends and family sitting in the rain with their umbrellas ready to support them.

Live theater has been greatly impacted by the pandemic, but now, as vaccines are widely available, theaters can turn their lights back on. Many theaters, however, are struggling with the decision of whether or not they should require audience members to be vaccinated.

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights, which was closed down for 18 months due to the pandemic, decided that for people to attend a Metropolis show, they must show proof of vaccination. Proof can be provided by showing one’s physical vaccination card or by showing a picture of the card on their phone that will be matched up with their ID. Prospective attendees who have chosen not to get vaccinated are allowed to show proof of a negative test taken 72 hours prior to the show or a rapid test taken 12 hours prior. Vaccinated or unvaccinated, audience members are required to wear masks at all times in the theater.

Bryan Wlas, Audience Services

Director at Metropolis, explained that the senior staff members came to this decision after many long and hard discussions. They ultimately decided that if they wanted to reopen their indoor venue, having the audience members show proof that they are not contagious is the safest option.

To adapt to the earlier months of the pandemic, Metropolis put on two of their main stage shows at an outside venue in downtown Arlington Heights. Although the outdoor stage only held 80 people, the ticket sales were very strong, leaving Metropolis with sold-out outdoor performances.

Similarly, throughout the 20202021 school year, Prospect performers were required to wear masks and remain socially distanced on stage. For safe measures, some of the productions were put on outside.

The first outdoor show last school year, “Pyramus and Thisbe,” was performed socially distanced with masks on. The show lasted 15 minutes, and all the rehearsals were online. It was then put together in-person the day before the performance.

Prospect continued focusing on putting on safe productions with the shows that followed throughout the season. During the winter, students came in and recorded themselves individually and edited each other together to create four different radio shows. Then, in the spring, a socially distanced musical, “525,600,” was put on indoors at the Prospect theater.

The first two shows of the year were free of an admission fee, but audience members were encouraged to donate to the program.

However, in the spring, Prospect returned to their regular ticket prices to cover the costs of putting on a more expensive show.

Since there was limited seat-

ing, it was difficult to make a profit from the show.

Entering the summer, productions began to return to normal and a more traditional musical, “Descendants,” was put on outdoors.

The district did not require the performers to wear masks because the performance was outside.

Moving into this school year, Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared mask mandates once again. Jeremy Morton, Prospect Fine Arts Coordinator, wondered, “How do we continue to tell stories without truly going backwards?”

The fall show this year was a tribute to the 9/11 attacks, “110 Stories.” In this show, movement and choreography did not matter since it was a reader’s theater performance. This means that all of the performers held their scripts on stage and came up to the front when it was their turn to speak, making this show the perfect choice under the circumstances.

Performers still wore masks and remained distanced.

In November, Prospect will be doing an improv show called “ComedySportz: The High School League.”

“I felt like we needed to laugh … and just let go, and that’s why “ComedySportz” is just perfect because I think that we have not done that enough,” Morton said. “There has been just a lot of frustration and anger, so I want to laugh together.”

As of now, the district is not requiring audiences to be socially distanced. However, Prospect is not selling tickets for all of the seats in the theater and staff are asking that people stay socially distanced due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.

After a year and a half of teaching theater through a pandemic, Morton has learned many unexpected lessons. This has come from taking risks with the various show

OPENING THE CURTAINS: As Prospect Fine Arts comes back to life, the theater lights shine brightly once again. (cartoon by Grace He) experiences put on in that time.

“I learned ... that I can and should stretch myself,” Morton said. “I have learned that there are many different mediums to tell

stories [and] that we don’t need to just do our traditional experience.

But what I would love to do moving forward is find a way to blend those ideas.”

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

SPORTS

OCTOBER 5, 2021

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Boys’ soccer takes new strategy ZACH MORETH Executive Sports Editor

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KICKIN’ IT: Senior captain of the boys’ varsity soccer team Ari Kemperas pushes the ball up the field against the Fremd Vikings on Sept. 25. The game ended at 0-3. The team has been working to adjust to having two seasons in one year. (photo by Alexis Esparza)

ne of the biggest changes that the soccer team has gone through this season has been playing two seasons in the same year: one season in the spring and one in the fall.

“Last year was a hectic experience as a coach (having the boys and girls soccer season overlap for two weeks); however, I’m incredibly excited that we are back out there,” said boys’ head soccer coach Michael Andrews. “Things seem to be running pretty smoothly, and the guys are playing well; they’re energized, and they’re positive.”

As for the players, this is something that they’ve never encountered before as well.

“It’s been pretty weird, honestly; I’m not used to playing two high school seasons in the same year, ‘’ junior left back Sam Heintz said. “I think it made everyone more conditioned and ready to play because we had summer off.”

Another problem heading into this season was the fact that the team lost 17 seniors after last year. Leadership was up for grabs and Andrews was unfamiliar with his new 14 seniors who would have to take on a new role. Luckily, he says, they have been more than reliable.

Andrews explained how independent the seniors have been and how they have set the tone by getting to the field early every day after school, before the coaches. He also talked about how they lead the team in warmups as fast as possible after school.

Senior Ryan Novak leads the team with six goals and senior Steven Lopez has the most assists with five.

The Knights recently had their first soccer tournament and realized one of their biggest problems after losing to Mount Carmel 5-0.

The team was having trouble “marking” opposing players (guarding strikers and preventing them from getting the chance to score), causing the defense to become chaotic and vulnerable.

Despite the early struggles, the Knights remained calm and went onto win their next two games. They defeated Glenbard West 1-0 and later beat St. Patrick’s 6-4 after scoring two last-minute goals for the victory.

“It just proved how much more we wanted to win the game,” Heintz said.

As the team moves into conference play, they hold a 4-1 in conference record (Sept. 23). Even though they are off to a solid start, the Knights will continue to push themselves as the MSL is very competitive this year.

“I don’t take any teams in the MSL lightly,” Andrews said. “I truly believe we are in one of the toughest conferences around. Every team is beatable, and any team can beat us if we don’t approach each game with total focus and intensity.”

Due to the limited number of seniors, the team is counting on several juniors like Max Mho, Sam Heintz, Nick Casseleto, Daniel Barbaric and Chris Morris to help contribute to their success.

“I expect the juniors and the sophomores to play up to the varsity level and overall collaborate with the upperclassmen,” senior goalie Chris Schenkenfelder said.

Going forward, the team is confident that they have the potential to win the conference and go even further into the playoffs.

It sounds easier said than done, but with Andrews’s strategy, he believes the victories are more than achievable.

“We need to continue to refine our brand of soccer: we want to be able to keep the ball, we want to be able to get it out of dangerous areas,” Andrews said.

Girls’ tennis duo leads team in their final season NIC FARDELLA Sports Reporter

PROSPECTORNOW.COM

CURRENTLY ON

The face of Prospect girls’ tennis is the duo of seniors Natalie Katsaros and Katherine Doyle, according to head coach Mike McColaugh. The two have been partners for four years now, and have been in Prospect’s top doubles spot for the last three years.

“Doyle and Katsaross are such good friends,” McColaugh said. “When you don’t have to worry about your partner being upset with or disappointed with you, it relieves a lot of pressure off and makes you relaxed.

That’s how they are with each other.”

Doyle and Katsaros were runners-up last year at sectionals for doubles, and are hoping to win sectionals this year and to place in state.

“It feels weird all being seniors because we’ve all moved up together and are all really good friends,” Doyle said.

Doyle and Katsaros have grown up together and know each other’s game well.

“Her encouraging me is different from me encouraging her. We both learned how to do that,” Doyle said.

For example, if Katsaros has a bad game, Doyle always tries to put it into perspective for her.

As of Sept.26, the varsity girls’ tennis team record is 12-1. They are looking to win the MSL East for the fourth straight year behind Doyle and Katsaros.

The Fall Classic is the biggest tennis tour-

MAKE A RACKET: Senior Katherine Doyle warms up before her match. Doyle has been a key contributor in leading Prospect to be MSL champions of girls’ tennis. (photo by Alexis Esparza) nament that Prospect hosts, taking place on Sept. 25. It is a 16-team field that includes schools like Buffalo Grove, Hersey, Highland Park and Deerfield. It is so big that the tournament is held at four different locations: Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Buffalo Grove

Check out the girls’ diving into their swim season

and Hersey. According to McColaugh, this is a good tournament for the team to participate in because Prospect will see most of the schools that are in the tournament in sectionals and state.

“A lot of the top players use this tourna-

Look into the boys’ cross country team

ment as a chance to measure themselves against players they can see in the state tournament,” McColaugh said. “There’s been a year where the same two teams [that] play in the doubles final play in the tournament ... also play each other in the semi-finals for state.”

“The tournament environment is competitive,” Doyle said. “A lot of girls ... know each other because we play together outside of high school.”

There are a total of nine seniors on the roster, and all of them have gained leadership experience, like directing the team and encouraging communication because most of them have been on varsity for three years, according to McColaugh.

McColaugh once missed a day of taking one of his sons to college and came up with a plan that he would give to a substitute teacher, but instead all the seniors were working on it and running the practice.

“Obviously the JV and freshman and sophomore coaches were there to help supervise them, but the seniors took the plans themselves without being told what to do.

That’s a nice luxury to have all of them,” McColaugh said.

It is always good having seniors that you can count on to be leaders of your team, McColaugh said.

“I will miss going out and practicing every day. I definitely took that for granted. The team was so close; it was a great community,” Doyle said..

Look into an interview with the new Ultimate Frisbee Sponsor: Jay Heilman

12

SPORTS

CURRENTLY ON PROSPECTORNOW.COM...

Prospect Football has started off to a hot start. Scan the QR code to view the Prospector's coverage on the Knights season so far.

OCTOBER 5, 2021

WHERE Are they now?

O Gary Moeller

Micah Sahakian

University of Wsiconsin-Madison PHS class of 2021

“Putting on my pads for the first time then looking across the field and seeing another opponent was one of the most electrifying experiences of my life,” Sahakian said Even with all of this, Sahakian still keeps contact with his high school teammates.

“I talk to those guys whenever I possibly can, I’m super proud of all of them,” Sahakian said.

He’s even learned from former teammates like when he talked to former Knight and current Valparaiso linebacker Adam Mekky about Dartmouth's scheme, who both Mekky and Sahakain are scheduled to play this season.

Win or lose it’s evident that these former teammates will never lose their bond.

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Cornell Sophomore Micah Sahakian’s story on the gridiron has been one full of twists and turns. Sahakian started his football career later than most as a senior.

In his senior season Sahakian dominated due to his physical frame and effort to become better everyday. That stellar 2019 senior season, in which the Knights won their first playoff game in seven years, was enough to attract an Ivy League offer from Cornell University.

Like most college freshmen, Sahakian did not sniff the field his freshman year.

However, none of his senior teammates touched the field either as the Ivy League canceled their college football season outright.

But once the fog of the forgotten 2020 Ivy League season cleared Sahakian was finally ready to strap on his pads as a member of the Cornell Big Red.

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One of Moeller’s former teammates, Zach Zei, is also on the Wisconsin football team as a long snapper.

“It helped seeing a familiar face there,” Moeller said. “It wasn’t so much of a shock getting introduced to the team.”

Moeller will also get the chance to go up against a familiar face on Oct. 9 when Wisconsin faces the University of Illinois with Prospect Alum Luke Zardzin.

“I'm not on the travel squad yet, so I likely won’t be traveling for [the game] which is disappointing,” Moeller said. “But I’m excited to talk some smack with [Zardzin] and see how that game goes.”

While Moeller has enjoyed his time at Wisconsin, there are some aspects of high school football that he misses.

“It’s fun being the guy, getting all those reps in the game,” Moeller said. “There’s not really anything quite like Friday night lights, playing with the guys you grew up with.”

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Prospect Alum Gary Moeller had been a star at Prospect High School ever since he stepped on the football field. He started his sophomore year as a cornerback then went on to be the starting quarterback for his final two seasons at Prospect. During his time at Prospect he received numerous awards such as the Chicago Bears High School All-Star, 2x All-Area, 3x All Conference and 2x Academic All-State. With this kind of resume, Moeller had to take his talents to the next level.

He did just that as he committed to the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a preferred walk-on (PWO) after a season shortened by COVID-19. Moeller is not playing quarterback at Wisconsin, nor is he playing cornerback; he is currently on the scout team as a wide receiver.

“I just try to make the most of my reps,” Moeller said. “I just try to give our defense the best look I can.”

Cornell University PHS class of 2020

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Knight Voices Exec Producer

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Online Editor-in-Chief NOLAN HAMILTON

ver the last few years the Prospect football program has taken the steps to success, building a program that last year recaptured the MSL east crown. However, that program not only produced playoff wins and MSL titles, but also electric playmakers, who now find themselves playing collegiate ball. Today we are taking a road trip across the United States, visiting each of these athletes and learning where are they now?

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Online Editor-in-Chief JACOB SICILIANO

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Tyson Splinter

As big as they come, Tyson Splinter was known for his spectacular catches on Friday nights.

Standing 6’4 and weighing over 210 pounds, Splinter was a key contributor in helping Prospect bring home an MSL east title in the 2020-2021 season.

Besides football, Splinter was an avid skier, frequently visiting Colorado in the winter to hit the slopes.

So when Colorado Mesa University, a DII school in Grand Junction Colorado, came calling, Splinter knew it was the perfect fit.

When he’s not on the field, Splinter enjoys hiking and taking in all of the views that colorado has to offer.

University of Illinois PHS class of 2021 Luke Zardzin was nothing short of prolific during his tenure as the Knights’ workhorse running back.

Arguably the greatest Prospect running back of all time, Zardzin was a three-time All-Conference player and was named to the All-State team in his senior year. Zardzin verbally committed to a preferred walk-on (PWO) at Northern Illinois University, before taking a PWO offer to his dream school at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Zardzin made another switch as well, moving from his trademark position of running back to linebacker. “[Running back] was really fun in high school,” Zardzin said. “But I'm really excited to learn a new part of the game; it's gotten me to love football even more.”

Although Zarzin is thousands of miles away from some of his former teammates and friends, he has still managed to stay connected with his old team through the

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Colorado Mesa University PHS class of 2021

Luke Zardzin

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game he loves most.

Zardzin spends his Friday nights watching Prospect football, texting his old teammates and chatting about the future of Prospect football.

“I don’t think our team will ever lose contact,” Zardzin said.

Zardzin recorded his first collegiate tackle against Virginia on Sept. 11, just one of many to come.

AROUND THE WORLD: A map depicts four different schools that former Prospect football players currently play football at. (photo illustration by Cameron Sullivan, headshots by Alexis Esparza and courtesy of Micah Sahakian)

Other Prospect Football players playing in college Adam Mekky Valapraiso PHS class of 2020

Alex Palczewski University of Illinois PHS class of 2016

Noah Marx

Illinois Wesleyan University PHS class of 2021

Zach Zei

University of Wisconsin-Madison PHS class of 2020

Jimmy Martin

Northern Michigan University PHS class of 2019