Vol 53, Issue 1 Southwords

NEWS

| September 9, 2016

Margaret Cahill

Editor-in-Chief n June 11, the Maine South community was shaken when one of its most beloved faculty members, Art teacher Mr. Michael Mastrolonardo, passed away after suffering a pulmonary embolism.

Mr. Mastrolonardo will be missed greatly by students and faculty in the Art Department and beyond.

Mr. Mastrolonardo has been a teacher in District 207 for 28 years.

He was hired at Maine East in 1988 where he was the head of the Art Department there for many years and also worked backstage, helping to create the sets used in the school’s plays and musicals. In 2011, Mr. Mastrolonardo was transferred to Maine South to allow the school to have a permanent, full-time Art teacher.

Through producing his own art and taking classes in a variety of artistic techniques and styles, Mr. Mastrolonardo was able to be an even more skilled teacher for his students.

He shared his passion for creating art with students at every level, from Art I and Design and Materials I to Art III/ IV and AP Art. Principal Messmer remembers Mr. Mastrolonardo for both his teaching abilities as well as his relationships with students.

“Mike had a good sense of humor and was very skilled at what he did,” Mr. Messmer said. “He connected very well with students in the art department.”

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Mr. Mastrolonardo was well known for his comedy as well as his consideration for his students.

“I don’t remember a single day in Mr. M.’s class where I didn’t laugh,” senior Maura Lally said. “I looked forward to seeing him every day, because whatever stress his students were under, he always cheered us up.”

A r t t e a c h e r M s . Ty m k i w appreciated the energy and experience that he brought to the Fine Arts Department.

“He brought a vibrancy to this wing,” she said. “And I think a lot of that had to do with his outlook on life.”

Mr. Mastrolonardo was a close friend to many students and left a lasting impression on the community.

“Even though I had Mr. M. for only one year, I feel like I had him all three years,” senior Lily Dysart said.

“I was always smiling in his class and I will miss all of his jokes.”

Fine Arts Department Chair Mrs. Keith consistently saw the time and energy Mr. Mastrolonardo put into his teaching career.

“Mr. Mastrolonardo invested a lot of his personal time to his students.

He was always the teacher in the art department willing to come in the evenings for open studio, or come in on weekends for open studio time,” Mrs. Keith said. “He took students to Portfolio days in Chicago and Milwaukee. I know that many of our dedicated artists appreciated having his artistic eye and school resources available to them as they developed

PHOTO COURTESY mS. lAHART

Mr. Mastrolonardo’s impact on Maine South will not be forgotten

LABOR OF LOVE

Mr. Mastrolonardo painted the intricate designs in the elevator in the A-wing. He often took on extra projects to benefit the school and students.

their portfolios for college, finished projects for class, or just came in to create art.”

Mr. Mastrolonardo had a talent for making art fun for his students and used his sense of humor to get them more interested in the class.

Fellow Design and Materials teacher Mrs. Lahart remembers Mr. Mastrolonardo as a great mentor when she was student teaching and a great asset to Maine South and Maine East.

“He praised the differences in students and had a lot of patience for students who might not have been received as well in other spaces or with other teachers,” Ms. Lahart said.

“He would advocate for the program that we have at both schools, but especially at Maine East because he had the lead position there.”

Mr. Mastrolonardo’s legacy at Maine South will never be forgotten by his students, the faculty, and the Maine South community as a whole.

Mrs. Zuhr leaves legacy of love at Maine South Anastasia Dalianis Editor-in-Chief

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n Ju ne 1 2 , Mai ne S out h lost a dedicated member of its community when main office receptionist Mrs. Sue Zuhr passed away. The school remembers her as a caring and committed staff member and friend.

Mrs. Zuhr worked at Maine South for 14 years. She was a Maine South parent and had two sons who graduated from the school.

The faculty will remember her for her positive attitude, bright personality, and sense of humor. This made her enjoyable to work with on a daily basis.

“Mrs. Zuhr was full of life and very feisty,” Principal Shawn Messmer

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said. “She was always making people laugh with her comments and observations.”

Mrs. Zuhr cared deeply for the people who worked at Maine South, especially the teaching staff. English teacher Mr. Marsicano remembers how she used to bring him food for no other reason than to brighten his day.

“Every so often, Sue felt like I needed or deserved a treat, so she would bring in a plate of freshly sliced prosciutto, capicola, and salami,” he said. “She would slice it herself at home and hand me a plate. Usually, the food didn’t make it home or even to my office.”

Mrs. Zuhr’s sons played on the Maine South baseball team. Mr.

Marsicano said that she started a tradition of bringing food for the players in between games.

“The meals quickly turned into feasts with prime hot dogs and burgers, homemade pasta salads and desserts,” he said. “It got to the point where certain umpires requested to work for us on weekends just to be a part of Sue’s feast.”

Mrs. Zuhr was the first person that faculty and staff interacted with every day when they went to pick up their mail. She helped to coordinate and assign substitute teachers. In addition to her office responsibilities, Assistant Principal Mr. Dagres said that she was always willing to assist students in any way she could.

“Whether it was answering a

question or pointing students in the right direction, Mrs. Zuhr enjoyed helping our students,” he said. “It was always a pleasure and adventure working with her.”

In all her years, Mrs. Zuhr has left a legacy of love and dedication at Maine South.

“In a world where motivations are hidden and true feelings are often too subtle to notice, Sue was a throwback in the sense that she always let you know how she felt,” Mr. Marsicano said. “There was no mystery about Sue. She loved her family, she loved the staff, and she loved Maine South.

It was a tough love that was unique because it came from her, but that made it, and her, even more special.

She will be truly missed.”

NEWS

| September 9, 2016

ACT, PARCC replaced by SAT testing family

Ryan Prendergast

News Writer fter changes to state wide standardized testing, the SAT is now being administered to all juniors at Maine South. It will replace the ACT, while PARCC testing has been completely eliminated from the school’s schedule.

In addition, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will take versions of the PSAT/NMSQT in October. This replaces the PLAN and EXPLORE, which were tied to the ACT. The PSAT/NMSQT was given to juniors and was offered to sophomores in the past, but is now required testing.

“Every student, with the exception of seniors, will be taking some form of the PSAT on Oct. 19,” Student Personnel Services Director Mr. PHOTO BY ARDEN SASAK Scotellaro said.

The future of the ACT had been in TEST PREP Some students have begun their preparation for the SAT tests. This is a departure from the norm, as they would jeopardy since the company’s contract typically be preparing for the ACT at this time. with the State of Illinois expired in taken by students outside of school, vastly shorter than the two weeks of Algebra 1 and English 1, other schools PARCC testing has been eliminated disrupted scheduling that came as a could have decided who took the test 2015. with a different set of criteria.

While District 207 did administer entirely from the State of Illinois. result of PARCC testing.

The time commitment was one The decision to eliminate PARCC the ACT in 2016, those tests were not The PSAT will now be used to assess teachers and schools on student of the chief complaints faculty had was not made by Maine South or paid for by the state.

District 207. The announcement For the foreseeable future, growth, which was one of PARCC’s with PARCC. “It seemed to take an excessive came on July 11 from the Illinois State College Board’s SAT will be the ACT’s main purposes.

“They [the state] are going to amount of time and definitely cut Board of Education and is effective replacement.

Despite these changes, Mr. return to a measurement… [made to] into student instructional time.” Mr. state-wide.

Mr. Parrilli said it is part of a Scotellaro recommends that some see student growth from when they Parrilli said.

Another problem with PARCC “national trend” of states turning away college-bound students still take the enter high school to when they exit from the test. high school,” English Department was the lack of student incentives.

ACT. “Students have to feel some “Our best assessments are the “As far as what you need for Chair Mr. Parrilli said. “Schools will college admission, colleges in the be evaluated on how much growth ownership of that test score, and assessments we do locally—I don’t Midwest would tend to look for the they produce in students in that without PARCC being adopted by think there’s any better measure of colleges and universities as a criteria student growth than that,” said Mr. ACT score more so than the SAT,” amount of time.”

PARCC was designed to be taken for college admission, that was a Parrilli. he said.

Still, with all these changes in in two parts, one in major impediment,” Mr. Parrilli said.

While this may be The test was created to align a short period of time, the future March and the other true for now, it may “I think there are in May. All students with the Common Core standards, of standardized testing remains change.

“Everybody ought many school districts enrolled in Algebra 1 but its validity in assessing student uncertain.

Mr. Scotellaro said that the state or English 1 took each knowledge came into question, as to take at least one that aren’t losing subject’s test over a administration of the test differed might replace the SAT test in the ACT for the time any sleep over [the future. being, but maybe in removal of PARCC.” one-week period in from school to school.

“We weren’t giving a reading, “It’s possible because states always both months. Students four, five, six years, - Mr. Scotellaro not enrolled in either English, and math test to students all want a good way to measure school most of those courses had a in the same grade,” said Mr. Parrilli. districts,” he said. schools in the Midwest “The way we were operating PARCC However, he said he does not think will be looking for the SAT,” he said. shortened, late-start schedule.

In addition to shor tening was any student enrolled in ninth that the elimination of PARCC is a Though they occurred in the same year, Mr. Scotellaro said that freshman schedules, PARCC testing grade English and anyone enrolled in loss for students at Maine South or the changes with the SAT are “totally limited the class time of sophomores, Algebra 1 [took the test]. The problem in District 207.

“I think a lot of people were happy separate” from the changes with juniors, and seniors. During PARCC with that is that you weren’t getting week, first period did not start until every freshman to take both of those with the removal of PARCC,” Mr. PARCC testing. tests. You could have sophomores Scotellaro said. “I think students were These changes come after PARCC 9:35 A.M. happy with it; I think parents were Without PARCC, there will only taking that test.” tests, designed to assess students’ Students who qualified to take the happy with it, and I think there are knowledge and abilities, were be two school days committed to testing: one in October for the PSAT, test differed by school. While Maine many school districts that aren’t losing administered only twice.

Unlike the ACT, which can still be and one in April for the SAT. This is South tested only students enrolled in any sleep over it.”

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NEWS | September 9, 2016

David Kloc

News Writer his summer, Maine South students were able to purchase parking passes for this school year. However, unlike in previous years, each pass corresponded to a specific, numbered spot in one of the parking lots.

The parking situation at Maine South has always been unique among high schools.

“Parking has always been a problem for us because we aren’t located in the most convenient of places, and we really can’t get any more spots unless we take away an athletic field,” said Principal Shawn Messmer.

“Because Maine Township does not provide transportation to and from the high school for our students, we have always opened up the spaces that we do have to students,” he said.

The new parking system was partially to solve issues that caused student tardies.

“Previously, students would just come, and parking would be first come first serve,” Mr. Messmer said. “This had some problems, because if you were searching for a spot in the A-wing and they had all filled up, then you would be stuck searching around in other lots.”

Another organizational problem that Maine South had in the past involved exclusive parking lots. Teachers had an exclusive lot and students had an exclusive lot, in this case the lot near the A-wing.

This was a hassle for teachers who worked in the A-wing for most of the day.

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PHOTO BY HALEY MECH

New parking system gets mixed reviews from students

WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER?

The new parking system controls the chaos of the student lot by assigning numbered spots to student driver.

“Another reason we implemented this system is that students can now self-police the lots,” Mr. Messmer said. “When you come in and someone has taken your spot, you tell us about it, and we’re able to take care of the car in question. The new system gets rid of a lot of guesswork, like whether a sophomore has parked or if this person has a sticker, and so on and so forth. Previously, stuff like this was hard to catch, but now we have students who come in and tell us about it.”

Mr. Messmer said that while the reaction to the change has not been overwhelmingly positive, people are “getting used to it.”

Senior Ann Kapustiak agreed that while the system has its flaws, it is working.

“I do think the new system is working well,” she said. “I haven’t encountered any problems that I know have made parking difficult in the past. The only thing is that I have a parallel spot, which makes parking a little more difficult.”

However, senior Alys Dobbins had a few misgivings.

“I think the system is working adequately,” she said. “The new system is more efficient in the sense that it is more organized and easier to keep track of if students who don’t have passes are parking in the parking lot. However, I think it is a little bit of a waste because every year they oversell passes because not everyone drives every day, but now that there are assigned spots, they cannot oversell, so significantly fewer people got passes this year, and there a lot more empty spots.”

Mr. Messmer said he wants students to keep in mind that this is the first year that this system has been in place, and that he hopes it will improve for next year.

“One of the things I think we’re going to do better next year is just the way we will distribute and sell the spots,” he said.

“We’ve already debriefed on how we can make the process more efficient, and I think it’s going to go much more smoothly next year.”

Mary Godley News Writer

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ver the summer, the Maine South cheerleading camp was struck by tragedy when seven-yearold Kate Babich, a camp participant, suddenly passed away.

Babich had just finished first grade at Field School, and on June 27, attended the first day of Maine South cheerleading camp, during which she suddenly became ill and collapsed.

She was taken to Lutheran General Hospital where she passed away.

Despite the shock of the moment, Principal Shawn Messmer said that the other kids at the cheerleading camp handled the emergency well.

“The girls who were there did everything exactly to a T of what you would want them to do in an emergency situation,” he said.

The loss of B abich de eply saddened the community. Neighbors and strangers alike united to show the Babich family support during their tough times.

An autopsy revealed that Babich

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suffered from an undiagnosed congenital heart disease called Ebstein’s anomaly.

The remainder of the five-day cheerleading camp was canceled, and grief counselors were made available for parents and children affected by the tragedy.

Social media as well as wordof-mouth spread the news of the tragedy throughout the community.

By the end of the weekend, purple ribbons, bows, and sashes were wrapped around various objects and buildings throughout Park Ridge.

People promoted the effort on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag, “#RibbonsforKate.”

The purple ribbons represented Babich’s loving nature.

“Kate is known as an inspired learner, a leader, and a good friend to everyone in her class,” District 64 Superintendent Dr. Laurie Heinz said in a press release.

Kate’s mother, Jennifer Babich, said the family appreciated the support from others.

PHOTO BY HALEY MECH

Park Ridge shows support after cheerleading camp tragedy

RIBBONS FOR KATE

Purple ribbons lined trees in people’s front yards on Dee Road in Park Ridge. After Kate Babich’s passing earlier this summer, members of the community put these ribbons on their trees as part of the “Ribbons for Kate” effort.

Kate’s life was celebrated by an outpouring of public support. Park Ridge has shown its love, compassion, and warmth by coming together in this time of need.

“Park Ridge is not a place you live

if you want to be isolated and alone, because that’s not what this town is,” Principal Messmer said. “It just shows the great care and support everyone has when one of our own faces a tragedy.”

September 9, 2016

| NEWS

Maine South students attend local Clinton fundraiser

Anastasia Dalianis Editor-in-Chief

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emocratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, a Maine South alumnus, held a fundraiser in Park Ridge on May 19 to meet supporters and discuss plans for her campaign.

She spoke about how growing up in Park Ridge and attending Maine South impacted her life and her beliefs.

The event, which was coordinated

by Clinton’s high school friend Betsy Ebling, was held at The Pick Restaurant and at the Pickwick Theatre.

Nine Maine South students, as well as students from Maine East and Maine West, were in attendance.

Donors, students and friends of Clinton met at The Pick to watch her interview at the Park Ridge Public Library with CNN’s Chris Cuomo. After her interview, Clinton walked across the street to The Pick to meet and be photographed with her supporters.

The Maine South students— seniors Katie Daehler, Ann Kapustiak, Kristin Woo, Kamryn McKenzie, Isis Zaki and Anastasia Dalianis, as well as junior Noah Fishman—presented Clinton with the most recent copy of Eyrie.

“It was so neat to hear her talk about growing up in Park Ridge and hearing her tell stories about her life here and being able to relate to them,” Daehler said. “Seeing where she is now and knowing that she walked the same halls we do every day is humbling—it makes you think about how much potential we all have.”

After the meet-and-greet at The Pick, Clinton spoke at the Pickwick.

She addressed crowds of people, many of whom had been waiting on the sidewalk outside the theater all morning.

She spoke about the memories she had made and the education she had received in Park Ridge, and said she wanted that for everyone regardless of where they lived.

“There’s so much about Park Ridge that I hold dear,” she said. “It has great public schools—Field, Emerson, Maine East, Maine South. A flood of memories about growing up here, making friends of a lifetime, having such opportunities offered to us.”

She said her experiences in high school especially influenced her views on education.

“That motivates me because I

know what a difference it made to have excellent public school teachers, to have the opportunities available at two comprehensive high schools that provided not just great academic courses but so many extracurricular activities,” she said. “I know what it meant to have the support of the entire community, the neighborhood that we lived in. Every child deserves a good public school regardless of what zip code that child lives in.”

Clinton’s traveling press secretary Nick Merrill outlined her plan for affordable college, which impacts Maine South students. Merrill said affordable college is a topic that is very important to Clinton because she had debt when she was in college.

“We need to make college more affordable, but more than half the population has already been through college and come out with debt,” he said. “We need to find a way to restructure the debt, to put limits on how long a student can remain in debt. She put forth a plan [on her website]. A couple hundred million dollars is put towards absorbing debt that is not held by the government, getting the interest rate down, and restructuring it so there is a cap on the amount of time that someone is paying it back.”

Clinton elaborated on the topic of affordable college in her speech.

“We need to make it so that young people can feel like their lives can really begin,” she said. “They should not have to leave college and get a job that they don’t even want so they can pay back their debt.”

Despite an outpouring of support for Clinton at both The Pick and the the Pickwick, her arrival was met with protests by individuals and groups.

On the lawn outside the library, a group of Polish Americans held Polish flags and protest signs with slogans such as “No more Clintons” and “We support Polish democracy.” This was a reaction to comments made by Bill Clinton about the state of democracy in Poland and Hungary.

In the Pickwick, about four minutes into Clinton’s speech, two people stood up and began shouting “Honduras’s blood is on Hillary’s hands.”

Senior Kristin Woo said she was especially impressed by the way Clinton handled the protesters at her event.

“R at her t han stopping t he

PHOTO BY NOAH FISHMAN

HILLARY’S HOMECOMING

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, a Maine South graduate, speaks at the Pickwick Theatre. She discussed how growing up in Park Ridge and attending Maine South influenced her beliefs and goals for her campaign.

protesters, she continued speaking,” she said. “This showed her ability to handle criticism and move forward rather than backwards.”

The protesters were quickly shouted down by the crowd, which responded with repeated chants of “Hillary.” Clinton did not directly address them, and they were quickly removed from the theater. However, she said she understood that many Americans were “frustrated” and “anxious,” and hoped that her plans would alleviate that.

“There a lot of Americans who are worried,” she said. “We need to make sure that people will be able to see the results of their hard work. I want to support and help create new jobs. I think we can, and I think it has to be a partnership between the public sector and the private sector. I believe in small business and I want to do more to stimulate small business.”

Towards the end of her speech, Clinton indirectly addressed her opponent, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. She said that his unpredictability made him unfit to be president.

“In this election, we can’t afford loose cannons,” she said. “Why on earth would we want to reward meanness and hatred? I have said I will do anything I can to unify our country. We keep looking for ways to find common ground, to solve problems. We don’t get things done just by demanding it or ordering it.”

Clinton ended her speech with a discussion of unity and its importance at every level, from a small town like Park Ridge to the Senate.

“We can’t rest on our laurels,” she said. “I do think we are great...but we have to work for that every single year, and leaders and citizens have to work on it. I think it’s important to remind ourselves that we are so fortunate to be Americans.”

Woo described meeting Clinton and hearing her speak as a “once-ina-lifetime” opportunity.

“It was an incredible experience,” she s aid. “She was ext remely approachable and professional.

Meeting her was such a humbling exp er ience and showe d me a unique behind-the-scenes political experience.”

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STAFF EDITORIAL

40 percent policy harms students

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his year, Maine South has decided to implement a new policy that would make it impossible for students to earn below a 40% on any homework assignment, test, project, or paper.

The purpose of this policy is to eliminate the effects of the “killer zero”—a very low score that alone has the potential to drastically lower a student’s grade. Changing every score of 0% to 40% could bring up a student’s final grade by an entire letter or more.

Another rationale for this policy has to do with the fact that each letter grade A-D has a 10% score range (for example an A is equivalent to 90%-100%), while the “F” grade encompasses all grades between 0% and 60%. By making 40% the lowest grade possible, this would reduce the F range to 20% rather than 60%.

While this may sound good in theory, we believe this is actually detrimental to student learning. It creates a situation where a student who does no work can still receive almost half of the credit, potentially remov ing an incent ive to do homework, study for tests, or even turn in big projects.

Mai ne S out h pre a che s t he importance of “college and career readiness,” but in higher education or the business world, there is a huge difference between doing 0% of the work and doing 40% of the work.

A college professor will not give his or her students 40% on a test if they get every question wrong, just as an employer will not give his or her employees 40% of their salary if they never come to work.

While the 40% policy may inflate grades, it does not enhance learning.

It promotes a poor work ethic and does not teach students how to learn properly. It is not an accurate reflection of the amount of work done by a student or the amount of knowledge gained from a class.

This places the emphasis not on the learning process but on the final letter grade received.

Under this policy, a student who copied all of the answers on a test would still be given a 40%, even though there is no evidence that that student learned any material, let alone 40% of it. Similarly, a student can earn

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Maine South High School 1111 South Dee Road Park Ridge, IL 60068 http://www.southwords.org

Signed letters to the editor should be delivered to LRC1, given to a member of the editorial staff, or e-mailed to southwords@maine207.org.

Southwords reserves the right to edit material for clarity and brevity and to reject obscene/libelous submissions.

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e

COMMENTARY | September 9, 2016

Margaret Cahill Anastasia Dalianis

News Editors

Catherine Coyle Elaine Smith Dimitri Speron

Entertainment Editors Laura Cash Jill Steffen Mark Toledano Features Editors Christina Johnson Tommy O’Connor Emily Rosca

a 40% on incomplete homework, which allows neither the student nor the teacher to accurately gauge the student’s progress.

But no student is perfect, and it is only fair that students should be shown leniency in emergency situations that prevent them from finishing homework or studying for a test, causing them to score poorly.

However, outside of these unique situations, it harmful to automatically assign a grade of 40%. This could encourage the student to simply settle for the score and not try to actually master or even complete the material.

The school should instead require

students to turn in missed work for partial credit before they are allowed to take the summative assessment. As for tests, students who score poorly should be provided with the resources and support to try again and improve instead of being given a 40% without any additional effort.

District 207’s mission is “to improve learning,” however, the policy of setting a minimum score of 40% only hinders learning. The learning process would be improved by instilling in students good work ethic and giving us the scores that we earn, preparing us for the realities that we will face after high school.

Commentary Editors Louise Macaraniag Isis Zaki Sports Editors

James Bednarz Christo Fosse

Photography Editor Peyton Turner Production Editors Justyna Lepa Haley Mech Arden Sasak Adviser

Mr. Stathakis

September 9, 2016 | COMMENTARY

Why voting third party is a real—and important—option Louise Macaraniag Commentary Writer

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have a chance to get into the upcoming presidential debates alongside Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. This will give the third-party nominees the opportunity to speak on behalf of their beliefs and to attain a following through media exposure— something that they’ve greatly lacked.

Some people may argue that voting for a third-party is a waste of a vote, but isn’t voting for someone you’re not really sure of—or not voting at all—an even bigger waste?

As Gary Johnson said, “...a wasted vote is vot ing for any body you don’t believe in.” Maybe in 2012 your

vote for a third-party would’ve been “wasteful,” but in 2016, when the two major-party candidates have the lowest approval ratings in history, then your vote could ac tua l ly have a huge imp ac t.

Though the majority of Maine South students will be unable to vote in this upcoming election, we should still be concerned about our country’s elected officials. Don’t try to choose between the two major-party candidates if you have to weigh your options based on who is “less evil.”

We have more options beyond the bipartisan system, and we need to exercise our responsibilities properly by weighing all our viable options, making an honest selection, and actively supporting a well-chosen candidate by voicing our opinions.

The president today determines the future of our country, and as the future generation, we are responsible for making our voices heard. We need to express ourselves honestly, and this includes making sure that we select a candidate that we believe in. Don’t acquiesce to other people’s beliefs, and open your mind to all of your choices so that you can choose wisely and genuinely.

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his year’s presidential election has been undeniably one of the most interesting elections our nation has ever seen. This is partly because of how incredibly unpopular both major-party candidates are among the American p eople.

Stupefied by their choices, some people are resigned to voting for the “lesser evil”; however, in trying to elect the leader of our country, do we really want to choose a candidate that we only half-heartedly believe in?

For those who think that they are stuck between two rather unfavorable nominees, you’re in luck, because you don’t have to choose either of them. You have a third, or maybe even fourth choice.

R e cent ly, b ot h l e a di ng t h i rd - p a r t y c a n d i d at e s , Green Party nominee Jill Stein and Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson, have been polling at decent percentages.

G a r y Johns on

is polling at around 9%, and Jill Stein is at around 4% on the Gallup polls. Some polls show Johnson even reaching up to 13%—only 2% away from getting into the national debates, which have a threshold of 15%. If you don’t know a lot about the third party, then that probably doesn’t seem like much to you.

However, historically, third-party candidates have averaged at around 0-1%, so 4% is pretty impressive, and 9% is a staggering amount.

With these numbers, the thirdparty candidates have a chance to get on the ballot for all 50 states, and in addition to that, they

The art of dedication and imagination Margaret Cahill Editor-in-Chief

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s high schoolers, it is easy for us to let work and stress govern every aspect of our lives, leaving little time or energy to truly enjoy the world around us. We are constantly fixated on getting into a “good” college, and subsequently obtaining a “good” career, even if that means sacrificing our time to subjects that do not give us any true gratification.

While these efforts can definitely be important, they do not leave us a lot of room to just slow down, enjoy life, and discover our true passions.

I often over-schedule myself and spend my days frantically trying to balance my many extracurricular

commitments and academic obligations.

What I never seem to realize is that time is finite. I cannot spend superfluous amounts of it studying miserably for a single test and then expect to have any left to do something I actually enjoy. Thus many of my hobbies that could potentially help me relieve stress are pushed to the side.

To many high schoolers, living a truly balanced life seems at best an exercise in extreme timemanagement, and at worst, entirely unrealistic. The concept of spending the bulk of our time simply being happy seems foreign to us, yet it is something that will prove crucial as we go on to college.

One person who truly understood this was Mr. Mastrolonardo, a Maine South art teacher who passed away

last summer. Many students in my Art 3/4 class last year were just like me— perpetually stressed. The loads of AP classes really took their toll on us; but when we walked into V110 every day and saw Mr. M., our attitudes shifted.

His class became a sanctuary for us. He would tell the funniest stories about everything from pink mansions to three-legged pigs, name the bugs we would catch in the courtyard to draw, and paint portraits of his dogs.

But more importantly, Mr. M. set an example of someone who was truly passionate about what he did for a living. He would stay at school late almost every night and even come in on weekends. He would listen closely to everything we had to say—not only about art, but also about our lives.

He worked tirelessly to ensure that we became the best artists and people that we could possibly be. He showed

us that it wasn’t necessarily bad to be completely devoted to something, just as long as it was something that we truly cared about and that made us happy.

While Mr. M. taught his students much about art history and practice, he also helped us realize the benefits of singing a song about a cat or doodling pictures of aliens, while at the same time instilling in us a true zeal for life.

I realize now that all I really want in the future is to have a career that I love just as much as Mr. M. loved to teach art, and to be able to maintain the lightheartedness that he brought to class every day. While most students will never be able to achieve his skill for Austin Powers impressions or Halloween costume ideas, we may be able to learn from his example of dedication and imagination.

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COMMENTARY | September 9, 2016

Reconnecting with my culture Tara Faraji

Commentary Writer

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his summer, I traveled 7,000 miles, flew for 18 hours, and didn’t come home for two months, all so I could be reunited with my family.

Iran is a country that is usually seen in a negative light. Common stereotypes and images arise whenever someone says, “Oh, that’s where you were for the past two months?” but for me, it means home. It means feeling that sensation of “belonging,” understanding my parents’ childhood, and developing a wider view on world culture.

It truly was a luxury to see my family. I call it a luxury because the last time I was able to visit them was seven years ago.

Since then, the cousins who I would play soccer with are now married, my grandparents have aged significantly, and the Iranian government is now monumentally more progressive. Through all of this, I was amazed by the difference in cultural values.

Cultural values in the U.S. are simple: get rich and stay rich; the norm in a capitalist nation. However, in Iran, one virtue is repeatedly stressed: respect.

Unfortunately, respect is a rare commodity in the U.S.. From our vernacular, to our body language, Americans are known for being very informal and abrasive.

In Iran, it was so peculiar to me that whenever someone new entered a room all of the guests stood up, or how when my back was turned to someone I had to apologize, or how whenever I paid for something, the vendors always offered their merchandise for free (even though I was actually expected to pay).

The respect the Iranian people have for their country and culture

is incredible, which is a huge reason why their culture is still so rich, even after so many centuries.

In Iran, I learned the importance of family. Because I only have one relative in the U.S., holidays, birthdays, and family events often seem desolate.

But when I go to Iran and see a city filled with family, even regular days seem like an moment worth celebrating.

Even though I had not visited in seven years, my cousins and I picked up as though I had never left. To think that they barely see me, yet have this level of acceptance and pure love that is rooted so deep in their hearts—it’s simply amazing.

After being in my parents’ homeland for two months, I learned the value of my own culture. One of the main differences between the U.S. and Iran are their views on women.

Even though women can lead very successful lives in Iran and have the ability to be independent, women in the work industry are just not taken seriously.

For that reason, they are usually limited to “staying in the kitchen,” which perpetuates stereotypical gender roles and the traditional place of a woman in a family.

In the U.S., political and social ideology is rapidly evolving, and it is because of this that new ideas and concepts are very easily accepted.

In Iran, they emphasize keeping things traditional and, as an effect, the ideology accepted by the people has very little room for change. This makes progressive reforms extremely difficult to pass, since the majority of the population holds on to conservative values.

People say it all the time, but we truly do take freedom for granted.

For me, it took a trip to the Middle East to realize that.

Now, let this be a disclaimer: even though Iran does not grant its citizens nearly as many freedoms as the U.S., the citizens are not an op-

“The respect the Iranian people have for their country and culture is incredible, which is a huge reason why their culture is still so rich, even after so many centuries.”

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Photo Courtesy Tara Faraji

THREE’S A CROWD Tara Faraji (left) and two of her cousins pose in

front of the Mansion of Zinat ol-Molk in Shiraz, Iran. Faraji visited the mansion and many other historic locations during her two months in Iran.

pressed people. They lead free lives and they have fun—they have just become accustomed to their way of living. For me, however, the freedoms which the U.S. provides are non-negotiable.

I appreciate the freedoms that I have today. I can write about America’s flaws in my school newspaper, I am not restricted to a dress code every time I go out, and if I have a unique belief, I can express it without the fear of being ostracized.

While being in Iran opened my

eyes to its culture, it also made me pay closer attention to my own.

It helped me build my own roots, somewhere in the middle of those 7,000 miles.

But if losing a rich culture and traditions means that I can be free and express myself in whatever way I want, then that is a price I would be more than willing to pay.

At the end of the day, you can make your own traditions and build your own culture, but it is impossible to create your own freedom.

September 9, 2016 |FEATURES

Irish Hawks jig into the spotlight

PHOTO COURTESY EMMA BAUER

Margaret Carey Features Writer

M

ost Maine South students probably think of Orchesis or Hawkettes when they think of dance. However, there are a few students who choose to express themselves in a more traditional manner.

Irish Dance tends to be a family affair, and that holds true for Maine South’s Irish dancers. Senior Emma Bauer, junior Mairead King, and sophomore Tara Henley are all products of the Mullane Healy Godley School of Irish Dance in Edison Park.

Mullane Healy Godley is one of the most awardwinning schools in the country.

“We’re two-time World Champions now,” Henley said. “I always looked up to [my cousin] when I was younger and had just started dancing.”

Henley began Irish dancing 12 years ago, following in the footsteps of her sister, Beth (‘13).

“Our school is the only North American school to have won every division at worlds,” Bauer said.

She started Irish dancing after being inspired by her cousin, and has now been dancing for thirteen years at Mullane Healy Godley.

This success is no accident given how hard the dancers work. King has demonstrated her appreciation for her heritage through dance for the past twelve years.

“It’s more of a sport than you think it is,” she said.

Irish dancing can be as intense as any other sport, which includes the injuries.

“Last year, I accidentally danced on a stress fracture for six months,” Bauer said. “Earlier this year, I tore a ligament in my ankle and danced on it for a month.”

Dancers have to practice daily to perfect all

PHOTO COURTESY MAIREAD KING

PHOTO COURTESY TARA HENLEY

DRESSED TO IMPRESS Senior Emma Bauer, junior Mairead King, and sophomore Tara Henley are fashioned in traditional dresses. The three students are a part of Mullane Healy Godley School of Irish Dance.

of their different dances, as well as stay in shape to maintain the agility and ability to perform the steps correctly.

“I try to get in at least two hours a day,” Bauer said. “Weekends are usually from six to eight.”

In Irish dance, there is no off season, and dancers work year round to perfect their craft. As competitions approach, the girls have to train even more and dance as much as seven days a week.

“Thanksgiving is Regional, Easter is Worlds, and the Fourth of July is Nationals,” Henley said.

At competitions, dancers compete with their school in both team events as well as individually.

There are many levels within the solo competition.

“You start in Beginner, then it goes to Beginner 2, Novice, Prize Winner, Preliminary Champion and Open Champion,” Bauer said.

Both Bauer and King have competed in Open Champion, and Henley competes in the second highest level, Preliminary Champion.

Dancers need to qualify for Regionals, Nationals, and Worlds in order to be able to compete in a solo competition.

Bauer and Henley have both qualified for and competed solos at Nationals, and King qualified for worlds three times.

“There’s a special formula and it’s really confusing, but about 15% of the dancers qualify for solos at nationals, and about 1% for worlds,” Bauer said.

In addition to solo events, there are also team dances.

“There are two types—there’s céilí, which has eight people and has a certain number of dances you can choose from, so every school’s looks pretty similar,” Bauer said.

The other type is choreography, which gives teachers and dancers a little more freedom with the steps, involves sixteen dancers. Another form of team competition is called Dance Drama.

“You don’t have a wig or the dress, you just have a costume [for Dance Drama],” Henley said. “You have to act it out.”

Henley and her classmates took first place in this year’s Dance Drama at Worlds in Scotland.

During the preliminary years of Irish Dancing, dancers wear school dresses to compete. These dresses are typically black, with a celtic pattern down the middle. However, once dancers reach Prize Winner and learn one or two dances, the teachers allow the students to get solo dresses.

These dresses are unique to the dancer, and even the dancers themselves don’t know what to expect.

“It’s a surprise,” Henley said. “It comes in a box and when you open it, you’re just left staring at it.”

King, Bauer, and Henley have all earned the right to a solo dress, and these custom dresses can cost upward of $1,000. They are a part of the culture surrounding Irish dance.

With all of the girls’ traveling and winning, it can be hard to manage school work along with dance.

“Our [dance] teachers let us do homework in class as long as we stretch while doing it,” Bauer said.

Even with the sacrifices they make, their experience with Irish dance is worth it and the girls learn lessons well beyond pointing their toes. “[My favorite part is] probably all of the friends I made,” King said. “I still talk to them now.”

The Irish dancers have learned to persevere through many obstacles because of their dedication.

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” said Bauer.

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FEATURES

| September 9, 2016

Colombia

Mission: Patrick Cichon Features Writer

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hile summer ser ves as a time for students to relieve themselves of responsibilities, several Maine South students instead decided to use their time to serve others on a mission trip to Colombia.

“I chose to go to Colombia because I felt like I could go and learn something while meeting a bunch of people, and learn something about South America,” said sophomore Benjamin Fink. “At the time I made my decision, I didn’t really know anything about Colombia and I never really heard about its reputation.

Even after I did, I still felt confident in going. We got to see a lot of different sides of Colombia.”

The nine-day adventure consisted of exploring national parks filled with scenic views and a variety of wild animals. Their continued exploration of Colombia led them to numerous hiking expeditions and connecting with locals from the area.

“We went to a maximum-security prison because it had been the most dangerous one in Latin America a couple years ago,” said junior Melissa Correa. “I was nervous, but after interacting with some of the prisoners who were trying to change their lives, it gave me a new perspective on life.”

The prison was in a deplorable condition and the population was four times over the allotted limit. Despite these conditions, the group continued laminating books to provide reading material for the library.

“The prison I visited looked kind of run down and was overpopulated,” said junior Matt Thorsen. “I remember hearing that it was built for some 2,000 prisoners and there were over 8,000 prisoners in attendance there.”

Stepping foot into the prison for the first time was an eye-opening experience.

“We got to walk inside the prison where all the prisoners were, and there were potholes and dirt fields for playing soccer,” said Thorsen.

“It appeared as if the prison was crumbling away. We also had the opportunity to meet up with some of the prisoners who were being helped through the Prison Ministry and had a chance to listen to their stories.”

The mission group was embraced by the locals for the sincerity of their

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Photo courtesy Patrick cichon

Operation Empanada Juniors Maddie Harper (second from left) and Melissa Correa (fifth from left) enjoyed empanadas and juice with their fellow missionaries. Throughout their time in Medellin, Colombia, the group experienced a very culturally diverse cuisine, provided by the school where they spent the majority of their trip volunteering. efforts. There was a sense of gratitude meals and talked with the families among the prisoners as they showed to help them out in any way that their appreciation to the group for we could.” spending time with the children whose One of the most touching parents could not. experiences for the missionary “Even when we were in the prisons group was having the ability to or in an impoverished neighborhood, teach English to the children of the everyone was accepting and thankful Colombian school system. that we were trying By teaching to help,” said Fink. the children new “We had the ability words and how to get a lot of to construct work done in the basic sentences, s e m i nar y w he re the students were we stayed and in able to progress the surrounding quickly. Through Melissa Correa community.” activities such as As soon as the soccer, profound mission group friendships were arrived in Medellin, they fully forged among the mission group immersed themselves in Colombian and the local children as they got to culture by working with locals in poor know each other on a personal level. neighborhoods. The students saw “We had the privilege to visit firsthand how difficult these people’s some local schools where we played lives were, and the extreme poverty was plenty of games and rounds of made even clearer in comparison with soccer with the kids while teaching their own lives. them English,” said Thorsen. “It was “There were no staircases or really fun being able to have these anything—just mud paths leading to interactions with kids who spoke the houses that didn’t even have doors little to no English, and despite our to them,” said Thorsen. “They were language barrier, we enjoyed one basically shacks. We provided them another’s company.”

“I personally discovered my passion for helping others.”

The learning and teaching experience was unlike anything the group had ever experienced. The local school children were exceptionally eager to learn more of the English language and were picking up the language quickly.

“On one of our days, I got to spend the day teaching English to first through third graders,” said junior Maddie Harper. “It was amazing to see how much English they knew, and I was very impressed by how easily they adopted the language; they especially loved Simon Says.”

The experience brought the Maine South students closer together and made them reflect on their own lives as well. Their sense of privilege became apparent as they had a glimpse into a life of ongoing struggle and poverty.

“I personally discovered my passion for helping others and that the poorest people are the most giving in life,” said Correa. “I now understand that it takes someone who has been sad or troubled to find happiness, and someone who is poor to know the true value of things. The personal relationships I have made are something that I will hold dear to my heart for a lifetime.”

September 9, 2016 | ENTERTAINMENT

Bikini Bottom takes the stage Julia Uhlig

Entertainment Writer

IllUstration by Yaroslav

a Ruzhkovska

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fter two movies, many online games, and an ongoing TV show, people were wondering: how much better can everyone’s favorite yellow sponge get? The answer is much, much better.

Spongebob is starring in his own broadway musical with all of his Bikini Bottom friends. “The Spongebob Musical” is not to be missed. It has many amazing voices, sets, characters, dances, and even stunts. Every one of the beloved Spongebob characters is featured, from Spongebob’s pet snail Gary to his weight-lifting buddy, Larry the Lobster.

The songs and dances in this musical include Squidward’s very own tap performance. “The Spongebob Musical” has songs written by famous artists including David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Lady Antebellum, Plain White T’s, Sara Bareilles, Panic! At the Disco, and many more.

some bumps on the road.

The actors in the performance were incredibly well prepared. For example, Spongebob actor Ethan Slater had to train months before the show to get the strength to climb the ladders that go into Mount Humongous. Slater had to go up, down, and in between ladders to climb up to the volcano.

The show features Danny Skinner as Patrick Star, Gavin Lee as Squidward Tentacles, and Lilli Cooper as Sandy Cheeks. Ethan Slater, who portrays Spongebob, does an outstanding job imitating Tom Kenny, the original voice of Spongebob Squarepants from the T.V. show. “ T h e Sp on g e b o b Mu s i c a l” includes references from the show that any Spongebob fanatic would recognize, including the sound of Spongebob’s squeaky shoes and Squidward’s extra set of feet. Staying true to the original, this spectacular musical honors an iconic childhood figure of an era gone too soon.

In this musical, Spongebob and the rest of Bikini Bottom have recently found out that there is a nearby volcano, Mount Humongous, that is going to erupt in 24 hours.

After Bikini Bottom panics,

Spongebob decides to save the day by stopping t he eruption and rescuing everyone, with the help of his friends Sandy and Patrick. During their adventure, Spongebob and Sandy encounter

out, making it nearly impossible to get a ticket. Adding to the demand are the show’s long list of awards: a Pulitzer Prize, a Grammy, and 11 Tony awards after receiving a record breaking 16 Tony nominations. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, has even called it “the best piece of art in any form that I have ever seen in my life.”

“Hamilton” takes you into the minds and the world of the people who founded our nation. Lin-Manuel Miranda told New York Times, “Our cast looks like America looks now, and that’s certainly intentional.”

Each of the 46 songs in the show is ground breaking and unforgettable. With tickets so difficult to get, many people have purchased the show’s cast album to listen to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s brilliant, catchy lyrics and to hear the story that has become a phenomenon.

The album is now on the Billboard Top Rap Albums Chart, where it has been for the past 47 weeks.

Junior and musical theatre fan Mary Clare Nagai will be attending the highly-anticipated musical this fall in Chicago. She’s excited to see

“Hamilton” since “it is a musical that new director with a different cast, so has broken the traditional standards there will be a unique interpretation of a musical. This revolutionary tale of the script.” includes movement and rap in a way never utilized before.”

She cannot wait to experience the music live, discover how the show is staged, and see all of the costumes. Mary Clare says she is specifically looking forward to see “Hamilton” in Chicago because “there is a

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of musicals Jennifer Blasius

Entertainment Writer

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lexander Hamilton is known as the man on the $10 bill, but recently, he has become even more famous. The youngest founding father is now a cultural phenomenon thanks to the revolutionary, smash-hit musical “Hamilton.”

Due to the tremendous success of “Hamilton” on Broadway, the show will begin a separate Chicago run at the PrivateBank Theatre on Sept. 27.

Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the hip-hop musical chronicles the accomplished life and untimely death of US Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. Born in the West Indies and abandoned by his father, Alexander Hamilton made his way to New York City at age 17 to attend King’s College, now Columbia University. He served as General George Washington’s aide-de-camp during the American Revolutionary War, and became the first United States Secretary of the Treasury.

Since its debut in 2015, “Hamilton” has been the hottest ticket on Broadway with shows constantly sold

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ENTERTAINMENT | September 9, 2016

A return to Hogwarts, 19 years later Jill Steffen

Entertainment Editor “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

by J.K. Rowling

S

ince the publication of “Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows” back in 2007, Harry Potter fanatics all over the world have been in mourning.

When news came in February of a new script book, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” expectations soared for legions of fans. While it is comforting to see familiar characters in a new story, unfortunately the book couldn’t meet these high expectations and relies too much on rewriting the past instead of creating a new story.

The opening scene begins in a similar manner to “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” in the very familiar landscape of King’s Cross, the start of Harry’s adventure into the wizarding world. This time, however, Harry Potter’s son’s story begins.

In the previous books, Harry Potter was a glorified hero, one who was looked up to by professors and peers alike. His son, Albus Severus, on the other hand sees a different side to his father, one that is not perfect. J.K. Rowling explores a flawed side to her beloved character, but also endears him to readers in new ways. The parent/ child relationship, for example, is relevant to

before acting by embarking on many of the adventures his father had. Using a time turner to actually go back in time, he relives what his father had by experiencing the Triwizard Tournament.

It is an interesting concept, although a bit too repetitive. It involved the same experiences and lessons learned, but the only change was who the character was. With this book being set 19 years in the future, it had so much potential to create a new future of the wizarding world. This potential was essentially wasted by going back to the past. It seems to beg the question of whether this new story was even necessary.

The text does have some strong points, though.

With the addition of a new adolescent character, it allows for more readers to connect with this different personality. Albus is the polar opposite of Harry Potter, a more rebellious youth when compared to his seemingly-perfect father. Harry Potter had the pressures many high schoolers face today: the stress of not being good enough, hard classes, and no dependable support system to rely on. Albus has different kinds of challenges, like not getting along with his father and struggling to make friends—familiar concepts to most readers.

Overall, while the book does present a new everyone in today’s society and creates a degree perspective on the characters we have come to of familiarity between readers and the characters. know and love, it relies too much on the past and Albus Severus discovers the importance of doesn’t fully explore all the possibilities it could trusting others, telling the truth, and thinking with the new characters.

Decisively Indecisive by Lulie Duerkop

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September 9, 2016 | ENTERTAINMENT

The best of summer beverages Jill Steffen, Laura Cash, & Ashley Spears

Entertainment Editors and Writer ummers in Chicago are notorious for being hot, and this summer was no exception. While air conditioning can take the edge off the heat, these six drinks are the most delicious way to cool off in the precious last few weeks of summer.

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Frozen Lemonade

Iced Coffee Dunkin Donuts 742 W Higgins

Panera 39 S Northwest Hwy

With several locations all over town, Dunkin Donuts iced coffee is an easy find. “The iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts is definitely my favorite thing to drink in the summer,” said junior Kati Kons. “It’s so convenient to just go get coffee and chat with friends for hours.” Iced coffee with cream and sugar is the classic way to have it. The sweetness of the sugar and cream compliment the bitter taste of coffee perfectly. With a decent amount of caffeine, iced coffee is the perfect way to start your day.

Rather than getting normal lemonade or a regular fountain drink, you can spice things up by getting this slusheeinspired drink. “I love the frozen lemonade from Panera,” said sophomore Ian Spears. “The cold is so refreshing in the summer and it tastes amazing.” Taking traditional lemonade and adding an icy twist is what makes this summer drink so popular. Served with a lemon wheel, the frozen lemonade has the perfect balance of sour and sweet. Frozen lemonade is a healthy, delicious choice in the hot summer sun, and Panera’s fresh recipe makes frozen lemonade a fan favorite.

Arnold Palmer TeaLula 11 S Fairview

Independent tea shop, TeaLula, has a plethora of summer teas. A favorite of many is the Arnold Palmer. This classic black tea blend is perfected with freshly-squeezed lemons and a little simple syrup. It is the perfect combination of sweet and sour. Black tea has a little bit of caffeine to give you energy to last the rest of the day without the jitters of coffee. Located near Uptown, this small business is one that can certainly help students take on Chicago’s summer heat.

Coca-Cola Slurpee 7/11 555 Devon Ave.

7/11 Slurpees are a summer mainstay due to their ability to keep you refreshed and their variety of rotating flavors. “I have Slurpees so much that my blood is basically Slurpee,” said senior Natalie Briggs. Coca-Cola is one flavor that is always available. It takes the refreshing taste of Coca-Cola to a whole new level because of the extremely low temperature. The smooth, icy consistency cools you off immediately after the first sip.

Iced Chai Latte

Root Beer Float

Starbucks 100 S Northwest Hwy

JILL STEFFE

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Culver’s 7050 Manheim Rd.

PHOTOS BY

Starbucks is famous for their wide range of drinks. One of their summer classics is the Iced Chai Latte. It features the best of both worlds when they combine chai tea and milk. The milk balances out the spicy chai to make a great mixed drink. Plenty of syrup is added to sweeten it up as well. It’s great all year round since you can get it both hot and cold. The coffee chain has a revolving door of drinks for each season, but the Iced Chai Latte is always on the menu and is an ideal choice for any time.

Root beer floats are found in restaurants all over town, but no one makes them quite like Culver’s. Their famous custard is paired with their proprietary root beer and the result is heavenly. “The combination of root beer and frozen custard is inarguably delicious,” said sophomore Jon Luke Lassa. The creamy consistency of vanilla custard is the perfect compliment to a more bubbly sweet soda.

This unique duo quenches thirst and hunger in one delicious drink.

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SPORTS

| September 9, 2016

Upperclassmen lead boys’ golf to early success

Kevin McNulty Staff Writer

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oys’ golf has already entered the record books in 2016, with more than half the season remaining.

On Aug. 16, at the Maine Niles Shoot-out, the varsity team scored just four shots shy of the nine-hole school record. Part of the credit can be attributed to the terrific round from junior Michael George, who shot one under par that day. Other players contributing to that collective effort include seniors Danny Touhy and Joey Rogowski, juniors Joe Tonioni, Brendan Ahlbeck, Jack Curcio, and sophomore Connor Buggy.

“We are off to a great start this season,” said George. “We have played well in the first few tournaments, and I have had a lot of fun. We have a great group of guys, and I think we have we have a ton of potential.”

To prepare for the regular season,

players use the offseason during the summer as a time to improve their skills.

“During the offseason, I just try to play as much golf as I can,” said George. “I go to the driving range as much as possible and play with my friends often. Our team competes in many summer tournaments to get used to playing competitive golf.

This is great because you get used to dealing with the pressure that comes with golf.”

The offseason is often a time where the players formulate individual goals.

“Last year, I had advanced to Sectionals for the second year in a row. However, I played poorly and didn’t advance,” said George. “I have worked a lot on my game in the last year and I am extremely devoted to making it to Sectionals again and advance to state this year.”

One test of state-qualifying potential will be tomorrow, Sept. 10,

in the Zee-Bee Invite at Shepherd’s Crook Golf Course.

At this invite, Maine South will face off against several tough opponents from various conferences along the North Shore.

S ome imp or t ant up coming conference match-ups include Sept.

12 versus Glenbrook South, Sept.

15 versus Niles West, and Sept. 20 at Glenbrook North.

In order to keep playing well into October, it is crucial for every player to work together. This kind of team chemistry seems to be working well early on this season, no matter the age, size, or ability.

“Surprisingly, we are always around each other, and doing things off the golf course,” Buggy said. “It doesn’t matter who you are, we can all relate on this team, that’s what makes it special.”

Overall, this varsity squad believes that they have the right combination

of dedication, team chemistry, and talent to have a successful season.

Whatever team the Hawks play, Head Coach Steve Scholl has the same expectations and goals for his team.

“Our expectation for this season is to effectively compete against teams in the CSL conference,” said Coach Scholl. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to bring home a conference title.”

With experience on all levels, the Hawks believe that there will be widespread success among both individuals and the team.

“Last year, we were one shot off from going to Sectionals as a team.

This was heartbreaking for our entire team to play so well and still come up short,” said George. “This year we have an extremely deep and talented team. I have confidence in every player, and I believe we have an excellent chance of advancing to Sectionals as a team and bring home that conference championship.”

“ We a r e h o p i n g t h a t o u r sophomores who were successful last year [Ryan Bull and Alessandro Corrazina] will bring even greater success to our team this year,” said Coach States.

Bull, like Biedke, understands how experience will play a critical role this season.

“I would say we have a lot of experience going into this season,” he said. “We have a multitude of returning players who have established chemistry and a strong work ethic.

The new players will only enhance this already solid foundation.”

The team had a tremendous amount of success in the 2015 season, and they have a lot to prove coming off their unexpected success.

Despite the conference and regional championships of last season, the Hawks won’t sit back and relax.

Teams in this conference can never be taken for granted. Powerhouses like New Trier will always be back to challenge the throne.

“We face a strong opponent in nearly every game of the season,” said senior Liam Pittges. “We need to stick to our own play style and dictate the play and pace of the game from kickoff, then we can adjust to the strengths and weaknesses we see in the other team as the game

progresses.”

Even with multiple conference championships, the Hawks have their hopes set high.

“We had an extremely successful season last year, and winning regionals was great; however, we wished we could have done better,” said Biedke.

As for Ryan Bull, his goals for the season are explicit.

“My personal goals are for the

team,” he said. “I want to contribute significantly to the overall success of the 2016 varsity team. My goal is to help this team repeat as conference champions and to finish what we started last year by taking us all the way to the state championship.”

The Maine South boys’ soccer team is ready to continue the success of last year’s season and have an even more successful season this year.

Boys’ soccer seeking redemption Zack Johnson

Staff Writer he boys’ varsity soccer team has a lot to prove. With a Chicago Tribune High School Athlete of the Month nomination and a regional championship, the team is confident in their skills for a successful year.

However, like every high school sports program, there are always challenges coming into a season.

A new year means new players, and therefore, new roles. Given the success of the team last year, the team has much to prove. However, just like any sport at Maine South, leadership is a critical factor.

Senior goalkeeper Mark Biedke is working to make sure that he is a positive influence on the team.

“As a returning senior, it’s expected that I work hard and play well,” said Biedke. “It’s a lot of pressure, but I try to do my best to have fun and make the newcomers feel welcome to the team.”

Seniors often play a large role in contributing as leaders and players to a team. With 13 seniors, the Hawks will look to these players to help lead the team to victory.

Likewise, Head Coach Dan States is hoping that returning players will continue to show their talent and expertise on the field.

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Photo by emily wolf

IN PURSUIT

Junior midfielder Ryan Bull chases down a player during a game against Sandburg High School on Aug. 24th in which the Hawks tied 1-1. The team is relying on seasoned veterans to ensure a successful beginning to their season.

Photo by Jennifer Beck

September 9, 2016 | SPORTS

THIRD-DOWN CONVERSION

Nick Leongas hands off the ball to Fotis Kokosioulis during a game against Montini on Aug. 26. The team’s rigorous and intense offseason practices prepared them for an upset against the Broncos.

Maine South football shows ‘true grit’ Jack Muno

Staff Writer here may not be moral victories in high school football, but nearly pulling out a last-minute victory against top-ranked Loyola last week is as close as it gets.

Taking last-year’s 8A champion down to the wire was further evidence that the 2016 Hawks are contenders.

In their first game of the season, the Hawks defeated the Montini Broncos 44-13. This was considered a huge upset given the fact that the Broncos outscored their opponents 512-123 last year.

“Defense wins games,” said Mike Pusateri. “We were able to trust in our training from the summer and successfully shut out an offensive powerhouse.”

After last year’s early playoff exit, the Maine South football team is looking for a longer and more successful season this year. The team has been preparing and working hard since July.

Due to several senior losses, the team needs more players to fill in their spots. However, Coach David Inserra

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has maintained that it should not be a problem.

“Senior Nick Leongas (QB) and junior Fotis Kokosioulis (RB) should be a great 1-2 punch in the backfield,” Coach Inserra said. “Our receiving crew just has to be steady and consistent. Kevin Jarvis is looking great and has taken his fellow linemen under his wing. He is stepping up as a leader.”

Kokosioulis was a varsity starter last year as a sophomore, and he registered 1,500 rushing yards.

“On defense, seniors Mike Pusateri, Jack Pistorius, Emmett Zima, and Matt Schneider return and understand the concepts so much better now, but we still have to play within ourselves,” Coach Inserra said.

Sophomore Johnny Halvorson was added to the roster at starting nose guard and is expected to be a contributing member in the backfield.

Overall, these additions should help the team achieve their goals on both sides of the ball.

Since the end of last season, the team has worked through summer practices, preseason practices, and

@S out hwords Sp or t

145 off-season workouts. All of these are essential keys to create success for the upcoming season.

“Football is a unique sport of absolute power and speed and then short rests,” Coach Inserra said. “That is how we train in the weight room, with conditioning and practice as well. This team will not lose due to conditioning and strength” The team has not only done physical preparation for the season, but they also have prepared mentally.

The team has done various team bonding activities off the field.

“This year’s team has a lot more energy and team chemistry,” said senior Adam Molina. “The juniors and seniors have a lot of friendship between the grades, so all of us being a family on the gridiron helps a lot. On the final day of summer, we wrapped things up with our traditional D. Bob Classic Bowling Championship.”

Looking ahead at the regular season, this year’s schedule presents some challenges. During weeks three and four, the Hawks face tough competition in Barrington and Conant. However, the new schedule

doesn’t seem to affect the player’s mindsets.

“I think it will make this team better in the long run, especially in the playoffs,” said Leongas. “In my opinion, our schedule is one of the toughest in state, but it will make us that much better.”

The team has maintained that they are not afraid to go against the top teams in state. The schedule change has only inspired the Hawks to work even harder.

One driving factor behind this motivation is the team’s new slogan, “True Grit.” “‘True grit’ means that this year’s team is full of people who will do whatever it takes to succeed no matter how hard it is,” Leongas said. “We are a team that plays through adversity and won’t go down without a fight.”

For the first time in sixteen years, the Hawks did not make the preseason top 25 ranked teams in state, which was a big surprise to the team.

“Preseason rankings mean nothing,” said senior Emmett Zima.

“Let’s look at these rankings week 14.”

ON TWITTER fo r HAWK SPORTS U PDAT ES

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GIRLS’SWIMMING | CROSS COUNTRY | FOOTBALL | GIRLS’TENNIS | GOLF | BOYS’SOCCER | GIRLS’VOLLEYBALL

New V-Ball coach places emphasis on hard work Colleen Johnson Staff Writer

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imilar to last year, the girls’ volleyball team is incredibly experienced with many different varsity players returning.

However, this year’s team has a different feel with a new varsity head coach, Allison Groessl.

Coach Groessl not only played volleyball when she was a student at Maine South; she was a three-sport athlete all four years. Her coaches helped shape her into the person she is today, and she hopes to do the same for her players.

O n S e p t . 1 , s e n i o r s Mo l l y Carmichael, Stacey Sremac, and Peyton Turner were named captains of the 2016 team. The team has six seniors who are all very experienced and have played together for the last three or more years.

“One strength this year that the Varsity team has is that there are multiple returning players that know what it takes to be on the varsity level,” Coach Groessl said. “They can be leaders on the court and in the classroom every day.”

Besides the six seniors, the team consists of five juniors and two sophomores. All of the players are

looking forward to contributing on the court for a successful season.

“This season, we plan to strengthen our offense, sharpen our defense, and maintain our momentum through every match,” senior Caitlin Wright said.

The Hawks lost their first game on Aug. 23 against Prospect High School.

However, the team maintains that they to are ready to be successful in their remaining games.

In terms of success, Wright believes that effort is essential.

“We make sure that we play our very best for every game and finish each match strongly,” Wright said.

For Coach Groessel, the goals for this year are straightforward.

“My goals this year are to give my players all of my blood, sweat and tears everyday whether it is practice or games,” she said. “I expect the same from my players, and I know they understand that. Yes, this is my first year as a varsity coach, and I will learn a lot, but my girls know that I will do whatever needs to be done for them to be successful on the court.”

Just like any sport at Maine South, a key to achieving goals is team chemistry.

“We are doing a lot of team bonding,”

HUDDLE UP

Photo by jill steffen

Coach Groessel brings the team together for a pep talk before they return to the court. She coached the Freshman A volleyball team from 2012-2014. The connection between the veterans and the coach will help them to stay on the same page.

said Carmichael, “We were recently paired up with another person on the team, and we have to do random acts of kindness together as a bonding activity.”

This will likely help improve how the team plays because the closer a team is, the better they communicate on the court, according to Carmichael.

Coach Groessl is excited for many different games and tournaments this

season, but there is one thing that she is most excited for.

“I am stoked to work with a great group of girls and my amazing coaching staff,” she said, “Every day I come to practice with 50 smiling faces ready to work hard for our two hours together,” said Coach Groessl. “I am excited to be back on the court, as a coach, winning games for the girls’ volleyball program.”

Boys’ XC expecting benefits from offseason Brian Shanahan Staff Writer

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he Maine South boys’ cross country team has been putting in work all summer long and they are hoping this work will pay off towards the end of the season during the state series. The team is planning on qualifying for the state meet and hopefully placing in the top five teams to beat the Maine South school record.

Head Coach Greg Nordahl stresses running over the summer and believes that consistently working out will help to foster early success.

“Our team will be prepared,” Mr. Nordahl said. “Our 1-4 runners are better this year and we have some good competition with our 5-7 runners that will make us a strong team.”

For this upcoming fall season, the team has many returning varsity runners with race experience, including seniors Reese Jordan, Jake Vowell, Brian Shanahan, Alex Ortwig, Glen Garino, juniors Brandon Christopher, Jake Mellema, Ryan Prendergast, Darius Danciu, Martin Sornat, Alex Wagner, and sophomore Tommy Brady.

The top returning runner for the promising cross country team is senior captain Reese Jordan. In the recent track season, he ran a personal best of 4:20 in the mile. In this cross country season, he is hoping to break the Maine South home course record of 15:06 for three miles.

“Working out has gone very well throughout the whole summer,” Jordan said. “I have stayed injury free, and the team seems to be training very well.

Also, I am thankful that here at Maine South we have a summer training program with practices, which many schools in the area don’t have.

“This summer, senior Alex Ortwig has improved immensely and junior, Brandon Christopher, along with him.

Sophomore Tommy Brady has also been looking great and has been a great addition to our varsity group.”

Summer is a very crucial training time for the team because the fall season is short, as it ends in early November.

Every athlete on the varsity team has run at least 500 miles over the summer, some reaching up to 800 miles. That is an impressive average of seven to ten miles per day.

“What you put into it is what you will get out of it,” said Coach Dave Fermanich. One runner who has

demonstrated this is Christopher.

“I have improved my race times while dealing with minor setbacks and injuries,” said Christopher. “This summer I was focused on fixing my stride in order to be as efficient as possible”.

Along with running form, another important feature for cross country teams to be successful is to run close together in a pack.

“Even more runners have been stepping up to run with the top guys,” Christopher said. “This shows improvement in the runners as well as team chemistry because we are able to have so many guys running together.”

The depth of the varsity squad will allow for all runners, one through seven, to look to their teammates for support and encouragement this season.