October 14, 2016
1111 S. Dee Road • Park Ridge, Illinois 60068
Vol. 53, No. 2
ReadyFOR
TAKEOFF PHOTO BY JEN BECK
The Maine South Fall Play, “The Sparrow,” uses theatrical rigging to help its characters soar. See page 13
Bright Idea
Precautions considered to prevent accidents. Page 2
Girls on the Field Get Your Kicks
The Big Show
Powderpuff proves girls can Senior experiences success WMTH broadcasters shine be fierce and feminine. with shoe purchase program. spotlight on athletics. Page 6 Pages 9 Page 16
NEWS | October 14, 2016
Police propose traffic beacon on Talcott Staff Writer fter a video surfaced in May 2016 of a student nearly being hit by an oncoming truck near the Talcott entrance to Maine South, Park Ridge Police Chief Frank Kaminski proposed the installation of a flashing beacon—a pedestrian-activated device that signals to other drivers that people are crossing. On Aug. 8, at the Park Ridge Committee of the Whole Meeting, in which Park Ridge Aldermen and city employees debate various issues, the general idea of introducing a flashing beacon was poorly received, and the idea of a traffic light was suggested in its place. “Some of the facts that people are talking about is that [flashing beacons] are 81% effective. We’re concerned about the 19% that don’t stop,” said Public Works Director Wayne Zingsheim. “I appreciate that [the flashing beacon] makes it safer, I’m just worried we’re putting more and more on the driver,” said Acting Mayor Martin Maloney. “Everybody was stopped, except that 1 truck that came flying up that right lane. It only takes 1 distracted driver not paying attention.” A meeting of the committee of the whole (Public Works/ Public Safety) ended with a unanimous consensus, 6-0, in favor of postponing the implementation of a traffic light. The committee believed it would be necessary to wait until new information arose. Many students at Maine South are already aware that the intersection is dangerous; however, the risks are still there. “I was about to cross the street a couple months ago when a kid nearly wandered into traffic to cross the street,” said sophomore Dan Mckelvey. “Luckily for him, the crossing guard was able to stop him, but I’m worried about what could have happened
PHOTO BY HALEY MECH
Patrick Slojkowski
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DOWN ON THE CORNER
Students cross Talcott after school with the assistance of a crossing guard. The city is looking to install a traffic beacon or stoplight here to prevent future accidents.
if this took place when the crossing guard wasn’t there,” he said. The crossing at Talcott is currently manned by a crossing guard both before and after school. However, for some students who stay late for sports and other extracurriculars, this service isn’t available for them. Mayor Maloney was able to reaffirm his views on the matter a month after the meeting. “I don’t feel that the beacon that was proposed and discussed would be the most effective way to prevent accidents there,” he said. “The best way to do so would be through a traffic signal. This is not
an inexpensive option, nor is it one over which the city (or school district) has complete control, because it is a state road… But I believe that would end the confusion that surrounds that crosswalk.” On Aug. 16, Zingsheim told the Chicago Tribune that he sent a letter to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), asking how to implement a traffic light at the intersection. In a Sept. 18 e-mail to Southwords, he indicated there have been no further developments since the August letter. “I have received no formal reply since I sent the letter to the IDOT,” Zingsheim said.
Maine South seniors win NCTE awards Ryan Prendergast
Staff Writer ou r Maine S out h s e n i ors , Katherine Daehler, Margaret Cahill, Nicole Pagliari, and Catherine Coyle, received the highly-prestigious “Certificate for Superior Writing” from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) this past May. According to the NCTE, the award was created “to encourage high school students in their writing and to publicly recognize some of the best student writers.” Only 533 students were nominated nationwide, and this award was given to only 269 of the 533 nominees. 47 of the 269 total awards were given to Illinois students. Students are nominated by their respective school’s English Department. Each school is allocated
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a handful of nominee slots to fill, varying from 1-8 based on the size of the school. Maine South was allowed five nominees. “The other teachers and I looked over the writing assignments that students have submitted over the course of the 1st semester, said Ms. Knight, one of the teachers of AP Language and Composition. “[We nominated] students who are great writers and also possess a clear passion for writing that is evident in their work.” Nominated students had to submit two works of writing in order to be eligible to receive the award. One was his or her “best work” of any genre. “[For the best work essay,] I had to go back and find a piece of writing I liked and wanted to improve,” said Daehler.
Other students chose to submit new pieces of writing. “The contest guidelines said that we could submit a past work for this category, but I wanted to present a piece that accurately represented my voice as a writer, so I chose to write something new,” said Nicole Pagliari. The other submitted piece was a “themed writing.” The theme is decided by the advisory committee to award each year; this past year, the theme investigated the questions, “Can passions and obligations be held in balance? Are we always forced to make a choice? Can our passions and our obligations mesh?” The submissions are judged nationally. According to the NCTE website “teams of teachers using a secure judging site” judge the contests. Submissions are judged blindly; the
judges know only the students’ names. The process was a positive experience for the students involved. “Preparing for the contest was actually fun,” said Daehler. “It was a neat experience getting to see my writing [judged] against other people across the country.” The experience taught students many valuable lessons as well. “Thanks to the nomination of my teacher, Ms. Knight, I learned that creating work you can be proud of, even when no one is looking, is never a wasted endeavor,” said Pagliari. NCTE runs this contest every year. This year’s juniors will be nominated by their English teachers in the coming months, and it is possible that there will be more NCTE award winners hailing from Maine South this May.
October 14, 2016 |NEWS
MS seniors named National Merit Scholar Finalists Dimitri Speron News Editor
PHOTO BY HALEY MECH
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BOARD OF EDUCATION Senior yearbook editors Caroline Rueve (left) and Olivia Breaux brainstorm ideas for
their next edition in the yearbook office, LRC 1. The editors meet every day during second period to meet their page deadlines.
Eyrie yearbook earns national recognition Will Brendza
News Writer yrie,” Maine South’s Yearbook, has improved in its national ranking from second class to first class. This national evaluation comes from the National Scholastic Press Association, the most distinguished nation-wide school journalism association. The NSPA has three awards in its rating system: Second Class, First Class, and All-American. Moving up in class is an achievement for “Eyrie,” as it is a testament to the work put in by both the students and advisers involved. Vol. 52 of the Maine South Yearbook was the first edition of “Eyrie” to receive this national recognition. Featuring the theme “Kaleidoscope,” the 2015-2016 yearbook depicted not just the students and teachers of Maine South, but also a variety of stories to capture the year’s highlights. This past year was Dr. Richard Jones’ first year as the yearbook adviser. The Maine South English teacher had a clear plan for how to
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improve the yearbook. “One of my goals was trying to get kids to do more writing,” Dr. Jones said. “One of the things we tried to focus on over the year in terms of growth was increasing the length of the feature stories.” This objective was evident throughout last year’s yearbook, and will continue to be in the coming years. Mr. James McGowan, another Maine South English teacher, served alongside Dr. Jones as an assistant sponsor. “Many schools who earn this level of ranking have yearbook as a graded class period that counts toward graduation, whereas our publication is 100% extracurricular,” he said. “Our publication got similar results even though we are at a disadvantage due to the time and resources we are afforded. I am really proud of the staff for rising to that challenge.” In terms of looking ahead, Dr. Jones would like to improve the academic spreads of the yearbook. Academic stories can be more difficult because they often lack
the appeal that athletic and feature stories bring. However, as important as academics are, Dr. Jones thinks the yearbook can do a better job of incorporating them. “We’re always going to have sports coverage because Maine South is a very sports-heavy school,” said Dr. Jones. “We’re not going to have a problem with sports coverage, or with the big things, like homecoming. Academics is going to be something we want to look at.” Dr. Jones also placed a focus on looking at other ways to feature the students. He noted that one of the favorite spreads last year was one they did on siblings at South. This is an example of a feature story that incorporates more writing—and also serves as a new and refreshing way to feature Maine South students. The Eyrie staff plans on applying more ideas like this as a way to feature more students. “We’re trying to make it more and more the process and activity of journalism, and less and less a memento or a picture book of the year,” said Dr. Jones.
leven students from District 207 have been recognized as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, as a result of their performance on the PSAT. These semifinalists will have opportunities to compete with their fellow semifinalists for roughly 8,300 scholarships, worth a cumulative $34 million. The eight seniors from Maine South were Santino Mistrata, Margaret Cahill, Anastasia Dalianis, Katherine Daehler, Wesley Dziedzic, Maura Lally, Sean Stapleton, and Nicole Skora. Out of the roughly 1.5 million students nationwide who entered the National Merit Program, about 16,000 qualify for semifinalist status. “I’m incredibly honored to be named a semi-finalist,” said Daehler. “Taking the test, I honestly didn’t even see it as a possibility.” In order to be eligible for the National Merit Program, students must take the PSAT. The PSAT is known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test for the scholarship competition. For their test scores to be eligible for semifinalist status, they need to score in the upper 99.5th percentile. This is about a 1400 on the 1520-point scale that is used to grade the test. These applications are typically composed of extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities at school and in the community, and include an essay. “Going into the next round, I’m nervous,” said Daehler. “Now we’re being directly compared to the best of the best, and that’s scary.” In February of 2017, the finalists will be selected and notified. People who win these scholarships will be informed during the spring and early summer of 2017. All scholarships will be awarded by the start of the summer when students matriculate to their respective colleges. Scholarships will be awarded to a portion of the semifinalists, but the exact amount varies yearly. The standard value of the scholarships is $2,500.
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| October 14, 2016 PHOTO BY NOAH FISHMAN
NEWS
Photos by Noah Fishman
WELCOME TO THE NEST (Left to right) Mr. Hakimian, Ms. Price, Ms. Capps, Ms. Cobb, Ms. Chao, Ms. Galgan, and Ms. Terpstra are among the eleven teachers new to Maine South this year. This year’s group of new teachers is excited to be a part of the Hawk family.
New teachers join the Maine South family Catherine Coyle, Elaine Smith, & Dimitri Speron
News Editors aine South welcomed eleven new teachers at the beginning of this year— the largest class of new teachers in several years. Ms. Amy Capps is a new teacher in the Science Department but is not new to the district as she went to Maine West. She made the decision to work at Maine South after previously teaching at Waukegan High School and Gemini Jr. High. “I am looking forward to helping my students enjoy Biology and Chemistry as much as possible,” said Ms. Capps. “I love seeing students have their ‘light bulb’ go on when they understand a concept.” Ms. Priscilla Chao is new to the Foreign Language Department, and will be teaching Chinese. “My favorite part about being a teacher is when students have fun in class,” Ms. Chao said. “Usually that happens when they make a joke in Chinese, act out a scene, or get excited about games we are playing.” Ms. Chao recently graduated from the University of Iowa before coming to Maine South, but she has had experience teaching Chinese in two Iowan summer camps as well as teaching English in Taiwan. “I decided to work at Maine South because when student teaching, I was speaking with a lady who graduated from Maine East,” Ms. Chao said “She told me to not hesitate in accepting a job here, and I’m glad I didn’t.” Ms. Jennifer Cobb also joins Maine South as a member of the Foreign Language department. Ms. Cobb teaches French at Maine South following several years as a preschool teacher. She went to high school at Loyola Academy and wanted to work at Maine South. “I had a great feeling about the school and
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community of Maine South,” she said. “I could tell that the faculty is passionate about education and working with students, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.” Mrs. Jennifer Galgan has joined the Science department. She taught at the Willows Academy for four years, and is returning to teaching after spending several years doing research on the Great Barrier Reef, near Australia. As a former Hawk, Mrs. Galgan was encouraged to return by the great experiences that she had here as a student. “I felt like my education here prepared me very well for college, graduate school, and the professional world,” she said. “I wanted to come back and have the same impact on my students.” Mr. Daniel Hakimian is a new teacher to the Math department, but he brings a wealth of experience after having taught for nine years at Foreman High School, a public school on the northwest side of Chicago. “I was trying to keep this quiet,” Mr. Hakimian said, “but I went to Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook.” Mr. Hakimian’s favorite part of teaching is watching his students grow academically and socially. “I wanted to work at one of the highest performing high schools in the country,” he said. Ms. Brittney Kestler is the newest member of the Special Education Department. Last year Ms. Kestler taught at District 214’s Transition program, which was housed at the district building within the Academy at Forest View in Arlington Heights. “I have been aware of the great reputation that Maine Township has since I was in high school,” said Ms. Kestler. “I wanted to work in a place where I felt supported and could grow as a professional. Before applying, I got the sense that I could get those things at Maine South.” Ms. Kestler attended Prospect High School in
Mount Prospect. Mr. Marty Murphy is a new teacher to the Special Education Department. He started his career as a Cook County probation officer before he realized that teaching was his calling and became a teacher at Taft High School. Mr. Murphy enjoyed his time teaching at Taft, but is excited to begin his career at Maine South. His favorite part of being a teacher is the lack of repetition in the school day. “It’s a place where there is life and spirit flowing through the halls every single day,” he said. Ms. Addie Price is the newest addition to the Fine Arts Department. Prior to coming to Maine South, Ms. Price taught at Walter Payton College Prep and at Schurz High School. She is also self -employed as an illustrator. “My favorite part of being an art teacher is being creative each day and seeing the amazing artwork my students produce” said Ms. Price. An alum of New Trier High School, Ms. Price wanted to teach at a school where the arts flourish. “My favorite part of being a Hawk has been collaborating with my colleagues and meeting all my new students” she said. “I am most looking forward to trying new art projects with my students.” Ms. Elizabeth Terpstra is Maine South’s newest Career and Technical Education faculty member. “My favorite part of being a Hawk so far is how welcoming the people I have gotten to know have been,” said Ms. Terpstra. “I am most looking forward to getting to know a new group of students and colleagues.” Ms. Terpstra came to Maine South from Trinity High School. “I decided to work at Maine South after hearing many positive things about the district and school from Mr. McGreevy and after teaching summer school here last year and personally getting to experience that,” she said.
October 14, 2016
STAFF EDITORIAL
Students should partake in school spirit
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ith homework to complete, te st s to stu dy for, and extracurriculars to attend, many students feel that high school is a place of stress rather than enjoyment. While this is valid, school spirit activities, from a small to a large scale, offer the opportunity for fun and community throughout day-today life. We believe that everyone should make a concerted effort to be involved in school spirit because it has the ability to unite us under the one commonality we all share. Many people contribute their time and effort into making events like those during Homecoming week successful. This is done solely for the benefit for students, and these efforts often go unnoticed or unappreciated. At the homecoming assembly, there was a distinct lack of student enthusiasm. This “toocool-for-school” attitude creates an unpleasant social environment. In recent years, there has been a push to include more people, teams, and clubs in school spirit events. School spirit is no longer limited to going to football games or watching
the marching band perform. For example, any person or club can get involved in homecoming festivities by painting windows or decorating doors. With all the opportunities available, there is really no excuse not to try something new. People who are introverted or less outgoing may argue that school spirit is not for them because it is outside of their comfort zones. However, there are no “requirements” of having school spirit—it is possible to show spirit as an individual by something as simple as dressing up for spirit days. Although some may argue that school spirit activities lack any practical purpose, they do make school a much more enjoyable and welcoming place for students. Without spirit activities, school would still be school, but it would be much less interesting and comfortable for students. There are many students at Maine South who are involved in school spirit, but they are often outnumbered by those who are not. However, the risk of standing out in the crowd would be eliminated if more people
were willing to take action in a simple way, like singing the fight song at the assembly. School spirit allows students of many different interests to proudly identify as Hawks and gives them a sense of belonging to a larger community. This community extends outside of Maine South—middle school and elementary school kids wear Hawks jerseys and support our athletics. Ultimately, this creates strong bonds between those who choose to participate. It’s important to remember that these four years may be our last opportunity to be involved in school spirit. Some students who go to schools that do not have tightly-knit communities will never be able to experience it again. We may be sophomores or seniors or athletes or musicians, but at the end of the day, we are all Maine South students. Football players and band members on the field don’t see those distinctions when they look up at the bleachers—they see one student section. We should not be afraid to show support for our school.
future might not be entirely clear, it is nice to have at least a blurry view of what’s going to happen next. I was thinking about this nearly all the time, until my AP Psychology teacher asked a question that threw me in a different direction: Why do you want to go to college? He meant it rhetorically, not something that I or any of the students in my class were supposed to answer. But after class and over the next few days, I couldn’t stop trying to answer it. The answer seemed simple—to get a job, to gain life skills, to learn. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that wasn’t my answer. I want to go to college to ask my own questions. I say ask, not answer, because some of the questions I want to ask may not even have answers. I want to learn, to debate, to question. Sociocultural shifts between the right and left of the political spectrum, the nature of human mora lity—b eing a neurosurgeon or a rheumatologist may be much more practical, but
these are the things that keep me up at night. I know I can’t answer the questions I want to ask—people have been trying to for thousands of years. All I can do is learn as much as I can and see where it takes me. And even though I am a person who likes control, stability and direction, that is not a viewpoint I am entirely uncomfortable with having. O ve r t he l ast fe w ye ars, I have found that the majority of my knowledge has come from not knowing. I learned the most about myself in the period of time when my future was obscured from my view. It has forced me to become more introspective and to really consider all my options, instead of doing what seems most reasonable. Maybe all those years ago, when I knew for sure who I was going to be, I didn’t really know. Eventually, I stopped telling myself that certain things needed to happen. Having a passion that doesn’t directly translate to a career can be confusing and difficult at times, but I would not have it any other way.
Looking to the future without fear Anastasia Dalianis Editor-in-Chief
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or the longest time, I was certain that I knew what I was going to do with my life. When I was eight years old, I wanted to be a neurosurgeon. At age 11, I liked the idea of being a rheumatologist when I, for some reason, became interested in my grandmother’s arthritis. As a freshman, I decided that journalism was a better route to take after a few months of accelerated geometry. But then junior year hit, and suddenly all the future career plans I’d entertained evaporated from my mind. Before, if someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I could just reach into the vault of lives that I’d once wanted and pull one out. Now, when I opened that vault, all I could grasp was empty air. This terrified me. I am the kind of person that likes control, stability and direction. Even if the path to my
| COMMENTARY
Maine South High School 1111 South Dee Road Park Ridge, IL 60068 http://www.southwords.org
Scan this QR code to e-mail Southwords S outhword s is a stu d e nt - r u n publication designed as a public forum for student opinion and balanced reporting on topics relevant to the Maine South community. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of the Southwords Editorial Board. Personal commentaries represent the opinion of the author alone and do not represent the opinions of the publication nor District 207. Stu d e nt p ar t i c ip at i on i n t he newspaper, whether through readership, submitting articles, or voicing comments or concerns, is encouraged. Signed letters to the editor can be delivered to the Southwords office (next to the testing center), 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.
Editors-in-Chief
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 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
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October 14, 2016 | COMMENTARY
Race categories don’t necessarily describe everyone
ka hkovs va ru z
s the time of tough decisions and stress draws near, I find myself staring at countless college applications, filling out the same information, checking the same boxes. After some time, it becomes routine: name, address, and then race. Until recently, I always filled out this portion and moved on, dedicating little to no thought to something that, in many cases, can be a deciding factor in determining a student’s admission. Upon looking closer, what really struck me were the limited categories from which we are forced to choose from. A s s o m e o n e w h o d o e s n’t necessarily fall within one of the given categories, this causes some concern.
our ethnicity and our heritage. You shouldn’t be forced to place yourself inside an unnecessarily general category. These characteristics are what make us different. They are what make us unique. These differences should be celebrated and showcased. Your ethnicity is an integral part of who you are. You should never be kept from expressing it.
RATIO N by Yarosla
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them with a very heavy, very broad label. To say that you are white could mean you are Russian, Polish, French, German, Bosnian, Spanish, Italian, English, or Irish, to name a few. But it could also mean you are Algerian, Eg y pt i an , L iby an , Moro c c an , Sudanese, or Tunisian. To say that all of these people, all of these traditions, cultures, and backgrounds are the same, is wrong. What defines an ethnicity is its traditions, culture and customs. Each one of these ethnicities is distinctive and special. Clumping them all together into one group discredits the differences that make each culture unique. In an attempt to achieve diversity, colleges and universities use these categories when deciding between potential students. But in reality, these categories do nothing but generalize students into much broader, general groups. We should be allowed to explain everything about ourselves, including
ILLUST
Isis Zaki Commentary Editor
But this issue is not as limited as people would perceive. There are many things that define someone and help shape who he or she is as an individual. One’s ethnicity or race is definitely one of them. As a student applying to enter a university or college, my goal is to show the individual reading my application who I am as a person and why I am qualified to study at that particular institution. My ethnicity is part of who I am, and it played a role in shaping my values, opinions, and beliefs. It feels wrong to fit my entire ethnic background into a rigid racial category. As someone who identifies as Middle Eastern, it feels strange to label myself as white or Asian. Not that there is any fault to be found within these individual categories, but the system itself fails to allow students to elaborate upon or explain a major part of who they are. Instead, it mixes vastly different cultures into one group and brands
Columbus Day: a day without class Lily Getz Commentary Writer
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e all love a day off from the hectic school year, and Columbus day comes at the perfect time to relax and take an extra day off. However, Columbus’s actions are not deserving of a national holiday. The story goes like this: an Italian man named Christopher Columbus “heroically” discovered the “New World” on October 12, 1492 after a twomonth journey. Though this well-known expedition makes Columbus seem like a brave man, he is actually not the great explorer everyone thinks he is. When Columbus docked on an island in the Caribbean named Hispaniola (now known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic), he discovered the indigenous people whom he immediately viewed as a source of labor. When he found these people, known as the Taino people, he wrote a letter to the King and Queen saying, “...They would make fine servants...with fifty men we could subjugate them all.” In the letters and journals kept by Columbus’ men, Columbus, the “hero”—as most people know him—robbed, enslaved and murdered indigenous people for profit. Thousands of the Taino people
ILLUSTRATION by Rida Mughal
committed suicide because their lives became unbearable due to Columbus and his men’s mistreatment. A man that led the genocide of native people is definitely not a man America, which strives to be a country that represents all races and heritages, should celebrate. On Columbus’s second trip to the New World, he brought dogs that would attack the slaves if they were to disobey him. If a native resisted
slavery, Columbus would cut an ear or nose off their body. Worst of all, if a native tried to escape, Columbus and his men would burn that slave alive. There are so many appalling things that Columbus would do to these people if they did something that displeased him. He showed no mercy to innocent people and ignored their humanity in order to gain profit. Many people may be aware of the fact that Columbus was an awful person but don’t want to admit it because of that fact that they get a day off during this “celebration.” But what if we celebrate a different holiday instead? One holiday that immediately comes to mind is Indigenous People’s Day. Many cities have already changed their Columbus day celebrations to Indigenous People’s Day. Celebrating this new holiday can reveal the truth about Columbus’s crimes against the natives. Over time, many have come to the conclusion that Columbus was a fearless man, one who discovered America and risked his life to provide us the comfortable lives we have today. But in reality, it is exactly the opposite. He robbed innocent people of their lives, stole their peace, labeled them as inferior, and altered their world completely. Columbus’s only intent was to improve his own life, and he caused the hundreds of years of enslavement and oppression of native people for his own selfish motives. We shouldn’t celebrate a holiday to remember a most atrocious man.
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| October 14, 2016
Tommy O’Connor
Features Editor or 52 years, Maine South’s football team, Hawkettes, band and cheerleaders have taken Wilson Field together to perform. Each of these organizations places great emphasis on the upkeep of this Friday night tradition. This emphasis was exemplified in the football game against Conant, when younger students of all ages performed in the half-time show as band members, cheerleaders, Hawkettes, and football team players mentored them. “The night was very hectic, but rewarding,” said junior Megan Streightiff. Streightiff, a member of the Hawkettes, directed the future Hawks on the field and helped develop the dance they performed. Children of all ages got the opportunity to mirror the Hawkettes, cheerleaders, band, and football team in their respective roles. “We met with the kids the weekend before the game to choreograph a minute-and-a-half routine with three sections for each age group,”
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Streightiff said. The night was planned weeks in advance, with preparation from high school students as well as the younger children, to ensure that the night was a success for everyone. “In order to prepare the kids for the performance, we had a rehearsal on the practice fields before the game to go over the logistics,” junior Justin Pinsky, a band member, said. “Some of the kids didn’t have marching instruments, so it was a little hectic having to change locations with music stands and larger instruments.” Chaos seemed to be a common theme for the night, as can be expected when so many children are gathered on a playing field. The children thrived off this mayhem and put on a spectacular event. “The younger kids were very enthusiastic with everything that they did,” Streightiff said. “They looked up to the Hawkettes and were very passionate about dancing. They would sometimes get distracted while learning, but in the end they all enjoyed the dance.” With the exception of the band,
Photo By Jen BECK
CHEER PREMIER The junior Hawkettes perform a dance routine
alongside the Maine South Hawkettes and Marching Band. The junior Hawkettes consisted of elementary and middle school kids who hope to continue their dance career at Maine South.
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most of these children had little to no experience in the activities they participated in. Yet they approached their performances with nothing but ambition and excitement. “This was her first experience as a cheerleader,” said Math Department Chair Mr. Wiland, who got to watch his 8-year-old daughter perform in the showcase. “That was the biggest crowd she’s ever performed in front of. I was really proud of her.” While it may have been a sugar rush and the large audience that energized the children, the students who led these children found their motivation elsewhere. Pride was what drove these students to put in the extra time and effort to make these performances the success they were. “It is important to prepare these kids so that they can carry on the school spirit and the legacy of the Maine South Hawkettes,” said Streightiff. Partaking in this event and training these children was not an easy task; this role carries great responsibility. It is the obligation of these Maine South students to conduct themselves in a positive manner that exemplifies what it means to be a Maine South Hawk. “Leading these kids is leading the next generation,” said Pinsky. “How you act around them is how they are going to act when they are in Maine South, so your every move has that much more weight on it.” This was especially true for the football team who hosted hundreds of boys from the Park Ridge Youth Football program in the fieldhouse during pregame. They gazed on at their role models in awe. They could envision their future selves in those
STRIKE A POSE
Photo By Jen Beck
FEATURES
An aspiring Hawkette dances along to the beat of the Maine South Marching Band’s drumline. Junior Hawkettes had the opportunity to perform their routine in front of a packed audience.
jerseys. This type of relationship is a two-way street. While every child on Friday could picture themselves in the shoes of those they mirrored, every student saw in those children the generation that would fill their shoes after they graduated. It is through this bond that Maine South Hawks maintain the legacy of their school. “These kids are going to be in your place in years coming, so you want them to represent Maine South well,” Pinsky said. “I want to be able to proudly say, ‘I went to Maine South.’ Preparing these kids for taking my place is how I ensure that I can say that.”
Shoe-in
Emily Rosca Features Editor
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success October 14, 2016 |FEATURES
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tarting at a young age, children are told to follow their dreams. Often, these dreams aren’t achieved until later in life, but one courageous freshman decided to chase his dream and make it a reality. Senior Grant Hallock has a passion for sneakers but didn’t have the means to purchase expensive shoes until the ninth grade. He began making an earning as a busboy and was able to buy a couple pairs of sneakers every now and then. When it came time to buy the latest pair of Nikes or Jordans he had his eye on, he wasn’t able to buy them in time; they’d sell out within a minute. He’d scour the internet in search for the shoe, not willing to give up. Checking eBay, he saw that the shoe was being sold for up to triple the original asking price. “Why can’t I just do that?” Hallock said. “I won’t have to keep working as a busboy anymore.” Looking for a way to make some extra money, Hallock created his company, Heated Sneaks, which enables people to purchase limited-edition WHAT ARE THOSE Senior Grant Hallock is hard at work selling his computer program so that people footwear. From that moment forward, his company can buy limited-edition shoes. Surrounding him are his prized possessions—his sneakers. kept building and growing. me,” said Hallock. “This guy was advertising that a week on the business,” said Hallock. “I had a full Hallock began investing countless hours going he could make this program, and it worked. I’ve schedule for school last year and not a lot of studies, so I wouldn’t sleep a lot. This year, I was able to open downtown in order to personally buy the footwear. been working with him for a while.” “Freshman year, I was just re-selling shoes to The program, Bot, is efficient and user-friendly, more study periods since I had enough credits, and make money on the side,” said Hallock. “I would allowing each user to personally purchase his or I work a lot during my study periods.” Luckily, Hallock’s friends and family have been go downtown to Nike, wait outside for a couple of her desired shoe. hours, buy a couple pairs of shoes, sell them, and “Essentially, it’s an interface where you enter encouraging and helpful and often contributed a go back the next weekend to buy more.” your shoe size and all your information at helping hand whenever they could. “[My family] love[s] it; they’re supportive,” said As a freshman, he didn’t have any form of the checkout page,” said Hallock. “When the transportation, and come sophomore year, school shoe is released, all you do is click start and it Hallock. “My mom helped me open the business, and she helps with the taxes. My step-dad has became more and more demanding. Realizing that instantaneously buys the shoe.” his time was limited and that he could not buy and Hallock has started venturing out into the helped me with a lot of stuff, as well. Even my little sell shoes that were in such high demand, Hallock clothing world by selling clothing from brands sister—she’s a freshman now—helps me by doing commissioned a computer program through such as Supreme, which releases new clothes every simple stuff.” Heated Sneaks doubles as both an enjoyable which he could purchase rapidly-selling sneakers Thursday. Supreme is a brand that specializes in instantaneously. hoodies and t-shirts. The brand collaborates with pastime and a source of income for higher education. “I was really busy, and I didn’t have the time popular brand names such as Nike and Adidas. “The primary goal for my company is definitely to go downtown every weekend— I didn’t have a “[Supreme clothes are] similar to sneakers: car or anything,” said Hallock. people buy them and resell them, to make money, so that I can go to college and fund “I’d try buying them online but so I’ve moved into those kinds future ventures,” said Hallock. “[My main focus College is right around the corner for Hallock, they’d sell out within a minute.” of things, too,” said Hallock. “I and he intends to pursue a career in business to As his customers became figured if anything dies down, I’ll is] selling limitedinquisitive, wondering how he just move on to the next things.” complement his company in order to further its edition footwear, say managed to buy all these shoes, Heated Sneaks’ predominant growth. “I’m trying to go to a college with a good a light-bulb went off. goal is to provide the general Jordans or Yeezys” business school, so they can help me learn more “A lot of my customers public with a service, allowing -Grant Hallock asked me how I got these shoes them to purchase highly sought- about business, so I can have the business in the future,” said Hallock. and I thought, ‘why don’t I just after footwear. Hallock’s goals for the company aren’t short sell them the program itself? It’s a lot easier for me,’” “[My main focus is] selling limited-edition said Hallock. “The people then use the program to footwear, say Jordans or Yeezys,” said Hallock. “It’s term; Heated Sneaks is here to stay. “I’m definitely going to ride it out as long as I buy the shoes from say Footlocker or Nike.” really centered around the releases of shoes that can,” said Hallock. “I know it’s a fad in the market, While Heated Sneaks originally started out they don’t really make a lot of.” selling popular, limited-edition footwear, it has When it comes to juggling both the business and so things like this will die out, but something else evolved into a company that sells computer academics, Hallock had to make some changes to will come up.” While the common belief is that success only programs through which users can purchase his schedule in order to accommodate everything comes after college, Hallock is proof that if one sneakers. he needs to accomplish. “I have a web developer in India—he works for “I’ve been struggling, since I work 40-45 hours puts in the work, success can come at any age.
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FEATURES
| October 14, 2016
From boys to men A group of determined Maine South students seek the highest rank in scouting
Patrick Cichon & Emily Rosca Features Writer & Features Editor
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Troop 50, a group that several Maine South students belong to, participates in a number of extensive expeditions and regular meetings. “We [take part in] activities such as camp-outs (most are weekend campouts), service projects, and other volunteer activities,” said senior Brandon Jelke. “Troop 50 meets every Monday to discuss ongoing service projects and plan extended camping trips.” The regular duties of any Boy Scout include being an active member of the community and learning fundamental life skills, which include nature survival and the proper use of hunting equipment. “Scouts participate in all kinds of activities from camping to hiking, cooking, water survival, swimming, hand crafts, and archer y,” said senior Cole Simner, who is currently working towards Eagle Scout. “There is also a great focus on things such as community volunteering and learning about the environment and political structure of the nation. Scouting also teaches life skills in areas such as personal management and fitness.” A S c out n ot on ly h a s t h e opportunity to partake in a variety of events, but can choose, and is encouraged, to plan and lead various projects.
“I have worked on many Eagle Scout projects, primarily involving construction,” said Stapleton. “Some of those projects included painting fire hydrants, park beautification, and the planting of gardens. I am branching [away from construction and in a direction] I have a more vested interest in: computer science. I am leading a series of three introductory computer science classes aimed at middle and high school students in the area.” Stapleton’s computer science class paves the way for students to develop skills that are essential to the twentyfirst century workforce. Alongside the many projects, the Troop also partakes in a variety of trips, from hiking and camping out in the Northern Tier in Minnesota to snorkeling and sailing in the Bahamas. “Some of our greatest trips were our high adventure trips, where we’d go out of state to a beautiful location and camp for a week,” said Jelke. “The most popular high adventure bases are Philmont in New Mexico, the Summit in West Virginia, Sea Base in Florida and the Bahamas, and Northern Tier in Minnesota and Ontario, Canada.” Some of the most memorable experiences for the Troop included
the weekend getaways to the Dells and nearby protected parks. These trips proved to be a monumental undertaking that always taught the Scouts a great deal. “Some of the yearly weekend campouts we go on are huge trips like to Mt. Olympus in Wisconsin Dells (yes, we still camp), a trip to Rock Cut state park, and a Devil’s Lake trip [to list a few],“ said Jelke. “What makes these trips fun is doing the activities in the outdoors with friends and enjoying what nature has to offer.” While the outdoors may not be suited for everyone, these persistent and dedicated Boy Scouts have chosen to continue on this path and have made a profoundly positive effect on the community. By cleaning up parks, volunteering at Feed My Star ving Children, fundraising with the famous Boy Scouts popcorn, and organizing local spaghetti dinners, the Maine Township community has become a cleaner and safer place. “Reflecting back on what our Troop has done, I can see the prodigious impact we have made on our community,” said junior Aaron Balani. “I also realized the friends and memories made are something that will last a lifetime and hope to one day become a Scout Master.”
photo by peyton turner
or those in their adolescent years, being a part of Boy Scouts is an important formative experience, yet few continue the journey to achieving the elite status of Eagle Scout. The path may be difficult and lengthy, but the ability to give back to the community makes it worthwhile. The tenacity and time it takes to achieve Eagle Scout is something only a few individuals are able to accomplish. As students enter high school, responsibility increases and many decide that they can no longer devote time to scouting. “Others may stick around for a variety of reasons,” said senior Sean Stapleton, who is working to become an Eagle Scout. “They enjoy the social aspect of it and have many friends involved, they like going on campouts and hikes and are really fond of the outdoors, and for some it may simply be because they want the recognition of Eagle Scout.” The title of “Eagle Scout” comes with responsibility, hard work, respect, and prestige. The first step to becoming an Eagle Scout is to obtain merit badges and learn the basic fundamentals. After mastering the basics, there are opportunities to become a leader and a recipient of good character awards. After earning a total of 21 merit badges and performing extensive displays of leadership, one is able to become an Eagle Scout. “Goals and achievements are a big part of the Scouts,” said senior Aaron Grau, w ho is work ing towards becoming an Eagle Scout. “I, personally, have accomplished pretty much every goal I have set for scouting in terms of learning the fundamentals. My life goals SCOUT’S HONOR Seniors (from left) Somali Kumar, Katherine Heyde, and Alpri Else participate in fellow classmate are getting into a good college and Sean Stapleton’s Eagle Scout project, an introductory computer science class. The students taught an important lesson in comeventually securing a sound job.” puter science with the help of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches which served as a metaphor for how computers work.
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October 14, 2016 | ENTERTAINMENT
Horror through the decades Sydney Mathias
1922 Entertainment Writer othing says autumn like curling up under a blanket and watching horror movies. This Halloween tradition, thanks to advancements in computer generated effects, has become more terrifying than ever. This month, Southwords takes a trip through time with our favorite hor1931 ror films from each decade, going back to the 1920s.
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1973
1980
1920’s
“Nosferatu” (1922) In this silent German horror movie, vampire Count Orlok buys a new house and begins to take interest in his new neighbor’s wife. The woman is then faced with the reality of having to save the town and risk her life 1941 1156 to kill the obsessed vampire. Fun Fact: Count Orlok is only seen blinking once on screen.
1990’s
1991
1930’s
“Frankenstein” (1931) Doctor Henry Frankenstein creates a man by using the parts of various dead people and creates a monster who becomes extremely aggressive. Frankenstein must decide what to 1954 do with the horrific creature. Fun Fact: The monster’s shoes 1954 weighed thirteen pounds each during filming.
2007
1940’s
“The Wolf Man” (1941) Larry Talbot returns to his home in Wales, is bitten by a werewolf, and then turns into one himself. Fun Fact: The “wolf ” Larry Talbot fights with in the movie was actually actor Lon Chaney’s son’s German 1960 Shepard.
1960’s
“Psycho” (1960) In this Alfred Hitchcock classic, Marion Crane is trusted to bank $40,000 by her employer. She takes the money, skips town, and in the
“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) FBI agent Clarice Starling is assigned a case to find a psychopathic serial killer who is kidnapping and murdering young women across the Midwest. She looks to another serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a former psychologist, who may have information on where the killer is. Fun Fact: Anthony Hopkins, who plays Hannibal Lecter, is the lead actor, but he is only in the movie for 24 minutes and 52 seconds. His performance is the second shortest to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
2000’s
2013
1950’s
“Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954) A group of scientists discover a prehistoric half man half reptile creature living in the Amazon. The creature begins to like Kay Lawrence, a woman on the expedition, and kidnaps her. Fun Fact: Ricou Browning played the creature during the underwater scenes. He was a professional diver and was required to hold his breath for four minutes.
1980’s
“The Shining” (1980) In this movie adaptation of the Stephen King novel, Jack Torrance, a writer and former teacher, signs a contract that makes him, his wife Wendy, and his son Danny the caretakers of the old and large Overlook Hotel while it is closed for the winter. The hotel has a morbid and violent past, but that does not deter the family from staying in it alone all winter. Fun Fact: Even though this movie received a ton of recognition and awards and had overall great reviews, Stephen King was not that impressed by the movie, and was dissatisfied with the casting of Jack Nicholson.
“Paranormal Activity” (2007) A young couple moves into a new home. After strange events begin occurring in the night, Micah sets up a video camera to see if anything comes up. It soon becomes clear that they are not alone in the house. Fun Fact: Filming of this movie was completed in ten days.
2010’s
middle of the night checks into the Bates Motel, run by a man named Norman Bates, who she later finds out is a psycho. Fun Fact: According to popular belief, the reason that the movie is in black and white is because Hitchcock thought the movie would be too gory in color. The main reason, however, was that he was on a very low budget and wanted the movie to cost as little as possible.
1970’s
“The Exorcist” (1973) A little girl named Regan begins to look and act strangely. Her mother looks to two priests who declare that Regan is possessed and needs an exorcism to rid the evil spirits. Fun Fact: Initial audiences were so shocked by the gore that some theatres had standby paramedics for fainted viewers, and some provided barf bags for their horrified patrons.
“The Conjuring” (2013) In 1971, the Perron family moves into a house where strange things begin happening. Carolyn Perron seeks the help of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren for help. They discover that the house is extremely haunted and that the spirits will haunt the family wherever they go. Fun Fact: The real Lorraine Warren and Andrea Perron (Carolyn Perron’s daughter) consulted the director. They claim the movie accurately depicts their ordeal.
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ENTERTAINMENT | September 16, 2016
Ocean’s latest album makes waves
Luke Bechtel
Entertainment Writer
“Blond” Frank Ocean
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rank Ocean, this generation’s Marvin-Gayemeets-Jimi-Hendrix, is finally back from a much-publicized mysterious disappearance from the music business with the surprise release of his long-awaited sophomore album “Blond.” Originally rumored since as far back as 2013 to be titled “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Blond” is inarguably the most anticipated R&B album of the decade so far, and Frank Ocean delivers on the hype with an enigmatic, experimental, refined 60 minutes of soulwrenching ballads. Rooted in the more traditional, Gaye-reminiscent R&B of his 2012 debut, “channel ORANGE,” the album takes it several steps further in seemingly every direction; he experiments with electronica, pop, ambient, and many more genres to create a distinct sonic soundscape that touches the ear in an entirely different way than anything he’s released before. Tracks like “Skyline To” and “Seigfried” use this atmosphere to their advantage, the latter spinning off into a several-minute synthesizer solo that evokes memories of Kanye West’s classic synth breakdown on “Runaway.” Ocean also explores more of an acousticguitar-driven singer-songwriter atmosphere on
tracks such as “Pink + White” and “Self Control,” one of the album’s standouts. Frank proves yet again that he is so elementally capable of making his audience get “the feels” with his myriad stories about relationships both heterosexual and homosexual in nature, drugs, nostalgia, consumerism, and his displeasure with the music industry’s current state. The burgeoning bisexual themes in his music which first made their public appearance in the track “Bad Religion” of “channel ORANGE”’ continue into “Blond,” with tracks such as “Good Guy”: “Here’s to our good guy, he hooked it up. Said if I was in NY I should look you up… Here’s to the gay bar you took me to. Here’s when I realized you talk so much
Decisively Indecisive by Lulie Duerkop
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more than I do.” The evolution of Ocean’s sexuality is apparent—he sounds more confident in his bisexuality than ever before. However, to the surprise of many, he seldom mentions it, instead favoring telling stories in a gender-neutral fashion when given the choice; regardless, his enigmatic and guarded personality is fascinating to listen to unfold further on this new album in any capacity. Ocean also seems to throw the concept of conventional song length entirely out the window on “Blond,” with many of its tracks hovering around just one minute in length, and others stretching beyond four minutes, like the nine-minute closing track, “Futura Free” (which, fun fact, was named after the font of the same name) and the two-part epic called “Nights,” which echoes his 2012 song “Pyramids” in its scope and length. The eclectic nature of the songs and their structure crafts a diversified and memorable listening experience, one which also encourages re-listening. With 2016 being the year that is has been for hip hop and R&B, it’s surprising to see a record which actually lives up to the hype surrounding it; while albums like Kanye’s “The Life of Pablo” and Chance The Rapper’s “Coloring Book” were met with criticism, “Blond’”s reception has been overwhelmingly positive. In the “Be Yourself ” interlude, his mother advises him to stay away from the pack and simply be himself. Seeing that “Blond” was streamed more than 65 million times in its first week of release, we can suppose that Ocean is simply being himself.
October 14, 2016 | ENTERTAINMENT
‘The Sparrow’ soars into auditorium Danny Connolly
Entertainment Writer his October, the Maine South Fine Arts Department will bring to life “The Sparrow,” an experimental, magical play that tells a uniquely relatable story. “The Sparrow” follows Emily Book, a lone survivor of a tragic bus accident that killed all of her classmates in her second grade class. After attending a different school for the majority of her education, she returns to her hometown 10 years later to complete her senior year of high school. The town is still emotionally distraught after the incident despite it happening so long ago. From living with the family who lost a child in the accident to being estranged from all of her peers, the reunion with her childhood town is not what she expected. Once she befriends the head cheerleader, Jenny, and the biology teacher, Mr. Christopher, she begins to realize her worth and clear up what happened all those years ago. “The Sparrow” was written by Nathan Allen, a Chicago playwright at the experimental House Theater. It was first performed at the House Theater, where it became a runaway hit. Many people attribute the show’s success to the characters. “Every single character is us, is someone we know...the characters of ‘The Sparrow’ are incredibly accessible,” Mrs. Saurer said. The main character being a senior in high school makes her very PHOTO BY PEYTON TURNER
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relatable to students at Maine South. She faces similar problems, such as having difficulties with friends and struggling in class, just like any other student. The main three characters are all very different and have characteristics with which students can identify. “I found that Emily gets caught up in herself a lot,” said junior Grace Goble, who plays Emily. “I definitely relate to that, for better or for worse.” Junior Tommy Ortman highlights his character, Mr. Christopher’s most redeeming qualities. “He [Mr. Christopher] is always caring for people,” said Ortman, who plays Mr. Christopher. “He always puts himself in their situations and is always trying to figure out what would be the best thing to help out his students.” Other cast members recognize the personality traits in their characters that make them so interesting. “Jenny is a natural leader,” said junior Claire Connolly, who plays Jenny. “She takes it upon herself to keep her class together. Jenny just treats everyone with kindness, no matter how hard it is for her.” The cast feels like “The Sparrow” is different from any other play that they’ve worked on for many reasons. In addition to the fantastic characters, the setting and special effects make this show distinctive. “The most unique element of ‘The Sparrow’ is the incorporation of realism and surrealism,” said senior Megan Wilcox, the student director of “The Sparrow.” “They’re one and the same in the show. The characters’
WE’RE SOARIN’, FLYIN’
The ensemble uses harnesses to fly in the last scene. The cast spent three days setting up and learning how to operate the pulley system.
PHOTO BY ARDEN SASAK
BRACE YOURSELF
Junior Grace Goble prepares to get pelted by dodgeballs. Her character, Emily Book, refused to play with classmates earlier in the act.
fe elings are explore d b ot h internally and externally, which makes it very expressive,” An interesting theatrical aspect to “The Sparrow” is that it includes multiple flying scenes. Flying using theatrical rigging has not been done at Maine South since the musical “Peter Pan” in 2007. “We are going to have specialists set up the rigging equipment,” said senior Elizabeth Dort, the stage manager for “The Sparrow.” “Then crew members will fly five cast members on stage.” “The Sparrow” also explores the theatrical aspects of sound. Sound crew, led by Jack Hoeg, has been working with an application called QLab to design and synchronize several sound effects to enhance the story. Another difference from previous fall drama productions is that professional choreographer Konnie Kay was hired to help with the fall play. Kay usually choreographs the musical, but was brought in to help with the fall play’s choreography, which is heavily influenced by the setting and props. The script is also much more vague than a typical script. Many scenes do not have any dialogue and instead rely on the cast using their bodies to tell the story. Throughout the play there is a lot of dancing and moving across the stage. “Some of the scenes are written with a two-sentence description and nothing else—the designers, choreographers, directors, crew, and the actors all work together to bring those two sentences to the stage in a meaningful and memorable way,” said Mrs. Saurer.
The crew members of “ The Sparrow” are working on the behindthe-scenes elements of the show. Mrs. McCleneghan and costume crew have spent many hours creating the perfect costumes. Makeup and hair crew, led by seniors Ann Kapustiak, Alys Dobbins and Katherine Heyde, are preparing to highlight the actors’ faces using makeup and natural hair styles. Mr. Sanchez and the stage crew have also been working hard on making beautiful sets and an incredible stage extension. Because of the morose context and the underlying connections, the play is perceived as one of the most challenging plays Maine South has ever done. “This show is so complex with many layers,” said senior Trish Maloney, who portrays Emily’s grandmother. “Each individual character, whether it’s Emily or a townsperson, has so many different stories. As the show goes on, the audience sees all their secrets and characters onto stage. ” Despite the difficult intricacies of the production, the cast is dedicated to bringing the unique story to life. “We, as an [acting] ensemble, have the same connection the town has,” said Ortman. “I think it’ll really show on stage.” Everyone working on the show feels that the audience will be inspired by the show’s magic. “Pigs will dance, books will fly, people will fly,... the show is pure magic,” said Dort. The Sparrow will be performed in the Watson Auditorium on Oct. 20, 21, and 22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the door.
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SPORTS
| October 14, 2016
Girls’ swimming led by freshman star Christo Fosse
goals. “Every year, we expect to work hard and improve,” said Coach Kura. “From a team standpoint, the girls have a goal of setting a few school records and possibly qualifying a relay or two for the state meet.” “I want to make it to the state final individually,” said Wagner. “I have been working on my walls and underwater kicking so I can get faster times.” To be successful, the team has undergone an intensive workout schedule that involves swimming often and fast. “On an average day, we swim about 3 ½ to 4 miles,” said Kura. “We do a lot of race pace training which means swimming fast a lot.” In addition to a rigorous practice plan, the team relies on senior leadership to win. Senior Emma Asson is one of two captains who have stepped up to fulfill this role.
Sports Editor he Maine South girls’ swimming team is off to a successful start this season with the help of 13 returning varsity swimmers and rising star, freshman Annika Wagner. “So far, the season has gone pretty well,” said Coach Donald Kura. “Our current record is 3-1 in dual meets and we finished second in an invitational from a few weeks ago in which we were very competitive. From a standpoint of individual achievement, we have had a swimmer [Wagner] who has set four school records.” “It has been super cool [to break the school records],” said Wagner. “This season has been a lot of fun, and I especially enjoyed our home meet because we were all together and had a lot of fun.” Like every season, the team has set both individual and team-related
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“As captain this year, my main goal is to make sure everyone’s working hard and having fun,” said Asson. “If anyone needs help or advice on a problem that comes up during a practice or meet, they come to me and [senior] Alex Ramoska.” The swimmers’ strong sense of team chemistry is also highly vital to their success. “Towards the beginning of the season, we had a team picnic and played a variety of different games designated for team bonding,” said Asson. “We have a big sisterlittle sister program among the upperclassmen and underclassmen who are responsible for bringing posters or candy to the meets for each other.” In a competitive conference that includes New Trier, Glenbrook South, and Evanston, the team recognizes that they certainly have their work cut out for them.
“Defeating New Trier is not really an option for any team in our conference,” said Coach Kura. “The hope is that we will be more comp etitive with the likes of Glenbrook South and Evanston. It will really come down to how excited we are and how well we swim for these meets.” However, in their quest to win, Coach Kura maintains that their approach will remain the same. “I would say we are re-emphasizing and over-emphasizing some of things we know we have to work and improve on during practice,” said Coach Kura. “Having someone in the program with the caliber of Wagner is raising the bar for everyone else to improve.” As for Wagner, she is excited for what the season has in store. “I am looking forward to spending time with the team and hopefully e ar n i ng te am and i nd iv i du a l accomplishments,” said Wagner.
Girls’ tennis relies on senior leadership Zack Johnson Staff Writer
ach year, the Maine South girls’ tennis team sets high expectations on all of its players. This year, an experienced and older team takes to the court with eight seniors leading the varsity squad. One of those seniors is captain Amanda Marino, who recognizes the exact impact that that the seniors have on the younger players. “As a captain, I feel that my teammates can come to me with any issues they are having, whether school, family, or tennis related, and I will help them work through it and manage the situation,” said Marino. “I also try to make everyone feel of equal importance on the team so that we can work as a unit and rely on each other, even when the season ends.” M a r i n o n o t e s t h i s t e a m’s relationship goes much further than just the court. The team maintains a firm bond that every team should want to obtain to be successful. “Every girl on our team is a valued player and friend,” said senior Liza Henn. “We’ve become such a closeknit team and we work together to encourage each other and play the best we can at meets.” Closing in on the end of the
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Photo COURTESY Leia Atas
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being seriously motivated to make a positive contribution to the team and being ready to dedicate yourself to harder physical work during practices and matches as well.” Last year, the girls’ tennis team had a successful season, qualifying four people for the state tournament and tying for sixth place as a team. However, the Hawks are still looking to extend their goals. “We expect to continue to grow as a team and improve every day,” said Coach Jerry Smith. “Our sectional will be twice as difficult this season as the IHSA has moved to a two division format.” Under the two-division format, the state final tournament will still have the same number of qualifiers. However, the sectional tournament will be split into 16 Class A Sectionals and 16 Class AA Sectionals rather than the 32 total Sectionals that existed in the previous one class format. This means that the Hawks will have to go against more competitive teams than usual in their quest for state. However, Coach Smith maintains that the team is not deterred by this. “We look forward to the challenges of our conference tournament and sectional tournament in the near future,” said Coach Smith.
SERVE’S UP
PHOTO BY NOAH FISHMAN
Senior Liza Henn prepares to execute a serve during practice. The team is looking to upperclassmen to help navigate a difficult schedule.
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regular season, the Hawks are playing up to their high standards. Even after a 2015 Glenview sectional championship under their belt, the Hawks are still seeking improvement. “Currently, we have a record of 8-3,” said senior Liza Henn. “We are continually working hard and giving
100% at practices and meets in order to improve.” Junior Julia B enbenek also acknowledges the effort that the tennis team requires. “The pace of varsity differs mainly in dedication and intensity,” said Benbenek. “Being on varsity requires
October 14, 2016 | SPORTS
Girls’ golf advances to Sectionals Sam Tinaglia
Staff Writer he Maine South girls’ golf team has just come off a sixthplace CSL Conference finish and a successful Regionals competition to advance to Sectionals. “We’re very happy,” said Coach Matt Ellefson. “We have not qualified for Sectionals as a team for two years. This is a sign of our rapid improvement as a team over the past year.” The team is looking to follow an effective practice plan to be successful for the next stage of competition. “Last Friday, we played a practice round at the Schaumburg Golf Club in which we developed a game plan for tee shots, approach shots, and shots around the green,” said Coach Ellefson. “We want to compete and play to our strengths, which is course management and our short games.” The two captains this year are seniors Kelly Maigler and Gracie DeRosa, and they proved they were ready for their increased role on the team. “Kelly and I are the senior captains for the team, so it’s been a blast,” said DeRosa. “We have both played since freshman year, so it’s pretty cool to be
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the ‘older kids’ now.” Even though Maigler and DeRosa are the captains, they feel that the whole team takes on a leadership role. “Our whole varsity team steps up to help the younger girls and are eager to take on other responsibilities to help the team,” said Maigler. The team practices hard so they can get their individual games up to par. However, the team also recognizes the importance of improving their team chemistry. “Our team does a lot of social bonding over music,” said DeRosa. “We always have an aux cord on the team bus so we’re usually jamming. We also have lot of pasta parties to bring the team closer together and get to know everybody a little bit better.” Bonding helps create a sense of calmness within the team and the music helps them get in the zone before games. “I feel like this year in particular, we’ve become closer teammates across both levels,” says Maigler. “There’s not so much of a divide between the JV and varsity teams.” However, just like any other high school sport, the girls’ golf team loses important seniors every year, and they have to adjust and fill the void.
Photo by Jen Beck
AFTERNOON DRIVE
Senior Gracie DeRosa practices at the Golf Center in Des Plaines to prepare for Sectionals. The team shot 394 at Regionals to earn their spot at Sectionals.
“Two years ago, basically the whole varsity team graduated so we’re slowly but surely building our way back up,” said DeRosa. “Leia Atas (‘15) was one of the girls on the team two years ago and she led us all the way to State, so we’re definitely missing her.” “It’s really hard to just pick one or even a couple people from past years that are missed,” said Maigler. “They come and go, but we adjust and make our team just as good as before they left.” The varsity team also has lots of great players that consistently play
well week in and week out. Some of the other members are juniors Lauren Meyer, Sarah Hoffman, Greta Kwon, and Riley Conway, sophomore Noreen Daly, and senior Emilie Kracik. In particular, Sarah Hoffman and Riley Conway have played very well, and they are looking like leaders as well. “Even though our season is short, we come so close together every year family,” said Maigler. “It’s always so hard to let our seniors go. And it’s going to be so sad for me saying goodbye to my team this year.”
Maine South welcomes AD Andrew Turner Christo Fosse Sports Editor
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here is a new face of Maine South sports as Andrew Turner begins his first year as the new athletic director. “My experience has been great so far,” said Mr. Turner. “I have really liked working here, and I have had a lot of support from the coaching staff and upper administration. I’ve been able to branch out to the student body and I’ve had a great experience of meeting some of our student athletes.” Turner’s hiring was announced Jan. 11 at a District 207 board meeting. He comes to Maine South from Normal Community High School. “My first experience with Maine South came with the football state championship game in 1995,” said Turner. “Out of the blue, I kept track of Maine South over the years and I always wanted to have the
“I have always loved sports,” said Turner. If you are going to be an athletic director, you have to love sports in its purest sense. I love to work with amateur athletes and to get into the interscholastic approach of how we do sports in the state of Illinois.” Even in his first year, Turner has many ideas for the athletic program at Maine South. “I want to make sure we create role models within our programs and coaching staff and to create an overall positive atmosphere,” said Turner. “I also want to find a way to improve facilities to create more opportunities for our athletes to play and for more people to come watch our athletes compete.” BUST A MOVE Athletic Director Andrew Turner dances during the flash mob at the homecoming assembly on Sept. 23. Turner has been an athletic director for 16 years. Mr. Turner has shown he is prepared to begin his tenure as opportunity to work here. When the and here I am today.” position [for athletic director] was One of the essential requirements athletic director for Maine South. “It’s been exciting, said Turner. posted, things happened to work in to be an athletic director is to have a my direction. I applied and used my true appreciation for sports, which “I’m looking forward to being here and being a Hawk.” past experiences to my advantages, Turner has in abundance. Photo by HALEY MECH
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GIRLS’SWIMMING | CROSS COUNTRY | FOOTBALL | GIRLS’TENNIS | GOLF | BOYS’SOCCER | GIRLS’VOLLEYBALL
WMTH gives Maine South football a voice
James Bednarz
PHOTO BY PEYTON TURNER
Photo by Lauren Papp
Sports Editor
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tudents flock to Wilson Field, decked out in their Maine South apparel to sit under the Friday night lights. The football players are listening to their pre-game music, and the student section is ready to get rowdy. It is certainly a unique atmosphere. However, it is not for everybody. The more introverted football fans have “The Voice of Maine Township” to thank for an alternative way to enjoy the game. For every home football game, Maine South’s WMTH hosts a live broadcast. A live feed of the game is provided, along with commentary by senior Sam Tinaglia and junior Zack Johnson. O r i g i nat i ng i n 1 9 5 9 , Mai ne Township High’s radio station has been broadcasting music along with commentary. In fact, its first radio host was internationally-renowned actor, Harrison Ford. It initially broadcast on 88.5 FM, but then was later changed in 1983 to its current station on 90.5 FM. More recently, however, the club has expanded to visual media. Throughout the school year, they provide a live video feed of sports such as basketball and football. Most notably, though, WMTH presents weekly live coverage of the varsity football games. The club is sponsored by Radio and TV teacher Mr. Mason Strom. Although there are approximately 25 students in the club altogether, it takes less than half of that number to run a successful broadcast. “For an average football game, we usually have around 8-12 people depending on who can make to that specific game,” said junior director Daniel Grib. With a complicated system of logistics to organize a broadcast, many students take on individual roles and responsibilities. The staff includes Mr. Strom (Executive Producer), Grib (Director), senior Sam Jacobsen (Technical Director, Pregame show Cinematographer), sophomore Toma Stojakovic (Technical Director), sophomore Dan Tinaglia (Audio Engineer), Sam Tinaglia (Announcer), Johnson (Color Commentator), senior
THE ANNOUNCERS TAKE THE FIELD
Junior Zack Johnson (left) and senior Sam Tinaglia (right) discuss the Powderpuff game. These two students are carrying on over 50 years of WMTH tradition in being “The Voice of Maine Township.”
Bridget Johnson (Field Camera), senior Jack McMillan (Field Camera), and senior Joe Gustafson (Sideline reporter). This group along with other individuals help to make the broadcast flow smoothly. Similar to the football team, the WMTH squad puts in lots of work in the week leading up to Friday night. “Not many people know that we start getting ready about a week before a broadcast. We have to arrange who is going to be there, what position they will be in and create any graphics that we need,” said Grib. In addition to the live feed of the game, they also produce a pre-game show. “The process of making the pregame show has been pretty simple,” Jacobsen said. “On Monday, we will usually would get an e-mail from Grib telling us the layout of the week which varies for each week, but it usually involves us going in early and staying late. We need all the time we can get to film all the segments and to turn it into a finished product.” The club members also arrive at the field several hours before the game to prepare. “We start setting up for a broadcast several hours before the event starts so
we have time to troubleshoot anything if something isn’t working,” Grib adds. With regards to the equipment used, Grib said, “We use four Panasonic shoulder-mounted camcorders with a lot of component cable. We have two field microphones that we just added this year, and an audio mixer to combine up to our four channels of audio. Lastly, our TriCaster system from NewTek is used for switching between video channels.” The announcers also have to do preparation of their own. “Before the season even starts, I make offensive and defensive roster sheets for the Hawks,” said Sam Tinaglia. “I put players names down on post it notes with their jersey number, height, weight and year in school. I post them at their correct position on foldable manila folders. But before broadcast, I usually look up how the team we are facing is doing and players to watch for from there team.” After the preparation is done, the announcers get the spotlight. There are two announcers in the press box, and one on the field. Sam Tinaglia and Johnson are in the box, and Gustafson is on the field. “My partner in crime is Johnson,” said Tinaglia. “He is the color analyst for
the broadcast and I am the play-by-play analyst. It has been great having him by my side. We have gotten to the point where Zack and I have fine tuned our broadcasts.” The job of a sideline reporter differs greatly from the job of an announcer. “I need to find interviews with people and to make up segments to fill time during the game,” said Gustafson. “When there is a blowout in our favor, it easy to get an interview with a guy like Inserra or Bliss, but when it’s a close game, they are too focused on the game to give a word.” Sam Tinaglia has express ed personal interest in furthering his career in broadcasting. “I really want to keep pursuing a career in broadcasting and hope to secure a job one day at a big name media company like an ESPN or a Big Ten Network,” said the veteran announcer. While it is easy to go onto thecube. com to watch the game, there is much more work that it is put in behind the scenes. “Many people think what we do looks like a nice, easy process, but there is a lot more work to it than it appears,” said Gustafson. “All in all, we all enjoy it and have a good time together.”