Vol. 56, Issue 3

November 15, 2019

1111 S. Dee Road • Park Ridge, Illinois 60068

Vol. 56, No. 3

HOME

coming Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks at the Pickwick following the premier of the new documentary ‘Dare to Dream.’

PHOTO COURTESY DISTRICT 207

See pages 8 & 9.

Top Notch

Three alumni added to the Wall of Honor.

Page 2

Hot Stuff...

Ready, Freddie?

Queen themed V-show Commentary: student response to climate crisis showcases new talent.

Page 11 Page 5

Dip n’ Dive

World Languages hosts Dodgeball Tournament.

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NEWS

| November 15, 2019

Three alumni added to Wall of Honor

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aine South’s Wall of Honor was created in 2013 to commemorate the school’s 50th anniversary. New inductees are added every two years and must be over 35 years old. The 2019 inductees were honored at this year’s homecoming assembly and at an induction dinner on Oct. 3.

Dr. Dante Amidei

News Editors & Editor-in-Chief r. Dante Amidei (‘74) went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received his B.S. in Physics in 1978 and completed his Ph.D. in Physics at the University of California, Berkeley in 1984.

Currently, he works at the University of Michigan as a full professor in the Physics Department, teaching Experimental Elementary Particle Physics. In addition, Amidei researches particle physics at the ATLAS experiment at the university.

At Maine South, Amidei was interested in a variety of different courses, specifically those related to math and science. After school, Amidei participated in theater and was on the writing staff for the Variety Show.

Despite his current career in science, Amidei recalls the impact of his English teacher, Bob Hunt.

“He turned me on to the whole part of human culture, literature, art, and music,” Amidei said.

“That influence may have been more important here because I was going to do science.”

Additionally, Amidei’s science career started at Maine South, as he took AP Chemistry his senior year. Amidei began his undergraduate degree as a chemistry major. However, he switched to a physics major after learning more about the field in a course at the University of California, Berkeley.

“I discovered you could write down an equation that allowed you to calculate the speed of light,” Amidei said. “I thought ‘you could calculate that?’

It’s not just a fundamental constant. To me, that was a statement about the power of physics. From that point on, I was hooked.”

As a particle physicist, Amidei facilitated the highest controlled energy proton-proton collisions ever observed, and is one of the leading world experts on the top quark. Amidei was the first physisist to discover the top quark.

“It’s an example of applied ingenuity, being in the right place at the right time, persistence, and lucking out. That [experiment] was the coolest thing I did,” Amidei said.

an interest in the theatre through his involvement in Maine South productions.

“I definitely did a lot with the drama department, as you might guess,” Brandt said. “I strangely never took a class, which I don’t quite know why I didn’t, but I got a lot of education out of doing the plays.”

As a playwright, Brant is constantly working on something new. Whether crafting a first draft, rewriting a scene, or responding to directors’ emails, Brant likes to keep his day-to-day work fresh.

“Every day is a little different, which I guess is good for your sanity,” Brandt said. “There are times when you just don’t have an idea, and that can be hard. You feel like you’re wasting your time. But, you can’t force it either. You kind of have to be inspired to a certain extent.”

When writing, Brant often looks for inspiration in music.

“I usually will create a soundtrack for a project... because the sound of it [the play] is important to me and it gets me in whatever that mood is,” Brant said.

Brant had to adjust to watching his plays performed on stage.

“It’s interesting. At some point, you do have to let go of a show and let it live its life and it’s hard to do sometimes,” Brandt said. “It’s exciting too.”

Mr. Brant is currently drafting a new work.

“This play, ‘Tender Age,’ that I was working on this summer...We are sending it out and it’s pretty timely because it’s about a child separation at the border policy. I’m excited to see what happens next,” Brant said.

Mr. George Brandt

Commander Brian Humm

Victoria Murphy, Elizabeth Ryser, & Lily Niziolek

Amalia Laskaris, Tyler Houck, & Sam Corbett

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Features Editors

eorge Brant was recently added to the wall of honor for his excellence in play writing.

One of his most notable works is “Grounded,” a play about a female F16 pilot. Brandt developed

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DISTINGUISHED HAWKS

PHOTO COURTESY D207

Emma Crosson, Luigi Laudando, & Charlotte Geier

Playwright George Brandt (‘87) (left), naval officer Commander Brian Humm (‘83) (middle), and physics professor Dr. Dante Amidei (‘74) (right), were honored at this year’s homecoming assembly after their induction into Maine South’s Wall of Honor. Ten total alumni have been inducted since the wall’s inception.

Sports Editors

fter Commander Brian Humm of the USS Buffalo and the USS Ohio (‘83) graduated from the Naval Academy, he began his career under the sea. He was a junior officer, then a captain,

and then a commander of his underwater vessels.

Humm spent years in submarines, with most of his deployments in the Pacific.

“The submarine takes on the personality of the Commanding Officer just because you’re very pervasive,” Humm said. “I liked being the captain.”

The commanding officer is also the only person that sleeps alone on the submarine, so there is some isolation.

By freshman year, Humm knew what he wanted to do with his life; as an involved student at Maine South, Humm used his free time to his advantage.

“I was a geek,” Humm said. “I was nose-in-book and read a lot of history. I loved reading a lot about the submarines in WWII. This was kind of my inspiration.”

As a freshman, Humm was not involved in many clubs, but after realizing how much leadership was necessary to become a Naval Officer, Humm looked towards his next three years in high school to improve his resume. As the oldest in his family, Humm had little guidance for involvement, but under the influence of his father, a military veteran, Humm honed in on his dream. In order to be admitted to the Naval Academy, Humm needed leadership and athletic skills.

“I wound up being student council president,” Humm said. “I got onto the debate team and I wrote for Southwords. I also was never very good [at sports], but for the next three years, I was the track guy.”

As a current program manager at Oceaneering, Humm never expected to be given this award until he received a call from his mom warning him that he would be hearing from principal Dr. Ben Collins. Humm was nominated by Mark Filip’s aunt; Filip was a 2015 inductee to the Wall of Fame and was the U.S. Attorney General in the Obama Administration.

Humm is grateful to be recognized with other influential alumni.

“I think it’s great you have a military guy up there, and I’m proud to take that place,” Humm said.

PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE GEIER

November 15, 2019

| NEWS

First semester finals to be taken over four days

John Biagi

News Writer n an effort to reduce student stress levels surrounding final exams, the administration has changed the final exam schedule. Instead of having eight test periods over the course of three days, this year’s finals will be held Tuesday through Friday with only two test periods per day. Exams will begin at 8:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.

“We had multiple instances where teachers, students, and parents thought that there was a lot of stress around the finals schedule, and we decided that we were going to try to alleviate some of that by changing it so that students would only have two finals each day, and we really wanted final grades due by that Friday,” principal Dr. Ben Collins said. “The other thing that is a big change is that some classes don’t have to give a final.

So some teachers might decide that they’ll just teach that period, but we [the administration] just ask that they don’t give any homework.”

The switch is beneficial to teachers and students alike.

“I think the change will be better for teachers,” World Language Department Chair and Italian teacher Ms. Costello said. “They will have more time to grade performance assessments.”

Some students are optimistic about the new schedule.

“I like the idea of having two finals each day because we will have more time to prepare for them, making studying less stressful each day,” sophomore Brigid Bolz said.

Other students are concerned about losing time in the classroom.

“I liked having the Tuesday [of finals week] to review with my teachers,” junior Megan O’Leary said.

In addition, some students would rather take finals over three days to finish them more quickly.

“I’d rather get the tests out of the way and have them on three days,” junior Rachel Hoffman added.

Despite speculation, all students, including seniors, must be in attendance for first semester finals.

Seniors and students taking an AP test will continue to have optional finals second semester.

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HAWKS RAISE MOORE Bookstore manager Kristen Talarico adjusts the School-Wide Fundraiser shirt on a mannequin.

Shirts can be purchased for $12 in the bookstore.

Multiple Myeloma chosen as school fundraiser Brian Hershey News Writer

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ach year, Maine South students vote for a charity organization that they will raise funds for as a collective student body. After multiple rounds of voting, the charity chosen for the 2019-2020 school year was revealed at the Homecoming Assembly to be Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma is a rare form of blood cancer found in the bone marrow, and there are currently no known cures for it. The lifetime risk of getting Multiple Myeloma is 1 in 132.

Multiple Myeloma has personally touched the lives of seniors Sabrina and Julianna Moore. Their father, Lee Moore, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2014. The doctors detected cancer after a health screening showed abnormal proteins in Lee Moore’s blood. “[Multiple Myeloma] creates a bad protein on plasma cells, and they become abnormal and grow rapidly, blocking the good plasma cells which help your immune system fight infections,” Sabrina Moore said. “It causes tumors throughout your body, bone lesions, bleeding, kidney problems, and spinal cord compression.”

Lee Moore led a normal life at the beginning of his diagnosis, but the disease took a toll on Lee Moore’s family and friends.

“At first, he was able to do normal activities and work but did complain of fatigue once in a while,” Julianna Moore said. “It affected our family tremendously because my mom and family and friends went with him for very long chemo treatments, and my sisters and I had to help a lot more than usual with daily things.”

Despite his diagnosis and the lack of a cure, Lee Moore sought new treatments against cancer.

“From the diagnosis of cancer, my father wanted to fight it and treat it aggressively and was willing to be in clinical trials to hopefully help him and others in the process,” Julianna Moore said.

In 2017, Lee Moore underwent a stem cell transplant. “[The transplant] involved high doses of chemo, retrieving his stem cells, and giving him his stem cells back in the hopes that the remission would last,” Julianna Moore said. “But my father had to continue chemotherapy and tried many combinations under clinical trials. Every time Multiple Myeloma relapses, it is a shorter gap, and it becomes harder to control and get to remission. The doctors told us in April 2019 that my father had tried every drug combination available for Multiple Myeloma, and there was nothing else that could be done.”

Later that month, Lee Moore passed away.

“Emotionally, cancer affects every member of the family and extended community when a person you know and love is dealing with it,” Julianna Moore said. “My family and I are very strong in our faith and that, along with support from family and friends, helped tremendously.”

Through the help of Maine South’s School-Wide Fundraising Club and the community, money will be raised for researching cures for Multiple Myeloma. The Moore sisters are excited to begin fundraising.

“We are encouraged that so many people want to help raise awareness and funds to help those affected

by Multiple Myeloma,” Julianna

Moore said. “We know first hand how difficult it is to watch someone you love fight so hard to be well. We know of other families at Maine South that are affected by Multiple Myeloma, other blood cancers such as Leukemia and Lymphoma, and even other cancers. You can’t feel hopelessness or helpless because we have an army of people fighting together.”

A goal of the Moore family is to fight for new treatments to improve the number of cures for cancer.

“There are many blood cancers and raising awareness and sharing information can help to create a sense of urgency to continue fighting for new treatments and one day hopefully extinguish all types of cancer,” Sabrina Moore said.

The School-Wide Fundraiser club already has several different activities planned to raise money for the charity.

“Many of our students and staff were already aware of the struggle that the Moore family endured over the last few years,” School-Wide Fundraiser Club sponsor Ms. Laura Kirshner said. “They also created a video that was included in the final voting ballot, which I think personalized the charity and helped everyone learn about Multiple Myeloma.”

Mu l t i p l e My e l o m a d i f f e r s with every individual, so money fundraised will go to discovering special treatments.

“Multiple Myeloma affects each individual differently because of their DNA, so very specific treatments are needed,” Sabrina Moore said. “Some drugs help people live very normal lives. There have been advancements, but we want this cancer to one day be like managing diabetes with a daily medication.”

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NEWS

| November 15, 2019

ACT allows individual section to be retaken Matthew Coyle

News Writer tarting in September of 2020, the ACT Organization is making two major changes to their standardized test. The changes include an online version of the exam and individual section retakes.

Having an online version of the ACT will get results back in a matter of days instead of weeks, and it gives the test-taker the ability to send superscored tests to colleges.

“The idea of a ‘super score’ has been out there for a few years now as individual universities had begun using this concept to attract strong students who may not be excellent standardized test-takers,” English teacher Mr. Jim McGowan said. “ACT saw that trend and has now tailored the product to fit a demand.”

Another change includes the option to retake individual sections of the test. ACT’s reasoning for this

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change, as stated on their website, is better access to additional resources that it gives students the opportunity from financial means, including to best show their knowledge and tutors, and students taking a different helps students focus their study efforts standardized test. solely on the areas in which they want “People only taking the SAT are to improve their scores. at a complete disadvantage because “I personally see it as a good students taking the ACT have a thing,” senior Luke much easier way Burkum said. “It “I’m glad the ACT made to improve their doesn’t make sense s c o r e ,” j u n i o r this change because it to retake the entire Catherine Sernel ACT when there’s saves a huge amount of said. “It also is only one subscore time and stress for stunot fair to current you really need to juniors and above improve. I’m glad dents overall.” grades as the the ACT made this -Luke Burkum, ‘20 change will not be change because it implemented until saves a huge amount of time and stress next year when many students will for students overall.” already be working on applications It is still unclear how the change or at least have an idea of where they will affect the way colleges view test want to go to school.” scores; however, this new policy has Students are unsure if similar caused some opposition already. changes in other standardized tests, Many fear that it gives an unfair such as the SAT, will follow. advantage to both students with While there are benefits to the

switch, one drawback of retaking individual sections is that it changes the scope of what the typical standardized test measures. “[Standard tests] require an academic stamina that is difficult to measure in other ways,” Mr. McGowan said. “This academic stamina is a contributing factor as to who can succeed at college and who may not be able to. That is also what the tests are trying to determine, and this change removes that piece of information for colleges.”

Rather than offering retakes for specific sections, some believe ACT could just provide all students with extended time.

“Having more time would also benefit scores,” junior Devin Schult said. “Especially in the reading section because some of the passages take very long to read. You don’t have a lot of time to check over or change your answers.”

of unnecessary stress that students undergo. As a result, only students who hope to qualify as a National Merit Scholar will take the test.

“It is my understanding that the district considered how much testing is necessary for students,” Dr. Pikul said. “[Over-testing] creates unnecessary stress for students. In the past, many regarded the PSAT/ NMSQT as a practice SAT. In reality, the PSAT/NMSQT given nationally in October each year is designed to search for high school students who show unusual promise for intellectual achievement to encourage educational institutions to provide scholarships and or special provisions for them.”

Ma ny s t u d e nt s a re h i g h l y motivated to perform well on the test.

Each year, only about 16,000 juniors out of the 1.5 million testing are selected as National Merit Finalists.

Three of Maine South’s current seniors who took the test last year have advanced as National Merit Semifinalists: Isabela Brown, Danielle Lesinski, and Micah Orr. These students recently submitted applications to move on as finalists.

Those who did not advance in the competition but scored highly on the exam are recognized as National Merit Commended Students. From Maine South, 15 current seniors earned this recognition last year: Austin Clarke,

registration date,” junior Sam Jareczek said. “The confusion surrounding it made it an inconvenience as I rushed to register for the make-up date. This meant that I had to miss school in order to take the exam.”

Those with conflicts on the designated Saturday morning testing date were also offered the option to take the exam on a make-up date. The make-up date took place on a school day at Maine East, forcing students to miss class.

“I didn’t like that the designated day was on a weekend instead of during the week, but I was planning on taking the test anyway,” junior Molly Russell said.

Underclassmen were previously required to take the PSAT exam, not affiliated with the NMSQT program, in both fall and spring. Some feel like they missed out on the opportunity to take it this fall in preparation for both next year’s PSAT/NMSQT and for the SAT. “I wasn’t aware that the PSAT was happening, and I would’ve liked to take it if I had known,” sophomore Will Heneghan said.

Students who didn’t want to take the exam appreciated this change.

“I wasn’t aiming to score in the top one percent, so I decided not to take the PSAT this year,” junior Emmet Henehan said.

Changes to PSAT registration causes confusion

Jessie Beck

Editorial Assistant he Preliminar y S cholast ic Aptitude Test was recently made optional for students in District 207, with the designated testing day occurring on a Saturday. Last year, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors took the exam on a school day. This is the first year that the school has not paid for the test nor required every student to take it.

T h e P S AT / Nat i o n a l Me r i t Scholarship Qualifying Test is a standardized test taken annually in October by juniors in an effort to distinguish students with outstanding academic ability. Students identified as having exceptional academic potential are eligible to move on in a competition to receive scholarships and other opportunities.

“Fewer students take the PSAT when it is offered on a Saturday rather than on a school day,” Assistant Principal for Student Services Dr. Melissa Pikul said. “This is not a bad thing as the PSAT/NMSQT is not a necessary standardized assessment for college admissions. There are plenty of opportunities to prepare for the SAT, separate from this test.”

With concerns about student “over-testing,” the administration made the change to an optional PSAT in an effort to reduce the amount

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Brennan Dombro, Jason Foster, Margaret Honan, Tyler Houck, Logan Jawgiel, Bradley Johnson, Isabella Killian, Howard McAllister, Kaitlin O’Reilley, Katherine Stewart, Liam Warlick, Finn Wethall, Evan Yang, and Sean Yesko.  REGISTER WHEN? The Southwords editorial board discusses the effects of an optional PSAT and changes to its registration.

See page 6

“This is obviously an outstanding achievement and a rare accomplishment,” Dr. Pikul said. “Because the PSAT/NMSQT is specifically offered for that purpose, many of our students would benefit from taking the traditional SAT on a national testing date, if they really want to test prior to the school offered SAT in April. It is important for students to know that there is plenty of time for them to take the SAT again after the April test date, prior to submitting college applications in their senior year.”

Many students expressed frustration with communication by administration. Some say that it wasn’t clearly communicated to them, so they missed the original registration.

“I wasn’t aware that the PSAT was made optional this year, so I missed the

November 15, 2019

| COMMENTARY

Addressing the climate crisis: student activism is a must Jessie Beck Editorial Assistant

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n the wake of Greta Thunberg’s rise to fame as the Swedish 16-year-old environmental activist leading the global youth climate movement, young people all around the world have been inspired to stand up and fight for their futures. Since she began the movement called “Fridays for Future” in late 2018, millions of students have stood in solidarity with Thunberg and her cause every Friday by skipping school in order to demand climate action.

Last month on Sept. 20, I joined the youth of Chicago to spread awareness of the climate crisis; I skipped school and protested the irresponsibility of our leaders in their continuous enabling of the destruction of our environment. Without adequate political representation, the decisions regarding these issues are largely out of our hands. It’s hard to trust an administration whose president once denounced climate change as a hoax by the Chinese. When we can’t trust the adults of our world to protect our environment and secure a safe and promising future for our generation, we must take matters into our own hands.

Protesting the lack of climate action alone has made significant progress in emphasizing the importance of personal and collective environmental impact. In recent years, we’ve seen companies, schools, communities, and families striving towards sustainability.

However, even with increasing discussion and focus on climate change, it is still not being treated as a crisis. Environmental issues never top the list of priorities for politicians, industry leaders, and corporate giants. In fact, President Donald Trump has intentionally set us back in working against climate change by repealing the clean energy standards of former President Barack Obama. As one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the US should help poorer countries in avoiding fossil fuels, rather than contributing to it more.

In reality, the climate crisis is the most ominous and threatening calamity that humanity has ever faced. With carbon emissions the highest they’ve

ILLUSTRATION BY ISABELLA TORNABENE

been in 3 million years and over 800 million people already being impacted by the climate crisis today (droughts, floods, heat waves, sea level rise, etc.), scientists have warned that the global temperature is on track to rise 4 degrees Celsius by 2100. In order to prevent complete environmental collapse, we must keep this temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius. Less than two weeks ago, 11,258 scientists from around the world declared the issue to be a “climate emergency.” So with an understanding of the danger, why does our society continue to turn a blind eye in the face of this threat?

One of the largest obstacles to climate activists are the perpetual claims against the issue’s importance.

Beyond simply denying the overwhelming evidence in favor of climate action, those working against the sustainability effort will spread myths to downplay its urgency and tear down the credibility of scientific evidence. Furthermore, they plant fears in the minds of the public regarding consequences of climate justice; groups in support of fossil fuels and other destroyers of nature have worked tirelessly in order to portray renewable energy and other solutions as synonymous with a damaged economy.

In fact, economics support the push for green energy; switching to alternative energy sources will create new jobs and be more cost-effective in the long run. Building new wind and solar energy plants will cost less in 2025 than it will to maintain

COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE

the operation of coal plants, and they won’t create disastrous repercussions.

The inability to easily see direct impacts of positive environmental efforts also hinders the movement’s growth, as it discourages the general public from participating. Personal responsibility is collective responsibility, and there is no doubt that this crisis is a result of our collective actions as a species.

Should we sit by idly as our future is ripped from our hands for the sake of convenience and residing within our comfort zones? Only by improving all of the areas in which we fall short can we reach a level of environmental soundness that will preserve humanity and nature for years to come. By making changes in an effort to counteract climate change, one is supporting the cause and consequently encouraging others to support the cause.

Still, it is nearly impossible to witness the power of behavioral changes such as ditching single-use plastics or shopping locally. Many would argue that skipping school on a Friday to promote climate action is absurd and completely ineffectual. However, the ability to trust in the result of personal choices requires an understanding of the action’s larger impact. My absence from school alone wasn’t very meaningful. But with millions of students working together, the worldwide “Fridays for Future” movement has created a united front of those willing to fight for the Earth.

As young people, we are the voices of the future.

As the voices of the future, it is unfortunate that protesting and asking for the courage of our leaders is the only way for our voices to be heard.

While we continue to fight for climate justice, we can work to reduce our own negative impact.

Some ways to do so include reusing, reducing consumption of products, buying locally, and supporting companies who have made the same commitments.

Perhaps the most important contribution would be encouraging others to join the movement and pushing the adults in one’s life to use their political voices to make a change.

We must dedicate ourselves entirely to fixing this problem. We must place this threat at the top of our priorities. We must fight for our future. We must treat the climate crisis for what it is: a crisis.

This is the only way any progress can be made.

11,258 scientists published a global report on Nov. 5 presenting these six changes as necessary to fight the climate crisis.

1 23456 ENERGY

SHORT-LIVED POLLUTANTS

NATURE

FOOD

ECONOMY

POPULATION

Replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources immediately, and leave remaining fossil fuels stores untouched in order to reduce carbon emissions.

Reduce the emissions of climate pollutants such as methane and soot to reduce air pollution, increase crop yields, and decrease the rising temperature trend.

Protect remaining wildlife and plant and animal species while restoring damaged ecosystems to preserve biodiversity and carbon-consuming entities.

Eliminate food waste and transition from animal products to plant-based foods to reduce greenhouse gases, create cropland space, and improve health.

Prioritize sustainability and climate action over GDP growth with a carbon-free economy to prevent the persistence of environmentally destructive behaviors.

Stabilize the global population via accessible family planning services in order to decrease greenhouse gases and prevent biodiversity loss.

SouthwordS 5

COMMENTARY

| November 15, 2019

STAFF EDITORIAL

PSAT/NMSQT testing provides valuable opportunities

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Scan this QR code to e-mail Southwords

ILLUSTRATION BY ALY TRUNZO

n the past, PSAT/NMSQT testing was administered to all sophomores and juniors on a designated school day without regular classes and without a cost to students. This year, however, fall PSAT/NMSQT testing was made optional for all students.

However, many juniors did not take the test this year, as they were unaware of the new change to testing.

Because there was only a single email sent to the parents of juniors in the top 20 percent of the school’s PSAT test takers last year, the only way for students to find out about the test otherwise was through Hawk Squawk, Maine South’s parent bulletin. Yet, students are the ones who decide whether they would like to take the test, not just their parents.

If parents did not read the email and clearly communicate this optional testing opportunity to their children prior to the registration deadline, students were not guaranteed a test and were unable to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program nor practice for the actual SAT. The test was only advertised to the top 20 percent of the class of 2021.

This is because the district made the test optional in order to reduce the number of standardized tests students are required to take.

Unfortunately, there are many students who do not take PSAT testing seriously as a freshman or sophomore, and they may have not made it into the top 20 percent of scores due to a lack of effort.

Students may have had the potential to qualify as a National Merit Scholar yet were given less of an opportunity to learn about the test due to their previous performance.

Aside from the NMSQT opportunity, many students wanted to take the test as practice for the actual SAT. In the past, the PSAT has been the only standard option for students to take a SAT practice test for free and in an environment similar to the actual

test. Students did not have the added stress of a weekend standardized test amongst other school responsibilities, as there was a school day designated for the testing.

This year, the test was administered on the weekend and on a date when many students had conflicts with sports and other extracurriculars.

The alternative testing date was on a weekday, and students had to miss their regular classes to take the test at Maine East or Maine West. Students also had to pay the 17 dollar cost of the test.

While there are programs students can take as a preparatory class for the SAT, these are oftentimes expensive and interfere with other student activities. Students also could sign up for the actual SAT, but this is even more costly and requires a commitment on the weekend. Additionally, students would have to pay an extra fee to cancel this score so that colleges do

not see it on a future report.

We acknowledge that test fatigue can be a legitimate problem; however, the school should instead eliminate tests that do not significantly affect juniors’ post-high school plans, such as the STAR Assessment.

The school day PSAT offers both a potential scholarship opportunity for all students and provides a chance to better understand the format of standardized tests that are required for most college admittances— without the pressure of registration and additional commitment.

In order to of fer va luable opportunities for students across the board in the future, the district should re-implement the school day PSAT/NMSQT test in the fall. At the very least, the school should better communicate the PSAT/NMSQT test to all juniors, and advertise it as both a National Merit Qualifier test and an SAT practice opportunity.

What do YOU think?

Deliver signed letters to the Southwords office (B-115B) or scan the QR code on the masthead to e-mail southwords@maine207.org.

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

Southwords is a student-r un publication designed as a public forum for student opinion and balanced reporting on topics relevant to the Maine South community.

Unsigned staff 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.

Student par ticipation in the newspaper, whether through readership, submitting articles, or voicing comments or concerns, is encouraged.

Signed letters to the editor can be delivered to the new Southwords office (B115B), 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

News Editors

Georgia Fosse Charlotte Geier Erin Martin Emma Crosson Luigi Laudando

Commentary Editors Gabriel Blindauer Laura Pomilia Features Editors

Victoria Murphy Lily Niziolek Elizabeth Ryser

Entertainment Editors Veronica Espinoza Ella Melcher Kristen Meyer Sports Editors

Sam Corbett Tyler Houck Amalia Laskaris

Production Editors

Keeley Flynn Isabel Gibson Aly Trunzo

Editorial Assistant Adviser

Jessie Beck Mr. Stathakis

November 15, 2019

| COMMENTARY

LGBTQ+ discrimination must come to an end Lane Pruban Commentary Writer

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ransgender rights activist Chase Strangio called Oct. 8, "one of the biggest days in LGBTQ legal history...Our fight is at the SCOTUS. Our lives are on the line. Don't look away."

From activists to the United States Supreme Court justices, the idea of equality is a topic of renewed focus in American society. On Oct. 8, LGBTQ+ activists presented three court cases from New York, Georgia, and Michigan, in which people were discriminated against and fired due to their sexual orientation. It’s not just these three cases—there are many others, such as Obergefell v.

Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage in all fifty states, that are fighting for equality. These cases all help answer the question,“What does it mean to be an American?”

The first case, Altitude Express Inc. v. Zarda, details a New Yorker named Donald Zarda, who was fired from his skydiving instructor job for being gay. Zarda recently passed away, but his sister and partner both continue to press this case.

The second case comes from Georgia, Bostock v. Clayton County, in which Gerald Bostock, an award-winning child social services coordinator, was fired when his boss found out he had joined

a gay softball league. The last case comes from Michigan, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. EEOC, in which Aimee Stephens was fired from her job as a funeral director after she came out as transgender.

These court cases alone demonstrate the gross injustices towards LGBTQ+ people in America, particularly in the workforce, and this is not acceptable.

As these cases continue, they are up to the SCOTUS to decide. But it is in our best interest that the Supreme Court rules to protect the LGBTQ+ community— people are people, and all should have the same fundamental rights, such as the right to not be fired just for being who they are.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act forbids discrimination of “sex” but does not specify sexual orientation or gender identity. Why should gender identity or sexual orientation matter when it comes to job performance? Discrimination is discrimination, regardless of what traits provoke the prejudice. Sex, race, sexual orientation, and gender identity are not acceptable grounds for discrimination.

The majority of these cases can be reduced to what does “sex” mean, and how does it apply?

Supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg explains that the definition of “sex” is constantly

changing. In 1980, the EEOC stated that sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Justice Ginsburg said, “No one ever thought s exua l harassment was encomp ass e d as discrimination on the basis of sex in ‘64...It wasn't until the book was written in the ‘70s bringing that out. And now we say ‘Of course,..that’s sex discrimination. But it wasn’t recognized.”

We see this again today. Of course discriminating against people for their gender identity and sexual orientation is sex discrimination, but it isn't recognized. This is not acceptable, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity should be as immoral as discrimination on sex or race.

However, the Supreme Court has the final say.

In one of the three cases mentioned above, Bostock v. Clayton County, the defense believed that there is a warning of “mass social upheaval.” There will always be people who have differing opinions, but it is unacceptable that being able to be fired for one’s sexual orientation or gender identity is even a question, especially when it does not affect one’s job performance whatsoever.

I put my faith and trust in the Supreme Court and hope they rule towards equality—this is the only way the whole country will be able to unite and get rid of inequality for good.

that provided no sense of comfort. Sure, I’ve been interested in a variety of activities, but I couldn’t pinpoint what career I would pursue.

As I grew older, I began to panic, as my future hadn't become any clearer. While my friends aspired to be nurses and psychologists, I didn’t even know where to begin. As underclassmen, we’re reassured that we have time to decide. What is our “dream” school? What will we major in? I carried the notion that one day it would click. My brother had his “a-ha” moment when he learned he wanted to be a lawyer, so I figured this would happen to me. A game plan would be created, and I wouldn’t have to give my major a second thought. Now as a senior, that moment still hasn't happened.

Not only am I nervous about choosing the correct major, but also the right university. With 5,300 universities in the country, I somehow am expected to choose one. I could easily overlook the one that would be the perfect fit for me, and choose the wrong one. Everyone I know has had a “dream” school, except for me. “C’mon, Georgia! You need to have one school that is hard to get into on your list,” my friends and family would tell me. What if I am messing this up too?

I’m so used to second-guessing myself. By doing this, I briefly feel comforted that I’m making the right decision because I am giving it a second thought. However, this comfort never lasts.

While the answer does become apparent on rare occasions, I need to be better about recognizing when there is no “right answer.” The correctness of our choices truly lies within the hands of fate and chance.

Now having submitted my applications, I can’t help but wonder if I made the correct choice. I decided on a major that fits many of my interests, but what if I don’t like it? I’ve never taken a business course, so how do I know that I'll even be good at it? What if it’s too hard and I fail all my classes? Or, what happens if I hate my university? Will I have to transfer? Unfortunately, I won’t have a definite answer until I am a freshman. In the meantime, however, I just need to trust that I’m making the right decision.

You really don’t know what’s going to happen in the end. I constantly wish I could look into the future and see how I will do in college and future endeavors. However, that is not how life works. The fact that our lives can be so unpredictable is what constantly keeps us on our toes. We're encouraged to take risks, and it's important to do so. I can only hope that I made the right decision. If it's not, so what? Although I haven't had that “a-ha” moment yet, it could easily happen as I face these obstacles.

It may seem challenging, but optimism is key. Or, maybe it isn’t. I can’t really decide, but I guess I’ll have to live with it.

“People are people, and all should have the same fundamental rights, such as the right to not be fired just for being who they are.”

The truth on making decisions for my future Georgia Fosse Editor-in-Chief

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n Nov. 1, many students in the senior class accomplished a remarkable feat: applying to college. After all the stress, time, and devotion poured into 650-word essays, it feels like the weight of the world has finally been lifted off our shoulders. So that means we have a chance to decompress, right?

That couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only do we have to wait for admissions decisions, but also ponder if we made the right choices in this process.

From a young age, we’re constantly pestered with one question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I have never had a definite answer to this question. In fact, this question has haunted me. I’ve always felt pressure to be perfect and know exactly what I’m doing. When I don't, I freak out a little. (I take that back—I freak out a lot.) My family would tell me it was fine if I didn't know, but

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back began

FEATURES | November 15, 2019

Georgia Fosse, Charlotte Geier, & Erin Martin

PHOTO COURTESY DISTRICT 207

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PHOTO COURTESY DISTRICT 207

n Oct. 11, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton came back to her hometown and the Pickwick Theater for the premier of a documentary celebrating her life and achievements, “Dare to Dream.”

The documentary was created by the Park Ridge Historical Society and former students of Maine South and Maine East. After the viewing, Clinton answered questions from student journalists from Maine South and Maine East.

Senior Charlotte Geier of Maine South and sophomore Dalal Hassane of Maine East began the interview with questions pertaining to Clinton’s experience as a female in leadership.

Clinton credited her drive and inspiration to enter into male-dominated fields to multiple people in her life, many of whom were connected to her childhood in Park Ridge.

“I only knew women who had professional careers through my teachers and public librarians, because I spent a lot of time at the libraries here,” Clinton said. “I really think it was the combination of both of my parents, but also my teachers.”

Additionally, she acknowledged the range of differences between her and

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PHOTO COURTESY DISTRICT 207

Editors-in-Chief

ON THE BIG SCREEN Hillary Rodham Clinton sits with one of her childhood friends during the viewing of documentary, “Dare to Dream.” After the viewing, Clinton answered questions from Maine South senior Charlotte Geier and Maine East senior Dalal Hassane. her daughter, Chelsea Clinton. Clinton referenced her most recent book that she co-wrote with her daughter, titled “The Book of Gutsy Women.”

“I didn’t know women that worked outside the home, whereas, by the time Chelsea was born in 1980, her pediatrician was a woman, the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas was a woman,” Clinton said. “We compared the very different experiences we had and where each of us saw inspiration or

motivational role models to try and figure out what to do with our own lives.”

Clinton also acknowledged her many great teachers who encouraged her to excel. Specifically, she mentioned her sixth grade teacher at Field Elementary, Ms. Elizabeth King.

“She was always pushing us,” Clinton said. “If you did a school assignment she would say, ‘well, is that the best you can do?’ She had a saying,

‘don’t hide your light under a bushel barrel,’ and she would constantly be encouraging us, particularly the girls, which was unusual.”

Clinton also credited her exemplary education to both of her parents.

“My mom didn’t get to go to college, so they were absolutely determined that we would take school seriously and go to college,” Clinton said. “They created a different window for me to look through.”

A CLOSER Georgia Fosse & Erin Martin Editors-in-Chief

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e n i o r c o - e d i t o r- i n - c h i e f o f Southwords, Charlotte Geier, was selected as one of two student journalists to interview Hillary Rodham Clinton on the day of her return back home.

Geier, along with the entire Southwords editorial staff, brainstormed questions the week prior to the event.

The staff worked to craft questions that would elicit rich responses from Clinton.

“The nerves didn’t really hit me until the day of the interview,” Geier said. “I got nervous that I would screw up my questions or my voice would be shaky.”

On the day of the interview, Geier

Clinton said. “We have people who are discussing the importance of friendship. determined to make more out of their “Value your friends and stay in lives, who want to give their kids a touch with them when you go off to better life. We should be trying to figure do whatever you do after graduation, out how that is all going to work and because they knew you when, they how to make it possible for everyone’s knew you when you were a brownie and contribution to be recognized and a girl scout,” Clinton said. “They can appreciated.” continue to be an important source of When asked about what surprised love and advice and honest criticism.” her most from the 2016 Presidential Park Ridge Historical Society Election, Clinton elicited laughter President John Murphy was instrumental and cheers from the crowd with her in planning this event. After the event, response,“Wow...

Murphy credited besides Russians?” the many people Clinton elaborated that contributed to on her frustrations “Value your friends making this event a with the election. reality. and stay in touch “[The Russians] “It took an army prepared a sweeping, with them.” of people [to make systematic attack on -Hillary Clinton this event happen],” our elections through President Murphy propaganda, and said. “Both school maybe even through manipulation— districts, the Park Ridge Police, the t h a t ’s s o m e t h i n g s t i l l b e i n g Pickwick theater and the Historical investigated,” Clinton said. “Nobody Society. Crucially, Betsy [Ebeling] was prepared for that. I wasn’t prepared introduced me to Rick Jasculca and his for that. My campaign obviously daughter Lauren Foley. They had done wasn’t.” advance work for President Bill Clinton C l i n t o n a l s o d i s c u s s e d t h e and later Senator Hillary Clinton. They controversy regarding free speech and had the chops to pull off this complex false advertisements on social media event.” websites, such as Facebook.

In the documentary, Clinton’s “When a totally false attack filled classmates attested to her success, with accusations that are absolutely sharing memories of Clinton’s teenage untrue is put up and paid for on life in which she showed ambition and Facebook and many billions of people passion for her future. In fact, many see it, the response from Facebook is of Clinton’s childhood friends were ‘Well, that’s free speech,’” Clinton said. present at the event.

“It is to a certain extent, but if you’re However, the group was missing up against the Russian military or a one of their closest friends: Betsy very well-funded political campaign Ebeling. Ebeling passed away in July, on the other side, how do you ever get but her legacy was recognized and to the free, open exchange of accurate celebrated at the event. information?”

“She was kind of the glue that held Clinton closed the interview us all together,” Clinton said.

LOOK: INSIDE THE INTERVIEW “She was incredibly poised and kind,” was initially worried that she would Geier said. “Hearing a politician speak be nervous on stage.

“I think excitement overpowered on such a personal level was a truly all my nerves while meeting Secretary unique and interesting experience.”

Clinton and Geier has always had a during the large amount interview,” Geier “Hearing a politician of respect for s a i d . “ I t w a s speak on such a perreally a surreal Secretary Clinton sonal level was a truly and was honored experience.” to be given this B e f o r e t h e unique and interesting experience. interview, Geier and sophomore experience.”

B eing a female n leadership editor-in-Charlotte Geier, ‘20 ipositions chief of Maine around E a s t’s P i on e e r school, Geier was newspaper Dalal Hassane were able inspired.

“The event really highlighted the to introduce themselves to Secretary tremendous impact she has had in Clinton.

challenging the status quo regarding females in leadership roles,” Geier said.

Geier was surprised by the political focus of some of Clinton’s responses.

C onsidering the documentar y’s contents, she expected a conversation focused on her childhood. “While we did throw in questions that alluded to politics, I was surprised that she jumped to discuss it so openly,” Geier said.

Geier walked away from the experience feeling influenced for the better.

“We’re always told that we can make a difference,” Geier said, “but sitting right next to someone from Park Ridge who has undoubtedly been one of the country’s most influential female politicians—that was impactful.”

What was your biggest takeaway from the event?

November 15, 2019 | FEATURES As a high school student, Clinton was invested in student government. Not only was she a part of student council, but she was also a major member of the Cultural Values Committee.

“In those days, Maine East was all white,” Clinton said. “But there were real differences and there were people who felt alienated, felt left out, felt marginalized, didn’t like other kids.”

Clinton worked with the members of this committee to promote cooperation among student groups.

“There was one really big guy, and if I saw him going down the hall, I’d go to the other side, and I was scared of him.”

Clinton said. “Sitting around that table, I found him to be really thoughtful and able to express what was on his mind.”

Experiences like this shaped her present day view of the world.

“We are engaged in a divisive and destructive discourse,” Clinton said.

She believes that asking questions should be the first step in initiating world change.

“If you are upset about the immigration crisis, what can we do to have secure borders and humane immigration policies?” Clinton said.

“That should be the approach instead of making it a political football that gets kicked back and forth.”

Clinton elaborated on her viewpoints regarding immigration policies.

“It is a fallacy to say, ‘open borders, everyone come’—you can’t do that,” Clinton said, “But, the fact that we are ripping families apart is just so wrong.”

Clinton credited the US for having the best dynamism because of its diversity.

“We have people from all over: some have been here from the Mayflower, some came over seeking refuge,”

“I thought it was just interesting to see a very personal perspective of a national figure.

-Micah Orr, ‘20

“The part where she was talking about how you have your friends forever... You always have to remember them, even if you become famous.”

-Adeline Bateman, ‘21

“Politicians are people too. They’re personable and supportive of people, especially from their roots.”

-Timmy O’Brien, ‘21

“It opened my eyes to the conditions that were [faced] in the past... I didn’t really realize how different it was.”

-Zoe Kleinschmit, ‘21

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FEATURES

| November 15, 2019

Clubs enhance student sense of belonging Caroline Barker

Features Writer inding one’s self and feeling comfortable can promote a sense of belonging and fuel enjoyment of high school. Whether it is trying out for a team or auditioning for the play, students look for ways to get involved.

However, some struggle to find activities that represent their passion.

Students who get cut from a cast or team often look to clubs for a way to get involved. “ Wi t h a l l o f t h e s e c l u b s , everybody’s invited. There is no cut policy,” Mr. David Berendt, Maine South’s Assistant Principal for Students, said.

If none of the activities fit a student’s interests, he or she may start their own club.

Mr. Berendt believes that student passion is not just what establishes clubs but what drives them.

“Certain clubs flourish because they have this great leadership and they are really excited about it,” Mr. Berendt said. “Then they graduate and nobody is there to replace them.

That’s part of the challenge of clubs.”

Sophomores Juliana Parisi and Amy Gusewelle, co-presidents and founders of the new Donation Nation Association Club (DNA), created their club to donate items to people and animals in need.

With the slogan “It’s in your DNA to help others,” both Parisi and Gusewelle wanted to create a club that addressed the need they saw in the community.

“It’s a great way to do something nice and give back to your community,” Gusewelle said.

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Parisi and Gusewelle hoped to create a space for students similarly interested in donating.

“This club has a good purpose and it is special because it is not based solely around you. It is based around helping others,” Parisi said.

Parisi and Gusewelle hope to promote inclusivity in DNA club.

“The club is going to be like a family, basically,” Parisi said.

Another club created this year, Tea Club, was founded by juniors Rachel Smith and Brecken Enright.

The club’s purpose is to drink and learn about different types of teas, providing a comfortable environment to foster students’ interests in these different teas.

“I’ve always had a lot of fun drinking tea with my friends, and I hoped I could bring that same experience to Maine South and give students an opportunity to learn about and share their love for tea,” Smith said.

The founders took a hobby of theirs and turned it into a club in which those with the same interest could enjoy and feel a part of.

“I definitely feel more involved at Maine South after starting this club,” Smith said. It’s really nice to create something of your own and have others enjoy it.”

Along with students, staff may also notice a need for the founding of a new club.

Maine South counselors Ms. Jen Pendergast, Mr. Bill Milano, and Ms. Trish Conlon created the Unplugged club. Ms. Cris Villalobos joined the team this year.

Unplugged began this school year,

Salty Jenny by Jennifer Nikolic

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PHOTO BY MORGAN LATKO

designed as a club for students to attend during their free periods. It is scheduled to meet every other Friday.

“We wanted a fun place for students to go to unwind and enjoy being with others without using phones or computers,” Ms. Conlon said.

Phones and technology play a large part in society, oftentimes consuming one’s attention.

“Everywhere you look, students and adults are on their phones and missing out on what’s going on right in front of them,” Ms. Conlon said.

The group wanted to promote an environment of inclusiveness among students without the distraction of technology. “[Students] can join in whatever they want or sit and relax,” Ms. Conlon said. “There is a lot of talking and laughing.”

Every club has a different purpose; however, each creates a space for one’s hobbies.

“What I always tell folks is ‘get involved in school, find people that have the same kind of goals and interests as you,’” Mr. Berendt said.

Hallway Herd

November 15, 2019 | ENTERTAINMENT

V-will, v-will rock you: V-show 2019 Elizabeth Compton Entertainment Writer

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fter classes have ended for the day, the iconic rhythms and melodies of one of the most well known bands of the past 40 years float out of rehearsal rooms and speakers in and around the PA wing. Rehearsals, practices, and meetings are in full swing as students gear up for this year’s V-show.

This year’s Queen theme was inspired by a myriad of different factors.

“Every year, the student directors explore various options for the theme,” V-show director Ms. Carrie Saurer said. “We try to make sure that we select a theme that hasn’t been done before and try to choose something that will have universal appeal, as our audience is made up of people of all ages.”

The Queen-inspired theme resulted from the recent surge in a younger generation of Queen fans, following the popularity of the biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

“Because of the film, my six-yearold daughter can sing along to ‘We Will Rock You’ as accurately as my 70 year-old dad,” Ms. Saurer said.

The show blends the love of the band and the ‘70s and ‘80s.

“Not only is Queen prevalent in the show, but the era is as well,” Trunk head and performer Sam Mayer said.

Not all of the acts are performing Queen songs, but the energy and feel of the band carries through the variety of students involved in the show.

“We have approximately 200 students involved in the show—they are in the acts, Trunk (our sketch comedy group), writing staff (the students that help write the sketches), stage band, stage crew (construction, painting, lights, sound), Footlighters (the students that sing the opening song and dance number), and the Music Theory students (these students orchestrate the music for Stage Band to play throughout the show),” Ms. Saurer said.

The sheer number of students involved with the show brings a variety of views and voices to the stage.

“It is so fun to work with so many people,” Mayer said. “One of the perks of that is working with so many people who I wouldn’t have known

beforehand. You meet so many new people who are so excited to be a part of the show.”

V-show highlights talents that are unknown or unexpected from the student body.

“This year has a good variety of acts, as always—dancing, singing, instrumentalists,” Ms. Saurer said.

“One ver y unique act involves freshman Van Filardi performing tricks with his diablo yo-yo. Years ago, we had a glow-in-the-dark juggler, but we have not had anything like that since.”

The diablo, or as it is sometimes c a l le d, t he C hines e yo-yo, is considered a form of juggling, as it takes skill and coordination to control, but is unlike the typical toss up of bowling pins.

With the ability to fly through the air or slide suspended on string between two wands, the diablo makes for a fast-paced technical performance that takes patience to learn.

“I learn tricks from YouTube and just trying new things out,” Filardi said. “I have never gone in front of a group of people and performed with a Diablo in the past. What inspired me to do it now was my friends were all telling me you should be part of something at the school.”

Filardi and all of the other acts and parts of V-show are being highlighted in individual promotional videos put together by the students in the Advanced TV and Film classes at Maine South. These promotions demonstrate the skills of both those in front of and behind the camera and are intended to help give a sneak peak of the show.

In addition to work put together by students involved in the film class, the theatre department has taken other steps to incorporate technology and student work into the show.

“The show has an incredible opening video, which features our V-Show directors and several prominent faces from Maine South,” Ms. Saurer said.

Students produce, direct, and/ or write almost every element of the show. The student directors select the theme, and musicians write and perform music for stage band, which provides live instrumentation from the opening to the finale of the show.

“V-show is such an amazing opportunity for students to direct,”

PHOTO BY ISABEL GIBSON

YO-YO, YO! Freshman Van Filardi practices his diablo performance. The V-show will mark the first time he has performed with the diablo in front of a crowd.

Mayer said. “They direct most aspects of the show. This includes Trunk, act captains, and Footlighters. All of these groups have teachers that guide us along the way. They allow students to take on a leadership role like never before.”

Student leadership is prevalent behind the scenes, as stage crew helps to put some of the final polish on the show by creating the right atmosphere for the acts to perform in through the backdrop and set pieces, each with some Queen influence.

“You will see the connection in so many creative ways throughout the show,” Ms. Saurer said.

After diligent preparation, many of the students involved are excited to express themselves creatively on stage.

“I’m looking forward to getting

out there and doing my thing,” Filardi said,“It’s like one of those things that you’ve done for so long and you get so happy once you finish.”

The energy of a live performance is hard to replicate and V-show has a special energy because of how it draws talent from many aspects of the school.

“I love how V-show represents the entire Maine South community,” Ms. Saurer said. “There are students from all corners of the building coming together to put on this fun and amazing show.”

“A Crazy Little Thing Called V Show” will be in the Watson Auditorium Nov. 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at Seat Yourself, accessible through the school website.

PHOTO BY ISABEL GIBSON

SINGIN' SOCKS Juniors Eddie Latko, Alex Heinz, and Jodi Podolski rehearse in their band, 'Tall Socks.' Their first performance as a band will be at the show.

SouthwordS 11

November 15, 2019 | ENTERTAINMENT

Fashion and culinary travel to the Big Apple Taylor Truckenbrod

students had plenty of freedom to venture out to new places in the city.

“We were able to go and explore the city on our own and really get a feel for it,” Hallock said. “It was nice because I want to live in New York City when I’m older.”

The students not only received fashion inspiration on the streets of the city, but also in the theater.

Students received backstage passes for the Broadway show “Aladdin,” and they were able to meet the show’s director. “[The director] gave a lot of insider information about the costumes,’’ Walsh said. The group was able to

view a quick change behind the scenes.

The students were also exposed to a variety of speciality foods that are popular in New York.

“We tried a lot of food that New York is famous for like New York pizza, black and white cookies, and pickles from The Pickle Guys,” Walsh said.

The students also learned about fashion careers they can pursue after high school by visiting Maine South alumni and former fashion students.

One of those students was Julia Belz (‘18), a second-year student at F.I.T. located in NYC.

“Julia took three years of Maine South Fashion,” Ms. Inserra said.

“Julia will be interning this summer with Calvin Klein.”

The students were able to interact with Maine South alumni who had turned their studies at Maine South into careers in the real world.

“We also met up with former Maine South fashion student Maria Beniaris,” Ms. Inserra said. “Maria is a 2014 graduate. After she finished her education at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago she moved to New York City. She is now an assistant fashion designer for Thom Browne.

She travels to Paris a few times a year for special fashion shows and is loving life in NYC.” The trip was very memorable for the students and inspired them to continue their fashion careers outside of high school.

“My overall experience in New York was great,” Walsh said. “I had so much fun and got to see so many iconic spots.”

“I would go back to NYC—I loved it there,” sophomore Evelyn O’Leary said. “I had so much fun with my friends and met new people on the trip.”

The club is a part of the High School Esports League (HSEL), as well as the North Suburban Esports League, and is involved in weekly competitions with schools in the surrounding area.

Currently, the league is in their fall season, but there will also be a competition season in the spring.

“Each game has a specific day it’s played o n ,” “ S m a s h Bro s .” ju n i or captain Anthony S ar u l l o s ai d .

“For ‘Smash Brothers,’ for instance, every We d n e s d a y we must fight against our designated opponent from another school through the varsity esports website.”

At t h e b e g i n n i ng of t h e i r competition season, members met weekly to learn more about the league and choose which game they wanted to take part in.

A few of the games in the

roster include “RainbowSix: Siege,” “Counterstrike,” “League of Legends,” “Rocket League,” and “Super Smash Bros.” Most of the games are played on PC, but few games such as “Madden” and “NBA2K” are played on consoles.

Early this year, captains were assigned to lead the players on their team.

“Each game has 1-2 teams that play the game,” sophomore John Madigan s ai d. “O ne out of those players are team captains.

As a captain, I’m in charge of figuring out who’s playing and setting up matches with other captains.”

To organize their teams, captains have scheduled separate times for their players to practice strategy.

Members also have the option to play any other available games in the roster that they are interested in. Similar to any other school club/activity, Esports Club is a fun way to explore one’s

interests and get involved at school.

According to Mr. Reichelt, Esports Club is also a great way to connect with others and take leadership roles, as many captains of the club have already done. Along with this, the club can also open doors to students interested in the field.

“The best part of Esports Club is the fact that esports are turning into a real sport,” Madigan said. “Colleges have teams and sometimes give out scholarships to the best players.”

Esports Club has not only helped members improve, but has allowed them to meet new people as well.

“I would say that a big reason to join the Esports Club is to have an ‘official’ way at improving at a game,” Sarullo said. “I’ve been getting away with more ‘Smash’ playtime because I’ve found a place where that can be a legitimate goal. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I’ve met some pretty great people through the program either.”

The club’s season officially began in October and finishes in early November. New members are being accepted starting at the beginning of the spring season in January.

PHOTO COURTESY TARA MURPHY

Entertainment Writer

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ver Columbus Day weekend, t he Maine S out h fashion and culinary classes received the opportunity to travel to New York City.

In addition to visiting classic landmarks, the students expanded their fashion and culinary knowledge.

This trip was planned for four years and was highly anticipated by many students.

“We have begged [fashion teacher] Ms. [Stephanie] Inserra to take us to New York since freshman year,” senior Alexa Hallock said. “She finally got approval to take us this year, which was very exciting.”

Students visited iconic places all across New York, including the Fashion Institute of Technology, Chelsea Market, Times Square, and Central Park.

“My favorite thing that we did was walk around Central Park,” sophomore Riley Walsh said. “It was beautiful and really cool to see specific spots where parts of movies or TV shows were filmed.”

Outside of touring as a group, the

THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

Juniors Tara Murphy and Kelly Gaertner wait for their ferry at the Statue of Liberty. The students spent some time visiting tourist attractions, but their focus was learning about fashion from those working in the field.

Rising esport popularity sparks formation of Esports Club

Emily Hein

Entertainment Writer

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ports aren’t just activities played in courts or gyms. There is another side to them, involving competition and strategy.

Esports are described as multiplayer video game competitions, typically played at a professional level.

These organized online tournaments have been given a lot of attention recently.

Adding to that is the everincreasing fan base of viewers, millions of whom will tune in to watch streams of their favorite games.

The popularity of esports doesn’t only involve players at the professional level. Leagues are also being formed throughout high schools across the country.

As of this school year, Esports Club has been introduced to Maine South and has gained a lot of popularity among students. Mr. Greg Reichelt, the sponsor of the club, formed the esports program because of his love for video games, and the existence of similar clubs at nearby high schools.

“Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I’ve met some pretty great people through the program either.”

-Anthony Sarullo, ‘21

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SPORTS

| November 15, 2019

Girls’ volleyball falls to top seed in regional final

Payton Tauber

Sports Writer he Hawks took a 19-14 overall record and a 3-7 record in conference into the girls’ volleyball playoffs. With the regionals quickly approaching, the Hawks remained positive despite these struggles.

Because the team had lost so many seniors from the previous year, the first goal for the team was to mesh better with the underclassmen. The girls took this challenge in stride, and the newcomers stepped up and proved they were able to perform at the varsity level.

“It’s easy for coaches to teach or correct skills and technique, but getting a team to develop a bond and have good chemistry on and off the court is much more difficult,” senior captain Keelin Kelly said.

In addition to establishing a close-

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knit team, the girls were aiming to match. Coach Durkin had faith in have more success than their previous her athletes to play hard and win season. this year’s regional semi-final. The By winning the Maine East Hawks were able to win the first tournament, as well as the silver regional match over West Chicago bracket of the pumpkin tournament at Proviso West High School through in October, they were able to the leadership of the captains. accomplish this goal.

Throughout the year, Kelly Last year contributed in in the regional “It’s easy for coaches to different ways. final, the Hawks teach or correct skills As an outside won their first Kelly set and technique, but get- hitter, match against a good example ting a team to develop for others by Lake Park, but then lost to the a bond and have good applying t he n u m b e r - o n e chemistry on and off skills developed seed, Downers the court is much more in practices in Grove North. difficult.” game situations, The Hawks -Keelin Kelly (‘20) l e a d i n g t h e faced a similar team in digs. challenge this year, entering playoffs “[Kelly] is a very consistent player as the eighth seed and playing West and is very calm, in turn making our Chicago, the ninth seed in their first team calm and focused in difficult

situations,” senior captain Greta Miller said. “I always try to cheer people on the bench, on the court, and overall try to pick up the energy because of how mentally gruesome the game could be. Together these two styles provide for a good balance.”

After winning in two sets, the Hawks then proceeded to play the number one seed in their Regional, Wheaton Warrenville South, two days later.

The Hawks season was ended by the Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers in two sets, 25-19, 25-13.

“Whe aton War renvi l le was definitely a strong team and deserved to advance,” senior setter Anna Schmeltz said. “It was hard to say goodbye, but since we got so close throughout the season, we definitely made friendships that will last for a very long time.”

“We expected this season to be a struggle in the beginning because of the loss of about 16 seniors last year,” McGinnis said. “However, the new guys really stepped up and we proved to be a team that can compete with anyone.”

Advancing towards the regional final led Corazzina to relect on the goals he had for the season.

“My personal goal this season was to score more than 10 goals this season,” Corazzina said. “I currently have 12

As the team readied themselves for their playoff games, the CPS teacher strikes brought preparation to a halt.

“Everyone on the team was kind of bummed out when we found out we wouldn’t be playing in the first round as a result of the CPS strikes,” Corazzina said. “Moving on by default is not nearly as satisfying as fairly beating a team.

The team was unhappy that the athletes in CPS schools weren’t getting a fair shot for something that wasn’t in their control.

“It’s a shame that all of these Chicago schools don’t get a chance to play in the IHSA playoffs this year, especially for the seniors who had their last season end so abruptly without getting a chance,” McGinnis said. “It isn’t fair to the kids on sports teams that have been working their hardest through the season just to get ready for playoffs.”

Corazzina felt like the Chicago students were missing out on greater opportunities than just a game.

“Many soccer players from CPS had colleges coming out to see the playoff game so the students can get into a good school,” Corazzina said.

The team relocated their Regional final game to Triton Community College in River Grove, St. Patrick’s home field, instead of Lane Tech High School.

Boys’ soccer loses in regional final to St. Pats Julianna Moore

Sports Writer s the season came to a close, the boys’ varsity soccer team faced a lot of adversity before their playoff games. The team had a successful regular season before falling in the regional final to the top seed, Saint Patrick’s High School.

The boys had high expectations going into the post-season.

“My personal expectations for playoffs were to win Regionals and keep on going from there,” senior captain Giuliano Corazzina said.

“I had talked to the team too, and they had the same confidence and motivation that I did.”

“We expected our first playoff game against the top seed, St. Pats, to be a very tough one,” senior captain Sam McGinnis said. “They have over 20 wins, but our elite conference prepared us for a team like them.”

The Hawks lost a tough, back-andforth game, 3-2. After going down early in the game, the team fired back with two quick goals to take a lead.

However, the Shamrocks of St. Patrick’s scored two more comeback goals in the final 19 minutes, leading to the final result.

Not only did the boys have expectations for playoffs, but for their overall season; as a team and as individuals.

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goals, which is the same as last season.”

The team leaders of the soccer team are Corazzina, McGinnis, and senior captain Charlie Ryan. They led their team to success through practice routines that included warm-up laps, dynamic and static stretching, playing possession with the ball. Then, head coach Mr. Dan States began their practice schedule for the day. These practice routines are dependent on how they’ve played in previous games.

PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE GEIER GRAPHIC BY ALY TRUNZO

November 15, 2019 | SPORTS

Maine South names new athletic director

Sam Corbett

Sports Editor it h Mr. And re w Tu r ne r retiring as Maine South’s Athletic Director after the 20192020 school year, the District 207 Board of Education approved the administrative appointment of Mr. Matthew Ryder as Mr. Turner’s successor.

Mr. Ryder is currently the Athletic Director at Boca Raton High School in Boca Raton, Florida. He was a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing football, basketball, and volleyball. He became a student manager for the mens’ basketball team at Indiana University, and finished his collegiate coaching career as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Detroit-Mercy.

After his collegiate coaching career, he moved back to Florida to teach math and coach high school basketball. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Kelley School of Business at IU and later his M.B.A. at UDM. When the posting of the job became official, a colleague in the Chicagoland area let him know of the opening at Maine South.

The opportunity of being closer to home led Mr. Ryder to apply for an interview. The interview was a threestep process.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the second and third rounds of the process, as it gave me an opportunity to meet with coaches, parents and the studentathletes of Maine South,” Mr. Ryder said. “Listening to their passion and love for not only Maine South Athletics, but the school itself was impressive and makes me even more excited to be joining Hawk Nation.”

The student-athletes that were able to interview the candidates felt an instant bond with Mr. Ryder.

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community here at Maine South,” Mr. Inserra said. “We have been successful here, and I believe he can take our athletics to the next level.”

Dr. Collins was excited about his meetings with the new hire.

“He was remarkable during the interview process and showed us that he has what it takes to be our next Athletic Director,” Dr. Collins said.

“He was poised, mature, studentcentered, and kind. The plan will be a smooth transition to learn our culture and what goes on in our community.”

Mr. Ryder has a plan in mind, focusing on improving the athletic department as a whole. “[Improvement] will start with “He gave us just [the answers] a great support system from our we were looking for—especially for administration and coaching staff,” our hypothetical questions,” junior he said.

Mr. Ryder believes that meetings baseball player Timmy O’Brien said.

O’Brien also noted that Mr. Ryder with involved students and coaches was a favorite of many of the student- will help him be the best he can be.

“Meeting with them and learning athletes.

“He was very personable and made about their vision for the school, it evident that he wanted to build a athletic department and their respective teams relationship with will enable me to all of his studentdetermine where athletes,” O’Brien “He was remarkable during the interview I can help,” Mr. said.

Ryder said. I look Senior girls’ process and showed forward to hearing basketball and us he has what it their thoughts on softball player, takes to be our next how to further Libby Strotman, grow and improve w h o w a s a l s o Athletic Director.”

-Dr. Ben Collins their programs on the council, t o up h o l d t h e believes that Mr. strong reputation of our Athletic Ryder is the right man for the job.

“I’m personally excited to get Department.”

Mr. Ryder plans to be careful with to know him better, and all of our student-athletes should feel the same,” how change is implemented.

“There is no doubt there is room Strotman said.

Football coach Mr. David Inserra for continued growth at Maine South, saw that Mr. Ryder brings an energy, but I just want to ensure that changes passion, and enthusiasm to a high- and new ideas are well thought out and in the best interest of our priority position at Maine South.

“I know Mr. Ryder will work students, student-athletes and school,” hard for the athletes, coaches and Mr. Ryder said.

Girls’ cross country places ninth at Sectionals

Amalia Laskaris & Tyler Houck Sports Editors

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fter placing third at Regionals at Niles West High School, the girls’ cross country team was able to advance to Sectionals at Lake Park High School on Nov. 2.

With grueling workouts endured since June, the team felt well prepared. Maine South finished in 9th place in the Lake Park Sectional be-

hind the advancing teams of Wheaton Warrenville South, Glenbard West, New Trier, York, and Oak Park River Forest.

The top three finishers for the Hawks were sophomore Maria Marcucci in 36th, junior Tara Murphy in 37th, and freshman MaryClare Koch in 39th with times of 19:25.3, 19:25.8, and 19:28.2, respectively. Other key runners who competed in Roselle were juniors Danielle Ammentorp and Payton Tauber, freshman Mor-

gan Gioia and senior Courtney Lee. The team was happy with their effort and determination during the meet, but dissatisfied with the results.

“I was happy with how hard all of us worked because being in such a difficult sectional makes it a tricky, but possible goal to qualify for State,” Murphy said. “We truly gave it our all, but I was not satisfied with the outcome. I have very high hopes for next year and our post-season races.”

Girls’ tennis duo reaches state tournament Tyler Houck

Sports Editor fter the girls’ tennis team finished in third place overall in their Sectional, senior Regina Lee and sophomore Molly Grace advanced to the state tournament as a doubles team.

“Going to state as a sophomore made me extremely proud,” Grace said. “Everyone thought of us as an ‘easy win’, but we ended up dominating a lot of the teams we played.”

After winning their first match against a pair from Conant High School, the two fell to Lake Forest in the second round.

“It was fun to be able to compete against the top schools in the state that we don’t normally see during the regular season,” Grace said.

As a senior, Lee was excited about even qualifying for state.

“I’m so glad we got to go,” Lee said.

“It was an awesome experience that I won’t forget.”

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Football gets eliminated in first round

Sam Corbett

Sports Editor n the first round of the state playoffs, the football team lost 14-6 in a defensive battle to Loyola. There was no score through three quarters of play, but senior linebacker Liam Barry scored on a fumble recovery at the start of the fourth quarter to give Maine South the lead. The subsequent two-point conversion came up short.

Loyola went on to score two unanswered touchdowns late in the fourth quarter.

The Hawks final drive with under a minute to play stalled after crossing midfield and time expired on the Hawks’ season.

Although his Maine South career has finished in football, senior lineman and Northwestern recruit, Peter Skoronski, has been named to the All-American Bowl. Skoronski will play for the East Team at the NBC Sports All-American Bowl on Jan. 4, 2020 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

“It means a lot to represent the school in such a prestigious event,” Skoronski said.

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

Change in foreign language tournament leads to bigger turnout Amalia Laskaris & Tyler Houck

Sports Editors hrough friendly competition, this year’s foreign language club dodgeball tournament created new bonds among each club while having fun with bragging rights on the line.

“We have been hyping up the tournament since the start of the year,” senior German club member Michael Presslak said. “It is a big event that we always get excited for.”

The German club, with around 20 representatives, finished fourth in the tournament, but Presslak was happy with the turnout.

“The purpose of the tournament is just for everyone to have a bit of fun and some light-hearted competition between the language clubs, and we did that,” Presslak said.

Prior to the tournament, many of the teams prepared by ordering matching shirts and jerseys. Wearing these shirts helped unify each club and promote more team spirit in order to motivate the players.

“We want to bring together the different language clubs and this is a fun way to bond,” senior Spanish club president Armando Alvarado said.

PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE GEIER

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BALL-LINGUAL

Spanish Club President Armando Alvarado plays in the Foreign Language Dodgeball Tournament. Spanish Club won the tournament, finishing with a 3-1 record.

Previously, the foreign language department held a soccer tournament for the clubs to participate in, but this year, the decision was made to switch to dodgeball.

With this new competition, students do not feel as pressured to have past experience in a more intense game like soccer.

“The World Language department welcomes all students and encourages all students to be involved and show pride in their language club,” German

club sponsor Ms. Margaret Wolf said.

German, Spanish, Italian, French and Chinese all participated in this event. This tournament allows the teachers who lead each club to collaborate with other clubs, which is rare.

The tournament was held after school on Oct. 24. The teams played in five rounds, each competing in four matches with one bye. With two adjacent courts on the field behind Maine South’s cafeteria, the tournament

is in an intimate space where everyone is either watching or participating in the festivities at all times.

Junior Italian club member John Ciprian shared that this setting led to his favorite moment of the tournament.

“My favorite part of the tournament was cheering on the German team, and then later in our own game, we were cheered on by the German club,” Ciprian said.

German club has had a reputation for being successful in the annual tournament, but they were upset this year. With about 15 members of the club participating, Spanish club came in first place at the tournament with a winning record of 3-1.

Italian Club earned second place with a record of 3-1-0, followed

by French, German, and Chinese, respectively.

Both the teachers and students of the clubs were happy with the turnout.

“I love watching the students go a little wild on the sidelines,” Ms. Wolf said.

The students that participated felt the tournament brought them together.

"We all bonded the day after because of how sore we all were," senior French club president Brennan Keeley said.

Boys’ golf season ends at sectional match Girls’ golf qualifies four to Sectionals Bailey Chalfin

Sports Writer his year, boys’ golf had one of its best seasons yet in terms of scoring and competing.

“The team broke two previous records at the Fenton Invite and the Zee Bee invitational,” Coach Steven Scholl said. “They shot an impressive two-hundred ninety nine at Fenton and at the Zee-Bee Invite, they shot threehundred nine.”

In both of these events, the team took second place, losing to two teams that qualified for state: New Trier and York High School.

In addition, senior captain Brennan Dombro broke the nine-hole scoring average by averaging 38 per nine holes. “ T h at m ay not hol d up for long because there are a couple of sophomores and juniors right now that are very good, but it is great to be part

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of school history," Dombro said.

Dombro, sophomore Myles Lahart, and junior Michael Cwiertniak earned multiple top ten individual medals in at least four events.

“All the players on the team have great success,” Coach Scholl said.

Senior Nicolas George and Dombro were key players in helping the team win Regionals for a school record of four consecutive years.

“As a team, I think we were all just really proud and felt good that our hard work had paid off,” George said.

Although the team felt prepared from playing in close matches against many elite teams in the state, they were not able to advance past the sectional round.

“We had worked hard all season for this one match, and for no one to play at their best was the most saddening part of the whole thing,” Dombro said.

Molly Deely

Sports Writer he Mai ne S out h g i rl s’ gol f team participated in Regionals at Sportsman’s Countr y Club in Northbrook on Oct. 10.

The team shot a 366 and advanced four individuals on to Sectionals: senior captain Theresa Daly and juniors Kalena Sultana, Rachel Hoffman and Alison Biagi. The team’s goal of advancing some of their players to Sectionals was achieved through practice and team bonding activities arranged by the senior captains.

“We played the course a few days before and practiced at the driving range and putting green the morning of Regionals," Daly said. “My co-captain Natalie Eng and I organized team bonding nights to increase team spirit and motivate us for Regionals.”

Sectionals were on Oct. 14 at Bridges

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of Poplar Creek Country Club in Hoffman Estates.

The team did not qualify any players onto State, but the coaches are happy with the potential for next year and the regional performances.

“We did not have qualifiers from Sectionals go to State this year, but we are very happy and proud to have had four golfers qualify for Sectionals who are all juniors,” Coach Kayla Hansen said.

While the team will miss the senior captains, the team will have five out of the six returning varsity members and plan to advance to the state finals.

“This is a huge number of returners that already know what competition they are facing and have experienced playing at the varsity level under pressure,” Coach Hansen said. “These experiences will help them be more prepared for next season.”