Vol 58, Issue 3 Southwords Winter Break Issue

December 15, 2021

1111 S. Dee Road • Park Ridge, Illinois 60068

Vol. 58, No. 3

For Kicks

Hawkettes perform in annual holiday show as competition season approaches.

See page 12.

Keep it Clean App-vantages Snow Stopping

Editorial: lack of respect Access inequity hurts shown by cafeteria litter. some college applicants.

Page 6 Page 7

COVID-safe excursions for winter break.

Pages 8 & 9

Net Gains

Boys hockey ices conference opponents.

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PHOTO BY EDEN WENING

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NEWS

| December 15, 2021

Supply chain shortages cause empty shelves Beth Kosiorek

News Editor OVID-19 has had a lasting impact on supply chains around the world, leading to a variety of challenges locally.

Initially, supply chains were affected by the closing of factories and manufacturing facilities in China and other countries; however, over time, another factor that has caused the stagnation of supply chains is the shortage of workers.

This resulted in f reig hters being stuck in oceans waiting to be unloaded, as well as causing people around the world to face the issues of lack of goods and high inflation rates.

“Causes of supply shortages could be from the inability to supply raw materials, and the previously seen high unemployment can play a major role in that,” AP Economics teacher Ms. Rachel Santucci said.

The closing of factories to limit the spread of the virus has also escalated issues within the supply chain, leading to supply chain disruptions.

“COVID is exacerbating the impact of the supply shortage,” Ms.

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Santucci said. “It has forced factories to shut down and many are still catching up to the demand.”

District 207 has also been affected by these shortages.

“For us, this has manifested itself by a severe shortage of electronic equipment, like projectors, calculators, toner, printers, and networking equipment, to name a few,” District 207 Chief Technology Officer Mr. Don Ringelestein said.

“Toner, in particular, is affecting our daily needs for printing. This was due to shipping problems from Japan and China.”

The combination of the lack of goods being available and the lower work force is allowing for more job openings both across the country and in the state.

“From my perspective as a leader in our state-wide association of technology leaders in schools, I see job openings in districts on an almost weekly basis, based on technology staff either moving to better paying jobs in other districts, or dramatically higher paying positions in the private sector,” Mr. Ringelestein said.

ILLUSTRATION BY DREW KOEWLER

Many businesses, stores, and restaurants have suffered staff shortages due to COVID-19, which has had lasting impacts on the supply chain. Consumers are becoming frustrated with supply chain shortages and an overall lack of goods in stores.

“The supply chain shortages have impacted my job because we keep ordering items and we are not receiving them on time,” senior Maria Dobrilovic, a Whole Foods employee, said. “It [item shortages]

causes confusion and anger with some customers because they are not getting the specific items or brands that they want.”

With the holiday season arriving, there are likely going to be continued supply chain shortages, as well as additional ones for items like gifts.

“I have noticed shortages mainly with packaged water and seasonal items,” Dobrilovic said. “With the holidays coming up these issues may get worse.”

“Our focus has always been on ing on recording smaller ensemble building ensemble skills. Due to the groups instead of a full one,” senior incredible progress made on individ- Erin Fabian, choir and orchestra ual performance skills, we felt a need member said. to highlight those skills this school “Choir has focused on studentyear and merge those skills with en- initiated, student-choice, student-led, semble skills. This is an opportunity student-rehearsed performances,” that isn’t always available to us when Dr. Keith said. “These performance we have 40+ groups are students in “Teaching through COVID dur- f i l m e d a n d a classroom will be shared together,” Dr. ing the 2020-2021 school year w i t h p a r Keith said. provided us with an opportunity ents and the Focusto work with students on develop- school. Stuing on the dents having skills of each ing individual performance skills” the opportuindividual -Dr. Teralyn Keith, Fine Arts nity to work in student has groups, select Department Chair literature they been a primar y goal feel represents this year for the Fine Arts depart- who they are, and perform music they ment. The department has planned identify with is an initiative of ours.” performances featuring soloists, as The results of these changes have well as multiple Library Solo Concert had a positive impact on fine arts Recitals. Without a holiday concert, students. the Fine Arts department is able to “We had 30 students place in the expand and provide additional atten- ILMEA District #7 Regional Senior tion to each individual as they develop and Jazz Festivals,” Dr. Keith said. their skills.

“Of these 30 students, we had 7 “For Choir, we’ve been work- students make it to State, which will

be happening in January in Peoria.

Having 7 students place at the state level is a huge number! The students are seniors Nicolette Mayer, Taylor Truckenbrod, Maeve O’Hara, Timmy Wilcox, and Ben McCarrick and juniors Maren Nazar and Tim Nelson.

This is a direct result of individual performance skills.”

While the holiday concert will certainly be missed, students are excited to look ahead to future events coming up in 2022.

“The holiday concert was always a lot of fun, but now we have more time to work on getting better as musicians rather than getting better at just one specific piece,” junior band member Kate Ferarro said.

Looking ahead to 2022, the Fine Arts department will be staging several events including the winter play, the spring musical, and several orchestra and band performances.

“This year, since we’re no longer having the Holiday Concert, we’ll have more time to prepare our pieces for our Progress Concerts coming up in January and February,” Dr. Keith said.

Fine arts initiatives lead to performance shifts

Campbell Micek

News Writer he holiday concert showcasing Maine South’s band, orchestra and choir groups has traditionally been performed before winter break.

It was even performed virtually in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, this year, the Fine Arts department has altered the calendar to provide new opportunities for students to demonstrate performance skills.

“In the past, we had about a three-week turn around to produce a holiday concert right before finals week,” Fine Arts Department Chair Dr. Teralyn Keith said. “This created a great deal of stress for students and faculty to learn new literature and perform at a high level. Students and parents relayed to us that the concert fell very close to the end of the semester when students were preparing for final projects and summative assessments. This became another source of stress for students.”

With the COVID pandemic, the direction shifted from ensemble to individual performances.

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December 15, 2021

| NEWS

New security measures to be implemented ALICE principles improve student safety during emergency situations

Jake Snyder News Editor

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tarting Nov. 29, Maine South has officially adopted a policy that requires teachers to keep their doors locked at all times during the school day.

The main reason for locking classroom doors is to create a safer, more secure school. These changes

were motivated by the completion of our most recent ALICE and fire drills.

“When we debriefed after the safety drills, we decided to go with locked classroom doors so that in an emergency it is one less thing that teachers need to worry about,” principal Dr. Ben Collins said. “School safety experts actually recommend it.”

While the doors of classrooms must always be locked, they do not always have to be closed.

“Teachers don’t always have to keep their door closed,” Dr. Collins said. “It can stay open, but now this makes it easier for them to pull the

door closed in an emergency as it is already locked.”

The other important change made was that hallway doors inside the building will be locked at 4 p.m.

More specifically, the back hallway, cafeteria doors, and PE hallway.

This policy ensures that students are not in the A-Wing, B-Wing, PAWing, Cafeteria, and PE Hallways unregulated.

“This is also for safety and security,” Dr. Collins said. “We don’t want people going through the building unsupervised. The doors that lock are the hallway doors, which means that the commons area will still be open for students who are

waiting for a ride home.”

Students in fine arts and sports can still wait in those respective areas.

Even with these new changes, one policy still remains the same: students and staff are not allowed to let people into the building — even people that they know. All people entering the building must go through door three.

“We always want people to go through the secure entrances that are supervised,” Dr. Collins said.

“That changed four years ago, so any information sent out is to remind people of this policy.”

These safety procedures are one of the many steps taken to maintain a higher standard of safety.

Jake Snyder News Editor

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ach year, Maine South sets aside time to educate students about the serious topic of suicide. The Signs of Suicide (S.O.S.) program was held for all freshman students during their English classes on Dec. 6 and 7.

The program, formerly known as “Suicide Awareness,” is traditionally held at this time of year.

“We use the S.O.S. program, which is an evidence-based program used in schools throughout the country,” school psychologist Mr. Steve Mihalopoulos said. “What makes our program unique is that we use student leaders. We have approximately 40 juniors and seniors who help us facilitate the program.”

The junior and senior leaders were trained in a special training program on Monday, Nov. 29. Typically two to three of these leaders will work together along with a teacher in each classroom.

“Basically, students are shown a video which goes over the warning signs of depression and suicide,” Mr. Mihalopoulos said. “It also teaches them the steps that need to be taken if they are concerned about themselves or someone else.”

The acronym A.C.T. is also taught to students. A.C.T, or acknowledge, care, tell, allows for students to easily remember what to do when they feel that someone they know could be at risk. This acronym will allow for increased awareness at school and

encourage students to stay vigilant.

“After the video is shown, there is a classroom discussion led by the leaders before students are asked to fill out a survey to express how they are feeling and if they need to talk to someone here at school,” Mr. Mihalopoulos said.

The results of the survey have proved to be very helpful in past years.

“The last time we did a survey in 2019 we ended up following up with roughly 90 students, which is a lot when thinking about the fact we sent it out to 600 students,” Mr. Mihalopoulos said. “We feel that the survey is doing a good job of finding students that may go unnoticed or have concerns that may not be recognized.”

Another reason that the program is so crucial to the student body is that it gives students the power to take action.

“The reason why we educate students is because students talk to other students, so when there are concerns about other students, the staff don’t always know,” Mr. Mihalopoulos said.

A student body that is aware allows for a more supportive class as a whole.

“I think it’s nice to know that your friends and classmates are looking out for you and have your best interests at heart,” senior Allie Zimmerman said. “It creates a more inclusive school environment.”

In a d d it i on t o s pre a d i n g

DESIGN BY EDEN WENING INFORMATION FROM DISTRICT 207 S.O.S. TRAINING

Suicide awareness: recognize the signs

awareness, there is also a special emphasis placed on the “tell” portion of the A.C.T. acronym.

“We really stress that if you are concerned about yourself or a friend, find an adult to talk to,” Mr. Mihalopoulos said. “It could be a parent, an aunt, an uncle. It could be someone here at school like your counselors, coaches, teachers, or activity sponsors.”

While the majority of the program is focused on freshmen, there are

other activities that will be provided to other grade levels as well.

“Sophomores discuss this topic in health class, and we administer the Pediatric Symptoms Checklist to them in the fall as well,” Mr. Mihalopoulos said.

In the past, seniors have been offered mental health programs. The school is trying to ensure that these programs are available to all grade levels. Programs implemented in the future may be available to all grades.

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| December 15, 2021 PHOTO BY EDEN WENING

NEWS

January 3 becomes a nonattendance day for students Elizabeth Handley News Editor

CAFETERIA CATASTROPHE

Garbage covers the cafeteria floor after a sixth period lunch. The administration is currently working on creating new ways to encourage students to be accountable for their messes.

Messy cafe causes a sticky situation Sarah Brough News Writer

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he mess in the cafeteria has been a growing issue this school year. Whether it’s a half-eaten turkey sandwich, a spilled bottle of Brisk Iced Tea, or an unopened bag of sour cream and onion chips, there is a huge mess left in the cafeteria every day.

“When lunch ends, you can see trash just everywhere,” freshman Francie Marino said. “The tables are covered in leftover trash, and there’s so much food left on the floor. I step on squashed grapes pretty much every day.”

In addition to the increased mess, many students have also felt that there has been an increase in the amount of food being thrown in the cafeteria.

“On a few occasions, my friends and I have been pelted with grapes,” senior Sara Kulesza said. “Students are very disrespectful this year in the cafeteria and in the commons as well. They leave their tables with food and water spilled all over them, leaving it to the custodians to clean up, which shouldn’t be their biggest responsibility.”

While it is not uncommon to find the occasional mess or piece of trash left behind after lunch, there remains no clear explanation as to why the mess has seemed significantly worse this year.

“We truly have no idea why it has been so messy,” Associate Principal of Student Services Mr. Michael Edwards said. “One possible explanation for this is that the time away from in-person school allowed students to develop some bad habits, including [forgetting] the need to be all in and help keep our community clean and safe. I also wonder if there is a sense of apathy or entitlement, where students believe it is someone else’s responsibility to clean up after them, like at a sit down restaurant.”

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Faculty is trying to examine the causes of the lack of cleanliness.

“I think that, by this age, students are old enough to realize that they should be cleaning up after themselves at lunch,” School Resource Officer Carlos Panizo said. “Students can help by simply cleaning up after themselves when they leave the cafeteria. I do notice that many students stay behind for a few extra moments and clean up their friends’ messes. I appreciate their dedication to keeping our school tidy, but if everyone simply grabs their own leftovers as they leave then that would be the best scenario.”

To c o m b a t t h i s p r o b l e m , administration has attempted to encourage students to clean up after themselves.

“There are messages on the screens reminding students to help maintain our spaces, and we are encouraging safety and maintenance staff to give friendly reminders,” Mr. Edwards said. “However, it just has not been enough.”

 CAFETERIA COMMENTARY The Southwords editorial board examines the reasoning behind this year’s messy cafe.

See page 6 There are students, however, who have stepped up to the challenge and taken action, especially South’s National Honors Society program.

Members of the National Honors Society are eligible to earn points by helping the custodian staff clean the cafeteria after each lunch period.

“The cafeteria has been pretty messy the whole year,” junior National Honors Society member Aver y Hattery said. “I have seen a lot of tables where kids just get up and leave all of their trash.” “I felt bad for the people who have to clean up, so when I saw the opportunity, I was more than happy to help. It’s a great way to help

the custodians keep our school clean.”

Other National Honors Society members have similar views regarding their job to clean up after students in the messy cafeteria.

“I think it’s beneficial to clean the cafeteria because I can tell it helps out the staff a lot,” junior Julia Lisiecki said. “My job is to wipe down the tables and pick up bottles and wrappers. Usually, I feel pretty good about myself after cleaning. It’s definitely made me neater since I want to help out whoever has to clean up after me.”

Although these volunteers only take about 10 to 15 minutes out of their lunch time to help clean up, other students have noticed how these simple actions can make big changes.

“Towards the end of my lunch period on even days, I started to notice a few kids wiping down tables and picking up leftover trash,” junior Reese Lawrence said. “I think it’s a great idea to help simply clean the cafeteria, even if it’s just for a few minutes. I also think once other students see people volunteering, they’ll actually think about cleaning up their trash instead of leaving it behind.”

Although it may seem like an impossible task to get everyone to pick up their trash, taking small yet effective steps is the key to success.

“Ultimately, the best thing for all of us is for everyone to feel a greater sense of ownership and care for our wonderful, new building spaces,” said Mr. Edwards. “I hope each one of us here can tap into our empathy and recognize that all of our choices and decisions impact everyone else we share this school with, not just our own individual needs. I know Maine South and all of our students can be better and have more pride. I have to believe that and I am optimistic it will improve as we head into second semester.”

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n No v. 1 7 , D i s t r i c t 2 0 7 announced that Jan. 3 has been changed to a non-student attendance day.

“We had tons of people giving feedback that we needed to have more time to plan before the second semester because it’s been such a hard year with so many back and forth changes that have had to be made,” principal Dr. Ben Collins said.

This new day off means that the first day of the semester is an even day, and that we have one fewer odd day in our second semester schedule.

“If we changed that Tuesday to an odd day, it would offset the rest of the semester,” Dr. Collins said. “There are already a lot of other things planned such as days off and professional development days where teachers will have to get subs. Changing Jan. 4 to an odd day would force us to reset everything previously planned.

Having Jan. 3 off was already going to be a change with no perfect solution, so we just decided to keep everything the exact same to make it a lot less work for everybody.”

With the stress of starting a new semester, teachers will be utilizing this day to plan and prepare for the semester ahead.

“They just have a ton of work like planning, preparing meetings with their colleagues, grading and turning in grades for the first semester, and figuring out what to do next for the semester,” Dr. Collins said.

Despite one fewer attendance day for students, District 207 will not have to extend school one more day into the summer.

“We are still able to end the school year on May 27,” Dr. Collins said. “So even with this one loss of a student day, you’re still in school more than a lot of other places. We already have built-in emergency days in the calendar in our district. Some districts do not, so if they have an emergency, they have to add it to the end of the school year. However, we have a few more days than other districts, so we were able to make Jan. 3 a nonattendance day.”

December 15, 2021

| COMMENTARY

Political media causes division Molly Shanahan Features Editor

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rom classroom discourse about recent events in the Oval Office to politically charged arguments at football games, our student body is polarized by politics. Many arguments seem to stem from our overreliance on politically motivated social media accounts.

This clear-cut division highlights our tendency to judge someone’s political beliefs more than their character. We first check to see if they follow Trump or Biden on Instagram rather than getting to know them.

Generation Z is supposed to be the most tolerant generation, but we can be the most judgmental.

Having different political viewpoints can be a catalyst for positive change. It raises new questions that one may not have originally thought

Perhaps this lack of understanding of their own. However, people are sometimes blinded by their differ- of other opinions stems from hours ences so much that they can't consider upon hours of screen time on our the other ideas. various electronic devices.

Social media apps like Twitter or Our biased judgment demonstrates our inability to respect some- Instagram offer the ability to choose one else’s beliefs. We would rather what you want to view, like, and combicker about the different sides of the ment on. spectrum instead of listening to one For instance, in the months leading up to the Jan. another.

6 insurrection, Listening to “We are too prideful to other students’ understand viewpoints from m any p e op l e opinions can flocked to social different perspectives and open a new door media apps like to thinking. Un- believe our way of thinking Gab or Parler fortunately, our to organize the is the right way; this is what events that ocrigid beliefs can get in the way of can hold back our growth.” curred that day. this realization.

The apps are We are too prideful to understand also used by QAnon supporters and viewpoints from different perspec- right-wing militias. Those two apps tives and believe our way of thinking helped facilitate the organization of is the right way; this is what can hold protests. back our growth.

The social media app Reddit harThe absence of listening to differ- bors different violent threads involvent viewpoints inhibits one’s ability ing left-wing media. The app can be a to understand all different sides of hot-zone for conflicting viewpoints in an issue. comment threads. There are threads

criticizing people’s different opinions on controversial topics like gun control and the death penalty. Singleperspective comments discourage people from looking at political issues from a different lens.

These comment sections can often create a one-sided echo chamber. By solely looking at like-minded accounts, we are unable to gain insight into how and why the other side thinks the way they do.

Politically charged social media accounts often encourage tension between political rivals which leads to a vicious cycle of criticism.

In Trump and Biden’s Instagram comment sections, for example, there are often hateful comments that even go as far as death threats. The line of what is acceptable discourse is crossed on both sides of the aisle.

Opposing political viewpoints among people is inevitable. But, we can better learn how to understand and respect disagreements. It's important to share your ideas but don't attack others’.

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COMMENTARY

| December 15, 2021 PHOTO BY NATALIA KOWALEWSKA

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

Scan this QR code to e-mail Southwords

WRAPPING UP

Custodian Mr. Tony Mitchell cleans tables in the cafeteria after sixth period lunch. While crumbs and small spills are inevitable, the mounds of garbage actively left behind by students are blatantly disrespectful and inappropriate.

STAFF EDITORIAL Students trash cafeteria as well as reputation A t the end of a lunch period, the commons and cafeteria are a literal wasteland—a sea of garbage scattered on the floor and tabletops.

The squashed grapes, spilled drinks, and crinkled wrappers left around the spaces are disgraceful reminders of student entitlement and require immediate correction.

This behavior unfortunately extends beyond Maine South’s premises, as students at the state football game were seen throwing water bottles and tin foil on the field.

Besides being blatantly rude and disruptive, these barbaric actions leave our school with a poor image.

Students need to be held accountable and ensure Maine South is fairly represented, on and off campus.

The pandemic year is often used as a scapegoat for bad behavior, lack of motivation, and nonconformity to norms; however, it is not a valid excuse. In fact, living, working, and eating in the confined spaces of their homes should have improved students’ cleaning habits.

If students made a mess at home during last year’s isolation, they would be forced to confront it every day.

In contrast, at school, a custodial staff sweeps in to clean up; even the piles of trash left out or pushed on the cafeteria floor are taken care of.

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Students are not holding themselves accountable for the messes they are making.

After fourth period teachers showed their students a video from Dr. Ben Collins calling on us to make positive changes to keep the spaces clean, nothing actually changed.

Many students didn’t take the message seriously and continued to throw food and leave waste.

In a video that students watched during advisory on Dec. 1, they were once again reminded of the lunchroom expectations.

Students should know how to clean up after themselves, as it has been a basic standard since elementary school. In middle school, students were instructed on how to properly upkeep their lunch tables through assigned table cleaners and tangible consequences, such as losing recess if a table was not properly cleaned.

With increasing independence granted in high school, many students’ previous cleaning habits have been lost.

This sparked The National Honor Society to implement a clean-up program. Members clear garbage and wipe up messes made by their peers to earn service hour points for NHS. Not only does the student-led approach clean up the mess in a more

efficient manner, but it will hopefully be a catalyst for change to the current mess-ridden lunchroom experience.

Getting to witness the mess they make cleaned up right in front of them should lead to embarrassment and guilt. This may provide more encouragement to remove their own trash, as they compare their own actions to their peers’.

In addition to the NHS cleaners, it would be helpful to staff more monitors during the destructive fifth and sixth lunch periods. These adult monitors would be able to more effectively address students who are repeatedly not cleaning their tables.

The students at lunch tables known to leave messes should be required to join the student cleaning team. While some students use this program to receive service hours, it could also be used to help others understand the natural consequences of their actions.

It will become apparent these spaces require hard work to clean.

Students can learn to appreciate how difficult it is to deal with the aftermath of an atrocious lunchroom and consequently change their conduct.

Expectations that the custodial staff will wave a magic wand and make the trash disappear is not acceptable and does not align with our standards as Hawks.

S outhw ord s i s 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 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.

Stu d e nt p ar t i c ip at i on i n t h e newspaper, whether through readership, submitting articles, or voicing comments or concerns, is encouraged.

Signed letters to the editor can be 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

John Biagi Lillian Niziolek Elizabeth Ryser

News Editors Elizabeth Handley Beth Kosiorek Jake Snyder Commentary Editors Darin Cheng Jacob Mascort Andjela Trkulja Features Editors

Lilien Schirazi Molly Shanahan

Entertainment Editors Julia Gryczko Jenna Marchuk Andrea Smith Sports Editors Madison Basquin Hayden Bower Matthew Moskal Production Editors Natalia Kowalewska Eden Wening Adviser

Mr. Stathakis

December 15, 2021

| COMMENTARY

Inequity in the game of college admissions Lillian Niziolek Editor-In-Chief hroughout high school, students are constantly worried about the rigor of their course load, their involvement in extracurricular activities, and their demonstrated leadership. These things rear their ugly heads towards the beginning of senior year as students work on college applications.

More and more students are seeking to alleviate some of the pressure of applying to college by paying for assistance. Ranging from hiring private college counselors to ACT/SAT tutors, some students are able to get a leg up on their peers amidst completing their college applications.

No one faults students for taking advantage of these opportunities if given the chance; however, not every applicant has access to these resources. With more and more of these opportunities becoming available to families who are able to pay for them, the college admissions process is proving to be more and more inequitable.

With the CCRC, all Maine South students have a place they can go to ask questions and get advice. This resource sets our school apart from

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many others. Strictly because of zip code, certain students are already at an advantage.

The week before Nov. 1, a m onu m e nt a l d ay f or c o l l e g e application deadlines, the CCRC was swamped. Meeting time slots were kept to a brief 15 minutes, and only one meeting could be scheduled at a time. Meetings were efficient; there was no time to go in-depth.

Many students who waited until the deadline for help, including myself, wished for extended personal assistance that could not be provided.

In contrast, students who invest in a private counselor receive more individualized attention.

The counselor focuses on about 20 students rather than an entire student body, giving them the opportunity to laser focus on questions and concerns—even last-minute ones.

W h i l e s t u d e nt s w i t h o u t a counselor have to actively seek out information, those with one have tips and guidelines more readily accessible.

Having the financial capabilities to access this asset could positively boost one’s application. When choosing between two students with the exact same lineup of extracurriculars, it seems as though the one with the college counselor would be chosen over the one without. The one with a counselor would have additional, personalized intel on what admissions officers would be looking

for, allowing them to better enhance their application.

Along with access to college counselors, students also utilize SAT and ACT tutors, creating another source of inequity.

People with tutors or specialized review books are taught techniques and ways to master standardized tests.

Some tutors tell their pupils to treat the test as a game. Other students pay to take the test again and again, until they receive the optimal score.

Some students do not have access to these materials or the financial capabilities to afford a tutor or take the test numerous times. Once again,

they are at a disadvantage, and their application may prove to be less desirable due to lower scores.

While those who have these opportunities are just trying to better themselves, those without them are in an unfortunate circumstance when it comes to filling out their college applications. The college admissions process is not as equitable as it should be.

Unfair advantages give certain students seemingly better applications tailored to be attractive to admissions officers. Other qualified students may be overlooked because they did not have access to the same resources.

Many of the attendees grabbed heavier weights while I shamefully slipped my five-pounders on the mat in front of me.

Stacking your achievements, even simple ones such as how much weight you lift at the gym, against other peoples' can occur all too easily.

Lunch table conversations alone prove that comparison can occur anywhere.

In the thick of the college application process, conversation with my friends at lunch naturally began to include updates on scholarship awards, interview outcomes, and acceptance letters.

Hearing about the successes of my peers is welcomed and celebrated, but measuring my progress against theirs can result in an ugly introspective downward spiral.

Comparison occurs on a larger, societal scale as well. Although seemingly mindless, swiping through Instagram and Snapchat can have a detrimental effect on identity.

As each post and story passes your illuminated face, a subconscious comparison is made between the image seen with your own vacations, style you portray, or moments you share.

Pitting aspects of your own life against other peoples’ can be troubling.

Of course, having an incentive to achieve a goal is essential to success, but deriving inspiration with the sole purpose to be better than someone else will inevitably not benefit you.

Further, the definition of success is unique from person to person.

Comparing achievements can be arbitrary and is not a reasonable measure of personal fulfillment.

At last Saturday’s spin class, the instructor pointed to the fact that upon leaving the gym, you walk out with just yourself. My gaze landed on the bike pedals beneath me. I listened for the next challenge to be announced, this time with my own purpose.

Striving for the best version of myself and not allowing other people to motivate nor degrade my values is important in maintaining a positive self-perception.

Whether working out at the gym, waiting for college decisions, or spending time on social media, my own perception of success is all that can ultimately guide me.

ILLUSTRATION BY NATALIA KOWALEWSKA

Finding contentment by my own standards Elizabeth Ryser Editor-In-Chief ith the conclusion of my final high school volleyball season in October, I reasoned that it was time to take my fitness into my own hands; I signed up for a gym membership with the intent to work on my strength and cardio.

When I first walked into a 94-degree, 40% humidified studio, I started to glisten before the class even commenced. As the music loudened and the instructor intensified her movements, I peered around the room.

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ENTERTAINMENT

| December 15, 2021

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Wonderland

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Spreading holiday cheer...not germs

By Julia Gryzco, Jenna Marchuk, Lillian Niziolek, Elizabeth Ryser, Molly Shanahan, Andrea Smith, & Jake Snyder

Christkindlmarket

50 W. Washington St., Chicago

Botanic Gardens Lights 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe

PHOTO BY ANDREA SMITH

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hristkindlmarket is an annual event that is held at Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago and in Wrigleyville.

This year is also Christkindlmarket’s 25th anniversary. After last year’s virtual market, it is back open this year with extra precautions against COVID-19. The market encourages people to wear masks, expanded no-touch payment options, increased the number of sanitizer dispensers, and ensures high-touch points are cleaned often.

There are many fun activities to participate in, including shopping and eating festive food. Popular foods include warm pretzels and hot chocolate.

Each year, the Christkindlmarket offers a newly designed annual collectible mug. There are two mugs this year. One with a design of the market with a Chicago skyline background and another with a festive penguin. Admission is free.

Christkindlmarket Daley Plaza is open through Dec. 24, seven days a week from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. On Christmas Eve, the market closes at 4 p.m.

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Maggie Daley Park

337 E. Randolph St., Chicago

PHOTO BY JULIA GRYCZKO

CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDENS

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his year, The Botanic Gardens will once again be celebrating the holidays with their “Lightscape.”

Families are welcomed to come and enjoy the natural landscapes and illuminations on a 1.25 mile long trail.

While strolling through the gardens, visitors walk underneath dazzling light tunnels and laser displays.

Additionally, the paths satisfy your senses with trees that light up to the beat of your favorite holiday tunes like “Winter Wonderland” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”

In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Botanic Gardens is following both state and Cook County guidelines. Masks are not required for outdoor interactions, but appropriate spacing between groups is encouraged.

Standard non-member tickets are $26 and premium non-member tickets are $28. Discounts are available for current members for both standard and premium tickets. Parking is available for $20 at the lot or $10 if purchased in advance.

Lightscape tickets are available from now until Jan. 2 and run from 4:30 p.m.-11 p.m.

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his year the Maggie Daley Park’s quarter-milelong ice skating ribbon has the theme of “Gogh Skating.”

The rink features a short strip with designs of Vincent Van Gogh’s best-known works “Starry Night” and “Sunflowers” embedded in the ice.

There is no additional fee for this experience as it is included in all reservations. The ribbon is open seven days a week for four daily sessions (11 a.m.–1 p.m., 2–4 p.m., 5–7 p.m., and 8–10 p.m.) though March 13. Skate rentals on Monday-Thursday are $16 when you purchase online, $18 walkup, and free if you bring your own skates.

Friday-Sunday and holiday admission is $20 online and $22 walkup. If you have your own skates, it’s free for the 11 a.m. session and $5 for the other three sessions.

There is also food and drink available in the park at the cozy Rink Café, the hours of which vary Monday-Thursday. Friday-Sunday it is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

December 15, 2021

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it may seem that there is a limited number of safe activities to keep people entertained during the winter months. While some may be apprehensive about diving back in and attending holiday parties, there are many outdoor activities to put you in a holly, jolly spirit.

Southwords visited a variety of outdoor holiday activities that you can enjoy this winter while ensuring COVID-19 safety.

Amaze Light Festival

9850 Balmoral Ave, Rosemont

Lincoln Park ZooLights 2001 N. Clark St, Chicago

| ENTERTAINMENT

...AND A CUP OF

Good Cheer

As you explore these COVID-safe outdoor activities, you are destined to crave a warm drink. These recommendations will keep you toasty and fill you with holiday spirit!

Starbucks Sugar Cookie Latte

Starbucks debuted a new holiday drink this year called the Sugar Cookie Latte. Served hot or cold, this latte features blonde espresso, red and green sprinkles, and sugar cookie syrup.

This drink is not too sweet compared to other options, making it perfect for those who don’t have a sweet tooth.

Panera Bread Cinnamon Crunch Latte

Photo

by Jake Snyder PHOTO BY JAKE SNYDER

A

new winter experience, Amaze Rosemont has opened at Impact Field and is perfect for those looking to be immersed in holiday lights and cheer without traveling too far. The entire infield and outfield of the stadium are full of large light displays.

Larger than life candy canes, towering Christmas trees, a massive Santa hat, and a shimmering holiday castle are a few of the many different featured displays.

Additionally, festive holiday music is played in the background to enhance visitor experiences.

Attendees can stay warm with hot cocoa and enjoy candy from Sparky’s Sweet Spot; concessions are also available.

For anyone looking for an exciting holiday experience for the whole family, Amaze Rosemont is a perfect way to follow COVID-19 precautions while still enjoying festivities.

General admission is $23 for anyone 13 years of age or older, and $18 for those ages 2 to 12. Amaze Rosemont offers visitors the chance to see their lights from 4-10 p.m. every day of the week until Jan. 2, 2022.

PHOTO BY LILLIAN NIZIOLEK

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incoln Park ZooLights provides a joyous holiday experience for people of all ages. Presented

by ComEd, more than one million holiday lights illuminate the zoo from the main mall to the south lawn.

Not only can patrons gaze at the beautiful lights on the trees, but they can also watch carvers make ice sculptures, view a light show that is synced to music, and most importantly, see the animals.

Concessions also are available for purchase. Food ranges from popcorn to soft pretzels. Hot cocoa, apple cider, and other festive drinks are also sold.

Additionally, ticketed experiences include racing through a light maze, riding a carousel, or taking a walk through the new enchanted forest.

Masks are not required while partaking in outdoor activities but must be put on when entering buildings.

General admission is $5 and tickets must be purchased in advance online through the Lincon Park Zoo website. The ZooLights festivities will continue now through Jan. 2.

This Cinnamon Crunch Latte is a new seasonal drink at Panera Bread. It consists of brewed espresso with foamed milk and an added twist. The most prevalent taste is the cinnamon syrup and the drink is topped with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar, making it a comforting drink going into winter.

Other seasonal items from Panera Bread include cinnamon crumb coffee cake and mitten shortbread cookies.

TeaLula Snow Drift Tea

Snow Drift is a seasonal option of local cafe TeaLula. It features black tea with frothed milk, with a hint of cinnamon. The drink is easily customizable, with options such as sugar, honey, and agave nectar available. Tasting like an orange-spice cookie, the drink is perfect to keep you warm during the winter months.

SouthwordS 9

FEATURES | December 15, 2021

Through the looking glass Juliana Parisi

Features Writer on’t feed the artists! Posted outside of the pottery room, a sign with this phrase pokes fun at the wide glass windows that expose the room’s contents to whomever walks by, which earns many snickers and smiles from passersby and art students alike.

“I like the windows because they allow other students to get a glimpse of what a Maine South art class can be like, and it might inspire them to take an art class,” senior AP Studio Art 3D student Aiden Lefler said.

The windows provide an opportunity to people watch. They also show off what's happening in a variety of departments.

“When we’re in the room, we love being able to see what’s going on outside and wave to our friends during class,” Lefler said. “Since our school sports are really prominent, I think it’s cool that the art at Maine South is also being put on display for students and teachers.”

Along with the pottery room, the pre-school, culinary, medical, CCRC, study rooms in the library, and fitness center rooms all showcase students at work as well.

With the plethora of renovations that Maine South underwent over the past few years, one of the recurring design elements that arose were these “student zoos.”

Just like any other change in life, the windows have come with both pros and cons.

Senior Amy Gusewelle has been a preschool teacher for two years, so she has experienced the class before and after the classroom’s renovations.

“I appre ci ate t he w indows because it gives the student body a good view into how awesome the preschool program is,” Gusewelle said. “Many haven’t heard of the class, and these windows provide great advertisement for it. However, it is strange to see hundreds of eyes watching us teach four-year-olds how to do the hokey pokey, shaking our butts and everything we do to make them smile.”

Sophomore Sean Sullivan agrees that the big windows can have a positive impact on exposing students to various different programs.

“I think that these windows are

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10 SouthwordS

PHOTO BY MOLLY SHANAHAN

DON'T FEED THE ARTISTS

Seniors Mia Penn, Maeve McDonough, and Maggie Toland (left to right) work on their end of first semester art projects in the pottery room. The pottery room is one of the new "showcase classrooms" throughout the building.

really great for exposing students to “It’s kind of funny sometimes new opportunities they may not have when my friends are there out in the known about otherwise,” Sullivan hallway,” Doyle said. “The class can said. “I didn’t even know that Maine get boring at times and even stressful South had a preschool program before since this school is still so new to these windows were put in. Now, I me as a freshman. But then all of a pass by the class every day, and it sudden I’ll just see my friends in the seems like a really interesting class.” corner of my eye waving at me with While exposure may grow student the silliest looks on their faces, and interest in a variety of courses, these I can’t help the boost in my mood. I classrooms also lack a sense of know teachers get annoyed by it, but privacy, causing some students to it doesn’t bother me.” feel uncomfortable.

Preschool teacher Ms. Pamela Junior Sophia Nasby feels a Melinauskas believes these large particular lack of privacy during yoga. windows are not a problem as long “With these huge windows, I feel as they are not distracting to her like I’m constantly students. on display, even “At times, the "I appreciate the windows w h e n I ’m j u s t window can be trying to relax and because it gives the student distracting, but as do my yoga,” Nasby body a good view into how long as everyone said. “I even heard awesome the preschool continues to walk my teacher calling program is.” past without out to kids outside knocking or - Amy Gusewelle ('22) w a v i n g , t h e the windows to not take pictures of us, windows go and it felt weird knowing people were unnoticed,” Ms. Melinauskas said. looking at us when we were doing our “The preschoolers and high schoolers exercises. I’m not exactly a fan of this are focused on their daily lessons so new setup.” there is very minimal attention given S c i e n c e t e a c h e r M r. D av e to people in the hallway.”

Fermanich has also felt a little According to senior Paul Yadgar, uncomfortable in the space. who frequently goes to the CCRC says “It was unnerving to know that that since the CCRC is located where anyone passing by could see me on his advisory takes place, the wide the bikes,” he said. windows are beneficial because they Freshman culinary student Mary bring attention to the room.

Kay Doyle tries to have a sense of “It is very easy to spot the CCRC, humor about the situation. so people don’t need to look too

hard for it if they need college help,” Yadgar said.

Similarly the LRC study rooms get more use because of their visibility.

“The fact that the study rooms are made of glass helps people know that they are there and available for use,” sophomore Mason Par said. “It feels like everyone is watching you, but, in reality, everyone in the library is just trying to do their own thing and not really paying attention to the other people in the study rooms.”

However, senior Timmy Wilcox, whose advisory is in the CCRC, believes that the greater visibility may pose a threat to South’s students and staff—not just the annoyance of distracting students goofing around in the hallway or a lack of privacy.

“I do think that they [the windows] are aesthetically pleasing, but...during the advisory we were doing an ALICE drill and it was difficult to determine what would be the safest option given the potentially dangerous circumstances,” Wilcox said.

Despite the open appearance, administrators note that safety is not a concern.

“The preschool room, pottery room, fitness center—these showcase rooms all have the added advantage of multiple exits in case of emergency,” principal Dr. Ben Collins said. “With the additional safety measures of the new secure entrance and locking protocols, we are confident in the safety of the school.”

December 15, 2021 | ENTERTAINMENT

Students raise awareness for human trafficking Taylor Truckenbrod

Entertainment Writer ressember is a human trafficking awareness challenge created in 2009 by Blythe Hill.

Saddened after learning of the reality of human trafficking, Hill applied her interest in fashion to serve as awareness for many. Dressember participants pledge to wear a dress or tie every day of December as a source of education for the cause.

This challenge has made participation in the advocation for human trafficking awareness accessible; Maine South students are some of the many who have taken on this fashion challenge.

The Maine South Dressember team has been developing their program and expanding their outreach.

Last year, seniors Savannah and Emily Bensing participated in Dressember and started an Instagram page (@dressember.mainesouth) to assist the Maine South Dressember team. The team raised a total of $2,764.60.

“The Maine South Dressember team evolved from a group of people at my church, most of whom were Maine South students,” Savannah Bensing said. “Two years ago, a few of us worked together to open the team to more Maine South students, and last year, my sister Emily, Leila Meza, and I decided to make a group at Maine South so everyone would feel invited to join.”

Every member of Dressember has their own motivation for participating.

“I participate in Dressember because it is a way to bring awareness to human trafficking as well as prevent it,” Savannah Bensing said. “The money also helps services for victims of human trafficking.

D

PHOTO COURTESY AMY GUSEWELLE

ALL DRESSED UP Senior Amy Gusewelle poses in one of her Dressember outfits. Gusewelle participated in Dressember last year and is excited to

Wearing a dress every day is a great way to start conversations about human trafficking.”

Emily Bensing has a similar reason as to why she participates in Dressember. “​​At first, when I was told about Dressember, I thought it seemed like a good way to raise money for an important cause. Every year I participate I learn so much more about the issue and about how important it is that we’re doing this,” Emily Bensing said.

Senior Amy Gusewelle is participating in the group again this year.

“I participate because I love the mission of the organization and want to help it grow,” Gusewelle said. “If my participation inspires another person to join and helps even one survivor of human trafficking, I would be filled with the serenity that comes with knowing I’ve made a difference. I always strive to help others, and Dressember is another medium for me to do so.”

Gusewelle participated in Dressember last year and this year has set new goals.

“My personal goal is $200, twice my goal from last year,” she said. “This money provides trauma therapy, covers trial fees, awareness training for children at risk, and more. If anyone is interested in where the money goes, the fees for the different anti-trafficking programs are listed out on the website.”

Many Dressember participants have found themselves getting asked about their outfits.

Gusewelle and Bensing have crafted typical responses to these questions.

“My ‘elevator pitch’ when people ask about my dress is something along the lines of, ‘for the international organization called Dressember, which works to end human trafficking by raising awareness and fundraising to help survivors and implement preventive measures,’” Gusewelle said.

Emily Bensing takes a similar approach to the question.

“I usually say something along the lines of it’s for Dressember, which means I wear a dress or a tie every day for the month of December to raise money to fight human trafficking,’ and sometimes they ask follow-up questions, which is great,” Emily Bensing said.

While participation has been growing globally, Gusewelle hopes that participation at Maine South will show the same trend.

“Across the world, thousands of people participate, raising millions for anti-trafficking programs,” Gusewelle said. “At Maine South, we could always increase our participation, so encourage everyone to join.”

In addition to raising awareness about human trafficking, Dressember focuses on the issue of unethical clothing factories. In many fast fashion factories, women have been have sexually and financially exploited by their employers.

Fast-fashion brands such as Shein and Zara remain on the rise despite their detrimental effects to the environment and sweat-shop like factories.

The Dressember organization recognizes this

PHOTO COURTESY EMILY BENSING

DRESSED TO THE NINES

Senior Emily Bensing shows one of her 31 Dressember dresses. While many don’t own as many as 31 dresses, oftentimes people will re-wear dresses for Dressember.

and it’s addressed on the organization’s mission statement page.

“We work closely with ethical brands to promote conscious consumerism and to ensure that fashion empowers and does not exploit.”

To successfully disrupt human trafficking, the Dressember organization has certain steps they take in order to ensure efficacy.

“In order to support initiatives that impact change, we resource localized anti-trafficking work around the globe using sustainable methods with proven impact. Our local partners are the leaders in their communities with field staff representing country nationals,” their website states. “We identify under-resourced program areas for victims and survivors of trafficking and build internal programs to rally our community to meet the need.”

This challenge has grown in participation within the last few years and has raised millions of dollars.

According to Dressember.org, they have “raised over $13M to support victims and survivors around the world.”

To get involved in Dressember, go to their website (Dressember.org) and set up an account.

There, one can commit to following the challenge and then make a custom fundraising page. You then set a goal for how much money you would like to raise and spread awareness about the matter and raise money. Dressember participation has been very successful at Maine South so far.

“This year Dressember has been insanely successful,” Gusewelle said. “Our original goal was to raise $1,000 by the end of the month, and we raised $1,700 within the first day. We raised our goal to $2,000 and achieved that before school ended on December 2nd. I cannot express how happy I am for all of the support from our community and I cannot wait to see how many lives we save by continuing our advocacy.”

SouthwordS 11

ENTERTAINMENT

| December 15, 2021

Hawkettes kick off the holiday season

Jenna Marchuk

PHOTO BY EDEN WENING

Entertainment Editor

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he nationally-ranked Hawkettes performed their annual “Hawkettes Holiday Spectacular” on Dec. 5, with a special performance by the drumline and Trunk. The Hawkettes were unable to stage this event last year due to COVID-19 concerns, so they were excited to be performing again.

Senior Katie Yesko has performed the holiday show seven times, three times with the Hawkettes and four times with Studio 22, and will be participating again this year.

“One of our [senior] captains, Mia Murarescu, choreographed a rendition of a Rockettes routine for the opener,” Yesko said. “We also performed our two competition routines (kick and pom), our two football routines, and a closer.”

JV and Varsity will be performing their Rockettes routine together, which required joint practices.

The show was choreographed and had to be learned in a short period of time, so it didn’t go without challenges.

“We had to learn the entire routine in a singular practice along with staging and formations,” Senior Sara Radziszewski said. “We dedicated the rest of our time to making sure we were all dancing perfectly together and hitting the same moves and the same angles in our poses.”

Seniors Yesko and Ally Nelles both

SHOW STOPPING

Varsity Hawkettes captain Mia Murarescu leads the team in the final practice before the Holiday Spectacular on Dec. 5. Murarescu choreographed a rendition of a Rockettes routine.

agreed that perfecting the routine was a challenge.

“As far as challenges go, I would say we had six routines to learn, retain, and clean in such a short amount of time,” Yesko said.

“The routine was pretty difficult, but it definitely came together with each day we worked on it,” Nelles said. “We’ve been practicing daily and it was super stressful but fun at the same time. Once we started ‘cleaning’, it became more doable and it really came together.”

While challenges were present,

that didn’t stopped the Hawkettes’ excitement. The show was highly anticipated, especially the kick routine.

“We were definitely excited for it [kick] since we didn’t get to kick last year due to COVID,” Nelles said. “We weren’t allowed to touch each other, so this is something that has been a long time coming. We’ve had two years to prepare for this, so it was definitely exciting to debut [the kick routine].”

JV Hawkettes coach Ms. Lauren Haman is proud of the hard work the teams have put into the show.

“Our holiday show is always a great way for family and community members to come see all our routines in one show,” Ms. Haman said. “Many of our alumni also come back to support us.”

Haman also credited both teams for their extremely hard work and perseverance.

“The show took a lot of time to put together, which was challenging when we are preparing for our first competitions coming up shortly. We worked hard to prepare all of our routines for a spectacular show.”

home when feeling ill as to not expose the team to any illness, even if it isn’t COVID,” head coach Ms. Amelia Faulstick said.

This year, the team continued to face challenges unrelated to COVID. “This has been a challenging year in many ways, but injuries have been our biggest hurdle in addition to many individuals who have had to be absent due to being ill, even if it wasn’t COVID related,” Ms. Faulstick said.

With construction continuing throughout the school year, it was difficult for the team to find spaces to practice. The old dance studio was torn down over the summer and the new studio was still being finished as the school year began. “[Practices] take place primarily in the dance room, but sometimes you can find us practicing in the cafe,

advisory rooms, or even the hallways,” senior fourth-year member Jillian Koepke said.

Senior officer Stacey Pontikes found challenges in her second year choreographing.

“Choreographing dances was challenging this year because I was choreographing my own piece in addition to pieces given to officers,” Pontikes said. “It was time-consuming and took a lot of help from my coach, but it’s been such a rewarding experience.”

Each year, the company picks a unique theme to base its show around.

“Over the last few years, we have gone down a path of choosing more story-driven themes such as our versions of ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland,’” Ms. Faulstick said. “We have discovered that it has

become more exciting to include the theatrical side.”

By following the movie’s plot, dancers can embody the characters.

“All original characters from the film are portrayed in the dances and the styles range based on the scene,” junior Ava Malatesta said.

The sequence of the show also allows dancers to tell stories on stage.

“O u r show i s spl it i nto ‘Halloweentown’ and ‘Christmastown’ which brought a lot of different choreography opportunities,” junior Olivia Killian said. “The pieces [developed the characters much more] compared to past shows, but it also allowed all the dancers to grow as actors as well.”

Despite the circumstances, the team pushed through and put on a stunning performance.

Maine South Dance Company leaps back on stage Mia Parangalan

Entertainment Writer

M

aine South Dance Company, formerly known as Orchesis, put on their yearly dance performance with the theme, “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Rehearsals began in August and the girls rehearsed two to three times a week for about five hours at a time.

To prepare for the show this year, rehearsals looked much like they have in the past. The dancers started by learning all of the ensemble pieces first and then began learning smaller student-choreographed pieces. The team also followed the same COVID precautions that are mandated during the school day.

“Although it is difficult to perform high-intensity routines, we make sure to wear our masks at all times and stay

12 SouthwordS

The Music

PHOTO COMPOSITION BY KENNY RINK

December 15, 2021 | ENTERTAINMENT

W rld

Jenna Marchuk

Entertainment Editor aylor Swift’s re-releasing of past albums has cemented herself as a music industry powerhouse and cultural icon. Beginning with her stylistic evolution from country to pop to folk, she has defied norms in the music industry and beyond.

Swift has amassed a very large fanbase throughout her music career, and they have stood behind Swift over recent years.

What started as a battle over ownership rights to her music has turned into a series of Swift rereleasing albums. Swift signed to Big Machine Records in 2004, which was bought by Scooter Braun in 2019, unbeknownst to Swift. Essentially, Swift lost rights to her music to someone with whom she had very negative experiences.

Naturally, Swift fought back by deciding to completely re-record her albums that were owned

by Braun and has now re-released her albums “Fearless” and “Red,” and her hit single “Wildest Dreams.” Swift intends to continue to release previous albums that are under Braun’s ownership.

“Red (Taylor’s Version)” was released on Nov. 12 and quickly rose to the top of the iTunes charts. The album consists of 30 tracks and features original content, as well as many unreleased tracks and collaborations. The album features collaborations with Phoebe Bridgers, Ed Sheeran, and Chris Stapleton.

There was so much excitement around the release of this album, Starbucks even made a drink

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NEW AND IMPROVED

Pictured left is the original 2012 version of Swift’s album “Red” and right is “Red (Taylor’s Version).” Swift hopes fans will choose to listen to her version of the albums so they do not support the music owned

by Scooter Braun.

dedicated to Swift called “Taylor’s Latte.” The latte is Swift’s favorite Starbucks order, which is a grande caramel non-fat latte.

Swift attributes her courage to re-record and re-release her albums to her fans.

“It never would have been possible to go back & remake my previous work, uncovering lost art & forgotten gems along the way if you hadn’t emboldened me,” Swift shared in a Tweet on Nov. 11.

Many songs on Swift’s re-released albums are from “The Vault” and also include “Taylor’s Version” in the title. “The Vault” refers to previously unreleased songs written by Swift, and “Taylor’s Version” refers to re-released titles that she wrote and produced.

Swift released a music video for her song, “I Bet You Think About Me (Featuring Chris Stapleton) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault).” The video was directed by Blake Lively and Miles Teller, who played Swift’s ex-boyfriend. In the video, Swift appears as “the crazy-ex girlfriend” and crashes her ex’s wedding.

Likely the most anticipated song that was re-released on “Red (Taylor’s Version)” was “All Too Well.” The original track spans about five minutes, but Swift released a version that reaches ten minutes.

“All Too Well” is a favorite amongst Swift fans, dubbed as “Swifties.” The song is extremely emotional and takes you into one of Swift’s relationships. It was undoubtedly extremely exciting for fans when she released the ten-minute version.

The additional five minutes give more insight into the relationship Swift is singing about, as well as many more controversial lines.

Along with releasing an extended version of the song, Swift also released a short film on YouTube.

The short film starred Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien, both well-known actors, and was directed

by Swift. The film portrays a girl in a manipulative

relationship and the stages of it. The short film has hit almost 50 million views on YouTube.

“All Too Well’ was already an iconic song from Taylor,” Senior Maggie Gaughan, who is a huge “Swiftie,” said. “With the new verses, everything is taken to the next level. I knew it was going to be good from the second she announced it, but some of those verses are so relatable, it’s crazy.”

Freshman Katie Weitzel was also very excited about the release of the album.

“I was very excited for the album to come out and had been waiting for it for months,” Weitzel said. “I think it was interesting to see how Taylor is different, but still similar in some ways to when she originally wrote the album. I love how she expresses herself so easily and rebranded herself in the way she wanted to.”

With lines such as, “You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath” and “You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine, and that made me want to die,” fans are able to learn more about Swift’s relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal.

The lyrics of this song are truly captivating, and they bring you into the stages of the relationship and how Swift felt.

According to Spotify, “Taylor Swift’s ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ broke the record for the moststreamed album in a day by a female and Swift broke the record for the most-streamed female artist in a day on Spotify.”

Additionally, Swift de-throned Don McLean’s “American Pie (Parts I & II)” and now holds the Billboard record for longest number 1 hit of all time.

The entire process of Swift re-releasing these albums reveals the deceit and corruption present in the music industry. Big record labels prey on upand-coming artists, and artists often unknowingly sign away their work for years to come.

The motivation behind all of this, of course, is money, which creates a toxic and corrupt environment.

On tumblr, Swift opened up about her experience with Braun when it was announced that he had purchased her masters.

“All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years,” Swift wrote.

Swift is using her platform to make smaller artists aware of this problem and hopes that they will learn from her mistakes.

“Hopefully [...] kids with musical dreams will read this and learn about how to better protect themselves in a negotiation,” Swift tweeted in 2019.

Swift was powerful enough to have the opportunity and resources to recover from this and rebrand herself and her music. By opening up about this matter, Swift made many aware of the problems that are present in the music industry, which will hopefully lead to systemic change.

With such a supportive and large fanbase, many stood behind Swift and began to realize the corruption of the industry. She has proven herself to be far more than just a musician; she is an inspiration to smaller artists and uses her platform to promote change.

SouthwordS 13

SPORTS

| December 15, 2021

Boys’ basketball begins their journey to the top in Conference

PHOTO BY MOLLY SHANAHAN

Sargon Adam Sports Writer

T RACE TO THE RIM

Senior Caroline Barker gets ready to pass the ball while sophomore Meegan Fahy runs to her wing position on 11/30. Maine South played a tough game against Evanston, losing 48-43.

Girls’ basketball mentors one another through the new season Madison Basquin

Sports Editor arsity girls’ basketball has shown perseverance through the first part of their season. Their first game against Barrington was a loss, but they were proud of how they played.

“We were basically tied the whole game, just didn’t end up winning,” senior Caroline Barker said. “I thought that we played pretty well as a team; we’re obviously still learning how to jell and play together, two of our starters are sophomores.”

The team also played against Grayslake Central at their home court and the Hawks won 47-33 in an exciting game.

“The bench was really loud and super supportive,” Barker said.

“Energy was great and we played really fast. It was intense; the game was good.”

The bench brought spirit for the players, and despite the loss, the team was able to identify what they will work on for future games.

“In the first couple minutes of the game, three of our starters had two fouls, including myself, so that was definitely an obstacle we faced,” Barker said. “I definitely would’ve watched my defense a little more, but that gave us the opportunity to be really loud from the bench and support the rest of our teammates.”

To improve team chemistry, the team comes together quite often for non-basketball related activities, which they believe improves their performance in games. The team needs to be comfortable with each other so they can be honest and help each other improve. In a sport that relies on teamwork as much as

V

14 SouthwordS

he boys’ basketball team opened their s eas on at the Lyons Township Thanksgiving Tournament, posting an impressive 2-1 record while getting an opportunity to get live game reps with all the new faces in the program.

Coach Tony Lavorato is entering his 24th year coaching basketball, and his teams have always emphasized chemistry within a strong defense and a system of efficiency to help win games at a high level. Although the team starts four seniors and has nine total, Coach Lavorato feels as though it’s the full roster’s contribution that makes this group so special. “ We’v e g o t g u y s w h o a r e determined and dedicated to the game of basketball,” Coach Lavorato said, “I’m really excited to coach guys who really care about the game and have evolved physically and mentally.”

One of those seniors is Ryan Modert, the point guard of the team, who opened the season with 12 assists against Lincoln-Way East. He has been at the forefront of leadership in the group, helping to galvanize the team through adversity.

“Being the point guard comes with responsibility, and I know I have to set up the offense and control the game,” Modert said.

The Hawks earn a lot of their success on the practice floor, cycling through different drills, scenarios, and sequences to help improve themselves. Senior forward Julian Triffo recognizes how important it is for the team to develop a bond off

the floor while building a team on it.

“G e tt i n g t o g e t h e r of f t h e court is very important for us,” Triffo said. “Meeting as a group will allow for better chemistry and communication.”

Triffo and fellow senior forward Nick Rentas earned all-tournament honors at the LT Thanksgiving tournament. It was in large part thanks to their unique match up defense that helped stifle opponents and create scoring opportunities.

“It is important that our seniors, including myself, help lead the younger guys and create a competitive atmosphere everyday in practice,” Rentas said. “I think that if we challenge one another and continue to get better, we have a chance to have a successful season.”

The Hawks are tasked with battling in one of the strongest conferences in the state, featuring some of the top teams this season.

In order to defeat these squads, the Hawks know they have to tighten up the defense and build upon the skills and offensive approaches they’ve implemented thus far.

“From the summer, we figured out that we can win some games, as we beat some really good teams,” Coach Lavorato said. “In order to carry that over to the season, we’ve got to be able to execute and play at a specific level, and we’re getting better at that each and every day.”

The Hawks will compete for a top spot in their conference to help set up a potential deep run in state playoffs.

They opened at home on Friday, Dec. 3, against rival New Trier. The Hawks lost 53-25.

basketball does, the team depends on routines and traditions to bring them together.

“Before the games, we lie on the ground in a huddle and everyone slaps the ground and gets all hyped up for the game,” sophomore Meegan Fahy said. “People also give pep talks before the game.”

T h e v ar s it y t e am h a s t wo s o p h o m o r e s , F a h y a n d Av a Blagojevich. In a team with the majority being upperclassmen, the sophomores had to adjust quickly to a different environment.

“I didn’t know any of the plays and the seniors know all of them, so it was a little stressful,” Fahy said.

Basketball plays are rotated throughout the game based on the game situation. The plays have to be memorized by all the players, and seniors have the advantage of knowing the plays from their previous seasons.

“The seniors will help me with plays, because I don’t know all of PHOTO BY MOLLY SHANAHAN them,” Fahy said. “They’ll tell me when I’m doing something wrong.

It’s really helpful and inspirational.”

The team plays a total of 25 regular season games and four tournament games. With this busy schedule they have several ways to practice to prepare for the games.

“We had a few weeks of straight pr a c t i c e , i n c lu d i n g S at u rd ay mornings,” senior Emily Pape said.

“We’ve gotten into a good routine of completing drills and plays to the best of our ability, and often scrimmage the JV team to have real-game situations and run the floor. We will watch film and scout our opponent before our CAN’T TOUCH THIS Senior Ryan Modert dribbles the ball down the court, fighting off a New Trier defender on 12/3. Maine South ultimately lost the game 53-25. games, which helps us prepare.”

December 15, 2021 | SPORTS

Maine boys’ varsity hockey scoring an impressive season Hayden Bower Sports Editor

HAWKS ON ICE

PHOTO BY MOLLY SHANAHAN

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Junior Nick Gournis and senior captain Tommy Rutherford (right) test the ice before hosting Hinsdale Central. The Hawks won 8-1.

aine Hockey has been consistently dominant over the last few weeks. At press time, they have a nine-game win streak. This brings their overall record to an impressive 11-1 in their league games.

Most recently they beat Deerfield 3-2 in a practice game on Nov. 29. The Hawks are optimistic for what the rest of their season holds.

Senior co-captain Michael Fortune believes they have a high chance of going all the way this year.

“With a young group of guys with a lot of potential, we’re looking to win state, and I believe we have a good chance at that,” Fortune said.

Senior co-captain Connor Zabratanski, sees the team’s potential as well. He has seen how they play at their games and has faith in their team.

“I think we’re playing awesome,” Zabratanski said. “11-1 is an impressive feat. At the end of the day, we have to just keep doing what we’ve been doing to reach that goal of winning State.”

Many of the players recognize the team’s chemistry as the leading cause of their current success.

“The entire team vibes and everyone is working

hard. Everyone contributes to our success and has been having fun while doing it,” Fortune said.

Senior defender Declan Pleuss shares Fortune’s praise for the team’s chemistry.

“I think we mesh well,” Pleuss said. “We’ve kind of gotten into our own flow as the season has progressed, and it’s been a huge contributor to our success.”

Fortune recognizes the importance of his responsibility as a leader to set an example for some of his younger teamates.

“I try to let them do their own thing, but with my experience, I think I can help them, and my hope is when they become seniors, they’ll take on the roll of helping out the younger guys,” Fortune said.

Despite the team consisting of many underclassman, Fortune believes it has not hindered any success they've had throughout the season.

“Even though we have six or seven sophomores, I’d say we’ve developed a pretty solid connection throughout the season,” Fortune said.

With their previously successful season cut short by the pandemic, the Hawks look to replicate that success and carry their current performance into the playoffs.

Early dedication invokes optimism for boys’ varsity wrestling Hayden Bower

Sports Editor arsity boys’ wrestling began the season 2-2 with their losses coming in meets against Taft and Lake Park, on Nov. 23 and Nov. 24, respectively. The team looks to turn things around in upcoming meets.

“It’s all about motivating each other,” senior Seamus O’Hagan said.

“Since our individual performance carries so much significance. Keeping a high morale and helping each other make specific improvements on our tactics is a consistent focal point the team has.”

Coach Kevin Hansen understands the inhibiting factors presented by the pandemic, as well as what has contributed to the team’s success.

“COVID 19 created an odd year for us last year,” Coach Hansen said.

“We have a lot of new wrestlers in their sophomore year which presents challenges, but I have been impressed with how tough and hard working these new wrestlers have been. We have some very dedicated wrestlers who bring a different mindset to the room, and I think that has been the largest contributing factor early on in the season.”

When having to compete against wrestling powerhouses such as Taft and New Trier, O’Hagan believes

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SIZING HIM UP

Sophomore captain Teddy Flores patiently reads his opponent as he prepares to engage. Flores is the youngest captain on the boys' varsity team.

keeping this optimistic mentality throughout the remainder of the season will be crucial to the team’s success.

As a senior, O’Hagan acknowledges his role on the team.

“A s a n u p p e r c l a s s m a n , I understand my responsibility to be a role model for some of our younger guys,” O’Hagan said. “I like to think some of them even look up to me.

However, sometimes, I think it’s a matter of learning from each other and pushing each other to be better.”

C oach Hans en agrees with

O’Hagan, as he, too, recognizes the importance of everyone stepping up and helping each other out.

“Our team’s success comes from hard work, purposeful training, and making the person next to you better by exhibiting and demanding the first two,” Coach Hansen said.

Despite there being an age gap between many members of the team, O’Hagan argues that one’s skill and dedication is more important than seniority.

“I truly believe the chemistry between the team is there, it’s all

PHOTO BY MOLLY SHANAHAN

about our execution,” O’Hagan said.

“It really doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior. We have a sophomore, Teddy Flores, as one of our team captains. All that matters is that you perform when it’s necessary. If you can do that, then age is irrelevant.”

With much of the season left, the team has a formula for achieving success. As both O’Hagan and Coach Hansen acknowledge, what matters from here on out is the way that the Hawks execute what they have prepared.

SouthwordS 15

HOCKEY | GIRLS' GYMNASTICS | BOYS' SWIMMING | BASKETBALL | CHEERLEADING | HAWKETTES | WRESTLING

Football looks to future after loss in state final

PHOTO BY MOLLY SHANAHAN

Matt Moskal

Sports Editor espite a valiant effort, the Hawks lost to the Lockport Porters in the state final by a score of 24-6. The Hawks were able to keep the game within reach until the fourth quarter, when the Porters capitalized on turnovers and went on to score 14 unanswered points on their way to winning the state title.

“I thought we played a fairly solid game overall, except for about the last 10 minutes,” head coach Mr. David Inserra said.

Coach Inserra was satisfied with the Hawks early performance on defense.

“Defensively, we were pretty stout, as we held them to seven points at half,” Coach Inserra said.“We wanted to take away the pass, which we did, but unfortunately they ran the ball better than we thought.”

Coach Inserra noted that the final score didn't necessarily reflect the offensive effort.

“We moved the ball on offense,” Coach Inserra said. “We had 20 first downs for the game, but only came away with six points, so obviously offensively we wanted to do a bit more.”

Regardless of the outcome, Coach Inserra recognized the cooperation and efforts of the team members.

“The boys played extremely hard, and did what we asked of them, but that night, we weren’t the better team,” he said.

The loss in the final was difficult for the players, but the team is looking to capitalize on the experience.

“I think the team will build off of the loss in the

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SLINGING THE ROCK

Senior Rowan Keefe looks to pass to his first read early in the second quarter of the state final. The Hawks dealt with heavy pressure from the Lockport defensive line throughout the game.

State Championship because we’re all more motivated now, and everybody is ready to put in the work,” junior linebacker Jackson Magad said. “The sophomores that came up got a lot of extra experience being on varsity, so that’s just going to make our team better next year.”

Despite losing in the final, the boys endured a hard-fought season and gained valuable knowledge on what it takes to be a state championship-caliber team.

“I’ve learned that trusting in one another is one of the biggest reasons we got to State,” junior linebacker Ben Labutka said. “Our team had trust in each other and that every guy will do their job. Another thing I’ve learned is that even when you’re down, never stop playing. We had many games where we were down in the fourth quarter and came out on top.”

Coach Inserra also applauded the boys’ teamwork.

“We had a phenomenal season,” he said. “I think we overachieved all the way through, we weren’t very big, we weren’t the fastest, but we played, I thought, the best as a team throughout the season.”

Although the season has just ended, the Hawks have already started to put work into preparing for next year’s season. The team knows that hard work will be key to success in the coming season, and players are taking charge to ensure that the work ethic and the accountability of the team remains high.

“We juniors are making sure the upcoming sophomores are getting in the weight cage every day,” Labutka said. “We’re going to play some tough teams and we need to be ready.”

“We could’ve just skated harder, been more aggressive, in a way tried harder at the game,” sophomore Livia Jolineau said. “However, we are in the top tier, and I’m definitely excited for the season.”

The team is looking ahead to their upcoming games this season, and is prepared to make any improvements necessary.

“I am just proud of the team for improving a lot from last season and making it into the top tier, where games are pretty tough and the teams are a lot harder to beat compared to last year,” Kaufman said.

The team has played unofficial games prior to the Barrington game.

“We played six tiering round games prior to our first regular season game, and with each game, we’ve made some positive strides,” Coach Nick Lavalle said.

“We’re doing a better job of playing a team game, which will help us grow much faster as a group.”

The team has been preparing for games both at practices and by arriving early to get in more preparation before the games.

“We get there an hour before the game and do a little warm-up of jumping jacks and a stretch circle,” Jolineau said.

The team’s pre-game procedure also includes some activities to help the team grow closer and bond.

“We usually listen to incredibly loud music in the locker room before the game,” Beyer said. “It consists of a lot of skipping around in the music, ranging from rap to Disney songs.”

Other team members appreciate the exciting musical tradition.

“It’s like a dance party and we listen to like a lot of pump-up music,” Jolineau said.

These locker room concerts bring the team closer together.

“I believe that the locker room is their sanctum, and that truly is where they will have both the most and greatest memories of their time playing this game,” Coach Lavalle said. “The older girls and the younger girls interact well together, and they all pull for one another.”

Maine girls’ varsity hockey happily returns to the ice Madison Basquin

Sports Editor he Maine Girls’ Hockey team includes female athletes from all District 207 schools: East, South, West, and Frost Academy. The season this year started in September with practices every week and usually one game each week as well. The team had their first regular season game on Nov. 17 against Barrington.

“I felt super excited,” junior Morgan Beyer said.

“It was the first game I’d played since freshman year when we got shut down due to COVID.” The team practices at an indoor ice rink, so due to COVID safety regulations, their season was put off for a while.

“I think the game was pretty good for our first game,” junior Kassidy Kaufman said. “It felt great to be back with the team and to finally be able to play games again. The coaches are also great, which makes it even better.”

The team lost against Barrington 6-1, but they’re prepared to work even harder at future games.

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