Vol 60, Issue 1

September 29, 2023

RE v

GRAND OPENING

After the completion of the PA wing, construction at Maine South comes to an end.

Twenty-two new teachers make their start at South.

District 207 purchases the farm lot on Hamlin St.

Students share their Eras Tour experiences.

New Staff Hay, Hawks The Eras Raisin’ The Flag Girls’ flag football team added to fall sport list.

1111 S. Dee roaD • park riDge, illinoiS 60068 Vol. 60, no. 1

LEFT TO RIGHT: DR. MICHAEL PRESSLER, MR. JIN LEE, DR. KEN WALLACE, MS. CARLA OWEN, DR. TERI COLLINS

Mr. Barbas leaves lasting impact on South

Elizabeth Handley Editor-In-Chief

OnJuly 5, Maine South Spanish teacher Mr. Francisco Barbas passed away at the age of 59. Mr. Barbas, known to faculty and students as Don Francisco, was known to be a true Renaissance man in the school for the past 29 years with his passion for culture, the arts, and education.

Don Francisco was described by his coworkers and students as a man with many interests and a friend to all.

“He was kind to everyone—he made friendships and connections not only within our department but throughout the whole school,” World Language/ Multilingual Department Chair Ms. Tona Costello said. “First and foremost with his students, who remember him for being very engaging; incorporating music, culture, and fun in his classes.”

Don Francisco was known for sparking passion and love for language through his teaching. He would use students’ interests to connect with them, and through his intuitive teaching style, many students discovered a newfound love for the Spanish language.

“Since he had so many interests and talents, it would be very difficult for him to not find something that students were interested in that he could not relate to,” Spanish teacher Mr. José Argüello said. “I remember a few students who have gone on to learn Spanish and continue to use Spanish in their lives, which he, of course, had a lot to do with.”

One of the most notable ways in which Don Francisco connected with his students was through singing in classes to grab their attention and make learning fun.

“His students would always be looking forward

to his singing and to sing along with him,” Mr. Argüello said.

Don Francisco was so influential in his teaching that he inspired Spanish teacher Ms. Amanda White to live in Spain herself after graduation and eventually become a Spanish teacher at Maine South.

“I remember sitting in his class and thinking ‘I want to study Spanish as my major and live in Spain,’” Ms. White said. “He was a big reason why I became a teacher—the relationship I had with him as a student, the experiences in his class, just learning and having fun and being inspired to be curious.”

Don Francisco’s zeal for education and Spanish pride created friendships among both students and colleagues. The unforgettable and unique bonds he made with people at Maine South encouraged and

inspired those who knew him.

“His impact is never ending-the kinds of things that parents, teachers, and other students have shared with me after he passed attest to that,” Mr. Argüello said. “Not only was he a great professional, he was a great human being. His legacy can be measured by the emptiness that his absence leaves.”

Toms remembered for his humor and kindness

Madison Basquin

Editor-In-Chief

Friendly and outgoing rising junior Fred Toms passed away on July 10. A service for Fred was held on July 24 where many community members paid their respects to Fred’s family.

Fred’s counselor, Mr. William Milano, had a close relationship with Fred and remembers the impact he left on everyone in the school.

“He made people around him feel better,” Mr. Milano said. “He was someone kids liked to be around because he was easy going and accepting.”

Fred was involved in the guided study program where Ms. Ann Nimz was his advisor. She spent a great deal of time with Fred and learned how great of a student and person he was. Fred was the kind of student who found unique ways to participate in school, most notably on Halloween.

“He was fun,” Ms. Nimz said. “We always say we want students to be involved, and Fred even dressed up as the Kool-Aid Man for Halloween. He would be all in for stuff like that, making it super fun. He was always willing to participate.”

Fred had a positive relationship with the teachers of his other classes as well.

“Fred was often one of the first students in my classroom or last to leave, and he would frequently share with me a story about his day or something

that happened to him over a weekend,” English teacher Mr. Alexander Stathakis said. “I looked forward to those conversations because of how joyful, humorous, and earnest he was.”

Fred not only had a positive relationship with the staff and students, but he was often found with Luke and Sadie, the therapy dogs in the SST.

“He really loved dogs,” Mr. Milano said. “He served the dogs here. He’d always come to visit Luke and Sadie, even if he didn’t have an appointment. It was a really nice connection being able to come see the dogs and us.”

Fred found his own ways to enjoy school. He was the typical sophomore, but chose not to look at attending school as a chore. He found joy in classes and spread that to his peers.

“He was a normal sophomore student,” Nimz said. “They’re here not exactly against their will, but more because they have to be. He was typical that way. But, he was always such a supportive kid. A good student is always willing to participate in school. He was very kind. We always talk about Hawk PRIDE, and he had all of those qualities.”

IN LOVING MEMORY An ofrenda was set up in the B wing to celebrate the memory of Mr. Francisco Barbas. Through the window, the memorial tree planted in his honor can be seen in the courtyard.

Interim principals lead South for the 2023-2024 year

Charlotte Chapman & Charlotte King News Editors

Shortly after the end of the 20222023 school year, it was announced that former Maine South principal, Dr. Ben Collins would be leaving after six years at the helm to become the superintendent of District 64.

Because District 207 did not want to rush the hiring of a new principal, two former 207 administrators were brought in as interim principals: Dr. Michael Pressler and Dr. Steven Isoye.

Both Dr. Pressler and Dr. Isoye have extensive experience in education administration.

Dr. Isoye worked as the principal of Maine East before becoming superintendent at Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200, from which he retired in 2022. Currently, he is also the chair of the Illinois State Board of Education.

Dr. Pressler was the chair of the Maine South Fine Arts Department for 14 years. He then went on to serve as Maine East’s principal for 12 years before his retirement in 2022.

Dr. Pressler explained that his philosophy as a principal is centered around listening.

“I always want to try to understand where people are coming from, because, almost always, everybody knows a lot more about what they do every day than I do,” Dr. Pressler said. This communication is not only necessary between the staff and the principal. It’s also essential between the two interim principals as they trade off responsibilities.

“It’s important for Dr. Pressler and I to be on the same page,” Dr. Isoye said. “We’re here for a few days and then not here for a few days, and that’s how it goes. The communication is the most important.”

“[Dr. Isoye] and I speak, I would say roughly about an hour a day, regardless of who is in the building, because we really try to hand off as

smoothly as we can,” Dr. Pressler said.

This “hand off” is crucial to the interim principal role.

Since both Dr. Pressler and Dr. Isoye are technically retired, they are limited to 120 days of work each. Therefore, the 238 work days of the school year will be divided evenly between the two, spanning from July of 2023 to June of 2024.

While this division of work is necessary, it adds an unusual aspect to the typical principal role.

“[Dr. Pressler] may end up starting something, but I may have to finish it,” Dr. Isoye said.

Fortunately, Dr. Pressler and Dr. Isoye have worked together in the past, and thus share common perspectives.

“In terms of philosophy, we generally, pretty much from the getgo, see things eye-to-eye,” Dr. Pressler said. “And if we don’t, we come to a consensus pretty quickly.”

This cooperation will benefit the school’s administration as they prepare for a new, permanent principal next year.

“We want to basically pave a very smooth runway for the next principal of Maine South High School,” Dr. Pressler said.

New girls’ TBC class exercises unique opportunity

Lucia Fuentes

News Writer

For 30 years, the Total Body Conditioning P.E. Class, otherwise known as TBC, has been a staple in the Maine South physical education program.

However, in the last two years, Ms. Laura Markus, a Maine South P.E. teacher, and Mr. Donald Lee, the Maine South P.E. department chair, have been working to expand TBC to provide a more inclusive strength training option by offering an all-female class called Strength, Power, and Speed.

The objective of the TBC class is to familiarize as many students as possible with the gym by using our very own HPL (Human Performance Lab).

“We usually meet in the HPL for warm-ups, have a set workout plan for the day, and then halfway through the class we usually go outside or to the field house,” Mia Jolineau, a senior leader in one of the two female TBC class periods, said.

Mr. Lee emphasized the benefits of the HPL resource for students.

“The ability to offer all our students the chance to get into our incredible weight facility, along with Ms. Markus’s teaching background, is extremely valuable,” Mr. Lee said.

Ms. Markus, the instructor of the class, was the driving force behind this expansion.

The class is individualized for each student’s

HAWKS BUILD STRENGTH Strength

needs. Regardless of a student’s past experience at the gym, Ms. Markus hopes that students will gain strength and confidence.

“We have students starting from no background to more than ample background,” Ms. Markus said.

The purpose of the all-female class was to create an environment for those who were interested in weight-lifting, but weren’t comfortable taking the typical TBC class offered.

“I think a girls’ TBC is extremely beneficial because 98% of the girls wouldn’t have taken TBC with all the guys,” Jolineau said.

As the class senior leader, Jolineau has been working closely alongside the students.

“I would recommend it to anyone who likes to lift or wants to get into lifting, as well as anyone who likes to play games,” Jolineau said.

Both Ms. Markus and Jolineau mentioned that they have already noticed new personal records in the weight room among the students in the short weeks they have been together.

“I have seen a lot of people get more comfortable with the gym equipment, as well as noticing new PRs from people,” Jolineau said.

The students are noticing changes in themselves from this class as well.

“This class has already helped me gain muscle strength and has pushed me to want to work harder and be better,” junior Rebecca Dupke, a student in the class, said.

Both teachers and students seem to be enjoying this new opportunity.

“It’s early in the year to say, but there seems to be positive feedback and enjoyment coming from the students in both of my classes,” Ms. Markus said.

Mr. Lee confirmed that the ability to offer this class to Maine South students is very significant to him.

“Our TBC classes were first talked about at Maine South back in ‘93, and then started up in 1994-95. So, seeing this full circle moment and the chance to offer this class to all our students is really exciting and a rewarding experience,” Mr. Lee said.

LEADERS AT WORK Dr. Michael Pressler (left) and Dr. Steven Isoye (right) work in the office. The two interim principals split the work week so there is always one of them in the office.

Power and Speed class makes use of the Maine South HPL equipment. This is usually followed by cardio and endurance training.

PHOTOS BY CEYLAN YILDIZ

PHOTO BY CEYLAN YILDIZ

Construction is completed with the PA wing’s upgrade

Oliver Gvuzd News Writer

Maine South’s almost four-yearlong, school-wide construction project came to an end with the finalization of the performing arts (PA) wing.

This construction aimed to make the space more usable and efficient for students and faculty.

“What we really wanted to do was kind of get rid of the wasted space with hallways and tiny rooms that weren’t as efficient to give larger spaces to students,” Dr. Teralyn Keith, Fine Arts Department Chair, said.

Most of the changes consisted of rearranging offices and lockers, which opened up new possibilities for work spaces.

“We moved the lockers from our old equipment storage room into the hallways, and that allowed us to shuffle things around to create a new multi-purpose rehearsal room,” band director Mr. David Hutter said.

Some rooms were combined to create larger rooms, while others were resized to add additional rooms.

“We definitely lost space in some parts of the wing, like practice rooms and hallways, but I think it was for the better,” junior Mia Buchheister, a student in band, choir, and drama, said.

As a result of this construction, practice spaces can now be utilized by multiple groups simultaneously.

“Now, we can have drama, music, all of these rehearsals going on at the same time because we have more spaces to allocate to different groups,” Dr. Keith said.

Another new addition is the installation of uniform lockers as storage for band students.

“This will make uniform checkin/out much more efficient and keep the uniforms better organized,” Mr. Hutter said.

This goal of efficiency was also kept in mind when rearranging offices.

“A lot of the teachers’s offices moved to different spots, but it is now more convenient for them,” said Buchheister.

Areas such as the auditorium have been updated as well.

“The auditorium has totally new seating and lighting and spaces for handicapped seating,” Mr. Patrick Sanchez, theater technical director, said.

During the construction process, classes normally held in the PA Wing had to move to a temporary location for rehearsals.

“The band used the library to

rehearse over the summer and the start of the school year,” Mr. Hutter said. “Students helped move all of the equipment back into the renovated wing. Productivity was slow, but it is sure to go back to speed now that it is complete.”

Despite the benefits of the construction, it’s also proven to be distracting for some.

“There were no floors or ceilings. so it was hard to play/sing with an

ensemble since it would be so loud in the room,” said Buchheister.

Other students, like senior Hana Brkic, had mixed feelings about the changes.

“I’m sad to see a lot of aspects of the PA wing go, such as the girls’ and boys’ dressing rooms we had backstage, but it’s nice to see that with those spaces, we were able to extend the shop and add more room for working,” said Brkic.

Grand re-opening showcases new and improved spaces

Katelyn Whitlock

News Writer

Withbuilding construction finally complete, District 207 hosted a grand re-opening ceremony on Sept. 14 for community members to see the building’s improvements. The ceremony was the last of the three Maine schools’ to take place, with Maine East’s scheduled earlier this month and Maine West’s occurring last year.

The event began with remarks from District Director of Communications Brett Clark, Superintendent Dr. Ken Wallace, and Interim Principal Dr. Mike Pressler.

Dr. Wallace and Dr. Pressler thanked the community for supporting the $195 million referendum, which passed with a 60% “yes” vote in 2018. They also recognized key individuals in both the referendum efforts and the construction process, one of whom was former Maine South Principal Dr. Ben Collins, who was also present at the event.

The ceremony drew in board members, administrators, teachers, alumni, and various government officials, including a state senator and trustees from Harwood Heights.

“It’s a chance for people to come in, see the improvements, and for folks who supported us in the referendum to see where their tax dollars have gone,” Dr. Pressler said prior to the event.

After the ceremonial ribbon was

cut, administrators and Hawk Pride leaders led tours to show off the renovations.

The tours included the new Career and Technical Education facilities, the remodeled auditorium, and new athletics amenities. Administrators highlighted how new spaces encouraged hands-on learning while emphasizing safety.

“I think the building, the way it’s built, provides a lot more opportunity

for students to have more agency, some choice in how to constructively use their time…It just is built in a way that is more in the way that we do school,” Dr. Pressler said.

Many attendees who had been in the building prior to construction were taken aback by the changes.

“It’s really interesting the way they restructured all the human performance labs,” alumna Sheila Gonzalez (‘93) said. “That was our cafeteria. So the fact that it changed from a place to eat to a place to work out 30 years later is very crazy.”

Others were impressed by the modernity of the new building.

“I just like that it doesn’t look like the ‘70s anymore,” Karen Smith, mother of four Maine South alumni and one current senior said. “It’s in today’s day and age.”

Administrators hope that the new building will serve many future generations of Hawks.

“I think they will serve our students easily for the next 50+ years,” Dr. Wallace said.

ADVANCED AUDITORIUM The revamped auditorium features new seating and a bigger backstage. The auditorium was redone to become ADA compliant.

NEW SPACE SHOWCASE Superintendent Dr. Ken Wallace speaks about the new spaces at the grand re-opening. The event provided an opportunity for the community to see the completed construction.

PHOTO BY CEYLAN YILDIZ

PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

STAFF EDITORIAL

Readjusting the block schedule

Following the 2020-2021 Hybrid school year, Maine South moved to a full block schedule. This schedule includes alternating odd and even four-period days consisting of 80-minute-long classes.

Most students seem to feel that the current block schedule is a significant improvement over middle school experiences with a full eight-period day. The day can seem hectic and long with so many classes in the sevenhour school day, but with the block schedule, classes can more easily dive deeper into content without a time crunch.

Despite this, shorter periods may be more helpful for certain courses, such as language and math classes, where consistent, daily practice is beneficial. With other classes, the 80-minute period allows for specific lessons like labs to be completed within one period, helping students to better consume the content.

The block schedule has clear pros and cons; however, in the 2020-2021 school year, with a slightly different schedule, several of these cons were no issue. The eight-period Mondays followed by four alternating fourperiod days allowed for the days of each class to remain consistent.

By adding an eight-period day

back into the schedule, students would be able to check in with their teachers and learn smaller concepts before having heftier lessons later in the week. It also allows students to go to each class three times every week, resulting in many more contacts over the course of a semester.

Returning to the old schedule of one eight-period day and four, fourperiod days would help the students manage their workload and stress levels, and allow them to get help from the teachers more consistently. They would be able to see all of their teachers an equal number of times per week and have an additional day to ask questions about larger assignments due on block classes.

For example, if a teacher scheduled an assessment for one of the block days, students would have the eightperiod day with a shorter class period to check in and do a quick review to feel more prepared. It also helps add consistency for courses, like languages or math, where frequent practice is important.

There are some logistical challenges with the eight-period day that arise with in-person learning that did not occur virtually, the most significant of which is the lunch situation.

It is not possible to have only one lunch with all 2,400 students at Maine South in only two main eating areas. This is why we currently have the A, B and C-lunch system. To solve this overcrowding issue on an eight-period day, we suggest moving advisory to Monday to allow for an A, B, or C lunch.

Currently, advisory shortens the Wednesday class periods, resulting in uneven class time for even and odd days. By adding advisory to the eightperiod Monday, the block days will all have the same amount of class time and won't be interrupted by advisory. This new schedule would consist of eight, 35-minute periods, a 5A, B, and C lunch-class-advisory rotation, and the school day ending at 3:05 instead of 2:56. The rotation would be a third of students go to lunch, another third go to advisory, and the final third go to class. This would then rotate for the B and C portions. All three of these portions are still 35-minutes, allowing each class to get the same amount of time.

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Southwords is a student-run 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 participation in the 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

Madison Basquin

Elizabeth Handley

News Editors

Charlotte Chapman

Charlotte King

Samara Lefler

Commentary Editors

Eliza Goldwasser

Jacob Mascort

Emery Yates

Features Editors

Ava Jurek

Lilien Schirazi

Entertainment Editors

Sayde Feeley

Grace Halpert

Caitlin Vengazo

Sports Editors

Kyra Demeros

Brianna Giustino

Thomas Hurley

Production Editors

With all the stress students go through in high school, it is important that they can rely on a suitable and consistent schedule that best aids their learning. This would create that environment.

Adviser

Rohan Cham

Lily Giambarberee

Anastasia Musyakevich

Ceylan Yildiz

Mr. Stathakis

The Common App acts as a social trap for seniors

Eliza Goldwasser

Editor

Ofthe 599 graduating seniors in the Maine South class of 2023, 31% applied to more than 10 colleges.

This may seem, to those outside of the application process, like exceedingly large quantities of both schools and stress, but to current high schoolers thinking about college, it seems necessary to ensure acceptance to a desired college.

But it wasn’t always like this.

In 1995, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), only 10% of incoming first-year students applied to more than seven schools, whereas in 2017, that number rose to 36%.

One significant difference between these two years was the number of schools that were members of the Common Application, with 150 schools in 1995 and 771 schools in 2017.

The Common Application (more familiarly known as the Common App) is a nonprofit organization that allows students to apply to its more than 1,000 member schools with one standardized form, simplifying the application process from applying and writing essays to individual schools.

The Common App encourages a phenomenon known as a social trap. According to the American Psychological Association, a social trap occurs when “individuals, groups, organizations, or whole societies initiate a course of action or establish a set of relationships that lead to negative or even lethal outcomes in the long term, but that once initiated are difficult to withdraw from or alter.”

This pertains to the admissions cycle almost perfectly: students apply to more schools because the Common App allows them to easily do so.

In turn, the acceptance rates of those schools go down, and people begin applying to more schools out of fear of not being accepted. This cycle goes on and on, and it is incredibly difficult to end because an individual, out of self-interest, is not going to apply to fewer schools if everyone else is applying to more.

In fact, the number of applications

from the 2019-2020 cycle to the 2022-2023 cycle increased by nearly 30%, with a staggering 7,057,980 applications submitted this year through the Common App.

Not only does this decrease acceptance rates significantly, but it also puts a strain on a college or university’s reviewing process.

Committee-based review has become the predominant method of evaluation used by universities as a result of the influx of applications.

This is where a group of admissions officers review different sections of an application and then discuss the application as a group.

This process occurs in eight minutes or less, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Eight minutes decide the next four years of a student’s life, and often, the decisions are final.

To this extent, college admission is more of a lottery than a meritocracy.

Although there are many downsides to the Common App that need to be addressed, it is also important to acknowledge the benefits it provides for students.

The Common App significantly

reduces the stress of senior year by simplifying the application process and requiring only one essay: a personal statement about a student’s individual experiences.

This is especially important for students coming from low-income backgrounds, as they have little to no access to expensive admission counselors whose jobs are to break down the complex process of applying to colleges.

Also, the Common App provides fee waivers for students unable to pay the application fee. This feature allows some students who might not apply to college otherwise to have a chance at reaching higher education.

The Common App is not going anywhere. However, what it can do is make changes to alleviate some of the problems it is currently creating.

The Common App should limit the number of schools to which applicants can apply to ten schools.

According to the College Board, applying to 5-8 schools is usually enough to ensure acceptance, so, by making the limit ten schools,

the Common App would be allowing more than what is generally recommended by the College Board themselves.

For students who feel as though ten schools is not enough, they would still be able to apply to more colleges, just through a school’s own application process.

This would require a greater amount of effort; consequently, students would no longer apply to schools frivolously with just the click of a button. Instead, they would have to put genuine effort into applying to more schools.

Some may be concerned that schools would view these independent applications in a different light than those through the Common App.

However, if students go through the laborious process of individual applications, it actually demonstrates a commitment to an individual school, which they would look at positively.

College applications are meant to be challenging. People are supposed to put their best foot forward and prove that they can thrive in their desired school.

A simple checkbox cannot determine this. Students should be excited about all the schools they are applying to, rather than indiscriminately applying to schools that they would never want to attend in the first place.

Commentary

“To this extent, college admission is more of a lottery than a meritocracy.”

Lack of summer school courses inhibits student success

Compression during the summer so that they would be able to move up to their preferred math class.

Unfortunately, at Maine South, outside of the bridge classes, only Health and Civics and Government courses are offered to be taken during the summer.

For many students across the United States, summer break is associated with kicking back, relaxing, and enjoying time away from the repetitive cycle of school. But, for others, it is the perfect opportunity to get things done, whether that be working, volunteering, playing on a sports team, or going to summer school.

Summer school is often spoken about with a negative connotation. It is sometimes seen as a place for students who are struggling academically and need to retake classes that they had failed the year prior.

Spending time under the bright fluorescent lights of a classroom is the last thing a teenager wants to do during their summer vacation.

However, summer school can be a very beneficial option for students who may want to get ahead academically and open up other academic opportunities during the school year.

For example, if there is a student who wants to be in AP Calculus BC as a senior, but they took Math 3 Compression as a junior, they should be given the opportunity to take Precalculus

A school like ours should seriously consider implementing more options for summer school. As a community, we should be encouraging learning not only during the school year, but also throughout the summer.

It is great that one-semester graduation requirements like Health and Civics and Government are offered, but why aren’t others like Financial Literacy and Physical Education?

After taking Health the summer going into my freshman year, I was hoping to do the same with Financial Literacy.

Being forced to take this semester credit during the school year blocked me from adding another full-year class to my schedule.

It seems that a class like this could easily be offered over the summer, and for benefits beyond simply allowing students to get ahead.

According to the Regional Educational Study Program, “Rigorous studies have shown that strong summer programs can achieve several important goals. They can reverse summer learning loss, achieve learning gains,

and give low-performing students the chance to master material that they did not learn during the school year.”

A long two-and-a-half months of doing nothing academically related makes it especially difficult to get back on track when August comes around.

Additionally, according to Duke University, a review of 39 studies indicated that achievement test scores decline over summer vacation. More resources for learning during the summer can work to alleviate this.

Fortunately, the lack of summer school options is a problem that can easily be fixed—we can follow the example set by fellow schools in the area. For example, Glenbrook High Schools offer academic enrichment

classes during the summer. They do this with a small registration fee, and it allows students to access a wide variety of classes they can take over summer break.

The addition of more summer school options at this school would only have positive outcomes.

Teenagers can use summer school as a tool to keep themselves busy while doing something of importance.

It can be very easy to fall into the trap of wasting time during the summer, and having the option to take more classes and get ahead of graduation requirements would encourage students to stay busy while opening new opportunities during the school year.

The right teacher can truly make an impact

Elizabeth Handley Editor-In-Chief

At the beginning of each new school year, we encounter a plethora of unfamiliar faces, from peers to teachers. Getting to know new people can be intimidating enough on its own, but when you are also faced with the environment of a new class filled with student geniuses, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

Walking into my AP United States History class and getting briefed on the curriculum by my teacher immediately had me thinking about dropping the class. I was bewildered at the thought that when I made my schedule, I actually believed I could handle this.

What I didn’t realize in those first

few days of class was how devoted my teacher was to helping her students succeed. I spent countless early mornings and late nights working on notes and watching hours worth of Heimler’s History videos and soon became a frequent visitor in Ms. Kaye’s classroom before school or during lunch for extra help.

I would bombard her with questions and concerns about the upcoming summatives, but she never failed to be motivating and reassure me that I was more capable than I thought.

I was steadily progressing through the class, but it felt as though if I took a break from my work for a moment that I would soon be drowning in the flood of coursework. Right when I felt like I was comfortable with where I stood in the class, I fell ill for three weeks.

Not only was I behind in that class, but all of my classes. This was one of the most challenging things I’ve faced

academically. I had no choice but to learn the current and past material simultaneously—right as the AP test season was rapidly approaching.

Despite this major setback, Ms. Kaye walked me through everything I missed, ensured that I had enough time to complete my work by the end of the year, and showed me that I could make it through okay.

She always offered an open door for me and any other students who may have been struggling, and she never rushed my process of getting caught up. Some of my best memories from junior year were studying in her room with other students before school.

I was lucky to have a teacher with not only a deep knowledge of the curriculum, but also an unwavering confidence in their students’ success.

Behind every great student is a support system of amazing teachers who have the ability to ignite new

passions for their subjects and reflect their own zest for learning through their teaching and how they support their students.

Mrs. Kaye continuously went above and beyond in encouraging her students academically and emotionally. As someone who was never really interested in history prior to this class, I finished the year with bittersweet feelings, as I was proud of myself for all that I had accomplished through the year, but I also knew that I was going to miss my classmates and especially my teacher.

Everyone deserves someone whom they can rely on throughout their high school years and we are fortunate to have a community of staff at Maine South who want nothing more than their students to succeed.

So, put trust in your teachers to help you as the year goes on, and take advantage of the time they set aside—it can make all the difference.

HEALTHY HABITS During the school year, Health classes meet live in PE 26. However, this class is one of the only semester-long courses that is required for graduation that can also be taken over the summer.

Hayden Magdad

Commentary Writer

PHOTO BY CEYLAN YILDIZ

new

YEAR,

Lilien Schirazi, Ava Jurek, Sophia Bayraktarov, Sarah Frantz, Lauren Geier, Charlotte Hartung, Alexander Konwal, & Maggie Sheehan

Features Editors & Writers

There are 22 new teachers joining the Maine South community this year.

These new faculty members are eager to make an impact and embrace their Hawk Pride spirit in the Career Technical Education (CTE), English, Fine Arts, Health and Wellness, Math, Science, Social Science, Special Education, Student and Family Services, and World Languages departments.

Ms. Ayana Bankston joins Maine South’s Social Science department as a US History and World Cultures teacher. Ms. Bankston has enjoyed the different dynamics and energies of all her students, particularly across different grade levels. Outside of school she likes to read and travel. This year, she plans on being involved with the Black Empowerment Union. Ms. Bankston is excited to embrace the Maine South school spirit. “I’ve never seen school spirit like this before,” Ms. Bankston said. “This kind of energy from extracurriculars comes into the classroom where people feel comfortable with each other and are always willing to learn.”

Ms. Laura Bertalmio is a new addition to the English department. She is an English 1 and 3 teacher who found her passion for literature while traveling abroad and connecting with people through books. She has been an English teacher for eight years and formerly taught British and American literature, Broadcast Journalism, and English 1. She has also written a book, which she hopes to soon turn into a movie, and is also involved with the Film Club. “What better way to live your life than to talk about books, teach, and hopefully encourage other students to find something they enjoy as much as I enjoy English,” she said.

Mr. Chris Buti is the new assistant band director in the Fine Arts department. He is helping teach the wind ensemble, symphonic band, marching band, and jazz band. He previously taught for 24 years as the Band Director and Fine Arts coordinator at Rolling Meadows High School. Mr. Buti is ecstatic to bring his passion for music to Maine South. “I love working with students and music, so when this opportunity came up, I decided I’d love to be a part of the team,” Mr. Buti said. His love for music has spanned his entire life. “I knew halfway through middle school that I wanted to be a band director,” Mr. Buti said.

Ms. Breanna Dangerfield is teaching Fashion and Culinary 1, and she decided to teach at the high school level due to her amazing high school experience and the teachers she had who inspired her to follow in their footsteps. She also wanted to become a teacher because she is biracial (Mexican and African-American) and wanted to be someone to whom students from other minority groups could relate. She also coaches girls’ JV1 volleyball. “I used to teach Culinary & Consumer Management at Hoffman Estates High School, and I also coached the sophomore girls’ and the freshman boys’ volleyball team,” Ms. Dangerfield said.

Ms. Nicole DeMatteo is a new teacher here and is teaching Spanish. This will be her third year teaching, but her first year teaching at Maine South. Other than Spanish, one of her passions is dance. She taught dance during college and really enjoyed it. Ms. DeMatteo has always loved foreign languages ever since she was a kid; growing up, her family spoke Italian. At school, she wanted to learn something similar to allow her to communicate with them. “The ability to learn about how language is structured and how the world can communicate is one of the most amazing parts about being a language teacher,” Ms. DeMatteo said.

Mr. Joseph Fitzpatrick joined the Fine Arts department this year as the new Director of Theater. He will be teaching Drama 1-4 and Theater Communications. He is also directing the Fall play, V-show, the Spring musical, a nd the Thespian Honor Society. Prior to Maine South, Mr. Fitzpatrick taught Spanish and Theater at Stevenson and Yorkville High School. He is excited to make connections with the students and other faculty members. “Getting to know the community has been really great from everyone I’ve met so far,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “Everyone’s been so warm and welcoming. It’ll be nice to have those more personal connections.”

Mr. David Harmon will be teaching Drama 1 at Maine South for the first time after having taught for years in the other D207 buildings. He has received a warm welcome in his first weeks at South and has found the students to be friendly and motivated. “I’ve taught drama and communication at Maine East, Maine West, and Lake Zurich High School,” Mr. Harmon said. Mr. Harmon wanted to pursue his passion for acting and theatre and decided to become a high school drama teacher. Mr. Harmon decided he wanted to teach at a high school level because he loves teenagers’ sarcasm, fragility, and how they challenge others’ thinking.

A new addition to our Maine South community is Ms. Alexis Lane, our new school psychologist for Team Red. She started off her career as a psychologist at Bremen High School in Midlothian. In her free time, she loves to read psychology thrillers and watch movies. She has wanted to be a school psychologist since her senior year of high school because of the effect her school psychologist had on her. “I worked with and developed a great relationship with the school psychologist at my high school. She was wonderful and made me realize how impactful their role can be,” Ms. Lane said. “It made me want to be a part of the team.”

Ms. Effie Loukas, the new CCRC Career Coordinator, is a Maine South alumna. In her free time, she loves attending Park Ridge community events like the Farmers Market. She was first interested in career advising because of the people. “I love the energy of an academic environment and speaking with students about their career interests and plans,” Ms. Loukas said. “These interactions allow me to create career experiences, such as career treks, volunteer and internship opportunities, and industry professional visits. I am so thrilled to be a part of this community and our students’ career development and successes.”

Ms. Gabrielle Lytle is a new member of the French department and it will be her third year as a French teacher. She enjoys many things about teaching, including the students and atmosphere. Ms. Lytle will also be the new assistant coach for the girls’ gymnastics team at Maine South. Ms. Lytle appreciates French culture, which stemmed from when she housed a foreign exchange student. Her time in France began her love for the culture and language, which later led to her pursuing a career as a French teacher. “Learning a new language opens the door to so many things, to so many cultures, food, and people,” Ms. Lytle said.

The 2023-2024 school year has the largest group of new teachers the school has seen in recent years

STAFF

Ms. Jarizza Martinez is joining the Health and Wellness department and will be teaching four sophomore classes and one freshman class. She loves to explore Chicago and unique restaurants. She is always trying to get stronger by focusing on strength training and is also a skateboarder. She graduated from Elmhurst University in December 2022, with a degree in education, so this is her very first job as a teacher.

“I am so excited and grateful to teach all my classes, but I am most excited to teach my freshman class because it’s their first year of high school and it’s my first year as a teacher, so it’s like we’re learning together,” she said.

Ms. Mary Miller recently joined the Fine Arts department at Maine South. She is teaching Art 1 and 2, and Ceramics and Design. She has experience teaching various kinds of art classes, including Drawing, Painting, Animation & Cartooning, and Jewelry. “I used to be a goldsmith before I came into teaching,” Ms. Miller said. She is looking forward to connecting with students and teachers at Maine South this year. “It’s nice to get to know a new group of kids,” Ms. Miller said. “There’s a lot of talent, energy, and positivity. It seems like a really nice community.” Ms. Miller is excited to get involved with the Art Club and other activities.

Mr. Cody Mueller, the school’s newest Italian teacher, found his way into Italian when he was in 7th grade. “I had no prior language experience before that. In high school I studied Spanish and German as well, and I like to study French,” he said. He was inspired to become a teacher by his former high school language teachers and his drive to learn about different cultures and languages. Maine South has proven to be a welcoming environment where he feels comfortable. “Maine South is a fantastic place,” he said. “I love my colleagues already, and the students have been amazing. It is very refreshing to work in a school with such great school spirit.”

Mr. Zubair Muhammad decided he wanted to teach when he used to work as a tutor, but he also wanted to incorporate his love for cooking. “I couldn’t decide whether to become a teacher or a chef, so I pursued both by becoming a culinary arts and family consumer science teacher,” he said. He will also be helping out with the Debate Club. He chose Maine South because of its positive reputation. “I ultimately chose Maine South because it has a national reputation for excellence,” he said. “I also had a friend in high school who went to Maine East and he had only good things to say about Maine South’s culinary program.”

Ms. Lauren Olson, the newest Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) coordinator, has been a part of the community for two months and has already made an impact. She loves working in education because it provides the opportunity to support communities. “I love getting to know people individually and being a part of something bigger than myself,” she said. For the past six years, she was the Culture and Climate Coach at Oak Park River Forest High School. “I’ve held different roles from social work to teaching high school,” she said. “I’ve worked with Pre-K through 12th, which gives me a unique view of how our systems support learners.”

Mr. Leo Park joins the Fine Arts department at Maine South as the new orchestra teacher. In his years of experience as a music director, he taught Orchestra, Popular Music Ensemble, Music Technology, and Experiences in Music at Northside Prep. He is excited to get to know the Maine South community and work with the orchestra students. “I will be the teacher sponsor for the Tri-M Music Honor Society; I will also run Hawk Strings, the extracurricular orchestra, and will be the music director for VShow,” he said. “I’m excited to work with the incoming freshmen from Emerson and Lincoln, as we have plans to collaborate during the year.”

Mr. Steven Pavlakis is joining the Math Department as a Math 1 and Math 2 teacher. He is happy to help students set their own goals and is eager to guide them in achieving these goals. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his one-and-a-halfyear-old son and his wife. He is always traveling all over the country and the world for new experiences. Mr. Pavlakis is very excited to be teaching here at Maine South because of the extremely supportive environment and all of the fun traditions. “I have really enjoyed the band walking through the halls on Friday morning,” Mr. Pavlakis said. “That’s been a great pick-meup. It’s awesome.”

Mr. Ben Reiff is a new US History and World Cultures teacher. While teaching social science classes, Mr. Reiff loves learning and teaching about different parts of the world. “I enjoy having students tell me about their culture and making connections between students’ lives and our courses,” he said. Outside of school, Mr. Reiff likes playing and watching soccer, walking his dog, and spending time with his son. Mr. Reiff also loves to travel, and when not away from home, Mr. Reiff can be found planning his next adventure. Mr. Reiff is cosponsoring the Muslim Students Association and will be involved with swimming and water polo.

Mr. Jared Suggs is joining the Science Department to teach Physics 102 and Earth & Environmental Studies. Mr. Suggs is excited to teach Physics 102 because he got his degree in Physics Education. However, he is also eager to teach Earth and Environmental Science because it is an elective class, so there is less stress and more excitement to participate in labs. He previously worked at two different high schools in Florida, but decided to come to Maine South because of the school spirit. “Here, the school spirit with sports and other programs is a lot higher than I am used to,” he said. “It will be nice to experience that for the first time in my life.”

Dr. Michael Wartick, the newest counselor in Team Black, has always had the passion of helping others. “I’ve always wanted to go into a career where I can help people meet their goals and be a part of the community.

Working in public education has always been the perfect of those things,” he said. He started off his career at Highland High School for eight years, then went to Maine East for nine years before ending up at Maine South.

“As much as I’ve already known about Maine South from working in the district for the past nine years, every day I learn something new and get to know how unique each student is,” he said.

Ms. Emily Waters is teaching Biology and US History this year. Her favorite part of teaching these subjects is the age range of students. Before coming to Maine South, she taught freshman and sophomore English at Wauconda High School for seven years. She looks forward to attending after-school activities, such as sporting events and plays, meeting new students, getting involved with sports, and joining Tea Club. She can be found doing outdoor activities when she isn’t teaching. “Depending on the season, I really enjoy doing various activities such as kayaking, hiking, biking, paddle boarding, and snowboarding,” she said.

Ms. Amanda White is in her seventh year of teaching and is teaching Spanish. She has experience teaching middle school and is excited to return to where her passion for teaching began. A Maine South alumna, Ms. White’s experience with her teachers as a high school student inspired her to pursue education. Her previous Spanish teachers pushed her to learn more about Spanish culture and language. Ms. White loves seeing her students have “aha moments” and have fun in class. “I realized I wanted to work with students and inspire them to also have their own experiences connecting with people and going out into the world,” she said.

Ava

Growing the campus: District 207 set to purchase the Cline Farmstead

Jurek

Features Editor

During a special District 207 board meeting on July 6, the board voted to purchase the Cline Farmstead, Park Ridge’s last working farm. This is a three-acre farm that has been owned by Violet Koenig and her family for over 100 years and will be purchased for 3.2 million dollars. The land Maine South sits on was purchased from this same estate in 1957.

According to Superintendent Dr. Ken Wallace, there were many factors that went into the decision to purchase the farm.

“The land is adjacent to Maine South, our high school with the most students but the smallest amount of green space,” he said. “If I’ve learned anything in operating large high schools it’s that we can never have too much green space, so the pros here far outweigh any cons.”

Although this green space has various possibilities for its future use, the land will be used for academic purposes.

“As we look to the future, we think acquiring what is likely the last working farm in Park Ridge has the potential to greatly enhance and support our student learning experiences, particularly in areas like environmental science, sustainable and responsible agriculture in areas like hydroponics, aquaponics, and

the emerging field of bioponics, which aims to replace chemical fertilizers with organic ones, a huge problem that we’ve allowed in the US that other nations do not,” Dr. Wallace said.

Dr. Wallace believes that purchasing the farm will put District 207 students ahead of other students interested in joining the agriculture field.

“Naming the problem and joining the massive growth of jobs that are (and will continue) to occur in environmental science is a perfect intersection of authentic learning and high student interest,” Dr. Wallace said.

The land between the school and Hamlin Street, known by many as “Hamlin Gate,” will be used as a walkway for students to get between school and the farm. This land will also be used to make electrical and internet connections to the school.

Though others were interested in purchasing the farm, Maine South’s proximity and history in this area made it a good fit for the sellers.

“There was interest from land development companies in developing the land for real estate usage, but [Maine’s] usage, we think, honors the farm that existed there for many years, and it provides a wonderful opportunity to create learning opportunities for students that will hopefully have huge impacts

on improving the quality of life for Americans,” Dr. Wallace said.

The district has extensive plans for how the land will be put to use. Ideas range from environmental classes, to summer leadership opportunities.

“Our plan is to use it to help build programs that connect our curriculum to long-term learning projects from which our students can learn and hopefully find meaningful careers doing something vitally important to all of us: responsibly taking care of people and our planet at the same time,” Dr. Wallace said. “We also hope to create summer leadership and work opportunities for students through a potential partnership with the Park Ridge Park District. That also can include community opportunities to share in the learning, especially

with younger students. This will happen over the next couple of years.”

The push for new agriculture learning opportunities comes during a critical time when global warming is occurring at a rapid pace.

“As we discover more about the ‘forever chemicals’ present throughout food and water and as we see significant climate change accelerating in real time, my only regret is that we didn’t focus on this sooner,” Dr. Wallace said. “We have a chance right now to do something meaningful for our students, not just from a learning standpoint, but also to hopefully create learning conditions for our young people who are interested in the vast array of environmentally-related jobs that exist now and will grow in the future.”

FARM FLASHBACK This aerial photo from the 1950s looking east shows the Cline Farmstead (outlined) prior to Maine South’s construction on the south portion of it. Much of the area to the south and west of the farm was used as a dump.

PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

SOUTHWORDS FILE PHOTO

DEE ROAD

DEVON AVENUE

◄ MAINE SOUTH POND

◄ REMAINING FARMLAND

HIDDEN GEM The Cline Farm not only has one of the last remaining undeveloped fields in the area, but it also has a barn on site. This land will provide unique opportunities for students to learn in a variety of environmental fields.

Sydney Hollingsworth & Ella Goldklang Entertainment Writers

Thefall play “Failure: A Love Story,” which has been in preparation since August, will demonstrate concepts of love, family, and failure through personification. Clocks, played by actors, emphasize the passage of time.

Written by Philip Dawkins, this play is set in the year 1928 in Chicago and follows three sisters as they navigate life while coming closer to their fate, which is ultimately death.

Gerty Fail, played by senior Daniela Rescigno, is the eldest sister who takes on a matriarchal role following her parents’ death.

Senior Courtney Miller plays Jenny June Fail, the middle sister whose biggest passion is swimming.

The youngest sister, Nelly Fail, is played by junior Eve Hinton.

“[Nelly is] happy, lively, and loving,” Hinton said. “She is the youngest daughter and the first to die.”

The girls’ love interest, Mortimer Mortimer, played by senior Giona

Ella Cedeno & Tess Elliot Entertainment Writers

Marching band had the privilege to perform at Ryan Field at Northwestern University for NU Band Day on Saturday, Sept. 9 during halftime of the Northwestern vs. University of Texas at El Paso football game.

This is the band’s third time in the past decade attending NU Band Day. There were a total of 1,500 students performing at this event, 120 of them from Maine South. Northwestern invited 15 schools throughout Illinois and Wisconsin for this opportunity. Many colleges host similar events like this to recruit new people to join their band in the future.

Through this opportunity, band students were able to rehearse with the Northwestern band, attend a Big Ten football game, perform at halftime, and get a preview of what playing in a college band could look like.

“It was a really fun experience getting to rehearse and play with the Northwestern band,” junior bass drummer Lily Heneghan said. “We got

Maccaferri, affects each one of their lives too. Throughout the lifetime of the three sisters, each of them falls in love with Mortimer. He watches them each die and comforts the remaining sisters through the tragedies.

This play debuted in 2012 in Chicago, and it was an immediate success. Two years later, Philip Dawkins transformed “Failure: A Love Story” into a book.

This will be the first production with new theater director Mr. Joey Fitzpatrick.

“[It has been exciting] learning

about all the wonderful traditions that happen within this fantastic theater department,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the theater community here comes together during tech and show week while also contributing some traditions of my own.”

Even though the play seems sad and dark, it is actually an exciting play filled with unique elements such as personified clocks and animals.

“It is a comedy—it sounds like it’s a tragedy with people dying, but it’s honestly, in an ironic way, funny,”

Time brought to life in this year’s fall play Band plays in Northwestern halftime show

to learn from them and see how they normally practice.”

Due to Northwestern’s theme for halftime being Fall Out Boy, the band had to learn three new songs: “Uma Thurman,” “Centuries,” and “Light ‘Em Up.”

“We had to learn them in a pretty short amount of time,” senior drum major Lia Margaris said. “Our marching music is a lot different than what the Northwestern marching band would play.”

For many of the students there, getting the opportunity to learn new songs while playing in a new environment was an exhilarating experience.

An event like this is a special opportunity for band students across Illinois and Wisconsin to connect and reunite with high school band alumni.

“I am always looking for amazing performance opportunities for the Maine South Band and there’s not many bigger stages than a Big Ten Football Game,” band director Mr. David Hutter said. “Plus, I particularly wanted to go this year so we could share the field with three of our recent

Hinton said. “It’s just such a fun and whimsical play.”

Furthermore, powerful themes about the importance of time, love, and family are portrayed throughout the story.

“It’s a show that really focuses on the importance of time and time passing,” Hinton said. “Sometimes you think you have a long time with someone, but you don’t.”

This play conveys the importance of love in two ways: through the girls’ sisterly bond and through their romantic relationships with Mortimer.

“It highlights many different types of love and many unconventional types of relationships,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said.

The importance of family is illustrated through the journey the sisters endure. Throughout the play, the girls are there for each other during the good and the bad.

“It relates to everyone of all generations,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “There’s something in there for everybody.”

The show runs from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the newly renovated Watson Auditorium. Tickets will be sold at the door.

alumni who are in the Northwestern Marching Band [Callie Berthold ‘23, Lexi Stott ‘23, and Izzy Killian ‘20].”

This event can be a turning point for many students in band, as they may begin to consider pursuing music in college or beyond.

“This experience increased my liking to marching band,” Heneghan said. “I was able to meet more marching band high schoolers outside of Maine South, and that encourages me to keep

going because it’s fun when we all do something together. It also helped to see the Northwestern band and how much fun they were having because it encourages me to keep going with band into college.”

Beyond learning the skills of college musicians, this was a bonding experience for the band.

“Events like these bring our own band even closer together,” Margaris said. “It’s a great experience for us all.”

HALFTIME HITS Marching band performs popular Fall Out Boy songs alongside 14 other high schools and the Northwestern Band at Ryan Field on Sept. 9. This experience broadened horizons for students looking to pursue music in college.

PHOTO COURTESY MR. DAVID

STRIKE A POSE Sophomore Sam Hill acts as a clock during play rehearsal. The cast rehearses every day after school in the drama room.

PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

In their ‘Eras’ era: Students witness Swift’s return to the stage

Josephine Hennes & Keira Lawrence Entertainment Writers

Whetheryou heard about it from friends, saw posts on Instagram, or were lucky enough to go yourself, Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” was one of the most popular and widely attended events of the summer.

Record-breaking singer-songwriter Taylor Swift began her Eras Tour in March of 2023 and will continue touring through November of 2024. Swift has been growing a loyal fanbase of “Swifties” since 2006 with her debut album “Taylor Swift.” She has since released “Fearless” (2008), “Speak Now” (2010), “Red” (2012), “1989” (2014), “Reputation” (2017), “Lover” (2019), “Folklore” (2020), “Evermore” (2020), and “Midnights” (2023), shifting genres from country to pop and even dabbling in alternative rock.

Due to her history of incredible performances and an enormous following of fans who have waited nearly four years to see her live, 14 million people attempting to snag tickets for the Eras Tour caused the Ticketmaster site to crash in November 2022. This was very frustrating to fans who waited in queues for hours to buy tickets.

“I waited in a queue for seven hours, and I didn’t get a ticket, but later I got an email with a second chance to buy tickets for night one in

Chicago,” junior Francie Marino said.

Despite issues with Ticketmaster, those who attended the show agree that their concert experience was worth the trouble.

“It was a lot of sitting and waiting around for the tickets, but they were definitely worth it and I would do it again,” sophomore Teagan Heneghan said.

One exciting element of the Eras Tour that made this show worth all the ticket trouble was the two surprise songs that were played at each show. Since she has such a large discography, Swift’s three-hour-long setlist only included some of the top hits from each album, so she played two unique songs at each stop on her tour.

“My surprise songs were ‘White Horse’ and ‘Cowboy like Me,’” senior Ava Romero, who attended the show in Las Vegas, Nevada, said. “I would definitely go again; I love Taylor Swift and it was a great show to experience.”

Another unique aspect of the Eras Tour was the friendship bracelets that many fans traded among themselves. Inspired by a lyric from “You’re on Your Own Kid” that says “So make the friendship bracelets / Take the moment and taste it / You’ve got no reason to be afraid,” these bracelets often featured song titles, lyrics, or inside jokes.

“About a week before the show, I started to make bracelets,” sophomore Blythe Ellsworth said. “My goal was to

five bracelets from each era, but it ended up being more. I made about 60 bracelets. It took hours to make them, but it was so worth it when I got to trade them.”

Swift’s shows are famous for their high levels of production, and fans agree that this tour lived up to the hype.

“My favorite part of the show was all the lights and effects, as well as the bracelets we got that light up throughout the show,” Romero said.

Despite an average attendance of over 70,000 fans, Swift managed to personalize the performance.

“Everything was a big production,” Heneghan said, “Yet every song felt personal and like Taylor was singing it to each individual there.”

Besides the music and production itself, fans were happy to be around others who shared their love for Swift and her music.

“My favorite part was the excitement,” Marino said. “Everyone was so excited to be there.”

Hearing her older hits also brought back fond memories for longtime Swift fans.

“The ‘1989’ set was just so nostalgic,” Ellsworth said. “Hearing the intro to ‘Style’ brings me straight back to 2014 [when I heard it] on the radio.”

The Eras Tour is one to be remembered for perhaps the rest of concertgoers’ lives.

“The Eras Tour blew me away,” Heneghan said. “I don’t think anything will ever compare to it.”

‘Barbie’ unites audiences through relatable experience

Antonia Argionis & Emily Fudali Entertainment Writers

Witha $145 million budget, a slew of A-list cast members, and an original soundtrack, the expectations were high for Mattel’s foray into the live-action cinematic industry.

While the film united moviegoers through emotional and comedic moments with a strong underlying message, the plot may not be for everyone.

When perfect Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) begins having thoughts of death, she must venture into the real world to find which human is causing her to malfunction. Barbie sets off with Ken (Ryan

Gosling), who tags along in hopes of convincing Barbie to be his girlfriend, and ultimately, they each discover that the real world is not what they had imagined, leading them to reflect on who they are and who they want to be.

“Barbie’s” main message explores women’s struggle to achieve equality and identity, but it also redefines the meaning of masculinity. This is a positive message that is great to expose audiences to, especially nowadays when people’s bickering clouds the argument that it is possible for society to treat everyone fairly while simultaneously recognizing their struggles.

Unfortunately, the plot, which started out simple but became gradually harder to follow, took away from the important message it conveyed. From Barbie venturing into the Real World to Ken attempting to “start a patriarchy” in Barbieland, the storyline is disorganized and distracting from the overarching message.

Despite this, the movie still succeeds in evoking emotion from the audience through sentimental moments as Barbie comes to understand the female struggle of being a mother,

having a career, and enduring all the other hardships of being a human, all while living in a society that consistently underestimates women.

Robbie’s portrayal of Barbie is the perfect mix of comedic and emotional, which makes her character relatable despite her being a perfect-looking doll. This, along with Gosling’s ridiculous one-liners and dance number for “I’m Just Ken” contributes to a lighthearted vibe while still managing to drive home an important message.

While the message captured a slightly heartbreaking reality, it was the “Barbie” experience as a whole— participating in trends, going to the movie theatre in-person, and witnessing the hype surrounding its initial release period—that was the key to its overall success, which is evident as it has already surpassed $1 billion in box office revenue.

FEELING FEARLESS Sophomore Teagan Heneghan holds up her “heart hands,” a reference to Taylor Swift’s Fearless era. Heneghan was one of over 60,000 fans in attendance at Swift’s third night playing at Soldier Field. make

STUDIO CREDIT WARNER BROS.

“Barbie” - Warner Bros. Run time: 1 hour, 54 minutes

To read or to relax: How important is summer reading?

Sayde Feeley Entertainment Editor

Maine South has always strongly supported summer reading. In the recent past, all English classes were assigned work over break. Some years, students had a mandatory book to read for each class; other years, students had to make a selection from a choice list. However, despite these summer reading requirements, participation was spotty.

To increase motivation, there was a dramatic change to the summer reading program. Instead of required reading, a list of recommended reading was created for all levels. AP and accelerated English classes had additional required reading with related assessments or discussions.

“We know it’s in students’ best interest to read over the summer and, in the past, we felt assessments and tests motivated students the most,” Ms. Julianna Cucci, chair of the English department, said. “However, we now realize students who aren’t successful at those started the year off being penalized, even if, for example, they picked a much more challenging book.”

The English department collaborated with the school librarians, student clubs, and the Associate Prin cipal of Student Experiences, Mr. Michael Edwards, to create an even more extensive recommended reading list, with each recommended book being sponsored by a school organization.

For example, the Green Team recommended “Dry,” a book about a resource-depleted planet, while Women In STEM recommended “Lab Girl,” which demonstrates the thrilling discoveries and failures of a life in science.

“We changed summer reading to be sponsored by the school library and activities as opposed to just the English department,” Ms. Cucci said. “We feel it should be something that is a part of every discipline and not just attached to one of your classes. We also wanted to broaden the kinds of text beyond what you usually see in English classes

and give students more options to read what interests them.”

Despite this, many students at Maine South still do not take advantage of the benefits summer reading can provide. Based on a recent survey of 70 freshman, 29% reported reading a book from the optional reading list. As for students with required work, a survey of 30 English upperclassmen with mandatory summer reading showed that only 55% completely read their book. Many students blame lack of interest as well as the low impact it can have on grades.

“I feel most students don’t want to waste their summer reading a book that often teachers don’t even ask questions about,” junior Brianna Milano said.

However, teachers claim this is a misconception and warn about the negative effects that neglecting to complete summer assignments can have on students.

“I know most of the AP teachers, if not all, do something with their summer reading book, whether it’s a writing assignment or discussion,” AP Language and Composition teacher Ms. Johanna Abend said.

When students come back from summer break and take their first test without proper knowledge of the book, it can start them off on the wrong track, especially in fast-paced AP classes.

“There’s this theory that summer is your own and you can do whatever you want all the time, but the reality is that when you’re preparing for an AP class, reading one book is not a huge request,” Ms. Abend said.

Whether it’s through fiction or nonfiction, reading allows for an escape into different cultures, time periods, or even fantastical realms.

This exposure to diverse perspectives can foster empathy, broaden horizons, and enhance students’ understanding of the world.

In addition, summer reading promotes intellectual growth and stimulates the mind while school is not in session. It exercises cognitive abilities, improves memory retention,

and enhances problem-solving skills for all subjects.

When students take a break from school, they often experience a decline in these abilities. However, engaging in summer reading can prevent this “summer slide” and ensure that individuals continue to develop their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills.

“We were hoping to have book discussions at the beginning of the year, but due to construction, that wasn’t really possible in the library,” librarian Ms. Suzanne Kowalski said. “We are looking to add those in next year.”

The school also looks to focus more on student-led involvement in the future.

“It seemed like a lot of the recommended books were given by club advisors and the idea is to get more student suggestions,” Ms. Kowalski said. “Having students suggest books to other students will

encourage more reading, just because they then have someone to relate and talk to.”

Students also agree that this change could raise more interest in summer reading, especially for those not given assigned work.

“I feel the main reason students choose not to read is just lack of interest,” Milano said. “Given more choices, I think there would definitely be much more motivation over the summer.”

By connecting students’ activities to books, the school looks to achieve its goal of keeping students mentally active over the summer.

The English department hopes the variety of choices motivates them to read for pleasure rather than a grade.

“Part of English is having a wide breadth of knowledge about the world around you, and reading in the summer just adds to the things you know and understand,” Ms. Abend said.

STACKED SUMMER These are some of the summer reading books given to students in AP English classes. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell was the only assignment given by AP Language while AP Literature had other options.

55% of students with assigned summer reading reported having finished the book**

29% of freshmen

reported reading a book this summer from the optional reading list*

*ELECTRONIC SURVEY OF 70 FRESHMEN IN ENGLISH 1 **VOLUNTARY SURVEY OF 30 STUDENTS IN AP LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION AND AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION.

PHOTO BY CEYLAN YILDIZ

Boys’ golf off to a winning start this season

Theboys’ golf team, led by Coach Adam Kwiatkoski, has had a successful start to the season. At press time, they are undefeated in the CSL Conference, recently defeating Niles West High School 156-158 and Evanston High School 158-161.

The team is satisfied with their recent string of success, and they are optimistic about the rest of the season.

“We are currently getting ready for Regionals at Heritage Oaks,” senior Ethan Fogarty said.

In the first match of the season against Conant High School, junior Adam Drabek, along with junior Charlie Francis, shot a 36 par. He and senior Anthony Neumayer represented Maine South at the Twin Orchard Invitational, where Neumayer placed fourth overall and Drabek placed ninth overall.

Senior Evan Zeman also had an impressive finish in a recent tournament. Zeman placed second out of 74 participants in the match.

“This was one of my best rounds in competition,” Zeman said.

His goal is to shoot in the 60s and make it to State, either with the team or as an individual.

Many golfers are looking forward to competing for a chance at State this year. They hope to have as many players as possible make it to State.

“Our goal is to place well in Sectionals and possibly take the team to state,” Ethan Fogarty said.“We just need to be confident in our games and play well at our tournaments.”

The team is working hard to achieve these goals through practices and other team activities. They organized multiple pasta parties to have dinner with the team while getting to know each other better.

“The team is really good this year, and we are excited for a good year to come,” Drabek said.

Football team ‘stays the course’

Brianna Giustino, Kyra Demeros, & Thomas Hurley Sports Editors

InMarch of 2023, the football team vacated its 2022 wins and was placed on probation for the 2023 season after violating the IHSA bylaw 3.030, which states that any player on the roster must be in the school’s attendance area during the season.

Despite this unfortunate setback, the coaches and players have put in the work to make this season a success.

“We had some issues, but the way our coaching staff has bounced back has been incredible, given the adversities they faced,” senior Ryder Butterfield said.

Other players also agree that the coaches have made it a priority to not let the past define this year’s season.

“Even with all of the setbacks and everything that has happened over the last two years, I would say Maine South football has stayed strong and will continue to move forward no matter what,” senior Samuel Cooper said.

The football team’s motto this year is “Man the ships to stay the course.” This motto helps remind players that even if the team faces one setback, there are still many more games throughout the course of the season to be won.

“[The football team is] staying the course and moving forward, even through the storms, and always making it through,” Cooper said.

One way the team is staying on the course to success is by focusing on one game at a time.

This is important to ensure that the players are in the right headspace when entering every game.

“We are taking it week by week… each week is a battle and we are getting better each day,” senior Ryan Moore said.

This mindset is especially helpful when combatting losses. On Aug. 25 the team played Brother Rice High School and lost 7-10.

Unfortunately, during the first game, the team’s starting quarterback, senior Jack Defilippis, sustained a leg injury. Junior Constantine Coines took over as quarterback, but the Hawks fell just short of victory in the end.

“Our starting quarterback got hurt, so we had to put in our back-up, and he is a good runner and passer,” senior Luke Pedersen said.

While this transition between quarterbacks was not seamless during the game, the players are not allowing this to affect future games. They feel Coach David Inserra is capable of facilitating such a change.

“Unfortunately Brother Rice was not the outcome we wanted, but I believe we are on the right track; Coach has us staying the course,” senior Charlie Migon said.

The team put in the work to get back on track in practice the following week.

Practice environments are intense as they are filled with drills, scrimmages, and screaming from the players, trying to push one another to be the best they can be.

Though the practice environment can be heated, communicating with one another is important for the players to have success on the field.

“We are always talking and communicating,” Butterfield said. “Communication is key for us, so we are always making sure everyone knows what to do on each side of

the ball. Whether it be blocking or tackling, just the small things that can make a big difference.”

Something the team does to build unity is listen to the song “Pretender” by the Foo Fighters before games and practices.

“When you hear it every day, you just get used to it, and it’s just our song,” Cooper said.

Their work during practice was shown when the team secured a win against Warren, a familiar rival of the football team.

Players will continue to persevere in practice to improve on different plays for the following game as well.

“The team is focusing on running the ball and our defense overall,” Pedersen said

With the intense practices and improved plays in their minds, the football team earned a win against Palatine, with juniors Michael Dellumo and Coines scoring two touchdowns each in the game.

Members of the football team are optimistic about the future, even with their starting quarterback out of commission.

“Expect big things out of Constantine,” Butterfield said.

The communication and trust among the players is the key to building on their success.

“Now is the time for all of us to come together, link arms, and face the challenges together” junior Michael Glushkov said.

“The team I’m most looking forward to playing is Glenbrook South at the Homecoming game,” Butterfield said.

The Hawks will take on the Titans on Oct. 6 for this year’s Homecoming game, the third Conference matchup this season.

Ava Kontuly Sports Writer

PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

ON THE LOOK OUT Senior quarterback Jack Defilippis looks for an open receiver at the home game against Brother Rice High School. The Hawks lost the game 7-10.

Girls’ swim team dives into new pool

Audrey Becker Sports Writer

The girls’ swim and dive team started their season off on a high note after beating Hersey on Aug. 29 in a dual meet for the first time in nearly ten years. At press time, the team was undefeated.

“The Hersey meet was the most memorable part of the season so far because the energy was so high and everyone was cheering their teammates on,” sophomore Amelia Aguila said. “The meet was decided by the final event, which made it that much more exciting.”

One thing that assisted the team in winning their first two meets is the newly constructed pool.

Last year, the team struggled with having to travel to Maine West’s pool for practices due to Maine South’s pool being under construction for their whole season. This year, the new pool allows the team to hold practices shortly after school rather than later at night, which the athletes consider a major improvement.

“The pool has been great; it is really nice to not have to practice from 7:30-9:30 at night,” Coach Donald Kura said. “It also is a faster pool because of the redesign and the air

quality is generally better.”

The pool was re-made with bigger blocks along the sides, and it is also two feet deeper than the old pool. Before this renovation, schools and coaches were hesitant to send their diving teams for meets since it was so shallow.

“It is so much more convenient to have a pool at our own school this year rather than having to travel all the way to Maine West for practices,” sophomore Maeve Prezekota said.

While the pool was being renovated, the swim team had to move their practices to different schools in the area.

“A lot of time was taken up by traveling that could’ve been used for homework, but the construction being done helped solve that problem,” Prezekota said.

The new pool isn’t the only thing that has helped the girls win their meets. Keeping positive mindsets and encouraging one another are just as important for winning as the new pool is. Something that the team does to foster team bonding is “little and big sisters.”

Little and big sisters on the swim team is a tradition where the upperclassmen are paired up with

the underclassmen. The big sisters get the little sisters goody bags with their favorite snacks and candy as well as encourage them during practices and meets. This system promotes team bonding and helps create a more tight-knit team in general.

The swim team’s ultimate goal for this season is to send the girls to State and become the best swimmers and divers they can be. The team

continues to practice daily, as they hope to continue their winning streak, but they know that practice alone won’t ensure success. Mental preparation is just as important as physical preparation.

“Having a positive mindset and not getting down on yourself is super important for success, so having your teammates be nothing but positive to you is really helpful,” Aguila said.

Girls’ tennis hitting it off on and off the court

Elizabeth Drakontaidis Sports Writer

Thisyear, the girls’ tennis team is off to a succesful start. Over Labor Day weekend, the team went to an invitational tournament at Edwardsville High School, where they placed fifth in the Championship Flight and third in the Challenger Flight. This impressive start is due not only to their hard work on the courts, but also to their team dynamic.

The athletes reflected on their friendships which grew over the course of this trip.

“A memorable moment from the season was our Edwardsville trip,” senior Kaitlyn Brown said. “We played a lot of tennis and had tons of great team bonding experiences.”

They bonded through team dinners, bus rides, and rooming with one another.

“The Edwardsville trip was an amazing weekend, and it really helped the team become closer,” junior captain Charlotte Hartung said.

On the Edwardsville Trip, the team played three games, placing third out of eighteen teams.

“We have more dynamic practices,” sophomore Grace Cioromski said. “We work hard on endurance and run sprints on the courts every practice. We also run fast paced drills.”

With seventeen different seniors departing last year, the team had many additions to the varsity level. This led the team to look for opportunities to work hard and learn to play with new people.

“We spent a lot of time together on the bus ride, which was nine hours round-trip, so I really got to know my teammates,” Cioromski said.

Although the team played multiple games, they also focused on connecting outside of the court, and building friendships with one another.

“The Edwardsville trip was such a great team bonding experience,” sophomore Lauren Geier said. “The bus ride, meals as a team, playing matches, and spending time as a team

in our hotel rooms were all such great experiences.”

The team is also planning other events off of the courts.

“We are doing an all-team pasta party in a couple of weeks which will really help with team bonding and allow everybody to get to know everyone from the different levels,”

Hartung said.

These team bonding experiences help the team get closer and work together to achieve their goals.

“We had these last year too, and they’re great ways to meet people on the team you don’t know well and see a different side of your teammates,” Geier said.

SERVE’S UP Junior Gianna Musso prepares to serve at the Edwardsville Invitational. She played this match alongside her doubles partner, junior Evelyn Hansen.

PHOTO BY SAYDE FEELEY

MAKING A SPLASH! Junior Jenna Pearl (second from front) dives into the water during the 200 medley relay at Maine West on Sept.14. The Hawks won this meet.

PHOTO BY ANASTASIA MUSYAKEVICH

IHSA addition of girls’ flag football yields new team at South

Demeros & Julia Van Roeyen Sports Editor and Sports Writer

District 207 has added a new sport to the fall season at each of the three high schools: girls’ flag football.

Boys’ soccer optimistic about season

Cayla Cimiluca Sports Writer

The 2023 boys’ soccer team is a tight-knit group that is making the effort to work well together on and off the field. While the team consists of mostly seniors, senior captains Sam Middendorf, Zack Malinsky, and Cristian Abdala are working hard to unify the team regardless of grade level.

The Hawks have a record of 8-4-1 at press time. The team has been practicing intensely since the start of their season, which began in the summer. This summer’s training included practices, games, and conditioning with the hopes of improving the team’s overall fitness for the fall season. With only eight returning members to the team, this training was helpful to acclimate players to the varsity level, where they have to play with higher pressure.

The downside to the summer training sessions is that it is much harder to combine as a group and function as a team, since many players have personal commitments in the summer already.

“We never really had all the pieces together at any one time, so because of that, we knew we’d be going through a bit of a growth pattern,” Coach Dan States said.

Starting off the 2023 season, the boys played a game against Barrington, where they lost 1-0. Despite the loss, they were able to adapt their mindsets, train harder, and connect more. They used this game as an opportunity to grow and decided to focus on ball control and scoring in the following games.

“We really focused at practice and made sure we were keeping the ball and making passes,” sophomore Wyatt Kelleher said. “Then we were able to score some more goals at the next games.”

The team then got into a rhythm during the following tournament at St. Charles High School. The Hawks came in third place overall after winning games against Metea Valley (4-5), Wheaton Academy (7-3-2), and West Chicago (4-5).

“I think the most memorable moment was when we scored our first goal, because there was so much hype around it,” captain Cristian Abdala said.

After this tournament, the team continued to succeed. In the next game against Highland Park, the Hawks beat the team 7-1 and then beat Vernon Hills 3-1.

Despite these significant victories over CSL North teams, the team was behind Evanston and Glenbrook North in the CSL South at press time.

“In our training sessions, we never talk beyond the opponent at hand,” Coach States said. “So, for example, at practice we’ll talk about one team and only that team at practice.”

The team also tries to get together outside of practices and games.

“Some things the team does to bond have been pasta parties, going out to eat, and going to the beach, junior Charlie Kasicki said. “We try to do something every week.”

Sparked by growing interest throughout the United States, Maine South will compete against other schools with a team in the Central Suburban League (CSL). As of now, there is one team, consisting of 25 femaleidentifying students.

However, Mr. Michael Edwards, Associate Principal of Student Experiences, hopes the sport will grow to have multiple levels at Maine South.

“About a year ago, the Chicago Bears and IHSA reached out to schools about creating a league and adopting it as a sport, given the growing interest locally and nationally,” Mr. Edwards said. “All of Maine Township wanted to take advantage and create a team for this year to see if we can do it.”

One of the coaches for the new flag football team is Officer Carlos Panizo.

“Coaching has always been a passion of mine, so when the opportunity arose to assist with flag football, I took it,” Officer Panizo said. “I played in a lot of organized flag football leagues and tournaments, so I’m excited to bring my experience to the team.”

The rules for the game are similar to football, but with one significant difference: defenders stop a player by pulling their flag, rather than tackling them.

The games will be seven-on-seven with the offensive positions of quarterback, running back, center, and four wide receivers.

Students are excited to start practicing and playing in games starting this fall. The first two games were on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Wilson Field, where the Hawks defeated Glenbrook South and New Trier High School.

Many of the girls that are on the team don’t have prior experience with the sport, but feel it is a good addition to the school.

“I haven’t played before, but I joined the team because I grew up with football in my family so I thought it’d be fun to join myself,” sophomore Abriella Spandiary said.

Officer Panizo is hopeful that the sport will grow in popularity.

“I hope Hawk Nation comes out to support,” Officer Panizo said.

Kyra

KICKING OFF THE SEASON Lucas Cosma prepares to kick the ball at the Body Armor Series game against Carmel High School at Maine South on Sept. 11. They won the game 2-0.

"I think the most memorable moment was when we scored our first goal."

-Christain Abdala '24

PHOTO BY NATALIE COLLETTI