Vol 60, Issue 2

1111 S. Dee Road • Park Ridge, Illinois 60068

Vol. 60, No. 2

Turkey Time

Looking Back

PHOTO BY CEYLAN YILDIZ

Nov. 3, 2023

Beat The Drum Taking Charge Hawk Pals adds new teams to the program.

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Editorial: Manage your schedule and your future.

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Reviewing Thanksgiving meals from restaurants.

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Pressure increases for students in sports.

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NEWS | Nov. 3, 2023

News in Brief Hawks unite to increase school inclusivity Alanna Gu

GPA calculations altered News Writer

Luke Compton

News Writer aine South has revised how quarter credit courses are calculated in students’ GPAs. Formerly, these courses were included in the unweighted GPA and were worth half the weight of other courses. Now, they will be calculated in both the unweighted and weighted GPAs and will be worth equal weight to other courses.

This was prompted by student confusion when estimating their GPAs. “Our GPAs were not accurate,” Dr. Shawn Messmer, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Innovation, said. “Students very often thought they had a GPA they didn’t have.”

However, this update had little effect on students’ GPAs. “For the senior students impacted, their cumulative weighted GPAs are increased ever so slightly,” counselor Mr. William Milano said.

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PSAT administered online Hasan Al-Khalidi & Charlotte Chapman

News Writer & Editor nlike previous years, juniors this year took the PSAT digitally. The switch was made to increase the ease of the testing process.

“The online PSAT allowed the testers to complete and to submit their results in a seamless fashion,” Mr. William Milano, a counselor and PSAT test proctor, said. “The actual testing process included fewer steps than the scantron version.”

The benefits were reflected in the student experience as well.

“The test was easier to understand and harder to mess up,” junior Charlie Francis said. “On the old one with paper and pencil, you can screw something up, ruining your whole test.”

Many students shared this positive conclusion.

“I feel like [the online test] is less stressful and more easy to look through,” junior Alessandro Allegrini said.

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PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

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awk Pals, a club that brings together students with and without disabilities through various activities, has added new opportunities for students this school year.

Hawk Pals has created a Unified Drumline, where club members collaborate with peers from Maine South’s drumline to perform at different school events.

The Unified Drumline made its debut at the Homecoming assembly on Oct. 4 and again at the Homecoming football game.

The collaboration between Hawk Pals and the marching band made it a memorable event for those watching from the stands.

“The crowd loved the performance,” Band Director Mr. David Hutter said. “At the assembly, the student body was singing along to ‘Firework,’ and I had never heard a crowd at a football game be quieter and more respectful than when the Unified Drumline performed.”

The experience also proved to be special for the students participating.

“I think [drumline] was exciting, and I was happy,” sophomore Sarah Ellison, a student in Hawk Pals, said.

Junior Lily Heneghan, a Hawk Pals officer and member of the marching band, organized the Unified Drumline to promote inclusivity and encourage students to forge new friendships.

“We have a lot of peer involvement for all of the activities, which is really lovely that we can all get together and have a fun time,” Heneghan said.

During their rehearsals, Hawk Pals and marching band members had the opportunity to connect with each other while practicing.

“Unified Drumline helped form some new friendships at school,” Mr. Hutter said. “I’ve seen my drumline students giving high fives in the hallways and sit with Hawk Pals at lunch now.”

These rehearsals also instilled valuable skills in the participating band members.

“Drumline playing with Hawk Pals was an amazing experience,” junior Ryan Schoenstedt, a

DRUMLINE UNITE Unified Drumline plays at the Homecoming assembly on Oct. 4. Students rehearsed together for two weeks before the performance.

three-year drumline member, said. “For drumline, we were able to get great leadership experience and a greater ability to interact with other people.”

Another addition to Hawk Pals is the creation of a Unified Soccer Team, which, similar to the drumline, merges students in Hawk Pals with Maine South’s soccer players.

“We are in developing stages, but did practice weekly for eight weeks this fall,” Ms. Michelle Dwyer, Hawk Pals sponsor, said. “We have about eight or nine peers joining us each week.”

“I was a bit nervous, but [playing soccer] was really good,” senior Hawk Pals member Jane Kracik said.

The new updates this year have already made a significantly positive impact on students.

“I feel that many times it is the students without disabilities that learn and benefit the most,” Ms. Dwyer said. “I have seen it impact their understanding of peers and increase communications in the hallways. In the end, the growth of all students is so amazing.”

Bookstore issues cause chaos in the club community Samara Lefler

News Editor he bookstore has recently dealt with staffing changes, which has led to an inconsistent schedule and limited hours.

“We need to find a new bookstore manager, after our former manager Ms. Antoni agreed to support the main office and coordinate substitute teachers every morning,” Mr. Michael Edwards, Associate Principal of Student Experiences at Maine South, said.

However, administration has worked out a way to staff the bookstore part-time.

“Until we are able to find and hire a new manager, we have gotten help from other assistants across the district who are trained to work in the bookstore,” Mr. Edwards said. “With that said, we

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PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

LONG LINES Students wait to pay for clubs, field

trips, and t-shirts in the bookstore line on Oct. 17. The limited bookstore schedule, along with payment deadlines, caused some students to wait in line their whole lunch period.

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only can get a few hours of help each week.”

These limited hours have created obstacles for many students and staff.

“We have 250 people, maybe 300 people, trying to get in and pay their dues, and the lack of having of any consistent hours has been a challenge,” Key Club sponsor Mr. James McGowan said. “I don’t know that it’s kept anyone from joining Key Club—we’ve had to just delay the deadline.”

To resolve the issues, administration is currently searching for a full-time bookstore manager.

“We are hoping once the person is hired officially, they will have a couple of weeks to be trained and onboarded, and then there should be full time support in the bookstore from that point forward,” Mr. Edwards said.

Nov. 3, 2023 | NEWS

South changes sequencing of social science classes Charlotte King & Oliver Gvuzd

News Editor & Writer n the past, US History and AP US History (APUSH), were available for juniors only. However, starting last year, the courses were opened up to sophomores, and now it’s becoming the expectation for sophomores to take them.

This change was made to fix an enrollment issue that had become a pattern.

“We were getting a mass exodus of students dropping,” Social Science Department chair Ms. Jenne Dehmlow said.

A cause for these drops became apparent. “[Students] have not studied social science since seventh or eighth grade, and now they are coming into a US History class as juniors, and we’re wondering why students are struggling,” Ms. Dehmlow said.

Additionally, the increased rigor typically associated with junior year was also a contributing factor.

“Having [APUSH] in junior year, it’s up against everybody’s other AP challenges in all the other disciplines,” Ms. Dehmlow said.

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According to the numbers, this change has been effective.

“The amount of drops we’ve had from AP US History has gone to one or two, where we used to have double digits,” Ms. Dehmlow said.

These changes have also led to some instructional adjustments.

“I was and remain a little hesitant [about the sequence changes] because of maturity levels in some cases,” Mr. McArthur-Self, a Social Science teacher at Maine South, said.

However, there have been benefits in the classroom as well. “[Sophomores] are very enthusiastic, engaged, and responsible, and I think that the district does have a point in so far as they are not pulled in as many different directions as the juniors,” Mr. McArthur-Self said.

These changes to US History courses have had a domino effect on other Social Science electives, including AP European History. This was traditionally an AP History class sophomores took in between AP World History freshman year and APUSH or US History junior year.

This year, due to the US History changes, not enough students signed up to run a full class section.

PHOTO BY ANASTASIA MUSYAKEVICH

HISTORY IN THE MAKING Students arrive to US History class. In this

class, sophomores and juniors are combined during the transition of US History and APUSH to sophomore year.

However, this doesn’t mean AP European History is gone for good.

“I certainly hope it comes back,” Mr. McArthur-Self said. “We were very sad to kind of see it go away this year.”

As for Civics and Government, it will now be available to juniors to take.

Civics and Government is a graduation requirement at Maine South, which has typically been offered to seniors.

This change will help reduce the stress of meeting graduation requirements on time.

Going forward, freshmen will

continue to have their choice of AP World History, or a new course called World History. Sophomores will be encouraged to take US History, either AP or regular. Juniors and seniors will then receive the option of any remaining social science courses, such as Civics and Government, Constitution team (We the People), AP European History, and many more.

“I feel social science has some of the coolest, most fascinating offerings around, and students really like our courses,” Ms. Dehmlow said.

Israel-Hamas conflict affects students and teachers alike

“I think the other social science on my mind is the people I know there are so many people educated on Samara Lefler, Charlotte King, teachers who have talked about it and love,” the teacher with personal this that I think the people who have & Charlotte Chapman have taken a sort of policy angle, and connections to the conflict said. less of a close connection or personal News Editors

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n the wake of the Israel-Hamas war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, many within the Maine South community have been impacted.

Israel and Palestine have a history of war, dating back to the first ArabIsraeli conflict in 1948. The recent fighting has gained unprecedented attention internationally.

With its sensitive nature, many teachers have held off on addressing the topic in their classes.

“I have waited to address it as a lesson in International Relations to ensure that everyone has time to reflect,” International Relations teacher Mr. Kevin Hansen said. “In the near future, I will do my best to explain the events and answer questions. The many voices and emotions connected to this event in particular make time and careful consideration a prudent course of action.”

In talking about the events, teachers have been very conscientious in how they address the topic.

I think that that’s important because as teachers, we aren’t here to drive opinion,” a teacher who wished to remain anonymous said. “We are here to give you all of the relevant info and allow you to make your own assertions.”

This focus seems to be consistent throughout classes.

“Because of the nature of the [International Relations] course, we will, almost every semester, have to stop and consider world events as they happen,” Mr. Hansen said. “Ukraine was the major moment in the recent past. [The Israel-Hamas war] will become another event in need of consideration in future versions of the course and seems to be one of significant consequence.”

Teachers with personal connections to the conflict have refrained from talking about it in class to ensure unbiased instruction.

“I think I communicated that it’s still hard to talk about it in a neutral teacher way because the first thing

In addition to teachers, the conflict has also become a significant issue in some student lives.

“I have a lot of friends that live in Israel, so this has caused me a lot of stress and concern,” a senior who wished to remain anonymous said.

“I’m constantly worried about them and if they are okay or if they are even still alive.”

Even those without connections to the region have been influenced.

“I think that in terms of impact, I assume a lot of students were impacted by the things that they read or saw or are still reading or seeing because it’s about human beings and it’s relevant to all of us,” the teacher said. “I think that Maine South is an empathetic community, and you know students care in that way.”

The support from the Maine South community has been significant. Those who are less affected by the conflict have been helpful to those who are.

“I think that the wonderful thing about the Maine South community is

connection have been able to field [questions] for me and for others who are more personally affected,” the teacher said.

However, some feel that the support has been inconsistent.

“As much as I do appreciate the email the school sent out when the war first began to inform people about what was going on...I think that they definitely could be doing more,” the student said.

This lack of acknowledgment has left some feeling isolated.

“I’ve felt very alone when coping with this conflict,” the student said.

On the contrary, some feel there’s been an uplifting response to the conflict, despite it’s controversial nature.

“The community has been I think focused on supporting individuals which I think is good,” the teacher said.

“What I do appreciate was that the first instinct was just to check in and make sure everyone was okay, and I think that that is appropriate.”

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COMMENTARY | Nov. 3, 2023

Annual math curriculum changes cause confusion Ivy Suh

Commentary Writer he Maine South math curriculum seems to be in a constant state of transition. From the integration of the standards-based grading scale to the reorganization of the curriculum to the now built-in retake system through mini summatives, changes continue to test student patience.

Despite the numerous times that these changes have been explained, the reasoning behind why they have been made is unclear and has caused confusion for students.

What is even more confusing is that the district celebrates the successes of the new curriculum through emails, yet when I talk to my peers, I hear nothing but frustrations.

In my personal experience, the new curriculum structure has hindered my attempts to learn the material.

When I started working with a math tutor outside of school, it was hard to find the gaps in my understanding since the courses I took consisted of multiple different topics such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, which were labeled under the vague title “Math 3 Compression.”

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When my tutor asked what class I was enrolled in, she had no idea what material Math 3 Compression contained, and the constant jumping between separate mathematical concepts made it difficult for her to help me learn each skill thoroughly.

The struggle to find my footing with my tutor is a prime example of the confusion that this format of curriculum causes. Unfortunately, this frustration isn’t very new.

The standards-based grading system has been fully integrated into the math department for years now, but the criteria of what earns each number on the scale is difficult to define.

The broad wording of these criteria gives teachers room to grade subjectively, which impacts the students’ overall grades more significantly than grading with percentages.

This difference is too dependent on what the teacher’s personal definition of a minor mistake is and what number they feel you deserve overall.

If a specific number of points were taken off for each mistake and then calculated as a percentage, the letter grade the student receives could look very different from the one that the standard-based grading provides.

Additionally, the recent changes to retakes in certain classes have only created more confusion for students.

In some math classes, retakes are no longer optional and are built into the test schedule, meaning that

PHOTO BY CEYLAN YILDIZ

BACK TO THE BOOKS Before the 2019-2020 school year, courses were

organized by traditional topics, like Algebra 1 & 2, as seen in these textbooks. Since the reorganization of the curriculum, textbooks like these are no longer used to learn the material.

students get two attempts at the pods and both scores are averaged in their overall grade. While this is a convenient way for students to retake pods, it takes away from the opportunity for them to demonstrate their best effort in the pod.

Although it is important to test consistency, that skill develops naturally since the unit builds on those skills as it progresses. Students’ knowledge of that skill is reflected in their abilities, making it unnecessary to retest.

Instead, the current system should change to allow students to retake a pod of their choice per unit. This way, students have two chances to demonstrate their abilities and can present their best understanding of each skill.

The benefit that the mini summa-

tives provide is that they give students an opportunity to make sure they are staying on pace with learning the material. This same benefit can be provided by replacing mini summatives with formative quizzes along with the retake policy proposed.

Additionally, the organization of the classes should align more closely to those that were set in place before the pandemic. Replacing Math 1, 2, and 3 with Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, etc. allows students to view their education from the same perspective as most other students and institutions nationally, which makes tutoring and filling out college applications easier.

Students crave consistency, and returning to a more traditional grading system and course titles would provide much-needed clarity.

that matters to me.

It may seem like a very stressful way to manage my schedule, but I have noticed that it has the opposite effect.

I understand the satisfaction behind crossing off items from a list, but when I have made attempts to keep track of my day and to-do’s, I tend to despise them even more and feel more stressed than without the list. I know—ironic. Looking at a calendar full of activities and time slots laying out the limited time between each doesn’t leave me more informed, but more overwhelmed.

I can’t seem to look at my agenda in a positive light. What looks like an hour of free time, processes in my head as only a centimeter of empty space in a planner.

When I solely rely on my own memory to keep track of my schedule, I don’t have to stare down the packed schedule. Free time no longer

becomes something I have to earn by completing items on a list, but something that I make time for, no matter how busy I am.

I have tried to conform to the norm of using Google Calendar, but my brain just can’t seem to operate the same way as everyone else.

My friends may find it more helpful to physically plan out their whole lives, but I don’t carry a planner, use a digital calendar, or make lists in my notes apps. That doesn’t mean that I am disorganized or less puttogether. It just means that is what works for me.

I have, over time, finally come to accept the truth that just because something is more accepted, or the norm, that does not mean it has to be my norm.

I continue to do what works for me and get my items “crossed off,” just without the highlighters and pretty planners.

Forming original opinions: Google Calendar edition Madison Basquin

Editor-In-Chief ov. 1 marks the day of relief for most of the senior class.

Completing the Early Action college application process the day after Halloween not only lifts the emotional weight of feeling like there is always more that can be done to perfect applications, but it also allows seniors to return to their busy lives.

Seniors are able to remove one of the many items occupying their calendars, and to-do lists. I, however, can’t do this. And I don’t mind.

Over the past four years, I have had two jobs, joined five clubs, played two sports, and have been a part of other extracurriculars on the side. All of that excludes the recreational free

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time spent with my friends, frivolous appointments, and vacations.

It is easy to feel like there simply aren’t enough hours in a day. Yet, I’ve managed to fit it all in.

With all of these activities in my schedule, you would assume I would have some sort of calendar, digital or hand-written, to keep me in line and present everywhere I need to be.

However, I have never been able to commit to consistently writing in a colorful day-to-day planner from the back-to-school section of Target.

Although this has yet to obstruct my ability to show up, it would be nice to have that organized reputation.

I have often observed many of my peers valuing writing their schedules in their Notes apps or Google Calendars. But, to me, I have always prioritized other things miles above keeping a planner or calendar.

I can remember where and when I need to be somewhere, and that is all

Nov. 3, 2023 | COMMENTARY

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

Scan this QR code to e-mail Southwords

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY ROHAN CHAM

STAFF EDITORIAL Be proactive in postsecondary preparation T hinking about your future career—or, at the very least, reflecting on your skills and interests—in eighth grade may seem premature, but these considerations can have a significant impact on the outcome of your high school experience.

As non-seniors begin the course selection process this month, some have a feeling of regret regarding their early classes and whether they were too challenging, not challenging enough, or unrelated to their career goals or curricular interests.

Unless you have someone explicitly telling you which classes would best fit your academic strengths or your job interests, you wouldn’t know as a new high school student to make these decisions. This is where your counselor comes into play.

School counselors are specifically there to guide you through your schedule, postsecondary plans, and everything in between.

While counselors are present in freshman course selection process, because of the sheer number of students each counselor has to virtually visit, many students feel as though that they were quickly led through a standard schedule-creation

process without realizing how much their early course selections would affect their postsecondary plans.

Some students have a secret advantage in this process, though: older siblings. These personal counselors can give invaluable targeted recommendations based on personal experience.

When there is someone leading you through your high school years and telling you the substantial questions to ask your school counselor, you will ultimately have a much greater head start compared to your peers, as you have an extra level of preparation and knowledge when it comes to plans after graduation.

Unfortunately, this is not a privilege that is available to all, which is why it is crucial to learn how to independently manage your own educational path and become proactive in regards to communication with your counselor.

While counselors are available to help students succeed and graduate on time, it’s easy to forget truly how many students each counselor is responsible for. It can be difficult for them to provide personalized advice and consistently dedicate time when students aren’t putting in effort or

reaching out for assistance on their end.

A good place to start is through school-provided resources like Schoolinks or the College Career Resource Center (CCRC). By conducting research on your own terms, you can formulate a schedule that caters best towards your own personal needs, a clear picture of your dream future, and the steps necessary to get there.

Another venue for important information is the weekly advisory lessons. For the students who don’t have the time to seek out these resources on their own, the school has built in time each Wednesday for all students to learn something new about career exploration or course planning. This is a great way to communicate with a tight-knit group of peers and teachers about any questions you may have or advice you may have for others.

In high school, there is no reason to not be informed about the various opportunities that are provided by school staff and the community for job and course research—but it is incumbent upon us to be proactive in taking advantage of the available resources and to make the most of your experience.

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 Rohan Cham Lily Giambarberee Anastasia Musyakevich Ceylan Yildiz Adviser

Mr. Stathakis

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COMMENTARY | Nov. 3, 2023

Mixed grade level core classes disadvantage students Emery Yates

Commentary Editor hen you flip through old yearbooks and look back on your younger years, you can’t help but be filled with embarrassment. Seniors: think about how different you are now at 17/18 than you were at 14.

That difference is all the more evident when you put a 14-year-old freshman in the same class as an 18-year-old senior.

This is something that happens in a number of classes, including Math 2, Math 3, AP Human Geography, and AP World History.

As an underclassman, I recognize that we often lack maturity compared to our upperclassmen peers.

Older students being in classes with younger students can foster a sense of insecurity. This is because younger students are coming from accelerated classes in middle school.

Freshmen who are going into Math 3 Compression are often coming from the accelerated Channels of Challenge courses in middle school, whereas the older students in those classes are coming from Math 1 or Math 2, which are both non-accelerated courses.

The freshmen are prepared for the accelerated pace of the Math 3 Com-

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pression class, so they have a better idea of the coursework and usually score higher on tests and quizzes than their sophomore and junior peers.

This can make older students feel as though their best effort is not enough and make them doubt their own academic capabilities.

Mixed-grade classes can also cause problems for freshmen going into higher-level courses.

They can often feel unsupported by their peers, as they are not at the same academic level.

For example, classes tend to move at a much faster pace in these mixed classes, like Math 3 Compression, because of how quickly the freshman understand the material and how few questions they have about the topics taught in class.

One of the best ways to learn is to collaborate with fellow classmates and bounce ideas off of each other.

However, this is challenging to do if students are on different levels academically.

Additionally, older students generally have different priorities than their younger counterparts.

Freshmen are only allowed to take one AP history class compared to most of their upperclass counterparts who often have their schedules filled

with four to five AP classes, many of which are large time commitments.

In addition, juniors and seniors have the added stress of the college admissions process, which consists of numerous essays and the completion of letter of recommendation forms, on top of internships and jobs.

The planning and preparation of post-high school plans take up many more hours of upperclassmen’s lives on top of the stress of their demanding AP classes.

The amount of t i m e t h at underclassmen and upperclassmen can dedicate to their classes is nowhere near the same.

In addition, when older and younger students have different score outcomes, it can make the older students feel like they’re not doing enough, even if they are giving all that they can into the class.

Separating students in their core math, science, and social science classes by their graduating class would help to alleviate the problems that people have with the current system.

Separating classes in this way will allow students to learn with peers who are at their same academic level and grasp the material at the same

“Older students being in classes with younger students can foster a sense of insecurity.”

time, reducing feelings of insecurity.

It is understandable that in elective classes, the mixing of grades can be beneficial. These classes are less competitive, and therefore, students of different grades can freely bounce ideas off of each other without fear of feeling inferior.

Despite these benefits in electives, though, students should be in core classes with kids who are going through the same things as them.

Freshmen would be in classes with kids who are also experiencing their first year of high school, and upperclassmen would be with peers who are also going through similar events.

Furthermore, teachers would be able to stretch due dates to accompany certain tasks depending on what each grade is going through.

For example, senior classes like AP Government and Politics and AP Literature and Composition acknowledge college application deadlines and work around them.

Also, in the spring, classes like AP Language and Composition and AP Psychology allow time for sophomores and juniors to study for the PSAT and SAT. Every student at Maine South deserves the right to learn comfortably and without the fear of judgment.

Separating students’ core classes creates an environment of collaboration and security for all students in which they can more comfortably make mistakes in a group of their peers.

Students Speak Out:

Math 3 Compression students share their opinions about being in a classroom environment mixed with freshman, sophomores, and juniors.

“I like it because you can be friends with people from different grades.

Also, I feel like if you go from Math 2 to Math 3 Compression, you learned a different way than the people who came from C of C in middle school. ”

Ella Dicristofano ('27)

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“I don’t really mind it to be honest; it’s nice to interact with people who are from different grade levels.

[The freshman] are a little bit more confident, in a way. ”

Nick Moigradan ('26)

“I think if I could choose, I would choose to be in a class with just juniors because I’d be with peers and friends. Being in a class with all juniors would be more beneficial because they wouldn’t be pressured to stay on track and feel like they can’t ask for help.”

Alanna Gu ('25)

Nov. 3, 2023 | FEATURES

Choosing your own high school adventure

GOOGLE MAPS

Ava Jurek & Lilien Schirazi Features Editors

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tudents that attend the same high school in District 207 do not, surprisingly, all live in the same area— or even in the same city in some cases.

Someone living next to Maine East could attend Maine South, while someone living 10 blocks closer to Maine South could attend Maine East. These unique situations transpire when one lives in “choice areas” where students can select which high school they attend.

Junior Zofia Calzadilla lives in the Maine East-Maine South choice area, and although she lives closer to Maine East, she chose to attend Maine South.

“I live about a 10-15 minute drive or a one-hour walk away from Maine South,” Calzadilla said. “Compared to Maine East, the other school in my vicinity, it would take me less than five minutes to drive there, and 20 minutes to walk.”

District 207 was once home to four different high schools: Maine South, East, West, and North. After Maine North’s closing in 1981, there were five different attendance boundary plans presented at the February 2, 1981, board meeting. “Option 2” was selected which expressed that all District 64 students would attend Maine South.

However, students living north of Oakton Street were given the option of attending either Maine South or East.

This was a plan supported by the community. The board minutes from February 1981, state that there were 40 people in support of the boundary change and only one against it. Many feared that Maine South would become a satellite school with low enrollment, which would lead to its academics and activities deteriorating.

“Oftentimes, boundaries are designed to be ‘neighborhood’ schools or to allow local neighborhoods or towns to feed into the same school,” Associate Principal for Student & Family Services Ms. Kyleen Coia said.

“Property taxes of homes within the designated attendance boundaries help to provide a percentage of funding for their local school districts.”

While being able to choose which school to attend may seem beneficial, not all students in the district are allowed to do so.

“Students do not actually get to choose where they attend if they do not live in the choice areas,” Dr. Shawn

Maine East and West “choice area”

Maine East attendance area

Maine West attendance area

Maine South attendance area

Maine East and South “choice area”

District 207 Attendance Boundary Map

BOUNDARY BORDERS While there are attendance areas that designate which District 207 school residents attend, there are also “choice areas,” where residents may choose between two schools. There is a choice area for both East/West and East/South.

Messmer, District 207’s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Innovation, said. “The choice areas were established by the School Board at a time when having choice areas helped to balance the student populations at each of the buildings.

The School Board, to my knowledge, has never gone back to reconsider changing or eliminating the choice attendance areas.”

The attendance areas are determined by tax boundary lines, as District 207 has its own set taxes.

“By the Illinois School Code, all public school districts have boundaries for taxing purposes,” Dr. Messmer said.

“That tax money (under the concept of “local control”) is then used to fund the local schools. Each school district in the state has district boundaries, and the School Board is elected from the communities in those boundaries.

The School Board then sets the policies for that school district.”

After attending Emerson Middle School, junior Kayla Cremins had to decide which high school to attend since she lived in a “choice area.”

Rather than only considering her location, she also considered the athletics of each high school.

“I live in Niles, by Maine East, so I got to choose between Maine East and Maine South,” Cremins said.

“I know [Maine South] is good at athletics, whereas Maine East has a good academic program. I tend to focus and be better at athletics than academics, and all my friends decided to go to Maine South, so I chose Maine South.”

Students may also choose which school they attend based on other programs or extracurriculars they are interested in and what else the different high schools provide.

“I like the variety of activities Maine South has to offer,” Calzadilla said. “There is a club for everything

and everyone, so it’s easy to follow your interests at this school and meet new people.”

Not only does choosing a high school that best fits your needs and interests prove to be advantageous immediately, it may also have lasting implications.

“I am glad I went to Maine South,” junior Tess Elliot said. “I met a lot of people that I really like and hope to maintain friendships with for the rest of my life.”

Although choosing between different high schools may be a difficult process at first, in the end, spending the time to make a carefully considered choice is beneficial in the long run.

“I am very happy with my decision and really like Maine South,” Cremins said. “I like how competitive the sports are and how you are most likely on a winning team if you play a sport here.

I also like how nice and inclusive the staff and students are.”

SouthwordS 7

FEATURES | Nov. 3, 2023

Alumni recognized for significant contributions to their field and beyond

After a temporary hiatus due to the pandemic, the school has returned to celebrating influential alumni through the Wall of Honor, bringing the total number of honorees to 14. A ceremony was held on Sept.

22 to celebrate the achievements of these distinguished members of the Maine South community.

Gary T. Johnson Thomas Hurley & Grace Halpert Sports & Entertainment Editors

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fter attending Maine South and continuing his education at Harvard, Oxford, and Yale, Gary T. Johnson (class of ‘68) went on to have an illustrious career.

First, he worked as an international attorney, focusing on civil rights and serving poor com-

munities.

In 2005, Johnson became President of the Chicago History Museum. As president, he helped the institution expand on its community outreach and re-energize a commitment to sharing a variety of stories. In 2016, while operating under Johnson, the museum earned the National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is considered the top award in the industry.

After stepping down in 2021, Johnson was named the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield.

Johnson has also taught undergraduate courses at Lake Forest College since 2019.

One of the beneficial lessons that Johnson learned at Maine South was how to speak in public.

“I was a member of the debate team, and I also

David Santee Brianna Giustino Sports Editor

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nother new addition to the Wall of Honor is David Santee, a silver medalist Olympian who graduated from Maine South in the class of 1975.

Even before he started at Maine South, Santee was making headlines. At the age of 13, he became the youngest man to win the National Junior Figure Skating title.

This early success, while exciting, also led to a tough practice schedule.

“I would skate from 5:45 until 7:45, go to school from 8 until 2:30, skate for another three hours, then

8 SouthwordS

took a course in public speaking,” he said. “It’s been helpful in every phase of my life.”

Serving as the president of a museum, the cochair of a lawyers’ committee, and a college lecturer, Johnson has held a plethora of significant roles.

However, most important to him was the impact he had on under-served communities.

“During my time as a lawyer, becoming involved in civil rights and legal services to the poor was the most meaningful achievement,” Johnson said. “The legal profession is one where even busy law firms with lots of paying clients still welcome lawyers who want to do civic things as well; I happened to be one of those lawyers.”

When Johnson first joined the Chicago History Museum, the organization had previously been known as the Chicago Historical Society. Johnson led an initiative to re-brand not only the name, but the overall message, shifting the focus from a traditional museum to a more innovative one.

“People often think of museums as places where you explore the shadowy corners of the past,” Johnson said. “But the reason why people are interested in history, I think, is because they want to know what it says about their own lives and where we’re going.”

Johnson has upheld a strong commitment to education throughout his career.

On one occasion, people with influential positions in the city were invited by former Mayor Richard Daley to serve as “Principal for a Day.” Johnson chose to serve at Ebinger Elementary School, located in Edison Park, as that was the school his mother had attended.

At that time, Johnson was President of the Chica-

go History Museum, and he was able to incorporate that expertise into an engaging lesson for students.

He brought in artifacts from the Great Chicago Fire to share with students.

“I visited a whole bunch of classes,” Johnson said. “I like being on the inside of a Chicago Public School, as opposed to someone who simply receives bus loads to come to our museum. I want to see what it’s like there.”

After this rewarding experience, Johnson began reaching out to other schools’ principals, asking them if he could bring artifacts from the fire and speak with classes. He visited around 350 classes in a variety of Chicago grade schools throughout the city.

“I got a sense of Chicago’s neighborhoods and communities,” Johnson said. “It was endlessly fascinating and interesting.”

A major takeaway for Johnson was learning that students can hold grief, stories, and stress that sometimes isn’t noticed. While explaining the severity of the Great Chicago Fire, Johnson would mention other disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and volcanoes.

“Students would often say that someone they knew had been in a disaster,” Johnson said. “A whole group of students had relatives in Hurricane Katrina. They told me stories of people who had died and people who had lost their homes and moved out of New Orleans never to come back.”

Johnson has continued to value the importance of schooling and education throughout his career.

“Education is everything,” Johnson said. “Keep learning. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how young you are, there is always more to learn.”

do my homework,” Santee said.

Despite the challenge, this packed schedule helped Santee develop discipline and guided him to even more prestigious accomplishments.

“I was competing at a senior level when I was a freshman, at the age of 14,” Santee said. “I was by far the youngest one.”

Competing at such a high level as a freshman pushed Santee to mature quickly to keep up with his competition, who were of the average age of 22.

Since he started at the age of five, skating had always been a big part of Santee’s life.

“The first day I cried because I didn’t want to go in, then I cried because I didn’t want to come out, and that’s how my love of skating began,” Santee said.

After that, he continued his career for 13 years before entering the Olympics at the age of 18.

Although he has always loved his sport, Santee went through many mental battles before achieving such high honors.

“I wish I didn’t read the newspaper and see the

negative comments,” Santee said.

To overcome the struggle of criticism, Santee met with a sports therapist who helped him cope with his lack of confidence and self-doubt.

Santee described that even when placing at the Olympics, he continued to compare himself to competition and nit-pick his routines. Santee believes that it was these rough patches that led him to continue to work and improve, as well as never settle with his previous performances.

“I turned my mistakes into a good next part of my performance,” Santee said. “The routines I messed up in are now my favorites to watch because in figure skating you fall, but it only matters what you do when you get up.”

In recent years, Santee has shared knowledge of figure skating with the next generation as a coach at Oakton Ice Arena. He has helped train world champions, including Agnes Zawadzki. He also served on the U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors, where he oversaw rules and officiated competitions.

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Nov. 3, 2023 | FEATURES PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

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ALUMNI CELEBRATED (Left to right) David Santee, Gary T. Johnson, Diane Havlir, and David Greising are each recognized as influential Maine South alumni at a ceremony before school on Sept. 22. They were honored for demonstrating excellence in their careers after high school and for leaving lasting positive impacts on their communities.

Diane Havlir

Eliza Goldwasser & Caitlin Vengazo

Commentary & Entertainment Editors r. Diane Havlir (class of ‘76) has been a trailblazer since her sophomore year at Maine South, winning the national championship for speed skating in 1974 before leaving the sport to focus on academics.

“Skating was always an outlet for me,” Havlir said. “There was a point where I liked it, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do for my life, so I quit. My coaches were like ‘So you’re just gonna quit?’ and I was like, ‘Yes, I want to be a high school student.’”

Havlir’s time at Maine South laid the foundation for her successful career, especially as a woman in medicine in the 1980s.

“At Maine South, it just seemed like the world was in front of you,” she said. “When I came here, I didn’t feel like the school put me in any kind of box; where society was kind of holding back women, I

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David Greising

Madison Basquin & Elizabeth Handley Editors-in-Chief

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avid Greising (class of ‘78) is a journalist known for his work as a “Chicago Tribune” columnist and Better Government Association CEO. Greising began his journalism career while obtaining his bachelor’s degree from DePauw, where he joined their news publication.

“I didn’t really like the kind of writing I was doing in class, so I went and got on the paper as an outlet for my writing, and ended up becoming an editor my

just didn’t feel that when I was in school.”

Havlir realized early on that she wanted to be a trailblazer.

“I wouldn’t take at face value that things were as good as they could be, and I was the kind of person that questioned, ‘Why is it like this?’” Havlir said.

This curiosity and questioning of the world ultimately led Havlir to discover her passion for medicine.

“I was very interested in infectious diseases, thinking about what’s the most important infectious disease that’s really affecting a lot of people,” Havlir said.

This rationale brought her to the heart of the AIDS pandemic in the 1980s and ‘90s.

“It started in San Francisco when I saw these gay men who really didn’t have, not the money, but the support of society,” she said. “I spent my career at that point figuring out how we can turn this disease from uniformly fatal to chronic.”

By working firsthand with those affected by AIDS, Havlir saw directly how her patients were impacted.

“I remember sitting with one of my patients—he was young, probably 22—and I said, ‘How are your medicines going?’” Havlir said. “He was like, ‘I take my old man pills.’ I said, ‘That’s interesting, what are

your old man pills?’ He said, ‘You’re the doctor; you told me that if I take these pills, I will live to be an old man.’”

The challenges of the epidemic motivated Havlir to leave a positive impact on her patients, making it that much more of an accomplishment when she helped create a treatment for AIDS. “It’s more rewarding and meaningful because I was there at the very beginning and saw what people had suffered through,” she said.

Havlir’s extensive experience in medicine has given her a unique perspective on bringing about change.

“I’m an agent of change and trying to convince people that when we get new data we should change things,” Havlir said.

One way she initiated advancement was by raising a family and pursuing a career at a time when these two seemed incompatible for women.

“I am very passionate about my career, and it has not been mutually exclusive of having a family,” Havlir said.

She hopes that her actions will benefit future generations by inspiring others to do the same.

“We’ve been dealt a deck of cards,” Havlir said.

“Just ask yourself, ‘Am I doing what I can do with this deck of cards I’ve been dealt?’”

senior year,” Greising said.

During Greising’s time on the paper, another reporter was sent to cover a more controversial case.

The story brought attention to a C-level student who was on track to receive honorary recognition.

However, the coverage of this story brought the paper and Greising backlash from the school board.

“The president of the university called me and said, ‘You can’t publish any of this,’” Greising said. “We were a financially independent university, so I was able to call the President and say, ‘I’m sorry, but you’re not my boss.’ It gave me a sense of ‘wow’ being able to tell the president of the university that he can’t do that.”

At this time, Greising was still pursuing law. His journalism experience was limited to the DePauw publication and occasionally helping friends edit their essays back at Maine South.

However, Greising ultimately shifted his career paths due to the freedom he experienced within

journalism during his newspaper staff experience.

As he pursued a career in journalism, Greising was initially concerned that his lack of journalism coursework in high school and college would present a challenge.

Despite these worries, Greising forged ahead, eventually working at various news outlets such as City News, the Sun Times, and the Chicago Tribune as a columnist and Chief Business Correspondent.

Since 2018, Greising has worked as CEO of the Better Government Association and continued his dedication to “solutions journalism.” The BGA earned the prestigious Pulitzer prize in 2022 for its investigation revealing the City of Chicago’s role in failing to address fire hazards in residential buildings.

“I never had any doubt that it was the right choice for me because from day one I just loved the work,” Greising said. “It’s interesting doing work that reaches and affects people that way and it’s really rewarding.”

SouthwordS 9

FEATURES | Nov. 3, 2023

Chromebooks reboot learning

Ms. Elizabeth Ball, who has been BLAST FROM THE PAST When 1:1 computing was first announced, a math teacher at Maine South for 22 Southwords published this editorial about the introduction of Chromebooks on Feb. 22, Features Writer years, notes that the Chromebooks 2013. The staff at the time worried that universal Chromebooks could have negative t’s hard to imagine a world of have improved efficiency of learning effects on learning. education without Chromebooks, and helped provide opportunities but 11 years ago, this was the reality for students to further their STAFF EDITORIAL not always the best idea edge is “While all these potential benefits Cutting for all students at Maine South. learning outside of class.

T Scancothis sound great, that’s just what they QR de The end of last year marked a full “It absolutely helps students to to e-mail Southwords are—potential. 1:1 computing is decade of school-issued Chromebooks be able to have technology, to be just starting to be implemented in in District 207, and this addition has able to look things up right away, schools, and there’s still so much impacted education beyond measure. and even things like, for example, as that we don’t know...There are lot of Mr. Michael Edwards, Associate a teacher, having notes available on potential disadvantages as well. For Principal of Student Experiences, Google Classroom,” Ms. Ball said. starters, technology is sometimes S ocial S cience teacher Ms. notes that Chromebooks are an unreliable.” essential school supply.

Leah Politi has been teaching at “The goal is to give students a Maine South for two years, and she o Check out this editorial and its What d ink? device that can be utilized for all appreciates the different options for YOU th accompanying news story at needed school tasks, and also be teaching made accessible by students’ Southwords.org—look up volume useful once the student leaves Maine ownership of Chromebooks.

49, issue 6.

S 8 S South,” Mr. Edwards said.

“Chromebooks allow me to use a Superintendent Dr. Ken Wallace lot more resources that are not just Chromebooks come with downsides right in your notes.”

Ms. Ball remembered challenges stated in a 2013 Southwords interview me standing up and lecturing,” Ms. that are observed closely to ensure safe student learning.

There is also a risk of presented

by Chromebooks when when Chromebooks were first being Politi said. “I have students play civics students and teachers becoming too they were purchased ten years ago. implemented that Chromebooks games, which we never would’ve done provided cost savings for families. in school when tech wasn’t universal.” reliant on technology, which causes She had to adapt her teaching style “With the current state of book S t u d e n t s a l s o a g r e e t h a t them to lose crucial face-to-face to accommodate early Chromebook availability. pricing, students can not only Chromebooks improve their learning interactions.

“The drawbacks, of course, are that “The first year, only freshmen get E-books, but also supporting experience inside and outside of materials for a fraction of the cost of school. Junior Sydney Cruz feels students may not be fully educated on and sophomores had Chromebooks,” a hard copy book,” he said. like she gains access to valuable how to remain safe on the internet she said. “I had classes that were Chromebooks have proven to skills and study techniques via her and can engage in dangerous or combined sophomore and junior, so harmful behaviors without parents the sophomores had everything on be beneficial to student learning; Chromebook. they allow students to have access “Overall, Chromebooks very being aware or able to monitor it,” Mr. their Chromebooks, and the juniors to countless resources which were much help my learning because they Edwards said. “The other thing is now didn’t have Chromebooks. I had to get previously unavailable. They also help me stay organized, and I use that we rely on having computers— a classroom set of Chromebooks so allow students to have more versatile Quizlet a lot, which is a good learning what do we do when a student does the juniors had in class opportunities not have theirs, it’s broken, or being to use the Chromebooks, and then options for everyday routines like resource,” Cruz said. outside the classroom, everything note-taking and classwork.

However, as with all technology, used for negative purposes?”

Ms. Ball acknowledged that had to have paper copies for the if schools become too dependent students. We couldn’t even ask them on technology, students will not to use Google Classroom or any experience the advantages and skills kind of online, because it wasn’t a learned from communicating in requirement.” person.

Overall, teachers and students “During Covid when we were are grateful for the advancement of teaching at home all the time technology over the last ten years and and everything had to be on the the advantages it brings to student Chromebooks, I felt that students learning, despite some flaws. Our didn’t get a lot of chances to be developing world will only continue to talking face-to-face,” Ms. Ball said. “I grow with technology, and including probably use the Chromebooks less technology in education will further now than I did before Covid.” prepare students for their lives beyond Ms. Politi also makes an effort the classroom. to balance Chromebook work with “All jobs require technology,” paper work, because she knows Mr. Edwards said. “All homes have that students will not comprehend advanced technology, your cars, information as well. everything I can think of requires “Right now in US History, I’m people to understand and use working on giving more paper notes technology. This means we have instead of computer-typed notes, and to teach students how to use it for CHROMEBOOK ART Students at South express their creativity by decorat- I’m also not posting slides while I post learning without engaging in negative ing their Chromebooks with stickers. This offers students a way to make their Chromebooks the notes,” Ms. Politi said. “I found behaviors. Our job as administrators personal to their specific interests and tell their story. The Chromebooks above belong to juthat instead of taking notes, it’s really is to harness technology to support niors Makayla Waters (top left) and Ava Kontuly (middle right) and Mickey Gioia (bottom left). easy to copy and paste from the slides students.”

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Nov. 3, 2023 | ENTERTAINMENT

Choir ensembles showcase their voices

Sydney Hollingsworth

Entertainment Writer he annual fall choir concert is quickly approaching and will take the audience on a journey through musical history since the Romantic Period.

“We have German songs spanning from the olden days to pretty ballads and pieces from more modern times,” junior Vocal Jazz and Chamber Choir student Nicole Scimeca said.

Maine South offers three choir courses: Treble Choir, Concert Choir, and Chamber Choir. These groups have spent class time preparing for the concert in a variety of ways.

“In class, we have been working on the music since we got back to school in August,” choir director Mr. Matthew Hanes said. “We do a mixture of small group sectionals, large groups with everyone, as well as some individual singing exams.”

Outside of the classroom, Hawkapella and Vocal Jazz are extracurricular activities that are also offered for students interested in singing. “[Vocal Jazz] rehearses every odd day before school at 7:00 a.m., and we sing Jazz standards,” sophomore Vocal

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Jazz and Chamber Choir student Jane Nuich said.

Hawkapella, unlike most high school choirs, is student-led. This year’s leaders are juniors Elizabeth Bordini and Sophia Canetta.

“We choose our own songs and direct everyone on our own,” Bordini said. “We are an acapella group, meaning we make music using only our voices and are unaccompanied by instruments.”

Exploring music from more recent times, Hawkapella will be singing “I Need a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler.

Vocal Jazz will be singing “Love Me or Leave Me,” “Alice in Wonderland,” and “Brave Little Flower.” In preparation for the concert, Vocal Jazz recently went on a field trip to hone their skills as a group.

“We went to a Vocal Jazz Academy at Niles North,” Nuich said. “[The field trip] was an all-day workshop about vocal technique and jazz standards.”

Vocal Jazz students collaborated with other high school choirs on the field trip.

“I really enjoyed meeting other students from nearby high schools who share my love for jazz,” Bordini said. “It

PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

DO RE MI Students in the Concert Choir class warm up prior to rehearsing for their

upcoming concert, which will be on Thursday, Nov. 2. The concert will feature songs from Concert Choir, as well as four other choir ensembles.

was so much fun to be part of such a huge ensemble, and I was in awe of the talent of the students present.”

They also had the unique opportunity of meeting a composer of one of their pieces.

“It’s been exciting rehearsing for this concert because we met the artist who wrote ‘Brave Little Flower’ at [the Niles North Workshop],” Scimeca said. “Meeting her was really helpful to understand the intentions behind the song and be able to perform it with purpose.”

One unique aspect of the show is

that it will feature songs in languages besides English.

“You will hear songs in English, German, Spanish, and Italian,” Mr. Hanes said.

“Watching your classmates sing who you didn’t know sang is always a good and surprising time,” Scimeca said. “[It’s great] to support the choir and enjoy an evening of wonderful music.”

The choir concert will be held in the Watson Auditorium on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7:00 p.m. and is free for students and spectators to attend.

Orchestras join forces at annual fall concert Lyn Brush

Entertainment Writer ince the beginning of August, the school orchestra has been hard at work preparing for its first concert of the year.

This will be the first production directed by new Fine Arts teacher, Mr. Leo Park.

“The performance will feature all of the orchestras, including String Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra,” Mr. Park said.

String Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra, and Symphony Orchestra are classes; however, Chamber Orchestra is an audition-based extracurricular activity. They rehearse once a week after school and will be playing songs of various backgrounds.

“The pieces run the gamut from Bach with ‘Brandenburg Concerto No. 5’ to some very dynamic pieces written by living composers,” Mr. Park said.

A total of 14 pieces will be played by the orchestras at the concert. Unlike previous concerts, the three ensembles will come together for a combined performance.

“The last few pieces of the concert

S

PHOTO BY CEYLAN YILDIZ

TAKING THE STAGE Symphony Orchestra rehearses for the first time on stage to prepare for their concert on Wednesday, Nov. 8. Fourteen pieces will be played by orchestra students throughout the performance.

will feature every single Maine South orchestra student, which will be super cool,” senior violist Katie Kolz said.

Besides the joint performance, the audience will hear unique pieces from each ensemble.

“My favorite piece that we’re performing is called ‘Vanishing Pointe’ because of all the vibrant sounds it has,” junior cellist Oliver Tiu said.

Preparing for a unique concert like this comes with its share of difficulties. “[The first concert of the year is] always the most challenging in my opinion because you’re coming off of several months of break and jumping

right back into school,” Mr. Park said.

“It’s a transition, and I think we’re beginning to function on all cylinders right now, and the timing couldn’t be better in terms of us getting up on stage and showcasing it.”

The students have liked working with their new director, and many feel a sense of community within the orchestra program.

“He’s been great to work with and I look forward to continuing to work with him,” Tiu said. “The orchestra has also been feeling closer together than previous years, and it’s made the process really fun.”

The feeling is mutual between Mr. Park and his students, as he appreciates their passion for music.

“I really enjoy working with student musicians who aspire to keep music in their lives,” Mr. Park said. “[They are] students who are interested in working towards progressing on their instruments and becoming mature musicians. [We are] rehearsing pieces of music to, essentially, highlight and leverage the strengths of each individual student as well as the ensemble as a whole.”

Orchestra concerts can be a great place to hear a variety of music.

“It is so great to see our concerts because you get to experience so many forms of art that I think a lot of people aren’t yet exposed to,” junior violinist Sammie O’Leary said. “Although most of the music we play is classical or sometimes modern, we also feature a lot of pop, or sometimes jazz, or other styles of music that can appeal to everyone.”

The orchestra concert will be on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the Watson Auditorium. Admission is free for students and guests.

SouthwordS 11

ENTERTAINMENT | Nov. 3, 2023

MTV-Show evokes ‘80s nostalgia Tess Elliott & Sayde Feeley

PHOTO BY ANASTASIA MUSYAKEVICH

Entertainment Writer and Editor

T

he annual V-Show steps into the spotlight in less than a month, with students beginning to rehearse their different acts and coming together to put their talents on display at the annual Variety Show.

The V-Show is a collaborative effort among students with a diverse range of talents. These acts range from sketches to musical performances, brought together through a common theme selected each year.

This year, the show’s theme is MTV-Show. Viewers can anticipate flashy, ‘80s-themed imagery that will take them back in time.

“Something that brings people in year after year is the fun and creative themes that go with the actual performances,” junior crew member Mickey Gioia said. “In the past, we have had themes such as ‘How to Get Away with V-Show,’ ‘The V-Show that Goes Wrong,’ and even a Queen theme.”

There will be a total of 15 acts, ranging from singing and dancing to less common talents, such as a yo-yo act. A fashion show created by Fashion Club will be featured, along with a performance from the Maine South Dance Company.

“This will be the Maine South Dance Company’s first time at V-show in a while, and I think the new performance environment will be exciting for the team,” junior Maine South Dance Company member Markella Himargios said.

Mr. David Inserra will also make an appearence in a highly anticipated dance routine.

In addition, Trunk, a student group of sketch comics, will be performing in between each act. They perform on each side stage, giving the main stage acts time to set up and prepare.

“Think of it like SNL,” V-Show senior student director Emmy Buckley said.

The absence of competition is also a major appeal of the event because it’s a way for the student body to come together and support each other’s skills.

“V-Show is the only school production where kids outside of the PA wing get to participate,” technical director Mr. Patrick Sanchez said.

By encouraging all acts, the show sees lots of new talent to the

12 SouthwordS

BRAINSTORMING Trunk members junior Elizabeth Bordini, senior Angie Guercio, sophomore Ola Nawrocki, senior

Caroline Keeley, and senior Olivia Kennedy (left to right) work together to pitch sketch ideas on Oct. 25. Trunk performs sketches on the side stages in between acts of the V-Show.

department.

South a few years ago, and she loved “V-Show is so important because V-Show,” junior crew member Ella it introduces new students to the Cedeno said. “She went every year, performing arts and allows for them and she liked that each year was to witness all of the skills we have,” different from the last. They always junior V-Show student director Ryan make sure that every show is unique.”

Scheonstedt said. “It draws in more As preparations are underway support and more people, which we for the show, the backstage crew is working hard to bring the magic of can always benefit from.”

Besides embracing new par- V-Show to life.

“My main ticipants, the production is beloved job is to oversee the by many return“V-show pulls in const r uc t i on ing members. everyone from Maine and design of “I equally love the stage,” Mr. performing and South, whether it’s as Sanchez said. being a student a performer or as an “I also direct director,” Schoenaudience member.” t he ac ts and stedt said. “As a member of Maine -Ryan Schoenstedt (‘25) make sure that ever yone is South’s band, I get doing what they my time on the are supposed to stage to perform with my friends. However, my other be doing.”

He works closely with the lighting, favorite aspect is helping different acts come together so they can run sound, painting, and construction as smoothly as possible.” aspect of the show.

Crew heads, who have a similar V-Show has long been a highlight at Maine South. Musical acts, dance job, are appointed to work more routines, comedy skits and band closely with the other students and performances are always featured. oversee the whole backstage process.

Other than being all-inclusive, it is They work together under multiple one of the long-standing traditions student directors, who communicate that has remained since the school’s with adults like Mr. Sanchez in order to ensure a full collaboration between opening 59 years ago.

“My sister graduated from Maine teachers and students.

“The role of a student director is to help acts that we are supporting in the whole creative process,” Schoenstedt said. “We also help performers with their light cues and stage directions.

Once tech week starts, which is the week before opening night, everything becomes even more important because we are directing specific details.”

With the help of crew, participants of V-Show are just as dedicated to making their performances a hit.

“In order to make sure Stage Band is prepared, we meet once or twice a week and rehearse,” Schoenstedt said.

“As for other performers, there is a set schedule of in-school rehearsal for an hour a week.”

All performers, on stage and off, dedicate long hours and hard work into making the production captivating and keeping the tradition alive.

“V-Show pulls in ever yone from Maine South, whether as a performer or as an audience member,” Schoenstedt said. “It is so fun to see all of the people that come to watch the acts, and it means so much to everyone involved. So much effort goes into this show, and it always pays off.”

The V-Show will open on Dec. 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 for students and $12 for guests.

Nov. 3, 2023 | ENTERTAINMENT

Take-out turkey: tasty or tragic?

Sayde Feeley & Caitlin Vengazo Entertainment Editors

Can’t wait for Thanksgiving dinner? Southwords tries local take-out turkey dinners to see which ones will satisfy your craving without having to cook for hours.

IHOP

Omega

IHOP’s turkey dinner might explain why they’re known for all-day breakfast. The turkey itself had a decent texture and flavor, but somehow, it managed to be watery and dry at the same time. On the other hand, the side of mac and cheese was an unexpected highlight due to its ideal amount of sauce and level of cheesiness. Unfortunately, the mashed potatoes were difficult to enjoy because of the oddly thin texture, lack of saltiness, and potato skin. The best part about this meal by far was the garlic bread. Toasted to perfection and topped with the optimal amount of butter and garlic, IHOP’s garlic bread exceeded our expectations for a breakfast diner.

Omega Restaurant & Bakery’s Hot Turkey Sandwich is an unconventional turkey dinner since it is technically a sandwich, although it would be impossible to eat it that way, as both the turkey and bread were drowning in gravy that tasted oddly like alfredo sauce. The turkey itself had a pleasant texture despite its gravy saturation, but the mashed potatoes had too much pepper and a crumbly, dry texture. This meal would have been a total flop if not for its complimentary baked goods: an airy donut-shaped croissant, a sweet muffin, and a savory breadstick. Cranberry sauce was also included, but its flavor was too tart and overpowering. The highlight by far, though, was the muffin, whose flavor was so enjoyable that a spread was not even necessary.

Slow-Roasted Turkey | $13.75 5220 N Harlem Ave, Chicago

Roasted Turkey Breast | $14.89 800 Devon Ave, Park Ridge

Bakers Square overall missed the mark on both texture and flavor.

For starters, the turkey was so slimy that it could have passed for ham, not to mention the overwhelming salty flavor of the gravy. The mashed potatoes were not much better; besides an unnecessary amount of butter, the serving had a consistency that suggested flour had been added to the recipe. Somehow, the side of broccoli was better than the turkey and mashed potatoes, and that might only be because it lacked any flavor at all. The saving grace of this meal was the sweet roll, which had the perfect density and sweetness for dipping in gravy, had it been enjoyable.

Famous for their meat dishes, Boston Market met our high expectations for their turkey. It had a desirable texture and the ideal ratio of meat to gravy, which complemented each other nicely. Although the mashed potatoes had a flawless consistency, it was as if pepper was added twice when there should have been salt, and this lasting aftertaste took away from the meal overall. As for the side of mac and cheese, it had an enjoyable flavor despite oddly soft noodles that fell apart upon scooping. Yet again, the sweet roll served with this meal, which was slightly too dense but had a great flavor, made up for other shortcomings.

All-Natural Roasted Turkey | $13.49 7120 Mannheim Rd, Rosemont

Bakers Square

Bookstore campout

Hot Turkey Sandwich | $20.35 9100 W Golf Rd, Niles

Boston Market

Note: as of 10/26, this location appears to be closed

PHOTOS BY CAITLIN VENGAZO

by Lauren Whitlock

SouthwordS 13

SPORTS | Nov. 3, 2023

How athletes deal with

pressure then and now

Kyra Demeros & Thomas Hurley Sports Editors enna Pearl is a junior on the varsity swim team and has been swimming since she was PHOTO CREDIT DENISE PEARL about seven years old.

Since then, she has noticed a change in environment from when she first started the sport.

“I enjoyed swimming a little more when I was younger because it was less strict and I was just swimming for fun and didn’t feel as much pressure to do well during races,” Pearl said.

She admits that as the years have gone by, not only has the pressure to perform well increased, the level of competitiveness during meets has also grown.

“I think a little bit of competitiveness is good, but there can also be too much,” Pearl said.

“I have seen some people get mad after one bad race and ruin their whole meet. I think there are going to be good and bad days in swimming, but you just have to learn from them and come back.”

PHOTO CREDIT DENISE PEARL To avoid getting wrapped up in the competition, Pearl makes sure to get in a positive A SPLASH OF THE PAST Jenna Pearl competes in a mindset before every practice and meet. meet on Sept. 28 (left) and prepares for a swim meet at age nine (right).

“Take every day as a day to improve, and always try to have fun, too,” Pearl said. ean Schermerhorn has been playing soccer for 13 years, and is now a junior on Maine PHOTO CREDIT DAVE FARRELL PHOTO CREDIT PAUL SCHERMERHORN South’s team.

Since being on the school soccer team, his mentality towards the sport has changed.

“When I started playing soccer, it was fun because I enjoyed scoring and the attention from the fans, as most kids do,” Schermerhorn said. “As I got older, I became less interested in those things and more interested in improving my skills in other aspects of the game, for instance passing and defending.”

Another difference that he has noticed is the change in competitiveness. As competition between teams increased, the collaboration within the team had to grow too.

“As I have gotten older, I think that competitiveness between me and my teammates has decreased, meaning there are fewer arguments about who is better,” he said.

He also sees the benefit that healthy competition can have on athletes.

“Competitiveness is the only way that people can improve,” Schermerhorn said. “If there is STAYING AHEAD OF THE BALL Sean Schermerhorn started playing at an early age with Chicago Stars and PRS. no competitiveness, then there is no drive, and without drive, there can be no improvement.” unior Owynn Garrelts has been running cross country since sixth grade, but he only really PHOTO CREDIT SONYA ARCURI PHOTO CREDIT MAUREEN GARRELTS began to find excitement in the sport once he started high school.

“I didn’t really start to commit myself to running until freshman year,” he said.

As he progressed through his first season, he learned that he had more potential than he was aware of.

“At the end of the season freshman year, I started to realize that I was actually good at the sport and could be a top runner in the state by senior year, so I kept pushing myself to be a better runner each day,” Garrelts said.

With the pressure to live up to this potential beginning to mount, Garrelts found that much of it depended on the whole team’s expectations.

“The pressure has made my enjoyment of the sport a little worse, but I can always just try to take deep breaths and just run and not worry about anything else,” he said.

In general, Garrelts feels that improvement alone is enough to help him enjoy running.

“I am enjoying it much more than when I started because now I have goals that I can RACING INTO THE FUTURE Owynn Garrelts runs actually attain, and every time I get closer to achieving them, I enjoy running more,” he said. at the Regional meet on Oct. 21 (left), and ran a 5K in sixth grade (right).

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Is playing on a club team worth the extra pressure?

Alya Kanjo

Sports Writer any student-athletes are often faced with mental health challenges as they are pressured to be the best at their sport from a young age. This pressure is often heightened through club sports with heavy pressure from parents and coaches to stay committed to the sport.

Junior Sofia Rossi, captain of the varsity girls’ volleyball team, admits that she faces an array of challenges during school seasons and at her MOD volleyball club team.

“Club volleyball is definitely way

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14 SouthwordS

more challenging because you are competing against other players that are just as good as you or ten times better than you,” Rossi said. “It is really easy to compare yourself to other players, depending upon the coach; some coaches are definitely way more intense and don’t hold back when telling you what to do on the court.”

While Rossi truly shows a passion and love for the sport of volleyball, this may not be the case for every athlete in a high-commitment sport.

Milica Simic is currently a junior playing club lacrosse at a national

level for Second City in addition to competing on Maine South’s varsity team. Simic agrees that playing for a club team shaped her into the player she currently is with the strong coaching pushing her outside of her limits.

“Coaches sometimes push athletes beyond their limits, and it’s not easy to see that, but after a while, your game truly improves,” Simic said. “Mentally, you also have to be in the right game.

You must have a goal that you are striving for or pushing yourself won’t help at all, and your coach needs to provide positivity before your game.”

Rossi and Simic are examples of how playing for a club team can benefit an athlete, if proper coaching is provided.

“In my opinion, it’s worth it in the end because positive coaching can really push you to be a better athlete and add to your passion for the sport,” Rossi said.

Additional commitments can help with not only passion but also skill.

“I think if you want to mentally and physically be at the top of your game, you really need to push yourself and club teams are just one way to do that,” Simic said.

Nov. 3, 2023 | SPORTS

Boys’ cross ‘Fab five’ lead girls’ volleyball country season team to success in the season ends at Sectionals PHOTO BY KATIE JOHNSTON

Maeve Strotman Sports Writer

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he boys’ cross country team recently ran at the Lake Park Sectional meet on Oct. 28 after placing in the top six teams at Regionals a week before. They had also placed in fourth at the CSL South Conference on Oct. 14.

In order to qualify for the State meet, the team had to place in the top six at the Regional meet, as well as in the top seven at the Sectional meet.

Although the team was able to narrowly qualify for Sectionals by beating Evanston by two points, the Sectional meet itself brought unexpected challenges. Junior Owynn Garrelts qualified to run at State individually, but the team was not able to qualify as a whole.

“I went into it thinking it was going to be the best race for many of us, but things happen and some of us either didn’t feel the best or couldn’t handle the pressure of the situation,” junior Jake Eckhart said. “It give us all motivation for next year’s State series, especially knowing there’s a lot of potential on the team right now.”

During the Conference meet, the conditions were less than ideal for the runners.

“It had the worst conditions anyone on the team had ever competed in,” junior Owen Tremblay said.

The team raced through deep puddles of mud and water, with winds up to 25 mph, and constant rainfall during the meet.

“Although the race was tough, it was a pretty fun experience,” Tremblay said.

While the team faced many challenges at Conference, the biggest obstacles were still ahead in trying to qualify for the State meet.

One way the team worked to achieve their goal was by increasing the intensity of practices.

“We alternate between hard track workouts and long recovery runs in the forest preserve,” junior Owynn Garrelts said.

“Our practices are very tough, but we push through to be the best team that we can,” senior Liam Charley said.

The team not only worked to be physically prepared for Sectionals, but also worked on the mental side of the sport.

“Each of our top seven runners needed to push themselves to do well, and everyone had to have a good mindset going into the meets, as that is a key part of having a successful race,” Tremblay said.

The team looks to continue to get closer through bonding experiences, such as pasta parties and football games.

This camaraderie helps members of the team form friendships, which has helped them do better at races and has created a fun atmosphere.

“Team camaraderie in my opinion is one of the main things that makes cross country fun,” Tremblay said.

BLOCKING OUT THE COMPETITION Junior Ana Petrides (left) and senior Caroline Almquist (right) block an incoming spike during the senior night match. The team lost the match 2-1 after playing three sets.

Katie Johnston Sports Writer

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fter an impressive regular season, the girls’ varsity volleyball team earned a spot at Sectionals, where they lost a difficult match against New Trier on Oct. 30.

The seniors on the team, known as the “Fab Five,” Caroline Almquist, Ava Amelio, Jenna Noth, Annie O’Leary, and Athena Tsalapatanis, were the leaders who carried the team to success.

“The energy of the five of us translates to the team getting the other players excited when we make a play,” Amelio said.

At their Senior Night game, the Fab Five demonstrated that energy throughout the game against Glenbrook South. Although the game ended in a 2-1 loss, the team had more exciting games to

come, as the team won Regionals for the first time in ten years on Oct. 26.

Schoolwork and athletics are difficult to balance for any athlete, but the team finds it necessary.

“It’s important to prioritize school and self,” Tsalapatanis said. “Being a student-athlete is like a life lesson.”

Being the leaders on the team hasn’t been easy at all times. The Fab Five always found ways to work through challenges.

“You have to be confident on the court and not scared of making a mistake,” O’Leary said.

Not only do these leaders have to exert confidence, but they need to bring the energy to matches to keep team spirits up.

“We have to be the peppiest and loudest, setting examples for the next seniors,” Tsalapatanis said.

Girls’ cross country looks to state meet to wrap up successful postseason Audrey Becker Sports Writer

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he girls’ cross country team has high hopes for ending this year’s season after winning the conference title at the CSL meet on Saturday, Oct. 14, placing third at the Oak Park-River Forest Regional on Oct. 21, and fourth at the Lake Park Sectional on Oct. 28.

“The most significant win of the season so far was our Conference title win,” sophomore Lucia Fuentes said.

They were able to accomplish one of their main goals, and their hard work and supportive teammates seem to have contributed this accomplishment.

Despite their successes, the team consistently faced difficulties. Some runners were affected by injuries throughout the season, and negative

thoughts hindered some runners’ success.

“My only low of the season was the first race,” junior Maggie Sheehan said. “I was too in my own head and I was overwhelmed about beating last year’s times right away that I never got into a good headspace for running.”

Getting over these obstacles can be hard, but the encouragement from teammates helped them to push through.

“Some lows were losing some of our runners to injuries, but they still come out to every meet to support us,” Jaroch said.

The team’s ultimate goal for the season was to qualify for the state meet down in Peoria. Putting in the work and staying positive helped them to place in the top seven teams that qualify.

“Our top runners had been training hard to run their best in the upcoming weeks to qualify for the state finals,” Sheehan said.

SouthwordS 15

CROSS COUNTRY | FLAG FOOTBALL | FOOTBALL | GOLF | BOYS’SOCCER | GIRLS’ SWIM & DIVE | GIRLS’TENNIS | GIRLS’VOLLEYBALL

Girls’ golf sends five athletes to Sectionals despite challenges Sofia Rossi

Sports Writer fter the girls' golf team came out swinging at Regionals, they unfortunately weren't able to repeat that success at Sectionals.

“We played our b est at the Conference,” senior Jessica Hoffman said. “The teams were very competitive, but all of us were optimistic and excited to play each of our matches.”

The team went through some challenges at the beginning of the season but persevered through them, allowing them to rise to the top.

“The start of the school year was

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definitely a shock for us,” Hoffman said. “Trying to manage school and a very time-consuming sport like golf was difficult, but we quickly adjusted and began to play some of our best golf.”

Staying positive and working hard really improved the girls’ performance.

One of the most memorable moments was during Regionals, when two players from Maine South went head-to-head with GBS. During their head-to- head match, Maine South rose to the occasion and two more players were able to advance to Sectionals.

“Thankfully, after a few stressful moments, the girls we were competing

against dropped to a lower rank, so all five of us were able to advance to Sectionals together,” junior Makayla Waters said.

The five senior players that advanced to Sectionals were Alex Conopeotis, Hannah Hoffman, Jessica Hoffman, Megan Ward, and Ava Bertsch.

Not only did the girls’ golf team have a successful regular season, but they also accomplished a huge goal: advancing through two rounds of playoffs.

"We worked very hard to improve their skills throughout the course of the year, and it paid off with the majority of the team advancing,” Hoffman said.

This moment has stood out to her, as something she will remember.

“It is really impressive, and a memory I will definitely have forever,” Hoffman said.

The team credits their success to the strong bonds that they developed throughout the season. One of their favorite ways to bond was getting food together after a long day of playing 18 holes of golf. This helped them reflect on their games.

“We would always go out for treats after our games with our coaches,” Waters said. “We all really loved spending time with one another, after working hard.”

Boys’ soccer season comes to an end after playoff game loss

Sectional championship leads to state berths for girls’ tennis

Sports Editor

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Brianna Giustino

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he boys’ soccer team concluded their season after losing to Evanston High School on Oct. 27 in a playoff game. While the team strove for another win in the playoffs after defeating Loyola Academy on Oct. 17, their goals for state quickly came to an end.

Despite this, in the days leading up to the playoff games the team continued to persevere and practice hard to achieve their goals of state. They had practices up to five times a week, where athletes worked to advance their technical skills, as well as their communication skills as a team.

“Practice is always a ton of fun.

Senior Lucas C osma s aid.

We always bring a lot of snacks and a speaker to play music. It is usually competitive, but we always want to have fun and perform to our best level.”

During practice, the team completed a number of strenuous conditioning activities including different running and cardio workouts.

“Conditioning is extremely important,” junior Sean Schermerhorn said. It is worth it because in games it is important to be able to outrun the

other teams.”

One of the key aspects for improvement, especially in a sport involving so much communication, is to grow with teammates outside of practice.

“We practiced every weekday except for when we’d have games, which is 4-5 times a week,” Cosma said.

The team had an overall record of 12-8-3, including wins against Loyola and Maine West, which allowed them to place fourth in their conference, right behind New Trier.

Although they ended on a disappointing note, the progress they've made throughout the season will help lead them to success through up and coming years.

PHOTO BY ANASTASIA MUSYAKEVICH

KICKING IT UP A NOTCH

Senior Nick Milkowski assists the team in scoring a goal during the regional game against Evanston.

Maine South lost this game 5-3.

Brianna Giustino

is super welcoming, supportive, and energetic,” senior Anna Jeludeva said.

Sports Editor he girls’ tennis team won their “Even if someone has a bad day on the first sectional championship since court, the team always picks them up.”

2015, and qualified three players for What drives the team to do well is State. their constant support for one another.

The doubles team of sophomore Ella They hold each other accountable, while Raseta and freshman Emma Militaru also balancing having fun, and coming went 2-2 at the state tournament, while closer as a team. senior captain Amelia Stanek ended her “Our captains are really great leadhigh school tennis career with a 3-2 ers,” Jeludeva said. “They do a really record at State. good job keeping the team on track and “[Stanek] is imunited.” pressive to watch, and T he c apt ai ns “The environment practices really hard,” work with one anjunior captain Charother to lead the on the team is super lotte Hartung said.

The team is welcoming, support- team.

The team has led by senior capive, and energetic.” trained consistently tains Stanek, Kaitthrough the past four lyn Brown, and Ava -Anna Jeludeva '24 months, which was Romero, and junior reflected in their imcaptains Hartung, pressive accomplishments this season. Madeline Kron, and Gianna Musso.

“I practice five to seven times a The captains organize team bonding week during the season, and around events, bring snacks, and motivate all the same amount offseason as well,” players to play at their best. This leaderMilitaru said. ship helps the girls come together and During practice, the girls played become victorious. competitive matches against one “At the tournaments there are difanother in order to prepare for tough ferent events including individual matches against other schools. They matches, as well as whole team events,” practiced multiple hours a day, and Hartung said. “I really like the team even played pick-up games with each events because it reiterates that we’re other most weekends, outside of school. all in it together and have overall goals “The environment on the team for the season.”