Vol 50, Issue 1

Maine South’s student voice since 1964 See page 2

Vol.

September 20, 2013

Maine Township High School South, Park Ridge, Ill

, No. 1

CHR

MEBOOK ) o s t o N (

l a i t en

d i f n o C

Maine South students using the school’s Wi-Fi may not realize that their in-class browsing is being monitored.

GRAPHIC BY DORA BIALY

See page 4

Wild for Africa

Junior experiences life in South Africa Page 6

Job Frenzy

Water Works

Fashion Outlets bring jobs for City upsets traditions and Maine South students residents with new waterpark Page 9 Page 13

Going Strong

Win streak continues for Maine South soccer Page 16

50TH ANNIVERSARY

| September 20, 2013

years of

▼BLAST FROM THE PAST This issue’s flag is taken from the first volume of Southwords (1964-65). The first issue presented a contest to students to create the first Southwords flag, and this was the winning design.

I

n honor of both Maine South’s and our beloved newspaper’s 50th anniversary, Southwords is republishing news clippings from our archives. Every issue will include a few articles that give you glimpse into Maine South’s storied past. We are also going to feature a different historical flag (the style in which Southwords is written on the cover page) on the cover of each issue of this 50th volume. Below we have two articles from the very first volume. In addition to bringing you snippets of Southwords history, we’ll also be publishing a 50th anniversary issue in 2014 celebrating the traditions and events that have shaped Maine South.

HILLARY’S POLITICAL DEBUT

Volume 1 Issue 3 ● Oct. 16, 1964

In honor of the upcoming presidential election, Maine South hosted its first mock election in 1964.

Students were chosen to represent the Democratic and Republican parties and run their own campaigns. In an effort to simulate the real election, students who wanted to participate were required to register to vote. Representing the Democratic organization were Matt Bunyan and Ellen Press. Wall of Honor recipient Hillary Rodham Clinton took part as director of the Republican organization.

In the picture to the left, all three directors of the parties squared off before the campaign.

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

Volume 1 Issue 1 ● Sept. 18, 1964

From freshmen to seniors, everyone was a bit lost on their first day in 1964. In its very first issue, Southwords interviewed students on their first impressions of the brand new school. Upperclassmen even admitted, “It’s no joke that seniors have to ask underclassmen which way to go” (Carol Farley, ‘65). However, almost everyone was very impressed with the visual aesthetics of the building and the architecture. A few did reflect some of our modern day sentiments. “[It was] obviously planned by someone who never went to high school—or never used a locker,” said Rick Ricketts, ‘65. It seems like students’ opinions of the school really haven’t changed much in 50 years.

2 SouthwordS

September 20, 2013

| NEWS

Remembering Delaney Bean

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elaney Bean, a 2013 graduate of Maine South, passed away on July 10, 2013. Delaney is remembered by her friends, family, and teachers as not only a talented young women, but a loving and caring friend as well.

“She did so much, as far as visually, for the school,” said her Digital Imaging teacher Ms. Moore. “She worked with different clubs in creating posters for them. I don’t think people knew that a lot of the things that went up around the school, she made.”

One of Delaney’s most impressive pieces was her design for the 50th anniversary, which was chosen as the official logo for the school’s celebration.

“It is hard to lose someone who had so much to offer the world,” said cousin and close friend Ronnie Coyne. “Delaney’s talent was highlighted in her many outstanding pieces of artwork. She always told me to never take anything too seriously, but I know that she was very serious about her dedication to her artwork. It always amazed me to see the finished product. Even Adam Devine from Workaholics changed his Twitter picture to a drawing Delaney made.”

Delaney always took the time to look out for others. She went out of her way to care for those around her.

“She really put her heart into everything she did,” Ms. Moore added. “She was always helping people out in class, but very quietly. She was just a quietly giving person. She wasn’t self-promoting, and she did a lot behind-the-scenes. She was a star, but a quiet star, which was part of her beauty.”

“Little details, memories, and moments that could so easily be overlooked by others were never missed by her,” said friend Tara Garvey. “Delaney always used to write me little letters for my birthday or random holidays, and would always include some small memory from our childhood that I hadn’t thought about in years.”

“She would write nice notes to her teachers and to me part-way through the year,” said Ms. Moore. “It was just thoughtful that she would do something like that. It was mature beyond her years to write a note thanking a teacher on her own.”

Delaney was also very involved with both the

Gay-Straight Alliance and the Makeup Crew for Maine South performances. Teachers remember her as being very dedicated as well as being a great leader.

“She was pretty tough; she didn’t take a lot of guff from anybody,” said Tech Theatre teacher Mr. Sanchez, “But you knew she had a heart of gold underneath that. She had a lot of talent.”

“Delaney was more than just an outstanding artist,” said Coyne. “She was the greatest friend anyone could ask for. Her smile lit up the room.

She made you laugh when you were down and always had your back. Delaney had a one of a kind laugh that I can’t even describe, but one that I will never forget.”

“That was one of my favorite things about Delaney,” said friend and classmate Maggie Fleita. “If you knew her laugh, it was one of those kinds of laughs that made you smile and laugh with her.”

Delaney will be remembered not only for her talent and caring nature, but for the impact she made on people.

“Delaney had such a strength of spirit and compassion for others,” said counselor Mrs. Clark.

“I felt that, to her friends, she was their foundation, their rock. Her smile could absolutely light up the room and she spread that light and warmth of heart to all those lucky enough to know her.

“She was taken from us too soon,” said Coyne, “But her memory will always live on.”

by Hope Allchin and Dora Bialy

Summer research project inspires students Students become the scientists in a new research program.

Ellen Longman Staff writer

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his summer, Maine South offered students the opportunity to take a new kind of course, the Summer Science Research Program.

Unlike a traditional science class, the program allowed students to conduct original research on a question of their own.

“This program allowed me to do my own independent research in a subject that fascinates me,” said junior Lauren Acker.

According to the Maine South website, the program started because, “Within the constraints of the (standard) course curriculum, there is little time for students to pursue

some of the questions that naturally arise in their minds.”

“I’ve enjoyed my prior science classes at Maine South, but I wanted to see if I would enjoy doing science research as well,” said senior Bridget Olesky.

The projects, based off the participants’ questions, can be in any scientific field as long as they are testable. This includes psychology, astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, physics, and geology.

Oleksy, who’s researching how music affects people in different ways depending on their musical ability, gender, age, and personality, chose her topic because of her own love for music.

“I’ve been playing the violin since I was five, and music has always been a really big influence in my life,” Oleksy said, “Basically

everyone listens to music on a regular basis, so it’s a very relatable and universal topic, but I wanted to dig deeper into why and how it affects people.”

“This experience could be a turning point in [the students’] career decisions and ambitions, and their research could provide information that makes a difference in their area of study,” science department chair Mrs. Biewenga said.

The program began during the second semester of summer school, but continues throughout the school year with outside work and weekly meetings. The course ends when students present their results in the Illinois Junior Academy of Science regional competition at Niles North High School, in March 2014.

Both a faculty member and a mentor scientist from a university or

a local business assist the program participants along the way.

“I emailed a physics teacher I knew because my project relied heavily on physics,” said junior Lydia Zueshow. “I also emailed a researcher from MIT that conducted the experiment my project was based off of, and he offered to answer any questions I had.”

Maine South is one of the only schools in the area to have this program. Other schools with the program include Hinsdale, Oak Park River Forest and Wheeling.

“The biggest success of the program so far is that we have 17 students who are enthusiastically pursuing research in areas that truly interest them,” Mrs. Biewenga said.

“We hope that there are even more students excited to participate in the program next summer.”

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NEWS

| September 20, 2013

Hapara offers window into student Google life News Editors

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his summer, District 207 implemented a new program that enables teachers to monitor students’ online activities when they are logged onto their Google drive at school. The new program, Hapara, is integrated with the Chromebooks and student Gmail. “[Hapara] allows teachers to quickly message or e-mail students, and push out links to websites to individual students or a whole class,” said Dr. Henry Thiele, Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Learning.

With the program, teachers can see their students’ actions in Google Chrome when the students are logged on to the district server.

For freshmen and sophomores, anything done on a Chromebook while connected to the district server is able to be seen by any of the students’ teachers. IS HAPARA NECESSARY? Junior Vicki Tanquary explains why we shouldn’t be so critical of the newly-implemented Harpara.

See page 11

vacy in their use of technology while at school,” said Dr. Thiele. “District 207 has the right to access, review, copy, delete, or disclose, as allowed by law, any digitally recorded information stored in, or passed through district resources, regardless of the initial intentions of the user.”

The district has the right to retain all digital information which includes all e-mails sent on a student’s Google account.

If a teacher discovers a student playing a game, or browsing the Internet during class time, he or she has the ability to send a message to the student, informing the student to close that tab.

Though a similar feature has been used in the language, writing, and library labs, the new Hapara policies are now employed in the classroom.

If students stay on task, they should not have anything to hide if a teacher happens to look at the progress the student has made on the assignment.

Additionally, teachers are looking to help students, and if they see that a student is struggling with an assignment, they might give a helping hand.

“The administration is basically supplying teachers with a tool we

need to do our job effectively,” Don José said.

On the Hapara website, it’s stated that the program “increases online safety,” “saves time,” and “increases

Google applications” where teachers can get a “snapshot view of student activity,” according to the Hapara website.

“It makes it much easier for teachers to interact with students in the school issued Google Applications environment by providing a dashboard where they can see all of the students’ documents that are related to a class on a single screen, makes sharing documents to students, groups, or classes easier, allows quick access to comments and posts in Blogger and Google+, and a window into documents that a student creates in their school issued Google account,” Dr. Thiele said.

If teachers or administration were to find inappropriate material on a student’s Google drive or Chromebook, the student’s “privileges may be interrupted or terminated,” according to the Maine 207 Technology Acceptable Use Policy. “[The District 207 Technology Acceptable Use Policy] is similar to policies you will find at most schools, colleges, or workplaces,” Dr. Thiele stated. With that in mind, having Hapara at Maine South is only preparing us, as students, for what to expect in college and beyond.

“Users have no expectation of privacy in their use of technology while at school.”

-Dr. Thiele student outcomes,” meaning that time in class can be used more efficiently, as teachers can more easily see the status of the assignment.

All students now have a new section on their Google drive with a folder for each class. The folders function as a drop box for assignments, to ease the hassle of e-mail attachments.

Teachers can easily access the assignments and quickly check their “teacher dashboard” to see what and when an assignment is turned in.

It is described as an “instructional management layer on top of

For upperclassmen, anything done in Chrome while logged into a student Gmail account is visible to teachers via Hapara. As in past years, when using computers in the library, writing labs, and language labs, all activity can be seen by instructors, using a program called NetOps. According to the Hapara website, “[Hapara creates] a folder in Drive for each class for each student, then we give the right teachers access.”

District 207’s technology policy clearly states that users have no expectation of privacy when logged on to the District 207 network. “It is your work and your teacher has the right and the need to check on you,” Mr. José Arguello said. “If you are doing something ‘private’ in class, well... you should not [be].”

According to the Maine 207 Technology Acceptable Use Policy, “Students and staff should use district technology in a responsible, efficient, ethical, and legal manner in accordance with the District 207 ALL EYES ON HAPARA Mrs. Muir keeps track of her students with Hapara. Hapara was implemented this school mission.”

“Users have no expectation of pri- year to help teachers monitor assignments, e-mail, and Internet activity.

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PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEVERMAN

Chloe Bryniarski & Lizzie Porter

September 20, 2013

| NEWS

Steps being taken to clean up pond algae News Editor

A

thick layer of green algae covers almost the entire surface of the Maine South pond. The algae is negatively affecting the ecosystem of the pond, as the wildlife in and around the pond is suffering from oxygen depletion and is also running out of food and space. To combat the algae growth, the school is looking for solutions to clean the pond.

“This is the first year I’ve seen algae growing on the pond,” said Mr. Beese, Director of Building and Grounds at Maine South for over twenty years. He suspects that the algae is a result of fertilizer runoff from the floods last April.

Like Mr. Beese, environmental sciences teacher Mr. Walter also attributed the dirtiness of the pond to runoff. He believes the major increase in algae is the result of a process called eutrophication, which is the ecosystem’s response to the addition of nutrients into a body of water. Fertilizer probably constituted a significant part of the runoff that found its way into the pond, and all the nutrients in the fertilizer allowed large amounts of algae to bloom. To combat the algae growth, Mr. Wal-

ter suggested pumping more oxygen into the pond and minimizing the amount of fertilizer being used around school.

Requests to clean up the pond were first made last spring when the health department contacted the school because they wanted to get rid of the mosquitoes that were inhabiting the pond area.

The school first tried to get rid of the algae by contacting Clarke Aquatics, who attempted to kill the algae by adding copper sulfate to the pond in July. However, the pond was too shallow and didn’t have sufficient levels of oxygen to be treated with chemicals effectively.

Mr. Walter says the lowered oxygen levels and shallower waters are negatively affecting the wildlife in the pond. He states that the fish will die if the pond isn’t cleaned, as they will run out of food, space and will suffer from oxygen depletion.

Maine South is now looking into purchasing aerators to increase the oxygen levels in the pond. According to Mr. Beese, the aerators will act much like those found in an aquarium, pumping oxygen into the water, and breaking up the algae on the surface as well. Once the aerators are

installed, the algae should be gone completely. However, the aerators are also capable of eliminating the algae on the off-chance that it reappears in the pond.

“The cost [of the aerators] is around eight thousand dollars plus running power out to the pond from the building to power the pumps,” said Mr. Beese.

The installation of the aerators would restore the physical appearance and cleanliness of the pond, allowing the wildlife to thrive.

Since this expense was not part of the school’s original budget, the district must first agree to cover the cost of the cleaning. A proposal is currently being sent to the district office for consideration.

already been made that the pluses and minuses would be used begining this school year.

Some students welcome the new grading arrangement. “I like the new grading system because I have a more accurate look into my grades [in the portal] than last year,” said sophomore Karolina Koszczuk.

Not only will the students see their grades more vividly at first glance, but the parents will also be able to see the actual percentage of a grade on the quarterly reports sent home so they are not surprised when an A turns into a B. “Last year, it was easy to look on the portal and assume that you’re grade was solid by just looking at the plain letter,” junior Nick Pridmore said. “Now, the pluses and minuses serve as visual reminders that you are in actually really close to dropping down or moving up an entire letter grade.”

Some teachers have been asking for reforms in the grading system

for years. Finally, there has been a change to the way grades appear and are categorized.

“I like [the new grading scale], but I wish the pluses and minuses would be on the transcript,” said Mrs. Butera, an Italian teacher.

However, not ever y body is satisfied with the grading policy changes.

“I’d rather not have the pluses and minuses appear on the portal,” junior David Majchrowicz said. “If my parents look on Aspen and see that I have a B minus, they would probably freak out and want me to get a B, even though they are basically the same exact grade. It’s just the percentage that’s different.”

There are other students who respond to the change in the grading system with a feeling of indifference.

They don’t feel affected by the pluses or minuses, because the pluses or minuses, in essence, don’t affect their grades.

“I don’t really see how all the

pluses and minuses even matter,” junior Dan Wierzchowski said. “They aren’t showing up on our transcripts, and they don’t factor into our GPA at all, so they don’t display anything the percentages don’t already tell us.”

PHOTO BY:MICHAEL DEVERMAN

Jake Kay

FERTILIZER OVERLOAD Maine South’s pond is covered with algae.

Some believe last spring’s rain caused fertilizer to seep into the pond.

District 207 modifies grading scale Melis Ozkan

Staff Writer ew for the 2013-2014 school year, District 207 is implementing a standard grading scale which uses pluses and minuses alongside students’ letter grades. Although the grades in the portal and on report cards will appear with pluses and minuses, the final GPA at the end of the semester will not be affected.

Letter grades without pluses and minuses will appear on the transcript.

District 207 administration met over the summer to discuss the possibility of reforming the grading system. A survey was sent out to the parents of students asking them to explain what they thought would be a fair grading system.

The survey asked whether the traditional ten percent per letter grade should be used, or if pluses and minuses should be added to give a more vivid picture of a student’s grades. However, before the survery was even given, the desicion had

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New District Standard Grading Scale: A+ 97%-100% A 93%-97% A- 90%-93% B+ 87%-89% B 83%-86% B- 80%-82% C+ 77%-79% C 73%-76% C- 70%-72% D+ 67%-69% D 63%-66% D- 60%-62%

F 0%-59%

SouthwordS 5

FEATURES | September 20, 2013 PHOTO COURTESY JULIA SAMULAK

GIRL MEETS AFRICA

This summer, MS junior Julia Samulak, traveled through Africa. She worked on a multitude of service projects such as helping African women weave straw into different items.

e c i erv

T

Safari

his summer, the people of Africa greeted junior Julia Samulak with smiles and a Zulu word of welcome, Sawubona.

Samulak embarked on a threeweek service trip at the end of July, traveling through South Africa and the two smaller countries of Swaziland and Mozambique. On the trip, sponsored through the travel adventure group Bold Earth, Samulak gained exposure to African culture, all the while making a difference in peoples’ lives.

“Everyone is so nice [in Africa],” said Samulak. “When you’re driving through, everyone is waving and smiling. I didn’t expect that. I thought that they might be apprehensive of us.

It was completely different.”

Bold Earth is a program that offers adventure travel summer camps to teenagers across the globe. At the airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Samulak met up with six other teenagers from places such as Spain and Belgium. From there, the group traveled to Durbin, South Africa to the separate countries of Mozambique and Swaziland, and then back to South Africa. Accompanied by a trip leader, an African guide, and a South African student, the group either camped out in tents or stayed in hostels. They visited rural villages, bringing supplies such as books, pens, paper, and ate traditional food.

“We ate a lot of chicken. There’s KFC everywhere. We would have chicken, corn stock, and ground up vegetables which were usually squash and pumpkin,” said Samulak.

6 SouthwordS

Besides bringing supplies, the group completed a variety of handson service projects. In one village, they helped older women weave straw into different items.

“Everything’s really dry now in Africa because it’s winter,” said Samulak. “There are older women who take straw and weave it into baskets, bracelets, and coasters. We spent a while helping them do it because a lot of them are older and they don’t really see anymore, and that’s one source of their income.”

Samulak witnessed the cultural village dynamic in each rural place she visited. In the typical village, an African chief is in charge and deals with everything. The chief stays with his family in a closed off area where everyone lives in their huts. He rules over that area.

“We took this small boat made out of wood to this little island off of Mozambique. There are only 800 people who live on it. It’s also ruled by a chief. His name was Eric, Chief Eric,” said Samulak.

For the group, going to the island was like traveling back in time. It is devoid of all modern conveniences.

“We built a pee hut,” said Samulak.

“There is no toilet. There is a pee hut instead. It’s a hut and you pee on the ground.”

In another village, Samulak helped build a fence around a school. The school teaches students how to grow vegetables, and then sells the vegetables to nearby families at a low price so they have fresh produce. But Samulak’s favorite project on the trip

involved an orphanage program.

“On the first day, we met this woman Kate,” said Samulak. “She and her husband star ted this orphanage project for families that take in orphans because usually those families have up to eight or ten kids.

They usually don’t get enough food or go to school. She and her husband set up to track these families by cell phones, because almost everyone in South Africa has a cell phone.”

Samulak helped paint one of the orphanage centers, played with kids at the day-care, delivered furniture, and helped organize an orphanage soccer game.

The scenery of Africa was a stunning exotic backdrop for the group’s activities. Along with her service work, Samulak went on three African safaris.

“We saw almost all of the African ‘Big Five’—the rhino, lion, elephant, leopard, and buffalo.”

Even with the unique culture of Africa, Samulak experienced a bigger culture shock coming home, than going there.

“Going there wasn’t a culture shock because you expect to

Amanda Svachula Features Editor

see extreme poverty,” said Samulak.

“Coming back was the biggest culture shock, because you look around everywhere and see the houses and everything you have in your house.

You go in their house, and you walk in there, and it’s dirt floor and there’s a mat and sometimes an actual bed for sleeping.”

The genuine happiness of the African people has inspired Samulak to live a more positive life.

“The African people are so happy.

They don’t have a lot, but they’re still willing to give what they have.”

VILLAGE CHIEF►

In Africa, Julia Samulak was able to experience many different aspects of African culture. In one rural area she visited, she was able to meet a chief, who rules over the village and is in charge of all village activities.

PHOTO COURTESY JULIA SAMULAK

S

September 20, 2013

| FEATURES

Touchdowns score funds for Have Dreams Maine South junior looks to raise $5,000 by linking football with a local charity that benefits children with autism

Claudia Ferguson & Dominika Flasz Guest Writers

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very time the Hawks score a touchdown this season, there will be more than just six points to celebrate. Thanks to the work of junior David Passaneau and his recently launched “Hawk Touchdowns for Kids” program, every touchdown will result in donations to benefit Have Dreams, a locally based organization that assists individuals with autism.

After pitching the idea to Coach Inserra, Principal Messmer, and Assistant Principal Dave Berendt in the summer, Passaneau created the website that asks potential donors to pledge any amount they wish per touchdown scored by Maine South for the duration of the season. At the end of the season, an invoice is sent to the donors who can then pay via check or PayPal. “We have 26 people [so far] who have pledged per touchdown equaling $45 per touchdown,” Passaneau said. “We also have $200 in straight donations. We’re hoping to raise $5,000.”

The concept for the program stemmed from a conversation with his grandma who told him about a similar program that the University of Iowa does in conjunction with the Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. Passaneau saw it as an opportunity to help a charity that he is passionate about.

“I have been volunteering at Have Dreams since sixth grade helping out kids with autism. I’ve helped out with cooking classes where they learn to prepare simple dishes, and I have helped with music class as well.”

According to Kelly Passaneau, the Spe-

PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEVERMAN

5PAYDIRT Maine South scores against Wheaton Warrenville South on Sept. 7. For every touchdown the Hawks score this season money will be donated to benefit the Have Dreams organization as result of the efforts made by junior David Passaneau.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEVERMAN

cial Events & Marketing Coordinator at Have Dreams, the centerpiece of Have Dreams is its Social, Communication, and Independent Living Skills (SCILS) for Autism Program which offers 28 after-school and weekend classes at its Park Ridge and Evanston locations. These programs accommodate children ages two through young adulthood. The goal of each class is to help the participants learn social, communication, and independent living skills through activities like music, games, fitness, cooking, and conversation.

“The families pay approximately 20% of the actual cost of each program and the other 80% is contributed through fundraising. Approximately half of our families are receiving some scholarship assistance to help pay for the classes.”

The money raised from the Hawk Touchdowns for Kids program will go directly to the SCILS program to develop new classroom materials each week such as adapted games, individual schedules for each participant, snacks, as well as to train new program staff.”

Passaneau is pleased with the initial response to the program, but recognizes that reaching the goal will not be easy.

“The biggest challenge has been getting the word out,” he said. “At the first home game, a couple of friends and I handed out flyers with info about the program and a pledge form on the back.”

The school has posted the website 5HELPING HANDS Students now have a new cause to cheer for. The link on the main page, “Hawk Touchdowns for Kids” program hopes to raise $5,000 for Have Dreams.

the athletics page, and the football home page.

According to Assistant Principal Mr. Berendt, the plan is to promote the program in the weeks leading up to Homecoming. Coach Inserra also plans to have the press box announcer promote the program after each touchdown.

“I haven’t donated yet,” junior Telly Karabatsos said. “But it sounds like a great cause. People need to carry baskets around [for donations] during the games, and if they promote it more, it could raise a lot of money.”

Aside from raising money, the football program will also be inviting the Have Dreams teen class, which meets on Friday nights, to attend one of the home football games and have the opportunity to meet some of the varsity players during the sophomore game.

“It’s a great opportunity for the kids at Maine South to have a chance to interact with these kids and possibly explore volunteer opportunities to get more involved with Have Dreams,” Kelly Passaneau said. “It’s a great community outreach program to show that Maine South is not just a great football community, but a community that cares.”

In the season opener, the Hawks went for a touchdown on the last play of the game rather than attempting a long field goal.

“No, the Touchdown for Kids program did not enter my mind at that particular moment as far as the play call,” Coach Inserra said. “Maybe it should be adjusted to Hawks Points for Kids, though.”

In the planning stages, Coach Inserra provided a range of anywhere between 60-80 touchdowns in a season, and David Passaneau understands that uncertainty could be a turn-off for potential donors.

“If you’re worried about pledging per touchdown, you can do a straight up pledge,” David Passaneau said. “Or you could team up with three other students and pledge a quarter each. It’s going to a good cause.”

SouthwordS 7

FEATURES | September 20, 2013

Meet Maine South’s new assistant principal for students: Mr. Berendt

a c h d ay, on t h e m or n i n g announcements, Maine South students are g re ete d w it h an enthusiastic “Goooooood morning Maine South!” The man behind this spirited voice is Mr. Berendt, Maine South’s new assistant principal for students.

“I’m excited about the challenges of the new position,” said Mr. Berendt.

“I was at Maine West for 20 years.

That’s all I knew. It’s kind of interesting to see the differences and the things that are alike, the challenges of meeting new people and making new relationships. It’s exciting to see.”

At Maine West, Mr. Berendt was well-loved and known for his close relationships with students, his school spirit, and his positive attitude.

“Mr. Berendt was always so supportive in everything I did and was always there if I just needed to talk about my day,” said Kara Atwood, a member of Maine West’s class of 2013. “He is also the most spirited person I have ever met.”

Mr. Berendt hopes to get to know Maine South students and interact with them on a regular basis, as he did at Maine West.

“My biggest [worry] is that I am awful with names,” said Mr. Berendt.

“When I had the pleasure of being in the same place for 20 years it was to my advantage. Here there are all new faces and new names. I am a very personable person, but if you don’t know somebody else’s name it’s kind of hard for them to believe that you are personable.”

At Maine West Mr. Berendt was famous for his school spirit.

“He made Maine West so full of school spirit that you were the weird one if you didn’t go all out,” said Atwood. “If we had a spirit assembly, every single person in the hallway would have blue and gold tights, custom T-shirts, face paint, headpieces, tutus, pom-poms, warrior

8 SouthwordS

tattoos, and anything else you could think of that was blue and gold. Our spirit is what makes Maine West absolutely amazing and the person behind all that spirit was and still is Mr. Berendt.”

Mr. Berendt hopes to bring that spirit and energy to Maine South.

“I was very involved in organizing assemblies and school spirit and those sorts of things,” said Mr. Berendt. “I really enjoy that and I would like to find a way to assist with that here.”

So far, Mr. Berendt has been helping student counci l w it h organizing this year’s homecoming, and he has contributed many helpful ideas and comments according to student council members.

Maine West senior and school council president, Bart Szewczyk, can attest to Mr. Berendt’s helpful and positive attitude.

“I’ve been involved in student government all of high school which allowed me to work closely with Mr. Berendt because he was in charge of student activities,” said Szewczyk. “He was always willing to help and he was always willing to go out of his way to

Staff Writers

make our ideas for events possible.”

Mr. Berendt interacted with his students as much as he possibly could.

“Sometimes you’re stuck in your office with other junk that you got to do,” said Mr. Berendt. “I really try to get involved in as many activities as possible and to participate in stuff.”

He has gotten involved in many activities, such as the fall play, the musical, the band concert, the orchestra concert, athletic events, and more. He tries to spend as much time as he can after school watching students perform. He becomes very close to his students and says what makes his job worthwhile is watching the students graduate.

“The moment I enjoy the most is when they graduate and tell me that they appreciate all the opportunities that they had,” said Mr. Berendt.

After earning his bachelor’s degree at Western Illinois in caseology (physical education), his master’s degree at Northern Illinois, and a second master’s from Northeastern, he then proceeded to work at Maine West. He worked there as a coach in wrestling and football, a dean, an

PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEVERMAN

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Sarah Asson & Georgia Loutrianakis

5GOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING MAINE SOUTH

Each day on the morning announcements, Mr. Berendt, South’s new assistant principal, enthusiastically reminds students of important school events. His spirited voice booms through the speakers and gets students out of the third period slump.

athletic director, and eventually an assistant principal.

Mr. B erendt was als o ver y involved with student activities and organizations at Maine West. He started a Ukulele Club, a Boxing Club and many others after helping students find a sponsor for activities that interested them. He also organized a peer mediation club, a group where peers talk to each other about issues they have and get different opinions from other students in order to find solutions.

An assistant principal takes care of everything outside the classroom, including discipline, student activities, and the master calendar of all the events that occur at Maine South. Mr. Berendt reserves rooms when clubs need them and takes care of other organizational details. Basically, he has to make sure that there aren’t any conflicts.

Mr. Berendt begins the day with three to four meetings, which are followed by paperwork. After that, he spends as much time as possible helping other people get what they need to get done. At the end of the day, he returns home to his wife and three children.

“I try to balance my schedule to meet the needs of everybody else,” said Mr. Berendt. “Sometimes I’ll unfortunately get stuck doing things and I won’t be able to help this person as much as I want to. I really try to straighten that balance to have as much time as possible assisting them any way I can.”

T hou g h ou r ne w ass ist ant principal can be very busy, his previous experiences prove that Maine South students will not be disappointed.

“Everyone at Maine West misses him,” said Szewczyk. “I hope Maine South realizes how lucky of a school it is to have an Assistant Principal for Students like Mr. Berendt.”

September 20, 2013

| ENTERTAINMENT

Fashion Outlets bring latest trends to Maine South Julia Koza Staff Writer

ith the opening of the Fashion Outlets of Chicago, shoppers no longer have to search through the clearance racks in a multitude of stores for a good deal; Maine South students also no longer have to hunt for help wanted signs to find a job. The mall has brought over 130 different outlet stores in need of employees, which students took advantage of. “[The mall] is really cool,” said junior Alyse Rehberger. “It’s is full of unique artwork and amazing stores. I have a really difficult time not spending my paycheck there, which, I admit, already happened.”

Rehberger also says that working at FOC has helped her become a part of something.

“Not only do I feel like I belong to a family at my store, but I like that the whole mall’s employees kind of come together and have a little bond,” she said. “It’s nice to be a part of.”

Senior Jessie Cherven also started working at her first job in the new mall this summer.

“I heard from a few friends that a mall was opening up, and they were having a job fair,” she said. “I figured I would go and apply to a couple of places.”

“After a couple of weeks, I received calls from multiple stores offering me the job. Out of all of the offers, I picked American Eagle Outfitters. Now, I work with other Maine South students and it’s a fun first-time job.”

The opening of the FOC gained a lot of attention due to its convenient location and proximity to Chicago. The mall is approximately a

DEALS ON WHEELS

Senior Monika Mikolajewicz assists a customer in choosing his preferred leather luggage. Monika has been an employee of Wilson’s Leather since the grand opening.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL DEVERMAN

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10-minute drive from Uptown Park Ridge.

Before FOC opened, the only other nearby outlet malls were Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora, IL or the Premium Outlets in Pleasant Prairie, WI or Michigan City, IN. Since FOC is fairly close, it gives people a chance to buy lowpriced designer items without having to spend more time driving there and back than actually shopping.

The parking is convenient because each spot has an automatic light above it, that changes from green to red, signaling the spot has been taken.

In addition, each level has signs before the aisles indicating how many spots are open. Being able to see if a parking spot is taken before attempting to park prevents the disappointment that occurs when a car is unseen from afar.

There is a negative side to the parking available at the mall, however; shoppers are required to pay for parking after two hours. Employees aren’t even allowed to park in the parking garages.

“The only downside part is that we have to pay a dollar every time we work,” Jessie Cherven said.

“It’s not as much as shoppers pay after two hours, but it adds up.”

Most people were excited to hear what stores would be at FOC once it opened. FOC includes over 130 stores and a food court. Some stores that are popular among Maine South students are Forever 21, Nike Factory Store, American Eagle Outfitters, Icing Outlet, and The Body Shop. In addition to these stores and many others like them, FOC also includes some high-end designer stores, like Gucci, BCBG Max Azria, and Prada.

“My favorite place to go in the mall is the Converse store,” senior Hayley Miller said. “It has good deals, and a variety of styles and colors to choose from that aren’t available where other Converse merchandise is sold. They even have cute mini converse key chains.”

The mall has two sit-down-type restaurants in addition to the food court. Prasino, an eco-friendly twist on typical Greek food serves those wanting a

SWEET STOP

Seniors Matt DeRoeck and Chloe Bryniarski ring up two customers as they weigh their frozen yogurt. Skinnysweet offers 10 unique flavors, with sea salt caramel being their signature flavor.

meal guaranteed to be organic and fresh. The other, Villagio, is an Italian chain restaurant. Walking into the food court, it is apparent that the mall tried to focus on offering healthy choices, instead of the classic fast food chain options.

Upon entering the mall, shoppers are immediately surrounded by a variety of artwork.

These pieces of art range from paintings on the sides of escalators to intricate designs across the ceilings to a giant net holding hundreds of balloons. These pieces were created by the Arts Initiative.

A nice feature the mall offers is the option for people who are traveling to check their baggage straight to O’Hare Airport. They can even receive flight boarding passes directly from the airport.

Travelers now have the option to wander a mall instead of waiting in their terminal for a flight to depart. This service is located at Customer Service, which also has a TV screen displaying the departure times for different flights.

Travelers can also enjoy different shopping packages. Starting at $30, travelers can obtain a shopping package that includes a shuttle service to and from O’Hare and more. They also have specific shuttles available to pick travelers up at different hotels.

Special to FOC, shoppers can obtain a green savings card from Guest Services. They are $5 and good through Jan. 2014. There are 66 participating stores and restaurants throughout the mall. These deals never expire and can be used an unlimited amount of times. Show this card at participating stores and receive special offers specific to each store, like 20% off if you spend $50 or more.

FOC is open seven days a week, from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, and 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sundays.

SouthwordS 9

ENTERTAINMENT | September 20, 2013

illustration by Lexi Kiotis

Macklemore: music beyond entertainment

Yavor Todorov Entertainment Editor

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n recent months, Macklemore has drawn a lot of attention to himself, as well as the gay community, with release of his song “Same Love” right as meaningful debates about gay rights and gay marriage heating up across the country.

Now, it is clear that half-rhyming, monotone Macklemore is no revolutionary, nor is he our musical savior. But, in the bigoted, chauvinistic field that is the rap community, Macklemore’s desire to stand up for gay rights is awarded with my respect.

This song is like nothing else on the radio today. It’s not catchy, it’s not fun, and it is the furthest possible thing from a jam, but that’s precisely what makes it admirable. “Same Love” does not sound like a raido hit. This isn’t Flo-Rida. This is Macklemore, the only rapper to ever target the issue of marriage equality in a top 40 rap single.

Music is often times the impetus of societal

10 SouthwordS

change. Musicians — at least to some degree — try to appeal to their audience as well as to the times by addressing issues like war, rights, and equality.

Recently however, it has become increasingly difficult to find a song with actual purpose. Melodramatic Taylor Swift tops the charts every week with her self-indulgent, albeit relatable, relationship sagas, and her male counterpart boy band One Direction follows closely after with their puppy-eyed, 14-year-old-teeny-bopper rubbish.

“Same Love” stands apart from this bubble gum pop because it goes beyond entertainment.

Unlike what most of mainstream rap seems to represent, Macklemore has actually released a song tackling issues outside of the realm of Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka.

Is Macklemore this generation’s 2pac? Absolutely not. Comparing one the greatest rappers to ever live with an unsigned up-and-coming hipster is borderline absurd. But, is Macklemore on the right track? Absolutely.

The rap community is constantly whining

about how they miss the Golden Era of Hip-Hop when songs like “Changes” and “Ghetto Gospel” topped the charts. If more people actually wrote songs about things that actually mattered like Macklemore did with “Same Love” and sent across powerful messages, music would have the power that it was intended to have and did have in the previous century.

Although this is neither G.O.O.D nor “good music” in terms of the instrumental and Macklemore’s lyrical flow, “Same Love” is challenging the status quo, and this is the kind of music we should be hearing more of. We should be hearing more about human rights, and less about twerking on the dance floor.

“Same Love” is a big deal because in a field where machismo and anti-gay sentiment are ubiquitous, this song is trying to change people’s minds and affect society in a positive way, with the greater good of all people in mind. “Same Love” is important, because it is songs with a message that will ultimately define this generation.

September 20, 2013

| COMMENTARY

Maine South Internet...not for your eyes only I WAS JUST ABOUT TO BEAT MY HIGH SCORE!

Vicki Tanquary Staff Writer

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nternet access at Maine South is almost as unlimited as the Internet itself. From desktop PC’s, to classroom lap tops, and now personal Chromebooks for the underclassmen, it is obvious that Maine South is keeping up with the technological trends. But as students receive more Internet freedom, it is necessary that teachers maintain their influence on the students’ education.

To serve this purpose, an administrative Google tool, Hapara, was implemented this year. With Hapara, Chromebooks are monitored by teachers and administration, which seems to limit the freedom that access to the internet usually provides. But teachers and other faculty have been watching our computer use—not just Internet use—since the first time a Maine South student logged on.

This isn’t an infringement on anyone’s right to privacy, as some may argue. It is a test of selfcontrol. In a school filled with raging hormones and short attention spans, having almost constant Internet access is a dangerous addition to the mix.

Throw in some lap tops where being online is all they can do, and added barriers to a Google freefor-all are more than welcome.

Mrs. Donna Schwan, a freshman biology

YOU’RE WELCOME.

teacher here at Maine South, has been using this program to monitor her students. She hasn’t had any real issues yet, thanks to her ability to see what her students are doing. One or two gentle reminders to stay on task were all that have been necessary.

“We have a lot of control,” says Mrs. Schwan.

Not only does this control help students focus on their studies, it protects them as well. Although she has Hapara, Mrs. Schwan says that she, “still [has] to be watching.”

This was true before the arrival of the Chromebooks, as well. Even with the restrictions and teacher control, teachers still must keep a careful

eye out for “monkey business.” To make the job easier on the teachers, Hapara was implemented.

The school district has no control over what students do on their home Wi-Fi, since the Chromebooks are owned by the students and it would be a breach of privacy.

While some argue that the computer monitoring taking place at Maine South is too heavy, students shouldn’t be afraid to be monitored. If Chromebooks are only used for academic purposes at school—which was the intention of the program—there isn’t really a need to complain about monitoring.

If you would rather play games instead of work, it’s easy to see why you would object to heavy monitoring. However, you must remind yourself that you are a student in District 207, and the administrators have the jurisdiction to make adjustments to keep education at its highest level. It’s their job to make sure the school is educating students to the best of their abilities, and requiring Chromebooks was an action to further their cause. Using the Chromebooks in school is a privilege, and respecting the educational environment at Maine South should be everyone’s priority.

Hapara may get some more complaints as the school year proceeds, but it is no secret why we should be monitored. Our education is more important than the freedom to look up Miley Cyrus videos on Youtube or to “like” your third cousin once-removed’s vacation photos. It’s a privilege to have computer and Internet access in school.

Hapara is here to help our education here at Maine South reach its full potential.

Next generation fame manifests itself in YouTubers Dora Bialy

Editor-in-Chief

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n today’s day and age, the obsession with Hollywood celebrities isn’t really anything new. However, there’s a new group of individuals captivating the minds and hearts of today’s youth: the Internet elite.

Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Vine all have their fair share of “big accounts” that a majority of users of these medias are familiar with. Youtube, however, has taken Internet fame to a whole new level.

These “content creators” have single-handedly launched themselves into the Internet limelight, and many of them have become nearly household names. Ask anyone who Jenna Marbles, Smosh, Pewdiepie,

or JacksGap is, and they can give you a fairly good idea of the impact these average-Joes have had in the webosphere. The number of fans and their devotion to some of these vloggers could even rival the fanbases of many television, music, and even movie stars. But why is that? What makes these ordinary people who talk to a camera alone in their room so influential?

The answer to that question lies in the premise of YouTube itself.

Anyone, and I mean anyone, has the potential to become YouTube famous. Nearly every YouTuber started out in the same position as all of us. Even some major celebrities, like the Biebs or his mini-me Austin Mahone, jump-started their careers via YouTube. The doors YouTube can open are endless, and that’s fascinating, even downright inspirational, to a lot of people. The reason a lot of us like to watch these big-name YouTubers is because they’re just like us.

They’re more relatable than a celebrity featured on E! News.

In fact, YouTube, in all its webvideo glory, may just become the new T.V. No, it’s never going to actually replace television, but it is coming close to being seen as an equivalent. Think about it: new videos premiered every week; thousands, sometimes even millions, of people watching; disruptive ads; a common style used throughout—sounds pretty close to a small-scale version of a television program to me. YouTube has already evolved so much since its launch in 2005. Even with all its cat videos and twerk fails, I have a hunch it’s not going to disappear anytime soon.

The proof of a YouTuber’s fame doesn’t lie solely in the number of subscribers and channel views he or she has—take a look at the number of people that show up to YouTube conventions. Playlist Live, VidCon, and Summer in the City, to name a

few, each drew a crowd of approximately 12,000 people from all over the United States, England, and other parts of the world. That’s a pretty impressive statistic considering that these people are traveling and paying money just to meet “an ordinary person.”

However, the question remains, “Can YouTubers actually be considered celebrities?” Well, they may not have paparazzi following them around or be featured on the cover of “People Magazine,” but they do have a growing and ever-supportive fanbase. YouTubers have created a new fame for themselves as well as a new media outlet.

There are people who continue to scoff at YouTube’s validity as a source of legitimate entertainment and dismiss Internet fame as fleeting. To those people, all I have to say is stay tuned. Soon enough, Internet fame is going to mean a lot more than just eight million or so followers.

SouthwordS 11

COMMENTARY

| September 20, 2013

STAFF EDITORIAL

It’s the little things that don’t count

Maine South High School 1111 South Dee Road Park Ridge, IL 60068

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D CAR AAAAA-

Signed letters to the editor should be delivered to LRC1, 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.

Scan this QR code to e-mail Southwords

Editors-in-Chief

illustration by cecilia cortes

tarting this year, in addition to the establishment of a standard grading scale, students will now receive letter grades with pluses and minuses on the portal and quarterly report cards. However, these more specific letter grades will be left off of students’ transcripts and will not factor into GPA calculations.

So essentially, students don’t really care.

As far as high-schoolers are concerned, the change is a non-factor.

When you log onto the portal, you certainly look at your letter grades, but directly next to those letters are percentages that can be accurate to one thousandth of a percent. Seeing that you have a B+ may be more informative than just showing you have B, but your ability to see that you have an 89.614% makes the plus sign irrelevant.

The only other place that these pluses and minuses would appear is on progress reports, which will only be mailed every quarter. Very few, if any, students consider their progress reports a source for finding out their grades because of the constant access given to them through the portal. After all, progress reports aren’t intended for students, but for their parents.

If the purpose of this policy was to provide more accurate information on the portal and/or progress reports, then why not just replace the letter grade with the student’s percentage?

However, if this policy change was created with the intention of motivating students to work hard, minuses would act as warnings, while pluses would act as reward. As of now, that reward is rather small: only the satisfaction of being just a little bit closer to the next grade. This gain is relatively insignificant when compared with the potential for misinformation.

What will parents think of a report card filled with pluses and minuses? Probably nothing good, from a student’s perspective. For kids with minuses, parents will worry about their children falling to the next letter grade. For kids with pluses, parents may wonder why their children haven’t worked hard enough to move

up to the next letter grade.

While this information is potentially helpful for concerned parents, it’s impact is diluted by the fact that progress reports are oftentimes weeks out of date, making the pluses and minuses even less pertinent. If parents are looking for the most recent and accurate information about their child’s grades, they should refer to the portal.

Students, especially seniors, also need to be aware of the risks regarding self-reporting grades when applying for college. Remember, colleges only want official grades from your transcript­­—grades that will not include pluses or minuses.

The general attitude for students is that an A is an A, no matter if it’s a 99.9% or a 90.0%. If the pluses and minuses are not recorded on the transcript or reflected in GPA, then they will remain unimportant to the student body and the policy itself will be pointless. If the school truly believes in the benefits of this system, they should consider making the pluses and minuses more than just an indicator.

That would require refiguring of

the entire grading system. The administration would have to decide how much the pluses and minuses would be worth in GPA and how this conversion would be included or excluded for current graduating classes. Transcripts would become an even more important part of college applications. Come finals week, students would no longer have grades that are “safe” or inalterable. And teachers would have three times as many kids begging to be rounded an extra .5%. But as a result, GPA would more accurately reflect student performance.

Because the addition of pluses and minuses is an ineffective way to more precisely represent student achievement and doesn’t affect a student’s when applying to college, this policy change will have very little impact on the student body. Unless there are ramifications to having grades with pluses and minuses, most students won’t be willing to sacrifice the time needed to earn the extra few percentage points to move into a higher grade range, especially while their GPA and transcript do not reflect that improvement.

Hope Allchin Dora Bialy

Production Editors Michael Deverman Hannah Simpson News Editors

Chloe Bryniarski Jake Kay Lizzie Porter Kristyn Tarpey

Entertainment Editors Alex Korzynski Anna Laskaris Yavor Todorov Features Editors

Katie Krall Des Mustafa Amanda Svachula

Commentary Editors

Annie Krall

Marisa Sclafani

Lauren Smith Sports Editors

Alex Ellyin Brendan Ploen Stephen Sakowicz Kay Thursby

Adviser

Mr. Stathakis

September 20, 2013

| COMMENTARY

Sarah Householder Staff Writer

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should preface this by saying that I’m biased. I grew up going to Centennial Pool every single day of summer. My babysitter took me to the playground behind the pool. In second grade we went on a field trip to the infamous hill for the sole purpose of running down it.

And I might just be nostalgic.

Maybe it seems like the hallmarks of my childhood are disappearing and I’m hanging on, like a crotchety pensioner, to the good old days, and complaining about the lack of values in today’s society and the demise of our town leaders.

But I also understand that renovation is necessary. Centennial Pool was 20 years past its expiration date and was starting to fail. The cost of repairing would be astronomical, and not fiscally responsible.

That being said, I am still leery of the new water park.

My first cause of worry comes from the fact that the decision to build was never put to a vote. Normally, when large changes are made to our park district, a referendum is required. Sometimes, like when deciding what to do with the Oakton Pool, we vote no, and other times, like with the Youth Campus, we vote yes. Whenever a significant change is made to our community, Park Ridge citizens have input.

But with the decision to start a major reconstruction project at Centennial Park, that privilege was taken away. The decision came last

December, when at a town hall meeting our Park District Board President, Rick Biagi, presented the issue as “proceed with the proposed modernization project” or decide we “don’t want outdoor pools in our city.” At all.

The decision is simply not that dramatic, but by putting it in such drastic terms, Biagi gave citizens little choice but to stand behind the 6.3 million dollar plan, which was put in place by a Park District Board executive decision.

Six months later, the price tag was raised to $7 million. To cover the additional costs, the Park District has gone into significant debt.

One doesn’t have to look too far back to find the reason the Park District avoided putting it to a vote: the last four times citizens voted about whether or not to build a water park, the decision has been no. Clearly, in Park Ridge, the idea of a water park has not stuck.

Not all feedback is negative. Senior Andrew Grabowski, a lifeguard at Centennial Pool and former employee at Mystic Waters in Des Plaines, is excited about the changes the new amenities will bring.

“We don’t have anything like this in Park Ridge yet,” said Grabowski.

“It’s a good way for us to compete with neighboring park districts’ water parks.”

But many other citizens wonder if we really need a $7.1 million water park that will only be functional 10 weeks out of the year. Others worry about the added traffic and noise.

“Why here? Why in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood?” said one Park Ridge resident, who wished to remain anonymous. “This addition turns our little community pool into a colossal water park.”

She and her husband were some

IPHOTO BY LAUREN SMITH

Over the hill and through the waterpark

GOING, GOING, GONE A backhoe sits in the area where one of the Centennial pools once was. Construction began Aug. 1 of this year. of the people who fought the park’s construction from the onset.

“It just doesn’t make sense. This area is so congested already, what with the sled hill, fields, Washington and Lincoln, plus the community center.

Why expand in an area that already is at its capacity?”

In the end, they gave up.

“We fought this the last two times it came to referendum—we’re too tired to fight.” Their family has since relocated to Des Plaines.

The park will no doubt bring with it a large increase in noise to the area.

At the moment, the Park District is refusing to promise the planting of tree screening, which would add noise control and street-view aesthetics.

Instead, they have already cut down 66 trees, some over 100 years old. The playground, only 14 years old, was dismantled and its pieces donated early in August. A new, smaller playground will be rebuilt upon the project’s completion in a less-desirable location. Even the totem pole has been removed.

This is the piece that bothers me

the most: in renovating the park, the Park District has removed things that never were a problem.

Park Ridge is pretty dense suburb.

We have a lot of houses, and not a whole lot of open public spaces.

But those spaces we have we put to good use. I remember when every summer they would show movies in Centennial Park, with picnic blankets and lawn chairs laid out for a family flick. I’ve seen people out barbecuing, and little kids taking advantage of the field, playing mock games while their siblings competed on the real diamond. And I’ve seen countless runners, bikers, dog walkers, yoga instructors, and determined hill climbers that took advantage of the open, green space to get a break from our busy world.

It’s too late to change things— plans are already underway. It might even do our city good. I just think that the next time our city planners build, they should do it with our consent.

And the next time they ask us, we should remember just what we’re building over.

Submit article ideas or write a letter to the editors!

Deliver signed letters to LRC1 or scan the QR code on the top of page 12 to e-mail southwords@maine207.org SouthwordS 13

SPORTS

| September 20, 2013

Girls’ golf eyes trip downstate Julia Sirvinskas Staff Writer

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ith the potential to be the best girls’ golf team Maine South has ever had, a lengthy playoff run could be in store for the Hawks.

The 2013 team, coached by Mr. Jeff Hamann and assisted by Ms. Barbara Rizzi, is not only aiming for a first place finish in conference, but also planning on making a long run in the state tournament as well. With four of the top five 2012 golfers returning this season, these are both attainable goals.

“The conference championship is achievable, but challenging,” said Hamann. “As far as State, we will take it day by day. The varsity girls have played a lot of tournament golf over the summer to prepare, and competitive play is what helps you prepare the best.”

The Hawks are 3-3 as of Sept. 11, their first loss resulting from a tied score, in which the scores of the fifth and sixth golfers had to be included.

There have been no conference matches yet, but the Hawks will face New Trier, the defending

conference and state champions, at home on September 16.

The team is led by Senior captain Brittany Lung and junior captains Annie Krall, Katie Krall, and Leia Atas. These captains are hoping that their hard work in the summer will pay off this season.

“I think that we are a better team this year because of all the work we’ve done over the summer,” Atas noted, who has a personal best of 71.

“We have four of our returning top players from last year, and we also have newcomers [to varsity],” Atas said.

The newcomers that complete this varsity team are juniors Marissa Oshona and Tina Piarowski, and senior Agatha Sobczyk. Last year’s MVP was Annie Krall.

“We have played some of the best in multiple states, so we know who we are up against and how to beat them,” Katie Krall said, referring to the girls’ summer preparation. The Kralls, Atas, and Lung, are all girls’ golf record-holders at Maine South.

“We have played in every condition,” Katie Krall continued. “State [last year] was in the wind and

cold. We played Regionals in a downpour. We have played tournaments in every possible kind of weather and against every kind of competition.

We have no excuses this year. We know what we are doing.”

“I think because we went to State as a team last year, we all grew a lot closer,” said Atas.“We do things together now, and we’re all a little family.”

“There is a different feel in the air,” Katie Krall said. “We carry ourselves in a dignified way that really sets us apart.”

The 2013 team has much to prove coming off of their first trip to State as a team in 2012, but they are ready to utilize their experience and capitalize on the opportunities that lay ahead.

The players are confident that they can succeed versus the stiffest of competition even in sub-ideal conditions similar to the playoff weather during 2012.

The starting lineup of Atas, Lung, and Annie and Katie Krall hope to lead the experienced girls’ golf team and bring some heavy hardware back to Maine South later this fall.

Junior Tommy Deeter is also very pleased with how the team is shaping up and looks forward to another chance at beating New Trier this year, whom they face on Sept. 16 in Winnetka at the Trevians’ home course.

“We have a great team,” he said. “Anybody can compete on any given day.”

Composure, confidence, and competing are

the three C’s that Coach Scholl has reminded the Hawks of this season.

“If we do these three things, with this team, we can go pretty far this season.”

The Hawks look forward to competing in Sectionals and hopefully at State.

It has been three years since a player has competed in the state finals, but Coach Scholl believes that any of the players on the team this year are definitely capable of qualifying for the IHSA State meet. The State meet will take place on Oct. 18 and 19 .

To place top five in the major invites the Hawks play this season, it will take much focus and determination.

Preparation is directly linked to performance while playing, and several Hawk golfers share the same rituals. “[Golf is] a very tough sport and a very mental game,” stated Deeter.

“Listening to music is big,” DeFrenza said. “A lot of people put their headphones in and go on the putting green and just putt [before a match]. We get focused and ready for match.”

The Hawks continued CSL play on Sept. 10 against Niles West. The Hawks lost to the Wolves by two strokes at Willow Hill in a closely contested match.

The Hawks still have plenty of matches left, and are determined to keep playing well. The next big tournament for the team is the Zion-Benton Invitational which will take place on Sept. 14 at Shepard’s Crook.

The Hawks later will compete in the Wheeling Wildcat Invite on Sept. 21 at Chevy Chase.

Katherine Miles Staff Writer

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ince day one of the season, the Maine South’s boys’ varsity golf team has had their eyes on their goals: to beat New Trier, the reigning conference champions, place within the top five in major invites, and qualify for State.

Coach Steve Scholl describes this year’s team as young but very competitive, and he believes that this year’s team will be very successful.

Last year’s varsity squad had six seniors. This season, the team consists of four seniors, six juniors, and one sophomore.

“I think we have a really solid team this year and it is probably the best team I have ever been on,” senior captain Joe DeFrenza said. “We have depth. Every player on varsity can post a score that we need.”

Coach Scholl considers DeFrenza as one of the top four in the Hawks’ lineup, along with other senior captain Joey Mirabelli, and juniors Anthony Celiano and Tommy Deeter.

Winning the Maine-Niles Shootout with two players shooting in the 70s was a major accomplishment for the Hawks so far this season.

With the season just starting to fire up, the team recently beat Waukegan on Sept. 3.

“We’re starting to play better,” Coach Scholl said.

“The guys know that we’re going to be competitive in all of the matches we play.”

He also stated that he is happy with the way the team is doing, and that the team has competed in DRIVER’S ED Joe DeFrenza works on his every event they have played in and is excited for drive at the Golf Center in Des Plaines. The team was the rest of the season to continue. preparing for their clash with New Trier.

14 SouthwordS

Photo by Michael Deverman

Boys’ golf starts season on par

September 20, 2013 | SPORTS

Girls’ volleyball establishes new program Alex Ellyin Sports Editor

Photo by Michael Deverman

or the members of a high school sports program to be close at all levels is rare, but this year’s girls’ volleyball squad has achieved just that. The team has instituted a program called “Big Sister, Little Sister.”

The way this program works is the big sisters, members of the varsity and sophomore teams, give gifts and encouragement to the freshman to help them feel more comfortable at their new school. “[The program] is meant to help the freshman get acclimated to Maine South,” senior captain Allie Fredrickson said. “Not only does it allow a source of mentorship for the incoming students, but it also creates a tighter-knit community amongst all of the girls involved in the volleyball program.”

“We take turns doing things for each other before games, such as baking treats or signing good luck cards,” sophomore Andrea Maric said.

“I would have loved to have had it last year when I was a freshman.”

Second-year varsity coach Peter King, who is in his seventh year with the Hawks, felt they were always “missing an element to the program.”

“I want the girls to be able to reach out to each other and help out each other in any way possible,” Mr. King said. “I feel that since the implementation of the program, I have seen more school spirit and unity across the program. I love seeing varsity players root on their little sister and vice versa.”

Freshman Little Sister Anna Ebacher agrees.

“It is good to be able to look up to players at the varsity level and see what we can do with our time here at Maine South.”

Up to this point in the season, the team has been stung by the injury bug. This has not limited the team’s success though. They came in seventh place out of sixteen teams at the Early Bird Tourney at Conant earlier this year.

“It’s been years since we have finished in the top

PHOTO BY Mihcael Deverman

F

SPREADING THE LOVE

Senior captain Hailey Schoneman delivers her gift to her little sister as a part of the new program. The exchange takes place before each match.

half and knowing that we did it without a healthy team, bodes well for the future,” King said.

The key to the greater success that Coach King is looking for comes with consistency.

“Skills are present across the board, but I feel that our success will fall on the consistency of how well we pass as well as how we control the net,” he said. “It will just take time before we can put it all together.”

The team has lost in the regional finals the past three seasons to CSL South opponents, twice to New Trier and the other time to Glenbrook South. They will take on the Titans Oct. 2 and the Trevians Oct. 7.

Skills aside, Fredrickson believes that the Big Sister, Little Sister program will help lead all levels to do great things.

“I think that it allows the younger girls to see what they can achieve and pushes us as upperclassmen to play our best and be good role

Boys’ swim-

models for the younger girls.”

“They are leaders and good role models and they’ve given us tips and examples on how to be better players at our positions,” freshman libero Toni Tortorella said.

King looks towards the postseason to achieve their long-term goals, but knows the bigger picture counts as well.

“It’s been five years since we have seen a regional title brought to the program, and I feel that we have the right players to bring one home this year,” he said. “The ultimate goal is to make sure the girls enjoy their time playing volleyball for Maine South as well as to create memories that will last a lifetime.”

The Big Sister, Little Sister program aims to do that and Fredrickson hopes it impacts all the girls.

“I think it helps the younger girls as well as the older ones to know that someone in the program always has your back no matter what.”

READY POSITION

Tessa Witkowsky

George Sajekno

“Workout”

“Die Young”

Imitating Adam Sandler from “Little Nicky”

Avid Video Game Fan

Make My Own Dance Moves

Where in the world would you want to live besides Park Ridge?

Australia

Village of Niles

Australia

What are you going to do on the last day of school?

Toss My Papers Around

Bring a cow to the second floor

WhatEllyin is your favorite summer song?

Alex Sports Editor

What is a hidden talent of yours?

Melanie Ropski

Junior

Brendan Faley Grabowski prepares “Semi-Charmed “Boys ‘Round Here” Andrew for a dive at the annual Life” Hawk Relays. Grabowski

Whistling London, England

second at Give the meet.

Mr. Downing “Make Myplaced Books a Hug Rain”

SouthwordS 15

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

Fast start kicks boys’ soccer into action John Lavaccare Staff Writer

T

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CUCINELLA

he Maine South boys’ varsity soccer team is off to a fast start, with an 8-1-0 record that includes an eightgame win streak. Even though 14 of last year’s players graduated, the Hawks do not seem to have lost any momentum from their regional championship season last year, and they are hoping to build on their previous success.

The Hawks have been steadily improving for the past few years. After a rebuilding year in 2011, the 2012 Hawks made the leap to a much more successful season. Last season’s Hawks won 14 games and finished in second place in the CSL South.

They won a regional title for the first time in three years, and although they fell to Glenbrook North at Sectionals, the team viewed the season as a

LEAVING IT ALL ON THE FIELD Stephen Doulas throws the ball into play as Maine South took on Kelly on Wed. Sept. 4. The Hawks prevailed against Kelly, wrapping up their non-conference play.

SHOOTING FOR THE GOLD

Hawk juniors Alex Koziol and Michael Banas prepare for a free kick against Kelly. The team won 2-1 and is currently on a seven-game win streak.

successful one.

The 2013 Maine South team is returning a few key players, including the senior captains, goalkeeper Eric Sanetra and defensemen Tatsuya Takasawa and Brendan Faley.

Coach Dan States said that the captains are honing their leadership skills and becoming leaders of the team due to their experience.

The Hawks are hoping to build on last season’s success and are preparing for the ultimate goal: a shot at winning a state title.

“Last year’s team set a high standard, but I think that standard in the end will push us to achieve our goal: winning state,” Faley said. “Although it is definitely a long, grueling ride, we understand all the components that go into it and have been working our tails off to give ourselves our best shot at it.”

The Hawks have made early progress on achieving their demanding goals.

After a season-opening home loss to Barrington, the Hawks bounced back with an upset victory at Carl Sandburg High School, the sixth-ranked team in state at the time.

The winning streak continued as they won the Quincy Notre Dame Tournament.

Maine South scored a key victory over tournament host and 2011 1A state champions Quincy Notre Dame in the championship.

The Hawks had also won the

tournament in 2012, which marks the first time Maine South had ever been repeat Quincy champions.

After the tournament, senior striker Laick Sache and junior midfielder Michael Banas were named to the Quincy All-Tournament team, with Sache also earning Maine South Athlete of the Week honors from CSLInsider.com for his performance in the tournament.

The Haw ks followed up the tournament success with another win, this time against Kelly High School at home, giving them five wins in a row.

In the next game, the first game of CSL conference play, the Hawks had a rematch of last year’s playoff defeat against Glenbrook North. They were able to pull out a 2-1 road victory against the Spartans, who finished in the top eight in state last season.

The team’s major early success has inspired a lot of confidence among the team’s members.

“What this [seven-game winning streak] shows is that we’re all really dedicated and we all really care about how our season starts and ends as a team,” junior midfielder Luke Iraci stated.

Sache says that all the team’s early triumphs haven’t made them lose sight of what’s going on in the present.

“We are not worrying about what’s going to happen in the future,” Sache said. “We are taking it week by week,

analyzing our next opponent and making sure we get the best result possible.”

Maine South is headed into more CSL conference play this month, and they are hoping that their big performances in the early season have prepared them for CSL matchups.

Coach States believes that going up against top teams such as Barrington and Carl Sandburg early in the season will help them prepare for their “grueling” conference schedule.

“Every night is a challenge,” Iraci said. “[The early season win streak] gives us a lot of confidence going against any team in the conference.”

The Hawks are keying in on one aspect of the game that is a major strength of their CSL opponents. “ Ev e r y C S L t e a m i s s t i n g y defensively, and I believe that our offensive production will be the biggest deciding factor,” Faley said.

The team is hoping to find that offensive production in league play this season.

T h ou g h i nju r i e s a n d t ou g h conference opponents could pose challenges to the team, they are confident that they are equipped to handle adversity.

The team knows that they have already achieved success, but are still hungry for more.

“We want to make history in Maine South soccer,” Sache said.