Vol 46 issue 3

1111 S. DEE ROAD • PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS 60068

VOL. 46, NO. 3

PHOTO BY KATIE HERNANDEZ / ENHANCEMENT BY MARIO PAJAJ

November 13, 2009

The Break, a Maine South student band, will be playing at the Pickwick Music Festival.

The Festival hopes to raise $10,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation.

Health Fair School-sponsored info session Page 4

Hall Traffic

C Classifi cation of hallway w Page 11 walkers

Twilight Zone

“ “New Moon” craze hits P Park Ridge Pages 13-14

State ‘09

W Wrap-up of MS fall ssports Page 18

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

VOL. 46, NO. 3

‘Everything on the table’ for district cuts Sam Okrasinski

NEWS

STAFF WRITER

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ccording to a recent disclosure by the District 207 Board of Education, there is an expected $17 million deficit for the 2010-11 school year. The district is working to reduce expenditures and repair the structural deficit, but some of the changes will happen in our own classrooms and could possibly have a huge impact on our school.

In February and March of this year, the School Board unanimously agreed to several facility renovations to Maine South, East, and West, all adding up to a total cost of about 3.9 million dollars. These and other major expenditures, coupled with an unexpected decrease in revenue, add up to be a large problem.

“The District made these decisions to repair and improve facilities several months before the extent of our financial problems came to light in July and August of this year,” says David Beery, the District 207 Director of Communications.

According to Mr. Beery, these and other expenditures were all part of a five-year plan to improve aging facilities.

“Now that other financial problems, unrelated to this capital spending, have surfaced, the rest of the five-year program has been placed on hold.” While the District isn’t in debt yet, if it continues this cycle of spending more than it is taking in, it will be.

The problems the district is currently grappling with are not too different than those of the rest of the nation in this financial crisis. As the amount of revenue they receive from taxes goes down, the cost to employ staff and insurance continue to climb.

“Most school districts in Illinois will run structural deficits this year,” says Ken Wallace, the District 207 Superintendent. Like other districts, ours has its own unique issues to face as well. For example, he cites “a few errors in budget in the past year, prior to the new business manager, [which] masked the magnitude of the problem.”

According to Mr. Wallace, in light of these recent issues, some checks and balances have been put in place to prevent this type of error in the future.

For example, the flow of information

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to the school board has increased by a large margin, preventing further communication issues with those in charge of budget. With more staffing in the business department and a strong business manager, Mr. Wallace believes the district can prevent these issues.

Although very little has been finalized yet, many changes are in the works for students here at Maine South. Many of them won’t be put in place until at least the next school year, but it is important for students to know that the school board is looking for ways to save and generate more money, and every angle is being considered.

Activity cuts and schedule changes are what students across school borders fear most. A student from Maine West addressed the board at its monthly meeting on November

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to interfere with the core values of our school,” Mr. Claypool said in an interview. “The classroom experience may be different, but not worse.”

Juniors Chris Chandler and Elizabeth Odderstol fear that increased class sizes could negatively affect the learning environment that students enjoy here at school. “In a bigger class, it’s harder for a teacher to have individual connection to students, which really makes it hard to learn well or get extra help if you need it,” Chandler says.

Odderstol agrees, adding, “I know that in my French and Adventure Ed classes there are about 30 or 40 kids.

Nothing really ever gets done and it’s way too hectic. I love having the smaller class sizes because discussions are so much better and it’s easier to communicate with other students and the teacher.”

Pay-to-play programs are also a concern for many students. As a school, Maine South is known for its variety of clubs and students involvement.

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2, asking for confirmation or denial of this major concern. He echoed the fears that many students throughout the district are starting to sense, and asked if it is true that after-school a c t i v i t i e s may begin to cost money or be cut altogether. Edward Mueller, the board president, would only say that nothing has been decided yet, but “everything is on the table.”

According to Mr. Claypool, some of the many possibilities being debated are increased class sizes, making activities “pay-to-play,” removing flap periods, or shortening the school day to eight periods. Major schedule changes would, if enacted, most likely not be put in to effect until the 20112012 school year. But changes such as increases in class sizes could occur by the 2010-2011 school year.

“Any changes we make aren’t going

Glavey worries t h a t the financial burden of such programs may be too great.

“I think this will affect the students who don’t have the financial capability to pay for some of these programs.”

Odderstol agrees with the possible unfairness in such programs, but also wants to keep the clubs and activities intact.

“I don’t want to lose my activities, so I’d be willing to pay a small amount to keep them. All of Maine South’s sports and clubs are important to someone.” These are all factors the board must take in to consideration

when deciding what actions to take about this deficit.

Students are, of course, not the only ones affected by the structural deficit. Teachers and staff face possible salary freezes and cuts. One of the first casualties of the budget crisis is the Student Assistance Program, an organization working within each of the district’s high schools to provide students who may have drug or alcohol abuse problems with counseling and other assistance.

They were also represented at the meeting Monday night, making an impassioned plea for the board to reconsider its decision to cut three key personnel. The district announced that they have approved plans that will reduce administrative costs by $1.1 million.

According to the statement, they announced salary freezes for the Superintendent and many other administrators, as well as “increasing the teaching load for department chairs,” and “about $692,000 of the $1,103,281 in cuts approved Monday stem from eliminating six jobs.”

According to MTA president Ms. Visee, the six positions cut so far are three Special Education Assistant Department Chairs and the three Student Assistance Program Directors. However, this is still far short of the amount needed to close the gap in the budget, and the board says they have an additional $14 million in cuts as well as about $2 million in revenue they will be considering at next month’s meeting.

Teachers and students face many of the same fears, including a change in the learning environment.

According to Ms. Visee, teachers are concerned that an increase in class sizes could lead to problems such as a decrease in resources and inability to work one-on-one with students, something that is clearly very important to our students and staff. “It is important to consider the morale of the staff. Poorer working conditions and other factors could lower their morale, so it’s just another factor the school board has to take in to consideration.”

With so many factors to consider, it is clear why so few final decisions have been made yet.

VOL. 46, NO. 3

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

GRAPHIC BY MATTHEW ELLER

3.) Afghan electoral officials on Nov. 2 declared incumbent President Hamid Karzai the winner of another term in office, after canceling the second round of voting.

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News

2.) A Dutch court ruled against letting a 14-yearold girl sail solo around the world, saying she is not experienced enough to make the trip on her own.

1.) According to the CDC, two people have died and 28 people have fallen ill with matching strains of E. coli after an outbreak in ground beef.

4.) China’s Culture Ministry has accused the publishing watchdog of abusing its authority by threatening access to the popular online game, “World of Warcraft,” stoking bureaucratic rivalry over control of the Internet.

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5.) The violence in Rio de Janeiro, mainly gang violence, has caused much controversy as to whether or not the 2016 Olympics should still be there (see page four).

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Beijing

Nigeria 6

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Cocos Islands

6.) Talks to restore constitutional order in Madagascar took off on Nov. 4 in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.

7.) Eighteen people were rescued, but as many as 21 others were missing, after a boat sank late Nov. 1 in remote seas off Australia’s Cocos Islands.

In loving memory of Paige Dougherty

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aige Dougherty, class of 2010, passed away peacefully on October 29. Cherished daughter of Scott and Cori; loving sister of Kelly and Jack. Paige was a member of the varsity softball team, former member of the volleyball and basketball teams, as well as a National Honor Society member and great friend to many.

“In class, Paige was always vibrant and friendly, and it was clear how much her classmates loved—and still love—her,” Paige’s junior year

English teacher and NHS Sponsor, Mrs. Abend, recollects. “Teachers, too, appreciated Paige and all her contributions to the classroom and the school in general. The blood drive in Paige’s honor was a perfect example of this. So many students and staff members came to donate because they care about Paige. In fact, the outpouring of support was so strong, that we had to schedule another blood drive a few days later. All of this is a testament to what a kind and loving young woman Paige was. We will all miss her greatly.”

In athletics, her talent and attitude shone, whether the team was winning or losing. “She was truly a coach’s dream,” Mrs. Kirshner recollected.

“She was quite simply someone with an inherently kind, positive, and selfless soul. She inspired her teammates with her perseverance and her ability to be a quiet but effective leader; she gained the respect and admiration of her coaches through her consistent display of hard work...

What I, and I think everyone else, will miss most about her, is her sweet

smile, her infectious laughter, and, above all, the sense that she was just a good person who saw the best in others and was always willing to lend a hand, an ear, or a hug.”

“She was a hardworking player and always put the team first,” Assistant varsity softball coach, Mr. Bellisario, remembers. “In our softball season last year, Paige’s bat came up huge at the St. Charles Invite. Paige hit a solo home run against Lyons, giving us a 3-0 lead. Her home run proved to be the difference in the game because Lyons rallied for two runs in the 7th inning…Paige was the hero of that game.”

Head varsity coach, Ms. Pasier, remembers the dedication Paige took to the field every day. “Every day she would come to a practice or a game in the same happy manner. She was always ready to help and work at 100% and was an all around great girl.

[My favorite memory is] last year on Father’s Day when she came up to bat and hit a home run for her Dad.” Similarly, Paige was a star on the volleyball team. Senior Shannon

Armstrong recalls, “Whenever I remember [her], I see Paige smiling and walking out of the gym. You could never tell if she won or lost.”

Paige will best be remembered for the impact she made in the lives of her many friends. Close friend Julia Bakken said, “Not one word or picture could ever describe the life of Paige Dougherty. She had a vibrant perkiness about her that was completely contagious…Every second I shared with was filled with laughter and abounding in joy. She had the best laugh and smile in the world. She also had a sheer sense of love that drew me to her like a magnet. Not many people can contain and radiate happiness like Paige. She gave her heart to the world so generously and without expecting anything in return. It is her selfless love that inspired me to be a better person. Let her be a legacy: a strong young woman who left her mark on the world and an individual with unmatched joy who lived her life to the fullest.”

by Anne Wave and Caileen Bazarek

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VOL. 46, NO. 3

MS Health Fair offers free food and fun Ali Niese

NEWS

STAFF WRITER

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n November 19, The Maine South student café will be hosting a health fair. Mrs. Tomassi and Mrs. Kendrick, two of Maine South’s school nurses, came up with this event to promote healthcare amongst Maine South students. The fair is produced in conjunction with Sodexo, which operates our student cafeteria.

“The health fair is an event with the goal of promoting improved health,” Mrs. Tomassi stated. She also stressed that this year’s health fair has been designed to be more fun and engaging for students. The fair has been designed to act like a gallery that students can walk through. This year, gone will be the traditional, collectable pamphlets about cardiovascular fitness or anxiety. Mrs. Tomassi hopes this fair will have a “really different presentation,” she hopes for the fair to be “interactive, fun and challenging” for students.

This year, several art students

more effectively for large student involvement.

At the beginning of the exhibit, students will be given a punch card.

For every exhibit that students visit or participate in, they get a punch in their punch card. Certain exhibits will offer extra punches if students complete an activity. At the end of their visit, students who have enough punches are eligible for prizes.

The health fair will be held periods 1-9. Mrs. Tomassi has designed an interesting exhibit catered not only to the attention span of students, but also to the necessary information students need to know.

GRAPHIC BY MARJO PAJAJ The fair will be a fun and re a l ly l e ar n e d interactive way for students to learn the basics to staying more about how to stay healthy. Free healthy.” While students understand samples, activities, and artwork will they need to be healthy, many do not be included.

It is important for students to really understand the science behind it. The health fair offers students the understand healthy living, especially opportunity to learn about topics with, as Mrs. Tomassi states, “the cold on maintaining good nutritional, and flu season already upon us.” And while the information is a necessity, physical, and mental health.

This year’s health fair will be the way in which students receive it presented differently and hopefully should not be dull. have been employed to create posters with the nurse’s information and there will be interactive stations for students to learn first hand about health care issues specifically affecting them as students. Nevertheless, why should students take time out of their day to go to the health fair? Mrs. Tomassi states, “Many high school students have either forgotten or never

Violence in Rio poses threat to Olympics Joe Taddeo STAFF WRITER

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ince Oct. 2, when Rio De Janeiro was chosen by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) as the Olympic City for the 2016 games, the already horrifying gang situation in Rio De Janeiro has escalated. Over 40 people have died in gang-related incidents, including one in which a police patrol helicopter was shot down.

Rio De Janeiro has been plagued by gangs like Morro dos Macacos, or “Hill of Monkeys,” that rule more than 1,000 slums. These gangs use illegal, military-grade weapons for attacks against their rivals, police and the public. Through drug and weapon trafficking, the gangs have a formidable power that, at this point, not even local authorities can combat, considering the gangs have three times the amount of weapons of the local authorities.

When the violence increased in December of 2008, a group of local activists began a campaign protesting it. This group, called “Rio de Paz,”

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tried to get local officials to act, but were relatively unsuccessful.

The president of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, says, “For us, it is important to show the world that Brazil and its society are more powerful than organized crime.”

But with an already staggering $145 million invested in counteracting violence in Rio, they’re running out of options. Nonetheless, Silva has vowed to pump another $76 million into the program. Many of the Brazilian citizens believe that the violence cannot be remedied because of the gang’s depth in the city’s history.

Though the IOC’s decision is final, many Chicagoans and people around the world feel that they made the wrong choice in choosing Rio De Janeiro.

“I think that [Rio’s violence] shows that while Chicago’s citizens would’ve experienced great tax increases and pangs at the parking meters, at least the city has the infrastructure to handle such a worldly undertaking.

Clearly Rio does not,” says Dan Katis, a senior here at Maine South.

On Oct. 18, during a turf war between Red Command and Monkey Hill, a helicopter was shot down about five miles from the site currently planned for the 2016 Olympic Games, clearly posing a threat to the games. “It’s a war without end,” said one Rio citizen.

In the crash, two officers were killed and four were severely injured.

Rio’s secretary of public security, Jose Mariano Beltrame, said, “Despite the city’s crime, there is no reason for people to doubt our ability to host the Olympics.” But considering the crime that roams the city and the 9,000 plus deaths that have occurred solely due to gangs since 2007, the question is their ability to host the games safely.

Rio de Janeiro attracts thousands of visitors for its beautiful beaches and resorts across the South shore, not to mention their famous annual Carnival festival. They’re no stranger to big crowds, but no festival or contest is as high profile, popular, or more scrutinized than the Olympic Games.

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

Signed letters to the editor should be delivered to room LRC 1 or given to a member of the editorial staff. SOUTHWORDS reserves the right to edit material for clarity and brevity and to reject obscene/libelous submissions.

Editors-in-Chief Caileen Bazarek Anne Wave News Editors Jackie Hazlett-Morris Ashley Kozubal Features Editors Asha Kirchhoff Joanna Madej Entertainment Editors Tayler LaBellarte Lydia Ramsey Commentary Editors Katie Hernandez Kaci Zimmerman Sports Editors Jimmy Loomos Michael Unti Charlie Vinopal Production Heads Matt Eller Ted Sherbin Graphic Designers Adrian Adamiec Marjo Pajaj Photographers Chris Anderson Miranda Kahrilas Abby Powell Adviser Mr. Stathakis

VOL. 46, NO. 3

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

PHOTO BY KATIE HERNANDEZ

Features

The Break members, from left, sophmores Matt Gieser, Miles Malin, Sean Cahill-Lemme, and Paul Ansani.

The Break organizes first Pickwick Music Festival Katie Hernandez COMMENTARY EDITOR

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ew York has the Empire State building, San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge, London has Big Ben, and Park Ridge has the Pickwick Theatre. Although this old, art-deco movie theatre may not be known to the world, it is Park Ridge’s most notable landmark and it will soon to be the host of the very first Pickwick Music Festival.

The idea for the Pickwick Music Festival began with the Maine South High School student band, The Break.

The band consists of lead singer and guitarist Sean Cahill-Lemme, bassist Paul Ansani, guitarist Miles Malin and drummer Matt Gieser. The band started out less then two years ago at the Emerson variety show, and since then, the boys have always wanted to play at the Pickwick. “We’re all from Park Ridge, it’s the hub of town, and the perfect place to play,” said Gieser.

Along with fulfilling the band’s dream to play at the theater, the Festival is a charitable, non-profit event. All proceeds from admissions ($5 for students, $10 for adults) and

a raffle ($1 a ticket) will go to the Make-a-Wish foundation. The goal of the event is to reach $10,000 which will be able to grant two terminally ill children their wishes.

The Break is no stranger to putting on benefit concerts; they have played shows such as RAGE Against the Disease, which raised money for early onset Alzheimer’s. The band enjoys performing to raise money for charity.

“It is a great way to help people out and get some publicity for the band,” states Cahill-Lemme. The Music Festival was organized mostly by the band and was kicked into action by Matt Gieser, who has been working on this project since June. “It’s been really hard; everyday I’m busy with something,” says Gieser.

For being such a new band, there is nothing green about them; their sound and essence is professional and full of personality. Although The Break’s members may be young, they have started to make a real impact on the Chicago music scene, playing in the city and its surrounding areas.

Their album “Welcome to Our Side” appeared on iTunes in August, and six of their songs have already

filled the popularity bar. With tracks like “Lying Again” and “Be Human,” their new album displays their dynamic sound and mature vocals and lyrics. Since the album’s release, the band has gotten even more press. They’ve received radio play on Chicago’s 93.1 WXRT and were featured in the online magazine “Buzz News,” which received over 3,500 hits within its first week of being posted.

When asked about their rising success Ansani said, “We’ve always had high hopes and I’m surprised at how well things are working out.”

The boys don’t plan on taking a break anytime soon. They are serious about their music and have planned a full schedule of shows. Future plans for the band include a performance November 6 at Bobbapalooza, a live radio recording on WNUR radio at Northwestern University on November 14, a nationally-televised performance at WGN TV studios to promote the Music Festival on December 2, and a performance with three other bands at the Pickwick Music Festival on December 4. “We are looking to play bigger shows in the city at clubs, and getting a larger fan base,” said Malin.

On Saturday, December 4, the Pickwick Music Festival will be held from 8 - 10 PM. Concessions, along with raffle tickets, will be sold in the main hallway of the theater. Tickets to the festival can be found on the website www.pickwickmusicfestival. com or from some of the festival’s local sponsors, some of which are Allegro Music Center and Emerson Middle School.

Also playing the festival will be bands, Awake in Reno (a band that was a finalist in the TV show “Americas Next Big Star”), Mainstreet Minority, (who was recently signed with Thin Line Records), and The Safes. The Break chose these bands because, as Malin said, “They all have a lot of experience and really good fan bases, all around they are really good guys.” All the bands will play in the main theatre along with a DJ between sets. Local 101, from radio station Q101, might be doing a live radio show from the festival as well.

This will be the Pickwick’s first rock concert and will bring together family, friends, and fans of all four bands.

To get more information on The Break, visit their website www. thebreakband.com.

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VOL. 46, NO. 3

Starving for a fictional perfection Ayana Takizawa FEATURES WRITER

FEATURES

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ight now, there is a girl somewhere, staring into a mirror, scrutinizing every inch of her reflection. Right now, there is a girl somewhere, exercising in a gym, promising herself dinner if she goes another four miles. Right now, there is a girl on a cold bathroom floor, staring into a toilet and counting down the seconds from another wasted dinner.

The story of eating disorders, of young girls starving themselves for the sake of perfection, is more common than one may think. Written like the graffiti of filthy gossip on the bathroom walls, the ubiquity of this story, the deeply instilled sense of self-deprecation, flourishes in high school. This competition for perfection most often finds its incentive beyond the halls in the modern media landscape, saturated with seductive images of alluring supermodels and glamorous celebrities.

These picturesque people who grace the glossy covers of newsstands supposedly embody the pinnacle of modern “beauty.” But just a closer look reveals a disturbing paradox–these tabloid starlets, waiflike models, and their gaunt devotees, with eyes sunken from pangs of hunger and a jutting rib cage, all seem to connote an ugly manipulation of the concept of “beauty” instead. Unfortunately, it is commonplace that young girls are pressured to meet an artificial standard of beauty, often by harming themselves.

sense and self-preservation. Bulimics in particular are at risk, since they tend to be drawn to extremes, as exemplified by their binge and purge cycles.

Anorexics, by contrast, are generally motivated by issues of control: they are often reserved, socially anxious perfectionists, who attempt to master their food intake because they feel they cannot control other aspects of their lives. Teenagers with either of these diseases suffer both mentally and emotionally as their smallest insecurities become overwhelming.

Although the problem has dramatically increased in recent years due to an influx of negative media images, it is by no means new. Already, there are 10 million women in the United States who have an eating disorder, with Anorexia being the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. Even more disturbing is that 40% of patients with eating disorders will relapse within a year of residential treatment.

A study by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reported that 5 – 10% of anorexics die within 10 years after contracting the disease; 18-20% of anorexics die after 20 years and only 30 – 40% ever fully recover.

Consequently, eating-disorders are not just petty stories of insecure young girls deciding to fast themselves into oblivion. It will strip all of a one’s life and potential down to a frail skeleton of masochism that drives only further deterioration.

The pain of this process will consume a

great portion of their lives, as well as their loved ones who must watch in pain. Because with eating-disorders, one can never win, only lose.

It cannot be emphasized enough that it is a lifethreatening mentality contagious to the youth that is surrounded by the media that exists today, but it is treatable and curable.

True Anatomy Medical texts list ways to prevent eatingdisorders: less social and cultural emphasis on physical perfection may eventually help reduce the frequency of this disorder. It is so simply worded, yet social change is achieved by battling on many fronts: studying gender roles, learning about health and nutrition, and calling attention to images that the media dangerously alters. These are steps away from the disturbing and perilous concept of the anatomy of “beauty,” like the one propagated by the Ralph Lauren advertisement.

A spokeswoman for Ralph Lauren later apologized for the ad after the company tried and failed to suppress the dissemination of it on the Web. But this story has a final twist.

The company recently fired the model in the ad—she says the company fired her because she had gained too much weight. She is 120 pounds on a 5 foot-10 frame. The company says they fired her because of her “inability to meet the obligations under her contract with us.”

Just a coincidence, no doubt.

Media: Mirage Modern media technology makes such a standard even more unobtainable, as most advertisements are retouched to become overly perfected and unrealistic images. A recent Ralph Lauren fashion spread featured a model with hips narrower than her head, a haunting image of a pipe-cleaner like body.

It quickly became the focus of criticism as an image that harms women by promoting a standard of beauty so false that it can be achieved solely by altering a photograph of an already slender model. Internet media also has a growing role in this problem: the number of “pro-eating-disorder” websites grew by 470%.

“These sites contain harmful content, like crashdieting tips and advice on how to hide an eating disorder. They are dangerous,” stresses Dr. Purvis from the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders in Highland Park, Ill. She says, “The idea that body image is somehow set by the media is a provocative one. Advertising has a strong influence in our society and I think it reflects the sexism of the culture.”

No Beauty in Bones The growing pressure of this intoxicating incentive continues to push the frontiers of good

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INFORMATION COURTESY OF WWW.EATINGDISORDERINFO.ORG

VOL. 46, NO. 2

OCTOBER 16, 2009

Super V-show 2010: save the date PHOTO BY MIRANDA KAHRILAS

Josh Timm ENTERTAINMENT WRITER

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Features

he V-show at Maine South is traditionally a huge attraction for all people in Park Ridge. However, what the audience sees on performance nights is not put together as easily as the performers make it look. There are many groups that put the V-show together to make it what it is.

The stage crew of V-show is a cast of students and adults working together to keep the show running smoothly. So many things can go wrong backstage, and it’s up to the stage crew to keep everything under control. While the stage is being prepared for acts, Trunk members act out funny skits, often directly relatable to the life of a Maine South student, to entertain the audience during down time. They stay in the PA wing hallways and have to know when to go on stage to start each skit. When students Cody Carpenter (bass) and Matt Carrico (guitar) practice for the V-show. independently time when they Many things happen backstage. Weeks before fantastic final show. This year’s line up includes, go on stage for the skit, things can the V-show, when those participating are practicing among other acts, the Drum Line, the annual Senior easily go wrong.

“On one show night, Kristin was talking about with their own act members, the stage is literally Act, and three original student compositions. how fast everything went by during the show. As she being set. A lot of preparation goes into the V-show, Overall, the audience will be treated to twenty-one was finishing up her speech, four trunk members and saying that show nights are hectic would be the performances over the course of two acts.

Rehearsing is only part of the show. To be in walked towards her, and asked, ‘Kristin, where understatement of the year.

“It’s really crazy and busy to change clothes the V-show, one must practice with act members were you? You missed the entire skit!’,” said Danny all the time for different acts,” said senior Eric outside of school, and in September, audition in Giovannini, a senior trunk head. front of judges. If the act is deemed good enough, When V-Show begins, the stage band opens Hollander.

While the stage may look big to the audience, it makes it into the show. up the show with the theme song for the first act “The effort put forth is amazing to see. The of the V-show. The band also plays another song in reality, it’s small. Stage band members actually in the second half, and plays for the dancing acts climb over backpacks and instrument cases to find different types of personalities mesh to create an by the Hawkettes, Orchesis, Advanced Dance, and their places. Everybody in V-show spends time awesome show,” said sophomore Claire Floriano.

To see a spectacular performance, get your Footlighters. The Footlighters do different dances after school for dress rehearsals during the week tickets for Super V-show 2010, running on each year, and the dance style varies according to the of the show.

“It was really great fitting into a one foot by one November 19, 20, and 21 at 7:30 PM. Tickets go theme of the show. This year, expect a performance foot space and having a bag of Cheetos for dinner on sale on today, Friday, November 13 and can be relating to the show’s superhero theme. purchased for $6 on the Maine South website.

“It’s really fun and exciting; you meet a lot of every day of practice,” said senior Pat Kelly.

However, the many overtime hours lead to a new people,” said sophomore Julia Kashul.

PACE bus driver and PA booster honored Natalie Stam FEATURES WRITER

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esides the great acting and outstanding performances, there is one thing one can expect to see at every Maine South production: a man named Edward Jones.

Mr. Jones drives a PACE bus route taken by many students in the fine arts department. Six or seven years ago, one of them asked him to attend the current play. He happily obliged, and was so

blown away by the performance that he attended every show after that.

“It’s amazing how Maine South theater has such a far outreach, and can affect so many more people than just students and their families,” said senior Shannon Armstrong.

Noticing a flyer for Drama boosters at one show, he immediately wrote a check and signed up, even though he had no children at or relation to Maine South.

Before another play, a mass e-mail was sent out to the drama boosters asking for desserts for a tech

rehearsal. Just before the dinner, Mr. Jones arrived with a huge tray of cookies.

“It was the nicest thing,” commented Mr. Muszynski. “Just, really really sweet.”

After a recent performance of Alice in Wonderland, there was a reception for all members of the drama boosters. To everyone’s delight, Mr. Jones showed up in complete suit and tie.

Recently, Mr. Jones was named an Honorary Drama Boosters Member. In a letter, he wrote, “Simply put, words fail me right now. Needless to say, I am honored.”

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VOL. 46, NO. 3

Hit the “snooze” button this Black Friday Anthony Eugenis

STAFF WRITER

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the early hours after Thanksgiving, people wake up and drive in pitch black darkness, while drinking as much caffeine possible, over to any store that has a great deal.

Sound like fun t o

COMMENTARY

he last week in November is one most people look forward to.

For the students, it is (hopefully) one week free of homework. It’s a pretty easy week, with maybe one exception being November 23;the dreaded Parent Te a c h e r Conference day. If your grades aren’t w hat your parents want, and you weren’t able to destroy the infamous envelope t h a t comes to your h o u s e in late O c t o b e r, ILLUSTRATION BY ADRIAN ADAMIEC you might be worried. anyone?

Hopefully that is The shoppers probably do nobody’s case, and the heavenly not read the fine print in any Thanksgiving dinner is mere days advertisement. While the item away. may have a low price and it may Over the years, Thanksgiving seem like a great deal, just how hype has decreased. It seems that not many are in stock? Two or three? too many people think of the end of The stores play the game well by November as having Thanksgiving luring in shoppers with the best deals, with their family. Instead, Black while having a low stock of the item.

Friday has shoved Thanksgiving And the shoppers, well they did not out of the spotlight and taken over wake up at 4 for nothing. So they buy as the holiday for people to look other things. forward to.

Last year, a WalMart employee in Black Friday is the day after New York was trampled and killed Thanksgiving, when all the stores have by an endless wave of shoppers who great deals, but few items in stock. In broke into his store just minutes

Anne Wave

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

L

osing a friend is never easy, whether it’s being dumped by your play-date on the playground or fading contact with friends over time.

The part of friendship that is worth everything is the amazing ability that a person has to effortlessly brighten your day.

And when one day, one of those important friendships has gone, it’s difficult to find something to fill up

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SOUTHWORDS

the void.

Previous to this year, I had never dealt with grief in the sense of a final goodbye. Throughout my early life, I lived with relative ease, being able to bounce back to the life around me whenever some sort of a conflict hit. Bad grades on math tests and fights with friends were the most tragic things that I had ever had to come to terms with. This past year, however, some life-changing events have occurred that have shaped the way I think about the world.

Losing my friend has been the most difficult thing I have dealt with in my life to date. In reflecting on the times I spent with her, I

before its opening. Really now, they could not wait a few minutes until the store actually opened?

Apparently none of them realized t h e y

of course, pumpkin pie, make for a much better time than waiting in the cold with impatient shoppers who try to get in stores like they are assaulting a machine gun bunker.

Black Friday is not a total bummer.

The greatest part about it is the Zombie Walk. An internet campaign began years ago to combat Black Friday. One of its events was the Zombie Walk, where people dress up as zombies and walk around, mocking the shoppers. The idea is that a person who has been

were stepping on another person.

No, they were obsessed with the sales.

Black Friday has stolen Thanksgiving’s hype.

Who cares if a product is on sale when it has a very limited stock? Half the battle is trying to survive an onslaught of Park Ridge parents who race to get whatever their kid screams for.

An oven-roasted turkey, combined with marshmallow-covered sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and

waiting in line for hours, or even days, gets tired and irritable-like a zombie. So the pranksters stumble about, poking fun at shoppers; it is great to watch and laugh at.

People need to stop waiting for hours in lines just to get inside a store that offers a great deal. They need to stop fixating on the hottest item being sold, or salivating over how big a sale is.

By avoiding the shopper craze that so many others surrender to, people have more fun. There are other things to do, like setting up Christmas decorations or getting back at a family member who ate the leftovers.

Just don’t be zombies-unless of course, you are mocking Black Friday

initially found myself in a remarkable mourning, wishing that in all that time I had with her, I would’ve known what was coming. I thought about the possibility of changing the past so that she would once again be sitting in my English class or cheering next to me at a volleyball game, and the more I thought about it, the more upset I was that those times were not coming back.

After days passed, though, I began to realize that not one of the memories I had with her was sad or even neutral; every moment I spent with her was cheerful. That was the most important thing for me to remember but the easiest thing for me to forget among

the sudden wave of sadness.

Thinking back, every moment I spent with her was filled with smiles.

So I began to fill up that space that she filled in my heart with all of the memories I could find. Each memory now holds residence in my heart, and that’s something that won’t ever be erased or altered. Those little excerpts of the intersection of my life with her life are one of the things that I hold closest to my heart, now and forever.

At Thanksgiving dinners in the past, I used to always get nervous when the turn came for me to talk about what I was thankful for each year. This year, I know what my answer will be.

VOL. 46, NO. 3

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

For all the whiners, Pre-Calc is worth it Matt Eller

PRODUCTION HEAD

T

he tests are graded. The students wait impatiently to see their Pre-Calculus grades. As the papers come back, the students can see the abundance of red marks on tests. Top students tear up and wonder what they did wrong. They remember with distaste their friends in Accelerated Math analysis who are having no problems getting A’s or B’s.

Rumors about Pre-Calculus becoming an accelerated class went rampant. However, was the math department ever considering giving more credit for the class? Mathematics department chair Mr. Smith said that the department recognizes that some students take higher level math classes that have no GPA benefit. However, he commented on how a student’s reputation is greatly benefitted from taking high-level math classes. It’s

true that colleges do look favorably on heavy course rigor. In fact, the University of Illinois will specifically ask how many years Pre-Calculus, Calculus, and advanced math a student has taken.

I experienced the class my Junior year and I noticed that for some students, it was difficult to earn a “B.” These were kids who might have many or all other accelerated classes.

Many have aspirations higher than a 4.0 GPA, and therefore would be decimated by a “2.0” bringing down their average. One can see why these students would be upset if there were any chance that the class was too difficult. As a fellow student, I cannot blame them. Since the country is experiencing grade inflation (an increase in the national average GPA) and competition for college admission is as high as ever, should a “C” or lower really be considered by

teachers to be an acceptable majority grade on a test?

Mr. Smith presents an interesting possible explanation for this difficulty among accelerated students. Students who take Pre-Calculus often come from taking Algebra 2 freshmen year.

These are the students who passed the placement test upon entering Maine South but had a significantly lower score than those who would go onto Algebra 2 accelerated.

These students will take algebra 2 and geometry. This means there is a year gap between Pre-Calculus and the needed algebra 2 skills. Also, these students are taking a class that is meant to prepare them for AP Calculus. Pre-Calculus can be seen as a transition between the regular and accelerated tract. This being said, Pre-Calculus must adequately prepare students to learn the same material as students who have been

taking accelerated math their entire time at Maine South.

Students who come from both Pre-Calculus and Accelerated Math Analysis struggle in Calculus. Mr. Smith stated that “[Pre-Calculus and Accelerated Math Analysis] have a similar rigor, but Accelerated Math Analysis addresses additional topics.”

Students will be relieved to already know the concepts that they need for Calculus after taking Pre-Calculus. So far, all of the prerequisite skills I have needed for Calculus were a part of my Pre-Calculus education. It’s clear that the class is a necessary evil for students. Once in Calculus, students see that the benefit of being prepared fir the class outweighs the GPA scare that it gives students. My word of advice to those who take Pre-Calculus is simply to bite the bullet and think of it as an accelerated class.

Technology may be getting in the way STAFF WRITER

T

Commentary

echnology has a large role in our everyday life and has become an influence on our education. Many teachers have changed the way they teach because of the technology.

One of the benefits of this approach to education is that there are more choices for assignments.

With this, there are more ways to express knowledge and creativity; it offers a unique way of learning. It also prepares students for the world after high school/college.

“Basically, every job requires the use of some form of technology.

Therefore, teachers need to be using and teaching technology in every class and every subject available,” says sophomore Stephanie Barbanente.

Using technology in classes prepares students for the “real world.”

For teachers, technology can offer more methods for educating their students. Technology gives variety to the material they are teaching and can help support their lessons.

“I find that overall, technology can really help in the classroom,” says consumer science teacher Ms. Helton.

“There are a lot of cool programs out there like Photostory that allow students to present information in a fun way. I also think it’s great to have

the Internet so readily av a i l a b l e i n e a c h classroom because it makes looking up information so easy.”

On the other hand, technology has negative effects on learning and teaching.

Technology has also suffocated our society and has overwhelmed our classrooms. For teachers, it can be frustrating to have to change their style of teaching to keep up with technological advances. “ I t h i n k students can get too overwhelmed when all of their teachers Recently purchased technology takes over Mr. Fechner’s desk in his C-Wing classroom. want to use the latest technology with them,” watching movies,” sophomore Emily or discussions. With websites like says social science teacher Mrs. Scorza. Kelly says. Nowadays, it’s hard for Twitter or Facebook, socializing has Because of technology, teachers parents to relate to their child’s been left to the screens. are no longer the center of attention. curriculum because it has changed Our society is becoming more Sometimes there isn’t even a need so much due to technology. Also, our and more dependent on technology. for them to give a lecture or solve a society is losing its need for books. The most important thing is for problem; the Internet does all the work. Generally, technology has caused students and teachers to balance the “I think that sometimes it’s bad people to be physically less sociable use of technology with other forms because we should keep school and interactive, but more virtually of learning. It’s important to not basic and learn the way our parents interactive. There is no longer as let the traditional student-teacher did, like, read books instead of much importance for group projects relationship be forgotten.

PHOTO BY KATIE HERNANDEZ

Bree Fallico

SOUTHWORDS

9

Letters to the

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

VOL. 46, NO. 3

Editors Dear Editors, There is an issue at Maine South that I feel I must address. The issue that I am speaking of is that there are not enough night football games.

I feel that not only the team, but also the fans, would benefit from having more Friday night football games and fewer Saturday games.

As a student and a big fan of Maine South football, I must start by saying that the overall environment of the night games is much more excited and thrilling than those during the day.

When sitting in the student section at a Friday night game and a good play happens, the crowd will erupt in cheers and chants.

Upon hearing this, our team becomes pumped and more excited when playing, thus making them perform more efficiently. The feeling

in the crowd is also exhilarating. I sometimes get goose bumps out of awe when we erupt in cheering or making an amazing play. Not to say that we don’t cheer during a day game, but there is much less cheering that occurs at a day game; also there are significantly fewer fans that attend day games. The more fans we have directly affects us in that we not only bring in more money, but also cheer louder, causing our team to play better and ultimately win more games.

Maine South is talking about how they are in debt, so the fans, which produce revenue, can help prevent us from furthering our debt. Having more night football games can only positively affect the school, the fans, and most importantly the team.

-Sean Kierny ‘11

Dear Editors, Our school district has recently announced that it is in the midst of a financial crisis. This came as a shock to most people, but is it really that shocking? When you think about it, it’s not. We are now at the movement when our years of wasteful spending have caught up with us.

After years of acting as though our district would never run out of money, tough decisions must be made. The time has come to realize the cause of this crisis; the hard truth is that it is largely the fault of the district. Our school has been squandering money for years and now it is crawling to the district tax payers for help. We have to stop spending our funding on expensive “wants.” I see a trend developing; we are beginning to spend less money on education, and we are spending more on technology.

Look no further than any classroom in the school for proof.

Does every class really need a $467 document camera? Most teachers never use them. And whatever happened to overheads? They are much cheaper. More wastes of money are the $250 Qomo Tablets in every

room. Does every room not have a dry erase board? Many teachers have never even opened the tablets. More examples of the school’s high tech wastes of money are the Creative T20 speakers and USAS laptops. All of these items had a total cost of $128,389.

This senseless waste of money is a significant cause of the deficit.

This overspending on technology is but one example of a failure to properly handle finances. It reflects how the district does not manage finances well enough.

Isn’t it so interesting how our school was over its $10 million budget for 2009, the same year it decided to buy any new piece of technology it could get? At least when we have to fire hard working teachers and cut back on vital school clubs and organizations, we will all still be able look at graphs of how far in debt we are on our fancy document cameras.

Technology can’t replace teachers, but it seems that it may have to.

The district’s lack of financial planning has caused this crisis, and for it to end, it will need to manage money more effectively.

-Patrick Ruane ’11

COMMENTARY

COMIC BY PAUL FEDYNIAK

10 SOUTHWORDS

VOL. 46, NO. 3

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

Encyclopedia of hallway walkers STAFF WRITER

T

Commentary

he hallway is our highway. A system of roads that take us to our destination: the classroom.

Like any highway though, the hallway, too, has traffic. What causes our hallways to back up?

What makes you avoid “Suicide T” or the Center Staircase? I have classified several different types of “walkers” that you can find in our hallways. These classifications vary from speed to annoying habits.

The White Rabbit The bell rings, the passing period has ended, and this kid has a look of pure terror in his/ her eyes. You’ll never see a student run as fast as he/she does when this occurs, or see as much determination in one’s face to get to class. The first week of school you’ll see many White Rabbits scurrying about, and they’re usually freshmen.

The Charging Bull Watch out for this one! He/she is on a mission and nothing’s getting in his/her way. This student will even go so far as to walking in the opposite direction of traffic flow. When you encounter such as person as this, you’ll notice he/she will plow right through you and never look back. This is a highly effective way to plow through the halls.

The Highway Expert I commend anyone who can achieve the skill of the Highway Expert. This student is able to walk at an incredible speed all the while merging, changing lanes, and avoiding hazards such as the Newlyweds and the Greeter. The Highway Experts may or may not be in hurry, but there’s one thing for sure—they are annoyed with other hallway walkers. I will admit to being a Highway Expert.

The Herd For whatever reason, sometimes students need to walk in groups of five or more to their classes; perhaps they’re afraid to walk alone.

Whatever the reason, I think we can all agree that it’s a huge problem when you have five kids lined up across the width of the hall and nowhere to go; this is where the Charging Bull comes in handy. The Herd creates such a blockage, it’s almost like a clogged artery. Underclassmen— particularly girls—have a tendency to form herds.

The Straggler When a Herd is created, sometimes there’s that one kid—that is part of the Herd—that just gets elbowed out. This person is known as the Straggler. While it’s unintentionally happening, the rest of the Herd is in deep conversation and the one who has nothing to contribute is desperately trying to maintain his/ her position in the Herd. Eventually the Straggler will give up and walk solo.

The Greeter The Greeter is that one kid who feels the need to scream across the halls to another just to say hi, or even go as far as to stopping in the middle of traffic and embracing another. The greeting can be a simple high five, a call out, a hug, a full out push, a tackle—the list goes on and on.

The point with the Greeter is that he/she is halting traffic with a simple greeting. It Maine South’s halls are filled with walkers of all kinds. might not seem to be annoying, but when The Newlyweds you get behind that one person who needs to say The slowest—and possibly most annoying of hello to everyone—like he/she is the mayor—you’ll all—are the Newlyweds. You all know what I’m wish you had the skills of the Highway Expert. talking about, because we all have been victims of The Mosh Pit this. The formula for this is simple: two kids, one A personal favorite of mine to witness is boy, one girl, and they’re in a relationship. How do the Mosh Pit. This can involve more then two you know? They’re holding hands, which is now students, and sometime results in a domino acting as a blocking mechanism you just can’t effect. What happens is two individuals begin get around. Not only are they blocking you from to fool around: playful kidding around. This getting around them, but they’re slowly making however can eventually lead into a full blown their way down the hall as if no one matters other wrestling session, where one kid pushes another than them. God forbid you find yourself behind a then he/she hits a passer by, all leading to the couple who are so “in love” that they’ll be playful eventual breakdown of the hallway flow system. with each other or slow down to lock lips. Here’s Boys usually are responsible for the Mosh Pit. fair warning: try to do everything you can to get The Loner around them. Because come the time one of them The Loner chooses to be by his/herself, and is at their destination, you’ll be witnessing a fulltraditionally is either listening to an iPod or on goodbye make-out session that completely texting. This might not be such a problem, but halts the entire flow of traffic in the hallway. this person is so zoned out, distracted, and oneYes, we’ve all encountered these people. You track minded that everything else around them may even be able to classify yourself as one of these. has simply been tuned out. This causes problems The point is this, if we want to get through the because this person eventually loses control over halls, we don’t need people kissing, boys fighting, their speed and often their sight. They bump into girls congregating, and that one person who is people and they stop in front of people. The Loner standing in the middle, looking around the hall can be just as hazardous as the Charging Bull. like they’ve never been in Maine South before.

PHOTO BY KATIE HERNANDEZ

Marco Malusa

Which type of hallway walker are you?

“Greeter; I get excited and happy when I see people in the hallway.”

-Alex Spanos ‘10

“Expert; I always get to my classes easily.”

- Ashley Kovalcik ’12

“Herd; because I walk with all my friends.”

-Sean Landers ‘11

“Mosh pit; pushing each other in the hall is how we say hi.”

-Ann Gardiner ‘13

SOUTHWORDS 11

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

VOL. 46, NO. 3

Is there really something to be thankful for?

Claire Dockery

STAFF WRITER

COMMENTARY

E

very year, around Thanksgiving, people generally think about getting together with family members, gorging themselves on turkey and cranberry sauce, and getting recessionfriendly bargains on Black Friday.

Such events create a bleak contrast with other ideas hanging in the air: those of racism and even genocide.

It’s common knowledge that the settlers who colonized what is now the United States had rocky relationships with the Native Americans. Thanksgiving is often said to commemorate the success of t he pilgr ims in Plymout h.

However, that success came along with much assistance from the Wampanog, a Native American tribe.

The pilgrims sailed to the New World in search of religious freedom and equality. Their ship, the famed Mayflower, landed at Plymouth Rock in present-day Massachusetts in December 1620. They faced a hard winter they were unprepared for. Their initial building plans were not completely carried out.

Nearly half of the colony died. In March, they received a friendly greeting in English from Squanto, a Wampanog chief who had previously spent time as a slave in Europe.

Although the Wampanog were wary of the pilgrims, they took pity on

the floundering group. The Wampanog taught the pilgrims how to farm and fish efficiently. When autumn brought a successful harvest, the fifty surviving pilgrims and around ninety Wampanog gathered to celebrate with a large feast. To the pilgrims, this became known as Thanksgiving.

Abraham Lincoln organized the first acknowledged Thanksgiving h ol i d ay. T h e h ar ve s t fe s t iv a l became a federal holiday in 1941.

Most people believe Thanksgiving is a time to count one’s blessings and reflect on the past year. However, controversy has arisen due to the role of Native Americans in the holiday.

Since the beginning of colonization in the present-day USA, the Native American-settler relationships were often rocky. Settlers regarded most all of the indigenous peoples a s s av a ge s . In the worst cases, battles and bloody massacres broke out, e ventually r e s u l t i n g in Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act. The Indian Removal Act put tremendous pressure on Native Americans to agree to move. The controversial act was put into effect due mostly to land disputes and the resulting bloodshed. Tribal leaders

people that occupied the land b efore t heir oppress ors.

Meanwhile, the air is crackling with even more racial tension than usual. People are criticizing schools and media for presenting the settler/ Native American conflict with a bias toward the former. Watereddown Thanksgiving stories intended for children, as well as all the infamous Thanksgiving pageants and plays, are facing the heat as well.

As America prepares for Thanksgiving it will be interesting to see if President Obama will acknowledge the genocide of Native Americans in his Thanksgiving speech; a feat attempted by no president as of yet. If he does, maybe it will help bring about the fall of another racial wall. Then a g a i n , m ay b e not. People are sensitive enough these days to make the result of any mention of Native Americans unpredictable. It’s not completely politically c o r r e c t either way, but admitting a mistake is the first step in making things right. After all, they were here f irst.

IMAGE BY MATT ELLER

that signed removal treaties (many were forced into doing so) went along with their people to reservations, many of which still exist today.

The removal caused tragic events like the Cherokee Trail of Tears (their forced removal – many died on the journey), and the reservations were rarely completely suited to the needs of the people there. Today, many regard the events caused by the act as “the American Holocaust.”

Since the action was taken against a specific group of people for their ethnicity, it would most likely be considered genocide today.

Many Native Americans currently observe Thanksgiving not as the turkey dinner that the government recognizes, but as a National Day of Mourning. The first Thanksgiving to be celebrated in such a way was in 1970, and since then, people have gathered at Plymouth Rock every Thanksgiving to reflect on the shameful, pointless deaths o f

Straight from the Swine Flu Diaries Katie McNamee STAFF WRITER

E

pidemic. Pandemic. A National Emergency. The Apocalypse.

Call it whatever you want. I’ll stick with “Swine Flu,” or, if I’m feeling especially intelligent, H1N1. For the past few months, this Influenza A sub-category has been receiving absurd amounts of attention from the media. Type “s” into Google and it will suggest searches starting with the letter “s” based on popularity; “swine flu symptoms” is the sixth suggestion, after searches like “skype” and “staples.” This is a problem.

For infants, the elderly, and people at a high risk, I can understand the concern. In rare instances, H1N1 complications have been fatal. For the

12 SOUTHWORDS

general public, it’s not worth all the hype. Yes, I just said that. The media has blown this out of proportion to levels verging on mass hysteria.

The symptoms of the H1N1 “Swine Flu” are almost identical to those of the seasonal flu; one of the few main differences between the two is that the Swine Flu is not protected by the seasonal flu vaccine. Some sufferers don’t realize they have it, it can be so mild. More and more doctors are refraining from even testing for it and simply advising patients to rest and drink plenty of fluids. In most cases, it’s not that bad.

I promise. How can I safely say such a thing? I’ve just recently recovered from confirmed H1N1 myself.

I woke up last week on the collaboration day Wednesday with congested sinuses, a horrendous

cough, and the dreaded, “Is this real life?” daze. I was sent home sick by lunchtime. By Thursday, I had a moderate 101.6 fever, and I again stayed home. Ditto for Friday.

Because I am high risk, I was tested for H1N1 and prescribed Tamiflu.

After two days of mundane daytime TV and Gatorade, I was feeling much better and desperate to leave my house for more than ten minutes. The doctor’s office was supposed to call me Friday regarding my H1N1 test results, but didn’t. I assumed it was just a case of the seasonal flu and made plans for Saturday night. Oops. My Swine sentence was confirmed two days later, but only after my mom called them. Luckily, I was fever-free and no longer contagious and therefore able to return to school (oh joy).

Once word got around that I was a “swiney,” I received frantic phone calls from hypochondriac friends complaining of scratchy throats. I got a lot of wide-eyed, “You’ve got what?” stares from classmates and plenty of social distancing from wary germaphobes. I’ve said, “Really, I’m fine, I’m not contagious anymore” so many times, I could say it in my sleep. I’m pretty positive I didn’t infect anyone else…well, other than one of my best friends, whom I shared a Frostee and fries with the Tuesday before (sorry about that).

In short, all of the hype this outbreak is receiving is overstated.

Sleep. Chug s ome Gatorade.

Stock up on Emergen-C. And stop freaking out about the Swine Flu. It’s not all it’s oinked up to be.

VOL. 46, NO. 3

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

Flight of the Conchords soar to the top of the charts STAFF WRITER

A

his ex-girlfriends have left him while the girlfriends themselves sing back up (and insult him) as a choir. This song was actually Emmy-nominated, the band’s third to be nominated for “Best Original Song.” It’s witty and inventive with the lyrics, but slightly lacking actual music.

Finally, iTunes users are able to download “Pencils in the Wind” as a bonus track.

Originally called “Sello Tape,” this gem from season one didn’t make it, into their first album; in it, the duo discuss how love is similar to a roll of tape. This song was excellent on the show and even better on the album. It makes me wonder why they didn’t put it on the CD version, as it’s a much better conclusion than its official end, “Angels.” Overall, the album is solid, and as an added bonus the CD version includes the guitar parts to every song. Unlike their first album, this one gives nearly all of the great songs of Season two, and shows that the song-writing has improved despite one or two lacking tracks. It’ll satisfy any fan, offering something to make anyone crack a smile.

better than on the show.

One of the final tracks is probably one of their best so far, the “Roxanne” inspired “You Don’t Have to be a Prostitute” where guitar rhythms and even steel drums accompany the tale of a “Cold night beneath the street light/ there stands a man whose pants are too tight.” Following it, The A-capella style “Friends” is the sole song to feature collaborator Rhys Darby in a song about four friends. It leads into “Carol Brown,” a song with a nice acoustic beat, and the lyrics play well as Jemaine recounts how all

Entertainment

few months after season two of the acclaimed show “Flight of the Conchords” wrapped up on HBO, the band that has become an American hit has released their second album, “I Told You I Was Freaky.” This new album contains the notable songs of Season two, but the question on everyone’s mind is, “Is the album as good as the show?”

The album is, well, a full-length album; the songs are restored to where the Conchords would have liked them, as they must cut songs to fit the time restrictions that came with a TV show. Hardcore fans of the New Zealand duo, Jemaine Clement and Bret Mckenzie, will no doubt be pleased by the album. As for casual fans… you may want to only download the tracks that you enjoy.

Everything starts out strong with “Hurt Feelings,” a melodic rap about two wanna-be rappers who have emotionally hard lives. The album version is a much better remix, and it actually makes a difference; the song now has a more focused tone, and stands well on its own, especially

with lyrics like “Some people say rappers don’t have feelings! / We have feelings! /Some people say we’re not rappers! / We’re Rappers! / and it hurts our feelings when you say we’re not rappers!”

We then see the Kiwis switch gears in “We’re Both in Love With a Sexy Lady,” an R&B style tune where the two talk-sing back and forth about how they’ve unknowingly fallen for the same girl. “Was her name Barbara?” says Jemaine. “No, I think It was Brahbarah,” replies Bret. It is one of the best on the album, and never gets old.

Another mention is “Fashion is Danger,” an electronica-style satire of 1980’s culture. Track six, “Rambling Through the Avenues of Time,” is a well-written ballad about Bret seeing a girl and then making up an elaborate story about her as Jemaine frequently interjects that he isn’t interested.

Throughout it, Bret switches between several instruments and makes incorrect comparisons between the girl and well-known characters and events. This song is a must-have. It is catchy and excellently played, even

PHOTO COURTESY OF BUZZGRINDER.COM

Max Mielecki

Nathan Drake returns to ‘Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’ PRODUCTION HEAD

T

he writers of the “Uncharted” series are able to seamlessly combine history and fiction. They use this skill to create surreal situations that seem real. The main character, Nathan Drake, has a tendency to get lost in some crazy adventures. In the first game in the series, “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune,” modern-day pirate Nathan Drake inherits the coordinates of the coffin of his ancestor, Sir Francis Drake, a 16th-century pirate. Drake enlists journalist Elena Fisher to help him find the coffin and when Fisher obliges in the hopes of getting a story, she gets more than she bargained for.

Inside the coffin is a journal written by Sir Francis Drake that leads to the lost city of gold: El Dorado. The player is immediately thrown into the action as pirates attack the ship.

The game continues as Drake, Fisher, and Drake’s old friend Victor “Sully” Sullivan pursue the clues. The trio is often pitted against Gabriel Roman, the leader of the pirates that attacked

them earlier.

Naughty Dog, the makers of games such as “Jak and Daxter” and “Crash Bandicoot,” returned to the scene this October with the release of the most cinematic game on the scene. “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” plays as an interactive movie, winning rave reviews from critics across the board.

The game play is based on a famous quote of explorer Marco Polo. On his deathbed, Polo said, “I did not tell half of what I saw, because no one would have believed me.” Marco Polo is known for his journey on which 14 ships left and only 18 people returned. While Polo described his voyage with detail, it was never revealed how his crew died.

Based on this, the crew at Naughty Dog created a fantastic story of how Polo discovered the key and entrance to Shambhala, a mythical Buddhist kingdom in Asia.

Immediately at the beginning of the game, Drake awakens, covered in his own blood and is stuck in a train that is hanging off the edge of a

that it is sometimes cliff. The player has hard to tell whether to maneuver Drake you are playing a up the collapsing video game or train in a tutorial. watching a movie.

T h e g am e t h e n The characters flashes back several move naturally and m ont hs e ar l i e r, freely to wherever where Drake meets they need to – and Chloe Frazer and where they don’t.

Harry Flynn, who The game features request his help on a combination a mission. of stealth tactics The target of the and third-person mission is a lamp Cover art for “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.” shooter game that belonged to Marco Polo, but the museum that play. The player seems to be holds this lamp is notorious for being constantly under attack, but never very difficult to break into. They are unnecessarily.

The situations are all believable successful on the mission, and they discover the map to Shambhala. – even the giant, blue guardians When they find the map, Flynn of Shambhala. Naughty Dog got double-crosses Drake, leaving him everything perfect with this game. to the Turkish police. Sully returns From the game play to the story to to free Drake and is accompanied by the graphics, everything about the Chloe, who suggests that the three go game is beautiful. With the holiday after Shambhala themselves, behind season coming up, definitely think about picking up this Game-of-thethe back of Flynn.

The game is phenomenal. The Year candidate as a gift. It’s worth graphics are so smooth and realistic owning.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETGLUE.COM

Teddy Sherbin

SOUTHWORDS 13

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

VOL. 46, NO. 3

Danielle Soldat

STAFF WRITER

ENTERTAINMENT

I

n 2005, the first book in the “Twilight” series made its debut.

However, it wasn’t until last year when teenage girls all over the world fell in love with the series. In “Twilight,” author Stephenie Meyer warps the traditional view of vampires from the masochistic, blood drinking kind to sparkling, dazzling teenagers in her own vision of a vampire love story.

The story begins with Bella Swan moving in with her father in a new state and adjusting to a new school.

The small setting is not appealing to Bella, but she is intrigued when she notices five different classmates.

Later, it becomes apparent that these students are all vampires. A connection forms between Bella and one of the vampires named Edward.

Thus starts the very intense and difficult love story.

Throughout the novel, the reader meets many more characters in Edward’s family including his father Carlisle, mother Esme, sisters Alice and Rosalie, and brothers Jasper and Emmet. She later meets in the vampire world a clan of vampires

who are not the same as the Cullens because they drink the blood of humans, compared to the Cullens’ “vegetarian” ways of drinking only the blood of animals. This involves a dramatic plot with a vampire named James because Bella has an appealing smell and taste. Although “Twilight” is mostly a vampire love story, the next book “New Moon” takes another darker twist.

In “New Moon,” after a depressing departure from Bella’s love Edward, Bella reunites with her old friend Jacob Black. “New Moon” is considered to be Jacob’s book because it is mostly about Jacob and Bella’s friendship, and it exposes Jacob’s secret that he is a werewolf. There is also the matter of Jacob falling for Bella and creates a complicated love triangle because she is still in love with Edward.

Lately “New Moon” is what everyone has been talking about.

Even since November 21 last year, when “Twilight” hit the big screen, the anticipation for “New Moon” has been through the roof.

Though the books are always better than the movies, even some people who didn’t like the movie “Twilight”

are still going to see “Ne w Mo on .”

This movie is going to be a lot better than expected.

Even the actors have confessed t hat t h is m o v i e “looks more studio-like and way better,” says Peter Facinelli who plays Carlisle Cullen.

The change from the two movies will be very drastic because of the two different directors; Catherine Hardwicke directed “Twilight” and Chris Weitz is directing “New Moon.”

“New Moon” has had so much more publicity than the previous film. There have been numerous trailers and sneak peeks looking into what is to be

IMAGE BY MATT ELLER

‘The Twilight Saga: New

expected from the movie. With the fans support behind the movies and a new director, this movie looks like it will be amazing. November 20 might just be the biggest day in entertainment for 2009.

Twilight stars to visit the Pickwick Jimmy Loomos

SPORTS EDITOR

I

PHOTO COURTESY OF ABOUT.COM/MOVIES

t’s the biggest news to hit Park Ridge in years; well, let’s face it: it’s the only news to hit Park Ridge in years. What is it? “Twilight” stars Kellan Lutz, who plays Emmet Cullen, Charlie Bewley, who plays Demetri, and possibly more actors, are set to come to the Pickwick Theatre on Friday, November 20, and Saturday, November 21, for the release

Kellan Lutz, one of actors from “New Moon,” will be at the Pickwick on the movie’s premiere.

14 SOUTHWORDS

of the popular movie’s sequel, “New Moon.”

The “Twilight Saga” weekend will start with a 9:00 p.m. showing of the first movie “Twilight,” for only $5 on Thursday. This will be followed by a midnight premiere of “New Moon,” for $7 on Thursday night. You can also see both movies, receive a souvenir cup and popcorn bucket, and receive unlimited refills that night for $20. Tickets for these shows can be purchased now at the Pickwick Theatre.

The premiere festivities continue over on to Friday with two question and answer sessions following the 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. shows of “New Moon,” where all the actors will be able to answer your questions.

The Q&A tickets can be purchased individually for $10 or with one of the packages.

Also on Friday, there will be a premiere party, where you can mingle with the stars, celebrate the release of the movie, and fill up on snacks. Be sure to bring your cam-

era because you will be able to snap some photos with your favorite actors. The premiere party has limited availability and can only be purchased with the Ultimate Package or the Backstage Pass.

The fun doesn’t stop Friday, because on Saturday there will be both autograph and photo-op session for you and you favorite actors, while different vampirethemed events will be taking place on stage. With your purchase, you will receive one autograph and photo from each celebrity, but more can be purchased at the event. More events and actors may soon to be announced so keep your eyes and ears open.

Be sure to get your tickets soon, because they are selling fast, and if enough are not sold, the event may be cancelled. There are only 10 backstage passes available and 90 ultimate package tickets available. Both will get you in to all events and priority seating.

In addition to the party, the Ulti-

mate Package includes priority seating and placement for all events, in person au t o g r ap h s and pictures, as well as admission to all Q&A sessions.

The Backs t a g e passes include all the above, as well as special time to meet and chat with all celebrities present, non-rushed autographs where you do not have to deal with the hustle and bustle of the crowd, as well as other special perks with the backstage pass.

Other packages that include some of the events listed above, are also available.

Ticket prices for the f e s t i v it i e s will range from $20$825 depending on what package is purchased, each offering a different variety of events.

For more ticket information, scheduling, and questions visit www. flashbackweekend.com.

VOL. 46, NO. 3

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

Moon’ rises to the big screen Lydia Ramsey ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

W

Entertainment

ith “New Moon” just one short week away from its premiere, it may be useful to know what songs are going to shape the plot of this cinematic masterpiece. The soundtrack came out Friday, October 16 and is available on iTunes as well as at retail stores. The album is a collaboration of fifteen different indie artists, all of whom wrote new original music for this soundtrack.

The soundtrack starts off with a song by Death Cab for Cutie, “Meet Me On The Equinox.” The song is characteristic of Death Cab for Cutie’s style, but a lot more upbeat. It gives messages like, “everything ends” and “meet me halfway,” which are ideas that are very consistent throughout the movie, which is all about what happens after Edward leaves Bella, and the love triangle that ensues with Jacob Black.

The next song, “Friends,” is from a band called the Band Of Skulls.

The British trio has been around for about a year now, and played at Lollapalooza this summer. It has strong electric guitar beats, and classic refrains stating that their friends “are so beautiful.” It’s a great song about the positive things of life, which works well with the metallic feel of the song.

“Hearing Damage” follows, and comes from Thom Yorke, lead singer of Radiohead. The song is very mellow, using a lot of synthesizers and effects, which gives it a very techno feel and blends well with a drum set beat that kicks in a few seconds into the song.

“Possibility” by Lykke Li is the next track on the album. Lykke Li is a Swedish indie singer who first released an album in the U.S. in 2008.

The song has echo-ey vocals and great vocal harmony, along with eerie noises and a consistent piano beat.

The song gets to be quite repetitive,

but is extremely original.

The most well-known band on the album, The Killers, come in with their song, “A White Demon Love Song.”

The song is extremely different from their other music, with a lot more under tempo, and interesting choices in harmonization.

The next song, “Satellite Heart,” by Anya Marina has the most ties to New Moon of the whole album. Readers of the book series will remember that at one point Bella talks about how her whole life revolves around Edward, like a satellite to a moon.

The acoustic and strings in this song, along with the soothing vocals, create a wonderful song of love in its most powerful form.

Muse, another British trio recently came out with an album titled “The Resistance.” One of their tracks on that album was remixed and shortened, creating “I Belong To You (New Moon Remix).” This version cuts out the French-speaking half, and adds in a new beat, but leaves in the great clarinet solo. The feel is very 1940s. The song has influences from “Samson and Delila,” a classic love story.

Bon Iver and St. Vincent are the next collaborators in the soundtrack with their song “Roslyn.” They use falsetto and acoustic guitars to create a beautiful song with a European feel.

“Done All Wrong,” is up next.

The song, performed by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, has a very western feel, incorporating a harmonica solo.

Its blending of female and male voices singing in unison gives the song a very cool feel.

“Monsters,” by Hurricane Bells uses distorted microphones to add to a very metallic element. It speaks of monsters deep inside, which is very consistent with “New Moon,” andis all about Jacob’s inner struggle with the changes he is enduring.

“The Violet Hour,” by Sea Wolf, has a very nautical feel. It sounds a lot like The Shins, with their use of drum

IMAGE BY ADRIAN ADAMIEC

‘New Moon’ soundtrack a compilation of brilliance

“New Moon’s” soundtrack blends many different independent styles to form a unique background music for the movie. beats and simplistic guitar parts. It has been leaked that this is the song that plays when Edward leaves Bella.

This intense song will really go well with the scene.

OK G o shows t he world a completely different side of their musical talent with the song “Shooting the Moon.” Unlike “Here It Goes Again,” “Shooting the Moon” uses acoustic guitars, synthetic beats, and has a great walking tempo.

“Slow Life,” by Grizzly Bear, is another very relaxed song. The fourpiece band from Brooklyn has a very folky feel to it. At some points it has the feel of some of The Beatles music.

“No Sound But The Wind,” is an interesting song created by The Editors. With the focus on piano and a male vocalist, it seems pretty similar to most other songs on this

soundtrack. Yet the baritone of the lead singer gives the song an almost show tune feeling. The phrase of “help me to carry the light,” sounds like something a character in a musical might say in their big solo.

“New Moon (The Meadow),” is a solo piano piece performed by Alexandre Desplat. It is a lovely piece, and the title of the song shows that it must be used in the movie during a meadow scene. The song is so peaceful and serene that this would make a lot of sense.

The soundtrack holds such a wide variety of music that by just buying one or two songs from the album the listener would not get the full experience of the indie masterminds behind the album. It is a wonderful collaboration, and it will be great fun to see where the songs fit into the plot line of “New Moon.”

SOUTHWORDS 15

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

VOL. 46, NO. 3

Michael Unti SPORTS EDITOR

T

h i s y e a r, t h e g i r l s’ c r o s s country team performed up to expectations, and they saw themselves once again making a run at advancing to state.

“In each of the last three years, we have changed our schedule, so we now run a more competitive schedule,” said Coach Downing. “As a result, you may not have heard about us winning any invitationals, but we have been running well against many of the better teams in the state.”

The girls’ cross country team qualified for sectionals. By placing second only to New Trier at the CSL Conference Meet __ with senior Kristen Zillmer taking third place, sophomore Austen Beaugureau finishing in seventh place, and junior Kayla Trewartha finishing in eleventh place __ the team’s hopes were high heading into regional competition.

At regionals, the team placed third and earned sectional birth.

“In terms of our team, we definitely have the potential to return to Peoria (the state meet). Out of the 20 teams at sectionals, we must qualify within the top five. Although it should be tough, we can do it,” said Zillmer. She

also believed that she was “a favorite” to individually qualify for state but emphasized that “nothing should be taken for granted.”

In the end, the girls’ cross country team did not qualify for state. They finished seventh out of 20 teams, so, as Coach Downing put it, “We came up a little short with a team score of 196. That was 13 points away from fifth place. We ran pretty well, but six teams ran better.” It was a sad ending to a very promising season.

On the up side, Zillmer qualified for state as an individual with a seventh place finish and a time of 18:37. Coach Downing was thrilled with this performance.

“Zillmer is finishing up her career at Maine South and has been the leader of our team since she was a freshman.

She has qualified individually or as a member of our team to the state meet in each of her three previous seasons,” Downing said.

Zillmer became the first Maine South runner to qualify for state four straight years. She credits her team and coach for their support.

However, Kristen is not done yet.

She looks to achieve her ultimate goal of becoming an All-State runner for the third consecutive year. In order to do so, she must finish in the top Senior Kristen Zillmer runs at the Niles North Regional Meet. Zillmer was able to finish seventh and qualify for the November 7 State Meet.

25 at state.

PHOTO BY CHRIS ANDERSON

Zillmer to state after great XC season

Soccer finishes tough Adam Smith SPORTS WRITER

SPORTS

Southwords’ quick picks for fantasy success.

QB C. Henne (MIA) Week 10 vs.TB Weak Tampa defense will help boost his numbers

QB J. Campbell (WAS) Week 10 vs. DEN Campbell has thrown a lofty 7 INT

RB R. Rice (BAL) Week 10 vs. CLE CLE has allowed a rushing touchdown every game

RB D. McFadden (OAK) Week 10 vs. KC Has had only 1 TD through Week 8

WR D. Avery Week 10 vs. NO Bulger is back and will look for Avery deep

WR R. Williams (DAL) Week 10 vs. GB Miles Austin has become the premier receiver

16 SOUTHWORDS

I

t’s been one whirlwind of a season for Hawks boys’ soccer. Although they lost to New Trier in the sectionals, there were many positives during this season that can be built upon next year.

After a lukewarm start to the season with a mediocre non-conference record, the Hawks finally clicked and went undefeated in conference play with a record of 4-0-1. Playing with a style that could only be categorized as gritty, they defeated rival, and defending state champion, New Trier 3-2 to win the CSL conference title.

Senior Kris Dudek—playing with a broken hand—had perhaps the most brilliant individual performance of the year, recording a hat trick to lead the Hawks to victory.

“B eating New Trier to win conference was maybe the most important moment of the season for us,” said standout senior defender

Ian McGuire. “The regional against Loyola was huge as well.”

Battling frigid temperatures and gusting winds on top of Loyola’s Glenview sports complex, the Hawks triumphed over the Loyola Ramblers, blanking them 2-0.

Two clutch second-half goals by forward Kamil Laszczkowski, one with 16 minutes remaining and another insurance goal with just two minutes left, buried Loyola and gave the Hawks the regional championship.

“The win against Loyola gave us a huge swing in momentum,” added McGuire. “We got a huge boost mentally by beating a talented team that had already beaten us before.”

That momentum carried over to the next game against inter-district foe Maine West. Midfielder Tomasz Kaczowka nailed an early goal from sixty feet to give the underdog Hawks the lead. The team never looked back and shut out the favored Warriors

VOL. 46, NO. 3

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

Golfers represent Maine South at state meet Scott Williams

ever at state, and a spectacular end to her already superb golf season.

“I would have to say this year was really fun.

We didn’t all know everyone at the beginning of the season, but through tournaments and team events, we really became close. I was glad to see everyone on the team’s progress, as we even were able to break some school records,” Oberheide said as she reflected on the year.

Oberheide was satisfied with her season because one of her many goals was to finish with a scoring average under 40, which she accomplished through hard Senior Larry Foss tees off at the IHSA Boys’ Golf State work. meet. Both Maine South golfers finshed in the top 100.

Rachel also playing golf in college. Her first spent all four years of high school on the Varsity golf choice is to attend Drake University team. Oberheide hopes to continue in Iowa.

set, ending their season. The team was a mix of both younger and • After completing a rough conference older players, “The older players season, the Girls’ Volleyball were always trying to help,” said team opened the playoffs, on sophomore setter Michelle Roberts.

October 29, at Glenbrook South with Such a young team has a lot to look a two-set victory over the Leyden forward too, and next year should Eagles 25-13, 25-16. They played be one to remember. in the regional championships on Halloween once again at Glenbrook South High School, but lost in • The Football team opened the playoffs with a 28-14 victory over two sets, 25-12, 25-22, where they Oak Park River Forest. Seniors Matt nearly came back to force a third

overall record was 7-6, with a Perez and Tyler Benz both ran for 3-2 conference record. Other two touchdowns. Perez and Benz great showings included third combined for 188 rushing yards. singles Allie Sakowicz finishing Benz added 177 passing yards. Four second and doubles team Abby receivers had over 25 yards. Perez Christiansen and Tamara Dukich led the way with 57 yards, and junior finishing second. Both Salgia, and Luke Mottley had two receptions for doubles player Abby Amelse were 36 yards. Kevin Maloney led the named All-Conference, and Salgia way with total receptions with five, won both MVP and the Sarah Pete and Alex Romano added 29 yards.

Sportsmanship Award.

If the seeds hold up, they will have a showdown with Stevenson for the chance at a State Title where they • The Girls’ Swim team continued their great season with a first-place may face the also undefeated Taft, finish at the Hawk Relays following but before that they will have to go the top-notch performance by through many tough teams. seniors Kathryn Larocca and Kristin • The Girls’ Tennis team closed a Kruk. A few weeks later, they were fantastic season with a fifth-place back in the Maine South pool for finish at sectionals. Before that the Hawk Quad, where they finished they finished second in conference, second. Again, Larocca, as well as upsetting three seeds. First singles, senior Sabrina Buszydlo, preformed Sabria Salgia finished third, and well to propel the Hawks to their second singles Ania Aniol finished great finish. Now, with the season winding down, many of the girls second. The doubles teams of Sami Niese and Lauren Krone, look to continue their season with and Emily Armato and Bea Gatti, hopeful victories at the conference, sectional and state meets. both finished second. The team’s

B

oth of the Maine South golf teams had success on individual and team levels. This year, the Hawks had junior Tony Albano, senior Larry Foss, and senior Rachel Oberheide all qualify for state.

At the sectional meet, they each shot 73, 74, and 81, respectively.

This was good enough for them to qualify for state. At state, the boys played a course named The Den, in Bloomington, Illinois, while the girls played at Hickory Ridge all the way down in Carbondale, Illinois.

Tony Albano shot a 78 and an 82, to finish 39th out of 105. This is promising for next year because he is only a junior, and now he has had his taste of the state tournament.

Albano hopes to have a repeat State qualification performance in the 2010 season in his senior year.

Already focusing on the future, Albano hopes to claim All-state honors next season: “I think we will be just as solid, if not better, next year. We are losing three seniors: Larry Foss, Charlie Collins, and Scott Williams; however, we have some very talented juniors, and the top sophomores appear ready to play at the varsity level. The weather held up all year, which was nice, and it was fun to be one of the scorers when we broke the 9-hole record at Willow Hill

SPORTS EDITOR

Sports

Jimmy Loomos

PHOTO COURTESY D. SCOTT

against Niles West.”

Larry Foss shot a 92 and an 88, to finish 98th out of 105. “The conditions were brutal. It was cold, windy, and it’s a very tough course,” Coach Scott said.

“He’s a great golfer that struggled to find a rhythm until his last nine. I can’t say how proud I am of Rachel, Tony, and Larry for all putting in the time and hard work that is necessary for performance at the state level.

It’s truly a great accomplishment.

It bodes well for Maine South to be represented with three golfers in the state tournament,” added Coach Scott.

“We trained hard all season, hitting golf balls at Des Plaines Golf Center, polishing up our short game at the famous putting area, and eventually noticing that all the hard work had paid off,” Foss said.

“The support that Tony and I received from the fans propelled us towards Bloomington. For the first time, we were both pumped up thanks to the support we received; it showed in our game,” Foss added.

Foss hopes to continue on with his golf career. He is currently getting looked at by Benedictine University, where he would get an opportunity to play golf.

Rachel Oberheide shot an 80, and a 77, to finish tied for 15th out of 105. This was her best finish

STAFF WRITER

SOUTHWORDS 17

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

Boys’ Cross Country Qualifies for State Kevin Hemphill SPORTS WRITER

he Hawks were insulted when they were unranked at the beginning of this year. Last year, they finished 19th in state and beat many teams that were ranked in the top 20 this year. But this affront only added fuel to the fire for the Hawks.

They worked extremely hard over the summer and have qualified for the state meet for the second year in a row. Not to mention, they are also now ranked 7th in repeat qualifiers for state.

Nobody would ever have believed that the boys’ cross country team would qualify for state two years in a row. After all, they hadn’t qualified for state ever before last year.

But the Hawks have built on last year’s success and solidified themselves at a premiere cross country team.

As any coach will tell you, success during the season relies on success during the off season. Mr. Nordahl set some goals during the summer that the runners have believed in.

With a finish of 19th in state last year, Nordahl believed it was possible to

PHOTO BY CHRIS ANDERSON

T

Senior captain Nick Keenan runs at the Maine West Sectional Meet. With Keenan’s help, the Hawks were able to finish fourth and qualify for State. finish in the top 10 this year. It appears done well at all their invites. The Hawks that his goal may be within reach finished first at the Maine Event, first considering the Hawks’ performance at the Lyons’ Township Invite, fifth at the Palatine Invite, and first at the Trail thus far.

The squad went undefeated through Blazer Classic.

Their fifth-place finish at the conference, and five runners received all-conference honors. They have also Palatine Invite was behind some of

Connor Doherty

the top teams in state, York, Loyola, Palatine, Lyons’, and all of them qualified for the 26-team state meet.

The Hawks are led by Senior captains Nick Keenan and Sean Senf.

Seniors Michael Moore and Dylan Wallace and Juniors David Eckhart, Luke Rossi, and Curt Cudnowski have also had a large impact this season.

From the beginning of the offseason camp in June, each Varsity runner has logged around 1,500 miles to date.

“That,” as Mr. Nordahl explained, “is the dedication of the guys on the team. They set goals and they are the ones who worked to achieve them.”

This hard work has paid off at the end of their season. The Hawks finished second in the Lake Park Regional, easily qualifying for the Sectional meet at Niles West. Here, the Hawks were challenged, but showed that they were worthy of a state qualification by finishing fourth.

This weekend, the Hawks will compete in the state meet in Palatine.

They have already met their goal of qualifying for state, but now they are looking for more. They are in position to finish in the top 10.

Nicole Sliwicki

Hank Pierce

Liz Brown

Favorite Maine South Teacher?

Mr. Deger

Mr. McGowan

Mr. Marino

Ms. Sagmeister

Favorite Candy?

Twerpz

Reese’s

Cheerios

Bunch-a-Crunch

Vacation spot?

Lakehouse in Michigan

Mexico

Decora, Iowa

Hawaii

Football Winning State

Football Winning State

Getting my face in the paper

Football Winning State

Most memorable Maine South moment?