Vol 47 issue 5

1111 S. Dee Road • Park Ridge, Illinois 60068

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February 18, 2011

Vol. 47, No. 5

image by katie hernandez

“Sideways Stories from Wayside School”

Blizzard 2011 hits South Snow brings days off and cleanup troubles Page 2

The Maine South Fine Arts Department puts on the timeless collection

by Louis Sacher for this winter’s production.

The Groupon phenomenon Unbeatable deals no student can resist Page 5

Should a classic Hawkettes win be censored?

Nationals The controversy over editing Huck Finn Page 15

First in the country for the first time ever Page 20

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 VOL. 47, NO. 5

Maine South hit by the worst storm in twelve years

NEWS

STAFF WRITER

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tarting on Feb. 1, the biggest snowstorm in the last twelve years, hit the Chicago area. However dangerous and massive this storm was, Chicagoans did receive a fair warning. Forecasters predicted the storm nearly one week in advance, which gave everyone time to prepare for the worst.

At Maine South, school officials decided it would be best to cancel all after-school activities on Tuesday to ensure that everyone got home before the storm. However, all the students leaving at once combined with the snow beginning to fall caused hectic problems for students trying to leave school and get home. Senior Jen Curry recalled that it took over 20 minutes just to get out of the JockLot, over double the time it normally takes. There were similar problems in the A-Wing lot as well.

By the time the storm was over, Mr. Beese, Director of Buildings and Grounds, and Mr. Gilley, Head Groundskeeper, said that there were drifts up to the roof in some spots.

According to Mr. Gilley, it took eight hours just to plow out the circle drive.

Five other people were helping to clear out the snow, and Mr. Gilley said their main goal during and after

the storm was to ensure the safety of the students and faculty using the facilities. They worked for 22 hours straight and 36 hours total cleaning up from the storm. In the end, plowing included, the storm required 183 hours of work and 270 gallons of fuel.

In the thirty years Mr. Gilley has been working at Maine South, this storm is the worst he has seen—largely due to the strong winds and huge drifts.

During the storm Tuesday night, Maine South was required to stay open as the police department informed officials that the gym would be used as a warming center if need be.

Fortunately, no one came.

“The real heroes during the storm were the men who had to shovel the A-Wing steps by hand,” Mr. Gilley said. Mr. Beese is trying to get overtime money for the crew who stayed overnight looking out for the school, and he filed a form to receive aid from FEMA. Mr. Beese noted that there was some damage done to the school.

There are several leaks throughout the building because of the flat roofs.

The blowing snow also got into the ducts over the boys’ locker room and cracked part of the roof. Mr. Beese said now the problem is to expose the sewers so when the snow melts it doesn’t flood.

With just too much snow to Many schools and businesses closed early on Tuesday, Feb. 1, as handle, many school officials closed the storm gained steam and painted school for a second day, including Maine South and Chicago Public a bull’s eye on our area.

The snow began to wind down Schools. With snow piles in feet, Wednesday morning as the blizzard many main roads were cut down to moved east, but not before dumping just one lane, including Talcott and 20.2 inches at O’Hare, making it the Touhy Avenues in Park Ridge. third biggest snowstorm on record next to the Blizzard of 1999 and the historic Blizzard of 1967. Totals approached up to two feet in some areas with this storm, and drifts of six to eight feet were common.

Although the snow was over, danger still loomed. Many primary streets and the majority of secondar y streets remained impassable. Six Metra lines canceled service on Wednesday for the first time in history. There were also seven blizzard-related deaths in the area.

This storm did not only impact Chicago, but nearly a third of the United States felt the brunt of this powerful Snow drifts block doors that lead out to the circle drive of Maine South. storm system.

PHOTO COURTESY MR. GILLEY

Jon Tatlock

Massacre in Tucson sparks controversy regarding gun control Tom Spytek STAFF WRITER

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n Jan. 8, a peaceful meeting between Democrat Representative Gabrielle Giffords and her constituents in Tucson, Arizona became a massacre as Jared Lee Loughner opened fire during the gathering.

Loughner did not pause as he put a bullet through Representative Giffords’ head and then moved on to fire into the crowd. When he was finally tackled by two civilians, six people lay dead, and the Congresswoman and 12 others were wounded.

Many were taken aback by the brutality of this massacre. In light of such extreme violence, Americans of all ages now wonder where America goes from here.

One of the most prominent issues at hand is the fate of the shooter.

Prosecutors are looking to convict 22-year-old college dropout Jared Loughner for attempted assassination of Representative Giffords and the

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murder of Judge John M. Roll. For the murder of a federal employee, Loughner faces the death penalty.

Loughner’s lawyer may try to ease the sentence by persuading the jury that Loughner is insane and thus not responsible for his actions.

Outside the courtroom, public debate rages about Loughner’s ability to acquire a Glock 19 handgun. Many people have cried out against the laxity of American firearm legislation.

Despite this outcry, weapons enthusiasts do not feel threatened. A lead official presiding over the Shot Show (the largest gun trade show in America) said that gun control was a “failed social experiment” and that it is “time to move on.”

Congress also seems to have determined to keep firearm legislation as it is. The flurry of gun control bills drafted after Tucson will not go into effect. Both the right and left of the House and the Senate do not anticipate passing any new legislation regarding firearm regulation.

Kevin Smith, a spokesman for the House speaker, John A. Boehner (R), said that “[Congress’] immediate focus is on addressing the top priorities of the American people, creating jobs, cutting spending, and reforming the way Congress works.”

Outside Capitol Hill, attempts at increasing Congressional security are meeting social resistance. A bill that was designed to create a 1,000foot no-gun zone around members of Congress is being denounced as unconstitutional by gun enthusiasts.

Even the concept of extra security for C ongress is making some question America’s priorities. Gibson Odderstol, a sophomore at Maine South, says that this extra security is illogical: “When you take the oath of becoming a Representative, you take the risk of having someone disagreeing with you. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they will shoot you, but that you are in some danger of being targeted by people who do not agree with you.”

Sophomore Mike Martino, took a middle stance, saying, “I think that it’s an important precaution, but it’s important how far they take it. [Congressional representatives] already have some sort of security detail. They should act on the flaws of that system.”

President Obama acknowledged these concerns in his Jan. 12 memorial speech at Tucson: “…at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized—at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do—it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.”

The message that these events send has some Americans worried.

Though unconnected to any political party, many people see Loughner’s radical actions as a reflection of the extreme partisanship that plagues Congress and America.

VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

IHSA final ruling on infractions at championship football game Caroline Murphy

STAFF WRITER

he Illinois High School Association (IHSA) issued sanctions on the Maine South football program January 14 following the conclusion of their investigation into the accusations of improper conduct

by Maine South at the playoff against Loyola November 20, as well as at the state championship game against Mt. Carmel November 27 and the subsequent awards ceremony.

Shortly after Maine South won its third consecutive 8A state football championship, accusations and complaints regarding Maine South began to surface, including the “safety concern” of fans storming the field at the semifinal, the use of counterfeit sidelines passes at the final, incidents with local police and security over the removal of individuals holding

IHSA playoff games until at least the quarterfinals and perhaps beyond that if it does not comply with IHSA policies, regardless of its seeding.

Part of Maine South’s 2010 playoff reimbursement, which was withheld during recent investigations, will be kept by the IHSA. Also included was the submission of a plan to establish institutional control of the football program, and a plan to improve sportsmanship by fans, coaches, and players.

“We wanted to make it clear that it couldn’t just be an apology and then back to business as usual,” said Hickman. “Based on the talks and meetings we have had with Maine South officials since the state finals, I am confident that their administration and coaching staff have already taken steps in the right direction and are going to work diligently to prevent something like this from happening

again.”

“They [school officials] were genuinely sorry and recognized that these negatives have overshadowed the great positive they achieved in winning a state title. They also provided a well thought-out plan to prevent these types of abuses from occurring in the future.”

This is the second time the football program has been put on probation in the last two years. In April 2009, it was sanctioned for a quarterback clinic at Maine South by an assistant coach.

Maine South and District 207 have issued a statement expressing their acceptance of the ruling and penalties.

They “regret the embarrassing incidents and rules violations” outlined by the IHSA, which were confirmed by its presentation of facts, as well as Maine South’s internal investigation and the issues’ discussion in multiple meetings.

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such passes, and “inappropriate” comments being made at both games and by coaches at the awards stand after the final game when an extra coach was not allowed on the podium to be recognized.

“There were a litany of indiscretions that took place at the state finals this year and that situation was compounded by issues that occurred at other playoff games,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman.

“This established a pattern of behavior in our minds and thus it became important to look at the program as a whole.”

The IHSA placed the football program on probation until December 1, 2011, and suspended head coach David Inserra and assistant coach Rick Magsamen for one week of the 2011 season, including the season opener at Warren on August 26.

Maine South will not be able to host

Maine South completes its fourth annual FreeRice drive STAFF WRITER

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he Maine South English Department held their fourth annual FreeRice drive during December and January. In the span of one month alone, Maine South donated a total of 10,053,590 grains of rice, which exceeded the English Department’s initial goal of 5,000,000 grains of rice. The total amount of donated rice continues to rise despite the drive having ended. Students have answered over one million questions correctly and have provided over 1,047 meals for hungry people because of these contributions.

FreeRice.com is a non-profit website established by the United Nations World Food Program to help fight world hunger. The United Nations World Food Program is the largest humanitarian agency in the world. On this website, people are able to answer questions regarding various subjects and correct answers turn into donations to help feed people in less fortunate countries such as Haiti, Uganda, Myanmar, Cambodia, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

For every question a student gets correct, ten grains of rice are donated to the World Food Program. The rice that is provided is paid for by revenue received for advertisements on the site. According to the World Food Program website, there are approximately 925 million people in the world, mainly in developing

countries, who do not have enough to eat on a daily basis. In the countries where the World Food Program provides aid and includes rice as a staple, the program provides about 400 grains of rice for every person they are helping each day, which is about two meals.

In addition to providing a positive contribution to the world, the English Department supports this activity because this site also allows the students of Maine South to apply their vocabulary and grammar skills.

Students are encouraged to answer questions related to English, but there are other subjects that this site offers including math, science, geography, art history, and foreign languages.

“This is the fourth year that the English Department has participated in this campaign, so it is becoming a tradition,” said Mr. Parrilli, the English Department chair. “Our reasons for doing it are one, it is a fun and challenging way to practice one’s vocabulary and grammar skills, and two, student learning leads to a charitable donation to some of the neediest people in the world. It is a win-win situation. I do not know anyone who does not feel good after playing/donating.”

English teachers and other staff members at Maine South have been working to promote this activity.

“Some teachers are keeping tracking of class donation totals and

seeing which class that they teach donates the most rice. This has led to some friendly competition and even higher donation totals,” said Mr. Parrilli.

Mrs. Sweiger, the supervisor of the writing lab, is also holding a friendly competition for her study hall drop-ins. The “Super Scholastic Sweiger Score Contest” has a weekly girl and boy winner. Winners are given inexpensive prizes such as food items and mini gifts such as pencils.

Mrs. Sweiger said that, “it was an extra incentive for students to get as high of a score as possible.”

The highest scores that Mrs. Sweiger has seen this year came from Sophie Miller and Brian Christy with over 10,000 and 23,000 grains of rice in one day, respectively.

Challenges such as the “Sweiger Score Contest” and other class competitions have motivated students to go on the FreeRice website as often as possible to donate rice and help practice utilizing their academic skills.

Out of over 6,000 groups, Maine South currently ranks fifth overall in the number of grains of rice donated.

Although the campaign is officially over, students are still welcome to go on the FreeRice site to play the game and continue donating rice on behalf of Maine South English.

IMAGE COURTESY MR. PARRILLI

Jason Tan

SOUTHWORDS

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FEBRUARY 18, 2011 VOL. 47, NO. 5

New casino right around the corner from Maine South Sarah Tarabey

STAFF WRITER

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fter 10 years of effort and uncertainty, the city of Des Plaines, in partnership with Midwest Gaming, was finally given the license to build a casino in 2008, what was supposed to be the 10th and last in Illinois.

Construction began on the project in April 2010 and is set to be completed by summer of 2011.

By providing much-needed revenue, it is expected to benefit both Des Plaines and the state of Illinois.

However, some are also wary of the potentially negative effects associated with casinos, especially with recent lobbying for further expansion of gambling in the state.

At Maine South, news of the new casino in Des Plaines, and gambling expansion in general, has prompted varying reactions. “I think that the state actually needs the money that a new casino could bring,” said junior Karissa Henning. “Not only would it help people, but it would be fun for people, too. A casino would be a nice thing to have around in this recession.”

Others are not so optimistic. “The influx visitors to our neighborhood may benefit the economy, but at the same time, the inconveniences that it could bring, such as traffic, may also prove disadvantageous to those who call this area home,” commented Allie Sakowicz, a junior.

Still, some remain positive about the possible outcome. “This is going to be the most successful and exciting casino in the state of Illinois,” said

Neil Bluhm, chairman of Midwest Gaming. Located on a stretch of land between Des Plaines River Road and Devon Avenue, the approximately 20-acre site is minutes from O’Hare International Airport. “It’s not just a casino, it’s an entertainment complex,” added Joe Scibetta, director of service and operations for Rush Street Gaming, owner of Midwest.

The estimated 43,000 square foot casino will feature 1,150 slot machines and over 30 table games. It will also include a pizza parlor, a burger and deli bar, a buffet area, a 24-hour coffee and pastry shop, a steakhouse and sports bar, a steak and seafood restaurant, and retail shops, among other facilities. A stage is even set to be built in the sports bar lounge for live musical performances. Outside, a five-story garage provides 1,500 parking spots, with additional space on the roof, if necessary. As Illinois law bans casinos on land, Development Management Associates, the firm managing the project, was forced to take a different approach to its construction: the so-called “boat-in-moat.” Essentially, this is a water basin constructed below the gaming floor space. According to Jaimie Bulla, development manager for DMA, it is a completely independent, self-contained system. The 6 to 12 inches of water, which will not be visible from the outside or inside of the building, serve only to comply with riverboat casino regulations.

With $445 million invested, high hopes are riding on the success of the casino. “We are all looking forward to the new image of Des Plaines, the

tourism opportunities, the entertainment center and the many jobs that will be generated,” said Marty Moylan, Des Plaines mayor. “Hopefully residents in our community and the surrounding communities will be there when the opportunity occurs.”

It is estimated that the casino will offer 800 to 1,000 of such job opportunities.

Many are also counting on the expected revenue. By the time the casino opens, Midwest Gaming will have paid a $125 million license fee to Illinois. Another part of the deal has $10 million dollars being paid to the state each year for the next 30 years.

On a more local level, parts of the estimated $150 million in gaming tax revenue will be distributed among 10 low-income communities, including Dixmoor, Chicago Heights, Harvey, and Ford Heights.

However the casino fares in the future, current lobbying for the further expansion of gambling is already creating controversy. The proposed bill would include five more casinos in or around Chicago and add slot machines to Chicago airports and racetracks (or “racinos”).

Although this could bring in $1 billion in additional income to the state, some argue that creating a surplus of casinos might not be the most beneficial action to take, especially since the gaming business is down statewide. The bill did pass through Illinois Senate, but, in a surprising turn of events, was not called for a vote at a recent Illinois House session. Pro-expansion lobbyists promise to keep trying, nevertheless.

Water main breaks at Maine South for unknown reasons Katie Kinell STAFF WRITER

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n the early hours of December 24, Mr. Beese, Director of Building and Grounds, got the call that the water main by the A-wing parking lot broke.

The break was noticed when water began seeping up through the ground and flowing onto Dee Road. Since it was very cold, the water covering Dee road was becoming a driving hazard because it started to freeze.

Mr. Beese shut down off the water flowing through that pipe, which allowed for the streets to be salted before the Christmas Eve traffic.

A few weeks later, on January 5, a second main broke. This one was located in between the Spec Gym and the Cogeneration Building to the south of the football field. It

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didn’t cause any damage to the school building or parking lot. Once the break was spotted, the water for that pipe was shut off in order to repair the damage.

After the water was stopped, it took a day or two for the water to drain before work could be started to repair the broken pipe.

First, the ground around the pipe was dug up so the workers had access to the damage. Next, a stainless steel band was clamped over the pipe to prevent more water from leaking.

After that, two semi-truck loads of stone were used to fill the hole.

Each broken pipe costs about $2,400 to repair, because of the cost of the clamp, stone, and the other equipment needed.

The cause of the pipes breaking is unknown. However, they speculate it

is either because the pipes are about 40 years old, or there was a shift in the ground that caused the crack.

The pipes freezing could not have been the cause of the break because they are located far enough below the ground that freezing is impossible.

The breaking of a water main poses no threat to the school’s water supply because it has many water feeds from many different directions.

If one gets shut off, there are many others that will still be running. This way, school will never be interrupted because of a water main break.

There is no way to prevent this from happening in the future, since it is unknown when and where a pipe will break. Being prepared and ready for one to happen in the future is the only way to deal with this minor problem.

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 or e-mailed to southwords@maine207.org.

SOUTHWORDS reserves the right to edit material for clarity and brevity and to reject obscene/libelous submissions.

Editors-in-Chief Jackie Hazlett-Morris Katie Hernandez News Editors Ashley Kozubal Sam Okrasinski Features Editors Jimmy Loomos Ally Stevens Entertainment Editors Max Mallory Kaci Zimmerman Commentary Editors Austin Bryniarski Anthony Eugenis Lydia Ramsey Sports Editors Erin Martell Charlie Vinopal Production Head Adrian Adamiec Production Editor Adam Smith Photography Editor Josie Fioretto Editorial Assistants Josh Timm Hope Tone Adviser Mr. Stathakis

VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Groupon: the smartest way to shop Austin Bryniarski COMMENTARY EDITOR

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orite of a friend of mine Tapas Barcelona was a fav was restaurant came out, so it before a Groupon for the we ing eth som for a discount awesome that we could get in Spa of te tas le litt is at. Th knew was going to be gre ts den stu serves Northwestern in the heart of Evanston ally tur cul yet , a contemporary and city-dwellers alike in t anted it is a tapas restauran Gr e. her osp atm traditional, al), me are often a part of the (where alcoholic beverages t the reason to go—perfec and us but the food is delicio h nis Spa d goo a nt who just wa for high-school students meal. the “Dátiles con Tocino”— The absolute best dish is le While some might be a litt the bacon wrapped dates. ory sav and et swe of n binatio turned off by this com is), not so sure what a date y’re the t tha t fac the by (or cal pti ske st mo blow even the rest assured, these would e; dat soft et, swe the bacon; away. The crunchy, smoky . ked hoo per sauce: you’ll be the tangy, roasted red pep is nd erla mb Evanston from Cu Honestly, to take the L to meat se babies. However, the the of one t worth it for jus and cheese plate, the $15 for steak fillet, and the $30 Worth of Spanish super-fancy enticing all Plates and Drinks desserts don’t make Sm Barcelona in this any less entic- at Tapas n Evansto ing.

50% savings

food, or whatever else, Groupon is perfect for them as well. If you don’t have a credit card yourself, simply show your parents some of the great deals Groupon offers. In no time, you’ll be buying tickets to that concert you’ve been waiting for through a great deal on Groupon.

Groupon will never suggest a bad business to begin with, always matching your inquiry with the best option available. And if something does go wrong with a Groupon deal, Groupon promises that they’ll refund your money. Every once in a while, Groupon has a Park Ridgecentric deal, ranging from uptown boutiques to minor medical procedures. With success comes imitation, and that is certainly the case with

Groupon. Gleeday, another coupon website that works in the same way Groupon does (with minor differences), caters to only nine suburbs of Chicago, one of them being the “Park Ridge/Edison Park” option. For the ultimate bargain, consider signing up at gleeday.com as well to benefit more from suburban favorites.

The numbers speak for themselves. I spent $35 on $170 worth of food and the exercise to burn it off—a savings of 79% on items that I probably wouldn’t have purchased without Groupon. It’s the giant pepper grinder that adds spice to my life.

Except the spice is just a little less expensive. Below are a couple recent offers that Maine South students may enjoy.

Features

uying in bulk is something that we love to do here in America.

Costco, for example, fills a building larger than a canyon with goods that we can get a lot of on the cheap.

Sometimes, though, having 2,000 rolls of toilet paper can be a bit of an inconvenience. What if “bulk” spending was made into a group effort? What if everyone pitched in to buying this obscene amount of toilet paper, got a fair share of it, and still recieved the discount that originally accompanied it? That’s exactly what Groupon does online at Groupon. com. Goods and services are purchased at ridiculous savings—sometimes up to 90% off of an original

item—by many people in a certain city, so that the company providing the discount gets new customers, and the customer gets a fantastic deal. All one needs is a working email address to get updates for the Chicago (or other) area and a credit card to pay for the Groupon.

Groupon is exactly what teens who want to get out more or try new things need, since it alleviates the dilemma that comes with being perpetually strapped for cash. In fact, Groupon’s daily deals are so varied that you’re bound to find something interesting. The drawback, though, is that you need a credit card to receive and print the Groupon. If a parent would desire to save money by, say, purchasing twenty dollars worth of

What’s nice about living in Park Ridge is that we are so close to the city for a “suburb.” That being said, a lot of busine sses that are featured on Groupon allow us to enjoy restaurants and oth er services that are located within our city lim its. Perry’s Pizza on Devon , Crème of the Crepe on Northwest Highway, and a varicose vein clin ic on Greenwood (not that you should care…yet ) were all recently featured and all were conveniently close by. Not dev iating from this trend is Cardinal Fitness, with a location between North west and Busse Highway.

The businesses that Groupon features, once again, are diverse, so you won’t always see just restaurants.

With plenty of Chicagol and locations, Cardinal Fitness provides a chance to makeup for wh at I (don’t) do in Total Bo dy Conditioning during 7th period. It also pro bably helped that this Gr oupon was released only days after the New Year.

$20 for a $140 Two-Month Memb ership Plus One Personal-Training Ses sion at Cardinal Fitness 86% Savings

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FEBRUARY 18, 2011 VOL. 47, NO. 5

Second semester seniors succumb to senioritis Alex Heyde

STAFF WRITER

FEATURES

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t’s senior year, and all through high school, every senior has slaved, writing essays, grinding through homework, and studying for exams.

Most likely, college admission is now out of the student’s hands. After three years of the extreme stresses of high school, it is tempting to simply abandon everything, call it quits, and relax.

“After first semester, I’m pretty sure all the seniors have it pretty bad,” says senior Annie Grizzel. “We’ve all stopped caring about homework and tests and, instead, are just looking forward to college and a fresh start.”

Although graduation may be in sight, high school is hardly over yet.

“I just don’t want to do anything, ever, except sleep,” says senior Bridget Burke.

And while many Maine South seniors certainly deserve a muchneeded respite from their seemingly endless responsibilities, developing a case of “senioritis” or the “senior slump” can ultimately cause more harm than good.

A misconception that seems to plague some Maine South students is that college preparation ends after their applications have been finalized and sent. However, colleges often are particularly concerned with how seniors spend their last few months of high school. Even once accepted, students must be wary of senioritis, as many colleges admit students only on the assumption that their academic performance will not falter.

A senior slump will not only be obvious to colleges that often request academic transcripts upon graduation, but may also result in a retraction of college admittance.

But the bad news comes with good news: the final semester of senior year is an opportunity to foster vital

skills and experiences to prepare for t he challenges looming ahead.

In a way, senior year is a sort of academic conditioning. Just as athletes aim to be in top condition for an athletic season, so too should students take advantage of their last semester in order to develop the habits necessar y to succeed in college or the workplace.

There are countless opportunities to stay involved throughout senior year. Continued involvement in one of the numerous activities or sports offered at Maine South allows seniors to stay busy and focused while exploring interests that may become more difficult to explore after high school.

For seniors suffering from particularly chronic senioritis, volunteering o r i nt e r n i n g m ay provide the necessary motivation to begin to apply one’s skills or consider career choices.

The time for course selection is approaching at Maine South, and for juniors, this time comes with an important decision. Though the long-standing myth of the senior year “blow-off ” schedule may at first glance seem appealing, most counselors encourage students to select more challenging courses.

Their recommendations are well-

GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN ADAMIEC

founded; colleges almost invariably look to the rigor of students’ senior year schedules to determine the academic capacity and motivation of their applicants.

The cure for this rare strain of senioritis that targets juniors or even underclassmen is no different from that for seniors. Involvement, whether academic or extracurricular, provides the metaphorical antibodies necessary to combat this unfortunate affliction.

But for those non-seniors already overcome by the stresses of high school know that senior year, if approached effectively, may not get any easier.

“Senioritis makes one school day feel like and entire year,” says senior Mackenzie Parker.

If this is truly the case, then perhaps a small, occasional dose of much-deserved relaxation is just what the doctor ordered after all. Just be careful not to overdose.

How many days until...

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President’s Day

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Next Collab Day

Spring Break/End of 3rd Quarter

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23 27 30 42 72 111 Daylight Savings Ends

April Fool’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day

AP Testing begins

First Day of Spring

Last Day of School

VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Features Maine South students Kate Griffin, Lydia Ramsey, Jenna Hesseln, Tamara Bodnar, Karol Kmiecik, Claire Floriano, Owen Patt and Jenny Dudlak participated in the Illinois Music Educators Association music festival in choir, band, and orchestra.

Maine South Fine Arts students perform at the state level Lydia Ramsey COMMENTARY EDITOR

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he halls are always filled with chatter of sports teams or academic clubs going to state, but those activities aren’t the only ones with state competitions. The Fine Arts Department participates in their own state competitions as well , and orchestra, band, and choir students performed at the Illinois Music Educators Association All-State festival. Seniors Tamara Bodnar, Jenny Dudlak, Kate Griffin, Jenna Hesseln, Karol Kmiecik, Owen Patt, and Lydia Ramsey as well as Junior Claire Floriano participated in the festival that took place in Peoria on Jan. 26-29.

Theatre students had the opportunity to go beyond Watson Auditorium and on to the Illinois Theatre Festival. The Illinois High School Theatre Festival produces a musical every year featuring a cast, crew, and pit comprised of students from all over Illinois. This year’s All-State production was “Into The Woods,” and featured two Maine South students, Noel Konken and Danielle Soldat as well as Maine South drama teacher, Mrs. McClenegan.

Getting into this production was no small feat.

Over 300 high school students from across the state auditioned, and only 25 students were selected to be in the cast. Senior Noel Konken played the role of Florinda, one of Cinderella’s stepsisters.

She was also a member of last year’s “Urinetown” All-State cast.

Junior Danielle Soldat was a member of the costume crew, which is in charge of creating all the costumes for the musical. “The cool thing for us is that we are working with Broadway Costumes to help design and build this show,” Soldat said. “Broadway Costumes is a huge costume organization that rents out costumes all over the country. Now although Broadway already has probably about five complete shows of ‘Into the Woods’ already made with different sizes and styles, they have decided they want to completely re-build the entire show.”

Members of the production devoted themselves to 20 rehearsals spread over a half-year period.

Instead of rehearsing after school every day, Soldat, Konken, and Mrs. McClenegan spent their weekends in 12-hour-long rehearsals. Konken commented, “We really need to give up our time and put All-State first. No one is allowed to miss any rehearsals because you simply don’t have time to make up what you missed.”

The All-State production occurred on the weekend of Jan. 7. Thousands of high school drama students attend, including many from Maine South. The students spent the weekend down at the University of Illinois participating in workshops and watching performances from other high schools in addition to watching the production of “Into the Woods.”

After months of preparation, the show was an overall success. Both Noel and Danielle agreed that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Illinois’ theatre program seems to know what it’s doing, and it is a perfect example of just how talented high school students are. Konken remarked, “… on stage we all looked so old and mature, but when we came into the lobby, people saw we were really just everyday high schoolers.”

At the IMEA festival, the music educators took part in workshops while the students were hard at work preparing pieces with guest conductors.

“The rehearsals definitely consumed the day, but in a good way,” said Kate Griffin who was in the Honors Choir ensemble. “It’s like if we didn’t have all that time together with our fellow choir members, we wouldn’t have gotten as big of a chance to get to know them. [Guest conductor] Mr. Holmes was absolutely amazing and used the most outrageously fantastic analogies to get us to sing the way he was aiming for. And overall the vibe you get from being in a choir with all these kids that are just like you and have the same passion, it was pretty darn incredible.”

The chances to participate in statewide competitions allowed these Maine South students to learn and better their talents in creative new ways. All the students were among some of the best in their activity, and had a great time experiencing it with new people from other high schools across the state.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2011 VOL. 47, NO. 5

Glenview boutique has Maine South background Allie Niese

everything, such as closing deals and making negotiations with people in business suits,” were a major factor in the opening of his store.

Loncar had always hoped to one day create his own business, and with his mother’s help and fashion sense, he has been able to successfully open this women’s fashion store. Opening a store right out of high school might seem daunting to some people, but that was not the case for Loncar.

He remembers, “I would actually finish up parts of contracts during study hall, and I even wrote my business plan in the LRC.” Even with all the contracts and deals that needed to be completed just as Loncar was preparing to graduate, he never thought the job was too difficult—just a lot of work that needed to get done. Then again, Loncar had taken advantage of classes and opportunities at Maine South, which prepared him for a business career right away.

While at Maine South, Loncar took Business Law, Marketing, and PHOTO COURTESY BLINCBOUTIQUE.COM Blinc, located at the Glen, has been doing well so far. Maine South students Entrepreneurship, which he says helped him when it came down to can get a 20% discount on all of the hottest clothes sold at Blinc.

STAFF WRITER

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FEATURES

hat happens after graduation— after finals are taken and diplomas received? For some, that next step is college; for others, a career right out of high school is seen just as rewarding and successful. Then there are the rare few who do both, start a successful career and attend college.

Take Niksa Loncar for example, a 2010 Maine South graduate who, with the help of his mother, recently opened his own boutique called

“Blinc,” located at 2030 Tower Road in the Glen Town Center in Glenview.

Blinc specializes in stylish clothing that is also wearable—especially for students like the girls at Maine South.

He is currently attending Oakton with the intention to transfer to Columbia to pursue digital photography.

Niksa’s inspiration for opening Blinc came in part from an interest in fashion, but even more from his desire to own his own business. In his words, “the business aspect of

reading his fifty-page contract.

What Loncar loves most about owning his own store is that he is his own boss. At the beginning and end of each workday, he has nobody telling him what to do; he can open and close the doors to his own store without having to check in with anyone.

As his own boss, he also gets to select inventory. Loncar says, “For the winter season, a lot of girls wear leggings, boots and tunics with a short jacket. These are the things that Blinc has a lot of.”

Blinc’s style offers its customers the chic clothing they see in magazines and on celebrities, without the high prices. In fact, not many pieces in the store cost over $100.

Also, in order to help his former classmates, Blinc offers all Maine South students a 20% discount on any purchase.

Loncar’s piece of advice for students after graduating high school is to do whatever they want no matter what career an individual wishes to pursue, whether it’s a career right out of school, attending college, or doing both.

Maine South students set their life goals Kathy Wabiszczewicz & Asha Kirchhoff

E

STAFF WRITERS

very student is sent to school by their parents with one goal in mind—to get a diploma. Afterwards, most students are expected to go to college before embarking on a successful career. Of course, that’s what parents want; what about the dreams students have?

Every student at Maine South is an individual with unique aspirations for his or her future. These dreams can be labeled as goals or targets, or, more popularly, “bucket lists.”

Students’ bucket lists have items such as traveling to a far away country, like senior Marie Schaedel, who dreams of visiting Egypt. And many students, like senior Kelly McCurry, have a dream of flying places in a less traditional style.

“I want to explore the skies through an unpredictable method of transportation,” said McCurry.

Senior Mike Unti envisions himself flying through the skies in a hot air balloon, which he calls “simple and timeless.”

Then there are those students who have more culturally-oriented

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dreams, many of whom desire to learn a new language.

An Le is a junior who already speaks English and Vietnamese, but says that if he had to choose another language to learn, his choice would be French. Joyce Hanck, a senior, along with Le, also wants to speak French fluently.

On the top of his bucket list Matt Boyce, a senior, lists “running with the bulls,” while fellow senior classmate Jordan Reich’s goals stay domestic in his hopes of “watching the Cubs win the World Series.”

Dosia Kociuba, a senior, wants to try something many would consider nearly as risky as running with the bulls.

“I want to shave my head,” says Kociuba. “I just want to know what it feels like to be bald.”

There are also those students who want to give back to the community and those in need with their bucket list.

“I want to hug a child with progeria [a disease that produces rapid aging],” says Hanck. “These children really inspire me, and I want to show at least one of them how much I appreciate them.”

Similarly, Schaedel hopes to help those in need by giving a homeless person a one hundred dollar bill.

Senior Adriana Garst wants to help a child that is in need of a home by adopting one.

Of course, when one imagines a bucket list, usually more unusual dreams come to mind. That’s the case with senior Ashley Sanks, who truly does have a rare dream.

“I want to live as a nomad for a year anywhere in the world,” says

Sanks. “This would be so incredibly amazing for a few different reasons.

My personal favorite is the mass exposure to so many different cultures and traditions around the world that you would never experience on a vacation or a study abroad program.”

Sure, student bucket lists vary greatly, but one thing is for sure: all Maine South students will be doing amazing things once they graduate from high school.

63 Maine South students were surveyed about their bucket list. Visiting all seven continents was the most popular desire.

VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Grade school classic comes to South Danielle Soldat

STAFF WRITER

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amusing storylines throughout the show, including evil teachers turning students into apples, missing classrooms, mythical teachers, screaming pigtails, crazy instruments, smelly new students, and counting alphabetically. “The show as a whole is just a lot of fun for all ages,” says the director of the show, Mrs. McCleneghan.

If there is one thing that sticks out the most from this vibrant show, it is how colorful and creative everything is. The set and costumes are just as unique as each of the characters in the show.

The costumes are all being made as exaggerated children’s clothes, with bright colors and strange patterns. The stage even has a giant purple and yellow spiral as the floor.

The show is a really fun and new experience for everyone involved. At Maine South, the theater program often likes to try many different styles of theater and this show is extremely different.

“After the last show, ‘Metamorphoses,’ ‘Sideways’ is a nice as well as challenging change,” says sophomore, Kevin O’Keefe. The show will definitely be a lot of fun for anyone watching the show.

The show opens with the third graders’ “Go Sideways @ South” performance and then performs for the public on Feb. 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and then on Feb. 19 at both 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are only $6 and you can buy them at the box office.

If you have younger siblings, this is the perfect opportunity to bond with them and take them to see this wonderful show. If you and your friends want a very fun and laughter-filled experience, come see “Sideways Stories of Wayside School” It’s sure to be a great night.

and Benga pioneering the genre.

Over the next six years, many new producers started to make their own Dubstep music, adding new elements and different sounds to their tracks.

By about 2005, Skream’s hit single “Midnight Request Line” had taken the UK dubstep scene by storm, and the genre hit the mainstream.

Now, in just the last few years, the genre has infected pop music and topped the charts internationally.

Mainstream artist Britney Spears applied dubstep to her new single, “Hold it Against Me,” where she has a section of dubstep-style beats. Rusko assisted in the production of her newest album, and is also working with rapper T.I. and singer Rihanna. Bass producers Chase & Status helped Snoop Dogg, Ke$ha and Rihanna with collaborations.

Songs like Nero’s remix of “Hypnotize U” by N.E.R.D. and Cragga’s “Mr. Postman” are prime examples of great dubstep; another popular artist, Bassnectar, recently released a fantastic take on British singer Ellie Goulding’s single “Lights.”

Dubstep hasn’t just been influencing the pop music world; many popular electronic/house art-

ists have been influenced by it as well. Popular house and trance artist Deadmau5, has incorporated dubstep into his latest album, “4x4=12.”

The genre is trending, but will it last much longer? It’s known that music moves in trends, and dubstep might fade away eventually, but with all these artists using it in their music, it probably won’t be going anywhere.

One of the most recognizable parts of a dubstep song is called a “bass drop.” This is when low frequencies in the music are turned down, so the treble is highlighted, after which the bass is “dropped” back in, creating a sudden boost of vibrations.

This genre is not just infecting the music world; shows like “Skins” on MTV (see page 14) have had dubstep tracks featured in the show. Video games such as “DJ Hero” have had dubstep tracks within them, and more have come as downloadable content within the game. There have been more dubstep documentaries filmed than you can count on two hands. Dubstep will put your subwoofer to good use, so check out this new music and get ready for some filthy beats.

Entertainment

or years now, the Maine South Theater Department has a tradition in which every four years for the winter play they perform children’s theater. Not only is a show performed just for the kids, but also for all the elementary schools that feed into Maine South.

For the third grade class of every elementary school, they read whatever play the theater department is doing, and then a special production is performed for them.

One of the hottest series for elemenlementary school kids is “Sideways Stories of Wayside School.” Kids acrosss the country are enthralled with these ese quirky stories based in a school ol built sideways.

This year is extra special. Nott only are the third graders going ng to be invited to see a special pererformance, but they will get the full experience of Maine South’s Finee Arts Department with a new program called “Go Sideways @ South” which is sponsored by the ELF foundation.

Each school of third graders ders will be able to experience theater ater at Maine South in a bunch of workorkshops presented by the Fine Artss Department.

To start the day, half of the third graders will go through all of thee workshops around Maine South, while hile the remaining students attend a perfor-

mance of “Sideways Stories of Wayside School.”

Following the performance, the two groups will switch activities.

Even though these third graders have been reading the book and doing activities in class about “Sideways,” it is not just for little kids to see.

For both teens and adults it’s a very fun and exciting experience.

The play is based on the original book by Louis Sachar about an elementary school built 30 stories high where strange things happen.

If you’ve been wondering about the interesting posters that have been around the school promoting “Wayside School” it is because the theater department has decided to try something new this year: to give the third graders the best experience possible, they have been given another fun way to be a part of the show with a poster design contest.

About 500 posters were given to all the elementary schools and hundreds of students submitted their own design for the poster. More than 20 posters were picked to be displayed around Maine South, while the winning poster will be used as the main poster for the play. This contest is a great way for kids to really get into the show before they see it. There are many

An old music genre becoming popular Katarina Nikolic & Max Mallory STAFF WRITER & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

T

he music world is always buzzing with new, exciting changes. Auto-tune was a popular technique in 2010, and in 2011, dubstep promises to be the next big thing.

Dubstep is bass-heavy electronic music that originated in the UK and spread throughout Europe, preceding its recent take-over in America.

Before it became popular in the UK, elements of its current form were popular in reggae. The genre features extremely heavy bass with intertwining two-step garage tracks, thus the name “dubstep.”

It is produced with layered synthesizers, lots of improvisation, and hard core bass. It goes away from the typical dance/techno style to bass heavy.

This is where the “womp womp” sound comes from. Dubstep is getting more popular in the U.S. and concerts with Bassnectar, Rusko, Excision, Skrillex and others have caught the attention of Maine South students.

Dubstep has its origins in 1999 as an underground UK genre, with producers such as Skream

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ENTERTAINMENT

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 VOL. 47, NO. 5

Max Mallory

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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ritics and fans both claim that 2010 was the greatest year for video games—but with the slew of big-name titles coming out soon, 2011 will give last year a run for its money. Here’s what’s on the radar for this year.

We’re starting with a bang. “Portal 2” is the highly-anticipated sequel to 2007’s cult hit, “Portal.” Made by famous developer corporative “Valve,” the game promises challenging puzzles, a fantastic atmosphere, and an enticing storyline, all combining to make a great experience. The first Portal is available on PC for a mere fifteen dollars.

Check it out, and find out why your friends keep telling you “the cake is a lie.” Debuting 4/18/11.

The third and final addition to the highlypraised “Gears of War” series promises an epic conclusion. “Gears of War 3” details have been slowly leaking. Among new characters, weapons, and game modes, it has recently been announced that rappers Drake and Ice-T will be doing voice work for the game. The release date is now listed for quarter 4 of 2011.

The first “Deus Ex” was regarded as one of the greatest games ever by numerous critics, and now the tertiary game, “Deus Ex: Human Revolution,” is being released in the 2012 fiscal year.

The Deus Ex series has received multiple awards from many critics, and the first game, released in 2000, has been titled “Best PC game of all time” by magazine PC Gamer. This stylized prequel will not disappoint.

Sony’s famous demolition derby series makes a return in 2011 with “Twisted Metal.” It features major improvements from the others in the series, but still has the classic car-crashing awesomeness you’ve come to expect from the previous games.

The release date is still unknown, but has been confirmed as some time in 2011.

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The latest installment in the 22-year Zelda franchise comes out this year. Entitled “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword,” it will be released on the Wii as a prequel to the hit N64 title, “Ocarina of Time.” The control system has been revamped, featuring the new Wii MotionPlus system for a fresh take on the series’ gameplay. Look for more details on the release date from Nintendo as the year continues.

Rockstar Games’ latest is “L.A. Noire,” a murder-mystery game set in 1947 Los Angeles. The game’s plot and theme draw from a lot of the films from that era, creating a unique feel never before seen in a video game. A humongous amount of work has gone into the game, including 20 hours of voice acting, a classical jazz soundtrack, and even a new technology called MotionScan to capture facial expressions and transfer them to characters in the game. It is planned for release on May 17.

The new Bethesda Softworks game, “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,” will be coming out on the oneof-a-kind date, 11/11/11. The role-playing game will pick up 200 years later, where its predecessor left off, starting on a brand new land with the story of a new character. The engine used in past Elder Scrolls games has been retired, and a new engine has been built using elements from the old one, and it promises to be a drastic improvement. The game has been in development for over two years, so look forward to its release this November.

“Dragon Age: Origins,” released by Bioware in late 2009, was a sleeper hit. There wasn’t a lot of hype beforehand, but the game sold extremely well. On March 8, the sequel, “Dragon Age II,” will be released. It’s a direct sequel, even to the point where you can import your character from the first game to use in this one. Bioware is known in the biz for some of the best storylines in video games, and “Dragon Age II” will not disappoint.

Batman didn’t have much of a reputation in the video game world — until August of 2009, when

“Batman: Arkham Asylum” came out, to critical acclaim. In quarter 3 of this year, the sequel will be released: “Batman: Arkham City.” This action/ stealth game will have numerous new features; among them are more gadgets, more puzzles, and even multiplayer. Any fans of Batman will want to make sure they do not miss this game.

If you’re a horror fan, the next game should definitely be on your list. The sequel to the 2008 survival-horror hit “Dead Space,” this sequel promises to be fantastic, with a new multiplayer mode. The first game was loved by critics who said it was one of the best horror games of the decade, and the sequel will not disappoint. “Dead Space 2” was released on January 25, so go out and grab a copy.

When sci-fi action movies and Role-playing video games meet, “Mass Effect” happens. The first two games in the series were both winners of “Game of the Year” awards for their respective release years, and that trend might continue with the finale in the series, “Mass Effect 3.” Bioware, creators of the game, will let you import saves from the previous two games in the series, and your choices in-game will influence the ending. You’ll have to wait for the holiday season to buy this.

Last year’s indie hit “Minecraft” will be finally coming out of development and into a full release this year. Most of the game was made entirely by one person, who goes by “Notch.” Ever since a free-to-play weekend in September, the game exploded in sales, and has recently passed the 1,000,000 copies sold mark, which is amazing for a game that isn’t even finished yet. The release is set for “sometime late this year,” so pick up a copy soon, while it’s still discounted.

There you have it; the top 12 games coming out this year, and that’s just a drop in the bucket. Keep your eyes open for more news on what’s coming out this year. Many more famous titles will be released, so make sure your wallet isn’t empty, and stock up for the summer.

VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

New season, new cast member, same ‘Shore’ Tara Garvey & Kaci Zimmerman STAFF WRITER

& ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The season three cast members starting from left going clockwise: Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Jenni “J-Woww” Farley, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Deena Cortese, Vinny Guadagnino, Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola, and Pauly “Pauly D” DelVecchio.

In the following episode, Sammi has a personal epiphany and decides to makes amends with Snooki and Deena. Snooki, Deena and JWoww go out to the boardwalk and Snooki, per the usual, gets a little too happy at happy hour and creates a scene that ends in her arrest for public intoxication. It wouldn’t be an MTV reality show without the cops getting involved.

“Jersey Shore” has proven to be one of the most talked about shows of 2009 and 2010, and they’re not trending to fade any time soon. The

stars of the show, starting out with no fame of any kind, have grown to become some of pop culture’s most iconic and recognizable faces. Season four is scheduled to start filming this Spring.

We’ve watched the cast grow from season one to three, and although they have grown immensely in popularity, they have not failed to bring their classic Jersey roots and partying ways back to the show.

The third season of “Jersey Shore” is sure to not disappoint, so dedicate your Thursday nights to G.T.L.

COMIC BY ADRIAN ADAMIEC

“Sweetheart” isn’t as sweet anymore, and her attitude begins setting the cast members off later in the season.

By the second episode, we were back in the swing of things with Sammi and Ronnie isolating themselves from the rest of the house. Because Ronnie just doesn’t understand what Sammi is “going through.” The couple take one of the cars without asking anyone in the house and miss Sunday dinner, not only disrupting the house’s schedule but enraging its residents. Once again, Sammi feels as if the world is out to get her.

Entertainment

t’s that time again: the GTLing, tight v-neck-sporting cast of “Jersey Shore” has returned for their third season on MTV. The return of this guilty pleasure show gives us all the chance to abandon our hectic lives, and sit back and enjoy the dysfunctional, fist-pumping party lifestyle of Pauly D, The Situation, Snooki, and co.

To no one’s surprise, however, drama queen Angelina “Jolie” Pivarnick will not be returning this season. Instead, a close friend to Snooki, Deena Cortese, has taken Angelina’s place and her residency at Seaside Heights. Deena is sure to deliver her fair share of drama and fun this season at the Shore.

The first episode of the season definitely promised a great deal of tension from the very beginning.

When everyone arrives at the house, the cast welcomes Deena with open arms; it’s already very clear, however, that drama seems to be brewing between Deena and Sammi, and the roommates begin picking sides in the house.

It wouldn’t be a day at the Shore without a catfight, as fists fly when the girls gang up against Sammi to defend Deena. It seems that Sammi

PHOTO COURTESY: FLICKR.COM

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FEBRUARY 18, 2011 VOL. 47, NO. 5

‘Black Swan’ a thrilling arthouse film Agnes Pletnia

STAFF WRITER

ENTERTAINMENT

W

ith red carpet season in full swing and the Academy Awards right around the corner, there is one female performance that seems to be light years ahead of the rest this year.

Garnering all the attention, positive reviews, and distinguished acting awards possible, is Natalie Portman’s portrayal of the unstable and innocent perfectionist, Nina Sayers, in the borderline campy ballet thriller “Black Swan.”

From the opening scene with its haunting lighting, exquisite choreography, and immediately unsettling tone, thee audience is ensnared urrent of discomfort so in the undercurrent unique in thee artistry of this film.

The film foleasinglows the increasingly promising career of New Ni Sayers S ( h York ballerina, Nina (whom Portman had to lose significant weight and partake in intense ballet

training to convincingly portray), who is the epitomee of grace and innocence, wearing only variations of soft pink and grayy leggings and leotards as well as a tight bun for every occasion.

There is just one problem: upon the remtirement of the company’s dark and dramatic prima ballerina, played

by Winona Ryderr who makes an excellent comeback in this film, lead choreographer, Thomas (French actor Vincent Cassel), is on the hunt for a dancer strong enough to lead the company as the white swan in his own reboot of the classic ballet Swan La Lake. Nina seems the obvious choice, not n only as the most dedicated and an skilled dancer in the company, but also as the picturee of virgi innocence. virginal er, inThomas however, sists tha apable of that she is incapable l i the t white swan’s wan’s seplaying he black ductive alter ego, the swan. Regardless, Thomas

chooses Nina for the role, hoping she ll be able to channel a darker sexshe’ll u uality in time for the opening.

It is then that we are iintroduced to Mila K Kunis’s infamous role as Lily, a dancer new ew to the company from San Francisc cisco. Lily is everything Nina is not: free spirited, sensual, likeable, and an just looser in everything she doe does, from the way she moves to the bloody bloo hamburgers she orders at restaurants.

Lily sees Nina as a potential ally in llet world and the cutthroat ballet spends her timee attemptd her ing to befriend old and break her cold ver, exterior. However, Nina immediately senses, or creates, a fierce competition with Lily, Lil seeing that she’s the only one able to threaten her position in the ballet.

As the opening performance draws nearer and nearer, Nina’s ment mental state grows weaker and weaker, leading to vivid hallucinations

and graphic scenes of self-harm. In the end, we never truly know whether anything we’ve seen has occurred in reality or just in Nina’s Nina fragile psyche. psyche This movie manages to not only contain an interesting story that can appeal to anyone, but also is a legitimate piece of artwork.

From the gorgeous detail of the costumes to the subtle, but necessary adjustments made to Tchaikovsky’s j beautiful ballet epic, “Black beaut Swan” is as stimulating and Swan delicate as a Degas painting, delica which contrasts exceptionally with the intensely dark sexual and psychotic psychoti undertones.

So few films this year have frightened us in the way “Black Swan” manages to, that it’s not only refreshing, but fascinating, and Portman deserves all the awards heading her way.

This is one film not to miss. It may be a “mind trip,” but it’s exceptionally memorable.

melody is soothing and fits perfectly with the soft-spoken vocals. It shows that Lennon and McCartney weren’t the only great songwriters in the band.

“Thank You”-Led Zeppelin. On an album dominated by Marshall distortion and rich Les Paul tone, this song stands out as a soft rock serenade written by Robert Plant.

Throughout the song, an organ backs up the vocals. It also includes a Led Zeppelin rarity; Jimmy Page on backing vocals.

“Bell Bottom Blues”-Eric Clapton. Like many blues songs, this one deals with a man who implores a girl to love him back. It’s full of great guitar fills and licks, surprisingly done all by Clapton himself. What, were you expecting—“Layla” instead?

“Wild Horses”-Rolling Stones.

If you’re after some sorrowful or despairing lyrics, look no further. Mick Jagger masters the crooning style on this track about a man who cries out to a woman who has left his life.

It’s an interesting alternative to the blues-y tunes that the Rolling Stones are accustomed to.

“Rosalita”-Bruce Springsteen.

Written during the prime years of

his song-writing mastery, Springsteen reflects on his early days as a “bad boy” in a band, trying to coax a girl into going out with him. The song is fast and energetic, separating itself from the generic tempos of love songs.

“Long May You Run”-Neil Young. Who says love songs have to be about people? In 1976 Neil Young collaborated with Stephen Stills; while working with him he wrote out this song, and dedicated it to his car.

His blistering harmonica blues add to the recollection of days with his beloved automobile.

“More Than A Feeling”-Boston.

While Punk Rock was making its way onto the charts, Boston emerged as a space-themed band. Beneath the unforgettable guitar riffs and the endless vocal range of singer Brad Delp.

“I Want To Know What Love Is”-Foreigner. No list compiling the greatest love songs is complete without Foreigner, king of power ballads.

Being from the 1980s, it’s got cheesy lyrics about love, but those synthesizers are fantastic. And who doesn’t love Foreigner?

“With or Without You”-U2. A

hypnotic melody drones at the beginning, with Bono singing the lyrics. It comes off as a soft ballad, but halfway through, the guitars break free as Bono erupts in screams and hollers of loneliness and despair. It truly is a beautifully-done song.

“Last Kiss”-Pearl Jam. First recorded in 1961 by Wayne Cochran, Pearl Jam revived this in 1998, officially releasing it as a single the following year. Though it’s a song about death, Eddie Vedder’s pained vocals complement the melancholy lyrics.

“Love Story”-Taylor Swift. This song, directed more toward the lady listeners, is Swift’s personal version of “Romeo and Juliet” in which a boy who liked her was driven away by her dad. Going along with the forbidden love theme, old clichés of the guy throwing rocks at the girl’s window, or sneaking out to see each other at night are present throughout, but it fits with the theme.

“Casimir Pulaski Day”-Sufjan Stevens. The folk guitarist who wrote an entire album about Illinois penned this song about losing a friend. The breathy, mournful vocals are thrown against the upbeat guitar melody that adds an interesting touch.

Chords of love: songs that pull on your heart strings Anthony Eugenis

COMMENTARY EDITOR

C

ome February, there’s a whole lot of love in the air, and there’s no better Valentine’s Day gift than a great mixtape. Love songs are also very popular around this time, but don’t waste your time listening to the generic ones found on most lists; the following are songs with great lyrics and vocals.

“A Whiter Shade of Pale”-Procol Harum. This number one hit flourished during the Summer of Love in 1967. Its mystical lyrics and soulful vocals are powerfully backed by organs playing the melody.

“Brown Eyed Girl”-Van Morrison. Also recorded in 1967, this song is a nostalgic reminiscence of childhood friendship, leading up to high school love. It’s popular for guys to play to their girlfriends, but can make for an awkward moment when played to someone who doesn’t have brown eyes.

“Something”-The Beatles. Once called by Frank Sinatra “the greatest love song ever written,” this song from the Abbey Road album was written by George Harrison. The

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VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

If you could make a reality TV show, what would it be about?

“All of the amazing things I’m going to do after high school.”

-Taylor Gligorovic ’11

“It’d be called, ‘Keeping up with the Purdys” -Jack Purdy ‘11

“Good looking girls.”

-Frankie Perrone ‘13

GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN ADAMIEC

“People living in the wilderness” -Chantal Varco ‘14

COMMENTARY EDITOR

Y

ou’re playing a game, battling it out with an online opponent, when suddenly a message pops up: match ended. You utter some words that might not sit well with Grandmother Sue as you realize your opponent left the game just as you were about to defeat him.

Though they’re a minority in the online gaming world, rage quitters are prevalent in many online games.

Rage quitters are people who enter an online game, but after realizing they are losing or are about to lose, quit the game. The rage quitter will typically scream violently at the video game (think “Angry German Kid” of viral YouTube fame) before yanking out the cords or throwing the controller into the TV. They just take

Commentary

Anthony Eugenis

games way too seriously. Thankfully, some games are taking measures to prevent players from quitting games.

Nearly a decade after the sequel to “Marvel vs. Capcom” was released, the series is being revived with a third installment entitled, “Fate of Two Worlds.” The series revolves around two teams of comic book and video game characters from Marvel and Capcom.

Characters include Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine and others that make up the Marvel team, while characters from Capcom include Ryu, Dante, Zero, and more.

Among the updates included is a method to rid the community of rage quitters. The game developers have written a system in the game that secretly keeps track of how many times players disconnect during a match.

Sometimes, connections are accidentally lost because of lag—or, perhaps, a pet is feasting on the cords.

However, a consistent record of match quits is a sure sign that the player is a rage quitter. When that happens, the system will begin matching that player up with other players who are quitting early, effectively putting them in a ragequitting exile.

Until those players stop leaving mid-game, they will be stuck playing with the other sore losers. It would be funny to see the reactions of those players when they get to experience the annoyance of a match ending early.

With this kind of check system, quitters will eventually see how foolish they have looked all along; after all, when you quit a match, you

lose anyway. Maybe they can’t bear the image of their beloved pixilated avatars being defeated.

Only a handful of games have implemented several features in their games to stop sore losers from continuing their childish behaviors.

It will be interesting to see what other ways games can detect and point out rage quitters. One way is to put a permanent symbol by their gamertag or name. Hopefully other game developers are taking notes.

“Marvel vs. Capcom 3” looks to be a promising success. New graphics, new characters (with some returning from previous games in the series), new combos, and a great online community are sure to deliver a fun sequel that has been long overdue.

Release is expected February 15 this year on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

SOUTHWORDS 13

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 VOL. 47, NO. 5

Katherine Szczepanski

STAFF WRITER

COMMENTARY

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he outrageous number of food-borne illnesses that occur each year in the US needs to drop.

There are about 48 million cases of food poisoning a year, which result in 130,000 hospitalizations and 4,000 deaths. With hopes for a better future in food safety, new policies have been enacted by the United States Senate and United States Food and Drug Administration.

The United States passed a new bill on food safety this past November. This bill ensures new standards for foods imported into the United States. Farmers and food company workers have to abide by new rules and responsibilities in order to prevent contamination and illness. Though the new law seems successful to most, others find that the bill affects our rights. Talk show host Glenn Beck believes that with this bill, the government is trying to increase prices for all types of meat. He also thinks that it might cause more people to try vegetarianism.

The other controversy with this bill is the costs associated with the new federal regulation. Farmers that produce less oppose the regulation, saying that they shouldn’t have to pay extra to comply with the new standards, because most contamination comes from larger farming companies. But really, no matter how much it takes to pay for the regulations, it is worth it to save lives of people and to eliminate this heartbreak for the people and their families.

Food safety scientists have come up with new packaging paper made out of silver nanoparticles, which kills bacteria in three hours after coming in contact with food. They call this “Killer Paper.”

This method can be used on food as an alternative to radiation and prevent foods from being stored in high temperatures. This is a great way to decrease safety violations because it encourages people to buy foods with this special packaging.

Another example of new food safety regulation is having regular examination in kitchens at local stadiums. For example, as of January 2011, a local health official has to inspect the food served at Toyota Park for at least one Chicago Fire game.

In Chicago, stadiums are usually only inspected during off-season. During this time, the usual foods aren’t in stock, so it doesn’t ensure enough safety for the people. In fact, the stadium kitchens and restrooms at Soldier Field haven’t been inspected during game season in three years. If people’s lives are at stake, why take the risk? Health officials know that thousands of people attend games, but don’t always check the food that may contaminate others.

If the bill in Congress is passed, new antibacterial products are invented, and more public kitchens and stadiums are examined, the safety and lives of the people can be changed. The number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths will drop with these changes, creating a healthier America.

14 SOUTHWORDS

Showing too much skin?

Kaci Zimmerman

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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ex, drugs, and partying. While this isn’t the theme of the average teenager’s life, according to MTV’s latest drama, “Skins,” it is. “Skins” is a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) winning television show in England that has now made its way to American cable. The issues brought up during the season are as controversial as it can get. It covers everything from mental illnesses, dysfunctional families, sexual orientation, and substance abuse, all the way to the topic of death— all of which are covered right off the bat in the first episode.

Week one was about getting Stanley to lose his virginity at a “raging” party, with the help of his devious friend Tony. Tony, hoping to make a profit off of this bargain decides to bring a drug deal into the equation. Of course, the drug deal goes terribly wrong and Stanley remains a virgin. The episode concludes with an ounce of weed plunging into a lake, along with a stolen car, leaving everyone in a mess of trouble.

The first episode was very shocking. The show was so raunchy and so vulgar, it was unbelieveable.

How could MTV actually broadcast this? It was uncomfortable watching it by myself let alone with another person…According to senior Siera Sons, “it’s bad acting, bad plot, and weird stuff is happening that just isn’t okay. I don’t think I’ll be watching it again.”

The Parents TV Council (PTC) had a field day after this one-hour premiere, trying to get advertisers to boycott the new series (including Taco Bell and General Motors). Also there is talk that Viacom, MTV’s parent company, has also asked MTV to take it down a couple notches as well.

Granted, MTV strategized very well with having a new episode of the beloved “Jersey Shore” air right before the “Skins” premiere, in hopes to spike

ratings for the new series. As “Jersey Shore” aired, every commercial advertised during each break was to promote the “Skins” premiere. With that being said, 3.3 million viewers tuned in on Monday, Jan. 17 to watch the chaos unfold.

Foxnews.com states that, “In addition to the sexual content on the show involving cast members as young as 15, PTC counted 42 depictions and references to drugs and alcohol in the premiere episode. It is clear that Viacom has knowingly produced material that may well be in violation of [several anti–child pornography laws].” Yes, anything that is considered child pornography should not be aired on common cable. But to a teenaged girl, nothing that was happening in the show seemed like child porn. Yes, there is an overdose of drug portrayals, but who doesn’t like to watch someone else’s issues unleash? But that’s why there are TV ratings present in the top righthand corner of the screen throughout duration of the show. It clearly states at the beginning of the episode that “Skins” is TVMA-LSD which means this program is for mature adults, and it contains explicit language, sexuality, and dramatization. It is not for thirteen-year-olds.

The second episode follows Tea, a proud lesbian who is loved by everyone. Although people want more emotion from her, she acts oblivious to the subject and continues to live her simple life. Then Tea “meets her match” and her world comes to a halt. Making her question everything she knows.

This fiasco wasn’t as rambunctious as the premiere, but it was just as exciting.

The question that still hasn’t been answered yet is whether or not “Skins” is even a good show to watch. To a weekly “Jersey Shore” watcher, “Skins” could be a decent show. It merely pushes the limits of what should be allowed on public cable. It’s very racy and has a whole mess of substance abuse, but it’s entertaining and dramatic. Isn’t that the sole purpose of a good TV show?

Speaking of food safety...

The Park Ridge Department of Environmental Health released the scores that local food establishments received after recent inspections. The scores are based on a variety of criteria, including sanitation and proper handling of food.

Maine South Cafeteria

SOURCE: PARK RIDGE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Food safety cause of major concern

VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Word changes to ‘Huck Finn’ weaken intended message COMMENTARY EDITOR

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he newest edition of “ The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” from NewSouth Books, edited by Auburn University professor Alan Gribben, changes the original diction chosen by Mark Twain. Gribben replaces the word “n-word” as well as some other racial slurs such as “Injun.”

This was a controversial move, and the new edition has received more criticism than praise for eliminating objectable material. The edition, which was released in early January, had the intent of making the book more accessible to readers. Mark Twain’s novels are works of literary art, and like all art, the slightest change can ruin it. The new word changes, while justified by some educators for the purpose of reaching a broader audience, are not necessary, and weaken the message Twain had intended.

Gribben says in his introduction to the novel, “The n-word possessed, then as now, demeaning implications more vile than almost any insult that can be applied to other racial groups.

As a result, with every passing decade

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ith the first batch of finals completed, second semester is underway. Spring break seems almost in reach with only six weeks to go, and the temptation to slack off, especially for seniors, is high. After all, it is only about 106 days until graduation (yay, freedom!). On the other hand, for the underclassman, with semesters and years to go, it is important to stay focused and refrain from developing a case of what I like to call ‘secondsemesterfauxsenioritis.’

And while I know these tips will most likely be avoided by seniors like an extra credit assignment in May, those of you who need to submit your second semester grades to the college of your choice might want to take them into consideration as well. So here are some ways to remain focused and stay successful up until the very last final in June.

1) Stay Organized Second semester is usually the time

bug and the lightning.” Mark Twain didn’t use this word just because he could; he hated the word so much he wanted others to feel the same.

Twain said, “Our Civil War was a blot on our history, but not as great a blot as the buying and selling of Negro souls.” Mark Twain wasn’t racist, or just following the accepted norms of the times by writing the “n-word.” He was truly against the institution of slavery as well as the inherent racism, and used his words to combat the injustice. Replacing the words would undermine the core thesis of Twain’s writing.

Mark Twain wouldn’t be the only one whose values would be contradicted. Our English teachers work so hard to explain that diction is everything, and that authors put words in place for a reason.

An edited edition goes against everything we’ve been taught.

Change the ‘‘n-word’’ to “slave” when quoting the text. Let the original word be uncomfortable to read. The fact that we want to change the words is proof that Mark Twain’s ideas are working. This is what Twain wanted. In a world where racism is still prevalent, it is

unacceptable to edit out a word in a novel that has had so much impact on racism so far. In essence, by being controversial, it is drawing attention to the issue, and can help bring about even more change. It may not be socially accepted, and it is certainly not politically correct, but “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is a brilliant literary work with immense power that shouldn’t be censored.

to get rid of all the things you don’t think you need anymore, whether it’s the thick and bulky binder, or that textbook that you’re sure would be better off at the bottom of your locker.

The thick and bulky binder might be a pain, but separating tabs and folders come in handy. Having loose papers scattered about is just asking to lose them, and will probably cause a few missing homework assignments.

If you’re low on time and need to de-clutter your messy folders, spend ten minutes in your study period to re-organize.

2) Don’t procrastinate Procrastination may have always been a problem, but I can say from personal experience that it gets so much worse second semester. Use your assignment notebook to write down due dates and reminders for yourself. If it’s a big assignment, work a little on it every night so it’s not overwhelming the night before it’s due. And even if it’s just a one-night, routine assignment, procrastination still includes waiting until the study period before to do it.

3) Stay Focused Even if you can IM, text, listen to

your iPod and conquer calculus at the same time, don’t. A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that students who multitasked while doing homework did a worse job on their assignments, no matter how basic. When students multitask while doing schoolwork they’re less likely to absorb and retain the information needed to do well. This is not to say your study behavior has to mimic that of an Amish person’s, however. If total silence bothers you, play some music quietly in the background. But make sure it’s not too distracting or else you’ll end up forgoing your English paper to lip sync Brittany Spears’ new hit, just like Brittany Spears does.

4) Step Away From Facebook Facebook easily falls under ways to procrastinate and ways to get distracted so it deserves its own section. The idea of separating oneself from the addictive vortex of posts and statuses may be disconcerting and cause for hyperventilation, but there is evidence to support the theory that less Facebook equals better grades.

A study conducted by Ohio State University found that college students who use Facebook spend less time

studying and have lower grade point averages than students who have not signed up for an account. Typically, Facebook users in the study had GPAs between 3.0 and 3.5, while non-users had GPAs between 3.5 and 4.0. In addition, Facebook users said they averaged one to five hours a week studying, while non-users studied 11 to 15 hours per week. This study, only one of many centering on a correlation between Facebook and grades, supports the general theory that Mark Zuckerberg’s infamous site just might be the most dangerous thing to students of all ages. So stay away from the site when studying—it just might help your GPA. There is only a little more than four months until the school year is over, and whether that means going off to college or coming back to Maine South after summer vacation, the next four months are just as important.

Colleges like to see consistency from freshman year to senior year, semester to semester. So hang in there. With a little more focus and a lot less Facebook, you’ll feel accomplished and ready for a much-deserved summer vacation.

Commentary

Jackie Hazlett-Morris EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

this affront appears to gain rather than lose its impact.” Its purpose is to allow high school students to read the book without feeling uncomfortable and disconnected from the text. It’s a valid point, because most students choose to say or write “slave” anyway when referencing the novel in essays and class discussions. But it’s the idea of editing art that causes the controversy and resistance to the change. This novel isn’t some syndicated television show or new pop song on the radio that can be censored because it is solely offensive. The idea that a work of literary art can be changed drastically and have its impact diluted is never accepted with any other form of art, so why should it be allowed in this instance?

Mark Twain was an intelligent guy.

He knew what he was doing when he wrote his novels and chose his words with precision. Twain uses the “n-word” a grand total of 212 times in the course of a roughly 276-page book. That could be considered a bit obscene, but clearly it’s not accidental.

Twain himself wrote, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it’s the difference between the lightning

PHOTO COURTESY AMAZON.COM

Lydia Ramsey

SOUTHWORDS 15

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

VOL. 47, NO. 5

You can run, but you can’t hide...

No matter what year of school you’re in, chances are you’re not all that different from your freshman self.

Nora Elderkin

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pon arrival at Maine South High School as excited fourteen-year-olds, we were armed with some “inside information.”

This included facts we’d learned from television shows, such as that we would be stuffed into lockers on a regular basis and have pennies thrown at us. Imagine our surprise when everyone was actually pretty nice and helpful. Having had nearly four years to contemplate this phenomenon, the conclusion is that upperclassmen go easy on freshmen because we all have a little bit of our freshmen selves in us. Here is a collection of a few of the freshmen qualities that never truly leave us.

Playing games on the computer With all of the technology that Maine South students have at their disposal, a freshman might be tempted to go to seize a golden opportunity: log on to a game website. While we are conditioned by our elders that this is strictly against the rules.

The same temptation may arise in a lazy study hall after a calculus test to play Snake or Tetris.

COMMENTARY

Participating in spirit days After making the transition to high school, freshmen might be extremely consumed by Hawk Pride, willing to submit themselves to the demands of spirit week. Because some might seem embarrassed to wear all neon or high socks, some might resort to blending in with everyone else and not making the most of spirit days. A lot of us, though, transcend this social pressure and decide to let out our inner freshman by being as spirited as possible.

Color-Coordination of School Supplies It is not uncommon to get less and less organized as our high school careers continue. Remember when the green folder and notebook meant science no matter what? Oh wait, for many, it still does. The easiest way to stay organized is to make each subject one color. While the Lisa Frank unicorn folders have all but disappeared, the tried-and-true color coordination never completely fades.

Kissing in the Hallway At the beginning of high school, are so excited by their newfound freedom at school that sucking face is no longer only an after-school activity.

While it gets a little out of hand when the quick “good-bye kiss” turns graphic, it’s mostly a bit endearing to see. It’s also something that many of us (but certainly not all) grow out of. There are happy couples in every grade cozied up against a wall, locking lips for all their teachers to see.

Running in the Halls It is a common sight, especially at the beginning of the year, to see youngsters sprinting off the wrong way to get to class, reaching a certain point, realizing their mistake, and sprinting back the opposite way. Ironically enough, while the seniors are watching this and laughing, the “music stops” and the group quickly scatters. No matter what grade, we all have that teacher that just doesn’t understand that the gym is on the other side of the world from the third floor A-Wing. Therefore, it isn’t uncommon to occasionally see a six-foot-five senior boy running beside some wide-eyed freshmen. We all have to get to class somehow.

Going to dances for the sake of going to them As freshmen, we tend to see dances as great gatherings of friends and fun with our favorite music and best attire. However, it might seem that as time goes on, dances become so commonplace that they are somewhat of a chore—just something to do. However, deep down inside, we all love going to dances. Whether it’s getting ready or rocking out, the monotony of dances never really gets to us.

Standing Around After School No one drives freshman year, so we ask our parents to pick us up at 3:30, 3:45, or even 4:00.

What do freshmen do with all those extra, ohso-important minutes? Stand in a big group of friends, taking up the entire width of the hallway, of course! As we get older and get rides home with friends or have our own car, somehow we still don’t leave that much earlier. It is still commonplace to see a group of seniors hanging out after school in the same spot that they hung out three years before. Standing around just doesn’t get old.

Having a “Freshman Backpack” Not long ago, it felt so much easier to keep all our books with us instead of having to trek back to our locker between every class. This way, we were always prepared when teachers swear they told us to bring our textbook. Sophomore year, we kept our backpacks nearly empty so no one could accuse us of looking like freshmen. As soon as AP classes started, though, our backpacks slowly grew larger and larger until they rivaled those of the over-prepared freshmen.

Caring about what we wear Freshman year, we worried about what we were going to wear each morning: a different pair of jeans for each day, maybe a dress or fancy shirt one of the days, and never wearing the same shirt twice in the same week. Because everyone cares and is documenting what you wear, right? As the years went on, jeans and shirts turned into sweats.

But every once in a while, the urge to wear something nice hits us, and compliments ensue.

The freshman backpack: we strive to get rid of it, but it continues to haunt us into our upper-classmen years.

PHOTO BY LYDIA RAMSEY

STAFF WRITER

While we may think we’re big, bad upperclassmen, our freshmen selves still get the best of us sometimes. The day that twelfth graders have nothing in common with ninth graders may be the day that the first penny is thrown. Somehow though, I don’t think that day will come.

16 SOUTHWORDS

VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Girls’ Basketball wins conference title Nicole Johnson STAFF WRITER

“Y

PHOTO COURTESY JOSIE FIORETTO

ou may have to fight a battle more than once to achieve victory” (Anonymous), is a well-known phrase for the Girls Varsity Basketball team. After a disappointing record of 2-8 in last year’s conference, the girls came back this year with a vengeance, ready to win the conference. They have managed to fly under the radar much of their 2010/2011 season.

However, with one game left in the regular season, these underdogs have demanded attention. With the current record of 8-1, the Hawks go into their final game against the Waukegan Bulldogs Friday, Feb. 11 first in conference regardless if they win or lose.

The girls have already secured sole possesion of the conference title, which has not belonged solely to Maine South since 1999, as it was shared with New Trier two consecutive years, 2006 and 2007.

When asked about the difference in performance from last year’s team to this year, head Coach Mark Smith replied, “We knew that last year we were going to take some hits as we built the nucleus of our team. At the same time, we owed it to our seniors to play in the moment. This year, our nucleus had one additional year of exNina Duric (junior captain) takes a jump shot perience.”

As a result, the girls are seeded first for the refrom outside the paint.

Mike Miller

gional semifinals where they will compete against either Steinmetz or Von Steuben at Northside Prep Feb. 15.

Together, the Hawks have come far since last season, and part of this might be a result of team chemistry.

“Team chemistry might be the single most important aspect of successful teams,” says Coach Smith. “The chemistry on this year’s team has helped us through what can be a long season.

From the girls that play a lot to the girls that do not, everyone has embraced their roles and have contributed on and off the court in more ways than they can believe.”

This close-knit team led by captains Lauren Thornhill (sr.), Kaitlyn Mullarkey (jr.), Nina Duric (jr.) and Michelle Maher (jr.) give as much effort in practices as they do in games. “We practice hard, prepare well and expect nothing less from our girls in practice than what we expect during games,” says Smith. “This attitude has increased our competitive edge and has allowed us to become tougher as a team.”

Coach Smith says, “We have the potential to continue our fine season if we play to our ability. I am proud of our entire team for their efforts, their trust in one another, their respect for the game and their acceptance of others.”

This may be the year Hawks can come out on top with a state title. The girls are scheduled to have their first regional game on Feb. 15 at Northside Prep at 6 p.m.

STAFF WRITER

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millennium as well as to a Super Bowl title in 1997.

With the Super Bowl win, Rodgers has finally lifted the huge monkey off his back. Following a legend is never easy to do, especially one like Favre, who continues to dominate NFL news. Rodgers, though, witnessed something similar to this happen just 16 years ago.

Rodgers saw the quarterback who he grew up watching, Steve Young, finally eclipse the shadow of the great Joe Montana in leading the 49ers to victory in Super Bowl XXIX in his MVP performance. Rodgers must have been taking notes.

At times during the Super Bowl, it seemed destined that Rodgers counterpart, Ben Roethlisberger, would come through to win the game for the Steelers, as he’s done time and time again in his career. Who could forget his pass to Santonio Holmes in the end zone to win Super Bowl XLIII just two years ago? But in the end, it was Rodgers who came through.

After Roethlisberger hit Mike Wallace on a beautiful streak to make the score 28-25, Rodgers made the throw of his life. Facing a third and ten from his own 25-yard line, Rodgers took the shotgun snap and started to drop back. The Steelers, with all the

Sports

he old saying goes that great players make big plays in big games. Of course, in the journey of the NFL season there is no more important game than the Super Bowl. On Sunday, Feb. 6, in Super Bowl XLV, Aaron Rodgers made all the plays needed to win the game, cementing his status as one of the truly elite quarterbacks in the NFL in the Packers 31-25 win over the Steelers.

Rodgers threw for 334 yards while completing 24 of his 39 attempts.

Along with a three touchdown passes, Rodgers compiled an excellent passer rating of 111.5 in his MVP performance.

For a player who had been overlooked throughout his life, told by colleges and pro teams that he wasn’t good enough, it was all too fitting for him to come out on top.

Ever since Brett Farve left Title town, Aaron Rodgers has had his shadow hanging over him. Favre led the Pack to eight division titles throughout the ‘90s and new

momentum in their favor, could smell blood. But Rodgers fired a strike down the seam to Greg Jennings for a gain of 31 yards, setting up the eventual crucial field goal to put the Packers up six points.

More than just numb er 12 contributed to the Packers win on Sunday. The receivers, even with their many dropped passes, did a fantastic job of getting open against the Steelers secondary.

The Packers defense executed perfectly, forcing three turnovers, including an interception returned for a touchdown by Nick Collins, and getting constant pressure on Roethlisberger. The unsung heroes of the game would be the Packers offensive line, which held the dominating Steelers defensive front in check, with James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley as non factors in the game.

Even though the Steelers may believe they cost themselves the game with those three turnovers, the story of the night belongs to one man: Aaron Rodgers. When the Packers needed him most, he delivered like great players do.

SOUTHWORDS 17

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 VOL. 47, NO. 5

Wrestling captures five straight titles Charlie Vinopal SPORTS EDITOR

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oach Craig Fallico has a fairly simple mantra when it comes to success for the Hawks wrestling team in 2010: “Accept responsibility for excellence.” That simple saying has gone a long way for the Hawks.

The wrestling squad is enjoying yet another successful year and has just locked up their fifth straight CSL South Championship. The Hawks have posted a 13-3 record overall, and even more impressive, a 5-0 start against the CSL South conference.

Although the team started off the year with a tight loss to Elgin, falling to the Maroons 36-35, they quickly rebounded. The loss upset the Hawks, but they were determined to improve.

After losing that first match on Nov. 23, the Hawks went on a streak of victories, winning the next 13 of 15.

The few matches that they have lost (Elgin, Notre Dame and Mundelein) have been incredibly close, with two of them being decided by just a point.

The very day after losing that one-point heartbreaker to the Dons, the Hawks went on to defeat the St. Ignatius Wildcats by 66 points.

After that, it was apparent that the Hawks were going to be a dominant force in their CSL division and their attention was shifted onto winning the contentious CSL South.

The Hawks continued to steamroll competition thereafter, oftentimes winning by margins of 20 or 30 points over powerhouse teams like Leyden and New Trier.

The Hawks received all of this success from a number of different wrestlers. Those main contributors include seniors Sean Sullivan, John Gobbo, Blake Baer and Juan Diaz as well as junior Dan Brewster.

On January 21 and 22, the Hawks competed in the Central Suburban League Conference Tournament w h e re t h e Haw k s p e r for m e d exceptionally.

In a shoot out with CSL powerhouse Deerfield, the wrestling squad eventually bested the Warriors by a mere two points (230-228).

First-place finishers included Seniors

Terry Calkins, Tom Brewster and Sean Sullivan. The Hawks also had four second-place finishers to make seven finalists in all.

The wrestling squad also competed exceptionally within invites, with a couple of decisive victories at the Homewood-Flossmoor tournament on Jan. 28.

After a day of wrestling, six titles were achieved by Maine South for weight classes ranging from 103 to 285—Alex Guitirrez (103), Mike Williams (125), Juan Diaz (130), Dan Brewster (140), Blake Baer (171) and Sean Sullivan (285).

Junior Tony Mastrolonardo, who placed second in his weight class (119), said of the tournament “Our captains were definitely key to our success because, not only did they get the team going by motivating us and keeping everybody focused and ready to wrestle, they all also scored big for the team too.”

Then, on Jan. 14, the Hawks attained the goal that they’ve striving for the entirety of the year, the CSL South title. They went to Glenbrook South on a chilly Friday night and did

what they had been doing all year: they won in a decisive manner.

They trounced the Titans 69-6 with help all around the board from the Hawk wrestlers. This CSL title made it five straight for the Hawks and the eight in the last decade.

The Hawks didn’t stop the good work on the mat, though.

In December, the boys participated in the “Take Down Hunger” event.

According to Coach Fallico, doing their part for the community is just as important as performing well in their division.

“Every year over the Holiday Break we help the homeless with either food, clothing or labor through Chicago’s night ministry. We simply give of our time, effort, and resources.

Our goal as a program is to be good men and true competitors. To be a good person, one has to be a giving person and that is the message.”

Sullivan captured his second consecutive regional title on Feb. 9 at the Regional title event at York High School. Seniors Baer and Gobbo and Freshman Brewster made it to the semi-finals.

Boys’ swimming succeeds at highest level Kevin Hemphill STAFF WRITER

oach David Kura expects a lot out of his swimmers. He understands it’s tough for them to manage everything they have going on, but he also realizes that the best teams in the state are practicing just as hard as the Hawks. But with two-a-day practices four times a week and a couple dual meets each week, the Hawks have an edge on the competition.

The team might even have practices the morning of an evening meet.

“I forget how hard it is to balance everything they have on their plate.

I did it in high school, but it’s easy for me to forget how difficult it was.

I have to keep in mind how busy they are, and make sure they are healthy on top of it all,” says Coach Kura.

Despite the packed schedule of swimming, or possibly because of it, the Hawks are steadily improving to where they want to be. Having lost some of their top swimmers from last year, the team needed some varsity rookies to step up.

At 4-2, only one dual meet win behind last year’s pace, it is apparent

18 SOUTHWORDS

Junior Billy McGwire gets ready to take off from lane one at the Feb. 4 meet against New Trier at home. The Hawks lost 143- 51. the swimmers have stepped up. The team performed well by placing third at its own Hawk Invite, a highlight every year for the team. The Hawks also had a strong showing at the Deerfield invite finishing in sixth place.

Key to this year’s team is four-year varsity member Andrew Salomon.

As the top swimmer for the Hawks and the most experienced, Salomon is looked to as a leader for the team to demonstrate good work ethic to

PHOTO BY MATT BOYCE

SPORTS

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succeed and make it to that next level.

He is expected to qualify for state again this year in freestyle.

Salomon’s co-captain is fellow senior Jon Prinz. Prinz leads the team in breaststroke and is also adept at short-distance freestyle.

Coach Kura is pleased with the leadership that these two have shown, and also notes that their leadership extends beyond them to the upperclassmen and then filters down to the younger guys. This

creates a camaraderie among the team that helps them work hard and do their best.

Kura noted that one of the strengths of this year’s team is the good group of guys who come to practice and want to work hard and improve.

Looking forward, the team would really like to continue competing well.

In a conference as tough as the CSL South, the swimmers know they get a chance to swim against some of the best competition in state.

They take this as an opportunity to gain experience and stay motivated, knowing there is always room for improvement.

Upcoming conference meets against Niles West, Glenbrook South, and New Trier will challenge the Hawks, but they look to compete well and continue to progress towards the end of the season.

Mr. Kura understands how hard balancing a swimming season can be for his swimmers but still stresses the importance of effort.

“The season is very challenging...”

Kura noted. “But I know if the guys work hard, we’ll be successful at the end of it.”

VOL. 47, NO. 5

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Boys’ basketball builds on last year’s success Julian Douglass STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY JOSIE FIORRETTO

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Senior Tony Albano drives down the court at a recent game against Glenbrook South. Albano hit the game winning shot against Minooka with just 3 seconds to go. take a four-point lead, but Maine points with eight rebounds. Seniors 6 assists and Calabrese had 10 points South had a hot scoring streak, tying Casey Bruce and Tony Albano also with four assists. the game with very little left on the contributed to the win, having eight The night game against United clock. and seven points respectively. An- Township (East Moline) was closer Maine South tried to hold on other highlight was a key win over than the first game. A 54-52 thriller for the win against the CSL power, New Trier, pushing the Hawks’ con- which came down to the final minbut it wasn’t to be for the basketball ference record to 3-2 after the first ute, when a three pointer by UT squad. St. Charles got the ball back round of conference play. The game came up short and Maine South held with a few ticks left on the clock and was close in the first half, the Hawks on to win. Bruce led the scoring with Spencer Motley hit a game-winning leading 24-20, because of New Trier’s 17 points, Palucki had 14 points, and three. junior Connor Bohem who scored Calabrese had 10 points.

Maine South lost another heart- 14 out of New Trier’s 20 points.

On Jan. 17 the Hawks won their breaker to Naperville North, before The second half started out shaky; two games by beating powerhouse finishing the tournament with two New Trier pulled within one mul- Marian Catholic (Chicago Heights) convincing wins over Wheaton St. tiple times in the third quarter, be- and Minooka, beating Marion 71Francis and Glenbard South. Maine fore Maine South pulled away in the 45, and also beating Minooka by 2, South ended the tournament strong, final quarter of play. Casey Bruce was in which Tony Albano hit the game winning two straight and losing their the leading scorer with 20 points and winning shot with 3 seconds to go. two early games by only four points. 12 rebounds. Albano was second in The Hawks ended the tournaMaine South came off the holi- scoring with 12 points. ment 4-1, their only loss coming in day break with another come-fromAfter the New Trier game, Maine a double-overtime heartbreaker to behind heartbreak with a four-point South needed to prepare for their Warren, 43-42. loss to Waukegan, 48-44. After the Martin Luther King Day tournaMaine South is 15-5, losing their loss, the Hawks began a six-game ment. The Hawks would travel three 5 games by a combined 14 points. winning streak, including a win over hours west to Galesburg Iliinois The Hawks look to achieve their conference-rival New Trier. where they played four games in second consecutive 20-win season Starting off with a win over Taft, three days. for the first time since the 1976-77 51-46, Maine South showed their The Hawks opened up the tour- through 1978-79 season. composure in tense situations, a flaw nament with a convincing win over Head Coach Tony Lavorato that plagued the Hawks, making Sterling 56-36. Palucki, the team’s warned the team, however, to not games seem closer than they really leading scorer, had a double-double, get complacent and be satisfied with should have been. tallying 22 points and 10 rebounds. their performance. With that in The highlight of the game was Albano also helped the cause for the mind, the Hawks will get that covSenior Matt Palucki, who had 31 basketball squad with 10 points and eted 20-win season.

Sports

s the final buzzer sounded at the UIC Pavilion last March, after Maine South suffered a crippling defeat to Whitney Young, 63-39, a sense of disappointment fell upon the Maine South basketball team.

Not only were they one quarter away from going down state, but there was a feeling that this opportunity would probably not happen for a very long time.

Just don’t tell the current basketball team that.

The Hawks are coming off an incredible run last year in which they upset teams left and right, coming so close to a state championship that they could taste it.

Last year, the team had a mix of both speed as well as big men up front to lead them deep into the playoffs.

The Hawks lost a number of seniors who were integral to their success last season including Justin Tworek and Kevin Schlitter, leaving this year to be a sort of rebuilding period for them.

However, this year turned out to be far more than just a rebuilding one. The Hawks got plenty of help from their underclassmen as well as new seniors.

Junior Nick Calabrese became a starter this year after the loss of upperclassmen, and sophomore Johnny Solari is becoming a regular player after seeing some minutes in his freshman year. That, in addition to team-leader senior Matt Palucki’s 20 points a game have led the team to some serious success.

In a down year in the alwayspowerful Central Suburban league South, the Hawks are playing with a sense of urgency to not only get back to the super-sectionals, but also down state.

Maine South entered the holiday break seven and two, coming of a big win over Lincoln-Way East, 46-41. It was a key win leading into the Jack Tosh holiday tournament, where Maine South was looking to win it all. However, things did not go exactly as planned.

In the first game against St. Charles East, Maine South trailed by 13 entering the fourth quarter, but then went on a 11-point run to pull within two.

St. Charles East scored later to

SOUTHWORDS 19

Charlie Vinopal

SPORTS EDITOR

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fter many months of arduous work in the dance room as well as out of it, the Hawkettes have finally captured what they have sought after for a number of years: a national championship.

On Feb. 4, 5, and 6, the Hawkettes dance team traveled to Orlando, Florida to compete in the National Dance Competition. The Hawkettes came out victorious in the end, beating out over 23 teams from all over the country to earn the first national championship in Maine South history.

The Hawkettes placed first in the kick portion of the competition as well as tenth out of 36 in the jazz portion.

Maine South finally beat the dance powerhouse Seminole High School, who has won the National Championship four years in a row.

Maine South always seemed to finish behind Seminole at the National Championships in Orlando. Last year at the competition, the Hawks placed third overall behind the Floridian high school for their then-best finish yet.

“I can’t pinpoint a single factor that lead us to our success,” says Senior Jaima Hajek. “So much has contributed to our win. Dedication was fundamental, teamwork and trust were essential, and confidence was key. We believed in the capability of the routine, but more importantly we believed in one another.”

Even with that impressive finish last year at the National Championship on the Disney World property, the Hawkettes refused to be content and continued to improve their dance performing to “O Fortuna” in their high kick division, and MC Hammer’s “Do Not Pass Me By.” Last year was predicted to be an “off year” for the Hawkettes after losing 13 seniors and bringing up 8 sophomores, but the team proved many wrong with last year’s thirdplace finish.

Junior Lauren Campbell said of the third-place finish last year, “We were not upset with third last year at all, but we were definitely ready to do

better this year.”

This year, there were high hopes riding on the 24 dancers. The team consists of 4 seniors, 12 juniors and 8 sophomores. With only four seniors on the dance squad, a lot of responsibility fell upon the 20 underclassmen on the team.

Although the 12 juniors and 8 sophomores make up the bulk of the dance team, seniors Jaima Hajek, Urszula Parfieniuk, Taryn DeGrazia and Melissa Kroll are major team leaders and an integral part of the system.

While impressive, the national championship did not come out of the blue. The Hawkettes have been performing at a high level for the entire season, placing well in events at Glenbrook South and Wauconda that led up to the long-awaited UDA Championship in Orlando.

The win, however, didn’t come easily for the girls. The Hawkettes worked year round with practices every week since summer. All of this time may seem grueling, but for many of the girls on the squad, the time is worth it.

“My team is my everything,” says Hajek. “They are my 23 best friends.

Dancing alongside these girls has truly been the highlight of my high school career. The national championship title just tops it off.”

But the Hawkettes aren’t only getting it done on the dance floor; they are also getting it done in the classroom.

Coach Jackie Graney has always emphasized the importance of grades.

The team has been able to pull off a 3.8 grade point average, even when they had the National championships to worry about.

It may seem like it, but the Hawkettes season isn’t quite over— they still have two more competitions to worry about until their season is finished. They have a regional contest at Andrew High School Feb. 19, and on March 6, the Hawks dance team will look to capture their 20th state title in Peoria Even after such a truly memorable season, the Hawkettes are starting to look forward to next season when

PHOTO BY MRS. KROLL

Hawkettes win first National title in Florida

The Hawkettes shortly after capturing their first National title in history on Feb. 6. They placed tenth in Jazz and first in High Kick. they will have a number of upper- first. The competition was unbelievclassmen as stars of the team. able and it was amazing to see all our Junior Lauren Campbell, along hard work pay off,” says Cambell. with the rest of the Hawkette team, With one National Championship were hoping for an equally successful under their belts, this may be just the finish at National as they had in 2010, beginning for the Hawkettes dominabut they ended up with far more than tion on a nation-wide stage. With the they had hoped. majority of the team members being “Top three was our goal again, so underclassmen, the Hawks will look we were more than thrilled to take forward to a similar finish in 2012.