Vol 48 issue 6

March 16, 2012

1111 S. Dee Road • Park Ridge, Illinois 60068

CROSSING THE

Vol. 48, No. 6

LINE Your guide to parking, driving, and surviving in the A-wing lot.

Welcome, Harry Potter Rule changes make way for new clubs.

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You are what you drink What kind of coffee drinker are you?

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Hawks around the world

Future X Games Star

Southwords looks at the cultures of MS students.

Junior finds success as BMX rider.

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GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN ADAMIEC

See page 12

NEWS

| March 16, 2012

Local organization spearheads referendum without a greater number of people involved. Residents and small businesses will be automatically added if the referendum passes, although participation would not be mandatory—residents and small businesses could still choose to opt out.

Park Ridge is currently vetting Austin Bryniarski alternative retail electric suppliers Managing Editor for rates competitive with ComEd’s, n March 20, a new referendum priced in either 1.5-, 2.5-, or 3-year will be on the ballot for the City plans. In beginning the solicitation of Park Ridge. It effectually asks vot- process now, Park Ridge has accelers whether or not Park Ridge should erated the aggregation timeline— arrange for supplying electricity that lower electricity rates will come to is less expensive, and potentially residents more quickly if the referenmore environmental friendly, to its dum passes.

The referendum is the result of citizens and small businesses.

The measure would allow for efforts made by Park Ridge Cool Citcommunity choice aggregation ies (PRCC), a volunteer organization (CCA) in Park Ridge. This practice dedicated to improving awareness of would reduce energy prices by hav- decisions made regarding the enviing the entire community choose ronment. While changing the elecfrom competitive energy suppliers tricity supplier is one aspect of this referendum, PRCC also hopes to add together.

People may currently join an ag- an environmental component to the gregation group individually, but it is initiative.

“The first step is aggregating the difficult for them to influence prices electricity, thinking as one .1% oil community,” said Maine 2.9% gas South alum and PRCC member Tim Milburn. “The next step is to say that we want that electricity to be green, and a substep is to say 47.8% nuclear that we want that energy to be from Illinois.”

46.5% coal “What we’re doing right now is we’re trying to get the community to stand up and say, ‘We want renewable en2.7% renewables ergy, wind and solar, sourced (74% from wind) in Illinois,’” said Joan SlezakPark Ridge resident Electricity Supply Mix - Illinois Fritz, and head of Park Ridge Cool Cities.

At a Feb. 20 public hearing, members of PRCC as 1% oil well as City Manager Jim 19% gas Hock and Milburn went over the specifics of the plan.

Under community choice aggregation, savings would 49% coal be an expected 20-25% on 21% nuclear the “energy supply” component of one’s electricity bill, resulting in an overall 1012% reduction.

10% renewables On top of these savings, there would be a decrease energy costs if this elecElectricity Supply Mix - Nation in tricity was sourced from alternative, greener sources. The city SOURCE: U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION GRAPHICS BY AUSTIN BRYNIARSKI

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has requested Community Choice Aggregation public funds a quote from to improve (CCA) alternative energy usCCA is made up of two components. suppliers if age in public green energy buildings if Municipal Electricity Energy Investments supported by were to be Aggregation sourced. state incenenergy use & efficiency According tives.” 81% of reduces rate renewable energy to Milburn, if people were in fuel choices energy funds 50% of all of favor of “pubthe electricity lic investing supplied was in renewable “green,” there would be a .5% reduc- energy solutions like solar and wind tion in costs, and if 100% of all of the power.” electricity supplied was “green,” there “Park Ridge is taking an admiwould be a 1.5% reduction in costs. rable approach in promoting more The net savings of an energy bill environmentally friendly energy alwith the referendum and sources ternatives,” says senior and Ecology of alternative energy would be 8.5- Club member Leah Miller, 10.5% less expensive, as well as It was decided that the referengreener. dum would appear on the March 20 277 other communities are hold- ballot by the Park Ridge City Council ing the same referendum. A group in November. The ballot will have the of seven of these, called the “North following question: “Shall the [City Shore Consortium”—comprised of of Park Ridge] have the authority to Deerfield, Glencoe, Highland Park, arrange for the supply of electricity Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Northbrook for its residential and small commerand Skokie—is also involved in the cial retail customers who have not community choice aggregation. Be- opted out of such program?” cause all of these communities would The referendum arrives with the be purchasing energy together in “State of the City” speech in mind. bulk, prices would be lower. Milburn Dave Schmidt, Mayor of Park Ridge, called the plan the “Sam’s Club” of noted that he would make Commonenergy for this reason. wealth Edison, the current electric If Park Ridge adopts the referen- energy supplier, “more accountable dum, it would join the North Shore for the poor service it has rendered Consortium. But ComEd does not to our residents over the past few leave the picture altogether, as it years.” would still be the source of the elecIn a Feb. 27 presentation, attendtricity in Park Ridge. Alternative ees and PRCC members explained suppliers would generate energy the results that would be expected from alternative sources, like wind were the referendum to pass. Materiand solar, and that would be deliv- als were also supplied to help influered to and distributed by ComEd. ence the aldermen of Park Ridge to Electricity bills would still come support the measure, including their from ComEd as well. contact information.

This system of municipal ag“I don’t look at [renewable energregation was made possible by the gy] so much as an argument—I look Illinois Power Agency Act that was at it as a statement of truth,” Milburn passed in 2009. The act was made to said of the measure. “I don’t know if provide “environmentally sustain- there’s stuff at South, programs where able electric service at the lowest this would be interesting to people. total cost over time, taking into ac- Most people are apathetic.” count any benefits of price stability.”

PRCC, started in May 2011 by The referendum’s passage is all that is Slezak-Fritz, is a chapter of the Cool needed to put this into action in Park Cities program, an offshoot of the Ridge. environmental think-tank, Sierra Residents seem to support the Club. Meetings are open for any inmeasure. According to a survey of terested residents of Park Ridge and 226 respondents at an electronics take place on the second Monday of recycling event sponsored by the the month at 6 p.m. on the second City of Park Ridge in October, 92% floor of the Park Ridge Public Works of people were “interested in using Building, 400 Busse Highway.

SOURCE: TIM MILBURN

Opt-out option could reduce energy prices and introduce greener alternatives for Park Ridge

March 16, 2012

SOUTHWORDS INVESTIGATES:

| NEWS

Doors open for new clubs at Maine South Changes to past policy shed light on club rejections and future proposals Sarah Tarabey & Caroline Murphy News Editors

he demand for new clubs at Maine South has increased over the past five years, and students seeking to go through the process— which has seen continuous alterations over the past year in particular—have encountered obstacles throughout. Some clubs have been established relatively seamlessly, even under unusual circumstances, but others have not experienced the same ease—Harry Potter Club being the most recent, and notable, of these attempts.

The club, a fixture at a number of high schools and universities, is currently operating in its probationary period at Maine South, as of November 2011. This follows two independent, previously-unsuccessful attempts at starting a similar club over the past two years. “[My sponsor, Mrs. Ball] told me that Dr. Garlasco said that we couldn’t have a club centered around one character—that it wasn’t something that they would agree to—so I shouldn’t even bother filling the forms out,” said senior Agata Nartowska, the student behind the first attempt. “So I didn’t—I let it drop.”

Mrs. Ball was unavailable for further comment.

Jessyka Haas, whose “Harry Potter”-based essay won her a free trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, later submitted a proposal.

After months of inaction from the Executive Committee, the proposal was essentially rejected by default.

Assistant Principal Dr. Garlasco, in charge of bringing club proposals to the Executive Committee and to whom students must consult for the paperwork to start a club, said that she does not have a record of the former proposals or why they were denied.

As for potential reasons for rejections, Dr. Garlasco said, “It may have been that the student didn’t have

PHOTO COURTESY ANDREW STECKLING

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THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

Harry Potter Club is new to Maine South this year. Its activities range from book discussions and trivia to personality tests. Future plans include possibly attending a summer convention and watching parts of the movies.

the paperwork or that there wasn’t enough information. Just because somebody has a good idea, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen.”

It was only when Maine South’s business manager noticed the provisions in an activity handbook a year ago that the proper procedure was clarified. Corrections are ongoing.

Were the procedure regarding the mandatory year-long probationary period known at the times of the previous attempts to start the Harry Potter Club, there would have been a functioning club at the start of the 2010-2011 school year.

One correction currently in place is the practice of considering one proposal and acceptance by the Board as effectually being a common proposal and acceptance for all schools in the district. As a result of that policy, Fashion Club was able to take advantage of the groundwork laid by Maine West and begin practicing as a full-fledged club immediately. The only stipulation was that it keep the original constitution Maine West created for its Fashion Club.

This November, three freshmen, Savannah Thiele, Theresa Rathslag, and Brighten Jelke, teamed up with biology teacher Ms. Liakakos to submit another proposal for Harry Potter Club. In accordance with corrected policy, it was able to automatically

begin, functioning as a group under a year-long probationary period that precedes submission to the District 207 Board of Education for approval or denial. In this phase, students involved may meet and act as a club, but are limited in that they cannot fund-raise nor be pictured in the yearbook.

“The girls who started the club had an awesome plan going in. They knew exactly what they wanted to do,” said Ms. Liakakos, their sponsor.

“So, truly, I help with some of the logistics. I help to coordinate getting an announcement in and putting together all the approval paperwork.”

These criteria—having a specific plan and a sponsor—are integral parts of the proposal. For example, Dr. Garlasco denied the proposal for a Homer Simpson Club, which would have focused on watching clips from “The Simpsons,” from moving forward.

“You can do that on your own.

That wasn’t what a club, in my mind, needed to be. It needed to have some point to it other than just eating doughnuts in the morning,” explained Dr. Garlasco.

As for rejected past proposals, “I’m the one who was probably the gatekeeper,” she said, “If students didn’t have enough of an interest, or if they didn’t have a sponsor push-

ing for it, those were indicators for that maybe this wasn’t the right time.

It just depends on when it comes through and how it was presented.”

Proposals for both Ping Pong Club and Fencing Club suggested meeting in the hallways, but Maine South track runners have already claimed the space for practice in the winter months, presenting a practical problem. Both were rejected.

Paintball Club, a point of contention for many South students, presents the issues of finance and location: paintball is expensive and the forest preserve was considered too unsafe of an alternative location, although Garlasco says that she is open to suggestions that would alleviate those concerns.

Ice Skating Club has surpassed these obstacles; the group of about 15 skaters practice at the Oakton skating rink. Their sponsor is a coach who works there. He was interviewed and approved by Dr. Garlasco before assuming the position, but does not get paid for sponsoring.

The Maine East club proposal form has been adopted as the formal paperwork for all Maine schools, and more changes are being considered.

The new alterations may more easily facilitate students looking to form clubs at Maine South by consolidating policy within District 207.

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NEWS

| March 16, 2012

Maine West bans suggestive dancing Dora Bialy

Assistant News Editor

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n Saturday, Feb. 11, at its Girls’ Choice dance, Maine West first enforced its new policy restricting and prohibiting suggestive dancing at school events. This policy is meant to put a stop to dancing such as “grinding” that school officials have deemed inappropriate for a school setting.

Maine West is not the first school to enact such a policy; schools in Mundelein and Geneva have already established similar ones, and it is possible that Maine South and Maine East may soon follow.

Concern over the issue of risqué dancing led Maine West officials to adopt a wristband system for dances.

Upon entering the dance, students are each issued a wristband. If a supervisor catches a student breaking the rules and dancing inappropriately, the supervisor takes away the wristband. If the student is caught a second time, he or she will be kicked out of the dance and/or written up.

Previous efforts to minimize grinding at school dances have, on the whole, proven ineffective. Stu-

dents would typically continue dancing once the supervisor who reprimanded them walked away. Maine South Assistant Principal Dr. Rose Garlasco had suggested the recruitment of parents to chaperone the dances; however, none volunteered.

The effectiveness of the new policy and the wristband system depend on the number of supervisors and their overall enforcement. According to Mr. David Beery, Director of Communications for District 207, Maine West will be adding more supervisors at dances in order to maximize the new system’s effectiveness.

Reactions from Maine West students over this policy ranged from outrage to indifference. Most students shared the same concern: that this policy will drop attendance at dances. Students may be dissuaded from attending because they believe that they will end up being removed.

However, the introduction of the policy did not significantly impact the number of students who attended the Girls’ Choice dance.

School officials from both Maine East and Maine South have expressed interest in adopting a policy similar to this one. Dr. Garlasco conveyed her concern over the issue and her interest in the policy, as well.

“Yes, we have concerns about the dancing at South,” Dr. Garlasco said.

“We have seen some very disturbing gyrations on the dance floor. I am

interested to find out how West and some of these other schools monitor this behavior.”

Mr. Dino DiLegge, Maine East Assistant Principal to Students, had similar views.

“East may indeed copy in the future the practice started at West,” he said. “Our Class Council sponsors came back from a conference last year with this concept that has been around the far north suburbs for several years.”

Many Maine South students have also weighed in on the issue. Students have expressed mild indifference to the possible establishment of the policy and believe that it is an overall fruitless effort. A minority seem to agree with its premises, saying that it would make dances more

the Presidents Club aimed to give all donations to a large, national charity.

However, Manzi suggested that the funds should be donated to a local one.

The club decided that all proceeds accumulated would be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Institute, a local organization located in Glenview.

This organization provides clinical assistance for cystic fibrosis patients, conducts research in the field of pediatric pulmonology, and educates people about the disorder.

Cystic fibrosis is a serious condition. As the most common genetic disorder, it causes the body to produce an overabundance of mucus, leading to many lung infections in patients. The average life expectancy of a patient with cystic fibrosis is 37

years. Fortunately, due to research, this life expectancy has increased significantly over the past decade.

The club has taken many steps in preparing for the “Month of Mayhem.” Some members founded the Planning Committee, which focuses specifically on assembling the school-wide fundraiser.

Student leaders in organizing school fundraising drives from Maine West visited the Presidents Club to discuss fundraising tactics and ideas. As West has had annual school-wide fundraisers for the past five years, these students were able to give recommendations and advice to those preparing for the “Month of Mayhem” at Maine South.

Some presidents and their clubs have chosen to use social network-

enjoyable.

“When I’m at dances, I see kids making out and grinding right in the middle of the dance floor and I feel awkward,” said freshman Grace Mauery. “I go to the dances despite what I see, but I would be more likely to go knowing that it [suggestive dancing] wouldn’t be happening.”

On the other hand, a substantial number of students disagree with the policy, believing it to be unreasonable.

“Students feel that a policy like this just shows that administrators really don’t understand the students they work for,” said Senior Class Council president Pat Wohl. “Grinding is how kids dance today and it’s ridiculous to say that it simulates a sexual act.”

PHOTO COURTESY MRS. KOSHGARIAN

New policy at school dances could impact Maine South

KEEPING IT PG

aggregate in the Spec Gym.

Maine South students at last year’s Girls’ Choice dance

School to raise funds for cystic fibrosis Numerous clubs participating in the fundraising

Kristen Van Tine

Staff Writer aine South’s Presidents Club, made up of student leaders from a variety of school clubs and activities, has organized a school-wide fundraising event sponsoring cystic fibrosis, involving many clubs in raising proceeds for the cause. Starting on Monday, April 9, and ending on Friday, May 4, the “Month of Mayhem” utilizes multiple methods in amassing the necessary funds.

Faye Manzi, a teacher at Lincoln Middle School, visited Maine South to speak to the Presidents Club about the genetic disorder that has afflicted her three children. Initially,

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ing websites to spread the news about the locations and times of their fundraising events. A Facebook page and Twitter account (@MScharitydrive) have been created, dedicated to spreading information regarding upcoming events associated with the clubs and activities that are part of the school-wide cystic fibrosis fundraiser.

T-shirts for the event will be sold and part of the profit will be donated to the cystic fibrosis fund. Also, the Hawk Pride lesson for March dealt with raising awareness of cystic fibrosis.

Throughout the school day, information regarding the event will be on cafeteria and library monitors. Additional information will be posted on the school website.

March 16, 2012

| ENTERTAINMENT

tips for Coffee Drinkers: What’s in your cup? Brewing coffee novices Nicole Shammo

Entertainment Editor

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wenty-five years ago this month, the first Starbucks outpost opened in Seattle, Washington. Its three founders began buying out other large coffeehouse chains in Seattle and eventually began expanded their company to Chicago and Vancouver. Today, Starbucks Coffee Company has over 17,244 stores operating in 55 countries.

While coffee has been a cultural mainstay in many other countries for centuries, the United States now considers java a staple as well. Because of the beverage’s ubiquitous popularity, people integrate into the coffee culture in a way that best suits them. As a result, there are fours overriding types of coffee drinkers.

The I-Can’t-Believe-It’s-Not-Coffee Drinker

These coffee drinkers can be mistaken for the Chain Drinkers; however, they are not as consumed with the status aspect of coffee. They tend to drink coffee a few times a week and like to think of it as an energizer. “Coffee just wakes me up” is a phrase commonly heard among these drinkers. Like the Chain Drinkers, this group also has a glaring shortcoming: they strongly believe that they are Coffee Connoisseurs. Sure, they may drink coffee every morning, and may or may not have a slight addiction to it, but they tend to dilute coffee with so many sweeteners and other such things that, by the end, it’s hardly coffee. Coffee is too “bitter” for them and therefore each cup of coffee calls for three pounds of sugar, a couple ladles of honey, a carton of milk, and when their sweet tooth kicks in, maybe even a handful of cinnamon. These drinkers face utter shock and, in some cases, loss of identity when told that the coffee they’re drinking is hardly coffee.

The Chain Drinker

Most of America falls into this category. Starbucks seems to be a go-to location for many social outings, from job interviews and late nights of studying to the ever-popular coffee date. This is a completely acceptable way to be a part of the coffee culture. These people are loyal Starbucks drinkers and go every morning, striding in with a sense of ownership as they order “the usual.” They are easily offended when told that they spend an absurd amount of money on coffee and retort with the cliche “quality over quantity.” Chain Drinkers can also be very dangerous to be around, especially when they don’t get their morning coffee. Because of their dedication to drinking java every single morning, they’ve picked up an unfortunate caffeine dependency. There will always be one day in the Chain Drinker’s life where all goes wrong and they don’t get to drink coffee in the morning. They’ll experience pounding headaches and extreme fatigue, lash out at others, groan unnecessarily, and lie down spontaneously. These withdrawal symptoms can be also experienced by the Coffee Connoisseurs. The only difference is that the Chain Drinker will constantly moan that they “just want [their] Starbucks.”

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S The Status Drinkers are, essentially, on the extreme end of the chain-drinking spectrum; yet, like the I-Can’t-Believe-It’s-Not-Coffee Drinker, they could care less about the actual taste of coffee.

In fact, the drinks that they tend to order only have a coffee content of approximately .09%. The Status Drinkers tend to gather herdlike at Starbucks, bothering Chain Drinkers with their rowdy screeches and unnecessarily large groups. Status drinkers are usually teenaged girls, but that’s not to say that every teenaged girl fits this category; it’s just the girls that like a certain green label they believe makes them superstars. The Status Drinker can be spotted roaming Maine South’s hallways on collaboration days after a quick stop by Starbucks for a morning treat. (You know what I’m talking about, and you know who you are.) I mean, who wouldn’t feel like a million bucks flashing a Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte with extra whip? Couple that with the North Face and Uggs combo and you might as well have walked out of a Nordstrom catalog.

2. Water: Boil it. No skill required.

3. The Press: Dump

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The Status Drinker

f you’re interested in attaining the high level of coffee connoisseurship, you’re going to need to know how to brew coffee the right way. To achieve the best results, buy whole beans which have been roasted quite recently. Coffee starts losing its freshness and flavor as soon as it is roasted, and even more so once it’s ground. Therefore, if your coffee beans are more than two weeks old, you won’t get that full-bodied cup. There are many different ways to brew coffee but, the most widely used way is by using a French press. Follow these instructions and you’ll taste beauty on a daily basis.

1. The Grind: You want your c of - fee grounds to be coarse when using a French press. To do this, put the beans (two tablespoons of beans per cup of water) in a blade grinder (or a burr grinder on the coarse setting) and close the lid. Grind the beans for about eight seconds in two second intervals to avoid overheating the grinds.

The Coffee Connoisseur

Coffee Connoisseurs appreciate coffee in every aspect and take each cup they brew and drink very seriously. They typically buy their coffee whole bean and freshly roasted. If it isn’t the actual coffee that brings joy to the connoisseur, it’s the hypnotizing aroma of coffee that each bag holds. They are willing to spend big money for quality beans, buying seasonal varietals whenever possible.

Connoisseurs also take their morning coffee preparation very seriously, often prioritizing the beverage over an actual breakfast. They go through the lengthy process of grinding their beans, boiling water, and, finally, brewing a fresh cup o’joe. These drinkers may come off as snobby, especially when telling non-connoisseurs that anything not fresh is not coffee, but they simply know and love coffee for very different reasons. They usually are not a pleasant group to be around until that crucial first sip is taken. Once their lips meet the cup, they feel a euphoric contentedness that brings a childlike smile across their face. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, think back to when you were just a tot and a new episode of SpongeBob was on. It’s that feeling—multiplied by 3,479.

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COFFEE

the ground beans into French press. Slowly pour the water over the beans, making sure to immerse all the grounds in water. Let the grounds steep in the water for about four to six minutes (depending on how strong you like your coffee), stirring the grinds about half way through. Then, when the time has passed, push down on the plunger and pour the delicately brewed coffee into your favorite cup and enjoy.

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ENTERTAINMENT

| March 16, 2012

Music reviews Christine Ansani

Staff Writer Of Montreal – “Paralytic Stalks”

In a generation of teenagers who claim to love modern, techno-pop, bass-synth, “what-is-even-makingthat-sound?” music, Of Montreal’s indie-electronic sound has barelymade a dent in the music scene.

Their new album, “Paralytic Stalks,” is different, if nothing else.

It toys with every contemporary music genre in some way or another.

The album’s nine songs have their moments, but they seem to be lost among the vagabond eight-minute

The Cranberries – “Roses” The Cranberries aren’t the type of band that makes you feel good by putting out happy-go-lucky music to gain popularity; they simply play what they feel. In the case of “Roses,” it

seems like the album was written on a soggy Sunday afternoon in November.

When listening to the album, you can almost hear the cold rain splashing against the window. The album was what most expected—an honest attempt at a comeback. “Roses” sounds like a Scottish version of The Fray mixed with late Dixie Chicks, which is okay for 93.9 The Lite, but doesn’t deserve to take up space on an iPod. That is not to say, however, that the album doesn’t deserve recognition.

In fact, one of its songs, “Tomorrow,” has had an unlikely impact upon the younger crowd.

“I hear [it] on the radio all the time, and it’s really good,” sophomore Aisling Rowland says. “I have a lot of respect for them, even though I don’t listen to them regularly.”

Although the album as a whole failed to attract much attention, “Tomorrow” is universally appealing.

The Cranberries haven’t made it onto the top 100 list on iTunes, but their comeback was welcomed and anticipated by the indie crowd.

Overall, the album has some quirks that will draw in some of the indie crowd, but is unlikely to ever see mainstream digestion.

electricity and excitement in the theater was felt by everyone, especially Gadhia (vocals). The tone of the concert was expressed through his movements—the music possessed his body. Each note made his body jolt and jerk along to the beat of the tambourine.

Two new songs were introduced during the concert: “What you Get,” and “Camera.” “What you Get” is characterized by robust guitar rifts and mellifluous bass beats, accompanied by gritty howls from Gadhia as he alternately smashed his tambourine on Comtois’ symbol. “Camera” was eery, with a single spot light beamed onto Gadhia as he played an organ-like instrument as fog shadowed the entire band.

The performance of these two new songs were separated by three fan favorites: “Cough Syrup,” “Apartment,” and “Strings,” causing fans to surf over waves of arms as every lyric was belted with full force, overpowering Gadhia himself at a few points, allowing him to take multiple breathers while the audience filled in the missing words.

After a few more songs YTG left

the stage, but each fan stood perfectly still, demanding an encore. Within five minutes the band was back, each sporting a fur coat warmly greeted by an ecstatic crowd expecting to hear their hit, “My Body.” Instead, the fans were bestowed with a different surprise. They broke out into a cover of R. Kelly’s “Ignition.”

“We usually don’t do this, but we will go ahead and bring you a preview of the remix,” stating it was a tribute to Chicago.

For their final song, YTG came smashing in with “My Body.” The ground shook with every body jumping and screaming. Every pair of arms in the theater was raised high to support the crowd surfing of screaming fans. The noise level tripled in decibels, only proving the show was a huge success.

With a diverse song pool, this still-young band is only at the start of its career, but already prepared to take the alternative rock scene by storm. Scheduled to play at music festival Bannaroo and labled one of the best bands Morrissey (The Smiths’ ex-lead man) has ever heard, Young the Giant is a band to follow.

incoherent ramblings. For example, the strongest song on the album, “Wintered Debts,” is also one of the stranger songs on the album. It kicks off with an eerily somber acoustic guitar accompanied by a fatigued voice, which transitions into a few late-‘60s Beatles-sounding meters, and then leads into the chorus, similar to some sort of Arctic Monkeys-meetThe Shins underwater-sounding melody. The rest of the song is filled with bizarre, yet appealing, violin and keyboard mixes and non-sequitur lyrics.

Of Montreal wasn’t always so eclectically inclined. Their progression into an experimental sound was unpredictable. What started out as a ‘60s rock-influenced one-man band is now one of the least known, yet revolutionary, artists of its time.

“Paralytic Stalks” is definitely worth a listen. While the genres that it incorporates aren’t for all, this band has found definitely found a niche.

Chicago welcomes back Young the Giant Maddy Vogg

Photographer etween the echoing vocals of Samheer Gadhia and reverberating beats of guitarists Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata, bassist Payam Doostzadeh, and drummer Francois Comtois, no one in the Riviera Theater on Feb. 23 would have had guessed it was only the second week of Young the Giant’s first major headlining tour.

Opening band Walk the Moon, a promising alternative group, set an immediate tone for the night. With an upbeat set list, they kept the audience engaged through their entire performance.

After much anticipation and a cover of David Bowie’s “Just Dance,” Young the Giant took the stage. Starting with “I Got,” the quintet set the timbre, establishing what the rest of the show was to be: a relatively chill performance full of high-energy spurts. On stage floated illuminated boxes and strips of bright circus lights, adding to the dreamy ambience that filled the theater.

It being their first time playing in Chicago since Lollapalooza 2011, the

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Spring break road trip playlist Joshua Timm

Entertainment Editor Spring Break is a time for relaxation, procrastination, and vacation. While some students will hop on a plane for the break, many will take to the highway for road trips. To subside your boredom in the car, Southwords has created a playlist to listen to in the car during an exhausting road trip.

“Midnight City”—M83 Every road trip should start off with this. It’s pure swagger and utter coolness. If you play this in the car, you will instantly feel cool, despite the harsh reality.

“Children”—Escala Devoid of lyrics, this string-driven epic was designed to get the blood pumping and the air violin going hard. Yes, air violin.

“The Cave”—Mumford & Sons This song is best when you have five people singing along and pounding the back of the driver’s seat to the bass.

“Will You Return”—Avett Brothers Not only is this song good to sing along to in the car, it’s fun to bust out at campfires, should you know anyone that plays guitar or banjo.

“Next in Line”—Walk the Moon This song is about driving in the car with the person you love sitting next to you. It’s about taking an adventure and getting lost on purpose.

“Chicago”—Sufjan Stevens This is about traveling, making mistakes, getting lost along the way, and accepting it in the name of fun.

“Send Me On My Way”—Rusted Root Nobody can quite make out the lyrics to this song, but that won’t stop you from singing them.

“They Live in You”—Samuel E. Wright Straight from the “Lion King” musical and partially in Swahili, this is perhaps the best song of all time to play in the car. Not only is it epic, you’ll sing the lyrics like Swahili was old hat to you, garnering strange looks from the guy in the left lane.

“Helplessness Blues”—Fleet Foxes The lyrics may be a bit hard to learn, but nothing beats a slow ramp up to fast-paced awesomeness.

“500 Miles”—The Proclaimers Gas station food, the friend that always needs a pit stop, The Cracker Barrel, and this song are the staples of every road trip.

March 16, 2012

| ENTERTAINMENT

A healthy home for herbivores

“Hunger Games” hits the big screen

Entertainment Editor

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ith Lent underway, those of us who are fasting are likely dying for a vegetarian fix other than the usual peanut butter and jelly sandwich. So, whether you gave up meat for Lent or are actually a vegetarian, there’s a restaurant in the area that can satisfy your dietary needs.

Sweet Tomatoes is a salad bar/ buffet-style restaurant in Glenview.

The doors open right to the salad bar, where you can create your own salad, or can take your pick of their classic salads. Once you move down the line, you pay about ten dollars (plus three if you get a drink) and take a seat to eat your leafy greens.

Ten bucks might seem rather expensive for just a salad, but in the dining area there are four other sections: the bakery, soup, pasta, and frozen yogurt. You are welcome to eat as much as you want from each of these sections, without any additional cost.

At the bakery, there is your choice of pizza, breads, muffins, and their monthly treat (this month was peanut butter chocolate chip bars). All of these are freshly baked and, if you can get the timing right, fresh out of the oven and warm to the touch.

Next door to the bakery are the soup and salad sections. Though quite self-explanatory, there is an overwhelming number of soups and pastas to choose from. The bowls and plates are rather small, but seeing as it’s a buffet, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The pastas are appetizing but aren’t kept very warm, so once again, timing is key.

The frozen yogurt section was the most enjoyable of all. Though there are only three flavors—vanilla, chocolate, and swirl—there are ten plus different toppings to choose from, including a rich chocolate mousse.

Sweet Tomatoes offered a very comfortable atmosphere. The dining area was almost like an old-style diner and the staff was very friendly and helpful, especially to newcomers. All in all, the restaurant was nothing to die for, but it served its purpose in providing a hearty meatless meal.

tal competition called “The Hunger Games,” which forces 2 youths from each of the 12 districts to fight in a death match for the viewing pleasure of the citizens of the Capital.

While the series is comprised of three books (2008’s “Hunger Games,” 2009’s “Catching Fire,” and finally 2010’s “Mockingjay”), the movie will

(with potential to be more). His two closest buddies, the overweight/ underappreciated J.B. and smoothtalking “Costa” – endlessly touting his legendary status among the women from his former neighborhood of Queens – decide that Thomas’ 17th birthday, during which his mom and dad are gone for two days, is the ultimate chance to turn their lives around.

Romance, much like the tween duo our heroes employ for party security, seems like a good move initially, but degenerates into a sore Achilles’ heel. The theme is a lifevest for “X”’s story, which is not saying much when the two feeble relationships involving Thomas are explored to equal extent as the Pacific Ocean before the 1490s… and yet, curiously, the film tries to make any plot shortcomings work in its favor, (the rest of the overwhelming, guiltinducing, borderline-pornographic experience is supposed to compensate, I guess) writing flaws off as details intentionally lost for a “hangover” effect, where only the craziest moments of the evening – or morning, more accurately – matter.

Yes, “Project X” is driven by decisions simultaneously terrible and

awesome: things start small when a dog is tied to balloons in an homage to DisneyPixar’s “Up” and rather quickly escalate to a newshelicopter arriving, cleverly aiding the movie’s found-footage filming style (not executed quite as elegantly compared to “Chronicle” another recent box-office hit). Bottom line? If this weekend is looking dull, or earlier plans have fallen through, don’t hesitate to treat yourself... for your own s a ke t hou g h , hope that this kind of party stays where it belongs; “only in theaters.”

Entertainment Editor & Editor-in-Chief

he Hunger Games,” book one of the trilogy penned by Suzanne Collins, has been adapted into a movie, premiering March 23, one week from today. Despite the negative feedback that other young adult books-turned-movies have faced (see “The Twilight Saga”), film critics everywhere are excited to see what is to come of the “The Hunger Games” series.

The trilogy, unlike “Twilight” and books similar to it, has received much praise for its literary merit.

John Green of the New York Times calls it “brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced.”

The novel itself centers around Katniss Everdeen, a youth living in Panem, a post apocalyptic North America divided into 12 districts, with the Capital sitting at the center.

Residing in the ivory tower of the Capital, president Snow keeps control over the 12 districts through a bru-

COURTESY LIONSGATE

Ridiculously fun but completely unrealistic Adrian Adamiec Production Head

“Project X”

S

/5

pellbinding, intricate, thoughtprovoking—terms like these are used to describe the greatest of films.

Unfortunately, absolutely none of them apply to “Project X.” To anybody with teenage children, this movie represents a monstrosity in violation of every rule listed in that “drugand-alcohol-free-zone” pledge half of District 207 households forgot to turn in at the beginning of the year.

To high-schoolers, a party has never been more legendary.

“Project X” isn’t so much a movie as it is a rush; be honest, you didn’t come for the 12 minutes of awkwardly-acted dialogue scenes (the protagonist’s parents are about as feasible as Donald Trump’s 2012 presidential bid); you wanted a lot of laughs, a touch of violence, and the total insanity that dreams of hopeless nerds and the cockiest jocks alike are made of. And boy, did it deliver.

The ac tion centers around Thomas, a middle-class boy with a sub-par social life including one very cliché female childhood-friend

ADAMIEC

W

only be covering Collins’ first installment.

The producers hope that the foray from book to movie will go more smoothly than other best selling series like, “The Twilight Saga.”

The four “Twilight” movies have averaged a 38% approval rating on Rottentomatoes.com, and while they have almost a cult following, they have faced criticism from the majority of the public.

Creating a feature film that will please multiple demographics will certainly be a challenge for the “Hunger Games” due to the graphic nature of the books. While the story is certainly tailored towards the pre-teen and teen portion of the public, the violence in the books may be more suited for adults.

C onsidering the first book including over 10 deaths, each more violent than the last, the film’s challenge will be to incorporate all of the important aspects of the book, without making the movie too brutal.

Joshua Timm & Charlie Vinopal

GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN

Nicole Shammo

SouthwordS 7

FEATURES

| March 16, 2012

March 16, 2012

| FEATURES

No matter the week, Maine South a showcase of language The 2012 National Foreign Language Week theme was “You’re connected...Now communicate!” and was celebrated at Maine South March 5-9. NFLW is celebrated in multiple middle schools, high schools, and colleges in over forty states. Approved by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, and established in 1957, the first president of the organization, Sister Eloise Therese, wanted to recognize foreign languages, their significance and helpfulness to the world, and why students should study them. Southwords checks out some students that speak languages that are not taught here at school.

Latvian traditions kept alive in America like Boston, New York, and even Paris.

Kelsey Eichman Staff Writer

Staff Writer

As many high school students can attest to, waking up in the morning is unpleasant and usually very stressful.

Now, think of that feeling, but imagine waking up in a new country and having to learn the language. How would that feel? Well, Maine South sophomore Mark Humenchyk knows the feeling.

Nearly three years ago, Humenchyk and his family changed their entire lifestyle when they moved from the Ukraine to the United States.

“I came here when I was 13 and started picking up English,” said Humenchyk of the transition.

According to Humenchyk, it only took him a few years to truly grasp the English language.

“I picked it up from others around me and it was easy because I was surrounded by other people who were speaking it,” he says of the process to learn English.

In addition to learning it from his peers, Mark also took ESL (English as a Second Language) class for two years.

8 SouthwordS

“I was supposed to be in the class longer, but because I picked up English so well, they said I didn’t have to take it anymore,” explains Humenchyk.

When asked about what language his family speaks at home, Humenchyk responded that English is predominantly spoken, but sometimes his family will use Ukranian. He added that although he speaks English more often, it is the harder of the two.

When reflecting on his move, Humenchyk had a few distinct opinions.

“America is the better place,” he said.

“The main reason we decided to leave was because we wanted to come here, and we finally had a chance.”

Although Humenchyk often thinks about his old home, he does not miss it too much because he still goes back every couple of years to visit his old friends and his family that still lives there.

“I’m not nostalgic about [having to leave the Ukraine]” Humenchyk said.

“I like living here and found it quite easy to adapt.

PHOTO COURTESY ANNA MUIZNIEKS

Colleen McErlean

LATVIJA

УКРАЇНА

БЪЛГАРИЯ Opportunities arise for multilingual Bulgarian student

Maggie Fleita Staff Writer

Moving from one country to another is much easier said than done. Between all of the moving of belongings and leaving a native country, people who move from one country to another have to deal with more than just trying to decide the color of their new room. For people like Beatris Mineva, moving houses meant learning a completely new language and becoming accustomed to a brand new culture. Beatris, a sophomore at South, moved to America with her family when she was 12 years old. While on a vacation to the United States, friends of Mineva’s mother offered her a job.

Soon after accepting the position, Mineva and her family were on their way to their new home in the United States Just like anyone else who starts to learn a foreign language, Mineva found English to be a challenge at first. After taking English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for a year, Mineva’s English soon became second nature. When learning English, Beatris used a unique method to help her learn this dense language.

“In order to better understand what I’d be saying, I would read something in Bulgarian and then I would try and translate it into English words to familiarize myself with the English language and vice versa,” Mineva explained. “Reading something like ‘tancit e moita lubov’ in Bulgarian would then be translated to ‘dancing is my passion’ in English in my mind.”

Although it was difficult, Beatris was not bothered by the fact that she had to learn a new language.

“It seems hard but it’s not,” she said. “I don’t really think that much of the words, they just come to me and that’s how I learned English. After about three months, I noticed that I could speak English almost fluently.”

After only four years of living in the US, Beatris has made herself very comfortable in her every day, American lifestyle. Though she speaks Bulgarian at home with her family, Beatris understands how important it is to speak more than one language.

“I’m very happy to have learned how to speak English,” explained Mineva. “Being able to speak both languages has opened many doors for me.”

Anna Muiznieks, currently a senior, is one of the few Latvian students at Maine South. Not only does she participate in summer camps and several Latvian events, she frequently speaks the language with her family.

Anna’s grandparents first moved to Canada in ____ to escape Soviet-controlled Latvia. Her Mamama (the Latvian word for Grandma) was only able to escape war-torn, Soviet Latvia by leaving her mother and siblings and pretending her dog was a baby to get on a train. She spent time in a displaced persons camp in Germany before moving to England, where she attended nursing school. She and her husband moved to Canada and began a new life. Their generation feared that there would be no future for Latvia, as it was currently controlled by Soviets, and made it a priority to keep the Latvian culture alive in North America. To do this, they began camps such as Garezers for their children to attend. Anna’s mom attended this camp and Anna currently attends it every summer.

Garezers is a Latvian immersion camp for both young children and high-school aged students that allows Latvians to better their understanding of both the language and the culture. Not only does it keep the culture alive, but it allows life-long relationships to form between Latvians across the U.S. Many of Anna’s best friends (met through LATVIAN AND PROUD Muiznieks and her friends pose in their traditional Latvian garb.

Garezers) live in places

PHOTO COURTESY ANNA MUIZNIEKS

Ukrainian student reflects on moving to US

Because there are significant Latvian populations in every major U.S. city, the Latvian Song and Dance Festival (Dziesmu Svetki) is held every four years to celebrate folk dancing, an incredibly important tradition that most Latvians still take part in, and singing.

One of the places Anna learned traditional folk dances was at Latvian school (Krisjanis Earons). She attended the school throughout her childhood every Saturday to learn the language, geography, and culture of Latvia.

Although Latvians are quite scarce, they have an extremely close-knit community that strives to keep its culture alive. The many events held year-round and the level of importance placed on the culture by parents and eventually their children help to create connections between Latvians across the U.S. Because of Latvia’s obscurity, it has been mentioned by several TV-shows and movies such as “New Girl”, “Lizzie McGuire”, “Community”, “Holes”, and “30 Rock” (Liz Lemon’s middle name is Mirevaldis). Anna will continue to embrace her Latvian heritage on her way to Riga, Latvia for spring break this year.

SouthwordS 9

FEATURES

| March 16, 2012

Scholarships that could cut your costs C

ollege is expensive.

Actually, that’s an understatement.

According to the College Board, the organization that oversees the national Advanced Placement program and developed the dreaded SAT, the average in-state tuition at four-year public universities increased 8.3 percent—to almost $17,000 per year. If they choose to attend the University of Illinois’ flagship campus at Urbana-Champaign, current Maine South seniors will be paying more than $22,000 a year for the right to eat mediocre cafeteria food and take Political Science 101 with eight hundred other freshmen. Obviously, it’s crucial—imperative, even—that students look for opportunities to earn a more affordable education.

For fifty-seven years, the National Merit Corporation has recognized some of the most outstanding students in the United States with multi-thousand-dollar scholarships.

To become a National Merit, one must achieve a score above their state’s benchmark, score “comparably” on the SAT, and must have a solid high school record. Finalists receive a $2,500 scholarship; these students are often in the top few percent of their classes and score exceptionally well

Prowler, better known for its school reviews, sponsors a monthly no-essay $2,000 contest that requires only a name and address; they also run a trivia scholarship that grants $1,000 to a talented student every three months.

If one is 6’2” or taller, Tall Clubs International offers the $1,000 Kae Sumner Einfeldt Scholarship. For seniors with a history of being teased for their red hair, ScholarshipRed rewards a $250 cash scholarship for the best essay or multimedia project.

For students of an average height and hair color, different websites like Cappex and Fastweb can find scholarships based on given information from the time of creating an account. Some don’t require essays, some ask that you do service projects, and some are for students attending a specific university.

Even if one’s family does not qualify for an ideal amount of financial aid upon filling out the FAFSA and other required forms, paying for college does not necessarily have to be a burden. With a little effort, it is possible to find scholarships for various activities, abilities, and talents. Although the scholarships may seem small, the values do add on the SAT. able to score that pesky 33 or 34 on up, so use resources (and Google) If a student isn’t exactly in the top the ACT, there’s still a multitude well and get looking for dollar saving 5% of their class, or if they weren’t of programs to apply for. College scholarships.

GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN ADAMEIC

Adam Smith & Nicole Shammo Copy Editor & Entertainment Editor

Park Ridge benefits from Mothers’ Club Ally Stevens Features Editor

S

ince 1965, the Maine South Mothers’ Scholarship Club has given scholarships to members of each graduating class. Founded by mothers of Maine South seniors, the club helps deserving students to pay for their college tuition.

Lydia Ramsey, a Mothers’ Scholarship Club recipient, is a freshman at Northwestern University this year studying journalism.

“The scholarship definitely relieved a lot of tension,” she said, “every cent counts when you’re trying to save up for college.”

Unlike most scholarship programs, the Mothers’ Club scholarship is given to students based completely on personal merit and not financial need. Recipients are chosen based off of a logical rating scale created

10 SouthwordS

by members of the club. In order to win the award, students must have a high class rank and ACT score. In addition, the Mothers’ Club awards students with exceptional student activities, a well-worded essay, and an impressive employment history.

To raise their scholarship funds, the Mothers’ Club holds an annual benefit sponsored by local businesses. This year’s benefit, “Puttin’ on the Glitz,” was held in November.

In addition, the Mothers’ Club held a fashion show on Feb. 1. Mothers’ Club hopes to grant dozens of selected seniors scholarships of $1,000 each.

In the 46 years of its existence, Mothers’ Club has given over one million dollars to more than 1,000 Maine South students.

Although the application process and fundraisers take a lot of hard work and effort, Mothers’ Club chairs

like Shelia Buckley find the benefits of their efforts greatly outweigh the work they do.

“We worked hard throughout the year raising funds” Buckley said.

“Then in May we were given the opportunity to present 23 scholarships to very deserving seniors.”

In addition to its monetary assistance to Maine South seniors for the past 46 years, the Mothers’ Club serves as a way to get involved in the community.

“MSMSC is a great way to get involved with Maine South whether you are a proud alumnae or parent” said Priscilla Condon, a member of the Mothers’ club.

Cindy Coggin, this year’s MSMSC president, agrees.

“The Club’s monthly meetings act as a support mechanism for the students’ mothers, empowering them with knowledge about the things

available for their kids which could enrich time at Maine South, as well as their futures, all while providing a social outlet,” Coggin said.

The work done by the Mothers’ Club in its past 46 years is always changing and improving itself and the admissions process. Seniors interested in applying for this scholarship have until April 13 to finish the application and put together two letters of recommendation. Applications are currently available in the CRC and on the Maine South Mothers’ Scholarship Club website. “[MSMSC] is a great outlet to stay in touch with what’s going on at school while allowing the student to be responsible for their own High School experience,” Buckley stated.

“These students spent the last four years extending themselves to the best of their abilities and it was awesome to be part of that reward.”

Star athlete or star student;

March 16, 2012

| COMMENTARY

what’s the difference?

Jimmy Loomos Editor-In-Chief

G

rowing up, I planned on being a professional basketball player. I figured that I was tall and could score in the park district league, so clearly the NBA was my future destination.

Slowly, that dream and my dedication to athletics began to fade away as I became determined to focus on my academics in order to ensure admission at a strong university.

Throughout high school I’d hear stories of other students getting into top tier colleges for [insert sport here]. I won’t lie; it frustrated me. How was it that these kids who excelled at a sport were getting into schools that turned away other perfect applicants? I didn’t find the process fair. However, I began to question why I had those sentiments. I mean, how is an athlete channeling their energy on a specific sport different than me focusing on school or any student pursuing one of their passions? The answer: it’s not.

Just because I didn’t play a sport through high school doesn’t limit the prestige that comes along with being a four-year athlete. Heck, I can vouch with firsthand experience that playing a high school sport is a tiring time commitment—daily practices, away games, team workouts—it’s no easy task. In fact, athletes should be applauded for their efforts in the same manner to high-achieving students.

When compared, the efforts of a star athlete are considerably similar to a star student. Both put in countless hours of preparation, both have to overcome difficult days, and both are looking forward to a future goal.

So, there is no reason why good stats are not enough to gain an athlete admittance to a nationally-acclaimed school.

I guess my perspective—that athletics should not help acceptance into a top-level school—was based more on Hollywood’s portrayal of a nationally-sought-after athlete: an individual that became such a great athlete with minimal effort and was a

student who gave even less effort in school. And, if that was the scenario, my original concern would be valid.

However one could argue that recruited athletes have it even harder than most. Not only do these athletes have to excel in their sport to even be noticed, but they must maintain strong enough grades that the admissions office will accept them into the school. Sure, the grades need not be flawless, but they must be reputable. An athlete must worry about their scholastic efforts in addition to the tolls of the recruitment process.

Upon more research into the topic, I realized that “Ivy-level” schools don’t solely hope to shine in academics but rather to stand out in all areas—including athletics.

Columbia University in New York acknowledged this on their website: “In its final selection, Columbia seeks diversity of personalities, achievements and talents, and of economic, social, ethnic, racial and geographic backgrounds…The student’s record of participation in the life of his or her school and community is also important, as is his or her performance on standardized tests.” According to that idea, an athlete may in fact be a better fit for this university rather than a typical “perfect candidate.”

But, because recruited athletes to the Princetons and Stanfords of the world work dauntingly to acquire their skills and put in similar efforts in the classroom. I can honestly say that I no longer believe athletics to be dilatory in college admissions.

In fact, throwing the caveat “she got in for soccer” shouldn’t be degradation for that student’s admission, but rather a testimony to her hard work and dedication that many strive for, but only few truly grasp.

It’s obvious that the purpose of college is education, and I certainly don’t diminish that. But the truth is that a large amount of the learning done in college happens out of the classroom—from your peers and living on your own in a new environment. Adding athletes to diversify an incoming class will benefit a student’s education, and therefore, I believe it is just for a student’s athletic ability to be considered during the admissions process.

SouthwordS 11

COMMENTARY

| March 16, 2012

The do’s and don’ts of parking at Maine South An organized guide to getting out of the Awing parking lot with your car and sanity intact Ally Stevens Features Editor

A

s Hawks, we face countless obstacles every day. From overpopulated hallways to the fleeting five minutes of each passing period, it’s truly a miracle that we are able to make it home after that 3:15 bell.

Almost immediately after the bell chimes, waves of Maine South students leave their classroom and head toward the A-wing parking lot. After sitting through eight hours of instruction at Illinois’ 24th-most-impressive high school, Hawks throw all caution to the wind in this mad dash for their cars.

The only thing worse than a parking lot full of slightly inexperienced drivers is a parking lot full of inexperienced and lost-in-their-own-world drivers. For some reason, all drivers, aged 15 to 115, throw all driving skills and morals out of their automatic windows in a parking lot. All state laws and moral beliefs become obsolete. Stop signs turn into works of art, something drivers admire as they are flying past. Every inch of the ground is a crosswalk and parking lanes become disorganized European roundabouts.

Unfortunately, that large block of pavement next to the tennis courts is no exception. Despite the hefty $100 charge students pay to park their car for eight hours a day, the A-wing parking lot is a scary and undesirable place to be. Unlike most things in our high school career, however, complaints about the A-wing parking lot have nothing to do with the school itself. At fault here are the students, and increasingly, their parents.

In order to make those five minutes (on a good day) we spend in the parking lot as calm and bearable as possible, Southwords has compiled a list of lot etiquette for both present and future drivers.

12 SouthwordS

Parking without a sticker

Underclassmen, we all understand the need to occasionally park in the A-wing parking lot. We’ve all done it.

On those cold, wintery Chicago days, walking all the way from the cemetery makes the A-wing parking lot look like a five-star resort in paradise.

However, parking there every single day, taking the good spots that let one shoot right to the exit, is overkill. As stated earlier, we’ve all paid that $100 for the right to let our cars hang out for eight hours a day. At least let us have the decent parking spots.

that note, avoid cutting off your peers.

Similarly, don’t be that jerk that rides the tail of the car in front of them to avoid letting anyone in.

Most importantly, don’t hit cars and drive away. Chances are, the owner of that car you just hit has multiple friends standing in direct eyeshot of his or her car. The car of a teenager generally looks a little wornin, but have the decency to write the driver a note if you happen to make contact.

Solution: Act civilized. Go back to those days of cheesy videos in driver’s ed

Solution: Avoid parking here, underclass- and remember why Illinois licensed men. Look at walking across the prac- you. tice football field or through Hamlin as some kind of rite of passage. We’ve Parents Last, and most certainly not all ruined at least one pair of shoes least, is the increasing trend of parfrom the muddy fields. ents picking up or dropping off their kids in the A-wing parking lot. If Parking blindfolded As made perfectly clear by do-not- you readers choose to take anything reply@maine207.org, there is a lim- away from this article, let it be this. ited number of spaces in the A-wing We understand that sometimes time lot. That means that every single spot is an issue, and the A-wing lot is the matters. We’ve all gotten to school a most desirable spot to get dropped little late and been in a crunch, but off at 7:42 in the morning. However, there is no excuse for anyone to not as mentioned earlier, the A-wing lot straighten one’s car out. Although our is crowded. Having a lot full of new teenage bodies are capable of mor- drivers is stressful enough without phing to get out of tight situations, having to weave through a line of the constant battle to somehow turn weirdly aggressive minivans. Blockinto the mom from “The Incredibles” ing paying parkers in their spots and when exiting and entering the driver’s causing even more traffic just so you can get to school and home earlier is or passenger’s side gets old. just rude.

Solution: Straighten out the car. Gas prices Solution: Get picked up anywhere else. We are high and all, but fixing that embarrassing parking job really only don’t care if your parents charter a gondola on the Des Plaines River. takes about nine seconds.

The A-wing parking lot is just that—a parking lot. A place to park your car Driving blindfolded Society does not expect us to be and then pick it up once your day is good drivers. Adult drivers are con- over. ditioned to cringe when they see that As complex as this etiquette may large drivers ed sign on a car and to avoid drivers that appear to be on their seem, it really is nothing more than way home from the playground. Let’s just paying attention to one’s surnot live up to that stereotype. In other roundings and using common sense. words, acknowledge the fact that you Every parking lot, side street, and exare one car among hundreds and are pressway is full of people who needed not the only one who has to get home to be at their destination five minutes to do that one thing. It’s like trying ago. Everyone’s in the same boat. to get out of a burning building—the Chill out, slow down a little bit, and more civilized and calm everyone is, don’t take every minor inconvenience the more efficient exiting will be. On as a personal attack.

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

Signed letters to the editor should be delivered to LRC1, given to a member of the editorial staff, or e-mailed to southwords@ maine207.org. Southwords reserves the right to edit material for clarity and brevity and to reject obscene/libelous submissions.

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Jimmy Loomos Charlie Vinopal

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Adam Smith Mr. Stathakis

March 16, 2012

| COMMENTARY

STAFF EDITORIAL

AP exams should be up to student very March, students at Maine South and around the country are reminded to pay for their Advanced Placement exams.

The exams, administered in May, are the culmination of an entire year devoted to a certain academic discipline, be it Spanish or Psychology.

The current district policy requires all AP students to take these $87 exams, regardless of the circumstances. Students are expected to take exams as part of the “agreement” for taking an AP course. However, recognizing the extremely high costs of exams and the fact that college credit isn’t even guaranteed, this mandatory policy is not only unnecessary, but unfair.

There are certainly some economic advantages to taking AP exams in high school. Instead of paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars on classes in college, a passing grade on an AP course in high school will translate into credit hours at many universities.

The number of students taking an AP exam also correlates to a school’s ratings and academic reputation, according to Mr. Scotellaro.

Maine South is certainly of a high academic caliber, and there is no doubt that our large number of Advanced Placement courses offered as well as the students that take them serve to create an academic environment that puts us among the best in the state.

At $87 a piece, the AP exams are certainly a nicer alternative to college tuition. But what happens when some seniors are juggling upwards of six or seven tests? Then the check for AP test hits around $600, which, on top of textbooks, is outlandish. Around the country, states and school districts alike have subsidized the cost of AP tests to encourage students to take these courses without the financial burden. Some school districts in New York and

more year for any students who wish to challenge themselves with more difficult classes or improve their GPA with courses graded on the 5-point scale.

There are few options for “accelerated” courses that don’t count for college credit for juniors, and—outside of foreign language and the sciences—no accelerated options for seniors that are not AP. Those who take AP classes do not just take them with the goal of receiving college credit or advanced placement at a university. AP teachers make it clear that college credit is not meant to be the goal of an AP class—it is the challenge and experience of completing a collegelevel course that matters.

Forcing students enrolled in AP classes to also take the exams is essentially the same as placing a monetary requirement for the pursuit of academic and intellectual challenge, something that we have been encouraged to engage in for the greater portions of our lives.

Even if financial assistance were to be given to those students who may have difficulty paying for the tests, there is a large amount of energy that students use when studying and taking these exams. While an AP student is undoubtedly no stranger to high levels of stress and pressure, it doesn’t seem very fair to force a student to take up to seven AP exams within the course of one or two weeks simply because they decided to follow an academically rigorous path.

Southwords does not condone disregarding AP exams altogether— they exist for a reason and certainly have importance when it comes to the academic realm of high school.

The mandatory policy, however, restricts a student’s right to choose whether or not he or she wants to participate in the exam itself.

ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH HANDS

E

California, as well as the state governments of Florida and Indiana, pay for the exams that students take.

However, many AP students end up attending very good universities that simply won’t take AP credit. AP test scores may sometimes only allow a student to place into a higher level—often, they don’t count for credit at all. Even if a university allows a student to transfer AP credit, there are several that have a limit on how much credit can be transferred.

Some might contend that the nature of an AP class is the AP test—without an AP test, is it still an AP class? Yes, it is.

The College Board—the organization in charge of the Advanced Placement program—creates a curriculum

for teachers to follow in preparation for the exam, and that is what makes a class “Advanced Placement.”

The experience of an AP class— the writing, note-taking, problem solving, and whatever other methods the teacher wants to use to teach an ultimately standardized curriculum—is what matters. To borrow a cliché, it’s about the journey, not the destination or result.

Perhaps the ends are unnecessary when dealing with the means. While an end-of-the-year AP exam would serve to inspire or motivate an AP student, so too would a regular final exam that would actually be mandatory and otherwise free of charge.

At Maine South, the AP route is really the only option after sopho-

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| March 16, 2012

Kay Thursby

Staff Writer his year’s girls’ basketball team had yet another successful season, even though they suffered a devastating loss to Loyola on Feb. 21 in their sectional semi-final game.

After a 42-25 defeat, the Hawks were knocked out of the tournament.

With only ten girls on the varsity roster, each girl had to step up in their own way. Indeed, the girls view the team as a family, and many players express that the team chemistry added a lot to this season, and to their overall performance.

“I believe that our team really cared about each other,” says junior captain Jacqui Grant. “When Michelle [Maher] and I reached our one thousandth point this year, our teammates were very happy for both of us.”

“I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to end my high school career with,” senior Katy Lohens adds.

The varsity roster included senior captains Nina Duric, Lohens, Michelle Maher, and Kaitlyn Mullarkey, juniors Regan Carmichael, Mackenzie Duffy, Grant, Erin Kieny, and Claire Raphael, and sophomore Hailey Schoneman.

The captains not only had the responsibility of leading the Hawks on the court, but they also set the tone for the players.

“When team chemistry is at its best, the best is brought out in everyone,” said Coach Smith.

The team reached two of its main goals after winning the State Farm Classic, and Bison Classic. Each of the girls was able to grow as players,

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Photo by Josie Fioretto

Hawks’ basketball seasons come to a close

Senior captain Nina Duric dribbles past a Loyola player during their sectional semifinal on Feb. 21.

and each was able to be a part of some of the most remarkable games of the season.

“The most memorable games were [against] Springfield, New Trier, Niles West and Niles North. Against Springfield, Nina Duric made a huge three pointer in the last minute to break a tie. After losing to New Trier, we were able to beat them at our place by 20,” said Coach Smith.

One of the most unforgettable games for the players, according to Smith, was the away game against Niles West. The Hawks lost by a basket scored with just six seconds left on the clock. Despite the loss, it was a good game for the Hawks with tough defense, specifically against All-American Jewell Loyd.

Yet these losses were no setback to the Hawks who focused on “enjoying the moment.” Maine South girls’ basketball season was successful despite an early postseason exit, and with several key players returning next season they will be a veteran team with a lot of experience.

Nate Wolf

Staff Writer lthough they had an auspicious postseason start, the Hawks state tournament run ended March 7 in their sectional game against Niles North at Glenbrook South. The team lost the lead in the first quarter and was defeated 52-40.

Prior to that, the Hawks boys’ basketball team beat St. Patrick’s on March 2 to claim the regional title. ‘‘I thought we did a great job of staying focused [against St. Patrick’s],” said head coach Tony Lavorato.

“Getting a lead in a place like this is very important. We were able to get the lead and hold it.”

Their season has been a tumultuous one. The Hawks finished the regular season with a record of 17-12. Entering the Jack Tosh Tournament in late December, the Hawks were 6-3 and poised to make a run. However, the team had a disappointing performance with a record of 1-3.

They lost the next three games, but were quick to bounce back. The Hawks swept the four games they played in late January in Galesburg and continued their hot streak in conference play by winning five of their next six. The Hawks lost to New Trier on senior night and wrapped up the regular season with a win at Maine West. With the talent on the team, they were not satisfied with their regular season record and hoped for success in the post-season.

The Hawks relied on their three captains to anchor the team. Senior point guard Nick Calabrese, senior Matt Lahey, and junior Johnny

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Photo by Josie Fioretto

SPORTS

Senior captain Matt Lahey drives the ball down court during their regional game against Saint Pat’s on March 2.

Solari have paced the Hawks. Juniors Danny Quinn and Frank Dounis also contributed and found themselves rounding out the starting five.

Senior Louis Tsichlis and sophomore Andrew Palucki were the first two off the bench and provided an energetic spark every game.

The team had its fair share of adversity. Starting senior guard ace Andrew Vey was sidelined for over a month with a hamstring injury.

Senior post Pat Gawrylo missed time because of a back injury and Tsichlis missed due to personal reasons.

They also had their share of disappointing dramatic finishes.

Multiple losses were decided by only a few points and the Hawks have had two games go into double overtime: both losses. But, despite all of this, they found themselves nearing full health by the end of the season.

“This season was a real success,” commented senior Mohammad AlHamwi. “I attribute this to the hard work of the coaches. Without our coaches we’d be nothing.”

Boys’ swimming looks towards success next year

Marc Saladino

Staff Writer n Feb. 3, the Maine South boys’ swimming team ended their season on a sour note.

With a loss to eventual state champion New Trier 138-47, the boys finished the season at an even .500, with a record of 4-4.

Despite losing key performers from the 2010-2011 campaign, the young core of the team performed admirably.

“While we didn’t send anyone [to state] this year, I think we have a really good shot at sending a large group of guys down next year,” said

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14 SouthwordS

junior and two-year varsity veteran Matt Kramer. “We had a fairly large percent of varsity underclassmen this year close to the state cuts.”

While the season did end poorly for the boys, a large portion of the team is on for next season. Along with Kramer is a group of underclassmen that has the skill and experience to give New Trier, the perennial conference champions, a run for their money in the 2012-2013 season.

KEEPING TRADITION

Senior Mike Dobben (top row) and junior Matt Kramer (bottom row) demonstrate the tradition of dying and shaving their hair for the conference meet.

Au Naturel

Dyed

Shaved

March 16, 2012 | SPORTS

SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW Boys’ Boyast’er Polo

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“This is the fourth year of our program and we hope to continue to improve as a program. Last year we broke the .500 mark and we hope to do even better and take a few tournaments as well.”

-Coach Deger

“We are a young team that I figured would take some time to learn who it was going to be. Hopefully we are gaining confidence as we finish our indoor meets and we are headed for another solid outdoor season.”

-Coach Downing

Water Polo

“We are in a rebuilding year and look forward to growing the program. I am optimistic about our possibilities and look forward to seeing how our girls will do this year.”

-Coach Gershon

“This young varsity badminton team is off to a great start, working hard, turning up the heat, and practicing with passion so that they can achieve their goals of having a winning season and qualifying for state.”

-Coach Muir

Girolsf’tball

Boynsn’ is

S

Te

“The boys’ tennis team is looking forward to a great season with some tremendously talented returning varsity letter winners who, with their experience from a season ago, should lead the team to levels of success not achieved in many years. Go Hawks tennis!”

-Coach Young

Girls’

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“We are looking forward to another successful season where we hope to be contending for a conference championship. We have a good mix of returning players as well as some young talent and we anticipate being very competitive in the CSL South.”

-Coach Granell

“Watch carefully— the rise of Maine South boys’ lacrosse will have the school talking into early June.”

-Coach Nakis

TGriralsc’k

Giralsd’minton

Volleyball

LBaocysro’ sse

Boaysc’k

“We have some returning faces and a few new ones on this year’s squad, but they all have one thing in common— they want to win and will work hard to do it.”

-Coach Pasier

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“Maine South boys’ track is looking forward to a strong season led by seniors Zach Eckhart, Tom Fritz, Josh Knitter, Andy Pieczyk, and Michal Filipzcak, the top returning 800-meter runner in the state.”

-Coach Sutschek “We have many talented athletes leading on varsity. This season we will be bringing endurance and speed to the field and continuing to build depth into our bench this season.

We are excited to see many new players interested in lacrosse as it continues to grow throughout the Midwest. Go Hawks!”

-Coach Miller

Boys’ Ba

seball

LGairclsr’osse

“ The 2012 Hawks varsity team consists of an experienced veteran and a confident group of extremely dedicated student-athletes striving to reach a greater potential.”

-Coach Milano

Girlsc’cer

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“The Maine South girls’ varsity team returns six players from last season. Lead by seniors Ali Cottrell, Nina Duric, and Morgan Faley, the Hawks hope to compete for a conference championship this season.”

-Coach Crawford

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BADMINTON | BASEBALL | BOYS’GYMNASTICS | LACROSSE | GIRLS’SOCCER | SOFTBALL | BOYS’TENNIS | TRACK | BOYS’VOLLEYBALL | WATER POLO

Sophomore participates in BMX competitions Sports Editors

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lorida native Adrian Ortiz moved to Park Ridge this year, entering as a sophomore and bringing with him his love of bicycle motocross, more commonly known as BMX. A team member of West Coast Racing who competes in the National Bicycle League, Ortiz has taken first place at over 40 races, and he’s also earned a first-place state title and two thirdplace trophies.

READY, SET, GO

Ortiz preps for the start of a race in Naples, FL in which he placed second.

Ortiz’s interest in the sport originated when he was in fourth grade after attending a BMX competition that his girlfriend was participating in. After being on a waiting list for two years, Ortiz finally got his chance to attend a training camp, starting his racing career.

Ortiz’s practice schedule is reflective of the amount of work it takes to be successful in BMX. He typically spends four hours each day at the track running time trials and practice races, in addition to spending time on his school work and with his family. With the full support of his parents, Ortiz worked his way to many prestigious titles.

In addition to riding BMX, Ortiz is a football receiver who also runs the 400 and hurdles for Maine South. His athleticism carries over from season to season, helping him to stay ahead of the game. This particularly benefits his style of riding, racing; other varieties include freestyle and street racing.

There are many things Ortiz enjoys about BMX, but his favorite is the competition. “I am a very competitive person, and having good competition to keep me on my toes is the best feeling for me,” he says. “It’s even better when I win knowing that I have beaten worthy racers.”

BMX is a highly competitive sport

Katie Anderson, ‘08

Sport: Softball North Park University (IL) Started in 36 games in 2011

Sophomore Adrian Ortiz jumps while competing in the Bob Warnicke Scholarship Race in 2010.

and it does not come without injuries.

In fact, that competitive aspect, combined with each racer’s desire to win, is one of the main reasons that serious injuries occur. However, there are many safety precautions in place to protect the competitors. He always wears a helmet, long-sleeve shirts, pants, gloves, and knee-pads. Of his many crashes one in particular stands out in Ortiz’s mind.

“The first time I raced, for the first place national trophy, I was in second and about to overtake first place when

randomly, the first place rider fell and I ran into him, causing me to flip over my bike. I could not get off the track fast enough, so the other six riders behind me literally ran me over.

I had a twisted leg and a few bruises— not too bad, but I couldn’t walk for a few days.”

Despite injuries like this, Ortiz will continue to race. “BMX will always be a part of my life,” he asserts. “It makes me stronger, physically and mentally.

It’s a workout that I enjoy, so I will never stop doing it.”

Jessica Cerese, ‘08

Brad Egan, ‘10

Emmitt Dillon, ‘11

Peter Engle, ‘09

Elyssa Kulas, ‘10

Will Krug, ‘11

Amanda Brait, ‘10

Ronnie Muck, ‘10

Max Schroeder, ‘11

Eric Butch, ‘10

Christina Carvatta, ‘11

Lauren Thornhill, ‘11

Sport: Softball North Park University (IL) Starting outfielder

Here is a look at a few talented Maine South athletes competing in college sports throughout the country.

HIGH FLYIN’

Photos courtesy adrian ortiz

Nicole Johnson & Hope Allchin

Sport: Baseball Indiana Wesleyan University Batted .594 in 2011

Sport: Soccer Wheaton College (IL) Named second-team all-CCIW Sport: Volleyball Lewis University (IL) ‘10 Sun-Times Player of the Year

Sport: Lacrosse Western Illinois College Plays as long-stick midfielder Sport: Soccer Loyola University (IL) 2010 all-sectional performer

Sport: Baseball University of Illinois 4.50 ERA, 10 IP in 2011 Sport: Softball Lynn University (FL) Earned eight varsity letters

Sport: Lacrosse Indiana University Plays midfield

Sport: Baseball University of Illinois All-Central Suburban honors

Sport: Lacrosse Georgia Tech Plays as a defenseman Sport: Softball St. Thomas College (MN) Plays pitcher and shortstop