Issue 4, Vol. 50

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Celebrating Volumes of Student Journalism • Volume 50 Issue 4 • November 10, 2017 • John Hersey High School 1900 East Thomas Street • Arlington Heights, Illinois • 60004

BYSTANDERS: Kayleigh Padar

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ne freshman student was involved in a physical fight with multiple Rolling Meadows students at a football game last month. The altercation was recorded by multiple bystanders and posted online.

"When I first saw the video, I thought it was terrible and a shame that it happened at a Hersey football game," senior Trevor Jandt said.

This incident brings up questions about what students should do if they witness a fight and what role videos play in fight resolutions.

"I think that kids don't know how to handle reacting to fights because it doesn't really happen here," junior Mia Constantine said.

The resolution of the incident is in the hands of the deans and administration. "What disturbs me, that instead of students helping the student that was getting beat up, there were students just recording. That's bothersome. It happens all over the world. Instead of helping, they'd rather record it. It's kind of sick," school police liaison [Arlington Heights officer]Pete Hamrick said.

The authorities at our school believe that students should avoid getting involved, but rather get an adult.

capture fight footage fail to stop violence

"Find an adult, don't get involved. I don't want anyone getting hurt," dean of students Matthew Norris said.

"Always be safe. If you feel like you could intervene and step in, that's up to you. Instead of recording, try to help. Or find staff. If you're outside in the world, you could get the police or an adult figure," Hamrick said.

Students vary on what bystanders should do.

"Depending on the people, if I'm close with them, I'd pull them apart. If I don't like them or don't care for them, I'd record it because it's funny," sophomore Amanda Szmigel said.

Instead of getting involved, many students choose to film the incidents instead.

"I think it's really inappropriate to film fights.

Everyone thinks it's funny, but if you put yourself in the shoes of someone fighting, I feel like you wouldn't want that online. Everyone thinks it's funny until they're put in that situ-

S

ation," junior Sabrina Novak said.

In some cases, videos can help investigations surrounding fights. "There's always two sides to every story because there's so many cameras in our building, those help us to make a solid determination of what happened. We can see who the aggressor is in the situation and if the person fights back," Hamrick said.

For the most part, our school's administration relies on the security cameras in our building.

"The videos sometimes help, but we have over 150 cameras in the building, so we usually use those," Norris said.

A variety of social movements are headed with recorded altercations, most notably, the Black Lives Matter movement. In some cases, videos of police altercations led to investigations that wouldn't have happened. Posting these videos on social media led to increased awareness.

• Story continued on page 2

•photo illustration by Trent Sprague

tudents react to violence in 21st century ways, (taking video) prompting a discussion about the correct way to respond to school-related aggressive interactions.

Sophomore's actions invoke soft lockdown, hard consequences Joshua Irvine

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Online

Check out multimedia coverage of "Shrek The Musical" online

Sports page 12 Check out images of the girls cross country sectional meet on the back page.

hen the school went into soft lockdown in midSeptember, sophomore Maciej Brzezicki was as clueless as to everyone else as to what was happening. The soft lockdown itself was an oddity, a grey zone state of alert that didn't merit the routine drill or fear of a hard lockdown.

Things got weirder when dean of students Matt Norris and school police liaison [Arlington Heights officer] Pete Hamrick entered the classroom; Brzezicki described Hamrick's demeanor as anxious (School officials were unable to comment for this story due to student privacy laws).

And then Norris and Hamrick told Brzezicki he was coming with them.

Despite the rumors that would follow that day, Brzezicki wants students to know he was not a drug dealer. He was not being sent to a juvenile detention center, as others alleged. And he didn't have a gun stuffed in his backpack.

The only thing he was the victim of a bad joke - his own. And it was a joke that would cost him a semester with his peers and his school, and could have cost him a lot more.

Nearly a month after that incident, on Oct. 12, Brzezicki and his sister, senior Anna Brzezicki, explained the events that led up to and followed the soft lockdown in September.

Brzezicki now attends Schaumburg's Ombudsman school, which he describes as for, "kids that are mess ups in life."

He's barred from D214 grounds for the remainder of the semester at a minimum.

At Hersey, Brzezicki has only one disciplinary infraction on record, for having once hidden his teacher's iPad atop the bleachers during freshman gym. He was a member of the football and track teams and SOS, as well as yearbook, where he was taken from class.

The events that would take all of that away from him began roughly two weeks earlier, when Brzezicki sent a

Snapchat image to several friends, including his sister. The image featured Brzezicki holding a black plastic airsoft gun resembling an assault rifle, except for the bright orange tip on the gun's barrel. The caption on the Snap read "Hersey ain't ready for this."

To the casual observer, it might have seemed like a threat, but Brzezicki's friends knew his brand of humor. One of his friends, a Buffalo Grove High School sophomore, screenshotted the image.

His sister points out that Brzezicki did not intend for the image to spread beyond those individuals. "He didn't publicly post it," A Brzezicki said.

"His involvement ended after he sent the Snapchat."

But the image's destructive journey was just beginning. On Sept 12, the Buffalo Grove sophomore posted the screenshot to one of his Instagram accounts, including lyrics from Tay-K's "I Love My Choppa" in the Instagram caption.

•continued on

• Twitter: @Hersey_corre • Snapchat: hersey_corre • • Instagram: @hersey_corre •

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D d you KN W? NYC terrorist attack creates concern Eight people died and many more were injured in a tterrorist attack on Halloween in New York City. A man driving a truck in Manhattan drove into a bicycle path along the Hudson River, authorities say.

The mayor of New York City called the incident a “cowardly act of terror.” The man driving the truck, 29 year old Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, was from Uzbekistan.

He wrote in a note found in the truck that he claimed allegiance to ISIS. After hitting cyclists and pedestrians, the truck crashed into a school bus and the driver attempted to flee the scene.

“The world is changing in a lot of ways in terms of safety and security, and we have to be aware and cognizant of more things as everyday citizens, you know,” sophomore Dominic Borrelli said.

The rise of trucks hitting large crowds of people has been becoming more frequent, with similar incidents occurring in Berlin, London, and Stockholm.

These terrorist attacks have made many people very nervous.

“I think it’s scary, and I think you have to be on the watch for things that a few years ago you didn’t have to worry about,” Borrelli said.

•Claire Dwyer

Astros win first World Series title The Houston Astros have officially won the World Series in one of the most intense and record breaking World Series ever.

George Springer led the Astros to their first World Series as an organization.

After a crazy year of hurricanes and their home town being destroyed, the Astros pulled through in game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Houston won 5 to 1, getting ahead early with five runs against their starting pitcher.

George Springer led off the game with another home run.

Springer was awarded the World Series MVP, batting .379 with five home runs and seven RBI’s.

“Watching Springer have that kind of series was awesome. He was hot at the right time, and I will forever remember that,” junior Nick Wiley said.

•Tommy Lumsden

News

November 10, 2017

Administration handles social media threats Jamie Anderluh Caroline Stiefbold

An individual’s actions and motivations are often connected to his or her social media presence.

In the case of the mass shooting on Nov. 5, for example, when a Texas gunman opened fire in a church in Sutherland Springs, authorities investigated his social media accounts in search of answers.

Similar procedures followed the attacks in New York City and Las Vegas in October. In this way, social networks have become an essential piece to the way we understand threatening activity.

This becomes particularly relevant when investigating potential threats from students, especially when these threats originate from social media accounts. It also brings into question the place of the school administration in these instances.

“The litmus test typically for schools is if it causes a disruption to the learning of others. So it has to be something that becomes an issue in your school environment,” principal Gordon Sisson said.

Many students feel that it is the

I am about to *&^%$%#$@$@#$%&$%*

school’s responsibility to protect students during school hours.

“If someone is threatening an individual student, then I think they [the administration] need to take that student aside and make sure they are safe,” freshman Henry Quinn said.

In the past, students have been suspended for social media posts considered threatening to the school. The school also deals with social media cases related to self harm and cyber bullying.

Dean of students Matt Norris emphasizes that action is taken when the issue becomes schoolspecific.

“Specificity is key. If it’s specific, we act on it to keep the 3000 people here safe,” Norris said.

When dealing with the consequences of social media, the administration stresses the importance of student safety. The well-being of

Is that a joke...or should I report this?

Videos of fights cause controversy • continued from page 1 Similarly, videos of school fights are relatively easy to find online.

There are some social media accounts dedicated entirely to posting school fights, (although this isn’t prevalent in our area).

At this school, students posting videos of fights online usually are not making a political statement. “I think it [taking videos] is disgusting; they should get help,” Norris said. “Students who post these videos online receive consequences,” Early social science research shows hat people are less likely to step in to help in a fight if there are a lot of other bystanders. “I’d probably try to step in and break it [a fight] up, just because fighting is bad, and it’s not a way to solve problems,” sophomore Nolan Newash said.

Many students might feel ill equipped to handle fights simply because of where we live. “I feel like kids here don’t know how to fight because we live in Arlington Heights or are uncomfortable stepping in for fear of what people would think of them,” Constantine said.

Due to these reasons, students might prefer to stay uninvolved. “I feel like people don’t want to be in that situation which is why they record it for their own entertainment.

They’d prefer to watch it rather than fight,” Novak said.

Instead of remaining entirely apathetic, bystanders will “step in” without “stepping in” at all.

individua l s is a school priority, one that dictates how student behavior is handled.

“If we’re going to make a mistake on any side of the equation, it will be a mistake made for the greater safety of the school or of the individual child,” Sisson said.

While administration responses have been a focus of social media threats, student actions when they come across threats on social media have also been questioned.

“I would bring it to the administration, the deans, or a teacher I trust and tell them what’s going on,” Quinn said.

“I would probably show my parents and have them tell me what to do,” freshman Shannon Blumenfield said.

Sisson hopes that students will be more careful with what they post on social media and that they understand the consequences.

“If you think it’s anonymous, you’re wrong,” Sisson said.

Features

November 10, 2017

Color guard preps for winter season Kayleigh Padar

Although football season is over, color guard is just getting started. Color guard is a group that spins flags, sabers, and rifles with the marching band during the fall and on their own in the winter.

They provide the visual aspect of the marching band’s musical performance.

“The best part of being on the guard is that because we aren’t a giant group of 30 or more people, we’re all very close together. It’s like we’re all just one giant family with the same goal of being amazing performers,” senior Sam Oliva said.

Their fall show was titled, “A Day in the Jazz Age,” and followed a 1920’s theme. During the performance, they started out as iron workers

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and later became flapper girls ready for a night of dancing.

The theme for winter will be different and has not yet been announced.

“My favorite part was definitely the second movement of the show where we dance to the Charleston,” senior Jemi Campungan said.

Although these students perform during halftime at every football game, the student body might not understand the extent of what they do.

Many students might not realize the amount of time that the group spends practicing, or the amount of physical activity involved in performances.

“I wish more people actually knew what it was and that it’s so much more than a club. It’s a sport and dance at the same time. It takes so much mental energy to learn how to dance while spinning a piece of equipment,” Capungan said.

Like other activities, color guard captains are responsible for more than just learning and performing the routine.

“As co-captain with two other girls our jobs are to keep up the morale of the team and make sure everyone is working as a unit the entire time. We also attend section leader meetings with the band to make sure communication be•Trent Sprague tween them and the guard is always at its best,” Oliva said. olor guard members perform their rouAlthough color guard can sometine during a football game after many times be difficult and time consuming, hours of practice. the members enjoy being a part of this group and understand the benefit of difbecome friends with on color guard. I’ve made ficult practices. so many friendships because of it,” Capungan “The only bad thing everyone can agree on- said. even the band- is definitely band camp, but in To support the color guard, students can atthe end the extra hours we put in during camp tend their winter season competition hosted help us have a better performance throughout here on Feb. 3. the season,” Oliva said.

“We spin, we count, we toss, we move around Members enjoy the friendships they’ve made an entire band on the field or around our own through this activity more than any other aspect tarp during winter, and we perform our hearts of it. out all at the same time,” Oliva said.

“The best parts are the people you meet and

C

•Trent Sprague

tudents twirl flags during half S time performance. Color guard’s halftime routine is only a small por-

tion of what the group does throughout the year.

Students utilize gym memberships outside of school

on

reshman Andi Contanu and peers F prefer lifting weights in fitness center during gym class, while others prefer exercising at public gyms.

This Week’s Feature:

Past Features: junior Lexi Litardo

Feature Friday

•Trent Sprague

senior Gina Kmilek

Although students work out in physical education classes everyday, some students have been buying memberships and classes at local fitness centers to work out in their free time.

Crunch is a common gym where students have memberships. Crunch has a location in Mount Prospect, across the street from Randhurst.

“I got a membership at Crunch because it was the least expensive,” senior Gabby Samperi said.

Crunch memberships start for as low at $9.95 a month.

LA Fitness is another gym that students go to.

“I have a membership at LA Fitness, and I got it to be motivated to work out and have a place where there’s a lot of equipment for me to use,” senior Erin Mullen said.

Gyms offer a variety of perks for members.

Crunch memberships include access to cardio and strength equipment. Depending on the level, they can also include classes and personal trainers. Crunch is open from 5 am to 11 p.m. dur-

ing the week, allowing students to find a time to workout that is best for them.

“I get to workout whenever I want,” Samperi said.

LA Fitness has pools and spa services in addition to their strength and cardio machines.

There are two nearby locations, one in Arlington Heights and one in Mount Prospect.

“I can go to any LA Fitness in the area, and I have access to all the amenities,” Mullen said.

One of the main reasons students purchase memberships is because they find that they enjoy exercising at and get a better workout at gyms rather than at home.

“At home, I’m not motivated because I’m not surrounded by people working out. At a gym, it’s much easier to be in the mood to workout,” Mullen said.

Assistance and training that gym workers provide is another reason they are popular.

“At the gym, I feel more motivation because of the environment, and people are there to help me if I need it and give me pointers,” Samperi said.

junior Kate Zotos

Caroline Stiefbold

November 10, 2017 Opinions Appreciate Thanksgiving for its food (except turkey)

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Joey Ivanov

Thanksgiving is a holiday where families get together to feast and celebrate the pilgrims and natives helping each other and becoming best friends.

Honestly, though, who cares about what happened about 396 years ago because all that matters is the flame food. Thanksgiving is amazing because it really brings families and friends together. It’s not about giving and receiving, getting candy, or telling people how much you love them; it’s way more than that. If there was one holiday that surpasses all others it would easily be Thanksgiving.

First of all, let me say that turkey is an okay meat. It’s not something that excites; it’s just there. Turkey is one of the better meats healthwise, but there’s nothing special about it. The only reason turkey is so good on Thanksgiving is because no one has it any other day of the year. Many students have special Thanksgiving food that really makes the day special.

The holiday has an endless variety of sides including corn casserole, potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, stuffing, etc. There are so many fantastic foods to indulge in on Thanksgiving. The possibilities are endless. Potatoes are just the go-to side dish; they can be baked or mashed with cheese or bacon, and they go great when spread on turkey and can be mixed with anything.

Plain and simple, most teenagers don’t care for vegetables.

They aren’t for everyone, but when paired with stuffing or even baked in a casserole they taste delicious.

Green beans and broccoli beside being healthy are simply amazing.

Corn, where to start with corn? It can be grilled, baked into a corn casserole or cornbread. Corn is the ultimate vegetable at the table. Cranberry sauce provides more taste to tasteless turkey which •Joey Ivanov is always a plus. Stuffurkey is a common dish served on Thanksgiving day ing on turkey also and enjoyed by many, this writer excluded. works very well by just providing an overNow, the reason we all celebrate this holiday all better taste. is to give thanks to the people that really impact Since Thanksgiving is the best holiday to celour lives. Whether celebrating with friends, ebrate, it only makes sense that it has the best family or even alone, it’s important for students desserts: pumpkin pie with whipped cream and to take some time to reflect on their lives over vanilla ice cream is one of the more laid-back this break to keep cool. Always remember that ways to end the fantastic feast and has become even though turkey is one of the main focuses a staple for fall sweets. Pecan pie and caramel of Thanksgiving, it is okay to take a pass. apples are also some obvious choices for a fanMany students get together and have what tastic dessert. Basically, for a delectable dessert, they call “friendsgiving” with just friends to eithis Thanksgiving just think pumpkin, pumpther roast each other or to tell ‘em how much kin, pumpkin. If it doesn’t relate to pumpkin, they love them. caramel, or pie, just take it off the menu.

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Photography should remain meaningful despite digital convenience Nathan Kim

Digital photography has completely revolutionized how we take and store photos.

Almost anyone with a smartphone can take high-quality pictures with the click of a button, allowing for immense convenience and

simplicity.

Instead of filling up space in dusty boxes or scrapbooks, literally thousands of images can be stored and organized on a single device, eliminating the need to sift through endless album volumes to find a specific picture.

However, despite the benefits that digital photography has presented, an underlying issue has recently surfaced: have photos become less meaningful due to their abundance? Decades ago, families would flip through their ancient scrapbooks, reminiscing over the past and re-

What do you think students should do if they witness a fight?

joicing over their personal growth. Photos were more than just strips of film: they gave a unique view to moments that would otherwise be forever lost to time, and allowed people to reflect over the the relationships made.

Now, most take photos nearly every day, usually to commemorate their latest meal or outfit. Social media allows for the instant sharing of images, allowing millions of people to share their daily lives for the rest of the world to see. Suddenly, something that used to be so intimate and unique has become mundane and typical. We begin to enviously compare our lives to those of others, losing sight of the meaning that these photographs have to ourselves. Society no longer takes pictures to record the past, but to indulge in their own fleeting self-satisfaction.

Social media outlets like Snapchat are a prime example of this: the idea of taking and sending pictures just for them to disappear would have been considered ridiculous in the past. But the popularity of Snapchat illustrates just how much photography has deviated: we take hundreds of pictures, not to detail some-

Freshman Erin Bolger

Sophomore Lilly Sato

“I would leave or get a teacher or security guard to come and stop the fight.”

“They should find an adult and tell them. They should not break it up themselves.”

•Trent Sprague thing meaningful, but to bolster our egos and act as though random people would genuinely care about our daily lives.

As we continue to contribute to the evergrowing amalgam of online content, the power that images used to hold slowly diminishes.

They begin to lose the sentimentality they once had, fading away, not unlike the way real photographs do.

Senior Xiao Hua Hoffman “Tell a trusted teacher or adult and do not get involved in the fight.”

Senior Ryan Griffin “People should tell a teacher instead of recording it with their phones.”

Opinions

‘Fight, fight, fight, fight’ Staff Speaks Media should be purposeful, not physical

With the push of a button, videos and pictures can be taken in an instant.

One click and not only can these documentations be recorded but they can be shared with the world. Social media, being a common source of sharing, has proved to be a way for people to document their lives as well as other people’s lives.

Imagine going to a sporting event and seeing two people begin to pick a fight with each other.

Punches are exchanged and a hugely physical and very violent fight breaks out. Believe it or not, first instinct for the many bystanders is not to step in and break up the fight but to whip out their phones and take pictures followed by detailed videos.

Fights are becoming a more common thing for people to video tape and share via social media accounts. Social media sites for the most part can agree that their sites aren’t made for inappropriate material to be posted.

Last week, social media companies had to go to Congress and discuss the matters of social media being used for more evil than good. In this case, government is starting to discuss the matters of regulating the web world.

Even though refreshing social media sites serves more as a chore in today’s

society, scrolling through certain feeds should consist of appropriate and fun and not unpermitted videos/pictures.

It is wrong for people to take advantage of social media sites by posting illegal videos of strangers. But more importantly, people shouldn’t reach for their phones when something as violent as a fight is taking place, whether it’s verbal or physical.

Bystanders are followers, and the last thing this world needs is more followers. It is important to have leaders.

So next time a situation like this step •Joshua Irvine occurs, in and help.

Media such as Twitter, Snapchat, Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram are beginning to become a place for users to abuse the media that they are using. Even though social media can serve as a positive way to document, it has also proven to be a negative way for people to interact.

In today’s society a world without media is like trying to take a picture without a camera; it’s just not possible.

Eyes are everywhere. No matter where people are, they have their phones on them just in case something interesting happens.

Take time to destress, chill out Kayleigh Padar Some days, we all just need to take a tardy, treat ourselves to a huge cup of caffeine, and put both our headphones in.

We can marvel at how vigorously our hands are shaking after gym class and tear up color coded lists of responsibilities that we really should have finished last week, just to go home and crawl into bed to binge watch a show we’ve seen seven times already. Some days, we can let the world exist around us instead of trying to attack it.

School is scary, guys. Applying to college is terrifying. Responsibility is.. don’t even get me started. We need to understand our bodies’ signals and remember that nothing is really real. Okay, that’s stupid, things are real, obviously. Some days, we can let ourselves pretend otherwise.

I’m not saying to never turn in another math assignment again or to ditch a girls night so the world “can exist around you.”

I’m just saying that if there’s a day when the sky is crashing down onto an open history textbook and daylight seems like a myth, get under the covers and have a good cry.

Drive around aimlessly with a friend during a free period. Put on a festive movie. Go on that old swing in a neighbors backyard.

The homework will be there tomorrow, the self loathing will probably be there as well.

Some days, we can give ourselves a rest.

5

SPEAK UP

((((

November 10, 2017

Students need to walk faster Jennifer Lechowski

Passing periods are only four minutes long. Students need to walk faster. Everyday, I get stuck behind students who walk what seems like one mile per hour. When I have to get from one end of the school to the other, walking fast is necessary.

This can be hard as some students like to take their time and take up the whole length of the hallway. Hallways are narrow already , so doing this is making many students upset.

A simple solution is to make way for students who need to pass and don’t push. This will avoid people pushing and shoving.

When students get mad in the hallways, they usually just walk slower. Another problem is how students tend to block intersections. This causes more problems when students are walking because they can’t get through. Walk faster and move out of the way.

Keep head up, phone down Angelina Badami

Social media is how we connect to others.

It’s extreme to be living in a generation where our messages can transport to the receiver within seconds. When communicating, it can be hard to talk to people outside the screen of our phones. It’s sad that we let go of many relationships with the use our phones.

Through the years, we have gained insecurity and we have lost our voice. As teenagers, we need trustworthy relationships because if not we aren’t able to learn and grow within ourselves. Without having phones by our side we feel “lost.”

It isn’t right to let a small device control the world. These devices make students feel unsafe and insecure. But, that’s a choice students make in their life.

We will not be able to grow internally if we don’t use our communication daily. Communication is what makes us feel alive. Take a break on social media and start a conversation with someone. Start by complimenting someone and this could make their day.

Keep the phone down and look up.

is published 10 times a year by the journalism students of John Hersey High School, 1900 East Thomas Street, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004. Call for advertising rates. Phone (847) 718-4945.

The Correspondent welcomes a free exchange of ideas. Letters to the editor may be sent to correspondent@d214.org. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of The Correspondent is determined by, and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

The Correspondent will not publish any material determined by student editors or the student editorial board to be unprotected, that is, material that is libelous, obscene, materially disruptive to the educational process, and unwarranted invasion of privacy, a violation of copyright or a promotion of products or services unlawful (illegal) as to minors as defined by state or federal law.

All unsigned editorial area the opinion of The Correspondent staff. Materials in this newspaper are the property of The Correspondent 2016-2017. The Correspondent is a member of numerous press associations.

One thousand eight hundred copies are made each issue to be distributed to students during their second hour classes.

K

•Trent Sprauge

ayleigh Padar rethinks her life decisions on the couch in room 118.

Students need to get used to what their bodies are telling them and get comfortable with a little self love, even if it feels like the adults, friends, and grumpy little voices in our heads are telling us otherwise.

At the end of the day, if we don’t take care of ourselves, we won’t be able to take care of all the other things that are waiting for us.

Some days, we just need to breathe.

Editors-in-Chief, The Correspondent

Features Editor Katherine Wiemold

Jamie Anderluh Kayleigh Padar

Editors-in-Chief, CorrespondentLive Joshua Irvine Caroline Stiefbold

Opinions Editors Trey Schmidt Nathan Kim

In Depth Editors Heidi Freitag

Editorial Board Jennifer Lechowski Gracie Scannell Lauren Theisen

News Editors Quinn Cunningham Claire Dwyer

Marie Bechtoldt

Entertainment Editors Grace Garlick Joey Ivanov

Sports Editors Katie Lindgren Tommy Lumsden

Photographers

Alyssa Kuncheria Trent Sprague

Adviser

Janet Barker Levin MJE

InDepth

6

November 10, 2017

Making Mo

Rewards cards improve student spending Caroline Stiefbold

Rewards and loyalty cards have become a common thing for students to use when shopping or dining.“I use my loyalty cards about twice a week,” senior Annie Durava said.

Rewards and loyalty systems vary by location.“I have rewards cards for Walmart, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks,” freshman Joyce Lapsker said.

Starbucks has a star system in which dollars spent add stars to a customers account. Free drinks can be earned with these stars.

Andy’s Frozen Custard’s rewards program gives customers a free cone when they sign up and gives points for every dollar spent, adding up to free treats.

“They are helpful because they help me save money.

They also give me free food and drinks, which is always a good thing,” Durava said.

The benefits of these cards can add up quickly, especially if they are used on large purchases.“Last year when I went to state for bowling, the whole team went to Red Robin, and they asked if anyone had a loyalty card, and I did. So •Trent Sprague I got points for everyone’s meal, and it was pretty great,” tudents use rewards cards to gain points for future Durava said. spending.

Red Robin’s “royalty” program offers a variety of perks, including free birthday burgers, every tenth item free, and other “surprise” awards. restaurants with their student IDs. Forever 21 offers a 10 percent In addition to restaurants, some clothing stores also offer re- student discount when shoppers show their student ID at the checkwards programs. American Eagle has a point system, as well as out counter. Buffalo Wild Wings also offers 10 percent off with a birthday coupons, “buy five, get one free jeans,” and other member student ID. exclusive offers.

“People should get rewards cards if they want free stuff. They’re Students can also get additional discounts at some stores and pretty awesome to use,” Lapsker said.

S

Bitcoin gets busy in business bucks Quinn Cunningham

Bitcoin’s price hit an all-time high of around $7600 on Nov. 5, according to NEWSBTC. Since the start of 2017 Bitcoin’s price, which was around $1000 on Jan. 1, has seen a 660 percent increase this year to date. In essence, Bitcoin is a currency, but it has no central authority or bank controlling and regulating transactions of the coin. Instead, Bitcoin operates in a worldwide peer-to-peer network.

“Bitcoin is interesting because it fluctuates so often and has a lot of potential,” junior Josh Harden said.

Every Bitcoin transaction that has ever happened is recorded on a digital ledger known as the “blockchain.” So every time a new transaction occurs, it is verified by people around the world and added to this blockchain.

Because of the blockchain, users cannot cheat the system and transfer Bitcoin they do not possess. This process cuts out the need for a central bank or government to verify transactions; instead, the verification is decentralized across the network and kept as a public ledger.

While applications for Bitcoin as a currency remain somewhat limited, many have taken up buying Bitcoin as a way to make money.

...How you take advantage of online reward systems?

The creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, first created the currency back in 2009. The initial value of the coin was negotiated by the individuals involved in the transaction.

One of the first purchases using the currency was two Papa John’s pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoin. Today this amount of Bitcoin would be worth over $70 million.

But just as easy as it is to make money buying Bitcoin, it is just as easily lost.

In September, Bitcoin lost 41 percent of its value in a few hours.

As a result of this tendency, many people believe Bitcoin cannot ever function as a legitimate currency. However, the technology behind the blockchain has the potential to provide other services like digital voting, identity protection, and digital contracting.

“I use Starbucks rewards.

I think in order to get the benefits you have to spend a lot more money than what you’re getting.”

“I use Dunkin Donuts rewards, and I like it because you can get free drinks if you continously use the app.”

November 10, 2017

InDepth

oney Move$ Students go ‘Thrifting’ for cheap thrills Kayleigh Padar

Shopping at thrift stores or “thrifting” is a common, financially responsible way students find interesting and unique outfits without dropping hundreds of dollars in a mall.

“There’s new things every time you go, and everything is cheap, so you can afford to buy clothes that you like even if you’ll only wear them once or twice so it’s always worth a trip,” senior Erin Loken said.

Students can find lots of interesting pieces in thrift stores that they might not find in other stores.

“My favorite thing I’ve gotten from thrifting is a Hersey varsity sweater. According to a lot of adults, varsity sweaters are kind of a classic so it definitely completes a good football game outfit,” Loken said.

Quality items that originally were very expensive are also easy for students to find in thrift stores.

“The coolest thing I’ve ever gotten from thrifting is my fleece that pictures horses galloping into the sunset,” senior Jeanne Porges said. “The sweater was originally around $60 and I got it for under $5. It’s like two sizes too big and warm and fuzzy and just gorgeous.”

Oversized items are another common find in thrift stores.

Students have the freedom to buy clothes a few sizes off without spending too much money. “The men’s sweater section is definitely my favorite,” Loken said.

Similarly, students can try out new styles without worrying about getting a lot of use out of the clothing. Instead of spending hun-

dreds of dollars on a new wardrobe, they can try out a new wardrobe for much less.

“I can buy a lot of special pieces that I would’ve never bought if they were full price,” Loken said.

Students agree that the biggest benefit of thrifting is the money that they save.

“I don’t see why anyone would buy a $70 pair of heels when you can buy a pair for $5 at a thrift store,” Porges said.

Moving past individual benefits, many students enjoy the customer experience of shopping in thrift stores. Thrift stores have a unique vibe that is different from other shopping experiences.

“I enjoy the general atmosphere of the shops. The customers are so diverse, and are all there with a different purpose,” Porges said.

Loken is currently employed at Good Will, so she knows special thrifting tips. For example, all the newest items are on the rolling racks. If a shopper finds items with the same color tags as those on the rolling racks throughout the store, those are most recent additions.

Another tip is that any overstock item from Target has a barcode that begins with 190, so if students are looking for those brands, they can look for those tags.

“If you don’t mind shopping off season, you can find some pretty great deals, and it’s all brand new,” Loken said.

Thrifting is a popular, relatively cheap activity that anyone can enjoy.

“It’s a steal for people who need to survive off a low income, and it’s a really fun hobby for people who like to collect cool gadgets but not break the bank,” Porges said.

The thrifting trend seems like it will continue well into the future.

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Entertainment

November 10, 2017

‘Walking Dead’ enhances the lives of the living Grace Garlick

The AMC hit television series “The Walking Dead” premiered its eighth season entitled ALL OUT WAR this past October. Thousands watched from The Greek Theater in the show’s hosted premiere event as well as millions at home anticipating an aggressive attempt of redemption from the events left unresolved from season 7.

This post apocalyptic horror series revolves around a group lead by the show’s main character Rick Grimes (played by Andrew Lincoln) fighting for survival during a zombie apocalypse. They presently reside in a camp called Alexandria near other allied groups called The Hilltop and The Kingdom.

This season’s name makes an obvious allusion to the war they’re preparing for against an opposing group called The Saviors who reign as tyrants for the three camps, forcing monthly revenues of necessary supplies using extreme violence if they don’t fulfill they’re requirements. Season 7 left the show on a cliff hanger as the troops rallied for the upcoming battle for freedom from The Saviors.

They opened Season 8 with combative scenes of the three groups in quite literal all out war against the Saviors as well as bringing up serious conflicts of morality with certain characters.

“The opening to this season was action packed a lot of blood and shooting scenes, I believe it lived up to the trailers and all the advertisement leading up to the season premiere,” said junior Nick Spoerry.

“I don’t think it was a great opener for the season, it should be more eventful especially with how they left off season 7. They should’ve brought more story to the season rather than just constant fighting and running,” said junior Frankie Vargas.

Despite the gore filled brawl between the camps, ethical dilemmas were brought to light as allied characters fought over what to do regarding mercy to the members of The Saviors.

Even more so when Rick was caught in his attempt to find weapons in the Saviors camp and turned around to see a member of his group from season one, Morales, holding a gun to his head.

“Morales came back which was a huge plot twist, so I can see them bringing back other people from previous seasons because they’ve done that before. I didn’t want him to come back as a savior, but I did want to see him return as a different person. You could also see that his family was gone, so that was left a mystery on the second episode as well as the confrontation Morgan and Jesus over what to do with the captured saviors,” said Spoerry.

“I think bringing back Morales was way too early in the season, and the new baby was a little out of nowhere and it confused me especially because it was from Negan’s camp,” Vargas said.

Because the show is in season 8, killing walkers has become natural to the characters rather than running away when there were too many, as they did in the first few seasons, leading to many conflicts between humans.

“I like how they’re focusing on conflicts with other humans and not walkers because •Grace Garlick they had to kill and run from a lot of walkers in the first seasons. The show’s characunior Frankie Vargas embraces his ters have become strong enough that walkers love for Walking Dead by dressing as aren’t much of a problem anymore,” Spoerry Negan from the show. said.

In comparison to the first seasons, there is a debate over the realism of the series; the the comics or have decided to do so for a look artists and producers of the show have also gone on what may happen in upcoming episodes, to the length of showing the physical, emotion- however, due to an endeavor to keep the show’s al, and mental effects the time line would have suspense, the writers have made it clear in this on both the walkers and the people. season as well as past seasons that plot twists ”The style and the time line of the show have will be inevitable. really progressed,” said Vargas, “The walkers “It also makes the audience anticipate what are more decayed and grotesque because it’s will happen when the characters grow older eibeen a long time since the outbreak and the sto- ther in peace or in war.,” Vargas said. ry of the show has much more action.”

Many who keep up with the show have read

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Students express themselves with genderless fashion Kayleigh Padar

As our society begins to recognize more forms of gender identity, the fashion and beauty world transitions with it. Recently, more and more celebrities and models seem comfortable exploring fashion regardless of their genders. Online influencers are promoting products that they enjoy regardless of who the products were originally marketed to.

When it comes to physical appearance, gender seems to be less important.

“I use fashion that aligns with my personality or mood, based on how I’m feeling is how I present myself,” senior Michael Maniello said.

Actor and singer Harry Styles is one example of a celebrity that isn’t concerned about gender when it comes to expressing himself. At each night of his tour, he wears a different floral, glittery suit. In the past, he’s grown out his hair and worn braids and shiny boots.

Singer Halsey also dresses in androgynous fashion. She occasionally pairs traditionally masculine clothing with heels or a bright nail color or big jewelry.

“I think that gender and fashion relate by showing a sense of individuality, I think that fashion expresses who one is and through gender it also expresses that,” Maniello said.

“I believe stereo-typically fashion and gender are connected based on gender normalities of society,” senior Meghan Pfeiffer said.

Traditional celebrities are not the only group embracing these trends. Online influencers are also experimenting with their appearances. For example, James Charles, the first male Covergirl, has a Youtube channel where he specializes in makeup. Manny MUA and Jeffrey Starr are also examples of Youtubers who have pursued careers in the makeup industry and online beauty community despite women traditionally holding these positions.

“There are certain things that are seen as taboo for boys to wear such as makeup, dresses, heels, etc. But I’ve tried them all on before and felt good about doing it,” Maniello said.

High fashion has always been more artistic than societally confined, but in recent years, designers have broken more barriers. Gucci recently announced that they will no longer be having men’s and women’s fashion shows, but rather will combine the shows, effectively blurring the lines a little more.

“I believe people shouldn’t be afraid to try something different because, in the end, you are hurting yourself by doing what society wants you to do, and not trying to be different,” Maniello said.

Despite the positivity in the media, not all people are accepting of these new trends. “At times yes, I’ve felt like I couldn’t express myself the way I wanted because of my gender,” Maniello said.

Although not everyone will be accepting, this trend seems like it will continue well into the future.

“I feel like people can wear whatever they want. It’s a free country, what’s stopping them?

I think it’s hard to do that because of the gender normalities our society has created, but all people can do is keep being themselves,” Pfeiffer said.

November 10, 2017

Reviews

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Celebs host lyrical tour of Puerto Rico

Patryk Szczepaniak

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico last month, singer-songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, Puerto Rico native and playwright (“Hamilton,”) was among those who waited in anxious anticipation for news of family members.

With a striving patriotism for his homeland and frustration due to the United States’ government’s lack of action (according to Manuel, “If the government was commensurate with the response of the American people, we would be on the road to recovery.”), Miranda set to work, composing a benefit song for the hurricane victims and contacting various Latino musicians to sing alongside him in what became “Almost Like Praying.”

Lyrically, the song takes listeners on a star-studded tour of all of Puerto Rico’s 78 cities, incorporating each of the names into the bubbly, Latin-influenced pop track.

City names are proclaimed with fervor and a devoted patriotism, each standing out in its own way amongst the busy road map of lyrics. As a result, the song never does feel like a role-call, but rather a glorious ode to Puerto Rico’s resilience or a poignant love ballad for everyone‍ the hurricane touched.

When the village names recede for the main chorus, they are replaced instead with Manuel’s passionate crooning of the track’s title, “. . .

It’s almost like praying. . .” while in the background, the soft coos of such Latina singers as Jennifer Lopez can be heard serenading listeners with the island’s name.

The contrast between the heavily robust vocals performing the main melodies and the fragile ones responsible for the backdrop’s harmonies is, in essence, an extended metaphor for Puerto Rico’s citizens, depicting their tenacity and anguish.

Throughout these verses, several lines are scattered proclaiming the singers’ reverence for the not only the island, but the world as a whole.

Beatrix beats the competition Beatrix is a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant that is rapidly gaining popularity in the Chicago area, and for good reason. Beatrix provides a unique scenery that includes outdoor seating, open air seating, and a modern and lively environment.

It is known for its light, and healthy food including fresh squeezed juices, unique salads, and a variety of notable entrees. After the main course, customers can enjoy some deserts such like caramel pie and unique pudding. All these delicious menu items have satisfied customers so much, Beatrix has five restaurants including the new Beatrix Market which features a fantastic buffet.

Overall Beatrix is an amazing restaurant serving delicious gourmet foods, that also appeals to those with allergies, vegan diets, and those trying to stay on a healthy diet.

•Dimitri Tsiakoulas

One line translated from Spanish proclaims, “My beautiful earth, I love you.”

Moving statements like these gild the song’s overall message of Puerto Rican unity into something bigger, reminding listeners the island’s suffering is not only the citizens’ issue.

Behind the powerful lyrics encased within, the song features a beat that borrows heavily from its Latino origins, relying on a backbone of a simplistic steel drum melody carried throughout along with decorative drum riffs.

These elements play an even broader role during the track’s rap interlude, where each downbeat is accentuated with the hit of a bass drum and the resulting intensity is tangible. The staccato articulations successfully give the song a Latin feel while also moving it along at a brisk pace similar to that of modern pop songs.

While the track does play off of previous songs in the Latin-pop genre, it establishes itself as a strong contender due to its pure originality.

Incorporating elements from the Broadway‍ hit song, “Maria” from the musical “West Side Story,” it paints a portrait of Hurricane Maria’s resilient victims in the face of adversity, taking a tragic event and rewriting it.

The fusion of over twenty artists on one song invoked a sense of skepticism at first; however, the masterful way the various vocal ranges and tones are melded into one is powerful.

At the start of the song, the artists are split up, with the majority of base melodies belted by rich-voiced Ruben Blades and “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi while most of the background harmonies are left to the impressive vocal range of “Havana” singer Camila Cabello.

When all of the artists do reunite for the final quarter, the result is nothing short of glorious.

“Almost Like Praying” is available now on iTunes for $1.29 with 100 percent of profits going to the Hispanic Federation which directly assists the people of Puerto Rico with relief efforts.

Pumpkin spice not so nice As good as pumpkin spice latte’s and pumpkin pie are there comes a point where it needs to stop.

When fall comes creeping up on summer food companies decide to unveil a large haul of pumpkin spice products. Pop tarts, cereal, cookies, brownie batter, twinkies, frosting, brownies, granola bars, coffee. You name it, and it has a pumpkin spice alternative. Trying pumpkin spice flavored food starts off ok, the first few times it’s not that bad but after about, a week or two of eating constant pumpkin spice flavored things, it just gets old.

Honestly, who wants pumpkin spice cereal or pop tarts for breakfast every morning. If pumpkin spice was a successful flavor for food it would be all year-round.

Pumpkin spice is just a mediocre flavor for our favorite foods.

•Joey Ivanov

with Joshua Irvine

More than another ‘Thor’

“Thor: Ragnarok” is, like all Marvel movies, incredibly formulaic, but this isn’t the Marvel formula. Sure, its got the requisite Avenger played by a guy named Chris, underdeveloped undefeatable-until-the-last15-minutes villain, and CGI budget-blowing third act showdown, but the film is closer to one of those later “Fast and Furious” films that told reason to shove itself and then ramped a sports car out of a skyscraper.

“Ragnarok” pretty much runs on that guilty-pleasure energy, coasting with Technicolor abandon through a plot so uneven it manages to make the murder or write-off of most of the characters of the original “Thor” into an afterthought (that doesn’t count as a spoiler, since no one really remembers or cares about the original “Thor”).

Left behind from that particular massacre are the titular bag of muscles and Hemsworthian charm and his fangirl-beloved worse half, Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Making up two thirds of the family angst that kinda-sorta powers the story, Hemsworth and Hiddleston’s dysfunctional sibling dynamic makes for a charming character moments between all the other charming character moments that pretty much make up the entirety of this film.

Seriously; there’s Jeff Goldblum playing a charmingly deranged dictator who rules over the literal trash dimension Thor crash-lands into after a lost battle with the aforementioned underdeveloped nemesis, Mark Ruffalo as the charmingly violent Hulk whose found himself in the same trash dimension after some forgotten plot device from one of the “Avengers” movies, the film’s actual director as a charmingly benign Spartacus made of rock, and a few other characters I can’t mention because they’ll ruin the few narrative surprises the film has to offer.

The only characters who don’t fall into that mold are the film’s villain (Cate Blanchett, evoking a few more laughs than the usual psychopathic fare by merit of a few sight gags and an almost bored level of detachment) and disgraced alcoholic ex-warrior Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson). She’s not exactly a wholly original creation either, but she manages to play well with Hemsworth and company’s comic dedication while still adding an element of emotional depth to an otherwise lightweight film.

What it may lack in compelling characters or story, it makes up for in visuals.

“Ragnarok” is a vivid spectacle that pulls straight from the comic books’ most audacious splash panels. The set design of that trash dimension is host to some wonderfully trippy Space Age influences, with the finest moments of the Silver Age of Comics mixed in. It’s a pity in more than one way when the film abandons this little slice of psychedelic heaven for a dull finale in the Nordic realm of Asgard. At least a rainbow bridge factors in.

There’s not much to this film; it’s predictable in a way that only Marvel has perfected, almost recklessly indifferent to its story or the greater franchise mythos, and altogether an utterly ridiculous movie.

That said, writing this has only made me want to see it again.

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Sports

November 10, 2017

Cross country crosses line at state Caroline Stiefbold

Boys cross country finished their strong post season run with an eighth place team finish at the state meet last Saturday in Peoria.

“Across the board, we were doing really great,” senior Nate Mayo said.

They were led by sophomore Josh Methner, who finished in seventh place, earning an allstate title.

“We wanted to do well as a team. I knew I could place high, so I wanted to do well there [at state],” Methner said.

Senior Ryan Theisen took 36, junior Ryan Buck took 75, and sophomore Max Svienty took 81. Mayo finished 116, followed by junior Thomas McCarthy in 161, and senior Quinn Cunningham in 185.

The team advanced to state after winning the Hoffman Estates sectional on Oct. 28.

The team finished with 73 points, beating Lake Zurich, who finished second with 117, Barrington with 134, and Mundelein with 137.

After a rocky start, involving a fall by two of the Huskies, the team managed to recover well.

The Huskies were led by Methner in second and Theisen in 10, both earning all-sectional titles.

Mayo finished in 17, followed by Svienty in 20, and Buch in 31.

The Huskies effort was rounded out McCarthy in 34 and Cunningham in 55.

They confidently achieved their sectional goals.

“We wanted to qualify for state and win the race,” Theisen said.

Prior to sectionals, they took the Hoffman Estates regional by storm, winning the field with 29 points, ahead of division rival Prospect in second place with 63, Fremd in third with 100, and Glenbrook South in fourth with 106. Meth-

ner, Theisen, and Buch finished in second, third, and fifth, respectively.

Svienty and Mayo took eighth and eleventh. Cunningham and McCarthy finished in 15 and 20, respectively.

The Huskies kicked off the IHSA series following an MSL conference championship victory on all three levels.

“Going into conference, everybody wanted to win and knew we had the ability to. We wanted to perform well and everyone on the team ran amazing times,” Methner said.

Methner finished second at the meet, followed by Theisen in third, Buch in sixth, Mayo in seventh, and Svienty in eighth.

“It was really cool to do so well as a team and to race with my teammates,” Mayo said.

The boys finished the regular season as MSL East champions, with a perfect 5-0 record.

For the seniors on the team, they were able to take home several championships in their final cross country season as Huskies.

“It hasn’t really hit me yet that it’s senior year and that I’m not going to be coming back to Hersey to do cross country again.

But, I’m glad I knew that that last race I left everything out there, and I could not have pushed myself further or faster, and I think a lot of the seniors felt the same way,” Mayo said.

Over the past few seasons, the top runners have been able to improve both mentally and physically.

Despite the loss of multiple varsity-level seniors, the team is expected to excel greatly with the help of McCarthy, Methner, and Svienty, who already are running goal race times.

•Trent Sprague

unior Ryan Buch and senior Nate J Mayo use each other to pace throughout the IHSA State Finals meet on Nov. 4.

Sports

November 10, 2017

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Tommy’s Take: Swimming dives into championship season Cubs free agency raises questions Tommy Lumsden

With Major League Baseball’s free agency approaching, most teams have offered their players heading in that direction a qualifying offer of about $17.4 million. That includes two Chicago Cubs players, Jake Arrieta and Wade Davis.

These two were huge impacts on the Cubs rotation and bullpen, and both will get very good offers in free agency.

Jake Arrieta has been a beast for the Chicago Cubs, winning a CY Young Award, having two seasons with an earned run average (ERA) below three, and dominating the back half of the 2017 season.

Arrieta started two postseason games and had an ERA of just 0.84.

Arrieta has won a total of 64 games with the Cubs in just four seasons, asserting his dominance in the league after being traded from Baltimore.

He hadn’t done much of anything with Baltimore, and the Cubs got a steal for him. And the one part of his game that needed improvement, the playoffs, we finally got to see him improve on.

And Wade Davis had a historic year, not just in a Cubs uniform, but all around as a closer.

Davis finished the season with 32 saves, just one shy of perfection.

Davis had a crazy run of 32 consecutive saves and blew his last save of the season to the Brewers in the 10th inning.

Davis has been on an uphill slope as a closer. His first season he only had 17 saves and quickly brought that up to 27 in his second season.

Davis continued to climb and reached his personal best with the Cubs in 2017, and I can only imagine there is more to come from this stud reliever.

Still, if both these players deny their qualifying offers, the Cubs should not try to sign them in free agency.

And for two reasons: both would want crazy amounts of money that other teams would totally offer them, and they are both in their thirties.

The Cubs have so many young players they are going to need to resign in the next five seasons that they do not have the money or the room to sign these two huge, long term deals.

Even if they do sign them, I think Arrieta has already peaked and is on the down hill trend, and I think Davis has a solid two seasons left.

These two are not long term players the Cubs need right now, and they could replace them for younger, less expensive guys which will help them in the long run.

Huskies’ Take

“Yes [they should be traded] because they were both big aspects to the team. They were a good fit and good players as well. They were overall good for the team dynamic,” senior Hannah Graff said.

“I believe we should resign Davis but not Arrieta. Davis has been one of the most consistent relievers in the game ever since he converted to one, back in 2013. He showed that this year by converting on every save attempt and being named a finalist for the reliever of the year. Arrieta is a great pitcher but can be inconsistent. He has shown stretches where he is completely dominant but then there are stretches where he’s just not that good, and for the money he’s asking for, he just simply is not worth it,” senior Frank Shultz said.

Katie Lindgren

Championship season for the swim team is now in full swing. The girls are looking forward to their swims this weekend at the IHSA sectional meet tomorrow at Barrington High School.

All season, the girls have have been working hard, and it all leads up to this big meet.

They’ve put in their yards, tapered, and now are ready for their races.

Senior Olivia Kusio has high hopes for her swims this weekend. She is looking for some new best times and hoping to make it to state for her fourth year.

“I expect myself to make state, but I’m not going to be cocky going into sectionals,” Kusio said.

Junior Claire Lutz is looking for some fast swims from herself as well. She has improved all season and would love to make the state meet but is overall just looking for some new best times.

“I definitely have hopes for making state this weekend, but I feel like if any of my teammates made it I would be just as happy,” Lutz said.

Sophomore Claire Fink is looking to improve her 50 and 100 free times. During dual meet season, she had been dropping and has hopes for the same this weekend.

Freshman Shannon Blumenfield may be new to the team, but she is a big player on the team.

She is hopeful to make state in her individual events of the 500 free and the 100 back, but ultimately wants to have fun in her first sectional meet.

“My goal for this weekend is to really just have fun and swim fast. Because if I’m having fun I will swim fast,” Blumenfield said.

Kusio, Fink, Blumenfield and Lutz hope the rest of their teammates go best times and that a relay will qualify for the state meet this year.

Having as many people place as possible is a goal for them as a team this weekend.

Finishing off the dual meet season for the team was the MSL Conference meet, which was held at Conant High School. The girls took third as a team behind Barrington who took first and Fremd who took second. Kusio won the 100 yard free to help the Huskies with their third place finish.

Kusio was happy with her win in the 100 free.

“Conference went all right. We have trained hard and for me to go consistent time is pretty good,” Kusio said.

Fink, Lutz, and Blumenfield were content with their times. They had a hard week of practice prior to the conference meet, so their performances were as expected giving their situation.

They don’t taper for conference, so the girls having placed third as a team and having the 400 free relay place second was impressive improvements on the season.

The girls, however, did manage to win the MSL East title for the third consecutive year.

They went undefeated in conference this season but had dual meet losses to Barrington and Warren Township.

With their MSL title, the girls were very happy. Kusio, Fink, and Lutz all saw an improvement in the varsity squad as the season went on.

People kept dropping time and becoming more closely-knit as a team as the season went on. They enjoy each other’s presence which makes their practices and their season just a little more enjoyable.

Kusio explained that although they have a young team, they are able to get the job done.

With a great mind-set, these girls have finished out the season strong and are looking forward to their races this weekend.

“This season we’ve all been really positive, myself included, and it’s gone well,” Lutz said.

Huskie Huddle: What are you looking forward to this season?

Basketball Basketball Basketball Basketball Basketball

Basketball Junior Rocco Ronzio

“I am looking forward to playing with this group of guys. We have strong returning seniors along with incoming juniors and, hopefully, we can make some noise in the East.”

Basketball Senior Haley Skiko

“I am looking forward to new team chemistry and rebuilding with a new group of girls.”

Swimming Swimming Swimming Swimming Swimming Swimming

Basketball Basketball Basketball Basketball Basketball

Swimming Senior Michael Petro

“I’m looking forward to my last year of high school swim. It will be fun competing for state and swimming with all the teammates I’ve been with for so long. ”

Sports

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November 10, 2017

ophomore Erin Barton and junior Veronika S Makowski use each other to set their pace at the beginning of the race at the sectional meet at Busse Woods on Nov. 4.

enior Owen Goldsberry rushes through the line S of scrimmage, hurdling through the defense for a first down Saturday morning in their second round playoff game against Lincolnway Central.

ophomore S Katie Fredian finds her

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unior Vince Carso rushes into the end zone for the Huskies touchdown of the game Saturday. The Huskies lost 21-7 against the Knights.

spot near the front of the race and finishes 27 in the sectional race.

Football • pictures taken by Katherine Wiemold

unior J Veronika Makowski

strides to the finish line to achieve her time of 18:56.1 that contributed to the team’s overall eighth place finish.

Cross • Country pictures taken

by Alyssa Kuncheria

enior Will Ebert runs out to S block a defensive back on a screen pass that led to a big play for the Huskies.