Volume 61, Issue 1 • Fall 2019 Brookfield East High School 3305 • Lily Road Brookfield, WI • 53005
Editor’s Note
Taking A Leap of Faith “Vivek, the status quo is a no go.” - Bera “I concur, Bera. Change is like Edficiency, it is inevitable.” - Vivek That’s why as Editors-in-Chief, we changed the structure, focus, and atmosphere of the Spartan Banner starting with ourselves- as the publications first shared head position. Most importantly, we wanted a culture shift, so we created one. Along the way, we sometimes didn’t know what action to take. However, we took it, in a sincere effort to build a team culture and encourage the pursuit of change. To get this environment, we had to take a leap of faith. As an entire staff, we have embodied this sentiment into our work. The vast majority of our staff was directed towards focusing on revitalizing the online publication, (www.spartanbanner.com/) to broadcast breaking news events in real-time for the student body. Our social media has taken creative risks in design and made sports coverage a priority to make every Spartan feel apart of every moment. You can see this idea spread further through the stories in this edition of the Spartan Banner as foreign exchange students leave their families and home countries to explore new experiences in America (pg x), the Elmbrook School District adopt a brand new School Resource Officer policy attempting to bolster student safety (pg x), musicians at Brookfield East puts themselves out there and showcase their talent (pg x), and Hope Squad advocating for prioritized student mental health and wellbeing (pg x). As you delve through these pages, we challenge you to trust your intuition, jump to greater heights, and strengthen your character. It can be tenuous, convoluted, and neverending, but this process is necessary to contest the status quo. Vivek Srivastava & Bera Demirbilek Editors-in-Chief
The Banner Staff 2018-2019 EXECUTIVE STAFF Editors-In-Chief Vivek Srivastava Bera Demirbilek Print Director Rishav Kumar Online Director Catherine Ding Advertising Director Tessa Jester Social Media Director Maddy Tabaska Data Director Ido Korbelnikov Features Editors Maddie Miller Shagun Singh Lifestyles Editor Rucheng Pan News Editor Jordynn Balducci Sports Editor Sydney Munnagle Staff Journalists Will Staviski David Jia Henry Irwin Ammar Sulemanjee Amanjot Kaur
Rose Knachel Sophia Finn Ariana Collins Anant Jhaveri Emily Zhang Elizabeth Redmond
Design Team Audrey Hameister Elizabeth Redmond Isabel Zuniga-Meyer Spencer Harris David Kernan Adviser Mrs. Lindsay Skatrud Mission Statement The Spartan Banner is an open forum of student expression that aims to inform, enlighten and enternain the students of the Brookfield East community.
Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor may be submitted to spartanbanner@elmbrookschools.org. Please specify what topic or article you are addressing and limit your letter to 200 words. Include your name and preferred method of contact. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity before publishing your submissions. Please submit your letters in a timely manner.
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While the student body is the primary audience, the staff recognizes the publication is read by faculty, administrators, parents and the Elmbrook community. The Spartan Banner staff reserves the right to write about interesting and relevant material at a local, regional, national and worldwide level. As decision makers for the publication, staff members strive to adhere to the qualities of professional journalism with emphasis on skills defined tby the Journalism Education Association.
JUMPING INTO . . . New Student Resource Officer at Brookfield East
An Exchange of Culture
We Are the
Hope in the East
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Music Makers
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BROOKFIELD EAST GETS A SPECIAL RESOURCE OFFICER WHAT IS THAT?
Author: Elenore Cornelie, Shagun Singh Designer: Spencer Harris Photographer: Elizabeth Redmond
This year Brookfield East will be introducing a new member of the Brookfield East community, a Student Resource Officer, Stephanie Zartner. Her job will include many different aspects including keeping the building safe and being a role model for East students. The Brookfield East community is excited and hopeful for the new positive influence. Spartan Banner • Fall 2019 4
Starting January 1st 2020, Brookfield East High School will officially welcome Police Officer Stephanie Zartner as the school resource officer, also known as SRO. The school resource officer’s main priorities will include keeping the building safe and being a trusted adult that students can talk to. While this is Brookfield East’s first time having a SRO, the students and the Elmbrook community are both excited for the new addition.
Who is the Student Resource Officer? Zartner has been working at the Brookfield Police Department for nine years. Zartner discovered her dream of being a police officer ever since high school. A month after her senior year ended, Zartner began working with the city of Milwaukee as a police aid, similar to an internship position. Eventually she entered and completed the police academy and was able to soon join the police department. An interesting part of her career, however, is that Zartner wasn’t always a police officer. Unlike many who stay in the same profession their whole lives, Zartner was able to work in a variety of career fields. “I was a stockbroker for a short period of time and I also left policing at one time to own my own business,” Zartner said. She explains that through her varied experience in different fields she is able to apply a different kind of creativity to her job as a police officer. Has Zartner received training for being a Student Resource Officer? As for being a School Resource Officer, Zartner has received a lot of training for this specific position. In order to prepare, Zartner attended a week long training camp in Indiana called NASRO Basic school. NASRO, also known as the National Association of School Resource Officers, goes over a wide spectrum of topics specifically designed for SROs such as the adolescent brain, how to teach classes, understanding high school students, and different components of the law.
Along with the NASRO training, Zartner has also attended SWAT school. “[Zartner] has had a lot of training in the nine years at the police department; her training file is completely full,” Lieutenant Pfeiffer, City of Brookfield Police SRO coordinator said. When will Zartner start and what will she do? Officer Zartner will be officially integrated into the school district as a staff member on January 2nd; but for now, she is getting to know the building and students at Brookfield East. She will have an open-door policy so that students can feel comfortable talking to her about certain issues. Making the school safe is her number one priority, but she believes taking the time to get to know the students and interact with them on a
“[Zartner] has had a lot of training in the nine years at the police department; her training file is completely full.”
Officer Stephanie Zartner visiting Brookfield East High School where she assumes the role of the new resource officer. She will be starting on January 2, 2020. This is the first time in school history Brookfield East will have a resource officer.
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daily basis is also crucial since she is also an informal counselor and mentor for students. Zartner said, “to be that bridge between students and the community and fostering that relationship is important.” Lastly, Zartner will be involved in East as an educator. As an educator Zartner will be involved in a variety of different classes such as classes concerning the law, or drivers ed. On a daily basis, Zartner will be doing all of these things and more. “I think I’ll probably have an open door policy when I’ll have my office here, and it might be coming into the classrooms to teach along with one of your teachers on a certain topic, it might be dealing with different complaints that come in through the Stop it app, or trying to sort through that stuff,” Zartner said. In terms of safety, Zartner will be a huge asset to Brookfield East. Mrs. Schenk, the associate principal of Brookfield East said, “ From our perspective as administration if we have a situation that happens where we need to contact the police, they send the officer assigned to this area and they rotate through those so it is not the same person. So we are looking forward to having consistency, continuity and developing a working relationship with a consistent person”. As the school year progresses, students will be able to talk to Zartner as a trusted adult. Students can contact Officer Zatner through the Stop it app, or talk to her in private. Zartner said, “If anyone wants to talk, [they] would just be flagging me down in the hallway or passing a note or a message along. The other thing you could do is once everyone has my name and number, someone can give a call to the police department and ask for me by name.” Once Zartner officially begins, she will have her own office at Brookfield East,
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Officer Zartner in her squad car outside Brookfield East. She hopes to “to be that bridge between students and the community and fostering that relationship is important”. She will have an open door policy for students to visit and communicate with her. Below: Zartner gets to know the halls of Brookfield East
making her easily accessible to students. Zartner hopes that once a relationship is established between her and students, people will feel comfortable coming to her and sharing their problems.
What does Zartner think of East? Although Zartner hasn’t officially begun, she already loves being at East. One of her favorite parts about the school is the Spartan Union. Being a former business owner and stockbroker, the Union highly engages her. Zartner said, “ What interests me about the Spartan Union is the whole marketing aspect- employment aspect, running payroll, advertising, and marketing different types of coffee.” She also mentions that she is thoroughly impressed by the way students conduct themselves, the different productions going on, and how passionate East students are
“If anyone wants to talk, [they] would just be flagging me down in the hallway or passing a note or a message along. The other thing you could do is once everyone has my name and number, someone can give a call to the police department and ask for me by name.”
about school. Zartner explains that being around students at school makes her feel young again. Before coming to Brookfield East, Zartner was nervous to see the reactions of students she had dealt with in the past; however, she was pleasantly surprised. Zartner said, “I think I’ve done a decent job of being fair, being respectful, so even kids who I’ve dealt with on not so good circumstances are giving me high fives in the hallway, saying hello, or even coming up to me and saying, you know, ‘Hey, I remember how you treated me and I appreciate that and I’m doing good now’ so that’s very fulfilling to hear.” Although Officer Zartner will be officially starting in January, she has already formed several connections with students and has many ideas to offer to the school board regarding teaching methods, safety precautions, and more. Students can’t wait to get to know her as the years go by!
Zartner is excited to start her new position at Brookfield East. As the student resource officer, she will ensure the safety of students is a priority. Furthermore, she will help mentor Brookfield East Spartans.
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An Exchange of Culture:
A Comparison of High School Culture in America and Foreign Nations Author: Alexandra McClain Sabryna O’Brien Isabel McClain Designer: David Kernan Photographer: Erica Chen
W
ith 3 new foreign exchange students at Brookfield East this school year, they’re bringing a new perspective into our community. Marta, Smilla, and Dexter compare American High Schools to high school in their hometowns and reflect on their Brookfield East experience.
Who are the new foreign exchange students at Brookfield East? The foreboding chaos of a new school year beginning can be stressful for everyone. From freshman to seniors, the pressures of restarting all over again impacts everyone. Now imagine traveling overseas to a new school; not only do you have to be a high schooler, but you also have to be a high schooler in a country that doesn’t even speak your native language. This is the reality for three of our new students: Smilla Kofod of Denmark (11), Marta Briganti of Italy (11), and Stanislaw (Dexter) Flader of Poland (10).
What is the process to become a foreign exchange student?
What parallels and differences exist between America and Europe for them?
Kofod had just two days to adjust to the drastically different environment of the U.S. before she was thrown into the American Public School System. Fortunately, their welcoming host families have been there every step of the way to make their experience more comfortable. Sierra Lieske (9) explains that they converted an office space into a bedroom for Kofod, and Emily Scwab (10) prepared for Flader by making sure her little brother’s room could accommodate Flader. Briganti describes how she was very nervous but now is okay largely in part to her host family. tBefore arriving, the exchange students had a lot of time to mentally prepare for their journey. Kofod says her process of preparing to be a foreign exchange student started two years ago. Considering how involved the process of signing up is, this comes as no surprise. Flader explains that, “it was really complicated,” and that he was required to pass an exam and obtain a visa. Briganti had a similar experience, telling us that she “had to do lots of tests” in order to . The large number of tests were often english tests that they had to take before arriving, which included writing letters, holding a conversation and more. After applying, there is nothing the students can do except sit and wait for a host family to choose them. With such a nerve-racking experience in front of them the students had to mentally prepare themselves. Surprisingly, Flader knew what to expect, explaining that he “thought that everything would be new and bigger,” is true so it is “not really a surprise” for him.
They were surprised by how different the school schedule was compared to what they grew up with. Briganti explains that they “go to school from Monday to Saturday, and from 8 AM to 1 PM.” Also, instead of moving from class to class, they have to stay in the same classroom all day while the teachers rotate. Getting to pick our classes is something that helps us focus our education in a certain direction, but is also different for her. In italy, after middle school, you must pick a school focused on their subject of interest. Briganti goes to a school which had classes (that are the same year round) focused around math. Kofod echoed a similar experience by stating, “ You have the same classes everyday while we have ours spread out throughout the week. So possibly all those classes you have in your 4 years we have in a week.” The Danish approach to college, a subject that is constantly on every high schoolers’ mind, is also very different. They all point out that a lot of times we tend to participate in certain clubs or other extracurricular activities just so that colleges find us more attractive. In Denmark, their version of high school ends when kids are only 16. From there,
Smilla Kofod of Denmark (11) started school at Brookfield East only two days after moving to the United States. She finds it interesting how much teenagers use ‘Snapchat’ here in the states.
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Marta Briganti of Italy (11) , she was shocked by the schedule change, saying that they “go to school from Monday to Saturday, and from 8 AM to 1 PM.”
Stanislaw (Dexter) Flader of Poland (10) knew what to expect, he “thought that everything would be new and bigger,” is true so it is “not really a surprise” for him.
they go onto a tertiary education or ‘college’. Danish colleges focus more on overall GPA, and it is about ensuring that educated teenagers to get extra education that they desire. Therefore, they don’t really have clubs or sports associated with their schools. Aside from just schedules though, the cultural differences can be seen inside and outside of school. Flader notes that he enjoys being surrounded by so many different cultures. Additionally, he has noticed and appreciates the different religions, especially in comparison to Poland, where most people are Catholic. All three of them also took notice of our ability to express ourselves. Flader compares America to Poland and notes that we are much more able to express ourselves through our appearances and clothes. He uses wearing short skirts and having “painted” hair as examples of things that might not be as socially acceptable in his former school. Briganti has the same opinion stating that, “In America, you can wear what you want,” whereas in Italy, something as simple as pineapple socks would be very out of the ordinary. She also mentions how she finds our intense school spirit during homecoming week a bit strange and that boys wearing dresses to school would definitely raise a few eyebrows back home. Along those same lines, Kofod notes how serious we take sports. Not only are we intense with our sports but our classes and workload are also a new experience for these students. Briganti explains that in Italy, she usually used to get to bed around ten or eleven o’clock, but is now exhausted by eight o’clock. Luckily, however, Flader notes our friendly disposition and compares America to the environment from which he came. He perceives us to be “more happy” and “always smiling”, as well as
much more open minded. As scary and different as it seems America is from their native countries the host family’s kids don’t notice any major cultural differences at all. They get along just like family and are embracing each other accordingly. One thing is quite clear from speaking with these three teens, teenagers will be teenagers no matter where they are from. The only difference can be found in how their respective societies treats them. Kofod and her friends did majority of the activities we do. However, she did notice that teens here get treated a bit differently by adults, teenagers can “drink from the age of 16”. She also stated, “When I was 11, I would just go out with my friends and go shopping and I didn’t have to get my parents to drive me there.” In general they have much more independence from a younger age. She notes that she found it interesting that Americans use Snapchat so much whereas she and her peers mainly use WhatsApp.
Conclusion? Despite how frightening their experience was the three students have shown extreme courage by coming to Brookfield East. They have made this school year so much enjoyable for those around them with their differing perspectives and wonderful personalities. These three students have proved that we can always deal with the chaos of high school, no matter what we face.
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We Are Th
Author: Jordynn Balducci Designer: Audrey H
F our of Brookfield East’s brightest artistic minds reveal their journeys through the wondrous world of music, discussing achievements and hardships they faced along the way. School is officially back into the swing of things, and Brookfield East students have started the year off with a bang. Or rather, in a few cases, a soft melody and a soothing chorus. Music and fine arts have always been an important part of the high school curriculum, even qualifying as one of the mandatory classes to graduate. However, some students here are finding their passions in music becoming more than just another credit on their transcripts.
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For Ben Lukas (12), music is actually something that has been generating revenue. Active on multiple music platforms with two EPs and a single out, Lukas describes his decision to release his music to the public as one that required a lot of bravery. “It’s pretty nerve-wracking actually because you don’t know if people will like it or not,” Lukas says. Typically, art is regarded as a form of expression; something that is used as a creative outlet and left for other people to interpret. While this can be a similar situation for music, it is more common that musicians create with their audience in mind. This is how genres are formed, and with people having such diverse tastes in music, it’s difficult to write songs that everyone loves. “I couldn’t tell you specifically or for certain which genre my music would fall into, but if I had to give an answer, I’d say it’s closest to pop,” says Lukas. For other musicians, the goal of playing is to perfect, not to create. This is certainly the case for sophomore Carrie Wang (10) and her ventures throughout the world of Orchestra. “I usually practice anywhere from 1 to 2 hours per day to reach the level I try to consistently perform at,” says Wang. Multiple resources including private lessons, independent recital rehearsals, and extensive funding go into keeping up with the rigorous schedule of a dedicated musician. Wang believes that amongst all the challenges people in the field may face, the internal ones are the most difficult to overcome.
“Things definitely don’t always go as planned, even when you’ve put a lot of work into it. I think that’s a big challenge because it feels so unfair when you’ve dedicated yourself to something and you aren’t producing the results you want,” Wang says. Even with substantial pressure on the young talent, she finds a bright side to the intense energy that goes into her performances. “Playing my instrument has taught me that I really need to persevere to achieve that level of success I’m chasing.” Being involved with music doesn’t always have to have such high stakes, though. Victoria Smurawa (12), a member of Chamber Choir and a repeat performer in the school’s musicals has a very light view on how music has impacted her life. As one of the original members in Brookfield East’s A Capella group, Unaccompanied Minors, a lot of Smurawa’s focus goes into helping lead in the extracurricular. With the attention being on the group as a whole, Smurawa doesn’t spend too much time dwelling on or criticizing her individual performances. “As far as achievements go, I want to say I’m most proud of my solo accomplishments, but it’s really the group’s success that is the most important to me,” Smurawa says. She still remains a highly decorated musician, having earned multiple awards for her vocal performances throughout her high school career.
he Music Makers
Hameister Photographer: Elizabeth Redmond
Amongst the winnings include an Exemplary State Soloist Award in both musical theatre and classical pieces from the annual Solo and Ensemble competition. Like Lukas, Smurawa also took a leap into the world of production after being invited by a group of seniors to sing a song on an album they produced in her freshman year. “The album is called 1% Album, I sang the song Down In The Valley for it,” Smurawa says. Most musicians find their guidance by following the leadership of others, similar to the way Smurawa did. Others, however, have it passed down to them through family, as if being involved with music is hereditary. Alec Rousseau (11) describes how his original motivations to take up music came from a generation before he had touched his first instrument. “My grandfather played a lot of music, so it was really him that inspired me the most,” Beginning with the piano and venturing onto both the saxophone and the flute, Rousseau emphasizes that it’s never too late to get into something new. “I actually started flute just this year, and so far it’s been pretty interesting. I haven’t had much success so far, I’m still working at it,” Rousseau says. Rousseau also spends significant amounts of time perfecting his craft, even while most students are taking a break. “During the summer, I’ve put in as much as 8 hours of practice a day if I have events that I’m going to. I know it’s a lot, but practicing is just something that you need to do if you want to be good at what you’re performing,” says Rousseau.
“During the summer, I’ve put in as much as 8 hours of practice a day if I have events that I’m going to. I know it’s a lot, but practicing is just something that you need to do if you want to be good at what you’re performing,” says Rousseau. Rousseau also spends significant amounts of time perfecting his craft, even while most students are taking a break.“During the summer, I’ve put in as much as 8 hours of practice a day if I have events that I’m going to. I know it’s a lot, but practicing is just something that you need to do if you want to be good at what you’re performing,” says Rousseau. This work pays off though, and Rousseau’s greatest accomplishments center around his saxophone playing. “I was the lead saxophone in Wisconsin Conservatory of Music’s Jazz Band, which is a state-level organization, and I’ve gotten a scholarship from them as well,” says Rousseau. Rousseau reveals that performing music at this skill level has more to offer than just the ability to play an instrument or memorize a concert piece. “The most valuable thing I’ve learned is playing music is definitely a humbling experience,” Rousseau says. Though all four of these students have put some serious investment into creating their music, they each found it important to note that music is not exclusively an activity that requires extreme dedication and discipline. “Music is inclusive, it’s for everyone, and everyone should try it because it’s amazing,” says Lukas. Rousseau agrees with the notion, saying, “Music is fun. Especially if you’re just doing it for yourself. When you don’t have any worries or pressures, it’s something that’s super easy to enjoy.” Wang is also in agreement with the statement of music being universal and offers further insight for aspiring musicians.
Though all four of these students have put some serious investment into creating their music, they each found it important to note that music is not exclusively an activity that requires extreme dedication and discipline. “Music is inclusive, it’s for everyone, and everyone should try it because it’s amazing,” says Lukas. Rousseau agrees with the notion, saying, “Music is fun. Especially if you’re just doing it for yourself. When you don’t have any worries or pressures, it’s something that’s super easy to enjoy.” Wang is also in agreement with the statement of music being universal and offers further insight for aspiring musicians. “I think the one thing you need to know about music is just that it’s not something that can be cut out black and white, it’s far more artistic. There’s so much room for interpretation when it comes to “good” or “bad”, so you can’t lose confidence in yourself if you ever come across people that don’t like the way you make your music,” says Wang.
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Carrie Wang (10) performs a solo during an orchestra concert. “What I’m most proud of regarding my music is when I look back on my recitals from when I was younger and I can see the massive amounts of progress I’ve made,” says Wang. “I’m really proud of how far I’ve come.”
Performing with his A Cappella group, Unaccompanied Minors, Ben Lukas rehearses his lines, joyfully. Lukas has grown as a musician along with his other A Cappella members. Lukas said “[music is] for everyone” because “it’s amazing.”
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For those looking to take on the challenge of making music their priority or aiming to study and work with it beyond school, Wang says not to treat the experience like a transaction. “Music is not a mathematical equation. You can’t put a certain amount of time or effort into it and expect to get the full return out of it. Although, that’s kind of the beauty of it too. It’s unpredictable,” she explains. Another significant part of highschool is creating a foundation to build upon as students begin making plans for their future. All at different points in their high school careers, the four musicians have varying plans for what their music holds for them. Music is one of those journey-type experiences where you just want to keep improving. My goal right now is to keep working to get better,” she says. Although two years younger than Lukas, Wang has a similar mindset when envisioning her future. “I definitely want to keep playing whether it evolves into a career or not. Music is one of those journey-type experiences where you just want to keep improving. My goal right now is to keep working to get better,” she says. Smurawa also plans on keeping her relaxed relationship with music into and throughout college.
Victoria Smurawa (12) performs at the 2019 ICHSA semifinals in the Pabst Theater. Unaccompanied Minors ultimately placed 5th overall, a huge achievement for the new group. “I’m most proud of how we did in a capella,” says Smurawa. “It’s really the group’s success that is most important to me.”
“I’m not going into music in the future, or at least, I don’t plan to. I’m definitely going to keep it as a hobby, though, and I do hope it stays in my life. Music is my creative outlet,” Smurawa says. Rousseau, on the other hand, plans to take his musical endeavors a step further as he looks forward. “I enjoy composing music a lot, so I hope to get into some of that. My music has become such an important part of my life, I can’t really see myself not doing it,” Rousseau says. “I’ll probably maybe minor in something music-related in college, and I will for sure participate in music-based extracurriculars. I’m also going to keep producing in my free time, just because I love it,” says Lukas. Although two years younger than Lukas, Wang has a similar mindset when envisioning her future. “I definitely want to keep playing whether it evolves into a career or not. Whether for pure recreation or the pursuit of a professional career, these four students believe that music is a subject that can be explored within and beyond the classroom. “As far as music goes, I think the best way to learn and grow is through experimentation. You’ll never know unless you try,” says Lukas.
Carrie Wang (10) practices the violin in Brookfield East’s orchestra room. Nine years of playing has expanded her interests in both classical music and variations of pop, which she puts hours of practice into daily.
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IN THE EAST Author: Elizabeth Redmond Designer: Isabel Zuniga-Meyer Photographer: Elizabeth Redmondt
Persuade, Emp , n O n ade, Empower , Pers O ower, ld u s o r d e l uade, Empower,Ho Hold On,P H The beginning of the new school year brought a new club to Brookfield East High School, the Hope Squad. Members of the club work together to help the students of Brookfield East through hard times and create an environment of hope and cooperation.
New to the community, a group of hand-picked students known as the Hope Squad are now in the halls of Brookfield
East. The Hope Squad idea, which originated at a school in Utah, was brought to Wisconsin by Mr. Farley and Mrs. Schneidewent. Last year, all students of Brookfield East were given a survey asking to list the names of their fellow peers that they would feel comfortable going to if they were ever in need of emotional support. Based on that survey the new members of the Hope squad were chosen. After putting in considerable thought, all the chosen students got together and formed what is known now as the Hope Squad. Now making appearances in media such as TMJ4 and The Morning Blend, the members of the squad are striving to spread the club’s name, not only to the halls of Brookfield East but to other schools around the state.
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What is the Hope Squad? The Hope Squad is a peer-run elected group of students for suicide prevention. Within the past couple of years, the number of suicides, especially in teens, has increased drastically. The Hope Squad is an organization to really help bridge the gap between students and adults when students are going through a tough time or are thinking about committing suicide.” Hayden Doyle (11), a member of Hope Squad, said, “We can’t lose any more students than we already have in the past few years [to suicide].” According to HopeSquad.com, “Hope Squads seek to reduce self-destructive behavior and youth suicide by training, building, and creating change in schools and communities.” They plan on doing this by giving students peers they can trust and go to during hard times. It has been shown in past events that teens are more likely to consider going to their peers when they are in need of emotional support before they consider going to an adult. Hope Squad member Madison Kielar (11) said, “I think it’s really important for our school to have that social structure, that connection between students and adults so that they don’t feel afraid to come to someone when they’re in a time of need.” An overarching theme of the club has been to strengthen student-teacher bonds in the community. Hope Squad members feel that students around the world should not feel scared to bring up a problem occurring in their life. That’s why the Hope Squad has come to BEHS.
At a recent Hope Squad meeting, Anna Gaskell (12), Grace Zeronis (12), and Bridget Berens (12) discuss potential methods to relive academic stress. Mental health is an important component of Hope Squad’s platform.
Persuade, Emp m , n O n ade, E power , Pers O o ld u w s o r e d e r , Hold On,P uade, Empower,Hol H
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What has the Hope Squad been up to? Hope Squad members also go through training and know-how to help out others during those times. The training includes the QPR (Question, Persuade, React) process. This training helps members of the Hope Squad know how to help someone whose thinking about committing suicide, and teaches them how to do so in the correct manner. Their goal is to help their fellow classmates get to that point where they feel comfortable going to an adult for help. Along with training, Hope squad members are informed through lessons along the way. “Some lessons would include ...the questions that you ask, and what you say when they come to you. And then how you can get adults involved,” said Doyle. Over the short time that the Hope Squad had been formed, members have successfully promoted the concept of suicide prevention and the steps someone can take when put in such a situation. “I like going to meetings every time and being with a great group of people we have there. And then also, learning about this and being comfortable in this type of situation is just important for anything in your life really,” said Doyle. Members enjoy the mission and journey of Hope Squad.
Brookfield East Hope Squad Member, Isabel McClain (11), discusses ways to deal with stress during the year. McClain was nominated by her fellow classmates into Hope Squad because they felt she could be the best link between students and adults.
, On ld On, Pers o d l uade, Empower,Ho H
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Persuade, Emp
e, Empower d a ower, u s Hold On,Per
Kielar said during an interview how she feels honored to be a part of an amazing organization such as the Hope Squad. She also said, “We are the beginning of what could be something huge.” Mental illness, as we have learned, has been pushed to the side for many individuals. With groups promoting the recognition of mental illness, Hope Squad is taking strides in reducing the old stigma against asking for help. The increased media presence and overall journey from the club starting last year to now being known by many is a game-changer for the Hope Squad. The Hope Squad at Brookfield East is a pioneer school to serve as a model for the program around the state. “Eventually we will get to where we need to be and hopefully that’s a depression-free, and suicide free school and area,” said member Jacob Koops (11). As they continue to expand and add new members from the incoming freshman class of 2023, the Hope Squad will continue to spread the meaning of Hope Squad and make differences in the lives of the BEHS community.
Olivia McSorley (10), Sarah Multhauf (10) and Abby Hall (10), are all members of Brookfield East’s Hope Squad. Hope Squad members gather in the Launch room to discuss ways students and adults can connect with each other in regards to student mental health. These girls are working out solutions to relieve stress.
Persuade, Emp , n O de, Empower a O o ld n, Pers u w s o r e r, Hold On,Pe uade, Empower,Hold H
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Spartan Banner • Fall 2019
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