Spokesman Wheeling High School
900 S Elmhurst Rd., Wheeling, IL 60090
Page 4
WHS students changing the community
Volume 56
Page 6-7 Education around the world
Issue 3
November 15, 2019
Page 9
Jesus is King album review
whsspokesman.com
Page 12
Brenda Torres: state qualifier
Schneider visit led by student leadership Santiago Cuevas Editor-In-Chief
Top: Max Patel (left), Brad Schneider (middle), and Alex Herazy (right) pictured in the nanotechnology lab. Middle: Alex Herazy (far left), Michael Geist (middle left), Brad Schneider (middle right), and Thomas Steinbach (far right) pictured in the Engineering room. Bottom: Geneve Halfman (farthest left), Kazu Quigley (middle left), Bryan Martinez (middle), Javier Romano (middle right), and Alex Herazy (far right) questioning Schneider.
On Nov 5, 2019, Representative Brad Schneider toured WHS to learn more about the schools high achieving STEM program. The visit was planned and led by Alex Herazy, junior, who is a part of Schneider’s STEM scholars program and founder of the WHS Public Committee crew. “Our first meeting was in Libertyville and we learned about planning and how cities are planned, and the science and data behind that and the engineering and the early stem aspect of that. I arrived to the event really early and I had the chance to talk to Schneider’s campaign manager. I was talking to her about Wheeling and why I was interested in the program, and I said that it would be great if congressman Schneider would like come to Wheeling, and she said yes,” Herazy said. The tour, which was heavily focused on the STEM aspects of the school, started in the engineering wing. There Schneider was able to interact with staff members and students about projects and future ideas. He was then shown the Nanotech classroom, which is where Herazy talked about various STEM based opportunities offered at Wheeling and how they can be helpful in the real world. The tour ended with a student panel of other WHS Public Committee members. Members include, Jaspreet Kaur, Javier Romano, seniors and Geneve Halfman, Lisbeth Guttierez, Bryan Martinez, Max Patel and Kazu Quiagley, juniors. Topics that were discussed during the student panel include local legislation and how WHS prepares students for the real world. “He saw a school open to innovation, committed to student voice, and creating a supportive environment. He remarked that Wheeling is too often underestimated, which I think speaks to his positive experience during his visit, and the PIC’s {Public Committee} success in revealing often overlooked achievements at Wheeling,” Halfman said. Bruce French, math and science division head, walked with Schneider and helped Herazy guide the tour. “The goal is to make people see what we have to offer as a D214 school. Internships, extracurriculars, Rep. Schneider was interested in all of that,” French said. Schneider’s visit was a success and the fact that it was student led only added to the fact that Wheeling prepares its students for the better. “I felt honored to lead both the tour and moderate the student panel. The tour gave Congressman Schneider an updated and real representation of Wheeling, while the Student Panel provided insight from other Wheeling students about their experiences,” Herazy said. Schneider is set to visit again during Display of Cultures. “It was truly an honor to give Congressman Schneider a tour of Wheeling, and I look forward to showing him our diversity when he comes back for the Display of Cultures,” Herazy said.
Students unite: an alliance for everyone Jessica Bezkhlebetskiy Staff Reporter
The Gay-Straight Alliance, or GSA, club is back at WHS this school year, being led by GSA president Jessica Barnett, junior. GSA is a student-led club found in many high schools that is intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students as well as their cisgender and heterosexual allies. Jessica Barnett, an open pansexual, formally started advocating for the GSA club to be brought back this 2019-2020 school year. With the help of social workers such as Mrs. Fastov, Mr. Maya and other educators, she was able to bring it to WHS.
“The reason I decided to return this club to WHS is because the school I came from (Streamwood) was very homophobic. I really want this school to be different so we can have people come join. Straight people, gay people, everyone is welcome as long as you’re a human,” Barnett said. David Maya, a counselor intern, assisted Barnett in starting the club and being the club sponsor. “I’ve had some experience running other GSA clubs in schools. I think it’s an important group to have at a highschool setting to support LGBTQ students and their allies. I’m hoping to create a safe space for any LGBTQ students and allies that wish to come together as a community and create a safer environment within WHS. I hope more students join and that we are able to make different initiatives to support LGBTQ students and also to raise
some awareness about the issues concerning LGBTQ students,” Maya said. Although the club is focused on LGBTQ students, heterosexual students are highly encouraged to come and attend the meetings, as the purpose of the club is to create an alliance. “I joined GSA because I highly support LGBTQ rights even if I’m straight. I believe this school should have a GSA just to bring awareness to others. Not everyone is as informed as I am now after meeting a lot more of my friends who are a part of the LGBTQ community. I think everyone can learn from GSA no matter what your sexuality is, your gender identity, who you are... you can learn. I think this club promotes that no matter who you are, it’s okay to be you,” Gabriella Lowrey, junior and GSA straight ambassador, said.
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News
Spokesman Staff 2019-2020 Editor-in-Chief Santiago Cuevas* Associate Editor-in-Chief Kamila Walus* News Editor Kamila Walus Arts Editor Erica Hayden* Assitant Arts Editor Ana Cozariuc Feature Editor Santiago Cuevas Assistant Feature Editor Daniel Aguiniga Focus Editor Jasmine Yusef* La Voz Editors America Munoz* Jesse Carrillo* Entertainment Editor Rachel Lawson* Forum Editor Ana Malagon* Assistant Sports Editors Matthew Posner* Jared Freeman* Mitchell Fister* Ethan Polak* Copy Editor Ana Cozariuc* Social Media Manager Kaidence Katz Web Manager Ethan Polak Advertising Manager Jasmine Yusef Staff Reporters Chrissy Makris Jessica Bezkhlebetskiy Kristin Dawson Jasmine Bautista Melanie Aguilar Cecilia Herrera Ben Williams Iran Terra Adviser John Uhrik
*Staff members with asteriks are members of the Editorial Board
This is the official student newspaper of Wheeling High School, 900 S. Elmhurst Road, Wheeling, Ill. 60090. Written, edited and distributed 8 times a year by advanced journalism classes, independent studies and other interested and qualified students. Produced by using desktop publishing and is printed by Son’s Enterprises, Inc., Skokie Ill. Mailed subscription $15 per year. Letters- Spokesman is a limited public forum and welcomes a free exchange of ideas from all readers. Readers are encouraged to contribute letters to the staff in room 137 or mail them in care of WHS. All letters must be signed. Letters may be edited for length, style, possible libel, clarity, and adherence to our publication policies. Spokesman’s mission is to report the news objectively and truthfully. We will print any known errors here in the issue following our gaining knowledge of the error.
November 15, 2019
Global News
Chicago by Ana Cozariuc and Kaidence Katz
On October 14, 2019, Chicago public school teachers went on strike after the Chicago Teachers Union and the city failed to settle on a new contract. There were multiple concerns of the CPS teachers including oversized classes of students, lack of sources for medical attention and overall understaffing. Without these resources, it made it extremely difficult for CPS teachers to give one-on-one quality attention to their students. Abigail Cozariuc, former WHS student, and current Taft Freshman Academy Teacher, has a perspective on the strike itself. “At my own classroom in Taft Freshman Academy, I have 35 students in one world studies class. It may not sound like a lot but, from a teacher’s perspective, it’s incredibly difficult to give each student the attention and consistent quality of education that a smaller classroom would allow, Cozariuc said. Continuing with the concerns,
Cozariuc continues, “The school that I work at has not had a librarian all year and only has a part-time nurse. Imagine not having access to a nurse if you are having an allergic reaction or even something as simple as a migraine. The third issue is investing in affordable housing for teachers and students”. With the array of issues these teachers were facing, the teachers went on strike for 11 school days. The longest consistent teacher strike in Chicago was during 1987, lasting 19 days. They successfully won teachers an eight percent raise over two years, more sick days, and more health coverage during this time. On Oct. 25, 2019, they halted with the 11 day strike and came to an agreement. A whopping $380 million was agreed upon. This includes benefits such as raises for teachers and support staff, $70 million going towards a full-time nurse and social worker for every school, more special education cases managers,
and $50 million is dedicated to address class size, community and sanctuary schools.
In early October, Japan was faced with a deadly typhoon by the name of Typhoon Hagibis. This disastrous storm murdered at least 80 people and is causing immense amounts of grief for the whole country. This typhoon has shown
that the decade old levees that were built along all of Japan’s major rivers may not provide enough protection from these increasingly large storms formed from climate change. Construction workers are patching up the holes that were formed in the embankments from the storm, but politicians are trying to find ways to better prepare for future storms. Experts that are studying the embankment breeches are suggesting new ways to secure the levees, but they are more focused on long term evacuations to encourage citizens to move away from lowlands in the case of typhoons. Typhoon Hagibis started up and rapidly intensified at one point to having winds of 195 kilometers per hour. By the time it became an actual typhoon, instead of obtaining high winds, there was a steady rainfall, which was apparently because of an atmospheric river, a narrow channel of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere that sometimes form in association with midlatitude cyclones. Intense rainfall is becoming extremely common in Japan.
Hagibis is the fourth major rainfall disaster to afflict Japan in the past 14 months; Tokyo was hit twice in less than two months. Climate change is the likely cause of the increase in average size of hurricanes and tropical storms. One way to help transition into these conditions is to widen major rivers or clean out all the mud and weeds from rivers so they can accommodate more water, which will decrease flooding. This method would not work for rivers surrounded by urban cities, because widening rivers is very hard in such compact areas. This is a huge problem, because portions of major cities, like Osaka and Tokyo, are becoming submerged due to these monster typhoons. Experts are also encouraging the population not to live in “danger zones” or places where major tropical storm damage occurs. Japan will need to increase their support and defense against major typhoons because increasing climate change is causing storms to chip away at their country piece by piece.
Japan by Kristin Dawson
Photo via Neikki Asain Review
Syria by Mitchell Fister
In early October, President Donald Trump gave the order for American troops to start pulling out of Syria in an attempt to fulfill his promises to “bring the troops home”. The US military was originally sent to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who were fighting against the Syrian government in order to create a decentralized government. The SDF soon expanded their conflict to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). A major ally to the SDF and the US in this conflict were the Kurds, an Iranian ethnic group that make up roughly seven to ten percent of Syria’s total population. The Kurds were important to the US in the fight against ISIL, as they have fought for many years against oppressive governments, and were familiar with the terrain. The decision to withdraw around 900 of the 1,000 American troops stationed in Syria proved to be a controversial one because it came soon after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Trump that he was planning on sending his forces into Syria in order to clear out Kurds from the border with Turkey in order to set up “safe zones” that would house some of the refugees residing in Turkey. The Turkish government has long considered the Kurdish militias to be terrorist organizations, so there was fear that the invasion was really just an ethnic cleansing
China by Matthew Posner
Photo via Flickr
in disguise. Nevertheless, once the US troops were withdrawn to safety, the Turks launched their offensive. More recently, Trump has expressed his desire to send more troops back to Syria to defend oil fields. According to the Pentagon, this strategy is being done with the goal of keeping the oil fields out of the hands of ISIL, as they could use them to gain money to fund their extremist activities. As of late October, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper stated that troops withdrawn from Syria will not be heading home as Trump had originally stated, but relocated to Iraq, where they will continue the fight against ISIL.
Mike Pence, (left), Donald Trump (middle), and Mark Esper (right) Photo via Flickr
On Friday, Oct. 5, Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey posted a tweet that stated “Fight for freedom; stand with Hong Kong.” This tweet by Morey sparked outrage among the Chinese government and people, and protests were held outside the MasterCard Center in Beijing, China hours before the NBA preseason games in China were scheduled to begin. The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers played anyways on Thursday, Oct. 10 and Sunday,
Advertising- For information, call (847) 718-7114 Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 3:19 p.m. Photo via Quartz
Oct. 12. However, the games weren’t aired on TV and press conferences were not held. After the games, Morey posted a series of tweets apologizing for his controversial tweets, but the damage had already been done. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the first day of the NBA regular season, China refused to air any of the games, and as of Nov. 15 they still have not aired a single regular-season game in China. This poses a very awkward situation for the multiple Americans playing in the Chinese Basketball League. Former stars such as Amare Stoudamire, Jeremy Lin and Michael Beasley all live in America but play in China. Stoudamire is on record saying that he wishes the relationship between the parties would smooth over and make things less tense for players in China. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has remained very quiet on the situation, but he is on record saying that he is confident that an agreement between the two countries can be reached soon and swiftly. With the NBA season underway and many fans looking to get their favorite stars like LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard on TV, the wait will have to continue for NBA fanatics in China. For now, the NBA and China are at a crossroads, waiting for a resolution to be made.
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Feature
November 15, 2019
Valles motivates student to listen to ebooks Valles said. the competition but also tie for first place. One of the “ The student is very things Valles didn’t unmotivated in school, expect was the fact that he was disruptive “I hope by taking it out in class and said he her idea was so well received by the classroom of the classroom a little eventually wanted to she was student teaching drop out. My goal was bit that it makes it a at. to get him to do his “No, middle schoolers little bit more exciting, homework. We went don’t really reading but a little more real, more to the library and got I was surprised with the him an audio book fun to listen to, for me and headphones and outcome. I wanted every student to participate then he came back the and for people in the and try to listen to a next day with the book class.” couple of chapters of done,” Valles said. audio but out of 30 kids Although Valles only 15 participated,” was one of the more Laura Wagner, English Valles said. succesful projects, teacher,said. Another thing Valles various other speeches didn’t expect was being were also able to show able to push one of the how WHS pushes its more rebellious kids in students to succeed. the classroom to not only participate in For Ethan Polak, senior, his
Santiago Cuevas Editor-In-Chief
WHS’s college speech classes have taken a diffrent toll when it comes to their speeches. Their “Be the Change Speeches” have students solve a problem in the community or help others. One student who did just that is Isabelle Valles, senior. Valles’s project revolved around the idea of hosting a reading competetion at one of the local feder schools, Holmes Middle School. Students at the school were able to pick between reading a physical book or listening to an audio book, which counted towards their score. The idea was initated due to Valles’s love for reading and the opportunity she was given through her Ed Academy class. “I decided to do a reading contest because it was something to do for the community and it worked out good,”
project consisted of planting native pollinator-friendly plants around Lake Arlington, Arlington Heights. He was not only able to help the enviornment but also push for more native life to return to the area. His project made it on the front cover of the Chicago Tribune. The whole idea for the Be The Change speeches is to push students to interact more with their community. Though some projects have already been done, there are more waiting to be planned out. Laura Wagner, English teacher, said, “I hope by taking it out of the classroom a little bit makes it a little bit more exciting, a little more real, more fun to listen to, for me and for people in the class.” More projects are set to come out as the year progresses. “As the project continues next semester and next year, I’m really excited….. For more of those ideas that can become a reality,” Wagner said.
Courtesey of Isabelle Valles Here Isabelle Valles, senior, takes a group photo with all of her participants. Out of a class of 30, 15 participated and two tied for first place. One of those students was one who was not expeteced to achieve the success.
Staff members share their relation to one another Iran Teran Staff Reporter
It is without a doubt that our wildcat community is big and we are one big family, but have you ever stopped to think about who is actually related? It may surprise you to find out that there are more related staff than you may think. While Kevin Lennon walks the halls he has the pleasure of seeing his wife, Elizabeth Lennon, and when Mrs. Geist forgets her lunch money Michael Geist has her back. All perks and more to having your family member on the whs staff. While Mr.Lennon spends his day teaching in the Avid department, Mrs. Lennon is teaching in the social studies department.
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to each other, it’s also nice if we need to borrow money from each other,” Mrs.Geist, preschool aide, said. Mr.Geist, technology Ed teacher, feels the same way. “We have more to talk about, we’re both in the same industry and we went to high school together, so now we’re in high school all over again,” Mr. Geist said. It may be hard to know who actually is related, for example Matt Weber and Katherine Weber. They would like to clarify that they are in fact not related. “I get asked about three times a year. My students ask ‘Mrs.Weber are you related to Mr.Weber’? And I would say I am but not the Weber who works here,” Mrs. Weber said. Both Webers said that it is not weird at all when people ask because at the end of the day they teach in the same department and ultimately we are all Wheeling Wildcats.
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because I graduated from here as well so that was always the plan,” Eloiza said. “I don’t have a number for the times I get asked if we’re related but it’s pretty often” Brianna Eloiza, sophomore and daughter of Mrs. Eloiza, said. Eloiza speaks about how interested people are when they find out that Mrs. Eloiza is her mom and expresses how it can be a little weird. “That’s something my freshman year I went back and forth on. You can’t really get away because I see her all the time but there’s definitely a lot more pros that outweigh the cons, and if I had the decision I would still have her here,” Eloiza said. Having your family member in the school clearly has its perks. “If we forget anything we can always run to each other or it’s nice to just say hello
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G race Kop
Spokesman interviews members of the Little Wildcat preschool class
L o re l a i Pa d
Li t tle Wi l d cats
“At first it was a little bit weird but now we’ve both gotten used to it,” Mr. Lennon said. Although Mr.Lennon said that there’s been some funny moments, such as subbing for Mrs. Lennon and telling her students that they were actually siblings, he is glad that she is here and wouldn’t have it any other way. “My children think of the school like a second home, my players know my children so it really makes Wheeling like one big family,” Mr. Lennon said. The Lennons aren’t the only ones who have their kids close to WHS home. In fact, Adriana Eloiza, administrative assistant, has her kids attending school here. “We purposely moved to the Wheeling area so they would go here because I always wanted them to be Wheeling Wildcats
t
Q1: What are your favorite thanksgiving food?
Mac and Cheese
Turkey
Chicken nuggets
Pizza
Q2: What are you thankful for?
Bunny
Gwen
Playing outside
Family
Q3: What are you doing for thanksgiving?
Play with dollhouse
Went to cousins house and played
Playing games
Thanksgiving at my house. Help with turkey
Information collected by Ana Cozariuc, Ana Malagon and Kaidence Katz
November 15, 2019
Feature
Thanksgiving: A time for tradition Daniel Aguiniga
Assistant Feature Editor
Do you have any thanksgiving traditions? A lot of families have traditions such as having a family get together, traveling or eating specific foods. The point of having a Thanksgiving tradition is so that it means something to you or your family. Usually traditions are passed down from ancestors. Thanksgiving traditions can mean a lot and symbolize a lot of things. Thanksgiving is a holiday to say what you are thankful and grateful for. It is a time where everyone should just be happy and really take time to acknowledge everything and everyone. “We get together and play football with the fam and watch football games, also we make food which is the usual but that’s pretty much it,” Jimmy Harris, senior, said. A lot of people have family get togethers at either their house, or a relatives or friends house. They sometimes help make the food and eat together to show that they are
grateful for the chance to be near family. “We usually get together with our extended family and have thanksgiving in the afternoon. My dad who is a senior citizen we’ve been
doing it at his house, and I have a niece from California who also comes in,” Lou Wool, law teacher, said. Thanksgiving started from Native Americans and pilgrims sharing their food and all getting together to have a
feast. Other traditions include having specific foods. Some cultures from the United States celebrate Thanksgiving by having a specific food as their main dish. They’re are a lot of alternatives to have for main dishes. For most Americans, their tradition for a main dish is turkey. Whenever you hear Thanksgiving you instantly think of a lot of food. Corn, mashed potatoes, ham and turkey. Those are all traditional foods in the US. “I just spend time with the family and help cook the food. We have a good time,” Destiny Hernandez, junior, said. Thanksgiving is a holiday where you don’t have to care for materialistic things. It’s a holiday where you can acknowledge and take the time to really be thankful for what you have. Back then, Native Americans joined together with the pilgrims to drop all their problems and be thankful. Now, families get together to have good times. There are a lot of family traditions, but the best one is being grateful for what you have.
5 The wonderful wizard of WHS Cecilia Herrera Staff Reporter
A story telling puppet show by a wizard with goodie bags included? What more can a little wildcat ask for. Every year for the past ten years, Robert Kupon, social studies teacher, and wizard does a puppet show on Halloween for the little wildcats. “ I volunteer to do this every year because the kids themselves enjoy it the most and I like interacting with them.” Kupon said Kupon plans on keeping up his yearly performance for as long as he can in the school library. This show not only includes cute characters like the owl and dragon puppets but it also allows for the kids to take home a few toys that they can later play with. The toys the kids are able to take home are things like stickers,flutes, whistles and clappers. Fun for the kids but probably not as fun for the parents ears. The show is well received as the little wildcats look forward to it every year. Julie Passmore, daycare aide, said, “Their favorite part is seeing Kupon dressed up in a goofy costume and they love the characters” The little wildcats get told stories year round mostly
for holidays like Halloween , Christmas, Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. Stories can be told by different people like librarians, teachers and parents. Although the small show is meant for fun, it’s also a way to get kids exposed to different ways of entertainment other than just simply looking at a screen. “Different forum of media rather than using iPads and iPhones like kids do to play games. Storytelling is a good way children can interact with others in a fun and lighthearted manner” Kupon said. Barry Hanrahan, librarian, who also helps conduct the storytelling event, believes that these storytelling events are really important for kids development. “These intricate stories that are being told is a wonderful thing and helps with face to face communication with adults. It also helps the kids develop a good understanding and there’s always a lesson to be learned with that,” Hanrahan said.
6 Jessica Bezkhlebetskiy
November 15, 2019 Focus An 6exploration into educ
Staff Reporter
America The United States education system focuses on innovation, independence, teamwork and internalizing information. But how far are American schools pushing their need for memorization and testing? In the United States of America, education is not doing as well as other well developed nations. Louis Gerstner, a businessman, states, “By eighth grade, America ranks 28th overall. By the 12th grade, we trail every developed nation in the world. Even the
Finland
best math students cannot compete with students around the world.” This warrants the series questions; why so little progress? Are the skills we place emphasis on ineffective? What can we do to better our education system? Many argue problems lie within our system due to a shortage of teachers and the curriculum that is taught. Gerstner said, “In math we try to cover too many topics in the early grades. As a result, our children fail to master the basics.” Since the 1970s, the level of confidence in the nation’s public schools has depleted from nearly
According to the world education ranking, Finland is the most effective public education systems in the world. Lida Pollanen grew up in Finland, then came to school in America for a year. Because of this she was able to compare and contrast the focus and matter of learning in both Finland and the US. Finland does not have yearly standardized tests in high school, like the US. Students are required to take the national matriculation examination once at the end of high school to evaluate their merits. They place less emphasis on homework and standardized tests. The amount of homework given to students is less in Finland than in the US. And rather than multiple choice exams, students are given written exams to enhance their
two-thirds of Americans to one-third. Unlike Finland, the US has a much greater and diverse population of students. Public schools look to state and local governments for funding, rather than the national government. Support by the national government is minimal and does not exceed more than 10% of aid to the public education system. This makes equity, which is when students have the same ability to succeed, a major complication in education.
understanding and develop their information processing skills. School days are shorter, and recess is weaved through the day to allow for personal development. Replication of Finland’s education system is simply not realistic for the US. The United States cannot sustain support for every students education in America. Finland is wealthy enough to feasibly pay for all of their students. Because of this, their government funds nearly all school funding, and it is distributed evenly throughout public schools. Finland is ranked the third country most committed to benefiting individuals of poor nations. Aside from having the most effective education system, their success is reflected on the mental health of the overall population of the country because they are also ranked the happiest country in the world.
OECD Indicators: Education at a glance 2014
Belize The only country in Central America where English is the official language, Belize is bordered by Mexico and Guatemala. With a population of roughly 390,000 people, Belize is a small country. The school system is funded by the families of students. The country is economically unable to put forth enough money towards the education system, so the burden is placed upon the parents. Families pay for school uniforms, books, supplies, food and transportation, in addition to registration fees. Poor families also lose helping hands at home. Those who live in rural communities must grapple with another loss: paying for school. They can no longer
International Education Statistics: Level of Education attainment
Look to page 10 for an opinion piece on our homewoek intake compared to Finland depend on their children to participate in the household demands. Nevertheless, the government has made some notable positive changes. In 2008, the Ministry of education began to financially reform high schools. Funding was shifted to awarding money based off of the schools s t u d e n t body rather than grants. Previously relying on grants rooted grandiose inequality, with poverty stricken communities suffering the most. Shifting to funding based off of the number of students in a school has improved prospects and initiated change.
Commonwealth of Nations: comparison of regional education statistics
What do you believe the WHS curriculum values?
“We value gowing students to their potential. My goal is to help students discover their gifts, and to work with them to develop to their full potential,” Sara Strauss, math teacher said. Information collected by Jasmine Yusef
“Preparing students for that next chapter in their life whether that be college, trade school, or the military. We strive to meet every student’s needs where they’re at and bring them to their full potential,” Thomas Scotese said.
“As a building, we are mindful of different voices and we do our best to incorporate a variety of different viewpoints and perspectives,” Timothy Piatek, English/English as a Second Language Division Head, said.
“It strives to prepare students for a variety of careers and fields. WHS is celebratory of diversity and preparing our students for real life careers, not just a four year degree,” Sandra Chico, social studies teacher, said.
Focus cation around the world November 15 , 2019
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Turkey
Jasmine Yusef Focus Editor
India India
supersedes China in youth population with 600 million individuals under the age of 25. 28% of the population is less than 14 years old. There are four levels of schooling in India; lower primary, upper primary, high and higher secondary. Six percent of the GDP is allocated for the funding of education. Students are required to learn three languages (Hindi, English, and their mother tongue).
“Central schools” also referred to as Kendriya Vidyalayas are concentrated in urban areas of the country and are funded by the government. Students who attend these school transfer periodically. They follow a common schedule so that a student going from one school to another on any given day will not see any difference in what is being taught. Students are only admitted into these schools if there is room for them. Social studies are taught in Hindi, while all other subjects are taught in English. Even though they are following the same curriculum
China
Commonwealth of Nations: comparison of regional education statistics
With the largest education system in the world, China had a little over 10 million students taking the National Higher Education Entrance Examination in 2019. For placement into universities or the workplace high school students must take the Chinese National College Examination, also known as the Gaokao. Their scores determine whether they continue their education or move into the workforce. Nine years of education for children
“WHS curriculum values exposing students to differing educational and career opportunities to service all students. We try to give students the ability to achieve the goals students have after they graduate,” Lou Wool, law teacher, said.
and syllabus, private schools and Kendriya Vidyalayas use different textbooks. The country is working to keep their students from leaving India for post secondary schooling. They are making education reforms to provide more funding in education and to enhance the quality of post secondary schools. A major deterrent for students who are incoming freshmen in college is the stagnant unemployment rate after secondary education. In 2013, 47% of 60,000 undergraduates could not find a job.
Turkey is a country in the Middle East bordered by the Black Sea and Armenia. Centralized under the Ministry of Education, the ministry currates the curriculum, the development and design of schools and works to coordinate private and voluntary organizations. The focus of the turkish government on education is to improve the quality of opportunity, create dual support between the school and parents, and to emphasize freedom of choice. All public schools, unlike US schools, receive the majority of funding from the government. They are responsible for all expenses such as teachers, textbooks and supplies. The locality aids in paying for the
are mandatory, since the Chinese government passed a compulsory education law in 1986. According to the Ministry of Education, one of the greatest triumphs of the Chinese education system is that 99% of Chinese youth have received universal nine year education. As of 2019, China teaches nearly half a million international students. The government is currently working towards reforming their school system to better prepare students for post secondary schooling
“The curriculum is about the ability to problem solve. Physics is about being able to pull all your knowledge and apply it to situations,” Kate Weber, science teacher, said.
build and design of schools for their students. The education system is currently trying to continue improvements to student performance and equality. Since 2003, socioeconomic progress in the country has drastically been reformed. The modernization of teaching methods and learning materials has swept education system and has brought about greater levels of success in the country. Another major factor that was reformed since the early 2000s is that initiatives for teaching profession policies have been put in place. The country provides free education for all in the primary levels and is looking to achieve 100% participation rate in elementary schools.
education. Four percent of the GDP is used to fund education. China maintains a heavy emphasis on standardized testing and core subjects such as reading and math, a mode that influenced the US. Despite China’s high ranking rates of high achieving students, many parents, teachers and political leaders would rather their students receive their education from the west.
“The English department values the idea of student choice when it comes to novels. We’ve been incorporating lit circles and many teachers offer student selection within summer reading,” Orin Xavier, English teacher,
“WHS builds a culture of caring, and connecting through the plethora of extra curriculars, career pathways, etc. We build relationships, and work together toward a better future for all here at WHS,” Cody Mueller, Italian teacher, said.
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La Voz
15 de Noviembre 2019
Marijuana: una conversacion nueva en Mexico Melanie Aguilar Staff Reporter
En el pais de Mexico muchos compran y venden marihuana. Marihuana es una droga que proviene de una planta que produce produce alucinaciones y más. Por años la marihuana a sido uno de los temas más hablados con el presidente y la casa suprema, si será legalizada o no. La corte suprema tiene asta April 30,2020 para decidir si será legalizada. Si se consume legal pero solo sera para necesida, para tu salud/ medicina. Si México legaliza la marihuana para uso de adultos en todo el país, se
convertiría en la tercera nación en el mundo para legalizar marihuana. Uruguay y Canadá autorizaron el uso de cannabis a nivel federal hace unos años, por lo que la decisión mexicana colocaría a Estados Unidos, donde la marihuana es ilegal a nivel federal, entre dos países grandes que estarían obteniendo una gran ventaja en la creación de mercados legales de cannabis. Mucha gente opina diferente y no hay una respuesta correcta. Frankie Parra estudiante del cuarto año dice “en mi opinión yo pienso que si México legaliza marihuana la economía crecería, habría más trabajos,
y menos crimen”. Porque en vendiendo marihuana se necesitará También Austin Humphries estudiante del cuarto año dice “yo opino que si México hace marihuana legal ayudaría mucho a la gente que es pobre tener oportunidades de trabajo y hacer dinero legal”. En el otro lado Vanessa Solano estudiante de el cuarto año dice “en mi opinión yo pienso que solo debería ser legal si será usuaria para ayudar a gente en la salud”. México no tiene una respuesta todavía pero muchos tienen diferentes opiniones. Solo es tiempo de esperar que piensa la casa suprema y el presidente.
Las ofrendas del dia de los muertos Melanie Aguilar and Cecilia Herrera Staff Reporters
Día de los muertos se ha convertido en una de las tradiciones muy importantes en los Estados Unidos ya que hay una gran cantidad de mexicanos en los Estados Unidos. Las clases de español organizaron y pusieron tres ofrendas diferentes para dedicarselas a gente que ha fallecido viniendo a esta país. Las ofrendas fueron basadas en inmigrantes que no pudieron llegar a los Estados Unidos y no alcanzaron el sueño americano. Una fue para los adultos que fallecieron cruzando la frontera,otra ofrenda fue para los niños, y la última para el sueño Americano. El día de los muertos se celebra dos días noviembre 1, se les dedica a los niños y el siguiente dia noviembre 2, a los adultos. Nayeli Galan, estudiante del cuarto ano, dice “las ofrendas fueron basadas en temas muy fuertes porque, las personas que murieron venían a esta país por una
mejor vida eran inocentes, y no solo eran adultos sino niños chiquitos también.” Las ofrendas abrieron los ojos a muchos porque además de nomás poner fotos describieron a las historias de los niños y adultos. Jacke Rufino, senior, dice “cuando yo miré las ofrendas me hicieron sentir muy triste y enojada porque, no nos damos cuenta que hay gente que arriesgaría su vida por tener las oportunidades que nosotros tenemos.” Además la Señora Castro, maestra de Avid y Español, nos dice en clase “ hacemos esto para enseñarles a estudiantes que a veces no aprovechamos o estamos agradecidos por lo que tenemos, mientras otros no tienen nada.” Muchos estudiantes se quedaron sin palabras al ver y leer las historias de los niños que murieron. Claudia Godinez, estudiante del tercer ano, dice “ cuando yo mire las ofrendas me hizo sentir triste y enojada porque nadie debería morir así y más porque los niños estas chiquitos y no entiende.” Las ofrendas dejaron a muchos sin palabras pero también a estar agradecidos por lo que tiene.
Wheeling tiene una nueva amistad con Espana ====
America Munoz La Voz Editor
Wheeling High school tiene muchos programas que le conviene a los estudiantes. Programas para encontraré lo que quieren hacer en el futuro. Además de todos los programas tiene muchas oportunidades para ayudar a los estudiantes explorar el mundo y aprender. Una oportunidad que tiene es intercambios de estudiantes y países. La clase de Italiano ofrece la oportunidad de intercambiar con Italia. Recientemente se abrió la oportunidad para intercambiar con España para los estudiantes en la clase de español. Todo empezó cuando la esquela de hoffman estates le ofreció a wheeling high school la oportunidad de intercambiar con España por mientras ellos visitaran a Costa Rica. “Estamos confiando en Hoffman en que las cosas han ido bien, así que esperamos que las cosas también nos salgan bien,” dijo maestra de español Lizbeth Arreola. El intercambio nomás está abierto para los estudiantes en la clase de español y estudiantes del tercer, segundo y tercer año.
Photos courtesy of Melanie Aguilar and Cecilia Herrera
“Estoyrealmente emocionado porque nunca he estado en ningún lugar excepto México, pero voy allí como todos los años y quiero algo diferente,” dijo estudiante del segundo año Leslie Giles. Muchos estudiantes están muy emocionados para experienciar algo diferente con sus amigos o solos. Las maestras en cargo también tiene mucha emoción para algo especial y diferente. “Señorita Arreola ha estado trabajando muy duro en esto y estoy muy orgullosa de ella por hacer algo completamente nuevo para nuestra escuela, sé que los estudiantes están muy emocionados y todo el éxito que sé que tendrá, se lo merece,” dijo maestra de español Erin Pedderson. El intercambio pasará cerca de las vacaciones de primavera en el año del 2021. Los estudiantes de españa se quedan con los estudiantes en la clase de español. Siguiendo los estudiantes de los estados unidos se quedaran con los estudiantes de España. Los estudiantes visitarán los lugares especiales que contiene cada país. Qué más queda pero celebrar con la bandera de españa en una mano y la mano de uno nuevo amigo halado.
La musica de Jesse Carrillo La Voz Editor.
November 15, 2019
Entertainment
9
“Jesus Is King”: Kanye West delivers the coolest gospel album of 2019 After a long wait, rapper Kanye West, who is the selfproclaimed “greatest artist of all time” has Jesse Carrillo dropped “Jesus Is King” La Voz Co-Editor after delaying the album twice to fix some minor issues with a handful of the tracks. The initial release date for the gospel album was Sep. 27; West then delayed it for a couple of hours before finally pushing the release date to Friday, Oct. 25. This album was originally named “Yahndi”, just like his sixth studio album, which was released under the name “Yeezus” in 2013, but he changed it to “Jesus Is King” due to his finding God and committing himself fully to Christianity. The album starts off with “Every Hour”, a track sung by his Sunday Service Choir. This song is a very spiritual one, and it almost seems
to lift listeners off their feet. Another track which has already emerged as a fan favorite is “Selah”. The reasoning behind why I like this song is because towards the middle, it builds up a Hallelujah with the Choir. The dramatic sound of the song is very different from what a lot of other musicians are doing right now. The track “Follow God” is very similar to “Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1”, a track off of “The Life Of Pablo”, another of West’s albums, released in 2016. The following song, “Closed on Sunday” is more of a comedic track in my opinion and does a great job of providing some comic relief with the lyric “closed on Sunday/you my Chick-fil-A/you’re my number one/with the lemonade.” That line has already been the source of countless memes across many social media
platforms. “On God” shows West’s most religious side. “Everything We Need” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Ant Clemons was the closest song on the album to a true rap song. The track had been leaked prior to the album’s release, and I got to hear it before listening to the rest of the record. I was amazed by the song, although in the leaked version, there was actually a verse from late rapper X X X Te n t a c i o n instead of Ant Clemons. In my opinion, I’d guess that
My Chemical Romance: comeback of the century Rachel Lawson
Entertainment Editor
West took X’s verse out of the song because X swore, and as West is a Christian man, he had to change a couple songs to be cleaner, including this one. Also featuring Ant Clemons is “Water”, which features West preaching with the choir in the background singing in harmony. “God Is” is another song that could potentially be played during church, as West spends the majority of the song worshipping God. “Hands On” featuring Fred Hammond is West speaking about Christianity, the devil, and God, along with an explanation of how he was converted to Christianity. “Use This Gospel” is the kind of song that has you turning up but in a way that would be appropriate during church group. The song features Kenny G and the returning duo Clipse (Pusha T and Malice), who had the 2002 hit “Grindin’”. The last track on the record is “Jesus Is Lord”, which is a 49 second song in which West praises Jesus. Overall, while listening to this album, I was very excited, and
I have to say, the record gave me similar vibes to “Kids See Ghosts”, a 2018 album that West collaborated with fellow artist Kid Cudi on. I wouldn’t be surprised if West won a Grammy for this album. Pitchfork rated it a 7.2 out of 10, but personally I would give it an 8 out of 10, as this is one of my favorite gospel albums of all time, but in terms of ranking it against Kanye’s eight other albums it would probably be ranked as seventh. The rest of my list is as follows: 1. “Graduation” (2007), 2. ”Late Registration” (2005), 3. ”My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (2010), 4. ”808’s & Heartbreak” (2008), 5. ”Life Of Pablo” (2016), 6. ”The College Dropout” (2004), 7. “Jesus Is King” (2019), 8. “Yeezus” (2013), and finally 9. “Ye” (2018). For West, releasing a gospel in 2019 is a bold move. He is pushing the boundaries of music and doing what he wants without worrying about the reaction of his audience. Luckily, though, most of West’s fans reacted very positively to the record, myself included.
Harry Styles announces second album, “Fine Line”
In a completely unprecedented Tweet on Oct. 31, rock band My Chemical
On Monday, Nov. 4, musician and former member of the world-famous
Romance announced their long-awaited comeback. The group, who haven’t
boyband One Direction Harry Styles announced his sophomore album,
released an album since 2010’s “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys”, is returning to the music scene with a Dec. 20 concert at Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, CA.
“Fine Line”, set to be released on Dec. 13. The lead single from the record,“Lights Up” was dropped on Oct. 11, and was the singer’s first release since his self-
Tickets for the show sold out almost immediately after
titled debut album came out over two years
going on sale, proving that MCR’s fans have stayed
ago in May 2017. In an interview with Rolling
loyal for a whole nine years after their break-up. The
Stone magazine’s Rob Sheffield in August,
announcement of the show took all of My Chemical
Styles revealed that the new record has been
Romance’s listeners by surprise, as the group hadn’t
in the works for over a year now, ever since
ever hinted at a reunion, and most of their fans were
his world tour ended in July 2018. Sheffield
expecting the band members to continue working on
described “Fine Line” as being full of Styles’
their solo careers until they retired from music altogether. Despite the unexpected nature of My Chemical Romance’s comeback, it’s looking like it’s going to be a successful one.
“toughest, most soulful songs” yet. Styles will be performing a sold-out Dec. 13 show at The Forum in Los Angeles, CA, to celebrate the album’s release.
DC’s latest must-see: “The Joker” Aria Giacomino Staff Reporter
An Editor’s Queue – November Edition
Focus Editor Jasmine Yusef has compiled a playlist full of upbeat, feel-good bops that would be perfect to play during a road trip.
On Oct. 4, Warner Bros. “The Joker” hit the box office. The film gives the audience a look into the origin story of one of the most iconic villains of all time, the Joker. The cast includes Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron and Joaquin Phoenix in the title role of the Joker. The first positive aspect of this film that caught my attention was the acting. Within the first few minutes of the movie, you could see how well the actors and actresses fit into their roles. Even though most of the film was based around one particular character, Arthur Fleck, that focus gave actor Phoenix a chance to shine. For the first half of the movie, things moved very slowly. Since it was an origin story movie, there was a lot of information that the movie needed to give to the viewers, especially for those who hadn’t read the comics, “Batman: The Killing Joke” and “Batman: The Man Who Laughs”, which the movie derived a lot of its main ideas from. By the end of the film, however, the slow beginning tied in so well that it was definitely worth the wait. The story revolves around Arthur and the struggles that he goes through. The film shows you his rough past, his wrestle with mental health, how he attempts to fit in with society but doesn’t succeed and one of the most important parts of the movie – his failed attempt to become a comedian. After experiencing all of this and more, Arthur spirals into madness, eventually
turning into a villain. The film does a great job of showing how all of these things ultimately molded him into The Joker. Even though this film received mixed reviews, I personally think that it was absolutely wonderful. I was a bit weary of the casting at first, but once I saw this movie, I knew that there was no one else who would have been able to bring as astounding of a performance to the table as Phoenix had. If you have the chance to watch “The Joker” while it’s still in theaters, I definitely recommend that you do.
10
Forum
November 15, 2019
Like it or not, it’s legal...if you’re 21 Corruption of Grovernment
Alanna Chavez Staff Reporter
With Illinois’ state-wide legalization of marijuana beginning in Jan. 2020, I feel like it is only necessary that we as a community start to discuss this change. The controversy over who should be using marijuana, if anyone should be, is a central topic of many local and state-wide conversations. The focus of these conversations should be on how to keep marijuana use safe. My opinion is that in general, weed isn’t the issue, people are. The demographics of marijuana users come into play when considering the
drug’s effects on society. The freedom to use marijuana recreationally can decrease racial discrimination within the legal system. According to American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), black people and white people use marijuana at approximately the same rates, yet blacks are four times more likely to be arrested for pot-related crimes. To me, that’s not fair. Hopefully, with the upcoming legalization of marijuana, this racial inequality will be balanced out, and the overall pot-related crime rate will decrease. Prohibiting marijuana use only increases unnecessary crime rates and racial discrimination and restricts Americans’ freedom. As someone who is influenced by marijuana due to its popularity in society, I feel as if it does have positive impacts in addition to the negative ones. Why? Marijuana is used to calm muscles, nerves, and more. Marijuana can also be used as a replacement for nicotine. Those who have addictions to nicotine find it
easier to quit smoking if they are able to use marijuana as a buffer. Another benefit the drug has is its ability to cure certain medical conditions. Successful treatment of cancer patients and those who suffer from epileptic seizures has proven that marijuana is an option when it comes to managing those medical conditions. I find it hard to believe that doctors can grant a patient a marijuana card for health reasons, but civilians get fined, arrested, or locked up for it. With that being said, the reason I say that people are the problem is because incidents with marijuana use often stem from the drug being laced with other drugs to create dangerous combinations. However, if marijuana is legalized, access to unlaced products will be easier. Again, people who are above the legal age and have a desire to use this drug in a safe way should be allowed to do so. Age is another factor that is important to consider in
the discussion of marijuana legalization. It’s also the most controversial one. The opinion of most young people is, obviously, that the age restriction on marijuana use should be lowered. A common argument is a comparison to America’s voting age – if 18 year olds can vote, why can’t they use drugs responsibly? This viewpoint is opposed by many of the older voices in the conversation. As adults, the older generation also thinks they know best when the question of who should be using marijuana is raised. The issue is complex, but for now, the legal age for recreational marijuana use is 21. We live in a society where the freedom to choose is key. Louise, a speaker who told her story on “My Marijuana Story”, said “With medical marijuana, I have not only found a way to heal my body, but to heal my mind.” Stories like this makes me wonder if the legalization of marijuana should be as controversial as it is.
Ben Williams Staff Reporter
I remember the feeling of pure disgust that filled me when I saw Felicity Huffman was given a 14day sentence for her participation in the college admissions scandal. Huffman, a rich, white woman faced 14 days, and only ended up serving 11, for bribing a man to inflate her daughter’s SAT scores. It’s no secret that the American justice system is corrupt, especially in terms of racism primarily against African-Americans and Latinos. However, while minority status is often a disadvantage in the American justice system, being white is only advantageous relative to being a person of color. Rather, it’s those with wealth and status, regardless of all other factors, that reap all the benefits in American law. Back in February, Empire star Jussie Smolett staged a hate crime against himself because he was unsatisfied with his salary on the show. He was found guilty but released on a $10,000 bond. By the end of March, all charges against him were mysteriously dropped, and Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot has stated investigating it is not a priority for her. Unfortunately, government corruption through money is just something we have to accept. Where there is a big government, there will be bad apples, and there will be corruption. I believe that instead of focusing our energy on stopping corruption or giving harsher, more proper punishment to the rich and famous, we should give those light sentences to more regular people.
“Yes because pumpkin spice is only popular because it’s only available at one season and it tastes like my grandma’s house.” Nathan Feldheim, junior, said.
“Yes. It’s not that good. Only basic people like it,” Hannah Lucas, freshman, said.
Is pumpkin spice “Yes because the pumpkin spice is just a marketing thing and so many people just want to try it so they post about it. So it benefits the company but the pumpkin spice in general is not good,” Yosef Samhan, sophmore, said.
overrated? “I feel like it is overrated because most people get it just to post pictures about it. Whenever pumpkin spice comes to my head, I think of basic caucasian girls because that’s the stereotype,” Chloe Drodz, senior, said. Information collected by Kaidence Katz
Large amounts of homework affect students work ethic students spent per week on homework increased from 6.8 in 2007 to 7.5 in 2016. *For more As time spent on homework is increasing, time spent stressing out about school is information increasing as well. I believe that homework on global is essential to educational success, but education, in small increments. Students around see our Focus the world are succeeding in school while on pages 6-7 still having relatively low amounts of homework. Finland, for example, gives their students minuscule homework, yet their students still obtain extraordinary test results compared to the rest of the Kristen Dawson world’s students. Their student to teacher Staff Reporter ratio, though is 12:1, compared to 24:1 in New York City (Charter for Compassion). Homework in America is on the rise. Because there is more one on one time According to the Wall Street Journal, the with pupils and teachers, the pupils average number of hours high-school understand the material more in depth.
Editorial: Have you realized that the past year has been full of irregular weather? That we have been breaking new records for temperature all across the globe? Well, like the majority of people, this probably hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially with the snowfall that occurred on Halloween. Currently, our world is facing a huge
problem, and that problem is climate change. The problem has been ignored for quite some time now, but now we can’t just push it aside. Despite our current government, which is choosing to ignore the problem, we have to do our part to help the planet survive. We have to be willing to recycle and adjust to products that are more environmentally friendly. For example, the paper straw. Yes, it may be annoying to use and not as pleasant as a regular plastic straw, but it is so much
Homework is therefore not necessary because the material is already engraved in their brains. In addition, their teachers are much more honorable in Finland, and becoming one is a great achievement. Education is a huge priority in Finland, as it should be in the United States as well. No matter what politicians have promised our country, education programs have just not been improving. What we need is not only a better education system, but also more aspiring teachers who can take on the US’s growing population of children. One downside to the school systems in Finland is that many students do not get special help when needed (Charter for Compassion). This means no advanced classes and no special education. Every kid takes the same courses, so there are no
more bio-friendly. If we stick to our current amount of plastic usage, our planet will surely suffer and so will we. It doesn’t help that large scale companies are also taking advantage of certain loopholes in legislation to avoid being penalized for the excessive amount of chemicals being released into the environment. Some examples of those companies are BP and Saudi Aramco. Spokesman believes that students
honors or AP classes, and no special help for kids that fall behind. This might explain why students get less homework—the classes are not advanced, so the material is not too extremely difficult for the pupils. One main reason American students get so much homework is because they take such advanced classes, and all they do is cram the information in their brains and then spit it out onto a standardized test. College level classes are being given to high school students, and it isn’t doing anything helpful for their emotional well being. If America toned it down on the AP classes, then maybe students wouldn’t get so much homework, and then maybe they wouldn’t be so stressed. In the end, this would create a better view of American school systems in general.
should play an active role in protecting our environment and making sure it doesn’t get worse from the already bad state it’s in. If anything, students should be pushing to help save the planet, not only for us, but for future generations to come.
11 out of 12 editorial members agree
Sports
November 15, 2019
11
The Ups and Downs of Chicago Sports Matthew Posner Bulls: This hasn’t been the start that the Bulls have envisioned, as they sit at 2-6 as of Nov. 15 and have struggled on both sides of the ball. There have been some great moments, however. Shooting guard Zach LaVine and power forward Lauri Markkanen have been impressive as both leaders and performers as they continue to lead this young squad through the season. Rookie point guard, Coby White, has also been a pleasant surprise, averaging 11 points per game, three assists per game off the bench and is a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. Wendell Carter Jr., starting center, has also played very well early on in the season. Carter Jr. is averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds. Head coach, Jim Boylen, enters his first full season as head coach of the Bulls. The players and organization really like his leadership and confidence as the Bulls get their season rolling. Their next games are against the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 16th, the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 18th and the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 20, with all three games hosted in Chicago.
Cubs: It wasn’t a season in paradise for the Cubs. They finished three in the NL Central with a record of 84-78 and missed the playoffs, looking nothing like the team that won the World Series just three years ago. The Cubs organization decided that it was time for a change, and they fired long-time manager Joe Maddon after five seasons. The Cubs made front page headlines on Oct. 23 when they hired former Cubs catcher David Ross or “Grandpa Rossy”. Along with this hiring came some skepticism and concern that the players would be too close to Ross and wouldn’t respect him as a manger. “I was happy (as a Brewers fan) that he was hired by the Cubs because he has no experience as a manager and I think it’ll take a few years for him to have any success with this franchise,” Matt Padron, chemistry teacher and avid Brewers fan, said. “I think it appeases the fan base because he was a former Cub player himself and helped them win a World Series. He certainly has skills as a people-person, and that could make him a good manager. However, the lack of experience is very concerning for a team that figures to contend every year,” Padron said. The Cubs will have to wait a while to see if the hiring of Ross is a success or a failure. The Cubs 2020 season begins with spring training in Mesa, which begins on Feb. 22, 2020.
Bears: The Bears are in free fall mode. After all the offseason expectations—some thought that they were Super Bowl contenders—the Bears are now 4-5 and are searching for answers. They have won only one game since Sep. 29 against the Minnesota Vikings, and quaterback Mitchell Trubisky has regressed severely since the end of last season. The Bears general manager, Ryan Pace, shoulders a lot of the blame for their lack of success in 2019, and rightfully so since this team was thought of as a true contender. “Ryan Pace drafted the wrong QB, hired the wrong coach and has been ineffective in drafting players and addressing offensive line issues,” Michael Bosco, spanish teacher and avid Bears fan, said. “On the defensive side of the ball we’ve been great, so I give Ryan Pace credit for that. However, Matt Nagy, should hand Coach of the Year to Vic Fangio. Fangio was the reason we went 12-4. On the offense, 55% Trubisky’s fault and 45% Matt Nagy’s fault,” Bosco said. He says he gives Trubisky a lot of blame this season because he was thought to be the future QB for Chicago, but his future is now cast in a thick fog as the Bears stare their poor record square in the face. Their next game is against the Rams in Los Angeles on Nov. 17 .
Blackhawks: The Blackhawks began the season with relatively low expectations, and they haven’t exceeded those early on in the season. The Blackhawks are currently 6-7-4 and 13th place in the Western Conference. This is their first full season without former coach Joel Quenneville, who was the head coach of the Blackhawks from 2008-2018. Patrick Kane, right wing, leads the team in goals with eight. “Our biggest strength is our offense because of our veterans like Patrick Kane and captain Jonathan Toews who can run great power plays and young guys like Dylan Strome center, and Alex DeBrincat left wing, who add a bit of flare to the offense,” Lucas Van Gelderen, sophomore and avid Blackhawks fan, said. “Our biggest weakness is our front office because of the fact that were forced into a situation where we keep getting more and more inexperienced players and that’s a reflection of management not getting valuable veteran talent,” Van Gelderen said. According to hockeyreference.com, the Blackhawks have a 22% chance to make the playoffs as of Nov. 12. The Blackhawks next play Nov. 16 against the Predators in Nashville, then on Nov. 17 against the Buffalo Sabres in Chicago and on Nov. 19 against the Carolina Hurricanes in Chicago.
Assistant Sports Editor
Athlete of the Month
Joe Placencia ‘21
Jasmine Bautista Staff Reporter
After an outstanding season of golf, many contributions were made by various players. Especially, Joe Placencia, junior showing off leadership and commitment towards the team. Coach Menich, vocalizes how “He had a really nice year,and next year I’m looking forward for really big things from him, and I think he can certainly be all conference next year, do well in regionals and hopefully move on to sectionals. It’s going to be a matter of how much time and effort he puts into this summer.” “He’s shown me how to practice and encourages me when I have a bad day,” JJ Kaspar, a teammate of Joe on the varsity team stated. This really shows how good Placencia is with his teammates and coaches. In this past year for Varsity Golf, Placencia had shot a 38 against Maine West and Maine East. Menich said, “shooting that 38 was a critical score for the team.” On the other hand, Placencia said that his biggest accomplishment was becoming apart of varsity after working really hard to get to where he is. The dedication and passion that Placencia has really shown in practice and obviously on the course. He really gives true passion with helping the varsity team and wanting to do better.
Being a leader shows courage and concern with the community around you. From what I hear, Placencia is that type of leader. His Coach, talks about the effort and demonstration towards his team. Kaspar also believes that he made a good impact to his own golf career, especially with helping the varsity team and showing leadership throughout the season. Now, talking to the athlete himself, Placencia says that he feels that he was a good leader by telling his teammates what to do and taking his advice on the course. His teammates respect his advice and take it into consideration because he is valuable to the team and you can tell that he truly wants the best for everyone. Placencia is a really good person to look up to especially when you need help and advice from Golf tactics. Overall, from talking to his teammates and his coach he does represent the varsity golf team in a good way. Placencia himself appreciates Coach Menich choosing him to be athlete of the month because he feels like he has worked for it and thinks it was a cool thing to hear about himself. He really does show the amount of work he puts in practice and on the course to better himself and his team. Placencia shows leadership throughout everything he does. You can tell he will be there for his team and his coach whenever they need something or need to finish something up.
“He always positively encourages you to try again and never give up,”
Chase Rosen junior, said.
Courtesy of Joe Placencia
Joe Placencia, junior, practices his chipping ability using a wedge in order to get ready for conference.
New sport coming to WHS
Alanna Chavez Staff Reporter
As WHS continues to grow in academics, we are seeing a growth in athletics also. Coming in spring of 2020, Lacrosse will be a new sport at WHS. Although we are still in the early stages of this development, there are details that are enresolved. Coaching staff is still up in the air and tryout dates are not finalized, as it would start in the same time range of all spring sports. The number of people on the team will depend on how many people come to tryouts as well of the level of performance. Training space will have to be shared with other spring sports which might offer up new challenges. Steve May, athletic director, has sent out a survey to freshmen, sophomores and juniors regarding their opinions and experience in lacrosse. Pulling data has helped the process continue. Some interesting statistics stand out; out of 84 responses, 74% would join lacrosse and 13.8% would not. Under the “What is your lacrosse experience?’’ question, 77 responded: 75 have never played organized lacrosse. 2 students answered yes. This raises concerns as our athletic department does not want to set up a team for failure. “If lacrosse is important, it will be. If it is not, then it won’t. I don’t know what the future holds” said May. Eager to try out a new sport Sergio Galvan, junior, believes it is a great idea to introduce a new sport at school. “ I think we will do well if we plan ahead of time, know who the coaches are, and prepare ourselves for the season now, said Galvan. Joe Placencia, junior, states, “ I think WHS has the potential to do well in another sport, it just depends on the athletes who are going to apply themselves.” As plans continue to be made, WHS encourages all students to try something new, and support our soon to be new lacrosse team.
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@wheelingspokesman November 15, 2019
Upcoming: 11.19.19- Girls Basketball vs. St Charles North 11.25.19- Boys Basketball Tournament @ Northridge Prep Begins 11.27.19- Wrestling Dual Meet @ Batavia High School 11.30.19- Varsity Bowling Tournament @ Schaumburg High School
Ahead of the pack: Torres races her way to the state meet Understanding how to run longer distances Assistant Sports Editor at the high school level takes time, so Torres had to learn to be patient. On November 2nd, the girls cross country Despite all the struggles, Erin Pedersen, team ran at the IHSA sectional meet at Busse head coach, still believes Brenda can become Woods. Brenda Torres, freshman, led the way something great. after finishing with a time of 18:38:5 and placing “Week by week I have 9th in the entire race. enjoyed watching her improve. The team also had great She has been looking stronger, “It was a huge races from Jasmine Bautista, smoother and racing smarter accomplishment for me. I junior and Lizeth Leon, senior, as we go along.” Pedersen said. had great support from my but it just wasn’t enough as Last weekend, (November teammates and coaches the team finished 13th place. 9th), Torres ran at the IHSA who helped push me all Nonetheless, Torres’s time was girls cross country state meet season long.” good enough to qualify to state in Peoria. Torres placed 32nd Brenda Torres, as an individual. This was the overall and ran a time of freshman first time any girl qualified since 17:32.88, which was a new Amber Stack made it in 2007. personal best. On qualifying for state, Torres’s time was only fifteen Torres said, “It was a huge seconds slower than the 25th accomplishment for me. I had runner which would have made her All-State. great support from my teammates and coaches On his sister’s accomplishment, Angel Torres, who helped push me all season long.” senior, said, The support from her teammates was needed “I think she did really well at state. Being after she got off to a bumpy start. a freshman with a time of 17:32 as a girl plus “It was hard to adapt to running three miles placing 32nd is something she should be proud instead of two miles., ” Torres said. of.” Ethan Polak
Photo taken by Mitch Fister
Photo taken by Mitch Fister
Rounding the turn at the foot of a hill, Torres prepares for the final 800 meters of the race with other competitors on her heels.
Flashback for fall sports-the fight for the gold, blue and white
Photo taken by Ethan Polak Photo taken by Mitch Fister
Photo taken by Mitch Fister
Photo taken by Ethan Polak
Photo taken by Mitch Fister
Photo taken by Ethan Polak
Photo taken by Mitch Fister
Photo taken by Ethan Polak
Photo taken by Mitch Fister