INSCAPE Student Edition Vol. 67 Issue 1 September • October
2 Catherine McAuley Award Winners 3 COVID-19’s Impact on Small Businesses 6 Service Opportunities
Equality
T
o say the United States has been lacking equality on multiple fronts would be an understatement. With an abundance of violence, rioting and protests sweeping the states, the idea of equality has been at the forefront of the news, but without a specific definition. Equality, in its basic principle, is treating every individual equally, with respect to status, rights and opportunities. And for whatever reason, recognizing its absence in society has been difficult. Unfortunately, political titans over the past few years have been poor examples. The past few political debates have exemplified this. With aggressive insults being thrown by each party, the nation is more divided than ever before. Because of this behavior, many now think that ignorance and bullying because of differences is acceptable. This conduct should not be condoned, and reversing that thinking should be a top priority. Thankfully, the foundation the Sisters of Mercy established is built upon the Critical Concerns, which advocate for women, people of color and immigrants. For centuries, these three groups of people have not been treated
with the equality all people deserve. McAuley is a place everyone can and should be heard. McAuley students are actively living out those concerns with the new establishment of the Black Student Union and the independent organization titled McAuley Alumnae for Racial Justice.
“Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country and a finer world to live in.”
Acknowledging inequality is the first step towards achieving true equality. Turning a blind eye to issues that have been corrupting the United States throughout history is no longer acceptable. Racism and sexism are
real and harmful. To think otherwise is naive and unproductive. In a 2020 survey conducted by the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project, 84% of African American respondents said Black people contend with discrimination a great deal. It is our moral responsibility as people of faith to respond to those in pain and advocate on their behalf, just as Catherine McAuley did. Healing comes through recognition of faults, and that is what our country must do in order to move forward in a more positive direction. Despite the current political and social unrest in the country, hope remains. People are taking action and standing up against a common denominator, ignorance. Protesters can be seen all across the nation advocating against racial and gender descrimination. From California to New York, Americans young and old have taken to the streets to demand justice. These advocates are practicing the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As King once said, “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country and a finer world to live in.”
What’s inside this edition 2 Mac News
5 Feature
7 Opinion
9 Sports
3-4 News
6 Student Life
8 Science & Tech
10 A&E
Inscape staff Co-Editor-in-Chief Co-Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Layout Editor Copy Editor Art Director Mac News Editor Mac News Editor News Editor News Editor Feature Editor Student Life Editor Opinion Editor Columnist Science & Tech Editor Sports Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Advisor Advisor Advisor
Colleen Rooney Bridget Gallagher Meghan McCann Molly McDermott Sofia Jasso Jo Gomez Moira Cosme Mairead O’Carroll Sydney Banks Aine McIntyre Mary Philip Brisa Torres Nora Harvey Janey Hynes Kenzie Williams Anna Fagan Deirdre Sullivan Kathleen Carter Angelica Topor Elena Fernandez Diana Burban Katie Perna Abigail Sheahan
Editorial Policy: The opinions expressed in this magazine are the views of the individual authors, and not of the Inscape staff or Mother McAuley High School. Inscape is an open forum that welcomes letters to editor, comments, and feedback from all readers. All letters to the editor must be signed in order to be printed.
1 table of contents and staff editorial
Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School 3737 W. 99th Street Chicago, IL 60655 (773)-881-6500 www.mothermcauley.org Principal Mrs. Eileen O’Reilly Vice Principal Mrs. Meg Gardner Vice Principal Mrs. Kimberly Turnbull
front cover by Sasha Anoshenko sports reel by Kathleen Carter
september/october 2020
And the winner is... Sydney Banks Every Mercy Day, McAuley comes together to celebrate the winners of the Catherine McAuley Award.This award is traditionally given to one senior and one faculty member who best embodies the spirit, vision and work of Catherine McAuley. The recipients are nominated by other faculty and staff who believe that they are best suited to receive this award. It was a Monday morning when Principal O’Reilly revealed the news that senior Colleen Rooney won the award. Upon hearing the news, Rooney was filled with excitement. “To be awarded with this prestigious honor is incredibly humbling, and I am so grateful for the McAuley community and everything they’ve done for me,” Rooney said. “The award means a great deal to both my family and myself, and I’m so happy I was given the chance to express how much McAuley means to me.” Throughout her time at McAuley, Rooney has been involved in cross country, basketball and lacrosse. She is also a member of National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society National English Honor Society, and is the coeditor-in-chief of Inscape. In her local community, she is a member
of a retreat group titled ‘Christ Renews His Parish,’ (CRHP) and she volunteers for New Direction, a program that aids women and children who suffer from domestic violence. Rooney believes that it is important to stay motivated as she reminds herself of the opportunities that can come out of her accomplishments. “My future has definitely motivated me to remain a well rounded student,” Rooney said. “I want to give myself the best opportunity possible to succeed, and I want to help my family as well.” Later that same week, Mrs. Lauren Dowden received the news that she was the faculty member chosen to receive the award. “Mrs. O’Reilly invited me to her office under the guise that we needed to discuss something work related,” Dowden said. “I was shocked when I heard! There are so many members of our community that are deserving of this award, so I am very lucky to have been the one who was selected.” Dowden has been working at McAuley for five years as the instructional technology specialist. When it comes to her interactions with students, Dowden believes that it is important to treat everyone with
McAuley alumna to executive producer Fiona Hurless
respect and kindness. “School is stressful and students are under a lot of pressure,” Dowden said. “If my daughters were to reach out for help someday, I hope that someone would take the time to offer that help with patience. That’s just what I’m trying to do at McAuley.”
photo provided by Ms. McCarthy
Moira Cosme From a McAuley student who graduated in 2009 to an executive producer at ABC 7 in 2020, Colin Evans has come a long way. Evans grew up on the Southside of Chicago. At McAuley, Evans took a journalism class. “A media literacy course at McAuley with Sister Nancy made me want to pursue a career in journalism,” Evans said. After graduating from McAuley, she attended University of Missouri-Columbia, where she studied journalism with an emphasis in television news. During her time at Mizzou, Evans was involved in the campus TV station, participated in the National Association of Black Journalists, studied abroad in London during her junior year, worked at the CBS London Bureau and produced local newscasts at NBC affiliate in Columbia, Missouri. Evans was also selected to be an Emma L. Bowen Scholar, which gave her the opportunity to work as a paid intern every summer at a Chicago TV station. “By the time I graduated, not only had I been producing newscasts, but I also had extensive knowledge on the functions of every
department in a television station thanks to my internship experience,” Evans said. After graduating college, she worked at a news station in New Hampshire for two years as a weekend morning producer. Once moving back to Chicago, Evans received a position at ABC 7 as a producer of
photo provided by Colin EVans
the weekend morning news block. In 2019, Evans was promoted to weekend daypart executive producer, which is her current position. As executive producer, Evans oversaw the production of daily newscasts
and how content is delivered to local viewers across all platforms. Executive producers look at the big picture and find where a newscast or story can be enhanced using elements for powerful storytelling. Evans received a daytime Emmy award for breaking news coverage on the death of a McHenry County sheriff’s deputy, who was shot while serving an arrest warrant in Rockford in 2019. “It was nice to be recognized for doing my job well,” Evans said. “But when journalists cover tragedies, or really any story, we’re not looking for recognition. We’re working to deliver the facts while respecting people impacted by whatever series of events played out.” Evans believes attending McAuley is a privilege not many people get and that students are given a great opportunity. “My time as a McAuley girl, instilled in me that if I work hard enough, I can do anything I set my mind to,” Evans said. “At McAuley, we’re encouraged to explore our options and interests, and we have a great support system at school that allows us to do so.”
Do you or one of your friends want a story told? Do you have artwork you want to see featured in the next issue of Inscape? Email your submissions to inscape@mothermcauley.org 2 mac news september/october 2020
West coast wildfires Elena Fernandez Did anyone notice the hazy sky? The orange sun? These are because of the wildfires that spread across the West Coast. Flames are currently roaring across California, Oregon and Washington. Experts have named this the worst wildfire season yet. “I was stunned by the sheer breadth and acreage of the blazes burning at the same time across a variety of ecosystems,” Daniel Swain, a climate expert in California, said. But the question is, how is this occurring? Who is responsible for this? Believe it or not, most of these fires are caused accidentally by average citizens. The wildfires happening now began with a simple pyrotechnic device that was used to set off smoke and fireworks to reveal a baby’s gender at a gender reveal party. The device, combined with the hot and dry weather, set off fires that began to take over the West Coast at an extremely fast rate. “The wildfire situation in California and Oregon has now escalated to the point that I can no longer keep track of the countless massive, fast-moving, and potentially very dangerous fires,” Swain said on Twitter. With all of these wildfires occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans on the West Coast are finding it difficult to remain
healthy and avoid unhealthy air quality. This could worsen the symptoms of those infected and make the virus more contagious by creating an unhealthy atmosphere that leads to an increase in respiratory problems. “The Wildfire Guide describes specific actions that members of the public can take when wildfire smoke renders a community’s air quality unhealthy: limiting time spent outdoors, sheltering in a cleaner air shelter or cleaner air space if the indoor air quality at home cannot be kept sufficiently clean, wearing a fit-tested, NIOSH-approved N95 or P100 respirator,” The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. As a result of the wildfires, ash and smoke have turned the sky orange. The smoke particles from the wildfire block the wavelength colors from the sun, causing the skies to have a red-orange appearance. “The smoke particles from the fires allow sunlight’s longer wavelength colors like red and orange to get through while blocking the shorter wavelengths of yellow, blue and green,” The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said. “Those longer wavelengths give the sky a red or orange tinted appearance. Similarly, during sunrise
and sunset, times when the sun is near the horizon, sunlight has to travel through more of Earth’s atmosphere to get to you. The additional atmosphere filters out the shorter wavelengths and allows the longer wavelengths to get through, providing reds and oranges during those times.”
graphic illustration by Olivia Goosherst
Local business shows spirit during pandemic Aine McIntyre On March 16, Governor J.B Pritzker ordered that all bars and restaurants in Illinois close to dine-in customers. The order limited gatherings to 10 people, except for essential businesses. Many local businesses had to permanently close during the pandemic. However, a few local stores were able to remain open. Swanson’s Deli on 2414 W 103rd St. found clever ways to stay up and running amidst the pandemic. “We had to immediately kind of pivot the way we do business,” Greg Dix, owner of Swanson’s Deli, said, Due to the government restrictions on business openings, he could no longer let people into the deli to shop. “It shut down the catering side of business, nobody was having any get-togethers,” Dix said. Swanson’s transitioned from in-person purchases to phone orders for delivery and curbside pick-ups to accommodate customers. “We’ve been very fortunate because we’re not a full-service, sit-down restaurant,” Dix said. “We’re kind of a to-go, pick up and delivery. It hasn’t been terrible, we’ve been a lot luckier than other restaurants.”
Swanson’s recognized the importance of supporting the staff by keeping morale up and ensuring staff health. “We become more supportive of each other and make sure everybody is safe and healthy,” Dix said. “We listen to fun up-beat music and I order food from other local businesses just to change it up a little bit.” Dix helped support other local businesses by ordering meals for his workers to enjoy while working. “Sometimes I’ll buy pizza from Roseangela’s, Chuck’s, tacos from Valparaiso and some days I would get sushi from Sushi Thaime,” Dix said. “The staff really appreciated it.” Swanson’s was very busy during the early months of the pandemic. Dix partnered with the 19th Ward who started a Go Fund Me page to bring meals to essential workers in the Chicago community. Through an app called Meal Train, Swanson’s and other local businesses signed up to buy meals for essential workers around the community. Swanson’s provided dinner and lunch to medical workers in local hospitals. “We were able to feed fire-houses, all 26 districts of the police departments, and hospitals,” Dix said.
It is important to support local businesses, unlike most national retail chains. And a much higher percentage of the dollars spent in locally owned businesses, versus chain retailers, remain in the community, generating economic activity that supports schools, parks, first responders, and other vital community services. Dix proves that during trying and uncertain times there can be ways to be a positive influence in the community. “We will always take the opportunity to help somebody in need and give back to the community when we can,” Dix said.
3 news
photo by Aine McIntyre
september/october 2020
Zoom bombing Mackenzie Williams Online teaching can be useful so that students can continue their education at home. Zoom, a leading and modern enterprise for video communication, is a common app used for online teaching. As a result of COVID-19, schools have been forced to transition from in-person learning environments to virtual learning. Before the transition into hybrid learning, Zoom teaching seemed to be the most promising and efficient way of learning. However, as school began this year, issues started to occur: WiFi problems, loud backgrounds, animal noises, vision fatigue, a doorbell ringing, and now zoom bombing. Since more people are at home, Zoom has had a surge of users. With the growing usage of the app, the company was not prepared for the increase of users in the early parts of the year. As a result, the Zoom bombing began to happen. “Zoom bombing’ is when an uninvited person joins a Zoom meeting,” Marshall Gunnell, a professional writer with a degree in business and fine arts, said. Zoom bombings have caught the attention of news outlets since mid-March. organizations began to create petitions and threaten lawsuits against those who participate in the action.
“This is usually done in an attempt to gain a few cheap laughs at the expense of the participants,” Gunner said. “Zoom bombers often hurl racial slurs or profanity, or share pornography and other offensive imagery.” A Zoom bombing made local news when it occurred at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, IL. A 14-year-old boy went to Twitter to share his Zoom login information which allowed random people to join and say profanity that included racial slurs. The teen
wasn’t charged with any criminal offenses but may have to complete community service and pay restitution. Repercussions like these can make life difficult for college acceptance or the future in general when criminal charges are involved. People use the Zoom Bombing to spread hate and cause division. Disrupting and invading classroom Zoom meetings can range from distracting and humorous to disrespectful and racist.
photo by Kathleen Carter
Voting: much more than a sticker Aine McIntyre
graphic by Aine McIntyre
Founding Father Thomas Jefferson once said, “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” In 2019, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty sued Wisconsin’s Elections Commission after it proposed to wait until 2021 to deactivate the voter registration of those in the state who have moved. The lawsuit gained national attention from both critics and supporters. Critics of the lawsuit say it complicates the process of voting and targets areas with substantial amounts of African American voters. Supporters, on the other hand, say its goal is not to suppress voters, but create trust in the voting process. “One of the tactics that has previously been used is to try and create delays, lines, confusions at polling places, and that’s exactly what this voter roll purge… could do in these very important spring elections,” said Mike Browne, a critic of the lawsuit. Another voting-related issue that has gained national attention is felon disenfranchisement. Many democratic presidental hopefuls have addressed the issue as well. The Sentencing Project, an advocacy and research center working to reduce incarceration in the United States, found that over 6.1 million Americans
cannot vote due to a felony conviction. The study also concluded that due to a felony charge, 1 of every 13 African Americans have lost the right to vote. “As an ex-offender, to be stripped from voting means we lose the right to citizenship,” said David Waller, an ex-offender who fought for and won back his right to vote. In recent years, the encouragement for young people to vote has greatly propelled. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 46.1 percent of 18 to 29 year olds voted in the 2016 Presidential Election. Mnay young people do not feel educated enough to vote, while others feel their vote is not important. However, that is not the case. “Someone struggled for your right to vote,” suffragette Susan B. Anthony said. “Use it.” In the state of Illinois (Ill.) one must turn 18 on or before the day of a general election. Ill. residents can register to vote at a Secretary of State’s drivers license facility or online at Vote.org. Register to vote and urge others to do so as well! “If young people, young adults, turn out to vote, it’s kind of a game-over situation,” Carolyn DeWitt, president of Rock the Vote, told USA Today. “They can dominate and determine pretty much everything.”
september/october 2020
news 4
Artistic ambitions Mairead O’Carroll For many high school students, art can be considered a mere leisure activity or a class requirement to get out of the way in order to earn credits. However, making art can be a very rewarding experience for those who release their energy through drawing, painting, sketching, and other mediums of art. This is true for senior Sasha Anoshenko, who has been making artwork ever since she can remember and has received a multitude of awards throughout her artistic career. “Since I was a little girl, I’ve always done art,” Anoshenko said. “I remember coloring the little dollar store coloring books and drawing on the walls in my house, I was that kid. It’s an outlet for me to, like, get thoughts out of my head that I can’t explain with words or to communicate how I’m feeling with other people.” After becoming a more mature artist, Anoshenko began showcasing her art through competitions. The first time she competed with her artwork was during 7th grade at St. Christina School, where she entered an art project of hers into the McAuley Junior High Art Exhibition. “I turned in my project and didn’t think anything of it until I came back,” Anoshenko said. “I ended up getting the ‘Best in Show’ award, and I got a little certificate. It was pretty exciting.”
TOP: Sasha Anoshenko’s unique piece “Grandpa’s Country Home” is the winner of a Scholastic Gold Key ABOVE: Anoshenko’s self portrait named “Portrait Identity”features use of mixed media.
Senior Sasha Anoshenko poses with her self-drawn art piece at an art exhibit.
Photo provided by Sasha Anoshenko
“I have really enjoyed the excitement of Not only did she receive her first award for her artwork, but Anoshenko also met Mrs. competing with my art,” Anoshenko said. Kathy Gordon Davis at the Art Exhibition. “When the date that they’re going to release It wasn’t until Anoshenko began taking AP the awards gets closer, anticipating how I did Studio Art classes her junior year, however, is the best part. But I feel like I really do art for myself. When I do have the opportunity (to that Gordon Davis became her art teacher. “Sasha is a very hardworking young show people my artwork), I like to be able to lady, and very productive and prolific in show my friends and family.” Anoshenko has spent much of her artistic that she creates a lot of quality art,” Gordon Davis said. “Over time, not only have her career making pieces that use intricate technical skills developed, but her level of detailing and refined artistic skill. Out of her experimentation and creativity as an artist entire collection, Anoshenko noted one of her pieces, which she created using the Japanese have grown exponentially.” Courses such as Gordon Davis’ AP Studio paper cutting technique, as one of her most Art also allowed Anoshenko to dedicate more memorable works. “It was called a paper carving, and I’ve time to working on her craft inside as well as never done anything like that before,” outside of school. “Since coming to McAuley, I’ve gotten a lot Anoshenko said. “So I drew a picture of it, more experience with making art, and I started it was a self portrait. I used an X-Acto knife to realize that I could work harder outside of to draw a picture of myself and cut out the school to improve,” Anoshenko said. “I have negative space of it, so that it looked like a put more time and effort into art in high school picture without being sketched with a pen or pencil. I also put a reflective background than I ever did before.” After further shaping her artistic skills behind it. It was difficult and really time through McAuley’s various art classes, consuming, but it turned out awesome.” After graduation, Anoshenko plans to Anoshenko continued to participate in a broad range of art shows and competitions. Over continue to pursue art at the college or time, she has won many awards for her pieces, university of her choice through architecture including a Gold Key, which she received after or industrial design. She recommends that last year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. others who want to try something new, even Anoshenko has also received several Silver Key those with little to no experience or artistic awards and Honorable Mentions over the past ability, try making art of their own in their free time. few years for her work. “To a beginner, I would say to just play Anoshenko entered her mixed media piece ‘Grandpa’s Country Home’ into a pool of about with all the materials, don’t feel like you 7,000 creative works for the 2020 Scholastic need to stick to one medium such as markers Art & Writing Awards. The judges awarded this or paints,” Anoshenko said. “Feel free to use piece with a Scholastic Gold Key, meaning that everything, make collages and experiment. Anoshenko’s piece ranked approximately in the Just have fun and see where it takes you.” top 5 percent of submissions.
5 feature
september/october 2020
Volunteering during COVID-19 Angelica Topor
graphic by Angelica Topor
What new hobby did you take up during quarantine? “During quarantine, I knitted blankets!'” - Grace Rowan 12
“A new hobbyI took up during quarantine was doing DIY projects. While helping my dad refurnish our whole upstairs floor, I learned how to put togther many things during the process.’’ -Allison Thompson 11
“A new hobby I learned was how to draw and paint better.” - Jade Szczesniak 10
Suicide prevention month Deirdre Sullivan According to the Mayo Clinic, the second leading cause of death in adolescents, ages 1519, is suicide. Suicide prevention events have occurred every September throughout the world since 1975. World Suicide Prevention day is on September 10th, and it brings awareness to suicide and offers help to those in need. With more people opening up about mental health issues and concerns, more available options are needed to help those suffering and to lower the risk of suicide. By making it easier to diagnose mental illnesses, like depression, and making therapy more accessible, suicide can be better prevented. Signs of depression include irritable or annoyed mood, feelings of sadness for no apparent reason, loss of pleasure in usual activities, trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things.
Behavioral changes include loss of energy, changes in appetite, poor school performance, agitation or restlessness and insomnia or sleeping too much. “Issues such as peer pressure, academic expectations and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens,” Mayo Clinic said. “But for some teens, the lows are more than just temporary feelings/ — they’re a symptom of depression.” By having a supportive environment and the availability to reach out to trusted friends, teachers and counselors, students can better focus on helping themselves and maintaining a positive mindset. During Suicide Prevention Month remember, there are always options to help, parents, counselors and hotlines such as The National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255.
How would the “M” wear a McAuley kilt?
“During quarantine, I did a lot of school work and watched many movies. I also did some at-home workouts and spent time with my family.” -Ellie Marron 9
photos by Meghan McCann
september/october 2020
graphic by Janey Hynes
student life 6
Review Crew: fall snacks
Judge Janey
Brisa Torres and Nora Harvey
photo by Angelica Topor
Above: the assortment of fall-themed snacks.
Brisa The leaves are falling and the snacks are calling! Fall is one of my favorite seasons; all the fall festivities leave a warm feeling in my heart. Despite this season having been modified for public health reasons, we are still able to enjoy the wonderful snacks that come with it. You can even save some money while you’re at it, Trader Joe’s offers affordable fall treats, perfect for the broke high school student. My favorite snack, the one that really gave me good vibes, was the “Pumpkin Ginger Hold the Cone” ice cream from Trader Joe’s. I was very skeptical at first; the idea of ginger has always scared me, mostly because once I accidentally added a tablespoon of ginger to my oatmeal instead of cinnamon, but this one surprised me. The flavors paired perfectly together and the white chocolate coating sealed the deal; overall I give it a 10/10. On a disappointing note, we have to discuss the disgusting “Pumpkin Empanadas” from Trader Joe’s. I was very excited about these; I’ve always loved empanadas and they give me a weird nostalgic feeling, but I was severely disappointed. The lack of spices and
photo by Angelica Topor Above: Brisa and Nora enjoying their new favorite drink.
crunch ruined any chance it had of being scrumptious. I honestly think pumpkin baby food would’ve been better than the filling. It was super bland and it doesn’t deserve the title of pumpkin. Sadly, I give this a 3/10. Moving on from pumpkin, the Trader Joe’s “Maple Kettle Corn” was immaculate. I’ve always been a fiend for kettle corn, and this fulfilled my popcorn dreams. I’m going to be honest and say that I did, in fact, eat the whole bag when Nora left my house. The
maple syrup coating with sea salt sprinkled on top made this treat absolutely scrumptious. This deserves a 10/10 rating. Last and most definitely least, Trader Joe’s “Pumpkin Tortilla Chips” with “Harvest Salsa.” They were average, nothing special and they didn’t even taste like pumpkin. The salsa reminded me of a bland version of pico de gallo with a dash of cumin and overall it deserves a 1/10. Nora Let me put you guys onto something here pumpkin ginger ice cream cones. These mini ice cream cones were immaculate. Trader Joe graced his blessing over these. The ice cream had just the right amount of pumpkin and ginger, and the white chocolate shell was an excellent choice, a 10/10. Unlike the cones, the Pumpkin Empanadas were ok at best; they tasted like pumpkin pie filling with a crust that didn’t really add any type of flavor. I would not go out of my way to get them. They make for a mediocre, but filling, snack. Brisa definitely became an ‘antipumpkin empanada activist’ after we tried these but I’m pretty indifferent. A ‘pumpkin
photo by Angelica Topor Above: Pumpkin biscotti to go with the coffee.
empanada tolerator’, you could say. I give these a 5/10. Next up is the Maple and Sea Salt Kettle Corn. This was amazing. The kettle corn practically melted on your tongue and was flavorful, while keeping a balance of sweet and salty. After trying this, I was very compelled to go to Trader Joe’s and buy a bag; it’s simply a 10/10. Taking a turn for the worst, after the universal acclaim of the cold brew and ice cream cones, the pumpkin tortilla chips were nothing special. Taking into consideration they are not supposed to be pumpkin flavored, rather just made from pumpkin, they did not really have any flavor. The texture was a bit strange and I would prefer a regular tortilla chip any day. These were a flop. 4/10. We bought the Harvest Salsa to try with these. Although Brisa was skeptical of the salsa at first, I liked it! The jalepeños added a spice that was not overwhelming and the salsa was full of flavor. The salsa made the pumpkin tortilla chips redeemable, a 7/10 for sure.
7 opinion
Janey Hynes
Recently, I’ve realized that I am getting old. It may seem premature to say that, however, I’m essentially Jennifer Garner in the 2004 movie “13 Going on 30,” just without the desire to be older. I feel like a 40-year-old woman trapped inside the prison photo by Bridget Gallagher that is my tween-looking body. All my life, people have said that I look significantly younger than I actually was/am. Once, I was even mistaken as my twin sister’s daughter. Honestly, it’s pretty funny when this happens, and I’m well aware of my infant-like appearance. Standing at staggering 4 feet and 11 inches tall with Gerber Baby cheeks and diction resembling that of a small child, I can understand why some of my relatives ask if I’m excited to go to high school next year. Although I have the aches and pains of parents and I make weird sounds when I stand up like grandparents, mentally, I am still so young. I’m 18 -- a legal adult in the United States. An adult? It’s almost comical. Being 18 is bonkers to me because I cannot fathom my existence outside the parameters of being a young person, and with each trip around the sun, I inch further and further away from youth. Sure, I can vote, buy lottery tickets and sign my life away without a legal guardian present, which is all cool. But at what point do I become old? Will it be when I graduate college, or when I start saying ‘tah-mae-tas’ instead of ‘tomatoes,’ or is time just a social construct? Being young is all I’ve ever known. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that one day, a mortgage and some wrinkles will be the testament of my staleness. Adults always tell me to enjoy looking young because I will miss it one day. I cannot yet relate to longing for a youthful appearance, but I do already miss the nostalgia of childhood. I have watched the people in my life grow older and move onto new and exciting things, but I never guessed that one day, I would too. Like clothes, childhood is something we all grow out of and hand down to those younger than us. Fortunately, I’m ahead of the aging curve. I don’t look any different than I did years ago, so it’s safe to say that I will look 25 in my 40s. I tell myself this in order to feel better. I don’t know where I’ll be or what I’ll look like when ‘old’ comes knocking at my door, but I hope I’ll be ready. Fleetwood Mac said it best in their song “Landslide.” “Time makes you bolder, even children get older. And I’m gettin’ older, too.” p.s. vote if you can
september/october 2020
The rise (and possible fall) of TikTok Jo Gomez TikTok, a social media platform, allows users to express their creativity through a 15 to 60 second video that is shared to the public. In the beginning of 2019, TikTok had over 33 million downloads on the IOS App Store, making it the top downloaded app on the App Store. While under the brand name Musical.ly back in 2016, the app was bought out and rebranded by the Chinese company ByteDance. Some creators even started gaining major attention, and eventually many users had a common goal: becoming TikTok famous. More people joined TikTok for other various reasons. TikTok’s biggest star, 16-yearold Charli D’Amelio, originally joined the app to post for fun. “I never really expected anyone to see my videos other than my friends,” D’Amelio said. TikTok, in the United States, hit a peak of over 100 million downloads in August 2020. However, President Trump has expressed his dislike for the app ever since COVID-19 spread to the United States from China. He believes that the Chinese government is using the app to get information from US citizens, “As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump
said to reporters in an interview while on Air Force One. This left mixed feelings within users all over the country, and while this ban in July did not happen, the idea of trying to ban it has been brought up once again. Trump said that if an American company doesn’t buy it, it would officially be shut down on Nov. 20, 2020. He approved a deal of the Oracle Walmart company buying it out, however, it is ByteDance’s decision if they want to sell their app or not. Another issue within the TikTok community is the constant negativity that circulates within the comment section and among the creators. Several influencers have threatened to leave the app, and some have even joined TikTok’s rival app, Triller. Rapper Taio Cruz recently
graphic by Jo Gomez
joined TikTok, but quickly left the app. “Never in my life have I had a more negative experience than the past few days on here,” Cruz said. Those who dislike the app may want TikTok’s downfall, however those who enjoy using it are not thrilled to hear such a thing. All fads must come to an end eventually, so the question at hand remains: will TikTok shut down for good, or is it here to stay?
Making a better medical field Sofia Jasso
september/october 2020
science & tech 8
First full-time female MLB coach
Play like a girl
Anna Fagan
Alyssa Nakken, former California State University softball star, is making history on the baseball diamond this year, as the first woman ever to be a Major League Baseball Coach. Nakken was offered a coaching position for the San Francisco Giants by head coach Gabe Lacquer earlier this year. Lacquer asked Nakken to meet with him at the beginning of this year to discuss new ideas for this upcoming season and said he knew she was “the right person for the job.” While in college, Nakken was a first baseman for the Sacramento State Hornets. She was an esteemed player, earning many awards for her skill, such as being named the 2012 Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year and making All-Pacific Coast Softball Conference all four years of college. After college, Nakken got an internship with the Giants’ Baseball Operations department while in graduate school in sport’s management from the University of San Fransisco There she met head coach
Gabe Lacquer who asked her to discuss plans for this upcoming season. Lacquer immediately knew he wanted Nakken to be on his coaching staff and set up an interview right there. “I didn’t even know the interview was happening,” Nakken said. “It was just me having a conversation with Gabe and some of the staff about my thoughts on the clubhouse and the team and how do we put the best team on the field every single night.” Nakken has inspired future generations of girls. These girls are future leaders, athletes and business women. Many of these girls attend schools like McAuley and Nakken’s example of leadership is one many will want to follow. “I think it’s amazing that there is finally a female coach in the MLB,” junior JV softball player Elena Fernandez said. “It really shines light on the idea that women are equally qualified for a position like this.”
Molly McDermott Anna Jaworowski verbally committed to play volleyball and further her academic career at the University of San Diego on Aug. 3, 2020. A three-year McAuley varsity libero, Jaworowski always dreamed of becoming a collegiate athlete. “By the time I started high school, I knew I wanted to play volleyball in college,” Jaworowski said. “That’s when I started to research schools to find the best fit for me.” Jaworowski has been recognized for her success on the McAuley varsity volleyball team and her club team Michio Chicago Volleyball Academy. She has received several honorable mentions from Illinois prep volleyball, was chosen for the 2019 AVCA phenom list and most recently was selected for the 2020 Under Armour All-American watch list. COVID-19 became an unexpected obstacle for the world and most certainly affected Jaworowski’s college hunt. Considering the distance between Jaworowski and San Diego, some challenges arose. “The coaches were awesome about talking on the phone and getting to know each other during this tough time,” Jaworowski said. “I knew I didn’t want to stay close to home, and my family was super supportive of this decision.” Balancing a rigorous academic schedule while playing for a competitive volleyball program was a priority for Jaworowski. Involved in Math Macs and NHS, Jaworowski experienced a challenging schedule during her time at McAuley and wanted to continue to push herself in college. “I choose San Diego because of the competitive environment, amazing coaches and talented players,” Jaworowski said. “I knew I was going to get a great education while playing for a top Division 1 program.”
A double-edged decision Mary Philip
saw this as an opportunity to work hard as a team and become stronger for the spring. I am anxious for this season, but our team has been doing everything possible to stay in shape and ready to take the court.” Although IHSA left some athletes and fans disappointed, it was the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for other athletes, like varsity crosscountry runner junior Gianna Kmak, whose sport was deemed low-risk. “I was very happy to find out we could still run our season,” Kmak said. “I had been working hard in training over the summer and was thrilled when I found out I could continue to improve this season.” Cross-country still faces adjustments for Kmak and her teammates as they adjust to competing in their ‘new normal’ to ensure the safety of participants. “The meets this year are much smaller,” Kmak said. “Only a certain number of competitors and coaches are allowed on the course at a time, so we can not be together as a full team. It is a lot quieter with less spectators allowed to come support us.”
9 sports
photo by Molly McDermott
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, high school students everywhere are faced with the same challenge: delayed sports seasons. Athletes across Illinois spent their summers practicing to the best of their abilities hoping for the Illinois High School Association’s (IHSA) approval of their regularly scheduled season. By following IHSA protocol and rules, such as wearing masks and maintaining a 6-feet distance, athletes made the most of their situations. On July 29, 2020, IHSA released the sports plans for the 2020-21 school year. The outcome was expected: disappointed athletes, like varsity volleyball player junior Caroline Macander. “I did predict that IHSA would either cancel or postpone our season for the safety of all players,” Macander said. “I was upset when I found out the season was postponed, but I tried to stay positive and hopeful in any way possible.” Despite the setback, Macander and her teammates continue to prepare for their upcoming season. Off-season preparations are in effect as their season approaches. “Due to the postponement, IHSA has given us a number of contact days we are allowed to practice together,” Macander said. “We
september/october 2020
Oscars so diverse? Bridget Gallagher
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled a set of requirements that films must meet in order to be nominated for Best Picture, the most prestigious award a movie can receive. In 2016, for the second consecutive year, only white actors were nominated for acting awards. The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite criticized the Oscars’ lack of diversity and trended all over social media. Many Black entertainers, such as, Spike Lee and Will Smith boycotted that year’s award show. Then in 2017, a record breaking seven people of color were nominated for acting awards, but the Academy has yet to top that number. Beginning in 2024, films must meet two out of the four new standards in order to
photo by Bridget Gallagher
Amongst the Black Lives Matter protests comes a new wave of justice and racial inclusivity. Countless people have begun to join the movement for change in the United States and around the world. This movement expresses its message through the justice system, politicians and school systems. However, an unfamiliar push for racial inclusivity is shown in the music industry. Many musical artists have changed their racially insensitive names after pressure from concerned fans. The country trio, the Dixie Chicks, removed “Dixie” from their name. The singers explained that Dixie refers to the racially tense Civil War era when African Americans were enslaved. Lady Antebellum changed its name to Lady A to distance themselves from the historical racial connotations of the Antebellum South. “We’ve watched and listened more than ever these last few weeks…our eyes opened wide to the injustices, inequality and biases black women and men have always faced and continue to face everyday,” Lady A said
be nominated for Best Picture. The first set of requirements, or what the Academy calls Group A, states that a film must have a storyline about and/or a cast featuring women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community and/or people with cognitive or physical disabilities. The Academy calls them “underrepresented identity groups.” Group B requires at least 30% of the film’s crew to be a part of the previous underrepresented identity groups. Group C says that the film’s production companies must offer paid internships or apprentice opportunities to underrepresented groups. Finally, Group D requires executives from underrepresented identity groups to be a part of the marketing team. Now the question is: Will these new rules really make the Oscars more diverse? They only apply to the Best Picture award, no other categories. Hypothetically, films with an all white male cast are still able to qualify if they fulfill the requirements for Groups C and D. Even Academy award winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón called the requirements “disappointing.” “Everybody is trying to figure out ways of making more diverse cinema,” Cuarón told Indiewire in Sept. 2020. “The interesting thing is that it’s not coming naturally.” Last year’s winner “Parasite,” a South Korean thriller, was the first foreign language film to win the award. While its win made history, the Academy failed to nominate any of its all Asian cast members. Now the question is, will the new standards eliminate the overall lack of diversity? Film lovers will have to wait until 2024.
graphic by Elena Fernandez
The musical movement for change Sofia Jasso
on Instagram. “Causing pain was never our hearts’ intention, but it doesn’t change the fact that indeed, it did just that.” The debate over whether the Confederate era should be recognized in modern American society remains a problem today. Many southern Americans believe that the Confederacy is a crucial part of American history and should be celebrated as well as traditionalized. Although the Confederate-era is a strong foundation in southern history and tradition, it simultaneously acts as a remainder of the enslavement and mistreatment of African-Americans. As unfamiliar the switch in band names may be, the change can make a difference in the music industry. It demonstrates a zero-tolerance for racism and favoritism of a troubling period in the U.S. “No matter how slight or significant a band name’s connotation to slavery in America may be…we should do away with anything that comes close to glorifying, anesthetizing, or normalizing it,” columnist Drew Schwartz wrote on Vice.com
september/october 2020
photo by Sofia Jasso
a&e 10
Digital illustration artwork
digital illustration by Grace LaMantia
digital illustration by Gianna Rubino
digital illustration by Denise Galan
digital illustration by Kiara Marini