November 2016
Editor-in-Chief Morgan Barnes Co-Editor-in-Cheif Nicolle Kain
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News-2
Lilly Homan
What Does Winter Have In Store Kneeling FoR The Anthem For Us? Morgan Barnes Morgan Barnes Editor in Chief
This summer, the world was hit with one of the worst heat wave reported since 1895. It was because of El Niño. El Niño is a weather pattern that happens whenever the warm ocean temperatures of the Pacific rise. This weather phenomenon has been happening a lot more lately due to greenhouse gases being trapped in the atmosphere. However, El Niño is not the only weather phomona hitting the globe this year. La Niña is another form of El Niño, only the winter version. Which means La Niña cause sever cold and snow, similar to how El Niño caused a hot and humid summer. Weather channels, such as ABC 7, have started to warn the public about the effects of La Niña. AccuWeather reports states like California, Texas, Georgia, and the Carolina’s will be expected to have warm and dry winters. This winter, these states will experience drought like temperatures. While others like Utah, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, and New York, will be hit with bitter temperatures and lots of snow. Predictions are being made that the snowfall received will be the most snow that has fallen since 1967, when Illinois was covered in 32inches of snow. Other reports from The Weather Channel forecast a warm and mild winter. The Weather Channel reports that the conditions for La Niña to happen are no longer ideal. Currently there is only a 55-60 percent chance of
of La Niña happening this winter. Both websites have predicted two different outcomes to winter. Neither AccuWeather or The Weather Channel are a hundred percent sure about which will happen, but with in looking at the Farmer’s Almanac, it reports that the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and New England areas will be having an exceptionally cold winter this year. The Almanac predicts the cold traveling as far down as Florida.
References “Farmer’s Almanac Winter Prediction 2016-2017.” Transworld Snowboarding. N.p., 15 Aug. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. Galimberti, Katy. “US La Nina Forecast: Snowy Winter on Tap for East; Dry ...”AccuWeather. N.p., 26 June 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. Barclay. “OnTheSnow Update: Winter Weather Outlook 2016-2017 | “La ...”Unofficial Networks. N.p., 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Editor in Chief How do you feel when you hear the National Anthem? San Francisco 49er’s quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been kneeling during the anthem as a form to protest. The quarterback started kneeling for the anthem on August 26, 2016, when the 49ers played the Green Bay Packers. As the anthem began to play, Kaepernick took a knee. Twitter began to flood with angry messages about the player being “disrespectful” and ‘ungracious” by not standing. However, when Kaepernick took to Twitter to explain his reasons, many supporters came forth. Kaepernick tweeted his reasoning for kneeling is, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.
To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selffish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” Some other players have begun to also kneel for the anthem. Some of these players include, Eric Reed, Antoine Bethea, and Eli Harold(49ers) , Kenny Britt and Robert Quinn(Rams),and Brandon Marshall(Broncos). But this protest is not only hitting the NFL, it’s also being demonstrated in some high schools. Some of those high schools being Lincoln Southeast in Lincoln, Nebraska, Waggener High in Louisville, Kentucky, and Maury High in Norfolk, Virginia.
This is a picture of Donald Trump, and his running mate Mike Pence.
This is a picture of Hillary Clinton , and her running mate Tim Kaine.
R e f e r e n c e s “Farmer’s Almanac Winter Prediction 2016-2017.” Transworld Snowboarding. N.p., 15 Aug. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. Galimberti, Katy. “US La Nina Forecast: Snowy Winter on Tap for East; Dry ...”AccuWeather. N.p., 26 June 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. Barclay. “OnTheSnow Update: Winter Weather Outlook 2016-2017 | “La ...”Unoffi-
The Presidential Election Lilly Homan
Reporter/editor The 2016 Presidential Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8th. Arguably the most important election for our nation in years. The two candidates running for president are Donald Trump (Rep.), and Hillary Clinton (Dem.), with running mates Mike Pence (Rep.) and Tim Kaine (Dem.). Jill Stein is running for the Green Party, and her main focus is to end poverty and unemployment. Gary Johnson is running for the Libertarian Party, and his main focus is to eliminate Common Core curriculm. Donald Trump is a billionaire, whose business runs from real estate to clothing. Hillary Clinton was the first lady, senator, and Secretary of State. This will be her second time running for president. Her first attempt to run for president was in 2008, when she ran against Barack Obama. If Clinton is to become president, she wants to expand on Obamacare, but she does not want to attempt to create a universal healthcare system. She proposes that the government should be able to block excessive health insurance hikes.
She does not want Americans to face out-of-pocket costs. She also wants to make publiccollege debt-free. Clinton proposes a “New College Compact,” that would make community college free. This would allow students to attend a public four-year college debt-free. Clinton would want to raise the federal minimum wage to twelve dollars an hour, the minimum wage now is $7.25. If Donald Trump is to become president, he would repeal Obamacare, and replace it with a single-payer health care system. Trump would allow the health insurance industry more mobility to cross state lines. He would build a wall on Mexico’s border, this would be paid for by seizing money, undocumented immigrants attempt to send to Mexico. He wants to triple the number of Immigration, Custom, and Enforcement officers. He does not want to cut Social Security or Medicare benefits, he wants to grow the economy, by saving these programs. On January 20th, 2017, our new president will be inaugurated. If you are of voting age, be sure to register at www.usa.gov/registerto-vote, and remember to cast on November 8th.
All information was found on these sites: “What Does Donald Trump Believe? Where the Candidate Stands on 10 Issues.” PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016. “What Does Hillary Clinton Believe? Where the Candidate Stands on 12 Issues.” PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016. ”Gary Johnson on 11 Key Issues: Where Does Libertarian Presidential Candidate Stand?” Syracuse.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Oct. 2016. “Power to the People Plan.” Jill Stein 2016. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct.
The pictures above are of Jill Stein and Gary Johnson.
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Scholarships
Unusual Thanksgiving Traditions Justine Peters
Katelyn Bireline
Entertainment Editor/Reporter
Sports Editor/Reporter A scholarship is a grant or payment made to support a student’s education, awarded on the basis of academic or other achievements. Each year, an estimated 46 billion dollars in grant and scholarship money is awarded by the U.S. Department of Education and the nation’s colleges and universities. For anyone seeking a college education, there are numerous types of scholarships to apply for. Academic Scholarships Academic scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated a high degree of scholastic skill and performance. To qualify for academic scholarships, a student generally must have a 3.5 GPA or higher, 25 ACT score or higher, 1200 SAT score or higher, and must rank within the top 10 percent of the class. However, some colleges and universities may have different requirements. There is also another type of academic scholarships called Average Academic Performance scholarships which take academics into consideration, but also focus on community service, leadership, the strength of your essay, etc. Athletic Scholarships Athletic scholarships may be the way to go for students who have physical skills as well as strong academics. Athletic scholarships are awarded to recognize high achievement, which is why these types of scholarships may be competitive. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) requires that an athlete must fulfill 2 out of 3 requirements to be eligible. They must either have at least a 2.0 GPA, graduate in the top half of their class, and/or score an 860 or an 18 on the SAT or Enhanced ACT.
Perspectives-3 Nicolle Kain
Minority Scholarships Minority scholarships are offered to minority students to promote diversity on college campuses. These scholarships are not just limited to race and ethnicity. College classrooms are being filled with people from of all ethnicities, economic backgrounds, and religious beliefs. The criteria for these types of scholarships vary. Women Scholarships Not only are there scholarships for minority groups, but there are also scholarships for women. Women are offered scholarships to be able to further the opportunities of young women of future generations. There a multiple types of scholarships offered to women, all varying in criteria. Creative/Unique Scholarships Creative scholarships are offered to people who have a passion for art, music, or dance. Whether your talent is something you hope to turn into a career or is an extracurricular passion, there are many types of scholarships one can apply for. Most of these scholarships require an audition of some sort. Unusual scholarships are meant to be fun and a great way to be creative. For example, there is a scholarship available for one who can create the best prom dress out of duct tape. Unusual scholarships are typically sponsored by private companies. However, there aren’t very many of these scholarships available each year, which makes them somewhat competitive. There are numerous scholarships out there for anyone looking to apply for one. Start your search at https://www.scholarships.com or https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search.
Thanksgiving is an American holiday that many may choose to celebrate on the third Thursday of November every year. While many may think of Thanksgiving as a day to feast, others might have different traditions they celebrate on this day. Traveling Gourd According to the online article “18 Amazing, Hilarious, and Strange Thanksgiving Traditions,” some people may watch old family videos after Thanksgiving dinner to remember “old times.” Another family reportedly has a “traveling gourd,” which is a dried gourd with a face painted on it that goes to the family member traveling the farthest away the approaching year. The gourd goes on adventures with the chosen person, and they send regular updates about their journeys together. Takeout In the article “10 #weirdtradi-
tions We Celebrate on Thanksgiving,” Twitter users were asked about their unusual Thanksgiving traditions that they celebrate. One user claimed, “For 22 years we’ve ordered Chinese food takeout for T’giving Eve,” and “always order too many egg rolls.” A different Twitter user plays a “rowdy game of spoons” after her Thanksgiving dinner. One other family eats their dinner, then walks around the zoo to burn off calories from their meal. Tablecloth Embroidery As reported by the story “15 Unique Thanksgiving Traditions You’ll Want to Steal,” one grandmother puts a tablecloth out on Thanksgiving Day and keeps it out until January second. Whoever visits between those times signs the tablecloth, and the grandmother embroiders over the signatures. Beach House Getaway One family rents a beach house for an entire week of family time. They “bake certain cookies and candies only seen this
time of year, in addition to a homemade fruitcake from a recipe that is over 100 years old.” They also “rent a party boat for a day of deep-sea fishing,” and they “always go to the movies at least once as a group,” and “play games most of the nights.” Turducken Another peculiar tradition on Thanksgiving is the turducken. A turducken is a turkey stuffed with a duck, which is then stuffed with a chicken. The turducken provides a mass amount of meat in one singular dish. Turkey Pardoning The turkey pardoning is a tradition that takes place every Thanksgiving by the President of the United States. The president pardons a turkey, and grants the bird a right to “live a little longer.” Although Thanksgiving is typically thought of as a day to eat as much as possible, many people also use it as a way to bond with their families and be grateful for what they have.
How To: Car a m e l Appl es
Katelyn Bireline
Sports Editor/Reporter
What You Need:
~Apples ~Caramel Bites ~Cake Pop Sticks ~Melon Scooper ~Sprinkles
Step Three:
Melt the caramel bites
Step One:
Use the melon scooper to scoop out bites from the apple.
Step Four:
Dip the apple bites into the melted caramel.
Step Two:
Stick the cake pop sticks into the apple bites
Step Five:
Add sprinkles.
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Features-4
Nicolle Kain
What to do in Chicago This November Nicolle Kain
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Autumn is considered by many to be a colorful and eventful season. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, there are several events taking place in Chicago to soak up the art and culture, and to welcome the season of giving thanks and raking leaves. Some ideas of what people are able to do in Chicago this November are as follows: • Several humanists and artists will come together from Saturday, October 29th to Saturday, November 12th for the Chicago Humanities Festival. This popular event is devoted to celebrating human creativity. • The Randolph Street Market Festival will take place from Saturday, October 29th to Sunday, December 11th. This indoor-outdoor festival features over 200 vendors. Visitors can stop in for antique housewares, furniture, clothing, jewelry, and more. • The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival will take place from November 1st to November 6th. This event showcases
the “best culturally diverse, non-violent new cinema for children”, and offers interactive workshops for visitors. • The Sculpture Objects Functional Art Fair (SOFA), produced by Urban Expositions, will be held in downtown Chicago from November 3rd to November 6th. This fair is dedicated to three-dimensional art and design, and usually attracts around 35,000 attendees. • The “greatest stars in professional rugby” will be coming to Chicago for “The Rugby Weekend” on Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th. They will be playing two international rugby matches. • Experience a “35-room nightmare” at the haunted house at Rosemont on November 4th and 5th. • The circus is coming to town this November! Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey with make appearance at Allstate Arena on November 4th through 13th, and the United Center from November 17th through 27th. • The Mac and Cheese Fest, otherwise known as “the cheesiest festival in Chicago”, will be held on Saturday, November 5th at the UIC Forum,
Little Italy, UIC. The fest is broken into two three-hour sessions where guests can sample macaroni and cheese from multiple local vendors. General admission ticket price includes “all the mac and cheese you can eat” and five drink tickets. VIP includes a Mac and Cheese Fest t-shirt, and access to the VIP section. • Twenty of Chicago’s “culinary masterminds” will “try their hand at their own ramen creations” at Ramenfest on November 5th. Visitors are able to taste these creations, and vote on the best one. • The Museum of Contemporary Art is showing “Art as Archaeology” from November 9th through March 9th. At this event, twenty artists will relay history in a unique way. • “There’s a promise of TV celebrities, live music, and vendors” at the 1980s and ‘90s convention on November 11th to November 13th. • “Enjoy an evening of close-up magic by awardwinning magicians” at the Magic Parlour from November 11th to the 26th. Discount tickets are available. • A ticket to the Lanternfest and St. Martin’s Parade gets you a lantern to join the
Are You Going to Turnabout ? When it comes to dances, the boys are usually in charge of asking the girls to go with them, and also covering the expenses of tickets, the matching tie, and dinner. However, the importance of equality is emphasized throughout society via books and media. So why are the boys the ones usually asking the girls to the dance? Well, for Turnabout, the roles are switched: the girls are given the chance to ask the boys to the dance. On Friday, November 4th, Student Council will host the Turnabout dance. Student Council has been hosting Turnabout for two years now, but before, cheerleaders were in charge of hosting it. Student Council puts a lot of work into coming up with the theme and decorating the gym for the dance. This year student council wanted
to make the dance more affordable for the students. It was decided that Friday Night Lights would be the best option for the theme of the upcoming dance. This year, the gym will be decorated in neon colors and lights. The junior and senior classes, along with the sophomore and freshmen representatives, will hang ropes from the basketball hoops in the den. They will then drape fabric over, Jacob Reece (So) and Maggie Goldrick (So) creating a nice dance area. Mrs. Stone, who is the sponsor for Student Council, alongside Ms. Payne who is co-sponsor, says, “It is always amazing to see how creative the students get.” Last year for winter formal, the students, whom none of them were artists, created a huge painting of Starry Night. Mrs. Stone says her “favorite part of doing dances is having it all come together.” She knows that this year’s dance will be great.
Photo Submitted by Maggie Goldrick
Sports Editor/Reporter
Photo Submitted by Chandler Claus
Katelyn Bireline
Donovan Deuser (2016) and Chandler Claus (So) The Beecher Community Part-Time Players Present
Dan Goggin’s
Nuncrackers Directed by John Dean
Tickets: $15 Includes Musical and Pre-Show Dessert December 9 & 10-7:30pm (Dessert Served from 6 pm-7:15pm) December 11-3:30pm (Dessert Served from 2 pm-3:15pm) Performed at Beecher Community Hall: 673 Penfield St Tickets and Information avaliable at BeecherPartTimePlayers.com
parade on November 13th. This event also includes singing, crafts, and a bake sale. • Chicago presents its 103rd anniversary of the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Millennium Park on Friday, November 18th. This date also marks the opening of the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. • On Friday, November 18th, come celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. This will be the first time they will have activities to go along with the parade. • Begin holiday shopping at the Christkindlmarket, starting on November 18th. What originated as a German celebration has arguably become somewhat of a Chicago tradition. • On November 24th, the annual Thanksgiving Parade will take over State Street (between Congress Parkway and Randolph Street) with a procession of floats, marching bands, and local celebrities. This Thanksgiving Day tradition will start at 8:00 AM and run through 11:00AM. Those who choose not to take the trip downtown can watch the parade live on TV. • “Warm up your appetite at Chicago’s longest running
Thanksgiving tradition”, the 38th annual Turkey Day Run Chicago. On Thursday November 24th, participants can run in the 5K or 8K races at North Pond, Lincoln Park. Proceeds and donations will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. • Head to Lincoln Park Zoo from Friday, November 25th to Sunday, January 1st to witness the park’s annual zoo lights. The first 1000 people each night receive special glasses to view the lights with, but everyone can enjoy the ice carving demonstrations, hot beverages, and ice skating on the zoo’s rink. • “Bundle up and get ready to belt out some holiday classics” at Millennium Park every Friday from November 25th through December 23rd, where local choral groups will lead people in their favorite Christmas songs. • Wolfcon is calling all gamers on November 25th-27th at the College of DuPage. • The annual Wreathing of the Lions at the Art Institute of Chicago will take place on November 27th. There are several fall festivities occurring in Chicago this month. What will you attend?
BHS Drama Club presents: Arsenic and Old Lace Nicolle Kain
Co-Editor-in-Chief Over the years, the Beecher High School Drama Club has performed various plays and musicals for the school and community to enjoy. This fall, the Drama Club will be performing the popular and comedic show Arsenic and Old Lace on November 11th at 7:00 PM, 12th at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM, and 13th at 2:00 PM. Performances will take place at the Beecher Community Hall. Arsenic and Old Lace is a play about two sinister aunts, Abby and Martha Brewster (played by Elizabeth Sellers (Sr) and Melissa Stanevich (So)), and their nephew, Teddy (played by Stephen Gianotti (Sr)), who believes that he is President Theodore Roosevelt. The play opens as Rev. Dr. Harper (played by Matt Gonzalez (So)) is chatting with Abby about her other nephew, Mortimer (played by Mj Gonzalez (Jr)), who is in love with the reverend’s daughter, Elaine (played by Kayla Swanson (Sr)). The happy family starts to unravel when Mortimer lifts the lid to the window seat and discovers a dead body within. Abby and Martha tell Mortimer that they were the ones who poisoned the man, and he wasn’t their first victim. They reveal that they befriend lonely older people who do not have much to live for, and kill them with elderberry wine laced with arsenic. About this time, Mortimer and Teddy’s brother, Jonathan (played by Karl Krudup (So)) shows up. Jonathan, a criminal, is accompanied by Dr. Einstein (played by Nick Rinella (Jr)) a plas-
tic surgeon. Jonathan had recently killed a man himself, and was planning to bury him in his aunts’ cellar. The play continues with several scenes of lights blinking on and off, of bodies being moved from the window seat to the cellar to the car outside, and of accusations being thrown back and forth, giving credence to the comedic classification of the performance. “This cast is a wonderfully talented cast. Some of them are new to the stage, but are keeping up. Each cast member brings something unique to the show. They have the ability to create some unique and interesting characters,” says Dee Hamilton, director of Arsenic and Old Lace. “The show itself is very well written. It is a very entertaining show. My favorite part of directing it is watching these kids develop their characters, and have a blast,” Mrs. Hamilton continues. Mrs. Hamilton expects the audience to “walk away with smiles on their faces.” “Watch out for this drama club. We are getting bigger, and doing terrific shows. Expect to see some pretty big things from these kids,” she says. Will the police officers (played by Isabelle Powell (Sr), Marley Reilly (Jr), Carla Snyder (So), and Emily Cook (Jr)) catch Jonathan? Will Mrs. Witherspoon (played by Nicolle Kain (Jr)) take Teddy to the Happy Dale Sanitarium? Can Mortimer marry Elaine without passing the Brewster insanity on to his children? Come see Arsenic and Old Lace to find out. Adults are $5.00, children 12 and under, students (with student ID’s), and seniors are $3.00.
BeechBark
Sports-5
Katelyn Bireline
Chicago Sports Teams'Schedules Katelyn Bireline Editor/Reporter
Chicago Bulls Schedule Time (ET)
November 2nd 8:00 pm at Boston November 4th 8:00 pm vs NY Knicks November 5th 7:00 pm at Indiana November 7th 8:00 pm vs Orlando November 9th 7:30 pm at Atlanta November 10th 8:00 pm at Miami November 12th 8:00 pm vs Washington November 15th 10:00 pm at Portland November 17th 10:30 pm at Utah November 19th 10:30 pm at LA November 20th 9:30 pm at Los Angeles November 22nd 9:00 pm at Denver November 25th 7:30 pm at Philadelphia November 30th 8:00 pm vs Los Angeles December 2nd 8:00 pm vs Cleveland December 3rd 8:30 pm at Dallas December 5th 8:00 pm vs Portland December 6th 7:30 pm at Detroit December 8th 9:30 pm vs San Antonio December 10th 8:00 pm vs Miami
Chicago Bears Schedule
Chicago Blackhawks
November 13th 12:00 pm at Buccaneers November 20th 12:00 pm at Giants November 27th 12:00 pm vs Titans December 4th 12:00 pm vs 49ers December 11th 12:00 pm at Lions December 18th 12:00 pm vs Packers December 24th 12:00 pm vs Redskins January 1st 12:00 pm at Vikings
November 1st 8:30 pm vs Calgary November 3rd 8:30 pm vs Colorado November 5th 8:00 pm at Dallas November 6th 7:00 pm vs Dallas November 9th 8:00 pm at St. Louis November 11th 8:30 pm vs Washington November 13th 7:00 pm vs Montreal November 15th 8:00 pm at Winnipeg November 18th 9:00 pm at Calgary November 19th 10:00 pm at Vancouver November 21st 9:00 pm at Edmonton November 23rd 10:30 pm at San Jose November 25th 4:00 pm at Anaheim November 26th 10:30 pm at Los Angeles November 29th 8:30 pm vs Florida December 1st 8:30 pm vs New Jersey December 3rd 1:00 pm at Philadelphia December 4th 7:00 pm vs Winnipeg December 6th 8:30 pm vs Arizona December 9th 8:30 pm vs NY Rangers December 11th 7:00 pm vs Dallas
Time(CST)
Sports Briefs
Jed Moses L. Vergana
This season, the Cross Country team has run well with Adam Swanson and Justin Janssen medaling several times. “We have been about middle of the pack in our meets this year and are looking to improve as Regionals and Sectionals are coming” Mr. Ogdon said. They have participated in a total of nine meets already, and are having a good season to date. “We are striving for more,” Mr. Ogdon stated.
Girls’ Golf:
“The season has been tumultuous, we’ve had incredible highs and equal lows,” Mr. Serafin said. They had a 16-5 record during the year, and have multiple personal bests during the season. They finished in third place last September at the GP Invite, “where our younger players began to step up and show their potential” Mr. Serafin shared. Last October 4, they finished third in the Region and squeezed by to qualify for the Sectional Tournament. Sectionals began October 16, and the team placed 11th.
Boys’ Soccer:
Boys’ Golf:
Chicago Blackhawks logo
Chicago Bulls logo
Chicago Bears logo
Thanksgiving Football Schedule Lilly Homan
Editor/Reporter
Thursday, November 24th Vikings at Lions 11:30 am Redskins at Cowboys 3:30 pm Steelers at Colts 7:30 pm
Athletes of the Month Jed Moses L. Vergana Editor/Reporter
Editor/Reporter
Cross Country:
Time(ET)
The girls’ team finished the season with a record of 12-5. They won the Regionals for the second time in school history. Mr. Martewicz mentioned that the team showed improvement throughout the year. “For a team with no seniors, they showed a lot of maturity,” he shared. He also stated that the next few years “could be very successful, if the team works on their fundamentals during the off season.” They finished Sectionals, placing 11th. The boys soccer team currently has a Conference Record of 6-0, with Gabe Fonseca leading on the number of goals, with 16. “Our season is going well, we recently repeated as TVC and Regional Champs,” Mrs. Compton said. The team hopes to continue a deep run into the post season.
Cross Country:
Athlete of the Month: Robbie Jones (Sr) Robbie is said to have shown great effort all season and has improved his times for a race by over three minutes. “I am very proud of the personal achievements that Robbie has attained this season and his presence will be missed after he graduates this year,” Mr. Ogdon said.
Boys’ Golf:
Player of the Year: Austin Burgess (Sr) Austin Burgess earned “Player of the Year” honors by firing an 82 at the Conference tournament.
Girls’ Golf:
Athlete of the Month: Megan Oppenhuis (Jr) “Her continued leadership of this young team was incredible,” Mr. Martewicz mentioned. She shot two of the best rounds of her career at Regionals and Sectionals. She was also named All-Conference. “If all teams had players step up the way Megan has, a coach’s job would be much easier,” Mr. Martewicz exclaimed.
Boys’ Soccer
Athlete of the Month: Tyler Bireline (Sr) “I chose Tyler because he is a great leader on our team,” Mrs. Compton shared. She added by mentioning that playing keeper is a tough position to play and he handles it well, making key saves. Currently, he has earned 14 shut-outs, which is the most any Beecher keeper has ever had.
Girl’s Volleyball Team
Athlete of the Month: Kate Ranger (Sr) Kate Ranger is one of the senior starting outside hitters. “She has taken a big leadership role on our team this year and has been a very positive force on the court,” says Mrs. Rink. She is leading the team with 47 aces. She also has 102 kills and 260 digs so far this season.
Girl’s Volleyball Team:
The volleyball team currently has a record of 24-8-2, and a Conference record of 11-0. “We are very excited for the postseason, as we are still undefeated in conference,” Ms. Rink shared.
Reading from left to right: Robbie Jones(Sr), Austin Burgess(Sr), Meagan Oppenhuis(Jr), Tyler Bireline(Sr), and Kate Ranger(Sr)
BeechBark Celebrity Breakups Justine Peters
Entertainment Editor/Reporter Throughout 2016, many celebrity couples encountered changes with their relationships, resulting in several breakups this year. However, while some couples split up, others got back together and restored their relationships. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are one of the most recent celebrity couples to end their relationship with one another. After more than 10 years together, Jolie filed for a divorce from Pitt in September. Pitt and Jolie raised six children together: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. Jolie claimed “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their divorce. A source close to Pitt claims that, “he will dust himself off and be strong, not because he wants to, but because he has to for the kids. Protecting them is all that he cares about.” It was agreed that Jolie would have full custody of the children until the Department of Children and Family Services
established a new agreement. Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne temporarily experienced relationship problems this year as well. Ozzy and Sharon separated briefly after 34 years of marriage due to irreconcilable differences. However, they reunited with one another several months later, with Sharon announcing, “I forgive. It’s going to take a long time to trust, but… I just can’t think of my life without him.” Sharon claims, “I’m in a really good place because I’m in control of my life.” Besides Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, various other celebrity couples have split this year. Taylor Swift ended her 15 month relationship with Calvin Harris in June, but then started dating Tom Hiddleston two weeks later. Their relationship ended after three months, and Swift reportedly remains single for the time being. It is uncertain if the aforementioned couples will get back together in the future.
Entertainment-6
American Music Awards Lilly Homan News Editor/Reporter
The American Music Awards were created by Dick Clark in 1973, after ABC lost the contract to present the Grammy Awards. This year will mark the 44th annual year in production. The purpose of the American Music Awards is to recognize the musical talent of artists and musicians.
Artist of the Year:
941 statuettes have been handed out to artists and musicians at the AMAs since 1974, when the program began. This year, 23 statuettes will be awarded. Michael Jackson holds the record for the most AMAs won, with a total of 24. In 1984, he won 8 in one ceremony. Listed below is a chart of a couple of categories and the nominees for 2016.
Favorite Male Artist-Pop/ Rock
Adele, Justin Bieber, Drake, Selena Gomez, Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Twenty One Pilots, Carrie Underwood, and The Weeknd Alessia Cara, The Chainsmokers, DNCE, Shawn Mendes, and Zayn Justin Bieber, Drake, and The Weeknd
Favorite Female Artist-Pop/ Rock Favorite Duo or Group-Pop/ Rock Favorite Male ArtistCountry
Adele, Selena Gomez, and Rihanna The Chainsmokers, DNCE, and Twenty One Pilots Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, and Thomas Rhett
Favorite Female ArtistCountry
Kelsea Ballerini, Cam, and Carrie Underwood
New Artist of the Year:
Tune in on Sunday, November 20th at 7:00 pm for more categories and the results.
Games and Puzzles Katelyn Bireline
Answers from Last Edition:
Sports Editor/Reporter
Riddle answer: CABDE Wednesday, Tom and Joe went to a restaurant and ate dinner. When they were done they paid for the food and left. But Tom and Joe didn’t pay for the food. Who did? See answer below. AARDVARK ANTEATER ARMADILLO BABOON BADGER BEAVER CHEETAH
COUGAR ELEPHANT GAZELLE GIRAFFE GORILLA KANGAROO LEOPARD
OCELOT PANDA PANTHER PORCUPINE RHINOCEROS WALLABY ZEBRA
Answer: Wednesday (the name of the third person in the group, not the day)
Justine Peters
s y a d i l o H y a d Every Justine Peters
Entertainment Editor/Reporter
1 All Saint’s Day 2 Deviled Egg Day 3 Sandwich Day 4 King Tut Day 5 Book Lovers Day 6 Saxophone Day 7 Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day 8 U.S. General Election Day 9 Chaos Never Dies Day 10 USMC Day 11 Veteran’s Day 12 Chicken Soup for the Soul Day 13 World Kindness Day 14 Operating Room Nurse Day 15 America Recycles Day 16 Button Day 17 World Peace Day 18 Occult Day 19 Have a Bad Day Day 20 Beautiful Day 21 World Hello Day 22 Go For a Ride Day 23 National Cashew Day 24 Thanksgiving 25 Black Friday 26 Shopping Reminder Day 27 Pins and Needles Day 28 Red Planet Day 29 Square Dance Day 30 Stay At Home Because You Are Well Day
BeechBark
Spotlight-7
Jed Vergara
Jed Moses L. Vergara Spotlight Editor/Reporter
There are countless reasons people may choose to start running. It may be to become healthier, or to start a new hobby, or maybe even to impress a certain person. But as for our teacher of music, Mr. Jim Vidmar would prove to be unique in his aspects. Shoes seem to be essential when it comes to running, but Mr. Vidmar claims otherwise. “I was never a runner…” he said, “not even when I was a kid. I wanted to see if I could enjoy running. The barefoot thing clinched it for me.” He also mentioned that he had just started running a year
ago, but started his barefoot journey six months ago. “I was researching many aspects of running,” he explained, “I found out that up to 80% of runners get injured a year. Since barefeet make you run with good posture and run lighter, I knew it was the right thing to do.” Mr. Vidmar chooses to run 5K’s, which are long-distance road running competitions over a distance of five kilometers, or 3.1 miles. One might think that there are challenges and dangers of running barefoot, but according to Mr. Jim Vidmar as he runs barefoot alonghim, there are no dangers side a rather confused lady.
Photo by: Mr. Jim Vidmar
Baring feet for victory of running barefoot, as long as you use common sense. “You just have to take things slow,” he mentioned. However, this winter he’s not sure how his feet will react to the cold. When training, Mr. Vidmar usually runs four to five times a week, usually two miles. “About every ten days I’ll do what I call my torture days. One day I’ll run all hills and another day I’ll do a 40lb weighted vest stair routine, then run two miles,” he shared. Before a 5K, he would run four to five miles. His most memorable moment was his first 5k. “I was supposed to supervise
my nine year-old nephew,” he stated. “To make the long story short, I couldn’t keep up with him and ended up walking three times,” he continued. Mr. Vidmar said that he would never drink a sports drink, with his preference being organic coconut water. “There’s too much sugar in it, and bad stuff,” he shared. As of now, he isn’t sure of what his current fastest mile is, however, he averaged an 8:37 per mile in his last 5K. Almost all of the 5Ks that he has participated in were for charity, with his latest event in Tinley Park, last October 15th. This gives him a count of 14 5Ks so far.
H IDDE N TALE NT: Duo E dition Justine Peters
Photo found on Twitter (@ranchoconsuelo)
This November, BeechBark recognizes two talented individuals for their horse showing and competing. Eduardo “Lalo” Macedo and Jesus Montes de Oca have both been around horses for most of their lives, and sometimes they show their horses together. Lalo owns four hourses, but trains fourteen with his dad’s assistance. Together they show all of the horses in various events in nearby states. Jesus owns and trains twelve horses on his ranch, and he shows three of them. Jesus grew up with horses and has always been interested in showing them, Lalo’s family and relatives have worked with horses for all of his life, greatly influencing his interest in horse showing as well. Rancho El Consuelo, where Lalo’s
Lalo’s horses compete at Rancho El Consuelo, and he sometimes goes to a ranch in Indiana, where “they have competitions and parades.” Jesus goes to Wisconsin once a year to show his horses and sometimes goes out of the state for other events. While Jesus and Lalo aren’t competing or showing their horses, they are caring for them and preparing them for future events. Lalo and Jesus have both won various prizes for showing and competing their horses. The prizes include money, ribbons, and saddles. With such success in showing and competing, it is likely that Jesus and Lalo will continue training their horses for upcoming events.
horses compete
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Nicolle Kain
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Getting to know us: Journalism Edition
Jed Moses L. Vergara She draws various objects, specifically cartoons. “I look at more cartoon-like styles, but sometimes I try realism. Cartoon style gives me more freedom,” she states. Abbey is most proud of her drawings of pokémon, which have been gaining popularity within the last year. “Pokémon were a new style I was trying that turned out really well,” she Abbey McCulloch (Jr) with her artwork says, “I do its colors, but only as a border so the future, Abbey told Beechit isn’t fully colored in.” By Bark, “I’ll continue to do art trying different styles, Abbey casually, but not as a career.” is able to express her creative “If you are interested in drawability in new ways. A stu- ing, don’t give up. Find an dent at Beecher High School artist with a cool style you’re might catch Abbey drawing or into, and take inspiration!” coloring in her notebook, or might see her multiple drawings and sketches hanging in her locker. When asked if she sees herself pursuing art in
BeechBark/Nicolle Kain
The word “art” is defined as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” Art, whatever it might be, has arguably been around for as long as history has been recorded. Art is celebrated throughout the world for its creativity and style. Some artists take their art very seriously, while others paint or draw for their own personal enjoyment. Whichever artist they may be, BeechBark recognizes an Artist of the Month as someone who enjoys what they do, and produces art in some form or another outside of art class. This November, Abbey McCulloch (Jr), was chosen as artist of the month. Abbey likes to draw and sketch in her free time. “I don’t remember a time when I didn’t draw,” Abbey says.
Jesus Montes de Oca (Fr) riding one of his horses.
Spotlight Editor/Reporter
Journalists write about different things. May it be about wondrous insights, or maybe discoveries straight out of the ordinary. In the end, there may be many things you’ve yet to know about us. In this edition, we’ll get an exclusive sneak peak on the life of the Editor-in-Chief of our Journalism staff, Morgan Barnes (Sr).
Beechbark/Morgan Barnes
Artist
Photo by: Jesus Montes de Oca
Entertainment Editor/Reporter
Morgan Barnes (Sr) with her Q&ASession: Journalism Edition dog, Blake, from 4H.
Q: Why did you choose to take up journalism ? A: I chose to take on Journalism because I really enjoy writing, and I thought the school paper was cool, to see different designs and such. Q: Do you have any hobbies? A: Some of my hobbies include horseback riding, photography, and 4H. Within 4H, I do dog showing, chicken projects, horse shows, reclaimed trease, serap booking, photography, farm. I am also vice-president of the 4H club. Q: What is your favorite article you’ve written? A: My favorite article written was my “Behind the Scenes” article on Journalism, last year. It was about all the work put into the paper and all about the people on the paper. It was my first time writing the editorial. Q: How has Journalism impacted your education? Life? A: Journalism has made a huge impact in my education. Being in Journalism, I have discvered how much I enjoy writing. It has also lead me to pursue it futher in colelge, probably not as a career, but as a minor.
BeechBark
Editorial-8 Morgan Barnes
Balmoral Park Morgan Barnes Editor-in-Cheif
It was a place for friends and families to get together and hangout. To enjoy music and games at Super Night, while cheering for your favorite horse or jockey. Some say it had “ the best entertainment in the chicagoland area”. Balmoral Park opened in August 9th of 1926. Where it was known as Lincoln Fields. History It was owned by the Kentucky Jockey Club. It opened as a horse racing facility for thoroughbred races known as Lincoln Fields. The race track ran until 1955 when the race track was sold and bought by the Benjamin Lindheimer, who owned the Balmoral Jockey Club. When it was opened as Balmoral Park, Benjamin Lindheimer ran it as a high class race track. Lindheimer ran the track until the day he died on June 5, 1960. When he died his adopted daughter Marjorie Lindheimer Everett took over the business. Everett took over as park owner in 1960 and decided to create the Chicago Thoroughbred Enterprises (CTE), which was a new enterprise she created to own Balmoral. After creating the new enterprise, Everett ran the park for another seven years until the park was sold again.
This time to William S. Miller, a self proclaimed millionaire and horse breeder. Miller was a member of the Illinois Racing Board from 1951-1967. When he bought the track, he decided to change it from thoroughbred racing to harness racing. Since being changed into a harness race track in 1991, the track has been renovated from its original mile and a half to the now mile course. The track also put in a new start gate to hold not only a number of horses, but also the space for the carts. Bankruptcy/Corruption Balmoral Park was open for 89 years, but it was closed in 2015 due to bankruptcy. Balmoral was in so much debt, the association had no choice but to close the park. Why were they in so much trouble? The park suffered this blow do to the bribery scandal associated with Gov. Rod Blagojevich(2003-2009) caused. Balmoral got wrapped up in the scandal when an FBI wiretap showed that the president of Balmoral John Johnston was shaken down by one of the Governor’s associates asking the governor to extend the impact fee on the park. When this was revealed, the park was handed over to John Johnston’s brother Duke, and the park never recovered.Many buisnesses suffered greatly due to the park closing. When asked the impact on the community of Beecher, Robert O. Barber, Village Admistrator, had this to say,“The loss of customers
A jockey and he’s horse racing towards the finish line at one of the many races held at Balmoral Park.
due to the closing the racetrack were offset by the video gaming revenue now being generated in Beecher. The real losers in the last 5 years were those that were connected with the horse business; the feed guys, the hay guys and the employees of the track. The winners were those that have seen increased sales due to video gaming in their businesses.” Reopening It is actually reopening May of 2017, but not like it use to be. Instead of harness races or thoroughbreds this time, the grounds will be holding jumping competitions. The 200 acre facility was bought May, of this year by Horse Shows In The Sun(HITS), which is based out of New York. The company’s President Tom Struzzieri has reported that the company is planning on holding fourteen competitions spread between spring and summer. After buying the facility, company President Struzzieri set his sights on changing the ground to accommodate the new convention. On the list of things to be repaired was the stable barn, six new competition rings, and the main ring. The stable barns are permanent structures that had to have the stalls rebuilt due to damages. The new rings set up will be around the main ring which Struzzieri says will incorporate the old Balmoral tote board, and he is planning on the ring being called the Grand Prix stadium.
Community Veiws
Morgan Barnes Editor-in-Cheif
“Is a competitive horseback rider, when asked about her feelings of Balmoral reopening she had this to say, “I think it’ nice that they are repurposing the track and keeping it for horse use, not tearing it down and building subdivisions!” Anna Marie Gianni Competitive Horseback rider
“When asked about the impact of Balmoral closing and reopening she had this to say, “ It will help business a lot! After the track closed we lost a lot of good customers due to them having to race else where.” Hayley Ault An employ at Area Feed & Salt
“Balmoral closing as a racetrack had may effects on the Beecher community. For one thing those that grow and sell hay were drastically affected by the loss of business. HITS is also planning on having non-horse related activity at Balmoral, so there may be concerts, dirt bike racing and other functions held at the facility. This would be a plus for the region. Robert O. Barber Village Administrator