MAY 19, 2020 VOLUME 93, ISSUE 8
MOVING FORWARD The Senior List 7-13
Essential Workers 19-21
The Future of Education 24-25
NEWS
6 NATIONAL
News Briefs
6 24-25 STAFF EDITORIAL
Despite some positives, e-learning cannot replace the real thing
OPINION
27 COLUMN
24--25 24 CONNECT
The Class of 2020: Our Abrupt Ending 28 OPINION Name brand: The ridiculous pressure on seniors during college application 29 COLUMN BEE Vegetarian
JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @lhsdoi Libertyville High School Drops of Ink
@lhsdoi Visit us at lhsdoi.com
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU Contact us at doi@lhswildcats.org Contents by Sayre DeBruler Cover design by Ian Cox
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DROPS OF INK
FEATURES
7-13 SENIOR LIST
Find out where each senior is going next year 14-15 FEATURE
The Road Less Traveled: College Edition 16-17 FEATURE
Senior Traditions Thrown to disarray 19-21 FEATURE
Essential Workers: The Backbone of the Pandemic 22-23 FEATURE
How Students are Filling Their Free Time 34
WHAT’S TRENDING
35
CROSSWORD
DOI Seniors’ Memories and Advice Science Fiction
16-17 30-31 SENIOR ATHLETES
Seniors playing sports in college
SPORTS
32-33 SPRING SPORTS
Spring teams miss out on season
32-33 STAFF
MOLLY BOUFFORD Online Editor
AMANDA BLACK Managing Editor
ELLA MARSDEN AND CLAIRE SALEMI
IAN COX
Editors in Chief
MOIRA DUFFY
ella.marsden@lhswildcats.org claire.salemi@lhswildcats.org
News Editor
Layout & Design Editor
CHARLOTTE PULTE Features Editor
MICHAEL GLUSKIN
DREW BENOIT
Faculty Adviser
Opinion Editor
Pavan Acharya Sarah Bennett Sara Bogan Sayre DeBruler Jade Foo Mara Gregory Lily Hieronymus Rowan Hornsey Brooke Hutchins Natalie Isberg Jasmine Lafita Megan Lenzi
Cali Lichter Maguire Marth Anika Raina Christian Roberts Peyton Rodriguez Lillian Williams Rayna Wuh Sophia Zumwalt
michael.gluskin@d128.org
MAY 2020
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LETTER TO THE READERS
CLARIFICATION In the March issue of Drops of Ink, the opinion piece titled “U.S. history’s flawed narrative” discussed the way many history classes are taught nationally and some of the issues regarding the broader nar-rative of America’s history. This piece was not intended to be about any classes at LHS or the LHS curriculum. Furthermore, suggestions or ideas presented in the piece are not meant to imply that staff members at LHS are not already doing so.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR We welcome Letters to the Editor, which are letters written by readers in response to our work. These can be submitted to us at doi@lhswildcats.org. Dear editors, I am writing in response to two articles that were in the February issue of Drops of Ink, “Daring to be More Diverse” and “Adopting a New Perspective.” My name is Adam Faulkner and I am Mexican. I was given up for adoption at birth from the southside of Chicago and was adopted into a family here in Libertyville. I am the only Mexican in my family that consists of three older siblings who were also adopted. I was 6 when my siblings pointed out to me that my skin color was different than theirs and told me I was adopted. I did not understand skin color and I have always identified with the white culture that is the town of Libertyville. Growing up in Libertyville in the ‘80s and ‘90s, this town had fewer minorities than it does now. I experienced the lack of diversity that not only the schools and the staff do not have, but the lack of diversity in this town in general. In fact, I knew of only two African American students and no Mexican students that attended either Adler or Highland. None of my teachers have ever been of color. None of my friends were of another color. I was not seen as Mexican by my peers. I did not and do not speak Spanish fluently. I was not raised knowing the Mexican culture. I do not have a Mexican name. I have a loss of identity and lack of understanding of my heritage which has caused a great deal of mental problems in my life. I have tried to research and seek out my biological mother, who was 14 when she had me, just so I can say thanks and know my background, for myself and for my daughters. I have never found her and I have searched for nearly two decades. When I tell people that I am Mexican, most assume I speak Spanish or live that culture. In all reality, I speak at best, polite Spanish and my experience outside of Libertyville deterred me from learning more about my culture, speaking Spanish, and not wanting to identify as Mexican. Even when I attended Carmel Catholic High School, the lack of diversity surfaced again. The first time I experienced discrimination, racism,
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DROPS OF INK
Hey, LHS! Welcome to the final Drops of Ink issue of the 2019-20 school year. While these are certainly tough times for the whole community, we would like to thank you for continuing to read the work we’ve published, both on our website and in this issue. We especially want to applaud our hardworking DOI staff for creating content for the public despite the pandemic. Our staff produced eight magazines this year, two of which were worked on at home due to the closing of school. Restrictions of the stay-at-home order made it especially difficult for our writers and photographers to coordinate interviews and take photos. On top of DOI’s regular work, we have also covered stories about COVID-19 and its effect on the community; make sure to check those out on our website (lhsdoi.com) and within this magazine. A huge thank you is also owed to Mrs. Kelly DeBruler and Mrs. Sherri Cote for their help in facilitating important aspects of the delivery process, which allowed us to mail the magazines to all students. To the seniors: thank you for reading Drops of Ink for four years and for allowing us to provide you with content each month. We’ll miss you, but we want to congratulate you on an impressive four years! Make sure to check out the senior decision list on pages 7-13 to find out where your peers plan to go after high school. Enjoy the final issue, and thanks for an awesome year! Ella Marsden and Claire Salemi Editors-in-Chief and prejudice was when I attended school at Appalachian State in North Carolina. I quickly realized how the bubble of Libertyville keeps our eyes blind to the realities of the outside world. I was the only Mexican in my teaching program. I was the only Mexican at the first school I taught at. I was the only Mexican in my graduate program. That racism and prejudice left me with thick skin to derogatory comments. Even now I can laugh at most of the comments. I moved back to Illinois in 2011 and Libertyville hired me as a teaching assistant in 2012. Currently, I am the only teaching assistant of color. I am also one of very few faculty members of Mexican descent. I often walk the halls wondering how our Mexican students relate to our staff when very few staff represent the Mexican culture. Many of our amazing custodial staff are Mexican. I find it troubling that those members of our staff outnumber educators and our students witness that. I am happy the district has focused on diversity and equity training among the staff and has tried to recruit applicants of color. We are 39 miles from one of the most diverse and affluent cities in America but we say it’s “difficult to get [them] to apply”? I am not sure that is true. Finally, as my Hispanic daughters approach school age and prepare to attend Libertyville schools, I think about whom they can look up to as female Hispanic role models in our schools. This has me considering a move to a more diverse area. As great as the schools in Libertyville are, there is a lot that benefits students when they have role models and educators that share their perspective and heritage. I hope that LHS and D128 continues to be DARING in bringing in multicultural perspectives. Sincerely, Adam Faulkner Special Services Teaching Assistant
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DROPS INK 5 MAY OF 2020
NEWS
NEWS BRIEFS
Jasmine Lafita Megan Lenzi
LHS and COVID-19
2020 Census
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staff and administrators at Libertyville High School have been working to help out people struggling emotionally, mentally and physically. One of the top concerns is food, so LHS started a food bank for families in need. The idea came about shortly after the school closed because the administration recognized that “we needed to provide breakfasts and lunches to families in need,” according to Dr. Tom Koulentes, LHS principal. School social workers tried to contact families to find out what they needed, and it was decided that a food bank would be the best course of action. Any Libertyville family can go to the Studio Theater entrance on Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to pick up food and supplies from the food bank. Families who cannot come to the school but need assistance have been receiving deliveries. LHS has also been participating in #LightsfortheFight, where the school turns on all its stadium and auditorium lights at 8 p.m. on Fridays, and the school has also donated thousands of gloves, dozens of masks and disinfectant wipes to Advocate Condell Medical Center. In addition, student-athletes have started a fundraiser to purchase food for the LHS food bank, donate money to hospitals and school districts with low-income families. Contributions to this fundraiser can be made online through the school’s webstore. LHS teacher Andy Thomson, who instructs in the applied technology area, has been making face shields that are now being used by medical professionals in the area in addition to members of the school’s buildings and grounds team. As of April 9, he had made 35 shields and planned on making more.
This year, the United States Census Bureau is holding its decennial census, which counts every person in the U.S. and the five U.S. territories. Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution requires the United States to conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The 2020 census will be the 24th count of the population in the nation’s history. In mid-March, every household received a Census form and is responsible for filling out the short questionnaire, which includes questions about demographic information and other details, like how many people are living in a household. It is required by law for people to participate in the Census because the data collected is “critically important” to funding, according to the Census website. The census provides data for lawmakers and others that provide services and products to all Americans. The count is also used to determine how many seats each state gets in the House of Representatives and helps draw Congressional district boundaries. In December 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau will deliver the population count to the president and Congress, which is required by law. By April 2021, appropriate changes will be made based on the new population. This timeline has been pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic.
As of May 4, there have been 58,505 confirmed coronavirus cases in Illinois, however, the Lake County area has had 3,766 coronavirus cases. The Lake County Health Department continues to support Governor J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order through May 30 to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
6 DROPS OF INK
“COVID-19 in Illinois.svg” by Mr Xaero on Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
2020 Primaries
Of the 29 initial candidates in the Democratic presidential primary race, only Joe Biden remains, making it most probable that he will become the Democratic candidate. Biden has 1,288 delegates in comparison to rival Bernie Sanders’s 942 delegates, which is part of what caused Sanders to drop out of the race on April 8. Sanders has formally endorsed Biden as the presidential candidate, and so has former president Barack Obama. According to a report from The New York Times, Obama helped to convince Sanders to drop out of the race. The Republican primary has been one-sided throughout. The current president, Donald Trump, has already received the 1,237 delegates needed to win the primary. The only other candidate who earned delegates was Bill Weld, but he chose to end his campaign after President Trump officially won the nomination. Two other Republican candidates, Joe Walsh and Mark Sanford, dropped out of the race with zero delegates each. One candidate, Roque de la Fuente, remains with zero delegates.
Lake County COVID-19 Update As of May 5, there were 4,292 coronavirus cases and 145 COVID-related deaths in the Lake County area. According to the Lake County Health Department, Libertyville has between 45 and 49 total cases of the virus, but the exact number is not known. The Lake County Health Department still advises people to follow social distancing guidelines and to limit going outside to help stop the spread of the virus. They agree with Governor J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, which lasts through the end of the month, and strongly advise everyone to wear masks in public. They also advise that people should stay home when feeling ill but seek medical help when having difficulty breathing, pain in the chest area, or other symptoms that point to a more severe case of the virus. The county health department is currently investigating 32 long-term care facilities for the elderly, all of which have two or more positive cases; these facilities hold a majority of the deaths in the area. The age group with the most cases appears to be 40-59-year-olds with 1,231 cases, but other age groups also have numerous cases of the virus.
SENIOR LIST 2020 CLAIRE SALEMI
AMANDA BLACK & LILY HIERONYMUS
IAN COX
Photos courtesy of Audrey Chung, Payton DeBruler, Jane Kosowski, Allen Liu, Will Salton, Dylan Trott and Ella Zombolo
FEATURE
Loyola University Chicago
ALABAMA VIRGINIA
COLORADO
Colorado Mesa University Carson Darnall
Auburn University Aiden Bare Jack Nicholson Griffin Siegel
University of Alabama Brooke Hutchins Emily Waddick
Colorado State University Rachel Bertuad Kelsey Mazzei
University of Colorado Boulder Ryan Ginnetti Sara Seth
University of Denver
ARIZONA Arizona State University Kate Garcia
University of Arizona Ethan Burkhart Cole Houser
CALIFORNIA California Polytechnic State University Melanie Faber Maria Kavathas
Cuesta College Julia Belluomini
San Diego State University Sami Burkett Sam Lanty
Scripps College Jada Higgins
University of California, Berkeley John He
University of California, Irvine Jackson Manchik
University of Southern California Sammie Fan
Ryan Considine Lucas Luedtke
ILLINOIS
North Park University Augustana College Molly Bath
Bradley University Ainsley Johnson Tommaso Oliverii
College of Lake County Kailey Adams Tara Cooney Hailey Decker Mac Downing Aiden O’Sullivan Nathan Schleiden Casey Wright
Columbia College Chicago DISTRICT OF Brian Greenberg COLUMBIA D.C. VIRGINIA Braeden Long George Washington University Abby Wellman
Georgetown University Cat Corliss Izzy Greenberg
FLORIDA Ave Maria University Kathleen Lee
GEORGIA Emory University Rachel Bond Mary Yuan
University of Georgia Mark Madland
Connor Pseja Ayden Szymanski
DePaul University
Lesley Flores-Salgado Autumn Jermakowicz
Eastern Illinois University Dylan Drumke
Harper College
Donnie Wheeler
Illinois State University Lexi Bolke Annalise Bossler Cate Dudley Jenna Gillespie Sam Herchenbach Olivia Lucas Eli McEwan Randy Moss Kylie Pacholski Maeve Rattin Aiden Ritz Olivia Seitz Abby Thoren Anna Vondrak
Illinois Wesleyan University Kaylee Paolella
Lake Forest College Ian Cox Maja Gavrilovic
Lewis University Chris Boyle
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DROPS OF INK
Gracie Benson Konrad Stefanski Jacqueline Vu Cole Fiorenza Geneva Gomez
Northwestern University Jason Sekili Alex Tang
Roosevelt University Kayla Trapp
University of Illinois at Chicago Sophie Wettlaufer
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Julia Blockinger Moira Duffy Daniel Chamoun Audrey Chung Christian Classen William Dias Martins Da Costa Sofia Faillaci Jack Govern Alexa Hille Anna Hirons Sam Hurh Sunethra Kannan Grace Kraft Chris Mack Samantha Michals Abby Parkerson Taylor Petz Caleb Schamberger Caden Shaffer Natalie Smith Dylan Trott Colleen Welch Nate Williamson Lucas Wilson Nicole Woloszyn Rayna Wuh
COLLEGE TRENDS MOST POPULAR SCHOOLS University of Illinois: 26 students Purdue University: 16 students Illinois State University: 14 students Indiana University Bloomington: 12 students University ofWisconsin-Madison: 8 students CollegeofLakeCounty: 7 students Iowa State University: 6 students UniversityofMissouri:6 students
STUDENTS ATTENDING BIG 10 SCHOOLS 26 STUDENTS
2 STUDENTS
1 STUDENT
8 STUDENTS
1 STUDENT
15 STUDENTS
4 STUDENTS
12 STUDENTS
2 STUDENTS
7 STUDENTS
BUSINESS
UNDECIDED
28 RESPONSES
25 RESPONSES
11 RESPONSES
E L E M E N TA R Y E D U C AT I O N
ENGINEERING
10 RESPONSES
8 RESPONSES
FINANCE 8 RESPONSES NURSING
P SYC H O LO GY
8 RESPONSES
8 RESPONSES
Female
Male
100% 75% 50%
in us B
B
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gy
0%
es s C o S m ci p u E en te le E m ce r du e ca nt ti ar on y E ng in ee ri ng Fi na nc e N ur si ng P sy ch ol og y U nd ec id ed
25%
GENDER DIVISION IN POPULAR MAJORS
POPULAR MAJORS
COMPUTER SCIENCE
FEATURE
University of Missouri
INDIANA Butler University Reilly Finnigan Julia Fryrear Ben Hohner Amanda Murbach
DePauw University Margaret Buchert Bella Zalewski
Indiana State University Murphy Downing Sarah Kenzer
Indiana University Bloomington
Owen Clark Lexie Hill Bruce Jahncke Christopher Kennedy Madeline Kuntz Cali Lichter Natalie Manfredini Aiden Moore Matt Morettini Luke Vogel Noah Wolski Andy Yan
Manchester University Hayden Lynch
Purdue University
Brooke Bair Kaitlyn Brown Andrew Costakis Erin Custod Sean Devaney Nathan John Ryan Knudten Thomas Loveland Alex Nelson Jason Ross Bennett Scheunemann Jenn Short Jack Stavrakos Claire Taranowski Gabby Wagner Ellie Weick
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Ryan Krieghbaum
IOWA YORK MICHIGAN DAKOTA Drake University
Cooper Lounsbury Kevin Stone
Iowa State University Hayden DesLaurieres Matt Gram Kath Haidvogel Megan Lenzi Anna Meerschaert Zachary Southwick
Luther College Kiley Nolan
University of Iowa Maddie Fink
KANSAS
University of Kansas Jaelynn Agosto Emme Schatz
KENTUCKY
University of Kentucky Jack Calsin Matt Krukonis Stephanie Lukas Hope Moody Ella Zombolo
MARYLAND United State Naval Academy Andrew Bacilek
MASSACHUSETTS Mount Holyoke College Mara Gregory
Northeastern University Megan Higgins Cassidy Jones
Hope College
George Harvey
Michigan Technological University Justin Carlson Jack Colwell
University of Detroit Mercy Kristine Kropp
University of Michigan
Will Gordon Maggie Koberstein Mark Plunkett Victoria Villanueva Guzman
Western Michigan University Joe Mattson Anna Wilms
Shea Brennan Ellie Dapier Jenny Higgason Ben Moss Maddie Swanson Maddie Wasser
Washington University in Saint Louis Karen Tarman
MONTANA Montana State University Christopher Beattie Ryan Harvey
NEBRASKA YORK
Creighton University Ava Szatmary
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Matt Murbach Paige Rankin
MINNESOTA DAKOTA University of Minnesota Twin Cities Claire Larson
University of Saint Thomas
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dartmouth College Jessica Li
Jordan Erdal
MISSISSIPPI
NEW JERSEY Princeton University
University of Mississippi Allie DeFranco
MISSOURI Lindenwood University Maguire Marth
Saint Louis University Natalie Czajka Karina Konshin Sara Manian Charlotte Pulte Tony Vicini
Southeast Missouri State University
Drew Hopkins
NEW YORK Hartwick College Joelle Ocheltree
Pratt Institute
Bridgette Wilson
Purchase College Kelsey Collins
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina State University Kaylee Short
Sarah Donofrio
MAY 2020
11
FEATURE
OHIO Bowling Green State University Jackson Watson
College of Wooster Liam Ness
Dayton University Molly DeLude Abigail Frea Grace Rossetti
Denison University Josh Stair
Miami University Molly Boufford Lorenzo Franciosi Katlyn McQuillen Will Tegtmeyer
Ohio University
Marc Knollenberg
SOUTH CAROLINA DAKOTA WASHINGTON Clemson University Shaun Luce Audrey Stephenson
University of South Carolina Aishwarya Das Eric Dunleavy Ben Kistler
TENNESSEE
Belmont University Maddy Wittenbrink
University of Tennessee, Knoxville Cam Edmunds Owen Edwards Dane Whitney Jackson Paden
TEXAS
The Ohio State University Helen Clifford Skylar Daniels Jane Kosowski Will Murphy Abby Noonan Joseph Nowak Sean Wittenbrink Bela Santiago
University of Cincinnati Thomas McGormley
OREGON University of Oregon Payton DeBruler
Baylor University Chloe Mahoney
Texas Christian University Ava Amidei Emma Illian
UTAH Brigham Young University Rachel Hamilton Issac Paul Alex Scrogham
University of Utah Brendan Quigley
PENNSYLVANIA DAKOTA Carnegie Mellon University Brian Stacy
Dickinson College Leslie Mazzeno
University of Pittsburgh Teegan Barnett Polina Kleandrova
Villanova University Maggie Hutchins
VERMONT University of Vermont Amanda Gourley
VIRGINIA
University of Virginia Colleen Mullins
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University of Washington Sofia Denkovski
WISCONSIN Carthage College Lucas Luedtke
Gateway Technical College Madison Murrin
WORK FORCE Stanulis Concrete Inc. Kyle Stanulis
IRELAND
Lawrence University
National University of Ireland Galway
Marquette University
University College Dublin
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
University of Limerick
Matthew Pavlik Katie Olson
Ryan Harrison
Sayre DeBruler
Jack Bermingham
Mary Wetterling
Milwaukee School of Engineering Ben Leonard Nate Stevens
University of Wisconsin-Madison Tyler Auth Jasmine Campos Anna Heard Reece Hoff Lexi Hugdahl Philip Loveland Claire Salemi Cate Shoemaker
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Hailey Basnia Kendall Edwards Emma Kuhnke
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Lydia Crow Karina Perez
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Lucy Koch Sam Paden
*Note: The information on this senior list was self-reported from a survey sent throught the College and Career Resource Center, on behalf of DOI. The information is updated through May 6. It does not represent the entire senior class, particularly because of the Covid-19 pandemic and some colleges moving their deadlines to June 1. A more updated list of the senior class and their plans for next year can be found online at lhsdoi.com.
TRAVEL TRENDS Number of students who went to college in-state 10,000 17,500 5,000
According to the New York Times, these seven states had the most students attend college out-of-state in 2016.
2,500
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L LY 3583 miles away University of Limerick, Ireland
Number of students who went to college out-of-state 20,000
15,000
IN THE U.S.
10,000
2196 miles away Cuesta College, California
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According to the New York Times, 5,000 these were the top seven states that students went to for public college in 2016. 0
WHERE ARE LHS STUDENTS GOING TO SCHOOL? 1 2
5
2
1 21
9
4
7
9
10
3
70
2
5
19
36
14
3
2
1
1 1
1
4 5
AT L H S
651 miles
1
5
3
1 3
3
3
5
1
Each state indicates the number of students going to school there according the CRC’s survey.
N AT I O N W I D E according to EconoFact
70% of freshmen
attend college within
2 hours
of their home
FEATURE
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED: COLLEGE EDITION ITION th
e Mar
mus
Maguir
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Lily H
Lilly W
Big 10 school or small school? public school or private? joining a fraternity or sorority or avoiding Greek life? These are among the many decisions being made by Libertyville seniors earlier this year when thinking about their paths following high school. However, there are a few students who are making a different decision: whether or not to attend college altogether. A four-year university is without a doubt the most common route for LHS students to take after high school, and a majority of students often don’t consider any other options. However, there are a handful of students at LHS each year who decide that they wanted to pursue a different path. From military enlistment to art school to studying in a different country, many seniors find the fit for their futures somewhere beyond the typical plan.
MOTIVATION & INSPIRATION Many seniors’ decisions for which college they choose can be affected by having a parental legacy, any alumni in the family or another outside inspiration. This same idea applies to most if not all students, regardless of whether or not they plan on attending college. In many cases, the decision to take an alternative path following high school stems from a certain someone or something that
Photo courtesy of Mary Wetterling Senior Mary Wetterling plans to continue her passion for art at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and eventually pursue art as a career. encouraged them to take that step. Senior Mary Wetterling, committed to the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, gives credit to her art teacher throughout high school, Mr. Ray Gossell. She expressed that while her parents urged her to choose a more financially stable area of study, Mr. Gossell would make her feel like she was making the right choice for herself, pursuing something she actually enjoyed. “Whenever my parents would ask him, ‘What would she do for a job?’, Mr. Gossell would always say, ‘She’ll be doing art,’” Wetterling shared. Similarly, senior Keyda Feltner plans to enlist in the Air Force Academy after high school. She claims that her dad and one of her previous teachers were main motivations for her, stating that they “always pushed [her] to be the best [she] can be and saw [her] potential to become something great in the Air Force.” Andrew Bacilek also plans to pursue the military. He will be attending the United States Naval Academy. He credits his Blue Gold Officer (BGO) for being his main influence in his decision. A BGO is essentially an admissions officer for a certain area. “He would tell me stories of when he was in the academy, what he did during his service and much more,” Bacilek said.
CONS OF COLLEGE
This is the caption for the other, Photo courtesy of Keyda Feltner optional photo. Senior Keyda Feltner plans to travel the world and hopes to reach her full potential as a member of the United States Air Force.
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Some students might believe that college is the best path, or even the only good path when looking into their education and future. However, there are some things that a four-year college may not provide for certain students that an alternative path can. For instance, Bacilek believes that military academies are much more personal than most colleges and are incredibly devoted to seeing their students grow.
FEATURE
“Most colleges have lectures of 200-plus people with a professor who won’t help you very much if you need it. The Naval Academy has a max class size of 25 people, and the professors are available most hours of the day to give assistance in their class,” Bacilek explained. Additionally, the curriculum offered at regular colleges is simply not a good fit for some students. Traditional universities may not offer courses that can be engaging for every student, so they’re unable to find passion behind what they are studying. When looking at some regular colleges, Wetterling said she found that “the materials students were to study didn’t interest me at all, and if I wasn’t interested or passionate about it, I knew I wouldn’t succeed.”
PERKS OF A DIFFERENT PLAN There are many pros for any student to consider when potentially making a plan that doesn’t involve a traditional four-year college. Regardless of the plan, a majority of students can agree on one thing: the
importance of doing something that they genuinely feel passionate about. Wetterling pointed out that when attending an art school, students are not required to take a math class, which can be a major perk. She added that “if you love doing art, dancing, theater, singing or anything else other than the normal businessman, do it! Because there’s always that saying: ‘if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life.’” For Feltner, the main selling point for her is the potential impact that she can have on others in the career path that she chose. Photo courtesy of Andrew Bacilek “For me personally, it’s about doing Senior Andrew Bacilek was drawn to the smaller something bigger than myself and class sizes and unique experiences that the United getting to travel around the world,” States Naval Academy provides. Feltner expressed. go or what you do, you’ll meet people and Advice that Bacilek has for underclassmen have experiences that will change your life thinking about their futures stresses the importance of pursuing something that they for the better. Follow your heart and do what makes you happy.” want to pursue: “Whether it be a traditional four-year university, the trades or military, you will not regret it. No matter where you
WHY I’M GOING ACROSS THE POND For seniors across the country, one of their biggest decisions is deciding whether or not they want to go to college. According to Mrs. Amy Belstra, LHS’s college and career counselor, 96 percent of LHS seniors from 2018 went to college directly after graduating. So, for nearly all LHS seniors, they need to decide exactly where they want to pursue their higher education. Since sophomore year, I’ve had my mind set on leaving the country for my bachelor’s degree. Originally, I had planned to go somewhere in England; however, I still applied to a few other schools as well: Stirling in Scotland, Cardiff in Wales, University College Dublin (UCD) in Dublin, and more locally, the University of Missouri and Northwestern University. Ultimately, I ended up picking UCD, and I cannot wait to spend the next four years of my life in Ireland. Most people tend to ask me, “Why UCD? Why leave the country?” Well, when
I began my college search in the middle of sophomore year, the first thing I typed into my browser was “great journalism schools.” While browsing through the list of schools, I came upon a few schools in the United Kingdom that caught my eye. I liked them because of their student population, location and different academic achievements. I did a whole lot of research on several different UK schools and even somehow convinced my dad to take me to an international college fair my junior year. I’ve always wanted to live in another country for a few years, and I figured that during college would be the best time in my life to do so. Then, last summer, I was able to visit two of the London schools with my dad before I went to Ireland to do a 10-day program at UCD that was created for juniors and seniors in North America to learn about UCD’s programs and even visit some historical sites near campus. According to
Sayre Debruler topuniversities.com, UCD is considered one of the top 1 percent of schools in the world for academics, and it is a highly accredited school in America. They give out several scholarships, as well. I even received a 50 percent scholarship for all four of my years, bringing my tuition down to nearly $11,000. I’m so excited to spend my next four years abroad in Ireland, and I hope that many of you consider branching out and searching for schools that you never even thought of attending before. Who knows where you’ll end up? MAY 2020 15
FEATURE
@Senior traditions thrown into disarray 13
5021
Posts
2020
Followers
Pavan Acharya
Brooke Hutchins
•••
Following
Cali Lichter
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and extension of in-person school cancelation through the end of the academic year, end-of-the-year senior traditions have been shaken up. The state of many of these traditions was shrouded in uncertainty with the constantly changing status of the pandemic. However, throughout these trying times, students and staff worked to fulfill the senior traditions in some shape or form.
Moving to Social Media One of the most popular senior traditions over the years has been the ABC countdown: a 26-day festivity. Each day, seniors wear clothes to reflect a different theme at school which go from A-Z until the end of the year. Some of these themes include “beach day”, “denim day” and “emo-girl/boy day.” The cancelation of school has not prevented some seniors from participating in the countdown at home. On Instagram, in part through the account @seniorabccountdown2020, seniors have posted pictures of themselves continuing to keep the senior spirit alive by participating in the themed days. “It’s really kind of inspiring to see that during these rough times there are still students that want to enjoy these last couple of months as seniors,” said senior Emma Bloom, who participated in the ABC countdown via her Instagram story. Another senior tradition has found a transition to Instagram as well. Decision Day, which was to be recognized on May 1, is a celebration of the seniors and their future endeavours. During this day, seniors typically sport apparel from the colleges they are planning on attending or that reflects other aspects of their futures. 16 DROPS OF INK
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None of the festivities of this day could take place on a standard school day this year due to the circumstances. However, Decision Day shifted to the virtual world, where all seniors’ future passions and colleges can be celebrated. “My friends and I were talking about setting up the Instagram account,” recalled senior Rachel Bond who was referring to the Instagram account, @lvilleseniors2020. The account, created by senior Margaret Buchert, highlights each senior and their future college or career choice. A typical post from the account includes a picture of a student beside a logo of their college or career choice. “A bunch of people started following [the account] and then I told my friends that they should send me their [decision information] so I could post it,” said Buchert. The account has become very popular among seniors on Instagram and currently has more than 200 posts of members of the LHS Class of 2020 and their decisions. Furthermore, LHS staff and the CRC will have a virtual “Zoom Decision Day” on Wednesday, May 13. The event will celebrate all seniors and their future decisions. Bloom strongly believes that “[the] Class of 2020 is very creative in how they use their social media to do things like Decision Day or the ABC countdown.”
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Prom The status of prom remained a giant question mark among staff and students for weeks, but during the “Junior Class Meeting” on April 27, Principal Dr. Tom Koulentes announced “that Prom 2020 is officially cancelled.” Originally set for April 25, Dr. Koulentes noted that he and the Student Council worked very hard to try to reschedule a traditional prom. Despite their efforts, obstacles continued to build up, which prevented them from rescheduling the event. Some of these obstacles included lack of available venues, limited catering services and very few transportation options. With that being said, Dr. Koulentes, during a “Senior Virtual ‘Town Hall’ Meeting” on April 16, talked about an end-of-the-year event for the seniors. The event would be less formal than prom while still attempting to capture the spirit of prom. This “Senior Party or Celebration,” as stated by Dr. Koulentes, would be hosted on the Libertyville High School campus. The “bash” could range anywhere from being in the style of school dance — such as homecoming — or being an informal party. Some other aspects of the bash include a potential plan for the seniors to go to Six Flags: Great America following the event. Furthermore, since the event would be held in Libertyville, local vendors could be used to support the party, which could be a major
help to the small businesses of Libertyville. “As long as I can wear my prom dress, I am totally okay with it,” said Bond when asked about the senior bash idea. “The location doesn’t really matter as long as I see everyone and hang out with everyone.”
Scan this QR code to see a video of some of the seniors' ABC countdown participation this year.
Graduation Another major discussion point of Dr. Koulentes’s virtual meeting with seniors was graduation. Dr. Koulentes had “two tracks,” as he called them, for planning graduation. The first track involved graduation occurring as scheduled on May 21 if school were to commence on May 1 — as was formerly planned. However, this plan was rendered irrelevant the day following the virtual meeting when Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker made a public announcement that schools would be cancelled for in-school instruction for the remainder of the academic year. With this, track two will most likely be the course of action for graduation. The goal is to hold a traditional, live ceremony. According
to Dr. Koulentes, the school already has three additional dates set aside at the Sears Centre for graduation over the summer: June 21, July 12 and July 26. Dr. Koulentes would later state the July 26 date as the most likely of the three. According to Dr. Koulentes, the Sears Centre does have plans for social distancing measures during a potential ceremony. Dr. Koulentes also noted that “all options are open.” This includes options for a potential virtual graduation or a graduation on the football field at LHS. Bloom stated that “having the reassurance of graduation is very reassuring during these hard times.” MAY 2020
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ESSENTIAL WORKERS
Charlotte Pulte
Lily Hieronymus Sara Bogan
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THE BACKBONE OF THE PANDEMIC
s the coronavirus temporarily reshapes the workforce, many employees are having to quickly adjust to new practices, many of which make work more challenging for them. These employees who continue to work have become defined by a new term: essential workers. Essential workers span many different industries and risk their health for their job every time they go to work. Dr. Chris Coury, a radiologist at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, has seen “the whole hospital affected” by the outbreak, and explained that “different physicians are affected in different ways.” Dr. Coury described that the emergency room is significantly less busy because “people are avoiding the emergency room unless absolutely necessary,” but when people do come into the ER, “[physicians] are seeing sicker patients.”
Photo courtesy of Grace Kraft Senior Grace Kraft works at Ace Hardware and has experienced reduced hours and increased business since the stay-at-home order was placed.
As a radiologist, Dr. Coury takes and examines things like x-rays and MRIs. Recently, some of Dr. Coury’s patients have been COVID-19 patients: “COVID is very interesting because it has a very different appearance than other pneumonias. It tends to be scattered throughout both lungs, in both upper and lower regions.” Condell has a capacity of 300 in-patients and usually has around 250, but is now less than a third full. However, they were caring for around 60 patients with COVID-19 at the end of April, Dr. Coury said. “It’s very stressful, but there’s a strong sense of teamwork and appreciation amongst [hospital staff],” said Dr. Coury. While hospital workers are on the frontline of the crisis, employees at all kinds of businesses are adjusting as well. Senior Grace Kraft, an employee at Ace Hardware in Libertyville, said that “everything is very different, even just the atmosphere [of the store].
Photo courtesy of Dr. Chris Coury Dr. Chris Coury is a Radiologist at Condell Hospital and has recently scanned several COVID-19 patients. Pictured behind him are COVID-19 pneumonia x-rays.
Photo courtesy of Elaina Kazian Deerfield Fire Chief and Paramedic Ian Kazian has experienced increased protective practices, such as social distancing, and a quieter atmosphere at work due to decreased traffic. MAY 2020 19
FEATURE
Interacting with customers is weird right now, and there’s that sense of awkwardness about being out of your home in a time of your home in a time like this.” Kraft also stated that the virus has affected interacting with coworkers as well. She explained that because they can’t stand close to each other anymore, they can no longer have personal conversations with one another. Ian Kazian, Deerfield fire chief, paramedic and LHS parent, has had a similar experience with his relationships with coworkers since the pandemic: “The firehouse is very much like a family, and so normally, we’re doing things like sitting down for dinner together after we’re done training. But now we’re trying to be respectful of each other’s spaces and stay farther away from each other.” Kraft stated that she “thought that the store would be empty all of the time after the stay-at-home order,” but the opposite has proved true at Ace. “There have been tons of people coming in. A lot of them come in for cleaning supplies and stuff, but there are people buying the normal, home improvement stuff as well.” At the firehouse where Kazian works, however, it has been “eerily quiet.” Kazian explained that this is mostly because there are fewer car accidents on the road and less calls to public places. In the meantime, Kazian and his team have been doing birthday party “drive-bys” to “stay busy and have some fun.” “Everyone here in Lake County is doing a good job of staying home, I think, which is helping everything more than
they know,” said Kazian. “I love my job, but it’s just not the same energy level. Now, it’s just this mutual respect that we’re all going to get through this together.” Ace Hardware, like most other stores that chose to remain open, has reduced their hours and required employees to wear gloves and a mask during their shift. Some stores are even reducing the number of customers inside of the business at a given time. “I think most people are trying to be cautious about it. There hasn’t really been an instance where I felt particularly unsafe or exposed,” said Kraft. “Still, there are some customers that come in and they're not wearing masks or anything, and it’s like they're just going about their regular day.” One of many changes that Dr. Coury has seen inside of Condell is discouraging physicians from entering COVID patients’ rooms, unless absolutely necessary. Instead, each patient has an iPad in their room and their doctor communicates with them from the hallway with a screen before entering. He described the pandemic as being “an eye opener to how safely and thoroughly we can practice some parts of medicine from remote areas.” Some other changes include limiting the number of people who enter the hospital: “They’re very careful about allowing people in the hospital now, and that was never really the case. You used to be able to come in with anything and with anyone, and now all that's changed,” stated Dr. Coury.
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There are also specific entrances for either patients or physicians to use, both of which have attendants to take temperatures at the door and administer a questionnaire about one’s current health status. “You have to be careful in both directions: you have to be careful of the patients potentially being infected, but you have to be careful of the various physicians that are coming in as well,” explained Dr. Coury. According to Kazian, the fire department has had protocols, training and protective equipment in stock from past outbreaks like Ebola and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS); there was just “never a point when we had to use it, until now.” Now, when Kazian and his team respond to a call, they are suited up in a mask, gloves, safety goggles and gowns: “Trying to talk and work while wearing those masks is very challenging. And then your gown is blowing all over the place, and your goggles are fogging up, and everything you’re wearing starts to get sweaty. Meanwhile, you’re trying to help the patient quickly and effectively. It took a few weeks to get used to operating like that.” They have also reduced the number of responders that they send to answer emergency calls from what was normally up to a crew of six people to two or three. Dr. Coury said similar things about the gear that the hospital staff wears, but added how much extra time it takes for the physicians to take their protective equipment on and off, as there are strict regulations given by the hospital: “After being in a COVID patient’s room, we have to throw away our gloves and gown before leaving the room, and then carry around the rest of our gear, like a mask and eyewear, in a paper bag for the rest of the day, and sometimes multiple days.” Dr. Coury explained that he hopes the U.S. public health system is more alert and prepared after this, as it’s “not the first pandemic that the U.S. has experienced, but it's the first wide-scale, modern-day pandemic.”
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This is not the first pandemic that the U.S. has experienced, but it’s the first wide-scale, modern-day pandemic.”n Dr. Chris Coury
FEATURE
How How Students Students Are Are Filling Filling Their Free Time Their Free Time Ella Marsden
Peyton Rodriquez
Sarah Bennett
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n Friday, March 13, District 128 announced that in-person classes would be canceled for the immediate future. This was eventually extended, as Governor J.B. Pritzker ordered that all Illinois schools remain shut down for the rest of the academic year. On Saturday, March 21, Illinois, along with much of the country, went under a stay-at-home order that goes through the end of this month. This meant that people were encouraged to stay inside their homes and only leave the house if absolutely necessary. With nowhere to go and less school work to do, students have been forced to find ways to fill their time. In a survey measuring 90 students, 72.2 percent said they have picked up a new hobby while at home. Additionally, 80 percent have binge-watched a TV show. The most popular shows students have been binging are “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Tiger King” and “The Office.” Students have also been watching “All American,” “Criminal Minds,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “The Vampire Diaries.” According to the survey, most people who have picked up a new hobby have begun an art-related one; the most popular craft students have started is painting. More than 20 percent of all students who responded to the survey have also begun working out. They shared that this has not only been a good way for them to get out of the house, but it’s been a beneficial way for them to take care of their mental health. A favorite activity among students who have been exercising is going for walks. Whether taking long walks with their family or quick walks around the block with their dogs, students mentioned that simply being outside has had a positive impact on the rest of their day. With that in mind, some students have been sitting outside to do their e-learning, weather permitting. This makes sense, as a 2015 study conducted at Stanford University found that spending time outside led to decreased anxiety and overthinking. Some students are taking advantage of the time at home to make some money. Senior Aidan Holmes has been providing landscaping services with his business, Aidan’s Lawn Service. Holmes started the one-man company last year, but he said business has been especially booming during the stay-at-home order. Since April 7, Holmes shared, he’s worked every single day; he specializes in laying mulch but will do any lawn treatment. When Holmes isn’t doing yard work, he’s getting ready to play football at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater next year: “I’ve been doing this and that getting ready for college football. This is the most committed I’ve been to getting better for football, and I’m really looking forward to that.” Holmes shared that “it’s the first time I thought I’d ever say it, but I actually, genuinely miss school. This sucks. And I was hoping to return even though I think everyone thought there’s no way we [would] go back.” Dillon McDonald, a junior, has been spending his time a little differently. He’s used his increased free time to record and produce a podcast: “Mack Diesel Podcast.”
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Many students have been binge-watching “Tiger King” on Netflix.
“The Office” has been a popular TV show to binge-watch among students.
Students have been recommending books to read like “Six of Crows” and “Harry Potter.”
McDonald started this podcast over spring break and has since been trying to post twice a week while also keeping up with e-learning. It’s available on Spotify and most streaming services. In an episode, McDonald and his co-host, typically a friend of his, may discuss any number of topics, such as answering questions asked by his listeners. The idea for McDonald to start a podcast wasn’t new, but quarantine has finally given him ample time to make it happen: “We’ve been talking about it — me and my friends — for a while because we just love having deep talks about just silly stuff. It’s kind of our thing,” he shared. McDonald touched on his mindset when creating his podcast: “It was easy for me because for me, it’s really casual. It’s not really something that I’m worried about if people like it or not. It is what it is, and I’m just going to give it a shot.” When asked what his favorite part of his podcast is, McDonald said: “I just like to express what I’m thinking sometimes, and if I can make people laugh at the same time, that’s fun.” He continued, “Right after I record it, I go listen to it with my parents, and I always love watching them laugh at what I say. That’s probably the best part.”
FEATURE While not all students have been working or recording a podcast, something new that all students have been doing is e-learning. It was an abrupt change to transition from inperson school to online learning, but many students have found what works best for them. On the survey taken by students, one suggestion students had for their peers is to get into a routine for e-learning, similar to the one they had for in-person school. This includes waking up relatively early, changing out of your pajamas and finding a workspace that isn’t your bed. Students have also found it beneficial to give themselves “passing periods.” This means doing a class’s work for about 45 minutes (the length of a standard class period) and then spending five minutes doing something non-school related. Results of the survey showed that, for some, acting like they’re at school has proven to be a successful way to learn.
This might include making to-do lists or turning your phone off and putting it somewhere it won’t distract you. On top of everything else, quarantine has given students more free time to read. Students’ most recommended book is “Six of Crows,” by Leigh Bardugo, followed closely by the “Harry Potter” series written by J.K. Rowling. Students also recommended “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng and “Call Me By Your Name” by Andre Aciman. According to many students surveyed, the most important thing they’ve been doing is keeping in touch with classmates and friends. Everyone is experiencing the pandemic for the first time, so they’ve found it helpful to work through thoughts and feelings with others. On top of that, many students have found it beneficial to keep a journal and write about any major happenings and take note of their thoughts and reactions.
During quarantine, students have been engaging in creative hobbies such as painting.
Libertyville Lends lends a hand Sara Bogan
Photo courtesy of Tavish Sharma
From painting windows to creating food drives, many Libertyville residents have had an impact on their community during the pandemic. Several neighborhoods in Libertyville have used Facebook pages to organize ways to help. In addition, a group of former LHS students is shopping and delivering groceries, pet supplies and more for free. Businesses have also found ways to offer support. For example, Libertyville’s Sports 11 has created a line of clothing with the words “Libertyville Strong.” All of their profits
will benefit Condell Hospital to help fight COVID-19, raising almost $8,500. Senior Kylie Pacholski is a part of the COVID task force at LHS, a group of seniors who are working with teachers to keep LHS students entertained and connected, in ways such as planning a movie night and the Cats Connect program. Pacholski has taken her own initiative in several ways to aid people during this time. She was able to provide 50 medical workers at Condell Hospital with a Picnic Basket meal by asking for donations. “I just like giving back to people. Every day, [medical workers] are putting their health at risk and even their families when they go back home. They need to be recognized as much as possible,” Pacholski commented. She has also taught herself how to create masks with a sewing machine to give to immediate and extended family as well as to potentially donate. Pacholski painted the front windows of her house with different themes to spread positivity to children taking walks. Inspired by her, some of her neighbors took pictures and then painted their own windows. Similarly, sophomore Tavish Sharma has supported people in need by creating a food
drive. In the past, he has volunteered at different food banks and noticed that many people, including himself, take food for granted. By promoting his food drive on Instagram and on his neighborhood Facebook page, a large number of people donated cans of food, placing them in the bin in his front yard. Near Easter, he then delivered about 80 to 90 paper bags of food to food pantries around Lake County. At El Puente, a food shelter in Waukegan, “there was a mile-long line of cars waiting to get in,” Sharma described. “That was really striking and made me feel like I’m doing something that helps.” Sharma hopes to have another food drive this month and potentially donate to PADS. Other ways to contribute include sending medical supplies to Condell, mailing letters of encouragement to isolated seniors at nursing homes, and donating groceries or meals to Lake County Haven. Pacholski believes that Libertyville residents should continue to aid the community during this time: “After seeing everybody that signed up to donate food, it emphasized the fact of how caring Libertyville is.” MAY 2020 23
OPINION
Despite some positives, e-learning cannot replace the real thing Note: As this piece is a staff editorial, it is representative of the opinions of the Drops of Ink staff. The author(s) of this piece did not place their personal opinions in this story; they merely reflect the students’ thoughts.
he world is always changing, but amid a global pandemic, changes in every aspect of life have been amplified and felt more strongly across entire populations. Education is no exception. As Illinois and many states across the United States extended stay-at-home orders and cancelled in-person schooling for the rest of the school year, e-learning became the new norm. Despite the best efforts of educators, we believe that in its current state, e-learning is an insufficient substitute for real classroom experiences. We acknowledge that in such extreme circumstances, we are fortunate to even have the technological resources and effort on the part of teachers and staff to make finishing the school year possible. However, in the present, we do not envision virtual schooling to become anything outside of a temporary solution. While an increasing amount of technology has been incorporated into education in recent years, up until this point, online devices have been supplementary. The introduction of Google Classroom, Mastery Manager and other educational tools accessed through student Chromebooks did little to change the atmosphere within a physical classroom. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a typical
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school day for all LHS students looked pretty similar. School started at 8:45 (with the exception of people taking early bird and zero hour classes), and students were dismissed at 3:25. Class periods lasted between 45 and 68 minutes, and the Monday through Friday schedule remained fixed. Now, each individual student determines how they use their time. There are some who get up early and are able to get most of their work done by noon and others who have essentially gone nocturnal and are not even awake until late afternoon. There are some students in classes who take far less than the recommended 30-40 minutes to complete their assigned work and others who are spending close to three hours on the work for a single class. Even the platforms that students have been utilizing vary. Several inconsistencies can be attributed to the sudden and unpredictable effects of the pandemic. However, the Drops of Ink staff believes that regardless of how e-learning is implemented, a greater amount of responsibility ends up getting placed on students. Generally, at-home learning has tended to decrease our motivation instead of forcing us to take charge of our own work. There are several limitations to using
Amanda Black Jade Foo
the internet. Class discussions are difficult to organize, and even when many people are able to attend, mass video calls are not conducive to real conversation. Activities that involve group collaboration or more complex instruction are also near impossible to implement outside of an actual classroom. As a result, the work that is assigned starts to become repetitive, and rather than learning, we feel like we are merely passing time with busywork. We are more motivated to join things like video lectures and office hours because they resemble in-person classes. However, the lack of ability to compel students to actually do work has made it that much more difficult to stimulate active participation in schoolrelated activities. Given the unique nature of the situation, it is more than appropriate for the state to have put a “no-harm grading” policy in place. Everyone’s life has been affected differently by the pandemic. Since it is impossible to understand what each individual may be going through, we agree that any grades received since schools first closed should not count against a student. However, the Drops of Ink staff holds that even if “no-harm grading” was intended to shift the focus away from grades and
OPINION
onto learning, it has often had the opposite effect. Especially if someone was doing well in their classes before being put into quarantine, they feel that there is less reason for them to put in any effort. Additionally, if someone was not putting in much effort to begin with, the structure of e-learning (or the lack thereof) does little or nothing to push them in the opposite direction. Even if this policy were to be brought into a more “normal� educational environment, we postulate that the sole goal of learning would unfortunately not be enough to drive most students. In fact, we feel that our experiences with virtual learning during a pandemic will do little to alter the fundamentals of our education system as it
stood before. Responses to various challenges faced by students in different grades seem to be the exceptions, not the new rules. For students whose college visits were canceled before they made their final decisions, solely using online tours and driving to empty campuses will likely be unique to this year. The inability of many students to take standardized tests may cause colleges to shift towards becoming test-optional, but it is doubtful that tests like the SAT and ACT will be permanently eliminated from consideration. AP testing will probably revert back to longer paper exams instead of 45-minute online exams. While there is the potential to improve
upon virtual learning and include certain features into education going forward, we believe that the biggest thing that will be altered in the foreseeable future is our perception of school. Being forced to suddenly learn in isolation has revealed the importance of interpersonal relationships in the educational process. We have a newfound appreciation for learning from both our teachers and our classmates every day. Thanks to the internet, we live in an era where we are more connected than ever before. However, while social distancing, we have come to realize that in-person interactions are an invaluable experience that there is no virtual replacement for.
Molecular COVID-19 photo via the U.S. Army
Drops of Ink staff members have found a new appreciation for in-class learning with their teachers and classmates amid the struggle of trying to stay motivated and focused during e-learning. The staff feels that after quarantine is over and students return to school, many will have a new perception of school and of their relationships with teachers and peers.
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DROPS OF INK
OPINION
THE CLASS OF 2020: OUR ABRUPT ENDING Charlotte Pulte
Cali Lichter
Here’s me (third row down, second to the right!) with some friends at the senior Powder Puff game, an annual tradition in the early fall. Senior year of high school: a short period of time in one’s teenage life that seems to always be revered and praised. You’ve made it. You survived junior year and are pushing through the exciting and stressful college application process. It’s the home stretch. A new chapter is right around the corner. In the meantime, however, you have so much to enjoy, most of which has to do with seniority. After all, it’s what the whole thing is named after. Things like being closest to the action at sporting events, walking the halls like you own the place, and the beloved, sought-after parking spot. On Thursday, March 12, I went to school like it was any other day. It wasn’t until I was sitting in third period that I realized how serious this all was. The girl who sat next to me was talking about the growing number of cases near us, and the growing number of schools who were closing for weeks or even months. From that point on, it felt like there was some sort of shift in the air, and I felt it follow me for the rest of the day. Like somehow, everyone else in the building had heard her reading off those statistics as well. There was a solemn yet uncertain cloud over Libertyville High School. Friday, March 13. This did not feel like a Friday at all. Even before the first bell rang, it felt like the year was already over. Like we shouldn’t be there anymore. My whole day was consumed with conversations about the growing pandemic and not a single class that I was in was academically motivated that day. The chatter filled every corner of the building. If I wasn’t saying silent goodbyes in my head, I was listening to nervous classmates ask about what would happen to the rest of our school year. Looking back, I should have said those goodbyes out loud. As a student with early release, I walked out of the school doors at 2:35 not knowing the future of my senior year. I didn’t get to hear Dr. K’s last words, and I can only imagine what his voice over the loudspeaker would sound like in that moment. Instead, I received an email as I pulled into my driveway that delivered the news. Honestly, I’m still struggling to come to terms with all of this, and most of my friends are too. When you think of finishing high school, the first things that come to mind are usually prom, graduation and all of the other celebratory things that come along with it. Instead, we’re staying home all day, cooped up and craving social interaction.
When you’re a kid, it feels like your whole life is school, and senior year symbolizes the cherry on top. The easy part. The fun part. Not having that classic ending seems like a robbery, and especially as a teenager, I’m finding it hard to keep things in perspective. In the grand scheme of things, yes, our senior year being cut short is trivial compared to the number of people across the globe who are ill or have died. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being insensitive in some way for grieving over my high school career in a time like this, and so a wave of guilt usually follows my nostalgia and sadness. Still, when you’re in high school, your whole world is high school, whether it’s academically or socially. So in this way, our whole world has ended abruptly, taken away without warning. And when everything is changing so fast, there’s that desperate feeling to cling to some normalcy. This time, there is no normal. The only thing that’s given me some peace is knowing that I’m not alone. Seniors all over the country, and even the world, are going through the exact same thing. It’s even bigger than that. Nearly everyone has had something taken away from them during the past few months because of this pandemic. It’s pretty sappy, but I’ve learned more about being appreciative and not taking anything for granted during the past few weeks than I have my whole life. The main thing I’m trying to remember, amongst all of the positivity mantras that are circulating social media, is that my feelings are valid. It’s okay that this incomplete resolution to high school that we received doesn’t seem fair. It’s okay that I tear up just from looking at pictures of me and my friends. It’s okay to not be okay. This sucks, and there’s no other way to put it. It sounds silly, but I feel like I’ll never be able to fully make peace with this until I get some kind of closure, some kind of reunion. The thought of never going through that schedule again, never sitting in that desk again or never seeing that teacher again is too much. Instead, I look forward to all of the hugs I’m going to give out one day, all of the happy tears I’ll shed for a change and seeing my classmates’ smiling faces again. I don’t know how or when, but I know that I will see you all again.
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NAME BRAND: OPINION
The ridiculous pressure on seniors during college application Cali Lichter
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Megan Lenzi
Ian Cox
or the past year, Famous people who went to community colleges College Pressure my conversations Did you know that 6 million students attended two-year institutions in 2019 on average, high In 2018, an average public two-year institution in the U.S. to apply to with school school seniors was $27,488 cheaper than a four-year private college, apply to 7-10 Source: National Center for Education Statistics friends have prestigious colleges? Source: consisted of the collegevine.com universities same phrases Tom Hanks spent his over and over According to Pew Research Center, 70% of teens first two years of college and over again: “My mom went at Chabot Community College stated that they struggle with anxiety. A large in Hayward, California. amount of this stress comes from pressure to Northwestern so I have to about post-high-school-graduation plans. apply?” “Do you think my 32 ACT is good enough to get into USC?” Fast facts about universities “My parents will kill me if I don’t George Lucas 61% of teens say that they feel immense pressure to attended Modesto Junior get good grades. get into an Ivy.” My friends had so College for two years then About six-in-ten teens plan to attend a four-year college graduated from USC with a after they graduate high school much stress on them to apply to Bachelor of Fine Arts. Source: Pew Research Center prestigious schools- and a lot of them- that it made me stressed Many teens face pressure about Seven-in-ten teens out. getting into and affording college. who have a parent with a bachelor's 70% of teens express concern about Morgan Freeman When my friends would ask degree or higher getting into their top college. started college at Los Angeles plan to attend a 65% of teens who plan to attend a four-year City College in California. me for my opinion on the college four-year college college after high school say they worry after high school. about being able to afford college. application process, I would explain Source: Pew Research Center that I only applied to four colleges and that Northwestern (albeit on Steven Spielberg was rejected by USC and UCLA (he ended up going my list) was not my top choice. They would look at me like I grew to Cal State Long Beach) but he is still one of the most famous an extra head. With the pressures put on high schoolers these days, directors of all time. it’s seemingly out of the ordinary for a kid to not have a prestigious When it comes to applying to an insane amount of colleges, at university as their top choice or to not apply to an insane amount of the end of the day, it’s unnecessary. I know that some people like to colleges; these pressures are ridiculous. apply to all of the Ivy Leagues, but in reality, all they have in common According to the college website Collegevine, seniors in 2018 is that they’re Ivies. Students need to realize that applying to 13 applied to anywhere from seven to 10 colleges on average. Now schools with a 7 percent acceptance rate each isn’t beneficial to the let’s assume a student applies to the low end of that range (seven college process. You need to diversify what types of colleges you schools) via Common App at $77 an application. That’s $462 spent on apply to; they don’t all need to be super selective. six schools that they won’t even go to. Yes, the student could’ve had Just because I went a different route in the application process an equal chance of getting into all seven, but wouldn’t it be more doesn’t mean I haven’t looked at the other side of things. I reasonable to narrow it down before paying that sum? understand my friends who say they applied to 15 different schools I applied to four different universities: Butler, Indiana, on the chance that they don’t get into one. But, if you’re applying to Northwestern and Vanderbilt. For me, four was more than enough. 15 different schools with a low acceptance rate, it means that you If I had my way, I would’ve only applied to Butler and Indiana. But, I haven’t narrowed down your school list enough. Narrowing down felt pressure from my family and friends to apply to prestigious the list saves so much time, pressure and money. schools because they were all applying to them, too. Indiana was my I committed to Indiana for broadcast journalism. Even though the top choice, but whenever my friends would question why I wouldn’t school isn’t an NYU or a UCLA, to me the name doesn’t matter. It’s want to go to a school as prestigious as the others on my list, I would the quality of education I will receive. At the end of the day, I truly second guess if my heart was in the right place. believe that what I’ll learn there will be better than any other college I No hate on Northwestern, it’s an incredible school. It just wasn’t could apply to. But everyone’s college experience is different. the right fit for me. Not all people vibe with prestigious schools, and Whether it’s a community college or an Ivy, the name or that’s okay! There’s incredible pressure from others to be the very reputation of the school holds no weight to what you make of it. best in academics these days so that students can get into good Seniors need to look past the flashy pamphlets and school recruiters schools and excel in life. News flash: just because you didn’t get into and do some research as to what is beneficial for them, not what Cornell, does not make your chances at success greater or lesser. everyone else thinks is beneficial. 28 DROPS OF INK
OPINION
BEE Vegetarian Ella Marsden
Lily Hieronymus
The “Bee Movie” — arguably the most influential film of our childhood — is full of important lessons and hidden themes. Disregarding the memes and the obviously satirized romantic relationship between a human and a bee, the underlying message of the “Bee Movie” serves as a perfect example of human entitlement, and it highlights the direct consequences of human selfishness. The most complex relationship in the film is that of a bee (Barry B. Benson) and a human woman (Vanessa Bloome). Early in the movie, Barry gets separated from the other bees and ends up inside Vanessa’s apartment. Vanessa’s boyfriend, Ken, is the first to spot Barry, and his immediate reaction is to kill him. As Vanessa stops her boyfriend from squashing Barry with a pair of winter boots, she says a line that, to me, is the premise of the whole movie: “Well, why does his life have any less value than yours?” The easy answer to this question is obvious: it’s just a bee. Who cares? But I think holding that belief, even when dealing with something so seemingly minuscule, leads us to carry that into other aspects of our lives. If we can excuse killing a bee simply because we’ve disregarded its existence as bothersome, to what extent will we place our own comfort above all else? That one line from a 2007 animated children’s movie is actually what pushed me to try out a vegetarian diet. I’d been considering the switch for some time, but Vanessa’s question is what finally convinced me to stop eating meat. I won’t lie to you and say that I’ve never almost given into a craving for chicken wings. And it can be hard watching my friends enjoy their buff chicks at lunch while I eat a salad, no question about it. But anytime I do have an urge to eat meat, I remind myself of that question: why should an animal’s life have any less value than mine? I try to imagine how I’ll feel after eating it; will I be satisfied? Will it be worth it? Or will I immediately regret my decision? So far, every time I’ve settled on the decision that I’d regret it. I understand the concept of the food chain and I know that avoiding meat isn’t a sustainable lifestyle for everyone, which is why I’m not writing this to criticize those who eat meat. Plus, I get it. Cheeseburgers are delicious. And while I know it’s unreasonable for the world to stop consuming meat — for reasons much more complex than that people just don’t want to — I’d encourage anyone who’s been considering the change or who can relate to
Cali Lichter
From sustainability to the satisfaction of contributing to a larger movement, the vegetarian lifestyle has several benefits.
the idea that no one life is more valuable than another to try out a vegetarian diet. I wasn’t only motivated by moral factors; there’s also a number of other benefits to eating vegetarian. For one, the environmental effects of the meat industry are alarming. According to Greenpeace, the process of raising and consuming livestock produces as much greenhouse gas as the entire transportation sector. Even sustainable farming takes its toll on the environment. The Guardian reported that the lowest impact beef is responsible for six times more greenhouse gas production and requires 36 times more land than plant protein. Plus, when done responsibly (meaning you’re eating more than just junk food and carbs), a vegetarian diet can have significant positive impacts on your health. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that vegetarianism has been linked with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and lower levels of obesity. I know it seems like you changing your whole lifestyle will be insignificant in the grand scheme of things. After all, you’re only one person. And I can’t promise that going vegetarian will change the world. But, as Barry B. Benson said, “Let me tell you about a small job. If you do it really well, it makes a big difference.”
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Christian Roberts
Rowan Hornsey
Ian Cox
Whether on a court or a field, many kids growing up had dreams of making it to college one day to play the sport they love. However, according to the NCAA, only about seven percent of highschool athletes go on to play varsity sports in college. These Libertyville athletes are a part of that seven percent who’ve earned their way to the next level of competitive sports.
Brian Stacy, an all-around athlete who’s participated in football, baseball, wrestling and track and field over his high school career, is playing football at Carnegie Mellon University, a Division III school located in Pennsylvania. Stacy, a wide receiver, has been “playing football since [he] was 6 years old,” he stated in an interview. “I started out with flag football...and began playing tackle football in third grade. I’ve been playing ever since.” One of the reasons Stacy has fallen in love with the game is the “relationships I’ve developed over the years. There hasn’t been a team that I’ve played with where there hasn’t been a genuine camaraderie.” Another reason why Stacy loves football is “the lessons it teaches you, like how to overcome hardships. Football has prepared me for a lot of what life will bring,” he explained. Stacy chose Carnegie Mellon over other schools “not only because of football, but also their top-tier academics. I plan on majoring in finance, and Carnegie has a world-class education to offer, so I took the opportunity.” One goal Stacy has for his college career is “to get a little bit better every day. This is a goal the coaches at LHS have helped me work towards. I’m not super concentrated in personal or statistical goals.”
Emma Manojlovic, a three-year varsity player for the girls soccer team, is taking her skills to Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, a Division I school. Manojllovic has been playing soccer since the age of 4, and she said it has grown to become a big part of her life. One of the reasons she loves soccer is “being a part of a team and the competitive atmosphere that goes along with the sport,” she explained. Her most memorable moment in her long career was winning the state championship three years in a row with her club team. Emma chose IUPUI because “their coaches were really friendly and made me feel welcome.” The head coaches recruited her while she was at a tournament in North Carolina, and she stated that “they pride themselves in creating a family atmosphere,” which helped her make the decision to continue her athletics career with the Jaguars. Her goal for her next four years is “to be the best I can be and eventually become a starter.”
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Photo Courtesy of Emma Manojlovic
Photo Courtesy of LHS Athletic Department
Margaret Buchert, an all-conference player on Libertyville’s highly ranked girls basketball team, will be taking her talents to DePauw University, a Division III school in Indiana, this fall. Buchert, who’s been playing basketball since she was in preschool, has fallen in love with the game throughout her career. One of her many reasons for loving the game is because “it’s how my dad, brother and I bond. My dad rebounds for us when we shoot and comes up with workouts for us to do,” Buchert explained. “I love to win, and I’m a very competitive person, so I use that to my advantage when I play.” Her competitive nature helped the Wildcats to a 23-game win streak this season, which included her buzzer-beating three-pointer to defeat the Lake Forest Scouts, who were ranked in the top three in the state at the time. Her diverse skill set and willingness to improve is what landed her at DePauw. Buchert chose the Tigers because “when I visited the campus, it was beautiful. I met the team and coaches, and they were all so nice. They made me feel like a part of the team,” she articulated. “The school itself is somewhat small, and I liked that a lot.” Buchert’s goal for her collegiate career is to “win a national championship. They’ve won a few national championships over the last 10 years, so I hope to help them win another one!”
Photo Courtesy of Margaret Buchert
- MARGARET BUCHERT
The youngest of three brothers, Mickey Reilly had big shoes to fill the moment he entered high school, thanks to his older brother Kevin, who was a captain on Libertyville’s 2015 soccer squad that won a state championship. Reilly, who was a star player on Libertyville’s state runner-up team during his junior year, took his game to another level his senior year, receiving all-state honors from the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). He racked up 21 goals and 17 assists while leading the team to a 15-win season, in which they spent numerous weeks as the number one team in the state. Thanks to his successful senior season, Reilly will be continuing his athletic career at Carthage College, where his brothers Kevin and Shane both played. Reilly stated that “I chose to play at Carthage, opposed to Division I colleges, because my brother Kevin [will be] a senior on the team. Getting to play with him in a competitive environment is a dream come true.” Reilly also said that Carthage, a Division III school, appealed to him because “I want to be a star.” His goal for his college career is to lead the team to multiple conference championships, and eventually, a national championship. Photo Courtesy of Mickey Reilly
Spring teams miss out on season Anika Raina
O
n April 21, the Illinois High School Association’s (IHSA) Board of Directors stated that all spring sports state tournaments were canceled, in addition to summer contact days. This decision came after Governor J.B. Pritzker’s announcement earlier in the week, declaring that all public and private schools in Illinois will be closed for in-person learning the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. In conjunction with Pritzker’s order, IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson
Moira Duffy
explained on their website, “We support the decision by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education, and given the logistics, we simply felt we could not conduct state tournaments that meet the expectations of our member schools this spring.” “As disappointing as it may be for students, it is the right decision for their health and safety, as well as for the health and safety of the general public, as we cope with this unprecedented pandemic,” he
Many athletes have been keeping up with their training during quarantine with the help of performance trainer Faith Ekakitie’s workouts through Google Hangout.
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Jade Foo
continued. The IHSA also pronounced that all summer contact days -- organized summer sports -- and practices will go on hiatus until further notice. Anderson explained, “Once it is determined safe to return, we will provide a detailed outline to our schools on the plan for summer contact days and possibly some kind of spring athletic events.” As soon as the state government and medical officials give the OK, there is still a possibility the spring season will resume with significant alterations as to how many days coaches can meet with athletes. The IHSA would also have to create new contact guidelines and will have to consider issuing a limited number of games teams can play if the summer season is still on. The IHSA offers a variety of spring sports, such as track and field, water polo, lacrosse, girls soccer, badminton and softball as well as boys baseball, tennis, gymnastics, volleyball and bass fishing. Although the future of spring sports is still unclear, the shortened season may extend into the summer. “This would require a change to the season limitation bylaws, which determine when you can start practice, when you can start competition, when the IHSA state series begins and when that state series ends,” expressed Athletic Director Mr. John Woods. This decision would be followed by an acclimatization period, which would allow athletes to practice their sports and regain skills. “We’re either going to come out better or we’re going to come back worse from social distancing. The growth [that] we commit to and invest in ourselves is going
to determine what we’re going to be like when we come back, whether it be physically or mentally. It is not going to be for nothing because it will pay off in the long run,” Mr. Woods said. Head Varsity Baseball Coach Mr. Matt Thompson said that his team has been using Zoom to stay connected, and in addition, they have been completing performance trainer Faith Ekakitie’s online workouts. Ekakitie works in the LHS weight room and leads virtual workouts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:30-3:10 p.m. In order to keep his team occupied, Coach Thompson created a fundraiser, the “Home Game Challenge,” which collects donations to combat hunger in the midst of the global pandemic: “We had the players shoot a video of themselves playing some kind of game at home, whether it be a board game or shooting baskets in their front yard.” The varsity team compiled the clips into a video and shared it with the local community to raise awareness. They encouraged families to post a picture on social media of themselves playing a game with the hashtag #HomeGameChallenge. As of April 20, the team had raised $1,200 and is donating it to the Lake County Food Bank. Because of the pandemic’s significant effect on spring sports, college recruitment will also be more challenging for this year’s juniors, explained Mr. Thompson. “We had some juniors that definitely can play in college and probably will, so they kind of miss out on an opportunity to be seen as a junior or even some of our sophomores.”
Athletes participating in Google Hangout workouts have the option to have their audio/ camera on or off. Elkakitie hosts various workouts a week that many coaches encourage their players to attend. The girls JV water polo coach, Alexandra Voelker, described how her whole team is upset over the likely end of their season. The team has also been engaged in Ekakitie’s workouts and other workouts assigned by
the coaches. “We have had a couple of group video chats and created a toss-the-[toilet paper] video with the boys water polo team. We also plan on still hosting our senior night, virtually, and have end-of-season gifts for the girls.” Sophomore Campbell Clarkson plays on the varsity softball team and, like many of her fellow spring athletes, was upset at the season’s expected cancellation. “I’m disappointed because I really wanted to play this season, and I didn’t get to learn skills from the seniors. I also feel bad for the freshmen because they don’t really understand the ‘team culture’ that we have, and they don’t know us very well.” Campbell and her team have stayed in touch throughout quarantine and planned on doing a senior night driveby to surprise the senior athletes. As for maintaining her training, “Our coach suggested for us to work out and has sent us the link to Faith’s workouts. She also told us to do what we can to practice like catch and hit.”
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OPINION
DOI Seniors’ Memories and Advice
This year the Drops of Ink seniors were asked to answer a few questions about their time at LHS. They shared their favorite memories and their best advice!
Speak up! Don’t be afraid to get out there or let loose during school. For me, it made me happier overall and look forward to school more when I branched out and got to know new people in my classes. - Charlotte Pulte Embrace every opportunity to do the things that you enjoy! LHS offers such a variety of super niche classes, and you are encouraged to find your true interests. Take advantage of that in any way you can. - Rayna Wuh Do whatever you enjoy. Don’t take a class/do a sport, etc. just because your friends are. You won’t enjoy it because your friends do. - Sayre Debruler In the future, I hope LHS can continue having such high class spirit participation. There is no better feeling than when your whole grade is all cheering for the same thing! - Claire Salemi [My favorite memory was] Going to Prom last year at the Shedd Aquarium with my friends - Megan Lenzi Don’t wish away your four years!!! All the memories you make each year all add up to your high school experience so make the most of it and take a ton of pictures/videos! - Molly Boufford
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Cali Lichter
Sarah Bennett
Focus on your interests and hobbies, not just school. Grades aren’t everything. Life is everything. - Ian Cox I have loved every second of these last four years. I know [seniors’] time got cut short but this senior class has been so spirited and involved. It has made my time here so memorable. Don’t take anything for granted because you never know when it is going to end! - Sarah Bennett [The most memorable moment at LHS] for me, it was definitely going on the choir trip. It’s just something about singing in caves, in churches, on top of hills, and in St. Mark’s Square that reignites the fire of music inside of you. - Cali Lichter [I hope LHS] shows that it’s okay to not be in all honors and AP classes and encourages kids to not be self conscious about their test scores and grades. - Maguire Marth The countless afternoons I spent sitting in Hansa with my friends, working on homework, talking about the most random things and sipping expensive (sorry Hansa) iced lattes. It sounds so simple, but those are memories I’ll cherish forever. - Mara Gregory Really take the time to bond with teachers. They are people too and having friendships with teachers will make your high school experience so much better. - Brooke Hutchins Get involved and don’t panic if you don’t have everything figured out; it will all work out. - Moira Duffy
CROSSWORD
crossword: science fiction Rayna Wuh
Rayna ACROSS 1. Name of the time machine that brought Marty McFly and Doc Brown to a “futuristic” 2015 where roads are no longer necessary 3. Young adult series set in a society that is split into five factions, each based on a single character trait 9. Young adult novel and movie centered around Jonas, a member of a seemingly utopian society 10. Academy Award-winning Christopher Nolan film about astronauts searching for a new place for humans to inhabit 13. Film set in 2084, when a company called Rekall has the ability to implant memories in place of vacations 15. 2007 thriller starring Will Smith as Robert Neville, a virologist for the U.S. army
DOWN 2. Orson Scott Card novel about the gifted Andrew Wiggin, a child sent to train at a military academy in anticipation of an alien attack 4. 1982 movie starring Harrison Ford as a former policeman hunting bioengineered humanoids in 2019 Los Angeles 5. A 2013 Dave Eggers novel centered around a powerful company that develops technology made to constantly monitor and broadcast certain people’s daily activities 6. Yearly event in which two tributes are chosen from each of 12 districts within the dystopian society of Panem 7. Author of the novel that takes place in a totalitarian state where “Big Brother is watching you” 8. Science fiction film in which humans are unknowingly held within an artificial reality by self-aware machines 11. Cormac McCarthy novel that follows the story of a man and his son navigating a post-apocalyptic America 12. Pixar film set in the 29th century when Earth has become a wasteland that humanity no longer inhabits while a single robot is tasked with cleaning up 14. Protagonist of the novel and Hulu series set in the oppressive Republic of Gilead where women have to wear colored dresses based on their place in the social order MAY 2020 35