Huntley High School Voice February 2017

V

meaning life THE VOICE

February 2017 • Volume 20 • Issue 5

( the

)

a collection of stories, thoughts, and quotations from Huntley High School’s students and faculty

of

What is the meaning of life?

Featuring: 4

Kate Mennenoh Interviewed by Courtney Thomas Photographed by Sehba Faheem

14

Scott Rowe

28

Nick Chung

Interviewed by Maggie McGee Photographed by Sehba Faheem Interviewed by Emma Kubelka Photographed by Bill Holtz

Since 2007, The Voice has published a Meaning of Life issue every year. This issue, which is different from our typical magazine, is a sampling of Huntley High School. Students and staff memebers are interviewed to give readers a snapshot of their personalities and individual perspectives of life.

34 44 46

Patrick Hoffman Interviewed by Mawa Iqbal Photographed by Sehba Faheem

Charlie Zornow Interviewed by Bry Walker Photographed by Alex Downing

Ellysa Cassier Interviewed by Alex Landman Photographed by Sehba Faheem

Our Editorial Policy...

HHS Media are the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by HHS Media students. HHS Media have been established as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisors may- and should coach and discuss content- during the writing process.

Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of HHS Media is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself; its student editorial board and responsible student staff emmbers assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

Meet Our Staff...

Courtney Thomas • Editor-in-Chief • Maddy Moffett • Print Editor • Camille Paddock • Online Editor • Bri Governale • Doubletruck Editor • Mawa Iqbal • News Editor • Maggie McGee • Opinion Editor • Natalie Trzeciak • Features Editor • Alex Landman • Sports Editor • Lucas Modzelewski • A&E Editor • Ryan O’Sullivan • Photo Editor • Staff writers • Jacob Barker • Madison Barr • Alejandra Favila • Nicholas Fleege • Emily Kindl • Emma Kubelka • Josh Lopez • Faith Losbanes • Peyton Moore • Michael Panzarella • Noah Simmons • Bry Walker • Sarah Biernat • Danielle King • Tyler Lopez • Austin Zeis • Photographers • Alex Downing • Bill Hollatz • Sehba Faheem • Dennis Brown • Advisor

2 • THE VOICE • February 2017

Paul Singh Curious

MEANING OF LIFE

Senior Avid gardener

I work out for fun. I bounce my pecs for fun. I like doing that to distract the teachers when I don’t know the answer to a question.

I will go and become a doctor at medical school… Yeah, not stereotypical.

I like dance because I like to see them boys twerk for me. Just kidding, I like to see everybody twerk for me.

The secret to a good garden is love and cow manure Me and my older friend, he was like 18, I was like 7, we put a giant concrete block, it wasn’t even a round block, it was just a cement block, like cut out of a basement foundation, right? We had a couple of those because we were fixing our basement. We took a wooden plank and we put it on top of the cement block and I’d take my mountain bike and I’d drive over it and I’d jump. I’d fly. That was my favorite memory If I had 24 hours to live, I’d take a shower with soil. And then I’d go into the forest and be one with mother nature and eat everything I can. I’ll hunt everything and then I’ll eat it. Then I’d come back, like 6 hours later, and I’m gonna drink 2 glasses of water because there’s not any good sources of water left in the wild because of pollution and stuff.

Then, I’d drink cactus juice because I saw in “Avatar” he started hallucinating after drinking cactus juice so as a natural way of hallucinating, I’ll drink a bunch of cactus juice and then I’ll go around and I’ll preach like in the movie “2012.”

Then after drinking the cactus juice, I’d buy a Ferrari by taking a loan out for $300,000. I drink the cactus juice after buying the Ferrari and then while I’m hallucinating, I’m in the racetrack trying to drift the Ferrari. Then I go out and I step out and I’m in a BMW now, and then after that, it’s been like 18 hours now, I was drifting for 12 hours, and now I’m vomiting now because of the centripetal forces and then I take painkillers and die. I’m gonna die right? So why not with a mind of ecstasy?

For my last meal ever I would eat barbecued anaconda with a side of tomato sauce, all seasoned with sea salt. No no no, not anaconda, backyard rabbit. Let’s go sadistic. Backyard with kimchi seasoning. Actually backyard rabbit with a side of tomato sauce.

One time I saw online that peeing on a tree is a good fertilizer. So I peed on a tree in my backyard. The tree died.

Stay true to yourself. Make friends with people who support you.

Work hard, play hard, pray hard My favorite animal is the homosapien because they’re savages. Actually let’s reverse that. *makes a weird sound with his mouth* It just got reversed… Sharks.

ERAGON!!! Eragon! *makes flying noises with his mouth for about ten seconds* Go Saphira, Go! That’s right, Galbatorix, you dead bro, bam! Chya! Stabbed right through the heart, because I got a magic spell dude, and you just realized all the suffering you caused and you’re like aw man I can’t swing my… I can’t even swing my sword, dude. Well too bad! Eragon real god, PAH! Then, that twist at the end. He loves Aria but he doesn’t get Aria. She’s like, “Maybe some other time,” but she’s a dragon rider too now. I’m like, “Dammit! Why’d you end it like that! I’m really lusting for Aria now! God dammit…” Yeah, Eragon series. Number One. Recommend it. 10/10 uh!

My favorite moment of high school was Guys Poms 2K16 because I could shake it without fear of oppression. And I learned how to do a cartwheel. I felt enlightened.

interviewed by lucas modzelewski // photograph by bill hollatz

February 2017• THE VOICE • 3

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Kate Mennenoh Family-Oriented

Dual Credit EnglishTeacher

Because of the private schooling and because of the craziness that was my home my parents together, separated, together, separated, together, divorced, I relished being able to leave that. My parents starting send my brother and I off to visit family for the summer who had the flexibility to be home with us. I went to Colorado, the first year I went out there was 6. I only went out there for like a month that time. The following year, I was like, “can I go longer?!” Colorado was, as much of nature and hiking as I got, Barb and Chuck were readers and they were quiet people. It was a vacation to just like breathe. We went out there for Christmas one year. We flew out to Colorado, and it wasn’t just the four of us going to visit Barb and Chuck, it was the four of us, and my uncle, and my aunt. They hosted like 12 people that Christmas and I mean we were sleeping on the floors and on the couches and just every available area was taken and that was my most amazing Christmas because we were all together. We were all together but it wasn’t at home, so it really taught me that home is not a place.

My brother and I don’t often say I love you, it’s just physical with us. So like, picking on each other and pushing each other, so often. Hey I’ll whack you with my elbow to let you know I love you.

Charlie, my son, is a wonderful kid who challenges my life. It’s different when you’re a teacher it’s different when you’re a parent, when it’s the kid you’re supposed to meld into being a good individual that’s hopefully one day independent, it’s a different experience than what I’ve experienced teaching. Teaching, I only affect you for 47 minutes a day, that’s it. Parenting, like, that’s multiple years, multiple hours, like years. It’s a very different experience.

If you avoid something, you’re avoiding experience and life’s experience. You know, I’d much rather have a lot of life in a little bit of time than a long time but not a lot of life. I’ve done a lot You know, I’d of living in my 38 years. Good bad or otherwise. But I’ve always been the person that’s run any number of idiocies, just because I’ve wanted to try things. There are very few much rather have towards things I’ve backed away from just because it’s invigorating to be like I’ve done it. I love a lot of life in a shocking you guys. When you’re like wait you have a tattoo, I’m like, well yeah, it’s eyeliner and you guys are like ‘wan wan.’ It’s that shock factor that and I just kind of enjoy that. little bit of time So it was really that moment, I remember my parents taking me to the airport, than a long time getting on the plane, long flight, I was fine with all of that. It was the minute I got off the but not a lot of plane I realized oh crap, I’m in another country, I have a visa that keeps me here for the next nine months like, what did I do? And yet, it turned out to be the best thing ever. The life. craziest, dumbest, most amazing thing I’ve ever done, was getting off the plane and realizing, okay, this is not a theory anymore, this is it.

I can always work through the anxiety and break passed that wall, but there’s that moment of like cold sweat, staring down the doors, where you’re like, “I don’t want to do it,” but I always suck it up and do it. I guess my greatest fear is that, I’m afraid there’s going to be that day where I’m not going to be able to beat that, where mind over matter won’t work.

As much as you feel you don’t know something, go out and figure it out. The world is literally in our hands and when students just sit there and stick their heads in the sand of snapchat and facebook. I really try to encourage in all students that there is more to the world than our american cultured egocentric mentality.

Live life on purpose. The biggest frustration that I have as a teacher, as a parent, is when people actively choose to blame others. For me, stop thinking that something is happening to you and start choosing what you are going to do with what happens to you. I firmly believe that you should stop and think and reflect and decide.

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interviewed by courtney thomas // photograph by sehba faheem 4 • THE VOICE • February 2017

Jayden Romero Sensitive

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Sophomore Actor

My name is Jayden Myles Romero. I am 15, and I am a sophomore. I was born in Arlington Heights, IL. I lived [there] until I was about five, and then I moved with my family to Austin, Texas and I lived there for about 8 years. I moved back here, to Huntley, in the seventh grade.

I didn’t have any brothers or sisters, but I had four cousins who lived close to me, and they’re basically my brothers and sisters. I grew up with them. In Austin they lived close to me, but they moved to Los Angeles when I moved here, to Huntley. We separated because both dads got jobs in different places. We basically raised each other. I didn’t have many friends, I had like one best friend, but I depended mostly on [my cousins]. My grandparents are the best thing, ever. I love all of them. My dad’s side are a little jokey sometimes, but they mean well. They love me so much and I couldn’t ask for better grandparents honestly. They support me in whatever I want to do. I have some other cousins on my dad’s side, but I don’t see them as often. They live here, but I don’t see them as much, except for birthdays and holidays but I’m not as close to them.

I’m a dog person, all the way. I met a cat like twice and they don’t like me. The Happiness is just a word until feeling is mutual. you find meaning It’s hard to pick one specific memory because of now with high school and all this stress. I just think back to the time when I didn’t have to worry about my GPA and for it. everything. I could just worry about the color of my skittles bag. Did I want orange?

Did I want purple? I don’t know. That was the most pressing issue at the time. I miss that, so much.

I wrote something down somewhere, recently, hold on. I keep a book of really good quotes. I watch a show called “White Collar.” There was this one character that fascinated

me so much. He was smart in a way because he kept and used quotes of people smarter than him. As I would help my friends through issues, I would use these quotes that I’ve obtained somehow… from my book.

I write them down to help me [become] more knowledgeable to help me and my friends. Here it is. ‘Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.’ -George B. Shaw.

One of my mentors said that ‘I’d rather have someone walk out of one of my shows feeling something, either loving it or hating it, rather than sitting there and thinking it was just okay.’ Because at least if you fail, you got something out of it. If you didn’t even try, you got nothing. What was the point?

Hate. Especially against minorities. Even though some people say it doesn’t exist, it does. Against people of color, people of different sexualities, people of different religions. It’s there, I wish it wasn’t. Especially the people that I hang out with and surround myself with, they’re different than [most people]. It’s sad the way things happen.

I think the biggest mistake I’ve ever made was not trying something. Because in the end, you will regret the things you didn’t do rather than the things that you did. I try to do as much as I can, try as much as I can, because I only have so much time.

I saw last year’s production of a Midsummer Night’s Dream. I was mesmerized. It brought me in a new direction.

I wanted to pursue that. I decided one day to go and audition for Macbeth. I just kept going from there. I’ve always wanted to act, but I never thought that I would ever get into that because I was expected to do math or science or something else. I got more and more exposed to theatre and acting, after watching Midsummer, I decided, hey, I want to do this. I found a happiness I had never found before in it.

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interviewed by katrina troy // photograph by katrina troy

February 2017 • THE VOICE •7

Chiara Digiamberardino

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Foreign exchange student

My favorite number is nine because it is the number that changed my life. It changed my vision on how to see the world, and the different people in different countries. I am not the same person that left Italy, as I am now. The only person that I need in my life is me, and the only people that are around me are because I want them, not because I need them. I left Italy on Aug. 9, 2016 and arrived in Illinois on Aug. 12.

There was a celebration in Italy the second day I arrived in Chicago, and I cried and wanted to go home. Seeing my family from Italy was different because I only see them on skype, so I don’t really know them as well. It wasn’t easy to get used to everything, but now, my U.S. family is like my real family.

My role model is my dad because when my mom died, he thought about me more than he did for him. When he didn’t want me to come here, he said yes for me, and I miss him so much. He wants me to always follow my dream.

I enjoy dogs more because they always want attention and want to be pet more than cats. My dog is so cute and I love him so much. My cousin in Italy has a cat who never wants to be pet.

One of my fondest memories was when I was in elementary school, I was on the playground and I fell asleep on the swings. I was with my parents, and fell down and when I woke up, there was dirt everywhere.

When I go abroad to a new city, I always buy snow globes to add to my collection. My mom also collected these when I was little, and she asked me if I wanted to collect them as well, which seemed like a cool idea. I like to remember the places I’ve been with those.

One thing I would change about people is when they talk about something that they know nothing about. They shouldn’t say things that they don’t know and make assumptions.

A big mistake I’ve made had to do with me being a very nosy person. Before coming here, my parents were preparing me a surprise party, and I took my mom’s phone and read all the messages, so I knew what was going on. My cousins and I talked about it and my parents found out that I knew and never got a surprise party. I learned that if something isn’t my business, other people will tell me everything. I don’t need to know things if they don’t want me to know.

One of my fondest memories was when I was in elementary school, I was on the playground and I fell asleep on the swings. I was with my parents, and fell down and when I woke up, there was dirt everywhere.

When I go abroad to a new city, I always buy snow globes to add to my collection. My mom also collected these when I was little, and she asked me if I wanted to collect them as well, which seemed like a cool idea. I like to remember the places I’ve been with those.

Speaking in different languages changed my way to talk and to think. It has different meanings in each language. It is not always better or worse than my own country, I think of it as different because you can’t tell if it is better, it is only different for me or for other people.

Before coming here, I was so scared. I didn’t want to come here, but this brings joy to my life because I did come here and I overcame the difficult things that went on without anyone. It’s not something that would usually bring joy to someone else, but I am proud of myself for this.

My definition of the meaning of life is to live the moment. With this experience, I learned that the most important thing to do is to live in the moment. It doesn’t matter if something bad or something good happened that day, you have to live the dayecause you are doing what you want to do.

“I am not a person

who likes relaxing.

I want to always be doing stuff and go everywhere, but when I swim, I am relaxing.”

interviewed by peyton moore // photograph by sehba faheem February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11 9

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Delta Oswald Animal Lover

Huntley High School Junior

My family is actually really big. My dad comes from a family of eight kids, and my mom comes from a family of six kids. And my mom’s grandma comes from a family of fourteen kids. So it’s just always been big.

I’m very family-oriented. I’ve always been surrounded by [most of my] family.

I’m 16 years old. I’m pretty sure I have the mental age of 5, but you know, we’re not going to talk about that.

I was really hyper, crazy, giggly, and bubbly as a child. I always wanted to do everything and wanted to be active. I always wanted to be the leader. I never left anybody out.

I moved from Lake Park High School [to HHS]. At first it was scary because I didn’t know anyone. But a handful of people [here] have made me feel like I’ve been a part of the Red Raider family my whole life. I would never change my decision of moving to Huntley. I’ve had the best four months of school here.

I want to be a vet when I’m older. I love taking care of my pets and I just love animals in general. I’ve always loved to help injured animals with anything. I’ve helped recover [animals like] baby birds to stray kittens, and after doing that, it makes me incredibly happy.

The biggest personal change I’ve made was to love myself.

The one song I can never skip is “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects. I grew up listening to the band with my brother.

The most traumatic experience of my life was when I was 9 or 10 years old. I was juggling quarters, and one of them just went down my throat. I couldn’t breath. My brother walked in the room and then he gave me the heimlich. But then I swallowed it, and I was okay. But two or three months later, I got a really bad stomach pain and digestive problems, because I think we should all just the quarter was still in my stomach, and I went into surgery to get it removed. It was intense. I thought I was going to die. be freaking What would I name the autobiography of my life? “What a Joke.” friends. Why can’t we just all I love drawing. It’s like an escape…an escape from the craziness that happens in my life. If I ever feel down or angry, it’s a way I can express my feelings in a hold hands and creative and non-destructive way. It’s where I am, in a truly happy mindset. There make brownies are no limits. and watch TV In my spare time, I either draw or do something crafty. If I have time, I will go voltogether? unteer at the [Huntley] animal shelter, or I’ll just play video games.

My parents taught me that fighting isn’t the answer, and that you should show love and respect for others because that’s what you want in return.

From having three older siblings, I’ve taken bad things they’ve done and experiences they’ve had, and tailored my actions to what I’ve learned from them.

It’s definitely worth it to fail something first, instead of never attempting it in the first place. I believe if you never try something, then you won’t know the outcome. We as humans make mistakes all the time, so it’s important to learn from our mistakes so we can grow.

I’m afraid of being lonely. I don’t ever want to be lonely. It doesn’t matter if it’s a ‘no-boyfriend’ kind of lonely, but I just want to know that there’ll always be someone there for me.

My least favorite subject is English. I’m sorry Mrs. Volkening, but I hate English. I’m really bad at writing papers, and I suck at English to begin with.

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interviewed by emily kindl// photograph by sehba faheem 10 • THE VOICE • February 2017

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Beth Knott

Doctor of Statistics I’m very much a math person.

I started off in engineering, and I got to go out and see what engineers did and I hated it. I graduated from a Catholic High School and we had to go on retreats. So I went back and I teamed one of the retreats and I realized that was an age group that I enjoyed working with and I love math, so it just seemed like a natural fit for me.

I’m not a perfectionist. I’m not super neat, but I appreciate structure.

I can’t function in the morning without my coffee.

Math is like a puzzle, there are rules and it’s clean. It’s like a puzzle that you have to figure out how to solve.

My professor used to tell me that truth is situational, and I didn’t quite get that because I thought that it’s either true or it’s false. She told me truth depends on your experiences and how you’ve experienced the world. That is the one thing I wish people could understand better because I think that would open up a lot of understanding to each other, to other ideas and to a lot of things.

Chocolate, honestly I love chocolate. I guess Reese’s peanut butter cups are my favorite, but if it’s chocolate I probably won’t turn it down.

I used to love Tom and Jerry, but I’m sure these days people will think it’s horrible with all the violence, but I absolutely loved that cartoon growing up.

I worked retail through high school and college and I hate going to the mall. After working all those day after Thanksgiving for 10 years, I don’t ever want to do it again.

You need to listen to people. When someone is trying to help you, they are trying to help, and for you to automatically assume you know better is arrogant.

I grew up boating so a lot of my memories are wrapped up out on a boat somewhere with all of us enjoying the day.

When you’re growing up you don’t even think about it because it’s normal and then as you grow older you realize that not everybody gets to do this.

I’ve been very fortunate to know and learn from some very wise people and they’ve made me stop and rethink things.

Most days I love what I do, and I think anyone who can say that is incredibly lucky.

My greatest accomplishment was earning my doctorate. I chose to do a qualitative dissertation and it was incredibly hard. At times, I didn’t think I was going to finish because there was no one pushing me anymore and it’s really easy to push it off. I’m proud of the job I did and I’m proud of what I wrote.

I don’t think anyone wants to listen right now. I think we have so many people who are convinced that their way of seeing things is the only way to see things, that no one should listen to anyone else’s experiences or stories anymore.

We used to have friday night pizza nights and I loved pizza. I love a garbage pizza with everything on it and a thin crust.

I hate it when people don’t listen. Just stop and listen for a second, life would be so much easier.

I jumped out of an airplane. At my old school, the entire math department went skydiving two days before school started. On the way up, in the airplane, I was so scared I couldn’t speak. Our department chair was very angry with us when he found out. Jumping was truly terrifying and the part where you’re free falling is incredibly loud, but when you pull the shoot it’s the most peaceful experience. I don’t think I would ever do it again.

interviewed by camille paddock // photograph by bill hollatz 12 • THE VOICE • February 2017

THE MEANING OF LIFE

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February 2017 • THE VOICE • 13

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Scott Rowe

Too Cool For School

Huntley High School Principal

My free time is nonexistent right now as I am in my third year working on my doctorate degree. When I’m not doing that I watch my son play travel soccer and my daughter is in gymnastics. I really enjoy vacations, going to the beach, playing golf, being involved in sports, and family excursions are where I spend most of my time.

My favorite sandwich is a peanut Butter and Jelly, without a doubt! I go to Subway but I don’t like it. I like Jimmy Johns but I don’t go because it’s not very healthy.

I’m a pizza, absolutely. It doesn’t matter what kind, I could eat pizza three meals a day for my whole life I think! I stand in the middle on the New York and Chicago debate, there is no pizza that’s bad pizza. Except frozen pizzas, I’m not a big fan of those. Giordano’s is my favorite deep dish pizza, but do you know who has the best thin crust I’ve had? Sal’s! It’s on the square in Huntley, it’s phenomenal! Their thin crust is delicious! I can be a little bit of a connoisseur; Gino’s East, their sauce is too sweet, Lou Malnati’s, their crust is a little too buttery. But Giordano’s is my favorite!

My wife makes me watch the Bachelor. I don’t particularly like it, but I watch it anyways.

I am driven by the fear of failure. I am so committed to not fail that it drives me nuts.

I really, really like Boyz II Men. That was like my guilty pleasure, that was my first CD I owned as a kid.

Anytime a Boyz II Men song comes on I go nuts for it!! I have a secret passion for certain types of R&B. My favorite artist is Aloe Blacc, he’s got some really good stuff, it’s very soul, bluesy, and R&B and that’s probably a surprise to people.

I have my professional goals of being a superintendent one day. I don’t know if that happen by then, but 10 years from now I see myself still living in Huntley. I love What about a will here. My son would be 17, so I can see myself freaking out on how I’m going to cheeseburger, itpay for college! does that count Never forget who loves you. Your family, the people that are there for you are as a sandwich? the ones that you have to take care of and really keep close. Possessions aren’t I’m on a misall that important, people are. sion to find the True happiness is being away from the stresses in life and doing something fun world’s best with my family. Being at Disneyworld with my family was true happiness, because cheeseburger. we had nothing to worry about, nothing to do besides have fun.

On the beach, tropical so I’d have to say the U.S. Virgin Islands. I wouldn’t want to live there year round though. I also would consider the Mediterranean, because I have not been there so just the food, culture, and history you could get in one spot in places like Greece or Italy.

Let’s see… standing in front of 7,000 people at graduation when the sound goes out. That one’s funny, but one time I ripped a pair of my pants, through the crotch, up the butt and I had no idea for an hour while I was walking around. That one’s embarrassing, but graduation was awful.

My pet peeve is when people say they are going to give 110 percent because you can’t give 110 percent.

It’s so silly, but it drives me nuts. That’s impossible you can only give 100 percent!

Without a doubt my dad is my role model. He just seemed like he always had it figured out, he’s a good adult, just a good man. Everything I do I think, ‘what would my dad do?’ He’s definitely my role model.

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interviewed by maggie mcgee // photograph by sehba faheem 14 • THE VOICE • February 2017

Claire Thennes

Collector

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Sophomore Saxophone player

I have a lot of embarrassing moments. I’d have to say when I was a small child my parents used to throw me birthday parties because I was an only child. It was always at our house and my dad had these burlap sacks for some reason and I was really little. So we were like “potato sack races!” Back then, I wasn’t too fond of belts so... let me just say I dominated at that My ideal day race, like I came in first and I was like “Let’s go boy,” and I dropped my burlap sack is just me. At cause I was so excited and it turns out my pants had fallen down somewhere in the race home, in my bed and so I just like flashed everyone my underwear. It was really funny and embarrassing. watching “CrimiI have a lot of embarrassing moments. I was born and then everyone started cringing. nal Minds.”

That I’m a collector of “things” in general. I have a lot of things hanging in my room. I is my show have like deer antlers, mini tractor replicas, I have a fish hat, I have many things that are just... just many random things.

If I could have dinner with five people I would say Harvey Milk because he was a huge LGBT+ activist, Beyonce because she’s Beyonce. I’d say Malcolm X just to kinda see like what his take on everything that’s happening right now would be. Ellen DeGeneres because she’s the queen of the gays and let’s go Barack Obama because I miss him. I miss him so much.

If I could live anywhere in the world... maybe Portland? Because they’ve got some weird people over there and I’d fit right in. Also their women’s soccer team is pretty good.

If I could choose a time to live it wouldn’t be anywhere in the past because the past sucked. The past is horrible, I’d probably go in the future in like 20 years from now. Or be like right when man was first evolving... that would be so lit.

Like, just going around and hitting people with sticks and there’s no consequences... just like, you just club people and it’s not a big deal, it’s not a big thing, it happens all the time.

The American Education system is broken, very much so. 100 percent, yes, we need to fix it right now. I will fight the new Secretary of Education. I will... literally give me the chance and I will take her on. I will dress up like a grizzly bear and attack her.

My greatest achievement? Yikes, I have not done many things... I’d say, which is really also sad because I’m a basic music ho, getting into Wind A because I strive for small goals.

I have so many pet peeves. People walking in the hallways. People taking up all the fricking room in the hallways.

People stopping on a dime and going to their class and when you’re like walking in the hallway and then somebody like goes out of their classroom and they walk slower than they were originally walking. It’s like... why would you do that?

Also... aesthetic accounts on Instagram and Tumblr... I hate those. Republicans... Republicans are my pet peeve.

The craziest thing I’ve probably done is when I didn’t tell anyone I was gonna cut all of my hair off and so I showed up to a band concert and had really short hair and everyone was like “what the hell?” I also went to the Women’s March with my mom last minute... I trespassed once on somebody’s land because I thought I heard goats and I was like, “boy imma go see them goats” and somebody like opened the door and I was like “gotta blast!” so that didn’t last very long.

I have a lot of fears. Failure, not being as good as other people, natural disasters. Tsunamis are like my worst fear which is weird because I live in the middle of Illinois.

I’d probably have to go really cheesy and say my mom is my hero cause she’s really been through a lot in her life and her childhood was eh, but she’s been my rock for 16 years of my life and she’s really been my role model and the one who’s been consistently there for me.

“

”

interviewed by madison barr // photograph by ryan o’sullivan

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 17

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THE MEANING OF LIFE

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Jackson Monis Outgoing

MEANING OF LIFE

Junior Ultimate Frisbee Thrower

I was born in Schaumburg and when I turned one, I moved to New Jersey. When I was in first grade we moved back and I’ve been at Huntley ever since.

I am 50 percent Russian and 50 percent Filipino. I don’t really relate to the culture of either, but I do hope to visit the Philippines one day.

My greatest fear is snakes, I absolutely hate them. Like honestly, if I saw one I’d probably cry. I mean how do they even move?

The best advice I have ever received is to just be yourself. Don’t care about what others say, just do what you want to do. Get a chill going.

The greatest ultimate frisbee team at Huntley is Tarahumara. We were number one in the league, number one!

If I had one day to live I would try and go to the Philippines, but if I was stuck here I would try to visit all my friends and hang out with as many people possible.

Good Will Hunting is the best movie ever made, and I highly recommend it. 10 out of 10, perfect. Everything from the acting to the music.

The most traumatic experience was getting my first F ever freshman year. I am really good in school, but I did awful on the AP Physics exam. I thought to myself “Oh god, my parents are going to hate me. I am not going to be able to go to college.”

A good performance is anything that can make me forget that I am watching a movie. Where the actor can convey believable emotion in their scene.

My family and I are really close. I tell my parents everything and they are amazing.

The fastest I have ever driven was when I went over a 100 mph on I-90 just because I felt like it.

Online shopping is fantastic. Any chance to skip going to the mall or store is great.

The best day I have ever had was my sophomore year birthday party.

Tons of friends came and sung happy birthday to me, and it was really cool to see how many people I have gotten to meet and know.

True happiness is being happy with yourself and having good people around you who accept you for being you.

America’s education system is broken because most of it is built on test scores, and I also think a lot of the work we do in school is being taught without students knowing the real world applications. At the same time, however, I don’t think a lot of kids know what they want to do and I think it is important we give them a well rounded education.

My philosophy in life is to enjoy the little things even when you think they going to be meaningless. Some of my best memories are the smallest moments in my life.

My advice to the incoming freshman is to not be afraid of trying new things and meeting new people. Middle school and high school are completely different. Oh, and if you walk slow I will push you out of the way. That’s not even a joke.

When I die, I think it’s just over. I don’t really think much of heaven or hell. However, if there is a heaven you’ll see me outside playing frisbee, riding my bike, and hanging out with friends.

My hero is anyone who can kill snakes and make it so I never have to see them again.

interviewed by nick fleege// photograph by bill hollatz February 2017 • THE VOICE • 19

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Matt Gsell Hardworking

Senior Pickup Truck Enthusiast

We were over at my uncle’s house, and my uncle’s neighbors were making a whole bunch of noise in their backyard.

Granted, we were having a party and making a lot of noise too. My uncle goes, “Hey Matt, why don’t you go tell the neighbors to shut up?” Being in fifth grade, I didn’t realize it was a joke so I walked my happy ass over there and told his neighbors to shut up. I walked back all proud and was immediately told to go back and apologize.

My grandfather used to call me Heinz 57 because I have so many different nationalities flowing in me. I’m mostly Irish, which you can tell because I’m whiter than wall paint.

I’m a firm believer in you get out what you put in. If you want something, go out and work for it. If you need something, don’t hesitate to ask because there’s always someone willing to help you. Don’t expect to get anything for free and always pay back your favors.

My most prized possession, most people must know the answer to that, is a big, old, green piece of junk.

I think it gets overlooked a lot, but I’d have to go with Thanksgiving. What better way to celebrate a holiday than to get together with your family and just eat until you puke?

We go on an annual camping trip every year. We usually go around Father’s Day weekend. Last year, we went a little later hoping that it was going to be better fishing. It wasn’t. We’ll all go up there and get a camping site and spend the time camping, fishing. Depending on the year, sometimes more people come and sometimes people back out. Honestly we’ll get anywhere from 20 to 40 people coming on these trips because they’ll bring friends or we’ll bring friends.

We’ll have at least 10 ATVs up there and ride through trails.

[My hero would have to be] my uncle. In the time that he was alive there was not a single person he met that did not like him. He was dealt a pretty bad hand in life and you’d never guess it by the way he acted around people.

My most It’s going to sound funny, but bees. I can’t stand them. Bees, wasps, all of that stuff. prized possession, They’re lethal, they’re small, you can’t see them to the point where when you lose them most people they’re lost. You just have to sit there and wait for the sting. know the answer My greatest achievement is holding a job, going through high school, paying for a to that, is a big, car. I guess just life at this point is my greatest achievement. Just the fact that I haven’t old, green piece croaked yet. of junk.

I was real into Indiana Jones when I was a kid. When I dressed up as him, I’d walk around cracking a whip every 10 seconds. One year, I dressed up as Scream. I got one of those kick-ass masks where you squeeze the thing and blood comes down your shirt. I was probably about 9.

I love clowns just because they make everybody else super uncomfortable.

There were so many of us that we’d do scavenger hunts. The adults would send out all the kids to go looks for stuff on the trails. I love spending time with my family. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

I like my steak really rare. I’ve had people had to leave the table because they can’t handle watching me eat it. Anything past medium-rare you can’t guarantee that there’s juice. All your juices are gone. Sometimes you go a little too rare. I start to get a little worried when there’s blood pouring out of it.

In 10 years, I suppose I see myself back in Huntley. Regardless of what happens, I plan on coming back here and working for a couple companies. One of them’s a small business, TJH, and they’re an equipment company. I also might be working for Plote and possibly Landmark. I like Huntley, though. It’s a relatively small town that’s grown a lot over the years. I know a lot of people around here and a lot of people know me. I figured I might as well stay here. I’ve got nowhere else to go.

“

”

interviewed by natalie trzeciak // photograph by ryan o’sullivan

20 • THE VOICE • February 2017

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Joe Roberts Determined

Senior Musician

I am a senior and am 17 and I only really go by Joe, but some people call me Roberts, my last name, because Joe is such a common name.

My mother’s side is all Norwegian and my father’s side is all Italian. I’m split; 50 percent Norwegian and 50 percent Italian.

I have a twin, Sarah. I am older by a few minutes. We were both born in a suburb of Chicago and have never moved.

In school I am part of the Science Olympiad, Jazz Band, Link Crew, and I play tennis. My favorite classes have to be both history and science. Ever since middle school I have loved science.

I think becoming a better tennis player over the years is my greatest achievement so far. I don’t think I’ll play it professionally, but it’s a blast.

In 10 years I hope to be teaching science. I think that’s a good place to see myself because I think that if you get a job you really love and are passionate for, you won’t work a day in your life.

At home I play guitar, I’ve even played on late starts. Mr. Lowe is a close family friend and loves to give me a chance to play for the school. It’s a real thrill.

I took general anthropology this year and have Mr. Lachel. He is by far one of the best teachers I’ve had. He is very dedicated and passionate.

Growing up in the Midwest you kind of get the extremes; extreme cold and extreme heat.

I don’t have preference to either, but I do know I love tropical cruises.

I have two pets: a gecko named Spike and a Cockerspanieli puppy named Bella. She’s eight months old and the cutest thing ever. It is amazing to see how excited she gets when I get home from school or work.

Growing up was very strict. My mother is a police officer, so I never got away with anything. I was sort of the troublemaker. My father is an engineer so I did not see a whole lot of him.

I have always been a huge fan of music. My favorite bands are Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath and Guns n’ Roses. Anything that’s metal, really. There’s too many good songs out there, it’s too hard to pick.

My father has tons of old records from when he was a kid, so I discovered a lot of music from him. I’m always blasting something great; it could be the Rolling Stones or Santana. Music is just amazing.

I love being with family, eating, and I love listening to Christmas music. I never get sick of it. It is the best way to get in the holiday spirit.

I wear ugly Christmas sweaters the week before Winter Break. Before this past Christmas I wore Star Wars themed sweaters.

The “Star Wars” movies have to be my favorite movies of all time, even the really bad ones. “Episode VII” and “Rogue One” were awesome.

Being Italian means you have the best food ever.

Happiness is great because there isn’t a single meaning to it. For me, it’s my family and friends and having fun. The meaning of life is to have fun. Life is too short to be too serious or mad or sad, you have to smile and live every day to the fullest.

“The best day to

me is just relaxing, watching YouTube, and listening to music. Nothing beats being lazy.”

interviewed by tyler lopez // photograph by ryan o’sullivan 22 • THE VOICE • February 2017

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11

Bob Chen Inquisitive

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Sophomore Engineer

When I was a kid in elementary school my parents signed me up for choir for about two years and then I didn’t like that so I then played violin for about 10 years. I stopped that last year because it was taking up a lot of time from school.

Dragon Tales. Dragon Tales was so good when I was a kid. When I was a kid all we had was like wttw 11 and I think that was the first thing that was on by the time I got home so that was just what I watched.

One summer, I can’t remember which summer it was, my family and I took a roadtrip to Florida and we went to Disney World and it was with another family. The guy’s name was Andy, a lot of kids who went to Conley would have known him. I remember it was really fun because in each car we had a radio. So in our separate cars we would talk to each other and mess around so it made the car ride a lot more enjoyable.

Parnav Yandamuri, Mr. Styers, Mr. Lundeen, Leonardo DiCaprio, and I guess Elon Musk. Or I guess the person who cooked the dinner for us would be pretty cool. No, actually, let’s just stick with DiCaprio.

Where would I live, um, not here in Huntley, I will tell you that much. It is way too boring here for me. I guess I would live in Silicon Valley because of all the cool people there like the engineers and computer geniuses, also, I love all the big houses that people have there.

In 10 years, I should be out of college and hopefully majored in some sort of engineering and then hopefully I would have found a job by then. I would also expect to be working, or would I be working? So I would be 25 and have my own bachelor pad, like an apartment and where would I be living? New York would be cool but even Silicon Valley if I could.

So if I’m going to be going to a bunch of places in 24 hours then I am going to need a lot of energy so I would go and buy five 5-hour energies since there is only 24 hours and I waste a lot of then I would go run around Europe and of course go see my family in China. They all my time. See, you live in the western part of China, very rural area and they used to be farming cities like thought I was Huntley but not anymore. Their cities are extremely polluted and they live in apartinteresting, but ments.

In Europe I would go to to somewhere in the United Kingdom, you were comI guess London and Germany is pretty cool I guess. But since I only have 24 hours, that pletely wrong. would probably be it. I feel like I would end of dieing on a bus halfway through.

See, my greatest fear would have to be not knowing the answer to a question and that is because I do not know how to answer this question here and it is making me super nervous.

I would love to work at Google. I don’t know exactly what I would be doing at Google but form everything I hear about it, it just seems like a fun place to work. I always see pictures of people working in ball pits or hammocks or even the traditional cubicles like every other office. People always say that the food their is really good too.

I am 100 percent Chinese and my parents are very traditional at home, so we have to speak chinese at home. So it is kind of cool I guess but can be annoying sometimes because I enjoy the food. The traditional chinese dinner at my house would have to be rice, of course, some steamed vegetables, and some leftover beef from last night. The other thing about being chinese is that all of my family is in China, so for like Thanksgiving and Christmas we go over to other chinese families houses. I also call up my grandparents on facetime every saturday, just to talk about what’s going on with them and what is happening here.

The meaning of life to me would have to do something important that can affect someone in a positive way. It just feels like people don’t do that enough.

“

”

interviewed by austin zeis // photograph by ryan o’sullivan

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 25

MEANING OF LIFE

Jessica Volkening Sarcastic

English Teacher

I worked hard with the last name Volkening, I didn’t want to give it up. That name gained me respect. That’s why it’s Volkening-Hayes.

I’m not a city person, and I never have been. I come from a family of farmers and grew up in a town way smaller than Huntley; everybody knew everybody. I live in Sycamore and love the homey feel. We’re all one community.

I met my husband about three and a half years ago, and we got married in October. We have a dog, Ghost. We got him after three months of dating and now I see why everyone thought I was crazy for adopting him.

I was just so in love, and I didn’t realize how insane I was until now. My friends were like, “Jessica you’ve only been dating this guy for three months, what are you thinking?” It all worked out. His birthday is the anniversary since we’ve started dating, I know it’s cheesy. Tomorrow is Ghost’s birthday, so we’re going to get him a toy. We’re going to take him to Petsmart and let him walk around.

I’m close with my 18-year-old brother, Jackson. He goes to Iowa State University and is studying Agricultural Engineering. I think he was influenced by our ancestors. When I was in second grade, he was born. I would make him play school with me. I’d force him to sit at a little desk; I just wanted to teach him everything. That is what made me want to be a teacher.

Jackson and I are similar, yet different. While I can be overbearing and sarcastic, he is quiet and sarcastic. We’re different because with work, he’s more about the product, rather than the My mom had process; I prefer the process. when she was My dad, Peter’s, side is mostly German, but my mom, Roxanne’s, is English and Cher19. She is my okee Native American. My grandpa on my mom’s side has these cool brown/blue eyes best friend and and would tell us stories. Cherokee’s don’t write much, everything is verbal. I’m also we’re too close close with my nana. I love her so much and she taught me to have patience. sometimes. She I was an extremely good girl in high school. The craziest thing I’ve ever done was taught me to not break into the community pool with my mom when I was either 16 or 17. It was my take s*** from mom’s idea and that was when I realized she was much cooler than me. We parked far anybody. away and she said “get in the car!” and I was like “Where are we going?!” I didn’t know what was going on until we got there.

One of my biggest mistakes was going straight to college. I went to Northern Illinois University and I didn’t know who I was. If I could give advice to high school students I’d say wait.

Nobody told me to experience things. My parents told me I had to go to school and get a degree in order to be successful. You need time to find out what you want out of life, and to travel and meet new people.

While I’m extroverted, I pull back; I have a lot over the years. I only give my time to those who I care about and I’m not really close with anyone in the school except for Ms. Teeter and Mrs. Wills. I student taught here for Mrs. Wills and got a lot of my teaching styles from her.

Ms. Teeter taught me to be less of an ice queen and more compassionate; she is so optimistic.

She says one word to describe me in sarcastic, which I agree with. I wanted to be a highschool teacher because the students get my sarcasm, most of the time. We get to have meaningful adult conversations too.

I don’t really know what the meaning of life is. Does anyone really?

I’m learning to not be afraid of change. Though it still terrifies me at times, I know I must embrace what needs to change in order to be happy and successful.

You see, too many people rooted in their same old habits, same old beliefs, and same old landscapes that don’t know they’re missing out on the growth that comes with experiencing something or someone different.

“

”

interviewed by sarah biernat // photograph by bill hollatz 26 • THE VOICE • February 2017

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Nick Chung Involved

Junior Band Member

I would consider myself well-known. I don’t really have one main friend group. But I do have a lot of friends.

This probably comes from the fact that I am involved in a lot through Huntley. I am involved in golf, cheerleading, marching band, choir, math team, boy scouts, theater, I cofounded a drum club called Sick Beats Society, I serve at my church, pep band, Crystal Lake Thunder which is another percussion band, I’m a part of the Student Athletic Leaders team, and track and field.

Growing up, my dad ran marathons, and I think that’s what lead me to an athletic life. Seeing him constantly crossing a finish line made me want to pick up running as a hobby. Starting high school, I really debated among doing band, football or cheerleading, and when it came down to it, I really wanted to do cheerleading, but since my brother and sister cheered, we knew how it went. And I felt like band was the most beneficial to me.

If I could change one thing about the world, I would make everyone a little more accepting. Since I have touched mostly all areas of the school through sports and the arts, I know the importance of diversity. If I could change this, I would do it in a second. We shouldn’t be judging people off of what they look like necessarily, but how they act and who they are as a person. I really like this message, there is this thing called the four Cs. I want to live by this, ‘don’t complain, don’t condemn, don’t criticise, and don’t compare.’ All four of those factors they open your mind and heart to other people’s point of views. It encourages helping others and supporting others as well. In me, I think that my ideas on that stem from a characteristic standpoint, and somewhat religious. But I encourage anyone to live by it even if you aren’t religious.

If I had 24 hours to live, I would bring soda inside the hub, no elaboration on that, that’s just what I would do. And if I could have my perfect day, it would probably include me sleeping, If I could watching Frozen, and going back to sleep. have my perfect eating, My biggest mistake was trying to be someone who I wasn’t back in middle school, day, it would probably include like sixth and seventh grade. I’ve now learned that who I am and what I stand for is more important. When I was younger I always thought that popularity was the way to go. Or the me sleeping, eating, watching only way to be liked by everyone or to even have friends was to be popular. I have realized that that’s not who I am and that’s not how society should be, and so I tried changing, and I Frozen, and going back to did change to be my own person, and if I’m not popular, who cares. Embracing yourself and sleep. what you love is what matters. To me the meaning of life, is to make yourself happy, but don’t be stupid about it. Trying to make others happy as well as yourself, should be everyone’s ultimate goal. I think the thing that makes me a good friend, is that I don’t want to say I keep secrets but I do. I don’t talk about people behind their backs. The best friends though are the encouragers, trying to help others be happy.

My favorite memory, is probably being a part of the middle school musicals. Especially, when I was the genie from Aladdin, because that actually made me grow as a person as well. That also helped grow my love for Disney. I also remember constantly playing the game woodchips at local parks. My friends and I went crazy playing that game. We though normal woodchips isn’t as fun when there’s only four of us. So we started doing parkour woodchips, where we would climb on the outsides of the structures, like the 20-foot playground house. We would climb those and sit on top of them. We never actually ever fell off, but I felt like that could have been a near death experience.

The things that hold me back from what I really want to do in life, would probably be lack of sleep. I have little energy to get my homework done and go further in life. Another thing would probably be my age. Since I am still 16, people tend to not take me seriously, or I feel like they think our opinions don’t matter as much. But in reality, we are the future, and they do matter.

“

”

interviewed by emma kubelka // photograph by alex downing 28 • THE VOICE • February 2017

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11

B C O

Chayce Hanzlovic Flippy Kid

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Junior Internet Sensation

I’m a Christian, but I used to be Catholic. I grew up in a relgious household.

If I could live in any time period, I’d probably life in the ‘80s because of the industrial revolution. Kind of wanna see what life was like back then.

I would want to have time control, because I could stop whatever I’m doing and go somewhere else and it’s practically like teleportation or super speed.

If I could have dinner with five famous people, I would dine with Johnny Depp, Abraham Lincoln, Vin Diesel, George Washington, and Megan Fox. I want to go to Ireland, I love Irish culture and I’d love to look at the castles.

If I only had one hour left to live and could only have one meal, I would eat the 1-Up Mushroom.

I have one fear: drowning. As a child, I almost drowned. Kind of a traumatic experience.

Sleep brings me the most joy in life, because it offers an alternate place to go when I have bigger problems to deal with. It’s better than doing drugs ‘n stuff.

You either go to heaven or to hell after you die, it’s how you live your life and what you believe in.

In ten years, I see myself joining the military. I want to be a United States Marine Sniper.

Going to see a movie, coming home, having McDonald’s and going to bed, that’s the perfect weekend for me.

Someone that you can put all your trust into, and they’re going to mutually put that trust back into you, so there’s respect on that level, that’s what makes a good friend.

I a m don’t If I had a million dollars, I would donate it to charity, specifically the New Orleans Helpo r re ea tto My ally go to live lly ha ing Hands charity. by, I ve Ger ethni for it.

Spaghetti was my favorite food growing up, it was messy and my grandmother just Rus man, C c bac k sian r was always great at making spaghetti & meatballs. g o ro ati Irish , , Ita Native an, Cze und in I don’t think I have a prized possession.

Boh l A emi ian, Sc meric choslov cludes My first halloween is my favorite childhood experience, I went as a sparkly ot an an Cau a casi , Fren tish, Sw , Yugo kian, triceratops. ch, an Ou Gre edish, slavian t of .

Keeping my grades up this year has been my biggest achievement so far. ek, Afr Polish, , art. art, m i For halloween last year I was El Diablo from the movie “Suicide Squad,” and I can usic , an , a d nd d I’m was a lot of dinosaurs throughout my life. aC anc e, I hris Someone who inspires me is probably my stepdad, he was the one person who pref used tian e r made my mom happy. And he was a marine, and that’s what I aspire to do. , to b e Ca but I My pet peeve would be people who commit destruction for no reason but to spread tI hate and disorder.

A relationship deal breaker, for me, would be if she was pregnant, smokes, drinks, is extremely focused on keeping me for themselves.

My favorite animal would be the peregrine falcon because they dive at 230 mph and kill prey on impact.

If I am what I eat, I am sleep.

The best advice I was given was “You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel.”

Probably doing the flip, that was my most embarrassing moment, obviously. I had a lot of pride in that moment and that was definitely a big crusher of that. It was a good experience though, you find out who your friends are and who is just there for the joke.

“My heros

would be my two grandpas, one was serving in Germany during WWI, the other in Japan.”

interviewed by noah simmons // photograph by sehba faheem

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 31

THE MEANING OF LIFE

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32 • THE VOICE • February 2017

66 days until Prom

Jason Fabis Generous

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Senior Volleyball Player

If I could go back in time I would have to go back to when my grandfather was still alive and speaking with my father.

I would want to go back in time to when they were still speaking because when I was a child my father and grandfather had sort of a falling out over some family business and because of this I never really had a relationship, that I can remember, with my grandfather.

If I could have any superpower in the world I would have the power of teleportation. I would choose the power of teleportation, because in my honest opinion it is the best superpower. I am specifically talking about the teleportation from the movie Jumper. In the movie all the main character needed for his teleportation was a picture of wherever he wanted to go and he could think of it and teleport there. I would use this power to travel across the world and see things that most people don’t get to see in their lifetime. The first place I would visit if I had this superpower is the Sistine Chapel, I would choose the Sistine Chapel due to my fascination for Renaissance era art.

In my honest opinion I feel as though it is worst to never attempt something at all than it is to try something and fail at it. It is worse to never attempt something because without every trying to do something, whether it be something as small as not trying an exotic dish to something as big as taking a spur of the moment vacation, then you live your life full of regrets. This is something that my parents always told me when I was a little kid and something they still say to me to this day.

I have many favorite numbers that are symbolic of many different things, though there is one that stands out from the rest that holds a special place in my life. That particular number is 29, the number 29 has a very special place in my life because it represents my older brother and everything he has done for me. 29 is the number that symbolizes my brother because when he was in college and playing baseball that was his number while on the team. My older brother is someone who I have always looked up to, even to this day I still look up to him. I have always looked up to him because in my eyes he is an excellent role model who always pushed me to be the best I could be no matter what it was whether it be academics or sports when I still played them. He has always pushed me to be a better person even to this day and he has had a huge impact on my life.

My most prized possession is one that has had a lot to do with my life. The one thing that I consider my most prized possession would have to be the baseball homeplate that I have gotten signed by many different Hall of Fame baseball players.

Some of those players include Joe Dimaggio, Steve Carlton, and Fergie Jenkins just to name a few. This homeplate is my most prized possession because it is something that me and my dad did together when I was younger. When I was younger me and my dad would take this homeplate to autograph shows to get it signed by Hall of Famers. It was a hobby that me and my dad did for as long as I could remember. As I got older though we began to go to the shows less and less because our personal lives just got in the way, but whenever I look at it I am always reminded of the great times that I had with my dad at those autograph shows.

interviewed by michael panzarella // photograph by alex downing February 2017 • THE VOICE • 33

MEANING OF LIFE

Patrick Hoffman Outgoing

Freshman basketball player

First person I fell in love with was me, I mean what’s there not to love about me?

If I could make the world listen, I’d tell it to bow down to me. I’m the king you know? I’d make Lebron James kiss my feet, his own shoes. It’d be pretty cool to have all that power.

My true happiness would be making bank by owing a huge business, living in a nice house with a pool in the backyard, and having a bunch of fine, thick ladies. Life is only going to be as good as you make it.

I’d buy myself a nice business, hire more people, make more billions. You gotta be smart with it. You can’t just spend it all like a maniac. If I was really smart with it, I could be Bill Gates, except a lot cuter.

I ain’t got no worries.

I got my first high school detention for throwing a water bottle at someone’s head during a pep assembly. It was a dare, but it was totally worth it. The look on Ms. Ohlinger’s face.

I got suspended from my Lutheran school for fighting once. Someone was picking on my friend for being geeky.

They were making fun of his Youtube channel and slapping him around. I was having none of that.

There were a couple of bullies at the Lutheran school. They always went for the ones who couldn’t defend themselves. But no one ever wanted to bully me because I’d throw hands. I’m not going to let them get away with it.

I went to Zion Concord Lutheran School in Bensenville until eighth grade. Our graduating class had seven people, so we were pretty close. They’re like family to me. Transferring from there to here was a big step.

At my old school I knew everybody, and not knowing anybody at this school was a scary thing. I didn’t want to be that one kid with his hood up, headphones in, looking down at the ground, ignoring the outside world.

But so far, freshman year has been pretty awesome. I’m pretty outgoing, so I made a lot of new friends. People come up to me almost every day. I have no clue who they are, but I am more than happy to talk to them.

I’ve always wanted to go to a public school but my dad wouldn’t let me, until my aunt convinced him to. That’s why I was really excited when we moved to Huntley.

Me and my dad are really tight. He means a lot to me.

Me and my dad would always play fight when we I was younger. I accidently kicked him in the face twice. I just remembered it being the funniest thing ever. At first he was pissed but then he thought it was funny too.

One time when I was in third grade, I was getting ready to go to school and my dad comes up behind me and gives me a huge wedgie. My khakis were too loose so they kept falling down and you could see the hole in my underwear. It was revenge for a prank I pulled on him earlier.

When I was two, I would jump off tables head first into walls. I’d hit my head really hard all the time I was always this goofy kid who’d play around a lot until my mom left us.

My mom was a partier, she didn’t want to grow up. So when I was around six years old, she stole all of my dad’s money and left us. We had to move to an apartment in Lombard. Me and my siblings were pissed at her.

I felt alone, and being alone is a scary thing for me.

When I was in fourth grade, my aunt suggested counseling because she wanted to make sure everything was okay.

She was mad at her sister for leaving us. She loves me as one of her own. She was honestly more of a mom than my real mom was.

The counseling helped a lot, but so did my dad and my older siblings, Amanda and Kyle. After my mom left, they went to go live with their dad. They still visited me and my dad all the time and kept a close relationship. They were always there for me through everything.

My dad stayed with me. He was like my superman.

It made me happy.

interviewed by mawa iqbal // photograph by sehba faheem 34 • THE VOICE • February 2017

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11

River Lee Animal Lover

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Sophomore Dancer

My most prized possession? I don’t know how to put it, but my self esteem. People can say bad stuff about me, but I remain unfazed. Like, that was funny! I think my self esteem is the only thing keeping me alive in high school.

My mom and my brother Beau are chickens, they’re stage shy. But me, Worthy, and my dad, we’ll get on stage and crack some jokes.

I’ve always liked dancing. Being in front of crowds and getting people hyped up is always fun. It’s a benefit for both sides. They get to see something cool, and I get a workWhat gives me out and excessive fame. joy is exploring If I were a food, I would be a slim, sexy piece of salmon, perfect tan too. the world, seeing My mom’s side came from Cambodia. During that time was the Khmer new things evRouge, they’re refugees. My whole family had to cross landmines and went to China. ery day/ The sun My mom even had to pretend to be a boy because they only let certain people in. doesn’t rise the In third grade, my grandma got me these shoes that were like an inch and a half same way, the too big for my feet. I was across the room from my desk when my teacher started colors are always counting down that we needed to be in our seats so I decided to run. I tried doing one different. of those cool motorcycle things where they lean really far to one side and I ended up flipping and banging my head against the counter. My shoe went flying. That day I ended up getting 7 stitches.

My role model is Bruce Lee because I’ve always wanted to learn martial arts, which is fun, but you need muscles and lactic acid fermentation hurts. He did a lot of acting too. It was really cool how he lived his life.

If I could be an animal, I would be a dragon. Dragons are limitless. They can fly, they can create anything they want to, they can breathe fire, and are super intelligent. They’re almost the perfect being.

True happiness is doing what you love. In a super severe situation, something you would never give up.

One thing on my bucket list is to find “the one.”

The one song I can never skip is “Boogie Wonderland.” I could listen to that song a million times.

I would live in China way back when everything was still rural with villages and huts. Cause I like to go fishing and I like to live off the land. But I like now because you have to think about the fact that I have stuff now that I enjoy that I wouldn’t have. Like oh my god! I have to squat to use the bathroom? Where’s the phone, where’s the girls?

I was in a couple of movies, couple of commercials. I had a bit of an acting career. In “Fred Claus,” I was in the ending scene. My entire family is there. In “Transformers 4” I’m in the extras part of the credits. I also did a Dixie Cup commercial.

I got my dance moves from the Step Up movies. My dance inspiration is Justin Timberlake, he’s really good.

If I had to choose one power, I want to breath underwater. I’ll just take a step back in evolution and have gills.

If engineering doesn’t work out for me my fall back job would be a zoologist. If I can create something that’s greener without using so much fossil fuel, climate change won’t be killing the animals anymore. Maybe if I finish that job and I retire, I can just chill out at Brookfield Zoo. If I’m not already retired, hanging out at the Brookfield Zoo, I might be doing stand-up comedy in a local bar bringing enjoyment to the world somehow.

If I could have one last meal, it would be my grandmothers noodle soup. That was her signature dish that she brought over here from Cambodia. It is the most delicious thing in the world.

After we die, we decompose. I don’t care too much because it’s what we make of now that matters. If you’re worrying about being dead then you might as well be dead cause you’re not doing anything to better yourself.

“

”

interviewed by faith losbanes // photograph by sehba faheem

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 37

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Lexi Kabb Fitness Queen

Senior Cheerleader

Yes, cheerleading is a sport. I agree that cheering on the sidelines for the football team isn’t a sport, that’s just an activity, and even I know that. When I got introduced to All Star and started doing full-outs, which is going through the whole routine, I figured out it was really hard. You actually have to have the athleticism to get through it, and you have to be mentally strong. There’s more to cheerleading than you think.

Personally, I like All Star Cheerleading better because I think it fits my personality more. I liked high school cheer, but it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t like staying after school and I just didn’t feel like there were a lot of people I was close with.

I really found myself, who I am. There’s a variety of ages on my team, like people who are older than me and some who are younger. I was always the younger one on the senior team. Now being the oldest has impacted my life. I always looked up to the older ones, and thought ‘Wow, I want to be like them.’ I want to be that role model for the younger ones.

I really like English class. That’s it. I don’t mind it.

Math for sure is my least favorite. Math, math, math. I just hate math in general.

I would probably own Chipotle, because that’s basically free Chipotle every day. But then I would have to sign up for The Biggest Loser, so...

My greatest obstacle in my life has been getting comfortable with my body. I would get sort of bullied, but a lot of people would just throw out the word ‘fat’ like it was nothing and call me mean names. I used to cry about it, but now I know that you can’t change people’s perspective but you can change how you My chipotle feel about yourself.

My advice for a girl struggling with her body image is do what makes her happy. If she just order: burrito bowl, white rice, wants to eat whatever makes her happy every day, then do it. She shouldn’t care what other half chicken, people have to say. If she really wants to get in shape, then get a gym membership and stay half pork, letdedicated and work hard. tuce, guac, and I would tell incoming freshman get involved in school activities, because I definitely made cheese. friends through that. Go be apart of something. Go to games, sit in Raider Nation when you can. Walk fast in the hallway and don’t stand in the middle. Sometimes your friends aren’t actually who you think they are, and you probably won’t be friends with them at the end of high school.

My most prized possession is my bed. Like I really enjoy it. I really look forward to it.

When I was tubing, the rope got stuck around my neck and I couldn’t bring my arms up to get the rope off and the boat just kept going because no one saw me. The feeling of choking to death and not being able to breathe was killing me. It’s just the fear of not being able to breathe.

I would definitely have dinner with Jonathon Toews, Patrick Kane, and Artemi Panarin. I love the Blackhawks.

I like Trump, I support him. I think building the wall is a good idea. I think eventually, things are going to get better with him in office. Yeah, people are unhappy and they think he’s this horrible person, but he’s just trying to make everything better in a different way than our past presidents have. I think that’s what really differentiates him from everyone else.

Always have a plan A, B, C, through Z. Go through obstacles and be successful. Live your life the way you want, and you determine that.

Aspire to inspire before you expire.

“

”

interviewed by maddy moffett // photograph by ryan o’sullivan 38 • THE VOICE • February 2017

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Lauren Teeter Cat Lady

English Teacher

I want to promote the idea that education is life itself. “To promote a love of learning, education isn’t a preparation for life it’s life itself,” John Dewey said that, he was an education reformer.

Yes American education is broken, because students are apathetic and don’t appreciate what’s in front of them.

There are too many people that are privileged and don’t appreciate it. They don’t think that technology is helping them.

Some see that education is the tool to earn power, some students want things to be handed to them.

My favorite food is bacon. I eat it at least once a week, I try to limit myself to once a week so I don’t get high cholesterol and die.

I’m a cat person because it’s like having a lion in your living room. Have you ever been to the zoo and watched how the lions walk around? That’s just like how my cats walk. And they’re cuddly and don’t smell, some dogs smell.

I never fought with my brother I just looked up to him. One time he blew up my barbie, but I didn’t even care. He ripped her head off and put a firecracker inside of her, I didn’t even care.

I started playing guitar when I was six because my dad builds guitars. He taught me how to play “Iron Man.” “I am iron-man leedle leedle lee-dle lee lee lee,” it’s really easy.

I like making things I find on Pinterest, painting, singing, going on field trips with my students, educating the youth of America, volunteering, going to see comedy shows, making cat youtube videos but I can’t reveal that information at this time.

Living in England was amazing. I took a Shakespeare class on how to teach Shakespeare in the classroom. I taught at a school called Palmer School and it was interesting because it was an Urban school. The students were mean to each other but extremely nice to the teachers, they wouldn’t walk through the door until the teachers were in the room and they were very polite. They were fascinated by our accents and french fries.

I went to Oak Forest High School and graduated in 2007, James Bond was our Prom theme that’s how I remember the year.

I wish I would’ve traveled before I went to college, that was my biggest mistake. I think that when you graduate high school you’re still so young and there’s still so much out there in the world I didn’t know existed. Traveling opens your mind, opens your eyes to what’s out there.

My favorite celebrity is Britney Spears, oh my god, her Lifetime movie is coming out soon. I “My favorite food think she went through a lot and is still an incredible person, she is the Comeback Queen and the Princess of Pop. She made it through 2007 which makes me think I can make it through is bacon. I eat it anything. at least once a If I had a million dollars I would research what charities were legit and whatever I had week, I try to limleft after paying my student loans, buying my parents a house, and taking a trip to Thaiit myself to once land I would donate to those charities. a week so I don’t Nobody knows what the meaning of life is. I think that’s what life is about, trying to figure that out. Maybe we’re all here to destroy the planet or learn about compassion. get high cholesI think we are reincarnated after we die. I think I was a monkey in my past life, I feel like I’m terol and die.”

Rafiki from “The Lion King”.

I like being a teacher because it’s fun to see when you realize something you didn’t know before, it’s fun to see you guys grow as individuals. I remember having teachers that were positive influences and I try to be that person now.

Being cold is worse than being hot, I’m always cold. You’re shivering, you can’t concentrate. There’s not blankets everywhere in your life.

I would have dinner with David Bowie because he’s David Bowie, Ernest Hemingway because he’s my favorite author, Paul McCartney even though he’s not my favorite Beatle I feel like he would have the best stories because he’s still touring, Malala Yousafzai because she’s an incredible activist for education, and I think Donald Glover because he’s two fold he’s a comedian and a rapper so he can provide entertainment doubly.

interviewed by bri governale // photograph provided by teeter 40 • THE VOICE • February 2017

THE MEANING OF LIFE

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42 • THE VOICE • February 2017

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THE MEANING OF LIFE

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Congratulations, Senior Austin Krause!

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 43

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Charlie Zornow Conservative

Junior Football Player

Being the youngest of triplets, I guess you could say that I am spoiled. I definitely get most of the attention. My older siblings Katie, Michael, and Bethany are all 21. Katie goes to Mississippi State University and is studying to become a veterinary surgeon, Bethany currently plays basketball at Judson, and Michael plays football for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

One of my favorite childhood memories was when I was younger and my cousins and I would stay out all night catching fish in the pond in front of my nana’s house.

My biggest pet peeve would have to be liberals because I don’t like bias, meaning I’d rather see everyone know the truth instead of making opinions based on rumors. I believe in truth over lies and that mainstream media and the news does not report the truth.

My favorite movie is Forrest Gump because I find it really funny and it is relatable to many apsects of life.

My favorite sports teams include for football Ole Miss, I don’t really like the NFL. For the rest since I live in Illinois naturally I like the Bulls, Blackhawks, and Cubs.

If I could make the world listen I would tell it to not make judgements until all of the truth is revealed. Go on facts not rumors.

If I had 24 hours to live I would probably rob a bank and then the last 10 seconds I’d probably jump off of a cliff.

I think it is worse to never attempt than to fail because if you never attempt you will not know how bad it could be because you never tried.

I do believe that education in America is broken, however I believe that students should have more of a say in their education. I believe in choice for education, not administration deciI am currently sions but student decisions. looking for a In 10 years, I see myself either practicing law for a corporate law firm or going into prom date.

You can contact business. I like law because I enjoy discussing politics and dealing with things that are going to affect tomorrow. I could see myself in business because both of my parents are me entrepreneurs and I have a very business oriented family. @Charlie.m.zornow@student158. I think the purpose of life is to find true happiness and discover the balance between work, life, and happiness. org or you can snapchat me My life motto is the bible verse Philippians 4:13 which states I can do all things @Zornow000. through Christ who strengthens me.

I believe true happiness is different for everyone. What I would be happy with would differ from someone who has different passions from me, but for me it would be wealth and warm weather.

My greatest fear is both failure and being wrong because I pride myself on facts and being right, also I am scared of what failing would mean.

I believe my nationality plays a role in my life because I am fortunate enough to live a better life than people from other countries and I also stand for the same values that our country does.

My Nana is my hero because she is like the glue that holds my family together. She was a teacher for over 60 years.

Nana always brings the family together and anyone in our family goes to her for advice because she is a safe person to open up to and trust.

If I had a million dollars I would invest in the stock market because if I were to invest in government trading bonds, I would get 5 percent yearly which is $50,000 a year. So in 10 years that would be roughly $1.5 million for doing nothing.

“

”

interviewed by bry walker // photograph by alex downing 44 • THE VOICE • February 2017

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Ellysa Cassier

Social Studies teacher

“Cassier is an adjective in itself”

I don’t really get embarrassed, I kind of embrace the embarrassment and own it. I’ve had a number of embarrassing situations. I got smacked in the head from the Port-o-Potty door at Jacobs and I ran into a tree once.

U.S. History with one of the football coaches who really made me fall in love with history. Ancient, ancient history.

I college I read “Herodotus the Histories” cover to cover because it was the first actual recorded piece of history where Herodotus traveled to discover a different place and how he brought the world to where it was at that age and it was mindblowing.

Be yourself. You are not going to be happy unless you are 100 percent who you are. Do so unapologetically.

I had a student tell me that when they become an adult, they want to be like me. You go into teaching and think maybe you’ll affect one or two students so that was cool very early on in my career.

I was with my dad and my mom was out of town. My dad has been a Cubs fan since forever and so it’s something that he and I share together. We go to Cubs games and I drive an hour home just to go watch games with him. I said, ‘dad, they won’ and he started heaving, sobbing, bawling, and because it meant so much to him, I started bawling and now we have matching World Series t-shirts.

My dad never went to college, barely graduated high school, was in the Marines for two years, got kicked out, and he started in a fixture company working in shop building fixtures. Now he is the Co-Owner of the largest fixture company in the United States.

I would spend it paying everyone back in kindness who had been kind to me. And probably eating a ginormous hamburger at some point.

I have a rock, which I think describes my personality well.

Putting others’ happiness so far above that I lost myself for awhile. You can only give so much before your bank is empty.

Hands down, Vikings. 700s and 800s. I can trace my ancestry back to vikings and somewhere deep down I was a viking warrior.

Jaded, cynical, and alone.

It was my 10th birthday and my mom let me stay home to open presents. I had gotten a purple boombox and new NSYNC CD. I was listening to it and mom got a call from my grandpa, telling her to turn on the news. I saw the first building in flames and as “Dirty Pop” by NSYNC was playing, I was thinking ‘someone else is coming into help’ and the second plane crashed. After that, there was silence in my room except for the purple boombox.

Put my brother through med school. He’s at the University of Iowa right now and he did so well on the MCAT that he’s looking to go to either Stanford or John Hopkins.

I don’t think there are enough positive female role models for high school age girls and I think that being one of those people and being that role model and positive influence...I like to think that I embody that.

I think the way it’s implemented is broken. I think we have great ideas, but I think it’s the people that are broken rather than the system itself. Starts with teachers, each of us goes through different type of educational programming in college, and so there is no consistency. There is a huge disconnect between what teachers think is important and what the federal government thinks.

It’s different for everyone. There isn’t one set meaning that drives everyone on Earth. It varies with interests and ultimate purpose. Each of us has a set purpose of something we are supposed to accomplish and set into motion, whether that be affect one or two people or save the world. Once we have accomplished that, our time is up.

“Mashed

potatoes, that’s easy.

Never a bad way to eat a potato.”

interviewed by alexandra landman // photograph by sehba faheem 46 • THE VOICE • February 2017

February 2017 • THE VOICE • 11

V THE VOICE

Huntley High School 13719 Harmony Road Huntley, IL 60142 (847) 659-6600

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