Huntley HS Voice Nov 1 2019

NOVEMBER 2019, Volume 23, Issue 2

the voi ce est.1997

No talking

disrespectful CHANGES NEEDED IN THE HUB

ID on

No food or drinks

PURPOSE OF NATIONAL WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? HONOR SOCIETY

FIEDLER DRIVES INTO STUDENTS’ HEARTS

Leave the Hub Is that water?

CONTENTS 04 15 19 26 28 41 46

Featured on

huntleyvoice.com

NEWS

Suicide prevention group aims to shed light on a difficult topic.

OPINION

Does the school really recycle, or does everything get tossed in the trash?

FEATURES

The Alex O’Connell Experience Alex O’Connell

Linda Bryne shares her experiences as the last member of the Kreutzer family.

HUMANS OF HUNTLEY

Kade and Kylie Edstrom discuss the perks of being twins.

A&E

Hailey Pohl analyzes the resurrection of a childhood-favorite game

“Ninth House” is bestselling for a reason

Gabby Terez

SPORTS

Senior Joesph Schumacher improves in hockey through confidence

EDITORIAL

Hub staff needs to recognize faults, treat students with respect

Editorial Board Editor in Chief Ashley Reilly

Managing Editor

Jaryd Dixon

Staff

Staff Writers

Kate Alvarado, Ellie Armstrong, Meghan Bentley, Nikki Darnall, Olivia Mack

Ethan Babicz, Molly Baker, Sarahi Barcenas, Kimberlynn Bjurstrom, Trevor Book, Taylor Calame, Veronica Castillo, Riley Chadwick, Emmy Cohen, Sara Gebka, Caitlyn Gooden, Emma Gribbens, Sara Hursey, Maggie Kirwin, Taylor Koop, Lindsey Leigh, Hailey Pohl, Peyton Siegler, Natalie VonderHeide

Sydney Laput

Katie Ambrogio, Sam Jonas

Ryan Sroka

Dennis Brown

Braden Turk

Section Editors Photo Editor

Marketing Editor

EDITORIAL POLICY

A champion on and off the field

Social Media Manager

Photographers Adviser

Grace Carpenter

The Voice is an official student-produced medium of news and information published and produced by Huntley High School News Media Production students. The Voice has been established as designated public forum for student writers and editors to inform and educate their readers and to discuss issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of The Voice 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 staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

News Education

The abolishment of class ranks Huntley High School students will no longer stress about their class rank

N

By Nikki Darnall

No longer will an honors student suffer from disappointment of being one of the top 300 students in a 900 student class. The class ranks have been demolished and the Latin Honor System is here to stay.

On April 7, 2016, the proposal of this abolishment was created by the Committee of the Whole; including Shelly Kish, Matt Liberatore, Julie Swartzloff, Karen Miller, Toni Klein, Cindy Fuhrer, Carol Skala, and Renae St. Clair. The committee gathered and focused on a sum of reports from the Chicagoland area school districts that eliminated class rank. The committee considered the impact of the class rank on students, both academically and mentally. They also considered how it affects the college admissions process. It was not until the 20192020 school year that our district finally made the switch.

“Really the only thing we got rid of was class rank, where you are literally ranking kids one to 700. This is really more inclusive because it recognizes all student work, not just the top two,” Assistant Principal of HHS and Committee of the Whole member Shelly Kish said.

With the removal of class ranks, it is important to continue to acknowledge student’s individual accomplishments and celebrate their academic achievements. The Latin Honor System, commonly used in colleges and universities, allows for the recognition of student achievement at the highest level, thus reducing competition among students for a small number of top recognized positions.

Under this system, individual Valedictorians and Salutatorians will no 3 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

S. Laput The Latin Honor System decreases competition among students

longer be listed, because all those with the highest GPAs will be recognized and honored in the cum laude categories.

The Latin Honor System contains three categories based on GPA; cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude [in lowest to highest amount of honor]. With a GPA of 3.75 to 4.249 you have earned cum laude, between 4.25 and 4.499 is magna cum laude, and those with a 4.5 or above receive summa cum laude.

“To me what that [the class rank system] does is it creates that competition between students, and that shouldn’t be our goal. Our goal should be about learning and students doing their personal best; and then this [The Latin Honor System] recognizes all of them and their work in the way this system is broken down as far as the magna cum laude and summa cum laude,” Kish said.

Class rank had once been a very valued component in the college admissions process; however, numerous colleges and universities are moving away from using class rank and are

pursuing a more comprehensive approach to admissions.

“There is no change in how colleges either admit students or look at scholarships. When you think about colleges and universities they are admitting many students from across the country in all kinds of different systems of many high achieving school districts moving towards the Latin System. So essentially it’s honoring the students for their actual achievements and not so much about how they compete with each other,” Assistant Superintendent of District 158, Erika Schlichter said.

“Everybody who goes above a certain point is going to get that honor and so that’s going to be something that they can actually celebrate with colleges, and it gives them more of a way to stand out,” Schlichter said.

Thanks to our new Latin Honor System, students can now be honored for their academic achievements, feel less competition towards peers, and eliminate the stress on the Valedictorian and Salutatorian title.

News School

Suicide prevention is priority Suicide prevention group aims to spread kindness and happiness

By Sara Hursey

S. Jonas

L

Pins that anti-suicide prevention group passed out

On an early Tuesday morning, social workers prepare for a meeting of their brand new group.

They gathered together in the A-G pod, awaiting the involved student’s arrival. Earlier, they set up a project for the students to complete. As the clock ticked closer to the starting time, it became clear that no students would show up for the meeting.

Huntley is welcoming a new group into the building. Currently known as the Suicide Prevention Group, three social workers are collaborating with students to bring awarness to suicide, a topic that can be very difficult to talk about.

Each year, the social workers and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports team are tasked with creating a schoolwide lesson regarding suicide prevention. One of the main goals of this 4 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

group is to gain student input for future lessons, because the lessons do not always get through to each student.

“We know that teenagers listen to each other way more than they listen to the adults, and so [student] voice is what’s most important,” social worker Tami Broskow said.

Suicide is an issue that effects highschools across the country, yet it is one of the most difficult topics to talk about.

“There has been a growing need for more and more education and prevention efforts around the topic of suicide,” Broskow said.

The group is attempting to meet once a week. So far, members of the group have started a clothespin project. At a meeting, students wrote positive messages to clip onto other students’ backpacks. The idea is to pass kindness

around the school, which is a goal of the group.

An early issue the group is facing is that it is not very well known.

While notifications play the announcements, most students find themselves tuning out at the beginning of their third hour class, making them unaware of new clubs and groups.

The social workers are trying to spread the word and get more students involved. Those who are aware of the group are starting to bring their friends to take part in the activities. Also if students are hanging around the pod when a meeting is taking place, they are asked to join in, according to Kowalski.

“Kindness, supporting one another, spreading awareness, not just of suicide, but of mental health [are our goals],” Broskow said.

Another important aspect of the group is that it is student driven, according to social worker Jennifer Sanchez.

“We wanted to do a group because so many of our students are affected by it, and we wanted more of the students input,” social worker Kimberly Kowalski said.

The social workers are looking for students to spread the word, and get more involved with bringing kindness to the school.

Kowalski wants the group to focus on the importance of being there for eachother, see PREVENTION page 39

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News Language

Huntley’s new Spanish speakers Spanish speakers making connections with Dual Language Students

A

By Veronica Castillo

A class of first graders at Mackeben Elementary School sat together in anticipation, they could feel their hearts pounding out of their chest. They were excited to finally use the spanish they had learned, and they hoped they would impress the highschool readers. Just as the teacher worried they would be late, the Spanish for Spanish Speakers 2 Class walked in, and the kids jumped out of their seats, ready to introduce themselves.

After they had gone through and said their names, the group was then broken up and assigned a reader.

This class is one of the many dual language classes in District 158.

These dual language classes provide a setting that allows students to learn two languages and become bilingual at an early age. In cooperation with these programs, the Spanish for Spanish Speakers classes have been going to read to the students.

After spending a few months picking and memorizing a book, the Native speakers at Huntley have taken field trips to schools like Chesak, Leggee, and Mackeben to read to students. Similar trips were taken last year but this is the first year that a more official and concrete set up has been implemented in terms of going and reading to other schools.

Elaine Texidor Kruse, the teacher for the Native classes and the main coordinator of the trips, believes that this cooperation between Huntley and the elementary schools has a very important impact on both the students from Huntley, and the students being read to.

“Many native spanish students don’t have a good self esteem, they don’t have the value of the native language

6 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

S.Laput Nicole Rendon reads a Spanish book to students

on par with English. This is a good boost because the little ones love to see them so it makes the older ones proud; both students gain confidence from the experience.” Kruse said.

These classes are made up of a mix of native speakers, or students who come from a native speaking family, and non native speakers. This inclusion of multiple cultures creates a diverse environment that helps the students become more engaged with the language. The drastic effect of these efforts have been clear to the Huntley readers.

“The program obviously does have an impact mostly because they understood concepts that normally they wouldn’t have” junior Nathan Gonzalez said.

Not all native families raise their children with spanish so at times using this language can prove difficult. Having to memorize a story in spanish with new and more complex words that some of the speakers may not be used to can help them improve their vocabulary and improve their overall Spanish.

Some speakers have been reading books as well known as “The Three

Little Pigs” while others have chosen books from their childhood or books that are well known to their native culture. Student from Spanish for Spanish Speakers 1 have “been learning about their culture and learned new words” freshman Greco Rendon said.

With such a large spanish speaking population in the U.S., roughly 41 million individuals, an important need for bilingual students is created. Some native families worry that their children may lose their ability to speak fluent spanish due to the overwhelming push to learn English in the United States.

“When you live in a dominant society especially like the U.S. where english is expected of people, society pushes the language. We don’t need to worry about the English developing, we need to worry about kids losing their native language,” Kruse said.

With the connection brought on by being together, older native speakers and younger kids learning can all feel more pride for their language and they can be apart of an experience that combines a variety of cultures.

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 7

News Solar panels

Soon to be powered by the sun District 158 becomes more eco-friendly with solar panels

O

By Riley Chadwick

On a cloudless day, rays of sun beat down on the almost 20 acres of solar panels on the ground. District 158 knows this will be a good day due to the amount of energy these panels generate ever since the district moved over to 80% solar energy. The district knew that it needed to continue to reduce its carbon footprint.

The district has always strived to get ahead of other school districts, so it came as no surprise when it sought to install solar panels. After all, this has been in the works since 2011 but it took the board until September of 2019 to receive approval.

Groundbreaking for this long-awaited project occurred on Oct. 1 at the Square Barn Campus.

This project, which will include panels on both the ground and roofs, will save the district at least $4.2 million over 20 years and offset 12.3 million pounds of carbon emissions. It will also increase the district’s environmentally friendly capabilities and be completed by early spring.

Maintaining an environmentally friendly atmosphere isn’t new for the district. Huntley High School began installing clean, inexhaustible energy in mid-October. As an eco-friendly school, Huntley placed sensors on the ceilings that automatically sense movements to turn on the lights and change the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system to a different level so it will not waste energy.

In addition, all campuses have LED lights that turn on based on classroom movement.

According to Scott Rowe, superintendent of District 158, the district was paying $2.4 million alone on 8 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

Courtesy of Forefront Power, Daniel Armstrong Oct. 1 groundbreaking at the Square Barn Campus

energy in 2011. Since then, the high school expanded and the number of students enrolled increased. However, the district was able to cut the energy bill by 50% by doing simple changes such as using LED lights and installing energy-smart systems to the buildings.

“We’ve been on an energy conservation kick for quite a while,” Rowe said.

To complete the project, the district partnered with California-based ForeFront, a renewable energy firm. ForeFront will design, permit, finance, install, and maintain the infrastructure for 20 years, which will allow the district to facilitate the savings back into the classroom.

ForeFront’s partnership began with the district in May 2018, which gave the district more time to get the plans finalized.

“We had to go through all of those hoops and once we got everyone on an agreement of what they needed in order to approve the installation in the villages, Forefront submitted all of that information to the state of Illinois,” said Rowe.

After the 20-year agreement ends,

District 158 has the option of owning the panels. Most panels have a 35year lifespan, allowing the district to increase its profits from the panels.

“What we are able to produce annually, at that point, should pay for the solar panels every single year. We would break even after the first year of what we spent,” Rowe said. “Our energy costs are about $1.3 million right now. If we completely owned them, theoretically, [the panels] would produce enough energy that we consume so our energy bill would go away if we choose to outright own them.”

The solar panels will be enclosed by an 8-foot fence as they can be 9-10 feet tall. This enclosure will keep students and faculty safe while also featuring native grasses and trees.

The multiple-step process is well worth the wait. With a new source of energy, the district will be able to put the money toward other necessities while also decreasing the carbon footprint left behind.

“It’s not living without, it’s being smarter [about how we get energy],” Rowe said.

Opinion School

Backpack policy just or unjust The pros and cons of the newly implimented back pack policy

T

By Maggie Kirwin

The faint notes of the 2-Minute music plays throughout the halls as students race to get to their physical education classes. While the students walk to the locker room, they see their classmates struggling to fit their footlong backpacks into the slim lockers provided by the school. The final bell rings, ushering kids to get to class, but the physical education students just make it into the locker rooms as they finally slam their lockers shut.

Thanks to the heavily enforced policies in the locker rooms this year, this daily struggle has been added in to most student’s routines.

However, even though this new process of putting personal belongings away has been a difficult adjustment, the physical education department is doing its best to accommodate everyone’s needs.

The physical education department has tried their best to keep up with missing item in past school years, but given so many students come in and out of the locker rooms each day, it’s difficult to search every student’s backpack.

“The likelihood of us recovering your property after it’s been stolen from the locker rooms is slim to none” Student Resource Officer, Ryan Gregorio said.

The school staff has tried their best to get to the bottom of the thefts, but the only way to stop the increasing amount of lost items is to lock away

everything.

One of the biggest issues with the new regulations is that students have lockers in inconvenient locations, which makes it difficult for kids to get to their next class on time, especially for freshmen.

“It’s an extra step for going to class and it’s harder to get from class to class with my location of my locker,” freshman Emma Nosek said.

With freshmen lockers being located all the way on the opposite sides of the school, it’s difficult for them to get their lockers after physical education, to then go all the way to their next class.

“I get where they’re coming from, but I think it’s a problem for the students because of how far away our lockers are,” Nosek said.

However, students do not necessarily need to keep their backpacks in their personal lockers. Instead, they are able to put them in the bigger ones in the locker rooms.

“You can bring in anything you can fit into that bigger, longer locker during class time. That’s where I think people are confused. In the beginning we had said “ no backpacks,” but that is not the case,” physical education department chair Jennifer Heuck said.

Another huge concern from the students was the locker size. Even if students have a convenient locker location, like sophomores, they still have to deal with an about 10.5” locker. I know from experience that even if your backpack is a bit smaller than the locker, the door never shuts all the

Maggie Kirwin is a first year staff-writer. Check out her “Maggie’s Magical Morsels” at huntleyvoice.com

way.

The physical education department has been trying their best to help students with that problem though.

“I ask that if a student is struggling with this, to seek out their PE teacher or myself, and we’ll problem solve to make them be able to lock their stuff up,” Heuck said.

It feels like you’re playing Tetris when trying to figure what you can and can not keep in your bag in order for it to fit in the lockers. Not to mention, pulling all of your stuff out and then back in to your bag is a whole other story. However, if you talk with your teachers, they will be able to get things sorted out.

“We’re very flexible. It’s just communication with your teacher. That’s all I want them to do is lock up their stuff and communicate,” Heuck said.

The new policy will be a lot to get used to, but I believe that if students cooperate with their teachers and follow the policy, they can work through the kinks in the system. Most students by now have probably found a way that works for them, but if you have not yet, go and talk to your locker room teachers and they would be more than happy to help.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 9

Opinion College

NHS: necessary or nonsense How important is NHS to college admission boards?

S

By Emmy Cohen

Since 1921, the National Honor Society has become a known quality that some view as smart and scholarship worthy. NHS is a club for members with a grade point average of 3.5 and above. According to the co-sponsor of NHS, Melaine Lyons, there are over 230 members at Huntley High School.

To stay current in NHS, it’s required to have 15 service hours per semester that do not include the same hours as Silver Cord. Because of this, many students feel that it is a waste of time.

Others believe that NHS has lost its purpose because there are so many students participating. Now colleges see it as just another qualification.

Students also feel that NHS includes a lot of work, yet it is not as important as other extracurriculars.

On the other hand, students in NHS could not stop raving about it.

“From NHS, I have definitely learned to be more outgoing in a volunteer setting. When actively volunteering, it is important to be engaged,” junior Kaylee Bajgrowics said. “By being in these types of environments, in a way, it has forced me to reach outside of my comfort zone and talk to people.”

Many of the students who volunteer tend to be good-hearted people that enjoy serving their community and bettering the lives of others. This is a trait that colleges can find interesting on a transcript.

“Through NHS I have definitely met a lot of people and formed a lot

of relationships with [others] that I wouldn’t usually talk to. I’ve also learned a lot about how to be a leader and how to lead myself,” said senior Emily Glass, Officer of NHS. Both girls expressed their contentment with NHS and the experiences they have received for giving back to the community.

NHS is a great opportunity to get service hours but also to have a prestigious qualification on a transcript.

However, maintaining a 3.5 GPA is a struggle for the majority of the school considering there are only 230 members of NHS and over 2,000 people in the school that are above grade nine.

Silver Cord is a great option for students who do not have a perfect GPA but still want to serve the community.

Many students do not understand that the number of NHS members shows great things about HHS. “Something a lot of people don’t consider is that at our high school we do have a lot of high-achieving kids,” Glass said. “The fact that we have so many kids at our high school with a 3.5 or above GPA, are involved in community service, have leadership roles, and [are involved in] extracurriculars [is] impressive. Our teachers are doing what they’re supposed to be doing and it just shows that we have a really impressive student body. There is no way that this couldn’t make a difference on a transcript.”

James Gibley, an admission board member of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaigns does not believe

Emmy Cohen is a first-year staff writer. Check out her One in 300 blog on huntleyvoice.com.

P. Siegler

that having NHS on your transcript will make or break your chances of being admitted.

“It would be hard to put NHS into a category such as amazing, okay, or huge when reviewing a student application since we look at classroom activities, leadership roles, academic rigor, essay, test scores, and the major a student is applying to at UIUC. I would say we would look if a student is in NHS but it would not sway a student being admitted or denied based on that one factor,” said Gibely.

So is there really a point to NHS? It all depends on the student. Your decision on joining a club should not be based on what colleges will see. Being in clubs stems from enjoying what you are doing. You should be in clubs that make you happy.

According to Lyons, NHS focuses on scholarships, leadership, service, and character. If service is not your thing, then there is no point to NHS for you.

Colleges will look at what activities you have been involved in; however, this does not define who you are as a person or as a student to the admission board.

So if you feel that NHS could put you over the top and make you more valuable to colleges, then maybe you should consider NHS. If not, it will not

see NHS page 18 10 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

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Opinion Education

Dual Credit or AP, does it matter?

Is it necessary to have Dual credit and AP credit?

H

By Ashley Reilly

Her goal has always been the same: to give students the chance to experience college courses, and earn college credit while still in high school. Comparing curriculums, hiring teachers, and checking qualifications. Assistant Principal Shelly Kish could provide not one, but two paths of collegiate study for HHS Students.

These two paths, while both providing college credits, are two different curriculums: AP and Dual Credit. The main structural difference between the two is how the credits earnedw is determined.

“At the end of the year in May there is a, an AP placement test, it determines whether you could or could not potentially receive college credit,” Kish said.

The test is taken and a score of one through five is given, the score reflects how many credits the student received during the year.

On the other side of things, Dual Credit classes do not have a placement test. They are run as a normal college course, and the students final grade determines if the will receive credit.

Any student with a C or above will earn three credit hours for that course.

An AP course can earn up to five credits, and a Dual Credit courses only three, but that does not mean an AP course necessarily is better than a Dual Credit courses.

According to English teacher Kate Mennenoh, despite the fact that the

S. Gebka

credits are different, many colleges view a dual credit class of the same value of a top score on an AP test. It is not about the credits, but the curriculum.

Both credits reflect upon what the student learned, and are able to be transferred into a college and excuse a student from that course. All colleges in Illinois accept dual credit courses, due to the fact they run through Mchenry County College, but not all colleges accept AP credits.

When it comes to which is “better” than the other, there is no point blank answer. The classes hold benefits and shortcomings.

“There is still a perception out there that AP classes are more difficult than dual credit classes,” College and Careers counselor Laura Martens said.

“And so, if that is perceived that way, then the college that’s reviewing your transcript will see AP classes on there,

Ashley Reilly is a second-year member and current Co-Editor in Chief.

Check out her Best Dressed blog on huntleyvoice.com

12 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

they’re going to think that you took a more rigorous schedule.”

In their nature, AP courses are required to have a more rigorous schedule than Dual Credit courses.

According to Kish, this derives from the fact that AP courses are based on the curriculum required by the College Board, and Dual Credit classes are based on the curriculum by MCC. This difference in curriculum also changes teacher requirements. According to Career Trend, an AP teacher is required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in their field and at least three years of teaching experience. Yet, dual credit teachers have to meet MCC requirements.

“It’s almost like MCC is saying this teacher would be qualified to teach a class at MCC,” Kish said. “But instead of doing that they’re just going to teach the class here, so they have to actually be qualified through MCC and there’s a set of, you know, criteria for that.”

The teachers are not different nor better, required to fit criteria. The classes themselves have differences and similarities that are not laid out for the common student. This leaves many with the question: is an AP class or a dual credit class more beneficial?

see DUAL CREDIT page 13

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DUAL CREDIT page 12 The answer is not as simple as many may think, yet requires personal analysis and reflection.

Before choosing which path to take, students must consider their study habits, schedule, and educational skills. Once these are considered, it is easier for a student to make a choice about which course to enroll in.

Students that struggle with formative work, but excel on large tests may earn more credit in an AP class where they are tested once rather than a dual credit class where credit relies on their overall grade. Vice versa, a student that has testing anxiety or is not good at summatives may benefit more from a dual credit class.

When students are posed with their course choices, both dual credit and AP classes will put them in a college learning environment. It is the responsibility of the student to assess themselves, talk with their past teachers, counselor, and parents in order to decide which path is right for them.

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Opinion Homework

SOS: homework overload Stress levels rise as homework piles up, and nothing is being done about it

S

By Taylor Koop

Students today are said to have the same stress and anxiety levels as psych patients in the 1950s, something our student body knows all too well. Trying to balance homework, extracurriculars, and lives outside of school gives our students more stress than benefits.

When all is said and done, teachers don’t really know anything about our lives so it makes sense for them to not see this as an issue.

When divided down into grade levels, the facts show how all of us work around the same schedule with different activities taking up our time.

Freshman Shannon Magura, when asked how much time she spends on homework a night, said around four hours, while sophomore Megan Martinez and junior Sara Rysavy said 2-3 hours. But senior Jacob Cushing stated he only spends thirty minutes to an hour because, “That’s all the time I have for it.”

The different classes you take will obviously affect the amount of time you have to spend doing work, but when is two hours of homework for one class period okay? Students in AP, honors, and dual credit should be set to higher standards than students in traditional classes. When talking to these students, the most time was spent on classes that are set at a higher standard.

Our school is lucky enough to have

blended classes and an open campus.

On blended days, the work is said to be the same as an in-class day but when asked, Martinez said her blended work usually exceeds one period.

Before you ask: yes, she does use her time wisely during her blended hours.

“More often than not, I usually end up in the HUB during blended and try to keep focused while I work,” Martinez said.

Having a long day with school and extracurriculars and then coming home to do hours of homework sounds fine but what happens when school turns completely digital? This is something that comes with blended.

With chromebooks and Haiku added into the mix now, teachers expect assignments to be ready to be turned in by 11:59 p.m. instead of at the beginning of class the next day.

“Sometimes due to real life, I don’t get home until 11:30, and I left my house at 7 that morning,” Cushing said.

This leaves him 29 minutes to finish all the homework that is due that night. Do teachers realize how much pressure and stress they are putting on their students?

Because of the amount of homework our students are given, some don’t finish or do all of their assignments. When talking to each student, three out of the four said they don’t

Taylor Koop is a first year staff writer. Check out her ‘Koop’s Kanvas’ drawing blog on huntleyvoice.com.

14 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

T. Koop

do all of their homework every day because they simply just don’t have enough time.

“I choose my battles to stay up for one more hour doing homework or get a good night’s sleep,” Martinez said.

After talking to students, I went to find a teacher’s opinion on the subject. Math teacher John Kalas has a 17-year-old daughter, and he sees her take two hours to finish a 25-minute assignment because she chooses to do her work with distractions.

“The school has made it clear that students aren’t being assessed on what they do rather than what they know,” Kalas said.

This emphasizes the idea that homework is only worth 5% of your grade.

HHS students have tried to get our message across, but it has never been heard. This issue is something that could be easily improved if students could put away their distractions and get the work done. It is not entirely up to the students, though, and teachers could change some things about the homework load themselves.

Opinion Recycling

Reduce, reuse, recycle... or not?

Debunking HHS’ recycling conspiracy

W

By Sarahi Barcenas

We have been taught since we were little that in order to save our environment and help combat climate change, we must reduce, reuse, and recycle.

All of this is true, but there is no point in doing so if people don’t properly dispose of the waste.

There have been speculations that Huntley High School does not recycle and that everything thrown into the recycle bin gets thrown away in the trash. So why would someone waste the energy to separate their trash if it all goes in one place?

It might be easier to throw everything in the trash bin but with a school of 3,000 students and counting, the school has a major obligation to handle its trash situation.

The average person creates 4.4 pounds of trash each day. If we are here for about eight hours a day for 225 days a year, that is 330 pounds of trash that would be disposed of in the school. Additionally, 75% of this waste can potentially be recycled.

It is important we recycle because in our exponentially growing population, we have to figure out how to reuse the materials that we have used in order to diminish the use of our limited resources. Moreover, recycling reduces the amount of litter we have and it combats the issues of pollution and climate change.

It is such an easy task to do and can have a major impact on our quality of life in the long run. More people should be more conscious of what they are throwing in each bin. Without the

T. Koop

school’s cooperation with recycling, we could be having a significantly larger carbon footprint, which results in making the effects of climate change worse.

It is the janitors’ job in the school to properly dispose of the trash, and it is up to the administration of the school and district to enforce these rules. The school is trying to make sure everything is being properly recycled but there are many factors that can result in the recyclables not being in the proper place.

According to Associate Principal Thomas Kempf, the school does recycle but we do not do it well enough.

There is a bin out back that separates the recyclables and the trash but the school administration has recognized that there is a disconnect between the night custodial companies and their knowledge of what goes where or because they have many tasks to do, they rush to get everything in a bin.

The district is paying for these ser-

Sarahi Barcenas is a first year staff writer. Check out her ‘Just Roll With It’ baking blog on huntleyvoice.com.

vices and if they are not being used it is a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Luckily, the environmental club is starting to bring awareness to this problem, and they have a project to tackle it.

“Our overall plan is to raise awareness in the school and have the separated [bins] where you have for a specific thing. That way hopefully kids see that and are more conscious of where they’re throwing their garbage,” said Environmental Club Sponsor Silvana Younan-Shawil.

With this plan, there would be a bin in the main cafeteria with each designated slot for aluminum, glass, plastic, and more. Since the cafeteria and commons do not have a bin for recyclables, it is important to have this infrastructure so the school can do a better job of recycling. But it all comes down to cost and these bins come at a hefty price of $400, which the Environmental Club has to pay for on its own through fundraising.

“I hope [students] wouldn’t be that lazy when [the different slots] are right next to each other but then I feel like some people think that they’re funny

see RECYCLE page 18 HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 15

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B O X I N G

News Travel Club

A new social media star on the rise

T

By Molly Baker Walking down the hallways, people seem to know his name. In his free time he is always checking his phone, looking at the followers, likes, and shares he has received on his videos.

Sophomore Kendall Elrod does not consider himself a social media influencer, but his friends and peers do.

When Elrod started his Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube platforms he never expected them to rise to the numbers they have to today. With over 27,000 followers on Tik Tok, 614 views on his YouTube, and his Instagram on the rise he was in for a surprise.

He was only thinking about having fun with his friends and documenting the times they had together.

“I never thought I would get so many views on my Tik Toks. I only wanted to post them for fun, and it was pretty cool to see them get more views,” Elrod said.

Many students at Huntley use Tik Tok to watch short clips and get a quick laugh. But very few put creativity, time, and effort into their accounts to become “Tik Tok famous.” That is what makes Kendall Elrod different.

“I would not consider myself ‘Tik Tok famous.’ I only started to make them for fun. I posted my first video, and did not get many views. When I posted my first viral video I thought the idea of the video was funny. I never thought I would get over 370,000 views,” Elrod said.

When watching Elrod’s videos, it is clear on how he has grown and gotten a following on Tik Tok. His videos are funny, enjoyable and, most importantly, relatable to many teens going through the same struggles in high school.

S. Jonas Elrod posing for a picture

Not only has Kendall obtained fame on Tik Tok, he has a growing YouTube that has opened many doors for him.

“Many people know this but I auditioned for ‘American Idol.’ My dad signed me up for an audition and when I got one he decided he should tell me what he signed me up for,” Elrod said.

From his online presence that was growing, Kendall also had the stress of his “American Idol” audition on his mind.

“After I found out that I was picked for an audition, I talked to past people who have been on the show. When you first go to audition you do not get to meet the judges. You get to sing for a group of trained vocal professionals and from there they get to decide what happens next,” Elrod said.

Kendall did not let the stress of his “American Idol” audition, school starting, and his Tik Tok fame growing, from following his dream.

“I was lucky to make it past the trained professionals and from there I got to chose one ‘American Idol’ judge to sing to. I chose Katy Perry. I was nervous but I was so excited to get to sing for her too. I did not make it past her and was cut from there but the

experience was worth it,” Elrod said.

With only a few subscribers on his YouTube channel, he does not let them down, from posting music that he wrote with his friends to sharing covers he has sung.

“I produce and write all of my own music. I really enjoy posting what I produce and write, and would really like my YouTube to grow just like my Tik Tok,” said Elrod.

When interviewing Kendall, many of his friends were sitting around adding their comments on his success and growing fame.

“His ego has been boosted. But overall seeing him grow as a person has been the best. He deserves the fame and work that he is getting,” Syed Hashmi said.

Kendall Elrod does not consider himself a celebrity; he likes to use his platform to make others happy.

“My ‘fame’ has brightened my day. It definitely makes me feel better when I know there are people who enjoy watching my videos, and I get people commenting nice and positive things on my videos, which keeps me happy.”

Said like a true social media influencer.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 17

NHS page 10 ruin your chances.

Based on the claims of students and staff, it is safe to say that the point of NHS is to get involved to put another positive quality on your transcript. So why not? It won’t hurt to put the prestigious NHS qualification on your transcript.

It may be too much work for some students and that is understandable. Classes are hard enough and trying to perfect test scores creates more stress than needed.

There are other qualifications that colleges look at when choosing applicants and being in NHS will not make or break your chances.

The question to ask yourself when thinking of joining NHS is if you are open to being committed to the long service hours and projects required. The point of NHS depends on the person reading this. You have been presented with the facts, now you must choose.

RECYCLE page 15 and put garbage in there. I think the majority of people would look, but obviously some people just do not care,” junior Kaela Belknap said.

For all of this to work out, the students and staff of Huntley High School need to care about this and do the right thing if the new bins are put into place. The school is doing a good job of recognizing that there is an issue that needs to be addressed but there is more that can be done.

Unfortunately, the school’s budget can only do so much and it is up to clubs and students to step up and make a change to see something happen. All of this seems like it would not have a major impact but in the end, it does.

18 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

Feature Influence

Farming family shapes Huntley Last living member of Kreutzer family explains influence on Huntley

O

By Ethan Babicz

On a Sunday morning just like any other, Linda Byrne awakes to find her parents already doing their daily task of milking the cows since 5 a.m. She rushes downstairs as they return from the farm to have a quick breakfast before 8 a.m. mass at St. Mary’s Church on Woodstock Street. They dress nicely, her father Charles Kreutzer Jr. wearing a nice suit, since going to church is always a priority.

These priorities stayed with Byrne, now 62 years old, throughout her life.

She is still a very active member of the church. Her upbringing as a member of the Kreutzer family is evident through the lessons her parents taught her when

were talking to him about farming.

It was imperative for him to be handy with farming equipment because he could not afford to pay others for a repair and wait the time required to complete them. This was especially important when other tasks demanded more attention on the farm every day. On some labor-intensive days, he would be out doing fieldwork until 11 p.m.

Byrne’s mother, Frances Kreutzer, had a more gregarious attitude. She would assist Byrne’s father with milking the cows in the morning and at night. Together, they would plan many activities with Byrne and her sister Mary Jane, such as trips to amusement parks, state parks, and ballrooms. However, most notable of all, they would take visits to Holy Hill Basilica in Wisconsin, which Byrne still takes yearly trips to today.

“They were such good people. I would never be the person my mother or my father were. I’m far from a perfect person, but they gave me a good base,” Byrne said.

“They were just good examples. My mother never had a bad word about anybody and my dad [neither]. They had good friends, they were good friends. If somebody needed help they were always there.”

At the end of the 20th century, St. Mary’s Parish was in need of a larger church to support its growing population. They came to Byrne’s mother for permission to buy part of the Kreutzer’s land to build the new church and she agreed.

In November of 2001, the new St. Mary’s Church was built next door to the Kreutzer farm on Dundee road.

This greatly affected Byrne’s life since the mosaic at the front of the new church is located just feet from where

[ ] “I’m far from a perfect person, but they give me a good base.”

Lynda Byrne

she was just a child.

From a young age, Byrne was taught important values by her mother and father. They were strict parents, but they always had the best intentions for her in mind.

Her father learned the ropes of the farming trade from a young age. He knew everything from the intricacies of each animal, to the repairs of all the farm tools, and anything in between.

He tended to be quieter unless you

S. Laput Linda Byrn holds historical sign

her childhood home was.

In 2004, she married Bill Byrne in that exact church where her childhood house stood. That was a very special moment for her.

“As soon as we got engaged, we were like, ‘We gotta figure out a date, and we gotta book it because we gotta have it here,’ so it means a lot that it was on the family property,” Byrne said. “When Father Garrity came to my mother and said they were looking for property for a church and if she would be interested in selling some, she was thrilled. Who wouldn’t want the church for a neighbor, but it was very important for us to get married here on the family farm.”

Because of her family’s generous donation of land to build the new St. Mary’s church, the parish now teaches those same values Byrne was taught to over 6,500 families. Although Linda Byrne is the last surviving member of the Kreutzer family, the values she was taught by her parents will live on through the people of Huntley.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 19

Features Health

Putting life into perspective Gerry Marchand finds the positive side of his sudden stroke

A

that admitted me into the emergency room. Mr. Kempf signed for me and As Gerry Marchand subbed for I went to the emergency room. The teacher Megan Wheeler on May doctor came in and started running a 23, 2017, he noticed symptoms that bunch of reflex test for me and he said were far from normal. Marchand everything seemed pretty normal,” was having a hard time typing, but Marchand said. he brushed it off and went to write a The doctor advised Marchand to get note. He realized his hand movements a CT scan. He got in a wheelchair and were restricted and he

shouldn’t be happening.”

After the news from the CT scan, he had a high-resolution MRI done and his wife and kids arrived at the emergency room. After the MRI, the doctor came back and told him that he had no idea what happened. The doctor ran a few more tests and allowed Marchand to be released because of the incomplete diagcould not write out nosis. the words “all good.”

He and his family Even after the writing went to Panera after incident, he decided the incident.

“I rehe needed a drink and member trying to eat walked down to the chips with my right water fountain. As he hand and I couldn’t was walking, his right even grab the chips. I leg was not allowing broke down crying and him to walk normally. thought well great, I He then asked another can’t write, I can’t type, teacher to step in and I can’t talk, I can’t do watch the kids. anything and I used to “I went down to the do these things every nurse and had her single day for my job,” check me out to make Marchand said. sure that I wasn’t Since a diagnosis going to die at school was not given, the and she said everydoctor suggested that thing looked fine, but Marchand go and see as I was talking to different specialists. “I her I noticed that my went to every specialist speech was off and you can think of for I was stuttering and when he came back, the doctor told eight months and had every blood test slurring,” Marchand said. him that his stroke was a one out of ever.

I went to a neurologist, endocriAfter the speech incident, the nurse 42 on the National Institutes of Health nologist, speech, and an ear, nose, and advised Marchand to head to the Stroke Scale. throat specialist. I saw every doctor emergency room. His family was not “I remember when he was talking, and all they keep saying was I don’t available to take him, but he believed [all I heard] over and over in my head know an answer,” Marchand said.

Associate Principal Thomas Kempf was your stroke,” Marchand said. “All “After eight months, I said forget could do it. Kempf was radioed and I kept hearing was your stroke, your it.

It was a waste of my time because they went to the emergency room not stroke, your stroke and I kept going sometimes I had to miss school and I long after. was spending $25 to $50 [every time] “When I walked in, I could not even through that I’m 37 years old and I’m a teacher.

I have two kids.

This I walked through the doors.” Marchsign my name on the legal document

By Grace Carpenter

[] “Fate is not what you planned.

Things change and you think about things differently and think about life differently.”

Gerry Marchand

20 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

K. Ambrogio Science teacher Gerry Marchand

and said.

His physical recovery was remarkably fast. Marchand was able to walk completely fine the next day. His hand movement came back and he was able to write and type again. As for his speech, he still has a “tired tongue.”

“It is like when you go to the dentist and you still feel tingling in your tongue three hours later. To this day I still have a little bit of tingling in my tongue that makes it hard to pronounce certain words,” Marchand said.

Since Marchand still does not know his diagnosis, he started a program with his anatomy students. “I told them, $100 to whoever figures it out because it will save me time and will allow me to bring something to these doctors that have more information.

I have two people that have given me information that I haven’t taken to the doctor yet and I have their names and

will be awarding them if they come up with the correct diagnosis,” Marchand said.

Despite making light of the situation, this traumatizing incident put his priorities into perspective.

“To have that happen at 37, you start picturing your life not being able to do things you were able to do. It really changes how you think about stuff.

All of the sudden, this could happen to anyone, perfectly healthy. There is nothing wrong with me and I was doing exercise. It doesn’t matter,” Marchand said. “If it is coming for you, it is coming for you.”

“They say when something like that happens, when you come close to realizing that fate is not what you planned, things change and you think about things differently and think about life differently. I absolutely agree. Since that moment [everything] has been a little different because you

never know what’s going to happen,” Marchand said.

“I might not have been teaching anymore which would really suck because I love teaching. I would be stuck in a wheelchair, doing nothing. I think about my kids and everything could have been different if I couldn’t have kept doing what I always do. It makes a difference.”

Overall, Marchand notes that he has made a great recovery, for the most part.

“I can type, I can write, I can walk and run and everything works fine, except for my tongue. Usually, when I get tired around the end of the day, it doesn’t work correctly,” Marchand said. While this is an issue, Marchand is grateful that he is now able to continue his life the way he always has.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 21

Features Personal

The wheels on the bus A ride through the ups and downs of being a bus driver

L

By Ellie Armstrong

Lights illuminate the road in front of the highlighter-yellow vehicle. The stop sign eases out and the sliding door folds inward with a screech. Students drag their feet up the stairs and rub the grogginess out of their zombie-like eyes. Refusing to acknowledge approaching classes and tests, they are prepared to sit down silently and stare out the window for the next 15 minutes. Luckily, substitute bus driver Wendy Fiedler has other plans.

“Good morning!” She says with a friendly smile to each student. Some nod, some hardly glance back, some return the gesture. Still, most walk away with slight smiles and more positive starts to their days.

“I feel like if you take the time to welcome them in the morning, give them a smile, ask them how their day was, [and] let them

know that you’re interested, it makes a difference,” Fiedler said. “After a while, they start to respect that you respect them, and it becomes mutual.”

For District 158 bus drivers, the day does not begin at the first smile and “good morning.” Around 5:45 a.m., they clock in with supervisors at 650 Dr. John Burkey Drive and receive their checklist for the day. With a flashlight in hand, they examine the breaks, switches and controls, flashers, stop arm, exit door, lights, and tire treads of their busses.

Then, they begin their routes.

Such has been the morning routine of Fiedler a couple days a week for the past seven years. After volunteering as a teacher’s assistant for her kids’ classes, she missed the day-to-day interactions she had with students and inquired about a job at the trans-

portation department. An interview later and she was training for her Class-B license, going on test runs, and receiving her district routes.

“Drivers play a very important role in a student’s day,” Laura Hooper, director of transportation, said. “They are the first connection that the students have with the district in the morning and the very last connection they have in the afternoon.”

According to Fiedler, the most difficult part of being a bus driver occurs once all students are on. The responsibility of looking ahead to the road, glancing at the mirror to watch the aisle, and listening for anything from an announcement from her dispatcher to an argument amongst students can be demanding.

“It’s really having eyes in the back of your head and the front of your head and still try-

E. Armstrong Fiedler Substitues on Route 117

22 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

E. Armstrong Fiedler talking over radio

ing to maintain a friendly disposition at the same time so that the kids can really respond to you,” Fiedler said.

As the bus rumbles to a stop before Kreutzer Road, a commotion in the back draws Fiedler’s attention. It’s the end of the day, and the silent bus has transformed into a center for gossip and chatter that drowns out the clicking turn signal. A student calls out for her to turn left. Having memorized her sub plan, Fiedler knows her way to the next stop.

Still, she smiles and jokes with him before turning the leather wheel.

Driving for District 158, Fiedler has experienced difficult situations ranging from patiently communicating with high schoolers; to looking out for distracted drivers on Main Street; to catching students who fancy themselves graffiti artists.

Treating students with integrity isn’t a new concept to bus drivers like Fiedler. District 158 bus drivers are taught to empathize, protect, and communicate with students. They have yearly refresher courses on CPR, safety checks, and potential security risks to smooth out any bumps in the road.

Fiedler takes the lessons a step further.

Her impact begins at the elementary level, where she hands out stickers and pencils and engages students in trivia games while they wait for the busses to depart. The elementary students talk to her non-stop and call her “Glasses Beard Lady” be-

cording to Fiedler, all of the difficulties of the job are worth it when, at the end of the day, the rare student responds “have a good night too.”

The bus door slides closed, and all of the chattering riders walk home under fluffy clouds and setting sunlight.

They don’t think about the people who have driven them around Huntley every weekday for the greater portion of their lives. They often forget to thank them or return their kind gestures, in some cases never learning their names.

Still, bus drivers like Fiedler train and work hard to do a lot more for students - and with a lot less recognition - than just drive them to and from school.

“The most rewarding part is seeing the kids outside somewhere and them coming up to me and wanting to talk with me years down the road,” Fiedler said. “Some of the high school kids who are kind of too-cool-for-school sometimes tell me ‘thanks for being so nice.’ Even if they didn’t say anything to me the entire year, at the end of the cause of her habit of resting her sunglasses year, if they make that statement to me or on her chin to read signs. On the other hand, even just say ‘have a great summer,’ it means high schoolers are instantly distant. Still, ac- a lot.”

[ ] “It’s really having eyes in the back of your head and the front of your head.”

Wendy Fiedler

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 23

Features Personal

From pain to passion Hayley Massaro uses her experiences of being bullied to inspire her art

T

By Kate Alvarado

The hallways of Marlowe Middle School buzzed with excitement as girls showed off their new dresses and made plans for pictures and carpooling. The end of eighth grade was coming fast, and everyone was looking forward to the annual school dance and trip to Six Flags Great America.

Excitement built as the days went by, but Hayley Massaro, now a sophomore, longingly watched from afar. Middle school was a struggle for her, both mentally and emotionally, as it can be for many. After years of bullying, she found herself in a unique situation.

“I was half homeschooled [and] half public schooled because the bullying had gotten so severe that I had to be taken out,” Massaro said.

Although this arrangement made her home a haven from the harassment of her peers, it also isolated Massaro from her friends, who formed her strongest support system. These last two eighth grade milestones were going to be fun, joyous times to focus on her friends and all the good memories instead of dwelling on the time lost.

However, this brought up an unexpected question. Was Massaro really a student of Marlowe Middle School?

After some thought, the principal at the time, Henry Soltesz, decided that Massaro was not a full-time student, and therefore should not be allowed

to go to either events.

Massaro did not understand why this decision was made. Was it her fault that she was getting bullied? All she wanted was to end the year on a high note with her friends.

While this was upsetting, it was not the worst thing to happen to Massaro. In fact, the majority of Massaro’s school life was filled with hardships.

“Kindergarten is when [the bully-

got worse. Massaro has always been a very creative person who is undeniably authentic to herself.

“When [kids] don’t understand something, they usually fear it and [can] act aggressive towards the thing that they are wary of. That is [proven] throughout history, and it’s, unfortunately, something that we humans do,” Massaro said.

Her experience with bullying came from her unapologetic personality, and unfortunately, this is an extremely common story. Many people experience severe bullying for just being who they are, and kids make them pay for being different in the cruelest manner.

“I got used to being lonely.

People wouldn’t high five me or grab me by the shoulder. They just didn’t like me because I thought differently. I was very creative, and I always came out of left field and it scared people,” Massaro said.

Other kids would move their desks away from hers.

Not only did the isolation make it difficult to find ing] started for me,” Massaro said. friends, but it also made her fear los“As the years went by, things only got ing the few friends she did have. worse. It was a very hard thing to go “I grew used to being very alone. through because every day I would And it’s very hard to learn how to be okay with people again,” Massaro go to school and be told that I was worthless, I was nothing, [and] I kept said.

Although some found this bullying getting that [from] my peers.”

It started off as kids just being funny as kids, it came with a horrible mean, but as they began to notice that consequence. she would not change, things only “I’m a very flinchy person when it

[]

24 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

“Emotions are like a wave. But once that wave pulls away, you feel a lot better.”

Hayley Massaro

S. Laput

Massaro poses with her artwork

comes to that. I actually have severe chronic anxiety and depression because of the bullying,” Massaro said.

“It’s not a joke. I feel very strongly about [that].”

Despite the ridicule, Massaro never stopped being who she was. Instead, she took all of her quirks and turned them into her coping mechanisms.

“I would make these little dragons out of paper. I would fold and glue paper to make creatures and shields.

[Teachers would scold] me, kids told me it was a waste, but I never stopped doing it,” Massaro said.

She threw all of her emotions and hardships into her art. From drawings to sculptures, Massaro kept testing the fields and eventually found her passion.

“I want to go into the animation field when I’m older so I’m doing all of the art classes I can,” Massaro said.

“It’s all really fun to me, and it’s a nice

way to just be [myself].”

Despite her experiences, she is able to push all of the negativity aside and look at the positive side of things.

“I’m not angry about what happened in my past. Of course, [I’m] still a little hurt, but I’m actually a very strong person now,” Massaro said.

While it is hard to believe that someone who has been through so much can forgive that easily, Massaro is able to let it all go.

“Emotions are like a wave and sometimes [when those bad thoughts] are happening, it could be like a wave is crashing down on you and drowning you. But once that wave pulls away, you feel a lot better,” Massaro said.

She is determined to use her experiences to help others. Knowing how it feels to be at the wrong end of a cruel joke, it is her mission to comfort

others.

“I like helping others. I might be a little weird and loud at points, but I genuinely come from a good place of heart,” Massaro said.

If there is one thing Massaro has learned from these experiences, it is how to fight for what she believes in.

So when she was told that she would not be able to go to the dance or to the trip, she fought for it.

Alongside her mom, she sat down with Soltesz and pleaded her case.

Together they were able to come to an agreement and Massaro was able to go to both events.

Walking through the amusement park and talking under the flashing lights, she made lifelong memories with the people that stuck by her side.

All of the insults and cruel jokes did not matter that night. She danced the night away knowing that better things were coming her way.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 25

HUMANS of HUNTLEY

“Our favorite part about being twins would be when one of us does something, Mom has to make it equal so we both get to do it and see each other every day, and be close together.”

- Kade and Kylie Edstrom interviewed/photographed by natalie vonderheide 26 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

“When I play guitar I feel like someone else. I forget all the negative thoughts in my mind and it makes me relax.�

-Tsuyoshi Harayama

interviewed/photographed by peyton siegler HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 27

A&E Video games

Minecraft’s resurrection How the game built its way back into our hearts and desktops

B

By Hailey Pohl

Blunk. Blunk. Blunk. That is the sound of many 11-year-olds making their houses of dirt in a game, Minecraft.

The pixelated game joined the internet officially in 2009 and hit it off with thousands of kids. This sandbox game utilizes blocky graphics and a survival based gameplay. To date, it has sold over 176 million copies.

Minecraft took off through Youtubers’ gameplays, such as TheDiamondMinecart, who specializes in kid friendly content, or StampyLongHead’s creative series. These content creators have millions of young subscribers watching them every week.

Minecon events allow fans from around the country to meet in one place and celebrate the game together through building contests, costume contests, exhibits, and merchandise.

The game has also had a few spinoffs, like Minecraft: Story Mode, Minecraft Earth, Minecraft Dungeons, and even a MinecraftEdu where kids can play the game and complete educational lessons under the supervision of their teacher.

Minecraft had a severe downfall in popularity around 2017 because it was losing its fans to another game: Fortnite. People were not pleased by the game’s lack of updates and abundance of bugs. Also, many had accomplished everything the game had to offer.

For a while, the game sat stagnant on everyone’s desktop, waiting for the day it would be opened once again.

Big-name people, like Skydoesminecraft and SSundee, were losing their fans and their source of income.

The results of the game’s drop in 28 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

Courtesy of Keaton Griffith

fame hit these people hard by making them question themselves about what they really enjoyed producing as content creators, forcing others to quit altogether.

The road has recently started to become a little less bumpy. The second most subscribed Youtuber, Felix Kjellberg, more commonly known as Pewdiepie, brought Minecraft back.

This past June, Kjellberg recorded his first Minecraft video. Minecraft’s popularity rocketed up once again.

His series attracted millions of viewers every day, with each video averaging about 10 million views.

Fans began returning to their worlds, building, improving, and learning all of the new functions of the game as they once did back when they first started.

Kjellberg was joined by many other big Youtubers on his survival series, like Jacksepticeye and JablinskiGames, which also helped Minecraft’s resurgence. With this fame, he’s also helped raise money for a charity by livestreaming Minecraft gameplay.

He donated $239,000 to Child Rights and You, an organization that

helps Indian children realize their dreams by getting them out of child labor practices and back into schools as well as advocating for child rights.

“I’m getting more attention now than I’ll probably ever get, so why not just take that fact and redirect it to something more positive, and show that this fanbase […] can do something positive as well, because I know we can,” Kjellberg said in a video.

Without this man’s extraordinary coverage in his “Let’s Play” series, Minecraft might never have made a come back. Any long time fans would know that Kjellberg never wanted to play the game.

“It felt like people were playing it just because it was popular, and not because they were actually [having fun] doing it,” Kjellberg said in a recent video.

Now, the game has thousands of returning players, having blocky fun.

In the beginning, Mincraft did well.

Then, it took a turn for the worse.

Finally, it was saved by the true love of a player.

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A&E Film

Halloween movie classics Films everyone should watch this season

W

By Kimberlynn Bjurstrom When asked what October means, freshman Samantha Fox could only think of Halloween. The fall leaves, the costumes, the ghouls and witches, the movies.

The Halloween themed movies are the lifeblood of “Spooky Season.” With Halloween always falling on the last day of October, the spirited movies provide the needed hype to last people the 31 days until the holiday.

Movies often allow us to take the time to get into the vibe of the season; that’s why Hallmark movies are so vital during the Christmas season.

Halloween is a time for fear, demons, and celebrating the creepy traits all of the classic Halloween movies excellently portray.

There are some movies that we feel obligated to watch, and some we can’t live without watching at least once per season. A poll taken by Huntley High School students revealed that the favorite classic childhood Halloween movies are “Halloweentown” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

“Halloweentown,” capturing 40% of poll participants’ hearts with young witch Marnie guiding viewers on a magical yet spooky journey to her grandmother’s town, is one of the only movies that truly screams Halloween.

This is definitely not an obligated movie, this is a main source of inspiration for many during this season. “[‘Halloweentown’ is] so creative and so entertaining, there’s cool stuff to it, the people pretending to be spirits,” Fox said.

As time progresses, many feel too old for trick or treating, but classic Halloween movies have no age. Plus,

Courtesy of Toni Cuenca Jack Skellington is a beloved Halloween character

with Halloween commonly associated with trick or treating as a child, these childhood classics apply to all.

Jack Skellington from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” through his trials and failures in his journey, teaches us that you are never too old, you should never change yourself, and that Halloween is always enough.

The themes of this movie inspire, and use the spirit of Halloween to do so. Plus, the believed connections to other Tim Burton films “Frankenweenie” and “Corpse Bride,” along with the stop motion effects and lovable characters, make Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” a feat of cinematic history.

“Tim Burton movies [are] one of the reasons why Halloween is my favorite of all time. Tim Burton has a special way of making his movies interesting,” freshman Sarah Krelle said.

Halloween holds a special place in the hearts of many, and Tim Burton and his spooktacular films only intensify that love.

For some, childhood movies don’t fulfill their fear-craving Halloween needs, and horror is what they lean toward during this season. The same poll reveals that “Scream” is the most watched horror film by Huntley High students during the Halloween season.

While compared to the graphics and special effects of today, the gore may seem cheesy and unrealistic; however, the suspense built continues to keep viewers craving more. The fear provides a euphoric feeling that envelops the viewer in Halloween spirit.

“It’s the thrill of getting scared,” sophomore Natalia Furmanek said.

Isn’t that all we need this time of year? To feel spooked, involved in the festivities. Horror movies apply all year, but there’s something different to watching them during the Halloween season.

Along with the classics that we make priorities during our Halloween season, there are plenty of new films being made with graphics so realistic that they cause us to feel as if we are in them. These effects add to the horror and increase the fear of the viewer, making these films contenders to be added to the seasonal list of must-see films.

With Halloween just coming to an end and Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, the feeling in the air is quickly changing. We can’t simply move on from October, Halloween, and the movies that make this time of year so special; we must make sure that we fully appreciate this season.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 31

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A&E Film

Seagulls, mermaids, and wickies Psychological horror film “The Lighthouse” shocks and enchants

T

By Braden Turk

“The Lighthouse” is an impossible movie to describe. On the surface level, one can call it the simple story of two lighthouse keepers in the 1800s, but doing so is a severe disservice to both the film and the viewer, like wringing out an orange until there is nothing left but the peel. It’s simultaneously disturbing, nauseating, and funny, led by two powerhouse performances by Robert Pattinson and Williem Dafoe.

Keepin’ secrets, are ye?

Directed by Robert Eggers, this sophomore feature comes four years after 2015’s “The Witch,” a film that follows a family’s exilation from their New England settlement and subsequent disintegration.

There are more connections to “The Witch” than just the director. “The Lighthouse” reunities cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, composer Mark Korven, and editor Louise Ford, among others, making it a perfect (if somewhat terrifying) double feature with Eggers’ previous film.

But where “The Witch” focused on the failure to adapt to seclusion, “The Lighthouse” is more interested in the dynamic between two individuals already accustomed to isolation. There are no satanic rituals or religious paranoia here; just a lone pair of men and their own warped, distrustful minds.

Bad luck to kill a seabird.

Courtesy of A24 Films

When thinking of a story set over a century ago, the words “slow” or “boring” may come to mind. After all, how can a horror movie frighten us without malevolent ghosts or a psychotic killer?

However, with his films, Eggers proves that it is our roots -- not to mention our minds -- that are the scariest topics of all.

There’s a point in “The Lighthouse” where everything turns loose, the mysterious build-up smashed to bits with one brutal act of violence. Following that, hours turn into days and days into weeks as all sense of time is lost.

As Dafoe and Pattinson indulge in drink (and after they run out, kerosene), we familiarize ourselves with their quarters and kitchen, but never the lighthouse. It stands tall, sending out a shining, hypnotic light Dafoe’s character keeps for himself; Pattinson, along with the viewers, is never let in.

How long have we been on this rock? Five weeks? Two days? Help me to recollect.

“The Lighthouse” was shot in black and white on 35mm film stock, and for good reason, too.

Lit with sunlight by day and fire by night, the film has a beautiful and natural look to it, even if some of the images on screen are hard to take in. The characters skip drunkenly around a lantern, their shadows dancing madly on the walls; one descends into a sea so inky black it appears to swallow him whole; a ship disappears into fog in the blink of an eye.

Armed with a pair of seasoned actors, stunning cinematography, and assured direction, “The Lighthouse” is the two-man/psychological horror/1800s-set show we’ve all been waiting for.

You’ll never look at seagulls the same way again.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 33

A&E Film

Spider-Man is back in the MCU An overview of the decision and what it means for fans

L

By Trevor Book

As most of you readers and Marvel fans have heard, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

According to Forbes and the Hollywood Reporter, Marvel Studios (now owned by Disney) and Sony had been in a long standoff over Spider-Man’s future and his future involvement in the MCU. The split between Marvel and Sony was caused by Marvel wanting more ownership of the character, being that the Spider-Man rights have belonged to Sony for two decades. Those tensions have risen recently, considering Spider-Man is now the center of attention in the MCU and that may even be the future Iron Man. Before the breakup, Sony and Marvel made five great movies since Spider-Man made his first appearance in “Captain America: Civil War.” The two initially joined forces after the underwhelming box office performance of Marc Webb’s “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” the deal between the two of them a huge success because it allowed Spider-Man to be alongside other MCU characters. Marvel and Sony then reached an impasse after Jon Watts’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home” did so well and Marvel decided to seek a better deal than the original 5% box office stake, reportedly wanting a 50/50 split on production costs and profits, a figure that Sony was not prepared to agree to.

Now a few months after the breakup, on the morning of Friday, Sept.

27, Disney and Sony announced that Marvel Studios would produce the third Spider-Man film with Feige back as the producer and Tom Hol-

34 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

Courtesy of Sony Pictures

-land back as the titular lead.

Reports say that this agreement was made among Sony chief Tom Rothman, Feige, and Walt Disney Studios co-chairs Alan Horn and Alan Bergman on Sept. 26. In the reports, in “true Peter Parker-underdog fashion,” 23-year-old Holland made multiple appeals to Rothman and Disney CEO Bob Iger to reach a solution. Now tell me, fans, who doesn’t love Tom Holland? This just goes to show that he is the best Spider-Man actor since Tobey Maguire.

The new deal between both companies is that Marvel will now have 25% of production and roughly the same percent of profits in exchange for Feige’s presence.

“I am thrilled that Spidey’s journey in the MCU will continue, and I and all of us at Marvel Studios are very excited that we get to keep working on it,” Feige said.

“Spider-Man is a powerful icon and hero whose story crosses all ages

and audiences around the globe. He also happens to be the only hero with the superpower to cross cinematic universes, so as Sony continues to develop their own Spidey-Verse you never know what surprises the future might hold.”

Marvel and Sony are much better off together under a deal both sides can live with.

“We have had a great collaboration over the last four years, and our mutual desire to continue was equal to that of the many fans,” said Sony Pictures communications chief Robert Lawson. “We are delighted to be moving forward together.”

Currently, the MCU and Sony are in a deal to make two more Spider-Man movies, perhaps ending his story in an Avengers movie, him making the ultimate sacrifice but still surviving, like the ending Captain America had in “Avengers: Endgame.”

His third solo movie is scheduled for release on July 16, 2021.

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A&E Television

An Adaptation worth watching Hulu’s adaptaion of John Green’s book ends a horrible adaptation streak

A

By Meghan Bentley

A black screen illuminates with the words “Hulu presents” as I snuggle into my comforter, my heart eagerly beating and my eyes wide. I was excited, yet afraid. Adaptations of books don’t have the best record for being well done, like their book. Especially, John Green’s book to movie adaptations. John Green is most known for writing the novels “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Paper Towns” and although the book-to-movie adaptations did bring in a lot of money, the movies were not true to the storylines. So

compelling stories into chick-flicks?

The beginning credits came to a close and the first episode started, so there I sat, captivated.

In 2005, John Green released his first book, “Looking For Alaska”.

The story follows Miles “Pudge” Halter who is on his search for his “great perhaps”. He decides the best way to find his great perhaps is by attending the bizarre world of Culver Creek Boarding School. There he meets Chip “Kernel” Martin and the incredibly clever Alaska Young. Alaska pulls

“In the 14 years since the book was published, I have made many public announcements that it was gonna be a movie or a TV show or something only to have that fall through which is often the way of Hollywood...” Green said.

Finally in 2019, 14 years after it was published, the book has been adapted into a mini-series on Hulu. There are eight episodes, each about an hour long. The adaptation is the best of John Green’s books so far. It does the characters’ sharp minds justice and includes all their witty and appealing moments. The series is slowly paced, which isn’t terrible because Green’s writing is slowly paced. On the contrary, the purpose of an adaptation is to have a story that audiences wouldn’t have seen otherwise and the terribly slow pace the episodes have may turn newer audiences away.

From a TV watcher perspective, the content might not be the most appealing.

Sure, the trailer and synopsis are good, but the series is hard to binge. The hour long episodes give Green’s complicated thought of the novel justice, but they make it harder to fall into the story from a non-reader’s point-of-view. However, from a reader’s perspective, the adaptation brings beloved characters from over a decade onto their TVs at home.

[ ] “I’m so grateful that the story is still around and so grateful to Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz who have been working on this adaptation for more than 10 years and the early reviews have been good,” John Green

there I sat with one question in my head; will this change the horrible streak of turning Green’s insightful

36 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

Miles into her world and maybe there he will finally find his “great perhaps”.

Courtesy of Hulu

Specifically the mysterious, yet intriguing Alaska Young. Kristen Froseth’s portrayal of Alaska is my favorite thing to come out of the series. She is able to cast the character’s intentions without even saying a word by using her body language and sense of style. Most of the characters are well portrayed by their actors, but Froseth’s depiction of Alaska stands out. She manages to capture the insightful wits, adventurous tones, and hidden grievances the characters have. Froseth’s portrayal was the best thing to come out of this adaptation.

Other characters like Miles and Chip are also cast well. Each cast member did an excellent job with how they managed to capture awkward teen years during the early 2000s. The costume designers helped with this by creating the perfect mix of stripes and layers. The script also was a beautiful ode to the year 2005.

The slang and dialect brought me nostalgia I didn’t know I had. Another perfect ode to the early 2000s was the music heard throughout the mini-series.

“When this book was first published in 2005, around a third of my life ago, I never dared to imagine that it would be in print 14 years later, let alone that it would still be finding lots of new readers who now see the book of course with its payphones and pre-vaping and nicotine distribution systems as a kind of historical fiction,” Green said.

While it did do the characters and setting justice, it lacked a little bit in plot. Not that the overall plot was underwhelming, but some scenes fell flat. In the mini-series, the plot doesn’t flow exactly as it does in the book. In the adaptation, the plot is on a faster pace than the characters in the story. I understand why it is that way because John Green’s novels are more character based and the overall plot feels more secondhand to the character development. That style can feel boring when directly adapted to screen, so they quickened it to add suspense, which was fine. There were some moments that they moved for plot that I completely didn’t agree with.

In the beginning of the mini-series the end of the first half of the novel is completely spoiled. This adds suspense, but it makes the actual moment less of a shock. One of the best parts of the novel is the mystery in it and the spoiled plot twist ruins some of the mysterious affect. Although the plot twist was spoiled, the scene is still packed with heart-breaking moments. It sets the tone for the last few episodes to be incredibly emotional and cause you to grab for tissues.

“Looking for Alaska” on Hulu is a beautiful adaptation of John Green’s novel. It includes John Green’s insightful thoughts of teenagehood while keeping audience captivated.

The series is a little slow, but worth it overall. I suggest that only audiences above the age 14 watch this because there is some mature content, but anyone that can watch it should. The story is important and will hopefully stick through the ages. I’m glad that it finally has an adaptation.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 37

Sports Feature

Keeping it Reel Vincent Wise patiently waits for his next catch

S

By Sara Gebka Sophomore Vincent Wise sits hunched over a fishing rod that was cast into the calm lake waters. His other teammate was sitting next to him, while the coach was watching them silently. A breeze swept across the boat as it swayed from side to side but the players didn’t move. It was an average spring day and the team had bass to catch.

Five years ago, Wise and his family were invited to his great uncle’s cabin located in Northern Minnesota. On that memorable trip, Wise discovered his passion for fishing. After that day, his great uncle would pass on his skills to Wise.

“One of the first things that my great uncle taught me was how to properly cast and use different reels,” Wise Said.

“He also taught me how to tie a fishing knot and I still find myself using the knots that he taught me all those years ago.”

While Wise casts, he remembers an important lesson that his great uncle had taught him if he ever wanted to continue his hobby, patience. Most sports are all about anticipated actions that could lead to the success or failure of a team: bass fishing isn’t like that.

It takes a sheer amount of patience to know where to cast or when the move the angle to lure in bass.

“Once when we were visiting my great uncle, I decided to go out fishing like I usually did. I caught a 7 pound pike, which was the largest fish that we caught that week. While I was battling with it, a rush of adrenaline helped me win the fight. It’s exciting when you have the battle with a fish on the other end of the line, especially when you’re 38 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

S. Laput Wise in gear and ready to fish to practice for spring sectionals.

winning,” Wise said.

While fishing could be exciting when you’re battling a catch, the wait for the next catch can be relaxing to many.

“Fishing is a great way to relax your mind. Whenever I feel stressed out, I try to find a way to go out on the water and fish in the ponds near my house.

Fishing helps me clear my mind, and for just a little while, I forget about my problems and focus on trying to get a catch,” Wise said.

Wise would continue to fish for fun until he entered high school. He discovered the fishing club and immediately joined. Through the club, he would be able to join the bass fishing team as an angler. Anglers are fishermen that use angles, or fishing hooks to us non-fishers, instead of bait to catch fish.

“Ever since Vince joined the team, his skills as an angler have improved drastically. He’s committed to the team and has been to all of its meetings. I’m hoping to let him join one of the tournaments but because of the amount of members that we have, it’s difficult,” bass fishing team coach Lachel said.

There are 45 members that participate in the bass fishing team and in

fishing club. While a select few only fish as a hobby, the rest have a passion for competing against other teams.

During tournaments, there’s a limited amount of team members that can participate. Usually, the team mates with the most experience get to join these tournaments, but sometimes rookies are able to join so they could get accustomed to the competitive nature of fishing.

For the past few years, the bass fishing team have participated in both the fall and spring tournaments; however, the team had to cancel four of its fall tournaments this year due to the weather. Because of the sudden cancellation, some of the team members haven’t been able to participate in fishing this year. Wise was one of them.

Hopefully during the springtime, the bass fishing team will be able to compete in the Fox Chain Sectionals.

Beforehand, a fundraiser takes place that helps support the team. While the team has their own fishing rods, a boat needs to be provided by the team mates’ parents.

“Because of insurance purposes, the school isn’t able to provide us with our

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FISHING page 38 own boat. It would be very expensive, about a $1 million policy to cover kids on the water, so it’s much cheaper to just have the dads come with us and help out in exchange for using their boats,” Lachel said.

Due to the large number of members that participate in the Bass Fishing Team, only a handful of kids could participate in each tournament. Four of those tournaments have been cancelled this year, which means that most

of the team members will have to compete against each other to enter the spring sectionals.

“I would like the kids to go out on the water at least once this year but, because of the cancelations, I’m worried that some of our upperclassmen won’t be able to compete. It’s even worse for the freshmen since I don’t know how good they’re going to be and if we want to continue to compete, I want to know their skills,” Lachel said.

The team will have to compete

not judging or bullying, being kind, and that knowing that nobody in this school is alone.

“My goal is to have this be a group that continues year after year after year and continues to grow and grow” said Broskow. “I know the struggles that teenagers are going through, I think we can be really successful.” against each other to enroll in the eight open slots for the spring sectionals. The seniors already obtained the three slots, so that means that the last five slots are fair play.

Wise and the other members of the team will have to compete and use their skills to win one of these limited spots.

Patience will be one of these key factors, and Wise will be ready. He’s always been ready, and he’s going to win one of those spots for the spring sectionals.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 39

Sports Cross Country

Sophomore season setback Sophomore Rachel Carlson races towards a speedy recovery

D

By Emma Gribbens

During the soon-to-be brutal three miles in the Levi Invitational Cross Country Meet, the contestants were all lined up at the starting line anxiously waiting, ready to hear the whistle for them to start their run.

As a varsity runner in the middle of the race, her ankle had been killing her during the course. She then decided that the pain was unbearable and she needed to stop running.

Rachel Carlson is a varsity athlete on the cross country team and she started training early in the summer with the team. But she never thought that this was how her sophomore season on the varsity cross country would go.

Matthew Kaplan, the cross country head coach, had been training her during the summer runs, along with the other cross country kids.

“She had a really good summer,” coach Kaplan said.

He first started to notice that something was up during her runs was because, “When Rachel wasn’t able to keep up on the runs in practices like she normally would be.”

Carlson was one of the top seven runners on the girls team. It was heartbreaking when she found out about this injury.

Carlson didn’t think this injury was going to ruin her season.

“I’ve always had problems with injuries. My body seems to get over one injury and then I get another one,” Carlson said.

Then she noticed that the injury was not fading away, so she started to worry.

While Carlson was at practice, she 40 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

K. Ambrogio Rachel Carlson ties her shoes as she begins her warm up

was rolling out her calves with the rest of the team and noticed.

“There was a stripe up the side of my leg that was really puffy and inflamed that it hurt a lot.”

Carlson always made sure to keep a positive mindset throughout this injury when she was running and when she was out.

During this year’s season Carlson was not able to compete in any of the meets, but she hopes to have a good start to the next season during her junior year.

Carlson did make sure to keep in shape from not running, by going on the bikes in the gym room during the season.

“Everybody has a chance to get hurt but honestly there’s more people that are able to make it through their season without injury than not,” Kaplan said.

Carlson’s injury doesn’t happen very often during the season. The cross country team normally have a

minimum of injuries.

“She’s doing two sports at the same time so you’re twice as likely to get hurt, she also participates in club soccer,” Kaplan said.

This could be a reason for how she got this injury, by putting more stress on the muscles with the two sports. No one is sure how she did get this injury there could be multiple possibilities of how she got this.

She started out with a good freshman year on the team. She finished 21st out of 50 girls in the IHSA 3A Guilford XC Regional meet at Rockford College. She finished with a 20:22.8. She also set a personal record at the Peoria Invitation last year with a 18:50.

As this year’s cross country season is coming to an end, Carlson was not able to run during this season.

She is hopeful that she is able to get back on the course and start back up again next season.

Sports Hockey

Hockey star built by confidence Joseph Schumacher’s journey to become hockey team’s varsity goalie

I

By Lindsey Leigh

Inspiration can be found everywhere we look in the world; Joseph Schumacher found his inspiration at a high school hockey game. He was captivated by the sport as he sat in the stands, watching his cousin’s team play. Schumacher gives his cousin credit for introducing him to hockey.

At 3 years old, Schumacher already began to skate. Then at the age of 5 or 6, he started to actually play hockey.

And before Schumacher became a goalie, he was a skater. He was a different player at this point in his career, but it shaped who he is today.

“I can still remember scoring that first goal when I was 7 or 8 years old,” Shumacher said.

The excitement that comes with scoring a goal is something that many people can relate to no matter what sport they play. It is something truly extraordinary. When a person is passionate about something, those feelings intensify. Schumacher’s passion for the sport has kept him playing all these years.

Since his freshman year of high school, Schumacher has been playing with the Kings High School Hockey Team. The Kings Hockey Team is comprised of six different schools: Jacobs, Hampshire, Dundee Crown, Huntley, Burlington Central, and McHenry.

He started freshman year on JV and is now on varsity as a senior. Varsity coach Darrell Strociek coached Schumacher during his freshman year, and is now his coach again.

In the two years he did not coach Schumacher, Strociek saw much improvement within his gameplay. “[He has grown] tremendously. He

S. Laput Joseph Schumacher blocks a hockey puck at a game

has an understanding of his game.

When he was a freshman, he was still trying to figure it out and now he plays with a lot more confidence,” Strociek said.

Confidence is a key part of playing to one’s full potential in a game.

There is much more that goes into an athlete’s success than being physically tough.

“Being athletic and knowing what to do and when to do it. You have to be mentally tough as well as physically tough because there are always guys chirpin’ in your ear out on the ice,” Shumacher said.

The characteristics Schumacher describes are also words that his fellow teammate, Colin Young, used to describe him.

“He doesn’t get upset. He is very cool minded and is able to keep his temper,” Young said.

This may be due to Schumacher’s pregame ritual that helps him to get in the zone. Before each game, he goes to Jimmy John’s and gets a fresh sandwich. This has become routine for him.

Just like a sandwich, a team has

multiple parts to it in order for it to be whole.

As a goalie, he is the last line of defense behind the five skaters in front of him to keep the puck out of the net. As one could imagine, it can be very difficult having players constantley shoot pucks at you. In order to be in the net, a person has to be sure of themselves. “[This season,] he is a lot more confident and poised,” Strociek said.

Schumacher’s confidence allows him to be calm and focused while he is on the ice. This is a great quality for a goalie to have. If he were to get distracted for even a few seconds, he could completely lose sight of the puck making it easier for the opposing team to score on him.

As he continues to work on honing his skills, he also thinks about what he envisions for his future in hockey. “[After high school,] I hope to play club hockey in college,” Schumacher said.

For now, his focus remains on his team as they continue on with their season game by game.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 41

Features Legacy

Leaving a legacy at HHS After four years on varsity, Taylor Jakubowski sets off on a new journey

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By Caitlyn Gooden

Game day starts with a smoothie and a cookie from Tropical Smoothie Café, followed with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” blasting in the girls volleyball locker room as the varsity team stands in a circle doing their pre-game chant. With braided hair and pumping adrenaline senior Taylor Jakubowski runs onto the glossy volleyball court, ready for another game as the team’s star setter. A routine all too familiar to Jakubowski for commanding the varsity court since freshman year.

She wasn’t always just a volleyball player. At a young age Jakubowski played softball, volleyball, and was involved in gymnastics.

However, when it came time to choose between the diamond, the mats, or the court, Jakubowski’s heart called for volleyball.

At 11 years old, Jakubowski told her mom she just wanted to play volleyball. Naturally being a volleyball coach herself, she was thrilled when one of her children showed the same love of the sport.

She has attended volleyball camps at the high school ever since seventh grade and has never failed to wow coaches with her athletic abilities. It was in high school that Jakubowski really started to make a name for herself. As a freshman, she not only made the varsity team, but was also voted team captain.

“We have a piece of paper and you just basically nominate team captains.

So when I was a freshman [Coach

Naymola] called out my name and I looked around and I was like, wait, me?” Jakubowski said.

“I think that just speaks volumes about her leadership abilities to be picked as a freshman,” Naymola said.

“I could go on forever about her leadership and her athletic ability. But one of the most impressive things about Taylor is, as good as she is, she’s prob-

who is this person, is she crazy or something? I was asking Naymola did you tell my parents? What am I going to do? How am I going to talk to her?”

“We went on a visit and I loved it and I visited a couple other schools and then my sophomore year, in December we visited again and I knew it was my school,” Jakubowski said.

“They were very excited about her, and they’re getting a great, great athlete and kid,” Naymola said.

With a bright future ahead, Jakubowski continued to work hard and focus on getting better during her years at HHS. “The drive she has for playing and her passion for the game. Just watching her out there, this year and how confident she is and how comfortable she is,” Naymola said.

Her amazing work ethic ably one of the most humble athletes and passion follow Jakubowski off the that I’ve ever coached.” court as well. Being a student athlete, Her confidence and skills strength- having extra training, and being team ened the team as a whole, and earned captain are all things she juggles along Taylor Division I college attention. with being a teenager.

As a freshman Jakubowski was “I started to figure out that in my offered a full-ride scholarship to Seton free time, like when I’m blended, Hall University.

I actually need to do my work and “Naymola texted me on my phone not be going out and getting food,” during my physics class and she said Jakubowski said. you need to come to my office right Being a senior this season means now, so I asked my teacher to go to having to walk away from all the the bathroom and I went to her office. memories made at the high school, as She pulled up the email and it [men- well as all the amazing accomplishtioned the full ride offer],” Jakubowski ments Jakubowski has had throughout said. “I was in shock, I’ve never talked to her before or anything. I was like see JAKUBOWSKI page 43

[ ]

42 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

“She’s probably one of the most humble athletes that I’ve ever coached.”

Karen Naymola

S. Jonas Taylor Jakubowski takes the court.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 43

Sports Dancing

Born together, dance together Schramm twins continue dancing throughout their high school career

By Taylor Calame

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With a tap and a clap the Schramm twins are dancing their hearts out to their favorite Hannah Montana song in their living room. Since Sept. 27 2004, Gracie and Olivia always had a strong passion for dance.

Having a twin is special in many ways. You will always have a best friend at your side, someone to always help you, and support you.

“It’s pretty much like having any other siblings except this person may be more relatable because they are going through the same things you are at the same time. There is always someone to do something with which is very nice too,” Olivia said.

Gracie and Olivia Schramm are twins at Huntley High School who have a love for dancing since they were very little. They both dance at the Ballet Box focusing on jazz, lyrical, poms, ballet, and contemporary styles. The Ballet Box is a dance studio in Algonquin committed to delivering a high level of dance and fine art education in a positive and nurturing environment.

Olivia and Gracie enrolled in their first dance class when they were only 2 years old. Their parents started them young when they noticed their twins dancing all the time, spinning, jumping, and singing. Although inseparable, the twins did not always dance together in the same class as their style of interest was different.

“I started with hip-hop and Olivia preferred tap and ballet. Even though we are twins we have different interests,” Gracie said.

“We eventually found different interests. Even though we took different 44 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

classes, we still went to the same studio,” Olivia said.

Both twins dance because it is an escape from the outside world, stress, and worries. Watching each other grow and develop over the years is truly amazing to them.

Having your best friend at your side while dancing and going through life is special.

Dance teaches you discipline, self-confidence, and determination.

“Dancing has taught me how to express myself in a way where I can accept criticism and be humble about achievements,” Gracie said.

“Dancing has taught me how to accept and apply criticism in a way that has helped me become a stronger dancer,” Olivia said.

Both Gracie and Olivia want to pursue and grow their passion for dance in the future.

“Dancing is a hobby that I hope to continue over the next several years,” Gracie said.

Although Gracie and Olivia have a strong study in ballet and jazz, they decided to try out for the Huntley Dance Team their freshman year of high school. When the young twins

K. Ambrogio

were in kindergarten, they attended their first Huntley Dance Team PeeWee/Pomerette Clinic. Every year they would attend this camp at the high school.

“I just knew that this is what I wanted to be a part of when I got to high school,” Olivia said.

Both Gracie and Olivia are on the JV team. They perform at all football games and soon will be performing at basketball games and competing during the winter season. The Huntley Dance team has allowed them to make new friends, become role models to younger dancers, and be involved at HHS.

JAKUBOWSKI page 44 her high school career. “[Volleyball has taught her how] to be a team and that not everything is just individual and you do have to lean on other people and it helps to communicate and to have teamwork,” Jakubowski said.

Jakubowski is looking forward to starting her new journey in college and is very excited to be able to meet new people and try new things. Despite being ready to start a new chapter in her life she is going to miss the family that she’s made here at HHS. “I think I’m going to miss most is the team aspect, just being a family,” Jakubowski said.

Naymola has the utmost respect for Jakubowski as an athlete and person and admires her dedication and passion for volleyball.

“I think if I could tell her one thing it would just be thank you for everything she’s put into our program and

S. Jonas

for making Huntley volleyball what it is,” Naymola said.

With her final season of high school volleyball coming to an end Taylor will put on her uniform for the last time, play her last game, and have her last pre-game smoothie.

HoursMon-Fri: 8 a.m to 5 p.m Sat: 8 a.m to 3 p.m Sun: Closed

Main Phone #: 815-459-8600 Fax #: 815-459-8602

10685 Wolf Drive, Huntley IL 60142

The future holds new pre-game rituals, new uniforms, and new memories. Trading Huntley’s red and black for Seton Hall’s blue and white, Taylor Jakubowski leaves Huntley High School with her legacy.

Huntley students and their families get 10% off when they present a student ID. This offer is for dinners only and cannot be combined with our lunch specials

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Jeff & Kristen Bala, Owners 10715 Rushmore Lane Huntley / (847) 669-5765 huntleyheating@gmail.com

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 45

Editorial

Hub staff: It’s about respect

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As senior Bree Huston sat in the Hub during her eighth hour blended class, she pulled out her homework and started working. With all the homework she had to focus on, the minty piece of gum in her mouth was the last thing on her mind. As she sat at the table, she focused on the assignments in front of her, surrounded by nothing but her homework.

As she studied, a Hub supervisor began to circle Huston’s table. Suddenly Huston looked up from her Chromebook to meet the eyes of the worker.

“You know know you can’t eat here?” the worker said.

“Yeah, I know.”

The worker walked away, Huston went back to studying, thinking that the incident was over. As Huston put her head down to focus on her work, she was interrupted again by the same staff member.

“I thought I told you there was no eating in here,” the worker said.

“I’m not eating. I’m chewing gum,” Huston said.

“Oh really, well, I don’t believe you,” the worker said.

“Okay,” she said.

“You are being so disrespectful right now,” the worker said.

Then the worker asked Huston to open her mouth and prove to her she was in fact chewing gum.

Experiences like Huston’s are not uncommon in the Hub. The single place in the school that allows students to work in absolute silence has a reputation: it’s a place where the staff neither respects nor trusts the student body.

After multiple interviews with a variety of students, we heard many similar stories. Each incident in the Hub had one common factor: the staff showed no respect for the student and demeaned them to the point of embarrassment. Some examples: • One student remarked how they were asked to remove the cap of their reusable water bottle in order to prove there was actual water in it. Even though the Hub staff member looked and smelled the water, the bottle was confiscated and placed next to the staff member at their desk.

46 THE VOICE NOVEMBER 1 2019

A few students discussed how they were pressured to leave the Hub before the official closing time of 2:45 p.m. This included the staff repetitively coming up to the student telling them how much time they have left and giving the student dirty looks.

- Multiple students have expressed that when not talking, they were accused of speaking and then asked to leave the area, leaving them to wander the commons,looking for another quiet place to work.

- Being told to stop whispering, only to then hear staff members having full-volume conversations, causing disruption.

- When reprimanding a student, a staff member pointed their finger directly into a student’s face.

“Their finger was really close to my face. I didn’t like that at all because that’s kind of rude,” the student said.

When we brought some of these incidents to the attention of Hub/Student Support Facilitator Joe Soss he disagreed with the prevalence of the issue.

“On a typical day [the Hub] exceeds the occupancy level that is mandated by fire code. So, if it was so oppressive and horrible, quite frankly, that wouldn’t [occur],” Soss said. “Who is it oppressive and horrible for? People who don’t want to follow the rules of the school, people who believe that they’re entitled to do whatever they want.”

“There’s adults in charge, and I’m going to 100% stick by [the idea that] every decision that’s been made in here has been well thought out with the interests of the student in mind, and more times than not people are given second or third chances,” Soss said.

To support this, Soss described an incident that occurred within the previous few days. A student flashed their middle finger to a staff member in the Hub after being reprimanded. Seeing the incident take place, Soss decided to talk to the student and solve the issue rather than involving the deans and possibly getting the student in trouble.

“I can completely understand from a student’s perspective, if numerous referrals were written or if students lost all these wonderful things that they can

enjoy in the Hub,” Soss said. “It’s not the reality, it’s just not.”

Furthermore, Soss said that some of the scenarios that students allegedly experienced were false accusations.

“I would challenge you for any of those specific negative examples, like the one you gave [about the water bottle], was just a flat out lie. You can go back to that student, you can ask when it happened, and I’ll pull up the video and show you that it never took place,” Soss said.

Ultimately the student decided not to have Soss check the video due to fear of retaliation. This fear of retaliation was a trend among students willing to come forward to talk to us.

When asking students about experiences they have had in the Hub, good or bad, the majority of students were quick to recall a time they felt Hub staff acted disrespectfully towards them. Many chose to remain anonymous because they felt they would be targeted by the Hub staff.

When walking into the Hub, many students immediately become self-conscious of every move they make, fearful that a mistake will cost them the silence and solitude that the Hub provides. This culture of fear also creates a communication barrier between the staff and student body. This can lead to a lack of understanding between the two groups.

“My goal is to have our staff members prepare you for life after, to be able to advocate for yourself, and if you’re advocating for yourself you need to be able to open your mouth and have that opportunity to do so,” Principal Marcus Belin said.

Self-advocacy, however, does not exist in the Hub. According to another student, she was approached by a Hub staff member after helping a friend answer a math question. The student had felt she was speaking at an acceptable volume to help a friend academically. “[They] told me that [they] talked to me specifically the week before, and I’ve never talked to [them] directly,” the student said. “I told [the staff member they] never talked to me, and then [they] just kept telling me that I needed to be quiet.”

In a school that believes in student advocacy, it is almost unheard of to speak to a Hub worker when being reprimanded.

It is unacceptable that the Hub workers do not

allow students the ability to defend or explain themselves.

Despite all the negative stories surrounding the Hub, there are students who have had positive experiences. But stories like these are few when compared to stories of negative experiences.

Many of Soss’s initiatives in the Hub, such as the HHS Literacy Contest and the Literacy partnership with vocational classes, have proven to be successful.

The Hub staff also makes an effort to receive feedback from the student body by providing a suggestion box. But the box is rarely used and hardly known of.

And perhaps some things are changing. We received an email from Soss in which he said, “I have given it some thought and I am open to having a Hub Advisory Council that would meet once a semester or perhaps once a month to discuss how we can better meet the needs of students. This would allow students to take their concerns to their council representatives if they felt uncomfortable reaching out to me directly.”

This is a step in the right direction; the student body can only hope that this advisory council will be put into action and will become effective. But the reality is that if the culture of fear is allowed to continue, no students will feel comfortable joining or engaging with this council.

Moving forward, we at the Voice have some advice for those working in the Hub. In order to create a safe and respectful environment, the Hub staff needs to: • • • • • • • • • •

Stop assuming students are lying Stop accusing students without proof Stop kicking students out for single mistakes Stop denying students the right to defend themselves Stop speaking to students disrespectfully Stop being hypocritical: if you demand students be quiet, be quiet yourselves Start showing compassion Start using polite body language Start listening to students Start recognizing their own faults

Hub staff, please, for the benefit of all students at HHS, treat students with respect and make the Hub a place that students feel comfortable in.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM 47

One last

voice

Laura Devlin English Teacher Believer in Students Achiever Inspired by All What is your mindset when you want to get something done or accomplished?

If I have something I want to achieve, I achieve it, then I’m done. Some people are about the journey, I’m not, get it done, destination complete, what’s the next destination?

When you wake up in the morning, what is your goal as a teacher for your students?

I want students to realize their full potential and that they can do more than they think they can do. Students, for the most part, are their own stopping blocks. They stop themselves, not on purpose, but on purpose. They sabotage themselves and I want them to not do that, and if I could get that into their heads I would be the happiest person. But they don’t believe me, they don’t believe us [teachers].

You probably inspire your students, but have they ever inspired you?

Oh yes! I love when a student does something and they’re just so proud of themselves they have to share it with me.

Because students don’t share a lot with teachers overall, you know it’s a big deal when they bring it to your attention.