Huntley HS Voice Oct 29 2021

V the O I C E

October 29, Volume 25, Issue 3 Huntley High School

Student body safety concerns New eco-friendly buses Kenny Twedt being adopted

CONTENTS

table of

common applications rachel toth sparkles if these halls could talk trash in the cafeteria haunt 31 spooks all cross country runner school safety concerns Editor in Chief Ellie Armstrong Managing Editor Abby Panier Floating Editors Maggie Armstrong, Fiona Brady, Delaney Cairns, Zoe Emerson, Ally Jorgensen Photo Editor Syed Hashmi Marketing Editor Sandra Skiba Social Media Manager Lauren Schmit

EDITORIAL POLICY

EDITORIAL BOARD

STAFF

Staff Writers Olivia Archer, Hunter Brown, Lauren Courtney, Megan Curry, Marrisa Dsouza, Sara Gebka, Annaliese Harper, Christine Idowu, Chase Keller, Lael Malibiran, Mackx Mize, Cam Molbeck, Ava Peters, Madeline Pomis, Ben Rocks, Lindsay Schaffter, Mira Terranova, Angel Wiley Photographers Donovan Doyle, Samantha Crase Adviser Dennis Brown

NEWS

05

FEATURES

14

SPECIAL

26

OPINION

35

A&E

38

SPORTS

50

EDITORIAL

51

THE VOICE is an official student-produced medium of news and information published and produced every three weeks starting in October by Huntley High School News Media Production students (ADDRESS: 13719 Harmony Rd. Huntley, IL 60142). The Voice has been established as a 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 | safety

Protocols for school safety District security plans for future emergency situations in the schools

By Hunter Brown

D. Doyle

T

Students look down at the police patrolling the building during the hold in place and teach.

he student handbook states that bringing any type of weapon to school grounds at any time of the day will come with a consequence, that consequence being expulsion. The weapon can be any type of gun or it can be a knife or brass knuckles.

Associate principal Tom Kempf and the staff have to handle the situation when there is a threat to the school. The modified airgun was found after school on Sept. 30.

“Discipline is not limited to 7:30-2:30, our school discipline applies to people any time that the school is involved,” Kempf said.

“Someone’s in a car, something in a person [or] in your backpack is on school property or it’s impacting the school. We have a role in investigating, and talking about it.”

All schools are required to have a hard lockdown or active shooter drill that is observed by law enforcement. The district also needs to conduct a minimum of one annual meeting where they review the school’s emergency and crisis plans, protocols, and procedures.

High school and elementary school are very different when OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

handling these types of situations.

Most of the time in elementary school, the students are in one place, and during evacuation, the teachers line up the students and do attendance.

“One of the things that’s very important to us is that we learn and we reflect from every incident that we have, so we make sure the building is safe,” Kempf said. “We check the hallways, we get everybody outside, and then we start to worry about [if] everybody [is] where they were supposed to be.”

The district has partnered with the Huntley Police Department to house a School Resource Officer at Huntley High School for more than 20 years. The resource officers are full-time and fully-equipped police officers with authority to enforce local laws as well to provide first response in emergency situations.

In an event of an emergency the natural instinct for parents and guardians is to go to their child’s school, bu that can be counterproductive. They should not call or rush to the student’s school because the phone lines and staff are needed for emergency response

3

efforts. They should wait for communication from the school before they do anything.

The hold in place and teach was two hours long on Oct. 6, keeping everyone in their seventh period classroom after school. Some students, like senior John McPhee, were in the locker room.

“It was tough staying in the locker room for two hours, being all sweaty. It smelled really bad,” McPhee said. “It just got chaotic.”

Senior Drew Helinsky was surprised about the modified air soft gun that was found on Sept. 30.

“We had bullets in the past, but not an actual airgun. It was really shocking,” Helinsky said.

Kempf, officer Ryan Gregorio, and the rest of the administrative team always want to make sure the school is safe.

“It’s always an evolving process, we are always evaluating our procedures, trying to figure out things that we need to improve on,” Kempf said.

Read more on school safety in the editorial on page 51 HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

NEWS | college

A guide to college admissions Many seniors left with questions about finding the perfect school

By Annaliese Harper

W

i th the start of the school year comes the start of a new school year’s application season. Many juniors and seniors feel lost in the process, but there is a simple method to do everything on time.

The first part of the application process is knowing where to apply. What colleges should you look at? What things should you consider?

“Don’t pay attention to U.S. News and World reports on college rankings,” said Laura Martens, Huntley’s college and careers counselor.

While a school may be considered a “top school,” they might score poorly in the specific area of study you want to pursue. In addition, higher-ranked schools typically come with higher pressure and expectations.

It might be better to go to a college in a city or a small town, a religious institution, or a secular school. All

these things may vary based on career options, study methods, and personal values.

“College fit is the most important.

You look at what the college wants out of a student, but you also look at what a student wants out of a college,” Martens said.

College visits can help you decide what kind of environment and focus would be best. Huntley High School allows two college visits per semester.

“In order to get it excused from [class as] ‘excused by parent’ to ‘college visit’ on powerschool, they’ll just need to take the form with them and have someone at that college sign it,” Martens said.

The form needed for this can be found on the college and careers webpage as well as within the office itself.

Once the colleges are picked, it is important to consider their requirements and when their window of opportunity is.

“I organized it by the colleges I need to apply to for early decision and regular decision,” senior Ellie Pahl said.

This is the best way to go about applying, however, the window for early application is closing Nov. 1, so some

Seniors Ava Nielsen (right) committed to Univeristy of Kentucky on Oct. 16 while senior Nikki Darnall accepted to Univesity of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Sept. 3, her 18th birthday, and committed weeks later.

Courtesy of Ava Nielsen OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

Courtesy of Nikki Darnall

5

seniors might be out of luck.

But knowing when to start can help the juniors, who will be applying next year.

“I like the window of September first to November first,” Martens said.

“Just because you apply on August first doesn’t mean you will beat someone who applied in September.”

In addition, admission representatives would also be back in school in September, as well as teachers you can ask for letters of recommendation from.

“A lot of students will ask the English teachers because [they] are such good writers. They want a well written one, but that’s not really the thing that you should use,” Martens said. “Just the teacher that knows you the best.”

Common App is one of the most popular ways to compile this information, and it works well because you can save as you go.

Overlapping with the end of the early application process is the beginning of the process of student aid.

This month, FAFSA opened, and many students were left confused on what to do, what school year to pick, and why they should fill it out at all.

Aside from the fact that it is now required for graduation in the state of Illinois, FAFSA has many benefits.

“You can get up to between $100 and $6,000 in grant money, money that you won’t have to pay back,” Martens said. “FAFSA is basically just an application for grant money and for student loan money. The state of Illinois uses it [and] sometimes the college requires it.”

According to Martens, if a student is currently on free and reduced lunch, or is able to get a waiver for an outside SAT test that they took because of family income, then they likely also qualify for a waiver for application fees.

FAFSA should be filled out for the year the student will be attending college. For example, this year’s seniors will be filling out the form for the 20222023 school year.

The process may seem like a lot, but it is important to go through it if a student plans on pursuing higher education.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

NEWS | class enrollment

Specialized classes lacking in student interest are at risk Classes removed from course catalog due to low enrollment

By Fiona Brady

O

nce a year, Huntley High School students log into their PowerSchool accounts to complete a required task; requesting the courses they plan to take the following year of school.

Students are faced with a plethora of options to choose from for their core classes and electives, and the choices they make will determine their schedule for next year.

On the first day of school, most students are used to walking into a classroom with nearly every seat filled, the desks inhabited and the floor littered with backpacks.

However, this was not the case for math teacher Stephen Styers’ Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra class, where only four students occupied the classroom.

Multivariable Calculus is an advanced course and has a prerequisite of taking AP Calculus BC. Passing the AP exam with a score of either 4 or 5 is mandatory prior to taking the course.

The students enrolled in this course are coming directly from an advanced calculus course and must be on an accelerated math track early on. As a result, the number of students in the class are often lower than seen in a more traditional math course.

Despite having a low number of enrolled students, Styers does not let a small class deter his rigorous teaching style and high level of discipline.

“My whole goal is to teach as rigorous a class as possible because otherwise, why are you taking an AP course?” Styers said. “I promised myself that when I was teaching at this level, because my students are very smart and they’re used to getting things right away, I would push them as hard as

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

possible so that they would become disciplined and focused… so that when they go to college, they know what discipline is.”

To Styers, a small class by no means translates to a poor level of education.

According to Styers, his courses are as rigorous as you would expect to find at a university level. He is extremely dedicated to teaching his students to the best of his ability and ensuring that they are prepared for what awaits them in the future.

“I will never compromise the quality of my education. I don’t care how many people are in my classroom. I will do whatever it takes,” Styers said.

However, Multivariable Calculus is not the only course that is beginning to enroll fewer students. According to senior Brooke Lynn Phetthongsy, there are only nine students in her Zoology class this year.

Phetthongsy believes that a small number of students in the classroom has a negative impact on the collaborative environment of the class.

“It makes for a super quiet class,” Phetthongsy said. “When a class is that small, there’s less communication in the class, and no one really talks while doing work except for the teacher.”

Though different class sizes can definitely have different outcomes, the

A student sits alone in a class with extremely low enrollment.

S. Hashmi

6

issue of classes dying out has been prevalent in the past as well.

According to associate principal Shelly Kish, a few courses that have not been offered recently due to lack of student interest and involvement are Medical Spanish, AP European History, and Multicultural Literature. These classes, which have garnered less interest than others, are not completely obsolete but are not currently being taught.

“We left [Medical Spanish] on [the course catalog] for so long, but we could never get the numbers that we needed,” Kish said. “So again, if we ever thought that we wanted to try to bring something like that back, we still have it. It’s not like the course is gone, it’s just we haven’t found interest in it at all.”

According to Kish, even if a class is not offered for a year, it is still kept as an option. Classes are usually not taken off the course catalog until the class has not been consistently running for three to four years.

Another issue that can come into play while taking enrollment for classes is prerequisites. Students may find a course they are interested in, but it could require a few classes needed to be completed before becoming available for students to take.

“For some of the courses, even though it may be a really strong course, if you have to take one or two prerequisite courses to be able to get into that course, sometimes people may not want to have that commitment level,” Kish said.

Even with the decreased level of enrollment in some classes this year, there is no doubt that the level of education being given is as high-quality as ever, if not better. Students are encouraged to push themselves and take classes that both interest and challenge them.

“If you plan to take these courses you’re going to be pushed, you’re going to be challenged,” Styers said. “But you will learn, and you will get better.”

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

NEWS | class enrollment

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NEWS | transportation

Eco-friendly buses introduced New transportation brings District 158 one step closer to a greener future

By Ava Peters

Propane buses create less emissions than diesel buses and are quieter.

I

t is no secret that eco-friendly products and fuel efficient cars have been on the rise in recent years. But, a fairly new idea has been added to the mix, eco-friendly school buses.

When most people think of school buses, they think of loud, smelly vehicles that emit black smoke when they run, and it is a given that they are not helping the environment. These new buses, however, run with propane, and as a result run much quieter and create less emissions.

There are currently 25 propane buses in the district, first arriving in July. In the next five years it is expected that 100% of District 158’s school bus fleet will be propane.

According to CFO Mark Altmayer, District 158 is the greenest district in Illinois, considering the solar panels combined with the total energy savings.

“I think the impact comes with just the positivity of what it can do for our environment long term.

Whether somebody recognizes it or not, it’s still a benefit,” principal Marcus Belin said.

The director of operations and maintenance, Doug Renkosik, was inspired to get propane buses after seeing another district in Cook Country use them successfully. After talking with the CFO

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

S. Hashmi and director of transportation, they unanimously decided to get propane buses for District 158.

The propane buses, which are around $6-7 thousand more than diesel buses, which in total equate to $95 thousand for one, will save money in the long run.

“Even though a bus gets less mileage per gallon of propane as opposed to diesel, we’re getting it cheaper. But it’s in the long run, and the other equipment on that diesel bus to make the emissions clean air work that costs us more money,” mechanic Brian Schroeder said. “The overall idea is cost savings, the cost of maintenance, and the cost of the fuel. And as people think diesels are dirty, well they’re not all dirty, but they’re not as clean as propane or gasoline [buses].”

“They get really expensive to repair. Especially with the world we live in today, parts for diesel are becoming scarce and it’s getting harder to find places where you can order them,” director of transportation Laura Hooper said.

In addition to the overall cost savings of the propane buses, they are also much better for the environment than diesel buses.

“If you were to follow one [propane bus], and they were to take off from a stop sign or a stop light, you’re going to see water come out

8

of the tailpipe. That’s the difference. We’re putting cleaner out than what the diesel was. Propane is a byproduct of the oil and gas industry. This is really just a waste product that they have refined,” Schroeder said.

With the addition of new vehicles, there is bound to be some hesitation of the unknown.

“Our maintenance and transportation departments would probably say they’re a little apprehensive about learning a new, different kind of engine. As they get experience, I think they’ll find that it’s not such a bad deal,” Renkosik said. “They did interview the people down in Cook County to understand their experience and they were fine with it after they learned about them, it’s just something new. Some people are apprehensive about something they’re not familiar with.”

The introduction of propane buses has been successful so far, but no one will really know how they will impact the district until around five years, according to Schroeder.

The next generations to come will certainly appreciate the money being used for these propane buses that are helping the overall air quality. There are still a lot of changes that need to be made in order to make the earth more green, but this is definitely a big step.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

NEWS | feminism

Empowered women empower everyone Senior Angie Favila creates first women empowerment club at Huntley

By Mira Terranova

A

s the 70+ members of the WELL Club gather in room W1207, they all have the same goal in mind: spreading and sharing their knowledge on the misconceptions of women empowerment.

Women empowerment has been a wide-spread topic on all social media platforms over the past few years.

Senior Angie Favila has developed a huge passion on this topic and decided it was time Huntley High School opened up a platform for others to speak up.

She officially decided to put her interest out there by starting Huntley’s very own WELL Club. WELL stands for Women Empowerment and Leadership League, and was featured in the documentary “Girl Rising.” Favila’s passion for empowering women in our society skyrocketed after seeing this film in her Global Capstone course at HHS, so she took a leap of faith and started the club.

When Favila was asked about making a club to show her passion and advocacy for women empowerment, it clicked with her that this is something she really wanted to pursue.

“It was kind of a ‘duh’ moment to me, like why haven’t I thought of this before?” Favila said. “I thought it was a good idea to create this club, and I knew a lot of people in this community, through social media, really had the same ideas and beliefs.”

Although this club is fairly new, it has already become an outlet to many people in our school community. The WELL Club offers a safe space for anyone to open up about their past experiences and share their opinions and values.

Anyone is welcome to join the club no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, or sexuality.

Senior Holly Holterhaus is an active member of the club, where she feels

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

she can truly be herself and help her peers with any support they may need.

The WELL Club has given her a unique opportunity.

“I wanted to help support other women around the world and offer help to anyone I could,” Holterhaus said. “I feel it’s important that people are finally discussing the disadvantages women have in a lot of places and situations around the world, so we can recognize the issues at hand and address them.”

This club is not only an outlet for women, but is an outlet for all. The WELL Club currently has multiple men enrolled in the club and regularly attending the meetings. Senior Ben Keaty is an involved advocate for women empowerment and is an avid member of the club.

“There’s a lot of people that are… really important in my life that are activists and feminists,” Keaty said. “So when Angie asked me last year to join, I was like, ‘of course!’”

Some plans that the club has for the future include helping out with the Spooky Buddies event, as well as hopefully dedicating time to service projects. The club hopes to hold events relating to the Girl Rising platform.

“With Ms. Sharkey being a Girl Rising educator, [she] actually talks to schools around us, so I really want that to be a future plan of interacting with different schools,” Favila said. “If we can grow it into a bigger community, that would be great.”

If any student is interested in becoming an activist for women empowerment but unsure of where to start, the WELL Club is always welcoming new members. Meetings are every other late start, starting at 7:20 a.m.

“I think people should go check it out… you can always just show up and sit in on a meeting,” Keaty said. “You can get some basic information to see if it’s something you’re interested in.”

It is not too late to start getting more involved at Huntley High School. Favila, along with the other club members, cannot wait to welcome some new members.

This is an opportunity for Red Raiders to join and help make a difference in our school and community.

9

Senior Angie Favila, the founder of WELL Club, creates a safe space for HHS students to express themselves.

E. Armstrong

I knew a lot of people in the community, through social media, had the same ideas and beliefs.

Angie Favila

Photo by US Embassy Madrid, CC BY 2.0

“Girl Rising” was the film that inspired Favila to create the WELL Club after seeing it during her Global Capstone course.

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NEWS | clubs

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NEWS | clubs

Join the party with Super Smash Bros Video game enthusiasts bond while competing

By Sara Gebka

T

he projector hums softly as it slowly comes to life; a harsh light escapes from it and projects onto the whiteboard in front of it. Excitement buzzes across the science room as the boring white board transforms into the memorable title screen that so many members have seen: Smash Club is ready for battle.

Every week club members gather in Kayla Forsythe’s classroom (W1011) on Mondays and John Nichols’ classroom (W1014) on Thursdays to “duke it out” with each other from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Smash Club was created by seniors Adam Cramer and Bryan Wirth during their sophomore year; the club was originally called Blast from the Past Gaming Club.

According to Wirth, the club took inspiration from a previous video game club that was created by Huntley High School graduate Dante Fiandaca.

“I would bring in random consoles every day, and I would also bring random games with [the consoles] and ask what people wanted to play.

One day, I brought in my [Nintendo] Switch and we played ‘Smash’,” Cramer said.

According to Cramer, whenever he would bring in consoles other than his Switch, members of Blast from the Past Gaming Club would complain to Cramer when they wanted to continue playing “Super Smash Bros.

Ultimate.” In the end, Cramer decided to bring in his Switch during the club meetings, which in turn changed Blast from the Past Gaming Club to Super Smash Bros Club.

“I decided to just boil it all down to Smash Bros so I could carry less to school,” Cramer said.

Club members would meet in either W1011 or W1014 and set up the controllers and Switch. It would be

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

connected to a projector which would project the Switch’s screen, making it easier to see what’s happening during each game rather than having everyone squished together next to a small screen.

Additionally, controllers are provided by the club, so students who want to join the club don’t need to worry about that.

Blast from the Past Gaming Club originally had seven memberws in its club, but once the club transformed into Smash Bros Club, in addition to an in person school year, the number of members doubled.

“There’ve been a couple of new people this year,” Cramer said. “But other than that, it’s just been the same people I remember back in sophomore year.”

Freshman Ahyan Yeasin is one of the club’s newest members who recently joined Smash Club.

“School’s stressful as it is and it’s nice to hang out with friends once in a while [during the meetings],” Yeasin said.

Sophomore James Lim is also a new member of the club who just recently started joining in.

“For the first time in forever, I actually really enjoyed being in a club here [at school] and staying after school for once,” Lim said. “Everybody else here [in the club] is super nice.”

Even though the fliers around HHS mention that the new “Nickelodeon All Star Brawl” will be offered during the meetings, it is yet to be played.

“Personally, I don’t want to put it into the club, but Bryan’s been really, really persistent on adding it into the club,” Cramer said. “I’m not a fan of the game and I don’t want to add it into the club.”

Originally, Cramer believed that Smash Club would die out once he and Wirth would graduate; however, junior Joseph Music, one of the original seven members of Blast from the Past Gaming club, volunteered to take over the club once the two seniors graduated.

“I’d keep the Smash [game] but

11

S. Hashmi Members of Smash Club compete against one another in a tournament. also branch out into other games that could be played competitively like ‘Skullsgirls’, ‘Nickelodeon All Stars [Brawl]’, and ‘Dead by Daylight’,” Music said.

According to Music, he is thinking about the future of Smash Club; he wants to try bringing in multiple TVs and consoles.

“I could also bring in one of those fighting game boards with six buttons since most fighting games use six buttons,” Music said.

Whatever the future holds for Smash Club, one thing is for sure, there is promise for growth and expansion; more opportunities for more games to be played; for more competitions to be waged; and for the club to grow closer together over their shared interest in gaming.

“It feels really safe, like some people are doing their own thing while others are talking to each other,” Lim said. “Everyone is here for a different reason, but we’re all here to play the same game.”

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | adoption

From fostered to forever home Sophomore Kenneth Twedt’s journey through adoption

By Lindsay Schaffter

A

t 11 a.m., with the sun shining bright, the sound of a phone ringing broke the silence in the Twedt household. As foster parents Amilyn and Robert Twedt answered the phone, the start of something new for this couple began.

Sophomore Kenneth Twedt started off as a foster child to the couple just like his older brother, Kevin, and his half-brother, Adolfo.

As 2 a.m. hit the clock on that same day, Amilyn entered her house but with 4-year-old Kevin and 3-year-old Adolfo, tagging along.

Kenneth was not brought into the picture until a few months after they were. The social worker did not want to overwhelm them with three kids all at once, so Kenneth was put into a temporary placement home.

After 3 years of fostering, Kenneth and Kevin were finally adopted in May of 2010. Kenneth had been 4, and Kevin was 7.

The couple fell in love with these two children that they had been with for a few years. They constantly feared that they would be taken from them, as they encountered custody difficulties.

“One of the hardest struggles we faced when adopting was not knowing if anyone in their biological family was going to take them from us,” Amilyn said.

It took three years for the parental rights of Kenneth and his brother Kevin to be terminated which had been very tough for the couple.

Adolfo was adopted by his biological father, and it is unknown where he is today. He had been with the Twedt family for a total of four years, leaving at the age of 7.

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

Kenneth continues hoping he will have the opportunity to see him again one day and misses him terribly.

“I know I just want to find him.

He’s my brother, one of my other halves,” Kenneth said.

When Kenneth was around 7 years old, he had been in the car with his parents. He had finally asked the nagging question of why he looked different than them.

It was then that his parents had decided that it was time to tell him the truth.

“I was asking them why they’re white and I’m not,” Kenneth said.

It was not that Kenneth’s parents kept it from him on purpose, but it just was not a question that had come up until then.

The first time Robert saw Kenneth was at a park. The brothers had all been getting together to see each other after not being able to for a couple months.

“My first thought was how little he was. He was just about one year old at the time,” Robert said.

Kenneth had originally been born in Aurora, Illinois. He had been given to the Twedts through DCFS and adopted through Lutheran Social

Kenneth Twedt on the left and his older brother, Kevin, on the right.

Courtesy of Amilyn Twedt

12

Services.

Now, Kenneth plays football and track at Huntley High School and, as he said, has a life just like any other kid.

He tries his best and gets average to above average grades, hangs out with his friends whenever he can, and goes to school almost every day.

“It is nice to feel involved with the community,” Kenneth said.

We wanted these kids to be forever, not just for a little while.

Robert Twedt

Luckily, he has great friends and family surrounding and supporting him through his everyday life, making it a lot easier.

For Kenneth, telling his friends about things like his adoption and the background behind it can be annoying because of how much there is to explain. It still makes him happy that he has understanding friends who do not look at him any differently.

As for Kenneth’s biological parents, their whereabouts are currently unknown.

Although this does make it harder for Kenneth to see his biological mother in person, he will not stop trying when he is older. It would mean a lot for him to meet her.

“I know that my other parents are still out there somewhere, and that makes me kinda want to find them sometime in the future,” Kenneth said.

As foster parents Robert and Amilyn have touched the lives of three boys, previously strangers to them.

Throughout the struggle, they continued to put all their love and hard work into these children they were gifted with.

“We wanted these kids to be forever, not just for a little while,” Robert said.

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FEATURE | adoption

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FEATURE | growth

Watch her

By Maggie Armstrong

J

ust like every other practice, the one on Monday began with the cheerleaders sluggishly getting their shoes on and saying goodbye to their parents. The long day, the nap beforehand, and the nightmares of the previous night were visible in each of their slow movements and dread for the practice ahead.

Junior Rachel Toth was no exception.

She showed up with little interest in doing anything besides taking another nap on the cheer mats.

It took the help of her coach, Xhail Traub, and the other coaches to get her up and ready, but as soon as Toth took her place in the first formation, she shook off her sleepiness and put her game face on. It was time to sparkle.

Sparkle Squad, the Huntley Cheer Association’s team for children with disabilities, has recently taken up Toth’s Monday and Wednesday nights since her first season as a cheerleader started in late July. Her mother, Geralyn Toth, put her in the Sparkle Squad spring camp in April and then signed her up for the fall season after the success of the camp.

“Once she progressed, and we started signing up for a lot of things, she just liked it a lot, and you just keep trying to raise her as any other child. It really helps,” Geralyn Toth said.

Toth has Down Syndrome, but her

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

mother’s firm belief in trying different experiences and activities has allowed Toth to have opportunities and achievements just like any other teenager According to Geralyn Toth, one of their favorite pastimes is participating in Bike the Drive in downtown Chicago, where the mother and daughter biked the whole 30-mile distance on a tandem bicycle.

Toth has also won awards for swimming and track and field. Her love for sports and activities demonstrates her restless and eager personality.

“She definitely likes to explore. She’s an explorer. She likes to go,” coach Traub said.

This is Traub’s first Sparkle Squad season as the head coach with her daughter, Samantha Traub, as one of the cheerleaders. Throughout the season, Traub has come to know Toth very well and considers her to be a great addition to the team.

“I like saying the cheers, and I also like doing the High V,” Toth said.

Toth always does her best and is one of the loudest cheerleaders when saying the cheer, especially when a dance party at the end of practice is promised to those who work hard.

“I think she’s really grown in the time that we’ve known her, she’s opened up a lot more. She wouldn’t say a word in the beginning back in the camp.” coach Traub said. "It’s really nice to see how

14

far she’s come."

This progression goes beyond Sparkle Squad, as her mother noted that one of her favorite things has been watching Toth grow and develop over the years.

“She’s accomplished way more than we ever knew she could do. Some things are still a struggle, but… there’s a lot of things that she’s really taking off on,” Geralyn Toth said.

Walking, talking, learning, and speaking are all of the skills that typical children swiftly achieve within the first couple years of their lives, but those same skills took Toth nearly twice as long to gain. Each skill was a huge milestone for her and proved her great potential more and more. These milestones and accomplishments have also made her an exceptional and unique person.

“I like the way she is, just being herself.

She’s not afraid to be herself,” said Lynnette Pace, Toth’s school aide.

Pace has been Toth’s school aide since Toth’s freshman year at Huntley High School, and Pace shared her gratitude for the school keeping them together throughout Toth’s high school years.

The two have grown close, and Pace has come to love Toth and truly enjoy her company. Being with her all day, Pace is able to notice the little, extraordinary things that Toth does.

“In [physical education, another student's] wheelchair is kind of give and take, and if we have to walk the

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | growth

Junior Rachel Toth's bright personality encourages others around her to unapologetically be themselves

track, Rachel will volunteer to push her around the track,” Pace said.

But caring is just one word to describe Toth.

“She’s very spunky, unpredictable, funny, loving, happy… She teaches me,” Geralyn Toth said. “She sees things in a different perspective a lot of times and you think sometimes… she’s right.”

As Toth walks through the halls, cheers and tumbles at Sparkle Squad practice, and goes about her daily life, she impacts nearly every person she speaks to. This is simply because she has grown to be unapologetically herself.

Toth has two older sisters and a brother-in-law who love her to death.

According to her mom, She has had a huge impact on her family, and they continue to learn from her every day.

“I think it’s made her siblings more accepting and more loving. She loves to be with them all the time and do things with them,” Geralyn Toth said.

Having Toth as a daughter, cheerleader, student, and sister has taught everyone in Toth’s life important life lessons and values.

“It’s taught me patience,” Pace said.

“Being more aware of other disabilities out there,” Traub said.

“It’s taught me to look at the lighter side of life, to laugh more,” Geralyn Toth said.

Despite her spunky personality, Toth does not often talk to a lot of the

students that she passes in the halls or has classes with. She is a lot shyer before getting to know someone. All it takes is to go up and say hi, and there is no doubt that Toth will share a funny comment or show off a new trick that just might make that person’s day a little bit brighter.

And while society has come a long way to fully accepting people with disabilities, not everyone is aware of how to help out or show that they care.

For Toth, there are a lot of little things that other students or people can do to help her feel more comfortable and welcomed.

“Give her the time to communicate… accept her limitations, and encourage higher expectations,” Geralyn Toth said.

“I think people need to be a little bit more compassionate and really look at things that these kids do and not take that for granted,” Traub said.

One such achievement is how Toth recently accomplished doing a cartwheel and now thoroughly enjoys showing it off when running the routine. However, even more than learning new tricks and practicing the cheer, Toth loves the dance parties at the end of each practice.

“I do like dancing,” Toth said. "I like flossing, it’s my favorite.

She also looks forward to the possibility of earning a sleepover with Sparkle Bear. Each practice, the cheerleader

who worked the hardest and had a great attitude gets to take the team teddy bear, Sparkle, home for a sleepover until the next practice.

As Monday’s practice came to a close, the coaches gathered the cheerleaders to announce the person who earned a sleepover with Sparkle. The cheerleaders eagerly drummed on the floor as they awaited the reveal: Rachel! She looked up at hearing her name, and a smile spread across her face as she was handed Sparkle and hugged the bear to her chest.

The coaches changed the music and started the dance party with the traditional opening song and Sparkle Squad favorite, “Who Let the Dogs Out.” Toth danced carelessly and freely with Sparkle clutched in her arms.

Coach Traub looked on, hardly able to picture the shy cheerleader who had walked into the first practice of Sparkle Squad camp and would not say a word.

Her great dance moves and wild personality can sum up her many accomplishments, growth, and her incredible impact on the people around her.

Even her mother knew, the second she was born, that she would become an exceptional person and grow like any other child.

“She was a baby, not just a diagnosis,” Geralyn Toth said.

photos by Ellie Armstrong OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | teacher

Taking teaching up a notch Danekas is dedicated to putting students first

By Christine Idowu

H

istory teacher Gibson Danekas awakens to a dark, starry sky with the moon still out. At 4:30 a.m., he prepares to start his day and come to work at Huntley High School. Arriving at 6:00 a.m., he prepares his lessons until first period. Then he teaches for the rest of the school day.

Danekas teaches U.S. History blended and is also a varsity football coach. This year will be Danekas’ fourth year of teaching U.S. History.

The role of being a leader and helping people out is what made Danekas want to be a teacher. He always wanted to be the teacher that he thought he never had. As a student, Danekas was always the student who had decent grades and was well-behaved. However, being in this average group caused him to never truly have connections with his teachers.

“I just wanted to be that teacher that reaches to every person I can.

Personally, teaching for me is a lot more about creating better human beings,” Danekas said.

When it came down to picking subjects to teach, Danekas chose history because of how relatable it is to everybody and because of the human interaction aspect.

He feels that with each historical event, there is a lesson that can be learned.

Even though the history teachers teach the same content, Danekas tries to make each lesson interactive for his students.

“I remember being in high school and not enjoying classes, where I just sat there the whole time, so I have tried to make [the lessons] as interactive and as different as I possibly can,” Danekas said.

The history teachers usually come together to plan the whole unit out

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

and then make the test for the unit.

They use this test to figure out what needs to be taught before the test and how each lesson should be taught.

“Personally, I try to make sure that each lesson has a purpose. Then I try to make each lesson memorable so that students can engage in the learning but also enjoy the process of learning,” Danekas said.

Each lesson is new and different from the previous day. Some of his lessons include lectures where he evokes strong emotion, others involve watching poignant documentaries and having debates.

“I love how he teaches passionately, and how he doesn’t just hand out worksheets for us to fill out on our own. He actually wants us to understand the content,” junior Emily Willis said.

Over the years, Danekas has grown as a teacher. Before teaching at Huntley High School, Danekas’

first teaching job was at Dixon High School. Working at Dixon High School in Dixon, Illinois, was one of his toughest years professionally.

According to Danekas, it was also his most important year; not only because it was his first year of teaching, but because he was working with a different clientele that was divergent from Huntley High School.

“It was a lot harder for students to do the things that I wanted them to do. And then, you also have the combination of it’s my first year teaching,” Danekas said. “I learned so much my first year, that when I look back on it, I can’t believe I did all those dumb, weird things.”

While teaching, Danekas conveys the different sides of history and shows contrasting perspectives, helping his students develop different skills to assist them through life and to become better historians.

“I have taken away better reading

Danekas presents a lesson to his fourth hour U.S. History class.

S. Crase

16

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | teacher skills regarding comprehension and better communication skills because we had to communicate more with each other and go outside of our comfort zones,‘’ junior Jessica Buchanan said.

Danekas has pushed his students to create a better version of themselves by making them step out of their comfort zones and by not allowing them to say “I don’t know” when answering a question. Even if

I just wanted to be that teacher that reaches to every person I can.

Personally, teaching for me is a lot more about creating better human beings.

Gibson Danekas

the student does not know the answer, he tries to guide them in the right direction to help the student better understand the question he is asking and know the answer.

Not only does Danekas help his students to succeed academically, but he also cares for his students’ well-being by having monthly check-ins with his students.

“I love how he actually cares for us because it helps me a lot, because there are some teachers who don’t really make the effort,” Buchanan said. “You can tell that he really loves his job and gives it everything.”

At the beginning of the school year, he met with each student individually just to get to know them. Danekas is not just involved in the classroom with his students, but outside as well by making and forming new relationships.

Willis, who did not like history before, now loves the class.

“He makes history fun. He is one of the best teachers I probably ever had because of the style he teaches in,” Willis said.

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FEATURE | global

A. Cobb

Junior Seamus Daly uses his knowledge from his Global Scholar Capstone course to help refugees across the world.

Bringing attention to the hidden world of refugees Junior Seamus Daly’s Global Scholar Project works to solve a global problem

By Megan Curry OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

E

very year, over 30,000 refugees enter France to seek asylum from different parts of Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. Most people in the world are unaware of this growing problem. Junior Seamus Daly plans to change this through his Illinois Global Scholar Project in the Global Academy.

Daly was first introduced to the Global Academy classes through his middle school’s exploration of the different academies.

“When they did the Academy day for middle school I knew I wanted to be a part of one,” Daly said. “I did the Global one because I enjoyed the classes you have to take to get the credit. I enjoyed the history and the criminal classes.”

The Global Academy, led by social studies teacher Anne Sharkey, is one of the four academies offered at Huntley.

It focuses on students learning more about issues around the world and how to make a sustainable change.

Members get involved in action projects and complete the Illinois Global Scholar project by working with organizations and individuals to affect change. Even though it has only been around for four years, it has quickly gained popularity.

Daly was no exception and got started on his journey as soon as possible.

Daly has been involved in the Global Academy since his freshman year and was officially admitted in his sophomore year. He started taking classes like AP World History and Global Citizenship, and since then, Daly knew that he wanted to be a bigger part of the academy.

Each student in the academy is required to take Global Citizenship, Global Seminar, and Global Scholar Capstone. Daly has completed both Citizenship and Seminar and started his junior year taking the capstone course.

The Global Scholar Capstone course is the final course in the Global Academy path.

“It’s definitely different from other classes as it’s more independent work with modules and assignments along the way,” Sharkey said. “I’ve worked with the teachers who run Illinois Global Scholar to help create some modules, and those mainly guide them through the activities to make sure they are working. I love seeing what the students are interested in as last year it OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

FEATURE | global was everything from Period Poverty in Cuba to Mental Health in India and lots of other topics… It’s not an easy class by any means, but it’s great because students can find their own way with their own interests.”

Through his other courses, Daly learned about the refugee crisis in France and wanted to use his Capstone course as a way to learn more and take a stand against it.

“I did [Refugee Crisis in France] because last year I heard a lot about the crisis. I wanted to keep on doing it because it is really recent and it’s been going on for a while,” Daly said. “We’re in the stage of having to wait for our people to respond. Right now, I’m just waiting for their response.”

Daly has already learned so much about refugees and different asylum seekers.

“Originally when I started, I was just thinking about France and certain areas in France. I noticed that Germany and the entirety of Europe also had this problem,” Daly said. “Because of wars, it became more European focused. I’m still focusing and researching France, but I’m going to try and apply some things to the rest of Europe.”

While researching the project, one of Daly’s biggest concerns was why they were leaving in the first place.

“I think it’s… because France is a pretty big country. They just kind of want to get out of their home countries, especially if there is a lot of war, especially in Greece and Turkey, and become less traumatized by trying to go to better countries,” Daly said. “But that’s why I’m researching it because it’s not really

working out in their favor, and there is no housing and stuff for them.”

His good friend, junior Lance Leigh, was also really interested in the Global Academy.

“I’d say [being in the same class as your friend] is great, and it definitely improves the experience,” Leigh said.

"Working on projects together, you always have someone you can count on to give you honest feedback and to bounce ideas off of. It really enhances the experience a lot.”

Leigh and Daly had been in the same globally-focused classes for three years now and they have worked together as much as they can.

Daly has had Sharkey as a teacher every year he’s been in the Global Academy and has grown a good relationship with her since his freshman year.

“Seamus is a great and motivated student [who has been] involved in a lot of different upper level classes and has been in the Global Academy courses since he was a freshman,” Sharkey said.

Because of teachers like Sharkey, Daly learned to enjoy the more globally-focused classes and has really focused on projects like these throughout his time in the academy. However, Daly does not plan on doing this for a career.

“I was just going to do this for high school. I don’t really see myself doing a job in anything like this,” Daly said.

“I would have to see how it works out because right now I don’t really know what I’m doing as a career. I’m taking more classes to see what I’m interested in, but right now I’m looking to go into anything global.”

Leigh and Daly, best friends working toward the same goal of change.

A. Cobb

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | haunted house

From the on-stage spotlight to haunted house scare acting Junior Steven Rogers frightens many at Evil Intentions

By Lauren Courtney

T

he pale moon peeks out from an overcast sky on a dark October night, illuminating the abandoned Elgin Casket Factory. A frigid breeze scatters newly-fallen leaves across the road and sends shivers crawling up the spines of adults and teens, stripping away any prior excitement and replacing it with an uneasy sense of fear. Dodging around masses of people, with ghouls and demons dotted around the premises, the groups approach the building. Much to their anticipation, multiple scares await them inside, one of them being Steven Rogers.

Rogers works as a scare actor for Evil Intentions, a scare attraction located in an abandoned factory in Elgin. As a student that participates in the fine arts program, Rogers likes to look for opportunities where he can practice his acting.

“I’m a theater kid, so I’m always looking for an opportunity to go do anything that has something to do with acting,” Rogers said. “I started out as a volunteer and popped right in as the season started.”

Rogers is now a paid actor for the haunted house, and has worked there for two years. While he typically works three days a week, hours are long as he works from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., or even until midnight. “[The schedule] fluctuates. Most of the time it’s Friday, Saturday, [and] Sunday. Call time is 5 p.m., though I usually arrive at 4 p.m. [and work] to midnight or 10 p.m. depending on the day,” Rogers said. “There are exceptions where it will be Thursdays for two weeks

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

E. Armstrong Rogers works as a scare actor for Evil Intentions, located in Elgin. and then there’s Hell Week.”

Hell Week is the week leading up to Halloween where, according to Rogers, business is typically the busiest. During Hell Week, he works most of the week and does not get off until late into the night. With five to eight hour shifts that require physical movement and interaction, it can be difficult to keep up the energy needed to make the experience as scary as possible.

“I’m in one of the more physically active rooms. The best way to describe it is it’s pretty much just an evil jungle gym,” Rogers said.

“We scare people [with] timing and team tactics, but it does get exhausting very fast, so [I need to drink] a lot of water. My diet has

20

gone straight up through the roof; I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been because of this place.”

All of the scare actors at Evil Intentions provide visitors with an interactive experience. Often, the actors can be found speaking to and photo-bombing visitors as they prepare to enter the haunted house.

“The second I walked out of my car there were actors interacting with me. They jumped into my pictures, talked with me as I walked to the entrance, [and] there was never a dull moment! Once I entered the establishment, I was met with a thrilling story like watching a movie but I was the main character. I want to go again soon,” said junior MakHUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | haunted house enzie Blake, a friend of Rogers’.

However, being a scare actor requires training. Before the season starts, workers and volunteers go to classes where they train with their teams to practice with their characters and understand how to work together. Each room has a different theme, so each team works to make the most of their environment. “[Evil Intentions] does have classes to help with the rooms and usually there is a person who has been in that room for a while who helps [the] new people in there,” Rogers said. “They [are there] before the season, and they train people who want to become actors. They go over what you’re supposed to do and how the rooms work.”

Much of his act is similar to improv, as he is not given specific lines to say. To help make his character scarier, Rogers takes inspiration from other haunted houses and even movies in his acts.

“I feel like in the moment I didn’t think about it. When you’re watching a scary movie, you don’t think, ‘oh, I’m going to use that tactic on someone later,’” Rogers said. “But after the opportunity popped up in my mind, all I could think was that I could pull this in.”

Blake feels that Rogers’ experience will help him further his acting career and give him an advantage in applying for roles.

“His experience at Evil Intentions is a positive one for him for sure.

Steven loves performing, and having this job will give him perspective and an advantage when applying for future auditions,” Blake said.

Rogers continues to make the most of the opportunity, as it gives him the experience he needs to continue his acting career both inside and outside of HHS; it teaches him skills that he can apply to his fine arts courses.

“One thing that this place has taught me–that goes along with classes I’ve been taking–is the importance of timing and duration in acting,” Rogers said. “There’s a natural time for things to happen, and breaking that is what causes suspense and extending that is what causes anxiety. Pushing that has been really useful for what I’m doing in class [for] the actual acting.”

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S. Hashmi Ubeda parades around the hallways with his creations held proudly over his shoulders.

More than cardboard

FEATURE | WWE

Freshman Zion Ubeda creates WWE belts

By Zoe Emerson

I

f you pay attention to the people around you while walking through the halls of Huntley High School, there is a good chance that you have seen freshman Zion Ubeda parading through the halls with professional wrestling belts.

Ubeda can often be seen with multiple belts at one time. You may see him with one or more around his waist, one over his shoulder, or one held high above his head. If you are lucky, you may see Ubeda wearing three or more belts at once.

Ubeda may make hand signs as well, which professional wrestling fans would recognize to be signature hand gestures of some of the most well-known wrestlers in the business.

Standing from a distance, it may seem like these belts are metal replicas. However, upon further inspection, it can be determined that the belts are made out of an everyday material: cardboard.

Ubeda has spent the majority of his life creating replica championship belts, mainly out of paper. However, as time went on, Ubeda realized that paper just was not good enough.

“In late 2020, I started going all-out using cardboard to make the real thing,” Ubeda said. “My first belt was the United States Championship, and I’m super proud of it.”

Ubeda has created a total of 41 cardboard championship belts, the first one with the help of his uncle. It may seem relatively simple to make a belt out of cardboard, however, for Ubeda, it is no small task.

“For each belt, it takes up to two weeks, maybe three,” Ubeda said. “I draw the plate and color it in. I cut out the details with an X-Acto knife with name plates and side plates. Once the paint dries, I do the extra details.”

David Ubeda, Zion’s father, states that his son has been creating things since he was a child. Zion’s creativity began to take off when he started making Rainbow Loom bracelets and selling them in his driveway.

“My favorite thing about the belts is [that] they are an expression of creativity,” David said. “For him to spend OCTOBER 29 ISSUE

hours getting his hand cramped and sitting in one place, [it] must be gratifying to see what it becomes.”

According to Ubeda, he sometimes likes to get into character with his belts, citing Kenny Omega and Christian Cage as professional wrestlers in which he imitates.

Not only does Zion create championship belts, but he also makes a profit from them. A while back, he created an Instagram page in which he shows off the belts and sells them.

A total of 10 belts have been given away or sold, leaving Zion with a total of 31 belts in his collection. He even shipped a classic Intercontinental Championship belt to Texas.

“I have multiple belts for multiple companies. I would say maybe WWE [is my favorite]. They have all the iconic titles,” Zion said. “If I see [a title] in the [WWE shop], I’m making it.”

Outside of creating championship belts, Zion is a member of the freshman football team at HHS, as well as the wrestling team. He stated that he likes theater as well.

“My goal is to qualify all four years [of state for wrestling] and win two,” Zion said.

Zion names Roman Reigns, Tommaso Ciampa and Ilja Dragunov as just a few wrestlers that he admires, all though he does not have a favorite.

David, a businessman in his own right, expresses that he is very excited to see what the future holds for his son. David loves the skill that it takes for Zion to create a belt.

“These belts [are] a product that he’s making by hand, [and] people all around the world reach out to him,” David said. “His work is going to be recognized at some point.”

Zion plans on making belts until he no longer physically can. Zion says that if his dream of making the WWE does not happen, he may upgrade from creating cardboard championship belts to metal ones.

Zion’s perseverance and dedication are qualities that nearly everyone can be inspired by. As David states, he is most proud of his son for being a kind human being.

“He is a genuinely good person and people gravitate towards him,” David said. “I’m so proud that he can be himself and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks of him.”

23

Ubeda has been making WWE championship belts out of cardboard since 2020.

S.Hashmi

My favorite thing about the belts is [that] they are an expression of creativity

David Ubeda

S. Laput S.Hashmi Ubeda has created a total of 41 cardboard championship belts.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | vaping

Not all snitches get stitches The issue of vaping in school bathrooms was never cool-it’s just distasteful

By Ally Jorgensen

P

ain shoots through my abdomen as I speed walk away from the black box theater to my Spanish class in hopes of making it to the bathroom in time. Never in my life have I had to pee so bad.

My palms sweat as I maneuver around students standing in the hallway. It is already an extraordinarily long walk from the black box theater to the nearest bathroom, and I can’t be late to Spanish again.

I cringe and clench my jaw when I notice the discomfort and burning sensation stinging my heel. My white, high-top Converse were not built for speedy bathroom trips like this.

After pushing and shoving through the herd of students, the bathroom doors are finally in sight!

Relief rushes through my body as I reach the bathroom and get in line. Normally, the lines move fast because all of us are trying to get to class on time, but this time, the line seems to be taking longer than normal.

The music begins playing as I look into the bathroom and that’s when I see the barrier between me and my solace; a group of rowdy girls taking turns going into the handicap stall to hit a shared vape. The smell of artificial mango and mint taunted me. I could do nothing but wait and twiddle my thumbs.

As most of us know, the vaping epidemic is nothing new. Since the early 2010s, e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular with the youth. Popular e-cigarette companies like Juul and Vuse use this to their advantage, advertising fun and enticing flavors like “blue raz cotton candy” and “peach iced tea.”

It seemed harmless in the early 2010s as an alternative for cigarette smokers, but these days, it’s becoming a necessity and addiction for teenagers all over the world. “[Vaping has] been going on for a long time. This is not [ just] a Huntley problem, this is a nationwide problem,” dean James Stotz said.

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

S. Gebka Vape users buy from fellow students, or others who can legally purchase one for them. There is a growing culture around vaping and an immense pressure to indulge.

It’s hard to turn a vape down when you don’t fully understand the consequences.

“There’s a lot of peer pressure.

That hasn’t changed in all the years. [There was peer pressure] back when I was a kid. Of course we didn’t have vapes, it was cigarettes,” Stotz said.

Nicotine is extremely addictive.

The more you vape, the more dependent your body is on nicotine, and the harder it is to go without it.

When you stop vaping, the nicotine level in your bloodstream drops, which may cause unpleasant side

Ally Jorgensen

effects and strong urges to vape.

Many teenagers don’t understand that this is a real problem, similar to alcoholism and drug addiction.

School districts all around the country have been dealing with this issue for years, but it has been difficult to combat the excessive use at school, especially in the restrooms.

“We [do not] have cameras in [the bathrooms], nor do we want cameras [in the bathrooms], so our major reliance is on other students,” dean Alice Ohlinger said.

“What’s been wonderful about Huntley is that we have great kids.”

Using this to our knowledge, one can’t help but wonder why kids are still vaping in the bathrooms and getting away with it. It’s simple.

A single word: “snitch.”

Myers Brigg: ESFJ-T | One Word: compassionate

Ally Jorgensen is a floating editor on the Voice and it is her third year on staff. Ally plays the trombone in wind ensemble and also runs cross country and track. In her free time, Ally likes to hang out with friends and try new things. She is also obsessed with cats.

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | vaping perclassmen, to establish what is and is not acceptable at our school. Vaping is no exception.

“You all came in as freshmen creating a certain culture, had it not been for the pandemic, the [underclassmen] would be looking to [the upperclassmen] to say this is what is expected here,” principal Marcus Belin said.

It’s time for the students at Huntley High School to take accountability and speak up. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone if you are concerned about a student, or see someone doing something they are not supposed to.

You are not a snitch for caring about the well-being of our student population.

“As a student body, if you see something, tell somebody,” dean’s assistant Harry Russman said.

Students would rather ignore the issue in order to avoid being labeled a snitch by their peers, even though most reports to deans and other adults in the building are anonymous. This may seem like the right thing to do at the moment to save your own skin, but ignoring the problem doesn’t help anyone.

As a student body, we should be looking out for each other and recognizing that these kids have a real problem.

“From our standpoint, there are going to be dean’s consequences [for vaping at school], but more importantly, it gives the student access to their counselor,” Ohlinger said. “At the end of the day, if you’re using a substance, [whether it be] a nicotine product or something more, you need some help.”

It is our responsibility as students, especially the up-

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IF THESE

halls They would say...

Grade Junior

Activities Thespian, JOY, Creative Writing, Speech

Favorite TV Show

“Game of Thrones”

Star Sign Pisces

But they would not know...

Through theater I have met some of the most influential people in my life. I am so thankful for every single one of them, whether it’s my directors who teach me how to be the person that I want to be or my friends who inspire me every single day to be the best version of myself. When I step into rehearsal or audition or first step onto a stage, all eyes are on the cast and [my anxiety] just melts away. I know this is where I’m meant to be. This is what I love, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

- Makenzie Blake OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

photos and inerviews by ellie armstrong and marrisa dsouza

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COULD

talk

They would say...

Grade Freshman

Activities Wrestling

Favorite TV Show “Outer Banks”

Star Sign Pisces

But they would not know...

I moved to the U.S. in 2016.

I grew up in Latvia, a small Eastern European country.

When I was 9 years old, my parents told me that we were going to move and live near my cousin in America. At the time I didn’t know what to expect or think. When I first started school here in America the biggest difference I noticed was that teachers here actually care for their students and their education.

- Vladimir Maluhin OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | valedictorian

Valedictorian, Salutatorian scorned at graduation Hypocritical lack of academic recognition

By Ellie Armstrong

A

grand slam is followed by a stampede of teammates waiting on home plate.

A touchdown during the last quarter of the Homecoming football game guarantees a chorus of cheers from Raider Nation.

A crushing hit following a perfect set is bound to widen the eyes of volleyball fans. But a world-renowned label recognizing exceptional academic achievement gets no reaction, no applause. It does not mean anything at Huntley High School any more. In fact, it does not even exist.

Beginning with the Class of 2020, Huntley has not had a Valedictorian nor Salutatorian. Since the high school transitioned from a class rank system to the Latin Honors System, the top two titles have been switched out for Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.75-3.99, Magna Cum Laude at 4.0-4.249, and Summa Cum Laude at 4.25 and up.

The main arguments for the abolishment of the class rank and introduction of the Latin Honor System are to recognize more students and diminish stress. However, not recognizing the Valedictorian and Salutatorian contradicts both points.

Superintendent Scott Rowe pointed out that recognizing more students does more than letting them flex medals on graduation day. One of his goals as a part of the committee to introduce the Latin Honors System was to get more students scholarship and post-secondary opportunities.

“Being a Valedictorian or Salutatorian may qualify you for a couple of scholarships, but if you’re fifth in your class out of a class of 750, you get no recognition for that,” Rowe OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

said.

While cum laudes can now apply to certain scholarships, the error is that by refusing to recognize the top two students, specific opportunities are being wasted for the top two. No scholarships should ever be taken away because of the school’s refusal to label students as they are.

Typically, the Valedictorian and Salutatorian also give speeches at graduation. This has been replaced by an elected speaker, which allows the student body to have more of a say in who they want to speak. If the top two positions are recog-

Why is hard work not being awarded?

Megan Martinez

nized, that would be fair compensation considering their chance to address their graduating class was taken too.

The other reason Latin Honors replaced class rank is there was intense competition for the top two spots with multiple students being mere decimal points away from one another.

“Students are in school to learn,” assistant principal Shelly Kish said.

“It should not be turned into a competition. As soon as you put that one and two, Valedictorian and Salutatorian, label, it becomes that competitive. That’s what we were

Ellie Armstrong

trying to get rid of.”

According to Rowe, this stress resulted in students packing their schedules with honors and Advanced Placement courses while dropping lunches and electives.

“We saw kids making decisions about what classes they were going to take because of the weight of that class. Instead of actually pursuing something that they had interest in or could benefit them beyond high school, they were chasing [GPA points] and playing games,” Rowe said. “That’s not healthy.”

However, this theory disregards the confounding variables of college admissions expectations and the high school’s own agenda.

Students are not necessarily overstressed because they are fighting over the top two spots; they are adapting to an increasingly competitive college application season where APs and honors do not just look nice but are essential.

Additionally, to claim that the top two students should not be recognized because the student body is challenging themselves too much is hypocritical coming from an administration and district that encourages taking honors classes as early as middle school and AP classes in freshman year.

“I feel like I’m so disillusioned by it because it all feels like a big image game,” senior Megan Martinez said.

Understandably, these figures make the district look like the academically rigorous community it is,

Myers Brigg: ENFJ-A | One Word: happy

Ellie Armstrong is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Voice in her third year on staff. In her free time, Ellie bakes pies and does martial arts. She loves getting matcha or chai lattes and boba with friends and playing with her three dogs.

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OPINION | valedictorian but then failing to recognize the students who have thrived under that environment is contradictory to the high school’s motto, “You Matter.”

“I don’t want to contribute to the stress level, but our job is to push you academically as far as we can, so that you can realize your learning potential, then open as many doors as we possibly can for you beyond high school,” Rowe said. “You have to push yourself to the point where it’s hard and [you] struggle [because] that’s when learning really happens.”

So you should struggle - but not be rewarded for it because that same struggle is the reasoning behind the recognition being discontinued.

Students in APs push themselves.

And they compete too. Competition is the backbone of many AP courses because, like the exam in May, the in-class tests are often curved. To change the competitive environment among top academic performers, administrators and board members would have to go against the American education system, not discontinue a tradition of acknowledgment.

“There’s something to be said about being one of the top,” AP Calculus AB teacher Anne Price said.

Summa Cum Laude Martinez was not even aware that Valedictorian and Salutatorian are no longer recognized.

“Why is hard work not being awarded? It is an achievement to be top of your class, especially in a class this big,” Martinez said.

“You’ve worked hard to get there.

People in sports get recognition for OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

stuff like that. I know our hard work is going to pay off with college, but it’s like why was I working this hard?”

There is an easy way to recognize all students’ achievements and avoid generalizing the anxiety of top students. Honor the Cum Laudes, the Magna Cum Laudes, the Summa Cum Laudes. But honor the Valedictorian and Salutatorian too. Include them.

“Can’t we have both? Can’t we have the [Latin Honors system titles] and then still recognize the top tier?” Price said. “I know why [top rank] shouldn’t be overemphasized, but I think it still can be part of the equation.”

If stress concerns are still believed to be the results of the competition over the top two spots, then do not make those positions known. Reveal the top two students at graduation, not during high school. Give them the benefits of the title. Open those doors for them. “[Earning a top rank] is a really big deal, and if you can achieve and be that person, it is fantastic.

But is it worth all that you are killing yourself to do in that moment to have that accomplishment?” Rowe

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S.Gebka

said. “For some, they may have felt that it was worth it. But as an educator and adult seeing kids go through it, I [didn’t] think it was healthy.”

It is also not healthy for athletes when they get hurt, but nobody would tell a star player to sit one out because there is risk involved.

Academically, students assess the risks of every class and choose how hard to work, but they do not have a chance for an MVP award. At the very least, they should be allowed to determine for themselves if the reward is worth their efforts.

Not every student hits a grand slam, catches the winning touchdown, spikes to the perfect spot on the court. Not every student is going to earn a Latin Honors System award.

Not every student can claim to be one of two top students in a class of roughly 750.

So for the students who manage to do any of those: You deserve to be cheered on in the stands by your family, friends, teachers, and community. You deserve to see the fruits of your hard work. I congratulate you. I hope others do too.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | parking

Students need to pump the brakes and be responsible Bad etiquette in parking lot leads to accidents and hit-and-runs

By Abby Panier

S

tudents shift from foot to foot in anticipation as the last seconds of the day tick away. They already packed up minutes before; backpacks are slung over their shoulders, and chairs are hastily pushed in as teenage drivers try not to look like they are lining up at the door.

Their eagerness is less of a desire to leave the classroom and more of a need to beat everyone else out of the high school. It is no surprise that strategies have been devised to ensure the quickest way to escape the rush. Students flock to a parking lot that turns downright riotous at 2:30 p.m., creating a recipe for disaster.

However, these seemingly effective shortcuts have only made situations worse, causing a harmony of sharp, short horns and low, long ones as people have to slam on their brakes.

“A lot of people, when they get cut off, [will] lash out at another person and cut them [off] because they’re already flustered from getting cut off in the first place,” senior Joe Williams said.

Honks and vulgar gestures are

Abby Panier

S. Gebka not the only results. A surge of accidents, mainly hit-and-runs, has swept through the student parking lot like a trend as teenage drivers attempt to merge and cut in.

With sudden braking and accelerating, the lines move like an accordion, other drivers hovering like vultures waiting to pounce on the slightest opening. Many of the rules emphasized at the beginning of the year are actively ignored, with students pulling through parking spots and refusing to take turns.

“The most important rule to parking in the parking lot is to take your time,” dean Justin Stroh said. “Way too often, accidents have been occurring because students are in a rush.”

That universal need to go-go-go inhibits an individual’s good judg-

Myers Brigg: ISFJ-A | One Word: Dedicated

Abby Panier is a Co-Managing Editor of The Voice and this is her second year on staff. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, sing, and binge-watch Netflix shows. Her favorite character from ATLA is Appa and she’s a proud Gryffindor.

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

30

ment and awareness of surroundings, leading to a scrape here and a scratch there, maybe even a dent. But how many students report these and own up to their mistakes? “[If] you’re in the accident yourself and you hit the other person, you don’t want to go and get in trouble,” junior Savannah Link said. “Or if [students are] just watching, I feel like they think it’s none of their business.”

According to Stroh, the administration receives around one or two accident reports a week, but they know the majority go unreported.

Hit-and-runs make it nearly impossible to identify those involved, and any witnesses are either too afraid to speak up or do not know how to report them.

Bad parking lot etiquette and accidents are nothing new, but the push-back of blended days requires all blended students to stay traditional longer than normal. As a result, all eighth-hour students must stay in the classroom before the bell rings.

“Students are running to the parking lot trying to be one of the first people out of the parking lot,” Stroh said. “The rush has been HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

1 HUNTLEY

OPINION | parking

causing students to not pay attention to things going on around them, [like] not seeing cars while backing out or turning out of the parking lanes.”

No disciplinary action is normally taken, according to Stroh, other than the temporary or permanent revocation of a parking pass. However, further punishment may be considered depending on the circumstances of the accident. “[It] kind of makes me a little anxious just to leave because [I] have to,” Link said. “It’s kind of risky because there [have] been so many accidents. And it’s like, that could be you. Even if it’s not your fault.”

When drivers decide to ignore the rules put in place to keep all students safe, they forget the other students in the lot with them. Cutting off a fellow driver for personal gain shows inconsideration and a lack of respect for someone who is in the same situation. However, it is not just poor driving etiquette.

“I see a lot of kids texting and doing other things like Snapchatting [and] going on Instagram while in the car because the parking lot moves so slow,” Williams said.

“They’re not really watching where they’re going all the time.”

That split second when the driver’s attention diverts to a distraction can have monumental consequences.

Maintaining full awareness could diminish the number of accidents and close calls in the parking lot.

Additionally, common courtesy is crucial to diffusing the ruthless energy that fills the air after school, and kindness is the key to cutting down the risk of more hit-and-runs. Every upperclassman knows the feeling of sitting for what seems like hours, waiting for an opening at the end of the aisle.

Be considerate and zipper, because you never know what other people’s obligations are. To minimize dangerous situations, text or email the tip line on the back of every student ID to hold other drivers accountable and report accidents.

“It scares me because people don’t really look around them and see what’s going on,” Link said. “They just kind of go. Or people go really fast in the parking lot. That’s scary.”

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OPINION | buses

Bus drivers opens their doors for students on their routes.

S. Hashmi

Busting down the bus concerns Chaotic buses and late arrivals blamed on drivers

By Mackx Mize High school students rush to the buses at the end of a long day and are greeted with a smile from their bus driver.

F

or almost three years, bus driver Diana Stockwell has had the same routine while at work. She sits quietly in the front of the bus. The humidity makes the faux leather stick to her skin as she hears the same clicks and groans of the big machine she operates.

She hears the familiar last bell of the day, and no more than 3 seconds later, students come pouring out of the doors to the building as expected.

She sits and waits as kids peer into the wide window in search of the big bold numbers on colorful paper.

The first few students get on the bus, slowly at first, and then there is a sudden stream of kids ready to go home.

The kids find their seats and begin to chat with their friends. The vehicle is loud and rowdy, but the driver remains quiet and tentative.

Or that is how it should be.

For some students, it is a daily occurrence of waiting on the sidewalk for their only means of transportation to get them home.

Late busses are not exclusive to the afternoons though. Jared Bussone, a first period Chemistry teacher, has witnessed this issue first hand.

“I have noticed that we have more students coming in late, 3 or 4 minutes after the bell, more so than years past,” Bussone said.

Teachers have been struggling with the late buses impeding on their class time.

But patience is the key to this issue.

Yes, it is very easy for the first reaction to be frustration. Bus delays can lead to missing extracurricular activities or getting home later than usual, but think

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

S. Hashmi

Mackx Mize

Myers Brigg: INFP-T | One Word: funny

Mackx Mize is a first-year staff writer on The Voice.

This is their first year on staff, and they are very excited. In their free time, they enjoy painting and listening to audio books. Mackx also loves spending time with their friends and their dog Daisy.

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | buses

S. Gebka

of all the planning and preparation it takes to herd a large population of high school kids onto buses.

Not only do bus drivers have the high school students to worry about, they also have to pick up kids from the middle and elementary schools.

“I’m always late,” Stockwell said.

As soon as she finishes her route at the high school, she goes directly to Chesak and Martin to take the elementary students home.

“I don’t have a minute in between [routes],” Stockwell said.

The chaotic schedules that bus drivers endure on top of the shortage of drivers in our district makes the tight schedule more difficult for them to get from place to place within the amount of time each school gets out.

“Get more drivers,” junior Matthew Hamburg said, along with a lot of the students at Huntley.

And, although this is a simple statement that a lot of students surely can make without a second thought, they have to recognize that it is not an easy task.

“Buses have always been crowded,” Stockwell said.

This year though, the number of bus drivers available to the district is lower than usual.

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

“A lot [of drivers] are seniors,” Stockwell said.

Stockwell explained that because senior citizens are more likely to contract COVID-19, they are not returning to work, leading to the present situation of the shortage of bus drivers.

This is seen as true for Huntley High School students and students from other districts.

Some states, like Massachusetts have brought in the National Guard to drive the buses due to the extreme shortage of bus drivers.

“This district did okay,” Stockwell said.

She is right. Transportation on a district level has done a good job of making arrival and dismissal as smooth as it can be under these difficult circumstances.

Other problems related to the shortage of drivers has made this year stand out more than others in regard to the buses.

Some drivers do not want to come back to work because of the COVID-19 regulations that bus drivers are expected to maintain on their bus.

Not to mention it’s far easier for the virus to be spread in close quarters, and the bus is one of those areas.

Stockwell feels that there is more

33

pressure on bus drivers to make sure kids are following the rules and staying safe.

“I don’t think I can do a good enough job,” Stockwell said.

It is hard enough for the drivers to focus on the importance of road safety when they have to simultaneously make sure kids are wearing their masks.

“I can’t do both,” Stockwell said.

The drivers want the kids they drive to be safe, and being blamed for COVID-19 spreading on the bus is something the drivers never want to experience.

Huntley High School students can all learn to be a little bit more patient with the buses. There is a lot of effort that goes into having a safe and accessible ride to and from school.

Students can do their part by staying in their seat and keeping their mask on at all times.

HHS students can also learn to be mindful of the drivers who work hard to keep them safe. It is easy to get frustrated when things do not go a certain way.

Taking three seconds to appreciate the hard work that bus drivers do to make our lives easier and making that known to them with a simple “thank you” goes a long way.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | trash

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | trash

Students’ trashy behavior Irresponsible students leave cafeteria and commons areas in bad conditions

By Angel Wiley

M

any people in HHS strained their ears during the seventh hour when principal Marcus Belin went over the intercom to voice his concerns about the cleanliness of our school, focusing on its unruly state after lunch.

The disappointment in his voice for inconsiderate students cut through all who listened. Even though the qualified principal was giving such a message, many brushed it aside rather than listened.

There were mixed reactions to the unofficially nicknamed “trash announcement.”

According to sophomore Kaitlyn Grey, most of her class did not take it seriously.

“Half of my class was laughing through that announcement. I kept trying to tell them to be quiet,” Grey said.

According to Tom Kempf, associate principal of operations, many of the staff members thanked him and agreed that it was time for a change to be made.

Kempf observes many of the activities of the school and communicates with the company which supplies the hard-working janitors need.

Despite this widespread message, there seemed to be little change in the students’ behavior.

The real change however, is done by giving consequences to those who clearly show irresponsible habits.

Many of the groups that are seen receiving consequences have come back with better, if not completely reformed, etiquette.

“The first instance is a warning [that] they are going to lose the privilege of being at lunch and get [a] lunch detention. That can quickly escalate to an ISI if this is the fourth or fifth time and you’ve already received a detention.”

Kempf said.

To the staff and many of the students who do clean up after themselves, irresponsible people want to make up for the lack of control over quarantine or are misunderstanding the effects the OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

S. Gebka situation has on them and the entire school.

The administration tries to look at it in a logistic way, instead of making hypothetical claims.

“Let’s be honest, our freshmen and sophomores are transitioning from being [middle schoolers]. There was a chunk of growing up that was missed that is now manifesting in this leaving trash, disrespect, immaturity and vandalism,” Kempf said.

However, if the situation intensifies while using our current tactics, we need to have solutions in place to counteract, especially when social observation is not an option for learning better behavior.

For instance, a sixth hour student suggested for students to clean up after

Angel Wiley

the whole cafeteria if they were caught leaving the table with trash on it.

This would be difficult to implement with current guidelines but it gives many who are unaware of the viewpoint, how tired clean students are of ones who are irresponsible.

It is difficult to find a solution to please everyone and stay within guidelines but this requires more action.

The student population as a whole needs to understand that leaving their responsibility for someone else is highly disrespectful and only hurts themselves in the end.

Doing it with any responsibility will end up with consequences and inconveniences for yourself just as it will with the people around you.

Myers Brigg: ENFP-T | One Word: creative

Angel Wiley is a senior and first-year writer on The Voice. In their free time they watch cartoons, anime or anything that will make them laugh. Their favorite time of year is summer at Norman B Barr with their cousins, who are as close as siblings, and two close friends, Michael and Alicia.

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

A&E | nostalgia

Top five 2000s Disney Channel Halloween movies you NEED to rewatch

By Madeline Pomis

I

t is a brisk October night in 2012. After a long day of school and the anticipation of Halloween invading your mind, you find yourself in front of the TV, eager to dive deep into Disney Channel’s Monstober line-up of Halloween movies and TV specials.

With streaming services such as Disney+ right at our fingertips, it is easier now more than ever to escape back to your childhood and watch the shows and movies that take you back to simpler times.

Monstober, a Disney Channel favorite, is one of the many things that would bring us into the Halloween spirit. From your favorite TV shows

HarshLight/CC BY 2.0

The best Halloween Disney movies premiering a special themed episode, to getting excited about the Halloween movies that only roll around this time of year, Monstober had you covered.

With Disney +, we can now relive those moments and bring that nostalgia back to life. With that being said, here are the top five Disney Channel movies to take you back to your childhood, all available on Disney +.

HalloweenTown Let’s begin with a Monstober staple, “HalloweenTown.” “HalloweenTown” follows 13-year-old Marney (played

by Kimberly J Brown), who has always lived a simple and boring life. This is until she and her siblings follow her grandma (played by Debbie Reynolds) home to Halloweentown. This movie is a memorable family favorite, full of adventure and magic that any age can enjoy.

HalloweenTown High Another film from the Halloweentown saga, “Halloweentown High” shows Marney and her brother now in high school. Though, everything is not what it seems at this high school.

Marney and her grandmother set up a secret exchange program with the monsters at Halloweentown high. This film is goofy, exciting, and a perfect film to take you back to your Disney Channel childhood.

Girl vs Monster Third on the list is the edgy Disney Channel movie, “Girl vs Monster.”

15-year-old-Skylar (Olivia Holt) has never felt fear in her life. This is until

Halloween night, when things go wrong for her monster hunter parents. Now, Skylar has to follow in her parents footsteps in order to save her family and friends… before it’s too late. “Girl vs Monster” stars memorable Disney stars like Oliva Holt, Luke Benward, and Katherine McNamara.

The movie is fast paced, and will definitely unlock Disney Channel memories you never knew you had.

Twitches Next up is an early 2000s icon for Disney Channel, “Twitches,” starring twins Tia and Tamera Mowry. The movie revolves around twins who reunite on their 21st birthday, only to find out that they’re witches, and must complete a mission to save their kingdom. “Twitches” is a great film for all ages, and will leave you wondering what happens next.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Arguably saving the best for last, Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a staple for families during the Halloween season. The movie follows the mischievous Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s pumpkin king. Jack is bored of the same Halloween routine, until he stumbles upon Christmastown. Follow Jack through his discovery of new worlds in “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

So what are you waiting for? Hop on Disney+ and go relive your childhood with the lineup of movies that will possess you into the Halloween spirit.

Have a happy Halloween and most importantly, a spooky Monstober.

Helgi Halldórsson/CC-BY-SA-2.0 OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

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A&E | nostalgia

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

A&E | Halloween

To scare or be scared at Haunt 31

Toby Wrolson turns his home into a scare

By Cam Molbeck

I

t is a seemingly peaceful weekend night on South Annandale Drive during the spooky season of Halloween. But down the street, shrieks of fright and the clicking of animatronics activating fill the cold air.

The popular homemade haunted house, Haunt 31, is a hopping place and an attraction for both locals and people from out of state. At the heart of it all is Toby Wrolson and his family.

It all started back in 2000. The family had moved in in 1999 and then started building. The Halloween attraction began gaining attention in 2002.

I think it’s just seeing it all come together and how it fits.

Toby Wrolson

“The first couple props were button-powered, and when I saw my wife crawling across the floors that she could hit the button and scare people I’m like ‘we’re hooked,’” Wrolson said.

Over the past 21 years, Wrolson has spent around $90,000, as well as the additional yearly costs of storage, prop building, repairs, shipping, and food for volunteers. Every year, anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 is spent, which means donations are a big part of keeping Haunt 31 alive.

Wrolson also makes the animatronics and helps to build the haunted house at Goebbert’s Farm, as well as Haunt 31 and his job. While some of the props are static, the biggest features are the animatronics. Even some of the headstones rock or leak blood.

One has a ghoulish creature leaping out from behind it. Using donated scrap material or even garbage, Wrolson has managed to create a haunted wonderland.

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

Some of the biggest animatronics include Fluffy, the large were-dog that leaps out at you when you pass him, as if the “beware of dog” signs are not enough. One of the newer features of the year include a largerthan-life size skeleton that looms over the entire yard, with animated eyes that blink and shift.

The garage also turns into a spooky experience, enveloped in green swamp lighting and a dungeon side of horror. Not scary enough? Volunteers dress up as spooky creatures such as clowns and walk around, scaring the unsuspecting passersby.

They hide in the garage, feigning to be a statue, as well as the exit box as a mummy, so watch your back! From the beginning of September through November, the bustle of Haunt 31 is constant.

“So September, almost from the first day, is bringing stuff home and setting up and then October is a show every single night whether it’s ‘why isn’t this working’ or ‘we’re setting up,’” Wrolson said.

At the peak of Halloween, hundreds of people are floating around the area. Some nights, local police officers will stop by just to keep watch

The Wrolson’s have a cauldron that is topped by a giant spider.

C. Molbeck

A skeleton located in the Wrolson’s front yard. and enjoy the environment. Many of the people who live in the neighborhood are also big fans of Wrolson’s work.

The volunteers are all individuals whom Wrolson knows or lives close by. One of them includes a girl living across the street and even some high school students looking for something fun to get into the Halloween spirit.

October is a show every single night.

Toby Wrolson

“I think it’s just seeing it all come together and how it fits.” Wrolson said.

November is the time where Wrolson needs the most help. Just coming down on a Saturday to help rake leaves is just as good as anything else. So even after the spooky buzz has died down, if you wish to support this local haunted attraction, November is the best time to do so.

If haunts and spooks are your things, then Haunt 31 is definitely the place for you. Be sure to catch it before the Halloween season is over.

Wrolson works very hard to make this haunted house the best it can be; all visitors are welcomed by the family who make this attraction their life for a few months.

C. Molbeck

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A&E | true crime

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A&E | true crime

October reignites passions for real-life horror

By Sandra Skiba

W

i th Halloween right around the corner, people are preparing to spend this weekend’s nights with some true crime. The best ways to get into true crime time are everywhere.

True Crime Articles Reading true crime articles is a great way to learn something new.

These articles contain a lot of detail on crime cases that are currently happening or have happened, but most of the articles contain details of the events itself and not what happened before or after.

Reading articles about the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre can spark some imagination as to what could have happened that day. In 1929, seven gang

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True crime time members were dead. Al Capone planned the massacre, but no one was ever convicted.

Articles are written in a specific order to make it easy for readers to understand. With the descriptive details and routes to other articles or stories, it is definitely a loved true crime style among many.

True Crime Netflix Documentaries Netflix offers a large amount of true crime media. These films are produced in a way to keep people watching and entertained, and they are one of the best forms of true crime series.

Netflix documentaries always contain interviews and real images to gain interest. The films show the investigation chronoligically, often through the eyes of the police.

When watching the series about the notorious murderer, Ted Bundy, it is clear that months, maybe even years, were dedicated to this production. Interviews were made with as many people as possible, videos or photos were shared as often as possible, and unknown details were shared throughout the series.

Although Netflix films are based on fact, they still make an effort to show criminals as real people. Explaining the way Ted Bundy spoke and how others felt about him gave the audience the ability to see him as a little more than just a killer.

Netflix definitely has a handful of great documentaries to watch for Halloween.

Murder Mystery and Makeup Monday YouTube is filled with amazing creators who talk about true crime. Bailey Sarian has been hosting weekly videos on her channel for years of her doing makeup while talking about both solved and unsolved cases.

The research Sarian does for her videos is in depth and detailed. It is a fantastic way to listen into a criminal’s background story along with their offenses.

The video Sarian made about Belle Gunness involves detail, humor, pictures, and background facts. Gunness was an active serial killer in Indiana and Illinois for many years. Bailey’s video describes her journey and details of what was happening in her life before, during, and after these murders were committed.

The Murder Mystery series on YouTube is perfect to listen to when relaxing or even have on as background noise.

Obvious effort is shown in these videos, and they always keep the listeners entertained and engaged.

Fall is the peak of true crime time.

Documentaries, articles, podcasts, videos, and many more forms of true crime are great ways to immerse yourself into the world of mystery and criminals for anyone looking to start their Halloween weekend on a chilling note.

Physical evidence like fingerprints and photographs are some of the most important things for investigators to collect.

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A&E | podcast

“Anything Goes” with Emma Therapeutic, honest, and hilarious podcast

By Lauren Schmit

S

taring at a bright, blazing screen for hours, bouncing back and forth between the social media apps just to keep our attention span obtained.

At moments wishing to throw the cell phone across the room to let your eyes have a moment to readjust.

Trying to stay focused and productive while staying away from your cell phone, but wanting something to entertain you with discussion or even just noise. An hour long podcast to let the stress from reality dissolve is something that everyone needs.

“I would hope that young girls could relate to me and see that the lives of people on the internet are not as perfect as they seem,” YouTube content creator Emma Chamberlain said on your YouTube channel.

If being relatable was a person, it would be Chamberlain. She talks about relationships, anxiety, and

has deep discussions that many listeners do not have an outlet for.

She also speaks on a few of her interests such as fashion, art, and spirituality.

As these topics are very popular in the media, she gains the fascination of many people. On TikTok

I would hope that young girls could relate to me and see that the lives of people on the internet are not as perfect as they seem.

Emma Chamberlain

and social media many listeners have felt like Chamberlain has helped them through many tough situations in their life, by having a podcast to listen and relate to.

Chamberlain’s career boosted in 2017 as she was thriving within her YouTube career by uploading videos and content. Chamberlain was

Chamberlain posing while advertising for “Chamberlain Coffee,” the coffee business she pursued after making a living through youtube.

John Park/ CC BY 3.0

John Park/ CC BY 3.0

only 16 years old when she started her podcast,“Stupid Genius,” later changing the name to “Anything Goes.”

“I feel like I kind of outgrew it in a sense. So I’m going to be starting a new podcast with a different name,” Chamberlain said.

In “Stupid Genius” she asked a question, and it was the focus for the entirety of the episode. She also included guest stars like Rhett and Link and Josh Peck.

However, “Anything Goes” is quite different. It stars only Chamberlain and no guests. She picks a topic to talk about and it is not scripted.

Chamberlain has a 4.8 star rating and 15 million followers from “Anything Goes” and still gains publicity from her YouTube channel and coffee company “Chamberlain Coffee.”

Listeners of Chamberlain’s podcast have noted that it feels as though there is a bond between the audience and Chamberlain. She talks about her own personal experiences making it easier for people to not feel alone.

Within her podcasts she wraps up a thought by saying “right?” as if the audience is almost having a conversation.

Chamberlain accomplishes the task of being the friend that is willing to have these conversations and she makes it personal to the audience by showing compassion and comfort.

“Seeing someone I look up to facing and talking about the same issues I deal with on a regular basis is really eye-opening. It can be really easy to go on social media and see famous influencers and forget that they are human beings just like we are,” said Racquel Williams, Greyhound review writer.

Chamberlain has recently gained more publicity on social media and is moving onto bigger things in her career such as being an ambassador for Louis Vuiton, having her own coffee company, and public speaking in social events.

see PODCAST page 45 OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

A&E | fashion

Fans dress up in Harry Styles inspired outfits

By Lael Malibiran

T

he rush of the crowd, the bright outfits, the scent of excitement, and the audible tones of squealing from every different clique all filled up the United Center Arena during Harry Styles’ “Love On Tour” concert.

Going to a music concert is mostly centered around the artist and the music, not to mention the fan crazed stadiums. But, for a Harry Styles con-

Courtesy of F. Brady

All the Styles at “Love on Tour” gig cert, fashion seems to be the cherry on top to the whole experience.

“Knowing that I’ve waited for so long was so exciting and I literally had butterflies in my stomach the entire week leading up to it...and just being there was so cool because people go all out for fashion and stuff,” senior Marissa Mikutis said.

Many showgoers all enter the venue drowned in creative items like sequins, feathers, boas, and a whole variety of jewelry. But it does not stop there; the accessories are what ties the whole ensemble together.

From tiny bags, to watermelon earrings, to even having the face of Styles printed on your dress; the whole venue is a fashion show.

“I wore these green Zara jeans there...and then I wore this white, sort of puffy sleeved top...and then I actually wore a frog hat...there was a picture of Harry wearing the hat that I was wearing. And I was like, Okay, I love Harry, I love frogs. I obviously have to get it,” Mikutis said.

Renditions of Styles’ “Love on Tour” concert were worn by many of his fans radiating confidence. There is clearly no judgement within the venue as fans flood the arena representing their all time favorite British artist with attire referencing his music.

Lovclyhes/CC BY-SA 4.0

“I saw someone wearing a whole ballerina getup and people were dressed as bananas...people were dressed up as fruit...people were dressed like ghosts, because there’s a song called Two Ghosts,” junior Braidy Connell said.

The importance of fashion does not only appear in his concerts, but in his fandom’s real lives as well. It is evident that Styles definitely has a prominent influence on the fashion industry, which is clearly reflected through his fans.

Knowing that I’ve waited for so long... it made being [at the concert] cool because people go all out for fashion and stuff.

Marissa Mikutis

To his fandom, fashion truly means something to them, which is basically his mantra.

“I feel like with his fashion he just wants to be vibrant and open, and I feel like that’s how he wants us to be.

To love yourself and be who you are,” senior Chloe Grenda said.

His hippie-style flamboyant-wearing, feminine-but-not-feminine-wardrobe appears to be the reason why his fashion is so well-recognized. His confidence always seems to outshine those who oppose his unique style, but nonetheless Styles continues to throw on an eccentric outfit that is reflected onto his fans. As Styles perseveres with his eye-catching attire, fans continue to be inspired to throw on something just as flamboyant, unique, and uplifting into their wardrobe to then showcase it at his concerts and sometimes in their everyday lives.

Check out more articles on on huntleyvoice.com!

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

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concerts

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | baseball

Spirit in the stands Senior catcher is a leader on & off the field

By Chase Keller

N

Courtesy of R. Stary Stary positions himself in the box and anticipates the throw.

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

o matter the intimidation level of the upcoming batter, senior Ryan Stary stays calm and collected, going through his typical strategy as a baseball catcher.

He positions himself in the box, reading the pitcher by his varying attributes.

He holds up signs to the pitcher to signal which pitch he should throw. Former teammate Adam Guazzo is familiar with how well Stary does his job.

“Ryan is a great guy, and even though he has some weird teams he likes, Ryan’s a stud,” Guazzwo said.

These two train with each other through their travel programs, as Guazzo is a pitcher.

“We've definitely done stuff outside of high school in our travel programs to help each other out,” Stary said. “I know that he's kind of off doing his separate thing right now with his travel program, and I'm doing the same, but we've definitely, you know, stayed in contact for a long time.”

Stary, who is currently not committed, recently played JV baseball for Huntley High School and currently plays travel baseball for Citius Illinois.

Throughout his journey, he has worked with many coaches and he cannot thank them enough.

“Coach J is a great coach, and his organizational skills are off the charts.

He's a Hall of Fame coach for a reason,” Stary said, also specifying his JV coaches Cliff Pawlak and Adam Reed.

Stary and his family are hopeful that he may continue his journey into college, looking into and visiting Division II and Division III schools. These universities would be gaining an amazing character, as his dedication and devotion is unseen in most athletes.

“He has gone to several catching camps over the years,” Ryan’s mother Erin Stary said. “He's worked with private catching coaches from various clinics, colleges, different facilities. He's also done private hitting lessons with coaches, and since his fall season just ended, they’re doing agility training

44

twice a week.”

Stary isn’t just a star on the field. Off the field, he’s a leader. Specifically, a Raider Nation leader.

Something about standing in front of a crowd of thousands brings Stary confidence. Putting himself out there is a practice that he takes pride in, as the constant cheering and chaotic moments bring him pleasure.

“I just love losing my voice, getting hyped at the games. It's so cool leading a whole section of students, and I love going out there,” Stary said.

His habits of dedication are one thing he transfers to his leadership in the student section. He is made for the job.

Not many people understand the hard work and commitment that goes on behind the scenes.

That goes without mentioning the outstanding friendships that Stary has made with the group. He has his longtime friends, like Adam Guazzo, Jake and Luke Loveisky, and the growing friendships with the rest of the group.

“There's 11 of us, and I love working with all of them.” Stary said. “I'm obviously really close friends with the Loveisky twins. I've known them for a long time. We've had a lot of fun. And then all the girls. They put a lot of hard work in, especially on social media to promote Raider Nation.”

Being a part of the largest Raider Nation group in recent memory is a huge deal, but those circumstances are not what drew Stary in. According to Stary, the Loveisky twins got him into the idea of being a leader.

“I think after my 8th grade year, one of the twins, he kind of got me into it and I've wanted to be a Raider Nation leader ever since,” Stary said.

Stary can’t thank the twins enough for the years, and the twins feel the same way back.

“He’s a great guy,” senior Jake Loveisky said. “You know, you learn so many new things with your friends. You grow together, you come to become a better person with your friends.”

All of the positive characteristics that Stary holds help to form him into a great person. As Stary puts it, “You're not here for a long time, you’re here for a good time and you just gotta enjoy it.”

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

A&E | podcast

from PODCAST page 42 Through “Anything Goes” and her YouTube channel, she has become even more authentic by being her own editor and creating an image that she wants to portray for her viewers. Over time this makes her audiences feel recognized as she is willing to show her honest self for millions of people she does not know personally.

“For me personally, I just don’t have anything to prove any more. I know exactly who I am, I know that I’m intelligent,” Chamberlain said.

According to Chamberlain, she wants to show the world that she is just a person, struggling through the same life experiences

as most people. She has battled the backlash of people believing that everything has been luckily handed to her from the start.

However, she discusses how hard it has been for her when being perceived by such a huge audience.

With this day and age it is so easy for trends to arise of disliking influencers due to rumors and false narratives.

Chamberlain stays above the controversy by staying true to herself and her viewers.

Overall, “Anything Goes” has played a role in many listeners’ mental health by creating a safe space for everyone to relax and relate to Chamberlain’s experiences.

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SPORTS | marching band

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SPORTS | marching band

Saxophone is his forte Senior sax player Ryan Osberg excels in his final year in band

By Olivia Archer

W

i th crisp mornings and warm afternoons that accompany fall, it is no surprise that the Huntley High School marching band is rehearsing early on Saturday mornings.

Despite the weather, for senior Ryan Osberg, it is a day of preparation and excitement.

“I don’t feel nervous performing. I feel more excited. I never feel nervous performing because it’s just in front of people,” Osberg said. “People are people.”

Osberg has played tenor saxophone throughout his high school career. His senior year, he had the opportunity to perform a solo during the second movement in the marching band’s show, Mastermind.

To Osberg, the show is simply another performance. Throughout his childhood, Osberg has also performed piano, guitar, and tenor sax.

Naturally, performing in front of a crowd does not invoke nerves.

“He’s really grown into himself while being a part of the music,” marching band director Kevin Krivosik said.

“He’s definitely gotten out of his shell a little bit more.”

Marching band impacts what kind of person a performer can become, even outside the practice room.

According to Krivosik, although band helps students learn their instruments and work in an ensemble, band also helps build self-accountability, cooperation with others, and patience, among other things.

Osberg is a great example of someone who has talent, skill, and dedication. He is a jack of all trades and can play classical, jazz, pop, and rock.

As a member of the band, he has a lot of opportunities to meet new people and form new friendships.

Senior Ryan Osberg, dressed in uniform and focused on the music, performs with the HHS marching band in their show, Mastermind.

S. Hashmi

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

S. Hashmi

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Evan Reincke, a good friend of Osberg’s, is also in the marching band.

Originally, they met in Cub Scouts, but they have played together in the band, through multiple programs in high school.

In the band, they play stand-tunes and lead their sections towards greatness.

“Ryan is a phenomenal jazz saxophone player,” Reincke said. “He always kills his solos.”

He’s really grown into himself while being a part of music.

Kevin Krivosik

Undoubtedly, Osberg thrives in jazz performances and music, but putting a show on the field takes it to the next level.

According to Reincke, producing a physical product, such as the marching band show, is completing the ultimate goal.

The realization that comes with watching and performing a performance as different as marching band, is strong. Utilizing Osberg’s jazzy flare, the musical heist comes alive and all of the expectations are met.

The marching band, as well as other band programs at the high school, has clear goals towards improving their students’ musicality and other lifelong skills.

Krivosik makes it clear that band is welcoming to all types of students and ready to create powerful leaders and musicians, like Osberg.

For Osberg, he has made great friends, gained leadership opportunities, and has become a dependable musician.

He has truly made an impact on what the meaning of band is today and will continue to inspire others towards the love for music.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | dance

Dancer jumps back in after ATV accident

S

ophomore Avery Peters leaned against the broken pieces of the matte black Gator, stunned. The detached pole pierced the skin on her back and launched a chill down her spine.

She glanced down at her Lululemon leggings, the ones she wore every day and loved dearly, but immediately averted her gaze after seeing them seeping with blood.

She began to smell gas in the air and believed the ATV to be on fire, but as she turned to check, she found herself unable to move.

A tingling sensation filled her body and she focused her attention on the sun, searching for some hope up there. Quietly she mumbled, “Please don’t die, please don’t die.”

Peters has always been a strong

J. Habel

Peters is almost healed and ready to dance again after catestrophic event.

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

Sophomore Avery Peters is eager to get back to dance with teammates

J. Habel

By Delaney Cairns dancer, it comes naturally to her.

She danced for 7 years competitively, and then moved on to be the only freshman of her class to make the Huntley Varsity Dance Team.

Freshman year was her breakout year, she was in the back of the dances, and did not feel quite like a part of the team just yet. Sophomore year was going to be her year, she was going to be put in the front and she was going to become a vital and appreciated member of the team.

That was until June 24, the night before the dancers would learn their hip-hop choreography for the Winter competition season. Peters decided to go to her friend’s house to ride on an ATV, as she had many times before.

There was no adult supervision, which made her nervous to begin with. The girls did not have seatbelts nor helmets on, and Peters had an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

“We were driving and it was fine, but then there was this banked curve. We went up and that was fine, and we came back down and drove for a bit,” Peters said. “Then, as she was turning, she sped up, making it turn sharp, and I fell out, the Gator running over my leg.”

Peters heard a loud crash, as if two cars had collided right next to her. She directed her vision towards the ATV, the windshield was shattered and bars were broken off. She was in complete shock and continued sitting completely still.

Through the ringing in her ears, she could hear the distinct sounds of her friends bickering and yelling at her, but she could not fully comprehend what they were saying.

“I couldn’t stand up, I couldn’t even feel my foot, so I sat with my back against the bar, waiting for the neighbors to come out, and let my head race,” Peters said. “I couldn’t stop thinking, ‘What about dance?

What am I gonna do?’ I lost all faith in everything at that moment.”

48

Peters adjusts her leg brace.

She finally got on the phone with her dad and he was able to pick her up and drive her to the hospital. She was put into a neck brace in case of a concussion, and then wheeled to a trauma room where her Lululemon leggings and orange Illinois State t-shirt were cut off. Immediately following the removal of the leggings, her bone popped out, and the bleeding rapidly increased.

Those leggings saved her leg.

Throughout this entire process, the black, cotton leggings were compressing the injury so well to the point that they slowed the bleeding, held the bone in, and kept mud out.

“I loved those leggings, they were my go-to pair, I always wore them,” Peters said.

She was given medicine to calm down as they put a cast on her leg and put her through a series of X-rays and an MRI. All the while, Courtney Peters, Avery’s mom, was doing her best to get there.

“I left work and went to Northwestern Hospital in Huntley. When I arrived, Avery was lying in a hospital bed, and it looked awful. Her leg was bandaged and bleeding, her hand looked broken, she had HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | dance mud everywhere, it was terrible,” Courtney Peters said. “They just got done with her CT scan and they told us that her leg was completely crushed, and her vascular system was not working.”

Due to inclement weather, the family could not fly in a helicopter to the next destination but instead took the long, dreaded ambulance ride to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

“We were met at Luires by a team of 25 doctors and nurses. It was like being in fog, everyone was asking questions and she was screaming in pain. I don’t think I will ever forget her screaming, it haunts me to this day. We spent the next 6 days there,” Courtney Peters said.

Peters had a 7% chance of keeping her leg, and very low hopes of ever dancing again. On her last day in the hospital, she managed to graduate from physical therapy by moving from her bed to the couch next to it using her crutches.

This was a success considering she passed out in one of her earlier attempts.

Peters went home that day with one metal rod and four screws in her leg, but most of all, extreme fatigue. She slept the entire ride home and most of the next couple of days. Her phone was blowing up with caring teammates and thoughtful teachers.

Peters heard from so many people over the next few days including Superintendent Scott Roe and Principal Marcus Belin.

Two weeks after the accident, friends and family gathered outside of the Peters’ house to surprise her with a birthday parade. The rolling cars spotlighted the love and support they had for Peters with decorations and beaming faces.

“I crutched my way outside, saw them, and my energy just lifted up.

This is such a good team, and the way they all comforted me made me feel at home. I missed them so much,” Peters said.

Ever since that pivotal day, Peters has felt closer to her team than ever before. She realized that her friends would do anything for her, and they all grew through it together. They have played a huge role in her motivation to continue. Senior OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

Jalen Phillips is Peters’ closest friend on the team and has reassured her of her progress since the beginning.

“Whenever she gets off track and frustrated with herself or the progression of the injury, I try my best to reassure her that she is getting better. With such an extensive injury when you are in athletics, it is hard to sit back and watch the season go by. Given the difficulty of the circumstance, she is very positive and motivated,” Phillips said.

Overall perspectives of practice from the dancers have completely shifted since Peters’ last moment on the dance floor. They have realized that they cannot take anything for granted, and must treat every dance like it is their last.

“I still remember the last practice we had with Avery dancing, Avery and I were practicing our duet section of the dance where it’s just us two turning-what we do best.

I would do anything to go back to that day of us two turning side by side, so when I feel down or unmotivated going into practice I think about that day, and what if that day was my last practice too. If it was my last practice, how would I want to spend it?” Phillips said.

Until Peters is recovered, she will continue to workout with the team to the best of her ability, and be a vital member through spirit and support of her teammates.

She has been taking physical therapy every week, and has not seemed to lose any of her previous skills. She hopes that her new perspective from the sidelines will help her come back stronger than ever.

“Avery has and always will be an extremely vital part of the team and our success. Even now when she can not phys ically be on the floor dancing, she is always in the front watching and giving us feedback,” Phillips said.

“The feedback is super important in order for us to make our dances better.”

Peters and the dance team have learned a lot from this experience.

The dancers have mastered the act of making every practice count, and taking nothing for granted.

Everyone can not wait for Peters to get back out there, and knows she will come back stronger than ever.

“Whatever comes her way we are willing to do anything to help her get back to dance,” Courtney Peters said.

Peters wears a brace to protect her leg while it is healing.

J. Habel

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | cross country

Running down a dream Senior Reynaldo Hernandez excels in his first season on the cross country team

By Ben Rocks

C

lanking off the caked-on dirt, senior Reynaldo Hernandez laces up for another run, as Coach Kaplan explains the team’s game plan. Murmurs of how difficult the course is infects the team.

However, Hernandez stayed away from the team’s susurration.

Upon lining up and waiting for the officials to start, Hernandez spirals into an abyss, and what takes over is muscle memory.

“You just gotta take it one course at a time, one step at a time,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez runs for the cross country team, and this is his first season.

You just gotta take it one course at a time, one step at a time.

Reynaldo Hernandez “Cross country is something that I can look forward to day in and day out,” Hernandez said.

When asked why he chose cross country out of all sports, Hernandez explained that his friends who were a part of the team have been pushing him since freshman year to join and start actually running. He figured his senior year was the best year, if any, to be a part of the team.

The pre-season camp was where Hernandez fell in love with the team and environment. He appreciated the fact of how accepting the team was for being his first season. It was quick for the team to recognize that Hernandez is here for self-improvement and to have a good time.

Teammate Charlie Kucz noticed that Hernandez is always going into each run or workout being optimistic.

Hernandez’s initial assumption was to have a good time and get some runs in, but that quickly changed when he had his first meet.

Thirty five minutes for 3 miles and an overload of thoughts rush through OCTOBER 29 ISSUE2021

his head on how he can improve immediately after finishing. From that point forward, Hernandez yearned for improvement, constantly excited when those improvements are shown in the times.

“Every race I have enjoyed so far; there wasn’t really a race I did not actually like to do,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez did not care if it was hot, or if the course was super hard, uneven, or just had a lot of hills. There is no race that he did not enjoy, especially since he was with some of his closest friends for support.

With Hernandez, it was never to be the best in the sport, rather just to make personal improvements. Starting the season, he was the last kid every day, never expecting to be under 30 minutes in a race.

Little by little, with S. Hashmi motivation from Hernandez’s coaches Hernandez has made substantial improvements and teammates, he throughout his first cross country season. finished in just under 27 minutes. down, but something that you can “It’s his first year running cross learn from to prevent doing it again,” country and that can be scary for Hernandez said. most, but he is Hernandez’s plan for after high handling it very well, especially school is most likely college to with the progress he has made. It is become a teacher or work in the mebeyond amazing,” senior Michael chanical field, although he is keeping Figueroa said. his options open. With cross country When asked what his biggest spirit now caked in his veins, Hernantakeaway was, Hernandez paused, dez can now call himself a runner. pondered, and then smiled.

“I will definitely be running wherev“The way I see it is, not taking failer I end up,” Hernandez said. ure as something that can bring you

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EDITORIAL

enior Megan Boyle sat with her Dual Credit Speech class in the Centennial Theater on Oct. 6, anxiously awaiting any sort of announcement or communication from administration.

Everyone in the building was in a hold in place and teach. Administration was informed that there was the potential for a weapon to be brought on school grounds before eight hour, but students and faculty were unaware of this specific threat at the time.

“We just sat in the room, hoping we were told how long we would be in there for,” Boyle said. “It was honestly scary.”

This marked the second time this school High School has faced the threat of a supposed weapon on campus, as on Sept.

30 an email was sent out to the community explaining an airsoft gun was found on campus during after school hours.

We at The Voice do believe administration did the best they could in a time-sensitive, difficult situation.

“I think the system that we have in place is a really good foundation to start investigations, because no one incident [is] the same as the next,” officer Ryan Gregorio said.

“We have to adapt to whatever information we’re receiving to investigate it in the correct manner [and] make sure everybody’s safe.”

Administration did all they could.

Now, it is the student body’s turn to step up.

This year, there has been a noticeable increase in fighting and school safety concerns. It has gotten so bad that if you have not seen a fight yet, you most likely will in the upcoming weeks.

“That’s not the culture that we should have here,” campus supervisor Kathy Henn said. “People should not be treating each other that way. There needs to be some changes there, because we are a collective group and we need to be respectful to each other.”

These displays of aggression spread to every part of our school: at our football games, in the cafeteria, and now in the classroom. They reflect an immature student body that was thrust into high school

after being isolated for nearly two years. While this explains the disconnect between the upper and lower classmen, it is by no means an excuse.

“There are 3,000 students in this building, and only 5% of our student body is causing this shift.

Where’s the other 95%?” principal Marcus Belin said. “Seniors: leave a legacy. Juniors: you have another year. You can create what that tone needs to be because we need some people to start shifting what our values are.”

As a bystander, it is your respon-

back with a vengeance were not only false but fanned the flames of panic in our school. The photos and videos of the police officers did the same. We need to actively trust that our administrators have our best interest at heart, even if that includes withholding information from our peers.

However, teachers should be notified about the current events prior to parents in order to conduct an orderly classroom. While administrators could not disclose details due to confidentiality, enough was said to display the lack of a threat “At no time did I feel like we were in extreme danger,” math teacher Anne Price said. “I know that they would have stepped up [and] that they err on the side of caution for sure.”

Students immediately assume that there is an active shooter whenever there is a lockdown because of the commonality of the issue. We as a generation have become desensitized to school shootings and violence.

According to the Washington Post, school shootings have already occurred in 12 different states and in rural, urban, poor, and affluent neighborhoods.

“There’s this thought, or notion, that because we haven’t experienced this, it’s not going to happen in Huntley or it would never happen in Huntley,” Belin said. “The last thing I want people to do [is] let their guard down.”

Rather than sit back and criticize the inconvenience of the hold in place and teach, students need to direct their frustrations at the source: themselves.

More than anyone else, we control the environment of the school.

We can make it a safe place and bring back the proud, positive energy seniors and juniors once enjoyed as underclassmen.

As children, we feared the monsters of stories: Frankenstein, Pennywise, Michael Myers, etc.

Today, we fear one another. We fear catching the wrong person on a bad day. We fear for our lives when we should be fearing for the next math test. It is time to reclaim our school and the values we stand by before it is too late.

Safety starts with students

OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021

Nobody should fear for their lives at school sibility to get help, to keep your eyes open, and to say something when you feel unsafe. This does not mean spreading rumors or posting information on social media without context.

“A lot of people didn’t really know how to treat the situation,” Boyle said. “We did not know what was true or what was really going on.”

As we observed during the lockdown, the rumors about an active shooter or expelled student coming

S. Gebka

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VOICE English Teacher English II with Ms. Andrews English III

What adjectives would you use to describe yourself?

Loving, silly, passionate, supportive

Favorite place to travel to?

My favorite place in the world is Ireland. My husband surprised me and won a trip to Ireland for us when we first started dating and that was the first place we went.

What is your greatest joy?

The look on a student’s face when they learn something new, the look my husband gives me when I first walk in the room, my older brother Todd’s bear hugs, the inside jokes I have with my nieces and nephew, the sound of my family’s laughter after a ridiculous joke.

If you could make the whole world listen, what would you say?

Stop being so hard on yourself and live the life you want to live.

What is a fact we should know about you?

I’m not quite finished yet, but it would have to be getting my Master’s degree while being a full-time teacher.

photo by Syed Hashmi interviewed by Marrisa Dsouza

- Noelle Greene