The Voice December 2015

the

VOICE

PLUS West Wing construction is set to be completed by April of 2016 Players summon League of Legends club at Huntley High School ‘The Force Awakens’ combines old elements with new ones Hunter Doyle takes to the ice to play for the local hockey team, the Kings (R. O’Sullivan)

Huntley High School • 13719 Harmony Rd. Huntley, IL 60142 • (847) 659-6600 • @huntleyvoice • huntleyvoice.com Deceomber 15, 2015 • Volume 19 • Issue 3

VOICE

Features

the

15

Fine Arts superstar Junior Ava Novak is involved in all aspects of theater and strives for perfection on and off the stage.

17

Gaming fanatic Steel Curtis hosts his third annual “Super Smash Bros.” tournament at Huntley High School and plans to host more.

19

It runs in the family Bianca Spann’s family hopes she will continue in the family business of running a video game truck.

A&E 24

The newest in Pixar

(S. Faheem)

Opinion 9

Disney’s “The Good Dinosaur” does not live up to previous Pixar movies.

30

News 3

33

Students at Huntley High School celebrate a wide range of winter holidays and are not afraid to show it.

Chicago in a new light “Chi-Raq’ addresses Chicago’s gun violence in a cinematic way, educating people on Chicago’s biggest problems.

More than Christmas

Sports

10

Textbook conditions

Early season preview of the top three teams from each conference in this year’s Rec League.

35

Issues found with textbooks at Huntley High School leads to questioning about online textbooks and the overall process.

11

Chromebook rollout

Late arrivals to Door 1 Late arrival students having to enter the high school through Door 1, while it is a nuisance, it is a matter of safety.

COVER STORY Principal Scott Rowe plans to integrate Chromebooks into the current curriculum within the next year.

Rec League Preview

Leading the team Senior Kayla Barreto serves a crucial leadership role on Huntley’s varsity girls basketball team.

37

Senior Signings Huntley High School athletes sign letters of intent to compete at the collegiate level in their respective sports.

VOICE STAFF

the

Editor in Chief • Adam Reckamp • Print Editor • Courtney Thomas • Online Editor • Ashley O’Brien • Assistant Online Editor • Camille Paddock • News Editor • Mawa Iqbal • Opinion Editor • Maddy Moffett • Features Editor • Charlie Vavrick • Design Editor • Sumbul Shakeel • A&E Editor • Devin Martin • Sports Editor • Tyler Watkins • Photo Editor • Ryan O’Sullivan • Staff Writers • Sarah Biernat • Brian Fabella • Brandon Frey • Danielle King • Justin Kostecki • Alex Landman • Tyler Lopez • Maggie McGee • Lucas Modzelewski • Joe Rizzo • Raemon Savillo • Jaclyn Smitendorf • Sam Stubits • Mohammed Syed • Natalie Trzeckiak • Vickie Watkins • Austin Zeis • Photographers • Michael Czapka • Dana Kalish • Sehba Faheem • Adviser • Dennis Brown

Editorial Policy

H

HS Media are the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by HHS Media students. HHS Media have been established as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisers may – and should coach and discuss content – during the writing process. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of HHS Media is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself; its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

NEWS

Student admires the fascinating abilities of the Chromebook (S. Faheem)

Chromebooks for one, Chromebooks for all HHS will integrate Chromebooks next semester

T

sarah biernat • staff writer

he world of technology is changing, and so is the world of learning at Huntley High School. The week after winter break, Huntley High will hand out 900 Chromebooks to the current freshmen class, in the hopes of making learning more enjoyable for students with many different way of understanding material.

“Your generation is digital natives,” said principal Scott Rowe.

“We want to make this one on one learning.”

Online learning started five years ago at Martin with a reading program called “Read Street.”

“It went well and the next year fourth graders tried online learning,” said Rowe. “A few years later it hit the middle schools, and now it

is just getting to us.”

Since the eighth graders received their own Chromebooks at both Marlowe and Heineman middle school, they will bring them next year while everyone already at the high school will be getting a new laptop at least one time during their high school career.

With this, technology will be doing most of the teaching. Will the teachers be completely replaced?

According to Rowe, the ideal situation is to have most of the curriculum be online based, but still keep the traditional feel of an actual teacher helping the students.

“The goal of this is to have the teachers aid, and have the students do more learning on their own,” said Rowe. “We don’t want to ‘flip the switch’ so quickly.”

In order to make the integration process easier, Rowe wants the teachers to try them out first before

second semester.

“Although this is not intended to be treated like a test run, it is to a certain extent,” said Rowe. “There is hope to be able to fix any bugs or problems with the laptops this semester, so when everyone else gets them, it is all smooth sailing.”

With this new line of technology becoming a thing, freshman Emily Gaus knows how they can be bothersome at some times, yet useful most of the time.

“I do enjoy using the Chromebooks,” said Gaus. “On occasion [at Heineman] we used them.”

Having her own Chromebook makes it easier for her and her fellow classmates. According to Gaus, they can now do their work without having the “Wi-Fi out half the time.”

Students such as Gaus will no longer have to be concerned about hooking up to the same Wi-Fi as

everyone else.

“Each access point is rated per the manufacturer to talk to more than 100 devices at once,” said Dan Kuehling, District 158’s Network Technician.

The speed is currently at 500 Mbps (megabits per second), which is roughly 10-20 times faster than the cable modem at our homes.

Therefore, the new Wi-Fi access points in classrooms shouldn’t have any problem hooking up or moving at a decent speed.

Despite all the new benefits these Chromebooks have to offer, they won’t be replacing traditional learning anytime soon.

“We’re excited to see where this goes,” said Rowe.

So no, white boards and participation points won’t vanish, this generation is about to upbring a new form of education.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 3

NEWS

YOU GIVE, YOU GET. 11550 Kreutzer Road HUNTLEY 847.961.5409 BUY $25 IN HOLIDAY GIFT CARDS IN-RESTAURANT, GET A BLAZIN’ BONUS® SEE STORE FOR DETAILS WEEKLY SPECIALS

t-Free s e r e t In ancing Fin lable A*vsaubijecptrtooval credit

ap

WING TUESDAYS®-60¢ Make us a contact in your phone, you never know when you might need us!

adamscollisionservice.com ~ facebook.com/adamscollision

The Works Vehicle Checkup

39.95

$

• Oil Change • Fluid Top-Off • Tire Rotation and Pressure Check • Battery Test • Brake Inspection • Filter Check • Multi-Point Inspection • Belts and Hoses Check Up

Up to 5 quarts of Motorcraft synthetic blend oil and Motorcraft oil filter. Plus tax and disposal fees. Price may vary for some models. Expiration date: 12/31/15.

13900 Automall Drive, Huntley, IL 60142

847-669-6060

www.TomPeckFord.com TPF_HuntleyVoice_F150_3.67x4.7_120715

4 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

BONELESS THURSDAYS® AND MONDAYS - 60¢ 99¢ KIDS MEALS-WEDNESDAYS

Like us on Facebook! www.BuffaloWildWings.com

461 S. RANDALL RD. ALGONQUIN • 847-458-2333

5755 NORTHWEST HWY. CRYSTAL LAKE • 815-356-0333

NEWS

Construction relieves congestion for freshmen Additions to West Wing will relieve congestion and create second commons area for blended maddy moffett • opinion editor

A

s the bell rings at 8:17 a.m. to signal the end of Maggie Fulling’s first period Algebra I class, freshman Braidy Ceh hurriedly stuffs her notebook into her backpack and speeds out the door.

Weaving and ducking around those who seem to be the slowest walkers in the world, Ceh enters the cluster of students, heading toward the health hallway.

She tries to navigate through the congestion, getting an elbow to the gut and almost losing her shoe three times. Conscious of the precious passing period minutes ticking away, she hangs a right toward the downstairs English and history hallway, but suddenly hears music playing.

Ceh continues to speed walk to her Global Studies class with tiny rivulets of sweat beginning to form on her brow. She makes it to her desk with only 10 seconds to spare, breathing a quick sigh of relief.

And this is just a normal morning for Ceh. Many students, past and present, have experienced a similar dilemma.

“Having to walk through the main staircase every day freshman year was terrible,” said junior Morgan Clausen. “I was almost late all the time.”

The new west wing addition, however, will feature connections between the W-hallway and the math and science hallway, making the commute for students like Ceh a breeze.

According to Principal Scott

The back staircase, connecting the health hallway to the math and science hallway. The stairs lead out to the upper addition to the math and science hallway. (R. O’Sullivan)

Rowe, the congestion in the main stairwell and health hallway was the most important issue to be addressed in conjunction with the new fieldhouse and renovated cafeteria and commons area, which were funded by the $39 million construction grant from the state of Illinois. Additional classrooms and science labs were also a top priority.

The art wing was seriously considered to house the renovations, but the west wing eventually prevailed.

“The congestion was 100 percent the reason we chose to do the addition in the West end,” said Rowe.

The addition will include six science labs, which will most likely be assigned to physics and biology, four classrooms, student and staff restrooms, and a teacher workroom.

A commons area flanked with lockers will also be included, offering another hang out spot for students before and after school.

Tables and chairs will be scattered throughout to accommodate students wishing to study or chat with friends.

However, this commons area

will be off-limits during the school day because it will be located in a primarily academic area.

“I think [administration] have a responsibility to respect the traditional classrooms that have kids in them,” said Rowe.

Even blended students will not be able to access the area. According to Rowe, students with a “B” on their ID think they have “free reign in the whole building” and they can just flash their IDs and roam the halls as they please.

This rule will force students to plan their blended periods efficiently. Instead of going to see a teacher at the end of a period, Huntley’s administration and campus supervisors would like students to visit teachers or the commons area during the first part of the hour to minimize distraction and promote proper time management.

Besides a change in blended policies, the renovation will also bring new science labs hosting a modern layout more adept to hands-on learning.

“Our current science labs are not versatile and progressive enough

for what science needs to be today,” said Rowe.

Because of this, versatility will be the focal point of the labs.

Instead of the traditional setup of one half of the science classroom dedicated to desks and the other half dedicated to lab tables and lab procedures, the west wing labs will feature tables mounted on casters with the ability to maneuver around the room freely.

During instruction time, the tables can be pushed to the center of the room, and during labs can be locked into the perimeter countertops to create “islands” containing all necessary materials and extra space.

Math and science, however, will not necessarily be exclusive to this part of the building. According to Rowe, specific courses and teachers have not been assigned and will not be until next year. Medical Academy courses could also be taught in the science labs.

Construction is currently on schedule, and is anticipated to be complete by this upcoming April.

The staircase and framing have been completed, and paint is beginning to be added to the walls.

“We won’t have the rush of finishing it all like this summer,” said Rowe. “[Construction workers] are going to work all winter with no interruptions.”

Though the construction is set to be done before the end of this school year, the improved west wing will not be fully operational until the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 5

NEWS

Dr. Vikram “Vic” Khanna is a Board-Certified dermatologist that has practiced in the area for more than 15 years. He practices general dermatology and provides comprehensive dermatologic care for adult and pediatric patients. He offers up to date care in a brand new state of the art facility. After Dr. Khanna completed high school at Naperville North, he completed his undergraduate studies at Northwestern University as a member of the prestigious Honors Program in Medical Education. He went on to Northwestern Medical School (Feinberg) where he discovered a LOVE of all things related to dermatology. He completed an Internal Medicine Internship at Emory University Graduate School of Medicine before he moved to Cleveland, to complete a residency at Case Western Reserve University where he also served as chief resident. This prestigious dermatology residency department has been consistently ranked in the top of all dermatology residencies in the US.

Cosmetic

Medical

Surgical

Botox & Dysport Injectable Fillers Hair Removal IPL Photofacials Coolsculpting

Acne Rashes/Eczema Psoriasis Treatment Fungal Infections Warts and much more

Mole Removal Skin Cancer Treatment Cyst/Limpoma Removal

Fashion • Hair Accessories • Jewelry • Purses/Bags • Home Decor • Pet Items • Gifts • and More!

10% Off

Purchase with this Coupon!

This coupon cannot be combined

Open Tuesday-Sunday Closed Mondays 11805 E Main Street, Huntley IL (224) 858-4561 elatedboutique.com

847-458-SKIN (7546) 2430 Esplanade Drive Suite B, Algonquin 60102 www.dermspecialistsil.com

4591 Princeton Lane Lake in the Hills, IL 60156 224-858-4142 www.goslowdrivingschool.com

Our goal is simple: To teach students how to be safe, Purchase a $595 voucher to responsible and considerate drivers!

Go Slow Driving School Call about upcoming schedules and for Only $297.50! promotions!

Check website for restrictions. Hurry, this Big Deal ends Sunday at 7 am!

Hurry, this Big Deal ends Wednesday at 7 am!

This voucher is valid for the “Go Slow and Steady” Package.

6 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

• • • •

Package Includes: 30 hours classroom 8 hours behind the wheel (6 required by state) 8 hours observing behind the wheel (6 required by state) 2 extra hours behind the wheel before taking drivers license test

NEWS

These boys will set and spike the stereotypes Due to growing student interest, junior Jacob Pryzdzial starts HHS’s first guys volleyball club justin kostecki • staff writer

T

he bouncing of a volleyball between the floor and a steady hand, echoes throughout the expansive field house. Words of motivation are carried in the air. Jacob Przydzial serves the ball. His unbreakable focus matches his passion for the game. The same passion that runs through his fellow teammates.

The creation of a guys volleyball team was an idea waiting to become reality, and Jacob Przydzial was the one to do it.

“Going to the America versus Polish guys’ volleyball game [inspired me to come up with the idea and] my dad played volleyball so I got into it,” said junior

State Farm

Providing Insurance and Financial Services Home Office, Bloomington, IL 61710

Witt Insurance Agency Inc Rick Witt, Agent

PO Box 1141 Huntley, IL 60142 Bus 847-515-1727 Fax 847-515-1901 www.rickwittinsurance.com

The greatest compliment you can give is a referral

Jacob Przydzial.

Although most sports include both male and female teams, there are a few clubs and athletics at HHS that do not yet represent both genders..

Other athletic clubs tend to lack sponsors, money for necessities, facilities, and/or enough students willing to participate. As far as sponsors go, Gerard Marchand has been pushing for this idea for quite some time.

He volunteered to assemble all of the technicalities for the team to thrive and eventually become an official entity.

“Ten years ago, I asked the athletic directors. [We didn’t seem to have] the facilities,” said Marchand.

“Jacob approached me this year [and reintroduced the idea]. There is a greater chance now because of the field house.”

Marchand’s background playing club volleyball in high school and college, inspired his continuous desire to coach and sponsor a guys volleyball team.

The organization of the team was beginning construction. The word began to spread. Establishing the team would take effort and dues, such as an approximate athletic fee of $75.

Despite the difficulty in establishing an official sports team, the profound interest in the idea for a guys’ volleyball team was evident in the number of students who showed up for the first meeting.

“We had 62 people sign up on the first day and more are still trickling onto our Google Form,” said Marchand.

Both Przydzial and Marchand believe that this has the potential to eventually become an HHS sport. The new installation of the field house will prove very useful to energized volleyball enthusiasts.

“It’s definitely going through. I got us into a tournament already in St. Charles [on April 9], so it has to go through.”

Although, the excitement of the players is escalating quickly at the visible ability for this team to be something of great magnitude, and with the help of Raider Nation, the team is on the right track. With the added help of Marchand and students involved, an HHS guys’ volleyball team is sure to become concrete and not only exist, but flourish.

Junior Jacob Przydzial serves a volleyball in physical education class (M. Czapka)

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 7

NEWS

New year, new classes Additional courses in the STEM and Medical Academy aim to train students for careers

T

vickie watkins • staff writer

here has been new room numbers, new teachers, new students, and a new look introduced to Huntley this year. Next year will also have something new: new classes.

Teachers suggest new classes based on how many students take specific classes and their level of interest. Ideas for what the new classes will involve are run through department heads and eventually end up at the board, in order to be finalized and approved. The approved classes for next year are going to be taught by both new and current teachers, although classes will not be officially given until then.

For the 2016-2017 school year, there will be classes such as Digital Photos II, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Dual Credit Biology, Aerospace Engineering, Art and Design for Engineering, Sports Medicine II, AP Physics II, Dance II, and a new Forensics class.

The current Forensics course is a speech class and will have speech in its course title. The Forensics course introduced next year will be based on studying evidence, and will have evidence in its course title.

While Forensics is becoming a completely new class, other classes are being combined.

AP Comparative Government will also be added to the course catalog, due to the increase in student interest. Before it was an after-school study group, led by AP Government and Politics teacher Nathan Schmidt, that wanted to take the AP Comparative Government test in addition to the AP Government one in May. 8 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

“Some kids met after school last year and took the Comparative Government, and because of that we’re going to combine them into one class so at the end they’ll take both AP classes,” said Shelly Kish, associate principal for curriculum.

By taking both classes, students will be enabled to take both AP tests.

A lot of the new classes will be level two courses, which are taken after the introductory course. In order to help students become more involved in their future fields, these new classes will narrow their foci.

This is most noticeable in STEM and the Engineering and Medical Academies. Both academies are adding courses that will make it easier for students to focus on a specific field that will benefit their future careers.

“For our STEM and Engineering Academy we already have Project Lead The Way classes which are IED, Introduction to Engineering and Design, and POE, Principles of Engineering,” said Kish. “For the third year, it is kind of where they branch off into their specific areas.”

Civil Engineering and Architecture and Aerospace Engineering are two classes that will be optional as third year courses for students to take as part of PLTW. “These are the first kind of specialized courses where they’re in specific engineering fields that kids are interested in,” said Brian O’Neill, Introduction to Engineering and Design teacher. “It’s a true elective and they’re going to be doing big projects within those fields.”

The Medical Academy is also going to have big introductions.

The Youth Residency will be a new course next year for students aiming to go into a medical career.

The number of students that get

Engineering teacher Brian O’Neill prints by using the 3D pritner. (D. Kalish)

into this program will be limited, but those who get in will get to be a part of the unique opportunity to go to Centegra and do residency rotations in the hospital and its facilities.

Besides the academies, there are many other courses that are gaining new classes. There is going to be Sports Medicine II, which will be similar to Youth Residency, where students can do more work involved in physical therapy and other topics covered in Sports Medicine I. “They will be working more with

Unfinished robots, built by the engineering students, line the wall. (D. Kalish).

our trainers or going out to physical therapy places and working there and being more hands on,” said Kish. “That’s working to get the kids to take and practice what they learned in Sports Medicine I.” A lot of the new classes that will be added next year will help students focus on their futures and become more involved in their future fields. By taking classes concentrated on specific careers and areas, students are able to explore their interests and become closer to figuring out what they want to do after high school.

OPINION

I. Fabella

Holiday cheer for all Christmas is not the only winter holiday to celebrate camille paddock•staff writer

A

s soon as Thanksgiving is over and December starts, the Christmas spirit quickly spreads everywhere; the songs on the radio, the houses upon houses with elaborately lit exteriors, the tinsel stockings and trees that top off the light poles in the streets, and even the school’s College and Career Center that is filled with wreaths and the all-too-famous waving Santa Claus.

People quickly fall under the spell of the holiday cheer. Contagious smiles and laughter can be seen around every corner, Christmas trees are put up and decorated

with lights and ornaments, talk of presents and gifts are the main conversations, and it seems nothing can’t be solved by watching a goodold Christmas movie. It’s a time of giving and receiving. It’s spending time with those you love most. It’s a time of happiness and joy.

But what about the people who don’t celebrate Christmas?

As a serious Christmas lover myself, I understand how easy it can be to be wrapped up in “the most wonderful time of the year” and have your blinders on for every other winter holiday out there. However, it’s time to open up to more than just the jolly old Santa Claus.

Senior Brennan Jared Sorkin is all too familiar with this insensitive stigma towards unpopular holidays.

“I don’t get offended when [people] say Merry Christmas,” said Sorkin. “But when they look at me [weird] for saying Happy Chanukah, that’s when I get annoyed.”

Sorkin is not the only one; junior

Chandler Beeman has also run into this issue of feeling left out.

“I believe every religion is important and should not be counted

way every student can feel apart of the “winter spirit” as they rightfully should.

out,” said Beeman.

“I believe every religion is important and should not be counted out.”

So why is all of our focus devoted to only one religious holiday?

“I think it’s because Christmas is the most popular,” said junior Natalia Kucharczyk.

Popularity set aside, it also has a lot to do with the fact that most people are uneducated about holidays outside of Christianity.

“Everyone in the school knows the day that Christmas falls on, but you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who knows the days of Chanukah,” said Sorkin.

So what’s the solution to this unfamiliarity towards non-Christian religions? The answer is simple: just be more open-minded. Instead of decorating the school exclusively for Christmas, we should decorate for all of the winter holidays. That

-Chandler Beeman Now there is nothing wrong with showing your excitement towards Christmas. Let’s face it, it is a magical time of the year. However, remember to be considerate of all the students in Huntley High School.

So no matter what you will be celebrating over this winter break, remember to wish everyone happy holidays.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 9

OPINION

Falling apart at the seams Tattered and worn textbooks are unacceptable

I. Fabella

adam reckamp•editor-in-chief

I

t is 11 p.m. on a Sunday night.

Football is over, and my procrastination is done. I sit down at my desk to do my last piece of homework: AP Statistics, page 362 2-16 even. As I open my stats book, I can’t find the page. My textbook is missing over 100 pages in the middle, including this entire unit.

I was able to make due over the next two units by taking pictures of my friend’s book, but it was still a major inconvenience. I’m one of those weird kids who reads the textbook to review for tests and quizzes, and not having the lessons in my book made that impossible. I talked to my teacher and a secretary about getting an additional book for the next month, but they informed me there were no extra books to be found.

When a school year ends, students check their books back in, and during this time the faculty 10mbers supervising book turn-in

quickly check the books, sorting them by books that need to be rebound and books that can just be put right back on the shelves. This check is so brief because students are trusted to self-report the issues with their books. Students are fined for damage to their books, and can’t graduate until they pay those fines.

This creates a conflict of interest; students don’t report the poor conditions of their books for fear of incurring fines, and some damaged books make it through the quick check. Students merely stack the books outside their classrooms during finals week with no responsibility for damages they caused.

The current process for evaluating the condition of books is not thorough enough in its current state. Students who go to material pick up on the second day often get stuck with books in awful condition. How some of these books are not flagged during the check-in process at the end of the year is beyond me.The cause of these issues is two-fold; some students don’t take good care of their books and books are replaced almost once a decade.

A system where students are fined for damage incurred on their textbooks makes sense. It holds students accountable for the way they treat their books and makes

10 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

students ultimately responsible for the books they are loaned. It also causes students to care more about the conditions of their textbooks and to report damages at the beginning of the year as they don’t want to be fined later for pre-existing damages.

This system is great, but in order for it to work properly, books need to be checked more thoroughly at the end of the year. I’m not saying every page needs to be thumbed through, but the books should at least be looked at for 30 seconds to make sure they are in good condition. A book missing 150 pages is a massive oversight and speaks to a large problem in the current process.

The best way to fix this whole process is just to eliminate it entirely and move to online textbooks.

I used an online textbook for my AP U.S. History class last year and loved it. I never had to carry around a book and could just Ctrl-F for keywords instead of using an index.

Principal Scott Rowe is resistant to moving entirely away from textbooks, but I think he would be surprised to find how receptive the current generation is to reading on a computer screen or mobile device.

“At this point I’m not comfortable saying yes [we will move totally

to online textbooks] because I see value in physically interacting with a book,” said Rowe. “I think class sets make more sense in books, where you can use it when you need it and potentially check one out.

I don’t think every student needs to be issued a book but we are not there yet. I’m not rushing to get there, we have to do it right.”

By next year the entire student body will have Chromebooks; what better time than now to move to eliminate paper textbooks? Online textbooks are cheaper, easier to update, and can’t be damaged over the years. For millennials, reading on a computer screen is second nature. When was the last time a student went to the library to check out books for research?

The math department is currently in a curriculum review, and according to department chair Cynthia Schneider, is moving to almost all online textbooks and class sets. This decision should be echoed around the school as the it moves to a total 21st century classroom.

The current system for evaluating textbooks needs to be changed. A more thorough process for evaluating the condition of books needs to be adopted, or the school should move to a class set-only model for print textbooks.

OPINION

New entrance or no entrance Overall safety trumps convenience of late arrival students tyler watkins • sports editor

S

enior Aaron Vandy glances at the clock in his car. Once again, he has arrived at school at 8 a.m., just in time to make it to his second hour class.

Winds gust as he quickly gathers his belongings and exits his car.

Shivering, he begins the long walk around the building to Door 1. As a late arrival student, Vandy has the advantage of not having to be in school for the first period of the day. However, other students have one thing he could only wish to obtain: the ability to enter school through the nearest door.

Since the beginning of the school year, Door 1 has been the only entrance for students looking to enter or leave the building between 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. This applies to students with blended classes, late arrival, and early dismissal.

However, since late arrival students get to school after their peers, they are often forced to park at the back of lot, past the PAC. These students then have to walk around the building to get to class, rather than enter through the nearest door.

“I’d prefer a closer entrance because I have to park all the way by the PAC,” said Vandy. “It takes about 3 or 4 minutes to walk to Door 1. When it gets cold out, that isn’t going to be a fun walk.”

According to Principal Scott Rowe, using Door 1 as the only entrance ensures that the school is as secure as possible. Having one entrance lets the staff monitor the flow of traffic and keep tabs on who is entering and exiting the building.

Senior Jerissa Chan scans her ID at Door 1. (S. Faheem)

Using multiple doors could result in people entering the school without anybody’s knowledge.

“Our number one responsibility is to make sure all of our students and staff are safe and can focus on what we want them to focus on, which is learning,” said Rowe.

As a late arrival student myself, I can attest to the fact that it isn’t very fun to walk around the entire school just to enter the building. It gets even worse when it’s 20 degrees out and the wind is blowing in my face the entire time. I’m even less excited by the prospect of having to carefully avoid patches of ice on the sidewalk over the next few months.

A solution to this issue would be having a member of the security staff man Door 9 during first hour, as it is the closest door to the general area in which most late arrival students park. This would allow students to avoid spending more time than necessary in awful weather and would make it quicker and easier for them to enter the

building.

Before the year started, the administration looked into this as an option. But they determined that

“Our number one responsibility is to make sure all of our students and staff are safe.”

-Scott Rowe the campus supervisors already have a large amount of responsibilities to take care of during the day. As such, it would be extremely difficult to ensure a separate door was always manned.

“We couldn’t guarantee that someone would be available to be there every single day,” said Rowe.

“It’s better to have some consistency and have Door 1 be the only entrance.”

Although I would love for there to be an alternate entrance for late arrival students, opening one shouldn’t take away from the duties already assigned to various staff members. Opening another entrance would save students like myself a lot of time, but it would have negative impacts in other areas of the school. It wouldn’t be fair for blended students, who often don’t receive ideal parking spots if they leave throughout the day, to have to walk to Door 1 while allowing late arrival students their own entrance during first hour.

The safety of the school should be of the utmost importance. Currently, entering through Door 1 is a comfort issue, not a logistical one. If allowing students to enter through Door 1 could potentially result in safety concerns, it would be far more advantageous to keep the one door policy intact.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 11

FEATURES Dan Park, Hizqueel Ahmed, and Sergio Rivera go over plans at the first LoL Club meeting.

(M. Czapka)

A league of their own Senior Hizqueel Ahmed leads the way for Summoners at HHS to pursue their passion for League of Legends Hizqueel Ahmed’s favorite “champion” Brand (Courtesy of na.leagueoflegends.com)

12 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

FEATURES

mawa iqbal • news editor

I

t was nearing the final stretch of an intense match. They started with an early lead, but soon found themselves falling off as they progressed into the midgame. The other team sensed their weakness and began to push down on them.

The enemy team’s plan for destroying their nexus and claiming victory was halted when a champion named “Brand” predicted exactly where the opposing champions would run, and used a last-second skill shot to render them dead.

Brand’s team saw their chance to charge down the middle lane and destroy the enemy team’s nexus.

The whole chat erupted with excitement, shock and praise. Neither him nor his teammates expected him to land the perfect shot in the perfect moment.

A day before winning the game that he would remember for a long time, senior Hizqeel Ahmed sat waiting in the Hub after school. He had put in an announcement that day, advertising a new gaming club he had started.

10 minutes passed and he was still sitting at an empty table. He began to doubt the effectiveness of the announcement. Thoughts like “no one’s going to show up,” and “it’s going to be awkward and weird,” took control in his head.

Figuring that no one was interested in his idea, he headed towards club sponsor Philip McNamee’s room to break the disappointing news. Yet as he approached the room, he began to hear the usual roar of conversation, except this roar contained strategies and lingo from League of Legends.

He looked in and saw fellow teammates Daniel Park and Sergio Rivera, visibly happy from the turnout. To their surprise, the room was filled with 25 hopeful candidates seeking a spot in Huntley High School’s first official League of Legends team.

But those spots weren’t guaranteed for everyone. From Nov. 11 until the end of Thanksgiving break, players underwent a series of

tryouts. Administered by Co-President Park, these tryouts were set up in chat rooms where him, Ahmed, and Rivera would monitor and take notes on the players playing against each other.

Due to strong rosters and fierce competition from other high school leagues, they were looking solely for the best of the best; skilled players with natural talent, quick response times, and full commitment to the team effort.

“I went online and saw that the good schools’ rosters were stacked,” said Ahmed. “We were looking for dedicated players like us, so we can have a strong team and easily win matches.”

With a $20,000 scholarship at stake, building a solid roster of 15 key players was crucial to their chances of success. Despite the assets of other high schools, such as Cary Grove’s league, Ahmed believes that HHS has a good chance of being national bound.

“I honestly think we have a good shot at going to nationals and winning the whole thing this year.

We’re pretty good in our respective league, and if we keep practicing, I think we could be really good by spring season.”

- Senior Hizqueel Ahmed Their league, along with many other high school leagues from across the nation, is registered in the LoL High School Starleague.

Through this independent eSports organization, high schools are able

to compete in online tournaments, live charity events, and of course, one-on-one matches for the coveted cash prize.

Before they even get to nationals, however, the HHS league has to defeat other high schools in the group stages. This will ensure them a chance to compete in the quarterfinals, where they travel to local networking areas, known as LAN parties, and compete against their rivals in person.

Advancing on to the national level will not only increase their chances of winning the scholarship, but also pursuing a possible career as a professional player. The glory of being the best American high school league comes with an added bonus.

Much like gifted, high school athletes capturing the interests of college scouts with their performances, the LoL pro players begin to recognize them as possible recruits to their professional league.

Depending on how much faith they have in their potential teammates, the pro league will grant them scholarships to certain colleges that have proficient leagues.

Once they’re out of college, they will be inducted into the pro league and go on to compete in international matches, against top contenders like South Korean leagues SK Telecom T1 and KOO tigers, ranked number one and number 2 in the world respectively.

For Park, this is a dream. A dream where, despite knowing how difficult it may be to attain it, he is optimistic that his current standing will give him an early lead.

“Because I’m a sophomore and I still have a few years before I graduate, I was planning on getting a lot better before I try for the pro league,” said Park. “That’s one of my goals since I have a pretty high ranking, especially for someone my age.”

Despite both of them being ranked in the top 0.5 percent on the high school level, Park and Ahmed have very different future plans about the game. Although Ahmed did receive a scholarship to attend

a school with a competitive league, he isn’t sure if he would pursue it as a first choice.

“Robert Morris University has a pretty good team, but they don’t have my major, so I don’t know if I want to play at the collegiate level for them,” said Ahmed. “I wouldn’t want to play in the professional league either just because it takes a lot of time and commitment. For practice, you have to play close to eight hours a day.”

For the professional league, eight hours of continuous playing is standard practice, almost customary. But after stripping away the layers of intense competition and overbearing pressure to win, League of Legends is just a video game; a video game enjoyed by most as simply an after-school pastime or a fun hobby.

“You’ll pick it up one day and

“I got hooked right away. You have a distinct role in each game and the satisfaction of beating another team feels really good too.” - Sophomore Dan Park realize that it’s actually fun to play,” said Ahmed. “Even though it takes a long time to get good at, it’s easy to pick up so anyone can play it really.”

Their quest for the scholarship and national recognition can be seen as one giant game in itself. Level one is simple. Work as a high school team to plan strategies, and claim victory over other high schools. Now as a competitive league, the HHS LoL Team hopes to invade the heart of the national competition’s defenses, claim the $20,000 nexus, and reign victorius over the high school game.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 13

FEATURES

The All New 2016 Honda

Pilot

HAS ARRIVED!

Service. Value. Reputation. That’s the Power of McGrath!

2020 N. Randall Rd. Elgin, IL 60123

847.695.8000 mcgrathhondaelgin.com

11801 Main Street in Huntley, across from Parkside

(847) 458-8585

Late Start Lattes! $1 off any Latte

Late Starts during December

Peppermint Mochas • Chocolate Peppermint Donuts Room for Study Groups Open until 8:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday

Mention you saw the ad in The Voice!

14 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

FEATURES

She’s running the show Junior Ava Novak may not be on the stage, but she keeps the show running in her own way Junior Ava Novak sits on stage, under her lights, reading a script in preperation. (S. Faheem)

jaclyn smitendorf • staff writer

S

he wakes up from her night’s rest of four and a half hours, which is arguably a nap. She’s willing to sacrifice some sleep, especially if it means scribbling down an idea for a screenplay that came to her subconsciously or preparing for another AP Calculus test.

For her morning behind-thescenes work, she contemplates which outfit to wear. Her closet is packed with an acquired taste in clothing. Besides, high fashion and style aren’t for everyone. She picks out an outfit with a fashionista’s flare; the statement of creativity is light years ahead of the crowd. The outer-perfectionist now matches the perfectionist within.

For junior Ava Novak, there’s no room for a cutaway in her day. She’s got one shot to make it her best.

Novak taps into her every talent.

She’s a gifted and devoted student that isn’t the least bit intimidated to take an AP class, let alone take four. Aside from the books, Novak writes her own screenplays, is a TV production manager, and a Thespian. Despite being introduced to her passion, theater, at a later stage than most, she instantaneously knew it would play a large role in her life.

During her time at Huntley High School, Novak has wasted no time establishing herself as a triple threat in the world of entertainment. Not only is Novak savvy in technical work, but she’s a creative scene writer that knows her way around a camera.

In her TV Production class, she’s basically the lights, camera, and action all wrapped up in one stage

manager. She continuously builds on her tech skills, to ensure she keeps her expertise intact.

After hours of practice, she is able to create lighting that illuminates the mood and feel for any story, and it’s nearly perfect. As a part of the action, Novak ensures every camera angle is spot on, even to the nearest degree.

“I like the art of film. You can elicit a response from the audience through acting, make a scene look stunning with angles and lighting, and as a bonus, you can write,” said Novak.

Being the perfectionist that she is, Novak has never made a film she’s 100 percent proud of.

“She’s always working on something. Even when it’s time for lights out, she’s still editing away. She just can’t stop,” said junior Morgan O’Connor, her fellow TV Production classmate.

Novak’s passion is filmmaking, and her next big step is to be accepted to NYU. She doesn’t set limits for herself or her dreams, and aspires to one day make it to Hollywood.

“I would love to write, direct, and be the photographer.”

- Junior Ava Novak Novak is driven to succeed, whether that be on stage, behind a camera, or crouched over a textbook. Her intentions are pure, and she carries them out wholeheartedly. Her confidence will let nothing stand in her way.

“If you give yourself entirely to opportunities that arise, you’ll never look back with regret,” said Novak.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 15

FEATURES

Bay Hill Dental Need a whiter smile? Or just a simple cleaning? Come on in and keep those teeth shining bright!

Hours: M-F: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sa/Su: Closed 12171 Regency Square Pkwy.

Huntley 847-669-6400

Do you trust your mechanic?

Sal’s Pizza Place 11019 N. Woodstock St. (Located in the Huntley Downtown Square)

For the Month of October

Huntley High School Students Show your ID to get

815-356-0993 autoauthorityinc.com

4590 W. Algonquin Rd. Lake in the Hills, Il 60156 847-515-2700

Sushi • Steak • Seafood Monday - Thursday Friday - Saturday Sundays

16 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

5:00 - 9:30 pm 5:00 - 10:30 pm 4:30 - 8:30 pm

$5.00 OFF Any Dine in Pizza

FEATURES

Smashing expectations Steele Curtis hosts the Third-Annual Super Smash Bros. Tournament at Huntley High School

(Courtesy of https:// www.facebook.com/ SmashBrosEN/?fref=ts)

joe rizzo • staff writer

T

he bell rings on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Most of the students run for their cars, getting ready for the week-long break. Senior Steele Curtis does not. Curtis is setting up his very own Super Smash Bros. tournament at Huntley High School.

Super Smash Bros. is a Nintendo game that was first released in 1999.

Players get to compete as Nintendo characters, such as Mario or Princess Peach, fighting each other until only one character has lives remaining.

Curtis grew up playing Super Smash Bros and has loved it his whole life.

“Ever since I was five years old i’ve been playing Super Smash. I used to beat my friends as a five year old; now, I can beat other people,” said Curtis.

This will be the third consecutive year that Curtis has held this tournament at HHS. The Annual HHS Super Smash Bros. Tournament was created, organized and funded by Curtis himself. Last year, he was even able to get GameStop

to sponsor the event.

“How do I get sponsorships? I walk into stores and restaurants and say ‘yo homedawg, hit me up with that good sponsorship.’ Then, the manager goes ‘Aight G, take care player’,” said Curtis.

Curtis did not get any sponsorships this year, but was still able to successfully run the tournament all by himself.

This year, 16 players competed, while others watched. For more than 3 hours, players battled until there was only one player remaining.

The top 3 players in this doubleelimination tournament would receive prizes. First place won a $50 GameStop gift card, second place won $30 GameStop gift card, and third place won a $10 GameStop gift card.

Curtis did not only host the tournament, he had other side events for people who were not competing. If you got the highest score in home-run contest, you could win an Amiibo, a series of nintendo toys that interact with multiple games on 3DS or WiiU. If the home-run contest was not your thing, you could create a Mii fighter and the coolest fighter also

won an Amiibo. If you had an Amiibo, you could battle other Amiibo’s in an Amiibo tournament to win a prize. This prize, of course, was another Amiibo.

Curtis’s creativity is what made this event a success. He did all the necessary legwork, handing out flyers to students at lunch to promote his event.

Curtis is clearly a young businessman with a bright future. For some, this looks like a cool little hobby, but for Curtis this has evolved into something that is more than just a hobby.

“This started as a hobby for me, but I hope to turn it into a career; I have already got job offers from hosting events across the state,” said Curtis.

Curtis holds many tournaments around the area, while also competing in tournaments around Illinois.

“I have gone to so many tournaments that I lost count,” said Curtis.

Curtis does more than just Super Smash Bros.; he also sets up tournaments for other games, such as Pokemon. Curtis usually hosts Super Smash Bros., and has held many tournaments at Cary Gymnastics.

Curtis usually brings in about 45

competitors and is also well known around the area. If you know Curtis, you know that he always has a smile on his face and has a great sense of humor. This allows him to promote his tournaments with creativity and attract many people to his events.

“My goal is to have tournaments across the United States, wherever a person is willing to let me.”

- Steele Curtis Curtis has a unique ability to communicate and think outside of the box. He created a Super Smash Bros. tournament that has been running for the last three years. Although Curtis might be gone next year, the Smash bros tournament will continue.

As Curtis departs HHS, he leaves behind a simple event that brings students together; for that, he will always be remembered.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 17

FEATURES

G O “ForgingElite Elite Fitness” “Forging Fitness”

10643 Wolf Drive, Huntley, IL 60142 (847) (847) 951-0455 951-0455 crossfithuntley.com crossfithuntley.com

Algonquin / Lake in the Hills / Huntley Classroom 4067 W. Algonquin Rd. Algonquin, IL 60102 (847) 977-7193

NEW! FLEX-Ed Great for kids busy with sports, academics, and other activities!

See our web site for more details.

*** Special Area Wide Discount --> Visit http://www.joycesdrivingschool.net/

for more information.

18 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

R A I D E R S!

FEATURES

Keeping it in the family Bianca Spann helps her dad run his business

sumbul shakeel • design editor

S

he inserts the disc, and steps back, watching until soccer players appear and the letters FIFA flash across the screen. Smiling, she leaves the kids to settle into the black and yellow seats and play the game while she makes the whole 70 foot trailer smell like fresh cut grass to make the game come to life.

Walking around, she goes ahead and sets up the remaining three HD TVs for the other kids to play on too. After all, it was a big birthday party.

Junior Bianca Spann’s job is like no other teen’s after school work.

She doesn’t work in retail or fast food, but helps out her dad in their family business, Gamin’ Ride. Her job is to make sure all her guests are having a good time at their parties, being able to play with their friends, and have a really cool experience with vibrating seats and scent diffusing device called Smellovision.

One of Spann’s favorite parts about her job is being able to inter-

act with so many different people, and for a couple of hours, feel like she is part of the family. Her passion for both business and helping others makes her want to go into human resources as her career.

Gamin’ Ride is a Mobile Interactive Entertainment Franchise originating in New Jersey. According to Spann, the trailer is equipped to entertain over 24 guests with four TVs inside, and two on the outside of the climate-controlled trailer, along with about 16 vibrating seats inside. They include game systems like Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Guests are not just constricted to one TV in the house any more, and can all enjoy together in the trailer.

Back in 2012, Bianca’s dad, Carlos Spann, decided to join the company’s efforts to provide a video gaming experience like no other.

“While he was active duty, he always thought, you know, I want to do something with my kids, I want to do something that I love every day,” said Spann. “And so he looked and he invested, he said you know

this is the company that I want to join.”

Although only 16 now, Bianca has been helping out since she was 13, back in North Carolina.

“I transferred to Huntley in October of last year. It was very different. My dad was in the military so we moved around,” said Spann.

“Luckily it was only 3 states: North Carolina, Texas, and Georgia. So then coming to the North, it was different. I have visited, but I had never stayed for a long time.”

Not only has moving from the South to the North changed Spann’s perspective, but just being involved in her dad’s dream and surrounded by a close-knit family has made her more responsible and grateful for what she has.

“My dad invested in it, so it’s kind of like me and my brother’s business. When we get older, possibly we could take over the business and run it ourselves,” said Spann.

“It’s not just our dad’s business, it’s our whole family’s business. We share that responsibility.”

Having this responsibility has

Junior Bianca Spann poses in her dad’s Gamin’ Ride truck (Courtesy of Bianca Spann).

made her more aware of her surroundings. She discovers hard work and dreams come true everywhere she goes, and she appreciates other’s work.

“So every time I go into a new restaurant, like a mom and pop restaurant, I always have so much respect and I have more value for it, because I think as I’m eating this food that this is someone’s dream, this was someone’s hard work that they’ve dedicated their whole life to, and that’s their life,” said Spann.

“So I have a lot of respect for that.”

From witnessing other people’s hard work bringing their dreams to life, Spann knows that if you work hard for something and put in the dedication, that you will see the result you want in the end.

“It’s not just about money. You put your heart and soul into something that you love, and then what you put into it, it’s always gonna come out in that way,” said Spann.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 19

847-659-1000 12531 Regency Parkway, Huntley Huntley

Hampshire

Lake in the Hills

Visit www.moffettpt.com for more information

CHICAGOLANDGARAGEDOOR.COM

“The Do or Pr of essionals

Sales, Service and Installation We sell and service a We sell and service broad range of brand a name broadmanufactured range of operators brand name , as well as wood, steel and manufactured carriageas doors operators, well. as wood, steel and carriage house doors.

of Chicag o land!” SM

(888) 459-3720

Violin & Viola lessons 888-459-3720 Sophia Kyrylyuk

chicagolandgaragedoor.com

Previous Awards 2011 — 2009

10% OFF TOTAL RESIDENTIAL BILL FOR ANGIE’S LIST MEMBERS

skyrylyuk@hotmail.com 11413 Douglas Ave. Unit D Huntley, IL 60142 20 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

For more news, sports, and more, go to huntleyvoice.com

FEATURES

FEATURES

Programming a bright future for himself Kyle Ockerlund finds success in writing code after authoring two books on the subject Junior Kyle Ockerlund works next to a copy of one of his programming guides (R. O’Sullivan).

mohammed syed • staff writer

A

s junior Kyle Ockerlund walks into AP Computer Science, his classmates witness the presence of a highly capable and determined individual. Day in and day out, Ockerlund not only programs, but also conducts his own research.

“In CS for my third hour independent study, ‘Advanced Computational Linguistics, Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence,’ I am currently doing work with machine learning,” said Ockerlund.

“I recently did a project in which I set up an artificial neural network to learn how to play tic-tac-toe, but more recently, I’m working on a part of speech tagger using a Hidden Markov Model of Analysis.”

Ockerlund is also the project manager of the Experimental Science Society for the Linear Electron Accelerator, as well as the director

of the Memory Labs project.

It was in fourth grade when he first started programming. Unlike most computer enthusiasts, Ockerlund carried his passion more than one might expect.

“Originally, I got interested in programming because of the things I could make,” said Ockerlund. “I wanted to be the one creating video games. I wanted to be the one creating web sites. I wanted to be the one creating mobile apps.”

This is normal, but his decision to stay within the programming field allowed him to be successful; so successful that he was able to publish his own programming book, “Jump-Start TI Basic.”

Published in March 2015 on Amazon, the book contains insightful tips on how to program almost any Texas Instruments Calculator.

“After the simple commands, it gets into controlling the flow of a program, then to user interfaces, then to end on some theory,” said Ockerlund.

Ockerlund did not stop there.

For more advanced programmers he has written another book, “Jump Start Z80,” which will be published in about a month.

“I’ve been working on “JumpStart TI Basic” for a year and a half and about a year on the “Jump Start Z80,” said Ockerlund. “I wrote my books for a few reasons, but the thought came to me while thinking about how many people have these calculators, yet nobody knows how to use them. Information online is old, irrelevant, or based in Assembly, a close, but ultimately further removed from the hardware version of Machine Code.”

“I wanted to be the one creating video games. I wanted to be the one creating websites. ” - Kyle Ockerlund Aside from the TI Basic, Z80, and C++ programming languages, Ockerlund is also well-informed with Html, Java, Lua, and C. Ockerlund learned code mainly through programming websites.

He also got some help with Java from computer science teacher Michelle Zietlow.

“His performance was excellent,” said Zietlow. “Every topic he did very well at.”

For some, learning code can be extremely challenging.

“You use a ton of math for code,” said Ockerlund. “It depends on which code you learn. Math is important for TI Basic. Z80 is based on hex 16, which is basically its own number system. It’s a clear 50 percent mix of logic and 50 percent of math.”

For Ockerlund, math is not the problem.

“The biggest barrier was Z80 Machine Code because it’s outdated and was hard to find any good material for learning it,” said Ockerlund. “It is, however, still used in parking meters and calculators.

The calculator that most people use contains the same processer as the original Game Boy from the ‘70s.”

His advice to future programmers is to pick out a project and look into what you want to do.

“If you want to do web design, look into CSS or Html,” said Ockerlund. “Apart from that, if you want to do more on gaming, you should probably look into C++ and Java. If you want to learn machine code, start off with Z80.”

Ockerlund plans on majoring in Computation Linguistics, which is using statistics and computer science to analyze human language.

“I’d love love to go to U of I Champaign and later work on a program that deals with artificial intelligence, the most recognized being Amazon’s Eco or Apple’s Siri,” said Ockerlund.

But for now, Ockerlund will continue to assist future programmers through his vast knowledge in the software industry.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 21

CENTERSPREAD

freshman

senior

Zachary Dubinsky

Tyler Rau

ashley o’brien • online editor

alexandra landman • staff writer

C

hristmas is a big deal at the age of 5 years old. The excitement of Christmas morning, making cookies and milk for Santa, writing a list to Santa, seeing Santa, and being with those who matter most, including Santa.

There is no worst gift on Christmas, for most kindergarteners.

“I remember when I was 5 or 6,” said freshman Zachary Dubinsky. “One of my aunts got me a telescope.”

The luck of Christmas may have not benefitted Dubinsky as a child, however it improved for the best as he got older.

A big silver ‘X’ on a black box can mean anything. Dubinsky had no clue until his parents told him. It was the cash needed for his XBOX One. “I couldn’t even say anything at first,” said Dubinsky. “I was so excited and surprised.”

Dubinsky has many different memories of Christmas, whether it be gifts or not, he does enjoy a good joke, even around the holidays.

To prepare for Christmas, Dubinsky does the most ingenious thing.

“I normally put out milk and cookies,” said Dubinsky. “And then eat them myself.”

As for giving or getting, Dubinsky agrees equally with both.

“I like to make people happy,” said Dubinsky. “[I also like to] give them something funny, like a gag gift.”

However Dubinsky likes getting gifts too, as long as a good laugh is involved, Dubinsky is content.

The day before winter break last year was the funniest Christmas story he could share.

“We did a secret santa at my lunch table,” said Dubinsky. “I remember Josh Feltman [got me] so he thought it’d be funny to get me a chocolate card, and he thought it’d [also] be funny to put a homemade card that said ‘Happy Hanukkah’ [because] my dad’s Jewish.”

of Vanessa

Herrera

sy Courte

of Zach

ary Dub

insky

Courtesy

I

t was the Christmas of 2012, and although there was b awaiting his favorite winter activity. Every winter, he forward to. He had gone snowmobiling ever since he speed and the adrenaline that goes along with it.

When he first started snowmobiling, Rau was definitely “You always hear about snowmobiling accidents, and mo “Snowmobiling is a risk, but that’s what I love about it.”

After going on several trips, Rau became more serious ab of a passion. Along with his new found passion came the n Up to this point he had used his dad’s, but he wanted on “I decided that I would ask for one for Christmas, but of Arctic Cat snowmobile, which was Rau’s brand of choice, g He woke up Christmas morning of his freshman year an peered into the family room looking for a snowmobile, but firmed what he already knew: no snowmobile.

“I wasn’t really upset because I knew I wouldn’t get one,” sa to wait that long.

After Rau opened all of his gifts, his parents told him to previous night. And there it was, with a red bow on top; a “I was really happy and excited,” said Rau. “I was also rea He posed on his new ride for pictures, and asked his fath new snowmobile out for the first time, and it was one of th “It was an amazing feeling getting to ride the snowmobil best gifts are those that you don’t expect.”

Best & Wo

junior

Vanessa Herrera ashley o’brien • online editor

I

t was a small rectangular box. The kind of box that is meant to keep new checks in. Every gift under the tree was opened, and nothing else could be left. But there was one gift left, the best Christmas gift of junior Vanessa Herrera’s life: Hunter Hayes concert tickets. “[My mom] just put it on the table so me and [my brother] David went to see whose it was and it said my name,” said Herrera.

She began to cry tears of joy. She hugged her parents thanking them for the best Christmas gift she could ever have received.

Every year Herrera asks her mother what she got her for Christmas, thinking her mom would tell her.

Instead her mother would sarcastically say underwear… she never got any until last year, the worst Christmas present she ever received.

“I opened a box filled with grandma underwear,” said Herrera. “I looked at [my mom] and said ‘told ya’ And my dad just started laughing.”

Christmas is a time to celebrate with friends and family, and that is just what Herrera tends to do every year. Whether it is sitting by the Christmas tree with her family, shopping for her friends’ gifts, or watching Christmas movies with hot chocolate she enjoys Christmas unlike any other.

The best part of Christmas for Herrera is the gift of giving.

Herrera’s parents always go all out to get her and her siblings the gifts they dream for. As Herrera has gotten older, she has less to ask for and more to give.

“I have what I need,” said Herrera. “Some people don’t get anything they asked for.”

This Christmas for Herrera will consist of being surrounded by family, and giving the gift of giving because to Herrera giving is a much better surprise than getting.

22 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

Courtesy

of Abigale

Hayes

CENTERSPREAD

sophomore

Kendra Meyers maggie mcgee • staff writer

E

nervous. ost of them are never light,” said Rau.

bout snowmobiling and it developed from just a hobby into more need for the most obvious equipment, his own snowmobile. ne of his own. f course I didn’t expect to get one,” said Rau. With the cost of an going upwards of $1,000, it was unlikely he would be getting one. nd raced downstairs with his brother, eager to open presents. He t certainly was not expecting one. The gifts under the tree con-

aid Rau. “There was always next year.” However, Rau did not have

go look in the backyard to see if any more snow had fallen the brand new Arctic Cat snowmobile. ally surprised because I didn’t think I would be getting one.” her when their next trip would be. The next month, Rau took his he best trips he had ever been on. le and knowing that it was all mine,” said Rau. “Sometimes, the

Courtesy of

of tesy

u

r Ra

Tyle

r

Cou

orst Presents

S

ers

Kendra Mey

very little kid dreams of going to Disney to see their favorite characters and experience “the happiest place on earth.”

Yet only some are lucky enough to have the chance to go.

At age seven, sophomore Kendra Meyers was surprised by her parents after they told her they would be going on a trip to Disney World as a birthday and Christmas gift.

According to Meyers, this trip was the best gift she has ever received, “Because there was a lot of thought put into it and it was a trip to somewhere very memorable.”

While at parks such as Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios her experience was like no other because the overall experience of seeing the worlds brought to life which are only seen in movies.

One memory in particular that stands out for Meyers is her favorite ride in Epcot. The ride called “Spaceship Earth” is inside the iconic Epcot ball, and was her favorite because it told the interesting history of the parks yet also looked into the future.

On the other hand, Meyers’ worst gifts that she received as a child were socks.

“When I was younger I didn’t like them or think of them as useful but now that I’m older I realize why they were always gifted.”

Courtesy of Kendra Meyers

barely any snow on the ground, senior Tyler Rau was eagerly would go snowmobiling with his family, a trip he always looked e could remember, his favorite part of the activity being the fast

sophomore

Abigale Hayes alexandra landman • staff writer

he awoke with the scent of her mom’s famous peppermint brownies baking in the oven and shot out of her twin-sized bed. In her annual themed Christmas pajamas, sophomore Abigale Hayes raced down the stairs and looked under the Christmas tree in hopes of finding the one gift she asked for.

She quickly scanned the array of gifts, but did not find a small package that she thought would contain her dream gift. Hayes had been asking for this particular gift since she found it online over the summer.

An avid One Direction fan and self-dubbed Directioner, the only thing she really hoped to receive was concert tickets to One Direction’s summer concert, which would take place at Soldier Field in August.

“Once I found the tickets online, I couldn’t stop thinking about the possibility of actually going,” said Hayes.

After spending two hours opening gifts, Hayes was thankful for what she received but was also noticeably upset. She looked at her pile, stacked neatly on the couch as she had done every year, and could not believe it.

“My mom said I couldn’t go because the date of the concert was two days before the first day of school,” said Hayes. She appeared to be thankful to her parents for all they had given her, and she tried not to show too much disappointment.

As she began cleaning up the mess of wrapping paper, she went behind the tree and noticed a small envelope.

“At first, I thought it was a Christmas card that fell,” said Hayes. She did not think anything about it and went about cleaning up.

Her mom recognized that she was upset and asked her what that envelope was, with a smile creeping across her face.

“After I saw her face, I knew something was up and I ripped the envelope open,” said Hayes. What she mistakenly thought was a fallen Christmas card turned out to be her dream gift. There they were; the One Direction concert tickets for an August evening at Soldier Field.

Her parents stood there watching her, waiting for a reaction. Accompanied with the tickets was a sweet note from Hayes’ father, telling her he would be going with her.

“No joke I cried for five minutes,” said Hayes. “When I brought up the concert before, my parents had originally said no, but they decided I could go with my dad.”

After she wiped up her tears of joy, Hayes went into her room and played all of the songs on One Direction’s latest album. August could not come soon enough.

“Even though I spent half of the day crying, this was truly the best Christmas ever,” said Hayes.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 23

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Photo cutouts courtesy of https:// www.facebook.com/media/set/? set=a.184244804960462.62918.1 69299103121699&type=3

‘Star Wars’ returns Episode VII will soon give fans what they have waiting for raemon savillo • staff writer

A

s junior Drew London was watching “Star Wars: A New Hope,” he remembered when he used to watch “Star Wars” movies with his family, and how many memories he made with them.

Hence, after waiting for years for a new movie to come out, “Star Wars” fans will be finally able to see the newest addition to the Star Wars franchise, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” on Dec. 18.

“I am very excited,” said sophomore Marco Lopiccolo. “It looks like it will be good and I’ve been waiting for a good “Star Wars’ movie to come out for a long time.”

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is the first Star Wars movie to come out since “Revenge of the Sith” in 2005 but serves as a sequel to “Return of the Jedi” in 1983 which will make it very special for fans since they have been waiting for a sequel to the movie for a long time.

JJ Abrams is the director of the film, whose biggest accomplishment was his role as director in the latest “Star Trek” trilogy. Abrams has been a big “Star Wars” fan since

he was a little kid, and when Disney and Lucasfilm announced that they would be making a sequel to the franchise, he was immediately interested and was hired by Disney and Lucasfilm right away.

Abrams co-wrote the film with Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote the original trilogy films “The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980 and also “Return of the Jedi” in 1983.

George Lucas was not involved in a lot of the production of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, as he was only serving as the creative consultant during the film’s early production stages. He was not able to direct the movie because he sold the rights of “Star Wars” to Disney, and Disney would be the one making the decision of who to pick as director.

The movie is set about 30 years after the events of “Return of the Jedi,” and the Rebel Alliance has turned into the resistance, and the Empire has turned into the First Order. The movie also follows the new leads of Finn( John Boyega), Rey(Daisey Ridley), and Poe Dameron(Oscar Isaac) alongside characters returning from previous “Star Wars” films.

24 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

Some returning characters from previous films are Han Solo played by Harrison Ford, Luke Skywalker played by Mark Hamill, and Princess Leia played by Carrie Fisher. With some of the old cast returning, it will bring back some great memories of the past movies and how they have changed in the past years.

But one big expectation from Star Wars fans is not the protagonist, but the antagonist.

Kylo Ren, who is played by Adam Driver, is taking the role of the main antagonist replacing Darth Vader. Kylo is with the Knights of Ren, that is affiliated with the First Order which main focus is to destroy The Resistance.

Star Wars fans are also looking forward to the return of the past characters, like Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker.

“I’m really happy that Disney decided to bring back the old characters, because Star Wars wouldn’t be the same without them,” said junior Drew

London.

Han Solo plays as a mentor to Finn and Rey, helping them try to defeat and also develop skills to defeat The First Order.

Princess Leia is now referred to as General Leia Organa in the movie and she is more reserved and also in a lot of pressure.

There has not been a lot said about Luke Skywalker, as he has not been featured in any promotional features and trailers. JJ Abrams mentioned in an interview that fans will have to watch the movie to find out what has happened to Luke during the past years.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” projected gross 615+ million at the box office, and they could be making even more as there are supposed to be sequels to the movie being released in 2017 and 2019. This will help Disney with future movies and promotional features.

This is also the first “Star Wars movie” made by Disney since their acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012. This will bring Disney a great profit and also will bring more excitement for fans to go to the new “Star Wars Park” in Hollywood Studios opening in early 2020.

“I think it will be a decent movie,” said junior Parker Colby. “I hope Disney does well on their first Star Wars movie and not turn out like the prequels made a few years back.”

So will the First Order be Defeated? What will be Luke Skywalker’s role in the new movie?

Will there be anymore new characters being applied to the movie? All of this will be figured out when “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is out in movie theaters everywhere on Dec. 18.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Top three Christmas songs

Get Michael Bublé, Bing Cosby, and Mariah Carey stuck in your head this holiday season Photo cutouts courtesy of https://www.facebook. com/MichaelBuble/?fref=ts & https://www.facebook. com/25DaysofChristmas/photos/pb.31092164580.2207520000.1449362686./10153762647469581/?type=3&the ater & https://www.facebook.com/mariahcarey/photos/a.4543 94202765.254066.6162457765/10152887926697766/?type= 3&theater

brandon frey• staff writer

T

he snow is falling, Santa’s cookies are baking, Rudolph prepares to guide Santa’s sleigh through the night, and the Christmas decorations are hanging through many houses. All you need now is some good Christmas music to sing and dance to.

It just so happens that I have the top three Christmas songs that you will not be able to get out of your head all holiday season.

Number Three: “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Michael Bublé.

Number three on my list is a remixed song b-y Michael Bublé. The Michael Bublé remix of “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas,” originally sung by Meredith Willson in 1951, was released in 2011 and took off from there, reaching number four on Billboard’s Top 100 Christmas songs.

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” was released alongside his album “Christmas” also featuring other remixed songs including “Jingle Bells,” “White Christmas,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” and “Silent Night.”

“Christmas” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S. with first-week sales of 141,000 copies. In its fifth week on the chart, the album climbed to No. 1, and held the top spot for the following four weeks, becoming Bublé’s biggest selling chart-topper.

“I don’t listen to too many his songs, but I have listened to his Christmas album and this one has got to be one of my favorite Christmas songs he sings,” said junior Lauren Robb.

Number Two: “Jingle Bells” by Bing Crosby.

“Jingle Bells,” which comes in number two on my list, was one of the first songs the original artist James Pierpoint released in his music career.

However, “Jingle Bells” was not too much of a hit when he released it. Although the song is now considered a Christmas song, when it was released, Pierpoint intended the song to be about Thanksgiving.

He originally played the song with a piano, which belonged to the owner of the boarding house attached to the tavern he lived in, creating it because he wanted something to play for Thanksgiving at his Sunday school class in Boston.

When he wrote the song in 1850, he titled the song “One Horse Open Sleigh.”

He was inspired to write the song by the town’s local, and very popular, sleigh races in

the streets. It wasn’t until 1943, when Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sister made their own rendition “Jingle Bells.”

Their version was an instantaneous hit, selling over one million copies. Their version of “Jingle Bells” was released in 1945 as part of Bing Crosby’s “Merry Christmas” album which included nine other remixed songs. The album itself has sold over 15 million copies, and is the second best-selling Christmas album of all-time behind Elvis Presley’s 1957 holiday album “Elvis’ Christmas Album.”

“I never knew the true meaning behind Jingle Bells, but it makes the song that more interesting,” said Robb. “The song is still and forever will be a Christmas classic.”

Number One: “All I Want for Christmas Is You”

by Mariah Carey.

An original song, written and sung

by Carey comes in at number one on my list. The song, which was written in 1994, was released as part of her “Merry Christmas,” which included other originals such as “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” and “Jesus Born on This Day.” Her song was very successful, being the most popular and most played Christmas song of the decade.

Rolling Stone ranked it fourth on its Greatest Rock and Roll Christmas Songs list, calling it a “holiday standard.”

With total sales of over 14 million copies, the song remains Carey’s biggest hit and one of the best-selling singles of all time. The album itself was a success as well selling more than 5.4 million copies in the US. As the snow continues to fall and Santa delivers the presents, Christmas music will fill many houses with joy and cheer. The question is which songs do you play throughout your house? Will it be Michael Bublé, Bing Armstrong, Mariah Carey, or somebody else?

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 25

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

26 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/ chiraqthemovie/photos/pb.738086839628706.&2207520000.1449362368./744396422331081/?type=3&th eater & http://www.officialchiraqthemovie.com/

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

‘Chi-Raq’ suprises many Spike Lee’s newest film explores gun violence austin zeis •staff writer

S

pike Lee’s movies have examined race relations, colorism in the black community, the role of media in contemporary life, urban crime, poverty, and other political issues.

Lee has received two Academy Award nominations and an Academy Honorary Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts, including an Emmy Award and the 2013 Gish Prize.

“I am really looking forward to seeing this movie since it is about Chicago, my hometown,” said junior Carter Beaudette. “All of Spike Lee’s movies are fantastic and hit home about the truth on race relations.”

Before I dive into my review of “Chi-Raq,” let’s give you guys some basic background info on the movie itself. Lee gave the movie its title because in this day and age, more people are dying on the streets of Chicago than those of Iraq. The general idea of this movie is that the girlfriend of a Chicago gang leader persuades other frustrated women to abstain from sex until their men agree to end the senseless cycle of violence.

“To see Spike Lee attack gun violence in Chicago and attach it to our sex driven community is an original way to go about this problem,” said senior Jalen Blanchard. “It is an outside-the-box idea and way to think about gun violence, specifically Chicago, since nobody views the violence that bad as if to compare it to that of Iraq and the Middle East.”

“Chi-Raq” is a modern-day musical movie about violence, guns, men, women, sex, and power. The movie is angry, horrified, and mournful. But also warm, sensual, life affirming, and so blisteringly funny that critics and political commentators are sure to blast it as distasteful.

No matter: “Chi-Raq” clearly does not care what anyone thinks of its methods; it knows what it is and what it wants to do and commits to its singular vision from start to finish. It’s a movie that only Lee could have directed with such imagination, high, low wit, and sorrow. It is the director’s first straight-up, unabashed musical since “School Daze,” his best work in at least ten years, and a culmination of tendencies we’ve seen percolating in his work since his 1986 debut feature “She’s Gotta Have It.” Then in 2015, “Chi-Raq” would be Lee’s next great work.

Rapper-actor Nick Cannon stars as Demetrius Dupree, leader of a purple-clad gang called the Spartans that have warred for years against the orange-clad Trojans, led by the fearsome but humor-impaired Cyclops (Wesley Snipes, who of course wears an eyepatch). The film begins with Cannon’s uninterrupted, four-minute performance of the film’s title track, which plays out as audio-

only: no actors, no dancers, no scenery, just a black screen with lyrics superimposed in bold lettering, maybe the most audacious use of onscreen text.

Then we see a horrifying close-quarters shootout during a live rap show where Demetrius taunts Cyclops. Soon after, an 11-year old girl is killed during a shooting incident, and Demetrius and his girlfriend Lysistrata are temporarily made homeless by an arson fire that was meant to drive them out of their apartment so that the Cyclops could kill his most hated foe. Something is about to change.

Something has to change. The people of Chi-Raq have grown aggravated about the violence because they think there is no way to stop it; but this latest round is just too much for them.

The movement spreads beyond Chicago and then beyond US borders, encompassing prostitutes and phone sex operators as well as the sex partners of criminals, politicians, lawyers, cops and, seemingly, every man alive, and sparking a worldwide feud between the sexes. The increasingly militarized police forces of major cities, and the military proper, are deprived of carnal pleasure until they agree to embrace peace. Lysistrata and her women occupy the National Guard Armory by seducing the staff and move the local chapter of a fezwearing, African-American fraternal organization to lead a counter-protest and plan an insurgency to end what they believe to be an unconscionable dry spell.

John Cusack shows up as a white priest in a black church, he later explains that he grew up in the neighborhood, who delivers a long, blistering sermon on violence and guns. It’s another kind of

musical number, one powered by the musicality of Biblical language, the words dipping and rolling and twisting and jumping, the speaker’s volume rising and rising and rising, the congregation murmuring and muttering and shouting.

Is the movie self-conscious, busy, perhaps all over the place? Absolutely. But this is what a Spike Lee film is, and does. And here, at least, it all seems to be, because the whole thing has been conceived

by Lee and Willmott as a spectacularly cinematic equivalent of a play: a bit of literal street theater that aims to provoke, astonish, surprise, and shock.

The movie does all of these things and more.

There are scenes that are gut-bustingly funny, other scenes that are intensely sexy (especially the final musical number, a “duet” of sorts between Cannon and Parris). And from time to time the movie seems to calm down and clear its head so that it can concentrate on a single character at a single moment, often one of great distress. I will never forget the sight of Hudson’s grieving mother on her knees in the street, trying to scrub her daughter’s blood from the pavement with a sponge.

The movie offers no answers to the problems it presents—rampant street crime in poor neighborhoods; a gun-worshiping American culture tied to capitalist rapaciousness that’s hooked into the country’s culture of permanent war. The job of a movie like this one is to stimulate arguments and hook itself into the viewer’s imagination, and “Chi-Raq” accomplishes that job brilliantly. Its timing could not be worse, or more perfect. It is the movie we need right now, whether we’re willing to admit it or not.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 27

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Photo cutouts courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/TheHungerGamesMovie/

The fire will burn forever ‘Mockingjay Part 2’ completes ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise courtney thomas • print editor

S

he was bouncing with excitement as her and her family walked into the movie theater. Her expectations for the movie were high. Being the last movie in the series, sophomore Rebecca Zayas could not wait to see how “Mockingjay Part 2” wrapped up.

“I was expecting a big ending,” said Zayas. “I think they did a good job with the special effects in this movie.”

“Mockingjay Part 2” delivered the ending fans were waiting for. The finale captured the suspense, heartbreak, and heartache of the book.

The movie drops you where “Mockingjay Part 1” ended, right after Peeta choked Katniss. It continues from there, following closely to the book.

While the movie received criticism on the split of the last book, many critics said they were surprisingly satisfied with how “Mockingjay Part 2” closed the series. The split allowed the directors to get the little details really emphasized on screen, which is hard because there is a time restraint that has to be worked within.

“Mockingjay Part 2” was given a 70 percent on the tomatometer, five points higher than its counterpart, “Mockingjay Part 1.” It has also made a whopping $525.5 million since its release on Nov. 20.

28 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

The series, as a whole, has made enough to make it the 19th highest grossing series ever.

This is probably one of the reasons the “Hunger Games” industry is proposing something fans will either die for or absolutely hate.

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer revealed in February that they were looking into development possibilities of a prequel for the film series, similar to what the Harry Potter franchise is doing with the “Fantastic Beasts and Where They Went.”

Director Francis Lawrence said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he would love to be involved in a “Hunger Games” prequel. His ideal prequel would be looking back 75 years at how the games were started, but he is almost positive that Katniss will no longer be involved because her story has been told.

While a prequel is possible, there has been nothing to confirm or deny fully that one will be made. A prequel does raise the question, however, is Suzanne Collins, author of the trilogy, going to write a book before a movie is created?

With the success that the series has had, selling more than 65 million copies in the United States alone, there is no telling how insanely popular a prequel would be, or how excited fans would be for another book.

The inspiration for the “Hunger Games” was drawn from Greek Mythology. Athens had to send seven youths and seven maidens to Crete periodically, for displeasing Crete. There, these unfortunate 14 individuals and were thrown into a labyrinth and eaten by the Minotaur, a half bull, half man. This vicious cycle does not end

until the brave soul, Theseus volunteers to go, and kills the Minotaur.

It’s an awful idea turned into an even worse version, but somehow, the twisted reality that Collins created captured millions of people.

Both “Hunger Games” and “Catching Fire” were on the New York’s Best Sellers list, and “Mockingjay” topped all the bestsellers list when it was released in August of 2010. ““Catching Fire” was my favorite because, maybe I’m just gullible, but I did not expect them to go back into the Hunger Games, and when they did, especially when it was all the victors, made it more intense,” said Zayas.

The “Hunger Games” trilogy was ranked second, next to “Harry Potter,” on NPR’s poll for the Top 100 Teen Novels.

It’s no wonder that this epic trilogy captured the attention of young adults; it has the three main components to a great YA book. “Hunger Games” has the romance to die for, which Katniss and Peeta almost did at the end on the first book. It has the heartbreak that teenagers lust for, starting off with Katniss taking her little sister’s place, all the way to Peeta being brain-washed into hating Katniss. And it has the adventure that so many strive for, not that anyone would want to be thrown into the Hunger Games.

But when you’ve been studying all night for tests and going about the same, boring schedule everyday, mentally checking out of this life and into one much more exciting than that of a teenager, is what makes the “Hunger Games” such a great trilogy.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Harmony Auto Sales

ELLE SALON!

Come visit us at: 16903 Harmony Road, Marengo, IL 60152 Or Call us at: (815) 923-4200

Best selection of used cars!! Take a look at: www.harmonyautosales.com

Exp: 1/1/16

BUY 1 GYRO OR CHICKEN PITA SANDWICH, GET 1

10706 N IL Route 47, Huntley, Illinois 60142 Bring in this ad and receive 10% off your order

(847) 515-7181 www.KostasGyros.com 4053 W. Algonquin Rd (at Square Barn Rd.)

Exp: 1/1/16

THE HUNTLEY DAIRY MART NO GOOFY CLOWN OR SILLY KING NO CASTLE OR SUBWAY JUST GREAT FOOD GREAT ICE CREAM & GREAT SERVICE

FREE

With purchase of fries & 2 medium drinks.

Excludes Combo Meal Not combinable with any other offers or discounts. Limit one per person per coupon.

No copies of coupons accepted.

10% Off Any Regular Priced Order (Exlcudes Alcohol Offers) Not valid with any other coupons or offers.

No copies of coupons accepted.

Limit one per person per coupon.

Hours: Sun-Thur: 11am-9pm • Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm

Shine Cleaning Services Residential, Commercial & Post-Construction

Joanna Danisz

Owner

Cell: 847 915 2458 563 Cary Woods Cir Cary, IL December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 29

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pixar’s Newest Flop

‘The Good Dinosaur’ lacks in income for Pixar, however, retains a fresh Rotten Tomato review

30 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

lucas modzelewski •staff writer

I

t starts as an average day. Junior Annie Silkaitis and her family have decided to see the newly released Pixar movie, “Inside Out.” On her way to the theater, Silkaitis feels a bit bored and not totally interested in the movie, but she goes along with it anyway. Once they enter, the pleasant aroma of popcorn fills the air of the building, as it would any other day. Then the Silkaitis family goes to sit in the new, comfortable, red recliners. They watch the trailers roll by and then quietly wait with anticipation for the movie.

One of Pixar’s signature short films begins and, as always, members of the crowd who had not seen a Pixar movie before wonder if they are in the right theater. Then, all of a sudden, the short ends, and the movie begins.

Last month, on the day before Thanksgiving, Pixar’s newest film, “The Good Dinosaur” was released. With “Inside Out” being released earlier this year in June, this marks the first time Pixar has ever come out with two movies in a single year. This could mean that Pixar is expanding and starting to get the idea of releasing movies more frequently, but this is likely not the case due to the struggles of “The Good Dinosaur’”s development.

“The Good Dinosaur’”s director was originally Bob Peterson, one of the two directors of Pixar’s “Up” from 2009. Peterson struggled with completing the final act of the movie and was replaced by first-time feature film director Peter Sohn. The development of the movie was stalled, as a result, and its initial 2014 release date was pushed back to this November.

After the success and critical acclaim of “Inside Out,” many were expecting Pixar to hit another one out of the park with “The Good Dinosaur.”

“I have high expectations for every Pixar movie,” said junior Jacob Gebka. “[‘The Good Dinosaur’] is no exception.”

However, the final product has not reeled in many of Pixar’s usual fans.

“The Good Dinosaur” has not been very successful at all so far, as its opening weekend numbers were nothing to write home about. In fact, only $39.2 million was made off of the movie during its opening weekend. This is Pixar’s worst since “A Bug’s Life.” “The Good Dinosaur”’s opening weekend was also lower than any of Disney Animation’s movies from the last five years.

More bad news for Pixar comes from “The Good Dinosaur”’s sales as the total amount grossed is around $76 million so far, which is a record low for Pixar by a considerable margin. The lowest grossing movie by Pixar before the release of their new film was “Toy Story.” It made almost five times the amount of money “The Good Dinosaur” has currently made. While the newer movie is still in theaters and still has some time left, barring a miracle, it will not make even half the amount “Toy Story” did. It has also not been able to compete with any of Disney Animation’s movies that were released in the last five years. The only movie that

it even comes close to is 2012’s “Wreck-It Ralph” which garnered almost $368.4 million, over four times the amount that “The Good Dinosaur” has received.

This turns out to be quite unfortunate as “The Good Dinosaur” has received positive reviews. It has a score of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and its Metacritic score is higher than that of Cars 2 and Monsters University, but both of those movies earned well over $500 million.

While, initially, the concept of the movie (what would happen if dinosaurs were never wiped out by a meteor) is quite original and surprisingly underused, the actual storyline of the movie feels all too familiar.

“The Good Dinosaur” is exactly what you get when you mix together “Finding Nemo” and “The Lion King,” and then add in some dinosaurs. It’s definitely a good movie with spectacular visuals and wide expanses of CGI mountains and wilderness that look almost lifelike, but the story is very predictable, and it hits all the beats of a movie that you have likely already seen.

The movie starts with two adult dinosaurs watching their babies hatch. Unsurprisingly, the littlest, most unimpressive one, Arlo, is the main character of the movie. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it signifies the movie’s constant use of clichés and familiar movie tropes that we all know too well. After that, the movie shows Arlo struggling to impress his parents and earn his place in the family. Following a failed attempt to catch something that keeps eating the family’s food, a tragic event occurs, and Arlo finds himself lost and alone until he befriends a human. From there, the two have quite the adventure and they try their best to find their way back home.

Some of the movie’s characters stood out like Spot, a charming, hilarious little kid who acts like a wild animal. Another great character is Butch, an old T-Rex with battle scars that tell an interesting story. Sam Elliott does a great job as Butch and that should not surprise due to Elliott’s long history of being in the film business.

Even though “The Good Dinosaur” had its shortcomings, junior Daniel Amin believes it was a fantastic movie.

“I found it to exceed my expectations,” said Amin.

According to Amin, there was not anything in the movie that he did not like besides a scene in which the two main characters eat some rotten old berries that cause them to hallucinate.

“I feel like it [lives] up to the Pixar name because it was done very well,” said Amin.

Overall, “The Good Dinosaur” was, well, good.

However, it is not nearly as good as many other Pixar movies.

Due to Pixar’s recent stumbles like “Cars 2” and “The Good Dinosaur,” some people are beginning to wonder if Disney Animation is eclipsing Pixar in terms of film quality.

Pixar and Disney Animation have often been compared to each other. For a while, Pixar was

clearly the favorite, but recently, the tide seems like it is beginning to turn.

Pixar’s most successful movie in the last three years was “Inside Out.” It was well liked by both fans and critics. Amin thinks that “Inside Out” was a good movie, and one of Pixar’s best.

“It brought me from a bad time to a good time,” said Amin.

Silkaitis agrees with him. In fact, “Inside Out” is her favorite Pixar movie she has ever seen.

“It’s cute, funny, and unique,” said Silkaitis.

Despite the success of “Inside Out,” it still did not make nearly as much money as Disney Animation’s most successful movie of the last three years.

That movie is “Frozen.”

“Frozen” is actually the eighth highest grossing movie of all time and it ranks as the number one highest grossing animated movie. It made about $1.26 billion, which absolutely blows away “Inside Out’”s $777 million.

Interestingly enough, “Inside Out” is actually considered a better movie by most, even though it was not even close to making as much money as “Frozen.”

Silkaitis believes she knows the reason why. “[‘Frozen’] was advertised a lot more, it was a musical, and was more directed towards younger kids,” said Silkaitis.

Pixar could stand to learn a thing or two from Disney Animation. Unlike “Frozen,” “The Good Dinosaur” was not advertised as much as most other Disney movies which could be the reason why it was so unsuccessful.

“The Good Dinosaur” might be just what Disney Animation needs to be viewed as the animation studio with higher quality films. Some people already believe this to be so. While Gebka and Amin agree that Pixar has the better filmmakers, Silkaitis thinks that Disney Animation is the greater of the two.

In the end, even though “The Good Dinosaur” was the biggest let-down Pixar has ever had, it will not spell the end of Pixar, but it definitely will remind them that brand recognition alone is not enough to make a movie successful.

As the movie winds down and the credits roll, Silkaitis sits up in her chair and realizes how happy she was that she saw “Inside Out.” It gave her the fantastic family experience that Pixar movies tend to provide. What started as an average trip to the movies, ended up being the type of event that brings families closer together and, as a result, creates a happier family.

Photos courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/PixarTheGoodDinosaur/photos/pb.320726104664127.2207520000.1449361256./534173703319365/?type=3 &theater

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 31

SPORTS

Rec League Preview A look at the top 3 teams from each conference in this year’s Huntley Rec Basketball League charlie vavrick • features editor

Starters: Sneh Mehta Derek Niedbalec Brendan Chapman Chris Sawalski Brad Krueger

The Jerks Starters: Adam Reckamp Irwin Bhathal Jeremie Allen Brandon Tharp Zach Seaman

(Courtesy of twitter.com/Rec_Trees)

Buts Tough

(Courtesy of twitter.com/dtripleprime)

(Courtesy of twitter.com/ButsTough2K15)

This year, Huntley Park District’s High School Rec League is back and bigger than ever, fielding 18 teams, 14 of which are primarily made up of Huntley High School students, with three teams being from Jacobs, and one from Marian Central. As Huntley Rec League basketball kicks off, we take a look at the top 3 teams from HHS in each conference looking to contend for the title this year.

The Trees Starters: Jason Zobott Ryan Cantu Jake Grabner Mike Grocholski John Cazel

Projected Record: 6-4

Projected Record: 7-3

Predicted Record: 10-0

Buts Tough brings together a good blend of shooting and driving ability on offense.

Shooters like Chris Sawalski and Tommy Lernacinski will help Buts Tough space the floor and open up the drive. On the perimeter, they have solid defenders, like Brad Krueger and Derek Niedbalec, which will help them defend against good guard play.

The big spot of issue for this team will be there lack of an inside presence, with their tallest player being 6’1”. They will struggle to rebound the ball and defend against bigs from taller teams. Another weakness for Buts Tough is their bench, which may struggle to score at times. All in all, Buts Tough looks to be a Big 10 playoff team.

The Jerks are a senior team that bring a lot of height to the table. They have five big men over 6’3” and will look to use that advantage against smaller teams. “I think our height is one of our biggest advantages,” said Irwin Bhathal. This height will help them secure rebounds on offense and defense, while also taking pressure off shooters by creating second and third shots.

On defense, the Jerks should not struggle to defend big men and small forward Jeremie Allen may be one of the best perimeter defenders in the rec league. The Jerks’ glaring flaw is their lack of depth off the bench.

Against deeper teams, they may struggle in their second line. At this point, the Jerks look to be a playoff contender in the Big 10.

The Trees are the runner-up from last year and are an all-senior team. This year, they combine key players from last year’s unit with huge additions like former starting varsity point guard Jason Zobott to form a team that looks to stand out against the rest. The Trees arguably have the best offensive front courts in the league this year, combining great ball handlers, passers, and shooters to form an offensive assault that teams will struggle to match up against.

Their bigs, Mike Grocholski and John Cazel, bring a solid inside presense that should help The Trees when they play taller teams and bench players are solid as well. All around, the Trees look to be the best team in the Big 10 conference this year.

32 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

SPORTS

Rec Basketball League (Courtesy of www.huntleyparks.org)

5 Guys, 11 Balls has a lot of former Huntley High School basketball talent and is comprised of mostly juniors. They combine experience with solid driving, passing, and shooting to form an offensive unit that is difficult to defend against. With a big man, in Luc Sibert, that can step out and hit the three, 5 Guys, 11 Balls has one of the most versatile offensive assaults in the league.

Their perimeter defense is arguably the best in the league, but they may struggle on the inside against skilled bigs. Off the bench, they have a skilled rebounder and shooter in Tyler Szekely, and a sneakily crafty player in Troy Kunde. At the outset of the season, 5 Guys, 11 Balls looks to be the best team in the ACC.

Starters: Eric Maurer Zack Whitaker Adam Smylie Nathan Fitzgerald Matt McCumber Predicted Record: 9-1 Tune Squad is a junior team from Huntley that has good height and chemistry with one another. According to head coach Joe Rizzo, Tune Squad have been playing basketball and baseball with each other since the sixth grade. “We use our familiarity with one another to move the ball on offense,” said Eric Maurer. “I think it’s a huge advantage.” Another advantage for Tune Squad is that their bigs are athletic, which helps them to get out on fast breaks. Against smaller teams, Tune Squad will be able to utilize their superior height to good effect, but off the bench, they lack the height found in their starting five and may struggle against taller benches. This year, Tune Squad will look to give 5 Guys, 11 Balls a run for their money in the ACC.

The Chefs Starters: Adam Meyer Brett Lofendo Melvin Bonsu Nathaniel Goodrich Ben Litwin Predicted Record: 5-5 The Chefs are likely to be the best underclassman team this year. They have a decent amount of height for underclassmen and have good ball handlers on and off the bench, but a big advantage for The Chefs will be their ability to knock down the three-point shot. When they are hot, they are really hot, but it can be ugly at times.

“We will live and die by the three this year,” said Brett Lofendo. Unfortunately, they will struggle to rebound and defend against the taller upperclassman teams in the league, leading to some difficult matchup problems in the future. This Year, The Chefs hope to squeeze into the playoffs, in a weaker ACC conference, on the back of their three ball.

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 33

(Courtesy of twitter.com/ChefsRec)

Predicted Record: 10-0

Tune Squad

(Courtesy of twitter.com/TuneSquadRec)

Starters: Matt Kapolnek Nick Laughlin Dan Frederick Jack Bessey Luc Sibert

(Courtesy of twitter.com/5guys11balls)

5 Guys, 11 Balls

SPORTS Junior Hunter Doyle shoots the puck (Courtesy of Hunter Doyle).

Skating his way to success Hunter Doyle excels on the ice natalie trzeciak • staff writer

H

e glides out onto the rink, listening to the sound of the blade against the ice. The cool air on his skin welcomes him like an old friend. He darts forward, eyes on the puck while the number 12 clings to his back. Hockey has never just been about the adrenaline, the game. It’s his passion, his stress reliever, his escape.

Junior Hunter Doyle has been playing hockey ever since his father took him out skating at the age of two, and has never looked back since.

Doyle is a second generation hockey player in his family. His aunt, three uncles, and father all played when they were kids.

“That was how the five of us spent our weekends growing up,”

said Randy Doyle, Hunter’s father.

“I wanted to give [Hunter] that chance to see if he liked it.”

Doyle quickly became obsessed, covering his knees with VHS covers in place of shin guards. Babysitting sessions turned into hockey practice with Grandma, and the constant presence of a Little Tikes hockey stick was a normality. His infatuation became a reality when he began to play on a team at the age of 5.

“My parents would drive me out to Rockford twice a week so I could play,” said Doyle. “I haven’t stopped since then.”

Taking up the sport was a huge commitment. 4,000 miles, $3,500 a season, 3 hours of practice a week, and games on the weekend. Doyle’s parents knew it was worth every penny when they saw their son

34 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

doing what he loved.

“He’s probably one of the smartest kids on the ice,” said Randy Doyle. “I’ve never felt the need to yell at him or tell him what to do.

He just gets the game.”

Doyle embraces every second of his time on the ice, constantly trying to get better.

“He’s always been really concerned about the game,” said Meagan Doyle, Hunter’s mother.

“If [his team] ever loses, he’ll spend the whole ride home analyzing everything that went wrong.”

Doyle continued to play club until sophomore year, when he joined the Kings under the instruction of Joe Fell. He found his place on varsity as a forward, but had the ability to play defensively as well. “[Hunter’s] a very versatile player that takes direction really well

which, as a coach, is really nice to have,” said Fell. “He’s a big part of our team.”

The Kings have won both the Thanksgiving Tournament and the Preseason Tournament and are currently tiered in a higher division with hopes of winning the State Championship.

“We have a really well-rounded team this year that’s a lot older,” said Doyle. “I think we can go really far.”

Between practices, Doyle and the other players find time to get together and hangout. Whether they play for the Kings or other teams, the passion they share is mutual. It also allows them to bond and create a better chemistry on the ice.

“You don’t know all of your teammates that well at the beginning of the season,” said Doyle.

“But by the end, we’re all practically brothers.”

The friendships formed are ones he hopes will last even after they graduate. Currently, Doyle is looking at Division lll schools that will allow him to pursue his interest in premedical studies.

“My motto has always been ‘school comes first,’” said Doyle.

“Right now, I’m trying to find a school that fits me academically, and then I’ll try to fit in hockey.”

In the meantime, Doyle will continue to heal after recently suffering a wrist injury. Though he is disappointed that he can’t play, he’ll be back on the ice in time for the team’s annual father son scrimmage game on Dec. 19. More than anything, he hopes more students will come and support the team.

“Hockey is a lot of fun and the games are always free,” said Doyle.

“Our team is doing really great this year, and I just want people to see that.”

Doyle plans on someday sharing his passion with his own family. He looks forward to the day when he can drive his own kids to practice and support them like his own father has supported him.

“When I play, everything goes away,” said Doyle. “I just want to continue doing this for the rest of my life.”

SPORTS

Leading with her voice Kayla Barreto guides the girls basketball team devin martin • a&e editor

S

he has always been told to have swagger and be goofy by her teammates. She has been built on hard work and dedication by her coaches. She contributes daily to her team on and off the court, has improved her skills in the sport that she loves, and always is there for her teammates.

That player is none other than senior Kayla Barreto.

“She is someone who provides a lot of leadership for our team and she is also a great floor leader,” said varsity girls basketball coach Steve Raethz. “ She is an excellent person and she is great on and off the floor.”

Barreto is what you would call a diligent individual who cares about the success of herself and her team.

Hence, Barreto has been a part of the girls varsity basketball since her freshman year. Barreto has had to go through many challenges while being on the team, and that would start with the tough tryouts. Barreto, however, could not contain her personality through the tryout process. “ When [Coach Raethz] saw me he pulled me aside because I’m a goofball,” said Barreto. “ He told me that if I wanted to be on varsity I would have to mellow down a bit.”

In little to no time, Barreto would be on the varsity girls basketball team. She was shocked because her one hope came true. “ I always knew that I wanted to make varsity as a freshman,” said Barreto.

Barreto would then have to push herself to her limits her freshman year to be able to achieve what she wanted to accomplish. Being a freshman on a varsity team is not as easy as it looks. Hence, Barreto was ready to see where her first game would take her. That first game her

freshman year was against Crystal Lake Central.

The girls varsity basketball team was able to beat CLC by a score of 62-33. That win would be followed by nine more wins. Beating schools such as Dundee-Crown, Barlett, and Hononegah, all Barreto felt was joy. However, the season would get a little more rough with a loss to Whitney Young that would end the winning streak.

“I felt like we got a little too content,” said Barreto. “We had beaten a team by 31 points and I don’t think that we were ready to verse such a high caliber team.”

Barreto though, would have the experience to be able to compete with these highly-skilled teams.

According to Barreto, she started to play basketball in 3rd grade, participated on the Marlowe Middle School team , and even got involved with travel basketball programs such as Joy of the Game and Illinois Hoop Dreams.

This led to Barreto being more than ready to be able to be on the varsity level. This would lead to her going to state with her team in 2013. Barreto’s team would get through two of the brackets, beating Streamwood and WheatonWarrenville South. However, the team lost to Rolling Meadows in the third bracket.

This left Barreto’s first season on varsity as a 25-8 record her freshman year, an overall success.

Barreto’s sophomore and junior years would also be successful, with the team finishing with records of 27-4 and 26-4.

There is one thing that is always on her mind though, and her teammates would agree. That one event would be state.

“We were joking around at practice by mentioning “Fight Club,”” said Barreto. “Don’t say it, don’t mention it, but have it on

Senior Kayla Barreto looks to get the ball upcourt against Jacobs (R. O’Sullivan).

your mind.”

State was able to bring out the best for Barreto and she was able to contribute to her own success with her team. Hence, team bonding.

However, there is one other way for the team to connect rather than the basketball team.

“We’re girls, and guys do not typically have as many sleepovers as we do,” said Barreto. “That comes with bonding on and off the court.”

According to Barreto, her team has little to no drama, connects well on the court, and each member motivates one another. “ My main motivation is knowing that my teammates are well equipped to succeed,” said Barreto.

It just so happens that Barreto leads by her voice on her team to show encouragement, support, and recognition for her many teammates because the team is always trying to reach a common goal.

Whenever a teammate keeps missing a shot to the basket, Barreto sees that as an opportunity to build the

player up.

“You always just have to say ‘Just keep shooting,’” said Barreto.

This shows how Barreto keeps on being a leader at all times for her team. That is especially shown in her numerous skill enhancements that she has achieved through her high school basketball career.

“She’s improved as a player in the ability to shoot the basketball, and she stepped into more of a scoring role her junior year,” said Raethz.

Barreto will always be willing to strive for success. Whether that be from her very first game against CLC, the opportunities she has had at state, how she continues to build a relationship with her team, and how she continues to be a leader; Barreto will always admire the sport she loves. “ I might feel a little lost without basketball because basketball has taught me so much because when life gets you down, you have to get back up.”

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 35

Wishing you and your family Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year From, all of us here at The Voice (Courtesy of MCT Campus) 36 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

SPORTS

Reaching the next level Huntley seniors enjoy their signing days as they pursue their dreams of college athletics Senior Seth Conroy poses with Huntley boys cross country coach Matt Kaplan after signing with Miami (Ohio) (Courtesy of Seth Conroy).

danielle king • staff writer

T

wo girls sit side by side while signing a letter of intent to the college of their dreams. Pure excitement shines on Jessica Shields’ and Hayley O’Mara’s faces as they know that they have come a long way to this day, and are celebrating this special day with each other.

Not only are they signing to a college, but they are continuing to play softball, which they have been playing together since the second grade.

For most athletes, it is a dream to go to college and play the sport they love. Along with Shields and O’Mara, seniors Patrick Sexton, Ali Andrews, Seth Conroy, Mario Vergara, Allesandro Vergara, Michael

Zembrzuski, Taryn Jakubowski, Alyssa Kaufman, and Victoria Padal have committed to play sports in college so far this year.

Sexton committed to Eureka College, Andrews to the University of Illinois, Conroy to Miami University of Ohio, Zembrzuski to the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Jakubowski to Creighton, Kaufman to Illinois State, Padal to Trinity Christian, and Mario and Allesandro Vergara to McHenry County College.

For some athletes like Shields, playing their preferred sport began at a young age.

“It was always my dream to play college softball,” said Shields. “I wouldn’t want to be done with this sport. It’s the thing that I love.”

Picking the University of Wisconsin-Parkside wasn’t a hard decision for Shields. With an enrollment of 4,448 students, the small university’s atmosphere, a small conference, and the short drive from home, only an hour and a half away, appealed to Shields.

Conroy also did not have a difficult decision when he had picked Miami University (Ohio) as the college for him. “[Coaches] asked me to come out for a visit,” said Conroy. “I really liked the school and everything, the campus was really nice. It was definitely my favorite when I was out there. I just stayed in contact with them, and they made an offer with me and I took it.”

Academically, Shields would like to go into accounting or study math. If she were to study math, she would like to become a math teacher, so that she could be a softball coach for whichever high school she teaches at.

“I don’t know how I could just

let softball go after college,” said Shields As for Conroy, he finds an interest in finance, but his major is always open to change.

“A professional runner would not be an option because I’m not at that level,” said Conroy. “You don’t make a lot of money.”

When giving advice, Conroy recommends that you do not pick a school based on the sport you play, but also decide based on the academics. He also suggests that you take your time during the selectionprocess.

According to Conroy, he will miss his friends the most when he leaves for Ohio. For Shields, the part that will upset her the most about leaving Huntley is leaving her softball team.

“I think about why I started playing and how much fun I have and all the people I have met playing it,” said Shields. “ I just love the game.”

Senior Jess Shields poses with her parents after signing with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (Courtesy of Jess Shields).

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 37

SPORTS

unique. It is something that is unusual, not the American pastime, but it supplies a more personal experience than that of massively popular sporting events.

To many at Huntley, bowling is confined to Brunswick Zone with friends and family, with elements of competition, and even some determination, being thrown in.

But the concept of bowling as an actual sport is farfetched. It is this belief that has motivated the majority of the players.

The teams are small, making it easier for games and competitions.

The games move fast, with bowling balls flying down the alleys and crashing into pins, garnering them points and a path to victory.

As with all sports, dedication is the key to a functional and effective team, and it paints a good picture of why bigger and more popular sports have such prowess in schools across the country.

Finding legitimate dedication in smaller teams and clubs is hard to come by, as they are often thrown together with little sense of belonging amongst those participating.

But with the Huntley girls and boys bowling teams, there is a real sense of dedication and belonging between the players, the coach, and the fans.

Playing on sports teams have long allowed people to conquer their problems with a team. They bond together and tackle the probis more personal because of it’s lem at hand. The sense of actual unknown state.” teamwork sticks, seeming imposThe team compete regularly, sible to ever lose. against other teams both nearby “We are a real team,” said Alcaand far away, and because a school sid. “We go out and play and win. bowling team is rather unheard of, We work together and do it well. it is difficult at times to organize We have fun every day we play.” games and dates to compete.

When you are involved in a “We’re unknown,” said senior rather obscure team with an overJesse Alcasid. “But it gives us an looked sport, those feelings are only edge as no one suspects either amplified as they have a deep sense teams, be it girls or guys, to actually of commitment with the little team compete and play well.” they have.

With winter sports, such as basOperating on a team is a wonder, ketball, starting up, focus is poured and offers many perks for athletes. into them. The same goes for any As for the Huntley bowling teams, big sport. Despite the bowling they offer many wonders they will teams’ obscurity, they have played key into their life and let the memwell this season. bers conquer problems with their Going to see a bowling event team, never being alone. is an entirely different venue than that of football, but it is something Junior Nicole Ciccione practices her technique at Bowl-Hi (R. O’Sullivan).

No fans to spare Bowling deserves more attention tyler lopez • staff writer

P

opular culture has told us that miracles can happen in any sport. This is clearly seen in dozens, if not hundreds, of films, books, and shows that all depict a miracle happening in the same sport, usually football and baseball.

But over the years, smaller sports have become virtually unknown to the masses as other, more fandriven sports, become the center of attention across the United States.

This is most clearly seen in colleges, and of course, high schools.

Sports like volleyball, basketball, and football all remain to be the most popular sports amongst students and the community.

Even in middle schools, the

attention to smaller sports has been very limited. It is custom for middle schools to form teams for bigger, more notable sports.

This provides a grasp on their future and what they would like to do in high school or even college, furthering their education. But some school also form teams for smaller sports, which ultimately are ignored in the long run.

When a student thinks of high school sports, many seem to ignore the smaller ones. One such sport is bowling, which has been organized into girls and boys teams in its relatively short existence at Huntley.

“It definitely feels different because when I played basketball there was that huge crowd of people cheering you on,” said junior Hailie Nosek. “I feel the bowling team

38 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

STAFF EDITORIAL

1:1: Embrace, but with caution

S

tarting next semester, the long anticipated one-to-one program will be introduced to freshmen during their advisories. Chromebooks will be issued to all students at the start of the next school year, but the decision to give freshmen Chromebooks early was a financial one. The administration feels it is cheaper and more beneficial to have the devices in kids’ hands rather than sitting in a warehouse all summer.

Because of this decision, there is not a ton of pressure for teachers to utilize the Chromebooks extensively right away, which makes sense, considering most teachers haven’t had formal training on how to use the device.

“It’s not driven by a curriculum initiative; we aren’t shifting 100 percent to online textbooks or anything,” said Principal Scott Rowe. “It is going to be an extension of learning opportunities in the classroom. I think our experience is going to be unique in that teachers are going to find ways to incorporate technology into the classroom to enhance what they are already doing. It will be fewer lectures, more teacher facilitation. The device is not designed as a way to drive learning; it is a tool to enhance learning. There are going to be some classes where you are not going to use it every day and that’s okay.”

That’s the key: Chromebooks should not be pushed on teachers and forced into classrooms. The gradual approach the administration is taking to the implementation of the devices is great to hear, and it needs to stay that way.

Administration has the right idea about Chromebooks in the classroom now; they should be used as a tool to improve learning.

What we are afraid of is that, in a few years, teachers will be forced to use the Chromebooks as an integral part of their teaching style.

For example Stephen Styers, the BC Calculus teacher at the high school, has taught a successful Calculus class for a long time. Students in his class achieve 4s and 5s on the difficult AP BC Calculus exam at an extremely high rate. Obviously what he is doing is working; the addition of Chromebooks into his classroom should not change that. As the old adage says “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

“If a teacher has been teaching the same way for 20 years and it is working, we’ll consider that,” said Rowe. “I don’t expect that if you’re effective as a teacher doing it one way, that my giving you a Chromebook is going to turn it on its head.”

The benefits of the one to program are plentiful. With the prominence of blended learning and the Haiku learning platform at Huntley High School, giving every student a resource to complete online homework and use online

resources makes perfect sense. “[A Chromebook] would be helpful to have with you,” said freshman Kylie Mahoney. “I know especially sometimes when I had blended and I had online homework, I couldn’t really do it unless I went to the Hub and some of the computers would be taken.”

It’s exciting to think of the things creative teachers will do with these devices to drive discussion, do interesting projects, and make the classroom less of a lecture hall and more of a dynamic classroom. The school is also starting to transition towards online textbooks. For example in the math department’s curriculum review, the department shifted almost entirely towards not giving each student a personal textbook. Instead, students will use online textbooks on their Chromebooks, and there will be a single class set of paper textbooks in the classroom.

This change figures to spread throughout the high school, saving the district thousands of dollars and stopping students from having to haul heavy textbooks to and from school. These devices will also connect to the new classroom Wi-Fi networks, ideally increasing the Wi-Fi speeds around the school on the less crowded student Wi-Fi network.

Chromebooks themselves are much better devices than the early Kuno tablets given to elementary school students when the program started there five years ago. Chromebooks are lightweight, inexpensive and serve their purpose of being tools for students to write papers, do research, and complete other online work.

Rowe doesn’t expect large changes right away but believes over time teachers should start to use the Chromebooks to change the style of their classrooms. Teachers will have a lot of freedom in how they adapt to the technology; expect to see less teachers lecturing with a PowerPoint in front of the class.

“I think it is going to liberate teaching, I really do,” said Rowe. “Don’t expect a 180 degree change right away, I would rather do it right and grow over a couple of years. It’s going to take a couple of years for our teachers to become really good at this.”

As long as the one-to-one program doesn’t become a curriculum initiative and stays merely a tool for learning the program should be incredibly successful. Everything that has been said and done up to this point has been encouraging.

Let’s all just hope it stays that way.

I. Fabella

December 2015 huntleyvoice.com 39

Kayla Barreto: Guiding the team

(R. O’Sullivan)