Kaneland Krier Volume 50 Issue 2

PUZZLE OF THE

KANELAND

N I M D

Learning to understand the complexity of our minds and how those pieces work together

Volume 50 • Issue 2 • Kaneland High School November 9, 2023 • Cover by Elliot Krippelz and Natalie Lycan

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

World News

6

Sports and Activities

8

Lifestyle

11

Entertainment

13

Feature

14

Centerspread

16

Advice

18

Opinion

22

Photos

LETTER FROM THE EXECS The mind is a vast and intricate vessel on a continuous quest for self-discovery and fulfillment. The complexity of the human mind is like a puzzle, with countless pieces of different shapes and sizes. These pieces, while sometimes difficult to collect and even more challenging to put together, represent the different stages we go through as our minds continue to develop. As we go through different experiences and take on unique challenges, we collect more pieces to complete the puzzle that is our mind.

Katie Pfotenhauer

Kisella Valignota

Lizzy Sidman

Elliot Krippelz

Rafika Khan

Jackson Kottmeyer

School News | November 9, 2023

STATE OF OUR SCHOOL’S BATHROOMS

BY KEVIN SIGRIST

I

Advisor’s Assistant

n recent years, students’ opinions on the quality of Kaneland High School’s boys bathrooms have gone down immensely. Between difficulties finding necessary materials, unsanitary conditions and a lack of functional components, students are having issues finding a fully functioning bathroom, leading to a feeling of disrespect.

“In full, the quality of the boys bathrooms is really bad because they are never taken care of,” sophomore Charlie Nordell said. “Everything is always either dirty or disgusting, and the soap and paper towel dispensers are never working or filled up.”

In the time Nordell has been in high school, he has consistently dealt with problems in the bathrooms.

“It makes me feel not taken care of. We’re here to learn, and if we need something, we should be provided it,” Nordell said. “If we have to use the bathroom, we should be able to use it without having to find one that has paper towels or going to a different bathroom across the school that has all the working toilets.”

Nordell is not the only person having these issues, however.

“In general, [the boys bathrooms] could be better. They are usable but not always a joy to use,” senior Tommy Whitney said.

Whitney’s problems do not lie exclusively with the bathrooms, but also with those who use them.

“Most of the problems I find [involve] the other students who go in there, but there are common issues of soap machines or paper towel dispensers not working. In general, my biggest complaint would be the other people who use the bathrooms,” Whitney said.

“People are loud, people are annoying and people trash the place, which is not the staff’s fault. I’ve been encountering problems like these since middle school.”

These sorts of problems are not limited to the boys bathrooms. Junior Emma Pernice has encountered similar issues in the girls bathrooms.

“The girls bathrooms are probably better than the boys,” Pernice said. “I’ve heard bad things about the boys bathrooms, but the girls bathrooms are very poor quality, especially the C-hallway

Page design by Adrianna Wells

Photo by Kevin Sigrist

Various important supplies are missing from the boys F-hallway bathroom. In lieu of the missing stall door, some students installed a shower curtain in order to return the stall to being usable.

bathroom. It is falling apart. Some of the toilets don’t even have toilet seats on them, and the paper towels never work.”

While some students do treat the bathrooms irresponsibly, many common problems for students relate to a lack of necessary materials in the first place. Like other students, Nordell and

Photo by Kevin Sigrist

A sign is attached to the stall door that gives a disclaimer. Besides the missing stall door, the F-hallway boys bathroom is also missing a mirror and a functioning soap dispenser.

Whitney have grown tired of the lack of resources in some bathrooms and have even tried to take matters into their own hands.

“So far in the past year, we have been missing a stall door on the only stall in the [F-hallway boys] bathroom.

So me and a few other students have taken action, and we bought a shower curtain to put up in there so we can actually use that bathroom instead of having to walk all the way to the cafeteria or auditorium bathrooms,” Nordell said. “Also, the soap dispenser never works in there, so we had to buy our own soap bottles so we could actually

wash our hands. There’s also a missing mirror in that bathroom.”

In some cases, bathrooms are missing necessary components as a result of vandalism, but Nordell finds that to be an issue of the past.

“I personally haven’t done any vandalism, but I would say it’s fair to [not trust the students]. However, most of those students have graduated,” Nordell said. “So now, the bathrooms for us underclassmen, who are still here and have years to come, are in bad conditions.”

While these problems may seem obvious to the students who are regularly using the bathrooms, staff members may not be aware unless they are told about the issues. Dean of Students Noel Escamilla commented on why this is the case.

“No one informs a staff member that there are things out. We don’t know. Once we do, we let the custodial staff know and they tend to it within that first 5-10 minutes,” Escamilla said.

“Reach out and let us know, and help be our eyes because the people using those bathrooms are the students, not the staff.”

Whitney understands the possibility of students who participated in vandalism still attending Kaneland today but has noticed a change in behavior.

“I think it’s ironic because the same kind of students who were involved in the issues in the first place are now looking back and trying to fix it years after it happened,” Whitney said. “I think there could definitely be an issue of not trusting the student body, which is fair after their repeated behavior, but I think that we’re at a point now where, now that we’ve gone so long without those problems, we know how to value them more and treat them better.”

School News

3

Community News | November 9, 2023

PROPOSED PROJECT FOR SUGAR GROVE

BY CARLI FILEK

N

Editor and Co-Social Media Manager

ew development is expected to come to Sugar Grove within the next decade. However, many residents have expressed their concerns about the project and the effects it could have on the community.

Crown Community Development owns approximately 760 acres of land at the interchange of I-88 and Rt. 47.

In 2019, Crown submitted a plan that asked for 8 million square feet of the land to be turned into warehouses, but there was public opposition, which led to Crown withdrawing their plan and disconnecting the property from Sugar Grove.

“I was adamantly opposed to 8 million square feet,” Sugar Grove Village President Jennifer Konen said.

Before becoming village president, Konen ran for village trustee in 2019 because of this development plan.

In February of 2023, Crown unveiled a new development plan on their website, which included a town center and commercial, retail, office, civic and residential space along with warehouses. According to Crown, the heart of the project is the town center, which would promote community engagement and serve as a place for a future village hall.

Konen is enthusiastic about this new plan because it would bring Crown’s land back into incorporated limits.

“We don’t have those [shops and restaurants] for our youth, and we don’t have those places for us as adults…

In order to get that development, we need more residential and commercial space and a place to patronize. Also, as a community, we are looking for the amenity component,” Konen said.

Crown Development is asking for Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to fund the project. A TIF is a special funding tool that helps fund an area of land to be developed or redeveloped. When a TIF is signed, taxes for that property or district are frozen. This means that as a development grows and taxes for the district increase, that increase or tax increment is diverted to a special fund to pay for the development. Because the tax increment is diverted to fund the development, local taxing bodies will not see an increase in revenue. According to Illinois’ guidelines for TIFs, this tax diversion would take place for

4 Community News

23 years.

Many people, including Kaneland High School Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Nathan Schroll, are concerned for local taxing bodies like the school district.

“It bothers me very much that there is a TIF proposed in this deal.

That would exclude schools [and other municipalities] for four generations,” Schroll said.

However, Konen explained that the village is creating ways to ensure that money flows to the school district, even with a TIF. “There is money that’s flowing out for any child that gets produced within a TIF district,” Konen said. “Besides that, there would be revenue that flows to the school district through permit fees, and there would also be revenue generated for them through surpluses.”

Elburn Village Trustee Patricia Schuberg, who was previously on the planning commission for 15 years and has now served for 10 years as a trustee, says she has seen many developers come to Elburn requesting a TIF. She says that Elburn has taken a stance against them.

“We have not entertained TIFs because development should pay for itself. It shouldn’t be on the back of taxpayers,” Schuberg said.

According to Crown, they are requesting a TIF to help pay for costs associated with the project. Konen explained that in any development, utilities like water, sewer, roads and infrastructure must be near the property.

Crown, however, needs to bring these utilities even closer to the property.

“The costs to do that are more than the revenue they are going to generate,” Konen said.

While a TIF has yet to be approved, Crown has plans to petition for one.

Another concern amongst residents has been the warehouses that would be located north of I-88 and east of Rt. 47. While the current plan contains significantly fewer warehouses than the plan submitted in 2019, residents are still concerned about the truck traffic and pollution that warehouses may cause.

Jaden Chada of Blackberry Township lives off of Main St. and Green Rd., which is near the planned develop-

ment. Chada has been vocal about the project, with his major concerns being the TIF and warehouse proposal.

“I don’t see why they need the industry because across the country, [Crown] is known for residential,” Chada said.

Konen said that Crown needs to offset the residential development with the industrial development. The industrial development includes data, manufacturing and/or distribution centers.

Schuberg described how the increase in truck traffic would directly affect Elburn.

“It’s not just the amount of trucks, it’s the wear and tear of our roads,” Schuberg said.

She also mentioned that more trucks could take away from the walkability of the community.

However, Crown believes that truck trips would only increase “by approximately 3% as compared to existing conditions.”

Konen knows that the village is trying to mitigate this issue by placing special zoning classifications for businesses that would bring in substantial amounts of truck traffic.

Residents living on unincorporated land also have concerns about toxic chemicals from warehouses damaging water quality. These residents rely on well water and a septic system.

Konen understands that residents are concerned about the unknown but is trying to think in preventative ways.

She does not believe that the warehouses will pollute any well water.

“The water that would be used for this development would be pumped from existing wells from within the village of Sugar Grove,” Konen said. “If they ever do need an existing or new well, they would build a new well on the deep aquifer, not the shallow (which unincorporated residents operate on).”

The next step in the project will be for Crown to submit their zoning and annexation requests, along with the proposal for a TIF agreement.

“The goal of the developer, if the stars align, would be maybe approval in March or April,” Konen said, but there will also be public hearings that will have to take place. Konen does not anticipate any public hearings by the end of 2023.

Page design by Casper Suehs

World News | November 9, 2023

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS IMPACT ALL

BY AUDREY WALKER

C

Editor and Co-Social Media Manager

ongress narrowly avoided a government shutdown starting Oct. 1, 2023, by passing a continuing resolution bill late on Sept. 30. With how significant it is, the term “government shutdown” has appeared in almost every major news organization’s headlines recently, but not everybody knows exactly what a government shutdown means.

Simply put, a government shutdown is when Congress can’t agree on how to spend the money they have jurisdiction over. When no spending bill is passed, all federal services that are deemed nonessential have to close, and federal employees that are classified as essential have to work without pay. After the shutdown ends, they would receive retroactive payment.

According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, some services that would be affected, though not completely shut down, include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), air travel, Social Security and Medicare, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Environmental and Food Inspection, and Health and Human Services. National parks and federally funded museums would also be affected, although the state of operation could vary depending upon support from the state and the use of other funds. In addition, about 784,000 federal employees would be furloughed,

or temporarily dismissed, and another 653,000 would work without pay, according to the Washington Post.

Because government shutdowns have widespread negative effects on all people, they are generally avoided.

“It impacts every person in America,” government teacher Nathan Schmitt said. “There is not a single person that it doesn’t touch or affect in some way, and none of them are positive.” One of the ways it impacts people is by damaging their trust in the government.

“Ultimately, there is a loss of confidence,” Schmitt said. “One of the things that we expect our government to do, and this is for both parties, is to be the adults in the room and keep the government running. It’s a huge breach of faith when the government does have to go under a shutdown.”

Although Congress tries to approve spending bills, they can’t always agree in time for the start of the next fiscal year. According to the Brookings Institution, a nonpartisan government research organization, the United States government has shut down four times where federal operations were affected for more than one business day.

These shutdowns happened in 1995, 1995-96, 2013 and 2018-19.

One of the ways Congress avoids a government shutdown is by passing a continuing resolution, which extends

the previous fiscal year’s budget terms in order to give Congress more time to agree on the new budget. These happen much more frequently than shutdowns.

According to the United States Government Accountability Office, “There have been 47 [continuing resolutions] between [fiscal year] 20102022. These ranged from 1 to 176 days.” The current continuing resolution, which was adopted Sept. 30, will keep government agencies open until Nov. 17. It will give Congress more time to agree on a budget, but if they don’t, then a shutdown could be in the future.

What the effects of the shutdown turn out to be, however, could vary. “[How bad government shutdowns are] depends upon multiple things: how long it lasts, what are the concessions and what are the compromises that go into it, but no matter how you slice it, it’s drastic,” Schmitt said.

With the recent shutdown that took place in 2018-19, Schmitt recognized the increased public awareness of government shutdowns. This is positive because if no budget is agreed upon in November, it is crucial that people are aware of how services they depend on might be affected.

“It is so important that you are educated and that you are open-minded and you continue to exercise your voice,” Schmitt said.

LENGTH OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS IN THE U.S.

35 Days

21 Days

Federal operations affected for more than one business day

16 Days

Federal operations affected for one business day or less

5 Days

9 -1 18 20

18 20

13 20

6 -9 95 19

95

1 Day

19

90

86

Page design by Sophie Ponce de Leon

1 Day

19

This information comes from History.com.

1/2 Day

19

84

1/2 Day

19

82

1 Day

19

19

81

1 Day

World News

5

Sports and Activities | November 9, 2023

NO LONGER THE 8 FROM THE INTERSTATE

BY NATE SAND Editor

S

larger schools if they wanted to.

“We found a tournament to pick up in place of those four matches, and we ended up playing 4A schools instead of Plano and Sandwich. We played Glenbard West, Lake Park, Trinity and a couple other 4A schools,” Violett said.

The I-8 and KRC combine for football, which is why Kaneland played Woodstock and Woodstock North for conference games this season.

Athletic & Activities Director David Rohlman said the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is currently working on a proposal to start something known as district play for football seasons.

“There’s a lot going on with football right now,” Rohlman said. “There’s a proposal to get away from conference play and go to district play. That’ll be something that’s voted on in the state

season. This means Kaneland is not going to play Woodstock or Woodstock North for a conference game next year.

“For weeks three and nine, now we’re looking for another program [to play],” Rohlman said. “And what’s going to end up happening is we’re probably going to have to travel quite a distance at least one of those two weeks to find an opponent.”

Typically, schools give other conference members a two-year notice prior to leaving. Since Sandwich and Plano announced their departure from the conference last December, several schedule changes had to occur for every team.

“It’s very difficult because all of the schedules were already done, and all of the schedules included all eight teams, including Sandwich and Plano. So with-

in December.”

Football is currently the only sport where some teams do not make the playoffs. With other sports, every school gets put into a regional tournament and is seeded based on their performance throughout their regular seasons.

“The other thing [the IHSA] is talking about doing is opening up and allowing more [football] teams into the playoffs,” Rohlman said.

The proposal to switch to districts for football means that schools would be part of an eight-team district based on geography and school size. Schools would play the seven other teams in their district in place of their conference games, while leaving two games for non-conference play.

Kaneland’s partnership with the KRC for football is also ending after this

in six months we literally had to redo all of the conference schedules,” Rohlman said At this point, no other schools have been proposed to join the I-8 conference, so for now, it will remain with only six schools. With all of this recent uncertainty, nothing is official for Kaneland’s future in a different conference.

“The one that’s important to us as a school in a conference situation is not just athletics, it’s all the other things. Academics, fine arts, all of those things,” Rohlman said.

Coaches, though, have already started thinking about what types of schools they might like to see join the conference.

“I would love to see DeKalb and Yorkville back [in our conference]. I think they kept it competitive. Maybe Burlington (Central), maybe Hampshire. Nothing too far, but yet they’re competitive schools,” Violett said.

Graphics by Natalie Lyca n

tarting with the 2023-24 season, both Plano High School and Sandwich High School left the Interstate Eight Conference (I-8) to join the Kishwaukee River Conference (KRC).

This was determined in late 2022 when both schools announced they would no longer be a part of the I-8 the next school year. The current I-8 conference includes Kaneland, LaSalle-Peru, Morris, Ottawa, Rochelle and Sycamore.

Plano was the last remaining original member of the I-8 conference, which was founded in 1979. Sandwich has spent the last 38 years in the conference, having joined in 1985. However, to some players, it may not be a surprise that they left. Sandwich’s departure in particular was not a shock to senior basketball and soccer player Emily Kunzer.

“With Sandwich, since they’ve nev-

er had a soccer team, I figured at one point they might leave,” Kunzer said.

The six remaining members all recently joined the conference in 2019.

By joining the Kishwaukee River Conference, Plano and Sandwich will compete against Harvard, Johnsburg, Marengo, Richmond-Burton, Woodstock and Woodstock North.

“I know Plano and Sandwich struggled in our conference,” head volleyball coach Cynthia Violett said. “They were looking for somewhere they could go and be more successful…just disappointed that we didn’t pick anybody else.”

Both schools are smaller by student population when compared with other I-8 schools. Sandwich and Plano have student bodies of just over 700, while the other six schools have between 900-1,300 students. This change could be seen as a positive for Kaneland, as it allowed coaches to schedule

6 Sports and Activities

Page design by Olivia King and Carmella Rio

Sports and Activities | November 9, 2023

YIPS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON ATHLETES

BY ZOE GANNON

Y Editor

ou are lining up at the free throw line, ready to shoot the game-winning shot against your school's rival. You hear the crowd screaming as you drip with sweat. But then you overanalyze your form and begin to worry.

It's a shot you have made thousands of times, but in this case, your thoughts do not allow you to focus. You miss it.

This situation is caused by a phenomenon called the yips. “The 'yips' is an informal term for a movement disorder involving your wrists. It causes involuntary muscle spasms when you’re trying to perform a specific movement,” health and fitness journalist Kristen Nunez said. In short, the yips impact an athlete's mental state and causes them to overthink an activity or a skill. This causes athletes to not perform simple skills as they normally would. Athletes already tend to overanalyze their movements, so having the yips increases the chances for a breakdown in their performance.

Most sports have their version of the yips, and high school athletes who often feel stress or worry about their performance can suffer from them.

There is no definitive treatment, and there is little information known about what causes them or how to stop them.

Many, though, think they come from the stress that athletes consistently feel.

“I put too much pressure on myself whenever I play basketball. [I get] into my own head, and it makes me not as responsive,” junior basketball player Esohe Enorense said.

When one gets into their own head and starts to overanalyze their performance, this can cause them to mess up their actions that they normally would find easy. When a soccer player shoots a penalty kick, a basketball player releases a free throw or a baseball player swings a bat, what goes through their minds? Well, when someone puts excessive pressure on themselves or when others put too much pressure on them, it can lead players to only think about making mistakes. Even if these tasks are seemingly simple, players cannot always control the performance anxiety that results. The need to impress and do their best when playing is a form of stress for many athletes. Though it is obviously important to do their best,

that does not mean that athletes should put pressure on themselves.

“Whenever I'm on the field, I worry and overthink how I'm playing and then I don't play as well as I know I can,” junior soccer player Josh Schimmel said.

“When I constantly focus on not making mistakes, it causes even more mistakes.

I know I just need to trust myself because I know I am capable of playing well.”

When it comes to the yips in golf, it is a very common term that most golfers know because of nerves that can cause them to miss seemingly easy putts. There are even some superstitious players who believe that the yips should not be brought up before or during a match. Involuntary movements caused by the yips often occur in the wrist, which is what causes a ball to be poorly putted. While there is no successful treatment for the yips, there are methods that people use to try to prevent them.

“All you can do is just remember that it's the next one, not the ones you've already hit.

Rely on the things you do know, and once you've done that, make the best swing you can,” Kaneland varsity golf coach Mark Davoust said.

It is important to remember that during matches, practices, games and meets, athletes face a lot of stressful situations that may feel out of their control. Remembering that mistakes happen but that they don't define a player is important.

“Having faith in yourself and trusting, that's the best defense against the [the yips],” Davoust said.

The yips can also make people doubt themselves in everyday life, causing them to be more stressed.

Page design by Lucas Fiedler, Elliot Krippelz and River Mullins

Athletes can feel guilty and upset when they think about messing up or causing their team to struggle because of something they did. These feelings can continue to affect them after the moment has passed. They may feel like they're not good enough or that they let their team down because they made a mistake.

Sports can cause many negative feelings, but athletes need to keep their heads up after making mistakes and know that those happen to everyone.

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Sports and Activities

7

Lifestyle | November 9, 2023

THE REASONS FOR DONATING CLOTHING

BY SARAH SLATTERY Editor

T

he fashion world is constantly changing. Fashion trends and people’s styles naturally evolve, but the physical clothes stay. As people may want to partake in all the new trends inspired by social media and the hottest hit movies, there can come a time that one feels the need or desire to donate their out-of-style clothing.

“Donating clothes is extremely important, especially if the alternative is that those items end up in the landfill,” junior Ava Salchert said. “You have to take that personal initiative to not let your [clothing] be put to waste.”

According to The Roundup, a guide to a green and eco-friendly lifestyle, the world annually produces 92 million tons of textile waste. Those 92 million tons consist of clothes that are oftentimes perceived as too old or too worn to be resold and clothes people just threw away. The United States alone produces 17 million tons of textile waste, which is around 112 pounds per person. 15% is recycled, 19% is burned and 60% ends up in landfills.

“I donate any clothes that are not my current style or do not fit me anymore,” Salchert said. “I donate to Goodwill or non-profits such as Beautiful U in Elburn. I would much rather have these clothes be used by someone else or put towards a good cause than simply being thrown out.”

Donating to organizations like Goodwill, Salvation Army, a local thrift store or homeless shelters are

8 Lifestyle

alternatives to throwing clothes away.

Donating clothes to these places gives them a chance to be repurposed. They can also provide someone with better clothes than they had before.

According to Homelessshelterssite.org, homeless shelters are always accepting donations for people in need since the shelters themselves can only provide so much out of pocket.

As cold weather is starting to impact Illinois, Chicago-based organiztions are asking people to think about donating winter items like coats, hats, gloves and scarves for adults and children.

According to Block Club Chicago, an online newspaper that reports local and neighborhood news in Chicago, “The Irving Park Food Pantry’s annual coat drive is underway and will run through November. The group is in need of new or gently used winter coats to help families in the 60641 and 60618 ZIP codes prepare for winter.”

Certain businesses can occasionally have incentives for donating clothes, and in most cases, the proceeds go to a good cause.

“Sometimes it’s not all about the items themselves, such as Beautiful U in Elburn, where the proceeds made from selling items go towards supporting atrisk teen moms,” Salchert said.

Having the proceeds go to organizations that support people in need, like young at-risk mothers, is a reason for someone to donate clothes and other items they no longer need. Another example is the Salvation Army, where the proceeds go to support systems that help people with food and individual or group housing. Some businesses pay you when you bring them clothes you no longer want. For example, Plato’s Closet pays you for items you bring in if they’re in style or relate to the season, especially if you bring big-name brands like Nike, Adidas, Hollister and American Eagle.

When you bring your clothes to Goodwill, you Photo by Sarah Slattery

can get a receipt for a good value and get credit on your tax returns.

Donating unused clothes is a way for someone to give back to the community and help the environment. Also, not buying from fast fashion brands is a way to avoid textile waste.

“I love thrifting because it allows me to not contribute to fast fashion.

Also, my clothes can be made up of quality, one-of-a-kind items,” Salchert said.

According to Earth.org, an environmental news and data platform, thrifting is a great alternative to shopping through fast fashion websites. Fast fashion is one of the major contributors to textiles in landfills and global water waste. This is because of their fast production, cheap quality and the chemicals used to dye the fabrics. Since these companies are creating clothes at a faster rate than ever before, their emissions and waste production rates are higher. Donating your clothes to people in need can lower this contribution because of the continuous movement of the clothes from one person to the next, and thrifting is a big way to help as a consumer.

“You can get a lot of clothes for really cheap. The prices are so much cheaper than buying at name-brand stores,” junior Clara Paulson said. “A lot of my friends love thrifting, and I can’t afford much else a lot of the time.

Sometimes thrifting is all I have access to, and it doesn’t bother me.”

Some families only have thrifting and donations to get by on. Some name-brand stores or even places like Walmart can cost too much. Thrift stores are an alternative for families who can’t afford name-brand clothes to have a chance to get access to clothes they like.

When it’s out with the old and in with the new, the clothes we don’t wear anymore could be repurposed and could help people in need. Donated clothes are an alternative that many people rely on and sometimes even live on. Knowing what to do with your clothes, where they can go and why you can donate them are things anyone can learn. Making all those decisions can positively impact people and help reduce certain environmental risk factors.

Page design by Audrey Walker

WHAT IS A THOUGHT

Voices | November 9, 2023

THAT IS ALWAYS ON YOUR MIND?

By Kayli Loonam

“One thing that is always on my mind is Rodrick Heffley because he is an incredible role model, a great musician and good looking. I aspire to be him and be with him one day.”

- Senior Jessica Wrobel

“Something that is always on my mind is what will happen in the future. There is no way to know what is certain.”

- Freshman Sydney Jablonski

“One thing that is always on my mind is getting good grades because I need good grades in order to get into a good college.

Plus, my parents always push me to get better and throw in a little bit of bribery.”

- Junior Ryan Moreno

Page design by Katie Pfotenhauer

Voices

9

Review | November 9, 2023

THE RELEVANCE OF PICTURE BOOKS NOW

BY PRESLEE SUTHERLAND

P

Editor

10 Review

NEVER LET A UNICORN SCRIBBLE!

THE GIVING TREE

Pinkalicious

The Rainbow Fish

have been in the habit of doing that for years.

The book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is about a tree who continues to give pieces of herself, like branches, leaves and her trunk, to a boy over his lifetime. The tree ends up being reduced to a stump, and the boy lived a long, healthy life due in large part to the resources given to him by the tree. The book’s obvious purpose is to show children that sharing is caring, but I don’t think this is an effective message. It demonstrates someone giving away vital parts of themselves just be-

Graphic by Sophie Thill

icture books are one of the foundations of childhood. I can vividly remember sleeping over at my grandparents’ house and begging my grandmother to read me just one more book. We read books from Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish to The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone.

However, I haven’t read any picture books since early middle school. Reading them now is very different because I’m not just focused on the pretty colors or funny jokes, but instead, I’m thinking about the meaning and the plot of the stories. Picture books are written and targeted for children, but why do teenagers and adults feel like they have to give them up simply because they think they have outgrown them? I decided to read some picture books with the purpose of looking at them through a teenager’s eyes to see how they change without us being the target audience.

When I recently read the book Never Let a Unicorn Scribble! by Diane Alber, I thought this was the cutest picture book that I’ve read in a long time. The story follows a little girl and her pet unicorn. She heard from others that “you should never let a unicorn scribble,” and after giving her unicorn a crayon, it scribbled all around her room. In the last couple of pages, it was revealed that the unicorn was just a stuffed animal, and the little girl’s imagination created the whole scene. I felt this was a cute story because it showed how imagination is very important for kids, but the value doesn’t go away just because we’ve gotten older.

Another book I read was Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann. The book follows a little girl who made pink cupcakes, and she was told by her parents to have only one. She didn’t listen, however, and ate too many cupcakes, resulting in her turning pink.

The solution to her “pinkititis” was to eat lots of vegetables to turn her back to her normal skin tone. While I think the book does a good job of telling kids to eat healthy, I don’t think this book has a lesson to be learned by anyone other than kids. As people grow up, their pallet changes, so reading about a book that pushes kids to eat well doesn’t serve a purpose for older people who

cause someone else needs them, which isn’t always a good lesson. Even though kids are taught to share, there’s a difference between sharing objects so people don’t feel left out and giving away parts of yourself that you value most.

Like The Giving Tree, I feel The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister also inaccurately portrayed the message that “sharing is caring” by making the main character give too much of themselves away. This book is centered around a fish with shiny scales that everyone admires. When another fish asked for one of his scales, the Rainbow Fish said no at first but later changed his mind and

gave all but one of his scales away to other fish. “Finally the Rainbow Fish had only one shining scale left. His most prized possession had been given away, yet he was very happy,” the book said on the final page. I don’t understand this. How could someone give away the things they love most but be happy about it?

Both books have exaggerated representations of how kids should share, and I feel they went too far with it. No kid should be taught to give up what they love most to make others happy. This can lead to kids giving up too much of themselves to the point where it damages them, and it can negatively affect their future.

As a teenager reading The Giving Tree, it felt kind of boring. The pages had no color, and each scene was focused on the tree, so there weren’t many changes every time I flipped the page. I felt The Rainbow Fish was more on the silly side. The illustrations of the fish have big lips and tiny eyes. They reminded me of the fish in the movie Shark Tales. The book did keep me entertained with the bright colors and longer sentences on the pages. I also liked the shiny scales on each page because they had a different texture than the other parts of the page.

On another note, kids’ books use a different structure and vocabulary than books that teenagers and adults are used to. In adult books, sentences are more advanced and don’t feel as choppy because they are meant to flow together. In The Giving Tree, the sentences on each page are short. They’re evenly spread across two pages. I think this makes the book harder to read because the thoughts that should flow together in one sentence are divided by the turning of a page.

Overall, I enjoyed revisiting an activity from when I was younger. Picture books can be for anyone of any age, and they shouldn’t just be for children. While the messages don’t hold as much weight and don’t fit into adult life the same way they do into kid life, they don’t take too long to read, they don’t require too much comprehension and they’re great for giving someone a quick smile.

Page design by Sophie Thill

Entertainment | November 9, 2023

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF INSULTING COMEDY

BY KATIE PFOTENHAUER

palling slap in the aftermath, it’s hard to forget the smack that shocked comedian and actor Chris Rock. After Rock made an offensive joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, who lives with the skin condition alopecia, her husband Will Smith slapped Rock on live television.

According to People Magazine writer Jason Sheeler, Jada wrote in her book Worthy, “When Chris came out to present an award, made some jokes, got lots of laughs, and, like comics do, decided to milk his time onstage, he saw me and my bald head and adlibbed: ‘Jada, I love ya, G.I. Jane Two, can’t wait to see it.’ Just like I’d thought, he wasn’t able to help himself, and I rolled my eyes. It was not because of the jab at my alopecia but, honestly, about the people I had met whose condition was far worse than mine.”

As seen here, comedy can go too far when targeting vulnerable populations. Mocking these populations can spread misinformation about the severity of conditions and discourage targeted individuals from feeling a part of society.

According to author and writer for Time Magazine Mikki Kendall, “People get fed up, they run out of patience, they see a moment of deep hurt on a loved one’s face, and they react. At base, celebrities are people, as vulnerable to their emotions as anyone else.

Will Smith should not have slapped Chris Rock. But he also shouldn’t have had to watch his wife’s illness be used to make her the butt of an ableist joke.”

While people will continue to choose sides on whether Rock’s joke was worth a slap, there are different

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ways that audience members can react to a joke they may not have liked.

In the same discussion on All Things Considered, comedian and comedy writer Jenny Hagel added, “I don’t see any of that as limiting me ‘cause there are some times where somebody will educate me and say, hey, you worded this this way, using these pronouns, but a more inclusive way to say that would be this. And I am happy to learn that.

That costs me nothing to word things correctly the next time or in a way that’s more inclusive.”

People can choose how to react to a joke, but it may be hard to tell when to stand up for yourself. When you go to a place for comedic entertainment, you and everyone else in that audience are looking for a good laugh, but are you thinking about the possibility of the person you’re paying to see saying something that deeply offends you?

The answer is most likely not. Nonetheless, it’s a comedian’s job to make you laugh, and some comedians think that running the risk of their humor offending someone in the crowd should not be too big of an issue.

“It shouldn’t be this scary to talk about anything,” said comedian and actor Dave Chappelle on All Things Considered. “It’s made my job incredibly difficult. And to be honest with you, I’m getting sick of talking to a crowd like this.”

Laughing is positive, but offensive comedy can go too far when it trivializes sensitive topics or targets vulnerable populations. Where the line is drawn between offensive jokes or distasteful commentary is up to you.

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good laugh is sometimes all we need. From our friends trying to cheer us up when we are down to simply listening to dad joke after dad joke at the dinner table, comedy is everywhere. From stand-up comedy to TV shows like The Office and New Girl, there is a wide variety of comedic entertainment surrounding us. However, what happens when jokes go too far?

Do we ignore them because funny is funny and funny can’t be wrong, or can it be unwarranted? When you’re watching a comedian, you can always choose to not see them again if you don’t like their jokes. Similarly, when watching a comedy TV show at home, you can always turn it off. But is ignoring offensive comedy just helping comedians get away with it?

“Where the boundaries lie, I think that’s dictated by the public who is receiving the joke. And I think America, as a whole, is at a spot now where the entire country is changing and evolving,” said comedian and actor Roy Wood Jr. in a discussion on the news podcast All Things Considered. “So some people are going, hey, that’s not cool. I don’t like that. Now, you’re a performer. You want to keep saying that? Cool. But just know that some people aren’t going to have you on. Some people aren’t going to rebook you.”

Like any form of expression, comedy can go too far when crossing lines of ethics and morals. The balance between freedom of expression and moral responsibility is a fine line, but what happens when that line is crossed?

For those who watched the 2022 Oscars or at least heard about the ap-

Entertainment

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Feature | November 9, 2023

INNOCENT IGNORANCE OF YOUNG LOVE

BY SOPHIE THILL Editor

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lushing, heart flutters and sweaty hands are all physical symptoms of a crush. Almost everyone has experienced these at least once, and while crushes can be exciting, they can also be harmful.

There are multiple stages of a crush, but the most well-known are denial, acceptance and obsession. The most problematic stage is obsession, where the person experiencing a crush can become blind to the faults of the person they are infatuated with.

To understand why someone becomes blind to others’ faults, one must first understand the science of a crush.

According to Embrace Therapy, a website that helps with psychology questions, the first spark of attraction begins with a small release of dopamine, which is a chemical that causes a euphoric feeling. Our brain then relates the release of dopamine with seeing the person we are crushing on.

With the dopamine release, our brain paints a rosy picture of the person we have fallen for. We want to be around this person, and our friends may not hear the end of all the small interactions that took place throughout the day. Whether you are experiencing a crush or your friend is talking about their crush, many of us have experienced the feelings associated with falling head over heels for someone.

“I have been in a relationship for a long time, and I can say that when I was first talking to him, I wanted to be around him [all the time],” junior Grace Flinchum said.

“I thought he was so kind, funny and cute. He still is.”

One can take it a step further with obsession over a person, which can be one of the downfalls of having a crush.

According to Katherine Wu, a graduate student at Harvard University, “Love is often accompanied by jealousy, erratic behavior, and irrationality, along with

12 Feature

a host of other less-than-positive emotions and moods.”

We tend to lose our decisiveness and problem-solving skills because our minds subconsciously choose not to see the problem, which happens when we experience a crush. For instance, we become so obsessed with the fact that this person is attractive, funny or smart that we forget to look for any potential threats.

“You can miss the red flags when you’re wearing rose-colored glasses,” Flinchum said. “In my opinion, it’s easier to see someone’s red flags when you are not romantically or platonically involved with them.”

Why do we miss the red flags, though? It’s not a conscious choice but instead something our brain tells us. We recognize the red flags, as we would in any other situation, but the burst of dopamine in the brain tells us that it is okay to ignore them.

“We are

highly motivated to find a desirable life partner and to believe in the ideal- ized image that our dates put forward, especially if it flatters

our egos. Wishful thinking clouds our better judgment,” said Dr. Lawrence Josephs, a professor at the Derner School of Psychology at Adelphi University.

A 2002 Penn State research study, led by student Omotayo Banjo, focused on understanding the relationship between media and the portrayal of relationships. One of the hypotheses supported by the researchers was that “the increase in media consumption will be positively associated with idealistic material expectations.” In layman’s terms, this means that consumption of media is directly linked to desiring unrealistic expectations within a relationship.

Drawing from the research, one can understand that most of us grew up watching fictitious television shows or reading books with some elements of romance. There is rarely a plot today that doesn’t contain a romantic subplot.

They subconsciously highlight the ideal relationship, which we all have a picture of in our minds. And if we don’t find the person to match that ideal, we might latch on to someone who resembles it, then try to fix whatever they are struggling with so that they become the perfect person.

What can be worse than going through this ourselves is watching a friend experience a painfully obsessive crush on someone who doesn’t deserve them. We wonder why our friends are falling for people who, in the long run, aren’t worth their time.

“When people tell you to stay away from someone or something, you might feel a little rebellious and curious about this person,” Flinchum said. “You might also want to prove them wrong, like thinking you can ‘change’ them.”

Only after we stop crushing on someone do we realize their true colors. This could be what kills the crush or the reason we break up with a person.

It’s a painful thing to experience or witness, but it’s a pain brought on by our own desires.

Page design by Riley Swiderski

Feature | November 9, 2023

CRAZE FOR COOKIES IN THE LUNCH LINE

BY BARBARA MARTINEZ

Editor and Co-Columnist Manager

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or centuries, cookies have been a staple treat for millions of people. Here at Kaneland High School, there has been a certain cookie craze that has existed for many years. What could it be? It is, of course, our lunch line cookies.

The lunch line cookies may appear to be regular chocolate chip cookies, but that doesn’t stop them from being a total hit within the school’s community. Students of all ages tend to gravitate towards this tasty treat, so it’s really no surprise that, according to a Google Form survey of 132 Kaneland students, 78% view them favorably.

So, what is it that students love about these cookies?

The answer is quite simple for many. There are certain qualities people look for in a cookie, and the ones served in the lunch line certainly fulfill these traits.

Senior Madison Mittman believes that they are just right for her own tastes. When it comes to the lunch line options, Mittman thinks that they are everything a cookie should be.

“I’m a big texture person when it comes to food,” Mittman said. “They’re the perfect blend of crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.”

With how popular these cookies are, there is a reason why students continue to get them.

“I get them once a week,” sophomore

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Chloe Wilson said. d cte “They’re not olle is c ata sd i h T too soft or too crunchy. They’re in between, and the chocolate chips are good.”

Despite their popularity, there are some people who aren’t big fans of the cookies. Freshman Ezekiel Howard is ma fro

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one of those who doesn’t see the reason these cookies are so popular.

“They don’t taste exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. I would give them a 6/10. They are fine,” Howard said.

However, this opinion seems to be the exception rather than the norm. Students also remember how these

bit of marshmallow mixed in with the chocolate. I really like s’mores, so those are always fun to see.”

Finally, it was a pleasant surprise to learn from junior Ava Lange that there has been yet another kind of cookie to have been served, and it’s one she en joys very much. “[I love] the sea salt caramel ones because they’re just so good, and they are the best cookies I’ve ever tasted in my whole life,” Lange said.

With all this hype, a question still floats

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treats have evolved throughout the years.

Chocolate chip cookies aren’t the only kind to have been sold in the lunch line. In the last three years alone, there have been at least three different kinds of cookies that have been served.

Junior Oak Johnson, who has been getting these cookies ever since they were a freshman, recalls a time when a different type was available.

“I remember when it was not just chocolate chip,” they said. “They had sugar cookies as well, and they are amazing.”

The variation didn’t stop there. Junior Hannah Lindgren described a special kind of cookie they serve once in a while that is a favorite of hers.

“Sometimes they [serve] s’more cookies,” Lindgren said. “There’s a little

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around in most people’s minds: How are the cookies made? Well, cafeteria staff member Laura Hickman says the process is simpler than you might think.

“Honestly, we don’t make them. We buy them,” Hickman said. The process from this point isn’t very complicated, according to her. “We dish them up the day before and we put them back in the freezer, then I come in and cook them all in the morning. We let them cool in the back, and then we dish them up the next day.”

With over 1,300 students in the building, it would not be very realistic to make each cookie from scratch. To put it into perspective, Hickman said that they currently make 14 trays of about 48 cookies each day. Even without stopping to do the math, those are a lot of cookies being made.

Even though they may not be made as some would expect, that doesn’t mean these cookies aren’t still delicious. Their popularity hasn’t died down, and it doesn’t seem like it will soon. After all, why would it? At the end of the day, they are still a tasty treat that are loved by many.

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Centerspread | November 9, 2023

Finding Balance in O ur Lives Written by Sophie Ponce de Leon

Design by Sarah Slattery

OUR RELATIONSHIPS

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elationships are perhaps one of the best things we could experience in our lifetimes.

We can create inside jokes with our best friends that no one else understands. We can have that one person where all we have to do is look at them and we both explode into a fit of laughter. We can look at a person we love and feel something unexplainable to even ourselves.

These are experiences that will forever follow us into our adult lives and beyond. Even now, you can look back on those memories with friends and smile fondly, giggle or even blush.

However, with these relationships, making sure that you are tending to them is always a struggle. You must ensure that you are balancing them on a healthy level, or else things might take a turn for the worse.

Senior Jade Schrader said, “When you get overwhelmed while balancing your relationships, bits and pieces get forgotten, and I think that’s what causes some relationships to fall apart or turn toxic.”

Balancing relationships is crucial when it comes to their success in the future. If there is no balance, it may result in lack of communication and trust issues. There are many things that can contribute to imbalance, but one factor that we tend to ignore is the stress of a persona.

When you create a persona, you create a different version of yourself.

In relationships, you adjust yourself to be able to communicate with a specific person. Sometimes, this can get stressful because you constantly have to manipulate who you are. You can start to feel like you aren’t being yourself, and you might even spiral into a never-ending cycle of self-doubt. You are always wondering if the person that others

14 Centerspread

love is even real.

This can lead to some sort of

identity crisis. You can forget who you truly are since you’ve altered yourself so much, and the real you has been hidden and possibly buried in the back of your mind.

As Schrader mentioned, you can get overwhelmed and relationships can turn toxic or completely crumble. When someone hears how a friendship fell apart or how a couple broke up, they immediately assume that it stemmed from an imbalance between the two people. Yes, this is oftentimes correct.

But where does this imbalance come from?

A lot of the time, the true culprit for relationship issues comes from imbalance within ourselves. It could be from stress and anxiety in our lives. Something that a lot of us struggle with is keeping track of who we truly are and trying not to lose that connection be-

tween reality and fiction.

According to an article by betterhelp.com, an organization that offers access to a variety of therapists and psychologists, “[When] people can see who you are, they can make genuine connections with you instead of with the person you’re pretending to be.” I know that

this is possibly overstated a lot, but being yourself is truly the key to keeping balance within yourself when it comes to relationships. You will feel relief when you act as yourself around your friends, regardless of how you think they expect you to act.

Personally, this is something that I - and countless others - struggle with.

You start to curate a personality that you think your friend will like and eventually, you just adopt that persona until you don’t know who you are anymore.

In our teenage years, it can be hard to find our true selves. We are still trying to figure out who we want to be and why. But we must remember that we know who we want to be internally. We just find it hard to dig deep into ourselves until we find that authentic version.

Balancing who you are with relationships is always going to be hard.

But if you are able to understand who you are and showcase that to others, then you can finally feel that sense of balance and feel free to be yourself.

OUR HEALTH

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omething that we tend to ignore is the balance between our physical, emotional and mental well-being.

Individually, all are incredibly crucial. Without keeping our mental health as strong as possible, we start to crumble and lose sight of who we are. Without good mental health, we can turn into an empty husk. Without our emotional health, we can feel too much or too little. We just feel like a bottle of tears waiting to explode. If we don’t have any physical health, we feel sluggish and lack any sort of motivation.

All work hand in hand, and all are incredibly important. But if we don’t balance them, everything will feel out of focus. For example, you could feel physically healthy, but feel like a piece of you is missing because your

Centerspread | November 9, 2023 mental health is lacking.

Junior Abbie Mederich said, “It is very important to balance your mental, emotional and physical health because if you start to lose stability between them all, it is easy to lose the good things you’ve worked for.”

Mederich currently runs for the cross country team, is involved in numerous clubs, works night shifts and takes three Advanced Placement classes. She expressed that if you lose that stability between all matters of health, then your relationships, academics and overall physical wellness would fall into turmoil.

Each matter of health requires a lot of work, but none of them should be put over others at risk of completely destroying any opportunity for bal-

ance.

Mederich keeps them all in balance by working hard while trying to make sure she doesn’t get too stressed.

“I try to make time for things that I enjoy, such as watching movies with my family, going out with my friends and finding free time that allows me to read,” Mederich said.

When she isn’t relaxing, she’s doing school work or working out. She tries her best to keep a good balance between everything in her life.

As teenagers, we are constantly stressed. Still, if we can find a good balance between our mental, physical and emotional health, we have a better chance of reducing our stress levels so that we are comfortable enough to live peacefully.

Believe me, I would know. I start to question my capability to be successful until I get stressed out from thinking about stress. It’s a never-ending cycle.

Becoming overwhelmed from school is probably the one thing all teenagers can agree on regarding high school experiences. Yet some of us are more overwhelmed in terms of what we do outside of school.

“Currently, my life is always ongoing and never-ending,” sophomore Brooklyn Brown said.

Brown is a dancer and is always practicing at her studio. When she isn’t practicing, she teaches multiple dance classes to students or performs at school football games for the dance team.

Being in high school is hard, but when you are a part of other things that require a lot of time and energy, it can feel next to impossible to make time for yourself. It can feel like you are holding your life in school and outside of it in opposite hands.

When you try to ensure that one aspect of your life is strong and healthy, the other can begin to fall apart. Switching your attention between the two will only lead to the same outcome, so you must balance them by finding a way to keep an eye on both.

Brown has found a way to balance her busy schedule that has worked for her since she was a kid.

“I’ve grown up as a dancer and have learned to balance my time wisely. I write what I need to complete in my notes app to make sure that everything gets done. I recommend keeping everything organized and put together,” Brown said.

Balancing your life is something that is always going to be a struggle.

Some of us might not even be able to achieve this in our teenage years, no less our adult years. But if we are able to find a good way to provide that sense of peace for the time being, then we can keep the stress to a minimum and maximize our happiness.

OUR STRESS

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don’t know about you, but I just want to relax when I get home from school or work. I want to eat dinner with my family, watch a good movie and ignore all of my responsibilities with studying.

But I know that is one of the worst things I can possibly do. However, if I come home after a long day of school and immediately start studying, how am I going to spend time with my family? How am I going to do my chores?

How am I going to finally relax? But if I relax at home, how am I going to ace my chemistry test? How am I going to write an essay? How am I going to understand algebra?

Balancing your life inside and outside of school can be challenging. It may even feel impossible. When you try to make sure that your schoolwork is all up to date, your sports team is working together well and your bank account is growing from your job, you get stressed. It’s one of those inevitable feelings we all experience, some more frequently than others.

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Advice | November 9, 2023

LEARNING WHEN TO PUT YOURSELF FIRST

BY JAY PAULSON

S

Editor

elflessness has been praised throughout our society ever since we were little, putting this idea in our minds that how we feel is insignificant compared to the feelings of those around us. However, we have also been taught that we need to take time to support and love ourselves to form healthy relationships. Growing up with these seemingly conflicting ideas can make us question whether or not we should take time for ourselves.

“You feel selfish about saying no to somebody you care about,” guidance counselor Erin Shore said. “There’s guilt attached because you’re also mindful of the other’s perception of your boundary.”

Ultimately, we can’t control what people think of our actions because they will think whatever they want. If you let yourself become overcrowded with the thoughts of other people, you’ll lose sight of what’s good for you.

Taking breaks from others and thinking about yourself is imperative to your ability to be a functioning human. Without this ability, you might get yourself stuck in toxic and unhealthy situations.

“You might feel guilty to disappoint someone and not go to hang out with them even though they need someone to talk to at that moment, but they don’t know that you’re also struggling with yourself,” Shore said.

Instead of avoiding the word “no,” we should learn when to embrace it and know that the consequences aren’t as catastrophic as they may seem. A big aspect of this is learning to be aware of your situation and environment.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), it is important to “understand your own strengths and weaknesses so you know where to put your resources, where you will get the most time in return.”

This advice proves to be more difficult to listen to than it should be. Sometimes your strengths and weaknesses are more identifiable to others than to yourself. Determining these on your own can be a struggle. In order to ease this struggle, you must communicate and be honest with those around you.

Specifically, talk with those who can help you effectively figure things out.

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“You just need to communicate with your friends if you need time,” sophomore Xinlan Shangguan said.

“The best thing is to talk to someone you can trust to help you.”

It can feel uncomfortable, but the more you communicate, the easier forming and balancing relationships will become. Like everything, it takes practice to be comfortable with any new skill or decision. Uncomfortable feelings can lead people to stop setting boundaries, but it will benefit you in the long run. Oftentimes, this could help the recipient of your communication improve themselves as well.

“You can’t just have this codependency on one person. To be a healthy individual, you should find the support of many different people,” Shore said.

Everyone in a given situation can learn it’s okay to be selfish. It’s okay to put yourself first before attending to the needs of others. It’s just the question of how.

Your self-care needs are based on what you want. Shangguan draws or doodles to escape the world. Shore advises journaling to get your thoughts out without worrying about it being perfect. It doesn’t have to be the same thing every time. On some days you may want a nap, while at other times, maybe going out will be better for you. Again, you must be aware of how you feel, especially when other people get involved. They can mix up your feelings or pressure you to feel obligated to do something you may not want to do.

You must understand the idea of being selfish in order to learn to embrace it. Caring for yourself isn’t selfish. If you can’t help yourself, you will not be much help to others. People pleasing can become a mindset that some get stuck in and that wraps them in a brutal cycle of be-

ing taken advantage of.

Not only can some selfishness protect you from those who wish to abuse you, but it helps you understand who you want to be around based on their reaction to you protecting yourself. If they react poorly, that reflects more on them than you.

The tricky part of this is defining the necessary balance between yourself and others, which differs from person to person and might take some experimentation. When you find this happy middle ground, it can give you the ability to live a more stress-free life.

Communication, honesty and self-awareness are crucial elements to remember when taking care of yourself because making changes that help improve those aspects of your life will increase its quality. You can make time for other things that might be more significant when you take breaks, which takes away from the stress of having so many things to do. Instead of getting stuck on society’s definition of selfishness and rules for what a person should be, remind yourself that taking time for yourself is healthy for both you and the other people in the situation. Occasional selfishness is the only way to ensure a healthy mental life and meaningful relationships.

Photo by Jay Paulson

Page design by Preslee Sutherland

Editorial | September 28, 2023 Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 www.kanelandkrier.com

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RESPECT OTHERS’ IDENTITIES

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ach day, we debate in some way.

We debate with our friends over what we should do over the weekend. We debate with our classmates over the meaning of the book we are reading in English class. We debate with our families over what to have for dinner. We debate. It is the nature of us all; we discuss and argue our thoughts on the most mundane to the most controversial topics. However, one topic we should never debate is the simple existence of others’ identities.

There is a stark difference between one’s opinion and one’s identity. An opinion might include favorite musicians or political views, whereas an identity might include cultural background, gender, race, religion or sexuality. These pieces of our identities are integral to who we are and cannot be eliminated in any circumstances. Whether someone grew up knowing parts of their identity or they were just recently discovered, identities cannot be entirely changed. Therefore, it is completely unfair to entertain debates determining the validity and struggles of people with a particular identity.

Gender identity is one example of an element of identity that is often debated on a global scale. In response, senior Lauren Gatewood, who uses he/ him pronouns and identifies as transgender, offered his thoughts on negative societal perspectives in relation to his identity.

“If you really think about [transgen-

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der identity], I am presenting myself in this way because it makes me feel more comfortable, and if that makes other people upset, that doesn’t matter,” Gatewood said.

When mainstream debates ensue over whether transgender people should be allowed to receive gender-affirming care or if Black history should be taught in schools, a dangerous amount of space is allowed for people to spew hate toward entire groups of people for simply being who they are.

We cannot control the hateful messages against particular identities that are spread each day, but we can control how we choose to begin to accept the identities of those around us, even if we are struggling to understand their experiences.

“Many times people who have a friend that’s trans or a friend in the queer community, sometimes people don’t understand that, and that’s okay, but that doesn’t mean that anyone can be rude to anyone else,” Gatewood said.

No one has to understand each aspect of others’ identities immediately.

Still, it is essential to make that effort to learn about and respect each other’s experiences and identities. Relatedly, it is vital to never consider someone’s entire identity to be up for debate, for those debates can minimize a group’s struggles and lead to hateful mindsets that can be passed from one generation to the next.

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Audrey Walker Co-Social Media Manager Sophie Ponce de Leon Sofia Williams Nathan Lapitan Co-Columnist Manager Sports Coverage Manager Lead Meteorologist

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Photos Barbara Martinez

Andrew Valentini Co-Broadcast Manager News 3 Sophie Ponce de Leon Lifestyle Audrey Walker

Entertainment 1 Teaghan Hardy

Opinion 1 Nate Sand

Editorial Elliot Krippelz

Dane Coyne Cartoonist Manager

Feature 1 Riley Swiderski

Advice Preslee Sutherland

Opinion 2 Zoe Gannon

Profile Isa Alba Back Cover Carli Filek

Advertisement Lizzy Sidman

STAFF

Pierce Antia, Payton Bonebrake, Olivia Cotter, Erin Doucette, Benjamin Falk, Anna Gatz, Olivia Krasuski, Charlize Landa, Bobby Leavey, Faith Maschman, Sara Nugara, Clara Saros, Sophia Schroll, Justin Sommers, Hadley Springer, Lily Stevenson, Arielle Tautkus, Hailee VanCura, Emma Weintraub, and Evan Whildin Cartoonists Zoe Gannon

Graphic Designers Natalie Lycan

Print Production

Lilliana Bobe

Carson Pipenhagen Franny Ramirez

Sam Joy

Kaci Randall

ADVISORS

Dominic Bruno Nicole Larsen Krier advisor Print advisor

EDITORIAL POLICY

Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily the opinion of Kaneland administration, staff, students or parents. The Krier Editorial Board consists of designated Advanced Journalism students: Isa Alba, Taylor Anello, Delaney Calabrese, Dane Coyne, Sophie Ponce de Leon, Lucas Fiedler, Carli Filek, Zoe Gannon, Teaghan Hardy, Tiffany Johnson, Rafika Khan, Olivia King, Jackson Kottmeyer, Elliot Krippelz, Nathan Lapitan, Kayli Loonam, Natalie Lycan, Barbara Martinez, River Mullins, Jasper Paulson, Katie Pfotenhauer, Carmella Rio, Nate Sand, Lizzy Sidman, Sarah Slattery, Casper Suehs, Preslee Sutherland, Riley Swiderski, Sophie Thill, Andrew Valentini, Sela Valignota, Audrey Walker, Adrianna Wells, and Sofia Williams. Students make all publication decisions.

Letters can be sent to the address above or e-mailed to krier@ kaneland.org. Letters must be signed (names may be withheld under extraordinary circumstances as deemed by the editorial staff) and must be under 300 words. The Editorial Board has the right to work with writers to edit for clarity and length. Any material that is potentially libelous, obscene or disruptive will not be published at the discretion of the Editorial Board. All decisions to publish or not publish letters are made by executive editors. The Krier has been an open forum since 1974. As an open forum, we restrict editing to staff members only; prior review and editing are prohibited by people outside the staff.

Editorial

17

Opinion | November 9, 2023

NATURE’S PERSPECTIVE ON CONCLUSIONS

BY PAIGE WHITESIDE

A

Advisor’s Assistant

ll living things eventually die, whether their life span is short or long, but not all living things experience death in the same way. By taking lessons from how death works in nature, it can make human loss and grief easier to cope with.

In all ecosystems, death works in a similar way. Organisms like plants and animals live, serve a purpose in the ecosystem they exist in, and die. After death, the process of decomposition breaks down organic matter into carbon dioxide and different minerals, which then provides the Earth with important nutrients that stimulate the growth of new organisms. This cycle has been going on since the beginning of life on Earth and will continue until life on Earth comes to an end.

For humans, however, dealing with the cycle of life and death is not as mechanical. As creatures with what is widely acknowledged as the most intelligent thought process on Earth, we feel emotions and cope with hardships in different ways than plants or animals do.

When dealing with the loss of a loved one, we grieve for long periods of time, often lifetimes, because of the special type of connections our consciousness allows us to have with others.

By taking lessons from nature, though, we can learn to cope with our losses in a different, more unique way.

Environmental science teacher Joanna Edelman feels that by looking at death from a scientific perspective, we can understand it better and learn to cope with loss more beneficially.

“When [our bodies] go through decomposition, they return elements and atoms into nature. Energy is never created nor destroyed, and neither is matter, so we bring our resources back into the soil, and these resources help plants [grow]. From there, the cycle will continue on,” Edelman said. “You can think of [death] as being a cycle, whereby experiencing death, you are simply bringing energy and matter back into

18 Opinion

our life systems.”

Looking at human death in this more natural way can help us better understand both why the ones we love have to eventually pass away and how we can cope with this loss. Of course, the loss of a human is vastly different than the death of something like a species of plant, but the cycles of life, death and decomposition processes between the two are inherently the same. Still, the wide range of complex emotions that humans experience makes it

Cartoon by Dane Coyne easier said than done to simply regard death as a natural, simple process.

In an article about spending time in nature to better understand death, conservation social scientist and ecologist Paul McCarney, PhD, writes about how the human experience of death is unique due to our advanced genetics.

“Our ability, [and] perhaps our curse, to emotionally and intellectually understand death is deeply ingrained in our genetics,” McCarney said.

“Bonds of loyalty, love, and friendship

have been a part of our evolution for many thousands of years…in fact, without an emotional attachment to one another and feelings of grief when bonds are broken, human history would likely have looked very different.”

These emotional attachments that humans have to one another are very important and unique to our species.

Without them, we would not be able to form relationships in such deep and meaningful ways as we do. By looking at death from a more natural perspective, though, we can still honor these important and strong bonds while at the same time understanding that death is something that needs to happen so that the planet can continue to sustain life for years to come.

Looking at death from a natural perspective can also help us appreciate nature and what it does for us.

We can often forget just how important the Earth is because we are so used to living on the planet.

However, when we take a closer look at Earth’s ecosystems and how they interact, it is obvious that we are just small parts of a larger and very important cycle. Birth, life, death and decomposition are just a few components that keep the planet spinning.

Without these important processes, we wouldn’t have oxygen to breathe, food to eat or homes to live in. When looking at the cycle of life with this in mind, human death can be easier to process.

Junior Andie Ruckh feels a sense of peace when thinking about how the cycle of death is something that must happen.

“I get scared sometimes when I think about how I will die one day, but I know that everyone is going to die one day, which calms me down, in a way,” Ruckh said.

Death is inevitable, and although it is difficult to deal with when someone you care about dies, having an understanding of how life passes on after death and benefits future growth is important and can help us come to terms and make peace with loss.

Page design by Nate Sand

Opinion | November 9, 2023

BLOOD DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN FAMILY

BY RAFIKA KHAN, CASPER SUEHS & ADRIANNA WELLS

W

Editor-in-Chief of Web and Co-Copy Editor & Editors

Page design by Zoe Gannon

a friend in your life for an extended length of time or sharing memorable experiences with them can lead to a relationship as close as family.

“I feel safe around them,” Sheaffer said. “I feel like [they are] always a comfort spot where I can just go to talk about anything.”

Many have at least one close friend that they’d describe as being just like family, while others are much closer to their friends. In recent years, it has become more common to cut relations with those you feel can compromise your happiness and feelings. This can be due to factors like politics, as a 2022 New York Times poll found that nearly one in five Americans said politics have hurt their relationships. Many in abusive situations have thought cutting off the family members who subjected them to the abuse is beneficial. Others may feel that their blood relatives do not have their best interests at heart.

People who don’t associate “family” with positive feelings towards their relatives may look elsewhere to create their own through friendship.

“Many grown children continue to wish that their parents or siblings could see them for who they really are, not who they wish them to be,” author Deborah Tannen said in an article for the New York Times. “This goal can be realized in friendship.”

Blood ties are not the exclusive defining aspect of a family. The friends who stand by us, the adopted relatives who choose us and the step-relatives who become integral parts of our lives can all be recognized as essential members of our family tree. It is only by opening our hearts and appreciating the bonds we have that we can embrace what it means to have a family.

In our evolving world, family doesn’t come from one’s blood but from one’s heart.

on nn Ga Zo e by on Ca rto

hen someone is asked what defines a family, the response that blood is thicker than water often comes to mind. In fact, many people will respond to that question with family members such as parents, siblings and close relatives. However, the definition of family isn’t always that simple.

“Family is someone who can be [part of a] team or someone that’ll take care of you and love you unconditionally,” sophomore Brooklyn Sheaffer said. “They will always be there for you and will always have your back. Family is always with you through thick and thin, because friends can flake out, but family will always be there.”

While some may feel close to a person simply by being related, others don’t share that same perspective.

Not knowing a family member well or at all can make them feel like a stranger. Sophomore Idrees Ali recognizes that blood relationships aren’t always the defining characteristic of a modern perception of family.

“It depends on their influence on someone’s life,” Ali said. “I have a bunch of [blood-related] cousins that aren’t in my life and I’ll probably never meet them, and that’s okay with me because they aren’t a part of my life.”

If you search for a literal meaning of family, a short and sweet definition from the Encyclopedia Britannica will pop up: “A group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption.” When discussing family, it is important to include adopted members and step-relatives. According to the Adoption Network, around 5 million Americans are adopted. In addition, a Pew Research Center survey found that over 40% of Americans have at least one step-relative. Though negative stereotypes can oftentimes surround both kinds of relatives, it is crucial to note that they are usually just as much a part of family as blood-related members.

“No one in my family has ever made me excluded for being adopted,” senior Kaci Randall said. “I’ve been asked weird questions from other people, such

a s whether or not I like my parents, but my family is my family. Blood relations can be important, but I think family more so depends on how much effort you put into a relationship.”

A common thing to say when asked about a close friend is characterizing them as being like family. Having

Opinion

19

Profile | November 9, 2023

DAWN AND LISA:

M

other, grandmother and Kaneland High School security guard Lisa Weiss enjoys connecting with students. Besides her four children and 10 grandchildren, she believes that every student is one of her own.

“When people ask if we have kids, we say we have 1300 of them,” Lisa said, referring to herself and her friend and fellow security guard Dawn Decker.

Lisa and Dawn’s friendship began when they first met while working in the cafeteria together 13 years ago.

“I remember when we were in the kitchen, Dawn wanted me to teach her how to line dance because I am from the South,” Lisa said. “Honestly, my daughter taught me. She was a cheerleader here before going to school [to learn how to do hair]. The cheerleaders would all be lined up in my garage learning how to line dance, so she would [have me join in].”

Now, working together as security guards, Dawn is still practicing her dance moves.

“Back when the kids were protesting by not wearing masks and were all on the West Gym stage, Dawn was there to supervise the kids, and some kids were like, ‘Hey Dawn, come and learn how to do the Griddy,’” Lisa said. “So, I am in the hallway doing my rounds, and the next thing I know, I get this video. And there Dawn is, doing the Griddy.”

For them, it does not matter how good or bad they are at the dance because it is all about connecting with students.

“I enjoy it. I may sometimes look like a fool, but it is what I do,” Dawn said.

Growing up in Mississippi and moving to Illinois when she was 24, Lisa’s Southern hospitality still shows through as she has always felt like she has been a person students can feel comfortable talking to.

“Sometimes we have students show us stuff, which we can then bring to the dean’s attention,” Lisa said. “It is good that we have the relationship with

20 Profile

BY KATIE

kids because they feel safe to bring or show us something.”

The relationships Lisa has been able to form with other people have never been hard for her.

“I am the oldest of four kids, so I have always been a motherly figure,” she said.

Growing up, Lisa’s dad got her interested in hunting and fishing, which are still some of her favorite activities today.

“My mom is not an outdoorsman, but all of my hunting and fishing experience I learned from my father. He would pack everything we needed and pack our snacks,” she said.

Now, as a grandmother, Lisa loves spending time with her grandchildren.

“I like to do crafts with my grandchildren,” she said. “We like to do bonfires, so I save all my dryer lint to make firestarter. Their job is to stuff the egg cartons with the dryer lint, and I would then pour the wax over it.”

So, why work as a security guard at a high school? Well, according to Lisa, the students in the building help keep her young as she loves to talk to students. “[When they want me to], I like to get in their conversations and find out what they’re up to, what they do and what they want to do,” she said.

Before the school day even starts, Lisa begins every morning the same way.

“The first thing I do when I hit the doors is pray. I pray that we all have a good day and that no matter what comes to us, we can work through it. Also, I pray to give me the strength to help the students,” Lisa said. “I also pray that we all get along.”

As the security team duo, even staff has recognized Lisa and Dawn’s impact on students across the building.

“They connect with the students, and they just really know about what is happening in the school,” Dean’s Secretary Debbie Gantzert said. “Their level of commitment to the students is admirable.”

While Lisa’s job is to be a security guard, she wants everyone to know she is always there for us, and students recognize that.

“If you need her, she is there, always willing to give you a hug or just listen,” junior Mason Kinsella said.

Page design by Elliot Krippelz

Profile | November 9, 2023

THE SECURITY DUO

PFOTENHAUER

A

familiar face you may see roaming the halls is Kaneland security guard Dawn Decker. As she has been in security for six years, she knows a thing or two about maintaining a safe and secure school environment.

“I wanted to go into security to be more involved with you guys, and I was kind of tired of food service,” Dawn said.

From working together in the cafeteria to being security guards, Dawn and her partner Lisa Weiss have always done what they can to help their students.

“I used to bring in snacks, and we’ve always had lockers [by each other],” Dawn said. “So, I would forget my locker number and open Lisa’s.”

As some students do not always have the choice to eat before school, those snacks were not just for Dawn.

“We had a group of kids who would come to school hungry,” Lisa said. “They are not telling you that they did not have dinner or did not have lunch, but [students] would say that they were hungry. Dawn would always tell them that she had some food for them. I have seen this woman pull money out of her pocket to buy kids lunches because she will not let any student sit in the cafeteria and not eat lunch.”

Her small acts of kindness do not go unrecognized, but still, there can be a stigma around why an individual would choose to have a job like this.

“I think the stigma is that for some reason you are in this position as a loss or because you could not do anything better, and not because it was a choice,” fellow security guard Matt Geuther said. “I think this job, however, is a great way to give back to the community, get involved and make an impact on lives.”

Before becoming a lunch lady, Dawn spent eight years working at Minuteman International, a factory that builds industrial and commercial floor cleaning machines.

“I came in as a lunch lady, and an ex-boss of mine who ran the cafeteria

Page design by Elliot Krippelz

called me wondering if I wanted the job,” she said. “And now, with security, I will probably be here until I retire.”

Dawn’s shift to security was not the easiest career change, but it is some-

thing that she is proud of.

“My greatest accomplishment was getting into security,” Dawn said. “It took me three tries. I fought hard to get here, so when I finally did, I was excited because I felt like I had accomplished something.”

Dawn is the youngest of four children, with three older brothers. While it may have taken her multiple tries to get into security, Dawn knows where she gets her motivation.

“When he was alive, my dad was my hero because of the things he went through, yet he still survived. My parents were fighters, and [that makes me] a fighter,” she said.

Dawn has always been resilient, and while that may have helped her get to where she is now, there are aspects of being in security that may make security guards seem mean. But in the end, they are there to protect you. For Dawn, she has always had a recognizable voice that can carry through the hallways, which she understands may make her seem intimidating.

“I think it is the tone of my voice,” she said. “Some may think that I am mean or loud. Sometimes, I need that voice to get everybody’s attention.”

Even though Dawn can come off as loud when doing her job, there are some things students may not understand until they get to know her.

“I am actually kind of a shy person.

If I am around big groups of people I don’t know, I get quiet. I am more of an observer until I get to know [people],” she said.

And once she gets to know people, her personality shows.

“Dawn, at the team meetings, will have everyone crying-laughing at the things she says,” Geuther said.

Through the other security guards on the team and the students she sees each day, Dawn wants people to remember that she will always be there for them, as she knows students can be going through a lot.

“I like to see what interests them and talk to them,” she said. “If they want, I’ll always listen.”

Profile

21

Photos | November 9, 2023

Fox Valley Career Center The Fox Valley Career Center (FVCC) offers a variety of unique programs. Classes are tailored to prepare students for their possible career fields. There are many variations of classes pertaining to a range of future options, including some that allow students to focus narrowly on one field.

WHAT MAKES

Course options include: Automotive Technologies Computer Technologies Cosmetology Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Directed Study ​Electrical Systems Emergency Medical Technician

Fire Science Foundations of Education Health Occupations Project Lead the Way: Biomedical Small Engines Welding

SPORTS and Activities

At Kaneland, sports and activities are prevalent in many students’ lives. Whether an individual is playing a sport to stay physically active or joining a club to get more involved, students can be engaged in their passions and interests. A short list of only some activities that are offered includes FFA, Student Impact and Educators Rising.

Sports options include: Baseball Basketball Bowling Cheer Cross Country Dance Football Golf

Gymnastics Lacrosse Soccer Softball Tennis Track and Field Volleyball Wrestling

OVERALL One of Kaneland’s goals is to provide opportunities for all students through the various offerings in clubs, sports and academic courses. However, there is more to Kaneland than just what it has to offer. Behind the scenes, staff members like janitors, lunch monitors, security guards and counselors are a big help to students who are hoping to make the most of their time in high school.

22 Photos

Page design by Barbara Martinez

UP KANELAND?

Photos | November 9, 2023

BY ISA ALBA, OLIVIA KING AND RILEY SWIDERSKI

Page design by Barbara Martinez

Photos

23

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Page 15

“It is very important to balance your mental, emotional and physical health because if you start to lose stability between them all, it is easy to lose the good things you’ve worked for.”

Junior Abbie Mederich

Page 16

“You feel selfish about saying no to somebody you care about. There’s guilt attached because you’re also mindful of the other’s perception of your boundary.”

Guidance Counselor Erin Shore

Page design by Carli Filek