Kaneland Krier Volume 48 Issue 4

KANELAND

KR ER

FINDING A NEW PERSPECTIVE Changing the way we look at the world around us

Volume 48 • Issue 4 • Kaneland High School • March 17, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

12 Centerspread

20 Photos

3 Lifestyle

Letter from the Execs

18 Profile

Sometimes it can be very difficult to see the world around us in a different way than we might be used to. We have all grown up with unique experiences, expectations and outlooks on life. In this issue, we explore what life would be like if we were able to change that perspective a little and uncover new ways of seeing the world around us. Discovering new things is important, and it’s something we can all benefit from.

March 17, 2022 | Lifestyle

SPRUCE UP YOUR ENVIRONMENT WITH PLANTS

BY PAIGE WHITESIDE

W Editor

hen decorating a room or a living space, choosing items that remind you of your favorite shows, bands or hobbies can be essential to creating a comfortable environment to spend time in. A less popular way to liven up a room is by growing and taking care of a variety of plants. Having plants in a personal area has many benefits, such as giving someone a responsibility to take care of that plant, creating oxygen and fresh air and contributing to a clean environment that is pleasing to the eye.

Many individuals - teenagers and adults alike - struggle to personalize their homes in a way that suits them best.

Switching between different aesthetics, it can be difficult to choose one theme that perfectly matches your personality and interests. However, plants come in a variety of different shapes, sizes and types,

Photo courtesy of Caroline Nosek

Senior Caroline Nosek lines a window sill in her bedroom with potted plants. These plants create positive energy and brighten up her room.

giving aspiring room designers many options to work with. Someone who is interested in decorating their home with bright colors may choose to grow potted flowers, and on the other hand, someone who prefers a more simplistic look can go with more neutral options, such as a cactus or a small succulent.

Senior Caroline Nosek finds that decorating her room with plants makes the area seem brighter and causes her to feel more relaxed and happy, as well as giving her something to do and focus on.

“When plants are thriving, like during the summer when they get especially green, they make me happier,” Nosek said. “When there are more plants in a room, there is more life in the room. I feel like they really boost my serotonin levels.”

Horticulture teacher Brooke Heinsohn has always felt very connected to nature and art, which led her to choose a career that incorporates both elements when teaching her horticulture classes.

Heinsohn finds joy in seeing plants grow and develop over a period of time and sees the beauty in many different types of plants.

“If you walk past a plant every day and see the same thing, then one day you see that plant start to sprout a flower bud and keep growing, and that is a very exciting feeling,” Heinsohn said. “If any student is interested in learning more about plants, I would recommend taking the horticulture course here at Kaneland. Students get a lot of free houseplants, they research what type of plant it is and learn more about how to care for it for the rest of the school year.”

Besides being pleasing to the eye,

Photo by Zoey Pozen

The greenhouse at Kaneland High School is used to grow plants and flowers, and it provides students with daily opportunities to learn about horticulture. The greenhouse is located through room A100, and it provides students with a variety of hands-on experiences.

Page design by Kyra Motyka

houseplants have a variety of different health benefits to offer. A room with a plant is naturally a cleaner area than one without, as plants release oxygen into the environment. Dr. Carol DerSarkissian, MD, reviewed an article by WebMD going over the many benefits that houseplants have to offer. Included in this article was information on a study that tested humidity levels in the air before and after ribbon plants were brought into a room. After the plants were introduced, the humidity level went from 20% to 30%, a huge improvement, as higher humidity levels can help with dry skin or illnesses like a cold.

In a study conducted by Charles Hall and Melinda Knuth, researchers at Texas A&M University, living near or surrounding yourself with greenery can have positive impacts on your mental, emotional and social well-being as well. Some ben-

Photo courtesy of Ansley Faivre

Sophomore Ansley Faivre displays a variety of plants throughout her bedroom. She finds that having greenery in her room lifts her mood.

efits include reduced depression symptoms and higher productivity levels. Individuals diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who participated in this study were even able to focus better when surrounded by nature, both indoors and outdoors.

Sophomore Ansley Faivre decorates her room with plants, observing that having a small piece of nature in her personal area boosts her mood when she is feeling down.

“Over the past year my collection of plants has grown a lot,” Faivre said. “In that time, my mental health has definitely been improved and I feel a lot happier. I love having a new hobby, and plants give me something to do that makes me feel good at the same time.”

Lifestyle

3

News | March 17, 2022

FACEBOOK AND THE MOVE TOWARDS META

BY ANNA OLP

O

Design Executive and Photography Executive

n Oct. 28, 2021, Facebook - the owner of Instagram, Oculus VR and Whatsapp - rebranded its company name to Meta. CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement during the 2021 Facebook Connect conference, a one-day virtual event targeted towards future possibilities in augmented and virtual reality. While the new name itself was jarring for many, changing the company name is just one of the many advancements being made by Zuckerberg.

The switch is seen by many as not only a new company name, but rather a new direction and focus. To fully understand the upgrades that Meta is bringing to their company, it is important to know what their current focus, the Metaverse, is going to become.

The Metaverse is the advancement of the company into the world of virtual reality. The name encompasses the 3D world, which users will be able to interact with during their virtual reality experience.

Meta is the owner of Oculus. Oculus is a company rooted in virtual reality, and this partnership is one of the ways the Metaverse is becoming a reality. The Oculus Quest 2 is the virtual reality headset currently being sold by Meta and Oculus.

Coming in at $299, the Quest 2 is one of the most affordable, all-in-one VR headsets on the market.

The complexity of virtual reality and how it is accomplished can be hard to grasp for those who have not experienced it themselves. This is one contributing factor to some of the possible confusion surrounding the Metaverse.

According to the Oculus website, “A VR headset usually features a display split between the eyes to show each eye a different feed. This creates a stereoscopic 3D effect with stereo sound. It also tracks your position in space to orient your point of view in the system.”

During the 2021 Connect event, Zuckerberg introduced a video presentation about the Metaverse by describing the major switches in focus of our social platforms since the founding of Facebook.

“We’ve gone from desktop, to web to phones from text, to photos to video.

But this isn’t the end of the line. The next platform and medium will be even more immersive, an embodied internet where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it. We call this the Metaverse,” Zuckerberg said.

The next sections of the presentation consisted of different aspects of the

4 News

Metaverse that users can hope to explore.

Some of these include gaming, fitness, work, education and commerce.

Zuckerberg made clear that the Metaverse is not currently a finished product. Developments are still being made, which is one of the reasons it is still difficult to give a specific definition of what it will actually entail.

“The best way to understand the Metaverse is to experience it yourself. But it’s tough because it doesn’t fully exist yet. Some of the basic building blocks are here though, and others are emerging as we speak. We’re starting to get a sense of how it could all come together and what it could feel like,” Zuckerberg said.

After the initial announcement of Meta and the Metaverse, curiosity was sparked among many. One of the topics being questioned is how quickly Zuckerberg’s plans will become a reality. Microsoft owner Bill Gates made a claim that garnered a lot of attention.

“Within the next two or three years, I predict most virtual meetings will move from 2D camera image grids — which I call the Hollywood Squares model, although I know that probably dates me — to the metaverse, a 3D space with digital avatars,” Gates said.

Despite the positive outlook from some, Meta’s ride so far has been anything but smooth. On Feb. 3, Meta’s value in the stock market took a major blow.

According to the financial m a g a z i n e Barron’s, “Meta Platforms recorded the largest one-day drop in market value ever for a U.S. company.”

Fa c e b o o k shifting their focus and company name has created somewhat of a vulnerability for the company. People may be confused by the switch, and the overall public opinion of Facebook is still recovering from the whistleblower event that took place in October of 2021.

“Any rebranding of companies can be rough. The company’s image may have an initial negative impact. Ultimately the development of the Metaverse project will either enhance or reduce the company’s image,” Career and Technical Education

teacher Dragoljub Gudovic said.

It is not likely that Meta’s rocky stock market values are telling of what’s to come for the company, however it can make things more difficult for Zuckerberg and his investors to continue to build their ideas of the Metaverse.

Page design by Anna Olp

March 17. 2022 | News

COVID’S IMPACT ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE

BY ASHLEY VANDERHOFF

H Editor

igh school students’ academic lives were immensely disrupted in the 2020-21 school year as they were forced into a learning environment and schedule they were not used to. As a result, many students saw themselves struggling to keep up with the demands of their educational and social lives. While Kaneland High School students faced a variety of challenges due to attendance, grades and emotional health, the severity of some struggles have gone largely unnoticed. In fact, last year Kaneland saw its GPA percentages drop dramatically as well as the number of students requiring extra assistance.

In the last academic year for KHS students, according to the District 302 Board Meeting on Jan. 10, 2022, about 11% of students earned a GPA between 0 and 1.0, a dramatic increase from the usual 1% or less. Typically, 1% means about 10-12 students, but last year, that number rose to about 120 students across all four high school grade levels. Additionally, freshmen on track to graduate dropped from the typical 90-91% to 87%. KHS Principal Jill Maras acknowledged the realities of the data regarding student performance.

“Our kids that would have a 1.0 GPA or less are usually less than 1% of the population, and last year it was 11%,” Maras said. “It seems like it’s that lower group of students that has grown in the number of courses they are failing. We aren’t seeing much of a change in the GPA of students who are in our average or high achieving area. So, it’s just a matter of making sure we put the pieces in place to help support the lower kids.”

While there are many pieces in place in the school’s attempt to support Kaneland students, communication has seemed to be the first step. Maras spoke on the method of communication with parents and students on a district level.

“I don’t know that we have globally shared about the struggles our students are having with parents and students.

Our focus has been on individually addressing students who are struggling,” Maras said.

Overall, the school is taking a more individualized approach when supporting these struggling students. Director of Educational Services 6-12 Patrick Raleigh has talked with students who were successful while learning from home last year, as well as those who were not. He stressed that the change of environment played a big role in the impact on how students handled the structure of school

Page design by Casey Walters

last year. He encourages students to advocate for themselves, whether they felt safer at home or whether they struggled more there.

Still, Raleigh supports the idea of students coming back to school as the most beneficial solution. Also, when asked about the emotional needs of students during this time, he noted how the signs of struggle can be less visible in some students compared to others, which makes providing support even harder if they are at home.

“There is a social-emotional side to [discipline] where I might be acting out if I am not feeling safe. I might be acting out if I’m in a class I don’t want to get called on. I don’t want my peers to see that I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s easier when [students are] here in person and can have conversations to gauge that,” Raleigh said.

In the student services office, there is a team looking to identify struggling students and offer support.

“There’s a team that looks at the well-being of all our kids, and if there are trends or if we see a student is repeatedly ineligible for athletics or activities, what are we doing for them? Also, [we are checking to see] if there is a student that is repeatedly being written up for a variety of offenses or the same offenses.

That team is looking at students who may need an additional level of support or intervention to help them be as successful as possible,” Raleigh said.

Of course, there are a variety of teams within the school reaching out to students to offer solutions. School counselors, for example, will contact struggling students’ parents. Assistant Prin-

“

There is a social-emotional side to [discipline] where I might be acting out if I am not feeling safe. I might be acting out if I’m in a class I don’t want to get called on. I don’t want my peers to see that I don’t know what I’m doing.

- Director of Educational Services 6-12 Patrick Raleigh

“

cipal for Student Services and Special Education Kristin Faber has reached out to parents in the event that it looks like a student may not graduate. Staff members

can offer options to struggling students like credit recovery courses, summer school and contracts between students and teachers.

“While there was a decline in [freshmen on track to graduate], it was a much more manageable number of those we can target specifically and build intervention plans specifically for them. And some of those things have already taken place,” Raleigh said. “Some of those conversations with those students have been around individual academic contracts with their teachers. Summer school is also always an option. We’re looking at freshmen, so we have three more years to close that gap.”

As far as the increased individual help students are receiving, teachers are able to offer certain contracts with students. For example, a teacher in the math department may meet with a student and discuss a personalized plan for them to be successful in the class.

“It is individual teachers meeting with individual students. So if you have me for Algebra One, and if you missed a couple of tests last year, it would be on these given days you are going to stay after school or work on this in STEP,” Raleigh said. “So it is you as a student writing down and committing to X, Y and Z. If I get it done by that time, my grade will reflect the most recent score, and then that can go back and reflect your grade.”

While it is an option for teachers to offer these opportunities to students, it is truly up to the discretion of the teacher.

It is neither a district nor board policy; teachers are not mandated or required to develop individual student contracts.

Junior Enza Liga was learning solely at home for her 2020-21 school year.

She expressed how getting assignments done was harder, and her lack of motivation and the pressure from teachers did not help. She also was not able to interact with peers at school, which impacted her success from a social standpoint. This year, she has received help from some teachers. She mentioned how her math teacher, Daniel Ponczek, is always reaching out with extra help to anyone who needs it. She does, however, think that teachers should be more strictly mandated to reach out to students in need. “[Teachers offering opportunities for students] should definitely be mandated.

If all teachers were required to reach out to students it would be much appreciated, especially since some teachers are not as interactive as others,” Liga said.

News

5

Voices | March 17, 2022

WHEN I WAS YOU PARENTS TOL

“I fi Bunny told i o

“They lied to me about Santa forever. My uncle had given me the idea to sleep under the Christmas tree, so one Christmas Eve I slept under it. That night I realized my parents were Santa.”

Samuel Gagne Senior

Tyler Bradshaw Junior

“They used to tell me that leprechauns were real when I was younger and that they would slide down rainbows and search for gold.”

“If I pressed the hazard butto the car, the car would explode

Kamron Scholl Sophomore

6 Voices

Page design by Samantha Dunne

UNGER, A LIE MY LD ME WAS...

March 17, 2022 | Voices

inally realized that the Easter y wasn’t real, and after I was in sixth grade, I began to find out about all of the others.”

“While growing up, my parents told me I had to wait at least 15 minutes after eating before I went swimming in the pool.”

Christian Duffing Junior

on in e.”

“I found out that the Tooth Fairy wasn’t real, and she wasn’t the one bringing me the money all those years. When I found out, I was pretty sad because after I knew, the Tooth Fairy never came again.”

Amanda Rogers Junior Page design by Samantha Dunne

Grace Algrim Senior Voices

7

Sports | March 17, 2022

BENEFITS OF BEING A MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE

BY ZOEY POZEN

B

Editor

eing an athlete is challenging enough, but being a multi-sport athlete can be even more difficult. Playing multiple sports, though, comes with definite benefits as it shapes who these athletes become and introduces them to more opportunities than they might have imagined.

Senior Olivia Rohlman knows all about the hardships of being a multisport athlete. Rohlman is a varsity volleyball, basketball and track athlete, as well as being a dancer outside of school.

Some students struggle to find time to manage being an athlete as well as being a successful student.

“It is definitely challenging to get things done, more than the average student I feel. Basically, I have no time to do my homework, so I have to make time.

Those extra minutes at the end of class where everyone usually packs up is when I can get my stuff done because I really don’t have another option,” Rohlman said.

Freshman Kyle Rogers is a member of the football, wrestling and track teams.

Like Rohlman, he acknowledges that it can be challenging to fit everything into one day.

“Making time for everything is tough, but I just have had to learn to deal with it,” Rogers said.

As a multi-sport athlete, Rogers has gotten so used to being busy that it

Photo courtesy of Andy Drendel

Boys track and field athletes train in the West Gym weight room during the pre-season.

Many of these athletes participate in other sports when track and field is not in season.

8 Sports

doesn’t bother him anymore. He is now able to manage his time well. Physical education teacher and head boys varsity track coach Andy Drendel believes that being a multi-sport athlete not only keeps students busy but can lower their stress levels due to being so involved.

“I don’t believe multi-sport athletes are more stressed than anyone else. Most multi-sport athletes have been participating in multiple sports since they were in elementary or middle school,” Drendel said. “It becomes a norm of their lives, and they learn time-management skills early on.”

Some athletes, like junior Katharine Marshall, recognize the ebb and flow of their multiple seasons. Marshall is a member of the golf and basketball teams, and managing stress is something she knows comes with the responsibility of playing various sports.

“Honestly, I am not that stressed. I think that my teachers are very understanding when it comes to student-athletes. I won’t say there hasn’t been a time where my stress is higher, but overall, I think I manage everything well, which makes my stress not as bad,” Marshall said.

Having supportive teachers and coaches is important for these multi-sport athletes. Many multi-sport athletes are also involved with clubs, sports outside of school and jobs. Having a coach who cares about what their players do outside of their sport can have an impact on the student-athletes’ mental health.

“It’s their choice. It’s not up to me to tell a kid that they can’t do something. I have had kids that have to go to a chess competition or Scholastic Bowl. Of course, go compete in that. Go kick butt.

I think that’s awesome. They are staying mentally competitive, so it’s valuable.

They have to do those things too,” Drendel said.

Drendel appreciates when his players keep him updated about their various responsibilities.

“The main thing is communication.

As long as they communicate with me, I don’t have a problem with it. I don’t ever want an athlete to feel like they are by themselves. I can always help brainstorm solutions if they are struggling with their time management,” Drendel said.

Communication regarding time management seems to be a recurring subject that is important for other coaches too.

Social studies teacher and varsity girls

basketball coach Kelsey Flanagan thinks that communication is essential.

“Players communicating in advance when conflicts arise, as soon as they know, is the most important thing,” Flanagan said.

Not only can school be mentally hard for these student-athletes, but physically, they can also run into some complications. Senior Dylan Conklin is a member of both the baseball and bowling teams, where he has experienced serious injuries that have caused setbacks for him.

“I have had a few injuries in the past because baseball really works you. From bowling, I have gotten a knee injury. I have fractured my back, and I have tendonitis in my arm from playing baseball,” Conklin said. “Being away from your sport for a long period of time with an injury can also be mentally draining.”

Many of the athletes who are involved with numerous sports seem to thrive on being involved, and it’s just something they become used to. And when that changes, that can present its own issues.

“Personally, when I went to college I went from playing three sports to zero. I found myself more stressed out without having some sort of competition in my life. That’s how I got involved with coaching. I felt compelled to do something productive,” Drendel said.

Being involved in a variety of sports has become an outlet for so many of these athletes to be excited for something, to make friends and to find out more about themselves.

“To be honest, baseball is basically my second personality. Baseball has made me kind of a cocky person because I always feel like I am the best on the field at all times, but I feel like that has helped me a lot with my confidence,” Conklin said.

As multi-sport athletes, these students have ups and downs as they move forward, but they always seem to learn something new along the way.

“These athletes are developing these traits by being involved and learning to be coached by anyone. They will learn something in soccer that can also be valuable in track, like they learn how to build up confidence and manage everything correctly. [It’s] highly valuable,” Drendel said.

Being a multi-sport athlete can be challenging, but these athletes have the opportunity to learn lessons about determination, communication and teamwork.

Page design by Braden Babka

March 17, 2022 | Sports

THE INFLUENCE OF PRO AND COLLEGE SPORTS

BY MADELEINE LITTLE

C

Editor-in-Chief of Web

ollegiate and professional sports have their similarities and differences, but they both will always be something people can enjoy. Organizations like the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are known for bringing in billions of dollars each year, and they all have generations of fans supporting them. No matter each fan’s preference, professional and collegiate sports have the ability to bring people together and lift people’s spirits during even the most difficult of times.

Something that may draw people to the collegiate level is the energy and emotion from the athletes who have worked so hard to get there. People are able to see how college teams create a strong bond and emotional connection on and off the court or field, while professional athletes can seem more focused on the financial aspect and their personal fame. Joseph Conroy, Career and Technical Education teacher and head men’s basketball coach at Kishwaukee Community College, can draw from experiences both in the classroom and on the court to provide perspective. Conroy believes that college athletes hold a stronger emotional connection to their sport and team, while professional athletes and teams focus more on the money and their individuality.

“Collegiate sports are more about team play and working together. For example, college football has the excitement of not only a community but a region, and pro sports are more about the money. College is about more than just the game,” Conroy said.

While there is an emotional aspect to college sports that can endear fans, others might prefer watching professional sports because they feel that there is a different level of competition when the players are the best in the world. Many collegiate athletes are looking to play at the next level, and those who choose to do that need to have passion and determination to get there.

The skill that professional athletes exhibit, in addition to the fact that they play for teams in major cities that children and teens grow up learning to support, are what draw fans to the professional level.

Senior Taylor Seaton, who plays basketball and runs track, appreciates what the professional level offers.

Page design by Braden Babka

Photo by Madeleine Little

Members of the Seaton and Koup families watch Super Bowl LVI. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events in the United States and averages over 100 million viewers each year.

“I think location can help to build an emotional connection due to the strong loyalty of their fans and ability to travel and see those games easier than if they are out of state,” Seaton said. “I like watching professional sports because the skills are better, but I like watching college because teams actually try to compete by playing defense, at least in basketball.”

Sophomore Nicklaus McNamara enjoys watching both collegiate and professional sports, and he feels that there is more in play when deciding to cheer for a specific team than just the players.

“I think that if people have gone to a specific college, then they might feel more emotionally attached to that school.

With professional sports, if you grew up somewhere you are probably going to feel a stronger connection to a place,” McNamara said.

Throughout the year, there are multiple major events in both college and professional sports that are widely known, such as the Super Bowl and March Madness. The NCAA’s annual season-ending basketball tournament allows fans to engage by filling in their own brackets to predict the outcome of each game, increasing interest in each individual matchup. Junior Jake Brost, for example, finds more enjoyment in watching a month’s worth of upsets and excitement in college basketball’s end-of-season tournament over the Super Bowl.

“I prefer March Madness because it is unpredictable. As many times as I try, I can never pick the games correctly. I also prefer it because there are multiple games a day, and the tournament is a month long unlike the Super Bowl,” Brost said.

During the past few years, where sports have at times faded due to the pandemic, it has become even more apparent how much they mean in our lives.

Student-athletes like senior golfer Joshua Pehl, for example, who will be attending Illinois Wesleyan University next fall, views athletes at the levels above him as important both for their inspirational value and for keeping him entertained during these past few challenging years.

“Watching sports in general has been an outlet these last couple of years because there hasn’t been as much to do,” Pehl said. “Watching these athletes perform at a high level has been huge for my success because it shows the amount of work I need to put in to be successful and helps me to strive for high goals, even if they may seem unachievable now.”

Photo courtesy of Joseph Conroy

Austin Brown, a Rochelle High School graduate and current guard at Kishwaukee Community College, attacks off the dribble against Illinois Wesleyan College. Career and Technical Education teacher Joseph Conroy is currently the head men’s basketball coach at Kishwaukee.

Sports

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Feature | March 17, 2022

UNDERCLASSMEN COMING INTO HIGH SCHOOL

BY KEVIN SIGRIST

C Editor

oming into high school as a fresh- son. man can be a very intimidating “When we’re waiting for band reexperience. You don’t know many hearsal to start, which started at 5:15 [in people or where your classes are. The the evening], I would just stay after school workload, responsibilities and gener- and hang out with some of my friends. al attitude towards school changes, and We’d just hang out, talk or maybe go out the stakes are raised as your academic to get food if there was an upperclassperformance can directly affect your fu- man with us,” DeLoso said. ture in college or your career. However, it One factor that has specifically afdoesn’t have to be this way. fected underclassmen and their ability to Extracurricular activities are a great connect with the upperclassmen grade way for students to integrate themselves levels is the variance in schedules caused into high school and form bonds with by the COVID-19 pandemic. their peers from other grade levels. By To put it into perspective, current updoing this, they educate and prepare perclassmen had time during high school themselves more for their future high that was pre-pandemic. Because of this, school careers. they were more easily able to integrate Fall extracurriculars specifically do a and make new friends while they were great job at this for the incoming fresh- the underclassmen. However, current men, as they serve as ways to make new freshmen and sophomores went into the friends at a new school. pandemic during the end of their seventh An example of this would be march- and eighth grade years. Because of the ing band. Kaneland band teacher and pandemic, lots of activities that would director Aaron Puckett elaborated on have assisted students in meeting each the amount of time students in march- other were canceled, and the hybrid ing band spend together at the school school year made it so that students were during the summer. not seeing half of the student body the “Typically we start in May, where we entire year. do a couple of evening rehearsals to kick Freshman Zoe Gannon came to things off. Some of the groups start as Kaneland during her freshman year from early as April doing small rehearsals here a different school district. Because of and there,” Puckett said. “We usually do the drastic change, she could very easily three or four rehearsals during the bulk see the divide the pandemic had caused of the summer, and then at the end of the within the student body. summer, we do two weeks of band camp “I don’t know many sophomores, but where we learn music and routines for the at my old school, I knew everyone above fall performances.” and below me, and so many more people Puckett explained how not only does knew each other because they actually the time aspect of the marching season saw each other consistently, but because help underclassmen integrate them- [of the pandemic], it’s been so long and selves, but marching band itself is an ac- no one really branches out to others that tivity that is extremely oriented around much,” Gannon said. working together.

Despite this, however, Gannon, who “I think that band is unique in that it participates in soccer, basketball and has some sort of bridge activities to help Student Council, has found ways to meet the young students. Typically they are a other people through extracurriculars. little tentative when they start, and then after they acclimate, they’re pretty eager and excited to be a part of the band.

They learn to work with each other and how to be student leaders, and they also learn how their individual role affects the bigger picture,” Puckett said.

Freshman Rhys DeLoso shared how he got to know his peers in marching band Photo courtesy of Kim Ritchie during the Freshman Sophia Plaza stands with her brother on the last day of fall seamarching band camp. Band members invited a family member on

10 Feature

to the field to demonstrate what they had learned over the summer.

“I think it’s a really good thing to be getting out there,” Gannon said. “I’m in a few extracurriculars, and it really does a lot for my social life and mental health.”

Seniors such as Aidan Pawlak have also felt the consequences of this social divide created by the pandemic. “[The current freshmen] missed a lot of the social interaction that we have every day, which is a huge part in maturing and getting to know people,” Pawlak said.

“The pandemic is also why I don’t know a lot of the younger grades because last year I wasn’t seeing them every day, and the year before, we lost several months. A lot of clubs and sports were also affected.

Seasons were shorter and clubs couldn’t do as much, and they were a great way to meet students from other grades.”

Pawlak, who participates in many extracurricular activities such as basketball, tennis, Student Council, Key Club, National Honor Society and more, has found participating in extracurricular activities to be very worthwhile.

“Doing a lot of extracurriculars reduces your time, but you also get to meet new people and experience new things, so while you’re sacrificing your time, it’s a good investment,” Pawlak said. “My advice to underclassmen would be to get as involved as possible because my freshman year, I was doing half as much of the stuff I’m doing now, and now school is way more fun.”

Photo by Anna Olp

Freshmen Orientation fills the hallways with new students. Upperclassmen and teachers can make it easier to get used to a new environment.

Page design by Zoey Pozen

March 17, 2022 | Feature

HIGH SCHOOL IN MOVIES VERSUS REAL LIFE

BY SAMANTHA DUNNE

T

Editor

he entertainment industry puts together films and TV shows that try to portray the complexities of the high school experience. Movies such as Clueless and Mean Girls and the hit TV show Glee all have the stereotypical lead bully who believes wealth and looks determine if you can fit in with the cool kids or not. This is just one of the reasons why high school can be falsely represented, yet still entertaining to view in fictional forms. Other movies, like 10 Things I Hate About You or To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, have their own goals of romanticizing the idea of how your high school years should be the time of your life and how it should include the thrilling journey of falling in love.

Oftentimes, these films will show unrealistic friend groups and couples by representing the cliques of the troublemakers, jocks, nerds and theater kids. Directors usually do not go into depth about the normality of connections between various friend groups because that is not what their main objective is.

Cartoon by Cassandra Cramer

Page design by Kevin Sigrist

Freshman Ava Lange explains how stereotypical couples can be represented in different films and how different the reality is from those depictions.

“High school movies are unrealistic because the cheerleaders always fall in love with the quarterback, but in reality, it is much more stressful and complicated. They never show the true reality of what goes into a good relationship,” Lange said.

When kids sit down in front of their TVs, they can turn on their favorite childhood movie like High School Musical or 13 Going on 30 and picture themselves being the main character. At a younger age, we do not grasp the concepts of how directors like to exaggerate their movies and how they do not portray the realistic struggles of normal teens.

Sophomore Jessica Wrobel describes how she was anxious when she was younger just thinking about the idea of growing up and what high school would be like because of how those movies made high school appear overwhelming.

“Watching those movies made me a little nervous for my future. When I was little, I used to think that there were a lot of bullies in high school, but in real life, no one cares about each other because we all have our own lives to worry about,” Wrobel said.

Average high school students need to find ways to juggle homework from all of their classes almost every night while also wanting a healthy social life.

Movies tend to portray students having almost no homework or time management issues, and they never seem to need to study. They show students wandering the halls and talking by their lockers for hours while their first priorities are parties and drama between friend groups. For most students, these scenarios are unrealistic. Take the movie Superbad, for example. The fictional students go to school, but they spend most of their time figuring out ways to bring drinks to a party or finding ways to throw the biggest party ever, while in reality, during the school year, people are usually focused on sports, schoolwork or jobs.

Cartoon by Antonia Liakas

TV series like Freaks and Geeks and Saved by the Bell involve the idea that upperclassmen are superior, and they will make mean comments if you even get close to them. They tell the story of how new students will be rejected by certain social groups if they do not look or act a particular way. As impressionable kids watch those kinds of shows, they might stress about being bullied or worry about feeling judged in every way as they grow older. As kids enter high school, it may seem overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t mean they need to buy into the common media depictions of the high school experience.

The Breakfast Club, released in 1985, is a coming-of-age movie that shows a more realistic portrayal of the high school experience. Every student has their quirks and things they enjoy doing. This movie shows how everyone is special in their own ways, despite their differences in what they find joy in.

English teacher Joshua Maurice understands that movies typically prioritize the entertainment factor rather than represent the realities that students face throughout high school.

“There are portions of the high school atmosphere here that a lot of movies that center around high schools don’t really expose. If you watch any high school movie, you don’t see students with mental health needs. There are a lot of students here that really need someone to talk to. Whereas when you watch The Breakfast Club and everyone is doing their own thing, you get all of your different groups. There are definitely a lot of things that movies could give awareness to,” Maurice said.

Feature

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Centerspread | March 17, 2022

RECOGNIZING BEHIND THE SCENES KHS STAFF

BY ANNA OLP

S

Design Executive and Photography Executive

ometimes our day to day lives at school can feel like they’re straight out of Groundhog Day. The first bell rings at 7:30, and we make our way from class to class until the last bell rings at 2:50. It’s likely that every day here at Kaneland High School, we’re all going through the same schedule that we have had since the start of the semester, maybe even the start of the school year, every day feeling like the last.

Getting stuck in this loop is an easy way to forget about some of the many things going on at KHS that we may not get to see within our normal schedule.

Walking to and from the same classes every day only exposes us to the small number of things we’re able to see during passing periods. This also takes place in the classroom. Because we go to the same classrooms five days a week, it is easy to miss a lot of what goes on elsewhere in the school during our eight periods.

Along with the teachers we see every day, the staff members who may not be a part of our regular schedule are also im-

portant to remember and appreciate. Re- now it’s a lot of COVID training. There are nee Keifer, who works as a school nurse still continuing education hours we have at KHS, is someone many students rely on to get for our medical license, as well,” outside of their typical classroom setting. Keifer said.

For many, the work of a school nurse goes During summer break, when most beyond what first students and teachcomes to mind. ers are able to go Basic first aid is a couple months just a small part I really think it’s important to always without coming into of their important school, full time disrole in our school. recognize people. We try our best to trict staff members “We work a call students by their first names and still come in to get lot with the counthe school ready for recognize them as individuals. selors as far as the start of the up- cafeteria worker Julie Wilson [Individualized Edcoming year. With ucation Plans] and a heavier reliance [504 Plans]. Our on technology each job is to advocate year, the district’s for the students. I want to make sure that technology department works throughtheir medical needs are met to help them out the summer to ensure the smoothest academically,” Keifer said. possible transition into the new school Along with work during the school year and install and maintain technologiday that may not be seen by some stu- cal advancements in classrooms. dents, there are also employees like Keif“I work here full time so I’m at the er who have important responsibilities school over the summer too. I would say outside of school. that there’s a lot of recycling that gets “CPR training is every two years. And done, and there are new tech additions

Every morning, the cafeteria workers make sure the lunchroom is fully stocked for students.

The nurses’ office is used for more than just those who are physically sick, as it can also be used as a mental health resource. School nurses play an instrumental role in looking out for the heath of students.

12 Centerspread

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Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

March 17, 2022 | Centerspread

that get installed into the classrooms severity of the problem. Sometimes the over the summer, and students are not problem can’t even be fixed by us, as it here to see that,” district and high school can stem from our internet provider,” technician Michael Chavez said.

Chavez said.

As the presence of new technoloThe maintenance department is angy in our school continues to increase, other group of employees who work here so do the problems and difficulties that full time, including over the summer. can sometimes arise alongside the up- Throughout the year, they work to keep dates. It can affect just one student who Kaneland functioning. Mark Payton is the has a minor issue director of buildlike a malfunctioning ings and grounds Chromebook, or the for the Kaneland entire school when school district. problems with the A lot of things revolve around COVID “Most of our internet or firewall now, but students still need to un- jobs in the maincan knock out teach- derstand they can come here for tenance departers’ daily plans. Many other things, whether it’s emotional ment are things people may feel imthat hopefully stupatience or frustra- support or anxiety issues and need a dents don’t notice. tion while waiting for place to reset. They can do that here. We want students such problems to be to come here and - school nurse Renee Keifer solved, but it is imlearn,” Payton said. portant to remember One unique that there are people aspect of the staff working diligently to who work in the resolve the issue. Chavez is one of these maintenance department is that their people, and he is sometimes the only goal is to work unnoticed by students. member of the tech department in the “We don’t want them to have to worhigh school. ry about whether they’re comfortable, if “Solving some of the technology they have enough light to see their asproblems here can take anywhere from signments or if they’re safe. We want to minutes to hours; it just depends on the do all those things behind the scenes,”

Payton said.

While most of the staff mentioned so far may not be a part of our daily schedules, people we do see every day are equally important. Julie Wilson works in the cafeteria. Because we are able to walk through the lunch line with food ready to eat, the time and effort that is spent preparing the food can be easily overlooked.

“We do see some notes of gratification from students occasionally, but I really think it’s important to always recognize people. We try our best to call students by their first names and recognize them as individuals,” Wilson said.

As we all go about our daily schedules, it is important to recognize the work of the many people that allow us to do so, even if we don’t see them every day. Getting stuck in a repetitive loop at school is easy, and it can blind you to the people around you who are ready to help everyone succeed.

“A lot of things revolve around COVID now, but students still need to understand they can come here for other things, whether it’s emotional support or anxiety issues and need a place to reset. They can do that here. Students who don’t have to deal with different diseases might not think of us as being utilized for that kind of thing,” Keifer said.

This maintenance room, located next to the auxiliary gym, houses the heating units for the cafeteria, the music wing and the auditorium. A maintenance worker visits the room up to three times a week.

The technology department has many complicated responsibilities that may not be seen by students.

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Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

Centerspread

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Advice | March 17, 2022

STEPS TO TAKE FOR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

BY KYRA MOTYKA

C Editor

ollege can provide a unique and life-changing journey for anyone who chooses that route. However, the dreaded storm before the rainbow is arguably one of the most important parts of the college experience. Taking standardized tests, working on your GPA, looking for schools that fit your wants and needs, deciding where to apply and ultimately determining where to attend are all key components in the early stages of your adventure. However, it can sometimes feel like we have no idea what the next step should be, like being aware of when and how to shift our focus going into junior year. We all wish we could skip to the good part, but knowing what to focus your energy on in these preliminary steps will not only part the clouds a bit, but potentially bring an even brighter sky.

UNDERCLASSMEN

Preparations begin during your high school underclassmen years, where you have to do a bit of self-exploration.

“In terms of what freshmen and sophomores should be doing, I think it’s a whole lot of figuring out what you’re interested in and thinking about long-term career plans, what kinds of things you like doing and just having an idea of a path,” English teacher Jennifer Sayasane said.

Kaneland guidance counselor Andrew Franklin believes that underclassmen years should be dedicated to finding a passion rather than finding a college.

He also said that sophomore year is the first time you get to have a little bit of a say in what classes you take.

“Sophomores have more opportunity to take more classes that are interesting to them…you can actually start doing things,” Franklin said.

Allowing yourself to focus on a field, such as engineering, instead of a career allows you a lot more creative freedom and encourages open-mindedness.

“The first thing is figuring out what you want to do, and if it’s not a career, it’s a field…Your freshman and sophomore years are really just exploring different areas of interest,” English teacher Rachel Giles said. “But you don’t have to know exactly what you want to do…it’s going to change from the time you start here to the time you end here.”

Giles, who worked in the office of admissions at Illinois State University for about three years, is now in her eighth year at Kaneland, where she is also the theater director.

14 Advice

GPA, SAT OR ACT?

Photo courtesy of Christopher Fountain

2021 Kaneland graduate Christopher Fountain stands with his parents in front of a statue of the founder of the University of Notre Dame, Edward F. Sorin. Fountain majors in mechanical engineering.

UPPERCLASSMEN

“I think junior year is a good time to start thinking about, ‘How do I actually make that plan happen?’ So look at, ‘Is college going to be the path for me?’

Look at career options, and look at other options in order to get where you want to go. Senior year is going to be about actually making those choices,” Sayasane said.

Kaneland administrators want to be supportive during this process. In fact, the school plans to be an even bigger part of the process starting next year.

“We try to have junior meetings as best as we can. We’re really going to push the juniors to get a lot more information this year, and next year, we’ll have even more opportunities because we’ll have homeroom, which is great,” Franklin said.

Franklin encourages everyone to visit the College and Career Center here at Kaneland at least once or twice. The staff members there will help you figure out some ideas regarding what the best path for you is, whether it’s a two-year college, a four-year university or even going into the trades. The College and Career Center is located in the cafeteria.

“Junior year, you really don’t need to hard-core know what you want to do, but you should have an idea if you want to go into a trade, or if you want to go to Waubonsee to get [general education classes] done or if you want to do a four-year university; knowing the next step [is important],” Giles said. “Senior year is when you really want to buckle down and figure out some of the logistics of that next step.

But you still don’t have to know what you want to do.”

Franklin, Giles and Sayasane all agree that your GPA is the most critical component of your application in relation to your college acceptance chances and your likelihood to receive scholarships.

2021 Kaneland graduate and valedictorian Christopher Fountain says the same.

“Your GPA is so much more important than your test scores. Most schools were test-optional [during] my application season,” Fountain said. “However, I believe my extracurricular activities and essays helped me more than my grades.”

Numerous schools are going test-optional because they are slowly becoming more interested in each student personally, rather than being overly concerned with their test scores. Either approach can make sense depending on what the school prioritizes. Like Fountain, current senior Scott Remrey has prioritized his GPA. “I feel like [your GPA] is what schools mostly look at, especially today, with many not even requiring the SAT and ACT,” Remrey said.

Sayasane believes the reason so many schools are going test-optional is because one test on one random day of the year doesn’t define you nearly as well as your entire high school career encapsulated into a much more representative number.

“More and more colleges aren’t requiring those SAT and ACT scores, so there’s more and more emphasis on your GPA. I think that gives schools a better picture of who you are over the course of a year, or who you are over the course of three or four years, instead of a one-shot, high-stakes test,” Sayasane said.

WORDS FROM LAST YEAR’S VALEDICTORIAN

“Being at the bottom of the totem pole again is odd,” Fountain said. “For those looking at colleges, go where you want to go, not where your friends want you to go and not your teachers. At the end of the day, college is about finding yourself... You won’t achieve that if you go somewhere where you don’t feel at home. For underclassmen, enjoy high school. Algebra isn’t always the most riveting subject, but calculus is even worse.

My last piece of advice goes to both underclassmen and upperclassmen: enjoy home-cooked meals while you can, and spend time with your family. You’ll miss them both more than you realize.”

Page design by Paige Whiteside

March 17, 2022 | Editorial

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

Cartoon by McKenna Goss

We face new problems, experience different stressors and make all kinds of mistakes each and every day, and sometimes, it can be difficult to see the light in these tough situations. However, shifting your way of thinking and looking at things in a more positive manner can influence your life in a constructive way.

CHANGING YOUR PERSPECTIVE

M

istakes are made every single day. Whether that means spilling a drink and making a stubborn stain, breaking something fragile or forgetting an important assignment you needed to do, it really is true that everybody makes mistakes.

Understanding this ordinary concept is not difficult on its own, but what is slightly tougher to grasp is changing your perspective a little bit and finding new, more beneficial ways to deal with these inevitable errors.

Say, for example, you are cleaning your house, and you accidentally knock over a glass, and it shatters all over your floor. Most people’s first reaction would be to get frustrated, upset or even angry.

You might think of the hassle that cleaning it up will be or the “why me” feeling we have all experienced at some point.

However, responding to such a small slip in your day in such a negative way does not improve the situation, and in the long run, dealing with minor setbacks in this way will definitely not improve your quality of life.

Any time you are going through something, even if it is just a small or insignificant problem, people will almost always automatically jump to telling you to “stay positive” or to “just try to look at the positive side of things.” While this may not be entirely helpful or exactly what you want to hear at the moment, it really is something to take into consideration. Instead of reacting with anger or frustration, there are a few things you can do instead that will lead to a more positive outcome.

For one, you can take a step back and think about the advantages to being upset and maybe even acting out. Will it

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Page design by Sophia Opp

solve your problem? Will it reverse what has already been done? If the answer is no, which it usually is, then there is no reason to act that way.

The next thing you can do is think of possible solutions. Going back to the shattered glass example, there are ultimately two options here: leave the mess alone, or clean it up. What you choose to do is completely up to you, but at least you know you took the time to make a thoughtful decision and did not just react impulsively.

The last and probably most difficult thing you can do is laugh about it. Making mistakes can be funny if you stop focusing on the negative so frequently. Being able to laugh off these silly mistakes creates a more positive situation for everyone involved.

Now, obviously, simply breaking a glass is not the only problem you will ever experience in your lifetime. Even with bigger problems, such as relationship issues or difficult schoolwork, it is still important to try to change your perspective. If all we did was look at life with one point of view in mind, we would never be able to cope with sad, frustrating or inconvenient situations. It is finding other solutions and ways of thinking that helps us mature and grow.

Another reason we need to get better at changing our mindsets is because searching for the positive more often will make you more inclined to reject those negative reactions. Overall, this will decrease your stress levels, make you a more level-headed person and again, improve the quality of your life. We could all be happier people and be more thankful for what we have and the life we live if we are able to shift perspectives.

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Member of IJEA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA IHSA State Finalists 2013-2021 IWPA Silver Pen 2017 NISPA Golden Eagle 2017 IJEA First Place for Krier Online 2021 IJEA First Place for Best Hybrid Publication 2021 IJEA First Place for Best Overall Publication 2021 Subscription rates: Five issues, three supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $25 EXECUTIVE STAFF Sophia Opp Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print Madeleine Little Editor-in-Chief of Web

Nicholas Mitchinson Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print & Sports/Activities Executive Sarah Janito Production Executive

Anna Olp Design Executive & Photography Executive Gabrielle Parker Ad/Business Executive

MANAGING EDITOR STAFF Casey Walters Technology Manager

Ayshe Ali Assistant to the Advisor

Karmyn Hookham Social Media Manager

EDITORIAL STAFF Lifestyle Kyra Motyka Voices Samantha Dunne

News 1 Alan Tapia

Sports Braden Babka

News 2 Casey Walters Feature 2 Kevin Sigrist

Feature 1 Zoey Pozen

Centerspread Ashley Vanderhoff

Advice Paige Whiteside

Editorial Sophia Opp

Opinion Sarah Janito

Profile Sophia Opp

Photos Madison Kleivo

Advertisements Gabrielle Parker

STAFF

Taylor Anello, Ashlyn Becker, Lilliana Bobe, Ethan Bollhoffer, Delaney Calabrese, Lyla Christakes, Dane Coyne, Chloe Crewse, Arianna Failor, Kira Helm, Tiffany Johnson, Rafika Khan, Jackson Kottmeyer, Elliot Krippelz, Alexander McLean, Abbey Mondi, Cameron Neis, Katherine Pfotenhauer, Sophie Ponce de Leon, Angelina Provenzano, Sarah Schimmel, Mikalah Seward, Elizabeth Sidman, Jordan Theis, Andrew Valentini, Kisella Valignota, Sofia Williams Cartoonists Lilliana Bobe & McKenna Goss

Print Production

Sandra Bach

Drew Malone Emily Biala

ADVISORS Dominic Bruno Krier advisor

Nicole Larsen 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: Ayshe Ali, Braden Babka, Samantha Dunne, Karmyn Hookham, Sarah Janito, Madison Kleivo, Madeleine Little, Nicholas Mitchinson, Kyra Motyka, Anna Olp, Sophia Opp, Gabrielle Parker, Zoey Pozen, Kevin Sigrist, Alan Tapia, Ashley Vanderhoff, Casey Walters, Benjamin Warford and Paige Whiteside. 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

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Opinion | March 17, 2022

YOU CAN QUESTION WHAT YOU ARE TAUGHT

BY SOPHIA OPP

A

Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print

go-to phrase for parents who want to silence their children in an argument is “because I told you so.”

While it may be an effective way to quiet down a sassy toddler, this is a parenting method that needs to be left in the past.

However, some of us have been blessed with parents who are here to explain life to us as we grow. In an age where we are bombarded by new information from all sides, our parents are often a safe and steady place to go for sound advice. But how long should we blindly follow what they say? At a certain point, it is important for us to develop our own unique beliefs, ideologies and opinions.

Our parents have different experiences than us, as some of them grew up in a time with no social media or even internet, which is a huge factor in how we are educated and form opinions. Every generation has faced the conundrum of wanting to listen to their parents while also wanting to pull away from their control. This struggle is not new; it’s a natural part of development to begin to question what parents and other authority figures tell us. This might actually be the key to becoming a confident, centered adult.

Senior Eloise Cole has developed a few differing opinions and beliefs from her parents, and she agrees that it is important for all teens to be able to do the same if they need to.

“Forming individual opinions is part of maturing and becoming confident in yourself. I think if you just followed everything your parents told you, there would be no room for growth and no diversity or unique thoughts in the world. I think every person should be subject to their own beliefs and choices,” Cole said.

By allowing yourself to let go of what others tell you and forming your own unique value system, you are setting yourself up for a mentally healthy adulthood. If all you do is blindly accept what you are taught as gospel, then you are actually wasting opportunities to learn.

For example, if you meet someone from a different background who opens your eyes and lets you see things in a different light, that would be a missed opportunity if you were to dismiss their ideas and default to what your parents taught you. Furthermore, your parents are not always going to be with you. As you grow older, you may go to college, start a job or move out. If you do not have a solid sense of who you are and what you believe in by that point, then you are going to constantly second guess yourself

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Cartoon by Lilliana Bobe

It is a natural part of growing up to form opinions that may differ from those of your parents.

While it may be scary to go against what your parents say, this doesn’t need to be a source of conflict or something that causes divisiveness between you and the adult influences in your life.

and stumble when you meet challenges.

“The primary task of the post-adolescent transition is the dismantling of the old life structure of childhood and the construction of a new adult one in its place,” clinical psychologist and author Mark McConville said.

Though this topic is well-covered across various social media platforms, television series, academic articles and casual conversations, there is still one thing that is commonly disagreed upon between parents and children: politics.

This is an important topic in becoming an adult because living in the United States, voting is crucial, and we are all going to have to learn how to form a political opinion sooner rather than later.

“Politically, I do not agree with my parents, and as far as religion, I have started to stray away from their beliefs, similar to my brother. I think this is normal because I am becoming older now, and I am allowed to have my own views on certain things,” Cole said.

As we advance as a society, some people have very progressive ways of thinking, while others are more traditional thinkers, or even somewhere in the middle. It is common that those with the progressive opinions are younger. It is amazing how much our generation has brought to light. New and empowering ideas are shared more frequently, but with these ideas come a lot of disagreements, again, commonly between parents and children.

“The late teens represent the stage where you are figuring out who you are and what you stand for,” Mary Kay Fleming, a professor emerita of psychology at Mount St. Joseph University, said in an article from yourteenmag.com.

In the same article, author Bonnie Jean Feldkamp explained that often-

times, this “figuring out” involves criticizing your parents. While using harsh words, making judgments or getting in arguments is not the most effective way to handle controversy, it is a positive thing to be able to stray from your parents’ beliefs.

Special education teacher Beth Miller is a mother of two, and she recognizes that mistakes are inevitable when discovering yourself. Whether that means struggling to form your own opinion or judging someone else’s opinion too strongly, it is going to happen, but that is just a part of self-discovery.

“It is true; practice makes perfect.

You really cannot be good at something unless you practice it, and most importantly, make mistakes in the process. The growth happens with how you react to those mistakes. If you are able to make little changes to your actions or behaviors based on your mess-ups, you are on the right path,” Miller said.

That being said, an important part of growing up and continually progressing into a better version of yourself is to realize that some of your views are malleable and can change over time. For example, when you were 13, you might have thought it was important to look your best every time you left the house, but now if you are a senior, you could be realizing that it is actually personality and ideas that matter more than appearances, so you come to school in sweats and with unwashed hair.

As we grow, our values change because we are logging experiences, conversations and new information into our brains. If you allow yourself to grow in mind and spirit, you might roll your eyes at the past you, the one who never questioned what others, including your parents, told you to do and think.

Page design by Sarah Janito

March 17, 2022 | Opinion

DISLIKING POPULAR THINGS IS ACCEPTABLE

BY SARAH JANITO

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Production Executive

ocial media has popularized many things over the years. Snapchat had its dog filter phase back in 2016, Sesame Street’s Elmo is popular on TikTok and political figures have been made into memes. While wildly popular actors and actresses, certain fashion trends and cultural phenomena are seen as overrated by some, that is the reality of every piece of pop culture. There will always be someone out there who does not like something that seemingly everyone else does.

Some accuse those who do not like these types of people or things for only stating so for attention or to feel different than the general population and be seen as cool to stand out from everyone else.

This is not always the reality, however. I, for one, am not fond of Timothée Chalamet, not just because everyone else likes him, but because I personally do not see the appeal about him. I do not share the popular opinion that he is attractive or all that fine of an actor, and frankly, I hate that he is seemingly in every movie I watch lately. I don’t dislike anime because it is a phenomenon around the world and others love it; it is not my style and I prefer to watch other things. And it is about time the people who do like popular things stop accusing those who do not feel the same way that they are faking it, or that it is unacceptable to not have a similar interest as them. Just because something is liked by almost everyone else does not mean there cannot be outliers or people who do not share the same interests.

No one should have to explain themselves when it comes to their interests. I should not have to defend myself when I mention one time that I do not listen to Tyler, The Creator or that I think Tobey Maguire was the best Spider-Man. Anyone is allowed to like anything, and anyone is allowed to not like something that others enjoy. For there being seven billion people in the world, someone’s favorite movie or song is going to be someone else’s least favorite. If everybody always liked the same thing, there would be nothing that would make us socially diverse. We would not be able to learn new things or have meaningful conversations with others about our likes and dislikes. Our differences make us who we are and allow us to contribute unique perspectives.

Liking popular things is acceptable too. Many claim that those who enjoy things that they see as overrated are basic and in search of attention and praise from others, which is also not always true.

Page design by Sarah Janito

If everyone is going to accuse others of being wrong about liking or disliking what they do, we will never get anywhere.

Again, we could never have meaningful conversations with each other if we are not different and only like the same things as one another. Conversation runs out much quicker when you agree on everything, but the arguments need to stop when there are disagreements over personal preferences. It will always be this way, and we should all learn to accept each other’s interests and aversions.

Just because something is popular does not mean you are obligated to like or dislike it. Owning what you like and what you do not is all a part of who you are as a person, and the minute someone questions that is the minute that conversation needs to stop and another one needs to happen. Why should I feel bad for not keeping up with the Kardashian-Jenners when I have no ounce of concern for them? Why should I be made fun of for watching The Office and Friends multiple times over when I enjoy the humor and plotlines? The simple answer is that I should not be faced with that, and I should not ask those questions of others.

Do I not always understand why someone does not like something I do? Sure. But do I grill them with questions about why?

Absolutely not. Because they like what they like, and I like what I like. If there are conflicting opinions, it should not be a point of argument; it should be a point of discussion about the components of what we like and dislike and simpily accepting our differences.

Having rich, thoughtful conversations can help both parties see the other’s side.

Instead of accusing me of disliking Chalamet just because he is popular, someone could take the time to ask me why and

realize I do not completely hate him and in fact do enjoy some of his work. Arguing is pointless and will not change opinions at all. Everyone will stick to what they think, and there is no point in accusing someone of liking or disliking something for any reason. Most of the time, there is a valid reason for individual opinions. No one should have to explain why they are or are not interested in something to anybody else. The fact is that some things do not appeal to a lot of people, and it is unfair to expect everyone to like something.

It is unnecessary to accuse people of not liking something just because it is popular. Making accusations because someone does not agree with you is out of left field, as everyone is entitled to their own opinions and interests. The sooner we accept that as a society, the better. There should be no question when someone dislikes a popular thing; what they enjoy and that which they detest are theirs to keep and express. Every person has a different idea of what entertainment is. Some people do not like superhero movies, while others do. Some people find podcasts interesting, but others prefer actually reading something.

Individuality plays a big part in whether or not someone likes something, and just because something is popular does not mean every single person has to like it, and it certainly does not mean those who are not fond of something popular have an ulterior motive for disliking it besides it not being in their field of interests.

Finding someone with a differing opinion in some way or another - politically, socially or otherwise - is inevitable.

Not expecting this will get you nowhere and lead to nothing. Thinking before you speak, especially when tempted to judge someone’s likes and dislikes, is key.

Cartoon by Lilliana Bobe

It is a regular occurence to run into people with differing opinions, no matter whom you’re talking to or where you go. Just because the people around you may feel a certain way about something does not mean that you are obligated to think and feel that way as well.

Opinion

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Profile | March 17, 2022

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Profile

Page design by Sophia Opp

March 17, 2022 | Profile

JIMMY KAPHENGST: A MAN OF THE PEOPLE

BY ALAN TAPIA

W Editor

andering the halls of Kaneland High School, you will come across many different individuals. You will likely encounter people with whom you relate and others that you find not as relatable. But among the many people at school, some are just too likable to ignore. One such student is sophomore James Kaphengst, or Jimmy to those who know him. At first glance, Kaphengst may look like any other high schooler. He’s a five-foot-tall teenager who enjoys solving Rubik’s Cubes and isn’t particularly loud around his everyday peers. But for those who do know him, he’s a good-hearted friend and classmate who seems to radiate positivity.

“I’ll say the reason people like him is [because] he doesn’t say anything mean.

He’s just a good person. He doesn’t insult you, and he doesn’t make fun of you. He just tells the truth, and he’s just a good person,” sophomore Nicholas Collins, one of Kaphengst’s best friends, said.

Other than his lovable nature, Kaphengst is known for playing the saxophone in the marching band and the bassoon (a double-reed woodwind instrument) in the wind ensemble. Jimmy also played the trombone for the jazz band in middle school and the baritone saxophone in private lessons. Unfortunately, Kaphengst’s desire to pursue other instruments meant that he had to stop playing both the trombone and baritone sax for now.

“I went to a different district in elementary school, and it had a band class in fifth grade instead of sixth. In fifth grade, I started playing the trombone and continued playing it until I reached freshman year. For the bari sax, my friend [Nicholas Collins] played it, and I thought it would be fun,” Kaphengst said.

Kaphengst also participates in other activities outside of marching band and wind ensemble. He is part of the Madrigal recorders group and used to play in the chess club but dropped out to focus on other activities.

“I used to be in the chess club, but I decided to quit very early on because of my commitment to Madrigal recorders. I initially decided to join because my friend [junior] Matt Manugas convinced me,” Kaphengst said.

Through performing in the Madrigal dinner, Jimmy has just added the recorder to the already impressive number of instruments he plays. “[We are] a group of recorder players who play during the Madrigal dinners. A

Page design by Sophia Opp

Madrigal dinner is an event where people are invited to watch the choir, brass and recorders perform. However, brass and recorders are more in the background,” Kaphengst said.

In addition to the relationships he has formed through his involvement with the Madrigals, many people in the band are also proud to call Kaphengst their friend. From freshmen and fellow sophomores to upperclassmen and section leaders, Kaphengst has built quite the reputation for being a beacon of sociability and friendliness who can also jam out on the saxophone.

“I just try to make people laugh, you know, and I try to be funny,” Kaphengst said.

More than a few people have claimed that everybody in the band likes Kaphengst in one way or another. With these many friends, Kaphengst demonstrates his unique connections with them.

“My favorite thing Jimmy and I do is our handshake. We do it all the time, and it’s something adorable we made up together. We also wave to each other excitedly every time we see each other in the hallways, and our Snapchats are hilarious,” senior and saxophone section leader Rachael Peters said.

Jimmy seems to have the same effect on his peers and teachers outside of band as well. Jimmy’s English teacher Michael Cimino is one of Jimmy’s biggest fans.

“Jimmy is always on time, and he always asks good questions that show me he cares about his work and is paying attention,” Cimino said.

Cimino appreciates Jimmy not only because of his productivity in class, but also because of how his positive attitude influences those around him.

“He is one of the most thoughtful, respectful and kind students I’ve ever had in class. I think everyone sees how genuine he is,” Cimino said.

And don’t count him out when things start to get tough. Whether it is for himself or others, Kaphengst has a knack for pushing through challenges that others may have walked away from or given up on. This quality, among so many other traits, has led to the favorable impression that his peers have of him. This has left a lasting impact on those he encounters.

“My best memory with Jimmy is when we were at marching band practice, and as we were running a set (in which the saxophones have to literally run halfway across the field), it was very slippery and

Jimmy ran too fast and slid on the ground directly into his dot,” Peters recalled. “I thought this was extremely funny, and I started to laugh, but he decided to get up and continue to try to play. However, he also began to laugh, and we were just laughing extremely hard together for many minutes. He had a pretty positive attitude about the fact he just fell on his back, but he managed to continue his task while laughing.”

Kaphengst has also been described as being a bit of a risk-taker who does things for the thrill.

“We went climbing at Vertical Endeavors. Two of us had gone climbing there before. One was very excited, but Jimmy and another person were a little bit worried,” Collins said. “Jimmy did fine.

He made it up the wall no problem. But there was one rule: always clip in before you let go of the line. Since it’s an automatic delay, it shoots up into the ceiling.

He didn’t [clip in]. I ran over, and right before I reached him, he looked at me and just let go.”

Kaphengst has shown time and time again how much of a great friend he is, always making conversation with anyone he meets and doing his best to avoid dull moments.

“I don’t know a point in the day where he’s ever quiet. I drive him to school most mornings, and he is talking from the moment he gets into my car until the moment he gets in my car at the end of the day,” Collins said.

Like most of us, Kaphengst has just a vague idea of what he wants to pursue in the future after high school.

“I’m not quite sure about what I want to do for my career, but I’m looking at computer science,” Kaphengst said. “I’m taking computer science next year to see how I like it. However, I don’t know exactly what kind of program I want to make.”

But, like most other teens, all he wants to do after a crazy day at school is sit back and relax at home. Kaphengst enjoys spending his free time interacting with friends and being online.

“Sometimes I play Minecraft with my friends, but it’s kind of on and off. Other than that, I really just watch a bunch of Rubik’s Cube and mystery videos on YouTube,” Kaphengst said.

Altogether, the sophomore by the name of Jimmy Kaphengst is probably one of the nicest students at Kaneland High School. Don’t hesitate to give a friendly wave when you see him walking down the hall.

Profile

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Photos | March 17, 2022

THE MUSIC IN OUR LIVES

BY BRADEN BABKA

M Editor

usic is one of the most popular creative outlets that reaches billions of people throughout the world. It’s in many of our lives every day, whether it comes through

our headphones or from our own instruments. It allows people to

express themselves, their emotions and their creativity through

sound. Many people use music to find relief and to de-stress.

Others, however, enjoy music simply for its entertainment value.

In these photos, Kaneland students are seen participating in jazz band practice, singing at choir rehearsal, studying in the main

office and even casually making music at home. Being relatively close to Chicago, Kaneland students also have many opportunities to attend concerts. Regardless of how you choose to incor-

porate music into your life, it can be a space for creativity for all of us.

Cartoon by McKenna Goss

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Photos

Page design by Madison Kleivo

March 17, 2022 | Photos

Page design by Madison Kleivo

Photos

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