Kaneland Krier Volume 47 Issue 1

KANELAND

KR ER

Volume 47 • Issue 1 • Kaneland High School • October 8, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Feature

14

Sports

20

3 Lifestyle

16 Community Community16 Letter from the Execs

Over the past several months, the way our publication runs has changed drastically.

We have had to adapt to challenges that we never could have expected. Nonetheless, we have gathered our efforts to create another issue of the Krier that we are proud to share with all of you. You’ll find a wide range of stories that all revolve around the change in season, but also the ever-changing world in which we live.

October 8, 2020

Lifestyle

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES BACK ON THE MENU

BY SOPHIA DRANCIK Editor

T

he pumpkin spice latte has become a classic fall drink that people eagerly await each year. The traditional fall spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove make the drink unique and reminiscent of fall.

According to Bustle.com, a U.S. women’s magazine that covers a range of contemporary topics, the first Pumpkin Spice Latte was developed by Starbucks in the fall of 2003. The drink gained immediate popularity, and it was clear the Pumpkin Spice Latte would be an annual drink in coffee shop menus each fall.

For many Kaneland students, stopping for coffee on the way to school has become a part of their morning routine. The Corner Grind is a local small business that many students like to support.

Although Dunkin’ features many pumpkin flavored drinks, they were one of the last major coffee companies to start incorporating this flavor into their annual menu.

eleasing their fall flavors on August 19, Dunkin’ was one of the first coffee chains to put out fall flavors this season.

Dunkin’ offers a wide range of pumpkin spice items. The pumpkin flavor can be added to any hot or iced coffee, cold brew, espresso or frozen coffee. Along with coffee this season, Dunkin’ also offers apple cider and pumpkin flavored donuts and munchkins.

Elburn Dunkin’ barista and junior Morgan Miller claims the pumpkin spice flavor has been booming with popularity and is always a fan favorite.

“Our pumpkin flavors are very popular.

The [syrups] run out all the time. I’d say it’s even more popular than our Christmas

flavors,” Miller said.

Senior Jazmyn Scholl also works at the Elburn Dunkin’ and says that Dunkin’s pumpkin flavoring highlights different notes of the pumpkin spice flavor, which makes it different than other chain coffee shop pumpkin spice lattes.

“Our pumpkin is less sweet and has more actual pumpkin flavor with cinnamon. We put cinnamon on top, which enhances the flavor,” Scholl said.

There is a significant difference between this drink at Dunkin’ and other coffee shops. Dunkin’ focuses on the spice of the drink over the sweetness of the syrups, which leads to a distinct spice taste in the drink. This is unlike most other Dunkin’ drinks that tend to be sweeter.

tarbucks was the first major coffee company to release pumpkin style drinks. Besides the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte, Starbucks added the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. This was released two years ago and has become one of the chain’s most popular fall drinks.

Former Kaneland student and Elburn Starbucks employee Isabella Serrano says that pumpkin is Starbucks’ biggest seasonal drink.

“Three out of four drinks [ordered] will most likely be something related to pumpkin. It’s very popular, and some people will ask for it two or three months before it’s actually released,” Serrano said.

“So, we specifically have to say and advertise when it’s hitting stores again so people don’t ask for it. People will call us and

demand it, and it’s just overwhelming.”

Although pumpkin spice is one of the most popular flavors that coffee chains come out with, it doesn’t stay for long.

Depending on the location and supplies, most coffee shops stop advertising their fall flavors right after Halloween, but may continue including the flavor in their menu throughout the year. At Starbucks, however, the pumpkin spice flavor doesn’t return after the season is over.

“Compared to other [flavors], [pumpkin spice] actually goes away faster. We order it and only get a certain amount for a season, and then it is gone for the rest of the year and doesn’t come back. Whereas [flavors] like salted caramel and mocha come, but they stay for months,” Serrano said.

Starbucks workers make many pumpkin flavored drinks throughout the day. Workers at the Elburn Starbucks say that pumpkin is always their most popular flavor.

DUNKIN’

The Corner Grind is keeping up-to-date with their flavors. In addition to pumpkin spice, they also released their Canadian Cold Brew and Honey Bunches of Oatmilk Latte.

Photo by Sasha Clinnin

Page design by Sophia Drancik

Photo by Sophia Drancik

STARBUCKS

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R

THE CORNER GRIND

The Corner Grind pumpkin coffee has a very strong pumpkin flavor. The intensity of the flavor resembled the fragrance of a pumpkin candle. Employee and senior Aubrey Broz has been working at The Corner Grind since May. “We consider pumpkin spice our most popular flavor and have already made many drinks with that requested flavor,” Broz said.

One reason for the popularity is their custom coffee and what goes into the roast that complements their pumpkin flavor so well.

“We have a medium custom roast made for us by Sparrow Coffee. It is produced as a green and organic micro-roast from Chicago to make a Brazilian, Columbian and Sumatran blend,” Broz said.

Photo by Sophia Drancik

Lifestyle

3

Voices October 8, 2020

WHAT ARE YOU MISSING MOST FROM LAST FALL?

“I miss the Homecoming football games, dressing up for the dance and being by all my friends.”

CHLOE CONLEY (SENIOR)

“I miss the atmosphere of the football games. The football game being Friday and the dance being Saturday is so exciting. I also miss preparing for the dance.”

LUCAS BASS (JUNIOR)

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Voices

Page design by Mia Bergman

October 8, 2020

Voices

“I miss going to concerts with my friends. I also liked going to haunted houses and other fun fall things.”

ANSLEY FAIVRE (FRESHMAN)

“I really miss spirit week and the hallway decorations. It really gave a lot of personality to our school. It made for a lot of great memories.”

JOSHUA HANOLD (SENIOR)

“I liked decorating the hallways. I got to do it with my friends, and everyone is so excited to come back to school that Monday and see the competition.”

ELLIE KURZ (SENIOR)

Page design by Mia Bergman

Voices

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Advice

October 8, 2020

BY KARMYN HOOKHAM

A Editor

s Kaneland students adjust to a new hybrid learning system, students can find themselves a little lost between the split schedule. The athome learning curve can be softened by staying as productive as possible on your remote days. There are a few things every student can do to learn their best.

CREATE A ROUTINE It’s important to try to find a routine in your days at home to mimic the periods of the regular school schedule. Try setting hour-long blocks of time for certain assignments for each class throughout the day. You can also build a simple routine into your daily life of work, exercise and leisure time by making larger blocks of time.

“When [students] are doing their remote learning, wake up at a relatively early time to do homework, because if you wait until later and something’s not working or if you have questions, your teacher might not be at the school or be able to give you the help you need,” senior Olivia Burtell said.

Some students may have to work an extracurricular activity into their routine, so trying your best to finish up any remote homework beforehand is a good idea.

FIND A WORK SPACE While working at home, one of the best ways to boost productivity is to make sure you have a functional yet comfortable workspace. A traditional desk is what I recommend, but anywhere that’s quiet and private and has enough space for your belongings is what’ll work best for you. It’s hard to control our home environments exactly the way we want, but stay away from doing work in your bed, where you need to draw a distinct line between relaxation and work.

PLAN AHEAD Using a system to plan is crucial to make sure you stay on track with assignments.

“Make a checklist of things you have to do, and if you’re not sure, reach out to your teacher,” social studies teacher Brian Aversa said.

Try transfering your work from Canvas to a traditional planner, a digital app like Google Calendar, sticky notes or just plain paper. If aesthetics are important to you, it’s a good idea to invest in a physical planner as well as stationary supplies like pens, highlighters and stickers.

Photo by Karmyn Hookham

Junior Ashley Lopez does her homework at Panera Bread instead of her typical at-home work environment. Changing your location is a good way to stay motivated during remote learning.

REMOTE LEARNING: HOW TO STAY PRODUCTIVE SWITCH IT UP As long days of school drag on, getting out of the house once in a while isn’t a bad idea, even if you do have a solid place to work at home. Whether you prefer to work alone or with a socially distanced friend or two, getting out can be beneficial.

“Getting out of the house with a friend is always helpful. Then I feel like I can get more work done when I have someone quiz me or work alongside me,” junior Ashley Lopez said.

Try a cafe if you like to study with a little background noise and prefer the option of interacting with people. Coffeehouses like Graham’s 318 in Geneva offer a good atmosphere in which to work. Public libraries are another option if you want your environment to be quieter.

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Advice

COMMUNICATE While at home, it is crucial to keep the lines of communication open with your teachers. I suggest emailing your teacher whenever you have a question because when it comes to a homework assignment or test, waiting until your next in-person school day can lead to more confusion about the topic and what you should know. Communicating with your teachers from home is just as important as communicating on your in-person school days to make sure that you understand what is expected on remote days.

“I think [teachers] are very open to getting feedback. Just email your teacher and communicate because we don’t know what’s going on, and we’d love to help you guys. We don’t want you struggling at home,” Aversa said.

Photo by Emma Schaefer

Keeping a planner is important in order to stay on track with current assignments and other after-school commitments. Digital planners are also a convenient way to stay on top of your work.

Page design by Morgan Phillipp

A CHANCE TO INSPIRE CHANGE

Editorial

October 8, 2020

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

Cartoon by Megan Stefanik

Student activism may be easier to participate in than you think; it can be as simple as signing an online petition or donating to a good cause. In 2018, Kaneland students organized a 17-minute moment of silence in solidarity for the shooting victims at Stoneman Douglas High School.

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ince we were children, most of us have looked to adults for direction. Often, teenagers feel that they need someone to initiate change for them. As our country faces the biggest hardships this generation has seen, student activism is increasing and teens are taking advantage of opportunities to make their voices heard.

Currently, our country is in the midst of a pandemic along with a racial movement. Most of our administration’s focus has been on the safety and health of Kaneland students. Because of this, current social and political problems within the United States may not be at the forefront of their attention. We should not, however, have to rely on our administrators to initiate change at our school. It is up to the students to create the change we want to see in our community.

As we develop into young adults, there comes a time when we do not have to rely on our superiors to guide our beliefs. Students our age across the country are organizing protests and raising awareness on topics such as gun laws, mental health, police brutality, LGBTQ+ rights and climate change. As Kaneland students, we have the ability to voice our opinions. We should not limit ourselves to what our administrators, teachers, parents or idols put their attention towards.

Our generation is notorious for using social media more than any other generation. We have learned to use it as a platform to voice our opinions on topics that we believe need attention. In the wake of the Parkland shooting, student activists started using #NeverAgain on Twitter and other social media platforms as a way of advocating for stricter gun laws.

The idea of student activism is not anything new. Many times throughout Amer-

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Page design by Sophia Mullins

ican history, students have been the ones to stand up and demand change.

In Greensboro, N.C., in 1960, four African American teenagers walked into a diner and sat at the counter. Even when they faced opposition, they refused to leave their seats. Within three days, over 300 other people had joined in on their protest.

Their relentless efforts led to the creation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. The decisions of four teenagers led to the establishment of a group that played a defining role in the civil rights movement. Organizing a sit-in is something that any student has the ability to do. The hardest part is taking initiative.

The Krier is an example of how Kaneland students can use platforms to elevate their opinions. As a staff, we have the unique opportunity to address the entire student body at once. We have covered topics that may come across as controversial, but that by no means should be overlooked. Most students our age do not have the outlet to reach such a large community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to inform the student body and to be able to encourage our peers to look at things from both sides. Finding space and opportunities in your community to voice your opinion is important for all teens to actively seek.

We do not need permission from our superiors to initiate change within our community. It is up to us as students to use our resources to take appropriate action when needed. Initiating change is not limited to organizing protests or walkouts.

It could be as simple as having serious conversations with your peers and loved ones. No matter the topic, it is up to us to inspire the positive changes we want to see in the world around us.

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Member of IJEA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA IHSA State Finalists 2013-2019 IWPA Silver Pen 2017 NISPA Golden Eagle 2017 IJEA First Place for Krier Online 2020 IJEA Second Place for Best Hybrid Publication 2020 IJEA Second Place for Best Overall Publication 2020 Subscription rates: Five issues, three supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $25

EXECUTIVE STAFF Ayshe Ali Sasha Clinnin Co-Editor-in-Chief of Visual Manager & Web & Ad/Business Sports/Activities Manager Manager Emma Schaefer Sophia Mullins Design Manager & Co-Editor-in-Chief of Production Manager Web & Copy Editor

Jenna Lin Editor-in-Chief of Print

EDITORIAL STAFF

Lifestyle Sophia Drancik

Voices Mia Bergman

Editorial Sophia Mullins

Opinion 1 Patrick Gampfer

Feature 2 Anna Olp

Community Casey Walters

Investigative Delaney Douglas

Photos Brianna Michi

Advice Morgan Phillipp

Opinion 2 Cody Ganzon

Feature 1 Madeleine Little

Centerspread Sarah Janito

Profile Karmyn Hookham

Sports Nicholas Mitchinson

STAFF

News Gabrielle Parker

Activities Sophia Opp

Advertisements Ayshe Ali

Abigail Auten, Braden Babka, Diamond Bawuah, Louis Blickem, Jake Brost, Sydney Clinnin, Caitlin Cohoon, Kailey Davison, Nathan Dittmer, Samantha Dunne, Samuel Gagne, Adam Gerlach, Travis Johnson, Madison Kleivo, Aiden Krump, Lukas Molitor, Sarah Molitor, Kyra Motyka, Casey O’Brien, Zoey Pozen, Finley Romano, Jazper Rovinsky, Jack Scholtes, Kevin Sigrist, Audrey Smith, Elizabeth Somerlot, Mallori Stiles, Alan Tapia, Anthony Urban, Ashley Vanderhoff, Grace Volkmar, Benjamin Warford, Paige Whiteside, Tecori Willson Cartoonist Photographer Megan Stefanik Robert Luedtke

Print Production

Porter Conroy Jack Miller Aden Mumm

David Gould Cali Smith Amber Ruchaj

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, Mia Bergman, Sasha Clinnin, Kailey Davison, Delaney Douglas, Sophia Drancik, Patrick Gampfer, Cody Ganzon, Karmyn Hookham, Sarah Janito, Jenna Lin, Madeleine Little, Brianna Michi, Nicholas Mitchinson, Sophia Mullins, Anna Olp, Sophia Opp, Gabrielle Parker, Morgan Phillipp, Emma Schaefer and Casey Walters. 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 determined 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

October 8, 2020

A COVID-19 VACCINE IS OUR ONLY CHANCE

BY SOPHIA MULLINS

Co-Editor-in-Chief of Web

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t is no secret that COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on almost the entire year. Any fears we had in February were solidified in March. April and May trickled into a self-quarantined summer until school started back up in August. Most of the world spent these last months at home or in masks. Most of us forewent seeing our friends and extended family in hopes of stopping the spread.

Unfortunately, a large enough group of people didn’t take these precautions.

People who don’t believe in masks continued their daily activities without them, carefree teens still went to parties and COVID-19 positive people still infected others.

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No matter what precautions one person may take to try to stay healthy, there will almost always be someone else completely unfazed by social distancing or scientific advice.

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No matter what precautions one person may take to try to stay healthy, there will almost always be someone else completely unfazed by social distancing or scientific advice. For this very reason, a vaccine is the only way to stop the spread.

The immediate concern about a COVID-19 vaccine likely stems from a fear of it being unsafe. If the vaccine is approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there should be no worries about safety. Before a vaccine can be approved by the CDC, it must go through four stages. The first is called preclinical, and tests are done on animals that show similar symptoms as humans.

Afterwards, there are three stages of human trials that the vaccine must pass.

The first of these three trials features a small group of volunteers. Next comes a larger group containing individual segments of test takers. These groups are based on age, gender and other identifiers to see if the vaccine affects them differently. According to CNN, stage three is where three possible COVID-19 vaccines are currently being tested. In this stage, scientists test the vaccine on thousands

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Opinion

of people while simultaneously testing a placebo on another equally large group.

The third stage is most important because of what it tests for and the wide variety of people it is tested on.

“A Phase 3 trial collects data about the symptoms volunteers experience after their injection, and whether they become infected with the coronavirus. After “unblinding” the data, researchers compare the rates of infection and adverse side effects between people who receive the vaccine and those who receive the placebo,” writers for the New York Times Carl Zimmer and Katie Thomas said.

A vaccine that ends up mandated will go through and pass each stage. Once this is the case, there will be barely any room for error. According to the Washington Post, there are currently over 200,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the United States. The minuscule chance of the vaccine not working is a risk worth taking if the only other option is the pandemic running rampant.

The rush for a vaccine may not seem important to people who are under the belief that COVID-19 only affects the elderly.

This idea is completely wrong. According to the CDC’s provisional death counts for COVID-19, there are 5,477 deaths involving COVID-19 in people ages 34 and under. Teens and young adults can contract

and die from COVID-19 just the same as older people. This means that nobody is immune.

What most people want is a chance to go back to normal as soon as possible.

A vaccine could make that happen.Currently, most daily activities are affected by the fear of the pandemic. If a vaccine was mandated, the fear of contracting COVID-19 would drastically decrease.

Why not take this chance? The next few months are only projected to get harder as flu season strikes.

“We need to hunker down and get through this fall and winter, because it’s not going to be easy,” NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

COVID-19 has already taken over so much of our year and is on the trajectory to do the same in 2021. A vaccine could significantly limit the effects of COVID-19, and once it has been approved by the CDC, it will be extensively researched to ensure its safety.

“If people everywhere—regardless of their gender, citizenship, ethnicity, skin color, or ability to pay—have equal and timely access to a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19, the world will come out of this pandemic stronger than it went in,” member of the Canadian COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Alan Bernstein said.

Cartoon by Megan Stefanik

According to the CDC, as of Sept. 23, over 32 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 worldwide. Medical professional Dr. Anthony Fauci predicted these numbers will only rise this winter.

Page design by Patrick Gampfer

October 8, 2020

Opinion

A VACCINE MAY NOT SOLVE ALL THE ISSUES

BY MORGAN PHILLIPP

S

Editor

ince the very first COVID-19 case on Dec. 31, 2019, in Wuhan, China, the ongoing pandemic has changed the world tremendously, and people are anticipating a COVID-19 vaccine. Scientists and researchers are working around the clock trying to find a vaccine while the pressure rises. A looming question involves whether or not people should be required to get a vaccine once one is approved. Based on the results of past rushed vaccines, a hasty cure to COVID-19 should not be mandated for it would only further endanger the American people.

Most vaccines take years to be approved, and no vaccines have been developed in as short of a time period as is expected for COVID-19. If no other vaccine has evolved this quickly, how is it safe to say this vaccine will be harmless?

The lesson against rushing a vaccine comes from Berkeley, CA, where a small company manufactured the Salk polio vaccine. A series of mistakes during the manufacturing process resulted in dangerous errors. ”Many family members who had not been inoculated contracted the virus from their vaccinated children. About 200 victims were permanently paralyzed, and 10 died,” Los Angeles Times reporter Michael Hiltzik said.

The outbreak was alarming, and it de-

stroyed the public’s trust in vaccines and their credibility. “[It was] one of the worst biological disasters in American history. [It] exploded the myth of the invulnerability of science and destroyed faith in the vaccine enterprise,” vaccine expert at the University of Pennsylvania Paul Offit said.

Similar to the polio vaccine, when the first measles vaccine came out, it too had unexpected side effects.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, “Thousands of children who received a particular inactivated vaccine in the early 1960s and were then exposed to the actual measles virus developed atypical measles — characterized by high fever, severe abdominal pain, and inflammation of lung tissue — and often required hospitalization.”

After that mistake, it took several years for scientists to create a safe and effective vaccine for measles.

According to Science Magazine writer Jon Cohen, there has been talk about the COVID-19 vaccine coming out as early as the Nov. 3 presidental election. This has led to some controversy because many people are hesitant to get the vaccine.

“Many Americans appear reluctant to be vaccinated, even if a vaccine were FDA-approved and available to them at no cost. Asked if they would get such a

Cartoon by Megan Stefanik

According to the New York Times, as of Sept. 24, Novavax, a vaccine creating company, is in Phase 3 of creating a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is projected to deliver results by the start of 2021.

Page design by Cody Ganzon

COVID-19 vaccine, 65% say they would, but 35% would not,” Gallup News writer Shannon Mullen O’Keefe said.

Scientists and researchers are competing to be the first to develop a vaccine, but it is believed that some may be taking perilous shortcuts.

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If no other vaccine has evolved this quickly, how is it safe to say this vaccine will be harmless?

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“Experts warn against a dangerous rush to get to the vaccine finish line first, saying that shortcuts in testing for vaccine safety and efficiency endanger millions of lives in the short term,” Mercury News writer Lisa M. Krieger said.

Everyone should have a choice as far as whether or not to get the COVID-19 vaccine, just like they have a choice for the influenza vaccine. Each year it is recommended that you get a flu shot, but it is not required. The flu shot does not always prevent people from getting sick.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it took 10 years for scientists to come out with a flu vaccine, and it was still partially ineffective.

The influenza, measles and polio vaccines all took at least a couple of years to be effective. It could be a safety concern if the COVID-19 vaccine is released too hastily.

It is still not a guarantee that a vaccine will make the pandemic disappear. People may think that the world will go back to normal after everyone gets a shot, however it may take years for a safe vaccine to get to everyone.

“It seems, to me, unlikely that a vaccine is an off-switch or a reset button where we will go back to pre-pandemic times,” assistant professor of infectious diseases and immunology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Yonatan Grad said.

While the world waits for the COVID-19 vaccine, it is important to remember that it may not solve all the problems of the pandemic. In these unknown times, a rushed vaccine comes with too much uncertainty. If an individual does not want to risk their own safety for a vaccine, those who are hesitant should not be forced to get it.

Opinion

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News

October 8, 2020

UNCERTAINTY REGARDING STAFF STIPENDS

BY NICHOLAS MITCHINSON

F

Editor

or the 2020-2021 school year, the Kaneland Education Association (KEA) and the Board of Education reached an agreement involving the pay of coaches and club advisors. Coaches will receive 50% of their pay at the beginning of their season and 50% at the end of their season. Club sponsors may not be paid normally through 24 payments, as this will be treated on a case-by-case basis and will depend on the activity.

Acknowledging the fact that seasons may not start or might end abruptly and that clubs may not meet as they normally do, the KEA and the Board of Education have agreed to change how they pay coaches and advisors when or if something out of the ordinary happens.

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...sometimes we budget things based on our salaries, and then all of a sudden something happens that could hurt us financially.

- head coach Scott Parillo

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In the case of club advisors, even if they are not allowed to meet in person, they are still able to get fully paid.

“In the agreement between the school district and the teachers union, they developed a way for anybody getting a differential, which means you’re a sponsor or a coach, to earn the rest of your pay by working virtually with kids, doing Zoom meetings and those kinds of things, even if we cannot have face-to-face meetings if something would happen and we would have to go remote,” Athletics and Activities Director David Rohlman said.

Club advisors are confident that they will be able to run their clubs as normal.

“As of right now, our activities do not require any real close contact. We can still go on field trips and do other things as long as kids are wearing masks,” Global Cultures advisor Mark Meyer said.

For sports that will occur this winter and spring, coaches have the option of organizing contact days. The contact days allow the coaches to hold up to 20 practices in the fall. By holding these contact days, it ensures the coaches that they will receive a portion of their stipend even if their season gets cancelled.

“There is a way for all of our coaches to get paid. It just depends on what the season looks like, so we are running contact days for all those sports that are not running right now, and if coaches hold con-

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News

tact days they get a percentage of their pay for running those,” Rohlman said.

“Once the season starts, they will get 50% of their pay, but if a season unfortunately doesn’t happen, they will only get 8% of their pay for doing those contact days in the off-season. Coaches will get half of their pay at the start of their season, and if the season finishes, they will get the other half of their pay.”

Pay for coaches also differs depending on if their season gets cancelled after it starts or if they finish the season. This change regarding stipends does not affect all coaches since some sports are still being allowed to have their seasons. Boys and girls golf is one fall sport that has not had their season dramatically affected by the pandemic, removing some of the uncertainty regarding pay.

“For coaching [the decision regarding stipends] does not affect me as much as other coaches because golf is one of the few sports allowed to go forward with the season this fall. We are towards the end of the golf season right now, so my coaching stipend has not been affected,” Meyer, who also coaches boys and girls golf, said.

2020-2021 coaches did not enter the school year expecting the possibility of not getting their full stipends.

“We just found this out as coaches ourselves when it was emailed to us,” head volleyball coach Cynthia Violett said. ¨In the spring they paid the coaches 100% of the stipends, so I do not think any of us thought that would not happen this year.

So I think we were surprised it became part of the negotiation.”

Most members of the KEA did not know the decision was made until it was released to the public.

“In the leadership meeting, the KEA president and the negotiators in the KEA met with the [District 302 Board of Education] and went through this decision, and then once those decisions were made public we found out about it,¨ Meyer said.

Even though someone may not coach for the money, the decision by the KEA and the Board of Education to not fully pay them if their season gets cancelled still affects those coaches.

“We do not coach for the money because there is not a lot of money in it, but sometimes we budget things based on our salaries, and then all of a sudden something happens that could hurt us financially,” head boys and girls soccer coach Scott Parillo said.

Photo courtesy of Mark Meyer

Global Cultures club members visit the Chicago Cultural Center in Chicago, IL, for a field trip last spring. The students examine the neoclassical architecture of the building.

Photo courtesy of Joshua Pehl

Junior Joshua Pehl putts on the green at Makray Memorial Golf Club. Pehl has been golfing on the varsity team since his freshman year.

Photo by Nicholas Mitchinson

The Kaneland soccer team practices together after school. The team has not had games but still finds time to continue their training.

Page design by Gabrielle Parker

October 8, 2020

Investigative

KANELAND’S EFFORTS TO SLOW THE SPREAD

BY GABRIELLE PARKER

I

Editor

n these times of uncertainty, parents, students and staff can be stressed and confused. Although much is undiscovered regarding COVID-19, certain procedures and protocols have been put into place at Kaneland High School to help slow the spread. But no matter how many “Six Feet Apart” stickers have been placed on the floors or hand sanitizers installed throughout the building, people still have concerns: Is Kaneland doing enough to protect our community from COVID-19?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people consistently monitor their health to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. The sickness is mainly transmitted through person-to-person contact, so it is advised to socially distance as much as possible. Kaneland High School Assistant Principal Carri Oslager explains some of the precautions put into place.

“Teachers and staff [wipe] down hightouch surfaces between class periods and [create] lunch areas and schedules to maintain the six-foot distance while eating,” Oslager said. “[They are] cleaning and sanitizing all lunch areas between student groups, and teachers [are] arranging rooms to have six-foot spacing wherever possible.”

Junior Hannah Wootton is pleased with how Kaneland is adjusting to the new world in which we live.

“I think we are handling this situation very well. Kaneland is putting hand sanitizers all around the school,” Wootton said. “Spacing out the desks and separating us during lunch is very smart and safe as well. Compared to other schools I’ve seen trying to handle this, we are doing great.”

Photo by Delaney Douglas

Students eat in the cafeteria six feet apart to adhere to appropriate social distancing. Additional tables and chairs are placed in the hallways outside of the cafeteria to ensure proper protocol.

Page design by Delaney Douglas

Photo by Emma Schaefer

The Kaneland maintenance staff has placed dispensers throughout the school and in each classroom to promote the use of hand sanitizer. The Centers for Disease Control recommends frequent handwashing to reduce the spread of germs.

Wootton also feels comfortable with the hybrid schedule and is confident in the school’s execution of A/B days.

“Splitting students up in A and B days is super smart. When we go to school, we only face about half of the kids we’d regularly see, which puts us at less risk to get sick,” Wootton said.

Spanish teacher Julie Larkowski also feels confident with Kaneland’s new rules.

“I think Kaneland is doing a good job handling the pandemic. Obviously, not everyone is going to be happy, but the situation is something no one could have ever predicted,” Larkowski said.

Kaneland has put many precautions in place to socially distance students.

Throughout the school day, students and teachers do their part to follow the CDC guidelines as much as possible. From entering the building self-certified to teachers cleaning desks and chairs in between classes, it is clear that people are doing what they can to keep this school safe.

But behind the scenes, students may not know what the protocol is when there is a positive case in the school.

“If a student or staff is positive, we have a quarantine room. A student will quarantine in that room and call families.

We will begin to do immediate contact tracing to see who else might be infected.

We’re also informing families and other schools. After that, it’s really just following CDC guidelines as far as taking a test and waiting that quarantine period before you

can get back to school,” Dean of Students Joshua West said.

Recently, Family and Consumer Science teacher Judy Fabrizius was asked to quarantine due to close contact with a person who received a positive COVID-19 test.

“One of the administrators came in my room and asked me some questions, and I answered them,” Fabrizius said. “He said, ‘Okay, you need to go home.’ I was out of here in 15 minutes and grabbed my laptop and went home and was shocked, and I had no idea what I was supposed to do.”

Although it may appear that the process of discovering and reacting to a positive case is frantic, the communication between the administration and people in quarantine stays consistent after someone is sent home. “[Administration] called me and told me I couldn’t come back for 10 days unless I got clearance from the county. I called [the county] in the afternoon and spoke to the secretary. A couple hours later, somebody from the office called me and asked me how I felt,” Fabrizius said.

Based on the exact situation Fabrizius was in, the county gave her clearance to return to school less than two days after being quarantined.

The pandemic has negatively impacted almost everyone’s life, and we need to learn how to live our new normal. Adjustments and precautions must be put into place no matter where you go. Kaneland High School took into account the CDC recommendations when determining the new rules for the school year, and staff members have made every effort to ensure the safety of their students each day they are in attendance.

Photo by Delaney Douglas

Typical water fountains are used only as bottle filling stations to limit student contact. Similar signs are placed throughout the school as reminders to take precautions that ensure others’ safety.

Investigative

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October 8, 2020

LOOKING BACK ON F MAY NOT HAV

BY SARAH JANITO Editor

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he phrase “back to school” means something different to everyone this year. Freshmen are walked into an abnormal first year of high school, and seniors entered their last first day of high school wearing masks. Whether students are learning fully online or attending school in person, everyone’s days looks different, and they are adjusting to a new way of education in the wake of COVID-19.

Some of the hardest changes to accept this fall are what made the ultimate high school experience: the Homecoming parade and dance, football games, spirit weeks, the Powderpuff game and seeing friends every day in the halls. This year, students might be missing out on some of the most beloved Kaneland traditions that are now either postponed or canceled.

Last fall reflected what a picturesque high school football season should look like. The stands were packed with cheering students dressed up based on the

Photo by Casey Walters

Rowdies held signs and cheered on the football players at a Friday night game during the fall of 2019. Students eagerly await a time when Peterson Field’s bleachers can be filled with fans again.

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night’s theme. The cheerleaders were chanting with pride to be Knights. The marching band amplified each game with their halftime shows. This year, football season is expeced to start in February.

Since the season is not occurring as expected this year, the start of the school year is in some ways losing the fall feel that makes it special to experience. A melancholic atmosphere hangs over the empty football field on Friday nights. Marching band senior Riley Lindsey feels dejected about not being able to fully experience traditions in her last year of high school.

“It’s like watching a past band season through a TV screen. No performances, football games or competitions. The juniors and seniors are pretty distraught over this thing that means so much to us being just out of our reach. Practices are only once a week now instead of almost every day, and it feels more like a cheap imitation now,” Lindsey said.

Photo by Emma Schaefer

On Friday nights last spring, the lights in the stadium were turned on in tribute to the 2020 seniors and their shortened school year.

This fall, Peterson Field’s stands remain empty.

Performing arts, such as band and theater, are big parts of Kaneland. This year’s fall play, Clue, is being performed virtually instead of on stage. The band no longer has daily practices or halftime shows to prepare for.

Seeing decorated hallways on the Monday of Homecoming week excited students for one of the most eventful stretches of high school. On Homecoming Wednesday, students anxiously waited for school to end to decorate their club or activity’s golf cart and parade down the streets of one of our small towns on the night of the Powderpuff game. On Friday, the week ends with the annual Homecoming assembly.

Everyone cherishes the memories made during Homecoming week. Freshman Taylor Franzen may not have experienced a high school Homecoming week yet, but she was looking forward to football season and everything surrounding it.

Photo courtesy of Bailey Prichard

The marching band accompanied the cheerleaders and Rowdie section in cheering on the football players. Last fall, the band members wore gold sashes to raise awareness for pediatric cancer.

Page design by Sarah Janito

October 8, 2020

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FALL TRADITIONS WE VE THIS YEAR

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It’s like watching a past band season through a TV screen.

No performances, football games or competitions.

- senior Riley Lindsey

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“I’ve been to football games before, but this time I was really looking forward to hanging out with my friends, eating the food there and just having a really good time. I was really excited to go to those, but I have another three years to experience it,” Franzen said.

While it is true that freshmen have three more years to experience high school in its full potential, the upperclass-

Photo by Ayshe Ali

Kaneland’s Color Guard raises their flags during practice this year while wearing masks and socially distancing. The Color Guard is rehearsing for their upcoming virtual performance.

Page design by Sarah Janito

men are losing out on chances to participate in events that make high school memorable. Playing their respective sports, attending school dances, applying for colleges and taking certain classes they are interested in are all opportunities that are harder to come by this year, especially if they are learning remotely. Soccer player and junior Daphne Rodriguez, who is learning remotely, has had a positive experience playing her sport and participating in most Kaneland traditions over the past two years, however this year feels different.

“I had such good experiences the last two years, and I was really looking forward to everything this year. My time in high school is becoming limited. Who knows if I’ll ever get to be involved in these events again before I graduate?” Rodriguez said.

This year, the hallways are lacking the usual commotion of the full student body, but that does not stop people from

Photo by Casey Walters

Student Council members decorated the hallways last year in preparation for Homecoming spirit week. The decorations helped promote the theme of the highly anticipated Homecoming dance.

reveling in memories from last year. Students no longer push past each other in the blender to get to class on time. Friday nights are no longer spent getting ready with friends before the big game.

“Every couple of days I’m reminded about something I’ve missed out on, like spirit weeks or Senior Night and just feel robbed. Sometimes we have to make the most with what we’re given, but it’s frustrating because there’s no one to blame or get angry at,” Lindsey said.

Of course, this year is not what anyone expected, but Kaneland faculty and administration are certainly trying their best to ensure a safe school environment for everyone. Lockers are no longer in use, and security is amplified to ensure there are no groups standing around. Even though school looks different this year, the Kaneland district and its students are all trying to make the best out of what they have.

Photo by Jenna Lin

The hallways this year remain undecorated during what would typically be Homecoming week. With the hybrid schedule, the hallways are not as crowded as they usually would be.

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20 21 October 8, 2020

AN ABNORMAL BEGINNING TO SENIOR YEAR

BY MIA BERGMAN

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Editor

ust one year ago, seniors were experiencing many of the things they had been anticipating for so long.

They were looking forward to the football games and Homecoming spirit week and one last chance to decorate their hallway. Preparing for the big rivalry game with friends, hearing the band warm up and cheering as your classmates score a touchdown all seem like distant memories now. This year, the halls are emptier and undecorated, missing the usual Kaneland spirit before a Friday night football game. Senior Gabriella Spizzirri misses this feeling, especially with it being her last year of high school.

“I was especially looking forward to the football season because I feel that is when the best school spirit is shown throughout the year. Ever since I was a little freshman in the nosebleeds of the Rowdie section, I looked forward to being in that front row on the fence supporting the team,” Spizzirri said.

This year, Homecoming and other annual events will look different than past years. Homecoming offers many senior traditions, such as small-town parades, the announcement of Homecoming Court and the Powderpuff game. These events culminate in the Saturday night dance.

While Homecoming was scheduled for the week of September 14, this year the dance could not take place then. Student Council co-advisor Joshua Maurice remains hopeful Homecoming will happen one way or another.

“We are just trying to figure out what we can and can’t do. There are some things we can do, and we’re working on that right now. We are also trying to figure out how we can better support the seniors,” Maurice said. “Know that we are definitely

Photo by Brianna Michi

Kaneland cheerleaders prepared for the football players to run out of the tunnel before a game last fall. This is a scene that might not occur again until spring 2021.

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considering all of our options right now.

If we were to do a Homecoming, it’s not going to be until spring. That being said, we’ll still have some sort of spirit week in October.”

The spring semester offers a glimmer of hope for sports and events, like Prom and graduation, that students have envisioned since their first days as Knights. The class of 2021 has witnessed traditions like senior pranks and skip days since freshman year. They have seen senior athletes lead the way for years, and they are finally ready to take on those roles and play their last seasons as Kaneland Knights.

For senior and football player Justin Jamrowski, his final year has not started the way he envisioned.

“What I miss most is playing Kaneland football under the lights on a Friday night, and what would have been my last Homecoming,” Jamrowski said.

Some fall sports such as football, boys soccer and girls volleyball have been pushed back to the spring. Fortunately for senior and varsity tennis player Brenna Sheehan, she can still have her senior tennis season.

“Something positive about this year would be tennis. It’s one of the only things we still get to do and enjoy to its full extent,” Sheehan said.

The class of 2021 also has another challenge to overcome: the college application process. Sheehan has experienced difficulties in her own college search.

“I was looking forward to being able to visit colleges this year and being able to decide where I want to go to school, but all my visits got cancelled and most schools are not open, so I have to blindly apply to colleges,” Sheehan said.

Many colleges are offering virtual tours

Photo courtesy of Olivia Burtell

Kaneland 2020 graduate Benjamin Durbala waved the spirit stick at the Homecoming assembly last fall. With limits on capacity, assemblies have not been a part of school this year.

in place of in-person tours, but it is hard for students to get a real feel of the school before making the commitment. On top of any closures, many ACT and SAT tests have been cancelled or are completely booked. In response, many colleges have gone test-optional, however this may not be helpful to everyone.

“It’s nice that most colleges are making their schools test-optional, but for the purposes of scholarships I still feel like it would have been beneficial to take the tests earlier,” Spizzirri said.

Even without being able to visit many colleges or having the same opportunities to take standardized tests, seniors can still find a silver lining. With the hybrid model, seniors are in school for five out of every ten days, unlike many other local schools.

“I am disappointed that it won’t be a normal senior year. But I am looking at the positives over the negatives; at least we can be at school and interacting somewhat with classmates,” Spizzirri said.

While few may have imagined a year like this one, it’s best for seniors to stay positive and make the most out of the year they’re given. Some moments that we were always told would make high school so memorable are not going to happen this year, but for seniors it means that this year will be remembered because of its uniqueness. Like Spizzirri, Jamrowski wants to enjoy his senior year no matter what direction it goes.

“I am kind of bummed out about this year, having most of my best friends on the other day of school and not being able to spend my last year with them. You always hear stories from parents or from movies about how great senior year is, but I am planning on making the most of it,” Jamrowski said.

Photo by of Brianna Michi

The class of 2021 celebrated their Powderpuff victory during last year’s Homecoming week. This was a rare victory for the junior class over the senior class.

Page design by Madeleine Little

October 8, 2020

Feature

HOW TIKTOK IS AFFECTING OUR GENERATION

BY SOPHIA OPP Editor

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Following

For You

n less than four years, TikTok has reached However, while it may be an obstacle around 800 million active users, making standing in the way of productivity, TikTok it one of the most popular social me- is a way for everyone to pass the time, no dia platforms of 2020. It has many of us matter their interests. It provides a range hooked, scrolling for what feels like (and of videos that can reach multiple audiencin some cases actually is) hours upon end. es.

TikTok is used so frequently that some“People on the platform thing as frivolous as a social media app can see cool activities, danchas affected and taken over our genera- es or whatever they find intertion. esting,” McMillan said.

Accessibility is one thing we can apThe app allows users to preciate about the app; it provides fast connect with people who entertainment that satisfies our boredom share similar interests, bringwithin seconds. ing the community closer to“I just go into the app, and I am already gether. This is especially eviwatching funny videos,” senior Cole Mc- dent with recent movements Millan said. like Black Lives Matter; the A lot of students feel they would be app is helping our generation bored if TikTok was taken away. Because fight against prejudice and there is content that caters to everyone’s injustice. entertainment preferences, it is easy to become addicted, which can bring about problems. For example, it has been proven that teenagers lack sleep, and TikTok is just feeding into that issue.

“A teenager needs between eight and 10 hours of sleep every night. Yet most adolescents only get about six-and-ahalf to seven-and-ahalf hours,” according These Kaneland students create to Better Health ChanTikToks to express their creativity nel. and have fun. The creative freeIt is difficult to focus dom provided by the app leaves on homework, chores endless options for content ideas. and other priorities when there is a constant distraction. In a poll of 586 Kaneland students, about 50% spend one to more than four hours per day on TikTok (10% of which spend four or more hours).

With the start of the 2020-2021 school year, and after such a long break, students will probably need to have more focus than they are used to.

From March to mid-August, students were out of school, leaving them hours to do whatever they pleased. This school year TikTok helped some peomay be harder than most, considering the ple realize that we are hybrid schedule; remote days this year are much different from last year. There is more alike than different. much more work to do, and distractions such as TikTok may make that work feel - junior Olivia Fair impossible to complete.

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Page design by Anna Olp

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“TikTok helped some people realize that we are more alike than different,” junior Olivia Fair said.

Even the less serious, comedic trends that pop up daily help us connect with each other. TikTok is slowly changing our generation’s humor as well as what we discuss with our peers. On the other hand, some of the content is inappropriate for the younger users on the app, which is a drawback.

Like any other social media platform, hateful remarks are an unfortunate result from its use. Recently on TikTok and other social media platforms, the term cancel culture has been used to describe our generation’s tendency towards public shaming.

“Cancel culture has break somethe ability to one down, and when people partake in this action, they forget how the other person may feel,” Fair said.

TikTok has downsides, but still, students see it in a generally positive light.

“It is truly all about the way you interpret the content and what kind of videos you watch. I have become a lot more positive and focused on my life,” sophomore Lucia Ariola said.

Students have pointed out that TikTok has introduced them to new friends, new hobbies and even new income opportunities.

Users across the app have promoted their small businesses and have even made money just from making videos and gaining followers.

“I have been given the opportunity to join a Creator Fund, meaning I can make money from the TikToks I create, based on how much attention they receive,” Ariola said.

There is no doubt that TikTok is influencing our generation, but there are so many effects, both major and minor, that it is hard to determine if this is a positive platform for us. Nonetheless, this app means something to our generation.

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Community October 8, 2020

BY ANNA OLP

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Editor

LOCA L BUS INES AMID SES COV I D-19

ollowing the state mandated lockdown, many of the Kaneland community’s businesses have continued to successfully function despite having to abide by new restrictions and regulations. We visited three local businesses to see how they are adjusting to the recent changes in society.

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RISE N DINE

ise N Dine is a business that is fairly new to the scene in Elburn, only having been open for nearly one year.

Owner Cheryl Groce experienced her fair share of difficulties because of restrictions to the way she could run her restaurant.

“Being a newer business, we don’t have quite the [financial] reserves we would have liked,” Groce said.

The diner was closed for a period of time during March, and then it was only open for carryout and delivery.

“It took two months to find out that I was approved for a disaster loan,” Groce said.

Along with existing financial troubles, during the initial time period that Rise N Dine reopened their inside and outside dining, an employee tested positive for COVID-19. In response to the COVID-19 case, Groce chose to shut down for one week, although this was not legally required. Since then, the diner has been able to open back up with dine-in and carry-out options.

“Our weekends are almost back to where they were in attendance,” Groce said.

With a supportive response from customers and the community and despite many troubles along the way, Rise N Dine is open and ready to serve customers while ensuring safe practices and social distancing.

Photo by Anna Olp

The outdoor seating option at Rise N Dine is open to any customers who prefer it over their indoor seating. The diner made this option available even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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ALICE’S PLACE

lice’s Place is known by most Kaneland students and families as a great place to stop for food and ice cream all summer long. Though the inside dining area was unable to open this summer, their convenient outdoor serving system was able to function with limited concerns about the current pandemic.

“We started with ice cream only for about a month, and then we added the food with a very limited menu to make it easier for [the employees],” owner Audrey Hanson said.

Unlike many other corporate companies who resorted to downsizing because of the pandemic, Alice’s Place faced a problem quite the opposite.

“We needed to hire a little bit more [staff] because we were so busy,” Hanson said.

To ensure the safety of both customers and workers with this increased flow of business, employees placed multiple signs at the order and pickup windows asking customers to wear masks.

“The thing that bothers me sometimes is that we have signs up at every window saying, ‘Please wear a mask,’ and [customers] will come up and order without a mask. All of us inside have masks on,” Hanson said.

Alice’s Place will continue to serve food and ice cream until the end of October.

Photo by Sasha Clinnin

Customers place their orders at the window at Alice’s Place in downtown Elburn. The outdoor serving system allows for limited contact between the customers and the workers.

REAM’S MEAT MARKET

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eam’s Meat Market in downtown Elburn has had one extremely noticeable trait throughout the duration of the pandemic: a line full of anticipating customers out the door. It’s hard for anyone walking or driving by to miss this typically lengthy and socially distanced line.

“The reason we have that line outside is so that social distancing is possible in the store,” manager Stew Ream said.

With the initial meat shortages in general grocery stores, Ream’s became the place many customers turned to for their meat purchases. Along with limiting the number of people allowed in the store as well as ensuring the line outside is socially distanced, Ream’s has required all employees and customers to wear a mask.

“If they don’t have [a mask], usually we’ll give them one,” Ream said.

Due to Ream’s Meat Market’s ability to remain supplied and stocked, many long-time and new customers have come to rely on Ream’s as their source of meat.

Ream’s has worked hard to adhere to health standards, and employees have few concerns going forward.

“We will continue to stay supplied, and if we’re going to be this busy, we are going to continue to have a line out our door,” Ream said.

Photo by Emma Schaefer

Ream’s Meat Market carries a wide selection of high-quality meats. Throughout the pandemic, there has been a line of customers waiting outside of the store to limit the amount of shoppers inside.

Page design by Casey Walters

DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO LEARNING THIS YEAR

October 8, 2020

THE HYBRID LEARNER: JACK YORE

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BY CASEY WALTERS

D Editor

ue to COVID-19, Kaneland District 302 students were able to select a fully remote learning plan or to attend school in person on the hybrid schedule. With these adjustments, students are spending more of their time at home, and the approach to education has taken a major turn.

Photo courtesy of Jack Yore

Senior Jack Yore prepares to shoot a clay pigeon. When he’s not in school, at work or at practice, he enjoys practicing trap shooting at the Naperville Sportsman Club.

THE REMOTE LEARNER: ABIGAIL LATKA

Photo courtesy of Abigail Latka

Junior Abigail Latka takes notes at home during her remote days.

The majority of her class time is filled with reading and note-taking.

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unior Abigail Latka opted for the remote schedule at the start of this school year. In her free time, she likes to read and write. She also enjoys spending time with her family, doing things such as walking her dogs and going on bike rides.

“I chose remote learning because I have people in my immediate family who are high risk for COVID-19. By staying at home, I am lessening the chances of me becoming sick and spreading illness to others,” Latka said.

Full remote education for Latka has been quite the change. She relies more on herself and has lots of options in terms of how to use her time. Latka is able to dedicate more hours of her day to classes in which she lacks confidence. This way of pacing her daily

Page design by Karmyn Hookham

Profile

schedule works better with her preferences for learning. A downside of this arrangement is that Latka is unable to find answers as quickly as she might in a classroom setting.

“Since I do not have a teacher or other classmates to interact with in the majority of my classes, if I were to have a question there is no one besides the Internet to answer it, which isn’t necessarily the best thing,” Latka said.

Remote learning allows for more free time during the day, and Latka uses this opportunity to her advantage. She creates a schedule for herself that keeps her day enjoyable.

“I do think I have more time as a remote student because of the flexibility in my schedule. I can work on any class for however long I wish, and when I decide I am done, I can be done,” Latka said. “I also have more time in the mornings and afternoons because there is no commute to school. In total, being remote saves me from driving 40 minutes every day. I spend this extra time by doing something active since I have been sitting at my Chromebook pretty much all day.”

Latka has mixed feelings about the effectiveness of remote learning. She enjoys the laidback nature, but finds the majority of the workload challenging to understand.

“It is more relaxing to work at my own pace with the school work, but I think it is also more stressful when the majority of the work is just reading and taking notes, because that is not how I learn best. The amount of work I would say doesn’t really make me feel stressed or relaxed, but the type of work and the rate at which I work does,” Latka said.

enior Jack Yore has chosen the hybrid schedule for this year. In his free time he enjoys playing rugby, wrestling, trap shooting and, if he has time, golfing.

If a student chose the fully remote option, the courses they were able to take were limited, which ultimately led Yore to choose the hybrid schedule.

“I wouldn’t be able to take elective classes and some AP [courses],” Yore said. “I would rather do that than have to take the basics and maybe get college courses out of the way and stuff like that.”

A lot has changed compared to last spring, and remote learning seems to be running smoother than it was back in March.

Still, students like Yore would prefer school was back to normal like past years. This year, students have a lot more responsibility when it comes to time management and planning.

“It makes me really have to think about the days and plan ahead better with school and work,” Yore said. “I work at Ream’s Meat Market in Elburn, and I’m keeping my work schedule consistent and still going into work like I would if I have school.”

With remote days, Yore tends to have more free time. He tries to enjoy time with friends when it is possible. Yore decided to push himself with a difficult course schedule that he wouldn’t have been able to take otherwise.

“I am still in three AP classes, so I feel like the workload is still up, but not too much that I can’t manage,” Yore said. “I feel the same as past years. It’s definitely not super easy, but it isn’t impossible to deal with.”

Photo courtesy of Jack Yore

Senior Jack Yore raises his hand in victory after a match against an opponent from Boylan Catholic High School. On last year’s Senior Night, Kaneland defeated Boylan 64-18.

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October 8, 2020

JUSTIN JAMROWSKI

Senior Elinor Gusinde works on a paint-by-number project depicting the city of Venice, Italy. The projects usually take Gusinde six to eight hours to finish.

Senior Justin Jamrowski continued working out during quarantine. It’s important for Jamrowski to remain in shape because of his involvement in both basketball and football.

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NATHAN CRISCI Freshman Nathan Crisci rides his dirt bike on his cousin’s farm in Big Rock, IL. Crisci rode dirt bikes when he was younger but picked the hobby back up again during quarantine.

MADELINE LANCASTER

ELINOR GUSINDE

KHS STUDENTS DEVELOP NEW

Senior Madeline Lancaster started horseback riding again in April after not having done so since childhood.

She rides and works at Reinboldt Ranch in Minooka, IL.

Page design by Brianna Michi

October 8, 2020 Photos

OLIVIA ORTEGEL

Senior Jordan Weber started learning how to play the guitar during her free time in quarantine. The first song Weber learned was “18� by One Direction.

Senior Olivia Ortegel spent her quarantine and summer wakesurfing at her lakehouse on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Ortegel had just started wakesurfing last year.

Page design by Brianna Michi

BRIAN BEATTIE Junior Brian Beattie films a basketball tournament at the Indiana Convention Center. During quarantine, Beattie further developed his filmography skills.

MORGANN LOANE

JORDAN WEBER

SKILLS DURING QUARANTINE

Sophomore Morgann Loane began cooking more often with the free time she had in quarantine. She mostly focuses on preparing healthy dinners for her family.

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Sports

October 8, 2020

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON COLLEGE RECRUITING

BY MADELEINE LITTLE

T Editor

he pandemic has an obvious impact on fall sports, but it also has potential implications for student-athletes’ futures. Unfortunately, as a result, some fall sports have been delayed and moved to a different season. This includes football, boys soccer and girls volleyball.

These sports have been moved to the spring and will begin on Feb. 15. With this change, the recruitment process will be different this year for those hoping to play sports at the collegiate level.

The shifting of the football season could negatively impact the opportunities that seniors have to be scouted by college coaches this fall. Senior Samuel Pryor is an offensive and defensive lineman who is getting recruited to play football at the next level. He has five offers and is talking to multiple other colleges, but Pryor feels that with the football season being moved, he may not have the same chances he would have had in a normal season.

“Honestly, I feel like this may hurt our chances of being recruited, but again, out of my control. We [need to] make due with what we got right now,” Pryor said.

Several athletes were relying on their senior seasons to show off their talents to college coaches. With the season getting moved, it may be more difficult for the seniors who have not yet been in contact with any colleges. Kaneland’s football staff members are communicating with college coaches year-round about the athletes, so the staff is still doing the best they can to promote opportunities

Photo courtesy of Samuel Pryor

Senior Samuel Pryor leads the line of players onto the field. Pryor has been a varsity athlete since his freshman year of high school.

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Photo courtesy of Tyler Conklin

Senior Tyler Conklin pitches at a scrimmage at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva. He has been playing on the Elite Baseball Training team for about a year and has been playing baseball since 2006.

for their student-athletes. Head football coach Patrick Ryan believes that everyone involved in the recruitment process will need to adapt to changes.

“Like everything else we’re experiencing now, college recruiting is going to be different. Colleges, recruits and coaches, both high school and college, will need to be flexible and willing to adapt to change,” Ryan said.

College coaches are consistently recruiting athletes, even during the off-seasons. Senior Kelsey Modaff is a shooting guard for the Kaneland varsity girls basketball team and is looking to play in college. Modaff also plays for an AAU team outside of school, which is where she receives more opportunities for college coaches to evaluate her skills. She has kept in contact with several Division 2 and 3 schools but is unsure of which one to choose.

“Recruitment has been good. Colleges are not afraid to reach out and talk or ask you to come visit and look at campus, so that’s something that’s been super easy,” Modaff said.

Kaneland’s basketball teams usually have summer camps, leagues and shootouts throughout June, but with COVID-19 precautions they did not have such opportunities. Currently, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has allowed teams to take advantage of 20 preseason contact days.

Head varsity girls basketball coach Kelsey Flanagan suggests that athletes who are hoping to have opportunities to play in college should have a realistic

highlight reel.

“Having a highlight reel is nice, but they want to see you make mistakes and how you handle them, too. Identifying a full game or two to share is a good idea,” Flanagan said.

Unlike basketball teams, which were able to play their full regular season last winter, baseball programs had to cancel their entire seasons last spring. Senior Tyler Conklin is a pitcher for the Kaneland baseball team who committed to Eastern Illinois University on July 8, 2020. Conklin has tried not to let the effects of the pandemic influence his mindset.

“I never really took a break from my training,” Conklin said. “So I continued my training as if I was in-season, which helped me stay ahead of the game.”

Having a good mentality and being coachable are things that colleges commonly look into when recruiting an athlete. Head baseball coach Brian Aversa has coached Conklin over the years to prepare him to be a college-level athlete.

“If he can stay healthy and do what he does best, which is pitching, he will be successful. He already has a great opportunity in front of him, and I know he’ll do everything in his power to prepare himself for that,” Aversa said.

Many athletes possess multiple traits that college coaches are drawn to, but some athletes may not get the chances they had hoped for to showcase their talents this year. In these times of adversity, our student-athletes are still encouraged to work hard and make progress, regardless of the circumstances.

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October 8, 2020

Activities

RESTRICTIONS ON KHS CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

BY CODY GANZON Editor

T

he Kaneland branch of the National FFA Organization had to change several activities to make sure that they adhere to state and local guidelines.

FFA’s annual horse judging contest had to limit the amount of people at the event, which was held on Sept. 3 at Creekside Quarter Horses in Hampshire.

“We normally bring 12-15 people for horse judging, but now we can only bring four. The others compete virtually,” FFA advisor Brooke Heinsohn said.

Some other competing schools have gone all online and have had to resort to non-contact options. Heinsohn had to rearrange almost all FFA activities and create a schedule that would fit every school’s COVID-19 regulations.

“Some of the schools we compete against are all virtual and are not available to compete in person. Finding out the logistics of our club and how it’s going to work when we are doing those contests

[caused] a couple of hiccups,” Heinsohn said.

The changes have had a definite impact on the accessibility of the club. Nonetheless, the students are still hopeful for the FFA year ahead.

“I think they are disappointed when we haven’t been able to do things as normal.

They are excited that we are still able to get together and meet,” Heinsohn said.

FFA student president and senior Grant Baldridge is discouraged by the new precautions. Most of his frustrations come from the fact that the group can’t all meet at the same time.

“The atmosphere has gotten more gloomy because we cannot have our events. We can only have five people, and the rest are online. We cannot have all members meet at one place easily, so the club feels more barren than usual. I feel it takes away the experience since we are split up,” Baldridge said.

Photo courtesy of Johnna Rohlman

Theater director Rachel Giles leads her cast through a Zoom call as they prepare for their upcoming virtual performance. The production will take place on Oct. 30-31 at 7:00 PM and Nov. 1 at 2:00 PM.

T

he fall play is another activity that is being heavily affected by COVID-19 precautions. This year, the Kaneland theater department is performing the high school version of Clue. They have had to resort to a virtual play, done through Zoom, to follow all guidelines concerning the virus. Theater director Ra-

Page design by Sophia Opp

chel Giles has had to get creative when it comes to coordinating how the play will run.

“Obviously we cannot do it in person for safety reasons, and also the auditorium is currently being used for a cafeteria,” Giles said.

For the actual performance, the actors

Photo courtesy of Brooke Heinsohn

Sophomore Zoey Pozen, freshmen Georgia Harvell and Dayna Sivert and senior Elizabeth Mattern pose in front of the FFA flag after a horse judging contest at Creekside Quarter Horses in Hampshire.

will all set up their rooms to look like one cohesive set.

“It’s going to be a little bit different because we’re all in 15 different places, but what we’re doing is we’re all going to have a red curtain held up by PVC pipe so it makes it look like we’re all in one room,” the play’s narrator and senior Johnna Rohlman said.

It was uncertain if the play would be able to run at all, considering the precautions necessary to maintain social distancing.

“I was really excited when the companies who lease the shows started to switch things over to virtual so that we can still have a season. I know how important it is to so many kids, so I am really excited,” Giles said.

Junior Campbell Heiser is determined to make the fall play as successful as possible. This form of play is new to the entire cast and will likely require lots of practice.

“I approach the play much differently than I would any other play. Obviously we are doing the whole thing on Zoom, which will be much more difficult, so we are going to have to do rehearsals over Zoom. I am personally going to need to practice a lot more because we are not going to be doing this in person,” Heiser said.

Activities

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