McCracken Portfolio

Stringbook Michelle McCracken 2011-2014

Table of Contents

Late nights, long hours

2

A Lighter Thanksgiving Feast

4

Be more flexble with these five moves

4

Thinspiration isn’t Inspiration

6

Banning Teens Tanning

10

iGeneration: Y

14

It’s the season of giving and not getting

18

High School Relationships: Stepping Out of the Common Stereotype

20

Getting involved in school

24

Home Run to Success

26

The Trials and Triumphs of Cancer Research

30

Invest in Financial Security

34

The Pathway to Fortune

38

Fall Preview: Lady Knights

42

Online Supplement

44

Holiday songs that make you a Grinch

48

Is the United States still the greatest nation?

50

The Meaning behind words that are Spoken

52

Undergroud artists to look for in 2014 - The 1975

56

Time to take pride in Kaneland

58

Senior Supplement - Class of 2014

60

Is becoming Hollywood a selfless route?

64

Republicans vs. Democrats-The differences between the parties

66

I am very proud of this page. Everything fits together nicely and complements other elements on the page.

2

Late nights, long hours Bosses often expect teens to work late, but where should the line be drawn?

BY MICHELLE MCCRACKEN, Reporter Garrett Jennings, 17, is taking orders at three a.m.

The Kaneland junior works four to 11 hours a week at McDonald’s in Sugar Grove, where he has been an employee since last summer. His job consisits of taking orders, packing the order and then presenting it to the customer.

Jennings said he enjoys his job. “[The atmosphere is] fast-paced and upbeat.”

Jennings said. “Our employee morale is pretty high.”

Though Jennings works overnight sometimes, he says that the late work doesn’t affect him.

Many students, like Jennings, enjoy their jobs but end up having to work long hours that may interfere with their social life and school life.

“I’m generally fine and alert [at school],” Jennings said. “There is just a little less time to hang out with people on the weekends, but it’s not a huge impact.”

The exact amount of hours a teen can work varies depending on age. Anyone over 16 does not have hour restrictions. Those under 16, however, can only work 3 hours a day and up to 24 hours a week. The combined hours of school and work cannot exceed eight hours a day, according to Illinois laws. For a Kaneland student, this means they could work up to a hour after school, which is why many employers will not hire students under 16.

Long hours may be a challenge, but paychecks are one of the perks of having a job. The Fair Labor Standards Act says that minimum wage for anyone under 20 is $4.25 per hour during the first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment.

Once an employee turns 20 or has been an employee for 90 days, employers are required to pay the full minimum wage, which is $8.25 per hour in Illinois.

“I know with limited job offers, many employers are only hiring kids willing to work long hours,

Courtesy Photo

Junior Kate Dray works at the drive-thru at McDonald’s in Sugar Grove.

week nights and weekends,” Mark Meyer, social science teacher, said.

The chance of getting a job has always depended on the availability of the person applying, but some worry that employers may take advantage of the situation. Few teenagers know what their rights as employees are and what they’re entitled to. Others just want a job, whether it follows the laws or not.

“I really wish I had [a job], no matter what laws it followed,” sophomore Mara Hernandez said.

Junior Abigail Dodis currently works at Old Navy, where she is busy folding clothes, putting away clothes and checking people out at the register.

Dodis dosen’t mind her job.

“Everyone I work with, I’m friends with,” Dodis said.

She frequently works late, often until 10 or 11:30 p.m. She said. But she said the craziest shift she ever worked was Black Friday.

“I worked midnight until eight in the morning,” Dodis said.

Even with her late-night shifts, she has a positive viewpoint on her job.

“It helps to manage my time better,” Dodis said.

lowdown on the laws If you are under 16: The

You must have a work permit from school to be hired.

You cannot work more than 24 hours when school is in session or 48 hours when it is not.

You cannot work overnights, for example, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

A 30- minute lunch period must be provided by the fifth hour of work for that shift.

If you are 16 or older: There are no hour restrictions.

A 30-minute lunch period must be provided by the fifth hour of work for that shift.

Contributions by Sabrina Sivert, Courtney Reiss and Gina Jarvis

Join Krier today!

Feature / February 23, 2011 / KANELAND KRIER

9

Though most of the page is photos, the information is helpful and the photos clearly show what should be done when doing these poses.

The information is very accurate and interesting, especially with the explanations as to why the food item should be swapped.

4

Be more flexible

with these five moves

BY MICHELLE MCCRACKEN, Reporter Sore after a tough practice and not sure how to relieve the stiffness? Why not try yoga?

“Yoga develops strength and flexibility in the body and mind which will leave you feeling inspired, alive and aligned,” said Barb Glennon, yoga instructor.

Many athletes become sore in the heat of the seasons and need a way to release some tension.

This is a inexpensive and quick way to stretch out sore muscles.

“Usually my knees and my shoulders [are sore],” freshman Aislinn Lodwig said.

Next time muscles are sore after a game, practice, or whenever muscles need relief, try these five moves suggested by Glennon to stretch the abdomen, hamstrings and calves.

Photos by Michelle Mccracken

EAGLE: Begin by squatting. Slowly cross one leg over the other, keeping your balance. Once stable, bring your hands together and relax. This stretches the hamstrings.

A LIGHTER

Thanksgiving

FEAST

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, teenagers everywhere are preparing for the feast. The average American will consume 4500 calories and 229 grams of fat, according to the Calorie Control Council. That’s more than double what should be eaten per day.

There are easy ways to cut back on the calories, just by doing simple swaps like these:

meat (220 cal.)

Swap Dark White meat (188 cal.)

Why? Not only does white meat have fewer calories, it also has less fat and cholesterol. Want to make it even healthier? Take the skin off.

“There is a fine layer of fat on the skin. When the skin is taken off, that has more of a chance to be cooked off,” Judy Fabrizius, Family Consumer Science teacher, said.

(175 cal., 14 g. fat) Swap Stuffing Green Bean Casserole (100 cal., 6 g. fat)

Why? “Stuffing has tons of salt and carbohydrates,” Culinary Arts teacher Tara Wood said, ”especially with mashed potatoes and rolls.” To make the casserole even healthier, Wood says.

Green beans provide vitamin B6 and folic acid, making them a heart healthy substitute for stuffing. Wood says to make the casserole even healthier, substitute the mushroom soup with chicken broth.

Swap LUNGE: Start standing up, slowly going into a lunge position. Be sure the back leg is straight out. Put both hands next to the front foot, and lean forward. Feel the stretch in the hamstrings.

REVOLVED TRIANGLE: Stand with legs shoulder width apart.

Bring left foot forward slightly. Slowly turn and lower your upper body, placing the left hand on the ground and keeping the right one in the air.

Do the same for the right leg. Stretches the hamstrings and calves.

Rolls (227 cal., 11 g. fat) Cornbread (120 cal., 0 g. fat)

Why? Dinner rolls alone are a better choice than cornbread, but most Thanksgiving feasters add butter and jam to the rolls. To make cornbread a healthy starch, put a little honey on it. The honey adds numerous vitamins to the cornbread, Fabrizius said, including vitamins B1, B2 and C.

Pecan Pie (450 cal., 21 g. fat)

Crisp (280 cal., 10 g.

Swap Apple fat)

Why? Healthier meal choices at Thanksgiving doesn’t mean cutting out dessert. Replace pecan pie with an apple crisp to cut back on calories and fat Kathy Goldberg, registered dietitian and culinary arts specialist at the University of Michigan Health System.

BRIDGE: To stretch the abdomen, begin by lying on your back with arms at the side. Slowly raise the abdomen in the air, keeping feet on the ground.

16

Lifestyle / November 17, 2011 / KANELAND KRIER

COBRA: Begin by lying on your stomach with your arms pushed against the shoulders. Slowly begin to raise yourself, feeling the stretch in the abdomen. Glennon recommends holding for five rounds of

If all these swaps were taken to heart, over 660 calories in one serving could be shed from a Thanksgiving meal.

–Michelle McCracken, reporter

The best part of this page is the story.

It is very information and interesting. It maintains an objective view on a serious subject. Both of the pictures could have been improved since they don’t make much sense. Also, the title font is difficult to read.

6

7

Thinspiration isn’t Inspiration With the media, where do they draw the line?

BY MICHELLE MCCRACKEN AND ALEXIA OROSCO, Editors A day in the life of a model begins with eating a quick breakfast, followed by running off to numerous shows and fittings. Models love the busy life they have, but with influences from agencies to be skinny, they feel pressure.

“People would tell them that they aren’t skinny enough. They would try to be one size smaller,” sophomore model Elise Fichtel said.

“The influence is there. Overtime, it would wear them down and they would start dieting, and it just gets worse.”

Often times young models develop eating disorders because of their predecessors. ““People would beat me down, but I didn’t let it affect me,” Fichtel said. “I see it, I just don’t let it phase me.”

According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), eating disorders have increased sharply in the past decade. Since 1999, eating-disorder related hospitalizations have increased 18 percent overall, 37 percent among men, and a whopping 119 percent among children under 12.

From Modeling to Media

Flipping through a fashion magazine, one might find the pictures of the latest fall trends on the runways, and wearing these fashions are models who all share an extremely skinny look.

This skinny look was popularized by Twiggy, an English supermodel who gained popularity in 1965. With her underdeveloped figure, she became a style and body icon to adolescents everywhere. Twiggy later claimed that her thin figure was because of her heredity. Unfortunately, not all the teenagers who idolized her were given the same genes.

“All photos, tech and media have a huge impact on how our kids eat and causes many problems in our obese society for all. The emotional aspect of an eating disorder is just as dangerous as the physical problem. You can talk yourself into “thinking” you are fat,” health teacher, Cindy Miller said.

What does Tumblr have to say?

A survey from Levine MP & Smolak L. Media suggests that about 83 percent of adolescent girls read fashion magazines, in which thin bodies are showcased and praised. Seeing these sometimes painfully skinny and airbrushed bodies leave the readers occasionally comparing themselves to what appears to be physical perfection.

“I know people who compare themselves to media figures. They don’t think about the fact that they have no idea how the celebrities are so skinny or how they lost the weight. It could be an unhealthy way,” sophomore Riley Hannula said.

Who is at risk?

It may seem as though eating disorders are only an issue females need to worry about, but according to the NEDA, there are as many as one million males who battle bulimia or anorexia as well.

“Boys are not less likely, we just don’t hear about them as much. It is a problem with both sexes.” Miller said.

As many as thirteen million females struggle with eating disorders, and nearly half of all American women are dieting on any given day, according to the NEDA. Women’s magazines contain ten percent more dieting food and product advertisements than men’s magazines, a study by Anderson AE suggests.

“I think that [girls] try to be like celebrities they see in magazines because society set an image that being as skinny as some supermodel makes you beautiful. That’s not the case at all but many teens think that way,” Hannula said.

The peak of eating disorders happens during puberty and in the late teen years and early adult years, according to the NEDA. Also at risk are athletes. Particularly, athletes have heightened body awareness. Certain sports, such as wrestling, can lead to a dangerous cycle where body weight is both gained and shed rapidly.

“Cutting weight always puts me in a grumpy mood and it is one of the hardest things to do

12

Centerspread / September 19, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

Stopping the Influence

With photo sharing websites gaining momentum and popularity, certain sites, such as Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr, are taking steps towards stopping the pro-anorexia content.

In February, Tumblr announced their new policy which prohibits any self-harm blogs, including pro-anorexia and “thinspiration” content. When tags such as “bulimia”, “proana”, and “thinspiration” are searched, a public service announcement is pulled up that states that eating disorders are mental disorders that, if left untreated, could lead to life-threatening health problems. The announcement also includes contact information for the National Eating Disorder Association, who is partnering with Tumblr in the process of banning selfharm blogs.

Pinterest and Instagram, popular photo websites, introduced policies similar to Tumblr’s. Both of the websites banned photos that promote self harm, and when “thinspo” and “thinspiration” are searched, a similar announcement to the one on Tumblr is pulled up.

“Nowadays people go online in their free time. The images they see are being burnt into their brains unintentionally. The ban will be helpful,” Hannula said.

Websites are not the only media source that is taking a stance on pro-anorexia content. Seventeen magazine began a “Body Peace Treaty” in which the magazine promises to only use healthy models and no longer digitally alter images to make the models look perfect. Vogue implemented a similar policy, in which the editors made a pact to no longer knowingly work with models who are under 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder.

“I think any media that stops posting photos and blogs of this kind of problem gets and A in my gradebook,” Miller said.

“Tomorrow is the official day, since I already purged earlier today, but I will be good the rest of the day. I swear.” - the-war-for-recovery

“ ‘I want a thigh gap, then I’ll be happy.’

I’m still not happy”

- controlled-ed

when you’re a wrestler, but you can just look forward to pigging out on Sunday,” senior wrestler Sonny Horn said. “When I cut a lot of weight within two days, I feel more weak and unhealthy.”

“Imagine an existance with life goals, not goal weights.”

- melancholic-s

10 Signs of an Eating Disorder 1 Drastic weight loss 2 Preoccupation with counting calories Sophomore Gina Pettenon and junior Katherine Brinkman realize the risk of eating disorders.

Photo by Alexia Orosco

3 The need to weight yourself several times a day 4 Excessive exercising 5 Binge eating or purging 6 Food rituals, like taking tiny bites, skipping food groups, or re-arranging food on plate 7 Avoiding meals or wanting to eat alone 8 Taking laxatives or diuretics 9 Smoking to curb appetite

According to the NEDA, 80 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being overweight.

Photo by Michelle McCracken

“I haven’t eaten in 5 hours. I shouldn’t be starving. Going rollerblading instead of eating, whatever.” - themonsterisback “I can literally feel my eating disorder choking me. Not letting me eat. Not letting me breathe.” - freedominthemaking

10 Persistent view of yourself as fat that worsens despite weight loss Source: National Eating Disorder Association

Sidebar compiled by Michelle McCracken Centerspread / September 19, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

13

Overall, this page has a good layout and the story is intriguing. A better picture could have been used as well as the statistics sidebar could have been laid out much better by making the facts not as cramped and the graphs not as awkward.

10

11

BanningTe Major Illinois cities are making laws to keep minors from tanning indoors.

Backed by numerous studies, the laws may save teens health later in life.

BY MICHELLE MCCRACKEN AND ALEXIA OROSCO, Editors Summer tans, the last piece of summertime students can hang on to, begin fading once school begins in the fall. To keep their golden look, some teenagers may go to tanning salons and use tanning beds. Some tan for homecoming. Others go because their darkened skin makes them feel confident. For senior Taylor Krawczyk, tanning helps her with her psoriasis. “[Psoriasis] is an autoimmune illness that makes my skin flare up. Usually it’s triggered by stress or another illness, like strep throat,” Krawczyk said.

Besides tanning, Krawczyk said she uses all natural soaps to help her skin. She also changed her diet to keep her immune system strong.

“I found out I had psoriasis last February, so I started tanning in March.” Krawcyzk said. “I never wanted to tan until I was told to, because I knew it would get addicting, and too much of it is bad. That’s why I’m happy that I can only go for so many minutes each time.”

Unfortunately for Krawczyk and many other teens, the privilege of tanning beds may soon be taken away.

“If I’m not able to tan and my psoriasis got bad, I’d probably have to go on some kind of medication,” Krawczyk said.

In June, Chicago became one of the first Illinois cities to ban minors from tanning beds.

Any tanning facility that allows a minor to use a tanning bed can be handed a hefty fine of $250

What do

dollars per offense.

“I don’t think [the law] is beneficial, especially for someone with a disease like mine,” Krawczyk said. “Tanning is a really good way to clear up acne, which a lot of teens struggle with.”

Shortly after, in early September, Springfield joined Chicago in the fight against indoor tanning. Springfield is also keeping minors out of the tanning beds by hitting businesses with up to a $750 fine.

“I don’t think [teens tan too much], but I definitely think it could eventually start to get out of hand,” Krawczyk said.

“The [tanning] industry strongly supports parental consent, which is already a law in New Jersey and other states,” the Indoor Tanning Association says. “It is a very slippery slope when the government starts taking away the right to make very basic parenting decisions such as this.”

The cry for a ban on indoor tanning began when numerous studies were conducted on skin cancer. One study by the International Agency for Research found that anyone who has ever tanned indoors has a 75 percent higher chance of developing a skin cancer called melanoma later in life.

Shortly after, in January, the need for restrictions on tanning beds continued when Patricia Krentcil, a New Jersey mother, was accused of allowing her five-year-old daughter to use a tanning bed after a school nurse noticed her daughter’s sunburn. The daughter said the burn was from tanning with Krentcil. Authorities arrested

Do you tan outside during the summer?

the

Statistics say?

How many people do you know go to tanning salons?

No-39% Yes-61%

4 people-1%

3 people-7%

2 people-14%

1 person or less46%

Kaneland’s Response...

Yes- 10%

5 or more people-32%

Polls compiled by Mark Lilly

98 Kaneland High School students were surveyed for this poll

12

Krentcil, charging her with child endangerment. Krentcil pled not guilty to the charges.

Maryland’s Howard County was the first place to ban tanning for minors. As of January this year, California became the first state to ban indoor tanning from minors, even with parental consent. Vermont followed California’s lead shortly after. The Vermont ban went into effect on July 1.

Since Vermont implemented their restriction, 15 states have introduced potential laws that would ban minors from using tanning beds.

Illinois is one of these states.

“The law is preventing teenagers from getting skin cancer at such a young age,” nurse Barb Giese said. “You can get melanoma skin cancer [from tanning], it can spread, and you can die from it.”

Melanoma, one of the most serious forms of skin cancer, usually begins when skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays. These rays are let off by the sun and recreated in tanning beds. The melanin, which gives the skin color, begins to grow abnormally and eventually could become cancerous. “[If I had melanoma] I would probably cry and definitely stop tanning,” said junior Maddie King. “I play beach volleyball, so being outdoors in the sun, I would probably have to quit.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh in women. The risk of developing melanoma is increased 87 percent if an individual begins any type of tanning before the age of 35,

Do you know anyone who has some skin cancer?

Centerspread / October 24, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

No- 90%

Indoor tanners have 69 percent more of a chance of developing basal cell carcinoma, the most common kind of skin cancer.

Ten minutes spent in a tanning booth has the same cancer-causing effects as 10 minutes in the Mediterranean sun.

People who tan indoors just four times a year increase their risk of melanoma by 11 percent.

An estimated 3,010 deaths will occur in 2012 due to nonmelanoma skin cancer.

Source: The Skin Cancer Foundation

Tanning

eens

The

ABC’s of Melanoma Asymmetrical-

Act as if there were an imaginary line drawn down the middle of the suspected area.

If both sides are even, then the spot is symmetrical. If both sides are uneven, then the area could be infected

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.

according to the British Medical Journal.

“I tan once every two months,” sophomore Elle Tattoni said. “I try not to do it that often.”

King said that she tans for special occasions. “[I tan] once a week, or depending on when I havea special occasion, like homecoming,” King said.

For freshman Brendan Madziarczyk, skin cancer hits close to home. His grandfather was diagnosed with skin cancer before Madziarczyk was born. “[When I found out], I didn’t really know how to react. I was scared, nervous and I felt bad for him,” Madziarczyk said. “He got plenty

Courtesy Photo

of treatment. [Once he was diagnosed], he was only supposed to live for six months but he ended up living twelve years.”

The same study by the Mayo Clinic suggests that exposure to indoor tanning beds was a risk factor for melanoma. The risk is even greater for women under 45. The study also shows that the number of men who have been diagnosed with melanoma has increased four times since 1970.

As for women, melanoma has increased eight times since 1970.

“I know that I’m only in high school and I won’t continue to tan forever,” King said. “Tanning definitely isn’t worth getting melanoma.”

WA MN IA

NY

IL

KY AZ

OK

RI NJ

OH

MD NC

The borders of melanoma may be fuzzy, uneven, or splotched.

Color-

Melanomas show color changes in some areas. Some of the colors that might appear are black, brown and tan.

Diameter-

Unlike moles, melanomas are often have a diameter bigger than the width of a pencil eraser.

Elevated-

VT

MI

Border-

Melanoma could be elevated above the skin surface, or could eventually grow above the skin surface.

Firm-

Melanoma is firm to the touch, not flabby like some moles

Growing-

If the suspected spot does not stop growing after three weeks, it could be cancerous Source: Melanoma Foundation Education Sidebar compiled by Michelle McCracken

The states that are gray have introduced laws that will ban indoor tanning from minors.

Centerspread / October 24, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

13

This page has a great layout. The windows logo and the iPhone under the deck are particularly eye-catching.

The story is also very informational and interesting. The picture could be improved .The current picture doesn’t illustrate anything specific to the storyAlso, the timeline at the bottom could be spiced up.

14

15

Y

iGeneration:

As technology advances, so does it’s users, but in different ways than past generations. Some argue that young generations are less intelligent because of new technology.

According to CNBC’s All American Economic Survey, halfiGeneration: of all U.S. Households Y teens have atDesigned leastbyone Apple Assembled in America product.

1910-

Thomas Edison demonstrates the first talking motion picture.

BY ALEXIA OROSCO AND MICHELLE MCCRACKEN, Editors Whether it’s texting or making a phone call, sending an e-mail or Facebook chatting, teens and most adults can hardly go a day without communicating through technology. Almost everyone in today’s society relies on technology to communicate or get things done. Sophomore Tori Guyton, owner of an iPad, iMac, and an iPhone 4s, agrees that technology has made a big impact on her life.

“All the Apple products are so up-to-date and modern, you can do almost anything with an iPhone or an iPad,” Guyton said.

Generation Y, the generation born in the 1980’s and 1990’s, is the generation which is increasingly attached to digital and electronic technology.

“I can’t even remember what it was like without a phone with no internet,” Guyton said.

Depending on technology to perform a job, school tasks or to have a conversation with someone, people of Generation Y would rather communicate through text messaging or via email rather than having a face-to-face conversation.

According to USA Today, in some ways technology is advancing, and in other ways, it’s hindering. Whether it’s smart phones or any other kind of portable technology, according to Teen Champion Mindset, technology enables learning anyplace and makes it easier for teachers to immerse with students.

Education companies have noticed the love for the convenience of technology Generation Y has, and many have put their textbooks online. “[Technology] has improved a lot. Teachers put almost everything on the computer now, I don’t miss having to carry all my books home ev-

1922-

The first 3-D movie, Power of Love, is made by Nat Deverich.

eryday,” Guyton said.

Most TV shows have moved much of their media consumption online, and two-thirds of people regularly watch TV online. Websites such as Hulu have made it easier to catch the last episode of popular shows.

With the evolution of smart phones, tablets, and desktop computers, TV’s have begun a steady decline in necessity. Smart phones contain processors that have the same computing power as most pre 2007 computers, and has the ability to access the world wide web from almost anywhere on the planet.

Research from Teen Champion Mindset shows that more than 89 percent of all children ages 5-17 use computers or other technology, for schoolwork, connecting with friends or family, or texting.

“If it weren’t for cell phones with internet and up-to-date computers, it would be so much harder to communicate and do homework.”

Guyton said.

According to InformationWeek, people ages 18-26 are spending more time online, more time with social computing activities, and spending less time watching TV on an actual television than any other generation ever has.

Although some teens know right from wrong when using technology, a majority have become so roped into the social aspect and frequently get carried away, whether it’s texting too often or relying too much on technology as a part of their everyday life.

A study shows that 59 percent of teens visit Facebook during school hours. More than half of teens misuse social websites, and a study

by McAfee shows that 70 percent of teens hide their online behavior from their parents.

Whether it’s clearing the browser history or creating a fake profile of themselves, teen’s are getting away with a lot more than they did in 2010,

1965-

1932-

James Russell invents the compact disc.

Edwin H. Land invents Polaroid Photography.

1971-

The firs sold by

1900 1921-

1927-

The first robot is invented by Karel Capek.

12

Centerspread / November 28, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

System 3 Technicolor is invented.

1962-

The Philips Company releases the first compact audio cassette.

1967-

Texas Instru ments intro duces the fi handheld calculator.

where only about 45 percent of teens hid their online behavior from their parents.

According to TNW Social Media, 40 percent of all Facebook users visit Facebook at least 10 times a day. Others, such as senior Ryan Lawrence, have completely deleted their Facebook identity.

“I had [my Facebook account] for 3 years, I deleted it my junior year,” Lawrence said. “It causes too much drama and it’s a waste of time.”

According to USA Today, teens are writing more than ever in text messages or online, but it’s not the kind of writing skills needed as adults.

“I know someone who purchased an iPad for their 5 year old son,” senior Marshall Farthing said, “He doesn’t ever want to play with friends, and his social skills are poor. He’d rather play on his iPad all day and all he ever talks about is the games he has.”

1979-

Sony announces the st VCR is first Walkman to the public. y Sony.

uofirst

Photo Illustration by Casey Jacobson

According to the International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry, over two trillion text messages are sent each year.

1985-

Microsoft introduces the Windows program.

Social networking, according to USA Today, gives teens the impression that they are “the center of the universe”, almost distorting young adults understanding of how the world works.

A study by UCLA disagrees with the assumption that technology is making Generation Y “dumber”. The study says that searching the Internet triggers parts of the brain that are in charge of decision-making and reasoning.

“Internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help and improve brain function,” said Dr. Gary Small, a professor at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. As the brain ages, many structural and functional changes occur, including loss of cell activity. Small said that participating in activities that engage the brain, such as using the Internet, may help preserve brain health.

“Our most striking finding was that Internet

1995-

The DVD is invented by Philips, Sony, Toshiba and Panasonic.

searching appears to engage a greater extent of neural circuitry that is not activated during reading, but only in those with prior Internet experience,” Small said.

Technology is increasing and becoming more and more of a necessity every single day. Communicating in the click of a button has become such an easy, normal concept for the people of Generation Y. With how quickly electronics are improving, from iPhones to iMacs, from face-toface conversations to online chatting, and now being able to obtain nearly all school work from teachers online, there is no doubt that technology’s growth is stunting here.

“With the evolution of smart phones, tablets, and computers, [technology] has become an increasing necessity,” Farthing said. “Wearable computers will soon replace all cell phones and most desktop computers, and we will probably begin implanting cybernetics by 2020.”

2004-

Facebook is first launched

by Mark Zuckerberg.

2012-

Apple announces the iPad Mini.

2013 1973-

Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola invents the first cell phone.

1984-

Apple introduces the Apple Macintosh.

1990-

The World Wide Web is created

by Tim BernersLee.

2001-

Apple develops the first iPod.

2005-

Youtube is created

by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim.

Centerspread / November 28, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

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The examples used in this piece provide a solid argument that teens become self-centered around the holidays. More specifically, the “A Christmas Story� example proves this point even more. the piece also rambles on for a while.

I would add another example or find more statistics.

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It’s the season of giving and not getting

MICHELLE MCCRACKEN Editor It’s that time of year again. The time when we all are in a good mood simply because of the holidays, the time when we cherish each other’s company more than usual, and the time we unconsciously begin to think of our wants. Yes, the season of giving is about generosity, but most of us cannot help but wonder what’s in store for ourselves during the holidays.

I’ll be the first to admit that I love getting gifts. It shows that you are important to someone. It also entails excitement, not knowing what could be hidden by the wrapping paper, but at the same time knowing it will more than likely be something we want.

The problem, however, begins when we let our love of receiving run our holidays. Eventually, we become consumed with looking for the latest and greatest things to put on our wish list.

Remember how great the Nintendo DS was when it first came out and we all just had to get our hands on it? I can bet that now most of us have no idea where that handheld gaming system is.

Think about last Christmas. Try to remember five things that you gave to someone in the last holiday season. Now try to remember five things that were given to you last Christmas.

Unfortunately, most people can easily remember the things they gave last year, but it is a little harder to remember the things that were received. Why this is, I’m not sure. Could it be because that giving gives us a warm feeling?

Could it be because once we get what we want, we take it for granted?

Maybe we’re influenced by the athletes and celebrities we look up to. With their big paycheck, they always seem to have all the name brand items their little hearts could ever desire.

Maybe we’re influence by our peers. A few years ago, no one had an iPhone. Now, I would bet that seventy-five percent of the students in each class has an iPhone, and I would guess that most pulled out the old “but everyone has one!” trick to get one.

Let’s look at “A Christmas Story”. For those not up to speed on holiday movies, “A Christmas Story” focuses on a young boy named Ralphie and his Christmas. All poor Ralphie wants from Santa is a Red Ryder BB Gun, but he is warned countless times that he will shoot his eye out.

Come Christmas morning, all gifts are opened and Ralphie ends up disappointed when the BB gun is nowhere to be found. Seeing the disap-

Artwork By Nikki Grossman

pointment in his son’s face, Ralphie’s dad pulls out a hidden present, which, spoiler alert, happens to be the BB gun.

Now, I love “A Christmas Story”, don’t get me wrong, but I would also love to tell Ralphie that the gun is just a toy, and each time he was told that he wouldn’t receive it, his perky holiday mood slowly wears away. So, unlike Ralphie, we should try our best not let our own wishes run our holiday season.

As if thinking about the items we want all the time wasn’t enough, many Americans are rewarding themselves with these presents. Advertisements make us believe that buying gifts for one another is a selfless deed. It is kind to do so, but we feel that we deserve a gift for ourselves for being so generous. This is known as self-gifting, and it’s steadily on the rise. The National Retail Federation found in a poll conducted that about eighty percent of shoppers participated in selfgifting on Black Friday this year.

It’s understandable that if one were shopping and saw a shirt that they are dying to have, it would be our instinct to buy it at that Black Friday sale. Think about it, though. If you have survived this long without that shirt, you could probably give it as a gift idea and wait until Christmas.

Let’s challenge ourselves this season and be a smart shopper, not just another statistic.

In 2011, fourteen percent of the Midwest was living in poverty, according to the US Census Bureau. It’s safe to say that those living in poverty aren’t asking for the latest and greatest things.

This means that there are people with less than us, yet they are content with what they have.

Let’s live by example and be content with what we have.

Recently I read a story called “Long Walk Part of Gift”. In the story a teacher in Africa receives a beautiful shell from one of her students. While

admiring the shell, she realizes that the only place this shell could be from is a beach miles away. When the teacher asked the student why they walked so far for the shell, the student replied, “Long walk part of gift.”

Sure, none of us are going to walk to a beach miles away to get a present for someone, but the point is sometimes the best gifts aren’t things. The best gifts are often the little tasks that give back.

There are plenty of convenient ways to give back during the holidays instead of watching the wallet shrink as we splurge for others . Spending a day with relatives could lead to plenty of memories. Simple things, like volunteering at a hospital, food pantry or homeless shelter can make all the difference in someone’s world.

Personally helping someone sounds like it could be quick and easy, but how about another challenge. Pay it forward.

The concept of paying it forward is simple but has been forgotten. It starts with one person and one task, that task making a difference in someone’s life. It could be a friend, a family member or a complete stranger. Instead of repaying the person, one would do something to brighten up another person’s day.

Imagine for a second that paying it forward became a standard. Eventually, everyone in the world would be affected by it. We would become a world where the revenge becomes repaying a kind deed. From there, peace wouldn’t be so far away.

So while you go about your holiday traditions with your family, don’t think about that Apple product that you have to get your hands.

Instead, try to make someone feel special by giving something that can’t be packaged; your consideration.

Opinion / December 19, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

7

The “Healthy Relationships vs. Unhealthy Relationships” sidebar looks professional and draws the reader’s attention to it. The “Which relationship are you in?” sidebar is difficult to read. The information should be spread out more.

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High School Relationships:

Stepping Out of the

Common Stereotype

BY KALEB SCHUPPNER, Executive Editor AND EVAN ORTIZ, Editor Relationships in high school are notorious for being unstable and at times, detrimental to mental stability. Every so often however, two people can step out of those common stereotypes and even progress in that relationship outside of high school.

Oftentimes, a relationship revolves around common interest, and trust and care for another person. The question that most often arises is when is too much, too much? Or for that matter, is it possible for things too become too much too fast? When asked about it, school psychologist John Markovich had some useful insight.

“Definitely, I don’t think it’s only teenagers [that move too fast] though. At any age, you can have those extremely intense feelings. At the start, you can seemingly be only interested in the other person. You become so hyper-focused on that person that your emotions can be based around that person’s mood for the day - everything about them becomes your main focal point in life,” Markovich said.

This may sound extreme, but it’s actually a lot more common than one would think.For instance, there is a survivalistic relationship, based around the idea of needing another to get by.

This can be detrimental to most people’s social stability and emotional life. The partner can end up feeling insignificant, because emotional star-

vation is the reason they’re there. Whether that starvation is from a lack of affection at home or from going a long time from the previous relationship, causing an intense longing, for belonging. In survivalistic relationships, basically anyone will do. These types of relationships develop from the idea that a person can’t make it on their own, implanting the idea that ‘without the other, you are nothing.’

This is just one of five main relationship types, which are as follows: Survivalistic, Validation, Scripted, Acceptance, and Individuation. Validation is a common relationship that high school students often find themselves in.

In Validation relationships, a person seeks acceptance for whatever it may be - physical attractiveness, social status, intellect, wealth, etc.

This is because teens are looking for a sense of identity and often find themselves discovering it in a relationship.

“For teenagers, they will make their identity their significant other. They can be so hyperfocused on that person, that your emotions can be affected. You become so entrenched in that person, that they become your main focus,” Markovich said.

The most common relationship for young adults fresh out of high school and college are scripted relationships. The parents approve, the partners are seemingly perfect for each other, and this sort of relationship begins with plans to last. The most common issue that results

from this is power struggles. Heavy involvement from the family leads to the stress of trying to live up to the couple that everyone wants them to be. Rather than working on things together, the couple is more concerned about who’s right, which can lead to arguing. Understandably so, couples in Scripted relationships seem to get in ruts; it’s the same old pattern day in and day out.

Although they may get bored of each other, the amount of time invested into the relationship leads to a detrimental blow when it ends.

Acceptance. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for? In Acceptance relationships, the partners trust, enjoy and support each other. The people in this relationship are themselves, but limit themselves out of respect for the other. Maybe the boyfriend won’t go out every day of the weekend with his friends, but balance his friends and his mate as an equal, neither side of persons time outweighing the others.

The two share common interest, but also have a life outside of the relationship, as opposed to constantly breathing down each others neck, questioning every actions of the other.

Acceptance relationships consist of two people that truly care for each other, and are healthy in doing so.

“I do believe you can care a lot for a person that you date, especially if you have had that person in your life for a while and they have impacted your life greatly. It depends on whether you want to let it affect the way you are inside.

Which relationship are you in? stic

Sur vivali

“Without you, I am nothing,” thinking by one or both partners.

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Validation

Theatrics are designed to get one person to pursue the other.

Scripted

Acceptance

Family and friends’ idea of “perfect”, but not the couple’s due to underlying stress.

Individuation

The couple supports, trusts, and enjoys one another’s company.

Partners appreciate each other’s differences.

Source: http://www.sonoma.edu/users/d/daniels/lynch.html Centerspread / December 19, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

I’ve seen a few individuals change from relationships whether it’s destroyed them emotionally or made them a better person from the experience. I’d say it’s a 50/50 chance every time you initiate a relationship with someone,” senior Cristian Guzman said.

Individuation-Assertion relationships are productive relationships that often prosper because of the importance and respect based on each person’s wants and needs. The partners are open-minded and relaxed in going about the relationship, making sure to encourage personal growth for their counterpart - even if it has nothing to do with them. Sophomore Maddy Michels feels that this may be one of the most important parts of a relationship.

“We’ve been together for 20 months, we managed to make things work for this long because we’re always there for one another and no matter what problems we face, we always work through it together,” said Michels.

The unselfishness that is derivative of Individuation-Assertion relationships help people grow because they learn to appreciate differences, resolve problems, and develop goals.

Relationships can be a great test of character for most but occasionally, one can learn to develop life skills. Whether that be the ability to take on the many hardships and trials of relationships or at the same token, to learn how to be happy not only when alone but in the presence of other as well. “[Relationships] help your worldview; you gain a better understanding of life and it can help you understand your own flaws. This can potentially help you move forward, and mature as both a member of a relationship as well as a person.” Markovich said.

Healthy

Unhealthy

vs

Relationships Relationships -Sharing responsibilities -Honest and positive communication -Strong sense of commitment -Forgiveness -Equality -Suppor ting each other -Mutual respect -Trusting the other person Source: Florida Department of Children and Families

Unlike many high school relationships, Maddy Michels and Jarod Erlandson have been dating for 20 months.

-Constant putdowns -Extreme jealousy or insecurity -Explosive anger at one another -Isolation from family or friends -Making false accusations at one another -Physically hurting one another in any way Source: Break the Cycle

Photo by Sara Laurie

Centerspread / December 19, 2012 / KANELAND KRIER

13

I wrote about many clubs, proving the variety that Kaneland High School offers. However, I would change the transitions between clubs. The story jumps from one club to another without anything in between.

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Getting involved in school High school is an important right of passage in everyone’s life. Sometimes it can be hard, but there is plenty of fun to be had by joining clubs.

Stay safe in the snow

Keeping these items in the car this winter will help keep it safe to drive and ice-free all winter long.

Arctic Guard Price: $8.99

BY MICHELLE MCCRACKEN, Editor

This cover for car windshields will keep ice and snow from building up on the car in the winter This product is good for anyone who is unable to park in the garage.

Photo credit to reviews.canadiantire.ca

HEET Windshield De-Icer Price: $5.92 PODA discusses future events.

The advice that parents give their children has been the same for generations. High school is more than just school. It’s about making memories, getting involved and trying out new things. Kaneland students should not ignore this rule of thumb.

Kaneland High School offers over 20 clubs for students to get involved in. These clubs may be designed for different personality types, but they all share the common goal of enriching a student’s high school experience.

The Future Educators of America (FEA) Club allows students interested in the education field a way of getting experience. Students involved in FEA are given the opportunity to work with and shadow teachers. Students also often work with younger children.

“This group would be excellent for anyone who wants to be a teacher or work with children,” senior Lauren Banbury said.

During high school, students could become involved with violence or drugs. Students hoping to prevent these dangerous acts may want to join the Prevention of Dangerous Acts club, or PODA. This club focuses their discussions on

Photo by Andrea Halsey

the actions of using drugs and alcohol. “[PODA] is for people who have a background with drugs, someone who is completely against [using drugs], or has a strong opinion about [using drugs],” freshman Ariana Madriz said.

Journey to Wellness is a unique club that physical education teacher Tom Dillivan created. Journey to Wellness allows students to learn about healthy living and how to put their knowledge into action during their everyday life.

“This club helps students learn how proper nutrition and exercise can create a healthy lifestyle that they can use in their daily lives, now, the immediate future, and hopefully, for the rest of their lives. Club members meet each week, with each meeting focusing on a different aspect of getting healthy and staying healthy,” Dillivan said.

Joining a club is a great way to get involved in high school. Clubs provide rare opportunities that are seldom found somewhere else. The clubs here at KHS ensure that all the students involved will create memories that will last a lifetime.

This aerosol product will melt ice so that it can be brushed off by the windshield wipers.

It eliminate the need to hack at accumulated ice with a windshield scraper.

Photo credit to: www.walmart.com

Jumper Cables Price: $15-$60 As the temperature lowers, car batteries will wear out and leave the car unable to start, or cause them to stall at the most inopportune moments.

These cables will allow any vehicle to start as long as there’s another car around to help jump start the car.

Photo credit to: www.2carpros.com

By Matt Wahlgren, Executive Editor

How-To / February 20, 2013 / KANELAND KRIER

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The layout of this page is simple and doesn’t take away from the piece. Also, the use of green in the baseball diamond and the sidebar are very subtle yet they stand out.

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Home Run Following his passion and dream led Casey Crosby to play for the Detroit Tigers in 2007

BY JAROD ERLANDSON, Reporter Somewhere in the world, a boy wakes up dreaming about making it to the major leagues.

Anxious for the day to begin, he eagerly throws on his uniform, places his hat on his head, and ties his cleats. With great cheerfulness, he heads toward the field to play the game he hopes to devote his life to.

Walking with a confident stride onto the diamond, he steps onto the field and imagines glaring into a stadium full of people. As he approaches the mound, he realizes that it’s not a major league mound, but a simple little league plate imbedded with dirt.

With doubt he questions whether he’ll ever fulfill his dream. What if he believed that anything is possible? What if that young boy turned his dream into a reality? What if he had a role model or mentor to guide him towards his dream?

Making it to the major leagues is a long shot with only 5.6 percent of high school baseball players moving on to play college baseball. Out of college baseball players, only 10 percent are drafted by a major league team. Young Casey Crosby from Elburn, IL, was one of the lucky ones.

When Crosby started high school ball, he

Casey Crosby on his debut for the Detroit Tigers.

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Centerspread / February 20, 2013 / KANELAND KRIER

was in the middle of the pack. He started out as an outfielder through his freshman and sophomore years at Kaneland High School.

“At that time, you don’t really know who you’re going to turn into. Once you get developed and become more mature, you know what you’re going to do,” Crosby said.

Once Crosby reached his junior year, he had a huge growth spurt and started to throw harder than he ever did before. In hopes of fulfilling his dream, he quit basketball his junior year to prepare for the upcoming baseball season.

Crosby worked on increasing his arm strength and worked on throwing mechanics the entire offseason. To get every competitive advantage, he committed to lifting weights, doing cardiovascular workouts and going to training camps.

“You have to get the coaching you need to get where you want,” Crosby said.

When tryouts came his junior year, his hard work and dedication paid off. Crosby stepped onto the mound and was throwing an unbelievable 88 mph. At that moment, he knew that being a pitcher was the path to fulfill his dream.

Courtesy Photo

Crosby worked extremely hard on his throwing skills his junior and senior year. He did so by working one on one with several coaches and former baseball players.

“You have to go get the coaching you need to get where you want. To do that, I sought out a pitching coach with the name of Bill Cop,” Crosby said.

Bill Cop was a former major league baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates who really made an impact on Crosby’s career. He helped Crosby with his throwing mechanics and his arm strength which really benefited Crosby in the long run.

“He really pushed me hard and helped me with a lot of the pitching mechanics I needed to be successful,” Crosby said.

The coaches from Kaneland also played a big role in Crosby’s success.

“The coaches really helped me make it to where I am now. They really helped out with basic fundamentals to do things at a solid pace.

We have a great coach in Coach Aversa because he has excelled at the college level. You can tell he really knows how to coach by how he took Kaneland to the state finals,” Crosby said.

When Crosby began his senior year, he surprised teammates and head coach Brian Aversa with the skills he had.

“Casey was a lot different than everyone else.

Not many kids can walk up to the mound and throw 90 mph. Watching Casey throw long toss was just something special. You could tell it was really easy for him,” baseball coach Brian Aversa said.

It wasn’t just Crosby’s baseball skills that impressed everyone, but it was his dedication and effort he gave.

“Casey was very coachable and never acted like he was a big shot. He’s a humble kid, a humble athlete, and he always put the team first. I would have to tell him to stop diving in practice because Casey was someone who always gave it 100% no matter what” Aversa said.

In the summer of Crosby’s senior, he spent a lot of time going to showcases around the Midwest.

“A lot of time is spent going to showcases but the hard part is getting in front of the right people to see how well you can do,” Crosby said.

Crosby’s first showcase he went to was in Plainfield, Illinois. After one showcase, Crosby received college offers.

“I really wish I can go back and let it soak in

n to

Success

a little more. I didn’t really stop and think how cool it was or anything,” Crosby said.

After going to many showcases in the Midwest, Crosby received numerous regional scholarship offers. However, he wanted national exposure. To do this, Casey entered in an important showcase in Florida where coaches from all over the country were in attendance.

At the national showcase, Crosby did extremely well. He never did end up playing college baseball because he was drafted in the fifth round by the Detroit Tigers, in June of 2007.

“Getting drafted was really cool, and it was something that I never thought I would be capable of doing. I had to wait until August to sign because of the negotiation process, but once I got to the minors, it was a whole different ball game,” Crosby said.

After overcoming elbow surgery the year he was drafted, Crosby had a brilliant start to his career. He worked very hard on improving himself and becoming the best baseball player he could be. Whenever he was on that diamond, he always gave it 100 percent. By 2010, Crosby was named the 47th best prospect in the major leagues.

In high school, I had to juggle other sports and school too so it’s nice to just focus on one thing at a time,” Crosby said.

Life as a baseball player can be challenging at times. Early in Crosby’s career, he spent only three months a year at his home in Elburn. The other nine months were dedicated to the season and fall camp.

“I had to eat, sleep, and breathe baseball. A

lot of kids think it’s great, but it begins to be a job, and there are long seasons. However, you just got to take a step back and realize it’s every boy’s dream to make it where I am,” Crosby said.

After spending the first couple months on the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers AAA), Crosby got a call saying he was going to make his major league debut against the Yankees in four days.

One day before the game, Crosby flew into Toledo, Ohio (one hour away from Detroit).

“I could not sleep that night, I was nervous, very nervous. When the day of the game came, I couldn’t talk, and I could barely breathe. That whole day was just crazy. All I could think about was the game,” Crosby said.

The players, however, helped Crosby settle in at Comerica Park.

“Once I saw everyone from spring training, I began to settle in and relax. It made me realize it was just another game, and that the guys I was playing with were just regular guys. They were cracking jokes to loosen me up, and it really did take the pressure off me. They’re all great guys,”

“There are only so many chances you can get. Make sure you always give it your best,” Crosby said.

At 7:05 p.m. on June 1st, 2012, Crosby walked onto the mound to face Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees. After throwing the first

pitch, his dream became a reality.

“It felt like any other game really, then I saw Derek Jeter step up to the plate and I guess I had to treat him like any other hitter,” Crosby said.

Crosby ended up getting a no decision in that game and recorded two more solid starts but was sent down to the minors shortly thereafter.

Crosby overall has impacted young athletes all around the country and many consider him their role model.

“It makes me feel like I can succeed in a sport knowing that a guy from Kaneland made it to the MLB. It looks like he (Crosby) has his head on his shoulders and I look up to him,” sophomore baseball player Brandon Kigyos said.

He also impacted the view on the overall Kaneland program.

“It feels great knowing that I’m playing for a program that has had amazing success and has great coaches at all levels that can help prepare me for the future,” sophomore baseball player Austin Jones said.

The impact Crosby has made on these young athletes is something special. He is the one person that gives every young baseball player hope to making their dream come true.

“People say you can be anything you want, but you have to be blessed with the skills to get there first. If you’re really passionate about baseball, when you come across an opportunity to get better, you have to take it. There are only so many chances you can get. Make sure you always give it your best,” Crosby said.

Kaneland Athletic Achievements

Contributions by Lexi Roach and Kaprice Sanchez

Volleyball: 2012 Regional Champions

Softball: 2012 Regional Champions

Boys Soccer: 2012 Regional Champs

Girls Cross Country: 6th in state

Baseball: 2011 State Champions Football: 3-Peat Conference Champions

Boys Cross Country: 13th state Tennis: 5 players went to state Golf: 12th at state Centerspread / February 20, 2013 / KANELAND KRIER

13

This story was written very well. It is very informative and informational. because of the squares in the corner and the ones at the bottom, they complement each other very nicely without overwhelming the reader. The two things that could be improved upon are the picture and the sidebar layout. The picture could have been a more in-depth look at cancer research, and the sidebar layout is cramped.

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The

Trials and Triumphs Most high school students spend their free time sleeping, hanging out with friends, playing sports or doing other hobbies teenagers do.

While high school students are living their everyday lives, 17-year-old Angela Zhang is working on an in-depth dramatic experiment. Working for hours nearly everyday in a science lab, and experimenting to find a possible cure for cancer isn’t very common among teenagers, or adults for that matter. Zhang on the other hand, would be lucky to have free time to do what average people do, but a hopeful cure for cancer is worth the hard work.

While most freshmen in high school read Romeo and Juliet, Zhang was reading doctorate level papers on bio-engineering at that age. By her sophomore year, Zhang had talked her way into a lab at Stanford. By her junior year, the rest was history.

What started as Zhang’s science fair project could turn into a cure for cancer. Zhang entered her research project into the National Siemens Science Contest, where she won a check for $100,000.

Zhang’s theory is that if cancer medicine was put in polymers, the polymers would attach to nanoparticles. The nanoparticles would then attach to cancer cells, making tumors easier for doctors to locate. From there, doctors can point infrared light at the polymers and melt them, which releases the medicine and kills cancerous cells, while leaving the healthy ones alone.

So far, this method has been tested on mice, and the results show great success. Almost all of the tumors in the mice disappeared.

Sophomore Alexis Logan thinks that Zhang’s

We asked 147 students their thoughts on cancer

Kaneland and Cancer

Sophomore Shannon Herra also has had a personal experience with cancer. In 2008, her mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and thyroid cancer.

“It literally made me sick to my stomach for the first few days after I found out,” Herra said. “When people would see my mom with no hair, it seemed like they were almost judging her. I don’t think people realize what it’s really like unless they experience it. It changes your perspective on life, the small problems don’t seem bad anymore, and you realize that people are always going through something worse” Cancer does not only affect students. English teacher Kurt Green lost his father to prostate cancer in 2005.

“When I found out my dad had cancer, I was in shock. I denied it at first, I couldn’t believe it,” Green said. “We thought he was perfectly healthy, but when he went in for his physical that’s when he found out he had prostate cancer.

He caught it at an early stage, and the doctors said that he would probably die of old age before he would die of cancer.”

Green said he was so concerned for his dad’s health that he began losing sleep over it.

m so

ou k n o w

eo

w ne

h o has h a d o rc

No:

22% Yes: 78%

ur

s cancer? y ha n tl re

Voices at Kaneland

possible cure is exciting. Logan was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but has since been cancerfree.

“I wasn’t really scared because I knew [the cancer] was curable,” Logan said. “It made me think a lot more about life and I learned not to take things for granted. It just made me look at the bigger picture.”

“It changes your perspective on life,” Herra said.

Do y

A teenage prodigy paves the way to a possible cure for cancer

BY MICHELLE MCCRACKEN AND ALEXIA OROSCO, Editors

“Too many lives are being taken from this disease.”

Poll compiled by Michelle McCracken and Alexia Orosco

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Centerspread / March 20, 2013 / KANELAND KRIER

-Freshman Will Ring

“My grandpa h don’t know how but now he’s mu

-Sopho

“I had a friend and I don’t wan go through that

-Fresh

“Cancer ruins f not only pain i has it but also ones.”

-Fresh

Cancer of Research “I knew that he was slowly dying. I eventually had to feed him and the doctors would tell me to try and get him up and moving, but it was hard for him to stand up or walk because the cancer had spread to his bones,” Green said.

Though his father’s cancer led to the worst, Green has decided to stay positive about the whole situation.

“My dad dying really made me realize the importance of each day,” Green said.

On a National Scale

d die of cancer nt anyone else to t.”

hman Josiah Swithers

families and causes in the person who o all of their loved

hman Aimee Frost

No: 12%

Yes: 88%

for cancer?

omore Natalie Ramsey

w

g harder to f in kin r d o ure ac

had colon cancer. I w he overcame it, uch more grateful.”

uld society Sho be

Cancer is not just one disease.

It is many diseases with different variations. According to the National Cancer Institute, the most common types of cancer are prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung Photo by Michelle McCracken cancer, and melanoma. All of the The Raymond G. Scott Cancer Care Center at Delnor in Geneva provides patients with radiation therapy treatment. common cancers have estimated in thousands of over the past two decades is reason to cheer. The times higher than that of a never-smoker. Now, deaths per year; melanoma estimates at about challenge we now face is how to continue those the risk of dying is up to 22.5 times higher.

9,000 deaths per year while lung cancer results gains in the face of new obstacles, like obesity “The steep increase in risk among female in about 159,000 deaths, according to the NCI. and HPV infections. We must face these hurdles smokers has continued for decades after the However, there is somewhat good news per- head on, without distraction, and without delay, serious health risks from smoking were well taining to cancer. The Annual Report to the Na- by expanding access to proven strategies to pre- established, and despite the fact that women tion on the Status of Cancer shows that cancer vent and control cancer,” John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., predominantly smoked cigarette brands mardeath rates are dropping in the U.S. The report chief executive officer of the American Cancer keted as lower in ’tar’ and nicotine,” Michael J. also shows that the death rate for men with Society, said.

Thrun, M.D., who led the study, said. melanoma is increasing, as is the death rate for A recent study by the American Cancer SociMedical experts like Thrun are working women with pancreatic and liver cancer. Some ety (ACS) shows that women are at a greater risk hard towards a cancer cure. Whether it is doctors believe that this can be prevented with a of dying from lung cancer than ever before. The medicated polymers or an HPV vaccination, human papillomavirus vaccination (HPV). study compares the 1960s to nowadays. In the the human race is striving towards a cure for “The continuing drop in cancer mortality 1960s, the risk of dying from lung cancer was 2.7 cancer that might soon be here.

“I really want them to find treatments that are less pain inflicting.” -Senior Alexis Davis

“I would be beyond happy [if there was a cure]. Multiple people in my life have unfortunately been battling cancer for years.” -Sophomore Alyssa Evans “I think that society is already working as hard as it can, we just need to wait for a breakthrough.”

-Freshman Brenna Gename

Centerspread / March 20, 2013 / KANELAND KRIER

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This page is very different from others. the numbers and picture on the next page are in an unusual spot, making it look different. The states in the center make the page very eye-catching. The story itself is also very informational. the one thing I would change about this page is all of the numbers floating around. I think they are distracting and they take away from the overall look of the page.

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1900

US National Debt throughout the years...

$2,136,961,091

Invest in Financial Security

BY MICHELLE MCCRACKEN AND ALEXIA OROSCO, Editors A few years ago in 2008, the United States fell into rapid turmoil after the housing market crashed. As housing prices drastically dropped, unemployment rates began to climb, consumer confidence began to fall and income levels became substantially lower. Eventually over 3 million houses were foreclosed. This was later referred to as the Great Recession.

The recession not only affected the U.S. Out of the seven largest economies in the world, only two countries avoided recession in 2008.

France’s economy contracted 0.3 percent in the second quarter, while China’s grew nine percent.

Although people today aren’t going through nearly as many financial problems as they did in years of the Recession, money continues to be a big issue or importance to a majority of the population. When money is given to teenagers, put onto a card, or thrown into someone’s savings account, spending money carelessly can become tempting.

“There will always be recessions as our economy goes through its natural ups and downs. Our government will try to smooth out the ‘peaks and valleys’ while maintaining steady economic growth for the nation,” business teacher Doug McNally said. “Sometimes they will do the right thing and sometimes they will contribute to the problem. Differing opinions between and even within political parties as well as between and within branches and agencies of the government will always make it difficult to make the right decisions for everyone.”

Often enough teenagers complain about being broke. The reasons could be anything from excessive shopping to going out too much, or simply not having an income. High schoolers should be aware of easy ways to save money while

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still being a teenager.

At some point in time, a teenager has wanted something that they just haven’t had money for.

While some high schoolers may just get money handed to them from parents, not all teenagers have it that easy. On top of that, when teenagers finally earn money for certain things, they often don’t spend it as smartly as they should.

“Teenagers should spend their money wisely by buying what is needed and what they can afford. They should not buy on impulse,” McNally said.

According to the National Consumers League, 55 percent of teenagers say that they work mainly for spending money. Another 35 percent save their earned money.

There are several easy ways for teens to rev up their savings. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) recommends saving for a specific goal. Teenagers should take into account any major future expenses, such as college costs and car payments. The FDIC also recommends developing an “emergency” fund for any difficult times.

“Individuals should budget or plan on their own for tough times. During times when all is going well, people should avoid ‘over spending’ and put some of their money aside for tougher times,” McNally said.

“They could save money by having a budget,” junior Jess Coia said.

The FDIC also encourages saving money regularly. Routinely saving makes it easier to let go of hard earned money and invest it in savings. The continuous adding of money and compounding interest adds up after a decent amount of time.

“Teenagers in high school should set aside money for the major purchases in their future.

They should save now to purchase their car rather than financing it. They should save now to help pay for their post-secondary education,”

$907,701,000,000

Centerspread / April 24, 2013 / KANELAND KRIER

19

McNally said.

When money is on a card, whether it’s credit or debit, it can be easy to lose track of how much money someone really has. Often for high school students, parents are the ones paying for whatever expenses arise.

According to NCL, 63 percent of teenagers say that parents are where they get most of their information about money and financing.

Parents are a good source, but teens should also learn on their own the difference between debit cards and credit cards.

Debit and credit are completely different concepts, which some teenagers may not think about while spending money. By owning a debit card, a person gets that money directly put into their account, and can spend it as their own without worrying about future charges. On the other hand, an owner of a credit card can spend a countless amount of money without actually owning it, but then eventually have to pay it off.

Credit cards can result in problems for some teens rather than debit cards, because they may lose track of how much money they’re really spending.

“I have a debit card, I think it’s better than a credit card because your parents can just put money on it,” Coia said.

“In terms of cards, a credit card is essentially a loan and debit card works like a check. A credit card is a revolving credit account. The user ‘charges’ purchases on the card with the promise to pay the amount back per the terms of the credit card agreement,” McNally said.

“Debit cards deduct your purchases or withdrawals directly from your checking account.”

Although teenagers may be tempted to spend their allowance or salary carelessly, having a budget and knowing how to spend sparingly could lead to a better financial future for themselves and, in the long run, the country.

2000

$5,674,178

920

1950

$257,357,352,351

$25,952,456,406

55

The percent of teens who work mainly for spending money.

Source: treasurydirect.gov

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Teens who believe they will make more than $36,000 at their first job.

BY THE NUMBERS

68

The percent of teens who believe it is safer to pay for good online with a check rather than a credit card.

STATES WITH HIGH DEBT Source: usdebtclock.org

Connecticut

$41 billion

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Ca

$153 billion

id or

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Illinois

$163 billion

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a

$407 billion

8,209,886

Wisconsin

$48 billion

2012

Photo by Alexia Orosco

$16,066,241,407,385 Centerspread / April 24,2013 / KANELAND KRIER

13

This is the best centerspread of the entire year. The design sets it apart from other spreads. The non-traditional look makes readers interested. The story itself is interesting, since the Law of Attraction is not a common topic of conversation.

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Q: How can high school students in-

that supports the Law of Attraction?

A: I think there’s evidence to support the self fulfilling

prophecy. If you believe or tell yourself enough, whether it’s good or bad, it will happen. As for [The Secret], it’s not provable. It goes too far. You can’t really disprove it. Not everyone is capable of achieving every dream.

corporate the Law of Attraction Q: Do you believe in the Law of Attraction? into their everyday life?

A: What I like about it is it promotes a positive at-

titude. That can never be something that holds you back.

12

Centerspread / May 17, 2013 / KANELAND KRIER

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come true. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get it.

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Truly believe that what you asked for will happen.

If doubts creep in, it may interfere with the result.

Some people wake up in the morning and instantly believe that their day is going to be good, while others dread facing the hours ahead of them. There are optimistic people like volleyball instructor Taye Im who looks for good in every bad situation, while other people let what happens to them affect their everyday lives.

“It’s really about how your thoughts are manifesting everything that comes into your life. For example, if you get up in the morning and you have negative thoughts, you’re already sending that out to the universe that that is what’s in your head. It seems like whatever you’re thinking about is what you attract,” Im said.

In other words, Im lives his life according to the Law of Attraction. Some believe that the law has the power to control people physically, mentally and emotionally in every aspect of life.

“Whatever you’re thinking about is what you’re going to be attracting into your life everyday,” Im said.

According to Shemaroo Entertainment, thinking, feeling and believing in a certain way can result in good or bad things for the future, depending on a person’s mind set. Some people think of the Law of Attraction as a way to strengthen positive thinking or achieve goals, but other people may use the law as an explanation of why bad things happen to them.

For example, say that a person stubbed his or her toe when they woke up one morning. From that point, the person decides whether or not to let a string of negative thoughts run through their head. Following the Law of Attraction, if they were to go the negative route, their day

would gradually get worse. However, if they were to decide to continue on with their day and forget about their throbbing toe, their day would run smoothly.

Simply stated, the Law of Attraction says that one’s thoughts and feelings run their life.

This is done through energy. The law says that energy is attracted to similar energy. Therefore, positive thoughts mean good things will happen, and vice versa. Thoughts about being rich and prosperous usually lead to a successful life.

Negative thoughts and behavior lead to a dismal and grim life.

So how can someone tell the difference between the Law of Attraction and luck?

With the Law of Attraction, a person’s attitude “sets the vibration,” or forces an initial feeling, relative to something going on in life.

Which means, for example, if someone dislikes someone else, their thoughts will attract more people similar to the one they dislike into their life. On the other hand, luck deals with chance and reality, rather than the Law of Attraction, which portrays a person’s inner thoughts affecting their lives.

“I would like to look at it as part of that attraction, whatever comes into your life, whether you call it luck or not, it’s still something that you are attracting. It’s not a fluke, it may seem that way, but I still believe that you are attracting that. In some sense it could be luck, but you’re in control of what’s coming into your life,” Im said.

Im went on to give the example of winning the lottery. When someone wins the lottery, the winner sees this a strike of luck. Five to ten years after the big win, often enough the winners are

Receive

Accept what comes into your life since the initial asking. Play a role in determining the outcome.

in even more debt than they were when they started due to overspending. What was originally luck could now be considered a curse.

“I think the luck is intertwined with the Law of Attraction,” Im said.“What you can consider luck can turn into a curse, and ultimately, I think it’s still something that you create. I don’t believe in coincidences anymore.”

The idea of attracting things into life through thoughts has been around for years, but the idea got popular when a best-selling novel, titled The Secret, was written in 2006. The author, Rhonda Byrne, helped shed light on what seemed impossible to some.

“I think [the Law of Attraction] is so simple people are going to have a tough time wrapping their mind around it. Ask, is the first step, then believe and receive,” Im said. “If you learn to ask properly and clearly, and believe that it can happen, and when it starts to happen that you actually open the doors so it comes into your life, then like magic it happens very quickly.”

Another piece to the law is visualization.

This important part is similar to affirmations, and it gives the confidence needed to put the law into action.

No matter how simple, some people may find this way of living to be out of their comfort zone. Im suggests studying up on the law and practicing it whenever they can. The result, he says, will more than likely be success.

“This is something that requires practice, but the practice is in your mind. You have to make sure that your message going out to the world is very clear, and it’s very pure thoughts,” Im said. “So in the beginning, be patient and you have to crawl, and you’ll see some small changes, and as you practice it more and more, you’ll start to see major changes.”

Centerspread / May 17 ,2013 / KANELAND KRIER

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The design of the page looks great on its own, but when paired with the Boys’ Sports page, it becomes a little hectic for the eye. The stories are nice and short, making them easy to read.

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Girls Sports

Kaneland Krier

Fall Preview: Lady Knights By: Michelle McCracken, Executive Editor

What happened last season: The 2012 Girl’s Cross Country team took 6th as a team at the state meet.

Key Players: Junior Victoria Clinton was the IHSA 2A Individual State Champion last year in cross country. Sophomore Brianna Bower also hopes to help the team, coming off an impressive freshmen season, placing 34th in state as well as an All-Conference nod. Senior captain Sydney Strang placed 38th at state last year, along with earning a All-Conference honor.

Coach Ecker’s expectations: Coach Doug Ecker says that the girl’s cross country team has a goal of keeping each individual healthy, along with showing improvement. The varsity team also hopes to finish in the top three at the conference meet and to qualify as a team for the state meet for the third year in a row Ecker said.

“All of the girls have worked very hard and if they can stay healthy they will have a successful season,” Ecker said.

Archive Photo by Eddie Rodriguez Victoria Clinton hopes to continue her season from last year.

Girl’s Cross Country

What happened last season: Under the coaching of Todd Weimer and Cynthia Violett, the Lady Knights earned the program’s first regional title in 21 years.

Key Players: Junior Ellie Dunn is returning from a successful sophomore season, including earning an All-Conference status. Senior captain Jenny Lubic hopes to make an impact, being a varsity veteran of four seasons.

“We are looking for young talent to be developed and leadership to be fostered throughout all positions played for the whole season,” Kerri McCastland said. McCastland has stepped in to fill Weimer’s shoes as the new varsity head coach.

The varsity volleyball team is coming off of a regional title.

Archive Photo by Sam Payton

Coach McCastland’s expectations: McCastland hopes to have a great season, especially because of the adjustments the team has to make with a new coach, new offense and new defense.

“I expect that each of us will come everyday with a learning attitude, a desire to work hard, a want to be better than yesterday, a genuine care for our teammates and love for wanting to compete and be successful,” McCastland said. “I’m so happy to be here with this team. They really are very talented and the sky’s the limit to what they can achieve together.”

Volleyball

What happened last season: Now juniors Madi Jurcenko and Angelica Emmanouil earned AllState honors for doubles. Current junior Sam Schrepferman also made an appearance at state for singles.

Key Players: Schrepferman became the first tennis player in KHS history to make it to the state tournament as a singles player. Jurcenko and Emmanouil also went eight rounds in the state tournament as a doubles team. “[They] are the most talented group of players on the same team that I’ve ever seen, much less coached,” tennis Coach Tim Larsen said. “All three are ground-breaking Kaneland athletes.”

Coach Larsen’s expectations: With a team as talented as the 2013 Kaneland tennis team, opposing schools can circle Kaneland on their calendar as the day to put forth their best effort, Larsen said.

“If you ever wanted to see a high school tennis match, 2013 is the year,” Larsen said.

Upcoming Knights Games

Tennis

Cross Country: September 21st @ Eddington Cross Country Meet

Archive Photo by Amy Burgholzer Juniors Madi Jurcenko and Angelica Emmanouil hope to return to state this season.

Volleyball: September 24th @ Sycamore

Tennis: September 21st @ Yorkville

Cindy Miller

By Evan Ortiz, Executive Editor

Cindy Miller has always had a deep interest in the classroom, whether it be from the learning side or the teaching side. She took her caring above and beyond just the classroom, being a coach and to a certain degree, a mother like figure giving guidance to all who sought it. Miller, early on, knew she had a desire to help people but wasn’t necessarily certain on how to channel that passion for people.

“I always thought I was going to be a nurse, because I’ve always had that type of personality where I care about people, I care for people. I put their feelings before my own, sometimes that gets me in trouble.” Miller said As time went on, Miller took notice of how rewarding and helpful teachers were, at least in her school experiences, as well as experiences at home.

“I loved going to my grandma’s house in the summertime. She was loving, caring and loved kids. She was also a teacher, and I thought I would never follow in her footsteps, but sometimes I feel like she’s following me,” Miller said.

Her grandmother alone was not the only reason for the change of heart to become a teacher, as teachings at critical periods of her life proved to be enough of an influence to alter her career path.

“I had awesome teachers at Northern Illinois University, I also had really good teachers in high school,” Miller went on to say.

Miller’s views education as one of the most important and interesting jobs that one can hold, allowing one to be a true beacon of information and to help mold our youth.

“I feel like I’m doing the job that any person would want if they want any kind of rewards out of their life, because everyday I learn something from my kids or I feel like I’ve helped a kid and any time you can go home and have that feeling. You don’t usually go home feeling mad or upset or having a bad day. I feel like I learn from you kids everyday, that’s why it’s such a joy to come to work. I love to keep up on what their doing,” Miller said.

Mrs. Miller’s mark on Kaneland

The Kaneland Chronicles

Kayla Hedgren, “The Gifted Performer” Tatianna Guerrero, “The Traveling Dancer” Mitch Bateman, “On a mission to help”

Featured Seniors

Mrs. Miller, “Mrs. Miller’s Mark on Kaneland” Mrs. Jurcenko, “A Dutch Lifestyle” Mr. Carriere, “From the ice rink to the classroom” Mr. Dillivan, “The Funky Ostrich”

Featured Faculty

As it launches online, the Krier is still committed to bringing Kaneland High School timely and accurate news. The staff met several times over the summer and throughout this year in hopes of creating a website useful to Kaneland students and community members. As Kaneland diversifies more and more each year, the staff has picked several students and faculty members with traits and hobbies worth sharing. All of the profiles are continued on the website. Use the QR code scanner on a smartphone to take you to the rest of the profile, and be on the lookout for more profiles coming soon.

Who knows, you might be the next one.

Gio Regalado

By Michelle McCracken, Executive Editor

Giovanni Regalado knows all about getting in shape. Going from being obese in the 5th grade to becoming one of the top football players of his class, the sophomore takes pride in his accomplishments. As a self-proclaimed and friend-proclaimed fitness guru, Gio, as his friends call him, is in love with the his healthy lifestyle.

“Usually [my day] starts off with waking at 5 a.m. Then I eat something usually high in protein or with lots of vitamins, then at 5:30 a.m. I pack my stuff and go to school for football weight lifting. After a long and exciting day of school, I will go to the Vaughn Center or any gym and work out again for an hour and a half, then do thirty minutes of intense cardio. Each day I like to work on different muscle groups. Then on day five I overtrain a certain muscle group. Finally I go home and my mom or dad will have a nutritious dinner for me to eat,” Regalado said.

Gio suggests for anyone that is looking to take on a healthier lifestyle to start making changes slowly.

“Just start by running and weight lifting and slowly transitioning your diet by making it healthier. It’s as simple as that,” Regalado said. “I recommend it to everyone because exercise is key to a happier lifestyle.”

If one were to look at Gio now, however, it would not be easy to guess what the elementary version of him looked like. But it wasn’t always dumbbells and protein shakes for Regalado.

The Gym Rat

Catalina Lopez

Got style? Catalina Lopez does, but her style isn’t from this new age; Catalina prefers the clothes, hair and music of the early 40’s through mid 50’s. She tries to match her modern closet to that of which she would find in her favorite time period.

“I just look at old ads or movies and things like that and find things similar to them in today’s stores. However it’s down to simple rules for me: no jeans, sweatpants or nude lips. And antiquing. If you can find something in your size, in your budget and in good condition, grab it,” Lopez said.

There’s a multitude of things to shop for, but Catalina prefers to indulge in footwear when she attacks the store shelves.

“Seriously vintage shoes are like a fetish for me. There is just something about the construction that makes a foot look good, like small and dainty; it’s fabulous. Function is very low on my priority list. Shoes are meant for sitting around looking glam in. And kitchenware, I adore anything overly 50’s in a kitchen,” Lopez said.

Her inspiration stems from a very young age when she was just a toddler looking with wide eyes at the great big world.

“A ton of things inspired me. I think the first thing was when I was really, really young I would watch old 60’s TV shows, and I was like whoa. Whatever that is... I want to be it. So I started playing dress up... and never stopped I guess.

Also, people like Gypsy Rose Lee, Bettie Page, Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall and my favorite, Gene Tierney, inspired me,” Lopez said.

By McKayla Helm, Executive Editor

A 40’s flash from the past

Ellie Blackenhagen, “The Animal Lover” Tyler Rowe, “The Steel Artist” Jacob Sussland, “The Lacrosse Kid” Hallie Wilhelm, “Hockey in the Hands of Hallie”

Featured Freshmen

Gio Regalado, “The Gym Rat” Catherine Gorenz, “Riding to her Dream” Andriy McFarlin, “The Open Leader” Nicole DiSandro, “Gimme Gimme Nicole”

Featured Sophomores

Tarkin Cetinel, “The Friendly Foreigner” Catalina Lopez, “A 40’s flash from the past” Ryan Mitchell, “Actor in Training” Lexi Logan, “Passion for Fashion”

Featured Juniors

Ethan Witt, “Boy Genius”

Everyday news articles can be found here. Our reporters cover everything from administrative news to school changes to community events. Take a look and enjoy!

These are the best stories of the month. Be sure to check these out!

Click on these links to get your news on any social media site.

Watch the ticker for updates on all KHS activities.

Getting to know the website

Be sure to participate in our weekly poll!

Sports recaps, features and profiles are found under the Sports section. Find out the latest news about Kaneland athletics here.

Searching for whatever you want, whenever you want just got easier. Type in any keyword to bring up all related stories.

If you want to contact Krier Publications, use the Submit A Letter tab on the website. This is the most direct way to contact us.

The supplement itself gives a lot of information and showcases interesting individuals, as well as what the website has to offer.

47

Instead of reviewing a new album, I reviewed the most annoying Christmas songs. The story received a great response from the student body, and the light feeling of the reviews made them fun.

48

Pulse

November 21, 2013

9

Holiday songs that make you a Grinch

By Michelle Mckracken, Executive Editor

#4 Jingle Bells #3 Last Christmas #2 Baby its Cold Ah, the classic holiday song. Written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857, Jingle Bells has managed to keep brightening spirits all of these years.

With basically an infinite amount of renditions from every artist that has ever delved into the world of holiday music, the radio is always sure to play at least half of these. You like Dean Martin? They have that. How about The Million Dollar Quartet? Presley and Cash do not disappoint. However, just because there are so many versions does not mean that the radio should be given the right to play almost all of them in the span of a month. It would be easier to jingle all the way without this tune stuck in our heads.

Last Christmas, we heard this song twice, and the very next day we heard it four more times.

Last Christmas was recorded in 1984 and is still being overplayed and played and played and played. As if hearing Wham! complain about still being obsessed with an ex-lover wasn’t irritating enough, try hearing it at least three times a day.

Taylor Swift did us no favors by remaking this Holiday favorite in 2011.

This beautiful holiday song comes with images of a cozy log cabin, a warming fire blazing in the fireplace, a smooth talking manly man in a well-fitted Christmas sweater and date rape. The poor girl just wants to go home, but the man is trying to convince her to stay. At one point, she says, “Say, what’s in this drink?” and we all want to tell her that it might be Rohypnol.

#1 All I Want for Christmas

What would the holiday season be without hearing Mariah Carey croon about wanting her crush to be hers for Christmas? We get it, she wants the guy, and she’s willing to neglect the holiday traditions just to make him hers. We can thank radio DJ’s for reminding us of this at every turn of the dial during the holiday season. Released in 1994, the song has been around since before most of us were even born. Listeners have been annoyed with it ever since.

Movies recommended for Kaneland peers

By Alexia Orosco, Executive Editor

If you enjoy “Happy Gilmore,” then you’d like “Elf ”...

The popular comical film “Happy Gilmore” starring Adam Sandler features a childlike character (Sandler) who is a determined, yet completely untalented, hockey player. He’s consistent towards reaching his dream as a professional hockey player until his grandmother is in need of money. Gilmore realizes he needs to help her however he can so he later takes on the sport of golf, and eventually wins money for his grandmother while finally finding a place to fit in. Just like Sandler, actor Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf in “Elf.” Raised as an elf and living a carefree life, Buddy doesn’t seem very alert to the realistic world around him. When the news is broken to Buddy that he’s not a real elf though, he decides to journey back to New York City, in an attempt to find his place in search of his real family.

If you enjoy “The Chronicles of Narnia; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” then you’d like “The Polar Express”...

In “The Chronicles of Narnia; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” four siblings are sent from London to a country estate to ensure their safety during World War II. Lucy, one of the siblings, finds a giant wardrobe while playing hide and seek one day. Lucy finds that the wardrobe takes her to a different universe called Narnia. The land is taken over by an evil witch who cursed Narnia so that it would always be winter, but never Christmas.

“The Chronicles of Narnia” relates to “The Polar Express” as the films take people along a journey with the actors and characters throughout an unfamiliar universe.

In “The Polar Express,” Billy’s family slaughters him with the fact that everything about Christmas is just a myth, which results in him having a hard time continuing to believe in Santa.

Just like “The Chronicles of Narnia” though, Billy’s Christmas spirit soon changes when a mysterious train comes and picks him up on Christmas Eve. Billy discovers the truth behind the Christmas holiday when he travels to the North Pole and meets Santa.

Courtesy of IMDB.com

The page is very word-heavy. However, all of the stories are great. The pro side of the debate has great statistics, as well as unique points to think about.

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4

Opinion

Kaneland Krier

Is the United States still the greatest nation?

By Jack Coyle, Editor

The red, white and blue are proud and noble people, but is that justified? With our continually declining academic, political, environmental and military standards, what do we as Americans really have to be proud of anymore?

There is almost no fact to claim that we are the greatest country in the world.

Americans are known for many things, specifically their freedom.

The USA likes to boast about being the land of the free where everyone is created equal, however, they only rank at number 10 for the most economically free countries. America is still behind on many key personal freedom issues; the legalization of marijuana, or marriage equality has been passed in many other nations like Canada, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Norway. Is love and marriage not a human right?

The U.S. is lacking in these areas because we are not the most free.

Claiming in the constitution that everyone is created equal is obvious to most, but if that is so, why do women still make 77 cents to the man’s dollar? Why do white men make an average of $12,000 a year more on average than black men?

It seems America is still struggling with basic equality, according to the Washington Post.

Education is a huge problem in the United States; the U.S. is 60 in education expenditures which in laymen’s terms means the amount of GDP spent on education, which is only a measly 5.4 percent. The U.S is 7 in literacy, 27 in math, 22 in science, according to CIA.org, and these numbers are no where near number 1.You may be asking yourself, whether the U.S is the first at something?

The U.S leads the world in three

categories, number of incarcerated citizens per capita, the number of religious adults and defense spending. Defense spending is important right? Wrong. The U.S. spends more than the next 26 countries behind them combined and 25 of those countries are allies of the United States. These are not exactly categories that are vital to striving as a nation.

The biggest problem with this is that America has all of the potential to be the greatest country in the world. Since World War II, America has had the biggest growing economy as well as the room for the biggest cultural advancements in the world, so what happened?

During the civil rights movement, America was divided because of differing views. After Vietnam, America was almost entirely split up. This caused obvious repercussions. After all of this fighting and disagreeing, America’s golden days were over.

This is not the end for the United States of America though; America has many resources and is doing a lot of things right like slowly helping fix social issues. With a strong leader, America could return to its

OUR VIEW Homework

Over the years, the debate of whether or not homework has a positive or negative affect towards students has intensified. Even with the positives of having homework, the downfall is too great to be ignored.

The nights where teenagers stay up too late and become stressed over homework has to come to an end. Teenagers in today’s society are becoming more involved in after school activities, like sports and band.

For example, a sophomore that plays basketball at Kaneland High School doesn’t get home until around 6 p.m. on practice days. The days that a freshman has a game, he wouldn’t get home until 8 p.m. or even 9 p.m. some nights

By Michelle McCracken, Executive Editor

America: The land of free, home of the brave. There could not be a more accurate description of the country. From the powerful Maine waves to the sweltering summers in Phoenix, it’s safe to say that the US has a culture full of the diversity that makes America what the Founding Fathers had in mind.

But just like other countries, the U.S. has it’s problems. Corrupt politicians and a struggling economy make it easy to complain. There are also plenty of statistics that claim that the U.S. is no longer superpower, and that other nations are catching up to the American way of life.

While these statistics may be true, they fail to show the whole picture.

For example, the U.S. education system is apparently not up to par with other nation’s. With that being said, one must remember that the U.S. has a large and diverse population. These huge numbers hide those high achievers. Also, the United States has some of the best universities in the world. What more proof of this is needed other than other countries continually trying to send their students here?

Cartoon by Brandon Park

if he has to stay for the varsity game. How is he supposed to go home, eat dinner, maybe do a few chores, take a shower and do homework while still getting a good night’s sleep?

The bottom line is that he has to choose between homework and sleep. This decision that teenagers have to make is unacceptable. Sleep is too valuable to lose because a student has to be able to function on a daily basis. According to sleepfoundation.org, a teen needs to get somewhere between 8 and 9 hours of sleep every night.

Many teenagers hold jobs in society today. For example, junior Gemma Esposito works on average five days a week and works usually until 11 p.m. Homework is the last thing she has on her mind when she gets home.

In several poverty stricken countries, children are lucky to graduate high school, let alone go on to earn a college degree. Here in the U.S., almost all students have the opportunity to earn a college degree. In fact, Census data shows that a third of the nation’s 25-29 year olds have a bachelor’s degree.

One hot topic today has been the economy. The U.S. economy has in recent years been struggling.

With the decline of the housing market, American citizens were thrown into a recession that the majority had never known in their lifetime. With an unemployment rate of a little less than 8 percent, it’s no wonder that the nation began to, and is still, worrying.

However, as economics would show, it is completely normal for a nation’s economy to have its highs and lows. A nation that always has a prosperous economy is a totally euphoric and unreachable idea. If this nation can bounce back from the Great Depression, the U.S. can and will recover, and the recovery has already begun.

Though healthcare is a big controversy right now, one thing for sure is that the U.S. has some of the best doctors in the entire world. Some simple proof of this lies in knowing that foreigners are often sent here for medical treatment that their homeland cannot provide.

So yes, there are those who say that our superpower title is being threatened. However, we must remember that there is another side to these frightening facts. Maybe the scariest part isn’t our supposedly declining superpower status, but instead how quick our society is to ridicule the nation instead of showing the patriotism we were built on.

“I’m just too tired by the time I get home to even think about getting homework done.

My motto is if I don’t get homework done at school, it won’t get done,” Esposito said.

The reason that many teenagers don’t do their homework is that the added stress just doesn’t equal the reward.

Completely abandoning homework isn’t a very viable option, as it has many positives such as reviewing class materials, but neither is giving a student three hours of homework every night.

However, a change has to happen. Being stressed out about homework everyday is not healthy, and is no way helping any student. In this day and age, teenagers need to be given the chance to have reasonable time to complete their homework.

-Jarod Erlandson, Editor

The anecdote from Mr. Trapp really helped set up the story, and it creates a more personable introduction. The story introduces the different themes very well.

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In-depth

Kaneland Krier

The

M ea ning

By Michelle McCracken, Executive Editor

In 2012, District 302’s changed their bullying policy to a stricter no tolerance policy. High school social worker, Patrick Trapp, decided to introduce the new protocol to the faculty with an intriguing video.

The video centers around a mother and her toddler son, Adam, who cannot speak due to a disorder he was born with. One day when she is shopping with her children, Adam grabs a rose and puts it on the conveyor belt.

Flash forward to the next day, and the mom is having a rough day. She’s extremely frustrated, and at one point she hears her Adam in the other room. She looks in there and sees Adam climbing up some boxes to get to the rose he picked out the day before. Adam walks up to his mom, gives her the rose and says, “Here.”

What does this video have to do with bullying and communicating with one another?

As the mom goes on with her life, it takes some experiences for Adam’s mom to figure out what he really meant when he gave her the rose. Instead of saying “Here,” Adam was saying “Hear,” as in listen to what people are trying to tell you Trapp said that this video relates to how most people, even teachers, listen to each other.

“We don’t listen well for the true meaning.

We see this kid in some sort of pain, but we always don’t listen to what they’re telling us.”

Trapp said.

The rule Albert Mehrabian, a professor at UCLA,

gay

People tend to throw around the word gay in everyday context such as “That is so gay”, not even thinking about how it might offend someone.

behind words

developed and published a study in the 1960s about the way people communicate with one another. This study is known as the 7%-38%-55% Rule. In this study, Mehrabian had participants listen to recordings of nine words with three different tones: liking, neutrality and disliking.

From here, participants had to guess the emotion that was being conveyed in the recording.

Similar tests were done with pictures of female faces with these emotions.

From his results, Mehrabian claims that when people communicate there are three factors that determine how it may be interpreted: tone of voice, the words and body language. He says that when people talk to each other, the non-verbal behavior is more noticeable than the actual words. Mehrabian believes d that body language accounts for 55 percent of how something is interpreted, tone of voice accounts for 38 percent and the actual words used accounts for seven percent.

“The best way to tell when someone is being genuine himself is when their words and tone of voice are congruent. They’re actually closer to being happy. The problem with that is it’s almost never like that,” Trapp said.

“We have to realize that people are far more complex than we think,” Trapp said.

For example, if someone said, “I don’t have a problem with you,” with their arms crossed and avoiding eye contact, it would most likely be interpreted that the person does in fact have a problem with the other person because of

love

Especially in high school, couples tend to rush into “I love you”. The word doesn’t have the same strong effect as it used to.

their body language. Even with a happy tone of a voice, when it is weighed against body language, it usually loses.

Look at an anorexia case, Trapp said. The classic anorexic has a big smile on while talking about the pain in his or her life. This is a clear sign that something is wrong. The incongruence between their tone and language allow others to tune into something being wrong.

Freshman Alex Delgado believes that body language is a big factor as to how someone perceives words.

“When they’re serious, they’ll look mad like they want to hit them. When they’re joking, they’ll give them a pat on the back,” Delgado said.

Junior Gemma Esposito agrees that there is a difference in body language depending on whether a person is serious or joking.

“When someone’s joking, they’ll be giggling and smiling. When someone’s serious, they’ll just be like ‘nah,’” Esposito said.

losing the meaning Often enough, however, simple jokes are taken seriously and can lead to people being accused of harassment, whether it was meant to be mean or not. While bullying is by no means a new notion, it is taking a new form, a high tech form: cyberbullying.

“People use the computer to hide behind.

They fight over websites where the world can see,” Esposito said.

Cyberbullying is defined by Merriam-Web-

die

Telling people to “go die” and “kill yourself” is often used just as an angry statement meaning to leave or shut up. No one means it seriously.

In-depth

February 20, 2014

13

s p that areo k e n

ster Dictionary as the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person, often done anonymously. Since technology allows these users to be anonymous, there is no longer the emotional connection between saying something and the toll it takes on others, as well as no accountability for what is said.

“The long term effects of cyberbullying can include depression, low self esteem anxiety, fear, truancy, poor student achievement, violence and suicide,” CEO and President of Awareity Rick Shaw said.

Awareity, an anti-bullying organization, plans on implementing a program to help reduce cyberbullying in schools across the nation.

The talk about cyberbullying recently reached a fever pitch. Ask.fm, a Latvian social networking site created in 2010, has become yet another social opportunity for teenagers throughout the world. But it hasn’t only become that; it has also become the newest home for cyberbullying. Due to the anonymous setting on the site, users can message anyone they like saying absolutely anything they please, and more often than not they aren’t saying nice things.

Teenagers around the world have been feeling that heat from the users vile comments, and in some cases the words do more than just hurt, whether they are meant to be sarcastic or not.

“Nowadays there is detachment through devices. Often a person takes a text wrong,”

Trapp said. “Sarcasm is a big thing lost in texting.”

Several suicides have been connected to harassment generated on the website. Hannah Smith, 14, from Britain committed suicide after receiving messages on the site telling her to do things like drink bleach and cut herself.

Billy Lucas was a normal,15-year-old boy from Indiana. Looking at him, one would not have known he was bullied at school. It took the harsh words from one classmate to make the statement into a reality: “Go kill yourself.”

On September 9, Lucas committed suicide.

Although he never said he was gay, many assumed he was and taunted him for it. “‘Go kill yourself ’ is [a phrase] that has lost it’s weight,” Trapp said.

“People shouldn’t joke about it because they might take it seriously. Then they’ll think ‘I made them do that,’” Delgado said.

Although it’s easy to point fingers at others, Trapp believes that often it is the society that is pushing teens to say things they don’t mean all,

because they simply aren’t sure of who they are yet.

“A lot of times teens don’t know who they are, so they overcompensate in adolescence.

Society pushes them to become something they’re not. They’re expected to know what they want to do with their life, which is ridiculous,” Trapp said. “We have to realize that people are far more complex than we think.”

“People should act how they want to be acted towards,” Esposito said. “You don’t want to start wars because of your tone.”

To watch the full video about Adam’s story, use the QR code to the side.

-Contributions by Shannon Gilkey

retard literally hate Calling someone retarded doesn’t mean they are mentally disabled anymore. This word is thrown around to mean that someone is “stupid”.

Today, people use literally as a way of describing what happened in a situation to add emphasis, although most of the time it isn’t “literal”.

Hate is not as strong of a word as it used to be.

When someone is mad or jokingly upset the word hate is often used to describe their emotions.

The idea behind these reviews was to draw attention to underground artists.

“The 1975” review encompasses the band’s sound, which was the ultimate goal.

56

Pulse

February 20, 2014

Underground artists to look for in 2014

9

By Evan Ortiz, Executive editor

By McKayla Helm, Executive editor

By Michelle McCracken, Executive editor

Rap: Chance the Rapper Chance the Rapper is an up and coming star hailing from Chicago whose vast success is sweeping the nation due to his rigorous tour schedule, all at the ripe young age of 20.

Chancellor Bennet’s rap career started after some off time from school during a 10 day suspension, which in turn, inspired his first major mixtape 10Day. Since then Chance has put out one other mixtape, Acid Rap, which was released for free and has put the rapper at the front of the underground scene.

Although he remains unsigned and has no intentions of joining any major labels, Chance still has had major success both on the airwaves and on tour with catchy songs such as “Favorite Song” featuring Childish Gambino and “Acid Rain,” a heartfelt slow jam speaking on the travesties of growing up in the Chicagoland area.

His music touches on difficult subjects such as rampant gun violence, drug abuse, the lack of direction of a young adult and neglect based around racism. In terms of rap music, Chance the Rapper is on point to be a defining rapper of the decade.

Folk: Ben Howard An English singer-songwriter, Howard’s soft spoken voice and indie folk music won him the British Breakthrough Act and British Solo Male Artist awards in 2013. His only album Every Kingdom, which features past singles he’s created, was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2012.

Not only has he won standing awards for his clear, canorous music, but his song “Oats in the Water” was featured on season four of “The Walking Dead” in episode five. Hopefully more of his symphonic sound will be heard as the months pass.

Jake Bugg Indie rock reached Britain’s top charts in 2012 with Jake Edwin Kennedy’s hit self-titled album, Jake Bugg.

His fame across the seas landed him some spots on American shows such as “Ellen” and more recently “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” where he sang “What Doesn’t Kill You” from his November album Shangri La. With his rusty voice and simple background music, he stands out from the new digital era and brings back heavy 60’s influences.

Alternative: The 1975 With a unique name inspired from the scribblings in a poetry book, it’s no wonder The 1975 has developed a unique electro yet guitar-clad sound that is still considered punk alternative.

The 1975 released four EP’s, all leading up to the release of their self-titled debut album in 2013. Not only did this album launch their songs to foreign countries, but it also debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

By Noelle Espino, Editor

for him.

Although the writing appears humorous, readers can learn of the injustices that modern day Native Americans face, as well as their poor living standards and education on reservations. It also reveals the common issues of alcoholism and domestic violence.

The novel also reflects the life of a teenager, the values one learns from people they meet and decisions they make. It teaches about an inner strength that is capable of enduring the worst pain imaginable.

It is a fairly easy read and a quick 230 pages that does not disappoint. Complete with pictures, sports, fighting, romance, tragedy and triumph, not a single page is boring, making it a good read for any teenager or adult, however, swearing and darker content might be viewed as inappropriate for younger audiences.

This eye-opening novel will most likely leave readers with a sense of appreciation for who they are and what they are capable of doing.

Sherman Alexie won multiple awards for this novel including the National Book Award.

For more artists check online:

Novel leaves reader with new appreciations The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a realistic fiction novel, largely based on the author’s, Sherman Alexie’s, life. Using a unique voice and a twist of dark humor, Alexie has written a novel that both entertains and informs.

Growing up on a Spokane reservation, Arnold Spirit Jr. understands the meaning of suffering.

Surrounded by poverty that has left his tribe hungry, angry and broken, Spirit begins to realize that the reservation is a trap where Native Americans are born and die unnoticed.

Following a small hope for a better future, he enrolls in Reardan, a high school comprised of the wealthy and the white. Viewed as a betrayer by the Spokane and a nobody at his new school, he struggles to gain respect. While persevering through the complications and grievances of life, he makes new and unexpected friends.

Despite the world’s cruel efforts to break his spirit, inner fight drives him to many victories and allows him to defy society’s expectations

Courtesy photo

Often the editorials point out problems in the school and in society. This one takes the polar opposite position and talks about how great Kaneland is. It was a refreshing editorial for the Krier readers.

58

Editorial

April 17, 2014

5

Kaneland Krier Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 ext. 236 www.kanelandkrier.com Member ISHSPA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA NSPA First Place 2010 Quill and Scroll First Place 2010 NISPA Golden Eagle 2011 NISPA Golden Eagle 2012 Subscription rates: Nine monthly issues, two supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $32 EXECUTIVE STAFF

Kaneland is really not as bad as most of the students make it out to be.

Cartoon by Brianna Geller

Time to take pride in Kaneland It can be heard on a daily basis the mutters of Kaneland students complaining about our school.

“Kaneland sucks.”

“Leave it to Kaneland to charge $180 for a parking pass.”

“Of course we don’t have a snow day, we go to Kaneland.”

Constantly, members of the student body are putting down their school. Complaints about the school being too cold, too crowded or smelling like manure have become a part of life for much of us.

In retrospective, however, Kaneland High School is not a terrible place to be. In fact, it’s one of the best places if the student body decides to look at it that way.

Located in the vast cornfields of Maple Park, Kaneland High School boasts some of the best athletics, academics and activities in the area.

As a quick recap, the Knights have earned 31 all-state athlete titles since switching the the Northern Illinois Big 12 conference in 2011.

These selections have been aided by 14 conference titles, 12 regional championships and five sectional wins. The new conference gives Kaneland athletics the chance to compete with neighboring schools, and often enough we come out on top of our rivals.

The Scholastic Bowl team has won the last four regional titles they have competed for. As if the activities at Kaneland couldn’t get any better, the fine arts continue to exceed standards, winning the prestigious Festival Sweepstakes Award at the Heritage Music Festival last

year in Washington D.C. Statistics even show that Kaneland reigns superb when other schools when academics are compared. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the student to teacher ratio at Kaneland High School is 17:23, while other schools in the area have a higher ratio of 21:27.

From there it becomes a snowball effect. A smaller student to

Editorial Board Vote Agree

22

Disagree

0

teacher ratio leads to more one on one time which leads to higher test scores. For the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) in 2013, Kaneland had 68 percent of students meeting or exceeding standards in math, 69 percent in the reading portion and 66 percent in the science portion.

At Dekalb High School, their percents were quite lower, with 46 percent meeting or exceeding standards in math, 51 percent in reading and 46 percent in science, all of these percents ranking slightly below the national average. In reality, Kaneland High School makes other schools in the area look like lousy places to be. Other schools don’t have the chance to storm the court

after a buzzer-beater to win the regional championship.

Other schools aren’t home to clans that mingle with other clans, making the clique stereotype portrayed in countless movies almost non-existent. Other schools also don’t have easy access to courses that prepare students for real careers, like the ones the Fox Valley Career Center provides.

So next time instead of attacking the school that is helping your future, think of the positives.

Don’t think of the hallways as too crowded, think of it as more people to become friends with. Don’t think of the school as too cold, think of it as the chance to show off your new sweatshirt. Don’t think about the school smelling like manure, think about that ripe smell being the stamp of our towns contributions toward the farming industry.

Sure, school isn’t the first place any of us want to be at 7:30 in the morning. The cold and long winter made it even harder this year than normal to get out of our cozy beds and ready ourselves to face the long day of learning ahead. But it’s our job to show up and learn to the best of our abilities, and so we might as well make it as rewarding as possible.

As a student body, creating a positive atmosphere is the task at hand.

Whether it starts with a smile or a happy thought or simply refraining from bashing Kaneland, high school might just become a pleasant experience for all of us.

Nick Boose Ellie Strang Editor-in-Chief Online Production Michelle McCracken Editor-in-Chief of the Web Nina Burns Alexia Orosco Kaneland News Bureau Design Editor Felicia Steik Evan Ortiz Courtney Diddell Advertising Billing Production Online Editorial Circulation Kristin Staub Publicity Editorial Amelia Likeum Office Manager McKayla Helm Visual Editor Head Cover Sam Schrepferman Copyeditor Online Design Manager

PRINT EDITORIAL STAFF Centerspread Jarod Erlandson

Opinion Austin Kintz Pulse Jack Coyle

In-Depth Katrina Paulick

Features Community News Gabby Cano Real World Maddy McDermot Noelle Espino School News Mark Lilly Sports Flex Sam Wolf Emma Wallace Photography Amelia Likeum

GENERAL STAFF

Alec Aurelio, Karen Becker, Mary Clausen, Julianna Coulter, Taylor Eaves, Olivia Galor, Shannon Gilkey, Jacora Hamaker, Brett Hansen, Alexi Harvey, Andrew Kray, Madeline Mohatt, Kiandra Powell, Kayla Poyer, Tanner Robertsen, Nicholas Soucie, George Strang, Amy Burgholzer, Amy Croft, Natalie Davis, Dean Divisio, Katelyn Long, Paige Wagner, Anna Senese, Paige Gilson, Ryan Schafernak, Brian Motta

GRAPHICS Shannon Ransford, Kelsy Goodwin, Nicole Packard, Kurtiss Limbrick, Lexi Logan, Kyle DiSandro, Ryan Longson

ADVISERS Kimberly Reese Krier adviser

Nicole Larsen Graphics adviser

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: Nicholas Boose, Nina Burns, Courtney Diddell, McKayla Helm, Amelia Likeum, Michelle McCracken, Alexia Orosco, Evan Ortiz, Kristin Staub, Sam Schrepferman, Felicia Steik, Ellie Strang, Gabrielle Cano, Jack Coyle, Jarod Erlandson, Noelle Espino, Austin Kintz, Mark Lilly, Madalyn McDermont, Katrina Paulick, Emma Wallace, Samuel Wolf. 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.

The senior supplement is understandably text-heavy, but there is no other way to get every senior student’s name in it. The design is nice, and having a separate section for Waubonsee makes it much more organized.

60

Illinois

All dates and college decisions are as of press dead.

Alma Acosta Regency College Cosmetology

Melyssa Cordero U of Illinois - Chicago Nursing

Luis Acosta Western Illinois Accounting

Carly Dalessandro Triton Comm. College Undecided

Matt Alfrey North Central Music Composition

Briana DiBenedetto Debuntantes Cosmetology School Cosmetology

Adhurim Azemi Loyola Biochemistry

Waubonsee Community College Charles Guderjahn Business Alexis Hart Early Childhood

Nicole Packard Mass Communication

Stephanie Pezzute Nursing

Alex Beck

Jeremiah Heinicke Business Nick Henne Criminal Justice

Chris Binot Psychology

Tyler Hill Biology

Michelle Bohanek Graphic Design

Mike Potvin Sports Equipment Technology

Mike Howard

Adrik Provost

Katherine Brinkman

Brooke Howland Nursing

Robert Redman Psychology

Hassaan Imran Biology

Kyle Romas

Alexander Jones Art

Teri Ruffolo

Stephanie Abshear Nursing Christian Andrzejewski Adam Barnhart Graphic Design

Tina Burson Veterinary Tech Antonio Cimmarrusti English Jake Cinkus Business Management

Lydia Krauz Psychiatry

Luke Conway Graphic Arts

Alex Krienitz

Anthony Parillo

Mary Piazza

Alexandria Russell Xavier Saucedo Music Production

Sara Laurie Communications

Nelly Sepulveda Administrative Assistance

Justin Leeseberg Accounting

Kaylee Schoaff Computer Science

Agnieszka Damiec

Brandon Lewkowich Music

Tristan Silva Automotive

Michael Deja Communications

Sammy Madriz Criminal Justice

Juan Delgado Nursing

Kaley Martens

Matt Sindelar Engineering Dylan Snodgrass

Christie Crews Finance Brandon Croy Auto

Mickensey Dixon Business Sean Dunphy Physical Therapy Emily Eckert Jeremy Faivre Nursing Megan Frascond Nursing Krissy Frohlich Garrett Gamalski Automotives

Joey Mendoza Mikaela Messick Behavioral Neuroscience Michael Mietka Criminal Justice Morgan Modaff Graphic Design Adam Nguyen Biomedical Engineering

Cynthia Vasquez Nursing John Venneri Engineering Edgar Villafuerte Luke Welz International Business Nick Welz Arizona Wilson

Natalie Nunez

Alec Williams

Esteban Ochoa

Glenn Wright Music

Michael Geringer Mechanical Engineering

Evan Ortiz Advertising

Denise Gombar

Darya Osman

Lauren Grim

Cameron Thomas

Ernesto Yep Economics Haley Zimmer

Mitch Bateman Northern Illinois Math Education Steven Becker Benedictine Pre-Pharmacy Daniel Berndt Northern Illinois Biology Sam Bertellotti Northern Illinois Meteorology Dzenan Bogaljevic DePaul Pre-Medicine

Brett Dienst Joliet Junior College Agriculture Business Dakota Drefke Art Institute Chicago Fashion Design Bryan Endrenal Northern Illinois Pre-Medicine Rebecca Garcia Oliver Nazarene University Nursing Mattie Garrison Eureka College Special Education Alex Gerlach Northern Illinois Undecided

Sam Bower Dane Goodenough Aurora University Youth Sport Development Illinois State Undecided Nick Bowman Kelsey Goodwin Western Illinois Columbia Law Enforcement Photography Sam Bradford Mike Gorenz College of DuPage Illinois State Undecided Agriculture Business Johnathan Briggs Tatiana Guerrero Augustana North Central Music Education Chemistry Tristan Brown Tony Hammond College of DuPage Northern Illinois History Mechanical Engineering Erika Carlson Kayla Hedgren U of Illinois Olivet Nazarene University Biology Spanish Vocal Performance Tyler Carlson Aurora University Caroline Heimerdinger Business North Central Psychology Kyle Carter Southern Illinois Healthcare Management Maddie Heinzer Western Illinois Ryan Caul Pre-Medicine Aurora University Art Jessica Hendry Lesly Chavez Kishwaukee Loyola Sonography Biology Emily Herkes Kyle Christensen Illinois State Elgin CC Diatetics Welding Taylor Corbett Aurora University Elemtentary Education

Madeline Hoskinson Eastern Illinois History

Emily Huber College of DuPage Speech Therapy Jessica Jablonski Monmouth International Studies Ally Johnson Aurora University Criminal Justice Jacob Jordan Universal Technical Institute Auto Technician Keving Kassinger Rockford University Law Enforcement Sam Kitz Illinois State University Undecided Kiersten Knarr Elgin CC International Sales Dylan Kuipers North Central College Exercise Science Emily Laudont Trinity Christian College Spanish Education Kaylie Lederman College of DuPage Undecided

Kaitlyn Nelson Northern Illinois Music Education Brittany Olson Illinois State Marketing Joshua Opp Western Illinois Law Enforecement Michelle Ortiz Trinity International Undecided Julia Panasik U of Illinois Bichemistry Alexa Parrenas Aurora University Nursing Garrett Patterson Northern Illinois Music Performance Jaumareo Phillips Aurora University Criminal Justice Anna Piazza U of Illinois East Asian Studies Carlos Ponce U of Illinois Engineering John Pruett Aurora University Business

Thung Lee Moody Bible Institute Pastoral Ministries Theology

Muhammad Rehman Knox College Biology

Kathryn Leonhard College of DuPage Graphic Design

Brock Robertson Lewis University Accounting

Nicolas Likeum Illinois Institute of Technology Engineering

Matt Rodriguez College of DuPage Undecided

James Lim University of Illinois Physics John Lohmann Northen Illinois Kinesiology

Eileen Ruppel Augustana College Graphic Design

Jenny Lubic Illinois State Nursing Dominic Manzo Tribeca Flashpoint Academy Engineering

Zack Russell Northern Illinois Computer Science Kaprice Sanchez Aurora University Nursing Creston Saylors Columbia Undecided

Abby Meyer College of DuPage Athlete Training

Katy Schmidt Elgin CC Dental Assisting

Aaron Michek College of DuPage Electrician

Blake Schultz U of Illinois - Chicago Graphic Design

Cullen Murray Northern Illinois Computer Science

Donnie Seawall DePaul Marketing

Danielle Seyller Illinois Insititute of Art Fashion Design

Chris Van Dinther North Park University Business

Tyler Siebert Aurora University Undecided

JR Vest Northern Illinois Geology

Tyler Slamans Western Illinois Exercise Science

Jessica Villafuerte Lewis University Nursing

Alex Buzenski Air Force

Sophie Wallace Aurora University Homeopathics

Brady Feece Marine Corps.

Alex Snyder Loyola Business Alex Speckman Illinois State Undecided

Kelly Wallner North Central College Sport Management

Marcello Spizzirri Northern Illinois Accounting

Quinn Walper Elgin CC Welding

Taylor Spooner Aurora University Elementary Education

Merk Wilkerson College of DuPage Dental Hygiene

Savannah Stasik S.A.I.L.

Michael Williams U of Illinois - Chicago Bio Chemistry

Felicia Steik College of DuPage Undecided Rachel Steinmiller Aurora University Biology Bryanna Stoiber Illinois State Therapeutic Recreation Ellie Strang Illinois State Nursing JayVon Malik Swain Columbia Music Carter Taylor Northern Illinois Music Education Suzie Teevans Tribeca Flashpoint Academy Graphic Design Arielle Theis Northern Illinois Early Childhood Curtis Thompson Elgin CC Undecided Ignacio Toscano Triton College Automotive Technician Paige Valente Northern Illinois Nursing Tom Van Bogaert Aurora University Undecided

Military

Matt Yonkovich College of DuPage Undecided Nathan Zitko Northern Illinois Physical Therapy Sephanie Zwick Loyola Health Technologies

Michael Ashton Marine Corps.

Allison Miller Marine Corps.

Reid Peters Marine Corps.

Charlie Platt Navy Jose Rivera Marine Corps.

Johnathon Terry Marine Corps.

May

21 Baccalaureate

Undecided Taylor Cotton Early Childhood Education Drew David Undecided Kathryn Elliott Undecided Dan Evers Environmental Science

June

1 Graduation

Alyssa Faulkner Psychology Neuroscience Brittany Giannini Game Design Nathan Hopkins Undecided James Johnston Computer Software Matthew Kalinowski Game Design Josh Kilgore Undecided Ashley Martinez Undecided Andy McGill Undecided Mathew Poust Agriculture Education

June

2

Senior Athletic Awards

Iowa Brandon Bishop University of Iowa Psychology Riley Coyle University of Iowa Physiology/Kineseology Christina Delach

University of Northern Iowa

Pre-Medicine Tyler Holan University of Iowa Biomedical Engineering

Brody Kuhar Loras College Digital Communications Meredith McCaffrey University of Iowa Human Physiology Mason Pieczynski Loras College Biology English Alec Pope Iowa State Aerospace Engineering Nick Stahl Iowa State Aerospace Engineering Allison Steininger Iowa State Animal Science Ashlee Tennant University of Iowa Undecided Jenna Unruh Iowa Salon Professional Academy Cosmetology Lucas Wolski University of Iowa Biomedical Engineering

Indiana James Bartholomew Valparaiso University Engineering Lanie Callaghan Valparaiso University Nursing Justin Diddell Indiana State Undecided

Wisconsin Ohio Lauren Black Carroll University Diagnostic Medical Sonography Ryan Bower U of Wisconsin-Parkside Business Alex Brenwall Carthage College Biology Cole Carlson

U of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Civil Engineering Jess Coia Carroll University Nursing Nate Dyer

U of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Sports Management Dan Greer

U of Wisconsin-Platteville

Physical Education

Shannon O’Shea Concordia University Pharmacy Shannon Ransford

U of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Fine Arts Paige Robinson

U of Wisconsin-Platteville

Business

Mason Trumble Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Industrial Design Amber Winquist-Bailey Carroll University Spanish

Michigan Jesse Balluff Grand Valley State Finance Casey Jacobson U of Michigan-Ann Arbor Movement Science Austin Jordan Baker College Computer Science Shane Jorgensen Grand Valley State Finance

Jake Harnish Ball Sate Pre-Medicine

Joe Komel

Brittany Kemp Indiana State Pre-Medicine

Dylan Palmer Baker University Undecided

Kellyn McMullan Ball State Genetics

Central Michigan University

Undecided

Nick Stollard Grand Valley State Physical Therapy

Brin Wilk Carissa Miller Michigan State Indiana State Business Business Administration Journalism Sydney Strang Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne Biology

Morgan Buerke Kent State Undecided

Minnesota Alabama Madison Hester University of Minnesota Nursing Gary Koehring St. Cloud State Mechanical Engineering Dylan Nauert St. Cloud State Undecided

Phil Cutsinger Ohio University Political Science Lexi Roach Youngstown State International Business

Kegan Workman Anoka-Ramsy Nursing

Marina Schaefer Ashland University Undecided Delaney Stryczek Hiram College Nursing

Engineering Spencer Good Colorado State Landscape Architecture

Andre Palpant Milligan College Finance Nicole Stuba University of Tennessee Education

JT Karr

Colorado Mountain College

U of Colorado-Colorado Springs

Wyoming

Missouri

David Anderson WyoTech Automotives Arin Theis WyoTech Automotives

New York

Colin Roethlisberger U of Missouri-Columbia Business

Maurice Stevens New York Art Institute Communications Graphic Design

Jordan Thelander Missouri State University Secondary Education

Lauren Zick St. John’s University Business

Katelyn Treinan Missouri State University Education

Utah

Kentucky Bailey Harvell Western Kentucky Sports Management Rachel Mathys University of Kentucky Psychology

California Nathaniel Kucera Stanford University Undecided

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Mara Hernandez U of Colorado-Boulder Pre-Medicine

Stephen Cannell U of Missouri-Columbia International Business

Ethan Witt Massachusetts Institute of Technology Aerospace Engineering

Joe Weiss Undecided Engineering

Colorado School of Mines

Theresa Alef Maryville University Occupational Therapy

Megan Franklin U of Nebraska-Lincoln Plant Biology

Massachusetts

Molly Campbell University of Florida Animal Science Maddie King National Person Training Institute Personal Training Eric Pryzybylski Florida Gulf Coast Finance

Anna Bateman U of Colorado-Boulder Psychology Art Hayley Contorno Colorado State Equine Science Kyle DiSandro

Physical Science

Nebraska

Florida

Colorado

Marketing Kolin Limbrick

Grant Wooten Troy University Global Business

Kyla Goodine Utah State Elementary Education

Montana Matt VanderSande Montana State Music Technology

Kurtiss Limbrick Rhode Island College Creative Writing Audio

Arizona Andrew Wade ITT Tech Welding

Mississippi Quiondre Collins Mississippi State Computer Engineering

Switzerland Arsim Azemi University ofZurich Business Seniors not available as of press dead: Johnathan Bahena Diaz Andrew Carroll Melissa Cherry Samuel Dunteman Angelique Franks Gina Jarvis Christopher Hernandez Ieisha Johansson Ryan Longson Trevor Malatek Andrea Petrarca Danielle Ratliff Collin Regelbrugge Gregory Stuart Minnie Taglia Jackson Thomas Curtis Thorson Dalvell Triplett Zach Wielgos Connor Wilson Zachary Winthers

The opinion has several good points.

Also, providing examples of other celebrities helps strengthen the argument.

However, the page design makes it hard to read with the amount of text.

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Is becoming Hollywood a selfless route?

By MICHELLE MCCRACKEN

Editor It’s safe to say that the summer of 2014 had its fair share of trends amongst teenagers: the flower crown at every music festival, the ALS ice bucket challenge and an extreme amount of young adult romance novels.

But who could forget perhaps one of the biggest fads, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood? This free app offers users the chance to climb the ranks of super stardom with the help of Kardashian herself. Users can pay real money to give their virtual avatar more energy or money.

That’s right, users have been spending with their very own cash to fund their in-app character’s rise to fame. It’s safe to say that one of America’s most famous families has now broken into a new market no one saw coming.

According to Forbes’ website, Kim Kardashian may make another $85 million just from the new app. Disregard the game, and you’re left with Kim Kardashian making another $28 million, via Forbes, just for doing who knows what on her family’s reality television show, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”

Looking at Kardashian’s charity work, there is undoubtedly a trail of hefty money given. She partners with the Dream Foundation on eBay by auctioning some of her unwanted, designer brand apparel and accessories. The proceeds benefit the Dream Foundation, a foundation that gives terminally-ill patients a chance to have the experience of a lifetime.

When reading the fine print of one of Kardashian’s deals to donate to Philippines typhoon victims, it is revealed that Kardashian donated only ten percent of the earnings from this auction, the minimum donation. Yes,

Celebrities raise millions for charity through sponsored events, but who does the money really help?

Illustration by Brandon Parks

ten percent adds up to a large amount when it comes to designer fashions, but with Kardashian’s income, does she really need that extra pocket change?

On the other end of the spectrum, there are celebrities like Elton John.

John founded the self named Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 to help fund programs for HIV/AIDS prevention, as well as to push for an end to prejudice against HIV/AIDS individuals. At one of his charity events, John was able to donate £800,000, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Some celebrities decide to use their powers in different helpful ways when they aren’t quite making the big money that other A-list celebrities do. In recent years, Chicago has become known as “Chiraq” because of the ridiculous amount of gun violence. Chicago based rapper Chance the Rapper, along with his father, Ken Bennett, and several other community organizers helped campaign to “put the guns down” on the street corners of Chicago neighborhoods.

Chance’s Twitter page also helped encourage to cease the gunfire, with

several tweets throughout the week. The result? Forty-two hours over Memorial Day weekend without any reported shootings, a pause that has become extremely rare in Chicago.

Now that the facts have been presented, teens should be posed with one question: Why is someone like Kardashian more influential on this generation than those like John or Chance the Rapper? Is it because of a laziness we have towards uncovering the real facts? Is it because, with the Kardashian clan and the like plastered on every social media website, it becomes impossible to ignore personalities who have done nothing to achieve fame? Or is it because celebrities truly do have more power?

Truth be told, teens have far more power nowadays than any single celebrity has. It’s because of adolescents that these normal people have risen to fame. Turn off “E! News,” double check the facts with reliable sources and encourage celebrities as well as each other to be the change in the world that we all want to see. Do not allow yourself to be a pawn of someone’s money making scheme. If it starts with us, it’s time to begin.

Class of 2015 influences through school

By SAM WOLF

Editor It is human nature to learn from others more experienced than ourselves. Freshmen come into high school with open eyes and watch upperclassmen in the halls, classes and activities after school. “[A good leader should] tell people what to do in a respective manner,” Sophomore Luke Calabrese said.

During school hours seniors can have a big impact on underclassmen.

Senior Andrew Lesak explained that seniors should always be leading by

example such as being on time to classes and paying attention during them.

He remembers them being friendly in the halls.

“They welcomed me. It was cool to see them say hi to me in the halls” Lesak said.

Kaneland High School has 38 extracurricular sports and activities available to students in all grade levels.

These activities provide upperclassmen more space and time to direct freshman and sophomores according to their activities.

They also show younger students what can be accomplished in their activity such as captainship, president or what competitions can be won. Sopho-

6 Opinion/ September 25, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER

more runner Cole Rutter was inspired by the cross country teams appearance at the state meet last year. These experiences can direct underclassmen to goals for their own high school career.

One of the most important lessons shown is hard work. Lesak said working hard and being the best you can be is possibly the most important lesson he can teach young students.

Lesak sees leading freshman by example crucial.

“They are the future and what they learn when they are young sticks with them their whole lives,” Lesak said. When looking back on his his years as a younger student, he can see the influence of older students in himself.

The summaries of the political parties are informative. They also give students a good idea of what political party they can identify with.

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Republicans vs. Democrats the

By MICHELLE MCCRACKEN

Editor

Democratic

Republican Abortion

Democrats believe that it is the women’s decision what they do with their own body, not the government’s. A fetus is not a human life and therefore does not have individual rights yet.

The death penalty should not be an option for any criminal punishment.

It is inhumane and it is ‘cruel and unusual’ punishment. Imprisonment for life is appropriate for murder.

The Second Amendment does not give an explicit right for citizens to own guns. The Second Amendment does, however, give states the right to keep a militia. Gun control laws will ultimately make the U.S. a safer place.

DeathPenalty

Gun Control

Liberals

Republicans believe that human life begins at conception, therefore abortion is considered murder. Unborn babies have human rights separate from their mother’s.

Capital punishment is the only punishment fits the crime of murder.

Taking someone’s life is appropriate if that person has taken someone else’s life.

The Second Amendment gives U.S. citizens the right to bear arms. New gun control laws will not decrease gun crime, but enforcement of current laws will. More guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens will end up being safer for everyone.

The Democratic Party is considered the oldest major party in the United States today. The party was formed in the 1830’s from the former Democratic-Republican Party, with the help of Martin Van Buren. From there, the party moved into the Jacksonian Democracy. This political movement, personified by Andrew Jackson and his supporters, hoped to extend suffrage and strengthen the executive branch, among other things.

Noteworthy liberals include Oprah Winfrey and “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, while some influential Democratic presidents include Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and more recently Barack Obama. Currently, Democrats control the Senate, with Harry Reid being the Senate Majority Leader. As for the House of Representatives, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi holds the Minority Leader position.

Liberals believe that the government needs to have a strong hand in achieving equality for everyone. In general, liberals are firm believers that an economy regulated by the government is the best economy and in order for there to be equal opportunity for everyone, government regulation is needed in all levels of the economy.

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Centerspread/ September 25, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER

differences between the parties Yes

Topics of discussion No Lower taxes and less government regulation Citizens have the right to bear arms

Abortion should be abolished

Free market ecomony support small businesses The U.S. has an abumdamce of oil, gas, and goal. Use it.

Free healthcare should not be provided by the government The death penalty is an appropiate action for the taking of a life

Self reliance is a factor for success in terms of health and wealth

If you answered mostly “Yes” you are more liberal. If you answered mostly “No” you are more conservative.

Conservatives The Republican Party dates back to 1854, when a group of abolitionists met to fight the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which would extend slavery into those territories. Soon after, the Republican Party was formally organized at a convention in Jackson, Michigan in July of 1854.

The Grand Old Party, often shortened to GOP, has had an array of famous figures holding high statuses. Radio personality Rush Limbaugh and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger identify as Republicans. Presidents include Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and most recently George W. Bush. The GOP controls the House, with John Boehner holding the Speaker of the House position. As for the Senate, Republicans hold the minority party with Mitch McConnell as the Minority Leader.

As for government meddling, Republicans believe less government interference is the better.

The GOP wants the free market system, a type of economy that would provide jobs and high standards of living. The free market system also calls for as little government interference as possible.

Centerspread/ September 25, 2014/ KANELAND KRIER

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