November Issue

KANELAND

KR ER Volume 44 • Issue 2 • Kaneland High School •16 November 2017

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D I V E W

To donate or not to donate

Why all differences matter

The suite life of being a twin

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Index 16 November 2017

Table of Contents 4 5 6

Can you find the Knight?

If you find the Knight in this issue tweet us a picture @kanelandkrier to be entered in a drawing for a giftcard!

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Table of Contents

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News Library programs throughout the district

Investigative To donate or not to donate

Entertainment Fix your fear of missing out at concerts

Editorial Why all differences matter

Opinion Withdraw the lies, deposit the truth

Feature True meanings of seasonal celebrations: seeking out cultural holidays Page design by Jessica Tiv

16 November 2017 Index

12 14 15 16 18 19

Centerspread Are we diverse?

Voices The suite life of being a twin: Misconceptions and truths

Lifestyle Surviving black friday

Photo Jack be nimble. Jack be quick. Jack tried to match these teacher pics.

Activities Let’s take a trip with clubs

Sports Teaching by day, coaching by knight

Letter from the Executives

When you think of diversity nowadays you think of variety. Whether it be of races, languages spoken or just what surrounds us, we are living in a time where diversity is becoming a controversial topic.

In this issue we want to open the minds of our student body to take that step towards diversity. Change can be scary but it is necessary for growth.

Be a part of this positive change and expose yourself to different cultures and people.

Bella Vargas Editor-in-Chief

Bridget McCracken Editor-in-Chief

Annika Berger Matt Cushman Production Manager Ad/Business Manager Jessica Tiv Design/Visual Executive

Vanessa Pitts Webmaster

Karina Sanchez Social Media/Public Relations Execuitve

Page design by Jessica Tiv

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Table of Contents

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News 16 November 2017

LIBRARY PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT

BY EMILY JANECEK, Editor

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ow is the chance to get involved and give back to the community.

It is as easy as driving to the local public library.

What students may not realize is that their local libraries offer a lot of programs for teen. The Elburn, Sugar Grove and Aurora libraries try to lend a helping hand for things such as homework help to kids of all ages, especially teenagers at the high school.

The Sugar Grove Public Library, located 125 S. Municipal Dr., Offers many opportunities for teens to get creative, get involved and get help.

Genna Mickey is the head of all these clubs. As of today, there are four programs for high school kids to join. Mine-

craft Club, Anime Club, Video-gaming Club and Dumbledore’s Army.

“The programs are created by teens, they often come and ask me to make programs. They run them themselves,” Mickey said.

The DA (Dumbledore’s Army) is the top club meaning they decide what programs should be created, be continued and what the craft of the month will be. Plus, the DA helps out the library and has some authority of what exciting things go on there. Together, they make the library student advisory board.

“My librarian peers give me program ideas, I make a list and let the advisory group vote on it,” Mickey said.

Joining the DA gives you a chance to

get involved with the library and helping out the Sugar Grove community.

The Aurora Public Library (West Branch), located at 233 S. Constitution Dr., Is the closest Aurora library to the high school. There are multiple clubs that students can join at this location.

Here, high schoolers can volunteer for community service easily. Running the front desk in the summer is one option.

A new opportunity called “Book Buddies” is also coming soon according to the library website. That service is reading to young children and in hopes of gaining confidence for their reading ability.

High school students can also join the Teen Advisory Board (TAB). Much like the DA, the TAB is run by high school students willing to make the library a better place.

Located at 320 E. North St., The Elburn Public Library is the place to have fun. The main club at Elburn is the chess club. It is a chance to make friends, challenge your brain and have some fun.

Chess club meets a few times a month and anyone can join. Check out the details on the Elburn Public Library website.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT: www.sgpl.org ww.elburn.lib.il.us www.aurorapubliclibrary.org

ALL PHOTOS BY EMILY JANECEK

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School and Community News

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Page design by Emma Glennon

TO DONATE OR NOT TO DONATE I

16 November 2017 Feature

BY JESSICA TIV, Executive Editor KT MATTERN, Editor

n order to make a difference in some way, many Americans donate to a cause they find most impactful. The easiest way to do that is to donate to a nonprofit. A nonprofit organization, as defined by law.cornell.edu, is a group organized for purposes other than generating profit and in which no part of the organization's income is distributed to its members. Nonprofit organizations have long been admired for their charitable work and time spent towards society without keeping much of the profits for themselves. However each organization may not be as truthful or nonprofitable as they seem to be.

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rom the beginning of American Red Cross’ work in May of 1881, it has grown across the world, donating time and needs to any who ask.

Mostly responding to crises, Red Cross helps those in dangerous situations, whether in time of war or during natural disasters.

More recently, Hurricane Harvey and Irma damaged Houston and Florida. In their time of need, Red Cross took on the challenge and encouraged people all over the country to donate. With those donations, Red Cross has said that they were able to provide food, shelter, emergency support and comfort to those in need.

According to Red Cross, for every dollar that is donated, around 91 cents goes to the cause to help buy all needs and essentials.

However, also according to the American Institute of Philanthropy, the CEO of Red Cross, Benjamin Spindler, made a base salary of $631,537 in 2016.

This being the sum his base salary, the sum doesn’t count bonuses and extra money given throughout the year.

After investigations, Red Cross has been found to not always being truthful about where donation money goes.

According to Iowa senator Chuck Grassley, Red Cross “...uses a complex, yet inaccurate, process to track its spending.”

In his report, Grassley and his team found that Red Cross spent around 25 percent of the money donated for Haiti for internal needs. That percentage would be used for employees and inside sections of the company to benefit themselves.

While the Red Cross can be seen as a commendable organization that helps people all over the world, it has been found to use donated money for their own.

Page design by Emily Janecek

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y helping around 127 countries, the Salvation Army has become one of the most prominent charities around the world. According to Give.org, around 81 percent of donations go directly to aid.

Along with money given directly to aid, there are also the paychecks given to top employers and their employees.

According to Glassdoor, around $115$125 are given as a base salary to executives. With multiple leaders in the organization, the money can add up.

Identifying as a Christian organization, the Salvation Army donates time and resources to helping people through their service.

While using their religion to help those can be commendable, the Salvation Army has been found to persecute those who may not apply to their beliefs.

The Salvation Army may help people who identify as gay, as long as they ask for help separately from their partner.

Even though their intent is to help all who need and ask for it, they still have their restrictions.

Major Andrew Craibe went so far as to confirm their beliefs that LGBTQ parents should be put to death according to their religion.

Since his comment, the Salvation Army has refuted the comment and instead saying as an organization, “The Salvationist Handbook of Doctrine does not state that practicing homosexuals should be put to death and, in fact, urges all Salvationists to act with acceptance, love, and respect to all people.”

While the organization has stated their belief as a whole, negative comments like the one Major Craibe said can still negatively impact the organization and what they do for people as a whole.

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he word goodwill can be described as friendly and helpful.Unlike their name, Goodwill, the organization, has not fully fulfilled their namesake.

Unlike some of their employees, who make below minimum wage, the top employers, such as International CEO Jim Gibbons, are paid almost as much as half a million dollars as a base salary according to Change.org.

According to the Fair Labors Act of 1938, employers are able to employ people with disabilities for a lesser pay than an able bodied person.

Goodwill has been up front about actively using this Act in order to pay lower wages to lower stationed employees.

According to National Federation of the Blind, some employees have been paid $1.44 an hour.

Many disabled employees have been reported saying that Goodwill has unreasonable expectations such as meeting a certain number of hanged items in an hour. With their disabilities, the goal is mostly impossible to meet, and causes their wages to be docked.

According to Charity Navigator, around 83 percent of their revenue is used to support programs and internal services.

Investigative

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Entertainment 16 November 2017

FIX YOUR FEAR OF MISSING OUT AT CONCERTS

BY EVANGELOS LEKKAS, Editor

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or concert goers like myself, it may be difficult to find out exactly when your favorite artists are coming nearby. Thankfully, there is an app for that: Bandsintown. It is available for free download on the iTunes App Store and Google Play. I recommend Bandsintown as a great place to be informed on who is playing near you and when concerts are.

The app is personalized to specific music tastes. All you need to do is import music from “Apple Music, Spotify, Soundcloud and more.” However, if you do not have music on your phone and don’t use streaming services, there is a function where you can manually choose which artists you like.

From there, the app will show you when the artists you chose, and similar artists, have concerts near you. How far are you willing to travel to a concert? Some of us will travel any distance to see their favorite band and some would be hesitant to even go to Chicago.

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Pulse

This is where the useful location tool can come into play. You can set your maximum distance that you are willing to travel for a concert. This travel radius can be anywhere between one and 150 miles.

There are different ways to discover concerts that you may want to go to. The first is to go through your tracked artists.

From there it will show recommended concerts to go to. You can also search by genres including hip hop, pop, rock, metal, punk, electronic and many more. If you feel like being mainstream, you can look at what’s popular near you.

The overall look and feel of this app is amazing. The design is very easy to navigate and the functionality is great. How-

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ever, the app also promotes itself as a type of social media where you can share with friends and “invite people to the next gig.”

This is not a practical use for the app. It seems like a good idea, but there are many ways to already communicate with friends about upcoming shows and music.

I recommend Bandsintown as a great place to be informed on who is playing near you and when the concerts are. Whether you are searching through the most popular shows or just the ones from artists you enjoy.

Page design by Evangelos Lekkas

WHY ALL DIFFERENCES MATTER

16 November 2017 Editorial

Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 ext. 71236 www.kanelandkrier.com Member of IJEA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA IHSA State Finalists 2013-2017 IWPA Silver Pen 2017 NISPA Golden Eagle 2017 IJEA First Place for Krier Online 2017 IJEA Second Place for Krier Print 2017 Subscription rates: Five issues, three supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $25 EXECUTIVE STAFF

CARTOON BY CORINNE CONDOS American society is very diverse. Regardless of what we believe in or how we look we should accept each other instead of arguing.

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s kids, we’re taught to include others, regardless of race or gender.

We’re taught to ignore each other’s differences and be friends. As we get older though, it changes. We start to ignore people that are different from us and stay within our own groups. Differences can cause conflict, but they’re also important because it helps us become more inclusive.

Although conflict is hard to avoid when it comes to our differences, it is important to face especially if it is related to racial differences. America is projected to have a majority-minority population in 2044 according to the US Census Bureau, so instead of waiting until then to come together, we need to start now.

Take Black Lives Matter and the Civil Rights Movement for example.

When African Americans were being discriminated against, they joined together, along with other white supporters, to gain the rights that they deserved.

Because of this, more people are becoming more accepting of the black culture.

For example, two students, one white and the other black, get pulled over for speeding. The white student is the passenger and the black student, the driver.

The white student sees how nervous their friend is and realizes the potential situation that their friend is in and starts to become nervous, too. When we see how different races react to certain situations, police brutality, for example, we’re able to see it from their perspective.

When we have friends of the same race, we’re only able to see things from one perspective. Having a more racially diverse friend group is beneficial to us because

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we’re exposed to new cultures and environments and learn new things from the different backgrounds.

Even though we may be comfortable having friends that look and think like us, it’s okay to have friends that aren’t the same. We can only fix the lack of inclusivity when we’re willing to go out of our comfort zones and be friends with people that are different from us.

Although it is out of our control whether or not our community is diverse, we can recognize the diversity we do have. We can start recognizing the importance of other ethnic holidays like Cinco de Mayo which honors a Mexican battle or Chinese New Year. We should be open to recognizing holidays that are honored by the minorities in our communities.

We also divide ourselves into groups based on our political alignment, religion or ethnicity. Now more than ever we are dividing ourselves up by our political beliefs.

According to a study conducted by Public Religion Research Institute, nearly 24 percent of Democrats surveyed say they blocked, unfriended or stopped following someone on social media after the election because of their political posts while 9 percent of Republicans did.

Instead of getting rid of each other on social media because we disagree with each other, we should hear the other side out and have a civil discussion.

When we place barriers around ourselves whether it’s intentional or not. It limits our ability to see things from a different point a view. An inclusive community starts with us. It’s our responsibility to hold up the standards of being inclusive instead of avoiding each other.

Page design by Amanda Malawski

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Bella Vargas Editor-in-Chief of Print Annika Berger Production Manager

Bridget McCracken Editor-in-Chief of Web

Vanessa Pitts Webmaster

Jessica Tiv Design/Visual Executive

Karina Sanchez PR/Social Media Executive

Amanda Malawski Editorial Editor

Matt Cushman Executive Ad & Business Manager

EDITORIAL STAFF Feature Madeline Hockey

Opinion Abril Salinas

Table of Contents Jessica Tiv Pulse Evangelos Lekkas

School/Community News Emma Glennon

Investigative Emily Janecek

Feature Gabrielle Faletto

Interactive Alex Malawski

Photo Page Dylan Calabrese

Sports Ashley Edwards

Activities KT Mattern

Centerspread Richies Tiv

Voices Shelby Harper

Cover Richies Tiv

Lifestyle Priscilla Purnell

Editorial Amanda Malawski

STAFF

Sarah Baerenklau, Jacob Booten, Samantha Callaghan, Corinne Condos, Allison Doherty, Benjamin Durbala, Elizabeth Elliott, Ivy Ewane-Ewang, Samuel Gomes, Mycayla Grayson, Olivia Hazen, Sarah Kantola, Stevie Kumar, Nehemiah Lee, Reaghan Maloney, Ashley Manzo, Ella Miller, Bailey Prichard, Gianna Provenzano, Sarah Prunty, Caitlyn Rawers, Casey Schanks, and Brett Wallner.

Print Production Brandon Albarran Thomas Royston

Josh Childress Jeremy Todd

ADVISERS Kimberly Reese Krier adviser

Nicole Larsen Print 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: Annika Berger, Dylan Calabrese, Matt Cushman, Ashley Edwards, Gabrielle Faletto, Emma Glennon, Shelby Harper, Madeline Hockey, Emily Janecek, Evangelos Lekkas, Amanda Malawski, Alex Malawski, KT Mattern, Bridget McCracken, Vanessa Pitts, Priscilla Purnell, Abril Salinas, Karina Sanchez, Jessica Tiv, Richies Tiv, and Bella Vargas. Students make all publication decisions.

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

Editorial

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Opinion 16 November 2017

BY RICHIES TIV, Editor

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ould you accept $5 million knowing that one random person somewhere in the world will die because you did?

Well, according to an internet survey on BuzzFeed, 50 percent of people would. So if some say money is worth more than the lives of innocent people, why do others say money isn’t everything?

Money is powerful and once this is recognized, it can be shared. And it should.

Lie #1: “Money doesn’t affect health.”

Money may not be able to guarantee us 100 years yet, but the lack of it can be the barrier to a long and healthy life. In fact, in 2009, the American Journal of Public Health found that 45,000 people died due to lack of health insurance because they could not afford it. So basically if you’re poor and you’re sick, you’re on your own.

Lie #2: “Money can’t buy happiness.”

Think of all the things that make you happy. Now consider, if you had plenty of money, could you buy enough of these things to make you happy? A study conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge found that consumers who spent more money on products that matched their interests were the happiest in the group of 600 people studied. Besides, wouldn’t you be happier knowing you had money at hand?

Lie #3: “Money can’t buy time.”

A study by Harvard Business School d i s a g r e e s . Of the 4,500 people surveyed, 28 percent paid others to do “unenjoyable tasks.” The majority of those people felt happier with their lives and less “time stress.” They

were able to buy themselves free time in exchange for money. Time isn’t so priceless after all.

Lie #4: “Money can’t buy love.”

Maybe you can’t serenade someone

with money and get their true love, b u t money can prevent a happy marriage from crumbling into empty, bitter nothingness.

According to Money Magazine, money can mean less marital fights. In their survey, 84 percent of respondents said money was the reason for these fights. And more fights of course, means more break ups.

I get it. These ready made phrases

WITHDRAW THE LIES, DEPO$IT THE TRUTHS about money are supposed to make us feel better. We won’t feel the need to make money in order to obtain a successful life.

But why lie? Accept it. Money is powerful. We should focus on improving the standard of living for the general population and in doing so, realizing that our money can be largely impactful.

Truth #1: Donating money and food to food banks helps the poor.

We don’t have to spend a lot of extra money to help the poor. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 30 to 40 percent of food produced is wasted and thrown away. As long as we don’t over-buy and share the “what would’ve been expired food,” everyone can go to bed without staying up all night starving Besides, wouldn’t you rather help feed someone than throw expired food away?

Truth #2: Raising money at GoFundMe.com can help ordinary people like you and me.

As long as you do your research and are

careful to whom you donate your money to, a small donation can go a long way.

These recipients range from families looking to adopt children to prospective singers seeking to create their own album or even to innocent children battling cancer.

If everyone donated a few dollars, lives could be saved and a brighter tomorrow will be made.

Truth #3: Support the

community by buying locally.

One of the best ways to spend your money is to buy from the local businesses, farmer’s markets or flea markets near your home. By doing so, it promotes your local entrepreneur and encourages other businesses to come to your community.

Truth #4: To all the parents out there, please remember, college is expensive, so help make it easier for students by donating to your alma mater or a specific scholarship fund.

By donating to these institutes, the scholarships that the students receive will increase and it will be easier for students to attend the college of their dreams. Investing in the future of tomorrow can be the best thing to do. Those students may be the ones who find the next big cure or invent the next revolutionary product, helping millions in the process. And think: they were able to do it because of you.

It doesn’t have to be every day. It doesn’t even have to be every month. As long as we all are donating a little bit of money and a little bit of time, great changes can happen. Our money is one of the most powerful things we have, and that should be spread so we can all make a difference.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY REAGHAN MALONEY

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Opinion

kanelandkrier.com

Page design by Abril Salinas

16 November 2017 Opinion

THAT NEW TV IS NOT WORTH THE HEADACHE

BY PRISCILLA PURNELL, Editor

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lack Friday consists of waiting in line for hours, standing shoulder to shoulder in a crowded store and competing against others for the best deal on the shelf.

This is so not worth the stress at 3 a.m. I wouldn’t want to dedicate my day and night for this sensationalized event.

Sale opportunities that are often found on Black Friday can be found at lower prices other times during the year.

According to CNBC in recent years, retailers have started their Black Friday sales earlier in the month in order to attract more shoppers.

As a result, the appeal of Black Friday has diminished and therefore it is not worth it.

Black Friday has become more than just a one day event.

Instead of going into to stores, people a r e shopping

online for deals.

So why is Black Friday so important?

Conversely to when it became popular, Black Friday became more its own distinct event in the late 80s and early 90s, when retailers started promoting more as the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Its importance grew with each passing year, drawing increasingly large crowds into retail stores

developing into a “doorbuster,” which is a strategy that serves a dual purpose.

The goal of these special low price deals is to get customers into the store to buy specific items on sale. In a way, retailers are victims of their own success at making it easy for people to shop whenever, wherever and however they want. As each year companies like Amazon have a big part of online shopping with d e a l s

lasting longer than a day or up until Cyber Monday.

Many stores open on Thanksgiving late at night for those eager shoppers. However, this is taking away the tradition of Thanksgiving, spending time with family and being thankful for what you already have, not going out shopping for clothes.

Are there actually deals on Black Friday? Hit stores like Target, Best Buy

and Walmart, market ads way before Black Friday to incorporate people to start thinking about their Christmas shopping list. They can get it off their list, so they don’t have to frantically shop as Christmas comes around the corner. However, most parents will probably have to go back out because suddenly the gift they got for their 5 year old niece was already bought by her grandmother.

Also stores have knock-off products or only offer a limited number of products for a brief period of time.

When I try to find a deal, I have to do research before, make a list, wake up early to be half asleep, while pushing

through s l o w walking people who don’t even know what they’re doing, as ten bags are bumping me.

Why would I want to go shopping when I have to wake up earlier than later just to beat some rush while trying my best to remain calm and relaxed.

There are plenty other days throughout the year to get good deals without the headache of stressing over the competition that is known as Black Friday.

CARTOON BY CORINNE CONDOS

Page design by Abril Salinas

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Opinion

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Feature 16 November 2017

TRUE MEANINGS OF SEASONAL CELEBRATIONS SEEKING OUT CULTURAL HOLIDAYS

BY ASHLEY EDWARDS, Editor

November 2

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ay of the Dead took place in Mexico on Nov. 2. On this day friends and family members came together and remembered those who have departed, it’s much like Memorial Day here in America. This day is dedicated to visiting the gravesites of their relatives and pulling any weeds or planting fresh flowers, which is done to make the dead feel welcomed and special.

A tradition that many follow is setting up an altar within their home, surrounded by the deceased relative’s favorite things. This is done to welcome the spirit back home. The items range from flowers to foods to beverages. Many place beverages out to quench the thirst of the dead after their journey home. According to the University of New Mexico, another common thing to find on an altar is salt because it is considered the spice of life. The most popular items bought and made during this time are paper mache or plastic skeletons. This resembles that dying is just a part of life, according to National Geographic.

December 26-January 1

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very year about 30 million people around the world come together and celebrate Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa starts on Dec. 26 and is celebrated until Jan. 1. Not to mention, Kwanzaa is the first African-American holiday created and means first fruits of the harvest.

During this time, families enjoy dining and gift giving. Just like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa starts by lighting a candle on their candelabra. Each candle represents seven principles of Kwanzaa such as caring for others and believing in what you think is right.

Leading up to Kwanzaa, families decorate their house with colorful paintings, African cloths and fresh fruits. Musical ceremonies including drums and singers are also a part of Kwanzaa.

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Feature

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hen the leaves begin to tumble down and the snow starts falling, families get ready for the Holidays that call for a celebration. Whether it’s Christmas or Hanukkah, families all come together to commemorate and enjoy the time they share together.

In fact, there are 23 different holidays that are celebrated worldwide during this time. Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year and Day of the Dead are some of the most commonly known, but do people really know the true meaning behind them?

December 12-December 20

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anukkah is celebrated by the Jewish community and takes place over an eight day span. Every year this celebration starts on the Hebrew calendar date 25 Kislev. Kislev is the third month of the civil and ninth of the religious year in the Hebrew calendar. This year it starts on Tuesday Dec. 12 and ends on Wednesday Dec. 20.

Each night of Hanukkah, families light a menorah. A menorah is described in the Bible as a seven lamp Hebrew lampstand. Over time the menorah has stayed the same and is a prominent piece in every Jewish family. As the days go by, families light a candle each evening and play games with each other.

February 16, 2018

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he Chinese New Year is a time of regenerating and moving on from the old year. This event occurs on the final day of the 12th lunar month. The 12th lunar month is on Feb. 16 in the year 2018.

Leading up to the new year, everyone begins housecleaning, repaying debts, purifying any sins and spending the last hours bathing in order to relax. A tradition that was established is to eat a bowl of toshikoshi soba an hour before the new year in order to transition from one year to the next. Toshikoshi soba is a bowl of noodles in a hot dashi, or hot sauce. When the clock s t r i k e s midnight, many religious families visit a shrine or t e m p l e called Hatsumõde. Hatsumõde is a Shinto shrine and is a place where wishes are made. Once the new year is present, many people buy an oracle telling them if they have bad luck. If the oracle says that you will have bad luck for the year, most people tie it to a tree on the shrine grounds. In doing this, they hope the predictions won’t come true and they have a safe year.

Every culture is different and unique i n their own way. Whether it’s playing with a Dreidel or tying a bad fortune to a tree, they all represent spending time with their loved ones and being proud of their heritage.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY NEHEMIAH LEE

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Page design by Gabrielle Faletto

16 November 2017 Feature

FROM A SMALL TOWN TO AROUND THE WORLD

BY GABRIELLE FALETTO, Editor

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iving 1,168 miles away. Not seeing your family for two years. Being on an aircraft carrier for nine months.

This is what some students’ siblings have to endure when enrolling in the armed forces. It not only takes a lot of courage and bravery to make that decision, but it can be hard on the siblings of those who do.

Senior Meghan Andrews has two brothers, Tanner and Taylor Andrews, who both dedicated their life to serve others.

sister Nelly is in the Air Force.

“Anthony’s M.O.S, or military occupational specialty, is Motor Transportation Skills, and Nelly’s is Security Forces,” Donny Sommesi said.

Her sister first started training in San Antonio, Texas, and her brother had boot camp in San Diego, California.

Fast forward a couple years, and they are both stationed in different places worldwide.

“My sister is currently stationed in Goldsboro, North Carolina and my broth-

said.

As of right now, he is currently in the process of completing his undergraduate degree in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“He has only been stationed in Colorado, but he is really looking forward to be stationed overseas,” mother Heidi Kintz said.

With the exception of holidays and summer break, the Kintz family does not get to see Austin very often throughout the year.

“He lights up a room so you just miss

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY FAMILIES

“I look up to them, they are my role models,” Meghan Andrews said.

Taylor Andrews, her oldest brother, who trained in Oklahoma for six months, graduated in 2016 for Air Defense Artillery. He is now married and currently living in El Paso, Texas at Fort Bliss, and will soon be deployed for 11 months to Qatar.

Tanner Andrews is now a senior at West Point Military Academy in New York where he has infantry as his top choice of branch in the army.

On average, Meghan Andrews gets to see her brothers a couple times a year, specifically during the holidays.

“I facetime Taylor and his wife, Haley, all the time, especially because they just got a puppy,” Meghan Andrews said.

While Meghan Andrews is lucky enough to be able to see her brothers in person a couple times a year, sophomore Donny Sommesi won’t be able to see her brother until 2019.

Donny Sommesi has two siblings who serve in the armed forces. Her brother Anthony is in the Marine Corps and her

Page design by Madeline Hockey

er is in Okinawa, Japan,” Donny Sommesi said.

When both of her siblings decided to go into the armed forces, Donny Sommesi didn’t know how to feel.

“It was so surreal. My siblings were taking on a whole new chapter of their lives,” Donny Sommesi said.

The hard part when it comes to not being able to see her siblings very often is when she has major milestones in her life.

“They weren’t there to see me graduate 8th grade, they aren’t there to celebrate birthdays, see me experience my first day of high school or even watch me play in a varsity sport,” Donny Sommesi said.

Sophomore Ainsley Kintz can relate to Donny Sommesi when it comes to saying a “see ya later.”

Ainsley’s brother, Austin Kintz, enrolled in the Air Force academy after graduating from Kaneland in 2016.

“It’s a really good experience for him to do great things,” sister Ainsley Kintz

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his daily interaction,” Heidi Kintz said.

When senior Emma Fugger first found out her brother, Kyle Fugger, wanted to enroll in the Marine Corps, it came as no surprise.

“He was always interested so I was used to it,” Emma Fugger said.

“He is currently stationed in Beaufort, South Carolina as an Aviation Ordinance with the Air Wing Division, but will be going on shipment for six to nine months within the next year,” Emma Fugger said.

He has been preparing by doing mock shipments for three months, which is why Emma Fugger only sees her brother two times a year.

“We’ve always been really close so it’s really hard,” Emma Fugger said.

The men and women serving in the armed forces make personal sacrifices, and for that we are thankful. The Andrews, Sommesi, Kintz and Fugger families adapt and cope with the distance, and long bouts of not seeing their loved ones.

However, there’s no doubt they share an unending pride of having a sibling serving and protecting our country.

Feature

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Feature 16 November 2017

BY RICHIES TIV, Editor ABRIL SALINAS, Editor

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Centerspread

t’s dark.

It’s quiet. School has ended. Walking through the halls, junior Charia Bolden notices two things: she’s alone and in every sense of the word, a minority. She has spent the last three years in a school where she has yet to have the privilege of looking around the room and seeing someone who looks like her.

Unless you are part of the minority, it doesn’t seem to be all that big of a deal. You see people who look like you and the thought of that not being the same for someone else doesn’t cross your mind. The numbers might explain why.

According to illinoisreportcard.com, in 2016, Kaneland was 78.9 percent Caucasian, 13.6 percent Hispanic, 2.6 percent Asian, 1.9 percent African-American and 2.9 percent other.

Since Kaneland is mainly one race, are we really diverse?

“No, absolutely not. I don’t think we’re diverse because when I look around in my classes there is absolutely no one who looks like me. It makes me feel insecure sometimes and when I look around the hallways I don’t see a lot of black people,” Bolden said.

Race isn’t the only thing that defines diversity. Diversity can include the obvious, visible things like skin color and hair color, but it goes farther than that.

The less prominent type of diversity is what tends to define our characters: our age, our backgrounds, and our religious and political beliefs. So when talking about Kaneland’s diversity, it depends on what type of diversity, as freshman Monica Escontrias notes.

“Diversity to me means that it’s not just a bunch of people with the same mindset. There’s a lot of

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different people with different mindsets and different outlooks on different things and we’re not all just the same,” Escontrias said.

Although the numbers may show Kaneland’s lack of diversity, we have to consider where we are located as well, as senior Robert Dudzinski points out.

“Kaneland is very diverse for a rural school. We have people who have moved from the city and people who kind of just bring new thoughts and new ideas into the mix. So I think Kaneland is pretty diverse, it’s just not going to be as diverse as some cities, but for a school surrounded by cornfields we are pretty diverse,” Dudzinski said.

Kaneland also has a unique way of transitioning students. From middle school to high school, we see the same people. The only real change we experience is from elementary school to middle school, but that transition combines the elementary schools together, it doesn’t separate us.

This cements strong friendships with the same people since k i n d e r g a r -

ten or earlier.

For most of us, this transitioning plays a crucial role in determining who we hang out with. We get comfortable with the people we have grown up with and tend to stay friends with them, not noticing our ideas have been coming from mainly one point of view. For some of us, like Escontrias, different interests and passions have forced us out of our comfort zone, and we begin embracing diversity.

“I think that there’s a lot of different types of people I talk to. They’re interested in different things and it’s cool because it’s a variety of people I talk too and it’s surprisingly different and I don’t know how I get along with all of them.

Some people I am friends with don’t like other people I am friends with probably because they are so different, so it’s kind of hard to be around with all those different types of people,” Escontrias said.

While it might be nice to have things like, inside jokes and memories with close friends, these types of relationships can sometime lead to exclusion of others and push us into tight knit groups, also known as cliques. Social studies teacher

Page design by Richies Tiv

16 November 2017 Feature

Mark Meyer sees these cliques as both a good and bad thing where teenagers can gain independence and experiment with different roles, but he also thinks sometimes these cliques can force conformity.

“Conformity can cause students to do things they might not otherwise do, like look the other way when others are being made fun of or even actually do something they might not otherwise have done, like do drugs or be mean to someone else.

Simply because they are scared of being unliked by the clique. So, they conform to it because of that fear,” Meyer said.

When hearing the word clique, most people think of the stereotypical Hollywood movie. The scene in “Mean Girls” where Janis Ian has her map of the school cafeteria outlining the tables for ‘jocks’ and ‘band geeks’ comes to mind This, of course, is an exaggeration of things like cliques so most of us simply just ignore it, thinking that it’s just part of a movie.

But that isn’t true. They have been formed

at Kaneland. And with cliques, comes bullying.

“Sometimes I get crap for having red hair or glasses or being extremely pale, so I kind of get that. And the same thing for being a geek or a band nerd, I get stuff from people for being that too,” junior Andrew Knazur said.

Diversity has affected us here at Kaneland but it also goes beyond high school-its effects reach across America. Since the early colonies began, diversity has always been an issue. We are considered a melting pot, with different races, ethnicities and religions all around. With a growing population every year, diversity has never been more of an issue.

“Diversity is always an issue, especially in America where we have such a diverse population of people. It’s both a fantastic thing in the United States but also throughout our history, it has been a challenge too. It is an important thing because it helps us understand different perspectives and points of views. I think it needs to be more so as our population grows. We need to have those challenging conversations about diversity and reaching out and trying to understand people

Page design by Richies Tiv

from different cultural backgrounds and also who have different viewpoints too. It’s not simply cultural diversity but it’s also things like political diversity,” Meyer said.

The problem with diversity is that it is often associated with stereotypes and prejudice. We tend to group people together based on race, religion, ethnicity and the types of things they like and then make stereotypes based off of those groups. Testing Center supervisor Donald Theil thinks that for some people, diversity is a negative trigger word. He encourages students to use different words, like ‘exception’ to get away from the negative connotation the word diversity can sometimes have.

“I think it means immediately going to a color issue and I don’t like that because I don’t like grouping people together. One of the big problems we have in our country is that we group people together and when you group people together you’re doing them a disservice and yourself a disservice, because in all races, in all cultures, in sexes, in all ideas of thought, there are people who are good and not so good,” Theil said.

Regardless of what type of diversity or whether people view it as a negative or a positive issue, it will always be a lasting topic. According to both Bolden and Theil, until we can put ourselves in other people’s shoes and understand where the are coming from, whether in race, ethnicity or religion, we are never going to truly be diverse.

“When people aren’t in my shoes they don’t understand. It’s kind of like a punch in the stomach like I can’t believe they say things like the n-word, they think it’s okay and it’s not. I think if there were more black people around me they would feel the same way because they understand and are in my shoes,” Bolden said.

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Centerspread

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Feature 16 November 2017 Zach and Avery Smith

Abby and Megan Gillogly “People assume that twins always have the same birthday but me and my sister don’t because she was born after midnight,” junior Abby Gillogly said.

“People always say that we always get along which is not true,” sophomore Zach Smith said.

“Me and my brother literally fight over the same things, and they are usually dumb arguments that have no point,” junior Danielle Denning said.

PHOTO BY CARRIE GILLOGILY

PHOTO BY JUDY SMITH

THE SUITE LIFE OF BEING A TWIN MISCONCEPTIONS AND TRUTHS

BY EMMA GLENNON, Editor

Miles and Mychelle Williams

“Everyone says that me and Miles are close, which we’re not, and we don’t have that twin telepathy thing, it worked one time but never again,” junior Mychelle Williams said.

Gavin and Jonathan Hughes

“A lot of people think that twins share a room, but that is not always the case,” junior Jonathan Hughes said.

PHOTO BY NANCY WILLIAMS

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Voices

PHOTO BY THERESA HUGHES

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Page design by Shelby Harper

16 November 2017 Feature

BY BELLA VARGAS, Editor in Chief

SURVIVING BLACK FRIDAY

Black Friday is the most hectic time of the year. Whether it be for shoppers or workers, with crazy sales comes crazy crowds. Here are some tips for shoppers and employees to survive Black Friday.

Do your research- Figure out which stores have the best deals on what items. If you are wanting to buy the new iPhone, try Walmart or Target instead of Best Buy to beat some lines.

According to CNN Money, 154 million people participated in Black Friday shopping in 2016.

Plan it out- If you are planning on going to multiple stores, figure out which store to go to first. Make the large purchases such as electronics and appliances first and save the smaller ones like clothes for later.

Be there early- Most stores will open Thursday night at 6 or 7 p.m. so if you are going for the deals of the year, be sure to get there early.

Go with a group- Going with a group is helpful when trying to purchase high demand items like electronics, you can divide and conquer the sales with multiple people.

The National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics estimated that 122 million Americans shopped online on Cyber Monday last year.

Stay safe- Videos of crazy Black Friday crowds go viral every year so make sure to be aware of your surroundings and stick with a buddy.

Have fun- These are just sales, they will come around next year too. Don’t ruin your Thanksgiving night getting all stressed out and wrapped up in the Black Friday madness. Remember, there’s always Cyber Monday.

Page design by Priscilla Purnell

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Visit blackfriday. com to see store hours on Black Friday and Thanksgiving day in 2017.

Lifestyle

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Feature 16 November 2017

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Jack be nimble.

Jack be quick.

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Page design by Dylan Calabrese

16 November 2017 Feature

Travis Berth

Jason Foster

Rachel Giles

Jack tried to match these teacher pics.

Julie Larkowski

Nicole Madison

Faye Licari

Check out kanelandkrier.com for answers.

Mallory Stoffregen

Page design by Dylan Calabrese

Andrew Franklin kanelandkrier.com

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Activities 16 November 2017

MODEL UN

S

taying at the Hilton in downtown Chicago for four days sounds like a good time doesn’t it? Well, Model UN goes down there every year around the end of November and the beginning of December for Chicago International Model United Nations (CIMUN). For about the first half of the day, all of the members go to different committees. The members of Model UN then compete with other students in a debate on a world topic given to them. After the committees, there are planned activities back at the hotel like dances or banquets to have some fun and get to know everyone.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNN MCHENRY At CIMUN, former student Sarah Ball researches information on her country.

LET’S TAKE A TRIP WITH CLUBS

BY DYLAN CALABRESE, Editor ILLUSTRATION BY CAITLYN RAWERS

F

FA has competitions throughout the year called Career Development Events(CDE). Going to these competitions give club members good exposure to real life situations. A couple of the CDE’s that they go to are the Landuse CDE and the Dairy CDE. At the Landuse CDE, members of FFA judge and examine different types of soil by looking into pits to see the different layers. At the Dairy CDE, they identify different dairy products such as milk to see if they’re sour or not. In addition to looking at agriculture parts, members can judge horses and other animals. Each one of the CDE’s are about a full day’s worth of work.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLA BALDRIDGE The members of FFA pose in a pit at a soil judging CDE. Inside, the club members are able to see the different layers of soil.

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SNOWBALL

nowball is planning a couple different volunteer field trips this year.

One trip would be Feed My Starving Children, which is an event where a group packs food into bags and boxes to ship off to third world countries as care packages.

Snowball also goes on a retreat every year with eight to nine other schools.

“We have lecture like discussions on what snowball is all about, like drug, alcohol and suicide prevention,” Rachel Wozniak said.

The retreat is three days long and the entire club is encouraged to go and enjoy the experience.

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FFA

Activities

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S PHOTO BY JOANNA EDELMAN Members of the science club check a body on a field trip at the Museum of Science and Industry.

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DECA

istributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is an international program that helps high school and college students learn about the world of business and marketing. At the conventions they go through two parts: a testing part and an interview. The testing portion is a scantron test all about the world of business and marketing. The interview portion is where they sit down and give a mock job interview.

“The interview is really fun, it is everyone’s favorite part,” junior Jacob Petrik said.

It’s their favorite because you can be relaxed and have a quality conversation with a business representative.

SCIENCE CLUB

cience Club goes on a couple field trips every year. Last year the club went to the Chicago Wolves hockey game to learn about how the ice was laid down onto the rink. Club members also missed a day of school to take a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. At the museum, they learned about the different fields of science. The members paired up with partners to explore the exhibits and learn about the sciences that they were most interested in. Science Club gets together for meetings every other Tuesday.

Page design by KT Mattern

16 November 2017 Sports

TEACHING BY DAY, COACHING BY KNIGHT

BY MADELINE HOCKEY, Editor

I

f you play a sport at Kaneland, you stand a good chance of having your coach as a teacher. Teaching and coaching is almost like having to balance two jobs.

For boys basketball coach Joseph Conroy, balancing responsibilities with obligations outside of school is the hardest part about teaching and coaching. Conroy teaches economics, entrepreneurship and application of technology.

Conroy stated that his family suffers as he puts his job first, taking time away from his family.

“My favorite part about coaching is watching student athletes grow into a player or into a person they don’t see themselves becoming,” Conroy said.

Junior varsity tennis

PHOTO BY PAM REHOR, HR IMAGING

coach Mallory Stoffregen has been coaching for three years while also teaching English 12 and yearbook.

“

When I started teaching, I knew I wanted to get to know students outside of the classroom setting, and coaching seemed like a great opportunity.

Mallory Stoffregen

“

Having her athletes in the classroom boosts her confidence.

“I feel closer to the girls on my tennis team. You can’t help but form a bond

Page design by Ashley Edwards

when you spend every day after school together and wake up before dawn on Saturdays to catch an early bus for tournaments. It feels easier to teach when I know I have a girl from tennis in the PHOTO BY LAURIE HANNULA

KHS counselor Cynthia Violett started coaching in 1994. Violett spends her time coaching varsity volleyball here at Kaneland.

“One of the pros of teaching and coaching here is being in the same building as my athletes, I can keep up with their grades and their attendance,” Violett said.

Teaching and coaching takes time away from her family.

“During the season, I hardly get to see my family, but I am thankful to have my family step up and help out with chores at home,” Violett said.

For baseball coach, human geography and United States history teacher Brian Aversa, the hardest part is balancing both athletics a n d

PHOTO BY PAM REHOR, HR IMAGING

class. It’s hard to explain, but I get to see a different side of who she is, and it helps me to remember that every student has a lot going on outside of class,” Stoffregen said.

Girls cross country and track coach, Doug Ecker taught and coached for a period of 33 years, retired and then returned to teaching as a long term AP biology and biology substitute.

“My favorite part about coaching is the same for teaching, I love seeing kids improve over time,” Ecker said.

Organization is an important aspect.

“The hardest part of teaching and coaching is the time it takes and the planning, both require time outside of school and practice,” Ecker said.

Inspired by her high school coach,

academics, just like a student would.

“I get as much stuff done before the season so I can be more focused during the season,” Aversa said.

For Scott Parillo, it is more complicated considering that he coaches both boys and girls soccer, and teaches United States history and world history. The hardest part for Parillo is getting papers graded and given back to students. During the soccer seasons he spends some Sundays at the school catching up on grading, copying and finishing lesson plans.

“I enjoy the sport I coach, I enjoy watching the players get better, I love to see them smile when they do well and they are doing this because they love the sport as well. I love being a part of a team and the team aspect,” Parillo said.

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Sports

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Interactive 16 November 2017

NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME, CAN YOU SPOT THESE

10 DIFFERENCES?

ILLUSTRATIONS BY REAGHAN MALONEY

Check your answers on kanelandkrier.com Follow us on Twitter: @kanelandkrier Add us on snapchat: khs_krier 20

Interactive

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Thanksgiving Facts

Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state in the United States

Illinois is one of the highest pumpkin growing states

Three towns in the United States are named after turkey: Turkey, Texas, Turkey, North Carolina and Turkey, Louisiana

Snoopy has appeared as a giant balloon more often than any other balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, showing itself for the sixth time last year.

Facts compiled from history.com

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING

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