Volume 48 Issue 5

KANELAND

KR ER

THINKING OF THE FUTURE Embracing the present while being mindful of what lies ahead

Volume 48 • Issue 5 • Kaneland High School • April 21, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

10 Sports (Opinion)

7 Feature

8 Centerspread

Letter from the Execs

18 6 Feature Profile

As teenagers in high school, it can be easy for us to feel intimidated by the future and what’s to come. But this time in our lives that seems so far away could come quicker than we think. In this issue, we consider both the benefits of thinking ahead and the consequences of failing to do so. The future does not have to be a scary thing if we are able to acknowledge current issues and put our minds to making changes for what lies ahead.

April 21, 2022 | Lifestyle

WAYS TO LIVE AN ECO-FRIENDLY LIFESTYLE

BY PAIGE WHITESIDE

T

Editor

he human tendency to overuse and overconsume has led to increasing pollution and mass amounts of waste that have had a detrimental impact on our planet, from worsening climate breakdown to declining air and water quality. However, there are many changes that can be made in your everyday life that can help to decrease the adverse effects we have on our planet. Even minor alterations in your daily routine can create a positive impact on the environment, creating a better quality of life for you and the people around you.

According to Friends of the Earth, a European-based organization that creates campaigns for the well-being and

vironment for decades or even centuries, polluting water sources and both rural and urban areas of land. Plastic can be broken down into smaller pieces, called microplastics, but these small shards of plastic can still harm the environment in several ways, especially when they

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It is extremely important to be eco-friendly and environmentally aware because everything we do, big or small, has an impact on our planet, whether we see it now or see it later.

- junior Ava Lindgren

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Photo by Anna Olp

The AP environmental science class conducts a lab in which they separate plastic from an Albatross bolus.

The students study how pollution affects these birds.

protection of the environment, from 1970 to 2010 the world’s natural resource consumption has more than tripled. Raw materials such as trees, water and fertile land are essentially what our planet runs on.

The overconsumption of these resources leads to increasingly critical conditions for all life forms, including humans, animals and plants alike. While working to reduce the waste of these materials as an individual may not solve major world issues, if more people were mindful of how they use the resources that surround them, the possibility of restoring our ecosystem becomes more likely.

One of the primary materials polluting the planet’s oceans, streets and forests is plastic waste. Plastic is a non-biodegradable material, something that is unable to be broken down by living organisms like bacteria. This means that all plastic that has ever been produced still exists and will continue to exist in the en-

Page design by Casey Walters

are ingested by land and sea animals and eventually make their way into food sources that humans eat.

While many people might not be aware of their non-biodegradable product usage, some are at least beginning to recognize the impact that their overconsumption has on our planet. Junior Ava Lindgren always strives to be environmentally conscious, even while working at her after-school job.

“I work at Focas Hair Salon [in St. Charles], and we use Davines hair care products, a vegetarian and environmentally aware company. All of Davines’ containers are biodegradable and are certified plastic neutral, meaning that the company cleans up plastic from the Earth in an equal amount to what is purchased by consumers,” Lindgren said. “It is extremely important to be eco-friendly and environmentally aware because everything we do, big or small, has an impact on our planet, whether we see it now or see it later.”

Many individuals choose to ignore the negative effects of pollution and overconsumption on the ecosystem, often saying that changing their ways will not have an actual positive impact on our planet, but even small changes

make a difference. Limiting the amount of waste you produce by choosing reusable items, turning electronics off when they are not being used or deciding to walk or use public transportation instead of a car when traveling are all ways that we can help the environment in our daily lives.

Making a conscious choice in what you do on a daily basis is key to truly appreciating and understanding how much we depend on the planet that we live on and the various unique ecosystems that surround us. Environmental science teacher Joanna Edelman teaches students about the impact that pollution and other negative factors have on the Earth’s ecosystems. Students in Edelman’s enhanced environmental science classes learn about how material pollution affects animals in many ecosystems through dissections and various forms of research. Edelman incorporates environmentally friendly choices in her personal life as well.

“At home we try to limit the amount of waste we produce, specifically plastic waste. Our family reuses Ziploc bags by washing them out and reusing them multiple times. This definitely cuts down on our plastic consumption at home. We also have a compost area that we try to use in order to cut down on more waste production,” Edelman said. “I think that we really need to get out of the mindset that our individual actions don’t really matter, because collectively, if you have a number of these individuals, their actions add up and do make a difference. People need to be educated on how their contributions make a difference in our world, both negative and positive.”

Please visit kanelandkrier.com to read the complete version of this story.

Photo courtesy of Trane Technologies

Kaneland High School’s solar panels were recently installed to the west of the main building. These solar panels will provide clean and cost-efficient energy for the school.

Lifestyle

3

News | April 21, 2022

THREE RETIRING KANELAND STAFF MEMBERS

BY ASHLEY VANDERHOFF

S

Editor

ocial studies teacher Javier Martinez will be retiring at the end of his 15th year of teaching. Martinez graduated from the University of Notre Dame and served in the military for 10 years after he graduated. He then transitioned into a corporate life of sales, where he worked for over a decade before considering a change.

“I was getting a little burned out in the corporate world of sales. It was stressful. I had been in the same area, selling to the same clients for over 10 years, and I felt like I wanted to do something that was more important than just making money. I wanted a feeling that I had when I was in the military,” Martinez said.

Martinez teaches both regular and AP U.S. History, as well as Armed Conflict. He expressed his love for history but also the importance of his work with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. After retiring, while his plans consist of traveling and other leisurely activities, he still plans to stay involved in teaching by relaying to teachers the importance of character in their own students.

Martinez has only ever taught at Kaneland, a community he himself is a part of. He found one of the most meaningful parts of his job has been the connections he has made, as well as imparting impactful life lessons.

“I think as we get older, we have a better appreciation for history. I think [what was meaningful was] connecting with students and sharing my love of history and sharing those [character] lessons we learn in class,” Martinez said.

Martinez will miss his students as well as the teachers who became his friends.

Overall, he expressed that he enjoyed his experience as a teacher.

“I won’t miss the circus, but I will miss the clowns,” Martinez said.

Photo by Ashley Vanderhoff

Social studies teacher Javier Martinez works at his desk in room C116. He has been at KHS for 15 years.

4 News

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ill Maras has been Kaneland High School’s principal for nine years and an administrator for 13. She went from a special education teacher to a special education coordinator to an assistant principal before becoming principal.

Maras entered her current role at a time of inconsistency. For about 10 years, there was a new principal about every two years. After the fifth principal in 10 years left, Maras noted the damage this turnover had caused to the school.

“I knew that we needed somebody who cared about the district and knew the people and could help lead through that sense of rejection and help us to move forward,” Maras said.

Throughout her time as principal, she witnessed many changes. Besides the obvious struggle of the pandemic, Maras was also part of the staff while the school switched from a block schedule to eight periods. She also witnessed the impact of implementing standards-based grading.

Maras studied special education at Western Illinois University. She fell in love with the major due to its nature of helping people. While her transition from teacher to administrator still allowed her to help both students and staff, one of the greatest impacts she hopes she is leaving behind is pride.

“My hope was that over these past nine years, our pride has grown. My very first year as principal, I distinctly remember standing in the gym on our opening day, and they played the school fight song, and no one stood up. So we really focused on that: What does it mean to be a Knight?” Maras said.

Current DeKalb High School principal James Horne will be replacing Maras as the principal at KHS. Maras, an Elburn resident, is glad she will continue to be a part of the community outside of school.

Photo by Ashley Vanderhoff

Principal Jill Maras works at her desk in the main office. She has been the KHS principal for nine years.

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udy Fabrizius is the family and consumer science teacher at Kaneland High School. Fabrizius has been with Kaneland for 23 years but did not always see herself in the position she grew to love. She stresses that even through college, she never had the desire to teach adolescents. However, through a series of interviews that she took simply for experience, she ended up getting a position she never saw herself in: teaching high schoolers.

Fabrizius came to Kaneland in 1999 as a substitute teacher, which was a job she did not originally like. When a fulltime teaching job opened, she applied but only for the experience of going to an interview. At that time, she had been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years after leaving her previous teaching job, but she ended up getting the position.

Fabrizius not only got the job, but she also designed the first room she taught her class in. She stresses that the impact she wants to leave behind is the life lessons she provided along the way.

“I really enjoy [teaching students] because I tell them on the first day that I will be the toughest teacher [they have] ever had,” Fabrizius said.

Part of this philosophy stems from her adjustment to an eight-period schedule from a block schedule. This left less time to teach in each class period, and therefore required a stricter teaching style to accomplish the class goals. However, being a tough teacher wasn’t her main goal.

“You have the power to make somebody happy. I want these kids to know how easy it is to do something with your parents. I try to be the motivation to get [the students] to think about things, because everything is so hectic and busy, and you have to have your priorities,” Fabrizius said.

Photo by Ashley Vanderhoff

Family and consumer science teacher Judy Fabrizius poses next to her blender in room A116.

Page design by Alan Tapia

Voices | April 21, 2022

Winter Wonderland Drawing Contest

Krier cartoonist McKenna Goss created a coloring page featuring a festive Kaneland High School in our annual Winter Supplement earlier this school year. We accepted entries and voted as a staff for the best submission. Congratulations to our two winners whose work is pictured below.

WHAT IS YOUR RED FLAG? “My red flags are that occasionally I shave off half my eyebrow, and sometimes, I dye my hair black or red.”

Hannah Welch Senior

“My red flag is that I cried when I was going through airport security, and I am still scared to this day.”

Alexis VanDerVoorn Freshman

Margaret Marks (Sophomore)

“My red flag is that I have no filter. I always say what I am thinking.”

Charles Burtell Junior

Rachael Peters (Senior) Cartoon by Antonia Liakas

Page design by Samantha Dunne

Voices

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April 21, 2022 | Feature

DANGERS OF INTERNET MISINFORMATION

BY AYSHE ALI

A

Assistant to the Advisor

dvancements in technology have made it easier than ever to know what is going on in the world. People have stepped away from traditional news sources and have started relying on social media to receive their news. Instead of reading through a newspaper or watching the local nightly newscast, you have the ability to quickly learn about what’s happening in the world around you from scrolling through social media platforms like Twitter or TikTok. According to a Pew Research Service study from January, more than 86 percent of adults said they get their news from a smartphone. While this sounds convenient and ideal, many people don’t realize that the information they are consuming may be incorrect.

A major factor in what causes misinformation in the media is a reliance on shock value. Tabloids and news outlets race to release a news story first. No matter the outcome, each company’s goal is to get the most traffic on their sites. Media outlets tend to throw out buzzwords and clickbait headlines to accomplish this goal and to grab the attention of different audiences and readers.

“The platforms profit from it because

that news is trustworthy, but it has be- don’t realize is that there isn’t a shortcome increasingly important for people age of examples proving just how much to get into the habit of fact-checking the false information is out there relating to media they are consuming. Just because the war between Russia and Ukraine. For something is published doesn’t mean example, a viral video that surfaced on that it can’t be riddled with false X information. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine has proven just how According to a Pew Research Service dangerous and easy to believe study from January, more than 86 permisleading infor- cent of adults said they get their news mation can be. from a smartphone.

Most teenagers and adults are familiar by now with TikTok. This CLICK HERE video-sharing app has ended up in the middle of a broader discussion about misinformation, specifical- Facebook of a Ukrainian aircraft shooting ly with the conflict happening between a Russian aircraft down is actually from Ukraine and Russia. TikTok works as an a video game, according to USA Today algorithm, letting the user view the con- writer Kate Petersen. People are seemingtent that interests them the most. Re- ly willing to post whatever it takes to get a cently, however, many users’ “For You” reaction from others. pages have been “Without actual pictures from the flooded with content conflict, people turn to online repositoX relating to Russia’s ries for imagery for memes and posts. decision to invade They find old images, misinterpret them their neighbor. Stay- as being from the current war, and inIn a 2018 study done by MIT Sloan pro- ing informed about clude them with their posts to try to bolfessors Sinan Aral and Deb Roy and So- current issues is im- ster their arguments,” said Dr. Vikram Mitportant, however a tal, an associate professor at the United roush Vosoughi of the MIT Media Lab, recent study done by States Military Academy in the Departthey found that news containing false Safeguard, a compa- ment of Systems Engineering. ny that monitors the In a 2018 study done by MIT Sloan information is 70 percent more likely trustworthiness of professors Sinan Aral and Deb Roy and to be retweeted than stories contain- news outlets, proved Soroush Vosoughi of the MIT Media Lab, just how much false they found that news containing false ining true facts. information is float- formation is 70 percent more likely to be ing around on the retweeted than stories containing true app. facts. It is increasingly more difficult to CLICK HERE “Toward the end figure out if something you are reading of the 45–minute ex- is true or not. Instead of reading newsperiment, analysts’ papers or watching the local news, peothe more outrageous the content, the feeds were almost exclusively populated ple are starting to solely rely on social more people interact with it – this type of with both accurate and false content re- media to get their information. The issue ‘engagement’ is what the platforms are lated to the war in Ukraine – with no dis- to remain consistently aware of is that we looking for; people reacting to things. It tinction made between disinformation have to be more devoted to fact checking doesn’t matter if it’s true or false as long and reliable sources,” the research team our news sources, particularly when they as they engage,” telecommunications at Safeguard found. come from social media. analyst of Recon Analytics Roger Entner This misinformation is not only mis“Social media offers us the illusion of said. leading, but it can also contribute to un- news literacy, but what it really delivers is It is very easy for someone to read necessary panic. People from both sides a fog of feel-good-half-truths, a half-shutan article or scroll through social media of the war have been posting videos and tered window on the world,” according to content and blindly believe what they images with the sole purpose of striking Penn State University professor in ethics see. We have long been inclined to think fear in each other. What many people Dr. Patrick L. Plaisance.

6

Feature

Page design by Kevin Sigrist

Feature | April 21, 2022

THE COMFORT DOGS: KANELAND EDITION

BY KYRA MOTYKA

T

Editor

wo beloved service dogs, Eunice how it would work,” Farran said. “It worked we going?’ She knows she’s going to be and Adeena, visit Kaneland every so very well. Adeena was the pioneer, and it with people when she sees her backpack often to provide emotional support went so well with her that they had about and vest,” Jan said. “The vest does not go to many of our students. Taking even five 20 or 25 dogs trained there after her.” on until we actually get out of the car, so minutes to pet the dogs and enjoy their When the prison closed, Lutheran she’s not wearing it unless she’s working.” presence can relieve stress and immedi- Church Charities (LCC) had to find their These hard-working dogs are able to ately benefit someone’s mental wellbe- own trainers with their own training pro- tell that it’s time for their work to begin ing. Students are always overwhelmed gram, which is where Eunice was trained. just by seeing their vests and backpacks. with joy to hear that the emotional sup“There are actually over 30 different “They’re trained with the vests on, port dogs are coming, but there is so commands that they’re trained for - the so they associate that when the vest much more to their stories than what you standard types of things that a registered goes on, they’re on their best behavior. might see during a brief encounter in the service dog would have,” Ray said. “In ad- When the vest comes off, they’re regular cafeteria. dition to that, the dogs are socialized [to dogs. They’re never really crazy and wild, “Adeena is a real rebut they can act like normal triever. She loves to play dogs,” Ray said. what we call ‘get-andAlthough students at give’ with a tennis ball.

Kaneland mostly see them Throw it, and she’ll bring for fun, Eunice and Adeena it back. That is her favorhave both helped people ite thing,” Adeena’s carewho are healing after disasgiver and handler Shar trous situations.

Farran said. “She also “We were all just in Bellikes to go to the feed videre schools. They had a store…she loves everytragedy there; they had a one at the feed store and fire and lost three students. all the different scents.”

So we get emergency calls While Adeena’s faand go in for things like that vorite hobby might be to calm down a situation and playing fetch with a tengive comfort,” Farran said. nis ball, Eunice prefers “[At Kaneland], we’re here a real chase. She likes to for fun and some de-stressrun around and hunt aning. We know that schools imals. are a spot for stress.” “[Eunice] is more of The Pemollers agreed a hunter, so if there’s a that the dogs are able to absquirrel outside, she’ll sorb the stress of humans. go and chase it,” Eunice’s “I think the dogs will caregiver and handler take the stress of the people Jan Pemoller said. “She into themselves,” Jan said. “I gets her exercise.” don’t know how to explain Fetching tennis balls it.” and chasing squirrels “I mean, when we’ve only scratch the surface been in really stressful enviPhotos by Kyra Motyka of what the dogs like to ronments, like shootings or Left: Eunice and Adeena are frequent visitors to Kaneland High School, where they do for fun. Eunice and bring joy to students. Top right: The dogs sit in the cafeteria for all three lunch peri- deaths, [Eunice] will come Adeena are best friends ods, and students can walk up at any time to see them. Botton right: The dogs associ- home and just go in the yard even outside of work. ate the sight of these backpacks with school, and this excites them for visiting students. and run and run,” Ray said.

“Eunice likes to go “It just burns off the stress visit Adeena,” second caregiver and han- humans] because they’re trained to work that she’s absorbed from the people who dler of Eunice, Ray Pemoller, said. in an environment with lots of people. We are there.”

“They’re best buddies. Best furry expose them to loud noises, big crowds, While running around the yard after buddies. BFBs,” Jan said. to go into retail businesses and restau- a long day always seems to resolve the The dogs began their 15-month rants, so nothing really surprises them.” dogs’ stress, their handlers are sure to training at just eight weeks old, with The purebred golden retrievers are keep a close eye on them during their Adeena having been trained at the now- just as happy to see us as we are to see work day. closed Dwight Women’s Prison. Eunice them.

“We watch the dogs very carefuland Adeena are six and 12 years old, re“Adeena gets out of the car [at Kane- ly. Eunice and Adeena are what we call spectively. land], and her ears perk up. Her tail perks pros. They know what they’re doing,” Far“They would train the inmates, and up and she prances. They love it. They ran said. “It really depends on your dog. they’d then be certified to train dogs. just love it,” Farran said.

Some dogs can get more nervous and Adeena was the first one that went to the “Eunice runs to the doors when she more stressed, but these two? You don’t prison to be trained. They wanted to see sees her bag, and she’s like, ‘Where are ever see them nervous or stressed.”

Page design by Zoey Pozen

Feature

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Centerspread | April 21, 2022

WHAT CLIMATE C

BY ANNA OLP

Design Executive and Photography Executive

W

hen discussing the topic of climate change, two common issues that come up are usually melting ice caps or rising sea levels. In the Midwest, we don’t have glaciers retreating or coastal towns that have to worry about their elevation, so why should we care? These effects of climate change are not things we are going to see within our local communities.

As easy as it would be to not have to worry about climate change here in the Midwest, unfortunately just like the rest of the world, we will not be immune to its effects. Some of the regional impacts we will feel in the Midwest include global surface temperatures continuing to increase, weather conditions developing more variability, storms becoming more damaging and agricultural conditions worsening.

Dr. Walker Ashley is a certified consulting meteorologist and professor at Northern Illinois University with a research emphasis in meteorology, climatology and disasters. Ashley is an atmospheric scientist and disaster geographer with an interest in extreme weather and societal impacts.

“When we talk about climate change, a lot of our future is based on models we project into the future. We set the models with more moisture and more heat to simulate a warming environment. We do the same on a historical basis too because we want to make sure the models capture history, because if they can’t capture history they can’t say anything about the future,” Ashley said.

These figures and predictions are not easily calculated by just anyone. Dr. Ashley works with computers and

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Centerspread

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

April 21, 2022 | Centerspread

CHANGE LOOKS LIKE IN THE MIDWEST REGION technology far more complicated than what you can find in a home computer. As improvements are made to the process of identifying and researching effects of climate change, the credibility of the results are better now than ever.

“We are always updating our knowledge, and we are always running new simulations with better physics and better resolution. These require massive computers; it’s not something that you can run on your desktop. Most of our simulations are run on house-sized supercomputers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research,” Ashley said.

Living in Illinois, each of us can attest to the already variable weather conditions from day to day. In March, one day we can spend time outside enjoying 70-degree weather, and we wake up the next morning to snow on the ground.

This same variability can mean stretches of time in the summer with precipitation every day, or weeks without any rain at all. As global temperatures increase, the fluctuation in weather in the Midwest will also increase.

“Historically we know that we have some dry years like 1988 and extremely wet years like 1993. That variability is going to get wider and wider. That means that certain years we’re going to be drier than ‘88 and we’re going to be way wetter than ‘93, and within the year we are going to see greater variability seasonally,” Ashley said.

Tornados and hail may also increase because of elevated temperatures and moisture levels in the atmosphere due to climate change. Aside from the direct damages these may cause, the differences the

Page design by Ashley Vanderhoff

Midwest region will see in our weather events will also have massive implications for agriculture.

The Midwest is a very important area in the country when it comes to agriculture. In Illinois alone, agriculture generates more than $19 billion annually according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The effects of climate change could jeopardize growing seasons for many farmers.

According to the USDA, changes in climate and extreme weather have already occurred and are increasing challenges for agriculture nationally and globally. Many of the impacts are expected to continue or intensify in the future.

Over the past century, temperatures have risen across all seasons, growing seasons have become longer, precipitation patterns have changed and extreme precipitation events have increased in frequency and severity.

The impacts climate change will have on agriculture are unfortunately some that will hit very close to home. Brooke Heinsohn is a science and agriculture teacher at KHS and a member of the Kaneland community whose family has their own farm.

The timing of sowing, raising and harvesting crops where we live in Illinois is reliant on rain. Most of the water that the crops get comes from rain, not irrigation.

Changes in weather patterns can delay a planting season or even force farmers to change the seeds they use.

“Most crops are designed to grow for a specific period of time before they are

Illustration by Ashley Vanderhoff

ready to be harvested. There is usually a set number of how many days of sunlight it needs in order to be ready by a certain time. Sometimes farmers will have to change the seeds that they ordered to a shorter day-length crop so it can be ready in time. That also means that the seed companies have to be ready to pivot,” Heinsohn said.

As agriculture is such a big part of our economy in the Midwest, negative impacts on agriculture will also be felt in many other ways.

“Precipitation can have huge ramifications for the Midwest because we are the corn belt and breadbasket of the world.

As precipitation changes in the Midwest, so does our agricultural productivity,” Ashely said. “If we don’t have rain, food prices go up and yields go down. That has an impact on us when we’re going to buy bread, but more importantly most of our crop is shipped around the world.”

Food shortages are something that we can observe right now. First due to COVID-19 and now the crisis in Ukraine, the blockages being felt in shipping routes have contributed to shortages all over the world. Most of us can survive if Starbucks is out of our favorite drinks, but what about when grocery stores aren’t able to stock their produce shelves? And, what happens when we are unable to fulfill shipping or trade agreements with other countries?

“One of the things that can create war, strife and mass migrations is food shortage. Luckily we live in a very prosperous and resilient area, and our resources will be the backstop for this country. It is the other parts of the world that don’t have a backstop,” Ashley said.

Our current experience with food shortages is a small example of the potential effects of climate change in the Midwest. For many, it may be a look into the future if we don’t recognize the reality and the threat of climate change.

“It is hard for every generation to realize that something that might have an impact in 10, 20 or 30 years is something we need to start thinking about now. A lot of people focus on what they’re putting on the table tonight or what they’re going to wear. The problem with climate change is that it’s a policy issue where we actually have the solutions now, and we know what we need to do, but it requires forethought, leadership and individual constituents that can look beyond next week,” Ashley said.

Centerspread

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Sports | Opinion | April 21, 2022

BENEFITS OF A FIELDHOUSE AT KANELAND

BY NICHOLAS MITCHINSON

I

Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print

t is not unusual for the hallways throughout Kaneland to be busy far after the regular school day ends. A typical track practice between Feb. 1 and Spring Break, for instance, is likely to occur in the same hallways that students pack during each passing period. The sprinters will be in one hallway, while the hurdlers are in another.

Maybe the distance runners will be outside braving the conditions. Throwers will be on the West Gym stage, while pole vaulters will be practicing in the East. Jumpers will find a different empty hallway. And what if it’s too rainy or snowy or wet or cold for the baseball, softball, tennis and lacrosse teams to practice outside? Then they’ll have to come inside to seek some space as well.

There are so many problems with this all-too-familiar situation, and there is an even bigger problem that causes this to happen with such regularity. The solution to this issue and many more is the addition of a fieldhouse. Not only would the staff and students at Kaneland benefit from the construction of a fieldhouse, but the community as a whole would see its value.

The problem of athletes not being able to practice to their maximum potential is the most obvious issue the addition of a fieldhouse would help solve. One reason why the athletes struggle to practice to the best of their ability is because of the current facilities at Kaneland. Members of the student body tend to look down upon the gym spaces because they simply are not good enough. The auxiliary and West Gym are almost impractical for all sports, and they

Photo by Nicholas Mitchinson

Members of the Kaneland boys track team go through a dynamic warmup in the hallway to begin their practice. Athletes use the hallways due to the lack of gym space in the building.

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Sports | Opinion

have been the root of many injuries for the athletes at our school. Head boys track and field coach and 2005 Kaneland graduate Andy Drendel has experience from playing in the West Gym as a student-athlete, and now he coaches in the same facilities he used when he was a student.

“That West Gym hasn’t changed since I was here, and that was awful back when I was a sophomore playing basketball. I remember pulling my groin in there because I jumped and completely slipped,” Drendel said.

It would be one thing if changes were not necessary, but that the need for change is so glaring is what makes it difficult for people to understand why significant upgrades have not occurred. Kaneland athletes deserve to practice in better conditions and better gyms than the ones provided now.

Senior soccer player and track athlete Sean Gannon has practiced in the West Gym and feels it does more harm than good.

“The West Gym is a hard surface to play on. The ball would bounce around the entire time, and at the end of practice it would feel like we would get nothing out of it. The surface would also be hard on the feet and lead to sprained ankles and sore muscles almost every time we were in there,” Gannon said.

Students feel they deserve better, and sometimes it is hard for them to be motivated to practice in such circumstances when it is easy to imagine a better alternative. Sophomore track athlete Alyssa Galvez sometimes finds it hard to have motivation when practicing inside.

“When we have to practice inside, we throw on the West Gym stage. I do not like throwing up there because it is really dark and kind of depressing, and I feel a lot less motivated to do it,” Galvez said.

This lack of motivation in athletes is also evident and understood from a coaching perspective. Head boys basketball coach and Physical Education Department Chair Ernie Colombe believes that athletes would be more motivated if the facilities they practiced in were improved.

“I think that when students and student-athletes come into a building and see [a fieldhouse], that does change your mindset. When you see well-kept facilities, you see the school pride. In my opinion, new facilities would raise the bar. Just the mental approach to everything would change,” Colombe said.

A common misconception about a fieldhouse is that it would only be beneficial to the athletes of the school, when in reality it would be helping everyone. The phys-

Photo by Nicholas Mitchinson

Third period physical education students play basketball in Kaneland’s West Gym. Students have the option to do different activities depending on which gym they choose to be in.

ical education program would benefit in many different ways from having access to a fieldhouse. One way it would help is from a curriculum standpoint. There would be opportunities for P.E. teachers to plan and implement more diverse lessons. A fieldhouse would make P.E. more enjoyable for both the staff and the students.

“I believe that if we got a fieldhouse it would completely change and revamp our entire P.E. curriculum. You could add in a rock wall or a high ropes course,” Drendel said. “You could make it a multipurpose facility, not just for track or the basketball courts in the middle. It would be really fun as a P.E. staff if we had that kind of facility.”

In addition to the new advantages and opportunities a fieldhouse would bring, it would also make classes and practices safer for the students. Currently, a typical West Gym P.E. class has a couple basketball games going on simultaneously with people also just trying to shoot by themselves.

Then there are more people in the middle of the court trying to do their own thing. This current environment is a disaster waiting to happen, and if there are ways to minimize the potential for harm, this seems like an idea worth seriously exploring.

“The biggest thing from a safety aspect is the space, especially with P.E. classes being 35-40 kids in [the West Gym]. Having the ability to spread everybody out, especially in the P.E. realm, would be huge. It would make a massive difference in not just the safety but also in terms of doing more activities and units,” Drendel said.

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April 21, 2022 | Editorial

Kaneland High School 47W326 Keslinger Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 (630) 365-5100 www.kanelandkrier.com Member of IJEA, Quill & Scroll, NSPA, NISPA IHSA State Finalists 2013-2021 IWPA Silver Pen 2017 NISPA Golden Eagle 2017 IJEA First Place for Krier Online 2021 IJEA First Place for Best Hybrid Publication 2021 IJEA First Place for Best Overall Publication 2021 Subscription rates: Five issues, three supplements School-delivered, $15; Home-delivered, $25 EXECUTIVE STAFF

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IMPORTANCE OF THE FUTURE

F

rom upcoming tests to choosing your life-long career, the future can be a scary thing to think about. Now, more than ever, the state of our future is worrisome. War in Ukraine, continuous supply chain issues and increasing global temperatures are just a few of the stressful conflicts impacting our future. With so many unpredictable aspects of life, the future is often uncertain, but that is the exact reason it is important to think about.

While it’s easy to live in the present, it's also imperative to think about where we are going.

We are all used to embracing the present; we focus on completing day-today tasks, scrolling through social media and stressing out about trivial problems. While it is important to live in the moment and embrace what we currently have, we might not be able to have these moments if we don’t consider the future.

Looking to the future often provides many benefits despite the stress that may come with it. Thinking about where we will be months, or even years, from now can help to prepare us for what might happen. For many of us, college admissions and decisions or other paths we may choose are rapidly approaching or are already underway. While it may be intimidating to think about such decisions, thinking about these things ahead of time will lessen our stress later. So, while thinking about your future has the potential to lead you to the best path, it can also help you recognize the possibility of failure. Coming to terms with the more negative circumstances that you could face can prepare you for battling them.

In order to look at the future from the best perspective, we must also reflect on our past. People always advise that we

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Page design by Sophia Opp

look at the past in order to learn from our mistakes and then to avoid repeating them. Looking back on past mistakes can be very beneficial, but it is still important to keep the future in mind. Getting stuck in the past is something we can all relate to because it can be difficult to look past emotional or physical experiences.

However, do not rely too much on the past or you might miss what is to come.

Avoiding coming to terms with the future can lead to detrimental consequences. It often seems easier in the moment to ignore whatever looming event is stressing us out and distract ourselves by scrolling on social media or watching our favorite TV shows. This temporary stress relief can be a positive thing in small quantities, but when we begin to rely on it to keep us from thinking about the future, we have to face these stressful situations without preparation. The consequences we face from not preparing for future events could range from failing a math test to more irreversible mistakes.

Picturing the future does not have to be an intimidating task. There are many important issues and concerns that we may face in the future, but that does not mean we have to think of all of them at once. Tackling bigger challenges can be made simpler by working with others; there is no need to handle everything by yourself. Many people around you might be facing the same worries, and collaborating to resolve them can help to alleviate some of that stress.

The future is important. There’s no denying that we have many things to worry about. Ignoring these possible problems won’t benefit us in the long run, though it may seem like the easier option now.

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Sophia Opp Co-Editor-in-Chief of Print Madeleine Little Editor-in-Chief of Web

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

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

MANAGING EDITOR STAFF Casey Walters Technology Manager

Ayshe Ali Assistant to the Advisor

Karmyn Hookham Social Media Manager

EDITORIAL STAFF Lifestyle Kyra Motyka Voices Samantha Dunne

News Alan Tapia Sports Braden Babka

Feature 2 Zoey Pozen

Feature 1 Kevin Sigrist

Centerspread Ashley Vanderhoff

Editorial Sophia Opp

Advertisements Gabrielle Parker

Opinion Sarah Janito

STAFF

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

Print Production

Jacob Guernon

Chloe Black

McKenna Goss

ADVISORS Dominic Bruno Krier advisor

Nicole Larsen Print advisor

EDITORIAL POLICY

Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily the opinion of Kaneland administration, staff, students or parents. The Krier Editorial Board consists of designated Advanced Journalism students: Ayshe Ali, Braden Babka, Samantha Dunne, Karmyn Hookham, Sarah Janito, Madison Kleivo, Madeleine Little, Nicholas Mitchinson, Kyra Motyka, Anna Olp, Sophia Opp, Gabrielle Parker, Zoey Pozen, Kevin Sigrist, Alan Tapia, Ashley Vanderhoff, Casey Walters, Benjamin Warford and Paige Whiteside. Students make all publication decisions.

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

Editorial

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Opinion | April 21, 2022

SHOULD ENHANCED CLASSES BE WEIGHTED?

BY KEVIN SIGRIST

C Editor

ourse difficulty is an important factor in deciding which classes to take in high school. At Kaneland High School, there are standard courses, and there are Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which give students an opportunity to test out of a college level class.

They also offer a chance at a higher grade point average (GPA), as point values for these classes carry a higher weight in terms of GPA. However, floating somewhere in between the standard classes and those with the AP label, there is a category of enhanced courses. These classes offer a more difficult curriculum in topics such as math, English and science without the benefit of the possibility of a weighted grade.

Some of the only benefits for taking these enhanced classes is an improved chance to meet the requirements for enrolling in AP classes and a potential bonus on college applications, as admissions officers might view enhanced classes as a sign that students are challenging themselves without much incentive. This tradeoff is not of equal value and is not fair towards students. These enhanced classes should offer a weighted GPA to some extent in order to become a more viable resource to students.

For starters, enhanced classes are simply more difficult than standard classes. A more intense difficulty is the reason for AP classes being weighted, so it does not make sense that the same logic wouldn’t be applied to enhanced classes.

Matthew Czerak, who teaches both enhanced and regular English 9, elaborated on the contrast in difficulty between his standard and enhanced classes.

“Enhanced classes are definitely a step up. We tend to move through units quicker,” Czerak said. “If we were reading

the same texts [as my standard classes], we’d definitely move at a quicker pace with my enhanced class, and there would be less hand-holding. There’s also definitely a higher standard of what proficiency and distinguished mean.”

Some students, such as sophomore Linda Ray, would even put enhanced courses on the same scale as the AP classes they have taken.

“I think they are much more difficult than standard classes. I’m currently taking four enhanced classes, and put together they stack up,” Ray said. “My main reason [why enhanced classes should be weighted] would probably be that I put so much more work into them. I had an AP class last year, and I put probably the same amount of work into that class that I did into any other enhanced class.”

Enhanced classes being unweighted also diminishes the accuracy of GPAs and class rank. For example, if a student in an enhanced class gets an A-, but a student in a standard class gets an A, the student taking the standard class will benefit more in terms of the GPA than the student who took the enhanced class.

“My class rank is 5th right now, but because enhanced classes aren’t weighted, they haven’t changed my rank. But they challenge me and push me to do my best and to be prepared for AP [classes] in the future,” Ray said.

Many students enrolled in enhanced courses have expressed frustration from these courses being unweighted because of the disproportionate GPA credit they received compared to their peers who didn’t take enhanced classes.

“It’s very frustrating because I know I’ve taken the majority of the enhanced classes I can, and I’ve put all my hard work into that. And there are still people

Cartoon by Lilliana Bobe

It is a common decision amongst Kaneland students of whether to take regular or enhanced classes. A student may feel more compelled to take an enhanced class if it came with a weighted grade.

12 Opinion

above me in ranking who haven’t put that work in,” Ray said.

The argument could be made that enhanced classes simply serve as preparation for AP classes in the future, and this isn’t inherently false. Enhanced classes will prepare students for AP classes, but there are some flaws to this view.

For one, there could be students who wish to take certain AP classes that have enhanced classes which could work as preparation for the AP level. But because the enhanced classes provide no obvious benefit such as GPA points, they may decide to not even take the class and therefore may struggle if they go the AP route later. Making enhanced classes weighted would help fix this problem, as students would have more incentive to take the enhanced class and would then be more prepared for the AP class in the future. According to a common counterargument explained by Ray, however, this contradicts the purpose of these classes.

“More people would take the classes, and it would remove the people who are just doing it to challenge themselves.

Colleges look at people who take enhanced classes because, even though they are not weighted, you’re still trying to push yourself. And them being weighted would remove that element, but I don’t think that’s worth keeping them unweighted,” Ray explained.

While this idea of challenging yourself without a reward would be removed, a student’s performance would be moved to the value of their GPA. Direct evidence of students who have experienced weighted enhanced classes in other districts shows that this approach can be effective.

“The classes that are available at my school are regular, honors, AP and some dual credit. The regular classes are weighted as 4s on the GPA scale, and the rest are weighted as 5s,” Marmion Academy sophomore Brody Sartain said. “I take a lot of honors classes, and I do fairly well in them. This majorly boosted my GPA when compared to my classmates in regular classes. It showed the hard work I put in to excel in harder classes.”

While someone can find negatives to weighting enhanced classes from an outside perspective, Sartain has yet to deal with any.

“In my opinion, there is no downside to higher level classes being weighted,” Sartain said. “It is just an accurate description so a person is getting rewarded for taking a higher level class.”

Page design by Sarah Janito

April 21, 2022 | Opinion

LIFE BEFORE TEXTING CULTURE WAS EASIER

BY SARAH JANITO

A

Production Executive

ccording to The Smithsonian Institution, the first handheld phone was not modeled until 1973. Since then, there has been a dramatic increase in the relationship we have with phones now. This generation is obsessed with our phones, no matter our age. We can play games, call people more efficiently, text anyone with ease and even monitor how well we sleep. Simply put, we can do just about anything our hearts desire from the device in our hands. While this evolving technology is positive for our all-around growth as a society, the obsession we have with our phones is unhealthy and was much easier to control when we had landlines, flip phones and rotary dials.

Life before Apple, Android, Google or whatever platform you buy your phone from was much simpler.

It’s no secret that we are seemingly obsessed with our phones, as they can do anything. But the addiction to our screens is bad for our health. What happened to communicating in person, going outside and reading an actual book? Rather than texting the people you’re already in a room with, talk to them and use words.

Before smartphones became a thing, people actually had lives to live and were not stuck in an endless TikTok scrolling loop for eight hours a day.

People used to talk in person and weren’t staring at screens all day, and according to studies done in 2019 by Michigan State University, since smartphones have become so influential in our lives, we are becoming more and more dependent on them and can even experience withdrawal symptoms being away from them. Sure, people once relied on a landline, but it was better than what we do now. Children are receiving phones at younger and younger ages now, which is ridiculous. Sure, there are some upsides to phones, like not having to deal with physical maps and having all our music in one place, but life was simply more enjoyable when more people actually went outside. Our every thought was not shared with the whole world, we had actual cameras to use and dating was more real and fun. Now, it seems that all we have are dating apps and Twitter, where people get canceled in a heartbeat.

The point is, phones have become borderline dangerous. They were fun when they first became a phenomenon, with everyone playing Flappy Bird and calling friends just because they could.

But now, people get in car accidents because they cannot put their screens

Page design by Sarah Janito

Cartoon by Lilliana Bobe

Today’s children and teens are surrounded more than ever by ways to access technology.

Times were simpler when we as a society were not so dependent on the devices in our hands.

down. People used to live in the moment and enjoy what they had in front of them at that point in time. Now, people let the screens get in the way of making meaningful, face-to-face relationships.

Phones can be helpful to us in many ways, such as making friends over the internet. Dating apps do work from time to time and checking up on friends and family has become easier, but the cons outweigh the pros by a lot. Who cares about your thoughts on cryptocurrency?

No one wants to see a pointless dance on TikTok or politicians throwing tantrums on Facebook. What we should be using our phones for are necessities like calling our friends and family or using our maps for directions. The excessive staring at the screens and doing nothing of importance has gotten out of hand. Not to mention how obsessed we are with texting everyone we know every chance we get about nothing. I certainly do this; I will totally text my best friend if I see a cute dog. But definitely not for over eight hours a day.

The obsession we have with our handheld devices, phones or otherwise, is unhealthy. I, for one, miss going outside all day during the summer with my childhood best friends and coming home smelling like the outdoors with a sunburn and eating dinner with my family. Two summers ago, I spent my summer inside on my phone rather than getting a tan at a pool with my friends and playing a game.

And now many of us are leaving for the next chapter of our lives. I will always regret what my phone turned me into a few years ago: the type of person who stayed up until 2 a.m. and woke up each morning with neck pain and a false reality of my body due to my excessive social media use. But all I can do today is try to put it down and become more present.

Phones have more than just physical

effects; they can be mental, too. As I mentioned, I now have a false reality of my body due to what I see on social media.

It has given me anxiety, and my depression spikes from time to time because of it. I stopped going outside as often for a while. It was really unhealthy for me as an individual, and this level of obsession does not do any good.

We should be spending our time on different hobbies rather than staring at our screens. We should try other worthwhile things like exercising, painting, baking or doing a puzzle. Watching TV and movies and playing online games can still be great, but not to the extent we do such activities today. Getting off the couch and away from our devices even for a little bit can do wonders for our health. Our eyes will thank us for the blue light not being burned into them all day, and our posture can improve without being constantly hunched over. And when we are faceto-face, we should stop using the slang words our phones have trained us to use.

Sometimes I cannot believe the way I talk now compared to a year or two ago.

Living in the moment is important, especially when you are a teenager. Ferris Bueller said it best: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it,” and that is exactly what we are doing, missing life as it whisks by. I am graduating next month and, I admit it: I have not always stopped and looked around, no matter how much I realized I needed to start appreciating my life and the people in it. My friends and I are going away soon, but instead of enjoying each other’s company, we spend our time scrolling Instagram and looking at Snapchats while sitting in the same room together. We should start appreciating what else is in front of us besides our devices and screens.

Opinion

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