Bear Facts Student Media December 2016

bear facts THE SEASON OF GIVING

Bear Facts delves into the world of charity this holiday season PAGE 10

Charity Bash 2016

LZHS students partnering for progress

Charlie Sims and his mom talk about their experience with Partners for Progress at the Charity Bash Assembly.

The Wutang Ballers, Brian Griffith, Shane Nolan, Mark Wu, and Kyle Griffith, seniors, won the Ball Gives Life 3v3 tournament.

Emma Wenckowski and Bledian Ajroja, seniors, and Cade Ryan, junior, MC the Charity Bash Assembly.

To raise money for Partners For Progress, Student Council held games in the cafeteria during all lunch periods.

Karenna Savage and Anagha Rajahopalan, sophomores, talk about their experience volunteering at Partner For Progress.

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Francesca Castro, senior, wins the annual Charity Bash Talent Show. photos by Bear Facts Staff

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BEAR FACTS STUDENT MEDIA LAKE ZURICH HIGH SCHOOL 300 CHURCH ST. LAKE ZURICH, IL VOL. 29 ISSUE 3

NEWS

LZ LIFE

4 News in Brief 6 5 Around the Area 7 8 9

Graduating for Art Hair Expectations Star Signs Inside Bear Facts

COVER

SPORTS

10 Charitable Lake Zurich

Career 18 Global for Alumni Inspires 19 Family Football Star Sports 20 Winter Coverage

for 12 Partners Progress

14 Trustworthy Charities to 16 Donate Small Charities

News in

Brief written by

Madison Hart print editor-in-chief

photo by Madison Hart

New LZHS greenhouse LZHS’ Special Education Department unveiled a new greenhouse on campus that will help develop gardening and social skills as students move into adulthood. While many schools posses greenhouses for science purposes, Susan Coleman, district assistant superintendent for student services, came up with the idea to utilize the space for special education as well. The year-round greenhouse with electricity, heating, and water cost a total of $20,000 to construct, and students in the special education program will be able to grow plants and produce to sell within the Lake Zurich community.

While the plants can be sold, part of the produce will be used to teach students how to cook as well as how to maintain a healthy living style through food preparation. Students are learning their gardening skills from the Illinois Master Gardeners, an extension from University of Illinois, and the teachers are being educated by staff at the Chicago Botanical Gardens. Though the main intent of the greenhouse is to prepare special education students for adulthood, it will be available for general science classes as well.

photo from wbur.org

Controversial Dakota Pipeline rerouted

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and thousands of protesters celebrated victory as the US Army Corps of Engineers announced on December 4 that the Dakota Access Pipeline would not be constructed through the Sioux reservation. Plans for the pipeline spanned 1,172 miles from North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois and would have ran under Lake Oahe, which could have contaminated the a main water source for the reservation as well as disturbed the Native American’s sacred land. Protesters of the Dakota Access Pipeline were mostly peaceful over the past several months, but some activists were subject to rubber bullets, tear gas, and high power water hoses when the protest got out of hand. While their efforts were successful in stopping the construction of the pipeline in the near future, the tribe worries that with a new administration entering the White House, their land will still be at risk of construction despite the recent ruling.

photo from wikimedia.org

Teenagers to launch Africa’s first private satellite

A team of fourteen high school girls from Cape Town, South Africa have constructed and designed payloads that utilize thermal imaging technology for the continent’s first private satellite that will be launched into orbit during May 2017. The satellite will be used to survey Africa for information on agriculture success and food security as well as aiding in disaster prevention. Information from the satellite will be sent down twice a day while orbiting the poles and will allow for quick reactions to sudden natural disasters along with predicting droughts and floods across the continent.

The team is part of a project by South Africa’s Meta Economic

4 News• december 2016

Development Organization along with Morehead State University, and all of the girls are being trained by engineers at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology through a bid to encourage more African women to take interest into the STEM field. In the initial stages of training, the girls built smaller satellites from high-altitude weather balloons, but they are now progressing in more detailed construction of the private imaging device that will be launched next year. Though the team is composed of girls from South Africa alone, the program hopes to include students from Namibia, Malawi, Kenya, and Rwanda in the near future.

around the AREA

CHRISTKINDLMARKET

1

Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza is the largest open-air Christmas festival in Chicago. The market is based off of a German and European tradition with vendors selling food and gifts for shoppers during the holidays. There is no cost to enter the festival, and it is open from 11 am to 8 pm Thursdays and Sundays, and 11 am to 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays until Christmas Eve. This is the twentieth Chicago Christkindlmarket after the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest began the festival as a nonconvential way to promote trade between the United States and Germany, and this year the festival has started a Christkindlmarket at Naper Settlement in Naperville as well.

Arboretum On Ice

SOUTH BARRINGTON

2

The outdoor ice rink at the Arboretum of South Barrington is open until January 16 for daytime or nighttime skating. The 7,200 square foot rink is open weekdays during break and Saturdays from 11 am-10 pm, and Sundays from 11 am- 8 pm. Ticket and skates costs $12, and without skates costs $8.

There are also a variety of specialty skates ranging from disco days to skating with the Grinch.

Brookfield Holiday Magic

BROOKFIELD

3

Brookfield Zoo presents their 35 annual light festival on December 17-18 and December 26-31 featuring a Polar light show with over a million lights and forty foot tall talking Christmas tree. The festival also includes photos with animals, a dolphin show, ice carving demonstrations, and magic shows.

Admission to the zoo costs $17.95, and tickets can be purchased online.

photos by Brianne Saab

Century Park

Apple Holler STURTEVANT

4

The orchard transforms from an apple hot spot in the fall to a sleigh riding trail during December and January. The horse drawn sleigh takes guests through the orchard and concludes with free hot chocolate, apple cider, or s’mores. The orchard also has a restaurant and country store selling everything from pies to apple cider donuts.

For reservations and pricing visit appleholler.com.

VERNON HILLS

5

The Vernon Hills park district provides a 60,000 cubic foot sled hill, an outdoor man made ice skating rink, and cross country skiing throughout Century Park. There is no cost for admission, and the park includes 2.7 miles of bike paths around both Big and Little Bear lakes for cold days without snow. Other amenities include two playgrounds and indoor resrooms open during winter.

News•december 2016 5

L Z L I F E

Capturing theWorld Dominique Gertie lz life editor

“Art has changed my life,” Conner Burns, junior, said. “[My passion] started with photography and it kind of evolved from there. I plan on going to college for art and hopefully I can go into film and television.”

Burns hopes to further his art portfolio, and to eventually attend Savannah Art School of Design in Georgia to continue his passion of art and photography.

“I got really into [photography] my freshman year in my photo class, and it became my daily life. I always liked art classes because I always did well in them, but I never really took them seriously until [freshman year]. Since I realized how much I enjoyed it, I figured why not make it the most important thing in my life.”

Since falling in love with photo, Burns, with the help of his family and friends, has decided to pursue his passion full time.

“I’m actually graduating a year early so I can focus my time on my art. My family and I wrote a letter to the district to get the early graduation regulation appealed so I can graduate a [full] year early,” Burns said. “I am going to Europe for two months to focus on my photography. I have enough credits, I will be taking summer classes, and will be taking college courses online while I’m gone.”

Burns says he will use his time in Europe to travel, grow as an artist, and add to his portfolio.

“I am going to a different place every couple weeks,” Burns said. “I am going to Rome, Ireland, Spain, and France for sure.

I have family that travels a lot [and] who lives in France, so I will be traveling with a different family member each week.”

Expanding his portfolio before his trip, Burns continues to work on out of school projects for his own enjoyment and with the help and support of his friends.

“We’re basically the same person, which is why we tell people we’re half brothers,” Stefano Ukleba, senior and Burns’ friend, said. “I think art has changed Conner in the best way it can change anyone. He can express basically anything and everything through his art. It also opened doors to many opportunities for him, especially with his photography.”

Burns hopes that his new experiences in different parts of Europe will give him the opportunity to learn more about different cultures around the world.

“Being a high school student, I am stuck in Lake Zurich with the Lake Zurich culture. I would like to experience more of the outside world along with the people and the places. [I want to] experience as much as I can,” Burns said. “I think the people will be very open and welcoming and I think what I capture will be very genuine.”

Burns believes the exposure to the outside world will help him grow as an artist.

“It will make me a better artist because [taking photos] is all I’m going to be doing while I’m there,” Burns said. “Hopefully, it will also make me very worldly and able to appreciate what I have back home, and beyond that, able to appreciate the things that are only found there. It’s just to open my eyes to the world before I go out into it.”

Connor Burns, junior, will graduate a year early to pursue art while traveling Europe.

Burns will utilize different forms digital photography to expand his artistic portfolio before he goes to college.

6 LZ Life•december 2016

photos used with permission of Conner Burns

Making the Cut Students slice traditional hairstyles to pieces Madi Klein staff writer

With the flick of a tint brush or the snip of shears, millennials are beginning to battle an element fundamental in their self expression: their hair. On social media, pictures featuring hairstyles unique in color or cut have amassed millions of hits.

“I’ve always wanted to dye my hair, even since I was little. I was on Pinterest and I just loved looking at all of the pretty [hair] colors,” Morgan Coirier, junior, said. “I decided that I wanted to have a hairstyle that was different and unique.”

The decision to finally make her hair goals a reality was one that Coirier says she was lucky to get her family's support for.

Her mother even gave a little bit of inspiration for her own style. “[My parents] were totally supportive. My mom dyed her hair a lot in college; she dyed it bright pink, red, and orange, all different colors,” Coirier said. “They thought [my hair] was going to be really awesome.

Not only did Coirier add a little more color to her hair style, but she also chose to cut up the traditional with her hair length.

After cutting her waist length hair to her shoulders, she dared to go even shorter.

“Some of my friends had recently cut their hair short too and I thought it was really cute on them,” Coirier said. “With my shorter, colorful hair, I think I’m better at expressing who I am.

With the long hair, [I felt] so carbon cut. I just wanted to do something different."

This short pixie cut style has even gained attention in Hollywood over the last few year with the help of celebrities from Emma Watson to Shailene Woodley.

Even pink adaptations like Coirier's style have ganied media attention.

photo illustration by Madi Klein

"People want to be like their idols; they look up to them. So when a celebrity does something, it becomes more acceptable," Coirier said. "Some things are still in progress, but I think that variation is becoming acceptable. We’re starting to recognize that not every girl is the same."

Girls are not the only ones who can go against the crowd with their hairstyles. Some boys have also chosen to trade in the traditional for something with a little more length by avoiding the barber's chair all together.

“I’ve had long hair pretty much my entire life,” Chris Keramidas, senior, said. “Having long hair has always been kind of a thing for me, but it’s just been getting longer and longer.”

A person’s image is one that can be either fluid, or completely steadfast. Since being influenced by his brother, Keramidas says that his longer hair has the potential to give others a window into his personality, sometimes at first glance.

“I feel like having long hair is almost like a symbol of being a free spirit. I don’t necessarily consider myself to be that but it’s kind of the message it sends,” Keramidas said. “I play a lot of music so it’s just part of the look.”

While sending off the wrong image can be a factor in staying within what is familiar and comfortable in society, Coirier says that having what some people may call “unusual” or “untraditional” can have its own advantages.

“It takes a while to get used to, but [my hair] expresses who I am and that I don't care about what others think. I can be myself and be happy with myself,” Coirier said.

Overall, Corier says she has only gotten compliments on her pastel pink pixie cut, and encourages others to step out of their box.

“You need to be true to yourself and know what you want," Coirier said. "If you don’t do it now, you could regret it later."

Following the signs of the

Zodiac Chloe Faris | staff writer

When looking to the sky, it is hard to imagine the distant orbs of light could impact a person’s life. While most people can recite the date they were born and the sign that corresponds with it, few can recite the position of the planets on that same day.

“Astrology was the way people looked for meaning in the past,” Robert Foster, astronomy teacher, said. “The Greeks assessed meaning to the planets; each identified as one of their gods or deities. They were not physical places, they were like spirits in the sky for them. [Today] we are similar in ways. We look for meaning in our lives and sometimes we find it there [in the sky].”

Astrology is the belief that the movements of the planets on the day of one’s birth can influence a person’s life. Some people even track the planets’ and stars’ locations down to the specific time of their birth to determine their supposed personality, motivation, or future.

While finding meaning in the sky is a belief as ancient as the Greeks, today’s students still follow their horoscopes to get a glimpse of their futures.

Aries

Taurus

Apr. 20 - May 20 Mar. 21 - Apr. 19 Strength: Courageous Strength: Reliable Weakness: Aggressive Weakness: Stubborn

Libra

Scorpio

“I find it interesting,” Danielle Fewkes, senior and avid horoscope reader, said. “A lot of times horoscopes won’t say anything negative because that kind of defeats the purpose. It is more of a positive affirmation and [reading] it gives me confidence that something good might be coming my way.”

Because astrology is not a proven science, however, the world is divided between avid believers and critics.

“I view astrology as part entertainment,” Foster said. “I think a lot of horoscopes tend to be written very broadly and openly where they could apply to a lot of different people, and for some people that is where they find their meaning in life, and that is okay.”

Although Foster does not believe in following horoscopes, he cannot deny the connection he finds between people with the same Zodiac sign as him.

“I am a Cancer,” Foster said. “When I meet other people who were born around the month of July, in a way, I feel like we have a similar personality. While part of me wants to think very scientifically about [astrology], the other side kind of wonders.

Gemini

May 21 - Jun. 20 Strength: Gentle Weakness: Nervous

Sa

gittarius

Cancer

There are some people out there that it seems we have similar personalities.”

Sydney Benson, sophomore and horoscope follower, is similar to Foster and believes her personality and characteristics match her sign’s predictions. “[My horoscope] talks about how Cancers are usually soft spoken, introverted, and quiet, but they do have a more passionate side to them,” Benson said. “[Overall] I think it is good for people to [learn about their personalities] and know how astrology works and how it connects to astronomy, so I think they should read their horoscopes.”

Whether looking to the sky for reasoning, or taking control of your life by the choices you make, people find meaning in their own unique way.

“It is interesting to think about how to track objects in the heavens, but I do not believe that based on where the Earth was affects your life outcome,” Foster said.

“I think that a part of our life outcome is mainly based on us, not necessarily [on the Earth’s orbit]. The outcome is what we want to make out of our lives.”

Le o

V i rg o

Jun. 21 - Jul. 22 Jul. 23 - Aug. 22 Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 Strength: Sympathetic Strength: Cheerful Strengths: Loyal Weakness: Insecure Weakness: Egotistical Weakness: Critical

C ap

ricorn

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 Oct. 23 - Nov. 21 Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 Dec. 22 - Jan. 19 Strength: Social Strength: Passionate Strength: Generous Strength: Disciplined Weakness: Indecisive 2016 Weakness: Distrusting Weakness: Impatient Weakness: Superior September 14 Cover• izodiacsigns.com 8 LZ Life•december 2016

ari Aqu us

Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 Strength: Self-reliant Weakness: Reserved

Pisces

Feb.19 - Mar. 20 Strength: Wise Weakness: Fearful photo from NASA.gov

“You have to get involved, and get close.”

-Jim Weimer, senior staff writer

Chloe Faris, sophomore staff writer (left), works on her draft which will go to her editor and later to the Print EIC. A major component of Bear Facts is photos and videos which is the primary job of Meggie Furlong, junior social media manager (center). Jim Weimer, senior staff writer (right), draws photos by Julia Ketcham out his design idea for his story to be later designed on Adobe InDesign, the page design program.

What it takes to be a high school journalist Julia Ketcham business manager

One family. Two publications. Twelve staff members. Dozens of area, regional and national awards. And an audience of 1,938.

“You fight [until] the end and you do not just sit around and complain about something you do not agree with. You go and get it done and figure out why something is the way it is,” Meggie Furlong, junior social media manager for Bear Facts Student Media, said. “Standing up for what you believe in is something important.”

The job of Bear Facts Student Media is to make a twenty-four page magazine five times every school year. They inform and present their readers with current and local news, the latest sports coverage, student stories about life in Lake Zurich, and in-depth articles on controversial topics.

“Although we are all working on individual stories, it is kind of like a team effort, because if one person is behind on their story, it will affect the whole production,” Chloe Faris, sophomore staff writer, said.

“Bear Facts has really helped me become a better writer. Before [I was on Bear Facts], I loved creative writing, but now I am doing lots of different types of writing. I am really outgoing now because I can go up to people and interview them.”

Just like Faris, Furlong says she has stepped outside her comfort zone by enjoying the opportunities she would not have experienced without Bear Facts. She can be found on the sideline of every football game, tweeting and taking pictures. “[Being on Bear Facts] makes you really outgoing because as a reporter you can not just stand by an event and watch,” Jim Weimer, senior staff writer, said. “You have to get involved and get close up. Like one time I interviewed union workers with the giant rat on the side of the road. They were really cool people actually, but the rat was kind of scary. Everyone was driving by and watching me interview these angry union workers next to a giant, red-eyed, evil rat.”

It takes more skills than just being outgoing to be successful on Bear Facts.

Communication skills are also huge, according to Furlong. For her, it used to be that she was afraid to talk to someone for an interview, but now she can just walk in and have a conversation, she said.

“Just going up into crowds and going up to people and knowing you are the odd one out because you have a camera and a press pass,” Weimer said. “Asking people questions and getting their story is what I used to struggle with.”

With two publications to keep up with,

Bear Facts members have their strong points and their weak points and always have to support each other. According to Faris, the process of Bear Facts production moves very quickly. During the first week, writers get into their magazine sections and brainstorm ideas for the story they want to write for the next issue. After all the interviews and writing, the first draft is due on a certain deadline to the editors.

“For me (the hardest part) would be meeting deadlines,” Faris said. “I try really hard not to get off schedule or miss any deadlines for web or print, so I just try to keep track of everything in a calendar and I try to work ahead of deadlines.”

According to Furlong, the staff has to help each other with their weaknesses to make the magazine and to keep updating their website. This comes with putting in all of their effort, getting all the pieces they need for their story, and hitting deadlines.

“You really need to realize that other people know more than you, and it is never an individual [effort],” Furlong said.

Finally while designing, the staff also has to write a biweekly story for the website, LZBearFacts.com, but according to Faris, working in this fast-paced environment has helped her grow and become a better journalist for Bear Facts.

LZ Life•december 2016 9

C O V E R

Connected Community: LZ Students’ quest to give back Meggie Furlong social media manager

The average junior spends their days hanging out with friends, driving around with their new license, or worrying about the upcoming standardized test. Will Snyder is not your average junior.

Snyder founded the nonprofit charity, Connect LZ, during his sophomore year. Connect LZ is an online database that documents nonprofits and raises awareness for them in the Lake Zurich area. The database also works to connect those nonprofits with volunteers in the surrounding community.

“Say that you have an organization that probably doesn’t have as big of a volunteer base as [you] need or [you] need a better way of communicating what events [you] have, that’s what this website [does],” Snyder said.

The idea for the charity came to Snyder last December, while he was working with Ancient Oaks Foundation, a local nonprofit that helps preserve Lake Zurich’s oak woodlands.

“The charity talked about how their volunteer base was super small and they were struggling to get people to [volunteer],” Snyder said. “That’s when I had the idea to [build] a really simple way that organizations can get the volunteers that they need.”

photo by Meggie Furlong

10 Cover•december 2016

From its start in April, Connect LZ has eight local organizations and a pending application for Partners for Progress, this year’s charity bash organization. Snyder’s website has guided 150 volunteers to those organizations and has 1,200 social media views.

“I think the biggest draw [for charities to get involved] is [that Connect LZ] has a history of being successful,” Snyder said. “Just with the organizations that are involved now, they’ve given great feedback on it. Since then, it’s just really grown into a success.”

Despite developing the idea, Snyder does not manage the entire website on his own. With him are two other LZHS students who help keep the website running smoothly. Duncan McMillan, junior and vice president of public relations, and Kyle Bajor, senior and vice president of technology and innovation, are also members of the Connect LZ executive team. “[Will and I] live down the street from each other and we’ve been friends ever since I [can] remember,” Bajor said. “He knew that I have an invested interest in technology and website design and that I like helping out the community so when he was looking for someone to help him, he came to me and asked if I wanted to help him with this.”

photo by Rachel Brauer

For the past seven months, Snyder and his executive team have been hard at work adding new charities to their database. They make an effort to connect volunteers to a variety of local charitable causes that could use some extra help.

“It’s super easy; all you have to do is fill out your contact information and pretty basic background of your charity, and if you’re a nonprofit, you put that information in as well. [We] review all those applications and make sure that they’re credible groups that want to join. [And] There’s no charge at all.”

Snyder wanted to provide a free, practical service to local charities in Lake Zurich especially those that he had volunteered with in the past, says Bajor.

“I love that [Snyder] is a person who cares about the community, a person who is a student in our high school, and [is] a member of the community and he took this on by his own initiative because he cares about the community so much,” Bajor said. “That’s what I find appealing to me, personally, how much heart he’s put into this. I think if every single person who volunteers can also puts in that same amount of heart, our community will absolutely flourish, more than it already has.”

photo used with permission of Lauren Kasdorf

Far left: Kyle Bajor, senior, and Will Snyder, junior, check up on the Connect LZ website before school. The boys have been working on their website steadily since its birth in April of 2016. Near Left: Delaney Katz, junior, and Neha Praseed, sophomore, perform their scene in the fall play Love/Sick. LZHS Theatre is partnered with Connect LZ. Above: Members of Interact Club sold snack bars for community service. For each bar that sold, a non-profit partner made a packet of food that was sent around the world. Interact is sponsored by the Lake Zurich Rotary club, another Connect LZ partner.

Other LZ students and faculty find their own ways to get involved in causes they care about. Three LZ community members talk about the importance of giving back.

“We’ve chosen a variety of different charities, but there’s a church [that] all of [my family is] involved in.

Last year we chose to give to the food pantry because I volunteer year round at the local food pantry, St. Vincent de Paul. We all collect food and we spend money buying food and donated that to the food pantry.”

-Nicole Marguerite, junior

“Life is about more than you. We all live on the earth, we are all connected [and] one person’s actions can affect someone else’s. The idea of giving and being able to see past yourself is really important in terms of how we relate to other people.”

-Bethany Tollberg, science teacher

“I also really love helping out the ladies [at church] because they’re some of the sweetest little old ladies you’ll ever meet, and they’re kind of inspirational. I got a lot of really good life advice from one of the ladies there.”

-Hannah Kirkpatrick, junior The item Hannah Kirkpatrick is holding is an example of something people in her church has made in the past but is not the actual ornament.

Sidebar with photos by Rachel Brauer

Cover•december 2016 11

This years charity bash sponsored charity, Partners for Progress, therapeutically helps individuals with various physical, mental, emotional, and social challenges to live their lives to the maximum potential.

Lizzie Kalafut, freshman, helps a rider at Partners for Progress brush his horse. Kalafut started volunteering last winter because of her love for kids and horses. Photo by Meggie Furlong

12 Cover•december 2016

Just a little over four miles from Lake Zurich High School, miracles on horses are happening every day.

Every year, Student Council chooses a local charity with a connection to Lake Zurich to support for charity bash.

This years chosen charity, Partners for Progress, is a horse riding facility that therapeutically aids those with disabilities. The barn helps their riders gain functional ability, mental stability, emotional support, improved speech, or all of the above through the power of horseback riding.

“The horse and the human body move at the same gait [the manner of walking]. It’s about 125 beats per minute. When the rider is on the horse and the horse begins to move, regardless of the rider’s challenge, the brain processes the movement that comes up from the horse into the human body as if the rider is walking,” Anne Margaret Huffman, Director of Community Relations at PFP, said.

Other than helping how the brain processes movement, the horse can also help strengthen the body to aid in walking, talking, digestion, breathing, and more.

Horses of Hope: challenging therapy that changes lives Meggie Furlong social media manager

“The only way [the rider] can stay on the horse is to engage their core. Everything in your body comes from the strength of your core. There’s nothing that can challenge the human body the way that the horse can,” Huffman said. “It engages the brain, the core, and [while] you’re exercising the body, [you are] and asking them to have social interaction with the therapists, instructors, and volunteers too.”

Partners for Progress is not just a job for Huffman. It also has a personal attachment because of her daughter, Rhiannon, who has Autism, Hypotonia, and Sensory Integration Disfunction.

“She was diagnosed when she was three, and we didn’t know what to do,” Huffman said. When she was four and a half, I put her on a pony at Didier Farm and immediately noticed a difference. We used to [drive by] horses a lot. Since she had regressive autism and lost all her words, she would have a quiet conversation with the horses. One of the few words she was able to retain was ‘stop,’ so if I moved before she was done, she told me she wasn’t done! And then we put her on that pony and immediately within five seconds there was a total change in her demeanor and her output and that’s when we knew that we had to look into this.”

At first Huffman was simply concerned with how she was going to pay for the therapy her daughter needed. Then PFP stepped in and only charged one-third of the actual cost for Rhiannon to ride there, as they do with all their riders, no matter the disability.

“We have to fundraise the other two

thirds, whether it’s through events or private donations,” Huffman said. “We run off of an estimated budget every year of about $750,000. We look at raising about half a million dollars a year in order to give these riders the therapy that they need to overcome their challenges.”

“Seeing what the power of the horse does for these individuals, who are so severely challenged and how it progress them through. When you watch that happen, and you can see the process start to happen within twelve weeks, you know there’s a lot of power in what’s going on here.”

-Anne Margaret Huffman, director of community relations

The money fundraised throughout the year through events such as charity bash will also help PFP purchase their rented facility, which includes a barn for their work horses, four pastures, one inside arena, two outdoor arenas, a family gathering area, a job skills room, and off horse therapy rooms.

However, the facility itself is not Partners for Progress’s primary financial concern.

“The biggest [cost] is our horses. Because of our clinical focus, all of our horses have to be sound, so that means we don't take rescued horses or retired horses,” Huffman

said. “We try to get our horses as young as possible with a little bit of training. In order to keep them clinically sound. [The horses] eat hay, grain, and supplements to keep them healthy and strong because they are giving over 20,000 hours a year of therapy, [and] the support of the Special Olympics team for their competitions and the competitions of the national traveling show team.”

To help care for these horses, volunteers put in about 480 hours a week to keep the facility running smoothly. These volunteers can be any adults or even high school students from Lake Zurich, such as Lizzie Kalafut, freshman.

“Basically, you go there and check the board to see [which rider you are] with for the day, and if you’re leading or if you’re a sidewalker and helping the kids.” Kalafut said. “Then you tack up [or equip] your horse and walk them and you help the rider get on and you help hold them into place and help them with their exercises.”

With the help of volunteers like Kalafut, PFP has a 79% goal achievement success rate for their riders.

“Watching the progress of not only my own daughter, but the other children [has been most memorable for me]. Usually within 10 weeks, and sometimes with some kids you can see it within the first three rides, you can see a change in these children.

It is nothing short of miraculous,” Huffman said. “There is really no other way to describe how the therapies and the movement of the horses change these children and help them to overcome their challenges.”

Cover•december 2016 13

Season of Warning:

Take time to question charities’ credibility Megan Monoson cover editor

Americans donated $373 billion in 2015 to charitable causes, according to charitynavigator.com, a third party organization that evaluates charitable organizations in the U.S. But in this season of giving, how many people know how to judge charities’ reliability?

14 Cover•december 2016

Food for thought: Feed My Starving Children A consistent history is one factor donors Not only may donors want to verishould look for when choosing a charity, ac- fy that their donations are getting into the cording to Charity Navigator. The Christian right hands, but they may also want to look non-profit organization Feed My Starving for consistent history in the organization’s Children (FMSC) only puts 8-9% of their spending, and FMSC is on top of that. funds in administration and manufacturing, “It’s just 22 cents a meal. I know we’ve which is one reason they have earned their held that 22 cents or pretty close to it for rating, says Alexander Cox, full time team about ten years now,” Cox said. “We’ve done our best to keep costs low and it enables us leader at FMSC. “[Charity Navigator] gave us a four star to push every dollar that comes into our door rating, which is their highest rating, for [al- as far as it can go. We are staying pretty consistent in that and trying to maximize every most eleven] years in a row now,” Cox said.

For being one of the smaller organiza- dollar to feed as many kids as possible.” tions, striving to eradicate hunger, FMSC’s Using statistics to display every dollar high statistics further their reliability. This donors give is maximized allows for an adtrustworthiness helps assure donors that ditional indicator of a good charity; however, their time volunteering to pack food really speaking to a member of a particular charity is reaching “the neediest children around the may aid donors in understanding their donations’ impact on a more personal level. world,” according to fmsc.org.

“Our mission as an organization is to “Being a part of Feed My Starving Chilsupply substantial, nutritious food sources dren [FMSC], for me, means that I’m a part as lifelines and about 99.7% of all food [has of a tangible solution to an issue that’s much gotten] safely into the hands of our partners bigger than any of us think,” Cox said. “We’re in the 29 years as an organization,” Cox said. just one part of a whole and just one part of “Anytime we promise food to an organiza- the system. It’s a part of our mission statetion, we meet that promise. We have never ment to see hunger eradicated around the reneged that kind of promise in the history world so, for me, it just feels good to be a small part of the solution.” of the organization.”

Think before you pink: Susan G. Komen for the Cure A significantly larger organization than FMSC, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. has donated a large amount of time and money to Breast Cancer research, but have encountered criticism concerning donors in their past along the way. Yet Susan G. Komen is the most commonly known breast cancer charity.

“They’ve become so well-known, and it’s grown into a huge breast cancer research foundation,” Patty Monoson, a good friend of the late Susan G. Komen and member of the organization for over twelve years, said. “[The foundation] pays for grants to organizations that service women with Breast Cancer: covering screening, education, and transportation.”

Since the foundation’s origin in 1982, the foundation has become the world’s largest Breast Cancer organization and Monoson applauds them for holding this title.

“After every organization gets started it has a huge build up, like Komen did. I have to give them credit that they’ve sustained themselves and [have] a lot of [affiliates globally],” Monoson said.

The continuous growth of organizations may be another factor donors take into account before donating. Discontinuing Susan G. Komen’s growth as an organization, however, was about five years ago when the National Board of the foundation decided to defund any programs that offered abortions.

“I used to support it heavily: both financially and with personal effort,” Monoson said. “I absolutely still recommend people donate to them, I just personally can’t because their stance was political, negative, and inappropriate.”

Though many affiliates were lost and supporters became speculative due to this decision, according to Monoson, she was still impressed with the organization’s support in funding mammograms, tests, and surgeries, to women who couldn’t afford to have these necessary procedures done.

“I’m still pleased with the basis of what they’re doing,” Monoson said. “I still believe that they’re doing [what] they started out to do.”

Home is where the horse is: Partners for Progress Every November, the annual Charity Bash events are kicked off to raise money for a charity that has been nominated by students.

Students are required to choose a charity that has a strong connection to the high school and community; however, Student Council and club leaders are searching for more when choosing new charities each year that the entire school will support.

“We try to choose charities that we’re really passionate about and that we think the students will be passionate about,” Emma Wenckowski, Student Council President, said. “We don’t want to have people put in all this effort to raise money for a charity, then not have people excited about it, and then not raise a lot of money.”

The ability to stay in contact with organizations and to see the donations making a “real impact [is] one of the most rewarding” parts, according to Wenckowski.

“To me, it really makes what we’re doing more worthwhile because [with] a smaller charity, giving them thirty or forty thousand dollars is huge, but for a larger charity it’s just a drop in the bucket,” Wenckowski said. “[This way] we’re also able to build more personal ties with the charities.”

Although Wenckowski is able to see the impact with smaller charities more closely than with larger charities, she does not favor one size over the other and believes that having a basis as guidelines is what is more important in determining worth.

“How they’re using [the donations] makes them trustworthy [or not.] With a smaller charity I can see the person and have a personal conversation with them about what they’re specifically going to do with the money: that builds the trust,” Wenckowski. “That’s not saying that the larger the charity the worse work they’re doing though. I think having a vision, a plan, and a clear mission statement is what’s important to a good charity.”

Before slipping spare change into jars or donating to any cause, donors may want to investigate in order to assure that their donations are supporting reliable causes.

America’s largest independent charity evaluator provides free ratings of the Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency of thousands [of charities]. (http://www.charitynavigator.org/)

Cover•december 2016 15

‘Tis the season to research new charities

When people talk about donating, many think of popular charities like Salvation Army or UNICEF. But smaller, lesser known charities could also use some help, especially during the season of giving.

The Bear Facts Staff believes...

In 2015, Americans donated upwards of $373 billion to charitable causes, according to Charity Navigator. In the United States, there are over 1.5 million tax-exempt organizations, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS).

A large number of these charities do not receive national attention and depend on local citizens for help.

Every year, the high school hosts Charity Bash to highlight a local charity in need, which will grow with the help of LZHS donations. Most charities the school chooses are not very large or well-known. For example, last year’s charity was the Alexander Leigh Center for Autism, a small, local charity that focuses on specialized education for autistic people. With the $30,324 LZHS raised, the Center was able to expand their facilities, adding an apartment for instruction with individual living skills.

Thirty thousand dollars is an impressive sum, and it would have been very difficult to raise in such a short period without the school’s involvement. Such a concerted effort on the part of the community led to

“What charity do you believe deserves more attention?”

16 Cover•december 2016

improved facilities and an observable improvement in the lives of the autistic students.

Even with public, school-wide events to make donating easy, monetary contributions can be difficult for high school students without a full-time job.

Larger national charities tend to focus on money donations, while smaller, local charities allow students to donate their time by volunteering.

Take for instance Gigi’s Playhouse in Schaumburg. The Playhouse is a center for children and adults with Down syndrome that offers tutoring, play, and even employment opportunities for those with the disability. Gigi’s Playhouse is gaining recognition and growing quickly, but this is only possible because average people decided that this growing charity was worth volunteering their time.

The Playhouse has a multitude of opportunities for even students to donate, whether it be volunteering to help with play time or simply dropping by to buy a coffee from the adjacent café, Hugs and Mugs, staffed by people with Down syndrome.

“This is my life right here at Hugs and Mugs because I can help out others. I help interns and men-

Gloria Lutomski, freshman

“Innovations for Poverty Action because it helps kids of all ages internationally get an education that they usually aren’t allowed to get because they can’t afford it.”

Jackson Farsalas, sophomore

“Feed My Starving Children. I don’t know if they get a ton of attention now.

They feed kids all over the world. It’s a big problem, having kids go to bed hungry. I don’t think it’s right.”

BEAR FACTS STAFF PRINT EDITOR-INCHIEF

madison hart

DIGITAL EDITOR-INCHIEF

danna tabachnik

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

meggie furlong

SPORTS EDITOR

jemma kim

LZ LIFE EDITOR

dominique gertie

COVER EDITOR

tors and staff members here too,” Chris Tucker, adult with Down syndrome and team leader at Hugs and Mugs, said. “They helped me feel better. Everyone here with me in my life. I always cook on Wednesdays in Gigi’s class, healthy eating. Exercising too, to live more healthily.”

Charities like Gigi’s Playhouse and the Alexander Leigh Center make visible changes in the surrounding community. Rather than blindly giving a small sum to a large charity, there is a more personal experience, and a charity gains aid that might otherwise struggle to make ends meet.

There are also national charities that need help, but do not receive much notice. Every popular, wellknown charity has a less popular cousin. People pay attention to breast cancer, but there is little talk about the less glamorized prostate cancer. It does not have the same marketing draw as “I love Boobies.” Autism charities like the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) are fairly well known, but fewer people know about a similar disorder called Fragile X. “Most of the time, when I’m doing solicitations for any of our fundraising events, I’m also educating,

Lindsey Lasiewicz, junior

“The Alzheimer’s Association. They’re starting to come up with breaking research. A lot of people don’t know much about it unless their family is affected by Alzheimer’s.”

Nate Coirier, senior

“The Environmental Working Group should get more attention, as they focus their money on research rather than advertisements, unlike their similar charity, Susan G. Komen.”

and it becomes an awareness opportunity,” said Missy Zolecki, co-leader of the Greater Chicago community support network for Fragile X. “Most people have never heard of Fragile X, and when I give them an explanation of what it is and the prevalence of it, they’re often dumbfounded that they’ve never heard of it. Often, I have to associate it with autism to make them understand that it’s similar, but different.”

Zolecki is part of a national network of families and activists working to bring awareness to Fragile X and to help fund research. The charity is nationwide and over 30 years old, but not well-known. Charities like this one benefit more than larger charities would when people decide to donate.

“Nothing is free,” Zolecki said. “If [less popular charities] don’t get donations, they can’t grow. They can’t provide support to families that need it or to researchers that could perhaps provide treatment plans and intervention strategies [with proper] funding.”

The holidays are seen as the Season of Giving.

While it is important not to neglect the larger charities in generous giving, people must shift their focus to donate equally to all charities.

Debbi Mayerson, World Language teacher

“March of Dimes because they are doing research to try to prevent pre-term births. I’ve nominated it for Charity Bash, because my twins were born fifteen weeks early.”

megan monoson SECRETARY

brianne saab

STAFF WRITERS

rachel brauer chloe faris julia ketcham jim weimer madi klein

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Lake Zurich High School 300 Church Street Lake Zurich, IL 60047 (847) 540-4642

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Clarifications: Madi Klein was left out of last issue’s staff box.

On page 10, there was a misprint.The sentence should read “Dean Tiffany Reagan said she sees that girls still have an overwhelming amount of things to worry about, but for many, she is pleased that blisters are not one of them.”

On page 19, Ian Silverman’s name was misspelled.

On page 21, Kolby Lapple’s name was misspelled.

Cover•december 2016 17

S Kicking It Around the Globe: P LZ Alum pursues soccer passion in Scotland O R T S Jemma Kim sports editor

While many LZ athletes end their sports seasons on Mel Eide Field, some may choose to continue in college - but only a lucky few will get the privilege to continue their careers all over the world.

Ian Murray, 2015 graduate, continues to soar across the world in his soccer and academic career as he double majors in International Relations and Spanish at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, United Kingdom.

“I’ve always wanted to play at the highest level possible. I wanted to play in college as soon as I started playing for LZHS,” Murray said. “After college, I’m going to [tryout] with as many teams as possible in the hope of being able to play professionally. I think that getting paid to do something you truly love is one of the most gratifying experiences. For me, playing soccer at the highest level has always been my main goal.”

While following his dream and playing soccer in Scotland, not everything is a fairy tale. He is facing some struggles in Scotland with school and soccer.

“School and soccer are both a lot different in the UK than they are back home. Soccer is very different at college in the UK because professional teams start developing players from such a young age here. All the guys are talented and [have] usually played for a professional team’s youth academy, but they [have] chosen to pursue a degree instead of continuing on with soccer,” Murray said. “This has put me in a difficult [position] since I know the importance of getting an education, [so] I often feel like I’m wasting my chance to try and play professionally.”

Although Murray says most of his struggles come from adapting to living and playing in a new country, he finds the level of physicality to be the most noticeable difference between high school and college soccer.

“Generally, the higher the level, the more physical the game becomes. I’d also have to say that fitness is even more important in college soccer and the amount of conditioning we do is some-

times ridiculous,” Murray said. “Overall though, soccer is soccer no matter where you are and that’s what makes it so great: to be able to move to a different country and play the same game I have my whole life.”

While Murray misses his friends and family back in Lake Zurich, he is thankful for the athletic and academic possibilities he has in Scotland.

“Being far from home and putting myself out there can be difficult at times.

There [are] weeks when I’m swamped with practice, essays, and meetings and I’d love to have the chance to go home for the weekend, but instead Skype is the closest I can get,” Murray said. “[However], soccer really helped me get into a routine because it forced me into a schedule and kept me busy. It definitely took a while to adapt, especially to the time difference between my friends and family, but I think it’s helped me grow as an individual and made me realize that it’s nice to have something like a sport that you can always fall back on.”

photos used with permission of VIP Ian Murray, 2015 graduate, continued to pursue his soccer career in college, and later committed to play soccer as well as major in International Relations and Spanish at St. Andrews in the United Kingdom.

18 Sports•december 2016

photo by Danna Tabachnik

Tackling Division 1

Nine offers and more to come

Jim Weimer staff writer

Since he first started playing football, field, the coaches, and everything that they Jack Sanborn, junior and varsity lineback- teach me,” Sanborn said. “I learned someer, had a unique inspiration to become the thing new every day, whether it was from best player he can be, an inspiration that few Coach Proffitt or any other coach. So much other players possess. of my success came His father played as from [the coaches]. an offensive lineI make mistakes “This program and everyman for University just like everyone thing this program stands of Oregon and the else, [and the] playfor is much bigger than mySeattle Seahawks in ers out there, they self and much bigger than the National Football do so much to help this team.”

League. me out.”

“My father passed However, San -Jack Sanborn away when I was four, born does not only so basically all I knew receive help, he also about him was that he played football, and contributes a lot to his team with his attihe played at a very high level,” Sanborn said. tude and confidence, according to Sanborn’s “[Football] was embodied into our family. I close friend Evan Lewandowski, a junior have two brothers and all of us love football. and varsity quarterback.

It’s both my brothers favorite sport. We’re a “He brings a lot of confidence to the football family and honestly I’d probably say team,” Lewandowski said. “Before games [it’s] because of our dad.” he gets us pumped up, and it helps us out Sanborn is unsure whether he will fol- on the field. As a team we appreciate him low in his father’s footsteps and go for the out there. He’s a big confidence booster and NFL, but he may already be on his way. He helps out the team a lot.” has already received eight Division 1 schol- Sanborn’s contributions to the team arship offers and he is only in his junior year. helped him receive eight scholarship offers “[ Joining the NFL] is not something I from Division 1 schools, four of them being think about often, but I want to be the best Big Ten schools. However, Sanborn says he football player I can be,” Sanborn said. “If will not commit to a school until later. that is something that comes up later in life, “I’m thankful for [the scholarship offers] then that would be awesome.” and I’m extremely blessed, but I also have However, going for the NFL is not his to realize what my priority is right now, main goal. Sanborn says he wants to play and that’s these guys, this football team, for his team and for the people who have this community, and Lake Zurich,” Sanhelped him along his football career. born said. “Right now, especially during the “I’m blessed, and I’m thankful. I really season, my main focus is on this team and could not do it without the guys on the getting better each and every week so that

photo by Madison Hart Top: Jack Sanborn, #7 junior linebacker, chases after the Harlem quarterback during the first round playoff game against Harlem.

The Bears beat the Huskies 40-0 at home.

Above: Sanborn helps tackle the Waukegan running back during the Bears regular season game at Waukegan. Lake Zurich won 42-0.

we can be the best team out there.”

Sanborn says he also appreciates the Lake Zurich community and the opportunities it has given him. He says his favorite part of the team is its tradition.

“This program and everything this program stands for is much bigger than myself and much bigger than this team,” Sanborn said. “Having this community, how they latch onto our football team, the support they show for our team, and having them at our games, it’s pretty awesome.” *All offers as of print time, 12/9/2016

Sports•december 2016 19

Sports Coverage

1.

photo by Danna Tabachnik

2.

photo by Danna Tabachnik

photo by Madi Klein (1) Vince Tursi, senior, attempts to pin his opponent during a match at Barrington High School. (2) Nick DiMaggio, junior, grips an opponents arm during a match. (3) Gabby Vitale, sophomore, follows up her throw after she bowls. (4) Allison O’Hara, junior, releases the ball down the lane.

photo by Madi Klein

20 Sports•december 2016

5.

7.

9.

photo by Megan Monoson

photo by AJ Barrett

6.

photo by Megan Monoson

8.

photo by AJ Barrett

photo by Madison Hart

(5, 6) The varsity poms team poses on the floor just before their performance at the Bear Invitational that was hosted at LZHS. The team finished first at the Bear Invitational. (7,8) Jessi Stevens, junior, strikes a pose during her cheerleading routine. The team’s next competition is December 17 at Rolling Meadows. (9) Michael Bens, senior guard, shoots a floating layup while running through the lane (10) Ryan Kutsor, junior guard, drives towards the basket during the Richmond- Burton Johnsburg Championship game. The Bears won the tournament with a 39-36 win over the Lakes Eagles.

10.

photo by Madison Hart

Sports•december 2016 21

1.

2.

photo by Brian Hart

photo by Brian Hart

photo by Megan Monoson

4.

(1) Grace Kinsey, junior guard, drives to the basket past a Mundelein defender. (2) McKenna Zobel, junior center, jumps for a rebound. The Bears fell to the Mundelein Mustangs 33-32. (3) Jason Marrison, freshmen, kicks back on a follow through after throwing his ball down the lane. (4) Alex Kouros, freshmen, winds up before his throw and whips the ball forward. (5) Brett Hensley, senior guard, drives to the basket past a Lakes High School defender in the Johnsburg Richmond-Burton tournament championship.

photo by Megan Monoson

22 Sports•december 2016

3.

5.

photo by Madison Hart

Photos by Bear Facts Staff

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