Bear Facts Student Media March 2019

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GRAY MATTER how the decisions we make are affected by the people around us

a note from the Editor Dear Reader, As you go about your day, I challenge you to think about all the people you speak to. Your teachers, your friends, your coaches, your parents, they are constantly giving you advice on different aspects of your life, from choosing what color pen to use to what college to go to. Each individual you meet constantly influences your thoughts and actions, inevitably affecting your day-to-day life decision making. As you go forward into your adult life, your pattern of the decision-making will be a continuation of how you were shaped in your youth.

In this month’s Spotlight section, we explore the science behind how people influence others, the personal challenges of decision-making, and where teens experience the most pressures. As a teen in this generation, I can attest to feeling pressured to look a certain way, follow a trend, or prioritize my time in order to fit the mold of a “perfect teenager.” Social media has created an atmosphere where we are constantly judging ourselves in comparison to others simply because we see the highlights of moments from others’ lives. Striving to meet the high standards that social media sets for us influences the decisions we make, whether it be choosing to go the gym more so you can get the perfect abs of Instagram models or buying certain brands because you see celebrities posting about them. Yet as teens, getting rid of social media would not remove all the pressures from our lives. As you step through the hallways of high school, you constantly hear kids chatting about their grades in comparison to one another. I, too, have found myself comparing my grades on tests or in classes to other people, and this has influenced my drive to devote more time to my academics. The community we are surrounded by – our school, our families, our friends, and more – shapes our lives, and such influences will eventually determine our characters as adults, so it’s important for us to realize how the seemingly random occurrences of everyday life have lasting impacts.

We would like to thank you for supporting our award-winning publication as our staff works hard to produce interesting and relevant material. Please enjoy this issue of Bear Facts, and check out our website LZBearFacts.com for more!

BEAR FACTS STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, MAGAZINE

parul pari

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF, DIGITAL

madeleine lawler caroline sun SECRETARY

ruby lueras

BUSINESS MANAGERS

max feldman ellie melvin

SPORTS EDITOR

alex ketcham

STAFF WRITERS

sreelikhi vangavolu marissa drake annette suk ADVISER

carolyn wagner Cover art by Grace Petitt Cover edits by Parul Pari

Sincerely,

Parul Pari Editor-in-Chief for Magazine

ABOUT US The mission of Bear Facts Student Media is to provide a fair and accurate voice for students in an open forum and to enable them to develop informed opinions about relevant issues. Bear Facts is an open forum publication, prepared entirely by the students of the Bear Facts Student Media staff. The adviser is responsible for making recommendations based on school rules, applicable laws, ethical journalism, and other concerns. However, final authority rests with the staff. We always seek to uphold standards of journalistic integrity, acceptable ethics, and truth. All interested students, faculty, and community members are invited to submit Letters to the Editor. Stu-

dents can submit their writing or concerns by emailing Bear_Facts@LZ95.org. Note: the staff reserves the right to edit any material submitted while retaining intent.

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News in Brief

Olivia Reiff, senior, practices a violin solo for the upcoming solo & ensemble. Reiff is just one of many student muscians dedicating time to preparing for a chance to perform in the honors recital. Photo by Madeleine Lawler

compiled and written by

Madeleine Lawler & Caroline Sun editors-in-chief, digital

Senior boys compete for Mr. LZ crown

From SNL skits to heartfelt letters to pick-up lines, this event has captured the hearts of students for over twenty consecutive years, and this year will be no different. Mr. LZ, featuring the boys of the class of 2019, will return this March 20, at 7pm in the PAC. “It’s such a fun show, I encourage everyone to come,” Kelly Brenner, Poms captain and one of the planners for the event, said. “It’s always a super popular event and the PAC is always packed that night because students love seeing people they know up on stage, acting funny and showing off and stuff.”

Just like the past few years, Brenner says that this year’s Mr. LZ will once again showcase the boys of the graduating class, who were chosen by the senior girls. The night of the event, the 12 boys will each have a chance to display their secret talents, take part in skits, and, if they get voted for, return to give a speech to their mothers and do everything they can to win the favor of their audience and be crowned Mr. LZ. This year the 12 participants are Griffin Brown, Marek Enters, Jackson Farsalas, Michael Gallus, Nick Lemperis, Dante Lococo, Nick Marcinkiewicz, Cole McCall, Dhanvii Ravindran, Bartosz Wielgos, Alex Williams, Aaron Zurcher.

2018 Mr. LZ participants posed for a photo at the start of last year’s performance. This year’s 12 new senior contestants will compete on March 20. Photo by Ria Talukder

Student musicians to showcase their forte

For some it’s a performance. Others a competition. Others do it just for plain fun. Whatever the reason may be, student musicians will gather at the school to compete in the Solo & Ensemble Contest this Monday...and they’ve been preparing for months.

Solo & Ensemble is set for Monday, March 18th, at LZHS. Musicians from Band, Orchestra, and Choir will have the chance to perform either solos or in small ensembles at a master class, with a professional musician as a judge. Despite the pressure, the event is an opportunity like no other, according to Nathan Sackschewsky, orchestra director.

“I really like the way that we have the flexibility to do want we want,” Sackschewsky said. “Holding it in the high school and being in charge ourselves, we are the ones that get to make it the environment we want which is why we do it more of a masterclass.”

Musicians will be assigned rooms with four other performers, in which they will perform, receive feedback, and watch other performances. One to two performers per room will receive a chance to perform at the Honors recital on Tuesday, April 2nd. In order to best prepare for the event and have shot at winning, practice makes perfect, according to Juliana Robinson, sophomore vocalist, who will be performing in the event.

“I’ve been preparing with [voice teacher] Mama Misik 4th period every Friday, and I practice at home when I don’t have homework and I’m not busy,” Robinson said. “I’m really looking forward to doing it for myself, and not doing it because there’s a judge right there.

It’s all about new experiences and singing, it’s not about doing it for a judge and getting critiqued it’s about just having the experiences for yourself.”

For those interested, spectators are welcome at both the Solo & Ensemble contest, and the honors recital in April.

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SPORTS march 2019

LIFE LZ

A Note-worthy Family

Music sets the tempo for Thompsons Annette Suk staff writer

It all began in the state of Texas, where one boy, influenced by his neighbor, began to play the clarinet.

Through the difficulties of school life, he realized something: his increasing passion and interest for music. From there, he spread his love for music to his students as well as his children. With the guidance of their father, the children found their passion for music for their different instruments. Through the exposure of music, Josh Thompson, band director, not only pursued his dream but continued to spread it to his family.

Josh Thompson says he has a “unique” taste of music. While his family did not appreciate his music choices at first, he soon notice their adaptation. His family began to show and develop an interest.

“We all love doing it. For me, it’s my job. I listen to music differently than they do. I like a variety of music. I don’t like listening to the same music over and over again. I do enjoy listening to a lot of very unique music. My family doesn’t always appreciate my unique music styles,” Josh Thompson said. “But over the years, I’ve seen their ears grow and change and what they listen to. Growing up, I would take them all to pep band and J.T. would drag around his trumpet and even Dane has said, ‘I don’t want to be in basketball. I want to do pep band.’ That’s just a part of our lives.”

As early as J.T. Thompson, junior, can remember, music has always been a part of his life. While he Photo used with permission of Josh Thompson

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LZ LIFE march 2019

may have started music from the influence of his dad, he later event, we’re basically playing music with our family,” Kate said. learned to develop the love for it himself and enjoys it strongly, They may be a musically-involved family, but Josh Thompmuch like the rest of the family, he said. son notes that he never forced his children to play an instrument.

“I picked trumpet, mostly Understanding that they could because when I was younger, lose the passion for music, he my dad had this really crappy allowed them to pursue what I picked trumpet, mostly because silver trumpet that he would they wished. Besides music, when I was younger, my dad had this regive me, and I would drag it they discovered extra hobbies to the football and basketball but managed to still love music. ally crappy silver trumpet that he would games and pretend to fake “I didn’t push them. The only give me, and I would drag it to the footplay with them,” J.T. said. thing I ever did was when J.T. However, having a band came in fourth grade and said, ball and basketball games and pretend to director as a teacher has not ‘Dad, I want to play the violin fake-play with them.

J.T. Thompson, always worked out for the in orchestra.’ I said, ‘Eh, why junior family. Sharing the same indon’t we wait until fifth grade?’ terest of music as her brother, I figured if he really wanted Kate Thompson, freshman, to play a string instrument, I’d occasionally finds her dad useful during her practice, and other hear about it again. But I never did,” Josh said. “Call me crazy, times, not. but I’m partial to the band. They all picked their own instru “He comes in while I’m practicing in my room and a lot of ments, they really did.” times it’s helpful,” Kate said. “But sometimes, because he’s my Their reputation may come off as a devoted musical family, but dad, I don’t always listen. If it was a teacher, I’d probably listen they also spend time with each other much like any normal fammore.” ily. They hold an interest in sports, and host their own Game For Kate, music is more than attending high school classes. Night. There is more to the family than what it seems.

It is an important part of her life and has shaped her to the “We’re not just music. I think that the younger two are not as person she is now. She is involved with two band classes and she committed as me and Kate are. For the most part, we all love states her enjoyment of taking those classes. music and different kinds of it. We all have other interests. My “I’ve grown to like music this year more than ever. It’s a huge brother has baseball, Kate has cross country. We’re not just mupart of our family. My aunt on my dad’s side is also into music a sic. We all love music, we’ve all played music. We all learned an lot and there’s a lot of music coming from there too. So at every instrument,” J.T. said.

“

Photo by Ellie Melvin

Josh

• He can play all the band instruments but his main are clarinent, saxophone, trumpet, and penny whistle.

• “I like it because I’m more unique especially because I like to play Jazz and there aren’t a lot of Jazz clarinet players. This is my main instrument and I still love playing clarinent.”

Photo by Ellie Melvin

Kate

• She’s been playing trombone since 5th grade.

• “I enjoy just playing because it’s something that I’m actually good at. It’s something I practice.”

• She was going to play the oboe but chose not to because of the headaches it can give. She chose the trombone because of the “cool slide.”

Photo used with permission of Josh Thompson

J.T.

• He’s been playing his trumpet since 5th grade.

• He can play two instruments: the trumpet and the flugelhorn.

• “I chose [the trumpet] mostly because my dad played the trumpet. That’s all I’ve ever seen him playing when I was at my school thing. I always wanted to [play] trumpet.”

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LZ LIFE march 2019

Head in the clouds

Pilots get grounded in aviation Ellie Melvin staff writer

Civil Air Patrol may be called America’s best kept secret, but students in its cadet program are about ready to shout about it.

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and is said to only be heard of when a plane goes down. CAP is tasked with disaster relief and inland search and rescue missions, and its cadet program for teens focuses on leadership, aerospace, fitness, and especially character education. “[CAP is] really preparing me for my future,” Jake Mack, freshman and second year cadet, said. “[There are] a lot of people [who] dedicate themselves to a medical club or press club to get themselves prepared for the

Nathan Dupee, freshman, leads cadets in marching drill. Physical education is placed at high value in CAP, according to Dupee. Photo by Ellie Melvin

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future in an occupation. This is a great program, and it’s preparing me for what I want to become, which is a pilot.”

Mack joined Civil Air Patrol on the recommendation of a family friend, and a pilot himself, who recognized Mack’s passion for aviation.

Mack has earned the rank of Cadet Master Sergeant and Culu Flight Sergeant in the year that he has been in the program. Since then, he has already seen a difference. “[Civil Air Patrol] teaches you about leadership and self-discipline,” Mack said. “If you were to take a look at my grades before and after joining, you could definitely see or notice that my self-discipline and self-management shot up.”

Second Lieutenant Bret Potter, deputy commander for cadets like Mack in the Palwaukee Civil Air Patrol squadron, was a student in the program in his youth and recognizes similar advantages to cadets getting involved at a young age.

“This program teaches kids things that they’re not really being taught in school regularly, like a certain level of discipline [and] a respect for leaders,” Potter said. “There’s additional aerospace education and STEM emphasis that you’re not really getting in your typical high school math and science classes.”

Mack is not the only student who has taken advantage of the program’s various opportunities.

Nathan Dupee, freshman and cadet, is an Airman First Class in Civil Air Patrol. Dupee learned about the program through Mack and joined the same squadron out of interest in aeronautics and piloting. “[CAP] is really just fun,” Dupee said. “It’s really entertaining. You’re able to do something greater in your life, [and] it helps if you want to go in the Air Force or any military thing, but they don’t pressure that at all.”

Both Dupee and Mack have aspirations to become pilots, and Dupee even plans to stay with Civil Air Patrol as a lifelong commitment. He says he hopes to someday “actually save people with emergency rescue and services,” and to be an influence on the country s well as individuals.

“You’re teaching the future leaders [of the world],” Dupee said.

“You’re able to shape people’s lives, help them out, and just get them into better positions.”

Jake Mack, freshman, and Second Lieutenant Bret Potter, deputy commander of cadets, give an overview of Civil Air Patrol to a family interested in the cadet program. Potter says he enjoys working with young cadets and having a way to “give back” to the program he was a part of when he was their age.

Photo by Ellie Melvin

Senior Escape

Opens open doors to options

Whether they use opens to grab lunch or to simply hang out with friends, opens serve as a break from the stress of school for seniors.

“Opens gives me a sense of responsibility and freedom. It also helps a lot with time management,” Anna Miller, senior, says about the sense of maturity having opens created. “I feel like after having three years of having to stay in the school, giving seniors this freedom is giving us the best last year we could ask for.”

Ruby Lueras staff writer

Jessi Kroczak, senior “I have a morning open and a lunch open. Usually in the morning I go to Starbucks or Dunkin to get coffee and at lunch I go home or go out with friends. Sometimes it’s different every day depending on what I’m feeling,” Kroczak said. “After three years of sitting in school and learning period after period it’s nice to get that break.”

Although the opens appear to be nothing but positive, Kroczak notes the downside they can sometimes have.

“The only downside I see to leaving on your opens is fighting to get an upper lot spot when you get back. Since they closed the senior doors, walking up and down the sidewalk in the freezing temperatures sucks,” Kroczak said. “It’s either sacrificing 20 minutes off your open to get a top spot or getting back to class late with frostbite.”

Anna Miller, senior “I never go out alone, I always go out with friends. I remember one time last semester during our open first period my friend and I were feeling adventurous and she wanted her ears pierced,” Miller said. “So we went to Walmart and bought safety pins and at 8 am I literally pierced her ears in a parking lot.”

LZHS the lake

Alyson Wisnionski, senior “For me, my double is right in the middle of the school day, 5th and 6th periods. I love it, because its a break in my day where I don’t have to be at school. Also it may be a time where I can just go home and relax before I come back to class,” Wisniowski said. “It makes school almost feel like two separate days. I can also use it as a time to do homework, or do things that I need to catch up on.”

Having friends who share the same opens as you means the break can be used to simply hang out for a period, according to Wisniowski.

“First semester all of our friends had 5th period open, so every Friday we tried to go out to a different restaurant. Sometimes it would be Costco, Starbucks, Marianos, or Jewel. But every Friday we did try to go to a different place,” Wisniowski said. “Second semester, we don’t all have the same open, so what’s the most common now is Costco or Starbucks, since they’re both so close and Costco is the cheapest.”

Who’s Headed OUT?

34.9%

percent of seniors who go out everyday

52.7%

percent of seniors who go out with friends Source: Bear Facts Student Media survey of 410 students

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LZ LIFE march 2019

SPOTLIGHT

Forty-seven percent of LZHS students say they have been influenced by their parents, coaches, friends, and society at a given point in their lives.

Some influences can leave you seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, while others negatively tint your reality and sense of self.

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the grey matter

a world through a pink lense Max Feldman staff writer Parul Pari editor-in-chief, magazine Sreelikhi Vangavolu staff writer

As students face a whirlwind of pressures throughout their over what to post next and figuring out the perfect and most high school careers, some are finding that hard work and dedi- relevent words to tweet are common actions teens perform nowadays. But is all that scrolling and tapping of social media linked cation are not enough to get them through.

These pressures influence high schoolers in a variety of to the pressure and stress that over 66 percent (according to childmindinstitute.com) of adolescents ways, including the decisions they make. face?

A study conducted by Journal of Exper There is a correlation between time imental Psychology, an academic journal spent scrolling through social media apps published by American Psychological Assoand a devolving a negative body image. ciation, explored how different age groups “Those who spend more time on make decisions. The findings were clear: the percent of students who say social media had two times the risk of different avenues that teens receive informatheir parents expect at least Areporting eating and body image contion from constantly influence the way in grades from them. cerns, compared to their peers who spent which teens act and how they behave. less time on social media,” according From peer pressure academically to socisource: Bear Facts to a 2016 study from the University of etal pressure on social media, the decision a survey of 410 students Pittsburgh. Time spent on social media young brain makes of one idea over another impacts adolecents and their behavior. is constantly being swayed by the environ But the problem lies deeper than soment they are surrounded by. cial media’s influence on self image. With so much pressure to Social media stress: Scrolling through a countless number of pictures, agonizing “be good enough,” adolescents feel pressured to put their best

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92%

percent of high school students who feel their friends influence the decisions they make in some way. source: Bear Facts survey of 410 students

Photo by Max Feldman

“

I’ve noticed that a lot of times the people around you help to achieve your best. It’s not a competition to get into college, people work together: they all try to assist each other with homework and studying groups. It’s all more of a team effort.

Lilliana Perez

sophomore

The study Objective: explore how different age groups make

decisions Process:

149 volunteers (12-28) played a digital slot-machine game. Before they could start, the researchers showed them two different computer simulations, explaining more of the history of one machine than the other.

The researchers then instructed the subjects to choose between them.

Outcome:

All volunteers uses the machines that had gotten better results in the past. With the option of six chances to win, their choices tended to break down by age, with the younger volunteers choosing whichever one they had more information on, whereas the older volunteers choose the machine they knew the least about.

Journal of Experimental Psychology

ity Popular s Friend GPA jobs

American Psychological Association

CLUBS 10 SPOTLIGHT

selves out into the world. That pressure often causes teens to indulge in poor decision-making.

“The need to gain likes on social media can cause teens to make choices they otherwise would not make, including altering their appearance, engaging in negative behaviors, and accepting risky social media challenges,” Katie Hurley, therapist and writer from psycom.net, said. “Though many teens know that their peers share only highlight reels on social media, it is very difficult making comparisons.”

With over 76 percent of people in the US having access to social media, adolescents come face to face not only with their peers, but also with models and celebrities. 62 percent of adolescents feel that social media and celebrities posts have upped their expectations over their personal appearance, according to a 2015 survey from the Guardian, a British news and media source.

“Adolescents and people in the early twenties in particular are the years in which you are acutely aware of the contrasts between who you appear to be and who you think you are,”

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percent of high school students who feel their family influences the opinions they have in some way. source: Bear Facts survey of 410 students

Dr. Donna Wick, clinical and development psychologist said to the Guardian. “As you get older and acquire more mastery you bring to realize that you actually are good at some things. Self-esteem comes from consolidating who you are.”

A recent study of teens aged 13-18 from the UCLA Brain Mapping Center found that “receiving a high number of likes on photos showed increased activity in the reward center of the brain,” which goes hand in hand with the fact that teens feel good to be liked.

Academic achievements: Perfect grade point average.

Stellar SAT and ACT scores.

Taking part in as many as ten clubs and sports outside of school. These are things that make the world go round for many students in the area, but some say these constant pressures are causing a dilemma.

As stress piles up, professionals say that at a certain point all of these pressures do more harm than good. According to ascd.org, a site that deals with parental education of student issues, this competition to get into the best college possible can cause serious harm to student’s mental state.

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Before I make a decision I think what my parents would do and I think about everything they have taught me. I make my decisons based on that. There are moments where I feel stressed out because they obviously want me to do good in school so it’s a lot of pressure. I always have the motivation to do well in my classes, which can get me stressed.

Rhea Prakash

freshman

“A child who is socially skilled, deeply loyal, funny, feisty, caring, and imaginative may never come to value these qualities or see them as anywhere near the core of his or her being,” the website said.

“In fact, the students who would be friends often become enemies, turning competition.

They suffer both a diminished sense of others and a diminished sense of themselves.”

This competition can cause deep emotional trauma, especially when students are applying for college, according to Carl Krause, college counselor. When a student measures themself against others and not their personal goals, it can cause unnecessary hardships, Krause says.

“That’s just a horrible way to go through life, because if you keep doing that then you’re never going to be enough. I think it’s already hard for some students who are struggling a little bit to start seeing all their friends getting all of these acceptances and doing all of these classes,” Krause said.

“Sometimes they see others can take five AP classes and still sleep eight hours a night, while they are staying up until 2 in the morning and barely

int

get any sleep just to keep even.

Not everybody can admit [there is too much pressure], and you have to embrace that individualism as a student and not worry about everyone else.

You have to do what’s right for you and what’s safe for you.”

This manipulation of a student’s personality happens often, according to a study from the website. Along with distinct aspects of their personality being diminished, researchers are finding that the stress associated with getting into college can cause mental illness, the website said.

“One study of 144

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“

[My] pressures are all internal. You want yourself to succeed, and there is a certain way you perceive yourself.

You want to live up to that standard. You know what you’re capable of and you know what you need to do to succeed.

It really hurts me [when] you have the potential to succeed, but you didnt want to work for it. Work is the one thing you can control. Anyone can succeed if they really want to, they just have to put the work in.

Ranadheer Tripuraneni junior

Photo by Parul Pari

girls in an affluent northeastern high school revealed that these girls were two to three times more likely to report clinical levels of depression than the general population of teens,” the study said. “Researchers point to a strong association between these achievement pressures.”

Though this stress may cause mental issues, students all across the country still stress to achieve their best: do well in class, perform some kind of miracle to stand out, get an internship at 15.

Though some of these tasks may be exaggerated, professionals say that many students feel they have to put themselves through immense pressure to get into a prestigious college.

The treasured college degree seems to hold such influence among high school students. According to the 2016 State of Our Nation’s Youth report, an annual survey conducted among high-schoolers and young adults ages 14 through 23, “90 percent of high-school students aspire to complete a college degree or certificate program.”

The science behind the process: How a teenager/adolescent makes a decision in one instance differs from how he/she might make a decision in a more stressful situation, yet how the decision is made is purely a result of neurological science.

The American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry claims that scientists identify the frontal cortex, the area of the brain that controls rea-

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soning and helps us think before we are less likely than adults to make use act, as a part of the brain that develops of all available information. Adults later. Thus, the decisions that a teenager exhibit greater emotional stability in demakes in a situation may not be the most cision-making across similar challenging logical in the long run because they are situations, which is why many students not physically capable of making the turn to parents for advice during stress“perfect” decisions. ful periods.

The brain development is also highly “Before I make a decision I think affected by the social environment that [about] what my parents would do and I an adolescent encounters in the com- think about everything they have taught munity from their youth. From a local me and I make my decisions based on viewpoint, Trevor Tognetti, sophomore, that,” Daniel Polites, junior said. “There has seen the impact of the different in- are moments where I feel stressed out fluences that a teen faces from day to because [my parents] obviously want me day life in the way people are shaped. to do good in school so it can be a lot of “Having [different factors of] in- pressure [but] I always have the motivafluence [from family and friends can] tion to do well in my classes.” makes a person act instinctively which causes social pres There was a job at this place sure,” Tognetti said.

“Having a stanthat I really wanted to get and I was dard way of acting accepted...but my mom told me I or thinking causes people not to be so shouldn’t take the job so I didn’t. I authentic.

These feel like I regret not taking different influences the job because I would can cause a lot of pressure for some have had a lot of fun people.” working there and I just The ability to think through a listened to my mom beproblem and come cause I figured she was up with long term always right. solutions tend to be harder under such Chloe Enk situational pressures junior because adolescents

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Caroline Sun editor-in-chief, digital

YOUR INFLUENCES SHAPE YOU

How do you think that social media influences the actions and decisions of teenagers?

“I believe that social media really affects your opinions about things that are going on, so if someone famous with a lot of followers has an opinion on something, that goes out to a lot of people and makes them think in a different way than before,” Gustav Louv, junior, said.

How do you think that school influences the actions and decisions of teenagers?

“I feel like my academics in school makes me prioritize my time and make sure that I give myself enough time on the weekends to do homework before making plans with friends [in order] to really succeed at school,” Olivia Noland, sophomore, said.

Do you think your decisions ultimately lead you to the best outcomes?

How do you think that family influences the actions and decisions of teenagers?

“I feel like your family influences your point of view when it comes to the world, [because] you don’t really have an opinion towards ethics or morals before you’re born so your family – [since] you’re around them for most of your life – really does influence that,” Luke Jalove, junior, said.

YES

NO

84%

16%

Source: Bear Facts Student Media survey of 410 students

How do you think that friends influences the actions and decisions of teenagers?

“I think that it’s really important to have empathy in every situation and [...] to think about how you would respond if you were in their situation and my friends, for the most part, have taught me empathy and that’s now what I’m teaching to others around me,” Isabelle Jordan, senior, said.

Photos by the Bear Facts staff

13 SPOTLIGHT

march 2019

Influences: can we control them?

Teen aren’t always to blame for their decisions.

OUR VIEW

The Bear Facts Staff believes...

In our 21st century world where we tell young children they can be anything they set their minds to, it’s important to tell teenagers that they can still control their lives as well. Adults need to remember that although we are getting older, we are still children: and our actions are still shaped by our influences. In other words, what we do isn’t entirely our fault.

Teenagers run into countless influences every day: parents, social media, movies, textbooks. Just like younger kids, these experiences transform our lives and decisions, forever impacting our futures. The problem arises though, when we, as teenagers, are blamed for the very things that influenced us in the first one place, things we cannot control.

Take vaping, for example. Juul aggressively used social media, celebrities, and flashy new flavors to hook in teenage users. With vaping now on the rise, many adults are quick to blame the teenagers, completely ignoring the brands and companies that are making fortunes from brainwashing teens. Yes, as teens, we are old enough to make our own decisions.

How do your influences affect your time at LZHS?

14 SPOTLIGHT

march 2019

RYAN BOHN, freshman

“Some people take stress in a negative way and it adds negative influence their life but for me that pressure has pushed me to be more and created positive stress .”

But the ads, the marketing, and the lack of information are things we cannot control. In fact, a recent study done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse states that 66 percent of teen vapers believe their e-cig is just flavoring. If 7 out of 10 high school students are being exposed to Juul ads that provide this false information, it’s no wonder that vaping has become the new teen trend. Although adults do have the right to blame us for making these bad decisions, they have to consider the influences that led us there as well.

When it comes to teen personalities, some adults are quick to ignore what influences the person too. In elementary school, a school bully was often forgiven for what he/she did. The adults took into account the parents, living situation, and other factors that led the kid to become a bully. But as teenagers, this same thing doesn’t happen. Many adults characterize us as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’, with an attitude that we are too late for saving. Not many people stop to think about what actually influenced a teenage bully, because he/she is “old enough to know better.”

ALINA MALIN, sophomore

“My parents have always pushed me to do well and work as hard as I can, and no matter what, even if you don’t like something, put your best foot forward, and teachers did too.”

THE PROBLEM

All in all, there is a double standard when it comes to considering teenage influences. We are told we can be anything we want to, but adults act as if who we are in high school is who we’ll be in life. We are told that negative influences like friends and advertisements will ruin our lives, but when they do, it is our fault for letting them in. We are told to be our own person, to not let the decisions of others affect our success. But when it all comes down to it, we are in reality being judged by our influences, not by how we handle them, and until this is changed, our influences will continue to get the best of us. staff opinion gathered and written by Madeleine Lawler editor-in-chief, digital

90% of American teens feel their decisions are influenced by others, according to a survey from Parent Further. But how does this look on a LZHS level?

According to a Bear Facts Student Media survey of 410 students:

78%

of students feel their friends influence a lot of their opinions

74%

of students say their parents impact most of their decisions.

62%

of students admit social media makes them feel pressured or insecure.

THE SOLUTION ADRIANNA FRAZEN, junior

BARTOSZ WIEGLOS, senior

“My teachers have helped me get this far.

When I was lost they were willing to help me they were also really supportive, especially with the workload of AP and honors classes.”

“Teachers are my biggest influences. We [students] have these multiple perspectives from multiple different teachers, and their knowledge impacts the way I view the world.”

Once students get to high school, adults and teachers need to still consider student influences. The fact that parents, social media, and friends can influence teen decisons should not be overlooked.

15 SPOTLIGHT

march 2019

State Coverage Alex Ketcham sports editor

The Poms team entered this season with one goal; to repeat as State Champions.

The road to that dream started at the Huntley Sectional, where the team walked out victorious. At state the team put their highest score of the season on the board with a 97.42 points, enough to accomplish the goal of repeating as State Champions. Photo used with permission of Kelly Brenner

Emily Burns, senior, was the only female cross country runner to advance to state this year.

The rest of the team was able to advance to Sectionals by placing fifth at Regionals. At sectionals, the team placed fifteenth, but Burns was able to snag eighth place and advance to State where she eventually placed 45. Photo used with permission of Emily Burns

The boys bowling team’s road to state started by winning the Gurnee regional with a score of 5973 pins. At regionals, the team came in sixth and advanced as a team with the last slot with 5846 pins. At state, the team had a massive Saturday of competition to climb up to fifth place on the leader board with a total of 12,340 pins through 60 total games. Trevor Madura, senior, Brett Schnur, senior, and Jason Morrison, junior led the way through most of the competition. Billy Schroeder, senior, was the biggest contributor of the weekend, eventually coming in 16 overall in the state. Photo used with permission of Jason Czabaj

16 SPORTS march 2019

Ian McGee, senior, and Joey Mrazek, junior, won their weight division at regionals and clinched a spot at Sectionals. Justin Wollard, senior, also advanced to Sectionals. At the end of Sectionals, McGee was the only Bear wrestler remaining as he placed third and clinched a spot at State. There, McGee fell in his first two matches in tough draws against the eventual third and fifth place finishers. Photo used with permission of Ian McGee

The gymnastics team proved that they were a force to be reckoned with in only their second season of existence. This started with a victory over Fremd with 26 consecutive Regional Championship. At Sectionals, the team earned fifth place and two gymnasts advanced to State. Carly Trebac, senior, and Joanna Topa, junior, were able to secure places at state; Trebac for vault, beam, and floor, and Topa for beam. In the end, Trebac finished eleventh in floor, and Topa finished eleventh in the preliminary round for beam. According to Trebac, “[the] overall experience at state was great. It was so cool to compete against some of the best girls in the state and it pushed me to want to do my best. Photo used with permission of Carly Trebac

The boys cross country team was able to ride their season all the way to the state championships this year by coming in second at Regionals with Jack Gilboy, sophomore claiming a second place finish, and then a fourth place finish at Sectionals, good enough to qualify for state, with Jake Myers, sophomore, leading the team with a tenth place finish. The team ended their season finishing in 26. Gilboy lead the team again by finishing in 37.Photo used with permission of Patrick Hart

Sophia de los Reyes, senior, was able to fight her way to fourth place in the singles at Sectionals to advance to State. The team, placed fourth at Sectionals. At State, de los Reyes fell in the first round 6-0, 6-1. She then bounced back in the first round of the consolation bracket with a 6-2, 6-3 victory. Her season ended with a loss in the second round of the consolation bracket 6-0, 6-0. According to de los Reyes, “the journey to state was a huge learning experience on its own, but being at state I just became more inspired to be more like the players there, like any high-level tournament or pro tournament.

It was also a reminder of what I’m capable of and who’s supporting me.” Photo used with permission of Sophia de los Reyes

17 SPORTS march 2019

SPORTS

Swinging for the fences

Student chooses to pursue baseball dreams

Tyler Snep, senior, prepares to take swings in the cage.

Through his training, Snep has gotten his batting average to .330. According to Snep, playing baseball “makes you grow up quicker. It makes you look at your future a bit more and you’ve got to really understand yourself and be mature,” Snep said about being recruited. “You’ve got to think from an aspect different than most high schoolers would.” Photo by Alex Ketcham

18 SPORTS march 2019

Alex Ketcham sports editor

Having your future decided at 16 may be daunting to many high schoolers. However, for this student, it is motivation and inspiration.

Tyler Snep, senior, committed to play baseball at the University of Iowa his sophomore year, and recently made his commitment official by signing the paperwork on Early National Signing Day. “It makes you grow up quicker. It makes you look at your future a bit more and you’ve got to really understand yourself and be mature,” Snep said about being recruited so early. “You’ve got to think from an aspect different than

most high schoolers would.

You’ve got to think about everything you do. Every single day there is a purpose and a long-term goal and as far as the early acknowledgements go, they’re potential opportunities and its motivating.”

Baseball has been part of his life since the age of four, Snep said, and he has not looked back or questioned playing it since.

“I put a couple hours into it every single day since I was eleven years old. I’ve spent a couple hours hitting with coaches or working out with friends or doing stuff on my own. It’s to get better and it’s my mental escape,” Snep said.

AGE 10

began at Northwest Travelers

AGE 4

began rookie league at LZBSA

AGE 14

began playing ong LZHS team

AGE 15

AGE 16

began recruitment process

However, the part of his game that’s the strongest, is not on the field, Snep said, but rather his mentality and effort when practicing or training.

“His work ethic is second to none. He puts more work in than anybody else, he’s dedicated to the game and he loves the game. He’s also very helpful when you play with him,” said Nick Marcinkiewicz, senior and former teammate of Snep.

As one might think that he had help developing his work ethic, that could not be more wrong, said Gary Snep, father.

“He is very, very, very self driven. At times I’ve had to remind him to pull himself back and make sure that he gets time off or gets a break to make sure he gets a chance to be a kid,” Gary Snep said.

“He’s been very driven and it is that mature mental approach that he takes to not just baseball but also to his schoolwork.”

AGE 16

signed with University of Iowa

began at Top Tier

Luckily, there have not been any major setbacks in his baseball career, but that does not mean that he has not learned to overcome obstacles, Tyler said.

“I’ve never had any large setbacks other than little ones like ‘I have to work on this’ or ‘I need to just push through this’ but with baseball there is no better game to learn to do that from because baseball is a game of failure,” Tyler Snep said.

“You fail seven out of ten times and you are in the hall of fame in that game.”

Along with baseball, the day to day agenda also includes the responsibilities of being a Bear Den leader as well as a FAME leader, Tyler Snep said. Along with being leaders in those groups, Snep is also a general leader within the school, Marcinkiewicz said.

“I always work really hard to be a really good person. My goal is to make

AGE 18

will begin playing at Iowa

everyone around me laugh or be happy and have a good time and to be a friendly face,” Snep, the Bear Den and FAME leader, said. “I buy in big to the school being one and united. It was different when I was a freshman, and now that I am a senior, I have a little bit more say in that. I want school to be a place where everyone is comfortable, because with high school, everyone only gets to go once and everyone should be able to have a good time and have fun.”

It is because of that ideology that his parents are proud of who he is on and off the field Gary Snep said.

“I’m proud of where my career is now.

Since I was 11-12 years old, that’s all I’ve done. I put a lot of work and time into it,” Tyler Snep said about his baseball career. “It hasn’t been remotely easy but I wouldn’t give it up for the world.”

19 SPORTS march 2019

Down, but not out

Student athletes, trainers work to heal injuries Marissa Drake staff writer Alex Ketcham sports editor

High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries, each year, according to Stop Sports Injuries. LZHS athletes are of that number, and trainers help to get them back in shape.

20 SPORTS march 2019

For the love of the game Injuries are a seemingly inevitable part of sports at any level.

Even the professionals get injured sometimes. And injuries can lead to months of recovery and rehabiltation, sometimes leading to athletes making hard decisions about whether or not to continue pursuing their athletic career.

That’s what happend for Ian McGee, senior, who was kept out of his junior football season due to an injury that eventually made him give up football for good. It also made him miss half of his junior wrestling season, which he says is his true passion and what he will be pursuing in college.

“I’ve torn my meniscus twice [while wrestling], so I’ve gotten two surgeries on that. I missed half of

my junior wrestling season out with the injury,” McGee said. “And then I tore it when I got back and then got surgery after the season.”

During his second injury, he chose not to fully repair the meniscus, but rather to temporarily fix it, a four to six-week recovery sounded better than a six to eight-month recovery, according to McGee. “When I got back [after the first injury] I felt the popping sensation again and that’s when I knew I tore it. I got used to the pain, so I wrestled through that through the season,” McGee said about the injury. “It affected me a little bit, but I wore a brace and I would ice it to keep the swelling down.”

McGee isn’t alone. Over 50 percent of student athletes report they have played while injured, accord-

ing to At Your Own Risk, a site dedicated to informing students, parents, and coaches about how to stay safe while playing sports.

Having an injury affects you on the playing field, but it can also affect you outside of competition, according to Brianna Letang-Lafond,sophomore basketball player, who also had multiple injuries that took her out of her sport for some time.

“It was extremely hard mentally because the second time I just wanted to give up on sports, and when I was going through physical therapy it was hard because they push you out of your limits and do all of these different things for your muscles to work again and become stronger,” Letang-Lafond said. “It was just a large mental block that I had to overcome, and it was very challenging at the time.”

After the first time she tore her ACL and MCL, Letang-Lafond had surgery to repair it, but after she retore both, she chose not to fully repair her knee, but possibly will eventually later in life. Instead at the moment, her knee is only partially repaired.

“I think at times I will have to

fight through the pain because, to this day, there are times after games where my knee will be so sore to the point where I didn’t want to get up because it feels so unstable,” Letang-Lafond said.

“A lot of it is luck. If you look at injuries in our sport, it very rarely is some big collision,” Luke Mertens, head football coach, said. “It’s collateral damage from being caught up in a pile or it’s things that are freak accidents.”

Even though injuries don’t always happen for a specific reason and it may be difficult to push through the obstacles of injuries, having a positive attitude and fighting through it is just as important as staying injury-free, according to Mertens. In fact, a way to stay healthy in sports is to have a relentless motor and play all out every time, Mertens said.

Although gruesome injuries like McGee’s multiple meniscus tears and Letang-Lafond’s multiple ACL and MCL tears may be discouraging to some, athletes choose to continue playing because they love what they do, Letang-Lafond said. In fact, McGee has now become a two-time

regional champion for wrestling “I keep playing because the sports that I do bring happiness to my life. It’s a way for me to express how I’m feeling and it helps me in so many ways,” Letang-Lafond said. “I think that if we truly love the sport we should stay with it because there’s a reason why we love the sport.”

You name it, we tape it!

IT band strains, torn ACL’s, sprained ankles, two to three month recoveries, missing practice, competitions, games – student athletes face it all.

In fact, 90 percent of student athletes report some sort of sports-related injury during their high school career, according to At Your Own Risk.

So what happens after an injured student athlete is done with doctors? That’s when the trainers take over.

“I see value in our profession where you need someone there on the front lines in case something does happen like an emergency, a lot of people don’t realize that,” Argeni Baion, assistant athletic trainer, said.

“There is a lot to an emergency

BY THE NUMBERS According to a Bear Facts Student Media survey of 451 students:

54.4%

percent of LZHS students who play at least one sport within the school

62.2%

percent of LZHS students who report they have gotten at least one injury from sports, either club or school teams

41%

At right, Morgan Beaudoin, junior cheerleader, hugs her teammate after a zero deduction routine. Beaudoin acknowledges that due to past injuries she might not pursue an athletic career in college. Instead she says she will continue her love for sports through a career in athletic medicine. Photo used with permission of Morgan Beaudoin At top, Daniel Dunlap, sophomore JV wrestler, wrestles an opponent during a meet at Fremed High school. He says his past injuries have made him more aware of the importance of trainers. Photo sed with permission of Daniel Dunlap

percent of LZHS students who have visited the trainer, in order to treat some form of injury from sports

21 SPORTS march 2019

situation, athletic trainers are trained to see us if something is nagging you,” normal for Morgan Beaudoin, Junior realize and act relatively quickly and in Baion said. “I’ve been there, I’ve been cheerleader and Intro to Sports media controlled manner. That way there is an athlete and I’ve experienced having cine student, has injured herself ‘more no panic. If someone is asking times than she can count’. what to do, athletic trainers are Participating in the class has people who know what to do.” opened her eyes to possibil Students are now beginning ities that she never thought to realize the benefits of takbefore.

We’re here everyday, especially ing time to go to the trainers, “I took the class originalif you’re doing a sport, just come in Baion had said, and now are a ly because I wanted to help and see us if something is nagging resource that many students at my teammates,” Beaudoin LZHS take advantage of. Dansaid. “I really liked the whole you. We’re right here. iel Dunlap, sophomore and JV hands on aspect of the class.

Argeni Baion wrestler, finds that going to the During the course, I realized Assistant Athetic Trainer trainers has helped him overthis is something I really encome past injuries faster. joyed because I love working “I fractured growth plate in with athletes.” my leg,” Dunlap said. “I wasn’t Sports has been her whole able to walk [but] the trainers helped me to go through periods of time when life, Beaudoin says, and now she’s able with my [physical therapy] and I actu- you’re really hurt and you’re like “oh to give back to sports by helping athletes. ally got off my crutches a month early. who do I see”. We’re right here.”

“I wanted to know more about what I recovered a lot faster than my doctor However, his past in athletics and his was happening when I got injured in thought. I went to the trainers for help experience with trainers has really influ- cheerleading and just how to do things with [physical therapy] but honestly enced his career, Baion said. Baion had myself. So if I, one day, needed my anafter I would go just because I enjoy always wished to be in the medical field, kles taped I would be able to tape my talking to them.” but never knew which fit was right for ankles or if [a teammate] ever needed Physical therapy for an athlete is al- him, according to Baion. [their] ankles taped I would be able to most necessity when it comes to needing “I aspire to be what my athletic train- tape [their] ankle or [their] knee. I was to strengthen the muscles that have been ers did for me, they went out of their just inspired more to do it to become inactive during the injury and getting way and helped me whenever i needed better as an overall athlete but I ended back the use of the extremity, according it. [It helps alot] especially when you’re up falling in love to www.fitnessbypatty.com. However, trying to make it to state and you need with it and now according to guidedoc.com, average something of convenience.” Baion said. I just really want prices for a single physical therapy ses- “I ran for 10 years, I ran cross country to help other sion can go up to around 100 dollars, and track. I always saw my trainers athletes,” Beaubut the trainers at the school can offer when I was in school and they did alot doin said. advice and exercises the athlete can do for me and I thought [athletic training] to help further recovery, for free. was the best for me.”

“We’re here everyday, especially if Going to physical therapy, surgery and you’re doing a sport, just come in and medical examinations are something

“

22 SPORTS march 2019

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