The Spectator - May 2019 Issue

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S P E C TAT O R VOLUME 97 NUMBER 6

1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045

Featured Stories NEWS

New Head of School: Exclusive interview with Mr. De Jesús page 2 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Game of Thrones Predictions

page 4 OP-ED

Problems with student leadership page 8

A look into Prom

page 6 & 7 SPORTS

Matej Juric profile page 9 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Nipsey Hussle page 12

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MAY 3, 2019

Anna Schilling to lead LFA student body next year as All-School President

By Angelina Chan Managing Editor of Photos Every year, the All-School Presidency is an important position that symbolizes the change within our school. A new incoming senior is chosen to represent and lead the students of LFA, and with the new President, it brings a fresh perspective and new ideas. This time, succeeding current All-School President, senior Teni Bakare, is junior Anna Schilling.

In a way, Schilling’s previous experience in LFA Student Council, especially in her roles as Sophomore and Junior Class President in previous years, has prepared her for this position.

“It has definitely helped me understand how student government works, and it’s going to help me make the improvements I want to see made,” explained Schilling.

Throughout her campaign and beyond Schilling has emphasized school spirit, something she highlighted in her AllSchool-Meeting speech, and it is a challenge Schilling hopes to take on while All-School President. According to Schilling, “school spirit starts with the older kids,” who could serve as an example of being “super involved and super excited about

Courtesy of Smugmug Anna Schilling carries her class of 2020 banner at last year’s Move-Up Day as Junior Class President.

different sports, or even things like Caxy Keys and going to all the Open Houses.”

Schilling also wants to continue with her previous environmental focus, including continuing her work with Roots and Shoots, Jane Goodall’s student organization.

“The small things are the things that really count, and getting each person to start realizing that everything they do daily makes an impact. [Just] not using a straw, or carpooling, or small, simple things can help the environment, and encourage others to do the same,” she expressed.

Still, Anna faces the complexity of suc-

cessfully working with administration while getting everyone’s ideas heard.

“Just listening to the younger kids and getting to know them super well, so that they feel like [everyone has] the opportunity to make a change,” noted Schilling as a way to incorporate the opinions of the student body into LFA’s policies and to, hopefully, initiate change in the future. “I’m just going to make sure everyone knows that I’m always there and, if they want to contact me- texting me, emailing me, anytime- I’m definitely going to try to incorporate the things that they want to see.”

Yet it’s not only this position that is changing. Next year, LFA will transition to a new Head of School, José De Jesús. Due to this change, the All-School Presidency is as, if not more, essential as it has ever been to be the voice of the student body.

“I think I’m going to try to do something new, but I also think the new Head of School is going to make some changes,” suggested Schilling. “Next year will kind of be a learning time… there’s going to be a totally different dynamic. It’s going to be really interesting to see how things change and how things stay the same, just building off of the great foundations of LFA.”

Pay to win: the college admissions scandal

By Jasmine Filawo Managing Editor of Digital Photos

FEATURES

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It is well known that the process of getting admitted to a college can be very daunting as all applicants are given January 1st, New Years Day, as their deadline. In this application process comes requirements such as standardized test scores, subject test scores and school reports. In order to master these tests with excelling scores, it can take tutors, but that was not the case for some families.

Recently actresses Lori Loughlin, Felicity Huffman, and up to 50 other people from wealthy backgrounds, are being investigated for cheating in the college admissions in order to get their children admitted. To secure a spot for their children in prestigious universities, they paid up to $100,000 to $6.5 million to the organizer of this cheating scandal and CEO of a college admissions prep company, The Key, William Rick Singer. Some of the universities that played a role in this scandal were Georgetown University, University of Southern California, Wake Forest University, Stanford, UCLA, Yale, and more.

Even Ben Wetherbeee, LFA’s Associate Dean of College Counseling,

shared his thoughts on this scandal.

“The thing that did surprise me was the bribery scheme and the paying off with the college coaches, and that kind of manipulation that was taking place,” said Wetherbee.

To gain entrance to a college, specifically the athletic teams, families paid coaches for fake athletic credentials of which students had never played before in their life. While these applicants were not athletes, they would still arrange and stage pictures of them playing the sport, through the help of Singer. In addition to having their children admitted to the athletic programs, Singer had others take online high school classes for these students under the student’s name, with the help of Mark Riddell, who would secretly take standardized tests for these students, while Singer bribed SAT/ACT administrators.

“This stuff happens on a daily basis. There’s people in admissions who know some of the applicants…, but its not easily reportable. These are all just different forms of bribery,” stated a UCLA medical student and YouTuber.

As of now, these families are being charged for felony conspiracy, mail fraud, honest services mail fraud, and money

laundering. All could possibly face a long sentence in prison. After paying $1 million bail, Loughlin has pled not guilty, while both Huffman and Singer have plead guilty.

LFA’s senior, Layne Eklund, even said her perspective of how these wealthy families were able to use their money for the benefit of their children’s admission to these elite universities.

“It goes to show that people with money think they have a superiority complex over people who work so hard to get where they are academically,” expressed Eklund.

Courtesy of channel3000.com Lori Laughlin exits the courthouse after pleading not guilty.

THE SPECTATOR

News

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MAY 3,2019

LFA’s 30th Head of School: José de Jesús

By Mia Walvoord Managing Editor of A&E

Since the announcement of the Strudwicks’ retirement, the Academy’s Board of Trustees has tirelessly undertaken a search for a candidate fitting the school’s mission and who would be well suited for the responsibilities of the position. They finally found one in Mr. De Jesús, current Head of the Upper School at Packer Collegiate Institute in New York. He is set to take over Dr. Strudwick’s duties on July 1, 2019.

De Jesús first heard about the Academy through a close family friend who is an alumnus. Throughout his career working at private schools, he continued to hear

LFA mentioned in conversation and got a sense of the school’s positive reputation.

His curiosity was piqued when he heard about the available position, and he was excited to come experience the community for himself, though he didn’t know quite what to expect. His visit only reaffirmed all the praise that he had heard from friends and colleagues. During his recent visit to campus, he made time to sit down for an interview with the Spectator.

“I was born in Puerto Rico and growing up in my culture, we really connect to our gut feelings in many ways and a sense of a room, and when I was here, I would make my way around, and it just felt good.”

In his first year, he plans to fo-

cus his efforts on immersing himself fully in the school’s atmosphere & “learning” about its community.

As soon as the year begins, he will begin to implement his own personal “entry plan” as a way of helping him get to know both students and faculty personally, as well as learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the school from their perspectives. He wants to have sit-down discussions with every faculty and staff member and countless groups of students in which he will ask three questions. (I’ll leave it to him to pose them). He has used this method as he has entered previous positions and has found that input very meaningful, shaping his future efforts in leading

Photo by Mia Walvoord As LFA’s 30th Head of School, José de Jesús, will begin his work this coming July, after Dr. John Studwick retires.

and improving the school community. In these personal settings, it seems that people are willing to be more honest about their feelings, and Mr. De Jesús eagerly awaits the opportunity to learn more about both the unique strengths of LFA and what those in the community find to be places that require growth. In his experience, he has found it very rewarding and motivational to see how his work is manifested in the accomplishments of the community and is eager to get to work. He already sees evidence of community members’ passion and investment in the school’s future.

“I’ve also been very pleasantly surprised that, consistently, I’ve talked to, and I felt people were being honest with me. I’m struck by how much people love the place, I really am. And even the people who feel like there are things that the school can do better came to that comment with a lot of love,” noted the incoming Head of School.

De Jesús explained how crucial his family had been in making the decision to take interest in the position, and ultimately accepting it. Before taking over the office, he wanted to make sure that he and his wife, daughter, and younger son all felt that they would be able to call the Academy home.

After each of their first experiences at the school, he remarked that they each felt a connection to the place right away. It was inspiring for all of them to see the commitment of both students, faculty, and staff to contributing to the betterment of the school.

“That sense of people really wanting to be here, loving the place was palpable and we all felt it in my family,” he commented.

The Class of 2019 scholarship fund:

The senior class on spreading the gift of education

By Audrey McGrail Managing Editor of News

A class legacy is an everlasting mark left by the graduating class on their soon-to-be alma mater. At Lake Forest Academy, this is an important tradition. The seniors organize and rally in support of a specific school project or initiative, prior to graduation, by collecting donations for each Senior Gift.

Last year, the Class of 2018 supported the LFA athletics turf field project. The Class of 2017 donated the LFA sign with the school’s new emblem located on Route 61. This year, the senior class will donate to the Class of 2019 Endowed Scholarship Fund in Honor of John Strudwick.

The initiative will give a full year scholarship to a new student each year. With this endowment, LFA will be able to award a scholarship to a qualified student or students from different communities, further enhancing current outreach programs and relationships. This initiative supports the

Academy’s mission and culture of inclusion, regardless of economic status.

“LFA has given us opportunities that we hope to pay forward by offering a scholarship,” said Syd Olinger. “This endowment is an investment in people, as opposed to leaving a bench or tree. We are graduating as the Strudwicks retire, and we wanted something representative of them too. The gift of education is really important to all of us here, and we hope to continue that.”

When it comes to the senior class raising money, their goal is for 100% participation before the date of the Spring Gala on May 4th - in order to beat the faculty as they donate to LFA’s other scholarsip initiative, “Opening Doors.” Even more exciting, ‘69 Alum and Board Trustee, J.C.Cowart, as well as other donors, promised to match any donation the students make. The seniors hope to raise $25,000 and with the matching gift, it equals $50,000 - covering a full year of tuition for one boarding student to attend LFA.

Education is the best gift and one that must be shared and available to all. The Class of 2019 fund will share the gift of a private boarding school education to others

who may not have ever thought it possible. In turn, the student fabric at the Academy will be stronger and richer, benefiting the entire LFA community and beyond.

Photo by Audrey McGrail Both the senior class and LFA faculty are donating to LFA initatives that are for scholarships. The seniors will donate to the Class of 2019 Strudwick Fund and the faculty will donate to “Opening Doors.”

THE SPECTATOR MAY 3, 2019

Arts and Entertainment

Lollapalooza lineup released with a wide range of artists, genres, and fun

By Syd Olinger Editor-in-Chief

The city of Chicago in the summer is the center of many events like Taste of Chicago, baseball games, and many more, but one of the most exciting 4 days is Lollapalooza. Of the average 73,000 festival goers, many are local, but people come from all over the country to see some of their favorite artists.

“It’s a moment in the summer that you always look forward to where you can meet new people and listen to all your favorite artists,” said senior Tyler Medvec.

As much as Lollapalooza is a large concert where both widely-known artists and local bands showcase their music, it is also an experience. Food trucks line Columbus Drive and popular Chicago stores set up tents near Buckingham Fountain where they can sell their items in small pop-up stores. The Blackhawks and Lollapalooza stores are a favorite with lines typically going all the way out of the tent.

“I think the lineup has been better in past years, but this year is definitely more diverse in terms of the genres of music and popularity of artists,” said senior Adriana Rivera Some of the top artists in this year’s line-

up include Ariana Grande, Tame Impala, Childish Gambino, The Chainsmokers, Twenty One Pilots, and other artists from various music genres. Rivera and many other Lolla attendees believe that the lineup has certainly been more exciting in past years, but they believe Lolla is trying to create a festival where people can hear all different types of music and not just the typical EDM and rap artists.

Hobo Johnson and the Lovemakers and Roy Blair are two up and coming artists that will be featured at Lolla this year. Some of Hobo Johnson and the Lovemakers hit singles include Peach Scone and Romeo and Juliet which showcase his modern hip hop or softer rap style of music. Rising artist, Roy Blair, brings an honest view of the world around him ranging from his experiences with everything from love to grief.

His alternative rock/pop blend is also sure to catch the ear of any festival goer who happens to hear his set.

This year’s Lollapalooza lineup as well as the food, shopping, and fun are sure to bring many memories for all of the lucky Lolla attendees.

“I’m really excited for the experience as a whole and to be able to enjoy it with my friends for the first time,” said junior Lindsey Pearlman.

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Photo courtesy of Lollapalooza The lineup, which was released in mid-April, shows a wide ranging selection of genres and artists.

Avengers: Endgame preview

By Alex Jackson Editor-in-Chief

Poster courtesy of Marvel Studios The Avengers: Endgame poster shows the various heroes that will join forces to try and defeat Thanos.

Avengers: Endgame was released on April 26th and tickets have been sold out since a month prior. There is a lot of hype and anticipation surrounding this film, as it has been years in the making. The final runtime will be three hours, one minute, with a high likelihood of at least one post-credit scene.

What We Know: This will be the final Avengers movie. At least for now, this is looking like the last time we will see the core Avengers with their current actors/actresses in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At least for actors Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., this will probably be their last main role appearances. It is also potentially nearing the end for Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth in their various roles.

Many that are dead have to return. With the announcement of a new Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home, we know that Peter Parker somehow has to come back to life (after being killed by The Snap). Whether he will play a big part in Endgame is still unknown. Additionally, characters like Black Panther and Doctor Strange will also be making their way back

from the grave, as they are the next generation of Marvel characters and appeared in recent, high-grossing films.

What To Expect: A lot of people will die. Death was a major theme of the last Avengers movie and with the current roles actors/actresses on their way out, the Russo brothers likely looked to find the right way to phase those characters out. A creative ending is another expectation. Not often do Marvel movies end how you would expect, despite many superhero movies having a predictable plot line. Since this is the last movie in a long series, expect a grand finish that puts the story to a satisfying ending.

What We’d Like to See: It would be nice to have Stan Lee’s last cameo be an homage to his contributions to the MCU. Due to his passing on November 12th, 2018, we are aware that this will be Stan Lee’s last live-action appearance in a film. It would be appropriate and heartwarming to make his last one special.

A post-credit scene that hints at more to come. Obviously this is not the last MCU film, so as the Avengers has its wrap-up, a solid lead into what’s next in line for the franchise would get everyone excited, building anticipation for their next film.

THE SPECTATOR 4

Arts and Entertainment

MAY 3, 2019

Game of Thrones Season 8 predictions

By John Kuhns and Jack Selati Sports Editor and Managing Editor of Sports

As one of the most popular television series, it is only fitting that HBO’s Game Of Thrones comes to an exciting and unexpected conclusion. Time after time, the production, modeled after the novels of George R. R. Martin, has never ceased to amaze viewers with an exceptional cast and thrilling storyline. Among other aspects, the show’s shock value has proven both captivating and gut-wrenching as it never seems to shy away from eliminating focal characters at unexpected moments. The eighth and final season of Thrones first aired on April 14th, leading many to theorize about what is to come.

The purpose of this story is exactly that, and will contain spoilers for those who’ve yet to watch the previous seven entries.

John’s predictions Season eight will most definitely follow the chaotic pattern that characterized those prior. With all the main characters locked into Westeros, there is no doubt that fan-favorites will see their bitter end.

While most viewers would like to see the evil queen Cersei die after wreaking havoc during the previous seasons, it is likely that she continues her evil ways through the initial episodes. With the Golden Company at her back, she has little need to leave her haven in King’s Landing.

As for the war against the undead in the north, I see Daenerys leading her army alongside Jon Snow (who unknowingly

is her nephew) into a fatal battle with the Night King. The white walkers are simply too powerful for mortals and dragons to handle alone, which leads me to believe that divine intervention on their side, being similar to the Lord of Light (R’hllor), will be necessary for victory.

Even if they are victorious, the question of who sits on the iron throne remains. Jon Snow has already died once, which would make killing him off anticlimactic after all of the build up. I see Daenerys being of ill fate in the eventual war against Cersei ,who loses control of Westeros after being killed by her brother Jaime in a final standoff that leaves Jon Snow king. After all, his Targaryen blood legitimizes his call to the throne, a luxury no Lannister holds.

Jack’s predictions Although many believe they know what will be happening in the 8th and final season of Game of Thrones, they don’t. My main theory is a weird one, but hear me out. Bran Stark is the Night King. How do I know this? Well, there are many signs pointing to the fact that the last true son of Eddard Stark is the Night King. This theory first came into my mind when I watched the first teaser trailer for GOT season 8. This teaser trailer was titled Crypts of Winterfell which follows Jon Snow, Sansa Stark, and Arya Stark as they walk through the Crypts of Winterfell. While they walk through the Crypts, having their parents voices talking to them, there is one thing missing. That thing is Brandon Stark. Bran was nowhere to be seen during this trailer. At the end of the trailer, Jon, Sansa, and Arya all meet

Courtesy of HBO The main villain from Season 8, the Night King, watches over his army.

up with snow and pure coldness filling the Crypts, signaling the arrival of the Night King. My belief is that the reason Bran is never shown is because he is the one causing the coldness and winter to take over the Crypts. Another reason that I believe Bran is the Night King is because of his connection with the Night King. When Bran was traveling through moments with the three eyed raven, he met the Night King and got touched by him, allowing the Night King to pass through the magical barrier and at-

tack Bran. They clearly had a connection to each other when they touched each other, and I believe that is because both are the same person, but don’t know it yet. Bran was able to change history with Hodor, and I believe he will go back into one of his memories, and take the place of the original Night King, who was stabbed by the children of the forest. Bran has the ability to change history, and this time I think he will take it one step too far and become exactly what he was trying to destroy.

Ava Ascroft

Constance Wu

April Crossword Caxy Match

GOLF SLEEP SWIMMING

HOME SUMMER VACATIONS

Courtesy of Ava Ascroft

Courtesy of Getty Images

THE SPECTATOR MAY 3, 2019

Opinion and Editorial

How deleting my social S P E C TAT O R media changed my life STAFF LIST T h e L a k e A c a d e m y

By Lilly Drury News Editor

In the last issue of the Spectator, I wrote a story on the dangers of social media, and how it is contributing to the decline of mental health that we are seeing as of recent. I believe that the many cons outweigh the few pros that it does contribute.

I wrote this story, yet I was still present on all the apps. I was writing about the addictive attributes the apps were expelling, yet I was still spending upwards of two hours per day scrolling absentmindedly on Instagram. I knew I had a problem when I was unable to sit through a movie without going on my phone.

And this was happening after I had researched the effects social media can have on you. Even while knowing the dangers it posed, I couldn’t get myself to delete these apps. It wasn’t until I watched the Youtuber/filmmaker Casey Neistat’s video, aptly titled “Goodbye Social Media” that I decided to get rid of my social media apps.

In this video, Neistat outlines the reality of the destructive relationship he has with social media, namely because of how much time he has taken out of his life and given to these apps. He had taken it upon himself to delete all social media apps off his phone, and only check his accounts at the end of the day on his laptop.

If Neistat, whose job relies heavily on social media, is able to recognize the scary techniques being used against us by these programmers, and delete the apps to focus on the more important, tangible things in life… then I really had no excuse not to. So I took the plunge.

I deleted Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter the Thursday before Spring Break. I had already turned off all my notifications about a month back, so I did have a bit of an upper hand because I wasn’t constantly being spammed by these platforms.

The name of the game is mindless scrolling. We all do it. Even after I deleted all my social media apps, I found myself constantly unlocking my phone in moments of stillness and looking for an app to scroll

on. It was like I needed stimulation, like I couldn’t just sit in my own thoughts for a short amount of time. And that scared me.

It made me stick to my cleanse even more.

I can easily say that this spring break was one of my best ones because I wasn’t comparing it to what others were posting online. I got to live in the moment, enjoy the time off. FOMO didn’t play a huge role because by not seeing anything, I didn’t know what I was missing out on.

I thought it would be harder to keep up with the cleanse, but the longer I stayed off these apps, the better I was feeling about myself, and the happier I was. Even my family noticed the change in my mood.

After three weeks of no social media, I decided to download Instagram again, to see if anything had changed. I posted a picture from over the break, and interacted with app as I normally would have. But there was something different. I felt a deep anxiety run through me as I was scrolling.

I was becoming aware of the time that was passing, whereas before, I didn’t take notice of how time-consuming it was. I ended up deleting the app four hours later.

At the time that I am writing this article, I have no social media on my phone.

I have decided to delete it until further notice, and if I have craved some sort of entertainment, I have logged on from my laptop and given myself a time limit of five minutes. If I have a picture I want to post, I will post it and immediately delete again so I don’t have to see the likes or comments. This has drastically changed my mood, and overall benefitted me.

My issue is not with the apps themselves, or the fact that they exist. My issue is the effect they can have on me. In one of his newer videos addressing moving past a social media addiction, Neistat equates social media to candy. Candy is great. If you had a whole cabinet full of candy everyday, you would eat that candy. But is that good for you? No. Moderation is key, and what Instagram, Twitter, and all these other apps are taking away from you is your ability to make that decision for yourself. Because who can resist when it’s so easy to access?

F o r e s t

Editors-in-Chief

Alex Jackson Tyler Medvec Sydney Olinger

Managing Editor of Production

Kiki Hood

Managing Editor of Op-Ed

Adriana Rivera

Managing Editor of Features

Parker Amoroso

Managing Editor of Sports

Jack Selati

Managing Editor of A&E

Mia Walvoord

Managing Editor of Global

Tiffany Filawo

Managing Editor of Photos

Angelina Chan

News Editor

Audrey McGrail Lilly Drury

Features Editors

Lindsey Pearlman Nate Koh

Sports Editors

Ben Sebolt John Kuhns Jared Felitto

Editor-in-Chief of Digital

Charlie Shattock

Photo Editor of Digital

Jasmine Filawo

Faculty Advisor

Amanda Byron

PUBLICATION The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Lake Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.

EDITORIALS Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Ms. Byron at abyron@lfanet.org.

AWARDS The Spectator has been awarded several prestigious journalism awards in recent years. It has consistently taken first place in competitions against schools of similar size held by the American Scholastic Press Association and the Kettle Moraine Press Association.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Photo courtesy of The Journal Mobile apps such as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat are a few of the main sources of stress and anxiety.

“The most important part of journalism is you. We’re here for you, but you also have a responsibility to be a thoughtful news consumer.”

-Andrew Springer

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THE SPECTATOR 6

Centerfold

MAY 3, 2019

The politics of prom

By Ramya Herman, Briana Murphy, Tyler Watts, and Rachel Johns Staff Writers Prom is a special time of the year for students, but it does not come without its own problems. We at the Spectator took these prom politics to the Student Union to get a little insight on the big day.

One of the hot topics of prom every year is the conversation surrounding dress length and seniority. It is widely considered tactless and distasteful to wear a floor-length gown to prom as an underclassman. It has become a privilege for juniors and seniors to be the only students wearing long dresses.

In fact, depending on the culture of the senior class, some believe not even juniors should be allowed to wear long dresses. All grades at LFA are allowed to go to prom, unlike most schools where prom is limited to just juniors and seniors. Upperclassmen get to wear floor length gowns to set them apart from the rest of the students.

The current all school president, Teni Bakare, said “The dress rule was created so that we can have some sort of normalcy and structure to our prom— a way to make seniors stand out and be different because we’re a different school.” The “rule” was created to make seniors feel special, but

some feel it could do more harm than good.

School counselor, Jennifer Madeley, is not in favor of the tradition as it can be exclusive and inconsiderate.

“Everybody has different body types and different things that they like,” Madeley said. “If you feel beautiful in something, you should wear it.”

Another aspect of prom that generates social buzz is the making of bus lists.

Tensions rise among friend groups as they’re sectioned off into different busses for transportation to prom. A two-hour bus ride isn’t what stirs trouble—it’s the selection process that complicates relationships. The process of putting together the lists can be quite stressful as well.

Sophomore Christina Franco said, “Writing the bus list is stressful because a lot of people want to be added or dropped from the list last minute and even after it’s turned in others still have last minute requests.”

Despite all the negativity and stress surrounding prom, it is nonetheless a highlight of the year. The masquerade theme, a caricature artist, a highly anticipated menu and the venue of prom, The Museum of Contemporary Art, give students many things to look forward to.

Several LFA students shared their opinions of prom with The Spectator.

Graphic by Briana Murphy

How it’s made: Prom 2019 By: Jackson George, Maddie Dickerson, and Dagny Birkerts Staff Writers Planning Prom is just like a wedding.

With just over a year-and-a-half of planning, Junior Class Advisors, Sam Wold, and Katie Gilbertson have put in a lot of

time and effort into this year’s Prom. According to Wold, the most difficult things to decide for Prom are dates, venues, the menu, and other small decorations.

When asked about choosing a date, Wold said, “There usually aren’t many days where we can actually plan Prom.

For example, we were looking at all these

Anna Schilling and Joey Kotlarz look over the details of prom.

Photo courtesy of Jackson George

different dates, and the LFA Gala was one of those Saturdays, and many of those places only had availability on that Saturday.”

Wold and Gilbertson visited many venues as well when planning this year’s Prom.

Wold mentioned lots of venues in Milwaukee as well that “looked cool online, though they weren’t as great in person.”

The initial process begins during sophomore Student Council as they prepare to plan the prom of the class ahead of them.

This mainly entails deciding on possible locations and the brainstorming of themes, food options, and potential DJs. The prom process also entails lots of careful planning to meet everyone’s needs.

Wold said, “There are just all these things that you have to think about that you might not think about.” Food for the prom is a very long process; the prom committee chose to go with stations for this year’s prom to meet all dietary restrictions.

Pricing for prom is decided by the committee depending on the price of the venue and all other aspects on site.

When asked about pricing of the venue, Wold explained, “Compared to what other schools are doing, we’re getting an amazing experience for the same price… Lake

Forest High School’s [venue] is the same price as ours, and they have it at a hotel.”

With this year’s Prom being on April 27th at the Museum of Contemporary Art, it is expected to be a great night. Choosing venue, pricing, DJ, decorations, lighting, theme, and other prom activities are all up to the Prom committee and its advisors.

LFA Prom is planned with the prom committee, which is composed of 18 members of the junior class and their class advisors. Fundraising, venue, and a DJ along with other factors that make Prom possible are handled by this committee.

Annual Pizza Nights for freshmen, Burger Nights for sophomores, as well as bake sales, and class sweatshirts cover a majority of the funding.

The venue of choice typically handles the coordination of catering and lighting.

To most efficiently organize the dance, the prom committee works together as a team with different people volunteering to coordinate various aspects; it’s a multifaceted feat to accomplish. According to Joseph Kotlarz, the approach to planning the perfect prom is “all for one and one for all.”

THE SPECTATOR MAY 3, 2019

Centerfold

Which prom is the bomb?

By: Nick Alutto, James Kuhns, David Oluwole, Conor Fryer Staff Writers As Prom nears, and excitement grows at LFA, the question arises, “How does LFA’s prom compare to other schools?”

We asked students from Lake Forest High School, North Shore Country Day School, and Beacon Academy to find out.

Emilio Von Borcke ‘20 - LFHS How is the attendance of your prom?

“The attendance of the prom is usually high due to the amount of upperclass students we have.”

How much do you pay?

“60 dollars.”

How do they plan prom?

“Student council comes up with three main choices and the student body votes on it.”

Eun Hae Lilling ‘21 - NSCDS Where does North Shore do their Prom?

“NSCDS prom was at the Chez this year but changes usually.”(The Chez is a modern wedding venue in downtown Chicago).

Do you feel like prom is a big part of the school year (i.e. something you really look forward to)?

“I think prom is a pretty significant part

of the year and people definitely look forward to it but I don’t think it’s like a cornerstone to the NSCDS school year.”

How do you get there? (limo, bus, drive yourself)?

“Freshman and sophomores take school provided transportation unless they go with a junior or senior in which case they probably have their own limo (juniors/seniors usually provide their own transportation.”

Liam Hubbard ‘21 - Beacon Academy Where have the last Prom’s Beacon put together been?

“Adler Planetarium and a hotel or restaurant or some venue like that in downtown Chicago are the ones I know of.”

How is prom at Beacon structured? Are all grades invited?

“If you are an upperclassman, you are guaranteed to go to prom if you want to.

Upperclassmen can invite one guest.” (Depending on the year sometimes it is more than one, usually underclassmen or someone outside of Beacon).

At LFA, we know our Prom is unique.

Though some may find it over-controlling, all transportation is provided by the school and is required for students to take. This allows for a safe socialization before the event. However, some students at LFA

see a lack of traditions that are common in proms elsewhere (i.e. having a prom king and queen).

When asked if these things were considered to be added to our Prom, Junior Class President Anna Schilling said, “We were talking about it once as student council, but we didn’t think it was a good idea because we didn’t want it to turn into a popularity contest. We just wanted things to be fun.”

Besides aspects like the date and transportation, Schilling said that most features of Prom are not restricted by the school.

When asked about what power students

7

have in implementing changes to Prom, Dean of Students, Chris Tennyson, said, “That does take a pretty significant amount of coordination and if it is going to be done by the students...then the work needs to be done.”

Generally speaking, Prom is an event that can be realistically changed however the student body sees fit.

There is a chance that the traditions we choose to have at LFA are there for a reason and changes may take away from the charm of the event.

Photo courtesy of Helena Blumenau Seniors Helena Blumenau and Connor Hudziak pose for a photo in the formal gardens.

Student safety at prom

By Garrison Sloan, Cheng Qian, and Rohan Miglani Staff Writers

Safety is a primary concern of the LFA faculty and staff going into prom. Although the rules are somewhat “unpopular” among the students, the faculty and the Prom Committee have emphasized that the rules ensure the safety of the students and promote inclusivity.

The current prom rules require that all students take school-provided coach buses to and from the event. This prevents students from taking outside transportation to the dance and being rejected by the chaperones at the door, without a refund for their $100 tickets.

However, some students are not happy with the current bus rules. Senior Audrey Taillon stated that she feels the rules are too complicated, as the bus lists only had a short deadline to turn in and could only fit ten people.

“People just want to go with their friend group,” said Taillon. “Sometimes the buses could not include all of them.”

Taillon also brought up the issue that people’s plans might change in the week before the event. However, she

did say she acknowledged the rules’ importance in keeping students safe.

When asked about the bus rules, Dean of Students Chris Tennyson stated that the bus rules weren’t just about safety, but also about inclusivity. “The fact that the school provides transportation eliminates a significant cost on behalf of the students, such as limo services,” Tennyson said. “It allows a larger amount of students to attend the event.”

Tennyson also added that the usage of coach buses provides a designated

check-in point for all students, making the job of keeping track of the 200+ students attending the event much easier.

Another rather unpopular rule among the students is the 12:00 AM curfew. Past midnight, all students are required to leave campus, go back to their dorms, or attend the post-prom party in the Student Union.

Tennyson explained that the curfew is more of a legal issue. “The city of Lake Forest has its own 12:00 am curfew,” he said. “We coordinate with the city, as we don’t want any students driving home to receive a citation.”

Students exit the school provided buses upon arriving LFA’s 2017 prom.

When asked about the safety rules, AllSchool President-Elect and Prom Committee member Anna Schilling stated, “[the rules] keep everyone together, and make sure that everyone is accounted for and there’s no liability issues for the school.”

The rules for prom this year have undergone no major changes, and haven’t for several years.

“Past proms have been safe, inclusive, and fun, and we plan to keep that trend going this year,” said Tennyson.

Photo Courtesy of lfasmugmug

THE SPECTATOR 8

Op-Ed

MAY 3, 2019

The stressful ending of the college process

By Adriana Rivera Managing Editor of Op-Ed Here is the truth about the college process-- it is repulsive. Around this time a year ago, I had my first meeting with my college counselor. I remember feeling so eager, ready to dive right into my college journey. We spent our forty-five minutes discussing what type of school I wanted to attend for the next four years and came up with a list of at least ten schools we thought would be a good fit for me. Fast forward a few months, and I am now a senior at the Academy. The fun is over, and it is now time to start writing my college essays while simultaneously retaking the ACT for the fourth time. The stress is high, but I am still optimistic that the work I am putting in will be worth it. After months of working on college essays to meet deadlines, I’d finally finished all of my applications. I applied to most of my schools Early Admission, so December was my month that would tell all, or so I thought...

That optimism that I had once had quickly dwindled as I started to receive letters back from my schools. The first letter I received was an acceptance, and at that point, I thought I actually had a solid chance of getting into most of my schools. But then came the deferrals (my early application was moved to the Regular Decision pool).

After that one acceptance, it was deferral

after deferral after deferral until I’d received six deferrals. Some of the schools I expected a deferral from, while some were safety schools that I expected to get into without getting deferred. Then came the rejections. And after that were a few more deferrals and acceptances. I had spent hours writing and perfecting my supplement essays, hours making sure my Common Application looked stellar, hours preparing for interviews with different representatives from different schools, hours trying everything I could do to gain admissions to these schools. But the reality is, like many other high schools seniors, I didn’t get into a single school that was in my top three.

When facing rejection from schools that you’ve worked so hard to get into your entire life, it’s difficult. It’s difficult to come to terms with the fact that you may not have gotten a position at your dream school because your family didn’t bribe their rowing team, or because you don’t belong to a certain type of diversity they’re looking for to fill their quota. It’s difficult to come to terms with the fact that you may not have been selected to attend these institutions based off of outside factors that you have no control of. And it’s easy for you to start comparing yourself to other students who may have gotten into the school of YOUR dreams. But the truth is, the college process is unfair. It is unfair and frustrating, and it can bring you

down. What I have learned is that the cards will fall where they belong. I believe that although my school that I will be attending next year wasn’t necessarily in my top

to no guidance from the previous year’s student leaders, nothing about what failed and what worked, and no continuity of particular goals. Due to this ignorance, it becomes a guessing game and a reliance on the administration to tell us their expectations.

A main frustration for Prefects, Student Council, Proctors, and Facilitators is the perception that no one actually listens to the students or that their ideas get shot down without any explanation as to why.

A suggestion made by Teniola Bakare to increase school spirit was dismissed on the grounds that it would be divisive in the school, and we can’t have any school sanctioned activities that would divide.

Oftentimes the response from administration when approached about changing school policies is to fall back on the excuse of precedent. When the issue of mandating attendance at finals, even the ones you simply walk in, hand something to a teacher, and walk out again, was brought up, the response felt like a chastisement for bringing it up, and then we are told to be the ones to break the bad news to the students that this is just how it’s going to be. It often seems like, from a student leader perspective, that LFA prides itself on teaching us how to advocate for ourselves and others, yet doesn’t respond well when we actually

do so. We don’t expect every demand of ours to be met, but we do expect an open conversation and insight into how and why the decision was made in the first place.

One problem that the All-School President candidates all touched on was school spirit. The problem is almost always entirely placed on the students. When student leaders ask, “Why don’t seniors get senior lunches?” and “What happened to the school going into relaxed dress code as soon as it gets warm?”, the administration responds with blaming the students who don’t participate in school events and don’t clean up different areas of the school. They ask, “Why do you think you deserve these things?”

My problem with this response is that it’s not just the responsibility of the students. Why should students be expected to feel comfortable going all out during Spirit Week, to be silly and show excitement for the school, when their own teachers aren’t comfortable enough to participate.

I think student council should be in charge of school spirit, planning the various events within in the school, and student life in general. They should be the ones who run House Cup competitions and help plan weekend activities in conjunction with the proctors. They should

three initially, it is where I am meant to be.

The college process will change whatever college plan you think you have right now. But that isn’t a bad thing. Embrace it.

Photo Courtesy of Adriana Rivera This board of college pennants sits in the College Counseling wing, a sight regularly seen by the constant flow of seniors passing in and out the offices during the process.

The other side of student leadership

By Kiki Hood Managing Editor of Production As one of the head prefects at LFA, I have spent the past year questioning the effectiveness of student leadership at our school. I find it fascinating the level of secrecy surrounding it. From the process of being chosen to what is said in meetings, everything is bound by confidentiality.

I will be the first to admit that the prefects as a whole haven’t had as much of a voice this year as they’ve had in the past. I know that for myself, I haven’t accomplished what I wanted to coming in.

I’ve found that we are simply ceremonial, that the school relishes in the fact that they can put us out front for the visual effect, but we don’t have any real power.

LFA students, especially those who end up in leadership positions, are the people who are involved in everything. Ironically, being stressed from being overstretched is shared by more than students— often faculty feel the same frustration.

Another thing that student leaders are lacking is direction.

There is no set job description. With each turnover of student leadership, there seem to be new goals and more confusion about the boundaries of their roles. There is little

be the ones in charge of making sure both day and boarding students feel included on campus. They should be the ones planning pep rallies and influencing their classmates to go to big sports games and shows.

Given that Prefects are nominated by faculty members, I think that the role of Prefects should be participating in the various faculty committees. They should be able to sit in on multicultural meetings, community dialogues, student health, policy decisions, Head of School Symposium, and Curriculum Committee. Understandably, there would need to be some meetings where students wouldn’t be allowed, but it would yield great experiences and would actually use the talents of the students.

Right now, I think that LFA has hit a dead patch. I think that there is a mutual feeling between students and teachers of being overstretched. When those who are chosen to fill roles based on their positive attitude and voice in the school community have trouble smiling because they are being labled the problem they don’t have the power to fix, then we need to change and articulate what the expectations of our student leaders are before they volunteer for something they know nothing about.

THE SPECTATOR

Sports 9 LFA has introduced a new electronic gaming squad MAY 3, 2019

Photo Courtesy of League of Legends Air dragon spawning into the game (League of Legends) as Sion waits in the river.

By Parker Amoroso Managing Editor of Features

each other in matches when they meet.

“We have two teams. Each match is five v five, so we have two substitutes,” said Ward.

The number of activities taking place within the Lake Forest Academy grows with every passing month. A recent addition to this has been E-Sports, which is a new group activity run by LFA Math teacher, Joe Ward. The program, which started in mid-February of this year, now has 12 students, who meet on a regular basis to play the online game League of Legends.

League of Legends is an online, multiplayer game developed by Riot Games in 2009 for both Microsoft and OS softwares. In the game, two teams of players compete in matches ranging from 20 to 60 minutes in length. As League of Legends is one of the largest online multiplayer games, Riot Games estimates an average of 100 million active players each month.

With regard to LFA, the number of kids in the group allows them to compete against

As for the gameplay itself, it’s rather complex, with Mr. Ward noting that it’s a game that is “easiest to explain in person.” However, the basic gameplay is that players assume assigned characters known as champions for each match. Players then work throughout the match to levelup their characters to gain more abilities.

Throughout the game, players work to destroy the other team’s base, along with completing other various goals, to win.

In the end, this new activity represents yet another way for LFA students to engage with their peers outside of the classroom. Wether it’s through a sport, such as basketball, through an academic team, such as LFA’s math team, or now through E-Sports, such as the League of Legends team, there continues to be something for everyone at LFA.

Q&A with Drexel basketball player Matej Juric

By Adriana Rivera Managing Editor of Op-Ed How do you think your first season with Drexel Men’s Basketball went?

“My first season at Drexel was definitely eventful. It was filled with both highs and lows. I started the year with an injury to my back during preseason training camp that forced me to miss roughly two months.

Because of it, I missed the first six games of our season. However, after that I slowly got back into playing shape, and I was able to earn some minutes. At first I didn’t play much, which was expected being that I am a freshman, but coming straight from an injury didnt help my cause either. However, I kept working hard to try and earn more minutes, and I ended up starting the last four games of the year. Overall we were inconsistent with our performances as a team, as we finished the year with an overall record of 13-19. I believe that our record isn’t a clear indicator of just how good we can be.

Hopefully next year we can play at the level we all believe we’re capable of playing.”

What advice do you have for LFA athletes looking to continue their athletic careers in college?

“For anyone that is looking to continue playing sports in college, my advice to you is that you have to constantly work hard and push yourself to try and improve in your sport. There are so many people out there who want to play college sports, but not everyone is willing to sacrifice some of the things that are necessary in order to achieve that goal of being a part of college athletics.

If you keep working hard, something good will come out of it, and even if it doesn’t, at least you can say you gave it your all.”

Can you tell me about the awards you received from your basketball coach?

“This year at our annual team banquet, I was presented with two awards from this past season. The first award was given to me for being voted as the best defender on the team. It really caught me off guard because there are several really good defenders on our team, and I definitely did not think I would get it. The second award I got was the academic award, given to the person with the best results in the classroom. For this, I must admit I owe a big thank you to all of my former teachers at LFA. It only became clear to me this year how lucky I was to be taught by all my former teachers since the way they prepared me made my first year in college a lot easier than I expected it to be.”

What have you learned from your coaches at lfa that has helped you/stuck with you the most at drexel?

“I think the main thing that I learned from my coaches at LFA, mainly Coach Koncz and Coach Wetherbee, was how to work hard and to take advantage of any opportunity that might present itself. I spent countless mornings before class with both Coach Koncz and Wetherbee trying to improve my skillset. Not only that, but Coach Wetherbee and I would sometimes go on five mile runs at 5:30 in the morning in order to make sure I would be in the best shape possible. Safe to say this will to work hard and stay prepared ended up helping me earn a scholarship because when the time came to play in front of college coaches, I felt like I was prepared the best I could be.”

What are you looking forward to most next season?

“Next season I look forward to hopefully winning a lot more games and ideally winning our conference tournament which would guarantee us a bid in the NCAA tournament.”

Photo Courtesy of Matej Juric Matej Juric running a play for the Drexel Men’s Basketball team at Daskalakis Athletic Arena

THE SPECTATOR

Sports

10

MAY 3, 2019

Changes coming for PE program Ben Sebolt Senior Sports Editor The Spring athletics program is everchanging at Lake Forest Academy.

Whether it’s new PE’s or cancellations, the program is never the same. This year for the 2019 spring athletic season, a new PE has been reintroduced as well as a schedule change to fitness.

Ultimate Frisbee, is once again offered as a Spring PE. Run by Sam Wold five years ago, the time was ripe for a reintroduction.

The PE meets three times per week on the grass area in front of the Student Union.

There is no lack of interest in the PE, and Ultimate Frisbee is having a successful re-entrance into spring athletics.

The other change that was made to fitness this year was the days per week requirement. Instead of the usual three days per week, students must now sign in for four days a week. There is a simple reason for this switch though. Due to spring break occurring later in the semester, there were not enough days for students to gain the required amount of time to pass the PE. Therefore, Athletic Director Darrin Madeley decided to raise the requirement.

While this is a small change, the larger changes will begin next year.

Darrin Madeley has always had ambitions for the PE program, but until now he has never had the staff to implement them. The hiring of Eric Ball allows Madeley more flexibility with the fitness program. Currently, Madeley believes that fitness has become “an easy way out, and that’s not why we have fitness.” As for the changes Madeley wants to make, they will undoubtedly increase the effectiveness and commitment towards fitness.

The first change that would be made to the program would involve an evaluation of one’s fitness. Taking place three times a semester, the tests are only for the student.

It will not be possible to fail fitness if you do worse on your evaluation. The second change that will be made is having a non -coaching faculty present during the hours of fitness. This will force students to complete their time, not just sign in and leave.

The tests would vary depending on a person’s goals and physique. The point of the tests according to Madeley “is to see if they are actually upstairs and doing the workout, or if they are doing the workout but doing it wrong.”

As with all changes, it will take some time to adapt, but Madeleys changes will definitely benefit the fitness program in the long run.

Alex Reznik and Akhil Kommala battle for the frisbee during a warmup.

Photo by Ben Sebolt

No solution for JV Tennis

By Jared Felitto Sports Editor

Alex Jackson contemplates the his next move in his practice match.

Photo by Jared Felitto

Over the past few years, Lake Forest Academy has made massive improvements to their facilities at the school.

From the Student Union to the turf fields, nearly everyone from students to athletes have had better experiences. However, not everyone has been accommodated sufficiently by the school. By only having five tennis courts, JV tennis is forced to go off campus in order to practice. With how little daylight the team has to work with, combined with how short the season is, the JV team does not have a whole lot of flexibility. By getting the players onto the bus and over to their off-campus location, the team’s practice time is limited.

According to Athletic Director, Darrin Madeley, he hopes to offer an on-campus practice option in the near future.

“Obviously, I would love to add another set of courts. With how little sunlight we get to work with along with my goal of getting practices to end at 5:00, I can’t just put the JV practices after varsity. Right now, I think this is the best option, but it can definitely be improved,” said Madeley.

The JV team’s off-campus location,

Everett Middle School, is very close to LFA. Compared to other teams, the JV tennis team has the closest off-campus location. Still, no one enjoys having to leave campus in order to practice. By having their practice time cut into, along with the schlepping of gear day in and day out, hopefully a solution can be found in the future. According to junior JV tennis player, George Revis, he doesn’t necessarily mind the off-campus practices.

“The courts are only a few minutes away, so it’s really not that bad. Obviously it would be better if there were enough courts on campus, but it’s definitely better going off campus and practicing right away rather than having to wait for Varsity to finish” said Revis.

Other teams face a similar dilemma: Golf has to venture off campus in order to practice, and basketball sometimes has to go over to Joy Of The Game in Northbrook. However, Madeley has other things he’d like to get before adding another set of courts.

“I would love to add another gym before anything else. We have five basketball teams and one gym. It’s hard to get kids motivated knowing they don’t have practice till 6:30 on some weeknights,” said Madeley.

THE SPECTATOR MAY 3, 2019

Global Perspectives

11

The end of the beginning: Global Concentration’s first class in review

By Alex Jackson Editor-in-Chief The end of this year will bring the wrapup to LFA’s inaugural graduating Global Concentration class. The first Global Concentration class began last year, leading the two-year program to its first conclusion this season. The second year of the program is focused on Capstone projects, which students presented to the whole school during the April 24th All-School Meeting. Students spent the whole year researching, interviewing, and building a presentation for their topics, which ranged in a variety of areas of interest. This also included putting together individual Wix pages for students to document and present their topics in an online setting. The year-two cohort worked with Ms. Kristine Von Ogden and Ms. Yue Chen once per cycle during G6.

All new classes both defy expectations, and underperform in some areas.

Being able to reflect on what worked well and what needs work is key for success at any level. This is no different for the Global Concentration program.

“In many ways, yes, there had been some

Photo by Alex Jackson Senior Ava Ascroft practices her Global Concentration presentation on the stage in Cressey.

surprises along the way, but for the most part, it has worked out fairly well. And what’s been great about it is that we’ve adapted it and modified it to the group

as we progressed,” Von Ogden explained about the class meeting her expectations.

The loose structure of the class worked to both teachers’ and students’ advantages, as

they were able to shape the lesson plans to the strengths of the students while maintaining a general direction with the curriculum.

“Because we were the first group of students, I felt as if we were the guinea pigs, and so I think it will become more refined, but the one thing we all struggled with and learned a lot from was that we didn’t have a lot of structure,” second-year Global Concentration student Ava Ascroft commented.

For many students, this takes the place of a sixth or even seventh class, which can be a bit tough for any student. Although Von Ogden believes the program would function better meeting more than once per cycle, she doesn’t want to overwhelm any student in their schedules.

In reflection, the program seemed to receive overall positive feedback, with a potential to get even better in following years.

“I think it was definitely something that LFA needed. They are trying to expand their Global Department, and we are a really diverse school, so this was definitely a good addition to the direction LFA wants to go,” Ascroft added.

Head of School Symposium trip brings new perspectives to LFA student body

By Lindsey Pearlman Features Editor Each year, Lake Forest Academy focuses on a Head of School Symposium topic.

In years previous, the topics have included Immigration, Emigration, and Migration: Culture, Citizenship, and Conflict where the HOSS trip was to Ireland, The Caribbean: Climate, Commerce, and Culture

Photo courtesy of LFA instagram LFA students standing in front of the Bronze Horseman in Saint Petersburg.

where students traveled to the Caribbean, and The Brain: Inquiry, Imagination, and Innovation, where they took a trip to California. This year, the Head of School Symposium is Russia: Revolution and Resurgence. The community has already integrated the HOSS into our everyday school lives through All School Meeting speakers, Head of School Symposium Day, and many other activities; however, some students took their involvement to a new level by going on the Head of School Symposium Spring Break trip to Russia.

Over the span of 13 days, the students and teachers embarked on a journey starting in Saint Petersburg and going all the way to Moscow, visiting Kazan and the island-town of Sviyazhsk in-between. The group did a number of activities to immerse themselves in the Russian culture, including visiting museums, bus tours, Russian language classes, cooking classes, going to a Russian Ball, and visiting Russian schools. One of the most memorable experiences on the trip for All School President, Teniola Bakare, was having the opportunity to meet other high schoolers and seeing what their lives are like in

comparison to the life of an LFA student.

“I really enjoyed being able to meet Russian students that were our age,” said Bakare. “It was really interesting to see that being a teen in Russia is very similar to being a teen in the United states.

We all face the same teenage issues.”

Being from the United States, there are many misconceptions about Russians and Russian culture. However, experiencing the country hands-on gave those on the trip a new perspective on the views that the Russian people have towards Americans.

“Due to America’s depiction of Russians, we expected them to really not like us, but it turned out that they actually like America,” stated Bakare. “One of the biggest takeaways I have from the trip is that the Russian people are actually very nice and warm.”

Russia: Revolution and Resurgence is a HOSS topic that could be hard to understand at first glance. The group of students and faculty who went on the Russia Spring Break trip now have a more well-rounded point of view on not only our HOSS topic, but also a much more global outlook on a different culture.

THE SPECTATOR

Global Perspectives

12

MAY 3, 2019

LFA reflects on the legacy of slain L.A. rapper, Nipsey Hussle

By Tiffany Filawo Managing Editor of Global Perspectives On, March 31, 2019, the rap culture lost a burgeoning legend, and South Central L.A. lost a leader, a peacemaker, and an activist.

Thirty-three year-old Grammy-nominated rapper, founder of All Money In Records, and Crenshaw native, Ermias Asghedom, better known as Nipsey Hussle, was shot dead that same day by, Eric Holder, outside of Hussle’s store on Slauson Avenue, The Marathon Clothing Store. Hussle left behind two children, and longtime girlfriend, Lauren London. Hussle was at his store the day of his murder gifting his friend, Kerry Lathan, clothes after getting released from jail. Holder shot Hussle as a result of an argument they had earlier that day.

Holder first shot the rapper then walked away, but after realizing that Hussle was

Photo by Tiffany Filawo Eric Ball is credited for introducing many members of Lake Forest Academy’s community to Nipsey Hussle by playing songs in the gym from his Grammy-nominated album, Victory Lap.

Photo Courtesy of popculturecelebrity.com Tickets from Nipsey Hussle’s Memorial, Thursday, April 11th, were available to the public and sold out in minutes.

still alive, he walked back over and shot Hussle multiple times in the head and torso which ultimately took his life. Holder was taken into custody soon after the murder and charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Hussle’s murder took the world by surprise, including members of the LFA community.

Senior, Dane Quest, was first introduced to Nipsey Hussle through his feature on Drake’s song, “Killer.” Quest was captivated by Nipsey’s flow and admired his uplifting lyricism more after listening to Nipsey’s own tracks. “‘Killer’ by Drake was the first song I listened to featuring Nipsey Hussle. Whatever he said in his music, he spoke into existence. He was one of the few rappers who actually spoke to us, and that’s why we paid attention,” remarked Quest.

On Monday April 1st, a vigil was held for Hussle outside of his Marathon Clothing Store, and Thursday, April 11th, his

family hosted a “Celebration of Life” memorial in the Staples Center and opened it up to the public. Tickets were sold out within minutes, and all 21,000 seats were filled. The religious outlook on this tragedy kept Hussle’s close family and friends’ spirits high. The memorial was followed by a 25 mile funeral procession which circled through L.A. and made a stop outside of his Marathon Clothing Store where mourners placed candles and flowers to venerate the late rapper.

Eric Ball has been paying tribute to Hussle’s artistry by familiarizing LFA gym-goers with Hussle’s works from his Victory Lap album.

“My favorite song by Nipsey is ‘Overtime,’ and I tell my athletes the line, ‘opportunity and preparation, when they meet, it’s nice’ because when the time comes, if you do the work now, you’ll be prepared for when it’s time to shine,” said Ball.

Hussle was planning on meeting with the LAPD to discuss ways to end gang

violence to make South Central L.A. safer for the children. His work for children does not stop there. He has sparked several initiatives such as Vector 90, which is a STEM learning center based in the Crenshaw District that provides better science and technology education and opportunities to work in Silicon Valley. He also worked with PUMA to refurbish the basketball court near where he grew up, and he launched a major art initiative in the Crenshaw District known as, “Destination Crenshaw” which displays local art.

Hussle’s death incentivized a peace truce and march among the rival gangs, Crips and Bloods. The former Rollin’ 60s Crip was known for collaborating with notable Bloods such as The Game and YG. While Hussle is physically not here to witness the shockwave he has sent across the world, especially the rap culture by living what he preached, his legacy will continue through his fans.

“I’m going to continue Nipsey’s legacy by trying to be as real and kind as Nipsey was. I think the highest human act really is to inspire, and I want to use my talent as a vehicle of change in my community and around the world,” vocalized Quest.

Hussle was a hero and leader to those in South Central L.A., a consoler to all those who listened to his music and an inspiration to those who followed his life.

“He made the black youth feel very invested. He was a leader that the youth needed to look up to and idolize,” expressed Ball.

Nipsey Hussle will never be forgotten, and with that being said, “The Marathon Continues.”

A historic win in Chicago’s mayorial elections

By Nate Koh News Editor Chicago’s newly elected mayor has achieved many firsts for both the city and herself--she is the first black woman and sole openly gay person to hold the position, and it is the first time she has held an elective office. Lori Lightfoot’s landslide win over her primary opponent, Toni Preckwinkle, who serves as the Chairperson of Cook County’s Democratic Party and the President of the Cook County Board, was unprecedented in a runoff election.

According to the Chicago Board of Elections, Lightfoot won 73.7% of the vote, while Preckwinkle had only 26.3% of the vote.

Running on a platform that focused on police reform and changing the corrupt bureaucracy of Chicago, Lightfoot’s appeal reached across the socioeconomic boundaries that normally affect Chicago politicians.

While her image as a political outsider was a major focus of her campaign, Lightfoot is a lawyer, who as a former prosecutor for the city of Chicago, is no stranger to the corrupt nature of the city.

Appointed by Rahm Emanuel to head a task force to investigate the Chicago Police Department (CPD)’s allegedly racist behavior, she found that “C.P.D.’s own data gives validity to the widely held belief the police have no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color.”

While Lightfoot’s recent actions show that she is looking to stop the systemic racism in the CPD plaguing people of color who live in Chicago, her record as a prosecutor and as the chief administrator of the Chicago Police Department Office of Professional Standards call that into question.

In the case of the police killing of Robert Washington, an unarmed 17-year-old, she only supported a 30-day suspension, even though the officer’s testimony was investigated and found to have many falsehoods.

Chicago-based boarding students at Lake Forest Academy aren’t going to be the only ones affected by Lori Lightfoot’s election.

Some day students’ parents work in the city, and as a suburb of Chicago, the city of Lake Forest will be affected by policy changes instituted as a result of her election.

Brianna Murphy, a student of Lake

Photo Courtesy of wttw.com Lori Lightfoot celebrates her landmark victory over Toni Preckwinkle in all 50 wards.

Forest Academy and a resident of Chicago, says that she does not think much will change, at least not immediately.

“Changingthesystemwilltakealotoftime,especially because of the corruption,” she says.

“It doesn’t mean we should stop trying.”