December 2017
3400 Rose Street
Hector Gonzalez
A
s the modern era progresses, there is an undeniable growth and involvement of consumerism throughout the Christmas season. It’s also a time of what some see as rising political correctness, prompting many to wish each other “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas.” Are these forces stunting the historically religious holiday. Is the “War on Christmas” even real? And if it is, are progressives who aim to avoid marginalizing non-Christians during this time of year the attacker? Or are our spending habits the problem? Diversity in the US does not show signs of slowing down, with the Asian and mixed-raced people population rising 3% from July 2015 to July 2016. As diversity continues rise, it can be hypothesized that the growing movement for political correctness will rise as well, but what exactly is so “unappealing” with saying “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays?” Leyden physics teacher Mr. Mark Reeves suggested, “A lot of holiday wishes are driven by political correctness.” He recalled an incident he had at Sears. When bagging his items after the sale, the sales
clerk told Reeves, “Oh, forget it. I’m just going to wish you a Merry Christmas.” Reeves doesn’t necessarily believe the clerk had a script, but he understands that sales employees likely have “directives” as to how to share well-wishes after a transaction. “During the holiday season, you should say happy holidays, that way you pretty much covered all of your bases without singling [anyone] out. Reeves understands this to be this way in order to bring people in and to make them feel welcomed whatever organization or sale or activity that is taking place. At school, where sales aren’t important, he’s also noted changes. During his twenty years at Leyden, Reeves has seen Christmas assemblies along with festive Christmas trees and ornaments hanging around both campuses fade away. The assembly shifted to being based on winter sports based along with secular winter songs, avoiding any semblance of religion in the school Mr. Reeves agreed that the growing diversity in the schools played a part in the shift, and that the changes were likely an attempt to be more inclusive. Although Mr. Reeves believes the push for “Happy Holi-
A Brief History of Christmas in the U.S.
The Massachusetts legislature fined anyone who celebrated Christmas 5 shillings, which was a lot of money at the time.
1848
1644
England’s royal family’s picture with a decorated Evergreen tree spreads through a newspaper and becomes a custom in the US.
Up until 1931, Santa Claus was widely depicted wearing a variety of different colors. A Coca Cola commercial depicted him wearing red and white. The image has stuck since then.
The Industrial Revolution and rise in Advertising in the 19th and 20th centuries made Christmas the commercial holiday it is today, shifting from religious gifts to commercial gifts.
2000s
Righteously Religious or Politically Correct?
Franklin Park, IL 60131
days” comes partly from individuals who don’t celebrate Christmas, he believe much of it also comes from people, generally, not attaching any real religious meaning to Christmas. Senior Rakan Alzagha was born in Pal- Schools and the rest of the country strike a balance between the religious e s t i n e a n d and secular displays of Christmas. moved to the US when he was little. Rakan explained that by modern consumerism. because there is no Arabic holiday during Undoubtedly, the goals of bolthis festive time of year, he says that in a stering corporate earnings and including way he does feel “outcasted.” He agrees members of any religious faith because of that saying “happy holidays” allows for political correctness affect the religious namore flexibility and believes the push for ture of Christmas, the holiday nonetheless political correctness does have to do with emphasizes the importance of kindness in the growing diversity of the country and everyday life. Regardless of whether you that it is “crucial” to include everyone. celebrate the holidays in a religious man But even Rakan gets involved ner, or in a more modernized fashion, or in the jollyness of the holiday making it simply can’t wait for a break away from seem as though the consumerism has wa- work and school, we hope you have a wontered down the religious purpose behind derful break filled with laughter and smiles. the holiday. It’s become a modern holiday Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. for everyone to enjoy regardless of faith. Christmas is involving into a modern holiday, secular from religion and reinforced
1931
East Leyden High School
Slow snow means no dough Brianna Cruz
“O
h, the weather outside is frightful…” Or is it? Yes, winter is upon us, and according to long range projections for Chicago, that means some frigid weather, with ice cold temperatures and, unfortunately, not a lot of snow. Although you might seem excited about a low-snow winter, no precipitation can be very inconvenient for those who put a few extra dollars in their wallets when it snows. Many families and individuals use snow plowing around their neighborhoods or even around town as an actual job. Others shovel their neighbors’ snow or parking areas for extra cash. Senior Tomasz Ruchała said, “I snowplow for a Polish radio parking lot, and a Polish dentist parking lot.
When I snowplow varies on the weather conditions. If it’s snowing a lot, then I’m going to have more work, but if it’s barely snowing then all I have to do is pour down salt, and if it’s not snowing then I simply don’t get called into work. “The money varies because there are different locations with different size parking lots, but usually, a regular parking lot pays $280. The hardest part about the job is fixing a part of the plow if it breaks in any way,” Ruchala said. “That has happened to me before when I was snow plowing a parking lot. The rope snapped in half that was lifting the plow up and down, and I had to replace
the whole rope which took a while to fix in the freezing cold. The equipment that is needed is a four wheeler or a car and a winch a snow plow. The equipment isn’t cheap at all.” He did mention that there is no snow measurement minimum required for him to go snow plow. “If the property owners call me and asks me to snow plow, I will be there no matter how little or much snow there is. [A season with little snow] will affect me because I’m not making as much money, but it does help my sleeping schedule,” he joked. So how little snow we really going to get? According to the Farmer’s
Almanac, which is a weather book that has weather forecasts, throughout December 19-22 we should be expecting some rain and snow showers. The following days between the 23-25 just some mild rain, and for the rest of the year on and off in between. When we look into January of 2018 we can see that might only get a few inches. Overall winter 2017-2018 will a surprising one for us. As we all know, we don’t know what to expect when it comes to Chicago, but one thing is for sure, a bit more snow means a low more money for some.
2 Considering the Costs of College
News
December 2017
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Daniel Payan rowing up, there always seems to be a huge focus on the importance of college, with some getting the message that without a college education, one can expect to live a life of struggle. But as college tuition increases, its hefty price tag presents its own struggle, forcing students to reevaluate the pros and the cons. College tuition has been on a rapid increase. If you look back to 1970, tuition for a year was $358 compared to the $35,000 it would cost to attend today. Back in the day, students could work a summer job and pay for the whole school year. A recent study found that college tuition was skyrocketing, but the amount of money made by families has remained stagnant. These costs can force families to make difficult decisions about how to pay for college. Senior Danh Nguyen feels that he is financially prepared for college because his family has been saving. But because costs continued to rise, his family has to adjust course for his brother. Nguyen said, “My parents will pay for my siblings by loans, and they hope that my sibling will get a lot of money from grants and scholarships.” While Nguyen’s family is taking on the loans, many students must do so themselves, placing a new, financial stress on kids for the first time. The average student is in debt $28,950.
The debate continues on whether or not this debt is “worth it.” A 2015 Forbes article explained that those who go right to work enjoy some lifestyle benefits: “High school graduates not only have the benefit of a four-year head start in the workforce, they are blissfully free from any kind of student loan debt. Meanwhile, college grads must begin paying off the debt they’ve accumulated, regardless of whether or not they’re able to find employment in today’s competitive job market. “Forty-five percent of respondents said college wasn’t worth the cost, the research found. Some 44% of respondents said they’ve cut back on day-to-day living expenses because of their student loan debt, and 37% said they’ve delayed saving for retirement or other financial goals. And when they were asked if they would make different choices in retrospect, almost half (47%) said they wished they’d accepted less or no financial aid assistance.” Yet the same article confirmed that college ultimately results in increased earnings. “Americans with four-year college degrees made 98 percent more an hour on average in 2013 than people without a degree. That’s up from 89 percent five years earlier, 85 percent a decade earlier and 64 percent in the early 1980s.”
The goal, then, may be to find ways to make it affordable. The New York Times explains, “Benefits of colleges can be reaped from an associate’s degree from a community college. In addition, students can start at community colleges or do intense scholarship searches. There are families that didn’t have to touch their college savings accounts because they coordinated the scholarship search from early on.” The price tag is scary, but those who remain committed to the investment have to fund their education in some way. Whether it be scholarships or grants, paying for college can be a difficult thing, and if you feel like you don’t have a way to pay for college, you’re not alone.
Class Changes for Next Year Joe Longo
Leyden has made four major changes to classes as well as added two entirely new classes. Here are the changes you should know going into course selection next month. BUSINESS EDUCATION At some point, everyone has been up at 3 a.m. watching the show “Shark Tank.” If you have ever sat through that and thought you have an idea for a product or service that deserves to become reality, then the Business Education department has added the course for you! “We already offer Introduction to Entrepreneurship at Leyden,” business education department chair Tony Pecucci claimed, “but we wanted a more advanced course which was authentic and relevant. [Business Incubator] fit the bill. Our department visited other schools that are executing this program and saw some tremendous things happening. Since we always want what is best for Leyden students, we proposed the class a couple years ago. Our Business Department here at Leyden always wants to give our students world class opportunities where they can grow as people.” In Business Incubator, students will develop products and pitch their idea to local “investors.” While simulations show how the world works in theory, this class goes beyond that and will actually involve producing, selling, and profiting off your product. That’s right, if your product and pitch impresses the investors, they will give you real seed money so you can produce real product and make real money! While Mr. Pecucci explained that the entrepreneurship classes in our district are strong and teach a lot about the process, he believes Incubator “is an amazing opportunity to participate in something very similar to ‘Shark Tank’ - but it is real and authentic. This is not a class that is by the book. It is the real deal.” The only question left is are you gonna create the next big thing?
With some new learning spaces and two additional courses, Leyden is ready to give students even more opportunities to collaborate around real-world work.
ART
FAMILY and CONSUMER SCIENCES
MATH
The art classes at Leyden have been churning out products for years that often go without recognition. The students make the course selection cover and help with various logo requests. But most adults looking for custommade art for school purposes make those requests directly to Ms. Anna Reed, the art department chair. In trying to get students to make the work, she usually ends up requesting that teachers add an assignment into the curriculum. So a Photos student might get a “random” task of shooting a special school event or a graphic design class might be asked to submit versions of a digital design for promotional materials. Starting in 2018, there will now be a class dedicated to these orders. In what is the art version of Advanced Catering or TSI, Art Production will be a class “where students get to apply all the art and communication skills they've learned in our other classes,” Reed explained. “Unlike a traditional class, the projects will come directly from clients and the teacher becomes the resource instead of the director of information.” This not only gives Leyden’s artists the ability to show off their skills without waiting for the art shows, but creates another spot where Leyden prepares students for real world work. Time to put brush to paper, or hand on mouse, and get ready filling orders!
Do you wanna be a teacher but don’t have space in your schedule for every prerequisite? Or maybe a doctor but don’t like how you can’t jump from Leyden into the real world? Luckily for you, the FACS department is bringing changes to Leyden next year that will satisfy both of those problems! The first change comes in the teaching field, which currently has two prerequisites to take the Taste of Teaching Class. As of next year, students will be able to hop straight over the prerequisites, as long as they get a teacher recommendation. “Opening this course up to students who receive faculty recommendation allows us to identify potential future teachers” department chair Dana Thomas describes “and it allows students the opportunity to still get realworld experiences that this course offers.” The other major changes comes in the medical courses. When the 2018-19 school year rolls in, those who take these classes will have the option to choose a certification and receive one, all at no cost to the student! Students will then be able to take this certification and work with a professional in this field that has partnered with Leyden. While other ideas, such as a medical simulation lab, are in the works, “this change helps those students who know they want to go into the medical field,” Thomas said. So grab your dry erase markers or scrubs and check out these changes next year!
We’ve all either sat through a math classes and watched our GPAs slip or mastered a topic in day that the class spent a week to learn. In a Goldilocks quest for finding courses that aren’t too fast or too slow for students, the math department hopes to have struck the “just right” chord for some students. While the current pathway has kids go through a full year of Algebra II then a year of Pre-Calc before getting to Calculus, those students who crave a faster path-or those who want a taste of calc without taking the AP Course-will now be able to go a more unconventional route. A new pathway includes the new Algebra II + Pre-Calc I, which is a semester of Algebra II and a semester of Pre-Calc, that will be followed by the next new class of one semester pre-calc and one semester Calculus A (called Pre-Calc II + Calc A). With a semester of Pre-Calc being tacked onto the Algebra II class, students can now experience Calc before going to college without taking AP, or they could even get a headstart on said AP Calc class. The bowls of porridge are out, which one will be just right for you?
Opinions
December 2017
Workplace Harassment favorite movies, and even in our Congress. Teenage women are not exempt from this, and they might be especially prone to harassment. One reason for this is that they’re typically low on the chain of command. The imbalance of power in workplace harassment is pronounced for teens, and the fear that their “voice isn’t heard” is increased by their entry level jobs. Especially if this is a young woman’s first job, it’s difficult to speak up against the harassment. Young women may want to keep the job and keep the money flowing. Another specialized concern is that many work in point of sale. This means teenagers are out front and susceptible to older customers. Leyden teens who work point of sale jobs have explained that some older men create discomfort, either by lingering in the store too long, visiting but not purchasing anything, , or complimenting them beyond what would be considered normal. Some have even been touched “casually” or been victims of physical intimidation. These disgusting older men deny their actions and comments, resulting in the abusee to seem
like a liar, putting her in a bad position for when something extreme happens. If her coworkers don’t believe her with the first concern, then they wouldn’t believe her in any future concerns. The good news is that Leyden teenagers who have reported concerns have been successful in having them addressed. And the current context of professional, adult women coming forward is likely to help young women feel like they need not cover their mouths to protect themselves. In the past, women have been shut down for sexual harassment accusations, but with the help of social media and technology, women can now have proof: Recordings, pictures, and comments help bring any sexual harasser to justice. With all the different accusations being brought up in the past year, women have gained the confidence to speak up. Teenagers are even confronting their issues and bringing their gross coworkers down. Yes, it’s great that we, as young teenagers starting to enter the workplace, are able to talk about what is happening to us on the job without getting hurt in the process, but we need more than that. We need to heavily push sexual harassment policies. If we demanded that all workers followed guidelines, sexual harassment would diminish at a great speed. Human Resource workers and fellow employees need to step in as soon as they sense something is wrong in any workplace, especially for young women. Ignoring this issue isn’t an option.
issues. He had collected a total of 23 guns over the years that he had been collecting and he had never shown any symptoms of being disturbed and collected guns through legal channels. How should we have made it harder for this man to get a gun in a way that wouldn’t hurt the rest of us? In the grand scheme of things,it may be impossible to restrict guns from the hands of people who may have bad intentions. Think of the major crimes happening in big cities like Chicago and Detroit. The criminal gangs aren’t acquiring their guns legally. They have lots of money for the crimes that they are committing and are able to get guns without serial numbers. If we restrict guns, residents who live in a crime-ridden area won’t be able to acquire a gun to defend his or her home or person, but the gangs would continue to get them. So a gangster robs him at gunpoint with a
gun acquired illegally. In the absolute best scenario, this family is left alive without being hurt. In the worst scenario, well, the gangster walks away and the victim doesn’t. It already takes a lot to protect yourself. They don’t just go handing guns to everyone who wants one.. To get your firearms card, you need to go through a process. If you want to get a FOID card in Illinois, they do an extensive background check on criminal history and mental illnesses. And they make you take extensive training in proper use and etiquette of your new firearm. I believe this is a perfect system to getting out guns to the people who are in need of them. Other states may need to catch up, but greater restrictions are unnecessary and problematic.
Teenagers are especially prone to harassment since they’re still low on the chain of command, worrying their voices will not be heard.
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lipping a name tag minutes before the start of her shift, a young woman just wants a normal workday. But, as recent events have revealed, the norm for women at work includes a whole host of harassment problems.
Victoria Schulmeister Women, and some men, get harassed everyday by not only coworkers, but managers, bosses, and even customers. We’ve seen increased reporting of sexual harassment in many different places, including our favorite restaurants, on the sets of our
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Gun restrictions fail to solve problems G
uns. They’re a touchy subject. Everyone has a stand on what needs to happen with them, and anytime a mass shooting happens, we see hysteria all over the news surrounding guns. If you support gun ownership, you support these killers. But it’s not that simple. All of this crime happening makes it seem as if guns are the crazy death machine. In reality, that is not the case. Although there have been a lot of mass shootings lately, I believe we should not restrict guns any further because people committed to violence will always find a way to get them, and the good people who need to get them may no longer have the access they need to protect their families. There are plenty of people who know how to have a gun and should be able to keep them and be able use them. That’s not usually what the debate is; it’s about those people who shouldn’t have the guns. Yes, it’s true not everyone is fit to have a gun, so maybe we could try making them harder to get. Here’s the problem with this ideal, though: there is no real way to see who’s sane and who’s not. Anything can make someone snap. There are plenty of people who are notori-
Michael Meyer ous shooters who have no history of crime and no history mental illness. So what can we rely on to make them harder to get? And often, those who shoot wouldn’t be found even if gun laws looked for potential factors. Take, for example, a horrible man with various mental illnesses: Adam Lanza, the man behind the Sandy Hook shootings where 20 1st graders were killed along with six adults. He had a Bushmaster Model XM15-E2S rifle, 2 pistols, and a shotgun he had hidden his car. He never should have had these guns and the laws should have prevented him from getting them. The problem lies with the fact that he didn’t buy these guns himself. His mother, who has no history of crime or mental illness,bought them. He took them from her. The problem doesn’t lie with the weapons; it lies with the weapon owners. This whole incident could have been avoided if she had just owned a gun safe, locking the guns in a place where her son was unable to reach them. Now let’s look at a case where a man was completely cleared to get a gun and still caused a mass shooting. Very recently we saw a horrible shooting happen in Las Vegas. Stephen Paddock was a 64-year-old man with no criminal history or mental
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Opinions
December 2017
Exam cramming and questionable teacher timing have our writers wondering how any student can make it through
The Final Stretch More Tests Might be the Answer Angelica Urbina
S
tudents dread final exams at the end of each semester. The pressure of remembering curriculum from the beginning of the five month semester overwhelms the students and the numerous review packets being thrown at us makes the pressure worse. Being a senior in high school has forced me to go through this process for years and sure, I can celebrate the end of these exams in high school when I graduate, but no doubt they will follow me into my college life. The average high school student, taking seven classes every year, takes about 56 finals in the entire high school career. Sure, you can subtract the AP tests and the exemptions, but there will always be the prospect of that dreadful test. Teachers often rely on distributing “review guides” to help students recall a semester’s worth of knowledge. Prior to final exams, teachers simply review the bare bones of the lessons from the beginning of the semester, but the time crunch means they have to leave plenty out. They’re not really teaching at that point, and the quick review sometimes results in confusion and penalties on the final exam. I understand finals as a means to keep up the rigor of the class and to build study habits. And some teachers do an admirable job of only giving the skeleton of the unit, pushing their students to go deeper into their own notes and review details. Sadly, it’s too much content for kids at once.
I have plenty of ideas that can we substitute for these large tests to measure the students’ knowledge in way more effective manner. For example, one way is to test students’. knowledge for the first half of the semester with a midterm and proceed to test the second half only with the semester exam. Even more effective might be leaving major testing up to the teacher and the course, asking them to not test our overall knowledge on the course but rather use unit tests as markers. This would test of our understanding of the material more than m e m o r y. Clumping areas of study together would be a more e ff e c t i v e way to test skill rather than rewarding only those who can remember everything. This may just be an opinion article in a school newspaper now, but if enough students need to trust their voices and experiences, speak up, and look for fair testing to actually measure their intelligence.
Our Outside Lives Matter
I
remember the night before my first day of high school. I couldn’t sleep because I was looking forward to starting the first page of the next chapter of my life. I told myself that I was going to try my hardest every day and stop procrastinating. The first few weeks I would make sure that as soon as I got home, I would go straight to do my homework and wouldn’t go out until it was complete. After a while I started to give myself more free time and began to slack. I’m going to admit that by the time second semester came around, my grades weren’t the best, but I was still motivated to come to school. Wa l k i n g into my senior year, I would constantly hear the word “senioritis,” but I would just ignore it because I thought that it would never pertain to me. It’s now the end of first semester of my senior year, and I have no motivation. I feel that I am forcing myself to come to school to pass my classes instead of coming because I genuinely want to learn. For a while, I stopped caring about my classes and started worrying about college.
Joceline Paz Although teachers have walked these steps, I don’t think they remember how stressed some students may become. Many teachers make their lesson plans in the summer for the whole year and don’t plan around important days or weeks for each grade level. Teachers should take these dates, like college season and SAT testing, into consideration and ease off a bit on the homework they’re giving when students have another important process happening in their lives. I think sometimes teachers forget that students don’t only have their class; we have seven classes a day. There are days where we are drowning in homework but teachers expect us to get it all done for the next day. Taking honors and AP classes, my teachers would say that we have to learn how to manage our time better when we are under stress or have a lot going on; sometimes we just need to focus on one thing at a time. When it was time to begin college applications, I completely stopped doing my homework and classwork because I knew that I had too much to do to the point where I would constantly feel overwhelmed. I personally believe that the main cause for slacking during senior year is stress. What we seniors need to understand is that, yes, we’re going to feel like giving up this last year because we’re ready to see what the world has to offer, but we need to make sure to give it our all due to the fact that life and school are only going to get harder from here. We need to let our goals be our motivation.
It’s My Money, and I Want It Now!
The Dangers of High School Students Working Part Time Jobs
“
Joe Longo
Tu es fatigué. Avez-vous travaillé la nuit dernière?” [“You are tired. Did you work last night?”] Every Thursday, the second I step into Room 223 for third period French, Mr. Bodin mutters these words. And every Thursday, I plop in my seat and mumble back, “Oui…” [Yes…] The life of a high school student is rough to start with- getting up at 6:30, sitting at desks for seven hours, a few hours to hang with friends then returning home to do sometimes hours of homework. Yet, according to the National Labor Bureau, 25% of American high schoolers make their lives even more difficult by adding a part-time job into the mix. This 25% of students head home at 2:30 to change into their work clothes and, if they’re lucky, knock out a 20-minute power nap. And, although my boss’s claim that you should work because it “makes you money
and prevents you from spending it,” should money be on the minds of high schoolers? While the intentions for lacing up the work boots range from aiding families to having some pocket dough, students should be very careful in deciding whether or not to get a job due to the very serious danger that comes from the time commitment. In a Stanford Medicine study, 1/7th of high schoolers suffer from sleep deprivation with that number jumping to 1/5th for those who add a part-time job. And while many believe sleep deprivation is harmless and that you have to “get used to it for college,” the dangers are real. In those who work more than 17 hours a week, their GPA dropped an average of 0.7 from previous semesters, which would be the difference from the top20 college Northwestern and Monmouth. Beyond that, the lack of sleep can cause the stress of high school to become to bearable leading to anxiety, depression, and, in extreme cases, suicide.
The dangers of finding work to have enough money for Starbucks and Spotify are real. However, there are steps students can take to find that balance between school, work, and life. One of the biggest ways to help this is to plan ahead. See when big tests are so you can take off more days to study. Know when your breaks are so you can grab more hours. While this helps the balance, it also helps develop one of the biggest benefits of having a job: time management. ”Before I worked, I just took my time and procrastinated,” Jake Fiala, varsity basketball captain, and Gene and Jude’s worker claims, “but since I’ve had to deal with getting homework done in an hour at most on occasions, I do everything with a little more pep in my step.” While Fiala, myself, and many other workers are in it for the money and time balancing, other use their work to gain experience in another branch of management: finances. According to a University
of Michigan study, students who worked 100 or more hours in high school were 50% less likely to make unnecessary purchases in adulthood, and even 40% more prepared for retirement. The long-term benefits of grinding out hours pay off within itself, many students have matured quick enough to reap the benefits now. “I have never asked my parents for money since I started working,” Waldo Diaz, Banana Republic worker, said, “in fact, I’ve actually been giving my parents money to help pay for bills and such. It truly is a great feeling to contribute at a young age.” All-in-all, there are pros and cons to finding a job in high school. The biggest takeaway from this situation is summed up by Mr. Haworth’s famous quote for anyone who has ever had him. “The four years of high school decide the next forty years of your life.” While $100 a week sounds great now, don’t let it damage your salary for the next forty!
features
I
Dating in a Winter Wonderland
Johnny Auge
t’s the most wonderful time of the year... for spending quality time with your boyfriend or girlfriend. This is the dating season when you put away your blanket and picnic basket and get ready to brave Chicago’s harsh winters by enjoying outings that only happen once e per year. SKATE DATES
Although it can be done during the summer at local ice arenas, skating outside makes for a much better date. During the warmer season, Chicagoans and tourists can enjoy food at the Park Grill Plaza, Chicago’s biggest outdoor dining facility, but during the winter it transforms to the McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink. For four months of the year, this ice rink is open to the public with no charge except skate rentals. Without having to go through the trouble of driving all the way downtown or taking the train, students can enjoy Rosemont’s own “Skating in Frozemont.” Senior couple Adam Brimie and Justyna Kowalski went on a date there. Kowalski said, “What is there to not like about ice skating. It’s great.” Brimie added in, “I love to skate because I play hockey.” Skating may not be for everybody, but that can be a part of the fun. When doing something you don’t know how to do with somebody else, you experience it together and grow off of each other. Experiences like these give couples the opportunity to bond because of their vulnerability. Last year, Daniella and her boyfriend Irving made their way to Millennium Park to ice skate. “Although it was a challenge for us because we both don’t know how to ice skate, it was a fun time,” Daniella said.
BRIGHT LIGHTS Senior Diego Diaz said, “Over Thanksgiving Break, my girlfriend and I went to Lincoln Park Zoo to see all of the beautiful lights.” During the zoo’s annual Zoolights visitors can enjoy free admission and walk around the twinkling grounds. While holding your partner tight to keep warm, you can stroll through the park lit up by over 30,000 lights. “For me, this would be one of the most romantic date because you can take pictures with the lights,” junior Denise Anaya said. Justyna Kowalski said coming to see the lights is a special date: “I get to hold Adam’s hand while being able to see the zoo animals. Also, I like to take cute pictures.” Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the most picturesque places in the city during this time of year. Leyden couple Daniella and Irving recently took advantage of a school trip to enjoy the outing. “Walking through the zoo is a good chance to catch up with each other since we are really busy during the day,” said Irving. Daniella agreed: “I really like nature. It is a very calm date where you get the chance to see the lights and animals.” On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings head over to the Kovler Lion House to make holiday toys and crafts that will be donated to local animal shelters. Other activities include visiting Santa Claus, cookie decorating, and taking a ride on the Ferris wheel. Tickets for cookie decorating and the Ferris wheel are $3 each. Don’t miss out on this romantic night. The zoo will only be lit until January 7th, so go out and see the delightful Christmas lights.
Santa Claus
Ain’t comin’ to town
A
December 2017
ll throughout Christmas, Santa keeps children excited and filled with joy at the prospect of receiving presents for being “good” all year long. The big guy is an easy method for parents to keep little ones in line: “Santa isn’t going to come if you keep acting like this.” On countless occasions this reminds young children that Santa is “watching.” Santa brings magic and cheerfulness for kids and parents alike, but that magic has to end at some point. Mrs. Sally Lakdawala is a mother of three young kids. She knows that her children’s belief in Santa Clause will keep them on their best behavior. In her household, she has something called the Elf on the Shelf, an elf that watches over the kids and reports back to Santa every night whether they were naughty or nice. It is moved every day for the effect that he “leaves and returns” from the North Pole. Her kids are all very young, and still have a long time to go before they start questioning Santa. If her oldest child starts to not believe, she wants him to keep the secret, so his younger siblings can go through the same joy of thinking Santa is real for the time remaining. Like Lakdawala, many parents strive high to keep their children’s belief in Santa present for as many years as possible. Sometimes, it’s harder than it sounds. Mr. Danny Byerly, a security guard at Leyden, accidentally ended Santa for his daughter! On Christmas Eve, he stayed up late in the living room watching television and wrapping last minute presents when he
eventually fall asleep. When he finally woke up in the morning, it was from his daughter’s fast feet running down the stairs to look at what Santa had brought. Her disappointment and sorrow soon took over when she saw “Santa’s presents” surrounding her dad. Sometimes, the decision to take out the big guy is purposeful. Sometimes, it is “too late” for a kid to believe and parents have to set the record straight. Junior Jenny Alcarez had the news was broken to her tragically. And believe it or not, it was just last year, when she was a sophomore! Alcarez explains that she witnessed presents being dropped through a window as she heard sleigh bells, which prolonged her belief until her parents finally had to sit her down and break the truth: “Jenny, we are
Have a Hurry, Worry Christmas?
Tori Novak ow if you’re anything like most Americans, you procrastinate on this task like crazy. You’ve either seen them or been them: the last minute Christmas gifter. If you’re running late, you have two options: last-minute DIY or last-minute shopping. But exactly how easy is either of these approaches? Here’s the cold hard truth. After about a good half hour of scavenging through Pinterest, I found this super sophisticated DIY glass lantern! From first look, I was quite intimidated. It looked extremely complex and expensive, but it would do for a gift if I were in a pinch and is marketed as costing $5 for the entire gift! I found that very hard to believe! So, I set off to the Dollar Store for the materials. The items were fairly easy to find, but I ended up spending $15 instead of $5 due to the cost of the hot glue and XACTO knife. Factor the tools and basic supplies into any last minute project plans. Once I had all my items, it was time for me to start my project. I set a timer to figure out exactly how long it would take me. It took me a total of three hours to complete the project. On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult, I’d rank the difficulty a solid 6. It wasn’t as easy as it was advertised, but it wasn’t completely impossible to complete. Once I got the hang of it, it finished quite smoothly. On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being nowhere close and 10 being an exact replica, I’d rank my piece a 9. It actually looks the way it said it would! The only difference would be when I got some hot glue on the glass at one point. This required another trip to Michael’s for some festive greenery and fake candles to disguise it. That was successful, but the DIY last-minute route ended up being much more expensive than advertised. But it also took time. If DIY at a rate of three hours per gift is too much for your last-minute window, there’s always last-minute shopping. But as senior Emerson Becker, who went last-minute shopping last Christmas, can attest, the stress just gets worse the longer you wait. Becker was out on Christmas Eve last year. “Why did I take so long to do my shopping?” she asked. “I absolutely don’t know! The whole time I couldn’t think straight. The stress of having to make sure I got something for everything on my list while remembering everything I bought that night would have to be wrapped in under 3 hours...I was completely overwhelmed. In the end, I finished successfully! Everything was done in time for the next morning.” But she’s not doing it again. “That night alone triggered so much stress and anxiety that I vowed I would never do that to myself again! In fact, I am already 100% done with my Christmas shopping already!” In general, it is best to avoid the last minute stress as neither DIY or the mall on Christmas Eve will make for a peaceful holiday!
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Seniors Justyna Kowalski and Adam Brimie at the Lincoln Park Zoo Lights
SLEIGH DAY Chicago is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The architecture and the vast history makes Chicago worth marveling at, and while walking throughout the city is a good way to see the attractions, a horse-drawn carriage ride adds a sense of romance to the sight seeing. Through the company Chicago Horse and Carriage you can take a 40 minute ride throughout the city. Day rides are available from 12:30 p.m. till 5:15 p.m. and evening ride are available from 6:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m. Junior Chris Lingat said, “I really like this date idea because a carriage ride is just different than everything else.” The cost of the ride, $90, may be a little steep, but it might be worth it for a night out with your significant other.
Liah Rodriguez
no longer able to pay for all these expensive gifts anymore. There is no Santa” She said she cried for two long days. While Alcarez lost Santa more recently than most of us, it’s something all believers must go through. I am happy that many children still believe because it keeps Christmas a more exciting time for them-and it keeps them well-behaved.
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In Focus
The Eagle’s Eye
S
O
hredding the Slopes
n an early December morning, a handful of people all ages continuously moved up and down the slopes. The sun slowly rose over the trees as the fresh powder from last night settled in. Peering over the top of the mountain with nothing but the wind howling at the back of his head, senior Tom Ruchala told his sister, “Make sure you tighten your straps; it’s going to be a long way down.” The double black diamond had appeared a lot less intimidating when he was standing at the bottom looking up. Looking down now, he took one final breath in and cautiously leaned, letting gravity take his board and body forward. He had done this same routine countless times and was prepared for any obstacle that crossed his path. Ruchala continuously swerved down the mountain, making zig zags across the path. As he fought against the wind and inexperience of other boarders, he kept his mind on his main goal, making it down the trail all while keeping balance and aiming for a “perfect” run. Tom’s previous runs on smaller and more local slopes had built his confidence to conquer his biggest challenge yet. Beginning his hobby at just 7 years old, his skills and performance had been refined and were being put to the test. “Going up the lift, I did not realize the countless drops, icy spots, ditches, and harsh turns that the double black diamond had to challenge us.” Ruchala and his sister had gone down countless trails but weren’t aware this one would take them a
to shred this slope.” In snowboarding as in all things, progress is the result of learning and practice. Over almost a decade of work, Ruchala has continued to refine his skill. And along with each step forward in skill, his love for the sport has grown. Ruchala shares that confidence is key, but
Wilmot Mountain
it must be balanced with knowing your limits and not ending up in a situation you cannot handle. , In snowboarding, mistakes can be harmful early and potentially fatal
as the difficulty increases. For all novice boarders it’s essential you’re aware of what you can and cannot do so you can perfect the skills that are rusty, and further polish your mastered skills. He believes practice makes perfect as it allows you to experience and conquer more difficult trails in various locations.
Place: Wilmot Mountain Level of Difficulty: Beginner Location: Wilmot Wisconsin Cost: Board/Boots- $32 Board Only- $20 Boots Only- $15 All Day Lift Pass- $56 Hours: Monday-Friday- 10am to 10pm Weekends & Holidays- 9am to 10pm Rating: 3.7/5 star rating
Yet another turnaround sky scraping trees, and the bottom of the slope is nowhere in sight line yet. “After a solid 30 minutes of snowboarding, we decided to ease off to the side of the slope and give our legs a rest as continuous boarding had caused a struggle to keep up on our feet. I found that taking one break was not enough and as I further made my way down the treacherous slopes, I began topping more frequently to allow myself rest and enable the chance for my sister to catch up.” After what seemed like forever Ruchala and his sister had finally reached the bottom of the mountain and successfully conquered the double black diamond. Although the Ruchala family had only a week in Colorado, Ruchala had found himself calling it quits for the day, as his body was aching and he could no longer continue to board that day. “The pain which you usually feel the day after boarding had filled my muscles simply after this one run. Although we only went down it once, I found it was a great experience and take away for me.” He finds that he was able to practice and apply all skills at once at a greater challenge. Despite the fact the end sometimes seemed nowhere to be found, he was able to express his passionate love for the sport and enjoy the greater good of boarding. “There will come a day where snowboarding will no longer be associated with falling and pain, one day it will become a passion and joy,” he said.
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From Pastime to Profession
Julia Kornatowska total two hours to board. “I had no idea what I had gotten myself into and truly did not believe it would take me a long time to get down as I thought my body and skills were set
December 2017
Paul Roszowski and Matthew Ozanik @mmoz40
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hile Shaun White may be the most famous snowboarder, the 31-year-old “Flying Tomato” began the same way that all others who take the slopes did: as a novice. His love for the sport started the same way it starts for most teens, as a hobby. And in a 2010 Rolling Stone article, the two time Olympic gold medalist reflected about this progress. White has always been passionate about snowboarding, even at a young age. He began snowboarding at the age of 13. Unlike most sports, individuals don’t start snowboarding thinking “I’m going to be the best at this.” The desire to go professional started after countless runs and trips down the slopes with family and friends. His passion soon fueled him and he started competing in the sport. As he chose to follow his passion and go professional, it took a toll on his everyday life and caused him to sacrifice many things. “School was more difficult because I wasn’t able to get in
contact with my teachers,” White expressed. “It was a very different environment doing school on the road.” There were times in which White was missing classes just to compete. His parents were always supportive and aiding him through the process of becoming a professional snowboarder. “We all started snowboarding in the beginning as a family just to be closer together, go on trips,” White explained. “Instead of my dad yelling at me from the sideline he was there riding with me and hitting the jumps before I go and hit them.” After a while, White’s father started to realize how serious the sport of snowboarding was becoming to Shaun. His father then sent him to Silverton to enhance his snowboarding skills. “It would have taken me years to learn as much as I did in the two months I spent at Silverton,” White said. While at Silverton, White was introduced to a coach that helped coach his tricks. “In my time there, White pushed
Shaun White, American skateboarder and snowboarder Shaun White, known as the “Flying Tomato,” is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He has also won multiple Summer and Winter X Games medals.
snowboarding further and faster than ever before,” Bud Keene, White’s coach at Silverton says, “He perfected a series of fresh somersaulting and spinning tricks and new combi nations of old ones: the front double cork 10; the switchback 900; the double-back rodeo; the cab double cork 10; and the double McTwist. He hints that he has kept a trick or two up his sleeve to reveal in the halfpipe on Vancouver’s Cypress Mountain.” White has come a long way from the young boy who fell in love with snowboarding. From a passion that brought his family together, he took it to the next level that became
a career for White. He has stacked up an impressive amount of awards for his snowboarding skills. “Obviously my favorite ones are the gold medals,” White stated, “absolutely nothing beats that feeling.” White is a prime example for all novice borders, that you can take your love for the sport and turn it into something far more than a hobby. With countless practice and runs down the slope, perfecting your technique creates a bond with the sport that will last a lifetime.
Don’t Forget To Bring: Cas
cad
eM oun
tai
n
k
ar P e it
Clothing: Waterproof jacket Other: Waterproof pants Slope pass Boots Set of dry clothes Gloves Cellphone Backpack Accessories: Chapstick Wrist Guards Food / Money Facemask Hand warmers Googles Helmet Snowboard Equipment
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Gra untain Mo Place: Cascade Mountain Level of Difficulty: Intermediate Location: Portage, Wisconsin Cost: All Day Equipment- $40 Night Equipment-$29 All Day Lift Pass- $64
Hours: Monday-Thursday- 10am to 9pm Friday-Saturday- 9am to 10pm Sunday- 9am to 9am Rating: 4.3/5 star rating
Place: Granite Park Level of Difficulty: Expert Location: Montana Cost: Helmet only- $12 Boots only- $24 All equipment - $42 All Day Lift Pass$62 Hours: Monday-Thursday10am to 8pm
Friday & Saturday9am to 9pm Sunday- 9am to 8pm Rating: 3.2/5 star rating
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Features
December 2017
While educators like Mr. Allen Baker recognize the need to cover tattoos in a professional setting, the artwork often creates opportunities for connections with students.
Impact of Ink
Laura Mendez
T
attoos, known for years as something to be put to shame is being more and more accepted by work and society. From Mom tattoos, to crosses, to roses, tattoos exist across the skin of Leyden staff on their tattoos and how it’s affected their life. Literacy teacher Mrs. Jennifer Black-Foltin has eight tattoos, each with a separate meaning. The first came when she was 17-years-old: a reward for having all As in her classes. In her adult role, tattoos haven’t really mattered much. “I don’t think it affects my relationships or how I was hired, especially,” she said. “I usually have them covered up during professional settings.” She also noticed that the students are usually fascinated by her tattoos and liked hearing the story behind them while the older generations have made comments, asking, for example, if she’s getting an entire sleeve. Leyden has been very accepting of tattoos where it wasn’t even a question to come up during the hiring process. Mr. Baker is the teacher in ESL Study Hall. He started getting his tattoos when he was 16 and he continues adding to his collection. He has two sleeves, and his chest tattooed. When he first started working at Leyden in 2008, he only had half sleeves, and the school was not even aware of them. He continued to add to them, and it soon became difficult to hide when they had reached his wrist. “I cover them to not offend anyone that may not know me. I’m really comfortable with my tattoos, but it’s out of respect for parents and to be professional.” Baker also speaks saying that outside of school no one is affected by them and if it does, he doesn’t care. “If it bothers them I really don’t care. People will find something not to like you for no matter what.” Most people at Leyden are not even aware of the amount of tattoos Mr. Baker truly has. He has further plans of finishing his chest and going onto his back. Most of Baker’s tattoos are flower pieces by one of his close friends, Season 4 winner of Ink Master Scott Marshall. “People outside of school think it’s extreme. It is a lot of ink,” he said. “It’s so common now though. Tattoos are for sure being more accepted by workforce but there will always be professions that don’t allow them.” Through speaking to these two, I was able to discover that the older generations are still frowning upon their canvas. Students are more accepting and way more interested as to seeing them and asking more questions over all. Tattoos are a way of self expression and carry to represent who they are as a teacher, a parents, a son and daughter.
Opiate Overload
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Gabriele Esposito
n 1984, crack cocaine flooded American streets and destroyed millions of American lives. We may like to believe that such a drug epidemic doesn’t affect us today, but we’d be wrong. Only the drug has changed. In 2017, it’s the opioid crisis that is destroying American lives. In 2015 alone, over 52,000 opioid-related deaths occurred. Opioids are compounds derived from opium, the source of heroin. But today’s opioids also include prescription medicines designed to bind to one or more of the three opioid receptors of the body in order to function as “painkillers” and “medicine.” Heroin use itself in the United States has increased 62% between 2002 and 2013: approximately 914,000 individuals used heroin in the past year and 4.3 million individuals used prescription
opioids non-medically during the same timeframe (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2016). From 2002 to 2015, heroin overdose and prescription opioid deaths have increased significantly. In 2015, 3,050 Ohio residents died as a result of drug poisoning or overdose, of which 46.7% were heroin-related (Ohio Department of Health, 2015). A presentation on opiates and their dangers took place last January at the Franklin Park’s neighborhood watch meeting, and the Chicago Tribune also wrote an article about it: Franklin Park trustee and former nurse Cheryl Mc Lean said the following in that article: “I think back in the 90s, the medical community wanted to address pain management better. It was called the fifth vital sign, and today if you go to any doctor’s office, you see the six smiley faces and they’ll ask you what type of pain you are in. It was only until we started see-
Many students continue to struggle balancing schoolwork with outside activities, and ignoring physical health could lead to larger problems.
Stressed Out O
Laura Mendez
ne of the ways high school stresses students out is by asking them to do two opposite things: find the stepping stones to your specific future and become well-rounded through a diverse set of activities. While some students find that school comes naturally and they don’t have to study hard, others need time to focus. Study. School work. Exams. Eating right. Getting a full night’s sleep. It becomes an impossible rhythm on its own, and it’s even harder with extracurricular commitments. This difficulty causes many students to give up their activities to focus on their school work because it’s what matters most to them. When this activity includes exercises, they may be forgetting the proper way to take care of themselves. Senior Rakan AlZagha played football and lifted weights until he was a junior but had to stop due to a drop in his grades. He stated, “I realized my grades weren’t up to par like my sister’s, even though I was just starting to see a difference in my body. Working out is addicting and you just want to keep working, but my grades were falling behind.” His sister made a similar choice. “[She] was really good at volleyball and had to not join because she focused on her grades, so [I made a similar] realization. I should be putting in more effort to my school work.” Finding balance is hard, but there is point in time when students have to realize what is happening to you. Varsity basketball coach Bill Heisler stated, “It’s all about time management. We have many boys on the team right now that are in AP and have really good grades and yet still make time for what they love to do.” Junior, David Duwal is great example of a kid that is good at time management, although he’s new to the team, he has really showed what he is capable of.” Many AP students are capable of doing both and some students are three-season athletes. Yet, some students don’t have the motivation and time management skills they need to complete everything they want to get accomplished. Most teens and adults need a full 8 hours of rest to work efficiently and reach their full potential the next day. When not getting the full 8 hours, you have sleep deprivation. An accumulation of over 30 hours of lost sleep a week. Many students gave up on taking care of themselves, and if this is continues to happen they will eventually reach their breaking point. “And perhaps more importantly, until we dismantle the parenting culture that emphasizes achievement and success over healthy, happy kids, we don’t stand a chance of solving this problem.” (Washington Post, 2016).Students need to slow down and take some time to find themselves. And when that time comes, will it be too late to change?
ing people go home with pain medication and they start having some adverse effects related to that, that we started looking at pain management differently.” Use of opiates during pregnancy can result in a drug withdrawal syndrome in newborns called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). There was an enormous increase in the proportion of babies born with NAS from 2000 to 2012, with an equivalent to one baby suffering from opiate withdrawal born every 25 minutes (National Library of Medicine) Newborns with NAS were more likely than other babies to also have low birthweight and respiratory complications. The number of delivering mothers using or dependent on opiates rose nearly five-fold from 2000 to 2009, to an estimated 23,009. In 2012, newborns with NAS stayed in the hospital an average of 2.1. days for other newborns, costing hospitals an estimated $1.5 billion;
the majority of these charges were paid by state Medicaid programs, reflecting the greater tendency of opiate-abusing mothers to be from lower-income communities. The incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome is increasing in the United States, and carries an enormous burden in terms of hospital days and costs. The number of US hospital admissions involving neonatal abstinence syndrome increased more than fourfold between the years 2003 and 2012. In 2012, neonatal abstinence syndrome cost nearly $316 million in the United States. The majority of drug overdose deaths (more than six out of 10) involves an opioid, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC’s data shows that from 2000 to 2015 more than half a million people died from drug overdoses.
Opinions
December 2017
Invisibility Cloak
Cell phones make learning disappear Yulissa Perez We walk through the halls, barely ever looking up, blanketed by the music coming from our earbuds, making the environment, and the people in it, invisible. This power comes from the small device in our hands: our phones. The phone policy at East Leyden allows students to use them in common spaces and during passing periods, a privilege valued by all students and even envied by students at the West campus, who must have the devices put away from 7:25-3:25. But are we starting to take advantage of it? Or is it taking advantage of us? Take a look around. I can tell you what I know. I know I’m guilty of letting the hallway policy creep into the classroom too. I sit at the back of my class, so teachers don’t notice my phone hiding under the desk. I sit back there zoning out every part of class and tell myself it’s a typical teenage action. Until recently, I thought nothing of it. I was just entertaining myself and making the school day a little more bearable. Little did I know I was harming myself, my peers, and my teachers--all while I sent another message. I also know I’m not the only one. On a recent glance up to make sure the teacher hadn’t noticed my distraction, I had a realization. It was less of an epiphany and more of an “I don’t know what to do on my phone anymore” kind of moment. As I turned to speak to one of my friends sitting next to me in class, I noticed my words had no effect. She was no longer paying attention to what was going on around her. That’s when I noticed all the phones hidden behind chromebooks and masked between binders. Was this what I was doing? The teacher continued to teach us our lesson, but I began to notice an increasing frustration in the lecture. As much as I would
love to believe that I am great at sneaking texts during class, I know my teachers are not oblivious to the 20 plus heads down and blank faces in their classes. The people who are spending their lives educating us no longer have our attention. The value and respect we once had for their occupation is diminishing. As a result, the relationship between us and our teachers is more tensive than harmonious. Our lack of attention is taking away their passion for working with us. More importantly, perhaps, we are also losing our passion for learning, all because we can’t seem to look away from the miniature screens in our hands. Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. Determined to find out why my passion for learning had been fading, I began researching educational changes. Unfortunately, finding this frustration in lectures is common. A teacher from Wisconsin said, “...it’s a constant struggle to keep kids engaged in lessons and off their phones. Even when I know I’ve created a well-structured and well-paced lesson plan, it seems as if no topic, debate, or activity will ever trump the allure of the phone.” The pride and time teacher put into their has become unappreciated. Even worse, it seems like there’s no solution to our school’s problem. But there is. As a student, I have experienced this cell phone distraction. Being able to use my phone in the hallway automatically opens the door to use my phone whenever I want. Let me explain this. If I can use my phone openly during passing period with no consequence, then I can walk into the classroom during those five minutes, with my phone in my hand. Therefore, the phone in my hand, in class is common.
The solution: adopt West Leyden’s phone policy and ban phone use during school. Although phones help students communicate with our parents while we’re in school, our educational success is more important. I know my fellow classmates will not be happy after reading this, but I’m hoping the following facts will help explain where I stand. One. According to an article from The Guardian, “after schools banned mobile phones, the test scores of students aged 16 improved by 6.4%....this is the ‘equivalent of adding five days to the school year.’” Two. According to the Huffington Post, a research study from Kent State University suggests there is “an association between high frequency of cell phone use and lower GPA.” And Three. A chemistry teacher in Wisconsin observed, “‘although technology and the wealth of information that it can provide has the potential to shrink achievement gaps, I am actually seeing the opposite take place within my classroom.” There’s one more thing I know I want to share. I know student minds are more powerful than the screens in our hands and I know students still hold a passion for learning. We just need some reinforcement. I’m ready to take my mind back. Are you?
Media Mentality
Kamil Poplawski People using 7-11 different social media pages have 3 times the risk of depression than those who use 0-2 social platforms. Being bullied or other mean behavior on social media causes 3.5 times higher risk of depression and 80% of people who use Facebook have at least one negative experience and 60% had 4 or more. These are just some of the frightening statistics found across multiple studies linking our online behavior to mental illness. Social Media is changing how we socialize, communicate, and handle friendships. We are no longer in the world of meeting new people with eagerness and excitement to learn more, but have taken on the new opportunity to look up information on the people we find interest on before actually meeting them. Social media is also putting us in a new world of unrealistic comparisons. Cyber bullying, and feeling left out is definitely a side effect of this change. Research shows an increase in major depressive episodes from 8.7% in 2005 to 11.3% in 2014 in adolescents and from 8.8% to 9.6% in young adults. These increases are large but only in the age ranges of 12 to 20 years. Depression is on the rise in teens and it’s possibly from harsh judgements and comparisons on social media. The effects can vary from positive to negative and everything in between.
THE EAGLE’S EYE STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF BROADCAST EDITOR Joe Longo
But are we starting to take advantage of it? Or is it taking advantage of us?
Nottingham Trent University conducted research that concluded ‘Facebook Addiction Disorder’ is plausible. It triggers sadness and undermines well-being by causing social isolation. Additionally, it leads people to compare themselves to others and that is mentally unhealthy and brings your self esteem down. This can then lead to jealousy and a vicious cycle of people making each other jealous. So not only is it addictive like a drug, but it also creates what’s called a forecasting error: like a drug, you think more will help, but it just makes things worse. Not to say that there is no benefit to social media, it does keep us connected across great distances and help us connect with people we lost touch with but you have to learn how to control yourself with it. You can’t make social media your only social interaction because virtual friends don’t bring the same effect as real friends.
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A recent survey of almost 1500 teens and young adults came up with a conclusive statement. Instagram is the worst social media for mental health and wellbeing. Even though it scored high for self- expressions, it also scored very high for depression, bullying and FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). In contrast, YouTube received the highest marks for health and well being, with Twitter coming in second, then Facebook, Snapchat and in last is Instagram. Instagram being a platform where personal photos are the main focus really makes it easy for people to get jealous and feel as if they themselves aren’t good enough . A comment was made in the survey regarding this platform. “Instagram easily makes girls and women feel as if their bodies aren’t good enough as people add filters and edit their pictures in order for them to look ‘perfect.’”
EDITORS Hector Gonzalez, News Victoria Schulmeister, Opinions Sarah Krajewski, Features Julia Kornatowska, In Focus Raul Rivera, Arts & Entertainment Kailey Kilraine, Sports Kamil Poplawski, Web Angelica Urbina, Copy Matt Ozanic, Copy MANAGERS Daniel Payan, Visuals Johnny Auge, Media/ Marketing REPORTERS/WRITERS Brianna Cruz Branden Suarez Camryn McGee David Gutierrez Diego Peralta Emily Sanchez Gabriele Esposito Joceline Paz Laura Mendez Liah Rodriguez Lejla Sadikovic Michael Meyer Paul Roszkowski Raylene Cabral Raj Patel Victoria Novak Yulissa Perez The Eagle’s Eye is produced by students enrolled in English IV Journalism and English IV Journalism Honors. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the district. Readers are encouraged to check out our full collection of content and submit story ideas via the web site. FIND US: LHSNEWS.ORG FOLLOW US: @EAGLESEYE212
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December 2017
Arts
Help through Hip Hop Diego Peralta I don’t wanna be alive I don’t wanna be alive I just wanna die today I just wanna die Those are lyrics from Logic’s “1800-273-8255.� This song reached the top 3 on the Top 100 Billboard chart. Logic’s lyrics show that the Hip-Hop genre has come a long way. It has gifted us with legendary artists like Tupac, Eminem, Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, and many others. But in many of the lyrics, the artists often talk about their money and how they’re so big and bold. Today, rappers like Logic, Lil Uzi Vert, and XXXTENTACION have put mental health at the center stage in Hip-Hop. They have taken themselves, and their art form, out of the comfort zone, opening up conversations about mental health, depression, and even suicide. In XXXTENTACION’s most recent album 17, the popular song “Jocelyn Flores� features a speaker who reminisces about the loss of a close friend to suicide. The lyrics read, “Picture this, in bed, get
a phone call, Girl that you fđ‘ ‹ with killed herself, That was this summer and nobody helped. And ever since then, man, I hate myself, Wanna fđ‘ ‹ end it.â€? Popular music messages that focus on important issues are coming at an important time. They serve as a voice to those who sometimes feel voiceless. In 2015, suicide was the second leading cause of death for the people between ages 15-34, and ever since Logic’s ‘1-800-273-8255’ song came out, calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline have increased by 50% percent, according to CNN. This is a topic that should be taken in all seriousness and should never be ignored or sugar coated. No matter who or where you come from no human being should ever feel alone or isolated. The lyrics in this new group of hip hop tracks remind listeners of these points. Artist like Kid Cudi is another rapper praised for opening about subjects like suicide and depression in various songs. In an interview with ‘The Breakfast Club’ a popular Radio Show, comedian Pete Davidson opens up on how Kid Cudi has been such an impactful person in his life. He said, “He saved my life, I would’ve killed
Winter Fashion
5 Must Have Wardrobe Items Raylene Cabral While some places enjoy winter months that allow girls to modify their look just a little, it gets pretty darn cold around here. So we have to make sure we stay warm while still stuntin’ it with outfits. There are five specific things every girl needs in her closet for the winter months. These staple items can make it seem like you tried really hard when you didn’t try at all. Everyone needs a wool coat, preferably in a neutral tone like grey, nude, or black. These coats are thick but will not make you blocky. Adding a long coat gives your look class, even if you are just wearing black leggings, boots, and a sweater. The coat will put even this casual look together, when all you did was throw on a grey coat. H&M is a really good and affordable store for these coats. They range from $80 to $120. If you’re going to spend your money somewhere, I recommend buying a good coat. The next winter essential is a turtleneck. It could be of any material, thick or thin, a solid color or a pattern. Just get one. I recommend a form fitting turtleneck, it will make you look slimmer versus something baggy. An easy look is to style it with jeans and a jean or leather jacket that shows off the
high neck. Some people think turtlenecks will make your neck look smaller and make your face look rounder. But they actually accentuate your facial features. You can get a turtleneck anywhere. Forever 21, H&M, Target,are good stores to check, and some online options are PrettyLittleThing, and BooHoo. Finding a dress can be a little scary in the winter. You don’t want to freeze, so the best option for dresses are knitted dresses, which can keep you warm and can usually be found in knee-length styles. Cozy and loose fitting, knitted dresses can be styled with a chunky boot and cute socks or with thigh-high boots if you want to keep your whole leg warm. Knitted dresses is basically like a big sweater that doesn’t look like your just wearing your dad’s oversized sweater. My favorite item for winter are thigh high/knee high boots. You can wear them with jeans and a nice blouse, or with a dress. There are knee highs with and without a heel. For a casual everyday wear boots without the heel are perfect. To spice things up I prefer the boots with a heel. Earth tones are best color options because they match with everything. For affordable boots Windsor and A’Gaci, more expensive options are Asos and Aldo. The most important thing to have for winter is definitely a scarf. An infinity scarf is a closed loop scarf. Those are my favorite because they are easier to style since you don’t have to worry about tying it yourself. I prefer textured scarves over regular cotton ones.
myself if I didn’t have Kid Cudi. If you’re 25 and under, I truly believe that Kid Cudi has saved your life.� In an interview on a radio show HOT 97, Travis Scott opened up about his situation and the importance of Kid Cudi in his life, in the interview he said; “Kid Cudi is like really one of the main dudes I looked at or listened to all the time; he saved my life. He saved me from doing random bad things to myself and kept me focused. I felt like he always made the soundtrack to my life or like anybody’s life who was going through the same thing� In an interview on the Arsenio Hall Show, Kid Cudi spoke about the power hip-hop has on people and explained that artists should set aside all the other themes they usually rap about and start rapping about topics that listeners can be helped through: “I feel like, you know, if you’re gonna be an artist there’s a time where, you know, you have to embrace the responsibility and understand the power of music. [It] is something so special and being able to do it on this magnitude where you can reach millions of people. “It’s like, why not use that for good? Why not tell kids something that they can connect to and use in their lives?�
“ And really my mission statement since day one was to help kids not feel alone and stop kids from committing suicide� In the same interview Kid Cudi added, “ You know I’ve dealt with suicide for the past five years , you know there wasn’t a week or a day that didn’t go by where I was just like, ‘You know what? I wanna check out.’ I know it comes from loneliness, it comes from not having self worth, not loving yourself. I’m just really trying to guide people and help people because loneliness is a terrible, terrible thing man, and if you don’t know how to conquer it, it can eat you alive.� Suicide and depression are subjects that mainstream media should be addressing more often because they are things that are happening not only around the world, not only in this country, state, city but it may be happening in your very own classroom. Please if you or anyone you know is suffering with depression or having thoughts of suicide don’t hesitate to ask someone for help directly or by calling 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-662-HELP.
December 2017
Sports
11
Love For the Game
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or the Girls Basketball team, the love for the game itself is real but so is the love for each other. “There is never a moment that we don’t talk,” says junior Jenny Alcarez, who explains that this year’s team is closer than ever, and it all started with the Freshman Eagle Invite. “Sitting with each other for a couple hours, just talking and supporting the other grade levels you really get to know your teammates.” That time together is affecting how the girls support each other on the court, where positivity and optimism are the norm. “This year’s team has phenomenal chemistry on and off the court. They go out there and not only play for themselves, but for each other,” head coach Ms. Stephanie Kuzmanic said. Kuzmanic values all of the relationship she’s created with athletes through her four years coaching at Leyden, but she articulated what makes this team special: “I love coaching this team in particular because the relationships I
Camryn McGee
have made, and the love for the game is unreal.” That passion has helped the team minimize a noteworthy basketball disadvantage. “Even though we might lack in height, we are very speedy”, senior Amalia Figueroa said. With the girls having so much speed, it overrides the fact that they lack in height. “We have a lot of hustle, and we have a lot of heart, which really helps out this year,” Alcarez added. This year the girls only have a few returning players, which means the newbies have some catching up to do. Those who have been playing have already bonded with the new players. “Being a senior and leaving after four years of playing is really sad, and it’s going to be really different not playing with these girls anymore. Being on varsity over three years really brought up my confidence in the game, and overall, my skills have improved tremendously mentally and physically,” Figueroa said.
New Faces, New Case
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Emily Sanchez
he Boys Basketball Team opened the season at the Ridgewood Tournament by winning three straight after an opening loss, a pattern of loss and recovery that they hope will guide their season. With a majority of the team graduating, there had to be a lot of stepping up from returning seniors. According to senior captain Jake Fiala, the seniors will have a lot of help from “new young talent stepping onto the court.” The juniors unveiled their talent at Ridgewood’s tournament, with Ocean Johnson scoring 42 points on November 22, and Kyler Britten scoring 27 points on November 25. There is certainly plenty of talk for this upcoming season. Although it might seem nerve-wracking being a junior on the varsity team, to these juniors it is not so much of a challenge to break through because of the strong bond this team has. According to Brian Delao, “playing with better players [who] are my friends” has helped with the overall progress of the team and bond the team has going on. David Duwal also stated, “It’s exciting for not only this year, but next year too.” The Juniors made quite the appearance at their first tournament, but the returning seniors have a lot to say about the future. The seniors have not only practiced hard with the incoming Juniors, but they have also made the team more comfortable with each other, and have strengthened their bond. Along with the Seniors, Junior Adler Munoz has only one thing on his mind, “Get that W.” Fans are looking forward to a season with new strategies and new players stepping onto the court. Banipal Dawood stated, “The team is looking great so far. They get together and understand the game, which is an important thing we need right now.” We have been looking for leaders with confidence to step up and take the role. We have been looking for strong bonds with the team. But most importantly, we have been looking for some new raw talent to step onto the court. It looks like we have finally found it.
Jenny Alcarez
The girls are now 4-2 , which is the best record girls Basketball has had at Leyden in a very long time, and the girls believe this year will be in their favor. The girls played their first conference game against Willowbrook with the ending score 47-29, and this was the first time in 7 years that the girls have beaten Willowbrook.
“Playing the way we have been these past few games, I think it’s going to be one to put in the books”, says Amalia Figueroa.
12
Sports
December 2017
Not a Fan
A New Beginning
“I
David Gutierrez
Raj Patel
want a trade.” Those words rattled the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had just lost to the Golden State Warriors, when their star point guard Kyrie Irving had a surprising trade request. Irving immediately received a lot of criticism from the media who argued he can’t carry his own team to the playoffs. Some believed that he was just insane to leave the comfort of Lebron James. Even some of Irving’s fans had doubts about his request. “Seeing Boston as one of the sports cities out there with the crazy fans over there, I didn’t think he would do as well as he is right now,” junior Cesar Hernandez expressed. “I was part of those critics.” The critics grew even louder after fellow all-star and new Celtic Gordon Hayward suffered an injury in the season opener against Cleveland. After starting 0-2, the Celtics went on to win sixteen games in a row, the biggest one against the defending champions the Golden State Warriors and finals MVP Kevin Durant after being down 25 points. Even though,he is not scoring as much in the fourth quarter like previous point guard Isaiah Thomas did, he is doing it in fewer minutes. Eight of the sixteen games required Irving to lead final-quarter comebacks averaging 7.3 points. Kyrie took this as his chance to silence the critics and, as of now, a chunk of his points come in the final five minutes, crunch time, which places him third in NBA clutch time scoring.
“D Photo from Boston Celtics Twitter
It’s not just his offensive game that’s impressive. Irving’s commitment on defense is also remarkable. Irving is averaging a career best 1.9 steals per game and fourth overall in rotations per minute, which, in turn, improved the defense of the team as whole as they lead the NBA on defensive with the rating of 95.8. So far, Irving is fitting in his new role as a leader with the Celtics as his team sits first in the Eastern Conference, despite the loss of Hayward who is set to return soon. “Seeing now that he (Irving) is the leader of the team especially with Hayward gone, I feel that he is showing more leadership role,” Hernandez mentioned. “He is having the ball more in the fourth than he was with Lebron, taking the last shot, and
making plays out there.” Hernandez now personally ranks him top 3 points guards in the league after Stephen Curry, and Russell Westbrook. Before, Hernandez ranked him four or five behind John Wall and Chris Paul. As the Cleveland Cavaliers pick up the steam lately currently standing 2nd in the Eastern Conference, Leyden point guard Kyler Britten argues that to stay ahead of the Cavaliers, “Irving needs [hope] the pace of the game stays the way it is. They are a fast paced team, so that's helping score more baskets, and make sure he gets everyone involved and he is not the only one scoring.”
High Hopes for Wrestling Wrestling Outlook for 2017-2018 Season
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Kailey Kilraine
ope, loss, and teamwork. Wrestling is here for another season for both JV and Varsity Leyden teams. Last year, the 9-12 season featured rebuilding and time to learn who each of the wrestlers were and come together as a team. This year, it is time to capitalize on that work. Sophomores Erick Aguilar and Anthony Aguilar along with freshmen Jimmy Lonigro and Danny Uribe qualified for the sectional meet after starting at the varsity level, where there were only two
seniors on the team, one being former captain Shane Dziadosz, who qualified in both his junior and senior year for the sectional meet. This year, the spot is open for a leader, and there are many wrestlers who would be great for the spot. With the team practicing every day and having meets on weekends and weekdays occasionally, the long winter season gives them time to work on their skills and build as a team, aiming for more wrestlers to qualify to compete at sectionals and potentially even state. Junior Erick Aguilar believes that this can be a great year for more sectional
qualifiers: “My expectation for this season is that we come out and do a lot better than last season. We’re a young team, but a lot of us have varsity experience from last year and have worked hard in the off season, so I’m expecting us to have a great bounce back season.” The Leyden teams are on a winning road as of December 13th the team has a record of - . With Kading being in his second year and having a more experienced lineup, the season is looking bright for wrestling.
id you watch that Bears game last night?” I sure didn’t, and I sure don’t care. I’ve never had any interest in sitting down and watching sports, even when my father forces me to accompany him. I can’t get into it as much as him. I don’t care who wins. I’m not rooting for anyone. And all I see are the same plays as the last five games. While some sports like basketball and occasionally football offer something new occasionally, other sports like baseball, have exactly zero interesting moments. There’s not much room to make game-changing plays. Someone hits the ball, someone catching it, someone running to first base. You can wait for a grand slam if, by pure chance, you can make it through the routine of getting the bases full and have a great batter up. Maybe I could enjoy a game like soccer if I could make it through all the times players pretend to be in more pain than they actually are to draw yellow or red cards. To not be into sports and watch it with people who love it is just awkward. While they are screaming and yelling at every “bad” referee call or potential good play, I am not able to get that same enthusiasm. Don’t get me wrong, people can do great things in sports, but that greatness is so inconsistent that it makes it hard to be a fan. There may be about three or four crazy things in an entire two hour game. Unless you have that all-star team of the season, if you’re watching sports, you’re not in for much. Every player got in professional sports leagues somehow, and it wasn’t because they are good at letting better players do the work. There are some questionable players out there but they are just on those teams that you don’t realize exist until your team plays them. Most games are going to be a grind between evenly matched teams. I’ll admit that some of my problems with watching sports ultimately arise because sports just really aren’t my cup of tea. I’m more of a gamer and have a lot of interest there. Throw a game of Rainbow Six Siege (R6) in front of me, and that will get me loud. I guess you could say my knowledge can also play a part. I know enough about sports to know how the game works but not enough to think about what the player should have done or why the player is good or who is bad. Compared to R6, where I know the strategies, the operators, the maps... everything. If I watch a gameplay video, I can say to myself “Oh, why did he do that! He should have just done this...” Maybe if I knew the plays and strategies or players in sports, I would be able to get into it. I could complain about a player’s decision or even understand how amazing a player’s play was. But nonetheless, I don’t have enough interest in sports to want to learn any sports plays. And what’s the point of a being a sports fan, overall? At least with R6 I’m able to play the game. God knows I don’t have the athleticism to play real life sports myself. This is why I just stick to a controller in my hand rather than a bat.