Volume 3, Issue 1

McHenry High School | McHenry, Illinois | Volume Three | Issue One | November 2021

IN THIS ISSUE

How is the Supreme Court handling the new laws about abortions in Texas?

PAGE 4

With twice as many students as before, Upper Campus is too crowded.

PAGE 5 Activism Club is doing a lot for our Community — here’s what they’re up to.

PAGE 8

Hit where it hurts How injuries can impact student athletes and the reminder of their careers.

PAGE 11

Read more at TheMcHenryMessenger.com

Table of Contents

The First Look

Varsity football players cheer together as a team before the first game of the 20-21 season on August 27 at Prairie Ridge High School.

Photo By: Mackenzie Sroka

ON THE COVER “During the season, many injured and recovering athletes have to get taped to help support their joints and muscles. This image represents one of the ways that athletes with injured knees can get taped with kinesiology therapeutic tape to keep them in games and practices. This goes along with the story about injured athletes and how their injuries have affected them emotionally and physically because getting KT tape put on is something that many athletes have to do in order to stay in the game.”

Mackenzie Sroka This month’s cover photographer

Volume Three | Issue One | November 2021

3 5 7 11 14

In This Issue NEWS

Learning forward provide extra student support Supreme Court set to review Texas abortion ban OPINIONS

Clear the way Social media activism is not enough FEATURES

In the lead Seeking change All things ‘Sour’ SPORTS

Wrapping it up One mile at a time ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Let the games begin

2

The McHenry Messenger Mission Statement Student journalists have the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press in school-sponsored media. The McHenry Messenger is a byproduct of these rights. We hope to use this platform to inform and engage the students and staff of McHenry High School as well as its broader community.

As a student-driven publication, it is important to us that we represent every group within both campuses, provide a platform for them to speak their truth, and ensure access to objective, relevant information that they need to know.

As we strive to fulfill our journalistic mission, we recognize that learning and growing through our experiences as reporters, writers, and editors is a core aspect of what makes this a student publication. When we make mistakes, our organization is prepared to take responsibility for the stories we publish and hold ourselves accountable.

Finally, despite the difficulties presented by these unprecedented times — which includes a global pandemic — our student newspaper intends to meet the same high standard of journalism as any other school year.

Published by Editorial Staff

McHenry High School in McHenry, IL Kennedy Tetour, Managing Editor Kyla Henige, News Editor Alayna Majkrzak, Features Editor Josie Cable, Opinion Editor Mackenzie Sroka, Sports Editor Ella Trimingham, Copy Editor Nikki Sisson, Marketing Director

Staff Writers

Lainey Borchert, Kylie Chisamore, Lydia Lawrence, Vanessa Moreno, and Alexis Vazquez

Contributing Illustrator

Beth Brackmann and Rachel Kaminski

Special Thanks to Advisor

Matt Connor, Amy Maciaszek, Gina Nomikoudis, Mitch Stengel, Betsy Goy, and VIP Dane Erbach

Both the McHenry Messenger’s print and digital editions have been established as designated forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues related to their audience. Though the student media advisor is responsible for teaching students sound journalism skills and judgment, this paper does not engage in prior review and, thus, all content published by both editions of the McHenry Messenger reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself (unless attributed accordingly).

If you would like to get in contact with the McHenry Messenger, please email the advisor at erbachdane@dist156.org or call (815) 385-7077 and leave a message on his voicemail.

Celebrating a semester of recovery and growth

With a little over a month left of first semester, our students have been recovering and growing into the community we remembered before the pandemic started. It’s been a hard couple of years for MCHS, but as the East and West Campus transition into one our school has made us more connected than ever. We are well throughout the year and there have been plenty of events, accomplishments and changes throughout the community.

The McHenry Messenger has made plenty of these changes and accomplishments as well. Our staff, which is smaller than years before, has been working hard to bring our first print edition of the year to the hands of our community in hopes of informing, connecting, and entertaining those it reaches.

Our first issue goes in depth into relevant topics that impact our community — including the impact of injuries on student athletes and the hallway, which are more crowded than ever now that the Upper Campus has combined two schools.

We also discuss national stories, such as the abortion ban in Texas, which it has asked its citizens to enforce, and the impact of activism through social media. We hope both of these stories help our community of students stay informed about and interact with the world around them.

Certainly, some of our stories just spotlight some of the new and noteworthy things going on around campus, including our Leadership In Action class, the Activism Club, our cross country team and even a face many have seen around campus.

Join us as we celebrate our growth and progress throughout this school year with this first print issue of the McHenry Messenger.

Josie Cable Opinions Editor

Visit TheMcHenryMessenger.com for more news, features, and opinions

Our issues are printed by the McHenry High School Graphics Program: Warriors INK www.mchswarriorsink.com

mchenrymessengr

Read more at TheMcHenryMessenger.com

News

Nicole Pedretti helps a student catch up on her work during Learning Forward on October 27 in the Upper Campus library.

Photo By: Kyla Henige

Learning Forward provides student extra support Kyla Henige News Editor

On Oct. 19, both MCHS Upper and Freshman Campuses launched an after school tutoring program called Learning Forward for kids who are struggling and need additional academic support.

The program takes place in both the Freshman and Upper Campus libraries, from right after school to 4:15 p.m. The tutors are students who are excelling in classes and volunteer their time to help other students, along with different teachers.

This program is mainly for math and English help, and allows students to get more one-on-one time with

Volume Three | Issue One | November 2021

As students struggle with their grades and assignments, a new program provides after-school tutoring teachers. Additionally since it is set up like a “program” students are expected to show up at least two out of three of the days, and continuously work until they get up to a passing grade and can leave the program.

Teachers such as Jaclyn Jaros, an English teacher at the Freshman Campus, volunteer their time after school to help students who are struggling.

“I believe this program is beneficial for students who need more individualized support that they won’t necessarily get in a whole class setting,” Jaros explains. “Many students

aren’t comfortable asking for help, but this provides students with the opportunity to ask for help in a smaller setting.”

Working alongside teachers, many students, such as Nicole Pedretti, have stepped up to the plate to help volunteer as tutors.

“I did this because I love learning and I like to help others. It feels nice to get to help others learn,” Pedretti explains. “I hope to build relationships and have the ability to say I helped others learn [and] I hope others feel like they learn and understand the material, and realize it’s okay to ask for help.”

4

This fall, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear cases that test whether Texas’s controversial abortion ban will stand — and ultimately overturn Roe V. Wade, which legalizes abortion.

Photo By: Adam Fagen / Flickr

Supreme court reviewing Texas abortion ban The nation’s highest court will weigh in about whether citizens can enforce a controversial abortion ban

Ella Trimingham Copy Editor

A law passed on Sep. 1 in the Texas state legislature bans abortions upon the detection of cardiac activity in embryos, which usually occurs after six weeks, before most women are even aware they are pregnant.

This law allows members of the public to sue those who take part in assisting or facilitating illegal abortions.

Once cardiac activity is present in the embryo, anyone who performs an abortion or aid in anyway towards someone wanting an abortion, can be sued. Additionally, there is no exception for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.

According to Sabrina Tavernise, a writer for the New York Times, “Instead of making state officials responsible for enforcing the law, the law allows private citizens to sue

ban. Many people believe the Supreme Court needs to step in instead of the responsibility being put on the citizens.

Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights said, “The Supreme Court needs to step in and stop this madness. It’s unconscionable that the Fifth Circuit stayed such a well-reasoned decision that allowed constitutionally protected services to return in Texas.”

This controversial law has encouraged other states to pass similar laws. The Supreme Court is already scheduled to hear another major abortion case, involving a Mississippi law, in December, which could determine the fate of Rowe V. Wade, the court case that made way for legal abortions at the federal level.

abortion providers and others who help women obtain the procedure. That help can include financial assistance or giving a woman a ride to a clinic.”

Anyone involved in aiding in abortion or performing one can be sued by private citizens. Because the state is not enforcing this law, it goes around existing federal abortion laws.

Stephen Vladeck, a constitutional law professor at the University of Texas at Austin, said, “It says the state is not going to be the one to enforce this law. Your neighbors are.”

Anyone is allowed to file lawsuits against people who perform or assist someone in getting an abortion.

On top of the lawsuit, people or groups that are successfully sued can face penalties of at least $10,000.

The Supreme Court agreed to review the controversial Texas abortion

Read more at TheMcHenryMessenger.com

Opinions

Because East and West Campus upperclassmen all attend the Upper Campus, students no longer need to travel between campuses to attend certain classes. But space during passing periods and lunches are more limited than ever — even with a new extension and open lunch.

Photo By: Kennedy Tetour

Clear the way

Opinion

Josie Cable Opinion Editor

A student leaves the lunchroom to get ready to go to their next period, however as they leave they run into a crowd of students waiting to storm up the stairs. As the bell rings the hallways and stairs are now jammed and they worry if they will make it to the fourth floor in time.

With the new influx of students, situations like this are a daily occurrence. While the new extension offers new opportunities and room for upperclassmen it creates problems within the lunchroom and hallways that aren’t made for the large quantity.

This hallway traffic is worst at the end of the lunch periods when everyone waits by the stairs for the bell to ring. These hallways and stairs are not accommodated to fit the large crowd without some issues. “That’s where the

Volume Three | Issue One | November 2021

With the new influx of students, it’s difficult for students to move through their school day without issues problem is,” says security guard Vince Nichols. “It’s a problem because it’s hard to get through those people who are trying to get out through the south door and people coming in from the south door trying to get into other areas of the campus.”

If stuck in these crowds how is one supposed to make it to the new wings which are farthest away from the south foyer. Students shouldn’t have to hurry throughout the school in order to make it to math class in time. But they end up needing to, because the jammed stairs from the lunch periods could result in a tardy.

While it’s up to the students to be aware of the amount of time to get to their class it’s difficult when the stairs and tighter hallways are jammed. Even if students give themselves enough

time to reach your destination other kids who may be fooling around or blocking areas will waste some time.

Not only are hallways becoming crowded but so is the lunchroom.

The cafeteria has become so packed that they had to expand seating into the south foyer to make enough room. This still isn’t enough, students are resorting to sitting on the floor because there isn’t enough space to eat comfortably. But considering students aren’t allowed to eat anywhere else in the school, there seems to be no other options.

Rushing to get to the math wing is a situation no student should be in. However that’s the case for many. The crowded areas throughout the school are making it difficult for students to get through their day with ease.

6 Social media has made speaking one’s mind easier than ever. But to make a real difference, activists must do more than retweet, post, or rant on their favorite social media platform.

Illustration By: Rachel Kaminski

Opinion

Social media activism is not enough Social media activism has the ability to connect people, but it does not bring real change

When any fatal shooting or tragic natural disaster happens, many turn to social media to share their opinion and spread awareness. They believe that liking and resharing infographics or pictures is a sustainable way to bring change. This however, is low-effort activism that brings little to no change.

One of the first times social media was first used for activism during the Arab Spring pro-democracy protests in 2011.

Since then, social media has become a popular way to organize activism or show support for a cause, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Events like George Floyd’s murder in 2020 sparked plenty of discussions among people. While some fled to the streets to protest, many simply shared infographics in their social media pages. Both actions were praised as helpful, but only one brings real change.

Traditional activism, consisting of protests, sit-ins, and in-person petitions, actually creates change, unlike social media activism that merely spreads ideas around.

“Drawing back from the 60s and sit-ins, that was real action. That was people putting forth a strong effort,” says Kirk Kirstoffesron, an author of a study regarding social activism, for NPR News.

“Conversely, what social media has done is remove that effort. So, our findings would suggest that it (social media) would be making it more difficult to make a difference.”

In the 60s, during the civil rights movement there was actual change.

Because of many protests, sit-ins, and boycotts, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended segregation in public spaces as well as prohibited the discrimination based on race, color, religion, and sex. Today, social media activism will never accomplish things as impressive. In fact, social media often works against movements like this.

A prominent example of this is when social media muted conversation about police brutality and George Floyd’s death by having a “Blackout Tuesday.”

Following Floyd’s death, people began publishing infographics about police brutality and the struggles people of color face. This was already the bare minimum of activism, but social media’s Blackout Tuesday was even worse.

Individuals decided to post a black square on their Instagrams to draw attention to the Black Lives Matter movement.

However in doing this, the helpful infographics that others had posted were drowned.

Vanessa Moreno Staff Writer Clearly, social media did more harm than good in this case. Activism through social media will never help achieve things like the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

According to The Oxford Student, social media activism is helpful for students who can’t go out and protest or don’t have money to donate to causes. In cases like this, it is understandable that people want to resort to social media to show their support for causes. However, there are better ways to show support. You don’t have to donate money in order to show support for organizations. Students can spread awareness of social issues in their schools through social activism clubs or by informing others. Activism through social media is very unreliable because of misinformation.

Traditional activism is better for everyone, even for those who can’t go out and protest.

Despite social media activism’s ability to spread information within seconds, it will never replace traditional activism.

Sharing and resharing pictures on social media is not the same thing as going out and participating in sit-ins, protests, and boycotts. Traditional activism is the most effective form of activism. It made a difference in the 1960s, and it will continue to do so in the future.

Read more at TheMcHenryMessenger.com

Features

Leadership in Action students play a team-building game during class on Nov. 2 in the hallways of the Upper Campus. These student leaders bring these games to the Freshmen Campus and play them during AIM once a week.

Photo By: Kennedy Tetour

Alayna Majkrzak Features Editor

Smiles are evident all around the room when the seniors walk into the Freshman Campus for their weekly visit. Whether the seniors were helping out during pride camp or their weekly 35 minutes with their freshman AIM. A new class this year, Leadership in Action has the job of bridging the gap between the two campuses and making new connections.

Moving campuses has been a big transition for all classes, but this will greatly affect this year’s freshman.

Without being at the same campus it is harder for students to find good leaders, and role models within their own campus.

Senior Arianna Vallianatos, who takes Leadership in Action, states, “I think it will leave a positive impact on the freshman because they can see the best and brightest of the senior class as their role models and someone to look up to.”

Volume Three | Issue One | November 2021

In the lead New class Leadership In Action takes charge and inspires at the Freshman Campus

Leadership in Action not only has an impact on the freshman, but it has just as much of an impact on the Seniors in the class. Building connections is not only for the freshman but for the seniors as well.

Being in Leadership in Action has made it easier for Vallianatos to connect with the Freshman, especially because it is such a pivotal time in their lives. “I enjoy getting to know each of them and it is really rewarding to me to have them come to me for help or just to talk,” she states.

This new class makes way for seniors like Ty Linker to become more than just a role model for the freshman.

It allows him to not only help freshman plan for this year, but the years coming after high school. “After we establish their end goal I ask them what they think they can do to achieve those goals.

Then we work together and make a

small plan,” Linker states.

Apart from anything else Leadership In Action is about learning. This class also provides room for the teacher of Leadership In Action, John Lunkenheimer, to learn and grow with this new program as well as watching the seniors develop their leadership skills even further.

Lunkenheimer states, “Sometimes we tell kids that they’re leaders, and they don’t know what that means, or they don’t know how to use those skills or strengthen those skills. I think that part is important.”

New classes like Leadership in Action make way for a new way of learning for everyone involved. Whether it be freshman, seniors, or the teachers, taking on a new class comes with it’s rough spots, but the leaders and students can become ready to take on whatever comes their way.

8

Seeking change Activism Club tries to better the school goes to the board of education to share their thoughts on Columbus Day

Nikki Sisson Marking Director

A group of students sit in a classroom and are given the freedom to discuss whatever they want. They decide to focus on current events, specifically Columbus Day. They all talk about their views on the holiday and decide it isn’t fair to indigenous people.

Then they decide to take it to the board of education.

Activism Club is a student-lead club that allows for open discussion on any topic. It’s a place where students can feel safe discussing any opinion, no matter how political or controversial.

While also encouraging them to act on it.

Keira Loewe, a junior in Activism Club, stated, “I thought it’d be a good step towards becoming a better person and improving the community and certain issues I think are important and I like that it covers a wide aspect and you can have open discussions about it without it being a heated debate or anything. And we can take a step towards improving the world a little bit.”

Activism Club aims to empower students to be responsible critical thinkers in their community as well as encouraging awareness and actions that will lead to a more just world.

The advisor of the club, Stacy Rockweiler said, “We want to empower students to make change in their world whether it be educating others or doing something to bring about change. And then obviously engage; and sometimes

superintendent, to do some research on how would this look.”

The activism club has done a lot of other projects and activities in the past, like an international women’s day celebration.

Senior and Activism Club co-president Tarleen Judge, said,“We’ve done a voter registration drive before the 2020 election. And we registered I think over 100 seniors just here and then we also collaborated with Woodstock, Crystal Lake, and a bunch of other schools.”

As these students meet to discuss their views, they aren’t just talking, they’re forming a plan. These students are finding ways that they can help better their community and the world around them.

we, sometimes we just talk about topics but sometimes we try to find ways to get involved in topics.”

Recently, activism club members discussed their thoughts on Columbus Day and came to the decision that it should be called Indigenous Peoples Day instead. The club members then took action to help this happen.

At the meetings, the students were very passionate about the idea of not celebrating Columbus day after properly educating themselves on the history behind it. Rockweiler stated, “Through those conversations we had, we decided to then engage and we went to a school board meeting and we spoke during the public comment section, and the school board president discussed with Dr. McTague, our

Activism Club meets twice a month to discuss issues related to social justice that directly impact students at MCHS. Photo By: Kennedy Tetour

Read more at TheMcHenryMessenger.com

Features

Senior Dillon Maciaszek, a member of the Warrior Weekly team, also stars in his own interview show called “Sour” in which he consumes progressively sour foods as the conversation progresses.

Photo By: Kylie Chisamore

Volume Three | Issue One | November 2021

10

All things ‘Sour’ Dillon Maciaszek’s new series helps students better understand the personalities at MCHS

In the broadcasting room, in front of the camera, sits Dillon Maciaszek, face puckered. Sour candy sitting in the room with his interviewee straight across from him.

Maciaszek’s series ‘Sour,’ a “Hot Ones” spin off, including various sour items. Dillon brings various guests in accordance to events and issues in our school.

“We were bringing up ideas for outside of school content for broadcasting that we could have a ‘Hot Ones’ style show,” states Maciaszek, “It makes the interview more authentic because you get the reaction of a person on video from eating sour stuff because most people don’t like sour.”

Many people do not like sour candy, but not liking sour candy isn’t

a part of the criteria to be featured on Sour.

“We’re choosing the nice guys usually, it has to do with what season we’re in. Homecoming just passed so of course someone who was nominated for homecoming king or queen is someone we will think about,” explains Maciaszek. It isn’t a popularity contest to be featured but it has to be relevant to MCHS in the same time frame it is occurring.

A lot of work gets put in behind the scenes that shows on and off the camera.

“Dillon does a ton of research before every single show, a ton, he digs deep into Instagram archives on all his guests before coming in, and then interviews them on topics they might not expect to be asked,” states

Kylie Chisamore Staff Writer Broadcasting teacher and Warrior Weekly advisor, Mitchell Stengel.

While watching this series, a lot can be learned about the people in MCHS that may not have been well known. But in order for a show to go smoothly a good host is needed.

“He is the perfect host for this show,” states Stengel, “I anticipate that it’s only going to get better and better and he’s going to become a better and better host because the more you do something you just get better at it.”

After Maciaszek’s senior year, Sour will come to an end unless another broadcasting student takes over. Regardless of it possibly ending in a few months, Maciaszek wants it to be an escape for MCHS’s students and all of their worries and stressors.

Read more at TheMcHenryMessenger.com

Sports

Though the many tout the benefits of athletics, from team-building to physical fitness, less is said about the toll that sports play on adolescents physically, mentally and emotionally.

Photo By: Mackenzie Sroka

Volume Three | Issue One | November 2021

12

Wrapping it up As athletes wrap up their fall season, many look back or into the future regarding the injuries from their sport

Aspen O’Brien steps off the court after being hit in the head. As she walks to the trainer and begins to be assessed, she feels the effects of the hit. She feels tired and has a headache constantly. Later Aspen was diagnosed with a concussion, leading her to not play volleyball for two weeks. After these two weeks Aspen had to recover mentally and physically.

Many athletes when they originally get their injury want to get back into the game as soon as possible.

“The first thing I asked him was when I’ll be able to come back and wrestle like how long would the injury take,” explained Dylan Drumheller, a wrestler, football, and baseball player, who had a shoulder injury during one of his first seasons.

Along with serious injuries, come missing game time and practices, which can lead to athletes falling behind due to their injury, making them work harder to come back the best they can.

“I was out completely for a whole week so I missed those two games. Then I worked on returning so I missed another day. I was back for one of our home games on Thursday, but I would say it was not my best play because I had one practice that week,” described O’Brien.

Watching from the sidelines as their team plays and they can’t, can be a very mentally painful thing for athletes.

“It was killing. I really want to be out there like, and I know I can help my team out a lot. Especially in the last game like watching my senior night was one of the worst things,” explained Brody Hallin, a football player and wrestler who is injured with a separated AC joint.

Even though it can be incredibly difficult for these athletes to just watch from the sidelines, they still go to support their teammates and to help them throughout the game.

“I’m still there supporting the guys but I just want to be there in the end, even if I’m not playing,” described Hallin.

From being on the sidelines watching their team, athletes can see what is going wrong and how they can improve for when they come back.

“I normally talk to my hitters and my setters more because I like, thank them when they’ve given good passes and tell them that they’re doing well to keep up that like relationship.

But there’s I mean there’s literally a whole part of the court that’s behind me that I don’t see,” explained O’Brien, “So just seeing that, to see oh like they’re doing this, and I’m not there. I’m like I can do this. I can talk to this person more. Just the parts that are left out because I’m not even looking at them. It was interesting to be able to watch that.”

During their injury some athletes re-realized their passion for their sport, pushing them to come back stronger and better.

“This is all I wanted to do,” stated Catarina Calabrese, a volleyball player who realized how strong her passion was for volleyball during her ACL injury her freshman year.

After coming back from her injury, she worked to become a better and stronger player, while working towards getting college recruited.

While some athletes were able to push themselves to come out of their injury, many can not due to having a career ending injury. This makes the injury even tougher on the athlete

Mackenzie Sroka Sports Editor because they lose the ability to play the sport they love.

“I’ve been playing football since I was like seven years old. I guess just growing up playing the game and like having that camaraderie with all the students. I’ve been playing it for so long and then like stop like just knowing that I’m not gonna play anymore is difficult” described Hallin.

Even though most athletes are able to come back from their injury, they can still feel the effect the injury has left. Depending on the injury, they are more likely to get re-injured. This can often worry an athlete when a pain comes in a remote area to their previous injury.

“I was actually kind of worried that the pain wouldn’t go away after that South game,” explained Andrew Hoffman, a football player who had a shoulder injury, “I was worried for the next couple of weeks that it was going to keep affecting me and I wouldn’t be able to play at the top of my game.”

Since athletes are often aware of the risks that they take becoming re-injured, they take precautions to prevent it. Most of the time each day playing their sport becomes even more special.

“Every time I walk in the gym, I now act as if it’s my last time playing,” Calabrese described.

When O’Brien returns for her first game back, she is filled with excitement and joy as she walks on to the court. This game means a lot to her, since it is her senior night, so she is determined to prove that she is back and is better than ever. After the game, she is proud of the work that she did and is very happy to be back in the game.

Read more at TheMcHenryMessenger.com

Sports

Cross country runners Rayaan Ahmed and Joe Hissem push toward the finish line during a meet at Veteran Acres in Crystal Lake, IL on September 4.

Photo By: VIP

One mile at a time Lydia Lawrence Staff Writer

Briggette Galindo Vargas is three quarters finished with her run on a trail during the Fox Valley Conference Championship in McHenry Township Park on October 16. The wind tangles her hair as she reaches closer to the destination. Choppy breaths and feet trekking the ground fill the silence that’s heavy on the course as the runner looks around at others who are in the vicinity to see how they’re doing.

The coaches have done a great job of keeping their athletes motivated and pushing them to work harder everyday. With the runners hard work and support they’ve receive they were able to take both teams to sectionals.

The girls cross country team was able to make it to state with Danielle Jensen running for MCHS.

“I love to be a part of the moment when an athlete achieves something they didn’t think was possible,” Volume Three | Issue One | November 2021

Cross country runners and coaches work to push each other all season long states cross country coach Kevin Horst.

Both the athletes and coaches understand how important it is to stay inspired by one another, and the importance of building relationships with teammates and coaches. This sport has its share of challenges, both physically and mentally, and building these relationships can help runners know that they have support no matter what the outcome is.

“Distance runners are asked to do a lot of difficult training and grueling races,” mentions Horst, “To really be ‘all in’, they have to first know that the coach cares about them on a personal level.”

Not only the coaches enjoy the aspect of hard work paying off, the athletes do as well.

Galindo Vargas ran a lifetime PR on October 16. Her new time, 25:22 was 2:26 minutes faster compared to her last record, 27:48 minutes. “When I real-

ized I had beaten my time by that much, I was very proud of myself,” described Briggette Galindo Vargas, a junior cross country runner, “My hard work had paid off and I knew that if I was capable of doing that, I was capable of more.”

Competition can also be a big motivator for athletes to score better than the other people that are there.

“When you pass people that really motivates you to do better and to run faster,” explained Rayaan Ahmed, a junior cross country runner, “When you see your teammate in front of you, you’re like ... I gotta go and catch them.”

Just as Galindo Vargas’s motivation begins to diminish, the end of the course is in sight! She begins to pick up her pace, pushing through the burning sensation in her legs as she focuses only on reaching the finish. As she gets to the end, the athlete is greeted with the fact that she made her new best time.

14

Arts and Entertainment

Appearing seemingly out of nowhere, “Squid Game” became an instant success, amassing over 132 million views in the show’s first 23 days, shattering the record set by “Bridgerton.”

Photo Courtes of: Netflix

Review

Let the games begin In the Netflix show “Squid Game,” players fight for the money and put everything on the line to win

When red light, green light and tug-of-war becomes a life or death matter, it is no longer fun and games. When everything’s on the line, there’s nothing you wouldn’t do for the number one spot and a cash prize.

“Squid Game” takes place in South Korea with 456 players. Each round people get eliminated by losing in a childhood game. After each player gets eliminated the cash prize ups in value.

“Squid Game” is one of the longest lasting Netflix series as it has remained number one for twenty-four

days straight. Receiving over 111 million views, setting the record for Netflix’s non-English longest reigning number one spot.

It caters to everyone’s interests. While most may not have paid very much attention there were relationships wanted, formed, and ended. There is a good plot line in the show itself outside of the games.

And for the people who are into more violent shows it provides that as well.

It is somewhat relatable. It shows that everyone would do just about anything for money. The whole concept is to be better than everyone

Kylie Chisamore Staff Writer else and become one of the richest people, which means you have to pick yourself over others and put yourself first.

It gets quite repetitive and graphic. Some scenes are just too similar to the others but I couldn’t imagine any of them being quite happy in the circumstances presented.

The blood, gun shots, surgery, etc. is too graphic for the younger audience that may stumble upon this show.

In the end it is a great show and proves that just about anything for money and to win the game.

Wouldn’t you?

Read more at TheMcHenryMessenger.com

The McHenry Messenger McHenry High School Freshmen Campus 1012 North Green Street McHenry, IL 60050 (815) 385-1145 Upper Campus 4824 West Crystal Lake Road McHenry, IL 60050 (815) 385-7077

TheMcHenryMessenger.com