Volume 5, Issue 18

Sticks up

Rose Wenckebach Staff Writer

Girls lacrosse players have been waiting all year for their turn on the fields They dig their cleats into the turf and anticipate the whistle Finally, it is their season MCHS’s lacrosse season is one of the most suspenseful times for some of our students With girls training for their season we get an inside look on their goals, how they have been preparing and what they are looking forward to the most

The girls varsity team had their first game on Wednesday, April 10 going against Huntley “Our goal overall is to make sure the girls enjoy the sport and hopefully recruit more athletes to the program,” said Assistant coach Dominic Petrucci “We also would like to win a few more games this year Communication is key in the game of lacrosse as well, and we’ve focused a lot on improving communication ”

Not only do the coaches have goals, the athletes have personal goals that they plan to achieve this season Communication skills are important to have on the field, sophomore Mady Sima explained how she

Thanks for the memories

As MCHS’s girls lacrosse season starts, the team hopes to continue to build their program and record

will work towards accomplishing her leadership goal

“Bonding with my team,” said Sima, “and just taking advice from my coach ”

The girls have had busy practices this year before they kicked off their season on Wednesday Petrucci gave an inside look at the girls lacrosse team “We’ve focused on conditioning and increasing our skills through drills,” said Petrucci “Some drills we work on are star passing, shuttle lines; the girls will work on passing to each other using their dominant arm and not dominant arm We work on cradling and scooping ground balls, we work on cutting across the field when on offense, and taking quality shots at goal ”

Some of the senior players share their favorite memories of the sport in their years of playing “Playing with my sister,” said senior Mia Mosson “She made me join lacrosse my freshman year ”

With the seniors getting excited about their final year, the coaches have seen their team grow to become stronger athletes following the start to the season

“My favorite memory so far has been watching this current team grow,” said

“These

had late practices and still they

Bullying bounds minds

Its up to teachers and adults not ignore the severity of bullying, or downplaying its effects because the consequences

Alexis Januk Staff Writer

A child spends 12 years of their life at school minimum Schools are supposed to be a haven for creativity and learning, but kids can be cruel Adults can be even crueler when allowing it Precautions and actions against bullying should be taken when need be and not ignored

A young 16-year-old student from a small Oklahoma town that did not view themselves as male or female got into a physical altercation in the school bathroom The student was taken to the hospital, discharged later, but taken in the next day, where they passed away CORONER

REPORTED THAT This has resulted in outrage among the LGBTQ community who believe they were targeted for being transgender and died as a result of the altercation It was ruled that the student passed away due to a drug overdose Transgender individuals, and children especially, experience severe bullying from their peers and people around them According to the Human Rights Campaign, 43% of transgender youth experienced bullying on school property and 29% have attempted suicide If the problem is apparent enough to make statistics, some schools need to address the issue and fix it

Bullying is a worldwide problem that everyone experiences at some point

According to The Office of Justice Programs, 25% of teachers ignore bullying This could make students hesitant to speak up if nothing was done when they did before Ignoring the problem makes it continue, not go away

A common thought with bullying is that it makes your kid tougher, all it does is lower their confidence and self-esteem

The National Institutes of Health did a meta-analysis that showed kids are 2 77 times more at risk of depression than kids that were not Kids who bully and are bullied are 3 19 times higher risk of depression The disregard of adolescent bullying can result in mental health ordeals in the future

could be tragic

show up They may not be the biggest team, but they are dedicated to the lacrosse program So my favorite memory as of now is seeing how well they have been improving, and how positive they have been I’m excited to see what comes this year “

The Life and Legacy of O.J. Simpson

From football hero to controversial figure, there is depth into O.J. Simpson’s impact on sports and society

Paulina Borowski Marking Director

As with most older generations, things were different when they were growing up Millennials, baby boomers, etc grew up during a time of silence and “speak when spoken to” standards In most accounts, things deemed out of the ordinary were scrutinized Although today, we know that being “different” is now what most aspire to be Older generations paved the way for younger generations, and bullying is not the way to improve or constructively criticize someone Everyone has their bullying story Notice how it never left your mind Children are like sponges and absorb what they are told, believing it along the way Ignorance is not bliss and, if seen, bullying should be handled in an appropriate manner and not ignored

Simpson was a college football superstar as a two-timehalfbackfortheUSCTrojans,settingan NCAA record and earning the Heisman Trophy as

professionalfootball

In 1983 and 1985, Simpson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the ProFootballHallofFame See

Petrucci “Our veteran players have been very welcoming to athletes new to the program The team seems to enjoy playing with each other which is very important

girls have been showing up and putting in the work,” said Petrucci “They’ve

up through the Civil Rights movement The popular NFL star was known for being acquitted of the murders of ex-wife Nicole BrownSimpsonandfriendRonGoldman

asenior After college, he was drafted on the NFL’s Buffalo Bills pro team from 1972 to 1976 He earned himself the nickname “The Juice” as he topped thousands of yards, set and broke records and created a high standard for

MCHS’s girls lacrosse team took on Hoffman Estates High School at McCracken Field | Photo by: Rose Wenckebach

“SIMPSON” continued from side one

Simpson's rise to fame coincided with a significant cultural change in America He became a symbol of success and achievement, inspiring a generation of young athletes, no matterwhotheyare

Simpson's football career also coincided with the growing popularity of television and sports broadcasting His media presence and charisma helped shape how sports stars were portrayed andmarketed

His popularity transcended sports, making him a cultural icon whose influence extended beyond the football field Simpson's popularity was widespread across racial and socioeconomic lines He became a unifying figure in a society often divided by race, politics andgenerationalconflicts

PolarizingFigureofPopCulture Despitehisfootballachievementsand

popularity, Simpson's legacy is also marked by controversy

Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman were found brutally murdered on the morning of June 13, 1994 Authorities believe the murder took place the previous night and accused O J Simpson as the primary suspect in the crime Simpson was convicted and charged with the suspected murders but did not immediately surrender to theLAPDandwasdeclaredafugitive

This later led to the infamous, low-speed police chase on the freeways of southern CaliforniaonJune17

Al A C Cowlings, Simpson s longtime friend and University of Southern California football teammate, was behind the wheel in the white Ford Bronco while Simpson sat in the backseat, holding a gun to his head Simpson eventually surrendered to the police voluntarily that same evening

The live, dramatic event broadcasted to a captivated audience, involved a high-profile celebrityandactedasapreludeforalandmark

trial that would become the focal point of discussion of race, privilege and the American legal system

TrialThatTransfixedaNation

The trial took place against a backdrop of racial tension in Los Angeles and the United States at large The LAPD's history of racial profiling, excessive use of force and discriminatory practices were well-documented and widely criticized Simpson’s criminal trial, dubbed the “Trial of the Century,” commenced on January 24, 1995

His legal team consisted of some of the most expensive lawyers including Johnnie Cochran, Robert Kardashian, Robert Shapiro, Barry Scheck, Alan Dershowitz and F Lee Bailey

The prosecutor’s most popular statements were in regards to a glove that matched the one found on Simpson’s property with DNA testing matching Simpson with the blood left at the scene

“There was a lot of evidence to be used in the case,” says MCHS teacher, Jennifer Lech “However, forensics was still developing and was something that people weren't fully familiar with,”

Simpson’s lawyers successfully raised doubts about the handling of the evidence, proving to be contaminated

Simpson even tried on gloves similar to the one found at the scene of the crime Cochran famously dismissed the matching gloves with the most famous statement, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit”

On Oct 3, 1995, the jury found Simpson not guilty of either murder The verdict was one of the most televised events in history with 150 million people watching

“Civil trials have a lower standard of proof than criminal trials,” says Lech, “and so the evidence that was provided showed that O J was more than likely responsible for both deaths Even though he was acquitted and not responsible, whether or not we will ever know for sure will most likely remain a mystery ”

The Simpson trial has had a lasting impact on American culture and its legal system It continues to be studied in law schools, discussed

inthemediaandreferencedinpopularculture

“It was a big thing in pop-culture growing up,” says MCHS teacher, John Aubert “‘Family Guy,' ‘American Dad,’ and a bunch of different shows would always talk about it, make fun of it It’s kind of just a play on the tensity of the situation likehowpolarizingitwas”

TheUnresolvedTragedy

Simpson’s health was the subject of much speculationandrumorduringhisfinalyears

In February 2024, it was reported that Simpson was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, and was in hospice care, however, Simpsondeniedsaidclaimsthatsamemonth

On April 10, 2024, his family announced Simpson’s death in a social media statement stating he “succumbed to his battle with cancer ”

Atthetimeofhisdeath,hewassurroundedby his children and grandchildren, his body to be cremated

It was a shock to many regarding his untimely death

“Honestly, I was shocked that he died I did not know he had cancer” says Aubert “You see all these memes about him like on Twitter and Instagram and he seemed healthy for the most partbutIguessIwasjustoblivioustoit”

Many did not believe such a popular figure haddiedsosuddenly

“Iwasshockedabouthisdeath!”saysLech “A student told me that he died and I honestly didn'tbelievethemuntilIlookeditupandsawit formyself”

Simpson had a towering presence in football, along with his role as a cultural figure The controversies surrounding his life, and his impact on media and societal discussions about race and justice garnered attention due to his significant impact on various aspects of Americanculture,notjustfootball

Requirements make prom memorable for wrong reasons

Prom attendance requirements and lack of communication from the MCHS have stressed out students who want prom to be a magical night

Lydia Lawrence Opinions Editor

A McHenry High School student dismisses the idea of going to prom after learning the current requirements set in place for the 2024 year, only to hear from a friend a week before tickets are due that attendance and school fees are waived from the original list of requirements They sit on the idea of what the experience would have been like for them while they listen to their friends’ stories about prom preparation The new requirements for prom at MCHS for 2024 and a late reaction from staff have driven away interested students from the event

After information for prom at MCHS was released, many were frustrated with specifically two of the requirements: school fees and the attendance policy, which happened to be new additions In hearing student criticism and becoming more aware of state law, administration chose to get rid of these policies- although too late Students were then frustrated with the lack of communication, as these policies were removed days before ticket sales were due

For a majority of the student body, prom is a sought after event- from the venue’s environment, to making valuable memories with friends and the class But before that night of fun, there is a lot of planning needed, and a lot of funds as well Students that are working are doing so to save their money, provide for family and themselves, and to buy what is in their Amazon cart; the price rising in ticket cost alone is enough to make a student weary about their funds Budgeting for an event that costs a student more than $100 will take more than a few days if that student

believed they were not eligible until shortly before final sales

For a majority of the student body, prom is a sought after event- from the venue’s environment, to making valuable memories with friends and the class But before that night of fun, there is a lot of planning needed, and a lot of funds as well

Students that are working are doing so to save their money, provide for family and themselves, and to buy what is in their Amazon cart; the price rising in ticket cost alone is enough to make a student weary about their funds Budgeting for an event that costs a student more than $100 will take more than a few days if that student believed they were not eligible until shortly before final sales

Before a student can buy their attire for the dance after purchasing tickets, they have to additionally pay off any remaining school fees Students with a lack of funding without explicit confirmation from the school would skip out on lunch in hopes of keeping debt low, and desperately searching for lost books throughout their room Not only does it feel uncomfortable and stressful to find ways to cut costs, this was a violation of the school code as well This policy was removed on April 3, when ticket sales were originally due April 5; the school failed to clearly alert the student body of these changes with acceptable time for students who now had the opportunity to go, plan for this event State mandates that its districts achieve a standard percentage in attendance throughout the year to observe and improve the students’ and school’s success This overall percentage is set at 90%, allowing five days of absence with a doctor’s note, and five days in regards to mental health Although set in place to motivate students to strive for a better

attendance record and learning experience, some students felt frustrated Students that were sick or injured without a note inherently used up their mental health days, while the students that needed both types of absences and did not have a note were then considered ineligible Knowing that MCHS has struggled with attendance issues in recent years, there may be a different way to motivate students to come to school on a regular basis if they have the choice

All large events have hiccups in general planning- students even have trouble with reservation cards For such an event, the new requirements from prom did not particularly invite student participation to the whole body To maximize profit and overall turnout, a balance needs to be found where students who deserve and also want to go to prom have the opportunity, no matter their circumstances

On Oct 3, 1995, O J Simpson is found not guilty in the deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman Defense attorneys F Lee Bailey, left, and Johnnie L Cochran Jr stand with him | Photo by: Myung J Chun / AFP via Getty Images / TNS

Students must have a stamp from the Main Office on their Prom permission slip form confirming that they meet the requirements and are permitted to attend prom | Photo by: Leylah Moreno