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S P E C TAT O R 1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045
VOLUME 91 NUMBER 6
Featured Stories NEWS
Preventing dating abuse at LFA
page 3
NEWS
Students attend the 8th Annual Networking Event Technology: Innovation & Entrepreneurship
page 2
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Check out J & J’s restaurant review: The Happ Inn and Brazilian food
page 7
OP-ED
Caxy Rave: Weekday van runs
page 11
More high school students taking creatine athletic supplement
page 15
SPORTS
Spectator staff plans Powder Puff event
page 12
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APRIL 12, 2013
New Perkins award honors former Ferry Hall teacher Francis Perkins
By Amelia Moses Editor-In-Chief Lake Forest Academy has always been proud of the outstanding contributions that Ferry Hall made in creating an uncommon educational opportunity for women in math and science. Frances Perkins was one of those early educators who helped build this solid academic foundation in the early 1900s. Eventually this steadfast and able leader left her mark both on the LFA community and on the nation. In recognition of this prominent American trailblazer and Ferry Hall educator, Lake Forest Academy has created a new student award in her memory. Besides being an innovative educator, Perkins was also famous for serving as the first female Secretary of Labor from 193345 in the cabinet of President Franklin D. Roosevelt where she helped create the important New Deal program, which contributed to the formation of modern America. The new Perkins Award will be cosponsored by the Mount Holyoke College alumnae network. Naomi Goldberg, head of the Mount Holyoke Chicago Club, first proposed the idea of an award in an effort to reach out to qualified LFA candidates for admission to the college. She contacted Miss Lauren Kelly, English instructor and Mount Holyoke College alumna, who worked on the proposal, approval, and design of the award with Mr. Chris Tennyson, Dean of Students and Academics. “She asked if any alums in the area worked with high schools and would
Photo by Bailey Ayers
Junior Oliva Stevenson reads the description on the Francis Perkins plaque in the Hall of Fame. The new award will honor Francis Perkins and will be awarded to a junior girl.
be willing to pursue proposing a Mount Holyoke College Book Award,” said Kelly. “We thought it would be best to use the title of the award to make the connection between LFA/Ferry Hall and Mount Holyoke College.” Freshly graduated from Mount Holyoke with a degree in chemistry and physics, Perkins arrived in Chicago to teach science at Ferry Hall from 1904 to 1906 and to spend her weekends working at Hull House with Jane Addams. To her, science and service went hand-in-hand. “The award will go to a junior girl who has excelled in the study of science or math and whose personal commitment to service learning has attempted to create a positive change in local and global communities.
Because Frances Perkins taught science at Ferry Hall and was frequently involved in community service and civil justice policies, we felt it was best that her interests were reflected in the strengths of the award recipient,” said Kelly. Perkins is an icon of “uncommon women,” a phrase coined by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein (MHC ’71) as the title of her 1977 Broadway play. That is exactly how Perkins used her skills. In her later distinguished career as a public servant, she confronted some of the nation’s most difficult problems as a social worker with immigrants, labor advocate, women’s rights activist, and legislative reformer.
AP English classes now requiring applications By Amy Krivoshik News Editor
SPORTS
d
A change in this year’s class registration process is that rising juniors and seniors who would like to take AP English Language and Composition or AP English Literature next year have to apply to get into an AP class, the English department has announced. To apply for an AP class, students must submit a portfolio including an example of in-class writing, an analytical English essay, and a third example of original writing such as a poem, short story, editorial, argument, memoir, multi-media project or History essay. Also, students have to provide an answer to an additional question. To apply for AP English Literature, rising seniors need to choose the favorite sentence they have ever read and explain why. To apply for AP English Language and Composition, students must answer the question: “Why write?”
“Your ability to get into an English class should depend on your English abilities, not your standardized test scores or how well you do in History,” senior Emma Haupt commented. As LFA generally boasts of small class sizes, concerns that AP English class sizes are currently too big brought about, in part, this change in policy, AP Language and Composition teacher Kathleen Schlosser confirmed. Junior Clara (Sunjae) Lee, who decided not to take AP English Literature next year, expressed different views. “It might seem negative to the students that they’re adding the whole process but I actually think it’s a necessary process,” she said, “With Math and Science and History it’s easier to see what class you belong in, but with English it’s not so easy to see what level you belong in.” She said the fact that she would have
needed to submit an application did not influence her decision to opt out of AP English Literature next year. “My decision was mostly based on my experience,” she added, “[The class] was harder than I thought it would be.” Sophomore Isabella (Jingyi) Hu said the new application process could motivate some students to try harder in their English classes. While some saw the new application process as a motivator, others viewed it as ‘unfair’ to those students who would want to re-challenge themselves next year. “They’re grading them by what they’ve already accomplished, and not focusing on what their potential is,” Senior Lauren Pugliese pointed out, “I don’t think there should be portfolio requirements because students who are willing to put in the work should be able to have the opportunity to.”
THE SPECTATOR
News
2
World News Roundup Compiled by John Luttig and Amelia Moses
Priests work to help victims of the Drug War in Mexico According to the Human Rights Watch, nearly 70,000 people have died in Mexico since 2006 in Mexico’s drug war. Religious leaders such as Reverend Hector Silva (pictured below) have led efforts to pacify communities stricken with violence such as Reynosa, which is just south of Texas. Silva has set up a migrant shelter, but acknowledges that nobody offers information on the whereabouts of gang violence outbreaks.
APRIL 12, 2013
Preventing dating abuse at LFA By Michelle Whitehead Op-Ed Editor When high school relationships come to mind, people envision prom dates and Friday night trips to the movies. To the untrained eye, these teen relationships (while serious to the people at the time) are seen as whimsical, sometimes unnecessary distractions from academia and friends. To the couple and to those closest to them, there is inevitable drama and, of course, fights. Fights are normal in any high school relationship; they are normal in any relationship. Abuse, however, is a different story. While teens may like to think that high school relationships are harmless, national statistics show that abuse in teen relationships is becoming a serious rising trend.
In response to this rising trend, The
Tribune recently reported that in the
Spectator took a look at the results from the LFA wellness survey and found that out of the 359 participating students, nine reported that they had been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the past 12 months. Of these nine people, three were male and six were female. In addition, The Spectator conducted its own school survey and found that 38% of students participating in the survey had been victims of abuse or known someone that had. Of those 38%, 21% reported to have been abused by four or more partners. According to The Chicago Tribune, abuse is defined as yelling, swearing, insults, controlling behavior, pressured sex, stalking, being slapped or hit, and being threatened with violence. The
past year, abuse in teen relationships has risen to dangerous levels. A study by Ohio State University reported that nearly 66% of teens from both genders reported experiencing dating violence. These results are not to be overlooked. It is not impossible to stop an abusive relationship that you see happening or to get out of one yourself. The Tribune identified the following warning signs to watch out for in your friends’ relationships: • Ceasing activities or hobbies
Photo courtesy of Tribune Media Services
Reverend Hector Silva is helping victims of the Drug War.
Number of Syrian refugees increases in Lebanon After experiencing its most deadly month with nearly 6,000 deaths, Lebanon struggles with the Syrian crisis of an enormous increase in the population of refugees. In such a small country this has caused conflict with local Lebanese citizens. Escaping the conflict of the Syrian civil war, Lebanon borders have been open for everyone including Palestinians. Few have been detained even though 18% of this population crosses borders without unofficial documentation. Hosting nearly 325,000 Syrians has increased Lebanon’s population by 10%. The United Nations refugee agency has concerns of the economy and overpopulation for months to follow.
Photo courtesy of Tribune Media Services
Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon in order to avoid the Syrian civil war.
Photo courtesy of Google Images
66% of teenagers from both genders have reported dating abuse in their own relationships.
•
Wearing different clothing (such as baggy clothing or less makeup for girls)
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Shying away from friends
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A sudden drop in grades or ill performance in extra-curricular activities
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Constant contact significant other
•
A sudden change in mood
with
one’s
If one of your friends is exhibiting these signs in a relationship, it is important to urge your friend to seek counseling help. While it may not be the easiest thing to do, the conversation could save someone from an abusive relationship. If you are in an abusive relationship, the best thing to do is end it right away. Lake Forest Academy has counselors and trusted adults to go to if you need help or someone to talk to. Teen dating abuse is on the rise and Lake Forest Academy is not exempt from the trend. By staying informed and alert, the LFA community can work to put an end to teen dating abuse.
Should students under 17 be allowed to check out M -rated games?
Library offers “mature” video games
By Jane Xu Graphic Editor
During this school year, the LFA Library has offered students various opportunities with books, resources, online databases, DVDs, and video games. There are those, however, who have argued that it is inappropriate for the school library to offer video games – especially those featuring mature content -- to freshmen and sophomores, who are under 17 years old. For example, in the new display window in the library are copies of The Heavy Rain and Dragon Age: Origins, which are both M-rated video games marked 17+ because of the use of blood, intense violence, nudity, use of drugs, strong language, and sexual content. “We usually think of the library as an academic place for studying,” said Nick Soh, a sophomore, “so it is weird to me that
students can borrow video games there, but playing video games is a good way for students to relieve stress as well.” The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) suggests age-appropriateness in video game content so that consumers, especially parents, can make informed choice about various games. The ESRB rating system requires the game developer to fill out a detailed questionnaire about each game’s pertinent content, which translates into anything that may influence
library is more than 100%.” “Currently, there are 204 video games available in the school library, and on average there are four video games checked out per week,” said Rita MacAyeal, who is the research librarian of Lake Forest Academy. “The budget for the video games is part of the budget which we use to buy E-books, DVDS, and access to J-Store, and apps for iPads,” said Carson explaining the budget resources for video games.
the ESRB ratings. “I think the ESRB rating system is not valuable since it is not based on interaction with the content,” said Mr. Grier Carson, Director of Academic Technology and Information Services of Lake Forest Academy. “Video games are a brand new art form in our culture, the statically fastest-growing such area existing today,” said Carson, “and the circulation rate for games in our
Carson explained that he usually selects no more than 50 video games per year. He would review the games with other faculty members ahead of time, and he tries to import new types of games every year. Students may see a change in the video game content in the library. “I prefer games in which players could make their own moral choices and take the games a huge step forward by making different decisions,” said Carson.
THE SPECTATOR APRIL 12, 2013
News
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Is $5 enough for a healthy meal? Prefects review meal money allowance for students dining off campus By Bailey Ayers Editor-in-Chief For every missed meal in Hutch, students are given five dollars to purchase a meal on their way back to school, whether it be for a field trip, athletic match, or even school trip. In fact, it has been this way for at least 10 years. No one can recall who started this or even when it was started. Prefect Lauren Pugliese brought this to the attention of the other prefects, wondering how a student can purchase a healthy meal with this amount. “It is not the first time students have ever said this isn’t enough. However, it is the first time that anyone has ever raised this as an issue,” commented Chief Financial Officer Andrew Kerr. Pugliese wondered who was in charge of distributing the meal allowances. “[The business office] is in charge of giving out the money but they do not set
the price.” commented Kerr. To begin working on this problem the prefects collected menus from a small sample of restaurants, especially those at the oasis where students normally stop. “I am going to guess that a lot of people aren’t going to be full on a sandwich. A lot of time we have to use our own money to make up the difference,” commented Pugliese. But if five dollars a meal isn’t enough, what is? Kerr explained that COLA (cost of living adjustment often measured as the rate of inflation) does call for a raise in the $5.00, but “historically, it has been $5.00 a meal.” But when Kerr looks at it from a budget standpoint, he is budgeting $50,000$60,000 a year. That’s not a trivial expense. If you look at a 2% inflation rate over the last 15 years, the $5 meal stipend is now worth at least $6.73. “Over the last ten years we have more
students, as well as more students in athletics and more athletic teams. So $5.00 a head is costing us more now than it did then because of size of school and number of teams,” explained Kerr. One solution to getting our students a good healthy meal on a sports road trip is for the coaches to request bag meals from Hutch, said Kerr. That requires a lot of forethought on the coach’s part. But if this does work for a team, letting Hutch know how many people aren’t going to be there allows them to budget for a smaller meal. If money can be saved in Hutch this way, perhaps the school can allocate more to meal money, suggested Kerr. The overarching goal of the policy is initially to make sure that our students are not missing meals and they are eating healthy whether they are on the road or they are at campus. The prefects plan to submit a proposal to raise the meal amount in the near future.
Chief Executive Officer, and member of the Board of Directors of WMS Industries, spent his speaking time relating technology to the role it played in developing WMS Industries, a game developer for gambling venues. He emphasized that the use of technology and innovation had brought his business to the forefront and “ensured WMS’ unmatched reputation for Best of Class game development.” Another panelist, Mr. Ben Malek, who is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Malek Inc., explained that his business is run on guiding executives in the “effective use of enterprise-wide collaboration technology” and that he implements the
same advice he gives into running his own business. Other panelists included J. Christopher Reyes of Reyes Holdings and Jeff and Marianne Silver of Coyote Logistics. Both the Reyes and the Silvers have children currently studying at LFA, and were able to comment on LFA’s integration of iPads and other technological advances taken by LFA on their students’ improved experience of learning. At the end of the function Jeffery Keller of the LFA Board of Trustees emphasized the point that this event was to encourage attendees to continue to aid LFA in its efforts of expanding technologically.
Campus News In this space, The Spectator provides further details on ongoing and upcoming events at Lake Forest Academy. Compiled by Bailey Ayers
Service Day at the end of the month Thursday, April 18th is LFA’s Service Learning Day. On this day students do not attend classes and instead volunteer their time to the community. Past years have included trips to Open Lands, a veteran’s hospital, and food banks. Students have also worked with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. Some even stay on campus to help clean up our own community. Students are given the option of where they would like to volunteer and sign up accordingly. Some trips span the whole day, while others last just a couple hours.
Members of the LFA community attend 8th Annual Chicago Networking Event By Zunaira Arshad Editor in Chief Current students, faculty, administrators, and alumni of LFA gathered on Wednesday February 27th the 8th Annual Chicago Networking Event organized by LFA administration and sponsored by the Northern Trust Bank in Chicago. The eight students who attended were members of the A.P. Economics class. This year’s event theme was “Technology: Innovation and Entrepreneurship.” This event has previously attracted many of the LFA community’s leading businessmen and women and it has provided a forum for parents, faculty, and administration to discuss how technology is impacting the lives of LFA students. The event was described as a forum where business leaders and entrepreneurs will come together to discuss technology as it relates to innovation and entrepreneurship. Drawing from personal experience, attendees shared their insights on how innovative uses of technology have become a source of competitive advantage, leading to sustainable business and entrepreneurial success. Additionally, speakers who attended the event stressed the critical role educators play in promoting knowledge in science, technology and mathematics.” The panelists invited to speak at the event included trustees, alumi, and parents of LFA students and alumi. After opening remarks giving by Dr. John Strudwick, panelist Brian R. Gamache was invited to speak. Gamache, who serves as President,
Photo courtesy of Mrs. Cambell
LFA seniors (from left to right) Nancy Wang, Izabela Tyszka, and Nadeem Bandealy talk with other attendees. The panel at the Chicago Networking Event consisted of five members of the LFA community working to integrate the use of technology in their businesses.
Photo courtesy of LFA Flickr
Senior Hannah Olinger performs with Vox and Choir during last year’s gala.
Gala to focus funds on finishing Lower Corbin The Spring Gala is approaching quickly with a goal to finish renovating Lower Corbin so that it is updated in a similar style to Upper Korhummel. “The exciting part about it is if we raise the money that we need it can be done over the summer, so when the students return in the fall you’ll have a beautiful new space,” commented Director of Parent Relations Sheila Moller. “The fundraising is great because it has to be done for the school but we really like for people to come together as a community to celebrate the school year… the great accomplishments of students and faculty and to just join in for a wonderful spring celebration with some great entertainment,” added Moller. Choir and Coax are both expected to perform at the Gala. The Spring Gala is on May 4th, with efforts to raise awareness for this year’s campaign already beginning.
THE SPECTATOR 4
Features
APRIL 12, 2013
What English teachers really think about the books they teach By Carina Baker and Amy Krivoshik Staff Writers Before a single LFA student ever opens a book for class, the English department carefully discusses which books students should be taught. And not everyone agrees. “Books are like our babies,” English teacher Lauren Kelly explained. Which books should be taught when is a touchy subject amongst the English teachers, and the teachers The Spectator spoke with were surprisingly reticent, many unwilling to talk lest they appear to insult another teacher- or worse, another teacher’s favorite book. However, some teachers were willing to talk. “There are books that are good for teaching, that you enjoy teaching, that personally, as a reader, you don’t like,” said English teacher Katie Schlosser. “For me, that would be The Catcher in the Rye. I enjoy teaching it, it’s accessible… but personally, I find it to be a bit heavyhanded.” Bill Murphy, another English teacher, expressed dislike of Invisible Man by Ralph Waldo Ellison, calling it “too racist.” “You shouldn’t treat people like that. It bothers me,” Murphy said. “It may truly reflect conditions in America at the time, but the conditions appall me.” The English teachers were more willing to talk about books they wish were on the syllabus. Kelly wishes there were more
Photo by Meg Kennedy
English instructor Katie Schlosser teaches a class.
graphic novels and Victorian Literature on the syllabus, while fellow English teacher Emily Asher prefers modern poetry. Both Kelly and Murphy said that they would like Moby Dick to be added to the curriculum, and Murphy expressed a wish for more American literature in general. Schlosser explained that she wishes she could teach The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Lord of the Rings. “The curriculum we currently have is great, but does that mean it’s set in stone?” English teacher Nathaniel Small questioned. “No. We could almost replace
anything on the curriculum with something else.” Last year, for example, Sophomore English added Never Let Me Go by Kazuro Ishiguro to the syllabus. Too many books, not enough time. Each English teacher professed a love for different genres, from Victorian Literature to Poetry to Postmodern Literature. “If we didn’t have different opinions it would be a very boring syllabus,” Kelly commented. To avoid a “mud-slinging fest”, the English department begins selecting books
for the next syllabus far ahead of time, in early planning periods before the start of the school year, Kelly said. They try to select books that they think will resonate with the student body. In fact, a novel’s ability to resonate with the student body is oftentimes more important than teachers’ differing opinions, Kelly pointed out. “How did the students like it?” she said, “Did it feel like they were being dragged like screaming children through the mall or did it feel like they were walking through it of their own accord?”
LFA writing community on the rise
Photo by Meg Kennedy
Sophomore Sophie Hanson, an award-winning student writer, writes her latest work.
By Justin Nakasu Feature Editor Lake Forest Academy’s writers’ community is growing. Many students here have increasingly taken up creative writing in their free time. People who write poetry, short stories, or even novels are increasing on campus. “I write because there are no boundaries,”
said Sophie Hanson, a sophomore who has won national creative writing awards. Hanson has been writing fiction and science fiction pieces outside the classroom from the age of eight. She has won multiple prizes and awards throughout her writing career. For the past four years, she has consistently placed in the Alliance for School Artists & Writers Awards hosted by the Scholastic Corporation. Just last
year, out of her nine entered pieces, eight of them received recognition with five of them placing gold at the national level. “It’s beautiful,” said Hanson when referring to writing. “The ability to create any world you want is just beautiful.” Hanson also contributes to the LFA literary magazine, “LitMag.” Programs like LitMag are posted constantly by the English department outside the Reid 1
classroom throughout the year. The hope is that students will use these programs and discover and be able to show their writing outside of classroom environments like Hanson. Emily Asher, an English Instructor and faculty advisor to LitMag, has stated that in recent years, the LitMag has changed vastly. “It’s become much more simplified. We’re trying to make the LitMag much more interactive,” said Asher, an LFA alumna herself who was a writer when she was attending LFA. “Some of the editors on LitMag also submit,” said Asher. “It’s a give and take.” The LitMag is managed by student editors and many of these editors also write during their free time. Such members write poetry and short stories in their free time. The LitMag is in the process of converting from paper editions to fully digital editions that will be available on iBooks. They are still waiting on submissions for this year’s issue, but last year’s issue included submissions by notable LFA student writers such as Jessica Gunderson, who has already published multiple books of her own right.
THE SPECTATOR
Features
APRIL 12, 2013
5
By Nancy Wang Features Editor
of the Month
at any moment. She would simply sit down and draw with her pen whenever she catches something interesting in the moment. “I don’t usually make my art for anyone,” said Hristeva. “And I don’t draw the artwork specifically for the cases, I just draw in my free time, and whatever fits well on an iPhone case I just put that on there.” After she tested a few of her designs on the phone case models online, Hristeva decided to sell her cases in order to share
her artwork with more people. She posted a full set of cases on Facebook and received a lot of positive feedback. “Most of my friends thought it was very cool,” said Hristeva. “They were impressed with both my drawing and the idea of putting my drawing on iphone cases.” Besides continuing to work on her phone case designs, Hristeva is looking forward to try new artistic things in the future. “I’m trying my hand at drawing people more, so that might be something I do in the near future,” said Hristeva.
Inspired by Tim Burton and a few other artists, Junior Dani Hristeva has been drawing original artworks since she was six years old. As a child, she enjoyed painting for fun and using drawing as a way to express herself. Describing her current artistic style as “dark” and “intricate,” Hristeva has showed great gift and passion in recording inspirations in life using a pen and paper. According to Hristeva, drawing is one of her favorite pastimes. Recently, the young artist has applied her artistic skills to a different platform—designing phone cases. “My friend showed me this site called Society6 a while back and it has really expressive and has original designs by artists who sell their work through the site,” said Hristeva. “It was only recently that I figured I could sell my artwork on
there. So I figured hey; why not sell my own work on it.” In order to present her artwork on a phone case, Hristeva goes through a few steps online. Through the two websites she found, Hristeva is able to upload pictures of her drawings and adjust how they would look once they are printed onto different cases. According to Hristeva, she usually scans her drawing and uploads it on to her laptop. Although the process appears to be easy, the drawing can take a lot of work. Depending on the intricacy of the design, the drawings can take a long time. “I draw first then put them on the cases,” said Hristeva. “So my drawings can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 7 hours, like my recent piece about Johnny Depp as Barnabus Collins.” Like many developing artists, Hristeva enjoys getting inspiration from anything
Visit Youtube.com/user/LFASpectator to see the full video.
Video by Nancy Wang
Caxy Trends Every month the Spectator will look at up and coming fashion trends that are taking over at LFA!
Instagram: A new social networking trend By Nancy Wang Features Editor As part of an actively evolving socialmedia world, one cannot ignore the phenomenon of Instagram, a mobile photosharing application that provides a platform for people to instantly share pictures with friends and the world. According to PACWorld, an online blog and news outlet on technologies and innovations, Instagram is not only “popular” but also a “trendy derivative” among iPhone users and more recently among Android users. At Lake Forest Academy, many students are registered users on Instagram. They actively participate in sharing photos of their daily lives, and many enjoy it. “I enjoy using Instagram because you literally communicate with people through pictures,” said sophomore Thomas Lee. “It’s something different from Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat.” Just as Lee said, an Instagram post, unlike
many other applications, usually contains only a single picture or image uploaded by the user. By hitting “comment” or “like”, users exchange opinions on pictures. “It’s basically a simplified version of Facebook and Twitter,” said senior Calin Cave. “It makes it easier to see people’s favorite pictures versus looking at all of their other friends’ posts and pictures as well.” Another active user and fan of Instagram, Cave thinks the application is entertaining as well because of the relaxing and interesting things that are posted. Moreover, it is a relatively safe platform compare to many other applications. “I usually share pictures of places I’m visiting, funny things that happen to me or with my friends, or old photos of me when I was little,” said Cave. “I feel fairly safe about putting my pictures on Instagram, probably more than I feel about Facebook, because you can’t download other people’s
Sophomore Thomas Lee browses Instagram during a free period.
Photo by Nancy Wang
pictures like you can on Facebook.” Lee agrees with Cave and believes the reduced ability to track users’ locations
Instagram also attracts many users through its colorful filters for images. Like TechCrunch, an online blog, has stated,
on Instagram also makes the app a more popular social-media platform. Unlike apps that require users’ locations for certain features, Instagram’s location can be turned off without interfering with its functions. “I feel pretty safe because unless I use the photo map function people don’t know where I’m at,” said Lee. Aside from its innovative means of communication and safe characteristics,
Instagram will continue to lead the trend as it posses the right “quality, audience, and constraints."
Fashion instagramers: @styleaddict @angelcandices @laurenconrad
THE SPECTATOR
Arts and Entertainment
6
APRIL 12, 2013
LFA’s
One
Acts By Carina Baker Managing Editor The One Acts are LFA students’ annual chance to explore a different side of drama. Unlike the Winter Musical or the Fall or Spring Plays, the One Acts are a collection of smaller plays put on entirely by students. The Directing class, a new two-semester drama course taken by eight students and taught by Mr. Mark Dryfoos, has spent the year learning how theatre works at every level. Over the course of the school year they worked on both acting and directing, putting on short scenes starring each other. The One Acts are their final project, with each student writing a five to
eight page “director’s book” analyzing their own one act play, then selecting actors for and directing the drama. The eight students from the class direct about twenty students acting in the One Acts, with anywhere from two to six actors involved in each 10-15 minute play. The directors received their plays and began their director’s book in early March, and rehearsals began right after spring break. The performances will be May 9th and 10th. The One Acts are a unique chance for students without much experience to dip a toe into drama and try acting. “I think it’s so important that the rest of the community gets involved, like students who may not otherwise have opportunities with the musical or the fall play,” said senior Caroline Hale, who is directing one of this years’ One Acts. But this year there’s a twist. The five seniors directing One Acts are putting on plays written by students in Ms. Ann Frkovich’s Playwriting class from last semester, chosen by Dryfoos, Frkovich, and Mr. Nat Small, and assigned to the seniors. “Some people thought oh, that’s really cool, we’re getting more people involved in the One Acts. Other people said that they wanted to direct professional plays that had been directed before,” said junior director Allison Schreuder. Many of the directors are veteran One Acts participants, and a few have even directed plays for the project before. And, they say, there are some marked differences between directing professional plays and directing student’s pieces, with the latter turning out to be more of a mixed bag.
“It’s not productive to analyze plays that have been written in one night,” said senior director Devan Rottman. “If you get a bad play- and you can tell when someone hasn’t really thought about it- there’s nothing to analyze.” “Then you get the people who are really passionate about writing,” added fellow director Hale. “This is something that interests them and they want to do it. You can really create some powerful stuff.“ One popular topic for the One Acts this year
is romance, with plays c o v e r i n g everything from a girl tying herself to train tracks to prove her love to her boyfriend to a group of guys convinced their friend’s new girlfriend is a succubus.
Photo by Meg Kennedy
Seniors Caroline Hale and Jane Strudwick rehearse their One Act.
THE SPECTATOR APRIL 12, 2013
Arts and Entertainment
7
Specdance Film Festival competition deadline extended By Amelia Moses Editor-In-Chief
Spectator is awaiting your submissions. Please respect the following rules and standards:
3. The LFA Four Pillars must appear in or be associated with your film at some point.
6.Please upload your video to Youtube or Vimeo (for better quality). 7. You must submit your film by April
Due to the lack of time over Spring Break for The Spectator’s film festival we will be extending the dead line until Friday, April 26th. Get to work LFA visionaries! The
1. An LFA faculty member must be featured at some point. 2. A scene must be filmed in at least one LFA building.
4. Please aviod inappropriate language and subjects. 5. The film must be three to five minutes long.
26th to the Spectator’s faculty advisor at wmurphy@lfanet.org
J&
urant Revi a t s e R J ew
By Jenna Selati and John Luttig
The Happ Inn is happenin’ “Happiness comes in many forms and it just so happens to come in juicy burgers, crusty pizzas, bite-size sliders and spicy Mexican specialties at The Happ Inn.” This quote, found on The Happ Inn’s Twitter page, says it better than we ever could ourselves. What has long been considered one of both Jenna and John’s favorite local restaurants, The Happ Inn Bar and Grill, located in Northfield, consistently offers a delicious array of eats that never fail to satisfy both regular and first-time patrons. Although it was only opened in 2009, The Happ Inn features a wide variety of options for both appetizers and entrées. John ordered the bacon and blue cheese burger from the sandwich menu. The
burger featured Danish blue cheese and crisply smoked bacon strips across the top. The burger was cooked perfectly to order and exceeded John’s expectations. Jenna has tasted many of The Happ Inn’s highly praised menu items, but her loyalty lies with the tilapia tacos. Served in corn tortillas, the fresh, lightly blackened tilapia is embellished with chipotle mayo and cabbage slaw. These tacos are only one of the many forms in which happiness comes at The Happ Inn. The restaurant’s soft lighting and pleasant chatter contributes to an atmosphere that is comfortable, appetite inducing, and, yes, happy. Servers are friendly, attentive, and know their menu like the back of their
Jenna and John began their meal with the tilapia sliders.
hands. The Northfield grill’s hours range from 11am to 11pm, making it a perfect choice for sit-down or take-out lunches and dinners. Its unique twist on basic
Photo by John Luttig
meals makes for a diverse and equally delicious menu. A local favorite, The Happ Inn never fails to make its customers’ days a little bit happier.
The Wrap Pricing: $$
($6-16 per entree)
Taste: Service: The Bottom Line: The food makes us happy.
“We ate cooked chicken heart” By John Luttig Managing Editor Having eaten at superb Brazilian steakhouses in Chicago with Jenna for The Spectator’s previous restaurant reviews, I had high expectations for the churrascarias during the trip to Brazil. On the second night of the trip, the LFA group visited a churrascaria called Carretão that exposed us to the difference between Brazilian and American dining. While Carretão, Texas de Brazil, and Fogo de Chao shared many of the same salad bar and meat options, there were several unmistakably foreign aspects of Carretão that set it apart from its American counterparts. Upon arriving at the restaurant, we soon noticed that because the tap water isn’t potable, we all had to purchase water independently of the meal. This was a minor inconvenience, but added up over all of the meals we ate during the trip. Although Fogo de Chao and Texas de Brazil offered primarily cold dishes at
the salad bar, Carretão included a buffet of hot items alongside the cold salad bar. This included various hot pasta and potato dishes that filled us up before the gauchos brought out the meat. Additionally, there was a much larger selection of sushi and salad in the cold section of the buffet at the churrascaria. To my pleasant surprise, the meat selection at Carretão was even larger than the selection at Texas de Brazil. There were also several exotic meats that are typically not served in the United States. One notably peculiar dish that several daring LFA students tasted was a cooked chicken heart. “Since we were in Brazil, I had the ‘try everything’ mentality,” claimed sophomore Liza Tarr. “When we were being served the chicken hearts, I said ‘Why not?’ I actually didn’t mind it – it tasted like mussels.” Most students refrained from the hearts, as they were content with the selection of various types of lamb, chicken, beef, and pork served by the gauchos throughout the evening.
Photo by John Luttig
A gaucho waiter at the restaurant collects our Guarana drinks after a rich meal.
The Wrap Pricing: $$$ Taste: Service: The Bottom Line: Carretão provided us with a hearty meal in Brazil.
THE SPECTATOR
Features
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APRIL 12, 2013
More to LFA’s faculty than meets the eye: L By Sophie Hanson Staff Writer Lake Forest Academy is known not only as a place of great diversity, but also as a center of talent. Some of these strengths – especially among faculty members -- are obvious; some are hidden. All of the faculty and staff at LFA have gifts to share, but some of their talents are less common. From an outstanding military legacy to an impressive aptitude for Scrabble to professional journalistic skills and an explosive career in showbiz, these seemingly normal teachers have lead uncommon lives. For our final project, the Journalism 1 class has decided to delve into the pasts and presents of
From air fleet to math wing By Romaer Chopra Staff Writer Of the many hidden stories about those who teach at Lake Forest Academy, one in particular
stands out. Mr. Jeffrey Bateman, math instructor, has had a unique previous career that most are unaware of. Bateman -- who always had a fascination with planes -- began his career as an
LFA’s faculty and staff. Mr. Bateman relaxes after a long day of math.
This month’s centerfold was prepared by the Journalism 1 class
Mr. Dunn is “Army Strong” By Ayorinde Ifatunji Staff Writer Mr. Gathia Dunn, Jr., LFA’s Athletic Office Manager, has a strong history in the military. So strong, in fact, that military service has become one of his family traditions. Two of his sons, Gathia III and Marcus, are continuing the legacy and following in his footsteps. Dunn started off in 1980 working in military administration, making sure that soldiers got bullets, meals, payrolls, and that their families were taken care of. After 22 years of service, he retired in 2002 and found his way to LFA. Unlike their father, however, both of his sons work in the medical field of the Army. Dunn has a strong belief in a man’s duty to his country, and thinks that after high school graduation, all young men should serve two years in the military.
“I consider it a duty, and I think all young men should do that duty,” said Dunn when expressing his opinion on a young person’s role in the military. When serving in Korea, Dunn learned valuable lessons from the Korean soldiers, who truly appreciated the meaning of freedom, as they were very limited in their own. He learned to be grateful for his ability to come and go whenever he pleased. Dunn believes that the military has benefitted his sons greatly and will benefit any young person who joins it. “They’ll understand what it’s like to have that duty and honor, morals, courage, and character,” he said as he remembered what the military taught him. Now retired from the U.S. Army, Dunn looks on proudly at his two sons as they continue the family’s strong legacy in the military.
Photo by Daily Twine
U.S. Air Force engineer. After doing flight simulations he was inspired to pursue an interest as a pilot. He took a risk, left the Air Force, began taking flight lessons (that his wife encouraged), and before long he became a pilot and a flight instructor. After that, he wanted to create his own airline. “My wife got me flight lessons and from there I got every rating possible. I loved it and became a flight instructor. And from there I actually started my own airline. I opened an airline in Miami that would do a lot of flying to the Caribbean and South America,” recalled Bateman. After selling his airline Bateman worked as a pilot for United Airlines from 2000-2006. His most memorable moment as a pilot was when a mechanical issue
forced him to make an emergency landing which caused him a variety of injuries. He vividly described the experience where his arms were covered in blood as he frantically tried to gain control of the plane. Bateman’s departure from being a captain had to do with the crazy schedule and his worry of flying that occurred after the 9/11 attacks. “I would have to fly thousands of miles before I could actually start working, it all just became too much of a hassle. And after 9/11, all the fun was just taken out of it,” said Bateman. Bateman, who used to substitute teach at the local high school on his days off, now enjoys teaching at LFA, the new calm lifestyle; and being able to see his family everyday.
Blackjack dealer moves to LFA’s math wing By Michael Phillips Staff Writer When most adults walk into a casino, their expectations are high, their hopes are large, and most of the time, they walk out of the casino with less money than they had when they walked in. Mr. James Abbott, a part-time geometry and pre-
calculus teacher at LFA, was the man who sat behind the table and watched it all unfold. “At Christmas 1993, I got a Master’s degree from the University of Iowa. I moved out to Oregon and I was looking for a job, but not really looking for a job,” said Abbott. “There was a tribal casino that was opening up and I went over to them. They
Photo by Amanda Bozorgi
Mr. Abbott poses for a photo with his Scrabble game pieces.
needed bodies, so they hired me.” However, according to Abbott, his job as a casino dealer wasn’t all the casual observer might have expected it to be. “Casino work is really boring… You have a set of actions that you repeat over and over again, and you’ll do those actions 2,000 or 3,000 times a day,” said Abbott. “You’ve seen everything 10,000 times before…One day is very much like one month.” Upon moving back to the Midwest, Abbott was originally at LFA for the maternity leave of Mrs. Maggie Tennyson, but was then offered a part-time job teaching three different sections of math. He had come to LFA’s attention because he was playing in a Bridge club that was run by former LFA dean, Matt Less. “I was surprised I got hired because when you make a career change, it is not very safe to hire you,” he said. “Someone has to take a risk to hire you. I didn’t think anyone was going to hire me to teach, but the LFA administration did.”
THE SPECTATOR
Features
APRIL 12, 2013
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LFA faculty uncommon in more ways than one From directing on Broadway to directing in Cressey By Aban Yaqub Staff Writer From soaking up the spotlight to operating the equipment that sets the stage, it would seem that Lake Forest Academy Director of Performing Arts Mark Dryfoos was set on working in show business since the minute he was able to speak. All his life, Dryfoos has been immersed in the show business; his father shared a passion for film, and his brother even went on to do some acting as well. With actress Joan Mortimer as his mother, Dryfoos grew up watching his mother on television shows. “It was like looking at a photo of your mother and you know it’s your mother, and yet the person doesn’t act like your mother. It was strange,” Dryfoos
remembered. Dryfoos developed his interest in acting as early as his junior high school days. The vast majority of his acting career has been in live theater. Performing in approximately 30 shows throughout his lifetime, Dryfoos has had many notable roles including Simon Zealous in Jesus Christ Superstar, Cliff Bradshaw in Cabaret, and Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls. “I’m thrilled by the craft and the things actors are able to create. Character work is really fun and challenging because you can add nuance and background to the character,” he described. After completing graduate work at Dartmouth College in Film and Theater, Dryfoos arrived at LFA in 1981. Dryfoos claims his utmost passion lies in teaching
theater, earning satisfaction from seeing the success of those of whom he teaches. Several of his students have gone on to show business, such as improv actors Brad Morris, James Grace, and film director Jay Chandrasekhar. According to Dryfoos, teaching theater inevitably leads to directing. Having directed more than 150 performances, Dryfoos described the transition from acting to directing as “a natural thing,” although directing is “much more liberating,” as it evokes a completely new perspective of understanding a play. Even through all his success in acting/directing, Dryfoos is still seeking one answer, however: “I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.”
Photo by Ned Kennedy
Mr. Dryfoos directs one of his many theater classes at LFA.
Mr. Murphy is a “Jack of all Trades” By Yousuf Kadir Staff Writer The purpose of this centerfold project was to write about teachers who had done something interesting in their lives outside of their education career. Current English 9 and Journalism teacher Bill Murphy could be three or four different stories in this package. In his previous life Murphy has served as a professional journalist, a firefighter, an international sports referee, and the owner of a national consulting firm. But it is his background as a member of the founding editorial team of USA Today that benefits the LFA student newspaper, The Spectator, which he advises. Under his tutelage the newspaper has won numerous contests and been ranked nationally. “I always enjoyed being a journalist because that gave me inside information about things, events, and people that everyone was interested in,” he recalled. Along with being a professional journalist, Murphy enjoyed refereeing lacrosse at three different levels: high school,
college, and international. He refereed two World Championships, in 2002 and 2006. In 2002, he was also given the Outstanding Referee award signifying that he was the best referee at the World Championships. He is currently one of the Boys Lacrosse coaches at LFA. As a professional journalist Murphy interviewed a prestigious list of celebrities and athletes such as former World number one professional tennis players John McEnroe and Chris Evert; former New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner; Super Bowl MVPs Joe Montana and Phil Simms, NHL players Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy; Son of Sam serial killer David Berkowitz; actresses Tippi Hedren and Maureen O’Hara; and politicians Nelson Rockefeller and Mario Cuomo. Murphy was also a former voter for the Heisman Trophy. “Being involved in the Heisman Trophy was fun,” he recalled, “because there was often a national argument about who should win and I actually had a vote to decide the debate.”
Mr. Murphy blows the golden whistle he received at the 2006 World Championship of Lacrosse, wearing the ring he was awarded at the 2002 World Championship.
Photo by Miranda Dunne
THE SPECTATOR 10
Opinion and Editorial
APRIL 12, 2013
Caxy Rant: “How rude!”
By Hannah Vivienne Thuroff Op-Ed Editor Preseason of my freshman year was the first time I experienced the violence and cruelty that comes hand-in-hand with van runs. As I was pushed aside by an older senior, I suddenly lost all interest to go to the Oasis and wanted nothing more than to be back in the comfort of my mom’s car. Every boarder will agree, however, that the most barbarous van run is the Sunday Target run. Students will start showing up in Crown at 2:00 for a van run that leaves at 3:00. In the colder winter months, a line begins to form as the lobby gets more and more crowded with students and the brave souls stand outside in the bitter cold. As the first Caxy van drives by, the doors
fly open and students fall over one another. They race to the curb like 12-year old girls trying to get ahold of Justin Bieber. The sad part is, the kid that shows up last-minute is usually the first one on the bus rather than the individual that showed up over an hour early to ensure they could get to Target. I’m not the type that likes to push, so I’m never the one that runs and pushes. Because of that, I’m almost always one of the people that ends up not making it on the first stream of Caxy vans. As a result, I’m stuck and have to wait for a Caxy van to come back and pick me up. By the time it does, I don’t get to Target until 4:00, don’t get back to school until 5:15, and then my entire Sunday schedule is thrown off. I don’t think there’s anything
Other Preps versus LFA:
more annoying than those two Atlass boys that start walking over at 3:00 and push me out of the way. They usually don’t buy anything other than Starbucks while I’m in dire need of laundry detergent and conditioner. I don’t want to have to continue to yell at people to wait behind the people that were there before them and receive death glares. What needs to be put in place is a ticket system, in which students are given a number in order of arrival and with those tickets they are awarded a seat on a Caxy van. Or, better yet, the refined student body of Lake Forest Academy should exercise common courtesy and wait their turn. I shouldn’t have to prepare for each van run as though it were a fight to the death.
Photo courtesy of zimbio.com
Students push and shove to get on popular van runs every weekend.
This month, Hannah compares the IB program at various other prep schools with LFA’s AP class program. Hannah will be spending this year looking at LFA’s rules and codes of conduct and comparing them with other prep boarding schools around the country to see if anything we do can be improved.
By Hannah Vivienne Thuroff Op-Ed Editor At some point in every Lake Forest Academy student’s career, the topic of AP classes is discussed with either an advisor, college counselor, or even a parent. Students hear about the significance these classes hold, not only for obtaining college credits but also for creating an impressive high school transcript for the college application process. Something that is never discussed at LFA, however, is the IB program. IB stands for International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, and it is a vigorous curriculum for juniors and seniors that emphasizes intercultural enrichment and understanding. The program was originally designed for students who were constantly moving as a standard world-wide program to prepare them for college. Today the program is not only recognized and respected by many U.S. colleges, but according to the International Baccalaureate
Photo courtesy of ibo.org
Many high schools offer IB courses to their students in addition to AP courses.
Organization, there are almost one million IB students in more than 141 countries. Although IB diplomas are internationally accepted and
more easily transferred, only 18 prep schools in the United States offer the program. Two of these schools are Foxcroft Academy of Dover Foxcroft, Maine, and
the George School of Newtown, Pennsylvania. Starting in their sophomore year, students have to take classes that qualify them for the IB classes they wish to take
in their junior and senior years. Like in AP classes, IB scores can enable students to completely test out of certain college courses. One 2005 graduate of the George School said that she received an entire year of credit at NYU due to her IB scores. That enabled her to begin her master’s program a year early. In comparison to AP classes, IB scores are equally well respected by U.S. colleges. Also, while AP classes can give you college credits, IB programs actually give you a separate diploma aside from your high school diploma. Although both programs are outstanding and well regarded by colleges across the nation, the most significant difference between the two would be the international aspect. Whether or not a school benefits from being IB-qualified depends entirely on the range of colleges its students wish to attend. In a school like LFA where nearly every student attends college in the United States, LFA won’t benefit from it as much as other schools might.
THE SPECTATOR APRIL 12, 2013
Opinion and Editorial
Editorial The Super Seven
Homework has always been a topic of discussion at LFA. Students are known to complain about the amount of homework or, more accurately, the timing of homework. It is common to hear students say things like “I have all my tests tomorrow” or “I have three papers and projects due on Monday.” Thus far, the faculty has done a decent job of reducing these complaints this year. For example, there is a rule stating that students only have to take two tests per day and that if they have more, they can choose to reschedule the additional assessments. This is particularly helpful because students feel like they have some control over their academic ventures. Going beyond the two tests rule, however, is the Curriculum Committee:
the people who are going to make our lives so much easier. The seven members of this committee have been working to redefine the way our school handles homework. This is going to be a welcome change for LFA students because it will make the teachers more aware of the assignments they are giving out. Certain faculty members are currently known for consulting with their students before finalizing deadlines. This helps to eliminate those stressfilled days where students feel they have to endure multiple tests and turn in multiple papers or projects. While this policy can’t realistically be implemented in every class, if more teachers began to do it occasionally, students would be a lot less stressed.
T h e L a k e A c a d e m y
F o r e s t
S P E C TAT O R
STAFF LIST Editors-in-Chief
While the purpose of the Curriculum Committee is not to cut down on the sheer amount of homework, they are meeting with different departments to discuss the homework policy at LFA as a whole. The first step to solving any major problem in a community is to evaluate and talk about it with people who can make a difference. The Spectator staff applauds the Curriculum Committee for taking on the project to evaluate the current homework situation at LFA. When teachers and students can be made fully aware of all the current issues with homework and project assignments, not to mention mounting student stress levels, our whole school can benefit.
Caxy Rave: Right on Target
Managing Editors News Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Arts & Entertainment Editor Op-Ed Editors Orange Editor Photo Editors
Zunaira Arshad Bailey Ayers Grace Coburn Amelia Moses Carina Baker John Luttig Amy Krivoshik Mary-Kate Patton James Paige Nancy Wang Justin Nakasu Brian Ahern Margaux Boles Jenna Selati Hannah Vivienne Thuroff Michelle Whitehead Emily Shanley-Roberts Lauren Clamage Meg Kennedy Jane Xu
Staff Writers
Yakov Shapiro Brandon Amoroso Amanda Bozorgi Sydney Brundige Romaer Chopra Miranda Dunne Matthew Filip Andrew Halvorson Sophie Hanson Allison Hechtman
Faculty Adviser
William Murphy
Ayo Ifatunji Yousuf Kadir Ned Kennedy Richard Melville Maddie Olivieri Michael Phillips Rebecca Rhee Suleiman Thomas Daily Twine Jordan Wolff
PUBLICATION The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Lake Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.
By Michelle Whitehead Op-Ed Editor Sunday is typically the day that people try to get their lives together and prepare for the week ahead. We do our laundry on Sunday so that we have clean clothes for the week. Students do their homework on Sunday so they won’t fail all of their classes on Monday. The most important Sunday activity, however, is getting the shopping done. Whether you are buying food, toiletries, or a pair of pants, a trip to the store is essential. It allows you to be fully prepared and have your room be fully stocked for the week. Because of the necessity of shopping, Target runs are some of the most popular van runs on the weekend schedule. There are three buses used to transport students each run and each van usually has to make two trips. The downside rears its ugly head when you realize something: everyone on campus needs to be on those buses…and there aren’t enough seats for everyone. At least, that’s what used to be the problem. Now, a new
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EDITORIALS Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.
SUBMISSIONS
Photo by Jane Xu
Students load groceries onto a Caxy van on Tuesday night.
concept has been introduced to the week’s hectic schedule: weekday Target runs. For the first time in my LFA career, there are consistently two days of Target runs per week. This means that if I am too scared to fight to get on the Sunday buses to Target (because Crown lobby gets pretty hostile), I can simply go to the weekday van run. This is efficient because there has been many a time where I have run out of something on Monday. I realize that it’s not exactly smart of me to not check to see if I am running low on
anything before I go to Target. But if I have already made a list of things I am completely out of, it is much harder than one may think to keep track of things that I am almost out of. Now, instead of complaining about it, I only have to wait two days for the next Target run. Yes, there will come a time when the Target run conflicts with an extra-curricular activity of mine and I won’t be able to go. But, for now, the weekday Target run is one of the best things that has happened to LFA since Sushi Day in Hutch.
The Spectator welcomes submissions from the community. If you would like to write an article, please see Mr. Murphy (please note: if space is limited, priority goes to journalism students). We also welcome short stories and poetry for our “Featured Writers” column, and we are always interested in publishing student artwork and photographs. Please send all submissions to Mr. Murphy via e-mail at wmurphy@lfanet.org, or hand them to him directly.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS
The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Mr. Murphy at wmurphy@lfanet.org.
AWARDS The Spectator has been awarded several prestigious journalism awards in recent years. It has consistently taken first place in competitions against schools of similar size held by the American Scholastic Press Association and the Kempler Moraine Press Association.
THE SPECTATOR
Sports APRIL 12, 2013 Powder Puff game plans to raise Breast Cancer awareness 12
Game set to kick off Ra Weekend on May 17th By The Spectator staff
“I’m really excited about the Powder Puff game because I think it will be an amusing way to bring the upperclassmen together and to support the breast cancer foundation,” said Ventling. Feeling deprived of some of the traditions found at many Senior Kurt Hanebrink has signed up to cheer at the public high schools, seniors Hannah Thuroff and game and he encourages the community to participate. Grace Coburn felt the desire to organize a Powder “I think that this will be an exhilarating Puff football game. For those of you who aren’t game for the community, having girls familiar with the term “Powder Puff,” it’s play and guys cheer,” said Hanebrink. a flag football game with an interesting “Everyone should come out and twist: girls play in the game while support; it should be a fun time.” the boys cheer on the sidelines. The Powder Puff game won’t be To take the game one step the first time LFA sports have further, it will be connected to a raised breast cancer awareness. fundraising effort: Lake Forest This past fall, the field hockey Academy’s Athletic Director, team had a “Stick it to Cancer” Darrin Madeley recommended game where they had shirts raising not only money, but also available for purchase. The awareness for breast cancer. Prep Hockey team also According to the American Cancer sported breast cancer bands. Society, one in every eight women Other students, such as juniors will have breast cancer at some time Nate Chase and Austin Hingtgen, who during her life. Although breast cancer is have eagerly volunteered to be the junior the second leading cause of cancer death in cheer captains, are already planning and women after lung cancer, breast cancer death choreographing their cheer routines to make rates have been decreasing and this is due to sure they can upstage the senior boys. Chase is finding the cancer earlier and better treatment plans. confident that the juniors will come out victorious. “To me this is a meaningful cause to support because “Winning is revolved around energy,” said Chase. so many lives are affected by this disease, even right here “The team with the best cheerleaders will win this game. within our community, and to raise awareness through this I will make it my duty that my cheer team is the best.” event can hopefully be a step in the right direction,” Senior Josh Casper, who will be cheering said Madeley. “I also think it is important for on his female classmates, agrees with girls, especially at this age, to recognize and Chase in the importance of team spirit. understand how this disease can have an “The core of all sporting events is effect on their lives as they get older.” the spirit squad and it’s our duty to The Powder Puff game is set to take get the team pumped up for the th place on May 17 , the Friday of RA game as well as the fans,” said Weekend. Senior girls will take Casper. “A football team on the junior girls on LFA’s without a sufficient spirit football field, while junior squad is like a tiger and senior boys cheer without its stripes.” from the sidelines. The organizers Thuroff Thuroff and Coburn want to encourage and Coburn will be captains of all members of will be working the senior team, while the community along with the Dean of juniors Mary Kate to participate, no Students Chris Tennyson, as Patton and Margaux matter what grade well as Madeley, to make this event Boles will lead the you’re in, either by as enjoyable, educational, and memorable juniors. The Spectator playing in the game, as possible. After the flag football game, another staff will host the game, cheering, coaching, “Pack the House” event is to take place for the boy’s which will be a “Pack or competing in the volleyball game, and then The Spectator staff will be hosting the House” event and house cup events. With the annual bonfire that was cancelled earlier this year in the fall will include possible support from everyone, due to poor weather conditions. The goal is to keep the school spirit House Cup competitions the Powder Puff game high througout the entire day. This day should establish a sense of unity after the cheerleading can become a positive within the community and support for not only the cause, but also one another. performances at half new LFA tradition Junior Hallie Ventling, who plans to play in the game, feels that it’s a great time as well as raffles and that will be carried way to bring the LFA community together and support a very important cause. other exciting activities. on for years to come. Page compiled by Grace Coburn and Hannah Thuroff
What we need from you! 1. Junior and senior girls that are interested in playing in the game.
2. Junior and senior boys interested in cheering on the sidelines throughtout the duration of the game and performing an
invigorating half-time routine.
3. Boy representatives with knowledge of football from any grade interested in helping with coaching the junior and senior girl teams.
4. Girl or boy volunteers with knowledge in dance or cheer to help choreograph the half-time cheer routine. 5. Teacher volunteers to ref the big event
If you’re interested in particpating in any of the above, please contact Grace Coburn (gcoburn@students.lfanet.org) and Hannah Thuroff (hthuroff@students. lfanet.org) by May 1st.
THE SPECTATOR
Sports
APRIL 12, 2013
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Softball team ready for season By Margaux Boles Sports Editor
Lake Forest Academy’s Girls Varsity Softball team had 30 girls try out but can only be a team of 22. Cuts had to be made to the team. There is a lot of new potential
on the team from the freshman class, which will be helpful towards winning games of the mixed schedule they will be playing this year between varsity and junior varsity games. The new head coach, Assistant Athletic Director Becky Arrowood, has played softball since she was seven and
Senior Katie Reid-Anderson practices ground balls in practice
Photo by Lauren Clamage
previously coached softball at another boarding school for three years. “I am looking forward to meeting a whole new group of girls and getting to know them,” said Arrowood. “I am looking forward to helping them bond as a team and I am looking forward to teaching the skills and watching them grow as players and as people.” The team has more talent and potential than it has shown in the past, which is exciting for returning sophomore Varsity starter, Liza Tarr. “The team has a lot of potential so I’m looking forward to winning some games against teams we lost to last year,” said Tarr. “All the girls seem really motivated to improve. I’m excited to see how we do.” Coach Arrowood expects leadership qualities from returning Varsity players such as Carina Baker, Calin Cave, Kemmer Cope, Tracy Lu, Melissa Mahoney, Amelia Moses, and Katie Reid-Anderson. The team will also have their returning sophomore pitcher Sarah Seibert. Tarr will also be playing shortstop this year. Softball is a team sport and the unexpected is what Coach Arrowood loves and looks forward to during games.
“I don’t know what to expect. How they are going to bond, lift each other left, or respond in positive or negative ways. That first game, once we get that under our belt whether we play strong competition or medium competition,” said Arrowood. “It is just getting that first game to know how they are going to react and what they need to work on.” “When batters get a hit that they never thought they could before, or people make a catch that they never thought they could before,” said Arrowood, “that is exciting. When you see that extra effort, it is almost like watching the miraculous happen.” According to Tarr, her favorite dynamic about softball is the team aspect. “My favorite part of the game is that it’s a true team sport. In some sports you can be a ball hog and still lead the team to victory,” said Tarr. “In softball, if one person gets a good hit, it’s up to their teammates hitting after them to bring in the run. We all rely on each other. Win as a team, lose as a team.” The softball team will be playing a mix of varsity and junior varsity games this year. Coach Arrowood hopes to build the program and add more varsity games at LFA.
Lacrosse teams look for right competition By Brian Ahern Sports Editor
The new sport of Lacrosse at Lake Forest Academy is most definitely on an uptick heading into the 2013 spring season. Both the Boys and Girls teams are fairly new to the athletic program and have larger numbers of interested student-athletes than ever before. The Boys enter their third season, and second as a varsity team. The Girls are in their second season overall. The challenge for the developing sport right now is finding the right level of competition. Because lacrosse is such a new sport at LFA, many players have never played organized lacrosse before. Experienced lacrosse players were few and far between, but many are growing and learning within the LFA system. “We have improved a lot each season just through repetition,” said junior Chris Siemasko. “Also, returning players and coaches are building upon years past.” In the first year of the Boys lacrosse program as an undefeated JV team, the schedule the Caxys faced was viewed to be less than level of competition they were seeking. Last spring was their first year as a Varsity sport and they had a tough time matching up with some very talented larger schools. However, this year, under direction of new Head Coach Bill
Murphy, the team has made a schedule they feel will be more fitted to their level of competition. With many of the games closer to downtown Chicago, according to assistant coach Nathaniel Small, all of the games will be very evenly matched. One of the great strengths of this year’s team will be pure athleticism, according to the coaches. “Honestly, with the mix of returning veterans and some impressive newcomers, I believe we will usually have the best athletes on the field,” stated Small. “We
just don’t have as many people on our team as other schools will have.” This is true of the Girls lacrosse team as well. Because of the athletic requirement at LFA, many Girls Lacrosse players are already multi-sport athletes. Some are even at the top of the high school ranks for other sports. However, the lack of experience and numbers for the program, as a whole, hinders the team on the field. Coaches and player alike believe Girls lacrosse is poised to make great strides this year. The competitive schedule put
together for them this year has a mix of JV and varsity teams that will prove a great test of the young program. “Our skills have definitely improved from last year, we’re a much more experienced team this season,” stated senior center Grace Coburn confidently. Head Coach Kathleen Schlosser is excited to start the team’s second year while returning almost every player from last year, as well as picking up some athletic new additions.
Junior Alec Bozorgi (left) and sophomore Nick Buchanan (right) fight for a ground ball during practice.
Photo by Lauren Clamage
THE SPECTATOR
Sports
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APRIL 12, 2013
Tennis team looks to have successful season By Yakov Shapiro Staff Writer The Lake Forest Academy Boys Tennis team has begun practicing and preparing for its upcoming season. Despite being faced with the problem of very few players returning to the team, Coach Syed Iftekar has high hopes for the novice varsity squad. “I expect our team to place at least top five in our league, we’ll probably be in the top three,” said Iftekar, confident that the squad’s strong comradeship and promising young players will be able to make up for any lack of experience in the Varsity group. Nine seniors graduated from the 20112012 Boys Tennis team leaving lots of spots on the team roster to be filled. “[Building a roster] was hard, we had a lot of people graduate that played doubles. I had to find eight new Varsity players just for that,” said Iftekar, who noted that the squad still has a lot of talented players. “ We are lucky to still have junior Andy Xia, who has a really good left-handed serve and manages his strokes well. We’ll also have Sam Hoodland as our number one singles, his serves are very good and he’s a nationally-ranked player.” Iftekar additionally cited that senior Nadeem Bandealy and junior Andrew
Halvorson showed potential for success on the courts. The team will have a season long training program centered around disciplined drills that will help the players “manage their strokes and keep their emotions under control,” explained Iftekar. Most importantly, however, the coaches hope to instill a sense of cohesion and teamwork between the new players. “We have a lot of new freshman..” said the coach. “When they start playing together, they’ll gel as a team. Right now they’re new players. They don’t know each other but that will change, as long as they are enthusiastic about playing for LFA, I think we’ll be all right.” Despite the large number of last year’s graduates, Iftekar was content with the quantity of people on the team, and the number who tried out. “We have 32 people trying out, that’s a good amount and I’m happy we have so many kids wanting to play tennis,” he said. From the beginning of the season on April 1st to it’s conclusion on May 9th the Boys Team is projected to play 16 games and 2 quad meets. Important match-ups to look out for include LFA’s games against New Trier, Libertyville High School, and rivals Lake Forest High School.
Senior Greg Romanchek warms up during recent tennis practice.
Photo by Lauren Clamage
Dr. Bator brings the art of dance to LFA By Mary Kate Patton News Editor Starting at just 2 years old, Dr. Stefanie Bator has always been involved in dance. Bator danced seriously up until the time she was 17, and continued her passion for dance through college where she ran a dance company. As soon as she and her sister were old enough, her mom placed them in dance class, something her mom always wanted her daughters to experience. Now Bator is applying her dance expertise to create the new Dance physical education elective for LFA students this spring. Bator grew up in Massachusetts where she danced for an artistic company. Although
she never danced in competitions, Bator did dance in regular recitals, at nursing homes, as part of Boston telethons, and she even opened for the J.Geils Band. She said her favorite type of dance is HortonStyle Modern Dance, even though she is trained classically in ballet. This modern dance style focuses on movement in the core, something that is one of her strengths in dance. 1. Did you ever consider pursuing dance to a professional level? Maybe for a second, but honestly… no. While I was very good, I was not good enough to make it professionally. I didn’t have the natural turnout and flexibility needed, and by 15 I had tendinitis in both
Dr. Bator’s dance class takes place in the multipurpose room three times a week.
hips and a ruined shoulder. For years I could predict rain according to how much my hips hurt. So dance was something I did because I loved it, but it was never a career path. 2. Why did you decide to start a dance program at LFA? Coach Madeley asked me to. LFA didn’t have an in-house dance program, and while I could coach softball or track, the athletic department wanted to see what kind of dance program we could create for our students here. So they asked me to try it out. 3. Do you have to have background in dance to participate? Absolutely not! I have taught dance to all
Photo by Lauren Clamage
levels of students. And we will be starting at the basics. If you have dance training, it is never a bad thing to go back and re-train your basic technique. If that isn’t solid, you can never get better. So we will start slowly. And I can modify all of our exercises for beginning-to-advanced students so that everybody is working at a level where they are comfortable. 4. How many students are you anticipating? Both male and female? Right now we have 14 students: 13 female and 1 male. Male and female dancers are encouraged to attend. I spent most of my dance training dancing with guys and girls, so I actually wish we had more guys! And don’t forget: dance is tough work. One year in dance I put on 15 pounds of solid muscle. So don’t think you won’t get a good workout! 5. What are your goals for the new dance class? To have fun. Dance should bring joy to your life. It should give you a place to fly through the air, move through space, and generally just feel joyous. That is the most important goal for the class. Other goals include: learning how to hear music and move with it, as well as strength training (yes, we will be doing push-ups and LOTS of ab work. You can’t dance with floppy
THE SPECTATOR
Sports
APRIL 12, 2013
15
Creatine use in high school athletics rises
Dwain Chambers, fastest man in England and creatine user, runs a race.
Photo courtesy of Google images
A recent study done by researchers from the renowned Mayo Clinic found that one in ten high school athletes use creatine, a popular weightlifting and bodybuilding supplement that is viewed by many as unfair performanceenhancing compound that can have potentially dangerous side effects on the kidneys and liver if taken improperly. The negative connotations surrounding the supplement, easily purchased at almost any health food store, stem from not only medical research, but also creatine’s equation with cheating Because creatine use is so prevalent at high schools throughout the country, it would be safe to assume that
creatine because I weighed 150 pounds and they felt it would help me gain weight. I felt slow and heavy and after 1 month into the season, they had me stop taking it. I am now a strong believer that if you are eating right and more important, putting water in your system all day, then these supplements are not necessary,” said Director of Athletics Darrin Madeley. Creatine is a natural amino acid found in fish, red meat, and in the human body where it is produced in the liver and kidneys. In terms of athletic movements and performance, creatine phosphate or phosphocreatine is stored in muscles and is tapped into by the body for energy. From a biological standpoint, creatine is a storage unit for untapped ATP. The greater the presence of creatine in muscles, the
As a result, ATP becomes ADP (adenosine diphosphate),” said Dr. Ari Levy of the University of Chicago Medical Center in a statement given to Fox News. The University of Maryland Medical Center estimates that Americans spend roughly fourteen million dollars per year on creatine supplements. Despite this supplement’s apparent popularity, the NCAA explicitly prohibits schools or coaches from distributing the supplement. While this does not mean that athletes are prohibited from using creatine, it does highlight the NCAA’s lack of support for the supplement. Creatine is a sanctioned legal supplement in Olympic competitions and professional sports. Last year, ten football players from Menomonie High school in Wisconsin were
LFA athletes might also be using it. But in the course of researching this story, no LFA athletes could be found who
greater the amount of energy present in muscles. Creatine is most beneficial for highintensity and explosive athletics,
suspended for three games by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association for using C4 Extreme, a creatine drink
would admit to using creatine as part of their training routine. “We do not have a policy against supplements, but Mr. DeGraff and I believe that before taking anything, an athlete needs to talk with their parents and doctor to see what is safe and appropriate. When I played in the NHL back in 1993-1994 my training staff and doctors had me take
often powerlifting, football, or sprinting as opposed to distance running or road cycling. “Creatine reduces fatigue by transporting extra energy into your cells. Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, is the compound your body uses for energy. For a muscle to contract, it breaks off a phosphate molecule from ATP.
readily available in supplement stores across the nation. “Coaches, parents, administrators and licensed athletic trainers should send a strong message that discourages the use of supplements for performance enhancement. There are messages you can send to your athletes to counteract the advertising ploys regarding
By James Paige Features Editor
supplements…If it’s too good to be true, it probably is,” said the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association states on their website. Negative views toward creatine come from several studies and a lack of regulation. The kidney is responsible for breaking down
Growing Dog, a product of creatine.
creatine into creatinine and the use of creatine supplements contribute to a larger presence of creatine, thus overworking the kidney in its job to make creatinine. Other known side effects include weight gain,
Photo courtsey of Google images
The For Auction:
Photo courtesy of thetorquereport.com
Special Deal:
Lake Forest Sportscars is announcing a new partnership with Lake Forest Academy. In honor of the rich history of the school in the community, it will sell Lexus LFAs at a discounted price to any families, students, or faculty at LFA. The LFA is a two-door, highly customizable sportscar. It can come in thirty different colors with options for leather and Alcantra interiors. Production for the car began in 2010. The normal base price is $375,000. With discount, you can have your own LFA for the starting price of $200,000! Go Caxys!
range
Classifieds
Following a recent donation to the school, The Spectator is auctioning off attendance at prom to parents. We know that the dream of all parents is not just to chaperone their babies at prom, but to be back in high school themselves. After all, who wouldn’t want to relive what we all know were the best four years of our lives? To fulfill that wish, a large yacht has been made available to a lucky group of parents. Not only will you be able to take your date to an amazing, dream-come-true, better-than-the-’70s-ever-were prom, you can watch your kids, too! The yacht will follow the prom boat for the entire evening, and is equipped with binoculars and bullhorns. You can have some fun, indulge in some dancing, and take breaks to publicly embarrass your kids. Every parent’s dream!
#LFAproblems
Seeking
clementines are better Freshly squeezed, WITH PULP
employment: Assistance Wanted:
Personal Shopper
Photos courtesy of animatedtv.about.com and lawrenceandjulieandjulia.com
Free:
Can’t be The Orange? Instead, be Orange!
In honor of The Orange’s favorite holiday, April Fool’s Day, we are offering free spray tans to all LFA students. To beat the springtime blues, pick your favorite shade of Crayola orange (orange, burnt orange, mango tango, neon carrot, or atomic tangerine) and get ready to get colorful. This is the perfect way to get a great spring break tan, even if you went to France! The Orange has never spray tanned anyone or been spray tanned, so this will be a new experience for everyone involved. Participate at your own risk.
LFA Memes
As everyone knows, prom season is coming up. However, so are APs and finals. As we always say, to every cloud there’s always a dark, foreboding lining. But never fear! Personal shopper here! While you are studying for your classes and stressing over that pesky B- that just won’t go away, the personal shopper can pick out the perfect dress or tux for your prom-going needs. Worried about AP Chem? No need to couple that with your date chemistry. AP US history got you down? Get down in a 1920’s style dress that Daisy Buchanan herself would have been proud to wear. If you hire the personal shopper, you will look fabulous for your big day and reduce those stress bags under your eyes. Sound good? Call (224) 224-2244. Fees available by request.
Iguana walker
So this break I got a pet iguana, and it said online that I should walk it. But I don’t have the time. I have school and sports and I don’t want to give up my social life to walk my iguana. So I need an iguana walker. If someone would be willing to walk my iguana once a day I would pay them $20 every day. It’s a very nice iguana as long as you don’t let it bite you. Please respond to The Orange if you can walk my iguana. Thanks.
Photo courtesy of reptilechannel.com
These are not true stories or based on true stories. Do not regard these stories as fact.
Caxy Match
Photo courtesy of facebook.com
Photo courtesy of www.justjared.com
The Spectator staff agreed that senior Mat Gagnon and famous actor Matt Damon are similar not just in name, but also in appearance.
Caxy Cartoon: House Cup
By Jane Xu