Issue 5

THE

PR

SPECTOR

801 WEST KENSINGTON ROAD, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056

THE VOICE OF PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1959

VOLUME 57, ISSUE 5

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2017

‘My students are like my family’ English teacher named national Educator of Year

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BY AYSE ELDES Copy Editor “

She wants you to have fun too.

Erin Bonefas, freshman

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rite about it.”

There were no words of condolence from English teacher Joyce Kim’s high school English teacher. No questions about whether she wanted to talk about it or not. Unwilling to offer her student a sad hug or pat on the back, Kim’s teacher wanted her to write about her father’s death.

Kim wrote a piece titled “Watermark,” the name being a symbol of her father’s faded, yet noticeable existence. After this, she began writing, reading and asking questions, things that she had not done before. Years later, she is transformed from what was once a quiet and reserved student into an award-winning English teacher.

Now in her 12th year of teaching, Kim was awarded the 2017 National High School Scholars (NHSS) award for Educator of the Year. On Dec. 2, Kim traveled to Georgia to receive the award and deliver a speech to educators from around the country and the organizers of the award program.

“Teaching is not a job or a way to pay the bills,” Kim said. “It’s like life or death. My students come to class with insurmountable issues, and I know that while I am only one person, my life has been changed by only one teacher in one class. I want to have some sort of impact in that way.”

When freshman Erin Bonefas walks into her English class, she first hears Kim and the rest of the classmates perform a routine singing of “Happy Birthday” preced-

makes it fun to learn. ... “ She She’s really happy all the time.

I knew she was going to have a great impact on kids here. And I have yet to come across a single kid who hasn’t validated that.

Scott McDermott, Associate Principal

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like talking to a friend and “ It’s not a person of authority. ...

I learned what a good leader was, where it’s someone who you want to relate with and who you want to make proud of you.

always the first “She’s person to be there for you. ”

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Annie Cimack, junior

Heather Sherwin, English teacher

PASSION: English teacher Joyce Kim stands in front of her classroom wall filled with letters from students. Kim, who is in her second year of teaching at Prospect, has recieved the 2017 NHSS Educator of the Year award. (photo by Erik Valazquez) ing a candy-throw at the birthday student’s face. Bonefas has trouble choosing a label or naming a specific thing that makes her 6th period teacher special. For her, it’s everything.

“She makes it fun to learn,” Bonefas said. “I really like how she makes everything really enjoyable in the class.”

One of these things that makes Kim’s classroom special are noticeable pieces of paper that take many shapes, lengths and colors lining

the class walls. These papers that fill the classroom are letters written to express gratitude for support through hard times or those written to accompany gifts for many Prospect students’ favorite English teacher.

These letters are what motivated Associate Principal Scott McDermott to write Kim a recommendation letter for the national award. After Kim approached him about the nomination, McDermott decided to take an untraditional

approach to writing this letter for a teacher he found to be outside of the norm.

On an off day, McDermott walked into her empty classroom.

He read. Messages from the hundreds of letters on Kim’s walls spoke to him. McDermott read until he found what he was looking for: students inspired inside and outside of the classroom by someone who went beyond what they had to.

“It really gave me a chance to

one, validate what I felt, and two, to know her a little bit better,” McDermott said. “If you walk into her room right now, what you see is an atmosphere of caring and an evaluation of that from what kids write to her about how she believed in kids when other people didn’t.”

One of these letters is from junior Annie Cimack. Last year, when Kim had Cimack in class for Honors World Literature and SEE EDUCATION, page 2

English division courses revisit college readiness

BY NICHOLAS EGEA News Editor Once students reach senior year, English courses become electives. Next year, two new classes are being added: College Composition 101 and English 100. Both new courses are designed to help seniors with their future in college English classes.

College Composition 101 is an advanced writing class which will recreate what students will take their freshman year at college. It is a single semester class that gives a college credit through Eastern Illinois University to anyone with a passing grade, a D or higher.

Overall, College Composition 101 has been in existence for three years since being created at Eastern Illinois University, but it will be introduced at Prospect for the first time next school year.

Due to the college credit students can receive at the end of the course, teachers who instruct College Composition 101 need to have a master’s degree in English. English teachers Jill Corr and Karen Kruse are the only teachers that are certified to teach this course.

English teacher Lori Amedeo teaches Advanced Composition, but she cannot

teach College Composition. According to Amedeo, this could decrease enrollment in her Advanced Composition classes, but she understands that college credit is something that many students want.

According to English/Fine Arts Division Head Adam Levinson, College Composition will exist alongside Advanced Composition.

Levinson stated that the courses are virtually identical, except College Composition 101 rewards passing students with a college credit.

Levinson also believes that getting college credit from this course would be extremely beneficial to students who intend on attending college.

Because the course is in its beginning stages, the credit might not be accepted at all universities. However, if it is accepted, it would help students get closer to what he calls “the power of 15.”

“If you have 15 credits going into college, you are exponentially more likely to graduate [from college],” Levinson said.

Another English course that is being offered to seniors next year is English 100.

This course is an entry level English course that is two semesters long.

It is for students who need to improve their general skills in writing, annotation

WRITE RIGHT: English teacher Lori Amedeo helps a student with an essay in her Advanced Composition course. Next year College Composition 101 will be available to students looking for dual credit opportunities (photo by Nicholas Egea) and sentence structure. Once participants in this course reach college, they can take a test on the materials that they learned.

The goal of the course is to jumpstart students who are behind into more advanced English courses during their freshman year of college. By doing so, the prospective student will save time and money.

According to Levinson, there will be one to two sections of this class next year.

With these two new English courses, teachers hope to further prepare students for college level English courses.

“Writing skills are writing skills,” said Corr. “They are always going to be important.”

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News

December 8, 2017

prospectornow.com

WiSTEM guests offer opportunities

BY ALLISON SOLHEIM Opinion Editor

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enior Nicole Brzys had no idea that she would have been presenting in front of a large audience, let alone, in front of Microsoft.

Brzys, along with a few other members, had the opportunity to showcase one of her ideas to Acadia Pharmaceuticals last year.

Acadia Pharmaceuticals is a company that is dedicated to the advancement of innovative medicines that improve the patients who live with central nervous system disorders.

Last year during the corporate challenge, her group’s idea was a patch that administered medicine to patients.

The patch was created for people who struggle with depression and have a hard time remembering when to take their medicine. After Brzys and her group talked to Acadia, they then had the opportunity to talk to Microsoft about their idea and had been featured on the news.

“It was kind of nerve wracking and kind of scary because you are afraid of making a mistake,” Brzys said. “It was better for us because there was a lot of people presenting, so the pressure was kind of off of us.”

This opportunity was brought upon Brzys because she was part of Women in STEM (WiSTEM).

WiSTEM is an organization designed for girls looking to go into the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field. It provides them with real life experience and gives them opportunities to talk and listen to famous speakers.

Junior Mary Stahlman has been in the club since her freshman year. “[WiSTEM] shows you a lot of the opportunities that are available in the STEM field ,and I think it shows you all of the influential women who are currently working in the STEM field that you

KEYNOTE: Jessie Chartier (left) from Mobile Makers discusses computer science careers for women in this field. Women in STEM (WiSTEM) brings numerous opportunities such as being able to listen to women in the field. (photo courtesy of Katie Page) don’t always see as much,” Stahlman said.

“It shows you how successful women can be, and it encourages you to get involved, as well, when seeing women doing things that traditionally they wouldn’t be doing.”

Girls in the club look to their Schoology page to see different opportunities that they have. Students who are interested in this club have two options: the independent research and the corporate challenge.

Independent research, also known as investigatory design, is where students participate in an independent research project on a subject of their choice.

They are also paired up with a mentor in the STEM field for assistance. That mentor then also helps their student throughout the

“[WiSTEM] shows you how successful women can be, and it encourages you to get involved.”

- Mary Stahlman, junior

whole project process. The corporate challenge is when a group of students come together to try and create something to solve an issue. This is the portion of the club that Brzys, along with her group, had the opportunity to present to Microsoft.

Brzys got a silver award for the first project she did. However, she says her biggest success has been when she helped design and present the patch. For her, it was a great opportunity to present in front of a large crowd, in a big city and as well as being on the news.

Along with Brzys, Stahlman and her group had the opportunity to present through the STEM challenge, where people come up with a solution for a real life problems and get to present it to people work in that field. Stahlman’s part of the presentation was about trying to solve the problem of medication adherence and patients with depression.

Stahlman, along with her group members, presented the solution which was an alarm clock. The clock would then dispense pills every morning and in order for the alarm to shut off, the patient has to take the pills.

Stahlman presented at Prospect to Acadia Pharmaceuticals for their original project and then went to the Microsoft building in Chicago.

“The building was really amazing.” said Stahlman. “It was so big and there were a lot of business people there and it felt very professional. It was also cool to know that we were doing a project that actually made a difference and had some sort of a purpose outside of just school.”

Besides doing their own projects and going to conventions, they also listened to different speakers. These speakers are often other women who have high paying jobs who are in the STEM field doing what they enjoy.

One speaker they had the opportunity to listen to was Ellen Shapiro who formerly worked for SpotHero in Chicago, which is a parking reservation service that connects drivers looking to reserve and repay parking space with parking lots, parking garages and valet services.

Brzys has been part of the club since she was a freshman and says the experiences have been outstanding. She explains that WiSTEM has let her discover different career paths she would’ve never considered before. The club itself has also helped her gain real world experience.

“Independent research has allowed me practice the skills such as speaking, communicating, doing research and working with others,” Brzys said. “It has just helped me get the skills that are beneficial for the future. There is so much you can do with STEM. There is something you are bound to like, and it is something where you are nervous at the beginning, but it is such a fun journey and it really does matter. Follow your fear. You might as well do it, [because] even if you don’t like it, at least you’ll know you don’t like it.”

EDUCATION: Kim recognized as Educator of the Year CONTINUED from front page Composition, she announced a district-wide writing competition for students.

The moment that followed resembles what Kim’s teacher did for her in high school. As a quieter student in class, Cimack was surprised when Kim individually approached and encouraged her to submit something for this contest.

“I think that if she had not done that, I would have not entered because I would have not been confident enough in myself to have actually tried that,” Cimack said.

“It would have been just like another homework assignment.”

Cimack, who was set on studying engineering after high school, was published in the Daily Herald for her work. Immediately, her outlook on English in and out of the classroom changed. She believes that the opportunity to try writing was an eye-opening experience. The most meaningful moment for her was when Kim showed up at school with flowers to congratulate her.

“It was just a very sweet thing to do, where she was thinking about [me],” Cimack said. “I was so impressed and proud.

She would come up to me in the hallway and be like, ‘Annie, you should be a teacher,’ and I would be like, ‘She knows my name!’”

As a coworker who observes Kim’s work with students, English teacher Heather Sherwin believes that this enthusiastic relationship with students is what makes Kim worthy of the “Educator of the Year” title.

When Sherwin first met Kim last year, her first year at Prospect after 10 years of teaching at Elk Grove, she couldn’t help but notice Kim’s drive to help others.

“The woman is a beast,” Sherwin said.

“She works and works, and she’ll pull out everything she can out of you, out of students but in the nicest of ways. On the other hand, she’s got this smile, this energy, this enthusiasm, she is right there for you. The empathy piece is there.”

McDermott concurs with Sherwin. When he participated in the One Knight program last year, the student he shadowed was one

of Kim’s English students. McDermott was impressed as an educator. Just like Sherwin, he noticed her encouraging yet relatable behavior as the key to engaging students.

“What impresses me about [Kim] the most is just the way that she connects with kids.

She can connect with a kid on any level. She learns a lot about the people who walk into her room,” McDermott said. “Again, they’re more than just students at tables, they’re truly conversation partners.”

Cimack believes this is exemplified through her honesty with students. She remembers when Kim suddenly agreed with students who questioned the importance of a part of the curriculum. She was surprised that her teacher didn’t immediately tell them the material was important and that they should see the importance of learning it.

“I kind of learned what a good leader was, where it’s someone who you want to relate with and who you want to make proud of you,” Cimack said. “It’s not someone who gives you orders, but it’s someone who you want to work for.”

That is exactly what Kim aims to do – to make her students feel like they can relate to their teacher.

She often shares personal stories or narratives with her class, at times relieving stress about her personal life. At the end of year, Kim read a letter to her sophomore classes to thank them.

“I think my students are like my family,” Kim said. “Like it’s not work to me. …

They know I can’t fake anything with them. I think it’s okay for me to say, ‘I don’t know.’”

At the NHSS award ceremony in Georgia, Kim shared her experiences growing up. Before her father died, she had started working at 15 to also support her mother, who still receives treatment for macular degeneration, a vision impairment, today. Family relations were also rough, leaving little solace after her father’s death. The instability at home made Kim desperately yearn for stability at school.

To make things as stable as she could,

TEACHING: English teacher Joyce Kim plays a class game with her class before leaving for Thanksgiving break. “She makes it fun to learn things,” freshman Erin Bonefas said. (photo by Ayse Eldes) Kim threw herself into schoolwork, trying to fulfill her mother’s wish of becoming a doctor. She looks back to observe that she grew up as an obedient person, hesitating to think independently until after her teacher’s guidance in high school and discovery of a new passion for English.

“I was the last person to think that I would become a teacher,” Kim said in her speech in Georgia. “You see, English was my second language, I am an introvert, and I was set out to be a doctor at an early age. My mom is here with me today, and part of me wonders if she thinks this as an awards ceremony for finally getting my medical degree.

Let’s keep her guessing.”

Kim believes that hesitating to share her own experiences with her students would be like pretending to be perfect. By being open and honest, Kim tries to make her classroom like a safe haven for her students with similar struggles outside of school. Cimack was impressed at Kim’s honesty when she shared this with her class.

“That really helped me understand a lot more where she was coming from,” Cimack said. “And it helped me to see how open she was. She’s such a positive and fun person,

so that was really … reaffirming to see. It makes her a real person. This is someone who has issues just like I have issues, but she has dealt with them in a way that’s made her such an influential and positive person.

It’s really interesting to see, ‘What can I do to make sure I can do that too?’”

On Kim’s wall hangs a poster saying, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

“Everyone’s life is full of hardships,” Kim said. “Are you going to use that to hide in your shell or get up and fight? Sometimes they need someone to be like, ‘Fight!’[and] to challenge them. ‘You can use this to become a stronger person.’”

The success of Kim’s teaching is perhaps best illustrated by the words of an anonymous student McDermott found in a letter: “I don’t think I ever left your class without having laughed basically the entire period,” the student wrote. “I really appreciate how you always supported me when I wasn’t your student anymore. I look up to you, your strength inspires me. I honestly can’t imagine a better class or more enjoyable environment than the one I was in with you as a teacher.”

prospectornow.com

December 8, 2017

News

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Camardella partners with Harvard

IVY LEAGUE: World Religions teacher John Camardella (back row, second from left) poses with a group of religious scholars at Harvard’s divinity school. He was named a Harvard Education Fellow on Oct. 25 and will be partnering with Harvard to provide them with educational materials and high schoolers’ feedback. “It’s clear [Camardella] is doing very impressive and important work with his students,” Harvard Divinity School Professor Dr. Diane Moore said. (photo courtesy of John Camardella)

BY ERIN SCHULTZ Associate Editor-in-Chief

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n addition to World Religions teacher, Head Basketball Coach, Ultimate Frisbee Sponsor, father and husband, John Camardella has earned two more titles: Harvard Education Fellow and graduate student.

Following Harvard Professor Dr. Diane Moore’s visit to Prospect on Oct. 6, Camardella was offered the position of Education Fellow.

He had discussed working with Moore on a more frequent basis, but the official offer came on Oct. 25. This position entails a stronger relationship between Harvard Divinity School and Prospect’s religions class.

“He was an obvious choice for us,” Moore said. “He’s doing very unique and important work, not only in terms of the scale of the work and with students, but also with parents. Not to mention his remarkable enthusiasm about jumping into the challenge of the cultural studies method.”

One of the most notable changes will be shifting the World Religions curriculum from the traditional model — which teaches religions tradition by tradition — to the cultural studies model — while not significantly different than the former, starts with culture and extends to learning about religion.

Camardella’s fellowship begins in January, so the model will be implemented beginning next semester. Although Camardella has little experience utilizing the cultural

studies model, he believes it will benefit the World Religions curriculum.

“It’s completely uncharted waters,” Camardella said. “For me, it’s all about how we can make the most academically rigorous, fun and engaging curriculum for our Prospect students.”

But according to Moore, this fellowship will be benefitting Harvard Divinity School just as much as Prospect.

Moore says Camardella helps the divinity school by providing worksheets that help high school students unpack high-level ideas, responds to resources Harvard provides and gives guidance on what materials students respond to and what can be improved.

“He’s been a huge help to us,” Moore said.

“He gives great feedback and his work is passed off to other teachers to not only help [Harvard], but other high school teachers who are interested.”

In return, Harvard Divinity School is proving Camardella with a tuition waiver to earn a Religious Studies and Education certificate from the Harvard Extension School.

The extension school gives people across the world access to Harvard’s classes and professors.

Camardella has two years to complete five classes: two required courses — Religion, Education and Democracy, and Methods in Religious Studies and Education — and two electives. Camardella can choose to study specific traditions such as Buddhism, Islam or other religions, according to Moore.

Camardella will begin his first class on Jan. 24 and is looking forward to implementing

some of the strategies he learns in his classes to the World Religions curriculum.

Moore says the extension school awards 10 to 20 Religious Studies and Education certificates per year and students have a maximum of three years to complete the classes.

Camardella estimates he will finish it in two since he’s taking one class per semester for “his own sanity.”

“For me, it’s all about maximizing every minute of my day,” Camardella said. “I work to not waste time. I can’t waste time. … I always look to work smarter, not harder.

And you can always get more money, more things, but you can’t get more time.”

But Camardella says he could not have achieved this level of success alone. He attributes his ability to participate in so many projects to his wife and his mother.

“I will explicitly say that I couldn’t do this without my wife and my mother …

Without them, this class would not be at this level. This curriculum matters, giving the basketball team a serious chance at chasing the championships matters, and this is all because of the support from my wife,” Camardella said.

However, with the emergence of this partnership, Camardella has received many questions regarding the future of his career.

“To partner with someone like [Moore] and Harvard is unbelievable. I never saw my career going this place,” Camardella said.

“But on the flip side, I’m doing exactly what I want to do. I’m not looking to leave Prospect.

This is my home; this is where I’ve always seen myself.”

ON PROSPECTORNOW.COM Schuler named Superintendent of the Year District 214 Superintendent Dr. David R. Schuler received the prestigious award of Superintendent of the Year from the the Illinois Association of School Administrators.

Students audition for ILMEA state festival After the ILMEA district festival, band students auditioned for the state festival and await the results.

4

Opinion

December 8, 2017

prospectornow.com

Staff Editorial

HW Blackouts require stricter enforcement A s part of the new schedule going into this school year, blackout weekends were instituted on several holiday and special event weekends throughout the year. So far, the two no homework weekends this year have been homecoming weekend and Thanksgiving break.

Over no-homework weekends, teachers are not allowed to give any assignments that will be due the Monday after the break. Teachers are also not allowed to have any tests scheduled before the Wednesday after the break.

For English teacher Matt Love, the “jury’s still out” on the success of the policy.

“I certainly understand the idea, and I agree with the spirit of it,” Love said.

“What makes it tricky for teachers is, ‘How can I respect this and not give work over break?’”

Love gives the example of his classes having to read “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Normally, he says, he would assign four to five chapters to read over the break. With the no homework rule in place, Love says he will need to find a way

to have his students read the chapters at the break. However, he did have an assignment he had given his students a week beanother time. fore the break that was due Tuesday.

“If we have this homework break, then Blackout weekends are an incredibly the homework itself won’t go away,” Love beneficial idea that will continue to be said. “It’ll just get more concentrated in helpful to students. Whether it be for their other places. Maybe that’s an OK trade off, grades or for their menbut I think we’re just gotal health, students need ing to have to find out.” a time when they can According to psycholtruly relax. From the moogist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnment they start school, son, stress based on students rarely have a homework is on a case by time when they can take case basis. Kyp-Johnson a break from the stresses says that having homeof school completely unwork over break might til they graduate. stress out some students, Summer breaks often but might relax others, Voting results of the Proshave lengthy summer as they could have a assignments, chance to work on aspector staff in regards to this reading quizzes or essays, and signments and improve editorial. shorter breaks during their grades. Kyp-Johnson thinks that the real concern with the the year often give teachers an opportunity to assign extra homework. No homework no homework weekends is the workload students could have after the break, as he weekends prevent students from thinking knows a student who had three tests on the about school over break, but only if the policy is executed properly. same day following the blackout weekend.

Love did not assign any homework over We, The Prospector, believe that teach-

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Against

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For

ers should be required to wrap up any standing assignments before the start of a no homework weekend to make sure the spirit of the rule is observed instead of just the exact letter of the rule. While we are sympathetic to the extra work this will create for teachers, the benefits of a weekend completely free of the possibility of work would be immeasurable. Prospect students already have busy lives filled with other responsibilities, and if the school has the power to remove one of those responsibilities briefly to give students a chance to unplug from their daily stressors, it should do just that.

Prospect students are hardworking, but they are not invincible. While we understand that this may be an extreme stance to take, the results of which would require a lot of time, effort and cooperation from almost everyone in the building, students deserve a much needed break.

The no homework weekends are a great idea that has and will continue to benefit students for years to come, but if we want to give students a break, we need to do it properly.

No hard and fast rules? he rightfully puts the score in as a zero, dealing with every cheating incident the same way regardless of the student.

Circumstances are different for Fonsino, an AP Human Geography teacher who has *Name changed for confidentiality never experienced a student cheating while taking a test in her nine years of teaching at I didn’t know I was a cheater until recentProspect. Test score differences are inconsisly, oftentimes finding my phone blowing up tent in Fonsino’s class specifically, with map with texts trying to divvy up the homework test scores typically increasing load among my friends and I, or throughout the day. on a test day asking for tips on “I prevent cheating by simply what to expect. being aware and present in my Although this may seem like classroom.” Fonsino said. “It’s a harmless way of helping out a not to create an environment of friend when they’re in a pinch, it distrust because I don’t want to is one of the most common forms act like eyes that are constantly of cheating.

In fact, teachers make it easier BY ELIZABETH KEANE watching them.”

However, Fonsino often nofor students to cheat by choosing Staff Writer tices students exchanging hometo give the exact same tests and work answers in the study hall assignments to every class. This she supervises. According to her, students creates an easier grading process for them, are quite obvious about sharing homework but an increase in cheating among students and don’t try to cover it up. that no teacher could possibly prevent.

Associate Principal Scott McDermott Regarding free response questions points students in the direction of the hand(FRQs) in social science classes, it is up to book when faced with questions of cheating. the teacher if they would like to give mulThe District 214 Student Handbook briefly tiple formats between class periods to dismentions the issue: “Engaging in academic courage cheating. By choosing to not do this, dishonesty, including cheating, intentionalteachers may give certain classes an unfair ly plagiarizing, wrongfully giving or receivadvantage if students discuss the materials ing help during an academic examination, of the test, receiving higher grades simply altering report cards and wrongfully obtainbecause their class is later in the day. ing test copies or scores.”

According to social science teachers The “gray area” of cheating is different David Schnell and Michelle Fonsino, there for everyone. Some students cheat and don’t tends to be a lot of cheating through word of care about the consequences, but others take mouth and on homework. The most common their schoolwork seriously. form of cheating they experience in their Junior *Taylor Jones experiences stuclasses is when students turn in an assigndents asking for direct answers every time ment that someone else has clearly done — she takes a test and therefore believes it sometimes with the other person’s name still more beneficial to have multiple formats. on it.

She strictly does all of her homework by Schnell feels that hovering over students herself, which is rare to come by in most stucreates a sort of adversarial dynamic, in dents. which students feel like their teacher doesn’t “It’s not cheating if you ask for help on trust them. one question in a specific topic,” Jones said.

“Catching people cheating is harder than “But it’s a different story if you’re always it sounds,” Schnell said. “I don’t tend to do turning in work that was completed by it because I feel like I’m doing a lot of police someone else.” work in my class.”

Freshman *Matthew Hinton cheats to get When Schnell catches students cheating,

New cheating methods require testing changes

Online Editor-in-chief Amanda Stickels Online Sports Editor Wyatt Dojutrek

staff

Broadcast Editor Kate Hyland

Editor-in-Chief Cassidy Delahunty

News Editors Ryan Kupperman Nick Egea

Copy Editors Cole Atlmayer Ayse Eldes

Opinion Editors Allison Solheim Anthony Romanelli

Associate Editor-in-Chief Erin Schultz

PUMPKIN EATER: Students look over a peer’s shoulder to cheat on an assignment.

Along with views of traditional cheating methods like this one, students use many new ways to cheat using technology. (cartoon by Katie Hamilton) better grades. He justifies this if the test is hard, he didn’t study or if it’s a foreign language. He also believes that since there is no real way to tell which test is harder than the other, teachers should distribute the same test format to all classes.

“They give you homework to take home,” Hinton said. “This is basically inviting you to cheat because you can easily look it up or get answers from your friends.”

It is inevitable for students to cheat, but

Entertainment Editors Grace Givan Jenna Koch FEATURES EDITORS Mandi Hall Mackenzie Noelle Sports Editors Jack Ankony Anthony Santangelo Staff Writer Megan Sulak Visuals EditorS Nicholes Schauer Erik Velazquez

our friends and teachers make it easier for us to do something as little as copy each other’s work or something larger such as an FRQ or test in class. Teachers need to begin giving all students the same experience and opportunity to succeed in test-taking by using new questions every period.

So next time I take a test and my friends start asking me for answers, I don’t want to have to feel like the worst kind of criminal: a cheater.

Adviser Jason Block Mission Statement The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news as well as explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community. We, the Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide a school forum for the unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions. The Prospector is published by students in Journalistic Writing courses. Some material is courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Advertising For ad rates, call (847) 718-5376 (ask for Cassidy Delahunty), fax (847) 718-5306 e-mail or write the Prospector, 801 West Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056, prospectornow@gmail.com.

Letters to the Editor Drop off letters to the Prospector in the box in the library, in Rm. 216 or email letters to prospectornow@gmail.com. All letters must be signed. Limit letters to 400 words. The Prospector reserves the right to edit letters for style and length.

prospectornow.com

December 8, 2017

5

Features

Schaap remodels, renovates old cars

BY NICHOLES SCHAUER Executive Visuals Editor

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hen Auto Systems teacher Tim Schaap met Theodore Koutsoures, a fellow teacher, he soon found out that Koutsoures’s 1948 Ford Deluxe Coupe was stolen in Chicago. Koutsoures had purchased an unassembled replacement of the same car and its assorted pieces after his first was stolen. Schaap immediately bought the car, which had been sitting in Koutsoures’s garage for four years, for $2,500.

After the deal was made, Schaap began transporting the hundreds of pieces of the car to his own garage. Any pieces that weren’t there were purchased from companies that manufacture replacements or sell originals. To learn how and where pieces should be put together, Schaap read instructional books.

“All the pieces were there; they just needed to be put together,” Schaap said. “It was like putting together a life-size model.”

Schaap worked on the vehicle’s subsystems, such as the steering and bodywork. He could not do everything himself, so he paid for the vehicle to be painted.

Two years later when the Ford was functional, he drove around the neighborhood sitting on nothing but a milk crate functioning as the missing seats. The car has taken two total years for Schaap to

RIDING IN LUXURY: Auto Systems teacher Tim Schaap’s dashboard features an original 1948 interior, complete with a fake skull. Schaap, who built the 1948 Ford himself, brings in his custom car to show students each year. “It’s like a house,” Schaap said. “You always have something else to work on for it.” (photo by Nicholes Schauer) complete.

The experience sparked Schaap’s interest in older cars.

After Schaap was offered a position to teach the Auto Systems class, it would take him three and a half years of difficult night school to study modern automotive systems and prepare for the position.

The interest in old cars translates into the students who take the Autos elective. Junior Justin Sherrick is going to begin making car

K

CONSTRUCTION: CTE Teacher Tim Schaap’s vehicle sits in the Auto Shop. This year, students are installing electric wipers. (photo

by Nicholes Schauer)

o Wh ws o n

payments of $180 per month for five years in order to acquire a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia.

TIM SCHAAP Sherrick CTE Teacher and senior David Wohlgemuth are two students who were allowed to install electric window wipers onto the 1948 Ford when Schaap brought the vehicle into his Autos class. The work will be entirely hand done due to the lack of car kits capable of fitting older vehicles. Both Sherrick and Wohlgemuth are excited to work on the vehicle from a bygone era.

“Working in high school on a vintage car is pretty different [than working on a modern car],” Sherrick said.

Schaap attempts to bring the car each year to show his Autos classes. On many occasions, he has also showcased it in local car shows.

Schaap usually parks the car,

Junior Louis Lopez The Best Friend

Junior Jaclyn LoGiudice The Subject

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etYto u er?

Senior Daniel Platz The Boyfriend

American Studies

opens the hood and walks away.

His car’s impressive paint, chrome and decals often turn heads.

Schaap’s family and friends have also enjoyed the car. He shared his work when he was finally finished. To insure it, he pays about $450 per year. Schaap has no current plans for his 1948 Ford, but he knows future maintenance will always be an issue.

Schaap plans to procure parts for the construction of an even older 1932 Ford. He hopes it will be an even more impressive venture than the 1948 Ford in his Schaap also owns: garage. “ I t ’ s 1987 Porsche like a Jeep Cherokee house,” Nissan Rogue Schaap said. “You a l w a y s h a v e s o m e thing else to work on for it.”

Gordon Ramsay

“All the pieces were there; they just need to be put together. It was like putting together a life size model.”

- Tim Schaap, CTE Teacher

Brownies

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Favorite celebrity?

American Studies

Johnny Depp

Intro To Business

No clue

One Punch Man

Cooking

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Favorite ice Most recream top- cent binge watched ping? show?

Whipped One Punch Cream Man

Fudge

One Punch Man

P

W I N N E R

Favorite pastime?

Cooking

Cosplay

X

6

Features

December 8, 2017

prospectornow.com

Books strum inspiration for songwriters

BY MACKENZIE NOELLE Features Editor

B

reathing in and out slowly for four seconds, nervous sophomore Claire Spencer waited to perform an original song for the first time at Christian Life Church last Christmas Eve. Spencer had been playing guitar for seven years and writing her own songs since sixth grade, yet she had never performed an original work in front of a crowd before this moment.

“I felt kind of awkward at first,” Spencer said. “As my song continued, [though], I felt more and more comfortable, like I was kind of meant to be up there in a way.”

Spencer spends a lot of time writing and journaling in her free time, oftentimes about life experiences or from a book she read. She enjoys reading nonfiction books more than fictional. She did like “To Kill A Mockingbird”, though, because of the lesson of stepping into someone else’s shoes being taught throughout the novel.

From this book and many others, many songwriters from Prospect, including Spencer, senior Jamie Gordon and English teacher Michael Andrews, have gotten inspiration from several literary works for their own songs.

Andrews, having taken no guitar lessons and having no understanding of how to read music, found it easier and more fun to make his own creations from things he’s read, seen or have happen to him in his personal life.

“I’ve always enjoyed just playing and making up my own stuff more than I did learning other people’s stuff,” Andrews said.

In eighth grade when Andrews attended St. James School, a guitarist was needed to accompany a pianist at the graduation ceremony. Andrews applied because he’d always wanted to play, even

STRUMMIN’: Students and staff members use literary elements from school and outside reading to write songs. Several works, such as “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “Speak” have been incorporated into such songs. (photo illustration by Katie Hamilton) though he had no idea how to. He used his rison, lead singer of The Doors by writing dad’s old guitar that was hidden under the poetry and turning it into song.

“I think great music is a form of poetry,” bed, learned a few basic chords from his dad Gordon said. “[With] writing poetry and and ended up playing during graduation.

Throughout high school, the English music in general, there’s a lot of overlap becurriculum Andrews took was very poetry tween the two.”

In AP Language and Composition, stuheavy, and Andrews gravitated towards it both in school and with his guitar. Andrews dents not only look into poetry, but they also now writes more in the summer, due to have a music protest project, or mini-unit, after readteaching ing “The a n d Listening Between the Lines Grapes of coaching Wrath”. boys’ varSong and Artist Literary Inspiration During the sity socproject, cer, but Firework by Katy On The Road by students he writes Perry Jack Kerouac look into and plays songs that as much go along as he can, A Storm of Swords by Hands of Gold by with “The working George R. R. Martin Ed Sheeran Grapes of on a song Wrath” right now and the idea of literature as social protest. inspired by the character Atticus Finch from The project includes different music genres “To Kill A Mockingbird”. “[Writing] seemed like a natural fit,” and materials from slave songs to mid-20th century folk to modern day hip hop. Because Andrews said. “Part of my life is being so invested in literature, so when I’m writing, of the music’s diverse history within these I’m using quite a lot of books and poetry [I’ve materials, Andrews thought the historical context deserved more than 10 minutes here already read].”

For Gordon, she’s been writing since she and there and turned it into a project.

“All throughout history, you have artists started playing guitar when she was eight speaking out against injustice and trying to or nine years old. As she grew up, Gordon started following in the footsteps of Jim Mor- use their craft to inspire social change,” An-

drews said.

“More than anything, I hope [my students] see [from this project] that this a pattern throughout American history; it’s not just isolated songs or isolated artworks.”

English teachers meet together frequently to discuss what type of literature they want to teach to their students and what literary works best develop the students’ skills both in school and out.

For a summer reading requirement going into freshman year, Spencer read the novel “Speak”. She connected easily with the novel and got lots of inspiration for writing songs, since it was focused around a teenage girl and her life experiences while overcoming depression.

“I have genetic depression in my family, so [playing guitar] was a good outlet, and writing was a good place for me,” Spencer said.

Although not school required, Gordon also enjoys horror and short stories and thinks they have an influence on songwriting just as much as any other form of literature.

“I think a lot of times, books will evoke certain feelings in people from the themes expressed in them,” Gordon said. “The themes expressed in literature, whether it be poetry or novels, are similar to how music moves people.”

Students drop lunch in favor of more electives

BY CASSIDY DELAHUNTY Editor-in-Chief Junior Vicky Kuprewicz has grown accustomed to going without a lunch period.

Since her freshman year, Kuprewicz has dropped lunch in order to take a third elective. Eating lunch in quick shifts between instructions from the Orchestra director has become her daily norm.

Despite how tough it can be, missing both the social and free time a lunch can provide, Kuprewicz says she has become accustomed to it and even wishes she could fit more classes into her schedule.

Like many other students involved in multiple music programs, Kuprewicz dropped lunch in order to take a language class.

To drop a lunch period, a student’s individual case must be approved by Principal Dowling. According to counselor Cathy Hill, each student is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and there is no list of requirements that a student must meet in order to be allowed to drop lunch. Hill says that the administration is much stricter now than in the past about who is allowed to drop lunch.

While Kuprewicz has wanted to take other classes like Personal Finance, AP Psychology and AP Chemistry, she says there just isn’t enough time in the day to do so.

“I’ve been working on my schedule [for next year], and in order to take all the classes I want to take, I need 11 periods,” Kuprewicz said. “That’s not working out.”

According to Hill, Kuprewicz’s situation is not uncommon, as taking the same electives for so many years can put students in a tough spot.

“They have to make some decisions,” Hill said. “Are students really loving the language they’re taking or would it be more beneficial for them to … take some computer classes or explore education or engineering?

I guess it’s the student’s option to do that. It’s hard, [and] it turns into some pretty tough decisions.”

Kuprewicz has experienced these tough decisions firsthand. Even though she loves Orchestra, she has considered dropping the class. With about four to five hours of homework on an average night, Kuprewicz says the extra time would be incredibly beneficial.

“The thought of having a lunch, possibly, having that free time, really pushed me to drop it,” Kuprewicz said. “But I didn’t do it.”

In the end, Kuprewicz did not drop Orchestra because, ultimately, she is very passionate about it.

Kuprewicz and Hill agree that taking the same electives for so long can make it harder to explore future career paths, as many stu-

MULTI-TASKING: A student eats in class while working on the assigned work. Many students struggle by choosing only two electives. (photo by Erik Velazquez) dents use electives to do just that.

“It leaves me uncertain,” Kuprewicz said.

“That’s going to leave me struggling in college. … Before, I was interested in architecture and I wanted to take CAD classes and Project Lead the Way, and I could not get it in my schedule, even senior year.”

Kuprewicz says that she was unable to fit in the classes she wanted because she had to prioritize other electives.

Hill says that the District 214 Career Pathways program in place at Prospect helps some students in Kuprewicz’s position. Hill gives the example of a student who might be in the education pathway. The student could start out freshman year taking Human Growth, then move on to Preschool, and then eventually enroll in Education Academy

and get an internship at a local school as a teacher’s assistant. According to Hill, yearly changes in the Career Pathways program are made to further help students with the struggles of scheduling.

“It’s a great opportunity to see what the next step is before there’s this solid line [of], ‘OK, high school is done, I’m starting [something new].’” Hill said.

“In theory, it’s a great idea. Sometimes we wish there were more hours in the day.

I know [students] think that too and wish that, but there’s not really tons of space in your schedule to do that kind of stuff. We’ll see how things are evolving because they are changing almost every year. It’s hard for us to keep up, but I think the direction we’re going is a real positive one.”

prospectornow.com

December 8, 2017

Features

7

Sexual harassment impacts teenagers

BY MANISHA PANTHEE Staff Writer *Names changed for confidentiality

S

ometimes, those we trust are the ones who let us down the most. 8th grader *Lena Roberts found this out the hard way. Roberts, who is not a student in District 214, had gone to the movies with her boyfriend one day. She had been 14 at the time. Roberts’ freshman boyfriend had gotten too handsy many times during the movie, but she had shoved him away multiple times, feeling uncomfortable. After the movie, the couple went to the boyfriend’s house to hang out.

It was at this point that Robert’s boyfriend got sick of her rejecting his advances and decided to do something about it. That night, 14-year-old Roberts was raped by her then-boyfriend. “[Roberts] was one of my best friends.

She was literally the happiest person I knew,” Roberts’s friend, Prospect freshman *Alexandra Cooper, said. “Nothing could bring her down. Everyone went to her when they had a problem and she was a literal ray of sunshine. After he raped her, there was never a smile on her face again. There was a good period of time where if you tried to touch her shoulder or anywhere, she started screaming and bawling. It was the scariest thing.”

Cooper and Roberts are no longer best friends, though not for lack of trying.

Roberts withdrew from her friends, even when they tried getting through to her. The incident scarred her and she has not yet left recovered.

“My innocence was stripped away,” Roberts said. “I’m a little better now, but that memory will forever be a part of me.”

Roberts and her parents decided that homeschooling was the best option for her, considering her former boyfriend and sexual abuser still went to the high school that she would have attended the year after.

While Cooper had seen how much Roberts had changed after the incident, she was not prepared for the devastation she felt after a good friend tried to take advantage of her.

She had been hanging out with her friends, having a good time like usual. Somehow, Cooper found herself alone with a boy, and he tried to kiss her and put his hand up her shirt. When Cooper told him to back off, he persisted.

“He tried to convince me that it was OK, and that it would be fun. That’s when I realized [that] the [attempt] was happening,” Cooper said.

Although she did not want to tell her parents, they could feel something was wrong.

Cooper told her parents, and together they reported the boy to her priest. Fortunately, the boy was punished accordingly. According to Cooper, he had to register as a sex offender, but, for Cooper, that didn’t change the fact that he had tried to take advantage of her.

“I was crying; I felt like I wasn’t worth anything for someone to do that to me,” Cooper said.

gave the perpetraror a two day suspension, according to Roberts.

“I don’t think the school truly believed me,” Roberts said. “I felt like I couldn’t trust anyone again.”

She went to her parents and together they reported it to the police. The boy was registered as a sex offender, and they went to court.

“The taboos that some people have with [sexual assault] have led to why you have so many people that don’t report it and in some cases, where there is victim shaming,” social science teacher Mike Sebestyen said.

“It’s important for the people who have been harassed or assaulted to feel comfortable telling their story so we can address this issue.”

Principal Michelle Dowling believes that while she may not like to believe it, sexual harassment does happen, especially in this day and age. Prospect has a variety of programs in place hoping to combat this issue.

“I think people all over the world need to be able to stand up for their rights, stand up DEEP THINKING: Experiences of sexual harassment or abuse can be alienating and for what’s right,” Dowling said. “It’s a basic life changing for students. “After [a student] raped her, there was never a smile on her human dignity. And how do we address that? face again,” an anonymous freshman said. (photo by Ayse Eldes) What are we looking at to get that done?”

Students learn about sexual assault from the shorter lengths of the outfits, placating From catcalling and wolf whistling to programs like Northwest Center Against Astheir concern by wearing spandex underrape, there is no denying that the issue of sault (Northwest CASA), where volunteers neath the skirts. She believes that her outfit sexual harassment is real. According to a visit schools and talk to students about sexuwas partly the cause for 2011 report done by the American Associaal abuse and assault. CASA the senior’s reaction. tion of University Women, a group that adalso does hospital visits and Dance coach Krisvocates for gender equality in schools, 48 therapy for victims. tin Burton stated that percent of surveyed middle and high school As well as Northher students have a students said they were sexually harassed at west CASA, Prospect variety of outfits for least once. also spreads information their performancEven with the safety Prospect provides, through Knights’ Way, es. Throughout her including security guards, harassment Freshman Advisory, Health 14 years of coaching, American women has does occur. One Classes, Sociology classes she has never heard been the victim of an such example of this is and other mediums. Dowa complaint about attempted or completed freshman *Samantha ling hopes that these prothe uniforms. Burton Granger’s experience. rape in her lifetime grams make an impact upon stated that if she was She had walked down the community, especially ever approached with the hallway at Prosconsidering the current sitAccording to RAINN a concern, she would pect during her secuations in Hollywood and definitely have that ond week of freshman politics. conversation. year, and talked to her Over the past couple weeks, many celebSchool psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnfriends like any other rities have come forward with allegations son, credits it to attributional style, which is day when she noticed of sexual harassment, particularly against an important part of anyone. Attributional a senior leering at her.

Harvey Weinstein, a well-known American style is the way a person explains the causGranger was in range film producer. The list of people accusing es and effects of something. With sexual hato hear that he was him include Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Palrassment, victims usually blame themselves muttering something provocative, but she trow and Cara Delevingne, among many othor shift the blame onto whoever assaulted couldn’t quite grasp the words. Seconds laters. 63 women and counting have accused them. er, he made an attempt to grab at her. him so far.

“Even if that’s her uniform or what she’s “I was kind of like, ‘Oh my god,’ I couldn’t Others big Hollywood names recently wearing, that doesn’t give anyone the right even process what had just happened beaccused of sexual misconduct include Ben to do anything or say anything,” Kyp-Johncause it happened so quickly,” Granger said.

Affleck, Matt Lauer and Kevin Spacey. With son said. “It’s still not right for that boy to She didn’t realize what had happened unall these media influentials with such bad act the way he did.” til she walked farther past him. Her friends publicity, it has encouraged others to share Kyp-Johnson statlaughed uncomfortably their experiences with sexual harassment. ed that no matter what while the senior walked The hashtag #MeToo caught fire when acinfluence a victim’s away. tress Alyssa Milano tweeted a call out to clothing has on a situaEntering high victims so people could truly understand the tion, that doesn’t justify school, Granger had are the highest risk years for magnitude of the problem. Men and womsomeone’s attempt to more than enough proben responded with their stories using the rape and sexual assault cross the line to sexual lems on her shoulders hashtag, whether it was a small or immenseadvance. without having to worly impactful incident.

According to RAINN “Almost across the ry about incidents like “I think it’s so courageous for people to board, it’s never OK this. As she is a Dance be able to talk about that so freely,” Cooper to just blame yourteam member of Poms said. self. To blame yourself, it’s almost insane,” and Orchesis, Granger has a busy schedule, An article written by Chicago Today Kyp-Johnson said. especially balancing extracurriculars with WTTW says that more than 22,000 people After this experience, Granger wishes her honors classes. retweeted while 60,000 responded, often with that more teachers would stay in the hallEven though it had only been her second experiences of their own. ways during passing periods to make sure week of school, she had felt that Prospect “I think it’s great the topic is getting out that anything similar does not occur. was a fairly safe place. Now, although her there, and that it’s allowing people to not While sexual harassment may be an issue opinion on Prospect has not changed, Grangbe fearful of standing up for something that around the globe, it is sometimes a difficult er’s sense of security has changed. has happened to them,” Dowling said. “If it topic to discuss. The University of Michigan “As a whole, it made me aware that I conneeds to come from Hollywood to trickle to Survivors of Sexual Assault Handbook says stantly have to be on a lookout whether I’m other places, great. But it’s been happening that victims feel a range of emotions includat school or in the public,” Granger said. all over in so many arenas for so long. I don’t ing self-blame, loss of control, fear and disShe and her fellow friends in want people to think that it’s a Hollywood trust. This coupled with the society-induced Dance are obligated to wear their thing. It’s a life thing and we need to address taboo around the topic makes it very diffiuniforms on it as such.” cult for anyone, much less children, to talk particular days, including about their experiences. For instance, when Football Fridays. Granger says Roberts reported the rape to her school, they that the girls have often discussed

1 out of every 6

“My innocence was stripped away,” Roberts said. “I’m a little better now, but that memory will forever be a part of me.”

- Anonymous 8th grader

Ages 12-34

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@Prospectornow

8

In-Depth

December 8, 2017

Rumors circulate about foreign exchange

BY RYAN KUPPERMAN Executive News Editor

F

¡Olé!: AP Spanish exchange program of 2014 poses in Barcelona. Due to the protests in Catalonia, there have been rumors this year of cancelling all of the exchange programs, but Social Science Division Head Gary Judson and many world language teachers believe that this year’s exchange will be no different than previous years. (photo courtesy of Mike Aldworth) France, Verona, Italy and Barcelona, Spain. This fall, students from these cities visited Prospect, while students from Prospect will be traveling to their respective cities during Spring break, with only about 15 to 20 students involved per program.

Despite the tension happening around the exchange cities, Judson stresses that there are no extra precautions because the programs have always been cautious and prepared. He also says that unless something occurred to endanger students, such as “instability in the areas,” he does not foresee the exchanges being cancelled. “ T h e fact that [the exchange students] have visited [Prospect], and everything is good; we feel good to go,” Judson said.

Judson also feels that, since Prospect has good relations with their exchange correspondents, the organizers would tell administration if there was something to worry about. In addition, Judson has not received any complaints

- Jenna Sandstead, French teacher

or concerns from parents, stating that they are supportive of the exchange and always have the option of not sending their student.

According to Spanish teacher Mike Aldworth, the exchange programs have been taking place for about 15 years. He says the French exchange has been around the longest, since the start of the program, because Mount Prospect is sister cities with Sèvres. On top of that, the Italian exchange has been around for about 11 years, and the Spanish exchange is about to celebrate eight years.

According to Aldworth, the District 214 Board of Education is holding a meeting to give the final approval to continue with the exchanges for this upcoming spring.

Instead of being held in November like previous years, the meeting is scheduled for early December, which Aldworth believes is not related to the events in Europe. He also says that, having talked to some of the Spanish teachers who came to Prospect through the exchange, the events in Barcelona are not to be concerned about.

Like Judson, Aldworth stresses that student safety is their first concern.

According to French teacher Jenna Sandstead, the exchanges are a huge part of the world language programs. “[The exchange] allows [students] to have real life experience with the language and travel,” Sandstead said.

Much like Aldworth and Judson, Sanstead also expects no problems when approving the exchanges. Sandstead says that previous political instability in Paris did not stop previous exchanges, so she believes the events in Barcelona will be no different.

“We have no reason to expect that it would be any different than all of the other years,” Sandstead said. “Truly, the only difference is that the [approval]meeting is a month later. From our [teachers’ and administration’s] perspective, it is no different than any other year, so our philosophy is you can’t tell the fu-

Kn o

or senior Michael Murphy, the AP Spanish exchange is more than just a mini vacation during senior year.

Murphy, who hopes to one day become a bilingual doctor, has high hopes to expand his knowledge and love of the Spanish culture during the trip. Current political developments, however, have made Murphy uneasy after hearing rumors about the program’s possible cancellation.

Although such rumors have made students like Murphy worry about missing this opportunity, Social Science Division Head Gary Judson confirmed that these rumors have no merit, stating that this year is no different than any of the previous years in terms of the program’s continuation. However, he thinks the rumors of the exchange program’s cancellation may have started with the tension in western Europe.

According to the Human Rights Watch and BBC news, the Catalan regional government agreed to meet to discuss independence from Spain on Sept. 6. However, Spain’s central government challenged the independence meeting to the Constitutional court, which resulted in the court declaring the meeting unconstitutional. On Oct. 1, the Catalan parliament voted to break away from Spain and become a separate country. This has led to many acts of violence and protests around the provinces of Girona and Barcelona. Similarly, the French government has been confronting threats to national security.

According to Real Time n e w s , France started a terrorism alert in January of 2015, officially ending the state of emergency in November. In addition, civil protests against a change in French labor laws in 2016 has led to the country’s new labor codes introduced by the newly elected President Emmanuel Macron.

There are three exchange programs involved with languages available at Prospect. These programs exchange between Sèvres,

lobe g e h t g in w 16% could recog

Ukraine in 2014

25% could Iran in 50% could recognize Syria in 2016

POP QUIZ: Since 2014, the Pew Research Center has surveyed two thousand Americans to see if they know where specific countries are on the map. They specifically chose countries that were currently in the news often when people were surveyed. (see globe)

STOPPING REBELLIONS: Police use violence against protesters who are in favor of seceding from Spain. Cases of police violence against protesters have been spreading all over Barcelona and Girona. (photo courtesy of Wikicommons)

ture. We are in preparations – flights are booked – we are taking the normal steps to have successful exchanges, as every year has been.”

In an interview conducted through email, senior Hanna Walker, who is involved with the Spanish exchange, said she would feel safe traveling to Barcelona despite the events because her exchange partner from Barcelona lives there and says that the situation is not that bad.

Walker also says that she loves learning about other places, especially in Spain, and wants to learn what it is like to live in a different country. She is also excited to meet her partner’s family and experience her daily life.

Both Walker and Murphy have been following the events taking place in Barcelona but recognize the exchange program as a great cultural experience.

“One of the things District 214 wants to teach students is to become global citizens,” Aldworth siad. “We really want to make students aware of the world outside of Prospect High School and the very comfortable neighborhoods of Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights. I think that is what AP classes do, specifically language classes. We bring up and we talk about some challenging things that students might not think about. I think it is part of our jobs as teachers to have [students] think about the world outside of here.”

36% could recog North Korea in 20

To read the story of a set of Prospec parents who immigrated from El Salva and Mexico, go to Prospectornow.com

December 8, 2017

9

International news lacks spotlight with students “Why do you care so much about poor people from other countries?”

A friend of mine looked over my shoulder last Monday when I was reading after lunch.

It was an article about the War in Donbass, regarding the conflict between Ukraine and Russian rebels. The article in question was released on Oct. 16, and talked about possibilities for political reform and a peace treaty in the region. The Donbass has seen violence since 2014, when Russian troops violated international law by invading the Crimean Peninsula. Because of its political impact on the world order, I had been interested in how it would play out. BY ANTHONY I’d be lying if I said that my ROMANELLI friend’s question didn’t throw Opinion Editor me off. I tried explaining to them what the ramifications of such an invasion were, that something like this hasn’t started happening until recently, and how this unprecedented level of modern-day expansion could spark a war.

But who cares about poor people in other countries, right?

Beyond America, the world has inherited a new set of problems in the modern day. Countries have risen and been torn apart, political and demographic changes have come and gone, economies boom and collapse. However, it seems more and more like domestic issues are all major media outlets focus on, which is quite damaging to the perspective and worldview of media consumers.

As for why it matters, that answer can be found all around us. In this modern world, no country is entirely isolated. The actions of each and every nation will have a political, economic or cultural impact both on its neighbors and nations a world away. Whether intentional or not, we have an impact on

gnize 4

the world, and it has an impact on us.

The clothes we wear, the iPads we use in school and our phones are usually made in China, with whom our trade debts continue to grow. The buses we ride to school run on diesel from Persian Gulf countries, several of whom are combating terrorist groups and requesting United States aid. The fruits and vegetables we eat were likely picked by migrant workers from Mexico, from where immigration has caused extreme political friction between our two countries. Knowing what international situations our politicians are discussing takes little more than a Google search, and at worst, a dictionary.

According to the Pew Research Center, only 52 percent of Americans follow international news closely, as opposed to the 72 percent following local news closely. Ideally, the number following international news should be that high, if not higher, due to the impact the world has on our nation. We as a nation cannot afford to ignore what happens outside of our own borders or its impact on our interests and those of others. In order to understand how and why the world changes, United States citizens have an obligation to pay attention to key areas of the world, even if it doesn’t affect them personally.

What we as a nation need in order to ex-

Bilingualism in the United states

THE BLIND UNCLE: Uncle Sam stands ignorant of the world’s problems.

Americans follow local news far more than international news to the detriment of their foreign decisions. (cartoon by Katie Hamilton) cel is above all an educated voting population, aware of the going-ons of the world. In no way does this need to be the sole priority, and indeed local news is just as important, but we cannot dismiss overseas issues as someone else’s problem. More often than not, it will end up as our problem.

Thankfully, the trend toward wider awareness is on the increase, though not

nearly at the speed it should be. A citizen has a responsibility to stay informed and make logical decisions based on credible information, and that cannot be said if nearly half of our population pays little attention to the world around them. So it may just be time to start caring about those “poor people” overseas. They can impact your life more than you think.

Flag Confusion Prospector staff members went around and asked Prospect students if they could identify the North Korean Flag from those of Laos, Vietnam and Yugoslavia. The results are shown below. (Taken from a survey of 231 students)

48%

chose the flag of North Korea

17%

22%

chose the flag of Vietnam

13%

chose the flag of Laos

chose the flag of Yugoslavia (which has not been a country since 1992)

In 2013, 21 percent of the US population spoke a language other than English at home.

recognize n 2015

1 in 5 kids from ages 5-17 speak a foreign language at home.

gnize 017

ct ador m

In-Depth

44 percent of America’s 62 million people that speak a foreign language were born in the US. (Info courtesy of the Center for Immigration Studies)

Teachers pass language to their kids

BY MANDI HALL Executive Features Editor When he found out that his wife was pregnant with their firstborn, Spanish teacher Mike Aldworth had a specific request for baby shower gifts. Since it is custom for the women of his family to plan a baby shower, he made his request to his sister and his mother.

On top of whatever gift guests brought for the baby, Aldworth asked that they also bring a Spanish children’s book.

“It was really great because I got different fairytales, some that were authentic Mexican [books] about chupacabras or something,” Aldworth said. “So they weren’t all English stories translated.

It was really cool what I was able to get very quickly. Immediately, I had about 50 books.”

Aldworth follows the trend of many foreign language teachers who pass their language on to their own kids. Each foreign language teacher goes about this practice in a unique way.

For Aldworth, he wanted complete immersion. He currently has three sons: Jack, Conor and Tommy who are seven, six and three respectively. With his first son, Aldworth started speaking only Spanish to him from the moment he was born.

Aldworth says that the initial immersion was somewhat strange in the house since his wife, Maggie, doesn’t speak Span-

ish. He says that it somewhat divided their household.

Aldworth recalls the time he realised that full immersion wasn’t the best way to go about teaching his kids Spanish. He was spending Christmas with Maggie’s family, none of whom speak Spanish, and he ended up separating himself from the rest of the group in order to work on Jack’s Spanish.

He remembers it being a particularly awkward Christmas.

“It was there that it was like, ‘I’m trying to teach something that isn’t necessarily my culture, not my background,’” Aldworth said. “I understand [Spanish] is important, but so is family.”

Now, while he still works to teach his three sons Spanish, he knows there is a time and place for it. He often uses Spanish when his wife is out, and it’s just him and the boys.

Aldworth also often asks his sons to use some Spanish at home. He has noticed that his kids easily recognize certain phrases in Spanish and says that the listening is what is important to learn early, as the speaking will come with time. He often asks his sons to use more simple phrases like ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ or ‘I want water,’ though Jack is a little more willing than the younger two.

French teacher Jenna Sandstead takes a different approach when teaching her oneyear-old son, Smith, French.

Instead of speaking to him in only

French, Sandstead places more emphasis on exposing Smith to French at an early age. She reads books to him in French periodically, or she’ll have him count to 10 in English first, and then in French. Since Smith is only one and just starting to talk, Sandstead puts more emphasis on him learning a few words in French, just like he’s learning English.

She acknowledges that for a child to grow up bilingual, they need a lot of work in the household of both languages, and while she knows that it is easier to learn a language young, Sandstead says that bilingualism is not her motivation for teaching her son French.

“French is a big part of who I am, and so it just kind of organically happened at home,” Sandstead said. “I want my kids at an early age to know that [French] is a part of my career, but it’s also just my life and my passion in general.”

While both Sandstead and Aldworth want their kids to grow up with exposure to different languages, Aldworth is striving for his kids to grow up bilingual, due to the advantages of learning a language in general, as well as future uses.

“Languages are so important,” Aldworth said. “I know that when I learned a language, I learned a lot more about myself, about people, about the world. ... You grow a lot more than just simply, ‘Yeah, I speak another language.’”

10

Entertainment

December 8, 2017

prospectornow.com

Binge-watching damaging to health

BY JENNA KOCH Entertainment Editor

S

enior Rachel Steffen usually watches about six or seven hours of Netflix each day. Steffen says she has not suffered any negative effects of binge-watching. However, many teenagers do, and they do not realize the effects until it may be too late.

A survey by Digital Democracy found that 86 percent of people aged 14 to 18 have binge watched, with an average of six episodes per session. Staring at a screen that long can lead to long term effects.

While these are not effects of binge-watching directly, they are effects of a larger issue called Computer Vision Syndrome, which is caused by sitting at a computer for too long.

According to computervisionsyndrome.org, 65 percent of adults display symptoms, and 90 percent of people who use a computer for more than two hours a day have it.

Steffen says she has not suffered any issues due to binge-watching, but many of

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the symptoms are so slight that they can go unnoticed or be attributed to another issue such as stress. These symptoms include tired or dry eyes, headaches, neck and shoulder pain and general fatigue.

Optometrist Judith Bobus says these issues arise because our eyes aren’t used to looking at something so up close.

“Our eyes are like a camera,” Bobus said.

“When we look close we have to focus, and that gets really fatiguing if you don’t take a break. … What we want to do is keep that focusing system flexible.”

To regulate this focusing system, Bobus suggests using the “20, 20, 20” rule, which is recommended by many optometrists today.

The rule is that for every 20 minutes spent staring at a screen, one should take a 20 second break staring at an object 20 feet away.

As for binge-watching, Bobus recommends watching on a television instead of a phone or laptop. This creates more distance which is easier on the eyes.

Blue light also contributes to eye fatigue and strain. According to allaboutvision.com, blue light comes from the sun, LED lighting and screens. This can become a problem with long screen times. “[Blue light] is very uncomfortable for the eye to absorb.” Bobus said. “That blue wavelength can be tiring for the eye, but it’s not going to cause permanent damage or give you an eye disease; it just makes you feel a little more tired.”

While staring at a screen can cause vision fatigue, binge-watching specifically can cause psychological issues and even be a sign of mental health problems.

According to school psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson, humans thrive on interaction, so spending hours alone watching something isn’t good for people’s mood because it creates a feeling of isolation. He believes it’s important to learn social skills, and being alone for that long does nothing to better those.

Kyp-Johnson also says that many hours

YES, I’M STILL WATCHING: Netflix asks users if they’re still watching after many episodes. Watching for many hours on a small screen, such as a laptop, can cause health issues, according to optometrist Judith Bobus. (see “Binge watching health effects”) (Photo by Jenna Koch) spent binge-watching can be an escape for people dealing with stress or other mental health problems.

“I think what people are looking for in entertainment is just a way to sort of escape and feel okay for a while,” Kyp-Johnson said.

While it can be an escape from real life problems, conflict in shows can add more stress to a person’s life. Binge-watching can also be mentally draining as some genres, such as drama and action, are very intense and suspenseful. Kyp-Johnson suggests taking small breaks in between episodes.

“You’re wiping out all those neurotransmitters in your brain and now you’re going to need some time to rejuvenate,” Kyp-Johnson said.

However, binge-watching isn’t always a bad thing. Kyp-Johnson and his family use binge-watching as a way to bond. Recently they watched season two of “Stranger Things” and enjoyed discussing it afterwards. “‘Stranger Things’ was more of an escape,” Kyp-Johnson said. “It’s also a great exposition of film making and storytelling that, for me, contributes to something that’s value to me in life.”

Kyp-Johnson believes using binge-watching as a social activity is a better option than watching alone. He says watching many TV shows can also be a good conversation starter. He sees this in Film Club, where many students can connect because of their

Binge watching health

Increased sensetivity to light Sore, tired, or Headaches itchy eyes

Sore neck

According to allaboutvision.com love for certain shows or movies.

While Steffen doesn’t use binge-watching as a social activity, she thinks it’s more entertaining to watch many episodes at once instead of waiting a week to watch a new episode. Steffen finds that it’s hard to remember shows if she watches them weekly.

She usually multi-tasks by binge-watching and doing homework, so it doesn’t affect her school work as much. However, when she first started binge-watching in middle school, it was a bit difficult to multi task, a skill she further developed over time.

While binge-watching can be harmful to one’s health, Kyp-Johnson believes television and movies can help people more than hurt them.

“Sometimes [watching shows] helps you gain a perspective,” Kyp-Johnson said. “I always thought I learned a lot from watching dramas, documentaries and other shows. I thought I learned a lot about life in general.”

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prospectornow.com

December 8, 2017

Entertainment

the ‘80s do it better

11

With the enduring popularity of ‘80s movies and television programs, many teenagers feel a sense of nostalgia for a time period they never actually lived through. Teachers discuss their experiences as high schoolers back in the well celebrated decade.

John Hersey High School in 1987. However, she felt less tied down to a clique and had a Copy Editor close circle of friends throughout all of high school that never fit into any of the classic he 1980s: a time for big booming group stereotypes. economies, big high school dancKruse believes most of these stereotypes es and even bigger hair. With the season two premiere of the Netflix series derive from the media of both today and the ‘80s idealization and oversimplification of “Stranger Things,” scoring over 15 million the time period. Most of the exaggeration viewers within the first three days of its release, appreciation for ‘80s pop culture has was for the sake of humor. Despite this, she seemingly come back in full force … but the still believes clique culture still exists today, but it is mostly tied to extracurriculars or greater question is, did it ever truly leave?

The ‘80s American high school settings shared interests.

“The band people will hang together beof films such as “The Breakfast Club,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Fast Times at cause they spend so much time together,” Ridgemont High” remain very familiar to Kruse said. “Whatever it is, whatever team the average teenager. The classic “clique you’re on, that becomes at least one of your social groups. It’s not your only social group, culture” depicted in many of these films is [which is the] way the movies kind of porstill very much part of the current vernactray it.” ular: jocks, nerds, burnouts and punks are According to Hammerstrom, the advent immediately recognizable stereotypes for of the internet and cellular communication many.

Though nowadays they might be consid- has blurred the lines between cliques, as it is ered a bit dated, the idea of cliques are still now easier than ever to socialize with other part of the collective consciousness. The gen- students without being in the same classes or activities as them. eral aesthetic, mood and tropes of these films When Hammerstrom was a student, he remain enduringly popular, but since many of the people who enjoy ‘80s pop culture nev- felt as if every class he was in was its own “social bubble.” There wasn’t much to do in er actually lived through the ‘80s, there are class besides lisbound to be misten to the teacher conceptions. or socialize with According to your classmates, English teacher so classes had a Erik Hammermore tight-knit strom, the ‘80s feel. According to were simpler Hammerstrom, times to be a classrooms of the teen, but that ‘80s had fewer doesn’t mean distractions than they were as dratheir modern matic as the typcounterparts due ical John Hughes to a lack of cellumovie would lead you to believe.

Erik Hammerstrom’s senior year ID lar technology at the time.

Hammerstrom However, as a teacher today, he notices attended his first three years of high school at Arlington High School and spent his se- teenagers are much more reluctant to tap into the classroom bubble, and instead comnior year at Prospect, graduating in 1985.

If Hammerstrom had to place his high municate with their close friends via the internet while avoiding making a connection school self into any of the classic ‘80s cliques, he’d be a part of the jock crowd. As an out- with the people sitting next to them.

“Being social creatures, people generally side linebacker on the football team, Hammigrate towards getting along,” Hammermerstrom spent most of his time outside of school with his fellow football players. strom said. “There was a lot more interplay However, he was never against hanging out between students [back then].”

Despite this, Hammerstrom still notices with people outside of the team, even if they similarities to the classic ‘80s stereotypes, aldidn’t share his interest in sports. beit in a more subtle manner. Hammerstrom “People hung with their crowd, but it states that the “personas carry over” and wasn’t that exclusive. ... It kind of felt like a big small town back then,” Hammerstrom believes that student perspectives on social groups are influenced by stereotypes presaid. “There wasn’t a lot of rivalry or tensented by ‘80s pop culture, as well as modern sion. We were cognizant of [the differences between the groups], but it wasn’t that big of depictions of what life in the ‘80s was like.

Life outside of school was significantly a deal.” different as well and mostly surrounded Fellow English teacher Karen Kruse also was a student of the ‘80s, graduating from more community-based events: Hammer-

BY COLE ALTMAYER

T

Prospector Panels presents...

LIFE COMES AT YOU FAST: English teacher Karen Kruse (left) poses for a photo at her class of ‘87 graduation ceremony. Kruse attended John Hersey High School and still keeps in contact with her close circle of friends. (photo courtesy of Karen Kruse) strom spent most of his time going to the beach or playing pickup sports games with people in his neighborhood, and Kruse would often go shopping at the mall with her friends.

Perhaps the most monumental of ‘80s social events were school dances. According to Hammerstrom, dances were as big and lavish as they are in the movies. Hammerstrom and Kruse both agree that they felt much more like formal and unifying all-school events, and there was a much greater emphasis put on decoration and school spirit.

“Everybody went, and you went with a date,” Hammerstrom said. “It wasn’t like Prospect now where you go with a big group of friends. No one did that. … Dating was a bigger thing. Today, there’s just not as much pressure about that.”

Even media and entertainment felt more communal back in the ‘80s. Cable television had just recently become popular and widespread, so there weren’t a lot of channels and programs to choose from. According to Hammerstrom, most people only ever watched ABC, NBC, CBS or PBS, and everyone was intensely familiar with the popular programs of the time like “Happy Days” or “The Muppet Show.”

“It was like the whole country was watching the same shows,” Hammerstrom said.

“Everyone was getting this general overview of values, and norms were sort of established by what everyone was watching [on TV].”

Nowadays, with the rise of the internet and streaming programs such as Netflix and Hulu, teenagers have a much broader spectrum of entertainment they can access with the click of a button, with libraries of movies and TV shows that number in the thousands.

TOP RATED ‘80s MOVIES The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Back to the Future (1985)

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

information courtesy of “For teenagers, there are literally a million bits of information coming at you every single minute of your day,” Kruse said.

“You have to filter through that, and that’s stressful. … We didn’t have to deal with that.

There was a lot more time to just relax.”

Both Kruse and Hammerstrom believe that the ‘80s were overall an easier time to be a teenager. They feel that students today are faced with much more stress, whether that comes from the more modern emphasis on AP classes or the constant bombardment of information that comes along with new technology.

For Kruse, it is very easy to see why teenagers and adults alike look to the ‘80s as a special era in American history, even if they never got to actually live through it.

“Oh God, it’s all just so funny!” Kruse said. “The hair is funny, the clothes are funny, the jokes and tropes, even the music.

Maybe it’s [also] because the ‘60s and ‘70s were so serious. … And then you just have the ‘80s, where your biggest problem was, ‘I can’t get my hair to feather correctly.’”

“The Reality of Homework Free Breaks”

12

Sports

prospectornow.com

December 8, 2017

Making their dreams come true Four Prospect athletes committed to play Division I sports on Nov. 8 by signing their national letters of intent. They will be attending Purdue University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Dayton, and Northwestern University.

Senior Alyssa Cacini

SLUGGER: Senior Alyssa Cacini works in the offseason to improve her swing and fundamentals. She is looking to break the home run record this season. (photo courtesy of Alyssa Cacini)

BY ANTHONY SANTANGELO Sports Editor The University of Dayton ended up being the perfect fit for senior Alyssa Cacini who was in search of a “big school feel.” Cacini recently signed with the Dayton Flyers on Nov 8.

“It was always my goal to play college softball, obviously to help my parents financially,” Cacini said. “I knew that I could play at that level.”

She started playing travel softball at the age of 10 and she starting thinking about playing in college when she was in 14U (ages 14 and under).

After attending Big 10 camps and other college events, Cacini received notice that Dayton was interested in her. Cacini mentioned that it was weird ending up at a school that took interest in her and not the other bigger schools she was originally hoping to end up at.

Cacini believes that being looked at by colleges was a huge accomplishment for her.

“It’s really hard [to be looked at] especially with [the coach’s] busy schedules and trying to get their attention,” Cacini said. “It is really all about being in the right place at the right time honestly.”

With an experienced younger group of girls on the varsity softball team, this year’s team is set up for success according to Cacini.

At Prospect, she has tied the RBI (runs batted in) record and hopes to beat the home run record this year.

“My parents have been a big help, all my travel coaches, [and] the high school coaches. They have had the biggest impact on helping me progress as a player,” Cacini said.

Cacini’s Career

Senior Emily Frasco Growing up, senior Emily Frasco remembered going back and forth against her brother in basketball. He was her role model and continued to be after he went off to play basketball at Buffalo University. Unlike her brother, Frasco ended up going somewhere that she did not expect to end up at.

“I feel like [The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)] wasn’t one of my choices at all,” Frasco said. “I visited Butler and I thought it was kind of too big for me and the program was too big itself. But [when I] visited UAB and I stepped on campus, it was so beautiful and the coaches are just like family already.”

Committing to UAB took a lot of weight off her shoulders according to Frasco. She waited until July to receive more offers from high-major schools. Some of the other schools that were interested in Frasco were SIU-Edwardsville, Jacksonville State, Bradley University and Canisius College.

In May 2017, Frasco had a tournament in Chicago for her team, Illinois Elite. After one of the games, she was later notified of UAB’s interest in her as a player.

The Blazers compete in the Conference USA. Last season the Blazers finished 15-15. Former Wheeling standout, Deanna Kuzmanic, is a junior guard for the Blazers.

Frasco believed that she was very lazy as a sophomore and did not put a lot of emphasis on her game during this phase of her basketball career.

“My first coach [Ashley Graham] was a huge part [in getting] me to where I am,” Frasco said. “I was really lazy so I think [Graham] turned me around [at] Prospect.

[Also] all the girls and stuff have helped.”

BALLER: Senior Emily Frasco drives down the court for her club team, Illinois Chill. Frasco averaged 11.8 points per game and shot 45 percent as a junior. (photo courtesy of Emily Frasco)

Frasco’s Feats

Senior Ryan Howe

SIX TO THREE: Senior Ryan Howe makes a play for his travel team, Top Tier. Howe played in tournaments all over the country last summer. (photo courtesy of Ryan Howe) As a sophomore, senior Ryan Howe threw a no-hitter in the Regional Championship against Glenbrook North, and the following season he had a home run in the bottom of the seventh in the regional semi-final game. Howe’s accomplishments at Prospect have given him the opportunity to play baseball at Purdue University.

“This is the head coach’s second year and he came from winning programs,” Howe said. “I think he can really set the team up for success, and I want to be a part of that.”

Senior Ryan Howe committed to his dream school, Purdue University, for baseball. Purdue made contact with Howe after a showcase in Chicago and a tournament in Cincinnati that Howe participated in.

For training, Howe hits the cages five times a week and takes advantage of the Advanced Weightlifting class in order to stay at the top of his game. Growing up, he looked up to Derek Jeter because of how he led his team and how he made players around him better.

He believes that Prospect baseball has allowed him to take on the role as a leader on the team.

“Being a sophomore on varsity, I had to really take a step in my growth and development process,” Howe said. “Being the shortstop as a junior and then being a starter as a senior has really taught me how to make other people better around me.“ Howe realizes the incredible opportunity that he has been given.

“It was a dream come true [to sign with Purdue],” Howe said.

“To be blessed with the opportunity to play [Division I] baseball, it was just remarkable.”

Howe’s Honors

Senior Lauren Caldrone Sophomore year, senior Lauren Caldrone verbally committed to play softball at Northwestern University. After making contact and attending multiple camps, she was able to end up at her first-choice school.

“It was kind of crazy [to officially commit to Northwestern],” Caldrone said. “There were a lot of emotions going through because it reminded me of all the people that made an impact along the journey and it was really exciting to finally commit to them fully.”

She currently plays for Illinois Chill based out of Northbrook. Her travel coach, Dave Snyder, made a lot of contact with Northwestern during Caldrone’s freshman year.

Along with her coaches’ being a big influence on her development, her family helped out just as much.

“My family most importantly impacted me because they were there during the ups and the downs and when I couldn’t believe in myself, they always did,” Caldrone said.

Caldrone was, at one point, unsure whether playing softball in college was truly the right path for her to take.

“At a young age, I didn’t know if I was ready to talk to coaches. …

I didn’t even know if I wanted to [play softball] in college,” Caldrone said. “I committed my sophomore year so I think going through [recruitment] has had a big impact.”

Caldrone loves the relaxed competitiveness of Prospect softball.

This allows her to enjoy the best moments with her teammates.

“There are no specific highlights [about my softball career] but the one thing you do remember is the time spent because there is so much time spent with your teammates,” Caldrone said.

TURN IT: Senior Lauren Caldrone turns a double play during her junior softball season at Prospect. Caldrone will be a key player for the Knights this season. (Prospector file photo)

Caldrone’s Calling

Sport: Softball

Sport: Basketball

Sport: Baseball

Sport: Softball

Position: SS/P

Position: Guard

Position: SS/P

Position: SS/OF

Club Team: New Lenox Lightning

Club Team: Illinois Elite

Club Team: Top Tier

Awards: All-Conference, All-Area 2017

Awards: All-Conference, All Area 2016, 2017

Club Team: Illinois Chill Gold

Awards: All-Conference, All-Area 2015

Awards: All-Conference 2016, 2017. All-Area 2017

Replay not productive

B

ears running back Benny Cunningham dove for the pylon to score what looked like a touchdown on Nov. 12 versus the Packers. The officials ruled that his knee was down at the two yard line, but Bears’ head c o a c h John Fox thought otherwise.

Fox chose to throw his challenge flag, promptBY JACK ANKONY ing the Exec. Sports Editor officials to pick apart another play through their painstaking review process.

Even after the review, they still got the call wrong. Cunningham’s back foot was touching the white out of bounds chalk before losing control of the ball: the original reason they marked him down at the two yard line.

Fox’s challenge ended up costing the Bears’ possession of the ball at the two yard line, but this result that had Bears fans calling for his head was not the complete fault of Fox. As a result of fan outrage from missed calls, professional sports have been forced to increase the amount of instant replay used throughout games. Though in the end everyone wants the officials to get the call right, instant replay has done more negative than positive since its increase in usage.

Instant replay slows games down, interrupts flow and has fans questioning what the definition of a catch or touchdown is on a weekly basis. Replay also takes pressure off the referees and gives them a crutch to lean on during games.

No longer do referees have to get every call right, because if there is any debate, they can just huddle up for ten minutes and let the replay officials in New York do their job for them.

Though, like in Cunningham’s case, even the replay officials who see the replay in slow motion and zoom in close enough to see the stitching on the football can’t consistently be relied on to get calls right.

Officials, announcers and analysts then cause confusion from fans over the simplest of rules in football. Questions like, “Did he make a football move?” and, “Did he complete the process of the catch?” have added unneeded speculation to each play throughout football games.

People wonder why ratings in the NFL are down, and I believe it is because the game is becoming unwatchable at times because of instant replay. Seemingly every other play is reviewed forcing fans to watch the refs run to the replay booth more than their team scoring touchdowns.

Until college and professional sports can perfect a replay system that is quick, efficient and ensures the right call is made, instant replay use should be significantly reduced. There will never be a way to be 100 percent correct, but this process that constantly stops games for five minutes is not what is best for sports.

If the NFL wants to give coaches three challenges a game and only review close plays in the final minutes of the game, replay would be used much more effectively.

This would result in referees demanding more from themselves instead of relying on replay, as well as a game that is more appealing for all fans to watch each weekend.

prospectornow.com

December 8, 2017

Sports

13

Athletes, staff reflect on recruiting stage

BY EMMA MUEHLENBECK Staff Writer

W

hen social worker and junior varsity softball coach Andrea DiPrima was 13 years old, she and her parents watched in awe as Northwestern softball players Tammy Williams and Garland Cooper competed against Arizona for a national title in the 2006 championship game of the College World Series.

DiPrima was excited and on edge throughout the game. DiPrima enjoyed seeing softball on national television and the intensity of the athletes competing against West Coast schools.

This game inspired her goal of competing for a national championship title as a Northwestern Wildcat.

DiPrima trained hard to get recruited by the Wildcats, and started her recruitment process during her sophomore year of high school.

“The uncertainty [of the recruiting process] can feel uncomfortable,” DiPrima said. “I think I just had faith in the process that I was doing all I could to get out there.”

According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), 1.6 percent of high school softball players will go on to play softball at the Division I level.

DiPrima became part of that 1.6 percent when she committed to Northwestern her junior year of high school. As a Wildcat, DiPrima played right field and batted third.

“I felt very excited and very lucky for the opportunity,” DiPrima said. “A lot of things have to fall into place for that opportunity to present itself.”

DiPrima has worked her whole life developing her game and work ethic to get recruited by a college.

But what does it really take to get recruited by a college?

As a softball coach and a former Division I athlete, DiPrima can tell if someone has the attitude and skill that will allow them to play at the collegiate level she did.

“To me, it’s the student-athlete that does more than what’s expected without being asked,” DiPrima said. “It’s an obvious passion for the game. They are excited to learn more about the game, they’re open to learning more about the game and they’re open to constructive feedback to get better and they seek that out. They want that because they are so determined to get better.”

According to social science

teacher and former Division I DePaul soccer player Jason Cohen, a college-bound athlete is someone who plays consistently well and improves the gameplay of other players around them.

Cohen has not only gone through the recruiting process himself but also with his daughter Sarah Cohen.

Sarah got a scholarship to play Division I soccer at DePaul and verbally committed on Dec. 12, 2016.

“As a parent, it was a fun process to watch and see the determination she was putting in to accomplish her goals,” Jason said.

Jason has seen how communication between college coaches and athletes has gotten easier through club teams and showcase tournaments. The increase in communication has allowed players a better opportunity to be seen and recruited by college coaches.

There are several websites, like NCSA (Next College Student Athlete), that have helped get athletes in contact with colleges faster and earlier than ever before.

According to the NCSA, 24 percent of their female soccer clients will accept a scholarship before the official recruiting process begins and only 2.2 percent of all high school female soccer players will go on to play at a Division I college.

“As you really get involved in college sports, the percentages are small, but there’s a lot more than just your ability,” Jason said.

College-Bound athletes like Sarah are no strangers to the adversity of statistics and public opinions.

This couldn’t be more valid than for senior college bound water polo player Colleen Doyle because of the negative stigma surrounding Midwestern water polo.

“I didn’t believe in myself,” Doyle said. “Whenever you go and you talk to a coach from California or the Midwest they’re like, ‘Water polo is only for California girls.’”

Despite the stigma surrounding Midwestern water polo players, Doyle sent a highlight reel to 10 prospective colleges and six replied.

“I was in disbelief,” Doyle said.

“I didn’t think in a million years that any college would want me to play for them or represent their school.”

Doyle has not committed to any colleges yet, but her choices consist of a mix of Division II and Division III schools in California and the Midwest. Schools from the midwest are McKendree College

MAKING AN IMPRESSION: Social worker Andrea DiPrima hits the ball during her days when she attended Buffalo Grove High School. DiPrima was recruited by Northwestern for softball. “The uncertainty [of the recruiting process] can feel uncomfortable,“ DiPrima said. (photo courtesy of Andrea DiPrima) (DII) and Monmouth College (DII).

Schools in California are Sonoma State University (DII), California State University at Monterey Bay (DII) and Chapman University (DIII).

These statistics concerning college athletics can create a very competitive atmosphere for athletes who have not gotten offers to compete at the college of their dreams.

Junior quarterback Jimmy Martin, freshmen runner Hannah Smith and sophomore volleyball player Grace Cacini are a few of those people.

Martin, however, does not let these statistics discourage him.

Martin believes that people learn who they are through adversity.

“If you’re losing 24-7 at halftime, are you going to be moping and getting mad or are you going to get back and fight?” Martin said.

Cacini and Martin have both started their recruiting process.

Cacini started by creating a pro-

Team chemistry, leadership helps girls’ bowling develop

BY WYATT DOJUTREK Executive Online Sports Editor Senior bowler Allison Buck has known 2017 graduate Arie Upshaw since they were little children.

The two were neighbors for most of their lives.

They also bowled on the varsity bowling team together for three seasons. In fact, it was Upshaw who actually got Buck into bowling.

After, Upshaw received a scholarship to bowl at Judson University in Elgin.

Upshaw decommitted from Judson and decided to join the United States Marine Corps.

Buck was very supportive of her lifelong friend making the commitment to serving the United States of America.

“When she made that announcement, I was simply shocked,” Buck said. “She loved bowling so much and I’m just really excited for her and I’m glad she found something she is very passionate about.”

Upshaw helped lead the team to a seventh place finish in the Hoffman Estates Regional playoff last season.

The varsity bowling team is looking continue the pace the team has set in the past few seasons.

Head coach Ashley Ruszczak is looking forward to seeing how the experience from last season helped the Knights make a deep postseason run this year.

“Definitely some of our goals [are] to continue from where we left off and grow, learn more about how to play the lanes more,” Ruszczak said. “Last year we were a younger team, and it was more about learning the basics. So I’m really excited about their development.”

The Knights lost their first Mid-Suburban League contest of the season with Hoffman Estates sweeping the Knights in nine games. Even after being defeated in the first conference game of the season.

Ruszczak remains confident in this season’s team after the progress they showed last season.

file on the NCSA website that can be viewed by prospective college coaches and Martin has emailed highlight reels to several college coaches.

According to Jason, the strategies for college recruitment vary for each sport, but the rules are the same.

No coaches can call the student-athlete at home, but if the athlete calls and the coach picks up, they can talk.

The athlete can email the coach, but the coach can not email back until Sept. 1 of the athlete’s junior year. The only time coaches can talk to athletes face to face is when they are on campus visits.

Each athlete’s recruitment process is unique and that is no different for senior softball player Lauren Caldrone. Caldrone started her recruitment process in eighth grade when her softball coach mentioned the possibility of playing in college. After that Caldrone, began looking into the process

“At the end of the season, I think we can possibly be about at the middle of the pack at regionals, and maybe head out to sectionals,” Ruszczak said. “A lot of these girls are going to only be in their second year, so if we can contend for one of those final spots for sectionals, that would be fantastic.”

Ruszczak also thinks that the less experienced, like seniors Nicole Brzys and Amanda Bieszk, have also contributed positively to this season’s team.

Ruszczak, while understanding the time restraint between practicing and playing in matches, still thinks it is an issue for the girls.

“I think that the biggest key for us to improve on from last year would be just going ahead and being focused and putting the work when we can with the time we have because the time we have is very minimal,” Ruszczak said.

Even with the long standing tradition of the Prospect girls’ bowling program, including finishing third in state in 1998.

Ruszczak likes the future the program is heading towards.

“I think we have great potential,” Ruszczak said, “They have definitely grown from last season, and I expect that growth to continue. And then [with] some of the newer girls, I see an immense potential to start off the season.”

more carefully.

Caldrone began her recruiting process by sending out emails with game film and schedules. Caldrone would also attend college camps and college exposure tournaments.

“I was extremely nervous [at the recruiting tournaments],” Caldrone said. “That was probably one of the hardest times because you felt the pressure, and constantly coaches were coming in and out just watching everything you do.”

Caldrone verbally committed to play softball at Northwestern University her sophomore year and officially committed on Nov. 8, 2017 when she signed her National Letter of Intent.

“It’s crazy,” Caldrone said. “I just feel honored to be able to get this opportunity.”

According to the NCAA, the National Letter of Intent is signed by a college-bound athlete to agree to attend and compete at that school for one academic year.

After the athletes sign the National Letter of Intent the school must provide the athlete financial aid for one academic year.

A verbal commitment like Caldrone’s can happen at any time during the athlete’s career but it is not as binding to the athlete or school as when the athlete signs the National Letter of Intent.

Other than signing the National Letter of Intent, a college-bound athlete can be guaranteed a spot on a college roster if they are offered a preferred walk-on spot.

One such student is senior varsity basketball player David Swedura. Swedura has not committed to play anywhere but he received a preferred walk-on spot to play at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Swedura, like many other athletes, has also had to deal with people who didn’t think he could play in college.

“People have said that I’m too short, [or that I’m] not strong enough,” Swedura said. “I just continue working on my game and just block that [doubt] out.”

Many college-bound athletes have to face challenges like Swedura and Doyle, but they all agree that when they work hard and succeed, it is an incredible feeling.

“A former coach said that I would never be able to play [Division I],” Caldrone said. “I think proving them wrong is really a great feeling, because I proved to myself that working hard will get you to where you want to go and make your dreams come true.”

PIN STRIKER: Senior Faith Lindell bowls during a match at Arlington Lanes.

The team, according to head coach Ashley Ruszczak, has great chemistry. “Team comradery is definitely our biggest strength,” Ruszczak said. (photo by Erik Velazquez).

SPORTS

FRIDAY, DEC 8 2017

Hoops Weekly

Winter is Coming

Boys’ Basketball began its season in the St. Viator tournament. Check out early season coverage at

Get ready for the upcoming winter sports seasons with interviews with coaches and players, head over to:

Soccer sensation

prospectornow.com

prospectornow.com

Senior Alex Budnik returns to PHS, holds bright future in soccer, school

BY JACK ANKONY Executive Sports Editor

A

team that had spent two years living together couldn’t hold back their tears after being eliminated from the World Cup. Senior Alex Budnik sat in the locker room with his teammates after a four year long journey came to a close this past fall.

The Under-17 (U17) United States National Soccer team had just lost 4-1 to England in the quarterfinals of the U17 World Cup. Budnik, the goalie on the U17 USA team, describes this moment as one of the saddest but most memorable in his time playing for the United States.

“It showed us how close we have become and that the relationships we made were so worth it and so memorable,” Budnik said.

“We all broke down crying because it was the end of the whole thing.

That kind of just showed us that if we had the chance we would do it all again, and it was one of the best experiences of our lives.”

Budnik got the opportunity to play for the U17 National Team when he was scouted while playing for his club, Sockers F.C. He played on the national team for four years, and partook in a residency program during his sophomore and junior year, where he attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida to train with the national team.

Budnik is now committed to play soccer at Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Budnik’s journey started at five years old when he first started playing at Sockers F.C. Under the guidance of coach Neil Thompson, Budnik has be-

come one of the best goalies in the country.

Thompson thinks Budnik’s development is shown through his maturity on the field.

“He has developed from a shy guy, not really knowing his abilities, to a very confident young man,” Thompson said.

In Thompson’s eyes, Budnik sets himself apart from other goalkeepers through his intelligence, understanding of the game and aggression.

“If you are going to attack and the goalkeeper has to get the ball, people will say, ‘Oh you have to be aggressive,’ but no, you have to make a decision,” Thompson said.

“Is the decision to go and get the ball, or is the decision not to go and get the ball? And if the decision is to go and get the ball, you better go and get it.”

After being seen by coaches and scouts from the U.S. National Team, Budnik decided to leave home at 15 years of age and go to school at IMG Academy.

Budnik went to Prospect his freshman year, the first semester of his sophomore year, then left for IMG until the start of his senior year.

Though it was hard to be away from his family and friends at first, Budnik adjusted to his new lifestyle quickly.

His family visited him every month or so, and the use of cell phones helped him stay in touch.

“That was definitely an emotional time to come to terms that he would be going off to another state then being away from us and pretty much living on his own,” Ivanka Budnik, Alex’s mother said.

Alex enjoyed his time at IMG and thinks it helped him improve greatly as a goalie.

Thompson credits Alex’s work

Alex Budnik's day at IMG Academy IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sport training destination in Bradenton, Florida. Budnik lived at IMG for two years where he trained with the Under-17 United States National Soccer team.

7 AM- Wake Up 7:15-8 AM- Eat at cafeteria 9-11:30 AM- Soccer practice 12-1 PM- Lunch 1:15-6 PM- School 6 PM- Homework, relax (photo courtesy of ISI Photos)

ethic as a main reason why he has gotten better over the years.

“He is very calculated in his work ethic,” Thompson said. “He will work hard, but he will understand why he is working hard. I think Alex works smart, I think he works on what he feels he needs to work on, and that is why we have seen improvement over the years.”

Life at IMG was different from what Alex was used to.

On a typical day, he would have practice in the morning from 9 a.m. until noon, then go to school from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. He thinks that this lifestyle helped him prepare for the future. “[Living at IMG] was basically what it was like to be a pro,” Alex said. “They treated you very well

“[Living at IMG] was basically what it was like to be a pro. They treated you very well and they expected the most out of you... It kind of pushed me to get better because all of the guys around me were really good and they want the best out of themselves as well as the best out of me.”

-Alex Budnik, senior

and they expected the most out of you. [Some of my teammates at IMG] are now playing professionally and they are making money playing soccer, but it kind of pushed me to get better because all of the guys around me were really good and they want the best out of themselves as well as the best out of me.”

During his four years playing for the national team and two years living at IMG, Budnik did his fair share of traveling.

He visited Croatia, Italy, Argentina, England, Turkey, France, India, Mexico, Honduras, Spain, Portugal and the United Arab Emirates, his favorite being Dubai and least favorite being India.

The U17 World Cup most recently took Alex to Dubai and India, where the team beat India 3-0, beat Ghana 1-0, lost to Colombia 3-1, beat Paraguay 5-0 and then lost in the quarterfinals to England 4-1. “[Playing for the national team] is a very proud moment because when the 11 of you step onto the field, you are representing the 250 million back home who love their country and fight for their country,” Alex said. “We get to represent our country doing what we love the most, which is playing soccer.”

These experiences helped Alex stand out to college coaches and scouts.

“Not only was he playing on a top level of soccer, but he was also academically very bright,” Ivanka said. “So [the college coaches] knew that he could be a potentially good candidate for their school athletically and academically.”

REPRESENT: Senior Alex Budnik is currently the goalie on the Under-17 United States National Soccer team. Most recently, he played in the World Cup in India. (photos courtesy of ISI Photos) In the summer of 2016, Alex visited most Ivy League schools as well as Northwestern and Notre Dame.

Though some of Alex’s teammates on the national team are now playing for professional clubs in Europe, Alex and his family decided that receiving a great education from Dartmouth while still playing soccer was his best choice.

“That is the beautiful thing about him ... He can go to school right now, get his degree from a very prestigious school, and after he is done he can basically decide if he wants to go work in an office or try his luck playing in Europe,” Ivanka said.

Alex decided on Dartmouth since it is a smaller school, isolated from big cities, and has a welcoming and peaceful campus where he feels he can learn the best.

Alex’s ultimate goal is to play soccer professionally, but he is focused on getting his degree before then.

Ivanka explains that coaches have told their family that goalkeepers typically don’t fully develop until their early to mid-twenties.

This puts Alex in a great position to be successful in whatever he chooses to do.

“If Alex wants to be a pro, he can be a pro,” Thompson said. “If Alex wants to go and work in banking or whatever he wants to do, I am sure he will be successful.

“He is going to be successful as long as he has the same mentality that he has had along this journey.

He is always going to do well.”