Issue 2

THE

PROSPECTOR

801 WEST KENSINGTON ROAD, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056

THE VOICE OF PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1959 VOLUME 58, ISSUE 2

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2018

FORWARD: According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, only 15.8 to 35 percent of sexual assaults are reported.

“I don’t think you ever have enough time [to recover],” senior Claire Galloway said. (photo by Erik Velazquez)

National hearing draws attention to culture of sexual misconduct AYSE ELDES Editor-in-Chief

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enior Claire Galloway finally filed a police report six months after being sexually assaulted last year.

Recovery, as she describes it, is a process.

Sometimes, she can go for months feeling fine, but one movie scene can set off another cycle of flashbacks. It’s a process. It never really ends. For Galloway, filing that police report felt like reliving every moment of the encounter.

“Not every survivor can go and file that report,” Galloway said. “Most go unreported, and I know why they go unreported–– that was the most terrifying thing I’ve done.”

As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 15.8 to 35 percent of sexual assaults get reported to the police. While Galloway is vocal about bringing awareness to the topic through social media, recently she’s chosen to distance herself from the conversation amidst overwhelming coverage of political events.

The national attention on judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation into the Supreme Court is at a crucial point of introducing the conversation of sexual assault and consent to the national level of government. The results of Kavanaugh’s confirmation may carry a historical impact past its implications on the political balance of power on the Supreme Court.

After Dr. Blasey Ford came forward with sexual assault allegations against the judge, Galloway felt that the challenges of

the situation resembled many others. She to jail,” Galloway said. “I’m not going to get gave several examples. One challenge is charges against him, but I hope that if he facing criticism against claims. Although does something to a girl three years down CNN reported the prevalence of false the line, that they look at his file and sexual assault allegasay we need to believe this girl tions to be between because someone didn’t believe two to three perthe last one.” cent, about 42 She was asked questions percent of the such as what she was wearpublic was ing, why she did not have a reported to rape kit administered or why believe that she waited six months to file Ford is tellthe report. ing the truth.

Galloway In fact, Ford feels that is reported emphasizto have reing quesceived death tions like threats and these distemporarily relocatregard the ed from her home. challenge Galloway shared of sharing that once a sexual one’s enmisconduct survicounter vor chooses to come with sexuforward, the possial assault bility of being disor harassClaire Galloway, senior believed puts them ment. in a vulnerable position. Survivors may Her own blame themselves or feel betrayed by the assault took place one week before her jusituation. When she filed her police report, nior year started. Struggling to overcome Galloway could only relay the evidence the incident, Galloway chose to take three through explaining what happened. weeks away from school to attend a recov“That was the hardest thing I had to do, ery program. She chose to go to the police but I realize that I’m not going to send him once she felt ready to talk about what hap-

Your mind takes so many details in during something like that. It’s nice when people say, ‘I don’t understand, but I support you.’”

pened, a choice that many survivors may never feel ready for, according to Galloway.

“I don’t think you ever have enough time,” Galloway said. “It’s a constant process.”

Regardless of the politics or validity of allegations, Galloway is concerned about the manner in which politicians are addressing the issue. Apart from dismissive comments from political figures such as the president himself, Galloway identifies one phrase that is at the center of this national problem: boys will be boys.

This phrase is not new to the conversation. Social science teacher Kristen Ray has covered the angle of sexual behavior with gender roles in her Sociology classes every year. Students often share their perception of aggressive behavior as abnormal in female students. And when she asks them what they’ve observed about reactions to aggressive behavior in young males, her students recite what they’ve heard from adults: boys will be boys.

This is part of “symbolic” sexual violence, a term coined by Sarah Diefendorf, a Scholars Strategy Network postdoctoral fellow. Symbolic sexual violence describes joking and lewd discussion about rape and assault and is often used among young people to try and assert dominance in a friend group, contributing to dismissal and blame of survivors.

SEE SURVIVOR, page 2

WHAT’S INSIDE?

04 What makes each Knight unique? Take a look at our photo story showcasing some students with special qualities.

08 Couples share how to manage long-distance relationships after one partner’s graduation.

11 Girls’ volleyball embraces team chemistry to take on conference after a successful start to the season.

2 NEWS

prospectornow.com

OCTOBER 12, 2018

New program prepares future parents What Parents Need To Know”.

According to Matt Liberatore, Director of Professional Learning and Student Services, Copy Editor the aim of the Future Ready Parent series is to provide enough support and resources to or 30 years, Buffalo Grove student help parents become more knowledgeable assistance coordinator Bob Leece about popular topics in the community. taught the only parent education The first seminar took place on Sept. 24 class within District 214. As of the 2018-19 at the Forest View Educational Center with school year, the district offers a variety of presenter and author Patrick Donohue. Acseminars in addition to Leece’s class that cording to Teresa Palaggi, Community Eduaid parents in understanding and parenting cation Programming Supervisor, Donohue their kids. spoke on how to approach daily issues, According to the Distriumphs and challenges. trict 214 website, the “It is [District 214’s] hope that increase in parent people will take education is a part this home and use of the “Future it in their life,” Ready Parent” sePalaggi said. “One ries in which the of the great things district aims to that I saw was it educate parents wasn’t [just] tips on relevant comfor ‘how do you munity topics help your stuthat affect today’s dents,’ but it was youth. ‘how do you help These sessions yourself too as a take place at locaparent?’ I think tions throughout there are lessons the district, includto be learned from ing Buffalo Grove everybody at all High School, John ages.”

Hersey High School - Matt Liberatore, Director of Palaggi also and the Forest View Professional Learning and Student notes that at the end Educational CenServices of the first seminar, ter. Although Leece she was met with a lot teaches his class one night a week for two of positive feedback from parents. hours over a span of about six weeks, each After teaching the class for so long, Leece seminar only lasts an hour and addresses a says that parents often respond positively new topic with a new presenter each time. to the class, telling him how it has made Seminar topics range from “Successful Parthem calmer and more secure, how it has enting,” “5 Things Great Students & Parents improved their communication and how it Do and the Growth Mindset” and “Vaping:

RYAN KUPPERMAN

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Whether it be the school or

the parents, I think we are all trying to acheive the same

result, which is a healthy and college [and] career ready

student that is well-rounded,”

THE PARENTS BECOME THE STUDENTS: District 214 now offers seminars designed to aid parents in interacting with parenting and understanding their children.

Guest presenter Patrick Donohue speaks to District 214 parents about “5 Things Great Students and Parents Do and The Growth Mindset” at the Forest View Educational Center on Monday, Sept. 24. (photo by Ayse Eldes) has allowed them to forgive themselves for mistakes they have made in the past. Leece feels that parent feedback is his primary motivation for continuing to teach the course.

According to Leece, he often teaches his class by choosing adult and teenage storybooks that he thinks contain important messages to give parents, and then teaches parents how to apply those messages to their parenting. Leece believes that parents are learning how to be good human beings, as well as how to effectively communicate with others.

“I think that’s what parents really like

about it,” Leece said. “It’s very practical knowledge, but it’s very very helpful for them.”

Leece is also Vice Chair in the Link Together Coalition, a community-based prevention program throughout District 214 high schools which works with kids and staff to develop programs.

“I think [parental education] is a collaborative effort,” Liberatore said. “Whether it be the school or the parents, I think we are all trying to achieve the same result, which is a healthy and college [and] career ready student that is well-rounded.”

SURVIVOR: Students discuss sexual conduct standards CONTINUED from front page

actions will not yield future consequences, specifically in terms of their career.

Hiskes looks at the situation differently, describing the effect of this as igniting a state of paranoia among him and his peers.

As a conservative Republican, he supports Kavanaugh’s nomination –– an opinion he feels that he cannot state freely because many of his peers carry anti-conservative sentiments.

“Being a white male and seeing what’s happened to him 30 years ago really makes you think everything can come back to you,” Hiskes said. “He’s got a family, and now that that stuff is slandering his name; that’s kind of tough.”

However, he does agree with concerns over a hasty investigation of Kavanaugh’s accusations. He feels rushing through will continue to polarize the two parties, and he doesn’t want Kavanaugh to be confirmed in a dishonorable way.

“I’m saying we should continue through [with the investigations], but at the same time, being a white male from an affluent area, I feel for what he’s going through,” Hiskes said.

Aside from the political aspect of Kavanaugh’s confirmation, Galloway feels that there was a mishandling of the situation, an indicator of progress needed in the future.

Because she is outspoken about sexual violence, many students reach out to her for advice or guidance on the subject. Galloway feels a sense of responsibility to speak up for those who have not been able to.

“I will never stop fighting rape culture,” Galloway said. “I will not be silent.”

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Learn more about new dance teacher, orchesis coach and dance team coach Melanie Monnich

maturity about sexual behavior compared to his observations in high school.

“I would never be against the increased education of sexual misconduct and consent; it’s something that really can’t be overtaught,” Miller said. “Fortunately we’re in an era where it’s more acceptable to come forward with accusations than in any point of history before, but it’s also not where we need it to be. When they’re sending these death threats [to Ford], that’s a death threat to anybody that has survived sexual assault.”

At the heart of protests in Washington D.C., Miller experienced firsthand the reactions from people to a seemingly early end to the investigation into Kavanaugh’s accusations. Miller was surrounded by mass arrests, screaming protesters and signs calling for further action. He watched survivors share their stories and concerns about ending the investigation around a week of its initiation.

“I think the message being sent is really … men can do what they want. Fortunately for us, I really don’t think that’s being perceived as much as … we would worry it would,” Miller said. “While that message is being sent by our government, society is rejecting that and coming back at it with a much stronger force of, ‘We are not going to allow this to happen.’”

School psychologist Jay Kyp-Johnson feels that the messages being sent from those who dismissed Ford early on are that teenage boys should be held to a lower standard. He not only feels that this is a demeaning message but also that youth may feel that their

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Factors such as knowing the perpetrator, fear of dismissal, fear of retaliation and lack of evidence can also contribute to sexual violence going unreported, according to Ray and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

According to Diefendorf, this shapes what is understood as rape culture, where rape is stigmatized and understood as abhorrent and frequent, but society accepts how common it is.

Ray believes that, unfortunately, sexual misconduct has become a part of American culture.

“I feel like you guys have still grown up in that culture. … I would hope that this would encourage kids to, when they see something that’s not OK, step up,” Ray said. “I think it has to start at home. … It’s going to start with you guys.”

Although reactions against Ford and three other accusers have drawn attention to negatives such as sexual violence culture, Galloway and Ray do see positives that come with these events. There’s been a change, Ray believes, that has motivated survivors to crack the glass and come forward.

“There’s so many wonderful sources out there for kids, and as adults I think we have to encourage people to come forward because otherwise this is going to be hanging in the back of your mind for the rest of your life,” Ray said.

The transition into addressing this issue, according to senior Grant Hiskes, can

be connected to the wider MeToo cultural movement that started in October 2017. The movement, initiated by Hollywood icons, has drawn attention to sexual crimes in the entertainment industry and become a symbol of sexual justice on the national scale.

“I think it’s all a result of the MeToo movement in a sense, too, because if with what happened, or if it happened, who knows if [Ford] would have had the courage to come out without the people who came before her,” Hiskes said.

Galloway feels that educating individuals on sexual misconduct is one critical point in making this change permanent and successful. When attending a three-week recovery program after her assault, what surprised Galloway most was realizing that she had never learned how to talk about consent or sexual assault before. She remembers two days of discussing the topic in her health class and the “Can I Kiss You?” assembly two years ago.

“Even at Prospect, you’d be surprised how many kids go through things like this,” Galloway said. “We’re not necessarily taught what consent is or what’s OK. Even in the law, the lines are blurred. It’s not anything that we’re clearly taught.”

Prospect alumnus Zach Miller, who currently attends American University in Washington D.C., attests to the importance of receiving conduct education early on.

Miller, who graduated in May, noted that there’s a mandatory two-hour course on sexual misconduct and assault training in order to register for classes at his university.

He feels that this contributed to a leap into

Heard of Spanish National Honor Society? Now French has one, too!

- We Rock the Spectrum opened new location in Chicago, a gym which is dedicated to helping children with developmental disorders - Watch a video about how a P.E. class helps students get their personal training certification

Read more about the 13th annual Italian exchange

Watch a video and read about Prospect students doing service hours in the community

- Frustrations occur over Homecoming lights, read about why the lights were on at the dance.

prospectornow.com

staff EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ayse Eldes Amanda Stickels

COPY EDITORS Grace Givan Ryan Kupperman Danny Ryerson ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kate Hyland ASSOCIATE ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Wyatt Dojutrek NEWS EDITORS Blanca Estrada Grace Baldino Hannah Connelly OPINION EDITORS Anthony Romanelli ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Jenna Koch Angelina Jasinski FEATURES EDITORS Mackenzie Noelle Manisha Panthee Elizabeth Keane SPORTS EDITORS Anthony Santangelo Rick Lytle VISUALS EDITORS Erik Velazquez Mara Nicolaie ADVISER Jason Block

MISSION STATEMENT The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news and explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community. We, the Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide an 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 Ayse Eldes or Amanda Stickels), fax (847) 718 5306, email 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 room 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 for style and length.

OPINION 3

7:30 a.m. entry inadequate for students

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his year, District 214 imple- 8:10 a.m. does not equal a full class perimented new security measures od (48 minutes), so students should not throughout all schools in the be expected to be able to take a test in 40 district. According to these changes, stu- minutes.

To address this situation, adminisdents must enter and exit the building tration allowed teachers to let students from door 6 and door 30 and must show under these circumstances in before 7:30 their IDs upon entry. a.m. However, in some cases, such as juPrincipal Greg Minter stresses that one main focus of the changes is that nior Claudia Kuczun’s, teachers believe security is present when students are that 40 minutes is enough time, so they do present. Now, there are security guards not bother escorting them in earlier.

One morning, Kuczun had to take scheduled until 7:30 p.m. in order to mona quiz, which the teacher said was not itor after-school activities, such as sports very long. When she and community-ed profinally made it to the grams. classroom, she was nerHowever, this also vous about the short means that security amount of time she had must be on duty in the to finish. Working up mornings when students to the 8:15 a.m. bell, she come in. Therefore, the felt very rushed and earliest time students thought she could have can enter the school is done better if she had 7:30 a.m., as principals more time, saying that from across the district the few extra minutes decided this is the best Voting results of the is important for stutime to open the doors to Prospector staff in dents. students. regards to this editorial.

“Just a couple Prospect is a minutes could be high-achieving school, the difference between catching a misand many students are involved in extratake in your work, or finishing up curricular activities or sports, so many students come in early to do extra work, something or having more time to do make up tests or quizzes they missed, it better, instead of rushing through it,” Kuczun said. meet with teachers, etc.

Kuczun also notes that she does not Although the Prospector agrees that believe this is an isolated incident. She security’s presence is important, this knows many students who have also been does not allow students enough time to do in this situation. all of these things, especially taking tests Working on a time crunch can be a or quizzes.

The amount of time from 7:30 a.m. to psychological issue, as merely the percep-

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tion of less time can worry students and give them test anxiety, which can deter them from performing at a high level.

As a solution for this problem, the doors should open at 7:15 a.m. for students, as teachers are contractually obligated to be in the building by this time anyway.

However, we understand that this change would be very difficult at this time of the year, as security guards’ contracts are set in the spring. According to Dean Mark Taylor, who creates the security shifts, scheduling people to come in 15 minutes earlier would take other guards away during crucial parts of the day, such as lunch hours and after school.

According to Taylor, the district would have to make this decision, which District 214 Superintendent Dr. David Schuler stated is a possibility for next year.

“This is our first year going through [these security changes],” Schuler said.

“We’re going to definitely learn what works and what doesn’t work … That’s what I love about being in this district.

[It’s like], ‘We learned that, let’s go ahead and make some changes and then see how we could address whatever that concern is,’” Therefore, we, the Prospector, propose that administration rework security’s schedules for next year so that students may enter the building at 7:15 a.m. in order to make up tests or quizzes, do extra work , meet with teachers, etc. In this process, we believe that garnering students’ input would be best in order to create a plan that both aids students and adheres to the new security procedures.

Staff Editorial

ASSOCIATE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Connor Graver

OCTOBER 12, 2018

Procrastination not a sign of laziness I really can’t do this. Yep. I’m not going to do this now. This sounds like a problem for future Amanda. I’ll just come back to it. It’s fine. I just can’t do my best work right now. I’ll be back soon. *Two days later Oh my gosh. My deadline is in an hour. I have to crank this out. Alright. Here we go. I swear I didn’t procrastinate, though. I swear. It’s just that I tend to do my best work the night before the deadline, starting at around 9 p.m.

What was I doing before this?

Surprisingly enough, no, I was not on my phone or watching Netflix like you may think. Then what was I doing? It’s kind of hard to explain. For the most part, I was doing other homework, but as for the gaps in between, I was stressing about how much I had to do. Yeah, I know it doesn’t make sense, but somehow it does in my mind.

Obviously, the solution to this problem is, as Nike would say, “just do it”. Well Nike, it’s AHHHHHHH: A student is surrounded by a pile of work she has to do, but instead of working not that easy. In an article by the on it, she stresses about it. Contrary to popular belief, procrastination does not always mean a Association for Psychological student is sitting around on their phone. (illustration by Mara Nicolaie) Science (APS), Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at De- right now.” thing. School psychologist Dr. per night.

Paul University, stated that “to Jay Kyp-Johnson notes that perThat sounds like me, leading Kyp-Johnson says that this tell the chronic procrastinator up to every huge deadline. I will fectionism is detrimental when method helped him when he to just do it would be like saying usually start working on some- perfect is the sole acceptable outwas in college, but also notes to a clinically depressed person, thing, get frustrated, decide that come. When perfect is the only that each person has to see what ‘cheer up.’” option, beginning a difficult task I’m not ready to perform my works best for them by paying The article also stated that best and proceed like this until is nearly impossible. That’s why attention to their thought patprocrastinating has I absolutely must I usually tend to do math and terns while procrastinating. less to do with time do something. Heck, science homework first, because While on the journey to quit promanagement and more that was me a few there’s a definite answer, a defi- crastinating, however, I’d like to to do with the regulanite perfect. hours ago. speak to my fellow chronic protion of one’s emotions.

According to an article on crastinators.

This leads to a “The future self common theme I Psychology Today, perfectionProcrastination tends to becomes the beast of see in my procras- ists are often procrastinators have a negative connotation. In burden for procrastinatination habits: because it is psychologically the APS article, studies showed tion,” Fuschia Sirois, perfectionism. Like more acceptable to never tackle that people who put off work psychology professor any modern high a task than to face the possibility frequently had feelings of guilt at Bishop’s University school student, I am of falling short on performance. to accompany it. Kyp-Johnson in Canada, said in the Another article by Time Maga perfectionist.

Evdoesn’t even like the word “proAMANDA article. “We’re trying azine states that many people erything needs to be crastinate” because it is assoto regulate our current STICKELS done up to the high- procrastinate because they’re ciated with laziness and poor mood and thinking our Editor-In-Chief est standard, and if nervous about the outcome of an time management, which is not future self will be in it’s not, then I will assignment or don’t think they always the case. a better state. They’ll be can complete it well. To move re-do it.

So if you’re a chronic probetter able to handle feelings of I feel like this is pretty typ- past this, the article suggests crastinator, like me, don’t worinsecurity or frustrations with ical of high school students, splitting up a big task into smallry. I feel your pain. Trust me, I the task. That somehow we’ll especially at a high-achieving er sub-tasks. For example, infelt it just an hour ago. Now, if develop these miraculous cop- school such as Prospect. Howstead of thinking about a paper you’ll excuse me, I’m going to do ing skills to deal with these emoever, having high standards for that you have to write, set easy a little happy dance because I fitions that we just can’t deal with yourself isn’t necessarily a bad goals, such as writing one page nally finished this.

4 FEATURES

prospectornow.com

OCTOBER 12, 2018

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First inspired by his dad, senior Jimmy Martin has always loved playing football. His dad was the starting quarterback for Prospect wearing the number ten. He graduated in 1987 and played all four years making the playoffs in his senior year. Like his dad, Martin also plays as the quarterback and wears the same number.

With Walter Payton and Tom Brady as his favorite athletes, Martin has played football from a young age.

According to Martin, Friday night football games are a part of the family. There is no other feeling like playing at home on a Friday night; the nerves of taking a test don’t even compare to that of a game. He loves the rush of adrenaline he gets when playing on the field.

“It’s what I love about playing football; when you walk out on the field to the referee, you’re brothers,” Martin said.

Martin plans on playing college football and is in the recruiting process with Minnesota State and Northern Michigan University. Martin wants to be a fantasy football annalist on ESPN once out of college.

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Photos by Erik Valazquez

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Not just your average Knights

Here are five accomplished students of our school who have interesting stories to tell.

Know someone who has done something cool? Tweet at us @ProspectorNow

Graphics by Grace Baldino When senior Rachel Bonefas saw a poster with the digits of pi on the door of her third-grade math classroom, she immediately had an idea. Every day, Bonefas memorized a small portion of the poster.

Later her mother bought a plate with more digits of pi written around it. Now she can recite up to 150 digits passed the decimal when her memory is at its best.

“I definitely passed the end [of the poster], but I really liked that math teacher and was like, ‘This’ll be fun,’” Bonefas said.

Because many students ask her to recite from memory during Pi Day, Bonefas makes sure to write out what she knows that morning. That way she can give an accurate number when others ask how many digits she knows.

While she doesn’t have a set number to reach, Bonefas hopes to memorize at least 314 digits.

RACHEL BONEFAS

Since mid-April, Ben Sell has been working on Bruce Rauner’s campaign after one of his friends told him about it. Sell believes that it is an important time to be involved in politics, whether that means working on a campaign or just voting.

He believes in what Rauner stands for, so he joined the campaign to express his opinions and have his voice heard. Sell thinks that Rauner is the best candidate to create a better Illinois for everyone.

“There’s too many people who are complaining about things but not doing anything to change it,” Sell said.

While working on the campaign, Sell has learned more about people, giving him more perspective on issues in his community.

After the election, Sell plans to take a break from politics before potentially jumping back in for the 2020 elections.

Dylan Manfredi

Senior Dylan Manfredi has been a part of NJROTC, or Naval Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps for three and a half years. He is now the second in command over his unit.

Manfredi started NJROTC because it sounded like an interesting alternative to other programs. His grandfather was in ROTC, or Reserve Officer’s Training Corps, and his father served in Vietnam.

At first Manfredi was not sure if he wanted to continue, but in his junior year he joined a few teams within NJROTC and used that as a platform to get to where he is today.

He makes sure that the senior staff can efficiently run the NJROTC program and has received multiple leadership awards, as well as dozens of service hours.

He is even the captain of the Cyberpatriot team, which focuses on cybersecurity in the modern age.

“The leadership experience is second to none,” Manfredi said.

Freshman Jaimi Jaworecki has been singing ever since she can remember.

Since beginning singing lessons four years ago, she has joined the house band for School of Rock in Arlington Heights.

House band members are the leaders for younger kids in the program.

Jaworecki has been participating in shows and joining talent competitions throughout 2018-19 school year. Over the summer, Jaworecki won a talent show held at the Arlington International Racecourse.

She notes Christina Aguilera and Adam Lambert as her major music influences.

“I’ve been singing since I was young,” Jaworecki said. “I just feel really confident on stage; it’s just what I like to do.”

I K C E R O JAW I JAIM

prospectornow.com

OCTOBER 12, 2018

FEATURES 5

Hurricane Florence breaks homes, hearts Evacuees in North Carolina share their stories, experiences MACKENZIE NOELLE Executive Features Editor

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here was a week before senior Annie Cimack’s grandma, Darla Nettles, had to evacuate her beach house in Wilmington, North Carolina from Hurricane Florence. Nettles gathered possessions she couldn’t take with her in her windowless laundry room for as much protection as possible. Among those possessions were old photographs and paintings created by her daughter-in-law, Holly Nettles, of Cimack and her cousins on the beach.

Before she left the room, Nettles took pictures of the artworks in case of any damage that could’ve happened to them while she was gone. She rolled the metallic hurricane shutters in front of her windows and metal poles along her glass doors before driving two hours north to be picked up by her son, Lee Nettles, to be taken to his home in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

“I didn’t know which clothes to take and not to take,” Nettles said. “That’s what you spend most of the time doing before you leave: making those hard decisions.”

Nettles used to live in a brick house in the town of Wilmington for 21 years until moving into their built-from-scratch beach house full-time in 1990. After moving out of the brick house officially, she had family living there for a few years before she started renting it out, which she does currently.

“I’ve been very lucky in the past 50 years, really,” Nettles said. “But this time I got caught with two houses that need a lot of work.”

From Hurricanes Floyd, Fran and others, Nettles hadn’t had much damage besides some flooding. However, Florence has caused her the greatest amount of damage since she started living in North Carolina in 1969.

Although Hurricane Florence doesn’t have a set category, World Vision said that it peaked as a category four hurricane, reaching winds up to 140 mph. According to the Weather Channel, Hurricane Florence is considered the wettest tropical storm to hit North Carolina, with some parts of the state getting up to three feet of rain and causing at least 51 deaths amongst the Carolinas from when it made landfall on Sept. 14.

STRUCK: Senior Annie Cimack’s grandmother, Darla Nettles, was startled when she came home to Wilmington, North Carolina after evacuating from Hurricane Florence. “We were lucky we got the eye,” Netlles said.”[But] in some of the rooms, you can look up and see sunshine.” (photo courtesy of Darla Nettles)

WHIRLWIND: Senior Annie Cimack’s grandmother, Darla Nettles, had been hit by Hurricane Florence at her homes in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her brick house in town (shown above) was badly damaged with a tree falling on the roof, while her beach house had minor flooding and is livable. (photo courtesy of Darla Nettles) Nettles is back living in her beach house, which just had some flooding damage, but the brick house won’t be livable until spring due to a tree falling on the roof, causing nine holes through the ceiling. However, Wilmington passed under the eye of the hurricane, which was relatively calm compared to the outer bands, which had more rain and stronger winds.

“We were lucky we got the eye,” Nettles said. “[But] in some of the rooms, you can look up and see sunshine.”

Although Nettles has been through 10 hurricanes over the past 50 years, North Carolina’s Elon University freshman and Prospect 2018 graduate Julia Conway has never experienced a hurricane until Florence.

“One day everyone was all happy and

saying hello while walking to class,” Conway said. “Then the next day everyone is on their phones frantically calling their parents on what to do next.”

On Sept. 11 at 8:29 a.m., Jon Dooley, the Assistant Vice Principal for Student Life and Dean of Campus Life at Elon University, emailed all students and staff highly encouraging everyone to evacuate campus from Sept. 12 through Sept. 17 due to Florence.

Although Elon only got some flooding damage, a majority of the campus evacuated, including Conway, who went to her cousin Mike’s apartment in Charlotte, North Carolina. Conway was fortunate to not be in an area with a lot of damage, unlike her other cousins, Jen and Kevin, whose parents’ property in Wilmington was mostly destroyed.

“I was really not expecting this my first three weeks [of college],” Conway said. “Especially for freshmen [who flew home to evacuate], who were really excited to start their college career, now don’t know when they can come back.”

Most schools in North Carolina, including the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, were damaged and shut down.

Other schools, like a high school near Nettles, are being used as a shelter for around 200 people while the high school is still in session.

Missionaries and volunteers from around the country have already been working on fixing homes in the Carolinas, including one man from Texas who set up a tent in the parking lot of a Kmart and fed homemade meals to those affected for days.

“I’m glad it’s gone and I hope I don’t get hit by another one anytime soon,” Nettles said. “It’ll take quite a while to recover from this one, but I will and it will get done–– it’s just going to take time.”

Therapy dogs shed light on students in and out of school ANGELINA JASINSKI Entertainment Editor Last year, sophomore Maddy Menczywor often visited therapy dogs Ringo and Junie.

Typically, she visited multiple times a week and sometimes multiple times a day. Ringo and Junie were always helpful when she had a lot going on with school or life in general.

They were a good way to help calm down and relieve stress.

Now, with there being no therapy dogs since the owner of Junie retired and the owner of Ringo transferred to Forest View, the impact of losing the therapy dogs at Prospect can be seen in the reaction of Menczywor.

“When I found out that there weren’t going to be any therapy dogs, I was really sad because that’s one of the things that would sometimes get me through the

PAW-ERFUL: Therapy dog Junie poses before retirement. “[Therapy dogs] have a calming effect,” former Prospect Dean Pat Monti said. (photo courtesy of Doug Berg)

Go to prospectornow.com for more pictures of Junie!

day,” Menczywor said.

They not only helped Menczywor get through the day, but teachers also saw the variety of ways that the therapy dogs helped students who may have been feeling down.

According to social worker Doug Berg, visiting Junie and Ringo provided a good way for stressed and depressed students to calm down. The dogs were also very helpful with aiding students in opening up about things that were going on in their life. The dogs will just be there to sit and listen to what the student had to say.

Therapy dogs have also been proven helpful beyond high school settings. For instance, therapy dogs are especially helpful for military veterans who might be experiencing PTSD. The dogs are able to help keep them calm if they have a possible flashback or panic attacks. People with brain injuries can also benefit from therapy dogs since the dogs can aid them if they have possible anger issues as a side-effect of their injury.

While some high school students may not have seen therapy dogs while in elementary school themselves, they are now being seen more frequently. One reason being that therapy dogs help with reading programs at elementary schools. The therapy dogs can help kids feel more comfortable because the student can read to the dog instead of out loud in class. This is especially helpful if a student may have trouble reading due to nervousness or anxiety. Therapy dogs can also serve in court systems when someone is testifying about a subject that may be difficult for them to talk about, as the therapy dog is able to help calm them down.

At Forest View Educational Center, where Ringo is now, he is also used in different ways to help students, according to resource assistant and special education

teacher, Courtney Stocking, who works at both Prospect and Forest View. In the Life Program offered at Forest View, Stocking helps prepare students who have both learning and physical disabilities for life outside of high school, teaching them skills they will need after graduation.

With this program, students at Forest View receive duties that they need to complete, which includes taking Ringo outside.

While Stocking was working with a student at Forest View who was taking Ringo out, she explains the experience with the student interacting with Ringo.

“He told me he felt so empowered, he felt like he had somebody to be responsible for and to look after,” Stocking said.

With Ringo at Forest View, Stocking mentioned that with this new duty of taking Ringo out, it teaches the students responsibility, while Ringo is also able to provide support for the students.

Although there are not any therapy dogs at Prospect right now, Stocking stressed the importance of having therapy dogs at school.

She mentioned how they help many students who have learning disabilities or any kind of anxieties, especially when it comes to going to school. She also mentioned how it eases the attention and gives them a dog to go to and love.

Not only does Stocking mention the importance, but former Prospect Dean, Pat Monti, stresses

the importance of therapy dogs at school.

“They have a calming effect, people are very open,” Monti said. “It just makes everything a whole lot better, and not just for students but for the staff too.”

6 IN-DEPTH

prospectornow.com

OCTOBER 12, 2018

SILICON VALLEY P Opinion: media ban’s bad precedent I

n 1977, the American Nazi Party ban, along with those of the other media planned a march in Skokie, which at companies, is a terrible decision that will the time had a population that was only serve to divide America even further over half Jewish. Of those Jews, one in six than people like Jones ever have. were Holocaust survivors, according to enI will in no way be defending Alex Jones cyclopedia.com. Knowing that they were in this piece. I am perfectly comfortable the minority, the Nazis got permission to with saying that he is a fear-mongering march into Skokie in order to deliberately bigot who peddles deliberate lies to scared, upset the Jewish community, disenfranchised Americans in only to be rejected by village order to gain fame and hawk authorities. The Nazis sued the his alternative medicines. village, and the American Civil That being said, many Liberties Union (ACLU) sent people are unaware of how defenders to help the Nazis – the First Amendment works, a move that lost them 30,000 especially Jones. The First members.

Amendment protects religion, The ACLU argued that depetition, assembly, freedom of spite their reprehensible bespeech and freedom of press liefs, the Nazis could not be from the government. That’s denied their right to assembly. why I’m able to insult Alex ACLU attorney David GoldJones. That’s why you are able ANTHONY berger, who ironically was disagree. The federal govROMANELLI to Jewish, represented the naernment cannot interfere or zis in court. The Nazis ended infringe upon these rights, but Executive up winning the case, with the the federal government doesn’t Opinion Editor own Facebook. Mark Zuckercourt ruling that as long as they are non-violent, everyone berg does, and if Zuckerberg has a right to march and protest. They still decides he doesn’t like you, as the owner march every now and then in Skokie. of a private company, he can show you the This right, however, does not extend to door. private forums. Twitter made the decision But that ideology is a double-edged to ban Alex Jones, conspiracy theorist and sword. Jones can rightfully claim that far-right symbol, from their platform on Twitter has discriminated against him Sept. 8, only a few weeks after other promfor his political beliefs. Don’t believe him? inent media giants, such as Facebook, Look at Linda Sarsour, who, like Jones, Apple and YouTube, had enacted bans on frequently collaborates with virulent anJones, along with his site, Infowars. ti-Semites. She claims to be a feminist, yet Twitter was the last domino to fall, and attacked Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali politwhile they had enacted a seven-day susical activist and victim of female genital pension on Jones in the past, they finally mutilation, with threats of the very same decided to expel him from their forum after crime that gives Ali post-traumatic stress. he repeatedly violated their abuse policy, On top of that, Sarsour is an advocate which states that Twitter cannot be used for regressive policies that would have for harassment of other users. Twitter’s women treated as objects and be restricted

to the home. This flies directly in the face of what America is today. According to the Pew Research Center, 82 percent of American Muslims are highly concerned about the rise of Islamic extremism, which makes Sarsour’s supposed status as a “representative” of Islam in America so disgusting.

According to the company’s data, Facebook has over 1.2 billion active users.

That’s 11 percent of the world’s population.

Are you going to tell me that all of these people have the same questions, ideas and viewpoints? And why does Zuckerberg, along with his board of directors, get to be the gatekeepers? You’ll often hear from conservative pundits, such as Ben Shapiro and Tomi Lahren, that the media enforces a pro-liberal, anti-conservative bias.

Here’s the problem: Social media has evolved into something else, something far bigger than a popularity contest. It’s a viable news platform, and needs to be treated like one. According to a poll conducted last year by the Pew Research Center, 67 percent of Americans aged 18 and older rely on social media for at least some of their news.

Can you imagine the amount of power the CEOs of these companies have? They can influence the decision of two-thirds of the voting public by simply letting only “approved” stories in and banning ones that “violate policy.”

I think the reason this has been tolerated so much is that, politically, most users aren’t affected.

According to an American survey by the Pew Research Center, 74 percent of self-identified liberals use social media, compared to only 60 percent of self-identified conservatives.

Can you imagine if one day Zuckerberg or Twitter’s board or whoever, switched party affiliation? All of a sudden, bias flips to the other side, news skews conservative,

prominent liberals are banned and now it’s the majority who feels underrepresented. That would cause outrage, but it’s not causing outrage now, is it?

Once the world gives these corporations that kind of power, they can and will use that to their advantage. For the moment, the conservatives are the ones being sidelined, but corporations aren’t liberal or conservative; their only loyalty is to money. Social media giants pin us against each other and profit off the anger with ads and subscriptions. They don’t care who’s in the ring as long as they sell the tickets. Conservatives of Prospect, social media doesn’t hate you; you’re just an easier target.

Freedom of speech is reciprocal; it means we tolerate the other guy because he tolerates us. These companies control the world’s largest platform for ideas, and that’s a lot of responsibility to handle. With that kind of responsibility, you can’t boot off people who criticize you. A truly free society gives its citizens the right to disagree. Social media is the new dominant form of communication, and it would help all of us if it wasn’t some corporate suit’s echo chamber. Social media has to show us the world isn’t all sunshine, rainbows and agreement all the time.

There will always be people like Alex Jones and people like the American Nazi Party, but the only way to crush bigotry is to expose it, not push it aside.

And realistically? Giving these crazies their 15 minutes of fame will only hurt them.

To quote Evelyn Beatrice Hall, an English writer in the 1900s, “I wholly disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Politics, public relations intersect on social media GRACE GIVAN Copy Editor Illinois State Sen. Tom Rooney held off from getting a Twitter account for six years as the mayor of Rolling Meadows and for his first year as an Illinois State Sen. Rooney had perceived politicians’ use of social media as that of only self-promotionn. However, that changed when until someone from the communications department in the Illinois Senate recommended that he take a look at different politicians’ social media pages, such as United States Senator Ben Sasse, in order to grow his social media presence.

According to Rooney, Sasse uses his social media as a way to reiterate his political points to a larger audience. This convinced

A senator’s guide to combat the Silo Effect The Silo Effect - In regards to politics, the Silo Effect is the phenomena when people choose to receive information from those with similar political views.

Illinois State Sen. Tom Rooney listens to multiple different perspectives to counteract the Silo Effect.

For a liberal perspective: Rooney listens to The Weeds Podcast by Vox, listens to Pod Save America by Crooked Media and follows Dara Lind on Twitter, who is from The Weeds Podcast For a conservative perspective: Rooney follows Ben Sasse on Twitter and listens to the Ben Shapiro Show For a nonpartisan perspective: Rooney listens to This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Fareed Zakaria GPS, The Arthur Brooks Show and EconTalk

by Russ Roberts

Rooney to give social media a shot.

“My intent is to give people information that they might not be getting from newspapers [and] TV,” Rooney said. “The coverage of Springfield — when it’s not some big earth-shattering event— is actually pretty small, so people don’t have much of an access to the backside of things. ... I try to use my Twitter account to [give] a little bit of information and inside baseball about what’s going on down there.”

Social media is increasingly becoming a factor in local and national politics, as 67 percent of adults in 2017 said they at least occasionally got news from social media, according to the Pew Research Center. Social media’s role in politics varies, as do its results in swaying voters, and therefore, elections.

AP U.S. Government and Politics teacher Tim Beishir believes social media gives local politicians, such as state representatives, a “larger microphone” to express their opinions. Beishir also says that since many people may want instant reactions from politicians to certain events or situations, social media allows political figures to be more connected to their supporters.

Rooney, for example, uses his Twitter account to share his thoughts on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes and provide observations of the Illinois Congress.

“When you get a chance to talk to anyone in person … it’s ‘So what’s it like down there in Springfield? What’s going on down there in Springfield? What do we need to know about what’s happening down in Springfield?’ I think one of the reasons they ask so much is because there aren’t many sources up here,” Rooney said. “Now I’m certainly not trying to be a statehouse news reporter by any stretch of the imagination, but [I] am trying to offer information that folks don’t get … other places.”

Contrasting the informative purposes of social media, junior Ben Sell, an intern for Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign, acknowledges the self-promotion aspect of social media in politics.

“It’s definitely self-promotion,” Sell said.

“[Social media is] an easy and free way to advertise good things you’re doing and why people should vote for you, but I don’t think that’s negative.”

Sell follows Republicans Gov. Bruce Rauner and President Donald J. Trump along with Democrats Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Tammy Duckworth and gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker on social media in order to see how each of them reach out to communities and what policies they are supporting. He values the importance of staying informed of politicians’ whereabouts, even if it does not make the news.

“Regardless if you can vote or not, it’s important to be informed because we are all citizens of the United States and have the power to contact our congressmen and [congress]women about issues that are concerning us,” Sell said. “Now especially, high-school-age kids are beginning to develop opinions about [politics], and developing the basis of [those opinions] without factual information could lead to problems when they are able to vote.”

According to Sell, the circulation of smaller politicians’ names can expose people to names that they otherwise wouldn’t know. Because of this, Beishir sees a social media presence as a requirement nowadays and points to the Obama campaign as the first example of a politician harnessing a digital outreach.

“It cost very little for the campaign,” Beishir said. “What it did was allow them to ask, ‘Hey, could you give us five dollars?’

Instead of relying on major PAC (political action committees) donations [and] big money donors. ... People can [use] email easily, ... so they were able to grasp that financial support.”

Beishir sees this same concept in social media. However, parts of social media’s political atmosphere does not always evoke a positive response among its users.

Both Rooney and Beishir view social media as an effective way to spread information, yet a horrible way to converse and debate.

“It’s easy to be an internet tough guy, and

I think Twitter gets very cynical and negative a lot of the time. You can’t have a lot of nuanced conversation in [280] characters,” Beishir said. “It leads to an oversimplification of things and a little bit of sensational journalism.”

According to Beishir, this allows for a facilitated circulation of false information, as social media is not always verified journalism, and encourages teens to be selective about what they believe (see “A senator’s guide to combating the Silo Effect”).

In fact, before the 2016 presidential election, the Pew Research Center found more than a third of social media users surveyed were “worn out by the amount of political content they encounter.”

R o o n e y points out that the growing accessibility to information on the internet can actually depress voter turnout, according to ScienceDaily, a source for the latest research news.

To explain this phenomena, Rooney acknowledges and wants to fight against the theory that voters may not know what to believe anymore. “[Twitter] helps me to increase the seriousness in which people look at politics on social media. Meaning mine is kind of a half-conscious effort to up the quality of what people post,” Rooney said. “I really do think that [although] I don’t have a lot of folks who follow [me] ... it will give them insight into not just what’s happening in Springfield, but how I, as their senator, think about things. ... I think that’s super helpful for folks to see us as actual people who have actual philosophies and thoughts that we try to balance with representing their philosophies and thoughts, too.”

prospectornow.com

IN-DEPTH 7

OCTOBER 12, 2018

PUPPETMASTERS YouTube apologies fall flat Students share evaluation of Youtube coflicts ELIZABETH KEANE Features Editor In the beginning of this year, 22-year-old YouTuber Logan Paul ventured into the Aokigahara “suicide” forest with intentions of filming an overnight challenge video. The vlog featured Paul and his friends discovering a dead man hanging from a tree – before calling for a park ranger. Paul originally blurred out the man’s face before Youtube took down the video altogether. Since the video went out, his subscriber count increased from around 15 million to 18.5 million.

How are influences that make seemingly colossal mistakes online still able to maintain a fanbase of millions?

Sophomore Mary Lazzaretti was among the millions who watched Paul’s suicide forest video. Media consumers thought that it was disrespectful of Paul to film the body but were even more offended that he was laughing and making jokes throughout the video.

Paul later commented that this was his way of coping with the situation.

“It was really unsettling, because he obviously doesn’t understand the weight of that area,” Lazzaretti said.

English and Fine Arts division head Adam Levinson believes that we a r e

constantly being exposed to violent images in the media through movies, news and entertainment platforms, such as YouTube. According to Levinson, Paul’s video was graphic and insensitive considering that the suicide victim has a family. “[Paul’s] videos have the most impact on the younger demographic,” Levinson said. “This creates a domino effect in terms of desensitization and how we negatively treat each other.”

After watching the video, Lazzaretti notes that she felt the most affected by the fact that the man was hanging.

Paul posted an apology shortly after, along with a video of him speaking to a suicide survivor in an attempt to get a better understanding of the situation. In the video, Paul advises his subscribers to get help if they need it and displays the suicide hotline number.

“It was really good of him to try to understand the situation better, but I don’t think that was enough,” Lazzaretti said. “He should’ve taken a longer break from YouTube and reassessed his channel before coming back rather than making a few apology videos and returning to his regular content.”

When a YouTuber has a huge controversy, the rest of the Youtube community is also affected. YouTubers will make videos about or with the person after their scandal in order to give their own opinion or conduct an interview. One example of this is when a video was found of beauty YouTuber Jeffree Star yelling a racial slur at people in response to being called a homophobic slur.

In a five-part series by Shane Dawson, another YouTuber, fans learned more about Star than they ever had.

Star addressed his life before he was famous, as well as some of his past scandals involving racism after the video resurfaced.

“If you look back at the footage, the people I’m screaming at are Caucasian. What I said was racist, but I wasn’t saying it to a person of color.

I was saying a horrible offensive word to cut back at someone

calling me something awful,” Star said.

Some viewers did not like that Star said this in Dawson’s video, thinking that he was trying to justify his actions rather than apologize.

“It doesn’t matter who you’re saying it [to] or whether it has malice underneath it. If that word or slur doesn’t apply to you or your history, then you don’t have the right to use it in the way [Star] did,” Lazzaretti said.

Although Star still receives comments calling him a racist, he has over 10 million subscribers and climbing.

Unlike Star, Laura Lee is a beauty YouTuber who lost subscribers after having tweeted racist and offensive jokes six years ago. Since the discovery of these tweets, she has lost over half a million subscribers along with the majority of her brand deals and sponsorships.

Levinson compares the situations with Lee and Star to young athletes who have tweeted offensive things in their past. According to Levinson, the person shouldn’t be reprimanded by the media if they were teenagers when it occurred. However, if they were older, they should know better and be held responsible.

Although this happened so long ago, Lazzaretti believes that we should still draw attention to it. She acknowledges that Lee has most likely changed her views since then, but thinks that the internet should still reprimand her so that others know that what she did was unacceptable.

Lazzaretti, although not necessarily agreeing with this herself, has heard from peers that people are generally more forgiving towards minorities. She has noticed that people have been less forgiving towards Lee than they were to Star, based on the amount of subscribers gained or lost.

According to Lazzaretti, the fact that Jeffree Star is gay might have influenced some people’s opinions. Lazzaretti believes that people feel this way because they don’t want to draw even more negative connotations toward minorities than there already are.

Lazzaretti also has a hard time deciphering whether a YouTuber’s apology is genuine or not. She has no-

It doesn’t matter who you’re saying it [to] or whether it has malice underneath it.

- Mary Lazzaretti, sophomore

ticed that all apology videos follow a similar pattern: the person is always disheveled, wearing casual clothing and acting completely opposite as they do in their other videos.

“All of them follow the same arc and storyline, so it’s hard to not watch an apology video and think ‘Isn’t that what this [other] person said?’” Lazzaretti said.

With Lee’s apology video, people were pointing out that she edited a jumpcut to her crying in it. According to Lazzaretti, most of the time, YouTubers do not edit apology videos, as it makes them seem less transparent.

Additionally, influencers in the media today discuss the idea that people are easily offended. Levinson believes that this is true in some cases, but people can often justify their feelings.

According to Levinson, the Contemporary American Texts class that he teaches is often fluid; in other words, a YouTuber’s name may come up in the case of discussing the current political climate, but otherwise it just depends on what is happening in the media at that time.

Nevertheless, the media today remains an unpredictable place in terms of how people interact with each other.

“There’s a certain way that people act in which they respect each other’s differences. I think that a lot of that has been put under scrutiny based on the way people make fun of, bully and put down others,” Levinson said.

Scandal scars percent of Knights who have unsubscribed from a YouTuber due to a scandal (by grade) *information courtesy of a Prospector survey of 100 students

(illustration by Mara Nicolaie)

8 FEATURES

prospectornow.com

OCTOBER 12, 2018

Distance won’t seperate them Student couples share long distance relationship stories BLANCA ESTRADA Executive News Editor

W

hen senior Caroline Sandberg began her show choir season in August 2017 of her junior year, she anticipated it being like her sophomore year. The usual practice until 9:30 p.m., costumes, new routines and songs, competitions and the occasional drama. However, she never anticipated to meet senior Patrick Tworek and start dating him two months later.

Although Sandberg and Tworek started out as friends, he made her aware that he liked her from the beginning. With frequent visits to Dairy Queen where Sandberg worked, they conversed about everything that came to mind.

After knowing each other for two months, Tworek finally asked her out. However, she was aware that the relationship might not last because he would be leaving for Illinois State the following year.

“I wasn’t sure where [the relationship] would go,” Sandberg said. “But he told me that breaking up wasn’t an option for him.”

The couple talked about taking a break during Sandberg’s first semester of senior year, but in the end, they decided to work out a long distance relationship.

Senior Vanessa Mussatti had to go through similar circumstances when Nick Kosla (her boyfriend) left for college in 2017.

Mussatti was a sophomore when she began dating Kosla, who was a senior at Prospect. Although they’d known each other since elementary school, they started talking again after being paired up together for the annual homecoming TP-ing.

“From the beginning, age

Vanessa Mussatti and Nick Kosla didn’t matter to us because we just connected,” Mussatti said.

Senior Talor Kosla was uncertain when her brother started dating Mussatti, but she learned to accept the relationship over time.

“I’m happy he found someone that we’ve known and have been friends with for a while,” Kosla said.

Mussatti’s parents accepted their relationship because they’ve known Kosla since he was young.

“They are both very level-headed and very mature,” said Mussatti’s mother, Debbie Mussatti. “They are genuinely interested in each other prospering and doing well.”

Although it’s difficult for Mussatti to visit Kosla frequently at University of Mississippi, they do keep in contact throughout the day. They might text or Snapchat, and if neither are busy, they FaceTime.

“It would be nicer if I could see him every day,” Mussati said. “Distance is the hardest

Faith Bondarowicz and Patrick Limanowka

Caroline Sandberg and Patrick Tworek

part about it but it’s worked for two years.”

Sandberg also texts and Snapchats Tworek throughout the day. They FaceTime whenever she gets home from school and right before she goes to bed.

Nevertheless, she mentions that it’s difficult at times to work out the relationship.

For example, when Sandberg is having a bad day, Tworek is unable to be with her. Furthermore, there are times where she wonders who he’s with and what he’s doing.

Junior Faith Bondarowicz is aware her relationship will be different once her boyfriend senior Patrick Limanowka graduates in May. She believes that distance won’t change their feelings for one another, but she can’t really say what will happen next year with college.

“Whatever happens with us, it’s meant to be,” Bondarowicz said.

Faith’s sister, Hanna Bondarowicz, a 2015 Prospect High School graduate, was

dating senior Kyle Beyak while she was a sophomore. Hanna couldn’t always visit Beyak because he was attending University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. However, when they were together, Faith recalls them making the most unforgettable moments. To this day, Hannah and Beyak are together.

“It kind of gives me hope because I saw their relationship for two years, and it shows that it can be done,” Faith said.

As Mussatti is determining which college to attend next year, she mentions she will not attend the same university as Kosla.

“I think no matter what they’re always going to be close,” Debbie said. “It would not surprise me if they did end up together.”

Although the future is uncertain for the couples, they aren’t worried. They know that if it’s meant to be, it will be.

“We just know that whatever happens happens for a reason,” Mussati said.

prospectornow.com

OCTOBER 12, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT 9

Club creators scrub and dub: stories of the new and old After learning of a specialized club at Hersey designed to help students get a head-start in the medical field, seniors Kisa Jafri and Olivia Ekoue decided to take the initiative and bring the concept of Scrubs Club to Prospect.

The two held their first-ever meeting on Sept. 26 to smashing success.

Over 50 students from all classes and walks of life met up in room 314, bound by a shared interest in nursing, surgery, neuroscience, biotech and every other subset of medicine.

“I had no clue this would be that big,” Jafri said.

“It shows how big of an interest that people [have] in the medical field,” Ekoue said.

In the future, Scrubs Club will have two different activities associated with

THE NEW: SCRUBS CLUB

it: community service and medicalmedical field. ly focused field trips and seminars. “[We’re] having a bunch of peoMembers of the club will work ple that have so many different GREAT with organizations such as Feed My interests in the same field,” EkStarving Children and attend preoue said. “Everyone wants to DEBATE: sentations by experts in the medido something different, but From left to right: cal field. it’s all still intertwined.”

Tyler Alesse (Class of Student involvement is import“Hopefully, it will be ‘18) and Ty Smith (Class of ant to Jafri and Ekoue, especially a close-knit communi‘18) discuss anime and manga after seeing how much control the ty,” Jafri said. sponsor of Hersey’s Scrubs Club at a Japanese Animation and Manga had over it. meeting. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Stoltz) Luckily for them, chemistry teacher Gigi before: JAMM Club.

Matthews stepped in to JAMM stands for Japanese Anihelp. mation and Manga, and it’s exactly DANNY RYERSON Before her time at Prospect, what it sounds like. Once every Matthews coached cheerleadtwo weeks, the club’s memCopy Editor ing at Palatine High School. bers get together with Kruse “I’m basically following ant to be a part of an extracurricand watch anime or read [Jafri and Ekoue’s] lead ular group, but lack athletic abilmanga–– Japanese animatand giving my advice,” ity? Hate competition, don’t want ed television and comic Matthews said. “This is your grades to drop or just haven’t found your books, respectively–– in a pretty much their club.” wheelhouse yet? The answer might be to start club setting.

As seniors, Jafri and your own club. Prospect has over 50 clubs, “I didn’t really know Ekoue have to hope that, ranging from Dungeons & Dragons Club what to expect because I after they’ve graduated, to Cricket Club. and many more. We’ll wasn’t that familiar with their underclassmen will go over two very different clubs, an anime,” Kruse said. “I’ll tell carry on the torch. old and a new, to investigate how you, I’ve watched some really Despite that, they’re optithey got their start at Prosweird stuff as part of this club.” mistic about Scrubs Clubs’s pect and why they do Despite the culture shock, importance to Prospect and what they do.

Kruse was open to the idea, Knights looking to enter the having liked cartoons when she was growing KNIGHT, M.D.: Kisa Jafri (left) advises a up. As her first ever sponsorship, she didn’t have much Scrubs Club meeting in room 314. She of an idea what she was getting into, and her co-leader Olivia Ekoue built however.

Scrubs Club to be a hub for JAMM used to be a much larger students interested in the commitment, meeting one day per medical field. (Photo week as opposed to the bimonthly Towards the end of the schedule the group has today. courtesy of Erik 2009 school year, English “I got to the point where I’m like, Velazquez) teacher Karen Kruse was ap‘Why am I doing this, this isn’t even proached by a student in her for a class, this is taking up so much Honors World Literature and time!’” Kruse said.

Composition class asking her to Since then, Kruse has gotten a sponsor a club she’d never heard of

W

THE OLD: JAMM CLUB

much better handle on JAMM. She sees the club’s activity as a low-stress way for her students to get together and bond over something they all have in common.

From a teacher’s perspective, Kruse enjoys more than just the activity that JAMM provides. For her, it’s a way to get to know students when they’re out of the classroom.

“It’s an interesting experience to be able to see that side of your students,” Kruse said.

Even though JAMM is just an entertaining diversion on the surface, Kruse believes that it’s something more.

“There are some students [for whom] traditional clubs aren’t their thing,” Kruse said. “They don’t want to be an athlete, they don’t want to do debate or Chess Club or Science Olympiad. This is something for which you don’t need any special skill; you just need a willingness to sit around and watch anime.”

Spooky season sparks Halloween talks Public debates suitable cut-off age for tricks and treats MANISHA PANTHEE Features Editor

C

urran Whyte looked at himself in the mirror, snapping his suspenders.

Halloween had arrived, and he was ready. With his bow tie, button up shirt, taped up glasses and suspenders, he was going as Steve Urkel from the sitcom “Family Matters.” Whyte had gone trick or treating since he could walk, and he wasn’t about to stop junior year.

People have mixed thoughts about the cut-off age for trick or treating, as seen on sites like Reddit and Yahoo. Some believe kids in their teens are too old to be out asking for candy, yet others, like now senior Whyte, have continued to knock on doors into their late teen years.

Whyte doesn’t believe there is a cutoff age, and he has never had a problem with people telling him he is too old to trick or treat.

Of course, this doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking it, according to Arlington Heights resident Ryan Anderson.

Anderson says middle schoolers are transitioning from childhood into young adulthood, whereas he expects high schoolers to act more mature since they have more privileges.

“Halloween is my favorite holiday; it’s a fun time for everyone,” Anderson said, “but once you are in high school, the days of going around asking for candy are over.”

Nevertheless, he acknowledges teenagers would also like to join in on the festivities and usually gives candy to the ones dressed up, albeit

less than he gives little kids.

Although Whyte and Anderson do not see eye to eye on the cutoff age, both agree that teenagers should not receive candy if they are not dressed up.

“The hell — why would I go around knocking on peoples doors if I’m not dressed up,” Whyte said.

Anderson adds that “if they came with their street clothes, I’m not giving them anything.” Nevertheless, he does fear retaliation from teenagers. Anderson has never had his house egged but is aware of it happening to others in the past. According to Anderson, it costs a lot of money to clean it up because the eggs destroyed the paint on the house.

Whyte has never egged a house before, but he isn’t opposed to the thought. “[If they say] I’m too old, then their house is getting egged,” Whyte said. “It’s Halloween. Give me something good to eat or smell my feet.”

Whyte plans to go trick or treating with his friends as Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles this year. He was planning on egging the house of a certain sophomore friend, but hearing about the potential damages egging a house can cause made him hold the thought.

Whyte says he and his friends plan to stay out until 10 p.m. While Whyte does not see it as a big deal, some families might be ready to go to bed or don’t want to be disturbed. In Arlington Heights, the official hours for trick or treating are three p.m. to seven p.m. Anderson believes eight p.m. is the cutoff time to trick or treat, but he has had teenagers come to his door after that.

Some houses choose to leave a bucket of candy outside their homes to avoid being bombarded by the bell every couple minutes.

This method doesn’t work out, according to Whyte. In instances where candy is left out, he says he takes about half of the pile. Al-

BOO!: A teenager goes trick or treating with his younger sibling. There are mixed thoughts on the cut off age for trick or treating. (Photo Illustration by Maddy Lee) though most don’t do this, he said it only takes a few teenagers to clean out a bucket.

Although Whyte is going with friends this year, he used to trick or treat with his cousins before.

Like Whyte, there are teenagers that go with their younger siblings or cousins, whether or not they are asking for candy themselves. Anderson said he would happily give candy to teenagers with siblings, if they want it.

Fifth-grader Mina Bandic usu-

ally goes trick or treating with her college-aged sisters, although they don’t ask for candy. Bandic hopes to trick or treat until she turns 16, which is the age she believes is the unofficial cutoff.

Although everyone may not agree on a cutoff age for trick or treating, that won’t stop kids like Whyte.

“Death would be the cutoff for being too old to trick or treat,” Whyte said. “I’ll be 80 and trick or treating if I can still walk. [If

not], I’m rolling around in a wheelchair.”

10 ENTERTAINMENT

prospectornow.com

OCTOBER 12, 2018

What’s the hesitation for representation?

JENNA KOCH Executive Entertainment Editor

A

s a kid, I loved watching Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street. I always imagined my best friends and I moving into a big city somewhere and being roommates, just like Bert and Ernie did.

I even thought I could marry whomever my best friend was because, as a kid, I thought marriage was between two people who loved each other more than anyone else.

So I probably shouldn’t have been surprised when the two characters were confirmed to be in a relationship by show writer Mark Saltzman, who based the characters off of him and his partner at the time.

In my childhood world filled with princesses finding their prince charmings, Bert and Ernie were the only thing close to a relationship I actually saw myself having.

Now, shows such as “Steven Universe”, “Andi Mack” and “Adventure Time” are finally showing LGBT characters and relationships. These characters and relationships are complex, multi-dimensional and refreshing to see compared to stereotypes found in a lot of movies and shows.

While these

shows and others like them have made great strides for representation, the majority of kids’ entertainment still haven’t gone anywhere near LGBTanything.

The inclusion of prominent LGBT characters to a story’s plot in kids’ media would make coming out easier and less stressful.

This would allow LGBT kids to realize that they are accepted and teach straight and cisgender kids to accept their LGBT peers.

I was fortunate to grow up in an accepting household and communit. My sister had a girlfriend when I was in elementary school, and my church had a pride flag proudly displayed outside their building.

Even with all that, it took me until seventh grade to actually consider the fact that I might like girls.

I don’t think this was because of kids at school, and it definitely wasn’t my family.

Instead, it was all the shows and movies I watched constantly as a kid.

According to Livestrong, a 2009 study found that children aged six to eight watched an average of four hours of television each

K

EVERYONE’S A CRITIC: A queer character is bombarded by criticism against her.

“The media influences so much...” senior Claire Galloway said. “When you grow up watching Disney princess movies, you assume there’s going to be some prince that comes and saves you.” While there are many things going against LGBT representation, the impact it has on LGBT youth is worth the potential backlash. (Illustration by Jenna Koch)

ho Ww s o n

Senior Patrick Heil The Boyfriend f

Senior Annie Cimack The Subject

B

You ett er?

day, and that increased to four and a half dancing with another man. hours with eight to 16-year-olds.

65 percent of Americans support gay marSo it’s no wonder that when I think of my riage, according to Pew Research Center. So childhood, my mind immediately relates it where does the hesitation for representation to the movies and shows I loved watching. come from?

“The media influences so much,” senior Small queer moments, rather than a Claire Galloway said. “Everything I saw as a queer relationship or character defined kid really impacted how [I] endfrom the start, are no accident. ed up feeling. … When you It’s not because writers or progrow up watching Disducers are homophobic, but ney princess movies, because governments and you assume there’s people around the world going to be some are. prince that comes Being gay is crimiand saves you.” nalized in 72 countries, It’s funny how according to a 2017 ILGA much I thought report. Even in countries about having a boywhere being queer isn’t friend when I was criminalized, laws still exas young as six. Esist preventing promotion pecially because I’m a of queer relationships. lesbian.

According to the South Heterosexuality China Morning Post, - Claire Galloway , senior was always set as the gay relationships and default, especially in characters fall under the the media, and it only really progressed as Chinese law that prohibits “abnormal” relaI got older. Even my favorite book series in tionships in audiovisual media. middle school, “Divergent,” had a straight With a population of almost 1.4 billion romantic subplot even though it didn’t reand box office numbers surpassing that of ally need one, as did many of my favorite the U.S., many entertainment corporations shows and movies. would lose a huge audience –– and therefore In fact, I never actually saw an LGBT profit –– by including LGBT representation character in anything until I watched Mean in a movie or series.

Girls when I was 13, but the gay character in China is just one of the many places that movie was a stereotyped side character where laws like this exist. In Russia it’s even used for mainly for comic relief. illegal to tell children that homosexuality All of this caused my straight classexists. mates to believe that romantic relationships So they’d either lose viewers because of should be top priority –– while confirming laws that don’t exist in the U.S., or because further to myself and other queer kids that of other countries’ views of LGBT people. we were not normal.

It’s unfortunate that money has such a “I felt a little more isolated,” senior Julisizable part in LGBT representation, but enne Vargas said. “It was always a boy and these shows might not even exist without a girl doing romantic stuff. … People would international audiences. always be like, ‘Oh, this movie is so cute’ and And even if entertainment companies would be like crying over this relationship ignored the money factor and took implied and I [didn’t] understand it.” relationships or gay coded characters furIt all came together in the perfect storm ther, the little representation given to other named compulsory heterosexuality, the countries is taken away. idea that anyone can act and believe they’re LGBT kids do exist internationally, and straight while repressing any queerness by giving a kid from the U.S. more representhey might have. tation, a Chinese or Russian kid is deprived “I always felt like I had to like a guy, like of theirs.

I felt like it was mandated,” Galloway said.

So now this becomes a much bigger issue “[Not seeing LGBT characters on screen] than just representation, but instead about just confused me for a longer period of time.” fighting for acceptance internationally. As There’s much more representation than long as we keep fighting for LGBT people of there used to be. According to GLAAD, 1.1 all nations, representation here and in other percent of TV show characters were LGBT countries will increase. in 2007 compared to 6.2 percent in 2017.

While hinted-at relationships or small However, when it comes to kid’s shows, moments put in kids’ shows aren’t exactit’s still not quite enough. It’s not that it’s ly what the LGBT community wanted, it’s poor representation, but that it’s so slight probably the best we can get right now. that kids might not pick up on it, or that it’s That type of representation is still posia short moment that wouldn’t made a huge tive representation and will overall improve impact on kids. how the LGBT community is seen, and help Another common theme among the few kids who feel confused and isolated. kids’ shows with LGBT representation is “Recently there was a Disney show that that the LGBT moment is thrown into the had a character who came out,” Galloway last season or episode. Sometimes it’s very said. “When I saw that, I got all warm and clear, such as Marceline and Princess Bubfuzzy just knowing that some kid out there, blegum’s kiss in the last episode of Advenwho probably didn’t know that [being gay] ture Time. Other times it’s more discreet, was OK, felt that feeling that it was OK.” such as the last minute of the live action Beauty and the Beast where Lefou is seen

Jaws

I always felt like I had to like a guy, like I felt like it was mandated”

Dracula

Terrariums

Cheese

Regular

P

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Favorite movie?

Favorite book?

Guilty pleasure?

Diet or Least favorite regular soda? food?

Jaws

Dracula

Ice cream

Mushrooms

Senior Suzanne Harms

Jaws

Dracula

The Best Friend

P

P

P

Alt Thai

Mushrooms

P

X

Regular

Regular

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W I N N E R

prospectornow.com

SPORTS 11

OCTOBER 12, 2018

Girls’ volleyball eyes regional run RICK LYTLE Sports Editor

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ACE: Junior Grace Cacini prepares to serve in a conference match against Hersey on Sept.11. Prospect lost the match 2-0 to the Huskies, who lead the MSL East. (photo by Erik Velazquez)

irls’ varsity volleyball opened their season with a statement win over powerhouse Loyola Academy.

The game was a full team contribution: Junior Grace Cacini had two aces and eight kills, senior Sloane Petlak had two blocks, junior Mia Farraday had 15 digs and junior Sarah Skaggs had 15 assists.

“We just all came out very strong, [had] very positive energy and almost shell-shocked them,” Cacini said. Loyola is 20-5 since the loss, so it wasn’t an overrated team that Prospect beat.

Head Coach Laura Gerber had high expectations coming into the season. Gerber said the team was hoping to win conference and then their regional.

Prospect, (12-10 Overall, 3-5 conference), will fall short of an MSL championship.

As the regular season winds down, winning regionals is still a possibility. Conference play hasn’t gone exactly as planned. The Knights are currently sitting as No. 7 in the conference, but Cacini isn’t too worried about the team’s record.

“I think up to this point, most of our losses have been good games. We’ve given very good teams very good games. We’ve definitely had a lot more wins against teams that last year would have killed us,” Cacini said.

Last year’s varsity team had a record that Cacini described as “definitely not what we wanted it to be.” The team finished 9-27, a source of motivation for some play-

Team contributions make boys’ soccer playoff threat ANTHONY SANTANGELO Sports Editor The boys’ varsity soccer team has struggled in years past to possess a team full of experienced seniors according to senior Patrick Limanowka. According to varsity head coach Michael Andrews, the team’s numerous, reliable seniors have played a vital role throughout the season thus far.

“It is interesting with this squad that across the board I am getting really strong performances from a lot of my players in all different positions,” Andrews said. “Goal scoring isn’t being monopolized by one or two players. It is spread throughout all my attackers.”

Andrews also mentioned the cohesiveness of the defenders is well developed and allows him to place a lot of trust in them.

“I’m relying on my entire team, including guys coming off the bench,” Andrews said.

“It is not just a small handful of skill players...I feel like I have a lot of guys I can rely on to make things happen out [on the field].”

Another big difference that puts this varsity team at an advantage is their attitude towards every game.

“There are no downturns in energy,” junior Brian Morrison said. “Last year we would have spurts where we [were] doing really well and then spurts where we [were] doing terrible and no one [was] trying. This year, [the high energy] is on 24/7.”

Some of the skills that the team needs to work on going into playoff season is capitalizing on scoring opportunities and improving defensive awareness according to Andrews.

“We have had a few games where we have really had most of the run of play,” Andrews said. “[We] have dominated possession and created a ton of goal scoring opportunities, but, for whatever reason, we don’t finish.

[Being] hungry to put the ball in the back of the net is the first thing we are trying to accomplish.”

Fortunately for the varsity team, some of the current seniors and juniors started their

COMPETITOR: Junior Bryan (Goobie) Morrison looks to clear a ball in Prospect territory. Morrison contributes to a strong varsity squad. (photo by Erik Velazquez) sophomore year on varsity. Some of these starters were seniors Joey Boduch, Tengis Tulga, Limanowka and Morrison.

“Last year we had a lot of young players, so we got more experience and [the younger players] got more experience at the varsity level,” Limanowka said. “As we played different teams we knew what [to expect], so we were ready for this year.”

Limanowka feels that despite the experience from the team, they tend to mess around because of their close relationships.

This still hasn’t stopped the team from focusing on their season according to senior Jacob Keil.

“Obviously, we have gotten some results but not all the results we want,” Keil said.

“More importantly we are definitely growing as a team, and I think we will be ready for the playoffs.”

ers on this years team.

“Everybody has stepped up from last year,” Cacini said. “We never wanted to lose as much as we did last year, and this year we thought [since] we’ve been through all the losing, we want to start winning.”

She says this year’s team is a lot more motivated than last year’s, along with more seasoned players.

Last year’s team only graduated four seniors, so a majority of the players are back again this year with more chemistry and experience.

“We’ve gotten along so much better and we’re all really close with each other,” senior Elizabeth Abraham said. She attributes much of the success

Volleyball Glossary

Ace: A serve that is not passable and results immediately in a point.

Assist: Passing or setting the ball to a teammate who attacks the ball for a kill.

Block: A defensive play by one or more players meant to deflect a spiked ball back to the hitter’s court Dig: Passing a spiked or rapidly hit ball Kill: An attack that results in an immediate point or side out Service Error: An unsuccessful serve Spike: A ball contacted with force by a player on the offensive team who intends to terminate the ball on the opponent’s floor or off the opponent’s blocker.

Prospect will need to renew the chemistry next year, because the team is graduating nine of the 13 players on this years varsity team. This will give underclassmen a lot of opportunity to step up and fill those roles, according to Gerber.

“There are big shoes to fill, and they just know that they need to work hard in the offseason to catch up to where those guys are at,” Gerber - Grace Cacini, junior said.

Thankfully, the underof this class teams have been dominant year’s team versus last year’s to at their respective levels, with all the chemistry between the players. under level teams combined putShe credits some of this to Gerber, ting together an impressive 0.786 who she says schedules pasta parwinning percentage. ties and other activities to aid in Prospect wrapped up conferteam bonding. ence play Oct. 11, against Rolling “We just really get along well, Meadows, before they get a chance and we play for each other this to fulfill the preseason goal, winyear,” said Abraham, talking ning regionals. about the team’s chemistry.

We’ll all look back and feel accomplished and happy

with how much better we did this season.”

12

Currently on prospectornow.com ... prospectornow.com has stories after home football games against St Viator, Deerfield, and Hersey written by Online Associate Editor-In-Chief Wyatt Dojutrek. More stories including girls volleyball, and girls tennis are on too.

SPORTS OCTOBER 12, 2018

Girls swim creates unbreakable bond CONNOR GRAVER Associate Editor-in-Chief

T

he connection between a teammate is something only an athlete can truly understand.

This bond is formed through working hard together, waking up way too early, staying way too late, and succeeding together. Teammates can relate with each other because they’re the only people that truly understand what it’s like. This bond can lead to the closest friends in and out of practice, and this connection is doubled for every year the players work together. This story fits perfectly for the girls swim and dive team.

The 2018-19 girls’ swim and dive varisty team has 15 seniors with 10 swimmers and five divers. The girls have played together and have a strong bond outside of the pool.

“Starting freshman year, none of us knew each other,” senior Kailee Costello said.

“Now [senior year] we’re all best friends … we hang out all the time and we’re a strong senior class.”

This bond that the girls have created outside of the sport allows them to be more successful in meets and practice and have more fun while doing it too. The bond changes what it’s like to compete with each other.

The girls go from simply teammates in the pool, to basically sisters in the water.

In a duel meet against Fremd on Sep 4, the diving team took first, second, and third at every level of the 1M Dive event.

Coaches take notice of the effects as well.

Diving Head Coach Antonino Bondi noted that he’s seen the girls develop a strong relationship over the years. Bondi mentioned fun activities that the team takes part in to

Strong start In a dual meet against Fremd High School on Sep 4, the girls diving team placed in the top three spots in all levels of competition.

Frosh/Soph 1M Dive 1st: Grace Martin: 95.85 points 2nd: Caitlin Bauer: 91.30 3rd: Catherine Quirk: 89.50 JV 1M Dive 1st: Macy Misner: 152.90 points 2nd: Julia Tobolski: 124.40 3rd: Natalie Marr: 109.65

Water Break

Varsity 1M Dive 1st: Payton DeCook: 224.55 points 2nd: Julia Schroeter: 210.40 3rd: Jillian Schmit: 163.90

SPLASHIN’: Senior Emily Tuczak swims laps during a practice on Oct 5. In a meet against Fremd, Tuczak contributed to the 200 yard medley relay team, which finished in second place with a time of 2:03.40 . (Photo by Erik Velazquez) promote a culture of inclusiveness and fun.

“We have to step up more,” Tuczak said.

After a practice, the girls held a bake off “We have to make sure [the underclassmen] where they were given a certain ingredient are cheering others on and stepping up and relating to a fall food theme and had to bake doing their job.” a dessert using that ingredient for the rest The increased responsibility and workof the team. load is welcomed by the seniors. They have “It was an opportunity to not only have spent the last three years working their way some dessert, but to let [the girls] use their up the ladder and finally get a chance to excreativity and skill and has brought the emplify the skills they have learned. team together,” Bondi said.

Certain aspects are specific to swim team Along with friendships outside of the leaders. They need to set up and take down sport, any senior class that the pool for meets and practices, enspends years in the courage their teammates to cheer program has their on others during races, and push turn to lead the each other to go program. This that extra mile leadership role in a workout. is developed “I like knowthrough years ing that people of playing, and are looking up competing, to me,” said but also comes Costello. “I try from coaching to have a posimentorship tive attitude as and putting much as possiplayers in poble so [the unsitions for sucderclassmen] - Emily Tuczak, senior do too.’ cess.

“We exemWhile the plify what we expect,” Bondi said. “That’s feeling of leadership is memorable for the one of the biggest ways we can help the girls. players, it is as well for the coaching staff as We have inter-squad events and that’s anothwell since they have seen their players grow er way they can take that leadership role.” and develop over the years.

For players like Costello and Senior Em“I love seeing that,” Bondi said. “It makes ily Tuczak, the chance to lead the program me feel like we’re doing something positive, is a special to validate the work they have and its rewarding as a coach, fan, and an input into it. dividual.”

“We have to step up more.

We have to make sure [the underclassmen] are cheering others on and stepping up

Athlete: LUKE ZARDZIN Year: SOPHOMORE Sport: FOOTball STATS VS St Viator 8/24: 17 rushes, 83 yards

Q A Q A Q A

LOCKED IN: Senior Lexie Zeppos flips during a dive. The diving team swept the podium against Fremd on Sep 4. (photo by Erik Velazquez)

What has the transition from JV to varsity been like this season?

It was really fast at first. It was really scary to move up to varsity so quickly but after a little bit. I adapted quickly and now it is not that bad.

What’s been the biggest difference between the two so far?

Varsity is just a lot faster than freshman and just a couple of bigger hits. It’s been a pretty smooth change though.

How have seniors like Jimmy Martin and Michael Shafis helped you in your new role?

Michael has really helped me with running back cause he transitioned to linebacker and now he is helping me out at [running back]. Jimmy has been an older brother to me. He has been hanging out with me and stuff.