Prospector Issue #5 2010-11

Volume 50, Issue 5

Thursday, December 16, 2010

TheVoice of Prospect since 1960

ROSPECTOR 801 West Kensington Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056

‘A Midsommer Nights Dreame’ Entertainment, page 13

Gleeful no more?

“Glee” wowed Prospect audiences with its debut last year. But has the show lost some of its charm? For an opinion on the direction the show has taken, see...

Entertainment, page 12

A glance at bromance Best friends are usually close, but when do two guys go from “ friends” to being in a “bromance?” For more on friendships that go beyond “best friends,” turn to...

Opinion, page 6

Photo illustration by Ian Magnuson

Hard lessons in possession Students neglect belongings, create opportunity for theft

By Neel Thakkar Editor-in-Chief

College searches When high school athletes decide where to attend college, both academics and sports are often factors. For two athletes’ stories on their college searches, check out...

Sports, page 14

Pushing an empty shopping cart into the girls’ locker room, Dean Dr. Patricia Tedaldi-Monti emerged minutes later with a cart any drifter — or mall rat — would envy.

Stocked inside was $4,000 in the form of cell phones, calculators, cameras, wallets, iPhones, iTouches, an iPad and every manner of clothing, from torso (North Face jackets) to toe (Ugg boots).

“I was just crazy,” TedaldiMonti said. “I mean, I was just really frustrated.”

Inside the locker room, girls had left the items strewn

everywhere: on the floor, on benches, under benches, in lockers left wide open and, according to sophomore Jacquelyn Donzelli, in “corners that nobody goes in.”

For Tedaldi-Monti, “It was like putting your stuff out there saying, ‘Please, rob me.’

‘Burglarize me.’ ‘Steal my stuff.’”

So she did just that, leaving notes for the girls to come to the Dean’s office to retrieve their things.

“I can tell you what they told me,” Tedaldi-Monti said of the girls’ reasons for leaving their items unlocked. “[Most said] they were in a hurry, so they didn’t lock

[their lockers]. Some of them said, ‘Well, my bag doesn’t fit in my locker.’ And a couple said, ‘Well, I would never take anything, so ...’”

The collection, which took place on Oct. 26, had an immediate impact on the girls — mostly freshman cheerleaders on their first day of tryouts.

According to Donzelli and freshman Heidi Eurich, whose iPad and calculator were among the items taken, the cheerleaders almost never leave items unlocked anymore.

But the underlying problem of students’ apparent carelessness when it comes to their property remains disturbing for administrators.

According to a survey of 186 students by The Prospector, 40 percent have lost something or had something stolen just this year, mostly in the

locker rooms but also in the halls and classrooms (see full survey results on page 2).

Although Tedaldi-Monti’s visit to the locker room was unusual — “This was probably the first time I’d gone down there like a crazy person with a shopping cart,” she said — any number of valuable items are left unlocked there on an everyday — even an every-period — basis.

“You could easily go down and clean up a $1,000, $2,000 worth of stuff on many days,” Associate Principal Greg Minter said.

The problem isn’t a new one. According to PE area assistant Dave Jerbi, who is responsible for monitoring the locker room during the school day, it has been around for the 25 years he has been at Pros-

See THEFT, page 2

Still behind their Marines Former students support military relationships despite hardship, tragedy

By Megan Maughan Executive Features Editor Katie Stack received a letter on Dec. 4 from her husband, James, written on their daughter Mikayla’s first birthday on Nov. 3. Addressed to Mikayla, the letter said, “If I don’t make it back, Mommy will take care of you and tell you how much I cared about you. You mean everything to me, and Daddy would give anything just to be there with you.”

“The night before he deployed, he laid her head down on the pillow, and he wrote about how much he didn’t want to leave her and how he would have given anything to just be there by her side,” Katie said. “He loved her with his entire heart.”

James, who was in the Marines, was deployed to Afghanistan in mid-Sep-

tember of this year. After two months of fighting, James Stack died in the line of duty this past November.

Katie said that the hardest part about James’ death is raising their one-yearold daughter by herself.

“Raising a child by myself at the age of 19 is unbearable,” Katie said. “But I have to do it; I’m not just going to give up.”

Katie and James met at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights after she transferred there from Prospect her junior year. They started dating in February 2008, but she didn’t find out about his decision to join the Marines until he signed up in November the same year.

“I’ll be honest with you: I didn’t want him to do it,” Katie said. “I knew it was dangerous, and I knew that we wouldn’t have time together.”

Still, Katie and James decided to stay together despite Katie’s worries. James left for boot camp April 6, 2009, and later that year on July 12, Katie and James got married.

“It was a very hard decision, but I

pA LOVING FATHER: James, Katie and one-year-old daughter Mikayla Stack pose for a family photograph in September at Camp Pendleton in California. James, who was deployed to Afghanistan the next day, died in the line of duty this November. (Photo courtesy of Katie Stack) told him that I was going to stick by him no matter what,” Katie said. “I knew I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life.” ’09 Prospect graduate Jaclyn Gartz is not only Katie’s best friend, but she is also dating James’ best friend, Kevin Strack, who is in the Marines as well.

Unlike James, Strack is not in infantry and is stationed in North Carolina, where he is an air wing mechanic.

Gartz said that though he hasn’t been deployed yet, Strack is not completely certain of his military future and can

See MARINES, page 11

2 NEWS

Thursday, December 16, 2010

THEFT: Students’ neglect results in lost and stolen items CONTINUED from front page pect.

“Unfortunately, it’s the same thing — [just] different years,” Jerbi said.

Jerbi tries to keep the locker room secure by keeping it locked except just before and after every gym class. He also inspects it every period, picking up things that have been left out in the open. “[The PE department] tries to clear things out and make sure there’s no one remaining in the locker room,” Minter said, “because ... kids were hiding in the toilet areas and waiting until everyone was gone and [the locker room] was shut, and then they would come out and

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW In her 22 years as dean, Dr. Patricia Tedaldi-Monti has seen the number of items turned in to her stay fairly constant. What’s changed is the kind of items.

Here are some items that were commonly lost before the age of cell phones and iPods: - Laser pointers - Pagers - Transistor radios - CD players - Boom boxes - Doc Martens shoes

steal things.”

Unlike many locations in the school, though, the locker room has no cameras, and Jerbi says it’s hard for him to prevent theft.

“I can lock it up, [and] I can pick stuff up, but preventing [thieves]?” Jerbi said. “I can’t prevent theft. I’m not in the locker room when the kids are.”

PE Division Head Jovan Lazarevic also keeps an eye on the locker rooms, checking them at least once a week at different times. He finds, on average, three to four people who have left their belongings unlocked.

Lazarevic picks up the items and brings them to his office. When students come to retrieve their belongings, they give him a number of reasons for not locking their things up: They didn’t want to be late to class, they didn’t want to take things out of their backpacks to make them fit in their lockers or they didn’t have locks.

Junior Devin Kurowski falls into the second category. He has stowed his backpack under the benches every day since freshman year. Luckily, he hasn’t yet lost anything, though he tries to keep his risk low by only keeping books in his backpack.

Though it is smaller during the day, the problem of carelessness and theft is magnified after school since the locker rooms have to be kept open to accommodate sports and students who work out.

“It’s nearly impossible to lock that door and just say, ‘Well, it’s locked,’” Minter said, “because there are always going to be kids who need to

Photo illustration by Ian Magnuson

LOST TREASURE

Outside of the computer labs, the attendance office might have a claim to being the most technologically advanced area in the school. Inside, School Resource Officer Justin Beach keeps stacks of electronic items worth, by his estimate, thousands of dollars. All have been turned in within the past year but have not been claimed.

“We don’t know who to go to because either they don’t file a report or there’s no name,” Dean Dr. Patricia Tedaldi Monti said. “It’s like, ‘Whose is this?’ Last year, I had, at one point, eight North Face jackets hanging on hangers behind my door.”

Tedaldi-Monti stresses the importance of reporting a lost or stolen item. Just this year, she was able to return an iPod touch to its rightful owner, who had lost it in March. get in.”

As a result, students who use the locker rooms after school have to be more careful. As sophomore Kennedy McNamara learned, leaving valuable items out, even for a moment, is risky.

Two months ago, when McNamara was changing after a soccer game, he set his iPod touch down beside him.

The next thing he knew, it was gone — taken, he thinks, by a teammate. He did

Where students have lost their possessions

Other Hall

Cafeteria Locker room

Classroom

file a report with the attendance office, but he has “kind of given up hope” of getting it back.

Even though he was more careful than most, McNamara wasn’t careful enough.

“It makes me wonder,” Tedaldi-Monti said, returning to her search of the girls’ locker room. “Do kids not care about their stuff ? Or are they just so careless? ... I just don’t understand.”

BUSTED ON CRAIGSLIST Even thieves have little use for more than one calculator, cell phone or iPod. So in order to unload stolen items, they often turn to websites like Craigslist, where such items can be found significantly discounted. For example, the running price for a TI-84 Plus calculator on Craigslist, according to five recent listings in the northwest suburbs, is about $50.

Dean Dr. Patricia Tedaldi-Monti has a reason for the discrepancy.

“If you go on Ebay [or] if you go on Craigslist and someone’s selling stuff,” she said, “they probably stole it.”

The trade can be lucrative, but administrators and the police have caught on.

This year alone, according to Associate Principal Greg Minter, the police have arrested “a few” students for selling stolen items on Craigslist.

As School Resource Officer Justin Beach explained, he and other police investigators check Craigslist to see if they recognize any names.

“If it’s a name that we recognize, it’s kind of a red flag if they have three or four [of the same] items,” Beach said.

Based on a survey of 186 students

Want all Prospect, all the time?

Head online for the latest news!

This issue’s fashion update takes a look at jeggings, which seem to be here to stay. pLIVE AND UNPLUGGED: A group performs at last year’s variety show.

This year, Prospect will have a completely live variety show. The appropriately named “PHS Live V-show” will take place on Feb. 24-26. Check out Prospectornow.com for more about the upcoming show.

The girls’ bowling team claimed a second place finish out of 16 teams at the Palatine Invitational at Rolling Meadows on Dec. 4.

Third period classes, the boys’ basketball team, Italian Club, Student Council, the main office staff and others all chose children to support for the annual Adopt-a-Child fundraiser for needy children.

NEWS 3

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Prospect ‘Builds-a-Beard’

The heart

Love, Andrews take friendly bet, raise money for Cancer Society

By Andrew Revord News Editor What started off as a simple joke between two English teachers ended up as an opportunity for Prospect to donate to the American Cancer Society.

The Thursday before Halloween, English teacher Michael Andrews walked into school wearing a mohawk.

Fellow English teacher Matt Love saw the mohawk and thought it would be funny if Andrews kept it for parentteacher conferences, so Love dared Andrews to keep it until then. And Andrews, being the “kind of guy who just might do it,” accepted.

Of course, he didn’t accept the bet without conditions.

If Andrews kept his mohawk

until conferences, Love would have to grow out his beard, and Andrews would decide how he would have to shave it.

The next thing Love knew, Andrews was distributing flyers in the English office that read “The 2010 Dr. Love Coloring Contest” after the nickname that the English department had given Love. They included a picture of Love for participants to draw a beard on so Andrews could choose the best entry.

Since then, Love switched the name to “Build-a-Beard.”

Andrews wasn’t the only person with conditions.

Love’s wife, Jessica, wasn’t thrilled about her husband growing a beard and shaping it into some wacky style.

“I’m not a big fan of facial hair,” Jessica said.

However, she agreed to go

FIGHTING CANCER Jessica Love, English teacher Matt Love’s wife, has donated to the American Cancer society for 20 years and has volunteered at several fundraisers, including cancer walks and runs such as Making Strides and the Susan G. Komen Mothers’ Day Race. She is even a team captain for the former; her team raised $1,700. Jessica herself raised $1,200 for Making Strides.

Her father died of pancreatic cancer, and her mother is a breast cancer survivor, but she took interest in cancer before because it is a “pretty big killer” after heart disease.

pAND THE WINNER IS: English teacher Matt Love holds sophomore Keagan Anderson’s winning design in the “Build-a-Beard” contest, which raised money for the American Cancer Society. (Photo by Walker Brewer) along with the plan after Love proposed charging all participants $1 per entry and having the money go to the American Cancer Society (see Fighting cancer).

Love said cancer is a relevant issue because it doesn’t just have consequences for the victims but for their families and loved ones as well.

Although it started inside the English department, Andrews decided to give out the flyers to other departments.

As the word got out, it wasn’t just the staff who participated in the contest, but students took interest as well.

“Everyone wanted to color my face and make me look stupid,” Love said.

Jessica said that as of Dec. 10, they had raised $426. Pros-

pect had raised $226, and she had added $200 herself.

Andrews also believes that everyone can have an impact.

“If students think about how much money they blow in the cafeteria, what’s a little money to support the charities here?” Andrews said.

Though this lighthearted contest gives Prospect a chance to make a teacher look silly, Love and Andrews believe that the Prospect community in particular has a heart for charity.

Love mentioned Volley for a Cure, the food drive and the mosquito nets as examples of Prospect’s giving spirit.

“I like to think ‘Build-aBeard’ is one more example of Prospect raising awareness for a good cause,” Love said.

The “LOVE

”

Photos by Emmy Lindfors

Freshmen focus on skills, not Shakespeare

By Maddie Conway Executive News Editor

NEW READING LIST The elimination of “Romeo and Juliet” from the freshman English curriculum opens up more time in the year for other texts.

The curriculum for the honorslevel freshman course, Honors Written and Oral Communication, will now include “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Harper Lee’s Pulitzer prize-winner. Up to this year, they have read “To Kill A Mockingbird” for summer reading.

Regular-level freshmen will read “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” by Ishmael Beah, which has a more global perspective with the protagonist recounting his experiences as a child soldier in Sierra Leone.

To freshman English teacher Teri Buczinsky, teaching Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” is the highlight of the school year.

Many students head into the Shakespeare unit with the expectation that they’ll only be bored, Buczinsky said, and she loves seeing the students progress as they read the play.

English teacher Allyson Kreutzer also finds joy in teaching “Romeo and Juliet,” from reading it out loud in class to analyzing Shakespearean language.

“I love sort of opening that door to Shakespeare for [students],” Kreutzer said. “[It’s] something that is totally understanding and human and completely real, and once they get past a sort of language barrier that many of them have ... it can really open a door to a whole realm of great literature.”

But with a curriculum that’s packed from start to finish with little time to spare between units, the freshman English teachers began to ask themselves if spending five to six weeks on a unit that doesn’t address other core reading skills, like grammar or vocabulary outside of the play, was worth it.

Freshmen will no longer read “Romeo and Juliet” during class. Instead, freshman classes will experience a more skills-based curriculum with a focus on college readiness skills.

According to English/Fine Arts Division Head Erin DeLuga, four of the six District 214 schools have taken “Romeo and Juliet” out of the freshman curriculum with the goal of choosing texts that

connect more to global issues and are more “mainstream” in terms of skill application. DeLuga said the freshman English team at Prospect made the final decision with the change.

Instead, freshman classes will read more non-fiction and poetry and, most significantly, spend more time on skillsbased learning like vocabulary, grammar and reading skills. DeLuga hopes this will prepare students for more difficult texts as they progress as readers.

“By vamping up their critical thinking skills and their reading and writing skills as it relates to college readiness standards,” DeLuga said, “they’re really going to be much more college-ready, so to speak, at the end of their freshman year heading into sophomore year.”

“Skills are meant to drive and enhance content — not to diminish it,” DeLuga said. “And when you have those skills concretely down as a student, then you’re able to understand things so much better as you’re reading.”

The freshmen will address and prac-

tice these skills while reading other books throughout the year (see New reading list).

Regarding “Romeo and Juliet,” Kreutzer said that while she will miss teaching the play, she isn’t too bothered by the curriculum change because students will still experience Shakespeare from sophomore year on with “Macbeth” and others.

DeLuga said replacing “Romeo and Juliet” with other areas of focus will help students in the long run both because of the broader perspective they will gain from a wider range of texts and their growth as readers.

“Ultimately, the curriculum shift is going to be in the best interest of the students,” Kreutzer said. “When they do encounter Shakespeare later in life — because everybody in the world needs to encounter Shakespeare — I hope they will be better equipped to understand it.

But I certainly don’t want to see a world where Shakespeare disappears — far from it.”

THEATER ANGELS TAKE NEW DIRECTION Now that freshmen are no longer reading “Romeo and Juliet” in their English classes, Theater Angels is making a change to their one-act play production.

In the past, theater students have put on a one-act spoof of “Romeo and Juliet,” called “R & J,” near the end of the school year for freshman classes and other students to watch during the school day. With the curriculum change, however, Theater Angels will perform a different play in the spring.

According to Theater Angels sponsor Jeremy Morton, “R & J” has evolved into a writing process that has involved from as many as four to 15 or 20 students. The play is student-directed and student-run.

Morton said Theater Angels is currently in the process of deciding what production will replace “R & J.” Because sophomores read “Macbeth” for English class and would understand references to it in a production, that is a possibility.

There are other potential ideas, too, including an entirely original play altogether.

“I’m saddened for my students who will not get that opportunity to work on ‘R & J,’” Morton said, though he understands the curriculum change, “but what I will do ... is continue to find new opportunities for students [with the one-act play].”

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OPINION 5

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Staff

Wherefore no more R&J?

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kate Schroeder Neel Thakkar

COPY EDITOR Gina O’Neill ASSOCIATE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Sharon Lee Riley Simpson NEWS EDITORS Maddie Conway Jane Berry Andrew Revord OPINION EDITORS Whitney Kiepura Katie Best FEATURES EDITORS Megan Maughan Carly Evans Jenna Mastrolonardo IN-DEPTH EDITOR Emmy Lindfors ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Tallyn Owens SPORTS EDITORS Maggie Devereux Nick Stanojevic Miranda Holloway PHOTO EDITORS Ian Magnuson Walker Brewer Ali Preissing CARTOONIST Quinn Blackshere ADVISER Jason Block Some material is courtesy of the American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Published by students in Journalistic Writing courses, the Prospector has won, most notably, the 2004-05 and 200607 National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker and the Gold Crown from Columbia Scholastic Press Association in 2006.

Mission Statement The primary purpose of the Prospect High School Prospector is to report news as well as explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community. We, the Prospector, hope to inform, entertain and provide a school forum for the unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions.

Advertising For ad rates, call (847) 7185376 (ask for Deanna Shilkus), fax (847) 718-5306 e-mail or write the Prospector, 801 West Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056, prospectornow@gmail.com.

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

Staff Editorial

MANAGING EDITOR Deanna Shilkus

Pop culture hasn’t already inundated students with “Romeo and Juliet” references by freshman year, then at least they get to read the tale of dangerous lovers from the wrong side of the tracks.

Well, not anymore. Freshmen are apparently not ready to experience this classic, and teachers are taking it out of the curriculum.

What can help them understand this difficult topic of forbidden love is none other than a unit focusing on college readiness.

Instead of being able to cite where Juliet says, “wherefore art thou Romeo” and actually know that it means “why are you Romeo,” students will now be left out of the loop and made to learn what an author’s purpose is.

There’s no better place to learn author’s purpose than in a work of Shakespeare, and by assigning freshmen to one of his more straightforward texts, teachers can help them grow in their knowledge and feel confident in their reading skills.

The freshmen will now

spend more time reading they can get a feel for how non-fiction and poetry, as they add to the main mesif that is not hard enough sage with the help of the to comprehend. Analyzing footnotes. poetry can be even more difThe argument that “Roficult than reading Shake- meo and Juliet” is too isospeare, especially when div- lated seems a bit ironic — in ing into ambiguous poems a literal sense, it’s known

by Emily Dickinson. worldwide as an iconic love Shakespeare is difficult to story, it’s written by a man interpret, but the important from England and it takes components place in Verona. that students Italy might not need to underbe as “global” stand — like as Africa, but “so what,” auit’s still a culthor’s purpose ture outside of and theme — what students are not difficult experience t Agains For to pick up in daily, especially S h a k e s p e a r e. Voting results of The Prospector because of the staff regarding this editorial.

What makes his time gap. texts difficult Figuratively, are his allusions, backward it stretches beyond just a language and concentration unit on “Romeo and Juliet.” on diction and syntax.

It teaches students to accept According to English/ tragedy in life, learn a lesson Fine Arts Division Head Erin through suffering and focusDeluga, students should be es on how love is a universal focusing on more of the big truth. picture in works, so it should Replacing this message not matter if they don’t un- with a focus on assessing derstand every allusion. students’ growth is sickenAnd, by exposing students ing. With the implementato these details in language, tion of grammar booklets in

17

1

sophomore World Literature and Composition, the English department at Prospect is too hooked on the technical aspects of reading and not focused enough on the enjoyment that comes about with learning.

We, The Prospector, feel that forcing college readiness skills on freshmen is detrimental to their growth as students. Placing them on a narrow, college-bound track is not healthy at their age, and up until now, students have had no trouble getting into college with “Romeo and Juliet” under their belts.

There’s always room for improvement in every aspect of learning, but the school is going overboard with technicalities.

Students need to have room to test the waters in what they can and cannot understand. It’s better to challenge students than to stuff them into a cardboard box of structured learning.

After a while, all that will do is suffocate them.

Royals rule season Santa and Jesus complete the holiday spirit There is a unique power in giving.

Like dropping spare change into a karma bank, the small amounts of time spent for the aid of others slowly grows until a moment of luck occurs.

Because of charity, people can gain more luck toward a favorable moment occurring.

Whitney Kiepura When that Executive m o m e n t Opinion Editor happens, the amount returns to zero. Thus the balance, like a scale, is returned to zero.

No season is more famous for giving than December. And no two men are more famous for giving then dear old St. Nick and his bro Jesus.

I am an avid fan of Secret

Santa, and in being part of a large family (can anyone top 25 cousins?), my gift list is quite long.

Two unavoidable cornerstones of my winter break are always going to the mall and going to church — two seemingly unrelated activities.

However, this year will be slightly different. When I walk into Woodfield and see the massive snaking line of small children waiting to see Santa, I will be reminded of Jesus.

Because after all, Santa is the commercialized version of Jesus.

True, a jolly fat man doesn’t have much to do with a religious leader in a robe. However, I started to see the similarities between the two when my friend was talking about this in gym. Both men reward children if they are good throughout the year — or life. Both become very important around Dec. 25. And both are difficult to meet in person.

Mall Santas don’t count. I’m talking about the one and only original who resides at the North Pole.

The reason companies advertise with Santa comes back to society’s expectations of always being politically correct.

The current political as well as commercial communities can’t afford to lose voters or customers. For their own well-being, both groups are forced to use the most vanilla of phrases.

When was the last time you saw any commercial end with “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah”? Years ago, either would have been commonly seen, like a General Motors ad published in 1948. It had a picture of a little kid sneaking a peek of a lit Christmas tree with a message: “Merry Christmas to all of you from all of us of General Motors.”

p SELLING SAINT NICK: Santa sits to greet and take pictures with children in Woodfield, where consequently a line of eager children and parents quickly form. Due to pressure to sell a secular symbol, retailers have started to sell Santa as opposed to the religiously affiliated Jesus.

(Photos by Walker Brewer) Today, the blanketing state- that Christmas has now been ment of “Seasons Greetings” commercialized past the point is the main phrase. of recognition, what they need Trying to sell Jesus, or any to realize is that Jesus has not religious leader, is bound to been pushed aside by Santa. offend someone. Instead, take Jesus urged his followers Santa — an elf from Nordic to spread cheer and belief in folklore — and have him hand the Christian faith. However, out gifts (see European Past). in this nation which champiWhat you have ons freedom left is a figureof religion, EUROPEAN PAST head for the Santa has been most commerused instead to In Nordic countries, the cially successslightly twist original bringer of gifts was ful month of Jesus’ mission. the Yule Goat. But by the the year.

Santa is doing end of the 19th century the Starting Jesus’ bidding Goat had been replaced by with Novemin a commer“Tomte”, an elf who wore ber’s Black Fricialized way. gray clothes and a red hat. day and runJesus said ning through to give to the Christmas Day, stores across poor and needy but never specthe nation see a larger profit in ified how. Santa tries to preach the last month of the year. the same idea and leads from With every great movement, example by giving gifts. By takpeople need a leader to rally ing the idea of charity to such behind. Or, for the stores, a a materialistic level, anyone marketable character to sell to can understand. the population. In the case of Like a team of Clydesdale the Christmas shopping spree, horses, the two men take care that figurehead has been for- of different parts of the Christever symbolized by Santa. mas season while always workWhile many religious peo- ing for the same goal: peace on ple will gripe about the fact earth and gifts for all.

6 OPINION

Bromances bring brotherly bonds After being introduced to bromances in the movie “I Love You, Man” — featuring the ever-so-funny Paul Rudd and my future husband, Jason Segel — I have noticed society’s overwhelming obsession with heterosexual male affection.

I thought this social norm was awkward and a bit odd at first. It was different to see guys acting affectionate towards each other when society has valued them as strong and brave protectors. But now, I’ve Katie Best come to fully acOpinion Editor cept and appreciate the bromance, not only because it strengthens friendships, but also because it’s just entertaining.

According to urbandictionary.com, a bromance is defined as “the intense, complicated love shared between two heterosexual males that consists of but is not limited to wrestling, numerous man-dates and tons of other stories that will only remain between the two.

“This bond is normally only shared between two males that have a deeper understanding of each other — in a way no woman could ever realize.”

While there were over three pages of definitions of the word bromance, I thought this definition explained them perfectly. It is normal to see two girls who are inseparable and know everything about each other. I go on trips with my friends and their families and vice versa.

Girls know when the other is upset about something and can talk for hours (I talk with them on the phone for at least an hour nearly every night). But seeing dudes this “tight” with their bros is something even Prospect is seeing more of.

The reason the bromance has become so prevalent in today’s society is because of pop culture. Recent TV shows and movies have contributed to their increasing popularity among teens and adults.

Take “Jersey Shore,” for example.

Men without a bromance probably would not be spray tanning with each other, nor would they sacrifice themselves to the horror which they call “grenades” — for those of you who have never watched “Jersey Shore,” a “grenade” is the most unattractive girl found in a group of friends. If the “grenade” doesn’t get any lovin’, then neither does anyone else.

Whenever the guys go out to party, at some point or another, the guys will “take a grenade for the team.” Now that’s a true display of bro-love and sacrifice.

It is now socially acceptable for guys to know everything about each other, have what I like to call a “manly slumber party” — a sleepover wherein they play hours of “COD,” discuss numerous “hot babes” and consume a large numbrer of calories — or publicly display the “bro-hug” (see How to bro-hug). So when I walk down the hallway and see guys doing the “bro-hug” or slapping each other’s butts, it doesn’t faze me.

Guys should embrace their bromance; they should not be ashamed to show some love to their best buds. Two guys who show their brotherly love for

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Step 1

Both men see each other and wave their hand in salutations.

How to bro hug

each other are juniors Connor Fitzgerald and Scott Hammersley.

Playfully nicknamed “Sconnor” by friends, the duo have been buds since fifth grade and established their bromance freshman year.

“The best part is [we] are closer than you realize,” Fitzgerald said. “He could be my brother; I tell him everything ... it’s been years since I’ve withheld information from Scott. If something big happens, I tell Scott. It’s like a second nature.”

Bromances are beneficial for male friendships because they bring the males in question closer together. But there are a few misconceptions about the time Hammersley and Fitzgerald. “[Some people] assume we are the same person and do everything together,” Hammersley said. “We are different people with different interests, but that’s what is awesome. Everyone brings something new to the table.”

“We just think on the same wavelength,” Fitzgerald said.

“In a friendship, the two begin to take each other’s opinions into consideration and care what they think,” Sociology teacher Jason Cohen said. “Hypothetically, in a bromance, they would need to hear what the other’s opinion is

Step 2

Both men grip firmly on each other’s hand and pull into a tight hug.

Step 3

Once the two men are in an embrace, they give each other one to two smacks on the back and let go, thus completing the bro-hug.

such as, ‘ W h a t would do you think about this?’ or ‘What would you do?’”

Cohen says that since the boom of the bromance, males are becoming less focused on heterosexual male/female relationships and have longer-lasting friendships with their bros. The need for male company has grown, strengthening bonds between males.

The strength of the bond between two males is important in order to create an outlet for emotions and a crutch in a time of need, per se.

I’ve realized that the bromance is natural. So next time you see two guys doing the “bro-hug” in the hallway, think to yourself, “Do they have a bromance?”

Chances are, they probably do.

Photo illustrations by Ali Preissing

or t Ho Not

Not - The gift card: I understand giving gift cards to people who you don’t really know, but getting a gift card from a Secret Santa (or snowflake) basically means that they didn’t think about it at all. And what fun is that? My challenge to everyone this year is to get those creative juices flowing and think of something original for your Secret Santa gifts. (P.S. if you need ideas, you could always talk to one of their friends.)

(Jane Berry) Hot -White Hot Chocolate: Nothing soothes shivers and chattering teeth better than Caribou Coffee’s delicacy: white hot chocolate.

Traditional hot chocolate has nothing on this sweet treat, which is served steaming in Caribou Coffee’s signature cup and topped with thick whipped cream and mini white chocolate chips. While this cozy coffee shop is slightly farther from Prospect than its rival, Starbucks, this tasty drink is worth the trip.

(Jenna Mastrolonardo)

Hot - Bo Burnham: His new album “Words, Words, Words” was just released a few months ago, and once again I have fallen in love with Bo. While his songs may be highly offensive to some, the sexual innuendos and sexist jokes within his songs make my life a little bit brighter every time I listen to them. One of my favorite lines in his new song “Oh Bo,” goes something like this; “I spot a little Latino/ Booty so big call it Oprah’s Ego.” Even the chorus is funny: “Single every single day/ Do it every single make/ make the single ladies say. ‘Oh Bo.’ And if I were gay/ Though I swear I’m straight/ I’d make the fellas say, ‘Oh Bo.’” Oh yes, oh Bo. (Katie Best) Not - Scraping ice off windshields: Sleeping in late is a rare blessing found only on Thursdays. However, I get to wake up to the delightful treat of a fully ice-incrusted windshield every morning. Trying to balance a full backpack, keys and a mug of tea while trying to start the car is only the beginning. After all my necessary baggage is settled, I’m still stuck in my driveway, scraping off crystals, intead of driving off to school to make it before the bell rings. Freezing fingers and backups on Kensington could all have been avoided if only Jack Frost hadn’t visited my house.

(Whitney Kiepura) Want more Hot or Not? Check out prospectornow.com for the expanded edition.

IN-DEPTH 7

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Hooked on hooking up

By Sharon Lee Associate Editor-in-Chief *Names have been changed for confidentiality Senior Jeremy Harris* first met a girl when he was working. He said he was physically attracted to her right away, and within 24 hours, they hooked up.

“It kind of went from just met to hooked up pretty fast,” Harris said.

Harris believes that hooking up is convenient for him because he doesn’t have to be committed to a relationship, and it’s also “fun.”

According to junior Angelo Gountanis, high school is all about having fun. “[Hooking up] doesn’t bother high school students,” Gountanis said. “It for sure doesn’t bother high school guys.”

School psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson said that hooking up poses too many dangers, anforming healthy relationships in high school is important for students.

But Kyp-Johnson understands that for kids, it’s exciting to meet new people and start new relationships.

“People love to have hope, and people love to have excitement, and they love to have future prospects,” Kyp-Johnson said. “It’s just part of being human.”

However, Kyp-Johnson said that hooking up can be dangerous because there could be a miscommunication of intent, and people can easily get too attached and hurt in the process.

“I don’t think anybody necessarily knows how attached they’re going to get

to somebody,”Kyp-Johnson said.

Kyp-Johnson said that technology often helps with this miscommunication. “[Texting] is not face to face communication,” Kyp-Johnson said. “It’s difficult to really understand people’s intents in texts as opposed to in person.”

Misunderstanding of intents can be detrimental to teenagers when they think they are having a relationship with someone and they’re not, and it destroys their ability to trust anyone in general, according to Kyp-Johnson.

“That’s really bad psychologically when people can’t feel like they’re on solid ground.”

Kyp-Johnson said that high school is a crucial point in teenagers’ lives to experience new relationships and grow from them.

“I think young people need to practice skills in relationships,” Kyp-Johnson said. “It’s good for people to get to know what other people are like and how different people are and have some experience before they get to the situation where they decide who they’re going to spend the rest of their life with.”

Seniors Lisa Conrad and her boyfriend Corbin Blackwell have been dating for exactly two years and eight months.

Conrad said that being in a relationship that long has helped her to mature as a person.

“If you learn to mature in a relationship in high school and you learn to take care of someone else and care for yourself, it’ll be easier later in life,” Conrad said. “In college, it won’t be as overwhelming.”

High school students who just have “lots and lots of superficial relationships” are not necessarily practicing the depth of skills necessary to understand how to relate to people.

Ky p - Jo h n s o n believes high school students may also have

See HOOK UP page 9

Inside: J

Long-distance relationships page 8

J

Worst date stories page 9

J

How to turn someone down page 9

J

8 IN-DEPTH

Thursday, Decem

Going the distance for love

By Emmy Lindfors Executive In-Depth Editor When senior Beau Zanca and his teammates were playing the Wheeling Wildcats on Homecoming night, he had an extra incentive to play well.

Andrea Wehrle, Zanca’s girlfriend who graduated from Prospect last year and now attends the University of Iowa, was in the stands cheering Zanca on.

Wehrle had come home to see Zanca play in the game, but the two didn’t go to the dance. Instead, they went out to dinner to “take advantage of all the

time [they] had [together].”

Since Wehrle left for college, the two have only seen each other six times: twice when Zanca drove to Iowa City, Iowa and four times when Wehrle came home.

Zanca and Wehrle did not plan on having a long-distance relationship.

Over the summer, the two had gotten closer, and when Wehrle began college, they decided to commit to a long-distance relationship.

“I knew it would be different,” Wehrle said. “But it didn’t hold me back from wanting to date him.”

D a t i n g

Over the years, more couples have committed themselves to long-distance relationships. While going to college used to be a factor contributing to breakups, more students at Prospect, like Zanca, have committed themselves to long-distance relationships in spite of the fact.

The top five colleges that the Prospect class of 2010 went to — Harper College, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois Chicago, Northern Illinois and University of Iowa — are a relatively close distance from Prospect, thus allowing relationships to stay intact and remain strong.

The only main obstacle with longdistance relationships is making sure that the distance doesn’t destroy it, which Zanca and Wehrle face constantly.

“You can’t see each other on an everyday basis,” Zanca said. “With the usual high school relationship, you can see each other walking down the halls. It’s not like that [for me].”

“I saw him every day,” Wehrle said, “and now I have to wait like three weeks until I can see him.”

Senior Silvi R a m i re z - B e r t o l a s i has gone through similar circumstances.

RamirezBertolasi has been a part of a long-distance relationship since Matt Santillan, her boyfriend who graduated from Prospect last year and now attends University of Wi s c o n s i n Whitewater, left for college. RamirezBertolasi and Santillan were together since July 2008: the end of Ramirez-Bertolasi’s freshman year.

Over the summer, Ramirez-Bertolasi and Santillan knew that their relationship was going strong and that they were going to make the effort to stay with one another. “[When deciding if we were going to continue our relationship], it wasn’t like, ‘Oh, you’re going to be far away, so we shouldn’t go out,’” Ramirez-Bertolasi said. “‘If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out.’”

Once this

school year began, Ramirez-Bertolasi

COLLEGE DECISION For seniors Beau Zanca and Silvi Ramirez-Bertolasi, their college decision processes involved their significant other at the beginning. But now both students don’t plan on going to the college where their loved one goes.

Zanca’s college decision revolves mainly around football.

“I did at first consider [going to the University of Iowa],” Zanca said.

“But I’m playing college football, and her school’s [football program] isn’t at my level. I’m trying to figure out what school is good for me with football.”

For Ramirez-Bertolasi, she decided not to attend the college her boyfriend Matt Santillan is attending because she is planning on majoring in music, and University of Wisconsin Whitewater’s music program is “pretty much nonexistent.”

found it “very weird” that she wasn’t seeing her boyfriend in the halls every day like she used to.

Fortunately for Ramirez-Bertolasi, Santillan is only two and a half hours away, so she is able to see him often. She goes to see him at Wisconsin Whitewater, or he comes back home when he can.

Santillan tries to come home especially if Ramirez-Bertolasi is performing in a choir concert.

When Ramirez-Bertolasi and Santillan aren’t able to see one another, they will mainly Skype or call one another.

“The only problem [with Skype] is it can be hard to determine what someone is feeling,” Ramirez-Bertolasi said.

“When you’re at Prospect, you can tell if someone is in a bad mood, but on Skype, it can be harder. You want to know what’s going on in that person’s life.”

Similarly, Zanca and Wehrle use Skype to communicate on a daily basis, but Zanca pointed out that “college students have a lot more to do” and that at times, their conversations will end quickly due to Wehrle having to go take a test or go to a class.

Even with the minor difficulties Skype brings, Ramirez-Bertolasi believes that using internet communication methods can really help build a stronger relationship, especially when it comes to long-distance ones.

“It’s important to keep communication open,” Ramirez-Bertolasi said.

“Being open and honest helps, too, but that’s for all kinds of relationships.”

Zanca agrees when it comes to being honest and open in long-distance relationships.

“It shows the strength we have and our relationship has. We can handle the fact that we are away from one another,” Zanca said. “Making an effort to see each other, talking to one another and trusting each another is the main [key] to making it work.”

In addition, Ramirez-Bertolasi feels that being in a long-distance relationship can really strengthen and help build trust for the relationship and the two people.

“With having a long distance relationship, we definitely aren’t clingy,” Ramirez-Bertolasi said. “A lot of younger couples tend to always, always, always be together, and then they lose sight of the relationship.

“Like the saying says, ‘Distance makes the heart grow fonder.’

We appreciate the time when we’re together. We never take it for granted.”

dilemmas

IN-DEPTH 9

mber 16, 2010

HOOK UP: Students test relationship field How to turn CONTINUED from page 7 a skewed perception on dating and believe casually dating can replace taking the steps towards a healthy relationship.

According to senior Alex Steffen, casual dating means “you don’t necessarily care for the [other] person or [really] care what they think; you’re doing it to get something out of it.”

Kyp-Johnson believes a healthy relationship takes time and must be thought through carefully.

“What I think is dating is [when] two people have gone through steps: They’ve met each other and have talked and had some kind of relationship that’s building, and they’ve done some kind of assessing — do I really like this person and what are they like,” Kyp-Johnson said. “And at some point, it’s a big deal to go

“This boy that I had a crush on forever took me to the movies. It already wasn’t going well – [he was] not who I thought he was.

On top of that, 10 minutes into the movie he fell asleep. I thought that was really bad, but then he started snoring. Never talked to him since.”

– anonymous senior girl

out together, and they continue to move through steps and get better acquainted with each other.”

According to Conrad, being with Blackwell for so long has helped her to see the value in relationships.

“Unless your relationship experience is really long and you know the value and what it does feel like, you’re probably less inclined to hook up,” Conrad said. “You don’t have that stability [when hooking up]. It’s

someone down 101 “Kate, do you want to go out with me?”

I froze. I could not find the words to speak.

Even though nearly 1,000 kids were boarding the buses and cars in the parking lot of South Middle School, I had gone completely deaf to any commotion around me.

I literally looked down at my pint-sized admirer, whose round baby face was red with nervous anticipation. It was just sad.

Even though I did sort of like him, there wasn’t a chance I would say yes. I was nearly 5 feet 7 inches tall in eighth grade: a giant in middle school. I played basketball and knocked down the boys in dodgeball, and he was, Kate Schroeder well, pushing 5 feet.

Editor-in-Chief I thought about how uncomfortable it would be when we went to a movie with all of our friends — such a classy date; we middle schoolers were so romantic. I imagined him failing miserably when he tried to wrap his arm around my shoulders, which were a considerable distance from his reach. As if middle school wasn’t awkward enough.

The thing I worried about the most was how I would turn him down. As I stood on the sidewalk with my feet glued to the ground, a few options ran through my head: 1. Pretend like you forgot something in your locker.

2. Tell the truth: “You’re a midget. I’m a giant. That kind of stuff only works in movies.”

3. Laugh like it was a joke — maybe he will catch on.

But none of these ideas seemed like they would work, so I decided to run with No. 4: spit out a bunch of BS. “I am really really sorry ... we would never see each other ... I wish I could ... I am so busy ... we are awesome friends ... I mean I have dance and basketball everyday.”

I stumbled on and on with insignificant reasons on why “dating” was not such a great idea, and eventually he understood. He responded by agreeing to my BS reasoning; then he apologized for proposing such a ridiculous question. When he stopped to catch a breath, I quickly mumbled “bye” and speed walked away, guilt dragging behind me.

Four years later and two inches taller, I am still not too great at turning guys down. There have been a few accounts where I have resorted to dishing out random BS. Worst of all, I have actually hidden from potential date offers because I did not know how to say no and move on without a sense of guilt.

But what I have learned as a maturing adult is that this type of confrontation will not go away anytime soon, and I have to master it to the best of my ability.

So for all of the young men and women who are hiding in the third floor bathroom or making a friend pass on the news, it is time to man up. Learning to turn someone down is just one more fear in life that we have to overcome; it is a necessary quality — unavoidable in life.

Even though turning someone down without offending them is an honorable quality, people need to speak the truth when turning someone down, and that took me many fearful

When “date-aster”

strikes

“I got the guts to ask this girl out, and she said yes. When I went to go pick her up, she brought her best friend along, not even telling me. They laughed all night, and she barely even talked to me. The only thing I got out of [the date] was a second date with her friend.”

– anonymous junior boy

10 FEATURES

Thursday, December 16, 2010

pIN HARMONY: Mike Grasse balances being a new teacher, hanging out with his 6-year-old daughter, Claire, and playing in his band: One Foot In. Here he is pictured playing guitar with the band. Grasse has been playing guitar since he was 15 years old. “My dad was a drummer, so I think that’s really what sparked my interest in music,” Grasse said. (Photo courtesy of Mike Grasse)

Put One Foot In New teacher spends time balancing job, music, daughter

By Jane Berry News Editor Five members. Four instruments.

Three memorable experiences. Two practices a month.

One Foot In. Mike Grasse, the newest pre-calculus and physics teacher, has got a lot on his plate, but he finds time to balance hanging out with his 6-year-old daughter, Claire, teaching high school and being part of a band: One Foot In. The band of five consists of George Winkler on drums, Gary Wheaton on keyboard, Jim Teolis on bass, singer Jill Sawyer and Grasse on guitar.

Mike Grasse One Foot In actually got its name for all the busy lives its members lead, being that they only really have time to put One Foot In. While Grasse is a teacher, George Winkler, the band’s drummer and junior Gabriella Winkler’s father, is a detective at the Elk Grove Police Department.

Although Winkler started playing the drums at 14 in hopes of becoming a rock star, Grasse started playing guitar when he was 15 years old for a different reason.

“My dad was a drummer, so I think that’s really what sparked my interest in music,” Grasse said.

Grasse had a friend who owned a studio and was often asked to fill in for guitar players from various bands who had conflicts when their band had a gig. He started filling in so often for One Foot In that they asked him to join.

Since then the band has produced a CD of their own: The E.G. Wheaton Project. Although the CD is made up of completely original songs, One Foot In typically plays live covers of ‘60s, R & B and Motown music along with a few ‘80s selections, including pieces from Sam and Dave, Aretha Franklin and Prince.

The band usually once or twice a month and has a gig about once a month. Winkler says almost all the gigs they get are from connections that they have to their town and its people, so they typically play in Chicago because that’s where most of the band’s members live.

Occasionally they get a gig in the

area. The Friday after Thanksgiving, the band even played in Mount Prospect at Ye Old Town Inn. The band will typically play at a few bars, private parties, block parties and even some weddings.

One of his favorite experiences was playing behind DJ Wendy Snyder on 890-AM because “it’s cool to have [his] music spread to a wider audience.”

Grasse also loved when his band got to play at an art gallery opening because they were surrounded by beautiful art and, unlike when they play in parties, people really stopped to listen to them and appreciate their music.

If Grasse is not teaching or not with his band, then the next best place to find him would probably be with his daughter.

Between ballet classes, tap classes, piano lessons and playing her father’s drum set, 6-year-old Claire Grasse follows her father’s footsteps by pursuing the spotlight, even though she’s already her father’s “star.”

Grasse even transferred from Elk Grove to Prospect after 23 years so that he could pick Claire up after school because it was closer to Prospect and has an earlier start time.

Just as Claire was starting her first full day of school at the beginning of this year, Grasse was starting a first day of school, too.

“I have to admit: I was a little nervous,” Grasse said, “A new environ-

ment, a different way of doing things, new policies — I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

Grasse really wanted the first day to go as smoothly as possible by getting to school early and preparing everything.

Unfortunately, Grasse got to school so early he actually had to wait in his car for a half hour before he could get into the building.

Although Grasse let his nerves drive him to school early, he did not let them affect him in his most memorable concert.

About 10 of his former students that were in college banded together, found out where Grasse was playing and went to see him.

“It was really cool to see my students, perform for them and then get to learn what they’re doing now,” Grasse

said, “Although it was nerve-wracking to have them see me out of my comfort zone, the vulnerability of it almost made us closer friends.”

Grasse does have a secret though: He doesn’t like performing as much as he likes to practice and improvise with the band.

“He is the only person in the world who can chicken fry any song” Winkler said. Chicken fry means to take a rock ‘n’ roll song and turn it into a one with a Bluegrass spin.

He compares improvising to teaching in the classroom because he never knows what question a student will ask next.

“You can’t predict it or duplicate it; it’s thinking on your feet,” said Grasse, “There are some moments where everything just works.”

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FEATURES 11

Thursday, December 16, 2010

MARINES: Wife, girlfriend continue military relationships despite roadblocks CONTINUED from front page still face deployment. She said that James’ death made her friends and family really understand the reality of her and Katie’s situations.

“I don’t think people [I knew] fully comprehended a military relationship until what happened to James,” Gartz said.

“I think they kind of were like, ‘Whoa, Jaclyn really is in a mature rela-

tionship where every day she has to not only think about the separation from U.S. MILITARY him and how much she misses him, but DEPLOYMENT FIGURES also the fact that if he deploys, there’s a decent chance that he may not come According to the Department of back.’”

Defense, as of Sep. 30, deployment Katie and Gartz both said that the figures to Afghanistan are as follows: hardest part of being in a military relationship is the long-distance aspect and 65,800 Army personnel the amount of time their boyfriends or 22,500 Marine personnel husbands are away.

11,100 Air Force personnel “People don’t understand how much and 6,500 Navy personnel hell we go through,” Katie said. “Since [James] was in infantry, he was probThat’s 105,900 personnel total. ably in the field every other week. I saw him less than half the time we were married.

“Sometimes he could call me when standing of each other. he was on training operations, but “If he’s having a rough day at work, sometimes I would go weeks without or if I’m having a stressful week at hearing from him; I always had to wait school, we just understand that and try for him.” to be there for each other even though Gartz said that with normal long- we aren’t,” Gartz said. distance relationships in college, the One of Gartz’s main struggles is couples still might making those who be able to see each doubt her underother every month stand why she’s or two, and even dating Strack. then, they don’t “It discourages have to worry me when people about the safety of are always saying, the other to the ex‘Do you really see tent that she has this relationship to worry about going anywhere?’

Strack. or ‘How can you “When you’re see yourself with not talking to a guy you’re only him, you’re just going to see evpraying that he’s ery few months?’”

-former PHS student Katie Stack still alive,” Gartz Gartz said. said. “You are re“To all that I ally young, but just say, ‘You know what, when you because of the maturity of the relation- know it’s the one, you just know it.’” ship and the long distance ... it makes Gartz lessens her stress about you feel really old sometimes.”

Strack’s situation by spending time Gartz said that the key to surviving with what she calls her “military famitheir long-distance struggles is keeping ly,” which is a small group of girls at her up communication and being under- school, Carroll University in Wauke-

“It’s going to be tough; it’s unbearable how hard it’s going to be. But if you love that person and want to stick by them, then stick by them.”

pLONG-DISTANCE LOVE: Prospect grad Jaclyn Gartz is pictured with her boyfriend, Kevin Strack, at his boot camp graduation.

Despite their unconventional relationship, Gartz and Strack manage to maintain a strong connection. (Photo courtesy of Jaclyn Gartz)

pREMEMBERING A HERO: James Stack, husband of former Prospect student Katie (Landeweer) Stack, is pictured at Advanced Mojave Viper training at the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base in California. Stack died in the line of duty in early November, and his funeral took place on Sunday, Nov. 20, in the Prospect field house. (Photo courtesy of Katie Stack)

PROSPECT HELPS HONOR FALLEN MARINE On Sunday, Nov. 20, Prospect held the funeral service for James Stack, Marine husband to former student Katie (Landeweer) Stack, who was killed on Nov. 10 in Afghanistan. The memorial service started at 11 a.m. in the field house; about 2,000 people were in attendance, including 50 Marines. Among those in attendance was James and Katie’s pastor, Rev. Peter McQueen of St. John United Church of Christ in Palatine, who delivered a speech.

According to the Daily Herald, McQueen told the story of how he first met James. During a snow storm two years ago, McQueen called Katie’s family to let them know that the snow was keeping him from getting to church. Katie told him, “Let me call James,” and shortly after, James was outside of the reverend’s house in a pickup truck, waiting to bring him to church.

The Daily Herald also said James’ mother, Linda Stack, made a point to thank the other Marine families in attendance: “It’s a unique family: the United States Marines.

Thank you each and every one of you for serving and protecting our nation, protecting our precious freedom and for being there for Katie and my family.”

Information courtesy of dailyherald.com

sha, Wis., who also have boyfriends in the military.

Gartz finds her “military family” so helpful because they’re all in the same position and “go through similar difficulties or complications” in their relationships. “[One of my friends] is freaking out because she hasn’t gotten her first letter yet from her boyfriend who’s in basic [training], and we’re like, ‘Don’t worry — it will come; it takes a week or two,’” Gartz said.

“We’re all in different stages, and we can all say, ‘I’ve been there before’ or ‘This is what I did in your situation.’

We all understand each other.”

Katie also has friends who have husbands in the military, and she said that she doesn’t know what she would do without their support.

“People don’t get it,” Katie said. “The relationship I have with my Marine girlfriends is unbelievable on [the level of] how much we have become a family because of how much our husbands are away.”

Despite their hardships, Katie and Gartz encourage teenagers and young adults who might be facing the same situation to stay in a relationship as well.

“If you feel that you have a strong enough bond with that person, do not, under any circumstances, break up because of the military,” Katie said. “It’s going to be tough; it’s unbearable how hard it’s going to be. But if you love that person and want to stick by them, then stick by them.

“I’m so proud of being a Marine wife.

I’m proud that I have a husband that I can stand by and say that he defended our country.”

pMILITARY FAMILY: Top: James Stack is pictured with his daughter, Mikayla.

James’ wife, former Prospect student Katie (Landeweer) Stack, said that her main concern with raising Mikayla is making her understand how much James loved her.

Middle: Katie poses on her wedding day with her maid of honor and best friend, ’09 grad Jaclyn Gartz. Both have friends in military relationships who help them sort out their own relationships worries. Bottom: Katie is pictured with James on their wedding day.

James and Katie got married in July of 2009 and have a one-year-old daughter, Mikayla.

(Photos courtesy of Katie Stack and Jaclyn Gartz) Currently, Katie’s main concern is that Mikayla has to grow up without a father.

“I’m just afraid of her not realizing how much he loved her,” Katie said. “I need her to know that she was his world; he would have done anything for her.

“I lost my husband, but she lost her father. I can remarry, and of course it will never be the same, ever, but she can never get her father back.”

12 ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, December 16, 2010

d r a o b r e v gone o Musical comedy goes to extremes to increase ratings During its debut episodes, the Fox hit “Glee” was like the most popular girl in school. It had a promising cast and crew, a fan base that multiplied faster than bacteria in McKinley High’s locker room and all the bright and shiny potential that comes with being a young, original, high-interest TV series.

“Glee” is centered around an Tallyn Owens eccentric high Entertainment Editor school show choir and its members and has become a pop culture staple while spreading the love for intricate musical numbers

among the masses.

The first 13 episodes of “Glee” were a dream living inside my TV. It was different and quirky while maintaining a healthy balance of comedy, music and plot. These factors kept 14 million viewers coming back every week.

But it seems that lately the success of “Glee’s” opening episodes has caused the show to go a bit overboard during the final half of the first season going into the second season, which has been filled with themed shows — Lady Gaga, Madonna and “the Rocky Horror Picture Show” — and unnecessary Top 40 covers including Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” and multiple Bruno Mars songs.

A numerous amount of the songs featured on the show have been autotuned to oblivion (see auto-tuning) as a way to accommodate the show’s less vocally gifted actors as well as the original arrangement of the song.

According to an interview with “Time Magazine,” Adam Anders, the executive music producer for “Glee,” said he has only eight days of studio time with the actors to record all the vocals for a given episode and further

p’GLEE’ SUCKS: Since “Glee” hit the second half of the first season into the second season, it has built off the massive success it experienced during its debut last year. However, Glee’s focuses on themed episodes (pictured above) that are cheesy facets of performing interfering with the show’s overall entertainment factor and credibility. (Photos courtesy of gleeimages.com) ready the song to appear on the show, AUTO-TUNING which often includes the use of autotune.

“Auto-tuning” is a pitch correction It was a brighter time for “Glee” software that is widely used in when the punch lines of Jane Lynch’s popular music to compensate for Emmy-winning Sue Sylvester weren’t the large amount of singers who lack the comedic highlight of the show and actual musical talent. the musical number didn’t make us roll Not all of the actors and guest our eyes at yet another Rachel Berry stars on “Glee” are trained singers. (played by Broadway star Lea Michele) It sure sounds like the show’s crew solo. probably used the software to modify As this excitement faded, the true their voices. nature of the shows sophomore season appeared as ridiculous and overblown, ries of its stars and producers. So far, filled with one gimmick disguised as Glee has had 93 songs place in the Billplot after another. board Top 100, which translates into a The cheesy cover of “One of Us” by small fortune’s worth of digital downJoan Osbourne that was tacked onto loads. (see “Glee’s” cash cow) the end of an emotionally packed epiThese atrocities hardly stood alone sode centered around Kurt, his comaand were littered through every epitose father and the emotional effort the sode past episodes. The madness must “Glee” club contributes to help comfort end if “Glee” wants to live up to the crehim is one of many examples of unnecative and comedic potential it displayed essary songs interrupting a solid story in the first season. line, which is becoming more apparent During “Glee’s” reign as the most as the episodes go on. popular girl in prime time TV, it strutThese components that were used ted through school much like McKinley sparingly in the show during its debut High’s very own Quinn Fabray or Rehave now begun to suffocate the plot gina George of “Mean Girls.” line, character development and generDifferences aside, getting fat, al appreciation for music and performpregnant or hit ing. An overload of the qualiby a bus like ties that made “Glee” the two queen successful before bees menhave started to fashtioned above ion a strong distaste is nothing shy with old fans while of the ridicule gradually turning “Glee” will the entire show into face unless it a mockery of itself. tones down the This is all great showmanship a for the show — not notch or two ­­­— or 10.

Graphic by to mention the sala-

$

Kate Schroeder

‘GLEE’S’ CASH COW

$

$7.3 Million: the approximate amount of money Glee made on

$

87 percent is the increase in sales Journey saw after "Glee" covered "Don't Stop Believin’'" during its pilot in 2009.

$

900,000: individual downloads of “Glee’s” cover songs bought on

$

$50,000 and $30,000 is the amount that the show’s veteran

digital downloads during its first season

iTunes.

actors, Jane Lynch and Matthew Morrison earn respectively for each episode.

Information courtesy of Entertainment Weekly

Thursday, December 16, 2010

ENTERTAINMENT 13 Rated

Meyers gets ‘Dreame’ job

R

for Riley

Good night, sweet prince

p’DREAME’-ING BIG: Junior Kelsey Henquinet (center) plays Puck, the Fairy King Oberon’s servant, in a dress rehearsal of the winter play, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame.” John Meyers Jr. directed the winter play for the first time, taking the reins from Phil Koehl. Koehl retired this spring after 16 years of directing the winter play. (Photo by Ali Preissing)

Meyers takes over director’s position for winter play

By Riley Simpson

Associate Editor-in-Chief A week before Prospect’s 2007 winter play, “Bob Crachit’s Wild Christmas Binge,” premiered, director Phil Koehl’s father died in Phoenix. Koehl went out to Arizona for a week, tending to family business.

“It’s a bad time for the director not to be there,” Koehl said. “[But] in life, you sometimes can’t control everything that happens.”

However, Koehl had a backup plan in Special Education teacher John Meyers Jr. Koehl asked Meyers to step in for him to run the play through its final rehearsals and to fine-tune small scenes.

“I knew that I would be retiring in a couple years, and I knew that Meyers was one of the people [who] was interested in directing the winter play,” Koehl said. “I thought having him step in for me would be like a dry run for him.”

Koehl, who retired this past spring after 16 years at Prospect, said that Meyers’ sense of humor was apparent even as an audience member at the Director winter plays. “[Meyers] alJohn Meyers Jr. ways used to laugh at anything that was even minutely funny,” Koehl said.

Last week, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame” premiered at Prospect, with Meyers in the director’s chair. After “volunteering” for the position, Associate Principal Greg Minter and fall play/spring musical director Jeremy Morton interviewed Meyers for the director spot and ultimately chose him.

“I thought I could [direct] a great play,” Meyers said. “I thought I could provide a good experience for the students.”

While William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy was Meyers’ directorial debut at Prospect, he does have a history in theater. He directed “Endgame” — among other Samuel Beckett plays — at DePaul Theatre School and other small professional theatre productions. Meyers also ran a comedy troupe in college.

“I think somebody who’s active in plays — as he and I have done — always make the better director,” Koehl said.

Most of the time, Meyers was working with a cast of six or seven people. The cast of “Dreame,” however, includes about 60 actors.

“I know what a bigger production entails, and I understand what it’s

SOPHOMORES WRITE SONGS AND SCORES John Meyers Jr. has always believed that William Shakespeare’s plays included musical scores.

However, over time, performers and writers have only kept the words, losing whatever music the plays included.

Meyers wanted to make sure his version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsommer Nights Dreame” included a musical score complete with a pit of orchestra members.

“We’re trying to get to the root of the play,” he Sophomore said.

Sean Brennan At first, sophomore Sean Brennan was only interested in playing the cello for the pit since “Dreame” is his favorite work by Shakespeare. But after asking Meyers’ permission, Brennan ended up writing almost all of the music for “Dreame,” save for the overture, which was arranged from The Beatles’ “Mother Nature’s Son” like when you’ve got 50 to 60 people in a cast and you have a lot of issues,” Meyers said, “but it’s the first time I’ve had to do it myself. It’s a little daunting.”

Meyers said that he likes big casts and getting as many students involved as possible. Everyone who auditioned for “Dreame” made the play.

“It wasn’t [like], ‘Everybody’s great, and everybody gets an award!’”

Meyers said. “No, it’s like, ‘Everybody can do this job.’ There’s no reason to cut anyone for that. I just want to make room for everyone in the play.”

This approach is very different from Koehl’s. In 16 years at Prospect, his largest cast included 40 actors.

“When you have that large of a cast as a director, it’s harder to give each individual actor as much attention as in a smaller cast,” Koehl said. “Like a teacher ... if you’ve got a class of 15, it’s easier to give each individual attention than it is in a class of 50.”

The cast of “Dreame” was split into three main groups: the fairies, the troupe of traveling actors and the

MISSPELLED ‘DREAME?’ The strange spelling of “A Midsommer Nights Dreame” raised many eyebrows when the winter play premiered last week. One might think the cast T-shirts, the play’s program and the posters all had several typos.

But according the director John Meyers Jr., “A Midsommer Nights Dreame” is exactly how the play is titled in William Shakespeare’s “The First Folio:” a compilation of 36 of William Shakespeare’s plays published in 1623.

from “The White Album.”

“They call me ‘the music executive’ or ‘the executive musician,’” Brennan said, “or some other name Meyers made up.”

Brennan, along with sophomore pit violinist Ian Magnuson, composed themes for different characters and tried to keep the score centered on chord progression.

According to Brennan, plays normally have no musical element, let alone an entire score. The only “Dreame” production Brennan has seen with music in it was the 90s film version with Kevin Kline.

After over a month of writing and editing, Brennan and Magnuson finished their score. The final product didn’t come without its share of stress and anxiety along the way.

“I kind of felt like I went insane a couple of times,” Brennan said.

While writing, Brennan would take “mental health days” when he would sit in the theater, just watching “Dreame” rehearsals.

“Sanity lost,” he said. “Sanity gained back.” lovers. According to senior N’Kole Burke, who played the lover Hermia in “Dreame,” the three groups were very separate on stage.

“Even at rehearsal, [Meyers] was being pulled in all sorts of directions,” Burke said, “but he was able to give everyone the focus and attention they needed.”

And if Meyers couldn’t handle an issue personally, he delegated student directors to help.

Throughout the production, Meyers learned the “essential” skill of a director: flexibility.

“You think, ‘Oh, I’m the director of the play. I sit around and say things, and people do them,’” Meyers said.

“But in reality, it’s more like I’m a counselor. I’m making a lot of suggestions and hoping people are able to carry through with them.

“It’s really about personality management more than anything else,” he said. “Everybody knows their job. It’s [about] getting them to do [their jobs] together and at the same time.”

Although Meyers is quick to shoot down the possibility that he’ll be directing the winter play as long as Koehl’s 16 years — “I gotta get through next week,” he said — he is interested in continuing the fun and excitement he experienced in “Dreame.”

“I’ll worry about next year when I get to next year,” Meyers said. “If they will let me, I will do this as long as I can.”

“I’ll worry about next year when I get to next year,” Meyers said. “If they will let me, I will do this as long as I can.”

Nov. 29 was the first Monday I came to school with a smile.

That past weekend included Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday), my first Black Friday experience — during which I was awake from Thanksgiving morning until Saturday morning (way trippier than any viewing of “Inception”) — and finally the Bears’ win over the Eagles on Sunday.

It was a pretty good Monday for me.

Until I walked up to my friend Nick’s locker — yes, the same Nick who writes “Nick @ Knight” on page 15 — and asked him how his weekend was. He told me that it was OK. “Oh, and did you hear about Leslie Nielsen dying?” he added bluntly.

“What?!”

“Yeah, I guess it’s a ‘good night, sweet prince’ for Leslie Nielsen.”

My smile turned into a squiggly line, connecting imaginary dots on my face. It looked like that thick, black line across Charlie Brown’s shirt. Say “goodbye” to that good Monday feeling.

Leslie Nielsen, “that white-haired guy from all those spoof movies,” as my mother calls him, had succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 82.

But he was more than a Leslie Nielsen white-haired funnyman to me. This may sound silly, but I always thought of Nielsen as a surrogate grandfather. I grew up with only one wise sage in the family — my mother’s father died almost 10 years before I was even born.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Nielsen, he starred in “The Naked Gun” movies (and the little-known TV show, “Police Squad!” that inspired the spoof franchise), “Spy Hard” and, of course, the classic “Airplane!”

Around sixth grade, I watched the comedy “Wrongfully Accused” for the first time. It was hilarious, spoofing “The Fugitive,” “Mission: Impossible” and other action flicks. While most kids were “Hooked on Phonics,” I was hooked on Nielsen.

Nielsen was the only highlight in “Wrongfully Accused.” Don’t get me wrong, it was terribly written and most of the acting was too fake, even for a spoof.

Key phrase in that statement: “MOST of the acting.”

It was his deadpan delivery and wild dedication — Nielsen was about 71 years old when he filmed it! — that made “Wrongfully Accused” even remotely funny. When Nielsen’s character, Ryan Harrison, is cornered by an armed bad guy, he taunts him: “That’s right, isn’t it?

Signal yes by shooting yourself in the head three times.” Shirley, the line itself is funny, but Nielsen’s mix of crazy and low-key comedy is what makes it and all his lines shine with charm.

Between all these hilarious Nielsen spoofs, I’ve enjoyed almost seven years of laughter.

Even though I can keep enjoying the man and his jokes on DVD, I feel kind of empty.

Why? Sure, I’ve seen images and sounds of him that make me laugh. But I never got the actual thing that blessed so many entertainment reporters, filmmakers and Nielsen’s friends and family. I never had the privilege of experiencing the larger-than-everything Nielsen in person.

In life, one will always have regrets. My biggest regrets: 1. Oh, I wish I studied for that math test instead of watching episodes of “Psych” on Hulu.

2. Darn, I shouldn’t have told every girl I met freshman year to make me a sandwich.

3. I never had the chance to meet the late, great actor Leslie Nielsen.

14 SPORTS

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The extra ‘push’ Senior athletes use sports to gain ground on admissions competition So, in addition to having an ACT score of 35, a 5.53 GPA and being ranked ninth in the class, Loebbaka feels that playBefore senior varsity bas- ing on varsity basketball for ketball player Matt Loebbaka two years is “definitely supplewent to an exposure camp in mental.”

Boston this summer, the MasSenior Steve Dazzo, who was sachussetts Institute of Tech- a captain of the varsity football nology (MIT) was not on his team, agrees that participating “radar.” in a sport shows leadership He knew MIT had high ad- skills, and football was all he missions standards — its av- wrote about in his college aperage accepted ACT score is a plication essay.

33 — so he thought it Dazzo is applying would be a “stretch” to Dartmouth Unito get in. versity, Cornell Uni“I hadn’t reached versity and Univerout to the [MIT] sity of Pennsylvania coach,” Loebbaka with the intention said. “I didn’t think of playing football [getting in] was a there. Indiana Unipossibility.” versity, Miami of However, after a Senior Ohio University and two-day camp where Matt Loe Vanderbilt UniverLoebbaka was evalusity are just schools ated on his skills on he’s interested in bethe court as well as in cause he wants to go the classroom, MIT into economics, and became a possibility. football is not part of Loebbaka, who wants the program. to major in chemical “My interest isn’t engineering, particito play football in pated in games and college,” Dazzo said. practices and had to “It’s to go to a really fill out a brochure Senior good school and play with his ACT score, Steve Dazzo football as well.”

GPA and class rank.

Dazzo acknowlPlaying a varsity sport in edges that he would not be able high school shows that a per- to play football at a SEC school son is well-rounded, according like Vanderbilt because he to Loebbaka, and colleges rec- doesn’t feel that he has the skill ognize that. set, such as being tall enough According to College and or fast enough.

Career Counselor Diane “The people who play there Bourne, that’s because it shows end up playing at the NFL in they are involved in school, can four years,” Dazzo said. get along with other people and For Dazzo, getting into Dartexhibit leadership skills.

By Gina O’Neill Copy Editor

Cartoon by Riley Simpson mouth and Cornell would be no it is in high school. easy ride without football, and Athletes recruited to play the coaches of those schools in college generally get a bighave already talked to Dazzo ger advantage than those who and reassured him that they played in high school, Bourne will work with admissions of- acknowledged, but both benefit fices to allow him to attend. in the admissions process.

“I’m a good student,” Dazzo Bourne said that if highly said, “but I wouldn’t have the selective schools have 10 appligrades to get in there without cants with 35s on their ACTs, football as well.” having varsity athletics on “If a gifted athlete is ap- their application will help the plying to a highly competitive schools choose which students school, he to admit. may not “ T h e y have to don’t take all have the those qualisame crefied people,” dentials [as Bourne said. other non“It’s just that athletes],” one extra Bour ne push.” said.

For LoebBour ne baka, that s a i d push came -senior Steve Dazzo schools from the might be MIT basketable to ball coach. make a dip, as in lowering The coach visited Loebbaka their standards, in the admis- at his house to discuss his posions process to allow them to sition at the school and offered attend the school because these to write him a letter of recomathletes have “the hook.” mendation to the MIT admis“The hook” is a where a sions office, telling him that person has a quality that the recruits usually get into the school is looking for either school. based off need for that quality According to Loebbaka, the or desire to promote the school. coach was looking for a guy To help athletes who come in who would be the “dog of the less qualified academically team,” or in other words: a big than average students, schools guy who can shoot, hustle on offer special tutors for ath- the floor and play around the letes, and coaches will monitor basket, which is what Loebgrades in a way similar to how baka does now, as he plays post. “[The coach] saw me at the camp and obviously knew I had certain attributes he was looking for,” Loebbaka said. “It all depends on what they need.” call 847-255-2526

“My interest isn’t to play football in college. It’s to go to a really good school and play football as well.”

421 W. Prospect Ave. Mt. Prospect, IL

Anyone with a student ID will receive a 10 percent discount on any order!

DEVOTION TAKES TOLL ON TIME Time devoted to playing sports can take a toll on academic performance, which is why seniors Matt Loebakka and Steve Dazzo both developed time management skills from being a part of a varsity sport.

Loebbaka is currently enrolled in five AP classes, and when he’s not playing basketball at Prospect, he was involved in an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) travel team during the spring up until last year.

Since the AAU league has an age limit of 18, he will be playing in a men’s league at the RecPlex or Central Community Center in Mount Prospect this year.

Loebbaka also played in a fall league at Prospect with some of his friends who were not involved in winter sports.

Through precise planning, Loebbeka gets a set nine hours of sleep per night.

On a typical day, he goes to school, has practice from 3 to 5:30 p.m., eats dinner at 6 p.m. and does homework for two to three hours before going to bed at 10 p.m.

He also spends at least half of his lunch period — his only free period — doing schoolwork.

Dazzo is taking two AP classes and has third and fourth period open, so he does his homework for the morning periods at night and finishes the work for the afternoon periods during his open.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

SPORTS 15

Club teams weigh on try uts Athletes continue playing during offseason to keep competitive edge

By Deanna Shilkus Managing Editor For the Prospect volleyball team, junior James Doughty knows he can’t skip a practice, and he doesn’t want to.

Because he plays on a Buffalo Grove private club volleyball team called TNT from September through February every year, Doughty has grown to value both club and Prospect teams differently in his three years of playing.

He values the Prospect team as a place where he can be a “contributing member” and help the team go as far in the season as it can. The club team is mainly a place for him to focus on improving his skills and stay in shape.

Doughty’s club practices are held two to three nights a week with one night p SETUP AND SMACK: Junior James Doughty goes to serve the ball at a game for his club dedicated to conditioning, including ab volleyball team. Doughty has decided to play club volleyball all year so that he can practice his skills workouts and running, and the other to and prepare for the Prospect team tryouts in the spring. (Photo courtesy of James Doughty) game-play drills. There are many other students that Doughty plays with on his feel for other sports. By junior and se- gether on club and high school teams alnior year, students may know what sport lows the players to become close friends. club team as well as his Prospect team.

Iovino plays with the same girls on Those who play on a club volleyball they want to play, but until then, it is team, according to Doughty, have a ben- important that they try as many as they her club team and Prospect team and efit in the fact that they are constantly can so that they can grow to learn about feels this helps them be able to communicate better. Doughty feels the same improving their skills together, there- other sports.

Iovino used to play volleyball and soc- way in that having friends on each team fore improving the Prospect team when cer for Prospect make the bond socially equal because they go in to play every year. Due to the players are seeing each other all the together.

TRAINER VS. COACH a lack of interest time.

“It shows dediand benefits from Although playing club during the cation,” Doughty In club soccer, each team has a trainer volleyball, howevoff-season doesn’t necessarily affect his said. and a coach. The coach is someone who er, Iovino decided confidence level in making the Prospect While he likes only deals with paperwork and managing to commit her- team, Doughty is just more comfortable. playing on both the team. The trainer comes to practice self completely “I want to make sure that I have some teams, his goal and works out with the team, focusing to playing soccer edge,” Doughty said, “or something that is to play on the on the drills and what the team needs to her sophomore makes me stand out.” club team so that improve on. According to senior Nicolette year. when the seaGrivas, the trainers look for girls who Iovino has son for Prospect continually play soccer. Those girls who PLAYING ONLY ON A played on the comes around, form a close relationship with their trainer CLUB TEAM Prospect soche is ready to try can also talk to him about getting recruited cer team in the out; he doesn’t When senior Nicolette Grivas’ for college. spring for two want to “have to soccer coaches encouraged her years and curgo in blind” to the to try out for a club team in fourth rently plays on the Arlington Aces Acadtryouts for the volleyball seasons each grade, she was hesitant. Now, Grivas spring. Doughty feels more comfortable emy Program during the summer, fall has been playing on a club soccer and prepared with playing as opposed to and winter. team for 13 years.

The reason she chose to play only those kids who “haven’t touched a volAs she progressed into high soccer was because she had trouble hanleyball” in months. school, playing club soccer during Playing club allows Doughty and ju- dling the overlap of practices and games the fall and winter and for the school nior soccer player Kelli Iovino to stay between sports. team in the spring forced her to When Iovino played Prospect volleysharp the entire year and also helps consider her priorities. ball, she had to miss them balance time Soon enough, playing on both some practices and commitments. teams became too much. While she workouts because However, there are didn’t play on both teams at once, they conflicted some drawbacks.

Grivas began to feel differences with her club socHead girls’ socbetween the teams that caused her cer games. cer coach Tom to make a decision.

“I hated to let Froats agrees that While students like juniors Kelly [the volleyball playing a sport for a Iovino and James Doughty have team] down,” Iovilong period of time decided to commit themselves to no said. will help someone one sport and play club for the rest According to her, get better, yet he of the year, Grivas decided to only each coach wanted also feels that stuplay club since her grades and family his or her team to dents who commit commitments come first. be her biggest comthemselves yearGrivas decided that playing on the mitment, but Ioviround to a demandProspect team took up more time no only played voling sport are at a than club did with daily practices and leyball for fun and disadvantage. games on weeknights. wasn’t that serious Froats has noBesides her schedule, Grivas has about it. ticed that the numalso felt that playing on club has “We can’t do evber of club soccer become easier for her to stay close erything [if we are] players in the past with her friends. already committed few years has inOn her club team, Grivas feels that to other [sports],” creased, and the dethe atmosphere is like a family: “It she said. “I felt like mands on athletes doesn’t matter if you don’t like each I had to do what was out of season are other or not.” best and most fair.” greater.

The biggest difference she would Besides being Besides having p KICKER: Junior Kelli Iovino (4) jumps in say between the teams is that the able to improve a tough schedule, the air with her Prospect teammates to block girls have more respect for each their skills and an incoming free kick.

Iovino is one of many Froats believes that other. make a better Prosplaying only one who decided to commit herself to playing only “On the field, we stick together pect team, spending sport doesn’t allow one sport due to a loss of interest in volleyball. and play as a team.” so much time tosomeone to get a (Photo courtesy of Kelli Iovino)

@ Knight A great legacy Like many Chicagoans, I hated Brett Favre from the first time I saw him. There was something about his theatrical emotions that seemed to bother me.

And as I grew older, the hatred remained. I even began to feel Favre was overrated for winning only one Super Bowl and annoying for all of his faux-retirements.

But recently, in shocking fashion, I have actually begun to respect Favre more.

Although Favre has broken many records in our lifetime, like the passing touchdowns, wins and pass yardage records, his most impressive accomplishment came in stopping one of his records from expanding.

After starting 297 games consecutively, Favre sat out the game against the New York Giants on Dec. 13 due to an injury.

Instead of “starting” the game, handing the ball off a few times and then sitting out for the rest of the game, Favre took the better option by not holding his team back for his own selfishness.

Last year, the Indianapolis Colts, pretending not to be interested in running the table, rested their starters for the playoffs.

But they still started Peyton Manning in order to keep his starting streak alive, and they intentionally threw easy completions to Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark so they could get 100 receptions for the year.

While I didn’t lose respect for Manning or the Colts for doing this, acting the way Favre did would actually make me gain respect for them.

Not only did Favre impress by not forcing his streak to continue, but making it through the season without retiring should earn praise even from the harshest critics.

With a bad team, injuries and the Jenn Sterger scandal, Favre actually had a legitimate reason to give up on this season.

But Favre didn’t quit. He kept playing, and it wasn’t for money or any other bad reason. It was for the love of the game. It turns out the reason many fans hated him — for his excessive emotions — is needed more in the NFL. Regularly negative players like Jay Cutler and Phillip Rivers could learn from him.

As his career slowly ends, Favre’s true legacy is being written before our eyes — though I would never put it past him to come back again.

How fans and ESPN interpret him in the near future could determine what everyone will think of Favre in 10 years.

Personally, I am beginning to recognize Favre as a true competitor who never gave up.

I also now realize maybe one Super Bowl ring is enough. Like it or not, Chicago, chances are Favre will be loved.

And I can’t wait to tell younger generations about him.

I just wish I could say the same about Lebron.

SPORTS Thursday, December 16, 2010

On Prospectornow.com...

Look for a profile of Prospect’s new head football coach, Mike Sebestyen.

Sebestyen, formerly an assistant coach, got the job after coach Brent Pearlman retired.

Sports in 60 seconds t BLOCK ONE :

Senior Marissa Pettenuzzo plays defense against Rolling Meadows freshman Jacqueline Kemph on Dec. 3. Following a difficult loss, the team restructured its practice priorities to become a team more focused on basketball fundamentals.

(Photo by Carissa Weis)

Back to basics Talented team returns to old drills

By Nick Stanojevic

Executive Sports Editor The girls’ basketball team had already set big goals for themselves coming into the season. Their two main goals for the start of the year were to win the Lyons Township tournament for a fourth year in a row and win the conference.

But after a 54-49 loss to eventual champion West Chicago in the Lyons Township tournament and a 43-35 loss to Rolling Meadows (8-0) on Dec. 3, coach Martha Kelly knew she could not continue to overlook the team’s recurring problem.

In both of those losses, the girls sent their opponent to the free-throw line over 20 times, committed 20 turnovers against West Chicago and 19 versus Meadows.

“It’s been very frustrating,” Kelly said. “I think coming into the season the girls had a lot of high expectations, and right now it’s more a confidence thing and mental thing. Yogi Berra always said, ‘90 percent of the game is 50 percent mental.’”

The main reason why Kelly is miffed by the situation is because of the talent she knows this team has.

“We are deeper in terms of talent, skill and athleticism,” Kelly said, “which is part of the reason we are disappointed by our performance so far. But it is a long season, so we are going to keep our heads up, and we’re going to keep working at it.”

According to Kelly, players such as seniors Sarah Winans, Sarah Hunt, Ashley Wabik and Marissa Pettenuzzo exemplify how talented this team is.

Both Winans and Hunt have been on varsity for four years and were allconference last season. According to Kelly, Hunt is also one of the most talented post players in the area.

Pettenuzzo has contributed with games like the one against St. Viator, where she scored 14 points off only nine shots, while Kelly calls Wabik a versatile player with the ability to play around all areas of the basket.

In response to the team’s struggles, Kelly made fixing these two hurdles one of the team’s biggest priorities.

In order to have less fouls called on the team, Kelly began practicing foot-

work drills so the girls would move their feet when defending rather than reaching in and being called for a foul.

Additionally, Kelly began calling fouls in all practice scrimmages, which Winans believes was the problem before.

“We really try to go as fast as we can in practice,” Winans said. “We play so aggressively, and we don’t realize we are going to get called for it. … I think we are definitely thinking more in a good way [now] to make improvements.”

To counteract all of the turnovers, Kelly has her team working on various dribbling exercises. Kelly makes the team work on using their dynamic jump step to fix the problem (see The Drills).

“We understand as a team that [the basics] are something we need to improve on, so we are willing to work on it,” Hunt said. “But it is kind of different to have to focus on it so much at practice when it has been part of the game ever since we’ve been playing.”

In games such as the one against Palatine on Nov. 3, Kelly believes the team showed its true abilities. In a 15-point win, the girls held Palatine to only 27 points. From the third quarter to half-way into the fourth quarter, Palatine only scored two points.

“We limited our fouls [and] held our composure, and [it] was a great, solid game in terms of defense,” Kelly said.

While both players and coaches

THE RECRUITED ONES Girls’ basketball coach Martha Kelly is used to her players going to Division I schools.

“Players that we’ve had in the past decided to go schools like Indiana where they weren’t being recruited, but there were smaller schools which were interested,” Kelly said, “because of what they wanted to do with their futures, however, they decided to go with the academic route.

Seniors Marissa Pettenuzo and Sarah Winans are looking for schools for basketball. For Winans, just a few choices are Iona and Elmhurst College, while Pettenuzo is looking at North Park University and Knox College. Sarah Hunt is playing Division I volleyball. hope the team will reach their potential, Kelly admits she has learned a lot with this team already.

“I think it’s kind of an eye-opening experience for us as coaches,” Kelly said. “No matter where you are as a player or as a team, you always have to work on the basics. Maybe the mistake is we assumed we didn’t have to work on those things.”

Boys’ Basketball Boys’ Basketball Overall Tied for first in the MSL East with Hersey.

Fast Fact: The team is shooting 80% from the free-throw line.

Girls’ Gymnastics Conference rank not yet determined Fast Fact: Have the 20th highest score in the state

3-3

MSL East 2-0

Overall 2-0 MSL East 1-0

Bowling

Tied for first in the MSL conference.

Fast Fact: Finished 7th out of 44 teams at the Plainfield North Strike Fest.

Boys’ Swimming Conference rank not yet determined Fast Fact: Coach Alfonoso Lopez is looking forward to winter break where the team will “train hard and also have fun.”

Wrestling

Conference rank yet to be determined Fast Fact: According to senior co-capitan Joey Randazzo, the team is working much harder.

Overall 5-0 Conference 5-0

Overall 0-2 Conference 0-2

Overall 2-3 Conference 1-1

The Drills SHOULDER-CHEST READ

After practicing driving with the ball and then kicking out, the girls have to test their ability to read a defense when driving to the basket.

The offensive player drives to the basket with the ball and depending on whether the defender helps or not, the girls need to determine whether to pass it out for an open three-pointer or finish the basket themselves.

FAKE SANDWICH DRILL The offensive player gets the ball around the three-point line, and then pump fakes in order to draw hesitation from the defender. Based on which arm the defender lifts up, the offensive player then dribbles in for a lay-up using a twofooted jumpstep.