Prospector Issue #7 2010-11

Volume 50, Issue 7

Friday, March 11, 2011

TheVoice of Prospect since 1960

ROSPECTOR

A trip to the Windy City Almost everyone has taken a day trip to Chicago, but there’s more to see in the city than Millennium Park. To read about an unconventional day downtown, see...

Features, page 7

801 West Kensington Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056

Music for royalty Orchestra invited to London New Year’s Festival in 2012-13

By Jane Berry News Editor

Graphic by Ian Magnuson

The face of cyberspace Students experience, cope with increased harassment over the web

By Katie Best and Maggie Devereux Opinion Editor and Executive Sports Editor Sophomore Emily Rigopoulos originally created a Formspring account because she was curious about what questions people would ask to get to know her better.

But Rigopoulos’ experience was different than she had expected.

Rigopoulos found the longer she had her Formspring, the less friendly and more sexual the comments became. The comments ranged from “You’re so ugly” to sexually explicit threats from strangers. “[Formspring] was a letdown because [anonymous users] just list your personal flaws,” Rigopoulos said. “It’s like, ‘I already know my own flaws; why do you have to remind me?’”

Formspring is a website where people can ask users questions anonymously. According to The Chicago Tribune, over 50 percent of Formspring’s users in the U.S. are between the ages of 13 and 34,

creating a younger demographic for cyberbullying. The Chicago Tribune said Formspring claims its purpose is to bring people closer together through asking questions.

Harassment over the Internet, through websites like Formspring and Facebook, has become a widespread problem for teenagers. According to The National Crime Prevention Council, 43 percent of teens have been cyberbullied in the past year, and 20 percent have been the bullies themselves.

According to school psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson, cyberbullying creates problems for teens because “[they are] being slammed publicly on the Internet where everyone can see it.” In person, KypJohnson said, the bully is generally not so bold.

Kyp-Johnson said Facebook, though without the anonymity that sites like Formspring have, can still foster bully-like behavior because it gives teenagers the same courage they lack face to face. When confronted in person, he said the stu-

dent would react differently than they would online “behind the concealment of a computer screen.” “[People keep it anonymous because] it is this whole curiosity mindset,” Rigopoulos said. “We still want to know what people think of us or what they have to say.”

Formspring especially gives this “shield,” and while it does give the option not to allow anonymous comments and questions, according to Formspring, more than 25 percent of comments are asked anonymously.

“I feel like [anonymity] makes other people feel better about themselves — that nothing is going to happen to them if they are [mean],” junior Natalia Andrzejkowicz said.

“You won’t know who it is, and it’s sad that it does [make them feel better], but it does.”

According to cyberbullying. us, while girls are 26 percent more likely to be cyberbullied, boys are subject to it as well. Sophomore Patrick Pfohl is no different.

While Pfohl keeps his Formspring because he thinks it is “entertaining to see stupid comments,” some of those comments are rude in nature. Pfohl said he

See BULLIES, page 2

The Symphony Orchestra had a performance during eighth period on Monday, Feb. 28 that was fit for a king. Well, actually, it was just right for the Lord Mayor of the city of Westminster, England.

The orchestra played Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, and the outgoing Lord Mayor, Councillor Duncan Sandys, officially invited them to perform at the London New Year’s Day Parade and Festival for 2012-13.

The performance was especially significant because London Parade Festival Founder and Director Robert Bone attended with the Lord Mayor, who is the great-grandson of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

After playing for the Lord Mayor, the orchestra received an official invitation to play at the London New Year’s festival. Orchestra director Patrick O’Connor, Principal Kurt Laakso, band director Chris Barnum and concert mistress senior Sharon Lee all received gifts.

The orchestra did much to prepare for the visit, including many rehearsals during fifth and seventh periods before the performance and a trip to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

On the trip, the orchestra worked with a clinician to “get a new perspective on the piece,” according to senior violinist Greta Pietraszek.

The main difference for this trip in comparison to the music department’s trip to London in 200809 is that only the string orchestra will be going rather than the whole music program. Instead of nearly 450 students going, there will now only be about 70.

Freshman violinist Becky Kriedler is most enthusiastic about experiencing everything she saw in her sister Jessica’s pictures from when Jessica went with the marching band in the 2008-09 trip.

“I am just so excited because, like lots of high schoolers, I haven’t traveled out of the country before,” Kriedler said.

!FIT FOR A KING: The Symphony Orchestra performs for the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councillor Duncan Sandys. He came to Prospect on Feb. 28 to invite the group to play in London for the New Year’s Day Parade and Festival in 2012­13. (Photo courtesy of Alex Meza)

Broken vows

Books without Borders

Retail therapy

Sometimes, “happily ever after” isn’t really forever. For a look at how marriage has changed, divorce and its effects on students at Prospect, turn to...

Websites like Amazon.com have changed the book industry for good. For one student’s perspective on Borders declaring bankruptcy and the local store closing its doors, see...

Entertainment, page 12

Virtually every high school student with a part­time job has something to complain about. For one disgruntled shoe saleswoman’s take on the worst of retail, check out...

In­Depth, pages 8­9

Opinion, page 6

2 NEWS BULLIES: School, students address online harassment give compliments or defend the user being attacked. For Andrzebeing openly gay, his hair and even his jkowicz, it’s these types of comments that make using Formspring personality.

“I actually get comments saying I a little more rewarding.

“It makes me happy to know some have a stupid haircut,” Pfohl said. “I people are normal and not creepy,” Anmean, I find it kind of funny because drzejkowicz said. “I’m not the only one [they are] saying it over Formspring.”

Though commenting on a haircut that thinks [cyberbullying] is a little riover Formspring may not be taken se- diculous sometimes.”

Virtual bullying isn’t confined to riously, according to Andrzejkowicz, sometimes questions can ruin a day Formspring alone, however. Senior just because of the pointlessness. When Mary Clare Rosemeyer has felt its efAndrzejkowicz logs on to find degrad- fects on Facebook, too.

When deciding which dress to wear ing questions, it doesn’t upset her as to prom last year, Rosemeyer posted a much as it annoys her. picture of a dress she was consider“I’ll be happy, and then I’ll go on ing on Prospect’s Prom Dress RegisFormspring and be like, ‘Wow, you’re try group on all stupid,’” Facebook.

Andrzejkowicz While Rosesaid. meyer had To prevent decided cyberbullying, against For mspring purchasdoes have rules ing the members must dress, a few - Dean Dr. Patricia Tedaldi-Monti follow and girls — then setools available niors — thought to help users to stop bullying. Formspring encourages users to report in- she was still considering it when their stances of bullying, and any members friend had already registered the same caught misusing the site can have their dress on the site.

The girl’s friends were upset over accounts disabled. the coincidence and decided to take “We depend on our community to be matters into their own hands by postsmart and safe,” Sarahjane Sacchetti, a ing “mean” and “ridiculous” comments media representative for Formspring, on Rosemeyer’s picture, even after she said in an e-mail interview with The had posted she was not going to buy the Prospector. “The online world operates by the same rules as the offline world; dress.

“I cannot picture those girls coming respect, kindness and decency are each up to me in school and making a big person’s responsibility.”

Unfortunately, non-users can ask deal out of it because there really was questions, and Formspring can only en- not an issue,” Rosemeyer said. “The courage users not to answer inappropri- thing with social networking is you can ate questions. Members can also update make an issue out of nothing if you retheir settings to allow only questions ally want.”

While most cyberbullying issues stay from members who show their names. on the web, they can sometimes bleed Some people do use the anonymity to

Friday, March 11, 2011

CONTINUED from front page

“Even if your doors are locked and your alarm is set, [cyberbullying] still comes into your house.”

SEXT ME While some consider cyberbullying an online-only trend, “sexting” is also considered a form of bullying. !!!!!"##$%&'()!*$!+,-.!/01*'()!'/!&02(0&!3/!4/0(&'()!(5&0!$%!%'/650!7'#*5%0/!$80%! text.” 20 percent of teens have admitted to sexting.

According to Dean Dr. Patricia Tedaldi-Monti, there have been cases of sexting brought to Prospect’s administration. A few years ago, there was a student who sexted a man from out of the state. When the student would not /0(&!9':!3!(5&0!7'#*5%0!$;!90%!4<$=0%!93<;.>!*90!:3(!*9%03*0(0&!*$!2(&!90%!3(&! tell her parents about the pictures. The student told the deans and the police so she could get rid of the man. “[Kids] don’t realize that one picture, one comment, can change a lot,” Tedaldi-Monti said.

Graphic by Kate Schroe

der

into school settings.

Dean Dr. Patricia Tedaldi-Monti and Student Resource Officer Scott Filipek have encountered more cyberbulling issues in the past five years than ever before, some of the most recent concerning sexting and Facebook (see Sext me). “[Students] need to understand there is a difference between being mean and cyberbullying,” Tedaldi-Monti said when referring to the cases that were not considered cyberbullying. “We are allowed to become involved [in cyberbullying problems], but the first thing is we need to know about it. Sometimes, people think we are mind readers, and [they think], ‘They should have known.’

Well, how were we supposed to know?”

Tedaldi-Monti stresses how even though students think they are safe at home from bullying, they are at more risk with social networking sites and their cell phones.

“Even if your doors are locked and your alarm is set, [cyberbullying] still comes into your house,” Tedaldi-Monti said. “It all comes down to who is on your social networking site.”

Filipek said sometimes comments posted on the Internet are a misunderstanding between two people. Usually, Filipek said, before any consequential action is taken, they take the people involved and discuss the current situation.

“We see if there is actually a problem,” Filipek said. “Sometimes if you write something on Facebook or get a

text message, things can be misinterpreted. Someone can think they are being sarcastic or funny, and somebody can take that the wrong way. ...

Nine times out of 10, it isn’t really bullying.”

When the issue is brought up to Filipek, he must decide whether or not the actions can be considered criminal. If the situation is deemed non-criminal, the issue goes to the deans. However, if Filipek believes there may be criminal intent behind the issue, he can take legal action.

In addition to seeking legal action, Kyp-Johnson said there are ways to cope with cyberbullies and prevent incidents from occurring to begin with.

One of those ways is to take yourself out of the situation completely. Filipek agrees.

“You can always shut the computer off,” Filipek said. “I know it is one of the hardest things to do, but you can always not take what is being said seriously. If you remove your cell phone, your Facebook or your Formspring from the equation, you really don’t have a problem.”

Kyp-Johnson said teenagers can also be more mature with handling this problem by ignoring hurtful comments.

“There is too much opportunity for kids to be taken advantage of,” KypJohnson said. “[Kids who cyberbully] don’t have the sense of, ‘This is going to haunt me.’”

Want all Prospect, all the time?

Head online for the latest news!

Juniors Connor Fitzgerald and Jacqueline Dunderdale and seniors Lauren Matthews and Maddy Spacapan placed at the state speech tournament. The team took 10th.

!JAZZIN’ AROUND: Junior Riley Mangan plays saxophone with Prospect Jazz, which concluded a successful festival season at the 2011 Jazz in the Meadows Festival on Feb. 26.

For more, see Prospectornow.com. (Photo by Ian Magnuson)

A staple in any girl’s wardrobe is a pair of black yoga pants, but when do they go from comfy to over worn?

Head online for the answer.

For stories on February’s disco inferno dance and the closing of door 35, check out Prospectornow.com. Plus, look out for a new edition of The Prospector’s political blog, “Looking Left and Right,” for an opinion on the revolution in Egypt.

NEWS 3

Friday, March 11, 2011

An ‘eye-opening’ experience !CITY ON A HILL: Students on the Harvard Model Congress trip pose in front of the gates of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. The 19 students simulated the governmental process at the conference the weekend of Feb. 17­20. In addition to taking on the role of a member of Congress, students also toured Boston and sat in on a class at Harvard. (Photo courtesy of Erik Hodges)

Students learn more about government, see Boston at Harvard Model Congress

By Maddie Conway Executive News Editor Senior Kelly McBride wasn’t herself from Feb. 17-20. Instead, she took on the role of another individual: Robert Latta, a 50-year-old Republican of the U.S. House of Representatives.

McBride wasn’t acting in a theatrical production — she, along with 18 other students and social science teachers Erik Hodges and Tim Beishir, traveled to Boston for Harvard University’s Harvard Model Congress (HMC), an annual event where students simulate the American governmental process.

At the conference, students took on the role of a representative or senator and carried on mock sessions of Congress to draft, debate and pass bills.

Hodges said he and social science teacher Jim Adair attract juniors to the program by talking to AP United States History classes, though others hear of the program through word of mouth.

They usually choose about 20 students to attend. Though there is an application, the spots generally fill on a first-come, first-serve basis, with both juniors and seniors allowed to attend.

At the conference, students are assigned specific committees, or groups of representatives, which focus on writing legislation for topics like Foreign Affairs or National Security.

According to Hodges, students at HMC gain greater insight into how the government is run while being able to tour Boston. Hodges said the experience can be “eye-opening” for

the 1,600 students from across the country at the conference.

Junior Dan Troutman, who received special recognition for his “Achievement of Excellence” as U.S. Representative Daniel Webster, agreed that the trip was a “cool simulation of government” and the parliamentary procedure. Troutman was a member of the Committee on Intelligence, which dealt with bills on topics including the use of criminal information and Internet terrorism.

Although McBride said she didn’t follow politics closely before HMC, she still appreciated the experience and said students should consider attending it in the future.

While McBride did have success at HMC — she co-authored a bill about preventing sex-trafficking that passed through Congress — she said there were other aspects of the trip she also enjoyed, especially seeing Boston and Harvard.

Hodges said just being at Harvard is

one of the best aspects of HMC. Guest speakers are also a highlight; this year, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s ex-press secretary spoke at the end of the conference. Students also got to sit in on a class at the university.

“It’s a cool experience anytime for a high school student to sit in on a college class,” Hodges said, “but let alone Harvard, the premier institution in the United States and probably one of the premier in the world. Just to get that feeling, that atmosphere, that collegiate feel, and then to be at Harvard [is great].”

Hodges encourages students to get involved in HMC. Watching students he wouldn’t have immediately assumed to love politics “really get into it” is satisfying for him as a teacher. “[When you see] the kids get up there and talk about a bill they’ve drafted or a piece of legislation they’re passing,” Hodges said, “you think, ‘Wow, they’ve really gotten something out of this experience.’”

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OPINION 5

Friday, March 11, 2011

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The Staff MANAGING EDITOR Deanna Shilkus 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 Nikki Gallup FEATURES EDITORS Megan Maughan Carly Evans Allie Fleming IN-DEPTH EDITORS Emmy Lindfors Jenny Johnson

Staff Editorial

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kate Schroeder Neel Thakkar

Over the past three weeks, Illinois — or, at least, a fortunate few of its budget motels — has become a sort of Ellis Island, taking in the tired, poor, huddled masses of out-of-state Democratic legislators yearning to breathe free.

The Democrats from Wisconsin were the first to arrive on Feb. 17 and were joined in the state by their Indiana brethren five days later. They have been here ever since, in defiance of anti-union bills proposed in both states by Republican majorities.

Had the Democrats stayed, the bills were set to pass. However, by leaving, they have left their legislatures unable to meet quorum — a minimum level of senators (in Wisconsin’s case) or representatives (in Indiana’s case) needed for the government to vote and conduct business.

As the first state to act, Wisconsin has become the

27

4

proved working conditions to the minimum wage.

The second goal is necessary, but unrelated to the first. It cuts state workers’ pay by six to eight percent by increasing their contributions to their own health care and pension plans, and both the Democrats and unions have accepted it.

It’s true that Wisconsin is in bad financial shape — a 2009 Pew Center on the States report ranked its budget situation as 10th worst in the nation (Illinois was No. 9) — but by accepting Walker’s cuts to their benefits, the unions have shown that they are ready to compromise.

We — along with 57 percent of Wisconsinites, according to a poll by Public Policy Polling — believe that Wisconsin, along with other states considering similar measures, should work to negotiate with the unions rather than trying to kill them.

Field trip dreams sink

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Tallyn Owens Kevin Mallin

Marine biology trip cancelled for insurance worries

SPORTS EDITORS Maggie Devereux Nick Stanojevic Miranda Holloway PHOTO EDITORS Ian Magnuson Walker Brewer Ali Preissing CARTOONISTS Quinn Blackshere Katie Maigler ADVISER Jason Block 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 sig!"#$%!$&'()')*+'+&%,&+-'%!,'(.&' 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.

most prominent battle- — goal is to strip public ground over the future of employee unions of almost organized labor. It has at- all collective bargaining tracted national attention rights (except base wages), and protests which means large enough that most public to temporarworkers (except for policemen ily shut down Against For and firefightsome Wisers) would no consin school longer be able to districts for a negotiate with lack of teachthe state on, for ers.

And Voting results of The Prospector example, their its bill has staff regarding this editorial health care bensparked simiefits and penlar legislation across the country, in Ten- sion plans.

Rather, each employee nessee, Ohio and Indiana.

We, the Prospector, be- would have to negotiate indilieve the Democrats have vidually. Since unions exist this one right. Wisconsin mainly to allow for collecGov. Scott Walker, a Republi- tive bargaining, its demise can, has pushed his bill as a would also signal theirs.

For high schoolers, the remedy to the state’s budget deficit, projected at $3.6 bil- value of unions may be diflion over the next two years. ficult to gauge. But they That has to be addressed, are directly responsible for but it can be done without transforming American society over the past century, eliminating unions entirely.

The Wisconsin bill has and any teenager with a job two main objectives. The can appreciate the gains first — and most divisive they helped earn, from im-

TOP 10 SNORKELING SPOTS 1. Veligandu Island, Ari Atoll, Maldives 2. Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras 3. Uepi Island, Solomon Islands 4. Soufriere, Domincia 5. Plaza Sur, Galapagos Islands, ?653&$% 6. North Bimini, Bahamas 7. Maui, Hawaii 8. Ruturu, French Polynesia 9. Menjangan Island, Bali, Indonesia 10. Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Snorkeling in La Parguera, swimming in luminescent water and hiking through El Yunque Rainforest in San Juan, Puerto Rico: This was how I was going to spend the first five days of summer, along with fellow oceanography and zoology students on a Smithsonian-sponsored excursion.

Then hopes of these adventures crumbled when the trip was cancelled due to lack of participants and high expenses. Even worse, any possibility of having the usual Florida Keys trip was nixed as well. Now my summer will consist of the usual, lazing around at Nikki Gallup Opinion Editor pools and Starbucks.

According to Principal Kurt Laakso, the trip was cancelled by Assistant Superintendent Deb Parenti, who raised concerns about the nature of the trip to Prospect’s insurance company.

The insurance company is wary of approving trips that involve water activities because of the risk of a student drowning.

However, the school has no history of such incidents.

According to Tom Froats, oceanography and zoology teacher, the snorkeling trip is run by a water safety-trained staff at the Florida Keys. There is about a one to five ratio of staff to students, and the students always wear their life vests in the water, so the likelihood of a student drowning is extremely small.

“It’s a good business decision [to cancel it], but education is a different realm,” Froats said. “A lot of my passion comes

Graphics by Nikki Gallup

from b e i n g able to share these experiences — seeing [marine life] in person and in living color. It’s a unique way to learn.”

By canceling the trip, students are losing a unique opportunity.

Many students use this trip as a deciding factor on entering into a marine biology career, but with it cancelled, they won’t have this hands-on experience before going to college.

With colleges becoming more and more competitive, having this experience could make the dif ference between acceptance into a firstchoice school versus a backup.

College dreams aside, the Florida Keys trip was also a chance for some students to experience travel for the first time.

Money is tight with a ton of families, like mine, and vacationing isn’t always an option when having to buy plane tickets and hotel rooms for everyone.

My summers are usually spent here in Mount Prospect and on the occasional college road trip to Missouri, and as much as I love Southern accents and Southern boys, the Florida Keys trip was an affordable way to travel and experience snorkeling and marine life that the Midwest just doesn’t offer.

“I think just seeing their faces as they explore the marine environment [while] snorkeling and swimming makes it worth it,” Froats said. “Hearing from students that are continuing to study marine sciences, [it shows the trip] has an impact on them.”

Dory from “Finding Nemo” said it best,:“When life gets you down, do you wanna know what you’ve gotta do?

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do?

We swim.”

I guess Nemo will swim alone this year.

6 OPINION

Friday, March 11, 2011

R

c e k r s w s l a i nity a t e

Photo Illustration by Ian Magnuson and Emmy Lindfors Money, I hate you.

If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be subjecting myself to child labor four to five times a week at my job at a department store. I wouldn’t shudder every time I see shoe boxes stacked on one another. I would actually like spending time with other humans. Let’s face it — everybody hates their part-time job in high school. These are some aspects of my job as a shoe saleswoman that really grind my gears, and I hope they’re universal enough so every high school employee can relate.

Gina O’Neill Copy Editor

#10

The phrase “Excuse me”

“Excuse me” was created as a form of politeness. The speaker would use this phrase to address someone who they were afraid of bothering or interrupting. Now, the phrase just hides behind its origins like a pig wearing blood red lipstick. When a customer says, “excuse me,” they don’t really care that they’re bothering people or interrupting another conversation. They snort their little hearts out until they get your attention, losing any traces of human courtesy with each “oink.” But since they said “excuse me,” all hard feelings should be dropped.

#9

The grim looks on the employees’ face and the customers’ indifference to them

It’s obvious that no one wants to be scouring the floor, searching for a fuchsia pump with a heel that’s high enough to fake a nice stature but low enough to prevent injury. When a customer comes in asking for a black shoe, in the words of my coworker, all we want to say is, “OK, um, please take your eyes out and have a look.” No matter how much strain is apparent on the employee’s face after 20 minutes of searching, the customers won’t care. They love that pain because they know they have you under their control (as their slave), and they won’t hesitate to demand a coupon either — I’ll get to that later — at the end of all your toil.

#8

Witnessing/ cleaning all the gross things people do

Cooks know they are going to have to deal with a mess. Janitors know their job won’t be pretty. Selling shoes, I thought the only mess I’d have to clean would be scraps of paper or, at the worst, used footies. Little did I know the wet mess was soon to come. Scrunched up in a soggy tissue on the tables. In the form of a dripping frappucino cup. Toddler-chewed moist Cheetos on the counter. Fresh baby vomit splattered all over the floor. Come on, this isn’t an outhouse or an Outback Steakhouse. It’s not a garbage dump either.

It may not be the most elegant store around, but it deserves enough respect that people don’t secrete their mystery fluids onto the carpet.

#7

Cleaning in general

I kill around eight trees a day. There’s so much paper in the shoe boxes that I could build a home in old Hooverville with just one trashcan’s worth. Not to mention the lumpy boxes that won’t close, the wobbling heels that fall down and the pesky shoelaces make me itch with annoyance. If shoes had lives, I would hang every one of them with their own stringy limbs.

Children

#6

Even with a child wailing in my ear, the parents almost always insist I continue to stuff the kid’s foot into a shoe that’s huge or way too small because of the lack of half sizes in toddler shoes. The store has convinced me to buy into one thing: abstinence.

#5

How it’s my fault when we don’t have a size

No, I’m not hiding a black size 8 in my lair in the corner of the stockroom. Yes, I am sure that we don’t have any more. Can I check again? Sure, let me perform an exact repeat of what I just did. And don’t look at me like I just told you your dog died. If I had that size, I would sell it because of the profit it brings me and the annoying conversation it saves me.

Hot - Hot Yoga: Yoga is relaxing to begin with, but being in a room that is hotter than a sauna while performing the “Downward Dog” is even better. Plus, having a muscular, tattoo-covered yoga instructor doesn’t hurt either. (Katie Best)

#3

The strict break/call-off/late rule

#2

Overeager yet clueless managers

#1

Coupons

I never knew Michael Bublé had more than two songs. Now I hear all four of his masterpieces every day at work — on repeat. The store had to select the songs so carefully — no violence against women, no racy beats that would perhaps induce dancing and nothing suggestive at all — that there’s no wonder they could only find enough to fill a day.

The tiger mom-like policy on calling off only allows for six days a year, including days people requested off that they just don’t feel like granting them. They only give people a lunch because it’s illegal to deny them one, and they don’t want to lose money when someone is scheduled for seven and a half hours plus a half hour lunch. We’re not getting paid to eat!

It’s a shame when I don’t obtain credit card applications, e-mail captures, catalog referrals, survey comments and now magazine sign-ups all in one day — while maintaining $1000 in sales per hour.

But in case I didn’t notice that I wasn’t accomplishing that, my manager is equipped with a scary stack of papers to remind me every day. But if retail were a game show, guess who would have the price right? Me.

They come from all different media — the paper, the computer and even cell phones. Some don’t work together, and some have expiration dates. It’s also not my fault if it doesn’t work. The whole “the computer just isn’t letting me” excuse doesn’t fly with customers either. A customer could be my best friend until I tell them they can’t use four coupons in the same transaction. Then they turn on me like Bobby Jenks did to the White Sox — bitter that I didn’t follow through with my apparent “commitment” to save them money. What traitors.

As some students jet across the U.S. to tropical getaways or snowy ski slopes, the majority of teenagers will be left at home with the somewhat dreary Chicago weather forecast during that third week in March.

However, for those who love the comforts of home, here’s a list of the top 8 places to go over spring break @!A5/*!'(!#3/0!B$5!=3(*!*$!:3C0!3(B!<3/*D:'(5*0!E')9*! arrangements.

Not - Pumping gas: There is nothing I love more than having to get out of my toasty car on a below 20 winter day to put 50 dollars worth of gas in the car. I have to stand there looking like a N3WB, freezing while holding the gas nozzle. Then, when I try and take the nozzle out, it sprays all over me because I forget to turn it off. I can’t win. (Katie Best) Not - no food in classrooms: All I can say is that when you skip breakfast, this is a killer.

(Jane Berry)

The painfully ordinary music

TRAVEL GUIDE FOR THOSE WHO STAY INSIDE

or t Ho Not Hot - Words with Friends: It’s Scrabble, only portable (and unfortunately without the awesome name of “Scrabble”). But the best part is making up words you didn’t even know existed.

TAJO spells Jato (32 points, FTW!) (Katie Best)

#4

8. Atlantis 7. Narnia 6. Hogwarts 5. Pride Rock 4. Bikini Bottom 3. Gotham 2. ChewandSwallow 1. Wonderland To read the full story, go online now to Prospectornow.com.

Photos by Ian Magnuson

Illustration courtesy of John Tenniel

FEATURES 7

Friday, March 11, 2011

! MY KIND OF TOWN: A sculpture in the Musuem of Contemporary Art (left), Marshall Field’s grave at Graceland Cemetery (center) and the sign outside of the Billy Goat Tavern (right). These sites are all a part of an unconventional adventure in Chicago. (Photos courtesy of the Musuem of Contemporary Art and Zak Buczinsky)

0",(",1$%&2-.1&$0",(3$4"%3 dents look forward to.

However, the prospect of going to the city is so fun that many new timers rarely plan out their day. So, before ending up lost on the South Side, it’s best to have a few destinations in mind.

It’s possible to pull the cliché girl move and spend the day shopping or pull an old “Ferris Bueller” (see The

By Zak Buczinsky “Ferris Bueller” trip).

But Chicago is an enormous city and Staff Writer there’s so much more to do than just “Cheeseburger!

Cheeseburger! visiting all the tourist traps, like the Double Cheeseburger! It’s the best!” A Willis (Sears) Tower.

To have a genuine Chicago experisweaty-looking chef hollered at frightened customers as they descended the ence, people should go to those places creaking wooden steps of Chicago’s they don’t normally hear about, like the exciting and quirky Original Billy Original Billy Goat Tavern.

“Double cheeseburger! Come on — Goat Tavern.

Much of a trip to Chicago is decided it’s great!” The chef was insistent, so by how and when one goes there. the burger-lovers ordered the double, Chicago tourists can drive, but then and within seconds, the cheeseburger they have to worwas ready to be dery about parking voured. and the insanity One of the cusMETRA SCHEDULE that is driving in tomers had the a city. courage to ask the The schedule for the Mount Instead, they chef for fries and Prospect train station to Olgilvie should take the got a curt, “No Station on Saturdays 6:52 a.m. and train; this gets Fries! Only Chips!” the next train leaves at 7:37 a.m. and them to Chicago For some stucontinues to leave every hour on the faster and, with dents, spending the hour until 10:37 p.m. gas prices what day in Chicago is Leaving from Olgivie station the they are, probthe height of freetrains begin at 8:30 a.m. and leaves ably cheaper. dom; for others, it’s every hour on the hour until 12:30 Arriving early just a casual way a.m. in Chicago is alto hang out with ways fun, and friends.

Student fare: $2.00 (Must be when taking Either way, a purchased at the station.) the Metra, it’s a trip to Chicago is short walk from an event many stuOgilvie Station to the breakfast restaurant Lou Mitchell’s.

Lou Mitchell’s was opened by “Uncle Lou,” a Greek man who was well-known for his hospitality, which he expressed by giving his customers Milk Duds.

“Uncle Lou” started this tradition because he wanted to give his customers something sweet while they waited for his food and was a life long friend with the owner of the Milk Dud Company.

Guide to discovering, experiencing all Chicago has to offer

THE ‘FERRIS BUELLER’ TRIP Start by tricking your parents with an elaborate plan to fake sick. Get a few of your friends called out of school as well and you’re good to go. Begin the trip by climbing to the top of the Willis (Sears) tower and staring down at the city below. Then, travel to Wrigleyville for a Cub’s game. When hunger strikes, enjoy dinner at a fancy french restaurant, such as the Berghoff Cafe (stolen %0/0%83*'$(/!$7*'$(3<FH!I'(3<<B.!*3C0!3!65'#C!*$5%!3%$5(&!*90!

Art Institute, perhaps even become entranced in Georges Seurat’s painting “Sunday in the Park in Grande Jatte.” Then hop in your stolen Ferrari and try to beat your parents home.

After breakfast at Mitchell’s, it’s a it’s so easy to spend $100 in just one day, short cab ride to the Graceland Cem- so the Chicago Cultural Center is a free alternative when people are running etery.

Graceland Cemetery is one of the low on pocket money.

The Cultural Center is full of intermost famous and well known graveyards; it’s filled with famous names esting shows and exhibits, like an art like Allan Pinkerton, the world’s first gallery done entirely by the mentally ill, an improvisation show private detecrun only by teenagers and tive, and Mareven a gallery made out shall Field, THE ‘SPORTY’ TRIP of broken ladders and the founder smashed glass. of Marshall The sporty trip is an ideal trip Visiting the Art InstiField’s departfor your everyday sports fan, any tute and the Field Mument store. kind of athlete or just someone seum are both very stanGraceland wanting to discover new parts of dard destinations in a trip is also home the Windy City. The trip is a rather to Chicago, but instead, to numerous easy journey starting at U.S. Chicago’s Museum of ghost stories, +0<<5<3%!20<&F!G01*!/*$7!=$5<&!

Contemporary Art (MCA) mostly based be making your way to Soldier is a completely new way around the 20<&F!"/!*90!&3B!='(&/!&$=(.!B$5! to experience art.

Iroquois Themay want to make your way to At the Art Institute, ater Fire, in a particularly red and blue part people might stare blankwhich a little of the city. This delightful town ly at Picasso pictures, but over 600 people is Wrigleyville, where you can at the MCA, visitors can died due to the enjoy a Cubs game. End lay in an enormous moldinability to esyour day on a tasty ed clam and, if they cape through note and enjoy listen closely, might the small and a great meal hear the ocean. few exits. at the famed Or if that isn’t From Gracerestaurant “The interesting, what land Cemetery, Cubby Bear.” about hanging out some sporty with friends in a people might mini-house made want to head out of foam and plyover to Wrigleyville to catch a game wood? or, if there aren’t any games happenOr even staring down an ing, eat at the Cubby Bear, one of the most famous sports restaurants in Chi- eye-shaped staircase into a pool of orange and black fish? cago.

As the day in the city draws to a close One of the biggest problems teenagers have with going to Chicago is that and wallets slowly get a bit thinner, a good choice for a dinner that’s cheap, but still good is the original Southern cuisine restaurant The Wishbone.

THE ‘GIRLS’ DAY OUT’ TRIP The walls of the Wishbone are heavily covered in original Chicago folk art Start off your day with an energizing cup of coffee from one of the dozens Starbucks downtown. You can then head over to Michigan ranging from sculptures to watercolor Avenue for some window shopping, and if you’re lucky enough, you art to paint pastel. might be able to take home a few of those marvelous masterpieces.

The last train back to the suburbs is After an exhausting morning of shopping, sit down for a relaxing lunch at around midnight on most nights, so and chow down on some Chinese cuisine at P.F. Chang’s. Once you’ve unless it sounds appealing to spend the become too full to eat for a few weeks, head over to The night at Ogilvie Station, make sure to Bean and take some catch the earliest train back home. pictures with your friends.

Going to Chicago can be a wonderFor a nice, relaxing end to ful affair, but after seeing the Bean and the day of bonding with going to the Shed Aquarium, the list of your friends, head to the new adventures seems to dwindle. closest beach and soak But, anyone can unmask the secrets up some sun. When you get a little toasty, take a dip of the city armed with time and a little in Lake Michigan to cool off. adventure.

8 IN-DEPTH

Friday, Mar

Waiting to tie the knot Society’s pressure to wed shows effects on view on marriage

By Sharon Lee Associate Editor-in-Chief Substitute teacher Brock Collins and his girlfriend of seven years, Lauren Ciesemier, decided to take the next step in their relationship and move in together about four months ago.

“It didn’t feel hard,” Collins said. “It was such an easy transition.”

Although Collins takes his relationship with his girlfriend seriously, he said he is not ready to commit for life just yet.

“I think that marriage is

something that comes after you’ve established yourself as an adult,” Collins said. “I want to be stable enough to have a [steady] lifestyle when I’m married. I’m not rushing into it.”

School psychologist Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson believes it is important for people to take it slow when it comes to marriage, especially with the high divorce rate.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 percent of first marriages end in divorce.

“The divorce rate says our society has become a very, very rough place for two people to stay together,” Kyp-Johnson said.

“Two people have to be pretty committed in staying together to wade through the stress that goes on in current society.”

Diane Grouwinkel, grandmother of sophomore Korey Grouwinkel, was 20 when she got married in 1957.

!PERFECT COUPLE: Substitute teacher Brock Collins and girlfriend Lauren Ciesemier take a picture together at Lauren’s cousin’s wedding. Collins and Ciesemier have been together for seven years, but are waiting to get married until they feel their lives are more stable. (Photo courtesy of Brock Collins)

Despite marrying at a young age, Grouwinkel said she felt like she was mentally and financially stable enough to marry during college. She was on a two-year teaching certificate at a junior college in Iowa, which gave her the opportunity to teach at a local school right after she graduated while her husband finished college at the University of Iowa on a football scholarship.

Although Grouwinkel was able to readjust her life to live with lower means when she got married, she said it is harder for people today to do the same without a college degree and a job.

“I think people used to see marriage as [a simple thing],” Kyp-Johnson said. “Now, I don’t know if it ever settles down.

Our lives have become pretty complex.”

“I think that there’s just a lot of stress,” Collins said. “Being strapped for money and having to work all the time [will add] a lot of pressure to a marriage when you have money problems.

If you don’t know someone really well and aren’t honest with them at all times, those stresses will start to dissolve a marriage.”

Because work consumes so much time in today’s society, Kyp-Johnson said it is harder for people to get married and settle down, especially when both are working. “[Societal pressures] force people to have to dedicate themselves to their jobs, and I think they get split between [work] and family,” Kyp-Johnson said.

“People have to be really committed to wanting to make their relationship work.

[Relationships] just don’t work out by

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That is part of the reason why Collins is pushing back his plans for marriage. “[My girlfriend and I] grew up with each other,” Collins said. “We were teenage kids when we started dating, and now we’re real adults. I think I’m ready in terms of the fact that I know I want to get married, but I’m just not ready to have that ceremony.

“We live together now, and I don’t see our lifestyle changing very much at all,” Collins said. “[The wedding] is just a public display of our love. It’s just a way to celebrate it. It’d be great but not right now.”

Until Collins and his girlfriend are ready to have kids, they are not planning on getting married any time soon.

Kyp-Johnson emphasized it is important for people to spend time making long-term plans and understanding each other’s goals for the future.

“I think people just hope for the best, and that’s just not the way to do it,” Kyp-Johnson said.

“There are always things that happen, and people change.”

If people don’t take the time to talk through future aspirations and understand each other, it is going to be harder to work those things out after they’re married, according to Kyp-Johnson.

“I don’t think people understand what a big deal it is to really commit themselves to someone for their whole lives,” Kyp-Johnson said. “You want to take time to get to know each other well.”

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On Prospectornow.com...

To read a student’s perspective on being a “child of divorce,” go to Prospectornow.com

To read how to k high school rela going through a to Prospectorno

Graphic by Emmy Lindfors and Heathe

Trouble a

IN-DEPTH 9 Students cope with divorce through friends, family group

rch 11, 2011

keep your ationship from a “divorce,” go ow.com

er Dove

By Emmy Lindfors and Jenny Johnson Executive In-Depth Editor and In-Depth Editor *Names have been changed for confidentiality Junior Tiana McCreery* was in seventh grade when her parents told her they were getting a divorce. “[I took the news] terribly,” McCreery said. “I basically bawled and went in my room for the rest of the night.”

Even though McCreery’s parents got a divorce when she was 12, she “wasn’t very open about it” with her fellow peers until she was in eighth grade, as she had only told her best friend about it initially.

McCreery’s parents believed in order to help her to cope with the divorce, she should go see a therapist. When McCreery “didn’t really talk” to the therapist during each session, her parents took her out.

Five years later, McCreery feels the divorce “was all for the better.” Fortunately for McCreery, her parents are friends, and they are able to celebrate holidays with each other “without any bad feelings.” Last year, they had Christmas at her mother’s house; for McCreery’s birthday, they went to her father’s and then to Chili’s. “[My parents] talk to each other every day,” McCreery said. “We’re still like a family except my parents just live in different houses.”

McCreery mainly lives with her mother in Mount Prospect, but every other weekend she goes to see her father. Since he lives in Arlington Heights, she doesn’t feel too separated

from him during the week.

Senior Charlotte Reynolds* doesn’t have the same fortunate situation with her parents. Her parents got divorced when she was only 2 years old, so growing up with her parents in two separate houses “was all [she] knew.”

Reynolds lives with her father now. While her mother does have visitation rights every other weekend, Reynolds is usually unable to go due to an extensive amount of homework. The visitation rights are set by court order, but Reynolds is able to decide when to go.

Even though her parents divorced 15 years ago, she still feels that “talking about [the separation] helps.” So Reynolds was introduced to Prospect’s Family Group, which is run by counselor Dustin Seemann, who is a child of divorce.

“I have a curriculum [for the group],” Seemann said. “But nine times out of 10, it becomes studentrun. When they talk to one another, it helps to get feelings out in the open.”

Family Group is a semester-long group that focuses on divorce but is open for anyone. Students are excused out of a class each week to come and meet with other students of all grades. The group allows students to “express feelings and share feelings of fear, hurt and anger.”

The group also focuses on self-esteem and performance in school, sports and any other activities.

The group is completely confidential, and there is no limit to the number of students who can join.

Reynolds felt the group was beneficial, but “talking about it over and over again only helps

On Prospectornow.com...

To see a video of how the Prospector’s Mardi Gras “wedding cake” was destroyed, go to Prospectornow.com.

Photo by Emmy Lindfors and Jenny Johnson

expands The more the merrier Remarriage immediate families

By Kiley Walsh Staff Writer

Graphic by Emmy Lindfors and Heather Dove

All throughout freshman Gina Burck’s life, she has been the only girl in her family of three brothers. When it comes to things like hanging out, going out to eat and just having a talk, she wishes she had a sister to do that with.

It became worse when Gina was 9 years old and her parents got divorced. So when she would go see her dad, John Burck, she wouldn’t be with any girls — even a mom.

“I would sometimes be in my room and cry [from the divorce],” Gina said, “I just didn’t like [it], and I was stressed out.”

Gina and her twin brother, Kevin, said it was especially hard because they felt like it was their fault.

According to kidshealth.org, many kids feel this way, and “they think that if only they had behaved better, gotten better grades or helped more around the house, the divorce wouldn’t have happened.”

And for years, the twins have been wary about wanting to go to visit their dad. They knew the first couple

times would be awkward since they would have to drive to see their dad instead of seeing him at home.

But recently, there’s been a change in their perspectives because on March 19, he is getting married to Christine Rossdeutcher, junior Melanie Rossdeutcher’s mom.

Melanie’s sister, Emily, Prospect alum, thinks it’s “bitter sweet” having her mom get remarried.

“It’s still weird for me to think of my mom being married to anyone other than my dad,” Emily said.

Unfortunatly, the Rossdeutcher’s father passed away in 2007 due to cancer.

“However, I know my mom is in good hands,” Emily said. “John makes my mom very happy and vice versa. I couldn’t be happier for them.”

Gina, too is “more than excited” to have Christine as a stepmother.

Now when Gina goes to see her dad, it won’t be just a boys’ night out; she and her brothers will be accompanied by another mom, two older sisters and an older brother.

“I’m used to being only with Gina,” Kevin said. “[But Christine] is awesome and makes really good food. My dad makes good food, too, but Christine has more variety.”

at the altar

Like every other high school student, Gina enjoys hanging out with her friends but said she, “will feel awkward” when inviting them over to the Rossdeutcher’s house because it is a house that wasn’t always hers.

“I’m going to feel like I’m a guest in the house, so I wouldn’t want my friends over when I don’t feel like the house is my home,” Gina said.

But she believes with time, everything will be fine.

Even though Gina might feel un-

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Tuesdays and every other weekend, freshmen Gina and Kevin Burck have gone to visit their dad since they were 9 years old. Now that he is getting married to Christine Rossdeutcher, junior Melanie Rossdeutcher’s mother, Gina “might feel uncomfortable at 2%/*!=90(!/93%'()!3!9$:0F>!

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Kevin and their brother, junior Andre Burck, have not.

The plan so far in sharing rooms is they are redoing the Rossdeutcher’s basement, and there are going to be rooms for Gina, Kevin and Andre when they stay over.

With the United States divorce rate at 50 percent according to DivorceStatistics.com, InDepth takes a closer look on divorce and other problems regarding marriage.

10 FEATURES

Friday, March 11, 2011

AP Art History a hidden masterpiece Class to disappear after one year

By Khrystyna Halatyma Staff Writer Senior Alicia Babich spends her mornings sipping coffee, sitting at big art tables and sifting through works of art from different time periods. Starting with 21st century art and working their way backwards to Mesopotamia, she and her classmates cover almost 5,100 years of art history.

“It’s more like honestly hanging out with my friends in the morning,” Babich said.

This year, AP Art History (APAH) is a new art class taught by Barbara Shaffer during first period. It’s only offered to seniors because Shaffer believes it’s helpful for the students to have been through other history and AP classes before taking APAH. The only challenge of the class is to get enough students to sign up for it. Last year, Babich, Blackshere and a group of their friends talked to their counselors and ran around encouraging other people to take the class, barely getting enough to people to sign up.

Currently, the class has been cancelled for next year due to lack of enrollment, but if at least 20 people sign up for APAH, it could come back again as an elective next year.

“I hope they have [APAH] as an option even though it won’t be offered next year, “ Babich said.

Shaffer said she likes to start the

!ART APPRECIATION: AP Art History seniors Blair Heidkamp and Danny Cubberly pose in front of a painting by Francis Bacon at the Art Institute of Chicago. Senior Alicia Babich said that the students had a greater appreciation for the art in the museum after learning about the paintings in class. (Photo courtesy of Quinn Blackshere) class with modern art because it may include art students have already seen.

Any action or adventure movie that includes a scene in a contemporary office setting most likely has a famous painting in it.

Not only do APAH students study famous paintings and their artists — like Michelangelo, Van Gogh and Dubuffet — but they focus on photography and architecture as well.

“Nobody’s uncomfortable to speak up [or] afraid to show that they like this stuff,” Babich said. “Some people get intimidated when they sit in class [and] don’t ask questions, but people in this class get excited about what we’re learning.”

Not many students know about the

Not just a simple question Asking to dance evolved from question to event

By Allie Fleming Features Editor Sophomore Adriane Falagario walked through her front door Saturday, Oct. 2 to find dozens of candles leading her into her family room, which was filled with more candles spelling out “HC?” Senior Danny Panicko was standing next to them holding flowers.

“I was definitely in shock because I didn’t know he could get creative and come up with a good idea,” Falagario said. “But it was super sweet; I loved it.”

Many fads have changed throughout the years, and the way people are asked to dances is one of them.

Unlike Panicko, psychology teacher Jay Heilman asked his date to Homecoming after math class in 1993 with no grand gesture — only a simple question: “Want to go to Homecoming?”

Along with Heilman, social science teacher Jim Adair and gym teacher Mike Kamedula both asked their dates verbally. Only recently did asking someone to a dance become an event in itself.

For instance, social science teacher Dan Puglisi graduated from Fremd High School in 2005. When he went to high school, asking people to a dance shifted from verbally asking to asking in elaborate ways.

Puglisi has used both methods. When asking just a friend, he confirmed they would be going together verbally. However, when asking his girlfriend to his junior prom, he got more creative.

During his time in high school, “Finding Nemo” was a popular movie, and his prom theme was Under the Sea. He and his girlfriend were in her base-

ment watching the Disney movie when her mom called her upstairs for a minute.

Puglisi then put a homemade sign into her huge fish tank that said, “Will you go to prom with me?” and hid. As she walked down the stairs, she saw the sign as Puglisi came out of his hiding spot with flowers.

Puglisi explained that a verbal question would have been boring for him, and his girlfriend expected more. Also, what added to his creativity was that he knew his girlfriend well enough to know what she would like.

“I think asking in creative ways is just natural with the society we live in where the bigger you do things, the better,” said Puglisi.

Since Puglisi has been in high school, ideas have only gotten bigger and better. Junior Caitlin Falco asked her boyfriend, senior Jimmy Muzzillo, to Turnabout by getting Muzzillo’s little sister to help decorate his bedroom with streamers and a poster saying “If you’ll be my Tarzan, I’ll be your Jane” because of the jungle theme.

“I’ve never asked anyone to turnabout, so I wanted to have fun with it this year,” Falco said.

Another change in dances is who the students go with. When Adair attended dances at Morton High School in 1975, it was strictly date-only.

Now, many students go in groups of

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421 W. Prospect Ave. Mt. Prospect, IL

existence of APAH, which is the reason why there are only 14 students currently enrolled in the class. But according to current APAH student and senior Quinn Blackshere, this makes the class just that much better.

“We grew really close,” Blackshere said. “Whenever we have a question about things, we can go to each other and we all talk on Facebook; we have our own [Facebook] group.”

Blackshere initially had doubts about some of the topics going into the class since she didn’t understand the more modern artists like Mark Rothko.

She now knows the purpose of the pieces was to push the idea of “What is art?”

“There were certain pieces like a

square. That’s not art,” Blackshere said. “But now that I really understand it and understood what they were thinking and what they were trying to do with it, [I have] much more appreciation for it than I did before.”

Usually, while studying a painting or other art forms, Shaffer puts the piece up on a projector, and everyone sits around with the lights off and discusses it.

“It’s so nice because you look at the pictures in the book, but sometimes we see it on the screen, and it looks different,” Babich said, “and of course you see it in person, and it looks different.

It’s nice; it’s more like watching a movie every day.”

The students did get to see some of the art they learned about when Shaffer took the class to the Art Institute of Chicago. After learning about the art in the class, the students knew much more than before going into the museum.

“It was nice being able to walk in and feel like you knew what was going on,” Babich said.

Babich also said she liked when the class walked into a room and more than one person recognized a piece before reading the plaque Some students may be intimidated by the sound of APAH because they think it requires artistic ability or talent. However, students just need an appreciation for art and its history.

“I think it would be a good bridge for someone who’s always wanted to go into art or wants to do something with art,” Blackshere said. “You don’t have to draw or anything, but if you like art or want to know more about art, I think it’s a good class to take.”

DANCE DISASTERS “My dress ripped down the side, but I just kept dancing.”

- junior Melanie Rossdeutcher

“I ordered chicken parmesa.n from Fellini’s and threw up right before I went in.”

- senior Nick Kleinschmidt

4-$79$:$%0!B03%!K!/*5;;0&!:B!J%3!*$!:3C0!:B!&%0//!2*!J0**0%.!3(&!*90!73&&'()! ;0<<!$(*$!*90!&3(#0!E$$%F> -Anonymous senior friends rather than couples. Senior Kurt Donner has only gone to a dance with a date his sophomore Homecoming; he went solo for the rest with his group of friends out to dinner to a variety of different restaurants. For his senior Homecoming, he went to Gino’s East with a group that included both couples and singles.

“If I go single, I can dance with whoever I want,” Donner said.

Although dances are different than they used to be, some traditions never change.

Kamedula took his dates throughout high school to pictures at a friend’s house, followed by dinner at a nice restaurant with a group of friends. Adair explained his date and friends would go to a great steakhouse in their small town with the best tasting cinnamon rolls.

Similar to both teachers, senior Sara Logar was picked

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

up by her date, Patrick Moran, at 6:30 p.m. for Homecoming this year. From there, they went to pictures at a friends, along with dinner at Bogie’s.

Unlike Kamedula and Adair’s date, Logar was asked to her senior year Homecoming with a decorated front yard. Coming home from their Harper class, senior Sam Wilson convinced Logar she was going to be asked to the dance at the Homecoming game that Friday.

However, while pulling up to her townhouse complex, her mouth soon dropped, realizing Wilson lied to her the whole car ride.

“I looked up and saw decorations covering my lawn and house,” said Logar. “There were balloons, streamers and signs everywhere.”

ENTERTAINMENT 11

Friday, March 11, 2011

events, the characters narrate their

‘Annie Hall’ stands test of time with more heart than recent romantic-comedies

By Kevin Mallin Entertainment Editor From the mind of Woody Allen — Oscar winning screenwriter, actor, director, playwright, comedian and author — “Annie Hall” is a movie about the ups and downs and often hilarious absurdities of love and relationships.

Allen plays neurotic and laughably insecure Alvy Singer, a comedian living in New York. Namesake of the movie, Annie Hall, is played by Diane Keaton and is Allen’s love interest in the film.

Aside from the now cliché romantic comedy set-up, “Annie Hall” isn’t the run-of-the-mill happily-ever-after starring Dashing Lad A and Sexy Actress B. The relationship in “Annie Hall” is so realistic that it almost borders on cynical.

This gives the characters some actual depth, which allows the viewer to connect emotionally as well as fostering an interest in what will happen next.

But the best thing about “Annie Hall” is the trait that current romantic comedies should look into, is actual comedy.

The script is genuinely funny while maintaining an emotional interest.

Allen experiments with a longerthan-usual shot length, adding realism to the scenes and overall a more organic feel.

Atypical flashbacks of both characters’ histories are constantly amusing.

Deviating from just recounting past

own pasts, often interacting with the audience as well. The result is priceless and unique. You won’t find another film where I’ve heard a grade school girl say “I’m into leather.”

It’s tough to balance between hilarious and heartfelt, but Allen pulls them off masterfully, taking jabs at psychotherapy, Jewish mothers and Californians. Self-deprecation is another major theme in Allen’s work, and it pays off.

The ability to mock how seriously people take relationships while taking the relationship in the film seriously is something the viewer ends up doing alongside Allen’s character.

Without spoiling anything, I’ll say that the movie is brought to a definite close. Everything is wrapped up neatly, and Allen delivers a monologue about the painful yet necessary nature of relationships.

This movie just goes to show that something doesn’t have to be sad and gray throughout in order to be meaningful.

“Annie Hall” takes the audience through the sweet and the sorrow of being an adult in the real world and does it with the honest, absurd comedy that reality often seems to offer.

!I HEART!NEW YORK: Diane Keaton and Woody Allen play Annie Hall and Alvy Singer in the 1978 Oscar winner for Best Picture “Annie Hall.”

WOODY ALLEN’S ACCOLADES BY THE NUMBERS

21:

The number of Academy Award nominations Allen has received in his lifetime. He is currently tied with Martin Scorsese, Steven Speilberg and Clarence Brown for the 5th most nominations for Best Director with six.

14: The number of nominations Allen has received in the Best Original Screenplay category, making him the only writer to receive that many nominations in either writing category, Adapted or Original

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The number of Academy Awards Allen has won. He won two of his Oscars for “Annie Hall” in the Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay categories in 1978 as well as the third in 1987 in the Best Original Screenplay category for “Hannah and Her Sisters.”

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By Tallyn Owens Entertainment Editor Pei Wei Asian Diner, located at Randhurst Village, looks nothing short of a slightly more modern version of any Chinese or Thai joint — complete with egg rolls and more bottles of soy sauce than you can count.

What makes up for Pei Wei’s standard menu is the pleasantly surprising selection of soda.

Giggle if you choose, but this soda machine induces an undeniable sense of childlike wonder that.

Complete with a touch screen, this machine dispenses more than 15 brands of assorted Coca-Cola products, with more than half the sodas featured in at least five flavors. It sounds silly now, but you have to see it to understand.

Mount Prospect’s Pei Wei is the third to open in the Chicagoland area, with restaurants in Evanston and Willowbrook. It’s operated by the same compa-

HOW TO USE CHOPSTICKS IN THREE EASY STEPS At Pei Wei, each table features a large container full of chopsticks for customers to use while they eat. Here, we give you a three-step guide to using this tricky utensil like a native.

ny that runs P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, an older and more formal version of its newer counterpart.

Immediately upon entering, Pei Wei offers a more interesting ambiance than most other take-out joints teenagers might be accustomed to.

The lights are low, there is entirely respectable music playing and the restaurant seems busy but not hectic.

It has the average line and registers, much like Chipotle and Noodles & Company, but they feature LCD screens displaying the menu, which is more uncommon.

People are still seated and served

by Pei Wei’s attentive waitstaff, even though they don’t take your order like at a traditional sit-down restaurant.

This menu boasts food from five different Asian countries: China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.

Unlike Panera Bread or Noodles, Pei Wei has a bar area for businessmen dining alone who want to think about their day over a bowl of lo mein like

1

L'#C!57!*90!2%/*!#9$7/*'#C! and place it between your *95:J!3(&!'(&01!2()0%F!M/0!

B$5%!:'&&<0!2()0%!*$!9$<&!*90! chopstick in place.

Don Draper would over whiskey and a porterhouse steak during an episode of “Mad Men.” Behind the bar’s long curtain of decorative pots and pans lies the kitchen, which looks just as busy as the rest of the restaurant, bustling with 15-plus chefs.

As far as the food is concerned, perhaps I was expecting too much, but for a restaurant with food from five different countries, it felt as though the menu was on the short side when it came to the variety of their entrees.

Over half these dishes are branded with the symbol that indicates a spicy dish, and if you’re a picky eater such as myself or otherwise don’t enjoy spicy food, you’re left with a fairly weak selection to choose from.

Despite the lack of variety of entrees, Pei Wei offers chicken salads filled with ingredients such as Thai wontons, snap peas, scallions and rice sticks as well as appetizers, two of which I highly recommend.

2

Hold the second chopstick with B$5%!*95:J!3(&!'(&01!2()0%! and then place your thumb over the second chopstick.

3

The crab wonton, an American-Chinese dumpling, wraps crab meat, cream cheese, bell pepper and scallions together in a crunchy, egg roll-like shell that tastes great without being too much for an appetizer.

Essentially, the crab wonton is a pot sticker with a punch and is definitely worth the money (or mooching off one of your friends).

Meanwhile, the vegetable spring rolls are a vegetarian alternative that incorporate many different ingredients in a small roll, including glass noodles — a thin, thread-like noodle — ginger, black mushrooms and scallions.

Pei Wei is a pleasant, comfortable dining experience. It’s not anything new, nor is it anything particularly spectacular, but it has food that is out of the palette of most Prospect students.

It is certainly better than most other restaurants with the same, manageable price range.

Overall, Pei Wei is good, not great.

When you start eating your food, C007!*90!2%/*!#9$7/*'#C!/*03&B!3(&! push the second chopstick with your '(&01!2()0%!3/!(00&0&F

12 ENTERTAINMENT

7--$#"%%#'+$%--$#6%' Borders closes stores, faces technology takeover of eReaders If spending two hours in a bookstore on Friday night means that I am a nerd, then so be it. Rather than going out with friends to the movies, school dances or football games, I would sit in a big comfy chair in the mystery section at Borders.

When the national chain announced it would close 200 of 642 stores a few weeks ago, I didn’t expect the branch at Randhurst Village would be one of them. It is such a staple in the community, and losing it means the people who also used to spend time there are now forced to go Deanna Shilkus somewhere else like, Managing Editor dare I say it, Barnes & Noble.

Every time I was there, people would mill about the store, and the coffee shop was abuzz with the myriad customers and the lively atmosphere; it doesn’t make sense why Borders decided to close the location in Mount Prospect.

Irvana Wilks, mayor of Mount Prospect, also believes this is a loss for our

community. In an article in the Daily Herald, she said, “Many times I would stop in on a Saturday afternoon. The parking lot was always full. It was a real gathering spot for our community.”

While Barnes & Noble isn’t terrible, I prefer Borders simply because of the size of the bookstore (and the great smell of coffee!) and its organization of finding just the book I need in the clearly marked sections.

The decision to close the stores was based on one frequent occurrence in today’s retail stores. According to The Daily Herald, when it comes to bankruptcy, the stores that were profitable will stay open, and the ones that weren’t will close. All stores scheduled to close will do so when all merchandise has been sold. The stores that were chosen to close reported losing $2 million a day.

The company that began in Ann Arbor, Mich. 15 years ago appeared to be the future of bookselling. At its peak in 2003, Borders operated approximately 1,300 stores, and now it’s half that. The last year the company reported a profit in yearly sales was 2006.

The future of bookselling is unclear.

As many companies and markets are changing their ways from old-fashioned paperback books to electronic readers, closing bookstores means shutting out a part of the culture that existed before technology came along.

Borders was like a neighborhood store where everyone gathered. Besides libraries and other bookstores, the clos-

!PACKED TO THE PUNCH: Hundreds of people wait at Borders for the release of the new book “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” on July 21, 2007. (Photo courtesy of Christie Sylvester)

A PARTY FOR THE PEOPLE Randhurst Village had been transformed into a “Harry Potter” event when the seventh book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” was released. Retail stores hosted and sponsored scavenger hunts and costume contests. The Borders just outside the mall had games and activities for fans, and the coffee shop served “Harry Potter”-themed drinks.

Head librarian Christie Sylvester attended the release parties for the fourth, sixth and seventh “Harry Potter” books at Borders. The store has hosted release parties for a while, and according to junior Kelsey Henquinet, they got busier every year.

“People were finding the one place to come and celebrate the book,” Henquinet said. “[They were] attracted to it because they put people into the world of book.”

She believes Borders did a great

job with hosting the release parties because everyone dressed up in costumes and felt comfortable with being crazy in anticipation of the new book.

“It is the only Borders of our community,” Henquinet said.

Sylvester clearly remembers that as the night got closer to midnight, everyone in the mall walked over to Borders to wait to get their copy of the book. As soon as it was released, “there was a collective roar in store.”

This was a good event for Borders and the community to come together, according to Sylvester.

“It was a very positive event and was special [because it was about] sharing an interest with hundreds of other people,” Sylvester said. “[There] is this collective energy, and everyone is celebrating together.”

Friday, March 11, 2011

!BORDERS BLUES: The national chain Borders announced it would be closing about a quarter of its stores due to financial issues. The inundation of electronic readers are causing bookstores to disappear across the country. (Cartoon by Riley Simpson) ing of Borders is unfortunately a sign that America will see more of in the next few years.

I can never resist the smell and feel of holding an actual book; there is no comparison of staring at an electronic screen. Books have been around for centuries and hold interpretations within their own pages. My love for books has me worried that without them, we can no longer share the latest read with our friends. We can no longer write in the pages, and we can no longer pass them down for generations to come.

While I am sad to see Borders go, I understand that the literary world must keep along the modern times. The future of the Internet and electronics is in our hands and will continue to progress through the evolution of technology.

However, we should all go back to

old-fashioned ways and understand the importance of holding a book — a way that people have survived with for hundreds of years. eReaders take away from the age-old cliché of sitting down and curling up with a good book, but that’s what I want the most.

The actual sensation of holding a book is comforting. I realize there is still a Barnes & Noble just down the street, but it doesn’t matter where people buy their books. All bookstores will eventually face the technology takeover someday — I’m sure of it.

Taking away bookstores is like taking away the chance to meet friends and talk about the latest bestsellers or the chance to browse through hundreds of shelves to find books that enrich our imagination.

Friday, March 11, 2011

ENTERTAINMENT 13 Rated

R

for Riley

This is the end, my only friend

8"9'($4-:;6,3$"/$-216/:"* ! DANCING WITH THE SENIORS: Prospect Mixed Company seniors Dan Hug and Pat Moran (front) dance at the Chicagoland Showcase at John Hersey High School on March 5. Moran, along with seniors Mike Krumtinger, Nick Kleinschmidt, Nick Haddad, Mike Senft and Brandon Moore are in their first year in show choir. (Graphic by Ian Magnuson and Heather Dove)

<''#/$#"='$%&'$)2/%$%":' joined this year.

After a rehearsal-free summer and a first semester of Tuesday practices, Mixed Company’s season is starting to heat up. They’ve had three weekends straight of competitions.

On Feb. 19, the group failed to make the final round at the Fort Atkinson competition in Wisconsin since they lost six performers to a Speech Team compeBy Riley Simpson tition.

Associate Editor-in-Chief The group competed in Indianapolis Senior Mike Krumtinger wasn’t ex- at the Ben Davis competition on Feb. 26 pecting to audition for Prospect’s Mixed (see Competition timeline). Last weekCompany last year. His show choir end, Mixed Company earned third at the friends kept asking him to do it, but Chicagoland Showcase at John Hersey Krumtinger kept turnHigh School, placing them down. ing behind Wheaton 42 STRONG! On audition day, Warrenville South and Krumtinger wandered Buffalo Grove.

According to senior Sam into the cafeteria to Their next competiCallahan, Prospect’s Mixed check out the auditions tion, the Cedar Rapids Company doesn’t have a while then-juniors Jefferson Invitational, creative name, unlike other Lauren Matthews and is this weekend. schools the group has seen at Katie Nellessen put “Mixed Company is competitions.

Krumtinger’s name on performing at an exAt the Ben Davis the list. tremely high level this competition in Indianapolis “I had no choice. Bayear compared to [my on Feb. 26, a school from sically I was dragged previous two years]” Cedar Rapids had the name — literally dragged,” Troiano said. “Every “Happiness Incorporated.”

Krumtinger said. “I just year it gets better.”

A few years ago at the Great went up [to the stage], Being a Mixed ComRiver competition in Iowa, goofing around and not pany rookie, KrumPark View High School from thinking anything of tinger was a bit inexWisconsin named their show [the audition].” perienced at the start choir “Pizzazz.”

But Krumtinger, of the year. He said his While the group is currently then a junior, ended up previous singing expenameless, Callahan referred to making the group. rience was only conthe group as “42 Strong!” “[I] didn’t know fined to his bathroom. what I was getting myself into,” he said.

“At the beginning, I was told I was a Senior Mike Senft took a more volun- good singer, but I didn’t really think anytary road to Mixed Company. His older thing of my voice,” Krumtinger said. brother Eric was in show choir back in “I didn’t know anything about notes or 2007, and ‘10 grad Jimmy Cushing urged how to read music, but now that I’m in Senft to audition. choir, I think my voice has gotten a lot Senft asked Mixed Company direc- better.” tor Jen Troiano if he could try out, even Krumtinger can now read music “for though it was three weeks past the actu- the most part,” he said. al auditions. She let him due to the fact Senft, Haddad and Moore have all had that Mixed Company was short on male previous experience in music. Haddad singers. and Moore have been in marching band Krumtinger and Senft aren’t the only for their entire high school career while senior guys in their first year of Mixed Senft has been in choir all his four years.

Company. Nick Haddad, Brandon Moore, “But [choir class] is nothing comNick Kleinschmidt and Pat Moran also pared intensity of Mixed Company,”

Mixed Company welcomes new senior performers

DESTINATION: DISNEY WORLD Prospect’s Mixed Company will be leaving Friday, March 18 after school for 3!280D&3B!*%'7!*$!P'/(0B!Q$%<&!'(!R%<3(&$F!S$=080%.!*90!*%'7!'/!($*!3<<!;5(!3(&! games. !!!!!N90!)%$57O/!2%/*!*=$!(')9*/!='<<!J0!/70(*!70%;$%:'()!'(!P$=(*$=(!P'/(0B.! =9'<0!*90!2(3<!*9%00!&3B/!3%0!&08$*0&!*$!=$%C/9$7/!3(&!4%'&'()!$(!*90!%$<<0%! coasters,” according to senior Mike Krumtinger.

The Disney trip is actually an every-other-year occurrence. But since the show choirs and bands performed in London two years ago, the Disney trip took that year off.

“It’s a great trip,” Mixed Company director Jen Troiano said. “The opportunity to perform in front of a large group and on a professional stage with professional lighting and sound [is great]. It’s learning how to be a better entertainer.”

COMPETITION TIMELINE On Saturday, Feb. 26, Mixed Company traveled to Indianapolis to compete at the Ben Davis competition.

According to senior Mike Krumtinger, here’s what their “rough day” — literally, since they were up for over 24 hours — looked like.

4 a.m. on Saturday - Wake up.

5 a.m. - Come to school and wait for a four-hour bus ride.

10 a.m. - After crossing into the Eastern Time Zone, the group performs all day, 080(*53<<B!:3C'()!'*!*$!*90!2(3<!%$5(&F 11 p.m. - After waiting for a few hours, *90!)%$57!70%;$%:/!'(!2(3</.!03%('()! third place.

4:30 a.m. - Return to Mount Prospect on Sunday.

To some, an early morning arrival would be a second option to staying the night in Indianapolis. However, Mixed Company fees are already pretty high, according to senior Sam Callahan.

With the added costs of competitions and this year’s trip to Disney World (see Destination: Disney World) make getting hotel rooms at the last minute out of reach. !!!!!,0/'&0/.!*90!2(3<!%$5(&!$;! performances is worth getting home at 5 a.m.

Senft said.

However, Mixed Company is not all singing.

Senior Sam Callahan, who is in her first year on Mixed Company as well, remembers the first time the group was learning the dance to their show’s opener, “In the City” by Hansen. She said that the first year seniors were kind of discouraged.

“We just had to talk them into being confident with themselves,” Callahan said. “I never knew [they] could dance.

But [they’re] really good dancers.”

At the beginning of the year, Callahan could see the terrified look on the first year seniors’ faces when the group started our warm-ups. Now, she’s sure they’ve gotten the hang of performing. “[Senior Noreen Jeglum] is dance partners with [Kleinschmidt] and asked me, ‘Why is he so good?’” Callahan said.

“I guess he’s really good.”

Dancing for Senft, who is also on boys’ gymnastics, was a bit more of a challenge. He recently broke his arm while practicing on the high bar.

“It doesn’t [really] affect my performance,” Senft said. “I just have to watch out for hitting people with [my cast].”

Right after the Fort Atkinson competition, Krumtinger knew he was sold on Mixed Company.

There are 27 of them now. Among their number are pirates, super heroes, wizards and even chipmunks.

Their predecessors have risen to great heights in box office grosses, critical acclaim and audience adoration.

These sequels embody the decline of originality in Hollywood and will be honored with millions of dollars at the box office for it.

So far, 2011 has seen an increase in gas prices, snowfall and hate for the Green Bay Packers.

According to Box Office Mojo, we’ll also see an unhealthy increase in movie sequels hitting theaters, up to 27 from last year’s 19.

Wait, what?

27 sequels? Let me put this in perspective: That’s as many sequels as dresses Katherine Heigl wore in that one terrible wedding movie.

I should clarify something first.

When I continue to talk smack about the flood of sequels that not even Noah and his big boat can stop, I am only aiming to insult the “Crankedout-every-other-year-only-to-make-aquick-buck” sequels.

I’m looking at the “Twilight” — yes, they’re based off books, but that fourth movie should not be in two parts — “Transformers” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movies in the business.

Some sequels do prove to be necessary and actually relevant. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” the “Harry Potter” films and, of course, “Toy Story’s” final two entries can be counted as actual movies because they continue worthwhile stories.

Oh, and I can’t forget “The Dark Knight” and still be a self-respecting teenager.

However, with the increase of sequels — including the good ones — plaguing our multiplexes comes the eventual demise of quality and creativity in the movies.

2003 was the worst year for movies in my lifetime. 2003 also had the previous record number of sequels at 24. The bloated “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” the two unnecessary “Matrix” follow-ups and the stupid “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” are just a few examples of the celebrated catastrophes of 2003.

Even 2003’s Best Picture was a sequel.

Granted, it was the third and best “Lord of the Rings.” But “Return of the King” might as well have been the only movie running at the Oscars. Its fellow nominees included the overrated “Mystic River” and the boring “Lost in Translation.”

That’s how pitiful 2003’s offering of movies was.

This also my fear for 2011.

I can already see the next Academy Awards in 12 months: James Franco — why wouldn’t they invite him back to host the show? — will announce “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” July 1, as the Best Picture of 2011.

As Jim Morrison of the Doors would say, “This is the end, my only friend, the end.”

14 SPORTS

Friday, March 11, 2011

4-;"-./$*-6*&'/$ create champions Boys’ track and field benefits from individual attention

By Alyssa Zediker Staff Writer The boys’ track and field team is like a Little League baseball team — every dad wants to be a coach and contribute to the team.

But when it comes to boys’ track and field, having many coaches is ideal.

COACHING LINEUP Mike Kamedula: head coach Mike Stokes: distance coach Joe Rupslauk: throws coach Eric Hodges: distance coach Brent Pearlman: hurdles coach Eric Shinhoster: jumps coach *Tom Clements: pole vault coach *Rich Hedstrom: throws coach *Eric Hedstrom: throws coach *Mike Hatch: hurdles coach *Mike Belmonte: distance coach *volunteers

A normal track team has about four to five coaches, according to head coach Michael Kamedula, but with 18 events, he finds having 11 coaches is better because it allows them to work individually with their athletes.

While Kamedula has the title of head coach, he only works with the sprinters and jumpers and conducts a discussion with all the players at the beginning of every practice. At the discussions, Kamedula highlights quality performances or passes out information. “[Kamedula] wants what is best for us, so he [pushes] us in the right direction,” senior Nick Batcha said.

Five of the 11 coaches are volunteers who are there because they like working with the boys in the program. Some come every day while others only come on the day their event is practiced. “[Having volunteers] is awesome,” Kamedula said. “It’s guys [who] do not care about the money — they just want to put time in with the kids.”

Assistant coach Michael Stokes, who is in charge of the distance runners, believes coaches are there to make sure athletes stay healthy, injury-free and do not overrun themselves.

Stokes puts in younger kids at invitationals in order to give them a chance to prove themselves and build up their experience and talent.

He prefers not to have anyone run two races over 800 meters in order to keep them fresh for each race.

!LEAPS AND BOUNDS: Coach Brent Pearlman guides senior Robert Olsen during an indoor track practice. Pearlman, a hurdles coach, is one of 11 coaches for the boys’ track and field team.

(Photo by Ian Magnuson) Another way both Stokes and Kamedula prevent injuries and make their athletes stronger is through the weight room. The team as a whole lifts three times a week for an hour and a half each time.

According to senior Kellan Strobel, the team uses bands to strengthen shins, preventing shin splints.

The players do not overexert themselves at early-season meets because the only time their scores have an ef-

fect on the season is during the last five weeks.

Stokes refers to this period as the “money month” because the MSL East championship, conference and state meets all happen during this month. “[We] get [the boys] strong, get them fast, don’t get them hurt and [get them] ready for the conference, sectionals and [the] state meet,” Stokes said. “Who really cares next year who won the York Invite last year?”

SPORTS 15

Friday, March 11, 2011

@ Knight The last thing missing

Graphic by Ian Magnuson and Heather Dove

Detention demolition Cricket finds way to recruit new players, shorten detention time

By Nick Stanojevic Executive Sports Editor Campus security Bill Karcher finally came up with a solution to one of his biggest concerns while sitting and eating lunch.

As the coach of the cricket team, he was trying to get more players to join his club. He figured out a possible solution: For everyone who joins cricket, the time they spend playing cricket would count as double against their detention time.

“The dean came in, and I said ‘Hey — let me run this by you,’” Karcher said. “It’s hard to get these kids to get rid of these detentions, so I just had that idea. Get them [to] come out, get rid of their detentions, help me out, help the team out and the school.”

After five of the cricket team’s players left last year for graduation, Karcher continued to struggle to find replacement players, needing 11 just to play.

Karcher was desperate to find a solution for himself and his seven players.

Dean Mark Taylor approved of Karcher’s idea and decided to begin marketing the idea through the morning announcements.

“It is to help the kids serve their detentions,” Taylor said. “And they might find out they really like

cricket, and they’ll keep coming cigarette butts piled up from wineven though they don’t have any ter. The students have their service detentions left to serve. We’re not time count against their detention going to do this every single time time.

“There are several seniors who with everything, but [Karcher] suggested it, and I said ‘Yeah, let’s are kind of in a crunch now; they need to take advantage of those try it.’” opportunities to [serve their deSenior Natalie Norris is one of the five who joined in order to cut tentions],” Taylor said. “In order her detention time. After hearing to pick up your cap and gown, you about it on the morning announce- need to have all of your detentions ments, Norris and her friends served. ...We don’t want to hold found out they would need to play kids back for that, but [they] need to be held accountable.” cricket to do so.

According to Taylor, some par“I didn’t really know what it ticipants have was,” Norris even come said, “I was kind INTERESTED IN in and asked of surprised, JOINING CRICKET? if they could but it did sound have their kind of cool, Cricket is friends join so we gave it a always looking for them in playshot.” more members. ing cricket.

But after Anyone interested “We are tryplaying with in joining should ing to introthe team, Norget in touch with duce [cricket] ris had fun and campus security to people — managed to Bill Karcher. some have get rid of all 13 never even hours of her deBill Karcher played basetention time. ball,” Karcher “It was fun ... it was just something new that said. “It makes it a lot harder when none of us had ever done before,” you are going against seasoned veterans ... it’s tough.

Norris said.

They have this game ingrained One of Karcher’s biggest fears is to have so few kids participat- in them and are excited and know ing in cricket that the club needs to what it’s all about. But we are doing the best we can, and we are havshut down.

“That is why I had to go to this ing a good time, and that’s all that other idea — we had like seven really counts.” players. I had to try something,” Karcher said.

Although the program seems On Prospectornow.com... unique, Prospect does offer other similar events.

Based on the former TV show One of them is a post-winter Superstars, Prime Time Knights cleanup where students help pick are debuting their new challenge up trash such as food wrappers and by the same name featuring

CRICKET VERSUS BASEBALL Cricket - Has 11 players - Each team does all of its batting at once.

- There is no strike zone.

- There is no such thing as a foul ball.

- To hit a “home run,” a player must hit the ball outside of the set boundary.

- If the ball crosses the boundary $(!*90!EB.!'*!'/!=$%*9!/'1!%5(/F!K;!'*! passes after bouncing it is only four runs.

Baseball - Has nine players - Two teams alternate between pitching and batting for nine innings.

- For a home run, the batting team needs to hit the ball over the fence.

- A batter who successfully hits the ball must run.

- If the ball goes over the fence !!!!!$(!*90!EB!'*!'/!3!9$:0!%5(!J5*!!!! only a ground rule double if it goes over on a bounce.

kayak racing, a book bag toss, #$:J3*!/*'#C!2)9*.!J'C0!%3#0!3(&! obstacle course.

March Madness is beginning and so are brackets. For the Prospector’s sports experts brackets and predictions, go to Prospectornow.com. And bring your own bracket!

With a great atmosphere, excitement and a competitive nature, the NCAA tournament is a great representation of how exciting sports can be.

It is also well-formatted, with the single-elimination system and easy-to-gamble-on games by joining pools or picking over-unders. These elements make the tournament one of the best American sporting events.

But in spite of all of its positives, one thing missing “turribly” from March Madness is a quality local team.

Loyola University is the only Illinois school ever to win a NCAA basketball championship back in 1963. One championship is not enough, considering Chicago is one of the strongest producers of basketball talent.

Recent high school standouts include Dwayne Wade, Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner and Derrick Rose. They were all highly touted basketball players from Chicago but left Illinois to play college ball.

In college football, the best players of late have come from Alabama, Florida and Texas. Logically, these colleges have been some of the best in recent memory. We should be saying the same thing about Chicago colleges.

DePaul and Loyola were strong programs from the early 1960s until the early 1980s. It is time to take all of the current talent in Chicago and resurrect these programs.

The University of Illinois has a pretty strong team and has done a great job of recruiting Chicago’s talent lately by getting Waukegan’s Jereme Richmond and Robinson High School’s Meyers Leonard, who was ranked as the fourth best center in his class and 47th overall. But top players are still escaping.

This year’s top two recruits from Illinois, according to Scout.com, Anthony Davis and Wayne Blackshear, committed to Kentucky and Louisville, respectively.

If any Chicago city colleges recruited the way they should, national championships wouldn’t be out of the question. And just think about how great March Madness would be.

When U of I went to the finals in the 2005 tournament, the whole tournament was more enjoyable for all of us. It’s like comparing this year’s NHL playoffs to last year’s playoffs. When there is a competitive local team, sports are naturally more enjoyable.

Plus, recruiting these kids shouldn’t be too difficult. I would just ask them: don’t you want to go back to that same old place?

Sweet home Chicago.

Where credit is due I’m not really qualified to hand out awards for many things, although most columnists think they are, but I would like to commemorate the best coach in the country.

Steve Smith, basketball coach at Oak Hill Academy in Monmouth, Va., has completed his 26th season as coach.

Oak Hill is a private boarding school that takes transfer students who need to get out of their current environment.

Most of the students come from neighborhoods that would prevent them from succeeding in life.

The school only takes in around 150 students, but Smith and the basketball program have produced 22 NBA players, including Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo and Brandon Jennings.

None of Smith’s players have anything negative to say about him, and without him and the school, Anthony may not have been able to attend Syracuse University. He needed an 18 on his ACT to enroll at Syracuse, and finally in April of his senior year received a 19.

Sure Smith has been awarded the Naismith High School Coach of the Year as best high school coach, but it is time to give him the credit he deserves.

He is able to take troubled youths and make star basketball players and better men out of them.

He is even able to get star players to practice. I mean, we talking about practice, man.

SPORTS Friday, March 11, 2011

On Prospectornow.com...

Look for a preview on the softball team’s /03/$(!='*9!2%/*!B03%! coach Jim Adair.

STAYING SAFE Along with preventing high costs $;!'(/*3<<'()!3%*'2#'3<!*5%;!20<&/!;$%! the District 214, Schuler is looking to prevent student athlete injuries due to the sometimes-threatening #$(&'*'$(/!$;!*90!(3*5%3<!)%3//!20<&/F!!

According to Penn State University, a leader in land use management research, the type of turf, called double-stitched turf, that District 214 wants to purchase may be the most expensive, but it is the safest turf that can be bought for athletes to compete on and it lasts the longest due to, “the way the seams are connected and the 7%$&5#*O/!$80%3<<!653<'*BF>!!

Another study conducted at Montana State University compared '(A5%'0/!$(!(3*5%3<!)%3//!20<&/!

80%/5/!3%*'2#'3<!*5%;!20<&/!3(&!;$5(&! that fewer injuries occurred on the 3%*'2#'3<!*5%;!20<&F INFORMATION FROM THE SYNTHETIC TURF FEASIBILITY STUDY PRESENTED BY

Photo illustration by Kate Schroeder

>"/%2"*%$*-,%",.'/$%.2?$%6#= Board looks to share fields, costs with local partners

By Kate Schroeder Editor-in-Chief Mother Nature had no mercy on Prospect’s natural grass football field when it rained every single Friday night for six weeks straight in fall 2009.

The football team ended up playing Rolling Meadows for a division title in nothing but mud.

“Those were not conditions that you should ever play any type of athletic event in,” head football coach Mike Sebestyen said. “[It was] not the fault of anybody. Our maintenance guys did a hell of a job trying to get the fields ready ... it rained six weeks straight.

Mother Nature wins.”

Although Sebestyen categorized the six-week streak of rain storms as a “freak occurrence,” it was not the first time there have been concerns about

the field conditions at Prospect and other District 214 buildings.

Field conditions are one of the many reasons why the District 214 Board of Education has been discussing the possibility of installing artificial turf fields at all District 214 buildings.

On Jan. 6, Superintendent Dr. David Schuler presented the Board with a synthetic turf feasibility study in hopes of getting some input on whether or not installing synthetic turf fields would benefit the schools. According to Schuler, the Board seemed enthusiastic and interested about the proposition but won’t proceed to install the fields until they can figure out how to pay for them.

The initial cost of installing an artificial turf field is approximately $800,000 to $1 million per field, which includes installation and drainage costs as well as the turf itself. Without someone to split the costs of each field in the district, the Board would not be able to come up with the funds.

According to Schuler, numerous school districts have gone to referendum to ask parents and community members to put money into buying the school an artificial turf field, but the

COSTS FOR NATURAL GRASS VERSUS ARTIFICIAL TURF ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD

NATURAL GRASS FIELD Cost of maintaining natural grass 70%!20<&T Annual Cost $55,000 Total over 12 years $660,000 Currently, the majority of P'/*%'#*!UVW!/*3&'5:!20<&/!3%0! used around 45 days per year. The cost of maintaining a natural grass /*3&'5:!20<&!;$%!*90!(01*!UW!B03%/! is estimated to be approximately $1,320,000, which works out to be a per use cost of $1,222.22.

The District 214 Board of Education estimates a minimum of 240 days of usage per year with 3!/B(*90*'#!*5%;!20<&F!K;!*90!&'/*%'#*! shared the cost they would spend $702,000 over 24 years to install and maintain synthetic turf which works out to a per use cost of $122. The district will also earn rental fees that will fund education.

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Cost of installing synthetic turf 70%!20<&T Initial Cost $900,000 Annual Ongoing Maintenance $27,000 ($2,250 x 12 years) Total $927,000 Cost of installing synthetic turf per 20<&!='*9!3!73%*(0%T Initial Cost $900,000 Annual Ongoing Maintenance $27,000 ($2,250 x 12 years) Total $927,000 District’s half of the costs $463,500 Cost of replacing synthetic turf with a partner in 12-14 years: Replacement Cost $450,000 Annual Ongoing Maintenance $27,000 ($2,250 x 12 years) Total $477,000

INFORMATION FROM THE SYNTHETIC TURF FEASIBILITY STUDY PRESENTED BY SUPERINTENDENT DR. DAVID SCHULER TO THE D214 BOARD OF EDUCATION JAN. 6.

SUPERINTENDENT DR. DAVID SCHULER TO THE D214 BOARD OF EDUCATION JAN. 6.

that means moving under level games from the field.

According to senior Agnes Stankiewicz, who is a varsity soccer player, pushing the JV teams off the field for Board is not willing to do that. their games creates a “spiral effect” “It’s tough in this economy to ask for because they then have to play their money, and that’s why we need to find a games on the practice field. creative other way to do this,” Schuler Along with freeing up limited space, said. an artificial turf field allows the sports One of the creative ways is for each to play at optimal conditions. When the building to create weather is rainy, a partnership. The Sebestyen finds partnership might that it is a difWHY NOT A POOL? be with an orgaferent ball game nization like the When sitting down with the compared to that Arlington Heights District 214 Board of Education, of one on natural Youth Athletic AsSuperintendent Dr. David Schuler grass. sociation, which discussed the possibility of “You definitely has indicated it implementing three new pools so that play at a faster all buildings in the district would have would be willing speed,” Sebestyen their own pool. The schools in District to partner with said. “Go watch 214 that currently don’t have pools District 214. film of us in week are Prospect, Hersey and Rolling By creating a nine playing MeadMeadows. partnership, the ows and then the However, the cost of installing one district would be next week when (0=!/='::'()!7$$<!'/!/')('2#3(*<B! able to recoup its we played Carmel 9')90%!*93(!'(/*3<<'()!$(0!3%*'2#'3<!*5%;! investments in 20<&F!N90!#$/*!$;!3!7$$<!'/!J0*=00(! [who has an artifieight and a half $7 to $8 million whereas installing cial turf field]. Ofyears. The district 3(!3%*'2#'3<!*5%;!20<&!#$/*/!J0*=00(! fensively, [we are] could also host $800,000 to $1 million. two different footmore games and !!!!!4I%$:!3!2(3(#'3<!70%/70#*'80.!*93*! ball teams.” competitions due is really tough to do,” Schuler said.

Stankiewicz to the low mainteagrees that game nance of artificial pace is overall fastturf fields, raising money on the side. er with an artificial turf field.

Schuler hopes that District 214 can Even though artificial turf would be rent out its turf fields when students easier to manage from a maintenance won’t be using them. That way, they and athletic viewpoint, Prospect curcould put that money into a separate rently has one of the best natural grass fund that would help pay for the turf ’s fields in the state. According to Schuler, inevitable renovation in 12 to 14 years. this is why some in the district don’t beCommunity members also voiced lieve artificial turf is a high priority. concerns about how educational funds Sebestyen understands that from an aren’t supposed to be spent on artificial athletic perspective, artificial turf is turf fields. To help fund these potential not really necessary in order to have a fields, the Board would only use money successful athletic program. But he befrom the Capital Projects Fund, which lieves that in the long run, an artificial is a fund set up only for the improve- turf field will impact District 214 posiment of facilities. tively.

Although the initial cost of artifi“The initial outlay [for an artificial cial turf is high, maintaining a natural turf field] is a big deal, but I think if grass field is also expensive and takes we take it from a macro instead of a away time from the maintenance staff. micro view, you can see what benefits The groundsmen will aerate, fertilize outweigh the potential pitfalls,” Sebeand seed the field, which they do seven styen said. “The long term cost saving to eight months out of the year. When element will allow you to turn things summer comes along, they water it ev- around in terms of finances for your ery other day and cut it three times a children in your school, in your classweek. room as well as on your athletic field.”

“We are constantly monitoring that “More and more schools are going field,” Buildings and Grounds Supervi- to [artificial turf fields],” Schuler said. sor Oscar Acevedo said.

“We don’t have $7 million to put these Acevedo has to limit what can hap- fields in, so for us to have so much interpen on the field in order to allow it to est in looking at creative ways — now stay in good shape. Most of the time, might be a good time for us to explore.”