4 OPINION
Take a second chance on me
The Staff
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 ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Kevin Mallin Tallyn Owens 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.
Staff Editorial
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kate Schroeder Neel Thakkar MANAGING EDITOR Deanna Shilkus
Friday, April 29, 2011
Former Prospect student Matthew Nellessen appeared in court on March 25, awaiting a four-year sentence for violating his parole. Judge Thomas Fecarotta Jr. had seen Nellessen numerous times before for myriad offenses, including marijuana possession and robbery charges. This time, Fecarrota took a chance on Nellessen, sentencing him to time served, which freed him from custody and recommitted him to probation. “I have already stuck my neck out on the line once for you,” Fecarotta said in a Chicago Tribune article, granting Nellessen leniency. “If you take another swing, trust me, you are going to go for a very long time.” Six weeks later, Nellessen — along with three accomplices — now finds himself accused of the first-degree murder and armed robbery of his father, George Nellessen. The prosecution alleges
that April 12, Matthew and most readers, a commenter his friends duct-taped the on The Daily Herald’s web55-year-old to a chair, de- site named Poole wrote, manding George’s signature “Judge Fecarotta instead on a check for $100,000, his extended Nellessen’s probasocial security number and tion and let him back on the the money and cards from street. The murder occurred his wallet. after that dubious decision.” Their complaints make On April 14, a witness discovered George’s body sense. If Fecarotta didn’t spare Matthew in his home on of four years North Wilshire of jail time, Lane — about George’s murtwo miles from For Against der would have Prospect — as most likely been Matthew fled avoided. the scene in We, The Proshis father’s car. This caused a Voting results of The Prospector pector, believe staff regarding this editorial that Feracotta’s soft lockdown critics are only at Prospect as playing a game of “What well as other area schools. To some, this ordeal is if ?” in this scenario. What if an inevitable occurrence Feracotta noticed that all of in our sometimes violent Matthew’s previous crimes world. Murder is all around were nonviolent and did not us, from cop shows on TV to suggest a future of murder and robbery? What if Fevideo games. Others might accuse Fe- racotta made his decision carotta of letting loose a vio- based on that logic? But that’s what Feracotta lent criminal, which eventudid. As a judge, he made a raally led to George’s death. tional decision based on the Echoing the sentiments of
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evidence at hand and his gut feeling. He took a chance on Matthew that didn’t pan out. Yes, this misguided leap of faith is support for those who believe that people should stick with popular choices and never take chances. While this tragedy most likely resulted from a failed act of trust, students and judges alike should keep taking chances on each other. It’s these gut decisions that provide bases of trust between people; they show pure empathy that humans seldom portray. Since grade school, teachers have continually told students to trust their instincts on a test. They tell them the dangers of second-guessing themselves and picking “B” instead of their gut instinct’s answer. Even if the correct answer is “B,” it’s no reason to doubt their decision making and ability for compassion. It’s what makes us human.
White castle needs green thumb Within the panes of Hogwart’s greenhouse, Wolfsbane and Belladonna reside — two magical plants that have yet to be found outside of the world of Harry Potter. As unlikely as it is for muggle students to find either of these plants, it’s just as unlikely for them to find a greenhouse within Prospect’s property lines. The closest Prospect has to a greenhouse is the uninhabited courtyard, and although it has been improved by the Botany Club, it is essentially locked and unused. By building a greenhouse, like one found at either Barrington or Glenbard North High Schools, the science classes could grow plants and flowers to be used in all levels from freshman biology to seWhitney Kiepura nior AP Environmental Executive Science. Opinion Editor AP Environmental Science teacher Mollie David explained how students would be able to study the impact of road salt and acid rain on roadside plants, a large unit in the AP course. At this point in the curriculum, students are only able to read about the impacts of these chemicals. If Prospect could build a greenhouse, students could see “the direct impact growing in front of them,” David said. “Ideally, the science teachers would put a mini-greenhouse in between Rooms
COMMON GREENS Greenhouse plants can be anything from common fruits and 6%7%).5&%(!)#!+%/#2.)06%!8#9%2(3! Some of the plants most commonly grown indoors are: ! :!;*,8#9%2( - Green Peas - African violets - Zebra Plant - Boston Ferns - Cattleya Orchid - Geraniums - Lavender
324 and 322, connecting the two biology labs, “ biology teacher John Kenny said. “The greenhouse would be a small place for students to grow a few of their own plants for experiments, and it would give the biology teachers the proximity needed for the greenhouse to be beneficial.” If Prospect built a greenhouse, the largest problem in addition to the cost would be determining where it would be built. For the best amount of sunlight, the greenhouse should face south, but that would place the greenhouse at the end of the field house — too far away from the labs. Another choice, which the math department would find inconvenient, would be to take one of the southern-facing third-floor math rooms and turn that into a greenhouse. It would, however, lack direct overhead sunlight without changes to the roof. The final option would be to locate a greenhouse right where the band hallway meets the larger academic wing. Although some heating, ven-
Photo graphic by Heather Dove, Ian Magnuson and Alyssa Zediker
tilating and air condition (HVAC) units would have to be moved, the addition to the fine arts wing would be the most realistic option. It’s close enough for the science teachers to access, and it would not require an architect to draw up plans to renovate a math room. But without a strong student, parent or teacher effort, the greenhouse will only exist in theory. This is a lost opportunity for students. With the addition of a greenhouse, Prospect would be able to have a botany class instead of just a club. This class could pursue more in-depth learning about plants versus biology, which is the study of all life. But the impact of the greenhouse would go beyond high school. Students would gain valuable hands-on learning experiences in plant propagation and management skills for small business if some plants were sold (see Common greens). These experiences could possibly lead to a career course of horticulture. Despite all complications, building a greenhouse would be a way for students to get another type of hands-on learning. Although they wouldn’t get to work with Mandrakes and Devil’s Snare, growing sunflowers and tomatoes opens new opportunities — admittedly a bit less magical.