Vol 62, Issue 2 Southwords

NEWS | Oct. 31, 2025

N E W S in B R I E F

AP Precalculus test now available Marie Serio

News Writer tudents at Maine South who are currently enrolled in Precalculus Compression are now eligible to take the AP Precalculus test at the end of the year.

“South is now offering the AP Precalc test because a few years ago, a neighboring high school let their regular Precalc students take the test without taking a class with the AP curriculum, and they still performed well,” Ms. Sarah Kay, who teaches Precalculus Compression, said. “This year, the test is officially being offered to our students in hopes they will find the same success. It’s a fairly new concept. Its first implementation in a high school near us was during the 2023-2024 school year.”

All Students who take the AP Precalculus test at the end of the year and score high enough will receive AP credit for that test; however, because many colleges do not offer this course, students may not have their credit counted toward a college math course.

Even though the compression curriculum does not revolve around the test, students still appreciate the opportunity to take the AP test.

“I think it’s a nice option for the people who want to take it,” sophomore Amelia Keefer said.

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Riyad Abukhalaf becomes DECA VP Nation merit Semifinalists recognized

Cassie Jewel

Reece Mausser

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News Writer

News Writer

ecently, junior Riyad Abukhalaf was elected DECA state Vice President of Leadership Development. DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America, and it prepares students for careers in marketing, finance, and hospitality.

“Maine South over the years has really developed our DECA program well,” Abukhalaf said.

“I think we have a really strong group of business [education] students who are involved in DECA.” His role will include leading over 5,500 members of DECA from across Illinois at the state competition. He is organizing the event, running activities, and speaking at the competition. Leading up to state, he is running several leadership councils, promoting DECA, and recognizing members.

“I definitely think the ability to be a critical thinker [is important],” Abukhalaf said. “When you think shallow, you don’t push yourself further.

I think when you push yourself further and are a critical thinker, you can produce [much] better [results].”

Abukhalaf is the first student to serve on the DECA state board in Maine South History. He looks forward to serving at the state competition in March.

our Maine South seniors were recently selected to be Semifinalists for the national merit scholarship: Luke Compton, Domenic Conversa, Katie Foley, and Kai Trivedi.

The prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program is facilitated by high schools across the nation. Students are honored by the program based on the PSAT scores that they got junior year.

“I was really excited to receive the email stating that I had qualified,” senior Katie Foley said.

“I can’t wait to hear back.”

In order to get this recognition as a senior, a PSAT score has to be higher than about 1.3 million other entries. Around 50,000 students’ scores around the country earn Semifinalist status. Out of these students, there is less than a 1% chance that they will be selected to be a Semifinalist.

“It is fairly difficult to get a high enough score to qualify,” senior Kai Trivedi said. Trivedi’s older sibling was a Semifinalist three years prior, which inspired him to work towards that goal.

A number of students also earned Commended status: seniors Kaia Bechtold, Audrey Becker, Elle Cho, Sam Farquhar, Christian Hamielec, Alex Jerome, Seehyun Larson, Nick Moigradan, Krislinda Silo, Michael Tuebo and Brian Weiss.

Maine South implements new finals-style schedule Luciana Cegielski & Joseph Calderón

News Writer & Editor-in-Chief s first semester comes to a close, District 207 plans on having a special end of semester schedule to accommodate classes with cumulative exams.

“A lot of the feedback came from students,” Ms. Erica Wagner, Associate Principal of Teaching and Learning said. “Previously, at the end of the semester, students might have had that last week where they were having their regular odd and even schedule. They were being tested backto-back while also having to keep up with the additional workload.”

The class periods are 80 minutes, just like the usual block schedule, but they are spaced out over three days so students do not have major anxiety for as many back-to-back tests, while earlier release facilitates studying.

Dec. 16 is Periods 1, 3, 5; Dec. 17 is 2, 4, 6; and Dec. 18 is periods 7 and 8. This new schedule aims to alleviate student stress.

“We were hearing from students and from families that the amount of anxiety that students held when they were coming into class for that week was really high,” Ms. Wagner said. “So adjusting the last week of the semester schedule to be really focused on two or three block periods

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Wednesday, Dec. 16

Thursday, Dec. 17

Friday, Dec. 18

Period 1 8:30 - 9:50

Period 2 8:30 - 9:50

Period 7 8:30 - 9:50

Period 3 9:57 - 11:17

Period 4 9:57 - 11:17

Period 8 9:57- 11:17

Period 5 11:24 - 12:44 Period 6 11:24 - 12:44 Flex 12:51 - 1:30

Flex 12:51 - 1:30

Buses 1:40

Buses 1:40

Flex 11:17 - 1:30

Buses 1:40

FINAL COUNTDOWN The last week of the semester will now have the above special schedule that splits two block days into three. A similar schedule to this will also be used at the end of second semester.

per day with that early release will hopefully also help reduce some of that anxiety for students and will help them focus on whatever they will be doing on those days.”

The schedule also accommodates for free periods.

“You can absolutely stay here and use the time to study, but I believe students will be able to be dismissed if they don’t have [classes],” Ms. Wagner said. “For example, if you have a test first period and third period, and you have a free period fifth and seventh period, you could go home.”

The new finals schedule was implemented for

several reasons. The main reason is to prepare students for the future, especially for those who are going to college.

Summative assessments are meant to help students transition to academic life, wherever they choose to go in the future.

“Some students will say, ‘Hey, I’m going to college and most colleges are doing high stakes [tests],” principal Dr. Antwan Babakhani said.

“This begs the question, ‘Are you ready?’ For us educators, we have to welcome all the perspectives to the table... How do we prep kids for learning and how do we prep our kids for college?”

Oct. 31, 2025 | NEWS

Brandt and Westman inducted into Wall of Honor Rose Hassman

PHOTOS BY KATIE JOHNSTON

News Editor

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ather Daniel Brandt (‘88), a Priest of the Chicago Archdiocese, and the Chicago Police Chaplains Ministry Director, and Dean Westman (‘89), founder of the Avon Orchestra Program, Performing Arts Department Chair, and Orchestra Director at Avon High School in Avon, Indiana, were inducted into the Maine South Wall of Honor during a ceremony on Oct. 1.

On the afternoon of Oct. 1, Father Brandt and Mr. Westman held a panel discussion where eight students were allowed to ask questions to the inductees based on their experience at Maine South and details of the lives they have taken on since then.

“I’ve been a priest for the past 26 years, and for the last 14 of those years, more than half my time as a priest, I’ve been the directive chaplain of the Chicago Police Department,” Father Brandt said.

However, before pursuing a life in service, Father Brandt worked a 9-5 job as an accountant, a profession he was drawn to because of his experiences at Maine South.

“I practiced accounting at a law firm for a few years after getting a business degree from Northern Illinois University, which was largely due to a teacher here at Maine South instilling a love for accounting in me,” Father Brandt said.

Similar to the experience of Father Brandt, Mr. Westman’s passion and eventual career in the performing arts stemmed initially from the positive experiences with teachers here at Maine South.

“I knew for sure that I wanted to be a high school band director by the time I was a sophomore here,” Mr. Westman said. “The teachers undoubtedly had a super profound impact on me, like the band director here when I was a student. We absolutely revered him. Me specifically, I didn’t want to be just a high school band director — I wanted to be him... Here, the students are the center of the teacher’s universe, and that is something that I think is uniquely Maine South.”

The teachers and experiences at Maine South inspired his career in music initially, but the full immersion in Maine South’s performing arts was what truly shaped it.

“What’s special about Maine South is that you can be in absolutely everything if you want to,” Westman said. “There was nothing performing arts here that I said no to. I remember I was in the orchestra, choir, band, the variety show, and the musical for all four years. It was incredible.”

Father Brandt’s passion for accounting may have been the focus of his high school and college education, the desire to serve others has been an omnipresent force in his life.

“I could say that giving back has always been in my blood — it’s a prospect my family really ingrained into me,” Father Brandt said. “When I was your age, one of my buddies and I used to volunteer at the Lutheran General Hospital, delivering the Sunday newspaper to all the rooms. The Sunday newspaper was especially thick, so we were employed so that the older volunteers didn’t have to haul around the

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Father Daniel Brandt (left) and Dean Westman (right) speak at the student panel on Oct. 1. They make up the sixth class of Wall of Honor inductees at Maine South, and they are the first of their respective professions to be inducted into the Wall of Honor.

unusually heavy bundles.”

Giving back to the community through the work he does at the CPD comes with both challenges and rewards.

“There is definitely a need for that balance between my personal life and my job, and there are definitely more life or death situations that I deal with now being part of the CPD than just working in the parish [church],” Father Brandt said. “Working both jobs involves more of my time but is ultimately more rewarding, not to say my parish work on its own wasn’t rewarding.”

Another motivating force towards Mr. Westman’s music career was the culture he discovered in Chicago.

“During my time at Maine South, I figured out that there is a world beyond Park Ridge,” Mr. Westman said. “One of the world’s best symphony orchestras, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, resides in the city you live in. You guys have so much amazing music culture here, and it inspired me.”

The Maine South Wall of Honor recognizes Maine South graduates at least 35 years of age who have made significant achievements and contributions on a local, state, national, or global level.

“The idea of service and making an impact has always been something we look for in our candidates,” Ms. Sandra Deines, a member of the Wall of Honor committee and former Maine South teacher, said.

Nominations can be made through a Google form after scanning the QR code on the official Maine South Wall of Honor page.

“There’s a public form available online that anyone can fill out, meaning once you’re nominated, there

isn’t any timeline to your nomination,” Principal Dr. Antwan Babakhani said. “For example, if someone was nominated 10 years ago, the committee can keep looking at all the following submissions to see if that person is worth looking into.”

The Wall of Honor committee is always looking to recognize significant alumni who have done great things post-high school.

“The Wall of Honor is never going to run out of people to nominate; however, I highly encourage students to tell their parents, who also attended Maine South, to look at the nomination form,” Ms. Deines said. “If their parents were to know someone from their class or neighboring class who deserves to be on the Wall of Honor, it’s always great to get additional nominations.”

The Maine South Wall of Honor committee reviews all current and previous nominations to officially induct up to two qualifying nominees every two years.

“Our committee consists of roughly 12 to 14 current and retired faculty, and every year, we look at the nominations,” Ms. Deines said. “We have old ones, and we get new ones that give us more information on the previous ones. We try to narrow our pool of nominees to 5-6 people before the committee pairs up to research a specific nominee more and become their spokesperson. At the end, everyone is equally educated on each nominee, and that’s when we come to a consensus on the final two people to induct.”

Following their induction, all Wall of Honor inductees have plaques mounted on the wall located next to the team’s white office entrance stating their name, year of graduation, and details of their accomplishments and impact.

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NEWS | Oct. 31, 2025

South’s history students learn beyond the classroom

Jennifer Antonov

News Writer arlier this month, select sophomores and juniors attended the annual Chicago History Fair, an event where students are able to seek resources for their personal history fair projects and dive further into their chosen topics that have transformed the nation.

Mr. Joe Connolly, a Maine South U.S. History teacher, along with Mr. Michael Biondo, attended the event.

“The History Fair has a new theme that has been announced, it’s like a kickoff event,” Mr. Connolly said.

“This year’s theme is The Age Of Reform.”

The theme encouraged students to explore moments within history.

“When people think about revolution, for example, a lot of people think about war,” Mr. Connolly said. “But, you can also have things that are more peaceful, like a technological revolution or the industrial revolution.”

Students were able to evaluate how individual citizens form into groups to create change. This would be through political movements like protests, social activism, or innovative legislation.

“Students got to meet with different archivists and representatives

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from different libraries across the city,” Mr. Connolly said.

The History Fair in the Chicago History Museum provided students with a valuable opportunity to connect classroom education to realworld history from historians.

“Some students came in and had some ideas of what they wanted to research,” Mr. Connolly said. “They really benefited from being able to have one conversation with different librarians and say, ‘Do you have any historical artifacts or primary or secondary sources that would fit this topic?’”

For many students, it was a firsttime experience seeing how historians conduct research beyond online sources and school textbooks.

Students could choose from a wide variety of research topics relating to The Age of Reform, from women’s suffrage and gender equality, to Abolition and Civil Rights, social reform, and economic movements.

To make the field trip even more engaging, the Chicago History Museum provided each participant with a passport, which, due to the theme, was cleverly renamed to the “Pastport.”

BACK TO THE BOOKS Before the 2019-2020 school year PHOTO COURTESY MR. BIONDO

HISTORY BUFFS Sophomore and junior students pose for a picture in front of an old L car at the Chicago History Museum. This was one of the many exhibits they saw.

The Pastport they were given was treated as a checklist, where they were guided to meet with the eight different librarians and archivists throughout the museum. Each station offered a unique perspective and resource on historical research regarding Reform.

As students visited each station and completed it, they received a stamp in their Pastport, which symbolized their progressing knowledge and experience growth through history.

Students found the experience eye-opening and memorable.

“I had a great time and I learned a lot,” sophomore attendee Matthew Becker said.

By the end of the field trip, students returned to school with new ideas and a stronger appreciation for the process of historical research.

Many students are now applying what they have learned to develop their personal History Fair projects that highlight reformers and movements that influenced American change.

“There were a lot of knowledgeable people talking about things that will help our projects,” Becker said.

South celebrates languages during Multilingual Week

Ally Lobo

News Writer he Maine South World Language and Multilingual Department celebrated the World Language Multilingual Week and the Celebration of Languages from Oct. 20 to Oct. 24.

It consisted of multiple events throughout the week to celebrate and recognize multilingual cultures and students. This event has been celebrated for over 20 years.

“World Language Multilingual week is an opportunity for people who speak multiple languages and identify as being culturally diverse to share their culture with the community on a large level,” Ms. Tona Costello, the World Culture and Multilingual Department Chair, said. “Many people underestimate the number of people here at South that speak other languages at home, and Multilingual week moves to celebrate these people.”

This year, the motto for the week was “Friends Don’t Let Friends Be Monolingual.” It intends to highlight the benefits of bilingualism.

“The point of this week is [to] show everyone the magic that you can

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PHOTO BY KATIE JOHNSTON

IF YOU CAN DODGE A WRENCH... Senior Quinn Weber, a member

of the German Club, winds up to throw a dodgeball at his opponent. The German Club took home the victory in the multicultural dodgeball tournament this year.

find within yourself when you learn another language,” French teacher Ms. Gabrielle Lytle said.

Throughout the week, multicultural music was played on the speakers each morning before school.

“We try to get music that represents the different languages so that we can hear music from all the different cultures throughout the week,” Ms. Lytle said.

On Tuesday, Oct. 21, Multilingual Bingo took place in the Commons during all lunch periods. Participants

won prizes like scrunchies, bucket hats and candy.

On Oct. 22 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. there was a dodgeball tournament on the softball field. Here, people from different cultural groups, clubs, or language classes participated in dodgeball games against other teams, with Dr. Babakhani refereeing the games.

“I think it was really great,” sophomore Italian student Lylah Colhoff said. “I think everyone shows great spirit towards their languages.”

The World Language Multilingual week was a great way for students to connect with others and learn through different languages and cultures. “[It’s] just a way to kind of unify all of our languages, get the chance to touch base with each other,” Ms. Lytle said. “I see them in the classroom, I see them in French Club, but to see all the different groups from all the different languages together, I feel like it just represents what this week is about.” “ The b est p ar t ab out t he tournament was being able to play with a lot of people I normally don’t hang out with,” senior Quinn Weber, a member of the winning team, said.

This year, the German Club won the tournament, taking the trophy back from last year’s winners, Mandarin Club.

To wrap up the week, the language department held a multilingual breakfast for any student who speaks multiple languages or is currently enrolled in a foreign language class and has registered for the event.

Oct. 31, 2025 | COMMENTARY EDITORIAL CARTOON BY SONIA LOIZOS

Maine South High School 1111 South Dee Road Park Ridge, IL 60068 http://www.southwords.org

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STAFF EDITORIAL

Balance necessary when it comes to AI in schools

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hether it be ChatGPT, Google AI, or Microsoft Co-Pilot, artificial intelligence (AI) has permeated society in many ways.

Although AI has had an impact on almost every aspect of life, it is best seen in the lives of students.

AI has numerous perceived educational benefits for students. It can be a great help when it comes to doing school work, seeing as AI can provide helpful explanations that expand upon what was taught in class.

Studying is no longer limited to the materials given in class and what students can find online. With AI, students can generate practice tests, review guides, and summaries of limitless topics and concepts. It gives instant feedback, providing an immediate alternative to waiting for a teacher to respond to an email.

It can also be effective at helping students synthesize information and saves time compared to going in for office hours and getting help from a teacher.

This convenience makes it obvious as to why some students would prefer, and even default to, using AI to understand material and perform well in school.

Unfortunately, many also blatantly cheat with AI, causing teachers to be wary of its use. Overuse and dependence on AI leads students to lose critical thinking skills, negatively impacting important skills necessary to many future careers.

The easy accessibility of AI has led to a multitude of students losing motivation to complete their assignments and study for exams.

When students depend on AI, the learning process evaporates, and they simply do not know how to do any of the work.

According to a study by the University of Pennsylvania, students who used ChatGPT on their math homework solved 48% more of the practice problems accurately, but performed 17% worse on a test without ChatGPT. Furthermore, bias in algorithms and inaccuracies are also major concerns. Many times, AI will provide the wrong answer or misinformation.

Although the bot can correct itself, it will only do so when prompted.

 GENERATIVE OPINIONS

Students and staff share their opinions on the use of AI in school.

See pages 8-9 Artificial intelligence also contributes to a decrease in creativity and creative thinking. The existence of AI disincentives the brainstorming process and artistic or creative challenges because it gives an easy way to skip the creative process.

Despite these negatives, avoiding AI is not a solution. Currently, 21% of employed American adults use AI on the job, and that number is only growing. Being able to use these new tools to one’s advantage will only further one in the professional world.

AI is undeniably advancing the world’s technology and will only grow in its abilities as time goes on, so using AI is necessary to keep up with the ever-changing world. But there is a clear line between using AI as a tool

and using AI as the answer.

Education on how to properly use AI is becoming a necessity. For example, knowing how to prompt AI maximizes its efficiency, and the skill of discerning factual information from misinformation is also very important.

Most importantly, the current culture surrounding AI must be addressed. It should not be normalized to have AI do everything, including basic cognitive tasks and simple assignments. Society needs to emphasize human thought and human creation.

It is time for the school to confront the AI issue head-on through teaching digital literacy. There are numerous approaches. Maybe an English unit concerning research, such as the ISearch Paper in freshman year, could address AI usage when discussing proper research techniques.

There are plenty of places where AI is relevant in the classroom, and teachers could take these opportunities to formally educate students on AI usage. AI education would explore what ethical AI usage is, which AIs are reliable, and how to research properly.

Students also need to cut themselves off from relying on chatbots to do their homework, and they should make the most of what is provided by their teacher, especially through office hours.

Teaching digital literacy is increasingly necessary in today’s society.

Through proper education, schools can ensure students continue to build critical thinking skills and are able to be relied on in their future careers.

Southwords is a student-run publication designed as a public forum for student opinion and balanced reporting on topics relevant to the Maine South community.

Unsigned staff editorials represent the consensus opinion of the Southwords Editorial Board. Personal commentaries represent the opinion of the author alone and do not represent the opinions of the publication nor District 207.

Student participation in the newspaper, whether through readership, submitting articles, or voicing comments or concerns, is encouraged.

Signed letters to the editor can be given to a member of the editorial staff or e-mailed to southwords@maine207.org.

Southwords reserves the right to edit material for clarity and brevity and to reject obscene/libelous submissions.

Editors-in-Chief

Audrey Becker Joseph Calderón Emery Yates

News Editors Samantha Baynes Rose Hassman Mia Teresi Commentary Editors Lola Cosma Lucas Runtz Ivana Zezelj

Features Editors Olivia Crawford Bart Dabkowski Sarah Frantz Entertainment Editors Karin Flensborg Andrew George Gabi Shaw Sports Editors

James Biagi Sydney Hollingsworth Riley Story

Production Editors Samuel Higgins Katie Johnston Sonia Loizos Adviser

Mr. Stathakis

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COMMENTARY | Oct. 31, 2025

Electric vehicle safety needs to be taken seriously Aleena Woodrich

Commentary Writer t is a common experience to be walking on the sidewalk as a silent electric bike flies by at 25 miles per hour; the rider has no helmet and no protective gear, driving recklessly, swerving between cars and pedestrians.

These vehicles can be efficient, convenient, and affordable to many, but they also come with many risks.

Users need to become aware of those dangers and take safety precautions to keep our streets safe.

The potential hazards of these electric vehicles were made tragically clear in Arlington Heights on Sept. 15.

A teenage boy who wasn’t wearing a helmet ran a stop sign on an electric bicycle and struck a pickup truck’s rear passenger door at high speed. He was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, but sadly passed away.

This distressing story highlights the dangers of personal electric vehicles when safety measures are not taken.

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Given that the popularity of electric bikes and scooters has increased, it should not be a surprise that the number of accidents has increased as well.

To address this, many towns, including Park Ridge, have created laws to increase safety.

This past summer, Park Ridge City Council approved its first-ever restrictions on e-scooters and e-bikes.

Riders must be at least 14 years old to operate a class 1 or 2 e-bike (which reach speeds up to 20 mph), and 16 to operate a class 3 e-bike (which can reach 28 mph).

In addition, e-bikes may not be ridden on sidewalks anywhere in the city, while e-scooters are permitted on sidewalks except for restricted areas such as Uptown and South Park.

While these laws are a first step toward combatting the dangers of electric vehicles, more needs to be done.

Some models of e-scooters can even go up to 25 miles per hour, but they are still allowed on most sidewalks, posing a threat to pedestrians and riders alike.

New laws, though, can only help to a certain extent. The problem lies in the way these vehicles are being used.

Despite the new laws, riders often use them at high speeds and near

ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA CHERONE

pedestrians and cars. Of the many children and teens who ride them, most fail to wear protective helmets.

It is more important than ever for electric vehicle users to take responsibility for their safety and become educated of the dangers.

While some might suggest banning electric vehicles altogether, the better option would be to strictly enforce the laws that keep our community safe and educate people who may not understand how dangerous these vehicles can be.

People, including kids, continue to behave carelessly on them, and there needs to be more awareness of the dangers and potential solutions.

Although there are many risks associated with electric bikes and scooters, they can still be an efficient way to get around due to their convenience and eco-friendliness.

Unless users take necessary precautions and municipalities start enforcing ordinances, though, we will continue to find that these vehicles cause more harm than good.

Freeing yourself of expectations fuels happiness Audrey Becker

Editor-in-Cheif s a senior, my year is flooded with expectations. From the plethora of stories I’ve heard about others’ senior year experiences, it seems as if I should have a strong handle on what to expect for my senior year. Contrary to popular belief, these expectations are most definitely not absolute.

I went into my homecoming week thrilled for my final go-around. This was my last homecoming, so I knew it was going to be the best one yet.

All signs pointed towards this being true because of what I knew from previous years. I knew to order my dress and book my hair appointment early, I knew to dress up for the spirit

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weeks, and I knew that Powderpuff could not be missed. It seemed as if I had the whole system down to a science because I had gone through it so many times.

However, because I had such high expectations, it ultimately became the reason that I was let down. I was so focused on having a perfect homecoming that it prevented me from letting loose and having genuine fun.

Losing the Powderpuff game wouldn’t have been so devastating if I’d put more emphasis on the fun experience rather than my expected outcome. Even the excitement that should have accompanied winning homecoming royalty was diminished by my obsession with an unrealistic standard I had invented in my head.

Micromanaging things to fit my expectations rather than simply living in the moment yielded disappointment instead of joy.

In contrast to my unfulfilling

homecoming week, my past few weeks have been splendid — likely because I didn’t create unrealistic expectations for them. I’ve made it my focus to allow myself to go with the flow rather than following a rigid schedule in attempts to create the “perfect year.”

The four-day weekend that we had in October was a time when I participated in things that I enjoyed, but wouldn’t necessarily consider to be out of the ordinary for me. I went shopping, watched sports, and went out to dinner with my friends — all things that I do on a consistent basis.

Even though I didn’t do anything I consider particularly extraordinary that weekend, I went into the following week fulfilled and refreshed rather than disappointed. I wasn’t upset that I didn’t live up to my high expectations because I set no expectations that weekend. Instead of building up the idea of an unrealistically

fun weekend in my head, I let myself relax, which ultimately brought me more happiness.

Since then, I’ve been simply living my life one day at a time as opposed to worrying about every little thing.

In a busy time filled with college applications and schoolwork, I’m taking every opportunity I can get to relieve stress.

Mundane days aren’t a bad thing.

They’re revitalizing, and they can brighten the best of days even more through comparison.

You don’t have to always have the “best weekend ever” or never have a bad day in order to be happy.

Expecting your next weekend to always beat your last weekend is irrational, and it will ultimately lead to an unfulfilling life. Choosing to leave yourself open to new opportunities without being weighed down by expectations, will allow you to appreciate all life has to offer.

Oct. 31, 2025 | COMMENTARY

Respect for bathrooms has gone down the drain Kai Trivedi

Commentary Writer very Maine South student has encountered a locked bathroom before. Certainly, it’s annoying, forcing students to waste more class or lunch time searching for another restroom to use.

Although it’s easy to get frustrated, consider why it might be locked. Remember that the last time you were in the bathroom, the stall locks and sinks were broken, stall doors were missing, toilets were clogged with items like vapes, and garbage was carelessly littered.

The state of these facilities demonstrates how a small group of students greatly hurts the majority of respectful students and the hard-working staff who must clean up after them.

The school’s current rules work in part to reduce this, but there needs to be a different approach in order to make a change. Recently, Maine South has been attempting to counter these bathroom issues.

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Reducing time allowed in the bathroom and lessening the number of students allowed out of class at once are some of the ways that Maine South has tried to tackle issues related to the bathroom.

These strategies are preventative at times, but additional measures are needed to further the prevention of vandalism.

Nine times out of ten, when you enter a restroom at Maine South, you’ll find people simply loitering inside.

You’ll even find some entering for a quick vape and others breaking bathroom fixtures for the sake of a joke.

Students should remember that bathrooms are shared spaces, not personal ones­­­­, out of respect for other students and custodians alike.

Custodians have to face harder work every day due to student disregard. In addition to their typical daily tasks, they now must handle purposefully destructive acts that cost a whole lot more to fix.

As students at Maine South, we need to step up and recognize the harm that is being caused.

Students are complaining about bathroom rules, but failing to make the connection that they are the very

cause of them.

It is the students’ responsibility to be respectable members of the school, and if those expectations can’t be upheld, then repercussions should be faced.

For example, if a form of vandalism is witnessed, students should report it so that those disruptive behaviors don’t go unnoticed.

The monitoring of hallways doesn’t necessarily need to increase, but the location of where the monitors stand could change to be closer to the bathrooms to again help in the actual

reporting of troublesome behavior.

Another possible solution would be not only to increase reporting of issues, but also to increase measures inside of bathrooms to continue to help prevent these problems.

Vape detectors inside of the bathrooms could go a long way in limiting the amount of vaping and loitering in restrooms.

These changes are crucial in making our bathrooms safer and cleaner. If everyone not only adheres to the rules, but treats them with respect and dignity, we can create real, lasting change.

than they can handle.

Pressure from school, social media, peers, and college resumes are often the cause of this.

The less passion and involvement you have in an activity or club, the less likely you are to find meaning from it.

It’s important to sign up for activities that align with your interests and values — but be wary of using up your time with trivial pursuits.

Joining extracurricular activities can result in big-time commitments.

Last year, I experienced a ver y busy schedule with my commitment to softball, and it was difficult to manage my time well.

Doing softball on top of other activities would have been very challenging, so I made the choice to take a break from other activities that I didn’t have as

much passion for to dedicate my time to something I truly loved.

Many students get the idea that the more clubs you join, the more “perfect” you look on paper for colleges.

However, colleges actually prefer students who are dedicated to what they are involved in rather than joining multiple mindless activities.

Joining too many activities can leave you burnt out, leading you to struggle academically and fall behind on schoolwork. This could jeopardize your high school experience.

It’s important to be intentional about what activities you join so that they can give you stepping stones to be successful.

For example, if you have a career you are striving for in high school, it’s more beneficial to participate in clubs that teach you about the career

and prepare you for your future. This will help you prioritize what clubs to join and create meaning in what activities you participate in.

The other reason behind overinvolved students is peer pressure and competition. Students see peers joining clubs, honor societies, and sports and feel the need to join just as many or more in order to feel that they are doing enough.

Students must make their own decisions about their involvement in extracurricular activities and find enthusiasm and passion in what they do.

Your decision whether or not to join something should not be up to anyone but you.

At the end of the day, we have control over the activities we participate in and how we live our high school experience, so do things that you truly enjoy and create meaningful experiences.

The only way you will feel truly fulfilled in high school is if you find passion in what you do, and this comes from the quality of your activities, not the quantity.

ILLUSTRATION BY SONIA LOIZOS

Pursue passion, not perfection, in extracurriculars Mary Ginal

Commentary Writer ver since we were young, we’ve been encouraged to be involved in extracurricular activities.

When we reached high school, we felt this pressure even more.

Whether it’s sports, clubs, volunteering, band, or jobs, it seems like everyone nowadays is busier than ever.

However, many of these activities are just partaken out of fear for not doing enough rather than creating meaningful experiences.

Students involved in countless activities at a surface level often don’t feel the passion that these activities are designed to bring.

Overexertion to join numerous extracurricular activities to fill out college applications should not be the norm for students.

Many high schoolers have a tendency to sign up for more activities

E

ILLUSTRATION BY SUZANNE KUZMINSKI

SouthwordS 7

FEATURES | Oct. 31, 2025

The M(AI)ne issue With the use of AI by students becoming more common in recent years, Southwords has decided to explore the ways both students and teachers have used AI at Maine South. We conducted a survey of 240 students about the ways they have used AI, and we also spoke to individual students and teachers about their thoughts and experiences.

Bart Dabkowski Features Editor

A

s students increasingly turn to AI for help with their school work, teachers are faced with the challenge of regulating it in classrooms and deciding whether or not to use it themselves.

Some have embraced the technology, and are even teaching their students how to use it. Mr. Trevor Fritz, who teaches AP Psychology, is one of those teachers introducing students to the proper use of AI. “We’ve taught them explicitly how to use Gemini to create practice questions that mirror what they’ll see on exams and also help them to become more fluent in the vocabulary that we are studying,” Mr. Fritz said. “We’ve taught them how to use AI to do openended questions where they can communicate back and forth with the AI program in order to deepen their understanding and get practice, as well as create practice questions that help them to understand the vocabulary.”

Mr. Fritz himself has also used AI for preparing material in his classes.

“We rewrote all of our exams and we made them have more thoughtprovoking questions as opposed to just

quick answers to things. It would take us hours to write,” Mr. Fritz said. “It still took us a long time to make them, but it allowed us to make them way more efficiently and way more creatively in order to challenge students’ thinking.”

Ms. Gabrielle Lytle, who teaches French, has also used AI in classes.

As a World Language teacher, she has used AI chatbots to allow students to hold conversations in French.

“We have an AI platform in French, where students can attach their vocabulary, they can attach criteria from their rubric, and have a back and forth conversation with the AI,” Ms. Lytle said. “It does not just engage them in discourse, but provides real time feedback.”

Although many teachers have adopted the use of AI to help with their work, they are still wary. Many teachers are concerned with plagiarism.

“I think what the AI question often gets at is just that there’s an overlap with plagiarism,” Ms. Lytle said. “If AI use violates the plagiarism policy, that’s when I have a problem with AI. Otherwise, I do not have a problem with AI. I teach my students how to use AI ethically, but when it comes to in class

stuff, I’ll indicate when there is a designated time to use AI versus a time where it’s just you, your brain, paper, and pencil.”

Other teachers are also concerned about mistakes that the AI could make.

While using AI to look for peer reviewed studies to show students in his AP Psychology class, Mr. Fritz found a few that were promising, only to find out that the AI had made them up.

“It’s gotten better at identifying real versus fake ones, but we always have to double check that because in the past, I pulled things, and I’m like, ‘This is amazing!’ And then I look, and I Google it, and I can’t find anything about it, and I ask, ‘Is it made up?’ And it says, ‘Yes’,” Mr. Fritz said. “So we have had to double check that, but we’re able to find research studies that would have taken us hours to find, read, summarize. I can find three in 10 minutes.”

Mr. Michael Guccione, who teaches Computer Science, believes that AI can be helpful to his students, but only if they understand the code that AI gives them.

“When they get stuck, I don’t mind that they use AI, but if it gives them code that they’re not familiar with, I ask that they research it or call me

What do YOU think about AI?

over to ask about it, and not just use it blindly,” Mr. Guccione said. “I think it’s just another tool, so I don’t discourage it. If I come across a kid overusing it, then I’ll ask them to scale back, maybe rewrite the code in a way they understand it rather than just to cut and paste.”

However, not all teachers are embracing AI to help with their work. Ms. Johanna Abend, an English teacher, is trying to limit its use in her classes.

District 207 largely supports the use of AI as a tool, but allows teachers to have their own individual policies.

“The department and the district are both trying to come up with a more solid conclusion of what our policy is, but right now, it is by class,” Ms. Abend said. “So in my class, I don’t want students using it unless it is specifically assigned.”

Ms. Abend is especially worried about AI’s impact on students’ critical thinking.

“Unfortunately, the way that I’ve seen it used the most is people using it for answers to get through certain things in other classes,” Ms. Abend said. “They’ll be working on homework and I’ll see them using it for whatever the class may be. Students

How often do you use AI?

In a voluntary e-mail survey, 240 Maine South students shared their beliefs about AI and its use in school.

h tu tu o

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Which of these AI tools have you ever used?

INFOGRAPHICS BY SONIA LOIZOS

8 SouthwordS

Do you think AI is helping or harming your education?

th G th

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. , . f e

t e , d y

Oct. 31, 2025 | FEATURES

Most helpful

5 4

12.9%

20.8%

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2

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Least helpful On a scale of 1 to 5, how helpful do you find AI?

d have used it to do their thinking and l turn in their own work, while others turn in the robot’s work instead of their e own.” g Similarly, students have opinions n on how AI should be used by teachers. d Junior Eila Faulkner believes that - teachers should also not be able to use r AI, since she believes that the technols ogy is too prone to mistakes.

“As I see it, I don’t think teachers should use AI either, partly because I can’t really see them having a use for it,” Faulkner said. ”Grading things is a different thing, especially when AI still actively makes errors. It’s a slippery slope, but I don’t think staff should be promoting the use of AI in general.”

On the other hand, there are students that believe that teachers should similarly be able to use AI, especially for basic class activities.

“I think teachers should be able to use AI if they want to rework something, or make a lesson plan or worksheet,” senior Jocelyn Wiland said. “I think it’s helpful for them so they can use their time for other things.”

Other students also agree.

“Depending on the lesson I believe they should be able to use AI,” junior Giovanni Dragotta said. “Not to create the lesson, but rather to give the lesson

a new idea, or a new way to teach other students.”

Like teachers, many students have also used AI for a variety of reasons at school. According to a voluntary poll of 240 Maine South students, 77.1% reported having used AI to help with schoolwork.

Dragotta sees AI as a tool that is helpful when studying.

“I’ve used AI to reword certain questions in a different way, so I can really understand the meaning of it,” Dragotta said. ”And I like to quiz myself and make extra practice problems before an upcoming test. I’ve seen others get ideas to start an essay.”

55.8% of students see AI as having a positive effect on their education; however, a similar percentage also see AI as having a negative impact on creativity, hard work, and critical thinking.

Not every student believes that AI is helping their education. Faulker is vocal about her opposition to the use of AI both in and out of school.

“I generally try to avoid AI at all costs, even when I actually know of it being there,” Faulkner said. “I try to ignore the automatic AI responses on Google and look through actual sources, but I have in the past used it just because it was convenient. There’s multiple ways I’ve seen others use AI, such as for answers, generating images, generating lyrics, and in many other ways outside of school.”

Wiland has similar views on AI usage. She believes that many students overuse it, and that they are hurting themselves in the long run.

“I’ve only used AI on assignments when teachers allowed it, but you’ve seen a lot of other kids use AI for everything,” Wiland said. “They use it for every homework assignment or project. They cheat themselves out of doing the work.”

According to our survey, 11.7% of students report using AI every day, while 26.7% report using it a few times per week.

With a rapidly developing technology like AI, it is hard for anyone to say where it will go. Many teachers and students are worried about its future, but it’s ultimately out of their control.

“It makes me think of books of dystopian futures where we don’t think on our own anymore,” Ms. Abend said. “But I also understand that when something happens at a broad level, that’s out of our hands, such as even when the Internet became a thing, or going back in history with so many different examples of widespread revolutions — you have to go with it because

PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

PHOTO BY KATIE JOHNSTON

CHATTING WITH A CHATBOT Senior Michael Duca uses ChatGPT to

complete work in his Italian class. AI usage in class is determined by the teacher.

it’s happening. Anything that takes away students’ ability to want to think critically on their own and to develop their brain muscle makes me sad, but I also recognize the complexity of it.”

Some students offer a similar view.

“Whether it’s used right or wrong, we’ve survived years without it, but it’s not like anyone can stop it,” Faulkner said. “I don’t have control of what scientists and programmers want to do and how they want to grow their machines. All I know is that I want to build my own future avoiding it as much as I can, and hope that one day it won’t steal the job I truly want — whatever that may be.”

Other people hold a more optimistic view. Mr. Guccione ultimately believes that AI is going to make things better overall. Although he understands that there is a risk for misuse, he believes that the technology will get

better over time.

“I think it’s just the next generation of technology and, like anything, it’s still trying to find its place, and it’s always going to have some abuse, no matter what type of technology you have,” Mr. Guccione said. “There’s going to be times of abuse, but as the products become better and easier to use, then they will become more helpful.”

Mr. Fritz similarly believes that AI will become a valuable tool, but that it won’t ever fully take over all work.

“It’s giving us a starting point, but if that’s all we’re using, then we’re not doing what we could do otherwise,” Mr. Fritz said. “It’s leaving something on the table, and so there always needs to be that human component, but I do think it’ll make our lives significantly more efficient. And hopefully give us time to do things that we enjoy.”

AI’s Environmental Impact A few students in the poll used the write-in option to voice their concerns about the amount of water used to cool datacenters.

An average large datacenter uses approximately: 16.7 mL of water per response

550,000 gallons of water per day Source: University of Illinois: Center for Secure Water, iEEE Spectrum

SouthwordS 9

FEATURES | Oct. 31, 2025

MYSTERIOUS

Sarah Frantz

Park Ridge

Features Editor uilt in 1893, Central School was a kindergarten through 8th grade school.

It was named Central School because it was in the center of Park Ridge at the time and was on Central Street, also named due to its central location in the town.

Central Street has since been renamed to Touhy Avenue, and the location of the old Central School is now the Park Ridge Public Library.

During the 1930s, it was a common occurrence for high

B

schoolers to pull pranks.

These pranks were often dangerous, like when they pulled an old WWI canon onto rail road tracks in Uptown. So, when the Central High School mysteriously burned down on Halloween night in 1930, the local teens were the scapegoat.

“The cause of the fire is unknown, and I think people wanted to blame it on the Halloween pranksters, but to this day, no one knows,” president of the Park Ridge Historical Society, Brian

PHOTO COURTESY GARY ZIELINSKI

Maine East POOL

SPOOKY SWIMS The Maine East pool hasn’t been

changed since its construction in 1931. The pool also hasn’t been used since the late 1980s.

T

he Pickwick is one of the most notable buildings in Park Ridge.

It was named by Park Ridge mayor William H. Malone after the character Samuel Pickwick in the Charles Dickens novel “The Pickwick Papers.” The Pickwick was built in 1928 and in 1975 was added to the National Register of Historical Places. In 1980 the front of the building was used as the backdrop for the movie review show, “At the Movies.”

The Pickwick, known for its Art Deco style, was also designed to look like a Mayan or Aztec temple inside.

10 SouthwordS

The theater’s long history has yielded a number of spooky stories.

“Before the Pickwick was a movie theater, it was a real theater,” Sophia Yates (‘24) said. “So there is still a real stage behind the main screen in the big theater. It’s all pretty untouched and creepy. When you’re back there alone, you can hear voices and echoes. It’s a really old building, so when you’re in the back, sound travels a lot. We also have a ghost that we call Popcorn Sally who we blame for making all the weird noises that we hear.”

Old buildings have their

The area around Park Ridge is home to a number of locations with a spooky history. Here are a few of the most interesting local haunts.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PARK RIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY Lazzaro said.

As the town grew, the streets that children had to cross to get to school became busier and less safe, so after the school mysteriously burned down, another school was built on Des Plaines and Thacker before it was sold to District 64.

New high school buildings were then made to accommodate the growing population. First Maine East was built, then West, then DOWN IN FLAMES After Central School burned down, the South, and finally North, city originally planned to make the area into a park. They got so far as to which closed in 1981. draw up plans for the park before deciding to build a library instead.

CENTRAL SCHOOL

B

uilt in 1931, the nowdefunct Maine East pool has been an intriguing subject since it closed.

“It was a really beautiful facility,” Maine East Resident Historian and former social science teacher Gary Zielinski said. “There’s these alcoves in the back and there are some tiles that were painted with seascapes.”

Unfortunately, the basement flooded and the poolfell into disrepair.

“They did actually tear the ceiling down to see what the integrity of the beams were,” Zielinski said. “But, it’s in that position right now.

Just not good looking at all.”

There are many rumors fair share of unexplained noises, but employees have their own theories of their origin.

“When I would be [at the Pickwick] closing by myself, I would hear people running up and down the hallway, like phantom footsteps,” former employee Mary Kane said. “And when I was in the projection room alone, I could hear footsteps coming down the stairs, and when I would open the door, no one would be there. There is also [what’s rumored to be]an old speakeasy in the basement, which is pretty creepy,” Kane said.

around Maine East’s pool.

One teacher spread a rumor about a death in the pool to see how fast it would spread. Using the name of a past student, it took off. Another rumor spread when Zielinski was giving a tour of the basement to a group of his students. They heard a screeching sound coming from the pool area. When they inspected further, they found it was the band practicing there for its acoustics.

On Oct. 13, the school board voted to demolish the old pool at a cost of $2.6 million.

However, other parts of the building are also said to be haunted. One student re-

ported to Zielinski that they were scratched in the auditorium when they were alone.

Maine East has had its fair share of tragedy as well, which may add to the rumors. On Oct. 14, 1968, scaffolding for a new extension on the auxiliary pool collapsed, killing teacher Ralph Geimer.

Zielinski said that previous Maine East historian Paul Carlson had a story of his own.

“There was an instance in the 1940s where a player from a Chicago public school took a bad hit on the field, snapped his neck and died on the field where the South Lot is now,” he said.

PICKWICK

PHOTO BY SARAH FRANTZ

PARANORMAL PICKWICK The Pickwick was

designed by Roscoe Harold Zook, William F. McCaughey, and sculptor Alfonso Iannelli. In 2018 the American Institute of Architects named it one of “Illinois 200 Great Places.”

Oct. 31, 2025 | FEATURES

Smiles for miles Maine South seniors take on the Chicago Marathon PHOTO BY LILY GIAMBARBEREE

Eliza Chasak & Olivia Crawford Features Writer & Features Editor

PHOTO COURTESY MADDEN MUELLNER

he Chicago Marathon is more than just a race; it’s an event that transforms the streets of one of America’s biggest cities. Every October, roads are transformed to create a landscape of determined runners, supportive fans, and a sense of community. From expert runners achieving new personal bests to beginners chasing their dreams, the marathon is a 26.2 mile course of incredible ups and downs.

Two Maine South seniors recently took on this challenge. Emily Rutherford and Madden Muellner managed to balance their rigorous academic schedules with the grind of marathon training.

Although they were both first-time runners, their experiences were far from the same; there were distinct differences in each of their preparation, motivation and completion of the marathon.

For Rutherford, the girls’ lacrosse season was the starting point of training. Although this was a subtle entrance into building strength and endurance, Rutherford’s serious training began mid-summer.

“I really hit the gas on training in July,” Rutherford said. “My long runs would be on weekends. Then I’d have short runs — ‘easy runs’, they were called.

Throughout the week, I’d run usually four to five days.”

Due to schoolwork and a busy schedule, Rutherford’s weekday runs usually took place early in the morning before school. On weekends, she would often wake up at 5 a.m. and drive downtown to run on the Lakefront Trail.

On the other hand, Muellner’s preparation began exactly one year before the marathon.

“I started getting into running like exactly a year before the marathon,” Muellner said. “I didn’t run a lot outside. I only did short, three-mile runs outside, maybe four, and then the rest, long distance, was inside on a treadmill.”

“I ran with [my sister] Maris (‘25) over the summer a little bit, but she was still recovering from a knee injury,” Muellner said. “So I did more speed, agility, and strength training with her.”

Muellner was consistent in her physical activity and athletics throughout the year, playing on the girls’ flag football team in the fall, running for the girls’ indoor track team during the winter season and playing for the girls’ soccer team during the spring.

The physical aspect is always crucial when preparing for an intense marathon, but mental preparation is just as important.

Runners can experience significant setbacks before and during a race, such as extreme anxiety or panic, loss of confidence, or even mental burnout.

Rutherford and Muellner dealt with various mental obstacles, but were able to overcome them and push

PHOTO COURTESY EMILY RUTHERFORD

T

PERSEVERE Senior Emily Rutherford pushes her BRINGING HOME HARDWARE Seway through the Chicago Marathon while she high fives family members on the sideline. She finished with a time of 05:18:54.

nior Madden Mueller stands on Columbus Drive with her Chicago Marathon Medal. She finished with a time of 05:10:52.

their abilities.

“I was really scared that the training was not going to help, so I had a lot of fears,” Rutherford said.

For Muellner, mental strain wasn’t as significant of an issue.

“To be honest, I didn’t really put a lot of weight on it...I don’t remember ever feeling scared about it,” she said.

Many factors motivated Muellner and Rutherford to take on this immense challenge. A bet was the main inspiration for Rutherford, as she was determined to prove to her older cousins that she could complete the marathon.

“I think they were proud that I did it and stuck to my word,” she said.

Rutherford wanted to prove that although she is younger, she could accomplish anything with training and discipline.

“It’s not normal for 17-year-olds to run a marathon in high school,” she said. “It’s so out of the blue.”

Muellner’s motivation was rooted in a personal desire to fulfill her lifelong goals.

“I have a bucket list, ‘18 before 18’, so I wanted to check that one off the list,” she said.

She also took inspiration from family members to take on this challenge.

“It’s always been on my bucket list since I was a kid because my dad ran it with no training in 2000.”

Muellner went into the race thinking she would run alone, but she ended up meeting another runner in her corral and making a friend.

“We ended up spending the first 45 minutes

in the corral just talking and learning things about each other,” Muellner said. “She was super strong and told me about the charity she was running with, for domestic abuse survivors.”

However, Muellner faced an obstacle during her run when she dislocated her knee. A pause was necessary after that, so she and her running partner were separated for the remainder of the run. Following her injury, Muellner persevered and returned to the race. She found that running with someone was a motivating force, so she did just that.

“I would find someone in front of me who looked strong, or looked passionate, which was everyone when they’re running a marathon,” Mueller said.

Rutherford, on the other hand, ran with her cousins.

“Running with someone is a huge motivation to keep you going,” she said.

The final stretch before the finish line includes one last challenge for the marathoners.

“There’s a hill, and after you run 26 miles, any hill seems like a mountain,” Rutherford said. “I took a deep breath and I ran up the hill, and then I crossed the finish line, and I broke down crying.”

A flood of emotions is just a part of the journey.

The biggest reward for these runners was not the medal, but the feeling of accomplishment.

“The first-place run is just as impressive as if you got last place,” Rutherford said.

Running a marathon is challenging regardless of when you finish.

“26 miles, no matter who does it, is crazy,” Muellner said.

SouthwordS 11

ENTERTAINMENT | Oct. 31, 2025

FALL

into the season with

Pumpkin Spice

Rita’s

Pumpkin Frozen Coffee ($5.99)

Dunkin’

3 Pumpkin Spice Munchkins ($1.65)

157 N Northwest Hwy., Park Ridge, IL 60068 7525 N Harlem Ave, Niles, IL 60714

The fall season is always characterized by signature limited-time flavors, including pumpkin spice. Most eateries have unique fall offerings, and Southwords is here to tell you which items are worth the purchase.

Karin Flensborg, Andrew George, & Gabi Shaw Entertainment Editors

Dairy Queen Small Pumpkin Pie Blizzard ($4.79) 2 Devon Ave, Park Ridge, IL 60068

Although Rita’s is known for their Italian Ice, they also have different treats that shouldn’t be overlooked. One key product that exemplifies this is their frozen coffee. It contains a cold brew concentrate, vanilla Italian ice, and custard. Rita’s has seasonal flavors as well, with Pumpkin Frozen Coffee returning to the menu.

The base is the same as the regular frozen coffee, but now infused with pumpkin cream. Unfortunately, the pumpkin flavor is barely noticeable. The drink itself would have met expectations if not for the lack of pumpkin. In spite of this, it has a frosty texture, and the sweetness from the ice and custard brilliantly complements the cold brew.

With the fall season, Dunkin has brought back their twist on fall flavors with their Pumpkin Spice Munchkins. While the idea sounds great, Dunkin didn’t quite hit the mark. The Munchkins let off a nice aroma of pumpkin spice, however, the spice is very strong and overpowering in the doughnut.

Even though it is coated in a sweet glaze, it doesn’t help balance out the spiciness of the Munchkin. The outside was a little stale during our sampling, possibly because it was the end of the day, though the inside was very moist. While the flavor was meant to evoke a crisp fall day, it felt more like a pile of wet leaves, as the spice lingered for a bit too long.

While Dairy Queen is known for its summer frozen treats, it also offers a few seasonal creations, including the Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. The Blizzard has a vanilla base, with pumpkin pie pieces and flavoring swirled throughout. The vanilla nicely balances out the pumpkin spice, so it’s not too overwhelming.

A bonus is that the consistency of the Blizzard allows for the two flavors to blend well. The pieces of butter cookies — the “pie crust” — give the Blizzard a nice crunch and help vary the texture so it’s not the same smooth texture throughout. It also helps balance out the sweetness of the ice cream, allowing the dessert to not be overpowered by sugar. Each aspect of the blizzard feels like its supposed to be there and is a delicious treat for the fall season.

White Castle

IHOP

Starbucks

Pumpkin Latte Cheesecake-on-a-stick ($1.49) 2 Pumpkin Spice Pancakes ($4.99)

7550 N Harlem Ave, Chicago, IL 60631

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin ($3.95) 7120 Mannheim Rd, Rosemont, IL 60018 100 S Northwest Hwy., Park Ridge, IL 60068

All advertisements of the White Castle Pumpkin Latte Cheesecake-on-a-stick look like the size of a regular slice of cheesecake, so you can imagine our surprise when we saw the price and realized that the item was so small that it could be eaten in three bites. The smell of the desert is pungent and instantly looks unappealing as it began to fall apart right after being taken out of the package. Despite this, the crust was delicious; the crumbly texture and strong flavor of cinnamon work well together.

However, the same cannot be said about the cheesecake itself. With an artificial taste, the cheesecake was extra sour with little to no pumpkin flavor. Overall, the bad greatly outweighed the good, and we wouldn’t recommend it.

IHOP is known for their yummy breakfasts, but this year, there is a returning limited time offering: Pumpkin Spice Pancakes. The pancakes are made with real pumpkin and seasonal spices, giving it a flavor that doesn’t feel artificial. Also, the pumpkin flavor isn’t too strong and tastes like a hint of pumpkin in a cinnamon pancake. That being said, neither of the flavors are too powerful and complemented each other well. The texture of the pancakes is moist and fluffy; however, as you get closer to the middle of the pancakes, they feel slightly undercooked and dense.

The Pumpkin Spice Pancakes are good due to the flavor and texture, and are the perfect way to start your day this autumn.

12 SouthwordS

Starbucks’ fall menu is classic, especially when you think of their Pumpkin Spice Latte or their Pumpkin Chai. However, their fall bakery items also stand out, with one of the most notable being the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin. There’s a pumpkin spice base, with a sweet cream cheese filling in the center, and the outside is topped with crunchy, spiced pumpkin seeds. The sweet cream cheese tastes like it comes from a Danish, perfectly complementing the pumpkin spice, allowing for no flavor to be overpowering.

The inside of the muffin is moist, with the seeds adding a nice crunch to the texture of the muffin. The muffin tastes high-quality, with an irresistible taste that immediately reminds you of fall.

PHOTOS BY KARIN FLENSBORG

Oct. 31, 2025 | ENTERTAINMENT

Saddle up for this year’s ‘Wild Wild V-Show’

Emily Compton

Entertainment Writer

E

very year, V-Show brings new acts, comedy sketches, music, and more. The show is always a highly anticipated event and this year is no different, with many students involved describing the show as “wild.”

This year’s show stands out because of its wild west theme, and every act fully embraces this aesthetic.

V-Show’s combination of tradition and new talent makes it an annual success.

Behind the scenes, a lot of specialized groups contribute to make the show happen, including the comedy sketch group, Trunk, which is responsible for creating and producing new sketches.

“Something that people don’t realize about the Trunk section of the show is that we come up with a lot more sketches than we perform,” Trunk head junior Lauren O’Sullivan said. “Last year we came up with over 100 sketches and about 40 got in the show. I think the most fun part of preparing for the V-Show is going through all the sketches before we decide which ones make the

show. It’s always a good time looking back on the work you’ve put in, and it’s also just fun to rewatch some funny skits.”

The opening video is a key aspect of V-show. It is the first thing the audience sees and features all of the student directors. It takes the collaboration of many student groups to produce this. One student who has been a part of the video-making process is senior Ash Lepore.

“The student directors were in charge of writing the script,” Lepore said. “For filming, since I was a director and WMTH officer, I communicated with the V-show directors andPHOTO theBYother WMTH officers SOPHIA CHERONE to plan for filming. Then [seniors] Luke [Compton], Marissa [Waters], and I went through the script and proceeded to make a shot list, prop list, etc. to be ready to film.”

One of the main things that makes V-Show so enticing to viewers is the ability to see students shine in a variety of ways.

Compton is also involved in the band The Mango Habaneros, who are playing a song titled “Somebody Told Me” as an act, a shift from his previous involvement.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA CHERONE

HOWDY THERE Junior Footlighters director Lauren O’Sullivan leads rehearsal for the opening song and dance number performed by the Footlighters. With the rest of the cast, they have closed V-Show singing “Gonna Build a Mountain” since the school opened.

“I have done V-Show for three years, and I have been involved in crew, Trunk, and now an act, and it’s been fun,” Compton said. “My friends and I have talked about doing a band in V-Show the past several years, and since it’s our senior year, we just decided we decided let’s do that,” Compton said.

What makes V-Show so enjoyable, is that you can see it every year without knowing what’s going to happen.

“V-Show is a variety show, so every year the acts bring something new to the show,” Compton said.

“Trunk brings new sketches, and the crew brings new lighting, effects, and

sets to the show. This show will never be done again.”

The first steps to getting the VShow organized is auditioning and selecting the acts for the show.

“I think one of the hardest things [for V-Show] is selecting a variety of talent,” V-Show director Mr. Joseph Fitzpatrick said. “Many people have so many amazing different talents in the school, but we don’t want the entire show to just be singing solos or duets. Sometimes you have to turn talented people away...just so that you can get an actual variety.”

This year’s V-Show will be performed Nov. 20 and 21 at 7:30, and tickets will be $10 at the door.

curity she feels with Kelce, and how the life she wanted is coming to fruition.

The album’s title track, “The Life of a Showgirl,” features Sabrina Carpenter, who was an opening singer on Swift’s Eras Tour, presents a farewell message from the two. The song details the fictional story of a showgirl advising an adoring fan that her life is not one the girl should aspire to have.

In previous albums like “Lover,” Swift takes us through the way loving someone can be filled with uncertainties and insecurities. However, in “The Life of a Showgirl,” Swift knows exactly what she wants and explicitly states that.

While it is an album filled with catchy songs, it feels as though it lacks the typical depth and connection Swift brings with her music. The lyrics feel shallow at times. For example, in the song “CANCELLED!” Swift sings, “Did you girl-boss too close to the sun?”, which feels like it is missing the same lyricism of her previous work.

Swift has been known for her po-

etic lyrics and clever rhyming, especially on her albums “Folklore” and “Evermore.” In “The Life of a Showgirl,” rhymes fall short and clever wordplay isn’t as evident.

The album was both written and recorded during the Eras Tour. The tour had an unbelievable cultural impact, and pressures to produce new music could have contributed to the album’s quick creation. “Folklore” and “Evermore” were highly praised for their lyrics created during the COVID-19 pandemic. This contrasts with “The Life of a Showgirl,” which was written during Swift’s biggest tour yet.

The promotional materials created an expectation for the content of the album. Promotional photography focused on luxe visuals such as glimmering jeweled outfits and feathered headpieces, leading to theatrical expectations.

With so much anticipation for this new album, fans expectations were high. However, the album lacks the quality of Swift’s previous work and exemplifies how a lack of cohesiveness can disappoint listeners.

Swift trades depth for dazzle in ‘The Life of a Showgirl’

Samantha Schelovitzky

CREDIT REPUBLIC RECORDS

Entertainment Writer

“The Life of a Showgirl” by Taylor Swift

“T

he Life of a Showgirl,” released on Oct. 3, takes listeners through Taylor Swift’s conflicted feelings in dealing with a life as a “showgirl.” Promoted with glittery orange visuals and a glitz and glam aesthetic, the album seemed like it would contain lively production with a lyrically darker feel. Though upbeat, the album ultimately feels rushed, with lyrics feeling depthless.

The album, characterized as pop with influences of soft rock and R&B, moves away from Swift’s synth-pop pattern, as heard in “The Tortured Poets Department,” “Midnights,” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”

The themes of the songs on this album are all over the place, with each song having a seemingly different message. “Father Figure” discusses the role of a mentor and a protégé.

“Ruin the Friendship” shows Swift in regret after realizing in adulthood that she should have confessed her feelings for someone when she was in high school.

With tracks like these, it can be hard to see the connection to the title theme of exploring what it means to be a showgirl.

However, each track ties in with the different life stages one has as a performer. Songs show the balance between fame and relationships.

“The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite,” “Wi$h Li$t,” and “Honey” talk about the joys of being with the partner you love. To her, those joys include how her current fiancé, Travis Kelce, “saved her.” Swift sings about the se-

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SPORTS | Oct. 31, 2025

Girls’ cross country hopes for state success Margaret Bublitz Sports Writers

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lost in two sets to the second-ranked team in the CSL South.

Girls’ volleyball sticks together Gabriel Redzic Sports Writer

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fter having lost key leaders last year, the Maine South girls’ volleyball team has shown resilience. At press time, the team has a record of 19-10, fourth overall in the extremely competitive Central Suburban League South conference.

Junior captain Safia Orucevic and senior captain Teagan Heneghan have stepped into leadership roles for the team this season. Just as importantly, coaches Mr. Jon Weiland and Ms. Sona Torosian have supported the team from the sideline.

“The team is so close this year and our bonds are really strong,” Heneghan said. “The coaches are also always there for us, no matter what we need.”

In September, the team showed their skills and strengths at the Peggy Scholten Classic, when they defeated Hersey in a close three-set match to make it to into the semifinal. They proceeded to beat Saint Francis, advancing to the finals.

“It was disappointing when we lost in the championship game, but I am just really proud of our effort and how far we have come,” Heneghan said.

In a conference match versus Glenbrook South on Sept. 30, after losing the first set with a score of 25-9, the Hawks bounced back, winning in three sets.

“Beating [Glenbrook South] has been my favorite moment of the season,” senior Emily Currey said. “We were down 25-9 in the first set, and then came back and beat them in the second. We ended up beating them really badly in the third.”

After the big win against Glenbrook South, the team continued to focus on its goals. By staying focused in practice, building team camaraderie, and analyzing the competition, the team is hopeful for a long run in the postseason.

“We hope to win the regional again this year and make it even further into the postseason,” Coach Weiland said. “With the way our team is headed now, we are optimistic for what is to come.”

New strategies bring success for boys’ XC

Isla Craig Naples & Sofia Iniguez Sports Writer

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he boys’ cross country team is in the midst of a winning season, and with their new head coach, Mr. David Fermanich, the team has been working with intent.

“We started a new program of running this year that was a continuation from track based on a national championship team from Utah, and we are starting to see the success of that training program as we are entering the postseason,” Coach Fermanich said. “We implemented a lot of mental training and race packets, giving the athletes strategies about each course.”

Race packets are informational brochures providing runners on all the course insights. These help the runners prepare for every meet and set the team off on the right foot.

Using these strategies, the team has had major successes at some large invites.

“The Minooka Flight Of Challenge was the first

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invite this year where we actually placed, and it gave the guys some confidence for the rest of the season,” Coach Fermanich said.

Along with the team success, sophomore Nathan Looby, who placed second at the conference meet on Oct. 18, ran a time of 16:57.

“My goal for this season was to break 17, which I was able to do, and now my goal is to break 16 by the end of the postseason,” Looby said.

Alongside Looby, many upperclassmen have also accomplished impressive feats this season.

Collin Frye has had a breakthrough season, attaining a new personal record of 15:20.

“I’m looking ahead to the postseason where I am striving to break the 15 minute barrier,” Frye said.

With the state final on Nov. 8 and the boys working towards achieving their ultimate goals, they are continuing to train rigorously.

“We hope all their hard work pays off and the team can make it down to the state meet,” Coach Fermanich said.

PHOTO BY LIZ PALMER

PHOTO BY HANNAH HENNINGSEN

DIGGING DEEP Junior Emma Lesch saves a spike from Glenbrook North in the match on Oct. 9. The Hawks

ith the girls’ cross country season coming to an end, the team is set on competing in the IHSA State meet on Nov. 8.

“Our goal is always to be one of those top seven teams who make it to State as a team,” Coach Jeffrey Downing said.

These goals are achieved by intense training and effort. Coach Downing pushes the girls throughout the season to help them improve.

“In cross country, we work to build your endurance up because it’s a three-mile race or, in some cases, a two-mile race,” Downing said.

The girls are implementing new strategies to improve their times and be the best runners they can be. These strategies focus on the team as a whole, rather than on one individual.

“This year, we’ve been trying to work together, more,” sophomore Abby Suernyek said. “Our three, four, and five runners on the team are trying to start and finish the race together.”

The varsity team is diverse in its age range, boasting a roster of all grade levels. With the arrival of talented new freshmen, the team has opportunities to excel. “ We h a v e some nice freshman runners that we can add, and our younger girls have gotten more experienced,” Coach Downing said.

“We’re getting a lot out of our younger talents.”

With the hard work the girls are putting into their running, varsity is getting closer to reaching their goals. Practice after practice, the girls are getting better and more confident in their abilities.

“The consistent training of our athletes and the increase in difficulty of our workouts throughout the season have shown our team’s progress and hard work,” junior Tessie Bradley said.

ONE STEP AT A TIME Junior Lily Handley races to the finish line in the Flight Night meet at Loyola.

Maine South placed eighth in this moonlit meet.

Oct. 31, 2025 | SPORTS

Girls’ flag football wins state championship Shannon Ottow Sports Writer

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he girls’ flag football team won the state championship on Oct. 17, marking the first title in the program’s history.

“It feels surreal that we made it this far, and I am so proud of our group,” senior captain Madden Muellner said.

The team has put in immense effort throughout the season, which resulted in the win. For senior captain Aribella Spandiary, this was a memorable way to end her high school flag football career.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better ending ­­— we took the state championship home, and that’s all I wanted,” Spandiary said.

Coach Carlos Panizo has been a consistent leader throughout the season. A

EYES ON THE END-ZONE Junior

Emerson De La Cruz carries the ball down the PALMER

BY LIZ PHOTO field. As a receiver, she had 134 catches, a total of 1,620 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns.

Chicago Bears Coach of the Week recipient, his ability to teach new plays each week helped lead the team to the State victory.

“He’s always there for us mentally, which is especially good when we need that extra boost during games,” junior Kristen Elise Sumang said.

Part of being there for them is celebrating each win.

“I am so proud and happy for these girls,” Coach Panizo said. “They put in so much work, and I am proud that the team is recognized as the best in the state.”

Going into the game, the team didn’t want to set high expectations for themselves. Knowing that their opponent, Whitney Young, was one of the most skilled teams, they played their best and eventually took home the win.

“I wanted [the team] to win, but the only way you can do that is by picking each other up and mak-

ing sure everyone is in the game,” Spandiary said.

Last season, the team lost in the second game of the playoffs. This motivated the girls to keep improving. By attending camps, hiring new coaches, changing positions, and adding fresh talent, the flag football team was determined to win the championship.

“Something we did this year that we didn’t last year was underestimate any team. Last year, we took a hard fall to Evanston after going into the game way too confident. This year, we went in with a 0-0 record mindset and took it home.” Spandiary said.

After many practices, reflections, and team bonding events, the girls have all gotten closer this year.

“We have great camaraderie, which makes this win so satisfying and so fun when it is with your friends,” senior captain Maria Korovilas said.

The girls were able to take home the title after only two seasons of flag football being an official IHSA sport. This team will go down in history as the first Maine South flag football team to win the state championship.

“Emotions were very high, definitely all over the place, but as the game came to an end, we came together and reassured ourselves that we deserved to be there, and that we deserved that State championship,” Spandiary said.

Football powers through tough schedule

Riley Story & Sydney Hollingsworth

PHOTO BY SAMUEL HIGGINS

Sports Editors

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fter being shutout in the first game of the season against Lincoln-Way East, the football team has shown their resilience. At press time, the Hawks are 8-1, ranked third in Illinois by MaxPreps.

After defeating Deerfield 56-14, the Hawks earned the third seed for playoffs and are playing against the 30th seed, Downers Grove South.

“We have two postseason goals: win a state championship and finish in the top 25 teams in the nation,” Coach David Inserra said.

Coach Inserra has been coaching Maine South football for 36 years, 25 of them as head coach, and has learned new things each season. With so much experience, the players trust him and can count on Coach Inserra to help the team put their best foot forward.

“Coach Inserra has really emphasized this year’s importance of focus and energy to lead us into our postseason aspirations,” senior defensive lineman Dean Arvanitis said.

In order to work well together on the field, it all starts in practice. The team practices Monday through Thursday with games on Fridays. Practices consist of watching film, conditioning, drill running, and strength training.

“Tuesday, which we call ‘Bloody Tuesday,’ is our most intense practice of the week,” senior linebacker Jake Cantal said. “It is our most rigorous day, with intense drills and conditioning.”

ON THE MOVE Junior Jamo Purcell hands the

football off to senior Niko Kokosioulis in the game against Lincoln-Way East. Though the Hawks lost to the fifth-ranked team in Illinois in their first game, they haven’t lost since.

During the off-season, the team is working hard on gaining muscle in order to endure the long fall season.

“This is a tough sport,” Coach Inserra said. “We had 144 off-season workouts before we even started four months of regular season football.”

It is important for the players to manage their school work on top of maintaining their best performances on the field. The team makes it a priority to have time either before or after each practice in order to get all homework assignments completed.

“Having a consistent and disciplined practice routine helps us stay consistent by being able to plan ahead for the school week,” Arvanitis said.

To keep the energy and enthusiasm in each practice, the team leans into this season’s catch phrase, “If You’re Juiceless You’re Useless!” This motto, created by Coach Inserra and the senior captains, helps hold everyone accountable.

“Every player, whether you are starting or not, contributes to the team’s energy and success,” junior Treyson Allen said. “The energy from the sidelines to the field is crucial for our team.”

The energy from the sidelines is crucial for the team. Not only the sidelines but from the stands too. Having students at every game, home or away, helps the team thrive under the lights.

“We play so much better with students there cheering us on,” Arvanitis said. “The energy at Wilson Field is unmatched and we would like to take that on the road with us wherever we go.”

With high energy, dedication, and teamwork, the team is hoping to make a long run in the state series this year.

“We want to go all the way, and the drive to win the state keeps us all motivated every day,” Cantal said. “We want to win it all.”

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CROSS COUNTRY | FLAG FOOTBALL | FOOTBALL | | BOYS’SOCCER | GIRLS’ SWIM & DIVE | GIRLS’TENNIS | GIRLS’VOLLEYBALL

Division I Hawks give insight into recruitment process

Katie Johnston & James Biagi Production Editor & Sports Editor

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defends the goal against Glenbrook North. Galfano won All-Conference in the 2024 season.

PHOTO BY KATIE JOHNSTON

the State runner-up in the 50 free with a time of 22.95 seconds in the 2024 season.

teammates. It was an early decision for him to commit to Indiana before his junior year season, but he plans to graduate early and start practices in the spring of 2027.

“I already feel like I am a part of the team,” Purcell said. “Everyone was really welcoming and [Indiana’s athletic and academic balance] all just seemed to work out perfectly.”

Galfano thinks that high school lacrosse players interested in playing college lacrosse should attend showcases and play on club teams.

“Playing at Maine South is fun, but colleges don’t really look at it,” Galfano said. “I get to play year-round, which is why club is the biggest part of the process.”

Though he still has his senior season, Galfano officially committed to Mercyhurst last January.

For Juiris, swimming has always been something she has done all year-round, and it’s been a huge part of her life, but she never thought she would commit to a Division I program for swim.

“I thought maybe I would dive but not swim in college,” Juiris said. “This is more than I could have ever dreamed of.”

NS GI

HIG

it was a great fit for him.

“It's a big school with a big social scene, and the coaches showed an interest in me,” Purcell said.

Similar to Purcell, Juiris knew that she had found her new home after visiting The Ohio State University.

“I really felt in touch with the other swimmers, and I could tell that the coach cared a lot about the program,” Juiris said. “I didn’t really care about any other school after that.”

After the visit, it took only a month for Juiris to solidify her decision.

“I was talking to a lot of other schools in the BIG 10, Princeton, and Yale, but I just loved Ohio State so much, and it just clicked,” Juiris said.

Galfano started talking with the head coach f rom Mercyhurst in October at a showcase.

“I was lucky enough to have him as one of my team coaches at a showcase,” Galfano said.

“We connected, and I planned a visit in December.”

In December, he toured the Mercyhurst facilities.

“The coach was close with the players and had a tight bond with everyone,” Galfano said. “It was like he was just another player.”

At Indiana, Purcell not only found a good balance between athletics and academics, but he also really connected with his future

SA MU EL

PROTECTING THE NEST Senior Elliot Galfano

JUST KEEP SWIMMING Senior Sarah Juiris swims against Maine West at Maine South on Sept. 19. Juiris was

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YE

B TO

PHO

PHOTO BY KATIE JOHNSTON

PH OT O

s college application season peaks, there is a select group of students who face a unique challenge: the recruitment process. Athletes who are continuing their sports in higher education go through the process of being scouted, interviewed, and assessed, often for several years.

A number of athletes at Maine South have engaged in this process. Some of these athletes at include senior Sarah Juiris, senior Elliot Galfano, and junior Jamo Purcell, all of whom are future Division I athletes in their respective sports.

For Sarah Juiris, a senior swimmer, the process started the summer going into her junior year.

“I started getting calls and texts from different coaches,” said Juiris, “In September, I visited The Ohio State University... I committed there that October.”

Senior Elliot Galfano, a lacrosse player, had a similar experience with the recruitment process. He started getting calls from some schools as early as June, going into his junior year.

“I started getting calls and texts from coaches at Mercyhurst [where Galfano committed] in September of my junior year,” said Galfano.

Junior quarterback Jamo Purcell had a very different start to his recruitment process.

“I started visiting schools as early as seventh grade,” Purcell said.

He visited several schools, including Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, and the University of Miami, always prioritizing academics over athletics.

“My family and I knew that academics came first when looking at different schools,” Purcell said.

Aside from academics, the atmosphere and the players were significant factors in considering a potential school.

“Watching practices and seeing how the players and coaches interact was a big thing,” Purcell said.

After visiting Indiana University, Purcell ASE knew that AD MM

HITTING TARGETS

Junior Jamo Purcell throws a pass in a game against Lincoln-Way East.

Purcell has 3,324 passing yards including 34 touchdowns.