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TRIGGER WARNINGS AT SCH

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E R A C H T I W E L D ILE PLEASE HAN

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Taking a look at the $100 million budget // page 18

Volume 50 - Issue 1 October 7, 2016

Athletics plans for transgender athletes // page 30

Adlai E. Stevenson High School 1 Stevenson Drive Lincolnshire, IL 60069

MASTHEAD

2016-2017 STATESMAN STAFF STATESMAN POLICY Purpose Statesman is first and foremost a student-run publication with six annual issues distributed to sutdents, faculty, staff, and community members of Adlai E. Stevenson High School with a press run of 3,000. The primary goal is to serve as a public forum that delivers the news and provides content deemed to be newsworthy and timely to the Stevenson community. The Opinions expressed in Statesman do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, school board, faculty, student body or community members. Affiliation Statesman belongs to the Northern Illinois Scholastic Press Association, the Kettle Moraine Press Assiciation, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. Responding to Statesman Letters to the editor may be e-mailed to shsstatesman.business@gmail.com, placed in the mailbox of Dean Bradshaw or submitted to Room 2712. All letters must be signed. Letters must not contain personal attacks and may be edited. Advertising Businesses may advertise in Statesman. Ad content is subject to the discretion of the editorial board and will contain information that is appropriate. Contact Mailing Address: One Stevenson Drive, Lincolnshire, IL 60069 Phone: 847-415-4000, ext 4354 Website: www.statesmanshs.org Email: shsstatesman.business@gmail.com

Sami Sparber Editor-In-Chief

Aman Grover Cindy Yao

Managing Editors of Production

Nikol Safronova Annie Wu

Managing Editors of Design

Karaj Singh

Business Manager

Emma Ismail News Editor

Charlotte Ronson Opinions Editor

Bella Greenspan Features Editor

Maxwell Cohn Lawrence Kreymer Sports Editors

Dean Bradshaw Adviser

STAFF REPORTERS Elyse Baden Jamie Berman Yana Bushuyeva Victoria Kolotov Olivia Lamberti Adele Lee Michael Levitt Ashley Mandel Alisa Mufti Chloe Myers Aniket Nuthalapati Maya Perekh Yogin Patel Sivakami Ramakrishnan Kendall Roberts Grace Westphal

CONTENTS

04 | UCHICAGO TRIGGER WARNINGS

4 NEWS

he University of Chicago (UChicago) recently sent a letter to the incoming freshman class that reads “our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called “trigger warnings.” UChicago also made it clear within the letter that they “do not condone the creation of intellectual “safe spaces.” A trigger warning is a statement at the beginning of controversial material, whether it be a book, a video, a lecture or something else, that notifies the audience that the subject of the material is potentially distressing. With material that can be plausibly offensive towards the viewer, some college campuses have encouraged “safe spaces” where those who are triggered can have an environment free of discomfort. UChicago’s letter described how the school wants to encourage debate and discussion and prevent anyone from retreating from dissenting opinions. Though it stays true to the ideals of the

UCHICAGO URGES OPEN DISCUSSION Letter sent to incoming freshman causes trigger warning controversy MAX COHN & EMMA ISMAIL EMMA ISMAIL

ncac.org // Source

university, the letter led to both positive and negative reactions from students around the country. “When I first read the trigger warning letter, I didn’t think anything of it,” UChicago freshman and Stevenson alum Ally Silverman ’16 said. “UChicago has sent things about free expres-

sion before, so it didn’t seem unusual.” College counselor Sara English had the same initial lack of surprise with the letter, not shocked at all by the content and message UChicago sent out. Though the letter was direct in its phrasing, English does not believe it’s frankness will deter anyone from

applying. "I think this freedom is fundamentally what UChicago is," English said. "The school looks for applicants that want to have open and respectful discussions with others who have vastly different viewpoints." Silverman had been looking into the college for several years before applying, and she had always been aware of UChicago’s stance on freedom of expression. She specifically liked UChicago for the hope that she would be exposed to many different ideas. “Trigger warnings are another word for censorship,” Silverman said. “They would’ve affected my college experience in a negative way.” Though Silverman doesn’t know why UChicago specifically pushed for free speech on campus this year, she suspects that it has something to do with reversing the push for more political correctness. English also equates the need for trigger warnings to a desire to be politically correct. “It’s the conversation

NEWS 5 our country is having right now: Are we too politically correct, or not enough?” English said. Given that UChicago has moved towards the exclusion of trigger warnings, Stevenson has shifted in a direction different to that of UChicago’s. Trigger warnings have been notorious for alerting students before they learn about content that may come off as vulgar and offensive. This has led to a very conservative curriculum, english teacher William Fritz said. Although the curriculum eliminated some of his favorite novels like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Fritz does see the need for trigger warnings in a high school setting. “The thing we try not to do in a classroom is to isolate the students, so aren’t we isolating students when we bring up issues that they are not prepared to deal with?” Fritz said. “I do believe in trigger warnings for high school, but I think by the time you’re in college, you have to handle that

and don’t let the institution mold around that.” It is unlikely that Stevenson will ever see a push against trigger warnings as strong as UChicago, Sarah Bowen, director of student services, said. With students at a high school age, it is important that

dents feel supported.” According to Fritz, although trigger warnings are about promoting safety in the classroom, they also have the potential to promote an environment of exclusion. He is aware that students have certain triggers, but struggles to understand

I understand the philosophy of UChicago. It is important

that

students

are

ex-

posed to many different ideas. But in a high school setting, we have more of a responsibility to make sure our students feel supported.”

-Sarah Bowen faculty help the students feel comfortable. “I understand the philosophy of UChicago,” Bowen said. “It is important that students are exposed to many different ideas. But in a high school setting, we have more of a responsibility to make sure our stu-

how offering trigger warnings truly is inclusive and of everyone and protects the students from the crude material Stevenson has been trying to prevent from being within the curriculum. “There is a whole framework of making

sure everyone is included, but I find it really exclusive that, if you don’t discuss the topic perfectly, then you are being discriminatory,” Fritz said. “I think we need ways to include ourselves without telling people that they are arguing the argument wrong. At some point, there are so many trigger warnings thrown at each other, we can’t get viewpoints across.” Both Bowen and English aim to maintain a balance between protecting the students and fostering conversation, discussion and exposure to brand new ideas. On the other hand, Silverman feels like she was too sheltered at Stevenson and hopes to find dissenting opinions at college. “I feel like I was constantly surrounded by like-minded people at Stevenson,” Silverman said. “Though trigger warnings weren’t used in high school, I feel like there was the same effect because I never saw any other opinions than my own.”

6 NEWS

ILLINOIS NOT SAT-ISFIED WITH PARCC

The Board of Education mandates a standardized testing switch for high schools ANI NUTHALAPATI

ANNIE WU & ANI NUTHALAPATI

he Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) mandated that high schools in Illinois administer the SAT as the state-funded college readiness exam starting in 2016-2017. This switch comes after two years of using the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) in high schools and was prompted by backlash against PARCC. “I think [Stevenson] is ready to completely support Illinois’ work around the SAT,” said Gwen Zimmermann, assistant principal of teaching and learning. “PARCC was difficult from a logistical standpoint, since it was so long and had so many different parts.” This was a factor in ISBE’s decision, but it was not the only problem with PARCC. Some students felt that PARCC didn’t count for anything other than a test score, so it was difficult to know whether meaningful results were being collected, said Mark Onuscheck, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment. “[PARCC] wasn’t important, so I didn’t try too hard on it,” Siddharth Nair ’18 said. Nair, who has taken both PARCC

Collegeboard, PARCC // Source

and the new SAT, said that many students felt like PARCC was an inaccurate representation of what they would do junior year. The SAT is expected to be better for Illinois high schools as it better tests skills like critical thinking and problem solving. These are key takeaways from Common Core, Zimmermann said. Onuscheck also emphasized that those skills were more important than the knowledge required for tests. “The new SAT demonstrates alignment to standards and attention spent towards complexity, rigor and thinking skills,” Onuscheck said. The rewriting of the SAT puts it more in line with Common Core

and the latest educational trend of measuring growth over time. Hence, the SAT is expected by the ISBE to be more useful than PARCC in measuring student progress and gaps in learning. “Students aren’t expected to just be proficient at the content on the math and reading portions of the SAT, but also the skills of mathematics and reading,” Onuscheck said, citing a difference between the two tests. While ISBE pays for the SAT for all juniors, Stevenson is paying for all students to take the PSAT, an exam that will provide students with more feedback for the SAT. Stevenson also paid for a practice ACT for all juniors, and will pay for an actual ACT for all juniors in the spring.

NEWS 7 CLASS SIZES ON THE RISE

Stevenson sees a steady increase in enrollment since 2014 school year YOGIN PATEL

YOGIN PATEL

lthough Stevenson has always been a big school, the addition of the larger-than-average class of 2020 has set a trend for increased enrollment rates. In the last 20 years, there was a peak of 4,573 students in the 20052006 school year. Until the 2014-2015 school year, there was a decreasing number of students in the school. The number of students has increased since then. One of the reasons for this is the new homes available in the district. Stevenson, with its high ranking programs, entices families to move to the area. According to Terry Moons, secretary of the board of education, the Stevenson community becomes a nice place to settle down. “There’s a place for everyone at this school with a wide variety of choices,” Moons said.

Jim Conrey // SOURCE

SHS Population by Grade “People seek Stevenson out.” Moons believes because of the diversity of the student body, there are niches for everyone and people always feel welcomed. Many students share this sentiment. “I know a few people that are really nice, and I’m guessing most people at Stevenson are really nice too,” Sanya Verma ’18 said. This increase in students has led to changes in the school itself. The construction of the Quiet Learning Center (QLC) has decreased

the cramped spaces that would have been felt by the students if they only had the Information and Learning Center or East Learning Center. The changes that came with the addition of the QLC were felt last year, but the center of attention this year has shifted to the new Wood commons and food court. According to Moons, more lines and places to order food will decrease the burden for future students. Not only has the increased number of students affected the architecture of the school

itself, it has changed the nature of some classes. “We received more sections to our classes so that we could keep it to the smaller class size, which has been wonderful,” business teacher Jacqueline King said. As the class sizes increase, the problems associated with a growing student body do not increase as well. King points out that even though some classrooms may be too small, many can still accommodate more students in their classes. The only drawback being that they may not be able to get fast feedback from teachers. “It’s an unusual school,” Moons said. “But there’s a place for everyone in this school. You have to want to make a place for yourself too. You have to reach out and find like minded students, but they’re there. And we’re big enough for that.”

8 NEWS

STREETFEST RECAP

NHS redesigned school spirit event, doubles in attendance from previous year CHLOE MYERS

tevenson’s annual Spirit Fest changed from human foosball and attempts at breaking a world record into Streetfest with dancing and food trucks. Streetfest brought in around 2,000 people, which is twice the amount as last year. The event raised exactly $10,000, which means that each of the charities received $3,333.33. Brett Erdmann, community service coordinator, said that it was the new ideas for activities and having three charities that got people excited to fundraise, as well as the new activities that Streetfest had this year. One of the major changes this year was the decision to support three different charities instead of one. The charities this year were Bernie’s Book Bank, The Ryan Briere Foundation and Live4Lali. Each will receive a third of the profits made from Streetfest. Bernie’s Book Bank provides new and gently used books to atrisk children in the Chicagoland area. “All the support helps children in need get the books more quickly,” founder Brian Floriani said. The other charities were the Ryan Briere Foundation, which helps to promote children’s education and wellness, and Live4Lali, which works to prevent and raise

ANNIE WU

Brett Erdmann // Source

awareness of substance abuse. Those who were involved with each charity took up the microphone at Streetfest and gave speeches about their organization and the reason they exist today. “The founders of these three charities have suffered personal tragedies and have transformed their life experiences into powerful support for those in need,” Erdmann said, “these are truly extraordinary people.” One of the more prominent changes to the event this year was the addition of games and entertainment. Similar to previous years, Streetfest had a dunk tank, raffle, music and fireworks. However, there were also new activities

including food trucks, a beanbag toss game and a 50 foot stage for DJs and live performances. Some students really enjoyed the fresh take on a long-time Stevenson tradition, while others said they missed certain aspects of the traditional Spirit Fest atmosphere. “It was really fun, but I wish it had more games and more interactive stuff like last year,” Dhruva Shroff ’19 said. As the night came to a close, the bleachers lit up with glow sticks and fireworks shot up into the sky. Even as the food trucks packed up and left, many students lingered. “It was so much fun,” Shroff said. “I can’t wait for next year.”

NEWS 9 CREATIVITY FOR CHARACTER Students are invited to participate in a poster conteset promoting academic intergrity GRACE WESTPHAL

GRACE WESTPHAL

his fall, Stevenson is holding its first ever academic integrity poster contest. The winning poster will be displayed throughout the school, and the first place artist will win a $100 Amazon gift card. The three runners up will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. Students have until Dec. 2 to submit their posters promoting either honesty, trust, fairness, responsibility or courage to Doug Lillydahl, director of communication arts. They are asked to create an artistically appealing poster as well as a catch phrase. “The expectations are to start a dialogue in the building about what makes a good and honest person,” Lillydahl said. By including the monetary incentive, Lillydahl said that he hopes the contest will receive a decent amount of submissions and entice people to think about what integrity and honesty mean to them in their lives. Stevenson’s push for greater academic integrity underscores trends found in schools around the country. A recent survey conducted at Rutgers University of 24,000 students at 70 high schools found that 58 percent admitted to plagiarism and 64 percent admit-

David L. Jaffe, OEDb / / Source

ted to cheating on a test. In addition, 95 percent of the students surveyed admit they participated in some form of cheating in high school. According to the Stevenson code of conduct, cheating is considered anything from sharing homework answers to stealing answer keys. All first offenses of cheating are punishable by loss of privilege while second offenses could be cause for expulsion.

However, actions which students consider to be cheating can sometimes vary from those which the school outlines in its student guidebook. “There’s a difference between cheating on an SAT or ACT, and cheating on five point homework assignment,” Katy Sloka ’18 said. “It’s not as bad as cheating on something that impacts your future.” Lillydahl said that he intends for the posters to be put up in classrooms, hallways and on the school website so the message can reach the majority of the student body. With 98 percent of Stevenson seniors attending a two or four year college in 2016, the majority of students will move on to higher education and then enter the workforce where the punishment for cheating isn’t as clear. That said, the hope is that students will learn to value honesty and will demonstrate integrity in all their future endeavours. “If you aren’t going to be responsible for little things, you aren’t going to be responsible when the stakes are higher,” math teacher Paul Kim said. Posters can be submitted electronically, or delivered to room 2514 before Dec. 2 to be entered for a chance to win.

10 OPINIONS

SHS graduate Tam ika Catchings recently won an Olympic med al in women’s basketba ll. In even bigger news, women’s basketball is a thing!

Hundreds of seniors won’t be al lowed into SHS unle ss they g et their vacci nat time. Som ions on ething to keep in m ind if you don’t thin k you’re ready for th at bio test.

It has been several months since some random website we’ve never heard of has ranked Stevenson as one of the top high schools in the nation. This is a dark time indeed, my friends.

set a f 2016 Class o rd with co of school re ge ACT at a r e v a e an r g is is 26.9. Th were only ey th m news away fro ts in o p ! 9.1 h g u od eno being go

r own : it you to Subm pins ideas ail.com! s clothe espins@gm se oo th an ch shsclo you c r idea cted, u If sele r or not yo e wheth e posted b would ously! m anony

THE TIME FOR INDEPENDENCE

Editor reflects on new responsibilities and freedom that come with transition to junior year BELLA GREENSPAN he day before junior year began, I drove to Target to buy school supplies. That was the day I became, in my mind, a full fledged “adult.” I bought everything with my own money and did not forget my debit card at the register! I remember driving home and thinking, “Wow, it doesn’t get more independent than this.” Junior year comes as a shock because we simply aren’t used to this freedom in and out of school. Adults begin to trust us more and teach us to be independent because soon, we’ll be on our own. Now I can leave campus in my free time, I can drive to school, and the best part––I can leave class to hear someone talk about a college I’ll probably never get into. It doesn’t stop at school. Now

that we’re older we can do things like get Wendy’s at 9:30 on school nights (with some convincing). I began feeling like I was on a desert island––and enjoying it. I wasn’t relying on anybody and I could do everything myself. Or so I thought. Eventually though, even the most experienced islanders need a call for reinforcement. A week later, I went to the doctor’s office for a checkup. It felt more like my first day of daycare than a physical. They couldn’t possibly think I belonged in a group with the eight year olds. As soon as the doctor began talking, my smug look slowly vanished. I knew nothing about my shot records or past blood work and I had absolutely no idea how health insurance works. Had my

dad not been there, I would have just sat with my mouth open. It was then that I realized something: I’m not as independent as I think. I also need to learn about health insurance. Junior year isn’t just about trying to grow up as fast as we can, or trying to do everything on our own. It’s about finding the balance between being independent and still letting people help you out. Each year that we get older, we can take care of ourselves more and more. But just because we’re capable of straying away from adults, it doesn’t mean we should. Let’s appreciate our dependency on people now because soon, we’ll remember how nice it was to not pay for our own checkups.

OPINIONS 11 TRIGGER WARNINGS HURT, NOT HELP STATESMAN EDITORIAL

ASHLEY MANDEL

he University of Chicago (UChicago) recently sparked debate over the lack of “trigger warnings” the school will offer. In an effort to commit to academic freedom, the university will not provide such warnings or intellectual “safe spaces." These safe spaces allow studens to choose which ideas and perspectives they want or don't want to listen to. Statesman believes that trigger warnings should not be present in high school or university level environments, unless a student physically or mentally cannot bear to discuss a certain topic. If this is the case, the student must communicate with a professor to improve the situation. For example, if a class is learning about a controversial topic that a student is not comfortable with, it is the student’s responsibility to speak with the teacher. Statesman also thinks that the meaning of trig-

ger warnings and safe spaces has been greatly trivialized by the internet and common use. This could be a reason why UChicago does not condone the trigger warnngs. The school is fighting the new definition of being “triggered,” and they are only selecting students that are ready to educate themselves with different viewpoints. Statesman also believes that there is a difference between being offended and being mentally unable to handle a certain situation. Students who are simply

offended by a topic should not have the opportunity to leave just because the topic in discussion is not the same as their perspectives. Rather, the controversial topic should be a learning experience. According to an NPR Ed survey, professors said that only 3.4 percent of students had requested a trigger warning. School environments like a university, or even a high school like Stevenson, are great places for students to safely confront controversial or troublesome concepts.

Many of the books that are in the English curriculum have sensitive ideas and may be difficult for some people. However, the discussion and environment a classroom provides helps to shed light on the realities of such harsh topics. Not only do discussions allow students to feel more comfortable with difficult topics, but it also educates. This abolishment of trigger warnings is actually quite beneficial for the majority of students, starting right here in Stevenson. High school and college students are at a stage of their lives in which independence plays a huge role. Statesman still believes that there still should be respect towards those who have psychological ties toward certain controversial topics. Statesman believes that not having trigger warnings will better prepare students for the real world where they will not be given the option of turning away from a problem.

12 OPINIONS

EVOLUTION OF HOMECOMING

Over the years, Homecoming has undergone major changes while still holding onto beloved traditions CHARLOTTE RONSON

JENNA BREUER & YOGIN PATEL

BEFORE

eels clink against the hard wooden floor as laughter bounces off the walls. Cameras flash as students dance. The music blares while the sea of people grin ear to ear. ‘And the Homecoming king and queen is…’ Every year around mid-September, Stevenson holds a Homecoming dance. Student council organizes the event, and this year’s theme was ‘through the looking glass’ inspired by the movie “Alice in Wonderland”. Over the years, Homecoming has evolved greatly according to art teacher Katie Hyken ‘04. “It was more formal,” Hykens said. “[We] went to dinner before at a nice restaurant and wore long, formal dresses.” Today, girls wear shorter dresses and reserve the long formal dresses for Prom. Another noticeable

AFTER change is that Homecoming has become a lock-in event whereas in previous years it was not. As for how students are asked to the dance, in the past it was more of an informal “will you go to the dance with me?” but has since turned into elaborate proposals with cookie cakes and posters with creative puns. “I always think it’s so funny that [the students] know who they’re going with and what they’re wearing but they haven’t been asked yet,” Breuer said. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is the social atmosphere in which Homecoming encompasses. Friends getting together and having a good time is all that Homecoming is about. “There used to be a lot more pressure to have a date since people didn’t go to the dance in groups,”

Breuer said. While the type of music played at dances has changed greatly, the energy and spirit has remained constant. Homecoming originally only had one band and it played a majority of slow songs. The school now hires a DJ company that works for high schools, but their goal is to create a club style atmosphere at high school dances, Dave Eddy student activities coordinator, said. “Homecoming went from a wedding reception to a club atmosphere” Eddy said. The goal is to create a hyped up vibe that gets kids dancing. Homecoming is still a popular event with students as it allows them to come together to socialize and have fun. “Homecoming is an experience,” Eddy said. “I know I couldn’t go elsewhere and get this same large, spectacular production.”

OPINIONS 13 FUTURE PREDICTIONS: SHS IN 20 YEARS

Stevenson students, alumni, new faculty forecast how they think school will evolve JAMIE BERMAN

JAMIE BERMAN & ANNIE WU

FEATURES 15

16 FEATURES

$TEVENSON FINANCE$ The cost of renovations // page 17

The $100 million budget // page 18

FEATURES 17 COMMON NO MORE

Wood Commons renovations provide effective delivery lines and more space so students can get healthier food faster KENDALL ROBERTS

uring the 2015 school year, students packed the Wood Commons cafeteria, struggling to get into line to pay for their food. With trays filled with french fries and burgers,students lacked the nutrition or energy they needed to continue the rest of the school day. However, in the 2016 school year, the new renovations of the West Commons hope to remedy these previous issues. Changes including the removal of vending machines, implementation of healthier food options and more open space are attempts to promote a cleaner diet and and effective serving lines to students. “It’s healthier and cheaper, so more kids are in lines,” Eliza Sullivan ’17 said. According to Sean Carney, assistant superintendent of business

JENNIFER DIBELLA & KENDALL ROBERTS services, Stevenson spends about five percent of its budget on general renovations each year. To determine what gets renovated, the school board and Carney identify areas of concern in order to improve upon student learning and success. The overall process takes about 18 months, including planning and construction. “The Wood Commons cafeteria line was the original cafeteria designed in 1970 so it needed to be physically updated,” said Rick Dewar, the architect and project principle behind the new Stevenson renovations at Wight and Ço. The planning of the cafeteria began in February 2015 and construction followed in the summer of 2016. The initial budget projected for the overall school building renovations ranged from half-amillion to a million dollars. The

final cost was just over half-a-million dollars—under budget. Dewar hopes the investment in this project will improve the delivery system of food so students can get healthier options faster. “It will encourage eating on campus and give students time to focus on activities,” Dewar said. The new updates provide more space for students, which is necessary for Stevenson’s growing population. Although it’s too early to say how the investments will impact students in the long-term, the cafeteria is receiving various responses from the Stevenson community. “I think it will be worth it in the future when the classes get bigger but for now we will have to wait and see,” Sullivan said. “It brings a sense of pride because we have all these nice things and we are all grateful for that.”

18 FEATURES

THE $100 MILLION BUDGET

A look into the financial plan for the upcoming year ELLIE BADEN & MAYA PAREKH

BELLA GREENSPAN

nnika Rehberger ’19 walks through the Wood Commons, taking in her surroundings: shiny new tile, fresh wooden decorations, water with lemon—the perfect vision of a school. But when Rehberger walks into a nearby bathroom, she has crossed into another world. The tile is peeling, one of the faucets is missing a crucial piece and an unpleasant odor fills the room. At the same moment, Sean Carney, assistant superintendent of business, sits at his desk with a stack of papers. The papers contain comparisons between the costs of a new cafeteria versus new computers for the Link Lab. With a $100 million budget and a school of 4500 students, there are many decisions to be made. As he contemplates his options, Carney thinks to himself, how is this going to provide success for every student?

What does success entail?

“Success for every student means providing the opportunity and environment for every student to succeed, given the tools available today,” David Weisberg, school board member, said. With the school’s mission statement promising success, decisions must be made regarding how to give each student the best learning experience possible. A big part of that is deciding where and how to allocate funds. However, some students are left questioning how the school spends its money. “The administration needs to prioritize the things they spend money on,” Angelica Lopez ’18 said. “We didn’t need a new cafeteria, but the roof leaks. Why couldn’t we fix that?” Although the students and administration may disagree about how the budget is spent, the administration has a method to decide what is deemed necessary.

Carney used the example of the proposed replacement of the band shell in the Performing Arts Center. He said this will help the band, choir, orchestra and actors by improving sound quality and it will show these students that the school supports them. In addition, the new band shell will make the school more attractive to potential renters, which gives the school a positive image and generates more revenue. “That’s a pretty large scope of individuals that this is going to affect,” Carney said. Carney also said that it is not just the number of people that a decision will affect that makes up his mind. He believes another important factor is whether it is a beneficial decision for a particular group of students, regardless of the size of the group. As for the tools available today, Weisberg cites studies that prove how new technology can help a student learn more productively. This includes the new types of tables being put in classrooms, which allows students to better cooperate with each other, as well as making it easier for teachers to check in on students’ progress. “My hope is that we prepare the students for what is next to come,” Weisberg said.

Sean Carney // Source

FEATURES 19

Where Our Money Comes From

Sean Carney // Source

Creating the budget

Creating a balanced budget and getting it approved is a process that takes several months. Budget planning for the next year begins in October. Next comes the first reading in May, and the final vote to approve it is in July or August. The school board meetings for the budget are designed to give a forum for the community to voice their opinions about the budget before the final vote.

How does this affect students?

Increasing property taxes, much of which goes to the school, has been upsetting to many residents of the district. It is one of the issues that contributed to the state budget standstill, during which Stevenson’s state funding was unreliable. However, the school is prepared for a lack of state funds. According to Weisberg, there are reserves of money that the school would tap into in case of this type of situation. These reserves come from extra money the school takes in, in addition to any unused money at the end of the year. Despite the large amount of money the school takes in, some students, including Rehberger, have a problem with the way money is allocated. “I’d rather have the money put toward better bathrooms than coffee shops,” Rehberger said. Rachel Aranyi ’18 agrees. Despite being a varsity athlete for multiple Stevenson sports, she believes that the budget places too much of an emphasis on sports. “The money allocated to athletics could be repur-

posed to provide new educational experiences both inside and outside of the classroom,” Aranyi said. Emily Krolak ’18 would like to give students more opportunities to make personal connections to what they learn in class by taking field trips or listening to different speakers. In addition to the school board meetings, students and parents can call the board with concerns, although Weisberg said that he does not receive many budget concerns from parents, and when he does, they are small matters specific to particular students.

Looking to the Future

The budget for the 2016-2017 school year was approved as of August. However, this does not mean that the school stops thinking about improvements. Weisberg continues to attend board meetings and helps work out issues from parents concerned about resource allocation. Carney continues to examine what Stevenson is missing and will amend the budget if necessary. In January, he will begin to work on the 2017-2018 budget. So far, there are plans to renovate the Wrestling and Weight Room in the West Building as well as update the East Building’s cafeteria. Carney also mentioned that room 7080, the East Social Studies and World Languages office, will be remodeled to “provide more collaboration between students and teachers and amongst teachers.” Whether all students find these changes valuable is yet to be determined.

20 FEATURES HOBBIES CREATE MASTERPIECES

Math teacher Bob Pinta has no problem filling his free time with his many projects ASHLEY MANDEL

ASHLEY MANDEL

ath teacher Bob Pinta takes a bowl gouge, slowly shedding away at the spinning maple wood to reveal a purpleheart and bloodwood interior. Hours later, the finished product is a medieval goblet freshly coated in polyurethane. As a student, Pinta remembers being assigned to make a model bridge. “Nobody would see me for two weeks because I’d be in the basement building and breaking, rebuilding and breaking, doing experiments,” Pinta said. This love of creating is reflected in his adult hobbies which include painting miniature Dungeon and Dragons figures, building electronics, computer programming and woodworking. “I’m a builder, I make stuff,” Pinta said. At one point, David Eddy, physics teacher and head of student activities, approached Pinta on a Thursday requesting that he build a t-shirt cannon. By Monday, it was ready to fire into the crowd. “I love when people set up rules, and I am able to live in those rules,” Pinta said. Pinta’s creations can be found all over the school, as he is the proud

Math teacher Bob Pinta surrounded by his wooden creations. Pinta gives woodworking tutorials on his youtube channel, Bob Pinta.

creator of math teacher David Irsay’s wooden popsicle stick holder, the physic department’s trampolines and science teacher Bryan Wills’s dice bowl made out of dice Pinta doesn’t just construct practical items. “My friend’s kids wanted to create a sword, the one that Frodo uses,” Pinta said. Pinta made the sword from wood, sanded down and then covered in aluminum tape and buffed to give a metallic effect. Pinta believes you don’t need the best quality materials all

it takes is a little direction from YouTube and perseverance. “Whenever I get an idea, I usually have the means of making that happen,” Pinta said. His latest challenge entails constructing a Harry Potter wand containing holly wood from Harry’s wand, yew wood from Dumbledores and even eldor wood from Voldemort’s wand. “I am a self proclaimed geek, a lot of my hobbies tend to gravitate towards Star Trek, Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter,” Pinta said.

FEATURES 21 CLUB SPOTLIGHT

New superhero club offers relaxing space to watch movies, debates and discussions included ALISA MUFTI

ANNIE WU

he students rush into the room. The lights dim and a film starts playing. Superhero club has begun. Superhero club is one of Stevenson’s 138 co-curricular opportunities. Only in its second year Superhero club brings in a core group of 15-20 people. “One of our students came to me with the idea that they wanted to establish this club because so many people were interested in superheroes,” club sponsor, Diana Praljak said. Manikandan Swaminathan ’17 started working on this club the first semester of the 2015-2016 school year. It went into action the following semester. “A lot of the clubs that are popular at Stevenson are academically geared or extremely competitive,” Swaminathan said, “While I appreciate some aspects of that I wanted a club where people could relax more and express their interests.” About half of Stevenson High school’s clubs are academically based, such as Future Doctors of America, Future Business Leaders of America, Scholastic Bowl and Chemistry Olympiad. “I have to admit at first superheroes were not a peak interest of mine,” founding member, Revanth Bellam ‘17 said, “But since I’m in

so many competitive clubs I wanted this to be a place where I can sit back, relax, eat a bag of chips and relieve some stress from school.” While Bellam and Swaminathan are some of the founding members, suggestions for the films they watch are open to the group. After they watch a film a weekly discussion follows. “At the beginning of last year we were watching the Dark Knight and at the end of this movie someone had a question, which lead to a 15 to 20 minute debate,” Swaminathan said, “That really exemplifies superhero club.”

Debating, analyzing, and discussing superhero movies are all activities they partake in once a week. Superhero club, which has no membership limit, is open to all. It meets Wednesdays after school in room 1414. “The people who are going to superhero club are the people who love superheroes, not because it’s going to look good on their resumes,” said Swaminathan, “These people are just living their lives and fulfilling their interests.”

Our first issues were print-only and exclusively in the traditional newspaper format. Now serving over 4,000 students, Statesman is available both online and in a new newsmagazine format. Between our 2004 Pacemaker Award and second place finish at the 2016 IHSA State Finals, Statesman continues to uphold the legacy that our predecessors left for us.

In 2015, we celebrated Stevensonâ€™s 50th Anniversary. Two years after its doors opened, in 1967, the student-run newspaper was born. Now, in our 50th year of publication, Statesman is taking a look back at front pages from our past. This ongoing feature will allow us to remember our roots while also reflecting on how we have progressed since.

years of Statesman

Celebrating

24 FEATURES

ALLIED BOWLING THE PROCESS 2

Peer helpers aid special ed students during bowling practice and competitions.

Transportation is provided from school to Brunswick Zone in Vernon Hills on Tuesdays for practice.

4 Players can compete on Wednesdays.

TESTIMONIES ....................... “Allied Bowling is a positive experience to help students socialize, and have fun with their peer mentors and participants from other schools.” Megan Sugrue, Co-coach

.......................

Goals of the program include learning how to solve problems, make decisions, build relationships, and become more self-confident

“It’s fun and energetic. It helps me make new friends.” Rachel Ang ’19

SPORTS 25

A GLIMPSE HOMECOMING GAME 2016

SPORTS 27

Football defensive coordinator Joshua Hjorth and special teams coordinator Brent Becker, sat down with Lawrence Kreymer to discuss their responsibilities, roles and relationships with the players and Coach McNamara.

A: Each week I will organize the depth chart for the players and coaches. I will tell the coaches what their responsibilities are this week. Also, I will be the one to give the players their positions for that week.

A: My defensive coaches, Brian Burja, Tom Kelly, Jason Ford, and Tom Baumann, and I design all of the fronts, blitzes and coverages and each week we work to install the game plan to prepare for the upcoming game and I would call all the defensive plays.

A: Each year the players write goals that they have for the upcoming season. We spend a majority of our time during the offseason playing fun games that help us get to know the players better. A: Coach McNamara and I spend a lot of time talking about the different things we can work on to improve the team. We work very well together and we both want the best for the players

Can you

NIKOL SAFRONOVA

LAWRENCE KREYMER

talk abou t your res ponsibili ties as a c

How do you

What typ e of

build go od

oordinat or?

relations hips with your play ers?

relations hip do y ou

have wit h the coa ches?

A: A lot happens in the offseason where we really get to know the players. We spend a lot of time in the weight room, making sure that our players know that the coaches want them to succeed. A: All of our coaches work well together to give our best to the team to the players. We communicate our game plans for the week to each other and that has helped us get to know each other better over the years.

SPORTS 29 PATRIETTES’ LAST DANCE AT NATIONALS Team not attending due to timing, qualifying and financial concerns ADELE LEE

ABIGAIL ASHER

lthough the varsity Patriettes had a noteworthy 2015-2016 season, placing sixth at the National Dance Alliance’s (NDA) high school championships, the team will not be returning to the competition this March. According to co-captains Analese DeMaio ’17 and Abigail Asher ’17, their overall experience at last year’s NDA competition in Orlando, Florida was a positive one. “I think it was a great experience [from] how much we grew as dancers and how much we learned from watching the other teams,” DeMaio said. “It was a bonding experience that you couldn’t just get from going to a competition around here.” According to athletic director Trish Betthauser, there are benefits to attending higher-end competitions, but the NDA high school championships occur far too late

The Patriettes at the 2016 NDA competition in Orlando. They placed in the large jazz division.

in the season to allow for growth. Once the Patriettes receive their scores and rankings, there are no more practices and competitions to accommodate improvement. Additionally, Betthauser said that this specific NDA competition is not reflective of the Patriettes’ competitive season due to its specific qualifying requirements and audition process. “Since we got second at state, we still did very well even though that

didn’t correlate to nationals,” Asher said. “We still worked our hardest and put in the full amount of work that would allow us to go.” According to head coach Kristin Piekarski, the national competition provided the Patriettes with many opportunities to grow. The Patriettes have restructured their routines for the 20162017 season, as one of the only teams in Illinois to choreograph their own competitive routines.

“We are thankful that we had the opportunity to meet and compete with teams from around the U.S. who inspired us to be better dancers and exceptional teammates,” Piekarski said. Despite the Patriettes’ accomplishments, the costs associated with attending nationals were too high. For last year’s trip, the Patriettes fundraised by selling pizzas, hosting an online auction and having car washes. All in all, the cancellation of this season’s nationals trip will not set the Patriettes back, DeMaio said. They have revised their goals to focus more on the Illinois High School Association competitive season and succeed at the state competition. The Patriettes will be attending an invitational at Fremd high school on November 19 to kick off their 2016-2017 competitive season.

30 SPORTS

ANTICIPATING TRANSGENDER ATHLETES Changes in gym locker rooms, tryout eligibility policy prepare for diverse student needs OLIVIA LAMBERTI

hen Cassidy Nordstrom ’12 came out as transgender halfway through her junior year, changing for gym class became a lot more difficult. “I came to the issue of obviously, I don’t want to use the men’s room, and the women’s room was just as uncomfortable for me,” Nordstrom said. “I had to walk halfway across the entire school to go to the nurse’s office.” Whether playing gym class dodgeball or competing in the Olympics, athletes are increasingly identifying with a gender other than the one assigned to them at birth. Nordstrom is one of many of these student athletes, and Stevenson has begun to acknowledge the unique challenges they face. Last summer, private changing stalls were added to the men’s and women’s locker rooms. “It’s addressing a need

OLIVIA LAMBERTI for any student who’s looking for an area to change clothing or to shower with a little more privacy than what would be in the general space,” director of athletics Trish Betthauser said. However, changing areas aren’t the only places that can prove problematic for students. When speculating on which aspect of being a transgender student athlete would be the hardest, Nordstrom thought it would be deciding which team to try out for. “I would never have known whether to join a men’s team or a women’s team,” Nordstrom said. “And I don’t think they had accommodations for that kind of thing.” Currently, Stevenson coaches and athletic staff do not have the authority to determine whether a student participates as male or female. Eligibility to compete against other schools is at the discretion

Pew Research Center and Matt Troha // Source

of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Approximately ten requests from students to compete in accordance with their gender identity have been received by the IHSA thus far, and all have been approved. The IHSA is working to refine its policy in anticipation of increased numbers of students making use of it. “We’re having some discussions with leaders from Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago,” Matt Troha, IHSA Assistant Executive Director, said. “They’re making recommendations

on things we could tweak or change.” As IHSA policy continues to evolve, so does Stevenson’s. Dialogue within the athletic department is taking place to prepare for the first openly transgender Patriot. “We’re definitely having conversations about it,” Betthauser said. “But our student athletes are our student athletes. We would provide opportunities as best we can for any student athlete.”

SPORTS 31 ALUM SIGNS WITH DIAMONDBACKS

Adam Walton ’12 accomplishes dream, aspires to play major league baseball MICHAEL LEVITT

MICHAEL LEVITT

Adam Walton ’12

former Stevenson Patriot achieved his dream recently, as alum Adam Walton ’12 signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and is playing with one of their minor league teams. Walton, a natural shortstop, has been playing both second base and shortstop regularly, with a bit of third base as well. Offensively, Walton has 10 stolen bases and 32 hits in 43 games, as well as 13 walks. His coaches always knew he had the skills to succeed. “[The coaches] had a dream together that he would play professionally, but we knew it would take a lot of hard work,” said Patrick Block, baseball head coach. “But a dream is different than thinking it would actually happen.” Jorie Walton, his sister, said Walton started thinking about professional baseball when he was in junior high. He realized he might have a real shot at his dream with hard work. Block remembers a sophomore Walton asking him to meet at Starbuck’s to discuss his future and what he wanted to do with his life.

Jorie Walton // Photo baseball-reference.com // Source

Jorie knows now what Walton wants to do. “Adam plans to continue working in the sports world after he is done playing, and has a degree in sports marketing and management,” Jorie said. Even though Block still talks with Walton regularly, he has advice to give. “Your dream is not over,” Block said. “It was not luck that got you this far, but perseverance and leadership.” After graduating, Walton went to the University of Illinois. Walton’s head coach there, Dan Hartleb, said that what he remembers most was his athleticism at shortstop. “He had a level of consistency, and it was nice to have him roaming around,” Hartleb said. After his junior year, Walton was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles but went back to school to finish his degree. A college degree was important to him, and Walton wanted something to fall back on when he was done playing. “[Adam] chasing this dream makes me the proudest sister in the world,” Jorie said.

One Last Look Rachel

Q: How many hours a day do you practice? A: About four hours a day. An hour and a half starting at 6:20am and going until 7:50 am, and after school from 3:45pm to 6:30pm. We get a break on Sunday. Q:How has swimming affected your life? A: It’s definitely affected my lifestyle as a whole, we have to sacrifice a lot. Waking up early and really conditioning taught me how to work hard. Swimming taught me to not give up. The stress of having to go to swim practice every day, while thinking about college even after doing poorly on a race - it takes a lot of dedication.

Status: Senior Age: 17 Height: 5’5 Weight: 125 lbs Personal Records: 50 yard Freestyle: 24.75 100 yard Freestyle: 53.79 100 yard Backstroke:58.91 Song 100 yard Butterfly: 56.64

Q: What is it like balancing your school commitment to sport with your education? A: It’s manageable, but it’s hard. When you get home, there’s no time to lay around and watch TV and then do nothing. I pretty much eat, do homework, then go to sleep, wake up at five...I stay focused, and the majority of the swim girls know that free time has to be sacrificed to get what we need done.

s s s s

Q: How does your family feel about your commitment to your sport? A: I have two brothers, they swim also. Swimming is the number one topic in my family. What we usually talk about at the dinner table is swimming, and we have swimming photos all around the house. We started swimming because our mom didn’t want us to drown.