Issuu

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COVER LOADING ON NET NEUTRALITY Page 4 // Coverage

Volume 51 - Issue 3 February, 2018

Page 16 // Staff Editorial

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

MASTHEAD

2017-2018 STATESMAN STAFF STATESMAN POLICY Bella Greenspan Editor-In-Chief

Karaj Singh Max Cohn Managing Editors of Production Yogin Patel Chloe Myers Managing Editors of Design Olivia Lamberti News Editor Kendall Roberts Opinions Editor Ellie Baden Features Editor Lawrence Kreymer Sports Editor Grace Westphal Copy Editor Adele Lee Michael Levitt Web Editors Sivakami Ramakrishnan Ashley Mandel Graphics Team Aniket Nuthalapati Business Manager Alisa Mufti Social Media Manager Vicky Kolotov Staff Photographer Dean Bradshaw Advisor

STAFF REPORTERS

Rebecca Azevedo Ben Bowler Yana Bushuyeva Cheryl Chen Braeden Forman Ariana Gassel Anjini Grover Dylan Hu Ryan Johnson Christie Lee Raj Mullick Maya Parekh Trisha Patel Adam Rosen Brare Thompson

Purpose

Statesman is first and foremost a student-run publication with six annual issues distributed to students, faculty, staff and community members of Adlai E. Stevenson High School with a press run of 2,800. 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 Association, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

Responding to Statesman

Letters to the editor may be emailed 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 Wedbsite: www.statesmanshs.org Email: shsstatesman.business@gmail.com

PLACEMENT EXAMS CHANGES 07 STUCO ACTIVITIES 09 NEWS BRIEFS 10

PHOTOJOURNALISM 11 IPAD PROTECTION 12

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STEVENSON TRENDS 14 PRO/CON: FINE ARTS 15 EDITORIAL: NET NEUTRALITY 16

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COLUMN: 17 SEXUAL HARRASSMENT OP-ED: POLITICAL CORRECTNESS 19 SCHOOL PUNISHMENTS 20

BEHIND THE SCENES: 23 MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS COURSE SELECTION 24 PROCESS ALUMNI TEACHERS 25

FEATURES

STUDENT JOBS 22

OPINIONS

REVIEW OF 2017 13

CONTENTS

ODYSSEY 06

NEWS

NET NEUTRALITY 04

WOMEN IN STEM 28

TEAM WORKOUTS 31 SPORTS TEAM MANAGERS 32 WEIGHT ROOM STIGMA 33 WRESTLING: 36 WEIGHT MANAGEMENT ICE SKATER PROFILE 38 CHANGES TO SSC 39 SPORTS PHOTOJOURNALISM 40

SPORTS

TABLE TENNIS 30 PLAYER PROFILE

4 NEWS

NEUTRAL NO LONGER

rom PowerSchool Learning to Infinite Campus to Facebook, Stevenson students are connected to the internet throughout the school day. As educational technology develops, the issue of net neutrality becomes more relevant for all students. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) repealed the 2015 revisions of Title II in The Communications Act of 1934, also known as the Open Internet Order, on Dec. 14, 2017, ending Obama-era net neutrality laws. The highly controversial repeal was passed on a vote of three to two by the FCC. “[The net neutrality issue] has attracted certain interest groups, lobbyists, corporations and consumers because the internet today has taken

on such a central part of day-to-day living,” Daniel Larsen, AP Government teacher, said. “We’ll just have to wait and see how the change actually affects us.” In 2015, the FCC voted to enact net neutrality laws, which were founded on the principle that internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all data on the internet fairly. In theory, this would prevent the intentional discrepancy of access cost or network speed between websites. ISPs are companies or organizations that distribute internet access, such as Comcast, Verizon and AT&T in the United States. Under the 2015 guidelines, they were labeled as “common carriers,” or public utilities. The debate about net neutrality focuses on how

Columbia professor Tim Wu coined the term “net neutrality”

Information compiled from National Center for Education Statistics & Statista

Repeal passes amid public backlash; students, schools using educational technology affected

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much control these ISPs should have over the data that passes through its systems. “Unfortunately, net neutrality is a very emotional issue and has been politicized extensively,” Jeremy Yu ᾿18 said. “The popularized ideal of a completely ‘neutral’ internet is optimistic but unreasonable, which not everyone recognizes.” Yu’s remarks refer to the public outrage that preceded the recent FCC

repeal. Concerns about the internet’s accessibility sparked protests against the FCC and members of Congress across the nation for months. As for Stevenson, internet usage has become more integrated into the classroom, making the issue of net neutrality very relevant. In an NPR article written last month, Richard Culatta, the CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education,

Internet service provider Comcast was found interfering with BitTorrent

2007

2003

2006

Senate first considered a net neutrality bill, which didn’t pass

2010

The FCC issued the Open Internet Order of 2010, beginning internet regulation

NEWS 5

Students browse websites such as Facebook, PowerSchool Learning and Infinite Campus. Net neutrality may have a profound effect on educational technology, potentially making it more difficult to access the internet in schools.

spoke about the effects of the net neutrality repeal on schools. “We all should be worried about this because the types of materials that students and teachers are looking for don’t help the bottom line of Internet providers.” Culatta said. Despite these concerns, according to Douglas Kahler, Stevenson’s director of information services, students shouldn’t be worried about the internet accessibility changing at Stevenson. “While the repeal is

probably more of a harm than a benefit for Stevenson, there shouldn’t be any noticeable difference in network access besides potentially higher costs,” Kahler said. However, proponents of the repeal have promised more free market competition between companies to lower costs and increase availability across the nation. The complexity of the economy, particularly relating to the technology sector and the internet, makes it difficult to accurately pre-

Verizon appeals the Open Internet Order of 2010 to the DC Circuit

dict the consequences of the FCC’s decision. Still, many students have stayed up to date with the news surrounding net neutrality. “Fundamentally, net neutrality is a wrong solution to the problem of a lack of competition,” Yu said. “Making people pay different amounts is particularly beneficial for low income consumers since ISPs can lower prices below the status quo.” However, Sunny Gandhi ᾿20 disagrees with Yu. Gandhi is in favor of FCC, under chairman Ajit Pai, repeals the Title II regulations

2011

2017

2015

FCC passes the Title II revisions to the net neutrality rules

keeping net neutrality and advocates for a more regulated internet to prevent any abuses of power. “When net neutrality is described, we often think about it as simply black and white,” Gandhi said. “To improve our current situation, we need limits and guidelines for an intermediate position between net neutrality and the repeal with some control in both companies and the government.” Congress is currently considering a Democrat-backed bill to overturn the FCC’s repeal and reinstate the previous net neutrality laws. Ultimately, as the internet develops further, the issue of net neutrality will continue to be debated from both technological and political perspectives. “Students should keep their eye on net neutrality,” Larsen said. “In the end, the only real check on government abuses and irregularities is us.” BY DYLAN HU

6 NEWS

ODYSSEY SWITCHES THINGS UP

ome students excitedly await the Odyssey Fine Arts Festival, while others feel as though it’s an ineffective use of their time. Regardless, all students received an email inviting them to register for the newly restructured Odyssey program, which will be held during school on Feb. 6 and 7. This was done in an effort to increase the chances of placing students in classes they will enjoy. The new Odyssey system separates classes into two types: performance/ presentational and participation. Within each type are different buckets, such as theatre or painting, each containing classes relating to the genre. Students could select four performance and eight participation buckets. In past years, many students reported not getting a single class they requested or being confined in the same types of classes all day, according to Fine Arts Director Jonathan Grice. “When students pick

Photographed by Ralph Durham

New system attempts placing students in more preferable classes, prompts mixed reactions

A student paints a figure in the Miniature Figure Painting Odyssey Class. This class, along with many similar courses, are offered in the Sculpture + Architecture bucket this year.

eight participation buckets, there’s a higher chance that instead of only getting one class, they’ll get three or four [they’re interested in]” Grice said. “It’s potentially not going to be the exact one they want, but it’ll be within that genre of classes.” Before, when students requested a class, they were competing for about twenty-five seats. Now, a bucket can potentially contain nearly 800 seats. Michael De’Angelo ’19 believes that the new system will help participants achieve the full Odyssey experience. “It allows students to choose a topic that they’re interested in, but it also

allows them to be exposed to similar things that they may not have chosen,” De’Angelo said. The bucket system also lets the Odyssey Committee know what types of classes students are interested in. This information will be used for future Odyssey planning. “The entire student body has twelve votes for the things they want,” Grice said. “Those votes matter. They tell us where gaps are in our programs.” However, not all students find the changes convenient. Some experienced issues with the buckets being too general for their interests. “I think there’s too

much variation within buckets, so you could end up in a class you really wanted or one you hate, but there’s no way to distinguish which is which because the sheet didn’t ask for preferences,” Tanvee Patankar ’18 said. While she understands that the goal is to experience a variety of fine arts, Patankar wishes she could sign up for several dance classes. She previously signed up for advanced level classes because she had past experience. “I know my strengths and weaknesses,” Patankar said. “I would much prefer to use the time to gain more knowledge and breadth at what I’m good at or interested in.” Grice understands the sacrifices with the new system, but he also believes it ultimately serves students’ best interest and embraces Odyssey’s slogan, “Discover the Arts”. “Go into Odyssey with an open mind of hoping to learn from experienced artists,” Grice said. “Just have fun and let loose.” BY MAYA PAREKH

NEWS 7

BANNING BENCHMARKS

Stevenson administration develops new placement process, improves previous years’ procedure The Stevenson Placement Process

undreds of incoming freshman are preparing for their first year of highschool. From attending freshman nights to course selection to the cocurricular fair, the next few months will be a whirlwind of activity for next year’s class of 2022. However, this year, one major part of eighth grade is notably missing—the benchmark exams. After spending years trying to find the best way to ensure all Stevenson students are able to take appropriate classes, school officials have decided to cease the administration of all placement exams to incoming freshmen attending sender schools. “We started asking why we were depending on a single day to test our students.” Doug Lillydahl, Director of English, said. “As we began to actually examine why we were placing students, we decided to make sure every student has an option.” Placement for incoming freshmen will be decided based on inclass performance, Measures of Academic Performance (MAP) scores

and teacher recommendations. The only exceptions to this rule are transfer students and students who wish to take a World Language. “This year we are moving away from the separate benchmark exams for students from our sender schools, primarily to reduce the added stress of another exam.” Dr. Steven Wood, Director of Science, said. “We are looking more holistically at students’ performance in their current 8th grade classes and assessment results, including MAP results. These MAP data are particularly helpful for students who did not attend our sender schools.” MAP testing is administered at sender schools twice a year allowing Stevenson faculty to analyze the data and look at student growth. For some students, however, this switch may have meant that they would be placed incorrectly. “I would probably not be in advanced English right now, because I don’t do that well in standardized testing,” Alexis Novinski ’20 said. “I did better at the benchmarks than at standardized testing because you can’t really study for MAP.”

However, Stevenson faculty stresses that MAP testing will not be as heavily weighted as the former benchmark exams. Department heads will consider other factors as well when making a decision for an individual. “It’s not just about testing scores.” Lillydahl said. “We will send an initial placement to the sender schools, and then I go meet with all the eighth grade teachers about every single student.” Unlike the previous rigidity of placement, the class levels decided by the faculty are more of a recommendation. Roughly 90 percent of students will ultimately be given the choice as to where they will end up their freshman year. The Stevenson faculty believe that students know themselves well enough to accurately place themselves academically. They also hope to work closely with eighth grade teachers to receive more input on student’s abilities. “There’s no magic formula for placing students, so we want to give them that choice,” Lillydahl said. BY TRISHA PATEL

NEWS 9

GO FIGURE

Student Council introduces new creative programs during lunch periods, gives back to students

alf a pumpkin pie rests in front of six students. As the announcer yells “Begin!”, they quickly begin to devour the dessert. Some lunge for the trash can, others persevere. This is not a scene from your local county fair— this is Stevenson during lunch time. “We have made a big push to do new things, things that the student body has not necessarily seen before,” club co-sponsor Molly Sponseller said. “We just want the student body to go, ‘oh this is new and different, let’s try it out.’” Extra funds from Homecoming allowed Student Council to host this pie eating contest in the fall, along with cookie decorating in the winter and stress ball making during finals.

A crowd gathers while students skate on synthetic ice during fouth period. Student council provided the rink in order to boost school spirit and reduce stress.

Extra profit from Homecoming

Student Council’s new initiative ideas

“We had so much profit, that we were able to give extra money back to the student body,” president Lauren Appell ’18 said. These extra funds have allowed Student Council to hold their biggest lunchtime event to date: faux ice skating in the wood commons. Real ice skates were available to use on synthetic ice during all lunch periods on Jan. 19. Benjamin Singson ’18 was among the students who took advantage of this event during their lunch period. “At first, I thought ‘I need to get on this’,” Singson said. “It was pretty fun, even though you just got to go in circles.” Recently, the faux ice skating rink received backlash both online and off. Some students are concerned about how these activities appear to less well endowed-schools. “We aren’t allowed to create a foundation or donate because of how the money was raised,” Appell said. “Instead, it has given us a great opportunity to give back

to the students through things like the ice skating rink and cookie decorating.” Due to recent criticism, Stevenson policy requires money earned from homecoming to be spent on the student body. Singson is not concerned over the increased spending and any backlash. “The school spends a lot of money on redoing a parking lot that doesn’t need to be redone,” Singson said. “It’s nice to see some some money is going to benefit students in a fun way, especially in a stressful environment like Stevenson.” Student Council has seen good results with smaller initiatives, like cookie decorating and caramel apple dipping. Smaller programs have allowed them to save money for larger events such as the synthetic ice rink. “A cookie is small,” Appell said. “But if we can give anything back to what [students] have invested in our dance, and invested in our club, it is very meaningful.” BY ALISA MUFTI

10 NEWS BRIEFS

Photo provided by Rhea Pillai

NEWS BRIEFS

he first annual Sled Wars was held on Jan. 26. The event was hosted by the Architecture and Engineering Club as a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, which builds homes for people in need. “Our Architecture and Engineering club members wanted to help out Habitat for Humanity,” said Kaitlin Rossi, Architecture and Engineering club sponsor. To participate, the club needed to raise a minimum of $1200 to donate to the charity. The club decided to host an event that was related to the members’ passion for engineering and design: Sled Wars. “We got together to find a way to fundraise the most money we could,” Rhea Pillai ’19 said. “We thought of Sled Wars because that’s a school-wide competition, and anyone can participate in it.” The event itself consisted of about 17 teams. Each group had to build their own sled out of cardboard and decorate it based on a theme they chose as well as fundraise for the charity. During the event, there were two forms of competition: the best design and the fastest sled. Pillai said that she was most excited for the initiative Sled Wars funded. “We get the opportunity to go to Habitat for Humanity in April,” Pillai said. “We get to go to the construction site and build homes for people.”

Winterfest

Dress up days: Tuesday: Pajamas Wednesday: Jeans Thursday: Hawaiian Friday: Spirit + assembly

Visiting Artist of the Month:

John Vlahakis

Photos provided by John Vlahakis

Sled Wars

What: Dance When: Saturday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Theme: Retrocade!

n Feb. 1, photographer John Vlahakis spoke at Stevenson’s ARTalks as the Visiting Artist of the Month. His work primarily focuses on street photography and environmental landscapes. “Street photography has been one of my first and oldest passions,” Vlahakis said. “Environmental landscapes highlight issues of the environment and make people more aware of things going on.” Vlahakis’ display at Stevenson is called “3 Perspectives: New York City Street / Of Landscape / Own Nature.” It focuses on a combination of his two genres of photography. “The series of photos have been a personal project of mine; it’s kind of like my love affair with New York City,” Vlahakis said. He hopes to inspire others about environmental care. He mentions his approach to photography and his history with the art. “The series focus has been on man’s use of land and how we change the landscape when we shouldn’t be changing it.” BY KARAJ SINGH

NEWS 11

DEMOCRACY IS A VERB Chicagoland students participate in Mikva Challenge on MLK Day, learn about student political action BY CHERYL CHEN

12 NEWS

FIND MY (STOLEN) IPAD

here have been at least four instances of stolen student possessions this school year. Most cases involved student iPads, but the robberies have been coupled with other possessions as well. Stevenson parent Roberta Hancock has been active in communicating with other district parents about the issue. “It seemed unusual for these incidents to occur in this community,” Hancock said. “Since Lincolnshire is a tight-knit community and students know each other, we were all immediately in touch and spread the word via text and phone calls.” iPads can be tracked because they are equipped with location services. However, not all of the stolen iPads were connected to a wireless network with the feature enabled. SmartDesk manager Nancy Hudson explains that it’s not required for students’ iPads to have location services enabled, but she encourages students to turn on the service and to add passcodes to their device as well. “Whenever we go on break, I ask all students to have a password, have location services on and to be logged into his or her Apple ID,” Hudson said. “Taking these precau-

Information compiled from Wired and National Geographic

Recent incidents in Lincolnshire area bring awareness to potential property theft

tionary steps can only make it easier to find an iPad in a circumstance such as a stolen iPad.” However, if a student’s iPad is stolen, not much can be done with the device by thieves due to the management pieces installed on all school iPads. Hudson helps students with any problems regarding stolen iPads, but the tech department hasn’t noticed any abnormal trends or been contacted by the police since the beginning of the school year. “There is no higher number of kids reporting lost iPads, so nothing seems unusual for us at this point, and hopefully it stays that way,” Hudson said. However, the amount of stolen iPads is significant enough that the police are investigating the matter.

Kimberly Covelli, the Police Commander of the Village of Lincolnshire, confirms that the Lincolnshire police department is working with the school resource officer regarding stolen iPads. According to Covelli, an investigation of a stolen iPad is treated similarly to an investigation of stolen jewelry—although an electronic device can be easier to find. “We investigate all crimes, but it may be easier to get a lead for an electronic device than a piece of jewelry,” Covelli said. “Electronics often have the unique identifier of a serial number.” Covelli believes small precautionary actions and heightened awareness will help reduce the number of stolen iPads going forward. “Any sort of education about crime prevention is helpful, and that’s why we always remind people on social media to do things such as lock their cars,” Covelli said. “These little things can make a big difference.” BY BEN BOWLER

OPINIONS 13

UNICORN FRAPPUCCINO

COLD SHOULDER SHIRT FIDGET SPINNER

2017 TRENDS CLOUT GOGGLES

POKE BOWL

RIPPED JEANS FUZZY SLIDES

BY BELLA GREENSPAN & YANA BUSHUYEVA

14 OPINIONS

SQUISHIES

SUPREME CLOTHES

WATERBOTTLES WITH STICKERS

STEVENSON TRENDS

TIMBERLANDS

SLIME BOOT-CUT JEANS

OPINIONS 15

SHOULD FINE ARTS BE MANDATORY?

Pro

hile the world is moving towards STEM careers as areas of high employment, fine arts classes should be offered at Stevenson. Considering the extraordinary benefits, Stevenson’s access to qualified and trained teachers and the school’s financial resources, Stevenson stands to gain everything with the addition of mandatory fine arts

lthough Chance the Rapper didn’t graciously hand Stevenson $2.2 million dollars for our fine arts programs like he did for the Chicago Public School system, it is in no danger of losing funding for its fine arts programs. But that doesn’t mean they should be required for students. Instead, other core classes and electives should work to blend artistic principles into their curriculum. “Art” is an umbrella term whose foundation is built on ideas of creativity and self-expression, something few art classes provide at Stevenson. In Drawing 1, you draw boxes, and in Sculpture 1, you make an anatomically correct

classes. It has been proven time and time again that fine arts classes improve test scores. In an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data on more than 25,000 secondary school students, researchers found that students who report involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years show “significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12.” These classes have also been proven to promote social skills through increasing awareness and respect for others. The Burton Study that surveyed more than 2,000 children, found that art curriculums allowed for further development of creative bust for yourself, leaving no room for personal expression amidst a standardized grading system. According to the scoring rubric for the class Metals and Jewelry, there are only two targets relating to creativity— “Artistic voice” and “Planning”. Only in art classes further along in the art track, can students begin tailoring projects to express their own ideas. Directly contrasting this is Odyssey which allows a few days of exploration rather than a list of targets that must be mastered before moving on to the next level. Likewise, most students will not move on to an art-based education and will need to learn how to be

thinking, self-concept and cooperating with others. Furthermore, it is well known that students at Stevenson are under stress and some even ditch classes for more sleep or studying time. However, a study done by the Missouri Department of Education and the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education, found that those who participated in arts education were more likely to attend class. Even if students are not pursuing a job requiring fine arts experience, the classes should be mandatory for Stevenson students in order to increase student test scores, cooperation and general well-being. BY CHLOE MYERS

Con “creative” in their fields. Creativity isn’t restricted to paint brushes and colored pencils. It includes problem solving and innovation, skills important in every field from science to business. Instead of stressing fine arts credits, Stevenson should focus on integrating creativity into all classes through projects and writing assignments allowing students to think outside of the Drawing 1 BY GRACE WESTPHAL box.

16 OPINIONS

STATESMAN EDITORIAL Designed by Grace Westphal

FCC scraps net neutrality agreement, may harm small businesses, students, consumers Please wait

us ll inesses

he net neutrality agreement was established in 2015 to ensure that internet service providers (ISPs) would stream all content on the web equally and not discriminate between content. However, opponents criticized the agreement. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) claimed that government restrictions on ISPs serve as an example of excessive government intervention in the market. Although Statesman acknowledges the importance of our economy’s free market, we oppose the decision of the net neutrality repeal. It would allow corporations to manipulate the internet, impede small businesses and inconvenience those who cannot afford to meet possible un-

Who will win the fight for net neutrality...?

rs Consume

P IS

regulated ISP demands in the future. The repeal could easily result in ISPs asking internet users to pay extra for access to content based on bandwidth or other factors. For example, in 2012, AT&T blocked the app Facetime on cellular devices using their internet. AT&T said that they would only enable Facetime after consumers bought a “Mobile Share data plan.” Repealing net neutrality is likely to favor companies that are able to pay off ISPs and meet their demands while ignoring those who can’t afford to. Repealing net neutrality would give ISPs the power to set ultimatums and restrict consumers from accessing the internet. This doesn’t seem to be such a drastic change for SHS, but for inner city schools, public libraries

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and other public works, the repeal of net neutrality could mean a huge step back in education. Paying for something so essential to SHS’s curriculum probably wouldn’t break the budget, but schools or public establishments that are underfunded as it is might have to give up the privilege of access to important resources via the internet. Net neutrality keeps ISPs from doing all of these things. It regulates and limits the reach of their power over internet access and puts the consumer first. We believe that the internet and its contents should be available to everyone, free of any specialized plans and paid expenses that would discriminate against those who cannot afford access, including inner city public establishments.

OPINIONS 17

A HARSH REALITY

Students should be more aware of sexual harassment, willing to speak up

St Co atis En nn tic p d ect ro Se ic vid xu ut al All ed b Vi ian y ole c nc e to e

’ve lived my entire life in the suburbs, isolated and secluded from the crimes, catcalls and street harassment women face daily in the city of Chicago. Although my parents constantly lecture and warn me of the risks of being a small teenage girl in a big city, I used to just shrug off their silly advice and precautions. In the face of all the recent sexual harassment allegations in the news today, I find it comforting to know that the Stevenson community provides such a safe environment to all students. However, Stevenson’s brief lesson on sexual harassment in sophomore health does not stress the importance of this emerging issue, shielding us from the horrifying truth of sexual assault and even encouraging victims to stay hidden. Despite our safe environment, instead of remaining in the “Stevenson bubble”, our community should offer a place where students aren’t afraid to break silence about sexual assault or rape and are free to speak up against discrimination and injustice. Although I’m fortunate enough to never have personally seen or experienced sexual harassment myself, with all of the allegations and scandals in Hollywood today, I’m only beginning to realize how real and dangerous sexual harassment really is. After all, I’ve only witnessed sexual harassment portrayed by movie actors on screen, in a fantasy world made up by Hollywood producers and directors. It wasn’t until famous celebrities were being accused of sexual harassment and assault did these scandals turn into a harsh reality for me, and not just scenes from a movie. In 2017 alone, there were over 50 sexual assault accusations of actors and directors, many who I grew up watching like Kevin Spacey and James Franco. I watched these actors develop and grow, and now I’m watching them turn from villians on screen into villians offscreen. Although Hollywood is finally cracking down on sexual assaulters, the same harassment has been occurring for decades miles from my home. According to the Illinois Coalition against Sexual Violence, in Chicago alone, 86 percent of girls surveyed have faced sexual harassment in the streets. Luckily, celebrities like Taylor Swift, Ashley Judd and others of Time Magazine’s “silence breakers” have already paved the way for victims to follow, proving that although anyone can experience sexual harassment, but anyone can also make a difference to stop it. Only when everyone is aware of sexual harassment is when we can take the means to end it, from a celebrity in Hollywood to a small teenage girl in big city of Chicago. BY KENDALL ROBERTS

18 ENTERTAINMENT

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW SHS? 1) What year was Stevenson founded? 7) When was the East Building built?

a: 1943 b: 1965 c: 1972 d: 1986

2) How many members of the Board of the Board of Education are there?

a: 10 b: 5 c: 15 d: 7

a: 1987 b: 2006 c: 1992 d: 1995

8) Where is Mr. Gobble’s office located? a: Across from Circle Drive

b: Room 2400 c: Room 7096 d: In Student Activities

3) What was Stevenson originally going to be named? a: Tamarack High School

9) How many acres does Stevenson occupy? a: 84

4) How many students were enrolled during Stevenson’s first year?

10)How many clubs does Stevenson offer? a: 192

b: Buffalo Grove West c: Lincolnshire High School d: It was always going to be Stevenson

a: 319 b: 467 c: 1,066 d: 692

5) What was the highest amount of students enrolled at Stevenson in any one school year?

a: 4,573 b: 4,982 c: 5,091 d: 3,845

6) What years did Adlai E. Stevenson II serve as governor of Illinois? a: 1928-1936

b: 1934-1938 c: 1948-1952 d: 1930-1938

b: 76 c: 103 d: 58

b: 94 c: 286 d: 137

11) How many Blue Ribbon Awards for Excellence in Education has Stevenson Won? a: 1

b: 4 c: 12 d: 9

12) Who was Stevenson’s first football coach?

a: Adlai E. Stevenson II b: Travis Nelson c: Tom Baumann d: Richard P. Dufour

Answers: 1: b, 2: d, 3: a, 4: b, 5: a, 6: c, 7: d, 8: a, 9: b, 10: d, 11: b, 12: c

WHY PC PILLAGES SPEECH

OPINIONS 19

Staffer discusses how politically correct dialogue limits productive conversation, censors different points of view

“O

h my gosh, that’s so racist!” “Ugh, what a bigot!” “He’s a white supremacist!” Throughout the past decade, more comments like these have seeped through the Internet and conversations. Just like the slogan of James Monroe’s presidency, it’s the “Era of Good Feelings,”— but a more accurate, contemporary term would be the “Era of Triggered Feelings.” It couldn’t be any clearer that identity politics have taken over campuses and that the need to be politically correct is unjustly enforced amongst students and faculty alike, preventing any meaningful, contrary discussion. Words have become heavily scrutinized for not

offending every ethnicity, race, religion and blood type, making it nearly impossible for conservative students like myself to have a voice on campuses without being screamed at or shut down. Take, for instance, Jewish conservative speaker Ben Shapiro’s experience at University of California Berkeley, where he faced rancid counterblast from students. According to the LA Times, about $600,000 was spent on security measures in order to ensure that Shapiro could speak his “aggressive, racist” mind safely. Concrete walls were built around the building to avoid harsh violence from protestors. Maybe it was his yarmulke (Jewish headwear) that gave away his uncontrollable passion for white supremacy. The problem here is not “hate speech” or “racism”; it’s the censorship of speech taking place across institutions. And because of the hypersensitive echo chambers in high school and college, students cannot differentiate between

contrasting opinions and authentic hate speech. Political correctness shrivels any hopes of thought-provoking and productive discourse. In a 2017 study by Brookings Institute, 52% of the 1,500 college students surveyed advocated for a censored environment on campus. Why are so many leftist students afraid of “offensive” ideas? I think it’s because they are unwilling to perceive the notion of the possibility that their opinion could be ill-informed. Political correctness serves as a speech buffer and the only way to combat it is to

Tiptoeing Instead of Talking

question why these terms were coined “offensive,” and discourage this anti-free speech rhetoric. So the next time you see or hear someone using the word “racist” or any other -cist, ask them, “Is that really offensive, or do you just not like/agree with it?” Because once we dilute the notion that everything is offensive, then we can sit down and have a reasonable discussion about current events and social issues, free of trigger warnings and full of intellectual diversity. BY ARIANA GASSEL

20 FEATURES

bbie Lukas, a senior at Mundelein High School, knows how to follow the rules after nearly four years of high school. Yet a new disciplinary policy has caught many of her fellow students off guard. Mundelein students can now be punished for loitering in the halls and can receive additional consequences for tardies and unexcused absences in the form of mandated service hours. “They’re working to enforce new rules,” Lukas said. “Some kids aren’t taking the stricter rules seriously, instead becoming more rebellious.” Although Stevenson administration does not plan to implement this level of consequences in the next few years, aspects of our penalty programs merit examination. Each student, professional and institution approaches the question of punishment differently. Stevenson’s own disciplinary policies attempt to maintain an upstanding student

body while allowing students room for reform.

and suspensions based on the offenses. Detentions must be completed within five school days. Privileges and Penalties During detention, students may Stevenson students are afforded only study silently. For each unmany privileges, including, but not completed detention within five limited to, parking and full lunch school days, there is one week of periods. However, students found LOP for sophomores, juniors and to violate school rules receive con- seniors and Saturday School for sequences. According to Assistant freshmen. Principal Ken Latka, there are different types of consequences based Holes in the System on the offense. Despite being aware of these “Before giving students any tra- rules, some students exploit the exditional consequences, we rescind ceptions. Latka reports that parents privileges,” Latka said. “If students will occasionally call students out are found to continuously violate of class for medical appointments the rules, then detentions and sus- so they have time to study, work on pensions may occur.” homework or just relax. Loss of Privilege (LOP) is a comElina Nikerina ’18 recalls seeing ponent to most punishments. There friends receive detentions freshare various types of LOP: loss of man year before learning how to full lunch, loss of free period, loss use calling out procedures to their of off-campus privileges and loss advantage. Now, they ask a parent of participation in school activities. to make the school aware of a docStudents who continuously vi- tor’s appointment when they need olate rules end up with detentions time to prepare for a test.

FEATURES 21 “Especially with attendance, I think a lot of people know how to work the system,” Nikerina said. “It’s easy to work around it in a way that works for them.” Latka knows that some excused absences are not legitimate. Deans will investigate if there is suspicion of a student circumventing Stevenson’s attendance policies. This type of investigation occurs infrequently; the deans tend to be more focused on unexplained absences, and behavior that may compromise student or school safety. “We know there are doctor appointments which aren’t actual appointments,” Latka said. “If deans have credible information for a I think a lot of people know how to work the system.” - Elina Nikerina ’18 false call out and that the student is still on property, [they] can go searching to find the student.”

The Future of Discipline

Disciplinary staff members at Stevenson are always working to revisit and revise current policies and therefore meet weekly to discuss changes to the guidebook. Future changes may include restorative practices. Unlike traditional forms of discipline, restorative practices focus on addressing the effect wrongdoing has on a community. Mary Jo Hebling, a lecturer at the International Insti-

tute for Restorative Practices, encourages these modifications in secondary schools. “Restorative practices is about building relationships,” Hebling said. “Detentions and suspensions can be a part of it, if necessary, but it has to flanked by connections with human beings to repair the harm that was done.” Drug prevention programs are some of the first to demonstrate these values at Stevenson. If a student is caught vaping on campus, for example, their consequences can be changed based on whether they pursue a school sponsored drug education program. Tom Habley, a substance abuse counselor and consultant at Stevenson, believes that these programs address the psychological aspect of drug transgressions, minimizing defensiveness and denial in participants. “We look at substance abuse as an educational issue and a neurological issue, not as a character defect,” Habley said. “Shame and blame isn’t a part of it.” Habley and other discipline professionals find that consequences are used to minimize harm rather than further it. He hopes this philosophy will lead Stevenson’s general discipline procedures into a healthier future. “The school has to discipline, and yet the school has to heal,” Habley said. “That’s what we do.” BY ADAM ROSEN & OLIVIA LAMBERTI

22 FEATURES

WORKING HARD

Stevenson students hold jobs after school, try to find balance between school, work

rennan Donovan ’19 rushes from his eighth period class to the train station and jumps into his car. He heads to Dairy Queen and once he gets there, he puts on his red apron and walks into the room in the back. Several boxes of ice cream toppings face him from sprinkles to chocolate syrup. Donovan works as a cashier at Dairy Queen in order to pay for gas. “I like the job,” Donovan said. “It’s actually fairly easy, but it can be [hard to balance school and work].” While Donovan’s job sometimes interferes with his school work, he only works one day a week so most days this is not a concern. However, Donovan sometimes needs to work until 9:45 p.m. On days that he gets home late, it is difficult for him to do his school work, especially if he has a test the next day. Like Donovan, Michael Gorokhovsky ’19 has a job after school: tutoring. He specifically helps students

Brennan Donovan hands ice cream to his customers as they finish paying. Donovan works at Dairy Queen so he can earn enough money to pay for gas for his car.

with math and language skills. Gorokhovsky began tutoring after he was approached by a family friend looking for someone to help her with her coursework. They started meeting weekly. “Since [I tutor], I get to decide how much to work everyday, so I only work one hour a day,” Gorokhovsky said. “It’s usually spread out throughout the week.” Gorokhovsky usually works on weekends and

Mondays, but since he is only at work for an hour, he comes home early and is able to do his school work. Similar to Gorokhovsky, Julia Sinkevich ’18 also has a job as a tutor at A Plus. “[A Plus] is a tutoring center where kids of all ages come for private lessons,” Sinkevich said. “You work one-on-one in subjects like math and science.” Sinkevich chose to work as a tutor because

she wanted a job where she could work closely with other people. She was also used to helping her younger sister with math and grammar lessons, so tutoring was a natural fit. While Sinkevich teaches core subjects, she also tutors kids who recently moved to America on grammar. “[I work] two to three times a week for several hours,” Sinkevich said. “Most of the time that I’m working there is on the weekends, so it doesn’t interfere with my school work because I can get most of my homework done.” These three students can balance their school work with their jobs most of the time. However, Donovan would prefer to have a job that wouldn’t interfere with his homework. “If I could have a job where they would prioritize my school work, that would be pretty great,” Donovan said. BY SIVAKAMI RAMAKRISHNAN

FEATURES 23

GOOD MORNING STEVENSON

SNN morning announcements take careful process to make, more than fun video clips, Random Student

annah Friedman ’18 becomes anxious every Friday morning when the Stevenson News Network (SNN) announcements come on. She serves as an anchor for the announcements and loves working with her friends and the sponsors. “It’s super fun,” Friedman said. “We goof around and read a teleprompter. I didn’t know I wanted to do news-related things until I started doing SNN, and it’s made me want to do more things like this in college.” According to sponsors Patrick Fairchild and Ryan Aronoff, putting the announcements together can be very time consuming. While clubs are responsible for creating their own commercials, Fairchild and Aronoff still have many responsibilities. “[The process] takes a minimum of an hour and a half,” Fairchild said. “It depends on the day and how many retakes we have to do.” Fairchild also said that he and Aronoff edit the announcements, handle the commercial calendar and work on Random Student of the Day, while the students run all the equipment and are on air. They use their shared sense of humor to find comedic clips as well. “I would say there’s a lot of happenstance [in finding the clips],”

Fairchild said. “A lot of times we’ll be looking for something we have in mind, and we’ll stumble onto a weird thing we think is hilarious. We like weird stuff. If something’s weird and intriguing and funny, that’s a perfect formula for us.” This was true for Eddy, who they found while looking for a clip for Film Club. Eddy originated on an Internet TV show for English language learners. They were watching videos that caught their eye, and came upon a puppet. For Random Student of the Day, Aronoff and Fairchild set up a file at the beginning of each year that randomly picks a student every time it is opened. Once a student is selected, they stick with that name. “We take the randomness very seriously,” Aronoff said. “If that’s who comes up, that’s who gets picked.” Fairchild said they do not do Random Student often because it

takes a lot of time. Since students enjoy it, they try to do it once in a while but not too frequently. “It’s ridiculously time consuming,” Fairchild said. “It looks like we threw [Random Student] together in 15 minutes, but it takes us hours. We’ll find weird things, have to come up with ideas for it and record voices if we need to or find clips.” With an increasing number of clubs wanting their commercials featured, there is less time for clips or Random Student. Regardless, the students who work on the announcements are thankful for their jobs. “[Working on the announcements has] taught me to be more outgoing and less camera-shy,” Friedman said. “I’m interested in film, so being able to see how stuff like this goes on has taught me about how to produce things.” BY MICHAEL LEVITT

Hannah Friedman ’18 and Pia Russo ’18 watch as Hayley Brenner ’18 records the opening segment of the morning announcements. The announcements are filmed during eighth period.

24 FEATURES

SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING

Process of creating next year’s schedules go beyond counselors, requires work, attention to detail

hen students walked into St e v e n s o n’s campus this last fall, one of the furthest things from many people’s minds was the courses they are going to take next year. But after the first few weeks, that was exactly the focus of the administration. “We actually started creating the next year’s schedule in the beginning of September,” said Tim Roznowski, head counselor of the course selection process. According to Roznowski, the process itself may not have changed over the years, but the amount of work and time it takes to assign schedules increases with the growth of the school each year. “We have to start [course selection] early to give enough time for each grade to get through the counselors and sign up for what they want,” Roznowski said. “If you want your schedule changed, you have to do so before February 16th.” When the school ob-

tains all of the student selections, decisions on what classes are expanded, added and dropped are made by the Directors. According to Roznowski, space availability then determines schedule changes.

ships with the counselors. “It’s best for families to get to really know their assigned counselor,” Sarah Bowen, director of student services, said. “It makes their high school experience much smoother.”

Students walking between buildings through the Link. About half of students in Stevenson have to travel during their school day.

“If you want to make a sudden change later, it feels like the options you want are off the table,” Decker Schueneman ’18 said. Counselors try to help students make informed decisions based on required courses and their personal interests. Due to their integral role in the process, Stevenson recommends creating good working relationships with the counselors.

From mid-February to April, the new master schedule is made with the previous year’s schedule as a reference. The project is led by the Teaching and Learning Department. “It’s like solving one big jigsaw puzzle,” department worker Jane Kahler said. “We have to be relatively flexible.” According to Kahler, each student is assigned a building code when they enroll in Stevenson de-

pending on their counselor. Schedules are then created to keep each student inside their designated building as much as possible. This last school year began with a rough estimate of 2,000 instances of students travelling between buildings. That number went up as the year progressed because of schedule changes. Another factor are the building-specific classes, which the department classifies as “singletons.” The school is also bound by classroom space and teacher availability, according to Kahler. Concerns are resolved throughout the summer until the first few weeks of school, when Stevenson begins the process all over again. “We work with administrators, teachers, the supporting staff, students, counselors, FMPs, Deans and the directors,” said Kahler said. “The course selection process involves everyone.” BY BRARE THOMPSON

FROM STUDENT TO TEACHER

FEATURES 25

Stevenson teachers reflect on lives as students, looking at the profound impact Stevenson had on them

Zizzo ’93 in Stevenson throughout the years. She says that the Stevenson she knew hasn’t changed.

he Revolution in Politics test is quickly approaching for Jenessa Gerber’s AP European History (AP Euro) class. When Gerber asks her students how studying for the test is going, she is met with instant sighs and groans. Gerber can not help but smile, remembering her own exciting, yet overwhelming experience as a Stevenson student. Gerber graduated from Stevenson in 2002. Like other teachers at Stevenson, Gerber made the decision to return as a teacher. According to Gerber, in terms of being a student, the fundamentals haven’t changed. As a student, she felt that most people wanted to do well in their classes and have a fun social network of people that cared about them.

“Today, kids still face the same challenges of stress about school, friends and relationships that I experienced as a student,” Gerber said. Spanish teacher Jennifer Zizzo ’93 agrees with Gerber. In fact, Zizzo said that as she walks down the hallways every day, she remembers her time as a student. “It’s funny; when I’m in the West Building, it still feels to me like high school, my high school,” Zizzo said. “It feels like home. The lockers are still here, and it still smells like the Stevenson I remember during my four years here.” For AP U.S. History (APUSH) teacher Seamus Campion ’96, Stevenson also had a major influence on his life. His teacher actually inspired him to teach APUSH. “At Stevenson, my world history

The annotated AP European History McKay textbook of Gerber ’02. She was inspired by her teacher Biesada to pursue teaching.

teacher had a profound impact on my life,” Campion said. “He told me I would end up as a teacher, and I told him he was crazy, but he ended up to be right.” Gerber said that for the first few years of teaching at SHS, she had to adjust in feeling like one of their colleagues instead of a student. In particular, former AP Euro teacher and now colleague, Mark Biesiada, inspired her to teach history. “It’s amazing to have him as a professional resource because he still continues to teach me, and we challenge each other about AP history,” Gerber said. “It’s a massive asset to me that I still get to work with him, and I hope he feels honored that I’m following in his footsteps.” BY CHRISTIE LEE

FEATURES 27

WOMEN IN S EM

Data compiled from National Center for Women & Information Technology, Fortne Magazine, Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Visual News, Education Technology and American Association of University Women

BY CHLOE MYERS

28 FEATURES

CLOSING THE GAP

Students, faculty reflect on gender imbalance in STEM education, promote equality at Stevenson ing effects of sexism throughout history. The preconceived notion that women are inferior to men, or better fit for domestic roles, has influenced subsequent generations. “Looking back in history, men have always been the breadwinners whereas women stayed home and did the housework,” Bhatnagar said. “Now that isn’t the case in 2018, but a similar idea still applies. It is very common to see men in the higher positions or getting the higher paid jobs over the women who are equally qualified.” Likewise, Chen finds that these stereotypes are often introduced at an early age, resulting in a disconnect between young girls and STEM. Chen feels that although some girls may find a growing inWhat causes the gender gap? Shreya Karpoor ’19, founder of terest in STEM, it is often dismissed the Girls in STEAM club, attributes due to stereotypes already ingrained the gender gap to the underrepre- in their minds. “There are always Legos or buildsentation of female leaders in STEM. Karpoor finds that figures such as ing toys marketed towards boys,” Newton and Einstein are considered Chen said. “But if we keep marrole models in their fields, whereas keting towards the guys, it’ll only other female mathematicians and push young girls further away from scientists are not as widely known STEM and the idea of creating and building.” or equally praised. For Shreya Bhatnagar ’18, the How can the gender gap be gender gap is partly due to the eliminated? fact that many girls are unaware of Math teacher Lisa Nehring sugSTEM clubs and activities. In addition to this, Bhatnagar proposes that gests that a program be implementthe gender gap is a result of the last- ed in feeder schools to better intro-

Data compiled from Forbes Magazine

t around 6 p.m. Wednesday, Room 1428 is bustling with activity. Within it, wires pop, inventors tinker and voices intermingle, indicative of VEX Robotics Club members collaborating as they tailor their robot to a given challenge. Among these members are seven females out of a total of 35. The gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields is nothing out of the ordinary. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, currently, less than 25% of females in America hold jobs in STEM. Stevenson’s math team also carries its own gender gap. According to sponsor Christian Thibaudeau, the issue is not with attracting female members, it’s retaining them. Freshmen enrolled in Precalculus honors are automatically put onto the team, but many girls choose to participate in other activities after their first year. Allison Chen ’18, member of the VEX Robotics club, also notices this disparity in Stevenson’s STEM courses. According to Chen, there is a significantly larger amount of males in higher level STEM courses, such as AP Physics C or Calculus 3. According to the American Institute of Physics, only 32% of test takers for the AP Physics C exam are females.

FEATURES 29 duce young girls to STEM. Nehring feels that this may allow students to have a deeper understanding of the field and possibly pursue it in the future. “Stevenson provides a strong foundation of learning for math and science.” Nehring said. “An enhanced STEM program would encourage students to take classes that support their interest in science, technologym engineering and math.” The Girls in STEAM club was created this year with similar intentions. The club hosts workshops and competitions to motivate middle schoolers to participate in STEM at Stevenson and develop a strong interest in the field. Thibaudeau finds that the social climate may affect whether or not female members plan to return. He encouraged female math teachers Teresa DePonte and Sydney Hendricks to join the team and serve as a role model for students while creating a supportive atmosphere for girls.

Nowadays, everything relates to STEM. The world is adapting to new innovative ideas that are making the lives of people so much easier. I want to be a part of this change by innovating and creating products that will create a positive impact on our society.” - Shreya Bhatnagar ’18

What does the future hold?

Although society continues to face a gender gap in STEM, Nehring finds the situation to have improved tremendously over the years. According to Nehring, there is a larger sense of equality, and at Stevenson, female teachers are given the same opportunities as their male coworkers. Neither Bhatnagar nor Chen have experienced any extreme prejudices or feelings of intimidation in their STEM classes and activities. “In my experience, there have always been peers who treat me as just another person, as I should be treated,” Chen said. “A big part of my positive STEM experience at Stevenson has definitely been from my

Dhruvaa Shroff ‘19, member of the Girls in STEAM club leads a workshop for young girls. The Yahoo workshop was done in partnership with ProjectCSGIRLS.

peers because we create a welcoming and supportive environment for each other.” As more women are entering STEM, Bhatnagar feels that it is only a matter of time before the gender gap becomes nonexistent. Bhatnagar plans to enter STEM herself because the field has become a key aspect of modern society. “Nowadays, everything relates to STEM,” Bhatnagar said. “The world is adapting to new innovative ideas that are making the lives of people so much easier. I want to be a part of this change by innovating and creating products that will create a positive impact on our society.” Chen is also optimistic of a narrowing gender gap. Chen finds that women in STEM today will ultimately inspire others to enter the field. “When girls see their peers being involved in amazing things like building robots, it’ll inspire them to try it for themselves,” Chen said. “Eventually, there will be a relatively even number of both guys and girls in all sorts of STEM classes and activities.” BY ADELE LEE & RYAN JOHNSON

30 SPORTS

TABLE TENNIS MENACE

Belarus transfer student talks about love for game, past accomplishments, what future holds

eing one of the best table tennis players in Belarus, winning the national championship in six months after first learning the game and then being forced to move to a new country isn't easy on everyone. Ilya Hrynblat ’19 is a well known table tennis player back in his native country, but not many people know him at Stevenson just yet. When he got to Stevenson, he didn't know anybody, and he needed to find someone that was willing to help him out. Luckily for him, he found the perfect person. “Todd Sikora (table tennis advisor) has helped me in math when I need it, but in Belarus I was already really good in math, so for me math has always been a strong subject,” Hrynblat said. Their relationship extends beyond math. Sikora, the table tennis coach, helped Hrynblat join the table tennis team. “I've had students and teachers help me when I got to Stevenson,” Hrynblat said. “I didn't know much English so students translated for me from Russian to English. Everyone is nice to each other, and they

are willing to help me when I need it.” Hrynblat quickly found a place at Stevenson and quickly made a name for himself within the table tennis team. He was brought to a practice by his friend, and he impressed the other players immediately.

“On his first day at table tennis club, Ilya came in, beat our entire A team roster with little effort, and asked me if there was anyone better that he could challenge,” captain Sathvik Gurupalli ’18 said. “He then continued to play with his iPad as a paddle for fun and still managed to win against a few of our players.” The hope for the Patriots is that this will be the year they capture their first state title. While there are

On his first day at table tennis club, Ilya came in, beat our entire A team roster with little effort, and asked me if there was anyone better that he could challenge. He continued to play with his iPad as a paddle for fun, and still beat a few of our players. -Sathvik Gurupalli ‘18

only 10 teams, the Patriots haven't finished below the top four in recent years. “Eight years ago, a league was created with 10 teams, and it allows for students to challenge themselves against other schools,” Sikora said. “Hrynblat will push everyone else to be better because they will see how good he is, and they will be more motivated to improve.” So far Hrynblat and Stevenson have competed and won in two events this season. He has already become number one on the team, and Sikora and the teams’ goal is for Hrynblat to help them win their first ever state title. “Our goal this year is to win state. Especially with Ilya, we have a very strong chance of being successful this year,” Sikora said. Many players have their own way of playing table tennis and a strategy of what they will do in a match. Hrynblat brings a different type of game to the table. With his aggressive style, he hopes to overpower his opponent. “Some players are more finesse, but Ilya is more aggressive,” Sikora said. “He attacks his opponent in a different type of way, I can easily say that he's the best player in the building,” BY LAWRENCE KREYMER

SPORTS 31

WINTER SPORTS CALENDAR

Weekly practice schedules reveal dedication, time commitment for varsity swimmers, fencers, wrestlers

BY ELLIE BADEN

32 SPORTS

SECRET SUPERSTARS

Behind-scenes look at dedicated students who help sports teams compete, succeed

abby Farber ’18 doesn’t have too much free time, as she attends every practice and meet of the boys’ swimming team. Despite not being a member of the team, she plays a vital role in keeping it running by serving as team manager. According to boys’ swimming coach Doug Lillydahl, the managers’ presence keeps the team running smoothly and gives the coaches more time to coach and work with the athletes. The managers help prepare entry forms for meets and enter times. Lillydahl, he says he truly values the role these managers play. “They’ve been very helpful,” Lillydahl said. “Our managers are fantastic. I can’t imagine there are better managers around.” The role of a team manager is varied, and they are always busy.

A typical practice for Farber may involve setting up lane lines and other equipment, taking attendance, helping swimmers work on improving their technique and entering lineups for upcoming meets. This intense workload leads Lillydahl to call his managers “productively busy.” Despite the workload, many managers find that they really enjoy their role and the sense of community it brings. Managers can connect with athletes and help them prepare both physically and mentally for their competitions. “It’s really cool because even though I’m doing outside jobs, it still feels like I’m part of the team,” said Mary Bauwens ’18, team manager for girls’ water polo. Bauwens originally wanted to be on the team, but could not because of the time commitment that

Gabby Farber '18 and Gabby Hede '19 work on updating times for swimmers. Whether on the pool deck or in the office, managers are crucial to the function of the teams.

Gabby Farber '18 and Lily Michaud '19 work on entering swimmers for an upcoming meet. Managers are always active and involved during practice.

would prevent her from participating in other activities. She asked her coach if she could become a team manager and has been ever since she was a freshman. Farber, on the other hand, asked Lillydahl if she could be team manager for boys’ swimming her junior year to spend more time with her friends. She enjoyed it so much she came back her senior year. While their motivations for becoming team managers may be different, one thing Bauwens and Farber share is their love for the job. “I’d definitely recommend it, you get to know the coaches and a lot of different people for sure, and you make new friends,” Farber said. “It’s also really cool to spend time with these guys from the beginning of the season to the end and see how much they improve in such a short time.” BY ANI NUTHALAPATI

SPORTS 33

ROOM FOR EVERYONE

Wrestling girls find equality, train for season, lift weights alongside male athletes in weight room

he weight room beams with a dimly lit glow as various sports teams go through their regular weight training exercises. The sweat builds up into a light musk as the echoes of dumbells being dropped fill the room with a clanging sound. From time to time, the boys spot one another as they risk lifting above their weight range. Standing out in the crowd is one of the only girls present in the room, Bianca Vives ’18, lifting the same mass as the muscled boys beside her. Athletic teams often use the weight room as a valuable resource in strength training. Although the room is open to all students, males often find themselves drawn to the weight room. There seems to be an apparent excess of testosterone and a prominent lack of estrogen present in the weight room at most times. “Personally, I tend to prefer cardio exercises, which is why the cardio room appeals to me,” student aide Nicole Powers said. Sports teams like water polo, wrestling, lacrosse and football are regular users of the weight room. Most teams using the weight room are strictly boys teams or include very few girls. Vives, however, is an exception. Being one of the very few female

Wrestler Sara Sulejmani ’21 lifts. Even during school, Sulejmani finds time to train outside of practice.

wrestlers at Stevenson, the pressure is on her to be just as strong as the guys around her. “At first I felt insecure about myself because it seemed like the guys already knew everything,” Vives said. “They were actually just as clueless as I was, just naturally stronger. I was worried about catching up.” Through routine visits to the weight room, Vives was able to catch up to the boys around her, gaining respect and enhancing her Brazilian Ju-Jitsu skills alongside wrestling. While the weight room appeales to Vives, she understands why girls often tend to stray away from it. “It might be a little intimidating for girls, especially when the guys' teams are there,” Vives said. “As a freshman, I was afraid I’d end up looking like a guy if I bulked up or

gain unnecessary attention from being the obvious outcast.” Joining a sports team using the room may not be for everyone. Either way, the room itself is open to all students regardless of gender. “I didn’t have much trouble getting used to the weight room,” female wrestler Sara Sulejmani ’21 said. “I knew I had the right to be there just as much as anyone else.” There are multiple benefits attached to the access students and faculty members have to the weight room. The room can be a great source of building healthy muscles. “Access to the weight room got me into better shape,” Vives said. “I believe it made me stronger mentally and physically.” BY VICKY KOLOTOV

Bianca Vives ’18 does bicep curls surrounded by guys. After school, Bianca is often one of the only girls in the weight room.

ENTERTAINMENT 37

STEVENSON TREASURE?

There is a treasure in the Stadium, you can only walk 59 tick marks. You must stay on the given paths.

SPORTS 36

MAKING THE CUT

Stevenson wrestling coaches aim to eliminate practice of rapid weight loss among team

andy Lu ’20 goes to early bird conditioning every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He spends another two to two and a half hours at practice after school. He comes in for extended practices and competitions on weekends. When school isn’t in session, Lu and the rest of the wrestling team are still required to come in for practice. This routine isn’t just for a season, but goes all year round. The rigor of the wrestling team’s schedule makes it one of the most strenuous extracurricular activities. However, the hardest part of their regimen often takes place outside of practice or even beyond the watchful eye of coaches and nutritionists. “Making weight is very important,” Lu said. “It determines wheth-

er a wrestler can compete or not. If a wrestler doesn’t make weight, then it means that they’re not given the opportunity to compete. There are times when they’ll let a wrestler wrestle up a weight class, but it’s critical that a wrestler be on weight, and it’s his or her responsibility to do so.” Lu, and many wrestlers like him, feel the pressure of weight requirements for competitions. The weight limits mandated by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) for wrestling are extremely strict, and being just off the mark could make the difference between competing and staying home. “You’re given a specific weight number,” Lu said. “For example, my weight class would be 106, so based

Wrestlers may be tempted to engage in dangerous eating habits to make their weight class. Coach. Cook’s aim is to put an end to the practice of cutting weight

on that number, making weight would be either making that weight on the dot, or under that weight. If I made 104 or 105 or 106, I’ve made weight, but if I were to weigh 106.1, that would mean that I’ve blown weight.” With such fine margins deciding whether or not they have a chance to compete in their weight class, wrestlers may take drastic measures in ensuring that they reach their target at the date of a weigh-in. This practice of sudden crash dieting in the hopes of weight loss has become known as cutting weight. Cutting weight has plagued the sport of wrestling for decades. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, one third of wrestlers in high school and college attempt to rapidly cut weight more than 10 times per season. This practice has been known to cause immense harm to the wrestlers that undergo it. For Lu, the biggest influence upon the success of the Stevenson wrestling team, and the lack of rapid weight loss among members, is Coach Shane Cook. “I would say that Cook is very understanding,” Lu said. “He stresses the value of communication between us and him. Coach Cook is never one to encourage cutting or rapid weight loss. Wrestlers do it of

lead to severe dehydration and loss of lean muscle tissue. “Basically, if they’re trying to lose like a pound or so throughout the day, they just drink small amounts of water and don’t eat anything,” varsity wrestler Miguel Edwards ’18 said. However, Cook says that the program educates wrestlers on the risks of rapid weight loss, and that the problem is virtually nonexistent. According to Cook, the team has always been good about putting the proper food in their bodies to perform well. “We just really try to get across to the athletes that they need to constantly be preparing for competition,” Cook said. “We want them to have the understanding that what they put in their bodies is going to directly affect their performance, either positively or negatively.” With the assistance of athletic nutrion coach, Alex Stoller, wrestlers are taught proper diet concepts as well as being given prepared nutrion-conscious meals. Wrestlers learn that minimal food Information compiled from NCBI & UIL Texas

never one to encourage cutting or rapid weight loss. Wrestlers do it of their own accord.” Cook has worked to prevent this dangerous practice. His goal is to make sure cutting weight is not a problem in the program. “We don’t have kids that cut weight in order to make a weight class,” Cook said. “We’re really fortunate because our kids have bought in, and they believe in the system.” Some, like varsity wrestler Danny Ganzman ’18, echo Cook’s sentiments that the issue of cutting weight is miniscule in the program. Cutting weight, according to Ganzman, is an outdated stereotype of a modern sport. “No one on the team does anything of that nature,” Ganzman said. “People think that’s what all combat sports are about, but that’s not what we do here at the Stevenson program.” The system that members of the team are expected to follow involves rigorous conditioning sessions combined with specific dietary limitations. Wrestlers’ body fat is measured so that safe weight loss standards can be calculated. Lu mentioned that a wrestler may find they are over weight the week before a competition. Cutting weight can be a tempting choice. Among the methods used by wrestlers to rapidly lose weight before a competition, cutting water weight is among the most popular. Water weight is often easier to get rid of than excess fat and can be lost simply by restricting carb intake. If overdone, however, this practice can

37 SPORTS

and water consumption takes a toll upon the physical well-being and mental state of a wrestler. Reduced food intake sometimes results in reduced ability to concentrate and higher levels of fatigue. “It’s definitely far more difficult [to concentrate] because you’re focusing more on actually losing that weight than worrying about what’s happening in class,” Edwards said. “It definitely makes going through the day harder.” The reality of cutting weight is that it is an extremely harmful practice for wrestlers. For Lu, however, the image of the wrestler completely starving themselves for the sake of a weight class is outdated. “Any rumors that you would typically hear about wrestlers starving, that’s not really what we commit ourselves to,” Lu said. “Just as long as I’ve been eating healthy and really maintaining up to that point, I typically feel fine.” BY BRAEDEN FORMAN & RAJ MULLICK

1.7% of high school wrestlers met all criteria necessary for the diagnosis of bulimia. In weight sensitive sports like wrestling, 10 to 15 percent of boys, and 25 to 30 percent of girls engage in unhealthy weight loss practices.

Weight loss in the average range of 5 to 10 lbs per week could represent a 5% to 10% level of dehydration in athletes.

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ICE PRINCESS

The rink is a sanctuary for skater, risk of injury doesn’t dissuade from perfecting moves

livia Laskoe ’20 remembers the moment her seven-year-old self attended a d102 Party in the Park and spotted the Twin Rinks skating center booth. After being signed up for a free lesson, she was adament on taking more. “I fell a lot, but I loved it and have been skating ever since,” Laskoe said. Still skating at Twin Rinks three

times a week, Laskoe often arrives at 7 a.m. to get in 45 minutes of practice before the school day starts. This is no hassle for her, as skating is a time to reflect on the upcoming day and relieve stress. Laskoe was in seventh grade when she attended sectionals with her Starlights team and synchronize-skated her way to first place, “Recieving first in synchronized skating was one of the est mofigure skating said. Her team third at the 2015 nized Skating ships. Although

longer competes as a result of the demanding time commitment, her teammates still offer encouragement. “There are definitely times when you feel you can’t do it anymore because it’s such an intense sport,” teammate Abigail Berkowitz ’20 said. “The fact that you know you can’t let any of

your teammates down is what keeps us all going.” Figure skating is not without risk. Seemingly graceful but known for its challenging jumps, losing concentration for a split-second or not managing to land on the four millimeter blade could p r o u d - expose an athlete to injury. ments of my “Once while spinning, career,” Laskoe I fell on my chin and eventually took received eight stitches,” U.S. Synchro- Laskoe said. ChampionIn order to avoid another injury, before a particularly daring feat, Laskoe no Laskoe makes sure to stretch and

I fell a lot, but I loved it and have been skating ever since.” -Olivia Laskoe mentally prepare herself. According to her, the more proficient you get on the ice, the riskier the skills get and the longer it takes to master them. “Figure skating is unlike any other sport because it involves so many aspects of other sports,” mother Lynn Laskoe said. For a while, Olivia participated in ballet and gymnastics to improve balance and flexibility. With the 2018 Winter Olympics approaching, Twin Rinks adorns their lobby with banners of awards in preparation for the attention they will be receiving for training in their facilities Bradie Tennell. Tennell is a member of the 2018 Olympic figure skating team poised to medal. “I’ve been skating with her for years and hope that she does well at the Olympics,” Laskoe said about Olympian Tennell. Just as Bradie Tennell inspires Laskoe to work harder, Laskoe is passing down her passion for skating to children while improving their own moves, watch her as she glides on the white mirror of ice. BY ASHLEY MANDEL

SPORTS 39

CO-ED CONDITIONING

Coaches, athletes describe training in Intramural program, preparing for upcoming sports seasons

tevenson Strength and Conditioning (SSC) is an off-season training program and an official Intramural Sport. It is available for all students interested, regardless of whether or not they play a sport. Disregarding the differences that come naturally with any co-ed activity, participants’ primary goal is improving their physical abilities. For football player Jake Loch ’20, SSC is a family. “I think it’s great that the girls come and work out too because they’re a part of the Stevenson family,” Loch said. Gabi Siegel ’20, girls’ Lacrosse

player, can confirm this sense of inclusion as a girl in the program. She had the preconception that there would be some differences in the ways that girls and boys work out, but her own experiences have shown otherwise. “Last year, I remember thinking ‘oh my god, there are so many more guys—I’m not as strong as they are!’ But after that first practice, you realize that you’re all just there to work, and that’s all it is,” Siegel said. As all the athletes engage in the same activities, both boys and girls get the same workout. Regardless of gender, SSC coaches ensure that

Claire Brand ‘18 looks ahead, wating for her turn as male athletes run towards her. Male athletes make up the majority of the students in the gym as many boys’ sports require SSC attendance.

everyone is putting forth their best effort and treated the same way. “As coaches, we do not see any difference; teams stick together,” SSC coach Patrick Grady said. “On the surface it could seem like the athletes are separated by gender, but in reality it’s just teammates sticking together.” Working out amongst the masses, both the boys and the girls in the program understand that everybody— regardless of gender— is trying to be the best that they can. “If there was a difference, I wouldn’t be able to see it,” football player Michael Youkhanna ’20, said. “From the looks of it, they’re working really hard.” SSC is Stevenson’s largest intramural apart from leagues, its popularity only continues to grow. Other than a $20 fee for registration, changes to the program over time have been minimal. Grady believes that the greatest changes come from within the student body. “Every year, the students have done a better job of leading,” Grady said. “As people come in, it’s just become a part of the culture— that mentality that ‘when we’re in here, we’re here to work hard, we’re here to get stronger and we’re here to get better as a team and as a school.’” BY ANJINI GROVER

A BRIEF LOOK AT

WINTER SPORTS

BY REBECCA AZEVEDO