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Celebrating Volumes of Student Journalism • Volume 50 Issue 8 • March 16, 2018 • John Hersey High School
Walkout: Joshua Irvine
Online
Students react to Parkland shooting
Students joined a national walkout Wednesday to show concern for school safety after the Parkland, Florida shooting kickstarted a movement. "I would like to participate because I want to demonstrate that I support the idea of gun control," freshman Tanya Soriani said prior to the walkout. In the lead-up to Wednesday's walkout, members of the administration conveyed a series of requests to the anonymous organizers of the event. The administrators, including associate principal Ron Kiobasa and assistant principal Dr. John Novak, requested the event be held on the East field of the school, and that students enter and exit through the front and back entrance and display student IDs upon their return. In addition, administrative staff and Arlington Heights police liason Pete Hamrick planned to appear at the event. By this point, Principal Gordon Sisson had already condoned the event in a school-wide email. The intent of these requests was to protect the protestors. "We wanna make sure that we respect everybody's right to be involved in this while keeping them as safe as possible," Dr. Novak said prior to the walkout. The East field by the basin was selected to make it impossible, or
Check out pictures from Chicagoland Showcase.
In Depth page 6-7 Read about spring break and other spring festivities.
1900 East Thomas Street • Arlington Heights, Illinois • 60004
Students voice concern over national school safety
at least incredibly unlikely, for someone to approach the field without attracting the attention of the administrators or Hamrick. The checking of student IDs, for which additional staff were also allocated, was to make sure anyone who wasn't a student couldn't slip into the school among the crowd of returning protestors. "Whenever it's publicly known you're going to have a large number of people in one place, that becomes a safety issue," Novak said. "Because of the fact this is a national movement... people are going to know that there's a whole group of students at this place at this one point." Administrators feared the same people this national movement rallied against: those that w o u l d try and
drive a car or spray bullets through a group of unshielded innocents. It was a morbid topic to consider, but one the administrative staff was hardly unaccustomed to. A Correspondent survey (212 students were polled) found that 30 percent of students felt at risk of being a victim of a crime involving a gun in any situation. 22 percent
senior Justyna Stukin
senior Annie Hermanson
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When I first heard about the Parkland shooting, I felt my heart sink. As I kept getting updates and the victim count kept going up, it made me angry that it was so easy for a person to harm so many others. Personally, I think gun control is very important. I'm not an expert, but I think that there should be a better way to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands. I would like to believe that we're safe here, but the Parkland shooting made me question our preparations. To me, it seems that no school can really be safe unless something is done at a higher level. I don't know how much administrators can do to ensure safety at school. I think that change has to come from our politicians."
of students planned to take part in an event in support or opposition to gun control. "My thoughts are that there needs to be more [gun] regulations and that there just needs to be more awareness," senior Madison Burkhalter said. • continued on page 2
•Katherine Wiemold
ophomore Daria SolS tescu signs a poster that will be sent from
schools in the Northwest suburbs to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL.
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Obviously, I was really sad because there was a significant amount of lives lost; but then as details came out about the shooter and that he was 19 and has depression, I was just plain angry. I think there needs to be stricter regulations because in my opinion no 19 year old should own an assault weapon, a weapon designed for combat. I understand why people want to own them for self defense and that’s fine, but I think the age and background checks need to be more strict. I’m not sure if I feel safe at school. I know we have security guards and a police officer, so I think it would be hard for someone to just come in, so I feel safe in sense. I honestly don’t know. I think we’re as safe as we can get because I don’t think teachers should be armed."
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senior Colin Russell
My initial reaction to the Parkland shooting was that of extreme anger. The amount of deaths is flat out sad and a waste of precious life. I am staunchly against gun control, however, I believe that those likely to commit school shootings should be institutionalized. I do not feel that school is prepared, since (to my knowledge) there is only one person who has a firearm here. This is a big school and lots of students are in crowded rooms, it could make for a disaster if a shooting were to occur. My suggestions would be to try to scale back the amount of students in a classroom and maybe give the hall monitors something to defend themselves with, like tasers." Read more student reactions on
• Twitter: @Hersey_corre • Snapchat: hersey_corre • • Instagram: @hersey_corre •
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D d you KN W? Teenager sprouts to new levels Brandon Marshall of Suffolk, England is currently the tallest teenager on record in the world. The 16 year old reaches a height of 7 feet and 4 inches. Over the last year he has grown five inches and shows no signs of stopping. Marshall says that he was average height until about age nine when he took off in a growth spurt. Recently, Marshall was selected for the Wales National Basketball team. However, his height is not always a positive trait. With size 17 shoes, Marshall often has difficulty finding correctly fitting shoes. In addition, his parents have ordered a custom size bed to accommodate his height. “In some situations, like sports, being that tall would be really fun. But, in everyday situations it would be difficult to get under doorways and fit in cramped spaces,” senior Cole Rodgers said.
•Quinn Cunningham
Starbucks goes grande The world’s largest Starbucks is in the process of being built on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. It is set to open in 2019. This extravagant Starbucks is planned to be four levels and possibly 43,000 square feet. The incorporation of America’s favorite coffee shop with designs to innovate the shop into a classy roastery will add to many of Chicago’s attractions. The Starbucks reserve is taking over the old location of the gigantic Crate & Barrel furnishing store and will be a spot for the many coffee lovers of the world. “This is such a crazy cool idea for such a great coffee place. Because of my coffee addiction I will definitely check the Starbucks reserve out,” junior Kelly Tangney said. On their website, Starbucks states “the new Chicago Roastery will be a fully sensorial coffee environment dedicated to roasting, brewing and packaging its rare, small-batch Starbucks Reserve coffees from around the world.” It is planned to turn America’s favorite coffee shop into a classy reserve that customers can enjoy special coffee from around the world. Look forward to this new delicious attraction opening on Michigan Avenue in 2019.
•Marie Bechtoldt
News
March 16, 2018
Students support national protest •continued from page 1
Krajacic oversaw the fortification of the building as times dictated. Many students voiced similar concerns at the naAt that time, the 38 banks of doors that lined the tionwide walkout on Wednesday. school’s exterior were usually left unlocked. The steel “Today I walked out in solidarity and support of and glass vestibules students must now walk through the 17 victims that were lost and for support of gun to enter school every morning didn’t exist. control,” sophAnd there were no security cameras; even if omore Hope there had been, individuals like the school’s Fenwick said. police liaison were legally barred from acThe walkcessing them. out provided Krajacic’s habit of standing in front of an opportunity the school on certain mornings manifested for the student from days at his old school where he’d take body to come up position on the roof and survey incomtogether, some ing students. protesting and He began to recommend certain security others honorupgrades, including placing a “greeter” at ing the victims the front entrance who would eyeball peoof the Parkland ple entering the school (the marks from the shooting. greeter’s desk can still be seen on the foy“I’m doing er’s floor today), and keeping all other enthis to honor trances but the one at the back foyer locked the fellow stu(today, a computer system monitors and dents from our can remotely lock all doors in the building). •Joshua Irvine generation who By 1999, the year of the Columbine maspassed away sacre, the federal government had begun ophomre Jovany Melchor protests due to this masto take notice of the vulnerability of pubduring the walkouit on March 14th. sacre. This is lic schools, and this school and Wheeling something that shared a $500,000 Safe Schools grant. The should never happen in school, and it does need to school was offered the choice to install security camchange,” sophomore Jovany Melchor said. eras or keycards, ultimately choosing the cameras. One administrator particularly attuned to these concerns is associate principal of operations Joe Krajacic. •continue reading on page 3 A former dean who first came to the school in 1996,
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Pantene Beautiful Lengths restores beauty Kayleigh Padar Students have the opportunity to donate their hair to Beautiful Lengths, a charity run by the shampoo brand Pantene. In the past, our school has participated in St. Baldrick’s, a charity dedicated to pediatric cancer, but this year, the SOS club has decided to donate to this charity instead. “I think that this charity is important because it gives cancer patients their confidence back. They can have something back that they’ve lost,” senior and hair donator Emily Collins said. The SOS club ran the St. Baldrick’s charity for ten years, however in recent years student involvement and interest has decreased. Over the past two years, the SOS leaders discussed running St. Baldrick’s every other year, or every four years.
•Katherine Wiemold
enior Ariana TenerS elli donates her hair to Pantene.
Donating to Pantene Beautiful Lengths gives students an opportunity to provide their hair for wigs, while the majority of St. Baldrick’s participants didn’t actually donate hair, instead they raised awareness and money for the cause. “It’s really about understanding the individual sense of identity and dignity. Having to battle cancer is hard enough, but when you lose your hair, such an important piece of your identity, I think it affects your self esteem and even your desire to fight,” SOS sponsor Mark Gunther said. Senior Kate Konsewicz is another student who decided to donate her hair. She decided to do this because she realized she had enough hair to donate and wanted to help people. “This charity makes women feel good about themselves. It’s all about helping create a good self image and improving self esteem,” Konsewicz said. Students can get involved by donating their hair. The hair must be at least eight inches, and it cannot be bleached or colored. At this time, the SOS club hasn’t decided if they will also accept monetary donations. “Think about the people who you’ll be helping. They don’t have a choice, they’ve lost their hair. Yours will grow back. It’s quite a sacrifice, but this is a selfless and unique gift of love and support. It will cost you nothing,” Gunther said.
•Katherine Wiemold
enior AgS nal Alappatt cuts off
her hair to make wigs for cancer patients.
March 16, 2018
News
Ongoing adjustments address safety •continued from page 2
They ran on VHS; Krajacic would replace the tape every morning. It took the September 11 attacks to see a second greeter installed at the entrance; it had been part of Krajacic’s original suggestions in 1996, but had been rejected. In 2010, the front vestibule appeared; its sibling in the rear would be installed five years later. The vestibules, the first in District 214, were an unprecedented overhaul in physical security. Both sets of doors could be remotely locked, preventing hostile individuals from entering from the outside - or trapping them within the vestibule. Glass capable of withstanding .44 Magnum rounds protected a security booth placed at one end of the vestibule, and the glass on the vestibule doors - as well as all first floor windows offered similar protection from firearms or blunt trauma. In addition, pull stations that would trigger a hard lockdown - complete with sealed vestibules and an automated announcement - appeared in the security booths, main office, deans office and library. These changes are only the most visible security improvements of the last two decades. Administrative staff received FEMA training; police and other first responders participated in Rapid Deployment training in the building;
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a seminar with a former US Army lieutenant colonel who studied the psychology of killing was hosted at Thomas Middle School. And for the percent most part, stuof students feel dents feel safe. at risk of being “I know that a victim of gun this is a really nice school, violence and the people who work percent of here would do students support anything for stricter gun control the students,” legislation sophomore Anthony Ca•212 students polled ponigro said. But Kra•Joshua Irvine jacic calls And so, despite the vestibules and pull stathese procedures “armchair quarterbacking”: tions and first responders when it comes to the no matter how much time and effort goes into current standard of run, hide, flight, Krajacic them, they still can’t match the real thing. says this; “Be prepared to fight.” “You can have people who have been trained who freeze,” he said. “You’ll never know how •Jamie Anderluh and Claire Dwyer contribyou’ll react.” uted to this story
#NeverAg ai n 34
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•Katherine Wiemold and Joshua Irvine
Krajacic (Above) stands among Joestudents during the walkout. ophomore Mary Renner (Left) S silently protests gun violence in schools.
uniors Alex Lorkiewicz, Marlena Kot, and Nubia Denekeww J (Right) raise their fists in protest.
•Check online to see more photos from the March 14 school walkout.
Blood drive turns students into lifesavers Claire Dwyer
This week’s SOS blood drive was a big success. Students flooded the Carter Gym ready to give blood to those in need and save lives on Wednesday. LifeSource, a non-profit blood donation center based in Rosemont, set up a mobile donation center right here for students and staff to conveniently donate. “It’s a good cause ya know. It’s hard to donate money sometimes, so whatever you can give is good,” senior Casey Tran said. According to LifeSource volunteer Stephanie Adamczyk, blood donated during the drive can be given to three people. “Your blood is split into three parts. One person will each receive a part,” Adamczyk said. Adamczyk also mentioned that high schools generally have high turnouts. “Usually high schools have a lot of people eligible, so we usually get 50-100 people, so it is definitely on the higher end.” “This is my first time donating. I have been wanting to donate since the blood drive last year and I made it a point that when I was old enough
I would do it. I turned 16 a few months ago so now that I am old enough I’m glad I could participate,” sophomore Hannah Stamps said. According to LifeSource’s website, 38 percent of the population is eligible to donate blood, but less than 10 percent do. Basic requirements to donate include being 18 years old (16 and 17 year olds can participate with a parental consent form), weighing 110 pounds, and being in generally good physical health. “I would say if you are eligible and have the time there is no reason you shouldn’t [donate blood],” Adamczyk said. “You can help three people and get some snacks. The benefits outweigh the risk.” “I donated once before. Both were pretty similar; quick and painless,” junior Ireland Murphy said. “It’s just nice to help and they want me to donate because I have a special blood type and they need it the most.” Regardless of if it is the first time donating or not, every donation counts. “All the blood for LifeSource will got to a hospital in the Chicagoland area. Not necessarily one hospital, but you will be helping put someone in the area,” Adamczyk said.
•Katherine Wiemold
uniors Emma Riddle and Brianna J Maglio donate blood to save six lives.
Opinions
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March 16, 2018
Jokes about gun violence aren’t funny Amelia Zollner It happens all the time. A student wants to seem edgy and get a few laughs, so the student makes a joke about a school shooting. Almost always, these jokes are intended to be completely harmless, but joking about a school shooting is disrespectful as well as just blatantly offensive, and jokes like this can even spark fear and concern. Just a few weeks ago, 17 students were killed in a high school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The shooting was covered on essentially every single news network and everybody was aware of it, so why did I still hear the classic “I’m going to shoot up the school if I get another problem wrong” joke during a Kahoot that same week? Although this statement was clearly sarcastic and most people forgot about it within a matter of seconds, it’s still unsettling that students think it’s okay to joke about gun violence, especially after the recent shooting in Parkland. According to Gun Violence Archive, 2,785 people in the United States have died from gunrelated incidents this year (upon checking again, I noticed that this number went up by 61 in 24 hours and it’s still rising). In a country where gun violence is this common, it’s concerning that I see jokes about school shootings on social media, and it’s even more disturbing that some
people think it’s okay to belittle the harsh reality of school shootings into a joke. As a result of the recent school shootings, safety in schools has been a frequent topic of discussion. Plenty of schools have revamped their lock down drills into “active shooter drills” and increased awareness of gun violence, so it’s rational that some students have fears about school shootings. However, certain students who don’t share these fears, might choose to make jokes about school shootings. Especially when it’s a false threat, these jokes can heighten some students’ fears and possibly even result in punishment. And although these false threats are usually intended as a joke, if one •Katherine Weimold seems threatening at all, it’s best to report it to the school. ome students participated in the March 14 We need to stop normalizing walkout to respect 17 victims (listed on the humor that devalues the lives sign above) of the Parkland shooting. However, lost in school shootings. For the other students continue to make inappropriate students in Parkland, the school jokes. shooting that they experienced wasn’t a joke and never will be. jokes that people casually throw around on soIt was a reality, and definitely something that cial media and in the hallways. won’t be forgotten, unlike the school shooting
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Gel pens brighten dull school day Kayleigh Padar
Some people might say, “Kayleigh, get a hold of yourself, put the jelly bean sticker booklet down,” but those people hate fun. I love colorful pens. Cute sticky notes and holiday themed stickers are other passions of mine. I have an entire two drawers of my desk at home dedicated to all of these slightly overpriced, mildly useless supplies. I’m here to convince people to lose the negativity, buy some festive post it notes and get inspired to finish homework for exactly fifteen seconds. Everyone can relate to standing in an aisle of office supplies and immediately feeling ready to be the leader of the free world, right? Like, if I had a lavender themed planner, of course I would be able to thrive in the Oval Office. Sometimes we try to push those feelings down, trudge out of the aisle, let our bank accounts remind us that we do not live in the white house, but instead let’s spend the five
dollars and capture that vibe. Putting it simply, cute school supplies make everything seem more fun. Yeah, I’m writing down that I have to read fifty pages about the Federal Budget for AP Gov, but I’m writing it down on teal paper with a baby seal in the corner. My homework is going to take me six hours, but at least the piece of paper reminding me of that has a peach theme. My sheet of penguin stickers isn’t ending world hunger but it is encouraging me to write my homework down in an assignment notebook, and I think that it could do the same thing for all the nonbelievers. We need to accept all the little pleasures of school that we can or else we’re just going to get dragged down with the stress of it all. We’re approaching that stretch between spring break and summer, when everything feels long and boring and pointless. Not to mention, the AP tests no one wants to think about. Instead of losing ourself in gross smudged pencil study guides, let’s add a little glitter ink and get our lives together.
Senior Junior John McDonough Andrew Carranza “I don’t think I know “Yes, I get most of “Not nearly enough. enough, and it’s unfair my information from I fell like I should since the information know enough about isn’t always readily avail- The Daily Herald. I the elections, but I able for younger students. feel I am informed about the election and don’t have the time or I think that younger its candidates.” resources to look into people should be allowed it more.” to vote so our voices can be heard.” Senior Emily Hartman
Do you feel like you know enough about the election? Why or why not?
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•Lauren Theisen
ens can really make school and life more enjoyable. It can lead to cuter notes, brightly colored drawings, and a happier lifestyle.
Senior Chelsey Chacko “No, probably because I don’t really keep up with the news. Mainly because I don’t really have time to, and because we don’t talk about it much in class.”
Opinions
March sparks madness Staff Speaks not just from basketball This year, students have not been having a lot of conversation about the march madness that is taking place. Instead, they have been talking about video-games, snapchat updates, the Bachelor, and some college basketball tournament. It is time for students, especially those able to vote, to take their pick in the more important march madness: the upcoming elections for state government. Bruce Rauner is currently being challenged by Jeanne Ives in the Republican primary; while the Democratic primary consists of six major candidates. It’s important to know what these candidates are promoting and how their policies will affect us. Instead of spending hours researching statistics of the college basketball tournament or agonizing over picking Missouri vs Florida State, students ought to find some time to research the history of the state government. For the past two decades, Illinois has slowly slid to the second worst state by fiscal condition. According to ilnews. org, the state has $200 billion in unfunded healthcare and pension reliabilities. This means the state may be unable to pay government employees their entitled retirement funds. This affects all students who have family or friends, (or teachers) who may be counting on these pensions in
retirement. Additionally, this pension liability may dissuade new public school teachers to teach in Illinois, causing a teacher shortage across the state. In an attempt to raise funds, five of the six Democrats want to replace the current flat tax rate with a progressive tax rate in which higher income earnings pay a higher percent in taxes. On the other hand, the Republican candidates want to keep the flat tax rate and also decrease the rate over time. In addition, the state contributes less than 30 percent to public education. Therefore public schooling is mostly •Joshua Irvine funded by local governments which is why property taxes are almost twice the national average in Illinois. Last July was the first time in over two years that the state actually passed a budget. Over the last two years funding was cut off from many public services, including public colleges and universities. Also the budget cuts funding to colleges and universities by 10%, leading to potentially higher in state tuition costs and less scholarships. These are only a few of the problems with the state government. The upcoming election can be a step to reverse the trend Illinois has fallen into. We love college basketball, the Bachelor, and Fortnite as much as everyone else does; however, take some time, maybe just a few minutes a night, to understand the significance of the state’s problems and the proposed solutions of the candidates who will hit the court next week in the primary.
Dollar section impresses shopper with bargains
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SPEAK UP
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March 16, 2018
Seniors, drive slower Katie Lindgren
The school parking lot is not the place for speedy driving. Everyone is trying to get out of the parking lot after school, so we should all just slow down. Yes, making the quick turn to get in line to get out of the school at the end of the day is essential to getting out of the school in a timely manner, but flooring it down the line or through the parking lot is just not necessary. Parking lots do not have the best visibility for drivers pulling out of their spots. The amount of accidents that have happened in the parking lot is just quite insane. I hear about a new accident in the lot after school approximately once a week. So while everyone wants to get home as quick as possible, we all really just need to take a chill pill in order to ensure that everyone and every car stays safe and free of accidents.
Paralympics deserve hype Claire Dwyer With the 2018 Paralympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, the excitement that surrounded the 2018 Winter Olympics seems to have died down before the Paralympics began. Pictures of the opening ceremonies were not on the front page of the newspaper and the buzz over the games on social media seems to be a fraction of what it was just a few weeks ago over the Olympics. Students should make an effort to cheer on Team USA in the Paralympics the same way we cheer on Team USA during the Olympics. From snowboarding to sled hockey, there is something for everyone to watch and enjoy. The six different events are exciting to watch and are both competitive and inspirational. With tons of action to watch every night on TV for the next couple weeks, students should try to watch some of the inspiring athletes compete for gold this year in PyeongChang.
Jennifer Lechowski
passed by some Easter socks, room decor, finger slingshots and more. The options are endless. When shopping at Target, I suggest students The dollar section at Target is amazing. I knew they had to stop by the dollar section. I’ve found many wonderful items for such some pens great prices. They also ofand notefer more expensive items books, but I for three dollars and five never took dollars. These items are the time to also a great deal because appreciate for a few extra dollars one all the wonderful items they is getting a good product offer. for an even better price. I recently took a trip to The dollar section alTarget with my friends. We ways has decor reprewalked in and without thinksented for most holidays. ing stopped by the dollar secEaster is coming up, so tion. The dollar section is conthey have lots of bunny veniently located at the front socks and pastel colored of the store. This way people •Jennifer Lechowski things. Students can decopass by it first and can browse rate their locker, room or around the cute, affordable lime is one example of anything they want with knick knacks. what students can purthese holiday decorations. We started looking around Most of the time others when we found these cool chase for a dollar. can’t even tell it’s from the looking bottles of slime. I dollar section because the couldn’t pass them up and grabbed a few to buy. They were offered in quality of the items are in good shape. My recent slime purchase has been my favorsparkly galaxy colors as well, which made it even better. We also found a small sunflower- ite so far, and I can’t wait to see what I find next. making kit. I love buying mini succulents and growing flowers, so I had to buy this. We also
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is published 10 times a year by the journalism students of John Hersey High School, 1900 East Thomas Street, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004. Call for advertising rates. Phone (847) 718-4945. The Correspondent welcomes a free exchange of ideas. Letters to the editor may be sent to correspondent@d214.org. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of The Correspondent is determined by, and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication. The Correspondent will not publish any material determined by student editors or the student editorial board to be unprotected, that is, material that is libelous, obscene, materially disruptive to the educational process, and unwarranted invasion of privacy, a violation of copyright or a promotion of products or services unlawful (illegal) as to minors as defined by state or federal law. All unsigned editorial area the opinion of The Correspondent staff. Materials in this newspaper are the property of The Correspondent 2016-2017. The Correspondent is a member of numerous press associations. One thousand eight hundred copies are made each issue to be distributed to students during their second hour classes. Editors-in-Chief, The Correspondent
Features Editor Katherine Wiemold
Jamie Anderluh Kayleigh Padar
Editors-in-Chief, CorrespondentLive Joshua Irvine Caroline Stiefbold
Opinions Editors Trey Schmidt Nathan Kim
In Depth Editors Heidi Freitag
Editorial Board Jennifer Lechowski Gracie Scannell Lauren Theisen
News Editors Quinn Cunningham Claire Dwyer
Marie Bechtoldt
Entertainment Editors Grace Garlick Joey Ivanov
Sports Editors Katie Lindgren Tommy Lumsden
Photographers
Alyssa Kuncheria Trent Sprague
Adviser
Janet Barker Levin MJE
InDepth
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March 16, 2018
Marching St. Patrick’s Day Parade builds community Heidi Freitag
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago is the talk of March as students make their way to the city in order to see the green river as well as the parade. “I can’t wait to spend time with my friends in the city,” senior Amin Amarerdene said. Students will participate tomorrow in the viewing of the parade as they deck out in the color green and celebrate the pride and joy of St. Patrick’s Day. For some students, this parade is a chance to celebrate their heritage, and for some it’s all about meeting up with friends and family and spending time in the city. “I am excited to meet up with my fellow gingers,” junior Mary Kate Barnes said. The ginger community can feel left out at times, but this parade is a great chance to meet new people who share similar hair colors. Others begin to reflect on their previous experiences at the parade. “I really enjoy the bagpipes and the vibe
down there,” senior Shae Udelhofen said. As the river turns green, students march their way to the parade and spread their cheer as they walk from the train station to the parade. “I love getting to see people who I wouldn’t normally see. It is cool to meet people and spend time with people who don’t go to your school,” senior Hannah Graff said. St. Patrick’s Day is a time for students to head down into the city, mingle with new friends, and reconnect with old friends. The celebration can also be a time for people watching as the city of Chicago can hold many interesting people. “I like the parade because you get to find all the cute gingers in Chicago, like Mary Kate Barnes,” junior Ashley DaSilva said. The parade, also being a hotspot for Instagram-worthy pictures and snapchats, makes this time more enjoyable for students as they begin to gain street cred. Before thinking twice about going to the parade, don’t forget to put on some green decor, and get out there!
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•courtesy of Lydia Andina
eniors attend the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago.
Students look forward to spring adventures Marie Bechtoldt
close friends and even better if able to go on an adventure or go on a vacation. Spring break is a time to take a “I can’t wait to get out of the well deserved break from the stress cold, to get a tan, relax, and eat a of everyday life. Whether traveling lot of ice cream,” junior Emmy or staying at home, students count Macek said. Others are traveldown the days to this fun and reing farther away and taking on laxing break. new adventures. Students that are traveling this “I am traveling to London, break look forward to getting out Florence, Italy, and Vienna. My of the cold and escaping the nevbrother is traveling abroad this er-ending winter. semester for college and is cur“I am really excited for spring rently living is Florence. I am so break because I’m going to one of excited to have the opportunity to my favorite places: Clearwater, Florgo to Europe for the first time and ida,” junior Sierra Shirley said. see my brother!” junior “I’m excited to be on the beach in the sun with •courtesy of Sierra Shirley Megan Caulfield said. Other students find this my best friend,” Shirley uniors Emmy Macek and Si- opportunity to do things said. erra Shirley go to Clearwa- they wouldn’t usually Spring break is a great ter, Florida each spring break. have time to do. way to spend time with
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“I am going to visit the university of Kansas over the break. I am interested in the school, and spring break is a convenient time to visit the campus and spend more time then I usually would have over a weekend,” junior Laura Burckhardt said. Several juniors use spring break to visit colleges of interest and look upon their futures. “ I am traveling to South Carolina to visit Clemson University. They have the programs that I am interested in, and I’m excited to get a feel for the campus,” junior Adriana Baroud said. Not only can a college visit be productive and helpful to plan for the future, it is also an opportunity to travel and experience new places. Whether visiting colleges, relaxing on the beach, or taking on new adventures, spring break offers the opportunity to take a break from everyday stress. It is a break that can refresh students and prepare them for the end of the school year.
“Going on vacation this year to Vegas, going to the Grand Canyon and seeing the circus play,” sophomore Savannah Gazda
......what are you looking forward to the most this spring break?
“I enjoy vacationing with my family and friends,” freshman Tanya Soriano
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InDepth
March 16, 2018
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Spring
Brackets, basketball bring energy to March Caroline Stiefbold
March Madness has arrived. NCAA tournament games started on Tuesday. “My favorite part about March Madness is watching the upsets make big runs. There’s always a good small school that makes big noise in March, like Florida Gulf Coast and Wichita State. Keep an eye on those 12 seed versus 5 seed upsets. They can really surprise you,” senior Kathryn Gerardi said. With 68 teams in the tournament, bracket competitions are often very intense. “I love competing against my brother with our brackets. Sibling rivalry is real when it comes to seeing who can predict the biggest upsets,” Gerardi said. Student council sponsors a school-wide bracket challenge for students and teachers. An email was sent out about how to join this brack-
et through CBS Sports. The top three finishers in the school will receive a prize courtesy of student council. “It’s fun if you beat your friends. If you have a better bracket, it’s fun to shove it in their faces,” freshman Jack Muglia said. Often times, fans with the best bracket can win boat loads of money. ESPN and other sites hold nationwide contests, and students can also create separate bracket challenges with friends and family. “I like that there’s a chance to make money,” freshman Zach Lavin said. “The fact that it [gambing] is illegal gives me a rush,” Muglia said. For seniors, the tournament can be especially exciting because teams represent future schools. “Personally, I have always been a fan of college sports with a strong connection to Big Ten
schools. Three of the four schools I applied to were Big Ten, so I definitely will be rooting for them in the tournament. It’s cool to have a personal connection to a school and potentially be rooting for your future alma mater,” Gerardi said. With a lot of teams improving late in the season, fans are excited to see how teams perform and change their game plans heading into the tournament. “My favorite team in this year’s tournament is Ohio State, not just because it’s my top school right now. This Big Ten powerhouse has had some quality wins this season against Michigan State and Purdue. I’m excited to see how they can adapt play to the grind of March Madness,” Gerardi said.
Would you rather... have a movie marathon with friends...
go to a baseball game...
OR spend a day in the city?
enjoy a Shamrock Shake?
OR
go on a bike ride... OR have a picnic at the beach?
Entertainment
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March 16, 2018
Showchoir hosts Chicagoland Showcase OnStage, Ladies First celebrate competition’s 25 years Caroline Stiefbold Alex Rivera Grant OnStage and Ladies First showchoirs hosted the 25 annual Chicagoland Showcase at the beginning of March. “I mean I’ve been here for the past four showcases and I see how much work goes into it all; I can’t imagine running it for 25 years–it’s pretty crazy,” senior Mackenzie Greene said. “But it’s always a great competition that everyone enjoys and ‘Momma’ [Joann Langley] works so hard every year, so I’m not surprised it’s been going on for so long. I hope it continues because I’d love to come back and volunteer.” Show choir members are proud to be a part of this long-lasting show•Caroline Stiefbold choir tradition. “It is amazing to enior Maggie Mug- know that I was part lia, freshman Natof the 25th Chicagoalie Wozny, and senior land Showcase. Show Theo Brown perform choir is such an enorat showcase. mous part of my life,
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and it’s crazy to think that show choir competitions like Showcase have been around that long. I also hope that there will be dozens of showcases in the future,” junior Annie Slania said. The choir members pride themselves on creating a fun, inviting atmosphere throughout the showcase. “What makes Chicagoland Showcase different from other events is the atmosphere. The atmosphere at showcase is very upbeat. It’s wonderful to see so many talented people who support one another. Overall showcase is an enjoyable event for the performers and the audience,” Slania said. Members of Hersey’s show choirs become hosts for groups competing at the event. Hosts pick up their assigned group at stations to drop off equipment and lead groups to homerooms. After going to warm ups and performing in the main gym, groups are led back to their homerooms to change and enjoy the event. Many hosts find friends within their assigned groups
that they continue to talk to after the event. “Hosting is a lot of fun because you get to help other schools and meet a lot of people from the show choir community,” Slania said. Because OnStage and Ladies First host the competition, they do not compete. However, •Caroline Stiefbold they still get to perform in front eniors Anna Stenzel and of the crowd Daniel Cuevas-Torres perbefore prelimiform at Chicagoland Showcase. nary and final awards.
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Entertainment Oscars bring representation to light
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March 16, 2018
Alex Rivera Grant
of other movies in a way. I feel like a lot more movies are going to come out with a lot more The 2018 Oscars were dripping with well de- representation after ‘Coco’,” Hartman said. Jordan Peele’s “Get Out”, is a movie about served representation. “Coco”, “Get Out”, and “The Shape of Water” all took home awards an interracial couple going to visit the white from best picture to best original screenplay. girlfriend’s family. The film delves deep into The awards were a success for the Latino and the idea of black people being seen as less than African American community, taking in 11 white people. The film created by comedian Jordan Peele awards. Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” had every opportunity to become a comedy parwas nominated 13 times, and out of those nomi- ody much like Key and Peele’s “Negrotown” nations they won four. Best picture, best direc- and yet stayed true to its horror genre, surpristor, best original music score, and best produc- ing many. “The Academy is changing themselves betion design were captured by the dark and yet cause ‘Get Out’ got nominated and ‘Get Out’ enchanting del Toro film. Guillermo is not one to shy away from the is a horror thriller kind of movie, and you don’t usually see those more morbid nominated for types of films Oscars. It’s just building his empart of the change pire on movthat our society is ies with darker going through,” themes like “Helljunior Susan boy” and “Pan’s Schmidt said. Labyrinth”. At the Oscars, “I think it’s rea montage was ally cool that ‘The aired stressing Shape of Water’ the importance was directed by of representation a Latino director. in movies and I also think that Hollywood for in terms of the all races and genmovie being morders. Director of bid, it’s all right “Lady Bird” Greas long as it’s ta Gerwig, direcimpressive in the way it’s conduct•Jennifer Lechowski tor of “Precious” “Lee Daniels,” ed and executed. tudents get a taste of representation acclaimed actress If it deserved the while watching the movie ‘Coco’. Salma Hayek, diaward, the morbid rector of “Moonaspect doesn’t relight” Barry Jenally matter all that kins, and comedic genius Kumail Nanjiani were much,” senior Emily Hartman said. Another Latino film also took home some some of the few celebrities to speak on repreOscars this year. Lee Unkrich’s “Coco” won sentation in Hollywood. “It’s needed. It’s been a long time coming, best animated feature and best original song for the heartwarming song “Remember Me”. The and it’s finally happening. People have been Disney film centers around Miguel Rivera, a pushed to the sidelines, and with this dive into wannabe musician in a music hating family. A representation, it’s allowing for not even just whimsical journey through the land of the dead awards and showing representation, but also alinvolving long lost family, spirit guide alebrijes, lowing people to be encouraged to maybe try and a sinister secret Miguel teaches valuable out for these roles and to get to a higher place in life,” Hartman said. lessons about family and himself. #OscarsSoWhite may still rage on, but with “To see that representation and knowing it’s going to affect so many people to see someone all these films bringing in representation, many like them on screen is incredible. It’s going to students believe that things are going to get a lot do a lot of things in the future in terms of chang- more colorful. ing stuff and it’s kind of set the path for a lot
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Get a clue, play HQ It’s time to take a break The app HQ Trivia is gaining popularity among students. Essentially, the app features trivia live-streamed once or twice daily. To win, users make their way through twelve questions that progressively become more difficult. If this isn’t enough to compel people to download the app and play, there’s a cash prize awarded to the winners. Most rounds boast a $2,500 prize divided between the winners. Sometimes, the app draws users in with a larger prize of $50,000. Due to the coveted prize, the app has generated a large following and usually, over 1 million people compete at the same time. At first, HQ appears to be ridiculously easy. But the questions are difficult and unpredictable making it a lot harder than it seems. But still, it’s entertaining, and there’s a slight chance of winning money, so who’s complaining? •Amelia Zollner
Shamrock shake
Shamrock shakes are probably the most overrated drink in March. The shake is only used for the money and its color. The whipped cream is not good nor is the flavor of the drink as a whole. Also, the amount of green dye in the shake is outrageous. It looks nasty and sometimes doesn’t have the needed amount to make the drink look good. Real milkshakes take dedication. They aren’t just filled with lots of ice cream and green dye with whip cream on top. The shake is a disappointment to human foods and drinks. The shake should be put in the trash like the Cheeto fries. Keep out the bad things. The shake should just be banned in the American food society. It is the worst kind of drink out in the world. I can’t wait until all the shake ads are gone. I can’t stand the ugliness of it. •Trey Schmidt
with Joshua Irvine
No ‘Stranger’ to convention
Just once I’d like for one of those characters who cries out “it’s my fault!” in a moment of despair not be immediately reassured that he or she is not to blame, both because it’d add a twist on a cliche and because that character is usually to blame for what happened. “The Strangers: Prey at Night” has one such scene, which it plays in the normal, boring way. That said, it’s pretty much how it does everything else. “Prey at Night” focuses on a moody Troubled Girl; we know she is one because she smokes cigarettes and wears a Ramones t-shirt. She did a Bad Thing, so her Older Brother Who Plays Baseball and parents Cool Dad and Mom From “Mad Men” are driving her up to boarding school. This is the full extent of the characterization these individuals will receive. The quartet, having chosen to spend the evening at a trailer park run by their conspicuously absent uncle, find themselves at the mercy of a trio of killers. They sport the kind of masks that should get anyone who buys them from Party City put on the FBI’s watchlist. Anyone expecting genre surprises will need to find a different movie; this is a film viciously rooted in slasher conventions, from the systemic and continuously aggravating isolation of the trailer park to the ease at which Cool Dad and Mom from “Mad Men” are bumped off (the kids persist not so much out of intelligence or nerve as the need of the film needs to pad its runtime). Classic movies like “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th” had the dignity to give the killer supernatural powers or leave their victims unaware until their throats were being slit; in “Prey at Night,” the heroes are just colossal idiots. The film eventually settles into a steady cycle of running, jump scares, and brutal yet bland violence; speed it up and add jaunty music and it’ll be trending on YouTube. “Prey at Night” pays frequent homage to the early ‘80s origins of slasher films, by which I mean the film takes place at something vaguely resembling the sleepaway camp of “Friday the 13th” and the soundtrack blares discordant power ballads every time someone’s getting murdered or about to get murdered. One particular sequence, which combines Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” with a neon-lit pool, has an air of genuine cool that briefly lifts the film from its slump, but it’s a momentary high among banality. “The Strangers: Prey at Night” leaves its audience with a lot of questions; Who are these three psychopaths? What has driven them to kill? Why did they choose this particular locale and family to wreak mayhem upon? The film quite literally replies “why not?” with smug aloofness, but it’s a moment that, genre-subverting as it wants to be, really just proves how unaware the film is of its quality. This is a film that doesn’t seem to give a damn about its heroes, premise, or villains: the better answer is “who cares?”
Features
10
March 16, 2018
Conspiracy theories haunt students Local motel alarms residents Kayleigh Padar
Spooky isn’t a word most people use to describe Arlington Heights. However, on Rand Road, just across the street from a friendly looking shopping center is a sketchy motel shrouded in unsettling trees. “I feel like everyone’s just spooked by it because it’s so obvious that something’s up there,” senior Mackenzie Greene said. The earliest relic of this motel is a postcard from 1953, and it looks almost exactly the same now. It’s an oddly nostalgic little place that reminds many students of old movies. “I think it’s been there forever and could probably be the scene for a creepy movie,” senior Jenna Simpson said. Another strange aspect of the motel is the fact that there’s never any vacancy. The parking lot always seems to be filled, despite the fact that very few people have any real reason to visit Arlington Heights. “There’s always cars parked there filling the parking lot. I don’t understand who is staying there. It’s so sketchy and random and unheard of,” Greene said. “It’s such a random place to have a motel. So,
that makes me nervous,” Simpson said. Another eerie aspect of the motel is the sign itself. “The sign is exactly like those signs from the horror movies in those abandoned towns that are always flickering. I mean they don’t do anything to make it look less creepy, it’s like they’re not even trying to hide it,” Greene said. Students have heard varying rumors about the motel. “I’ve heard that it’s a drug place. I think there’s probably some ex cons hiding out or something like that. I definitely wouldn’t go inside,” Simpson said. Although the motel looks unsettling, there aren’t any exciting ghost stories or unsolved mysteries recorded at the site. The only recorded crime on site was a DUI arrest in 2015. Despite this, some students want to investigate further. “It’s been on my bucket list to stay there one night with a bunch of friends to investigate, so maybe I will this summer,” Greene said. No matter what the truth is, students will continue to theorize about the odd, historic motel barely a block away from our school. “Maybe it’s secretly not a motel at all,” Greene said.
Abundance of mattress stores concerns students Caroline Stiefbold Various stores line the streets of Arlington Heights, but one particular chain of stores stands out: Mattress Firm. Mattresses are normally an item purchased about once a decade. So, many students find it odd that a chain specializing in these items is so plentiful in the suburbs. Arlington Heights is home to five stores, and Mount Prospect also has two. Although it’s possible that these mattress stories might just be a coincidence, students enjoy theorizing about something mundane. “There’s so many and it’s kind of weird. There’s one by Walmart and then there’s one right across the street,” freshman Devanjali Patel said. At the intersection of Rand Road and
Arlington Heights Road, there are three stores. Just down the road is another. “I’ve heard that they are plotting to take over,” sophomore Erin Johlie said. Due to the large amount of stores (some even just across the street from each other), students have heard several conspiracy theories about Mattress Firms. “I’ve heard that they have underground tunnels connecting each store which definitely isn’t true,” junior Maria Ulbert said. While some of these conspiracies may be light-hearted, others are more serious. Other conspiracies are more believable and have spread concern around the Mattress Firm community. “I’ve heard that they are all fraud stores and that they are hiding money in the beds,” Patel said.
•Katherine Wiemold
Feature Friday Krafton
Freshman Meaghan
Bednar
Past Features: Junior Matt
Frreshman Maura Schafer
This Week’s Feature:
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•Katherine Wiemold
earby vintage motel inspires student conspiracy theories. Students enjoy coming up with absurd theories to add intrigue to the suburbs. From the troubling tree coverage to the flickering sign, the motel sparks questions.
Sports
11 Max Sheldon has fresh start Tommy’s Take: Freshman Michael Somary
March 16, 2018
March match-ups will bring madness Tommy Lumsden
March Madness is finally here, and that means no more listening to teachers lecture or doing worksheets. It means basketball and only basketball. At least for me, that is what it means. Just like any year, people have no idea who’s going to win, but all of us seem to do the same thing: getting a big group together, filling out brackets, and betting money for the best bracket. I never win but, heck, I do it anyway. It’s worth a shot. So with a year of so many uncertainties about a bracket and the feeling that any team could win, I have two major tips. First, don’t go bankrupt, and second, vary it up. I have made five brackets and not one of them has the same winner. Not even the experts have a unanimous Final Four, and it seems anyone, including my Michigan Wolverines, could win the championship. The key is being hot at the right time, which in my mind gives Kentucky, Cincinnati, Michigan and Virginia the best odds, along with Villanova. But it’s never that easy, and knowing March Madness, three of those teams will lose first round. That is the thing; none of us know how it is going to work out, but we still bet on it anyway. According to ESPN, over 10 billion dollars are expected to be bet on March Madness. That is a huge number, but that’s what makes it fun. So even though I have no validation what so ever, here’s who I believe will be in the Final Four. With Virginia being the clear best team in the tournament due to defense, I think they will make an Elite 8 game, but lose to Cincinnati, putting Cincinnati in the Final Four in the South bracket. Xavier will be the team to beat on the West bracket and will not be beaten, even though they will have a rough go of things against Michigan in the Elite 8. Villanova will run the table and shouldn’t have many issues, not even against Purdue, and Duke will fend off Michigan State and Kansas to make a Final Four run. After that, it’s all up in the air, but I have Villanova being the best bet to win the National Championship for the second time in three years.
Huskies’ Take “I have only bet 20 dollars so far, and it is all definitely worth it because it brings friends together. It is also a good friendly competition between friends with a little at stake. It is good for all of us,” senior Joey Carlson said. “I have made four brackets, but I have not put any money on them. I don’t feel I really need to,” senior Will Johnstone said. “I make one bracket, so I don’t compete against myself. I go big or go home, win it all or none. I am in two bracket pools that cost me $20 in total,” senior Sean Watters said.
As spring sports are starting, the tennis team is looking for a strong season. Among some of the best on the tennis team is freshman Max Sheldon. Sheldon is ranked 134 in the country for the class of 2021 according to tennisrecruiting.net. Ranked in the top 150 in the country, Sheldon has the potential to have a Division 1 scholarship by his senior year. “I usually try to stay away from looking at rankings so that I won’t be afraid of anyone,” Sheldon said. Sheldon has been playing tennis for many years, so coming to high school could be a change for him. Sheldon’s training sessions consist of warming up with ground strokes, volleys, overheads and serves and then doing various drills regarding what he’s working on for the day. Towards the end of every session, he plays matches. Sheldon is turning heads by his play. According to tennisrecruiting.net, Sheldon has a 56-35 record, mostly against kids older and bigger than him, proving his training is paying off well. People often underestimate Sheldon because of his short, skinny, 5-feet-4, 115 pound build, so when he fires a serve over the net at a high speed or blasts a backhand hit over the net, people are surprised. Their first match against Vernon Hills is still a few weeks away on April 3, so these upcoming weeks of practices will be crucial. However, he did indicate that coming into high school has been a change from what he is used to. “My drills before were more singles-related, and Hersey practices are doubles-related and team focused,” Sheldon said. Sheldon, primarily a singles player, could
eventually become a doubles player due to this new practice style for him. Sheldon plays with a chip on his shoulder, which could bring some energy to the entire tennis program. “It’s really cool to have him on the team. He came in with a lot of energy, and clearly he is a really good player,” sophomore Ben Levinsky said. Freshman Max Sheldon is looking to surprise people by his play and prove his national ranking by winning varsity matches as a small freshman.
•Trent Sprague
unior Lucy Bornhorst shoots J the ball in the upper right corner in a game against Libertyville.
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Huskie Huddle: What is the best part of your season?
gymnastics gymnastics gymnastics gymnastics gymnastics
Gymnastics Junior Will Stefaniak
“My best thing is getting new skills because it shows that my hard work paid off.”
Softball Junior Sarah Bailitz
“The best part are the game days. Whether it’s a fun bus ride or doing each other’s hair, a win at the end is the best.”
volleyball volleyball volleyball volleyball volleyball
softball softball softball softball softball
volleyball Senior Mike Seneczko
“I just love to be with the team. When we win games, it makes everything about a team fun.”
Sports
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March 16, 2018
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unior Tamara Mladjenovic shoots a back hand and scores against Libertyville at their game last Friday.
Water polo • photos taken by Trent Sprague
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enior Alyssa Milligan runs the straight away in her leg of the relay. Indoor track has the MSL Invitational tomorrow at North Central College.
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unior Claire Lutz knocks down a shot from the Wildcats. The team beat Libertyville 9-4.
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enior Rachel Shepard runs her leg of the 4x400m race.
• Track
photos by Alyssa Kuncheria
enior S Madison Burkhalter
dribbles the ball down the pool and converts it into a goal. The girls play again tonight at the Titan Classic at Glenbrook South High School at 5:50.
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ophomore Katie Fredian turns the corner during the 3200m race at the York Invite.