May Senior Print Edition

THE GLEN BARD

May 2021

gwhsnews.org

Glenbard West thanks this year’s retirees

By Michelle Bishka ’21 Co-Editor-in-Chief

Ms. Catherine Shanley, special education teacher, is retiring this year after starting her Glenbard West teaching career in 1999.

Ms. Shanley will miss the West environment, especially “the people at Glenbard West.

It is a special place.” Ms. Shanley views her “amazing colleagues” as “lifelong

Mr. Michael Wyllie, math teacher, most recently teaching Pre-Calculus Honors and AP Calculus AB, is retiring this year after starting his Glenbard West teaching career in 1988.

Mr. Wyllie has many memories from his time at West. He coached basketball for a while and remembers the “last-second shots [that] players have made.” He has many teaching memories as well, having taught almost every class in the math department. How-

friends” that she has “had such great times [with],” the ones who made her job “bearable” during hardships.

In addition to her colleagues whom she has “developed friendships with,” Ms. Shanley is also fond of her students and the moments in her math class when they “light up,” understand the material being taught, feel like “[they] can do it,” and start to “like math.”

As she retires, Ms. Shanley leaves Glenbard West students and newer staff members with the advice to “reach out,” “connect with people,” and not hesitate to look for help nearby as “everybody has been in a position where they have needed a mentor.”

For retirement, Ms. Shanley is most excited to “not [wake] up at 4:15 a.m. every day” or wait in anticipation for snow day calls and find

Mr. James Pecilunas, special education teacher and sports coach, most recently in girls’ tennis and boys’ basketball, retired first semester after being at Glenbard West for almost 27 years and another school for an additional seven years prior to West.

Mr. Pecilunas views Glenbard West as an “unbelievable experience.” Mr. Pecilunas’ ideal job was realized

with “teaching, coaching, and meet[ing] new kids each year” here, at West. Mr. Pecilunas misses his students the most and his “daily interactions with [them].” He was glad to teach a “special group of kids with unbelievable circumstances” for 19 years. In addition to his students, Mr. Pecilunas still remains fond of his “group of adult friends within [his] department” who “[give] their

ever, his favorite memory happened the year that “[his] students got a Christmas tree into his classroom” and decorated his entire room before school started. It was a large tree that went “all the way up to the ceiling” and all the decorations stayed up for a while. Wyllie will miss these moments with his students: “interactions with [them],” ability to “talk about math with [them],” and instilling “a little joy in the subject matter.” Mr. Wyllie is passionate about math, stating,

best to the Glenbard West students on a daily basis.”

From his teaching experience, Mr. Pecilunas wants to remind Glenbard West students and staff members of the “square peg in a round hole” expression—to remember “that all kids are different.”

During the early part of his retirement, Mr. Pecilunas has enjoyed “not having to be nervous [for Monday on] Sunday

“There is beauty in it. There is elegance in it. It is truthful.”

He loves “when student[s] [ask] questions about [math] to dig deeper.”

As he retires, Mr. Wyllie leaves newer staff members and future teachers with the advice to learn through trialand-error, by “jump[ing] in and doing it.” Mr. Wyllie also reminds the West community that “Glenbard West is such a beautiful place” and that the people who are a part of it are “great.”

For his retirement plans, Mr. Wyllie has left them open.

He “[has not] thought much about retirement” because of the pandemic, which has made “preparing for each week [...] unbelievable.” However, he considers tutoring or “[looking] for a job doing something else somewhere” during his retirement. All he knows is that he “[will] enjoy [his] time.”

Congratulations to Mr. Wyllie—West thanks him for all hard work and will miss him!

Mrs. Kathy Cerabona, GBW Head Librarian, will retire at the end of this school year after 32 years. As an incomparable member of the Glenbard West staff, Mrs. Cerabona was first hired as Assistant Librarian (1989-1992), then transitioned into the Library Department Chair (1992-2012), which changed to the title Head Librarian (2012-present).

As the advisor of all the Elliott Library’s activities and operations, Mrs. Cerabona has had the unique opportunity to work with the entirety of the student body, teachers, and staff. Mrs.

Cerabona shares that she “will miss all the wonderful people [she] ha[s] worked with,” with a special emphasis on her fellow library staff and the library regulars.

After her 32 years, Mrs. Cerabona joked that she will “finally get to graduate with the Class of 2021.” She shared some words of wisdom for current seniors and all students alike, saying, “Enjoy your time here at the Castle on the Hill. It is a privilege to be here, and the time passes by so very quickly. Remember all the good times and the good people who make up the Glenbard West family.”

Mrs. Cerabona hopes to be remem-

bered “as a person who did her best to make the Elliott Library [...] the very best that it could be for our students and staff.” She is proud of the work and time she has dedicated to the Elliot Library and Glenbard West and all the improvements that have been made because of it.

Things have changed so much, in fact; Mrs. Cerabona gave The Glen Bard an anecdote that “When [she] started working here in the fall of 1989, the library was located on the opposite end of the building, we had one CDROM workstation (NewsBank), and we used the old-fashion card catalog to find books.” Obviously, the Elliott Library

been “connect[ing] with and influenc[ing] a great group of students.” He has been honored to work with a diverse student body that has incomparable qualities, making him “very thankful [he] [has] spent [his] whole career [at West].”

Thinking about what he will miss, Mr. McCarrell emphasized that there are “too many things I will miss so I won’t list all those.” Instead, he states he will not miss the bell schedule nor the

experience(s) of “taking students on the road their first time behindthe-wheel.”

Mr. McCarrell advises all students to “take time to have fun and enjoy your time in high school.” Simultaneously, he hopes all students will take things in perspective and “when it seems overwhelming, just take a couple pieces of work at a time and pretty soon it will look like the goal is in reach.”

Looking back on his 26 years

at West, he hopes to be “remembered for treat[ing] all students fairly and treat[ing] them like I would have wanted to be treated.”

He also speaks on the fact that he has “dr[iven] with 15 year olds for 26 years and [he] still ha[s] a full head of hair!”

Glenbard West will miss Mr. McCarrell, and we thank him for his time working at Glenbard West.

By William Hohe ’21 Co-Editor-in-Chief

Mr. David McCarrell has been working at Glenbard West High School for the past 26 years.

He has taught drivers’ education and explains, “I have [also] taught physical education and several business courses.” His exploits in our school community expanded to being a football coaching staff member for the entirety of his time at Glenbard West and coaching West basketball for 10 years.

His favorite part of working at Glenbard West has

out whether or not she has to go into work. She is ready to savor the “little things” in her retirement. Although she currently does not have any set plans in her retirement, Ms. Shanley can “see [her]self volunteering, tutoring kids in math, or working in some capacity with animal rescue.”

Congratulations to Ms. Shanley—West thanks her for all her work and will miss her!

670 Crescent Blvd Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

night” or “not looking too forward to Friday.” He likes to “get lost” and “forget about the days.” In the near future, Mr. Pecilanus plans to engage in “many projects both in and out of the house.”

Congratulations to Mr. Pecilunas. West thanks him for all his work and misses him!

has come a long way, now featuring much more than one CD-ROM workstation, and instead features “access [to] numerous online databases, our online catalog, and our many ebooks and audiobooks” all thanks to the leadership and effort of Mrs. Cerabona.

Glenbard West celebrates Mrs. Kathy Cerabona’s impact on our school community and thank her for the many years she has put in working as part of our staff. The student body, faculty, and staff will miss her next year and are grateful for her legacy through the Elliott Library.

Features

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Bisa Butler: Art Institute features quilt masterpieces of renowned Black artist

By William Hohe ’21 Co-Editor-in-Chief

Family photographs and albums composed of birthday parties, memorable moments, and random mementos are typically not thought of as fine-art. Just this morning, I found myself glancing through a set of photographs my mom took of me from 20042005. I was immediately struck by nostalgia, but also deep appreciation for the candidly artistic compositions that transported me back to when I was two or three.

This sense of home and familiarity is the flair and flavor that quilt and mixed-media artist, Bisa Butler, strives for in her phenomenally rendered quilt depictions of vintage and historical photographs of Black culture and community. A few weeks back, I had the honor of visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, after a temporary closure due to COVID-19, and witnessing the work of Butler in all its glory while it is currently on display.

Entitled “Bisa Butler: Portraits,” this series, which is open until September of this year, features a wide array of Butler’s works that define her portfolio.

As her first solo exhibition in a museum, the proximity that the Glenbard West community and beyond has to this pivotally contemporary and narratively relevant exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago provides an opportunity that should not be missed.

While researching more on the artistic practice and beginnings of Bisa Butler’s investigation into her own Blackness and familial ties within her art, in an interview for Katonah Museum of Art, Butler discusses how she has been “an artist from the very beginning.” Growing up in a space and family life where her mother’s side was African American and New Orleans-based, and her father was from Ghana, residing in New Jersey, these blends

opened her up to continual exposure to art. She was the kid that “was always coloring, drawing, scribbling” but continued to do so as she grew older. Butler shares that in her youth, “When other kids ran off to do other things, I still continued to draw,” working seamlessly with 20th century cubist artist Pablo Picasso’s quote, “Every child is an artist; the problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

From there, she studied art with an emphasis in painting at Howard University. The strong and modern tradition at Howard added a new dialogue and dimension into her artistic practice; the professors and deans founded the AfriCOBRA movement, a Chicago-founded coalition of artists centered around a contemporary Black narrative, with underlying focuses on pride, self-determination and the concept of diaspora, which according to DePaul University’s website, is defined as “the voluntary and involuntary movement of Africans and their descendants to various parts of the world during the modern and pre-modern periods.”

The AfriCOBRA professors and influences at Howard helped redefine the artistic canon of the Eurocentric vision of studying the masters. Bisa Butler recalls a prompt in which the traditional white canvas was flipped to black, asking students to learn their sense of color and light from an opposite standpoint.

Ultimately, this technical and conceptual transition caused a shift for Butler. In conversation with the Art Institute of Chicago for “Bisa Butler: Portraits”, Butler began to see “quilting as an art form.” For all artists, she concedes that “it does take awhile to excavate your own soul and figure out what is driving you.”

The driving force ultimately caused Butler to pick up her family photographs and picture albums again, finding inspiration with the faces of her relatives

and family friends. She emphasizes that she “strove for dignity” while making these pieces and portraits and the dichotomy that emerged between the “laced up, buttoned up clothing” depicted portraits within the family photographs and the way history portrays late 19th century, early 20th century free Black and mixedrace Creole populations in such diverse media.

The wide archives of her family’s mementos are not barriers that Butler places on her references. Instead, she also studies national archives and databases in which she finds old-fashioned terminology amongst the dated fashion trends. With no names, no locations, and little context, there emits a missing puzzle piece and a lack of respect for the stories behind those pictures.

“This photograph was taken, and this person obviously knew someone took their photo that day,” but beyond that, Butler showcases that nothing else is shared, explored, or questioned.

The photos are then left to sit forever in an online archive. That is, until Bisa Butler had something else in mind.

Through incorporating family photographs as well as historical photos of the Black community from databases, Butler expands on the quilting skills and tradition of her mother and grandmother.

She gracefully integrates culture and context, elegance and artistic craftsmanship within her life-size quilted portraits of family photographs and forgotten documentations of the history of the Black community. The exhibit of Butler’s work at the Art Institute of Chicago provides some of Bisa Butler’s greatest pieces to date.

As one walks into the gallery, the first work on display is The Safety Patrol (2018). A glorious composition, the grey and white background emits a stark contrast to the direct gazes and plentiful colored layouts of the seven children greeting you. From the be-

Dear Mama (2019), photograph taken by William Hohe. ginning of the collection, Butler seamlessly cuts out a photo from the history books or from the depths of her family’s nostalgia and renders old-fashioned snapshots into quilted perfection.

Some of my other favorite pieces from the collection besides The Safety Patrol (2018) include I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (2019), Anaya with Oranges (2018), Dear Mama (2019), and Kindred (2019).

It wouldn’t be fair of me to mention my favorite pieces without acknowledging the work of Bisa Butler and her husband, who collaborated on and compiled a Spotify playlist to be listened to throughout the gallery.

While I was unable to listen to it at the time when I visited, the compilation of songs and artists matches perfectly with the nostalgic and thematic entity that is “Bisa Butler: Portraits.”

Unfortunately, there exists a certain intimacy that has been lost over COVID-19 due to the inability to see art in person, at least temporarily. Within Bisa Butler’s collection, textures and nuances of fabrics, etchings and inscribed texts are often missed when photographed, but evident when gazing into the piece in person. Whether you are a passionate artist or newbie in the art world, a Chicagoan who’s never entered the Art Institute of Chicago or a frequent patron, “Bisa Butler: Portraits” is destined to be one of the best exhibitions this year. “Bisa Butler: Portraits” runs presently until September 6, 2021 and tickets can be purchased online. As her first solo museum exhibition, this is a collection you do not want to miss.

‘Truly Devious’ wows with setting, not characters

By Michelle Bishka ’21 Co-Editor-in-Chief

Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious is a series opener that has potential. It is the first book in the Truly Devious series, transporting readers into the mysterious world of Ellingham Academy, a world centered around puzzles, pathways, and gardens.

What seems to be an academic utopia, a private school where learning is a game, soon ends when the wife and daughter of the school’s founder, Albert Ellingham, are kidnapped. With no clues left behind, except a murderous riddle signed by the psyedumnon “Truly, Devious,” the crime remains unsolved.

In comes Stevie Bell, a new student ready to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy with a high ambition to crack this cold case. But her task is more complicated than it seems. Not only does Stevie have to ac-

commodate to her new school life in the midst of her detective work, the past begins to repeat itself. Death revisits Ellingham Academy when a person Stevie recently befriended winds up dead. It raises the question if the events of the current are tied to the history of Truly Devious.

Stevie Bell will not rest until she uncovers their identity throughout the series and solves the murders at hand.

The premise of Truly Devious is captivating and its setting is the most appealing part of the entire novel. The ominous and eerie atmosphere of the private school fits well with this idea that something is always on the verge of unfolding. Seemingly small clues appear. The mood of the novel slightly shifts.

Unfortunately, it seems like the verge never thoroughly unfolds. The execution of the plot and characters are mediocre. It was interesting to see the interactions between

Stevie and her classmates, but they often fell flat compared to what the intrigue of the premise of the book had to offer.

By focusing on adolescent relationships, the novel turned away from exploring and fleshing out the two murder plots with more detail and suspense. Even with this focus on character dynamics, the characters themselves were static, with exception of the mental health representation found in Stevie, which was refreshing.

The ending of the novel is polarizing.

Though some may find it to be a shocking twist and a great cliffhanger for the next book in the series, it seemed far-stretched, especially considering the journey the reader has been following.

Despite its faults, Truly Devious can still be considered an entertaining read. It is worth checking out for readers who prioritize the setting and environment of the novel over its evolution.

Features

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Jeff Pridgen, Poe the Passenger: Glenbard West alumnus in L.A. alt-rock band, speaks on success, future goal

By William Hohe ’21 Co-Editor-in-Chief As a senior at Glenbard West, the next years of my life are on my mind.

Whether it be where I’ll be in 10 years, how far away from home I might be, or frankly where I’ll be going to college next year; the future after Glenbard West is both exciting and contains endless possibilities.

Many former Hilltoppers have gone on to notable success and have made significant impacts in their fields and industries. West recognizes such alumni in the annual Glenbard West Distinguished Alumni Awards.

This past month, I had the pleasure to converse and discuss the pursuits of Jeff Pridgen, alumnus of Glenbard West from the Class of 2011, who now lives and works in Los Angeles. I sat down with Jeff in early February via Zoom interview and got the chance to meet him in person by Duchon at the end of last month to catch up in person on his up-and-coming band, Poe the Passenger.

First, I focused on Jeff’s beginnings at West. Besides graduating as part of the Class of 2011, “within two months of [him] graduating, [he] moved to Los Angeles.” Initially set on becoming an actor or focusing more on acting, Jeff took his one rotary scholarship and the “little money saved” and has been living in Los Angeles since 2011. From an early age, he had been into movies, dabbled in activities at West such as baseball, and eventually worked under Mr. Crowley, currently an English teacher at West, through Forensics.

He participated mostly in the Humorous Duet Acting/Dramatic Duet Acting events, and extended his acting and artistic abilities by participating in some of the Glenbard West Theatre plays with Mr. Fox and took studio art classes. Jeff shares, “I really loved the arts when I was at West. I had always been a big proponent of film and music and I played in a handful of funny bands when I was [living] in [the Chicagoland area].”

After moving to the L.A. area, he realized that he “didn’t have as much control in the acting industry.” He worked on some big film sets and roles in YouTube, short films, and various productions. Looking away from acting, he “stumbled into music and started performing in shows” due to the surplus of shows that occurred daily throughout the city.

Initially he was petrified of singing and opted for a guitar. Considering his voice as “not immaculate [nor] incredible,” his adoration for music and being in a band helped him to push his singing voice and learn to “carry a tune.”

Confiding that he “didn’t even move to L.A. with the intention of playing music or even doing the ‘band thing,’” he is now ecstatic that he did. Poe the Passenger initially “started off with different acoustic, folk band” vibes, influenced by Jack Johnson, Iron & Wine, among others. The initial members of the band soon shifted in and out as time went on.

However, in 2017, Jeff joined forces with current band members Trent Maderosian and his close friend, Matt Rosenblum, who play on drums and bass respectively. Though they have toyed with the idea of a fourth member, “something about the three is really special to [them].” Coincidentally, the trio all attended Pasadena City College, which is similar in scope to College of DuPage, around the same time, but met in totally different circumstances.

Besides what brought the band together, one question that I had throughout my research and listening process of the band’s current singles was, “Where does the name Poe the Passenger come from?”

Pridgen shared that not only is this

the original name, but the name itself has clever literary references. Not only does the name “Poe” carry an artistic flair and edge to it, but Jeff shared that after the death of his father, he learned that although he was a businessman, Jeff “found out after he passed away he had written poems” and drew similarities between his father and the notorious Edgar Allan Poe. Seeing the similarities between Pridgen’s praise for his father’s poetry, mirroring Edgar Allan Poe’s newfound fame after his own death, the name Poe the Passenger brings a positive connotation to not only the infamous poet but sheds a light on mental health and mental disorders, a consistent thematic element throughout the band’s lyricism, while paying homage to Pridgen’s own father.

Within the band, major inspirations musically include Green Day, Twenty One Pilots, The Killers, and anything pop-punk or alt-rock. Trent, the drummer, is into hardcore rock and posthardcore bands, while bassist Matt is driven by similar bass sounds of Tool, The Who, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Beyond that, the latter part of the band’s title, “the Passenger,” is a way for the band members to write songs vicariously through this imaginary character. It characterizes the idea of Poe. “He is our muse and we can get away with a lot of things by saying ‘it’s about Poe,’” shares Pridgen, who describes situations in which friends, loved ones, and family have questioned whether a particular song is referencing or about them. Taking after one of their major alt-rock inspirations, Twenty One Pilots, this literary reference is rooted both in substance and sophistication and offers both fans and the band themselves multifaceted possibilities and purposes.

As a photographer myself, when I was researching the band, listening to their tracks, and watching their YouTube videos, I was immediately struck by their cover art and photos of the bandmates on their Apple Music and Spotify platforms. “Visuals are a big thing for us, we try to have a photoshoot for each single,” Jeff shares.

This is quite evident, as many of their photoshoots are inspired by the songs themselves and play with juxtaposition between the music’s lyricism and the singles’ cover images. For their song “Sweet Talk,” a sarcastic song about superficiality within the music industry, the song and the song’s cover feature the band members in leather jackets with bubblegum backdrops and ring pops amidst’s the track’s ironic nature. This contrast is apparent within the song itself and the visuals perfectly speak to the meaning behind the track.

Speaking of their current singles, besides the formerly mentioned “Sweet Talk,” Poe the Passenger has released quite a number of stand alone songs that, “depending on the show situation [this year], [they] are planning to release the first album” sometime during 2021, Pridgen discusses. “We have written and recorded 75% of it, but it doesn’t seem like the best time” with the unknowns that remain with traditional live performances amidst the current focus on virtual venues due to the pandemic.

Another one of their current songs is “Follow Me.” A holistic instrumental collaboration between the trio, Matt emphasized his use of bass and complemented it with inspiration of piano chord progressions from Twenty One Pilots’ songs. “Follow Me” focuses on “mental disorders, something [they] don’t necessarily have but something [they all] can touch on” due to familiarity amongst family and acquaintances.

The song itself comes from an empathetic standpoint that is rejecting the hyper-critical nature that comes with a majority of conversations surrounding mental illness. Jeff confessed that

Even though Jeff graduated ten years ago, the exterior of Glenbard West still carries on its "Castle on the Hill" legacy. Jeff confessed that he is always showing people photos of his beautiful alma mater and GBW's iconic castle tower. Photo by William Hohe. while writing he asked himself, “What if we did it from a perspective from the person who has this feeling but doesn’t realize they have this illness and the inner criticisms [that] are pulling them down?” From there, “Follow Me” was composed. It has become the song that “universally [their fans] connect most with” and a “song that reminds us we are not alone,” Jeff explains.

With this song, among others, the band hit number one twice on 106.7 FM KROQ Locals Only radio station, a Los Angeles located radio show. The best part about these successes was that “It was voter based, so we had people from all over voting for us,” Pridgen mentions. As a world famous alternative rock station, their fans from L.A., Illinois, Georgia, Florida, and even abroad in Russia, Pakistan, Brazil, etc., came together to get their song to number one initially and stay at top 5 for a month. Though the radio station isn’t available beyond the United States, those listening internationally had the opportunity to show their support by voting online.

“Say It Again” and “My Own” are two of their other popular tracks already on the band’s streaming platforms that were featured on KLOS 95.5’s “STAY OR GO” segment. In this feature, the radio station allows a band to potentially feature two of their songs. First, they must select one song and wait for listeners to call in to decide if they should stay and play another song or go. Initially, the band played “Say It Again,” a summer anthem in-

spired by Foster the People.

“My Own” was the second song. It touches on themes of abandonment in relationships and personally was inspired by Jeff’s father’s passing. The song was received phenomenally by listeners and the hosts alike and gained them recognition by the producers listening and fans who began following them across their social media pages.

Of course, the successes pre-COVID were ultimately stunted, forcing the band to adapt to quarantining and the virtual world. In a way, Jeff shares, “We are thankful for this time and even though it’s unfortunate, it’s formative for [us].” The trio lives together, has written more than ever before, and has “never been so in sync.” They have enjoyed being able to connect virtually with their fans, conducting virtual events when they can and working as much as time amidst the unforeseen future.

In the future, Jeff Pridgen expands that “we want to continue [to] do lots more virtual shows.” They understand the need to perform and were even going to do a west coast show before the pandemic. “Our biggest thing is we’re in the development phase, developing our band, hav[ing] agencies calls, record label decisions before we hit the road.”

In tandem with building their name, they are building their community, which is evidently the future of their band. Taking inspiration from the social media standards of musicians like Halsey and Yungblud, they are focused

on the response but not getting trapped in how many likes or views they might be getting or not. “Developing our foundation as far as [our supporters] go” is essential, beyond receiving the most likes or follows, Pridgen emphasizes. In the end, they get a sense of purpose when a fan reaches out saying “I listened to your music, now I feel [better].”

Offering words of advice for current and graduating Hilltoppers, Jeff shares that he was “in the palace where I was petrified to move [far away],” but “you can do whatever you want with your life. If someone’s reading this and thinking about doing something,” Jeff wants them to know that they “absolutely can do that.”

At West, Jeff gushes that he “went to a great school [where] great people pushed me. [Mr.] Crowley pushed me, [Mr.] Fox pushed me, amazing people pushed me. Surround yourself with good people and good things will happen [to you].”

The future is looking bright for a former Hilltopper, Jeff Pridgen, and the rest of the members who encompass Poe the Passenger. “Heart Strings” is the newest single from the band and was released late last month, with an up-and-coming music video filmed in the Glen Ellyn area. Be sure to listen to the alt-rock stylings of Glenbard West’s own Jeff Pridgen and Poe the Passenger on Apple Music, Spotify and most streaming platforms.

The Glen

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Congratulations to Work Force Josh Ingold Ivan Lopez

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Bard

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the Class of 2021!

University of Notre Dame Molly MacDonald Valparaiso University Renee Seaney Iowa Drake University Paige Anderson Iowa State University Margaret Clements Zachary Dittburner Charlie Gapinski Cody Maddock Luke Mayer University of Iowa Denin Limouris Joanna Orda Elizabeth Small Kaitlyn Speck Kansas University of Kansas Carolyne Abel Addison Engstrom Leah Gonzales John Hughes Caeley Johnson Grace King Megan Mullins Brei Starmann Louisiana Tulane University McKenna Rooney Massachusetts Boston College Lauren Alcock Boston University Madeline Beery Northeastern University Isabelle Williams Michigan Calvin University Kayla Bongiorno Michigan State University Maddie Koslow University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Luke Cavan Idalis Chavez Gabriella Di Domenico Luca Diomede Avnika Surapaneni

Minnesota Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Allison Ciero University of St. Thomas Jalen Moore Missouri St. Louis University Brennan Cairns Gia Ferrari Zoe Mical Lillian Mullenax University of Missouri Zach Bertrand Dina Dronjak Jessica Mills Ava Orr Caden Todor Montana Montana State University William Lendabarker Nebraska University of Nebraska-Lincoln Payton Skurka New York Marymount Manhattan College Charlie Musser New York University Kate Nalon North Carolina Appalachian State University Kaitlyn Dixon Elon University Lily Ambler North Dakota University of North Dakota Max Fasules Ohio Case Western Reserve University Genevieve Ick College of Wooster Ellie Saguto The Ohio State University Ryan Murphy Matthew Travers

Miami University Kate Morrison Morgan Rodriquez Lacey Walker

Virginia George Mason University Dylan Cafferty

University of Cincinnati Ellie Rohrer

Liberty University Dim Lun

University of Dayton Maeve Campanella Terrance White Wittenberg University Charlie Morawski Xavier University Matthew Bak Pennsylvania Pennsylvania State University Scott Everson Anastasia Gregule Andrew Stolfe University of Pennsylvania Colleen Shanahan Rhode Island Brown University Caleb Moorhead South Carolina Clemson University Will Vainisi University of South Carolina Ava Iserloth Ellie Tarczon Kaylee Wagner Tennessee Belmont University Neev O’Neill Rhodes College Nick Bilotti University of Tennessee Sarah Hess Hudson Williams Texas University of Texas Quinn Hardesty Hadley McPartlin Vermont University of Vermont Sean Swikle Ally Updegrove

University of Virginia Kate Morris Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Andrew Germain Washington, D.C. George Washington University Katie Keller Wisconsin Lawrence University Matthew Perlman Marquette University Elyssa Fischer Fiona Kelly Kaitlyn Norem Krupa Sonani Milwaukee School of Engineering Christian Basso Brianna Hernandez University of Wisconsin-Madison George Apostolou Malachi Clark Klaudia Czepiel Jaclyn Dougherty Jessica Griffin Megan Hoerster Zach Hoffman Eric Johnson Alexandra Kud Bridget McBride Nathan Navarro Brandon Nowinski Emerson Smith Jimmy Zydlo Rome, Italy John Cabot University Lauren McGrath St. Andrews, Scotland University St. Andrews Finn Bender

Features

6

Tara Westover talks about ‘Educated,’ independence, family at GPS event

By Michelle Bishka ’21 Co-Editor-in-Chief

For Glenbard’s second semester Community-Wide Read, the Glenbard Parents Series had chosen Tara Westover, author of Educated: A Memoir, to host a book talk livestreamed by the College of DuPage on February 23rd, 2021. Tara Westover was born in Idaho to a father who opposed public education because of his radical devotion to the Mormon faith. Her educational experience as an adolescent was erratic and incomplete. In her memoir, Westover navigated through her ongoing struggle to reconcile her desire for education and independence with her desire to be loyal and connected to her family.

For the event, Westover was interviewed in-conservation by Heidi Stevens, a Chicago Tribune columnist. The dialogue between Stevens and Westover started without hesitation. Stevens began by asking Westover about her purpose for writing her memoir.

Westover’s intention for her memoir was to “come [up] with a clearer understanding of [her]self.” Because her upbringing was “very confusing” and “[her] entry to college was a collision course,” her memoir was an attempt to sift through her life and “find out what just happened” to her.

Stevens followed up her question with another one about a scene that stuck with her while reading Westover’s memoir. Stevens found it incredibly “heartbreaking” when Westover’s mother did not properly remember Westover’s age. During her adolescence, Westover was “disconnected from [her]self” and “slowly shutting down,” so, in this moment, she “was not angry” or upset with her mother. Westover recognized that her childhood “made [her] into someone [she] was not sure [she] want[ed] to be,” a person devoid of emotion. As part of her recovery, she

Screenshot from the GPS webinar featuring Tara Westover, Glenbard District 87 GPS. needed to “[turn] back on,” as she elaborates.

As Stevens recapped, Westover, in her memoir, mentioned that her mother told her, “out of all my children, you were the one that I thought would burst out of here,” and encouraged her to go to college. Westover explained the complex relationship between her and her mother, that “[her] mother is two people:” her mother, an individual who “cares for [her] and [her] wellbeing,” and her “father’s wife,” an individual “invested in pushing forward and protecting [Westover’s] dad and [his] world views.” Her mother was influential on Westover, providing her and her siblings with “space to [have] their lives.” For Westover, this was a life about the pursuit of an education.

Westover’s experience with education, despite how much she wanted it, was not a smooth one, as we learned from Stevens’ next talking point. Stevens referenced a part in Westover’s memoir where Westover revealed that she had “never learned about [the Holocaust] in a serious way” nor slavery,

finding herself lost in class for related discussions. She would ask her teachers for clarifications and spend the rest of “afternoon[s] reading about [...] historical event[s].” As a result, her “world shifted.”

Westover later clarified that when she returned home, she realized that her brother’s frequent use of racial slurs, now, “sound[ed] different.” Westover acknowledged that before she knew the background of those words, she “did [not] know [that] [her and her family] were participating in this really hideous history.” Ultimately, her education helped her “[get] access to a lot of different perspectives” and “use those perspectives to make up [her] mind about what [her] world is like,” a world different from the one she knew from when she was young.

Still, when Stevens asked Westover about the Mormon Church, Westover stated that she “[still has] a lot of affection for the Mormon Church,” but she “parts ways” from it in the context of women’s issues, same sex rights, and views on race. She added that, when she

was young, the “idea of women that [she] was raised with” was a “narrow definition of what [she was] allowed [and wanted] to be.”

Regardless of Westover’s story being a “niche” one, she unveiled to Stevens that her personal journey is relatable to all individuals who have difficult families. There is a bigger picture to her memoir. As Westover said, growing up encompasses “finding yourself and [your] connection with your family.”

And, it is important to realize that “you [do not] actually get to control other people” in your life, but “[you can] make a decision where to put those people in your life,” distancing them if need be.

Thank you to Tara Westover and Heidi Stevens for coming to this semester’s Community-Wide Read!

William Hohe, winning 11 Scholastic Art Competition awards, talks about his creativity

By Olivia Edakkunnathu ’21 Features Editor

William Hohe recently received 11 awards for his art at the Suburban Scholastic Art Regional competition. He earned six gold keys, three silver keys, and two honorable mentions for multiple categories such as art portfolio, photography, sculpture, painting, and mixed media. William’s gold key winners moved on to the national competition, where he won one gold medal for an individual piece and one silver medal with distinction for his painting portfolio.

William has always been into art since he was little. He recalls that when looking back at memory books or photos he was always “drawing or painting” or doing “something involving art.”

He remembers that he “got [his] first iPhone in 7th grade, and [he] just started taking pictures of whatever.” Building on this budding interest however, William explains that he did not take art (photography being his main form of media) seriously until high school.

Ms. Cann, William’s photography teacher, expresses that William “truly embraces his creative thought process to create that which is brilliant.”

Hohe’s high school classes played a role in developing his talents. Classes like Photography 1, Photography 2, Drawing 1, and AP art courses helped him to “ap-

ply [himself] and figure out what [he] wanted to do and what kind of art [he] wanted to make.”

Mrs. Doyle, William’s art teacher, states that “[she] [knows] that the basement of [William’s] house has been transformed into his art ‘studio’ where he regularly explores with various media and creation techniques including painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, found object art and sculpture.”

William’s technique for his pieces varies with the type of art he is creating.

William used to “consider [himself] just a photographer, but this year and in the past, [he] delved more into sculpture and multi-media pieces and painting.” When it comes to something that is not a photo, Hohe takes inspiration from references in pop culture and some of his favorite artists such as Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. On the flip, when it comes to photography, “Pinterest is where [he] [goes] for a lot of [his] inspiration.” Additional artists that Hohe likes include Jean-Michel Basquiat and Cindy Sherman. Musical artists that he looks to are Lady Gaga, Madonna, and other artists that “put on performances that are super extravagant” which also inspires his art.

Through all his approaches, William emphasizes that a common theme for his work is that he is “super inspired by artists that have come before [him] and people [he] [looks] up to” and not only hav-

This piece, called “YOU CAN’T SILENCE HISTORY...,” is a tribute to transgender woman of color and LGBT activist Marsha P. Johnson. This piece is a gold key winner.

ing pieces that hold “personal meaning.”

Mrs. Doyle says that, “Committed to the arts, both the learning of and creation of, William creates not always necessarily because he ‘wants’ to but because he ‘needs’ to.”

Hohe adds that it was “cool to submit all the pieces this year” and that “this year, [he] was kinda really focused on what he created and [he] did it intentionally for this [competition].”

“William is very professional about constructive criticism with each project

and puts his heart and his personal narrative into each piece he creates,” Mrs. Doyle adds.

In terms of college, everywhere William applied to was mostly for photography or studio art.

West gives whole-hearted congratulations to William and wishes him luck for his future endeavors in art.

William holds the position of Co-Editor-in-Chief for The Glen Bard.

Opinion/Features

7

Opinion: Forgiveness efforts will not resolve the student debt crisis

By Ethan Parab ‘23 Editor Recently, student debt forgiveness has become one of the most controversial issues in the U.S. Although certain members of Congress call for $50K of student debt per person to be forgiven through executive action, President Biden has not supported this idea, instead offering a plan with $10K forgiven per person.

These debts plague almost 45 million Americans and amount to a staggering total of $1.5 trillion, according to Student Loan Hero. An executive action for debt forgiveness may sound great when taken at face value, but it ultimately will not solve the long-term issue of student debt in the U.S. One issue is the student loans themselves, which generate the exorbitant debt with which so many are burdened. These loans are less regulated and have fewer options than mortgages, another very common type of loan used for home ownership. In addition, their rates for interest, the money an individual pays the lender in addition to the money borrowed, are very high. The average interest rate of a student loan is 5.8 percent, while that of a mortgage is about 3.23 percent.

At least with private lenders, some of this is attributed to student loan applicants not having good credit.

However, we cannot expect students to build up a good credit history in

the few months between turning 18 and applying for a loan. A co-signer, an individual with better credit willing to take some responsibility for the loan, can help alleviate that issue.

However, students from low-income families may not be able to access that benefit.

Student loan rates are often determined by the Federal Reserve System. They offer federal student loans which have interest rates determined

by Congress. These loans are not affected by credit score, but they are limited in their size. Should a federal loan not cover the full tuition, students are forced to turn to private lenders to bridge the gap.

That does not even begin to cover the core issue of college pricing.

Sometimes, tuition “sticker-prices” are a sort of marketing technique to establish a reputation. However, many institutions face budgetary constraints. As school funding from the government decreases, colleges shift costs to tuition fees instead of reducing their own spending. This practice is even more prevalent during the pandemic as brick and mortar colleges, institutions which remain in-person and not virtual in regular conditions, face declining enrollment. Ultimately, as said by experts speaking to Insider, “student debt is on the rise because college education is an industry in the United States.”

The system for higher education, from a financial perspective, is ridden with struggles for students. Al-

most all of these are neglected by the simple plan of debt forgiveness proposed. Erasing debt may chop down the aforementioned total $1.5 trillion debt, but that figure will just swell back up in a few years as more high school students, including those from Glenbard West, enter college and take on crippling debt.

Lack of awareness of options and alternatives is a major issue in the U.S. One example of this is that only about 43 percent of undergraduates are aware of income-based repayment, a program which caps federal student loan payments to a certain portion of income and introduces forgiveness after a certain amount of time. This safety net is in place to allow people to move forward from their debt, yet so few even know of it.

Another option which students often overlook is looking more locally

for college. According to Mr. Neberz, Glenbard West counselor, “Choosing an in-state school over a pricier outof-state school or starting at a community college versus spending money on four (or sometimes more) years at a university is a viable way of reducing the cost while being smart about your educational budget.”

Though West seems to provide considerable emphasis on that education, many high schools often “gloss over” education on the topic.

First-generation students, or students whose parents did not attend a college, often find themselves blindsided by the process, putting them at a significant disadvantage.

There has been a plan proposed by President Biden which would make public college free of cost. Though it is a heavy price for the government initially, it is estimated that tax rev-

enue generated by educated individuals will cover that cost in a decade.

As previously mentioned, private colleges function like businesses; this competition from public colleges would therefore likely reduce tuition fees across the board.

Though there are a variety of ways to work to solve the student debt crisis, brushing the myriad of systemic issues under the rug with forgiveness is simply not one of them. The problems will just be pushed onto the next generation of students, our generation. Despite our options being limited at this point in time, we must remember to help solve this matter, at least for those following us, so they do not face the burden we will likely bear.

Illustration by William Hohe ’21.

West activities, clubs adapt to COVID-19 pandemic

By Ethan Parab ‘23 Editor The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented difficulties in the daily lives of students, faculty, and beyond. Glenbard West’s clubs and activities, particularly those based on social interaction, are no exception.

Having faced many challenges, these extracurriculars had to adapt to the ever-changing conditions.

Jam Club, a musical group at West, was one of them. Jam Club intends to provide an environment where students with different musical backgrounds can participate in improvisational music without being adept in music theory. When asked about the challenges faced by the club, Mr. Szarzak, the sponsor of Jam Club, shared, “The biggest thing is playing together in-person. I mean basically playing together in real time at all.” In addition, it has “always been a very organic kind of thing,” an aspect “lost this year.”

In order to run, Jam Club tried an online program called BandLab. This brings them, in the words of Mr. Szarzak, “One step closer to jamming” because “at least a little bit of the improv is built in.”

In a similar situation, Glenbard West Choir also needed to change its set-up. In order to solve this issue, the group, according to Choir Director, Mr. Jeffrey, “put together ‘choir recordings’ where people would basically record themselves individually then send it in,” after which they would “try to put those together in an ensemble.”

Theatre faced some additional challenges. Mr. Fox, theatre director, said, “The main thing is we’ve not been able to hold in-person rehearsals or [...] build set pieces, we’ve

not been able to get together. We’ve not been able to go out into the community and sell or put up posters or sell ads by going up to people in the neighborhood.”

According to Mr. Fox, they adjusted: “New skills have been focused on, such as filming and especially editing. We’ve relied heavily on the skills of our editors, and Tech Crew has really been taking on that huge responsibility throughout these productions and doing a really wonderful job with that.”

Orchestra took a slightly different approach to these issues. Although they were not able to perform, they could bridge remote and hybrid students in order to keep the entirety of the Orchestra functioning in a creative way. Mr. Ortega, Orchestra Director, said, “We have a good microphone at the front of the room” so ”the students at home are able to listen to their peers [who are in-person/ hybrid] and then play along with us at home.”

A bit different from previous clubs is Steppers, a group dedicated to step dance. They have been unable to perform at all this year. Despite the setback, according to Ms. Cooper, sponsor, Steppers still meets through Zoom to learn “a step or dance [...] with the hope that someday we can perform it.”

Performing arts groups were far from the only ones hindered by the pandemic. Model U.N., an activity which allows students to experience negotiation and politics in the context of a mock United Nations, has had its own hurdles. According to the sponsor, Mr. Kotrba, “Usually one of the highlights of Model United Nations is traveling to renowned competitions [...] There’s a lot of connections to be made, but, as with online learning,

Glenbard West Choir sings “North” by Sleeping at Last. Photo courtesy of Mr. Jeffrey, GW Choir. there’s a certain type of humanism that has taken out of the equation that makes it a little bit difficult to communicate and connect sometimes.”

In addition, Chess Club has faced its own share of issues, but it has found a relatively seamless alternative. As said by Mr. Liechty, sponsor: “We could not play any matches against schools in-person, but we were able to play online. It worked out okay, but it wasn’t as good as inperson, of course.”

Finally, the Write Place, a group dedicated to providing tutoring and aid for student writing endeavors, has had to change. Mr. Whitman, the coordinator of the Write Place, explained by transitioning remotely, Write Place tutors “have given [Mr. Whitman] their [remote] availability” for more asynchronous tutoring.

Mr. Whitman continued on to high-

light an unexpected benefit of going remote: “Tutors are still, maybe even available more often as it’s easier because of the flexibility of doing it remotely.” He mentions, “It really helped a student who was a little bit more introverted to feel comfortable in getting the tutoring help [virtually, as compared] being physically in the room.”

Because of this realization, Mr. Whitman has decided that “whenever we are able to still do face-to-face tutoring sessions, that we will also have an option for remote sessions for students who would rather do that.”

Although everybody has faced these sorts of challenges as a result of the pandemic, many of us have found ways to adjust and even grow in this time period. Mr. Fox mentions, “I am very, very proud of the students for being there, going that extra step to

be there for each other throughout the year.”

Mr. Kotrba concurs, “I think we’re asking a lot of students nowadays. [...] [W]e’re asking you guys to be self-motivated and focused and self-reliant and that’s something we haven’t really asked young people to do in, in all honesty, probably in many decades. So, I feel that a lot of young people right now are facing some pretty tough times, but more often than not they’re figuring it out.”

Despite the many challenges these groups faced, most of them found ways to move forward and make it so, when the pandemic ends, they are better than ever. Their admirable resiliency is a quality we can all try to mirror as we move through these tough times.

Features

8

Students, staff embrace the idea of choice media in the classroom Student Series Survey

By Maariya Quadri ’23 Editor

Infographic by Maariya Quadri, sophomore Coloring by Manha Syed, sophomore

In February 2021, 100 Glenbard West students were surveyed on what type of new content they’d like to analyze in classrooms.

“Most conversations I remember having in school revolved around what we were watching.”

- Maggie Fisher, Freshman

“We want to shift away [from the idea that reading is boring] and bring that love of books back.”

- Ms. Gwizdala, English Teacher

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“I’ve used episodes & podcasts help make connections other than in writing.”

- Mrs. Mitchell, English Teacher

“Movies are very popular and appeal to a wide variety of audiences.”

- Hannah Grogan, Junior

When students were asked what genre they’d like to see that new content be, here’s what they had to say.

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Picture this: It’s the first day of class, and you’re given the syllabus, and along with Romeo & Juliet, Beowulf, and Catcher in the Rye, you see opportunities where you can choose your favorite book, movie, or TV show to analyze.

Sounds almost too good to be true, right? Having students add more of their choices to classrooms seems like a great idea to most students, and some teachers agree, at least to an extent.

Let’s see what 100 students at Glenbard West, along with a few of their teachers, had to say on the subject.

Sophomore Elizabeth Tanner states that introducing more material chosen by students may also introduce “concepts that not a lot of people think about.” Senior Mary Dillon agrees that this is useful, contemplating that new concepts will also spark more conversations between students, saying, “[Students] need to talk to each other more and recommend what to watch and read.”

One hundred Glenbard West students were surveyed on what book, TV, or movie series they’d like to see incorporated into their classes. When asked what kind of media in particular they’d like to use in class, many students said books.

Sophomore Skylar Oh approves, saying, “There are some TV shows that aren’t that relatable or applicable in your daily life.”

Books were closely followed by movies and TV, for good reason. Freshman Maggie Fisher says that this is no surprise, as “we’ll read books for school, but most conversations [with other students] I have revolve around what we are watching.” Senior Joseph Bletsas adds to this, saying that “everyone’s hooked on technology and screens as of late.”

When asked why students chose the particular media and content they did, answers ranged from childhood nostalgia to just plain popularity.

According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, “Students learn more when they are motivated,” supporting the idea that if offered more choice in what students study in class, students will do better academically since they are enjoying what they’re learning.

In terms of genres, while there were a host to choose from, action, drama, and fantasy were the top three. Senior Mary Dillon was unfazed by these results, commenting, “High schoolers are [the creators of] drama.” Sophomore Skylar Oh explains, “Action’s got a lot happening so you won’t be bored reading or watching it as you would in other genres.”

Hannah Grogan, a junior, hypothesizes that the reason for fantasy’s popularity is because it “provides some escapism from all the stress of high school.”

Students loved the prospect of including their favorite series into classrooms, from famous books that became movies such as Harry Potter to shows such as Breaking Bad. Ms. Gwizdala, an English 3 and AP Language teacher, explains that before adding new works into the curriculum, they “have to be approved by the school board, which is a pretty lengthy process. There is a lot of work, energy, and time on the teacher’s part as well to create a whole new curriculum.”

She acknowledges “that we have issues in re-

We asked what series in particular they’d like to use in class.

Below are the most mentioned series by grade*: Freshmen

Harry Potter

Sophomores

Harry Potter Hunger Games

Juniors

Harry Potter

Seniors

No clear results

*All grades not equal in total number - Freshmen: 37, Sophomores: 30, Juniors: 6, Seniors: 27

Infographic created from a student survey of 37 freshmen, 30 sophomores, 6 juniors, and 27 seniors.

Infographic data collection and visual creation by Maariya Quadri ’23. Coloring by Manha Syed ’23.

gards to representation [in curriculum]. When you look at the text, it’s very white and it’s very male. We [teachers] see that and we have this sheer desire to ensure that there’s better representation.” And while the board approves new texts, Ms. Gwizdala is meanwhile “giving time and space for independent reading to expose students to different perspectives and ideas” in her own classroom.

English Department Chair, Mr. Peterselli, hopes that introducing more independent reading will “compel students to read, and read all the way through a book.”

Renowned English teacher and author on adolescent literacy, Kelly Gallagher, says these efforts of giving “students a choice” are done in hopes of helping them “read and write more.”

Ms. Mitchell teaches Independent Literature and cautions that in regards to adding more modern media, “You never want to use media for media’s sake. You have to pick and choose

and think about what’s going to help get across to the students.” To do this, she often uses podcasts, TV clips, and even TikToks. Ms. Mitchell states, “There is a high interest [among students] because it’s a different way to present material, and they are on current events that they can make connections based on what they’re reading or what they’re familiar with.” The ASCD builds on this, saying that getting on a student’s level will “empower them and help development, and take more responsibility of their own learning.”

The Glenbard West staff are working extremely hard behind the scenes to offer more student choice within their classrooms. Mr. Peterselli hopes that along with this, Glenbard students will become prime examples of a Profile of a Graduate, by taking what valuable tools they learned, such as “self-empowerment” and “embracing diversity, and implementing them outside of the classroom.