The Hoof Beat - April 2012

From construction worker to poet Noble Prize Nominee Bei Dao shares his poetry with Northside

by Brendali Rios

Th The Student Newspaper of Northside College Prep HS April 2012, Volume 12, Number 7 Online at www.thehoofbeat.com

Mr. Dao speaks about his poetry. | ANDRIANA MITRAKOS

On Thursday Mar. 1, students gathered in the third floor atrium to listen to guest speaker Mr. Bei Dao. Thanks to the English Department’s efforts, Mr. Dao came in and talked about his journey as a writer who was penalized for just that—his writing.

In 1949, he was born Zhao Zhenkai in Beijing to a middle class family. He later took the nickname Bei Dao which translates into “Northern Island” due to his northern origins and preference for solitude. The Cultural Revolution, which lasted 10 years, cut his education at the junior high level. His early profession as a construction worker ultimately led him to speak out through poetry during the revolution. During the 1989 pro-democracy protests, Bei Dao wrote a poem which became the protesters anthem. While attending a literacy conference in Berlin, he was told he could not return to his wife, child, and China.

Later while in exile, Mr. Dao wrote many poems, such as “Requiem” and “New Year,” which are now among his greatest. World renowned Bei Dao has had his work translated into over 40 languages and has received several nominations for the Noble Peace Prize for literature.

Mr. Dao was accompanied by his translator Eliot Weinberger and Susan Harris, the editorial director of Words without Borders, an online magazine of literature in translation As Mr. Weinberger introduced Dao, he

Sleeping through the alarm

Mr. Benincasa addresses the audience before introducing Mr. Dao. | ANDRIANA MITRAKOS

compared the magnitude of his fame to that of The Beatles. He told stories of Mr. Dao being chased by fans who wanted to catch a glimpse of the acclaimed poet who could pack stadiums of over 40,000 people who came to listen to him speak.

Harris introduced Dao by mentioning some of his accomplishments and painting the setting for the story that Mr. Dao was about to tell. Mr. Bei Dao then took the podium and greeted the audience. In a heavy Chinese accent and a very soft-spoken voice, he told the story of his struggle and journey through Europe with nothing but his poems in hand.

“Writing was dangerous back then,” Dao said. “Most American students wouldn’t understand. The police took everything one time: my poems, notebooks, everything. I had to build my own secret room so that I could write and not get caught. The only way to make copies of things was by hand.”

People back then were hungry for knowledge but did not have the means to acquire it.

“We stole books,” Dao said. “We were

Listen to the poem!

Slam Poetry Team wins at Louder Than a Bomb

by Andrew Hague

Ms. Irizary waits in line to face Dr. Murphy who is attending late students. | SYLVIA WTORKOWSKI

by Sylvia Wtorkowski The always punctual Ms. Irizary, more commonly known as “the attendance lady,” walked through Northside’s entrance in shame on Mar. 23.

For the past twelve years, Ms. Irizary has been at her desk at 7:25 each morning.

However, on Mar. 23, she briskly walked into the building 40 minutes late. Numerous tardy students stood in line, IDs in hand, waiting for Ms.Irizary to mark them tardy and send them up to their individual advisory rooms.

For the first few minutes, these students waited patiently for Ms. Irizary to come take her place in the office. However, they quickly became fed up and showed her numerous looks of irritation the moment she walked through the doors. “I feel terrible,” Ms.Irizary said, “It’s more work for the other clerk.”

As the line began to crowd the first floor, Dr. Murphy walked into the midst of the chaos. Seeing the crowd of students in the first floor entrance, Dr. Murphy had to stop her work in order to take Ms. Irizarry’s place.

She stated, “Ms. Irizary, you need to be

a model for students because if my faculty and staff can’t get to work on time, how can I expect my students to get here on time?” Dr. Murphy said. “Just as students will be penalized, you will be too. You will be reprimanded, and it will be in your personal file.”

Dr. Murphy was visibly frustrated and questioned Ms. Irizary as to why she was tardy for work. Her light mood took a turn for the worse when she received the blunt reply, “I’m never late but today my alarm clock didn’t go off. I overslept. I’m sorry.”

Ms. Irizary and Dr. Murphy have an argument when she arrives late to work. | SYLVIA WTORKOWSKI

hungry for books. We would steal them from the library.”

After his speech, Dao read excerpts from his poems in Chinese. His translator, Eliot Weinberger then proceeded to read the English version of the same poem.

“Your name has two windows/one opens towards a sun with no clock-hands/the other opens towards your father/who has become a hedgehog in exile/taking with him a few unintelligible characters and a bright red apple/ he has left your painting/how vast is a fiveyear-old sky.” Weinberger translated.

This excerpt from Dao’s poem, “A Picture (for Tiantian’s fifth birthday)” shows his ability to personify and objectify, which is one of his signature styles. In this poem, Dao refers to having to leave his wife and five-year-old daughter behind in China.

The presentation ended with a Q&A session, in which students asked Mr. Dao what his favorite poem was.

“The ones that are yet to be written; the ones that are coming,” Dao said.

Northside’s poets reigned supreme at the Louder Than a Bomb finals when they won with a difference of half a point among the top three teams at the Vic Theatre on Mar. 10.

The dimly lit venue roared to life once the emcees of the Louder Than a Bomb finals opened the night with a dosage of quick and clever lines that got the audience snapping and cheering. Northside was one of four teams competing alongside Whitney Young High School, “Epic Sounds” from Kenwood Academy, and Julian High School.

In the first three rounds, a poet from each team read their own poem. Group poetry was featured in the fourth and final round.

After each piece, the panel of judges rated the poem on a scale of 1 through 10. The poetry touched on multiple powerful subjects, including death, sexuality, and heritage. Tyler Sauter, Adv. 200, and Ashley Gonzalez, Adv. 209, were both given honorable mention for the Poem of the Contest Award.

AJ Tran, Adv. 201, was the first poet to get things going for Northside with her poem “Dear First Grade Teacher.”

“Boys line up on the left side, girls line up on the right,” Tran started, articulating her words with shifty hand gestures. “I need two boys to hold open the doors for the ladies, and remember, ladies first. At these words a line of nurses walk head held high before their proud soldiers, proud because they get to flaunt their growing arms to girls who stand a head taller than they are.”

Kenwood Academy’s Kristin Turner received the first 10 out of 10 score from the judges, but was trumped by Gonzalez’s piece about Puerto Rico that earned raving scores, all above 9, from the judges. Chance the Rapper, a hip hop artist who graduated from Whitney Young, started off the third round with a new track of his upcoming album, #10Day. Sauter was next for Northside who opened up with a piece commenting on the American society that got the crowd snapping and shouting for more after he ended.

Northside’s piece, performed by Sauter, Gonzalez, James Amick, Adv. 300, and Emma Coleman, Adv. 309, called “The Commute” was one of the best received group poems of the night by the judges, and it secured Northside’s slim victory.

“Is this the reason that your thigh shifted a little uncomfortably to the right of mine, to create that extra inch of schism between our lives?” the poem read.

Kenwood Academy placed second, Whitney Young placed third, and Julian High School placed fourth. Mrs. Flanagan was recognized earlier for her hard work for the team by winning the coach of the year award.

“It’s still hard for us to believe that we won,” Tran said. “We thought for sure that Whitney had taken first. It’s just been a crazy season, and we’re ecstatic to be competing at Brave New Voices during July 17-22 in San Fransisco, which is the National Slam [Competition].”

For videos of the winning pieces as well as other pieces by the Slam poetry team visit: www.thehoofbeat.com

ONLINE

NCP NEWS

Visit www. thehoofbeat.com for more articles.

Photos: Elephaant witthh Rriiddeerrss

Local School Council (LSC) Report

by Zobia Chunara Meeting: March 13 Present: John Ceisel, Kathleen Andrade, Barry Rodgers, Vicky Andrews, Gail Myers Jaffe, Vicki McMannon, Crystal Melto, Diane Monnich, Zobia Chunara

Hillary Pham, Adv. 200, works at the face-painting station. | COURTESY OF LANANH HO

Principal’s Report: -Northside’s Slam Poets won Louder Than a Bomb for Northside, and Ms. Flanagan was elected Coach of the Year; they will be off to California this summer.

-65 out of the 284 incoming students have perfect scores. Upon request, Mr. Rodgers explained that there is 5% for principal discretion, 5% of special based education students, and 5% for students going through NCLB process.

-In public comments, there was concern about the tier admissions process and concern that there can be loopholes in the systems, which give some prospective applicants an advantage. Mr. Rodgers commented also that because of the tier system, Northside has had to decline acceptance to students who received scores of 895 out of 900.

-The longer school day now consists of 102 minute blocks with advisory every day, which was requested by students who took the Student Council Longer School Day survey.

-The two blocks following colloquium on Wednesday will be non-credit and can be used for studying, academic enrichment, academic teams, sports, physical education and health.

-Continuous Work Improvement Plan (CWIP), a program similar to SIPAAA, will replace it. The SIPAAA requires that at least three goals for Northside, determined by the LSC. New training will take place this school

year for CWIP, and SIPAAA will not be taking place this cycle.

-PARC is a new assessment aligned with Common Core National Standards. Currently, Northside students take EPAS EXPLORE PLAN ACT SEQUENCE, but this may be fazed out as PARC is integrated.

-There is new mandatory interim testing for all students from this year forward; interim assessments are going to be given three times a year for all schools. Northside received a waiver this quarter because we have our own assessments and over 1400 AP tests and ACT tests given as well.

-Teacher evaluations will be based on student performance beginning next year. English, Language Arts, and Math are the only subjects formalized thus far for Common Standards.

-The Chicago Board of Education has proposed a 2% raise over 5 years for extra time for teachers. There will be no more raises other than those tied to merit, and there will be no more accumulation of sick days. There will be a longer school day and year, higher healthcare costs, less prep time for teachers, and no additional resources.

-There is a new requirement for one year of technology or a computer science class. Mr. Yanek applied for a grant to fund the new Exploring Computers Program.

-New Update: Northside’s kitchen will have a makeover, ready in time for students returning from Spring Break. There will be the regular school lunch, in addition to a new food line that has restaurant quality food for students who are willing to pay a bit more.

Upcoming meeting dates: Finance Committee: after spring break Parent Network: April 12 LSC: meeting April 24th

Students run the arts and crafts table set up in Northside’s cafeteria. |COURTESY OF LANANH HO

Good for the soul

by Carly Jackson Many Northside students will be preparing for the many religious holidays in April this month, which include Easter, Passover, and Ramanavami. However, many of these students will also be spending a lot of time volunteering with their religious centers.

Chicago’s centers of worship, like the Fourth Presbyterian Church at 190 E. Delaware Place, provide many opportunities for service. For example, people of all ages can volunteer through Fourth Presbyterian Church’s City Lights program, which provides tutoring, health seminars and more programs for people in Chicago. High school students can participate in many mission trips throughout the year, abroad and close to home. An upcoming project will include building maintenance and spring cleanup on the grounds of the historic church at 6400 S. Kimbark, in Chicago. Students will learn how the church works with the Angelic Organics organization to improve local access to fresh, healthy food via community gardens and urban farming classes.

Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago will be

collecting donations that will allow for 5,000 Rosh Hashanah and 5,000 Passover meals to be delivered throughout Chicago. More Chicagoland programs include Jewish Child and Family Services collection for Camp Firefly, a camp for boys and girls, ages nine to16, dealing with social disorders.

The Muslim Community Center at 4380 N. Elston Avenue provides opportunities to volunteer with charities like the Zakat Foundation of America, which develops orphan sponsorship and directs donations for disaster relief. The Muslim Community Center has been working with Zakat for over 40 years.

“I go to Sunday school at the Muslim Community Center,” Khan Haque, Adv. 503, said. “When students graduate from Sunday school they volunteer [with charities like Zakat].”

Living in a city as diverse in religions as Chicago means that students have many opportunities to volunteer, despite their beliefs.

Many students volunteer with non-religious centers in April and some choose to participate in an “Alternative Spring Break” project.

Ideas for projects can be found at www.dosomething.org.

Student Council Report

by Carly Jackson Student Council received a grant proposal form from Project ARC (Assist. Relieve.

Cure.) on Mar. 12, which requested $600 for bracelet sales which would benefit an orphanage in Cameroon. The council will vote on this proposal during its next meeting.

The Council has discussed methods of advertisement for grant funding. One possible advertising idea is to distribute grant proposal templates to advisory representatives who will post the forms in their rooms and explain the grant proposal process to the students in their advisories. The council also hosted a grant proposal information meeting after school for interested students.

Student Council is investigating the possibility of a State of the School assembly, which could take place in the morning on a school day or during a colloquium. Options also include an after-school town-hall meeting or announcements made by advisory representatives.

Sophomore Senator Gloria Ellis, Adv. 400, and Junior Senator Spencer Parts, Adv. 306, have researched the possibility of the council purchasing a coffee machine that

could be used by students on Student Council Coffee Tuesdays. The Coffee Tuesdays would consist of a council member sitting in one of the atriums with the coffee machine. Students could come up to the council member to get coffee and take advantage of the moment to ask a question about Student Council activities or suggest an initiative to the council.

Student Council received a grant proposal from Chinese Dance Club. To fulfill the club’s need, the council requested the help of Asian Club, the host of I-Night. The two groups intend to create a grant program that will specifically be for I-Night dance groups.

The Council may become more involved in Field Day. Traditionally, Student Council has paid approximately $1750 for the bill of the Field Day celebrations and the administration has matched that amount. The Council may investigate possibilities for vegetarian food options. The Council expects to provide approximately the same amount of funding this year.

Student Council will have a suggestion box, where students can submit ideas for initiatives. The suggestion box will be located on the Student Council bulletin board in the hallway outside of the cafeteria.

The Hoof Beat • April 2012 • NCP News

National rank, national merit

14 Northsiders win prestigious award

by Regine Sarah Capungan

Ever since the school’s opening in 1999, Northside has had a reputation for its high achieving students. Each year, a handful of its students become National Merit Scholars.

This year, there are 14 National Merit Scholars in Northside’s class of 2012.

The count of National Merit finalists and semifinalists stood for more scholars than any class before, with the record at 10 scholars in the classes of 2009 and 2010, and seven in 2011. There are roughly 250 students in the class of 2012, a small class size in comparison to previous years. This factor makes the 14 scholars account for the largest percentage of National Merit Scholars in a Northside class.

“I am very proud to say that this has been our best year ever in terms of students earning that recognition,” Principal Barry Rodgers said. “Think what it says for the school...

Northside is a place where really academic excellence is something that is expected and attained.”

The awards are given through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), depending on a student’s score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), a test administered junior year. After the NMSC receives all of the tests, the corporation sets benchmark scores that students have to meet in order to become semifinalists, 16 of whom are Northside students. The other two

leading Chicago high schools were Whitney Young and the University of Chicago Laboratory High School.

Upon receiving semifinalist notifications in September, students are required to take the SAT and complete a short application form and essay online. The finalists are then notified in February, and are offered a variety of scholarship packaged from the NMSC and other organizations.

Recognition has been given to both the scholars and the school. The increase in this year’s National Merit Scholars further benefits Northside’s academic reputation, paving the way for a better learning environment for its students.

National Merit finalists Mitchell Caminer, Adv. 203 Jayce Feiger, Adv. 204 Cecile Franke, Adv. 202 Daniel Graham, Adv. 201 Daniel Hautzinger, Adv. 205 David Jaffe, Adv. 204 Yuwei Lei, Adv. 202 Adira Levine, Adv. 204 Michael McMannon, Adv. 200 Colleen Monforti, Adv. 201 Bridget O’Brien, Adv. 203 Samuel Saks-Fithian, Adv. 207 Timothy Suh, Adv. 209 Joshua Williams, Adv. 209

3

The boat’s taking on water Senior Luncheon could be the next disaster since the Titanic

by Sharon Flores The senior luncheon is an important experience. Seniors gather together for one of the last times they can call themselves high school students. On June 6th some seniors will be dressing up, getting ready to document this experience by taking hundreds of pictures with their classmates onboard the Odyssey at Navy Pier. Students who have cleared all of their school debts will be there.

What could be better than lunch on a boat, right? That is if it even happens.

On the small chance that the luncheon is not canceled, the plans will face some necessary changes this year. Due to the low number of students who bought tickets in time, the money collected must suffice for the entire cost of the trip. In efforts to meet this year’s low budget, the catering budget needed to be curtailed. Students will receive two slices of the school’s healthy cafeteria pizza, a side of fruit, and one carton of two percent fat milk.

Cookies will also be sold for $1. On the bright side, this meal will serve as a final reminder of the familiar cafeteria food served at Northside every day.

“Why the hell did we pay $50 if we still have to pay for cookies? I could buy 50 McChickens with that money,” Allie Martinez, Adv. 207 said.

If students have song suggestions, they are asked to simply bring their iPods pre-

programmed with school appropriate music.

No dubstep or suggestive music will be permitted. The luncheon committee guarantees that students will still be able to hear the music blasting from the speakers borrowed from the art department. The art department is also working to make hand crafted decorations to keep within the budget. Left over twenty hour art projects will be put on display to create a unique Northside feeling.

Unclaimed ceramics and sock puppets made at Elephant with Riders will be selected and placed as table centerpieces.

“Why the hell did we pay $50 if we still have to pay for cookies? I could buy 50 McChickens with that money.”

However, Ms. Tomasiewicz’s efforts to encourage students to attend translated into a deserted sales table during lunches, and the luncheon will likely be canceled altogether because of the low interest level this year.

The administration apologizes for the inconvenience and assures the class that the ticket money will still be put to good use. Rather than returning each student’s money, it will be donated to Northside as a second class gift to be used in ways administration deems fit.

Should the luncheon be cancelled, Ms. Caplice will repaint the school musical set and seniors can celebrate with a do-it-yourself brown bag luncheon behind the student cafeteria during the Prairie State ACT testing day.

Peace of mind Kim Jong-Unbelievable Let Them Do Yoga! plans a yogathon

by Jamilah Alsharif People of all ages have the opportunity to practice yoga for free at Northside on April 21. As part of their colloquium requirement, the 20 members of Let Them Do Yoga!, led

by Ms. Mulligan, Math Department, and Ms. Andrews, Technology Director, will serve as model practitioners at the yogathon.

“I hope that my students learn the many benefits that yoga can bring to them – physically and mentally,” Ms. Mulligan said.

Among the yoga poses that will be practiced during the yogathon are the warrior, downward dog, and dead corpse. The only requirement for people interested in participating in the yogathon is to have a mat. Ms. Mulligan will provide mats for people that sign up for them, but the first come, first serve basis may prevent everyone from getting a mat. Students worked with Ms. Andrews to create a webpage for the yogathon with the Google document link needed to sign up for the event. Ms. Mulligan is also encouraging her colloquium students to invite the local aldermen, since she believes that it would be more meaningful if an invitation were received from a student rather than a teacher.

“It’s a great experience for me as someone who aspires to get a yoga teacher certification,” Kelsey Waxman, Adv. 202, said. “I’m most excited for the community to be introduced to yoga and get excited about a new way to move around and take care of their bodies. I hope they get a good sweat.”

by Regine Sarah Capungan

Of the variety of scholarship competitions that are available for students to enter today, it is rare for one to give students the opportunity to meet international leaders.

That is why Timothy Suh, Adv. 209, received the “phone call of (his) life” when the Korean-American Awards Committee called to inform him that he and his family would be attending a convention in North Korea.

“I was completely speechless,” Suh said.

“On the phone I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ I worked really hard on the essay, but I didn’t think it was that great.”

Suh was a finalist for the Korean-Ameri-

can Award of Excellence, a prestigious award in which students are judged by a series of essays, community service projects, and phone interviews. Suh’s parents became aware of the award through a family friend and pressured Suh to enter. The application process took roughly a year to complete.

“There were times when I felt like the entire process was going to be a waste of time,” Suh said. “There was so much work involved and I had school, extracurriculars, and college applications to work on. I’m pretty happy that it paid off in the long run.”

Along with the all-expenses paid trip to North Korea, Suh was awarded with a halfride scholarship to the North Korean college

Timothy Suh attends one of Kim Jong-Il’s observances. | BRENDALI RIOS

of his choice. Suh was also given a full-ride scholarship to Wonsan Agricultural University—an offer that he politely declined.

In North Korea, Suh attended an awards banquet and ceremony in Pyongyang, the nation’s capital and largest city. At the banquet, Suh and other finalists listened to speeches by awards committee members and government officials.

“Education is everything. It is what enables one to take over the world,” Evangeline Paek, the head of the Korean-American Awards Committee, said.

Toward the end of the banquet, the finalists lined up to meet the officials, including Kim Jong-un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea.

“He was kind of intimidating,” Suh said.

“He didn’t smile for the entire night and he really didn’t say much when we met him but everyone felt really proud shaking his hand.”

After the awards banquet, Suh and the other finalists attended a series of lectures at Kim-Il Sung University. The lectures were followed by group outings, during which the finalists toured Pyongyang and the surrounding countryside.

During the last night of the trip, the finalists were given another banquet. The banquet was less formal than the previous awards ceremony, and the finalists were served American food and danced to Korean pop music, Suh’s favorite genre.

Samantha Suh has begun the first set of essays required for the award, and will formally apply next year. Her brother’s achievement this year has inspired her to input more effort throughout the entire application process, and it has also reassured her that she stands a chance at winning.

4

News • April 2012 • The Hoof Beat

The little perfect incoming freshmen Incoming class of 2016 is the highest scoring to come through Northside’s doors

by Calum Blackshaw The class of 2016 is already making headway with 203 of the 272 incoming students receiving perfect scores on the selective enrollment exam. CPS and Principal Rodgers sent an e-mail to those students who received these scores and congratulated them on their success. Mr. Rodgers also sent an e-mail to three freshmen who will be allowed to take multivariable calculus next year: Chana Mihkta, Avery Turl, and Tiffani Cheng. There will also be five students that will be able to take Calculus AB, and three freshmen students in BC. “Due to your high aptitude test scores, you will be allowed to take these advanced mathematics courses during one of your XYZ scheduled classes after colloquiums,” Rodgers wrote in his email to the students.

Aside from the principal’s first real mentioning of colloquium schedule for next year,

Natalie Ogbuagu, class of 2016, studying for precalculus. | NELSON OGBUAGU

the math department is developing a curriculum special for these students.

“We are also looking for any other students willing to participate, but there is no guarantee, and they will need to have a meeting with Mr. Lim and the math department to decide on their choices,” Rodgers added in a second email to the teachers.

Northside held its freshmen welcome

gathering on Mar. 7. There they went further into the details of the students who would be taking the advanced mathematics course for the 2012-2013 school year and for the following three years.

“Next school year, we will be implementing a new schedule at Northside, one that all members of the community must grow accustomed to,” Dr. Murphy, vice principal, said.

“As Principal Rodgers described in his email, all students will remain after school on colloquium days next year. For those students selected to take these various math courses, you will be in a pilot program that we hope to implement in later years, where students, not only freshmen, but also juniors and sophomores may take classes or prepare outside of the regular school schedule in a course they may later take for college credit.”

Some of Northside’s present student body does not agree to the freshmen’s pilot process.

“It’s just like when they started the tablet program,” Adrian Nacedo, Adv. 306, said.

“They gave a later class benefits that classes before did not have the opportunity to do. By the time they allow other grades to take multi during the new schedule, most of us would have already graduated.”

August Malueg, class of 2016, excited for AP Calculus BC. | EMMA MALUEG

Northside faculty has yet to announce the names of the students in the other calculus programs. Dr. Murphy explained that they were not going to until the students had made their decisions; the students admitted to multivariable calculus had been informed earlier and responded with approval to CPS. Northside’s calculus teacher, Ms. Runkel, was actually rather pleased with the idea and hopes that it will be implemented nicely.

“It will be great, as they can mentor the seniors in the class and it’ll open up their schedules in later years,” Ms. Runkel said.

“Perhaps then they can start on pilot courses in science or even physical education.”

Whitney Young soon to become Whitney Houston High

by Diego Vela Six-time Grammy winner and legendary pop-singer/songwriter, Whitney Houston, has recently passed away. On February 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in the bathroom of her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, where she was preparing to attend a pre-Grammy Awards party.

Her death has come as a shock to America, for at a tender age of 48, she was considered by many to be happy and full of life.

Many Chicagoans showed their respects by posting Facebook statuses and expressing their respects via twitter.

“As soon as I found out ol‘ girl passed away, I texted everyone in my contact book,” Henrietta White said. “It’s a big loss, really.

I spent the rest of the day tweeting my feelings. I ended all of them with ‘#ExpectTheUnexpected’ and ‘#IWillAlwaysLoveYou’.”

The news of Houston’s death comes as a shock to Northside students as well.

“I remember when I was first learning to

play the piano; my teacher had me practice two Whitney Houston songs,” Shariell Crosby, Adv. 206, said. “It’s crazy to think that she’s now dead. I feel that as a music student, I should do something to commemorate her.”

Crosby does not seem to be the only student who feels that a commemoration should be made to the late Whitney Houston. Whitney Young High School has recently made a proposal to the Chicago Public Schools board to change their name to “Whitney Houston High,” as a reflection of their award-winning music department and as a national symbol of respect to the artist.

“I think it’d be a great idea,” Billy Jean, Young senior, said. “No one even knows who Whitney Young is or what he did. I think it’ll give our school a fresh, new touch.”

Many students seem to have the same opinion as Jean; they feel that Houston has made a bigger impact on society than Young, even though he was a MIT graduate and civil rights leader. He fought to end employment discrimination and served as an advisor to presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon.

Many students at Whitney Young are ecstatic about this idea. They have begun making sweatshirts and t-shirts with the name “Houston” instead of “Young.” Some students have gone as far as changing their schools on Facebook.

“When I heard about this proposal, I had an anxiety attack as to how great I thought it was,” Brittany Beige, Young sophomore, said. “I went on Facebook that same night and changed my school. I now go to ‘Whitney Houston High’ instead.”

According to a recent report from the board in charge of the name change, Bobby Brown has decided to go on tour and donate all the proceeds to the school.

“I got a phone call from Whitney Young a few days after Whitney’s funeral. I have never been so touched,” Brown said. “So now, I’m going to all the major cities, and every single penny I make will go to the school. I honestly don’t care how the money gets used, I have invested my full trust into this institution.”

As excited and eager as some students are for the name change, some students are

not anticipating it.

“I’m going to do everything in my power to ensure that this proposal does not make it through the board,” Jessica Thompson, Student Council President at Young, said. “Whitney Young has been around since 1975 and was the first magnet school to open in Chicago. To change the name would be an abomination to our education system and our city.”

When Young alumnus Michael Jackson, Class of ‘09, was asked his opinion, he stated “I would be very disappointed if the school were to change their name. Whitney Young has a very rich history, and for them to change their name in a matter of months over some celebrity is embarrassing. If they were to choose a singer, it should be someone internationally known, someone who had more influence and fame.”

Though Whitney Houston’s death has stirred heartbreak around the nation, it is clear that her fans will always love her. A final decision will be made by the end of June for the 2012-2013 school year.

Cafeteria changes to come after spring break

by Zobia Chunara On Mar. 23, Principal Barry Rodgers invited Dr. Murphy, Student Council, LSC Student Representative, Ms. Cirrincione, physical education department, Mr. Benincasa, English department, and other Northside students to food sample new menu options that will be offered to students for lunch after Spring Break. Northside’s kitchen will undergo changes during spring break. Chartwells Thompson Hospitality will bring its lunch program to Northside.

The menu options include wings, Philly cheese steak, and Asian Stir Fry for $3.50 each; Italian beef sandwich, Italian sausage, and the meatball sandwich for $3.00 each; tacos, spicy black bean burger, and popcorn chicken for $2.00 each. Chartwells will make sure not to serve the same menu option that

CPS offers on a given day. Since the company does not work under CPS, it will charge students, even if they are eligible for free or reduced lunch. The kitchen will be remodeled over spring break and company members will train Northside staff to prepare its food.

So far, only Whitney Young High School is a part of this program. The number of students that take part in their school’s lunch program helps the company decide whether or not to sell food there. Taft High School is among the next school the company is hoping to work with.

Chartwells is looking for students who can come up with a name for Northside’s new kitchen. For example, Whitney Young’s Kitchen is called the Dolphin Café. Any student who can come up with the best name will receive an iPod. Send name ideas to hoofbeat. drafts@gmail.com.

Faculty and students sample food from Chartwells Thompson Hospitality. | JAMILAH ALSHARIF

LIVE EVENTS MUSIC

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“How It’s tough to make for everyone it work” Neezy puts out his new charity album

THEATRE

The Pirates of Penzance have come to steal the stage School musical was a huge success

by Miranda Roberts A hush fell over the auditorium as the lights went down on Mar. 23 as the overtureto the first act of this year’s musical, Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, flowed from the orchestra pit. The stage had been transformed to look like a sea vessel with a towering sail on one side and an anchor on the other side. The musical, directed by Ms. Martinez, ran from Mar. 22 to 25.

The first scene began with the Pirate King, played by Jacob Laden-Guindon, Adv.

tucked in their belts.

The plot follows the adventures of a pirate’s apprentice, Frederic, played by Ellis Srubas, Adv. 206. After earning his freedom from the pirate king on turning 21, he ventures off in search of a wife. He abandons his first intention to marry his nursery maid, Ruth, played by Hannah Doruelo, Adv. 204, because of their age differences and in hopes that he can find a younger, more attractive woman. After leaving the ship, Frederic encounters the daughers of Major General Stanley (Ben Winick, Adv. 208) and becomes enamored with Mabel, played by Noa Rosen, Adv. 206.

Mixed in with the budding romance, there was the action of the pirates and humor

Winick as Major General Stanley singing on stage during the school musical | MIRANDA ROBERTS

Srubas and Rosen declaring their love for each before the audience | MIRANDA ROBERTS

307, blazing in slashing his sword back and forth at some invisible foe. He and the other pirates looked rugged and brawny with five o’clock shadows on their faces and pistols

throughout the production. The pirates declare that they cannot make raids on groups weaker than they are, and are afraid to raid groups that are stronger. They are also all

orphans, and have a soft spot in their hearts for those who are also left without parents.

There were several scenes that made the audience burst out laughing. One particular scene occurs when Major General Stanley, and the Pirate King argue over whether he was saying orphan or often. The two words sounded the same because of the English accents the actors used throughout the musical. The lines were said with such sureness that it was clear that the actors had been practicing and focusing with such intensity.

The terms of Frederic’s freedom are reversed on a technicality (Frederic’s a Leap Year baby and while technically 21 years old has not yet had 21 birthdays). He returns to the pirates, they pursue the General Major’s daughters until they are stopped by the

cowardly, yet well-choreographed, police led

by Kyle Sebastian, Adv. 204 as Sergeant of Police. In the end, however, young lovers are reunited, and pirates and ladies alike join in the celebration.

In addition to the actors on stage, the musical was brought to life by the way the lighting and the set created the mood. In the first act during Frederic’s confrontation of Ruth, a pulsating red background added to the tension between the two characters on stage. The second act opened with an ancient ruins of a church and the nearby graveyard, which set a somber mood as the Major General wept over his deceitful actions in act one.

The orchestra was rehearsed by Mr. Michael Lill, fine arts department, and led by concertmistress Lina Vidulich, Adv. 205.

MOVIE

Movie rendition of the book “Hunger Games” pleases the palate

by Maria Flores Years into the future, the only things that remain of the North American continent are 12 districts ruled by a far distant Capitol.

Each year, the Capitol asks each of the 12 districts to give up two young people to fight to the death on a televised show for the Capitol’s entertainment. “The Hunger Games” movie, based off of Suzanne Collins’s best-selling book, explores the decisions one is left with when everything is controlled by someone else.

The Capitol lives in absolute squalor of wealth and advance technology. Plastic surgery is used everywhere to obtain superficial beauty, and in their eyes, seeing young people kill each other in cold blood is fun and has become a yearly pageant. The movie’s depiction of the Capitol was spot on, with people dressed in painfully colorful skin-tight clothing and with hairstyles out of Dr. Seuss’s

Whoville. It made the necessary contrast with the lifestyle of the districts. Most of the people from the districts live in starvation and poverty. They are forced to work in the production of designated products for the Capitol in exchange for sustenance.

Once the districts revolted against the Capitol, and their punishment was the Hunger Games to remind the districts to never attempt a revolt again. Katniss Everdeen’s (Jennifer Lawrence) twelve year old sister, Prim, was randomly drafted and because Katniss knows that Prim’s life is at risk, she goes instead of her sister. In The Hunger Games, Katniss repeatedly demonstrates that she will do whatever she can to help her mother and sister after her father’s death.

When Katniss goes to the Capitol with the other tribute from her district, Peeta Mellark, played by Josh Hutcherson, the boy who once saved her from starvation, they both train for four days. During training, Katniss

and Peeta act like a celebrity couple and are presented on television to try to get the audience’s favor. They try to win the favor of the crowd, who chooses which district’s representatives might be able to send them equipment to survive.

Katniss and Peeta struggle in a kill or be killed environment to retain their dignity and humanity and not just be treated like pawns in the Capitol’s game. Their defiant actions stir something in the people who have to helplessly watch as their children are killed for sport, igniting a revolution.

The cinematography aligned with the action scenes. One particular scene where Katniss uses mines to blow up her adversaries’ supplies causes the viewer’s ears to ring. The muted and muffled sound makes the viewer go through that same panic and stunned feeling the character felt.

The movie really solidified the conception that these children were being put on an auc-

tion block for slaughter. One scene, where the Gamekeepers, who are seated in a white room with a hologram of the arena, place beastly animals in the arena to chase down contestant s showed just how much the Capitol enjoyed from the tributes’ suffering.

Even though most of the time the participants are stabbing each other to death, director of The Hunger Games, Gary Ross, kept violence minimal by only choosing certain scenes to highlight the Capitol’s brutality. A few very minor characters were left out. For example, the mayor’s daughter Madge, who gives Katniss the mockingjay pin, was left out in the movie. The mockingjay’s significance was not explained as a symbol of rebellion.

The movie and book shows the results when cultural and class differences are made the priority in the world. “Catching Fire” the second movie in the Hunger Games trilogy is scheduled to come out November 22nd 2013.

6

Arts & Entertainment • April 2012 • The Hoof Beat

TELEVISION

10 things I learned from watching Downtown Abbey Lessons to gain from watching television’s most acclaimed show

by Andrew Hague

1. The habitual chores of the rich and the poor can prove to be slightly entertaining Downtown Abbey, named “the most critically acclaimed show of 2011” by the Guinness World Records, has set a new standard for what Americans consider to be great television. Apparently every family in America is content with sitting down on their couch on a Sunday night to watch a family wander around an old mansion, gossiping about how the new valet is mortally disabled because he has a slight limp or how dinner was not served as perfectly as the night before. I’ll admit that the cinematography and direction of the series is superb but I don’t find the everyday lives of a wealthy family who spends

their days locked inside their home to be considered anything worth watching.

2. The servants do not dine with the family It’s not the fact that I found it surprising to see the servants not eating with the Crawley’s, but to see how unnecessarily prepared and eager to please the family they were was a little shocking. When the workers shot up out of their seats to greet one of the Crawley’s who entered the dining space I couldn’t help but sigh. This family inherits a mansion, locks away all of their money, but still are treated like royalty? I’m not sure whether I envy the Crawley’s lifestyle more or less than I pity the lives of the servants.

3. I would enjoy having my own personal staff On the subject of servants, I’ve learned that it would truly be awesome to have a staff do my biddings. Mr. Carson, the butler, is who I would want to lead my team of servants as well. Carson is firm, productive, and respectable – all three are qualities I would search for in a butler. Whether it was turning the television on, picking up groceries, or making me breakfast, a staff of butlers and maids would only increase the efficiency of the life I live. I could spend more time doing homework instead of making myself a sandwich. Instead of doing chores around the house I could tell my parents about how my day was while my servants did it for me.

4. PBS is not as bad of a channel as I once thought After spending my time watching “Cyberchase” and “Arthur” as a child, I was impressed with what PBS has going for them

right now. Instead of selling out like Disney or Nickolodeon, they have put out a truly powerful and impressive product with Downtown Abbey. For all of its petty faults, “Downtown” is one of the more remarkable shows on television right now and surprised me that it found the directors, producers, and actors, to put this show out on a not-for-profit channel.

5. Talking formally is the best way to talk I have discovered that talking like I was born in pre World War I England is the best way to have a conversation with people. Instead of asking my friends if they would like to go to lunch with me, I now ask “Dearest friend, would you find the time to go accompany me to luncheon?”

6. Dresses are essential at the dinner table The rich always dress in formal attire for dinner. On a Monday night or a Thursday night, it was absolutely imperative to dress nicely for dinner in Downtown Abbey. Lady Cora’s elegance at the dinner table caused me to convince my mother to put on a dress before every dinner so we can establish a strong sense of respect at my own dinner table.

7. Do not be fooled, “Downtown Abbey” is a soap opera Although nowhere in the show’s description is it stated, “Downtown” is clearly a soap opera. The show is riddled with ridiculous twists in the plot, melodrama is ever so present in the air, while nothing is off limits in terms of sexuality. Don’t get me wrong, I think soap operas can be entertaining and “Downtown” is no different, but don’t be

fooled by the fact that soap opera is not in the show’s description when it is in fact as melodramatic as they came.

8. Penmanship is an important skill to learn If you had horrible handwriting you were not going to make it in the early 20th century. The letters that inform the Crawley family of urgent and important news needed to be scribed perfectly. If you were unclear in anyway possible, it would take weeks to send and receive a letter that corrected the previous mistake. Penmanship was an absolutely crucial skill to have.

9. The ugly sister is not always the kindest sister You do not have to feel so bad for the ugly sister in “Downtown.” Edith Crawley, the unfortunate looking sister of the Crawley family when compared to Mary and Sybil, is not the nicest of the bunch. Her jealousy is transparent throughout her schemes in each episode as she seems to be after every man who loves her pretty sister Mary. Edith never does anything that makes you like her as a character, and in fact she was one of the few characters I actually despised when watching the series.

10. “Downtown” is actually pronounced “Downton” Something I learned right away was that Downtown Abbey is not actually a location downtown in a city or country. In fact, it is spelled “Downton” and refers to the actual home they live in. Unfortunately, I have been regrettably referring to the show as Downtown Abbey when I recommend it to my colleagues and teachers.

ART

Are you more creative than a third grader?

Artists from Chicago are finding their talent at a younger age

by Chris Ceisel At the Museum of Contemporary Art on Saturday, Mar. 24, the Children Truly are the Artists exhibit was on display for the public.

This exhibit was a one-time presentation of some of the most unexpected artists. It featured children from the ages of 3 to 12.

Although these children were young, they did not lack talent or ambition. Fingerpainter Michael Angelo, age 6, painted an almost perfect replica of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

“I would work on it every day between nap time and lunch,” Angelo said. “I just did it a little bit at a time, and before I knew it, I was done. I really can’t wait to start my next piece. I plan on doing a sculpture of the David with Play-Doh.” There was more than just artists who made replicas, however. Ten year-old David DuChamp had an exceptional piece titled “the toilet after my Dad has been there for ten minutes or more.” DuChamp’s unique use of color and brush strokes captured not only the horrid sight, but the horrendous smell that must have ensued from the toilet.

He portrays his honest and genuine horror of using the bathroom after his father. His father commented that it seemed the toilet art

must have skipped a generation, as his father Marcel DuChamp, had a famous sculpture of a urinal.

“I almost didn’t paint this,” DuChamp said. “I could barely handle the smell, and felt like I was going to pass out at almost any moment. However, I feel like that helped me really capture the mood of the bathroom fully.”

Some of the art was unique because it did not involve painting or sculpting. Three-yearold Andre Sontastein had uniquely arranged his blocks in unique patterns to capture his moods at different times. He made elegant feats of architecture as well as simple stacks.

His variety and surprising mastery of architecture contributed to his unique form of art.

“I think that my art will only get better when I get older,” Sontastein said. ”My parents only let me use the big blocks because they’re afraid I’ll choke. As soon as I have more tools, my art will become more about what I want it to be. I will be the master of block-building.”

The showcase featured about a dozen artists, but it was focused on the sketching of a 12-year-old. Cristobal Griffin had begun drawing when he was about three. By the age of 12, he had found his own ways of shading and using shadow that experts say has not been done before. He had drawings that are not only modern, but timeless. It appeals to young people and to people of older generations.

Griffin has decided to draw different cartoon and comic book characters fighting each other. His most famous piece, Battle of

Duchamp’s painting “The Toilet After My Dad Has Been There For Ten Minutes or More

the Sexes, features Minnie Mouse and other female characters battling against their male counterparts. What makes it unusual is that although Griffin is 12 and a boy, he draws his fight coming to a stalemate. Most psychologists would assume that a 12-year-old boy would ritualistically have the male side dominating their female rivals.

“I don’t think that girls are any weaker

than boys,” Griffin, feminists’ favorite new artist, said. “I believe my art should depict the constant struggle that boys and girls face.

There is a constant power struggle that my classmates fail to see. Since I don’t have anyone to talk to about it, I draw what I feel. The world is full of struggles. I just try to draw them the only way I know how to.”

Experts say that his art has never been drawn in the way he draws it or by someone as young as he is. He is described as potentially the next Leonardo Da Vinci. He has a lot of potential and will be watched closely by painters and collectors.

The exhibit had a wide range of artists.

A commercial for Google featured one of the artists who used modern technology to express why he should get a dog. He eventually got the dog, who accompanied him to the showcase.

Four-year-old, Michael Charles, painted different animals. His nickname, the sloth, is attributed to him for the long time he takes to produce his works, but also because he likes to paint sloths more than any other animal.

“My parents only let me use special paint,” Charles said. “They tell me that my paint is edible because I keep eating it, but this new paint doesn’t taste nearly as good the old paint that they told me was lead-based.”

The exhibit was full of up-and-coming artists and captured the future of what the art world will be in years to come. These artists were truly talented. Their pieces will be available through June 1, 2012, but will be on display only until the end of March.

The Hoof Beat • April 2012 • Arts & Entertainment

7

THEATRE

Giving a whole new definition to the the acronym F. M. L. Fml: How Carson McCullers Changed My Life play truly captivating

by Jamilah Alsharif Based on Carson McCullers’ The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life, written by Sarah Gubbins and directed by Joanie Schultz, is about the relationships formed between individuals despite their differences. The play was presented at the Steppenwolf Theater from Feb. 28 to Mar. 18. The main character Jo, played by Fiona Robert, is the target of gay bashing at her Catholic high school. Jo admits to knowing others were mad at her for sticking out, but it is not until her junior year that things get out of hand with the way her schoolmates treat her. To everyone around her, she is a tough girl with a lot of confidence and self-respect, but when the scene changes to her bedroom and she is talking to her gay best friend Mickey Windlap, played by Ian Daniel McLaren, or Emma Rogers, played by Zoe Levin, the preppy girl with the jock boyfriend, the audience sees how insecure Jo really is about her sexuality.

Only five characters are seen throughout the entire play. Aside from Jo, Mickey, and Emma, there is Jo’s older brother Reed, played by Bradley Grant Smith, and Jo’s English teacher Ms. Delaney, played by Lily Mojekwu. From the beginning of the play it is clear

(left to right) Fiona Robert and Ian Daniel McLaren in Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ production of fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life written by Sarah Gubbins and directed by Joanie Schultz. | COURTESY OF MICHAEL BROSILOW

that Jo is interested in a lesbian by the attention she pays Emma after a class lecture and then by Mickey’s playful teasing.

As Jo reads McCullers’ work, she interlac-

es her learning experience through the reading with that of the real world. She creates a superhero alter ego, which is the archangel St. Michael, and takes the audience through her

songs using my prepaid flip phone. But even though the sound quality is not the best, the message of the album is stronger than ever.”

Songs like “Prayin’ for that young FAFSA” and “Ni, I’m Broke” are powerful pieces that truly embody the message Neezy is hoping to send with this album. Clever lyrics like “The haters usually bounce when they’re faced with such a balla, I just lost my dribble, so can I holla at dolla?” from the song, “Ninja, I’m broke,” encompass the tone of the album by emphasizing Neezy’s dedication to deep lyrics, regardless of the detriments caused by having no bank roll.

“I’m just trying to let the world know that it’s hard out there in these streets you know?” Neezy said. “Sure, the instrumentals are really just me tapping my pencil against table tops and my mom yelling at me in the living room, but that’s what makes it raw.

That’s what makes it real.”

He has a few renowned, but deeply underground artists also featured on the album.

On one of his more popular tracks, titled “Thrift Store Swaggin” he features popular underground artist named That Guy to contribute his style to the chorus of the song.

This song tries to appeal to the life of average individuals, as to bring Neezy to the level of his fans: “Young Neezy got no money in the bag but he’s still looking fly, on that thrift store swag.”

“Rappers these days try to make themselves look like gods among their fans,” Neezy said. “Me, my pockets are hurting just like a lot of other young men and women out there,

that’s what makes this CD so relatable.”

Neezy’s album can be found online and iTunes. For a just small donation of 99 cents,

struggle to becoming comfortable with her sexuality. However, it is her English teacher who shows up when she needs someone to give her advice and lend her strength to face bullies who beat her and sent her to the hospital.

The play educated the audience about the effects of discrimination against LGBTQ persons. When Jo’s locker is vandalized with the word faggot, Emma and Mickey react with anger and try convincing Jo to speak out against the hate crime. The scene created tension in the room and made some people as uncomfortable as the characters. As Jo tries to hide the incident from everyone at school, explaining how she could have easily used a Sharpie to cover her locker entirely, Mickey tries explaining to Jo that she must do something to put an end to the unfair treatment she receives from her peers.

The characters’ portrayal of teens was very realistic. The text messages that were sent between characters were shown on one of the four big screens on stage. In a scene where Emma is drunk after a party and Jo brings her to her home, Emma and her boyfriend begin to send text messages to each other. Since Emma was drunk, her actions were humorous; at one point she starts singing loudly in an attempt to remember the name of the song, and then she goes on to explain a government conspiracy with the use of corn products.

Steppenwolf Theater will present two more teen series; Time Stands Still on Apr. 21 and The March on May 12. People interested in speaking out against LGBTQ discrimination can follow the It Gets Better project.

MUSIC

Poor Guy Young Neezy drops his newest album “Lemme Holla At A Dolla”

by Nelson Ogbuagu After releasing his widely acclaimed “Professor Neezy’s Lessons in Swagonometry” album, Nelson Ogbuagu, Adv. 206, most commonly known for his rap alias, Young Neezy, had been placed on the path for success. With a multi-million dollar deal with Original Gangsta Swag Records, Neezy was headed for the top of the rap game. But his constant squandering of millions of dollars on shoelaces and Betty White paraphernalia, without any music to regain his profit, had thrown Neezy into a spiraling state of bankruptcy.

He has now returned, looking to regain his fame and fortune, with his latest album titled “Lemme Holla at a Dolla.”

“I’m still all about my money,” Neezy said. “It’s just that I don’t have any of it right now, and I’m kind of desperate.”

His utter lack of funds for the majority of life’s necessities has been the inspiration for the album. He wanted to make sure that his underground fan base was very much aware of his struggling status in hopes of inspiring them to buy his CD. “The cover of the CD is hand drawn, and I went to Kinko’s to get some copies of it for the tape,” Neezy said.” I also recorded all of my

Young Neezy’s “Lemme holla at a Dolla” album is completely free for the public. Do your part to support.

8

Arts & Entertainment • April 2012 • The Hoof Beat

TELEVISION

ART

At least viewers found a new series to enjoy

Life during death

ABC’s new series Missing looks to very promising

Morbid Curiousity exhibit on display at the Chicago Cultural

by Sylvia Wtorkowski ABC’s Thursday night’s Mar. 15 premiere of Missing centers around, Rebecca Winstone, a former CIA agent on a dire search for her missing son. After a five year rift from acting, Ashley Judd surprises viewers with her extensive action scenes that include shooting, jumping, and a great deal of running.

The show opens with a scene that depicts her abducted son, Michael, (Nick Eversman) prior to his disappearance while on a summer internship in Italy. In it, Michael’s father is assassinated in an explosion right before his eyes, and this is most likely the cause of Rebecca’s reluctant attitude when it came to giving her son permission to travel abroad.

Missing deserves great praise for its main character’s dynamic transformation from a

reserved flower shop owner to a concerned mother whose characteristics as a CIA agent soon resurface after she hears of her son’s abduction.

The numerous action shots that take place are very fluid and believable. They make it seem as if the scenes are being shot right in front of the viewer because of their rapid movements and quick scene changes. In one scene in particular, Judd does a barrel roll across the pavement to hide behind a nearby parked car when being shot at.

The show is remarkably similar to the movie Taken, a 2008 action thriller film directed by Pierre Morel. Here, the basic storyline is almost identical in that it centers around an ex-CIA operative whose daughter was kidnapped when traveling in France.

The movie follows his search to retrieve his daughter and return her home safely.

Just as Taken was well received by audiences, Missing was labeled one of the top 10 most popular series since its debut. Last week alone, 10.6 million people watched the premiere, despite the competition: American

by Regine Sarah Capungan

Idol was airing at the same time.

Missing airs on the ABC network every Thursday at 8/7 central.

MUSIC

Maintaining the same style in an ever changing industry The Shins release a mezmerizing new abum

by Minna Khan Over the span of 11 years, the Shins have released four studio albums, their fourth one being Port of Morrow. James Mercer, front man of the Shins, decided to push aside his other musical projects and work to produce the band’s first album in four years. During the year 2010, Mercer collaborated with producer Danger Mouse to form the musical act Broken Bells. Due to this, he did not have enough time to focus on the Shins. Finally, after releasing an album and an EP with Danger Mouse, he had much needed to time to record a typical Shins album- songs that are composed of hard to understand lyrics that are coupled with a solid melody.

James Mercer is completely responsible for most aspects of this album. He wrote every song and recorded every song mostly by himself. Although he works with others on the album, Mercer previously fired drummer Jesse Sandoval and keyboard player Marty Crandall after their 2007 tour, in addition to bassist Dave Hernandez being booted by the band at some point during the recording of the new album. Although they are no longer apart of the band, Crandall and Hernandez still made contributions to the album.

Mercer primarily worked with producer Greg Kurstin to play the instruments on the songs, alongside drummer Joe Plummer and bass guitarist Ron Lewis. Mercer, having to rely on his own musical talents, released another album that people expected out of the Shins.

Besides Mercer, Greg Kurstin helped Mercer to create an album that would have a sense of maturity and that would be more sophisticated than previous albums.

The album begins with “The Rifle’s Spiral”

a catchy song that proves that the band has not lost touch with their appealing sound.

Following that is the albums lead single, “Simple Song” a song about Mercer’s new marriage but it is also inspired by Jesse Sandoval and Marty Crandall leaving the band.

Every track on this album is as good as the next, and every track is classic James Mercer, layered with different sounds and relaxed instrumentals that result in a rock/pop vibe. The third track, “It’s Only Life” similar to most songs on the album, is insanely catchy and the chorus seems to have an inspirational tone- “I’ve been down the very road you’re walking on, it doesn’t have to be so dark and lonesome, takes a while but we can figure this thing out and turn it back around.”

The title track, “Port of Morrow” ends the

album, and consists of high-pitched vocals provided by Mercer and a steady drum beat.

Before that comes “40 Mark Strasse” where Mercer focuses on his acoustic guitar and the song was inspired by a street in Germany nicknamed 40 Mark Strasse, where American serviceman would pick up prostitutes.

Port of Morrow is a complete success, and is a great album to help continue the year in music. Mercer did not pay attention to the new developments that indie music has had over the years, in terms of electronic-based instrumentals. He stuck by what he knew best, which was writing songs about love and nostalgia and providing warm instrumentals.

Mercer managed to put forth beauty in not only Port of Morrow’s sound, but also its lyrics.

This exhibition contains explicit imagery that may be disturbing to younger or sensitive viewers,” reads a warning sign at the entrance of the Morbid Curiosity exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center. Beyond the entrance is a large, black and white, painted mural of skeletons and dying humans. Entitled March of Death, by Hugo Crosthwaite, the mural was just one of many eye-catching, deaththemed works of art on display.

The first half of the exhibit focuses on various cultures and their perception of death. Somber photos and stone sculptures were displayed beside brightly colored Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) skulls. An entire section seemed to be dedicated to Dia de los Muertos inspired artwork, most of which reflected the culture’s tendency to poke fun at the concept of dying.

Like the skulls, there were several other works of art that gave a whimsical portrayal of death, most of which reflected pop-culture influences. An altar, on which bejeweled skulls and other trinkets were laid, was among one of the most amusing pieces in the exhibit. Behind the altar were several paintings that depicted skulls and skeletons.

Among one of the most intriguing and grotesque aspects of the exhibit was the presence of real human skulls on both the altar and other sculptures. Artist Steve Dilworth created a particularly disturbing sculpture, which consisted of a human skeleton, bound in ropes, hanging from a wall. The back of the skeleton was covered in horsehair, and a human heart and liver was inside of it. When viewing this sculpture, one is left to wonder about the life of the person that had once possessed the organs.

The second half of the exhibit was dedicated to deaths caused by war. The largest, most colorful piece in the exhibit was a cloud composed of bright, multicolored clothing.

It was created by Cuban artist Guerra de la Paz to represent the leftovers of human lives.

Clothing, specifically military uniforms, was also used to sculpt images of children holding hands around a bomb, a kneeling figure, and Michelangelo’s Pieta.

The influence of World War II was also apparent throughout this portion of the exhibit, especially on the subject of the Holocaust. Several photographs and sketches of concentration camp prisoners were seen on the walls, and also included Art Spiegelmann’s Maus and paintings by Otto Dix. One of these particularly interesting paintings was viewed as an animation of war on a television screen.

Morbid Curiosity both disgusts and entices viewers into taking a closer look at the art of death. Whether it is to admire the detail on a painting or to speculate whether a sculpture consists of real human body parts, one cannot help but spend a lengthy amount of time within the exhibit. Intricate depictions of the afterlife and truly morbin illustrations of the human skeleton captivate audiences. Rather than feelings of despair, the exhibition leaves viewers with feelings of awe and a greater understanding of death. It will be on display until July 8 of this year.

SPORTS

Poms

Track and Field

New dancers on the floor

Making the exchange

Men’s Poms team wants a dance-off with Women’s team

Men’s and Women’s teams end indoor season and prepare for outdoor

Too confident, but too good Women’s Varsity water polo team overpowers Payton

by Sharon Flores Northside’s Varsity Women’s water polo team defeated Payton 12-5 on March 7 in their second game of the season. Although an easy win, the game proved to be an assessment of the team’s initial skill level for the 2012 season. The match-up revealed some areas that Northside needs to improve upon for the rest of the season.

Glaring unwaveringly, players waited anxiously for the referee’s release of the ball, legs ready to launch off the ends of the pool.

With the splash of the ball, players raced to reach it first, soon making it apparent that Northside had one key advantage: speed. In the first lane, Megan Gillespie, Adv. 208, won the ball every time. Clearly the better organized and skilled team, the Mustangs made a great run in the beginning of the game, knocking Payton back and leaving it scoreless.

“Over the years, you get a good sense of which teams you can expect to put up a fight and which teams would be defeated easily,” Tammy Saowapak, Adv. 302, said. “For the easier teams, even though it’s technically varsity, we put our JV players in because we know we would still win and it’s a good experience for them. Payton has always been one of those schools we thought we could put our JV players in against.”

Seemingly satisfied with their goals, Northside’s level of intensity dropped dangerously early in the game. Payton took advantage of this and brought itself back in the game by attacking Northside’s goal in

Megan Gillespie, Adv. 208, attempts to pass the ball over her opponent from Payton. | SHARON FLORES

the deep end harder, knowing that it would be more difficult to defend. Northside was taken by surprise and could not adapt well to their opponent’s unorganized pressure. Payton charged at Northside’s goal more aggressively, almost in a chaotic manner. Payton’s players had no real effective communication between each other, which translated in their setup.

“One of our weaknesses stemmed from confusion from Payton’s unclear setup,” Jane Patzke, Adv. 403 said. “They were not really setting up on offense or defense. They were just swimming whereever and we didn’t know how to react to that.”

By clumping up at Northside’s goal, Payton made it difficult for our defenders to mark up on each player during the transitioning counter-attack. Northside fell to common risky mistake of playing down to their oppo-

nent’s level. Unfortunately, this resulted in several undefended goals, and soon Payton was trailing by one.

“Our main weakness was not coming back on defense,” Diana Roback, Adv. 309, said. “Payton made so many goals because they had four offensive players on our side of the pool while we only had two defensive players trying to prevent goals.”

From an apparently easy win for Northside, the game was now almost tied. Although the Mustangs expected to win, they had to make sure to put completely shut down Payton’s offense early in the second half and put them away for the rest of the game, making it almost impossible to comeback.

“We expected to win, and we did, but we were proven wrong when we thought it would be easy,” Saowapak said. “Payton has stepped up its game, teaching us that we shouldn’t be

too overconfident.”

After being overconfident in the first half, Northside returned to what had proved to be initially effective in the game, playing to their strengths by using their superior speed to create an effective counter-attack strategy that worked well against Payton. It all began on the defensive end as goalie Devin Nelson, Adv. 309, worked with defenders to shut down all of Payton’s offensive opportunities.

“We learned how to stop their offense which is why we were able to make a comeback in the game,” Roback said.

Nelson would launch the ball across the pool to Northside’s fastest swimmers and Payton’s defenders, who were again unprepared, found themselves behind Northside players, struggling to catch up. Gillespie continued to showcase her incredible speed, making it hard for Payton’s defense to keep up with her. Once she was passed the ball for the counter-attack, she was gone. Pushing the ball in front of her as she swam faster than Payton’s defenders could handle, soon reaching the opponents goal, she remained open for an uncontested shot or open pass to set up an offensive attack.

“We have some really fast swimmers on our team so that’s really helpful when we’re counter-attacking, which led to a lot of our goals,” Saowapak said.

After the eighth, ninth, and tenth goal, it was finally certain that Northside would win, in spite of Payton’s attempts to bring itself in.

As one of the first games of the season, the Mustangs did extremely well, but had worked harder for an easy win that they knew was theirs if they had played consistently.

“We did well for it being only the second game of the season, but we still need a lot of work, Roback said. “Hopefully we will be fully prepared in May for City Championships.”

Men’s Track moving in the right direction Northside placed second in City

by Chris Ceisel On March 18, Northside’s Men’s Track and Field team went to the University of Chicago’s Henry Crown Fieldhouse as a team.

They came back as second place finishers.

Northside and Whitney Young were neck and neck up until the end of the meet. Whitney managed to pull out the victory, but Northside still performed very well. They received 56 points in the meet, a score seven points above North Lawndale, which won third place.

Track is a team sport, but some individuals stood out. Captain Mac Melto, Adv. 209, scored 20 of the teams 56 points, and won the 55 meter dash with a time of 6.6 seconds and the 400 meter dash running 50.3 seconds, two of his four events. Captain Ezra Edgerton, Adv. 208, anchored the Mustangs in a come-from-behind victory in the 4 person 800 meter relay. Edgerton dropped four seconds off his personal record, and ran a split of 2:04.18 seconds. Dan Graham, Adv. 201, Joseph Smith, Adv. 202, and Patrick Brennan, Adv. 306, made up the rest of the relay

team, and they combined to run an impressive 8:38.89 time in the victory.

“That was the best race I have ever been in,” Edgerton said. “I am dead-tired now, but during the relay I was in the zone. We all ran pretty fast, I still can’t believe we pulled that victory out with the last minute substitution we had. Joseph stepped it up and filled in really well.”

Northside Lady Mustangs placed fifth in city in the same meet. They scored 44 points, impressive for a team with few veteran standouts, but a number of younger stars with potential. Senior Veronica Schwartz, Adv. 203, won the shot put event with a throw of 28’, 05” and contributed a team-leading 12 points. Sophomore Deja Lindsey, Adv. 406, placed third in the triple jump with a distance of 30’ 08”, and gave the Lady Mustangs six points.

The Lady Mustangs improved from the eighth place finish they had last year by scoring 20 more points.

“We have a strong team this year,” said Kristin Wojcik Adv. 404. “It just comes down to proving it on the track, and we do that, we leave it all on the track.”

Outdoor track starts March 21, for Men’s and Women’s Track and Field. This adds in

Track Captain Pat Duffy, Adv. 205, leads the team in a cheer after City Championships. | CHRIS CEISEL

a few different elements, like the elements.

This marks the half-way point in the season for the Mustangs.

“It is weird when you say that,” said Captain Pat Duffy, Adv. 205. “Especially as a senior, with this being our last year for sports, it is hard to wrap my head around it. We will just have to use this as motivation to finish the season, and our last year running for

Northside, strongly. I want us to leave a legacy of winning. Something that I know these younger guys can pick up next year without us. We’ve got some really talented athletes on our team.”

The Mustangs have performed well all season. The men’s team finished the indoor season with a record of 51-14, while the women’s team ended 25-8.

10

Sports • April 2012 • The Hoof Beat

Meteors meet the Mustangs Olympic payoff Track and Field at

World Sports Chicago Scholars accepts six

by Miranda Roberts Six Northside students were accepted into the World Sports Chicago Scholars program this year. This year’s scholars are Ashley Bernardo, Adv. 306; Reed Cabral, Adv. 301; Chad Massura, Adv. 302; Rachel Pellegrino, Adv. 301; Meghan Quigley, Adv. 308; and Mason Speta, Adv. 301. The World Sports Chicago (WSC) Scholars provides eligible high school seniors with a $5,000 renewable scholarship for college in a process that takes place after they become scholars.

Annually, about fifty college bound students are chosen to become World Sports Scholars. These fifty are given free ACT prep and counseling from Chicago Scholars. They also have the opportunity to work towards the scholarship money and interview for it in January of their senior year. Any junior can apply so long as they live in and go to school in Chicago, but their unweighted GPA must be 2.0 or higher.

Applicants for the World Sports Chicago scholarship are required to have played two semesters in a single Olympic/Paralympic sport for at least two seasons in their years of high school. The acceptable sports can be any of the 29 Olympic/Paralympic sports listed on the website of WSC. Some of the less common sports accepted are archery, taekwondo, fencing, team handball, rugby, and golf. The seasons of sports also do not need to be played at the applicant’s school; private clubs are accepted. Applicants do not need to be the best in their sport, but they need to show a work ethic and good morals.

“Throughout the application, we look for a commitment to athletics, academics and the Olympic values,” Stephanie Miller, a project manager of WSC Scholarship Program, said.

“Volunteering in the community, overcoming obstacles, living by the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect...these are all things that make a student especially appealing.”

Once a student is accepted as a WSC Scholar, there are certain duties that they must fulfill. Scholars may give presentations to younger students, sharing their story as a student-athlete, or help publicize the scholarship program at WSC functions and marketing programs. This is expected of the scholars at least twice each year when they are accepted into the program.

Often ways that students find out about the scholarship opportunity is through their coaches, or other students at Northside who are in the program. Yuwei Lei, Adv. 202, is a senior who is a WSC Scholar as well. She participated in swimming as a freshman and sophomore and would recommend the program to any student.

“I was on Junior Varsity both years. I would say that I did improve a lot from freshman to sophomore year,” said Lei. “But I wish I’d practiced harder so I could have improved even more.”

Lei has been accepted by University of Chicago, where she would be able to apply her scholarship since it is a four year college. The scholarship can only be used for tuition, room and board expenses. It is recommended by WSC for students to apply to multiple other scholarships.

This year’s Northside senior WSC scholarship recipients were Zobia Chunara, Adv. 200, Lei, Fabian Lara, Adv. 206, and Rhyan White, Adv. 205.

De La Salle Invitational

by Calum Blackshaw The doors opened at De La Salle High School’s indoor stadium at 10:30a.m. on Sunday Mar. 10, but the Northside Varsity Track and Field Team came early for the Meteors Invitational in order to relax a little before the meet began. Coach Jon Gordon made sure which members they had for each event as the team started warming up. Their day would include 16 events against 16 other teams.

Though she was not signed up as a participant in any of the day’s events, team captain Taylor Provax, Adv. 307, was there with food and water to help the team. The De La Salle gymnasium crew soon started setting up the event stations, preparing for the day ahead.

The first of the events was the women’s 4x800 relay. Northside was actually not going to participate because Claire ScheibFeeley, Adv. 300, was sick and her alternate Emmy Velasco, Adv. 401, was unable to attend. However, sprinter Dejay Lindsey, Adv. 406, stepped in to help the team win first in the heat and second in the overall competition with a combined time of 11:59:87. At the same time, the men’s team began the jumps on the side of the track. Josh Williams, Adv. 209, and Porter Abbey, Adv. 502, each made a new personal best of 18 feet 6.5 inches and 17 feet 9 inches, with Williams ending in fifth place.

Following the women’s team, men’s varsity took third for the 4x800m relay, with Dan Graham, Adv. 201, Joseph Smith, Adv. 202, Robert Szmurlo, Adv. 400, and Pat Duffy, Adv. 205, who were each awarded a medal for their combined time of 9:08.51.

Veronica Schwartz, Adv. 203, was in the shot put competition. It was her first time in competition as a shot put thrower, as she regularly participated in only the sprinting and high jump events. Schwartz fielded her put for the first time, giving it a good throw. With all of her experience as an athlete in so many sports, she did not disappoint as she won

Brittany Brodersen, Adv. 401, makes an exchange to Lisa Wendt, Adv. 203. | CALUM BLACKSHAW

the competition on her first try ever, nearly shattering Northside’s record that day with 31 feet and one inch; the throw was only one and a half-inches short of the record, made in 2008 by Northside alumna Alyssa Anderson.

Michelle Chojnacki, Adv. 501, made fourth in the women’s 55 meter hurdles with 11.14, while sophomore Lucien Fitzpatrick, Adv. 406, ended fifth with 8.64 in the men’s.

Aliyah Jervier, Adv. 402, placed third in the long jump with 13 feet and 8.5 inches, placed in fourth for women’s 55 meter dash with 7.5, fifth in the 200 meter dash with 29.41, and fifth in the triple jump with a combined 30 feet 4 inches. Her total gave her the most points of all the Northside athletes at the meet, with 19 points, putting her seasonal total at 55 points, the highest total on the women’s team.

Katie O’Rourke, Adv. 503, placed seventh in long jump with 12 feet 3 inches, while Williams finished fifth in mens with 18 feet 6.5 inches. Lindsey placed two inches farther than Jervier in the triple jump, while Williams was awarded for placing second with 38 feet 3 inches. Fitzpatrick was fourth in the high jump with 5 feet 8 inches, and Williams tied for sixth with only four inches less; in the women’s, Schwartz took fourth with a jump of 4 feet 6 inches, and O’Rourke placed sixth

with only two inches less than her.

Mac Melto, Adv. 209, was at no loss in power as he made fourth in the 55 meter dash with 6.49 seconds. Nathaniel Agharese, Adv. 309, just placed fifth with 6.64 seconds, .01 seconds faster than De La Salle’s own Carneal Owens.

The 1600 meter run was the coveted win for the Mustangs. On the men’s team, Cesar Rufino, Adv. 400, Ezra Edgerton, Adv. 208, and Patrick Brennan, Adv. 306, prepared for the ‘mile run’ during all other events. In the women’s, sophomore Mary Coomes, along with freshmen Madison Weatherly and Elizabeth O’Conor, stretched out and readied themselves for the day’s most enduring event.

In both events, Northside runners kept a good pace, with runners never faltering to move ahead and finish quickly. In the men’s, Edgerton dominated the course with first place in a time of 4:49.92; after him and second place, Brennan kept up to round out the top three with a time of 4:52.67, .47 seconds short of second place. Rufino endured and made his best time of 5:07.50. During the women’s, Coomes made second with a personal best of 5:51.25, followed by Weatherly with 5:51.43; they were only less than a second behind the first place winner. O’Conor finished justly in fifth place with a time of 6:06.03.

Baseball season heating up quickly

by Carly Jackson Northside’s Varsity Baseball team competed for the first time this season, playing a double header against Niles North High School on Mar. 17. Northside lost the first game 10-6 and won the second game 8-4.

Each game consisted of seven innings.

“In the first game the players made mistakes early,” Varsity Head Coach David Rivera said about his team. “But in the second half of the first game, the guys settled down... They played good defense, both the infield and outfield, and made the easy plays the whole day.”

The game started out with Niles North in the lead and, by the third inning, Northside was down with a game score of 7-3.

In the sixth inning, however, Northside’s hitters were warming up. By the sixth inning, Zen Iwankiw, Adv. 400, hit a ball that the left fielder from Niles North caught on a bounce.

However, the fielder missed the connection to first base, and Iwankiw made it there. Then, Sam Miller, Adv. 208, hit a double towards center field, but Iwankiw was tagged out near third base.

A highlight of the sixth inning was the home run hit by Clint Tres, Adv. 202, the only home run of the day. The home run came after Tres hit two foul balls, and it also brought in Miller from second base.

“Our lineup hit well,” Coach Rivera said.

“Normally in the first game of the season, hit-

ters do not score runs and start off slow.”

The second game began with practically two innings without a run. Then when Northside was in the field during the second inning, Michael McMannon, Adv. 200, pitched a ball that the batter hit right back to him. McMannon caught the ball and threw it to Brandon Gutierrez, Adv. 304, who tagged first base.

Two Niles North players were out because of that play, but another player eventually scored.

The two teams held each other without any other runs until the fourth inning, in which Tyler Sauter, Adv. 200, and Malcolm Grba, Adv. 508, were both walked. The fourth inning ended with the two teams tied at a score of 2-2. The fifth inning proved to be a defining inning for Northside. Miller hit a triple, and Tres hit a double that allowed Miller to make Northside’s third run of the game.

Soon after, Tres stole third base and McMannon hit a double which brought Tres in for another run. Also in the fifth inning, the team got the players from Niles North out with well executed defense that included a pop-up caught by Wyatt Grillo, Adv. 507, and a ball that McMannon caught on a bounce before quickly tagging first base.

Back at bat, Northside continued to bring players in for runs, taking a greater lead and ending the sixth inning with a score of 8-2.

Essential plays included a double from Grillo,

Tyler Sauter, Adv. 200, finishes a pitch. | CARLY JACKSON

another triple from Miller and a hit from McMannon, who was tagged out near first base but allowed Miller to run to home plate. The end of the game featured three strike outs from Grba, and more defense that only allowed Niles North to score two more runs, for a final score of 8-4.

“We had younger players who stepped up,” Coach Rivera said. “They showed that they can play on varsity. We need them to play well so we can be a good team.”

The varsity and sophomore baseball teams will be playing Von Steuben on Apr. 9 at Rogers Park at 4:30 p.m. and will play at Taft on Apr. 13 at 4:30 p.m.

The Hoof Beat • April 2012 • Sports

11

Optimistic outlook despite tough opening losses Successfully Women’s Lacrosse treading water looks forward to the season

By Timothy Suh The Northside Women’s Lacrosse Team took a couple losses at the Montini Tournmanent at Montini High School on Mar. 17, its first games of the season. While the team struggled against a field that included primarily private suburban schools, the team looked strong in several areas of its game and is optimistic for the rest of the season.

Northside was scheduled for the first game of the tournament against the home school, Montini High School. Each game was one period of 25 minutes. Just prior to starting, the team captains were announced: Emma Byall, Adv. 202, Shariell Crosby, Adv. 206, and Kacie O’ Connell, Adv. 204. The Mustangs were quickly down when Montini scored just seconds off the first draw. It was clear that the Northside team members had a few first-game nerves, something coaches Lynn Merrill and Lynn Gerbec addressed when the team took a time-out with 18:06 left on the clock. Another key issue addressed was Northside’s difficulty in picking up groundballs, or balls that were missed catches or knocked loose from the stick pocket. Despite good field positioning from Northside, Montini’s offense overwhelmed Northside’s defense, keeping the ball on Northside territory for a majority of the game. The final score was 11-0 for Montini.

With Northside’s next game scheduled for an hour later, the team and its coaches took the time to debrief on what they did well and could improve on next game. Crosby spoke to what the team needed to focus on in the coming games as well as in the general season.

“We expect to get all the ground balls and

make smart shots,” Crosby said. “We also need to get settled on offense and have good strategic play.”

Northside’s next game was against York High School. Taking the coaches’ words into account, Northside made some important adjustments like coming out on top more often on the draw and “checking,” and knocking the ball out of the pocket by hitting with the stick.

Northside also made more runs into the offense area, something it could not do in the first game. However, the defense members made several key “shooting space” violations, which occur when a defender moves into an attacker’s shooting lane at the risk of getting hit.

This opened the door for York goals, as many York players scored off penalties. Despite a few scattered opportunities, Northside could not get the ball into the net and the final score was 10-0 to York.

After a one-game break, it was Northside’s final game against Deerfield High School. This time, Northside began strong with Crosby Maddie Psenka, Adv. 308, with the ball. | TIMOTHY SUH picking up a groundball off the opening draw its strengths and also learned much about and driving deep into the offense field. How- what could be improved on in the season. ever, five minutes into the game, Northside “I thought it was a good start to the seawas still down 0-3. The Northside defense was son,” Coach Merrill said. “Every game, we noticeably stronger, pushing the Deerfield improved. Some of our strengths were our players out of the 8-meter arc around the goal defense and offense positioning, field placeand making it difficult for Deerfield to gain ment, and communication. We could work on good position for scoring. The communication keeping control of the ball and groundballs, between defensive players also improved, a groundballs, groundballs.” key defensive aspect that helped push the ball In addition, the team also took away key more often into Deerfield territory. With five lessons from the tournament for a hopefully minutes left on the clock, Deerfield was up successful season. Northside has already made 10-0, but Northside’s improved efforts paid some changes to its practices and are focusing off when O’ Connell scored off an assist from on a few specific skills.

Maddie Psenka, Adv. 308. O’ Connell also as“We’ve been working on using the nonsisted in a goal by Megan Kerstein, Adv. 204, a dominant hand,” Coach Merrill said,” as well minute later. The Northside defense also man- as tighter defense in the critical scoring area.” aged to hold off Deerfield attempts to score for The Varsity and Junior Varsity Women’s the last five minutes and the final score was Lacrosse Teams will play in a home game 10-2. against Maine South on Apr. 12.

Despite three losses, Northside showed

Bring it on, Pom-pons New Men’s Poms team challenges Women’s team to dance-off

By Jamilah Alsharif Equipped with brand new poms and an extensive repertoire of dance moves, the members of the male Poms team, the Pompoms, are ready to compete. With Ivan Capifali, Adv. 301, as the captain, this new team will compete at all levels.

“I am positive we will kick [butt],” Capifali said. “We will be bigger, tougher, and hotter than the existing Pom-pons team.”

The Northside Pom-poms have been practicing in private. Among the members are newly admitted students from the class of 2016.

“I cannot wait for our first performance in front of the school,” Leo Paradiso, Adv. 301, said. “We have been practicing for the Cubby Walk pep rally at Northside on weekends. I am finally more comfortable with the moves, like the pirouettes. Those are difficult.”

Only one Poms team can represent Northside. The rivalry between Capifali and some of the members on the girls Poms team has already begun. The new male team will have a dance-off with the female team at the

Ivan Capifali, Adv. 301, is leaving the comfort of his old Poms team to start a Men’s team. | JAMILAH ALSHARIF

Cubby Walk pep rally.

“I don’t see them as competition,” Pompons team captain Lizzie Tran, Adv. 303, said. “If they do well it’ll only be because they copied our moves.”

Although there are only 15 spots on the male Poms team, Capifali is looking for more members. Auditions for the remaining two spots on the team will take place Apr. 5 in the second floor atrium.

Even with all the requirements, there are many Northside males interested in showing off their dancing skills.

“I joined Sabor Latino because I wanted a chance to dance in front of a crowd,” Jesus Perez, Adv. 406, said. “Ever since I saw those

girls from the Pom-pons team, I knew I wanted to dance like them, but I never thought I would have the chance.”

Northside is the only high school in the nation to provide the opportunity of a male Poms team. However, considering the supportive attitude of the typical Northside student, the administrators also showed support for the team from the beginning.

“When I got accepted into Northside, I could not wait to see how many clubs and sports I could join,” Alexander Zenry, class of 2016, said. “Then I got an envelope inviting me to dance on the Poms team. I guess the administration found out about my dancing history and informed Ivan.”

Men’s Water Polo conquers Lane Tech

by Nelson Ogbuagu

After recently defeating the Walter Payton Grizzlies in their first conference match, Northside’s Men’s Varsity Water Polo Team battled against the Lane Tech Indians for a victory in their second conference game on Mar. 9. At the sound of whistle blown by the referee, the two teams torpedoed through the pool for first touch of the ball.

The match began very rapidly, with both teams contesting powerfully in Northside waters, but the Mustangs soon took the lead with Connor Gilespie, Adv. 407, scoring the first goal of the match.

Soon after, Luis Granja, Adv. 306, followed suit, scoring the next goal of the match, bringing the score to 2-0. After racing back and forth in the blue waters for several minutes, each team managed to keep the other at bay with several blocks and smooth turnovers. Eventually, Lane Tech scored its first point of the match with minutes left in the quarter. However, Cyrus Deloye, Adv. 305, returned, scoring his first point of the match, and soon followed by one more goal from Northside.

After the bout, the quarter ended with the Mustangs leading 4-2.

The second quarter swam a similar route. Deloye executed an impressive sweep shot to score another goal for the Mustangs. The Indians returned some minutes afterward, scoring their third goal. Unfortunately for them, that would be their only scored point of the quarter until half time. The Mustangs, on the other hand, managed to score another point before the quarter, bringing the score to 6-3.

After the break at half time, the game resumed. Both teams furiously raced in the water to retrieve the ball, much like they did at the start of the game. After the flurry of violent white bubbles that trailed the players as they swam for the ball, the Mustangs came out victorious, and early in the third quarter, Deloye scored yet another goal for the team, bringing the score to 7-3. The Indians quickly returned, with Lane Tech scoring a slick shot. The Mustangs counterattacked once again, with Deloye scoring his fourth and eventually fifth goals of the game, ending the quarter swimmingly with a score of 9-5.

In the final quarter, the Mustangs worried more about keeping the Indians at bay. Lane Tech made a last effort to take a lead over the Mustangs, scoring the first goal of quarter and scoring a few more over Northside as well. But the lead the Mustangs had over the Indians was too far a gap to cross, and at the end of the match, Mustangs trampled over the Indians, with a score of 10-8.

“I thought they played very well today,” Coach Ceja said. “They executed very sound fundamentals, and I think that is what won us the victory over Lane today.”

Visit www.thehoofbeat.com for coverage of all Northside sports teams.

EDITORIALS

EDITORIAL Northside Suggestion Boxes Should Northside have suggestion boxes for students to communicate with teachers?

Social movements through social media Do social networks hinder movements?

Northside, a place of learning for both teachers and students We are number one for a reason. Northside is open to new ideas that improve the learning environment. There is, however, one area that could be improved: increasing communication between teacher and students.

Even though teachers at Northside are very approachable, many students are afraid to take their concerns to teachers. Students want to remain in good standing with the teacher, who ultimately has control over the learning experience. Other students, even the brightest in the class sometimes, would rather keep quiet so that they do not have to feel dumb or ridiculed for asking a question.

“I think that it is difficult for students to approach some teachers with their issues,” Madison Dore, Adv. 300, said. “I know that from personal experience, I have tried to ask for help from certain teachers and felt mocked and ridiculed for struggling with the work.”

For this reason, the school should have a Northside Suggestion Box (NSB) at the front of the school where students can write a note to teachers about their concerns, seal it in an envelope, address it to the teacher, and place it in the NSB anonymously, with the hope that teachers will listen to what students have to say.

“I think the box idea is great because sometimes teachers need feedback,” Edgar Ortega, Adv. 208, said. “Students can communicate with the teacher. Then the teacher can amend the problem and teach the class better. It’s a win-win.”

Students may have a few reasons to approach teachers with concerns. The first that comes to mind are pop quizzes that do not

contribute to the learning material. Reading quizzes are understandable; on the other hand, there are quizzes on outside information that students are magically supposed to know. The results of repeated, unfair quizzes can lead student to become unnerved by the class and decide not to give effort to that subject because they feel they will end up with a bad grade no matter what. Another way the NSB could be used is for students to ask teachers to be more clear with their assignments. There are classes at Northside where students have no idea on what is going on in the class because the objectives, assignments, and expectations are nonexistent. It is disappointing to see time in school go wasted sitting in a class that is unproductive when that time could be better used to do homework.

It may seem that teachers are pressured from all sides, but the suggestion box can truly bring the above mentioned benefits, and many more, to Northside. The box is a privilege, and it can be taken away in the case of misues. Making students aware of this will make sure that students give constructive criticism, and even compliments, to the teacher who they do want to communicate with. The NSB comes with rules: notes to teachers should be specific to the course.

They should follow along the lines of “When homework is posted the day before, it make it difficult to get the work done,” “Please be more specific about what we are expected to do on this assignment,” etc.

“This is not a way to complain about... small problems like ‘too much homework,’ but instead specific tips to help teachers improve the transfer of knowledge,” Dore said.

“A tip like, ‘Please give more time for students to ask questions at the end of your lectures’ is constructive, rather than ‘You go too fast, and I don’t get it.’”

Teachers will benefit by being better able to know how students feel and can gage where they are coming from. If and when a teacher changes, there will be reciprocation from students, who in turn will put in more effort, bringing better scores on class and advanced placement exams. The main thing to keep in mind is that the NSB is just a suggestion box: teachers do not even have to change or respond.

Northside has set the bar for other schools in terms of scores, but we can in other ways too. By having a suggestion box at Northside-one that is successful-we can in turn increase learning and test scores, showing other schools that they should incorporate this idea as well. If time in class is managed well, with teachers teaching with suggestions from students, then students get more out of being in class.

Just imagine the possibilities if students and teachers could work better together. This editorial is not suggesting that all teachers at Northside need to improve, but some can.

Students notice the teachers who go a step forward to understand the relationship between teaching and learning, and this in turn makes Northsiders work harder.

“I always got the most out of classes where I felt invested in the material and felt the teacher was invested in me,” Evan Rogers, Class of 2011, said. “It depends on the student and teacher though—both need to be willing to be open to extra communication in order for it to work.”

Like my status, upload a video, save the world Social networking affects social activism When videos of Neda Agha-Soltan dying from a gunshot wound to the chest on the streets of Tehran began circulating around the web, various media outlets and everyday people demanded justice for the death of the innocent protestor. Such videos were one of the various forms of social networking used by the organizers of the 2009 Iranian election protests. In this way, social media and networking has become a huge part of social activist movements all around the world from Twitter updates about latest eyewitness developments to Facebook statuses on protest times and locations. Social networking has the unique ability to instantly reach and unite millions of people with a single share. However, it also becomes deceptively easy to jump on the bandwagon of social activism by liking a status and feeling as if one’s civil duty has been accomplished. While social media has created a new avenue for communication and protest, those who hope to make it the new vehicle for activism must take note of certain precautions.

Social networking allows eyewitnesses, protestors, and journalists to instantly update followers, giving key details and developments in abbreviated sentences hours before news stations can turn a story around. During the 2009 protests about the Iranian elec-

tions when the government censored news sources, these sites can give the afflicted a voice. A distinct advantage of social networking, however, is also its downfall: the numbers. Twitter, a developing staple for journalists, activists, politicians, and more, has over 300 million users; Facebook, over 845 million users. The sheer number of people who can easily join a group or follow tweets also clog up feeds, polluting important updates on the action or announcements with unimportant chatter. The lack of any restrictions or review of users’ posts also means it is impossible to authenticate any information. In the Iranian protests, investigations like Time magazine’s found that a bulk of Tweeters were found to be people outside of Iran simply passing on information vs. those actually on the frontlines of action.

Another drawback of social networking activism is that it takes away one of the most important principles behind activism: human-to-human connection. Anyone who has gone on a humanitarian trip can speak to how different experiencing a society’s problems firsthand is to reading an article about it, no matter how heartfelt that article might be. While social networking activism is often focused more on raising awareness or changing attitudes in readers’ own communities, it must not be lost that being able to see and speak to someone face-to-face remains the best mode of activism.

There is a level of disconnect between social networking users and activists who text

or post on social media. Because of the influx of posts, it becomes much harder to check the legitimacy of a claim and to hold activists accountable for what they do. Because it is so easy and quick to click “Like” to show approval for a cause, people hardly stop and even do a little research to create their own wellinformed opinion on the issue and decision to support the activist group. An example familiar among many Northside students is “Kony 2012,” a video campaign by the non-profit organization “Invisible Children” intended to raise awareness of the Ugandan war criminal Joseph Kony and bring him to justice. The video has reached over 100 million views over a span of six days, the fastest time to reach this feat ever , and has been labeled “the most viral video ever” by Mashable.com. The ease of sharing, reblogging, or Tweeting the video has helped the video’s spread. However, the darker implications and complications behind the issues have slowly come to light as well as growing criticism of the filmmaker’s intentions and use of funds. According to the New York Times, Kony has not had much activity in Uganda for a long time, and investing time and money to send efforts into Uganda would be fruitless.

Like most things, social networking is a double-edged sword. There is great potential in the future of harnessing social networking to raise awareness of social issues and bringing a community together but only if you check the facts before you throw your support behind anything.

MASTHEAD Northside College Prep H.S. 5501 N. Kedzie, Chicago, IL 60625 Tel: (773) 534-3954 Principal Mr. Barry Rodgers Assistant Principal Dr. Margaret Murphy Advisor Ms. Dianne Malueg Print Editor-In-Chief Zobia Chunara Web Editor-in-Chief Timothy Suh NCP News Editor Jamilah Alsharif Special Features Editor Andriana Mitrakos Sports Editors Carly Jackson Arts and Entertainment Editor Nelson Ogbuagu Staff Reporters Jamilah Alsharif Calum Blackshaw Regine Sarah Capungan Chris Ceisel Zobia Chunara Maria Flores Sharon Flores Andrew Hague Carly Jackson Minna Khan Andriana Mitrakos Nelson Ogbuagu Brendali Rios Miranda Roberts Timothy Suh Diego Vela Sylvia Wtorkowski SUBMISSIONS The Hoof Beat welcomes opinion editorials from its readers. Letters to the Editor and Op-ed submissions may be sent to hoofbeat.editorials@gmail.com. Submissions should not exceed two pages.

CONTACT The Hoof Beat is a monthly publication produced by the Northside Prep Journalism Class. As a student-run newspaper, your opinions are important to us. If you have any comments, corrections, or questions, please e-mail Ms. Dianne Malueg at hoofbeat.malueg@gmail. com or the Editor in Chief of the Hoof Beat at hoofbeat.drafts@gmail.com.