Index

News... 1-4Features... 5-7College process...8-9Opinions..10-11Entertainment...12-13Sports...14-16 Martin Kim/Staff photographer

After having only been elected for two weeks, junior class presi-dent Alexandria Bobbit ‘12 puts her power to use.

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Kenner, admins aim to halt hazingMatt StantonEditor in Chief

All WY freshmen fabricate an image of “Freshman Hell Week” from the warnings they hear from upperclassmen. The images are straight from a horror film. Pennies fall from the sky like hail and pelt the freshmen in the head. Seniors throw freshmen into garbage cans and roll them down the staircases. Now, while these proverbial nightmares don’t actually happen during Homecoming week, incidents of hazing do occur, and they need to stop, according to Lynn Zalon, Dean of Students. Zalon explains, “Many times hazing goes too far and hurts people. Some kids can feel very intimidated by other people, and they may internalize their feelings, which can quickly spiral down to confidence issues and low self-esteem.” WY’s administration is cracking down on hazing,

BeaconVolume 36 • Issue 3 • October 20, 2010 • wyoung.org

211 S. LaflinChicago, Il 60607

wybeacon@gmail.com

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New Officers

These students recently won their class elections. Con-gratulations!

Senior Class•Sudheer Poluruu ‘11 – President•Kalia Buckley ‘11 – Vice President

•Ariana Taylor ‘11 - Secretary•Sara Lomahan ‘11 – Treasurer

Junior Class•Alexandria Bobbit ‘12 – President•Sasha Dunkin ‘12 – Vice President•Ariel Thomas ‘12 – Secretary

•Amari Simpson ‘12 – Treasurer

Eighth Grade•Gabby Afable ’15 – President•Martin Hale ’15 – Vice President•Nicolette Grabiec ’15 – Secretary•Lily Eligator ’15 – Treasurer

Seventh grade•Trajan Hammond ’16 – President•Jeff Lyang ’16 – Vice President•Ciara Lynch ’16 – Secretary•Alina Srichinda ‘16 - Treasurer

hopeful to make all students feel welcome and comfortable when they walk into class everyday. Stiff punishment will continue into next year including a one day out of school suspension as well no Homecoming dance or game. Principal Joyce Kenner even declared the week of Oct. 4 “Respect Week.” “I was inspired after the tragic incident at Rutgers to make sure all of our students feel good about themselves and respect their fellow students, despite any differences they may have,” Kenner explains. “Everyone has the right to be who they want to be, so I thought I’d spread the word over the PA system a few times during the week. I think students were very receptive to it.” Johnathan Manard ’11, who has witnessed the hazing as both a freshman and a senior, provides his insights. “In my freshman gym class, a group of seniors put a trash can over a freshman and started kicking and stomping on him,” recalls Manard. “They were all having a great time, but that freshman wasn’t. Teens are young and insecure and easily give in to peer pressure. The physical and emotional tolls of hazing are so unnecessary.” Hazing may seem perfectly harmless, but just remember it can also be devastating.

Emanuel returns to Chicago with big plansJulia DennisEntertainment Editor

With the surprising news last month that Mayor Daley will not be running for re-election, possible candidates have been lobbying for support around the city. Notably, Rahm Emanuel resigned as President Obama’s Chief of Staff and moved back to his native city ,Chicago, in October. Emanuel was an advisor for former president Bill Clinton and served in Congress for eight years. Although he has not yet announced his campaign for the Feb. 22 elections, Emanuel described himself to the Chicago News Cooperative on the 6th as a “reform that is necessary, from the schools to the streets.” Cate Stanton ‘11, president of the Democratic Student Association notes that “Chicago needs a leader who knows how to create change.

As we’ve seen in the Obama administration, Emanuel can do this.” One thing that Emanuel struggles with is being viewed by many Chicagoans as an outsider. English teacher Jim English points out that up until this point; Emanuel has been “more a political operator” than someone who has expressed interest in reforming Chicago. “Emanuel is obviously a good leader; knows how to get things done. But I don’t think he currently appeals to enough voters,” comments Joe Platt ’11. In the past week Emanuel worked hard to engage with Chicagoans. He conversed with voters in a ‘listening tour,’ a carefully arranged tour of the city’s neighborhoods including the South Loop and Pilsen. From these interviews, Emanuel summarized that voters are most interested in reducing crime, creating jobs and improving schools. Other mayoral candidates of interest include James Meeks and Carol Moseley Braun. Meeks, who is a minister, claims that he will not step down in his position over 22,000 members at Salem Baptist Church if he is elected. As the next few months unfold, the campaigns of announced candidates and those yet to be determined will lead to an election of the first new mayor in 21 years.

New WY students elected to officeDavid KyinSports Editor

Every year here at WY, our school elects new class officers and this year was no exception. We have both returning and new officers for the classes this year and we all more or less hope to see some improvements here and there. For our senior class here at school, Sudheer Poluruu ’11 has come through along with the rest of the council that includes, Kalia Buckley ’11 as vice president, Sarah Lomahan ’11 as treasurer, and Ariana Taylor ‘11 as secretary, to address one of our classes biggest concerns from last year, the price and venue of

prom. “I was really concerned about the prices for prom since last year the prices went up and it was already expensive to begin with,” said Julius Henderson ’11. He kept the same price as last year, and at the same time, he was able to upgrade the venue from last year’s, to the Drake Hotel downtown. To most, this is a very exceptional way of using their powers and it’s a great example of what the senior council should do. “Senior year started off well for us with the prom announcement and as the year continues, I can promise to make more good things happen for our senior class,” said Poluruu. The junior class has elected Alexandria Bobbit ’12 president, Sasha Dunkin ’12 as vice president, Amari Simpson ’12 as treasurer, and Ariel Thomas ‘12 as secretary. Of course the junior class is the future of WY once the seniors leave and their class will heavily rely on their newly elected officers. “I ran for an officer position this year but didn’t win. To me, as long as they

get what our class wants and needs done, I’m totally fine with that,” said Tim Sonnefeldt ’12. Then, in accordance to the recently finished academic center votings, there was also some controversy. In the eighth grade, the voting for president was elected in a runoff due to a tie. The winner ended up being Gabby Afable ’15 for president, Martin Hale

’15 for vice president, Lily Eligator ’15 for treasurer, and Nicolette Grabiec ‘15 for secretary. For seventh grade, Trajan Hammond ’16 was voted president, Jeff Lyang ‘16 was voted vice president, secretary was Ciara Lynch ‘16, and treasurer was Alina Srichinda ‘16 and these officers are the future of WY and they intend to head their class.

2 beacon • newseditor • Jess Clementdesigner • Jennifer Keyes

New tech center staff adjusts Dan FingerStaff Reporter

A young man sits in the room behind tech center one, his desk crowded with bits and pieces of technology. His hands work diligently as he attempts to place a keyboard back into place on a laptop. The laptop, as it turns out, belongs to Principal Joyce Kenner. The young man charged with this important task is only in his fourth week at WY. His name is Brian Frank and he is extremely excited to be working at WY. A recent graduate with a masters of engineering, Frank feels lucky to be at WY. “It’s always better to be receiving pay checks than to be unemployed,” said Frank. Frank’s first impression of WY is a good one. The multitude of technology keeps him busy and he is happy with his work. “There certainly is a lot more technology at WY then there was at my high school,” said Frank. Frank did not always necessarily want to be a computer technician. His undergraduate degree is in industrial engineering. But he has always enjoyed fixing computers, and he undoubtedly has a knack for it. “People always just seemed happy when I fixed computers. Eventually, I just began doing it on a regular basis,” said Frank. Frank can usually be found in the room in the back of tech center one. However, he does roam a bit when his services are needed. “He came to help my AP Comp class in tech center two. We could not get the projector to work well, but he fixed it in a jiffy,” said Molly Block ’11. “I’ve also seen him fixing computers at the back of tech center one, and just generally lending a hand to anyone in the tech center who needs help with their technology.” “I just asked him the best way to present the info I had. He weighed the options and gave me a response, and I ended up getting an A on my project,” says Eddie Boche ‘13. Frank enjoys work more and more. “Maybe everyone is just nice to me because I fix their problems,” said Frank.

Cary Shepherd/Photo EditorChicago comes together, volunteering, cheerleading, and participating in the Chicago Mara-thon. Runners passed WY twice during their route on Oct. 10, 2010.

Brian FrankMaggie Kindra/Staff Photogra-pher

Chicago Marathon goes the distance

Roberto NievesStaff Reporter

Another year, another Chicago Marathon. Held on Oct. 10th the Bank of America Chicago Marathon provides a chance for runners to showcase their abilities. 45,000 participants signed up for the event, making it one of the largest marathons in the US. Beginning at 7:30, contestants were allotted six hours and thirty minutes to finish the race. The marathon began at Grant Park, headed north just past Belmont Harbor, and then back south until 35th street near US Cellular Field, with the finish line in Grant Park. The course provides a great run through several different Chicago neighborhoods. The fastest runner was Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya, coming in with a total marathon time of 2:06:24, meaning his average speed

was about 12.5 miles per hour. The top ten was rounded out with three Kenyan runners, three Ethiopian runners, one Moroccan runner, and one US runner. Susan Gustavson, math teacher and expecting mother, also ran the marathon. It was her fifth Chicago marathon, but her first since 2004. Gustavson constantly trains, and ran a few marathons earlier this year, but “none compared to Chicago’s, because of the magnitude of the event and the amount of people participating.” Gustavson “loves running” and is “happy to have run in it”, especially considering she had signed up for it before learning she’d soon be a mother. The weather was a factor this year, as it became harder to keep a steady pace as the temperatures rose higher, entering the 80’s. Crowds lined the streets early in the morning to cheer

on friends and family alike. Many refreshment stations manned by volunteers were set up along the streets to keep runners hydrated. The volunteers arrived early in the morning to mix the Gatorade drink solution, and prepare thousands of cups of water. “I’m just amazed by the amount of people who ran in the marathon,” comments Jonathon Dale ‘12. The WY cross country teams also took part in a shorter distance run, competing against other schools around the city. “It was a really cool experience,” said Andrea Cory ’12. “The competition was great, and it really motivates me to get better.” The marathon also allows charities to get involved. Runners can get people to pledge money, which then goes directly to that organization/charity.There were a few sponsored after parties to congratulate the runners and celebrate the event.

Davis takes on freshman counseling

Caroline JangStaff Reporter

For many people, high school is just a faint memory of the past, but for Tameka Davis high school contains memories of the past as well as plans for the future. Davis roamed the WY halls as a high school senior in 1994, and now she finds herself back at WY as the newest addition to the counseling department. “I didn’t think I’d end up here at WY. Before coming for the interview I was really nervous, but I had such a good experience here. It was really welcoming,” says Davis. It was Davis’ previous ex-perience and “beautiful pres-ence” that stood out to Norma Chinn, counseling department chair. Davis has a great amount of experience as both a clinical and high school counselor. Although clinical and school counseling are very different, she enjoys them both. “Part of how I made the decision to do counseling is because of the variety,” says Davis. With 440 freshman students under her wing Davis is faced with a tough task and although the job is “a little hard because of the expectations” she is welcoming the challenge. “We’re excited and can’t wait to see what she does with the freshmen,” says Chinn. Davis has been busy visiting freshman students in their Physical Education class in order to introduce herself. She plans on visiting students in their classrooms in order to create a more personal relationship with them. Davis has a lot of great ideas for the 2010-2011 school year. In addition to tutoring, small group meetings to help cope with school, academics, and other everyday issues are something she wishes to introduce to students. It’s only been a few months into the school year and already Davis has made quite an impression. “It’s really reassuring to know that there’s a counselor who is focusing solely on us freshmen,” says Jake Guzzardo ’14. Davis enjoys going to museums and parks with her daughter and loves dining out at restaurants when she finds the time.

Tameka DavisAri Taylor/Staff Photographer

ID update: why were they so late?Ryann StarksDesign Editor

They are finally here, IDs that is, but what took so long? Every school year, student IDs usually arrive within the first two weeks of school, but WY students were not so fortunate this year. According to Brian Tennison, Dean of Students, there were multiple reasons for the tardiness of the. “CPS cutting teachers took the IDs so long because all programs had to be changed with 50% of students with new

schedules,” says Tennison. With a majority of WY students receiving completely new schedules on the first day of school, it was impossible to know what schedule to put on the back of IDs, therefore delaying the ordering process. Also the fact that many students failed to take ID photos at registration has not helped the situation. “I have taken many photos on the web cam, which slowed down the process,” says Tennison. The ID drama caused commotion especially when it came to buying homecoming tickets. “The IDs being late made it inconvenient during homecoming week. I had to wait in line to get an ID the day of the homecoming game. Besides the color is not even

right, who wants to be in green house,” says Mansour Al-Amin Dyer ’12. According to Tennison he printed over 300 student IDs in homecoming week alone. Not everyone had a problem with the late arrival of the IDs. “It was better for me because it was less days that I could forget my ID,” says Connie Wong ‘11. But if you have noticed there is another problem with WY school IDs, they are the wrong color! According to Tennison the person in charge of sending ID information sent the order without the house color information. The background color of your ID will not represent your house this year, but the middle number of your division.

beacon • news editor • Jess Clementdesigner • Jennifer Keyes

New and exciting student directoryout soonNicole MiddletonIn-Depth Editor

Most high schools have parent/student directories but the WY directory is extra special. Filled with golden

Nicole Middleton/InDepth EditorEnjoying themselves, Clara Byczkowski ‘11 and Sonia Gold-berg ‘13 rehearse for the upcoming fall play.

3tickets, student artwork, and a multitude of phone numbers to choose from when prank calling, no wonder everyone is making such a big deal about the booklet. So the idea started with the Friends of WY, along with the help of Assistant Principal Melvin Soto, several years ago. Directories had been in motion for a bit but this organization wanted to bring creativity to the information packet recently. That is when the cover design contest idea was set in motion. We have some incredible artists at WY, who do not get the recognition they deserve, and the Friends of WY took a small step in seeking these

artists out and rewarding them. The contest was open to all students, whether an ackie or super senior. And to top it off, the Friends of WY threw in a prize to make it worth the students’ while. This year the prize is really exciting: a 32 gigabyte ipod touch with face time. Who wouldn’t want a brand new ipod? Sounds like heaven. Along with new additions to the directory over the past few years, they are also of-fering advertising throughout the glossy pages. “The advertisements in-clude both business ads and tribute ads for the graduating senior, favorite teacher, or accomplishment of a student,”

explains Sharon Ford, Friends of WY member. The handbooks will be distributed during report card pick-up day on Nov. 18. Make sure to remind your parents to pick one up for the house, it is truly a convenience to have. “Also this year there will be golden tickets in certain handbooks, which are gift cer-tificates, so make sure to check it out,” says Robin Robinson, Friends of WY member. Make sure to keep brain-storming for the next direc-tory. The upcoming directory is something to look forward to…or at least something to keep in the kitchen to brighten up your cooking atmosphere!

Company takes on a new kind of showEliya HannaStaff Reporter

For the upcoming fall show, the Young Company presents to you an unique piece. Not only an already challenging musical and mystery, but “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” is a novel unfinished by its creator, Charles Dickens. The Young Company has put on a variety of novels and plays used for their performances. From classic Disney stories to Shakespeare to their most recent musical “The Sparrow”, the Young Company knows a challenge when they see one. Over the years with director Dan Winkler, the student affiliated activity has grown in numbers. Whenever a show is a success, warm-hearted rumors float through the halls, encouraging students to be a part of the tight-knit Young Company family. Their last play, “The Sparrow”, brought a new round of Young Company members, including Alaina Stacey ‘13. Winkler hopes that this next play will do more than that. A big part of the upcoming show is the music. With a selective musical cast and rehearsals with choir instructor, Grace Jeong, high notes and catchy choruses will leave you humming along in your seats.

Traia Thiels ‘11 says this play is “the first real musical with dance numbers and show tunes.” Co-star and one of the lead characters, Stacey can’t help but agree. “The music part is going to be awesome!” She squeals excitedly. “Everyone has a fantastic voice; Mr. Winkler cast it perfectly.” Stacey plays the naive and lovely Rosa Bud, fiancée to the cocky Edwin Drood. Although the two are engaged, neither loves the other, meanwhile a jealous uncle lusts for young Rosa. The marriage is secretly called off, but the disliked by many Edwin Drood mysteriously disappears. Every character has a motive for murder, and the best part is there is no written ending. The actors are super excited working on a show were they have the freedom to be goofy. They are competing against each other to be the audience’s favorite. “It is going to be a comedy, and the audience can pick the ending,” states Thiel. The Young Company will have the audience participate in each night’s performance. Every viewer will vote on who they believe the killer is. The possibilities are endless. “I love the Company,” gushes Stacey. “It’s like a little family. This play is going to be a tough one, but if anyone can, we can pull it off!” This one-of-a-kind performance combines many aspects of the theater department, including mystery, humor, love, murder, and even a play within a play. Audiences will be sure to have a good time with a touch of all these to satisfy everyone’s sense of entertainment. That, along with a witty script and dedicated cast, the Young Company’s production of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” will be a must see this fall.

SLA Show coming Oct. 29Martin KimStaff Reporter

Bright colors, ethnic music, and traditional dances are what to expect later this month as Latinos Unidos prepare for their annual SLA perfor-mance. Acts stretch across both ends of the Latino style. Dances include interpretations of bachata, merengue, salsa, and cumbia. SLA has attracted sellout crowds every year. The performances aim to give a hint of every branch of Latin culture through traditional song and dance. Students who participate in the show have been prepping like no other. After eighth, after ninth, before school, during lunch, SLA members

use all the time they can in order to perfect their routines. Several mem-bers have even been practicing since summer. “We practice every day. We put all else aside because we need to get this done right,” says Alejandro Salinas ’11. Latinos Unidos is a goal-oriented organization that strives to bring about equality in a world of igno-rance. The group is driven by unity of individuals who share the same beliefs. The members of the organiza-tion are called los Estudiantes. They are the minds behind the values of the club. “America is a giant melting pot filled with different ethnicities and their cultures. This is just one method of educating and displaying the diversity of Latin culture,” says Hilario Dominguez ’11. This year’s performance is looking to be a memorable one. Returning dancers will bring experience to the

show and along with new faces, it is sure to be a success. The club hopes to top last year’s turnout. To do so the club has already begun advertising for the show which will be on Friday, Oct. 29, in the theater. “We are letting everybody know about this year’s show. We expect nothing short of a large crowd pack-ing the seats of the theater,” says performer Alejandro Sanchez ’11. Claudia Chavez and Lorena Gomez are the teacher sponsors for the club and performance. As native Latinas, they look forward to seeing the students perform the traditional dances. Anybody is welcome to perform for SLA. Latinos Unidos is a racially diverse club whose members range from Asian to African American. All members, Latino or not, share the same values of Latinos Unidos.

Carnival wrap upJennifer KeyesCopy Editor

The anticipations of this year’s Fall Carnival has passed, but those who went can remember all the excitement. The Carnival which took place on Fri. Sept. 24 through Sun. Sept. 26 on WY’s football field, featured rides, games, and other special attractions like a dunk booth, bungee jumping, and a band stage. Orchestra teacher Michael Mascari was one of several teachers who kindly volunteered to sit in the dunk booth. “It was so cold!” says Mascari of the experience, “So, so cold.” Besides seeing their favorite teachers getting soaked, there were plenty of rides to enjoy. The Tilt-a-Whirl, Fun House, and the spiny, gravity defying “G4” were some of the more popular ones. Emily Schcolnik’s ’12 favorite was the bumper cars, which she went on multiple times all three days. “I had a ton of fun,” says Schcolnik, who also volunteered on Saturday by selling glow sticks and other light up novelties to raise money. Many students flocked to the field on Friday to see what the Carnival was all about or to check out the bands, but student turnout was underwhelming the rest of the weekend. “The Carnival was great,” says Margaret Friend, mother of Izzi Friend ’12 who volunteered at the Carnival through Friends of WY, “but not as many people showed up as we hoped.” Friend is hopeful for a carnival next year, as is Schcolnik. “After this one, we know what we need to change for next year in order to have a really superb one,” says Schcolnik. Maddy Lenzini ’12 shares her sentiments. “Student involvement will be higher next year too,” says Lenzini, “The students will actually know what they’ll be doing and getting them into where as this year, it was all unknown.” Friend has already planned some changes for next year.

4 beacon • newseditor • Jess Clementdesigner • Ryann Starks

Club fair todayAlex Skital Staff Reporter

The WY club fair will be taking place after ninth period in both the blue house and the arts building bridge today. Lynn Zalon, Dean of Stu-dents, thinks that the club fair is a great opportunity. “It really gives students, especially freshmen a chance to see what WY has to offer,” Zalon states. The club fair gives new and lesser known clubs a chance to break out and recruit more members. It also provides some of the more established clubs with an opportunity to give students information about upcoming events and meetings. Susan Gustavson, adviser of student council, assures that numerous clubs will be partici-pating. Ryan Nerris, Red Cross adviser is looking forward to the fair. “The club fair will help Red Cross spread the word about future blood drives and give people an opportunity to join the club,” Nerris says. Kesan Li ’11 cannot wait to attend the fair this year. “Its fun, its kind of a social gathering, and at the same time clubs offer treats and demos encouraging you to join,” Li says. Zori Paul ’11 is working with student council to make sure the club fair is a success. Paul encourages all students to attend. “The fair is a great way to meet new people and become familiar with some of the countless after school activities here at WY,” Paul states.

Model UN club created

Save the date: College Night Nov. 4Leia BrownStaff Reporter College night 2010 is set to be bigger and better than any other college night before. One hundred and fifty schools from all over the country are set to take over the WY campus, each hoping to woo students and become their top choices in colleges and universities. “College night is a great time to see and get informa-tion and to look at schools you probably never would’ve con-sidered,” says Dana Stearns, counselor and college night coordinator. Stearns says the event is a wonderful opportunity to ex-pose kids to a “great variety” of schools that range from small, local schools to huge, Ivy League institutions. Presentations will be made in all four houses with bigger schools making presentations in some classrooms. Finan-cial aid speakers are set to

make two presentations in the library at 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Many seniors took advan-tage of last year’s college night and hope juniors and un-derclassmen will do the same this year. “It a great way for juniors to get a feel for the colleges,” says Adaeze Ezeofor ‘11. “It helps you get an idea of where you want to go because it’s early off.” Morgan Hollie ‘11 agrees. “For a lot of people who don’t know anything about any school, college night is a great way to get a lot of informa-tion,” mentions Hollie. Stearns has a few pieces of advice for students who plan to attend the event. “Keep an open mind and make a list of your top op-tions,” Stearns recommends. She also advises students to sit in on the financial aid sessions. So come on out to college night, Thursday, Nov. 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Career Day returns tomorrowLewis EtzkornStaff Reporter

Tomorrow, Oct. 21, WY holds its annual career day, in which parents, relatives, and family friends of students come to school and speak to classes about their careers. Career Day is a day in which students can receive firsthand insight to many areas of employment. “I love career day because it allows you to explore so many different paths that you can take after high school,” says Julian Lopez ‘11. “It just really makes you think.” William Wong, WY alumni and presenter at Career Day, recounts his memories of career day while he was in high school. “Career Day is part of the reason I became interested in my field of study in the first place. Although I didn’t know it at the time, I think it helped me realize that I really enjoy the field of business.” Some students see it as a ticket to slack off for a day. “I think most people don’t really take it seriously, unless the career being discussed is one that the student actually wants to get into, but you can’t complain because it always is a fun day anyway,” says Macie Stewart ‘11.

Senior fundraisers raise fun and fundsAri TaylorStaff Reporter

Senior year is always filled with stress and chaos, but this year, the senior class is trying to lower stress levels as much as possible with fresh and fun activities. The first upcoming senior fundraiser is the talent show. In the past, the acts in this show were designated only to seniors, but this year they are switching things up a bit. Felicia Clotworthy, senior council advisor says that it will be more of a “Whitney Young’s Got Talent” than a typical senior talent show. All high school students can participate in the talent show, however the proceeds will still go to the senior class. All of the senior fundraisers have very little faculty input and are basically planned solely by the students. The people who are responsible for making the majority of these events happen are members of the senior council. “Senior council is a very ambitious group who are determined to have an exciting senior year. Most fundraisers come from the students and we as faculty support their ideas and trust their judgment,” says Clotworthy.

By having students plan these events, it is believed that they will have a greater idea of what students want to see, instead of leaving everything up to faculty. The dodge ball tournament was a huge hit last year and will be returning again this spring. This event is a competition between the junior and senior classes and that rivalry is stronger than ever this year so the games are guaranteed to be intense. Events Coordinator Hilario Dominguez ‘11 seems most excited about the senior bachelor auction. With this event, senior males will describe a date that will then get bid on by other students; the highest bidder will win the date described with the bachelor who wrote it. “I believe that the crowd will be excited and support the auction, I mean, who wouldn’t pay for a sexy guy?” says Dominguez. Jamel Gault ‘11 was elated about some of the upcoming events, especially the bachelor auction. “I plan on being one of the bachelors in the auction and I think these events will relieve a lot of the stress from senior year” says Gault.

Maggie KindraStaff Reporter

Each school year, students are given the opportunity to join a multitude of clubs at WY ranging anywhere from Ping Pong club to Seinfeld club. This year WY is expanding their horizons by introducing the Model United Nations club which will simulate problems faced by the United Nations every day. The United Nations is an

international organization that was founded after WWII by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress. The organization discusses a wide range of issues and provides a forum for its members to express their views. In the Model UN club, students will step into the shoes of ambassadors from around the globe to debate current

issues occurring throughout the world. According to sponsor Thomaie Hilaris, students will make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, debate, negotiate, and resolve conflicts all within the walls of WY. Although the club has not officially started, the first meeting was held on Tuesday Oct. 19th in room 312 after school, with regular meetings occurring every Tuesday beginning in November. “Since this is our first year,

admittance into the club will be on first come first serve and personal interest basis,” says Hilaris. “The club will most likely be on the smaller side, but depending on interest that could change.” Members in the club will participate in simulations involving delegations of students, each representing a nation. Students will work with one another in their committees to produce mock resolutions on global issues which they will then present to the group as a whole. “The Model United Nations experience brings to life the problems that we face in the world and allows students to represent their assigned country’s position and work towards resolving issues of global importance,” explains Hilaris. Hilaris adds that although the club will require some extra research, the time and effort will be well worth it. The club as a group will attend a real conference in April, as well as listen to speakers to better understand how the United Nations really works. “We are going to have speakers come in to tell us about the United Nations including students who are part of the model UN at universities as well as consulate members from countries that hopefully some of our students are representing here at WY,” explains Hilaris. The idea of a Model UN club here at WY has caught the attention of many students. “I am really excited that there is going to be a Model UN club here at WY,” exclaims Andrea Cory ’12. “Many other schools have them and I am happy that our school will finally be able to take part in the experience.”

Maggie Kindra/ Staff Photographer Club sponsor Thomaie Hillaris sits down with Jen Keyes ‘12 to discuss the agenda for the first meeting on Oct. 19. The meeting will be held after eighth and ninth periods in room 312.

beacon • elections editor • Alyssa Deedesigner • Ryann Starks

Giannoulias and Kirkbattle it outJessica ClementNews Editor On Nov. 2, a third of the US Senate will be competing in tight races across the coun-try for their seats. As of right now, the Democrats are look-ing to hold on to the majority of seats, which is one of the reasons why these races are so heated. In Illinois, Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is running against Republican candidate, Mark Kirk. Giannoulias is the current Illinois Treasurer, while Kirk is serving in the US House of Representatives for the tenth district of Illinois. “The outcome of this elec-tion,” comments Cate Stanton ’11, “will reflect how voters in the United States believe the Obama administration is doing.” A majority of WY students seem to agree that Giannou-lias is a much better candi-

Mayor CandidatesEveryone keeps talking about Chicago’s next mayor. Get to know some of the leading candidates.

Rahm Emanuel Rahm Emanuel was first a member of the U.S. House of Reps for the Chicago area, and was recently the White House Chief of Staff for Presi-dent Obama. He resigned from that position recently to run for Mayor, a long time ambition.

Carol Moseley Braun Braun is formerly a U.S. Senator from Illinois, who was born and raised in Chicago. She graduat-ed from UIC, and got her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Chi-cago before entering into the political game.

Rickey Hendon Rickey Hendon is a State Senator, and for-mer 27th ward alderman who has decided to run a “grass roots campaign” for Chicago mayor. He plans to re-open Meigs Field his first day in office as his main campaign promise.

Miguel del Valle Miguel del Valle is the city clerk and formerly a state senator. He worked with Mayor Daley closely and was part of his mayor ticket when Daley was elected.

R. Emmett Tyrrell Emmett Tyrrell is a conservative writer for both books, newspaper, and magazine. He is the founder and editor in chief of “The American Spectator”. Tyrrell says that he will return the rule of law and order to Chicago.

Gery Chico Gery Chico has a strong background in law, politics, and business. He served as the Chicago Public School President of the Board of Trustees for six years. He has also worked with the Chicago Park District and Chicago City Colleges. Chico previously served under Daley as chief of staff.

Bob Fioretti Bob Fioretti holds office as Second Ward Alderman. He has gained attention as a lawyer and policitican. Fioretti is WY’s Aldreman.

Cary ShepherdPhoto Editor

Martin Kim/Staff Photographer Gathering around, students listen carefully as Linda Heesemann, social science teacher, details the election judge process on Thursday, Oct. 14.

5date for the Senate seat than Kirk is. “Alexi Giannoulias will push us in the direction we need to be moving in,” says Julius Henderson ’11. “His policies parallel the views of our president, and the more people working together with similar ideas, the more pro-ductive change is possible.” While WY students tend to be leaning toward supporting Giannoulias, polls are showing that Illinois as a whole is not necessarily supporting him in full force. “At the moment, the race between Kirk and Giannoulias is a toss up,” notes Stanton. Because the race has been such a close one, both candi-dates have been campaigning and getting their voices out there in big ways. “It seems that both of the candidates have been slan-dering each other and not really saying as much as they could be,” says Sudheer Poluru ’11. “They are spending less time actually talking about issues.” The Senate races across the country are all important so make sure to follow the outcomes in the next month.

Alderman race just beginningKalia BuckleyStaff Reporter

With February elections in the coming months, many al-dermen are starting to begin their campaigning. Chicago’s city council consists of 50 wards and ward is headed up by an alderman. Every four years, some aldermen seek re-election. “The race will be inter-esting because the mayor position is open,” says Sheila Lent, social science teacher. “Some aldermen are deciding whether or not to run.” Although some aldermen may not run for re-election and choose to run for mayor, many candidates are getting head starts on their campaign-ing. With aldermen positions available, Cierra Burton’s ‘12 mom, Cassandra Goodwin Burton, is running for alder-

man of the sixth ward for the first time. In order to make herself known, she has begun campaigning. “She’s fundraised, gone to community meetings, has trav-eled house to house publiciz-ing herself, and visited local churches. She will also be host-ing a jazz event,” says Burton. Simone Capers ’12 has an aunt running for alderman on the South Side. Last election, Darcel Beavers ran for alder-man of the seventh ward. Un-fortunately, she lost the race to Sandi Jackson, wife of Jesse Jackson Jr. Seeking election again, “she has made flyers, visited senior citizens homes, gone to schools, and made a ton of phone calls,” says Capers. In addition to having enough funds for election materials, candidates face a number of challenges. “Some hard parts are proving that she’s actually go-ing to do stuff and also get-ting people to even register to vote,” said Capers. With the race for alder-man getting started, many aldermen are beginning to campaign with hopes of win-ning their ward over.

Governor’s race offers lackluster options

Most people are upset when they remember Blago-jevich’s alleged attempt at selling President Barack Obama’s senate seat. Stanton says, “Almost any candidate will be better than Blago.” Lent says she will be voting based on each candidates stand on social issues be-cause she doesn’t feel that either candidate has effective solutions for education of the economy. Gamble adds that either candidate will inevitably ef-fect education. “The state’s finances are a mess. In our immediate life, many National Board certified teachers haven’t gotten money from the state. That money might not be seen anytime soon because education is not a high priority for either can-didate,” Gamble observes. Quinn views this differ-ently. Although he has been cutting the budget, he claims to have protected education and public safety funds. Brady took a republican approach and claims to not want to raise taxes. The bud-get deficit should be resolved by increasing revenue through augmenting the number of job opportunities. Other gubernatorial candidates on the ballot are Libertarian Lex Green, Inde-pendent Scott Lee Cohen, and Green Rich Whitney. Stanton voices many peo-ple’s mindset when she says, “Illinois politics need to change and this election is a start, as well as with the election of a new mayor. It will be a clean slate for Illinois.”

Students involved in election processArissa MooreStaff Reporter

Every year as November approaches, WY juniors and seniors are offered an oppor-tunity that the upperclassmen at other inner city high schools don’t get. Social Science teachers recruit students interested in the democratic process, or just looking to make some extra cash, to serve as election judges in the regions where they live.

“Election judges are ex-pected to show up early at the polling place, work a long day until all votes are count-ed, and perform a variety of duties depending on where they are placed,” says Linda Heesemann, election judge coordinator. After the application pro-cess, selected judges have to undergo a training session to make sure they know what is expected of them. “Being an election judge, you need to make sure you

have the composure to work in difficult situations. You’re going to interact with adults and that’s very different than interacting with teenagers,” says election judge Mariah Matthews ‘11. Serving as election judges, students get first hand experience of what happens during the democratic process. “This opportunity really shows how easy it is to vote and when we see how seri-ously it is taken by voters, we realize what an important

thing it is to do,” says elec-tion judge Joseph Platt ‘11. “Trusting high school students with this is great because first of all it’s not really that hard and voting and the democratic process is something that we all understand. It also shows many adults, who are general-ly mistrusting of high schoolers, that we can be responsible and take action just like they can.” Participating as an election judge can benefit students in multiple ways. “It’s important that students learn about the electoral process as soon as they can so they can become informed

voters,” continues Heeseman. “It’s been proven that if students work as election judges or even campaign for a politician they are more likely to exercise their right to vote when they turn 18.” Also, for their service in both the November and Feb-ruary elections, each election judge earns a total of 170 dollars. “The money is definitely a plus,” says Matthews. Heesemann hopes that through working as election judges students will learn more about their rights as it pertains to voting. Meetings for select-ed judges are TBA.

Allie McRaithCulture Editor

Month after month, head-lines dominated the news that bashed Rod Blagojevich, for-mer Illinois Governor. That is old news with the new gover-nor election approaching. The two leading candidates, current Democratic governor Pat Quinn and Republican Bill Brady have taken negative campaigning wars to a whole new level. Many people feel that instead of focusing on what each candidate can do, they are trying to one-up the op-position, instead of clearly stating where candidates stand on important issues. Chris Gamble, social sci-ence teacher, said it is vot-ing between “a lesser of two evils.” Student voters feel similar-ly. Cate Stanton ‘11, president of Democratic Student Asso-ciation, conveyed her feel-ings about the approaching election. “I don’t like either candi-date, so I haven’t been fol-lowing them too closely. When it comes time, I’ll vote demo-cratic,” Stanton says. “I have been disgusted by Illinois politics,” Sheila Lent, fellow WY social science teacher, said.

6 beacon • featureseditor • Alyssa Deedesigner • Jennifer Keyes

Making art in lifeDiana RosenStaff Reporter WY is known for its amaz-ing arts programs, ranging from graphic design to concert choir. However, many students have the opportunity to pursue art outside of the classroom through programs such as Gal-lery 37 and Marwin, accord-ing to art teacher Nicholas Gorisch. Elise Parisian ’12, a mem-ber of the Young Company

Famous AIC WorksHere are some of the major works and their locations:

“Haystacks”- Claude Monet, Gallery 243

“Two Sisters on the Ter-race”- Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Gallery 201

“The Basket of Apples”- Paul Cézanne, Gallery 246

“Nighthawks”- Edward Hopper, Gallery 262

“American Gothic”- Grant Wood, Gallery 263

“The Child’s Bath”- Mary Cassatt, Gallery 273

“The Old Guitarist”- Pablo Picasso, Gallery 391

“The Boxer”- Richmond Barthé, Gallery 263

Source: artic.eduMatt StantonEditor in Chief

Jennifer Keyes/Copy EditorThe MCA is located at 220 E. Chicago Ave, east of Michigan Ave. The Chicago Red Line stop or any Michigan Ave. bus will get you close.

theater group, is a good ex-ample of this. She portrayed Anne Frank in the school play last fall, but also pursues her interests outside of WY. Parisian and a group of friends applied for a time slot at Donny’s Skybox Theater to perform sketch comedy routines. The ensemble was accepted into the program and on October 7, 2010 per-formed their half hour show for the last time. “It was all written by 16 and 17 year olds, which was great,” says Parisian. Now that her show is over, she is a part of the Second City teen ensemble. Hannah Bernard ’11 pursues painting and writ-ing outside of WY. Working

at Caribou Coffee gives her inspiration to experiment with different forms of visual art as well as to write poetry. “I write about everything,” says Bernard. Bernard has been a member of the WY Poetry Slam team in previ-ous years and is currently a member of the Young Com-pany. This year, her schedule includes AP Photography and Painting and Drawing. Gorisch hopes that every WY student has the opportuni-ty to pursue art the way Pari-sian and Bernard do. Outside of WY he works on freelance painting and drawing. “I’m a painter, that’s what I do,” Gorsich says. “But just being out in the art world is an experience.”

Discover a lesser known art museumDan FingerStaff Reporter

“I actually enjoy the envi-ronment at the Smart Museum a lot more than that at the Art Institute,” said Malcolm Sanchez ’11, a member at the Smart Museum of Art on the University of Chicago’s Hyde Park campus. As a resident

of the area, Sanchez quickly jumped at the opportunity to become a member at the museum because it bolstered the area’s aesthetics. Located at 5550 S. Green-wood on the campus of the University of Chicago, the Smart Museum was founded in 1974. Originally, the museum was built to house the Uni-versity of Chicago’s fine arts collection. Since its founding, the museum has grown to become the home for major art collections, including some rare Asian art. Right now, the museum is home to an exhibit entitled “Echoes of the Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtangshan.” “The Chinese collection is my absolute favorite! I’ve already been twice and it just opened last month!” said Sanchez. Alexander Peacevosicky ’11, another Hyde Park resident, also enjoys the Smart Museum. He sees it as an awe-some alternative from more traditional art galleries. “I’ve been to the Louvre and the Art Institute, but I just couldn’t get into them really. I thought it was because I’m not very artsy, but when I visited the Smart Museum, I fell in love with the place,” said Peacevosicky. At the Smart Museum, there is something for every-one. Even people who do not consider themselves artsy will have a good time.

Mexican art stays aliveDylan ForsterEntertainment Editor

The Museum of Mexican Art keeps history alive! Ex-pressing their culture through art is what’s celebrated here. For many years, the Mu-seum of Mexican Art has pro-posed a vast range of educa-tional exhibits that represent Mexico’s art and history. Their collection contains around 6,000 objects, being one of the largest collections of Mexi-can art worldwide. Additional galleries are constantly added to continue to showcase their one of a kind art. The museum takes pride in the fact that the exhibitions they have presented over the years have interpreted their history and culture well enough to gather appreciation for Mexican culture. Fifteen of the exhibitions organized by the Museum have traveled across the U.S. and Mexico to other museums, generating a huge amount of popularity. “I went there once when I was eleven. It has an amaz-ing gift shop and is definitely a one of a kind experience,” says Emily Schcolnik’12. “We went once for Cinco De Mayo; I liked learning a lot about their culture,” says Fiona McRaith ’14. Keeping things interest-ing, the Museum also involves many performing arts into their weekly activities. They showcase the richness and diversity of Mexican music, dance, theater, literature, and culinary arts. The Museum also offers adult art classes.

Art classes stay busyRyann StarksDesign Editor

Fundraisers, benefits, and art galleries are not the only thing coming from WY art classes this year. WY stu-dents should look for new and interesting art pieces through-out the school and in the WY gallery. Every year the WY art de-partment holds an art fair, but this year it will be held in Mid-April before spring break. The change in dates is so that there will be a smoother event for faculty and students by not conflicting with things such as AP testing or finals. But you do not have to wait until April to check out what is going on in mixed media. “Mixed media work by Lisa Wax’s classes will take over the art gallery after the closing of the staff and faculty art pieces this week,” says Nancy Klark, head of art department.

Mixed media student Carla Nodi ’11 offers a pre-view of what they are working on in class. “The last project was to take a random object and turn it into art. October is Chicago artist month and we are sup-posed to go to a art museum by the end of the month to experience diverse art,” says Nodi. Since there is a large graphic design class this year, the art department has to pay for new computers. “There is a benefit coming up in early Dec. before Christ-mas. It is a fundraiser and asks parents to pay a small admis-sion to see their children’s artwork. It will be on the arts bridge and art gallery, and the WY cinema will be used to show videos,” says Klark. One of the newer classes, photography, is doing well in the department according to Klark. Right now students are working on documentary photography. “It is exciting because we have to go out to our neigh-borhood and observe and depict our daily lives in an in-teresting manner,” says Adjua Pryor ’11.

Ari Taylor/Staff Photogra-pher Art students work to perfect their models. Constructing her ferris wheel out of an umbrella, Cierra Burton ‘12 adds the finishing touches.

View contemporary artJennifer KeyesCopy Editor

On the gray stone outside, neon stools litter the ground and small children run zigzags around them. Inside, tourists and art loving locals mingle together and check out the latest featured artist. Upstairs, several students frantically sketch pieces by emerging tal-ent. This is a portrait of a typi-cal Saturday at the busy and dynamic Museum of Contem-porary Art. “Contemporary art is art that is made in our own time,” says Nancy Klark, art depart-ment chair. Many contemporary artists are still alive and producing today. The issues explored in

their works are mostly cur-rent and relevant to today, so younger audiences often find this genre easier to relate to than styles of past eras. The MCA is Chicago’s premier spot for viewing these kinds of work. According to Klark, the MCA is “a great resource for teachers.” For the past nine years, Wax has been a member of the MCA’s teacher advisory board. “Sometimes it’s about teacher’s advice on bringing schools into museums more,” says Wax about her role. “Sometimes it’s about creating lessons that are related to the art in their exhibitions.” Currently, the museum has a special exhibition of Alexan-

der Calder’s pieces. You can’t miss Calder’s colorful, whimsi-cal metal mobiles and other sculptural pieces. Also being featured now are paintings and sketches by Luc Tuymans. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop during your trip, which is full of unique gadgets and novelty art supplies. “My whole Christmas list is going to be full of things from the MCA gift shop,” says Josephine Johnson ’12. “They have the coolest pens there!” The museum is open Wed.-Sun. for $7 with your student ID. But, you can’t beat Tues-days when the museum is open for free to everyone.

Jen KeyesStaff Reporter

October is Chicago Artists Month

beacon • features editor • Alyssa Deedesigner • Ryann Starks

All we do is twin twin twinCaroline JangStaff Reporter

Have you seen The Par-ent Trap? After the movie was released in 1998, every little girl wanted a twin sister. The movie portrays twins as being best friends and partners in crime with an indescribable connection and love for one another, and al-though the movie is more than ten years old, it still perfectly describes the relationship

Caroline Jang/Staff Photographer I wonder why Mardi Caminer ‘14 and Elena Caminer ‘14 look alike, oh wait they are twins. I wonder which one was born first?

7between twins. Mardi Caminer ’’14 and Elena Caminer ’14 are no exception. Although they say there’s no such thing as twin telepathy, they admit that there is, in some ways, a con-nection between themselves. “We can tell how each other is feeling better than other people just because I know her and she knows me so well,” said Elena Caminer. Both Mardi and Elena came through the WY Academic Center together. We chose to come to school together because we both got into the Academic Center, which is a great op-portunity. Also, it makes it easier on my parents,” said Mardi Caminer. In addition to attending school together, Mardi and Elena also share clothes, shoes, a love of soccer, and even division. Although they share clothes, their styles and their

Make it double. No, make it triple!

Ryann StarksDesign Editor

Did you know that our very own principal, Joyce Kenner, is one of three look-alike triplets? Well, she is not the only set of triplets in the school. There are many twins in the school along with a set of triplet trios. If you think you are close to your brother or sister you have no idea how closer to them you would

be if you shared the same chromosomes. Both identical or paternal, twins and triplets share a bond that no one else can begin to comprehend. “I have friends for life since the moment I was born, up to today. I have one identi-cal sister in Dayton, Ohio, and one brother in Atlanta, Georgia, and I talk to each of them at least three times a day,” says Kenner. Having permanent best

friends is only one of the benefits of being a twin or triplet. Annie Burns ’11 offers a humorous benefit of being a twin. “I love being a twin, I know what I would look like if I was hairy,” says Burns. Many WY twins or triplets have siblings that do not go to WY for example, Emily Schcolnik ’12. There can be some problems when you look like someone else.

“Since we go to differ-ent schools, if I am in public, people look at me strangely because they think I am her and I am just not saying hello to them,” says Schcolnik. Kenner has been in similar situations. “I have to remind my sister to be extra nice to people, because they think that she is me and I do not want anything to happen to my professional reputation,” says Kenner.

Boy twins share special bond David KyinStaff Reporter

When you look back on recent famous twins, you think of Mary Kate and Ashely Olsen, Tia and Tamara Mowry (‘Sister, Sister’), and Dylan and Cole Sprouse (‘The Sweet Life of Zach & Cody’). Knowing this, twins have a knack of be-ing people that stick out and are more or less associated as being cool. Jason Sebek ‘16 and

Zach Sebek ‘16 are one of WY’s very own set of twins. They are both enrolled in the Academic Center here at our school and are currently en-joying their first year here. When asked about what the best and worst thing is about being twins or having a twin, Jason Sebek said, “I love to try and confuse people to see their reactions when they try to figure out who is who but, it also sucks when people can’t get our names right when I want them to.” As a matter of fact, when people say twins tend to think the same things, this holds true here. In a follow up interview, Zach Sebek said the same thing. However, there are certain things that are strictly good about having a twin. Jason Sebek and Zach Sebek both mentioned that there are many other upsides of having a twin and that watching TV shows with twins pretty much

explains it all. The main theme of most of those shows have something to do with your twin always being there for you. “I love to mess with people but being able to talk to someone every time someone or something bothers you and can really understand what your problem is, is definitely a huge upside to having a twin,” said Zach Sebek. Then there’s also the mate-rialistic side of having a twin. Twins get the ability to buy and share the same clothes if they wanted to or needed to. They both look the same, and assuming they have the same taste, they can share clothes and no one would ever know. All in all, having a twin can be both good and bad, but for the most part, its a good thing. Jason Sebek and Zach Sebek have first hand experience to tell us that and when you ask them that, they couldn’t be a happier pair of twins.

Cary Shepherd/Photo Editor They run together on AC cross country and they take mostly the same classes, but Zach and Jason Sebek ‘16 are each unique.

Roberto Nieves/Staff Photographer Unlike the other twins on our page, Eric Goldberg ‘13 and his twin sister Sonia Goldberg ‘13 are easy to tell apart.

It’s a Boy! It’s a Girl! It’s Twins!Roberto NievesStaff Reporter

Ever wonder what it would be like if you were the op-posite gender? Well, twins Eric and Sonia Goldberg ‘13 don’t really have that problem. Both twins attend WY, and enjoy going to the same school. “Deciding to come to WY together was an easy deci-sion,” said Sonia, with Eric nodding in agreement. “We have another sibling at Payton, but decided to go to WY because it was big-ger and more diverse which seemed to be a better fit for

us, and has been so far,” said Eric. Because they are boy-girl twins, Eric and Sonia don’t have the typical twin problem of getting mixed up. Emily Januszewski ’12 said, “I didn’t know they were re-lated at all!” A quick survey of people who are not very close to the twins proved that a lot of people feel the same way. Aside from being bound by blood, the Goldbergs do have many things in common. “We’re both really inter-ested in music and theatre,” said Sonia, citing that they are both members of the Young Company, and also both take advanced music classes, Eric- band and Sonia- orchestra. “We’re pretty close, and get along really well, better than most siblings,” said Sonia, adding “I can tend to act a bit motherly towards him [Eric].” “Being twins, plus brother and sister adds a little more to the whole ‘sibling rivalry’ thing,” said Eric. “I think being brother and sister twins, is different from same gender twins,” said Eric.

“At least our parents can’t make us dress up exactly the same anymore,” said Sonia. While they usually get along, they both admitted there are something’s that can get on their nerves. “Constantly being associ-ated with him, i.e. Eric’s sister, or the Goldberg Twins, can be really annoying,” said Sonia. A special part of their relationship, relates Sonia is “the little telepathic moments, when we know each other is upset or needs some space.” Although many people notice when they’re split up, the Goldbergs actually look alike when standing next to each other. “A lot of people say we make the exact same facial expressions,” said Sonia. Although they’re in the same grade “[they] have many dif-ferent friends, so we’re not always together; like in the movies (Olsen twins),” said Eric. Keep a lookout for Sonia and Eric in the Young Company’s next production in which they’ll be acting together.

personalities are very differ-ent. “I like pink and wear more pink then Mardi. She is louder and crazier and likes Spanish. I’m more of a music person,” says Elena Caminer. Although it seems great to have a twin, Mardi and Elena say that there is a negative side to it. People mix them up, but even more annoying than get-ting mixed up is their absence of individual freedom. “We become a pair, not two individuals,” said Elena. Mardi agreed, saying, “I love Elena and all, but I’m not her!” People often make the mistake of assuming that twins are just the same and do ev-erything together, but they are different in their own way. Don’t let twins fool you. Although they may be very similar in looks and have simi-lar interests or hobbies each individual is different with a unique personality.

8 beacon • indepth 9designer • Ryann Starks

Start the college process earlyMark BrownStaff Reporter

College applications are coming sooner than you think underclassmen. For those of you that think it will all work itself out and that it is not that difficult, you are just flat out wrong. It is stressful and very tedious but you can help yourself by starting early. You may be thinking that there isn’t much you can do but there actually is. “I am starting applications and taking the ACT within the next two months,” says Cornell McCullom ’12. The Common Application is a long and intimidating application but you can start it now and take a lot of pressure off of yourself for next year. The Common Application is sort of a universal application. There are hundreds of colleges that accept it instead of them having their own supplements. This means you can fill it out once and send it to many different colleges.

Yes, some colleges don’t accept it, but starting it now will not hurt at all and will help no matter what. Another thing that you can start early is your search for the right college. You may be receiving buckets of mail from colleges telling you to go to a website and see if your right, or saying that students love it there, but the truth is, how do you really know which is best for you? You can go on visits to colleges or to college fairs. Anyone can make a pamphlet or brochure look spectacular but until you see what the school is all about for yourself, you will feel lost. Experiencing something first hand is not even close to the same thing as if someone just told you. You should start early and visit as many schools as possible to make your decision easier. Another thing that underclassman can do to start early is ask questions. Whether it be your counselor, friend in college, or parents, it helps to be a little more

StartBeacon takes

you on the College Journey

36 & 2400: Numbers to knowRiley Castle Staff Reporter

Each year millions of students nation-wide take both the American College Test, or ACT, and the Scholastic Assessment Test, or SAT, examinations with much anxiety and apprehension. The SAT was introduced in 1901 and originally devoid of multiple choice questions; each essay response was graded as excellent, good, doubtful, poor or very poor. The ACT was a rival to the College Board’s SAT, introduced in 1959. High schools all around America urge their students to score high because their scores reflect the school and affect their ranking amongst high schools. It is also vital for testers to score high in order to attend certain colleges and universities. Seventy-five per-cent of students admitted into Harvard University last year scored a 33 or higher, ac-cording to the official College Board. Here at WY, ACT and SAT prep classes are offered, free

of charge, to students. “We’ve always provided good classes to help students prepare for such important tests,” says Brian Tennison, Dean of Students. Most students who took these after school sessions found it very helpful. “We were given a prep book and guided through several sample tests by our teacher,” claimed Jacky Huang ’11, who took advan-tage of the classes his junior year. These classes are mostly thanks to Dagny Bloland, Eng-lish teacher and prep class co-ordinator, who helps organize them and encourages students to attend. “Funding is provided to the school through the CPS School Improvement Plan,” according to Bloland, “…and we do our best to keep students striving for high scores because it is in the best interest to do so, in the end.” ACT prep classes are of-fered twice a week in the winter and SAT classes in the spring to juniors interested. These classes aim at instilling confidence and “stillness to receive” into the testers, as Bloland notes. The most recent average ACT score for WY students was approximately 26.4, and is expected to increase going into next year.

Plan to visit collegesCharlie BurdickStaff Reporter

With over 14,000 colleges and university in the United States there is bound to be one that is perfect for a senior who is soon to graduate. The biggest question though is how that student finds that perfect school. “College tours are great and I strongly encourage them,” said guidance counselor Marissa Martinez. “You need to picture and envision yourself at that school and get a feel for it.” Students usually have to sign up for these visits through the school by contacting the certain school and finding a date that best fits with their schedule. Most are group tours that show you around the school and give you a lot of information from the activities to the different classes. It is an excused absence for a college visit so students would not be sacrificing too much to visit these schools. “I was tired of reading that a school was right for me,” said Courtney Barrios ’11. “I wanted

to visit a school and see if all of the hype was true.” Barrios like many other students are visiting colleges to actually see if that school keeps sending them those annoying letters is that “right fit.” Barrios visited Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill to get a better idea of what it was like and to get a feel for the university. Barrios took a tour with other Northwestern hopefuls and met students from all over the nation. She took an hour and half tour walking around the campus learning the history of the school and what it had to offer. Northwestern is now one of Barrios’ top choices after the tour and she felt that it really helped her decision making process. Many schools offer tours with students who currently attend that school and or alumni. Most of them are with other college hopefuls but in some cases you can get your own personal tour. Malik Coburn ’11 went to the University of Iowa on his own and had his own personal experience. “Tours are great but they sugar coat everything,” said Coburn, “I wanted the real deal to help decide between Iowa and other schools.” Coburn felt that he could get the one on one time that many other students do not get but need to help make the big decision.

End

College application instills panic among WY seniorsMolly CinomanStaff Reporter

As the typical high school senior sits down at the computer to begin a college application, “the agony experienced is similar to ripping off a band-aid,” shares Molly Block ’11. “The pain continues and probably worsens as you finally get to the essays. College [applications] are just an excruciating and tedious process in general.” The majority of WY seniors are feeling the pressure as the fall season creeps upon us bearing critical college application deadlines. “I’ve heard this year’s students

are proceeding more slowly than in the past,” remarks WY’s new writing coach, Tabitha Rice. Rice expands on the negative effects of procrastination, which is the cause of many seniors’ late head starts on their college essays. “No more procrastination! If you don’t know how to start [the essay], write down phrases and words that convey your identity,” advises Rice. The vital originality and quality of the college essay presents itself as a daunting task that more than likely promotes procrastination among high school students. “Not only is picking a topic about yourself difficult enough, but you have to make it interesting and stand out to someone that probably

reads thousands of essays a day,” grumbles Cate Stanton ’11. Although somewhat contradictory, many students agree that the essay is an appreciated component to the college application process – allowing students to present themselves in a different light. “I feel more comfortable knowing that I can show different colleges that I have more to offer than just a test score or a GPA. I see the essay as a way to let a college get to know me better,” adds Block. Majority of the emphasis on the essay is due to the unique and creative element that it adds to the college application as a whole. In conclusion, Stanton adds, “I think I have maintained somewhat of a love/hate relationship with my essay. Once I’m finished I don’t think I will be able to read it again for at least a couple years.”

College Center helps improve writingAlyssa DeeFeatures Editor

Soon-to-be college students know that it is time to buckle down and write essays for the nearing college application deadlines. These kids are visiting the College Re-source Center. “It offers me the help I need in a time where tough decisions are being made and the assistance during the critical college process is invaluable,” says Julius Henderson ’11. Henderson fully utilizes the tools that the College Resource Center has to offer him.

Available Monday through Friday from 4th period until 4:30 pm, the center welcomes everyone to make use of it. Students who are seeking assistance with writing or simply a quieter area to work, are encouraged to come by and make use of it. “If you are really trying to focus on college stuff, it’s easier to get things done because it’s a quiet environment and you don’t have to worry about it being too crowded,” says Mariah Matthews ’11. Someone is always avaliable to give information or to provide help, so stop in before time runs out.

Low down on early decisionJulia DennisEntertainment Editor For some high school seniors, Nov. 1 will mark a day where they can breathe a sigh of relief. The first of November marks the day that early decision applications are due for most schools. Early decision is a plan where students are binded to the college that they apply to. Laura Kingsley ’11 emphasizes, “You should not apply early decision unless you know 100% that you want to go there.” If a senior applies to several colleges but marks one as early decision and is accepted, the rest of the applications are withdrawn. The college picked should be researched extensively and compatible to the student not only academically but socially and geographically. However, if seniors are certain about what college they wish to apply, early decision provides many benefits. Applicants have a shorter wait period, which alleviates the anxiety of not knowing whether or not they have been accepted. Students save money by not paying multiple application fees. Also, because the applicant receives the knowledge of their acceptance or rejection before January, one still has time to complete other applications. “[Applying early acceptance] is a good idea because not as many people apply early so there’s less

competition and a greater chance of getting in,” Joanna Pawlowska ‘11 points out. There is a smaller pool of students that apply early, so acceptance rates for early applications are a little higher. Carla Nodi ‘11 encourages applying early because “that’s how students get scholarship money.” Another, non-binding option is early action. Early action applications are generally due at the same time as early decision applications, but if the students are accepted they do not have to attend. Applying early is not for everyone. Committing to only one college can put serious pressure on seniors who have not explored all of their options. Acceptance so early in the school year can lead to ‘senior-itis,’ where students feel they no longer have to work hard because they are already into college. Colleges are able to withdraw admissions offers if the student’s senior grades drop.Norma Chinn, head of the Counseling Department emphasizes that applying early or not “is very much a personal decision. Our job [as counselors] is to provide all the information for [students] to make the best decision for themselves.” So whether seniors apply early decision, early action or at the regular dead line, good luck on the application process!

Advice from graduatesBaxter HelmOpinions Editor

The older the wiser right? Kirk Hinrich mentored and gave advice to Derrick Rose, teaching him the ways of the NBA. The same goes for those that have graduated from WY. Looking back some of those who have gone on to college have some things to say. “If you think it’s a good idea to cheat your way throughout high school, it will really come back to hurt you in college,” says Cameron Kindra ’10. It would be immature to say cheating is not a problem at WY. Cheating affects your character, and who you are as a person. It only prolongs the procrastination of work. Those that take satisfaction in getting by like this are hurting themselves. Being complacent, not just in school but with anything, lowers your ability to accomplish

great things. Demand greater things, push yourself farther than you ever have, and see what kind of results you get. “Even if you can get by in your classes without really paying attention or doing all the work, you should [try to pay attention]. If nothing else, you’ll learn to apply yourself, which is crucial in college and further on in life,” says Cody Wilkins ’10. We all know the classes that we don’t have to work as hard in, and will still get a good grade. But what gain do we get past the grade? How can we apply ourselves so that after the class we attain and use things we’ve learned? This is a great reminder for everyone; apply yourself even in the classes you’re not interested in. If you’re going to spend 50 minutes a day in that classroom, you might as well work hard to get something out of it.

“Make sure to get started on college apps early. You don’t want to be stressing about it last minute and it’s nice knowing where you’ve been accepted earlier in the year,” states Erik Morelos ’10. This piece of advice is more practical. When senior year rolls around you will understand the stress of applying for college. This process determines where you will be for the next four years of your life. It is a big deal. Morelos balanced playing a sport, school club SLA, college apps, and school work in the fall. It’s easy to see why he values getting the college work out of the way early. “To high school kids in general... it sounds corny but make the most of your time,” says Sam Hobert ’10. “Do anything. Just get out there. Make a “100 things to do before I graduate list” or something like that: it encourages you to be productive while having fun.”

Bleeding blue and orangeAlexander OlivoSports Editor

It is a reoccurring question. It is a question that is perennially presented to each high school senior. It is a question that causes stress and anxiety and brings about loads and loads of paperwork Where am I going for college? This question is one whose answer, to some, is considered the most influential in their life. Now, with so many choices and so many venues why is it that so many of our future leaders lean towards the same schools? Is there something in the water maybe? Or is it something more substan-tial? The most common choice when it comes to WY seniors, at least for the last few years, has been the University of Il-linois at Urbana-Champaign. It is home to graduates Nick Rivera, Mike An, Michael Bojda, and Blake Pon to name a few.

Why you may ask did so many se-niors elect to receive their higher educa-tion at this institution? Lets investigate. Not only is Illinois one of the top undergraduate schools in the nation it also has one of the greatest liberal arts schools in the world. It’s location is beneficial for two reason. One being the fact that it’s not too far from the good old windy city and the second being that all those who lived in Illinois receive the in-state tuition benefit. “In-state tuition and not too much of a change in location is what made this a simple choice for me,” says alumni Blake Pon. Its outstanding extracurriculars coupled with the similar environment and identical school colors is certainly the deciding factor that provides security and peace of mind to all those who apply.“Illinois is a new, but comfy home,” says alumni Nick Rivera.

educated on the process of applying to college. You don’t want to be stuck with a hundred questions a day before the application to your favorite school is due. If you are unclear on anything or just need a little more information, the people around you will be more than happy to help. Feel free to stop your friendly senior schoolmate in the hallways and ask a quick question or two. We might look scary but more than likely we would gladly help. “It is imperative that juniors begin their common application to get ahead of the game,” says Kiana Johnson ’11. It is best to start early underclassmen and there are a couple ways you can do it which have been listed. In the end, it is great to say that you are going to start early and be responsible but until you actually do start and get something done, you’re at the start line of this long journey. I can personally guarantee that once you get something done, you will feel a lot better about the whole process and things will just kind of start to steam roll into a successful college application.

10 beacon • opinionseditor • Baxter Helmdesigner • Jennifer Keyes

School lunches still cause debate

Alexandra Skital Staff Reporter

This year the lunchrooms are serving up a large plateful of change. After years of eating familiar spicy chicken sandwiches, pizza, and fries, I entered the lunch line this year and found all these lunch time favorites replaced with healthier alternatives. These healthier lunches are receiving a lukewarm welcome from the student body. Some students appreciate the fact that the school is trying to encourage healthier eating habits, others however, are very adamant in their dislike of the food. On one hand it is great that students are eating healthier foods. Not all students get a chance to exercise after sitting in school for six hours, and the greasy food choices only encourage obesity. On the other hand, students have grown accustomed to

Phot

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inio

nBeacon asks:

How do you show your school spirit?Cary ShepherdPhoto Editor

“Through enthusiastic cheering and loud, obnoxious yelling.”

Joe Platt ‘11

“I have a pet dolphin named Charles. His name was Charles…” Annie Burns ‘11

“I eat lots of carrots and blue-berries.”

Thomaie Hilaris, staff

“I am one of the few people that wears their ID every single day!”

Elizabeth Graf, staff

“I wear orange and blue clothes. I also color my hair orange and blue and I whip my hair back and forth!”

Sari Mondry ‘14

“I dye all the water in my house blue and orange so I’m always thinking about WY, even in the shower.” Julian Lopez ’11

“Orange and blue underwear every day I come to school.”

` Cristian Pena ‘12

“When I visit other schools’ games, I rep the orange and blue, scream WY and wear face paint!” Whitney Wilson ‘11

their pizza and fries. Many students look forward to going to the cafeteria to pick up some of their favorite foods, and finding their favorites taken off their menu was very disappointing. Carlos Rodriguez ’11 is very upset by the new lunch menu. “If they were last year’s lunches, I would probably be eating them everyday, but no more spicy chicken sandwich means no more lunch,” he protests. Ryan Walsh ‘12 can see both the good and the bad. “It’s great that they are trying to be healthier, but I miss the fries, they were delicious,” he states. Students are also noticing the change in portion sizes. “They only gave me four tater tots!” Rodriguez exclaims. The food choices are in fact more nutritional, but considering that fewer people are purchasing lunch now, the menu change is not really having the desired effect.

Media links student murders to CPS

Matt StantonEditor in Chief

If you were to Google the phrase “CPS student murdered”, nearly 300 thousand articles would pop up. Just about all of them come from the websites of major local newspapers, namely the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and local television news networks . What’s my point? Generic headlines such as the one above are insulting to both the victims’ families, and to the Chicago Public Schools, which have had no connection in nearly all of the murders. Over the summer, a former baseball teammate of mine, Reggis Washington, was shot and killed on Chicago’s South Side. I was shocked and devastated. Reggis always had a friendly disposition, and was focused on honing his skills as a baseball player. How could an innocent kid like Reggis get caught up in Chicago’s gun violence? The media answered that question for me. Their

answer: because he was a CPS student. Headlines in the papers and news coverage read, “Teen CPS Student Fatally Shot on South Side”, and “CPS Student Becomes Latest Shooting Victim.” Misleading headlines such as these enraged me because they hid Reggis’ personality under the guise of just another one of those CPS students to get killed. Reggis was more than a CPS student. He was a friend, a great athlete, and a good-natured human being. The media also owes an apology to CPS. Despite the news headlines’ implications, there is no association between a student attending a public school in Chicago and becoming a victim of a shooting. CPS schools aren’t full of guns and violence. It merely works out that much of Chicago’s crime and violence is concentrated in Chicago’s poorer areas where the overwhelming majority of kids attend CPS grammar schools and high schools. Chicago media, please report the news truthfully.

Burning Up Burned OutNicole MiddletonInDepth Editor

Colored tights- This season’s perfect accessory to make your outfit pop and keep you warm. Ladies, here is an excuse to wear your favorite summer dress again.

Toms shoes- You can look like a hipster and save the environment! Every time you purchase these comfy canvas shoes, they give a pair to someone in need. Why wouldn’t you buy them?

Improv comedy- Try something new that will leave your stomach hurting from all the laughter.

Really scary haunted houses- Feel the adrenaline when you’re screaming through one of the city’s haunted houses. Remember you get what you pay for, so if you make the trip to Statesville Prison, don’t expect to leave without crying.

Jeggings- Are they leggings? Or are they jeans? Dress them up or down, but these are an essential piece this year.

Double dates- Change it up and spend time with other couples. The energy level is higher with more people, not to mention things can be cheaper if split.

Taylor Swift’s new album- ‘Speak Now’ hits stores Oct. 25 so find your nearest Best Buy. The album’s first single ‘Mine’ has everyone excited already.

Saying “kicks”- Call ‘em shoes, call ‘em sneakers but “kicks” is so last year. Vic Mensah ’11 even agrees on his EP.

Plastic water bottles- Why have these when you can sport a sweet nalgene? Not to mention tap water is way better for you…

Short shorts- The weather is cooling down and nobody wants to see your butt, don’t you feel embarrassed by the two inches of fabric you’re wearing anyway?

Chilly windy days- I’m down for the cooler weather but it’s cruel to throw a wind chill factor in there after having 80 degree weather last week.

Carmex- There are so many lip balms that trump carmex today including Burt’s Bees and CO Bigelow, plus carmex has the least appealing scent.

Chi baseball- The Sox and Cubs have sucked this year, now all we can do is pray for the upcoming season.

Knee high socks- I don’t know when these were ever ok to wear unless it was spirit day.

The ice cream vending machine- These treats are so freezer burnt that your tongue gets stuck to the popsicle. Not ok.

beacon • opinions editor • Baxter Helmdesigner • Jennifer Keyes

Spend money on live showsJessica ClementNews Editor There is something about music that gets people ex-cited. It could be the lyrics of a song by R. Kelly, or the beat of a dance song by the cast of Glee, but there is something about music that makes me invest a lot of my time into listening to it and finding new, unique artists that may not have their songs on the top ten on iTunes. I think I speak for most people when I say that I listen to albums by my favorite art-ists over and over and over because I just can’t get enough of them. Knowing every lyric of a dozen or more songs that I can listen to on repeat throughout the day is great, but seeing the musicians live is even greater. Seeing artists up on stage in front of you is a thrilling experience. The feeling that comes with belting out every song with hundreds, or even thousands, of other people is indescribable. It is infinitely different from hearing music through headphones or small speakers. It doesn’t even seem like a valid complaint if some-one is upset that they lost their voice after a concert. That just means it was all the better and more entertaining. Many artists change up some of their music for con-certs, too. They might sing a song slower or extend the ending, or they might even cover one or two songs that aren’t theirs. Seeing artists not stick to the same thing all the time makes me love and ap-preciate them and their music so much more. Concerts are sometimes a little on the pricey side. But if you are on top of things and buy tickets as soon as they go on sale, then there can be some type of a deal or the prices can be cheaper than they might become the longer you wait. Tickets are worth the splurge if the person or band is someone you really love, and you know that you will remember how amazing it was to see them live. If you love music, then I highly suggest investing your time and money in seeing musicians perform live in concert. You will remember the concert more than you will ever remember listening to the same songs on your iPod, and develop an even bigger appreciation for the artists when you see what they are capable of live.

Beacon Staff

Matthew StantonEditor-in-Chief

Jessica ClementNews Editor

Julia DennisDylan ForsterEntertainment

Editors

Alyssa DeeFeatures Editor

Baxter HelmOpinions Editor

Nicole MiddletonInDepth Editor

Allie McRaithCulture Editor

Alexander OlivoDavid Kyin

Sports Editors

Jennifer KeyesCopy Editor

Designer

Cary ShepherdPhoto Editor

Ryann StarksDesign Editor

Reporters and Photographers

Leia BrownMark Brown

Kalia BuckleyCharles Burdick

Riley CastleMolly CinomanLewis EtzkornDaniel FingerEliya Hanna

Caroline JangMartin Kim

Margaret KindraArissa Moore

Roberto NievesDiana Rosen

Alexandra SkitalAriana Taylor

Alison StojakAdviser

Follow the Beacon on facebook!Interested in

advertising or want to submit a letter to the editor, email the Beacon

at wybeacon@gmail.com

11Does the pre-season matter?Dan FingerStaff Reporter

In the preseason of the 2009-2010 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks won four games and lost zero. During the regular season, however, the Seahawks won only five games and lost 11. In the pre-season of the 2008-2009 NFL season, the Detroit Lions won four games and lost zero. The Lions proceeded to lose all 16 of their regular season games. Many fans of profes-

sional sports teams often take the preseason for more than it’s worth. Teams such as the 2009-2010 Seahawks or the 2008-2009 Lions instilled false hope in their fan base with an undefeated preseason record. I know I’ve been guilty of anticipating a little too much from my teams due to preseason success. The reality is, the pre-season is mainly a way to get veterans readjusted to the speed and strength needed to succeed in athletics at the professional level, as well as a way to give young play-ers an opportunity to prove themselves. Teams rarely allow their star players to play all of a single preseason game, fearing a serious injury that could jeopardize the regular season. Therefore, preseason victories and losses should be taken with a grain of salt. I have come to expect my favorite teams to pull the starters from the game before

the end. If fans want a more accurate indication of how their team will fare during the regular season, they should watch the beginning of pre-season games when all of the starters are in the game for both teams. One thing the preseason does foreshadow into the regular season is good depth. Because teams take out their starters early in preseason games, fans get to see what the second, third, and some-times even fourth string play-ers look like. I like to take a look at my team’s high pro-file draft picks in preseason games to see if they’ll be making a difference during the regular season. But teams with good preseason records often have the smallest dif-ference in play between their first and second string players. That, to me, is the only true foreshadowing done in the preseason: an assessment of overall team depth.

Say yes to texting during divisionKalia BuckleyStaff Reporter

Starting this year, the school now allows texting in the hallways. Most students still had their phones out and had developed ways to hide them just in case a teacher were to come out. Since we are free to text in between classes now, I think the school should allow texting in division. The only thing we do in division is take

attendance, and get important information. Unlike classes, we learn nothing in division. There is no teacher lecturing to us and no class discussion is going on. Allowing texting would just make division more enjoyable. Most students spend division doing homework, talking, listening to their iPod, and even texting. So why not allow texting too? If they were to get caught, they might face their phone getting taken and an out-of-school suspension. Getting an OSS is not fair because in the end, division is not an actual class. We don’t get work and learn anything so the punishment is a little too harsh, in my opinion. Some teachers may not like if students are allowed to text in division. They may see it as a distraction. I feel that texting in division would not disrupt

anything. It might actually make the ten minutes a little less rowdy, which would allow teachers to get some work done and students to have a quieter environment to finish up any last minute work they may have. Texting would also allow students to make plans to meet up in-between classes, if they need to see another student for something. This would lower the amount of tardies the school would give out. Students would not have to waste time looking for someone if they have set plans. Being able to not sneak and text would make life so much easier. Students would not have to worry about try-ing to hide their phone just in case a teacher catches them texting. It would eliminate the fear of getting their phone taken away and students could text freely.

Don’t allow texting in divisionBaxter HelmOpinions Editor

Texting. It is now the “it” way to communicate. Even WY has adapted to allow texting in the hallways, chang-ing the previous rule. Believe me, I know that texting is useful, but is it needed during division? My answer to this is no. It seems strange that one would agree with this at first glance. Who wouldn’t want to text during division without

any chance of punishment? It already happens for the most part. I immediately thought of all of this, but I think we need to reconsider what goes on in division. Our teacher takes attendance, and often chats with the students. Groups are formed, and are engaged in interesting conversations, while individuals take the time to do some homework. Texting isolates the individ-ual. The decision to text while having a conversation with someone is rude. It exempli-fies someone that is uncaring to the person they’re talking to. That is why the people I see texting during division are off by themselves. You should enjoy the people you’re with. The question isn’t whether we should be allowed to text in division; it is whether texting is something more important than face to face communica-tion. If the answer to this is yes,

we are in for trouble. Rela-tionships are important in life and the art of sitting down and talking one to one has been lost. I think it is impor-tant that we begin to under-stand the value of being able to socialize in a much deeper way than short sentences seen through a phone. So because of this I have come to the point where texting should not be allowed in division. I have made some of my best friends during this time slot because we are with each other year after year, and day after day. I don’t think texting is a bad thing, I do think too much of it hurts an individual’s social ability. It takes a mature person to be able to put down their phone, and really take interest in those around them. I think if WY did this, we would see a change in relationships, and the necessity of communicating through texting

Importance of votingEliya HannaStaff Reporter

With upcoming senator elections in November, and campaigning for Chicago’s new mayor, the time is coming for every voice to be heard. The phrase “every vote counts” is often tossed around, without its true meaning thought out. Logically, every

vote does count. In a demo-cratic country citizens elect the people we want in office. Voting is how we as citizens have our voice heard, how we stand up for what we believe in, and ultimately how we can make a difference in this country. Not every country allows its citizens to take such a big stand in their government. We have the power to take a stand and elevate a candi-date that we believe in. It’s like playing your own small role in the government yourself when you vote for

someone who has plans to take on challenges you want to overcome. The minute we turn 13, we consider ourselves teenagers. When we are teenagers, we detest being called “kids”. We want to be treated as adults, yet we often forget the responsibilities that come with that. When we turn eighteen and are officially “adults.” I believe that giving back to the community by being politically active is one of these tasks. We continue the leadership and morals our country is built

upon by continuing the voting system, and if we don’t like it, we vote for change. As 18 year olds, republi-cans, democrats, libertarians, or as just adults, we all have an opinion. Our ability to vote is the chance of freedom of expression and speech for what you, individually want to see in our country. The truth of the matter is that our vote counts and our voices are meant to be heard. So I encourage anyone of the age of eighteen to take a hold of this great opportunity.

12 beacon • halloweeneditor • Julia Dennis and Dylan Forsterdesigner • Ryann Starks

Trick or treat tipsArissa MooreStaff Reporter

Don’t have any plans for Halloween? How about bringing back the classic Halloween activity, getting a group of friends together, and making a trip to one of these neighborhoods for trick-or treating in Chicago? Finding neighborhoods that are safe but still provide generous amounts of delicious candy can be hard. Located toward the middle of the city, Harper’s Court in Hyde Park is always a pleaser. The whole street is turned into a Halloween haven and there is tons of candy to be passed around. Not only

Classic CostumesHalloween fans reminisce about their best costumes.

• “I went as a sumo wres-tler one year; it gave me a great excuse to eat all my candy in one night. It was one rad time” Julian Lopez ‘11

• “I was a Teletubby, except it was a very loose interpretation because I had a black unitard with flames.” Audrey Rowe ‘12

• “When I went as Wil-liam Wonka my brother went as Charlie Bucket and we got buckets of candy.” Zach Hinton ‘11

• “The year I went as Woody [from “Toy Story”] I had a buzz of a year candy wise. I had the clothes and boots.” Aidan Henry ’11

• “I was Hester from the ‘Scarlet Letter’ and got a lot of interesting looks.” Bianca Carbajal ‘12

• “I went as a Deviled Egg. It’s basically an egg costume with the devil horns, but trust me you’ll be boiling hot.” Tim Frech ‘11

• “One year I went as a bunch of grapes and my costume involved bal-loons so a lot of people were trying to pop them!” Fiona McRaith ‘14

Alex OlivoSports Editor

is there trick-or-treating, but there is an annual tradition of one family turning their home into an open haunted house. Further south, Beverly serves as a very family oriented neighborhood welcoming to all ghouls and goblins. It is not uncommon to go home with king sized candy bars. Get there early so you don’t miss out on all the good candy. For you northsiders, make sure you stop by Oak Park this Halloween for a real treat. Oak Parkers have augmented the typical candy given to trick-or-treaters and hand out taffy apples and home made candy corn instead. This neighborhood also takes pride in their house decorations and you might even spot an entire graveyard scene in a back yard. Paying a visit to one of these three neighborhoods will guarantee a fun, eventful, and safe Halloween.

Who said fall was bitter sweet?Molly CinomanStaff Reporter

“Candy makes Halloween sweet,” says Hilario Domin-guez ’11 as he smiles and adds, “No pun intended.” A majority of people as-sociate costumes and haunted houses with Halloween, but what would it be without a traditional trick-or-treat fol-lowed up by a satisfied sweet tooth for weeks? Although candy is not a major component in Halloween festivities as kids begin to grow older, Domi-

nick Sperando ’11 remarks, “Candy is the huge for little kids. But, I think older kids are more into the spooky and silly aspect.” Others disagree, adding Dominguez, “I love candy on Halloween. I keep a stash until I’m absolutely sure it’s not ed-ible.” Many preferences of Hal-loween candy spark heated discussion. Sperando has concluded that his favorite is Snickers, while math teacher Eugene Simmons disagrees. “My favorite is the one that is typically in an or-ange and black wrapper. I don’t know the name but it is crunchy and delicious,” shares Simmons. Consequently, candy is one aspect that makes Halloween the holiday that gives people of all ages an excuse to snack on Halloween treats. Be sure not to schedule any dental ap-pointments anytime soon.

Halloween: more than candyRiley CastleStaff Reporter

When you think of Halloween, you probably think candy, costumes, and homes frighteningly decorated. Students at WY have found even more ways to revive that excitement they once experienced as young kids. One of these students is Derek Drozd ’12, who always attends Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America with his friends. “A couple friends and I always drive up there on the last weekend in October and stay until the park closes,” says Drozd. “I always have a great time because the rides and attractions are all festively decorated…and actors in costumes wandering the park always provide some real entertainment.” Fright Fest is held every weekend in October at Six

Flags with no additional charge. Looking for cheaper and more accessible thrills this Halloween? Just ask Jim Daniels ’12. “Every Halloween my family holds a party with scary movies, pumpkin carving, and a costume contest”, notes Daniels. “I really do enjoy spending time with relatives I don’t often see.” Obviously not all teenagers look forward to family gatherings, especially during Halloween. This is evident in the attitude of Sophie Criscone ’12. “Halloween costume parties with all of your friends and friends of friends are always fun and exciting. Each year everybody dresses up in ridiculous, scary, and over the top costumes. These parties always make for a good time and always live up to all the hype,” claims Criscone. Whether it is pleasant times with family, wild rides, or even wilder parties, Halloween has something for everyone. Be sure to go out this 31st and make the most of it with friends and everyone else along the way.

Guide to haunted housesDiana RosenStaff Reporter

Get yourself ready for Halloween by visiting one of the city’s many haunted houses. This year’s haunted houses range from mildly scary to terrifying, from cheap to expensive, and from downtown to Gurnee.

Best once it’s dark out, Peterson Park’s “Trails of Terror” is a half mile long winding tour through the woods. It’s recommended for ages eight and up, so for most WY students, it shouldn’t be

too scary. Allie Othman ’12 went there last year.

“I was laughing the entire time! It was really fun,” says Othman.

You can experience “Trails of Terror” for only $10 on weekends leading up to Oct. 31st.

Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America is another popular Halloween spot. People in creepy costumes wander around the theme park all day, but if you’re looking for a real scare, head into one of the haunted houses. This year’s new attraction is the “Saw Live” haunted house, based on the “Saw” movies.

“There’s this animated thing showing a man running at the glass and then you get splattered with fake blood! It was thrilling,” says Tika Lifton-Herman ’12 of the “Necropolis” haunted trail.

Online tickets to Six Flags are $36.99 and each

haunted house other than the “Necropolis” trail costs an additional $10.

“The Fear Haunted House” at Navy Pier should not be at all associated with the family friendly “Navy Fear” attraction from years past. Tourists and Chicagoans alike walk around a dark boat filled with recently unchained, captured beasts looking to seek revenge on their Captain.

Although the beasts aren’t allowed to touch you, they still get pretty up close and personal with anyone who walks by. Admission with a student ID is $15.

Not everyone appreciates the scares that come along with haunted houses though.

“Haunted houses are so scary! They make me want to cry,” says Caroline Ullman ’12.

If that description fits your opinion of haunted houses perfectly, stick to less frightening activities.

Zoo event spooks kids, teensBaxter HelmOpinions Editor Looking for Halloween plans, look no further. The Brookfield Zoo is hosting Creatures of the Night. There is a section geared towards younger kids, and one geared towards older teens. “I’ve heard a lot of scary things about this zoo event from my friends. I am a bit apprehensive.” says Jasha Sommer-Simpson’11. The Zoo has set up “The Trail of Terror.” Which leads guests through dark wooded areas, as a story is told. The story is visually presented with scenes of grotesque figures intruding the trail walk. There are said to be many gruesome

looking monsters that appear throughout the journey. “At 17 years old I thought nothing could scare me, but this scares me,” exclaims Sommer-Simpson. Another trail walk that is set to scare teenagers is titled “The Haunted Tram.” This one seems to include similar scary creatures, but also a dense fog, to confuse and limit vision for those participating. For younger siblings you may have there is a Monster Mash Dance Party. Kids will be led in dancing by a DJ who plays Halloween styled music. Arts and Crafts will be available for the more creative children, as well as pumpkin carving, and cookie decorating. There will also be

a Ghost Ship Galleon Jumpee, for the younger kids to jump to the music. The Carousel or 7,000 square foot maze, are also popular attractions. I have visited a corn maze on Halloween, and the night added with scary noises and monsters is very exciting. The Swamp and Australian House will be open for visitors to take a lot at reptiles, bats, and many more animals. If you plan on driving, park in the lot on First Ave. and 31st street, and parking is free after 6 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults. The dates are weekends taking place on Oct. 22-24 and 29-31, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Ticket GiveawayBeacon readers can receive free admission to the Brookfield Zoo

Creatures of the Night.Report to room 128 after division to

claim your free tickets.

Illustration by Matt Stanton/Editor in Chief

beacon • entertainment editor • Julia Dennis and Dylan Forsterdesigner • alex olivo

Alex SkitalStaff Reporter

Matt Heller, social science teacher, is a fasion favorite!What is your all time favorite outfit?My current Friday orange pants (plain orange, not the argyle ones) that I like to wear with one of my many blue shirts. I also wear a pair of orange and blue custom Nikes to complete the look.When did you first start tak-ing risks with your ward-robe? Why?I’ve always been willing to dress a little different. I was into punk and ska in the 80’s and there was a lot of plaid so that inspired my choice of pants. During my first year of teaching I got a pair of orange corduroys for Christ-mas because they matched our school colors. I started wearing them on Fridays, people started associating the pants with Fridays, so I started wearing them almost every

Friday.Is there any reason you choose to dress the way you do?I get bored with khaki pants, which are pretty much the pants of choice for adult men. Why not wear orange, or plaid, or argyle? Color and patterns are a good thing.How much money do you spend on clothes?The pants I buy online (loud-mouthgolf.com) are expensive as pants go (roughly $100 with shipping) but are com-fortable and well-made, so I don’t have a problem spend-ing the money. How do students respond to your outfits?Students respond pretty favor-ably. I’m willing to play along if the students are amused by my choice of pants, so “or-ange pants Fridays” is now an institution in my class-room. Frankly, more people should get onboard because it feels good.

TheCountdownMartin Kim/Staff reporter

5Fall Athletes to Know

• Charlie Stanton ‘11 (soccer): he’s got one goal, and that’s to stay in it.

• Omari Whitmore ‘12 (golf): he’s only a junior and he’s going down state as an individual.

• Brittany Ballog ‘11 (girls tennis): small but quick, Ballog dominates the courts.

• Sam Barder ‘12 (cross country): has the endur-ance to run the Chicago Marathon.

• Terrence Baggett ‘11 (football): how many touchdowns does he have again?

13fashionicon

gamer’s delightMark BrownStaff reporter Have you gotten the new Medal of Honor or Halo games yet? If you have, maybe you should return them as soon as possible. In recent years a lot of ground breaking and excit-ing games have come out but unfortunately they are becom-ing repetitive and expensive. What happened to the times when a new game meant something completely differ-ent, not just updated players or maps? What happened to the times when a new game was at most $25? I think its time we go back to those days and once again explore the simple yet com-plex world in the game Crash Bandicoot. “Crash Bandicoot! Yeah! I play it all the time and have a poster in my room,” said Kel-ley Longstreet ’11.

This entrancing game takes place on three separate islands and has many different levels that must be completed to move on to the next. There are enemies that try to at-tack you throughout but using skilled maneuvering and jump-ing you can avoid their attacks and return the favor. There are so many differ-ent bosses that must be taken down and so many different levels that must be completed that this game never loses your focus. “I remember when I used to play that game. I knew a cheat code to get to this secret level,” said Amanda Hedberg ‘11. It might be hard to find this game and even a Play-Station 1 but it is definitely worth the time spent trying to get one. Crash Bandicoot entices the game player and gives them the same rush felt with a brand new $60 game.

add it to the shelfCharlie BurdickStaff Reporter

Silly Bandz are changing the wrist game like no other; they have everyone showing off their favorite band and trading to get their favorite ones. Almost everyone has at least one on their wrist. “My favorite one has to be my blue elephant,” said Julius Henderson ’11. “I got to make sure my wrist swag-ger stays on point with my Silly Band.” Henderson always has a band on and says that he gets them from friends who are willing to give up one, but never trades. Silly Bandz have a huge variety of dif-ferent shapes and colors; they are even making ones that smell. Everyone is getting in on the idea from sports teams to TV shows creating logos and characters. Re-cently, Silly Bandz launched a custom order process through their website. You can now order custom made Silly Bandz. “My yellow elephant has to be my favorite,” said Julie

Maggie KindraStaff Reporter

Are you sick of the same old dessert every night after dinner? Maybe you are crav-ing something sweet or salty or fried. If so, you are in luck because this month’s hot spot is one for the books. Hot Chocolate, a hip little café in the heart of Bucktown offers a variety of mouthwatering desserts that will have you begging for seconds. Located at 1747 North Da-men Avenue, this trendy café puts a spin on American food. Not only does this hip café offer several varieties of hot chocolate, but the 15 signa-ture desserts will curb any craving. From a sweet choco-late cake to a salty chocolate-caramel creation topped with a house made pretzel to creamy crème brulee, your mouth will be watering in anticipation. “I absolutely love the cheese and fruit platter,” ex-claims Gabriella Spingola ’12. Besides dessert, Hot Choc-olate can whip up tasty meals from small exotic salads to killer burgers and everything

in between. Weekend brunch includes pastries such as house made doughnuts alongside savories that include excellent breakfast sandwiches and quiches, just to name a few. They also offer remarkable seasonal creations that will keep your taste buds on their toes. “I love this place because everything is so good and the people are very friendly,” says Amelia Rockhold ’13. More students have been popping into Hot Chocolate to taste the wonders of pastry Chef Mindy Segal and have yet to be disappointed. “My favorite flavor of hot chocolate is the Black and Tan,” comments Sophie Criscione ’12. “The rich choco-latey fudge taste adds an extra kick that I just love.”Open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:30 am to 11 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 11 pm. Hot Chocolate provides a laid back environment where you can simply enjoy a gourmet meal or a variety of mouthwa-tering desserts. All in all, this is one hot spot you must check out.

hot • spot

Jew ’11. “There’s no limit to how many you can wear at one time, I love getting them from my friends.” Silly Bandz has a huge market from little kids to even adults. Everyone can wear them. Silly Bandz can be bought online or at local stores in usually packs of 20 so sharing the duplicates is usually what people do. “I love looking at the new shapes and giving them to my nieces and nephews,” said science teacher Tina Pucci. Pucci does not wear the bracelets but is the kind of person who supplies collec-tors like Henderson and Jew. Silly Bandz range in price depending on where you buy them but usually stay under $5. They are the current bracelet fad and are a great addition to a colorful hand-made friendship bracelet or even an expensive piece of jewelry.

4College Necessities

• Essays: personal state-ments, career plans, te-dious but necessary. Take advantage of the Writing Center to perfect them.

• Transcripts: yes, they’re $5 a piece but you kind of need them. Purchase them in room 103.

• ACT/SAT: send those scores. Haven’t taken it yet? Next ACT is on Dec. 11 or SAT on Nov. 6.

• Extra-curriculars: sports, volunteer work, anything else you can put down?

For more on the college process, look at pages 8-9.

2 Bands to Know

•The Fancy Boys: the name is deceiving. This WY band performed at the carnival and they are getting more popular.

• Kids These Days: jazz, rock, hip-hop, what more could you want? Their unique sound keeps you wanting more!

1Holiday to look for-ward to

• Halloween: costumes, candy, and much, much more..For more ideas for Hal-loween, look to your left on page 12.

3Places to Eat

• La Pasadita-a little on the pricy side but those tacos are worth it. Locat-ed at 1140 N. Ashland.

• Sophia’s Pizza-Made after you order and could not taste any better. Lo-cated at 1132 W. Taylor.

• Damenzo’s-They have pizza and Mexican food! Located at 2322 W. Taylor.

Ari Taylor/Staff Photographer

Word of the MonthDo you read the Beacon? The word of the month will appear in articles throughout this is-sue. See if you can find them all. The first person (student or staff) to bring in this issue to 218 on Oct. 20 with the word of the month highlighted two times will receive a prize.

aug·ment Definition: to make greater, more numerous,

larger, or more intense

Etymology: from Latin augmentum: increase

Date: 14th century

Part of speech: verb

Times used this Beacon: 2

Congrats to Samantha Tsang ‘14, our first winner.

14 beacon • sportseditors • Alex Olivo and David Kyindesigner • Jennifer Keyes

Cheer back for a strong seasonAlyssa DeeFeatures Editor

With large bows, orange and blue pompoms, and enthusiastic chants, Cheer finished off last season strong when they were named City Champions, and they are certainly ready for a repeat this season. “My goal for our team this year is to bring back the City title from last year,” says Can-dice Dawkins ’11, a four-year

Courtesy of Adjua PryorJanae Judon ‘11 shows the WY crowd much spirit at the top of the pyramid at the homecoming pep ralley.

Dolphin Cheerleader. The Cheer Squad is doing just what they need in order to be successful. With practices two to three times a week, they are coming to the end of football season and preparing for the future— a busy sched-ule that will consist of lengthy practices, at least four compe-titions, and basketball games. Nevertheless, Cheer has no doubt that they are capable of balancing these activities come late fall/winter. “I hope that we learn our choreography rather fast so we can start getting ready for competition season,” says captain Courtney Gilbert ’11 of their approaching competi-tion season. Cheer is currently looking for girls that will make a posi-tive addition to the team. “Right now, one of our pri-orities is to find interested girls who will dedicate themselves to better our team,” says co-captain Janae Judon ’11.

Girls Cross Country runs it

Courtesy of Gabriela Spingola ‘12 WY girls cross-country team receives a rousing pep talk from Coach Bob Geiger before a big meet. The girls hope to dominate in the city championships this season, as they did last year.

Soccer team gives it their all

Jessica Clement/News Editor Moments before striking the ball, central defender Matt Snidal ‘11 focuses in on the goal box, hoping one of his teammates will get a head on it and score a goal.

Girls swim overcomes obstacles

Jennifer KeyesCopy Editor

Girls cross country is back with a running start. The sea-son is in full swing and there hasn’t been a shortage of wins. According to Coach Bob Geiger, the girls have had a fantastic season so far. They have placed 14th at the Peoria Invitational, fifth at the WY Invitational, and first at the Mather invitational. The girls have been

training very hard since the pre-season in August and will continue into November. “I’ve been running Cross Country since I was a fresh-man and this has been one of my best seasons by far,” says Gabe Spingola ’12. Fellow runner Andrea Cory ’12, who is running her second season, thinks things are going great, considering the team has lost a state champ. “Our season is going well. We’re trying to build up our team after losing Lavinia, Rachel, and Devyn last year,” says Cory. The team has a few ris-ing stars, according to Gei-ger. Amy Kieruzel ’12 is the number one runner and has had an “outstanding season.” Kieruzel raised her time by three minutes. Shianne Baggett ’12 is the number two runner and has decreased her time by 45 seconds. While Geiger took some girls downstate to Florida

for the Disney World Classic, other runners stayed in town to participate in a Chicago Marathon related event. Sponsored by Nike, the girls participated in the North-side Southside Challenge. . Cross Country started at the same time as the elite run-ners participating in the Chal-lenge. WY’s team represented the Northside. “We completely annihilat-ed the Southside team,” says Cory, “There was no contest.” Adds Spingola, “It was fun to be interviewed by WGN for a documentary.” Another highlight for the girls was seeing the “inspira-tional” elite runners finish in record-breaking times. It was a great day for promoting the sport for people of all ages from a variety of regions. WY’s girls cross country team is off to a great start. Supporting fans wish them luck in their upcoming meets and hope for a victory downstate.

Leia BrownStaff Reporter

The girls swim team is splashing on, despite not hav-ing their most essential piece of equipment-- a pool. Due to mandatory con-struction on the WY pool, the girls have been forced to practice at Juarez Commu-nity Academy’s pool. But their problems don’t stop there. The Juarez pool is also having problems and many of their swim meets have been can-celed. Currently, their record is 1-4, but don’t count the ladies out. They remain optimistic that their season will improve. Last year, the team took third place in the city champion-ships and had two individuals qualify for state titles. This year, they hope to repeat. “Even though our season’s not the best it can be, we still have to stick together,” says co-captain Julie Jew ‘11. “We have so much potential; we just have to show it.” The team is filled with a talented and motivated group of girls who will stop at noth-ing to swim. Even without a pool, the ladies commit time to “dry land” practices, which include lifting weights in the weight room, running, and ab-dominal work exercises. They

also take time out to swim on their own. Nicole Niziolek, second-year coach and WY alumni, believe the girls are improv-ing. “At the meet versus North-side College Prep, many of the girls dropped time and even got their personal bests,” recalls Niziolek. She also sees a rising star in swimmer Susan Engemann ’12. “She does an outstanding job in out-touching people by tenths of a second and she’s a great anchor in relays,” says Niziolek. Jew has high hopes for her fellow swimmers. Her goal for the team is to keep their third place title in the city, which she says is “likely to happen.” The girls on the team are a close-knit bunch. They recently tie-dyed shirts together and they show their dolphin pride by holding spirit days on days of meets. Students may have recently seen the team pa-rading down the halls in full aquatic attire. “They’re awesome,” says Jew. “We’re making the most out of this season.” Upcoming meets for the girls include city relays on Oct.16, JV city champion-ships on Oct. 30, and varsity city championships on Nov. 6. Niziolek believes these will be “a lot of fun.” The girls are also hoping they can get some love from the dol-fans. “We need your support,” says Jew. So come out and cheer the girls swim team to victory. Go Dolphins!

Jessica ClementNews Editor One of the things that WY is known for is its sports. This year, the boys soccer team has certainly put up a fight throughout their entire season. “Our soccer season was actually rather successful considering how we started off and how many seniors we lost last year,” says Cole Keutzer ’11. “We played a tough schedule and didn’t have the best record going into the playoffs, but getting to the quarterfinals was a win for us.” During their season, the team played against three teams that were rankd top ten in state. While the games were not wins for WY, they were all very competitive and close. The Dolphins lost to Washington High School in a close game on Oct. 11 during their city playoffs. The game was tied 1-1 until the final five minutes, when

Washington scored on WY. “We had a really hard-working team with a strong defense and really good team chemistry,” comments goal-keeper Charlie Stanton ’11. “Hopefully that will continue during our state playoffs.” About half the team this year is made up of seniors, many who want to play in college. Baxter Helm ’11, the right full back on the team, is thinking about playing at Wheaton College, while Matt

Snidal ’11 and Stanton are looking to continue playing as well at different schools. “We played a lot of tough games and held our own in every single one,” comments Snidal. “The season may not be ending with a city cham-pionship but this was a team that didn’t step down to anyone.” Congratulations to the boys soccer team for a great season, and good luck seniors in the future.

beacon • sports editors • Alex Olivo and David Kyindesigner • Ryann Starks

Boys cross country team thrivesCary ShepherdPhoto Editor

This season the Boys X Country team got started early, both in the year and in the morning. They started practicing twice a day over the summer, and then transitioned to longer practices after school when the regular season got started. This is also the first year that Coach Billy

Cary Shepherd/Photo EditorAfter a long meet, the boys cross country team is ready to relax. The team had several members run the mini marathon.

15Poole-Harris is the head coach for the boys Cross Country team, which is a large part of the reason for the changes to the team this year. “The workouts are a lot harder,” said Liam Burns ’11. “Generally the easy days are about five miles further then we had previously done.” Burns has been a runner on the Cross Country team since his freshman year, and has been able to run with multiple coaches and team members. “Well, no pain, no gain.” Burns said jokingly. Whether or not the humor is necessary, it is clear that the team has made progress, and they have won multiple meets, including their home invitational meet. “I like being able to work with the older runners who have more experience,” said Wilson Faeh ’14, “It gives me the chance to improve my speed and have a good time

while doing it.” Above all, the junior class has really taken a step up this year and can be expected to do well in the varsity city meet this week, as well as improving upon the team next year. Among the juniors that have stepped up this year are Eric Shan ’12, Sam Barter ’12, and Mike Schaible ’12. These runners played a key part in winning the WY invitational meet, and plan to run next year as well. All in all, the Cross Country team has taken a step up this year and improved greatly on their past performances. With practices twice a day, and high team spirit, including Friday pasta parties before meets, the team is fully capable of tackling the city meet this weekend. WY wishes them the best, and expects great results that they know the team will come through with.

Buy candy, support sports

Nicole MiddletonInDepth Editor

Did you know that WY sports get their money solely from fundraising? From car washes to candy selling, sports programs get creative for their money. The swim team works concession stands, football guys sell coupon books, girls basketball has a spaghetti dinner raffle, softball hosts an annual trivia night, golf has a strategy dinner, track sells cookie dough, soccer sets up a silent auction, baseball sponsors a hit-a-

thon, and volleyball washes cars. These fundraisers are successful if the players work hard to get the items sold, but this task is harder than it seems. “Most people would rather just give money than fundraise to get it over with,” comments Athletic Director Christopher Cassidy. Laziness seems to get the best of us on occasion but athletes should put some more pep in their step to support their programs. Fundraising busts including soccer’s glow stick selling could have been avoided by more communication

with other WY clubs. Fundraising can be annoying but the money gained by it helps immensely. “Fundraising is a necessary evil,” says soccer coach Ian McCarthy. “We don’t even know where the money we raise is going, which is frustrating,” says Liam Burns ’11. Usually the fundraisers are met with enthusiasm the first year the idea is presented and then decreases after that. The initial excitement wears off especially when players cannot see the benefits straight away.

Third city title for tennisDylan ForesterEntertainment Editor

The girls tennis team scores big once again! Serving up some great aces, it’s safe to say the 2010 season was right up their alley. Not only did the team place first in the city championships this year, they were also undefeated against all CPS teams. What a racket! However, this didn’t come without effort. Coaches Ed Cruzat and Dempsey Willard worked hard to train the girls for the season, basically starting to practice when school ended. Putting together a summer camp for all new and returning players, the girls were able to develop their skills and bond as a team. “Everything we’ve been doing in the season this year has made me a better

player all around. For me, tennis is no longer a sport, it’s a lifestyle,” says Brittany Ballog ’11. Summer training ended up paying off as the whole team overall worked together to augment fantastic results. Gabby Moore ’11, Ballog, and Connie Wong ’11 all worked hard to develop great leadership skills and motivate their team towards a great victory. And they did it! “The win at city on Saturday completed the three-peat for team city championships. We won city in 2008, 2009, and 2010, and hope to advance deep into the state tournament with our first and second doubles playing. Everyone from the team will be cheering them on,” says Stephanie Schreiber ’12. Cruzat also has high hopes that players will go downstate and represent WY. Predicting a higher state ranking than in the past, the team looks for remarkable results. “We have a lot of talent and I’m confident that we will be successful,” says Cruzat. Caroline Jang/Staff Photographer

Brittany Ballog ’11 forcefully jumps up as she warms up her serve. Ballog won her match vs Lincoln Park in the City Championships.

Jennifer Keyes/Copy Editor The girls volleyball team celebrate a point in their game against Lakeview. This game also marked senior night.

Volleyball team dodges competitionAllie McRaithCulture Editor

Dig, set, spike is in coordination with the crowd shouting “WHIT,-NEY, YOUNG” as the WY girls varsity volleyball teams wins. The team this year has propelled though the competition. With a record of 15-4 going into the play-offs and three wins under the team’s belt already, they are confident. “Despite some injuries, players on the team have stepped up and overall the team has been working really well together,” comments setter Jenna Jacobson ’12. The real challenges are approaching as they delve deeper into playoffs. Their opponent for city (Oct. 16) will most likely be Payton, a long-standing rival. Coach Jaime Walters says that the team is looking to go beyond city and advance

farther than last year. “I tell them to play like they know how – our game, not down to the competition’s level,” Walters encourages. Starting outside Cassie Tijerina ’11 suffered an injury during the season that is limiting her playing time. She says that in her four years on varsity she is closest with the team this year and that will help them do well in playoffs. “Every day on the court I work on improving my game mentally and physically. Sitting out part of this season has been hard when I want to contribute on the court, not just by cheering them on,” Tijerina said. She hopes to be fully back in time for playoffs. Amanda Hedburg ’11 echoes Tijerina’s sentiment. “Senior night was really emotional because it made me realize I’m leaving my WY volleyball family. I won’t have the stability and familiarity they provide after this season,” Hedburg reminisces.

Walters credits the closeness of the team to the great job the captains (Jacobson, Tijerina, and Hedburg) have done this year in leading the team. Other family members Chelsea Cunningham ’11, Olivia Gordon ’11, Marissa Raglin ’11, and Alex DiLoreto ‘11 will also be graduating. DiLoreto also feels the time running out of her last season, but appreciates that volleyball has helped her grow and develop leadership skills as well as form friendships she hopes to keep for life. In preparation for next season without the seniors, Maddy Lenzini ’12 said she worked through her injury “wanted to play harder and work on being a leader on the court.” The rest of the team will have to step up as well next season but in the meantime, “We just have to take one game at a time,” Jacobson says.

16 beacon • sportseditors • David Kyin and Alex Olivodesigner • Ryann Starks

Football prepares for city playoffsLewis EtzkornStaff Reporter

The WY football team has a shot at not only winning the city championship, but entering the state playoffs for the first time in four years. With a record of 4-3, the football team has already qualified for the city playoffs. The first of the city playoffs games will be held on Oct. 22, against an opponent that

Cary Shepherd/Staff Photographer The Whitney Young offensive line manhandles the Lane Tech defense en route to a much needed conference win that boost their chances for state and city playoffs.

is yet to be determined. “Although we don’t know who we are playing, I feel confident that if we play up to our capabilities, no team in the city can beat us,” says center Jim Daniels ‘12. To qualify for the state playoffs, they must win their next two games against Lincoln Park and the undetermined opponent. [The result of the Oct. 15 game was not known at time of publication.] All teams that participate in the state playoffs must have at least 6 wins in their regular season of 9 games. The team has been placed in the conference that is comprised of the schools with the top football teams of the city. Among the teams in the conference are Lane Tech, Simeon, Lincoln Park, and Dunbar. One of the largest highlights of the season was the last minute victory against Dunbar, where we were down

by 3 touchdowns in the last quarter, but came back for the win. Another monumental victory was over Lane Tech during the homecoming game. It was especially memorable because Lane Tech is our conference rival. The team and the coach have a similar perspective to Scholnik’s. Upon being asked of his prediction of the game against Lincoln Park, football coach Tim Franken simply said “Victory.” One things for sure, the football team has found a new sense of poise and focus. As its younger players have matured over the years, so has the team. “We’ve had our good games and we’ve had our bad games, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned this season, its that nothing is impossible,” said Daniels.

Golf team sends golfer down stateKalia BuckleyStaff Reporter

Playing in the worst pos-sible golfing condition, on Oc-tober 2nd, the boys golf team won city for the second year in a row. Battling the wind and rain, they were able to score one of their lowest scores all season. Coach Kevin Snider led the team to this victory in his first year coaching the team. Before they even won, the team had a city champion shirt made. “I had the shirts ready be-cause I knew we were going to win it. I had all the faith in the world. I truly believe in them,” said Snider. The girls golf team had a fairly short season, on the other hand. “We won two matches and lost two matches,” said Coach Jeri Jozwiak. With new members on the boys team, one challenge they faced this season was working on bringing the team together. “The hardest challenge was integrating new people into the lineup,” said Zachary Stuart ’11.

Martin Kim/Staff Photographer After having to play five of hours of golf through bone chilling wind and rain the Boys Golf Team finally hoists the city cham-pionship plaque. This is the team’s third city title in the last four years.

Stuart said that if the team stayed focused and they practiced hard like they have been, getting to section-als would be no problem. In the end, Stuart was correct. The boys golf team worked together, won city, and ad-vanced to sectionals. In order to prepare for their matches and tourna-ments, Snider would take the team out to the course that they would be playing on. With the ability to know how the course was setup, the team had an advantage over their opponents. In the end, this strategy helped lead the team to their city victory. “This whole season was probably one of the more fun I’ve had with the team. It is one big memory that will rerun

for a long time to come,” said Omari Whitmore ’12. Whitmore made it to the state championship and will be competing in the 3A cham-pionship in the coming weeks. “The hardest challenge this season for me was prob-ably the mental aspect of the game, just staying focused and confident in my game,” said Whitmore. “Next year I want to be more consistent with my play and make it to state for the second year in a row.” Snider has many hopes for the next season. He believes that there are many talented golfers who are not coming out. “I want people to know that golf is a sport we take seriously at WY,” said Snider.

Academic Center X-Country team flourishesEliya HannaStaff Reporter

With over 25 members, both boys and girls, the team is well diversified, skilled, and so far very successful. So far they have had three meets and in all these events, our seventh and eighth graders were in the top ranking. Each member shows their dedication to the sport and to their teammates everyday. As they gather, Captain Claire

Monticello ’15, leads the stretches. Monticello has been on the team for a year now and intends to continue running in high school. This year she has done exceptionally well, winning first at the University High Meet, second at Niles West, and third at the WY Invitational. Her best event is the mile and a half. As for the boys, Kevin Ma ’15 was the champion of the one mile event at the Niles West meet. Fellow runner Andrew Johnson ’16 believes the team has “good chemistry” and “is going to do really well this year.” Coaches Alan Edwards and John Caldow both agree, with goals of winning the city championship. Maia Sanders ‘16 is a state qualifier at the elementary level. “The academic center needs more recognition,” says Caldow. “They’re a part of WY too.”

Cary Shepherd/Photo EditorStretching before practice, Coach Al Edwards will join his team in their daily run.

Poms shut it downAri TaylorStaff Reporter

Poms is starting this school year off with a bang. Their amazing performance at the homecoming pep rally was only a quick glimpse at what they have in store for the rest of this coming school year. Poms is a year round sport and its members are some of the hardest working athletes

in this school. They finished off last year’s season as both city and state champs and plan to do the same thing again this year. At the homecoming pep rally they performed twice, a poms and a hip hop routine. Both of which blew the crowd away. “Their choreography was really good and they were so together” says Simone Capers ’12. Although the crowd seemed pleased, many of the members still believed that they could do a much better job. “Our poms routine was great. Hip hop was also good but I still saw a lot of room for improvement,” says Poms member Nia Foney ’11. Along with performing at pep rallies, poms also per-forms at select basketball games and in competitions. Poms coach Tonay Tucker

has been working the team extremely hard since early June and they’ve had two performances so far. “The first event was Freshman Orienta-tion and then Homecoming on October 1st,” says Tucker. Tucker, team members and peers have great predic-tions and high expectations for the upcoming year. Poms member Mariah Matthews ‘11 expects the choreography for basketball games to be amaz-ing and really please the crowds. Tucker says that each year there is a higher stan-dard and therefore there will always be pressure. However, the team tries to identify their weaknesses and overcome the obstacles that are in front of them. This year is sure to be a promising one for the poms team.

Courtesy of Adjua PryorPerforming at the pep rally, the poms team’s two dances got the crowd on their feet.