TAFT TODAY Issue 9May 27, 2016

Volume 26

Class to teach all religions Page 9

Proposing for Prom Page 4

Piping it up at Disney WorldPage 3

Eagles tackle 7-on-7Page 13

The end of the Purple OnePage 10

In this issue...

~Taft Today Editors~

Rozan Deeb

Marcello Piccinini Hannah Gonzalez Gabriela Krochmal

Entertainment Columns

Sports

Features

News

Adviser Patrick T. Levins

R D b Samantha Muslovski

For two months, access to Taft’s first floor gymnasium has been prohibited after Chicago Public Schools (CPS) deemed the gymnasium hazardous for a fallen light fixture.

On March 14, a ball hit one of the gymnasium lights, sending it crashing to the floor- although there were no in-juries CPS blocked off the gym due to concern that the other lights might fall as well.

The renovations for the gym were not able to begin until May- as a result, students and athletes have been forced to have gym classes and practices in the school hallways. As far as games, Taft has not been able to host a home game, even though the final month of school was quickly arriv.

“I am disappointed and wonder if this would happen at a suburban school,” said Principal Mark Grishaber.

According to dnainfo.com Taft agreed to pay half of the expenses- $21,000 to replace all 30 of the gym lights, with immovable fixtures. However, having been scheduled to remodel in April, a delay in the manufacturing company set the delivery date back to May.

With the undependable Chicago weather, physical education teachers and coaches struggled to find alterna-tives for students to complete tasks typically held in the

Blackout in the Gym, but not in Taft team spiritBy Harmony Gonzalez

main gym. Athletic Director Ryan Glowacz said, “The indoor traf-

fic at Taft is always hectic during the first two weeks of Spring. Due to the weather conditions athletic practices had to be held inside- but with the main gym closed and International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement testing in the second floor gymnasiums, students were un-able to have practice. What is so remarkable about it is that student athletes still made it work. The Boys Volleyball Team is the fourth in the city and Varsity and Junior Var-sity Baseball have played their best during play-offs.”

Even though the Volleyball Team did not get the same encouragement and motivation as they would have from the Taft student body, they never let it harm their spirit. The season ended as one of its best and did not put Taft to shame.

“We haven’t had many practices this season due to the gymnasium being closed, but we performed really well this season with such little practice. If we had our open gym I think we could have even won city, but nonetheless I am proud of my team. I had a great final season at Taft,” said Isaac Nodale, Div. 615.

During the week of May 16-20, the lights were put up and the gym reopened Monday, May 23.

Korean students awarded with scholarshipsBy Rozan Deeb

On May 18, six students from Korean Teacher Lucy Ko Luna’s Korean I and II classes were awarded scholar-ships and full paid trips to Korea from the Director of Edu-cation at the Korean Consulate's Office YuKyung Ha.

Mary Vu (Div. 924) won a first place $300 Scholarship, Josie Tinajero (Div. 830) won a second place $200 schol-arship, and Michael Poplawski (Div. 927) won third place $100 scholarship. While Ana Novillo (Div. 727), Trang Do (Div. 824), and Maya Powers (Div. 737) won educational trips to Korea.

The students applied through the Korean Education Center with the help of Ha. The trip is sponsored by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED), is a branch of the Ministry of Education in South Korea.

In addition, NIIED plays a leading role in strengthening national competitiveness by developing international hu-man resources among overseas Koreans and providing educational administrative services.

“I worked really hard on writing my essay. There were around 30 other people competing around the country, so when I heard the news I was grateful,” said Powers.

To be eligible for the award, students had to be en-rolled in a Korean language class and be in good academ-ic standing; they also had to fill out an application and write an essay. This is the third year students were able to apply for these opportunities, and they were honored.

Luna said, “I am very proud of the fact that six of my students are recipients of these awards and am especially excited to hear about all their adventures in South Korea.”

Photo by Deeb

Important dates for seniors!

May 31-June 10-Final Transcript Request” forms in the main

offi ce or counseling offi ceJune 3 - Last day to register for Senior Picnic

-June 6 - Pay all school fees

June 6-9Senior Spirit Week

Mon: Red, White and BlueTue: Frat Day (No Cups)

Wed: Career DayTh ur: Hawaiian Day

*Dress appropriately for all days

June 9-Book returns

-Locker clean out-Yearbook distribution

June 10-Prom

June 13-Passport check!

-Counselors will fi nalize Graduation Ticket amounts

June 14-Cap & Gown distribution

-Pick up in the auditorium 7:45-110 am

June 15-Senior picnic

-Space is limited, reserve your spot using the Google form on website

-Senior T-shirt $10 pay in the box offi ce

June 16-Pick up graduation tickets

-Ticket distribution will take place in the APR beginning at 7:45 am

-Note: lost or stolen tickets will not be replaced

June 17-Graduation ceremony

-Graduates must be at assigned location by 4:30pm

-Door for guests will open at 4:30 pm-Tickets will be collected from each guest

at the door-Ceremony begins at 6pm

In Loving Memory of Jeffery Komada

1962-2016“Mr. Komada was an exceptional human being. He was a kind and generous person who was always

ready to help anyone he could. Mr. Komada made my job easier. He will

always be a part of Taft , and I will miss him dearly. Th e world is a better place because of him.” Administra-

tive Assistant Krystyna Graca

“Jeff was a Pilgrim in the service to others. His Catholic faith and in-

terest in Buddhist Philosophy gave him a Zen quality, that embraced all in his service. Th e Taft Community held him in the highest esteem and he leaves us a sterling example on how to approach our role in life.”

English Teacher Maria Asvos

“Jeff was a teacher at heart, so his words were repetitive and instruc-tional in communication. He'd always begin the day with "Greetings" and end the evening in "Have a great night". So, in the words of the

Dalai Lama, "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” Computer Technician Derrick Whitaker

"It has been a great pleasure working with you Mr. Komada.” Computer

Technician Tommy Trinh

Mr. Komada was one of the kind-est and humblest men I have ever

known.” Principal Mark Grishaber

"Mr. Komada is the most kind and helpful person I have ever worked

with. It was always a pleasure to chat with him in the hallways and hear him begin a conversation with his

trademark saying "greetings" in that cordial Jeff Komada manner. May

all of us in the Eagle family strive to make this school a better place in all that we do just as Mr. Komada did. Every hour of every day he graced

our school with his presence. I know you're soaring high above us all in

heaven.” Language Teacher Kerstan Crowe

“Mr. Komada always had time to help others including myself. No

matter how fi lled his schedule was, he always helped with a graceful

spirit. I will miss him.” Administrative Assistant Hilda Diaz

“Mr. Komada was the most compas-sionate individual I have ever met.

His intellectual capabilities was what kept Taft progressing each year. He

worked with data and technology in the building and took full responsi-bility to ensure that proper meticu-lous directives were always provided

in written form as well as demon-strated for students, teachers, and

parents. Taft will never be the same for me again and I will always miss

him, but have the fondest memories of someone who allowed me to grow and be creative as an educator, pro-viding me all and any data request-

ed, and participated in many teacher teams (ex.data team, instructional leadership team, freshmen soph-omore success team, technology

team, leadership team) always focus-ing on student academic growth and

opportunities. Science Teacher Fakhira Chander

“Jeff was a beloved friend and col-league whose grace and dignity will

be immensely missed.” Science Teacher Susan Groziak

In our hearts forever

NewsBy Mia Sorci

After extensive practice and dedication, Taft’s Eagle Singers went to Disney World over spring break competing for the first time at Nationals and received a superior rating.

The whole process began 19 months ago when the group of 36 worked hard to receive superior ranking in both city and state. Therefore, they were invited to Dis-ney.

“Musically for their performance the Eagle Singers blended well to-gether and in terms of the atti-tude and demean-or of the group I saw a lot of com-radery and posi-tivity which is fan-tastic to see. In addition to all that, the trip was just fun. It was held at Saratoga Springs resort and then after-wards we had a dance party at Ty-phoon Lagoon,” said Chorus Teacher Philip Platakis.

The group performed Hear My Prayer by Moses Hogan, Lux Nova by Eric Wi-tacre, Baba Yetu by Christopher Tin, A Red, Red Rose by James Mulholland, and Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal arranged by

Piping it up at Disney World Alice Parker.

“A superior at nationals is super freakin’ awesome, I told them I knew that they did well April 21 after the performance based on the tone of the judge that had approached them afterwards,” said Performing Arts Department Chair Brian M. Lavery.

While this trip was a lot of work, there was plenty of play too. While they were not performing, the Eagle Singers spent time shopping in downtown Disney, swam around

in the pool, met some princesses, and went on some rides.

“The overall experience was fun and I think that this was a great way to end my senior year. What I will miss the most is the unique sound that comes out of the group ev-ery year. It’s always different because people come and leave and everyone shares the same in-terest,” said Bridgett Hen-nessy, Div. 627.

They are fin-ishing up the year by working on the end of the year show along with graduation pieces.

“To the seniors leaving, never lose sight that you are the magic behind the moment and always believe that you can do what you set your mind out to do,” said Lavery.

The Eagle Singers celebrating their success at the after party Photo provided by Hennessy

Photo taken by Hennessy

Since the initiation of Principal Mark Grishaber’s ser-vice to Taft, several changes have been made. Physically, the school looks better. Mentally, the spirits of the students has risen positively. To represent our unshaken spirit, Grishaber has suggested the creation of a Taft Flag that will flap in the wind as our pride is displayed day and night.

“I want the flag to represent Taft. We have our own identity. I got the idea from Athletic Director Ryan Glowacz of putting the Illinois flag on T-shirts,” said Grishaber.

Design Teacher Trent Eaton came up with the de-signs. The idea is to make it resemble the Chicago flag. He came up with six different samples.

“It will be up to the students to decide which flag will be used. The flag with the most votes will be the one used,” said Eaton.

The flag will be on the flagpole and there will also be matching T-shirts that will be sold in the school store.

Make sure to keep a lookout for the poll on tafths.org and vote which flag you think will best represent our school.

Taft flag? Vote online today at tafths.orgBy Ally Abbinanti

Recently on the political agenda, teachers have been bringing up statistics that display yet another decrease in school funding across Illinois; a five per-cent decrease.

Five percent might not seem like much, but when it is converted into dol-lars, it adds up to 500 million dollars. That is enough to reconstruct classrooms across the state.

According to Tafths.org in the budget cut prepared for next year, Governor Bruce Rauner cut another 74 million dol-lars from Chicago Public Schools (CPS). A zip code should not determine the qual-ity of a child’s education.

In Illinois alone, there are 863 school districts in total: 375 elementary schools, 100 high schools, and 388 public schools.

For some students, their school dis-

trict might not be the ideal one. This hits close to home, as some of the students attending Taft are not allowed to be here by law.

Student A (junior) and Student B (senior), were either forced into joining a program that permits them to remain in this school, or were given the opportunity to stay due to their academic achieve-ment.

Student A said, “I was a part of the Academic Center (AC) during eighth grade, and I was a diligent, smart student. Once it was time to apply for high school, I used my real address for every official document. Basically, they knew that I was

To be or not to be...in districtBy Hibah Hassan

Artwork by Julia Zeler

out of district, but they looked the other way due to my 4.5 Grade Point Average.”

Some of Student A’s AC friends were also accepted into Taft, even though they lived farther than the law permits.

When asked about his neighborhood schools, Student A laughed and stated, “You’re kidding, Schurs High School and Roosevelt High School? I bet you couldn’t last a day in there without getting beat up.”

In some cases, it was not that easy for them to get into Taft.

Student B was forced into joining the International Baccalaureate program in order to attend this high school.

“I decided to come here because I would be in the IB program and I would have more opportunities,” said Student B.

Student B’s district school is Schurs. When asked about how she felt about her

requirement to attend that high school, she stated, “I attended Taft my seventh and eighth grade years, it wouldn’t be fair for me to have to leave.”

It is obvious that students do not get their full opportunity to prosper in certain schools as they would in others.

Schools zones are set by law; the money given to each school is determined by law. In the 20/20 campaign, teachers are deservingly asking for the missing five percent not being given to help our educa-tion system.

Support our teachers as they fight for our rights by signing the petition offered on the Taft website.

Student getting kicked out of school due to not being in thecorresponding district

FeaturesProposing for Prom

The pressure is on for high school students. No longer is it appropriate to ask someone to prom without a surprise attrac-tion or whole new level of creativity.

According to Mother Nature Network, Promposals are not only the newest trend amongst teens, but an internet sensation. Some promposals have been recorded and posted on social media receiving over 1 million views.

These viral promposals have stolen the hearts of young boys and girls all over the world and even at our very own Taft High School.

Omar Escobar (Div. 625) decided to plan a surprise promposal for his girlfriend Janet Torres (Div. 727). He spent time making a poster for her in addition to buying her gifts from Victoria’s Secret and Nike to top off the excitement.

“Her reaction was priceless! The

poster said, ‘It’s no Victoria’s Secret you want to say yes to prom, so Just Do It’. She was so surprised and loved the way I asked her to prom,” said Escobar.

Not only did couples participate in promposals, but so did friends!

Sean Ramiro (Div. 622) gathered friends to hold posters for his promposal to best-friend Giulianna Torres (Div. 637) before their dance practice. He greeted his friend with a bouquet of flowers and a Grey’s Anatomy themed promposal.

“She couldn’t believe it, she covered her mouth in excitement. I approached her with roses before kneeling in front of her and asking her to be my date. After saying yes, she teared up and gave me the biggest hug. I could tell she was truly happy with my promposal. I am so honored and thankful to share prom with my best friend,” said Ramiro.

By Harmony Gonzalez

Nodale’s crime themed proposal with a sign saying “Erica, I’m dying to take you to prom”.

Photo provided by MenezPhoto provided by Guiriba

The pressure may be on for some couples to make their promposal extrava-gant, but not for best-friends Camille Guiriba (Div. 617) and Valerie Calderon, Div. 615.

The girls have been friends through-out high school and have grown even closer their senior year. As their high school journey comes to an end, they wanted no more than to honor the last high school experiences and being that both are dateless, it was only obvious that the best friends go together.

“We planned it out by making cute posters with pictures of Instagram sensa-tion Bretman Rock who reminds us of each other and the jokes we’ve shared this past year. It’s something we will never forget!” said Guiriba.

According to CNN, promposals are the most thoughtful, charming, and downright heartwarming social phenome-non. They teach teens to take healthy romantic risks in a stereotypical ‘hook-

up-culture era.Isaac Nodale (Div. 615) had one of

the most original promposals that took his girlfriend Erica Menez (Div. 618) by surprise.

“I was talking to our friends about helping me ask her to prom and wanted to ask her in a creative way. I wanted it to be something she’d remember, so after finding a good place for me to ask her, I had her friend pick her up and take her to the promposal site. When she opened the door, we turned on the lights, and I was laying down inside the tape of the ‘murder scene’ with flowers in my hand. It took her by surprise and I know it is something we will never forget. Of course, she said yes,” said Nodale.

With Prom arriving on June 10, it is safe to say that all seniors will be arriving with the companionship of friends, dates, or life-long loves. To celebrate the final moments with the Class of 2016, seniors will not leave without a final dance.

Ramiro’s Greys Anatomy inspired promposal to G. Torres (right).

Photo provided by Ramiro

J. Torres is all smiles while holding the poster Escobar made her alongside the gifts he gave

her.

Photo provided by EscobarCalderon (left) and Guiriba (right) holding up

their hand-crafted Rock inspired posters.

Having a passion for something or someone makes you excited enough, but when you are up close and personal with it, it is an experience you will never forget.

Kyrsten Bilkey (Div. 728) is known for her passion of music in general, but more specifically she is known for her passion for the band Paramore. She has found an escape and comfort from the band’s music, style, all the way to the lead singer, Hayley Williams.

“I always joke around and say Paramore was my first love, but it kind of was. It was the first band I connected with on a whole new level. I fell in love with the lyrics, sounds, Hayley’s voice, and everything about them,” said Bilkey.

Psychcentral.org says that music unquestionably effects our emotions and we tend to listen to music that reflects on our moods. Most people go to food or another individual for comfort, but Bilkey relied on Paramore.

“I found Paramore when I was younger and they are the band that has stuck with me throughout my teenage years. I’ve grown up with them in a way and their music has gotten me through some of the toughest things I have ever been through,” expressed Bilkey.

Most teenagers go to concerts with their best friend, a boyfriend, girlfriend, or huge group of friends, but Bilkey has a unique connection through Paramore with someone a little closer to home: her mother.

Kyrsten’s mother Marcia Bilkey said, “When people speak about being passionate about something, some-times it’s just that they really enjoy it or it’s just temporary. That’s not the case with Kyrsten. Paramore and music in general is what Kyrsten is passionate about. I remember the first concert I took her to. How her eyes lit up, how she could feel the pounding of the bass, the lights, then how crazy the fans went when the band came on. I saw how she lit up being surrounded in that environment, and it was a beautiful sight. To see her excitement is one of those moments you don’t forget.”

On March 5-9, hundreds attended the cruise ship concert, PARAHOY staring Paramore and featuring Sixthman.

“The ship docked in Cozumel, Mexico on the second to last day. Some people got off. I did with my mom. We went to the beach because I love the beach and all of it was so fun!” said Bilkey.

Despite the amount of fans on board, it is proven that Bilkey and her mother were some of the biggest ones there.

Bilkey had the opportunity to meet and talk to lead singer Williams and it is something she will never forget.

“Along with officially meeting Hayley, I got to meet band members Taylor, Justin, and Aaron as well. It was crazy to actually talk to her and share with her how big of an impact she made on me,” said K. Bilkey.

“We have been fortunate to attend two cruises with Paramore. Being on a ship with your favorite band for 5 days is a memory that you can’t imagine unless you’ve done it. To be so close to them and recently meeting them was unforgettable for Kyrsten. I thought she was going to jump out of herself with happiness!” said M. Bilkey.

Bilkey’s mother is not only a fan of Paramore but she is also her daughter’s number one fan as well. Kyrsten has a dream of pursuing a life involving music.

“Kyrsten has big dreams that involve music. I want her to achieve these dreams so she can pass on that love of music to someone else who needs it. So she can pass on that passion that helps her through the roughest of times. Only someone as passionate as Kyrsten can evoke that kind of passion to someone else. I know she will achieve her dreams. She’s too driven to give up. And with music in her corner, she can only continue to rise to the top,” said M. Bilkey.

PARAHOY had a huge impact on Bilkey and her passion for music. Paramore and Sixthman are working together to bring another PARAHOY concert together for their biggest fans, like the Bilkey’s.

Paramore builds lasting bonds musicallyBy Hayley Christopher

Bilkey and her mother happy while aboard the PARAHOY cruise.

Photos provided by K. Bilkey

Williams performing while Bilkey captures the moment.

FEATURES CONTINUEDFEATURES CONTINUED 6

Taking a pass on prom By Jamie Leos

It is that time of the year again where all that seniors seem to think about is graduation, and more importantly, prom. However, for some, prom is not on the agenda.

It is not uncommon for seniors to choose not to attend the last dance high schoolers will experience. Some decide that other plans may be quite more memorable. According to teenvogue.com more and more high schoolers are opting to ditch their school dances in favor of honoring the milestone in their own way.

Couple Jordan Bradford (Div. 633) and Diana Perez (Div. 638) are planning a trip to Jamaica, a trip that they feel will top prom.

“Prom for a couple of hours doesn’t compare to my trip to Jamaica this upcoming summer. I really believe that the memories that we make in Jamaica will far surpass ones we would make at prom. Jamaica looks beautiful and it’s something different from our typical vacations to Wisconsin and Michigan. It’s definitely a challenge to save for but will totally be worth it,” said Perez.

With hotel and plane tickets already bought, this is surely going to be a trip to remember compared to a night.

“I’d rather save all that money that I would spend for four hours on prom and put them towards our trip this summer. We are both definitely excited,” said Bradford.

While some find joy in taking luxurious vacations, others find events that are more local.

Hannah Long (Div.637) is attending an event that’s quite more unique than prom. RuPaul’s Drag Race Battle of the Seasons 2016 Extravaganza Tour is a drag show taking place at the Riviera The-atre. This event is a tour inspired by RuPaul’s Drag Race television show. This tour takes fan favorites such as Michelle Visage, Adore Delano, Courtney Act and many more.

“I bought tickets for this event before the date switched for prom, so I made the choice to go to this drag show instead. A majority of my friends are coming along with me and skipping prom. To be honest, the only thing I can see myself missing from prom is the dress,” said Long.

No matter if your idea for the perfect night is local or global, a custom celebra-tion to the end of high school years can be just as memorable.

A senior girl dressed up and ready for her big night.

A senior girl dressed down and ready for her dream vacation.

Ravishing films by Ramirez Lights, camera, action! This phrase is

all too familar to Cesar Ramirez (Div. 717) who is known for his tremendous film production skills.

“I have been making films since I was little, but once I was in seventh grade, that’s when I started to grow more of an interest. I grew a fondness of film through my brother and my cousin. Although my brother lost interest, my cousin and I continued to pursue it, resulting in us creating several films,” said Ramirez.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Film Class has helped Ramirez practice and improve different approaches with film. Many of his classmates have wit-nessed his success and have only positive feedback.

“His movies always go above and beyond as he applies the art of film technique very well. While the class is sup-posed to teach us how to become better at film, Cesar always makes it seem like the production process comes naturally to him. I think he’s definitely on the road to success,” said Annie Delfosse, Div. 730.

Starting his film career early has made Ramirez realize that he wants to pursue film after high school.

“I am not sure what type of job I want in the filmmaking business considering I’ve had several opportunities to work in different fields such as Cinematographer, Director, Actor, Sound Designer or Editor. To help me decide, I signed up for a three week program at Columbia College Chicago where they will give me an overview of the different jobs in filmmaking and hopefully help me focus on one particular job in film,” said Ramirez.

Many of his friends look up to his

accomplishments and time management, as he not only produces films and has outstanding grades, but is also a part of Taft’s Track and Field Team where he is Captain of the Boy’s Long Distance Team.

“He’s very creative and bright; He’s a great kid to be around. You can feel the positivity he brings to class and he is definitely someone who continues to strive as a person. He’s very involved in and out of school which is shown through the film related scholarships and his upcoming state competition . He’s very talented and I’m so proud to call him my friend,” said John Diaz, Div. 715.

When Ramirez creates his art, he relies on specific family member and friends, such as Gavin Lee (Div.714) and Diaz.

“The reason why I work with these people is because they are interested in film just as much as I am, and at the same time they’re people who I have a fun experience working with,” said Ramirez.

It is never too late to start a hobby as it can lead you to find what you want to major in in the future.

“For those who want to pursue a career in filmmaking or who want to just improve on their video-editing skills; the number one rule is practice. Another tip would be to watch plenty of movies to help you get an overall idea of how the profes-sionals set up their shots and angles,” said Ramirez.

If you are interested in watching Ramirez’s films, he is open to sharing them to anyone! He encourages people to contact him at his email Directramirez99@gmail.com.

So far, Ramirez has created two short films titled Say It which is about a shy, awkward teen who allows his insecurities to overcome him when he tries to talk to a girl he is interested in, and Morning Rush which is about a teen who wakes up late for school on a Saturday morning. Ramirez has additionally produced a music video titled Day of the Dead which commemo-rates the day of the dead, a celebration within Mexican culture.

“I typically like to produce comedy, but there are a wide variety of films I have done in the past such as action, drama, and romance. However, I tend to stay away from romance because it’s a bit more difficult to produce than action or drama,” continued Ramirez.

For a strong portfolio similar to Ramirez’s, keep an open mind about IB film! Talk to your counselor for a schedule change to experience and practice making film productions.

Ramirez with his production equipment.Photo provided by Ramirez

By Citlalli Roman

Artwork by Julia Zeler

When teachers give the class a book to read, odds are there is going to be at least one person who loves it and one that hates it, but there are some books that hit closer to home.

Advanced Via Individual Determina-tion (AVID) seniors are currently reading a book titled The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, and will be conducting presenta-tions on their own last lecture afterwards.

“It’s a good way to close up not only the school year, but also the AVID program due to the fact that it provides good moral insight as we pass ways,” said AVID

Teacher Anil Menon.The Last Lecture is about Pausch who

was a teacher at Carnegie Mellon who, after being diagnosed with stage four cancer, was coming to terms with the end of his life. He was going to give his last lecture to the students before passing away.

“I’m reading this book with my students, and the great thing about it is that you can’t stop reading it. It has a message that everyone can relate to in one way or another. The fact that he’s dying of cancer isn’t the focus. The biggest takeaway in reading it isn’t what the book has to offer, but how the students have

Leading the Last Lecture By Mia Sorci taken it and made it their own,” said AVID

Teacher Linda Bhavilai.While this book closes their senior

year, it may be a tough pill to swallow. It also draws closing to time in the classroom with Menon who will be leaving the school year behind early on paternity leave. Similar to Pausch, this is the last time Menon will speaking to his class as a whole.

“I’ve had Menon for four years and I’ll miss laughing at the irony of how unorga-nized he is. I’ll also miss his non-stop stories about the one line he had to memo-rize in his school play senior year,” said

Madison DiSilvio, Div. 617. “I always go to Menon for everything,

he’s like my school father. He’s taught me to grow up, cut the cord from my parents, to be more responsible, to face my fears, and to get my life together for the future,” said Melanie Hidalgo, Div. 620.

Bhavilai’s class has begun to formu-late the ideas for their projects through three concepts: your own personal motto, what are your values, and inspirational song lyrics.

As the seniors enter a new path of their lives, this book is the foundation of reality and personal development for every individual.

Photo taken by SorciVictoria Crespo (Div. 627) and Maria Robins (Div. 637) sad while buddied up reading The Last

Lecture.

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FEATURES CONTINUED 7FEATURES CONTINUED 76

Art does not discriminate, but sometimes words do. This year, Art I students wrote letters to a friend or acquaintance about a time they were a victim of discrimi-nation.

The idea was brought to Art teacher JoAnne Conroy’s classroom when Teacher Assistant from School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) Daniella Martinez introduced the philosophy of artist Adrian Piper.

The idea was sparked from Piper’s letter to an editor that capitalized on her ethnicity and gender, rather than her work. In the 70’s, Piper was one of the most radical artists, capturing the perspectives of various ethnicities, genders, and social classes.

However in 2013, Piper declined to attend the “Radical Presence” Black Performance Art Show. Accord-ing to Art News, Piper responded saying “I appreciate your intentions. Perhaps a more effective way to ‘cele-brate [me], [my] work and [my] contributions to not only the art world at large, but also a generation of black artists working in performance,’ might be to curate multi-ethnic exhibitions that give American audiences the rare opportunity to measure directly the groundbreaking achievements of African American artists against those of their peers in ‘the art world at large.’”

Corresponding to Piper’s beliefs and past works, she declined the invitation with integrity and respect.

Dear Editor:Please don’t call me a black artist. Please don’t call me a black philosopher. Please don’t call me an African American artist. Please don’t call me an African American philoso-

pher. Please don’t call me a woman artist. Please don’t call me a woman philosopher. Please don’t call me a female artist. Please don’t call me a female philosopher.Taken from the Mission Statement from the Adrian

Piper Research Archive (APRA) Foundation: “Some-times we try to conceal our difference by deflecting attention onto another, publicly designated “outsider” who personifies it. But this merely reinforces our hypocritical conformity to norms we know are wrong, represses our individuality, and sacrifices the acceptance of it we seek.”

This statement spoke to many, especially artist of a similar mindset. As a last assignment, Ms. Daniella Martinez had the Art I students create their own letters.

“After reading Adrian Piper’s letter we discussed the impact of racism, discrimination, and stereotypes in our life. I wanted students to open up and talk about their own experiences, especially being a part of such a diverse school body. This has been my first year as a TA, I was very happy with the outcome of this project,” said Marti-nez.

Matthew Higueros (Div. 934) said,Dear Family,I am hispanic. Though I do not have the skin, I still follow all the cultural traditions. It is not my fault I am light-skinned unlike the rest of my family. I speak fluent spanish and I am surely not adopted.

While some ideas seem far-fetched and unachiev-able, a pair of best friends find themselves defying this misconception, allowing them to earn the title of founder to a new product known as Sunny Side Up.

Duo Sarah Santa (Div. 639) and Yvette Sanchez (Div. 634) created the first ever eco-friendly solar paneled phone case their junior year and have been developing the product since.

Inspiration for this product sparked like all great things do: effortlessly.

Santa said, “We were in class and it was really sunny when Yvette actually asked me if I had a phone charger. After saying I didn’t, she said ‘I wish the sun could charge my phone.’ Fast forward to a few days later, we were assigned a project where we had to create a product and show it to the class. At first we had no ideas, then it hit us. We took the problem from a couple days before and hence, Sunny Side Up was invented.”

Created in their Entrepreneurship Class taught by Lauren Zucchero, the girls looked to their teacher as not only their advisor, but also as their additional business partner.

Santa said, “Ms. Z gave a lot of insight into the world of business as she’s been involved it and experienced it first hand. She’s been amazing support by telling us, ‘this is what you’re gonna do,’ and ‘this is what to expect’. I like to compare her to Michael Jordan and we’re the aspiring basketball players looking up to her.”

Zucchero, who is still involved in the business industry through running the catering department at the Chicago Botanic Garden, acts as the ideal business guru for the girls.

“Working with the girls since junior year, I’ve watched them grow into amazing, young, business women. I love supporting other women in business,” said Zucche-ro. “They tackle concepts that sometimes not even adults are capable of tackling. They’re dedicated girls who work to become better at their weakness-es.”

Spending nearly 40-50 hours outside of school, the three discussed the cellular product and reached out to other professionals for additional support.

“My friend, Michael Westley, is heavily experienced in sales, which is my weakness, ”said Zucchero. “Not only did he want to step in and help teach them to sell the product, but he really wanted to be their mentor. We both agree that it’s such a good feeling to see yourself in students. We both want to support the girls in whatever they want to do with their business. We both want to be there as they try to navigate through this process, and if we can help protect and guide them, then we did our job.”

What started off as a non-competitive class presenta-tion turned into a city wide competition through the company Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Zucchero, who refers to NFTE often for her class curriculum, turned this competition over to the girls. Although they did not win which stripped them of their chance to compete in New York, they did win a 30 second pitch subcategory earning them $350 to put towards their product, as well as multiple loan offers from The Private Banks.

Despite Sanchez going off to Concordia University Chicago this fall and Santa heading to University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), the duo has no intent on dropping the product anytime soon. Paying for majority of the cost out of their pocket, they plan on investing into this product themselves. Aware they will need additional financial support, they also plan on taking loans from banks.

“We’re confident in the financial aspect. We plan on splitting up the finances equally and saving up money all summer,” said Sanchez.

A prototype has been developed, but the girls are still working towards it being finalized. The case is currently for iPhone 5 and 6 users as of right now, however the duo intends on creating cases for all Android and iOS models.

Made up of environmentally friendly materials, the biodegradable prototype currently takes on an creamy white color. The girls will eventually proceed to create a line of cases varying in all different colors and designs.

“It’s all a group effort; Yvette focuses a little more on our numbers; the finances: what we spend on the product, what profit we need to make, etc. while I focus more on the social aspect. I pitch to potential investors and really talk the product up,” said Santa.

After even a brief interaction with the two, one immediately adopts the radiating energy they give off when together.

Santa shares, “She picks me up when I fall and vice versa; she’s such a positive person. Yvette is always in a mood to have a good time and that type of energy is important when working. We feed off each other, and there’s no one else I’d rather work with.

Yvette says of her partner, “Working with Sarah is awesome. It’s like playing volleyball; we’re very back and forth. When we’re stuck, we throw ideas at each other and and complete our thoughts. We complete each other.”

Estimating a price of $60 per case, these two friends-turned-partners are eager to get their product on the market soon.

Sanchez and Santa said, “We want to create an exclusive but affordable business that everyone can be apart of it. Additional-ly, we want it to be as up-to-date as possible. We have many upcoming events to get our product moving. Between the networking event held at UIC and the City Bank Competition that could potentially lead to an internship, I’m confident we’ll have many opportunities handed to us very soon.”

Eager as you may be, you will have to wait to purchase this innova-tive design. Due to the fact that Sanchez and Santa are an indepen-dent team, only a limited amount of phone cases will be distributed per year. Once they hit the market, I suggest you get them while they are hot.

Santa and Sanchez giving it to you Sunny-Side Up By Hannah Gonzalez

Zucchero, Sanchez, and Santa (left to right) are all smiles. Photo taken by Gonzalez

I don’t appreciate the jokes you make about me.

Anonymous said, Dear Friend,Just because I am Asian,Doesn’t mean I am a math wiz.I ain’t that smart, butI ain’t that stupid neither.That said, I’m also a vegetarian,So that dog you mentioned-Is probably lost or hit by a vehicle.By the way, that dog did get hit by a car,And I was the one who hit it.Because you know, I can actually-See where I am driving.

Anonymous said,Dear Friend,I am Muslim.Some people say I am a terroristBecause I am Muslim.It really doesn’t offend me-Because I know that I am not.Just because some group of peopleDid something bad- you are not to blameThe whole religion.

Paola Flores (Div. 839) said,Dear Fellow Classmate,I am Mexican.I am a proud MexicanI do not think you should Make fun of those illegal.I’m sorry to tell youIt is not funny.Most come here to work-Get an education- notTo sell drugs.Help make a change. Not only are we students, but we are people.

Sometimes words hurt more than we realize, but a letter will not fix everyday discrimination- only we can.

Art does not discriminate - Art inspires creative expressions By Harmony Gonzalez

Artwork by Brenda Barraza

Coming into high school you never know what to expect. Throughout the four years, you learn certain things in and out of the classroom that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

One thing I wish I knew before high school is… By Hayley Christopher

“One thing I wish I knew before high school was that it would become your

second home. We spend so much time here and we don’t even realize it,” said

Miguelito Maloito, Div. 833.

“I wish I knew how many people would come in and out of my life. You truly realize who your true friends are while you go through some of the hardest situations in your life,” said Valerie Ortiz, Div. 721.

“I wish I knew that you had to put a lot more effort into your high school courses

compared to middle school. We all wanted to grow up so fast, but it requires a lot

more work than we thought,” said Lizette Schroder, Div. 815.

“Something I wish I knew was you should stay in contact with your middle

school friends because the ones you make in high school can pull you guys apart,”

said Nicole Doyle, Div. 630.

“I wish I knew that I didn’t need to put myself out there so much to make friends.

I wish I would have known to just let people naturally come to you,” said

Michael Pavetto, Div. 822.

“I wish I knew that you only really need one person to get you by. You

shouldn’t pretend to be someone that you’re not just to have a large amount of friends,” said Kayla Jurewicz, Div. 832.

“I wish I knew that high school is nothing like the movies and even though

there might be a lot of drama in high school, none of it matters. It should be the

least of your worries,” said Gabriela Stiperski, Div. 625.

“One thing I wish I knew was how to manage time between sports and home-

work because a lot of athletes have a difficult time balancing the two,” said Jonel

Rivera, Div. 635.

“I wish I would have known that it honestly does go by fast. I wish I could go

back and do it all over again,” said Jessica Figueroa, Div. 745.

“If I could’ve wished to know one thing about high school, it would be how much

drama there is with friends and all that drama can be so stressful and annoying,”

said Freddie Fitte, Div. 625.

“I wish I knew that not all the friends you made freshman year will make it to senior year with you. You shouldn’t take

anyone for granted,” said Camryn Smith, Div. 731.

“I wish I knew that sometimes you’ll be down and worried about things like college, grades, and friends but it’s important to always have a positive attitude,” said Frankie Paolucci, Div. 638

“I was going to need to learn more skills in order to be successful in the sports that I planned on taking part in. Most of the state ranked kids have more experience over others. You really need to push yourself when you’re on a team,” said Vincent Rangel, Div. 717.

“I wish I knew that it’s not hard to make new friends and that you need to

work hard to balance your school work and sports so you don’t fail or cause yourself

stress,” said Adriana Klemensiewicz, Div. 916.

“One thing I wish I knew before I started high school would be knowing who I truly was, underneath the effort, to make myself change for the norms of society and be someone who I wasn’t,” said Nicholas Kupec, Div. 925.

“I wish I knew that not everyone in high school is going to take it seriously and

be mature. I also wish I knew that the Academic Center kids actually bring their whole XBox to school to use throughout the day. I would’ve brought mine,” said

Michael Casey, Div. 921.

“I wish I knew that not all people deserve my trust. Be careful with who you

open up to because there are some people that will turn on you. There will be

people that didn’t deserve to know you the way they did,” Ahmad Khrawish, Div.

730.

“I wish I knew that there is no space to slack off and be lazy. You always have to

stay on top of your work, especially if you’re on a sports team,” said Benjamin

Talbot, Div. 737.

“I wish I knew how easy it was going to be with classes, work, and projects. I thought it was going to be more extreme and rough than grammar school,” said

Monica Krochmal, Div. 934.

“I wish I knew how many amazing friends I was going to make. It’s extremely easy to get along with people here,” said

Jack Muslovski, Div. 927.

Photos taken by Christopher and Samantha Muslovski

FEATURES CONTINUED 7

Are you getting cheated on your iced coffee? g gBy Gabriela Krochmal

Feng shui is the best way to make your room more relaxingBy Janneth Pena

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ColumnsYou are next in line at Starbucks debating which

drink to order, and you finally decide to order your favorite iced coffee. Once you finally get your drink you take a few sips and realize it is almost all gone, and all that is left is the ice.

A Chicago woman has more intently noticed the lack of coffee, and abundance of ice. She has recently sued Starbucks for five million dollars, claiming that the company short changes customers by filing chilled beverages with too much ice, according to USA Today.

This frivolous lawsuit claims that Starbucks overfills its cold drinks with ice rather than using the amount of advertised coffee or liquid in the cup. When ordering a venti hot beverage you are getting the whole 24 ounces advertized, but when ordering a venti iced beverage you are only get 14 ounces and the rest of the cup is filled with ice.

Starbucks claims that there is always the option to ask for less ice, and if the customer is ever unhappy with their beverage, Starbucks will happily remake the drink.

Starbucks spokeswoman Jaime Riley said, “We are aware of the plaintiff’s claims, which we fully believe to be frivolous and without merit. Our customers under-stand and expect that ice is an essential component of any iced beverage. If a customer is not satisfied with their beverage preparation, we will gladly remake it."

Some people believe that frivolous lawsuits are just a way to try and make money. According to legalzoom.com a noteable lawsuit is from 1992, when 23-year old Karen Norman accidentally backed her car into Galves-ton Bay after a night of drinking. Norman couldn't operate her seat belt and drowned. Norman's parents sued Honda for making a seat belt their drunken daughter could not open underwater. A jury found Honda seventy-five percent responsible for Karen's death and awarded the Norman family $65 million.

Another frivolous lawsuit was in 1995, Robert Lee Brock, a Virginia prison inmate, decided to take a new approach to the legal system. After filing a number of unsuccessful lawsuits against the prison system, Brock sued himself. He claimed his civil rights and religious

Day to day life can be very hectic and haphazardly, and people generally seek any level of assistance when it comes to organizing their lives. With an oriental background, Feng Shui is a system of placement and a calm way of being. Using natural placement that emphasizes efficiency and structure, this systematic organization method is based of of adjacent elements that cause specialization of the overall product.

The term Feng Shui is composed of two Chinese words these words being feng (wind) and shui (water). Being that these two are basic elements, water is essentially a perfect analogy for this tradition. Water is a clear liquid that, as a low-viscosity fluid, near perfectly takes the shape of its container. Often, water will not be noticed, but is still present in the container medium. Feng Shui is meant to be there, but not noticed. The presence of water is generally only noticed in the terms of light refraction. So, Feng Shui is not meant to be seen purely in its system form, but only in how it changes the perception one has towards a particular environment.

Similar to water, wind is form fitting in a sense because when it bypasses an obstacle it’s wind force changes the rhythmic flow of energy. Your bedroom is seen as your temple, and as your temple it should be cleaned, organized, and most importantly relaxing.

According to freshome it is scientifically proven by psychologists that the specific colors do affect our emotions. Such as a red room has elevates our blood pressure and makes us feel more adrenaline. Whereas pastel blue does the opposite of red lowering your blood pressure hence the feeling of relaxation, although it is best to opt for a darker blue shade since it can give you a state of melancholy.

“My room used to be a dark green, and I did not re-

ally like it. It made me feel uncomfortable, so I recently painted it and now it’s a nice light blue and when I walk in it’s bright. And I feel more at ease,” said Gabriela Paw-lowska, Div. 640.

Positioning your bed also plays a role in feng shui, ac-cording to HGTV that the best position is your bed should be is far away from the door as possible so diagonally op-posite from the door is the ideal position. It provides a sense of security and safety.

You have to clean your room, in both aspects if it’s messy it’s hard to find things, and it blocks the flow of chi. Clutter symbolizes unfinished business. Therefore if you

have certain objects perhaps from a past relationship it is best to dispose of such items that can make you recall negative memories.

“I actually have a lot of pictures of mostly my friends, family, and my dog. They are filled with really good memories, so when I see them it makes me happy. I update it every now and then when one of my friend-ships ends” continued Pawlowska.

To give your room a sense of serenity fragrances can give you a boost. Light fragrances such as laven-der, rose, and jasmine are said to relieve stress, ease your mind, and it relaxes your body. Plants are nice for decoration, as well to give you more of an earthy envi-ronment.

“I love to give my friends healing crystals, they are used to promote the positive good vibes. The incense helps too, I like to rearrange my room. I get tired of ev-erything being the same, so I change up my posters and move things all the time,”said, Rachel Vogrich, Div. 634.

According to realsimple “Squares represent earth; rectangles, wood; triangles, fire. Round and oval items represent metal.” Having a variety of these shapes bal-ances the energy.

“When I organize my room, I first think about how can it can feel more calming. I like more open spaces so I have my bed in the far corner. I have a lot of christmas lights which makes it more relaxing.. All of my friends always compliment on how my room is very calming. i also always have a candle burning,”said Monica Kro-chmal, Div. 923.

You can adjust your room to your liking if you want your room to feel like a getaway, definitely try these tips and see if you can apply them and find out what works best for you. After all no one knows you best but yourself.Artwork by Aida Shilwa

Everything in the beginning of a relationship is a mys-tery because you are finding out new things about your partner. The first time you guys go out on a date, the first touch, first kiss, the first everything is perfect.

After a while things tend to become more serious. The big three words play a role, whether you feel it or not. It can either help you and your partner become closer or tear you apart.

Some people believe that there is an exact time limit to when you should tell your partner that you love him/her. If you say it too soon it would freak her out, if you tell him to soon he’ll run away. So is there a right time?

Saying it too soon can lead to a relationship fallout, so deciding when to declare your love can be stressful. Should you wait for the other person to say it first? What if the oth-er person waits for you to say it to, and you both end up not saying it expecting the other to say it soon, another cause of why relationships may fall apart.

“I think you wait until you actually mean it, time doesn’t matter as long as it’s real,” said Leslye Correa, Div. 633.

According to allwomenstalk the right time to tell your significant other you love him/her is when you both you of are in sync in which both of you completely understand one another. When you explain something and he or she is open minded and actually perceives things similarly like

you and places himself/herself in your shoes is a huge flag they truly care.

“I really don’t think there’s a time because when you love someone, it doesn’t require a certain amount of time when you guys click it just feels right to say it,” said Andrea Campoverde, Div. 620.

Back in the day it was wrongly perceived for the guy to ask out men, and in this day and age it is rooted for when a girl decide to take charge and does what she wants to do. Although some believe that saying. “I love you” causes vul-nerability. In a way it can if you put yourself out there and someone can not meet you halfway. But is it worth it, to hide your feelings because you're scared that someone won’t say it back.

“I definitely think that before you commit yourself to a relationship it should start as strangers then friends, then closer friends, and once you know you should act on these feelings keep in mind that you shouldn’t do it because you feel like you have to,” said Angiana Ramirez, Div. 638

It is your call, you may decide to hide your feelings or you may decide to tell the world how you really feel. It all comes down to whether you believe it’s worth it, and if you do and do not receive the answer you were looking for, at least you can say you tried and walk away with your pride. After all, there are plenty of fish in the sea.

beliefs were violated when he allowed himself to get drunk. After all, it was inebriation that created his cycle of committing crimes and being incarcerated. He demanded $5 million from himself. However, since he didn't earn an income behind bars, he felt the state should pay. Need-less to say, the case was thrown out.

The list can go on and on for crazy frivolous lawsuits and the absurdity of them. Almost everyone can find a reason to sue a company for reasons like, having too much air and not enough chips in a bag, not giving enough rice in your burrito bowl, or the mascara not making your eyelashes look like the models in the advertisement.

While some may believe this is a first world problem, no one wants to pay for a cup of ice with just a couple sips of coffee. Or not be getting what the company advertised to its fullest extent. As a customer you have the option to ask for less ice, or take your business elsewhere if you are unhappy with the service

When is it too early to say “I love you”?By Janneth Pena

Artwork by Rose Satola

COLUMNS CONTINUEDReligious education should be a class Best class to take to get in shapegBy Hibah Hassan

Why Environmental Science should be a required classBy Amelia Watkins

By Amelia Watkins

Wellness walking students walking their tedious second lap around the school

Violent outbreaks have been occurring throughout the world; recently, these outbreaks have become the center of attention. They are linked to ignorance of individuals’ differences. More specifically, these outbreaks are the cause of religious ignorance and propaganda.

A useful way to combat ignorance is to establish a course in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) that will expose students to an environment in which they are allowed to explore different religions.

“I think that this class should be created because it allows people to have a deeper understanding of the differ-ent ways that people practice [their religion],” said Lazma Deeb, Div. 632.

The most dominant religions in the world are Christi-anity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. There is about 12.7 percent of the population that does not associate itself with any religion. Additionally, there are smaller factions in each religion, making it more complicated to teach a gen-eral class.

“I think religion can change your perspective on life which can make some people happier and lead to less hate,” said Elma Pnishi, Div. 717.

Teaching religion in public schools allows students to grow up with an opened mind set. The more they are ex-posed to the true practices of each religion, with fellow peers of that these religions, the more accepting they be-

come. “If this class becomes mandatory, resistance can be

shown. However, I think it should be because religion is a part of everyone’s history. It is important in United States History, all religions matter,” said Deeb.

Deeb continued, “The classes should include signifi-cant explanations that will allow people to have deeper connections with their peers.”

Some may agree that teaching religion in CPS is an innovating way to decrease ignorantly driven hatred, how-ever, others believe that it is an action that will abate stu-dents’ right to free will.

“I think people should be free to believe whatever they want. Teaching religion to kids is similar to forcing it on them. I think people will have issues with teaching certain religions because some are closed minded,” said Pnishi.

“If anything, this class should be offered, but not man-datory,” continued Pnishi.

Some may believe that teaching religion in CPS can harm the student’s free will, but each student attends school with their own ideas already. Teaching them about religion won’t take away anything, but it will give them the opportunity to create judgments based on critical thinking that this class could offer them.

Artwork by Julia Zeler

In late March, retired National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Climate Scientist James E. Hanson authored the release of a climate change re-port published in the journal of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. The news was grim: the beginning of the worst of climate change is likely to hit in decades, not centuries.

The current rate of melting land ice will set off a chain reaction of melting, causing the rapid loss of the ice sheets around Greenland and Antarctica, predicts Han-son and his team of scientists. Sea levels will rise, ocean currents vital to marine health will stall, temperatures will rise unbearably in some areas and drop dangerously in others - every aspect of everyday life could be interrupt-ed, from what one eats to what one wears.

In the same month, presidential candidate Donald Trump won his 3rd primary election.

“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive,” tweeted the real estate mogul in 2012. While conservatives have historically denied and de-nounced the existence of climate change, it is the per-sistence of cheap, unsubstantiated fictions solely intend-ed to slander scientists that continues to shock.

We, as a generation entering the electorate and the work force, cannot afford to carry on the irresponsibility of our forefathers. As such, it is in the best interest of the continued health of our planet that environmental science be a course requirement for high school graduation.

In a time of economic turmoil, the proposal of addi-tional graduation requirements is nothing if not controver-sial. New curricula requirements must be funded for thou-sands of schools, including everything from teacher training to the purchase of textbooks.

That being said, environmental science is a cause worth surmounting logistical complications. It is the study of that which directly contributes to the well-being and, ultimately, livable existence of our planet. The environ-ment supports every aspect of our daily lives and feels

every toxic decision, yet so few know extensively of its health, and even fewer care to do something about it.

“It opens up your eyes to what is happening in the world and how to better care for it, and the consequences that come from our actions,” said Julia Bowden, Div. 737,

Whether or not we want to moan and groan, or assign blame to the Baby Boomers or the first person to fell a tree, we also need to look for solutions. The problem is now ours and we must equip each individual with the knowledge necessary to enact positive change.

Education is how we do that. Compulsory schooling exists, as its heart, to ensure that every individual enters

society with a fundamental tool set, and, as times change, an understanding and care for one’s environmental impact must enter the toolbox.

As an environmental science student, I benefit every-day from knowing that sulfate-free shampoo is not merely a marketing ploy to sell to peace-loving hippies, and that organic produce is not only a silly expenditure for the rich, but a purchase that directly supports a farmer that has cho-sen to keep endocrine-disrupting pesticides out of water-ways.

Similarly, one’s red meat consumption and bottled wa-ter waste become direct contributors to a global crisis, and everyone should know how poorly the Food and Drug Ad-ministration (FDA) regulates big business, allowing BPA to remain on the market despite public health concerns. Without an environmental science class, myself and six-ty-something other students would likely not know that in the same year that the European Union (EU) banned the application of atrazine, a pesticide shown to diminish life spans in human males and develop ovaries in amphibian males, the United States Congress renewed approval for the use of said pesticide.

“Environmental science is enlightening. Not only does it teach you about the problems, but also about potential solutions,” said Sierra de la Garza, Div. 645.

Mandated environmental science education is not a cure-all. Behaviors and lifestyles ingrained in us by our par-ents are difficult to change, and many students will disre-gard the information provided to them in the same way that they do the unit circle and the presidents of the United States.

But education is the place to start. We cannot afford another generation of adults ignorant to climate change. We cannot afford another round of elected officials who deny the existence of a global crisis that even George W. Bush acknowledged years ago - especially not when drinking water becomes a concern by 2030, when sea lev-els rise significantly by 2100, and when we are in the midst of the worst mass extinction in 65 million years

“The Wellness Walking program is our proudest ac-complishment,” said a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) spokesperson in a press conference last Friday.

The announcement came in the wake of a report com-piled by physical education teachers across the city. Edu-cators found that Wellness Walking students are the most physically fit among both the general student body and athletes. It is hypothesized that these students will out-shine their peers in the coming years, as walking has pre-pared them for a life of athleticism.

The subject is deceptively difficult. “I had to drop one of my Advanced Placement (AP)

classes so that I could keep with the course load,” admit-ted Monika Barrera, Div. 632.

For 52 minutes a day, students are expected to walk laps around the third floor hallways. Additionally, the most senior of wellness walkers dare to walk laps around the perimeter of Norwood Park.

“Only the most experienced walkers are permitted to walk outside. It’s dangerous work. We wouldn’t want stu-dents to injure themselves,” said Physical Education Teacher Arlind Kociu.

CPS has also pledged to provide two physical trainers to each Wellness Walking school after one student, whose name has not been disclosed to this newspaper, pulled a muscle during class. The unnamed walker bravely at-tempted to walk four laps around the park in 50 mins. Had he succeeded, the student would have broken the world record of three laps per period.

Rumor has it that this was done as part of the stu-dent’s pre-Olympic training program. It is unknown wheth-er he will be able to recover in time for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“We are dedicated to the continued growth and pros-perity of the Wellness Walking program. It is clearly the most physically challenging class CPS has ever offered. It will undoubtedly be the first line of defense against child-hood obesity,” concluded the CPS spokesperson.

Photo taken by Amelia Watkins

Artwork by Angelica Roman

9

Entertainment

By Janneth Pena

You are number 1-9 in my bookJust like zodiac signs can give general information

about personality traits, numerology is a more in-depth, personalized analysis of you using your birthday numbers.

According to astrology-numerology numerology is the study of numbers which have a correlation to your person-ality. Your number will be the sum of your birthday num-bers, and each letter has its own number that gives off its cosmic vi-bration, giving more in-depth details about yourself. The numbers may show you what hidden talents, pur-poses, motivations, and compatibili-ties you have. Numerologists can help you discover the appropriate time to make changes in your life whether it be when it is time to move, when to get married, the right time to invest, when it is time to look for a new job, and when to travel.

So how does it work? To start off, numbers go way back. Pythago-ras was the first “pure” mathemati-cian and discovered the Pythagore-an Theorem and his followers became so fascinated with his work that they discovered how numbers actually work. He concluded that “all is number” because everything can be measured, reduced, etc. This led to Pythagoreans flourishing in their discoveries.

Eduardo Martinez (Div. 934) said, “I’m a 3 in numerology and I read the description for that number. I feel like my number is true for me

because I know I’m a really outgoing person. I don’t mean to sound conceited but I have high self esteem and I’m proud of that! I’ll admit that at times I get insecure and I overthink, but when I go out, work on my music, and listen to music I feel happy and uplifted. I get inspired by music and it elevates my self esteem even more.”

This is how you do it: Take Nov. 23, 1997 as an exam-ple. You would add 1+1+2+3+1+9+9+7=33 and now

3+3=6. So your life path number would then be 6. Each number has a special meaning associated with

it. 1 shows you are determined, independent, and coura-geous, while also selfish and stubborn. 2 means that you are patient and intuitive, but are very sensitive to criticism. 3s are optimistic and good communicators, but can also be impatient. If you are a 4 then you are down to earth and reliable, but can be socially awkward. A 5 is energetic, witty,

and flexible, but can be irresponsi-ble. A 6 can mean that you are very protective and maternal, but can also be paranoid and anxious. A 7 is intelligent and gracious, but can be distant and sarcastic. An 8 is very balanced but can be insensitive and intolerant, and a 9 is generous and sophisticated, but also arrogant and discontent.

“I’m an 8 and from what I’ve read for that number it actually de-scribes me somewhat well except for the part where I’m blunt and a workaholic. To be honest, it’s actual-ly quite accurate. I feel like it’s quite reliable when it comes to describing one’s personality,” said Miguel Ma-chuca, Div. 822.

Try looking up your number on-line so you can see for yourself whether or not you agree with what its explanation is. If not, it is still fun to look at. Perhaps it may help you discover yourself a little bit more.

Artwork by Rose Satola

The end of the Purple OneOn April 2, the world said goodbye to music icon

Prince Rogers Nelson, also known as Prince.According to biography.com, Prince was born in Min-

neapolis, Minnesota on June 7, 1958, and developed an interest in music as a young child. He secured a recording contract with Warner Bros. at the age of 18, and released his album For You in 1978. Prince’s self-named album was released in 1979 and went platinum along with his next three records: Dirty Mind in 1980, Controversy in 1981, and 1999 in 1982. Prince then continued his suc-cess and show-cased his trade-mark of prominently sexual lyrics and a blend of funk, dance, and rock music.

Dante Roa (Div. 621) said, “When he started singing he caused a lot of controver-sy. He changed the way music was created and made music that was un-heard of at the time. I feel like without Prince, much of today’s music would not be the same.”

With his band, The Revolution, Prince went on to create one of his most notable albums, Purple Rain. The title track reached second on the Bill-board Hot 100, while the hits When Doves Cry and Let’s Go Crazy both reached 1st.

Micahel Sandoval (Div. 628) said, “I loved almost all of Prince’s songs, and as I got older I started listening to more of his music and fell in love with it. Prince put so much

By Husain Abdeljabar effort and passion into his songs and the quality of it spoke volumes.”

Prince’s band New Power Generation started in the early 1990’s showcasing many genres such as R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and soul with Rosie Gaines on vocals. The group did the soundtrack for Graffiti Bridge and in the fall of 1992 Prince had signed a 100 million dollar deal with

Warner Bros, which became the largest recording and mu-sic publishing contract in history.

After years out of the spotlight, Prince returned in 2004 to perform at the Grammy Awards with Beyoncé, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that same year. That spring, he released Musicology and went on a tour throughout the United States. The album won two Grammy and his next album, 3121, released in 2006. That

year, he wrote and performed Song of the Heart for the animated film Happy Feet and won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. In 2007 he performed for the Super Bowl XLI halftime show on a massive stage in pouring rain, an event watched by over 140 million fans.

He was nominated by Billboard.com as the greatest Super Bowl performer ever, and was also featured in TIME

Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and earned a Lifetime Achieve-ment Award from the Black Enter-tainment Televi-sion (BET) Awards. He end-ed the year with an induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Prince was found dead in Paisley Park, Min-nesota. A week be-fore, his plane had to make an emer-gency landing and he was hospital-ized for what was thought to be a se-vere case of the flu, however, early reports by TMZhave revealed that the musician had overdosed on Per-cocet, which he had been taking for a hip issue linked to corrective surgery in 2010.

We may have lost a music leg-

end, but he made his mark on our world and we will always remember him for that. Prince was a part of the reason why our music transformed into what we love and we have nothing but our thanks for that. May you rest in peace Prince.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

11ENTERTAINMENT CONTINUED

pleted daily, there is a section for that, as well as a habit section where you are rewarded for good behavior and pe-nalized for bad. As you level up, your character can tame a pet and go on quests with friends.

Habitica is certainly on the nerdy side, but it is un-doubtedly effective, and more fun than your run of the mill to-do list.

For College ApplicationsAs any senior knows, the college applica-

tion process is lengthy, confusing, and frustrat-ing. Luckily, for the current crop of juniors, NextTier is here to save the day.

“NextTier was the reason I started freaking out about dates because it was my master list of deadlines. I definitely recommend it to any junior if you want to get things done quickly and be organized,” said Paulina Corrillo, Div. 627.

The app creates a comprehensive inter-face for each student. Add each college you want to apply to onto the app and see a list of deadlines for each one appear. Dates for stan-dardized testing, teacher recommendations, and financial aid are also available.

For MathEvery phone comes with a default calcula-

tor app, but any student who has tried to use it for higher level math has probably found it de-cidedly lacking.

“I use it a couple times a week. It’s okay, but it doesn’t have a lot of the functions of a graphing calculator,” said Nicole Kiewert, Div. 622.

Enter Desmos Graphing Calculator, a calculator app with everything you love from the default and nothing you hate. This app is nec-essary for those days when you forget your Texas Instruments (TI) at home, or do not want to pull it out for class.

Whether you end up loving or hating these apps, they are all worth a shot. We are well into the second semester and if a virtual garden can

help you finish the year strong, then so be it.

All too often we hear parents and teachers, even our peers, denounce all phones as the bane of any good stu-dent’s existence, and while they can certainly be a distrac-tion, phones can also serve as a study tool.

Below we dig into the best, most essential apps for students.

For Time ManagementWhether you have A’s or D’s, are taking Ad-

vanced Placement (AP) or regulars, the struggle to study is real. Everything from phones to com-puters to beds can pull our attention away from what needs to be done, and we find ourselves scrambling to finish homework assignments in the periods before they are due.

“My phone can definitely be a distraction, but it depends on what I’m doing. If I’m trying to read something, it’s distracting, but if I’m doing a re-search paper or something, then it’s an aid,” said Sareena Volkman, Div. 738.

FocusNow or Forest apps for the iPhone are fun ways to turn your phone into a time manage-ment tool. The app effectively shuts down your phone for 25 minutes or more. During this time, you work and a plant grows. If you try to use your phone, the plant dies. Over time, you accumulate a forest - get it?

The best part is that when you have the urge to check Instagram or respond to an unimportant text, you are made to admit that you ‘give up,’ and, oftentimes, that can be enough to refocus your at-tention.

For OrganizationWhen your homeroom teacher handed you a

shiny new planner, the words 2015 - 2016 embla-zoned on its cover, you promised yourself that this year would be different. This year, you would write down each and every assignment as you get it and check it off as soon as it is done. You swore to be organized, efficient, and on top of your school-work.

Fast forward one month and that little book is lost to

the depths of your locker, only to be seen at the annual June locker dump. But you know what you have not lost? Your phone.

While the App Store offers to-do list apps as far as the eye can see, none is a match for Habitica. This app turns assignment completion into a game: every time a task is checked off, your avatar gains experience and gold that is used to buy armor and potions. If a task needs to be com-

Collage by Piccinini

By Amelia Watkins

Looking for a show jammed packed with dark magic, complex characters, romance, and action? Then check out The Magicians, airing every Monday on the SyFy chan-nel.

“A friend had recommended that we were to watch it the next time we hung out and I really liked it from the moment the episode started. From the dark side of magic to the well-cho-sen and attractive cast, what’s not to like?” said Clare Ge-sinski, Div. 727.

The Magicians was originally a trilo-gy by Lev Grossman back in 2009. In 2011, Fox Entertainment had the option to adapt it, but decided not to go through with it, which is when the series was adapted and aired on SyFy. The script was written by John McNamara and Sera Gamble and the producers are Michael London and Janice Williams.

“Some elements that really stuck out to me were all the unique characters mixed in with some really cool special ef-fects. It’s like a mix of Charmed and Su-pernatural,” continued Gesinski.

The main charac-ters are Quentin Coldwater, played by Jason Ralph, who is the main protagonist. He studies magic at Brakebills Col-lege before travelling to Fillory, the magical land from his favourite childhood books.

Alice Quinn, played by Olivia Taylor Dudley, is a nat-urally talented magician whom Quentin meets while at-tending Brakebills. At first, she is extremely reserved, but opens up once she is placed with Quentin in the Physical Magic group. She and Quentin eventually develop a rela-tionship.

“My favorite character would have to be Alice Quinn. I mean, she’s a powerful wizard, a super genius, and incred-ibly headstrong. She’s the strong female character that ev-ery show needs,” said Kiara Taylor, Div. 823.

Eliot Waugh, another very talented magician played by Hale Appleman, also becomes a clos e friend of Quentin’s. He is two years older than Quentin and Alice. He is also

openly gay. Margo Hanson, played by Summer Bishil, is another

Brakebills student who is in the same level and age as El-iot. She is very superficial, arrogant, and good friends with Eliot.

“Eliot has become my favorite character. I really ap-preciate how he is open about his sexual orientation, but it is not all the show decided to focus on, which gives a much needed message that being gay should not be such a big deal,” continued Gesinski.

By Katie Grealy Penny, played by Arjun Gupta, is a student who en-ters Brakebills with Alice and Quentin, however, unlike his classmates who have all come to Brakebills to enhance their magic, Penny is very reluctant to use his magic.

Julia, played by Stella Maeve, is Quentin’s best friend until Julia applies to Brakebills and is rejected by the Uni-versity. Desperate to develop magical powers, Julia gets

mixed up in the wrong crowd and strains her friendship with Quen-tin.

“My favorite epi-sode so far would have to be episode four: The World in the Walls, because it shows the conse-quences of magic done in spite, and the tension between Quentin and Julia,” said Hayley Carmo-na, Div. 717.

According to Wikipedia 11 epi-sodes have aired since the pilot back in January with 13 epi-sodes expected to round out season one.

“My favorite epi-sode so far would have to be episode seven: The Maya-kovsky Circum-stance. This episode showcases different ways the Magicians can use their magic in various circumstanc-es as well as charac-ter and relationship developments,” con-tinued Taylor.

The show has met with mixed to positive critical re-sponse. On Metacritic it holds a 60/100, based on 22 re-views. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 69% based on 26 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10.

If you are looking for the darker version of Hogwarts, Brakebills is your place to go to witness exciting charac-ters, intense character interaction, and an overall great se-ries.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Spell casting and power enhancing

The apps that work for the bookworms

A selection of student friendly apps

Alice Quinn (left), Quentin Coldwater (middle), and Eliot Waugh (right) shqwing off their mystical powers

12ENTERTAINMENT CONTINUED

Returning to the spotlight, renowned pop punk band Blink-182 is slated to come out with a new album, Califor-nia, after a four year absence from releasing content.

According to rollingstone.com Blink-182, commonly simplified to Blink, formed in 1992 in the suburbs of San Diego, California. Three years after their formation, they released their first album, Cheshire Cat, and although it was not commercially successful, it put Blink on the radar. Their 1997 album, Dude Ranch, contained their first radio hit, Dammit. Eventually, Dude Ranch became certified

Platinum in the United States and was followed up by arguably their most influential album, Enema of the State. Enema of the State featured three singles: All The Small Things, What’s My Age Again, and Adam’s Song.

“Blink has a distinct sound that brings me back to when I was a kid. I feel as if they were a defining band of the early 2000’s,” said Nicholas Bowman, Div. 633

Their fourth album released in 2001 and was titled Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, which spawned three more singles: The Rock Show, First Date, and Stay To-gether for the Kids. A self-titled fifth album in 2003 marked their final album before the band began an indefinite hiatus

By Luis Gutierrez

Getting back into Blinkin 2005. After almost five years, the band reunited in 2009 and released their sixth album, Neighborhoods.

“First Date is probably my favorite song by them. I can’t put my finger on why, but it just sounds really good to me,” said Bowman.

Blink-182 arguably reached their peak in the early 2000’s, but this does not mean they have stopped creating content. California will be released on July 1 and accompa-nied by a tour. The band will come to the Chicagoland area on Sept. 9, where they will play at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater in Tinley Park.

“I really like their music. I think it’s mostly the rock as-

pect of their songs that I like,” said Samantha Evans, Div. 730

Unfortunately, California will not feature every member of the original band. Lead vocalist and guitarist Tom De-Longe left the band shortly after Neighborhoods was re-leased. DeLonge was replaced by Matt Skiba, who is known as the guitarist and lead singer for the band Alka-line Trio.

Although the band may not be whole, Blink fans can eagerly anticipate the release of California, which aims to usher in a new era for the group.

Photo courtesy of Google images

Kick off this summer playing games and playwriting about social issues all while getting paid. All of this and much more is available at Free Street’s summer program: Summer Intensive.

According to Free Street, the program is located at 1419 West Blackhawk Avenue up on the third floor and is the start of a two year training opportunity to work with pro-fessional artists. The program lasts for five hours, four days a week for six weeks total.

“I love acting and having fun while doing so. Free Street certainly sounds like that type of place,” said Grace O’Shea, Div. 733.

Ages thirteen to twenty are all welcomed and can make $250 over the six weeks the program goes on for. Plays such as; B is for Bang, and The Real Life Adventures of Jimmy De Las Rosas are just a few that were written and performed through the Summer Intensive program.

“The whole vibe Free Street gives off is fun with a pur-pose. Even if you’re just watching, the good vibes never end,” said Bella Macksey, Div. 724.

The program will start on July 5. The summer usually starts off with playing fun warm up games such as Factory, Bird Talk, Ninja, Super Combo, and getting acquainted with the ensemble. From there the ensemble is put into various types of workshops that include writing and movement pieces all centered on a topic given by the mentors.

“To think that two years ago was when my involvement with Free Street started is so mind boggling, considering it all started with a boring summer and an ASM application. Not only have I grown as an actress, but also as a person,” said Clare Gesinski, Div. 737.

This summer’s mentor will be Katrina Dion. Dion has also been one half of the dynamic duo that helped direct the fall and spring sessions, which produced the original, critically-acclaimed play, CRAZY. Any new ensemble members should know that they are in for a treat.

Anybody out there on the lookout for a fun, meaningful summer job should definitely check out and apply for Freestreet’s summer program, Summer Intensive.

By Katie Grealy

Intensify your summerBy Katie Grealy

Everybody has a favorite ride at Six Flags, however, with approximately 78 rides to choose from it is hard to know which rides are worth waiting in line for.

Physics Teacher Erin Millen said, “Six Flags is such a great amusement park, which is why the Physics depart-ment takes an annual field trip there. My favorite ride would have to be The Goliath.”

According to Timeout, some of the top five rollercoast-ers in the park are The Viper, X-Flight, Raging Bull, Ver-tical Velocity (V2), and The Goliath.

A good chunk of the fun in riding roller coasters comes from the fear that you are going to die. The Viper is a prime example. The 55 miles per hour top speed is nothing crazy, and the drops are nothing to worry about, but the way the train skids along the wooden track truly makes it feel like you are going to plummet to an unfortunate de-mise before the ride’s end.

X-Flight, ranked number four, prepares riders for take-off with a sleek 3000 foot long design unlike any other. On this ride you can feel what it might be like to travel 55 miles per hour on the wing of a plane. After climbing 120 feet, you will barrel roll, drop, and dive full speed ahead toward a repurposed airplane control tower before you narrowly escape disaster.

Sebastian Ruiz (Div. 933) said, “X-Flight is definitely my favorite ride to go on at Six Flags. This ride is like noth-ing I have ever experienced before, which is exactly what I look for in a rollercoaster.”

V2 takes bronze with its enormous goalpost shape that calls to you the moment you enter the park. The screams from the previous riders as you approach are one of the first things you will hear as you enter the park. This short and sweet ride sends its 28-passenger train careen-ing at 70 miles per hour up a corkscrew, then plummeting backward through the station house and up another verti-cal track, leaving riders more than 100 feet in the air, star-ing at the ground, only to fall back down again.

Raging Bull has been number 2 on the list since its opening in 1999. It has been the most iconic roller coaster

at Great America and hits 73 miles per hour after its drop sending you around a series of bends and curves that make you feel like you are riding a literal bull. The dip right before the initial drop is sure to give you a serious case of the thrills.

The number one ride at Great America is the beast that has yet to be beaten, The Goliath. Being the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in existence—it’s the remarkably steep 85-degree initial drop that makes this worth the wait. After falling 180 feet in a matter of seconds, you are

thrusted into a twisting track filled with twists and curves that seem to defy gravity. After riding it once, you will want to queue up to conquer it again.

“The Goliath is such a thrilling ride. It’s so worth the extremely long waiting line,” said Deana Kittenah, Div. 618.

With summer vacation right around the corner make sure to take the drive down to Gurnee, Illinois and see what rides make your top five.

Putting the great in Great America

Photos by Grealy

Artwork by Raquel Alicea

SportsThe sideline storyBy Ozzy Ramirez

Every year, an athlete preps for their upcoming sea-son in the offseason with optimism that they will have a successful year because of the hard work that was put in the offseason. Then, in an instant, it is taken away.

Taft has had multiple season-ending injuries this past year and have happened in almost every season of athlet-ics as well. This year one of the earliest injuries that oc-curred this year was Christopher Triplett, Div 621. He suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and then re-injured it prior to his baseball season. Though he he had setbacks in his final year in high school athletics, he plans on getting healthy for his football career at Rockford Uni-versity.

Triplett said, “When I dislocated my shoulder I shut myself down for the season because I wanted to get healthy for football in college My main focus has been on football since the beginning. My baseball season is over and I will never play the sport again. I have to get healthy for my Freshmen year of football and I have to do it quick. I'm having my second shoulder surgery in the past 8 months. After I complete my surgery, I will begin extensive physical therapy where I will go 4 days a week for about 3-4 hours until August 10. I leave August 11 for football at Rockford University. If I am not healthy enough to play by then, my coaches at RU will help me get healthy by provid-ing me with a new physical therapist. Eventually I'll be able to play football again.”

For Destiny Silva, Div 833, her knee injury really had a huge affect on her and was disappointed when she learned that she would not be able to compete for the in-door-track season and instead had to go to therapy and recover.

“My thought was that my running career was over. It killed me inside to know that my injury was so bad. My entire running season that I worked so hard to keep up and accomplish felt like it was gone. Now, I plan on taking it at a neutral speed to get used to running again especially since I just got back. I just want to do well in my races so I can get back to where I was last year and continue doing everything I can to keep my knee in good shape and not over do anything,” said Silva.

One of the most recent injuries that have occurred was a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) suffered by Francisco Contreras, Div 639, who received the injury while practicing for the rugby team.

“After my doctor said I would be out for the season, but I went to practice the next day. I was mad, and thought my leg was fine. During practice I jumped for a ball and my knee just collapsed, so I knew I was done. Watching my teammates play from the sideline was the saddest feeling ever, I just felt helpless. Once you play a full contact sport the guys become your family. After I recover I plan on play-ing D2 college rugby for ISU. Huge comeback, and I hope God allows for all to go as planned,” said Contreras.

No doubt that a season-ending injury can do a lot to an athlete’s health, but with patience and a hunger to come back, people can continue to have a sense of optimism that they will come back better than ever.

Taft Today would like to apologize for any scores in the Quick Stats section of Issue 8 that were incorrect. All stats used are found on maxpreps.com.

ATTENTION!Artwork by Rose Satola

Eagles tackle 7-on-7 during off-seasonBy Husain Abdeljabar

Football season does not start until the end of August, but the team still grinds out every day, and even play a little competition while doing so. Taft has constructed a team for the 7-on-7 league which takes place in the Rosemont dome.

7-on-7 is a game of football featuring 7 players on each side, rather than the traditional 11, and the only posi-tions on the field are skill positions players (Quar-terbacks, defensive backs, receivers, line-backers, and running backs). One thing that is missing is the good ole big boys in the trenches, the offensive and defen-sive linemen, who are the only players left out of the competition.

According to ehow.com the field length for a 7-on-7 game is 45-yards and the standard foot-ball field width of 160-feet, the end zone is 10-yards deep and the field is marked off in three equal 15-yard segments. The offense gains a first down when moving the ball past a 15-yard segment. If no first down is made after three downs, the other team gets the ball. 7-on-7 consists of 30 minute games with a running clock. A touchdown is worth the standard six points, a defensive touchdown can be scored if an interception is returned past the 45-yard line. After a catch, the receiver is considered down when touched by a defender, and there is no blocking al-lowed or a penalty will be awarded.

“7-on-7 allows you to see different game situations

and measure up your talent to other players outside of your team. You get to see how you perform on different plays and improve it by watching your film,” said Kevin Gnied-ziejko, Div. 815.

7-on-7 is more than just a preview of your skill set for the upcoming season, it is something more.

“During the off-season the team works hard, and with the addition of the 7-on-7 team, it is an opportunity to help

build the team's chemis-try and get used to work-ing together on the field. Although it does not have the competitive edge as a tradition foot-ball game due to the lack of physicality during the game, it is still com-petitive but is way more relaxed compared to regular football,” said Omar Rahmoun, Div.730.

Although the play-ers are stoaked for 7 on 7 and the upcoming season, nobody is more ready than head coach John Tsarouchas, who is making sure his team is more than capable of defeating anybody they play everyday.

“Playing seven on seven in the spring just gives guys an opportuni-ty to run around, and stay active and engaged with football. It’s just an-other opportunity for the players to play the game, and perfect our-selves for the upcoming season,” said Coach

John Tsarouchas.The new era of football players get ready to lead a

program to the top after the departure of the senior class, but before that they take on the 7-on-7 league and show a glimpse of what eagle football can do.

Gniedziejko during a game at the Rosemont Dome

Born with it? Or worked for it?By Ozzy Ramirez

There has always been the debate on whether skill and a strong work ethic can be overshadowed by a per-son’s natural ability or vice versa. The question remains, is there a legitimate type of gene that gives an advantage to athletes?

According to an article from sportsscience.utah.edu genes can be attributed to 20-80% of a person's athletic ability, since they code for proteins which may give a per-son strong leg muscles to run farther and the "proteins in your blood which carry oxygen" that allow you to have more energy and run longer. Which means naturally, a per-son can be given these genes and automatically have an advantage on other athletes.

“I believe that my natural abilities, like the size of my body and the size of my hands, help me a lot in every sport I play. It gives me an ad-vantage over most peo-ple that play at the high-school level because not everybody has those cer-tain traits,” said Abdullah Ahmad, Div 728.

Others argue that though natural athleticism is certainly real and ex-ists, nothing can be achieved with good ole fashion hard work and dedication.

Jack Suwinski (Div. 637) said, “I credit 100% of my success to the work I put in over the off sea-son. Without the grinding I do in the off season, I wouldn't be the player I

am today. I also have to thank and give credit to my coach-es and teammates for pushing me and developing my skill set. However, I do believe natural talent exist. I feel that it is a motivator for the athlete to push themselves if they can realize their own talents. But my work ethic in athletics has also moved beyond the playing field. It has taught me to work hard in the classroom, taught me maturity, and lead-ership.”

Natural ability certainly does give a jump to any athlete in any sport, but it is a fact that your work ethic and your drive will take you as far as you possibly can and athletes cannot forget that.

Artwork by Julia Zeler

Gniedziejko catching a passPhotos provided by Gniedziejko

14SPORTS CONTINUED

The long lasting debate of which sport is the most diffi cultBy Angelica Roman

Is there such thing as the most difficult sport? Every athlete works hard and claims their sport is the hardest whether it be the most physically demanding or the difical-ity of the sport itself.

“I have been playing volleyball for 7 years, and I think it's one of the most difficult sports because it requires a very high degree of athleticism, agility and fast reflexes. You also need to have an amazing chemistry with all the players on the court. To be a part of a team you need to be a good communicator, a good listener, hardworking and friendly. You need different roles to be a good team. To be able to play volleyball you will need to have strength, en-durance and leadership,” said Pavel Rusev, Div. 640.

In a sport such as volleyball, the team relies on every individual to work collectively as a whole, and to move in sync with each other. The advantage team sports have against other sports is that they can build greater strength to pack a bigger punch.

“Football can be a very aggressive and violent sport. I think it takes a lot of commitment to be on a team. You have to be willing to go to every practice, every game and make time for your sport,” said Alec Gonzalez, Div, 623

However, Tennis players individually go against their opponent with no one to rely on, which requires more skill, athleticism, endurance and mental toughness.

“The hardest sport I've played would be tennis be-cause it isn't just physical, it is mental and emotional as

well. Only 30% of tennis is actually physical, and the other 70% is the mental and emotional part because you have to identify your opponent's weaknesses while playing to your own strengths,” said Donny Paisley, Div 615.

According to coloradoan.com soccer ranks highest in continous effort over the longest period of time. The play-ers require endurance, athleticism, strength and balance. Players also have multitask; running and shielding the ball, while having one foot on the ball and the other on the ground. In addition to that, a soccer player can run 4-7 miles each game.

“Soccer is definitely more challenging than most sports because I'm not too good on my feet and I was always outperformed by everybody on the opposite team. Being on the fishing team just takes devotion. You aren't going to enjoy yourself if you don't like fishing. It's just like any other sport. It is very physical as well, though,” said Nicholas Wallace, Div 815.

Bass Fishing requires more technical skill than any other sport, along with persistency and patience. It is not as rough as football, but can be just as mentally tiring.

“The hardest sport I've ever played has to be rugby. Not really fundamentally but definitely physically. My body aches after every game but it's so much fun so I makes it worth the ache worth it. I think that being part of a team means working well and communicating with each other. Strength and leadership play a role but I think it's all about having each other's back or else we'd fall apart on the

field,” said Maria Robbins, Div 617.A rugby player has the strength of a gymnast, stamina

of a soccer player, force of a linebacker, and the hand eye coordination of a baseball player.

“I think the hardest sport I've played is lacrosse. You need to have a lot of endurance to play the game you need to be able to lead your team to have better communication and when you're down in the game you need to bring them back up. You need the strength to continue playing when you're down by a lot and come back from it,” said Aleena Ahmed, Div 719.

Lacrosse can be a nonstop, high-speed, physical game requiring finesse skills while being attacked by the other team. There are less substitutions in Lacrosse com-pared to soccer, therefore a player can be out on the field for more than 80% of the game.

“I think all sports are equal in difficulty, lacrosse just comes easiest to me. Being part of a team requires a bal-ance of strength, endurance, and leadership. You need to be a good teammate or leader, while also being condi-tioned physically,” said Ken Grey, Div 617.

All sports are difficult in different ways so it is tough to determine which is the hardest. Sports like boxing, hockey, and football are the most physically demanding but mental-ly tennis and fishing are the hardest. Whatever sport may be the most difficult, it is important to respect all other sports and play your hardest no matter what you are doing.

Artwork by Roman

Does music motivate or distract?By Ozzy Ramirez

When an athlete is training or practicing, there are times when they may hit a bump in the road and lose the energy to continue working at the highest level. What can they turn to when they face this challenge? Coaches and athletes would say it’s from within. Others would say to think of your goals and aspirations, but what if the solution was music?

According to The Sport Journal when athletes are of-ten very closely matched in ability, music has the potential to have a small yet significant effect on an athlete’s perfor-mance. However, some athletes and coaches here at Taft like the idea of practicing to music, while others argue that it could be a distraction and can take away the focus nec-essary to improve athlete performance.

“I need undivided attention in order to explain what I need to teach. I don't need added distractions which create a difficult learning environment. It's all about creating an environment which fosters learning and progress, espe-cially in basketball. How many people set up to parallel park their car and turn the radio down? How many people have the TV or music on and try reading something and have to go back and read it again after they turn that down?

Why do you think nobody turns the radio up when they have to concentrate? Again in my humble opinion I don't see how it can benefit you while you're practicing. Now with all that being said, when I am going to play in a hostile environment, if we are all set on our execution I may throw a wrinkle in and turn the radio on loud just to see how they can play, but more importantly communicate, with the dis-traction of music. This is with a specific purpose though and not for your entertainment,” said Coach Brett Nishi-bayashi.

Not only is it seen as a distraction but it also may af-fect how you compete in games and matches as well.

“I don't listen to music during practice because I like to focus on my breathing and make sure it's controlled while running. I also like to practice in the same nature I race, so since headphones aren't a component in racing, I don't see them as a necessary component in training. I think it's beneficial to me as well because I train in the same way I race, and during races my breathing is a lot easier to con-trol, so pacing during longer races,” said Sabrina Vera, Div 615.

Others disagree however. Many athletes at Taft love having music when they workout and during practice be-

Artwork by Wiktoria Kowalczyk

cause it really picks up the tempo and makes practice more amusing.

“I play music to try to make practice a little more fun. I think it’s beneficial because it gets everyone excited and and amped up and makes my teammates want to work harder. I believe coaches should allow music at their prac-tices for sure. It brings a lot of energy that then turns into a bigger effort,” said Daniel Garcia, Div 714.

As much fun as it may be listening to music while working out and practicing as well, music can also do a lot more especially when it comes to game situations.

“I think I only tried to play music one time, but music at practice is a tool like anything else. It’s how about you use it. I love to play music during specific parts of practice. You can use it to help get your players amped up as well as help players get used to playing in loud, noisy environ-ments, improving their focus on game day,” said Coach John Tsarouchas.

Whatever the case may be, music can be a tool that can help teams immensely or completely take away the focus of the team. Just remember to stay focused and make sure the playlist is groovy.

Crossing the fi nish line of the seasonBy Husain Abdeljabar

With the 2016 spring season coming to a close, every sports team is nearing the end where the seniors put their last marks on the field, and younger players prepare for larger roles next year. One sport with an end is the boys and girls track and field team.

The track and field season is actually two seasons; the indoor track and field season occurs during the winter sea-son and outdoor track and field season occurs during the spring season. The track aspect of the sport contains the 2 mile relay (also know as the 4X800), the 400 meter relay (also known as the 4X100), the 3200 meter run (2 mile run), the 110 meter hurdles, 100 meter dash, 800 meter run, 800 meter relay (also known as the 4X200), the 400 meter dash, the 300 meter hurdles, the 1600 meter run (1 mile run), the 200 meter dash, and finally the mile relay (also known as the 4X400). The field aspect of the sport contains high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, and discus (outdoor season only).

“I'm proud of what the guys accomplished so far. They've made strides in getting faster, but I'm most proud of how they've handled the weather. In regard to weather, it's been the worst season I've ever been a part of, and the team really showed toughness throughout to post some really solid performances. To be honest, I'm a little disap-pointed in our overall performance at the City Champion-ships. We should have easily been a top 10, maybe even top 5 team, but we under-performed in a few events and finished 12th overall. That's not bad, but not as good as what we were capable of. I'm looking forward to how we perform at Sectionals,” sad Boys Varsity Head Coach James Bleicher.

The boys varsity team has toughed out every meet and the competition in doing so, putting on strong perfor-mances against some of the best schools in the state and city while giving them a run for their money.

“We finished 3rd in the City in the 4x200m with the fastest 4x200m I have ever coached. Our toughness, and a team accomplishment as far as I'm concerned, was shown at the Red Rib-bon Invite at Waubonsie Valley High School when the weather was so terrible that teams started to pack up and leave during the meet. Out of 16 teams, only four remained for the final event, and we were one of them,” said Bleicher.

The coaches do a great job at improving the team and making sure our men are putting in their absolute best effort everyday, but of course they can not do it alone and to help are the varsity captains.

“Being a leader on this team made me a better run-ner because it made me work harder so others could follow my lead. Next year I will put myself out there more often and take control of practice so that we can get better everyday and hopefully bring more Taft run-

ners to the state championship,” said Boys Varsity Captain Ryan Tran, Div.722.

Although the boys are working hard and putting in work, the girls are doing the same thing, the girls grind out everyday just as hard. Led by their captain Angela Przy-

wara (Div.715), who needs to be the coach/player in order to help the team perform a high level of competitiveness.

“Being a leader definitely is a rewarding position that changed me to be a more focused dedicated runner. I taught myself how to stay balanced between school and my physical life. With the positive attitude of my teammates I was able to stay committed and dedicated to the sport and to what I signed up for. It was my job to show the girls how to work hard everyday, show up to practice, and in all work together to be a team. I tried my hardest to succeed in those qualities In order to succeed not only a team but a family. Yes, there are individual races but I think everyone's hard work impacts the overall achievements of the team. The overall season was one not to be forgotten. Despite the bad days, our hard work payed off,” said Przywara.

This was also an historic year for girls, who broke many records, along with the biggest, baddest team they have ever featured.

Head Coach Garrett Mclinn said, “We had the largest group of kids out ever at about 36. It was also our first year that we were able to field an entire fresh/soph roster and was able to win sophomore city. Which was a whole team effort. The team worked well together throughout the sea-son to make this possible. From seniors to juniors pushing the younger kids to be the best they could be. Sophomore championship was accomplished by all. On the girls side we are losing 1 senior. Veronica Deane who has had a massive contribution to the positive trajectory of this team. However, we have a very strong freshman and sophomore class. My hope is that our numbers grow and one day I can say we are graduating 20 seniors and yes it'll have a huge impact on this team, however, we also have a very strong freshman class.”

Notable performances include:-Joan Kemper 300 hurdle (school record)-Megan Peters 300 hurdle (2nd fastest record)-Ximena Novoa 100 (5th highest record) and 200

(3rd fastest record)-Tara Kashani 100,

200, 400-Angela Przywara Tri-

ple jump (school record)-Ana Romic Triple

Jump (2nd highest record)-Jacqueline Mendoza

400 (4th fastest record), 800 (3rd fastest record) and 1600 (5th fastest record)

-Caroline Young 1600 (2nd fastest record) and 3200 (school record)

-Veronica Deane 1600 (4th all time)

-4x800 Young, Mendo-za, Deane, and Marisa Gui-done (2nd fastest record)

With a successful track and field season coming to a close, the team has a bright future filled with young tal-ent. Although the seniors will be missed, the team is al-ready ready for whatever the next season throws. With an excellent coaching staff that is equipped with the great knowledge of track and field this team can fly (or run) as far as it wants to go.Alec Gonzalez running the 4x100

Don’t get that summer time sadnessParticipating in summer camps is of the highest importance, especially for students

who plan on playing a fall sport. It is impossible for a fall sports team to compete at the highest level without a strong showing of students at summer camp.

For non fall sports, such as basketball and lacrosse, summer camp is extremely im-portant for instilling in athletes the skills they will need to be successful once the season comes.

“The water polo camp taught me to be more aggressive and fluent when playing. I pretty much learned how to do everything better. I’m happy I did it because I was able to contribute more to the team this season. I suggest doing a camp if you want to become a powerhouse,” said Cole Youngerman, Div. 615.

William Howard Taft High School has many camps now open for registration;-All Girls Lacrosse Camp (Grades 6-12)-Boys And Girls Basketball Camp (Grades 10-12) Combined Session 1 And 2-Boys Beginners Lacrosse Camp: Non-Contact (Grades 7-10)-Boys Water Polo Camp (Grades 9-12)-Cross Country Camp (Grades 9-12) coed-Eagles Swim Camp (Grades 9-12) coed-Football Camp (Grades 9-12) coed-Girls Volleyball Camp (Grade 9)-Girls Volleyball Camp (Grades 10-12)-Girls Water Polo Camp (Grades 9-12)High School Boys Soccer Camp (Grades 9-12)Want to register? Sign up! More more information on each summer camp, visit the

William Howard Taft High School website.

By Angelica Roman

Amira Hattab running hurdlesPhotos provided by Yearbook

Ceaser Ramirez running the mile

15SPORTS CONTINUED

Artwork by Julia Zeler

16SPORTS CONTINUED

Following in their footstepsBy Hayley Christopher

Most athletes grow up looking up to someone they wished to be like. These students have grown and excelled in their sport, so who do they have to thank?

“My dad has always been my biggest role model and number one fan. He played baseball all his life and being able to share that love of the game with him has brought us so close. He has taught me ev-erything he knows about the game and continues to support me and help me grow as a player. I’m seven-teen and still learning and growing and he helps me do that everyday,” said Amy Steibing, Div. 733.

“My cousin Alexa has been my role model. She goes to Oklahoma University and she plays la-crosse there. She is the reason I discovered my inter-est in the sport and I have grown to love it, thanks to her,” said Megan Meyer, Div. 731.

“My role model is a senior from Mather High School. At every meet, we always compete against each other and he motivated me to do better. Later on, he grew on me and became an older brother fig-ure. He is always teaching me how to be better with hurdles, sprints, etc,” said Lambros Karkazis, Div. 715.

“Emma Van Essen is my role model. Emma had been a great role model to me because she has taught me to always be a great player and never let anyone bring you down. Coming in as a freshman playing Varsity, I always thought I was the underdog. She taught me to always keep my head up and al-ways try my hardest, even if I made a mistake. Emma is one of the sweetest girls I have ever met, and I will always look up to her, and will always go to her when-ever I need advice. Even though she is graduating this year, I will never forget the life lessons she has taught me during season and after season. I consid-er her as a sister,” said Lily Rosales, Div. 847.

“Throughout my career on and off the court, my role model has been Kobe Bryant. He is a resilient individual. In the long duration of his life he faced many obstacles that he had to overcome to be who he is now Such as his countless injuries: torn achil-les, etc. Through it all with hard work and determina-tion, he bounced back and made a return for the love of the game and his team,” said Izaiah Sanders, Div. 724.

“Jesse Smith, my seventh and eighth grade football coach, is my role model because he got me back to playing football. He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He gave me my pride for the game and taught me how to respect the game. He always pushed me past my limits and without him, I wouldn’t still be playing football and probably wouldn’t have gotten into college,” said Christopher Triplett, Div. 621.

“My role model is Husain Abdeljabar (Div.628), he is an examples of a well rounded athlete. When Husain showed up the first day, I thought he would quit and give up but he didn’t, Husain has shown up to practices everyday, he worked hard, he has never missed a day and stills shows up even though he had a lot of school work, college work, and balancing time with his job. On the track meets, he did very well even though it was his first year of track. He had to overcome a lot of challenges; his girlfriend Lexy Ab-binanti (Div.642), stopped showing up to practice; Husain did not stop, Husain was not fazed, Husain was getting ready for city championships. Even though Husain did not qualify for state, he continued working hard everyday. Husain fights till the end!” said Sardor Naymanbaer, Div.726.

“My influences are Andy Navarro (Div. 619) and Michael Phelps.Andy brought me into swimming. He always knows what he’s doing and I could always count on him for advice. Michael Phelps is like a goal to me. He shows how overcoming challenges and hard workouts can pay off in the long run. That’s what I strive for,” said Cole Yungerman, Div. 619.

“Coach Tsarouchas is my rolemodel because he likes to give people chances. He is always moti-vating people and pumping them up in the weight room with his west coast music, loud screams, and his hour long lectures. He’s a big influence on me because he played at Northwestern. He makes me want to go harder and be like him and play D1. He never puts people down, he always has a positive influence on the team, and he has made me who I am today,” said Chris Carrera, Div. 723.