J o h n H e r s e y H i g h S c h o o l

CVo l u m e 4 5

A u g u s t 2 2 , 2 0 1 2 19 0 0 E . Th om a s St . , A r l i n g ton H e i g h t s , I L 6 0 0 0 4

or responden tThe

Ashley Hawkins

Social media is quickly be-coming the way to receive break-ing news. When tragedy strikes, Facebook feeds blow up with links and statuses, and the event is soon trending on Twitter.

When the Colorado shooting struck in Aurora on July 20, the na-tion responded in shock. !is ran-dom act of violence raised aware-ness that tragedies can strike at any moment.

“It made me feel disgusted that someone could do such a thing. I do not feel as safe at the movies as I did before,” senior Ste" Antony said.

!e event, along with many other current events, took over Twitter and Facebook in the fol-lowing hours.

“Social media is taking over for today’s news stations. It is a faster way to get news,” senior Ty-ler Vainisi said. “!ere seems to be more current events posted on social networks.”

Facebook and Twitter are e"cient ways to re-ceive news because they are so readily available.

People with smart phones or iPhones can download the respec-tive apps and log onto their accounts at any time.

Others with basic phones can still keep in touch with these plat-forms by sending and re-ceiving text alerts.

While social media may be e"cient in terms of time, it is not necessarily e"cient in terms of accuracy. People get so anxious to post what they heard that they don’t always

check to see if the facts are correct.“Social media helps get news

of the tragedy out to more people, and it helps keep people up to date on what has happened, but some of the information people put out is not 100 percent true, so people can be in#uenced by false information,” senior Jessica Jresiat said.

Because of this, students are initially wary about the truth of events posted on social media plat-forms.

“Hearing about a tragedy over Facebook at $rst de$nitely makes me question if it really happened, but once more people p o s t about it, I become convinced it hap-pened,” Jresiat said.

Some think that social media is a great outlet for breaking news because it reach-es out to a lot of people.

“There are so m a n y

groups on Facebook, so when something tragic happens, ce-lebrities and other groups make sta-tuses and their

followers see that. I think it’s good that social media informs us be-cause some people don’t watch the news,” Antony said.

“It’s kind of interesting to me because it creates more awareness of the tragedy,” senior Jamey Hill said.

For some, these social media platforms are their main way of re-ceiving news.

“I always seem to $nd out about tragedies through Facebook or through friends who saw it on Facebook. I feel like it’s a faster way to $nd out important information,” senior Ala Folta said.

Others argue that so-cial media sites

should stray away from acknowl-edging tragedies.

Facebook used to be a place to post

pictures, videos, and statuses from vaca-tions, parties, $eld

trips, concerts, etc. But now, people are less shy about posting sad updates.

“Facebook is [used] for fun. I

wouldn’t want to see a tragedy on it. !at’s what the news is for,” Vainisi said.

“It’s a little i%y to me because it can also

be kind of upsetting. Like if you hear about a friend’s

death on Facebook, it can be both enlightening and frightening, you would rather not learn about it that way, but at least you know,” Hill said.

Brian Loomis

Events like $res, shootings, and tornadoes aren’t very common in this area. Yet the Aurora shoot-ings and the Sikh temple shoot-ings have shown that tragedies can happen anywhere. !ough these events o&en happen without warn-ing, students have drills to prepare.

Yet drills are o&en not kept secret, so students are aware that there is no real danger. !ey in-stead decide to view the practice as a period of goo$ng o% and getting out of class.

While the $re department may be present at one or two $re drills, the other drills lack the presence of appropriate authorities.

“!e drills are not taken seri-

ously enough, and everyone jokes around the whole time,” junior Emma Mallers said.

Students may not take the drills seriously enough, but this problem may extend to the teach-ers as well.

When the administrators manage to sneak a drill past the students, the teachers are still made aware of the situation via e-mail.

In the drill directions, which are posted on the district website, the instructions state, “Please Note: During an actual tornado warning, students would be asked to kneel on the #oor with their head down and hands covering their head.”

With directions that specify things that need not be done in a drill, but only if the situation is real,

the purpose isn’t fully met because students are not executing the situ-ation as if it were reality.

“We just sit in the hallway, but in an emergency that’s not really what would happen,” junior Kaytee Okon said.

With students aware that the drills lack the seriousness that should be present, the situation re-occurs year a&er year.

“!ere should be a drill that is a surprise to everyone including teachers,” junior Angela Schmie-derer suggested.

While a problem may exist, students still have a sense of safety when the go to school each day.

“I know the proper actions would be taken if something unsafe were to happen,” Okon said.

I s s u e 1

How do you !nd out most of your

news?A. The news 30%

B. Social media sites 52%

C. I don’t pay attention 18%

Questions surround drill procedures and directionsHuskie Poll

The Social Network:Social media replaces traditional news

JESSICA LYNK

Page

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Students spend stash on summer

Restaurants ranked on French fries

Page

5Pa

ge 6

Mandarin students venture to foreign land

ESSICA LYNK

News Au g u s t 2 2 , 2 012Th e Co r r e s p on d e n t2

Kevin Hyde

A!er a four year long battle with cancer, senior Shea Anderluh died peacefully in her sleep on July 25.

She was a member of the class of 2012, however, vari-ous treatments and proce-dures inhibited her from at-tending classes this past school year.

F r i e n d s and family cel-ebrated Shea’s life at a wake service on July 27 where 900 to 1,000 indi-viduals came to show their condolences and share their stories, fol-lowed by a fu-neral service the next day at St. James.

Friends agree that Shea’s per-sonality deeply impacted their lives.

“I have always felt inferior to Shea. Not because she set out to make people feel that way, she was truly just the best at everything. Her beauty, brains, coolness, talent, humor, and kindness, Shea had it all and more,” friend and graduate Madeline Weber said.

Friends want to remember her for her good traits, not cancer.

“When I think of Shea, I don’t think of cancer. It’s not her sickness or her death that impacted me, it’s her as a person. She impacted me in so many ways from sixth grade up until senior year,” best friend and graduate Lauren Kelley said.

“She taught me to notice the beautiful things in life: how to bring laughter to any situation, never to judge, and most impor-tantly, she taught me what a friend truly is,” Kelley said.

Shea’s neighbors also felt her impact "rsthand.

“Life is built around memo-ries, and my childhood memories revolve around Shea and her fam-ily,” junior Alex Mueller said. “Shea was a uniquely cool girl who would rather read ‘Harry Potter’ in Flori-da than tan or swim like most girls, and play ‘Call of Duty’ or ‘Assas-sins Creed’ instead of gossip with friends. What guy doesn’t want to talk with a girl about the newest video game?”

Two weeks before Shea’s death, the Anderluh’s added a new member to their family. Per Shea’s request, a new golden retriever puppy, Bailey, made her way into the household.

In some ways, the Anderluh’s view Bailey as a constant reminder of Shea.

“I’m sad she didn’t get to fully enjoy the puppy, but she’s de"nitely a reminder of Shea. It’s almost like a newborn in a way. While one loved one has le! us, a new one is coming in,” her mother, Liz Anderluh said.

In Shea’s "nal days, she set her ambitions high and had various activities and interests she wanted to accomplish. From learning Ital-

ian to going to Disney World, she was still making plans to enjoy her last few days.

“Shea had told us that she wanted to write us [in the fam-ily] a letter. She said it would take eight days each. Unfortunately she never got to do that,” Liz Anderluh said.

“I wish she got to use her potential and see where she would be when she got older. I had always thought maybe she wanted to be an animal control worker. She always watched the show ‘Animal Cops’ and she even turned me onto that, Liz Anderluh said.

#e sense of com-munity a!er Shea’s

death proved heartwarming to the Anderluh family.

“It was just so nice seeing ev-eryone bring candles over that night. She was somewhat private about who she was talking with and how many people were follow-ing her, so it was just so nice to see everyone at the wake and the fu-neral,” Liz Anderluh said.

As far as remembrance goes, the Anderluh’s and other loved ones want to stress the good times, and not the times of sickness.

“Shea would rather be remem-bered for the person that she was, not as the poster-child for cancer,” Liz said.

One thing was apparent, Shea was a unique and fun-loving girl who impacted all people she came in contact with.

“She was authentic, never fake. Con"dent without being loud. Super smart but never studious. Nerdy, and yet the coolest person you ever met. Awkward, but appeal-ing. Beautiful but not the slightest bit vain. Musically gi!ed without even trying (or practicing). Ath-letic and brave, willing to try any-thing, from basketball and soccer to skiing and snowboarding; and then, when treatment sapped her lung capacity, she gave badminton a try and wound up third in con-ference freshman year. I treasure those memories,” Liz Anderluh, wrote on her Caring Bridge site.

Shark attack keeps student on alert

North Korean leader gets married

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, raised questions when he was photographed in public in the company of an un-known woman. It was eventu-ally discovered that the woman was Jong Un’s new wife, Ri Sol Ju.

“I’m not really updated about this, but I don’t think it will bring any change to their current situation,” junior Ra-chel Stenzel said.

She has been described as “pretty and charming” by a Japanese sushi chef who served the Kim family for 13 years, but also raised some criticism when she was seen with a Dior bag that cost more than the annual income of the average North Korean.

“It’s just one of the perks of being wife to the dictator, I guess,” Stenzel said.

#e very public presence of Sol Ju and the state released pictures of the newlyweds have been seen as a step away from the secrecy of the late Kim Jong Il’s regime.

MELANIE COHODES

Despite loss, senior leaves students inspiredNEWS  YOU  NEED  TO  

KNOW

A man was attacked by a shark o$ the coast of one of Cape Cod’s popular beaches, Ballston Beach, on July 31. #ere had been warnings of shark sightings all day, but that didn’t stop Chris Myers and his son from going out to body surf.

On the way back in, My-ers felt something bite his leg, and when looking down, saw there was a Great White shark attached to his le! leg. Luckily, the shark let go and swam away before it could cause too much damage.

“I’m glad that there were no serious injuries,” sopho-more Kevin Messer said, “But this doesn’t change how I view swimming in the ocean. I would miss it too much.”

Once Myers reached the beach, he was immediately helped by a doctor and nurse that were on the shoreline. #e injuries sustained from the at-tack include severed tendons and puncture wounds from the teeth, leaving Myers in a cast on his le! leg and 47 stitches in his right leg.

JACK HARGETT

Senior Shea Anderluh lost her four year battle with cancer.

Shea’s attitude has served as an inspiration for many.

To read more about Shea Anderluh

and other new stories

Go to CorrespondentLive.

Click under quicklinks on the JHHS homepage.

is published 10 times a year by the journalism students of John Hersey High School, 1900 East !omas Street, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004. Subscription rate is $15 a year. Call for advertising rates. Phone (847) 718-4945. !e Correspondent welcomes a free exchange of ideas. Letters to

the editor may be sent to correspondent@d214.org. Because school o"cials do not engage in prior review, and the content of !e Corre-spondent is determined by, and re#ects only the views of the student sta$ and not school o"cials or the school itself, its student editorial board and responsible student sta$ members assume complete legal and %nancial liability for the content of the publication. !e Correspondent will not publish any material determined by

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The Correspondent

Nick Diaz

I feel it’s safe to say “!e Dark Knight Rises” was one of the best movies ever to hit the big screen. !e nail biting story, epic battles, and big explosions are what people have come to expect from super hero movies these days. And while I respect most other su-perheroes, there is something about batman in particular that speaks out to just about every-one. !at is, Batman has become a sort of sym-bol of hope and potential for the world.

Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty about the caped crusader that screams unrealistic. I don’t expect to see anyone dressing like a crea-ture of the night and "ying around Arlington Heights looking for crime to #ght. Well, I have my suspicions about Mr. Borgho$ but that’s be-side the point.

What is real about it though, is the idea of a man no di$erent from anyone else, rising above adversity and dedicating his life to doing good for the world, re-gardless of what happens to him.

I’ll give a quick summary of this captivating hero. Bruce Wayne was a privileged child born into one of the wealthiest families in the world. His parents were as equally decent and good hearted as they were rich.

!ey were killed right in front of young Bruces’ eyes by a petty thief in the streets of Gotham City. Years later, in re-sponse to the senseless murder committed upon the Waynes, Bruce uses his wealth and at-tained skill in combat and investigative work to cleanse and protect a horrendously corrupt and crime infested Gotham.

No super strength, super speed, or mind reading powers to rely on, Bruce Wayne be-comes the Batman and begins his work as a hero.

!e wonderful part about this story is how grounded in reality it is. Bruce Wayne is just an ordinary human who chooses to become a hero, not by appealing to the public or becom-ing a celebrity, but by doing everything in his mortal power to help others and do good. And in that sense, the role of “hero” can be taken by just about anyone.

It goes without saying that #ghting crime is a bit extreme, but there are plenty of ways for everyday people, even high schoolers, to be he-roes. In fact, all anyone here needs to do is look around the halls and see acts of heroism and ac-

tual heroes at work.To me, the teachers

and sta$ here are real super heroes. Not only

do they give students loads of knowledge that will prepare them for the future, but many of them teach kids valuable lessons that help shape who the students become. I say this be-cause I myself have learned some of the most important lessons and received priceless advice from plenty of the sta$ here.

!at is why I believe in heroes, I’ve seen them with my own eyes. And that is why I call upon all the students here to be heroes as well. Whether it be protecting the environment, speaking out against injustices or wrong do-ings, or just being a source of comfort for a hurt friend, there are endless ways for people to be heroes. In the #lm, Batman even tells Commis-sioner Gordon how much of a help it was when

he comforted young Bruce af-ter his parents’ death.

A key element of Batman is fear. O%en times, people turn away from problems and op-portunities because their fear holds them back. For that, most people hate fear and demonize it. Batman however, does not reject his fear; he embraces it. Ironically, Bruce Wayne has a deep fear of bats.

When he grows up, he faces his fear head on, and then wears it like a mantle, sharing it with the criminals that plague his city.

!is concept has been greatly analyzed, but the way I see it is that fear is a part of ev-

eryone, and no one can escape it. Instead, peo-ple should look at it as a source of learning and growth. It tells us our weaknesses, and in turn we learn to surpass those weaknesses.

!ough we may fear something, we shouldn’t let it stop us from doing what we want or what should be done.

Everyone has the potential for greatness, fear can be an obstacle only if someone lets it be.People in comic books and movies look up to super heroes because they give them comfort and hope. Well, I look up to plenty of people in the real world for the same reasons.

Batman may be #ctional, but he is still a symbol of the potential all people have to be he-roes. So if somebody appears to need help or something seems wrong, think of Bruce Wayne and his crusade as Batman, but most impor-tantly as a normal human being. !ere is evi-dence everywhere of heroes hard at work.

Editors-in-ChiefAshley Hawkins

Kevin Hyde

Online Editor-in-ChiefGarret Matchen

Managing EditorClaudia Caplan

Editorial BoardAbby Fesl

Mackenzie FrancisBrian LoomisJessica Lynk

Emily Swanson

Online Editorial BoardMax Bestvina

Michael Miller

Copy EditorMelanie Cohodes

News EditorsNatalie Czarnota

Erika MurilloIsabella Murray

In-Depth EditorsNicole Cecala Mili Pandya

Caitlin StrozewskiJulia Kedzior

Entertainment Editors

Brian Boyle

Graphics EditorsJack Hargett

Sports EditorsScott Bakal

Anthony Bella!oreTim Gri"n

David Milligan

Opinion EditorsNick Diaz

Dino LjubijankicDrew Snelson

Feature EditorsMiranda FanellaMatt Stadnicki

AdviserJanet Levin

OpinionsAu g u s t 2 2 , 2 012 Th e Co r r e s p on d e n t 3

It’s hard to believe that going into senior year, I already know where I’m going to be spending my life a%er high school. I am one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to worry about the infamous college applications and essays or the stress of waiting for the accep-tance letters.

My home a%er high school will be the University of North Florida, where I will be playing volleyball.

Most people assume I had it easy, that I woke up one day and said, “I’m going to play college volleyball, and I’m going to go here.” !at’s not exactly how it happened.

It all started freshman year when I de-cided I wanted to play in college. I made it my goal through every tryout, practice, game, and tournament. Every high school and club season has been a stepping stone to get to where I am today.

In November of sophomore year I took my #rst of eight visits, and I could not have been more terri#ed. I walked through cam-pus smiling and nodding, but saying practi-cally nothing. Of course, it’s easy to love the #rst college. A%er all, there’s nothing to com-pare. But things didn’t work out, and thank-fully they didn’t.

Finally, on my eighth visit, I was sold. I still walked through campus smiling and nodding, but this time, I was taking it all in. I was absolutely in love with everything on campus; the palm trees and the lakes and I guess I can’t complain about being #ve miles from the ocean either. !ankfully, it all worked out this time.

I know what it’s like to go on visits upon visits and talk to complete strangers on the phone. I know what it’s like to sit in front of a computer for hours sending e-mails upon e-mails. And I know what it’s like to have ev-ery person in the family know the username and password to my Yahoo account so I can constantly have a full update on who needed more video or who the rejection was for the week.

Whenever I see my classmates applying on Common App, or I read a tweet about how incredibly stressed someone is for their college apps, I sit back and smile be-cause I have the undeniable joy of knowing. Knowing where I’m going and knowing all the people that helped me get there. And I couldn’t be happier.

OUROpinion

In

“How was your summer?”

learned about reality. While people were complaining

about the unusually hot weather, oth-ers were struggling to make a living while the heat crushed their crops.

about our petty problems. When going to the movies, we

learned that no matter where we go, we are not safe. A person who looks suspicious could walk into a theater in Colorado and shoot innocent movie-watchers.

leave nothing le% unsaid. A%er the shooting in a Sikh tem-

ple in Milwaukee, hatred towards eth-nic groups were proven to still exist.

are o$ended by hateful speech could protect the faith of others.

While we watched all countries come together in the Olympics, al-though we still had pride for U.S., we still felt pride for others.

athletes comes from, we can still cheer them on a%er hearing their stories.

take a young person’s life, but it didn’t stop her from impacting ours.

live in fear. We learned to be cautious, but still enjoy the things we love, not waiting for life to pass us by.

Batman shows senior potentional of humanity

Students get real-life insight throughout the summer

Senior Soundoff

Abigail Fesl

Decision day doneSress starts earlier for some

What is real about it

though, is the idea of a man no

different from anyone else, rising above

adversity and dedicating his life to

doing good for the world, regardless of

what happens to himself.

In-‐Depth Au g u s t 2 2 , 2 012Th e Co r r e s p on d e n t4

Where Did the

Money Go?

Mili Pandya

Spending money over the summer is in-

evitable, and one of the easiest ways to do just that

is by eating. Making plans with friends during the sum-

mer o!en consists of going out to eat, and a!er going out count-

less times during the break, it can really take a bite out of a student’s

wallet.Whether it’s a sub for lunch or

fro-yo for a snack, restaurants are found at almost every corner to "ll an empty

stomach. Two of the most popular places around

are Randhurst Village and downtown Arling-ton Heights. Randhurst is undergoing renova-tions and is constantly opening up new dining venues, while downtown Arlington is updating some of their joints to keep up with the compe-tition.

“I prefer downtown Arlington because I like the food choices there more than Rand-hurst,” sophomore Joslyn Kerman said.

Nevertheless, both o#er many hangouts serving a variety of foods. From eating bread bowls to burrito bowls, these restaurants are go-to places for students throughout the year, but more so in the summer.

$is summer, though, the fa-vorite treat has been frozen yo-gurt. Groups of friends can be seen throughout the day devouring ice cream’s biggest competitor. Most ‘fro-yo’ shops allow custom-ers to mix-and-match %a-vors and add an endless amount of toppings, making it very appeal-ing to students.

Kerman agreed, saying, “Fro-yo tastes better than ice cream and you get to add toppings.”

Julia Kedizor

Screaming their heads o# at a favorite band’s concert, enjoying a day of good weather while watching their favorite team play, or hang-ing out at a festival or fair; all of these are things that students love to do to "ll up their summers and make some remarkable memories for years to come.

Since we live so close to a huge city "lled with diverse cultures, traditions, and customs, "nding an event to enjoy over the summer shouldn’t be di&cult at all. For example, popu-lar events among students include Lollapalooza and the B96 Summer Bash.

Unfortunately, these events aren’t free. $e part that’s challenging for students (and their wallets) is that these events o!en cost more than a few dollars.

Money is one of the main issues that need to be taken into consideration. Students already have several other expenses all year long, so they want to make sure that the event is worth the money. When it comes to deciding whether to sacri"ce these fun days and save money, the de-cision isn’t always easy.

Spending time in a fun way is something that nobody wants to refuse, even when the stu-dents are the ones paying for the entertainment.

“I spend my own money on things like that (concerts), ” senior Marat Kucherina said. It can be a good way to catch up with old friends and get some great bonding time.

“I like going with friends that I haven’t seen in a long time, and it’s worth it because we get to hang out all day and do fun things,” Kucherina said.

Another great way to get out of the house and have some fun is watching sporting events. Athletes aren’t the only ones who can enjoy those, and it’s a very nice thing to do on a perfect sunny day in-stead of sitting in front of the TV watching the same thing.

“I like going to sporting events like Cubs games during the summer. It’s nice to sit back and enjoy the event,” junior Chris Yendrzejowski said. “You can spend a lot of time with good friends and family.”

When it’s some-thing they enjoy so

much, money isn’t that big of a complication for students.

Even though no one likes spending their own money, students can "nd plenty of ways to get something great out of it.

When they look back at the great time they had, they’ll be remembering the great experi-ence, not how much money it cost them. With a busy school year coming up soon "lled with responsibilities and obligations, these and other events can keep students occupied and satis"ed.

fro-­yo

Concerts cut cash out of students’ bottom line

Students lose cash to tasty treats

GRAPHIC BY: JACK HARGETT

GRAPHIC BY: JESSICA LYNK

ReviewsAu g u s t 2 2 , 2 012 Th e Co r r e s p on d e n t 5

Summer dominated by box o!ce

take your pick

Brian Boyle

Undoubtedly the biggest time of the year for big budget !lms is the summer. Almost every weekend, a huge movie is released that causes everyone to rush to local theaters and dish out ten bucks for a couple hours of blockbuster cin-ema.

"is summer was no di#erent. Superhero epics, sci-! thrillers, gut busting comedies, and animated adventures $ooded the box o%ce for the past two and a half months.

Wait, I lied. In retro-spect, this summer’s been pretty disappointing. In-stead of a constant $ow of awesome blockbusters, we were given a handful of huge, genre-de!ning !lms. I guess it’s a tradeo#.

One of the most antici-pated !lms of the year was “Prometheus.” Releasing on June 8, the movie marks di-rector Ridley Scott’s return to the science !ction genre.

Scott previously directed 1979’s horror classic “Alien” and 1982’s “Blade Runner.” “Pro-metheus” actually acted as a sort of quasi pre-quel/tie-in to “Alien” and kept me on the edge of my seat.

"e !lm chronicles a group of scientists as they investigate a distant planet in hopes of !nding alien organisms with genetic links to hu-mans. While some of the cast is clearly prey for the hostile forces, there are a couple very inter-esting characters.

Michael Fassbender stars as David, a ro-bot nearly identical to human beings but much smarter than the rest of the crew. His quest to !nd and impress his creator mirrors that of the

main characters, and creates a Pinnochio-esque storyline that’s very engaging.

Idris Elba plays Janek, the no-nonsense ex-military captain of the ship Prometheus who in the end displays his strong morals and honor-able heroism.

“Prometheus” stumbles through the last half-hour or so and asks a lot of big questions

about God and the creation of man, though it under-standably doesn’t make up any answers. It’s intense and downright disturbing at times, and a must-see for science !ction fans.

Going into this sum-mer if there’s one !lm I was wary of it was “"e Amaz-ing Spider-Man.” Like most everyone else, I wondered why the Spidey franchise should be rebooted a mere !ve years a&er the end of the original trilogy. "en I saw the new one and was pleasantly surprised.

“"e Amazing Spider-Man” is only director Mark

Webb’s second !lm a&er 2009’s popular roman-tic-comedy “(500) Days of Summer,” and some of that ‘rom-com’ awkwardness de!nitely shines through.

"is is really shown when Andrew Gar!eld as Peter Parker interacts with his high school girlfriend Gwen Stacy, played by the always-en-tertaining Emma Stone.

"e two have great on-screen chemistry that has viewers rooting and laughing for them at the same time, and is easily one of the better parts of the !lm.

French fries should be hot, salty, and full of $avor. It’s di%cult to perfectly com-bine these traits to create a delicious, golden fry.

Burger King’s fries are too hot and too bland; McDonald’s loads them with too much salt, but Wendy’s is the one place that never leaves me disappointed.

"e natural cut, sea salt coated fries are always a delight. "ey aren’t too crisp, nor are they too soggy. "e salt adds just enough $avor; they can be eaten with ketchup or plain.

Sometimes, I even dip them in a choc-olate frosty. "e contrast of the salty fry and sweet chocolate makes a delicious treat.

ASHLEY HAWKINS

Wendy’s triumphs

Burger King fails to pass standards

Taste and nutrition are the two main factors when it comes to french fries. Al-most all are delicious, yet all are not nutri-tious. Frech fries, although very tasty, raise cholesterol, add saturated fat, and add way too much sodium to eater’s diets.

With the health risks posted every-where students look, students still have a knack to grab fries with most meals. While most fries are appetizing (McDon-alds, Wendy’s, and Culver’s) and worth the health risks, some fries, like Burger King’s, are wretched in taste and health.

Burger King’s fries lack the taste and texture of their competitors fries. "e fries taste as if they were dried out on a blacktop on a hot summer day. With Burger King’s fries, students obtain a horrible taste com-bines with risky nutrition.

Overall, despite the health problems cause by fries and fast food in general, the taste of McDonalds and Wendy’s fries make the risks appear as no harm. I guess taste buds appear to disable health risks among students.

GARRET MATCHEN

Looking for a great place to experience a cheap fry? Steak and Shake is the joint.

"e french fries are a crispy, inexpen-sive way to crave the salty, crunchy snack students are looking for. Although Steak and Shake is de!nitely not sitting at the top of the totem pole, the unhealthy snack will !ll a belly without emptying the wallet.

"e french fries may not be worthy of a long car ride for a crispy fry, but if one is at Steak and Shake, I advise her to just spring for the fry.

CLAUDIA CAPLAN

Shaking things upone fry at a time

Michael Fassbender as android Da-vid investigating an alien artifact

in “Prometheus.”

ROMETHEUS-MOVIE.COM

Features Au g u s t 2 2 , 2 012Th e Co r r e s p on d e n t6

Mandarin class takes !eld trip to ChinaJessica Lynk

Over the summer, many students took trips across the U.S. and even to Europe. A few Chinese-studying students got to take the trip of a lifetime to China to submerge themselves in Chinese culture.

“!e most exciting part was the fact that I was going to the other side of the world to see thousands of years of history and some of the most modern and populous cities on Earth,” ju-nior Jacob Komenda said.

While students got to learn about history, they also got to experience new cultures.

“I learned that there is actually other people and countries out there with uniquely di"erent cultures than us. It’s one thing to read about it and see pictures, but it’s completely di"erent when you actually go there and witness it,” Ko-menda said.

“I think it’s important for everyone to expe-rience a di"erent culture sometime in their life; it helps you keep an open mind,” senior Tim Bouchee said.

Since all of these students are currently en-rolled in Mandarin, they also picked up more understanding of the language.

“It gives me some more knowledge of the Chinese language which will be very useful as I continue learning it,” Komenda said.

!ey also endured new foods, which weren’t always similar to American food.

“!ere is only minimal western food, so you are forced to at least try whatever is in front of you no matter how it looks,” Komenda said.

Besides experiencing new food, they also got to see new architecture which Komenda said “just blows us out of the water.”

Although the trip taught the students about new culture, it also taught them new life lessons.

“Now, I enjoy ev-ery meal I have. I [now] enjoy every second of unrestricted access to the Internet, and I try to think about what I’m doing with every dollar I spend because I blew a load of money in China on random things that I bought for fun, and I can’t a"ord to do that back in the US,” Komenda said.

Not only did the students learn about

China, they also dis-covered there is more of the world to see.

“It really was a life changing experience. I had never been to a for-eign country before, and being there makes me want to see the world,” Komenda said.

For Komenda, going to the Olympic village in Beijing was his favorite part of the trip.

“I’m a huge track guy and am absolutely ob-sessed with the Olympics, so when I walked out into the seats and saw the track, I almost broke down because I was so excited.”

Christenson’s memory remembered through bookmark listMichael MillerMatt Stadnicki

Even a#er in$uential people are gone, their memory lives on through the lives they had an impact on. English teacher Kathy Christenson was no exception in the positive change she had on students.

Her memory continues on through the me-morials in her honor, such as the reading garden in front of the school and her list of 50 things to do over the summer.

Even those who didn’t know her bene%t from her legacy because of a bookmark created and given out at the end of the school year. Eng-lish teachers gave them out a#er the dedication of her garden.

!e bookmark is titled “!e List- 50 !ings To Do !is Summer,” and it holds true to its word. Many of the list’s items are common sum-mer practices, like “eat ice cream” (#9) or “hang out at the beach” (#19), but other entries are more unusual.

From “go to an outdoor concert” (#1) to “contact someone you haven’t seen in a while” (#45), all of these activities encourage students to “explore their worlds, live life to the fullest, and never stop learning” as said on the book-mark.

!e bookmarks also encourage students to keep physically active and look at summer in a di"erent way.

“I think [English teacher]Mr. Dassonville handed out the bookmarks not only for us to

try and remember Mrs. Christenson but also to keep active this summer.” junior Daniel Puka said.

Physical activities like “go for a long bike ride” (#6) encourage students to explore their surroundings, while keeping active.

For some students, this list inspired them to take on some of the challenges and experiences that the bookmark contains and most impor-tantly, allowed them to remember Christenson.

“[Handing out the bookmarks] at the end of the school year not only serves as a memoir to us of all the great things she has done for our school, but also as a reminder as we go through our summer of the care she showed to her stu-dents as they do the things mentioned on her list.” senior Ryan Kearns said.

“With my internship and job at Mariano’s, my junior year never ended,” senior Tori Valadez said. “I was constantly gone and I didn’t get to enjoy my summer the way I wanted to.”

Summer jobs easily take up time in a student’s summer. Students work-ing at either clothing stores, lifeguarding, or a part time in-ternship take on many responsibil-ites in the summer.

“I was as stressed out as I was during the school year,” Valadez said.

As summer ends, students can look for-ward to last shi#s at the work place and look forward to football games and seeing friends in the fall.

“I’m psyched for my season and for se-nior year to start,” Valadez said.

EMILY SWANSON

Summer jobs ending brings joy to students

Science rooms receive renovations Starting on the last day of the 2011-2012 school year, the science rooms started

receiving major renovations. Two new general science labs were built in the space that once held the division head and science o&ce, and those teachers will relocate to the biology workroom and in the old AP environmental sci-ence lab.

!e renovations are part of a plan by the district to renovate di"er-ent parts of the school every two years. “!is shows that the district under-

stands the importance of safe and updated facilities for our students,” science teacher Joanell Hoijer said.

“Since the rooms weren’t reno-vated since the school opened, it was

necessary to renovate them,” senior Bianca Nor-ris said.

“!is year’s renovations are all part of the necessary renovations to help o"er the highest quality of science education to our students. We are fortunate to be able to work and learn in these safe and versatile facilities,” Hoijer said.

NATALIE CZARNOTA

MATT STADNICKI

Division Head of sscience and math Jef-frey Wardle shows a new, renovated lab.

Two new general science labs were built over the summer.

COURTESY OF JACOB KOMENDA

Komenda and other Mandarin students enjoyed the educational trip to China. “I have hours of stories to tell,” said Komenda.

Nicole Cecala

Coaches are o!en looked up to, admired, and o!en become many students’ role models. For all students’ safety, starting this year, coaches are required to sign a Code of Conduct, a document stating all the behaviors expected of those coaching in District 214.

"ose behaviors consist of spe-ci#c principles, ethical standards, responsibilities, and expectations of all coaches. "ose who refuse to sign cannot coach.

"e enforcment of all signa-tures is the assistant principal for student activities, to ensure every coach’s signature is accounted for.

“It has been discussed at the district level for about a year, and the #nal version was approved by the Board of Education this sum-mer,” assistant principal John No-vak said regarding the coming of the Code.

Discussion began with the par-ent of two Rolling Meadows gradu-ate students, Tom Colin, who helped work with the district in creating this Code of Conduct for coaches.

On the Code, there is nothing stating penalties if violated. Instead, that responsibility is given over to the admin-istration to decide on the consequence of the violation.

Some examples of the Code are that coaches will take responsibility for the athletes’ well-be-ing and development, and coaches will commit themselves to their athletes’ academic achieve-ment.

“It is my belief that we have lived under this unwritten code for quite some time. Coaches are aware of what is expected of them by the ad-ministration,” Novak said about the content of the Code.

For students and players, the new Code only ensures to them what is expected of their coaches.

SP R SS R S

Matt Stadnicki

"e Olympics are a competition between the world’s top athletes that shows o$ their hard work, talent, and determination.

Watching the best of the best go against each other can be inspiring. “Seeing the people race with so much passion makes you want to compete at that level,” senior Robert Somary said.

In addition to inspiration, the Olympics also bring a big amount of awareness to uncom-mon sports. Although not o!en heard about, sports like sailing, shooting, handball, and judo can be entertaining to watch and become more well known due to the Olympics.

"ough the Olympics show them every four years, uncommon sports are not o!en on main sports channels, which can hurt their popularity and awareness. In a d d i t i o n , most uncommon Olympic sports are not IHSA sanctioned, and therefore do not have school teams and do not compete in state series.

Despite not being well-known and the lack of school teams, many stu-dents are involved in lesser known sports.

"e Olympics show many players that there’s a larger community out there who play and compete in uncommon sports.

"e knowledge that there are others in the world who practice those sports too, can en-courage players of uncommon sports that al-though they may practice alone or only with a couple of friends, others in the world do too.

Students are fortunate to have Lake Arling-ton nearby, which allows many to go sailing, along with other water sports like canoeing or kayaking.

Junior Jack O’Neil sails in the Lake Arling-ton Sailing Camp. Although the camp is not

competitive, it allows O’Neil and others to prac-tice sailing together.

“I have a few friends that go on the lake [with me] for fun,” O’Neil said. Lake Arlington also o$ers rental boats and kayaks, in addition to sailing and kayaking lessons.

Although many people who play uncom-mon sports casually don’t participate in camps, a camp is o!en a good idea for a sport where the basics need to be taught.

Other uncommon sports featured in the Olympics do not need a camp or basic instruc-tion in order to get started. Some just require equipment.

Sports like archery, shooting, trampoline and weightli!ing do not need a lot of instruc-tion in order to be done casually- many can do them at home. “I just do it [practice archery] in my backyard,” junior Ziggy Zamora said.

D u e to the convenience of being able to practice at home, many of these

sports tend to be more popular. "e ability to practice freely, and

not have to conform to a schedule, is an added luxury that these sports have over

more popular sports, which can attract people.

“It’s [archery] de#nitely not a major sport, but there’s a good amount of people in it,” Zamora said.

Some may think that the relatively small amount of people in these uncommon Olym-pic sports would discourage the competitors in them, however, that is not the case.

Many of the sports can generally only be practiced alone. More team oriented sports, like table tennis, require more than one person.

However, many still keep practicing, de-spite the lack of people. “It’s still a lot of fun, and they’re just missing out,” O’Neil said.

Coaches compromise with Code of Conduct

Olympics bring attention to lesser known sports

Students find inspiration through Olympic athletes

MACKENZIE FRANCIS

Coaches were asked to sign a form called the Code Of Conduct, stating that they will treat each player on their

team with respect. Coach Dragan Teonic talks to senior Quinn Orlandi about the contents of the new document.

For the average person, the Olympics seems like a special occasion for athletes, who have been training their whole lives, to compete against each other, but in reality, some of the athletes started their sports just a few years before entering the games.

Adam van Koeverden, a gold, silver, and bronze Olympic medalist in kayaking, is a perfect example of one of these athletes.

According to vankayak.com, van Ko-everden’s passion of kayaking began at the age of 13 due to an ad in the newspaper, and a little enthusiasm from his mother. Less than 10 years later, van Koeverden won his #rst gold medal at the Olympics in Athens and then another.

Van Koeverden followed up on his suc-cess by competing and winning more med-als in the Beijing Olympics, and then in London.

Unlike Gabby Douglas, van Koeverden hadn’t been training or even competing in his sport his whole life.

Douglas, however, had started training as a gymnast at the young age of six. At 14, Douglas moved across the country, leaving her family behind, to further pursue her gymnastics career, as stated on gabrielle-douglas.com.

“Gabby inspired me to achieve my dreams and to reach for higher,” junior Tam-ar Blair said.

At the London Olympics, Douglas was the #rst African-American gymnast ever to win gold as the all-around champion and also as a member of the gymnastics team.

“[Gabby] is amazing at vault, and vault is my favorite event,” junior Christie Tansor said. “All around she is an amazing gymnast, and she really proved in by getting gold.”

Similar to Douglas, gym-nast Aly Raisman began her

career as a child. Like van Koeverden, her mother

was a gymnast in high school and pushed her to

give gymnastics a try. Raisman was the #rst U.S.

woman to win the %oor exercise, and also won bronze on the balance beam,

along with gold on the women’s team.Other Olympic athletes such as Oscar

Pistorius were introduced to their sport, not knowing they would #nd a passion in it. As a six-month-old baby, Pistorius was not run-ning quite running around, but getting used to his new prosthetic legs, instead.

According to oscarpistorius.com, Pis-torius was born without the #bula bone in each of his legs, therefore requiring an am-putation from the knees down, to ensure a promising life. It wasn’t until Pistorius was 16 that running became the main focus of his life.

Being the #rst paraplegic to compete against able body runners in London was just the #rst of many more accomplishments to come for Pistorius.

Michael Phelps has had his fair share of success, starting his Olympic career in 2000 and ending it this year a!er holding the title of winning the most Olympic medals ever, with the staggering number of 22.

Whether some of the Olym-pic athletes have been training their whole life for these intense games, or whether they started not too long ago, their determination shines through as they inspire people around the world with their success.

MACKENZIE FRANCIS

SportsAu g u s t 2 2 , 2 012 Th e Co r r e s p on d e n t 7

ALL OLYMPIC PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS.

TIMEOUT! with

Taylor S

chill August23

Q: What kind of expectations do you have for this year’s team?

Q:Do you have any rituals that you can’t play without?

We always go all out and play to win and we want to go as far as we can in the state series.

Q:How do you expect yourself to perform this year a!er your All-Area Junior season?

I can’t play without having my shirt tucked in. Kind of lame, but I can’t play if it’s not.

Boys golf vs. Palatine

“I expect our team to be very competitive and play well. I also ex-

pect myself to play pretty well.”

-senior Matt Haussmann

I expect myself to perform better. I’ve had a lot of club volleyball between then, so that should help.

Scott Bakal

Many students’ high school years will be highlighted by their athletic success. Athletes dedicate countless hours to practice and games for their sports.

!ey sacri"ce their free time to improve their cra# and help their team. !e payo$ is of-ten the athletes performance senior year.

For most, the "rst three years of being a high school athlete is when they prepare them-selves for their senior year.

“I’ve worked pretty hard up until this point for track. I think it really comes down to dedi-cation. Just like anything, I feel like this whole process helps with our future. Whether it be college, getting a job, it de"nitely helps. Being a senior now, I think that some of my hard work has paid o$,” senior Tori Valadez said.

Many students enjoy the path they take to

become the athletes they are their senior year.“My previous three years at Hersey have

gone by really fast. I feel like I put forth a lot of e$ort to be the best I can be for my senior year,” senior Michael Sauer said.

Other students agreed that the "rst three years of being a high school athlete went by fast.

“It’s a weird feeling. You don’t really realize how fast it goes by. It makes you think about how much you changed from when you "rst started doing sports freshman year,” senior Alex Sutrinaitis said.

Most students agree that without their coaches and teammates, they wouldn’t be the athletes and players that they are today.

Whether or not students senior years go the way they planned, they will take many les-sons from the years they have spent being a stu-dent athletes.

“When I was on golf, it de"nitely taught

me a work ethic that I really respect. Now I will be able to use that in my life,” senior Tricia Meyer said.

“I’m sad that I won’t be here next year but excited for the upcoming season. It’s important to perform well so I can set a good example for the younger players and to help my teammates have a successful season,” senior Erica Hill.

Although the "nal season may be nearing for some athletes, a few are planning on con-tinuing their cra# at the collegiate level.

“I really want to swim in college,” senior Karolina Szymaszek said. “I really enjoy the sport and also the friends and memories I’ve made from it. Although I know it’ll be harder in college, I’m up for the challenge. It’s kind of hard to stop something I’ve been doing for so long.”

Seniors embrace last year of sportsAspirations held for triumph in college

Girls volleyball vs. Libertyville

“Libertyville is going to be a strong team this year, but I think it is a great way to start o$ our season.”

-junior Katie Krebs

23

Football vs. Glenbrook North

“We’re going to handle our business against Glenbrook North.”

-senior Hunter Rollins

MACKENZIE FRANCIS

24

Sports Au g u s t 2 2 , 2 012Th e Co r r e s p on d e n t8

The tennis team leads o! their

season at home against Glenbrook South today at 4:30 p.m.

Freshman Dani-elle Lee tosses

the ball as she gets ready to serve to her opponent,

Senior Laura Me-jia works on her

backhand.

“I’m expecting it to be a fun sea-

son. "e team has gotten closer and bonded and every-one has improved a lot over the sum-mer. We’re looking to improve records this year. I see this being a good season for us,” sophomore Sara Magnuson said.