Vol. XLVI Issue 1Elk Grove High School September 14500 W. Elk Grove Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

The GuardianDid you know that the new varsity football coach Larry Calhoun used to be in a garage band? Learn more!

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Features:

When ELL teacher Megan Conlon walked into her classroom late last month for the first time since June, there was only one thought on her mind: “Wow.”

“I was really impressed by the bright lights, the bright paint colors, the ceilings and the windows, and my immediate re-action was ‘Wow this feels like a college classroom,’” Conlon said. “I was really impressed.”

What Conlon was impressed with is known as the biggest renovation project that has happened in the history of Elk Grove and in the whole district.

As a part of an $18 million Federal Aviation Administration Sound Abate-ment grant, Pepper Construction and District 214 staff worked under hot con-ditions and a tight deadline this summer to replace 75 percent of the roof, install a new, more efficient heating and cooling system and install new windows to pro-vide a better instructional environment for students and class.

The ambitious summer construction project also included new flooring, ceil-ings and paint for over eighty classrooms and instructional spaces. Additionally,

the gymnasium now has new air con-ditioning and money from the district called Facility Improvement Project (FIP) funds were used to deliver a new main hallway/commons with additional meeting space, new walls, display cases and flooring in the major artery of the building.

“As far as the construction went, there weren’t a lot of hiccups,” Associ-ate Principal of Operations Kyle Burritt said. “You’ll still see gentlemen around working, and you may see a guy with a hard hat or two finishing up windows, or if you walk down the main hallway you’ll see someone there putting on the pin lettering. It is real simple things like that. But one of the biggest issues we’re dealing with right now is the air condi-tioning.”

According to Burritt, while it may be 60 degrees and the air is on and running in one room, in the next room over the air is not on and it is hot and humid, is because the cooling and heating system is not fully controlled yet.

“It’s all electronically controlled and it runs through a computer system that we don’t have a control of quite yet,” Burritt said. “So it’s trying to balance all that and it has taken longer than anyone

has expected.” Along with Burritt, Conlon feels all

new changes just take some time getting used to.

“I think that everyone is working together to get that under control, and I just think that with anything new it re-quires some time and some patience to get it straightened out,” Conlon said.

However, a change that students are not particularly fond of is the gray color scheme, citing that the new main hallway is lacking the school’s green and gold. Freshman Neeca Penaflor even likens it to a hospital.

“It doesn’t look inviting to a student, and it just doesn’t look very nice in my eyes,” Penaflor said.

To counter, Burritt said that it was done for a reason.

“Green and gold is a color scheme that doesn’t quite work for flooring, for ceilings,” Burritt said. “Our school col-ors are our school colors when you walk down the hallway today you see every-one wearing green and gold and that’s where the color comes from. You don’t want the color to come from the floor because then it’s obnoxious and then it’s too much.

Elk Grove undergoes $20 million makeover Lunch standards rise, meals now healthier

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As students wait in line to get their meal, many of them just know that they’re hungry. They don’t pause to think about the nutri-tional value of their chicken pattie or mashed potato bowl. This school year, District 214 is implementing the National Lunch Program and the USDA’s new nutrition standards.

“The students must take a minimum of a half cup of vegetables or fruit and a maxi-mum of two cups,” Kathy Benn, food service manager, said.

These new regulations are to ensure that cafeteria meals will continue to be well-bal-anced. In the past, students getting a school lunch could choose if they wanted fruits and vegetables. Now students are required to take either both or one of these sides.

Benn says that the goal of this program is to help fight childhood obesity by imple-menting more fruit, vegetables and whole grain.

Over the years, the lunch staff has tried to make school lunch options healthier and less caloric in more ways than one.

For example, when planning meals, the lunch staff has reduced the amount of breads students eat during the week from 15 bread-based meals to 10. This includes Basco sticks and the bread found on popcorn chicken.

Ellie PapadakisEditor in Chief

Julianne MicoletaEditor in Chief

Visit In-Depth to learn about how spoiled American kids really are and how deprived most of the world’s kids are.

In-Depth:Sisters Megha Patel and Neha Patel talk about be-ing partnered together in tennis.

Sports:

Starbucks soon open for business in Elk Grove

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Kaylinn EsparzaNews/Features Editor

Starbucks has gone above and beyond just coffee - it has become a ritual for many students and staff members.

Senior Anna Dowd goes to Starbucks at least three or four times a week. She enjoys going there to study and savor her favorite drink- caramel frappucino.

Luckily for Dowd, a new Starbucks will be opening in mid to late September in the Village Crossing Shopping Center on Biester-field and Arlington Heights Road.

This new location is taking the place of Boston Market on Biesterfield road right across from Jersey Mike’s.

Elk Grove has two Starbucks locations,which are both convenient but lack some options that students would like.

“I feel like in EG it’s going to be good for consumers. This one will have a variety of options. It has more options that other Star-bucks don’t have,” senior Anna Dowd said.

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MAKEOVER: Construction workers toil in rebuilding the school over the summer. They worked on getting the school air conditioned, putting new windows and carpet. The lunchroom and foyer were also remodeled. By the time school began, the school was ready. The school underwent a total of $20 million in renovations.

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Photo by Brad Kahler

NEWS 3September 14, 2012

The story of “Alice in Wonderland” is that of en-chantment, magic and wonder. It’s rather old, and over the centuries it has been rewritten and re-interpreted dif-ferently to adults and children alike.

Elk Grove High School is carrying on the tradition. Its take on “Alice in Wonderland” is different from all of the other interpretations throughout history, yet all the while it still remains magical and enticing.

“Alice in Wonderland,” originally titled “Alice’s Ad-ventures Underground,” was a storybook written by Eng-lish author Lewis Carroll in 1864. A later sequel was writ-ten by him as well in 1871, titled “Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There”. Almost a century later, in 1951, Disney created the animated movie “Alice and Wonderland” based on the original stories themselves.

In 2012, Elk Grove High School will perform a play written by Charlotte Chorpenning based off of all these components, also titled “Alice and Wonderland.” Howev-er, this particular version takes a sharp turn from the usual English interpretation.

This year’s fall play is “Alice in Wonderland,” and it takes place during the Psychedelic ‘60s. The story itself is already trippy enough. Adding emphasis will truly give the play a better appeal to students.

“The different elements in this play gives everyone a chance to work off the different characters, therefore it makes it more watchable,” said sophomore Pascal Pahl, who plays the Caterpillar.

Not only will there be actors and actresses, but danc-ers will also be featured in the play. Choreographers in-clude sophomore Sonja Schultz and junior Codi Oehlerk-ing. A choir, too, will be included.

Showing dates are Oct. 3, 4, 5 and 6 with an admis-sion fee of $6 for adults and $5 for children and students for each ticket. You may purchase tickets during your lunch period or at the door.

Speaking of the Psychedelic ‘60s, a very special treat that will appeal to almost every student will be included-- Beatles music!

Speech coach and play director Chuck Cavazos says that the Beatles mesh in perfectly with the play itself. The songs used, though, will remain confidential, he says.

The cast has all been working very hard. Expecting a big crowd, the whole crew has been going all out. Pahl has high hopes for a large audience.

“I highly recommend students should see this play be-cause it’s not only ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ it has a special twist,” he said. “They’ll find out once they see it.”

Elk Grove uses $20 million in grants for renovations

Not to latté to get some mocha:New Starbucks openingContinued from page 1

For instance, this new Starbucks will have a drive-thru. Dowd says this will allow for more customers and faster service for students and teachers who need to get back to class in time. It is also a quicker option for students who need a pick-me-up or a snack.

“Since Starbucks are open later it gives people something to do late at night and just a place to hangout,” Dowd said.

One location is inside of Dominick’s on the corner of Arlington Heights Road and Bi-esterfield, but it is more of a treat for shoppers. The second location is on Busse Road, but for many students and faculty it is too far away to get coffee.

“I think it is and it isn’t [advantageous]. It is for those who come to school and go out to lunch that way but it isn’t because there’s two others still nearby that other people regularly go to,” said freshman Lia Demopoulos.

Plenty of jobs are available-- especially for the student body.

Although junior Vanessa Gomez is not a coffee lover, she is excited for the new job op-portunities that have now opened up.

The news of a new Starbucks has not

reached every student at Elk Grove, but the people who have heard about it are quickly spreading the news.

“I didn’t even know about it or noticed it until my friend told me about it,” Gomez said

Starbucks enthusiasts are already excited to get quality coffee that they love and trust. Se-nior Brent Wolff is especially excited for win-ter when his favorite drink “Caramel Brûleé” comes in.

“I’m excited and hope it comes soon be-cause I need caffeine,” Wolff said. “I think it’ll just make it easy for kids to get coffee. It’s more convenient for everyone [who loves coffee].”

On the other hand, some people do not find the idea of a new Starbucks very appeal-ing. Not everyone loves coffee and would rath-er see some other food chain be placed there instead.

“I think since there is one right next to it, its a waste and something else can be put in there. [I would like to see] a Panda Express there; the closest one is too far away,” sopho-more Michael Babiarz said.

Elk Grove in Wonderland New twist to ‘60s classic tale, appeals to students

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“So, the gray color scheme was done on pur-pose to give it a modern, sleeker, updated feel.”

Junior Emanuel Morales is with Burritt and appreciates the modern look.

“They still have the Gren logo on [the glass], and it still looks nice without the green and gold,” Morales said. “If they painted the walls green or gold then it would have looked kind of silly and childish, but everything looks modernized and big-ger. I like it.”

Another issue students seem to have is with the furniture in the foyer

“They should have kept the benches instead of the weird snake thing in the foyer,” senior Parya Majedi said. “It’s cool but it starts at the entrance of the café doors so everyone sits there and every-one runs into each other.”

However, all new changes come with its bout of opinions.

“I think that with any project there’s always criticism,” Burritt said. “Why did you pick this col-

or, why did you pick that floor pattern like this and that’s normal because there’s over 2,300 people that walk through this building every day and not everybody has the same opinion about what color this and that and that’s fine but I do think that it looks and it feels differently. I think when I walk in a classroom it does feel different and when you walk in the foyer it does feel different.”

And for teachers like Conlon, different is something that she is impressed with.

“I think the main hallway outside the cafete-ria is beautiful. I think that’s a really nice entry for everyone in the school. I think it’s a really nice wel-coming environment,” Colon said. “All together I’m overly impressed. I didn’t expect such a big change. I knew we’d get the windows changed and there was soundproofing, and sure there were e-mails going out telling us probably exactly what was being done. But for me it was like I was wowed when I walked in and just whoa this affects all of us it’s not just windows, it’s not just the ceilings, it’s the entire school and it’s amazing.”

Morgan LoxleyCopy Editor

COFFEE CRAVES: Starbucks is still under construction. A drive -thru is the major addition that students are looking forward to. Cof-fee will now be more accessible.

HALLWAY FACELIFT: The new hallway underwent major changes over the summer. These before and after pictures show a new school and environment for students.

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Photo by Kaylinn Esparza