STEM panelists attend 2nd annual Career...

Decem ber 2017 ITW David Speer Academ y Volum e 3/ Issue 2/

STEM panelist s at t end 2nd annual Career FairBy Omar Gomez

On November 17th, Speer had its 2nd annual Career Fair, and it was a great success. For those who aren?t aware, Career Fair is a day where Speer students have the opportunity to speak to professional employees in STEM fields. The purpose of this event is to help students understand the importance of STEM jobs, and to help them choose a major before they get to college. Speer staff believes if students meet people who have jobs in STEM, then it?ll help showcase how important those people are in today?s society. ?STEM is a fantastic career path, and there are so many careers within STEM that create a better world for all of us," said Rachel Lee, one of the engineering panelists that attended this year?s Career Fair. "I would encourage students to go in with open minds and be willing to walk through the doors that are opened for them!? As the day approached, there were many measures that the leaders of this event had to take in order to have the whole day organized. Speer?s Internship Coordinator Ms. Holland was one of those leaders, and she worked hard to have this day run efficiently. ?We had to invite professionals that had jobs in STEM,? she said. ?We made them fill out surveys that gave us information in what department they worked in, and then we made different panels based on the jobs that the professionals had. We

grouped them based on how similar their jobs were.? All of this hard work paid off the day of the Career Fair; attendance was outstanding, and everything ran smoothly. ?There were 70 panelists that came to Speer that day,? said Ms. Holland. ?They were all amazing people who had flexible schedules, which helped a lot when it came to inviting them for this day." Students definitely enjoyed the event. They took a survey, which allowed them to choose their top five choices for the panels they wanted to attend. This allowed students to get the most out of the event and to give them the chance to meet professionals who have jobs in fields they are interested in. ?I enjoyed this because it provided me the opportunity to learn more about careers that I would be interested in pursuing,? said junior Roberto Arroyo. ?There was a lot of communication and the panelist provided useful information.?

Since the Career Fair has been a success the past two years, teachers and students alike are looking forward to next year?s outcome. ?This day helps both sophomores and juniors,? said Ms. Holland. ?It helps sophomores by giving them an opportunity to see all the different fields in STEM, which helps them choose majors for their STEM Declaration Day. This is also a day where juniors can make a good impression on professionals who can help give them internships for their senior year.? This year?s Career Fair was clearly a success. Together, the panelists, the teachers, and the students helped create a fun and educational environment for the students. ?I guess time will tell whether or not I made an impact on the students,? said Lee. ?Hopefully, I was able to help some students learn more about options available to them as they navigate through the next phases of their education and career.?


Pride Tribune Staf f(2017-2018)

Editor-in-Chief

Xavier Zamora

Staff Writers

Olayinka Adekola

Victoria Aguilar

Mialise Bryk

Omar Gomez

Larissa Lozano

Amayranet Mendoza

Dominique Mendoza

Jasmine Pichardo

Osvaldo Sanchez

Cindy Sida

Newspaper Advisor

Ms. Anna Treesara

Assistant Principal

Ms. Winnie Cheung

Principal

Mr. Thomas Mulder

Let t er f rom t he Pr ide Tr ibune St af f

Speer Club Updat es

Hello Speer students & staff, Thank you for reading this year 's second issue! For this issue, we will be covering the recent career fair & Spooky STEM Fest. Then, we are also sharing the amazing internships that Speer 's founding class is participating in. For the first time ever, we will be doing an Internship Spotlight; this issue's Spotlight is Speer 's very own Cup O'Pride. We will then be covering Speer 's athletics: girls' Rugby winning the championship for the very first time, boys' football team reaching the Noble Bowl, and girls' volleyball and cross country's overall seasons. In this issue, we have also decided to

start spotlighting the clubs we have at Speer. This time, we wanted to inform staff and students the wonderful things that Media Club is doing. Finally, we have spotlighted AP Chemistry teacher Ms. Mahoney as well as the Student Athletes of the Month: Osiel Cruz and Kyla Betts. Once again, please let Newspaper Club know what articles you'd like us to write or things you'd like to have featured in the quarterly newspapers! Thank you!

Sincerely,Pride Tribune Staff

Yearbook Club - Yearbook Club is still gathering pictures of all clubs, sports, and special events. If you have any pictures you would like to be featured in the yearbook, please contact Ms. Oros or Ms. Sanabria at [email protected] and [email protected] respectively.

G.I.R.L.S - G.I.R.L.S Club is currently working on personal branding and creating a network. We were given the opportunity to sit in on the ITW Women's Network Professional Development and hear a speaker break down how to start your personal brand. In the months ahead, we are going to take an etiquette class, tour the DuSable African-American Museum, and partake in a Cookies and Compliments event on Valentine's Day.

Book Club - Book Club had its first meeting where we discussedEvery Last Word, which was well-liked by every member. At the meeting, we had a wonderful discussion, and we were very excited that many new members decided to participate. Our next meeting will be on Thursday, December 14th, and we will be discussing our next book,Bone Gap.

Self-Defense Club - Students have been learning combatives (punch, kick, knee), open hand defenses, Kali stick and knife, and will soon be starting sparring (kickboxing).

Speer Performance Club - The Speer Performance Club is currently working on producing their very first Christmas Show in December! We are meeting every Tuesday at 4 p.m. in room 217. SPC members learn about production, screen writing, set design, music, and more!

Girls Who Code - Students are learning how to code in javascript and are creating a website for their project of choice. They will be creating a book database that will allow users to search by genre, author, description, and title. The club will also be taking a field trip to the Chi Hack Night soon!

Tai Ji Club - Students have been learning 10-form Yang Style Tai Ji Quan along with Eight Brocades QiGong. After the students have mastered the basic Tai Ji principles and skills, we will begin the Tai Ji Fan, which is the high mark of the Tai Ji Club.

Senior Commit tee - We are currently planning senior celebrations, fundraisers, and swag for our class of 2018!

Boys' Volleyball Club - Our first boys' volleyball open gym will take place on the 8th and 15th of December, followed by a clinic on Saturday, December 23rd from 7 a.m - 7 p.m.


Hughes, Victoria ElenaMarroquin, Jenifer AlexandraMazon, KristinaBedoya, Andres AHernandez, Cristian EstebanRoman, ValeriaGregory-Santos, Janellie LSalgado, Aracely DUribe, LeslieNieves, Kiara MarieSoto, LeonardoVidales, DanielGarcia, Carlos ALagunas, LizetteMarin, CasandraMartinez, StephanieMayslak, Makenzi MMazon, AngelicaRivera, Naleycie ARoseland, Abigail LSalgado, GiselleSida, CindySoto, LeilaPeralta, JuandiegoPuentes, Angel FRivera, Sebastian BachGomez, OmarGutierrez, Jose LGuyton, Marius AVargas, AlejandroVazquez, SebastianVelazquez, ErickZavalza, Andrew MBangs-Brown, DwayneSaavedra, Alfredo JrLozano, Larissa ANunez, Maria GRuiz, Alissa YaremTello, YuritzyDiaz, Luis ECampoverde, Karely FDaniels, Nyah MEscanio, Alyssa SHernandez, NatalieMedrano, Jared MMendez, Bryan AMoreno, ImanolBurks, Diamond CLemer, BrianGonzalez, Kiara LGuerrero, Marcela MHernandez, Adamaris

Herrera, Kayla MMartinez, LeticiaRoss, EssenceArmendariz, YedidTorres, Gianna ATriplett, Heaven RWilliams, Beyonce PZarow, AnnaAviles, Alize SCisneros, SocorritoRodriguez, IgnacioWilliams, Armani MZamora, XavierBeltran, GuillermoChavez, Damian DGarcia, Luis UCorrea, YadiraFlores, Lizzy AGarcia-Chavez, LizbethNataren, Jose CNunez Jr, Martin MPointer, Barry LReyes, NathanielReyna, EdwinMedina, DestinyMolina-Calderon, Abigail B.Najera, EvelynNunez, StephanieOrihuela, GabrielaParedes, Kathleen MPresa, CynthiaRegalado, Jamileth AReyes, Laura M.Sanchez, JenniferSantos, AngelinaStraight, De'Ahvion KTrujillo, Leslie AMaytorena, Samantha

No Dem er it s Q1 Per fect At t endanceAcosta, Linda YaritzaAguero, Kayla IAguilar, Tania TAlfaro, April AileenAlvarez, ValeriaArpi, SamiraBatista, TiannyCasas, Lesly DianaDemetrio, Evelyn FernandaHerrera, CarmenDominguez, Maria ElizabethFlores, BereniceFuller, Tiesha La'shayGonzalez, YamilethGuzman, CrystalGuzman, DelilahHughes, Victoria ElenaJacinto, Evelyn GabrielaJaramillo, ElisaLangumas Abreu, Darlyn MariaLara, Sharon ZMazon, KristinaMiller, Kayla MMorales, Michelle IvethNajera, Karla NOlea, Itzel COrtiz, JazminOwens, ZariaPaucar, PreciosaPerez, Melanie AQuizhpi, Paola EstefaniaRamirez, YelitzaFigueroa, MiguelOrozco, Damian JacobOrtega, DiegoPedraza, ErikPeralta, Jimmy JosePresa, HarryRamirez, GiancarlosRico, VictorRoa, GiancarloRodriguez, JulioSalceda, JovannySalgado, HectorSanchez, ErickMadrigal, Pablo XMartin, Cody AMartinez, OmarMckay, Jakobe JermaineMontes De Oca, MoisesMora, Axel AMorales, Xavier Cortez

Gregory-Santos, Janellie LMenjivar, LizbethRivera, BenitaRodriguez, Aliyah MRodriguez, Natasha NRodriguez, SamanthaRoss, Endia MSalgado, Aracely DSalgado, DeniseUribe, LeslieAucaquizhpi, Luis ERincon, Christian A.Saldivar, Angel RSalgado, JesusHerrera, AthziriJaramillo, Crystal AMalagon, Aline FMorales, Michelle ANajera, Keyla POrtega, JessicaQuevedo, MariaBataz, ArquimedesCarter, Chauncey JCastillo, Brian ACifuentes, AndyDiaz, Carlos JFlores, BryanGarcia, AlejandroGonzalez, IsiahHernandez, Juan LSanchez, GabrielSmith, Ian A.Soberanis, BryantSotelo, Damian BTorres, Julian MateoVidales, DanielVillagrana, JonathanAleman, AlejandraCardona, MarianelyCruz, YazminGaspar, YamilethGarcia, BryanGarcia, Carlos AGil, MichaelGomez, Alexander IGomez, Ricardo RGuerra, Diecarlo EGutierrez, Jose AHarrington, Micah HMarin, JoelMartinez, Jesse Angel


Almazan, CitlaliCortes, AdrianaLopez, JacquelinMaldonado, LeslieMarchan, EmelyMartinez, StephanieMartinez, Yaritza AMazon, AngelicaPaz, Alma YuritziQuizhpi, Diana ESalgado, GiselleSanchez, Irene MSanchez, Nayed ESantiago, Christy JSida, CindyMartin, CarlMora, Christian AOrtiz, Samuel JPaz, Juan MPeralta, JuandiegoPerez, Nathaniel EPresa, ElianPuentes, Angel FRamirez, Alan ARamos, Ramon JRaya, Dany ARico, Eduardo JRivera, Daniel A.Gonzalez, JaydenGutierrez, David AGuyton, Marius AHurtado, Ruben ATorres, Victor JVazquez, SebastianVelazquez, ErickWells, AquantisWoods, Jamar AAbad, AllanAbarca, Raymundo

Aguirre, Antonio AAlicea, Justin RAmill, Miguel AArroyo, Erick DAvelino, ChristopherBahena, Saul JBautista, DanielRodriguez, Angel XSaavedra, Alfredo JrSanchez, ArmandoSantana, ElijahSantiago, Jesus ASilvestry, JoshuaMendoza, AmayranetMendoza, Dominique IMitchell, Shania PMora, GisselleMota, JenifferPeralta, AbrilTello, YuritzyDe Jesus, BrianDelgado, AngelDiaz, Alex EDiaz, Luis EEscamilla, VieriGarcia, KennethCasiano, Zofia IDavenport, Donnae LDelgado, AngelaDominguez, JoannaEscanio, Alyssa SHernandez, NatalieMedrano, Christian AMedrano, Nicholas AMolina, Brandon AMora, Brian AMorales, AbrahamMoreno, ImanolNivelo, Charles

Ocampo, EpidmenioOlivares, Eli AAbarca, AlondraAlvarez, Gabriela GBanuelos, SamanthaBarrios, Lindsey SArizaga, Fabian M.Clemons, Kaleb MHill, PaytonLawrence, MachirLemer, BrianGuzman, Nicole FHernandez, AdamarisHernandez, CarolJeronimo, Lindsey AJimenez, Maria FArmendariz, YedidTorres, Gianna ATrejo, CynthiaTrujillo, LeilaniTubbs, Elisabeth IVelazquez, Melanie MVillanueva, Alexus LWilliams, Beyonce PZarow, AnnaAngel, Brisa NAucaquizhpi, Doris EBedoya, Alexie RRivera, JoelRodriguez, IgnacioRosario, Ricardo ARussell, Chris MSalgado, KevinSanchez, RyanSotelo, Orlando MStrong, Devin TVallecillo, Edwin LVelazquez, Marcos MWilliams, Armani M

Q1 Per fect At t endance cont inued...Zamora, XavierBernal, Angel AGarzon, VictorGomez, Damian R.Diaz, MiriamGarcia-Chavez, LizbethGarner, Olivia AGonzalez, AlexisHughes, MarcellJohnson, Keoni LMacias, AlejandroNunez, JoseRamirez, SidneyReyna, EdwinMolina-Calderon, Abigail B.Monroy, Litzyrely BOlea, CitlalliParedes, Kathleen MPresa, CynthiaPrince, Scentasia LRodriguez, Sharon JSalgado, IvanaSalinas, JocelynTrujillo, Leslie AVentura, AlexandraGuerra, Fatima JasmineGutierrez, Ruby BHernandez, KaitlynIbarez, GabrielaIbarez, Reina EJackson, Nya SMarchan, RubyMartinez, Anahi


Speer host s 3rd annual Spooky STEM Fest

By Gisell Carrillo & Omar Gomez

On October 28th, Speer held its annual Spooky STEM Fest; this year, the school had fun activities, such as pumpkin painting, face painting, slime making, science demonstrations, fortune telling, musical chairs, a bouncy house, a petting zoo, a photo booth, and other activities held in classrooms. Like every year, students and teachers volunteered to make this year?s Spooky STEM Fest a success. In addition to volunteering, the students were also able to enjoy some of the activities at the Fest. The Spooky STEM Fest is held so people can have fun and it also helps bring the community together. ?Spooky STEM Fest provides the

community with a cheap, safe day of Halloween fun that exposes them to a variety of STEM concepts,? said Ms. Stone, organizer of the event. ?It also demonstrates how big of an asset Speer is to the community.? Not only does this bring joy to the community, but it also brings smiles

to the teachers that are volunteering. ?I like seeing the kids from the community in their costumes,? said English III teacher Mr. Goldberg, who helped out as a runner and at the s'mores station. ?Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and it 's great to see everyone get into the spirit.?

For the first time this year, Spooky STEM Fest featured a show directed by Speer?s Performance Club: they dressed as zombies and

danced to Michael Jackson?s ?Thriller.? ?I personally loved the Thriller performance,? said Algebra II teacher Mr. Leech, who helped organize the STEM Fest. ?It was well done and took a ton of effort (and nerves) to perform. It was great! This event is one additional and unique way that we, at Speer, can give back to our community.? Being that this was the 3rd annual STEM Fest, Speer had the time to better organize it compared to the past two years. This led, of course, to a better outcome than before. ?I believe it was a success considering the amount of people that were at the fest,? said senior Daniel Ortega, who took

pictures and videos at the event. ?I think this year?s Spooky STEM Fest was the best one we?ve had so far,? said STEM Director Mr. Kruger. ?Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and we had a great number of people show up.? Spooky STEM Fest could not have been pulled off without Ms. Stone and all the volunteers. As Mr. Goldberg said, ?Shout out to Ms. Stone and the Spooky STEM crew for keeping things organized!? Based on the way things have been going the past three years, it?s fair to say that the trend will continue, and next year?s Spooky STEM Fest will be even better.

A science demonstration in the gym.Students getting their fortunes told.

?Spooky STEM Fest provides the community with a cheap, safe day of Halloween fun

that exposes them to a variety

of STEM concepts."- Ms. Stone


Updat e on seniors' Fr iday int ernships

By Olayinka Adekola

Since October, seniors have been attending their internships on Fridays. At this point, Internship Coordinator Ms. Holland has placed 200 students at 75 different sponsors. The internships range from the Chicago museums to hospitals to animal shelters. Seniors have truly been enjoying their internships. Reina Ibarez has an internship at FarmLogix in Evanston. FarmLogix provides fresh produce to Chicago Public Schools. ?My internship is going very well!? she said. ?I really enjoy it because I?m always learning something new.? Travale Houston is interning at the Field Museum. ?I enjoy having a unique inside look at how organisms are classified, being able to see just how old the specimens really are,? he said. ?I think one time, I was filling a plant that was recorded in the 1930s.? Lizzy Flores is interning at St. Joseph Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The NICU department treats ill or premature newborns.?I love my internship,? she said. ?I get to hold babies every Friday. They only have two nurses in the NICU and each one gets about 10 babies, so they need more help.? Keoni Johnson is interning at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. Shirley Ryan

AbilityLab is a rehabilitation center where clinicians, scientists, innovators, and technologists work with patients in need of physical therapy. ?I go every Friday from 8 to 1, there are six different floors of the building, and they rotate us around and throughout

the different buildings,? he said. ?Having us help out wherever the therapists need help. Right now, I?m at the fitness center and I want to become an athletic trainer, so it directly goes with each other. I?m basically getting experience in a field I?m interested in.? Joel Rivera, a senior interning at the Shedd Aquarium, wasn?t expecting to go there but is still gaining new knowledge. ?The internship is going well,? he said. ?It?s actually exposing me to a science field because I was not planning on getting an internship at the Shedd since I wanted to pursue a career in architecture.? The seniors also feel they?re benefiting from this experience.

?Working at the Field Museum is great information to put on your resume, especially since [it] is such a well known place,? said Houston. ?This opportunity is benefiting me because the type of work we do with patients, they don't really teach you in college,? said Jada Jefferson, who works at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. ?This opportunity is helping me because I am learning to become independent and I'm setting more goals for myself,? said Ibarez. ?I get to have a real life job experience while I'm in high school, while some people don't intern until they're in college or even after that, and it looks good on college application,? said Rivera. Ms. Holland is glad to see that the internships are going well and foresees great opportunities for the seniors. ?Either you discover you really like it and you have that option for the future or maybe you don't and you just get professional skills and move on,? said Ms. Holland. ?But hopefully it's a building block for your future, skills you can put on your resume, and you have it in your back pocket for your future.? Juniors, if you know anyone willing to accept student interns or if you know where you want to intern next year, you can start giving Ms. Holland their contact information!


Internship Spotl ight: Cup O'PrideBy Dominique Mendoza & Amayranet Mendoza

If you?ve noticed Speer students walking in and out of classrooms with coffee and snacks on Fridays, then you?ve seen the Speer coffee shop Cup O?Pride in action. Cup O'Pride is an internship for the life skill students; they hand out coffees to teachers from first to fourth period every Friday. Paraprofessionals Mr. Gil and Ms. Mones assist Learning Specialist Ms. Borkowska in running the program. ?The objective of the Cup O' Pride coffee shop is for it to serve as a medium to teach students important life skills they will utilize presently and in the future,? said Ms. Borkowska. The students are in charge of everything, from the orders and the money to the delivery. Teachers write down their orders in a google form, and the students deliver and handle the money. By being in

charge the students are gaining accounting skills, social skills, and confidence, which are all qualities an individual must have as an adult.The students who work the coffee shop are pleased with their jobs and handle their responsibility amazingly. ?The coffee shop is fun,? said senior Armeed Williams. ?It makes me feel happy.? Freshman Camry Morgan, head barista and advertiser, also said she is excited to continue to participate in the following years. The money the students raise all go towards an opportunity for them to practice more life skills. ?If we meet our grand goal, students will spend a day and night in a rented home, where they will practice everyday living skills,? said Ms. Borkowska. Many of the teachers working with

the students already see growth and a positive impact on the community. ?It makes me feel great and it makes me feel positive with the stuff that is anticipated for the kids,? said Mr. Gil. ?I see them growing, enjoying themselves, and making a change in their lives.? The coffee shop will continue to grow as more items will be added to the menu and more opportunities for the students arise.


First season of gir ls' rugby ends w it h cham pionship

By Xavier Zamora

On November 2nd, Speer?s girls? rugby team brought home the NAC gold. This year is the first time that the girls? rugby team competed as a varsity team, yet they still managed to win the championship and defeat Rowe-Clark, who won the NAC the past eight years in a row. ?I feel great,? said senior scrum half Alondra Padilla. ?Winning the championship made my senior year so special. I?ve wanted an official team since sophomore year and finally being able to be a part of one, one that accomplished something great in just the first year, is extraordinary. I?m so proud of everyone on the team.? ?When we won the championship, I was very proud and astonished,? said junior prop Jeniffer Mota. ?I was proud to be a part of the first official team of rugby and also winning the championship our first year.? ?The championship win was bitter-sweet,? said Coach McBride. ?While it was fantastic winning the first championship of the year for Speer, and the first ever for the program, it came at a hefty price. Our championship opponents were the

team/school I had coached for the previous eight years. It was difficult seeing them so upset after the final whistle, something that definitely dampened my celebrations.? ?You know that feeling when you order 10 chicken nuggets and they give you an extra one on accident...that's how it felt to win,? said Coach Torres. Before the final, emotions were running high. Some people were looking forward to a good game, and some people were surprised about making it this far. ?In all honesty, as a program, we were surprised to make it to the championship game,? said McBride. ?At the beginning of the summer, the coaching staff agreed that a top four finish would be a huge achievement in our first year. As each week passed, we slowly realized that we had grossly underestimated our potential.? ?I expected a great game and that is exactly what we got,? said Torres. ?The win was well earned, but we had to fight for it.? Junior Elizabeth Munoz-Torres captained the team and the girls to their success. ?My roles as a captain were to keep

everyone in the team on their feet and be able to build a team that had great communication on and off the field,? said Munoz-Torres. ?During the games, I took charge as the leader of the plays we did and also discussed the main points of improvements in order to succeed.? Last season, the girls? rugby team was in a much different position. ?Last year, we barely had enough girls to play an actual game,? said senior scrum half Alondra Padilla. ?We needed 15 people. Today, needing 15 girls is no problem; we have over 30 girls in our team ready to play.? The team had to constantly work hard throughout the season and endure the physical pain of rugby to ensure they would be prepared for the season. ?Many people told me not to join rugby because I could get badly injured,? said junior prop Jeniffer Mota. ?...but to be honest, I love the sport.? ?Rugby isn?t like any other sport and it?s most commonly known for how full contact it is.? said Padilla. The team persevered through all the challenges they faced in the season. ?We only lost one game the entire season to Rowe-Clark, but other than that, we did such a great job growing in our shape,?said Coach Torres. ?My first season was great,? said Mota. ?Although there were difficult times, like practicing and playing in harsh weather and girls not focusing at some points, we made it through with hard work and determination,? Most teams face difficulties when seniors graduate and leave the team, but this team has no worries about next year?s season. ?...of the 54 girls who participated in the program, only 6 girls are seniors,? said coach McBride. ?A return of 48 players will help maintain consistency from this year to next.? ?I can not be too narcissistic and say that we will win again, but I know that we will always be on top of our game,? said Mota.

Girl's Rugby team celebrates with their first Noble Championship plaque.


Hurr icanes f lood globe w it h hor r if ic devast at ion

By Mialise Bryk & Maya Hunter

Recently, Hurricane Max, Harvey, Irma, and Maria affected more than 30 cities and islands around the world, resulting in much loss and devastation to the staff members and students at Speer Academy.The statistics estimated (unofficially) that in the months of August and September, when the hurricanes began to strike, at least 700 people died because of deadly wind speeds ranging from 100 to 185 miles per hour. ?Our government is moving away from environmental conservation measures that science proves are at the core of many of these natural disasters,? said Physics teacher Mr. Espinoza. ?I've raised awareness on social media and I've checked in with students and teachers that I know have family in those areas.? Billions of dollars will be needed to help rebuild homes, attractions, and provide families with the materials necessary to survive while they are homeless. It will take years to rebuild everything that was destroyed. ?I love the Island of Puerto Rico, it 's where my roots come from. It breaks my heart to see clips of it destroyed,?

said junior Mariah Montanez. ?I am aware of the hundreds of people who died in the hurricanes. My heart goes out to all the families that have experienced these devastations.? ?Mexico had been struck not long before, and now Puerto Rico was falling victim to natural disasters, and the notion itself made me feel overwhelmed,? said junior Casie Martin. The Speer community was brave enough to share their heartbreaking stories that their families had to endure. Many families had to be resourceful to survive and persevere anything that was salvageable. ?The only family I have out there are my grandparents, with them being old and fragile, it wouldn?t take much to cause serious harm to them,? said paraprofessional Mr. Cancel about hurricane Maria striking down in Puerto Rico. ?It?s almost like a movie, how the winds howled over their homes for hours, how they tied an extension

cord to the door for extra support as they hid in their bedroom.? The Speer community is filled with many students and staff who have family residing in the affected areas. ?I was extremely disappointed to know my hometown state received such a catastrophic disaster,? said junior Emily Estrada, who once lived in Texas. ?They received crazy weather like hail and rain storms that interrupted with their lifestyle.? Since these hurricanes affected so many people across the globe, Speerit Club decided to create a fun competition for Labs to help the people affected in Puerto Rico and Mexico. ?With Speerit Club, we set up a Lab competition to raise money for the victims of the hurricanes,? said English II teacher Ms. Garcia. ?The money raised during the penny drive will go to the National Museum of Mexican Art and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture," said Cultural Geography teacher Ms. Dice. "[They] are actively sending donations to the Red Cross Mexico and The Hispanic Federation's Unidos Disaster Relief Fund. Those interested in donating in the future can also send donations to those parties.?


Foot ball t eam reaches Noble Bow lBy Citlalli Olea

Once again, Speer?s football team made it through an amazing season showcasing what it takes to be a part of the Pride both on and off of the field. ?The football season to me was great,? said freshman cornerback Jared Urena. ?We had a great run; although we didn't win the championship against Comer, we still proved we were a great team.? The football team began their conditioning for the season in the middle of summer 2017. Practicing for up to 2 hours everyday, they prepared themselves for the long, difficult season that was ahead of them. Practices and games were tough, and inevitably, many players faced injuries during the season. ?We had a lot of injuries and people that couldn't play because of some mistakes made,? said sophomore offensive line Micah Harrington. However, no injury was able to stop

the Pride from showing what they were capable of on the field. Despite their injuries, the team performed as if nothing was wrong. This showcased their dedication and strength altogether. As the season progressed, the team?s hard work and dedication paid off and the team had the Noble Championship in their sight. "I expected a championship,? said sophomore quarterback Issac Guzman. ?Although we got close, I wish we would?ve won it.? The dedication and hard work these boys put in is truly amazing. Not only did they have to be at 2-hour practices, but they also still had to go home and do their homework, study for tests, and complete college applications. ?I thank my parents and my friends,? said

senior guard Ryan Sanchez. ?There were so many times I doubted myself, and they they were there to make sure that I would go hard every day.? The season may not have ended with a championship win, but the team has worked hard each season to get to where they are today. ?I am beyond proud of all the student athletes that have contributed to the football program over the last three years,? said football coach Mr. Mulder.

Cross count ry boys and gir ls persevereBy Jasmine Pichardo & Amayranet Mendoza This year, Speer?s cross country team has had an impeccable season with two runners making it to State. ?I was honestly caught by surprise,? said senior Captain Cynthia Presa. ?Both Nya and I hit our best times!? Presa had a 24 minute time in her first season, and she was able to hit 20 minutes flat in her final season. ?I set a goal four years ago, and that was to take a runner from the founding class to State Finals. Cynthia Presa and Nya Jackson did just that,? said Coach Forester. The team also started off strong with the boys taking first place at their first event on Thursday, September 7th. Although the athletes had their nerves fired up at some meets, the team didn?t let that stop them from winning them. ?The team was focused, supportive, and excited at every meet,? said Coach

Sheep. ?All of the team members are close friends, so it was a lot of fun for them to support one another at the meets.? ?I just wanted to do the best I could in the races,? said junior Alex Diaz. The team has been practicing all summer long, and now the team is experiencing how practice pays off. Nothing stops the Speer cross country team from persevering. ?Some days, the boys were aggressively ready to compete,? said Coach Forester. ?Other days, the girls were ready to perform.? ?When athletes were not racing, they would strategically place themselves at different places around the course to cheer on their teammates that were competing,? said Coach Sheep. ?I was a bit injured a couple of days before the race, so I wasn't physically ready, but I managed to keep a positive mind to do my best,? said junior Joanna Dominguez.

This season was important to the senior runners, as it was their last season. The athletes made improvements and are happy with what they have accomplished. ?I feel upset because I will no longer run as a team with the people who I consider family, but also happy because I made it to state and shared many amazing moments with my teammates,? said Presa. ?As a coach and educator, I value the experiences that I can help my students or athletes achieve,? said Coach Forester. ?I hope they remember it for the rest of their lives,? ?I can happily say that I am proud of who I?ve become because of Coach Forester and Coach Sheep,? said Presa. ?They helped me fight through the battle to make my dream come true, which lead me to make it to state finals.?


Lady Pr ide form s bonds t hroughout seasonBy Cindy Sida & Osvaldo Sanchez

Speer?s volleyball girls had another great season, evolving into a competitive group of players. They competed against skilled teams, but that did not stop the Lady Pride from striving for success. ?I try to keep them hungry by continuing to push them,? said volleyball coach Mr. Cancel. ?There is always room for improvement; even after a win, there is something to be learned and improved on.? Over the summer, tryouts welcomed previous members and allowed new players to showcase their talent. ?I believe everyone at tryouts had a lot of talent, and it was a challenge for your mind,? said junior middle Zofia Casiano. ?Everyone got a chance to show off what they knew and learn new movements,? said junior hitter Kokayla Southall. ?Even if you didn?t know what to do, the coaches looked for hard effort.? As the season progressed, the girls found themselves working hard and staying motivated to improve individually and as a team. ?We would sit and talk about things we could have done better personally and as a team,? said senior Setter Stephanie Nunez. ?Then, during practice we would try to fix the things we discussed.? ?The team this year used the coaches themselves as our motivation,? said senior setter Evon Lopez. ?The coaches

were awesome, yet strict, which I think helped us a lot because we knew what was expected.? The Lady Pride fought hard this season, using their talents and putting in hard work to help represent Speer. The relationships made between the players and coaches have allowed the team to stay optimistic for the future. ?[My] favorite part of coaching has to be the relationships and bonds that we make as coaches with our athletes,? said Mr. Cancel. ?We get to see them in a different setting, not just in the halls or in the classrooms where they need to be scholarly, but as kids out here playing the game they love to play. It is a rewarding experience and I am honored and privileged to partake in it.?

Gir ls' basket ball st ar t s w it h w inning st reak

By Victoria Aguilar & Dominique Mendoza

Since the end of the 2016-2017 season, girls? basketball has been preparing for this year?s comeback.Speer?s girls? basketball team took it upon themselves to do training with cross country to increase their speed and stamina, as suggested by their

coach. ?I suggested cross-country to my players,? said Coach Jefferson. ?I just wanted them to be active in something, rather than doing nothing at all.? Some of the returning girls even did their own training before the official tryouts. This was a

change from how they conditioned in previous years. ?Cross country was running all the time and we weren't all used to it yet, but we pushed through and actually did well,? said senior captain Reina Ibarez. ?Last year it was more of everything, running and core workouts and weights.? As the season begins, the hard work

of the team has been paying off. The opening game of the season against Trinity resulted in their first win. As of today, the girls? team is on a 6-0 winning streak.The excitement for the season builds as they recount their victories and successes from the previous season ?Last year, our overall record was 22-6,? said Coach Jefferson. ?We took 2nd place in Noble Athletic Conference with a 10-3 record,? said Coach Jefferson. Many of the girls have high hopes for this season. ?We have so much potential and we?re still growing as players,? said year point guard Mia Harris. ?This year the season would have new players, new skills to learn, best of all 4 years, and getting that W in the championship,? said senior center Jacqueline Gomez.


Wint er Schedule for Speer At hlet icsVarsity Boys Basketball Saturday, 12/9 2:30 PM SPEER FENGER Collins Academy

Varsity Girls Basketball Saturday, 12/9 12:30 PM LANE TECH SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Girls Basketball Friday, 12/15 4:00 PM SPEER MUCHIN Goodman Center

Varsity Boys Basketball Friday, 12/15 5:30 PM SPEER MUCHIN Goodman Center

Varsity Girls Basketball Sunday, 12/17 1:00 PM SPEER HANSBERRY Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Sunday, 12/17 2:30 PM SPEER HANSBERRY Speer Gym

Varsity Girls Basketball Monday, 12/18 5:00 PM SPEER PROSSER Prosser

JV Boys Basketball Monday, 12/18 7:20 PM PERSPECTIVES SPEER North Lawndale HS

Varsity Girls Basketball Thursday, 12/21 5:30 PM JOHNSON SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Thursday, 12/21 7:00 PM JOHNSON SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Wednesday, 12/27 5:30 PM SPEER JONES PREP Maine East HS

Varsity Boys Basketball Thursday, 12/28 TBD TBD TBD Maine East HS

Varsity Boys Basketball Friday, 12/29 TBD TBD TBD Maine East HS

Varsity Boys Basketball Saturday, 12/30 TBD TBD TBD Maine East HS

JV Boys Basketball Tuesday, 1/9 6:30 PM FASMAN YESHIVA SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Girls Basketball Thursday, 1/11 5:30 PM SPEER DRW Homan Square

Varsity Boys Basketball Thursday, 1/11 7:00 PM SPEER DRW Homan Square

Varsity Boys Basketball Saturday, 1/13 11:45 AM BULLS PREP SPEER United Center

Varsity Girls Basketball Thursday, 1/18 5:30 PM SPEER WESTINGHOUSEWestinghouse

Varsity Girls Basketball Saturday, 1/20 9:00 AM TNA SPEER Speer Gym

JV Boys Basketball Friday, 1/19 6:00 PM BULLS PREP SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Saturday, 1/20 10:30 AM TNA SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Girls Basketball Tuesday, 1/23 5:30 PM SPEER BUTLER Corliss Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Tuesday, 1/23 7:00 PM SPEER BUTLER Corliss Gym

JV Boys Basketball Wednesday, 1/24 7:00 PM SPEER FASMAN YESHIVAFasman

Varsity Girls Basketball Thursday, 1/25 5:30 PM GOLDER SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Thursday, 1/25 7:00 PM GOLDER SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Saturday, 1/27 2:00 PM SPEER Milwaukee Hope Milwaukee Hope

Varsity Girls Basketball Tuesday, 1/30 5:30 PM COMER SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Tuesday, 1/30 7:00 PM COMER SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Cheerleading Saturday, 2/3 TBD CHEERLEADING CHAMPIONSHIP Corliss Gym

Varsity Girls Basketball Saturday, 2/3 TBD QUARTERFINALSQUARTERFINALSExelon/Mansueto

Varsity Girls Basketball Sunday, 2/4 TBD SEMIFINALS SEMIFINALS Exelon/Mansueto

Varsity Girls Basketball Wednesday, 2/7 5:30 PM SPEER NOBLE STREET Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Wednesday, 2/7 7:00 PM SPEER NOBLE STREET Speer Gym

Varsity Girls Basketball Saturday, 2/10 TBD CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP Exelon/Mansueto

Varsity Boys Basketball Saturday, 2/10 11:30 AM SPEER UIC Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Tuesday, 2/13 5:30 PM PRITZKER SPEER Speer Gym

Varsity Boys Basketball Saturday, 2/17 TBD QUARTERFINALSQUARTERFINALSExelon/Mansueto

Varsity Boys Basketball Sunday, 2/18 TBD SEMIFINALS SEMIFINALS Exelon/Mansueto

Varsity Boys Basketball Saturday, 2/24 TBD CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP Exelon/Mansueto

LEVEL SPORT DATE TIME AWAY HOME LOCATION


Club Spotl ight: M edia

By Daniel Ortega

Many high schools have multiple types of clubs that students join, but many of them might not have a media club like Speer does. The club consists of recording different events such as sports and school dances. ?Media club teaches people about the different parts of the filming process,? said junior Isabella De Jesus. ?The club gives you a preview of what a major in film-making would be like; it 's not for people just looking to receive enrichment credit.? Some people who join the club usually expect the club to be lectures about the different types jobs that are in a film industry, but it consists of being a part of an actual film industry. It gives students opportunities to be exposed different departments about the film. ?I believe people should know more about the club,? said junior Maritza Vargas. ?It can be an opportunity to learn more about something that can potentially become a career for them.? The club consists of hard work,

dedication and teamwork when it involves a project or event. It is a process where organization is key in which a leadership role is presented. ?It is sometimes stressful, but it?s also fun to be the head producer of the club,? said senior Citlalli Marron. ?When there are times when we know what we are doing and have it all figured out, it becomes fun, but if you don?t, then it?s stressful.? ?I've had a lot of exposure towards the different aspects of the department due to me being the head of the post," said senior Stephanie Gomez. "I enjoy the

tediousness of piecing different clips together to complete a project. Other people would say that It 's boring and too difficult, but that gives me a sense of pride because I'm able to enjoy doing something that most people wouldn't find to be enjoyable.? ?My major roles as assistant director consist of mainly organizing who is going to do what on certain events that Media Club would participate in, or taking over any position that is lacking attention,? said junior Yireen Alberto. People who have an experience with media are more likely to be more exposed to new abilit ies to help improve themselves and to work as if it were a film industry. ?Something I want to get out of this club is improving my skills in designing and just overall contributing more to the school in events,? said sophomore Brian Castillo. A lot of times when people are exposed to different materials about film, they begin to adapt to skills that they would want to know more about in college and consider it as a future career.

Media Club member recording at a football game.

Media Club members setting up equipment before recording a game.


Staf f Spotl ightMs. Mahoney

AP Chemistry Teacher

Student A th letes of the M onthOsiel Cruz & Kyla Betts

What is your hometown?My hometown is Houston, TX. I also lived in Columbus, GA for a large portion of my childhood.

Where did you go t o college and what did you major in?My last job (before teaching) was at a shoe company. I was in a business rotational program and I worked with retail and design of women?s footwear.

What is your favor it e novel?This is a tough one! I loved The Hate U Give, and now I?m reading Dear Martin in morning lab. I highly recommend both!

When is your bir t hday?September 25

What was your favor it e cartoon as a child?I really enjoyed Rugrats and Arthur.

What are t hree words t hat descr ibe you?Optimistic, enthusiastic (about chemistry), jokester

What ?s a fun fact about you?I have traveled to 17 countries (and counting)!

What is your favor it e animal?I?m a big fan of hippos.

FAVORITE QUOTE:Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand

more, so that we may fear less. - Marie Curie

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