Spokesman Wheeling High School 900 S. Elmhurst Rd. Wheeling, Ill. 60090 <www.wheelingspokesman.com>Volume 48 Issue 5 Jan. 27, 2012

whs

‘Dracula’ play pg 9

Wrestling pg 11

indexnews 1-2forum 3feature 4-5focus 6-7la voz 8a&e 9-10sports 11-12

onlineNews A-OK Club

A&E ‘Dracula’ photo slideshow

Sports New football coach

Upon returning to school on Jan. 3, students and staff in District 214 could enjoy a variety of new options on their lunch menus, including vegetarian options.

“We’ve always tried to have vegetarian choices,” Maureen Mullane, food services manager, said.

Prior to the change, vegetarians had options such as the vegetarian salad with egg and cheese and mozzarella sticks; now, they have choices such as a baked potato bar (served with broccoli and cheese) and a grilled veggie pita (served with carrots, onions, green pepper, zucchini, spinach and cheese).

Students like Nikki Lemus, junior and

vegetarian, bought lunch last year and wished they had more vegetarian options.

“I would eat lunch, and I was mad because they would never have anything vegetarian, ever,” Lemus said.

Before winter break, Harlan Rosen, junior and vegetarian, asked for a bowl of rice instead of the Panda Bowl but was refused, so he felt “overjoyed” when he learned of the new options. Out of the options he has tried, Rosen enjoys the grilled veggie pita the most.

“They usually had a vegetarian option (before the new options), but there were some days when I found myself not being able to eat anything in the cafeteria,” Rosen said. “I’d like to feel like I have the same rights as any other cafeteria customer too -- a full lunch.”

According to Christine Frole, District

214 director of food services, she has a commitment toward offering a variety of healthy options so that everyone has a choice that pleases them. This includes having fresh fruits and vegetables available everyday in the lunch lines.

“We strive to provide a nutrition program that will maintain and improve the health of our students and the education community and encourage the development of sound nutrition habits that will foster academic success,” Ms. Frole said in an e-mail interview.

All of the options on the updated lunch menu can be viewed via the District 214 website <http://www.d214.org/finance_and_operations/district_high_schools.aspx>. The new options have bold font and the vegetarian options have an asterisk displayed next to the name.

New law requires all passengers to wear seat belts

Illinois passed 214 new laws that took effect on Jan. 1; among these, Amendment 219 to the Illinois Vehicle Code states that all passengers, including those in the back seat, must wear a seat belt.

According to Preston Robertson, police officer, WHS is not taking a position; however, the Wheeling Police Department will enforce the law.

“People will be subject to the law, even if they are around the school,” Officer Robertson said. “It (the law) will continue to reduce traffic violations. It reduces the risk of serious injury.”

Violators will face a $25 fine for not wearing a seat belt for the first offense.

According to Dale Thal, security supervisor, most students wear their seat belts, even before the amendment to the seat belt occurred.

“It’s adequate; I hope it gets more after the second and third offense,” Mr. Thal said.

Ramon Williams, dean, thought this change to the previous seat belt law was already a law before and that the fine should be higher.

“I was surprised. I thought everyone had to have their seat belts fastened,” Dean Williams, said.

Brittany Racky, senior, agrees with Dean Williams.

“It (the fine) should be more I think; a lot of people don’t realize how much it (the seat belt) really helps them,” Racky said.

In contrast, Conrad Ratchsan, junior, believes that individuals who did not wear seat belts before will not start doing it now.

“I don’t think they’re going to care if a law is passed or not; they’re going to continue doing what they’ve been doing,” Ratchsan said.

The original 1985 seat belt law required front and back seat passengers 19 and younger to wear seat belts, but adults were not required to do so.

Previously, front seat passengers, children younger than eight years of age and minors driven by a person younger than 18 were required wear to seat belts. The Amendment to House Bill 219 excludes buses, emergency vehicles and taxicabs.

Frida ValdesAsst. News Editor

Valerie WestinPhoto Editor

Cafeteria offers vegetarian options Controversy arises over PIPA, SOPA

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) have led to controversy from the Internet industry and Internet users.

SOPA was introduced into the House of Representatives, and PIPA was introduced to the Senate. These bills aim to stop piracy and the selling of counterfeit goods on foreign web sites.

The Senate began voting on PIPA on Jan. 24. The House has put SOPA on hold until February.

Movie and music industries support this legislation, saying it protects intellectual property, protects customers from getting counterfeit goods and combats online piracy, which leads to job and income losses.

Opponents of SOPA and PIPA, especially those in the Internet industry, say that the bills will disrupt the web, impose high regulatory costs, impede innovation, intrude on the right of free speech and promote censorship.

“I’m actually against both PIPA and SOPA,” Barry Hanrahan, librarian, said. “I really think that as a librarian, especially in a school, our role should be to teach kids skills...Especially with the older grades, they have to evaluate complex information (on the Internet).”

On Jan. 18, web sites like Wikipedia, WordPress and Reddit protested these bills by blacking out their web pages. Google also protested by placing a black streak over its logo to encourage users to sign a petition against SOPA and PIPA.

“Well I know that a lot of people are concerned about it because they download movies that can be taken down,” Alfonso Figueroa, junior, said. “I go on YouTube and watch videos of my favorite artists, and those can be taken down.”

Some students like Figueroa and Alex King, senior, signed petitions against these bills.

“I’m always on Tumblr, so someone posted a post about SOPA and that the government was trying to shut down sites like Wikipedia and Google, and I was thoroughly ticked off,” King said. “It’s like why is the government focusing on the Internet when we have health care issues and problems in foreign countries?”

Representative Darrell Issa and Senator Ron Wyden oppose PIPA and SOPA. They introduced an alternative: the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade (OPEN) Act.

Supporters of OPEN said that OPEN will reduce censorship and piracy, while supporters of SOPA and PIPA, such as those in the entertainment industry, said that OPEN will not do enough to combat piracy.

Rosalie ChanNews Editor

New Seat Belt LawAmends to the Illinois Vehicle Code require every driver and passenger in a motor vehicle on a street or highway in Illinois to wear a seat belt, with specified exceptions.

StatisticAccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2010, 38 back seat passengers in Illinois died in crashes because they did not wear their seat belts.

For further content on SOPA, PIPA and OPEN, check out the infographic on page 2 and the editorial on page 3.

Astrida Kramens, cook, prepares one of the new lunch items, Bosco Cheese Breadsticks with sauce, on the morning of Jan. 18. The new lunch options began on Jan. 3, and students can view them on the WHS website. Valerie Westin Photo Editor

Graphic by Jocelyn Torres

Delgado works as manager pg 5

2NewsJan. 27, 2012Spokesman

newsflashnewsflash

For more news, like Wheeling Spokesman on Facebook or follow @WHSSpokesman on Twitter.

Students train for Erika’s Lighthouse panels

Students compete in monologue contest

Three students performed Shakespeare monologues, hoping to move forward to a Shakespeare monologue contest in Chicago.

In the E n g l i s h -S p e a k i n g U n i o n N a t i o n a l Shakespeare C o n t e s t , s t u d e n t s m u s t memorize a monologue and a sonnet. Then they recite them to judges.

On Jan. 18, Celine Dirkes, sophomore, Rebecca Way and Dmitriy Leukhin, seniors, performed their monologues to Cynthia Carro, Jennifer Zorn and Wendy Relich, English teachers.

“I looked through one of my books which had short monologues and picked my favorite and memorized it,” Dirkes said.

The next day, Dirkes found out she won, making her eligible for the Chicago competition on Feb. 6. According to Dirkes, she felt happy and excited when Ms. Carro told her.

“She (Dirkes) had a really good command and really got into her character,” Ms. Carro said.

Dirkes picked a passage from “Henry V” for her monologue and “Definition of Honor” for her sonnet.

E v e n though s h e needed t o recite a sonnet for Ms. Car ro , M s . Z o r n a n d

Ms. Relich, she does need to recite a sonnet for the contest on Feb. 6.

“I like what it (the sonnet I chose) was about. I think it was because my dad always liked it and he explained what it meant to me,” Dirkes said. “It means that everyone else and a general opinion is not always right.”

Way performed a monologue from “Hamlet.” While she did not advance to Chicago, she felt proud of Dirkes advancing.

“She did a good job. It really sounded like she was in an actual play,” Way said.

For the Shakespeare Monologue contest, Dirkes will recite her monologue and sonnet to four judges.

WPAC will have a book drive from Feb. 6 to Feb. 17. Students can drop off books in the front, back or library.

Brent Pearlman, former head football coach at Prospect and offensive coordinator at Lake Zurich, will replace Dave Dunbar, head football coach. Check Spokesman Online for the full story.

CSC competed in the Illinois Drill Team Association Regionals on Jan. 21 at Rolling Meadows High School. They won first place.

Latino Club will host a dance from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Feb. 10 in the cafeteria. Tickets cost $5 with an ID and $7 without one. All funds will go toward the senior scholarship.

Ebony Club will host the African American Heritage Show, which will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 4 in the theater.

Italian Club will host Italian Night at 6 p.m. on Feb. 17. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $7 for students and $5 for children. People can eat Italian food, listen to students sing Italian songs and participate in raffles.

Student Council will sell Crushes for $1 each during lunch from Jan. 31 to Feb. 13. They will also sell stuffed animals and lollipops. Student Council will distribute the Crushes on Feb. 14.

Students gathered on Jan. 11 at Buffalo Grove High School to receive training from Erika’s Lighthouse, a depression awareness program.

“I thought it would be interesting to learn how depression affects everyone,” Andrea Granados, sophomore, said. “What I got out is that you never know who’s suffering from depression. It’s true that not everyone talks about depression. It’s not a disease you see right away.”

Erika’s Lighthouse talked to students from BGHS, John Hersey High School, WHS, Vanguard School and Forest View Educational Center.

“We are really just trying to talk about depression and to let people know it’s okay to talk about. We hope to talk to anyone who will listen and inform as many people as possible,” Reed Kahn, Erika’s Lighthouse panelist and senior at New

Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)Sponsor: Representative Lamar SmithThis bill makes unauthorized web streaming of copyrighted content a felony with a possible penalty of up to five years in prison. This bill has been put on hold.

Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA)Sponsor: Senator Patrick LeahyThis bill says that in some cases, sites can be blocked without first allowing the alleged infringers to defend themselves in court. The voting of PIPA has been postponed.

Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act (OPEN)Sponsor: Senator Ron WydenThis bill would make the International Trade Commission, rather than the Justice Department, responsible for policing U.S. connections to piracy sites.

Read more about these laws in the story on page 1 and the editorial on page 3.

Both SOPA and PIPA would establish a system to take down websites determined by the Justice Department to be dedicated to copyright infringement. The Justice Department or copyright owner can take legal action against the infringer.

Trier High School, said.Ryan Schiltz, guidance

counselor, heard about the event from BGHS, and she decided to attend and bring students.

“Anyone was allowed to come. I just wanted to let people know that it was out there,” Ms. Schiltz said.

Elizabeth Bailey, senior at BGHS, invited Erika’s Lighthouse to come to her school to talk about depression.

“Our district has had a lot of suicides lately, and I was talking with the principal at Prospect High School, and he referred me to Erika’s

Lighthouse,” Bailey said.Erika’s Lighthouse first

started with the suicide of a girl named Erika. After her death, people in her community formed Erika’s Lighthouse to spread depression awareness in memory of Erika.

“I think more people

need to hear the story of Erika and know that some people need help,” Kati Drake, junior, said.

According to Granados, she and other students who attended the training session talked about planning a panel and forming an Erika’s Lighthouse club.

Andrea Granados, Nancy Garcia, Angeline Yutakis and Cali Parisi, sophomores, discuss questions about depression and Erika’s Lighthouse, a depression awareness program, at the Erika’s Lighthouse training session on Jan. 11 at Buffalo Grove High School. Students learned about the symptoms of depression and paneling.

SOPA PIPA OPEN

Rosalie Chan News Editor

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Buffalo Grove Theater Located at 120 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove, IL 847-215-1221

It’s (the m o n o l o g u e contest) not about acting; it’s about words.

“Celine Dirkes

sophomore”

Krista SanfordA&E Editor

Lizz McDanielStaff Reporter

“I can’t wait until I’m 18 and move out, so I can do whatever I want!”

I can still hear myself saying this to anyone who would listen.

Living with parents is truly a drag. There are those tedious chores like having to keep the room clean. The consequence: mom is all over and going insane. One cannot come home at two in the morning because the parents freak and ban one from going out next weekend. It is all really unnecessary stuff right? I thought that it was.

After all, I would think for myself; I would live by myself; I would not mind if my house is messy or if I come home at 2 a.m. Those were my thoughts. Reality was anything but my vision.

All I can say is thank God that my parents followed me around and forced me to keep my room clean and come home at a reasonable time.

When I moved out of my parent’s house, my whole life changed. I am not going to lie and say that I do not like living without my parents because I do, but there are also some aspects of life that I think my parents

can handle a little better than I can. The part of my life that I now definitely love is the freedom. I have the ability to make my own choices and the ability to come and go as I please.

Before, I could rarely go anywhere and even though I understand that my parents were simply overprotective, I also must say that not going out really robbed me of some experiences that any teenager should have. Now if I ever feel like doing something, I can simply do it.

However, there is a negative side to that. Usually when I wanted to do something and my parents did not allow it, it was for my own good. Now, I do not have my mom or my dad next to me telling me to think about what I am going to do or forbid me from doing it. Now, I have to spend my time thinking “is it really a good idea to go out this late?” or “what’s going to happen if I do this?”

A huge change that I had to go through is the food I ate. I began to eat less healthy, and I began to get out of shape. My parents played a big role because they did not allow me to simply munch on snacks. To change my bad habits, I ate three meals a day and tried not to eat many snacks.

In all of this, I had to adjust living without my parents and reshape my view of “I’m going to do whatever when I’m 18.” When seniors go off to college, most of them are going to go through the same phase I went through, but they should force themselves to mature and set reasonable boundaries for themselves.

3ForumJan. 27, 2012Spokesman

Spokesman Staff 2011-2012Editor-in-Chief*Daniel Brount

Associate Editor*Gaby Najera

Web Editor*Jennie Alcantar

News Editor*Rosalie Chan

Asst. News Editor*Frida Valdes

Forum Editor*Solinna Chong

Feature Editors*Jasminne Hernandez*Karen Rodriguez

Focus Editor*Megan Jones

La Voz EditorJocelyn Torres

A&Editor*Krista Sanford

Photo/Multimedia Editor*Valerie Westin

Asst. Photo Editor*Kristina Piamonte

Graphics Editors*Mikey CiavarellaJocelyn Torres

Advertising ManagerMegan Jones

Staff ReportersPerla JimenezJes MartinezLizz McDanielNicole NeumannRobert PeralesKhadeeja Salehbhai

Staff PhotographersJessie LivingstonJessie Sanford

Staff ArtistKeira Skenandore

AdviserJohn Uhrik

This is the official student newspaper of Wheeling High School, 900 S. Elmhurst Road, Wheeling, Ill. 60090. Written, edited and distributed 8 times a year by advanced journalism classes, independent studies and other interested and qualified students. Produced by using desktop publishing and is printed by Son’s Enterprises, Inc., Skokie Ill. Mailed subscription $15 per year.

Letters- Spokesman is a limited public forum and welcomes a free exchange of ideas from all readers. Readers

are encouraged to contribute letters to the staff in room 135 or mail them in care of WHS. All letters must be signed. Letters may be edited for length, style, possible libel, clarity, and adherence to our publication policies. Spokesman’s mission is to report the news objectively and truthfully. We will print any known errors here in the issue following our gaining knowledge of the error.

Advertising- For infor-mation, call (847) 718-7114 Monday-Friday 7:25 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.

Corrections-Jon Tracey’s names was misspelled on page 3.The correct swim time is 2 minutes and 25.73 seconds on page 12.

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Editorial

SOPA, PIPA will not benefit Internet worldThe U.S. senate began

voting on the SOPA and PIPA acts on Jan. 24. Spokesman feels that students should be informed about these acts that will affect them so they know where they stand. This way, they can take action and protect their own future.

As both acts were brought into public awareness, websites began posting their oppositions. In this past month, websites like

Wikipedia and Google joined “Black Out Wednesday” on Jan. 18. Although Google did not shut down, it wore a black censorship strip across its logo.

If both SOPA and PIPA pass, they will require websites to monitor everything that users upload, which means small technology companies will have to be cautious about copyright ownership, or they will pay fees, which some

small companies cannot afford and will destroy the job opportunities that the Internet world depends on.

Although the foundation of both acts is necessary, S p o k e s m a n feels that some c o p y r i g h t owners may take advantage of SOPA to drive out small businesses who provide legitimate services.

SOPA and PIPA have

right intentions, but left how they are now, both acts can turn the Internet world into a controlled platform. The U.S. will not have the

freedom to start new and secure s e r v i c e s online (as underground

artists provide).Instead of having

SOPA and PIPA attempt to take on piracy,

entrepreneurs should find a way to provide the goods consumers want without stepping over copyright.

For example, Spotify and Netflix have found ways to make a profit while still paying the copyright owners.

People should instead show support for the OPEN (Online Protection and Enforcement of Digitial Trade) act which is more leniant with conflicts of copyright.

Keira’s Kartoons Independence inspires change in lifestyle

Planned study methods take stress off of testing

Scrunched eyebrows, tapping pencils, eraser shavings and that occasional sigh of frustration. This is how many students act during finals. Oh the stress!

After a long, relaxing, slumbering winter break, students were greeted with

tests, tests and even more tests. The sudden jump from being brain dead for two weeks to learning new material and crunching in for finals was all the rage.

When coming back from break, I was overwhelmed with hours of homework: three new chapters to learn in a mere three weeks and the occasional quizzes.

Finals, and testing in general, is any students worst enemy having to be stuck in a classroom for about two hours, strapped to a little desk in a clustered classroom.

Stress usually plays

a huge part in studying because students are sometimes overwhelmed with the madness of it all.

This year, for the first time, I had an actual final in an AP class. For AP U.S History (APUSH), the teacher gave a large packet, and all I remember the teacher saying was, “Have this completed in time for your final Friday.” That was in two days!

To prevent sanity from exploding, students should take some measures to calm themselves down. For example, planning out what should be done

before the test, such as studying for APUSH first for an hour, then moving on to precalc. This way, time can be managed and that overwhelmed feeling does not occur.

Another way to reduce stress is stepping away from the books for a while. The human brain can only stay focus on one thing for so long. After 40 to 60 minutes of studying, the brain goes into a “burnt out” phase, which is when most students start to feel tired or stressed out.

Instead of crunching all the information in at

once, studying should be planned and spaced out.

Crunching in a ton of info at once will only go in one ear and out the other. Last minute studying is the worst thing to do before a test.

As the school year progresses on, there will be more tests thrown at us students. Sometimes it seems like teachers enjoy giving out tests, but tests help present everything that is learned. It is almost like a final project.

Instead of freaking out over the next test, just take a subtle approach and plan for the best.

To the new vegetarian choices in the cafeteria. These new options will not only give vegeterians more options for lunch, but also promote healthier choices.

To Rachel Stephani (WPAC) and Mel Ladowski (cheerleading and senior classboard) for raising the most money for Pack the Place. Way to be the leaders of the pack!

To the completion of finals. After a long winter break, students were able to jump back into their studies and pull off completing all their finals.

To the snow that we have been waiting for. Despite it feeling like winter finally, the snow hit us with a blast. The amount of icy roads and messy snow makes it harder to drive to and from places.

To students and staff members who do not recycle. The amount of waste piles in the junkyards are growing at an alarming rate. Better choices lead to a better enviroment.

Solinna Chong

Spokesman also accepts all cartoon submissions. Those who are chosen to be published in the newspaper will be credited in the staff box as Guest Staff Cartoonist.

Staff members with asterisks are on the editorial board.

All 14 members of the editorial board agree.

See the story on page 1 and infographic on page 2 for more information

Jes Martinez

4FeatureJan. 27, 2012Spokesman

Family members work, learn in same building“It’s absolutely a benefit (having her

son go to WHS). We are very connected throughout the day, and I am a very involved parent anyway. I believe me being in the building with my children causes me to be more involved in their academics and activities,” Karen Li nzmeier, chemistry and AP Chemistry teacher, said.

Grace Konyar, junior, believes her relationship with her mother is the same as it is at home .

“I still go into her (Kathy Konyar, biology teacher) room and talk to her there as I do at home. It’s (their relationship) pretty much the same,” Konyar said.

Likewise, Alex Linzmeier, senior, appreciates the convenience of having his mother at school.

“If I need a ride home, she’s here. I can go to her to drop my stuff off,” A. Linzmeier said.

Ms. Linzmeier agrees that her relationship with her son is the same.

“Our relationship is very much the same, we are a very close-knit family,” Ms. Linzmeier said.

Lauren Linzmeier, daughter and WHS

graduate, used to be a student in Ms. Linzmeier’s AP Chemistry class.

“In Lauren’s chem class, half the class were her friends. Her friends knew me before having me as a teacher. No one saw having her in class, and her calling me mom, as an unfair advantage,” Ms. Linzmeier said.

According to Ms. Linzmeier, having L. Linzmeier in her class proved a benefit since L. Linzmeier was able to ask her any questions she had, any time.

A. Linzmeier, however does not share any classes with his mother, and neither does G. Konyar with her mother.

Maria Castillo, junior, already knew Ms. Konyar and was able to become friends very easily with G. Konyar after she transferred.

“I was kind of surprised (that Ms. Konyar was G. Konyar’s mother). I thought it was pretty cool because Ms. Konyar is a

really nice teacher and person, so I figured Grace would be really nice as well,” Castillo said.

Alex Jensen, senior and friend of A. Linzmeier, liked how knowing Ms. Linzmeier beforehand helped him have a friendlier atmosphere when he started high school.

“It was nice because my family was friends with their family, so it’s nice to have her (Ms. Linzmeier) here,” Jensen said.

From spending $45,000 plus air fare and hotel payments and practices three times a week; Alexis Iatropoulos, senior, dedicates her time to her all-star cheer squad.

“I started cheerleading about six years ago and my best friend (Kayleigh Senger, sophomore at Prospect Heights High School) got me into it because she did it her whole life, and we would always talk about it and I would go to open gym with her, so I decided to try out,” Iatropoulos said.

Both Iatropoulos and Senger cheer for the Ultimate Athletics gym in Wauconda, IL. Iatropoulos cheers for the Supremacy squad and Senger cheers for the Divinity squad.

“I don’t see her as much because we’re on different teams,” Senger said. “We drive to the far competitions together, so that makes it easier to catch up.”

All-star cheer squads are divided by age, size, co-ed and the level of difficulty. Iatropoulos’ squad competes

with the senior, small, all girl level four squads.

“One of my favorite things about cheerleading is traveling and hitting a routine perfectly and seeing our coaches be really proud of us,” Iatropoulos said.

Cindy Salgado, senior and friend of Iatropoulos, attended a competition to support Iatropoulos.

“I wanted to see the difference between all-star cheerleading and high school cheerleading,” Salgado said. “Everything was so fast paced, there was never a time you didn’t see a girl tumbling.”

In competitions, Iatropoulos wears a wrist support ever since she broke it.

Iatropoulos has also broken her nose and fingers; sprained her wrist and her ankle; strained her abs; and tore a ligament in her wrist.

“I still had to do the best I could. When I broke my wrist, I was out for two months, and it killed me because I had to sit and watch all the practices. I lost my spots in the routine and when I came back I had to get all new spots,” Iatropoulos said.

Iatropoulos dedicates time to all-star cheer

Above: On Jan. 19 Grace Konyar, junior, and Kathy Konyar, biology teacher and G. Konyar’s mom, put away a blood type kit from Ms. Konyar’s biology class. After they finished, they went out to lunch during seventh period.Right: On Jan. 19 Lori Leska, nurse, talks to Kevin Leska, senior and son of Ms. Leska, about finals while he helps her holepunch papers.

Daniel Brount Editor-in-Chief

Valerie Westin Photo Editor

Alexis Iatropoulos, senior, cheers with her Ultimate Athletics Supremacy squad during the JamFest competition. The competition started on Jan. 13 and ended Jan. 15, the competition took place in Indianapolis, IN. At the end of the competition, Ultimate Athletics Supremacy placed seventh out of 15 squads since a team tied. Iatropoulos hopes to win nationals, which will be her last competition in March, taking place in Florida.

Photo courtesy of Alexis Iatropoulos

“They (National Guard) break you down as a civilian, and they build you back up a soldier,” Arturo Sotelo, senior, said.

Sotelo and Julian Blanco, senior, joined the National Guard in 2011.

“I wanted to go to college. It was 100 percent educational. I also wanted to grow as a person and succeed in life,” Blanco said.

According to Blanco, he will be stationed in Chicago where if “a catastrophe” were to occur, he would be the one in charge.

Blanco’s specialty is a chemical biological radiological nuclear specialist- “basically a radio active expert.” He will be off for one month and one week, but is likely to stay in the United States, “protecting the home front.”

Sotelo, on the other hand, will travel to Oklahoma for basic

training for nine weeks after graduation. Although Sotelo is eager to begin, he will come back for a while after the nine weeks and travel to Georgia for 18 weeks.

“I’m anxious to start the training experience. After that I want to bump myself up to the Army Reserve,” Sotelo said.

Sotelo was recruited by Blanco due to conversations regarding the benefits. He decided his parents were not going to be able to pay for his college and would join.

“It was a burden (what was going to happen with college), but I also wanted to do something with my life- for my country,” Sotelo said.

Although both Blanco’s and Sotelo’s parents disagreed with their decisions, they came to terms.

“He’s very responsible. He has all my support,” Fabiola Lowe, mother of Blanco, said.

Sotelo, Blanco engage in National Guard

I have a better appreciation for things she accomplishes (in school) since I am more aware (of what goes on around WHS).

“Kathy Konyar

Biology teacher”

Gaby NajeraAssociate Editor

Karen RodriguezStaff Reporter

Khadeeja SalehbaiStaff Reporter

5FeatureJan. 27, 2012Spokesman

Delgado obtains manager position at McDonald’s

Janet Delgado, junior, on Jan. 17 takes an order at the McDonald’s on East Lake Cook Road in Wheeling. Delgado holds the position of manager and works various days throughout the week. Delgado balances her managerial position with school as well as her extracurricular activities such as Student Council, New Dawns, Operation Snowball and Madrigals. “Sometimes I take my homework to work, but that usually doesn’t work. I haven’t learned to balance it that well. I sometimes lose sleep over it,” Delgado said.

Janet Delgado, junior, started working at the McDonald’s on East Lake Cook Road in Wheeling almost two years ago. Since then, she has become the youngest manager at that McDonald’s.

“Every time I apply myself to something, I have to be the best at it. I guess they noticed, and they started talking to me six months in (after I started working at McDonald’s). I told them I would think about it because I was busy with school,” Delgado said.

Later, she agreed to become manager.

As a manager, Delgado runs the floor, which means she takes charge of the other employees’ positions. She also handles complaints and makes sure nothing is missing from the stock area.

“You’re not just responsible for people your age, but for people ten years older than you,” Delgado said. “It was hard at first because nobody took me seriously. I learned you have to take charge quickly because otherwise, people will take advantage of you.”

Nevertheless, Delgado said that she has gained respect from her workers.

Teasia Kimmons, senior, works with Delgado at the

McDonald’s restaurant.“It’s fun. We always

laugh and goof off when there’s no business,” Kimmons said. “I think she’s a better manager than some of the older people just ‘cause they’re stuck in their ways. Janet knows what’s best.”

During the school year, Delgado works Tuesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and sometimes Fridays. In the summer, she works four to five days a week. According to Delgado, she sometimes finds it difficult to balance school, extracurricular activities and work.

“It’s really stressful. It’s the same as school--I have my good days and bad days. I get home at 8 or 9 at night, and I have to get homework done. Weekends are dedicated to work, and it’s not like I get weekends to rest,” Delgado said.

Chris Gonzalez, junior, used to work at McDonald’s with Delgado. According to Gonzalez, when he first started working there, Delgado was still a crew trainer.

“She (Delgado) helped me out whenever I needed help. She never got too impatient,” Gonzalez said. “She carries herself older than she really is. I don’t think many people look down on her. She knows how to handle everyone.”

Valerie Westin Photo Editor

Rosalie ChanNews Editor

6FocusJan. 27, 2012Spokesman

As students prepare for college, many research with a certain major or career path in mind.

However, according to Ann Ku, math teacher, “you don’t have to decide the rest of your life right after high school.”

“I think it’s great if you have a passion, but also after high school there’s a lot of opportunities so leave your options open, and maybe you’ll find something,” Ms. Ku said.

Among other teachers, Ms. Ku began college with a major that differed from her current career. She began at Northwestern University as a journalism major.

“I only did journalism for a semester. In high school, I wasn’t involved in journalism, but people told me in college that you try different things,” Ms. Ku said. “I had an interest in journalism, so in college I tried it. I realized I don’t really enjoy writing, and it really isn’t my strength. My strength is more math and logic.”

Meanwhile, Mike Burke, English teacher, started with a psychology major at Notre Dame University.

“When I originally went to college, I knew I wanted to work with people, and I was fascinated by the workings of the human mind,” Mr. Burke said. “We had counseling meetings, and the counselor said to look at people in the job for 20 years and decide if that’s where you wanted to be because the job will shape you more than you will shape the job.”

While this caused Mr. Burke to switch his major to math, Ms. Ku switched to economics.

After college, she worked in a consulting company for three years until she decided to switch again.

“Always in the back of my mind, I wanted to be a teacher. So I went back to school to get my teaching certificate,” Ms. Ku said. “That’s what you do when you’re young, try to figure out what you like and don’t like. Try different things.”

Teachers adjust career paths during their college experiencesDaniel Brount

Editor-in-Chief

Public schools no longer test the written portion of the ACT Exam on the required Prairie State Exam (PSAE) Day. This may cause juniors to have to sit through the three hours of testing more than once if their college of choice requires the written portion.

While some juniors already plan to take the test at least twice due to wanting the best score, the ACT exam with the writing portion costs more.

The pricing of taking an ACT exam on a national testing day costs $34. The test including the written portion costs $49.50.

“This is a cost that students may have to accrue

which may be a struggle for some WHS kids,” Paula Kruty, assessment supervisor, said.

The state of Ill. made the decision in June to no longer require the written portion of the ACT. By doing so, the state will save $2.4 million a year.

“I don’t think it’s fair. A lot of families can’t afford to pay and many depend on the in-school test,” Mauli Patel, junior, said. “This takes away the opportunity for

people who can not afford taking the written portion of the test because now they can’t apply to their college of choice.”

Only one fourth of colleges in Illinois require the written portion, but those colleges are some of the top- ranked in the state.

State ACT testing changes, drops written portionMegan Jones

Focus Editor

Class of 2011

Class of 2010

Class of 2009

4 Year College: 51%

4 Year College: 53%

4 Year College: 50%

2 Year College: 45%

2 Year College: 40%

2 Year College: 44%

Trade/Tech 1%

Trade/Tech 1%

Trade/Tech 1%

Military 0.5%

Military 1%

Military 4%

Work/Other 2.5%

Work/Other 5%

Work/Other 4%

Post High School Choices:

Like Ms. Ku, Mr. Burke went through one more change; however, he decided to change to English while still in college.

“I enjoyed literature and analyzing and talking about philosophy,” Mr. Burke said.

Unlike Mr. Burke and Ms. Ku, Janet Koelper, math teacher, planned to teach from the start of her career at Winona State University. Instead of high school students, however, she planned to teach elementary school.

“It was the first ‘field experience’ of sophomore year as a teacher’s aid, and I was with the elementary school kids for a few days, and I realized I couldn’t do it,” Ms. Koelper said. “They reassigned me to a middle school since I had to stay in the same school district.”

Once she decided she preferred the

mentality of high school students, she made her decision.

“Get a real life experience with it as early as you can, so if you realize it’s not what you thought it was going to be so it’s not too late to change,” Ms. Koelper said. “Get in there as early as you possibly can to see if it’s what you think it will be and if it’s what you want to do.”

For students looking into their future, Mr. Burke advises to leave as many options open as possible.

“I agree with Mark Twain who said to make your vocation a vacation, and you will always be happy,” Mr. Burke said. “You have to go with your head and also acknowledge your heart, and that’s why the more options you can leave yourself open with going into college, the better.”

“Taking all the classes we need for our future career.”

Beka Horn, freshman

What do you think your grade level should be doing to prepare for college?

Photo Opinion by Valerie Westin

“Enjoying their high school experience to the fullest. Hit the books and get good grades.”

Tim Shover, sophomore

“Practicing for the ACT and try to keep their grades up so they do well in college.”

Teri Gansinger, junior

“Looking for financial aid opportunities and aiming for the long run.”

Adam Bender, senior

As juniors prepare for the ACT and seniors make decisions about their colleges, Spokesman did research to help students prepare effectively and choose the right path.

Preparation Classes

Infographic byMichael Ciavarella

Students can look at Naviance to see whether colleges require the writing sample or not.

Information gathered byValerie Westin

Information gathered byValerie Westin

7FocusJan. 27, 2012Spokesman

Planning for college has been one of the most stressful events in my 18 years of life. For me, I already know that I am going to Harper College to get my general education credits out of the way in order to save money. Also I feel like this is an excellent way to ensure what major I want to go in so I don’t waste time and money at an university.

Even though I have another two years until I have to transfer, I still feel the pressure of making that decision now. While trying to make the choice of what college to go to I had to consider a lot things.

First off, I had to consider which of the schools had the major that I was interested in. The main major that I am interested in is criminal justice, but this major is not my permanent choice.

Most importantly, I take into consideration the location of the school. I have always wanted to move to Colorado my whole life, so I first researched the universities in Colorado.

I researched the University of Colorado in Boulder and in Denver. Both of them offered a plethora of different majors that I could possibly be interested in, including criminal justice. Then I came to harsh realization that out-of-state tuition costs an arm and a leg to pay for. So going out of state, though it is my dream,

was out of the question.Now I have to look at

colleges in state, which I find even more stressful because there are many great college opportunities in Illinois.

I narrowed it down to Southern, Northern, Bradley, University of Illinois and Illinois State University. I didn’t want to go to U of I or ISU because I felt like the campus would be too big or there would be too many people. I also eliminated Northern from the list after I visited the campus and did not like it.

In order to determine between Southern and Bradley, I had to start the process over as I looked into each college’s majors.

Both schools had my major available. Next, I had to make a pros list to see which one had more. The main pros that Southern offered was its distance and the environment. Yet, Bradley had the possibility of my friends attending there as well.

Ultimately, I have not made my decision yet, but there is one thing for sure; narrowing it down to two was the most stressful decision of my life.

Don’t let the stress of your future educational decisions alter your perspective on college. These years are critical and are meant to be memorable.

Overall, choosing a college can be very stressful, but you have to remember to review all your options and just make the best choice for you. Make sure that you are happy in the end because it is your education, and your opinion is the only one that really matters.

Nicole Neumann

Choosing college:

Your Junior Year: january __ Pick dates to start studying for the ACT and put them in your calendar. __ Find out the registration deadline for the ACT test and write it down on your calendar.__ Locate at least six colleges that you are interested in applying to. Look at websites, videos, and talk to your school counselor and college attendants about which colleges you are interested in. __ Sign up for extracurricular activities that are important for college applications.

february__ The spring semester of your junior year is the last semester that counts in your GPA/class rank. Study hard and get tutoring if necessary. __ Continue studying for

the ACT. __ Write down project deadlines, exams, and colleges you want to learn about this month. Find out which colleges require what tests and their recommended ACT score.

march__Write down the registration dates for the AP Exams. __ Schedule college visits.

april __ Keep visiting colleges and requesting brocheures.__ Take the ACT at WHS.

may __ Look for a summer job that shows responsibility. __Volunteer- work a few hours a week. __ Start requesting college applications and write down who you request them from so you are not confused.

__ If taking the ACT again in June, continue to study.

Your Senior Year:september__ If you plan to continue trying to take the ACT, write down registration deadlines and test dates. __ Write down deadlines for extracurricular activities and volunteer work. __ Make a list of all the high school experiences/accomplishments you’ve made for college applications. __ Start thinking of teachers you have good relationships with for recommendation letters. __ Choose a day to ask for recommendation letters to be written.

october__Research and enter all of the college application deadlines into your calendar.

__ Complete the common application this month and be prepared to send it to colleges that accept it. __ Complete your college essay. Have an English teacher look it over and edit it. __ If you are interested in Early Action or Early Decision, check the deadline for mailing applications. __ Request that your transcript be mailed to the colleges that you are applying to.

november __ For colleges with rolling admissions decide on a date to submit your application. __ Call or e-mail colleges about financial aid opportunities. Learn when the financial aid deadlines are.

december__ If you are accepted by Early Decision, set a date to withdraw the

applications from other colleges. __ Choose a day to begin filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online and e-mail or mail it no later than Feb. 1.

january __Start inquiring about the scholarships that your community or school counselor might be aware of. __ Keep studying- colleges can “take back” their admissions offer.

february __ E-mail colleges you’ve applied to and make sure that they received all of your materials such as test results.

march__ When you are accepted into a college, mark your calendar with the last date the college will accept your acceptance form and the deposit.

__Write down the deadline for returning housing forms. Do it quick for the best dorm! __ Register for AP Exams.

april __ Choose the college you want to attend and send the deposit. __ Review financial aid packages offered. __ If placed on a waiting list, write the college and thank them for the opportunity.

may__Prepare for AP Exams. __ Fill out all housing forms as soon as possible. __Write to colleges you have declined and thank them. Who knows if you’ll transfer?

june__ Graduate!__ Order your final high school transcript to be sent to the college that you choose to attend.

Information taken from “How to Say It- to Get into the College of Your Choice,” by Linda Metcalf, PH.D.

One of the most stressful decisions teenagers make

Private Schools:1. DePaul University: ACT- 22-27; GPA-3.42. Loyola University-Chicago: ACT- 25-29; GPA- 3.683. Northwestern University: ACT- 31-33; GPA - Not Reported4. Augustana College: ACT- 26; GPA- 3.275. Bradley University: ACT- 22-28; GPA- 3.596. University of Chicago: ACT- 30-34; GPA- 3.797. Columbia College: ACT- 19-25; GPA- 3.09 8. Elmhurst College: ACT- 21-27; GPA- 3.449. Illinois Wesleyan University: ACT - 26-31; GPA - 3.5

Public Schools:10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne: ACT- 26-31; GPA- Not Reported11. University of Illinois, Chicago: ACT- 21-26; GPA- Not Reported12. Northern Illinois University: ACT- 19-24; GPA- Not Reported13. Eastern Illinois University: ACT 19-23; GPA - 2.7514. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale: ACT - 18-24 ; GPA - 2.4815. Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville: ACT - 20-25 ; GPA- Not Reported16. Western Illinois University: ACT - 18-23 ; GPA - 3.017. Illinois State University: ACT - 22-26 ; GPA - 3.45 18. Harper College: ACT - 22 ; GPA - 4.48

1.2.

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11.7.

8.

9.

10.

6.12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

Information from Naviance Infographic by Jocelyn Torres and Megan JonesInformation gathered byValerie Westin

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8La Voz27 de enero 2012Spokesman

Like Wheeling Spokesman online on Facebook to get access to more updated news and let us know your thoughts!

Follow Spokesman @WHSSpokesman to have more updated news such as daily lunch menus, scores of sports events and news around the school.

Cáncer se ha diseminado en el colon, la columna vertebral y los huesos, del Hugo Chavez y podría tener sólo nueve meses de vida según CNN. Chávez ha recibido dosis de analgésicos y estimulantes que le han ayudado a un poco.

Aumento en el uso de drogas y delitos en América Central dirijio el Cuerpo de Paz ser retirado de Honduras. Tambien se detuvo el envío de voluntarios a Guatemala y El Salvador. Sólo los 335voluntarios que ya están en esos países se han quedado.

La guerra de la droga en Mexico se está

intensificando en zonas del interior y del sur. Segun The New York Times, la semana pasada, dos cuerpos decapitados fueron encontrados en una camioneta cerca de la entrada de un centro comercial en Ciudad de México. La seguridad de los Mexicanos sigue riesgo.

Los incendios forestales se extendió por las partes calientes y secos del sur de Chile. los bomberos han estado trabajando duro para apagar las llamas. Se dice que el fuego comenzó enlas Torres del Paine y hacia fuera a lo largo de un par de días.

Información derrivada por:<www.cnn.com><www.nytimes.com>

Viajar a méxico tiene percepciones mezcladas

En la última década, traficantes dentro de México han metido mucha violencia, pero a pesar de esto, la gente no deja de viajar al país. Viajan no solo por necesidad, sino también por placer.

Gente aún ve visitar a México peligroso.

Cristal Flores, junior, y su familia suelen visitar a familiares en México cada tres años. Este año, su papá fue solo.

Ella y su familia sienten que es demasiado peligroso ir a México en la condición actual. Flores tiene familiares quienes han fallecido a causa de la violencia en el país. Sigue bastantemente preocupada por su papá.

“(Me siento) preocupada. Todo el tiempo pienso en él,” Flores dijo.

Flores habla con miedo. Estos últimos años, Flores perdió mas de un familiar cercano a culpa de la violencia y corrupción en México.

A pesar de todo esto, mucha gente viaja feliz y con seguridad a México, especialmente en tiempo de vacaciones.

Brian Logan, director de banda, viajo a México

durante las vacaciones de invierno. Junto con su familia, visita México frecuentemente.

Esta última vez no fue nada diferente. Disfrutaron de la cultura y la gente. Sí hablo sobre la violencia y los traficantes con la gente del pueblo, pero dice que no los vio muy afectados.

“Me sentí más seguro allí que en algunas partes de Chicago... Sabes, hay asesinatos cada semana en Chicago,” dijo el Sr. Logan.

Jessica Martinez, senior, también visito México durante sus vacaciones de invierno. Se fue feliz, confiada y ansiosa de ver a su familia otra vez. Ella paso sus vacaciones relajándose en Guadalajara, Jalisco con sus familiares. Dice que no pensaban en la violencia ni la condición del país.

“No tenia preocupaciones. No mas supe que iba a México para mirar a mi familia... (Estabamos) todo el tiempo no mas diviertendonos porque no nos miramos todo el tiempo,”Martinez dijo.

Isamar Muñoz, senior, y amiga cercana de Martinez, tampoco se sintió preocupada. Dice que se sintió feliz por su amiga porque sabe que le gusta ir a México y porque iba a ver su familia.

En cuanto al estado

político del país, hay muchos rumores sobre su corrupción.

“No le importa a la policía... los narcos simplemente los compran,” Flores dijo.

El Sr. Logan siente lo mismo. Dice que la gente puede hacer mucho dinero por hacerse de la vista gorda.

“A la vez pienso que no pueden hacer mucho,” dice Muñoz.

Muñoz dice que aunque el gobierno este en poder, oficiales individuales corren mucho peligro cuando interceden con los traficantes.

La comunidad hispana, especialmente los que tienen familia en México, sienten que México no ha cambiado mucho desde que los traficantes usurparon a México.

“No por ser México quiere decir que es el único lugar peligroso de estar hoy en día... Es un lugar bonito. Solamente tienes que tener fe que nada malo te pueda ocurrir,” Muñoz dijo.

Karen Delgado, sophomore, acaba de llegar de México a WHS hace dos años. Según Delgado, el ambiente en México no ha cambiado mucho desde que crecieron los Zetas y otros grupos traficantes.

La discriminación no debe ser limitada a un género

Desde comenzar mi asistencia a WHS, o incluso antes, oía los rumores que muchos de ustedes pueden concluir que también han escuchado. Hay demasiadas minorías y las demsiadas muchachas embarazadas.

Las mujeres siempre han sido conocidas como las chismosas y los titulares de rumores. Por lo tanto, no es de extrañar que muchas minorías embarazadas en esta escuela son juzgadas.

La chica nunca debe ser la única que

tiene los ojos juzgadores señalados en su dirección. El padre del bebé es tan culpable como la madre.

No lleva la prueba física de su decisión como la mujer pero eso no quiere decir que tiene derecho a seguir viviendo como nunca va a cambiar.

Para cualquier relación, la decisión de tener un hijo altera una vida drásticamente. Combine eso con la edad de una relación de la escuela secundaria y la lucha es mucho más difícil.

Las relaciones hispanas son culturalmnte muy diferente que las de raza blanca. Algunas parejas no tienen los fondos suficientes para tener otra opción que mantener al bebé.

Nadie es perfecto. Las decisiones tomadas son opciones personales. Es un tema delicado y serio.

Nunca se debe juzgar sin conocer. Período. Pero si alguna vez decide llegar a su propias comclusions de esa chica embarazada caminando por el pasillo, tenga en cuenta el resto de su historia desconocida para usted.

Jocelyn TorresNicole Neumann

Perla JimenezStaff Reporter

Jasminne HernandezFeature Editor

9A&EJan. 27, 2012Spokesman

Winter play brings ‘new energy’ to theater program

Top: Lucy Westernra, played by Meghan Ausnehmer, junior, and Mina Murray, played by Celine Dirkes, sophomore, discuss all of Lucy’s potential bachelors. This scene took place in Lucy’s bedroom, which acted as one of the main settings for the play. By using a turn table, the play’s focus shifts between Lucy’s bedroom, Renfield’s cell and other settings. “I really like the people we’re working with and we all work well together,” Ausnehmer said. “It’s a dark, romantic story, and I think that’s really cool. We’ve worked to have a really authentic ‘Dracula.’ “Left: Renfield, played by Marco Mazzetta, freshman, starts off “Dracula” by telling the story of how Dracula came to be. “I think the audience will realize you can look at it (‘Dracula”) in a really funny way or a serious way,” Breton Spiller, freshman, said. “It’s kind of a different look on the world.”

After Robert Kupon, social science teacher, continuously requested to have “Dracula” as a school play, Orin Xavier, English teacher, decided to use it for the winter performance.

“The energy for a show like this needs to be kept up. The great thing about the winter play is that a lot of new faces jump in so it brings in new energy,” Mr. Xavier said.

One of those new faces, Collin Gallivan, senior, will play the lead role of Dracula.

“(I decided to audition because) it’s my senior year. It’s just something that I wanted to do, but I haven’t had the chance to get to it,” Gallivan said. “(When I found out I was Dracula) I was taken completely by surprise. I was not expecting it at all. I expected maybe one of those extras or small roles because the only acting experience I have is Acting One with Xavier last year.”

According to Mr. Xavier, when he saw Gallivan perform as Lucus Trevant from “The Rite” in Acting One, he thought Gallivan would fit the role of Dracula well.

“He did a really dramatic and dark role. When I was

thinking about Dracula, I kept coming back to his performance in acting class,” Mr. Xavier said.

In “The Rite,” a devil possesses Trevant, a priest.

“I reenacted his exorcism,” Gallivan said. “It was quite the experience to act as a possessed priest who was, at that point, completely psychotic and strapped to a chair.”

Like many of the other actors, Meghan Ausnehmer, junior and Gallivan’s girlfriend, has been in multiple plays inside and outside of school prior to this performance.

“I love having him (Gallivan) in the cast because I get more time with him, and he is really good at the role,” Ausnehmer said. “I was surprised with how good he was. He’s really excellent.”

According to Maggie Monaxios, freshman, one of her favorite scenes includes Dracula’s death.

“When Dracula dies, it is very intense. Collin does a really good job with him,” Monaxios said. “I hope they (the audience) are scared out of their wits.”

The first performance of “Dracula” occurred last night. The cast will also perform the play at 7:30 p.m. tonight and tomorrow in the theater.

New Year brings in slew of upcoming movies, shows

Show/Channel: I Just Want My Pants Back (MTV)

Airdate: Feb. 2A group of young adults focus their

life around going out, having fun and surviving as adults. When a one night stand causes Jason’s pants to go missing, he goes on a hunt to get them back and maybe catch the girl too.

This looks like it will be a pretty funny show. Even though it’ll probably have some stupid humor, that’s usually how MTV makes good shows. I’m just curious as if this will be just like last year’s version of the UK show “Skins.”

Show/Channel: The River (ABC)Airdate: Feb. 7An adventurer goes missing in an

Amazon jungle while his family and film crew go looking for him. With similar antics as in “Lost” and “Piranha,” this horror show definitely has scares that’ll make you jump.

This has the potential to be a really good, mysterious show because it seems like a show that will keep you on edge waiting to see what might happen next. I hope it doesn’t turn out to be dumb.

Show/Channel: Chronicle (Movie)Airdate: Feb. 3When three high school friends

discover they have unusual powers they have to learn how to control and use it to their advantages. But when their lives start to get overwhelming, the evil side of their power is discovered.

I’m really looking forward for this movie to come out. I’ve been watching previews for awhile now and it looks really different and interesting.

“Dracula” CastCeline Dirkes: Mina MurrayClancy Nush: Jonathan HarkerMeghan Ausnehmer: Lucy WestenraJosé Arriaga: John SewardMarco Mazzetta: RenfieldMaggie Nickl: Abigail Van HeslingCollin Gallivan: Dracula

Breton Spiller, Natalia Arriaga & Maggie Monaxios: Vixens/Maids

Krista Massat, Lisette Rodriguez: Waiters/Attendants

Infographic by Daniel BrountTop photo by Daniel Brount; left by Krista Sanford

Jessie Sanford

Daniel BrountEditor-in-Chief

10A&EJan. 27, 2012Spokesman

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“The Hunger Games” Book Released: Sept. 14, 2008

Movie Released: March 23, 2012 Rated: PG-13

What’s your favorite book turned movie? Why?

“‘Percy Jackson’ because he’s hot.”Imani Evans, freshman

“‘The Muppets’ because it’s a good quality movie and a great children’s book.”Blake Gallivan, sophomore

“‘Harry Potter’ because it’s adventurous.”Dominque Murrell, junior

Green adds mystery to album

What does Anthony Green sound like? Does he make music that I would listen to? These thoughts were running through my head the first time I heard of Green in one of my many social networking sites.

When he appeared on my favorite music magazine, Alternative Press Magazine, talking about his new album, I knew I had to look

him up. Now, I’m thankful I did.

Green starts out his newest album, “Beautiful Things,” with a fun, upbeat song called “If I Don’t Sing.” The long intro begins with background voices continuously singing a simple “Oh,” which continues as the drums notes pound their way into the song.

When Green’s voice finally sings the first verse, I realize his voice has some

mystery to it. It’s really hard to describe his voice to the fullest because it was so unique. I cannot pinpoint exactly what his voice sounds like because, really, it sounds like nothing I’ve heard before; which made me really eager to listen on.

After waking up early, I saw “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (TGWTDT)” propped against my pillow. I knew I would not take a shower just so I could have an extra ten minutes of reading the book. I did not want to put it down and would have easily stayed up all night to read it if school had not gotten in the way.

Stieg Larrson wrote TGWTDT, which has expanded into a trilogy. On Dec. 21, the first book was released as a movie. Lisbeth Salander, private investigator, and Mikeal Blomkvist, journalist, team together to solve a murder mystery of a teenage girl.

For the movie, I was blown away with the editing under David Fincher, director, who has created films like “Fight Club.”

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, composers, combined to create the score. The 173 minutes of music included intense thriller songs along with the fierce opening song of a cover of “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin.

I don’t blame the movie adaption for lacking details because the book was

almost 700 pages long.Salander was abused

her whole life, so when Blomkvist asks to help solve a crime against abusers of women, she agrees. The movie has received complaints due to the graphic rape scene, but I believe it was necessary. The scene explains her character, why she agrees and how she stays determined throughout the case.

While the movie contains graphic scenes, Salander’s character with Blomkvist add comical relief on how they work together. The movie lacked the ability to know character’s thoughts like one can in a book. Without reading the book, Salander’s character was seen as more of a psychopath with her piercings, dark clothing and strange behavior.

The movie was first created as a Swedish film, which many preferred. Personally, I like the American version and found the Swedish one boring due to the difference in actors. Rooney Mara is flawless and added more layers to Salander’s character; while Daniel Craig, who plays Blomkvist, just looked more of the part and had more charisma.

I can only pray that TGWTDT expands into a trilogy of movies and Fincher continues directing them as well. This is finally a movie that takes risks unlike the Twilight series.

Although “The Hunger Games (THG),” written by Suzanne Collins, already had dedicated fans who had claimed their part in the games, after reading the first book of THG trilogy, I was already too emotionally attached to stop myself from becoming a huge fanatic.

I had resisted time after time from reading THG due to only hearing about the love story between Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, which sounded like another Twilight-like fandom; but once I saw the preview for the movie, coming out March 23, 2012, I knew I had to read the trilogy. The preview was action packed and fast paced; I knew that the plot had to come from a vivid book. I found myself wanting to know the story surrounding the romance.

Once I was inside Barnes & Nobles and had picked up THG, I decided to buy the rest of the trilogy. THG revolves around Katniss and Peeta going into the “Hunger Games,” representing their district and having separate motives to fight, while just wanting to protect someone else. The intentions of these

characters will have you feeling as if you were in their shoes.

Starting my adventure in THG, I began not knowing what I was getting myself into. At first, I was reading just to find out what the big deal was, so before I turned to the second chapter, I stopped myself and started rereading. I was still bored, but once the games started, I couldn’t dare put the book down.

I was intrigued with all the small details which allowed my imagination to vividly see the games. It was as if Collins had purposely made the reader feel like Katniss.

Once I was done with THG, I wondered what boys reading the books felt since they probably did not connect with Katniss. That’s when I realized how brilliant Collins was. Collins developed the characters of Gale Hawthorne and Peeta so well that even when they weren’t speaking, you could still hear them voicing their opinions.

Every page ending was a cliff-hanger, I found it difficult to find a place to stop. By the time I finished, it was 3 a.m., so I went to sleep. My nightmares definitely included trying to escape the games. I was pleased to own “Catching Fire” the next morning since THG left me wanting to know what happened next with the Capitol and the districts.

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”Book Released: 2005Movie Released: Dec. 21, 2011 Rated: R Critic’s

response

Save your time See the movie Buy itCheck it out Save your time See the movie Buy itCheck it out

Artist: Anthony GreenAlbum: Beautiful Things No. of Songs: 13Release Date: Jan. 17Genre: IndieRating: 3.5/5

Favorite Songs: “If I Don’t Sing,” “Moon Song”Sounds Like: Circa Survive, Saosin

“‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ because it helped explain the book to me.”Jocelyn Guerra, senior

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Gaby Najera

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Overcoming sports injuries

All across the world, competitive cheerleading is known as a risky sport; but unlike any other sport, according to the National Center for Catastrophic sports injury research, “High school cheerleading is accounted in 65.1% of all catastrophic sports injuries among high school females over the past 25 years.”

The National Cheer Safety Foundation currently seeks to prevent serious injuries and spread awareness about the dangers of cheerleading.

As a member of the WHS varsity cheerleading squad, I’ve witnessed dangerous injuries like concussions, sprained ankles and broken bones.

While there are several severe injuries, minor injuries happen every day. Whether it’s intense bruising, broken bones, busted lips or the pulling of a muscle, cheerleading is definitely one of the most dangerous sports around.

A few weeks ago, Kelsey Hancock, junior and varsity cheerleader, suffered a neck injury when she landed incorrectly while tumbling. Due to her bad landing, Hancock sprained her spine and broke her middle finger.

The thought of Hancock being injured worried our entire squad. We tried to continue practicing, but couldn’t get much done because she was all we could think about. The following day, Hancock returned and resolved our worries.

Although Hancock was ultimately okay, her doctor required that she wear a neck brace and prohibited her from competing in any further competitions for this season. She now awaits for further instruction from her neurosurgeon.

With Hancock unable to compete, another cheerleader has to take her place for the last two competitions of the season. Not only was it difficult for someone to take her place, our coaches had to reconstruct our routine to correspond with the alternate’s capabilities. Injuries result in confusion amongst cheerleaders because we must adjust to a new stunt group.

Ultimately, several precautions must be set to avoid injuries when dealing with an intense sport like cheerleading.

Wrestlers work to maintain weight classes, prevent illnessBesides the pressures of pinning their

opponents to win the match, wrestlers also worry about keeping a specific weight throughout the season and preventing illnesses, such as ringworm.

“We work hard, but when we leave practice, we find it hard to maintain the weight because we’ll want to eat and that puts the weight back on,” Sal Dominguez, junior, said.

For some wrestlers, like Scott Steffens and Sam Rosengarden, seniors, maintaining their weight is “not a big deal, it’s part of the sport.”

“There isn’t a lot of pressure on me (to keep my weight constant), but the lower weight kids have to do more exercise to keep the weight off,” Rosengarden said.

Weigh in occurs every day for the wrestlers; each team member must maintain

a specific weight class in order to be eligible to wrestle for their next meet. If the boys do not meet their goal weight, they risk not wrestling and being “bumped up” to a higher weight class.

“Some people can manage the higher classes, others can’t,” Dominguez said. “I’ve gone up, but they (the opponents) weighed the same as me, so it wasn’t as hard.”

According to Neil Weiner, wrestling coach, making weight is “unique” to wrestling.

“We encourage them (wrestlers) to eat healthy foods and stay away from fatty foods. But ultimately they decide what to do to make weight,” Coach Weiner said.

The team has also had illnesses such as ringworm and impetigo. Wrestling mats are disinfected every day and wrestlers must wear clean workout clothing every day.

“Ringworm is basically a fungus. It’s like athlete’s foot,” Coach Weiner said.

Impetigo are painful, itching red sores

and blisters on the face.“It (impetigo) sucks. It really limits what

you can do,” Dominguez said. “All you can do is watch the rest of the team work hard while they’re on the mats and you’re on the bikes.”

According to Coach Weiner, the mats are cleaned every day using “hospital grade disinfectants.”

Coach Weiner added that the team’s hygiene was very good and that the wrestlers must shower after practices.

“We take huge precautions,” Coach Weiner said. “Usually we get it (infections and illnesses) from other schools.”

If a team member gets infected, they must go to a doctor immediately, and get a document stating the date by which they will no longer be contagious and should be able to continue practicing.

“Depending on how serious it (infections) is, you have to go to the doctor and get medicine,” Steffens said.

Trainers, athletes work together to maintain health during sports

Robert Perales

Athletic Trainers stay every day after school to treat all athlete’s injuries, varying from nose bleeds to sprained ankles. Left: Andrew Jensen, senior, gets his ankle taped before basketball practice by Ronald Love, junior. “I like to help people get better and I’ve been an athletic trainer for awhile now,” Love said. Bottom Left: Alex Gonzalez, junior, warms up on the bike, because of his torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). “The trainers here are so nice. It’s a good idea to have them because without them, a lot of people will be injured,” Gonzalez said. Bottom Right: Ashley Sicard and Yesenia Martinez, sophomores, review stretches on the computer. “I love to help people and I love to play sports so this (athletic training) seems like the right place to be,” Sicard said.

Trainers take time to treat athlete injuries

Sports impact health, result in injuries

Photos by Kristina Piamonte

Jennie AlcantarWeb Editor

Wrestling 6 p.m. tonight at Elk Grove

Girls’ Basketball 2:30 p.m. tomorrow at Prospect Sportswhs

upcoming events Volume 48 Issue 5 Jan. 27, 2012

Bowlers look to Conference after ‘good season’

Varsity cheerleading prepares for Sectionals

Boys’ basketball falls short of second win

Cecilia Gama, junior and junior varsity bowler, named this the best season so far for bowling.

“It’s been great,” Gama said. “Better than last year, by a lot.”

Heather Hok, junior and varsity bowler, agreed.

“It ( the season) was good, we averaged in the middle of Conference, so we’re not last and we’re not first,” Hok said.

According to Beth Anne Anderson, varsity coach, both Lizz McDaniel and Sam Nowry, juniors and varsity bowlers, have had “outstanding performances.”

McDaniel scored a 222, while Nowry has been leading 500 in series and has also scored over 200 points in games.

According to Coach Anderson, the team bowled well against Palatine and Schaumburg and bowled the best against Round Lake.

“(We are) working with each other, getting along with people, solving problems, improving averages,” Hok said.

By making these improvements, Coach Anderson “hopes to finish in the top 6 at Conference.”

The bowlers will compete at MSL at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow and Sectionals on Feb. 4.

For the last two weeks, the varsity cheerleaders have been preparing for their Sectional tomorrow at Rolling Meadows.

“We are cleaning everything, making it look sharp and working on timing,” Jonathan Enriquez, sophomore, said.

While working on the routine, the squad has encountered some struggles.

“One of our biggest weaknesses is the

lack of a facility. We practice on less than half of a competition floor. Due to that, spacing is typically off during competition,” Jenna Schwartz, senior, said. “Another would be attendance. There are parts of out routine where every member is needed to put a stunt up, and with one person missing it is difficult to practice.”

Sickness and injuries have impacted attendance throughout the season.

“If a person is out because they’re sick it affects the whole team. It’s hard because

it’s sometimes not their fault,” Jennifer Cederberg, varsity coach, said.

According to Angela Wallen, senior and varsity captain, the team hopes to qualify for State.

“Cheerleading is a priority for all of us, but with a lot of hard work, I believe we can achieve this (going to State),” Wallen said. “For us seniors this will be our last competition for the majority of us, so we want to make our last performance our best one.”

After winning their first game two weeks ago, the boys’ varsity basketball team fell short of another victory this past Saturday.

“I thought it (winning two weeks ago) gave us more confidence and we thought we could win,” Jeremy Stephani, sophomore, said.

Charlie Kirk, senior, agrees that having their first win gave them a good week of practice.

According to Kirk, the team’s goal going into the game against Buffalo Grove was to “play with more energy, enthusiasm and effort than Buffalo Grove.”

Stephani added that another goal was to play

a good defense against Buffalo Grove.

During the game, the Buffalo Grove Bison took an early lead of nine points, until Stephani took a shot at a free throw.

Stephani put the Wildcats on the scoreboard, 3-9.

Even though the Wildcats scored five more points, the first quarter ended with a score of 8-22.

“I was proud that we came back,” Kirk said. “It would have been easier if we got off with a better start.”

The last quarter consisted of the teams scoring right after each other.

Kevin Leska, senior, scored with 7:48 left on the clock, bringing the Wildcats to a lead of 44-42. However,

the Wildcats did not keep the lead for long. The Bison took a lead of 46-53 with 53.4 seconds left on the clock.

Brandon Yacu, senior, then scored with 36 seconds left, bringing the Wildcats back with a score of 49-53.

The Bison then took a time out, and Leska scored the last shot of the game, bringing the score to 52-57.

Tonight, the boys will play a home game against Prospect High School, going in with a record of 1-17.

Kirk’s goal is to win since it will be senior night and he wants to “go off on a high note” for the seniors.

“They’re a good team,” Stephani said. “I think we can have a good game.”

Top: Chris Pierro, sophomore, plays defense against Buffalo Grove. The boys ended the third quarter with a score of 42-42.Left: Jeremy Stephani, sophomore, takes the ball from a Buffalo Grove player. With a total of 17 points, Stephani scored the most points on the team last Saturday.

Gaby NajeraAssociate Editor

Jasminne HernandezFeature Editor

Frida ValdesAsst. News Editor

Mel Ladowski, senior, Kelsey Hancock, junior, and Natalie Parada, senior, lift Sydney Kaplan, freshman flier, in preparation for a lib at the Rolling Meadows Invite on Dec. 17. Since then, the squad has adapted their routine to utilize comments from competitions and increase difficulty.

Daniel Brount Editor-in-Chief

Daniel Brount Editor-in-Chief