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S P E C TAT O R 1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045
VOLUME 97 NUMBER 5
Featured Stories School spring break trips
page 2 OP-ED
page 5 FEATURES
Proximity and the school-wide dorm checks
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MARCH 15, 2019
Old hotline, new awareness
NEWS
E-learning day pros and cons
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Photo by John Kuhns Signs around school bring awareness to the available LFA hotline.
By John Kuhns Sports Editor
Being a boarding school, LFA has countless responsibilities that must be tended to each day. Whether it is academics, athletics, or campus life, there is required work that must be done around the clock in order to maintain full functionality. Through all of these topics, student health and safety stand atop the list. LFA offers counseling and aid for members of the community struggling with mental health issues. Among these outlets, the school now offers a hotline which students can utilize if they feel unsafe while on campus.
“We just want people to feel safe,” said Jennifer Madeley, a school counselor and seminar department chair. The program was implemented in order for students to anonymously voice concerns that they believe may be threatening their individual comfort or safety on campus. Though many students may be unaware that the hotline was available prior to its recent seminar introduction, it has been implemented for around two years. Kristin Paisley, LFA’s Director of Business Services and Human Resources, has been working to change this narrative, expanding the outreach attainable by the program.
“The hotline is a quick option for students to report any immediate concerns,” said Ms. Paisley in regards to its originating role. It provides a platform where students and faculty alike can voice any concerns that don’t require the immediate attention of a medical emergency, but are severe enough to need eventual action. Students can anonymously call in to voice personal concerns, or those of others who they believe require outside help. It is the optimal resources to assist community members through the challenges that can accompany the boarding school atmosphere. “At this point, it is about getting the word out” said Ms. Paisley when asked about spreading the message of the hotline’s availability. Students and faculty alike can call the number on the flyer pictured along with this story in order to access the program and its offerings. Right now, there are two access points with a third in the form of an app in the production process. It can be reached through phone at (844) 801-3782 and web at www.lfa.ethicspoint.com. All members of the community are encouraged to use it as its goal is to promote safety.
Love/hate for a day off:
LFA has its first e-learning day page 6 & 7 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Young rising artist page 8 SPORTS
College athletes and their success page 11 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Venezuelan president page 12
By Angelina Chan Managing Editor of Photos
As technology advances, education changes as well. However, there is one aspect of school that has only recently been affected by an increasingly digital world-snow days. Following the conclusion of an initial three-year pilot program in 2015, the Illinois General Assembly recently approved an extension statewide for schools, such as Lake Forest Academy, to have an e-learning day in place of a regular school day or a cancellation, especially in weather-related situations like exceptionally cold temperatures or snowfall. The first widespread use of this law was during the recent January polar vortex, in which school closings led to obligatory participation in this program. “Ultimately, I am glad that we made a decision as a school to not put our community members at risk given the cold temperatures. I think that speaks volumes about our commitment as a school to our students’ wellbeing,” said Chris Tennyson, the Dean of Students & Academic
Affairs and Assistant Head of School. Since Lake Forest Aacademy does not have the same flexibility as many public schools that have certain designated days that could be easily made up at the end of the year, e-learning days were, to Tennyson, important since we needed to “make sure that [LFA] was still open in some capacity… to get the educational experience to function as normally as possible, albeit not within the walls of the school.” Despite this, there was a mixed reaction from LFA students. Many disliked the program, including freshman Gemma Fink, who responded that the best way to improve an e-learning day was “by not doing it,” noting that she disliked many of the assignments. Still, some appreciated the experience, such as junior Isis Burgos. “It was really interesting and a lot different from what I was expecting…Just having that extra free time to do both [projects] and other stuff made it super convenient. I think it would be really cool if we’d have another e-day, because it was really chill and laid back.” Surprisingly, the students who directly
participated in the e-learning days may not have been the most impacted. Amanda Byron, an English faculty member, commented on how e-learning affected parents of students, especially in elementary school. “I’ve heard reactions from friends who are parents of elementary-aged children... [that] having them do all kinds of activities more geared towards school and not homework put a lot of expectation on parents that they weren’t equipped to do,” said Byron, mentioning that parents who still had to work during the polar vortex were particularly affected by the change. Yet the e-learning days were also a way of being creative in a situation where education still has to occur outside the traditional experience. “Hopefully those two days weren’t being served as too much of a disruption to that,” said Tennyson, noting the creativity of the assignments, video calls, or other projects necessary for e-learning participation. “I do hope that both students and faculty alike gained an appreciation for the personal connections that we had when we were in a classroom together.”
THE SPECTATOR 2
News
MARCH 15, 2019
Henry Pratt shooting: eleven injured, five dead, and a shaken community By Jasmine Filawo Managing Editor of Digital Photos
It has unfortunately become normal watching the news announce another shooting where an individual strips away the lives of innocent people. As of this year, the most recent shooting took place in Aurora, Illinois, located in the suburbs of Chicago and an hour from LFA’s campus. Shootings can take place at any time or any place, leaving many Americans uncomfortable when they step outside of their homes and continue with their daily routine. Now that the most recent shooting has taken place within the state of Illinois, it has made people question what procedures should have been done to prevent situations like this from occuring. February 15th, on a Friday afternoon, 45-year-old Gary Martin opened fire at his workplace, the Henry Pratt Company, after being told that he was being fired. After the arrival of police officers, he was eventually killed in a shootout. Employee and co-worker of Martin, John Probst, recalls, Martin carrying a pistol with a laser light.
“He was shooting everybody,” said Probst, according to CNN. A total of 11 people were injured, including five Aurora police officers, and there were five deaths. The victims were Clayton Parks of Elgin, Trevor Werner of DeKalb, Russel Breyer or Yorkville, Vicente Juarez of Oswego, and Josh Pinkward of Oswego. After further investigation, Police eventually discovered that Martin was illegally carrying his Smith and Wesson handgun. It was also revealed that he had a history of violence from more than two decades. His record showed that he had stabbed his girlfriend and threatened to kill another one of his girlfriends. Authorities in Mississippi also stated that in the mid-1990s, he was convicted of aggravated assault. Two members of the LFA community, Aviral Pathak, faculty member of the History and Social Science Department, and Campus Safety and Security Supervisor, Norman Sydnor, shared their opinions on the shooting. Pathak elaborated on his concerns on law enforcement failing to follow up on Martin, allowing him to possess a weapon
Photo by Jasmine Filawo Campus Safety and Security Supervisor Norman Syndor at work in LFA’s security office.
illegally as a felon. “One of the most disappointing things about this story is that he should not have had a weapon in the first place,” expressed Pathak. As a former police officer for the North Chicago Police Department for 10 years, Syndor also shared his thoughts on the shooting. “People get fired, lose their livelihood,
but it doesn’t equate to losing your life,” said Syndor. Aurora is the second largest city in Illinois, with a population of 200,000 people. It is known for its vibrant arts and music community. Now the shooting has left multiple residents concerned on how a city like Aurora can even be considered a safe area for their friends and family to stay.
2019 LFA Spring Break trips: Russia, Peru, and the Southern United States By Tyler Medvec Editor-in-Chief
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons The National Civil Rights Musuem (top) and Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Russia (bottom), both of which are places LFA students will have opportunities to visit on this year’s spring break trips.
Here at Lake Forest Academy, students are fortunate enough to have a two-week spring break to spend visiting home, going on a family vacation, or taking advantage of the spring break trips that the school plans and offers. This spring break, LFA is offering multiple trips that endorse the multicultural and connected spirit that drives its community. The only stateside trip being offered this year is a Civil Rights Tour of the South. This 10-day trip tours some of the most famous landmarks of the American South, including the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. This location serves as the historical spot at which Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Students will be able to tour through the
The landmark stop of the trip is at the sacred city of the Inca known as Machu Picchu, a city clinging to a mountainside that stands today as a testament to the ingenuity and intellect of the Inca Empire. Students will be able to discover the indigenous communities so vital to Peruvian history, while also enjoying some of the best food in Latin America. As always with school spring break trips, the Head of School Symposium trip will also be taking place alongside these, and is a 12-day experience that tours the cities and culture of Russia. Students will spend four days in St. Petersburg, learning about the history, politics, language, and culture of Russia. Students will then travel to Kazan, where they will spend time learning about the important economic and historical contributions of this city. Finally, they will
exhibits that focus in on specific moments and people that were vital to the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the 17th century to now. Another trip that embodies the important cultural aspect of the school community is the Peru spring break trip. The ancient history of Peru, such as the cities of the Inca Empire, as well as the diverse communities, food, and ecology that Peru has to offer, are all the focus of this journey.
take a speed train to Moscow to tour some of the most famous historical landmarks in Russian history as well as enjoy the modern marvels that the city has to offer. Whatever a spring break trip represents to you, whether it is a fun vacation, a moment at home with family, or an enriching, cultural experience alongside your peers, any trip or journey will hopefully hold some aspect of the cultural and diverse spirit that exists at LFA.
THE SPECTATOR MARCH 15, 2019
Features
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Drugs, alcohol, and the dangers of accessibility By Sydney Olinger Editor-in-Chief In the United States, there are many laws in place stating the legal age that one can purchase and consume substances. For alcohol, one must be 21 years of age or older. In some states, where marijuana is legal, one must also be 21. In the last few months, many vape stores have also raised the age to buy a vape and vape juice to 21 as well. These age limits put in place for peoples’ safety do not necessarily mean that they will stop teens from finding a way to have access. Fake IDs, people of age willing to buy substances for underage teens, and even stealing are some of the main ways underage teens are able to obtain products illegal to them. Though drinking, smoking marijuana, and now vaping, underage seems normal in this generation, but there are detrimental physical and psychological effects that come with each one. “We all feel the effects of the aggressive behavior, property damage, injuries, violence, and deaths that can result from underage drinking. This is not simply a problem for some families—it is a nationwide concern,” stated a spokesperson from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Many people perceive alcoholism to be a problem only amongst middle-age to elderly adults, but this disorder can affect people of all ages. College and high school students typically claim that underage drinking is solely social drinking, but it becomes a problem when people cannot discipline when and how many times they drink during the week and weekends, even though it may be for a social event. “When people begin using marijuana as teenagers, the drug may impair thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions,” according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Over the last few years, marijuana has become legal in many states for medical purposes, but this drug still continues to be used recreationally and sometimes illegally. Weed has some benefits in terms of reducing anxiety and pain, but frequent recreational use also causes issues with memory, and because it can be used in the form of smoking, respiratory problems. Another issue that arises with smoking marijuana or consuming edibles is the risk of the street-purchased weed being laced with another, more aggressive, and possibly fatal, drug.
The use of drugs and alcohol is very prevalent in film and television, and could be a reason as to why teens believe
has negative effects on a person’s body and mind, but it also affects how our society runs. In order to decrease future
that using illegal substances recklessly is harmless or has little effect on their bodies. Early onset substance abuse not only
abuse, underage teens have to learn both the short-term and long-term effects that these substances can have on their bodies.
Photo Courtesy of the National Institute of Drug Abuse This chart depicts the use of drugs by 12th graders in 2015.
Safe Haven: the logistics of policy By Lilly Drury and Lindsey Pearlman Staff Writers
During the first couple weeks of school each year, every student at LFA is asked to
sign a copy of the student handbook, binding them to those rules for the time they are enrolled at LFA. The handbook covers issues from dress code, to attendance, to the school policy on drugs and alcohol.
Photo Courtesy of LFA The LFA handbook details proximity and safe haven.
Zero tolerance, proximity, and Safe Haven are all words and terms that get thrown around frequently when discussing LFA’s policy on drugs and alcohol. Yet there is confusion as to what all of these things pertain to specifically because very few students, if any, truly read the handbook in full. Although we have all heard the term “Safe Haven,” very few know the logistics and procedure that it follows. If you find yourself or anyone close to you to be at any risk that was caused by an activity that goes against school policy, you can call a teacher, or any adult at school and call safe haven on yourself, or for another student, even without their permission. According to the LFA Handbook, once Safe Haven is called, “a therapeutic intervention will replace disciplinary action as long as the student is an active participant in compliance with the program.” If another student is needed to assist the student in jeopardy, he/she will not be cited for complicity with the student in question. However, “any student who assists another in getting to Student Health Services will not be given immunity after he/she leaves the building.” This refers to a student dropping off the endangered person and leaving directly after without helping in the process. “Any student admitted to Safe Haven for the second time will be subject to disciplinary action.”
Following the dorm searches at LFA, two phrases that have been recently circulating around the community are “proximity” and “zero tolerance.” These words, however, have been frequently misconstrued, and the understanding of these terms vary from person to person. These terms, while related, are actually very different. In reality, the zero tolerance policy applies to a student being caught using drugs or alcohol and is very much cut and dry, while on the other hand proximity has many more contributors, as it pertains to being in proximity of any law being broken. “Zero tolerance is a student getting caught using drugs or alcohol, and in that case there is exactly what it’s called, zero tolerance,” stated Mrs. Jennifer Madeley when asked about the difference between the two terms. “Proximity is simply being in the proximity of a law being broken, and that’s where I think kids get confused.” Many students at LFA have the belief that being around any kind of drugs or alcohol, even if the use is legal, such as an adult using the substance legally, can be considered proximity. That, however, is not the case. An LFA student can face the consequences of the proximity rule for being in the presence of any law being broken, for example underage drug and alcohol use, but it also pertains to any other illegal act such as stealing or vandalizing property.
THE SPECTATOR
Opinion
4
MARCH 15, 2019
Dear underclassmen: tips from the veterans By Sydney Olinger and Alex Jackson Editors-in-Chief
Photo courtesy of LFA Smugmug Juniors Giselle Annan and Dylan Kruss presenting the Canadian Student Union at the club fair.
Courtney Harris, junior, spiking the ball onto the opposing team’s side.
Photo courtesy of LFA Smugmug
1) Get involved in clubs. High school is the best time to figure out what you love to do. Freshman year is a good time to participate in as many clubs as possible --the workload isn’t too much, it’s a great way to meet new people, and you can figure out what your interests are. In later years, it’s always good to stay in pursuit of clubs you’ve joined. It’s an easy way to form good relationships with teachers and students. Heavy involvement in the school is super appealing to colleges and may help you figure out what to continue into college.
the other side, too much stress can ruin you psychologically and even physically. It’s important to find a balance that works for you. 4) Don’t procrastinate on college essays. If you make yourself a schedule and checklist to finish one a day during the summer, you will be done before school starts in the fall, and the only thing you’ll have to work on is revising. You might think you can budget your time during the year, but it really becomes a lot with school, homework, tests, and extracurriculars.
2) Try a new sport. Even if you have never played in your life, you may end up loving the sport and really improving over four years. The great part about LFA athletics is that many JV teams are no-cut, which gives everyone the opportunity to try something completely new to them. Not only do you get to learn a new sport, but you also make new friends along the way.
5) Second semester isn’t the finish line. The goal shouldn’t be to get to second semester senior year and check out. It is really nice to be past the point of “grades mattering,” but that doesn’t mean grades don’t matter. Grades still get sent to your college, and any major dips could bring up concern. Additionally, classes, especially AP classes, don’t let up on homework or tests. If anything, they get harder as the semester progresses, just like every other year.
3) Don’t overwhelm yourself with APs. As much as you may think it may help you for college, it truly is not worth it to put so much on your plate that you are unable to enjoy all of the other opportunities that LFA offers outside of the classroom. A little stress is good for you and can motivate you to be a better student. On
6) Chill out. It’s just high school. High school is not going to make or break where you go in life or how successful you will become. However, this does not mean that you should slack off. It means don’t let one bad grade, or one tough class define who and how you are as a student.
The dark side of scrolling: Social
media’s unique effects on the high school pysche By Lilly Drury Staff Writer The effect that social media has on everyone’s mental health is still a new phenomenon which hasn’t been researched enough yet because of how new this is to everyone. Social media has surrendered all of its participants of their privacy. Nothing is solely for one person’s eyes anymore. We have been conditioned to whip out our phones to snap a picture or video of whatever we’re doing and share it with our followers. This issue is just a small part of the role that social media plays with our mental health. Our generation is the first one to grow up on social media, and the effects of that are not yet known, so we are, in a sense, the guinea pigs. Social media has promoted narcissism, bragging, and competitiveness. It has encouraged us to indulge in all the habits we were told to be undesirable at a young age. This is seeping into everyday life, and the way we act now reflects the culture that social media has throw us into.
We are taking in so much information at a speed and rate that we were never meant to be exposed to. We were never meant to reach as many people as we do now, and because of that, it has caused us to feel like we need to prove our worth to all of our followers. In reality, this makes us dislike who we truly are, because the person that we portray online is not who we are. It is the best version of ourselves. It is fake. And we are addicted to it. This isn’t a coincidence either. The social media companies are programming their apps to play off of this and keep you addicted. They are controlling the flow of endless information you are receiving and the notifications you get. They have led your brain to now release dopamine when it sees how many likes you got on that picture. In a way, is a form of gambling. Our phones have become slot machines. We scroll on our phones, and when we hit something we like (i.e. a picture, tweet, caption) we get a dopamine reward. The people creating these apps know how to
Photo by Lilly Drury Lake Forest Academy’s official instagram account, where upcoming student activities are posted.
manipulate us into never being able to turn our phones off. This includes notifications, which are toxic in themselves. Being on
the app all the time is never enough. We feel as though we always need to be getting updates, even when we aren’t on it.
THE SPECTATOR
Opinion Pro/Con: e-learning days S P E C TAT O R
MARCH 15, 2019
T h e L a k e A c a d e m y
By Adriana Rivera Managing Editor of Op-Ed
PRO: Below-zero temperatures are
uary. I found both of those days to be very beneficial. On e-learning days, I was able to sleep in an extra hour or so and start my school day
nothing new for people in the midwest. This winter has been one of the longest and coldest compared to those in the recent years. With frigid temperatures come dangerous conditions, and during the last week of January 2019, LFA students and faculty, along with everyone else in the surrounding area, were faced with those conditions. With wind-chills colder than both Antarctica and the North Pole, individuals who spent more than a few minutes outside were likely to get frostbite. Many schools and businesses made the intelligent decision to close for the sake of their students’ and employees’ safety. Lake Forest Academy, like other nearby institutions, decided to make it an e-learning day. An e-learning day meant students would still be able to learn without leaving the comfort of their warm beds through assignments sent from their teachers via e-mail and Canvas. In total, LFA had two e-learning days during the month of Jan-
off in my pajamas. Although I did get more work than I usually get in some classes, I was able to structure the time that I had my own way to finish it all. That meant working hard for thirty minutes on my schoolwork, followed by a thirty minute Netflix break and then back to the schoolwork. Other students skipped the Netflix break and finished all of the work in one sitting which allowed them to have the rest of the day free. “I was finished with all of my work by 11:30 am, and then I was able to chill the rest of the day. It was great,” exclaimed Skylar Long, a senior at Lake Forest Academy. These days were very beneficial because they allowed students to be comfortable and safe while also making sure we didn’t fall behind on material we could’ve missed with just regular days off. In the future, LFA should utilize these e-learning days during the cold winter months to keep their students happy and safe.
Audrey McGrail News Editor
CON: Two full days off is a godsend to high school students; time to sleep in, relax, catch up on homework. Snow days are treasured by most students for exactly these reasons. On the flip side, snow days prohibit students from learning important material, which can be especially problematic if a student is in an AP class where material must be covered before a certain date. In an effort to limit the time students and faculty spent outdoors in the extreme temperatures, but still ensure such material was covered, Lake Forest Academy altered their snow day system and took the road less traveled. Instead of a regular snow day, which would basically just be a full day off of school, LFA opted for an e-learning day. Teachers were instructed to assign work and act like the day was virtual school at home. Students were expected to fulfill their teachers requirements by participating in online classes using apps like Google Hangout and Zoom and then turn in all classwork by 3:00 p.m. They were also required to complete any necessary homework to be turned in either virtually or during the next physical class meeting. E-learning day is a very proficient alternative to having community members bundle up for the extreme temperatures (which dropped to -50 degrees Fahrenheit), but also complete all work. At LFA, being the first time such a day has taken place, the system ran considerably smoothly. However, it being a new experience to
all, there were a few bumps in the road the biggest being the misunderstanding of whether an e-learning day was a true day off; which it was not. Many students fell into this misguided hope and looked forward to having a day to rest and catch up, but many instead found themselves working at their homes or in their dorms to fulfill the day’s requirements. Students in all grade levels felt that they were given more class work then they would have on a regular school day, and this caused much anguish across the student body. “E-learning day was a good alternative to additional school days, but I think we got more work than a normal school day, make it challenging to complete it all within a certain time” reflected Junior Anna Schilling Another common complaint was having to participate in virtual classes in such platforms like Zoom and Google Hangout. These virtual classes did not have the same efficiency of regular classes and limited discussion between class members, and truly nothing can compete with the benefits of having face-to-face discussion. Being at home on a school day also meant not seeing friends in the hallways and interacting at the lunch table. Students were cooped up inside, and many felt less efficient and were easily distracted because they were at home or in their dorms. The e-learning days were a productive way of avoiding the dangerous temperatures and still make up work; however, students seemed to miss the interactions of school life and the ability to engage and learn in the classroom, not in their bedrooms.
F o r e s t
STAFF LIST Editors-in-Chief
Alex Jackson Tyler Medvec Sydney Olinger
Managing Editor of Production
Kiki Hood
Managing Editor of Op-Ed
Adriana Rivera
Managing Editor of Features
Parker Amoroso
Managing Editor of Sports
Jack Selati
Managing Editor of A&E
Mia Walvoord
Managing Editor of Global
Tiffany Filawo
Managing Editor of Photos
Angelina Chan
News Editor
Audrey McGrail Lilly Drury
Features Editors
Lindsey Pearlman Nate Koh
Sports Editors
Ben Sebolt John Kuhns Jared Felitto
Editor-in-Chief of Digital
Charlie Shattock
Photo Editor of Digital
Jasmine Filawo
Faculty Advisor
Amanda Byron
PUBLICATION The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Lake Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.
EDITORIALS Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Ms. Byron at abyron@lfanet.org.
AWARDS The Spectator has been awarded several prestigious journalism awards in recent years. It has consistently taken first place in competitions against schools of similar size held by the American Scholastic Press Association and the Kettle Moraine Press Association.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“A free press can be good or bad, but, most certainly, without freedom a press will never be anything but bad.” -Albert Camus
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THE SPECTATOR 6
Centerfold
MARCH 15, 2019
Room searches: what happen Overview: By Mia Walvoord Managing Editor of A&E On Monday February 4th, LFA conducted an amnesty night followed by a room search in all of its dorms. On an amnesty night, all boarding students are given a paper bag and allowed to place anything in it that is not meant to be in their possession and then deliver it anonymously to a previously agreed upon location in the dorm. This is meant to demonstrate the faculty’s trust and respect for students by giving them an opportunity to ultimately make good decisions, even if some of the items entered the dorm in a moment of poor judgement. This search had been in the works for some time, though the dorm faculty wasn’t brought into the loop until very close to the search date, according to Dean of Students, Chris Tennyson. “The reason why we did all this is that I think there was concern expressed from students, from faculty, from parents, that they were concerned about safety and wellbeing in the dorms.” Tennyson continued on to say, “Ultimately, we did an Amnesty Night and followed it up with a search because
we love our kids that much, and so we want them to be in the safest possible learning and living environment.” The planning process began far in advance of the actual search in order to minimize opportunities for students to evade it and in order to ensure that rooms would be searched fairly and systematically in a way that would be minimally disruptive to students’ schedules and schoolwork. The administration and Residential Counsel recognized the situation was not ideal, so it was very important to organize the search in a way that both students and teachers would feel minimally uncomfortable. Residential Counsel and the DOS made sure that there was at least one teacher of the same gender as the students whose rooms they were searching at all times. Each step of the process was designed with the intent of making sure that students felt respected. It was critically important to the institution that all rooms were searched equitably with students present, though the search took longer than anticipated because the state of some dorm rooms required more time to be searched to the same degree as others’ rooms. “I really understand fully that doing something like this is going to make students – whether or not you have something in your room that you
shouldn’t have – it’s not a comfortable, enjoyable way to spend an evening,” acknowledged Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life, Jon Freeman. Each dorm held a meeting that night, and the dorm head outlined the schedule for the night. First, there was to be an amnesty period to give students the opportunity to anonymously and voluntarily give up any items in their
sign off to, and it would be improper and inappropriate to judge the school for conducting a search that they had every right to do. Instead, we would like to focus on the precedent that these room searches have set for the future at LFA, and how these room checks will continue to influence students throughout their time here. The largest issue that boarders had, and one that was experienced in most dorms throughout campus from student opinion, was that the searches differed in length depending on the room. Some students claim to have been searched for close to 45 minutes, only to have a friend down the hall have their room searched for closer to ten. The differences in lengths, regardless of whether they were purposeful or not, set an unclear precedent for dorm checks in the future. There needs to be a clear
procedure, outlined to all dorm faculty in a universal manner, so that discrepancies like the differences in length can be avoided. Even if the faculty had no intent with their actions to search students’ rooms for different amounts of time, students on the longer side of searches could clearly feel persecuted or targeted by their dorm parents. A clear and universal procedure that is established in every dorm is a necessity for these dorm checks in the future. It was a clear issue this time around, felt by students throughout the dorms, and should be addressed and solved as such. Furthermore, the instruction that the faculty received regarding the procedure with which the searches were to take place lacked uniformity, and therefore caused the dorm searches to differ not only in duration, but also in
room that are not allowed in the dorms. Then members of the residential faculty searched each room in teams of two while other staff members stood in the hallways to make sure that students remained productive and in their rooms. Students were to remain in their rooms during searches and were expected to spend their time as they normally would during study hours. Teachers also inspected the outside of each dorm in order to make sure that students had not attempted to hang any illicit items outside their windows, planning to retrieve them later. The faculty were not hoping to catch students, but the fact that certain things were discovered in their possession solidified that it was the correct choice on the part of the institution to perform the search. “I understand there are some frustrations, some disappointment. I feel the same way. It’s disappointing when the result of a night like this is finding stuff that you’d hope not to find and having to have some disciplinary consequences,” commented Freeman. “Again, that was not the goal, but while I understand that frustration, I would hope that the students can see that we’re doing this in the service of a larger principle.” “Ultimately we want to be able to move forward from it in a positive way,” concluded Tennyson.
Editorial: Some rooms searched more? By Tyler Medvec and Charlie Shattock Editor-in-Chief and Editor-in-Chief of Digital
For some, it was a short five minute peek. For others, it was an intense 30 minute search of clothes, furniture, food, everything. Every room in every dorm on the Lake Forest Academy campus was searched on the same night. Students were given ten minutes beforehand to dispose of anything against school policy in a moment of amnesty, and then for the next two and a half hours, doors were kept open as each student’s room was searched by faculty. We are not here to argue over why the dorm checks happened. It is completely within LFA’s right to search students’ rooms, a rule that students
Photos staged by Spectator staff.
method. These discrepancies aroused feelings of injustice among groups of boarders, who were left wondering why their experiences were so different from those of their peers. Now that these dorm searches have taken place this year, we hope that the procedures on timing and method are both addressed so that future room checks can avoid a sentiment of injustice and confusion from the students. The issue is not about why these searches occured, but rather about the procedure with which they were carried out. The boarding students at LFA should be entitled to fair and equal treatment during these searches, regardless of what dorm they reside in. In the future, borders should feel secure in knowing that their rooms will not be searcehd differently from their peers.
THE SPECTATOR MARCH 15, 2019
Centerfold
7
ned, why, and the aftermath Causes:
dents were making good decisions and reactionary due to concerns expressed from a lot of different areas. The goal of the night, according to Freeman, was to make sure the dorms are safe spaces for all students. It was not to catch students. “They knew we were going to be looking in the rooms, so there was every incentive to get anything illicit out of their rooms,” said Freeman. To address many students’ concerns about the difference in treatment between particular dorms, Freeman said the following: “The dorms met as individual teams, so each dorm got the message from their dorm head.” “Our intent was to search every room thoroughly. In some rooms, the condition of the room meant it took a lot longer... if our goal is a strong sense of community and shared set of values, it is destructive to the values to search room A and not room B. Because that tells the students in room A that we have a different impression of them than the students in room B,” said Freeman. “There’s inevitably going to be certain differences when you have different people searching different rooms, and rooms that are in different states,” continued Freeman. Though the room searches haven’t happened in awhile, this is nothing new in the boarding school community. “The standard of a boarding school, in order to look out for the safety and well being of all the students,
you want to help the students stay safe and make good decisions, so amnesty nights are relatively common in prep schools,” said Dr. John Strudwick, LFA’s Head of School. “I am a believer in the amnesty nights...I like the fact that we do that as a school. I think that to search cars, to search rooms, or search lockers has the risk to erode trust... We have such a community culture that I don’t think is replicated at other places,” said Tennyson. It is the school’s responsibility to care for all students. “If they are breaking the law, I’m sorry--we are the responsible adults. Our responsibility is to look after the health and well being of the students, and therefore a part of that is to try and ensure that they are looking out for themselves...and we are in loco parentis,” said Strudwick. It is also a matter of reputation, something many students overlook as being something that will affect them in the future. “The reputation of the school is founded on the health and well-being of our students. The schools that stand by and don’t check and make sure that students are taking care of themselves are going to lose that reputation... Lake Forest Academy is known as a school who cares about its students,” commented Strudwick. A question that seems to be on a lot of students’ minds is whether or not they should expect this to happen again in the future.
how bad can it get? Like if something like this continues to happen, what kinda steps are the school goThese comments are anonymous ing to take… getting into our afquotes from boarders regarding ter-school life? Are we gonna have their experiences from the searches. freedom to do what we want to do?” “It just kinda felt out of nowhere; this search was a first for the “I think it definitely put a little damdorms. It was kind of a shock.” age on the relationship (between boarders and faculty) because it was “I mean I’m not like too bothered by more of the parents dominating over the room search itself, but I’m just the students, so there was a fear faccurious how far things can go… like tor, and we became disconnected
through it. Students maybe felt attacked… it made things very intense. Our dorm kinda tensed up a lot.”
By Kiki Hood Managing Editor of Production
The decision to do the room searches was an extensive process. “It’s been a matter of several months. [We’ve been] hearing some vague and some specific concerns expressed about what was going on in the dorms. It came into focus the first weeks of spring semester,” said Mr. Jon Freeman, Head of Residential Life. According to Mr. Chris Tennyson, the Dean of Students and Assistant Head of School, the last dorm searches occurred five to six years ago; however, there has been an amnesty night in the dorms each year. “When you have students expressing those concerns, and you have parents expressing those concerns, and you have faculty and staff expressing those concerns, that helps provide direction in terms of decisions you want to make. There wasn’t one group that necessarily outweighed the other. It was a good way to hit pause and say: let’s do this, and let’s do this because there is concern being expressed and we care too much about the students and the school to not follow through,” said Tennyson. Freeman said the decision to do the room searches was both a reactionary and proactive measure: proactive to make sure that stu-
Student perspectives: By Charlie Shattock Editor-in-Chief of Digital
“I kinda just felt like it was an invasion of privacy… they were just going through all of our stuff and moving things around. Like I get the purpose I guess and I think there’s a better way to do what they were attempting to do. There has to be a better way, maybe getting parents involved. You can enforce the school’s rules, but do it in a better way.” “I feel like (the school) has the right (to search the dorms) especially because this is kinda like their home too, so I feel like they have the right to do that.” “I kinda knew what was going on. I knew who was gonna get screwed over. I personally wasn’t worried at all.” “I think it wasn’t completely abrupt
“That depends on students themselves. I certainly hope that people are making the right decisions,” said Tennyson.
“Now, having done an amnesty and search night, if there was enough concern expressed about an individual or anything like that, certainly dorm heads and faculty have the right to search rooms now.”
or out of nowhere. There were many speculations about something like this happening. I wasn’t completely surprised. My reaction was… I was still pretty surprised that LFA would do something like this.” “Everyone was really nervous, but mostly the freshmen were freaking out. It was kind of nerve racking. I’m an international student, and for international students this is like our home, and when someone goes into your home and searches every corner of it, you kinda feel violated.” “I feel like there was enough reason for us to have a search, and most students believe that it was necessary.”
THE SPECTATOR MARCH 16, 2019
Arts and Entertainment
8
Featured Artist of the Month: Lilly Drury By Lindsey Pearlman Features Editor
The community at Lake Forest Academy is filled with talented students. The interests range from sports, to art, to music, and so many more. One notable talented individual in the LFA community is up-and-coming musician Lilly Drury. Drury has loved music ever since she was young. She has been singing and performing for as long as she can remember.
out. I am constantly writing through-
pact that the music industry can have on
lenges get to her. She continues to keep
out the day and the first thing I do when
a person. Aside from all these difficulties,
her head up and create music that she
I get home is grab my guitar and see if
Drury claims that the hardest thing about
loves in hopes of reaching her end goal.
I can flesh any of my thoughts through-
being a musician is her own emotions.
“The goal is to do something in the music
out the day into a song.” said Drury.
“I don’t know if this is me being a
industry as a job one day,” said Drury. “It’s
Being a rising artist isn’t always easy
musician or just who I am, but I tend
not to receive a certain level of fame. I just
though. There is a very difficult aspect
to get really emotionally invested in
want to be able to continue my passion for
of being successful in the music industry.
things and ideas because as an artist,
music and be able to sustain a living from
There is competition among artists, hun-
it’s kind of your job to feel everything
it. Performing and writing songs is my ab-
dreds of thousands of other individuals
and the write about it,” stated Drury.
solute favorite thing to do, and even if I
trying to reach the same goal, and the im-
Drury, however, doesn’t let these chal-
only do it at a small scale, that’s all I want.”
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been singing. There’s home videos of me singing these little songs I would write when I was about five or six, so I’ve always been interested in music,” stated Drury. “I would throw concerts and my house and invite my neighbors. I’ve always loved music, but I really fell in love with performing.” Drury’s talents do not cease at purely singing. She is also a songwriter, writing both for herself, and other artists. She has written hundreds of songs over the years, and recently released her first official single, “Never Meant To Be”, which already has 3,000 streams on Spotify and is also available on Apple Music and iTunes. The key to being successful in songwriting, in Drury’s opinion, is writing from her emotions. “I write the best when I’m sitting in the feeling and just letting the words flow
Lilly Drury plays guitar and sings her song “Never Meant To Be” during a performance.
By Angelina Chan Managing Editor of Photos
pacing, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable film. Yet Marvel still falls short of ever defying the Marvel formula, or the genre itself, for that matter. Much of this movie treads familiar ground, such as that from Carol Danvers’ journey of self-discovery and the somewhat deus-ex-machina resolution. The background music, an exceptionally ‘90s soundtrack, relies on nostalgia, much like Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Danvers’ origin story isn’t exactly innovative. But maybe that’s a good thing. Instead of being a bit too on-the-nose about the topic, it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Even without as much to prove as Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel is still groundbreaking, it doesn’t present itself as such. By treading old ground in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it overall succeeds to establish a new story, and yet, still, a familiar one. However, what overshadows much of this movie’s influence is something that did not impede a movie such as last year’s Black Panther: the setup to the highly-anticipated Avengers: Endgame. This included references to a particular Infinity Stone and the aspects of continuity with Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, which water down the importance of the solo movie when
Photo courtesy of Lilly Drury
Marvel’s newest superhero addition The superhero genre, as especially seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is something that has become an integral part of popular culture. However, this genre is constantly changing and, perhaps, for the better, as shown by the recent release of the movie Captain Marvel. The latest superhero-centered movie with an eponymous female lead character since 2017’s Wonder Woman, it is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first film with a sole female lead. Although Captain Marvel’s release date, March 8th, was also International Women’s Day, the message and general premise of the movie is more profound than simply female empowerment. As shown by the caption “Higher. Further. Faster,” (Captain Marvel), played by Academy Award-winning actress Brie Larson, seeks to bring a newer, better, more relevant-to-our-time perspective to the comic book movie. While a movie like Wonder Woman does so by highlighting Diana Prince’s strengths, it lacks a substantial plot. Captain Marvel does so with an amalgam of humor, nostalgia, and surprisingly well-done CGI. Although it lacks the emotional impact of last April’s Avengers: Infinity War, and has a few issues in
connected to the larger world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain Marvel isn’t exactly perfect, but it certainly does show that, with the right
pairings of humor, drama, and action, the traditional comic book movie can still find a new perspective and be a good, even great, exploration of the world around us.
Photo courtesy of Disney Captain Marvel was released in theateres on March 8, marking the newest entry into the collection of films centered in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
THE SPECTATOR MARCH 15, 2019
Arts and Entertainment
February Frog Hunt brings the community together for a competition of spirit and fun
By Parker Amoroso Managing Editor of Features
Every year, the Lake Forest Academy students take place in the February Frog Hunt where they compete to win points for their respective houses. Now in its seventh year, the Frog Hunt has become a tradition at LFA, and one that many students look forward to all year long. As the month draws to a close, the entire event culminates with an all-school meeting entirely devoted to games and activities. With hundreds of points up for grabs, the event is frequently the deciding factor in which house will take home the house cup for the year. This year, there were a total of 50 different tasks that could be completed by students. Some of the tasks for the month included finding the number 11 hidden around campus, attending five LFA sports team home games during the month of February, and attending a detention that you were not required to serve. The event was even able to be tied into the Head of School Symposium topic, Russia, in an event where each house was given a series of Russian nesting dolls to decorate. These games may sound ridiculous, but for many students they represent an opportunity to foster school spirit and teamwork. David Sun, Lake Forest Academy senior and Master of the House, one of the judges of the event, echoed this sentiment.
“I believe the February Frog Hunt really represent[s] the school spirit in a way that students from each house [can] compete with students from other houses… and learn to work with someone who they might have never worked [with] before,” noted Sun. John Freeman, coordinator of the event, has similar thoughts about the event. “I hope that projects like the LEGO building, Russian doll decorating, and jigsaw puzzles provide opportunities for students to work together, to have fun,” said Freeman. In addition to this, the Frog Hunt is also a time in which some of the younger LFA students, such as the freshman, can get to know some of the older, upperclassmen. “I also think that Frog Hunt is a good opportunity for underclassmen to communicate and make friends with upperclassmen,” mentioned Sun. Now that the Frog Hunt is over, the opportunities to gain points for houses will begin to dwindle. At the time of this writing, Welch leads with 1,310 points, followed by Lewis with 1,150, Sargent with 1,184, and Bird with 984. However, there are still house points up for grabs following the event, and there is still time for standings to change. Yet, regardless of which house triumphs at the end of the day, for many students it is more about the experience than winning.
Photo by Parker Amoroso The announcements board in Upper Corbin was covered with February Frog Hunt point updates and House cup scores throughout the month of February.
9
Caxy Match
Mr. Sam Wold Martin Luther
Drawing by Jack Selati
Image courtesy of Biography
Spring wordsearch
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THE SPECTATOR
Sports
10
MARCH 15, 2019
New season, fresh start for spring sports Jared Felitto Sports Editor Even though the weather outside may feel like the middle of January, believe it or not, spring sports are once again in full swing. With the end of winter sports, Lake Forest Academy spring teams must now have to acclimate to their new situations and gear up for a quick season. The lacrosse team is ready to get a taste of the new turf fields. After having a season plagued by cancellations, the team is hoping to have more practices and games on the table this year. Led by talented players such as junior, Chase Jones, and senior, Harrison Scott, the team is ready to play another season. Along with the boys, the girls are feeling the same way. Hoping that the turf fields prevent their cancellations, Juniors’ Jade Steger and Lilly Drury plan on leading their teams to victory. On the diamond, the boys baseball team is feeling optimistic about a good season after having a season fragmented by cancellations. junior, Dario Mancari and senior, Nathan Barnes, are hoping to have a major impact this season. According to Mancari, the team is ready to have success in the spring season. “I want to be a good example for the younger guys and bring energy to our team. I just want our team to compete in every game.” said Mancari. Softball is ready to make a statement this
season on their new field. With Mr. Darrin Madeley at the helm, the softball team is going to rely on the Martinez sisters and Jadin Knowles to lead them throughout the season. The tennis team, led by Colgate signee Jack Selati, is going to have to rely on their upperclassmen experience to compensate for the loss of Will Kasten and Charlie Kilborn. Volleyball is in a very similar situation. After having a great season last year with Josh Arrowhead leading the charge, the team is going to have to look towards his younger brother, Jake Arrowood, as well as junior, Nick Shapiro, to fill the void at his position. With having nearly 100 people on the roster, the track and field team is hoping to rely on the upperclassmen experience of Kennedy Smith after losing middle distance star, Dieter Villegas as well as Armani Sayeed. According to head coach, Mr. Ted Golota, he’s ready to compete this season. “With us not having indoor track, we are already put at a disadvantage. My goal is to get the most out of our athletes this season. We can’t win every event, but I want us to be competitive in the events I know we can win.” said Golota. Under the leadership of Mr. Golota, the track team is hoping to find their niche during the season and achieve even better results than last year.
John Kuhns throwing the ball downfiield.
Photo courtesy of LFA smugmug
Ultimate Frisbee is a spring PE once again Ben Sebolt Senior Sports Editor
Photo by Ben Sebolt The frisbee used by the Ultimate Frisbee PE 5 years ago.
The first frisbee was created in 1938. Ultimate frisbee was established happened not much later. Invented at a high school in New Jersey, the sport gained popularity and a college league was soon created. The popular sport is coming to Lake Forest Academy courtesy of Sam Wold. The new PE will began after spring break. A commit of three days per week, the PE aims to be fun while instructive. While many people think that frisbee is done standing still, Ultimate Frisbee is the exact opposite. Played on a field similar in size to a football field, the sport is physically taxing. Each time players catch a frisbee, they have to stop within three steps in order to throw it again. Overall, the rules of the game make it fast paced, while creating hectic situations. Wold first dived in the world of Ultimate Frisbee in college. He attended Carleton College, one of the best schools in the country for Ultimate Frisbee. They consistently reach the semifinals for the national tournament at the collegiate level. With the school being so invested in frisbee, Wold was sure to gain skills needed to suc-
ceed at Ultimate Frisbee. The PE would take place in the center of campus, the quad. The minimum amount of people necessary is around ten. Currently as of March 6th, five people have enrolled but that number is bound to increase after sports teams make their cuts. While they don’t play teams from other schools, they would compete in 5 person teams within the PE. There is a chance that they could challenge other athletic teams to a match as well. Wold states that the aim of the PE is to “develop the basic skills necessary to succeed.” While almost everyone knows how to throw a frisbee, there are many different methods and tactics one must use to succeed in Ultimate Frisbee. The hammer throw, forehand and backhand are all essential methods to success in ultimate frisbee. It might not be evident at first, but Ultimate Frisbee is a sport with a high level of skill needed to succeed. The reasons for taking this PE are numerous. As Wold states its a “relaxing sport” and “not many people realize what Ultimate Frisbee is.” Hopefully Wold gains more people and this PE is able to last for many years.
THE SPECTATOR MARCH 15, 2019
Sports
11
LFA alumni flourish in collegiate athletics By Jack Selati Managing Editor of Sports
Lake Forest Academy excels at having a student-athlete friendly environment where schoolwork always comes first, but practice and competitions are taken very seriously. There have been many impressive athletes that have come through the doors of Reid Hall for their English classes and then at the end of the day walked out of Crown sweating after a tough day of practice. Two outstanding athletes that both went on to pursue their academic and athletic interests in college are Lauren Clamage and Theresa Onwuka. Clamage went to the Divison 3 school Macalester College to compete on the basketball team while Onwuka went to the Division 1 school University of Buffalo for the same sport. When competing for the Lake Forest Academy Basketball team, Clamage became the all time points record holder for Lake Forest Academy basketball. Onwuka was the points leader her senior season as well as the team leader in almost every other statistical category that year. In college as a Sophomore, Junior and Senior, Clamage scored over 200 points and played in 25 games every season. Onwuka, who still plays at Buffalo, has been a major contributor to their success, notching at least ten minutes per game in all three seasons she has been there.
During her Freshman and Junior seasons, she averaged over five points per game. Both Clamage and Onwuka attribute much of their success in college to their experiences at LFA. “I had the opportunity to play with other girls that were division 1 athletes. I looked up to the boys and girls basketball players and saw the determination and motivation the other players had. This pushed me to be and do my best,” said Clamage when referring to her time at LFA. Similarly, Onwuka was able to learn how to balance becoming a student athlete. “I had to learn how to do my school work, participate in school activities, as well as traveling to play basketball. Learning time management with really demanding classes was especially helpful to me,” said Onwuka. Both Clamage and Onwuka had great memories of playing at LFA. Clamage’s came when she took down cross-town rival Lake Forest High School, and Onwuka’s came when she won the Culver basketball tournament. “We also won the Culver tournament which was a tournament I wanted to win before I graduate from LFA,” said Onwuka. Onwuka and Clamage have both had success in high school and college basketball, and they relish in the memories that they shared with their teammates and teachers.
Photos provided by Lauren Clamage and Theresa Onwuka Lauren Clamage (left) and Theresa Onwuka (right) competing for their respective collegiate basketball programs. Lauren plays for Macalester College, and Theresa plays for the University of Buffalo.
Spring cancellations dropping in 2019 By Jared Felitto Sports Editor
Photo courtesy of Jack Selati The unfortunate sight of the baseball field being covered in snow just weeks before the season begins.
Last year, Lake Forest Academy had to endure a whopping 93 cancellations. With the majority of these cancellations happening during the spring, LFA is ready to make a spring season plagued with cancellations a thing of the past. The spring season is the shortest at LFA and combined with numerous cancellations, player development is severely hindered. With a lack of games and practices, team camaraderie is also ruptured, which also hurts the appeal of spring sports. However, with the addition of the turf fields, LFA is hoping to give teams more opportunities to develop their players and get more games in this season. Baseball has been notorious for their amount of cancellations during their previous seasons. If there is even a slight blanket of snow on the ground, the team is unable to play or practice. According to head coach Mr. Edward Shaughnessy, only playing seven games all year severely affected the progression and development of his team. “We have the batting cage obviously, but there is only so much you could do inside,” said Shaughnessy. While baseball may still have to deal with the wrath of Mother Nature, other teams such as lacrosse, softball, and soccer will
be a lot better suited than in previous years. Muddy and wet fields have caused games to be cancelled and have even made the fields unplayable for days. According to the Athletic Director, Mr. Darrin Madeley, having the turf fields will be able to prevent the abundance of these cancellations. “There are a lot of variables that have to take place when you look at it, but having those turf fields is gonna allow us to hopefully get a lot more in than we’ve had in the past,” said Madeley. The versatility of turf fields will give the spring sports a huge step up from previous years. With teams barely having played games last year, the turf fields will not only help teams get more reps, but they will also help bring a better athletic experience as a whole. Although, in addition to baseball, some other teams will be affected by the weather, and won’t get the luxury of using the new fields. Track doesn’t have an indoor facility to run in, which makes running difficult with snow on the ground. Tennis doesn’t have any indoor courts, as once again snow can prevent them from practicing. If severe temperatures are present, then practices can be forced indoors or cancelled. All in all, the turf fields will limit the amount of cancellations and give students a better athletic experience this spring, but there’s still room to grow.
THE SPECTATOR 12
Global Perspectives
MARCH 15, 2018
LFA reflects on Venezuelan presidency
By Tiffany Filawo Managing Editor of Global Perspectives
Venezuela came to the forefront of political news in Latin America when Juan Guaidó, the president of the Assembly of Parliament challenged the current president, Nicolás Maduro’s eighteen year dictatorship. Guaidó became politically involved in Venezuela starting in 2015 when he served as the representative for his home state, Vargas, in the National Assembly of Venezuela. Guaidó became a symbol of opposition in Venezuelan politics when he was among a large number of opposition representatives who assumed power in the National Assembly of Venezuela in 2015. Maduro sought presidential re-election in May 2018, banning all opposition presidential candidates from running and declared himself president after obtaining 67% approval from then non-independent electoral body. While the elections were transpiring, Venezuelans were finding themselves deeper in the pit of poverty and famine that has plagued Venezuelan citizens and caused them to emigrate since the time that former dictator, Hugo
Chavez, ruled Venezuela. This is a very different Venezuela than the one Sodexo member, Monica Luey, remembers. “Between 1964 and 1982, I lived in Maracaibo, Venezuela because my parents were missionaries (Evangelical preachers) down there, so I went to an American school down there. Before there was a lot of middle class, but now it’s either those who are really really poor or those who are filthy rich. People don’t have jobs,” mentioned Luey. The undemocratic elections in Venezuela have pushed world leaders such as President Donald Trump, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, and the presidents of the countries that are a part of the Lima Group to not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s president and instead Guaidó as the interim president. Marianela Gonzalez, Spanish I, Spanish IV Advanced, and Conversation and Current Events of the Hispanic World teacher, believes that the recognition of Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president by influential world leaders is making Maduro nervous about how much longer he can hold onto power. “He is worried, perhaps
Photo courtesy of RNZ Juan Guaidó (left) declaring himself as the interim president before a mass opposition rally against Nicolás Maduro (right).
thinking that if major leaders of the world support Guaidó that the Venezuelans will feel supported by other countries and revolt causing a civil war,” noted Gonzalez. Noelle Balson, who teaches Contemporary Civilization and Culture of Latin America and Spanish III Advanced has made it a necessity to keep her students informed on what is going on in Venezuela . “I make a point to keep students aware of what’s going on in the world by showing all my students BBC Mundo videos,” said Balson. Gonzalez similarly keeps her students informed on the situation in Venezuela. “Since I am teaching a current events class, we discuss daily events in Venezuela. We have had some very interesting
discussions,” said Gonzalez. Balson also expressed her concern about the fragility of the situation in Venezuela. “I’m very worried about the situation of Venezuela. I’m afraid it will lead to war. Maduro is not recognizing Guaidó as president which creates problems because we have China and Russia who are obviously with Maduro and we have Europe, the US, Canada, and the Lima Group, creating two different blocks: communism vs capitalism like the Cold War,” remarked Balson. Maria Yolanda Castillo, a citizen of Caracas, Venezuela, expressed to the Washington Post at the demonstration against Maduro on January 23 after US government officials confirmed their support of Guaidó, that Venezuelans were
fed up and willing to do whatever it took to uphold their constitution and restore order and peace in their country. “People of many different social classes united here [at the march]. I think one of the reasons is, that they don’t need to be told to, and hunger spoke to them. And hunger does not need explanations,” vocalized Castillo. Fed-up Venezuelans have gathered in protests against Maduro with already 40 brave souls losing their lives and a record-high 850 people detained as of January 23rd according to CNN. Guaidó has encouraged Venezuelans to protest on the day of his arrival back to Venezuela. Guaidó risks incarceration upon his arrival in Venezuela, but that will not stop his fight for democracy.
By Nate Koh News Editor
do or essays to write. However,
ciated. While this might prove
there are some students at LFA
discouraging
Service trips over Spring Break
Photo courtesy of Lilly Drury Lilly Drury with one of the kids she helped during her service trip to Guatemala.
to
some,
Lilly
that truly display their commit-
felt that she needed to do her
Service is an integral part of
ment by working to help others
best to help these children.
the Lake Forest Academy com-
during this intermediate period.
Lilly helped build over 20 chick-
munity, both inside school and
One of these students is Lil-
en coops and also a close friend-
outside of school. Many stu-
ly Drury, who over last spring
ship with a kid, even though she
dents and faculty lead efforts
break went to the Guatemalan
found it hard to communicate
to collect food, protect native
village of Patzun. Accompanied
through the language barrier.
wildlife, and help the less for-
by a church group from Willow
Lilly also observed an inter-
tunate, which take place here at
Creek consisting of about 12
esting
LFA on an almost weekly basis.
kids, Lilly helped to build chick-
the village, which had working
The Academy does an excellent
en coops for the townspeople in
electricity,
job of interweaving community
an effort to combat the malnu-
and internet access, but would
service into normal school life,
trition faced by these people.
not always have access to food.
and this inspires students to go
Patzun is an isolated town
A friend of Lilly’s, who also
above and beyond to work on
located
service projects, even outside
mala,
in
cellular
present
in
reception,
Guate-
went with her on her church
mountains.
trip, recently returned to Patzun
of the school year- either in the
“You don’t really know how bad
in order to continue some of
United States or outside of them,
it is until you see it”, Lilly Drury
the work that he had done.
sometimes with the school’s
remarked when asked about the
“It was a really eye-opening ex-
support, and sometimes not.
conditions that the children faced.
perience”, Lilly said when asked
Spring Break is an unusual
The kids were especially af-
what her overall thoughts were.\
time for these trips to occur, as
fected by the lack of food, and,
“I thought it was really import-
many people have studying to
in the worst cases, were ema-
ant. I definitely want to go back.”
nearby
rural
dichotomy