While walking through the student cafeteria, one often hears complaints from students that “the teachers get way better food.” This rumor has floated around the cafeteria for years, but it has never been tested — until now. The Crier asked five students and four teachers to do a cafeteria swap, in which the students ate from the teacher cafeteria for two days and the teachers ate from the student cafeteria for three days. In the end, the results were surprising, and the truth behind the rumor was finally revealed.

The students

Allison Pariso, ‘18; Dylan Toth, ‘18; Michelle Zhang, ‘19; Nikita Basu, ‘19; and Archisha Ghosh, ‘19, are student cafeteria regulars, and they participated in the lunch swap, which took place during sixth period. They purchased and ate their food in the teachers’ cafe, and they said they were pleasantly surprised by the taste differences between both cafes.

Michelle Zhang | Conant Crier

The inside of the teacher cafeteria.

Crier: What did you eat both days, and how did the food taste?

Pariso:  I tried the specials that were offered on both days, which is not food that you can get in the student cafeteria. I tried the Tuscan ham sandwich the first day, which consisted of ham, onion, and cheese on a pretzel bun. On the second day, I had vegetable lasagna. Both the dishes were better than what I would normally get in the student cafeteria.

Toth: I only ate one day, and I had the Turkey and Mozzarella Panini. It was a lot like the one that is served in the student cafeteria. It tasted the exact same because the cafeteria worker got it from the student cafeteria. A lot of the teacher food is the exact same as the student food. The only difference is that teachers get specials.

Zhang: I wanted to try something new, so I had the teacher special both days. The first day the Italian sausage with potatoes. The second day I had the vegetable lasagna and roasted cauliflowers. On average, the taste was about the same; however, the specials were definitely better than the food in the student cafeteria. I felt like the lasagna tasted the best, and it would be a good option for vegetarians.

Basu: I ate a Turkey Panini the first day and lasagna the second day. I normally try to eat what I’m comfortable with, which is why I tend to lean towards the student options. The food tasted the same.

Ghosh: I ate a chicken wrap on the first day, which is normally found in the student cafeteria. On the second day, I ate lasagna, which was different from the student food. The lasagna had better taste than the pasta served in the student cafeteria.

Crier: Did the food you ate look like what you usually eat the student cafeteria?

Pariso:  The food looked different. It was warm and also looked more like an entree I would order at a restaurant rather than cafeteria food.

Toth: I thought the food looked identical because I didn’t order a special. In fact, the cafeteria worker went to the student cafeteria to get the food.

Zhang: There were many options that were identical to the student cafeteria; however, there were other options, such as the specials, that looked a lot more appealing. That’s why I had the teacher special both days

Basu: The food offered in the teacher’s lounge looked better than what was offered in the student cafeteria.

Ghosh: On the first day, it did look like it was from the student cafeteria, but the food on the second day looked completely different.

Crier: What was it like eating in the teacher cafeteria? How did the cafeteria workers treat you? How did the other teachers treat you?

Pariso:  It was definitely different than eating in the student cafeteria. It was smaller and much quieter. The seats were more comfortable and the tables were round instead of rectangular. … The cafeteria workers were also nice to us, but often had to ask their bosses to make sure they could serve us the food because the specials were supposed to be only given to the teachers. The same problem applied to payment.

Toth: The cafeteria workers treated us pretty much the same as they would in the student cafeteria. They were very nice, of course, as they all know how to treat students and teachers alike.

Zhang: It was a lot quieter and faster. The student cafeteria is way more chaotic. The cafeteria workers in the student cafeteria were actually nicer, but I think that this was due to the fact that the cafeteria workers in the teacher lounge were not used to having students.

Basu: It was quieter. The cafeteria workers did not like letting us purchase food from the teacher cafeteria. The other teachers gave us some strange looks but ignored us otherwise.

Ghosh: Eating in the teacher cafeteria is a lot quieter and lonelier. The cafeteria workers were polite and accommodating, and the teachers left us alone for the most part.

Michelle Zhang | Conant Crier

The students finish up lunch.

Crier: Did the teacher cafeteria have more options than the student cafeteria?

Pariso: The teacher cafe had specials, which the student one doesn’t have, and more options for snacks and drinks. However, most of the choices were similar, if not the same, as those in the student cafeteria.

Toth: Not as many as I thought. In fact, the student cafeteria has more options. The faculty cafeteria only had two special options, one of which was also available in the student cafeteria.

Zhang: I am not sure about more options, but they definitely had some better and fancier options.

Basu: The teacher cafeteria offered everything that the students received and more specialities.

Ghosh: The teacher cafeteria has at least two more options everyday compared to the student cafeteria. Everything from the student cafeteria is available in the teacher cafe.

The teachers

History teacher Denise Mitchell, P.E. teachers John Powers and David Cromer, and science teacher David Torpe usually eat in the teacher cafeteria, and they sometimes bring their own food from home. They purchased their food from the student cafe for three days, but they ate in different locations. Powers and Cromer took their food back to the teacher cafe, while Mitchell took it to her desk in the social studies office. Torpe, who ate at his desk the first day, bravely ate in the student cafe for the last two days of the swap.

Crier: How did it feel buying food from the student cafeteria?

Michelle Zhang | Conant Crier

John Powers and David Cromer sat in the teacher cafe, but they ate from the student one.

Mitchell: I went the second half of sixth, so the lines weren’t as long. Since I didn’t have to wait too long, it wasn’t that bad. The cafeteria workers were nice, and I was served right away.

Cromer: I felt like a true freshman. When I walked in, I saw there were so many lines, and I didn’t know which line was getting what. I felt a little bit of anxiety because I didn’t know what the options were. The whiteboards and menus around the doors really helped.

Powers: It felt different. It felt like I was in the way of the students, but once I saw the white boards on the door, everything went much faster. I almost got used to it by the end of the third day.

Torpe: The buying portion was simple, but I relived my Conant High School experience during those three days. I was not very popular in high school, and finding a place to sit in the cafeteria was always a challenge for me. It was a little uncomfortable. On the second day, I decided to sit with my students. They were really nice; one of them I have in my class. It was awkward at first, but it eventually became more comfortable once they saw I was there as one of them, not as a teacher.

Crier: What did you eat during the three days, and how did it taste?

Mitchell: I had the pizza, a burrito, and a sandwich. The options were quite similar to the ones I get from the teachers’ cafe. It tasted exactly the same; however, I will say that the teachers get specials that the students don’t. Those are very good. My personal favorite is the Tilapia. Another difference is that the teachers get sandwiches made fresh, and there is always a unique choice for soup.

Cromer: On the first day, I had a salad, which is what I eat typically every day. But on day two and three, I wanted to go outside my comfort zone. I decided to eat the panini. I got vegetables for my sides. The same people cook for both the teachers and students, so the quality of the food is the same. I think the idea that teachers get better food than the students is incorrect. The cafeteria workers don’t have anything against the students. The main differences are that the teachers get more entrees, and the student menu is held to a government health standard, while ours isn’t.

Powers: I had a salad because I eat one every day. Eating healthy is a big part of my life. I also tried some of the other options such as the pizza they offered. Like Mr. Cromer, I also got vegetable sides. The salad tasted the exact same, very healthy and delicious. The other food tasted very good as well. Overall, I tasted no difference between both cafeterias.

David Torpe

David Torpe’s lunch on the first day.

Torpe: On the first day, I had the meatball sub with sweet potato bites. The following days, I ate the panini with vegetable sides. The meatball sandwich brought me back to my days here as a student. I don’t know if it is the same, but it really seems like it has not changed since I was here. I really enjoyed the sandwich as a student and now as a teacher. I think the bread is now wheat bread. The side I chose was the sweet potato “bites”, and they were much, much better than the tater tots that I remember from “old Conant cafeteria.” Also the napkins are way nicer now than years ago.

Overall feelings from students and teachers

All the students said they paid more for the teacher food, and the teachers said they saved at least a dollar eating from the student cafeteria.

“The specials were more expensive. They were four dollars on each day,” Pariso stated. Toth said that compared to four dollars, he pays two dollars and ninety cents for his food everyday.

Cromer explained that students couldn’t have all the options teachers had because of financial constraints. “The entrees are expensive, so students most likely wouldn’t be able to pay for them,” he continued.

He also said the belief that teachers had specials everyday was a myth. In fact, teacher entrees have been cut back from five days a week to three days a week in an effort to meet d211 budget cuts.

“We’re even trying to implement healthier options for teachers,” he said.

Both Powers and Torpe, who attended CHS as students, said they were reminded of their school days during the lunch swap. Powers said a lot of things in the cafeteria today are different than what he had as a CHS student.

“The lines were definitely different,” Powers said. “When I attended high school, we had four distinct lines: the salad line, the a la carte line, the snack line, and one for the entree portion.”

“Lunch was also only a dollar,” he continued, “and for a dollar and ten cents, we got a pizza and a shake on Fridays.”

Torpe felt everything was mostly the same, “The food was basically the same; I remember eating the panini as a student.”

Aditi Katwala | Conant Crier

David Torpe eats with his students on the second day.

Overall, the teachers said while they enjoyed participating in the swap, they wouldn’t eat in the student cafeteria again because they felt more comfortable in the teacher cafeteria. The students also agreed that they felt more comfortable in the student cafeteria and would rather eat there everyday.

“I’d rather eat with my friends,” Zhang said. “The student cafeteria is also much cheaper.”

From both the student and teacher testimonies, The Crier learned that the rumors about teachers getting better food isn’t necessarily true. All the food is prepared by the same cafeteria workers, so the quality of the food is pretty much the same.

Teachers are real life superheroes. Every day, CHS teachers touch the lives of thousands of students, and their work extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom. To show appreciation for these teachers, the Crier asked students to identify teachers that have made a real impact in their lives. A new student and teacher will be featured each week.

This week, Celeste Perez, ‘17, nominated photography teacher Jamie Peterson.

Maggie Jakopac | Conant Crier

Mrs. Peterson gets her camera ready.

Perez: Mrs. Peterson has taught me so much about photography and has influenced me a lot during the 4 years that I’ve been at Conant. I was fortunate enough to start photography freshman year, even though you have to be a sophomore to take it. You can tell that Mrs. Peterson really cares about her students’ well being. My class and I call her “Art Mom” because she honestly feels like a second mom to all of us.

Crier: Why did you decide to teach photography?

Peterson: Growing up, I was the oldest, so I always had that sense of responsibility and leadership. I enjoy planning, organizing, and meeting new people. And obviously because I love art, and I see the benefits for students. In highschool, I was really interested in art, and I felt like I wasn’t good enough as an art student. During my senior year, when we were talking about what we should do in college, my high school art teacher made a point to tell me that I should go into art and that I was really good at it. That [encouragement] gave me the courage to go into art in college. Then, when I was trying to pick a major in the art school, I remembered how much influence she had on me. Her influence was a huge reason why I went into art, but it was also because I enjoyed art so much.

Crier: How do you hope to influence your students?

Peterson: I think it’s more than getting students into art; it’s about exposing art to everybody. So, even if the students have never really drawn or painted before, I just try to focus on the community of Conant High School in the art program. When I was here, we didn’t really have a lot of art shows, events or clubs. It’s about the students being recognized, belonging to the program, and having a good experience while they are here, whether they go into art or not.

Crier: What do you like to do at home with your family?

Peterson: I have three little kids, and I like to do art projects with them. Also, I really like taking them to sports games and watching them excel in the things they’re excited about. I always like a movie night; movie nights [as a family] are fun.

Crier: What is one of your favorite movies?

Peterson: We just recently went out and saw “Sing” with the kids, but I’m not really a movie person. I actually like reality TV. After a long day at work, I like to watch mindless TV. I really like the show “This Is Us.”

Crier: During high school, did you have any other ideas as career choices?

Peterson: I was really into the band, so I thought music or art teacher. And thinking about art careers, I was also thinking about going into graphic design. But I knew I wanted to work with people, so it was a toss up between a music or art teacher. In the end, I was better at art than I was at music.

Crier: What instrument did you play in the band, and did band influence the way you teach?

Peterson: I played the saxophone, and I was the drum major for two years. So, that was a really good leadership experience; I led the band during our trip to Disney World my senior year. I consider myself kind of shy, but in situations like that, the shyness goes away. When I get in the classroom, I’m still shy and awkward, but the kids just laugh about it, and I just have this way of not caring. Being a drum major was a good opportunity for me to come out of my shell and show that I could be a quiet leader. I got the confidence to come in front of people.

Crier: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Peterson: I’d have to do something with art, something that I was really passionate about. Everything that I’ve done in school and my career has been about something I’m passionate about and enjoy doing. I would have a really hard time just doing a job.

To nominate a teacher who has made an impact in your life, click here.

Teachers are real life superheroes. Every day, CHS teachers touch the lives of thousands of students, and their work extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom. To show appreciation for these teachers, the Crier asked students to identify teachers that have made a real impact in their lives. A new student and teacher will be featured each week.

This week, Suraj Patel, ‘18, nominated social studies teacher John Braglia.

Patel: Mr. Braglia is an amazing teacher. He is very passionate about his class and what he teaches. He makes learning in his class fun and enjoyable.

Maggie Jakopac | Conant Crier

Teacher of the week John Braglia

Crier: Why did you decide to teach history and social studies? What inspired you?

Braglia: I was a student in the late 70’s here at Conant High School, and like students today, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do for the rest of my life. I knew I was going to go to college. I vacillated a little bit between architecture and teaching, and the thing that really pushed me into teaching was that I had a couple of teachers here that I thought were fantastic at what they did. I also had some great grade school teachers; one of them was my sixth grade teacher, Tim Blanks, who to this day has had one of the greatest impacts on my life. He always looked like he was having fun, was helping kids, and was just a great guy. When I got to Conant, I ran into the same thing. Jerry Mikrut, who was a senior teacher of mine, just looked like he was having a ball every day and was a bright guy. Kids liked him, and he coached all of the things that appealed to me, so I thought that teaching was what I wanted to do. So, Conant High School actually helped me decide to become a teacher.

Crier: How do you connect with your students and keep them engaged in class?

Braglia: I have a somewhat unique style. I’m very animated. When I student taught, the teacher I worked with was very big on voice inflection, so that’s a big thing with me. I don’t speak in a monotone voice; in fact, I’m borderline annoying to my students. I try to maintain a level of comfort in my classroom, so it makes kids want to come back. I’ve always believed that if they wanted to come to my classroom and see me every day, then I could teach them anything, and I think so far, it’s been working for me.

Crier: What do you like to do at home with your family?

Braglia: We like to camp. We’ve been to 22 national parks out of the 52 that are identified. I also ski, cross-country ski, downhill ski, and snowshoe. I also cycle and mountain bike in the summer. My kids do all of these things as well. We like to fish, kayak, and a lot more outdoors kind of stuff.

Crier: What is something that many people may not know about you?

Braglia: I keep my personal life very private, but there are a lot of things I like to do in my off time. I play in a rock ‘n’ roll band. I’m the bass player and the keyboardist, and I play with the same guys I’ve known since I was 12 years old.

Crier: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Braglia: I would probably be a carpenter. There’s a strong parallel between carpenters and teachers. My dad was a carpenter. My dad produced things every single day of his life and saw a beginning and an end to what he produced. The start of the school year is my beginning, the start of a student’s career is my beginning, and the end of the school year and their graduation is my end. So, I’ve always drawn a lot of parallels to carpentry and teaching.

To nominate a teacher who has made an impact in your life, click here.

It is a typical school day. You’re sitting in your classroom, typing away on your iPad as your teacher writes the notes on the board. Suddenly, you’re consumed by complete darkness. A power outage has surged through the school, leaving you and your classmates clueless. Not only that, but you are not allowed to leave the classroom because the emergency lights failed as well. This was the dilemma faced by the student body of Conant High School when the lights went out on February 17, 2017.

Mauli Patel

What Happened?

CHS suffered a power outage a few weeks ago, leaving both students and teachers with a lot of questions.

CHS Building and Grounds Manager Keith Bundgard explained that the power outage was related to issues faced by Conant’s power source, ComEd. “One of the switches in their yard tripped,” Bundgard said. “They were able to bypass around it to get us power.”

This isn’t the first time CHS has lost power, but this time, the emergency lights failed to turn on. Assistant Principal Robert Small explained that the generators are tested twice a week, so it was unexpected when a circuit board blew. He said the circuit board has now been fixed.

The power went out during the middle of seventh hour, and the problem was resolved in 15 minutes. If the situation hadn’t been resolved by the time the class ended, Principal Julie Nowak said it would’ve created a safety issue for students because it would be unsafe for students to roam through the pitch black hallways. Nowak explained that if the situation had not been resolved in time, students would have been held in their classes.

Nowak also explained that the administration has procedures for handling these kinds of situations. “The staff has very specific roles, ranging from communication…to dealing with the issue at hand,” she said. “Our priority is always student safety.”

Nowak said that to stay safe if an outage like this ever happened again, “Establish as much normalcy as possible.”

Teacher Response

Teachers handled the power outage in different ways based on what they thought was happening, but it did not seem to interrupt instruction in a meaningful way for most.

A few teachers were able to ignore the darkness and continue to teach as if nothing had happened. Dean of Students and math teacher Derek Fivelson was in the middle of teaching his class when the lights went out. “I taught the entire time,” he explained. “I didn’t think it was a big issue.”

Mauli Patel, ‘18, was learning in Fivelson’s room when it went dark.  She said, “It was surprising, but he continued teaching. So, it wasn’t really a big deal.”

Some teachers took further measures.  Matt Wozniak, ‘18, said, “I was expecting the generators to turn the lights back on. My teacher locked the door and covered the window with a poster.”

Safety Concerns

A power outage is not a situation that a school can expect, but it does allow them to assess issues that should be acknowledged.

“Every now and then you’re going to have those inconveniences that get in the way and disrupt your routine,” Nowak said. “As long as we’re being safe and making the smartest calls, those types of things are going to happen.”

Wozniak said, “This is not a very serious issue, but it should not happen often.”

“We were in a room with windows, so we weren’t in complete darkness, but for other classes it was disruptive and unsafe,” he continued.

Nowak talked about changes made during any emergency. “Every time something happens it gives us an opportunity to look at our procedures and make small adjustments,” she said. “This time I changed where I had my flashlight.”

She concentrated on her warm-ups and kept her posture straight. As she prepared herself, she felt nervous and afraid. She had done this millions of times; she had nothing to fear. She took a deep breath and started to perform. Just as she settled into her rhythm, her foot slipped off the balance beam, and she went down.

Bailey Bloom, ‘18, remembers this fall every day, but she says she doesn’t let it bring her down. Missing the gymnastics State finals during the 2016 season, she was determined not to let her setback get in the way of her goal during this year’s state meet. Bloom persevered and overcame her injury, topping off her third year on the varsity team with a fifth place medal on beam at the State tournament.

Rafi Garcia

Bailey Bloom performs a split leap on beam.

The Injury

During the regular 2017 season, Bloom injured her leg after a fall from practicing on the beam. “I fell on beam during a meet and bruised the tendon in my knee. It was scary because my goal was to make it to State on beam. So, I couldn’t practice for a while,” Bloom explained.

The injury was so severe that gymnastics coach Anthony Avella was afraid she wouldn’t be able to compete with the team again.

“I was uncertain of her return,” Avella said, “but she made sure to complete her therapy, which really says a lot about her as an athlete because the easier option would’ve been to not come back.”

Bloom said, “I just went through with the therapy and came back to accomplish my goals.”

Despite her slow and tedious recovery, Bloom said she remained positive and came back to compete as strong as ever. Avella said, “That really sends a good message, especially to the younger girls on the team. It shows the true dedication [gymnastics] actually takes.”

The 2017 State Finals

Bloom missed out on the State finals by a quarter of a tenth of a point last year, and she said it had been her goal to make it to the finals during this year’s State competition. However, another fall during her warm-up almost set her back.

During her second warm up, she said she ended up falling the same way she fell when she injured herself back in January.

“That ended the warm up. That was it. That definitely spooked her. But thankfully, of the ten girls that were to compete, Bailey was ninth,” Avella explained.

Bloom said she had time to calm down, but said she felt scared, nervous, and doubtful. “It was really nerve wracking, since we go one at a time,” she remembered. “But I think that made me do better, as I was under pressure.”

Members of the varsity team found Bloom’s performance to be inspiring. After viewing Bloom’s routine, Kennedy O’Connor, ‘20, said, “I thought the routine was truly inspiring because she was still able to perform at her best, despite her nasty fall during warm ups.”

Going into the State finals, Bloom was the ninth seed, but she finished fifth on beam. “I felt really surprised standing on the podium. I wasn’t even expecting to make it to the State finals. But I’m happy I did. I felt accomplished,” Bloom described.

A Role Model

In her three years as a varsity gymnast, Bloom has brought the mentality of hard work and determination, Avella explained. He said he hopes Bloom’s positivity and dedication influences the newer members of the team.

Throughout the season, the team endured many obstacles: mental, emotional and physical. To get past those conflicts, the girls relied on one another for moral support. O’Connor remembered, “During the season everyone was tired, sore, and injured, but Bailey helped keep our spirits up and kept us motivated to achieve our one goal: going to state as a team.”

The team did end up making it to state. Bloom’s teammate Isabella Ostrowski, ‘17, said confidence was a main component of their performances. She said Bloom’s confidence rubs off on the rest of the team, making the girls believe in themselves. “Bailey has not only helped me but everyone else in the gym through the support she brings,” Ostrowski said.

Bloom’s positivity also supports the girls. Julia Betts, ‘20, said, “Bailey has helped me improve with her encouragement throughout the season. She also does her gymnastics the best that she can, not only for herself but for the team as well. That’s why Bailey is a teammate I look up to.”

With Bloom’s final season coming up next year, she says, “My body is pretty done. I don’t plan on continuing my gymnastics career in college, but we’ll have to see.”

Maggie Jakopac | Conant Crier

Tracy Galla teaches her students the math related to chemistry.

Teachers are real life superheroes. Every day, CHS teachers touch the lives of thousands of students, and their work extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom. To show appreciation for these teachers, the Crier asked students to identify teachers that have made a real impact in their lives. A new student and teacher will be featured each week.

This week, Alexander Aleszczyk, ‘17, nominated chemistry teacher Tracy Galla.

Aleszczyk: I chose Ms. Galla because not many people realize how much effort she puts into helping other students. I did not like chemistry at all, and she knew that. She was determined to help me understand the subject. To this day, we still talk on a regular basis about school and what’s going on. Recently, she offered to help me prepare for a placement test that I have to take before I can schedule classes at UIC. Not many teachers would be willing to do so.

Crier: What inspired you to teach chemistry?

Galla: I like chemistry. I was always helping my friends in college to understand their chemistry, and they said, “You should try teaching.” So, I went to a meeting about education and decided to give it a shot. It turned out that I really enjoyed teaching. If I had an inspiration, it would be my high school chemistry teacher. He was really tough, but he made chemistry really interesting. I had him for two years, and he always challenged me to do my best.

Crier: Before entering college, did you plan on becoming a chemistry teacher, or did you have a different goal?

Galla: I had a very different career in mind when I was in high school. I was going to join the Air Force and fly jets, and then I was going to go into military intelligence. However, I always planned on studying chemistry; that was always part of the plan.

Crier: What is your favorite topic to teach in your classes and why?

Galla: So, I’m currently teaching accelerated chemistry and normal level chemistry, but in the past I’ve taught Advanced Placement chemistry. I definitely don’t enjoy them all at the same time, but I do enjoy teaching stoichiometry because I feel like when the students understand the concepts, they’re like, “Wow, this is so easy.” I love seeing the light bulb go off. My favorite thing about teaching is when people figure things out and realize that they can do it. Of course, it may be tough, but it’s not impossible. In the long run, everybody realizes that they are capable of something difficult. And I think it’s an important lesson because they can use challenging experiences to get through new obstacles.

Crier: If you were an element in the periodic table, which one would you be?

Galla: Most people would think I’d be Gallium because of the relation to my last name, but I would definitely be some sort of metal because they are very precious and super shiny! If I had to pick one element, I would choose Mercury. I like that Mercury is a liquid metal, which I think looks really cool.

Crier: What do you like to do with your family?

Galla: Our tradition is to have dinner together once a week. Actually, my brother is going to have a baby soon, so we like to talk about those plans and get ready for the baby. We like to relax.

Crier: What type of the food is your favorite?

Galla: There is a lot. I do like food, so I don’t know if I have a favorite type or place to eat. I like a variety of things: I love my mom’s cooking, and I like to go to eat with my friends. I love Italian and Chinese food. I challenge myself to try new foods.

Crier: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Galla: I have no idea because if chemistry was out of the picture, I would definetly not have gone to another science. Looking back, I loved reading and little kids, so maybe I would’ve gone down a path of taking care of younger children or maybe elementary education. I’m a people person, so I would’ve never gone into research. So, I definitely would have been in a career in which I would be surrounded by other people.

Teachers are real life superheroes. Every day, CHS teachers touch the lives of thousands of students, and their work extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom. To show appreciation for these teachers, the Crier asked students to identify teachers that have made a real impact in their lives. A new student and teacher will be featured each week.

This week, Joseph Magyar, ‘17, nominated economics teacher Jeffrey A. Stewart.

Magyar: Mr. Stewart keeps students engaged and gets along with his students easily. He also shows his high external political efficacy by voting regularly.

Crier: Why did you decide to teach economics?

Stewart: It’s really a combination of history, government, and math. I think it brings a lot of subject matter into one. Economics is just really interesting, and it’s all around us. When you want to become a social studies teacher, you want to make sure that you are able to teach a wide variety of subjects. So, I never necessarily dreamed up to become an economics teacher. I always wanted to become a social studies teacher and it just happened to be that I found my niche in economics.

Maggie Jakopac | Conant Crier

Jeffery Stewart teaches his students an economics topic through a graph.

Crier: The Crier heard that you created Cake Day, what was the reason behind it?

Stewart: It’s just to keep the content interesting. There is this concept of teaching federalism, where you can describe federalism as being a layer cake because it’s a very clear and distinct power of the federal government or the state government. Whereas, there is also marble cake, where you aren’t sure where the federal government or the state government’s responsibilities begins and ends. I thought it was a neat idea for the kids to bake a cake and have it describe layer/marble cake federalism.

Crier: What economic theory do you enjoy teaching?

Stewart: Every theory is very important, but I really enjoy getting into fiscal and monetary policies. It describes the impact of the government or bank’s decisions on the entire economy.

Crier: What do you like to do with your family?

Stewart: I have two little kids at home, so we like to go on walks. My son is two years old, and he loves being outside. During spring break, the weather was bad, so he would just stand by the window or the door, longing to go outside. When the weather cleared up, he spent 3 hours outside; he is definitely the explorer type. My daughter, who is going to turn one this week, is just along for the ride right now. It’s going to be interesting to see how their dynamics play out over the next few years.

Crier: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Stewart: I don’t know, maybe something to do with Parks and Recreation. Besides that, I would definitely do something that involves the community, which I think is part of being a teacher. So, I would pursue a job where I would help the public by helping to build the community.

To nominate a teacher who has made an impact in your life, click here.

After long days and nights of campaigning, social studies teacher David Jonen was elected to the Schaumburg Township Library Board as a Trustee on April 4. Jonen said he will use his expertise with students to set goals that benefit the Conant community.

Jonen explained that the library board exists so the community can ask questions or express concerns regarding the library in terms of funding, possible improvements, and more.

“The board is merely there to make sure the people have a voice in the library administration,” Jonen said. “[Community members] want to make sure tax dollars are being used wisely.”

At board meetings, Schaumburg Township residents can learn what improvements their tax dollars will fund.

Jonen’s early influences

Jonen’s family has had a lot of influence in the Schaumburg community, especially his mother.

“My mother convinced me to run,” Jonen said. His mother Ruth had served on the board for 32 years as a trustee and even served several terms as board president.

Ruth Jonen was a part of the group that built the Schaumburg Library at its current location. She and her fellow trustees also managed the construction of the Hoffman Estates and Hanover Park libraries and implemented programs to avoid incurring any debt.

She decided not to run for reelection in the 2017 election and asked her son if he’d like a seat on the panel. “After some discussion, [David] agreed to do so, and I am so happy that he was elected,” she said.

She said her parents were very active in her community when she was growing up and held positions such as volunteer fire chief and hospital board member. “They instilled in me a desire to give back to my community. Now David has the same opportunity,” she said.

About his mother suggesting the idea of running, Jonen said, “I had no good excuse to say no, so I thought I’d give it a try and see what happens.”

In addition to the fact that the Jonen family will remain a part of the library board, Jonen said Conant students had a large impact on his decision to run for election. “Just about every time I go over to the Schaumburg Library, I run into students,” he said. “In fact, I would be shocked if I don’t run into a student.”

Jonen’s goals as a board member

Jonen said he has multiple goals set in place that would benefit students in the area.

“One of my goals is to make all students from Hoffman, Schaumburg, and Conant aware of what the library has to offer,” he said. Some of these services include technology access and testing study programs.

As an AP teacher, Jonen would like to use his platform to create a program to help AP students from each District 211 school around the testing period. “I would like to be able to provide review sessions or study groups at the Schaumburg Library, especially around AP testing,” he said. He also said he’d like to give students an opportunity to review class material from a different perspective than their home-school AP teacher by bringing in teachers from Hoffman Estates High School and Schaumburg High School in addition to having Conant teachers.

Jonen’s colleagues are very supportive of him, especially fellow social studies teacher David Wolf.

“He will be able to put students first in terms of utilizing the library as a resource as well as representing the community and adults as well,” Wolf said. “I feel very happy for him. He took a risk and put himself out there by running for an election. I’m very excited.”

Jonen said he is looking forward to working with both youth and adults from the community as well as “preserving the great resource” that has served the Schaumburg community for so many years.

Shayna Adelman

For the first time in CHS history, an all-girls team competed in the District 211 Battlebot Competition. The team consisted of Anjali Patel, ‘17; Sarah Kenkel, ‘17; Hailey Schimpf, ‘18; Victoria Schimpf, ‘20; Mia Snaidauf, ‘17; Gianna Mizzi, ‘17; Priyana Kumar, ‘17; and Molly Guagenti, ‘17. Their task was to build a fighting robot under 85 pounds and defeat other robots. The all-girls team worked tirelessly for five months, creating the Ballerina Bot for the robot tournament on February 3 and 4. Though they did not win the entire competition, they won their first round and were the most successful of the three teams from Conant, Kumar explained.

Struggles as a female in STEM

Even though the CHS all-girls team was successful, success in the STEM field is uncommon for girls. Kumar said, “When we got to the competition, a lot of the other [male] teams laughed us off but didn’t realize that ‘girls’ could make a better robot than they could.”

Many girls today struggle to be recognized in STEM fields and often have to prove themselves before they get taken seriously.

“I think girls tend to stray away from engineering careers because they are told ‘they can’t do it’ or ‘they shouldn’t do it,’” Guagenti said. “By succeeding and being on this team, we proved the girls are just as capable as boys, and that is a great accomplishment.”

Despite the old-school stereotypes girls face, robotics coach Shayna Adelman pushed the team to do their best.

The woman behind the scenes

Adelman entered teaching and coaching with a dedicated mindset. “My senior year of college, I was the drum major of my school’s student-run marching band. There was no better feeling than seeing the band work hard, get better, and achieve success when game day arrived,” she said. “[I wanted to] help my students learn and prepare them for successful futures. Seeing the pride in their successes, that’s the best part of my job.”

Adelman is the only female robotics coach at Conant and inspired the team to stay persistent with their robot and STEM in general.

“It is a little weird, but I’m kind of, unfortunately, used to being the only female,” Adelman reflected. “I’m happy to represent women in that area, and hopefully, there will be more women in the future.”

“Mrs. Adelman’s a great teacher, and she was a really great coach. She helped us work through some tough problems and kept us on track when we were trying to build,” Schimpf said.

Adelman also reflected on how coaching the all-girls team was different from regular teams. “The all-girls team was a lot more consistent about showing up and looking at their to-do lists to get things done.”

With Adelman’s experience with students, she felt that she had to worry less about the girls. “Essentially it’s the same [with both genders],” she said, “but girls do tend to have a different outlook on things.”

Robotics coach and physics teacher Christopher Bruce said, “The students put in a ton of time and came together as a great team to get everything done.”

He also said that Adelman “has a never-ending supply of energy and always makes sure that the students have a good experience, no matter what they are working on.”

Not only is Adelman the only female robotics coach, but she’s also the only female engineering teacher at CHS. She said, “I feel I’ve been pretty lucky in that I’ve had great coworkers and teammates that treat me just like anybody else.”

She says she hopes to pass down her knowledge to girls in STEM. Her goal is getting more women in STEM. “Getting more girls into the STEM field was not an original reason for becoming a teacher, but it has become a focus for me,” she said.“[Being the only female coach and engineering teacher] does give me the opportunity to be a role model and empower girls at the school and elsewhere.”

The future for women in STEM at CHS

Kumar hopes to continue her STEM career and said, “Something that motivates me to pursue a STEM field is wanting to break down that masculine barrier and prove that women belong.”

For Guagenti, it’s as simple as having an interest in science, engineering, and math.

Despite current social standards, Guagenti said, “All that matters is if you love your job, and if you work hard, you will succeed at anything you put your mind to.”

Adelman explained, “We need to have programs like the all-girls robotics team to encourage more girls to pursue opportunities in STEM and prove to everyone that girls can do just as well, if not better than the boys.”

Brooke Peterson

Clare Herrig with Bulgaria’s rocket.

The Mongal Empire reigns supreme. Even though the Mongals are no longer in existence today, Michael Lee, ‘18, and Matthew Jun, ‘18, picked the Mongal Empire to represent their team in this year’s Physics Olympics. After three weeks of intense competition, Lee and Jun’s team won first place.

“The Physics Olympics is a three-week competition in which only AP physics students compete,” physics teacher David Torpe said. “Students partner up and pick a country to represent themselves.”

“The competition begins after AP testing and goes on until the day before final

s begins,” he continued. “Every day, students compete in engineering challenges and get points on how well they placed compared to all other competitors.”

At the end of the competition, the team with the highest number of points wins the Olympics. They receive golden trophies and a large piece of candy as their prize, and the pride of winning the olympics. This year’s top five teams are the Mongals, first place; Ethiopia and USA, tying for second place; Papua New Guinea, fourth place; and Mexico, fifth place.

Some events are more difficult than others, and oftentimes students are unable to finish the event. “If a team cannot finish an event, they get no credit, which drops them to the very bottom,” Torpe said.

“One of our events was holding as many pennies as you can in a foil boat without it sinking,” Torpe said. “The goal was at least one dollar in pennies, and North Vietnam’s boat held eight cents before it sunk.”

A few of the other events in the Olympics include building a paper rocket and spinning tops, as well as a paper tower race and a balloon car race.

“The rocket was the best event because we got to spend more time designing the rocket,” said Matt Wozniak, ‘18. “It was fun to see the rockets launch and some explode on the launchpad.”

Wozniak’s team was Sweden. “My partner and I picked Sweden because it is a peaceful and beautiful country and has a pretty flag.” They placed sixth in the olympics, only a few points away from the Top Five.

Students in the Olympics are encouraged to show spirit for their country. For example, Allison Zhang, ‘18, and Sarah Yamaguchi, ‘18, baked a cake with the Icelandic flag in the middle to represent pride in their nation. Students representing Japan brought in pizzas for all the classes, which earned them a third place finish in the spirit event.

“The spirit that students show goes both ways,” physics teacher Martin Kulak said. “Some students are very positive and funny about their own nations, while some trash-talk other countries. The Physics Olympics has a little bit of everything.”

The Olympics even have a bit of superstition: the Diboujitan curse. The curse falls on any student who picks Djibouti as their country.

“Djibouti almost always places last,” Torpe said. “It’s a curse, and if they don’t place last, then the students have the worst week of their lives.”

Parth Patel, ‘18, and Ryan Kelly, ‘18, picked Djibouti in order to finally break the curse. They placed 19th out of 32 teams.

Overall, students say they enjoyed the competition that the games brings to physics. “The Olympics were probably the best part of AP physics,” Meenakshi Dhamija, ‘18, said.

“The Physics Olympics are the heart of AP physics,” Kulak said. “We made the Olympics 15 years ago to represent friendly competition, spirit, friendship, and patriotism.”

Check out the photo gallery below.

The Crier is conducting video interviews to get to know the new teachers at Conant. Meet Jennifer Langer, both a Spanish and French teacher.

Mauli Patel

As stars graced the red carpet at this year’s Golden Globes, we saw black, black, and more black. Almost every celebrity wore the color in order to bring awareness to the countless sexual harassment issues surrounding Hollywood. Started in 2018, Time’s Up is the second movement against sexual harassment, after #MeToo.

According to the official website, “Time’s Up is a unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere.” While this movement is solely concentrated in film and TV, women across the United States are now standing up against sexual violence and rape through the Me Too movement. In 2017, Time announced “The Silence Breakers,” the group of women who have come out against sexual harassment and assault, as Person of the Year.

Since the beginning of this movement, numerous victims have stepped forward. This has ignited nationwide discussion about speaking out against harassment, education about sexual assault, and support for victims.

The Me Too movement’s origins

The Me Too movement was ignited by Tarana Burke in 2006, with the intention of giving the survivors of sexual harassment a voice. The movement intends to remove any system that allows sexual violence to prosper.

Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal said, “This is the fastest-moving social change we’ve seen in decades, and it began with individual acts of courage by hundreds of women, and some men, who came forward to tell their own stories of sexual harassment and assault.”

Through actress Alyssa Milano, the movement gained attention by her tweet, “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet” on October 15, 2017. In less than 24 hours, 4.7 million people on Facebook were engaged with the hashtag #MeToo.

Olga Iwaniuk, ‘19, said, “The Me Too movement has opened a very important conversation about rape and sexual harassment that is too often swept under the rug, or worse, just blatantly ignored. This is directly seen in the case of the film industry with Weinstein and other powerful figures.”

Harvey Weinstein, a well known film producer, has been at the center of both the Me Too and Time’s Up movements. According to USA Today, “Eighty-four women have accused Weinstein of inappropriate criminal behavior ranging from requests for massages to intimidating sexual advances to rape.”

Nitin Subramanian, ‘18, supports both movements. He said, “I think it’s really cool that people are speaking up finally. It also sheds light on a lot of people I admired before. And people need to know that they should be held accountable [for their actions].”

The movement has become a turning point in how we handle sexual harassment, Crisi Patelis, ‘18, said. “It is so important to emphasize such a unifying and accepting movement because the women and men coming forward with their stories will encourage others to feel the same and help put an end to this kind of misconduct.”

What qualifies as sexual assault and harassment

Many are often confused about what counts as sexual harassment. District 211 defines sexual harassment as “any unwelcome sexual advance or request for sexual favors or any verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature when submission to conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly.”

Aman Thotakura, ‘18, said, “Anything that makes you feel threatened for your safety or uncomfortable is sexual harassment or assault.”

It is important to remember that sexual harassment can happen to both men and women. Just recently, dozens of males in the modeling industry have spoken out about the harassment they face, demonstrating this is not solely a women’s issue.

Patelis said that we need to respect each other’s individual right to express what they do and do not feel comfortable with. “Although it seems like mere common sense, we need to consider the voices and feelings of other people and respect their choices and boundaries, particularly regarding the issue of sexual harassment,” she said.

Conant and D211’s policies on sexual harassment

In order to protect students from the misconduct of sexual harassment, D211 has four policies established.

The first policy is the Prohibition of Sexual Contact and Involvement. It prohibits district employees from engaging in any sexual involvement with students, which applies to any school-related activity and communication through electronic or written means.

“Every adult [at Conant] is trained to report any student abuse; that includes mandated reporting. If we are aware that a student has experienced any sort of abuse, we are required to report that to the appropriate authorities, whether that is the police or Department of Children and Family Services,” Conant Principal Julie Nowak explained.

The second policy, Prohibition of Sexual Harassment, forbids any persons on school grounds or school-sponsored activities from sexually harassing any person at any school-related activity. If a student believes they have been sexually harassed, the student must immediately report the issue to a supervisor at Conant.

Nowak said that a student’s guidance counselor is a good resource to report any sexual abuse. She added that as students will see a total of almost 40 teachers during the four years they attend Conant, but their guidance counselor will remain the same.

“What I would tell a student [who has been sexually harassed] is to find an adult that you are comfortable with and trust, to report the issue,” Nowak added.

If a student is in a “dating relationship” and is using emotional, mental, and physical abuse to control his/her partner, he/she is violating the Teen Dating Violence policy. D211 also established the Prohibition of Harassment Of or By Students, which requires the district to provide an educational environment free of any type of harassment.

“We try to make Conant a safe place for students by making sure that we are encouraging a climate that is positive and supportive for everybody and one does not tolerate that type of behavior,” Nowak said.

Patelis said she feels comfortable to talk about sexual harassment at Conant, but that is not the case for everyone. “We need to keep up the relevance of these discussions about sexual harassment, because if there are people around Conant that do feel uncomfortable to talk about it with their acquaintances, they can have more and more peers to turn to as it becomes less taboo.”

What needs to be done

“Teaching students about sexual harassment in the classroom is important in order to ensure that such unsafe practices are prevented by learning about effective communication skills and consent,” said Tiffany Besana, a teacher in Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit organization that teaches comprehensive skills-based health curriculums in order to promote health equity in high schools across the country.

Besana also added that both boys and girls should be educated together. “The topic of sexual health is applicable to all people.”

According to federal guidelines, every school should have a system that fits their and the student body’s needs; however, the system must be one that offers support to the victims and minimizes their burden. The guidelines add that a school should always discuss sex in health class and how to practice it safely. However, many schools do not discuss sexual abuse and harassment.

“If I was suddenly presented with a situation, I’d have to think before knowing what to do,” Subramanian said. “I honestly don’t know what the ‘correct’ thing to do is.”

“I haven’t ever really learned anything about this in health class,” he added.

Thus, teaching sexual harassment in schools is important because this is a largely unspoken topic, and as a result, many students do not know what sexual violence consists of, how to prevent it, or how to report it.

Physical education and health teacher Lorel Cunningham said, “[In many of these situations], a lot of people don’t understand what consent is, and what it means to an individual person. Consent is two people having conversation about what is going to happen and what is okay and what’s not okay.”

“We talk about respect and how to treat each other, but it is more than that,” Cunningham added. “People don’t realize what they’re doing is hurtful to other people, so finding those boundaries and learning how to do that at a younger age can be very beneficial. That’s hard to teach. It has to be repetitive.”

Nicole Cushman, executive director of the comprehensive sex ed nonprofit organization Answer, said during an interview to Mashable that educators and nonprofits should develop curricula that covers anatomy, healthy relationships, pregnancy and birth, contraceptives, sexual orientation, and media literacy. Cushman said such an education would equip young people to recognize sexual violence and “actually create culture change around this issue.”

“If this was taught regularly, there would be a lot less stigma against rape and sex violence, so victims would have an easier time coming forward,” Subramanian said.

“[Talking] about [sexual harassment and] addressing what’s not okay would let people know that it is safe for them to speak up,” Cunningham explained.

The learning itself should not be restricted to consent. Cushman suggested that education should also shift to focus on gender, power, and sexuality to see lasting change.

In fact, research shows that drawing attention to gender or power in relationships helps victims, particularly girls and women, understand that sexual assault and harassment is not their fault.

“There are so many times that girls are blamed for this sort of thing,” Cunningham said, “but I’m glad we’re finally talking about it because that’s the first step toward changing this culture.”

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Photos 1-3 by Frank Kernats; Photo 4 by Julie Nowak

Recently the CHS community came together in an event called “Conant Debate Against Cancer” to support Brian Beam, ‘16, a Conant alum battling brain cancer.

Many of the teachers who had Beam said that he made a name for himself as a smart, hard-working student during his time at Conant.

Social studies teacher Vaishali Tajpuria commented that he was “one of the best [students] I’ve ever had in my 18 years of teaching. Brilliant. Hardworking. A love for learning, and a great sense of humor.”

Social studies teacher and Debate Coach Frank Kernats stated, “Brian Beam was the first 4-year varsity debater in Conant history, and he was the first 2-year captain in Conant history…kind of a bit of a legend, very personable and very good leadership skills.”

Kernats had been toying with the idea of having an event with a reunion debate between current and alumni debaters for a while. When he and his team found out about Beam’s diagnosis, they turned the plan for a potential alumni meet into a fundraiser for Beam as well.

Around 300 people attended the event and watched a live debate between current members of the debate team and Conant alumni; they also participated in a raffle and bake sale. All proceeds went directly to the Beam family.

The parents of Beam, Bob and Lydia Beam, stated, “The outpouring of people who came was amazing. The donations were more that we could have ever anticipated.”

The Beams also commended the Debate Team for the event and expressed their gratitude. “If it wasn’t for Mr. Kernats, the students, and alumni, this would’ve never happened.”

Conant Principal Julie Nowak said, “It was neat to see our alumni together with our current students, and just the quality of the debate. But even more so the purpose of the event, it was truly a highlight of the year for us, given unfortunate circumstances.”

Liz Zhang, ‘20, who assisted Beam in keeping the debate organized by timing speeches and calling for questions, said, “It was a really amazing experience. It was inspiring and honestly surprising to see how many people came to the event and donated to the cause.”

There were many attendees who expressed the strength of the Conant community.

Zhang stated that the event showed how strong and connected the community could be under a common purpose and goal.

Tajpuria thought the event was outstanding and mentioned her pride in the community’s response. “It says a lot for what we do here; we take care of our own,” she said.

Kernats emphasized how the event’s success was the result of Conant’s communal nature. “There were all kinds of people there: the superintendent, the principal, the Conant band, many others. I’ve had a lot of teachers that I’ve barely talked to come up to me and say, ‘Hey, I was at the event,’ This was an example of the strong community we have here at Conant.”

The Beams commented on how the community left them “completely overwhelmed with love and feelings of being blessed. Brian can’t even put into words how he feels. Knowing that you are not alone, in the darkest of times, is very uplifting”

Nowak stated, “Being able to come together as a past and present community, I think that speaks a lot to the term that we use here: ‘Once a Cougar, Always a Cougar.’”

The CHS social studies department has planned a fundraiser for the Beams on Feb. 17. Students are invited to attend a viewing of The Post at Elk Grove Classic Cinemas. Tickets will be $10, with $4 benefitting the family. See social studies teacher Jeff Stewart for more information.

The Crier is conducting video interviews to get to know the new teachers at Conant. Meet new Spanish teacher, Colton Ford.

Conant High School, along with the rest of District 211, has recently finished its first semester with a new semester grading system, similar to the grading system used in colleges and universities.

Many teachers found this new system beneficial, while some students said that they prefer the quarter grading system over the semester grading system.

Futo Wada | Conant Crier

Math Department Chair Derek Fivelson said, “I do like the semester grading system better. Having an artificial start-over point during a semester never made sense. It was originally there to report a grade to parents, but since grades are available 24/7 on Infinite Campus, updated grades should be available all the time.”

Fivelson then went on to say how he had no concerns for the system and, instead, thinks the new system better reflects a student’s grade.

Spanish teacher Brian Drenth explained that the switch in grading systems was to create a more comprehensive overall grade. “We went into semesters to give the kids a more rounded opportunity.”

Both Fivelson and Drenth were involved in the grading committee that chose to implement this system.

Other faculty members had similar opinions about the changes this year.

Assistant Principal Mark Langer said, “The semester grading system is better, in my opinion, because it better shows a student’s progress.”

Langer also said that the new semester system gives a longer grace period for students to bring their grade up or down for students who got one bad grade.

Social studies teacher Vaishali Tajpuria said, “It is easier than the quarter system so I am happy with it.”

While many teachers liked the implementation of the semester grading systems, parents and students have different views.

Hemalatha Venkatraman, mother of Bhavya Shivshankar, ‘20, said, “I believe the new system is beneficial in terms of its longer grading period, without the quarterly divisions. However, the new percentages can be a little difficult to understand, and calculating final grades necessary was a challenge.”

Some students feel the quarter system gave them a better chance at getting the grades they wanted.

Morgan Suffredin, ‘18, said, “Personally, I prefer the quarter grading system. The quarter grading system gave me a better wake up call as to where my grades are and what I needed to do. These grades seem set in stone and it’s much harder to bring them up or down.”

“The semester grading system makes it harder to maintain the grade you want,” Regeena Gemilo ‘19 said.

Other students, however, like the idea of having a longer period of time to get their grades up.

Sahithi Ankireddy, ‘21, said, “I like the idea of having a whole semester’s worth of time to bring my grade up, in case anything goes wrong in the middle.”

Khushee Thakkar, ‘18, said “The semester grading system gives us more time to finish up pending assignments.”

Another change this year was a shift in the percentages used by Infinite Campus from 10-20% intervals.

Now when a student has a B in a class it registers anywhere between a 60-80% instead of being from 80-90%.

Also teachers now put in letter grades instead of point values. For example, when a student gets an 86% on a test, a teacher takes that and only inputs a “B” into Infinite Campus.

Thakkar commented on her preference for the new percentage system. “I like the new percentage increments too; it makes more sense to me,” she said.

The new grading system is still in its first year and some feel it will get better with time.

Math teacher Richard Cortez said, “For those that have never used this type of system, there is a definite learning curve that will lead to questions. Once answered, I am confident that the vast majority of teachers, students, and parents will understand the system and agree that it works well.”

Embed from Getty Images

On March 20, a primary election will be held in Illinois to determine the candidates for governor, attorney general, and several other offices. Although the winners of these races will not be determined until the general election on November 6, the primary is still an important part of the democratic process, as it decides which candidates will represent each party in the general election. Voting in the primary allows people to express their candidate preferences before the candidate pool gets narrowed down, and although the process may seem daunting to first-time voters, it is actually quite straightforward. Here is a brief guide to the election and voting process.

The race
Multiple offices will be determined by the upcoming election. The highest-profile race is the gubernatorial race, but there are also candidates running for the offices of Illinois Attorney General, Cook County President, Cook County Treasurer, Cook County Assessor, Cook County Clerk, Cook County Board of Commissioners, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners, and seats in the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives. There are many candidates running in total, but information about each race and candidate is available online.

Who can vote
There are several requirements people must meet to be eligible to vote. First, voters must be U.S. citizens. Voters must live in their appropriate precinct–the area that they are registered to vote in–30 days prior to the election. Voters must be at least 18 years of age by the date of the general election to vote in the primary. This means that 17-year-olds are able to vote as long as they will turn 18 before November 6.

Registering to vote
Voter registration can be completed online here. The process takes less than ten minutes. The deadline to register online is February 21. After February 21, registration must be carried out in person at designated sites such as the county clerk’s office. In order to register in person, voters must be 18 and provide two forms of identification. Appropriate identification can include a driver’s license, paycheck, or social security number. After registering to vote, you will be sent a voter ID card by mail, although you are not required to bring this card with you to vote.

Voting
The primary is an open primary, meaning that voters can decide which party they wish to vote for on the day of the election. When you register to vote, you will be assigned to the polling place closest to your home. You can see which polling place you should go to here. Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the day of the primary. When you go to the polling place on voting day, be sure to bring some form of ID, such as a driver’s license. Voters who are unable to vote in person can request absentee ballots through the mail until March 15.

Jeffery Pagels

Members of Conant Students Against Gun Violence holding up signs with the names of victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting.

The bell rang, bringing second period to a close. Instead of walking to third period, nearly 500 Conant students exited the building for 17 minutes on March 14. People driving past the stadium on Plum Grove Road saw a sea of orange shirts and posters. If they had their windows rolled down, they may have heard chants and speeches from student leaders.

Just one month before the walkout at Conant, 17 students were killed in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14. In response to these events, Conant students have grouped together to express their beliefs against gun violence.

With Parkland High School students who survived the shooting starting this widely recognized national movement, teenagers are taking a political stand and making their voices heard.

Conant Students Against Gun Violence
Conant Students Against Gun Violence (CSAGV) is a student-led committee, meaning that it is not sponsored by Conant administration. CSAGV was formed on Feb. 19 after the events in Parkland, Florida.

CSAGV Student Leader Anisha Narain, ‘18, explained that the movement is about spreading awareness. “We need to approach this issue from a couple of different angles and have a ‘360 degree’ approach of how guns should not be in the hands of people who shouldn’t have them, but we also need to promote a safe school community without ostracizing anyone and promote positive mental health,” Narain said.

CSAGV’s mission is to bring justice to the victims of school shootings and other massacres by fighting for congressional action in response to the public health crisis of gun violence.

Narain said that by selling orange shirts and orange ribbons, CSAGV made a profit of just over 600 dollars for the Sandy Hook Promise. She said, “We chose the Sandy Hook Promise charity because they align with our belief of the two-tiered approach of combating mental health issues and forcing the idea that gun control is necessary for a safe society.”

On April 20, there is another nationwide walkout. But on that same day, Conant’s annual I-Fair (International Fair) will be taking place. Narain said that CSAGV is not planning on walking out because the “goal is not to distract the school day further.”

Instead, Narain said that in order to keep momentum for the movement, CSAGV is hoping to continue to sell shirts and stickers to raise more money and to organize a voter registration drive. “How many walkouts really induce change if we don’t couple them with movement towards getting more people involved in a permanent way?” Narain stressed.

Narain explained that the shirts and ribbons were orange because it is the representative color of the movement. As stated in the Wear Orange website, “Orange is what hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others from harm. Orange is a bright, bold color that demands to be seen. Orange expresses our collective hope as a nation — a hope for a future free from gun violence.”

Teens taking a political stand
Students at Conant, along with students from across the nation, are voicing their political opinions. “Adults can be overly-critical of ‘kids these days,’” Service Club Sponsor Asra Syed said. “To see teenagers have some impact that adults haven’t been able to have with this issue is heartwarming and makes me hopeful that your generation isn’t being passive.”

Jeffrey Pagels

Conant students holding signs at the walkout to spread their message.

Syed, who was asked to be a teacher chaperone for CSAGV, noted that it is a student-led movement that is not sponsored by Conant. “I was honored that the students trusted me and know that I would do what I would without getting too involved and still have it be a student movement,” she said. “It is impressive how our students are coming together to organize this in an appropriate way, and it’s reassuring to know that our school has taught them the skills to advocate for what they believe in.”

Other adults believe that students can advocate for their opinions in different ways. “There are a lot of soft things we could do before a walkout to make Conant a safer place,” social studies teacher Frank Kernats said. “Instead of walking out, why don’t you walk up to the lunch table of a kid who sits there alone every day and say ‘hi’ to them?”

CSAGV Student Leader Bridget Tobin, ‘20, said it is important to get involved in politics as a teen, even if you cannot vote yet. “You must know where you stand at a young age so you can decide what side of history you want to be on,” Tobin said. “This is what will be in our children’s textbooks and something our grandchildren will ask us about one day.”

Narain explained that this generation has been using social media positively to spread awareness about everything. She said, “This specific movement is a result of all the social justice movements that are culminating into one, unified cause and it’s about the voices of every student.” There are many hashtags on social media associated with the movement, such as #NeverAgain, #NotOneMore, #Enough, and #MarchForOurLives.

Students across the nation are walking out of their schools. In District 211, Schaumburg High School (SHS) had a walkout on February 21 that was covered by media. SHS student Jennifer Moore, ‘18, said, “[The walkout] made me feel like the school was united because, on a normal day, everyone has their friend group, but everyone was like a whole friend group fighting for the same cause.”

The official March for Our Lives website says that it “is led by students across the country who will no longer risk their lives waiting for someone else to take action to stop the epidemic of mass school shootings that has become all too familiar.” For students interested in this nationwide march, it is this Saturday, March 24. In Chicago, the march will be taking place at Union Park at 11 a.m. If students are looking for a more local event, there is one at Schaumburg Town Square at 9 a.m.

A display on a television in the hallways urges students not to vape. | Photo by Sarah Yamaguchi

On April 3, Conant students discovered what may have seemed like a belated April Fool’s joke: the doors to the boys’ bathroom next to the cafeteria had been removed. However, the real reason behind this change is no laughing matter–it is an effort to stop students from vaping at school.

Vaping, which is inhaling and exhaling vapor created by an electric device, has become increasingly popular among teenagers across the country, including at Conant. Vape juice, which can contain various ingredients and comes in different flavors, is put into the device and heated so it can be inhaled.

Lead Assistant Principal Thomas Mocon sent out a memo to Conant staff late January after noticing this trend. The email briefly explained how to identify vapes or e-cigarettes and what to do if teachers find a student using a vape in school. Teachers also attended a brief professional development meeting where they learned more about the topic.

Discipline and changes at Conant

Mocon said that the memo was prompted by increases in vaping-related issues in the discipline office. By Spring Break, he said the amount of vaping-related infractions had tripled since the 2016-2017 school year. He believes students may think they can get away with vaping “because it’s easy to conceal and doesn’t have a smell that is immediately noticeable.”

He also said that while “the devices themselves are very unfamiliar to staff,” since sending out the memo, several staff members have reported students they suspected of vaping.

The bathroom doors were removed because that specific bathroom was a “hotspot for vaping infractions,” Mocon explained in an email to the Crier.

He said that even with extra monitoring of the bathrooms, infractions continued. “We felt the doors provided a false sense of security and have decided to remove the doors as a safety measure to prevent students from continuing to engage in this unhealthy, dangerous and illegal behavior,” Mocon explained.

Mocon also mentioned that Conant’s bathrooms will be renovated next year, and “doors won’t be installed everywhere, anyways. Regardless, student privacy in using the restrooms will be ensured.”

Bathrooms are the most common place for students to vape in school, but vaping anywhere on Conant grounds violates school policy because vapes can contain nicotine and marijuana. The student handbook indicates that vapes containing “just flavoring” are also banned at Conant. When disciplining students, Conant considers vaping “the same as using any tobacco product or any sort of drug in school,” according to Mocon.

Mocon explained that a student found vaping can face consequences including suspension, a ticket from the Hoffman Estates Police, mandatory participation in healthy living seminars held by counselors, parent conferences, and conferences with activity sponsors or coaches.

“It’s really about interventions to get the students to understand this is not healthy behavior, and it’s not acceptable at Conant,” Mocon said.

Mocon encouraged students to report if they witnessed other students vaping in school and explained that many tips currently came from students.

However, not all students know how to tip off administration. Ellie Galovich, ‘20, said, “I wouldn’t really know what to do if I saw someone vape. Maybe I would tell a teacher, but I don’t know.”

Mocon explained that the best way to report students found vaping is notifying nearby hall monitors. Students can also report concerns through Conant’s online safety concern center.

Nationwide increases

Mocon also recognized that vaping is increasing at many other schools, as well. “This isn’t just a Conant High School thing. It’s [happening] all over the country, but we have just seen a real spike in it recently,” he explained.

For instance, at New Trier High School, the administration and school board have been considering adding vape detectors in school bathrooms and increasing the consequences for students who are caught. The detectors notify administrators of changes in air quality via phone alert.

A 2017 survey of over 43,000 students by Monitoring the Future revealed that 27.8% of high school seniors reported that they had vaped in the past year, and 16.6% had vaped in the past month. These levels are higher than the percentage of students engaging in other risky activities like binge-drinking, smoking cigarettes, or using illegal drugs.

Education and misconceptions

The fact that vaping is a relatively new phenomenon means that nobody knows its full, long-term effects. One reason for this craze may lie in misinformation among teens.

People often believe vapes are a healthy option compared to smoking. Traditional cigarettes have many carcinogenic chemicals in them, like arsenic and lead. While vapes and e-cigarettes do not contain these harmful chemicals, they contain other chemicals linked to causing cancer and lung damage, and the health risks of many of the chemicals in vapes remain unknown.

Additionally, vapes often contain nicotine, the addictive ingredient in cigarettes. Nicotine is highly addictive, with withdrawal symptoms including cravings, anxiety, and moodiness. E-cigarettes are associated with helping smokers quit, but research suggests that vaping may cause teens to start smoking. A study by the BMJ medical journal found that students who used e-cigs were four times more likely to have smoked a year later.

Sarah Compton, ‘18, said, “I think casually vaping is probably okay, but those with serious nicotine addictions may suffer health problems in the near future.”

Health Department Chair Lorel Cunningham said that vaping is covered in health class, which is a graduation requirement for District 211 students.

Cunningham’s classes cover the topic with a mock-debate, where students try to“prove” if tobacco or e-cigarettes are healthier. Ultimately, she said that as students “poke holes in each other’s arguments,” they learn that neither are healthy choices.

The class also discusses marketing related to vapes. “Companies are marketing them to kids,” Cunningham explained. “[E-cigarette companies] say how it doesn’t have tar, it’s not as bad for you, and it comes in yummy flavors. So it’s very much marketed to a younger crowd.”

Ultimately, Cunningham emphasized that students need to think for themselves. She said, “You are becoming young adults and are going to have to make these decisions. There are going to be people in here who smoke e-cigarettes and use vapes, and we don’t want to call them names or anything like that, but we want to educate them on making healthy decisions for themselves.”

Impact on students

According to the 2016 Illinois Youth Survey, approximately 10% of Conant students self-reported that they vaped.

For students over 18, vaping is legal, so long as it isn’t done on school grounds.

Compton explained, “I started [vaping] because it was ‘cool,’ but now I do it as a social activity. And at home, it can be relaxing.”

Compton said she does not vape at school, adding, “I don’t think it’s cool or funny or whatever. I’ve seen guys vape in the cafeteria before and I know a lot of people do it in the bathroom. I don’t think it’s worth the risk of getting caught.”

Vaping may be on the rise at Conant; however, there are still plenty of students who don’t encounter vaping on a regular basis. “Vaping hasn’t really affected me. I’m okay with it,” Galovich said.

Aleeza Kane contributed to this story.

Courtesy of Colin Fath

Graham Fath at the Explorer police training program. Fath died in a single-car crash on Wiley Road in Schaumburg on March 11.

Outside Ahlgrim and Sons Funeral Home on March 17, a line of people extended well into the parking lot. As visitors shuffled forward, the line continued to grow. These people came to honor Conant junior Graham Fath, who passed away on March 11 in a single-car crash.

Inside, the funeral home was filled with posters, pictures, achievements, and prized possessions of Graham. With faces of sorrow, attendees comforted one another, exchanging kind words, memories, and embraces. Because Graham was involved in the Explorer police training program, over 200 police officers and Explorer participants showed up in uniform and conducted a procession and flag ceremony.

The Fath family put Graham to rest in his Explore police uniform. Graham’s older brother Colin Fath, ‘17, explained, “That was his dream. He loved the Explorer program and wanted to be a positive force in the world. It’s what he would have wanted.”

Cayce Sowa, ‘19, coordinated with friends to wear Graham’s favorite color, green, on the day of Graham’s wake.

On the same night, a group of students also arranged a lighting ceremony at the Fath house, where friends of Graham put homemade lanterns along the driveway and street nearby. After setting up, the group circled around a lantern and sang “Piano Man,” one of Graham’s favorite songs.

According to friends who knew him, Graham was funny and clever, with dry humor. McKenzie Morgan, ‘19, said, “I’m going to miss everything about him. His voice, his smile—his smile lit up the whole room when he walked in.”

Graham’s Passions and Kindness

Graham was a leader in the recently formed Conant Students Against Gun Violence Committee (CSAGV), through which he helped to organize the walkout held March 14. Stephanie Svarz, a faculty sponsor for CSAGV, said, “He was in charge of trying to figure out the logistics of the walkout. He was also very active in the message, as in getting a hold of the politicians.”

Linnea Pietsch, ‘19, a member of the CSAGV committee, explained Graham’s passion against gun violence. She said, “He was a very passionate person. If he believed in something, he would fight you about it.”

Graham had also been involved in Conant Band and Jazz Band, where he played the trumpet. Band Director Leann Roder-Manson explained how last year, Fath wasn’t able to be in Jazz Band due to his father having a massive heart attack. She recalled, “He gave up what he was doing so he could be with his mom. He came to me, a few weeks ago, to give me a hug and say, ‘It’s been a year since my dad’s heart attack, and I’d like to thank you for being supportive and understanding.’”

Roder-Manson also said Graham’s visit was surprising, not typical of a high schooler. She said, “In my experience, once you get past an event, you kind of move on and forget.”

To further help his mother during the difficult time, Graham continued his family tradition of making soda bread every year. “Graham felt that he had to make the soda bread because his mom couldn’t. He also brought in loads of soda bread for everybody to share in band,” Roder-Manson said.

Roder-Manson explained her cherished memory with Graham: “He would always peek his head around the door to my office, and he would say ‘Hi Mrs. Roder-Manson.’ He just wanted to check in and see how I was doing. That was just who Graham was.”

Ted Gross,’19, Graham’s bandmate and friend, said, “All of my best memories of him were in band, next to him. [In] all of the sleepovers we would have, he has helped me with my problems.”

“Everyone called him ‘Our Protector,’” Sonia Singh, ‘19, said.

Another friend, Sachi Goel, ‘19, agreed that Graham was a kindhearted and selfless person. Goel said, “Regardless of what was going on with him, he would push off whatever he had if any of his friends had an issue.”

Graham’s kindness also impacted Svarz, a first-year English teacher. “He was compassionate at all times and had that pervasive quality that doesn’t always exist in someone in high school,” Svarz said. “As a high schooler, you’re supposed to be thinking about yourself and figuring out you who are. But Graham was always conscious and considerate in helping other people figure out who they were along the way.”

Svarz said that Graham always had a kind word or smile to share. “He would ask you how were doing and ask follow up questions. Instead of accepting, ‘Oh, I’m good,’ he would ask, ‘Why are you good?’”

Memories with His Brother

Graham had two brothers: Sean Fath and Colin Fath. Colin said that he and Graham had a close relationship because they were just two years apart. Although sometimes the age difference caused conflicts, Colin said, “Anyone with siblings knows that siblings fight, but anyone with siblings two years older [or] younger knows just how much. My mom always loved to tell us about all the times when we were little, and she would give me a timeout for picking on Graham, but he would come sit by me in the corner, so I wouldn’t be lonely.”

As both Colin and Graham got older, the bickering between them continued. “I’m sad to say the teasing wasn’t lost with our baby teeth. We pushed each other’s buttons constantly, but only a handful of disagreements ever went without a hug and apology afterwards,” Colin said.

Colin shared some of his cherished memories. “I miss Sunday morning cartoons with Graham. I miss building Legos in the basement and playing with him for hours,” he said. “We used to stay up late in his room and throw stuffed animals at each other like a snowball fight.”

Colin explained how one of them would hit the door, which caused his mother to tell them to go to sleep. “The game always ended when one of us got hit in the face and didn’t want to play anymore, but it was always fun while it lasted,” he said. “I miss that crooked little grin when he dodged one or got me good.”

Colin said he misses “every last thing about my little brother….He was an insightful, intelligent, caring, loving, kind, considerate, strong-willed, fair, visioned, and creative gift of a little brother. He inspired me to be a better person and still does each day.”

Graham’s Heroism

In 2013, Colin, Graham, and childhood friends Tyler Fredrickson and Matt Grammas helped rescue a father and son in Vermilion River. Colin explained that after the father and son were safely on their raft, they all got pulled by the undertow of the rescued father and son’s raft.

“We waited for another 20 or 30 minutes yelling to our moms on the riverbank and trying everything we could think of to break free before two kayakers showed up,” Colin recalled. “He [one of the kayakers] got out his throw rope, and we pulled with all our might till we got free.”

Colin explained the impact of the experience on Graham: “I think the whole experience was pretty stressful, and Graham felt pretty helpless (as did we all). The desire to help more next time really struck home with all of us, and Graham funneled that into his classes in the Explorer program.”

In Tribute

Friends and family of Graham’s plan to keep his memory living on in several ways. Morgan offered, “Maybe for graduation, we could leave a chair for him and have his diploma.”

As for Conant Band, some members and friends of Graham have ideas involving his instrument. Gross said, “Since he was a huge part of band, we’re going to make our trumpet-section t-shirts in honor of him.”

Andy Farnsworth, ‘19, said, “I want everyone to sign his trumpet case and give it to his family.”

To express Graham’s values in life and honor his memory, Colin explained an activity that the Fath family would appreciate: “We ask that people plant a tree in his name. He loved nature and trees especially. He may not have been especially religious or faithful, but the forest brought him peace. He always wanted to help the world be a better place, and we can’t think of a better way to uphold that legacy.”

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The Crier is conducting video interviews to get to know the new teachers at Conant. Meet one of Conant’s new English teachers and wrestling coach, Andrew Guilde.