Luke Schramme including the Declaration of Independence.

News Page Editor
A little over a month ago, an Illinois bill was passed that
would require cursive writing to be taught in schools. Both the
Illinois Senate and the House voted to override Governor Bruce
Rauner’s veto of this bill.
With the passage of this bill, all elementary schools in Illi-
nois will be required to teach cursive writing before fifth grade.
There is no funding for this cursive education and Governor
Rauner vetoed the bill and called it “another unfunded man-
date.” He suggested that if cursive writing was important for
education, it should have been included in the Illinois State Photo Creds: Wikipedia
Learning Standards and provided with funding.
There are many advantages to students learning to write cursive. Everybody should know how to
sign their name, because a signature is required on many official documents, including checks. It is
also important to be able to read cursive writing. I am glad I know cursive writing because whenever
my grandparents send me letters, they always write in cursive. Without requiring the teaching of cur-
sive writing, many high schoolers and young adults won’t be able to read handwritten documents.
Knowing cursive writing will also help students in their history classes to read historical documents,
The ability to read cursive writing will also help children with
their everyday lives. Many students write much faster and neater in
cursive than in printing. This could help students take notes much
faster and it would help them later on when they go back to their
notes to review because it will be easier for them to read their own
writing. Writing in cursive also improves fine motor skills, which is
important for younger students.
There are many ways to teach cursive. Tracing letters is com-
monly used but it is certainly not the only way to teach young stu-
dents. Some teachers are using the Peterson Method, in which stu-
dents learn to trace the letters with their finger in the air, rather than
tracing the letter along a dotted line. This method helps students
build muscle memory. According to Rand Nelson, President and
CEO of Peterson Directed Handwriting, “Training the motor sys-
tem by finger tracing gives it a chance to embed the information.”
Cursive writing is an important skill that all students should
know, and with the passage of this law, Illinois students will re- Photo Creds: Pinterest
ceive the opportunity to learn this art.

Jonathan Gouriotis
Staff Reporter
Photo of Nancy Karrigan by Daily Mail
Tonya Harding is an American figure skater
from Portland Oregon. Born on November 12
1970 she began skating at the young age of three.
Dropping out of high school her sophomore year
to pursue skating. In 1991 she won her first na-
tional title. However January 1994 is the reason
that she remains famous and relevant today. Har-
ding earned notoriety when her ex-husband, Jeff
Gillooly, hired a hitman to assault fellow U.S.
figure skater Nancy Kerrigan. The attack serious-
ly bruised Kerrigan's kneecap and quadriceps
tendon, and prevented her from participating in
the U.S. Championships.
Harding pleaded guilty to hindering the
investigation into Kerrigan's attack, which al-
lowed her to avoid jail time. Under the plea bar-
gain, Harding was stripped of her '94 national
title and banned from competing in the U.S. for
life. Despite her knee injury, Kerrigan went on to
win the silver medal at the 1994 Olympic Games.
Since 1994, Harding has sought the spotlight in
other ways, including several television guest
appearances on shows such as Roseanne, Larry
King Live and The Weakest Link. She has also
participated in televised celebrity boxing match-
es, Harding made her official debut as a profes-
sional boxer — a career she would hold only
briefly — in February 2003, losing the undercard
match of the Mike Tyson-Clifford Etienne bout
in a four-round decision.
In 2008 she was a commentator on the pop-
ular truTV program The Smoking Gun Presents:
World's Dumbest.Harding continues to skate
today, and according to her website, she can still
do the triple axel. "I just want to be me, and skat-
ing is me," the skater said, according to her site.
"I don't want to compete. I'd like to have my own
skating show, though." A black comedy about
Harding's life, I, Tonya, was released in Decem-
ber 2017. Starring Margot Robbie as Harding, the
movie explores the skater's troubled childhood,
professional ascent into the sport and the fallout
after the Nancy Kerrigan attack.
The following month brought the two-hour
ABC special, Truth and Lies: The Tonya Harding
Story, in which she discussed her troubled rela-
tionship with her mother, her reaction to seeing
her life dramatized on the big screen and the
incident that propelled her to infamy.
Photo of Tonya Harding by TBO.com
Sahar Afeef Ben Platt,whom he describes as “an extremely
Co-Managing Editor talented singer/actor with a truly humble spirit.”.
Central high school’s He also admires Jason Robert Brown for his
musician of the month incredible, intricate lines of music. Most of the
for January is senior music he listens to are broadway soundtracks -
Jake Mickel. Mickel his current favorite is Dogfight, by Pasek and
has not family back- Paul. He listens to a lot of Ed Sheeran, John
ground in music what- Mayer, Jack Jackson, and AJR.
soever - his older Some advice that Jake has for beginners:
brother, Jon, was the “Never give up, work hard, and don’t compare
first in his family to yourself to others. A great quote I’ve heard in my
pursue music, and Jake musical journey is: “Winners focus on winning,
followed him soon Losers focus on Winners.” You’re your own
after. The instrument musician, you’ll never succeed by trying to be
that he uses most is his someone else. Also, music is not music without
voice, but he is also passion. If you are just playing/singing notes on a
skilled in multiple other instruments. He has been page, you are not making music. To be success-
playing the guitar for 5 years, the bass for 4 ful you HAVE to care about what you are creat-
years, the drum set for 3 years, the piano for 2 ing.”
years, and other various percussion instruments
for about 3 years; he chose to learn each instru-
ment purely for his own enjoyment. He practices
by singing, as much as he possibly can. He stated
that he drops everything and goes to his room to
practice when he gets home from school.
At school, Jake is a part of Chorale, Jazz
Band, Concert Band, and Vocal Velocity, as
well as participating in the school musicals. Just
last semester, he starred as the lead of the musi-
cal, “How To Succeed In Business Without Real-
ly Trying” as J. Pierrepont Finch. He does a lot
of his theatre with CYT Chicago, and is currently
a part of the show “High School Musical” as
Troy Bolton. Usually, he does 3 shows a year
with them. The show will be at CHS from Febru-
ary 1st-4th. He is also a part of a barbershop
quartet that occasionally performs at parties and
events in Elgin. Jake, as J. Pierrepont Finch, in “How to Suc-
Jake draws his inspiration from artists such as ceed in Business Without Really Trying” (Photo
Credit: Yearbook)

Stephanie Rodriguez
Managing Editor Bailey Phengkeokaisone plans to also find a part
The seniors of Burlington Central are coming to the time job and travel to the best vegan restaurants in
end of their high school career. The class of 2018 have a Illinois. Burlington Central is confident these ladies
short four months left and then they’ll be long gone. How- will have bright futures ahead of them and we wish
ever, that’s not the case for a handful of students. them all a happy graduation.
With a lot of hard work, ten students were able to
complete all of their credits in a semester less than the rest
of their class. The ambitious early grads of 2018 consist of:
MegAnne Hulsey, Victoria Jahn, Teresa Mandujano,
Camryn Marach, Hayley Nielsen, Kacie Neubauer, Hillary
O’Donnell, Sarah Olmstead, Bailey Phengkeokaisone and
Samantha Stewart.
These girls no longer have to wake up at the break
of dawn, worry about homework, nor stress over tests.
For senior, Camryn Marach, her plans consist of 13
credits of college courses at the Elgin Community College
alongside a part time job, “I plan on taking this time
to get as many credits done and hopefully start earn- Camryn Marach enjoying her vacation away
from school. Photo Credit: Camryn Marach Photo Credit: Bailey Phengkeokaisone
ing some money for college.” Photo Credit: SkulpturaArt.com
Ladan Egeh
Student Section Page Editor 6. “Snakes”-And I’m not talking about the people
(although they should stop too), but the word. It’s
Disclaimer: This is meant to be a joke, not to offend. Wear, overused, and real snakes don’t deserve that neg-
say, or do whatever you like, and stop caring what others will ative connotation. Snakes are cool, man.
say.
7. SJW’s-We get it, you have an opinion for eve-
1. Try-Hard Beauty Guru-You took innovativeness too rything. You don’t need to shove it down every-
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
far. You don’t need to use hotdog to blend your face. one’s throat and get angry when anyone disa-
Photo Credit: YouTube
Stop! grees. It’s time to start respecting other people for their opinions.

It’s highly unlikely to become
famous through Soundcloud.
Photo Credit: play.google.com
2. Diss Tracks on YouTube-I’m looking
at you, Ricegum. Talk about cringe.
3. Hypebeast-Urban Dictionary defines ‘Hypebeast’ as someone
who, “...is a beast (obsessed) about the hype (in fashion), and will do
whatever it takes to obtain that desired hype.” I’m sorry, but it’s
annoying and ruins the brand.
4. Soundcloud Rappers-I don’t want to be a dream-crusher, but it’s
statistically way more likely that you won’t make it than you will.
5. Oversized T’s-They were cute for like two days, but this trend is
officially over.
8. Tide Pod Memes-It’s been used way too much.
9. Instagram Comedians-Sorry, but you guys are not funny, and a lot of you have some kind of
‘rapey’ feel that degrades women.
10. Ending Friendships in the New Year-Just end
it when they do you wrong, not waiting a couple
days, weeks, or months to cut them off. Toxic
friends are just as toxic on January 1st as they are
on May 3rd.
Tide Pod Challenge

Photo Credit: 9news.com

Jackson LePenske hard hit to the jaw by a Cardinals defensive lineman and was sent to the sideline by the lead ref-
Staff Reporter eree of the game. They took him to the blue medical evaluation tent, but right as he walked in the
defense got a turnover and he ran right back out on the field. The Seahawks were fined one hun-
As the NFL season concludes we have seen some hiccups when it comes to concussion dred thousand dollars for violating the league’s concussion protocol rules.
prevention in the league. One of the league's biggest concerns over the past two years has been to The last main example of this came in the wild card round of the playoffs. Cam New-
reduce helmet to helmet hits which a lot of times result in concussions. With teams trying to ton got hit hard by a Saints lineman and was down on the field. He tried to walk off but fell half-
achieve the best record possible, their players will do anything to make that happen, including way to the sideline in which he claimed was to “give back up Derek Anderson warm up throws.”
hiding head injuries if that's what it takes to win. In a week 14 game against the San Francisco He was evaluated on the sideline and then just like that he was back on the field the next drive to
49ers, Texans quarterback Tom Savage took a hard hit by a 49ers defensive lineman and lay try and win the game, which he did not accomplish with them losing 31-26 to the New Orleans
there seizing and convulsing on the ground. He was taken to the sideline, evaluated, then let in on Saints. I think this is hurting the future of football because parents nowadays are all hesitant in
the next drive. The coaches eventually pulled him after seeing something wasn’t right. There was letting their kids play football because of the fear of concussions, and when they see things like
no disciplinary action taken this that makes them want to not let their kids play. I think it would help the game out a lot if
by the league against the Tex- they handled these things better
ans in the end though. because football in under a lot of
The next case of this scrutiny and the future of the
was a Thursday night game game is unclear.
between the Seahawks and
Cardinals. Seahawks quarter-
back Russell Wilson took a

Tom Savage seizing after taking a hit to the head. Cam Newton down after
getting hit in the head.
Photo Credit: Chicago Tribune
Photo Credit: Fox News

Charli Nielsen stores and shopping malls that prohibit animals from entering their facilities don’t have the same
Staff Reporter concerns as the health department, they have several other reasons to not allow animals on the premis-
es. Most stores are afraid of customers having severe allergic reactions to the animals, their products
New York City opens its first dog cafe this being damaged and or destroyed, and animals defecating on their property.
January in the East Village. The goal of this cafe is to Despite these concerns being legitimate,
motivate more New Yorkers to bring their puppy pals animals should be allowed on store property
along on their day to day errands. Coppy Holzman because it helps the animals as well as people
and his daughter Logan Mikhly stated, “We wanted to create strong emotional bonds with their owners
create a space where owners and their dogs could and the people around them. The Geneva Com-
enjoy a cup of coffee, or a dog treat or two - while mons as well as certain Algonquin malls just
interacting with one another” (Independent). Holzman recently released that certain stores at their mall
and Mikhly named the shop after their family dog, are claiming they are pet friendly, meaning you
Boris. At Boris the father daughter duo sell coffee, are allowed to bring your pets into their stories
food, beer, wine, as well as treats for customer’s furry without any prosecutions. The general public
friends. And to appeal to their target audience, Boris Photo Credit: The Independent
also thinks dogs should be allowed at all public
even has a puppy Instagram booth. They also plan on parks, playgrounds and beaches as long as they
hosting weekly adoption events on the weekends to encourage more New Yorkers to rescue and adopt are restrained and the owners pick up after their
furry friends of their own. pets, people are more than welcome to opening
The main concern when opening a shop that sells both human and canine food was the up all public places for people to bring their Photo Credit: The Independent
health risks. Fortunately for Brois, Holzman and Mikhly worked with the Health Department from animals.
beginning to end to ensure the safety of the food they were selling. Although the majority of grocery
Elizabeth Gousios
Front Page Editor
The upcoming month of
January is yet another suc-
cessful one for the release of
new movies. If you’re into
action, drama/romance, hor-
ror, and sci-fi mystery, read
on to learn about some of the
new films you should get to
the theatre to watch!
1. 12 Strong This
movie, released on
January 19th Photo creds: en.wikipedia.org
and directed by
Nicolai Fuglsig, tells the story of the
first Special Forces team deployed
to Afghanistan following the attack
on the World Trade Center on 9/11.
The team must work under a new
captain with the Afghan warlord to
conduct unconventional warfare in
hopes of defeating the Taliban.This
film is based on Doug Stanton’s non
-fiction book, Horse Soldiers, and
will star Chris Hemsworth as Cap-
tain Mitch Nelson.
2. Forever My Girl Re- photo creds: InstrumentalFx part? The address the man lives
leased on January 19th as well,
this film directed by Bethany Wolf entails
the story of a country man that catches his
big break and choosing fame over fortune,
leaves his bride at the altar to chase his
dream instead.However, once he learns news
that his high school best friend has passed
away, he returns home for the funeral and is
forced to face all the consequences he left
behind. This film is based on Forever My Megan Majewski typically $2,000 is split amongst the players that
Girl, a romantic novel written by Heidi Sports Page editor get all twelve questions right. If no one gets all
McLaughlin. twelve questions right the money rolls over to the
3. Maze Runner: The Death Cure Re- Grab a smart friend. next game making it $4,000.
leased January 26th, directed by Wes Bell, Plug in to a power As of January 7th the highest amount of play-
The Death Cure is the third and final movie source. Stop smoking. ers to play HQ at one time was over 1 million.
of the Maze Runner film series. In this dys- Turn your volume The prize that night was $10,000 there were 409
topian science-fiction action movie, Dylan up. Get ready game winners each receiving $24.45. There have been
O’Brien plays Thomas who leads a group of starts in 2:00. These are times when winners have won over $600. Once
escaped Gladers to the legendary all the things you hear players have won over $20 they can cash out
Last City, the most dangerous before HQ Trivia game with PayPal. A big
maze, in hopes of saving their starts. HQ Trivia is a question asked is
friends. Whoever makes it out free new app available where does the
(alive) will finally get all of the for Android and Apple money come from?
answers the Gladers have been users that was first “The prices are
asking forever. released in 2017. It was sponsored by inter-
4. Insidious: The Last Key created by vine crea- media labs, Inc.
Released January 5th and directed tors, Rus Yusupov and and sometimes
by Adam Robitel, this film is Colin Kroll. It occurs at affiliates, market-
about a parapsychologist, Ellise, 2 P.M. and 8 P.M. Itunes.apple.com ers, and part-
who becomes extremely disturbed every day central standard time. ners” (HQ app).
when she received a frantic phone It is mainly hosted by a man named Scott If you are looking
call from a man who claims his Rogowsky. It is a live trivia game where partici- for a way to make
house is haunted. The weird pants, that must be 17 or older, must answer all money easily and
twelve questions correctly. If they get one wrong consider yourself
at is the same as Elise's family’s they will be eliminated. The questions start out to be good at trivia,
home address that she grew up at. Taking a simple and get more difficult as you go on, rang- HQ Trivia is the
personal turn of events, Ellise has to dive ing from all different categories. Players only have game for you. Let's
into her past to save a new family’s future 10 seconds to answer question. The app even al- see how much
from a demon she accidentally released years lows people to submit their own trivia question money you can
earlier. that get screened by the creators. The pot which is win. Goodluck!

Carli Niesel ing this type of statement to introduce that sexual harassment can happen to anyone will be seen world
Staff Reporter wide. Where in the past the red carpet has been about the glitz and glamour this year’s Golden Globes
was not about standing out but rather about standing together and speaking out.
Have you ever wondered why everyone is Not only will the ladies be the ones dressed in these dark colors but men will also be included in
wearing black to the 2018 Golden Globes? If this. Stylish Ilaria Urbinati, who clients include Dwayne Johnson, or “The Rock”, confirmed that many
you happened to tune in January 7th, 2018 actors are choosing to wear black as well. If you watched the Golden Globes you would have seen
you would have noticed many actresses wear- most of both men and women standing in solidarity on this wearing-all-black movement to protest
ing the bold color black on the red carpet. against gender inequality. The Golden
This isn’t merely a fashion trend, but instead a Globes blackout is a powerful statement of
powerful statement against a toxic dark side unity in hollywood and was an exciting thing
of Hollywood’s culture. These actresses and to see on tv.
actors are wearing black to the 2018 Golden While the red carpet at this year’s Golden
Globes to protest sexual harassment in Holly- Globes was amass with black gowns and
wood. Sexual harassment is an issue that’s Pictures from nytimes tuxedos as actors and actresses united to pro-
been brought to light in recent months as dozens of women came forward test sexual misconduct in Hollywood in light
to report their experience with sexual misconduct. The red carpet “blackout” is a sign of unity and of the Time’s Up campaign, some attendees
solidarity among actresses and hopes to show that other women can come forward with these awful shunned the protest entirely by wearing
encounters that no longer have to haunt them. brightly-coloured dresses. Whether they did-
Cristina Ehrlich, a stylish for big-name stars like Penelope Cruz and Brie Larson, recently told n’t receive the memo or just choose to ignore
TIME, “I truly believe 2018 will be the era of accountability, and I can’t think of a better way to the big idea, those who failed to turn up in
kick it off. The red carpet is watched globally and is therefore an incredible platform for and the their best all black everything look have been
perfect place for this sort of demonstration.” Mrs.Ehrlich has a very good point here because mak- widely criticised online.

Nicolett Fodor
Staff Reporter
Capricorn- It’s a great time to beautify your life!
Start with a makeover; a new haircut, some new
clothes, and if you’re a girl buy some new makeup.
January is all about you. Buy yourself new thing and
treat yourself to luxuries. Indulge in hot baths, long
reads, decadent foods, and new hobbies. This month
you will grow in confidence and well-being.
Aquarius- What a dr ag, having to wait thr ee whole
weeks to get to Aquarius season! Luckily, your social
life will be in full flare this month. Enjoy this month
of lot’s of socialization and a plethora of activities involving friends. With so tribune.com.uk
much going on this month, try journaling. You may notice an ease at mind if you
begin to write down the many thoughts running through your head. Keep track of your busy days this
month!
Pisces- Your New Year ’s resolution will start to slip up this month. Keep an eye out for any distrac-
tions and try to cancel them out until you regain complete focus at the end of this month. Moderation
with personal time and going out is the key to keep yourself in check. Everytime you feel yourself
forgetting your resolution, take a minute alone to reflect on why you set that goal for yourself.
Aries- Your confidence will be at an all time high this month. Own ever ything you do. Your
month will be successful one in all categories. If you play sports, be prepared to win a lot. If you apply
for a job, odds are you’ll be hired. All this confidence might instill cockiness within you. Remember to
stay humble and continue to work as hard as you always do.
Taurus- This month is all about love. J ust in time for Valentine’s day next month. If you’re not
already in a relationship, be prepared to have your eye on multiple people and make moves throughout
the month. Your flirty side will see the light this month and the people you have interest in will take on
a strong interest in you as well.
Gemini- This month is all about exer cise. Something inside of you will motivate you to par take in
intense workouts. This motivation will carry through the entire month. Take advantage of this. Go one
daily runs or gym sessions. This month will help set you on the right path for the entire month. Finish
off this exercise filled month by eating healthy. You’ll look better than you ever have before.
Cancer- Star t taking better car e of your self. Find inspir ation to wor kout and eat healthy. The
previous months you’ve been sluggish and indulging in unhealthy greasy foods. You’ve been skipping
the gym on a daily basis. Now is the time to get back on track. This month will be had for you but
there’s a light at the end of the tunnel! A new special someone will enter your life at the end of this
month.
Leo- This month might be a tad r ough for you. With intense issues in your per sonal life begin-
ning to flare up this month; odds are, you’ll be stressed out a lot. Take each issue with a strong mind.
Don’t run or hide from any problems that rise to your attention this month. Everything you may en-
counter will work out for you.
Virgo- Attention will shift to the childr en in your life this month. You may notice them slowing
down and experiencing more obstacles than usual. Keep in mind that all problems don’t need to be
fixed, you do tend to try to fix everything. Provide support for the kids in your life that appear to be
struggling but don’t try to eliminate their obstacles.
Libra- This month you’ll have a spark in your romantic life! You’ll be asked on a plethora of dates
and will actually be interested in some of the people you meet. Libras tend to take a long time to get
ready for events such as dates. Don’t let getting ready for hours make yourself miss out on meeting
new people.
Scorpio- This month is all about adventur e. You’ll have a strong urge to let yourself go and become
extremely reckless. Go ahead and experience new things this month. Take a trip with your friends and
pick up an unusual hobby. Be careful though. The new urge to be reckless might end up getting you
into some trouble.
Sagittarius- This month will be all about spending. With the winter sales in full swings, you ’ll
want to throw down your money wherever you go. Enjoy a few days filled with shopping and fun with
friends but don’t go overboard. Feel free to indulge in whatever luxuries you wish to buy, you deserve
it.

Jay Smith Photo Credit: Ahn Young-joon/AP
Staff Reporter
The Russian participants in the winter Olympics are
being suspended this year by the International Olympic
Committee, because they were investigated upon the usage
of enhancing drugs for better performance while competing.
Doping has been apart of Russia’s culture when it
comes to sports, but as far as the IOS knows, there isn’t
100% evidence on this incident occurring. These Russian
athletes were still given the chance of being involved in the
2018 games hosted in PyeongChang, South Korea In order
for that to happen, they need to pass the overall test given to
see if they first qualify. Also, they are not allowed to wear
their regular uniforms, instead they are given a separate
uniform from the others, to wear one that says”OAR”,
which stands for Olympic Athlete from Russia. Regardless
if any Russians win a medal in the games while competing,
the Russian flag and Anthem will not be played and the
team will have to hear and see the Olympic anthem and
song instead.
Looked down upon, Russia has now lost trust with the
IOC President Thomas Bach and a few others coming from
the Olympic Governing body had a get together to discuss
Russia’s fate and what to do next with Russia. The IOC has
come up with a punishment due to Russia’s actions leading
to expulsion of the 2018 winter Olympics. It was made
final that Russia has been banned and will deal with going
under the name of ”OAR” and under the Olympic Flag
with this name as well for findings of institutionalized
cheating and not having integrity when being the people
they are in the position they are in. Paddy McKermitt chance to compete in the playoffs.
This all happened because Russia’s nation let the Olym- Staff Reporter UCF is in the American Athletic
On Monday January 8, 2017 Ala- Conference (AAC) which consists of
pians in on a doping program to help them bet-
bama regained the title of National teams that aren’t the caliber of competi-
ter themselves in competition. These actions will have a
long term effect on the athletes health and for those who Champions of college football. They tion of those in the Southeastern Confer-
didn’t get caught under the investigation still have to deal topped Georgia in an overtime win with ence (SEC). Even though UCF was in a
a score of 26-23. weaker conference it is still an incredi-
with those health issues as well, as they continue to use
ble feat to go undefeated in the college
these anabolic steroids.
football world.
UCF definitely had a chip on their
A Russian National flag with the Olympic rings Photo
Credit: Metro

Photo Credit: USA Today

Photo Credit: Clip Art
Patrick Mayfield
Staff Reporter
The Burlington Central
boys basketball team is
off to a hot start this sea-
son with a record of 18-2.
In the past two years the
varsity basketball team
has been 18-2 and unde-
feated in conference play
at this time. Four seniors
and one junior start as the
rockets look at beat the
school record for wins
which are 26 wins. In the
past two years each team
has been 26-4 but this
year the rockets will be
breaking the curse. There
have been a couple of ups
and downs this season
because the rockets start-
ed out 3-2 and that is the
worst start in the past 3
years but the rockets
quickly won 15 straight
and also broke the record
for most wins in a row in
school history.
In the first tournament
of the year the rockets
were looking to three peat
the sycamore tournament
but fell short with a loss
to South Elgin in the
championship game with
a final score of 64-56.
Burlington Central en-
tered the Plano Christmas
Classic tournament as the
one seed and the last time
the rockets won this tour-
nament was all the way
back in 1969. The rockets
received a bye for the
game and made it to an
intense championship
game where the boys
team pulled out an intense
overtime thriller against
Peoria Notre Dame with a
score of 44-39. In the last
tournament Burlington
Central looked to three
peat their own tournament
and successfully won
every game by more than
10 points and were
crowned first place for the
third straight year.
Senior guard Zach
Schutta is Centrals lead-
ing scorer and will soon
be the all-time leading
scorer. Zach Schutta is
supposed to surpass Ray
Hunnicutt’s 1,536 points
sometime in early Febru-
ary. He is currently aver-
aging 18 points a game
and that is Schutta’s most
points averaged in high
school.
The Rockets are hav-
ing loads of success this
season and are ranked
number 10 in the state
according to the Daily
Herald. Come out and
support the Rockets who
never seem to disappoint.
Kyle Hresil tained a season- This was an exciting game to Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Staff Reporter ending injury in watch but the story beneath the game
The Winter Olympics is a the Olympics, which prohibited itself was the the undefeated Universi-
great way to creative a competi-them from participating in the ty of Central Florida Knights. UCF shoulders going into the Peach Bowl.
tive attitude globally, keeping rest of their 2014 season. This is finished their season 13-0 after a win They wanted to prove that they could
the average person involved in one clear reason why coaches in the Peach Bowl against Auburn. compete with anyone in the country. On
sports. Starting on February 9th,
are worried about their players They beat the SEC power house with a the contrary Auburn, ranked number 10
athletes around the world com- participating in other hockey score of 34-27. this year, wanted to break up UCF’s
pete to win gold, silver, and games besides their regulation This story also gets more interesting perfect record by winning the Peach
bronze medals to represent theirgames. Although the players because Auburn had beaten Alabama Bowl.
country. Unfortunately though, want to represent and help out and Georgia this season. Yet, UCF After UCF won the Peach Bowl
one typical competitor may not their country to earn them a was able to top Auburn and did not things got ugly. UCF believed that they
be able to run for the prizes this
medal, sometimes their common even get considered as a college foot- deserved to be called the National
year. South Korea, currently sense takes over and they ball playoff contender. Champions. They even changed their
dealing with a Russian drug choose not to play. The college football playoffs con- team’s Twitter name to the 2017 Na-
scandal, is not for sure allowed sists of four teams. Two of them each tional Champions, which raised a lot of
to make a run in the 2018 Win- facing off in the Sugar Bowl and Rose conflict around the country.
ter Olympics. Poor ticket sales Bowl. The winners of these bowl Many believe the UCF should have
and a threat of North Korean games get a chance to face off in the been given a chance to prove them-
aggression, South Korea is in College Football National Champion- selves while others feel they don’t de-
jeopardy whether they will par- ship. serve all the fame off their season. No
ticipate or not. Alabama and Georgia both had one matter one’s opinion on the delima one
Another thing unusual to the loss going into their bowl games. thing is certain, this controversy will not
Olympics this year, is the whole UCF, however, was undefeated but go away anytime soon.
NHL situation. It is confirmed did not get ranked high enough for a
that the NHL will not partici-
pate in the 2018 Winter Olym-
pics, ending a run of five con-
secutive years being in the
event. Representatives of the
league are too worried that the
overwhelming majority of the
clubs are adamantly opposed to
disrupting the 2017-2018 NHL
season for the purpose of the
Photo Credit: Chicagotrubune
Olympics using the players. The
league took a poll asking if the Picture of Patrick Kane #88
NHL players should be able to
take February as a “break
month” in honor of training for
the Olympics, but 73% were not
in favor of the break. On the
other hand, Canada did the same
poll, but it went a little more in
the favor of the players. Only
53% were against the break, but
still too much to allow them to
play in the 2018 Winter Olym- Pictured is Junior Quarterback Mckenzie Milton for the UCF Knights.
pics. He is 5’11 and weighs in at 185 lbs. Milton is from Kapolei Hawaii. He
The last issue with the NHL
has had two really great seasons at UCF and even has set some records.
players participating in the
He broke the program record for passing yards in a season with 3,795
Olympics is injuries. Some star
players, including John Tavares Photo Credit: Muskoka News yards through the air this year. Photo Credit: Orlando Sentinel
and Tomas Kopecky, each sus- Picture of Jonathan Towes #16

Nate Guerrero
Staff reporter
The North Koreans
have been at the cen-
ter of the world's
attention since the
end of World War
Two. The Korean War North Korean missile tests. be end of the world. All the world’s su-
began in the mid-1950s and
ended in 1953. Ever since Photo Credit: Quartz
then they have been one of
the most hostile places
on earth, with leaders
from a long line of
deranged power hun-
gry communists. Not
only have they threat-
ened to unleash a fire-
storm and bring hell to
the United States, but
they have kidnapped
people and starved
their people so the The 38th Parallel divides North and South
higher ups can eat good Korea
and spend money on its
phony nuclear depart- Photo Credit: Google
ment. Not only have reds
in the north been calling for America to leave of Hong Kong. If the powers of the world
the sea of Japan, but there have also been don’t take action there could be no powers of
ghost ships in the sea that no one knows the world left.
where they came from or how they got there.
Kier Siepman
A&E Page Editor
On New Years Eve, YouTu-
ber Logan Paul uploaded a
video that sparked a lot of
negative reactions. In the vid-
eo, Logan Paul vlogs his trip
to Japan as he goes into the
Aokigahara Forest, which is
infamous in Japan for being
haunted and more importantly,
the popularity of it among sui-
cide victims, so much so that it Screenshot of Logan Paul in the controversial video.
is even nicknamed “The Suicide
Forest”.
For those of you who don’t
know who Logan Paul is, he is a YouTube something to think about.
vlogger with over 15 million subscribers
on his YouTube channel who got his start
in internet fame in Vine (rip).
Logan Paul was in Japan’s suicide for-
est, at the base of Mount Fuji, and could be
heard yelling "yo, are you alive?" at the
dead man during the 15-minute clip. The
camera then zoomed into the man's body,
while Logan asked his tour guide: "Did we
just find a dead person in the suicide forest
hanging?" Logan eventually deleted the
video, and issued an apology on Twitter
around 24 hours after the clip went up.
Once the video was uploaded the reac-
tion was swift and savage with other voices
from YouTube and Social Media criticiz-
ing Paul for exploiting a tragedy for views
and disrespecting Japanese culture as a
whole. The hardest criticism came from
fellow YouTubers and online personalities.
While many call YouTube to enact some
form of punishment while others have
scolded Logan Paul for what he did.
While the backlash from the YouTube
community has been great, the people actu-
ally in charge of YouTube have done pret-
ty much nothing. YouTube released a
statement that didn’t condemn Logan
Paul's actions, and many YouTubers are
questioning why YouTube didn’t delete the
video that exploited suicide, and yet videos
with gameplay that showcases guns get
demonetized and LGBTQ+ content gets
flagged and quarantined. It’s definitely
er’s cornal memory that are set aside to protect
Kier Siepman things like passwords. This could leave the
They have found bodies on the A&E Page Editor passwords of individual computers or even
boats some people think they are whole server networks vulnerable to hackers.
spies or are sent to make havoc All computers from the
on the Japanese homeland. past ten years with the
The world has lived in constant chip seem to be affect-
fear that one of the many leaders ed. The chip is in more
of the North will unleash whatev- than 90% of laptops and
er it has against the world. If that servers.
ever does happen that will truly It could also affect ma-
jor cloud computer plat-
per powers at war unleashing their nucle- forms such as Google
ar arsenals on the world will end the and Amazon. All of
world and life as we know it. The which are planning
amount of death that will come major security updates.
out of the event of war could Dan Ives, head of tech
be all of the population of research at GBH In-
every country of earth. With sights, said “This is a
the many missile tests they potential PR nightmare.
have been doing over the past They need to get ahead
couple years it seems as if war of this and try to contain
with them is inevitable and as Photo Credit: wccftech any of the damage to
close as never before. customers as well as to the brand.”
With all the ghost ships of All the major computer software companies
what are thought to be fisher- A major security flaw has been discovered are rushing to update their systems to patch
men who couldn't survive the that could leave a lot of popular processing this flaw. When will these updates happen?
sea of Japan and people trying to operating systems vulnerable to hackers. Well the register says that Microsoft is ex-
escape from the North. Not to Microsoft and Apple are already rushing out pected to introduce a necessary fix in a patch
mention how they have been security updates to Windows and Macos. next week. Apple 64 bit Mac OS will need to
accused of smuggling goods out However, the updates might slow down older be patched too.
machines as much as 30%. So how can you protect yourself and your
This all started when the text site in the computers? The best thing you can do is keep
register reported the intel processors have a an eye out for those security updates.
bug that leaves vulnerable parts of a comput-
Jack Schramme
Opinions Page Editor
As of January 1, 2018, about 200 laws were enacted in Illinois. Here are 10 new laws that may be of im-
portance to you.
1. Due to the rise of vandalism of religious places across the state, crimes that are committed at places
of worship can now be tried as hate crimes.
2. 16 and 17 year-olds can now sign up to be organ and tissue donors when receiving a driver’s license,
although parents can revoke this consent until the age of 18.
3. Transgender people can change their sex designation on their birth certificate without transition sur-
gery.
4. To eradicate “pink-tax”, where women are charged more than men for the same service, hair salons,
Photo Credit: The Sun
barbers, dry cleaners, and tailors will be required to provide consumers with a price list for services if
requested.
5. Schools can no longer expel Pre-K students for behavior issues, but rather they must find programs to
help the pupils fix their problems.
6. Schools will be required to provide a space other than a bathroom for students to safely breastfeed,
and must provide free feminine hygiene products.
7. A “trigger law” is removed that could potentially make abortions illegal if Roe v. Wade is overturned
by the Supreme Court. Abortions are also covered under Medicaid and the health insurance plans of state
employees.
8. Determining who gets to keep a pet during a divorce will now be decided by court when the two
parties are in disagreement. The courts can allocate joint or sole ownership of pets, depending on its well-
being.
9. Illinois becomes the first state to officially ban the use of elephants in circuses.
10. It is now illegal to drive a car which has signs, decals, or paperwork on the front windshield which
may obscure the view of the driver. This applies to drivers who are looking to test drive vehicles from a
dealership.
Other interesting notes include that cycling is now Illinois’s official exercise, corn is the state grain, and
August 4 will be recognized as Barack Obama Day.
Inside the Capitol Building in Springfield where
Fellow Youtubers and their reactions to the Governor Rauner of Illinois laws are created.
videos.
Photo Credit: Illinois.gov Photo Credit: ilstatehouse.com
Nicholas Matijevic & William Hough
Head Graphic Designer
Welcome back to another edition of
Central Sneaker Stalkers, in this article
we will dive into the history and making
of Nike and Virgil Abloh’s “The Ten”.
Virgil Abloh, the founder of the clothing
brand “Off-White” grew up in Chicago
and loves the rich history of the city.
Growing up around the Chicago area
gave him his rich sense of fashion and his
inspiration for much of his work, Michael
Jordan.
In the fall of 2016 Nike sprung the
news on the sneaker industry that an Off-
White and Nike collab was in the works.
The new found bond between Nike and
Virgil has sparked a love toward the cov-
eted shoes for many, prices reaching nearly
Photo creds: Alex Wyman
$1,700 for some of these gems.
Alex Wyman, senior at Central, knows
all about this collaboration between the two legendary brands. Alex Only the luckiest of people could get their hands on these retail
has the Off--White Blazers and the Air Prestos, each running for a and if you want to pay resale, you better open up a loan to afford
pretty penny. So why are these shoes so expensive? some of these. Alex has definitely created a statement by wearing
First off there was not a ton of pairs these works of art and every sneakerhead in Central recognizes the
for each shoe, the supply is limited and history and craftsmanship put into the shoe.
the demand is high. Second, its Off--
White, the fastest expanding high fashion
brand of late 2017 in most people's opin-
ion. Each shoe has an original Nike ver-
sion but Virgil took a different approach
to the shoe, not only changing the color
like most collaborations.
Abloh took each shoe and spent long
periods of time deconstructing the shoes.
Adding different laces, tags, and even
removing parts of the shoe and placing it
on a different part of the shoe.
This style gives the shoes a look of
their own and changed the shoe game in a
huge way. Very few designers have ever
Alex Wyman--”Blazers” done such a thing as Abloh did, he created insane
amounts of hype around his joint effort with Nike
Alex Wyman--”Prestos”
making the shoes sell out in seconds. Photo creds: Alex Wyman

Rudy Nieto home. Remember that you are The use of the natural stimu-
Staff Reporter not the only person in there, so lant, caffeine, will energize
be respectful to others and students and help them stay
The Barista is one of Cen- make sure you’re doing work awake throughout the entire Maura Anderson take a picture so you know which finals you have
tral’s newest installments locat- and letting others work as well. school day. Teachers won’t Staff Reporter everyday. Also, be aware of the changes in time of
ed in the library. It is some- Watch your voice volume and have to worry about their stu- the school day. We may start earlier some days or
thing that has been be careful. Make sure you dents feeling tired or not hav-
ing the energy to Here we go again, it is finals time. Coming end earlier also. Good luck everyone!
brought up and up right after Christmas break as usual. Many
talked about since do classwork,
just send them on students stress so much on and about their finals.
the start of the As finals come closer and closer many students
school year and it’s down to the
Barista for a in high school should prepare and start to learn
finally here. The different strategy skills to prepare them for col-
Barista serves cof- coffee. Coffee
has many bene- lege.
fee and students are Finals aren’t complete wastes of time, but the
able to purchase fits as well, in-
cluding prevent- approach to what a final should accomplish is
other snacks as completely misconstrued. A final shouldn’t be
well. With all the ing things like
type 2 diabetes looked at as the only thing standing in the way of
upcoming improve- a passing grade. A final should be treated as any
ments and con- and liver disease.
Drinking coffee other portion of the class, with no special week for
struction, The said exams. The typical response of finals week
Barista will be on a daily basis
can reduce the unfortunately rings all too familiar and needs to be
making its debut in changed. Is it that difficult to change the system?
the next coming chance of having
liver cancer by Numerous professors have done so. So why can’t
month. Students others follow in their footsteps? We need to
will be able to serve them- Come check out Central’s new Barista! almost 40%. There are reevaluate what a final is and if it benefits stu-
selves coffee and hangout. Photo creds: AmazingScience.com many benefits to having
this coffee shop at central dents’ learning abilities. Students take classes to
You will need your student don’t distract and disrupt oth- and every student is very excit- immerse themselves in knowledge, not stress out
ID to sign into the library and ers. When you are done using about one exam. So, overall the best way to pre-
to be able to get coffee. It is a the furniture be sure you put it ed for this upcoming install- pare for finals is to have a positive outlook on
great spot to do homework back where you found it. ment to the school.
them. Although they aren't fun and nobody wants Many find finals week a stressful time
with your friends! Getting cof- This coffee shop has many to do them, you can get through them if you study
fee and being able to hang out other benefits besides getting Photo creds: Programming Librarian
and have a positive thoughts.
in the library is a privilege, so coffee and being able to hang At central you can find pictures of the finals
be sure to treat it with the same out. This will prevent students schedule posted up all around the school on teach-
respect you treat your own from falling asleep in class. ers doors. Make sure to take a look and maybe

detection and ranging), sensors and computer systems help the car people. There are now trains that are being put on rails that drive
to navigate roads safely” The car may frighten some due to the without a conductor, this is a huge step up in technology but a step
2018 Detroit Auto fact that there is no steering wheel, but be sure that this car will go down for our citizens.
through tons of testing before it is commercially sold.
Another car that caught the eye of many was the Infiniti Q,
which is suppose to be released in 2021. This car sleek and simple,

Show: Self driving resembling a futuristic looking car. An insight to the technology
inside of the cabin, Roland Moore-Colyer stated, “Touchscreen
displays can be found in the front and rear of the vehicle, with the
former consisting of a single unit that flows from the digital dash-

Car Recap board over to the passenger’s view,

Nicholas Matijevic
Head Graphic Designer
The annual Detroit auto show took
place recently, giving an insight into the
wonders of the future. Anything from
trucks to self driving cars, the auto show
had it all and then some. The new GM
Cruise AV is not just any car, it is a self
driving car with no steering wheel or
pedals. This car is completely autono-
mous and they heavily back this con-
cept, since they have been building simi-
“Autonomous car without steering wheel or ped- not be fully self driving. But in the
lar cars for a few years. A GM rep ex-
plains how this car drives safely, “ A
Photo Creds: General Motors
combination of cameras, LiDAR (light
providing multiple displays in one
thin yet long screen panel” Although
this car is a few years away from
getting on the road it is a beautiful
sight to see. The future of cars and
technology in the upcoming years
will be tremendously new and excit-
ing.
Self driving taxis and cars will be a
huge part the american society in the
upcoming decade. This technology
will also put many drivers out of
business in every field of work.
Tesla is building and autonomous “The new Infiniti Q, an all new experience”
semi truck, which right now may Photo by: Infiniti
als, concept car”
future it may not even need a driver,
which can cause problems for many
Jenna Connolley Ice Skating- What’s Winter without ice
Staff Reporter skating? There are plenty of places that offer
Winter seems to be everyone’s least fa- ice skating. Whether it be inside or out in the
vorite season, making it pretty boring. That’s cold, it can be something fun to do with
understandable considering how cold it gets friends and family. It’s something that might Alec Mahoney once you
where we live, but there are fun activities Staff Reporter reach
you can try to make your winter full of ex- There comes a time at the beginning of every year your goal,
citement! where people set new goals that they want to accom- you
Sledding/Tubing- What’s better than the plish for the year. Changing a behavior or an unde- should
sired trait is something that people also do help moti- always be
vate them for the year. Wanting some change from constantly
the previous year is something that we do to help us setting
accomplish new new goals
things. Having a through-
New Years reso- out Photo Credits: Google Images the year to
lution gives you ac- complish.
an opportunity to The University of Bristal did an experiment where
Photo Credits: Google Images try new things they took 3,000 people with New Year's resolutions
and experiences. and 88% of that 3000 people failed to reach their
Some goals that goals because they were “Too hard.” The 22% of
Photo Credits: Google Images people set are people who achieved their goals were engaged in goal
things like they setting which is setting realistic or reachable short
feeling you get when gliding down a steep want to get that
hill? There are plenty of hills that accumulate Photo Credits: Google Images raise for there
snow making sledding and tubing possible! job or maybe
Villa Olivia in Bartlett has just what you’re start being healthier. A very common New Year's
looking for, not to mention it’s super afforda- resolution is going to the gym to get in shape to im-
ble! Get a bunch of friends together and head prove your physical well being. A lot of people set
on over!! goals to either lose weight, get stronger, or start eat-
Skiing- We can’t forget about skiing. take Photo Credits: Google Images a ing healthier.
Skiing has and always will be a family favor-
lit- tle Although people get excited to set new and chal-
ite. Of course it can be pretty tricky to get the
bit of time getting used to, but once you get lenging goals, There is a lot of people who fail to
hang of, so for the beginners, you can hit the
the hang of it, you won’t want to stop! execute them. The majority of the people who didn’t
bunny slopes. Once you catch on, you will be Ice fishing- For those of you who love achieve their goals failed because they set “unrealistic
passing everyone up. fishing during the warm months of summer, goal”. It’s easier to set short term goals, rather than
long term goals, when it comes to choosing a New Photo Credits: Google Images
Snowboarding- If you haven’t tried this is something you should definitely try.
snowboarding, I highly recommend it. It’s As you can probably tell, all of these Year's resolution. Setting short term goals or realistic
perfect for children as young as five or six.
activities are pretty fun, but safety should goals will make it easier on yourself to be successful. term goals. Even though some people give up on their
always be a number one priority. So stay For example, if losing 10 pounds is your goal and you resolution, People should work on setting realistic
warm and keep bundled up this winter sea- achieve it then it will make you feel good about your- goals that are reachable in a short period of time.
But for teens, it’s something fun and son! self versus saying you want ll lose 80 pounds but you
exciting considering we can try out so many were only able to lose 10. You don’t have to stop
different tricks.

Mitchell Hwalisz down

Sofie Jahangir
Staff Reporter
The holidays are many people’s favorite time of
the year. Everything is festive, schools go on
Winter Break, there countless winter activities,
and the deals are amazing. But what are you sup-
posed to do when all of this excitement ends?
People go back to school or work and everyone
sits around thinking about all the fun they had,
and wallow over the fact that it is over. Most
people come down with a case of the post-
holiday blues. Here’s a few strategies on how to
overcome these sorrows, and stay as happy as
you are during the holidays, all year long.
One tactic to use to get through the year is to
Staff Reporter Burling-
ton Road
Winter is upon us, and while that might seem like at 65
move on. Another tip that goes along with mov- a scary prospect for most drivers, there’s no need miles an
ing on, is cleaning! Some like to keep their holi- to worry. Just follow this comprehensive guide hour, this
day decorations up for the rest of the winter sea- and you’ll be all set for driving in even the most could be a
son, but honestly, once January comes around, frigid conditions. problem
they’re rather unnecessary. Taking them down for
once the season passes helps with the moving on. you. You
Before you drive: could
Or, if you just got back from a tropical vacation, Before you even sit down in the driver’s seat,
then don’t procrastinate putting away all your think
there are a few things you have to do to ensure you’re in
maximum safety while on the road. Make sure Photo Credits: INDOT
control one sec-
you clear any and all snow and ice off your car. If ond, and then find yourself slipping on a patch of
ice and careening towards the nearest telephone
pole. Go under the speed limit if you have
to. Speed limits are only meant for dry conditions,
so whatever you do, don’t try and stay on or above
the speed limit if you don’t think it’s safe
enough. Above all else, be cautious, and stay safe
out there!

Photo Credits: Teazl

Photo Credits: The Balancing Act
find
other things to look forward to. If you only look
forward to the holidays, then you’re going to live
a whole year feeling mediocre at best. Make a list
of hobbies and activities that you enjoy doing,
and incorporate them into your schedule. This is
a good way to keep excitement in your life, and it
could also increase productivity and organiza-
tion, which are great New Year’s resolutions as
well.
Another thing you could do is to not dwell
too long on how amazing (or not amazing) this
past holiday season was for you. Sure, enjoying
the gifts you received and looking at some pic-
tures of what happened is always a good idea, but
the sooner you get over it, the faster you can
luggage
and clothes. It’s less responsibility and stress for
later, and you can easily get right back to reality
when you have to put on warmer clothes to cope
with the cold.
And contrary to popular belief, you should go
shopping! If, of course, you have the money for
it. Although many run out of money after the
holidays from buying gifts for everyone, if you
got some dough from your grandparents, you can
go buy the gifts you didn’t get but really wanted.
Once New Years passes, most stores start doing
insane sales, to get rid of all the winter clothing
in order to prepare for their new spring styles, so
you can get better deals around that time rather
than on Black Friday.
Lastly, you should exercise. It’s been proven
that exercising releases endorphins (aka happy
chemicals) in your brain and leaves you in a bet-
ter mood. Once again, this could go hand-in-hand
with some New Year’s resolutions, so if you
incorporate this regularly into your schedule, it’ll
help take your mind off things and make you
happier. So go out there and beat those blues.
Photo Credits: Rural Messenger
there’s snow on your headlights or taillights, other
drivers might not be able to see you as well, so
clear your lights for the best visibil-
ity. Additionally, while it’s sort of a given, be sure
to scrape ice off the windows of your car. Any
obstruction of visibility, no matter how slight,
could mean the difference between life and death.
Additionally, while this doesn’t have to be
Photo Credits: Google Images
done every single time before you drive,
it’s always good to check your tires,
battery, and coolant. If any one of those
fails, it could leave you stranded in
below zero weather. Also, if your car
has trouble gaining traction in snow,
look into purchasing a set of snow
tires. A fresh set of rubber specifically
designed for snowy conditions is a life
saver.
Now that you’re on the road:
The first rule of winter driving has to be
“take it easy.” If you’re used to blasting
Jacqueline Macaluso
Staff Reporter
The first Athlete of the Month of the new year
goes out to the varsity basketball player, Zach
Schutta! Zach has been on varsity basketball since
his freshman year. He has been playing basketball
his entire life. He states that “I’ve been playing
ever since I can remember. My parents bought me
a Little Tikes hoop and I’ve been ballin’ ever
since”. Being on the basketball team is a huge
commitment. There is practice for two hours eve-
ryday, unless there is a game which is usually from
five to ten at night. There is usually two to three
games a week.
At the Plano Christmas Classic, Zach scored
many points, led his team to victory, and was also
awarded Plano Christmas Classic 2017 All Tourna-
ment MVP. The entire game he was a quick think-
er, great at improvising, and very creative on the
court, Along with that Zach is the ninth player in
school history to score 1000 points! Way to go
Zach!
Photo Credit: Kendall County, Zach Schutta
Madelyn Dowd
Blast Page Editor
Do you love chocolate? Every
year German Club hosts their
popular German chocolate
tasting. But what other activi-
ties do they provide? What is
this club and how can you
join?
German club continues to
stand proudly among the other
clubs offered at CHS. Activi-
ties from BBQs and the all-
famous Lock-in encourage
individuals to socialize with
others, either enrolled in the
German program or not. Many
other activities such as the
Christkindlmarket in Chicago
guides the participants through
German shops, providing stu-
dents with the taste of Chicago
and German culture. The fun
doesn’t stop there. Coming up
they will be hosting more ex-
citing events such as the popu-
lar German chocolate tasting, a truly fantastic
day filled with various chocolates and candies
from Germany, and the Schnitzelplatz adven-
ture, a trip to an authentic German restaurant.
Two different events but both equally delicious.
German Club wants everyone in on the fun,
regardless if you’re enrolled in a German course
or not. German Club President, Javy Martinez,
recognizes the all-inclusive nature as he explains
this club is for, “anyone that wants to have fun
while learning about the German culture”. Al-
ways striving to add more members, it encour-
ages many of those who are interested in Ger-
Sahar Afeef objects from the
Co-Managing Editor picture and making
them 3-dimensional
This January, Central so that there is con-
high schools artist of trast. Jacob’s inspira-
the month is Jacob tion doesn’t stem
Schmitt. Jacob be- from one single art-
came interested in art ist; he likes to ex-
around 5th grade, plore the works and
mentioning that he styles of many dif-
“noticed he had a ferent artists, then
creative eye.”. Little take ideas from their
did he know, he art and put his own
would become at- personal spin on it,
Photo Credit: Chicago Tribune, therefore making it
Zach tached to photography
Zach Schutta when his sister decid- his own idea.
ed to take Mrss. Gan- Right now, Jacob is
couldn't have done it without the help from his non’s Photo One class working on the final
amazing teammates and coaches. Schutta herself. Aside from piece of his concen-
says, “Our team is very close since we have all his sister’s occasional tration. The focus of
been playing together since we were very young. brush with photog- this piece is an old,
We get along well and are very competitive. Our raphy, Jacob’s family abandoned church,
coaches push us to be the best players possible. does not have a very and he is taking cer-
They not only teach us about basketball, but artistic background. tain elements of the
many life lessons as well”. Zach and his team are Photography is photo and making
determined to make every game day count and Jacob’s preferred them 3D, and add-
continue to keep on working hard. They also want medium, which ing wooden grain
to make it as far as possible into the postseason. makes his most im- Photo Credit: unknown, Jacob and texture to give
In the future, Zach will not be playing basket- portant tool his camera or phone. Schmitt and his sister, senior the piece more depth
ball in college, although he is going to attend Phones are a lot easier to carry Sarah Schmitt and balance. He has decided not
Mizzou next fall. Next year, Central will greatly around than cameras are, but to to follow this path into college,
miss Schutta’s talent and skill on the basketball choice. His dream project would and instead hopes to become an
get the best shots possible, using be a massive 3D photograph; a
court. Congratulations and a big thank you to a camera would be the best anesthesiologist.
Zach for everything he has done this basketball 3D photo is created by taking
season, along with what he has done the past
three years. Keep up the hard work and good
luck with the rest of the season!
.
Meghan Conn
Staff Reporter
Mr. Davies is one of our very appreciated
English teachers at Central High School, but
how did he get to be where he is now? After
graduating high school Mr. Davies attended
Elgin Community College to complete his
associates degree because, frankly, it was the
cheapest option. He then transferred to North-
ern Illinois University with a student trustee Photo Credit: IAS Paper
leadership scholarship and hopes of majoring
in architect;, however, like most college students, he changed his mind and decided that his prima-
ry major would be in pre-law and he would minor in French. While studying to complete his un-
dergrad, one of his professors suggested that he should take English classes because they can help
with pre- law and eventually he realized he
only needed a few more classes to get a degree
in English. Mr. Davies then transferred to
Judson to pursue a masters in Literacy which
then led him to eventually become an English
teacher.
Although his past is a long windy road, Mr.
Davies says he’s very happy that he’s a teacher
now and doesn’t think he’ll ever go back to
law school. He also said that he’s glad to be in
a school with so many smart students whose
Photo Credit: Pin Mart company he enjoys. He included that if the
man culture to consider joining and not only are opportunity were to ever present itself, he
the benefits of meeting new people and experi- doesn’t think he would ever take a job as an
encing a taste of German culture enough to sway Photo Credit: HuffEnglish
administrator because he’s more fond of being
your decision, a whole bunch of activities will in the classroom directly with the students. Currently Mr. Davies teaches AP Language and Com-
always keep you hooked. position, English 2, and American Literature. Mr. Davies says that when he assigns homework he
Supporting the decision to attend meetings, tries to be conscientious of the student’s time, trying to assign readings with high interest and
Martinez states, “You can build relationships avoiding busy work. He said he has an M&M rule: an assignment must be meaningful and man-
while enjoying great food and a great culture”. ageable for him to assign it. He also tries to put himself in the students shoes asking himself if he
So whether you’re obsessed with German choc- would want to do this assignment and never assigning anything he says no to. So thank Mr. Da-
olate or you enjoy attending the Christkindlmar- vies for being so diligent with sparing your time and for being so committed to his work.
ket, German Club is the perfect match for you..