ID lanyards create buzz at HEHS - Hoffman Estates High School ...

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Hoffman Estates High School 1100 W. Higgins Rd. (847) 755-5600
Hawkeye View
September/October Volume 36 Issue 3
HEHS football focuses on making a difference
Mary Hacker
Staff Editor
Dedicated, competitive,
passionate: these are all words the
team used when responding to the
question: “Describe this year’s football
team in one word.”
“We’re going to change
the way people think about Hoffman
Estates,” said Jon “Skinny” Scannicchio
(’09), right tackle #76.
They have started off the
season well with many goals in mind:
win Homecoming and Conference,
make the playoffs, get the Mayor’s
Trophy, and head to “State 08.”
“Let’s do it in one shot,
why not?” said William Helzer, head
coach and social studies teacher.
“These kids don’t like to lose.”
The team slogan this year
is “make a difference.” They make a
difference in the school, in the community,
and on the field.
Last year, the players went
to Blackwell Elementary School and
worked with the young athletes and
students on their school work.The
players also have cleaned up parks
for the park district.
They prepared for this season
before it even began. They wore
shirts that said “Nine months for nine
weeks.”
“You got to work hard for
nine months in the off season and
nine weeks in season,” said Frank
Wadas (’09), quarterback #9.
Part of the nine month
pre-season included weight lifting
throughout the year, going to football
camp, and practicing over the summer.
“The team is tough mentally
and physically, mentally because
we don’t give up and physically because
we trained hard in the weight
room,” said John Hacker (’09), wide
receiver #80.
The coaches’ goal was to
change the mindset that Hoffman
always loses. Last year, they would
quit too early. To change this, the
coaches set up drills to increase the
players’ breaking points.
They did several drills
called crash, which consists of a tugof-war
with car tires, one-on-one
races, and working on agility. This
helped raise their level of competitiveness
by getting them out of their
comfort zone and pushing the envelope.
“It wasn’t always the per-
The Hoffman Estates High School football team and discuss their next play with Coach Helzer.
son who you thought was going to
win,” said Helzer.
During challenging times is
when a team’s true character emerges.
“After the tough losses, we
found out a lot about ourselves,” said
Helzer.
To overcome these losses,
the team is going back to the basics.
Photo by Ellea Zinck
The players are focusing on the little
things and they are developing a solid
foundation.
(Continued on Page 4)
ID lanyards create buzz at HEHS
Ariel Ropp
Staff Editor
In keeping with rising
security standards, the school district
has made several significant
changes to the student ID policy
this year. This includes wearing
IDs on lanyards at all times during
school hours and being subject to
ID checks. All five high schools in
Township High School District 211
are following the ID Policy.
“I believe the overall objective,
which is to maximize safety,
has been embraced by the students
and teachers at Hoffman,” said Jacquese
Gilbert, assistant principal
and lead discipline administrator.
Safety was the main focus
when the district began considering
this new policy. Administrators
felt that the schools needed a better
way to monitor everyone who
enters the buildings and to ensure
that only students and staff make it
through.
Last year, there were a
few incidences when Hoffman Estates
High School graduates managed
to get into the building unnoticed.
Such violations prompted
administrators to reevaluate security
standards. During the second
semester of the school year,
HEHS staff began to wear IDs on
lanyards. When this proved to be
valuable, it was decided to have
students wear IDs as well.
“The staff was paramount
in helping with the transition,” said
Gilbert.
The district-level ID committee
did not base its decision
off of another school’s model; it
simply decided
it needed an
effective, userfriendly
system.
The committee
settled on using
break-away
“Any new
system has
kinks to
work out. ”
-Jacquese Gilbert
lanyards and
IDs with larger
pictures on the
front and back.
N o w
that the ID policy
has been
fully implemented, there are still
some lingering questions about
the effectiveness of the system.
“Any new system has
kinks to work out. We’ve had some
issues with the ID scanner machine
not working for students going
off-campus. And we’re looking
at the logistics to make the system
quicker,” said Gilbert. “Overall,
though, I feel the policy is very effective.”
While administrators are
pleased with the results of the ID
policy, some students still question
its effectiveness. “I heard about
some people who switched ID tags
with their friends, and it went unnoticed
for four days until a student
from the special education program
pointed it out,” said Maggie Cook
(’09).
Other Hoffman
students wonder how
the policy has improved
their safety.
“I don’t feel like the
IDs have really made
a huge difference to
security. If someone
[an intruder] really
wanted to get into the
school, they probably
could still find a way,”
says Apurva Bhatt
(’09).
Some students feel that
the policy is a reflection of distrust
that administrators have toward
students. “These are prison tags,”
said Ally Reed (’09). “They’re more
of a punishment than a protection.”
The policy changes have
Hoffman students walk into the new entrance during the first week of school
wearing their new ID tags.
Photo by Ellea Zinck
certainly been an adjustment for
students at Hoffman, but most
have dealt with it. What was once
extreme disdain for the IDs at the
beginning of the year has now settled
into a mild annoyance.
“I haven’t heard any significant
complaints from students.
I’d say that 95.5% of them have acclimated
well to the change,” said
Gilbert. “Ultimately, everyone
understands the need for safety.
Students can’t learn if they’re not
safe.”
The biggest challenge
now is to remember wearing the
lanyards to school. Each morning
there seems to be yet another long
line of students waiting for temporary
IDs in the front entrance. Gilbert
recommends students make
a habit of keeping the lanyards in
the same place everyday for easy
access.
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View September/October News
Peer leader program gets a new start
Amita Prabhu
Staff Editor
“Failure is not an option
for my freshman,” is the quote
that can be seen on the bright
neon t-shirts of the Hoffman Estates
High School peer leaders.
For the 2008-2009 school year, the
peer leaders are definitely working
harder to keep up that motto.
Though there has been
some controversy in the past as
to whether or not the leaders have
been as effective as they could,
there is no doubt that this year,
the leaders will be better than ever.
“The main difference
from last year is that now all peer
leaders must have a seminar in
their schedules,” said Jennifer Murray,
guidance counselor and peer
leader sponsor. “In the past leaders
were just selected if they displayed
some leadership qualities”.
The Peer Leader Program
has experienced an overhaul. The
2008-2009 program is not only new
and improved, but it has been designed
to benefit more freshmen.
“There was more misconception
about the program
last year,” said Murray. “The
people who did have foundations
did a good job but others without
seminar weren’t able to do as well”
Last year, about half of
the peer leaders did not have a
seminar, so they were not able to
interact with their freshman in
Freshman Foundations. If they
were in class, some would just stay
for the first 10 minutes of the first
half, and then leave for seminar.
This year, the leaders are asked to
stay the whole block, so they can
be more involved with the students.
The leaders also are
much better prepared for this
school year. They had a whole
training day before school started,
so the leaders would know what to
do on the Freshman Kick-Off day
and in foundations classes. The
council members met with Murray
several times after this training to
be certain that everything would
run smoothly for the kick-off. The
communication was much better.
The peer leaders also got
some help from another source
to help improve their program.
“Last school year in the
spring we did a mentor exchange
program with Conant High School
to see how they run their mentor
program and get ideas from
Before coming to Hoffman Estates High School, Steve Lacni taught math and
physics at Elk Grove High School for 14 years.
Photo by Will Creedon
them,” said Nina Patel (’09),
council member “It was very useful
because we have incorporated
some of the things they shared
with us in the program this year.”.
Laura Frost, foreign language
department, is a foundations
teacher who has already noticed a
great improvement in this year’s
leaders compared to last year. “I am
very impressed with the leaders
this year. They seem to be much
more enthusiastic and prepared,”
she said. “Last year on the very
first day of school leaders would
ask me how they could get a full
seminar instead of foundations.”
There are about three to
five peer leaders in each foundations
class, each of whom are assigned
to several freshman. They
normally work in small groups.
The leaders are supposed to teach
about 10 lessons to the freshmen
in the foundations classes.
Their expectations are to handle
themselves well at all times,
respect all their peers, and of
course keep their grades up.
“It really is a wonderful
program,” said Murray,
who is hopeful that the positive
changes will be recognized
by students and staff alike.
Lacni right at home at HEHS
Sayali Sakhardande
Staff Editor
The start of the 2008-2009
school year at Hoffman Estates
High School brought with it many
changes, including a change in the
athletic office. Steve Lacni replaced
Gene Curran as athletic director.
The new “head sports honcho”
said with a warm smile on his face
that he has big plans for advancing
the HEHS Athletic Program.
“My goal this year is to
have a mission,” said Lacni. “I plan
to work with all of the coaches to
form a mission statement that everyone
will be able to relate to.”
The new athletic director
meets regularly with head
Peer Leader Megan Bernardoni (‘10) helps a freshman with homework. The Peer
Leader program this year is designed to help more freshmen than in years past.
Photo by Eric Liu
coaches to assure that everyone
has everything he or she needs.
Josh Schumacher, girls’ varsity
swim coach, admires these efforts.
“It is clear that Mr. Lacni understands
the needs of coaches and
is working hard to give every
team the tools they need to be
successful,” said Schumacher.
Before this year, Lacni
worked at Elk Gove High School
for 14 years, teaching math and
physics. Of course, he was involved
in sports as well, serving
as the school’s head track coach.
However, what Lacni has sought
was a full-time athletic director
position. When offered the job
at Hoffman, he gladly accepted.
“Everybody here’s great,” said Lacni.
“Hoffman is exactly the type of di-
verse high school I had hoped for.”
As with any change, there
is a transition. Although Lacni is
new, he has fit in from day one.
“He transferred from a completely
different district but
has adapted to Hoffman quite
quickly,” said Chris Lorenz, administrative
assistant to Lacni.
When asked what message
he would like to send to the
athletes of Hoffman, Lacni answered
with a motto by which he
lives: “Those who persevere will
be champions.Never give up and
you will succeed.” Lacni has made
quite an impact in the athletic department
and coaches and other
staff members look forward to seeing
what he does in the year ahead.
Bess brings a fresh perspective to Hoffman
Julia Hamlin
Staff Editor
Gwen Bess, who is a
new assistant principal at Hoffman
Estates High School,
is feeling right at home.
“I really like Hoffman
so far,” said Bess. “The students
are well-behaved, and I love the
school spirit.” Bess said she loves
the diversity Hoffman offers.
Before coming to HEHS,
Bess taught ninth grade English
in Dayton, Ohio. She received
her bachelor’s degree from Kentucky
State University and her
master’s degree at University of
Dayton. Bess originally is from
Cincinnati. Bess said her move
to HEHS has been positive.
“There are so many opportunities
around here, and the proximity
to Chicago is great,” she said.
Bess discovered that
after teaching for a while, she really
had developed a passion for
“
improving school climate and
high school students. This is when
she decided to focus her sights
on becoming an administrator.
Bess’s job includes the
I try to build relationships
with
students based
on the positive
things about
them.
”
following responsibilities: overseeing
attendance, discipline,
security, as well as being the
administrator to students with
last names beginning with A-G.
Bess is planning
the HEHS Heart Walk fundraiser,
which will be taking
place later this school year.
Although Bess admits
being an administrator has its
less pleasurable duties, she tries
to turn every experience with
a student into a positive one.
“I try to build relationships
with students, based off
the positive things about them,
not the negative,” said Bess.
Bess said she is still adjusting
to HEHS and where everything
is located. Hoffman’s hallways
have never been more confusing,
with all the recent construction.
“I still get lost,” she said. “Hopefully
I’ll get the hang of it soon.”
Gwen Bess works along
side with Doug Dannewitz and
Jacquese Gilbert, who are also
administrators at HEHS. They can
all be found in the attendance office,
which is right across from the
main office.
If students would like to
make to make an appointment with
Bess specifically, they can talk to
Rita Pusateri, Bess’s adminitrative
assistant.
Gwen Bess is a new administrator at Hoffman Estates High School after teaching
high school English in Dayton, Ohio. Bess appreciates Hoffman’s school spirit
and diversity. “I really like Hoffman so far,” said Bess. “The students are well-behaved,
and I love the school spirit.” Bess seems to be adjusting to Hoffman very
well, and she looks forward to continue working here in the future.
Photo by Will Creedon

News
Hawkeye View September/October 3
Election 2008: Students
to debate pressing issues
Will Creedon
Staff Editor
Decision 2008 is only
a month away. Hoffman Estates
High School may not be Washington,
but there will be plenty
of ways to get involved and participate
in this year’s election.
“This is a historical election students
will remember,” said Matthew
Dowd, social studies teacher.
“Young people are really changing
the landscape of politics.”
This year the social studies
department will be holding
a presidential debate and mock
election. The debate will be held
Tuesday, October 21 and Wednesday,
October 22 in the school auditorium.
The mock election will
be held Thursday, October 23.
The mock election
looks promising. Kimberly Ryon
of the Social Studies Department
has contacted the Cook
County Clerk’s Office to get
help in creating the most authentic
voting experience possible.
Hoffman Estates has a
history of successful voter registration
drives (eligible students
last year may recall registering).
“The office has been very
pleased with Hoffman’s registration
and, due to this, they’ve
been very obliging to help set
up a mock election,” said Ryon.
The Clerk’s Office facilitated communication
with and assistance
from the League of Women Voters.
Each year the League of
Women Voters chooses around
30 schools in the Chicago area
at which they will volunteer and
run a mock election. This year
Hoffman Estates is one of those
schools. The League will bring
actual booths and machines.
“The reason the mock election
is held several days before
the real election as opposed to
it being on the same day this
year is because those very same
booths and machines will be
used November 4,” said Ryon.
Interested in participating
in the mock election?
All students are eligible
to vote as long as they register.
“ [Students] may
literally know
more about
the issues than
adults who are
voting. ”
-Matthew Dowd
“You don’t have to be 18,” said
Ryon. A registration form must be
filled out, however. These forms
will be distributed to all social studies
classes in the upcoming weeks,
but students may also register up
to the day of the election by picking
up a form in the Main Office.
The political excitement
begins with the “HEHS 2008
Presidential Debate.” The debate
will be an organized discussion
between Obama and McCain supporters
over issues students themselves
choose at pre-debate meetings.
These issues may include:
Iraq/national defense, social security,
terrorism, same sex marriage,
abortion, energy, global warming,
environment, along with issues.
“Students will research
and present the debate,”
said Dowd. “[They] may literally
know more about the issues
than adults who are voting.”
There will be debates held
each block on both October 21 and
22, so there is plenty of opportunity
to participate or join the audience
during a seminar or part of lunch.
“Social Studies teachers will be
recruiting students to take part
in the debate,” said Ric Lindeen,
Social Studies Department Chair.
The debate will consist of
five sections: opening statements,
moderator questions, candidate
cross examination, audience questions,
and closing statements. Participants
in the debate will sit at
tables on the stage according to
their chosen candidate. Those taking
part in the debate will be facing
the audience and moderator.
The moderator’s questions will
be pertinent to the issues selected
at previous debate meetings.
Time limits will be strictly enforced
and rules will be explained
to the audience prior to the debate.
If interested, students should contact
Dowd, Lindeen, or Michael
Brown in the Social Studies Department
for more information.
There will usually be meetings
after school Wednesdays in room
64. Students may check with
their social studies teachers.
“People don’t realize
how opinionated and concerned
high school students are about
the election. In the age of multimedia
it comes down to the issues,
and those issues will be analyzed
and distilled in the debate,” said
Dowd. “The election will be very
exciting and well worth it for
kids to get involved and discover
how passionate they can get.”
Going the extra derivative
Will Creedon
Staff Editor
The Resource Center in
room 177 is a place for students to
sit down, chill, and take care of all
their academic concerns. The R.C.
is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
and Thursdays from 3 to
5 p.m. Those who visit the R.C.
can take the 4 p.m. or athletic bus.
There are always math,
science, and reading teachers
available to help. If you ever need
help with homework, understanding
a concept for a test, or just
need a quiet place to work or
study, the R.C. is a great resource.
The R.C. is a simple
drop-in program and there’s no
pressure, you can come or go
as you please. Like the library,
students may work in groups
and sit at large tables. Lenore
Ulaszak, Math Department, is the
teacher managing the center and
would be happy to hear any questions,
comments, or concerns.
Ulaszak is excited to begin
another year of the R.C.
“The R.C. can make a significant
grade difference for students
having difficulty getting their
homework done and studying,”
said Ulaszak. “It would be nice to
have so many students come in for
help that I would need more staff.”
Students can use computers
for researching on the Internet,
creating PowerPoint presentations
and writing papers. Keytrain
and SkillsTutor are also available.
Students can talk to volunteer
student tutors too, if they
need help with math or reading.
“I recommend the R.C. to everyone;
it has been really helpful!”
said Alaine Coleman (’09).
In addition to the R.C. is the Audio/Visual
resource center, which
is open from Monday to Thursday
until 4 p.m. AV is hard to
find due to library construction;
it is located between the new library
and the central hall on the
middle floor, just west of the College
and Career Resource Center.
In AV students can use
a variety of supplies. Students
can borrow glue, glue sticks, scissors,
rules, markers, and other
equipment. Students may also
take cuttings from old magazines.
John Collins, head
of AV, can check out these
supplies if you need them.
There are some tables in
AV if students want to use
the supplies at school.
Teachers assist students with math homework at the RC in room 177 after school.
Photo by Lexi Wozny
Construction to continue through June
Cody Hootman
Staff Reporter
Although there has been
a lot of progress with the new sections
of Hoffman Estates High
School, construction is set to continue
through June.
“The new classrooms
will enhance and set a tone for our
school,” said Tom Newton, assistant
principal.
All of the construction
completed and the construction
in the near future will update the
HEHS that was built in 1973 and
make it more 2008.
With a total of eight new
classrooms, 12 renovated classrooms,
two huge classrooms, and
four new science labs, the south
side of the school is getting an extreme
improvement.
The new extended part
of the school will have eight total
new classrooms, including four on
the ground floor and four on the
second floor.
These new classrooms
are very close to completion.
Rooms 61-71are already in progress
and rooms 261-271 will be redone
in November.
The four new science
labs will be underway soon. These
rooms include 264-270 and rooms
260 and 275.
With all of this going
everyone will be affected. Lockers
will be moved as well as many
classes. The people who have currently
have lockers on that side of
the hallway; will have them moved
to the new hallway.
On the ground floor, the
renovations are underway with
new walls, flooring, ceiling, and
electrical being added. A brand
new sprinkler system also will be
added. All this is due to be completed
sometime in November.
The construction then
heads upstairs to finish what has
been started. The current classes
in the rooms of 261-271 will be
moved downstairs for the crew to
be able to clear out the rooms and
replace the ceiling, walls, carpet,
and electric while also adding a
new sprinkler system.
Theses classrooms are
due to be finished by winter break
for the classes across the hall to
relocate into them as soon as we
return from break.
The longest next step of
the construction will begin with
the creation of the four new science
labs. These labs are not due to be
completed until around the end of
the school year.
In addition to replacing
the walls, ceiling and electricity,
the crew must run water and gas
for the lab tables, run the new
sprinkler system and put in tile
flooring.
With all of this extra work
being done, the plan is to narrow
the south hallway by about three
feet by adding in a temporary wall
that will allow workers to travel
between the rooms without going
into the hallway.
The science department
has recently learned that the old
chemistry and physics rooms in
the center hallway will also be affected
with the construction. Those
classes will be moving to biology
rooms, which will be a transition.
“It will take a few days
to get used to, but it should be alright,”
said Kristy Depa, Science
Department. “We are going to be
able to use the rooms the way we
want to use them and make them
the most effective for learning.”
“Teachers are doing a really
great job with construction,”
said Newton. “They are being very
adaptable with the plans and I really
appreciate the cooperation of
them with the moving of the classes.”
Mark Ahn, English teacher,
said he was not originally given
an “ideal classroom.” The room
did not have a clock or a projector
for class use, so he has moved
down the hall to another room. He
will have to move again when construction
moves upstairs.
Moving to a new classroom
could be good or bad, he
said. “As long as it has everything
students need it will be good to be
in a new room,” Ahn continued.
Ahn also said the “media
center is beautiful” and that this
school has a new feel as one walks
in with the light shining in and the
modern architecture.
Over the summer, Hoffman Estates High School underwent major construction,
resulting in a brand-new entrance, new classrooms, cafeteria and media center.
Throughout the rest of this school year, Hoffman will continue to be under construction.
Photo by Raag Harshavat

4 Sports
Sports 5
Hawkeye View September/October Hawkeye View September/October
Hoffman football committed to the game
(Continued from Front Page)
With all of this practicing
and working out together, the team
has become close. There are a total
of twenty-eight seniors and all
of them are captains. The coaches
rotate the position, so that for each
game there will be four different
seniors who get to lead the team.
“We spend more time
with each other than we do with
our own family; it’s like we are
brothers,” said Mike Swedlund
(’09), wide receiver #17.
Every Saturday after
practice, the team goes out to eat
and has a big meal together.
When asked how they
would describe the team, each
player had something nice to say.
“Everyone has something
special about them,” said Shamar
McFarland (’10), receiver #5.
Jhanvi Shah
Staff Reporter
The Hoffman Estates
High School boys’ cross country
team has raced to a strong start
this season.
The team placed second
in its first invite at Fenton High
School. Fenton actually placed
tenth in state the year before.
“This year I expect our
top three at conference,” said Matthew
Dowd, varsity coach. After
losing last year’s seniors, the varsity
team is working hard to find its
own stride.
Coach Dowd expects
more rebuilding; he is looking towards
the young runners who are
sophomores to step up and juniors
to fill in the gaps.
“We all bring certain
things to the table to make a good
team,” added Tom Dembrowski
(’09), free safety #22.
Andrew Pettit (’09), inside
linebacker #16, agreed that
everyone on the team shares important
qualities.
“We are all hard workers;
we’re good, talented, and we know
how to play the game,” he said.
Other players were quick
to add their feedback about how
well the team works together.
“We’ve got the drive and commitment
towards the game,” said Tom
Rossiaky (’09) defensive end #67.
“We are all confident in
what we’re doing,” said Scannicchio.
This year the Hawks football
team is comprised of winners
both on and off the field, and it
shows.
Sushma Chinni ‘09 returns the ball forcefully across the net. The tennis team has been very enthusiastic this season and
had the largest turnout for the team in the last few years.
Photo courtesy of HEHS tennis
Boys’ cross country goes
the extra mile
“If we run as a pack, we have
a good shot at qualifying for state,”
said Steven Chin (’09), who is one
of the team captains.
The boys also beat Elk
Grove in early September, with
one through four and six through
nine. After not qualifying for state
last year, the boys are determined
to do what it takes and make it this
year.
The boys have also had a
productive off-season. They trained
during the summer in preperation
for a victorious season.
The boys’ cross country had
a great finish at the Peoria Invite,
coming in sixth out of fifty-four
teams. The team hopes to keep
this momentum and finish strong
in the Conference meet.
The team is hosting the
conference meet this Saturday at
Busse Woods.
Shamar Macfarland(‘10) looks out for oncoming opponents as he forages his
way down the field. Hoffman football has asserted that it is driven and committed
this year.
Photo courtesy of Hawkeye View
A smashing victory
Steven Chin
Staff Reporter
The girls’ tennis team is
off to a strong start. The varsity
team currently is 8-6, which is the
best start for the girls’ team in six
years.
At this point in the season,
the team has defeated Barlett,
Elgin, Larkin, Dundee Crown, and
Rolling Meadows. This is the first
time in 10 years that the girls’ tennis
team has beaten Bartlett. The
team also placed second at the
Cougar Invite.
“I think we are doing
pretty well so far this season and
I feel we can go far,” said Apurva
Bhatt (‘09).
Tennis is becoming more
popular around Hoffman Estates
High School. As a result, many
people showed up at the tennis
camp this year. Over 45 girls came
and played. That was the biggest
Capture
Memories While
You Can
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Don’t forget to order your
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supplies last.
turn out in a few years.
“If the girls can stay consistent
and focus on teamwork, the
girls can do well this year,” said
Greg Rouse, varsity head coach.
After an unsatisfied season
last year, the girls are ready to
rebound. They are learning from
their mistakes and practicing hard
to fix them.
Following in the footsteps
of the varsity team, the JV team is
also playing very well. They also
beat Elgin and Bartlett.
Tennis is a sport played
between two players (singles) or
between teams of two players (doubles).
On each side of the court,
there is either a server or receiver.
The server serves the ball to the receiver
and the receiver hits it back
to the server. This is called a rally.
Both players keep hitting the ball
back and forth to each other until
one fails to return the ball over the
net, thus giving a point to the other
person or team.
The Varsity team lead by Kyle Gonzales (‘10), Marlen Hamilton (‘10) and Matt Perez (‘09) waits for the gun during the Early Bird
Invite at Fenton. This year the team is ready to take on the competition and try for state (‘08).
Photo by Eric Liu
Volleyball sectional seeding better than expected
Mike Kenney
Staff Reporter
The girls’ varsity volleyball
team has earned a sectional seeding
that is better than last year; also, the
under levels are performing at high
levels.
With the right attitude
heading into conference, Coach Dan
Hutton and his team believe they
have what it takes to be strong competitors.
“The girls main goal this
year is to beat Schaumburg,” Hutton
said. “They always have a solid program,
so right now we’re focusing
on that game.”
All levels swept the Saxons
at Schaumburg this month; the varsity
team also beat Palatine this season.
The under levels also continue
This year, the boys’ soccer
team is focused on teamwork.
“We are very excited
about this year; we even have two
incredible freshmen joining our varsity
team,” said Varsity Coach Matt
Sriver. Those freshmen include
Lenin Roa (midfielder) and Gilberto
Cuellar (defender).
When the Hoffman Estates
High School soccer team faced Niles
West High School in mid September,
there were more than just amazing
plays and incredible strength. The
players showed what it means to be a
Hawk. The Hawks faced Niles West
in a game of endurance and agility.
Even though the team lost 1-0, there
was a strong show of teamwork.
Amruta Bhatt
Staff Editor
to see improvement.
“The under levels are
performing at high levels which
is good for the future of the program,”
said Mark Ahn, sophomore
coach.
“Every game is important,”
said Hutton, head varsity
coach. “But it’s also important to
win against the MSL, which will
boost school morale.”
The team fought a valiant
fight against Barrington High
School early on in the season.
Hoffman was within one point of
the Fillies, but the Fillies’ rallied
from being down 11-19 in the third
and final game.
“We played a really hard
fought battle,” said Ali Hair (‘09).
With the game looking
to be out of reach, seniors Ali Hair
The soccer team trains hard to be successful in their matches. Their teamwork is what helps them play their best.
Ellea Zinck
Staff Reporter
“We work as a team and
every player is a necessity,” said
Sriver.
“We have depth in every
position so where someone
is weak someone will make up for
it… true teamwork. Our goalie
(Kieruzal) is exceptional though
and does help out the younger
players.”
Sebastian Kieruzal (‘09)
was constantly helping the rookies
stay in their positions and encouraging
them no matter what
the scoreboard said. Kieruzal said
that the team had “great communication”
but they still have improvement
ahead.
“We worked well as a
team, but we need to work even
more on communicating with
each other,” he said. “Communi-
cation is so important in order to
work well together.”
Kieruzal also shared his
opinion on letting two freshmen
join the varsity team: “They’re
great guys and great players and
as long as they help the team then
I say go for it.”
After the disappointing
loss against Niles West, Sriver
said that “it was a shame we lost
because we had better plays than
them; we just couldn’t find the
back of the net.”
Still the team and acted
more like family than a soccer
team, helping and cheering even
congratulating the other team afterwards.
This game proved that
at Hoffman Estates High School
everyone really does have sportsmanship.
Girls’ cross country soars to success
The Hoffman Estates High
School girls’ cross country team has
started off strong this year.
“The graduated seniors
left a legacy of excellence, hard
work and commitment, which has
passed on to this crew,” said Coach
Macnider, head coach. “This is a talented
squad that is hungry for the
next level.”
Although only competing
in a couple of meets, the runners
already are giving it their full potential.
The girls trained hard over the
summer and many of them are competing
very well in the meets.
Last year was a great
year for HEHS with the Hawks
capturing the Mid-Suburban
League title. This year the Hawks
would like to ride that momentum
to the State meet.
Gaby Duenes (’09),
Kathy Kenley (’09), Hannah Worman
(’10), Gisela Duenas (’10),
and Kati Mattes (’10) will lead a
solid Hoffman cross country team
this year.
“We worked really hard
over the summer and we are a lot
stronger than last year,” said Hannah
Worman. “We’re looking forward
to a successful season.”
According to a recent
and Becky Gilbert were behind
some defensive plays that kept the
team in the game. Although they
suffered a tough loss early on, the
team remained optimistic about
the upcoming conference games
and have performed successfully
against both Schaumburg and
Palatine.
Despite the team’s 2-7
start, it has fought to gain a higher
seed in sectionals than previously
expected.
Hutton believes the offense
needs a little improvement,
but he believes that the girls have
the right mix and right attitude to
succeed.
“The girls said that this
is one of the most talented teams
they’ve played on,” Hutton said.
“We’re just trying to figure out
Teamwork defines soccer season
Photo by Ellea Zinck
article in the Chicago Tribune,
Coach Macnider has the program
pointed in the right direction, and
the Hawks are poised to the next
step.
They have lived up to
these expectations by placing
first for the second year in a row
at the Libertyville Invite. Melissa
Schmidt placed first in this large
invite.
Their current statistics
are 80-1. The Hawks have high
hopes and are looking forward to
qualifying for state this year. The
team has beat both Schaumburg
and Fremd.
“We just need to work
hard and be positive,” says team
Sophomore Jada Stotts jumps high to block the ball while playing against Schaumburg.
Photo by Lexi Wozny
Girls’ golf: Coleman
clinches Sectionals
Alaine Coleman (‘09),
team Captain made Sectionals on
October 8th with a score of 96. She
was pleased with her performance,
but also with the rest of the team.
Angela Wnek (‘09) and Ally Reed
(‘09) both did well, finishing just
above the sectional score cut-off.
Throughout the season,
according to Coleman, the girls
A hole-in-one season
Joe Winner
Staff Editor
It’s fall again and the
boys’ golf team has gotten off to an
amazing start.
With wins against Schaumburg
and Rolling Meadows the
team has been very successful.
“Some guys are playing
really well,” said Head Coach Dave
Graberek. With great performances
by Brett Miehls(‘10), Tony Teolis(‘09),
and Mike Warford(‘09) the
team has really prospered so far.
However, the team runs into problems
as they need a fourth guy to
step up and put up good scores. In
golf, the coach can put up six golfers
and the top four score. Without
a solid top four, a team will have
trouble beating the better teams in
the state.
The team has done very
well, despite coming back from
a senior dominated team. The juniors
have been working in to fill
their shoes though. This year four
photo here
all worked really hard. The varsity
team, comprised of mostly seniors,
“practiced hard and gave it their all.”
Stephanie Kim (‘09) moved up to
varsity and “worked her butt off,”
and Christina Oda (‘09) worked hard
on her swing and analyzed everyones
shots.
Through team effort, they
managed to beat the Schaumburg
Saxons, the rivals of Hoffman Estates
High School. and the team, according
to Wnek, “really improved a lot.”
-Samantha Kubota
out of six of the top golfers on the
team are juniors including Brett
Meihls who is returning for his
third year on varsity. Scorewise,
the team this year is very comparable
to last year. The team is doing
very well.
They also hope to come
in the first half in the very tough
MSL conference. With teams like
Barrington and Palatine that basically
grow up on the golf course,
coming in the top half would be a
great outcome for the Hawks.
“We have a lot of potential,”
said Meihls, “we should do
very well in conference and regionals.”
The team also has high
hopes for next year with a relatively
young varsity squad this year.
The junior team will have to work
very hard next summer to step up
and become senior leaders.
“We’re going to keep
working hard and getting better,
and competing every time we step
on the golf course. “ said Coach
Dave Grabarek.
Justin Harris (‘09) takes a celebratory fist pump after sinking a putt.
Photo courtesy of HEHS golf

6
Hawkeye View September/October Entertainment
Variety Show displays Hoffman’s unique talents
Syeda Fatima
Staff Reporter
The 2008 Hoffman Estates
High School Variety Show, “Second
to None,” opened on September
18, 2008. The show showcased a
variety of entertainment including
performances from dancers,
singers, musicians and comedians.
The show was indeed second to
none.
“The v-show is unique
because of the talent HEHS has,”
said Jason Stevens, a director of
the show and an English teacher.
Stevens said that this year’s show
offers a nice variety.
“The variety show is
open to larger audience because of
various types of acts it includes,” he
said. “I promise that the audience
will be entertained.”
The audience on Saturday
September 20 was entertained with
the performances and the comedy
troupe jokes. The variety the show
offered was enough to bring the
crowd to its feet, especially during
The Exclusive Ones’ dance act
and the Guitar Hero act by Chris
Sevadjian (’12).
The theme this year
was “Old Chicago,” which was
a reflection of the homecoming
theme. “Second to none” is the
nick-name of the city Chicago.
Stevens penned the name for this
year’s variety show.
“We hope our Hoffman
talent will be second to none,” said
Erika Bromley, one of the directors
of the show and an English
teacher.
The expectations were
high for this year’s show, and
according to the cheers from the
crowd on Saturday night the talent
did deliver. Both the directors of
the show were very excited going
into the first performance.
“Every year we have
talented students, but this year we
have a lot of talent we haven’t seen
before,” said Bromley.
According to Bromley, this
year has interesting choreography
and talented musicians. This
year’s show also featured many
musicians.
“More musicians
auditioned this year than ever
before which is very exciting,” said
Bromley.
Stevens also anticipated a
good show for this year. He said the
variety show gives the opportunity
SensAsian members Sajan Patel (‘09), Sharon Lee (‘09), Jaypee Plata (‘10), Stephanie Kim (‘09), Liz Koh (‘10), Brian Manedero
(‘09), Frances Pastuzka (‘09), and Josh Parado (‘12) perform to a medley of hip-hop tunes.
Photo by Sam Kubota
to see different talents.
This year there were
piano players and guitarists, which
we did not see much of last year.
All of the acts lit up the stage. Show
stoppers included Steve Sheer’s
(‘10) tap dance, HEHS Drumline,
the band Arbor Drive, “Reborn
Rhythm” break dancers, and “All
that Jazz” group dance.
The comedy troupe
proved to be very entertaining
hosts as well. The crowd burst
into laughter at the troupe’s jokes
about IDs, Facebook vs. Myspace,
school construction, and the
cafeteria maze.
Each year the comedy
troupe is a big part of the variety
show. Stevens helps to keep the
troupe focused. He gives them
ideas and makes sure the skits
are good and that they look good
on stage. Also, he encourages the
troupe to develop its own ideas.
The comedy troupe
focuses on pop culture as well as
school issues when developing its
skits. During the tryouts, the judges
look for students who are willing to
take chances. For the auditions the
students are given random objects
and they are expected to make a
funny advertisement out of them.
“You need to show you’re
quick, and you need to be able to
work together,” said Stevens.
Teamwork also plays a
key role in comedy troupe. The
comedy troupe has a lot of fun
coming up with skits, and they work
well with each other. They listen
to and respect each other’s ideas.
Everyone’s ideas are considered,
said Katy Kosiek (‘10), the student
director of comedy troupe.
Colette Ghunim (’10) is
a member of comedy troupe, and
she loves being a part of it.
“I like how we get to be
creative and use our imagination,”
(Continued on Page 7)
Izzi Ezra (‘11) sings a beautiful
song while playing a soulful
melody on the piano. The emotion
of the song was very inspiring
for the audience.
Photo by Sam Kubota
Messenger’s message lost on students
Sam Kubota
Staff Editor
“Wait, so… did I need
to read this?” This seems to be a
question on some students’ minds
in English class. I Am the Messenger,
this summer’s required
reading, is no longer required
to be tested. Teachers this year
are not required to test Hoffman
Estates High School students
on the summer reading;
instead they have a choice as to
whether or not they do give students
a test or other assessment.
“Young adult literature
can be controversial,”
said Mary Spevacek, department
chair of the media center.
Many faculty members
have expressed dissatisfaction with
the language and tone of the novel.
As for students, many are feeling
slighted or offended, while others
are seeing the more positive side.
“I’m sort of mad that I
read it and wasn’t tested on it. After
all, I was hoping it would provide
a sort of cushion in my grade,”
said Rebecca Hoke (’09). Other
students were not as upset, somehow
able to see the silver lining.
“It doesn’t matter to me…
I just ended up reading over the
summer, and that isn’t necessarily
a bad thing,” said Angee Serwin
(’11). “I think it was one of the best
of the books we’ve had for summer
reading,” added Alex Jesse (’09).
Though the books
may change, the goal of “One
Book, One School/Hoffman
Reads” never changes.
“We never wanted
it to be a test,” said Spevacek.
“The point was to get kids
reading over the summer.”
The HEHS Reading Committee
chose I Am the Messenger because
it had an appealing story line.
The committee wanted it to identify
with students more than previous
summer reading materials such as
The Pact or Of Beatles and Angels.
Small Steps also was an option for
those students who wanted a less
controversial and challenging book.
I Am the Messenger was a controversial
book choice for HEHS’s summer
reading program, “Hoffman Reads.”
Its language and sexual content have
made some teachers uncomfortable.
Photo courtesy of ebooks.metronet.lib.mi.us
Since the summer reading
testing no longer is a requirement,
a second glance must be given
to the process through which
novels are chosen. A faculty committee
of fourteen, representing every
department of the school, is in
Ryan Beach (‘09) is the lead singer and guitarist of the band Arbor Drive. The
band was one of the highlights of the Variety Show.
Photo by Sam Kubota
charge of choosing the book. They
spend hours reading many different
books to try to find something
appealing to a variety of HEHS students
until a book is decided upon.
“The Reading Committee
has a difficult challenge,” said Theresa
Busch, principal. The committee
currently is in the process of discussing
next summer’s program.

Entertainment
Hawkeye View September/October 7
(Continued from Page 6)
said Ghunim. “It is a fun
atmosphere to be around. We’re
like a big family.”
The variety show is the
first major show of the year. It
always occurs at the beginning of
the year because it serves as a kick
off to homecoming; this is also the
time of year when the auditorium
is available. This year’s time frame
was short because the variety
show was a week earlier. With the
show being early, the auditions
had to start immediately.
The auditions each year
are a two-day process. On the first
day, students audition for comedy
troupe; on the second day, other
performers have a chance to
audition.
Anna Gill (’10), the
student director, is very excited
about this year’s show. As the
student director Gill is in charge
of organizing all performers and
acts. She keeps them in line and
makes sure everyone is prepared.
She also makes sure everyone is
ready to take a bow at the end of
the show in front of the Chicago
skyline.
Homecoming Issue Correction
In the Homecoming 2008 issue of Hawkeye View, the cover illustration was
identified as being created by Cynthia Surtz. The original illustration was created
by national award winner, Gerald Keele, who is a former student from Surtz’s
Advanced Commercial Design course.
Agnieszka Bar
Staff Reporter
The Hoffman Estates High
School Fashion Club held its first homecoming
dress sale during the week of
September 8, offering dresses from
Meri’s Fashions at a 20% discount.
During the whole week, the
fashion club sold homecoming dresses
in front of the school store from 3 p.m.
to 5 p.m. All of the dresses were sold at
a discount, the highest price being $80.
Jessica Ecker, head of the
Fashion Department, got the idea of a
dress sale from a former student’s mom,
who owns a fashion boutique. Since she
wanted to reduce stock, Ecker thought
that instead of inviting students to the
boutique, the perfect way to sell more
Eunice Ahn (‘10) and David Lee (‘11) sing a duet to “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. The dynamic duo accompanied
themselves with acoustic guitars.
Photo by Sam Kubota
Fashion Club dress sale a success
dresses was to bring them to the students.
The dress sale provided all students
with a chance to buy a glamorous
dress at a reasonable price.
“I definitely think this is a
great idea,” said Nicole White (’10).
“The dresses are all really cute and affordable.”
Kristin Savage (’09) agrees.
“It is very beneficial because some students
can’t afford to buy a dress,” she
said.
The sale supplied quality
dresses at a low price, which allowed
more students to buy a dress and go to
Homecoming.
Many types of dresses in all
sizes were offered at the sale and several
members of the fashion club even
offered alterations at a small cost.
“The dresses at the sale were
really pretty,” said Alexa Thornton
Recently, the HEHS Concert
Choir was invited to sing at
the Hoffman Estates September
11th Memorial. We sang two pieces
called “In Remembrance” and
“Song for the Unsung Hero.” The
service provided much time for reflection.
Matthew Schlesinger,
HEHS choir director, was asked if
Concert Choir could sing for the
village’s September 11th Memorial
at the Village Green. The decision
was left up to the officers,
including me, because we knew
the choir’s full potential. Natalie
Bounassar (’09), Meghan Redding
(’09), Mikey Saubert (’09), Maggie
Cook (’09), and I saw this as a huge
opportunity. We saw it as a way to
reach out to our community and to
kick off the school year. Together,
we made the final decision that we
could take on the challenge and be
successful.
My dad is a firefighter
in Des Plaines. He has been with
the fire department for sixteen
years. This memorial service was
another way not only to thank my
dad, but to say thank you to those
heroes who save lives everyday.
(’10). “My cousin bought one and she
loves it.”
“The whole sale went better
than expected,” said Ecker. The Fashion
Club hopes to continue this sale for
years to come. “It all depends on the
boutique,” said Ecker. “If they ever have
extra dresses, the fashion club would be
glad to sell them,” Ecker added.
Students agree that the sale
was a success. “The sale went well,”
said Omobola Akinbiyi (‘09).
“I think some people were
scared to buy dresses because they
thought we were the ones that made
them,” she said. “After I assured them
that we didn’t, it was fine.”
Most of the proceeds will go to
both the fashion class and the fashion
club. This will allow it to purchase fabric
for the annual style show, which will be
held on May 8.
Specifically, the song “Unsung Heroes”
meant more than the police
officers, fire fighters, and military.
“Unsung Heroes” is for the people
who make a difference and display
good acts of kindness every day.
The choir had already
begun working on our concert
pieces. After the officers brought
the idea up to the choir, we put the
pieces aside and started to work on
the two songs. “In Remembrance”
was a piece that Concert Choir
sang last year at the IHSA Organizational
Contest. Most of the choir
knew the piece, but those who
were not in Concert Choir last
year had to learn the piece from
scratch. With four performances
left before the service, I felt nervous
and excited.
Time flew by and next
thing I knew, it was the day of the
service. The choir boarded the
buses and on our way to the Village
Green, we did vocal warm-ups
because we knew that once we arrived
here wouldn’t be enough
time. The outdoor setting was
calm and relaxing. We sat down
and soaked in the vibe from the
audience around us. The audience
was filled with different people.
There were people there who
were different in many ways, but
we shared a common reason for
“We are throwing in
Chicago as much as we can,” said
Gill. Gill was excited because
according to her, there are tons
of great acts. She said she likes
student directing because it is the
first show of the year.
“I get to see old faces
from last year as well as some new
faces,” she said.
This year the tryouts were
tougher, according to Bromley.
“It’s difficult for the
judges, but it’s a good challenge for
the show. Trying to find a balance
is always difficult,” said Bromley.
Every year a good
number of students tryout and a
good number are cut. The number
of students cut each year depends
upon the amount of talent. It’s
tough on the judges.
Each year the variety
show directors, including Christina
Ordonez, English teacher; Mary
Ann Laforet, English teacher;
Claire Kopfman, Student Services;
Bromley; and Stevens try to look
for as much variety as possible.
The directors were happy to see so
many musicians perform and were
especially welcoming of freshmen.
Student reflection: Hoffman 9/11 memorial
Lexi Wozny
Staff Editor
remembering those lost on 9/11.
After the mayor spoke,
we were up to sing our first song,
“In Remembrance.” After we sang,
I knew we had started off on the
right foot. We did a great job and
we received much applause. Next,
Lieutenant John Schneidwind,
came to the podium and shared
his experience about that horrible
day when the World Trade Center
Towers in New York City fell. What
made me sad during his speech
was the thought about my dad and
his job.
Lieutenant Schneidwind
mentioned his children and how
hard it was to say good-bye to them.
Immediately, I started to cry. It hit
me then that I knew exactly why
I was there. I was there for those
who put their lives on the line to
help others. My emotions got the
best of me but with my best friend
by my side holding my hand, I was
able to find some peace.
After the speaker, the
choir sang our last song “Song
for the Unsung Hero.” I felt like
that song was our best piece. The
sound was unforgettable. I knew I
would remember this day forever.
I felt honored that the HEHS choir
could contribute to our community
and remember those who lost their
lives or loved ones on 9/11.
Mary Hacker (‘10) models some dresses she bought at the
Fashion Club dress sale.
Photo by Kelly Carroll

8
Hawkeye View September/October Fall Photos
Hawkeye View
Staff
The Hawkeye View
is published at Hoffman Estates
High School, 1100 W. Higgins
Road, 60195. (847) 755-5810.
The Hawkeye View attempts
to provide accurate coverage of events
which concern Hoffman Estates students,
parents, and faculty. Ten regular
issues will be distributed during the
2008-2009 year. The opinions expressed
in the editorials are those of the Hawkeye
View editors and do no necessarily reflect
those of the District 211 administration.
The Hawkeye View accepts no advertising.
However, letters to the editor and
other outside contributions are welcome.
Letters or contributions will only be considered
for publication if they are accompanied
by a signature and a phone number.
These contributions can be emailed
to klcarroll@d211.org. The Hawkeye
View reserves the right to edit all letters.
Staff Editors
Amruta Bhatt
Will Creedon
Mary Hacker
Julia Hamlin
Samantha Kubota
Eric Liu
Alex Oda
Amita Prabhu
Ariel Ropp
Sayali Sakhardande
Joe Winner
Lexi Wozny
Afsara Zaheed
Head sponsor
Kelly Carroll
Assistant sponsor
Heidi Davey