Volume 40 Issue 2 - October/November 2012 - Hoffman Estates ...

Aiswarya
Baiju
Hawkeye View October/November 2012
Hoffman’s readers S.O.A.R.
Staff Reporter
The Abraham Lincoln
book lists are the
books selected annually
by the high school students
and a board of teachers.
The author of books
voted as most outstanding
receives an award which is
named after Abraham Lincoln,
one of Illinois’s most
famous residents. Lincoln
was himself an avid
reader and noted author.
The awards are sponsored
by Illinois School Library
Media Association (ISL-
MA).
The list includes
all kinds of genres for all
kinds of people. Diane
Mankowski, one of the
chairpersons of the committee
stressed the variety
of the books on the list:
If you like chick lit, start
with Anna and the French
Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
or Allie Condie’s Matched.
Guys interested in gaming
will love Cory Doctorow’s
Little Brother or those
looking for a non-fiction
title should pick-up Sebastian
Junger’s War. Older
Hitomi Tanaka
Daniel Heydari
Staff Reporter
teens looking for an edgy
book should look to Ellen
Hopkins’ Impulse. Are
you a Gleek? You’ll love
John Green and David
Levithan’s Will Grayson,
Will Grayson.” There are a
total of 22 books to choose
from. A student board even
chose four of those books,
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra
Clare, Impossible
by Nancy Werlin, Leviathan
by Scott Westerfeld,
The Monstrumologist by
Rick Yancey. Students are
encouraged to get involved
in any way, from voting
to helping determine the
master list.
“Eight students
from across the state help
determine the master list
each year. These students
are selected over the summer.
Any interested student
who is an avid reader
can apply online at this
address: www.islma.org/
lincoln.htm,” Mankowski
told us, “At this time, recommendations
for books
that you want on the list
need to be given to your
school librarian, English
teacher or reading
specialist depending on
what adult in your build-
Though the anticipation
for a great Scholastic
Bowl season has just begun,
the promising potential
working to create that anticipation
has been ever-present.
While Hoffman has
numerous clubs devoted to
the arts, athletics, and community
service, Scholastic
Bowl is an activity that
falls under the category of
academic competition. It
is similar to the TV show
Jeopardy in which players
use lock-out systems,
or “buzzers”, in order to
answer various trivia questions
before their opponents
do. Two five-person teams
compete, ideally with each
player specializing in one of
four major areas: literature,
math, science, or history.
Teams also prep in subcategories
such as sports, religion,
pop culture, and geography.
At both the Varsity
and JV level, members show
signs of definite promise.
In terms of numbers, the
JV team has significantly
grown. “As of now, we have
15 members at the freshman-sophomore
level, and
that’s more than ever,” JV
Coach Justin Oneyami said.
In addition to mere attendance,
Oneyami also looks
for members who show sincere
dedication. “We really
want committed players in
the game.” It is the combination
of brains and hard
work that creates a strong
member.
This dedication is
valuable, considering the
time, effort, and preparation
a Scholastic Bowl team
needs to devote in order to
succeed. During their twohour
Monday practices, the
teams go over old matches
ing manages the program
for your school.” Students
across the state are having
their voice heard in each of
these many ways.
“The Abraham Lincoln
Award is designed
to encourage high school
students to read for personal
satisfaction and become
familiar with authors
of young adult and adult
books,” said Mankowski.
As libraries across the
state participate, this goal
is closer and closer to succeeding.
After reading, you
can complete the online
review form, which will
enter your name in a biweekly
drawing to win
some sweet treats and much
more. If you read four or
more books from the list,
you will be eligible to vote
for your favorite book in
a state-sponsored election
and if you are one of those
who want to read all of the
twenty-two books, then
you will be acknowledged
and recognized with a certificate.
So start reading
today.
You can find more
information at http://www.
islma.org/lincoln.htm.
and review over all categories
of questions. They practice
in a setting that closely
simulates a match with another
school, down to using
real buzzers and time
restrictions on answering
questions. This way, they
can best prepare for future
matches with their opponents.
Scholastic Bowl requires
much time and brain
power, but its members
never forget to have fun and
value what the competition
has to offer.
The spontaneity
of Scholastic Bowl is an
aspect that keeps its participants
coming back for
more. Colton Jenkins (‘14)
says he particularly enjoys
the vast possibilities of the
type of questions that may
come up in a future match.
“It’s very open-ended and
mostly about how one is
on the spot rather than just
preparing for anything,” he
said. “There’s nothing you
can really study to become
better at it, you just need
lots of practice!”
Though a club that
heavily depends on individual
knowledge to buzz
in answers, it is the teamwork
that creates a strong
and competitive team. During
bonus questions, for example,
students are given 30
seconds to confer with teammates
in order to answer
each part. It is these time
strains that help create efficiency
and communication
among players. This leads
to the formation of a close
bond between students. “I
like how the majority of my
close friends participate in
it too,” says Rahul Kalluri
(’13). The unexpectedness
of what questions will be
asked keeps it fresh, while
the familiarity of friends
keeps it fun and sociable.
Over the course of
News 3
Wizard’s Chess? The
Next Best Thing
Barathkumar
Baskaran
Staff Reporter
The Chess Team
held tryouts for this year’s
team and this led to the
addition of four excited,
new rookies, eager to begin.
These fresh recruits
include Shreyas Gandlur
(’16), Edgar A. Barraza
(’14), Shaurya Patel (’13)
and Milan Patel (’14).
Many former HEHS Chess
Team members agree that
the turnout for this year’s
tryouts has definitely increased
from last year.
The team is looking forward
to eradicating the
competition this year.
“We are going to
pawn the other team,”
said an enthusiastic Shaurya
Patel (’13). The team
members assist each other
by pointing out flaws and
errors in their strategy
and aid in the improvement
of their technique.
This helps in the evolution
and development of
successful tactics and
reduces the likelihood of
making mistakes during
the competition.
The team then
participates in competitive
meets against other
schools around the district.
Though the first
meet did not go well for
the team, they had one
win, two draws and five
losses, they have worked
hard to improve and are
still determined to defeat
the other teams. Contestant
Shreyas Gandlur provided
the statistical information
on the second meet
held on October 11th. The
second meet this season
ended in two wins and six
losses. The members of
the Chess team are some
of the most strategic and
analytical minds of our
school.
Chess Team and
Chess Club meet every
week on Tuesdays and
Thursdays after school.
This enticing opportunity
to learn and improve
in Chess has been one
embraced by many students
over the years, and
this year’s tryouts are
the greatest reflection of
that.
HEHS is eager for
the victory of this year’s
excellent team.
Scholastic Bowl bound to “buzz” towards success
each season, Hoffman Estates
competes for the Mid
Suburban League conference
championship in January
and February, as well as
for the IHSA state championship
in early March. Preseason
starts in December,
and the actual season starts
in January. There is still
much work to do before
then, but even in the face
of obstacles the team may
need to overcome, their hard
work and dedication is sure
to pull through. “New members
still need to learn the
rules and strategies required
to succeed in Scholastic
Bowl,” Oneyami explains.
“But we obviously want to
win by having competitive
and committed players.”
Kalluri adds, “I hope we
advance to Regionals like
last year!” This seems like
a definite possibility considering
the positive energy
this year’s team exerts.