In Memory of Kyle Stoltz - Grant Community High School

In Memory of Kyle Stoltz
Issue Number V/December 20, 2011
No teacher could ask for a harder working,
more dedicated, selfless individual who was
able to brighten everyone’s day by simply
being there.—Band Teacher Ms. Skolar
I remember how Kyle
would play percussion
with his bandana. He was
always happy
—Amber Smith, senior
Kyle was always ready to put a smile on your face, no matter
how well he knew you. He was one of the most selfless, wholehearted
people I have ever met. His memory will live on in my
heart forever,
and I ask that everyone who knew Kyle could live on in his
legacy and truly make a difference—Kari Bengston, sophomore
Kyle,
You and I were not close friends, but we still were friends. I
remember everyday before marching band practice you and I
would hang out and talk. Sometimes go to the gas station. I remember
when I got the green tie-dye ribbon and it took forever
to cut. Then, when we finally got the last string cut, you were
laughing so hard. I am going to miss you Kyle. Hopefully you
are in a better place now – Christina Daluge, senior
I will always remember his smile
- Ms. Dart, PE teacher
It’s a tragedy
that a life withsuch potential and good
will should be so brief. I hope the whole
of Grant realized what a loss kyle is for
the community.-- R Schmitt, English
teacher
My favorite memory is when Kyle
started saying “What up, G,” Whenever
he saw me and I would respond,
“What up, G?”Or “Hey,G!”
Kyle laughed every single time I
responded like that. His laugh was
infectious. It didn’t matter how bad
of a day I was having or the rest of
his band family was having, hi s
laugh brought a smile to all of our
faces—Ms. Skolar
My favorite memory of Kyle is after ACT testing.
I didn’t have a ride home and he offered to take me home.
We went to McDonalds to eat and ended up staying for hours,
just talking. He was there for me so many times when I needed
someone. Kyle was the most unselfish person I’d ever met in my
life.
He always wanted everyone to be happy.
He always wanted to make
you feel special.
Kyle was a really
special person who
will be in my heart
forever
—Keilah Meyer, senior
There exists many adages about how it’s always
the good guys that go. Kyle Stoltz showed me
that he was a great friend, he was the first kid I
met in high school, where his trademark laugh
and glistening attitude made me realize life after
elementary school was joyous. He made me laugh
and made me feel good about myself every day.
He helped me with my personal problems and he
was always there for me. In my eyes he will be
gone but not forgotten. Rest in peace—Andrew
Robledo, senior

News
Jill Sales
Copy Editor
Zac Crites
Layout Editor
The mysterious detonation that occurred on Nov 12 at an
Iranian military base 30 miles west of the Iranian capital
has raised serious questions about the nation’s growing
nuclear program.
Iranian
government officials
are calling the blast “an
accident.”
The Iranian armed
forces chief of staff has
stated that engineers are
working on weapons that
could give Israel “a strong
punch in the mouth.”
Given Iran’s
generally hostile stance
towards them, the Israelis have good reason to worry,
especially in the light of Iranian president Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad’s past statements that Israel must be “wiped off the map.”
The possibility of nuclear weapons in Iranian hands is probably
somewhat of a hot topic at the Mossad headquarters these days.
theglobeandmail.com
As far as the accidental nature of the aforementioned explosion, some are
unconvinced. Experts say that the detonation may have been the work of a U.S.
or Israeli attempt to slow Iran’s progress in developing a nuclear weapon.
Ever since the popular Twilight Saga written
by
Stephanie
Meyer
came
out, fans
Mikaela Dressendorfer
Staff Reporter
As everyone knows, earlier this month our community lost
a dear member. He was a brother, son, friend, classmate,
and so much more to so many people.
One person affects the lives of so many others, but
there is help for everyone in any situation.
Here at school we offer counseling services in the guidance counselor’s
offices. If you need grief counseling or help with a delicate situation concerning
you or a friend do not hesitate to seek out help.
You can make an appointment with your counselor or a social worker,
or you can just come in whenever you feel you need to talk to someone.
Outside of school there are many services to help with the grieving process.
In Lake County and the surrounding area there are many support groups,
such as The Compassionate Friends.
TCF is a group that offers a supportive environment to those dealing
with grief. The group meets every 3rd Thursday of each month at the Millburn
Congregational United Church of Christ (Address: 19073 W Grass Lake Rd,
Lindenhurst, IL 60046). Even though this group meets in a church it has no
specific religious affiliation.
If you or a friend is contemplating suicide, there is also help outside of
school.
There is no doubt, talking to friends helps a lot, but sometimes that’s not
have adored both the books and the
movies. The books have been very successful
with people of all ages, particularly
teens.
When these fans go to see the
movie Breaking Dawn, which came out
Nov. 18, they expect a relaxing movie
that is hopefully worth their time and
money. Nobody was thinking of seizures.
A seizure is caused by an abnormal
function in the brain. There are
many different types and forms of seizures
that can occur. For movie viewers,
photosensitive seizures are plaguing them.
Photosensitive seizures occur from quick
flashes of light, typically bright white, red, or black.
The subject is sensitive to the flashes, which can
cause a seizure to occur. Seizures usually affect people
who are either young or older, but they can affect
anybody.
Suicide: grief and prevention
“We are definitely doing that,” said Art Keller, a former CIA officer
who worked on Iran. “It’s pretty much the stated mission of the [CIA’s] counterproliferation
division to do what it takes to slow… Iran’s weapons of mass
destruction program.”
The Iranian government has declared their nuclear program is one of
purely civilian intent, aiming to create power plants and medical treatments, rather
than weapons.
The creators of the 2010 “Stuxnet” computer virus didn’t seem to think
so. The highly sophisticated, highly intrusive software crept into the secure
stronghold of Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities and silently destroyed the
centrifuges there, quietly sabotaging the program for some time before discovery.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the creation of the virus, though
the Russian computer security company Kaspersky Lab has stated that the attack
could only have been carried out through “nation-state support.”
In another anonymous attempt at sabotage, an unknown agency killed
two high-level nuclear physicists when their agents attached bombs to their cars
from motorcycles.
Whether or not the U.S. government was involved in these assassinations
is uncertain. President Reagan’s 1981 executive order prohibiting the direct or
indirect involvement of the U.S. in assassinations may outlaw officially ordering
hits such as these, although the term “assassination” is not clearly defined.
In any case, the world is watching rather eagerly as Iran’s nuclear
program inches forward.
Seizures in Movies: The Real Deal
While movies tend to not have very many
cases of seizures, video games and
television shows are more likely to
provoke them.
For instance, a Japan-made kid’s television
show called Pokémon aired an episode that had a
flash of red light in it. This caused many Japanese
children to have seizures or mild illnesses immediately
after the light flash. This episode was taken off
an option, or a person may wish to keep their thoughts private from their loved
ones.
In that case, there are always the suicide hotlines. The national suicide
hotlines are 1-800-SUICIDE OR 1-800-273-TALK.
What should you expect if you call? Any person who answers the
phone is a volunteer who has had some experience with depression or suicide.
Whether it’s someone with firsthand personal experience or someone who has
witnessed a friend or family member experience depression varies.
If you call, these people will be here to hear you out, talk about your
problems, and you should know they are all there because they truly do not
want you to die.
Sometimes just talking through a moment can save a life.
If you know someone that is suicidal, do not be afraid to ask for help
in the situation. A secret like that is deadly. Tell a parent, a teacher, a counselor,
anyone and try to find the right way to help your friend.
Some things to know when you have a suicidal friend are: you cannot say the
wrong thing when you speak out of love, he or she told you because they trust
you enough to let you listen so listen to what he or she has to say, take it seriously
and tell him or her that you are concerned, find out if they have a plan,
and get professional help.
Iranian explosion raises questions about nuclear program
www.transformer-ivan.net
the air.
It is easier for the light in television
shows and movies to be monitored because
the pictures do not change each time they are
viewed. In video games, the picture depends on
how the player performs. This makes it difficult
to determine how the light comes across in
the millions of different possible scenarios.
To avoid having a photosensitive seizure,
there are a few precautions that can be
taken. Using a smaller television and lessening
the amount of time that it is watched will
help the brain to have time to relax and not feel
strained by the picture motions. Watching from
a farther distance also helps, because less of the
screen takes up the person’s vision. It is also a
great idea to sleep well, because seizures will
most often occur when a person is tired.
When unsure of whether or not someone
is prone to a seizure, it is best to consult a doctor
if symptoms occur. These include dizziness and
unresponsive
Whether it is a movie like Breaking Dawn
or television show like Pokémon, photosensitive seizures
remain serious cases like other seizures and
need to be monitored.
2

Strict Internet Filter Frustrates Students
Zac Crites
Layout Editor
A few weeks
ago the Bark staff
received a letter from a disgruntled student
regarding the internet filter here at
Grant. She seemed to be of the opinion
that while there was content on the internet
with legitimate reason to block, the
filter’s screen was just a bit too tight.
Actually, she seemed to think
that the screen was much too tight.
Though it may seem far more
likely for a given student to complain
that they cannot listen to their music or
play games online, there seems to be a
real issue with students who need to research
sensitive topics for sensitive essays.
“I can’t research anorexia because
it’s blocked under ‘self harm.’…
I can’t do my English paper because everything’s
blocked under sex, even the
health websites that the school pays for
from the Library section of the school
website,” says the letter.
Surely if a teacher assigns a
student an essay on a sensitive topic,
that topic should be open to research at
Jill Sales
Copy Editor
school, right? Indeed, health classes are
required to research the cost of raising
a child, but students are foiled in their
attempts thanks a ban on searching for
the costs of things. We wouldn’t want
to see students shopping online during
their study halls.
“I hate all the restrictions,” says senior
Katie Kachur, “The administration
doesn’t trust us, and so they are keeping
us from getting our projects done.”
And for some, the computers at school
are the only way to get assignments finished,
restrictive filter or no.
“Some people don’t have computers at
home, and so this is the only way they
can complete their projects,” says Kachur.
Even extra-curricular activities are affected.
“I can’t even open my e-mail
to look at Debate Team research,” says
senior Sam Smyth.
To be sure, there are a host of
reasons to maintain an internet filter.
The students have a right to not be exposed
to explicit content when others
look it up, and the school has a right
to not have its resources wasted by
students updating their status on Facebook.
At what price, though?
How WELL does school really
prepare us for the real world?
Does high school
really help us prepare
for working and functioning
in the real world and contributing
to our communities?
The nation, state, and even
schools (both high schools and colleges)
set learning standards that teachers have to
teach to and we students have to strive for.
As students at Grant Community
High School we are each required to take
four years of English, three years of math,
two years of science, and three years of
social science to graduate. I don’t have a
problem with the school setting these requirements,
but I feel like they limit some
students from learning the knowledge they
need for their future.
Most students going into a trade
after high school attend tech campus to
learn about their trade. I think this is a great
program that helps students with special
talents and abilities prepare for their future.
But then there are those on the
path to college that have to take the traditional
classes, whether they learn needed
skills from those classes or not.
For example, a student planning
on majoring in biology will, at most, take
two biology classes at Grant; Bio and AP
Bio. This student will, however, take at
least four English classes at the minimum.
In my opinion, I think his time would be
better spent taking more science classes
and less English classes to prepare for his
future because he will use his knowledge
of science more than his knowledge of
English.
I understand both science and
English are important subjects that we need
to learn, but there has to be a better way
to learn about the things we know we will
need in the future.
There is so much pressure now-a-days to
learn at the highest level possible, to make
our transcripts look outstanding, to try and
“get ahead” now, so when we apply to college
we are a more likely to be accepted.
And with the way our society is now, it
feels like we have to go to college.
This is an understandable way
to think, but I believe it leads to students
feeling less prepared than if they took a
smaller range of classes and focused on the
phschools.com writeawriting.com
subjects they enjoy and have a passion for.
I wish learning was more personalized.
There are things that do help us personalize
our educational path like picking our own
classes and taking electives that interest
us, but in the grand scheme of things these
options do little to really prepare us for
the real world because we have to have
a broad focus. By focusing on so many
things at once the quality of our education
declines because we don’t have the time to
learn one thing or a few things really well,
but instead must learn many things, which
we might not know as well or even need to
know at all. It would be better if collegebound
students had a more personalized
path to take like students who go to tech
campus.
Then there is always the argument that all
subjects teach students important skills
other than just the subject information, like
problem solving and critical thinking and
analysis. Even though this is true, I wish
there was another way to learn these skills
without taking classes that we find less
helpful than the ones we enjoy and find
useful.
Wouldn’t it be more useful to have a class
called “Critical Thinking” where students
exercise their critical thinking skills using
everyday scenarios instead of saying “you
need to take Algebra to work on your critical
thinking skills even if you don’t need to
know the material content?”
Which makes me wonder, why do I, and
other students need to take classes that
don’t teach us practical knowledge, or
knowledge we know we will use in the
future?
Obviously, these “useless” classes are different
for everyone, so why can’t everyone
have their own educational path tailored to
their own personal goals and needs?
Maybe this idea is too crazy or too expensive,
or too unrealistic, but I think it’d
benefit society more to have individuals
with talents they can craft throughout high
school and college than have a group of
people that all know the same information.
In this way, high school trains us to be
part of a uniform group, not to be unique
individuals.
I’m not saying school isn’t
important or that students shouldn’t come
to school or rebel in the classes they don’t
like, I’m just saying there’s a better way to
learn the things we have to while focusing
on the things we like and will need to
know once we start our careers.
3
The Bark
Editor-In-Chief
Tori Robertson
Copy Editor
Jill Sales
Layout Editors
Ana Nededog
Zac Crites
Staff Reporters
Freddy Miller
Mikaela Dressendorfer
Aleks Pesovic
Advisor
Mr. Gibbs
Mission Statement
It is the mission of The
Bark to give a voice to
students and to provide
those students a public
forum for student expression.
The Bark is
written with the intention
to give students
and faculty information
fairly and imparially. We
believe that only when
a student body is informed
can it be happy,
safe, and given the freedom
it deserves.
Submission Policy
It is the policy of The
Bark to be a student
newspaper. We value
your opinions and you
have the right to express
them, especially in
the form of writing to
this newspaper. If you
wish to write to The
Bark, you may drop off
your signed letter to
Mr. Gibbs in room 262.
If you prefer to remain
anonymous, we still
need your signature or
your letter will not be
published.
-The Editors-

Opinion/Editorial
Making the school a better place, inspired by Kyle
4
Aleks Pesovic
Staff Reporter
While many people are getting
in the Christmas spirit so are the
stores, but not in the way you
might think.
Stores would get ready for Christmas
starting at the beginning of November even before
many start decorating. Some people may believe
that the stores are truly just trying
to make it better for shoppers when they are really
making the perfect trap for most shoppers.
It is proven that an average person will stay
in a store 30 to 40 percent longer in a store that has
Christmas decorations, scents, or music, and spend
more money than in a store without Christmas
music on.
It used to be that stores and malls would
start the Christmas decorations in December and
end on the day before Christmas, but now they
found out that starting even just one month earlier
could bring in much more profit because of the
Freddy Miller
Staff Reporter
“Between the woods
and frozen lake the darkest
evening of the year.” This is
a line from Robert Frost’s, Stopped by Woods on a
Snowy Evening. The line portrayed the afternoon of
February 2 nd 2010 as the record snowfall began and
Grant Community High School let out its students
in fear of the incoming blizzard of the decade as
foretold by legendary WGN weatherman, Tom
Skilling.
As the night came and the snow even faster,
all of Chicagoland knew that this blizzard was not
just any ordinary blizzard, especially considering
the fact that in downtown Chicago “Thunder-snow”
was reported. It fell with an fury, like the reckless
abandon of an male adolescent on a Saturday night.
With the incredible winds driving it, there was no
mistake that this storm would be one to remember,
perhaps even one big enough to challenge the epic
winter storm of 1967.
The morning after truly was a memorable
“morning after” as most if not all of Chicagoland
was buried alive in snow. Vehicles trapped and left
abandoned on Lake Shore Drive; collapsed roofs in
nearby suburbs and numerous businesses were left
with little to no power. Schools were inaccessible
and so students were left to try and clear their
driveways with their parents. Well over 20 inches
were dumped on the Chicago area and if the reports
lately are true well, the citizens of the Chicagoland
area will be in for an even more rough winter season
this year.
This being said, so far this winter has been
incredibly mild and though we’ve had “measurable
snowfall” residents of this area have only seen snow
wikipedia.org
subconscious comfort of the decorations, music, and
scents.
The comfort people feel causes people to
stay in the stores longer and then they see more
after scraping the morning ice off their cars. It seems
we’ve had more rain than snow but this appears to
only be ruse.
Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather.com Expert
Long-Range Meteorologist and leader of the Long-
Range Forecasting Team, said this winter will be
similar to last year, in terms of both snow and cold
and he also says that in terms of this year versus last
year instead of one big storm like last year, this year
will have several. “Residents of Chicago will want
to move after this year”, he added.
And with 2012 slowly approaching, so
If you have ever had me for a teacher you know that my teaching style
is a bit ‘unconventional.” I like to get to know my students as individuals rather
than as just an ID number in my grade book. For those of you that do not know
me I am that teacher that strolls through the building with a rolling cart handing
out candy randomly to students who have their ID on or who wear red and
white on Fridays.
Kyle Stoltz was one of those students who made a teacher enjoy showing
up for work every day. Mr. Schmitt and I both enjoyed having him in our
class this year. Although Kyle was not the most outgoing student in our first
hour class, he did play an active role in contributing to our first hour class. Kyle
was a very intelligent and caring student. When Kyle did speak it was always
to add something worthwhile to the class. He will be missed greatly by our first
hour class.
In honor of Kyle’s memory I would like to issue a challenge to the
Grant Community High School student body. I would like to walk through the
halls of Grant and see more “random acts of kindness” going on from now on. If
you see someone drop his or her books… stop and help them. If you see someone
struggling and looking like he or she is having a bad day, try to cheer them
up. As I stood and watched a line of students who I did not even know wait patiently
to purchase a wristband, I was overcome with emotion. I also heard one
student walk by and say “why are there so many freshmen in that line? They
probably didn’t even know Kyle.” It doesn’t matter if these students knew Kyle
or not. These students cared enough about our school and about making Grant a
better place that they took the time to stand in line and show their support for a
worthwhile cause.
My challenge goes out to all of my students who I know and love…
Charles, Q, Nick, Tony, Brandon, Chris, Anthony, Hector, Jake, Maurice, Rob,
Ryan, Jaine Mae, Grissel, and so on. You guys know who you are! It is up to
you to start being leaders and show the underclassmen by example that Grant
High School is the best high school in Lake County! Start making Grant High
School a place where students want to come to everyday and spread that bulldog
pride! This is my challenge for you.
My question is… are you up for it?
-Mrs. Barczak
Christmas Spirit Means More Money
“deals” and end up buying more because of this
sense of comfort. It seems as if they start earlier and
earlier to just make more and more money and even
some are open on Christmas day.
It’s proven that over 60 percent of people
spend more than their budget allows, and as the
stores keep on starting earlier the number keeps on
rising. One thing that stores will do is put up sale
signs and even though many of the prices are the
same or more expensive many people will buy the
items “on sale”. This is because when people hear
or see the word sale anywhere near a product they
think they will be saving money when many times
they are not.
Something that stores might start doing is
putting decorations up in October in order to lure
in more people and get more sales and it’s truly not
that surprising.
Old Man Winter; A bone to pick with Chicago
vitualtourist.com
does the Mayan and Nostradamus-predicted, “end
of the world” this winter maybe the arriving of the
Fimbul-Winter before Ragnorak as foretold by the
Norse Myths. Now this may be a stretch but isn’t it
just a tad too coincidental that the one of the harshest
winters is due to arrive the year before the predicted
end of world, just as it was in Norse myth?
Whatever you believe in, this winter should
definitely be one Chicagoans will remember and
resent for years to come. Get your snow blowers,
your shovels, and your plow trucks ready. It’s time
for war.

Celebrity Spotlight: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
5
Victoria Robertson
Editor-in-Chief
This actor, well
known for
his roles in
500 Days of
Summer
and Inception, has created quite the
name for himself in the past few years.
However, he was in many more television
shows and films that audiences
wouldn’t place him in.
For example,
remember That
70’s Show? He
was Eric’s friend,
Buddy Morgan.
How about
the film Ten
Things I
Hate
About
You?
He
was a
lead,
tumblr.com
Cameron James. Even
before that, he was in Angels in the
Outfield as Roger Bomman.
When 2002 hit, he did
an animated film with Disney,
Treasure Planet, where
he was the voice of Jim
Hawkins. And, as a matter of
fact, he was the doctor in G.I. Joe:
The Rise of the Cobra and the voice
of the cobra commander
in the videogame.
collider.com
His most recent
tumblr.com
and possibly most touching
role, placed him in the
2011film 50/50
where he
played Adam.
Levitt
touched
audiences
with his
acting and
proved
his potential
in the industry.
Levitt,
born in Los
Angeles, California in
1981, got his start from
acting as the scarecrow
from the Wizard of Oz
in a
timeinc.net
school play where he was
approached by an agent.
He was only four
years old.
From
that point on,
Levitt has been
working the
Hollywood
scene, as one
of its success
stories. He
started from the
bottom, small
extras roles, and
rose to the top
as leads in hardhitting
films such
as 50/50.
Although he
seems composed at all
times, however, he lost his brother, Dan, in
2010. The actor was hit hard by the loss,
but still managed to keep face and move
past it.
In 2009, he began directing with a 24
minute short story called Sparks and in 2010
he directed again, another short film Morgan
and Destiny’s Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin
Zoo. On top of this and acting, Levitt was also
one of many producers of Slava’s Snowshow, a
Broadway show.
He’s won two awards, one for Best
Actor Under Ten in a Motion Picture for his
performance as Young Norman in A River
Runs Through It, and another for Best
Actor in Mysterious Skin in which he
played Neil McCormick.
He took a break before
his starring role in Ten Things I
Hate About You to attend Columbia
University, and then returned to acting,
better than before. Finally, he runs an online
collaborative production company that is
called HitRECord.
So what can we expect in the future
from Levitt? The third of the Batman series,
The Dark Knight Rises, is to be released in
2012 and is currently being filmed. Levitt
is playing John Blake, a young cop who
has a secret agenda that audiences won’t be
expecting.
I think it’s safe to say the future for
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and
his acting career looks very twimg.com
promising.

Features
6
Christmas around the world
Ann Nededog
Staff Reporter
Ho, ho, ho, ho! Hey kids,
it’s that time of the year
again, when everyone is
preparing for one of the
most anticipated holidays around the world:
Christmas!
As everyone is busy buying gifts,
decorating trees, and hanging mistletoe, let’s
take a little peek on how other cultures around
the globe celebrate their holidays.
Families coming from all cultures have
their own traditions that are passed down from
generation to generation, each one uniquely
different from the other.
The first location we’re going to visit
is the beautiful and colorful country of India,
which is located in the Southwestern part of
Asia.
The Indian culture celebrates their
Christmas holidays similar to the Western
traditions of the world.
They too, put up Christmas trees, hang
lights, feast on food, and celebrate with family
and friends.
freechristmaswallpapers.net
But there are
certain parts
of the country that celebrate just a tad bit
differently, especially in the Eastern and
Southern parts, where Christian faith is
more concentrated.
In the city of Mizoram, everyone
celebrates Christmas as a community,
instead of within their immediate
families. There, everyone is considered
family, and everyone celebrates together.
The people sing carols, called
LengkhawnZai, but they don’t signify
festivity. They more-so signify the
spiritual joy of the holiday, and the
songs are lower and softer in tone.
Decorations are also somewhat
different compared to ours, especially
those of the Indians who live in the
plains. They usually decorate mango and
banana trees, and use the leaves of mango trees
to decorate their homes.
Let’s now head to the southeast
end of Europe, where we’ll find Greece, the
southernmost country of the Balkan Peninsula.
In Greece, Christmas was never really a
major holiday compared to Easter. As centuries
passed however, things started to change, and
Christmas became better known among the
Greek people.
Dimitris
Avramopoulos, the
mayor of Athens,
has even
revived the
importance
of the
Christmas
holiday,
by
erecting
one of
the largest
Christmas
trees in the
continent of
Europe.
The Christmas
tradition in Greece is also
quite different from the
Western tradition.
On Christmas Eve, children from the
village go door to door, offering good wishes
and singing Kalanda, which is similar to the
Christmas carols we sing here in the
United States.
In Greece, food plays a major
role and is one of the main
attractions during festivities.
These large feasts usually
consist of roasted lamb and
pork, and a form of bread called
Christopsomo.
Christopsomo is sweet bread
baked in large loaves, and are
usually different shapes, and the
crusts are usually engraved with
the family’s profession.
flickr.com
digital-photography-school.com
Tradition in the home is also
distinctively different, and Christmas
trees are not as common. In every house,
however, can be a found a wooden bowl, that is
used for spiritual purposes.
The bowl usually contains holy water
and a small cross wrapped in basil hangs on the
edge.
Each day, a member of the family
(usually the Mother), dips the cross into the
water and sprinkles it in each room of
the house to ward of mischievous
spirits called the Killantzarai.
As Greek families
express their spiritual
beliefs, they enjoy the
process and celebration
of Christmas through
food, music, and
dancing.
Next on our
list is South Korea,
located in Asia, on the
Southern portion of the
Korean peninsula.
Like the previous two
countries, Korea does have
similarities to the West, such as
the exchanging of Christmas cards,
attending church services, exchanging
gifts, decorating trees, and caroling.
In Korea, Christmas was never one of
the biggest holidays of the year. They are more
drawn to New Year’s.
Christmas on the other hand, is more
popular with teens and children, and relatives
and children usually get one gift instead of
many gifts.
In Korea, people rarely focus on the
materialistic essence of gift giving. They
instead focus on the meaning behind it.
Like all countries, Korea has their
delicacies and specialties when it comes to
food.
They typical menu for a Korean
Christmas dinner usually consists of sweet
potato noodles, rice cake soup, barbecued beef
(bulgogi), and spicy pickled cabbage (gimchi).
This was just a small
taste of other cultures around
the world during the holiday
season, and there are many
more waiting to be explored.
But no matter what part
of the world you may live in,
Christmas still brings together
family and friends. It also
brings you closer to your
native culture, no matter how
far away you may be.
Merry Christmas
everyone, and Happy
Holidays!
goodenoughmother.com

Sports 8
Girls Basketball: a tighter team now more than ever
Freddy Miller The Lady Bulldogs Basketball
Staff Reporter team always looks to have fun while
playing a solid game and this season
is focusing even more on that. The girls are a
tight group and have good goals in mind for the
season.
“We plan to be successful by working as
a team and playing good defense”, says Senior
Guard, Kassie Stimpson, and that focus has clearly
been shown in the first few games as the girls have
kept the games close.
Even with losses, they have been able to
keep the games within reach, holding opposing
teams to only 96 points their first two games of the
Mundelein Tournament. The final score was 41-
48.
Following those two losses, the girls played
an excellent game against Tinley Park and blew
them out with a score of 61-46; job well done, ladies.
Unfortunately following that game, they lost
to Grayslake North 38-51.
After that, the girls went on a tear winning
two out of their next three games at North Chicago
and Wacaunda.
After that however, the girls lost to conference
rival, Antioch in a close game within three
points and after that lost another very close game
to Cary Grove.
Following up soon will be the Mundelein tournament
from December 20 th through the 22 nd .
Of course, this is only the start and there are
many games ahead of them.
Some of their biggest games are against rivals
Antioch and Lakes and should provide plenty of challenges
for the girls.
And then towards the end of the season, there
is the IHSA regional’s which the girls hope to play
their best basketball of the season at.
clker.com
Player Profile: Kassie Stimpson
Have you seen improvement in your game
over the years?
Looking back to being a little freshman on
varsity, I definitely see improvement in myself
as a basketball player
What areas of your game do you feel you are
strongest in?
I think the strongest part of my game is driving
to the basket.
What has been your fondest memory during
your time playing for the Lady Bulldogs?
The fondest memory I can think of is the time
we beat Deerfield by two points in a tournament.
Morgan Liles got a basket in the last
second, and everyone jumped and cheered. It was a huge win.
What expectations do you have for yourself the rest of the season?
The expectations I have for myself for the rest of the season are high because it’s
my last year here and I want to go out feeling good about myself and my team.
Cheerleading Competitions Start
Aleks Pesovic
Staff Reporter
We have
all been
waiting for the cheerleading
competitions to start this year
and not only was the wait worth
it but they started competition
season off great.
The first competition of
the Coed Varsity Cheerleaders
was against Stevenson high
School on Sunday Dec. 11 and
they proved themselves by
taking first place and managing
to defeat seen other teams
like powerhouse Elk Grove
and Streamwood. Leading up
to this competition they not
only trained hard in practice,
but also did weight training
and it was worth it. Followin
Winter Break, the Varsity squad
will compete at Lake Zurich,
Grayslake North, and Belvidere
for sectionals. Hopefully such
stellar performance will be
repeated again during these
competitions.
The JV Cheerleading
squad also proudly represeneted
Grant by placing 5th out of
10 teams on Sunday and they
will again compete at the same
locaton as Varsity December
18th, January 8th, and January
14th.
They did great! And
this could be attributed to
some factors including all the
support, the hard training all of
them did, and the cheerleaders
themselves having the
determination that they have.
This is only the beginning to a
great start to the competition
season and probably will just
get better. We are all behind the
cheerleading team and support
them all the way.
windowdecals.net

Boys’ basketball demolishes their opponents
Zac Crites
Staff Reporter
The first basketball games of the season
shone greatly on the team, achieving their first
victories away at the Johnsburg tournament.
This season looks to be one of the best
for Grant Basketball, with a team fresh to
continue their winning streak.
“Our team this year is lead by a group
of seniors who all played significant roles last
year and all started throughout the season,” says
coach Bosworth.
The new blood on the varsity team
offers much too.
“Our junior class that is joining them is
a talented group that have experienced a lot of
success in high school,” says coach Bosworth.
The players also look forward to the
new season.
“This season is the season where varsity
shows Grant that basketball is coming up,” says
senior forward Ilya Kadushin.
His teammate shares similar enthusiasm
for the games to come, and the anticipation of
future victories.
“I anticipate us winning the division and
eventually winning a regional for the first time
since 2001 or 2002,” says senior center Jared
Helmich.
On which opponents will present
Grant’s greatest challenges, Warren, ranked #39
in the nation, as well as North Chicago seemed
to be the teams, though the Bulldogs are not
intimidated.
“I think we have a good chance at
beating them and if we do we will most likely
win the division,” says Helmich.
Coach Bosworth also looks forward to
the season.
“We finished 14-13 last year and 8-4 in
the division. With all our returners a year older
and a talented group of juniors stepping in, we
will look to build upon last year’s finish,” says
coach Bosworth.
7
Mikaela Dressendorfer
Staff Reporter
Girls bowling starts strong
The varsity girls bowling team started
strong back on November 26th with a record
of 2-2. After a warm-up match against Zion,
the resulting score against Libertyville was 7-2, with Grant coming out
victorious.
This season, the team is scheduled to compete in a total of twelve
meets and seven tournaments. The season will extend through the rest of
the winter.
With all of these meets and tournaments, the girls have some
competition to expect. Some of the biggest competition that the team will
have includes Antioch, Wauconda, and Vernon Hills.
“Excitement always runs high when we bowl Antioch,” says head
varsity coach Miller.
The team successfully won against Antioch 7-2.
Coach Miller and assistant varsity coach Balanag have made goals
for the team and individual players to meet.
“We expect all of the bowlers to improve her individual game, to
be a positive support for her teammates, and to represent Grant with pride
and class,” says coach Miller.
To start the season strong with this goal in mind, the returning
bowlers had to beat their average from last year to make the team again.
“As long as you try your best, that’s all you can do,” says senior
Jessica Catinella.
Along with Catinella, there are two other returning seniors this
year: Jayne Bender and Stephanie Currie.
In their most recent tournament, which took place at Palatine, the
team obtained an average of 853 pins a game.
“The highlight of the day was Sami Jo Zak bowling a 612 threegame
series,” says coach Miller.
As the season continues, the team will hopefully rise to the top and
win the title as conference champions.
Boys Wrestling starts out strong
Ann Nededog
Staff Reporter
The Grant Community High School wrestling season has finally
begun, and definitely on a good note.
They started off their season against the Libertyville Wildcats on
Nov. 23 at Libertyville. The team came out
victorious with the score of 27-25.
Libertyville High School, ranked
23in state, is an NSC rival for the
Bulldogs, but the team came out strong in
the end, defeating them at a close call.
Congratulations to Quinton
Quarles, Dan Haeffle, Nick Koch, Ben
Soumar, Nick Fanella, Ryan Volpe,
Tony Cashmore, and Steven Herrington
for leading the team to victory under a
pressured match-up against the Wildcats.
On Nov. 25 and 26, Grant
participated in the Barrington Tournament
at Barrington High School, and took
seventh place out of 32 teams, an
astounding achievement for the Bulldogs.
Five wrestlers on the varsity squad
placed in their weight classes during the tournament. Congratulations to
Nick Kramer who took fourth, Soumar who took second, Cashmore who
took third, Quarles who took second, and Haeffle who took fifth.
Their next meet however did not go as well. On Dec. 1, the
Bulldogs played Deerfield High School, which was held at home, and
came out defeated with the final score of 22-36.
The Warriors definitely put up a good fight, and made it a difficult
battle for Grant, but the wrestlers stood tall and put in a
good effort.
The highlight of the night was the 220lb class,
when Quarles matched up with Deerfield wrestling
superstar, Artie Bess, who is ranked second in state.
Quarles did a fantastic job as he fought for a
chance to win, but unfortunately lost with the score of
3-1.
Although they were defeated, Grant stood right
back up as they collided with Vernon Hills on Dec. 2,
and soon participated in the Varsity Quad on Dec. 3.
The team easily took down Stevenson High School
and Waukegan high school. Unfortunately however,
they were defeated by Barrington, who is ranked sixth
in state.
With only two losses, the Bulldogs do have a
bright future ahead of them as the season continues to
unfold.
On Dec. 9, Grant demolished Round Lake High School with the
resulting score of 59-6. Great job to all the varsity players.
Photo: cache1.com