Handle With Care

Volume 56 - Issue 4
December 2022
Adlai E. Stevenson High School
1 Stevenson Drive, Lincolnshire, IL 60069

IN THIS
volume 56
issue 4
stigmatization, desensitization
health to a myriad of -tions in accordance with
our evolving limitations. But why force mental
ISSUERomanticization,
CONTENTS
With this question in mind, Statesman has
taken on this issue with a lens of exploration.
introspective lens, from our social workers to
pressure on student athletes. We hope that our
investigations have helped uncover not only
what mental health can look like but also what
our relationships with ourselves can become.
04 The Forum
KELLY LIU
06 Recalculating Curriculum
07 Diversity On the Ballot
09 Warning: Students At Risk
10 Stigmatizated to Sensationalized
12
14 The Full Spectrum
18 No More Social Distance
20
Wakanda Forever
Speaking Out Against Prejudice
22 A New Perspective
23
24 “No Pressure”
26 Gaming Glitches
27 On A Roll
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Collin Fan
Managing editors
of magazine
Anika Krishnaswamy
Kelly Liu
Managing editors
OF PRODUCTION
Surya Sethi
Aayushi Wadhawan
Managing editors
OF WEB
Lance Locker
Vivian Zhu
Managing editors
OF DESIGN
Jennifer Huang
Shannon Moser
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Yuan
NEWS EDITOR
Angela Guo
OPINIONS EDITOR
Ava Winber
FEATURES EDITOR
Sarah Zhang
SPORTS EDITOR
Nick Corso
WEB EDITOR
Dayna Roberts
COPy editors
Sriya Mamidanna
Nicole Yao
IN-depth Coordinator
Helen Oriatti-Bruns
Multimedia director
Gaurish Lakhanpal
Marketing director
Kyla Smith
Adviser
Dean Bradshaw
staff reporters
Saanvi Adusumalli Fiona Jin
Simran Agarwal Tej Kosaraju
Ansh Aggarwal Nicole Lee
Yumna Ali-Khan Sam Lerner
Eshaam Bhattad Kashvi Nagpal
Rachel Bui Jacob Silverman
Timothy Bui Rajan Sukhatme
Brayden Caldwell Aaroh Tak
Jonah Cooper Ananya Tak
Katya Dubinin Camden Wright
Adi Jaiswal Alexander Xie
Lillian Zhou
1 Stevenson Drive, Lincolnshire, IL 60069
www.statesmanshs.org
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the opinions of the administration, school board, faculty, or student body. Advertising inquiries should be submitted to
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04
26
27
december

community
the
news
forum
Ansh agarwal, lance locker, Rajan Sukhatme, aaroh tak
Breaking the ice
Operation Snowball retreat engages students in
On Dec. 1, 85 Stevenson students
traveled to Camp Timber
Lee in East Troy, Wisconsin for
the annual Operation Snowball
bers
and student Directors led
attendees in games, cooperative
leadership lessons and self-discovery
activities during the
two-night experience.
This year’s Operation Snowball
included outdoor sports
like Gaga Ball, a low ropes
course and unlimited hot chocolate—a
fan favorite. Operation
Snowball intended to promote
team-building techniques and
substance abuse prevention
strategies by guiding students
out of their comfort zones.
Despite qualms about the unfamiliar
environment, Lily Pearl
’26 attended the retreat and was
involved in several extempora-
participant, her favorite was an
interactive presentation on safe
tations.
“[During the presentation,] I
volunteered and a few minutes
later I was dancing with a mannequin
at a fake winter dance,”
Pearl said. “After that, everyone
stood up and started clapping
for me. It really boosted my con-
man
Bilanicz ’23 has attended
Operation Snowball for three
years and led for the past two.
While Bilanicz enjoys Operation
Snowball’s retreat’s entertaining
exercises, he says that
4 news • december 2022
Photo Credit: Jane Caballero
Students walk along a low ropes
course, assisting each other along
the way. Team-building skills were
a main tenet of Operation Snowball,
and students were encouraged
to practice cooperative learning
throughout the event’s activities.
he has continued to come back
primarily for the introspective
activities. One that stands out to
him is Cross the Line, in which
students and faculty are asked
thought-provoking.questions
about their personal decisions.
“Cross the Line has helped
me learn a lot more about myself,”
Bilanicz said. “Our primary
dents
develop positive coping
strategies, and we want students
to have fun.”
nal
year of Operation Snowball,
Sam Goldwasser ’23 has had the
perspective of a participant, a
Director. For Goldwasser, the
retreat is an opportunity for
those who feel like outsiders
community.
“When I was a participant,
I gained a sense of belonging,”
Goldwasser said. “Now as a Director,
I get to give that experience
to another student.”
Sculpting success
Winter ArtFest displays crafted artwork from
Stevenson’s various art classes
Stevenson’s annual Winter
ArtFest was in full swing on
Dec. 6 and 7. The event showcased
and celebrated the work of
Stevenson’s art students.
The show consisted of artwork
created by each student
artist in all art classes. This
event was open to all, as every
student enrolled in an art class
this semester was given space
on a display panel to showcase
lead ArtFest sponsor, believes
that ArtFest is a one-of-a-kind
experience that captures student-created
work from all the
“It really is a celebration of
the awesome work and learning
that the students are doing,”
every display panel has a good
have photography, a lot of computer-generated
imagery, painting,
drawing, mixed media pieces,
metals jewelry, ceramics and
sculptures.”
be able to display their work for
people to see, emphasizing the
importance of receiving recognition
for how hard they work
A bust is displayed
at the Winter
ArtFest event
in room 2104.
The ArtFest
represented media
from all of the
various art and
photography
classes.
to craft their projects. However,
some students such as Carson
Freund ’25 believe that choosing
the right piece can be stressful.
“I feel a bit of pressure to pick
my best piece of art,” Freund
said.
Though ArtFest captured the
semester art classes, there will
be similar events and additional
competitions near the end
of second semester, such as the
Consortium Art Festival. While
these events promote celebration,
they also serve as a means
encourages students to further
pursue their interests in other
art classes while also giving
teachers a glimpse into their
students’ hobbies.
“I always hear from oth-
how much they appreciate seeing
[ArtFest], as they might not
realize what creative skills their
the art teachers, it is really fun
for us to see what our former
students are doing in their new
art classes.”

changing chairs
Chairs throughout Stevenson are being replaced
Due to the age of Stevenson’s
chairs, the administration
is gradually adding new chairs
in classrooms across the school.
The new chairs are initially being
introduced in the West
Building, and will expand to the
East Building as the school year
progresses.
The new chairs are backed by
researched advantages over traditional
seating, aiming to improve
students’ ability to pay attention
in class. Principal Troy
Gobble explains that this advantage
was important in choosing
the exact chair model. Another
major cause for the change is the
the chairs as they become older.
“There’s a fair amount of evidence
that shows [the new
chairs] require you to stay a little
more physically attentive to
your space, which makes you
stay more mentally attentive to
your space,” Gobble said.
According to a majority of
students, the 3D rocker mechanism
found in the chairs is a
point of controversy as it can
potentially have a negative impact
on the student’s learning.
the primary purpose of this
mechanism, activating the core,
actually improves student attention.
Evan Fredin ’25 believes
that this feature might be a dis-
for others.
“I sometimes want to move
Witty remarks
Failed Presidential Candidates leave audience laughing
“The GOAL of FPC
is to have fun.”
ADITEE SAKHARE ’23
On Friday, Dec. 9, the Failed
Presidential Candidates (FPC)
improv troupe had their audience
cracking up during their
winter show. The performance
featured improv games, which
often includes creating short
on audience members to suggest
words or phrases that FPC uses
to create their scenes.
During practices, FPC’s three
captains ensure the 22 troupe
members practice each game
format prior to the performance.
FPC co-captain Aditee Sakhare
’23 says this more rehearsed style
of improv has allowed students
to familiarize themselves with
the concepts of each game while
still maintaining its unexpected,
improvisational nature.
“I’ve learned a lot of good
skills like spontaneity, taking
risks and being able to perform
in front of people without feeling
too nervous,” Sakhare said.
Sakhare adds that improv
teaches important skills, for
both performances and students’
futures. FPC practices are hosted
weekly, with commitments
increasing closer to the performance.
Often during rehearsals,
leads and explains the games,
encouraging students to apply
certain skills and concepts to
their performances.
“Students learn how to be an
active listener and how to take
what someone is saying and add
to it,” Forberg said. “We call it
‘yes, and….’”
The development of these
critical skills is supported by
Forberg and his curriculum for
the club. Forberg has changed
the way FPC works, adding new
elements to their games such as
Hosting, in which a student is
selected to “host” a game, essentially
taking charge of the scene.
ly
important skill to be able to
sense the scene and what’s going
to happen, and then curate it,”
Forberg said.
Forberg feels that hosting allows
troupe members the chance
to anticipate the actions of their
fellow performers and learn to
end scenes on time. This ensures
that their improv scenes stay
entertaining because the hosts
know to end the scene when the
troupe starts to run out of ideas.
“The goal of improv is to always
try to make the other person
look good on stage,” Forberg
said.
around, and just shifting around
on chairs does help, but for other
students I feel [their] focus is
the chairs rather than paying
attention,” Fredin said.
A survey of 107 students
from several classes about the
new chairs found that over 75
to be less comfortable than the
old ones. Students described the
chairs as “not the most comfortable
to sit in for a longer period
of time” and “shaky nightmares,”
but some saw the ability
of the chairs to “prevent falling
asleep in class,” the intended
purpose.
The Stevenson administration
is working with Sodexo
partners to assemble and install
these chairs, which is a
time-consuming process. Gobble
says that students can expect
to see more of their classes having
these new chairs as they are
gradually replaced throughout
the school.
“I would expect [all chairs to
be replaced] by the end of the
year, it would be a nice, manageable
timeline. It might be much
faster than that.” Gobble said.
“we have a very updated school
and it’s pretty comfortable place
for kids. we’re changing the
chairs because we have to do that
anyway.”
principal troy gobble
Failed Presidential Candidates (FPC) alum and former captain Wyn Thomas
’22 returns to watch a rehearsal. FPC rehearsals provide an opportunity
Forberg emphasizes that the
members of FPC rely on their
teammates while performing,
whether their teammates are
hosting or participating in the
scene with them. Sakhare says
she and many other members
tinuing
with the troupe, many
of which include the skills they
learn through FPC.
“The goal of FPC is to have
fun,” Sakhare said. “All of us
really like comedy and making
people laugh.”
www.statesmanshs.org • 5

AB Pathway
Geometry
Accelerated
MTH271
RECALCULATING
CURRICULUM
Math department removes honors-level geometry, precalculus from curriculum
Eshaam Bhattad, Vivian Zhu
Algebra 2
Accelerated
MTH171
Precalculus AB
Accelerated
MTH371
AP Calculus AB
MTH471
BC Pathway
Geometry
Accelerated
MTH271
Algebra 2
Accelerated
MTH171
Precalculus BC
Accelerated
MTH391
AP Calculus BC
MTH491
6 news • december 2022
Starting with the 2023-2024 school
year, the precalculus and geometry
students interested in learning geometry
will either take College Prep Geometry or
Geometry Accelerated, while those taking
precalculus will enroll in College Prep
Precalculus, Precalculus AB Accelerated or
Principal Troy Gobble explained that
the administration added new courses to
is meant to lessen the confusion between
math pathways, especially for incoming
are called college prep or accelerated unless
for all of the AP courses and dual-credit
courses with a local community college
-
-
and precalculus with accelerated classes
taking geometry in eighth grade at our
they might come here and take Algebra
2 as freshmen, while in the past that or-
When we made this change, we also made
Precalculus AB and BC accelerated will
Valerie Tomkiel, Assistant Director of Math,
said the distinction between the two classes
will encourage students to consider their ac-
“Right now, students in Precalculus
in Precalculus Accelerated go to AB,” Tomkiel
help students better understand the purpose
Precalculus AB and Precalculus BC could bet-
students may be concerned about how this
who wish to take up more of a challenge and
lose that choice under the new changes,”
-
math courses for students to take will lessen
-
with the new math curriculum, students will
feel less pressure in choosing the most rigor-
“More than half of the majors in col-
students can become way better at choosing

Diversity
on the Ballot
Community reacts to midterm election results
Simran Agarwal, Yumna Ali-Khan
The midterm elections concluded
in November with many no-
including Florida’s Representative-
Massachusetts’ Governor-elect Maura
voted into Massachusetts’s guberna-
-
However even with shifts in power
of underrepresentation as Congress
remains dominated by historically
is necessary yet is discouraged as many
voters are unaware of their district’s
“We know who’s running for gov-
though I believe that they] have a much
larger amount of control than the fed-
only approximately 39 percent of citizens
knew their district representatives
centage
of people aware of their local
sees in creating diversity within local
who emphasizes the importance of
not only being aware of politics on all
-
voters have more knowledge on who
an impact on the direction of election
“[Government teachers have] really
tried to push this idea that every single
less towards the president than it does
towards these other [state senators and
reps] who are going to directly impact
Gutierrez and Han both emphasize
the importance of holding citizens accountable
for their votes to see the diverse
representation necessary within
for increased diversity within govern-
her feelings of being underrepresented
but not wanting to be actively involved
moved multiple times between India
“If you want
your voices heard,
then you should
vote because It’s
your life.”
Edward HaN ’24
DEBATE and MODEL
UN MEMBER
her mental health during election time
-
“Youth can often get targeted with
ist
because that could happen [in any
my shoulder to make sure there aren’t
people who absolutely despise my
potential reversal of laws and prece-
that the uptick in political participation
from minority demographics can help
to bridge the gap between constituents
and their lack of representation within
[and other minority groups] represent-
that happen on both sides of the aisle
to continue to build that diversity
[in Congress] and really mirror what
to see a continued increase in diversity
lights
the importance of civic engage-
through voting is necessary to see the
alize
that it helps determine what the
7

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Warning: Students At Risk
22-23 SEM 1
Pros
From freshman to senior year, each academic year
Katya Dubinin and Ananya Tak
CONS
W
www.statesmanshs.org • 9

STIGMATIZED TO
SENSATIONALIZED
Statesman confronts desensitization, romanticization of mental health issues,
urges students to pursue change
I’m so depressed. I’m such a failure. I’m
tired of trying.
All too often, these words and
phrases frequent our halls—after a
physics test, during a group project,
as the initial reaction to any minor
inconvenience. While these passing
discussion of mental health has become
increasingly normalized in our culture,
they are also indicative of a dangerous
trend that threatens to devalue mental
health struggles within our community.
Over the past decade, mental health
has gradually become recognized as an
essential part of our overall well-being.
Where social stigma and institutional
barriers previously discouraged discussion
and limited opportunities for those
seeking treatment, society has now begun
to advance its awareness of mental
health.
In short, we’ve come a long way.
Yet, as our understanding of mental
health has evolved, the growing usage
of mental illness-related terminology in
our everyday vocabulary raises a new
question: has poor mental health been
normalized to the point where it is no
longer perceived as an issue?
Statesman believes that the desensitization
of mental illness creates a new
kind of mental health stigma—one that
discourages serious discussion and deters
individuals from receiving treatment.
After all, when everyone seems
to be facing the same insurmountable
challenges, individual struggles with
When mental illness is reduced to
10 14 opinions • december 2022
magnitude of the issue. Although mental
health problems are still prevalent,
they are rarely addressed beyond jokes
or passing remarks. This new normal
can even take on a competitive quality
as students compare past traumas,
hours of sleep or levels of stress—who’s
got it the worst?
This problem typically emerges
when mental illness becomes an accessory—when
individuals no longer seek
to confront or resolve their struggles
because mental illness has been normalized
to such an extent that it is seen
as an aspect of one’s personality. Some
even romanticize it to the point that it
is seen as desirable.
Contributing towards this illusion of
desirability, media portrayals of mental
illness exemplify the precarious balance
between destigmatization and desensitization.
On one hand, TV shows such
Thirteen Reasons Why and
HBO’s Euphoria have been commended
for promoting conversations about
mental health. However, this type of
“sad art” often aestheticizes conditions
such as anxiety and depression, attach-
The desensitization
of mental illness
creates A NEW KIND
OF STIGMA that
discourages serious
discussion and
deters individuals
from receiving
treatment.
romanticization of mental illness in the
media creates unrealistic perceptions of
the reality of these conditions, glamorizing
or demonizing the everyday
without proposing real solutions.
Statesman advocates for the holistic
portrayal of mental health in the media
because incomplete representation is
misrepresentation. When a movie or
TV show sensationalizes mental illness
without suggesting a potential solution,
its unhealthy depiction of mental illness
distorts the experiences of its viewers,
becoming detrimental to the way they
perceive themselves and their mental
health.
When we take the time to address
mental health in a realistic and serious
way, we are capable of overcoming
misconceptions to introduce change.
A survey conducted by the American
percent of American adults now agree
that having a mental health disorder is
percent believe that those with mental
illness can get better. The progress that
society has made in the past few years
versations
about mental health are pay-
At the same time, though, simply
acknowledging mental health struggles
towards a permanent solution. In the
past decade alone, rates of depression
among adolescents have increased by
52 percent. The continued prevalence
of mental health issues in our communities,
despite our belief in the capacity

for change, calls into question our willingness
to take legitimate action.
Statesman urges students to exercise
restraint when using mental health nomenclature
in everyday speech; there
are far better alternatives to joking
about mental illness as a means to cope.
Professional attention is necessary in
order to properly address mental health
challenges. A clinical diagnosis, prescription
medications, therapy and other
methods of professional treatment
mental disorders.
-
health services to all Stevenson students,
the administration’s message can
get lost in translation. Often, there exists
the misconception among students
that mental health resources should
only be accessed under the most severe
circumstances—when you risk being
harmed, harming yourself or harming
others. Other times, the perception that
mental healthcare will compromise
one’s academic or social life deters students
from seeking treatment.
We have made progress in normalizing
the reality of mental illness, but we
have yet to normalize open discussion
about mental health in a serious light.
Statesman calls on students to take responsibility
for their own mental health
and access the resources made available
to them. Ultimately, we understand
ourselves best; rather than resorting to
self-diagnosis and averting treatment,
we must learn to acknowledge when
we need external assistance. In an institution
as privileged as Stevenson, students
have countless avenues to wellness,
including peer tutors, freshman
mentors and Student Support Teams.
Counselors, social workers and psychologists
shouldn’t exist as a last resort.
It is important to let others know that
seeking help is not a sign of weakness.
Statesman encourages students to stay
connected with their friends and loved
ones so that students may confront
mental health challenges together rather
than trivialize or internalize their
struggles. Even as social expectations
discourage students from communicating
their problems, encouragement
from peers can help hold students accountable
for their own mental health.
Addressing the devaluation of mental
illness while simultaneously allowing
for the serious discussion of mental
health isn’t an easy task. How can we
normalize mental illness without romanticizing
it? Only through authentic
representation and open discourse can
we develop a more holistic understanding
of mental health, and only through
personal accountability and mutual
support can we develop lasting solutions.
Although we’ve come a long way,
we still have a long way to go.
CARTOON BY FIONA JIN
www.statesmanshs.org •
11

Wakanda Forever
Nick
Corso
Jacob Silverman
Grossing $181 million at the box of-
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12 opinions
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SPOILERS AHEAD: ing
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Submit completed crossword to this
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chance to win a prize!
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www.statesmanshs.org • 13

Amid misunderstandings,
neurodivergent students
advocate for inclusivity
Rachel Bui
Collin Fan
Angela Guo
Shannon Moser
14 features • december 2022
Jemma
J
Partin ’26* lies on a hospital
bed, her blood test running
on an analyzer. She recalls the
student, the disinfecting spray he had
used to prank her, then the anger that
had engulfed her mind. She had lashed
out with insults and threats, the anger
drowning out her teacher’s calls.
Partin was rushed to the hospital under
speculation of substance use. But in
reality, she had no control over the sudden
outburst.
Having experienced an overwhelming
wave of emotion, Partin was diagnosed
with an anger management
controlling her emotions leads peers
and teachers to misinterpret the nature
of her outbursts. Partin says that
neurodivergent students—those with
variations in cognitive function such as
disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia—are often
subject to misunderstanding.
“If you were born with a disability
learn, people never really accept you as
you are,” Partin said. “People look at us
like we’re weird and don’t usually want
to be friends with us. They don’t understand
the problems we face and how
and do things.”
Occasionally, Partin experiences
-
whelmed
by anger. To mitigate frustration
towards her lack of control over
sudden outbursts, Partin incorporates
relaxation methods like reading and listening
to music into her schedule.
“I feel like I’ve learned to control myself
more,” Partin said. “Anger wasn’t all

about what my life was—I knew that I
had to change something.”
healthy social interactions, neurodivergent
students may also face obstacles
in traditional learning environments.
Mark Rhode ’23*, who is enrolled in
both general and special education
disrupts his focus.
“Whenever I can’t complete my
worksheet, I feel frustrated,” Rhode
said. “Sometimes when I work with
teachers that are strict, I show unexpected
behavior: jumping, yelling,
table. Learning something new confuses
me, and I make lots of mistakes.”
To support him through these experiences,
Rhode’s paraprofessional, a
credentialed special education worker,
provides academic guidance in tandem
ing
strategies when Rhode feels upset
or anxious. Psychologist Katherine
cult
for students to connect with peers
because of barriers in interpreting body
language or non-literal phrases.
“Communicating with peers as high
schoolers is already a little fraught to
begin with,” Casey said. “If you layer
on any social communication needs or
and establishing communication much
With this in mind, Casey urges all
students to understand how autism
cues, emphasizing that awareness of
cues can create a more accepting envi-
and treating them with respect is paramount
to building a comfortable environment
for neurodivergent students
like Rhode.
“Recently, by the library, when I was
walking in the hallway, two people were
laughing and making fun of me,” Rhode
said. “My paraprofessional tried to tell
know why they did that; I don’t think it
was related to my autism—some people
are just mean.”
Similarly, Partin sometimes feels isolated
at school due to a lack of knowledge
of her condition among other
students. In what she believes to be a
shared experience among many neurodivergent
individuals, Partin says
she has even received insensitive comments
from her neurotypical friends.
“Friends in the past have said, ‘Why
can’t you just be a normal person?’”
Partin said. “I get that people might
be annoyed by [my] disability, but that
doesn’t keep us from being normal.”
Partin believes that neurodivergence
should be accepted as a natural
part of being human—the same sentiment
stressed by activists during the
neurodiversity movement of the 1990s.
Historically, up until then, neurodivergent
conditions had mostly been regarded
as disorders that needed to be
corrected.
In light of mistreatment, the movement
coined the term “neurodiversity”
to clarify that neurodivergence is merely
a variation in the way people think,
As the US became more aware of disparities
neurodivergent students face,
Congress passed a series of acts to expand
access to a fair education.
One such piece of legislation,
the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act of 1975, introduced the
Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a
modations
personalized to
Intellectual
disabilities
Autism
Social
anxiety
Dyslexia
Tourette
syndrome
each student’s academic and functional
needs. With the introduction of IEPs,
the proportion of students in the US
who received special education support
increased from 4.5 percent to 14.5 percent
between 1977 and 2021. According
to Illinois Report Card, roughly 400
current Stevenson students are included
in this proportion.
Anika Lamba ’23, whose ADHD interrupts
her focus in a traditional classroom
setting, receives accommodations
during exams in accordance with her
IEP, allowing her extended time and a
separate testing center with tests read
aloud. As a visual learner, Lamba says
math can be more of a challenge for her
than other courses.
“Let’s say there’s a math problem in
front of me—I can’t do it cognitively
because I need a workspace to do it on,”
Lamba said. “I’m allowed to use a calculator
and my summary sheet on all my
tests, so that helps me.”
While some students like Lamba are
mostly enrolled in general education
classes, others may take supplemental
special education courses as part of their
IEPs. For example, in addition to his
core classes, Rhode has a full schedule
of piano lessons, cooking, recreational
therapy and working at the ILC built
into his school day. Some students like
Jane George ’23 take speech therapy, a
weekly program that helps students
achieve their communication goals.
Mental health
conditions
ADHD
Prader-Willi
syndrome
Sensory
processing
disorders
Williams
syndrome
Source:
Cleveland Clinic
*Not all types of
conditions included
*

“The speech therapist teaches you
terms of speech,” George said. “My pre-
ple’s
perspectives, and since I met that
goal, we moved on to friendships and
conversations.”
George’s goal of building social
communication skills is an example of
pragmatic language development, one
of many focus areas of speech therapy
ical
thinking skills and receptive and
expressive language. As a speech-language
pathologist, Katie Bennett regularly
sets goals with her students, using
improvement. Though Bennett—in
collaboration with a Student Support
Team—ultimately creates a list of individualized
goals, she is open to the input
of students and their families.
“If a student is working on language,
we incorporate what they’re doing in
their actual classes,” Bennett said. “I begin
by asking my students, ‘Is there anything
that you need?’ They learn how
to self-advocate and then I can support
them that way.”
Although Bennett acknowledges that
growth is not always linear, she is always
ready to challenge her students,
readjusting their goals or adding new
her students’ skills in the same way,
Casey helps students with autism or intellectual
disabilities in the Educational
Life Skills course to build social aware-
therapy and Educational Life Skills
“We should not
put the burden on a
neurodivergent person.
It's all of us that should learn
about others so we can get
along and work together,
be more open, accepting,
empathetic.”
Katie Bennett,
speech-language
pathologist
programs teach strategies
for students to
communicate more
classmates and teachers,
providing a pathway to
accessible education.
Education department
like Casey and
Bennett work between
Stevenson
4.5%
and the Exceptional
in 1977
Learners Collaborative
(ELC), a special education
organization serving
school districts around the Lake
County area. Elizabeth Lamb, ELC
Coordinator of Programs, Services and
Paraprofessionals says that students
who take additional classes within the
Special Education department may take
them either on campus or at one of the
West, based on their needs.
“The continuum goes from general
education all the way through to pri-
schooling for students who wouldn’t
have their needs serviced at a traditional
four-year comprehensive high
school,” Lamb said. “We might have an
IEP meeting and determine that a student
would go to ELC West because
that would best serve their needs.”
While ELC East provides supplemental
courses to students of high
school age, ELC West acts as a transition
center, focusing on preparing students
ages 18 to 22—particularly those
who are nonverbal or need support for
daily living—to become independent
adults. In ELC West, students learn how
to prepare meals, do laundry and practice
skills that could be used in future
jobs, such as making candles and
testing batteries. The program
also connects Stevenson students
with other high schools to build
a sense of community among
neurodivergent students.
“Students work with other
transition programs—maybe at
Mundelein High School or Lake
Proportion of students in
the U.S. receiving special
education support
increased from
to
Source: National Center for Education Statistics
14.5%
in 2021
Zurich High School—where they come
together and do some social things together,”
Lamb said. “The ELC also put
out some programs for parents and
guardians in the community to talk
about how to best support their students
and some community agencies
that would help them out.”
ate
an accessible environment, students
like Lamba still see room for improvement.
Lamba believes that some
teachers—even those in the Special
Education department—need to spend
more time recognizing students’ educational
needs. While Lamba has adapted
in her own ways—employing strategies
like reviewing Quizlet sets and writing
study guides—she hopes teachers make
divergent
students.
“The teachers should be patient, even
if it’s a special education classroom,”
Lamba said. “Even though it’s a smaller
setting, the teachers still rush, going at a
really fast pace. They should slow down
a little bit and make it so that people can
understand, write and do the work.”
During individual or small group
therapy sessions, Bennett says that she
is able to match her students’ pace, one
of the ways she accommodates all learners.
For her, helping students progress

requires a full understanding of their
experiences. Bennett emphasizes her
commitment to advocating for the neurodivergent
community and a more inclusive
school environment.
“As a neurotypical person, I do not
want to make assumptions about a
group I do not personally identify with,”
Bennett said. “Truly, the goal is to not
change [a neurodivergent] person, but
to educate them about the social world
so they know how to better navigate it.”
Bennett stresses the importance of
allyship between neurotypical and neurodivergent
individuals to build equal
opportunities across the spectrum.
Citing her own goal to attend college,
Lamba believes others should not create
assumptions based on her ADHD.
“I’m still open-hearted and kind,”
Lamba said. “I have a lot of empathy
towards people. Even though I’m diagnosed
with ADHD, I won’t let other
people look down on me and say that I
Like Lamba, Partin also underscores
a collective responsibility to look past
each other as peers and classmates.
Ultimately, Partin stands by acceptance,
urging the Stevenson community to
uplift the voices of neurodivergent students
like her.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or
where you’re coming from—everybody
is still human,” Partin said. “We should
accept people for the way they are.”
*Name changed to protect anonymity
Above: A student at one of the Exceptional
facilities uses an eye gaze system to test the
charge in batteries to practice job skills. The
ELC also sponsors a store where students sell
candles, jewelry and home decorations to
gain more work experience.
member of Animal Welfare Club, Rhode enjoys
the Community Based Instruction trips he
takes to the zoo and local farms as a
special education student.
www.statesmanshs.org • 17

No More Social
Distance
Social workers serve
students, balance
responsibilities
Kashvi Nagpal
Helen Oriatti-Bruns
Surya Sethi
Anita Maya ’23* opens emails
from her social worker, reading
records of past conversations
before clicking on a link to sched-
it, she hesitates.
As Maya deliberates, social worker
Janet Sushinski meets with a counselor
to discuss student care, having just assisted
a student dealing with eviction.
Meanwhile, Ellie Kroc ’26 receives a
pass to visit her social worker, and she
packs her bag before heading out of the
door of her math classroom.
Suddenly, Maya changes her mind
ited
her social worker as a junior, she
appointment on Calendly as her social
worker didn’t have many appointments
available during Maya’s open periods.
Other students experience little dif-
uled
an appointment with her social
worker, she emailed her social worker
before scheduling an appointment on
Calendly and found her social worker’s
schedule clear.
“My experience with [my social
worker] was super positive straight
from the beginning,” Kroc said. “I had
to self-advocate and message her myself
to make an appointment, so that’s
the only downside, but it worked out
great.”
Despite Kroc being able to schedule a
timely appointment, Maya was not able
to do so. Maya scheduled her appointment
for about a week later. Due to the
length of time that passed, she felt that
the meeting was no longer necessary.
Depending on their schedules and
level of mental health need, students
18 features • december 2022
ing
meetings. On the other end of the
Calendly are social workers who must
balance their other responsibilities with
meeting students. Sushinski spends part
of her day pushing out announcements
for her student support group, Children
of Addicts, and talking with counselors,
deans, therapists and faculty about student
care.
there and meet more students and do
more ‘tier one’ support, [as] the impact
of the pandemic on everyone’s mental
said. “That’s always our challenge: how
do we get the word out and then also
make sure we’re accessible for students’
needs?”
Ideally, Sushinski says that she would
like more time to meet with students
so that social workers can do more ‘tier
school-wide mental health resources
and programs. Because social workers
are often busy, some students like Kroc
suggest that the school should hire
more social workers.
Stevenson currently employs four
social workers and four psycholo-
100%
15.9%
118
counselors and deans to form Student
Support Teams (SST) for individual
students.
Though these eight professionals
serve the entire student body, only
slightly under 118 students on average
visit their social worker or psychologist
each week, according to Sarah Bowen,
Director of Student Services. Bowen
says that because students are assigned
to an SST where they work with either
a social worker or a psychologist, the
number of social workers hired yearly
depends on numerous factors, including
the number of students that attend the
school and check into Student Services.
“The school goes through a process of
looking at how many students we’re going
to have each upcoming year, as well
as considering other data points regarding
student needs,” Bowen said. “Those
are the sorts of things that inform how
many counselors, social workers and
cess
Stevenson utilizes for determining
the number of social workers is
comprehensive, some students believe
that their concerns are not adequately
addressed due to a perceived lack of social
workers. Maya explains that having
of faculty participate in
yearly mental health training
of students have met with
their social worker or
psychologist
students a week see their
social worker or psychologist

more social workers could allow students
to have more meaningful time to
speak with their social worker. Due to
the amount of social workers, students
typically receive 15 minutes to meet
with their social worker.
Maya mentioned being frustrated
that she felt her time was rushed as the
social worker had other students scheduled
to meet with after her.
Despite some concerns about the
length of meetings during the school
day, students can meet with their social
workers beginning at 7:45 a.m. and go
the event of a mental health emergency.
However, Maya feels that these policies
gency
appointments with social workers
are not supposed to be scheduled
during academic classes.
“Class shouldn’t be the most important
thing in [a mental health] scenario,”
Maya said. “Getting back to my English
lesson shouldn’t be more important
than [saying], ‘Hey, I’m going through
something right now, and I need to talk
about it.’”
Despite Maya feeling as though social
workers do not have the time to
meaningfully address her concerns,
some students describe having valuable
relationships with their social workers.
Kroc, who often visits her social
worker, thinks that social workers facilitate
positive relationships with their
students partly through outreach in
advisories.
“I’m super comfortable going to my
social worker; I believe that we have a
super strong connection,” Kroc said.
“Advisory as a freshman was really, really
helpful [for] introducing our social
workers.”
Alongside outreach in freshman advisories,
the “Report a Concern” program
is one way SSTs identify students
they need to meet with. By scanning a
QR code on signs around Stevenson,
students can alert the administration
of observed concerns, including mental
health struggles. According to Bowen,
it is also common for students to walk
to Student Services to alert teachers and
gists
or counselors.
“I’m so proud that our students do
such a good job of looking out for one
another and taking care of one another,”
Bowen said. “They are often the
share concerns about their friends and
their peers.”
Bowen estimates that it is more common
for students to report concerns
in-person as opposed to through the
website. However, many students, including
Kroc, have still used the website
after witnessing a safety concern.
Administrators check the website each
school day so any concern is addressed
quickly.
“I submitted a report, and the next
day I had to write a statement with my
dean,” Kroc said. “I think people just
need to know [that Report a Concern
is] there and utilize it when they need
to.”
Kroc reported a safety concern due
to a teacher, but some students feel that
cult.
Students like Maya are reluctant to
report other students because it seems
like a breach of trust.
one’s going to report their friend…[because
it feels like] you’re going behind
their back and telling an adult something
that is very private,” Maya said.
Some students may also feel hesitant
reaching out to social workers
due to mandated reporting. Mandated
reporting is the duty of social workers
and psychologists to alert appropriate
authorities—including parents—if
students disclose information indicating
that they are in danger of harming
themselves or others.
“That’s our challenge:
how do we get the word
out and also make sure
we’re accessible for
students’ needs?”
Janet Sushinski,
Social Worker
hesitancy some may feel, they want to
convey that mandated reporting allows
students to be safer. Social workers like
Sushinski also advocate for students to
review mandated reporting rules with
their social worker at the beginning of
an appointment.
Sushinski said. “I always tell students…
to use the ‘what if’ scenario; ‘Hey, Ms.
Sushinski, what if somebody told you
that their parent threw a plate across
that be something you have to report?’”
Sushinski believes that students asking
if a hypothetical problem will be
reported and disclosing personal details
allows them to know which details
need to be reported for their safety. In
Sushinski’s example, she would not need
to report the information. However,
social workers aren’t the only mandated
reporters; any safety concerns that stu-
reported to the Department of Children
and Family Services and SSTs.
their teachers about their problems because
they are more familiar with their
teachers than their SST. Bowen says
that all Stevenson faculty participate in
mental health training once a year, so
teachers are able to talk with students
or refer them to their SSTs in the case
of an emergency. Although teachers can
take the initiative to alert SSTs, Kroc
encourages students to seek out their
social worker directly to handle mental
health concerns.
“I think a lot of students just don’t
realize that you can have a casual conversation
with your social worker and
[create a] plan, whether [the issue is]
academic or personal,” Kroc said. “My
social worker and I work weekly together
and a lot of the things that we
talk about are just personal life issues,
challenges and also [my] personal traits
and characteristics.”
*Name changed to protect anonymity
www.statesmanshs.org • 19

Speaking Out
Against Prejudice
Women within competitive clubs recall incidents
Nicole Lee, Camden Wright, Sarah Zhang
At a Model
UN conference,
Lindsey
Wang ’23 reads the
notes on her legal
pad and articulates
her points during an
unmoderated caucus,
a time free for open
policy discussion. As
she starts to speak, one
of her two male opponents
stands up and instructs
her to stay quiet
for 30 seconds as his partner
talks. L. Wang is taken
aback as her opponent
starts counting to 30.
As a member of Model
UN, Debate and Mock Trial, L.
Wang has experienced similar
situations in each of these public
speaking clubs. At competitions,
she and some other female participants
have voiced experiences
with blatant and subtle forms
of misogyny including during
debate tournaments.
“When I gave a speech, a
male competitor would continue
to make comments about
the way I dressed, the way I spoke
and things like that,” L. Wang said.
“There were continued comments,
even after I told him to stop.”
L. Wang notes that the hurtful
comments she received in chamber—a
room with twenty other
20 features • december 2022
competitors in debate—are
not unique to her. Her peers
also note to have heard or faced
similar experiences. Fellow
Debate and Model UN mem-
misogyny also comes in less
overt forms.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard
a guy being outwardly sexist
or say that he doesn’t think
women are good debaters or
that women are assertive,” S.
Wang said. “But when you’re
in chamber, guys will talk over
you or they won’t pay attention
to you.”
S. Wang voices frustration
with more subtle instances of
misogyny that are more dif-
harm comes when microaggressions
and implicit biases
performance in competitions.
line to walk between being
assertive and not assertive,” S.
Wang said. “Being assertive is
a really important thing, especially
if you’re a man because
lead a chamber. But if you’re a
dent
or too assertive, it makes
people intimidated or it makes
them not want to talk to you.”
Alongside judgment from
fellow competitors,
S. Wang notes contrasting
feedback from
judges. While she has
received comments to
be less aggressive, she
believes that the men
in Debate who cut oth-
are rewarded for being
assertive.
Similar to S. Wang,
Model UN member Olivia
Lee ’24 describes the challenges
that some of her fellow
female competitors face
in maintaining a presence in
committee. Lee elaborates that
be called on by the chair of the
committee and believes that
she works with in a bloc—a coalition
of competitors who collaborate
on notes during Model UN
competitions.
“Oftentimes, the louder and
more obnoxious male speaker
is often seen as more sophisticated
and full of better ideas,”
Lee said. “Everyone wants
to listen to him and be in his bloc
while a lot of girls tend to clump
together in blocs because they want
their voices heard.”
Even when many speakers voice
the same ideas, Lee recalls that those
from her male competitors are

“There have always been a
number of girls in leadership
positions for these clubs, which
face whatever comes my way.”
Lindsey Wang ’23,
Debate Eboard Member
in Debate
Eboard...
50% 50%
of members
of members
are male
are female
often perceived as more important. In
dards
and forms of misogyny, L. Wang
believes that equitable representation
among student leaders is vital.
“There have always been a number
of girls in leadership positions for these
clubs, which empowered me to know I
shouldn’t be afraid to speak out or face
whatever comes my way,” L. Wang said.
L. Wang feels that the misogyny she
faces in competitions is not present
in the Stevenson club environment,
which she attributes to the club sponsors’
commitments to creating equitable
environments for competitions. Debate
coach Stephen Heller believes in coaching
his students to be conscientious and
respectful competitors.
“We foster inclusivity by focusing on
debate as a conversation rather than a
competition,” Heller said. “This manifests
itself in a number of ways, including:
speaking respectfully to all members
during a debate session; teaching
where all debaters are treated equally.”
Given Heller’s emphasis on equity,
cers—the
competitor elected to run the
chamber—to reduce their personal bias
by calling on speakers randomly during
a competition. To further strengthen
inclusivity and support within the
preparation sessions before tournaments
in the ILC or at local restaurants.
environment of these clubs, L. Wang
advocates for greater discussion about
members’ experiences with misogyny,
especially due to implicit biases. L.
Wang reiterates that encouraging all
people to share their experiences with
any forms of discrimination is key to
building inclusive communities.
“I think it starts with making it
known that policies are in place that
prohibit discrimination or any sort of
misogyny so people feel comfortable
calling acts of discrimination out,” L.
Wang said. “There are a lot of girls who
aren’t afraid to speak out about their
thoughts; they have an active voice that
empowers others to speak out.”
Photo Credit: Lindsey Wang
Debate members gather in the 7100s and listen to
announcements from the Executive Board. Members prepare
for monthly tournaments by participating in delivery activities
www.statesmanshs.org • 21

a new perspective
Teachers analyze stress, ways to manage burnout
Timothy Bui, Nicole Yao
E
nglish teacher Denzel Mitchem looks up at the
time on the clock: 3:24 p.m. He glances around the
Disobedience” paragraphs. With 10 seconds until the
ing the sophomore soccer team. With so many responsibili
For many teachers, including Mitchem, responsibilities
patterns and realize that there are things happening outside
good time management strategies, such as dedicating a cer
be taken into consideration.
% TEACHERS experiencing...
major stressors for teachers
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Feelings of burnout
Difficulty coping well
with stress
Symptoms of depression
Frequent job-related
stress
22 features • december 2022

On-Court to Off-Season
Saanvi adusumalli, aayushi wadhawan
A
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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23

Stevenson athletes tackle stagnation, pressure after
winning state championships
jonah cooper, tej kosaraju, kelly liu
The girls’ varsity basketball team
does their signature handshake
before being called onto the
court. “Family Ties” by Baby Keem—
their theme song—fades away in the
background as the announcer introduces
the starting lineup. Under the
harsh Sports Center lights, the players
feel a building excitement coupled
with nervous tension, hyper aware of
the crowd’s anticipation for another
victory.
After winning the IHSA State
Championship last season, high expectations
have been at the front of
the players’ minds. For many athletes,
including team captain Kate Arne ’23,
plateauing—a halt in athletic progres-
stress. Along with the pressure to repeat
her team’s success, Arne has also
had to overcome challenges with her
personal growth.
“Last season, I hit a plateau and I
wasn’t improving,” Arne said. “It can
be hard with such a long season and
challenging competition, but we’ve
all learned skills to get out of our own
heads and build each other up as a team.”
For Arne, maintaining her level of
performance required both independent
mental conditioning and support
24 sports • december 2022
from her teammates. Similarly, Sarah
Wang ’24, back-to-back IHSA girls’
tennis singles champion, added that a
pessimistic mindset can be an opponent
to her performance.
“If you’re not getting better, then it
seems like you’re getting worse in comparison
to others,” Wang said. “Seeing
other people succeed…makes you want
to do better.”
The past is for
evaluating; the
future is for
planning. But if
you want to
perform, you
have to be in
the present
moment.
Eric Goolish,
boys’ varsity volleyball
head coach
The pressure to outperform others
contributes to many athletes’ dissatisfaction
with their abilities. However,
Eric Goolish, boys’ varsity volleyball
head coach, encourages athletes to focus
tions,
not results. He also explains that
it is normal for athletes to hit a period
where they struggle to improve during
their careers.
“What’s your internal conversation
when you’re playing?” Goolish said.
“Focus on those thoughts and not the
outcome. The relationship between effort
and success is not linear, so there
way.”
After a consultation with a sports
psychologist organized by their coach,
Arne and her teammates learned about
how neglecting this “internal conversation”
can be destructive. During their
weekly team therapy sessions, the psychologist
would teach the players about
methods to maintain focus on the game.
“We discussed a lot about how, in
order to get out of our own heads, we
have to open our mouths, which basically
means encouraging each other
during a practice or a game,” Arne said.
“If you’re caught up in encouraging
your teammates, you aren’t thinking

negatively.”
Goolish believes that athletes can
avoid overthinking by conditioning
both their mental and physical skills. He
explains that this alleviates some of the
pressure on athletes by allowing them
to concentrate on the aspects of the
game in their control.
“Kids will think about the past and
they’ll dwell on mistakes,” Goolish said.
“The past is for evaluating; the future
is for planning. But if you want to perform,
you have to be in that present
moment.”
Goolish reports that players who can
often don’t become as frustrated when
they have a “statistically poor night.”
However, Goolish also recognizes that
tive
training or management
techniques to help players
through mentally taxing
situations.
According to a
study published in
the Journal for Sports
Education, 53 percent of teenage
athletes cite increased pressure
from parents and 40 percent cite pressure
from coaches as their reason to
stop playing a sport. Wang has had
to deal with expectations from many
sources and believes that athletes can
only reach their full potential when
pressure is reduced.
“I try to tell myself that in the end,
tennis is just a sport,” Wang said.
“Regardless of my level, I should be
humble and keep the expectations in
check.”
Wang has experienced the nega-
attempts to control her expectations
through humility. Arne, however, has
set
because we thought of the pressures
as a bad thing,” Arne said. “But the more
we discussed, the more we realized that
the pressure was actually a good thing
because it meant that people believed in
us and knew our potential.”
Having trained athletes like Arne,
Goolish understands how teenagers
coaches and teammates who assist them
and provide opportunities. But instead
of fearing these pressures, Goolish suggests
that athletes embrace them like
Arne and her team has.
“I think players should actually want
an element of pressure,” Goolish said.
is your role? Let’s learn how to operate
inside of it.”
Arne undeprstands that pressure will
always be a part of sports and competition.
However, she feels the pressure
can never take away from the exceptional
worth of playing and competing.
“At the end of the day, basketball
is supposed to be a fun game and we
said. “We had to take a step back and
realize that we’re all here because we
love the game of basketball and each
other.”
Photo credit:
Matthew Schwenk
www.statesmanshs.org • 25

GAMING GLITCHES
ANIKA KRISHNASWAMY, elizabeth yuan
Varsity “League of Legends” (LoL)
team captain Kevin Diggs ’23
watches his computer intently,
clicking furiously at his mouse to maneuver
his character across the screen.
However, all of Diggs’ hopes of winning
a little black error window. The school’s
chance at victory with it.
Started in 2016, Stevenson’s eSports
team is one of the longest-running in
the area and hosts players from across
cent
years—with the popularization
of formal high school eSports—James
Barnabee, eSports club sponsor, believes
that the program has faced challenges
in keeping up with its rapidly
growing pool of competitors. He cites
outdated equipment and poor internet
quality as culprits behind hindered
performance and membership capacity.
With the iMacs used by the school
unable to host most games smoothly,
the club’s capacity for teams competing
through the IHSA-recognized PlayVS
platform is limited.
In spite of these setbacks, the varsity
LoL team is currently ranked second
in the state for its fall 2022 season, and
three other teams have also advanced
sult
of his team’s consistent dedication
and passion for the game during their
weekly matches.
“Everyone is working and collaborating
together really well,” Diggs said.
“Whether it be making sure that our
practice environment is healthy and
that everyone is having a good time or
just organizing rigorous practices, we
all want what is best for the team.”
Christina Wang ’25, varsity
“Valorant” player, explains that a supportive
school environment has also
26 sports • december 2022
been important for female gamers
like herself, who often face pushback
when participating in the generally
male-dominated gaming industry.
Wang says that the team’s sense of community
has drastically minimized the
toxicity many female gamers face.
“Having a girl playing at the same
level is often intimidating for guys, so it
creates this common theme where guys
Wang said. “Although the gaming community
is pretty toxic overall, having
this school community has really helped
that because it’s made up of people you
trust and know in real life.”
Though Wang says that the eSports
club community has been a safe space
for her and other female players, she
the club are still prone to stereotyping
its members. Both she and Diggs have
often faced scrutiny from their peers for
playing video games competitively.
“I do have friends that laugh at me because
of eSports club and say ‘oh, you’re
such a nerd,’ but I feel like some people
is something I’ve always concealed, but
if it’s going to be such a big part of
my life, I might as well just accept it
and enjoy being a part of the club.”
According to Barnabee, the key
to diminishing this stigma is being
more respectful while gaming. By
bringing students into a more formal
eSports environment where
they are able to meet and discuss
with peers who have similar interests,
he feels they automatically
challenge stereotypes of
eSports players being “rude”
and bring eSports further into
the mainstream.
“These stereotypes persist
because of online behavior,”
Barnabee said. “We’ll always have the
stigmas of, ‘video game players are nas-
that is by creating better video game
players, which is where eSports club
comes in.”
Barnabee feels that the formalization
of gaming has also caused a surge in its
popularity. CNBC reports that viewership
numbers from the 2019 LoL World
million unique viewers—nearly 2 million
more than the previous year’s
Super Bowl. Even colleges and univer-
full-ride athletic scholarships for eSports,
with over 175 across the United
sity
eSports teams.
“Although there still exists the badmouthing
of the behavior of a few,
there are so many nations involved in
eSports other than America—these
games are enormous and everybody
plays them,” Barnabee said. “Now that
colleges have teams and are beginning
tinue
to force the mainstream understanding
of games to change.”
123 eSports teams
in 2021-2022 IHSA
Tournament

ON A
ROLL
Adi Jaiswal
Dayna Roberts
kyla smith
1
2 3
1
2
4
Coach Cody Mathias guides bowler Michael Porteria ’24 with
a pep talk before his throw. Mathias has been coaching the
season as of Dec. 7.
After releasing the ball, one bowler watches his ball hit the
pins in order to note how he can improve for the next match.
The team meets at Fair Haven Lanes six days a week to practice
and prepare for future competitions and participate in
weekly tournaments held on Sundays.
3
4
5
5
Ender Starr ’23 concentrates on the ball as he aims to knock
down all 10 pins. Starr, a varsity bowler, placed fourth overall
during a tournament against Waukegan, Dec. 3.
A bowling ball rolls down the lane and connects with the
pins to earn a strike. To boost their chance of a strike, players
often utilize a cradle technique to increase the velocity and
accuracy of their throw.
One teammate remains in outstretched form after rolling the
ball down the lane. Players perfect their technique during
bowling practices, including their follow-through.
www.statesmanshs.org • 27

they’re eating the right things in order to optimize their
performance, both athletically and cognitively.”
Cook acknowledges that some wrestlers don’t feel like
they’re strong enough, which may lead to dissatisfaction
with their appearance. To help athletes achieve their goals,
with wrestlers.
“We recognize that everyone is an individual and every-
characteristics,” Cook said. “We encourage all of our wres-
that they are the strongest they can possibly be, the fastest
possible.”
in sports, Davis also supports an approach that focuses on
personal skill in fostering acceptance within gymnastics.
Liu also strives to expand her artistry while continuing to
take care of herself in combating the beauty standards im-
look at myself, but that’s what the whole concept of dance
“It doesn’t matter
the line between performing to the best of your abilities
and going the opposite way, where
who
you’re
you
destroying
are
youror
where you’re
Unintentionally placed yet still common in ballet studios,
the skinny mirror warps coming dancers’ bodies from— to appear
thinner than they actually are. Though mirrors constitute
everybody is
skinny mirror destructive, exacerbating the body image issues
she experienced over quarantine.
still human.”
“I have struggled with body image JEMMA issues, especially PARTiN ’26* in
quarantine because I was spending more time with myself
What we know about the
environment, how it functions
and our impact on it is
changing all the time.
jason carlson, apes teacher
and I wasn’t as physically active,” Liu said. “I think it was
normal to gain weight but that really caused me to feel
bad about myself especially when I went back to dancing.
I didn’t look the same as I did pre-quarantine—it’s hard to
look at yourself when you don’t like what you see.”
Liu is not alone in experiencing struggles with body image.
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) reports that
approximately 16 percent of all ballet dancers having struggled
with eating disorders. According to Liu, this is a result
of beauty standards, repeated exposure to mirrors and an
industry that idealizes a certain body type.
a toll on your mental health because you’re paying people
to tell you what’s wrong with your body and how to
possible.”
than you, they can’t do better than you,” Davis said. “Most
a lot of power.”
Like Davis, Liu has also struggled with comparing herself
to other dancers in a studio where discussion often includes
body image. Although she feels reassured that others
are going through the same ordeal, it taps into a sense of
Plants from an AP Biology class are watered on
a shelf in Stevenson’s greenhouse. During Earth
Week, Green Team led discussions about the importance
of
www.statesmanshs.
15