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DECEMBER 16, 2020
VOLUME 93, ISSUE 3
RECONNECTING
TRYING TO FIND
COMMUNITY DURING
COVID
WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE COVID 9-11
RELEARNING HOW TO TEACH 12-13
EDITORIAL: HATE AT LHS 18-19
@lhsdoi
@lhsdoi
Libertyville High
School
Drops of Ink
Visit us at
lhsdoi.com
LIBERTYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL’S
STUDENT NEWS PUBLICATION
CONTENTS
NEWS
6
6 LIBERTYVILLE
Village hosts meetings
on diversity, affordable
housing
7 YEARBOOK
Yearbook staff provides
coverage while adapting
9-11
12-13
FEATURES
9-11 LHS
Testing Positive: What
COVID-19 Has Been
Like For Some Students
12-13 TEACHERS
Relearning how to
Teach
16-17 YEAR IN REVIEW
A Meme Recap of 2020
27 CROSSWORD
Winter Wonderland
20
24-25
14-15 COMMUNITY
Searching: How
Psychology Explains Our
Need for Community
OPINION
18-19 STAFF EDITORIAL
Hate Has Found a Home
at LHS
21 COLUMN
Prioritize Public Health,
Even After COVID-19
SPORTS
22-23 PRO SPORTS
Breaking the Barriers:
The Growth of Female
Coaches in Professional
Sports
24-25 RECRUITMENT
The Reality of Virtual
Recruiting
20 COLUMN
Your Favorite Sitcom
Characters are Evil
2 DROPS OF INK
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
Contact us at doi@lhswildcats.org
Contents by Olivia Poell
Cover photo and design by Amal Hasan
WHO WE ARE
Drops of Ink is a student-written, edited and
produced high school publication. Our publication
functions as a service to the school and greater
community of Libertyville, first and foremost delivering
open-minded, informative content that is
relevant to our readership. While not our primary
motive, Drops of Ink also looks to provide entertainment
to our audience. We aim to challenge
readers to see different perspectives and gain
knowledge of the world around us.
CHECK US OUT ONLINE
lhsdoi.com
ANTI-RACISM BOOK LIST
Molly Muscato
CONTENTS
Katherine Thomey
Anika Raina
A WINTER SPENT OUTSIDE: YOUR
GUIDE TO LIBERTYVILLE’S TRAILS
WHY TEENAGE GIRLS RUN
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
Elise Stouffer
Kate Barry
Kajsa Murphy
EDITORIAL BOARD
AMANDA BLACK AND
ELLA MARSDEN
Editors in Chief
ella.marsden@lhswildcats.org
amanda.black@lhswildcats.org
MICHAEL GLUSKIN
Faculty Adviser
michael.gluskin@d128.org
SARA BOGAN
Managing Editor
PAVAN ACHARYA
Online Editor
ANIKA RAINA
News Editor
LILLY WILLIAMS
Features Editor
DREW BENOIT
Opinion Editor
CHRISTIAN ROBERTS
Sports Editor
PEYTON RODRIGUEZ
Photo Editor
JADE FOO
Layout & Design Editor
LILY HIERONYMUS
Social Media Editor
STAFF
Simon Amyot
Katherine Barry
Jack Birmingham
Dino Bougiotopoulos
Andrew Brooks
Ariella Bucio
Alex Clark
Ellie George
Maddie Handrich
Amal Hasan
Rowan Hornsey
Natalie Isberg
Jasmine Lafita
Dimitrios Mitsopoulos
Kajsa Murphy
Molly Muscato
Olivia Poell
Hannah Sachs
Jacob Short
Elise Stouffer
Lyann Tam
Johnny Thames
Katherine Thomey
Liam Tucker
Avery Vang
Paige Vang
Sarah Wuh
Sophia Zumwalt
DECEMBER 2020 3
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4 DROPS OF INK
DROPS OF INK 5
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DECEMBER 2020 5
NEWS
VILLAGE HOSTS MEETINGS ON DIVERSITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Ariella Bucio Amal Hasan
According to many of its residents, Libertyville has
been deemed a safe, family-friendly town with
a great school system and many community events,
lacking in only two categories: diversity and affordable
housing.
These conclusions were determined by residents
who participated in a survey that was sent out this
past summer by the Human Relations Commission of
Libertyville. The survey asked questions about public
services, safety, affordable housing, diversity and
inclusivity, town events and ease of making friends.
“We [sent it out] last summer to find out about
how people feel, basically to take the pulse of the
community on certain issues where the Village can
have some impact,” said Sharon Starr, chairperson of
the commission.
Once the surveys were completed and the
commission received the feedback, they decided
there needed to be deeper discussions in small groups.
Libertyville residents were invited to attend online
meetings with a maximum of 10 people to discuss
topics, such as diversity, welcoming and inclusivity,
affordable housing and public safety and access to
cultural opportunities and events. The residents who
participated were able to choose which sessions they
wanted to attend.
Volunteers from the commission were given the
role of facilitating the discussions and taking notes on
what the residents had to say. Tom Gore, who led the
discussion about affordable housing and public safety,
vouched for the participation from the residents,
not only in numbers but also in engagement. Gore
explained how vocal they were and how the differing
opinions contributed to the conversation.
“It wasn’t like a session where people came in to
complain,” he said. “They came in with, ‘Hey, here are
some things that we think are really good and here
are some things that could potentially be improved,
and here’s some thoughts on how to do that.”
Summarizing the meetings on affordable housing,
Gore said, “The one common theme was many people
like to live in Libertyville and there are some ways
we could help to provide more housing that’s not
upper-end, you know, more medium-priced housing.
I think that was the major theme in all three of the
meetings for affordable housing.”
Along with diversity, affordable housing proved to
be in need of development.
“They are connected really because as long as
housing costs are out of reach for many people, we
have less of a chance of becoming a more diverse
community,” Starr commented.
Sharon Starr, chairman of the Human Relations Commission in Libertyville, and Mayor
Terry Weppler have been focusing on diversity and inclusion in Libertyville with the help of
some committed residents.
With Libertyville’s population being more than 80% white, diversity, a welcoming
atmosphere and inclusivity was a hot topic with many participants. Jennifer Rich,
the facilitator for this topic, expressed how passionate the residents were about
discussing ways to increase the diversity in Libertyville: “There were a lot of really
cool ideas of really simple things for ways for us to be even more welcoming to
folks, particularly folks from different cultures and racial and ethnic backgrounds, so
things like even just acknowledging commemorative months.”
According to Starr, the residents had the town’s best interest in mind when
discussing diversity and believed it would greatly benefit children. To increase
diversity would be to give children a better representation of the real world, she
said.
The other main topic that was discussed was cultural opportunities and events,
but this meeting was not as popular, according to Starr, due to the lack of events
occurring during the pandemic.
According to Starr, the detailed results from the discussions will be reported
to the public early next year. The results will also be shared with Libertyville Mayor
Terry Weppler and the Village Board, with the goal of implementing some of the
ideas and suggestions captured in these small-group discussions.
“I think the future of Libertyville lies in us embracing more diversity and...I would
hope that we would come together as a community and try to figure out some
ways to make that happen,” Rich expressed.
6 DROPS OF INK
YEARBOOK STAFF PROVIDES COVERAGE WHILE ADAPTING
Sara Bogan
Jake Short
NEWS
The yearbook staff, under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Julia Hasler and adviser
Kristen Connolly, will once again strive for perfection in this year’s yearbook -- even
during the unusual times that Covid-19 has brought -- just like they have in past
years.
Throughout first semester, the yearbook staff has acclimated to
the limitations of the pandemic on in-person events and has
devised creative approaches to ensure school coverage.
One major alteration to their deadline schedule is the distribution
date, which will be postponed to the end of summer 2021 rather
than May. According to the yearbook adviser, Kristen Connolly, one
reason for this decision is to incorporate spring and summer sports
instead of distributing the usual supplement.
The staff traditionally utilizes a ladder system to coordinate their
yearbook spreads, which refers to two side-by-side pages of a
yearbook. The ladder system is a breakdown of all categories and
topics addressed for the year.
“We have adapted the book this year to fit what works best with
the remote style of learning and with the chance of activities being
canceled, so we are covering topics as they come to us,” elaborated
senior Julia Hasler, the yearbook’s Editor-in-Chief.
Junior Maddy Tepper, an assistant Editor-in-Chief, added that
some of the pages, such as the fall sports spreads, will resemble
previous yearbooks in appearance and content, thanks to the
yearbook’s access to Visual Imaging Photography photos.
As an example, this year’s book will still feature the fall theater
performance but will depict a drive-through performance instead of
the traditional auditorium event.
However, due to the pandemic, the staff was unable to formulate
a clear blueprint of their pages at the beginning of the school year.
“It’s kind of affected how we plan, and [shows how] we just have
to go with the flow more,” expressed junior Sarah Rubenstein, an
assistant Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook.
With the extended deadline, Hasler clarified that the yearbook
team still intends to fill the entire book, all 272 pages of it. The staff
will feature future events, such as the transition to hybrid learning,
as well as graduation and prom, if these occasions occur in some
capacity.
Additional topics of spreads in the upcoming yearbook include
the prevalence of activism, socially distant connections, forms of
pandemic protection and District 128’s COVID-19 testing sites.
The staff has sent surveys out to students to gather data for their
pages.
Compared to last spring, Rubenstein mentioned this year’s
approach is more flexible, enabling the staff to modify their ladder
system more efficiently. The yearbook staff has reserved open
spreads for any short-notice changes that may occur due to
COVID-19.
Additionally, Tepper specified that Zoom has permitted the staff
to be more productive: “We can send [staff members] into
breakout rooms and talk privately or go over a copy together and
screen share, so that’s something that I don’t necessarily mind.”
On the other hand, Mrs. Connolly recounted the difficulty of
receiving responses for interviews and gathering photos.
Specifically for pictures, staff members collaborate virtually with
club advisors to obtain photos or screenshots of Zoom calls.
Despite these challenges, Mrs. Connolly believes that the
yearbook would have struggled more significantly this year without
the dedication and motivation of the editors.
She also emphasized the importance of the yearbook, especially
during the COVID-19 pandemic. She illustrated that years from
now, students will have the ability to reflect upon 2020 and 2021
with their yearbook.
“We are still trying to capture the sights and sounds of the
school year so when people look back, they have this to look back
on,” Mrs. Connolly commented.
Rubenstein expressed that the yearbook staff wanted students
to be able to recall their moments at LHS vividly.
Hasler agreed, adding, “With any yearbook, the main goal is we
are not [just] making a book. We are making memories and that’s
the most important part.”
DECEMBER 2020
7
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8 DROPS OF INK
FEATURE
Testing Positive: What Covid-19 has
been like for some students
Ellie George
Peyton Rodriguez
Dimitrios Mitsopoulos
Jade Foo
DECEMBER 2020 9
FEATURE
According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), more than
13.6 million cases of Covid-19 have been
reported in the United States since Jan. 21.
Of those, more than 40,000 were detected
in Lake County, including at least two dozen
students and staff at LHS.
Those who test positive for Covid
experience a variety of symptoms. Some
have flu and cold-like symptoms, such as
a runny nose, cough or fever. Others have
symptoms more unique to Covid, such as
loss of taste and smell or body aches. While
many people who are relatively healthy can
still catch Covid, those most at risk are 65
years old and above, as well as people with
underlying health conditions, according to
the CDC.
Activities such as traveling, going out
in public without a mask, and gathering in
groups of 25 or more can severely put the
participants and their families at risk.
“Regardless of how safe you are, you are
going to be at risk for getting Covid,” junior
Callie Leighton explains.
Leighton tested positive for Covid-19 on
Nov. 7.
“I picked my brother up from [soccer]
practice, and he was complaining he wasn’t
feeling well,” she explained. “But [it] was
cold, so we didn’t really think anything of
it.” Leighton and her family continued their
week, until she felt unwell.
“I woke up [later that week] and I was
super tired, but I didn’t have a fever,” she
remarked. She figured that she “didn’t sleep
enough, or had a cold.” Leighton texted a
small group of friends and told them she
was feeling tired but didn’t have a fever.
Leighton “took [some] aspirin” and felt good
as new. They said they all were comfortable
with her being around them, so they spent
some time together.
Then her father got a fever. “His body, I
think, runs like a machine. His temperature
was literally point three off, and he knew
something was wrong,” Leighton explained.
Her dad went to get a test, and it came back
positive.
Leighton, her mom and younger brother
all went in to get tested. All three came back
positive.
“My mom and brother didn’t have any
[symptoms], but my dad and I got the worst
of it,” she added. “[My] symptoms really only
“This virus is taking lives, and not
everyone is treating it that way. Keep
others safe, be a good person.”
Junior Callie Leighton
were a cough, chills, and some headaches. My
dad was similar, but he had a fever for most
of it.”
Alternatively, senior Jamie Nicholson
tested positive for Covid on June 24 but
had no symptoms at all.
“My brother had to get tested for work,
so I went with him [because] why not?” she
remarked. Nicholson tested positive, and so
did her brother; yet she had no symptoms.
“I had a headache for [maybe] the first
day, but who knows if that was because of
Covid,” she explained.
“I have no idea where I could have gotten
it from. I have been really good about
washing my hands, not going out to stores
unless necessary, and keeping my circle
small,” she added. “That really goes to show
that you can get it anywhere, and to not look
over simple things like wearing a mask and
washing your hands. It’s not always the big
parties.”
Nicholson remarked that the “quarantine
for two weeks was harder than any of the
minimal symptoms I had.”
Freshman at the University of Minnesota
and LHS graduate Claire Larson had a similar
experience.
Larson visited her soon-to-be college
roommate, who lived in Minnesota, over the
summer. On her way home, her roommate
called Larson and informed her that she
had tested positive for Covid. Immediately,
10 DROPS OF INK
Larson called her family to warn them.
“They set a table up in my room so I could
eat, [and] right when I got home, I went up
to my room,” she explained.
Later that week in July, she got tested and
results came back positive.
Larson experienced a large variety of
symptoms. “It was possibly the worst pain I
have ever felt. The body aches were
unbearable,” Larson explained.
Along with body aches and a high fever,
Larson lost her sense of taste and smell.
“Losing that,” she explained, “was worse
than anything. I didn’t want to eat anymore
because I couldn’t taste anything. And [that]
just made me more sick.” Along with not
eating, Larson said she experienced severe
depressive feelings as a result of being in
quarantine.
“I felt so alone. [My] parents are older,
so I could barely even interact with them.
Quarantine was awful; I wouldn’t wish [it]
upon anyone,” she expressed. “My friends
didn’t do a great job about reaching out.
Even a FaceTime call would have made all the
difference.”
According to the CDC, many other
Americans have felt the same way as Larson.
“It really made me question everything
and put what is going on around me
into perspective. Being alone gives you
a lot of time to reflect, which was
something I needed.”
Junior Owen Haywood
As of June, 47% of American adults claimed
that quarantine and worrying about Covid-19
has had a negative impact on their mental
health.
Junior Owen Haywood explained what
quarantine was like for him: “It really made
me question everything and put what is
going on around me into
perspective. Being alone gives
you a lot of time to reflect,
which was something I needed.”
Haywood tested positive for
Covid on Nov. 10, along with
the rest of his family.
“I didn’t have an awful
experience physically with
having Covid. I was
[relatively] asymptomatic
besides a cough,” Haywood
claimed. “But it was tough
mentally. You feel so isolated
and alone in the world. You feel
like you’re starting to go crazy.”
Haywood also wanted to
emphasize the importance
of the CDC’s recommended
precautions.
“Being someone who had
[Covid], it is so frustrating to
see people going to
parties. It’s selfish. While young
people may not have serious
symptoms of being sick, your
parents might,” he said. “It’s the
youth’s responsibility to keep
everyone else around us safe. I
associate being a good citizen
with wearing a mask and being
safe.”
Haywood’s perspective on
the CDC guidelines is similar to
Larson’s.
“What really gets to me is
FEATURE
the blatant selfishness people are
expressing right now. It may not affect
you personally, but you never know who
you could pass it to,” she explained.
Leighton explained how she felt
knowing she gave Covid to her friends.
“The guilt that I felt knowing I put
my friends and their families at risk was
overwhelming. To possibly put their
grandparents or family members with
underlying health issues at serious risk, I
couldn’t live with myself,” she explained.
“If you aren’t social distancing to keep
yourself safe, think about others.”
“Covid is real,” Leighton remarked. “To not
take it seriously is truly a show of character.
And your peers will remember that for the
rest of their lives. This virus is taking lives,
and not everyone is treating it that way.
Keep others safe, be a good person.”
COVID-19
IN
TESTING
LIBERTYVILLE
YOU CAN GET
WHERE
TESTED
Clinics such as Advocate Condell
Medical Center, CVS, Corporate
Wellness Partners and ARCpoint
Labs of Libertyville all offer
Covid tests.
TESTING OPTIONS
OTHER OPTIONS
Other options include a rapid test, which is
the same cotton swab test, but instead
results are received in 24 hours, according to
the CDC. If suspected to have previously had
Covid, patients are eligible for an antibody
test, which is a blood test. This test should
be taken at least 14 days after exposure or 7
days after symptoms end, as reported by the
FDA.
VIRAL
STANDARD
TESTING
Standard (PCR) Viral Testing uses a
shallow swab to collect a sample from
the nose or throat. Results are received
typically in 3-5 days.
DECEMBER 2020
11
FEATURE
RELEARNING
Hannah Sachs Lyann Tam Alex Clark
This year, teachers have become students in navigating their way
through e-learning for the first time. With school days becoming
defined by screens, teachers and their curriculum plans have been
forced to adapt to the restrictions of computer-based learning.
Teachers must now account for physical disconnect and hyper-dependence
on the internet, amongst other things, all while teaching
through a small window on students’ screens.
Approaching the end of the first semester of e-learning, teachers
have experienced roughly four months of this new teaching
format. In the beginning, e-learning presented numerous obstacles
for teachers to overcome. While some have been resolved, teachers
have expressed that a handful of challenges still remain.
Challenges
Scott Schinto, a physical welfare teacher, expressed that his
greatest challenge has been technology. Before the school year even
started, Mr. Schinto reached out to past students looking for opportunities
to practice using Zoom. He emphasized that these students
“[came] to [his] rescue.”
Kevin O’Neill, a social studies teacher, shared another thought on
technology, saying that something seemingly as simple as uploading
an assignment “is now like an 18-step process.” He explained that
getting assignments to students has gone from “a run down to the
copy room” to a stressful process of ensuring that the information is
not only correctly organized and easily accessible, but is even digitally
legible.
Additionally, Mr. O’Neill shared that “connecting with the kids” has
become a much more difficult task. He described how meaningful
“minute interactions” (like asking students about their extra curriculars)
are not totally unachievable, but “near impossible to replicate
over Zoom.”
This struggle of creating interactions has also carried over into
teachers’ abilities to aid struggling students.
“[It’s] been hard because I feel like one of my greatest strengths
is when students are here in person, I can reach them and motivate
them if things are not going well, and that’s been hard over Zoom.
It’s really hard to have the same effect that you can in person,” expressed
Tim Budge, a math teacher.
Other, less drastic challenges include the fair share of mishaps
some teachers have had. From Mr. Schinto’s muted monologues
to Mr. O’Neill accidentally posting an answer key alongside a test,
e-learning has presented a variety of complications for teachers.
Similar to students, teachers have also faced a drastic increase in
their screen time, both during and after school hours. Mr. O’Neill expressed
that while he’s made consistent efforts to “unplug at home,”
some demands, such as grading essays, still force him to return to
the screen at later hours of the day.
Stress
With an abundance of new challenges, new stressors have been
added onto some teachers’ agendas while others are experiencing
heightened levels of stress. Mr. O’Neill shared that while his level of
stress is only slightly higher than usual, “it’s a new stress that [he’s]
not used to coping with."
Math teacher Tim Budge teaches from his empty classroom in the LHS
building while his students learn from home.
Dana Brady, a science teacher, teaches her freshman biology class
from LHS, behind her new eSchool setup.
Julie Johnson, an art teacher, expressed that a majority of her
stress doesn’t come from teaching but comes from “see[ing] some
students who are really struggling entirely because of the e-learning
situation.”
Additionally, when discussing the process of creating her lesson
videos, Ms. Johnson said that “there’s just not enough hours in the
day” to manage everything.
Workload has also had a great impact on teachers as some have
taken on additional tasks for the benefit of their students. In an
effort to help his students, Mr. Budge has integrated non-restricted
12 DROPS OF INK
FEATURE
HOW TO TEACH
test and quiz retakes as well as the acceptance of late work for full
credit. Done with the hopes of helping motivate his students, Mr.
Budge described that this has resulted in a huge workload on his part.
Teachers noted that the administration, colleagues and students
have been sources of support throughout this process, with many
of them expressing gratitude for their efforts. Mr. Budge additionally
expressed gratitude for the block scheduling and break in the middle
of the day that is provided by office hours and lunch.
Photo courtesy of Mr. O'Neill
Social studies teacher Kevin O’Neill teaches his students remotely
through Zoom.
Senior Kylie Miller and art teacher Julie Johnson discuss Miller’s AP Art
project while staying socially distanced.
Success
While e-learning is not the preferred method of teaching, it
has not been entirely restricted to challenges and increased stress
levels—many teachers have experienced pockets of success and
positivity. Mr. Budge shared that he’s experienced great success with
creating camaraderie and class bonding within some of his classes. In
her jewelry class, Ms. Johnson has taken advantage of the situation by
integrating a master guest artist into the course who works with
students on developing new ring-forming skills.
In his outdoor education classes, Mr. Schinto has been successful in
getting his kids off of their screens by having them partake in
creative assignments. In order to get his students outside and into
the fresh air, Mr. Schinto has created “treasure hikes” in which he
forms a list of random outdoor objects his students must find and
photograph in order to complete their work.
Mr. Budge has also found success in student interaction on teacher-directed
Wednesdays. He’s designated these days to individually
help his students “whether it’s students that haven’t made up any
assignments or students that are struggling in class.” He shared that
this initiative started slower but has “gained some steam” recently,
which he deems a success.
Hybrid/Future
Looking into the future, teachers will have to adjust their methods
once more with the beginning of the hybrid plan in January. Starting
second semester, teachers will be required to teach students physically
present in the classroom as well as students who will remain
remote over Zoom.
Mr. Schinto shared that this “is a lot to manage.” He explained that
“teachers are nurturers [that] want to make sure all [their] kids are
functioning...engaged [and] enjoying class.” The split between screen
and classroom adds a level of difficulty to this job by forcing teachers
to budget their attention.
Mr. O’Neill said that while he is “super excited about being back in
school with kids,” he has to remind himself that “it’s not going to be
seeing kids the same as it was before” due to the absence of hallway
greetings, reminiscing with past students, high-fives and even simply
walking between desks.
Some classes, including a handful of Ms. Johnson’s, are already
hybrid, so this shift won’t be as dramatic for her. However, this
means she had already experienced, adapted to and learned from the
strain of split teaching. One thing she noted was that hybrid is not a
two-way split between in-person and remote students. It is more
complex than that. She explained that she is teaching across three
formats all at once, meaning she has to account for not only the two
rotating hybrid groups but also the group of entirely remote
students.
In response to the future, Mr. Budge expressed that he’s confident
the shift will take an adjustment period but will ultimately be
worked through, just as e-learning has been. While the unknown
nature of the future does produce some anxiety, Mr. Budge believes
it’s best to not overthink and remains hopeful that “we’ll figure it
out.”
DECEMBER 2020
13
FEATURE
Searching:
How Psychology Explains
Our Need for Community
Molly Muscato Lily Hieronymus Elise Stouffer
Philosopher Friederich Nietzsche once said that, “In loneliness, the
lonely one eats himself; in a crowd, the many eat him.” While his
delivery is unusually dark, there is no doubt that this sentiment is
held by far more than just the father of nihilism. Hidden within the
lyrics of unabashedly cheesy love songs and the euphoria at receiving
a like on Instagram is an immutable fact: human beings crave
belonging to the point that even the
notion of being alone can be
terrifying.
“Right away,
people were fearful. They
The Proof
Far from being an inexplicable
phenomenon, research in the field of
social psychology suggests that this
desire for connection and community
is hardwired into the human brain.
“When...you [see] the love of your
life or have a great conversation with a best friend,
[that] activates areas in your brain that are pleasure
pathways,” explained Laura Brandt, LHS psychology
teacher. “We seek that connection over and over and
over again.”
A report from Harriet Over of the New York
University psychology department revealed that this
desire for connection begins surprisingly early in life. In fact,
infants as young as eight weeks old will smile at and engage in
proto-conversations with strangers in a laboratory setting
with the goal of prolonging interaction.
Our motivation to form communities is so strong that in a
groundbreaking paper by social psychologist Roy Baumeister and
psychology professor Mark Leary, the pair argued that belonging
is not merely a human desire but rather a fundamental need.
While they acknowledged that different individuals experience
this need to differing degrees, they still asserted that a
sense of belonging is extremely beneficial to the
general well-being of all individuals.
were fearful that they were
going to lose connection with
their primary groups.”
Evolution’s Influence
The development of humanity’s need to belong is slightly more
ambiguous, as possible theories often hinge on the intersection of
psychology and evolutionary biology.
According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History,
the byproducts of forming a community,
including the ability to share
-Dr. Kelly Behrends
resources and form social networks,
helped humanity’s early ancestors to
survive the harsh environment that
surrounded them.
Without a strong desire to forge social
connections, it is unlikely that humanity
would have been able to expand across
the globe in the way it did, much less
build complex civilizations. Thus, the
need to belong improved the fitness of
the human species in its environment,
providing an evolutionary advantage.
Further evidence suggests that the human
view of communities and their benefits is greatly
evolved from that of other animals that congregate
in groups. For example, according to National
Geographic fellow Dan Buettner, “Young children who
can’t lift a bucket of water on their own will understand
that if they [work] together they’ll succeed, whereas a
young chimpanzee may not figure this out.”
A Double-Edged Sword
While the drive for belonging can seem at first to be an unequivocal
good, there is a bit of a dark side to this need as well.
The phenomenon of “groupthink” is perhaps best documented
by the Asch Conformity Experiments, in which 75 percent of
experiment participants lied at least once about which of
three lines they thought matched another in order to
conform to the intentionally incorrect answer
14 DROPS OF INK
FEATURE
Our desire to find community is expressed through many different psychological tendencies. Whether that means finding community through love, developing
ideas with others, understanding what it means to be alone or forming social connections, these tendencies have impacted our lives and shaped
our development in many ways.
offered by the other members of the group. Essentially, the
experiments revealed that humans can be so desperate to fit in that
they are willing to abandon their own stances on simple logical and,
by extension, moral issues in order to gain the approval of a group.
Ms. Brandt highlighted the way in which the desire for
belonging can also lead to the formation of us vs. them mentalities
when individuals attempt to boost their own self-esteem at being
part of a friend group or sports team by differentiating themselves
from or excluding others.
She went on to illustrate that conformity and exclusion are
especially pronounced in early adolescents due to a high need for
approval and affiliation by underscoring how “everyone listens to the
same music [and] wears the same things [in] eighth grade.”
However, the most glaring drawback of the need for social
connection may be our reaction when we feel as if we are alone, a
feeling that has become stark for many during this year’s pandemic.
Dr. Kelly Behrends, clinical director of the Libertyville Counseling
Group, commented on these far-reaching effects, explaining that
“right away, people were fearful. They were fearful that they were
going to lose connection with their primary groups,” which raised
questions of “who am I without that [group]? and how do I fill that
void?” and left many feeling lonely or anxious.
Acknowledging the damaging effects feelings of isolation can
have, Dr. Behrends advises students to develop creative ways to
connect from afar and to find something positive to look forward to
each day.
A Little Less Alone
When individuals feel embraced by a community or group,
however, the benefits for mental and emotional health are
astounding.
For example, a strong sense of community and tight social circles
have been cited by the National Center for Biotechnology
Information as reasons as to why people residing in “blue zones,”
regions where an unprecedented proportion of the population lives
to be 100, remain so healthy.
Elaborating on the benefits of a sense community in a clinical
setting, Dr. Behrends stressed that “social support is one of the key
things that we try to strive for when helping a patient to recover
from depression or any kind of emotional problem from stress...
It’s really important to not feel alone when you feel so emotionally
drained.”
The Mayo Clinic echoed this idea, stating that those with social
support networks during times of crisis often have higher
self-esteem, lowered cardiovascular risks and better coping
mechanisms when placed in stressful situations.
A report from the Noba project, an open psychology education
initiative, suggested that “groups are not only founts of information
during times of ambiguity, they also help us answer the existentially
significant question, ‘Who am I?’” This derivation of identity from
membership in a group can perhaps best be seen by the meaning
individuals give to religion and culture, which rely on the sharing of a
set of beliefs or customs with others.
The effectiveness of working in groups as opposed to individually
also rests on the inclination to bond socially. According to Ms. Brandt,
individuals are often more productive in groups because “when you
have an end goal, it creates cohesiveness in the group...[and there’s]
this great sense of belonging...that we’re all in this together,” a
psychological concept known as “collective efficacy.”
Research on the human need to belong will most likely continue
to evolve and grow in the coming years, but armed with the
knowledge that we have today, perhaps the most important action
we can take as a society is to work to extend a sense of belonging
to all of those around us.
DECEMBER 2020
15
FEATURE
A MEME RECAP OF 2020
Jack Birmingham & Lilly Williams
Jade Foo
JANUARY
January 2020, the start
of a new decade, instead
unknowingly introduced us
to a year of uneasiness. The
then-mysterious virus in Asia
that triggered the pandemic
we are faced with today was
beginning to make news,
although at the time, the
staggering effect it would
have on the world was
unknown to the public.
MARCH
Below is a summary of 2020 in meme format. We’ve examined the year month by
month and selected memes to go along with each month’s various events.
By March, more and more continents -- ranging from Europe,
to Africa, to the Americas -- were reporting their first few waves
of COVID-19 cases. It was March that officially saw the end of an
in-person school year for every school in Illinois, per the governor’s
orders. Despite many lockdowns, more than 500,000 cases of the
virus had been reported around the world by the end of the month.
FEBRUARY
February officially
indicated that 2020 was
not going to be the
amazing year we were
hoping for. Instead,
the virus known as
COVID-19 began to
race around the world,
creating the start of a
disaster of a year.
APRIL
Those who were
hoping for an early end
to the pandemic were
faced with the ugly
truth as April occurred.
Heavier restrictions
were enforced and
the seriousness of the
situation began to sink in,
as the world went into
lockdown.
MAY
Five months into the year,
Australia and New Zealand took
quick action on the pandemic,
stopping the spread of cases there
before it could get worse. The
United States, unfortunately, was
not that lucky. In addition to the
surge of virus cases, the city of
Minneapolis witnessed the heinous
killing of George Floyd, one of many
events that sparked a growth in
calls for racial equality.
JUNE
The end of school is usually something to celebrate. Graduation
parties normally happen on a large scale. Ultimately, however,
summer was filled with quarantine protocols, hand sanitizer and
masks. June also saw protests against masks, lockdowns and even a
potential vaccine, the best scientific solutions against the pandemic.
16 DROPS OF INK
JULY
The height of summer was filled with boredom, unease and
questions regarding whether or not the chaos of 2020 would ever
come to an end. No one knew if they’d be locked in their homes for
the rest of the week or the rest of the year.
AUGUST
August, similar to most
of 2020, was unfamiliar
and unpredictable. As
summer came to an
end, anticipation of the
new school year began
to set in throughout
the month. But this was
a new angst, prompted
by the unconventional
circumstances of the
pandemic: Would we go
back to school in a hybrid
or in-person format?
What would remote
learning look like?
FEATURE
SEPTEMBER
September brought
along lots of screen
time for most of the
country. Between Zoom
classes, online homework
and virtual clubs, the
pandemic forced most
of us to live a very digital
lifestyle this month.
OCTOBER
In October, America was introduced to one of the most
controversial presidential debates yet. Americans were left anxiously
questioning the fate of our country.
NOVEMBER
November’s
election gave us a new
president-elect, Joe
Biden. The chaos of
mail-in ballots and
lengthy vote counts
finally settled as the
seemingly never-ending
battle for the position
ceased.
DECEMBER
After what felt like
decades, 2020 is finally
drawing to an end.
Feelings of relief,
excitement and solace
fill the world, and now
there’s only one question
— What will 2021 bring?
DECEMBER 2020
17
STAFF EDITORIAL
HATE HAS FOUND A HOME
AT LHS.
DOI Staff
Dimitrios Mitsopoulos
Avery Vang
Note: This piece is a staff editorial, which is an opinion article meant to reflect the opinions of the Drops of Ink staff. Because of this, the author’s name does
not appear alongside the story, as the opinions shared in here are based on class discussions about the topic among the 39 DOI staff members. The staff is
composed of students of all grades from a variety of backgrounds and experiences; therefore, the editorial speaks to the publication’s view on a subject and is
not representative of each staff member’s exact view on the issue at hand.
As an individual strolls the halls of LHS,
they will be met with countless posters
proudly declaring “Hate has no home here.”
Unfortunately, though, hate has found a
home at LHS. Not only that, but hate has
become embedded into the school’s
culture. LHS has allowed its students to
create a culture that fosters and normalizes
the use of offensive and hateful language.
IN WHAT
form does hateful
and offensive
language exist at
LHS?
The use of offensive and
hateful language is a problem that
exists in every part of the school.
Racial slurs, religious hatred and
the use of the R-word are most
frequent amongst friend groups when out
of earshot of adults. Individuals within these
friend groups often utilize slurs such as the
N-word in order to be “funny” or “act cool.”
One location that is a recurring cesspool
of hateful and offensive language is the
cafeteria. With an abundance of students
and high volume levels, it is simple for an
individual to slip in a hateful phrase without
being heard by a large audience.
Locker rooms are another location where
the use of hateful language is prevalent.
Following sports competitions, some male
athletes in particular feel like they can
say whatever they want. With few adults
present in these locker rooms following
competitions, athletes face next to no
repercussions for any hateful language they
use.
Not only is offensive and hateful culture
common on the LHS campus, but it also
carries into students’ activities outside of
school. Party culture in Libertyville is another
home of hateful language. For example,
some students feel they are able to scream
out the N-word in party settings.
This use of the N-word should always be
considered hateful. This word’s
dehumanizing nature should cause anyone
who hears it to feel serious discomfort.
Religious hatred is also prevalent at
LHS, especially against the school’s Muslim
population. For example, a student recently
recalled a time they were told that they
were personally responsible for the death of
someone’s cousin during the 9/11 terrorist
attacks.
WHY
does offensive and
hateful language exist
at LHS?
It is difficult to understand why a
person might feel compelled to
say words that they know are hateful and
hurtful to entire communities. However,
there are a number of factors that give LHS
students the license to spread this hate.
In recent years, hateful and offensive
language has been normalized due to a
variety of outside influences. For instance,
the crude and hateful rhetoric of President
Donald Trump has made individuals feel
that it is OK to engage in certain offensive
language.
Rap music has also had an impact on the
frequent use of the N-word amongst
Libertyville teens. In rap culture, the N-word
is frequently utilized by Black, and some
white, artists alike throughout song lyrics. As
a result, many teenagers in Libertyville use
18 DROPS OF INK
STAFF EDITORIAL
rap as an excuse to utilize this disgusting
racial slur.
Regardless of the basic expectation of
individuals not to use the N-word, this word
is still used by those who lack
understanding and empathy for those who
are directly harmed by its use. This failure to
empathize, and its accompanying ignorance,
implies that the use of the hateful word may
sometimes be a result of misinformation
or lack of education, instead of as an act of
hate. Yet ignorance and lack of education are
not the strongest justifications for why hate
language remains at LHS.
How can students of District 128 -- the
No. 3-ranked school district in the United
States by Niche.com -- lack the
education to know the hate and oppression
associated with the N-word? The answer
is simple. We do not lack the education
necessary to know the meaning behind the
word and the disgust associated with its use.
LHS students have been taught U.S. history
countless times over before they even
attend their freshman orientation. LHS
students are educated enough to know
which words are hateful and which words
are not.
WHAT
can we do better?
There are multiple solutions that
would result in the elimination or
mitigation of hateful and offensive
language and culture at LHS. These
solutions include a call for behavioral
change and a stronger anti-hate
message from the school district.
Those in the LHS community need to
root out hateful language before it has the
chance to be spoken or spread. Students
must stick up for themselves and
others when they hear or experience hateful
language or culture. We, the Drops of Ink
staff, also continue to commit ourselves to
practicing this behavior.
LHS as an institution has made some
positive strides in facilitating inclusivity
and diversity. Clubs such as the
Gender-Sexuality Alliance and Students
Supporting Equal Rights give students the
opportunity to voice their advocacy for
equity and fair treatment. Despite some
very positive efforts to combat
discrimination, Libertyville High School and
the school district as a whole are very
passive when it comes to anti-hate
messaging.
The District 128 Student Handbook cites
that bullying on the basis of race, sexual
orientation, gender identity, religion,
and disability -- among a list of 14 other
offenses -- is strictly prohibited at LHS. The
punishment for such bullying is determined
on an individual student level, in accordance
with Illinois law SB 100, which limits harsh
punishments or “zero-tolerance” policies. As
a result, there are no specific repercussions
for those who engage in hate speech at
LHS. The level of punishments for hateful
actions depend
on the perception
of how egregious
the actions were.
This leaves the
door open for
students to face
tamer punishment
-- or potentially no
punishment -- in
the case that they
are caught using
hateful or offensive
language. There
must be clearer
and more specific
consequences for
those who spread
hate at LHS.
Even though the
District released an
anti-hate
statement this
past June, they
have since failed
to follow up on
the statement
with any action.
The recognition of
hate in District 128
is a step forward
towards equity but
has little meaning
without any actions
tied to it. We
know the Board
of Education has
been working on
efforts to combat
racism and promote equity. However, no
new information has been communicated
to community members about this effort
throughout the past six months since the
statement’s release.
Specific action from the District has the
potential to eliminate the hateful culture
that has been allowed to fester at LHS.
These steps are critical as we begin the
process of healing for those who have been
hurt due to the hateful language and racism
that plagues LHS.
DECEMBER 2020
19
OPINION
Your Favorite Sitcom
Characters Are
The sitcom has been a staple of
American television since TVs became
common. Americans in the 1950s watched “I
Love Lucy.” “All in the Family” dominated the
early ‘70s. “The Cosby Show” in the late ‘80s.
NBC’s “Must See TV” lineup ruled the ‘90s
and early 2000s. Today, shows like “Friends,”
“The Office,” and “New Girl’’ are popular
series to binge. Monica Geller, Michael Scott
and Nick Miller are all regular visitors to our
TV screens and our hearts.
Yet our love for the sitcom comes with a
dark twist. Our favorite sitcom
characters are evil, horrible monsters. This
may seem like an outlandish claim, but it’s
the truth. One of the prime examples of
this is “Friends,” a show about six friends
living in New York and their loveable
adventures. However, every single character
on “Friends” is a truly twisted person.
Chandler, aside from being a homophobe
who doesn’t want his father at his wedding
simply because he cross-dresses (granted,
this was unfortunately a more acceptable
view in the ‘90s), once left Rachel’s boss
handcuffed overnight in her office without
intending to come back for her. Ross is an
awful parent, whose child only appears in 16
out of 236 episodes. When Ross isn’t being
a negligent parent, he’s being a womanizer:
Ross dates one of his students, cheats on
Rachel, and gaslights a woman into thinking
he’s a masseuse so he can massage her.
Joey holds the crown for creepiest
friend though, as he constantly enters
relationships with women under false pretenses.
Arguably more sinfully, Joey doesn’t
share food, which is seriously messed up.
Rachel flew across the world with the
intention of purposely sabotaging someone
else’s wedding. Monica is emotionally
manipulative, giving a speech so that she
can make people cry. And Phoebe? Phoebe
is physically violent, takes money away from
orphans and once considered planting drugs
in Monica’s apartment.
20 DROPS OF INK
It’s not just “Friends,” though; nearly
every favorite sitcom character is the
moral equivalent of moldy bread. One of the
more notable examples is Jim from “The
Office.” Jim presents himself as a carefree,
easy going guy, but he’s actually a big bully.
Dwight often finds himself the butt of Jim’s
pranks, to our amusement. Jim’s pranks go
far beyond abusive. They have a tendency to
involve violence and often take advantage of
Dwight’s extreme lack of social awareness,
which some fans, notably the blog Undercover
Autie, consider a sign that Dwight might
be neurodivergent.
Beyond Jim’s constant abuse of a man
who is potentially neurodivergent, Jim treats
people horribly. He actively pursues Pam
while she’s engaged. Later, when the two get
married, he behaves selfishly or even cruelly
to Pam, yelling at her for failing to record a
recital he missed because he was prioritizing
his business over family. He’s dismissive of
Michael’s genuine attempts to be his friend
and coldly breaks up with Karen after she
moved to be with him.
Other notable examples include
George from “Seinfeld,” who
accidentally kills his fiance
and shows no
remorse;
the male main
characters
Andrew Benoit Paige Vang
in “The Big Bang Theory,” who use their
dorkiness to excuse acts of misogyny and
even sexual harassment; and the lovable
government workers of “Parks and Rec”
who constantly use their positions to
manipulate and torture each other.
Obviously, these characters are written
for TV, and TV about perfect angels isn’t
compelling, but the writers want us to
interact with them, at least on some level,
as if they are real people. And we do love
to interact with these horrible people.
But why? Why do we get such impish
glee from watching these monsters inflict
pain on one another? Maybe it’s because at
the end of nearly every episode, life is okay
for these people. The Friends solve their
problems, or at least avoid their
consequences. The “Parks and Rec” gang
learns an important lesson and gets closer
as a family. Jim ends up with Pam. And that
makes us feel good. Because if these
demons can be happy, maybe, just
maybe, us regular folks will be
able to find happiness at
the end of every episode,
too. Well, at least
by the series finale.
Although viewers perceive most sitcom characters to be loveable, like the cast of "Friends," many
of them have large flaws that viewers look over without care.
OPINION
PRIORITIZE PUBLIC HEALTH, EVEN AFTER COVID - 19
Liam Tucker Paige Vang Alex Clark
The pandemic has necessitated
precautions to limit the spread of the
COVID-19, and in general, people have
responded. We wear masks when in
public places, maintain social distancing
and stay home if we’ve tested positive
or are symptomatic. We follow these
guidelines in the hope of keeping
ourselves and our neighbors safe until
a vaccine can be distributed and we no
longer need these preventative
measures, at which point we will
return to the old normal.
But when we leave the pandemic
in the past, we should remember the
effect we can have on the spread of
disease.
Before the pandemic, the practice
of taking a day off when sick was rare.
Instead, students walked the halls while
ill, bringing their own box of tissues
from class to class, drinking a gallon of
water during the school day,
sniffling and coughing all period long.
We participated in sports and struggled to get enough sleep. We
didn’t take time to rest, so we didn’t recover, instead spending
weeks or months at a time feeling sick.
The worst part is how normalized it is. Before the pandemic, it
never even occurred to me that spending a month sick every year
was crazy; that was just the way things were. So I contributed to the
problem. I spent multiple days last winter leaving every class twice
-- once to refill a water bottle and once to go to the bathroom
-- and a week afterwards dealing with a sore throat, without ever
considering staying home. However, a few weeks later, I felt bad
enough to leave school for a doctor after first period. With proper
treatment -- staying home, getting enough rest, and taking
appropriate medicine -- I was healthy after two days.
Beyond being the best way to recover from illness, staying home
decreases the probability of passing disease on to others. Our
efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, in addition to
decreasing the number of COVID-19 cases, have also cut down on
the spread of the flu. Per a CDC study from September, there was a
98 percent decrease in influenza activity after COVID-19 restrictions
were implemented, while the summer flu rate was at a historically
low level this past summer.
This was no surprise. Cameron Traut, the LHS school nurse,
explained that our current mitigation tactics are “pretty standard
measures...for communicable diseases.” In addition to preventing
COVID-19 spread, social distancing and wearing masks will decrease
the spread of flus and colds. Ms. Traut also recommends “hand
washing, covering your cough [and] coughing into your elbow” to
decrease the chances of passing on a bug. These guidelines should
be easy to follow.
But staying home is harder because students fear falling behind.
One day’s worth of tests, classwork and homework is difficult
enough to make up; two days or more is nearly impossible. For
students to stay home, we need a way to ensure that we don’t miss
out on material.
I implore administrators and teachers to find a way for remote
learning for sick students to continue after COVID-19 restrictions
are lifted. It shouldn’t be an expectation -- sometimes you’re too
sick to learn -- but an option for students who would rather work
through an online school day than miss class. Teachers, give us plenty
of time to make up any missed assignments, and don’t make any
makeup assignments more difficult or time-consuming. If you
already accommodate absence due to illness as best you can, thank
you.
Parents, don’t force us to go into school when we say we’re sick.
Most importantly, students, please do what you can to avoid passing
on your illness to anyone else. Stay home. Wear a mask. Distance
yourself. Keep each other safe.
This pandemic has reminded us of the effects we can have on the
spread of disease. When COVID-19 no longer towers over society
and flu season approaches, let’s not forget.
DECEMBER 2020
21
SPORTS
O
n Nov. 13, the Miami Marlins made history. This Major League
Baseball (MLB) team hired Kim Ng to be their general manager.
She will be the first woman to hold the GM position of any
professional male sports team in North America. She’s also the
second Asian American of any gender to hold such a position.
Ng has been around baseball her entire life. She grew up in New
York City with a father who raised her to love the game of baseball,
she explained in an interview with the University of Chicago, where
she attended college and played softball. After college, Ng worked
as an intern for the Chicago White Sox. For 30 years, she worked
all across the MLB as an intern and assistant. Gathering years upon
years of experience, Ng began interviewing for MLB general manager
positions in 2005. After 15 years, she finally broke the barrier
when the Marlins hired her.
“I have spent countless hours advocating for young women and
really trying to help them advance their careers,” Ng said during
her introductory press conference last month. “Now having this
high-profile position, where you’re out in public more, there is an
[advantage].”
Ng is the most prominent example of women working their
way into the front offices and coaching staffs of the four major
male professional sports leagues in North America: the National
Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the
National Hockey League (NHL), as well as .
For years, women have been working in administrative positions
for these professional male teams. They have also been assistant
general managers, directors of waivers, trainers and have held
many other front-office jobs. A leading example is seen with the
NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, as over half of their executive advisers are
female. Overall though, there are still far fewer women than men
holding these positions, and none have been as high-ranking as Ng,
but the presence of women in front offices has not been rare in
the 21st century.
Where progress has been seriously lacking for the involvement
of women in professional male sports is in the coaching ranks.
However, this trend has seen a dramatic shift recently, beginning
just six years ago with Becky Hammon.
Hammon was a superstar in the Women’s National Basketball
Association (WNBA). She played 16 years at an elite level for the New
York Liberty and the San Antonio Stars. When Hammon’s playing
career was winding down, she was noticed by Gregg Popovich, the
head coach of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs. Popovich believed that
with her experience and knowledge of the game, she would make
a great coach. Thus, in 2014, he hired her onto the Spurs staff to
22 DROPS OF INK
BREAKING
Andrew Brooks
Lily Hieronymus
Sara Bogan
THE BARRIERS
the growth of female coaches in professional sports
become the first full-time female assistant coach in the NBA, a
position she still holds today
One year later, the path paved by Hammon was taken by Nancy
Lieberman. Lieberman was also a former WNBA player, and her
expertise was valued by the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. The team
hired her as an assistant coach in 2015. Today, one-third of the
NBA’s 30 teams have a female coach on their staff, including the
Chicago Bulls. Their female coach, Karen Stack Ulmauf, has been the
director of team operations since Michael Jordan’s rookie season in
the 1980s. After years of lobbying, she was given a shot as an
assistant coach in 2017, according to CBS Chicago.
The other three most prominent leagues have not been as
progressive as the NBA, but there has been progress nonetheless.
The NFL’s gender coaching barrier was broken in 2016 when
Kathryn Smith was hired by the Buffalo Bills as the special teams
quality control coach.
“My focus really is on my job, coaching and doing the best I can
at it,” Smith told Sports Illustrated in 2016. “I do recognize that my
role has some significance, but that has never been in the front of
my mind. I don’t think it will or can be my focus. Because my focus
is doing the best job I can, coaching the team [and] winning some
games.”
The 2016 Bills didn’t win enough games to please the front
office and the entire coaching staff, including Smith, was let go
at the end of the season. But the NFL’s female coach count has
steadily risen since 2016. This September, a game between the
Washington Football Team and the Cleveland Browns featured
female coaches on each sideline and a female referee, marking the
first time in history that this had occurred.
The NHL’s Arizona Coyotes broke the barrier for professional
hockey by hiring Dawn Braid to be their first female coach in 2016.
Braid was named the Coyotes’ skating coach and became the
fourth female coach in the history of the big four North American
sports.
“The fact that they respect what I do enough to name me as
a full-time coach, or to name me as the first female coach in the
NHL, I take a ton of pride in that.” Braid said in a statement released
at the time of her hiring. “I’ve worked very hard for this opportunity.
I just look forward to going even further with it.”
Like the NFL, the NHL has seen steady growth in women
coaching numbers in the last four years. The most recent example
was Kendall Coyne Schofield, a six-time world champion from the
U.S. Women’s National Hockey team. She was hired by the Chicago
Blackhawks as their player development coach during the 2020
offseason.
In January, the MLB’s San Francisco
Giants hired Alyssa Nakken, a former
softball standout at Sacramento State.
With Nakken’s hire, each of the big four
sports officially has at least one team
with a woman employed on their coaching
staff.
Female coaches reached another
monumental achievement in 2019 when
the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Finals.
Brittni Donaldson was part of the Raptors
front office as the data analyst, and
the coaching staff promoted her to the
role of assistant coach. The Raptors’ NBA
Finals win marked the first time a female
coach had been part of a championship
team.
Donaldson, however, isn’t the only
woman to coach in a championship
game. Shortly thereafter, the NFL’s San
Francisco 49ers made a trip to the Super
Bowl and their offensive assistant coach,
Katie Sowers, became the second female
coach to coach under the brightest
lights. San Francisco came up short in
the Super Bowl but Sowers reached
another significant achievement with
the sponsorship she received: Microsoft
made Sowers the focus of their Super
Bowl commercial.
The ad featured Sowers reading
a letter she wrote as a child: “I hope
someday I will be on a real football team.”
The ad, played during the most-watched
television event of the year, was intended
to serve as inspiration for all women,
potentially paving the way for more
female professional sports coaches in
the future.
SPORTS
“It’s not just about pioneering.
Because someone pioneered for me.”
Photo from Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)
~Becky Hammon DECEMBER 2020 23
SPORTS
COVID-19 continues to agitate
the college athletic environment,
with no signs of stopping. The
controversy surrounding
program cuts, reopening plans,
new COVID-19 cases and
cancellations make college sports
a hot-button issue.
However, the future of
collegiate athletics also hinges
on a more minimally addressed
aspect of college sports: college
recruiting. The ever-evolving
COVID-19 situation prompted
Photo
courtesy of
Domenic Tarello
Domenic Tarello
committed to Lewis
University for lacrosse.
He said that one of the most
stressful parts of the recruitment
process was waiting for
responses from college coaches.
24 DROPS OF INK
VIRTUAL
THE REALITY
of VIRTUAL
numerous modifications in the
recruitment process for this
year’s senior athletes.
Some of these students
underwent the bulk of their
recruiting process before
COVID-19 hit, while others have
been more directly influenced
by the changes. Either way,
recruiting requires great
diligence for those involved.
Before any of the process can
start, the athlete must choose
to act upon their desire to play
collegiate
sports.
Taking this
first step is
often the
most
difficult
decision a
high school
athlete
can make.
That is why,
according to
the
National
College
Athletic Association
(NCAA), only around 6
percent of students
who perform at
the high school
level
continue
to play
in
Sarah Wuh Amanda Black Avery Vang
RECRUITING
college.
Especially
with
the pandemic
in mind, the
decision to commit
to college sports is a
momentous one.
John Woods, the
athletic director at LHS,
understands the weight that
comes with making this decision.
“[Athletes] have to ask
themselves if this is really what
they want, not what others
expect [them] to do,” he
articulated. “Then they have to
look at what they are doing
every single day and see if that
lines up with performing at a
collegiate level.”
For Megan Feeney, a senior
who has committed to
University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse for lacrosse, her passion,
dedication, and the lacrosse
community played an immense
role in her decision to play past
high school. Ultimately, the
feeling of belonging and love for
her sport led to her choice to
play in college.
“I always found lacrosse to
be kind of like an escape from
reality: just a way to get out, get
some exercise in and just enjoy
[myself],” she stated.
During a normal year, the
recruiting process heavily
involves emails between
coaches and recruits. After
determining if their grades are a
fit for certain schools, student
Photo courtesy of Jack
Brennan
Jack Brennan committed
to DePaul University for
soccer. He received
a lot of support
and guidance
from family
and coaches
throughout
the process.
athletes
will often
reach out and
email coaches
of programs that
pique their interest.
They then send their
athletic resumes, which
include their highlight
videos, stats and academic
information.
The hope is that this correspondence
will lead to visits from the
coach at games. In-person
showcases and camps are also
held for athletes to promote their
abilities to college coaches.
If the coach deems the athlete
a good fit, they receive an offer
from the school. After verbally
committing and signing a National
Letter of Intent, the recruit will
formally be a part of the team.
Many aspects of this
process transformed when the
country was shut down due
to COVID-19. In November, the
Photo courtesy of Marianna Morrissey
SPORTS
NCAA
extended
its suspension
of in-person
recruiting for Division
1 (DI) schools to April 15, a
suspension that has been in
place since March, according to
the Next College Student
Athlete (NSCA) website.
Thus, the recent recruiting
process has developed a heavy
reliance on the internet and
virtual tools for communication
between athletes and coaches
during the thick of the
pandemic. The increase in use of
social media platforms in recent
years strengthened. According
to the NSCA, there was a 26%
increase in emails sent from
recruits to college coaches from
March to July compared to last
year.
Coaches were encouraged to
pause all official and unofficial
visits, and strengthen
correspondence through virtual
environments. This continues to
be the case even though
regulations are slowly being
lifted, as coaches in DII and DIII
schools are now allowed to
participate in all regular recruiting
activities.
Marianna Morrissey, a senior
Senior Marianna Morrissey has committed
to play basketball at Carthage College.
She experienced some difficulties
with choosing a school during the
pandemic, which included only
being able to visit three colleges
and not being able
to meet the Carthage
basketball team.
basketball
player who signed
her letter of intent
to Carthage College in
November, started getting
recognized last year by
multiple colleges right around
when COVID-19 hit. The
pandemic altered her exposure
to coaches and schools.
“Travel tournaments had online
streamings of the games, so
coaches were able to watch those
but that was definitely different,”
Morrissey said. “College visits were
different too. I only visited three
schools. We had to wear masks
the whole time, and I couldn’t
meet the team.”
Without a doubt, widespread
uncertainty among recruits and
colleges made aspects of the
process more convoluted and
tedious to navigate.
However, in the eyes of Mr.
Woods, there is an upside to
the increase in virtual
communication. High revenue
sports and colleges with
extensive travel budgets have
less of an advantage.
“Everybody’s on the same
playing field because of
unlimited travel [via virtual
communication],” Mr. Woods
voiced. “[Recruits] may not be
the greatest athlete. They may
not be playing for the greatest
team. But they can
communicate just like the
greatest athletes with the
greatest programs.”
Aside from the added technical
complexity due to COVID-19,
athletes
must
overcome
numerous other
stressors. Feeney felt
alienated in committing to a
DIII school, which contrasted with
some teammates on her club
team, who have committed to DI
schools.
Domenic Tarello, a lacrosse
player who has committed to
Lewis University, expressed that
his biggest obstacle was the
stress in waiting for responses.
“You’re constantly aware of
your competition, and at one
point over multiple months,
there’ll be no communication
between you and colleges,”
Tarello explained.
Luckily, most athletes are
never alone during this process.
Jack Brennan, who is committed
to DePaul University for soccer,
could rely on support from his
family and coaches.
“My parents and coaches
really helped me out,” Brennan
remarked. “They kept me
focused on both my
education and soccer.”
The last step of the
recruiting process is also not
an easy one: determining
which college is the right fit.
Academics, team
culture, location
and campuses
have a huge
influence on an
athlete’s decision, in
addition to the sports
program itself.
The nursing
program and
campus of
Carthage
sold
Photo courtesy of
Megan Feeney
Morrissey.
The biology
and business
programs, as well as the
team environment at
University of Wisconsin- La
Crosse, sold Feeney. The small
size of Lewis University sold
Tarello. The campus and coaching
staff at DePaul sold Brennan.
COVID-19 has undeniably
influenced the college
recruiting system. However,
the recruiting process at its
core has remained the same.
The dedication, effort and
time required has not
been altered. Although
the “how” and “where”
of recruiting has
changed, the
“why” and “who”
still shine
bright.
Megan Feeney committed to
the University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse for lacrosse. She said the biology
and business programs, along with the team
environment, drew her to this Division III
school.
DECEMBER 2020
25
ADVERTISEMENTS
26 DROPS OF INK
WINTER WONDERLAND
Sophia Zumwalt
CROSSWORD
1 2
3 4
5 6
7
8
9 10
11
12
13
14
ACROSS
Across
1. A hanging piece, formed by the freezing of
1. A hanging piece, formed by 11. A strong snowstorm with
dripping water
the freezing of dripping high winds and low
water 3. A fluffy accessory that is worn visibility like headphones
3. A fluffy accessory that is 12. Time off of school due to
6. Precipitation formed by tiny ice pellets, sometimes
worn like headphones
heavy amounts of winter
mixing with rain or snow
6. Precipitation formed by weather
tiny 8. A ice warm pellets, beverage sometimesmade from 13. Flightless heavy cream, bird that milk, lives in
mixing egg with yolks, rain or cinnamon snow and vanilla the Southern Hemisphere
8. A warm beverage made 14. Connected to a chimney,
10. Soft hand warmers worn with no individual finger
from heavy cream, milk,
it helps provide warmth
egg
placements
yolks, cinnamon and inside during the winter
11. vanilla A strong snowstorm with high winds and low
10. Soft visibility hand warmers worn
with no individual finger
12.
placements
Time off of school due to heavy amounts of winter
weather
13. Flightless bird that lives in the Southern
Hemisphere
14. Connected to a chimney, it helps provide warmth
DOWN
Down
2. An Olympic sport played on ice in which players
2. An Olympic sport played 7. A winter sport that
slide large round stones towards a target
on ice in which players consists of using boots
4. A slide small large vehicle round used stones to transport individuals across
snow towards or ice a target -- or down a hill! to glide across the ice
4. A small vehicle used to 9. When an animal or plant
5. A name given to plants whose leaves stay green
transport individuals across spends the winter in a
throughout snow or ice the -- or entire down year a dormant state
6. A hill! chilly statue often made with a carrot nose
5. A name given to plants
7. A winter sport that consists of using boots with
whose leaves stay green
blades
throughout
on the
the
bottom
entire year
to glide across the ice
9. When 6. A chilly an animal statue often or plant spends the winter in a
dormant made with state a carrot nose
with blades on the bottom
DECEMBER 2020
27
WHAT’S TRENDING
SAFELY CONNECTING WITH FAMILY DURING THE HOLIDAYS
The memories you create
with family can last a
lifetime. When everyone laughed at
grandpa for wearing his shirt backward
or when your little cousin didn’t
know his continents in a game of 21 questions,
these memories correlate with a time
of celebration, often around the holidays.
We sit around a table and laugh for
Maddie Handrich
hours while stuffing our faces
with flavorful food that melts in our
mouths. Yet this year, many of us will be sitting
miles apart. Some may throw caution to
the wind and still travel to see a loved one,
but will the tradition be worth the risk? Even
by taking a COVID test before traveling,
many are getting false readings, according
to the Association of American Medical
Colleges.
A Zoom call or funny
holiday card may not be the
same, but you and your loved
ones will be safer not seeing
each other in person. Because of
this, students and their families are
getting creative this year to celebrate
the holidays with everyone they love.
Senior Skyler Allen and her family decided to create
gift packages starting in the first week of December
leading up to the holidays, with each package containing
different and unique gifts. The Allens sent these
packages to every relative on both sides of their family.
The first one consisted of mugs, bingo and coffee; the
second had holiday pillows, hot cider with cinnamon and
chocolate-covered pretzels; the third had M&Ms, hot
chocolate peppermint spoons and poppers; the last one
featured popcorn, chai tea latte and holiday cards with
handwritten notes to their loved ones. Every family
member will receive these four packages and open their
surprise gifts each week on Zoom together.
“My family has had weekly Zoom calls since the start
of quarantine, and now they will have this gift surprise,”
Allen said.
Another way the Allens have stayed connected is
through her grandma’s puzzle. During a Zoom call, they
noticed their grandma working on an especially difficult
puzzle. One family member asked if she could try it
after. Soon enough, everyone in the family wanted to
attempt it. The puzzle traveled from North Carolina to
New Jersey to Illinois in an effort to piece together the
challenging puzzle. Everyone finished the “outrageous
squiggles puzzle” but Allen, she said.
Senior Laurie Taranowski has stayed connected by getting
together with her family safely in person. During
Thanksgiving, they invited her grandparents over and
socially distanced with masks in their backyard. They had
a campfire and even included other out-of-state
relatives over a Zoom call. They even opted out of
eating Thanksgiving together: “To keep everyone safe,
we kept our masks on and packed up their Thanksgiving
leftovers so they could eat safely at home,” she said. Not
only that, but they also take walks with her grandparents
around their neighborhoods.
Senior Meg Bowling traveled to North Carolina last month
to keep up her family’s Thanksgiving tradition.
Before leaving, the family socially distanced
in an attempt to keep Covid-19
from spreading. After arriving, the
family partook in lots of activities and
experienced southern food traditions
such as a collar (a seafood dish), fried
bread and crowder peas. On top of
that, they rode on four-wheelers and
re-decorated their beach house.
“This family tradition happens every
year, and I’m glad we could
go down again safely,”
Bowling said.
28 DROPS OF INK
I I I
I
I I
I
*:
*
I
CLOSING OUT A MOST
UNUSUAL YEAR
IN THE BEST WAY WE
KNOWHOW:
WITH YOGA, SWEAT +
FRIENDS ... ON ZOOM.
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