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For the past few years, Leyden has believed that if it can incorporate passion, kindness, and innovation into

its curriculum, then we can have a successful school with students ready to take on the world. An Illinois top education official recently visited Leyden to test our district’s hypothesis that Leyden represents the best of public schools in Illinois. And based on the reaction of Illinois State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Tony Smith, #leydenpride is well-deserved. Following his tour of the culinary room, TSI, and our metals shop, Dr. Smith remarked on our student body in the following way: “You are able to go about your learning and are able to share how you are recruiting and connecting with other kids. Schools for me are a place of inclusion and belonging...I feel like that gets stripped out of schools a lot of time and to hear it so clearly is powerful. I actually haven’t heard it in awhile.” Dr. Smith’s visit began with an invitation from Director of Careers Dr. Fran Brady and was guided by Leyden Superintendent Dr. Nick Polyak and Board President Mr. Gregory T. Ignoffo. During each segment of the tour, students described for Dr. Smith the different certification and career pathways that are available at our school. After the tour, he was served lunch by our catering class and students involved in FACS, TSI, PLTW,

AP Seminar, and E-learning presented the different details that makes these classes stand out from other schools. During the visit to TSI, for example, Director of Technology Brian Weinert explained how the class has earned a reputation with the Dell corporation. Weinert explained that “the third highest guy in Dell that reports directly to Michael Dell came through here twice, not just once, because he wanted to come back.” Dr. Smith was just as impressed when he walked through and noted how student-run customer support is not only cheaper, but it prepares them for future careers. “These aren’t students. They’re

your level 1 tech support. I have two hundred extra sets of hands,” Weinert explained. TSI teacher Ms. Lauren Martire explained that a lot of TSI is based off partnership and apprenticeship where students either work together to learn something new or a more experienced TSI student teaches the younger students. Dr. Smith was again impressed with Leyden when he walked through our metals shops. While giving him the tour, students noted how they appreciated that teachers were able to get them jobs in the field and get a head start on their careers. Students were more than happy to answer Dr. Smith’s questions as they explained

every machine, and Dr. Smith was surprised to hear the Leyden has machinery that even metal shops in the city don’t have. Many students offered praise for their teachers and their classes as they spoke with Dr. Smith. After students gave presentations on the different courses available at Leyden, Dr. Smith was amazed. “The fact that you make this learning yours and you talk about teaching, meeting teachers, and [how] teachers who graduated from here are your favorite teachers. It’s amazing,” he said in the beginning of a group conversation. He went on to ask how we as students are “helping other kids find their passions and find connections.” Azu Whigham, who represented Leyden’s new E-Learning Days at the presentation, said that it helps that we’re not like every high school. “We’re all on Twitter, and we all follow each other. We’re just a big loving school, and I just think that students here are more of a community. Representing PLTW, Adrian Ziemkiewicz said that “It’s not exactly a family because it’s too big but more like a close, tight knit community. You may not know somebody on a personal level, but since you’re at Leyden, you don’t really fear walking up to them and talking to them.” At the end of the tour, Dr. Smith was officially welcomed to the community with his own #leydenpride shirt and even some Javacinno puppy chow.

State Superintendent tours top programsNatalie Taborska

The Distance Between Us is a memoir that centers on the author’s young life and describes obstacles she had

to face as an immigrant. Senior Ariana Cardenas, on of a number of student ‘book ambassadors,’ described her experience reading: ”You see how someone going through so much can still become successful, it’s really inspiring.” Reyna Grande was born in Mexico along with her two older siblings. Through-out her life, she spent time apart from one or both her parents, who were in the United States. Years later she found a way to come

to the United States. Her memoir covers the struggles of being left behind and being new to the country. Grande, who will speak at an all school assembly at each campus, said she wanted to write this book to not only help her heal from her past or to forgive her parents, but also to allow her readers to understand the hardships immigrant children have to face. “There are thousands of immigrant kids in the U.S. and unfortunately our government hasn’t been very kind to them. Especially right now, with refugee children from Cen-tral America being turned away, it is more important than ever that we read their stories so that we can understand who they are and be more compassionate,” Grande said.

Another book ambassador, Elisa-veth Alvarado commented on the power of the book: “It gives an insight into the reality of the many students that come here with a similar background. Students in our school should have someone to look up to. It gave me an insight about my culture that I didn’t know.” Readers of all backgrounds, how-ever, will be able to learn from the book. Jo-natan Ortega said, “It’s important for people to understand that most immigrants come with hope of the American dream. They are hard working people trying to make a better living for their family and to provide an op-portunity to be successful for their children.

More students should read the book to under-stand the things others have to go through.” Grande hopes that her visit and the community of readers it may help create will encourage and inspire students. She said, “My advice for youth who are going through what I went through is to let go of your anger, hate, resentment, and whatever other negative emotions you are feeling. Instead, focus on the positive and try to do the best you can to become the person who you want to become. Lingering on the negative doesn’t get you anywhere. You can’t change the past.” Cardenas said, “It’s an example to show that if you work hard, anything is pos-sible.”

Paulina Castelan

One Book, One LeydenThe Eagle’s Eye

East Author Assembly--Thursday, Feb. 18 2016 Period 3 in East Auditorium

Community Reception--Thursday, Feb.18, 20165 p.m. to 7 p.m. in West Auditorium

West Author Assembly--Friday, Feb. 19, 2016Period 3 in West Auditorium

Leyden teachers have been encouraging students to read the book The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande. The title is the first selection of Leyden’s “One Book, One Leyden” program, which aims to bring students, staff, and community together as they read the same title.

Students Cody LaGrand and Adrian Ziemkiewicz with Dr. Tony Smith

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The Eagle’s Eye: February 20162 News

Many high school students com-plain that college is extremely expensive .The thing students

don’t realize is that there are many scholar-ships out there. They have to look for them and put effort into earning that scholarship money, especially since as of Oct. 2012, the average student loan debt was $26,600. T h e good news is that there is still plenty of time to fill out the scholarships . “There are all kinds of schol-arships: academic, talent, athletics, and random scholarships for a degree. There are very creative scholarships. People award-ing you want you to distinguish yourself. These are very competitive scholarships,” Ms. Justyna Jablonska , Financial Aid and Scholarship Coordinator, said. Students who have not filled out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), should remember to fill it out ASAP because it is first come first serve. The earlier students fill out the FAFSA, the more aid you will be eligible for. DO NOT hesitate because the government is “essen-tially” handing you money when you fill it out quickly. If you are still unsure on what other scholarships are out there, you are in luck. Leyden High School provides Com-mon Local Scholarship opportunities that Leyden students can apply for. The applica-tions are due in the student services office at your campus. NO later than 3:00pm on

February 16,2016. If you are interested you should visit the Leyden website and scroll down and you will be able to download the application and fill it out. There are other resources that are very useful for students preparing for financial aid. The most common websites to apply for scholarships are FastWeb and College Zone. These websites have a large

variety of schol-arships. “If you log into Naviance, go un-der the colleges tab, scroll down and you will find four links with scholarships,” Ms. Jablonska

said. The National Scholarship Search will take you to a SallieMae where you will cre-ate an account and apply for scholarships. “The most competitive [local] scholarships are the Donald E. Stephens (scholarships) because for East and West, they give out only three $5,000 scholar-ships. Some other competitive scholarships are the Rundquist Opportunity Scholarship, which is for one East student and is worth $4,000. Another scholarship is the Rotary Club of Chicago-O’Hare Scholarship which is for five students from either East or West, worth $3,500,” Ms. Jablonska explained. If you’re a student that has any questions about financial aid and scholar-ships, you can contact Ms. Justyna Jablon-ska. If you have any questions she can answer them right away for you. Her e-mail is jjablonska@leyden212.org. Remember don’t wait until the last minute to fill out scholarships. The earlier you apply, the more money there is heading your way to help pay for your college tuition.

Cash in on Local Scholarships

Gerardo Heredia

Next year’s new coursesWith registration underway, students should know about new courses available for the upcoming 2016 - 2017 school year. Are you still stumbling on what electives you want to take? Here are a couple that will be new for everyone next year.

The industrial tech department has set up an all-female section of the course, Introduction to Engineering Honors. “Fe-males are underrepresented in our STEM classes and in the engineering field. One of the issues I have seen over the years has been a fear or lack of comfort in taking a class that has a large percentage of male students. It can be tough to be the only girl in class. Having a class run that is just for females would prevent that stress. We are looking to change that,” chairperson Mr. Frank Holthouse explained. With this whole new change in the course, females can now be more comfort-able and represented in this engineering class next year. This course is available as a whole year class. (1 credit). And it is avail-able to all grade levels for next year. This course also provides college credit, which is helpful to all students. “This a great course that offers COLLEGE CREDIT! Students who earn a 6 or higher out of 9 possible points on the final exam are issued transcript credit from the University of Iowa that are transferable!” Mr. Holthouse expressed. It’s like taking an AP class but in that regard, but it earns honors credit. IED honors is the first of three Engineering/STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) classes offered

at Leyden. “The course allows student to learn the fundamentals of 3D design and 3D printing,” Mr. Holthouse said. So this

course will provide students planning to be an engineer in the future a start down a full track of courses. According to Holthouse, this class will constantly be challenging students and asking them to direct their own learning. Mr. Holthouse said, “I encourage students to take any PLTW / STEM / or Engineer-ing course because these classes strengthen critical thinking and problem solving skills.

All FemaleEngineering Class

Modern Language will add courses for those ready to study at the advanced level in two languages. French AP and Italian AP

will be available to those who are taking French and Italian 4 Honors students. “They can sign-up for the option next fall in the French 4 Honors/Italian 4 Honors class if students are up for the chal-lenge of AP and want to prepare to take the French/Italian AP exam,” chairperson Mrs. Celida Kipp explained. In preparation for French AP, “We practice speaking and lis-tening skills every day and with movies. We

read authentic texts. The readings involved are texts that might be on the AP Exam. We read Le Monde, a Paris newspaper, every day. We also do oral presentations,” Mrs. Kipp described. In Italian AP, students will have similar preparation: “We also practice speaking and listening skills every day. We read authentic texts. We blog in Italian and keep an Italian journal. We read the Italian newspaper ‘La Repubblica’ and watch TG1: the news from one of Italy’s most important television channels. We watch movies to improve not only our comprehension, but also to delve deeper into Italian culture. We practice the various parts of the AP exam,” Mrs. Kipp explained. Mrs. Kipp also explained on how these courses were implemented through high demand: “Many past students have received a score of 3, 4 or 5; therefore, cur-rent students are motivated to take it. Lastly, students felt that if they are getting AP credit in other courses, they would like to receive AP credit for their language class as well.” Mrs. Kipp truly recommends this to all of our students: “Students in our de-partment are very successful and receive the highest AP scores in the school. Our teachers prepare students well, but most of all our teachers are quite passionate about their languages.”

Le nouveau classes de Francais APIl nuovo classe per Italiano AP

Errol Lucas

East Leyden held its first ever AP Interest Meeting in the Nardini Li-brary yesterday, allowing students

interested in taking AP classes the chance to meet one on one with Leyden’s AP teach-ers. Respective teachers from the English, Math, Modern Language, Science, Art, and Social Studies departments answered ques-tions and shared their course descriptions, content, and expectations. Mrs. Karen Ritter, Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning, and Principal Mr. Jason Markey oversaw and encouraged students to explore AP options they otherwise might not have considered. Ritter, when asked what prompted this meeting, explained, “We are partnering up with this organization called Equal Op-portunity Schools, and they have helped us collect data to learn how to identify students that are right for AP classes. And it’s the per-fect time right now because we’re right in the beginning of course selection. We want to make sure students have the information they need to make the decision.”

Equal Opportunity Schools’ goals, as stated on its website, to provide all students with the information and sup-port they need to enroll in and excel at ad-vanced classes, “Hundreds of thousands of low-income students and black and Latino students are stuck in AP and IB enrollment gaps across the country, often reporting that they are unchallenged by their classes and therefore disengaged. We believe that, together, we can reach all of these students and fully close race and income AP/IB ac-cess gap.” However, Ritter commented that Leyden’s interest in this organization is not to diversify the classroom per se, but to help kids “with comparable qualifications” find classes that challenge and excite them. In addition to reaching out to potential AP students, the meeting was also a resource for current enrollees and those already certain to have AP classes in their future, providing an opportunity to establish early relation-ships with instructor as well as confirm that AP is the right path for them.

Advanced Placement explained

Isabella Valdez

I’m sick of everyone, including myself, saying, “I can’t wait for college.” As if higher education is a portal to the land of the less sad and stressed, as if all the things

you hate about high school disappear once you step onto a new campus. For those of us hoping to move way out of Illinois, and for those of us moving around the state, our current distress is comforted by the notion that if we escape the black hole that is our life, everything will be so much better. But, as someone who’s had experience living on a college campus while taking college classes, I’m here to burst that lovely bubble. Over the past three summers I’ve taken writing classes hosted by Lake Forest College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and, most recently, Emerson College in Boston. While I have met three of my current best friends,

one from each institution, at these programs I have also cried myself to sleep because I missed home so much, spent all my money on food, and skipped out on class because there was no one to force me out of bed. The experiences I’ve had are not for the faint of heart; college is not easy. You are responsible for yourself, and for some kids it’s too rough a transition. My roommate at Lake Forest tried to go home at the end of the first week of a two-week long program because it wasn’t what she’d thought it’d be. You’re going to long for a place you know, even people you hate; you’ll miss everything familiar. Classes are challenging. They require constant participation and attention. Julia Dieter, a freshman at the University of Madison-Wisconsin, advises, “You will have so many more instances in which [you need] to make your opinion known, and it is important to cultivate beliefs and convictions before attending a university.” But I know Julia,

The Eagle’s Eye: February 2016 3opinions

What to Expect When You’re Expecting College

Isabella Valdez

a passionate and aware individual who enjoys discussing and dissecting topics. Many of my peers, however, do not appear stimulated by conversation. In my AP Language and Composition class last year, kids complained that they weren’t interested in the essay topic, and, therefore, couldn’t write the essay. Michelle Bank, a sophomore at the University of Puget Sound in Washington, says, “I hated high school because I was constantly stressed and constantly working. You spend about seven hours in class, and then you go home only to spend the next seven hours doing homework. In college, the workload might be heavier but the classes aren’t taking up your entire day.” So, even though you have more time to do work, it’s more difficult, and for those of us who lack motivation, that extra time could be a real problem. I also interviewed my older sister, Rachel. She is a quasi-junior at Triton College and still lives at home, but I wanted to know, for my peers who are planning to stay put, if staying local requires less adjustment. My sister is almost twenty-one, she pays her own bills, has an office job, and goes to school part-time. I asked her about being independent in college, if it was what every high schooler dreams it to be, and she commented, “It’s difficult at times because you can’t take a sick day or anything like that. It’s not as glamorous. I feel like people expect it to be whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it, but that’s not how it is. You have to live within your means, which a lot of people struggle with. You need to take responsibility because you’re not going to get a second chance. If you fail out of school, nobody’s going to give you that money back. It’s on you. School needs to be your number one priority.” In my own time away, I think my biggest problem was spending. I could get all my work done, have several hours of freedom, roam the city with my friends, watch movies, take naps, catch an improv show. But without an authority figure, and with a wad of cash, I was okay with eating at Panera nightly. Five weeks and $700 later, I returned home from Boston with $25 in my bank account. I was reckless and I didn’t even notice. When it’s not your money, it goes quickly. What I’m trying to say is that college is not going to save you. You’ll come out different, sure, but the reasons you hate high school will manifest into the reasons you hate college. No matter what you’re doing, there are always things that make it suck. It is inescapable and inevitable. College requires responsibility, dedication, and passion. If you don’t like the atmosphere or your classes after a few months, maybe college really isn’t right for you. So, stop romanticizing the future and, in the words of Dieter, “Don’t just sit around and expect life to come your way. You get nothing if you wait for it.”

Got Drama?Get over it or get after itLeslie Correa

As a high school student, I have witnessed a lot of fights: physical, verbal, electronic. I always catch myself wondering why it started. Is the issue really

so important that people feel the need to make their personal lives a public event? What effect does it have in the long run? What my peers, what all high school students for that matter, don’t seem to get is that the conflict that appears important and life-altering now isn’t going to matter in a week’s time. Dean of Students, Mr. Michael Grosch, com-mented, “There’s just a lot of drama in school. Kids can’t let stuff go.” One reason people are hard pressed to let things go is the contemporary obsession with social media. This gen-eration, and I’m not just talking about teenagers, depends on social media to make their existence known. Facebook and Twitter accounts are common and to be without is to be abnormal. Grosch explained the impact of the internet on student conflict: “It allows kids to be mean to each other 24/7.” Grosch also pointed out that while the meanness is expanded through social media, its impact is eliminated: “It allows kids to not actually see the immediate reaction of the other person. We as humans are programmed to be empathetic, to see that we are hurting someone. It should be hard for us to be mean, but the internet allows us to be mean and not deal with the consequences.” Whether we state our subject explicitly or not, it’s obvious when someone is trashing another person. The vast and open nature of the internet suggests we should be excited to share opinions, but because we spend so much time sharing opinions about each other, some of us are becoming too sensitive.

Today, we have to be extremely careful about what we say in order to avoid pointless conflict. Others who voluntarily give opinions, sometimes in attempt to start a conversation, find people attacking them because they think they’re being attacked. Others censor themselves altogether, fearing the backlash they may well receive for expressing their feelings. Our meanness is leading to our silence. Now, whether we participate or stay away from online conflict, we risk isolation. There are two possible solutions to student-initi-ated conflict: get over it or confront each other. Not every tweet is a subtweet; not everything is about you. The other solution might be to address conflict directly rather than let it be amplified online or ignored. The school has started a new preventative program called “Restorative Justice,” which aims to resolve internet-based situations. Grosch

explained, “It brings the parties together…whether it’s a student and a student or a student and a teacher. [The conversation might go like this:] ‘The fact that I have hurt you has

damaged our relationship; at the end of the day, I don’t like you and you don’t like me, but at least now we understand. Let’s leave each other alone.’” I think what the school is doing is a good idea because it gives students the chance to explain themselves to one another. It gives students the opportunity to under-stand why they are in the situation that they are in. I believe that teenagers are naturally dramatic and sensitive, taking everything to the heart. Drama is a part of growing up. We should handle our situations face to face instead of attacking from or hiding behind the screen.

Not every tweet is a subtweet; not everything is about you. “

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Senior Trinity Rubio knows her rela-tionship will change once it becomes a long distance one. Rubio’s chal-

lenge is different from many seniors, who are thinking about the impact of college. Her boyfriend, Brian, will be leaving for the Air Force. People in long distance relation-ships with service men and women face challenges that others do not. Specifically, limits on through texting or video chatting complicate communication. “He’s not allowed to use any de-vices, so our relationship will solely rely on letters,” Rubio said. To some it may sound like too much of a challenge, but she and Brian have talked it out and both are will-ing to make it work no matter the distance between them. She was friends with Brian for a couple of years before they decided to start dating, and he has always known that he’d be joining the Air Force for sometime. “I care enough to make this rela-tionship work. I’ll put in the effort I need to keep this relationship alive, so I have faith in it being okay,” stated Rubio Senior Allie Bubalo is currently in a long distance relationship with her long-

time boyfriend Geo. They’ve been together for a year and eight months. The distance has been on and off for the past five to six months. The longest time they’ve being apart was for three months during during boot camp, and the way they stayed in com-munication back then was with letters. “When he is home we try to see each other as much as possible,--at least go out to lunch or dinner with each other to catch up,” she explained. Bubalo talked about what they do when they finally have time together, “While he’s gone we Facetime every night and try to text throughout the day to stay in touch as much as possible. To make our long dis-tance relationship work we try not to fight over little things and not get so mad that we ignore each other.” Bubalo has learned that being in a relationship like this has made her gain more trust in her significant other. “If you don’t have trust in them while you are together everyday, then dur-ing the long distance relationship it would be even harder to trust them” Something Bubalo would want oth-ers who are currently in or about to enter a long distance relationship is that they need to learn to use communicate.

“Don’t be afraid to try and work through problems even if you are not to-gether in person. Holding in any issues you have with your significant other won’t make the long distance any easier.“ Senior Jazmin Perez has been in the shoes of someone dating a man in train-ing. Her boyfriend Neal was gone for Army training for 11 months, and even though it was difficult, she believes that it strength-ened their relationship.

“It taught us to be more independent, and once he came back it made us appreciate each other more. It also taught us a lot about patience.” Perez shared the follow-ing advice: “I advise people to take their relationship seriously. Be patient and take every day one step at a time. Stay faithful to the person always. Never let a person sleep on their anger because distance makes everything escalate and overall just respect each other.”

The Eagle’s Eye: February 20164Th

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Editor-in-ChiefNatalie Taborska

News EditorPiotr Morawiec

Opinions EditorIsabella Valdez

In Focus EditorShelsea Reynoso

Features EditorZitlali Montiel-Martinez

Arts & Entertainment EditorKarina Kosmala

Sports Co-EditorsPaulina Castelan and Jasmin Gonzalez

Broadcast EditorGleanne Rosales

Web EditorGerardo Heredia

Visuals ManagerCharlie Zielinski

Social Media/Marketing ManagerRobert Gussy

Copy EditorsMireya CanoSarah Fiala

Social ChairJasmina Abdic

ReportersCristina Aguilar

Krystyna CardonaMelissa CorralLeslie Correa

Jonjalee FisherErrol Lucas

Rebecca MirandaGiovanni Montes

Leslie PalacioShelsea ReynosoEssence Tolver

Tania Trejo

The Eagle’s Eye is produced by students enrolled in English IV Journalism and English IV Journalism Honors with Mr. John Rossi. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the district. Readers are encouraged to check out our full collection of content and submit story ideas via the web site.

Find us at lhsnews.org

Melissa Corral

Features

Cristina Aguilar

Making distance work

Teddy bears, good feelings deliveredGive a Teddy a Heart is a club that

collects teddy bears in order to donate them to children and adults

in the hospital. Its main purpose is to put a smile on the person’s face when they receive the teddy bear. This past Saturday, the club did exactly that. Bright and early Saturday morn-ing, about 20 club members, including the captains of the boys varsity basketball team, who were invited to participate in the outing, gathered in school with bags and boxes filled with 100 brand new teddy bears. Club vice president Carli Deegan, said, “We thought it would be nice to invite the players because the team helped us raise money to get the teddy bears, and they’re sort of the whole reason why we can donate them today.” In an unfortunate series of events, the bus ended up being late, which caused a change of plans. Originally, members of the club were supposed to get the chance to interact with the children and adults at Misericordia, but by the time the bus got

to the hos-pital, it was time for the residents to go to their next activi-ties. Luckily, members did get the op-portunity to give teddy b e a r s t o some kids. A l t h o u g h none of the kids could s p e a k o r move around because of t h e i r d i s -abilities, they definitely did show their appreciation with the big smiles their faces when each received a teddy bear. Club president Michelle Fritz teared up when she saw the big smile on one little boy. “His smile was incredible,”

she said. “It was the best thing ever, and I’m never going to forget that.” Others too were moved by this experience.DeAndre Williams said, “It was humbling seeing kids like that, just the smile on their face once they got the bears.” Robert Wisniewski was moved

“just to see how much they have to go through, compared to our lives, and how good we have it.” Those looking to help should know the club meets at least twice a month in room 218. If interested, contact Michelle Fritz or Ms. Jeanette Gagliardi.

Allie Bubalo and her Marine boyfriend.

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The Eagle’s Eye: February 2016 5Art and Entertainment

Sources tend to disagree about the number of jobs that will be available in the arts over the next decade. Some argue that it will be slower than average and

others expect an increase as current artists retire. One point of agreement, however, is this: competition will be fierce and talent will be required. “We actually have quite a few students who pur-sue arts in college,” said Adrianne Nix, an art teacher here at East Leyden. “There has especially been a boom in the creative technical realm in the past 10 years and so in Photography and Graphic Design we try to expose students to those college and career options as well as there are so many new opportunities in those fields.” Senior Mariel Labajos has been an art student since her freshman year. Throughout her high school career, her dedication in the arts has been recognized and acknowledged by other students, teachers, and administra-tors. Labajos’ art portfolio consists of a variety of styles

with an emphasis on digital media.. She is perhaps the

only AP Studio Art student this year who uses a Wacom pen tablet and laptop to create her pieces. In the upcoming fall semester of 2016, Labajos will be attending the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Labajos hopes to get a job for a major gaming company and be a type of video game artist. With her two passions being art and video games, Labajos also hopes to combine her two passions and have a job that she loves to do. “I want a good job with a good company with enough to earn so I wouldn’t have to support myself with a second job,” she added. “But in all I just hope that if I work hard enough, I’ll land a job that’ll make me feel like I don’t have a job, just an extension of my hobby.” As ideal as her views are, her parents however, did not share the same idealistic views for her future. “They didn’t really take me seriously at first,” Labajos said. “When they realized that I was serious, they

were worried because of the [stigma] people have against artists.” Labajos explained how her parents are worried of the job security and are afraid their daughter may end up be-ing a “starving artist.” Eventually, they started to recognize her abilities and thus began to proudly support her. “I’m really thankful for that.” Other than Labajos, senior Kamilla Wielgat also plans on studying art in college. “Ever since I was a kid, art was my thing,” Wielgat said on why she was passionate about her major of choice. “Art was always there for me, so I just knew I had to do something with it.” After spending a lot of time with her mother’s camera while she spent her sophomore year in Poland, Wielgat was inspired to pursue a major specifi-cally in film at the Pratt Institute at Brooklyn, New York or Columbia College here in Chicago. “My parents support me a hundred percent, and I’m lucky to have the parents that I have because I know most would be worried about their child going into a field that doesn’t guarantee a job.”

Art after high schoolThe time to pick and choose colleges and majors is coming very soon for Leyden’s class of 2016. While many may have no problem in getting support for their dreams of studying a medical or science major, some may have to face the perceived lack of value for their major of choice:

Mariel Labajos is ready to pursue her art dreams in college after improving through Leyden.

Directed by William Brent Bell, The Boy is an American horror film, taking place in England where a woman by the name of Greta finds a new

nannying job looking after a boy named Brahms. The old couple who are the parents of the young boy tell her ev-erything she needs to know about taking care of their son, along with a list of strict rules that she must follow at all times. The rules include the following: No Guests, Dress Him Each Morning, Save Meals in Freezer, Never Cover His Face, Never Go in the Attic, Play Music Loud, Never leave him alone, Clean The Traps, Don’t Forget to Feed Him, Kiss Goodnight. To Greta’s surprise, when the woman showed her to the young boy, he was not actually a boy. Brahms was a porcelain doll. Consistent throughout the movie, there were the classic elements of a horror film. Sprinkled in the plot, there were the obvious pop outs that still got the best of most people. Within hours of an evil presence in the house becoming more apparent, one scene did catch my attention. When Greta had just begun taking care for Brahms, she was upstairs napping when she heard the cries of a young child. Considering there were no real children in the house with

The BoyClassic mood, late letdown

her, it was unsettling and triggered a giant “NOPE” in my mind. Especially when Greta went downstairs to find what seemed to be tears on Brahms’ eyes. Aside from the classical supernatural elements, there was substance within the plot. For the most part, this movie wasn’t a random string of events of supernatural happenings. From Greta’s dark past to her motives behind every choice, it can be implied she becomes dependent on the doll because of a loss she has in her life, and doesn’t want to return to the life she left behind in the United States.While some parts of the movie were predictable, others impressed me. I was left in shock, awe, and confusion by the big twist towards the end of the movie. I didn’t know what to think. Everything that I was led to believe about Brahms was a lie, except for the one thing that his father said about him: “Brahm’s was an odd child.” The Boy isn’t just a horror film about a porcelain doll, ghosts, and demons. There was much more to the story than what the narrator had revealed to us, and although I enjoy a good twist in a story, I wish there was much more given to the audience than a shallow explanation of the death of a young boy who also had a dark past. I felt that for this story to feel complete without any plot holes and contradictions, there needed to be a backstory as to how Brahms became to be the person he was, an explanation of what information about Brahms and the house the parents actually knew about, and most importantly, why all of it would have been kept a secret in the first place. I simply didn’t see a pure intention behind all of the secrecy. “I want my money back” was one of a few com-ments I overheard from a few teenagers sitting a couple of rows in front of me. My first reaction was to agree with them. I was frustrated with the lack of background on Greta, Brahms, and the truth about Brahms’ death. After cooling myself down about unanswered questions and confusion, I gave the director and writers some credit for their originality. My friend had said he was hoping for and expecting more paranormal activity from Brahms’ spirit; however, I was pleasantly surprised when the movie had taken a one-eighty on the audience by providing us with a unique explanation to the “supernatural activity” within the house. It’s hard to be original nowadays, so when there was finally a moment in the movie when something creepy in an extraordinary way occurred without my friend calling it beforehand, it was satisfying. To be fair, he also happens to be the icon manager at 13th Floor and a horror fanatic, so nearly everything is no surprise when it comes to horror films. If you enjoy horror films with a strange twist, it’s definitely worth a watch.

The Orchesis performance, “Unleash the Beat” took place January 29 and 30 and featured dances developed and rehearsed throughout the year. (Photos by Pete Skylakos)

Mireya Cano

Gleanne Rosales

The Eagle’s Eye: February 20166 Arts & Entertainment

Nail-biting, eyes glued to the TV, and puzzling over questions - with one endlessly repeating every time - why? These are reactions that any viewer might encounter while watching, “Making a Murderer.” Even those who mindlessly clicked on the title because of the cover will be hooked within the first minutes because of the 10 episode documentary tension and mysterious truth. “Making a Murderer,” the Netflix original series, tells the story of Steven Avery, a Manitowoc county resident in Wisconsin, who served 18 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit and who, just two years after his release, stands accused of murder. Why this man? The case of Steven Avery is bizarre. Viewers first find out that Avery was no angel: he was a man who committed small crimes here and there, but he served the time he needed in jail. He also confessed, truthfully admitting to those small crimes without hesitation. But then he was convicted of sexual assault that he passionately denies. Still, he’s sentenced to prison and serves 18 years. But then DNA evidence exonerates him, and his release shines a light on clear misconduct on the part of the police, some of it purposeful. So when he’s arrested again, the

clear question is this: is he being set up again? The documentary is really the story of this second trial. It moves forward from his arrest: exploring hidden loopholes, potential cover ups, potentially false allegations or accusations. The directors also show how Avery’s case only received attention from the news

for a large portion of the trials, until one reporter discovered information that turned the tables to some degree on the accusers. Throughout every episode, I had this perpetual feeling that the police were simply trying to correct the misconduct that was present in Avery’s first case, to correct their reputation, and to prove to the residents of Manitowoc that their previous accusations were not completely unjustified. In other words, they knew Avery was a troubled man all along. While viewers will be tempted to assume the police are once again up to no good, the second case features

an important fact, which makes for a compelling plot twist. In the murder of Teresa Halbach, the DNA evidence works against Avery. Through interviews with family, attorneys, and reporters, the series tells a story by attempting to piece together from both sides, which shows how not every piece of it fits together smoothly. One clear impression the filmmakers make is this: Avery, his family, and reporters looking for answers can’t threaten the State. The State of Wisconsin, the authorities, are dominant throughout, and Avery is placed at a disadvantage throughout the documentary: manipulations, rights withheld, and evidence that will question the “coincidental” factor. And that’s the lasting idea, regardless of Avery’s guilt. According to Laura Ricciardi, the filmmaker of the documentary series, “We set out to examine the criminal justice system and how it’s functioning today.” The tension between citizens and this authority of the justice system thickens with every episode. Viewing the series is a great way to engage with thought-provoking questions about how much power the justice system and the police really have? Watch “Making a Murderer” on Netflix to examine their power, and determine for yourself whether Steven Avery, is indeed, guilty.

Making an Impact

Karina Kosmala

Netflix documentary questions justice system

We set out to examine the criminal justice system and how it’s functioning today.”

“

Unveils the disturbing truth about the criminal justice system, mainly America’s war on drugs.

The house I LIve In

Explores the forced

confession and wrongful conviction of

five New York youths in 1989.

The CenTraL Park FIve

Opens the debate between human safety and the freedom of killer whales.

BLaCkFIsh

Analyzes the stereotypes created by

the media’s depiction of

women.

MIss rePresenTaTIon

More Films with Focus

Ride Along sequel offers same fun as firstFighting forces together against drug deal-ers and gun smugglers, Kevin Hart and Ice Cube are back for another action/adventure. Fans of the first film can expect a good laugh and two stars with enough chemistry to make the sequel memorable. Ben Barber (Hart), a rookie in the police force is still learning the job alongside future brother-in-law James Payton (Ice Cube). Following a lead related to a drug ring in Miami, James takes Ben along to prove himself as a cop, and it is up to the pair to bust a respected businessman, execu-tive Antonio Pope (Benjamin Bratt), who is known and loved by everyone in Florida despite actually being a violent crime lord. With barely a week before Ben

has to be back to marry his fiancee, Angela Payton (Tika Sumpter), will the soon-to-be brothers make the bust in time to unite Mr. and Mrs. Black Hammer? Ride Along 2, written by Tim Story, does an excellent job showing growth in its two characters. James didn’t respect Ben that much in the beginning of the movie, but as time passed when they flew to Miami together to solve a case, the trust built, creating a great brotherly bond and a solid buddy cop comedy. Ride Along 2 also has an effective plot, especially for a sequel, which could be really similar to the feel of the original movie. The idea of a drug lord being well-respected allows some conflict as he keeps his actions away from the police. As far as the laughs go, viewers

might end up saying that this sequel is a lot like the original. Some jokes are uninspiring and do not really set the bar for the fran-chise. The biggest downside to this movie is that it isn’t much of an improvement to the series, but more of the original Ride Along with reinvented jokes and gags. In my opinion, makes it a good improvement to the franchise. Just a little change to how the original movie’s central story line runs just makes this movie on par with the original. Overall, I give Ride Along 2 a 6.7/10 for its overall performance. This sequel’s opening is about $8M which was 17% less than the original’s opening day, but for me, run-on jokes and gags aren’t what makes a movie bad. What I truly liked about Ride Along 2 is that it continued what the origi-

nal movie could have finished off with how Ben and Angela got married, how Ben and James’ relationship as brothers-in-law grew and how well they work together in a movie like this. I have to agree with other critics on how this movie isn’t much of an improve-ment. It was just a slight improvement from the first movie, finishing off loose ends. But I think the story was told creatively for this second installment to the franchise. Not to spoil any of the scenes, but how Antonio Pope tries to turn things around makes the whole movie a lot more interesting to watch. You’ll know what I mean when you go out to see the movie. Ride Along 2 came out in theaters on January 15, and is worthy watch for its comedy, action, and adventure.

Errol Lucas

The Eagle’s Eye: November 2015

Making Happiness Happen7In Focus

Faculty, staff focus on making Leyden a school full of smiles Jasmin Gonzalez

Bizzare Ways to End the BluesRobert Gussy

E v e r y o n e h o p e s f o r happiness. Kids wait for new toys, teens wait for the newest phone, and adults wait for the love of their lives. But recent research has shown there are also a lot of ways to make yourself happy.

Some are no brainers: be kind, get sleep, smile, e x e r c i s e . B u t j u s t a s happiness itself ranges from contentment to intense joy, there are a variety of ways to make yourself happy. And some are unusual.

Sadness=Happiness?

Watching as sad movie or listening to sad songs can actually make you happier. Studies from the Communication Research showed that greater sadness led to greater enjoyment, mediated by life reflection; specifically, both self- and socio-focused thoughts mediated this sadness impact on tragedy enjoyment. Furthermore, more sadness led to greater life happiness increase during expo-sure, mediated by socio-focused thoughts.

“Sad movies help reflect on my life, allowing me to be happy” stated Desiree Martinez, a Senior at East Leyden .

Money Might Buy It The old saying may only apply when you aren’t spending right. “Money often makes us feel selfish, and we do things only for ourselves. Well maybe the reason money doesn’t make us happy is that we are always spending it on the wrong things: in particular, that we’re always spending it on ourselves,” explained Michael Norton, a social science researcher. Senior Ajla Husic com-mented,, “I actually think spend-ing money on someone other than myself does bring happiness. I can only imagine how happy I’ll feel someday when I’ll be able to give back to my mom for all she’s done for all she’s done for me. I’ll get you that house mama!”

Dear Diary “A study from published in the journal Psychological Science, from Ting Zhang and her co-authors showed that many of us associate keeping a diary with our emotionally volatile teenage years. But new research suggests that recording our run-of-the-mill, daily experiences, rather than just our highs and lows, could bring us unexpected joy.”

“It reminds me of good times ; however, it makes you sad because of how much your life has changed since then,” commented Ada Bulka, senior at East Leyden.

Stranger Danger

Putting yourself in an uncomfort-able situation such as talking to a stranger can help boost happiness. A study from Social Psychological and Personality Science suggests talking to a cashier or barista at a coffee shop. “[In a] current study, people who had a social interaction with a barista (i.e., smiled, made eye contact, and had a brief conversation) experienced more positive affects than people who were as efficient as possible. Further, we found initial evidence that these effects were mediated by feelings of belonging.”

“When I work in retail every now and then I will talk to a stranger, which really makes my day,” informed Husic.

Last year a number of Leyden teachers and staff tried to learn one thing: how to be happy. Now their goal is to make feeling good a focus at Leyden.According to Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning Ms. Karen Ritter, those

who took an online course that focused on positive psychology and happiness are feeling its impact. “It was a mooc, a free online course, that came to my attention over the summer. I knew some counselors were interested in this positive psychology, so I forwarded it to them so they could sign up. Then I decided to spread the word for anyone that would be interested in taking the course, because last year we did a couple of ‘lunch-n-learns’ based on mindfulness,” she said. “We had about 8 people that regularly attended this course, Wednesday after school for 10 weeks, so it was like a real college course. And it was a mixture of teachers and support staff that took the course, and there were final exams, midterms, and all like a real college course.” In addition to the schoolwork, attendees like Peggy Kasallis, Michele Curley, Alicia Funes, Patti Muldoon, and Emily Wine also had to explore ways to produce happiness. “We learned new research every week,” Ritter explained, “and we were given a happiness activity or projects we had to practice every week. For example one of them was we had to write three good things down everyday. When [you] focus on what happens positively in your life, you start to notice more positive things overall.” Ritter concluded, “The point of happiness is to not just be happy yourself, but it is also to spread it so others around you are happy and we have a better school environment and better culture. So each of [the class members] chose a project.” Ms. Kasallis explained her project. “What I did was made some notecards, and they are sitting in the corner of our office here [for] anybody that who wants to thank anybody for anything,” she said. “You know if you wanted to send a note to another student because they made your day for something or to a teacher, or a teacher sends a note to the student. You are more than welcomed to fill out a card and write on the student’s or teacher’s name on it, and I’ll make sure it gets to the student. So that’ just one way I helped because we were doing the project in November. What I thought was how can we only talk and think about gratitude in November, because of Thanksgiving, but what about after that? I mean there are 11 more months that we can do something. So that was my thought: just have somebody say something nice to you at any given day for any given reason.” The Mindfulness Club that Ms. Michele Curley and Ms. Alicia Funes run is another product from this class. “I’ve been a believer in meditation for a long time,” Curley said. “When Ms. Ritter started a morning meditation for staff last spring, I eagerly joined in. This year her schedule did not permit her to lead the group, so I decided to do it. Several staff members sit and meditate every Tuesday morning from 6:45-7:15 AM. I lead a Lunch and Learn for staff entitled ‘Meditation 101.’ And I also wanted to provide a space for meditation and mindfulness for students. So Ms. Funes and I started the Mindfulness Club for both students and staff. We meet every Wednesday from 3:00-3:25 PM in Library Classroom C. All are welcomed.”

Here’s an easy way to start an argu-ment: ask a bunch of high school athletes what the hardest sport is.

Golfers will tell you the mental side of their sport, the focus, makes it challenging. Cross country runners will tell you the physical stamina is a killer. But every athlete has this in common: there’s a practice they hate, a drill--maybe designed for college athletes or maybe brainstormed by their coaches--designed to test them. As track coach Mr. Brent Dempsey said, there are practices workouts designed to “make them stronger mentally and physically,” to give “them a great sense of pride when they finish some-thing that difficult.” Varsity head coach Mr. Kurt Schuett described the lengths athletes go to in order to prove themselves in these practices. “Back when we used to have the old fields,” he said “the kids would dive to catch the ball because they want to beat the drill. I can not tell you how many times the kids have dove into goose poop and come up with goose poop covered all over them, but they still persevered to get through the drill.” Even without these consequences, coaches learn a lot about students in these tough drills. Soccer coach Mr. Mark Valintis said, “I also gain a ton of respect for these

kids going through college level workouts at 6 a.m. while still in high school.” The workouts are different in each sport, but they still make an athlete feel the same way: tired but proud of themselves for what they have just done. “We focus on transition and fast breaks a lot, so we need to be the faster team on the court. Although conditioning is not fun, I think the girls are proud of them-selves and what they have accomplished afterward,” Ms. Kuzmanic. But the athletes don’t have time to focus on the benefit. Senior Estefania Ramirez commented on the toughest work-out she’s done in track. “A ladder workout. It goes 200, 400, 600, 800, 1200, 1600 meters and back down,” she said. “During the workout I try not to think a lot. I usu-ally focus on the time I am trying to hit, or

I repeat song lyrics over and over until I’m done. I do this so I don’t get caught up in my own thoughts. Running is such a mental sport that thinking about actually running can hurt my performance.”When athletes are suffering through the workout and asking themselves “Why did I join or tryout for this sport?” they might remember that the coaches are busy making them great athletes. Mr. Brad Henning said, “If practice were easier than a race, then I have not done my job. If the race is easier than practice, then I have done my job. They have to be prepared to work hard physically, but they have to be mentally tough in order to respond during a race.” Coaches are watching, seeing how much work their athletes are putting in, if they’re pushing themselves to the limit. Mr. Dempsey learned, “That everyone is ca-

pable of pushing themselves past what they thought they could accomplish with a little help from their coaches and teammates.”Head wrestling coach Mr. Mike Fumagalli said, “I just get to know [the athletes] better. I dial in on their strengths and weaknesses as individuals (physically and mentally). It’s really important to me to know my guys because it helps me figure out what they need each and every day. Everyone needs something different each day, and you can’t give them what they need if you don’t know them.” Sometimes, these toughest workouts can actually lead to funny moments. Mr. Valin-tis said, “Sometimes kids drive themselves and almost crash into other players pulling in. Some kids are so tired, they wear their clothes backwards.”

The Eagle’s Eye: February 20168 Sports

Leslie Palacios

Pho

tos

by S

teve

Mar

ten

Some workouts are less about skill development than they are about toughness. Coaches and athletes know when it’s time to be tested.

GIrLs soCCer

“It’s called Manchesters. It’s essentially a running workout for soccer, where you have to go from all the way down the field at full sprint and then you have to jog back and you have a minute to do that. Then you got to go again and again.”

--CoaCh FowLer

Boys soCCer

“In soccer preseason, we have 6 a.m. runs where kids are running, sprinting, and climbing stairs for 45 straight minutes. In total, they probably run about 6-8 miles in that time. Then the kids go through a whole school day, followed by practice and a soccer tradition, Manchesters.”

--CoaCh vaLInTIs

GIrLs BaskeTBaLL

“One specific conditioning drill we do is called the Fetty Wap. It’s not the most difficult one we have ever done, but it is a fun one. It is a running drill in which the girls line up on the baseline with a partner. The first person runs 6 down and backs the length of the court. When they are done, their partner goes. Then each girl runs 7 down and backs, and then 9 down and backs. While they run, I play the song “679” (clean version of course) and they have the length of the song to complete the running. If groups do not finish before the song ends, we add on down and backs.”

--CoaCh kuzManIC

wresTLInG

“I think the most challenging thing we do is alternate live wrestling with conditioning. Wrestle, sprints, wrestle, sprints, wrestle, sprints. It pushes your lungs pretty hard, but you have to learn how to wrestle when you’re tired. You’re probably going to get tired in a wrestling match and you need to have trained for that.”

--CoaCh FuMaGaLLI

BowLInG

“We have used 8 lanes, and each girl has to roll a strike or a spare on each lane, and then move to the next lane. If they do not strike or spare on a particular lane, they go back to lane 1 and start over. This creates a lot of pressure, especially when they are on the last lane.”

--CoaCh ayLward

GIrLs TraCk and FIeLd

“One of the toughest is the stadium stairs and 20 minute run. Girls will run up and down the stadium steps followed by a 100 meter sprint. They would do this 10 times. Then they run for 20 straight minutes.”

--CoaCh vaLInTIs

Boys BaskeTBaLL

“Free Throw Conditioning Builder. Every guy on the team has to make the free throw and it builds and we’ve had guys commit many repeats, until every guy’s made it.”

--CoaCh heIsLer

Boys Cross CounTry

“16 x 400. Each 400 is one lap around the track. The 400 is done in 70 seconds or faster. Their recovery rest is 75 seconds. After each set of 400, so 4 by 400 they get a 400 jog interval rest. Then they start back up again.”

--CoaCh hennInG

GIrLs soFTBaLL

Flyball for accountability drill. So basically practice is done and as long as the kids beat this drill they get to go home. So depending on how many kids I have on my team, let’s say we have 15 kids on my team. So I would get the kids a certain amount of time. I would give them let’s say 5 minutes and in 5 minutes as a group they have to catch 15 flyballs in a row. The flyballs that I hit some are easy, some are very difficult, and if they drop any of the balls, they have to get back to 0 and start again. And what happens is if they don’t meet the benchmark of catching all 15 balls within the a time period, for every minute beyond that benchmark, they have to run a triangle. A triangle is on the softball field itself: you start at home, then you have to sprint all the way down to right field, hit the right field pole, then you have to sprint across the entire outfield all the way to the left field pole, then you have to sprint back home. You have to do that circuit as a team and everybody on the team has to make that in 45 seconds or less.”

--CoaCh sChueTT

TennIs

“Z drill. When a player hits a wide forehand shot, then they have to sprint across the court, hit a wide backhand shot, then a short chop shot. Then they sprint to the net end and hit a couple vollies and then they hit an overhead. And when they get back they do it all over again.”

--CoaCh sMITh

GIrLs GyMnasTICs

“Everyone has to make a beam routine in a row and we’re going to keep on going until we get it right.The beam routine, it’s a mental challenge. It’s scary to be on the beam performing in front of people.”

--CoaCh ThoMas

GutCheck

A rundown of the most dreaded routines

Proving Yourself in Practice