The difference between a good school day and a bad school day oftentimes depends on the number of strung-together positive moments in between the average. Those moments might include a perfectly well-placed high-five from a friend before 4th period or an extra scoop of hash browns during the free breakfast before school. Susan Schram, teacher of AP environmental science (APES),  has been a positive moment in all of her students’ lives since she came to Niles West many eons ago.

“She sends us a lot of positive energy, making our mornings bright,” senior David Bittar said.

From her clever in-class jokes about babies (“alright, class, let’s make like a baby and head out!”) to her passion for the environment and all of its (non-invasive) species, Mrs. Schram makes her class an encouraging space where students learn beneficial knowledge about the world and their places in it.

“Mrs. Schram teaches in an intuitive and engaging way that makes for as little book work as possible and teaches us with labs that take advantage of the school’s prairie land,” senior Erik Johnson said.

However, like the process in inspecting how the Indiana Dunes has evolved over time through succession, one has to wonder if Mrs. Schram has always been so awesome.

“When I was a  little Padilla, I thought for sure I would be a scientist who cured cancer. That was second grade. I was also afraid of swimming in lakes because I had read a book about the deadly brain eating amoeba,  Naegleria fowleri. I thought for sure I would get this. Later, when I became a little more rational and stopped reading diagnostic manuals for childhood diseases, I had always wanted to become  some sort of doctor. Not a witch doctor or doctor of love, but a medical doctor, with the idea that I would find cures for cancer,” Schram said.

As a second-generation Filipino who was born in America, her family was one of the only Asian families in the neighborhood she grew up in– something that ignorant kids liked to add to their list of annoying comments. At one point, someone asked if her dad was Bruce Lee and she replied, “he’s actually my uncle, and he can kick your ass.” She didn’t hear from that kid again.

Growing up in that environment, Schram had to seek out knowledge of her habitat, herself.

“My parents weren’t exactly the model of recycling. I’m not sure we ever owned a recycling bin. I do remember returning glass Coca-Cola bottles.  My family camped and fished. I liked the outdoors. Before the development of more subdivisions (where every 3rd house was the same model) we had a large prairie-like field nearby that  friends and I  would play in.  I was also an avid rock collector and stole landscaping rocks from neighboring houses. That’s a pretty bad description of a future environmentalist. I guess you could say, growing up Padilla, we had a large ecological footprint. I think there were just bigger fish to fry like the whole avoiding a nuclear war time period.

That was my environmental experience at that point. Environment, sustainability, climate change…nobody ever talked about it,” Schram said.

At the end of her high school years filled with oboe rehearsal, softball, and student government, Schram took her glam to the University of Illinois.

“I was in a sorority: Alpha Phi. What happens at A-Phi, stays at A-Phi. Kidding of course. If anything, it was really just a big distraction to studying. But a fun distraction.  And a bunch of us played intramural sports. I played on a flag football team that won the campus  ‘championship’ and a bid to play in a tournament in New Orleans. We all road tripped there, and got demolished by a team from Mexico. I feel like we won though, because, well, hey, we were in New Orleans!” Schram said.

After changing her major three times, she finally came back to bio pre-med and later pursued a career as a teacher of the environmental sciences. Because of that decision, one of the loneliest hallways in Niles West has become a haven for all forms of life, be they the tenacious Marram Grass or the students studying them. In between the average sits Mrs. Schram, bursting into song over glacial movements and moving the people she teaches: one positive moment in the organic compound of a day.

Like most freshmen, Sammie Simkins was pretty nervous starting her first here at Niles West, but unlike most freshmen, Sammie realized she had no reason to worry.

“I have so many friends at Niles West and not to mention an older sister, [junior] Maddie Simkins, and all of her friends. Being nervous almost seemed unnecessary because I had so many reasons to make the transition a good and easy one,” Simkins said.

Like her sisters, Simkins plans on being a three sport athlete. She is currently playing freshman volleyball and is hoping to make the basketball team and soccer team as well.

“Playing sports has always been apart of my life. All three of my older sisters were high school athletes and I can’t imagine not following in their footsteps,” Simkins said.

For Simkins, the hardest adjustment from middle school to high school was the size of the building.

“Park View was a small school compared to Niles West. After the first couple of weeks I learned my way around but it was intimidating not knowing my way around,” Simkins said.

Simkins’ attitude has definitely changed since the beginning of the year. She walks through the halls confidently and has become more used to the building and the changes that came with it.

“I love Niles West now! Everyone is so nice and welcoming. Being a freshmen isn’t nearly as bad as I thought that it would be. I think the best part about high school is having all of my friends from other middle schools here. It’s nice to see them all every day opposed to only on weekends,” Simkins said.

Simkins also believes that middle school has greatly prepared her for high school.

“Park View didn’t take it easy on us. They pushed us day in and day out to prepare us for high school and they did a wonderful job. All of my high school teachers act and teach just like my middle school teachers did so it makes learning a lot easier, especially when in a new environment,” Simkins said.

Simkins is happy to be at Niles West and ready to take on her next four years as a wolf.

“I’m glad to say that I’m enjoying high school so far. I can’t wait to see what the rest of my high school career brings me,” Simkins said.

Periodically during the day, students walk in and out of counselor Mitch Stern‘s office. Whether they are seeking advice, changing up their schedule, or just looking for someone to talk to, Stern’s office door is always wide open.

“Stern is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and you can go to him for anything. Whether it’s a pass for class or you need someone to talk to,” junior Amanda Lee said.

Stern began his life at Niles West 24 years ago beginning as the boys varsity assistant soccer coach. He proudly owned this title for seven years despite his little knowledge of the game.

“My job was to get them in shape and the head coach’s job was to teach them the game and how to play soccer,” he said, “but I loved the players I coached.”

After one year of coaching soccer, Stern began teaching Health and Leaders P.E. It wasn’t until nine years later he discovered a place in the guidance counselor’s office. Stern has been a counselor for the past 15 years and he doesn’t plan on going anywhere.

Teaching was not Stern’s original plan after graduating from Niles West. While attending Southern Illinois University for two years, he majored in communications in hopes of working for ESPN one day.

“My dream was to be on ESPN or something like that,” he said, “I still kind of dream about that sometimes.”

After his sophomore year of college, Stern transferred to Northeastern Illinois University to complete his undergraduate education. It was at Northeastern he realized that teaching would be a great way to still coach without having to work for ESPN.

“I realized I wanted to be a teacher because it was my one connection to always be involved with sports without being a broadcaster. So how else could you be involved? Well, you coach. How do you coach? You teach. I liked being around young people so it made a lot of sense to me,” Stern said.

Unfortunately, after graduating it was difficult for Stern to find teaching jobs at schools. One day, a friend offered their help in setting Stern up with a job in a psychiatric hospital as a teacher.

“My friend was working at this school and attached was a psychiatric hospital. During the day the kids would go to school and then at night they would receive all their therapy to help them get better.”

Stern recalls his time teaching these students to be an interesting learning experience to himself.

“I grew up where you guys are growing up. When I grew up around here, if a kid had a problem the only people to know about it was the kid’s family. For me, growing up, I didn’t know kids were suicidal. They never talked about that in school. I didn’t know kids actually abused drugs. I knew they used them but could not go a day without them,” Stern said.

After spending some time in the psychiatric hospital, he discovered the condition many of these kids were in was quite severe.

“I had kids who were nine years old and suicidal. I didn’t even know what the word meant when I was nine years old. I had kids who were hooked on coke and meth and they were only 12,” he said.

This eye opening experience may have scared and worried many, but for Stern it became his motivation to achieve his Master’s degree and become a guidance counselor.

“After I started working there I realized there were a lot of kids with a lot of problems. Stuff I never knew kids had problems with. I got my masters degree in counseling so I could be around kids like that. I liked helping these kids,” Stern said.

By a random turn of events over the years, Stern went from being an aspiring broadcaster to one of Niles West’s beloved counselors. The one piece of advice he hopes for all students at Niles West is to, “think before you act and always take advantage of the opportunity in front of you.”

Jackie Chis is a senior by day, and a librarian who misuses her twitter by night. Here at West, Chis is the editor of the Spectrum, student leader of W.H.O. Club, member of Model UN, and a newly joined member of National Honors Society.

“I like being involved in academic clubs. NHS is cool because I am surrounded with students that have worked so hard to get to where they are. I feel like sometimes the athletes take too much of the spotlight and people forget about all these kids that work really hard for what they have,” Chis said.

On top of balancing clubs and schoolwork, Chis works part-time at the Lincolnwood Public Library.

“I think having an external commitment that has nothing to do with school is important. You begin to see the adult aspect to growing up and start to learn about taxes and other things that we are sheltered from in school. There is this totally different part of life that we have been cut off from because we put our sole focus on education,” Chis said.

Besides filling up her time at school and in her community, Chis loves to use social media. This past August, Chis garnered attention on Twitter after tweeting about Fox News correspondent, Jesse Watters.

“Jackie tweets celebrities on Twitter all the time. It was sort of shocking that he tweeted back and that Jackie had to take heat from some of his fans. They called her a “crazy lib” and insinuated that she had a crush on Watters. Jackie is known for tweeting without a filter, she has just never had someone tweet her back about it,” friend and senior Kristen Younan said.

With a hectic schedule during the week and little free time on the weekends, Chis keeps a positive attitude.

“It gets really stressful. You have to put lots of work in to get results, you have to budget your time, but you have to keep a sense of humor. Make fun of the little things in life and just remember you cannot control everything around you. Make fun of Jesse Watters, but take everything one day at a time” Chis said.

The NWN sat down with the 2015 homecoming court: Lucas Brace, Joey Guliana, Alan Kotlyar, Sterling Mendez, Ray Nguyen, John Tater, Mercedes Bajric, Sara Dym, Annie Hoban, Shannon McHugh, Negin Motlagh, and KylaRose Schulman. for a Q&A to get to know them a bit and find out why they’re running for homecoming king or queen!

NWN: Why did you decide to run for homecoming court? Why should people vote for you?

John Tater: I decided to run for homecoming king to get out of my comfort zone. People should vote for me because they should feel like they can make a connection. I am empathetic and consider myself an underdog with no real belonging to any place at all.

Negin Motlagh: I decided to run for homecoming queen not only to represent the Niles West Theatre Department, but also because it looked fun and my friends encouraged me to do so.  I think that people should vote for me because I continuously strive for success in everything that I do. In addition,  I tend to speak up for those who are too afraid to stand up for their own needs. I also love to help others and encourage them to pursue their passion.

Sara Dym: I decided to run for Queen just for fun and to see where I’d end up with it. it’s my senior year so why not. I wouldn’t necessarily say people should vote for me in any particular reason besides the fact that I support school spirit and I love to see everyone enjoying their high school years.

Sterling Mendez: I ran for homecoming kings because I feel that it’s a good way to close out my senior year. I have always loved this school from the moment I walked in, and I think many people look up to me and I’m truly amazed by that. I’m a very humble person, I see everyone as a equal, a person’s character and loyalty are what I base my opinion on and even though this is my last year here at this amazing school I want to leave it the best way I can. Lastly, I want to be a inspiration to other people and show them that there are no limitations in life and you should strive to be the best you can be.

Alan Kotlyar: Why not?  I love trying new things.  People should vote for me because I think I am a sociable, nice, handsome young man that can look beyond high school cliques and popularity contests.  I participate in a sport, Cross Country, am active in the choir, have received awards at Model UN competitions, etc.  My friends range from the ultra-liberal to the ultra-conservative and hail from all over the world.  I judge people by the content of their character.

KylaRose Schulman: Well, at first I was actually scared about running for homecoming queen. I always thought that a regular, shy, geeky girl like myself would never make it as homecoming queen, let alone court. But I now appreciate my “ordinariness” because I think that it helps me better identify with the student body as a whole. I also believe that you should get the most out of your high school experience here at Niles West, and that it is better to try than to not try at all.  I am extremely grateful to the people who voted for me and got me into homecoming court. Please help this ordinary girl’s  dream come true.

Ray Nguyen: Because it was something out of my comfort zone. I wanted to try something new. People should vote for me because #TeamRay.

Joey Guliana: My friends and I wanted to all be on court together and thought the experience would be fun and I think I am a good role model.

Lucas Brace: I decided to run for homecoming king because I have a ton of school spirit and I love homecoming and all of its festivities. People should vote for me because I am relatable and I know how to have fun and stay positive.

Annie Hoban: I decided to run for homecoming queen for the fun of it to be honest. My boyfriend Lucas Brace had someone nominate him so I thought why not. I think people should vote for me because I would consider myself a very friendly and outgoing person. I’ve been very involved throughout my four years here and I think I could set a good example for the underclassmen as well.

Mercedes Bajric: I decided to run for homecoming queen because the whole experience looks like a ton of fun. I have pride in Niles West and have left my whole heart in every activity and sport I took part in.

Shannon McHugh: I thought it would be really fun for me to run because since it’s senior year, I wanted to do something that I wouldn’t normally do and just try and have fun with this. It would be pretty dope for people to vote for me because I like to think I’m a really kind down to earth person that gets along with everyone and can show a great representation of this school.

NWN: What is something that you are most proud of in your four years here at Niles West?

John Tater: I am most proud of being able to push myself past my limitations and going for something when I want it.

Negin Motlagh: Something that I am most proud of is being able to find my passion (theatre) and becoming an active member of Niles West Theatre. To me, Niles West Theatre is not just a club, we are more like a huge family all gathered to work together and create something that is not only entertaining, but inspiring. Theatre has taught me so much whether it is learning about the technical aspects of it or acting on stage. I am so grateful to have met all of the wonderful adults in that department as well as my friends. I can’t wait to take all of the skills and experiences that I have gained over the past four years of high school  as I move forward with my life.

Sara Dym: The thing I’m most proud of is the golfing experience I’ve had at west. after 2 years of playing on the boy’s golf team and creating a JV level girls team, we made a varsity level girl’s team. All of the original girls’ parents pushed for it and the school really helped us accomplish our goal. I’m really proud to say that we’ve all grown together and creating a varsity girls’ golf team is a huge mark in the school’s history.

Sterling Mendez: The thing that I’m most proud of in my four years here at Niles West is how I have touched different people throughout the whole school. The best feeling in the world to me is making a persons day when things aren’t going their way. I love talking to people and showing them that their problems aren’t forever, everything has to come to an end — even the most terrible.

Alan Kotlyar: I started a club!  It’s called Political Affairs and Current Events Cub.  It meets every Tuesday in Room 2015.  It is open to everyone.

KylaRose Schulman: First, I would like to thank Niles West for affording me many opportunities during my four years here by helping me develop as a well-rounded  individual that I can be proud of, not only in academics by maintaining a good GPA, but also through strong social relationships by becoming Asian Pop Culture’s president, and although I am not built to be in any  varsity teams  I tried to develop my physical abilities and promote school spirit by joining Powder Puff.

Ray Nguyen: Meeting new people and becoming friends with so many.

Joey Guliana: Joining Go Green club.

Lucas Brace: I am very proud to be co-captain of the swimming and water polo teams because I have found a passion for both of those sports and I get to spend time with a lot of my best friends during the season.

Annie Hoban: I had a rough start to my freshman year so I’m most proud of bringing myself back up academically. If you told me four years ago I’d be involved in AP courses, I wouldn’t believe you. But here I am! I also participated in a multitude of athletics, so I am most proud of being on varsity cross country my first year on the team my junior year.

Mercedes Bajric: I’m proud of how many different activities I got involved in during my four years at West. I’ve tried out for theater roles, sports teams, and have joined many clubs.

Shannon McHugh: Something I am most proud of out of my four years is staying grounded to where I come from. In the past, I lost track of the true and important things in my life for a while, but I have really gotten a hold of that back and have grown up.

NWN: How do you want to make your last year in high school memorable?

John Tater: I want to make my last year of high school memorable by connecting with friends and getting to know them better.

Negin Motlagh: I want to make my last year of high school memorable by having fun with my friends and being stress free. I also want to be involved in all of theatre productions in one way or another as this is my last year to work besides wonderful and talented people who are just as passionate about theatre as I am.

Sara Dym: I would so love to be homecoming queen and make that a part of my accomplishments, as well as going to sectionals as a team and making state as an individual.

Sterling Mendez: This beginning my last year here I want to leave some sort of positive influence behind. This school will always be considered a home to me and I want to leave it the best way I can for not only me but for others as well.

Alan Kotlyar:  I think getting into a good college will make senior year memorable.  But in general, I don’t want to make senior year memorable by doing crazy things.  Instead, I will focus on doing what I always do — practicing kindness towards others, reaching out to others in need, focusing on academics, and striving to be a role model for the younger classes.

KylaRose Schulman:  I want to be able to give back to the school, for all the opportunities Niles West has given me.

Ray Nguyen: Maybe I’ll actually go to the school games.

Joey Guliana: By trying things that I never did before like clubs and activities.

Lucas Brace: I just want to have fun my senior year. I want to have fun with my classes, my sports, and with all the school activities such as homecoming or prom.

Annie Hoban: I’m definitely going to make the best of this year by really enjoying my last year with all my friends and classmates. Spending time with my cross country team has been so bittersweet lately knowing it’ll be over soon, but we’re having so much fun together. I do want to get more involved in other activities like Relay for Life as well, which I think will be an event to remember after I graduate.

Mercedes Bajric: Since I tore my ACL and meniscus and won’t be able to play club and school soccer this year, I plan to use my time doing tons of rehab and also supporting any Niles West event I can with my friends. With more time on my hands I’m excited to see all the other talents West students have.

Shannon McHugh: To make this year memorable, I just want to be involved as much as I can with the school and have fun with everyone and everything. No drama and no unnecessary stress.

NWN: What are your future plans? What colleges, if any, are you thinking about?

John Tater: I am thinking about going to Loyola or UIC, and I want to become a physical therapist or an optometrist — something in the medical field.

Negin Motlagh: I am thinking about Depaul University or Loyola University of Chicago as possible colleges to attend for next year. I hope to major in English and become a teacher while still pursuing my passion for theatre on the side by minoring in directing.

Sara Dym:  My future plans are to attend DePaul University next Fall, intern with my dad in his law firm, and get an apartment in the downtown area.

Sterling Mendez: I want to go to college to become a computer technician. I love working with computers and other aspects of technology. I find it amazing how with a computer you can do virtually anything.

Alan Kotlyar: I have a huge list of colleges that I’m applying to.  Some of my top choices are Georgetown, Yale, and Northwestern.  I want to study political science or public policy in college.

KylaRose Schulman: I plan on applying to UIC, and although I am currently undecided, I know I want to do something that will help contribute positively to the community and serve humanity.

Ray Nguyen: I’ll probably start with Oakton Community College then ride the crispy waves to see where else it takes me.

Joey Guliana: To go to U of I or UIC then eventually become a dentist.

Lucas Brace: My future plans include a four year university, possibly USC, University of Michigan, or Chapman University to name a few. Then I plan to get a DPT (Doctorate of Physical Therapy) and be a physical therapist. Honestly, who knows what will happen though?

Annie Hoban: As of right now, my future plan is to become a lawyer with a major in political science. The search for the right college is the hard part. So far I’m thinking of Indiana University, University of Iowa, and Loyola University. It’s all still so up in the air, though.

Mercedes Bajric: I am almost done with sending all my apps out for college. I don’t know exactly where I’ll be going next year, but I know I will be living on campus, enjoying all the freedom and responsibility, playing soccer, and studying some sort of math or science!

Shannon McHugh: Over the summer, I made a verbal commitment to play softball at Dominican University; however, with a verbal commitment, nothing is set in stone. I’m still looking into going away to schools like Barry University which is in Florida and others of course around Illinois.

NWN: What is your favorite Disney movie and why?

John Tater: “The Lion King” is my favorite movie because it brings back childhood memories and makes me feel like a kid again.

Negin Motlagh:  My favorite Disney movie is “Mulan” because it was the first musical that I was involved in. It sparked my interest in theatre and because of that,  I have been involved in it ever since then.

Sara Dym:  My favorite Disney movie is “Snow White.” When I was younger I was really pale and had black hair so that’s what my family called me. The movie reminds me of the good old days. I would get so scared of the witch that gave her the apple.

Sterling Mendez: My favorite Disney movie is “Peter Pan,” I often compare myself to him because we both have that kid spirit, and I stand up for what I believe in just like Peter Pan. I love to stand up for other people, it makes me feel good we others feel good.

Alan Kotlyar: The movie “Cars.”  It teaches us that being a moral, ethical person is more important than winning a race.

KylaRose Schulman: My favorite Disney movie is “Mulan” because it shows that you can do anything, regardless of gender, as long as you put your mind to it.

Ray Nguyen: “Pinocchio” because I saw it when I was younger and I absolutely loved it. It was funny and cute.

Joey Guliana: I loved “Aladdin” because Aladdin reminds me of myself and I love the plot and the town.

Lucas Brace:  My favorite Disney movie is “Aladdin” because the songs in that movie are amazing and the Genie is hilarious.

Annie Hoban: My favorite Disney movie is “Frozen.” I’m sorry to be basic but how can you not love Olaf?  I can watch that movie 100 times and never get sick of how cute it is.

Mercedes Bajric: I think Tinkerbell is the cutest and funniest Disney character … therefore “Peter Pan” is my favorite Disney movie.

Shannon McHugh: I love Disney movies, so I have so many! It’s hard to just pick one, but I would say the movie “UP” I fell in love with the whole story and characters. The movie is hilarious yet touching that makes me die of laughter and ball my eyes out.

NWN: What are you most excited for during Spirit Week?

John Tater: I am most excited for sports day because I get to wear a jersey I haven’t worn in four years.

Negin Motlagh: I think that Spirit Week is exciting for many reason. First of all, it gives every students the opportunity to dress in a way that shows how proud they are to be a wolf and it brings students from every grade together. And that sense of unity is something that I like. However, I am also excited to join my fellow seniors as we celebrate our accomplishments at the end of the week by going to our last homecoming pep assembly.

Sara Dym: Sadly, I won’t be participating in spirit week on Wednesday. I will be attending the conference for golf, but it’s my favorite day of the week. both of my aunts have breast cancer and to have a day to honor the treatment against it is so special to me. Also, color wars! Who doesn’t love a little competition?

Sterling Mendez: Spirit Week is a great time for people to express themselves and it’s great to see the whole school come together. It’s a fun week because I get to show other people my spirit and how much I love this school, and want it to be great place for people to come and learn.

Alan Kotlyar: I’m looking forward to finding out what the spirit days are.

KylaRose Schulman: I am most excited for Disney day because it brings me back to my childhood memories, and the homecoming pep assembly because it will be my last one I will be able to attend this year.

Ray Nguyen: Seeing everyone come together to show love for the school.

Joey Guliana: To see how much school spirit we have this year and to show off my sick pajamas. And also the pep rally.

Lucas Brace: I can’t wait for pajama day! I mean, who doesn’t love pajamas?

Annie Hoban: I’m so excited to dress up for all of the spirit weeks, especially Monday’s pajama day. Catch me with a pillow and onesie in the halls. This will be a fun way to really enjoy my senior year and have fun with my graduating class while I still can before we all go our separate ways.

Mercedes Bajric: I’m eager to go all out spirit week and at the homecoming assembly with all my friends! I’m also ready for the football teams to kick some butt and get us all pumped and ready for the dance on Saturday.

Shannon McHugh: What I am most excited for in spirit week is pajama day. I’m ready to go all out with that. I love being all cozy and make it goofy and fun.   

NWN: What is your favorite part about homecoming week?

Lucas: My favorite part of homecoming week is the spirit days, the football game and the actual dance. So honestly, I love it all. It’s one of the best times of the year.

Mercedes: I love seeing everyone show school spirit with their grades at the pep assembly. It’s awesome to see how much everyone appreciates their own grade.

NWN: How did you feel when you won?

Lucas: I was at a loss for words. I gave a terrible answer to the question on stage and I was so embarrassed, but happy to find out that I won.

Mercedes: It was awesome! I wasn’t really expecting it. This is definitely something I will remember my whole life!

NWN: What extra curricular activities are you involved in?

Lucas: I am the co-captain of the varsity boys swimming and water polo teams. I am also in National Honors Society as well as German Honors Society.

Mercedes: Throughout my 4 years years here I think I got involved in almost everything. Sports, theater, charity organizations, academic clubs, you name it!

NWN: What about activities that you’re involved in outside of school?

Lucas: Out of school I work as a lifeguard/swim instructor at Saddle & Cycle Club in the city. I hang out with my friends (usually getting food), and I love watching football.

Mercedes: Even though I recently tore my ACL I still support my FC United club soccer team and will get back into kickboxing as soon as I’m cleared to!

NWN: What are your hobbies?

Lucas: My hobbies include playing video games, participating in fantasy football leagues, and obviously eating.

Mercedes: My favorite hobbies would have to be traveling, drawing, and spending time with my family and friends.

NWN: What makes you fit to be the homecoming king/queen?

Lucas: I think that I’m fit to be king because I have a ton of school spirit and I have plenty of support from my peers.

Mercedes: I think I represent the awesome students here at West. With an upbeat attitude and pride in West always!

NWN: How did you feel while waiting for the winners to be announced?

Lucas: I was pretty nervous on stage but I wasn’t too worried about winning or not winning. Generally, I just enjoyed being up there with a ton of great people.

Mercedes: Both nervous and excited! But happy with whatever outcome.

NWN: Who is your role model at Niles West?

Lucas: My role model at Niles West is my homeroom teacher Mr. Bartista just because he’s a fun guy and sort of reminds me of myself.

Mercedes: Mrs.Bohigian!! She’s SO understanding, basically a GENIUS, and makes the class period FLY BY!

NWN: What advice do you have for the people running next year?

Lucas: My advice would be to just have fun with it. Don’t take it all too seriously, and winning isn’t everything.

Mercedes: Be yourself and have a good time with it!

While most freshmen are nervous coming into high school, but they are nervous to branch out and get involved in school activities, this scenario wasn’t the case for freshman, Ashley Dyer. 

“Although coming to high school on day one made me so nervous, it didn’t take me too long to realize that it’s not that bad. At first, it’s the nerves of everything being new and the school being so big, but now not only am I used to the size, but high school has only done good things for me so far,” Dyer said.

Dyer is a part of the freshman volleyball team and she absolutely loves it.

“My entire team is so much fun and we do a lot of team bonding. Everyone gets along so well and it only makes me not able to wait for soccer season even more!”

Not only is Dyer involved in sports, but she is also a part of Wolf Pack.

“Being a part of activities so far has only made me like high school even more. It gives me a great chance to meet new people and get closer with my friends who went to different middle schools,” Dyer said.

Dyer isn’t the only Dyer at Niles West though. She has a sister, senior Kaylie Dyer and in times of need, she has always been there to cheer Dyer on.

“Having Kaylie at Niles West with me has helped me so much. Before school started she made sure to show me her classes and when I was paired up with a random locker partner, Kaylie let me move into her locker with her so now we share one. It’s nice because she’s a senior and I’m a freshman. Having her here too just makes everything so much easier,” Dyer said.

Dyer is extremely excited for her very first pep assembly at Niles West and although she doesn’t know what to expect, she can’t help but look forward to them all.

“I’ve always had a lot of school spirit and from what I hear, pep assemblies consist of a lot of school spirit so I’m really looking forward to my first one. It sounds like lot of fun,” Dyer stated.

Looking back, Dyer knows that Lincoln Hall has prepared her for Niles West.

“I feel like Lincoln Hall prepared me for high school to an extent. At the end of 8th grade, our teachers gave us ‘final exams’ to prepare us for the real final exams in high school. It was really nice to get that right at the end of our 8th grade year so my eighth grade class could know a little bit of what to expect when finals do come around this winter,” Dyer said.

Dyer is really looking forward to the rest of her freshman year and she’s ready to try and do some great things and make a lot of memories.

“People always say that high school is either the best four years or the worst four years of your life, so I think it’s really important to try and make every second count,” Dyer said.

“Tearing my ACL sophomore year was a blessing in disguise,” junior Alissa Santana said.

During summer going into Sophomore year Santana was jumping up for a rebound and coming back down, her ACL gave out and tore.

Before Santana tore her ACL she was a two sport athlete. Freshman year Santana played volleyball and basketball. After tearing her ACL she was devastated that she wouldn’t be able to play again.

After recovering and realizing her athletic career was over, Santana discovered a passion for a new activity — theatre. It was always apart of Santana’s life but she was never fully committed to it until after her accident.

“I have done theatre since I was little because my mom owns a theatre company, but after I tore my ACL I started to realize I wanted to do acting after high school so I started working more on it,” Santana said.

Santana has taken acting classes at Niles West since freshman year, but after her accident, she focused solely on her acting classes and began to develop more confidence when it came to theatre. She even started auditioning for shows at the end of Sophomore year.

After high school, Santana plans on acting in college and hopefully beyond. Currently, Santana is in a Niles West production called Midsummer Night’s Dream. The show open next Thursday in the black box theatre.

Freshman Will Peiser walked into school on the first day with a chip on his shoulder, not worried about what was in store for him on his first day of high school.

“I wasn’t really nervous about the first day of school, it was just going to be another day of going to school. I already know most of the people in my grade and it helps to have an older brother, [junior] Jake Peiser,” Peiser said.

The start of school means the start of high school sports, which Peiser was looking forward to most about coming to Niles West. Peiser plans on trying out for basketball this winter and track this upcoming spring.

“I have been playing basketball since the sixth grade. I started off playing with my friends at the park and then it grew into a love, and ever since then I haven’t stopped playing,” Peiser said.

Due to Peiser’s small size he has always had to outwork his competition while on the court.

“Since I am shorter than mostly all the other players, I have to work a lot harder to become faster and quicker. That’s one of the reasons that I decided to take up track, all the running that they do will just make me a better basketball player. There’s only four years of high school so I have to work hard for these four years and hopefully something good will come from it,” Peiser said.

Peiser isn’t just looking forward to basketball. He’s very excited for his classes and can’t wait to see what he’ll be able to do off the court.

“Niles West is a not only a great place for academics but for sports as well, and with a little work this year could be a great one on and off the court. Hopefully my time here at Niles West can only keep getting better,” said Peiser.

It is 3:40 on a Tuesday. The sun beats down mercilessly on the grass, foreshadowing the long rehearsal that will follow the inhabitants of the field until the sun is close to its end. Then all of a sudden, the far away noises of the recently released student body fade and a single note from a bassoon solo calls forth the attention of  every alert-eared musician present. Today, both music and a show are created with the intention of achieving excellence, “one more time” closer to it with every missed step.

Unlike any other musical ensemble, being a part of marching band requires an absolute presence of mind: without focus and attention to detail, all the intricacies of a show become lost on the field.

“[Marching band] is its own challenge. [In] most other musical ensembles, you don’t have to worry about doing so many things at the same time. Aside from the planning process of what the show is going to be, it’s more like a theatre production… you have to think about the drumline, the color guard, the front ensemble, then you have people playing the other instruments…then you have to talk about drill– all the pictures made on the field–and what kind of technique you’re going to use…there’s a lot of things that have to be married on top of having a show concept and planning what the actual music is,” marching band director, Justin Johnson, said.

This year’s theme is sacrifice and features music from Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring as well as costumes and movements that depict the story of a girl who dances herself to death after being chosen as a human sacrifice. In 1913, Stravinsky’s ballet incited a riot at its premiere, but this year, the only fighting is featured as the exhibition of shows at marching band competitions throughout the season.

“Getting ready for a competition is almost like other sports: through a lot of productive practice and long hours spent on the field with the instruments to look and sound great. Once we are at a competition, marching band is very different– competition-wise– compared to other sports. There is no way to defend or prevent others from scoring points. Instead, you need to put on your best offense and strive to outscore the other schools,” drum major and 4-year marching band member, Anthony Lohan, said.

Regardless of the outcome of competitions, marching band members practice integrity along with their scales: hard work and accountability are characteristics that need to be actively pursued daily.

“Marching band requires much stronger individual roles and more responsibilities than any other ensemble. In a marching band setting, an individual is accountable for so many different things and must do all of them well,” trombone player and 4-year marching band member, Erik Johnson, said.

Because there are so many different, integral components of the ensemble, there is not always someone to lean back on when a member forgets their part. From the players to the color guard, responsibility binds marching band together, reminding everyone involved that their parts are important and necessary for the success of the entire group.

As a Niles West band, marching band holds the standard of excellence that every group at Niles West possesses. Until each member of the ensemble is doing their complete best, marching band does not rest or settle for less. This appetite for success is what fuels marching band  and allows for continual growth in the program.

“Marching band has taught me that if you want it, you can have it.  But you have to actually want it.  More than anything else in that moment.  That desire is what will fuel your success in ALL things. Marching band seems to bring out a sort of desire for excellence that I haven’t seen anywhere else.  Nowhere else have I seen so many people willing to plan extra practices with each other for the sake of the performance — for the sake of doing the very best one can do at their own personal job, for excellence,” color guard and 2-year member, Angella Ress, said.

Upperclassmen aren’t alone in their views of marching band. For freshmen and others who haven’t been a part of the student body for very long, marching band is a group that welcomes all people and encourages the development of playing skills and musicianship as well as a good work ethic.

“As a freshman this year, I was terrified about making new friends and going to Niles West, which is so much bigger than my middle school. However, I went to marching band camp over the summer and I can honestly say it was the best decision I made. It was a small group of people that shared a common passion: music. I can gladly say that they are the best friends I have made so far. All of them are so kind and so accepting. I felt at home [on] my first day of school because I knew that there were people that I knew already and could turn to if I ever needed help. They welcomed me with open arms and will do the same for everyone,” freshman and flute player, Kathy Trieu, said.

The only requirement for entry into the ensemble is the capacity to care. If students are on the fence about joining, they should be aware of the difference between a marching band where everyone is going through the motions and a marching band where everyone is giving their all. It may seem like something trivial, but according to marching band, the success of the group has everything to do with how much each member cares.

“Anyone can excel at marching band.  If you have a functioning body, even if you are in a wheelchair – if you’re mobile, you can excel at marching band.  But not if you don’t want to.  Not if you don’t care,” Ress said.

As the end of the season comes to close with the last marching band competition on October 17th at the Illinois State invitational, band director, Mr. Johnson, shared his hopes for marching band members entering the world without marching band practice every week.

“At the end of the day, we do music. But at the same time, I don’t think I would fully be doing my job if I didn’t teach responsibility and why it’s important. How to work, why that’s important, and how that applies to everything else…those are all things we do that are very much applicable to things outside of marching band and even music in general. Hopefully they take those things,” Johnson said.

On the third floor of the science wing, there is a group of people that envisions change and creates the future before its own eyes. SIRS (STEM Inquiry and Research) or “STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)– as dubbed by many senior students– has made leaps and bounds in scientific research since the creation of the class in 2009. While many students at Niles West shy away from the sometimes frustrating and disorienting unknown, the unknown is exactly where SIRs students live, continuously working on the unrelenting, honest search for answers.

Distinctive from any other science class offered at Niles West, SIRs is a class that asks student scientists to push themselves, offering a good support system and resources but ultimately leaving exploration in the hands of the students.

“One of the biggest differences between STEM and any other science class is that STEM is a course which builds on itself. There are students who [are] taking it for the first time, some for the third time, and even a student who’s been in STEM for four years. Most of the work is managed independently, meaning that your teacher won’t be assigning nightly homework or checking your journal every day. The student decides how much work he or she will do on a given day, making the project more manageable and personal,” junior Nicholas Ieremciuc said.

In addition to SIRs, most students take another science class that adds work on top of their own research project. For a large percentage of the student body, two high level science classes are sure to incite a considerable amount of stress. However, for SIRs students, those classes are key in their understanding of scientific concepts and preparing for their futures in research.

“It is 100% self motivated. There are students who pick easy projects and there are students who push to do something that has never been done before. You and only you determine the workload. You put in the amount of work you want to put in and the teachers are not there to tell you what to do and by when. You need to figure it out yourself to meet competition deadlines. I wouldn’t describe it as difficult because I have a personal connection to my research and really enjoy the class, so if I could spend the time I use for other classes on STEM, I really would. Yes, I put [more] effort into STEM than other classes, but I do it because I want to,” senior Anam Furrukh said. 

With this mindset, SIRs students possess intrisically inquisitive and passionate attitudes that allow them to push the envelope of scientific research and find solutions. From areas like cancer to nanoparticles, clams, and biodiesel, the most successful students are the ones who are willing to face failure by pursuing what isn’t easy.

For senior Jensy Joseph, the research she does is a personal step closer to finding balance in her life.

“Junior year, I researched inflammation. I worked with lung cancer cells and tried to find the effects of combining two anti-inflammatory drugs on the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha. The reason I researched ways to reduce inflammation is because I have the autoimmune disease, Lupus. I was diagnosed with this disease in the sixth grade and have been struggling with the inflammation that comes with [it] ever since. Researching lupus, immunology, and the inflammatory process helped me to get control of my disease. I felt comforted knowing that there were brilliant researchers looking into ways to control the disease, to see how the disease affects other areas of the body, and ways to prevent flare ups,” Joseph said. 

All of the research that is conducted over the year is ultimately taken to the IJAS (the Illinois Junior Academy of Science) science fair and submitted for awards and sometimes monetary prizes, but the road from first concept to state science fair is one that requires countless hours of dedication. With their mentors from Northwestern, SIRs students undertake the journey to IJAS and other science fairs every year, sometimes developing a new piece to old projects or starting from scratch every year.

“First, you have to come up with an idea about what you want to research… Once you come up with a field, you have to find something you want to fix/improve in that field. For example, maybe there’s a way of producing some product, but it’s really expensive. You might try to develop a way to make it cheaper, try a few different methods and see how the quality of the product varies — or something like that. Once you have a question to test, you have to learn everything about it… You then write a review of literature — a research paper that gives a reader all the information they need to understand your experiment, hypothesis, prediction. Then you have to develop a procedure to test the question.

The majority of time at the beginning of second semester is spent in the lab. You collect data for a long time, and then you run analyses on your data, and try to decipher what it all means. First we go to the IJAS Regional Exposition, and if you do well, you can win monetary prizes and go on to the State Fair. You get two more months to collect more data and add to your paper. If you’re lucky enough to go to the Intel Science and Engineering Fair, then you’re competing against some of the most creative young scientists in the world. Ultimately, the process of going from idea to reality is a lot of work, but really awesome,” junior Vijay Shah said.

SIRs also echoes its sentiments toward redefining limits in the science world by encouraging the prevalence of women in science. It is a class that makes sure all students receive support and mentoring in STEM fields, which in turn cultivates an increased desire for female students to rise to higher level positions in science.

“Our STEM class for 4 years has always been overwhelmingly female, yet our mentors are overwhelmingly male. I did an internship over the summer and the whole 12 weeks I saw like 3 women working in the building compared to 30 or so men. It is very disproportionate but I think our STEM class and the number of girls we have shows that when our generation is at the graduate school phase, there will be more women in science,” Furrukh said.

This continual movement toward the positive promotion of women in science doesn’t only start in high school, though there are several clubs and classes at Niles West that encourage high school students to do science. Starting this year, SIRs and the science/math offices have created a program called Stellar Girls– similar to GEMS or Girls Empowered by Math and Science– that takes girls from 4th and 5th grade at Edison elementary school and brings them to Niles West to get involved with STEM.

“I am a volunteer and it’s actually a really good program. They get hands-on experience and they love it! [Niles West] also has Riot club where you can get involved with research. I think there is an unequal balance of sexes in the research world, but I don’t think there is anyone to blame. Many girls aren’t exposed to these things at an early age. Many schools don’t have the funding to do so. Having a STEM lab is very costly and I am blessed to go to Niles West with its many facilities. I wish other schools had these capabilities. We do need to get more women into STEM because it’s an amazing field that strives for the greater good,” senior Ashly Pinarkyil said.

In the real world of STEM, the research field is constantly driven forward with frontier and cutting edge science that changes the way our world deals with problems. SIRs class seeks to prepare student scientists for that high-level research, offering opportunities that help students get ready for scientific investigation out of high school.

“STEM careers require a high level a technical skill and knowledge, but there are many jobs with great salaries for people who are qualified in these areas.  SIRs gives students a huge head start in college because they have a huge resume of skills and experiences as well as the confidence of working on their own project rather than just ‘doing homework and taking tests.’  They know how to communicate in a university setting and also have tremendous presentation skills. Many of our students are able to get into programs and labs in college because of their unique experiences in the STEM lab,” chemistry and SIRS teacher, Julieann Villa, said.

Many students have already taken advantage of internships at research universities that are held either over the summer or during the school year. Among some SIRs students, senior Maryam Khalid‘s time spent researching at Northwestern was arranged through her mentor and allowed her to observe and analyze more data in a real-life research setting. Anam Furrukh also went through an internship where she used oxygen producing dyes to selectively kill cancer cells.

“It was an amazing experience. I learned so much about a field outside of nanotechnology;  there is a huge benefit to work in a real university lab with a graduate student and a professor rather than being all by yourself. I got to attend weekly lab meetings and was exposed to so much different research. It was the first time I saw that there is this amazing research community out there with educated people trying to make a difference. Our STEM class is [a] miniature version of the same research community that is present at an international level,” Furrukh said. 

Sometimes an experiment will not go as far as expected and the student is forced to start over. Senior Mrugami Mahadik has been working on a research project for the past two years and is continually starting over to perfect her product: change is an integral part of science and research.

At Niles West, SIRs has provided a space for limitless students to grow and learn more about the world through their own hands. Several Niles West SIRs alumni have already progressed to working in labs outside of their colleges and risen to new heights in scientific research.

At the end of their high school careers, SIRs teacher Gregory Ruber hopes that students leave with “an appreciation of the world of science and the know-how and passion to continue into whatever fields they pursue.  And also [I hope they] remember where they came from, come back and visit!”

SIRs takes the ceiling off of possibility and lets students become leaders of the future, endlessly asking them to take a second look.

“STEM is my second home; there is no way that I can come to Niles West and not go to the STEM lab. Part of the reason is that it always brings out the best in me. The teachers are super supportive and always encourage me to do the research that I am interested in. STEM is very different from other classes because it gives me the independence that I need to grow in my scientific abilities. Everyone has a chance to work at their own pace and do the best that they can,” Mahadik said.

Freshman Isabella Gil was born to be a leader and realized it in her middle school days. Gil was elected class president at her middle school, Lincoln Hall, and recently earned her spot as the Freshman class president here at Niles West. But that’s not where Gil’s aspirations end. She wants to be the President of the United States. The NWN sat down with Gil and discussed her dream.

NWN: What made you realize that you wanted to become president at your middle school and later, at Niles West?

Gil: In my 8th grade social studies class, we were working on a project on what we wanted to be when we were older. And I said the President of the United States since from what I learned in my Social Studies class is that most of the world leaders were corrupt and i believe that I could fix those things.

NWN: How did you earn the spot of the president at Lincoln Hall?

Gil: Well at Lincoln Hall, at first it was a very unofficial thing that was decided by my social studies teacher, Mr. Dupriest. Later it just became a legit thing and all my teachers and even the school principal knew that I was the president.

NWN: How did you earn the spot of 2019’s class president here at Niles West?

Gil: An email was sent to all of the freshman to vote for a president and I was one of the candidates and I ended up winning.

NWN: Why do you want to become President of the United States?

Gil: I believe there are a lot of problems in this world that need new people to look at them. The world has become very corrupt and someone needs to change that.

NWN: Why not elect someone else that’s good for the job? Why do you feel the need to do it?

Gil: I’m really good with crowds and I’m not the type of person to be embarrassed when speaking to a large group of people. I can capture people’s attention and get their vote because I would pay attention to their needs and fix the little things. I know what the people need because I live in the shoes of a middle class family and I’ve seen these problems take place.

NWN: What have previous presidents done wrong that you would do differently?

Gil: They haven’t listened to the people’s voice they just took action without knowing what to do. Like they never did anything about the immigration problem that started to become a bigger issue now. They should’ve fixed the real problems in America before going to other countries. We need to make our country strong first and then help other countries be strong with us.

NWN: What are some serious problems in the world that you think need more attention?

Gil: Immigration laws for sure. Equality laws are also a big issue, because even though they have marriage rights, they need to be treated equally as well. Women rights are a big focus to me as well.

NWN: What led you to become interested in this dream of becoming the president?

Gil: I become interested after my 8th grade year when I began to notice the problems going on that people weren’t focusing on as much as they should be. As I saw these problems I wanted to find a way to change them and the way that I thought I could change them myself, was to become president.

NWN: Why are immigration laws important?

Gil: I have a certain connection to immigrants because my parents are Hispanic and they were the first generation of immigrants to be here. I feel like there are so many people who want to come to the U.S. but can’t because of the strict laws about jumping borders. All immigrants should have a chance to live in the U.S. and not be shut down right away. They should be able to get papers and live a better life here.

NWN: Why are women rights a big focus for you?

Gil: I believe that women are as equal as men and that we both should have the same rights and there shouldn’t be a superior sex. Men and women should be equal in each others eyes and women shouldn’t be looked at as being less than men. They both deserve equal opportunities and rights.

NWN: What makes your dream of being president different than others dreams?

Gil: I actually want to make a big change in the world and I want things viewed in different levels and at different perspectives. I’m not going to base things off of something like religion or personal affairs.

NWN: How would being president make you feel?

Gil: It would make me feel amazing to know that people trust me to change the world, and I would feel honored. It’s not like I bought my way into it, people actually believed in me and supported me to do it.

NWN: How does your family feel about your plan to become president?

Gil: My family thinks it’s a good idea and if I really want to do it, I should take classes in government and politics and they support me very much. They tell me to reach for the stars because if you have a passion for it, you’re going to excel and want to do your very best in order to succeed. I was told to make sure my job wasn’t something that I wasn’t proud of or didn’t look forward to, it should be something I like to do.

Jackie Bajric contributed to this story.

The entire crowd is quiet as the lights go down and the spotlights come up. The Niles West cheerleaders get into position with solemn expressions outlining their faces. Suddenly, the opening chords of Ellie Goulding’s “Out of My Mind” begin to play and the deafening screams of the crowd can be heard from a mile away. Dressed in the standard girls’ cheer uniform consisting of a red, black, and white mini skirt and a fitted long sleeved shirt, junior Joel Tutor crouches down, preparing for the next segment of her routine.

Tutor is a transgender female, meaning her gender differs from the one she was assigned at birth. When Tutor tried out for the cheerleading team as a freshman, she made the squad, however, she wore the boys’ uniform — pants and a short-sleeved T-shirt. At the beginning of sophomore year, Tutor decided that she would no longer continue to question herself. She took steps to transition fully and let the world know who she was.

“I accepted who I was and I talked to my cheerleading coach, Ms. Casey. I told her that I didn’t think the boy’s uniform was right for me, and that I wanted the girl’s uniform,” Tutor said.

Cheerleading coach Caitlin Casey, has worked alongside Tutor for three years now, watching her improve every day at practice. When Tutor revealed that she wanted the girls’ uniform, Casey took immediate steps to help Joel transition into the person she was always meant to be.

“When Jo first came to tell me that she no longer felt comfortable in the uniform that she had, and wanted a girls uniform I knew that I had to do something, and I knew it had to be done quick,” Casey said, “I knew that Joel had rights, and those rights had to be fulfilled by the school in its entirety. Every individual should feel proud of who they are, and feel confident in the clothes they choose to wear. I could not stand to watch Joel struggle with this and I went and sought out more specialized help.”

Casey worked alongside the athletic office and the school psychologist, Jennifer Hahne to help Tutor get the girl’s uniform.

“To watch Joel at her first game, in her new uniform, was a super proud moment. I felt so happy to see that with just a little bit of consideration for how any person is feeling we could pave the road of acceptance. Jo came to the field smiling, laughing, and all dolled up with a new found confidence. I knew she had found what she needed to truly be herself,” Casey said.

While many people might assume that an outfit wouldn’t have much impact on a person’s confidence and form, they couldn’t be more far off from the truth. Tutor’s confidence wavered greatly when she wore the boys’ uniform and it not only impacted her performance on the mat, but off the mat as well.

“I have learned so much from Joel and I appreciate her every lesson. Joel is an incredibly talented cheerleader. Really, I mean outstanding. Her skills were never shadowed by a uniform, but her confidence definitely was. Joel’s freshmen year was tough, and not only tough on a cheer team, but tough everywhere. She knew that she had support from her cheer team, and I feel like cheer became a safe place for Joel to push herself both physically and mentally her freshman year,” Casey said.

The minute Tutor was presented with the girls’ uniform, she was met with undying support from all of her teammates, coaches, and nearly everyone at West. With the support from her peers, Tutor stepped onto the mats with a new found confidence that radiated not just during practice, but everywhere she went.

“I supported her decision to wear the girl’s uniform and accepted her. I pray for her too. Sometime people will call her names and so I pray that she knows she is loved,” junior and fellow teammate Tijana Gataric said.

HER STRUGGLES

Even though Tutor has fully come to terms with who she is now, things weren’t always that way. And unlike Tutor’s friend junior Sliwa Younadim, Tutor wasn’t always so sure of who she was or what she wanted to be.

“I remember it was in fifth grade and I was hanging out with one of my sisters. I tried on her clothes and, I don’t know, I just knew that I wanted to be a girl,” Tutor said.

But it wasn’t until the end of eighth grade that Tutor finally came out and let everyone know that she was transgender.

“I never really told anyone what I was feeling, but at the end of eighth grade I came out as a girl. My family was extremely supportive and they had already known. Before the start of freshmen year, they took me shopping and helped turn my entire wardrobe into a girl’s,” she said.

Tutor entered her freshman year excited and ready to express herself, but that’s when the confusion kicked in. Tutor struggled with accepting herself and her fear of how people would react and the judgement she would face took over.

“I didn’t go to the pool at all because I didn’t know what to wear [in terms of gender]. I was so scared because I didn’t fully understand who I was and I was scared of what people would think of me. I felt like I still looked like a boy, but I knew that I didn’t want to be one,” Tutor said.

Junior Joel Tudor performs with the cheerleading team during the homecoming assembly Friday, Oct. 2.

Tutor soon found herself as the victim of degrading comments. She found herself being referred to as a boy and she discovered the comments had a bigger impact than she initially thought they would.

“I had teachers ask me if I wanted to be called a he or a she and I would tell them to call me by my name. There would be people who would answer for me and tell teachers that I’m a boy. I was scared to correct them. I would get so embarrassed and I hate getting embarrassed,” she said.

With the help of her friends, such as senior Jimbo Pestano, Tutor embraced who she was and became the person she is today.

“I was probably one of the very few flamboyant people who wasn’t afraid to be themselves. It’s about confidence. I think her seeing me struck something inside her. An inspiration you could say. When you see someone like you, I think it’s a great, comforting feeling and an awesome way of saying ‘forget you’ to the people who bash, taunt, and oppress us. She did just that,” Pestano said.

Recently, in a survey conducted by Injustice at Every Turn, 41 percent of transgender people attempted suicide and that number only increases to a staggering percentile as trans people are faced with physical and sexual violence. Seventy-eight percent of transgender people attempted suicide after facing physical and sexual violence; a number, that is steadily increasing instead of decreasing.

Pestano’s unconditional support and constant presence helped Tutor face her insecurities, resulting in a one of a kind bond between the two.

“Joel and I have definitely created a special bond. A bond that I think being a young person in the LGBTQ+ community needs to have. High school is tough, especially when you are a part of our community. Being young trans people, you have to look out for each other,” Pestano said.

Nationally, 75 percent of transgender people face bullying in school, and Tutor is one of the many transgender people all too familiar with the insults and derogatory names.

“In middle school, there were many times I was bullied. I remember in sixth grade, these boys were bullying me in the locker room and they threw my stuff out the window. I remember crying and telling teachers about the incident. They were really supportive and wouldn’t stand for the bullying. They told the boys to stop and they would be punished,” Tutor said.

Despite the bullying she had to face, Tutor says she was lucky to always have someone supporting her, whether it was her family, teachers, friends, and even people she didn’t know.

“I remember that even when they bullying got bad, there were people there to support me, even if they didn’t know me. This one girl came up to me in the hallway in middle school when she saw me crying. She stood by me and asked if I needed any help and if she needed me to get someone. She made sure I was okay,” Tutor said.

While Tutor had the support of her friends and family, many transgender students do not. Just this August, transgender teen, Lila Perry from Hillsboro, Missouri was subjected to hate and discrimination by her peers.

Perry, who identifies as a female, occupied the girl’s bathroom in her high school which resulted in an uproar. Students and parents banded together to protest Lila’s presence  in the girl’s bathroom and demanded that she use the boys’ bathroom for the other students’ safety. One parent threatened to sue the school if changes were not made.

“I’ve never experienced that situation in particular, but what happened to her is horrible. Having a protest against you and not being able to use the girl’s bathroom because of who you are, that’s really mean. If that happened to me, I would probably move to another state. I could never live in a community that didn’t support me,” Tutor admitted.

Tutor continued, saying what happened to Perry could never happen at West. West is recognized for its diversity and acceptance, including their work with the LGTBQ+ community. This year, the school and district implemented a transgender policy that outlines accommodations for students who identify  themselves as transgender. 

“We are a very progressive district and we want to make sure that every student regardless of ethnicity, race, disability, sexual orientation, feel comfortable coming to school and getting an education. When you hear something like that [Perry’s story] it’s kind of sad actually. It’s 2015 and you would think that that kind of thinking is archaic, it’s outdated because there is so much more to it these days,” assistant principal of student services Antwan Babakhani said.

Perry’s story is just one example of the struggles and discrimination transgender teens face.
Injustice at Every Turn reported that one-fifth of all transgender teens have been homeless due to rejection from family. Luckily for Tutor, her family was unbelievably supportive when they discovered the truth.

“My family is extremely supportive. They knew that I was a girl by the time I turned four years old. I played with barbies, I dressed like a girl, posed like a girl; that’s when they knew that I was transgender. I never actually came out, they knew. I showed up one day dressed like a girl and I didn’t even have to tell them, they understood that this was me coming out,” she said.

Tutor has made her teammates and coaches unbelievably proud by putting her happiness first and refusing to give in to the harsh criticism of society.

“Today when I see Jo I cannot help but smile. Her confidence and charisma blows me away daily. Joel is caring, fun loving, sarcastic, and a hard worker. She is so dedicated to her sport and her team. Things may not have come easy for her, but she sure proves her worth daily in the steps she takes to overcome all hardships, on and off the mat,” Casey said.

Like many transgender teens, Tutor plans on changing her name soon.

“Some people will call me Joel, like Cole with a J. I’m planning on changing my name to Joelle. I hate it when people call me Joel (Jole) because it’s usually the people who still think I’m a boy and don’t know how to react that call me that,” Tutor admitted.

She also plans on having a sex reassignment surgery after she graduates from college, followed by breast implants.

“I’m so excited to transition fully when I graduate college. I plan on getting my SRS surgery and a year after that, I’m going to get breast implants. I plan on getting my surgery after college because I want to do cheerleading in college and I’m just scared that something might happen. I’m still young and I don’t want to focus on that right now,” she said.

Tutor has her future worked out in terms of what she wants to major in and she plans on giving back to the people who have supported her through the difficult times in her life.

“I want to be a social worker, especially at Niles West, because they’ve just been so supportive of me and I want to give back. I want to help kids that are going through the same things that I went through. I also want to be a competitive cheer coach,” she said.

After all the obstacles she has faced, Tutor wants people who are struggling through the same things as her to remember one thing: It gets better.

“Stay strong because everything gets better. In ten years, these people, the ones who don’t understand you, they won’t matter. You just have to focus on yourself,” Tutor said.

The transition from middle school to high school was a big step for freshman, Kalie Athans. Getting involved and making friends wasn’t a problem for Athans, although, finding her way around the large school was the challenging part.

“Walking in on the first day of high school, I was most nervous about getting around from class to class without getting lost. I also expected high school to be a lot like the movie “Mean Girls,” Athans said.

Not too long into the school year, Athans perspective of high school quickly changed. She soon realized that high school wasn’t what she imagined it to be and continues to be excited for what it has to offer.

Older brother, senior Johnny Athans, is by Athans’s side, guiding her on the start of her high school career.

“If I have any questions, I could always go to him to answer them. It’s really fun having him here at West with me. I wish I could be with him for more than just this one year though,” Athans said.

The Athans siblings got each others backs as Athan’s looks up to her older brother Johnny while he watches over her.

“It seems strange seeing my little sister around school. I still think of her as a little girl. Seeing her grow up and change is amazing but also surreal. It’s great because we get to spend more time together now,” Johnny said.

Athans joined cheerleading in middle school and continued her passion on here at Niles West.

“It [cheerleading] is a whole new level at West and I had to learn tumbling. It was difficult for me to get down at first, but it only pushed me to become a better cheerleader,” Athans said.

Athans is also looking to join more activities at West once she settles in.

“There are a bunch of activities that seem fun, but i’d love to join the Niles West News one day,” Athans said.

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of 10 features about clubs at Niles West.

It’s 7:30 a.m. and students slowly begin to walk into room 1730 on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with trays of delicious treats being carried in their hands. Art teacher Deanna Sortino is sitting at her desk, casually instructing and discussing with the students about the importance of their first UNICEF bake sale as everyone begins to sign in.

UNICEF, or United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, is a national program that focuses on aiding and protecting children nationally by fundraising.

“In UNICEF, everything fundraised is donated to help children worldwide. The fundraised money helps with things like providing kids with a better education, vaccinations, sanitation, and other children’s rights,” sophomore member Zoha Ullah said.

UNICEF is new to Niles West this year. It all started last year in Sortino’s Advanced and AP 2-D Design classes. Sortino assigned the students to write infographics for UNICEF’s Nicaragua project and from there, UNICEF became a thing students looked forward to doing.

“It was probably a month in a half long project in the classroom when we were working with Nicaragua, but I think the kids took so much away from it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. The positive feedback we got from that made us really excited and eager to get UNICEF going at Niles West,” Sortino said.

UNICEF already has 60 members, yet students continue to join every day. Students find UNICEF a way to return their good fortune and reach out to the community.

“I really admire UNICEF’s promise to actually aid in improving the less fortunate children’s lives. Not only does UNICEF raise awareness to global issues, every penny they raise goes directly to providing essential resources that they normally don’t have access to,” Ullah said.

UNICEF is not solely limited to high school; there is a UNICEF program, called UNICEF Next Generation, available even in college. UNICEF is such a dedication that many students take part in it throughout the rest of their life.

“UNICEF is pretty much a life-long commitment. It’s really important to stay committed to it throughout your life and to make sure that you’re promoting it, advocating for it, and basically continuing to help out,” UNICEF president Tammy Wen said.

If you are interested in joining UNICEF, contact Sortino at deasor@d219.org.

Senior Harshil Damji, is this year’s DECA President. Along with holding position of President, Damji is the man behind DECAlicious.

Becoming President did not come easy for him though. In fact, it took years to achieve where he is now.

Watch the video to learn about Damji’s amazing journey over the years to becoming DECA President.

Video by Sarah Yun

At the first meeting of the new Niles West Feminism Club on August 25, 25 feminists, male and female, representative of every grade, showed up in the suddenly-overcrowded room 1210. At the center of all the activity stood founders, juniors Rida Yousuf and Lejla Vojnikovic animatedly discussing their plan for the club with its new members.

Their home-made T-shirts, reading “girls just wanna have fun…damental human rights,” matched the tone of the group. All around the room, other students were engaged in passionate discussion, on topics spanning from some negative responses to the club to the definition of the word “feminist.”

Begun by Yousuf and Vojnikovic and sponsored by English teacher Jody Weatherington, the Feminism Club is open to all genders, and involves discussion of feminist ideas and principles among students, as well as meeting certain other goals.

“The club has three main goals,” Weatherington said. “We are volunteering and raising money for groups that promote education, equality, and vital services for underserved women; we are educating ourselves and others about gender inequality; and we are working to empower ourselves.”

Between these goals, Vojnikovic said education is a top priority.

“We hope to show, not only the members, but the school as well, that equality is possible, and every little step counts,” she said.

The club has not always been met with such great enthusiasm. During its initial promotion on the Class of 2017 Facebook page, the club received a lot of negative backlash from other students. Many members attributed this to the negative connotation the label “feminist” carries.

“Feminism has worn many faces over the years,” Weatherington explained. “When I was in high school, there was definitely a negative, man-hating connotation with the term. Thankfully, that man-hating image has fallen away- for the most part.”

Given the passionate discussions of feminism going on around the globe, Vojnikovic and Yousuf felt like the club could be a way to properly define feminism, effectively clearing it up for those who despise the term.

“Feminism isn’t a bad word, it’s about equality,” Vojnikovic said. “More people need to be aware of the really great things that come from it, and how it’s a view of a positive change for everyone.”

Several students inside the club agreed with this definition.

“I’m really glad somebody at Niles West is finally clearing up the term for everybody else. Lots of people think all feminists are crazy, but in reality, all we’re trying to do is demand the equality we deserve,” junior Jessye Gassel said.

This new attitude is an exponential difference from when Weatherington was a student, a time when a feminism club would have been subjected to intense backlash.

“Had there been an official Feminist Club at my high school, I would have judged. However, I was fortunate to have found a group of strong… friends who served this role in an unofficial capacity. We didn’t call ourselves feminists, but I know now that we absolutely were,” she said, “I wish that the club had actually existed so more kids had exposure to feminist ideology.

With this club and the amount of students learning about feminism, the idea of feminism will grow exponentially. Vojnikovic and Yousuf are aiming to educate the next generation of feminists at Niles West. They hope their ideas about equality catch on and help bulid a better, fairer world for everyone.

If you are interested in joining Feminism Club, come to room 1210, Tuesdays after school or contact Vojnikovic or Yousuf at lejvoj1@nilesk12.org or ridyou1@nilesk12.org.

Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of 10 features about clubs at West.

Three years ago, junior Phil Duros decided to take up a new instrument. It wasn’t a cello or a french horn but vocal percussion. More specifically, beatboxing. Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion where you use your voice, lips, and tongue to mimic drums, basslines, and other musical instruments.  

“I basically learned off of YouTube. It’s an addiction for me now and I can’t stop,” Duros said.

Duros had considered starting a club here at West and almost gave up until fellow beatboxer junior Isaiah Lopez approached him about starting one.  

Beatboxing is also featured in contemporary a cappella music. Echo Effect– the all guys a cappella group here at West– was where Duros and Lopez first got their start. A cappella vocal percussionists take a special role of leadership in keeping time and adding a rhythmic backbone.

“We plan on meeting on Tuesdays after school till five. We want this club to start ASAP so we can have fun,” Duros said.

The biggest obstacle facing the duo and their club– they do not have a sponsor. Beatboxing is an alternative style of music, and usually a rare talent to come across. 

“Something that I like about beatboxing is that it’s rare and unique. Not everyone can do it and if you can, I personally think you have a gift… you will not regret joining,” Duros said. 

If you are student interested in joining Beatbox Club or a teacher interested in sponsoring, email phidur1@nilesk12.org or isalop1@nilesk12.org.

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a series of 10 features about clubs at West.

It is the first week of school and junior Nick Ieremciuc is checking his school email. He opens up one titled ‘H2O!!” sent by the club’s sponsor, math teacher, Sarah Wagner. Before he even opens it up, Ieremcic starts to smile because he already knew what it was going to be about. Ieremciuc has been a loyal member of H2O, which is short for Humbled to One, since his freshman year.

Like many people at Niles West, when Ieremciuc first learned about the club, he thought, “H2O? What? Water?” Not longs after,  Ieremcuic discovered that H2O is actually a club dedicated to Christ and where His followers and believers within Niles West can meet up for prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship, and other activities.

If you were to walk in on a meeting, you would see one of these three things: everyone standing, singing worship songs together led by a guitar player, everyone sitting in a circle, studying the Bible and discussing questions brought up, or everyone participating in a game while enjoying some snacks.

“This year is going to be an amazing time of learning how ‘wide, long, deep, and high is the love of God’ for each one of us,” Wagner said.

H2O accepts everyone; even those with a different background, a different faith, or who simply do not have a religion they believe in or follow. Students do not necessarily have to have the Christian faith to come to the club. So far, there have been several gatherings, and each time is successful. New subjects are spoken about, different Bible subjects are read every Monday in room 1175 from 3:30 to 4:30, and each time, members go home feeling spiritually refreshed.

“H2O is a great and friendly environment that makes everyone feel welcome. It’s a fun experience sharing life with your fellow classmates and being able to join up at a tough place like school where everyone seems to be opposing each other, but in reality, everyone is just trying to find their identity, which we can find in Christ. It’s difficult to grow as a community in a school with students of many different beliefs, and that is why we are able to reflect Christ’s love” senior Tabitha Alasu said.

Ieremciuc also mentions that along with the regular activities that are typically planned for after school, they are also planning to reach out in the future. He said that they would like to begin volunteering at soup kitchens, have get-togethers with other groups from local school, and other other field trips.

“I think H2O is a great place for anyone to come and learn love, truth, and Jesus. It’s a friendly environment and a fun club to be a part of. We are working on trying to go out to do volunteer work and other kind acts for others. I’m really excited to see how each person in the club grows and reaches out to others” Ieremciuc said.

H20 meets Mondays after school in room 1175.

Although many freshmen will boast they can tackle anything that comes their way, only one will tell you the truth. Despite being halfway done with his first year at Niles West, freshman Kenan Ozer admits that he is still trying to adapt to high school and the changes that come along with it.

“Being a freshmen honestly feels the same as starting preschool. It feels like having a clean slate, and being able to create your future from scratch. Not knowing what to expect is a scary feeling, but it just takes time to adapt. I’m still not completely comfortable with the concept, but I know I’ll eventually figure it out,” Ozer said.

At first Ozer was nervous coming into high school. He assumed it would be like it is in the movies, freshmen forced to be in the background of all clubs and activities.

“I honestly expected being a freshmen to be a terrible thing. I was just scared of the thought of coming into this huge building, and having to go there for the next four years. I didn’t know if I’d make any friends, get good teachers or have good grades. But I’ve learned that all of these things are just cliches used in the movies. High school is just like any other school year, but better. It provides new opportunities, and helps people learn what they want to do in their lives,” Ozer said.

Despite the nervousness, Ozeer stepped into Niles West and was surprised to be welcomed with open arms. He embraced the hard work that came with a new school and slowly, began to enjoy his freshman year.

“Niles West has been completely different than I initially expected. It’s definitely more work than I expected, but it has way more positive things than negative. I’ve already met so many new people, have made new friends and get to stay in touch with my old ones. The whole new experience of high school has really changed how I feel towards school in general, and I have a sense of freedom that I didn’t feel in middle school,” Ozer said.

When Ozer was in fourth grade, he joined his school’s musical and was overwhelmed when he discovered how much he enjoyed singing.

“I first started singing in the 4th grade, in our school musical. I never really thought I would ever enjoy singing, but I just felt like I needed to find something that I was good at. Music was something that never crossed my mind, but I still decided to give it a shot. I kept on doing the musicals and concerts at school every year, and it made me enjoy them more and more. After that, music just became part of my lifestyle,” Ozer said.

Ozer soon discovered the magic of an a capella group and he was amazed by the talent the people had and how they seemed to be comfortable with themselves and their voices.

“I remember coming to my older sister’s choir concert when I was a little kid. I saw this group of guys walk up on stage singing, dancing, and just having fun. The coolest part was that there were no instruments, and it was all done by themselves. I was in complete awe, and knew that I wanted to do that when I got to high school,” Ozer said.

Ozer, awed by the talent of a capella groups, joined one himself at his middle school, Lincoln Jr. High and as he entered Niles West, he immediately joined the all boys a capella group Echo Effect.

“Echo Effect has really become a second family to me, after only a few months. All of the guys are so supportive and helpful in their own individual ways. There is never a time when I don’t want to see them, or I don’t want to go to practice. It’s such a great feeling when you finally meet a group of people who you have so much in common with, and just love doing what you do,” Ozer said.

Music and singing has slowly developed as an escape for Ozer and his way of getting through anything that life throws at him.