Approaching the college application process, most teenagers have high hopes for Big Tens like U of I, University of Iowa, or Northwestern. But since those colleges require the big bucks, lots of students like to commute to go to Depaul, Loyola, or UIC. It’s almost unheard of for a student to go out of a different country for a undergrad, but senior Naly Krishtal is taking an adventure to Tel Aviv University in Israel for her bachelor’s degree.

NWN: What was your GPA and ACT score?

Krishtal: My weighted is a 3.25 and ACT is 22.

NWN: What activities were you involved with in high school?

Krishtal: Well for three years I went to CJHS (Chicagoland Jewish High School), because I’ve gone to private school all my life and have always been religious. Because of growing up like that, it gave me a love for Israel. At CJHS I was involved in the Poms team, soccer, cross country, and at Niles West this year I was on Orchesis.

NWN: Why did you decide to go to Israel and not in the states?

Krishtal: I was there this summer for my third time and I absolutely loved the people and felt so close to the country. Plus my sister lives there and she’s 24, but she went to school in New York, so I wanted to do something different. I already speak Hebrew but I want to get more fluent. Since my school is international, there’s people all over the world that come from America, Russia, China, etc.

NWN: What do you plan to study?

Krishtal: I’m doing a BA in Liberal Arts. As of now I plan on majoring in Communications.

What’s your advice to the incoming seniors applying to college?

Krishtal: Most people apply to a lot of schools, but Tel Aviv was the only school I applied to because I knew for sure I wanted to go to Israel. A lot of people like to stay in the states because America is great, but if they want to study abroad, then just go for it.

9:00 a.m., and sophomore Amina Dzananovic’s day begins with a trip to Fresh Farms with her poetry slam tam to get ready for her long day at one of many competitions. Once the white van drops them off, the team goes one by one to rehearse their original poetry and perform in front of their team. Intense practices on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.,  are filled with writing about different topics, reading them and critiquing one another’s, to practicing different pieces, group or solo, and it’s all about to pay off. The team hugs each other for comfort, and Paul Bellwoar, the team’s sponsor, gives them one last spiel of inspiration. Dzananovic takes a deep breath, looks out into the audience, and leaves it all on the stage. Applause roars and reverberates the room as she walks off stage, sobbing, because the feelings of emotion and intensity are overwhelming. After all, it was her first time performing. And the results came back from the judges; she got all tens.

EARLY LIFE

Dzananovic was born on December 27, 1997 in Switzerland to father, owner of a butcher shop, and mother, an artist. When Dzananovic’s mother was little, her parents divorced, so she lived with her aunt. When the Bosnian War started, she was in her teens, so she had to leave her home and become a refugee where she hopped from place to place. At one place, she was told that all the teenagers were going to be in the war as, even on the battlefield. So her aunt had to go to the head of the department and had to request for Dzananovic’s mom to go to school and finally got accepted. She was then sent to Croatia, where it wasn’t as great as it would seem. Her mother would eat stale bread and soup everyday at the refugee camp she had to stay at. From there, she finally went to Switzerland, where she met Dzananovic’s father who was also in a refugee camp. In order to escape becoming a soldier in the war, Dzananovic’s dad hid in his mother’s bus until his mother told him to go find his own place to stay because he couldn’t stay with them. He then ended up finding citizenship in Switzerand, and after Amina was two, her family moved to Wisconsin and lived until she was in first grade, then moving to Chicago living on North Whipple Street, right by Northside College Prep. The transition from Europe to America was quite different, though, says Dzananovic.

“Well my parents are foreign, so moving here made me kind of transition from culture to bringing an American culture to my household. So that was kind of hard, I wasn’t used to that. The way we dress here is way different from the way women dress at home,” Dzananovic said. “Probably one of my biggest struggles was interacting with people here, it’s also really different. It was hard to make friends without feeling kind of weird. Also when I was in America I got put into a religious private school, and the people there were really different too. At home, it was a lot more conservative, and here it’s kind of all out in the open. It changed the way I looked at other people and myself.”

RELIGIOUS VIEWS

In her middle school years during seventh grade, before moving to Skokie in eighth grade, Dzananovic decided to take the initiative to wear a hijab. This decision is one of the most important decisions a girl in the Muslim community can make, because it defines modesty and respect of oneself. A tradition in culture is to have a big celebration when a girl finally decides to take on the big honor and responsibility.

“One of the biggest misconceptions is definitely oppression for women. A lot of people kind of think that we’re forced to wear a hijab, that if we’re not we’re shamed from society, and it’s definitely not like that at all. It’s kind of more like when you start feeling comfortable with yourself, you start to put it on,” Dzananovic said. “Experience-wise, I know that if I didn’t wear this, I would not be the same person. I like to think of it as a shield, because it protected me from a lot of things I would probably regret doing at this age.”

We all see on the news, read on the internet or books and see on television that women who wear hijabs are sometimes looked down upon by people in America with different customs or beliefs. Once when Dzananovic was walking to the library with her mother, a woman flicked her off and was calling her names on the street. But she brushed it off, because she was raised to handle to this type of prejudice.

Finally, in eighth grade she moved to Skokie, while attending MEC (Muslim Education Center) in Morton Grove. She had her core classes, but also learned about religious studies. She learned Arabic, as well as religion and history about the culture as well as American History. She took her customs from home, learning to be a strong women to say what she wants and feels, but to not do things that are looked at as shameful.

“That’s a lot of things people struggle with seeing. We’re raised just like everyone else, we just have different values. We’re taught to save ourselves and our bodies, and even relationships with guys are kind of questionable at our age. So, Islamicly, we put a lot of stress on having a lot of dignity and being strong enough in yourself to know what’s right for you,” she said.

POETRY

Dzananovic has always been a writer, but never did it for anyone but herself. She kept a journal in her middle school years, but stopped writing in it during freshman year. But one day in her freshman English class, she had to write an in class essay about how one’s religion or beliefs has had certain discrimination against oneself. With a lot to say, Amina wrote away for fourty two minutes saying everything she wanted to say, until her teacher, Sally Graham, told her that the prompt was actually a prompt for an essay contest for the Mental Health America North Shore. She offered the class to enter if they so choose, so Dzananovic decided to enter on a whim. She ended up getting first place and winning $200.

From there, Mrs. Graham told Dzananovic that she needed to keep writing. Hesitant at first, Dzananovic agreed, and while writing her essay for a second competition, she was approached by sophomore and fellow Poetry Slam team member Thea Gonzales, who told her all about the team. Dzananovic declined, but when sophomore year started, she entered the First Amendment Freedoms Art and Essay Contest, once again getting first place and winning $1,000. After feeling blown away, she then knew that writing was something she was good at.

After reciting a spoken word at the Variety Show with friend Ya’meen Saima, she was praised — yet again — for her writing skills. She finally decided to check out the Poetry Slam club, even though she felt as scared as a “freshman.” Right then and there, Mr. Bellwoar put her and Ya’meen on the spot to perform the poem. With harsh critiques, Amina thought she wasn’t going to come back, but she soon got over the criticism.

“In my head, I thought I was never going to come back again. I don’t know how or why, but I came the second time, and yeah, I guess I just kinda got hooked on it from there. I’m glad that all that happened though, because it led me here,” she said.

Although she liked the atmosphere of the club, getting used to it was rough. She had to start opening up to people who were complete strangers, and if she was going to talk at all in poetry, she had to talk to everyone. But surprisingly, everyone was open.

“I guess when you find the right people, you feel like yourself. And that’s where I feel myself the most.”

Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of thank-you columns by NWN seniors in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.

Ms. Patti-Anne Davis, now known as Mrs. Ford, is one of west’s most talented, enthusiastic, and genuine teachers I know.She’s my favorite teacher, I’ve had in my entire career in the school system and one of the few I can say I don’t feel awkward or annoyed around. I had Ms.Davis my sophomore year for English and prior to that class had never met her. I had a bit of a rough freshman year and I still wasn’t that acclimated to Niles West, a school and community I had transferred to from Evanston.

I didn’t like school all that much at the time but Ms.Davis helped change that. She was one of those teachers that didn’t just want you to learn. She did her best to make her students get involved and see the fun in reading and writing. She was really one of those teachers that told you the real history about a book or play not just what a teaching plan or syllabus told her to. On top of everything, she encouraged me in a way no one else did at a time I needed it. We’d have some sort of free writing assignment in class and she’d randomly comment to the entire class how great of a writer I was. It’s not really cool to be smart so I played off how good I felt when she said that but it really did mean something.

I really chose Ms.Ford for teacher appreciation week because even after that sophomore year, it feels like shes still a teacher of mine. She encouraged my best friend Chris, and our friend Wilfred, and me to enter the variety show. She wanted us to rap because the show didn’t get to see that kind of talent that often. So we came to the rehearsal, we wrote some quick raps after track practice, and tried out as a joke really but once again after we tried out and we’re half decent I received some more of that classic encouragement from Ms.Ford.

Chris, Wilfred,and I, along with some help from Wilfred Adade ended up creating a whole song dedicated to the children in Uganda that CROSO the organization the show was raising money for was all about. Performing like that for the first time was a great experience and I’ll never forget that and I have Ms.Ford to thank for it.

The one thing you’ll notice most about Ms. Ford, if you have the privilege to get to know her, is that she genuinely cares not only as a teacher but also a person. I’ll never forget that. So here’s to Ms.Ford. I appreciate you as I’m sure many others do, Happy Teacher Appreciation Week.

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a series of thank-you columns by NWN seniors in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.

There’s a fine line between being a teacher and a friend. The combination of authoritative respect and being a confidant is hardly ever attainable for a student and a teacher, but sometimes life gives you teachers like Tina Schmidt.

You may have noticed her in the hallway wearing bright Nike sneakers, a backpack, and her hair pushed back in a headband and ponytail.  But, the way she dresses is only one of the many clues that give away her laid back and personable qualities. Call it a trick or a scheme, but it whatever she does to try to make students motivated and comfortable works. I have yet to meet past and present students that have shared unsettling and awkward stories about her.

Be it her jokes that tie into anatomy and physiology, the pep talks she gives her students battling senioritis, or the educationally stimulating environment her presence gives off in the class room, her popular and favored reputation is well deserved.

My senior year in high school wasn’t exactly the way I imagined it to be. Being a straight A student for the past three years and having the realization that high school was about end, responsibilities were going to pile up, and independence was going to be inevitable was not pleasant for a sheltered small town girl like me. I started to miss school at least once a week and I thought the idea of catching up wasn’t going to be realistic anymore. But thanks to Ms. Pauley (Schmidt), my anxiety was calmed. While I was learning about the integumentary system, making up for skeleton and gender classification labs, and studying for my missed test and quizzes on joint injuries, she managed to give me hope. She expressed personal concern and reminded me about life’s curve balls. She made me feel safe when my world was completely shattered.

On the week of December 1, when many college applications were due for her senior students, Ms. Pauley coincidentally gave a test that many students didn’t ace.

When she realized the reason for her students’ abnormal test performance, she started class by telling us, “I will make sure this day, and everyday after will involve me doing the best that I can do to help you succeed.”

All eyes were on her. Everyone knew they had to work hard because they didn’t want to waste er hard work either.

So, on behalf of all your students, I’d like to thank you for being the best that you can be. I’d like to thank you for being “real”. I’d like to thank you for the wisdom you’ve shared with us. I’d like to thank you for the countless after school hour tutor sessions.  I’d like to thank you for all the fitness, health, and honest advice. I’d like to thank you for your unconditional dedication and investment in us.

Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in a series of thank-you columns by NWN seniors in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.

When I recieved my senior schedule in the beginning of the year, nothing made me happier than knowing that I would end each school day with AP Literature with the class of 2013′s favorite male teacher, Mr. Paul Wack.

As the first semester went on, I was inspired to keep my mind open while reading challenging works. I started enjoying the intimidating assignments and didn’t seem to have a problem sharing my ideas and questions with him and the environment he created for the classroom.

Just like many of his students, I felt very lost and sad when he told us he wasn’t going to teach us for the rest of the year. Though we didn’t see him very much after the first semester, he never failed to provide us with guidance. He still kept in touch with us through email, helped us with our college applications, and wrote us each personal messages at the end of our research papers.

Mr. Wack is a perfect example of how the job of being a teacher does not end in the classroom or in the school building. It goes on until their students succeed. Thank you so much for giving your students hope and great memories to have about Niles Wests’ esteemed faculty.

“I’ve had some amazing teachers but he just blew me away with his level of understanding. His ability to move beyond his role as a teacher in order to really connect with us was, in my experience, unprecedented. How often he shared his thoughts and emotions and the ways in which he did made it really hard for me to accept that I only got to experience his presence in the classroom for such a limited time,” senior Kyle Kent said.

“A teacher leaves his mark on a student beyond what is taught in the classroom. I have never had a teacher with as kind, patient, and caring disposition as Mr. Wack. I am blessed to have been educated by him in literature as well as being a person of character,” senior Connie Dang said.

“He is the most caring and kind-hearted teacher I’ve ever had. Not only did I learn about writing and what not, but he taught me about life. I’m so grateful to have him as a teacher because of his great personality. I genuinely looked forward to going to his class every day,” senior Melanie Leftakes said.

“Although I’m bummed that I didn’t get to spend much time with you as a senior, your class was honestly my favorite last year. We always talked about interesting topics that got me one step closer to being as wise as you are. Hope you’re feeling well,” senior Dianna Fulea said.

“Mr.Wack is truly one in a million. He makes dull topics exciting with his upbeat attitude and cheers up everyone in the room with his warm smile. His dedication to his students and his work is remarkable,” senior Amanda Muir said.

“Mr. Wack was the type of teacher willing to help you in any situation. He always made time for his student, and never gave up on them. He’s really funny, and one of the best teachers I had at Niles West,” senior Ashley Pak said.

“Walking into his class the first day, he presented us with a poem, ‘Wild Geese’ by Mary Oliver, with the message to not try to be anything but ourselves; it is now my favorite poem. His easy going personality made his class something I looked to every day ninth period due to our discussions about intricate poetry and short stories. When I met with him outside of class for a test or essay, it’s like I was talking to an old friend. You can tell that he’s just a really good guy and eager to help his students,” senior Gretchen Sterba said.

“Mr. Wack is a humble man, a dude that will admit when he’s wrong, work with you, and is more concerned that you’re doing alright than shoving grades and work in your face. He’s a teacher that took the time to get to know you through class, and was just unashamed to actually care for his students. When he announced that he wouldn’t be able to continue teaching our class, the pain in his voice was real, because deep down, he is a real teacher; he is a man that just loved his job and didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world,” senior Raphael Lagoc said.

“Mr. Wack is the sweetest person I’ve ever met. He’s so humble and modest and so down to earth. He touches everyone’s hearts without even trying. Even though he was only my teacher for a short time, Mr. Wack is a teacher I’ll definitely remember and miss when I leave Niles West,” senior Lynn Vo said.

“Mr. Wack is the kind of person who wouldn’t get angry about someone bumping into him and spilling tea all over him while trying to give him a hug; rather, he is the kind of person who would just go and give you the hug anyways and thank you for something that is worth a thousand times more than just some spilled tea. And that is what makes me so happy to have been a student of Mr. Wack’s. He is one of the most genuine and kind people I have ever met, and I hope to have the pleasure of knowing him for many more years. I truly appreciate him for everything he has taught me, and this is least I can do or say to thank him,” senior Fatima Farha said.

“He was one of my favorite teachers at west. His class was the only one I looked forward to junior year! I really hope he is feeling better because everyone misses him back at school,” senior Arviola Pemaj said.

“Mr.Wack is a very caring and open-minded person. His presence in class was very warm and genuine. He always gave off good vibes no matter where he went. He always walked in and walked out of a class with a smile,” senior Mahnoor Bhatti said.

“Mr. Wack is possibly one of the most understanding teachers I have come across. He gets how us students think and always is willing to share his passion for English with us. He always has a smile on his face and it inevitably spreads to those around him,” senior Smita Jain said.

“He’s very curious and gazes out beneath his Harry Potter like glasses to learn new things about the world. He strives to help his students because he is very calm, patient, and persistent. All in all, Mr. Wack is the coolest person, teacher, and bird watcher ever,” senior Rizwan Syed said.

“You have to be one of the nicest and funniest and humble human beings put on this earth. We have never met a teacher who has done so much to connect and teach their students. For the time we had you, you made an impact on our lives and your class was the high point of our days,” senior Brian and Stephanie Knorr said.

“Mr. Wack is so endearing and it’s a shame we didn’t get to know him over a course of a year. We all learned though, from the few months he still taught, that it’s possible to not have anything but a gentle kindness inside of you and that was through him,” senior Sharon Matthew said.

Hard work pays off, and senior Peter Kundzicz can agree to this. Next fall he will be attending California Institute of Technology, a private research university with an acceptance rate of 13% according to Forbes.

NWN: What is your GPA?

4.68 weighted and 3.98 unweighted.

NWN: What was your highest ACT score?

I got a composite score of 34.

NWN: What clubs and activities are you in or have been in through the years?

Over the course of my four years in high school, I have been a part of Math Team, Scholastic Bowl Team, WYSE Team, Soccer Team, Swim Team, and Volleyball Team. This year I began tutoring in the Lit Center everyday during early bird. I also became a part of National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.

NWN: How was the application process? What are some tips you have for incoming seniors?

The application process was very tough for me because I was not really sure about which colleges I wanted to attend. Luckily, I had a pretty strong idea that I was going to study computer science or computer engineering, so I began to narrow down schools that were well known for their engineering programs. I applied early action to as many of my selected schools as I could without making a commitment. My advice to incoming seniors is to visit colleges as early as possible in order to have a good idea of campus and course details that intrigue you, but also, sometimes more importantly, pay attention to the things that you don’t like as much.

NWN: How did you narrow down your choices to Caltech? What made you really want to go there?

It was a very tough decision to make. The university that I would choose would be my new home for the next several years. Each one had many aspects that made it unique. Once I got the decision and financial award letter from each university, I was still very unsure about which one I would commit to. After a long period of heavy contemplation, I had my decision mainly narrowed down to MIT or Caltech. I had the fortunate opportunity to visit Pasadena, California, and there I fell in love with the Caltech campus and student body. Even though I was fairly certain that I wanted to attend Caltech at that point, I spent almost all the time I could weighing my options before the May 1st decision day.

NWN: Have you visited the campus prior to being admitted? If so, what did you like about the campus?

Many colleges and universities offer a weekend dedicated to prospective students to visit and see the campus alive and moving. I visited Caltech during their PreFrosh weekend. I was among kids from all over the nation; we sat through informational panels and real class periods. We also got a chance to sleep in a dorm and have dinner with students currently enrolled in the school. It was something special to receive the honest opinion of the students regarding their everyday life. After dinner, I took an easy walk around the small campus and realized that I could truly envision myself studying there for the next several years.

NWN: What are you most excited about for college next year?

I am very excited about making new friends and becoming a part of a tight-knit community. The students at Caltech are very friendly, but each and every single one of them is brilliant and quirky in his or her own type of way. This contributes to the dynamic personality of the school. I can’t wait to experience the rigor of the classes and submerge myself into the welcoming culture of Caltech.

Here are the winners of the 2014 senior supplement categories! Thank you to all who participated.

Best Dressed: Joerlyn Manalang and Surdeep Chauhan

Best Smile: Haley Mahoney-Muno and Matt DeLaVega

Best Selfies: Taylor Hoffman and Garrett Iverson

Bromance: Jimmy Holbrook, Matt DeLaVega, and Cody Pazik

Best Girlfriends: Amy Hadzimuratovic, Arviola Pemaj, and  Martina Jambrusic

Most School Spirited: Jessie Rosell and Cody Pazik

Best Personality: Kacie Simkins and Kevin Finn

Most Addicted to Social Media: Ariel Morgan and Marcel Matuszek

Best Person to Take Home to Parents: Haley Mahoney-Muno and Monak Patel

Most Likely to Come to the High School Reunion Tatted: Alyssa Guzman and Quincy Allen

Most Changed Since Freshman Year: Julia O’Neil and Besnik Hoxha

Most Likely to Make Six Figures: Nicole Christodolou and Peter Kundicz

Best Sense of Humor: Priya Patel and Matt DeLaVega

Most Likely to Be Late to Graduation: Valerie Aich and Garrett Bland

Most Likely to Cure Cancer: Smita Jain and Vinay Patel

Favorite Teacher: Ms. DeNapoli and Mr. Wack

Most Likely to be a Professional Athlete: Olivia Rusek and Dzenan Nezerovic

Most Likely to Win a Grammy: Jessie Rosell and Cameron Broderick

Most Intelligent: Jayna Shah and Peter Kundicz

Most Likely to Vote for Themselves in Every Category: Taylor Hoffman and Marcel Matuszek

Biggest Flirt: Shpresa Delisi and Marcel Matuszek

Best Hair: Lizzie Prete and Isaac Reinemann

Nicest Eyes: Kacie Simkins and Peter Denenberg

Most Opinionated: Breana Brill and Theo Noparstak

Fatima Farha and Shameer Riaz contributed to this article. 

Senior Tina Conis on Northwestern University admission.

If it’s one thing Illinois is known for, it’s the accomplised institutions.

NWN: What is your GPA and ACT score?

Conis: My unweighted GPA is a 3.98 and a 34 ACT composite score.

Dang: My unweigted GPA is a 3.9 and my composite ACT score is a 33.

Traisman: I got a 34 on the ACT and my unweighted GPA is a 3.62.

Vo: I got a composite score 32 and my unweighted GPA is a 3.8.

NWN: What program did you get into?

Conis: I’m currently undecided, but was admitted to Weinberg.

Dang: I will be majoring in economics under the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

Traisman: I got into the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences . I applied as an environmental science major, but I’m not sure if that will change once I take some classes there. I also hope to get a double major or minor in dance.

Vo: I got into Weinberg for  Bio Chemistry

NWN: What types of clubs and activities were you involved in?

Conis: I’m involved in Math team, Greek club, Lit Center tutoring, Freshman Mentoring, WHO club, Spanish Honor Society, chemistry club, NAMES assembly leader, Dance Marathon, and WYSE.

Dang: I’m involved in H20, National Honor Society, Freshman Mentoring, Literacy Center tutoring, Relay for Life and WYSE. I also had an internship with a Christian merchandise company called Movement121.

Traisman: I was a member of cross country, chemistry club, band, Pop N Rock, choir, book club, and volunteering at the Lincolnwood Public Library.

Vo: book club, riot, homeroom mentor, nhs, shs, and orchesis

NWN: What do you think helped your acceptance the most?

Senior Connie Dang on Northwestern University admission.

Conis: I think the combination of my scores, grades, and clubs most helped my admission.

Dang: I think the combination of my grades and leadership roles in my extracurricular activities helped the most.

Traisman: I think I was able to show the admissions department that I work hard to do well in school and that I participate in a variety of activities. They seem to look for well rounded applicants. The strongest parts of my application were probably the resume and scientific abstract I sent that aren’t even required to apply. I had a lot of success with STEM, so I think Northwestern appreciated that I wanted to continue doing research as an undergraduate student.

Vo: It was definitely my essay. People assume that i got like straight A’s and a 36 on my act to get in, and I was president of like 10 clubs and volunteered in Haiti or something. But really, my grades and activities aren’t all that special and I don’t think that was the factor that made me stood out against the other applicants. I definitely think it was because of my essay. I spent a long time researching about nu’s faculty and their extra curricular programs for dance and scientific research, and that’s what I wrote about. I guess they saw that dedication through my essay.

NWN: Have you visited the campus prior to being admitted?

Senior Lynn Vo on Northwestern University admission.

Conis: Yes, last summer I had been on a formal tour, and prior to that I had visited multiple times.

Dang: I took a class about global problems and justice over the summer.

Traisman: I visited Northwestern for a campus tour, and I went to information sessions about the university and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.I visited during my junior year, but one of the information sessions was this fall.

Vo: Not really, haha. NuUhas always been a dream school of my parents and I. My dad would always drive me past there as a kid and kinda implant in me that i should go there when I’m older. so it was like the first college I ever knew of when I was little. but i didn’t go on an official campus tour until after I applied.

Senior Rachel Traisman on Northwestern University admission.

NWN: What advice do you have for prospective Northwestern students?

Conis: Of course, keep your grades up, and make sure you’re involved in extracurriculars that interest you. Also, do your research about NU before writing your essay.

Dang: Definitely do what you love in high school and make the most of it. By now, competitive colleges know which activities are just for application stacking and which ones you are actually interested in.

Traisman: My advice would be to be yourself. There’s no magic formula of test scores and extracurriculars that will get you into any given university, so just show them what you’re passionate about and what you’re good at. If Northwestern is your dream school, then by all means tell them that; just make sure that you also tell the school why you are their dream student. Don’t be afraid to brag a little bit! And if you know Northwestern is your top choice, I recommend applying early decision. Not only can you get the stressful decision out of the way, but you are also showing the university how committed you are to their school.

Vo: Well in addition to staying on top of your academics, find a passion in high school! join a club for your passion and if there isn’t one, make one. northwestern is so big on activities because they want applicants that are well rounded and are talented in other aspects other than school. they know all of their applicants are smart and qualified for the school, so you have to show them there’s more to you than just your grades and scores. definitely write your essay on the hobbies/passions you want to pursue in college!

The wind is blowing and the grass has begun to cover the torn-up ground underneath Michael Gunartt’s feet. It’s spring, more specifically baseball season, and it’s the freshman varsity baseball player’s favorite time of the year.

He looks up at the sky and sheds a tear, then looks back down at his father’s headstone. It reads across the granite, “August 15th, 1976 –  November 14th, 2012. In loving memory of a Father, Son and Friend.” It’s been two years since the unexpected loss of his father, who died of a sudden heart attack.

When Gunartt was three years old and played catch with his father for the first time, he fell in love with the game of baseball.

“I wish I could go back to 13U baseball when my dad would come to my games and support me,” he said. “My dad would give me tips on certain things and at that time I didn’t want to take his advice, but now all I need is his advice. He was right.”

His father’s death could have broken him, but instead Gunartt refuses to give up.

“I just want to be successful, and knowing that there is someone looking over me just makes me want to push myself even more,” he said.

Michael Gunartt is only the fourth freshman to play baseball at the varsity level. Photo by Emily Butera

Gunartt — who idolizes Alex Rodriguez, the New York Yankees third baseman – has been training for this moment since he was a young boy. He knew it would be a tough tryout, so he prepared himself for the worst. Not knowing he would have a spot on varsity in just a couple of weeks.

“I was extremely nervous for tryouts,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect, which sounds crazy because I always have a bat in hand. The nerves really kicked in right before the actual tryouts started.”

During his 28-year tenure as a baseball coach, Garry Gustafson said Gunartt, who plays first base and right field, is only the fourth freshman to make the varsity team.

“He is a kid that came in baseball ready,” he said. “He just needs to get his feet wet a little. He is a strong talented kid, ever since he moved up to varsity he hasn’t looked back since. He has a great personality. He is a kid that can swing the bat, can handle the pressure when needed, the sky’s the limit for Michael.”

Senior captain Matt De La Vega said Gunartt’s place on varsity was welcomed by his teammates.

“He is a very athletic kid who has a ton of potential,” he said. “He is still is learning a bunch about the game, but I’m excited to see where he goes because I believe he will make Niles West and myself proud to see what he will accomplish as a ball player.”

Gunartt said he was thrilled to make the varsity team as a freshman.

“It’s an accomplished feeling, but it’s always been an expectation that I had to play at a high level of baseball,” Gunartt said.

Gunartt plans on focusing on school and baseball throughout high school. Distractions and setbacks aren’t even an option for him.

“I have no love life, all my love really just goes into baseball that’s my main focus,” he said. “It’s all a kid my age needs to worry about.”

Gunartt said he is disappointed that the season came slow and ended soon (the Wolves finished with a 19-13 season), but he has big plans for the next upcoming season and plans to work hard over the summer.

“It’s all I’ve even worked for,” he said. “But now it’s my turn to really step up and train myself to be the best, that’s all I’ve ever really wanted to do, make my father proud.”

Video by Katrina Nickell

NWN: What is your favorite part of Homecoming week?

Sherlina: That’s a tough one. I can’t decide between the game or the dance. Both of them are highlights in my year! The game is like the best place to lose my voice (don’t show this to Mrs. Branahl!!!) but the dance is awesome for making my body sore. So I guess they both are great.

Tommy: Besides the game, my favorite part of the week is probably the pep assembly. It’s real exciting and the feeling of being out on the middle of the court during the assembly is indescribable.

NWN: How did you feel when you won?

Sherlina: I was just kajdlkajdslkjdlkajr. I couldn’t hear my name being called except for the “han” in “Chauhan,” and I thought, “Hey, that sounds like my name.” Then I looked around at the other girls, and they were all still in their chairs, so I thought, “Oh, I think it’s me!” Then I proceeded to look like a five year old getting a cookie on stage. It was awesome. Can’t say my queenly elegance was on point, though.

Tommy: I was a little surprised and I was more happy just so I could tell my mom that I won, and if it wasn’t for her I would have never ran.

NWN: What are the activities you’re involved in in school?

Sherlina: Theatre, Choir, CEC, and Relay for Life have been with me all of high school, and I’ve picked up on some other clubs and activities. Book Club, Hebrew Club, and H2O have found their way into my life, and I love them! I’m also a Literacy Center tutor and a tutor leader for this school year. Thespian Society, National Honor Society, and Spanish National Honor Society are also what I’m involved in. And this year, I’m a freshman mentor for the first time! I try to get as much sleep as possible.

Tommy: I play quarterback on the football team, and I run indoor and outdoor track.

NWN: Activities out of school?

Sherlina: Sleeping!!!! Haha, well, that is true. I go to church every Sunday! And I’m going to be managing the social media of the church community. Other than that, most of what keeps me busy is school-related, and I’m perfectly happy with that. There’s so much to keep you on your feet at West. Especially being where I’ve ended up, I can’t imagine needing to look anywhere else.

Tommy: School keeps me pretty busy, so I can’t really say I’m part of any outside of school activities.

NWN: What are your hobbies?

Sherlina:  Singing!!! Even if you can’t sing Beyonce, if you have the privilege of knowing a Beyonce song, you’d better sing that Beyonce song. Reading is another big one. Oh, the places you’ll go! You can make so many references that people won’t get, but it won’t matter, because books take you where you let them take you, and there’s not much more magic in the world than that. Along with that goes writing. You can take yourself somewhere if you can’t find it already existing. And eating food is super cool. Can we all just own it already?

Tommy: It might be random but I love fishing. Anytime I am free on the weekends my dad will pack up the boat and we’ll go find a lake to fish. Other than that, I guess I love watching college football, that’s what I spend most of my weekend doing.

NWN: What are your plans for the future?

Sherlina: Oh, yes. The dreaded question. But I’ve been one of the lucky ones. I know I want to go into the medical field, and I’ve had my eyes on being a surgeon for a while. Something is so cool about the hands-on application of science, in the most valued way possible. Also, dissections just get me so hyped. My English teacher from last year, Mr. Klingenberger, recommended a book to me about what being a surgeon is like, and it both scares and excites me at the same time. But apart from a professional career, I want to keep growing and learning through all the new experiences I’ll find wherever I go. I hope to find myself never getting a full night’s rest, and loving every minute of it.

Tommy: I guess my main future plan would be to play college football. Ever since I started playing it’s been a dream of mine and I hope to get there next year.

NWN: What sets you apart from other people?

Sherlina: What sets me apart? I’d have to say how I find meaning in everything and don’t hold back from thinking and feeling genuinely in any situation, without fear or worry. All of these come from the cornerstone of my existence: living in God. Everything I do comes from His glory, and there are no limits to life, when it’s in the hands of the Lord.

Tommy: I think what sets me apart from everyone else is that I’m just a happy kid. I don’t ever get mad and I’ll always have a smile on my face. I’m open to everyone;  you can ask me anything and I’ll be willing to help with whatever it is. So I guess I’m just an overall kind, friendly person that you don’t really find everyday.

Mario Ljubic contributed to this article. 

Unlike most freshman, Ian Shankar was confident walking into high school despite hearing all the stories of “freshmeat” being picked on and pennied.

 “As long as I put my mind to something I can take it on, which includes the struggles of being a Freshman” Shankar jokingly said.

His favorite class which he’s taking right now is Honors Algebra 2, because not only is it something he’s interested it, but he loves being challenged.

After school, you can catch Ian on the soccer field, as he plays defense for the freshman A soccer team. He also looks forward to volleyball season, and hopes to play back row for the freshman team. Besides looking forward to sport seasons, he’s very excited for his first homecoming, and plans on going with some of his friends. He’s also excited for all the upcoming football games.

 Ian is described by his friends as someone that can always make them laugh, and they know they’ll always have a good time together when they’re with him.

“Hard work and determination is all you need to get you through anything. Put your mind to it, and nobody can stop you,” Shankar said.

Senior Rita Carmona is excited to have a good start to her senior year with her friends and her impassioned involvement in extracurricular activities. Her friendliness, charisma, and caring personality comes with a lot of experience to change and an open-heart to others.

“Rita has never failed to make me feel better when something was getting me down. It’s in her best interest to put other people’s happiness before her own. Just recently, she talked me out of my anxiety as the stress of school and college applications started accumulating,” said senior and good friend of Carmona Emily Stangel.

Although junior year was a tough year for many, Rita believes that there’s more work that comes with being a senior.

“Senior year is really fun so far, but it’s a lot of work in my classes in addition to the college apps. Overall it’s a bit more stressful than I thought,” Carmona said.

That being said, she is still able to balance her academics with her extracurricular activities.

“I’m the section leader for Marching Band, an executive for Dance Marathon, I’m on the Speech team, a member of tribe called west and will be joining a new club called SOAR.”

There was a time in Rita’s life where she wasn’t given the great opportunities to be involved in activities. She moved to Costa Rica her freshman year, where she was challenged with meeting new people, adapting to a new language, and not having many activities available to her.

“I didn’t like the year I lived in Costa Rica at first. I didn’t know anyone, and it was as if I was on the opposite side of the spectrum. It was a new school so they didn’t have any after school activities. They also used trimesters so we’d have a month off in December and go to school all year round. Moving to Costa Rica was a time when I was able to find myself and learn my native language. I took advantage of that time to understand who I was and where my family came from.”

This year, Rita is enjoying her sociology and AP psychology classes, because they are similar to her future major she hopes to accomplish and she enjoys learning about the brain and how people think and act. With a bright future in store, Rita gave us an idea on what she hopes to accomplish,

“I hope I find something passionate to study one day, and I really hope to travel a lot as well. College is definitely a goal and I’m happy with the choices I made so whatever one I end up going to I’ll be content.”

 If you haven’t noticed it already, Rita is a people’s person and since Niles West is so diverse it has given her the chance to meet all sorts of unique people that Costa Rica was able to reveal to her as well. Rita’s character has a lot to do with her biggest role model.

“My mom has been there for me always. She’s caring and been through a lot but still is selfless. She is definitely my role model and shows me the kind of person I want to be one day.”

Although it’s Rita’s last year at Niles West to share her love and kindness, she has tons of aspirations to end her academic career here.

“I don’t want to have regrets when leaving Niles West. I tried out for homecoming court and like Dr. Ness said, try something you never done before. Go out with a BANG!”

Though freshman year can be a big adjustment for many of the school’s newcomers, freshman Jay Monga didn’t have much to worry about on the first day of school this year. After all, he has already been coming to West for a year to take geometry and earned his biology credit over the summer. Now off-level in both math and science, Monga is quite ahead of the game academically, but that doesn’t stop him from staying involved in extracurricular activities.

When he’s not consumed by what many would consider to be a very rigorous school load for a young freshman, Monga  finds a way to challenge himself academically after school. Already a member of the sci-fi, app deveolpment and riot clubs just five weeks into the school year, Jay hasn’t hesitated to get involved in clubs that pertain to his many interests.

Another of Monga’s interests is music. Having played the violin since he was in kindergarten, Jay was a member of Park View school’s orchestra program from grades one through eight, earning the honor of being chosen for the Judy Porst ISYM musical scholarship for a week of orchestral camp at the University of Illinois in the summer.

After earning concertmaster status in eighth grade in Park View’s top orchestra, his interest in music did not die when he came to high school, either. Now a member of Niles West’s Philharmonic orchestra, Monga makes music on a daily basis in the highest orchestra any freshman is allowed to play in.

Where his true passion lies, however, is in the field of computer science. Already thinking he’ll pursue a career in computer science, Monga began learning about code in sixth grade. He is currently enrolled in AP computer science here at West, where many concepts of code that seem foreign to upperclassmen come naturally to him. He is currently set to compete in Purdue’s high school programming competition later this year and hopes to put hours of studying code to practical use one day.

““It’s interesting to learn about how computers work,” Monga said. “Also, I like video games and I want to make them when I grow up so knowing computer science is important for that,” he added.

Music has always been an important aspect in Walter Lindwall‘s life. He grew up listening to his older sister practicing her viola, and just like any other fourth grader attending Lincoln Hall middle school, Walter got pulled into the beginning of his musical orbit. At a young age, you could see that he was a natural. Just in Middle school, he attended the IMEA music festival. He won an orchestra award, was a principle cellist, and won a division one. In high school he had also won a division 1, and attended the northwestern music festival.

There is a certain passion in his eyes when he plays that is unmatched throughout the orchestra . “I try feel how the piece feels,” he says. Go to any orchestra concert and watch him sitting in the first chair cello section. There is something in him that no one else has.

Steven Katz, the Niles West high school director, has always been supportive of Walter. “Walter Lindwall is a wonderful musician.  He plays very smart, very accurate, but mainly he is very musical.  His playing is really beautiful!”

Lindwall’s cello teacher Nina Wallenberg is an especially influential person to Walter. “She pushes me to be the best I can be.”

There is another person that Walter holds near and dear to his heart. His younger brother  is affected by Cerebral Palsy. What makes music so important to him is being able to play for his brother in a way that makes them sincerely connect.[quote]

To better help himself succeed in the Orchestra, he has taken AP Music theory, an extensive class that builds upon the basic musical concepts  of notes, rhythms, and beats, and takes the honors option of the Symphonic Orchestra to continue pushing himself.

Out of this musical world, Walter enjoys learning about history. He is currently taking three social studies classes just this year including debate, AP European History and AP American Government. Outside of school he is a graduated Boy Scout. At the early age of 16 he received earned the rank of Eagle Scout to represent the many camping trips he endured, dozens of merit badges earned and the voluntary service project he oversaw to help repair the campus of Orchard Village.

Although his college plans are not set in stone, Walter knows he would like to continue to make his passions for history and music a part of his life as he moves past high school.

Note: The Attached Audio is Lindwall Playing an Excerpt from Bach’s First Cello Suite.

Vinny Kabat contributed to this story.

Athletics have always been a large part of freshman Andrea Adap‘s life and that didn’t change when she came to high school.

Adap has been running for most of her life. She first did track at Lincoln Jr. High and when she made the transition to high school, cross country wasn’t the first thing she planned on joining.

“I’m more of a sprinter, but one of my friends convinced me to join cross country and I’m glad I did. I really enjoy it,” Adap said.

Adap is on the junior varsity team and hopes to move up to varsity next year. She also plans on trying out for basketball in the winter and track in the spring.

“I played basketball at Lincoln too, so I’m really looking forward to basketball season as well,” Adap said.

Adap says she got her athletic side from her dad, one of the biggest inspirations to her when it comes to sports.

“Considering the fact that my dad also enjoys running and he played college basketball really shows that I’m a lot like him. He’s kinda the reason I started running and playing basketball,” she said.

Although Adap enjoys the new opportunities Niles West offers, she has had to make some sacrifices in order to stay active and on top of her game on both the field and in the classroom.

“I’m trying to stay active, but at the same time I’m also trying to have the right amount of time for homework, family, and friends. I decided to decline some of my honours classes so that I wouldn’t be overwhelmed with my classes,”  Adap said.

It’s Stephanie Nahhas‘ senior year, yet she’s still as actively involved as possible around Niles West.

Throughout her years at West she’s taken part in National Art Society, National Honor Society, Poetry Slam, Relay for Life, cross country, Sports Medicine Club, she’s also a Lit Center Tutor, and was the junior class poet last year.

Once this year comes to an end, Stephanie hopes to pursue a major in neuroscience, as well as a minor in both creative writing and psychology, at one of her top three schools: Notre Dame, University of Michigan, and University of Wisconsin Madison.

“My sister told me about Lake Forest’s neuroscience program, and it interested me, so I looked at other schools’ neuroscience programs. Huntington’s disease runs in my family, so that’s also influenced my interest in pursuing neuroscience,” she said.

Nahhas’ accomplishments in her extracurriculars have been numerous to say the least. In 2013 she won the $500 first place prize in the Luminart’s Cultural Foundation, in 2014 she’s won the $1000 first place prize from the same foundation. In the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards she won three gold keys and one silver key. She was also a national semi-finalist in the National Student Poets Program in which only five poets in the nation win, and she was one of the top thirty. There’s no doubt that passion has been the driving force behind all her artistic achievements.

“Being recognized and awarded for something that I love to do is extremely humbling because it’s a hobby that I use purely for self-reflection and artistic purposes. Being recognized in that context allows me to see that the stories I write can go beyond self purposes and into the span of another’s entertainment,” Nahhas said.

Fellow classmate and friend Valentina Zadro agreed that Nahhas’ accomplishments were well due.

“She always likes to do things outside of the box. She’s never one to do what everybody else is doing, she likes to venture out,” Zadro said.

Aside from her work in AP art here at West, Nahhas is an active member of the poetry slam team, which is coincidentally led by English teacher, Paul Bellwoar, whom she sees as her mentor.

“He knows me really well in general, especially through poetry slam. We tight,” Nahhas said.

Nahhas has great things in store for her whether it’s in her artistic outlets or not, and her friends agree.

“Steph is the kind of friend that most can only wish to have. Simply her presence can brighten your day. Not only does she have a bubbly and gregarious personality, but she shows an incredible amount of talent and persistence in everything she does,” said senior Cassie Bergman.

Fine Arts Friday: Stephanie Nahhas

Photo By: Paulina Michael

Fine Arts Friday: Stephanie Nahhas

Photo By: Paulina Michael

Fine Arts Friday: Stephanie Nahhas

Photo By: Paulina Michael

Fine Arts Friday: Stephanie Nahhas

Photo By: Paulina Michael

Fine Arts Friday: Stephanie Nahhas

Photo By: Paulina Michael

Students and faculty can all agree that if you’re having a bad day and you’re lucky to hear the sound of social studies teacher  Dana Kanwischer‘s laugh in the halls as she walks to law, sociology, or U.S. history class, your day has officially been made 1000 times better.

Little do students know that  Mrs. Kanwischer has been teaching at Niles West for twenty two years. Her time at West has brought smiles to students faces, an inspiration to learn, and most importantly fun to the class.

Senior Sarah Bujdei, her time with Mrs. Kanwischer during her freshmen says, “I never really liked social studies to begin with, but Mrs. K taught so well and always kept me interested about what she had to say about what she was teaching. She always believed in me that I could do anything as long as I try my best at it. There were some days that I walked into her class not having a good day but she knew how to put a smile on my face.”

Teaching was something Kanwischer knew she wanted to do at a young age and looking back she has enjoyed every year of it.

“What inspired me to being a teacher was enjoying my history class at Maine East. I knew my senior year that this is what I wanted to do. Overall, I loved high school and wanted to continue to work with students. Being with kids, teaching students about the subject I loved sounded like such a fun job.”

Current and past students can agree that this unconditional passion for teaching that Mrs. Kanwischer has can be seen and acknowledge the minute she walks into her class. Currently in Kanwischer’s Law class, senior Delanie Kwiecinski said,“Everyday we have a new person tell us what is going on in the news and she uses those stories to help us understand the terms. Using the incidents we know about and are current things in the media helps us to remember the terms and to understand them.”

Mrs. Kanwischer wants students to be able to enjoy their learning, have fun and be intrigued by the relationship with current events and the world around to their studies in class. But not only does she believe that students should learn, but teachers as well.

“Teachers can learn a lot from their students. I absolutely love hearing students comment and tell stories. This job has really been fun and with an open heart you can be inspired by a lot these students have to offer.”

The best part of her day begins in class with the students. It’s not only that you feel this way while sitting in one of her classes or popping into her office to interview her for an article you want to write. You can see her attitude permeate through her past and present students and their work. Mrs. Kanwischer is a remarkable example of a great teacher that faculty can look up to. With an open heart, motivation to teach, and a great sense of humor she has impacted the hearts of future nurses, engineers, U.S. history teachers and more.

Sports have always been a huge part of freshman Shebin Chacko’s life, but it wasn’t until middle school whenhe found his passion for volleyball.

“I played on the volleyball team for Lincoln Hall for all three years of middle school and I plan on playing volleyball for Niles West for all four years as well,” Chacko said.

“I thought it was going to be easy. Hitting the ball over the net? It seemed simple enough, but I was so wrong,” Chacko said.

Volleyball requires a lot of strength all over the body. So coordination, strategy, and aggressiveness goes a long way in the sport and Chacko has all of those attributes in his favor.

Volleyball isn’t the only thing that keeps Chacko busy. He’s also part of Mock Trial, a club dedicated to law and fighting for justice in court.

“It’s a lot of fun, but requires a lot of hard work. I joined because I think that understanding the law and how a legal court case works is really important,” Chacko said,

Mock Trial is mostly made up of experienced sophomores and upperclassmen according to Chacko.

“There’s only three freshmen on the entire team. I’m the only freshman and guy on the prosecution side which is made up of all sophomore girls. It can be a little overwhelming at times, but they’re hilarious and make Mock something I look forward to,” Chacko said.

The girls on the team say Chacko is one of their favorite freshmen and team members.

“Shebin is an amazing freshman. He’s an awesome addition to the team,” sophomore Mock Trial member Stephanie Schmidt said.

He may be new, but Chacko keeps the team in line and acts like a leader during meetings.

“We tend to get distracted so he keeps us on track,” sophomore Janki Patel said.

Chacko says his high school experience had been great so far with the help of his family and friends.

“My family has always had my back and there have been many teachers and peers that have encouraged me and given me advice throughout this high school experience. I’m really enjoying my freshman year so far,” Chacko said.

When social studies teacher Mr. Matthew Wiemer was growing up, everyone in Glenview recognized his family.

“I’m a twin, and my dad was a blind teacher. He went blind due to complications with his diabetes. He continued to teach for twenty years with an aid after. So my dad was a blind teacher and I had an identical twin,” Wiemer said.

Ever since he was young, he knew he wanted to be a history teacher.

“My dad was a middle school teacher, so I had that model growing up,” he said. “I always thought it was something I wanted to do. My junior year in high school I had a history teacher I really liked. It was Mr. Meyer’s brother, who taught at Glenbrook South. He was my favorite teacher.”

For college, he went to University of Illinois and later Northwestern University.

“I majored in both history and political science,” he said.

Also an athlete, Wiemer explored his athletic interests in college as well.

“When I was younger, I played baseball and hockey. In college, I played two years of baseball,” he said.

Many students appreciate having him as a teacher.

“He makes a lot of relevant jokes that aren’t lame. When we were learning about [former Supreme Court Chief Justice] Roger Taney, he screamed because of how ugly Taney was,” junior Kristin Recinto said. “I think he’s funny.”

Students agree that his style of teaching keeps his classes exciting.

“At first, I wasn’t so sure about his class but the way our schedule worked and the Moodles and the teaching style made the class a little more interesting,” senior Natalie Massih said. “He was awesome and made the class hilarious.”

Many students appreciate his involvement in student government as well. He sponsors student government and Model UN.

“Mr. Wiemer is one of those teachers that has a lasting impact on his students. Fortunately, I’ve had Mr. Wiemer as an APUSH teacher and a government sponsor for all my four years here at Niles West,” senior Cassie Bergman said. “He livens up any situation whether he is in the classroom or out in the real world and I’m glad I’ve gotten to know him.”