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See Inside for: Commentary . . . . 2 News . . . . .3-5 Features . . . . 6 Clubs . . . . 7 Sports . . . 8 By: Mike Zofkie T h i s y e a r ’s f a l l p l a y, “Charlie’s Aunt,” met with laughter and applause from an appreciative audience on November 7 and 8 in Batho Auditorium. The play, an English farce, was a comedy that was so unrealistic it ‘Charlie’s Aunt’ fares well as EP’s Fall play house. The students thought the invitation would be accepted, since Charlie’s aunt would be visiting and could act as a chaperone. Tragedy strikes when Charlie’s aunt does not come. To make certain the girls do familiar with the accent and lingo of 19 th century Britain. The crew had the challenge of both creating three scene changes and producing a three-act show. Mr. Kazin had the greatest challenge of casting the Barack Obama makes history in 2008 election By: Hannah Burns Over the past year, the country has been on pins and needles waiting to find out who our new president will be. In the weeks before the election, the polls had Obama in the lead in many states that were formerly Republican strongholds: Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, and Indiana. However, McCain still had hope, for he knew there were states that would never go to a Democrat. There were also the classic toss-up states that were close in the polls that would, as always, decide the election. In the past the candidate that won two of the three states, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida, would most likely win. And as was also the usual, the polls were very close, too close to tell who would win. The days before the election had lines of people waiting for hours to cast early voting ballots. There was so much early voting that MSNBC’s Chuck To d d s t a t e d , “Whatever the polls say on October 14th is what will be the outcome of this historic Dole. Dole had smeared Hagan election.” Election Day then from the beginning, calling rolled in and the lines at the her a “godless atheist” and polls were stretching for blocks. later denied saying it. Hagan No notable problems occurred, overcame the cheap, tactless which is quite a change from shots to win the seat in North the last two elections. Early Carolina for the Democrats. At in this election there was a this early time in the race (7:32 great surprise: Obama took Central) the Senate stood with Pennsylvania. This created an 45 seats for the Democrats uproar in Grant Park, Time’s t o t h e R e p u b l i c a n 2 9 . Square, and other places where A few more states went to voters had gathered. There the expected party: Alabama were no surprises when Sen. and Arkansas went to McCain. McCain took South Carolina or Then, when no one expected when Sen. Obama took Illinois. it, the public was hit with The next exciting turn came the biggest shock of the from an overturned Senate seat. night. At 8:23 Central time, Kay Hagan ran an incredibly Barack Obama took Ohio. difficult race against Elizabeth No president has won the Alora Schoenhofen (left), and Mary Claire Coleman (right) give Nick Shine (center) a spirited conversation during the Fall play, ‘Charlie’s Aunt.” Audiences enjoyed the play on Friday and Saturday nights, November 7 and 8. could never happen. In this farce two strapping young Oxford students, Charlie Wykeham and Jack C h e s n e y ( Wa l t S a b b a t h and Matt Mitchell), and their goofy friend, Lord Fancourt Babberly (Nick Shine), decide to invite their girlfriends, Amy Spettigue and Kitty Verdun to their not leave, the boys concoct a plan of deception. Lord Fancourt decides to disguise himself as Charlie’s aunt. The production of this great farce was a serious challenge for the cast, crew and director, Ken Kazin, but they met it with great results. The cast had to become show and giving the crew directions. He, with the help of Kevin Beil, also taught the actors the correct demeanor of British characters and how to say their lines correctly. The outcome of all the work was a great production. Mr. Kazin is already looking forward to next year’s play. --story cont. on page 3-- Jim Clarke named ‘Coach of the Year’ by South Suburban Conference By: John Kiley A most prestigious award has been issued to a member of the Evergreen Park Community High School’s staff this year. Swimming coach, Jim Clarke, was awarded with the “Coach of the Year” award for his work with girls’ swimming. The award was announced on Thursday, November 6th. According to Mr. Soldan, “The SSC Athletic Directors implemented two new awards this year to the conference, the Player of the Year and the Coach of the Year Awards.” This is the first time that either of these awards are being issued, and Evergreen Park was fortunate enough to have such a talented coach to receive it. Mr. Soldan explains, “Each head coach from all twelve conference schools nominates one head coach for the award. The winner is then decided. Coach Clarke will receive a plaque from the conference and be invited to a banquet with all of the Coach of the Year award recipients.” For Coach Clarke, the honor is long overdue; this is his 9th season coaching high school girls’ swimming, and his seventh straight season at Evergreen. Coach Clarke and his team have won four of the last five conference titles. This year makes three in a row. The boys have won two of the last three conference titles, making six all together. Coach Clarke reflects, “It’s a nice honor, but what I’m really proud of is that the girls won the team sportsmanship award.” This year Evergreen Park was not only the conference champion, but also had the most sportsmanlike conduct. That is something that every coach should be proud of. Coach Clarke is really happy to be conferences champions and extremely enthused of his award. What really makes Coach Clarke Coach of the Year is that he is more excited for his team than he is for winning his own award. Swim Coach Jim Clarke was recently named SSC Coach of the Year. EP’s own, Ms. Granata and husband, Hank Graves, enjoyed the celebration of Obama’s win at Grant Park on election night, November 4. Leave that party early! 7 important reasons to consider By: MacKenzie Brzeczek On Tuesday, November 25th a school-wide assembly will take place. “7 Reasons to Leave the Party” is the t h e m e o f t h e a s s e m b l y, which will be held during 4th block in the auditorium. Judge Jesse Reyes will present what he considers to be the seven most important reasons students should leave a party. This assembly was created up by Circuit Court Judges in the areas who sent out a CD to the principal, Mr. Sanderson, and other faculty members. After viewing the message, Mr. Sanderson decided it was well worth educating EP students --story cont. on page 4-- 2 November 20, 2008 Point/Counter-Point By: Eryn Hedderman Many people argue over whether or not the media has an effect on the violence and crimes that occur during our society today. I strongly believe that the media does have a big impact on what goes in the world today for several reasons. One may say that violence has been around before television and video games etc., however, if one was to compare the crime rate from the 1960’s to 2009, you will find that the violence is rising. Video games, movies, and some television shows are having a big impact on the viewers/players in a negative way. Movies can give off different types of reactions to the viewers; action movies can give off a vibe of invincibility to the main character, which may make the viewer feel that they will be able to be the same way. Also, the movie may portray the character that is bad as someone who may be popular or well liked, and may give off the impression to young viewers that if they were more like that character they would be more liked as well. Not only action movies can give off ideas of violence. Many teen movies may show the teenagers in movies at parties and drinking, which may help persuade the viewer to try drinking/drugs, or give them the idea that if they act like that in the movies then it is alright for them to act that way in real life. Drinking can be very dangerous to a high school student that doesn’t know the responsibilities that comes along with the alcohol. A person that doesn’t understand his or her capabilities while under the influence may get into a car when they may be drunk and they could think they are alright. Although a drunk driver does not plan to get into an accident, many accidents have occurred from driving under the influence, and can lead to death. Also, drinking under age is a crime as well, and that also helps bring up the crime rate. In comparison to action movies, video games also demonstrate a lot of violence. The one thing that I think is more dangerous about video games than movies is that many parents will not know much information about the games, and could go buy violent games for their young children without knowing what the actual game is. Being around such negative advertising can change the children’s perspective on things, and think that violence is acceptable when it is actually not. As stated before, I strongly believe that the media does have a big impact on the events that occur in the world today; however, I do not believe that the media is to blame. Parents should watch what video games their children are playing, and be more alert about the movies and television shows that they are letting their children watch. Editorials/ Comments Mustang Monitor Does Violence in the Media Cause Violence? By: Lauren Braun Violence has been around since the world was developed. Although violence is shown everyday through television, video games, billboards, magazines, and etc. it did not start out from the media. Violence has been around long before the invention of media. Violence was around when dinosaurs were fighting each other to death. Do you think that they had TV or video games that encouraged violence? No, I don’t think so. Not everyone in the world has media. Many people in Africa do not have media, yet they can still be violent to their families, friends, and to other countries. It’s their surroundings that make them do violent things. They do not need to turn on a TV or play a game or even read a magazine to see the violence. Yes, there are people who are influenced by media, but a majority is definitely not. Everyday we do turn on the TV or flip through a magazine and see people being murdered, but that makes us want peace, and to stop the violence. Violence is inspired by people’s own thoughts in their head. People go through life-changing situations that make them do violent acts. Sure, people mock what they did hear on TV, but where do you think the people who first did it came up with the idea? They made the violent plan themselves and did not look to the media. As you can see, violence is not influenced by media. Media has not been around long enough to influence violence. Violence is inspired by the person’s own crazy thoughts and ideas in their head. Censorship or Creativity? You have to decide. Twilight worth the read By Hannah Burns For the past several years, Harry Potter has been the craze in the world of literature. The thrilling fantasy scenes and daring adventures have ensnared people from the beginning, not to mention the awkward teenage romances to which everyone can relate. The summer of 2007 brought the last of these fantastic books and left the world screaming for a new world to indulge in. Enter Twilight. Twilight begins as a teenage girl, Bella Swan, moves in with her father (Sheriff Charlie Swan) in the small, wet town of Forks, WA, the rainiest place in America. Bella moves through the small school, making friends, and going to lunch where she sees him. Edward Cullen and his “siblings”, a group of abnormally beautiful people, enter Bella’s life forever. We later find out that the Cullens are vampires and all that entails. Bella and Edward fall in love and it is a love for the ages. The only problem is that Edward kind of wants to kill Bella. This creates a tumultuous relationship, not to mention a dangerous one. Bella’s life is always on the line, and Edward always has to fear that his family’s secret will be discovered. The love of this book has spread like wildfire. It is a New York Times Best Seller and a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year. Some of the reviews of Twilight have been mixed, but all of them state that lovers of dark romances will be sucked into this exciting and mystifying world. The balanced mix of danger and romance in the life of a regular teen girl will have readers hooked. With a plot that just keeps escalating and an intriguing, beautiful, forever seventeen year old boy (Edward), you will not want to put this book down. Everyone who reads this juicy novel can’t wait to get their hands on the next book (New Moon). All we can do now is wait for November 21, the release date of Twilight, the movie. Experience Watchmen By: Frank Boyle What comes to mind when you first think of superheroes? Obviously it’s not hard for us to imagine, since our school had much of its fill of superheroes due to this year’s homecoming theme. So what is a superhero? Someone in tights? Someone with lots of money that can use high tech gadgets? Someone with superpowers? In 1985, Alan Moore created a new medium in superhero comics with his creation of Watchmen. The super sleuth vigilante Rorschach (a character that gets his alias from the ever changing inkblot mask he wears) finds that long time crime fighting veteran Edward Blake, a.k.a. The Comedian, has been brutally murdered. Rorschach questions whether or not this is work of a string of intentional killings done by someone who wants masked vigilantes permanently out of the picture. Rorschach then goes to question the Minutemen, a group of New York vigilantes that first assembled in the late 30’s, reformed in the 60’s, and finally dissolved in 1977 with the Keene Act, an act that makes any kind of vigilantism illegal. On the list of ex-crime fighters are The Silk Spectre, Nite Owl, Ozymandias, and Dr. Manhattan. Watch closely now, since one of these characters has been manipulating all that has happened for his ultimate plan of bringing about world peace. However, when the deeds become done, will the ends truly justify the means? It is this kind of storytelling that makes the works of Alan Moore so interesting and insightful, and even groundbreaking enough to make Watchmen the only graphic novel to make it into Time Magazine’s 100 Greatest Novels from 1923 to the present. It is an epic thriller, which has affected the way comic book creators have been making comics since 1985. I highly recommend reading this graphic novel to anyone of any age. You may have heard of Watchmen before if you saw Batman: The Dark Knight this summer and watched the previews; the Watchmen movie is scheduled to be released in theaters on March 6, 2009. Comic by Ingrid Doering Happy Turkey Day! Staff Box Superintendent: Dr. Elizabeth Hart Principal: Mr. Bill Sanderson Athletic/Activities Director: Mr. James Soldan Curriculum Director: Mrs. Debbie Schillo Staff: Samantha Aalders Ken Bauman Jon Bauman Frank Boyle Mackenzie Brzeczek Hanna Burns Johnivan Darby Ariana Diaz Janelly Diaz Ingrid Doering Nicholas Falconer Maritza Flores Erin Graf Brian Hodge Beth Hreben Jessica Jacquez John Kiley Lauren Marciniak Emily Navarro Amanda Panicucci Beth Schumacher Bryan Wilson Marty Wood Mike Zofkie Advisers: D. Baumer and M. Durkin Heroes is the Show to Watch By: Beth Hreben With so many shows returning to NBC this season, it is hard for them to stand out. One show that stands out from the rest is ‘Heroes.’ With a plot that is unique and actors with a great ability to make the show almost seem real, it’s no wonder this show has returned. The show is in its second season with new characters and returning characters from last season. On the show, ordinary citizens have learned to cope with special and unique abilities and the “villain” of the show has taken on a new persona. Since the show is still airing new episodes it is hard not to give away too much, but the best thing to do is keep watching! Midterm Exams By: Samantha Aalders Evergreen Park High School’s midterm exams were held on October 16 th and October 17th. Some of the students were a little afraid of the midterm, but the students studied hard and prepared for these dreaded exams. On October 16 th students took their third and fourth block midterms. On October 17 th students took their first and second block midterms. Most midterms were between 80-100 questions, but these midterms got students studying all the same. Yes, the midterms were hard and challenging, but the students worked hard and did very well. The teachers did their part, too. The teachers were very helpful and patient. They helped students study and stayed after school to make sure they understood what they taught and what would be covered on the midterms. Mustang Monitor Science competition held By: Nicholas Falconer & Jessica Jacquez The annual Science Competition was held Friday October 10. The weather was mild and permitted the competition to be held outdoors, next to the football field. Each science class at Evergreen Park High School participated. The Science Competition gives the students the opportunity to showcase their talents. Mrs. Augustyn, science teacher and coordinator of the event, commented, “I am satisfied with the results, but they could always be better.” There were several categories in which a student could enter a project, including “Build a Bridge,” “ Build a Brain,” “The Egg Drop,” “Build a Battery,” “The Seed Pod,” and “The Catapult.” The Egg Drop, Build a Brain, and Build a Battery were the categories that had the most entries. The competition took place throughout the day, during students’ science classes. Students were judged on their project’s creativity and effectiveness. A specific formula was used for each activity and the final grade was determined by each class’s teacher; however, student judges were responsible for initial grading and compiling the data for the science teachers to review. Judges for the competition consisted of science students chosen by Mrs. Augustyn. Winners of the various categories included Ariana Diaz for Egg Drop; Natalie Ross and Casey Christopher for Seed Pod; Matt Kowalczyk and Ed Messina for Build A Bridge; Farzaan Kassam for Catapult; Fe Juachan and Brittany Hewing for Build a Brain; and Emma Point and Lauren Schulte for Build a Battery. Winners of the competition received gift cards to Oberweis, bags of candy, and certificates. Class winners included Mrs. Skizas’ block one freshman class, Mrs. Augustyn’s block four sophomore class, and M r s . Tr a f f i c a n t a ’ s b l o c k two junior /senior class. November 20, 2008 3 News Great turnout for annual pancake breakfast and craft fair By Sam Aalders and Mackenzie Brzeczek T h e a n n u a l p a n c a k e b r e a k f a s t a n d c r a f t f a i r w a s h e l d S a t u r d a y, N o v e m b e r 8 i n E P ’ s c a f e t e r i a a n d l a r g e g y m , r e s p e c t i v e l y. The pancake breakfast, sponsored for the 8th year by the Mustang Music Boosters, offered attendees a delicious and filling meal. Mrs. Scorzo, the breakfast’s organizer was satisfied with the results. Everyone that helped with the breakfast knew their job and worked as hard as possible. Band and choir members teamed together to help serve the food and clean the tables. Not only were the students helping, but the parents of Music Boosters also assisted, making the pancake batter, cooking the pancakes and sausages, and helping set up all the tables. While the breakfast continued, the Parent/Teacher/ Student Association’s Craft Fair achieved great results in the gym. The Craft Fair has been held for 15-plus years at Evergreen Park High School. This year there were forty-one crafters participating. Something new this year was the addition of ‘pictures with Santa.’ The craft fair is very successful every year. The event usually makes two thousand dollars and proceeds go back to the school and the students. There were many crafters, selling everything from the all time favorite Beanie Babies to amazing hand crafted jewelry; even Evergreen Park High’s own Woods Club was there, selling Mr. Schnitzenbaumer serves up the pancakes to Beth Schmacher and pens, cutting boards, and chairs. Sam Krebs during the recent pancake breakfast. George Peso plays Santa at Craft Fair By: Samantha Aalders Do you know the real Santa? George Peso is his real name and he enjoys playing the part of Santa at various school functions. Recently he was Santa at the Annual Arts and Crafts Fair at EPCHS on Saturday, November 8. He has been playing the part of Santa and making people smile for 18 years now. Peso is a nice fellow and he is a former graduate of Evergreen Park High School, class of 1961. He happily advises students to,”Get as much of an education as you can, but don’t forget to enjoy life.” Peso helped form the Historical Program for the community of Evergreen Park, which has been in existence for five years. The church on 95th and Homan has been purchased by the Village and is being turned into a Historical Museum. The lower level will be a historical site and the upper floor will be a c u l t u r a l c e n t e r. George Peso takes time after In the historical playing Santa to peruse his old Sam Aalders gets a chance to ask Santa for c e n t e r t h e r e yearbook from 1961. her Christmas wish at the Craft Fair.; Santa will be artifacts gathered throughout the years pictures were taken by A. J. Saiz by Peso and others from old businesses in the village. Peso and other members of the historical team hope to open the museum in 2009. While playing Santa at the Craft Fair, Peso was amazed to see how much our school has changed since he was last here. When he attended EPCHS, there were only two floors, and there were none of the additions presently in place. Jessica Marquez-Munoz and Sarah Christiansen display their science poster at the recent science competition. Central Students ‘Step-Up’ to E.P. By: Beth Hreben With school in full swing now, junior high students are looking forward to their coming years at Evergreen Park High School. Many questions are brought to them like what does school look like, what do the classes offer, and the ever popular how do I even find my classes. These students got to visit the school and see what a day in the life of a high school student is like on October 9. There were demonstrations of science experiments performed for them and they got to see the photography class and some of the tech classes. With high school being By: Beth Schumacher so different from junior high This year’s Red it was probably a little bit Ribbon Week was celebrated overwhelming. The kids also not only in the halls of EPCHS went to an assembly where but on the streets of Evergreen the principal talked to them. Park as well. For the week of EP’s choir even performed October 27-31, red ribbons for them, to show them of were tied on trees and poles o u r s c h o o l ’ s h o s p i t a l i t y. surrounding the school to With all these things, the support a drug free week. eighth grade students have The dedicated S.A.D.D. learned a lot about their (Students Against Destructive s o o n - t o - b e h i g h s c h o o l . Decisions) members worked hard in the previous months to put together the week. Posters were signed and red ribbons were tied around students ID’s. “Red Ribbon week was a positive experience because wearing the red ribbon around the ID showed the rest of the schools participants’ Red Ribbon Week dedication to being drug-free” says freshman Meagan Smith. The club prepared several months in advance for just this one week. Each member and their extremely positive sponsor Mr. Mikulskis gave up many hours to make sure everything went just perfect. Although Red Ribbon Week is one of Student’s Against Destructive Decisions’ biggest doings for the year, they surely will not disappear from the school. S.A.D.D. is looking for other causes to make known to the community such as Lights on for Life. Keep an eye out, listen to the announcements, and don’t be afraid to stop by one of their Wednesday meetings. --Obama story cont. from page one-election without winning in Ohio in more than sixty years. Most of the states continued to fall where they had in the past. Obama took Florida and that seemed to seal the deal. At 10:27 Central time, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois became the President of the United States of America. Hope was given to millions of people in this country and around the world. The Democrats also kept the majority in the Senate, although one of the most hotly contested races has yet to be decided (Franken vs. Coleman in Minnesota). Although many past Presidents have had the message of hope and change, none have had the effect of Barack Obama. This presidential race has solidified the notion that any child, male or female, black or white, rich or poor, can grow up to be whatever they want to be, even President of the United States of America. In the words of president-elect Obama, “Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story, of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.” Smile -- What do you have to lose? 4 November 20, 2008 --story cont. from page one-about the dangers of excessive ‘partying.’ Judge Jesse Reyes will talk to students about the seven important reasons to leave a party: 1) Do the math. Alcohol/ drugs + cars = death. 2) You like the Internet? So do schools and employers… YOUR record may be there. 3) Tr u s t i s f r a g i l e . Don’t break it. 4) Movies are more fun than urine tests. 5) …and, by the way, they watch you urinate to prevent cheating. 6) That $2 beer may really cost $100’s in fees and in fines…It’s cheaper at 21. 7) You waited 16 years for your driver’s license. Don’t lose it - or your car. Many hope this assembly will promote responsible behavior in teens. Because many teens act as if they are already adults and engage in destructive decisions, teachers and the administration believe it is time to act. “As a school administration we want to be proactive on things that affect school. We feel teen partying and alcoholism are major concerns, not just in EP but as a nation-wide concern. We want to take steps to inform students. We are trying to get information to help students make better decisions,” explained Mr. Sanderson. News Open House showcases best of EP By: Jessica Jacquez Open House for the seventh and eighth graders, including families, was held this year in the big gym. There were performances throughout the school, such as color guard, cheerleading team, choir, and they even got a glimpse of the upcoming play, Charley’s Aunt. Trina Walton, winner of the Poetry Slam, recited her prize-winning poem. Also, Mr. Soldan raffled off prizes to add to the occasion. In addition to all the great extracurricular activities, tours were taken to the science and math department, where first the curriculum was explained, and then the participants were given a show by the science classes. Students experienced life in Evergreen Park’s Learning Resource Center and enjoyed it greatly. The tours were also taken towards the business department, where they were introduced to the art classes and computer classes. Overall, Open House was a huge success and was highly informational. Mustang Monitor Art students of the month chosen Music students compete By Hannah Burns On Tuesday, October 14, the music students of EPCHS went to the IHSA District auditions. All of the Madrigals and one Choir student, Rashana Scott, went to audition for the IHSA District Choir. For choir, the audition process included singing selections from two of the District pieces and showing various proficiency skills (scales, triads, sight singing). Many of those who auditioned were first timers; Janelly Diaz (alto 2), Rachel Baldwin (alto 1), Brittany Christian (soprano 1), and Eileen Brett (soprano 1) were among those who were new to the audition process. Caileen Brett (soprano 1) and Samantha Jones (alto 2) were some of the returning participants. Of the students who auditioned for the IHSA Choir, one student was selected. Hannah Burns is the first student in many years to be selected to be in the District choir for three consecutive years. There are also many students going to the District 9/10 choir. Many students also participated in the IHSA District Band/Orchestra/Jazz auditions. The auditions for the Band and Orchestra are one and the same. The students who show the most proficiency in music are chosen to participate in the Orchestra while those who are the next best are chosen for the Band. Only students who play select instruments, such as Jim Lonergan (upright bass), audition for the Jazz ensemble. This year’s IHSA District Band will include Fiona Potempa on the flute. Overall, the students who auditioned did a great job and will always remember their experiences auditioning for IHSA Districts. The art students of the months of September and October were Gabrielle Richard and Ingrid Doering. Gabrielle’s likes to paint particularly from still life and plans on a career possibly in graphic design. Ingrid enjoys creating her own, original, computer generated cartoons, and she plans on pursuing some type of career involving computer technology. Good luck with your goals girls. Juniors plan futures in seminars By: Mackenzie Brzeczek All the current Juniors know what is going on in Junior Seminar, but do the upcoming juniors? Junior Seminar is here to help the junior students to get a better idea of what they want to be when they turn into seniors. The seminar urges students to think about careers they would like to do. Junior Seminar was created was because students’ parents want teachers to do more about their teen’s future, college careers, and test prep for the ACT. So the counselors set up a place where the juniors can come and learn more about their very own future. The seminar meets every other Wednesday morning. Many speakers come in to talk to the juniors. Someofthemanyspeakersare2year and 4-year college students. Juniors are split up into three separate groups and come together once in a while in the auditorium. Mrs. Harvey, Mr. Krause, and Mr. Shellenberger each have their own class of juniors. “Junior Seminars grew out of parents’ requests. The parents felt the students were not getting enough information about colleges and careers. The counselors feel that the Junior Seminar program is the best vehicle to work with juniors,” explains Mrs. Harvey. This program is a better way for juniors to get used to looking for future jobs, careers, and colleges. If I scored well on my SAT or ACT, am I eligible for a scholarship? Yes! Last year, more RMC awarded n than $17 millio . in scholarships Robert Morris College has scholarships available up to $15,000 a year toward the completion of your Bachelor’s Degree! To find out if you qualify, call or go online today. 800-RMC-5960 | robertmorris.edu Mustang Monitor News November 20, 2008 5 ACT test approaches for juniors By: DuJuan Powell The ACT exam is rapidly approaching for juniors here at E.P To keep parents informed on their students’ futures, Ms. Harvey and the Guidance Department hosted a Junior Parents’ Dinner and Planning Night on October 30 at 7:00 pm in the E.P cafeteria. Ms. Harvey, along with other speakers, informed parents about their students’ performance on the practice ACT test juniors t o o k o n S e p t e m b e r 2 4 th. The discussion progressed with the Guidance Department informing parents about the Junior Seminar. The Junior Seminar is new this year and is similar to the Freshmen Advisory. This is a pivotal and mandatory meeting that juniors must attend every other Wednesday of every month. During these meetings counselors Mr. Schellenburger, Ms. Harvey, and Mr. Krause ask juniors important questions such as: Are you going to college? Are you going to a four or two-year College? Juniors should take the PSAE test very seriously. It just may be the most important test juniors will ever take in their academic career. Ms. Harvey comments, “This is the most important year for juniors.” The World goes green: Alternative energy options By: John Kiley When the planet’s sea level is extremely high because the polar icecaps have melted down, or when the there are extreme weather crises because the environment is incapable of holding itself together, it will be too late to be proactive; it will be too late for the world to prevent the planet from heading into a downward spiral. It is clear to the world now that fossil fuels and traditional energy sources are no l o n g e r e ff i c i e n t o r s a f e . America is allegedly the most enormous economic powerhouse on the market, and because of this, the world is looking for leadership in the direction of cleaner, more efficient energy. The new energy sources could create new jobs for the general population and decrease the unemployment rate. The new energy sources could create a massive economic boost in a time of an impending depression. It would require a large startoff capital, but could create large amounts of revenue. Alternative energy is no longer something that is “due to come in the future; it is increasingly more important every day. Some of our alternative options include clean coal, safe nuclear power, wind, solar, a n d h y d r o e l e c t r i c p o w e r. Clean coal is an option that has become very popular with politicians as of late. It is a method of burning coal in such a way that it emits less carbon dioxide, the worst gas for the atmosphere. Research has shown that the clean coal technology that is available now is not much cleaner. The clean coal emits millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the a tm os p he re e v en t h ou gh it is “safer.” Scientists are hoping they can receive funding and assistance from the government to help them research a way to store the caustic byproducts underground. Nuclear power has not had a good track record since it was introduced. Chernobyl, Russia had a massive meltdown in 1986 and since then, no one has seen it as a viable alternative. It has generally been regarded as unsafe to the world’s population. However, nuclear energy is remarkably efficient and produces absolutely no greenhouse gasses. The only major problem is that nuclear power creates toxic waste that can remain active for 20,000 or more years. Under the right staff training and with the proper waste disposal methods, nuclear power could be t h e f u t u r e o f e n e r g y. O r, t h e r e a r e t h e three natural sources. Wind, s o l a r, a n d h y d r o e l e c t r i c power produce almost zero harmful byproducts. Hydroelectric power is an extremely powerful force. Hydroelectric power involves a river running through a turbine which creates energy. The only minor problem is that it creates methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas. Plants decay in the stream beds and then release air emissions. Hydroelectric power produces a large portion of the energy i n A m e r i c a t o d a y. T h i s alternative saves 500,000,000 barrels of oil. Solar power produces no emissions. Solar power’s only flaws are that certain panels only capture up to 40% of the energy from the sun and that it has a high initial cost. Wind power is very efficient. America would like to rely 20% on wind energy by 2030. Wind power has nothing but benefits. It is completely harm-free. It involves several large turbines that spin based on how windy it is. The turbine spins and creates power. When America wonders if there is anything that it can do to save the environment, there should not be a doubt in its mind. There absolutely is. Every single option could create thousands of jobs and give the economy a jump s t a r t . T h e c o u n t r y, t h e world, and the consumer n e e d a l t e r n a t i v e e n e r g y. Over 40 colleges represented at fair By Brian Hodge On Wednesday, October 22, EPCHS held its annual College Fair. Colleges from all over Illinois and across the Midwest gathered at EPCHS to share information about their schools with interested students. With over 40 tables set up around the gym, students spent time walking around, talking with college representatives of their choice. The representatives were extremely helpful, handing out information about everything, such as qualifications, location, and cost and expenses. And if you were lucky, they would give you a pen. The fair provided important information to students who were still undecided about their choice of college. It also showed the juniors what they still need to accomplish in order to go to the college of their choice. Now of course, not every student at EPCHS is going to college, and there was something at the college fair for them, too. Representatives from the Marine Corps, Air Force, and National Guard were on hand to show the kids what they can expect if they join the armed services. These options are great for kids who cannot afford college, because if they join the military, they will pay for the full cost of college. The college fair was a success this year for a variety of reasons, but the one that really put it over the top was the timing. Instead of being after school, when not all students could attend, it was during the school day. This gave the students no excuse not to attend. Parents were also allowed to come and look at colleges with their sons or daughters. 2845 W. 95th St. Evergreen Park, IL 60805 708-529-32705 MENU Award Winning Coffees * Just Toss It Salads Gourmet Sandwiches * Mouth Watering Soups Fresh Baked Pastries * Ice Cream And More! SERVICES Free Wi-Fi * Copies * Fax * Notary Public OTHER Lap Top Rentals * Private Parties Live Entertainment Fast & Friendly Service Great Atmosphere Mon. - Thurs. 6 am - 9 pm * Fri. & Sat. 6 am - 10 pm * Sun. 8 am - 5 pm C O U P O N Grand Opening Special Buy One, Get One Free Coffee, Tea, Apple Cider or Sonoma Blended Beverage Consumer: Original coupon must be relinquished at time of purchase. Coupon is void if copied or transferred and where prohibited by law. You may pay any sales tax. Limit one coupon per customer per visit. No cash back. Two senior students, Kyle Tillman and Gabriella Rebollo, check out the many tables at EP’s recent College Fair. Expires 12/31/2008 6 November 20, 2008 Reflections on Turkey Day By: A.J. Saiz It’s that time again, time for family, lots of food, old stories, and best of all, traditions! No matter your race, religion, or age, almost every family has some type of tradition! Whether it’s the type of food, gathering place, or the family football game, traditions are a part of Thanksgiving! Everyone has traditions, even the President! Since 1947, the President has been given three Turkeys from the National Turkey Foundation. One turkey is “pardoned” and free to live the rest of its like on a nice farm. The other two aren’t so lucky, and are prepared for the Thanksgiving meal. Another traditon at Thanksgiving is kicking off the Christmas shopping. The day after Thanksgiving is called “Black Friday.” It is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. There are many bargains and sales, with stores openning at the crack of dawn. It is the beginning of the Christmas season and Christmas shopping. In my family, we have many traditions. One of the best is Thanksgiving. Most of our family makes the short trip out to Macomb, Illinois to celebrate at my Aunts house. Ever since I can remember, we have always gone to her house. My mom and I always take the Amtrak train down there instead of driving. For dinner, we always have the turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. The stuffing is my favorite part; it’s my grandma’s secret recipe. Following dinner, everyone normally takes a little snooze after eating all that food. Even though we don’t have an annual football game, or anything like that, we all enjoy being with each other. Everyone looks forward to this special day since it one of the few times the whole family can be together at one place. In the end, it’s not the Christmas carols, or even the wonderful food that makes this day so special; it’s being with the people who love you most! Features Crêpes, anyone? By: Mackenzie Brzeczek On Thursday, October 30th, the French II class spent a day making a tasty snack. Students from the French class and their teacher, Mrs. Knitter, went down to the teachers’ lounge and made a delightful French treat, crêpes. The outside is a thin pancake which is filled with many kinds of foods, such as strawberries, cream cheese, chocolate, walnuts, and so on. On top of the crêpe you can add cool whip, chocolate syrup, nuts, sugar, and many other types of toppings. “They were strawberry-lishous,” remarked Jon Baumen, a French II student. The class all had to help out and bring their own toppings and any kind of plates and silverware. Without the help of the students and Mrs. Knitter, the crêpes would not have been made and the memories of the class would not have happened. Mustang Monitor Parents and teachers meet at conferences By: John Kiley Every student is a little nervous when it comes to parent-teacher conferences, but there isn’t much negative to say about the student body here. On October 23rd, Evergreen Park Community High School had a great turnout for its conferences. Most teachers would agree that there was a larger turnout this year than most other years. Ms. Lowery, a teacher in the history department, commented, “It went fine, I had the chance to talk to parents about all the issues and positive contributions their child has made to the class.” Another event that occurred during the conferences was a Financial Aid Seminar led by Mrs. Harvey. It was primarily for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to inform them how to get financial aid for college. There was also report card pick up; rather than having them mailed out, parents could get the grades immediately by picking them up at the conferences. Not only were grades exchanged and teachers talked to, but the students had a fantastic day off of school as well. The weather was charming, the sleep was great, and it was a much deserved break. Overall, teachers and students alike would say that it was a major success. T u r n o f f t h e T . V . a n d join Family Read Night By: Samantha Aalders Attention one and all! Come to Family Read Night, to be held tonight, November 20 at 7pm in the LRC. Children must be accompanied by a parent. Family Read Night is a chance to bring families together to discuss the summer reading books. Freshman parents will discuss the book When the Legends Die. Sophomore parents will discuss The Hobbit. Junior parents will discuss The Things They Carried. Senior parents will discuss The Book Thief. School libraries host the Family Read Night event. When asked about the success of Family Read Night, EP’s librarian, Mrs. Ward, replied, “If I have five students and parents come it’s a success; it’s what the families get out of it that matters.” The main goal of Family Read Night is to encourage not just students, but parents, to read and to demonstrate the importance of reading. Mrs. Dolores Khula, Spanish teacher, explains enthusiastically explains her class to a parent during parent/teacher conferences. Veterans Day remembered By: Halloween sees ‘interesting’ costumes Veterans’ Day, a holiday annually observed in the United States, honors those individuals, living or dead, who served in the U.S. A r m e d F o r c e s . D i ff e r e n t from Memorial Day, which honors those who have died in wartime, Veterans Day honors all those who have served, in times of peace as well as in war. Veterans D a y i s o n N o v e m b e r 11 . The holiday was first called Armistice Day (armistice means truth), and it commemorated the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. Fighting stopped at 11 AM, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. In 1919, on the first anniversary of the Wo r l d Wa r I , P r e s i d e n t Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation expressing pride in the heroism of those who had died during Kenneth Bauman the war. Business stopped for two minutes starting at 11 AM, and it later became customary to observe two minutes of silence from 11 AM. Many states made Armistice Day a state holiday in the 1920s and 1930s, and in 1938 the Congress of the United States declared it a federal holiday. In 1954, the name of the holiday was changed from Armistice D a y t o Ve t e r a n s D a y t o honor those who had served i n Wo r l d Wa r I I ( 1 9 3 9 1945) and the Korean War ( 1 9 5 0 - 1 9 5 3 ) . To d a y, t h e holiday honors all veterans. In 1968, Congress changed the date of the holiday to the fourth Monday in November to give Americans a threeday weekend. But because of the significance of N o v e m b e r 11 t o m a n y people, the traditional date was restored by law in 1978 . The Mustang Monitor staff loved Halloween. Here they pose before working hard on the paper. 7 Days until Thanksgiving! Dan Murphy loved that hair! Sam Sellers rides through Halloween. Clubs Student Government Woods Mustang Monitor By: Mackenzie Brzeczek The student government choices have been made and the teams have been set. With the help of Mr.Kosiek, the student government has been decided. Teachers Mrs. Mistina, Mrs. Brummel, Mrs. Augustyn, Miss Allgaier, and Mrs. Wilson are in charge of each individual grade of students who made it into student government. The freshmen class officers, lead by Mrs. Mistina are President Matt Raddatz, Vice President Alex Best, Secretary Lauren Capizzi, and Treasurer Julie Eiber. The sophomore class, led by Mrs. Brummel and Mrs. Augustyn consists of President Fawzi Ottman, Vice President Farzaan Kassam, Secretary Jacqueline Perez, and Treasurer Emily Mathews. In the junior class (led by Ms. Algier) the students are President CJ Stalla, Vice President Jillian Pastick, Secretary Danielle Weston, and Treasurer Jaime Witowski. The senior class, President John McDoniel, Vice President Wa l t S a b b a t h , S e c r a t e r y E l i s e Tr o j a n o w s k i , a n d Treasurer Emily Sawyers, led by Mrs. Wilson. These students have a big role and can help improve the school in many ways if necessary. By Marty Wood This club is about having fun and being your self. You can make whatever you want. Woods Club participated in the craft fair, making $175. Students are invited to stop by the club on Wednesdays at 3pm. The officers for the club are Heather O’Keefe, Marty Wood, Ben Kresal, and Mike Murphy. November 20, 2008 7 National Honor Society By: Nicholas Falconer The National Honor Society, a prestigious organization at Evergreen Park High School, continues to expand each year. This year there are 44 new inductees. For a student to qualify for this organization, he or she must be a junior or senior with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 and have a minimum of 20 hours of community service. The requirements, however, will be a little different next year, so students are encouraged to start volunteering and getting involved now if they want to be considered for membership next year. Many students are prouyd to be members of the club. For example, senior, Jessica Jacquez, stated, “I am proud to have membership in this organization. I have worked hard throughout high school to achieve such an honor.” She also believes being a member of this organization gives students a greater sense of school pride. Junior Olivia Handler said, “I am honored to be a member of The National Honor Society.” The National Honor Society hosts many different fundraisers throughout the year, including the blood drive, St. Baldricks, Toys for Tots, and a food drive. There will also be a new fundraiser this spring. Students from the National Honor Society are also available as tutors. Anyone in need of a tutor should see Mr. Krause in the Counseling Office. The officers of the club this year are Nick Shine as president and Natalie Ross as vice president. Mr. Nesler, who is head of the organization, said, “Because school is so much more than class, athletics, and social activities, we all need to strive for a better world and getting involved in the National Honor Society is a great way to set an example for others to follow.” The annual induction ceremony was held on Wednesday, November 18 in the auditorium at 7:00 pm. At the ceremony, new inductees officially obtained full membership in the organization. Color Guard By: Amanda Panicucci “Make an effort, not an excuse,” is a phrase always said by none other than Amy Kazin, coach of color guard. This year our color guard went from new and inexperienced to amazing. The color guard started with five new girls and 19 veterans, seven being seniors. The color guard recently celebrated their senior night, which was a very tearful event. The underclassmen wrote letters for the seniors and put them in black mail boxes. These boxes also had a CD of songs the color guard either performed or danced to, along with boas and crowns. The color guard placed first at two of the three competitions they were involved in with the band. The guard worked with the band the entire first half of the term; now for the second half, they are on their own. Presently, the color guard is going through what is known as winter guard. Winter guard involves more dancing, and the use of rifles, and flags. With winter guard, the color guard learns a new routine every week and tests it. Currently they are practicing a routine for the Snow Queen Assembly and a routine for a parade they will perform in on December 6. Color guard will be having tryouts in the upcoming months to fill in the senior spots. Peer Mediation By: Jon Bauman Peer mediation is a program at school to help resolve conflicts between and among students. There are open applications to sign up for this program, but applicants need to be interviewed. This program started fifteen years ago. It was founded by the principal at the time because the principal thought that it would really help the students to not let things get out of hand. After training, the students meet when someone needed help with mediation. The initial training was during the summer right after graduation and was 4 hours long. At this moment there are seventeen students in this program. This program has been successful by helping student resolve their problems before they get out of hand. Just like Mr. Schellenberger said, “It is a more mature way of handling altercations.” Freshman Mentors By: Mike Zofkie The recent changes to the Freshman Mentor Program are not really changes, but rather new things they decided to teach the freshmen, like how important it is to not get lazy in their first year in high school. Membes of FMP try to motivate the students to set goals for their GPA and ACT scores so they can get into the school they want. The other thing they teach the students about is cyber bullying. Some don’t know exactly what cyber bullying is. The term means a type of bullying that is done over the internet. Some students post mean and hurtful messages to others. Sometimes they also post pictures. Other topics of discussion include advice about raising grades. Students who have trouble with their grades are assigned a mentor who will help them with their classes. Every Tuesday before the FMP days (on Wednesday mornings) the FMP members have lunch with Mr. Schellenberger (the sponsor) to discuss what they did the previous week and talk about what they are going to do the next day. Mathletes By Beth Hreben Mathletes has a great record. With almost perfect scores every time in every grade, this shows how well this team works together. Competitions consist of taking tests and sometimes public speaking. It may seem difficult to some to do this in their free time, but these students have a passion for learning. These students spend time practicing their math skills, with sometimes having the perk of pizza and cookies. With so many other clubs and after school activities, they balance their schedules quite well and team up to show school pride and show the other schools how smart Evergreen Park High School really is. Brianna Lambrecht is one of the sophomore team members who received perfect scores at competitions and Emily Matthews is one of the students chosen for the public speaking section. Of course, the other teams also do extremely well and are a key component for the school’s success in math. Mr. Pembroke and Ms. Vinci devote their time to Sport go with the team and help them get better and better. Cross country They aren’t the only ones who help the students, however. Many teachers teach these students Football the skills and desire to excel in math. Some of the teachers inspire the students to show their skills to everyone and receive the recognition that they deserve for their desire and time to learn. Golf Fall Sports Stats All Conference Girls Charlotte Murphy Boys Phil Rizzo Zak Koronkiewicz Isaiah Donley Matt Bueck Dillon Kellogg Mike Lewis Tom Cronin Dillon Knight Dan Cronin Francisco Zamora Curby Marshall Snowball Soccer Swimming Brooke Telander Anne Koronkiewicz Kerry Symanski Kate Koronkiewicz (100 Medley) Beth Dickman (Diving) Jill Pastick (200 Freestyle) Brooke Telander (100 Backstroke) Casey Christopher Emily Sawyers Lauren Braun Katlyn Beckow Maryl Pinotti By: Maritza Flores The annual Snowball weekend will take place January 30 through February 1st. About 80 students from Evergreen Park High School venture out to go camping for a weekend. One reason students attend the weekend is to have the opportunity to get to know other students from school. They get to learn about students’ struggles and they get a better understanding of how to cope with problems in their lives. Different speakers will attend the weekend, to share with students their advice about coping with teenage problems such as alcohol, drugs, and dating violence. Teens will have the opportunity to share experiences from their personal lives and learn how to deal with difficult issues. Last year one speaker talked about one man who overcame the loss of his leg. The speaker gave hope to the crowd by explaining how he now runs in the Olympics, even though he is disabled. Life is really meaningful to him because he views life differently and he gives a message that people just have to keep on going through life through all the struggles they have. In past years, students have really enjoyed the three days. since they take their time to relax and have the opportunity to get to understand life around them. Students have different points of view, but all the teens could relate because they may have been through the same situations. Every year Snowball is different; with each year the membership grows and new experiences help teens cope with their daily lives. Volleyball Sport Cross Country Frosh Football Soph. Football Varsity Football Golf Boys’ Soccer Varsity Boys’ Soccer JV Girls’ Swimming Varsity Girls’ Swimming JV Frosh Volleyball Soph. Volleyball Varsity Volleyball Season Records Season Record Conference Record 4th Place 3-5-1 3-1-1 4-5 3-2 1-8 0-5 9-6 2-3 2-18 0-10 0-15 0-9 9-1 5-0 9-1 3-17 10-12 25-5 5-0 3-8 7-4 9-2 Conference Standing 3rd in Regionals 2nd 3rd 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 1st Mustang Monitor Girls Swim shines By: Brian Hodge The Varsity Swimming Mustangs had yet another spectacular season. The Mustangs went 101, 5-0 in conference, launching them to yet another conference championship. This makes the third year in a row, and the fourth in five years, nothing short of a dynasty. The team was loaded with talent. Jill Pastic and Annie and Kate Koronkowiecz handled all of the relays this season, earning them two all-conference nominations each. Junior Beth Dickman was the varsity champ in diving. Karie Symanski won the medley relay and also was all-conference. But possibly the strongest competitor for the Mustangs was junior Brooke Telander. She has been a staple in this team’s success ever since her freshman year. Brooke is conference champion in all four events (50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle, 200 medley). Brooke has made the cut and is advancing to the state meet. Through the five years in which the Mustangs had won the conference title, swimmers have come and gone, but one thing has been a constant: Coach Clarke. Coach Clarke has been arguably the most successful coach at this school during his time here. His hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. He was voted unanimously by the rest of the conference coaches as coach of the year. This is a tremendous honor. Although Coach Clarke is flattered by the award, he is more proud of the fact that the girls won the Team Sportsmanship Award. During my time here at EPCHS, I have come to the conclusion that only a few things in life are certain: Death, Taxes, and Girls Swimming Conference Championships. November 20, 2008 8 Sports Koronkiewicz and Rizzo travel Fall sports to State meet in cross country wrap-up By: Jon Bauman Zak Koronkiewicz and Phil Rizzo competed in the Boys Cross Country state meet in Peoria, Illinois on Saturday, November 8th at Detweiller Park. These boys were the first in over thirty years to make to the state level for Evergreen Park Community High School. To get to the state meet, a runner must do two things: either be part of a team that placed top five at the regional meet and top five at the sectional As the fall sports seasons wind down, it’s time to look at some of the highlights. Boy’s varsity football finished off the season a disappointing 18. However, their record doesn’t do them justice. The Mustangs were competitive in almost every game they played. The biggest win came against Tinley Park on Homecoming. The Mustangs had 4 all-conference players, Dillon Kellogg, Isaiah Donley Matt Buick, and Mike Lewis. Boy’s golf had another outstanding season, winning their second of back-to-back conference championship. Under Coach Pasek, these Mustangs have really taken off. Leading the way for the Mustangs was Tom “the cannon” Cronin. Tom performed so well that he qualified for the state tournament. Great job, Tom! First year coach, Jim Gustafson, took over the cross country team not knowing what to expect. What he got were two all-conference runners and 4th place as a team in conference. Zak Koronkiewicz was not only the conference champion, but he also took the regional champion, not to mention finishing 2 nd at his sectional, qualifying him for the state final in Peoria. Alongside Zak was his allconference teammate, Phil Rizzo, who also qualified for the state final. Both runners had strong showings in Peoria. Zak came in 30th place while Phil came in 128th out of a field of 175. Sophomore runner Charlotte Murphy was also an allconference runner for the girls team. The girls volleyball team did the only thing they know how to do, and that is win. Another conference championship makes Phil Rizzo, David Dickey,Sean Jackson and Zak Koronkiewicz race against the clock in a cross country it five years in a row. Although meet. Rizzo and Koronkiewicz travelled to state competition on November 8. their season came to a stunning end in the regional championship game against Mount Assisi, it was an incredibly successful year. Not only did they win two tournaments during the season (Oak Lawn, Tinley Park) but they turned out five all-conference players as well. Heading the list were seniors Lauren Braun, Casey Christopher, and Emily Sawyers. Juniors Kaitlin Beckow and Meryl Pinnoti also won the honor. As usual, the Girls swimming, under the wisdom of Coach Clarke, won another conference championship. The swimming Mustangs went 10-1 overall and 5-0 in conference. The conference championship is the 3rd in a row and 4th in 5 years. (see separate article for more information) the Downers Grove South in the 200 medley relay As the fall season comes to a close, it was truly a memorable year for all the Sectional and set a DGS (1:56.34 ) and the 200 teams participating. Look for equal success from the winter sports teams. By: Brian Hodge meet, or the runner must place top seven (not including the runners that were part of a team that advanced at both the regional and sectional meets). Coach Gustafson, Phil, and Zak arrived at the Ramada Inn in Peoria around noon. The runners were able to practice on the course from 1:30 until dark to get a feel for the course. Phil and Zak’s families came to the course on Saturday morning to support the EPCHS runners. When they arrived there were already thousands of people waiting in anticipation for the race to start. The class 2A boy’s race started at noon and lasted until 12:19. Both Phil and Zak did very well: Phil placed 127th with a time of 16:45, and Zak placed 30th with a time of 15:46, only five places or ten seconds from all state. These were fast times considering the bad conditions on race day. “I have never seen anything like the state race. With thousands of spectators and Girls Swimming Update: Since winning the SCS Red conference title on Nov. 1st, the Evergreen Park girls swim team and coaching staff have achieved several other recognitions: The EP girls swim team won the south Suburban Conference Sportsmanship Award Coach Jim Clarke won the SCS Swim Coach of the Year Brooke Telander won pool record with a 24.09 in the 50 freestyle, breaking her own EP school record. She didn’t stop there. She set an EP school record in the 100 backstroke (1:00.71) and teamed with fellow junior Jill Pastick and senior sisters Anne and Kate Koronkiewicz in breaking school records freestyle relay (1:43.62) Coach Clarke commented, “It has been a great season so far. The girls were so happy to send our seniors off in such a great manner. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving bunch. Now we are focused on Brooke’s performance at Evanston this weekend!” Kate Koronkiewicz, Jillian Pastick, Anne Koronkiewciz and Brooke Telander are all smiles after winning their Conference meet. Tom Cronin shows what it takes to qualitfy for State competition.