Should we turn off the lights in the RB bathrooms?

There are many awkward decisions and situations you have to face when you find yourself in a public bathroom: which stall to use, what’s clean and what’s not, whether or not to touch the faucet, if you should risk using the super-loud hand dryers, and the terrifying instant flush.

But what about those new signs that have appeared all over the girls’ bathroom (and the guys’, according to an independent source) right next to the light switches?
We have been forced, as of late, to deal with a whole new level of awkward when in our school bathrooms here at RB: Should we turn off the lights when we leave the bathroom, or should we leave them on?

The new signs posted in the bathrooms at RB politely ask, “Please turn off lights when not in use.” They’re asking us to turn off the lights when leaving a public bathroom just as we might in our own home bathroom.
The question remains: should we, indeed, turn off the lights?

I can see that this is probably some sort of effort to reduce the amount of energy and electricity that the school uses. But is participating in that effort required from me? I don’t think so.

You see, there are plenty of reasons why I should not reach for that light switch when I leave the public RB bathrooms. The first is most forward in my mind because it strikes me as the most awkward possible situation: what if I turn off the light, and, unbeknownst to me, someone else is still in the bathroom?? I can just imagine the angry cry of that person, yelling “Turn the lights back on!” making me feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. Or worse, what if no one heard their yell (remember, we’re turning off the lights as we leave the bathroom) and they’re literally stuck in the dark? On the usual mid-class bathroom trip, I don’t have enough time to thoroughly check the bathroom to see if it’s empty. I would rather just not turn the lights off at all.

Although the light switch signs seem to be some sort of energy-saving effort, I’m not sure that’s really my job, mostly because I haven’t been told. The sign leaves no clues as to what its hidden purpose is, or who it is meant for. Is the sign there for the benefit of the student, the teacher, the janitor, or any community members? If it is for students, shouldn’t there be some sort of announcement? If the school administration wants us to participate, they should certainly make one.

So students, for the sake of not being awkward, we must not turn off the light switches. We must demand to be told how we are supposed to save the environment. And we must find out, exactly, who those signs are really supposed to be for.

New fees proposed to ease budget woes

During the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 11, an initial presentation was made on proposed increases in school fees. For the 2010-11 school year, the Board is considering increases in fees for registration, student parking, and driver education. They may also be creating fees for athletics participation and field trips.

The fees proposed are meant to boost revenue for the next school year. The Suburban Life reported that, according to Interim Superintendent David Bonnette, RB is one of the only schools in the area that does not have an athletic participation fee to cover costs. The proposal for the athletic fee included charging $25 per student per sport with a cap of $150 for a single family per year.
The proposed field trip fee would be a fuel surcharge: about $5 per student per field trip. Currently students do not have to help cover the cost of bus fuel.

Junior Kate Walsh, a participant in swimming, Math team, and track, said, “Looking at the amount, it isn’t that bad of a number, but the rate of change is very high. $5 doesn’t sound like a lot, unless you’re participating in lots of activities and field trips, and many students do.”

Another Junior, Robin Jensen, a member of the tennis team, Math team, and the 2010-2011 Drum Major, stated that “It’s a good way to support the school’s budget, and people should be thankful that their activities haven’t been cut from the budget entirely.”

The school board sees the fees as a necessary way to generate much needed revenue. Board member Mike Welch said, “Every dollar generated [in revenue] is a dollar less in the budget deficit.”
Students and parents will have to wait and see to find out if the board will adopt the new fees at one of two Board of Education meetings in June.

Time for some Spring greening

YES! It’s that exciting moment we’ve all been waiting for: Spring has sprung! I don’t know about you, but everything looks so vibrant and alive outside. In my opinion, staying “green” is much easier when everything is green outside. The weather is nice, and we spend more time outside, and run or walk or ride our bikes instead of driving. There are a few easy ways you can stay green in the spring, and a few projects you can start in your home that will help out your budget and your environment.

Consider some changes outdoors, on your lawn & garden. Do you use a lawnmower? If you have one that is gasoline powered, consider getting an electric mower or a rotary mower instead. Not only will it save you money on the extra gas, but it will stop you from emitting pollutants into the air when you mow. As an added bonus, electric mowers are quieter and easier to push than gas mowers. An example of a great electric mower can be found here..

Another green option for spring is keeping a vegetable garden. Growing some of your own food is a great way to save money, and when it comes from your own garden you can know that there are no pesticides on the plants, and no other artificial growing methods have been applied to them. Great seeds to pick up from the local hardware store or nursery include cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, chives or green onions, and green or red peppers. If you’re interested in making a garden, check out this backyard gardener website.

For garden fertilizer, try using a compost heap. Compost is a mixture of decaying organic matter, as from leaves and manure, used to improve soil structure and provide nutrients. Basically it means taking the organic food scraps from your kitchen (banana, cucumber, or potato peels, stale bread, tea leaves, eggshells, coffee grounds, ect.) and putting them in a composting container so that they naturally break down and turn into nutrient-rich soil. This soil works great in any home garden. For more tips on composting, visit earthEasy.com.

Spring is a great time to get green. Whether it’s working in the yard, making changes to your routine, or simply riding your bike instead of taking the car, living the green way is easy and fun. This spring, make time to make a difference in the environment.

Students compete in Solo Contest

On Saturday, March 6, RB students competing in the IHSA solo and Ensemble Contest met at Reavis High School for a day-long music competition. Students from RB Band, Choir, and Orchestra, as well as other schools in the IHSA district  were all there to play solos or in ensembles for a judge and receive a score and a ranking.

Teachers present included Kevin McOlgan, Diane Marielli, and James Baum. Many of RB’s private music lesson teachers were also present.

The IHSA Solo and Ensemble contest happens every year in February or March. At RB, band and orchestra students are required to participate, either playing a solo or in an ensemble. Choir students have the option of doing either but are not required to do so. For the contest, students prepare songs or pieces to play for the judge, memorizing the music and trying to make it as good-sounding and accurate as they can. Students in ensembles will practice together before hand so they sound great together.

Junior Kevin Dinh and Sophomore Sarah Otmanski both competed in the solo contest, playing the flute. Dinh received a rank of 1, the top possible rank, but before his judging said that he was “nervous and excited.”

Solo contest is an important part of a musical student’s year. It represents, according to Marelli, “the culmination of all the hard work the students put in all year.”

Go get green

Let’s face it – “going green” is a phrase that most of us have heard before. I know I’ve bought into the craze – there are reusable water bottles all over my house, I LOVE shopping at Whole Foods, my entire family brings our own cloth bags to stores when we shop, and I try not to purchase food or clothing that isn’t environmentally friendly.

But this “green” thing is more than a passing trend for young urban professionals. Today, it’s all about managing world resources, focusing on fairness and sustainability, and reusing, reducing, and recycling.

There are green products you can buy for your home or office, from cleaning supplies to furniture to supplies that work just as well as any you’d get otherwise. The food you eat can be bought fair trade or organic, and can often taste fresher and more delicious than other non-organic processed foods. There are so many ways to “go green,” whether it’s in your clothing, or you home’s electricity, or even your school supplies.

This recurring column will provide you with simple green tips and tricks you can use in your everyday life, as well as great green products that are out there, and, of course, to highlight the things that RB is doing to go green. Because going green can be really, really fun.

This Week’s Green Tip:
Did you know that roughly 1.5 million tons of plastic are expended in the bottling of 89 billion liters of water each year? That’s a lot of plastic water bottles. And because recycling rates are lower than trash rates, bottles are filling up our landfills really fast.

But there’s a green solution – reusable water bottles. It seems almost elementary. There are water bottles made out of materials such as thick plastic or metal that can be used more than one time, and don’t have a harmful effect on the environment.

SIGG, Klean Kanteen, Springwise, and Nalgene are all reusable water bottle brands, and many sports or outdoor stores such as REI and Eddie Bauer sell sustainable water bottles. When you shop around, you find that they come in a variety of colors, prints, sizes, and materials. There’s a green bottle for everyone, whether you like to know how much water you drink or you just want a stylish addition to your wardrobe.

Water Bottle Sites:

http://mysigg.com/

http://www.kleankanteen.com/

What are you thankful for?

What We’re Thankful For
A short survey of what RB students and staff are thankful for this holiday season.

Kate Walsh, Junior:
“I’m thankful for my family.”

Mrs. Marielli, Staff:
“I’m thankful for my granddaughter Vivienne.”

Natalie Viscarello, Senior:
“I’m thankful for good teachers.”

Eleanore Wazak, Junior:
“Friends and family.”

Kayla Gallik, Senior:
“I’m thankful for great times over the years with friends.”

Taylor Dalton, Junior:
“My mom.”

Brianna Griggs, Junior:
“Family, friends, people who love me, and a house over my head.”

Andrew Brondos, Junior:
“Family and Friends.”

Frankie Hackle, Senior:
“I’m thankful that I have a roof over my head.”

Amiee Patterson, Senior:
“The cast and crew of the fall play.”

Jake Payne, Freshman:
“I’m thankful I have friends in high school.”

Dovas Lietuvninkas, Sophomore:
“I’m thankful for Lithuania.

Alex Wilson, Senior:
“The World Wide Web.”

Caitlin Clark, Junior:
“I’m thankful for books, and chocolate, and tea.”

Students use Independent Study class to provide international loans to the poor

Alex Wilson, Charlie Rock, and Eric Din are doing some extraordinary homework in their independent study of Microfinance.

The three RB seniors, along with their teacher Whitney Carlson, are taking on a giant task – raising 10,000 dollars for a microloan program, Opportunity International, which helps people in developing nations start their own business by giving them small loans.

The concept of microloans is not very complicated, but will be most familiar to those who have taken an economics class.

“Microloans is the giving of small loans, on average 162 dollars, to entrepreneurs in developing nations. With that money they can buy their first refrigerator if they want to start a butcher shop; they can buy a sewing machine so they can start a sewing business,” said Din.

“According to the law of diminishing marginal returns, when you first start out in a business, you will increase your production the most,” said Rock.

For example, if you own Starbucks, and you open the first one, you are making 100% more coffee then before. But if you own 250 Starbucks stores, the 251st one will only increase your coffee sales by a small amount. Imagine what that could do for someone who wants to start their own store in a developing area.

“We’re really helping these people out a lot,” said Wilson.

Economics aside, what Din, Rock, and Wilson are really doing is raising money for a good cause. People in poor countries are often unable to receive a loan for necessary items they need because banks in their communities don’t have money to lend them. Even a small amount of money is a huge benefit to them, and to the economy of their area.

Another important thing to remember is that these payments are a loan.

“It’s not just giving them money; it’s teaching them how to pay it back and actually start a business, said Din.

And where does the money go when it is paid back?

“They lend it out to other people,” explained Wilson, “One loan can benefit many entrepreneurs.”

Din, Rock, and Wilson have already started raising the money in various ways around the school. During Spirit Week, RB’s “penny pinch” competition this year went to the Microloan program.

The microfinance class is also selling t-shirts for $13 that have the Opportunity International logo on them, a globe and the word, “OptINow.” The t-shirts were ordered at a price of $3 each, so for each t-shirt they are raising 10 dollars for microloans.

“The eventual goal is to raise between nine and ten thousand dollars,” said Wilson.

All three students are interested in the economics field and haven’t ruled it out as a career opportunity.

“I’m really, really interested in economics in general, so who knows, I might be doing something with microfinance in the future,” said Rock.

RB has a “Passion for the Arts”

On Tuesday, September 29, 2009, RBHS hosted the Passion for the Arts college event, a forum designed to inform students and parents about college fine arts majors, including college applications, auditions, and the majors themselves.

Jon Grice, RB Fine Arts department chair, and counselor Marsha Hubbuch presided over the seminar. Each spoke about the importance of knowing the application and audition process of arts colleges for those interested in the field, as well as important decision-making questions to ask any college representative.

Grice stated, “The college entry process is not always the same when it comes to pursuing a fine arts degree. Sometimes students are required to audition or go through a portfolio review to gain entrance. Since RBHS has a number of students that continue their education in the field of the arts, we felt it was our duty to bring in school representatives to help educate our students on the college entry process, the course work load and job opportunities within the Fine & Applied Arts Colleges.”

Students and their teachers were first addressed by Grice and Hubbuch, and then allowed to go to two break-out sessions with individual college representatives. Attendees could choose the college representatives to listen to based on the specific fine or applied art in which they were interested.

The colleges present were Roosevelt University, Johnson & Wales, Illinois Institute of Art, Universal Technical Institute, Southern Illinois University, Concordia University, North Central College, Columbia College, Triton College, and Northern Illinois University. The colleges presented information on Theater, Culinary Arts, Digital Media, Automotive Studies, Film & Photography, Music, Theater Tech, Art & Art Education, Dance, and Broadcast Communications & Engineering, respectively.

The well-received Passion for the Arts will be presented on a bi-yearly schedule, so the next time RB will host it will be Fall 2011. Grice reccomends that even if students don’t want to be arts majors, they should still attend because many of the schools present were not exclusively fine arts schools.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movie Review

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner falling straight out of the sky. Hamburgers, doughnuts, spaghetti, candy, any food you could dream of raining down in strange weather clouds. In many ways, this would seem like a lazy cook’s dream. Or a crazy inventor’s way to save a town which had been forced to eat nothing but sardines for years.

In the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, college-age inventor Flint Lockwood lives in Swallow Falls, a town that has nearly fallen off the map since their one export, sardines, fell out of popularity with the rest of the world, forcing the residents to eat nothing but sardines all of the time. This conundrum inspires Flint, along with his pet monkey, Steve, to invent a machine that turns water into food. Good food.

This movie is based on a book by the same title by Judi Barrett, but takes some very different turns as far as explanations go. All of the characters in the movie were created by screenwriters. The movie is also much more futuristic than the book, which was written in 1978, making our world of today look like the world of tomorrow in comparison.

I saw this movie in 3-D, which was a very interesting experience. Overall, it enhanced the movie experience for me. This movie is good to see if you are up for a good silly laugh, because there are lots of jokes, even if most of them are aimed at 3rd graders. However, if you don’t like small children ruining the quiet of your movie experience, this would not be the movie for you. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is G rated family fun, a fine movie if you have a little kid with you, or perhaps a little kid inside of you.

6 out of 10.

Skyward – RB’s new grading program

A new piece of technology has slipped into the building, perhaps overshadowed by the new classrooms, fresh hallways, and clean bathrooms. However, students and teachers of RB will soon find, if they haven’t already, that Skyward is imperative to their daily academic lives.

Skyward, replacement for RB’s previous grading and records software, not only tracks and tabulates grades for teachers, but also runs attendance, sends messages, has a full personalized activity calendar, and much more. It was introduced to RB through a software bid program, where many companies vied for the school’s business.

According to that website, Skyward is a “vendor of K-12 administrative software.” The site also states Skyward can help manage and store information relating to a school’s student management, human resources, financial management, and food service. Over 1,300 school districts worldwide use this software. Besides 17 states in the US, Skyward is used in parts of Venezuela, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and India.

Teachers are now able to mark students present or absent through Skyward, and the information is broadcast through the students’ schedules to their other teachers throughout the day. They can also use the grade book program to post scores of tests, quizzes, and homework. They can also list assignments for students to check and complete. Skyward tabulates total points for the teachers and notifies parents when anything changes.

Teacher Mark Gouwens, the Social studies department Skyward leader, commented about the new program. “Edline was attached to our old program, SASI, which went away; and we were forced to update the school software,” said Gouwens. “Skyward is overall easier to use. It is pretty intuitive as far as being user friendly. It’s good for parents and teachers; the days of hiding bad grades are rapidly coming to an end.” Gouwens also said, “Grading is now in ‘real time’, meaning there is no lag [when grades are entered.] Eventually, we may make attendance real time also.”

On the student side, Skyward allows RB attendees to see how they are doing in their classes, log missing assignments, and receive messages from their teachers. This can be very helpful if students miss a day of school, or forget to write down their homework in their assignment notebook.

Junior Claire Schraidt said, “It’s just like a list of grades you can see right away, so if you’re getting a weird grade you can click on it.” She also said that the increased parent notification doesn’t scare her. “They know I’m going to be motivated enough to do my homework,” she added.

Another Junior, Nate Reyes, said that he found Skyward “Kind of confusing, especially since the teacher we were signing up with didn’t know how to use it either.” Reyes said his mom is pretty strict about grades, “especially the ones she had to pay lots of money for, like AP classes.” Reyes also said that he thought “Edline was more precise, less cluttered.”

In Reyes’s case, Skyward can be a burden, especially since all missing assignments show up right away, rather than giving him and other students a long time window to get everything in, usually before the end of the marking period.

Sophomore Danny Kelliher also commented, saying, “Skyward’s main advantage is said to be that it is updated instantly after the grade is entered into the teacher’s grade book. But a few of my teachers only update their grades once a week. So it defies the whole point. For Skyward to be used to its full potential, every teacher would have to update grades immediately after the assignment is graded which is not always possible.”