1. education
2. school

Steinmetz Star
Volume 76, Number 3, November-December 2010
Hugh Hefner, class of 1944, tells students:
‘This is where the dreams began’
By Regina Crawford &
Takara Johnson
On October 29 students and
staff waited impatiently for our
most famous alumni, one of
the biggest names in magazine
publishing — Hugh Hefner.
He arrived at 1:40 in a oversized bus with an entourage
of 17 people that included
his sons, girlfriend, brother,
friends, security, his personal
assistant and photographer, and
a Chicago Sun-Times reporter
who was covering his activities.
“This is where it all started,”
he said happily, after walking
up the stairs and into the front
lobby. This building we sit in
today is the very building a
normal middle class young
PHOTO BY DATRIN BUTLER
man began his dreams and is In Chicago for the premiere of “Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist, Rebel,” Hugh Hefner returned to
now living the most lavish life Steinmetz with his friends and family on October 29. “This is where the dreams began,” Mr. Hefner
anyone could want.
said, posing with Playboy’s January 2011 Playmate Anna Sofia Berglund and his girlfriend, Playboy’s
In the lobby he was excited December 2009 Playmate Crystal Harris.
to see his name on the “Honor
Mr. Hefner told us his favorite class at SteinRoll” of alumni who served in the military. Afmetz had been journalism. He said that most of
ter all these decades he still felt at home. Mr.
the pieces he wrote for the Star and the yearbook
Hefner proudly showed off Steinmetz to his
were humorous, “even the longer features.”
girlfriend and his sons. He reminisced with his
As for sports, Mr. Hefner said that for a while
brother Keith, a 1946 graduate.
he was also on the track team, but once when
“The auditorium still looks huge,” he said,
the coach said that team members could not go
and asked if the drama club “The Green Curto a school dance due to an upcoming meet, he
tain Players” was still performing. He was disquit the team.
appointed to hear that we do not have a drama
The others with Mr. Hefner were friendly and
program now. He commented on the success
easy to talk to. Playboy Playmate Anna Sophia
of the Poetry Slam team, coached by teachers
Berglund commented on the beautiful architecJames Sloan and John Hood and featured in an
ture in Chicago and at Steinmetz.
award-winning movie “Louder Than a Bomb.”.
“The schools in California don’t look like
As we walked into Room 128 for a reception
this,” she said. “They’re very plain.”
prior to his meeting with the Star and yearbook
Crystal Harris, Mr. Hefner’s girlfriend, adstaff, a dream was made for these reporters. We Hugh Hefner created cartoons
were privileged with an opportunity to connect and wrote humorous pieces for mired reporter Takara Johnson’s manicure. She
with Mr. Hefner and his friends on a personal the Star and yearbook, acted in told us how she met Mr. Hefner.
the ‘Green Curtain Players,’ and
level.
Continued on Page 10
was on the student council.
Steinmetz
Academic
Centre
3030 N. Mobile
Chicago, IL 60634
Tel: (773) 534-3030
Fax: (773) 534-3151
www.steinmetzac.com
Principal: Dr. Eunice Madon
Assistant principals:
Jaime Jaramillo, Donald Mendro
Budget director: Paul Chase
Star adviser: Sharon Schmidt
Co-Editors-in-Chief: Ileana Rosado,
Alyssa Sanchez
1st & 5th period section editors:
News: Zachery Pekovic, Jonathan Lopez
Photo Opinion, Forum: Adriana Pineda
Features: Regina Crawford, Olga Bustamante
Sports: Demetrius Robinson-Stanford,
Damian Januchowski
Journalism class reporters, Room 333
1st Period: Julio Baez, Jordyn Bailey, Destiny
Carpenter, Nohemi Caudel Raygoza, Jovanna
Espino, Sarai Fernandez, Michael Frackowiak,
Myraneisha Gardner, Michael Hodges, Takara
Johnson, Larissa Labon, Frances Lopez, Michael Lublansky, Yaritza Marroquin, Xavier
Morales, Yadira Olea, Lukasz Olszanski,
Rosemary Peralta, Tetyana Prannychuk, Julian
Rivera, Gabriela Rodriguez, Jasmine Sheppard, Rafael Totolxin, Xaquille Townsend,
Natalia Twardus, Natalie Valdez
5th Period: Grzegorz Bara, Louis Bell, Danielle Brumley, Sayda Figueroa, Kierre Gillespie, Jennifer Maravillas, Manuel Mejorado,
Gloria Quintana, Stephen Powell, Jasmine
Reese, Luis Rocha, Ricardo Rociles, Jessica
Solis, Nia Spencer, Cindy Vazquez, Cindy
Yousif, Oscar Zarate
Newspaper club reporters: Jason Alvarado,
Shanna Arceo, Earl Billingsley, Datrin Butler,
Arrick Cosey, Kiara Davidson, Ja’Tavian Davis, Eunice Dimas, LaRonda Gadlen, Malica
Lacy, Marcelino Lagunas, Sunshine Moreno,
Daniel Mendrano, Michael Newson, Saremm
Saenz, Jeremy Valentin, Ajay Woodley
The Steinmetz Star welcomes submissions
by all students and staff. Email us at
SteinmetzStarNews @ gmail.com
2 Steinmetz Star November 2010
Principal’s Message
We want you to succeed
By Dr. Eunice Madon, principal
This school year seems to be flying
by so quickly. The mid-semester grades
have just been issued, and each and everyone one of us has to take at look at
how we are doing whether we are
teachers, students or administrators.
While students should know from
day to day how they are doing in a particular class, they sometimes just ignore the obvious. When they see a “D”
or “F” on their report card at the end of
the first ten weeks, it is a wake-up call.
However, there is still hope. The
next ten weeks are critical for students
if they want to pass their classes. While
the first quarter grade is an indicator of
how a student is doing, the semester
grade which comes out the first week
in February is the grade that counts for
credit. An “F” at that juncture means
failure in the course and a requirement
that the course be repeated either in
Evening School or in Summer School.
Courses taken, in either instance, will
cost money and time.
Freshmen in particular are in jeopardy when they fail, since statistics show
Continued on Page 3
NU’s high school journalism day
Olga Bustamante, Natalia Twardus, Jessica Solis, Takara Johnson, Larissa Labon,
Demetrius Robinson, Tetyana Prannychuk
By Natalia Twardus
Some Star reporters attended a field
trip at the Medill School of Journalism
at Northwestern University on November 5. We were welcomed by Dean John
Lavine, who spoke about how journalism plays a great role in our society.
”Our job is to enable people to be
better informed so they can make
smarter decisions,” Mr. Lavine said.
“That hasn’t changed since journalism
started, and now we can do it better.”
After his speech, students attended
various seminars. In “backpack journalism” Star staffers were played audio
tapes from the instructor’s interview
with Michael Jackson, the last the performer gave before his death.
David Standish, who taught “interviewing techniques,” had been a Play-
boy magazine editor. He said that to
edit and write up the renowned interviews in Hugh Hefner’s magazines, reporters were required to have at least 10
hours of taped conversation. He mentioned the schizophrenic atmosphere of
the company, in which excellent journalism and erotica are produced in the
same place.
Most inspirational was the keynote
speaker, Channel 5 reporter Alex Perez.
He spoke about his road to success and
the struggles he faced, being rejected
for the first 86 broadcast jobs he applied for. With his positive attitude and
determination he was able to reach his
goal and become a great news reporter.
We ended our day at Medill with a
delicious lunch from Jimmy Johns and
gained a new attitude on journalism.
Star Photo Opinion
BY NATALIE VALDEZ
BY NATALIE VALDEZ
“I am thankful for everything I’ve accomplished, like getting through high
school regardless of the bad decisions I
sometimes made. Also, for my daughter,
Desiree, for being in my life and giving
me the strength to overcome every obstacle that has come my way.”
Maria Chavarria, senior
“For all the things that life has given me.
I’m thankful to God, first of all, and for
sharing life with the people I love. And
I’m thankful for the friendship I share
with you (Adriana Pineda).”
Juan Ramirez, junior
BY NATALIA TWARDUS
“I am thankful for being on the basketball team. I’m glad I’m doing better in
school and not getting suspended. I am
also thankful for my beautiful girlfriend.
I enjoyed playing flag football with Travis
Scott, Jatavian Davis, Laurence, TJ and
others. It was a great experience to have
this school year.”
Deshaun Allen, sophomore
BY YARITZA MARROQUIN
“I am thankful for having life. I’m
thankful to have my family because they
support me through all my struggles and
through the problems that I face. I am
also thankful for my best friend Carissa.
She helps me a lot and I love her for that.
Also, I’m thankful for my voice because
I love singing and one day it will help me
to make a lot of money.”
Tavonna Howard, freshman
BY ADRIANA PINEDA
BY NATALIA TWARDAS
INTERVIEW BY NATALIA TWARDAS
PHOTO BY DATRIN BUTLER
What are you thankful for?
“That all my children
are safe. I’m extremely
thankful for my grandson.
I’m also thankful that I’m
employed and my head
still has no hair.”
Sgt. Garry Frank,
staff
“I am thankful for the health
and happiness of my family,
friends and students. I am
also thankful that my division
freshmen have learned the art
of sitting in chairs for an entire
three minutes.”
Robyn Melamed, teacher
“I am thankful for my
daughter, Audrey, my good
health and that I have a job.
Last, but not least, I am
thankful for my students who
are ready to come to class
and learn.”
Megan Hedges, teacher
Principal’s message: There is help for you if you need it
Continued from Page 2
that freshmen students who receive two or more
failures in the first semester, have an overwhelming chance of not graduating. Eighty-five
percent of them are likely to NOT graduate.
We are here to make sure that does not happen. We have put in place several opportunities
for students to gather academic help either on
a daily basis or for the long term. DEY Tutoring, Aim High, Babbage and Educational Masters are all programs that are available to help
students. In addition there is Team Tutoring for
athletes that fail grade checks. Also, the library,
which is open until 4:00 p.m., has over 20 computers and other resources for students to complete their homework in a quiet environment.
Please avail yourself of the help that is offered
for we want you to succeed.
On another note, as we enter the holiday season, we all should stop and reflect on what each
of us has to be thankful for, both tangible and
intangible, and as a way of showing our thanks,
let us give service to others. May you and your
family have a Happy Holiday.
November 2010 Steinmetz Star 3 Star Forum
Skating is not a crime
Re. ‘Let us skate’ by Jonathan Lopez,
October 2010.
My name is Erik Martinez. I have
been thinking of making up a petition
about unbanning skateboarding from
school and after school.
I think it is a good thing that students
have something to do like skating after
school. At least they’re not smoking,
fighting or gangbanging. That’s a portion of students we just took the habits
away by skating. For me, as a sophomore skater, I find skating to school a
faster way to get to around. Skating is not a crime. That’s what
PHOTO BY EARL BILLINGSLEY
Super work
Astrid Vargas
From the Steinmetz Academic Centre Parent and Community Newsletter, Volume VIII, Issue II
MYP sophomore Astrid Vargas
participated in a summer internship
program at Columbia College where
she conducted research on lung cancer cells.
Working with a variety of laboratory equipment including a biological
hood, cell counter vortex, pipettes,
and microscopes, Astrid experimented curcumin, a chemical variant of
the spice turmeric, which is believed
to stop the growth and spread of cancer cells.
Astrid’s lab work tested different
quantities of curcumin and analyzed
their effect on lung cancer cells.
4 Steinmetz Star November 2010
has been on my mind ever since the
time I heard someone on the intercom
say skating is prohibited.
I never thought Dr. Madon would
change the school to what it is now. I
agree with every other new rule that was
made since last year, except for something students should have the right to.
I’m willing to debate against this new
rule. I’m willing to give you as much information of what I want to do in order
to overturn this school rule. This is my
suggestion for the next newspaper and
my suggestion for a change.
Erik Martinez, sophomore
Do you have an opinion?
Share it with the Star!
See a staff member (listed on p. 2)
or send us a letter.
Respond to anything in this paper or
just tell us what’s on your mind.
Email: [email protected]
Do you want to be
a reporter?
See Star adviser Sharon Schmidt
or come to the Newspaper Club
Thursdays at 3:00 in Room 333.
Pornography
Slam Poetry
exploits and
Have you ever watched
Def Poetry?
degrades women
Do you like to perform?
Do you have a burning desire
to say something to the world?
Are you an outstanding singer?
Do you have serious
hip-hop skills?
• Slam poetry is one of the
most exciting and fastest
growing forms of
entertainment in America.
• Steinmetz is home to a
championship poetry team
and featured in
“Louder Than A Bomb,”
an award-winning movie.
• Learn how to be a slam poet.
See teachers
Mr. Sloan and Mr. Hood
in Room 127
every Tuesday after school.
By Adriana Pineda, Opinion and Forum editor
Pornographic material is exploitative. It portrays
the bodies of women as objects of sexual pleasure.
Pornography is degrading as well. It extends the attitude of men towards women that they exist only
for men’s satisfaction. It’s not an honor to have men
drool over women as if they were pieces of meat.
Pornography shapes attitudes towards women. It
robs women of their dignity and self-respect, regardless if they agree to all this or not. Just because women agree to pose or perform for the porn industry, it
doesn’t make it any less degrading. They’re simply
supporting their own exploitation.
Pornography also denies the whole person. There
is more to a woman than a hot figure. Women possess inner beauty, intelligence, potential, dignity, and
self-respect. However, those qualities aren’t exposed
in pornographic material such as Playboy.
Pornography is one of the top reasons why women
are so worried and self-conscious about their looks.
They strive to look like the women in Playboy, who
are covered in make-up and have had breast augmentation and other surgical procedures. The photos
are airbrushed by computer technology to look absolutely flawless. How can ordinary women possibly
compete with all that?
Star News
PHOTO BY EUNICE DIMAS
Wendy Flores and Alejandra Moreno
Amber Dukes (right) with a CPS actor
PHOTO BY EUNICE DIMAS
By Alejandra ‘Sunshine’ Moreno
I participated in a program for the Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) called CPS
SHAKESPEARE!
Throughout the month of October,
Shakespeare teacher Robin Russo, junior
Amber Dukes, sophomore Wendy Flores
and I drove to the CST at Navy Pier, most
days after school and every Saturday morning for rehearsal.
Twenty-five students and five teachers
from seven schools participated. Together,
with the CST staff, we put together a production of “Romeo and Juliet” for October
29th and 30th.
We devoted most of our lives to the play,
leaving immediately after school and not
getting home until 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. We
barely had time to do anything else but
homework.
We became friends with the other students and teachers. Our chemistry was incredible. We built, what we hope will be,
life-long friendships with each other and a
life-long friendship with Shakespeare. After the first few days we were all comfortable with each other and encouraging one
another.
We spent our days learning about the literature during Shakespeare’s time, studying the play and different literary devices. When it came time to rehearsing, we
learned the most important things, I think
— how to work with other people and learn
from their interpretations and points of
view.
“This is going to take a lot of courage.”
director Kirsten Kelly told us, as we all
stood in a circle ready for our warm up.
“This will be our story, our ‘Romeo and
Juliet.’”
Everyone who participated grew a little
and got something different out of the experience. For some bilingual students, their
English improved. Some students discovered a passion for writing. For others of us
we found out we love acting.
Students and teachers made up the ensembles. Everyone had multiple parts.
There were eight Romeos and seven Juliets. I played Mercutio, Benvolio, Juliet
and the Prince, all in different scenes.
PHOTO BY EUNICE DIMAS
CPS Shakespeare, a great experience
Teacher Robin Russo
Ms. Russo had a hilarious part as Peter,
the illiterate servant of the Capulets. Amber
was intense as Mercutio and had great presence as Lady Capulet. Wendy had complete water-works as the devastated nurse
in a scene with me as Juliet. We all learned
about the workings inside the theater and
had the first-person experience of being an
actor.
One of my favorite things was wearing the amazing, elaborate costumes. We
all had our hair and make-up done. I got
to rock a Mohawk for one of my scenes.
Some of the students had the chance to do
some really cool stuff. There were fight
calls, for those in fighting scenes, to practice the choreography. I got to sword fight
and spray paint someone on the chest.
On Friday night, we were lucky enough
to have a full section of Steinmetz teachers
and students cheering us on from the dress
circle.
“I was so lucky to work on this project,
especially with these three young ladies —
Amber, Sunshine and Wendy,” Ms. Russo
said. “Their dedication, individual personalities and hard work were awe-inspiring.
To quote the director, Kirsten Kelly, ‘The
students in this program were so brave
in their interpretations of Shakespeare’s
work.’ They had no problem putting themselves out there, and I couldn’t be prouder.
“And there couldn’t be a more wonderful group of people to work with than those
at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. They
made us all feel appreciated and special,
and there will always be a soft spot in my
heart for all of them.”
Other than meeting really remarkable
people, the most amazing thing about this
experience was the feeling I got after the
play. I’ve always wanted to act, but until
this, I never had the chance to really do it.
After all the hard work and the rehearsal,
the moment I stepped on stage everything
became clearer. Everyone got to see me,
my fellow teammates and the full ensemble
and all the work we put into the production.
CPS SHAKESPEARE! was an eyeopener for me. The feeling it brought me is
something I will pursue and hope to experience for the rest of my life.
November 2010 Steinmetz Star 5 Star News
Recycling club helps community
By Rosemary Peralta
Star: What is the message
Many non-Steinmetz stuthat you want to send to the
dents don’t care about our comstudents and staff?
munity. They throw their waste
Ms. Dunne: I want to let stuanywhere. They don’t underdents know they can join our
stand that every paper, every
recycling club so they could
bottle, anything that is reusable
help us make a difference. For
could be recycled.
the staff, to make sure their
Teacher Tara Dunne has enstudents recycle the right macouraged our students and staff
terials in the recycling bins. So
to care about the community by
don’t forget every one: Reduce,
recycling. That’s why now there
Reuse, and Recycle. Not just at
are many students who have
school, do it at home. Whatjoined the recycling club, which
ever you recycle at home you
meets Thursdays afterschool in
could bring here.
room 214. The club won a prize from the
The Star also talked with a
PHOTO BY ROSEMARY PERALTA
Chicago Public Schools last se- Sergio Orozco, Yesenia Borges, Jessica Borges
few recycling club members.
mester for meeting its recycling
Students say that being part
goal. Each semester the club will attempt week and how much that paper made a
of the recycling club is fun and that that
difference. The club grew from last year they love helping out Ms. Dunne by doing
to reach a new goal and earn more prizes.
Ms. Dunne is the best leader to make a by a lot. When we started we had 20-25 whatever they can. Some stay in the class
difference to our environment.She helps students. Now we have 30-40 student.
decorating the boxes and creating postStar: What is your goal for the recycling ers to raise awareness, others go into the
students help the environment, making
sure that people recycle and that they don’t club this year?
classrooms and collect papers, plastics and
Ms. Dunne: My goal is to expand the change the bags.
throw other types of materials in the recycling bins. We asked her about the prize club by having more involvement. I also
Star: Why did you girls join the recywant to make sure that my students get all cling club and why is recycling important?
and the club.
Star: What did you do with the money? the papers from the classrooms and that all
Tatiana Lara: So we could have less
Ms. Dunne: We won Office Depot gift that is reusable is inside the recycling con- garbage in our school, so it could be cleancards worth $500, but not all was just for tainers and to make sure that there are actu- er, to save trees, to help the community.
the club. We gave the school $200, $100 ally recycled bins to separate waste.
Jessica Borges: To help Ms. Dunne and
Star: How do you reward your wonder- to do extracurricular work and earn service
went to the engineers of the building and
$200 went to the recycling club. We bought ful club members?
learning hours. We think it is important.
Ms. Dunne: I make a mini get-together
supplies and snacks.
Star: What changed from last year?
Star: How is the recycling club different every six weeks. We all contribute by buyJessica Borges: We’ve noticed that more
ing snacks and food. The students deserve teachers recycle and more students have
from when you started it?
Ms. Dunne: We started with one stu- this because they are so concerned for the joined. There is less stress on us. Before it
dent, then the club grew. The students real- environment and they care to make a dif- would take us longer to collect the papers.
ference.
ized how much paper was collected each
Problems with IDs, swiping in
By Jonathan Lopez
At the beginning of the school year we had to deal with IDs
that didn’t have our schedules on the back, but when we got the
new ones they didn’t work. On November 3 students were forced
to get temporary IDs because their IDs were taken by the people
monitoring the swipe in machines.
“Apparently there was a glitch in the ID card printer and it
was printing out the IDs wrong and the scanner didn’t read them,
therefore we had to use another ID card printer and print out new
6 Steinmetz Star November 2010
ones,” a staff person said.
Many students were late to class and did not have an ID
throughout the whole day since after the bell rang the system went
down, and staff members ran out of temps.
“I couldn’t go to lunch because I didn’t have my ID or a temp”
said junior Jonathan Vazquez. “I had to suffer being late for 1st
period and possibly getting caught by security by not having my
ID on.”
Star News
New tardy system: Zap attack
By Michael Frackowiak &
Michael Lublansky
This year the security team
has a new toy. It’s called the
‘’zapper.”
When a security guard
finds a student roaming the
halls after the bell rings, the
guard scans the student ID
with the zapper, which automatically issues a detention.
“I think they’re working,”
security guard Bert Hunt
said. “They really make students hurry up to class.”
If students don’t serve
their detentions within the
week of receiving them they
get suspended.
Steinmetz is getting tougher and cracking down. So if
you’re in the halls late after
class prepare to get zapped.
Tiara Dortch says the tardy system is crazy.
Interview and photo by Jasmine Sheppard
“I think the new tardy system is the worst mistake Steinmetz has made,” senior Tiara Dortch said.
“I think it’s so crazy that you have to serve all your
detentions by the end of the week or you will get
suspended. Imagine how many people are getting
suspended weekly just because of the new system.
“They want students to always come to school,
but if they’re suspending everybody, how can people
come to school? It’s a contridiction.
“Administrators need to understand that people
have jobs and other responsibilities after school. A
week to serve your detentions is not a enough time.”
College fair
By Myraneisha Gardner
Many seniors attended the college fair
at Richard J. Daley College on October 21
and the college fair after school at Steinmetz on October 25. Over 50 college representatives were available in both places.
At the Steinmetz college fair students
could meet with college representatives for
two and a half hours. On the field trip to
Daley College students had 45 minutes.
Xaquille Townsend said he received
important information about financial aid.
Brittney Almon said she enjoyed the Steinmetz college fair.
“It was fun because you were able to
look at colleges with your friends and decide together,” she said.
Neither student has decided on a college.
Xaquille said he is interested in Marquette
University, Southern Illinois University,
Kentucky Unversity
At the Daley College fair a representative came from the University of Alaska.
Would you expect anyone to go to school
in Alaska? It’s freezing.
Vegetarian teens need food choices
By Jennifer Maravillas
Our school cafeteria is infamous among
meat eaters for its “spiceys” and amongst
vegetarians for its inconsideration. The
vegetarian count in Steinmetz is close to
none, but for the few, lunch is a small plastic cup filled with lettuce and tomatoes or
fruits. Vegetarians need more than that.
Choosing not to consume the meat of an
innocent, slaughtered animal may be easy,
but actually finding alternatives is difficult.
In order to maintain a healthy diet, vegetarians need to find sources of protein from
other foods, such as nuts and legumes.
Most vegetarians are faced with many
meal restrictions and hurdles. It’s not as
easy to just pull up to a drive-thru window Many teens have decided not to eat meat,
due to the terrible way animals are treated
and receive your meal in five seconds.
while they’re raised and slaughtered. It’s
“Burger King is the only actual fast food a challenge for vegetarians to find other
restaurant that offers veggie-burgers,” said sources of protein.
senior Johnathan Lopez, who has been vegetarian for the past seven months.
guilty after each meal I ate, choosing to beAfter researching vegetarianism and come a vegetarian was the wisest decision I
spending most of my pre-adult life feeling have ever made.
The cramping of hundreds of thousands
of chickens into small cages, the stomping
and beating of pigs, and the slow slaughtering process of cows while they are hung by
their feet are all primary reasons as to why
I choose not to take part in the corruption
that is so often ignored.
Now going on two years, I have learned
the tricks and trades of the lifestyle. There
are many alternatives to a McDonald’s
burger or a piece of chicken from KFC,
companies that have been caught abusing and mistreating animals on tape at the
slaughterhouse.
Target and Jewel both offer MorningStar
and Boca veggie-burgers which are just as
sufficient.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, some may think there is nothing like
turkey. Instead of spending this year being
grateful for the death and roasting of a bird,
take a trip to Whole Foods and try their delicious ToFurky.
November 2010 Steinmetz Star 7 Star Features: Student Work
College degree (and luck)
With extra effort,
helps ensure good job
anything can be done
By Gabriela Rodriguez
Senior Yesenia Quinonez
is an extremely hard working
student. She works almost every afternoon after school. She
rarely has time to go out with
friends.
Star: Is it hard to handle
work and school?
Yesenia: Yes, when I’m in
school, I’m sometimes tired and
stressed out because I have to
keep my grades up. When I go
to work I deal with customers
who aren’t respectful and think
they can treat you bad just because you work at McDonald’s. Yesenia Quinonez
They make me so mad but I
have to work and keep on trying my hardest to help my parents.
Star: Do you help your parents a lot?
Yesenia: Yes, I am the one that helps them in the house. I’m the
one that helps my mom with the kids. On my days off i help my
mom with anything she needs help with.
I want to go to college to be able to help them even more than I
do now. They really want me to finish school and they always tell
me, “You can do anything you want to do just with some effort.”
By Michal Chmara
I work as a gate assistant for Prospect Air Service, located at
O’Hare International Airport. It’s basically helping out agents
checking in the bags and doing all kind of other stuff. Prospect is
a very big company that offers lots of different positions.
People ask me how I got my job. It was either luck or because
of first great impression. My older brother, who is now 23, used
to work at that company, so when I applied I got the call from
company right away because my brother was a good employee.
Lots of students don’t have jobs because of today’s difficult
times. It’s very hard to get a job and people should be thankful
when they do get one. When I asked a few students what jobs
they have, many of them said that they either work part time at
the store, or they help out with their parents work. There are not
too many students that have high-paying jobs,
To all people that want to find a good, well-paying job, the
best way to find a good work is to go college and study to get
some degree. If you get a degree you should find a job.
Workers with a college degree earned more and were less
likely to be unemployed than those with only a high school
diploma, according to the September report by the College
Board, “Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for
Individuals.”
The median earnings of full-time workers with bachelor’s
degrees were $55,700 in 2008 — $21,900 more than those of
workers who finished only high school, according to the report.
Are you working? Looking for a job? The Star wants to know about your experiences.
Talk to a reporter (our staff list is on page 2) or write to us.
We print letters to the editor (see page 4). Email: [email protected]
Students work 17-hour day as election judges
By Destiny Carpenter
Being a student judge for the November 2010 election truly
taught me the meaning of responsibility. It showed me that no
matter the circumstances you have to get the work done.
Senior Stephanie Tapia and I truly had a challenge throughout our 17-hour workday. We started at 5:00 a.m. and ended at
10:00 p.m. at Riis Park. I experienced a lot of stress. It seemed
like another judge and I were doing all the work, that it wasn’t
a team job at all.
Other students, who worked in other polling places, had better experiences.
“At first I thought the job was going to be hard because training was boring and long,” senior Larissa Labon said. “But the
day that the election started I really enjoyed myself. I would
definitely do it again.”
Being a student election judge gives students the opportunity
to experience different work environments with different people. Even through all the problems I experienced I still would
love to do it again. I encourage all students to try it.
8 Steinmetz Star November 2010
By Sarai Fernandez
Waking up before 5:00 a.m. is probably something you
don’t want to do, but for $170 you might just get up.
As a student election judge, my experience was great. I
got to meet people from my neighborhood and joke around
with the other judges.
Some student judges had a hard time working with the
rest of the judges and especially the voters.
Being an election judge is not as easy as it seems. You
have to go to a training session and learn how all the machines works in case something goes wrong.
A student election judge has two days to serve — one in
November and the next one in February. It’s good money
and you also get 10 service-learning hours.
If you’re a sophomore or junior and want to be a student
election judge, sign up next year with Ms. Eshoo. If you get
selected you may have a good experience. It depends how
much fun you make of it.
Star Features
By Cindy Vazquez
Senior Arisbeth Ruiz has interesting plans
for after graduation.
“I am planning to work for at least five
months and then start college,” Arisbeth said.
“I would like to study in a culinary college
which would teach me how to cook better and
become a great chef.”
She has always dreamed of becoming famous and being recognized all over the world.
“One of my goals is to become an important
chef and run the most elegant restaurants, to
travel around the world and to be known as the
best chef,” Arisbeth said.
“Another goal is to become a designer and
design wedding dresses. I would also like to
help poor people by working hard and donating food, clothes and money to them.”
PHOTO BY CINDY VAZQUEZ
Her confidence may lead to fame
Arisbeth Ruiz wants to be a chef.
Arisbeth is known for being a responsible person who likes to get
things done on time. She also likes to
help others and is very friendly with
everyone.
“What I like about myself is that I am a very
nice person and I like to respect my friends
and teachers,” Arisbeth said. “I also like that I
am confident of who I am and no matter what
others say I never give up.”
The Star asked her what has been the toughest moment in her life.
“The toughest moment in my life was when
my little brother Edwin was in the hospital for
a week,” Arisbeth said. “It was so depressing
looking at him because he had a needle on his
arm attached to a machine. He would cry because he wanted to go home with us.”
Her most embarrassing moment was when
she got in the wrong car. Her mom would pick
her up after school and one day she got in a
car that looked exactly like her mom’s and it
turned out to be the wrong car. It was an old
lady’s car so she apologized and got out.
‘He can’t be boring even if he tries’
PHOTO BY ADRIANA PINEDA
“Not the teaching, but the
By Adriana Pineda
coaching,” he explained. “Very
The Star interviewed Spanlong hours and the pay isn’t
ish teacher Nicolas Kotcherhagood. Not compared to the pay
Campora. Spending time with
my friends who coach in the
this great teacher has been a
suburb gets. But I know the
very interesting and wonderful
kids really need it. They need
experience.
extra curricular activities. Now
Mr. Kotcherha has been
that I’m done with coaching
teaching since 1995. We asked
soccer, I can spend more time
him how he got into the field.
with the family.”
“It was kind of by accident,”
Mr. Kotcherha also loves to
he said. “I had no plans to betravel. He has visited most of
come a teacher. No desire. I just
Europe and Central America.
kind of fell into it.”
Nicolas Kotcherha teaches his 1st Period AP Spanish students.
He has also visited Egypt, VenMany students like and respect Mr. Kotcherha.
“That’s a good question,” he said. “Just ezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico,
“He’s a very funny teacher,” a senior in by being prepared and making it fun. Mak- where he lived for three years.
AP Spanish said. “He makes class fun and ing them learn something without realizing
The Star offered Mr. Kotcherha the opreally knows what he’s talking about. He it.”
portunity to send a shout-out.
can’t be boring even if he tried. He’s simMr. Kotcherha contributes more than his
“To the World Language Department: I
ply awesome. Everyone I know likes Mr. knowledge and teaching experience to the think we help each other a lot. The paperKotcherha, and his class.”
school. He also coaches the soccer teams.
work is a lot and we have a lot to do so we
When the Star shared the comments with
“The boys season is over,” he said. “We can concentrate on what’s important, which
him, Mr. Kotcherha said , “That’s great.”
had our ups and downs, but at the end of the is the teaching,” Mr. Kotchera said.
“I don’t think teachers get enough day, it was a good season. The kids were
Mr. Kotcherha is indeed one of the teachpraise,” he said. “It can be a hard, thankless great.”
ers who is well-liked among students. His
profession, so it’s nice to get some positive
Mr. Kotcherha and his wife have a two- positive attitude, his funny and heartwarmfeedback.”
and-a-half year old daughter, Camila. We ing personality and his knowledge keep his
The Star asked Mr. Kotcherha about how asked him if it’s hard being a teacher, a students alert and entertained in his class as
he motivates his students.
coach, and a family man all at once.
well as out on the soccer field.
November 2010 Steinmetz Star 9 Star Features: Hugh Hefner
Hefner’s meeting with Star, yearbook:
10 Steinmetz Star November 2010
PHOTO BY DATRIN BUTLER
Reporter Takara Johnson and features editor Regina Crawford meet Hugh Hefner.
PHOTO BY RAFAEL TOTOLXIN
Hugh Hefner and his sons Cooper and Marston stand in front of the “Honor Roll” of
alumni who served in the military. Mr. Hefner found his name there.
PHOTO BY DATRIN BUTLER
“I went to a party with one of my friends
and it was during the time he was breaking up
with his other girlfriends,” she said. “We got
to talking. He then asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes.”
Cooper Hefner, 19, said he was studying
film at Chapman University in Orange County, CA. His girlfriend Samatha Crawley said
she also is a film student.
They talked to the Star about the freedom
they’ve found in college, such as being able
to go out in the middle of the night for fast
food, if that was something they wanted to do,
without having to let anyone know.
Cooper said for high school he had gone
to a boarding school in Santa Barbara, CA,
where he ran track. We asked Cooper about
growing up with such a famous father.
“It just felt normal to me,” he said. He appreciated getting to know so many interesting
people through Playboy, he said, mentioning
Shel Silverstein as someone he particularly
liked.
Marston Hefner, 20, attends Santa Monica
College in California. When we asked him
about growing up with a 24/7 staff, he said it
was kind of weird but he got used to it.
Both sons seem very close to their father.
During the question and answer session later,
when a student asked Mr. Hefner about a typical day, Marston interjected, “apple pie,” letting us know one of his dad’s favorites.
Some people have a negative perspective
on “Hef,” such as that he degrades women.
After meeting Mr. Hefner you can’t see that
in him. He’s just a man who dreamed big and
went to any lengths to make his dream happen. His children are privileged but still act
very humble.
Mr. Hefner has made many names for himself all over the world and some he has lived
up to, others you can’t truly see in him. A
name we can give him is simply amazing.
After several administrators posed for
pictures with Mr. Hefner we went to the
question and answer session in Room 122
attended by 150 students and staff. In addition
to the yearbook and Star staff members, the IB
junior students attended the meeting.
Computer technician Claudio Mendrano
videotaped the event. The Star transcribed the
PHOTO BY RAFAEL TOTOLXIN
Continued from Page 1
Keith Hefner, a ‘46 graduate, his girlfriend Vanessa Goodmason and Cooper Hefner’s
girlfriend Samantha Crawley were part of the group that stayed at the Four Seasons
hotel, toured downtown and attended the premiere of the Hefner documentary. “Visiting
Steinmetz was my favorite part of the trip,” Ms. Crawley wrote on Twitter.
Star Features: Hugh Hefner
PHOTO BY RAFAEL TOTOLXIN
PHOTO BY RAFAEL TOTOLXIN
‘The warmest, nicest reception ever’
Hugh Hefner sat in the front of the small auditorium with Principal Eunice Madon during 8th period on Friday, October 29, answering
questions from Star and yearbook reporters. Senior Jovanna Espino (at the microphone) asked if he had ever met Marilyn Monroe.
Waiting to ask her quesitons is senior class treasurer Laqueanda Reneau. In background are yearbook teacher Gina Szulkowski and IB
coordinator Nancyanne Ferrarini, whose students opened and closed the program.
statements that follow from the video.
“The visit was very exciting,” Star reporter Jasmine Reese said. “He was so outgoing and interesting.”
The program with students, Hefner
IB senior Raul Rodriguez introduced
Mr. Hefner and shared some background
information. He said that Mr. Hefner had
attended Sayre school, that at Steinmetz he
found his love for writing, which he continued when he served in the Army by writing
for a military newspaper. After his military service, Mr. Hefner graduated from
the University of Illinois in two and a half
years. While working in publishing, first at
Esquire then at a children’s magazine, Mr.
Hefner decided to start his own magazine.
He began Playboy in 1952.
“Starting a business is not an easy task,
but Mr. Hefner was able to create a very
successful corporation,” Raul said.
A video created by Mr. Mendrano was
played. It showed yearbook photos of
Hugh Hefner in class and in his activities
as a member of the student council and in
the drama group, the Green Curtain Players. The video also showed some of his car-
PHOTO BY RAFAEL TOTOLXIN
Hugh Hefner and his girlfriend Crystal Harris enjoy the video of Mr. Hefner’s Steinmetz
years, which included images of his cartoons and other work he did for the Star and
yearbook in the early 1940’s. The video was produced by Claudio Mendrano.
toons from the Star and the yearbook.
IB senior Lilian Sangha explained that
the program would be a question and answer session and that she would call students to the microphone.
Hugh Hefner: The first thing I have to
say is I’m overwhelmed by this response. I
have to tell you from the most sincere part
of my heart that the last two years of high
Continued on Pages 12 - 14
November 2010 Steinmetz Star 11 Star Features: Hugh Hefner
‘If you’re a dreamer, you dream big!’
PHOTO BY RAFAEL TOTOLXIN
PHOTO BY DATRIN BUTLER
At the microphone, Daniel Saenz asks a question. Behind him are senior Olga Bustamente, Academy Award winning film maker Brigitte
Berman and Hugh Hefner’s assistant Mary O’Connor. Hugh Hefner and his girlfriend Crystal Harris pose for a picture. “Since I started the
magazine my life has been a dream come true,” Mr. Hefner said. “Whatever you think it is — it’s better!”
school here at Steinmetz were for me the
high point of my life before I started the
magazine. It was out of those two years of
high school that I really began to live the
dreams.
I think I started the magazine to recapture the excitement and the dreams that I
found at Steinmetz. I started making plans
for the magazine a few weeks after an
alumni show that we held here in December of 1952. One of my best buddies from
high school and I wrote the show and hosted the event. Those memories of my life
here in high school were the beginning of
it all for me. So it’s good for me to be here.
Daniel Saenz: What exactly does it take
to be in your place?
Hugh Hefner: [He made a scared face
and gripped his chair, as if someone might
try to take his place.] If any of you know
the story, I literally started the magazine on
absolutely no money. And I think that the
answer to that question is dreams, and the
willingness to stay focused, pursue your
own personal dreams, and don’t get distracted by what anybody else tells you.
There are a lot of things in society that
suggest you should conform, but live your
12 Steinmetz Star November 2010
own dreams and you will have a full life.
that against all odds here we are.
Daniel: What inspired you to make Playboy?
Hugh Hefner: I had always been interested in cartooning and writing and magazine publishing. I started a school paper
when I was at Sayre called The Pepper,
which lasted a dozen years.
I did a lot of writing and cartooning
when I was here at Steinmetz. So it was always my dream.
The notion of starting a men’s magazine,
a more sophisticated men’s magazine, was
just something that I had always wanted to
do. All the men’s magazines after World
War II were outdoor, adventure magazines.
I wanted something about the sophisticated life, with a little style — the car, the
wheels, the pretty ladies, and the good writing. I put it all in a single package.
The problem with that was I literally had
no money. I had to hock my furniture to
raise $600, which was my own investment
in Playboy. Then I went to anybody —
friends, relatives — and got them to invest
a total of $8,000. And that was just enough
money to publish the first issue of Playboy.
It was such a hit from the very beginning
Olga Bustamante: Do you deal with
women criticism, and if you do, how do
you deal with it?
Hugh Hefner: When the women’s
movement found its voice in the late 60s
and early 70s, and for some Playboy became the enemy and the suggestion somehow that Playboy objectifies women, I was
blindsided by that.
I was totally unprepared for it, because I
had felt that Playboy had become a key part
in the sexual revolution.
The sexual revolution was for both men
and women, but the major beneficiaries
were women. For hundreds of years women had been second-class citizens, hadn’t
had the right to vote and all kinds of things.
Playboy played a very real part in emancipating both sexes. We provided the money for the lower court decisions for women
to have the right to choose, in terms of
abortion and birth control. We were actually the amicus curia, the friend of the court,
in Roe v Wade, that literally gave women
the right to choose.
At the most fundamental level my response to the notion that Playboy turns
Star Features: Hugh Hefner
Great opportunity for student reporters
women into objects is object of
desire, certainly, but not in any
nonhuman way.
The reality is that the attraction between the sexes is what
makes the world go round. It is
who we are. I think the first sex
object was Eve. If you believe
the Bible stories, God put Eve
in the Garden of Eden for exactly that purpose. That’s what
it’s all about — the beginning
of civilization, the beginning of
the world.
I think what Playboy tried
to do in a limited way is to celebrate that sexuality and do it
with some style and do it with
some class.
PHOTO BY RAFAEL TOTOLXIN
Star reporter and yearbook
staffer Eunice Diamas asks
Hugh Hefner about his years at
Steinmetz.
Eunice Dimas: How was it for you attending Steinmetz back in the day?
Hugh Hefner: As I expressed before,
it was the best time of my life before I
started the magazine.
Since I started the magazine my life has
been a dream come true. Whatever you
think it is — it’s better! I’m sorry to say
that, but it’s true. I recently celebrated my
84th birthday and every year gets better.
I’m a guy that believes in knocking
down boundaries, preconceived ideas, the
things that separate us.
We live on one very small planet and
we need to find ways — related to sex, related to religion, related to age, related to
country — to live together and love one
another.
Eunice: Does it look or feel different
when you attended the school?
Hugh Hefner: Well on a typical day I
didn’t have this!
I’ve been back here every chance I get,
every so often. I live in Los Angeles and
have since 1975.Whenever I get back to
Chicago I try to make it a point to come
back here, along with my brother. I think I
speak for my brother as well, that this was
a high point of our lives.
The dreams began here. When you’re
in your teens you’re not sure what lies
ahead, but if you’re a dreamer — and I’ve
always been a dreamer — you dream big.
With some luck you make them come true.
Karen Castellanos: Who are some
people you haven’t met that you’d like to
meet?
Hugh Hefner: My photographer suggested Marilyn Monroe. I’d say President
Obama. Jesus Christ. People who have
made an impact on my life.
Shana Arceo: What was it like going to
Steinmetz at a time of segregation?
Hugh Hefner: Chicago was so segregated at the time when we were in school there
were no minority groups in school here.
The city itself was segregated. The black
community was on the south side.
I had these strong feelings about bigotry,
anti-Semitism, and racial inequality, from a
very early age. I think I simply got it from
my parents. I think you have to be taught to
be prejudiced.
When I got married we moved out to
the apartment that was available after the
war on the south side. And I started the
magazine on the south side. I started the
magazine when the community was turning black. I was excited and thrilled to be at
the cutting edge of change. So those values
and views run deep and came before the
PHOTO BY TAKARA JOHNSON
magazine.
You may know the part that Playboy
played in desegregation, a significant part
is in the documentary that Brigitte Berman made. She is an Academy Award winning documentarian who has made a film
about my life, about the social issues and
the changes that have taken place because
of Playboy, called “Hugh Hefner: Playboy,
Activist, Rebel.” She put Playboy first. I’m
not quite sure why. Maybe she knew something.
But the activist, rebel part is who I am,
and always have been. And part of that had
to do when I was in Chicago and putting
on a television show called Playboy’s Penthouse. We had black and white performers
in a social setting. We talked about racial
inequality on the show. We talked about the
fact that both black performers and mixed
acts could not perform on network television back then.
Playboy played a part, and I’m proud to
say, played a significant part, in not only
in the sexual revolution, but in the social,
sexual and racial changes that took place
in this country in the middle part of the 20th
century. And that’s one of the things I take
very real pride in.
Tytiana Whitehead: Do you plan on
creating a journalism scholarship for aspirNovember 2010 Steinmetz Star 13 Star Features: Hugh Hefner
Students thank Hef for past support,
ask if he’d consider journalism funds
Jovana Espino: It’s been said that you
never met Marilyn Monroe. Is it true?
[The first issue of Playboy featured a
nude photograph of Marilyn Monroe that
Mr. Hefner had bought from a calendar
company.]
Hugh Hefner: I talked to her once on
the phone and never actually met her. She
was gone when I got to Hollywood. But my
brother Keith was once in an acting class in
New York, in which she also participated.
Jovana: What was your favorite feature
about her?
Hugh Hefner: I think what made her so
iconic was the combination of the sexuality, the beauty, and the vulnerability. I think
that we knew her through the films and we
also knew her the media and we lived her
life with her.
She is very special. I think without question she was the single greatest sex icon of
the 20th century.
Laqueanda Reneau: Can you tell us
about a typical day in your life?
Hugh Hefner: Today is certainly not
typical. And I must say also — of those
occasions we have come to Steinmetz and
visited the old neighborhood — that this is
the warmest, nicest greeting and reception
that we’ve ever had.
A typical day: My life is very structured.
I rise in the middle morning and work on
magazine things, do interviews, etcetera,
throughout the afternoon.
I am still very actively involved in editing the magazine, although the magazine
headquarters are located here in Chicago. I
am in constant contact with my art director
and editors here in Chicago.
And then the evenings I spend with my
girlfriend, my friends, my family, my sons
Marston and Cooper.
I think Monday night is manly night
14 Steinmetz Star November 2010
PHOTO BY RAFAEL TOTOLXIN
ing journalists at Steinmetz?
Hugh Hefner: I’ll have to look into that.
I think the last time I was here I bought a
bunch of uniforms for the band. I’ll have to
look into the scholarship aspect.
Hugh Hefner and his family and friends follow Dr. Madon to a reception in Room 128 prior
to the question and answer session with students.
where I watch movies with some male
friends. Tuesday night I usually play games
with the girls. Not the kind of games you
think! Wednesday night is gin rummy
night with my brother and a couple of male
friends. Thursday night just hang out with
Crystal and the girls. Weekends are devoted to films.
I’m a huge film buff, not just new films
but classics. I call Friday Casablanca night,
because Casablanca is my all-time favorite
film. So we’ll watch classic films on Fridays and Saturdays. We’ll watch a new film
on Sundays. That is pretty much my week
and I love it.
Laqueanda: Can you introduce us to
your friends and family?
[Mr. Hefner introduced his girlfriend
Crystal Harris, their friend Anna Sophia
Berglund, his sons Marston and Cooper,
Cooper’s girlfriend Samantha Crawley, his
brother Keith and Keith’s girlfriend Vanessa Goodmanson.]
Hugh Hefner: We’ve been having a
wonderful family gathering. We all came
out from California together. Last night
we had dinner with my daughter Christie
and her husband. [The group posed for pic-
tures.] What’s different these days? These
days everybody has a camera!
Lisette Madrigal: Hi Mr. Hefner. I am
thanking you from the music department
for the band uniforms. We greatly appreciate it. My freshmen year when we got
them I was thrilled. I help out in the music
department as I much as I can. Those uniforms are a blessing. Thank you so much.
Hugh Hefner: I’m really going to look
into that — something for the students in
terms of the future.
Ajay Woodley: Is there something you
wish you could have done while you were
in high school?
Hugh Hefner: Probably have had a
more meaningful romance. Yes, I had to
wait till I got a little older to fulfill the more
romantic dreams I had while I was in high
school. My brother, on the other hand …
Time ran out for the question and answer
session. IB senior Alyssa Rosada and Dr.
Madon thanked Mr. Hefner and gave him a
few school mementos. Mr. Hefner and his
entourage left Steinmetz in their bus with a
police escort.
Star Features: Hugh Hefner
By Ileana Rosado
People hear the word Playboy and think
naked women dolled up from head to toe.
They wonder: Hugh Hefner has how many
girlfriends? Some may say he’s morally
wrong and should be stopped.
People might not even care about the
controversy and just appreciate the naked
ladies. Although that is the main attraction
to most people, Mr. Hefner offers deeper
meanings in his magazine.
Director Brigitte Berman exposes
the activist and rebel in him in her new
documentary. It shows a long journey of
change in our country from the eyes of a
young dreamer.
I never had any interest in the man, or
in his magazines full of naked women, but
the movie went beyond the girls to show
a dedicated man who stood up for his beliefs from the very beginning. The movie
opened my eyes to the emotional, political, and business struggles Hefner faced
with the literary content of his magazine.
Back in the old days, as we all know,
the country was segregated and limited.
Mr. Hefner pushed those boundaries by
combining Caucasians and African-Americans into as many clubs, interviews and
shows as possible.
Mr. Hefner actually puts great effort in
every detail of his magazine. In the movie, we see all the struggles Hefner faced
throughout his life and the extraordinary
work and effort he pushed himself to
achieve.
I’m not telling you to adore this man or
even like him, but after I viewed the movie, my sense of respect grew.
The documentary is a real eye-opener
to those who think he’s just a “pornographer”.
I must admit, the Playboy bunnies still
may not be the most appropriate thing to
print, but the entire movie shows how Mr.
Hefner stood behind his political beliefs
through good and bad, while still keeping
a spark of lively energy. If that isn’t the
way to live life, then I don’t know what is.
PHOTO BY REGINA CRAWFORD
Movie shows Hefner as a champion
of freedom of speech, civil rights
News editor Zak Pekovic, editor-in-chief
Ileana Rosado and features editor Regina
Crawford watched the documentary at the
Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St. Hugh
Hefner attended the premiere on October
29, after visiting Steinmetz.
By Zak Pekovic
The movie “Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel” takes viewers through
Hugh Hefner’s life, starting from his beginnings on the northwest side of Chicago to
his later years in California.
The struggles that Mr. Hefner and Playboy overcame have, no doubt, changed the
way America thinks. In the past, nudity was
seen as almost dirty, something that should
be kept behind closed doors. Mr. Hefner
and Playboy pioneered a fight for sexual
rights.
In the 1950s and ‘60s many of the things
we see today as normal, such as interracial
marriage, were illegal and carried heavy
prison sentences. Mr. Hefner fought for a
man imprisoned in the south for ten years
due to fellatio, and won.
Mr. Hefner also fought for civil rights.
His television show Playboy After Dark
showcased African Americans as well as
mixed race groups performing when network TV refused. He even went as far as
showcasing blacklisted performers when
anti-communist McCarthyism had its hold
on America’s masses. Anti-war activists
were also given a voice on his program and
in Playboy during the Vietnam era.
The movie features Mr. Hefner, actress
and former Playmate Jenny McCarthy,
journalist Mike Wallace, musician Gene
Simmons, and prominent African Americans including comedian Dick Gregory,
writer Alex Haley, musician Miles Davis
and the Rev. Jesse Jackson talking about
what Playboy made possible for them and
others.
Of course, many people have been
against Playboy. In the movie, religious
and feminist leaders speak about how Mr.
Hefner has harmed society.
The movie, which plays at select theatres in the U.S. (and will be out in DVD
soon), shows people that Playboy was a
magazine that intellectuals found value in.
Mr. Hefner has gotten to live his own
philosophy, something many men wish to
do. He’s inspired men around the world to
strive for the title “Playboy.”
November 2010 Steinmetz Star 15 Star Features
Students loving their tattoos
By Frances Lopez
Tattoos have become very popular. Many high school students
have already had their first tattoo. They could also become
addicting, which is why people just want to keep getting more.
Senior Michael Espino has an ironic story about his tattoo.
“It started when my sister wanted to get a tattoo.,” Michael said.
“She wanted to get stars in her ear, but her ear was too small. So
she told me to get it, and I liked it so I agreed to get the stars on
my ear.”
Like most parents, Michael’s dad was mad about him having a
tattoo and told him not to get any more.
He said the tattoo on his ear was very painful, but yet he plans
on having more tattoos. He wants to get a sleeve, which is a whole
arm full of tattoos.
Michael Espino has star tatoos on his ear
Piercings, tats worth the pain and cost
By Danielle Brumley
Many people get tattoos and piercings to show who they are or
to show that they think it is cool to have a tattoo or piercing.
The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian “tatu” which means
“to mark something.” Tattooing has existed since 12,000 years
BC. It was used to communicate and also to show that you belonged to a special group or club.
Egyptian body piercings reflected status and love of beauty. Roman centurions pierced their nipples not because they liked the
way it looked, but to signify their strength and aggression.
The Star interviewed seniors Yesenia Borges, Jessica Borges,
David Rosado and Antonio Delgado about their tattoos and piercings.
Star: Did the tattoo or piercing hurt?
Yesenia: The piercings hurt at first.
Jessica: No, the pain was so good that I wanted more piercings.
David: The piercings stung a little bit but no biggie. The tattoos
hurt of course but not as bad as I was expecting them to.
Antonio: No, the tattoo did not hurt.
Star: Where did you put the piercing or tattoo?
Yesenia and Jessica: Lip and eyebrow piercings.
David: I got my eyebrow pierced and three piercings on my ears. I
got tattoos behind my ear and on my hands.
Antonio: I got my tattoo on the side of my calves.
Star: How much did you pay for your piercings or tattoos ?
Yesenia and Jessica For eyebrow piercing, $40. For lip, $20.
David: I paid $45 for all my piercings. I paid $10 for my Japanese
tattoo (that’s a big hook-up) and $5 for the tattoos on my hand.
Antonio: I paid $40 for my tattoos.
Star : Where did you go to get it done?
Yesenia and Jessica: On Central Park and at the Mega Mall.
David: For my tattoos I went with my friend to his friend’s house
in which he is a pro and an artist and I got it from him. For the
piercings I don’t remember where I got them because I got them
done at different times.
Antonio: In a small room full of people.
Star: What were your parents’ reaction?
Yesenia: My mom freaked out when she saw the piercings.
Jessica: My mom said if I pay for my piercings I can get them.
David: For the piercings my mom was like, “Wow. .. ridiculous,”
and then she started yelling and snapping. For the tattoos my mom
beat my behind. LOL. I deserved it though so I can’t complain.
Antonio My mother laughed at me.
By Xavier Morales & Alyssa Sanchez
Fashion at Steinmetz is hard to pull off. Many of the rules restrict us from expressing our personal style. However, many students have found ways around the rules to make their wardrobe
look runway-ready.
Students accessorize their school-mandated shirts with scarves,
necklaces, headbands and bright sneakers. Students are not allowed to wear colored shirts under their uniform shirt and for a
while weren’t allowed to wear bright sneakers. But students have
still remained positive and are trying to show how fabulous uniforms can be.
“In a way students are allowed to express themselves because
we can wear different kinds of shoes even though we are supposed
to wear black and white shoes, and we can still go crazy with the
scarves and headbands,” senior Mariana Sandoval said.
Fashion is the style at a given time. In its most common usage,
however, “fashion” describes the popular clothing style. Fashion
also differs depending on location, environment, and music.
Here most of the students dress urban. We have rockers, although most students are more influenced by hip hop. Sometimes
fashion repeats itself. Retro styles are coming back (but with prices of today). We’re seeing more leather jackets and neon colors.
Hallways look like runways
16 Steinmetz Star November 2010
Star Features
Learning with the stars
Natalia Twardus and Kate Moss
Zack McCollum and Lil Wayne
Michael Hodges and Arizona Cardinal’s, Larry Fitzgerald
Khaya Wiley and Kiami Davael (Lavender from Mathilda)
By Jordyn Bailey
You may see them in the hallway. They’re people you thought you recognized. These are the celebrity look-alikes of Steinmetz and the list might be
more surprising than you think.
The most recent discovery was reporter, Natalia Twardus, about whom the
Star staff whole-hearted agreed looks like English model, Kate Moss.
“I guess I have some similar features, but I never thought about it,” Natalia
said. “Nobody has every told me that before. She’s pretty though, but did
you know you look like Kerry Washington?” Again, the whole room agreed.
The Star staff got a kick out of matching the ordinary students of Steinmetz
to the most popular celebrities in sports, music, and television. And while
some are quite flattering compliments, others might not be so welcome.
In addition to those we have pictured we came up with the following list.
Be sure to let us know about your ideas for the celebrity look-alikes among
us. Talk to this reporter or email us your suggestions.
[email protected].
Marcus Smith and Ice Cube
Eunice Dimas — America Farrera
Raul Rodriguez — George Lopez
Salima Azzouzi — Princess Jasmine from Aladdin
Socrates Mabry — Pharrell Williams
Perry Smith — Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince
Star Sports
Pool problems hinder season
By Julio Baez
The boys swim team is off to a bad start because the pool has not been repaired yet.
“The pool might be open when we come back
from winter vacation,” coach Dave Henry said.
The team has swim practice at Prosser High
School. The boys have to travel by CTA bus.
They also practice at school, running and
working out inside the building. Conditioning
started November 8.
The team has a good enough number of boys,
but without a pool no one knows how long that
would last. The boys are dealing with the same
problems as the girl swimmers had in their season — difficult practices, meets postponed and
no home meets.
What do you
know about SAC?
The Star reports on
Steinmetz Academic Centre:
• academics
• extracurriculars
• sports
• student and staff opinion.
We want to hear from you!
Send an email to:
[email protected]
November 2010 Steinmetz Star 17 Star Sports
By Grzegorz Bara, Damian Januchowski & Hubert
Kabak
The boys soccer team made a big impact in the conference. The Streaks finished third, which let them play in
the state playoffs, the biggest tournament happening in
Illinois. The Streaks played in a 3A division that had very
competitive teams like Lane, Taft, Lincoln Park, New
Trier and many more.
The Streaks were underdogs of the tournament. Out of
20 teams we were ranked 19, in front of Foreman. Nobody gave our boys any chances of winning the first round
game, especially when we faced Lincoln Park.
It was a very dramatic game in which Streaks really
showed the courage of fighting till the end. After the first
half the Streaks were loosing 2-0, which put them into a
horrible situation. By the time the referee whistled to end
of the first half everyone was disappointed. But the coach
helped motivate us.
“This game could be our last game in season,” coach
Nicolas Kotcherha said. “But we can change that if we
work harder mentally and physically as a team.”
As the second half started we had the fire in our eyes
again.
Every single player played harder by putting more effort and their heads in the game. Every minute was dedicated with all of their hearts and breaths on the field.
Junior Marcelino Lagunas scored two goals (with assists from Walter Canola and Lukasz Bezara) tie it up at
the end of the second half. There was a lot of good action
that led to strong emotions — even having tears in eyes
from joy.
Then each team selected players to shoot penalties.
PHOTO BY COACH MATT BONGES
Exciting playoff win over Lincoln Park
Senior Lukasz Bezara scores a goal in the shoot-out against Lincoln
Park. Captain Damian Januchowski at practice.
Penalty kicks were made by Alejandro Carrasco, Damian Januchowski,
Lukasz Bezara and Steven Martinez.
Goalie Jorge Mejia made two great saves and we won the game.
In round two, the Streaks lost to New Trier high school.
Overall, the Streaks played 10 games this season, scoring 22 goals
with opponent teams scoring 10. Next year we’re hoping to see some
even better results.
The Star interviewed senior Lukasz Bezara.
Star: How was the Lincoln Park game?
Lukasz: The match was really good. I wasn’t expecting us to win it,
but we tried really hard.
Star: You made the first shot at the opponent’s net, and you said you
suddenly put your head up and everybody was cheering.
Lukasz: I was surprised we made it but it was great!
Star: Thanks, any last words?
Lukasz: I won’t be here next year but I hope
the Streaks will stay strong.
Reporter-players Grzegorz Bara and Damian
Januchowski also offer their last words.
Greg: I am very happy that I was part of the
team. Coach Kotcherha and assistant coach Matt
Bonges always helped us. Our team really got
close in friendships. We were like a huge family. I’ve learned a lot and I can only advise the
younger classmates to join the sports team especially soccer because you can really experience
something great while going to school.
Damian: I had a chance to improve myself
during this season and had opportunity to learn
more about my mistakes. I disliked the whole
struggle with our teammates because if we hadn’t
had those problems we would be more successful. The most important game was Lincoln Park
PHOTO BY JASON ALVARADO
because I had a chance to learn my mistakes. Michael Newson, Pedro Diaz, Dariusz Kwasnik.
Cross country team
By Michael Newson
We worked really hard and
we supported each other very
well. We did our best at the
races and we love our dearest
coach, teacher Jennifer Egan.
“I enjoyed the races, the
practices and the scenery,”
Dariusz Kwashik said. “I liked
being challenged by all the
other competitors when we had
a race. The practices were fun
since I like to run and running
in a park is even better.”
“A highlight was Popcorn’s
last race,” Coach Egan said,
about 4-year varsity runner AnMichael was awarded ‘Most Improved Runner.’
dres Mahmud.
18 Steinmetz Star November 2010
Star Sports
Tournament victories begin season
By Nia Spencer
The Lady Streaks
won their first home 4016 against Senn. In the
Prosser Tournament the
Streaks beat Schurz and
Amundsen.
This year’s basketball
team is a lot better than in
the previous years.
“The team has a lot
of potential and a lot of
new faces,” junior Amber Dukes said. “We hope
PHOTO BY NIA SPENCER
to have a better team this
Ariel ‘Tweety’ Johnson has the ball in a 32 - 23 win over Schurz.
year especially when it
comes to dedication.”
Nicole Barnes and Justin Everage..
The girls work hard Monday – Friday, practicing to better their
“My whole family is a big inspiration on me,” senior Tara Busby
skills. Scrimmages during the week get the girls well prepared. said. “They all played basketball throughout high school and we
Daily practice is held in the girls’ gym after school until 5:00 p.m. all know how to play well. They want me to make it to the WNBA
Many of the girls are supported at home, as well as by coaches to buy us a big house, and that’s what I plan to do.”
Players give it their all: On and off the court
By Demetrius Robinson-Stanford &
Xaquille Townsend
The basketball players have a lot of heart
and determination to be great. The team has
the potential to win the division and even make
some noise in the city playoffs. It all comes
down to how bad we are willing to work for it.
“This year’s varsity has a lot to prove,”
senior point guard Pierre Baptiste said. “Just
because we aren’t one of the teams on the CPS
radar doesn’t mean we aren’t a force to be
reckoned with.”
The varsity includes players from all grade
levels.“It was very tough to make varsity
because I was going up against the upper
class,” sophomore Montrell Block said.
Coach Rob Rittmeyer pushes the players.
“I believe we have a good team this year,
but their work ethic at times I question,” coach
Rittmeyer said. “We can’t get after it during
the beginning of the game, we have to be 100
percent in your face from start to finish.”
Coach Brad Dowling has already made cuts
for bad grades and lack of commitment to the
team.
Commitment means coming to pratcice on
time everyday, going hard and giving it your
all.
By Kierre Gillespie
The boys basketball team is (3-1)
with an impressive first home game
win over Jones on November 30.
After tryouts, held in October,
Coach Brad Dowling put up the list
of everybody that made the team
outside the big gym. He made many
cuts.
“I think Coach Dowling is serious
this year — if you have bad grades, a
bad attitude or are often late to class
or practice you will be cut,” senior
Demetrius Robinson-Standford said
“If anyone is late to practice or class
the whole team has to run a suicide.”
“Some of the players on the
basketball team don’t take basketball
serious,” senior Brandon Frunches
said. “Basketball is my life and I take
it very serious.”
He also stretches the fact that
Coach Dowling is very serious about
the basketball season this year:
“To everyone on the basketball
PHOTO BY DANIEL MENDRANO team, come to practice focused and
Brandon Funches, during pre-season condi- ready to go 110 percent.”
tioning.
November 2010 Steinmetz Star 19 Star Sports
More students run in Chicago’s 26.2 mile race
Marathon team grows in 2nd year
By Nohemi Caudel
Also contributing: Michael
Hodges, Rafael Totolxin &
Ricardo Rociles
Four students and four teachers ran the 26.2-mile Chicago
Marathon on Sunday morning
October 10 as part of Steinmetz’s marathon team, coached
by teacher Brad Dowling.
The student runners (with
their marathon completion
times) were seniors Guillermo
Andrade (4:27), Kamil Cieluch
(4:28), Sandra Ceron (5:50),
and junior Jocelyn Ceron
(5:30).
Teachers Brad Dowling
(4:39), Maribeth Ward (4:40),
Zulma Rivera (6:00), Tanja
Moumji (6:30) and alumni
Fransely Robles (6:00) and
Josue Lopez also ran, although
Josue didn’t finish.
Guillermo said he prepared
for the marathon with a lot of
training. He remained focused
throughout the race.
“I didn’t need anything,” he
PHOTO BY SHANNA ARCEO
Seniors Kamil Cieluch and Guilermo Andrade (pictured above at
the pep rally), Sandra Ceron and junior Jocelyn Ceron ran the 26.2
mile Chicago Marathon on October 10. All felt great accomplishing
the great feat. “I’ll do it again next year,” Kamil said.
said. “I was in the zone.” He admits he was tried, though. “After
20 miles, it took forever to finish.”
Sandra also felt the exhaustion of the later miles.
“I felt so proud of myself, but after the 23rd mile I felt like the
miles were doubled,” Sandra said. “This was my first time running
the marathon, but before my full marathon I did the Rock & Roll
Half Marathon.”
Ms. Moumji, who had never
ran long distances before running with the marathon team,
said her motivation to finish the
race was the students.
“They were so determined
and motivating I didn’t want
to let them down,” she said. “It
was one of the best experiences
I ever had.”
Ms. Rivera said running the
marathon gave her a great sense
of accomplishment. She said
she is continuing to run and
would “absolutely” run another
marathon.
“Running opened up a new
world for me,” she said.
The marathon team meets in
the middle gym on Mondays
and Wednesdays.
On Saturdays in May through
October they meet at school
and take a bus to the lakefront,
where they run long distances
with other CPS schools. The
high school marathon teams in
Chicago are sponsored by the
MGR foundation.
By Jatavian Davis
The Streaks finished 2nd in the
north
conference
and 3rd overall in a
16-team field.
We won many
more games this
year than we did
last year. Being on
the team is a lot of
fun. .
Team members
included
(back
row):
Jonathan
Perez, Emilio Orellano, Pierre Baptiste, Frank Bland,
PHOTO BYRENALTO ROLDAN
Flag football 2nd in north conference
20 Steinmetz Star November 2010
Breonn Bland, LaRon
Gadlen, Angel Bermudez, Ja’Tavian Davis,
Sammy Gage, Coach
Everage,
(middle
row): Kenyatta Duncan, Deshaun Allen,
Sean Smith, Lawrence
Acre, Thadious Scott,
Charles McCoy. Coach
Russo, (front row):
Manny Mejorado.
Coach Paul Bagdonas, manager Jazmine
Williams,
players
Chris Harris and Ellis Hatley are not pictured.