Put down the book and just enjoy. That’s the best advice I can give movie goers about Baz Luhrmann‘s “The Great Gatsby.” In this stunning and sparkling display of the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Luhrmann and his brilliant cast take you back in time to New York City in 1922.

For those of you who haven’t gone through American Literature your junior year or have read and forgotten the story-line (although I don’t know how you could), here is a brief synopsis. Following the end of the Great War in 1919 and the rise of the Roaring Twenties, full of flappers, speakeasies, jazz music, and loose morals, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) moves from the Midwest to New York City.

Carraway, the narrator of our film, takes you along for his journey in the Eggs of New York, two peninsulas separated by a bay that hold the elitist of elite. Carraway meets up with his distant cousin Daisy Buchanan (Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan) and her brute of a All-American husband Tom (Joel Edgerton). Throughout this summer, secrets are revealed, relationships tested and ….. parties thrown. Nick’s neighbor, the mysterious Jay Gatsby, played by Academy Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio, throws wild extravaganzas described by Nick as an “amusement park”. The illegal booze are flowing and the skirts are short. It is the epitome of a 1920′s good time.

I warn you to precede with caution. I’ll admit it; I’m extraordinarily biased. “The Great Gatsby” has been my favorite book for some time and I knew that no matter what they did to the movie, there would be something I would love.

The acting is what stuck out of me most in this movie, also available in 3-D. I was worried about this A-List cast being able to adopt to my beloved characters and I was not disappointed. DiCaprio is the perfect Gatsby, alluring, cunning, charming, and hopelessly in love with the green light at the end of the Buchanan’s dock and all it represents. Mulligan is wistful, intelligent, graceful and a little snobby, the perfect attributes to Mrs. Buchanan. Everyone was spot on.

The special effects, however, weren’t. I knew that since it was a Baz Luhrmann film it would be dramatic; just look at his portfolio of his remake of “Romeo + Juliet” (also staring DiCaprio) and “Moulin Rouge.” I knew there would be color, epic cinematography and, from what I heard of the soundtrack, an interesting mix of old -school jazz, new-age hip-hop, and indie music. It was too “green-screeny,” in my opinion. The effects looked over-done and fact. It would give more to the film if they had rented out a mansion in Long-Island and filled it full of extras instead of hosting almost the entire film in a movie set. I didn’t like how fake it looked.

Separate the film from the book in your mind. Create two separate entities. I thought the movie was glamorous and on-point, but I did find flaws and things I didn’t like of a movie-adaption of the novel. It is still a definite must see that will have you wishing you had been born in a different era.

Considering the fact that the school year is finally coming to a close, yearbooks will be available for pick-up in the Student Commons on Friday, May 17 after eighth period till the end of the school day.

Students must bring their IDs in order to pick-up their yearbooks. It is advised that students cannot skip their study hall to pick up the books.

“The yearbook is a memoir of all of the [important pictures] of the year. This is the best yearbook so far,” English teacher and yearbook sponsor  Sharon Swanson said.

If there are extras, the leftover yearbooks will be available for purchase for $60 in cash only by the ticket window next to the Student Commons starting Monday, May 20.

Students said they were excited for the yearbooks.

“I’m psyched to receive mine because it will be refreshing looking back at the memories in a couple of years, ” freshman Faith Geraghty said.

Junior Miranda Kang was relieved that there were alternative yearbook pick-up days because the AP testing this week made it difficult for her to find time on Friday to pick it up.

“I am more comfortable with the alternative pick-up days because it makes it easier for me to find time within my week to pick-up my yearbook,” Kang said.

If for some reason students aren’t able to pick-up yearbooks on Friday (field trip, etc), they can still pick it up on the following Monday or Tuesday.

On Wednesday evening the Wolves took to the diamond to face off against the Maine South Hawks.  Before the game, both teams’ seniors were recognized, with special attention paid to the fact that senior and starting pitcher Kyle Colletta would be the last person to wear the number two jersey for Niles West.  West alum and World Series champion George Kontos had worn this number, and it is to be retired at the end of the season.

Maine South wasted no time getting on the scoreboard.  With a man on third and two outs, the Hawks were able to steal home on a wild third strike that rolled all the way to the on deck circle.  In the bottom half of the inning West was unable to return the favor.  The second inning went much better for the Wolves defense as they retired all three batters they faced.  Unfortunately, Maine South did the same and the score still stood 1-0 Hawks through two.

After a scoreless third and a three up, three down top of the fourth, the Wolves’ bats began to heat up.  Junior Matt De La Vega hit a leadoff single before reaching second on a sacrifice bunt by Colletta, and junior Cody Pazik followed that up with a double.  De La Vega attempted to score on Pazik’s double, but collided with Maine South’s catcher at the plate, causing South’s catcher to lose his mitt.  De La Vega was called out, sparking a short protest from Wolves head coach Gary Gustafson.  The call stood, and the score remained 1-0 in favor of the team from Park Ridge.  Next up to bat was senior Seth Rosenberg, who fired a shot through the infield gap in right.  Pazik scored from second, tying the contest at one.

Unfortunately for the Wolves, the bottom half of the fourth proved to be their best inning of the day, as Maine South added two more runs in the top of the fifth.  An error on what would have been a single allowed the Hawks’ leadoff man to advance to second.  A single off the next at bat moved the man to third, and a subsequent double scored him.  South’s next batter laid down a solid bunt, allowing a man on third to get home.  The inning ended on a pop fly and a runner called out for tagging up too soon.

The Wolves again went 1-2-3 up and down, and the Hawks added another run in the top of the sixth.

The rest of the game went scoreless, securing a 4-1 victory for the Hawks.

Throughout the game, it was evident that the Wolves were outmatched, specifically on offense.

“It’s tough to win when you only put up one run.  We tried our best but they out played us, out ran us, and out hit us, so there wasn’t much more we could do,” Colletta said.

On having his number retired at the end of the year, Colletta said it was an honor to wear Kontos’ number.

“It’s really cool.  George Kontos is my neighbor and I think it’s a real honor to be the last person to wear that jersey after all the people who have worn it before me,” he said.

The cutest pet contest is back! Do you think your pet has what it takes? Vote now! The owner of the pet with the most votes will win a $10 Chipotle gift card and the honor of being the NWN’s cutest pet of 2013. If you do not see your pet in the gallery, it is probably because you did not submit your name and grade or the name and breed of your pet. Voting ends Wednesday, May 22, at midnight.

Tina Skukan's yorkies, Miki and Mala

Tulona Zaman's bobtail cat, Oscar

Tristin Minx's chicken, Bruce

Alex Studer's beagle mix, Nala

Czarina Landicho's turtle, Squirt

Eman Shirazi's Maltest poodle

Isha Khalil's mixed kitty, Oscar

Jackie Schmitz's bunny, Mocha

Jon Kruk's golden retriever, Buddy

Meshyl Bonjoc's toy poodle, Fluffy

Michael Chimel's huskies, Aspen and Rocky

Natalie Groshon's morkie, Charlie

Nemo Boonchoolertrat's sugar glider, Chanel

Olivia John's guinea pig, Cookie

Samantha Jahjah's Australian shepard poodle, Oscar

Ana Gherman's dog, Ollie

The long-awaited “Forever Yogurt” frozen-yogurt shop has arrived! Located at 5687 W. Touhy Ave. in Village Crossing, the shop’s “Coming Soon” posters have been hung up since last summer, so I was excited to see people bustling in and out, carrying pink cups of self-serve frozen yogurt. As a yogurt lover, I had to give the new shop a try.

As I entered the shop, the hot pink, glittery walls gave off a Barbie decor feel. This would usually turn me off, but the fact that those pink walls were adorned with endless flavors of self-serve yogurts and toppings made up for the girly atmosphere quickly. If you’re in the mood for something fruity, grab a cup of “Very Strawberry,” “Blueberry Acai Tart,” or “Mango Tango.” Something  unique? Try “Mom’s Cake Batter,” “Salted Caramel Corn,” or “Euro Tart.” And of course there are the classics, like French Vanilla and Chocolate. These are just a few of the flavors offered from  the 16 dispensers running. In addition to yogurt flavors, there are 49 toppings available, including “Gummi Worms”, “Granola crisp,” fresh fruit, and various cereals.

Left: Euro Tart yogurt topped with mangos, kiwis, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
Right: French Vanilla and Angel Food Cake yogurt topped with graham crackers, Oreos, and chocolate sprinkles.

The true joy of “Forever Yogurt,” however, is not the plethora of options, but the interactive experience of self-serve dispensers. As soon as you walk in, you can grab a cup and start pulling yogurt levers, scooping sliced fruits, and spilling out dry toppings. You can mix and match flavors to your taste-buds delight without waiting for a server to have all the fun creating your frozen masterpiece.

That said, don’t get too carried away! Whatever goes in your cup costs 49 cents per ounce: a reasonable price, yet it adds up fast. Plus, an ounce is so much smaller than expected, especially when filling your cup with deliciousness is so simple and not monitored by a paid professional.

That said, the  $6 you’re likely to spend on your frozen treat will be worth it. All the the toppings looked fresh (especially the fruit) and each yogurt flavor was refreshing in a unique way. Feel free to ask for a sample cup at the front, and try a few flavors before making your final decisions.

You will not regret spending the hot summer days and nights at Forever Yogurt, open every day from 11 am to midnight.

The Niles West Girls’ Track Team sent seven competitors to the IHSA Girls’ 3A Track and Field State meet.

Senior Sunshine Simon qualified for the 100 and 300 hurdle races, placing first at the Sectional meet at Loyola last Thursday, in addition to the triple jump, where she was the runner-up.  Her twin sister, senior Sunbright Simon also qualified for the 300 hurdles, coming in second place to her sister at Sectionals.

Other qualifiers included the 1600 meter relay of sophomore Katherine DeLara, freshman Jasmine Williams, and the Simon sisters, sophomore Fiona Kanam and senior Jasmine Townsend for shotput, and senior Vishna Patel for discus.

The meet’s prelims will take place in Charleston, IL on the Eastern Illinois University Track, and the finals will take place on the following day.

Patel said she is excited for the team’s prospects at state.

“We have a very talented team this year and the underclassmen have really been stepping it up, she said. “I’m excited for the future of the team after us seniors leave, and we all look forward to ending our season on a high note.”

The American Cancer Society will be hosting their fifth annual Battle of the Bands Fundraiser on Sunday, May 19 at Cubby Bear North in Lincolnshire at noon. The event is open to any high school pop and rock bands with more than 30 bands competing in previous years.

The event gives bands the chance to perform for a live audience, including professional judges who will provide each band with feedback on their performances. All proceeds of the event go to The American Cancer Society.

Senior Merrill Miller will be competing in the event with his two bands, Mirage (Rock & Roll Club) and Unpaved.

“We’re playing [in the event] because we’ve never done Battle of the Bands before, so it’s a new experience,” Miller said. “We’re practicing a lot and getting ready for a hopefully successful performance.”

Mirage will be playing “China Grove” by The Doobie Brothers, “I Saw Her Standing There” by The Beatles, and “Plush” by Stone Temple Pilots. Unpaved will be playing “In Bloom” by Nirvana, and “Surrender” by Cheap Trick and “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple.

Activities Director Jessica Pritzker, who sent the email on Battle of the Bands to students,said this event will give students the opportunity to showcase their and that students should attend the event.

“Watching live music is a great way to enjoy oneself,” she said. “I think there are a lot of bands that just play without showing off their talents and they should realize [from the event] how they should get better and show their talents.”

To learn more about the Battle of the Bands competition, you can visit www.bandsbattlingcancer.org for more information.

Here are the winners of the 2013 senior supplement categories! Thank you to all who participated.

Best Dressed: Robert Marohn and Lily Chatman

Best Hair: Nick Michaelesko and Vera Ratner

Best Smile: Courtney McGee and Jessie Simkins

Best Selfies- Sneh Sukhadia and Dylan Lanoff

Bromance: Robert Svaia and Jack Thornton

Best Friends: Dylan Lanoff and Amanda Shafer

Most School Spirited: Dustin Dumanlang and Katie McDonagh

Best Personality: Max Collins and Evangeline Alpogianis

Best Laugh: Simon Kim and Lara Dankha

Best Sense of Humor: Michael Gonzales and Shana Nissan

Cutest Couple: Jake Glotzer and Evangeline Alpogianis

Most Talented in the Arts: Jason Lupas and Riana Vujovich

Most Athletic: Vaughn Monreal-Berner and Molly Kleppin

Most Intelligent: Patrick Liscio and Sheryl Cherian

Favorite Teachers: Mr. Wack and Mrs. Schmidt

Most Attractive: George Webb and Katherine Hornung

Most Opinionated: Cody Inglesby and Vera Ratner

Most Changed Since Freshman Year: Tarik Ceric and Sondra Vujovich

Most Likely to Be Successful: Patrick Liscio and Sheryl Cherian

Most Sarcastic: Jack Thornton and Mary Mirza

Most Likely to Be Arrested for Gotcha: Sam Conrad and Mary Mirza

Most Likely to Be Late to Graduation: Bobby Tran and Nicholle Fourkas

Most Likely to Brighten Your Day: Alex Darville and Jessie Simkins

Most Likely to End Up on a Reality TV Show: Faris Karaman, Zack Mubark and JeanneMarie Mandley

Worse Case of Senioritis: Cody Inglesby and Jackie Dalzell

Teachers’ Pet: Justin Sia and Ellie Weil

Theater will be putting on their annual Portraits Advanced Theater Showcase, this year’s title called “30 in 60″ Tuesday, May 21 at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater.

30 original plays will be put on in 60 seconds, one right after the other. The format is modeled after popular theater troupe  ”The Neo-Futurists.” Audience members will be the ones in charge of picking the order of the plays. Each member receives a “menu” of the performances. The plays are numbered and have their respective numbered clothespins hanging in the back of the theater.

“It’s not passive theater  It uses humor or political tone to activate emotion or change in the audience,” theater director Andrew Sinclair said.

The plays must be original and must be from the perspective of the writer. The plays’ genres are either comedy, political, or they discuss serious issues.

Sinclair said that the Portraits show is always trying to do something different.

“Every year we try to do something experimental[with this show[. Last year we did "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." We've done a show where there were no words, only music. We try to be non-traditional, experimental, and do something that is not part of the regular theater season," Sinclair said.

The 21 students involved in "30 in 60" are  sophomores Janessa Arango, Katie Doherty, Samantha Larkins, Cynthia Ruberry,  Scott Albaum, Andre Eramia, Marie Pamatmat, Brian Sands,  and Marian Ismayl; juniors Daniel Bedoya, Caleigh Havansek, Lila Gilbert, and Susy Montoya-Quinchia; and seniors Aria Caldwell, Sam Elkin, Isaiah Gardner, Becca Gratch, Mary Mando, Merrick McWherter, Sarah Meehan, and Rudy Newman.

Junior Lila Gilbert believes that the variety of plays will attract audiences.

"It is literally written by students for students. There's sure to be something you can relate to and laugh at," Gilbert said.

The price is $4, unless students want to roll a die to either pay less than the $4 or end up paying a few dollars over the set price. The die  is the way the "Neo-Futurists" set up their price of admission.

"Experimental theater is always exciting.[The plays] are taken from text to performance to response. Everything is organically grown,” Sinclair said. “The variety that the audience can see is pretty cool.”

When she has her cupcake carrier at hand, you can expect senior Katie McDonagh to be selling something deliciously colorful. From her famous tie-dye creations to her marshmallow Easter bunny decorations, McDonagh always tries to design her cupcakes to fit every occasion.

“I like to be festive and make [cupcakes] for the holidays,” McDonagh said. “Like, I’ll make cupcakes on St. Patrick’s day because I’m Irish.”

Baking runs in the family as McDonaghs’s family methods have been passed down from her grandmother, to her mother, and of course, down to herself.

McDonagh uses her baking skills to help Breakfast Club and Yearbook raise money and is currently selling to raise money towards Relay for Life. With her long-time experience with baking, McDonagh has tried many different recipes and has learned to make many different sweets.

“[I like to make] tie-dye cupcakes, chocolate strawberries too,” McDonagh said. “I recently tried this new recipe where you put a cookie at the bottom and a cake around it.”

McDonagh’s tie-dye cupcakes are particularly popular amongst students. She shares that her secret to their enticingly vibrant colors are the dyes she uses.

“There’s a whole process [to make tie-dye cupcakes] and I would say the key is to get a good dye,” she said. “Certain dyes make them more vibrant. The cheap dollar dies don’t really do that.”

Katie McDonagh's Food Creations, Photo by Katie McDonagh

Katie McDonagh's Food Creations, Photo by Katie McDonagh

Katie McDonagh's Food Creations, Photo by Katie McDonagh

Katie McDonagh's Food Creations, Photo by Katie McDonagh

Katie McDonagh's Food Creations, Photo by Katie McDonagh

Besides baking, McDonagh also loves to run and has been involved in cross country.

“Running clears my head, and baking also clears my head,” McDonagh said.

McDonagh is very optimistic, yet a bit nervous about her future after West. When asked what she would do with a million dollars, McDonagh replied that she would set money aside for her future child as she is “freaking out” about paying for college and wouldn’t want her kids to have to worry about paying for their education.

McDonagh is such a free-spirited person that she wishes she could spend every moment of her life doing what she wants to do most.

“I see myself living in a big city,” she said. “I don’t want to have a family until much later in life and I want to travel a lot. I want to live my life as much as I can. I would travel to Bora Bora because it’s gorgeous with the bluest waters and beaches. “My dream is to lay on the beach alone while doing absolutely nothing. I’d lay around, read a book, and listen to music.” I would like to start my own business and then I would donate [money]  to a charity called Women and Me. It’s an organization in Chicago that helps women abused by their husbands. I help with them [now] and heard their stories of how they walk away from terrible situations. I would also give money to my parents.”

McDonagh believes that one flaw she sees in herself is that she tends to overthink things. When reflecting back on her high school experiences, McDonagh realizes how much she has changed since freshman year.

“I feel the school hasn’t changed, but I found out what was really important and not things I used to worry about,” she said. “My morals and priorities have changed. Softball used to be one of my top priorities, but I didn’t want to do it anymore because I wasn’t doing it for me, so I started caring about myself and stopped playing softball. One saying I go by is by Ernest Hemingway and it’s ‘When you stop doing things that are fun, you might as well be dead.’”

As a senior, McDonagh would like to share a bit of advice to underclassmen.

“You have to challenge yourself,” McDonagh said. “You only have four years to give it your all. Get involved and surround yourself with quality people. Like, my best friends are always going to be there for me, and a lot of people don’t have that. Everyone should do a sport here [as well] because when you screw up in a team sport, everyone suffers and you just have to keep your head high, which is a concept that applies in the real world. Also, always dress up for spirit days.”

McDonagh will be attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to major in business and major or minor in political science.

“[My greatest achievement in life so far] was getting into the college of my choice,” she said. “I know it’s made my parents very proud because they didn’t have the same opportunities. I feel so lucky I get to live the life my parents didn’t have. It makes me happy that I can fulfill their dreams. I will miss sitting in the hallway before first period with my friends and complaining about all the tests I have to take.”

Curious about Katie? Here are some Fun Facts:

- Her favorite food is ice cream and she enjoys watching movies in her free time with a recent interest in foreign films. The last movie she saw that she liked was “Django” and she has watched “Inglorious Bastards” at least ten times.

- She feels that West’s English teacher, Sharon Swanson, has taught her the most valuable lessons about life and being responsible that she has not learned from other teachers.

- She used to play volleyball and softball and believes that they have “built so much character” in her.

NWN: Who is an inspirational figure in your life?

McDonagh: “My middle school principal. She took me under her wing when I was in eighth grade, and she taught me to pitch. She helped me when I didn’t have any confidence in myself and made me want to try hard and become a leader.”

District 219′s Dance Marathon will be held Saturday, May 25 at Niles North from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday, May 26.

Students who did not raise the required amount of money, or students who are not officially a part of Dance Marathon, can pay hourly at the dance. The price is $7 an hour leading up to 11 p.m. when the power hour price becomes $11 for 11 p.m. until 12 a.m.

Dance Marathon sponsor Jessica Pritzker feels that students should attend even if they are not officially a part of Dance Marathon because of the impact the dance has on the charity.

“Everyone who wants to help families in need, or make a difference in the world should attend! It’s a great event full of fun, that makes a huge difference to others each year by donating to charities.  DM literally changes the lives of people that benefit from these charities, and to see the looks on the charities faces when we announce totals at the end of the night is something that imprints upon you as a person and inspires you to do more for others,” Pritzker said.

This year’s charity is Rustic Falls Nature Camp, a facility that offers nature programs for at risk youth, or children with illness or disabilities. West executives had to raise $350 each, morale captains  had to raise $150 each, and dancers had to raise $100 each in order to get into the dance for free, eat and drink for free,  and receive a free T-shirt.

Senior executive Lyba Zia agrees with Pritzker that students should come and support Rustic Falls at the dance.

“Rustic Falls Nature Camp is local and dear to many students at West and North. The Lentz family has created an amazing camp to give children in need the chance to recuperate through nature. We have had numerous volunteer days at the camp, and the response from Dancers and Morale Captains was amazing. This charity truly deserves all the funds and awareness that District 219 has been raising, and I can’t wait for all of our efforts to come together on May 25,” Zia said.

Senior executive Basia Gawin is proud of her dedication to Dance Marathon this year.

“May 25 is our reward for a whole year of hard work. I am sad that this is my last year being a part of Niles West DM. I have greatly enjoyed working with all the amazing people in this organization. DM will be the first club I join in college and will absolutely come back to Niles West’s DM [in the future],” Gawin said.

Zia agrees with Gawin.

“I love Dance Marathon! I love the entire structure of the organization. As an exec, I have so much say in what happens and am part of the entire process from selecting the charity to helping plan the night of DM event. As an organization, Dance Marathon has done so much for its beneficiaries, but as a community, it has left me empowered. I can’t wait to participate in Dance Marathon at the college level,” Zia said.

Pritzker believes that this year’s Dance Marathon volunteers have made a large impact.

“I feel as though the groups really have made an effort to volunteer more this year and we have brought many individuals that aren’t even in DM up to Rustic Falls to help them build their camp,” Prtizker said.  ” Watching the Rustic Falls camp really transform over the course of a year in small part due to our help has been really wonderful.”

Theatre will be hosting two completely different improv shows Thursday, May 23 at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre.

15 actors will be performing. They are freshmen Elissa Hoffman,Nicole Miller, Josephine O’ Shaughnessy, and  Elisabeth Schapmann; sophomores Mira Berkson,Sharon Pasia, and Andre Eramia; juniors Daniel Bedoya, Cameron Broderick, Surdeep Chauhan, Lila Gilbert,  and Jessie Rosell; and seniors Peter Garbis, Ari Hoffman, and Emma Zivkovic.

Theatre director Andrew Sinclair feels that the troupe this year will make the shows successful.

“We have a really good troupe. We have creative and funny people,” Sinclair said.

The shows are 100% student run. They will have a mixture of improv acts and games with the audiences.

Senior Emma Zivkovic feels that the audience will enjoy the participation aspect of the shows.

“Improv is different and exciting. The audience is involved 95 percent of the time and they control a lot of what the actors do. It is hilarious and interesting because we switch from one improv “game” to another frequently and it is impossible for it to get boring,” Zivkovic said.

Junior Surdeep Chauhan agrees with Zivkovic.

“Students need to see the improv show because it is cheap, funny, and an audience participates as much as our members do. If they come they might even be able to participate in some of our games!” Chauhan said.

Tickets will cost $3.

“At the end of a very stressful week, especially for seniors, isn’t it great to go to a room and laugh for a while?” Sinclair said.

He’s hard to miss, walking down the halls of Niles West. One period he is walking briskly to his office, the next he is smiling, talking to students and teachers.

Senior Audrey Buban enjoys seeing dean Mark Rigby around the halls.

“Whenever I see him, he’s always singing. He’s singing all the time, and his voice isn’t bad. He seems like a really nice person,” she said.

However, Rigby has not always been a high school dean. Actually, his first years at West weren’t even as a dean, but as a math teacher.

In 1992, Rigby graduated college from West Point, America’s military college located in New York. Rigby explains that part of the reason he joined the military was because his father was in the military.

“I was a military brat,” Rigby said, laughing. “I moved eleven times before I was eighteen because of my dad getting stationed in different places.”

After college, Rigby went into the forces and was active for five and a half years, and he served as a Second Lieutenant initiatory officer. He was stationed in places all over the country, from Fort Benning in Georgia to Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

Rigby also spent some time overseas training in Panama, and he was stationed in Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula for several months.

During his training, Rigby took a number of courses that would contribute to his knowledge and safety while serving. He took part in Army Airborne school, which taught soldiers how to jump from planes while using  a parachute. This schooling helped soldiers gain leadership and confidence in case of emergencies. Rigby also participated in Ranger and air assault school.

“Ranger school basically taught you survival skills, and air assault school was all about helicopters which was pretty cool,” Rigby said.

After five years of active duty, Rigby decided it was time to retire from the army life and start a family of his own. ” I wanted to have a family,” he said, “and I didn’t want them to have to go through the constant moving from place to place.”

Starting a family was not the only reason Rigby wanted to leave the army. During the ’90s, there were lots of small issues with countries like Haiti.

“A lot of these disputes I felt were unneeded,” Rigby said. “President Clinton assigned us ways to protect ourselves that I thought were strange. We were fighting in these countries where we really didn’t need to be, and I didn’t want to give up my life in a place that I was not needed in.”

So, after his service in the army, Rigby decided he wanted to teach or coach. So, he went back to school to get the degree and preparation he needed and became a math teacher here at Niles West in 1999. Rigby taught at all high school levels for eight years along with coaching football and track. But that all changed when he was approached one day by a coworker.

“I never really had any want in becoming a dean; it just sort of happened,” Rigby said. “I was approached by a coworker who told me that there was an opening for a dean, and they thought I should apply. So, here I am six years later, a dean.”

“Rigby is a super cool guy. When you meet with him, it’s not like you’re talking to a teacher. It’s more relaxed, and he’s really understanding,” senior Sneh Sukhadia said.

Typically, Rigby helps students who are dealing with some issues, or need to work a school related problem out. Despite the fact that he helps students, part of the job also requires giving out detention slips to students. When a student walks into his office, he is able to name them immediately, and in a second he has found a paper with their name on it. He gives the student the detention slip and tells them they need to have it served by a certain date. The student does not argue and walks out.

“The most important thing about being a dean is being consistent with students,” Rigby said. “By being consistent, the student can see where I am coming from, which eventually breeds trust. It’s not just the students– this trust has to come from parents also.”

It is obvious to see that Rigby enjoys his job, although sometimes it can be hectic because of the fast pace with which the office sometimes runs.

“Being a dean suits me. I like helping students overcome their struggles and build trust with each of my students.”

There is no better way to describe it other than integrity, which just might be the key to being a successful dean.

Senior Mara Shapiro on graduating from Niles West.

I still remember walking into NWN adviser Evelyn Lauer’s second semester journalism class my freshman year. I was nervous and extremely timid with  my writing. But that class changed my writing and future at West forever.

While I have dabbled in sports, reviews, and opinion writing throughout my NWN career, my first love is the 10th Period section. I had the honor of not only being its editor this year, but last year as well. What I love about the section is that it showcases and honors so many talented students and wonderful activities. From academic teams to cultural clubs and Lit. Center,  to philanthropic clubs, and finally, theatre/fine arts, it has it all. And not only can you write news stories, but detailed features as well. Through this section, I have come to know many interesting students and teachers and I thank them all for allowing me into their worlds as well as always getting back to me whenever I emailed them.

As for NWN itself, it truly has been a blast being a part of it. I met so many Jerds (journalism nerds,) and they’re all awesome and talented people who will definitely go far in life.  From our Food Fridays, to the spring journalism conference in San Francisco where we won our second Pacemaker (even though we’re just  a three year old site,) we have become a family. I thank them for making second period eventful every day.  I especially want to thank Lauer for all that she has done for this paper. I wouldn’t know how to write a feature story from a news story without her.

Overall, journalism has been one of the biggest parts of my life here at West. It has taught me a lot about writing and has given me confidence in what I put onto paper (or WordPress in our case.)  Although staying after school for hours or coming in on the weekends were sometimes tough, seeing people read and comment on my hard work made it all worth it. And while not everyone will give you five stars on a story, or will say something not so nice  or unnecessary in their comments , it helps the writer grow as a person. It shows you made people care and that people are reading you. And that, to me, is success.

I hope to join the Daily Illini next year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign because I truly can’t imagine not asking a person”can I quote you on that?” ever again. I’m sure the staff next year will work just as hard and put out the quality work we have been trained to write for the past three years. I’m sure my successor, junior Fatima Farha, will be a great 10th Period editor next year. I can’t wait to see next year’s plaque showing the NWN to be a third time Pacemaker winner. Goodbye Niles West, it’s been real, and thanks for reading!

Her alarm clock rings at exactly 7:00 a.m., waking up senior Lashay Green for another day of school. She steps out of her room; a cozy, yet small area where the white brick walls are clad with images of musicians, fashionistas, and symbols expressing Green’s beliefs. Grabbing a slice of frozen cheese pizza from Home-Run-Inn for breakfast, she casually slips on black leggings, a plaid shirt tied around her waist, Doc Martens, and possibly her signature and favorite item, silver chains, and heads for the bus for yet another day in the life of the oh- so- known Lashay Green.

Walking down the halls during a passing period, it’s hard to miss Green. It could be for two prominent reasons: one, for her signature and original style, and two, for her vibrant and vivacious personality. But before Niles West, Green was a little different, and didn’t quite know who she was. That’s when style helped her become the girl she is today, inside and out.

Although Green was trying to fit in with all the other girls in eighth grade by thrifting for typical jeans and t-shirts, she now thrifts for clothes that allow her to express her creativity.

“I just look for stuff with cool patterns, stuff that’s weird. I like old-people clothes,” she said.

Stepping into the world of Niles West changed both her style and personality.

“Realizing that people looked different in a big way, but had a lot in common with me, helped me become my own person and made me want to be friends with diverse groups of people.”

Her new environment and self confidence allowed her to fully express herself through her appearance.

Two years passed, and by the time sophomore year rolled around, Green decided to take a big risk with her appearance, so she shaved half her head.

“I started to care about my appearance, and was tired of wearing things everyone else wore. I didn’t want to look like everyone else,” she said.

Close friend and senior Lois Le reminisces on the years before Green started to transform.

“I’ve been friends with her since before high school. She was always a great person, but really started becoming her own person going into sophomore year. I was with her the first time she shaved her head, and when she got graphics as well, so I’ve been through a lot with her. She’s blossomed into a raw and sick individual.”

After Green shaved her head, she added tattoos and piercings to emphasize her unique physical appearance. Her first tattoo was a cross on the back of her hand, representing her faithful devotion to God. She also has a heart behind her ear, along with five piercings, and she embraces all of them. Green says she feels more confident knowing that her mother supports her with all of her decisions.

“Who else’s parent lets them get tattoos, piercings, shave their head and dress like a fool? She let’s me express myself.”

As Green started to mold into the person she is today, she started expressing her interests and creative sayings in a big way.

When asked how Green has transformed from freshman to senior year, homeroom teacher Tamara Jaffee-Notier couldn’t help but gush.

“Well, I like her hair!” she said with a chuckle. “But, no, Lashay has always been an imaginative and creative person. She’s brought her imagination into the world, but has become more pragmatic in her daily life. She doesn’t let go of her idealism in her daily life.”

Through social media, Green has made the word, “trill” her mantra. The saying started in the earlier years of the hip-hop industry, and its meaning means a lot to Green.

“It means to stay true to yourself, or it could simply mean, ‘you look nice today.’”

Green is also trying to set a trend with the word, “wavy,” meaning someone is attractive, or one dresses in a nice manner.

“It’s like “trill” but ten times better,” she says with a laugh.

Through the hip-hop industry, Green has not only started setting trends with words, but rap music has been therapeutic to her on a personal level.

Through Green’s transformation, she’s become quite popular on the Facebook scene. Just by making simple statuses such as ”I swear people can’t be alone these days. It seems like we convince ourselves we NEED to be in relationships,” expressing her mind is what she does best.

Friend and fellow senior Nicholle Fourkas speaks highly of Green.

“She’s a very interesting person, and super fun. She tells it like it is, but she can get along with anyone.”

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m not a crier. I don’t cry when I watch sad movies, I usually don’t cry when people die, and I certainly don’t cry at joyous events like graduation. This will all change for me on Thursday, May 30 for three reasons:

1. Niles West has been too good to me. Obviously the education was pretty good. I’ve had opportunities to study whatever I wanted, like engineering and journalism, which has had a profound impact on my career path (I plan to study industrial engineering at the University of Michigan in the fall.) We’re lucky to go to a school with broad opportunities. Sure, universities and colleges will have good programs and facilities, but I’ll never forget the “productive” study halls in the Oakton Lobby and Lit. Center classroom, nor the hard workouts in the weight room and cardio lab.

But facilities alone will not create nostalgia. Nostalgia stems from the support of the faculty and staff of West. I’m blessed that I’ve interacted with so many influential teachers, administrators, and coaches. Each one has something special to bring to the table, and with the right combination, I was pretty much set up for success.

I can’t thank Lauer enough for what she’s done for the NWN and its staff. If it wasn’t for Ms. Lietz, would I still pursue a degree in engineering? Mr. Costante created an atmosphere that left me wishing it was Tuesday or Thursday every day of the week just so I could spend ten minutes in WolfPack. And this is only a very short list. Leaving these people behind will be difficult, but their job at West isn’t done; they still have generations of lives to inspire. Therefore, they must stay behind as we move forward.

2. We’ve laughed, we’ve grown, but most importantly, we’ve changed. Niles West was the place where it all happened. Our personalities evolve, our goals change, and we suddenly have a better sense of what we want out of life. We may have lost touch with friends on the way because of our new realizations, but the beautiful part is that there was always somewhere here to support you, whether it be a teacher or a new friend. During the four years here, you change, you grow apart from people, and you meet fascinating new people. This continues until you find the perfect group of friends.

I’m so happy I’ve found mine. It’s comforting to know that Eleni has been here since kindergarten  and always will be there– no matter what. I don’t know what I’d do without Divya, Jamesha, Connor, Katie, Kimmee, Sam, or Simon. From cramming for a physics test until the wee hours of the morning to driving to Bloomington to watch the state golf tournament, there was never a dull moment. To think that I can’t be with them everyday starting this fall is heartbreaking.

3. I’d love to think my life was a Carrie Underwood song: “I will see you again/ This is not where it ends/ I will carry you with me/ ‘Til I see you again.” Sure, a lot of the lessons I’ve learned from West will never be forgotten, but will “I see you again?” Outside of my closest group of friends, I don’t think it’ll be as simple to see someone as it is now. At West, you walk down a few hallways, and boom– there’s the person you’re looking for.

It’s a bit different in the real world; a rendezvous requires conscious effort and planning. We may not be best friends, or even good friends, but all it takes is one unique encounter, and a person can’t be forgotten. The idea of never seeing these people frightens me. But realistically, what are the chances of keeping in touch with everyone I met in high school? Not likely. This epiphany strikes me the hardest– that even though we spent four years of our lives together, I may never encounter your presence again.

So seniors, as you walk through the halls of Niles West one last time today as Niles West students, think about your time here. Take the time to appreciate what was given to us. Analyze how much you’ve taken advantage of the resources here at West. For one final time, enjoy being a Wolf.

If I don’t see you at graduation, good luck in the future. May you always find your way back to your roots: #2013

About a year after Kirk (Chris Pine) becomes captain of the USS Enterprise, the crew is charged with exploring and classifying distant civilizations, but Kirk gets court-martialed for breaking protocol and loses his captain rank. At a meeting involving high-ranking members of Starfleet, they are attacked by a ship commanded by a rogue Starfleet officer, John Harrison. Kirk’s position is reinstated but with a new purpose, kill Harrison. Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the USS Enterprise must do so without starting an all-out war with the Klingon race, as Harrison is hiding in their territory. What follows is an epic sci-fi action thriller filled with space fights, betrayals, tragedies, and some comedy thrown in the mix.

While there are many things set up in the story to make this a truly standout film, most of the movie’s idea are never truly fleshed out, feeling mostly like a retread of the first film. Kirk is immature, no one trusts him, there is a bad guy doing something evil on a far planet, they fight between two ships for a bit, then its pretty much over. No sprawling worlds to explore like the USS Enterprise is supposed to. No “boldly going where no man has gone before,” except for the first scene on a primitive alien world, which is probably one of the best scenes in the movie. Kirk and Spock go through the same arcs they did in the first film, the conflict is resolved far too quickly, and ultimately it just feels like nothing happened. There is virtually nothing different at the end of this movie than the end of the first. This movie never quite lives up to its potential, except for the superb cast.

Director of the first movie, J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Super 8”), returns for the sequel after revitalizing the franchise with the incredibly fun blockbuster. With his massive success with the first film, and his extensive background in sci-fi television shows, he seems well suited to the task. Unfortunately, maybe it was time for someone else to take the reins. J.J. Abrams is known to having never been a fan of Star Trek prior to his commitment to the first film, so it’s impressive enough that he made the first movie so good, but it looks he couldn’t quite pull off “Into Darkness.” With Abrams being the official king of sci-fi, as he’s also directing “Star Wars Episode VII,” I can’t say he’s quite the right man for the job. I hope his being a bigger fan of Star Wars than Star Trek means that he’ll do a better job with that one.

Chris Pine reprises his role as the fun-loving, rule-breaking, obstinate yet heroic Captain James T. Kirk. He does a solid job here of making Kirk a very human and flawed hero. He is always trying to do the good thing, even if he isn’t always the most level-headed about things, which is where his crew comes in the balance him out and help him be the best he can be. He makes Kirk feel like an everyman, yet still a badass action hero and someone to respect. If only the character had a better story arc for this film, as it’s basically the same as the first. His chemistry with Zachary Quinto is his highlight of the series.

Quinto (“Heroes”) as the half-human, half-Vulcan Spock is possibly the best part of this movie, just as he was in the first. He does a fantastic job of keeping Spock as stoic, emotionless, and calculating while still retaining subtly retaining the deeper emotions hidden inside that make him so compelling. Quinto is also good at bringing out the humor in the character, making him less boring than he could be, and very endearing. Despite all of these qualities, when Spock gets mad, you can see why his coldness is necessary, as Quinto really makes Spock someone you wouldn’t want to mess with when he’s angry.

Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock,” “Parade’s End”) plays his biggest movie role yet as the main antagonist, John Harrison. With his incredibly deep voice and skinny frame making him feel off, yet imposing, and his uncanny ability to play stoic geniuses proven by playing the stoic genius in “Sherlock.” He provides a lot of depth to the character, while making him truly threatening and unpredictable. He is at times sympathetic, someone you can root for, misunderstood, and completely evil and it all fits. Too bad he ends up feeling fairly underutilized, not truly becoming the main villain until too far into the movie.

The rest of the Enterprise crew do their best with what they’ve got, which isn’t much. The cast isn’t as well balanced as it was in the first, with Zoe Saldana as Uhura, John Cho as Sulu, Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy, and Anton Yelchin as Checkov having limited screen time and no character arcs or development of their own. Oh, and Alice Eve is there too now, with no real lasting impact. It isn’t the actors’ fault, they just weren’t given much to do. Simon Pegg’s Scotty is the only crew member who gets some sort of an arc and a true impact on the story.

Overall, being a fan of the original franchise and a bigger fan of the reboot than I expected to be, I was disappointed. Oddly, when I left the movie, I was content with it, but once I started talking about it, I started noticing all these little distractions that took away from a potentially great movie. The action was good and the jokes were funny, but the story is very thin and it’s nearly a carbon copy of the original. With Abrams now moving on to Star Wars, let’s hope this rebooted franchise can get back on its feet with the next one.

The seniors said goodbye, but I’m saying hello Niles West. As of today, senior and this year’s editor-in-chief Ivana Kosir will be  graduating and stepping down from the NWN throne and handing the crown to incoming senior Alyssa Guzman and me! Yes, Alyssa and I will be the official co -editors-in-chief of the Niles West News for next school year!

Although we will be missing 14 of the best people that have ever worked on this publication, it’s time to welcome some newbies! Junior Breana Brill will be the columns editor. Junior Hafsa Wahid will be the news editor. Junior Ashley Pak will be the features editor. Junior Fatima Farha will be the 10th period editor. Sophomore Vinny Kabat will be the sports editor. Junior Alexandra Daskalopolous and sophomore Paulina Michael will be the social media editors. Junior Daniel Thompson will be the reviews editor. Junior Iza Swider and sophomore Emily Butera will be the photo editors.

Even though our staff will consist of fresh faces for the most part, I promise you’re in very good hands. This website will not crash, fail, or kill you with boredom.

From my first day as a staff reporter, I fell in love with the NWN. This publication has done so much for me with just two years of being on staff. It taught me how to exercise patience, gave me a sense of belongingness, and made me into a stronger and more confident writer. The NWN also gave me this rare privelege of bringing pride and honor to the school through the awards and commendations the staff has been winning and earning for Niles West. This one publication has prepared me to take on countless challenges that life has thrown at me. Hence, it’s but right to give back to this website.

Without a doubt, it is my goal for NWN to make another good run for the Pacemaker award. In addition to that, I, alongside the Niles West News staff, promise to cover relevant and significant stories in the coming year.  And,  if it is at all possible, I look forward to more successful year this online paper .

Congratulations on making it through another momentous year, Niles West. With the share of fire alerts, crazy snow storms, Harlem Shake videos, food strikes, assemblies, saying goodbye to our beloved principal,countless award winning students, and world tragedies , we can confidently say that this year was anything but a snoozer.

Just when you think you can kiss the school goodbye for the summer, don’t forget the NWN. We’ll be updating the site with reviews and other posts frequently.

“When I first saw him, he was an annoying freshman, but then I got to know him and his sense of humor. Now that I talk to him every day he’s really sweet. Kind of like a little brother.”

Junior Haley Mahoney Muno’s first impression on Freshman Dylan Fleites didn’t come as a surprise to the aspiring NFL star. He’s used to having premature judgments made on him based on his outgoing and eccentric personality.

“A lot of people judge me when they first meet me,” Fleites said.

Whether these judgments are based on the fact that he likes to joke around or the clothes he wears (many of you probably remember his outfit on Teacher-Student switch day; Fleites simply stated that he “decided to be a woman teacher”), the bottom line is that there’s more to him than just his fun loving demeanor and football uniform. Fleites’ actions are based on experiences that he’s gone through in the past and the desire to succeed despite all odds.

Dylan Fleites wearing his “teacher-student switch day” costume during spring spirit week.

LIFE AT SCHOOL

Freshman year is a big transition, and no one is more aware of that than Fleites. Being on football and track, his primary focus is sports.

“I only care about school when it comes to being eligible for sports,” he said.

Though football is his main priority, Fleites has slowly but surely come to realize that he’s going to need to take a different approach when it comes to academics next year.

Junior and role model Nick Johnson admits that “he needs to work on his work ethic, and he needs to start now. Hanging out with us (Juniors Garrett Iverson and Boaz Shields) more is gonna get him more involved, and get him in the weight room, and get him practicing more to work on his technique.”

Next year, Fleites plans on showing his peers and coaches his full potential.

“This year, I just kind of like shut down grades and I just wanted to be eligible. Like the grades didn’t matter as long as I could play sports, but I kind of realized that next year I’m gonna have to keep them better.”

Fleites realized that his attitude towards academics has hindered his full potential when it comes to football in terms of how his coaches view him.

“I think that I have the talent [to make varsity] but I feel like the coaches look at my grades and don’t think I’m smart enough,” he said. “Football is not just about muscle, and who’s stronger, it’s about whether or not you’re smarter with the plays you make and what you do.”

Fleites started playing flag football in kindergarten, and in 4th grade he began tackle; he’s been a dedicated player ever since.

“I do workouts in my backyard every day and I do drills. I feel like it’s a waste of money to have someone else show you what to do when you could just learn from watching,” he said.

Fleites has big dreams, and he realizes that he has to take big steps to achieve those dreams. Hoping to attend Michigan State University and become a spartan when the time comes, Fleites has already taken the initiative to get his name out there.

“It was awhile ago, and I just sent him an email that I was interested for him to maybe look at some of my plays, and he said sure, so I hope that by the time I’m a junior or a senior maybe he’ll give me a call and say that he was interested.”

MOTIVATION

Being a freshman and already emailing college football coaches shows an enormous amount of initiative. His desire to succeed has always been instilled within him; it started with his parents.

“Knowing that my family came from [Cuba], they just struggled through things. So, I mean struggling through practices and struggling through playing through an injury is the least I can do for all the things that they did [for me].”

Fleites has three older brothers who all have experience with playing football, but none of them showed the dedication that he does.

“Growing up, I was, I guess, a chubbier kid. I would eat a lot. I always wanted to play running back and just be able to run the ball but they always put me on the line. Then, when I got into high school, I guess I got fast enough and big enough to play running back. Being one of the top running backs or linebackers in the league by the time I’m varsity would be the one thing that I want to prove to anyone who told me I couldn’t run the ball or make the big hits that some kids can.”

Fleites admits that he struggled a lot while attending his middle school, Queen of All Saints.

“I would come home a lot and I would just eat. I wouldn’t stop. I wouldn’t say I was depressed at that age, I would just say that I felt like there was something missing.”

All of the kids who teased Fleites about his weight and told him that he couldn’t successfully play his desired positions is what gave him the drive to prove them wrong. Realizing that football brought him true joy, Fleites decided to make some positive changes.

Fleites’ transformation from middle school to high school

Fleites admits that the people discouraging him were what gave him motivation, but he doesn’t have much to say to them.

“I did better than what they said that I could. I mean, in a way I would thank them I guess, because all of the things that they said to me growing up is what pushed me to try to be better… getting a scholarship to play anywhere would just give me the right to tell them that I did what they told me I couldn’t.”

ON THE NFL

Though Fleites has big dreams to make it in the NFL, he admits that he doesn’t follow it as much as he follows college football.

“I don’t really think the NFL is that good, because I feel like players in the NFL feel like they’ve made it and they don’t have to do anything else. Like they’ve gotten their paychecks and everything, but I feel like players in college play as hard as they can so they can get get to the next level, so I like college a little more,” he said.

Though Fleites doesn’t appreciate the NFL as much as other football fans may, he does admit to admiring Calvin Johnson, the wide receiver for the Detroit Lions.

“I remember that I was watching a E-60 interview with him on ESPN, and I don’t really know that much about him, because I don’t really pay attention to the NFL as much, but he came from a really rough family when he was growing up, but he came through that adversity and he basically just didn’t give up through everything that came his way,” Fleites said.

ROLE MODELS

Not only does Fleites admire an NFL star for his hard work, but he also admires senior James Williams in addition to junior Nick Johnson, as mentioned above.

“I just met [James] this year, and he’s already become a like brother to me. He was always there for me when I was at a low time, and he basically told me that if I’m in pain I just have to play through it,” Fleites said.

Williams has played through various injuries before, and Fleites admires the strength, dedication, and will power he has to continue playing on.

“I had to keep playing for my teammates,” Williams said. “I play aggressive, work hard, and I love my team. Having an injury is a minor thing because pain is only temporary. If you want to succeed then why let something stop you? Go out there and take what you want.”

“I have a lot that my parents can offer me, so I’m gonna try to take advantage of what I have,” Fleites said.

Williams admits that as a little kid, he had some anger issues that carried on, so he decided to play football as a stress reliever. In doing so, he met Fleites, who he refers to as “the little brother he never had.”

“When I look at Dylan, I see a little bit of myself in him,” Williams said. “He is a genuine young adult with a good head on his shoulders. I can honestly say that he has skills on the football field. He has so much potential in him that he will be the main guy that his opponents are going to talk about.”

Similar to Fleites and the hard time he went through in middle school, Williams and Calvin Johnson have both had instances where they had to overcome adversity to succeed.

Though his other role model, Nick Johnson, is inspiring to Fleites for different reasons, they are legitimate reasons nonetheless.

“Me and Nick started talking recently. We went to a couple hockey games together. A couple weeks ago, I was going through something, and I was having a problem, and I called him and I was like, ‘can I talk to you?’ And the next day he came and picked me up and we talked about what was wrong, and he helped me through it. He’s great at football, and just everything that he does, he does it to his full ability,” Fleites said.

Nick considers Fleites as a little brother, and admits that, “he’s a good kid. He’s just been through a lot. I feel like the reason I try to help him out is because he’s in a position where he needs older male figures to keep him on track. That’s why I’m okay with helping him out whenever he needs it.”

The changes that Fleites has made have been encouraged by his new friends at West.

“I feel like the kids here, they support me and they’re more understanding,” Fleites said.

Not only does Fleites look up to teammates and NFL stars, but one of his biggest role models happens to be a former NFL star himself.

Coach Michael Blair was Fleites’ freshman coach, and he was also a running back in the NFL for the Greenbay Packers.

“When I seem like I’m not at my fullest ability during practice or something like that, he just pulls me aside and asks me what’s wrong.”

Fleites appreciates the fact that Coach Blair doesn’t simply see him as a player that can lead his team to success, but as an actual person.

“He’s one of those coaches that really cares about who’s on his team and who we are [as people],” Fleites said. A COACH’S PERSPECTIVE

Having played at the highest level, Coach Blair says that he “strongly believes in the psychological aspect of the game,” which is why he’s able to connect with his players on a deeper level.

“I understand the emotional feels that every player is going through at that time, and at the end of the day we all have adversities outside of football that we have to overcome and have to deal with. The sport of football is where [the players can] let go of that energy of having problems and things of that nature. [Football] is one of the sports where you can go through every emotion in 5 seconds. You can be happy, you can be sad, you can feel irritated. You can feel all those things in that one play, and then you start all over again and you do that for 80-100 plays in the next three hours.” “I know a lot goes into it, and because of that, each athlete needs that attention. They need that outlet to have that discussion with somebody. So I try to talk about that as well as talking about the game.”

Coach Blair is not only able to connect with his players because of his professional experience, but he also owes some of his wisdom to his father, who played professional national soccer for Jamaica. Coach Blair’s father constantly reminded him that there’s a time and a place for everything.

“At the time he told me that I had no clue what he was talking about, but now as I got older, I understand that fully. It’s not just playing the game. It’s knowing that you have to be serious when somebody is having a serious conversation with you, knowing that you can’t have your emotions get in the way where you can’t fully think on the field, knowing that the classroom is the classroom, and you have to be studious in the classroom, knowing that you’re not going to school to love the teacher, you’re going to school to learn.”

Coach Blair uses a philosophy that he calls parallel learning: what you do on the field is what you do on the field, and what you do off the field reflects back onto the field.

“Playing the game is great, it’s a beautiful thing, but what you do off the field is as equal or more important than what you do on the field. So that’s why it’s important to know that there’s a time and place for everything,” he said.

At this moment in time, football is the main focus of Fleites’ life. He’s on the journey to reaching his number one priority: playing football for as long as he can, but Fleites is more than aware of the probability of his dreams coming true.

“It’s more of a dream, and not all your dreams are going to come true. There’s a very slight possibility that anyone makes it into the NFL, and if I did it would be the greatest thing ever, but if I didn’t, I could always do something else to make me happy,” he said.

That “something else” would most likely be construction or architecture, two completely different fields from his current passion, but his interest in construction comes from his father, who is also involved in the construction business. As for architecture, Fleites enjoys building things out of nothing.

“You just take something and make it into something,” Fleites said.

“As of now with my skills and capabilities [with football] compared to some other kids at other schools, I haven’t developed into enough of a player yet that can say I am or am not able to make it the NFL.”

 THE REAL DYLAN

Roll out the red carpet and grab a mouse because an internet star has been born within the halls of Niles West. With a click of a button, you can see senior Douglas Bako reel in views on Youtube with his viral cover of Ed Sheeran’s song Wayfaring Stranger. His entrancing voice and interesting integration of modern day technology have become a hit on the internet. Bako did not discover his talents until 7th or 8th grade when his father taught him to play the guitar and sing and applauded his skills.  Since then, Bako has continued singing and his internet fame began on Youtube where his friend had uploaded a video of him using an app called Voice Jam on his iPhone.

“I was at my friends house and I was showing his dad how the app works and he recorded it and put it up,” Bako said.

Bako’s cover of Wayfaring Stranger by Ed Sheeran and has received over 500,000 views on Youtube with over 10,000 likes since its upload date on January 30, 2013. The video also became viral on Facebook with more than 8,700 likes, 546 comments, and 2,400 shares.

“[The internet popularity] is amazing,” Bako said. I can’t believe how many people add and message me on Facebook who don’t even know me and [contact] me from Iceland. Like, wow, people from Iceland like me! It’s just amazing.”

Because of the positive responses his cover had received, Bako was offered a partnership from Youtube.

“I get paid per view, per subscribe, per like,” Bako shared. “I was amazed considering I was getting closer to making a career [out of music].”

As someone who isn’t “the biggest fan of school,” Bako spends most of his time doing what he loves: writing and composing music.

“[My life is] just school, homework, music, sleep, and then the same thing again,” he said.

Bako plans to attend Oakton Community College for a couple of years and pursue his music. However, because of his family’s involvement in his life, he also tries to be a bit realistic and is interested in becoming a contractor like his father as his back-up plan.

“My mom’s always super realistic about things,” he said. “She thinks [my music] should just be a hobby and wants me to go to college and pursue things. My dad is more about chasing my dreams and my younger brother is a singer, too.”

With the determination to make his dreams come true, Bako auditioned for American Idol and The Voice in 2012 and was rejected in both auditions.

“It’s hard,” he said. “You wait in line for several hours and wonder if you can be the one. That was before [my video was on] Youtube.”

Aside from creating music and posting covers, Bako has been a member of West’s award-winning male acapella group, Echo Effect, for three years.

“Echo effect is my second family,” said Bako. “[They are] my brothers. Echo Effect has allowed me to meet so many different people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Before, I would usually stay within the same crowd. I’ve learned not to judge people by what they’re labeled.”

Junior Vinay Patel admits that Doug ”brings excitement and leadership to the group. He is always ready to give us the criticism we need and work to be the group that he knows we can be. He’s a really nice guy and a great friend; he’s the kind of guy that will always have your back, and I will miss him.”

Although he has suddenly become famous on the internet for his talents, Bako remains humble and doesn’t want to change because of his popularity.

“As a person, [I haven't changed],” Bako shared. “I hope I [don't change] because I like how I am. God forbid I change because of the money.”

Through his struggles as a musician and singer, Bako has learned to tackle all obstacles with perseverance. He has a message for all starving artists:

“Don’t give up. I know it sounds cliche, but I’ve uploaded videos before and they didn’t get as much attention so I deleted them. This video [Wayfaring Stranger], after two months, went viral. I feel like everyone should be recognized, but it is very competitive. [However,] if you don’t get what you want, you have to keep trying. Just look at me!”

Bako is graduating, but his journey as an artist isn’t ending with his high school career.

“When [my] video went viral, I was contacted by a producer from The Ellen Degeneres show,” Bako said. “My friend recently got the message that asked for me to go on the show. He wanted me to send a two minute video of me singing. I was speechless, I couldn’t believe what was happening. My dad was freaking out. I’ve watched the show and my friend isn’t into that stuff, so when I got the news I was explaining what a big deal it was like, ‘You don’t understand. This is huge!’  Take that American Idol!”

The date and time in which Bako may appear on the Ellen Degeneres show has yet to be confirmed. Bako plans to continue uploading covers on Youtube of songs from Justin Timberlake, Justin Nozuka, Ed Sheeran, and Louis Watson.

Dig the scoop on Doug? Here are some Fun Facts: 

- He has been involved in West’s Boy’s Gymnastics and Break Beatz.

- His inspiration comes from Justin Timberlake, Justin Nozuka, and Ed Sheeran. He does not listen to a lot of mainstream music and is mostly into Indie music and slow rock.

NWN: Is there any particular reason why you’ve only covered Ed Sheeran’s songs so far?

Bako: “He is my new love, I’m just madly in love with his songs. I just started listening to Wayfaring Stranger and that’s why I decided to sing it [at the time of the video].”

NWN: If you could choose any celebrity to play yourself in the movie of your life, who would it be?

Bako: “Considering I’m a very attractive man, I would pick Justin Timberlake because he’s attractive, a good singer, and a great actor. He’s like a god.”

NWN: If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Bako: “Telekinesis to move things, read minds, and become invisible.”