Belting out Love for Others Through

Take a look at new For inspiring policies that stories about the Echo the Black- editors Owned- suggest for Businesses, the new look no campus on further page 4. )) than Echo ) page 6. Illiana Christian High School Volume 72 Issue 6 February 23, 2018 Lansing, Illinois embarrassing for the kids being sung to,” said Clark. Senior Jordan Miller had the fortune of being in a group and being sung to. “The groups are fun in a creative way and they really know how to put on a good show,” said Miller. “I really enjoyed singing to everyone and there’s always lots of laughs.” Ms. Johnson, an English teacher, got a chance to see juniors Alex Wondaal, Colton DeJong, Andrew Smits, and Alex Eenigenburg sing in her class and said, “I thought they were fantastic; they really applied energy and commit- ment.” Six groups of students volunteered for this opportu- A group of junior boys serenade Mr. Kuipers with the song, “I’m Gonna Be” by The Proclaimers during a Physics class. Photo by Cate Peerbolte nity providing sixteen different, some funny, some seri- ous, some Spanish, some solo. Belting out love for others through tradition Singing telegrams could be purchased for five dollars Jaden Denton These gifts are delivered by Seniors Austin Clark, Ben jackets and sang Hooked on from Student Council going organized groups of students Fabrizius, Matthew Rietveld, a Feeling, Careless Whisper Reporter towards their funds. Suck- who plan a singing routine Payton Smit, Garret Vander- (with an actual saxophone), ers and carnations were also On Valentine’s Day Illi- for students to purchase for zee, Patrick Wang, Josh and Never Gonna Give You available to buy for others and ana students sang, sent, and their classmates’ entertain- DeYoung, and Jason Schutt Up. be delivered during home- received singing telegrams. ment or embarrassment. donned varsity or leather “It’s lots of fun and really room with a special note. Talk Positive Campaign implements resolution Kylie Boss be emphasized. It needs to be constantly put in front of peo- Reporter ple because you’re changing a mindset that we have, and it Posters and coffee cups takes time.” have been taking space on According to teacher Ms. desks, whiteboards and Sharon Bultema, the cam- chalkboards in halls of Illi- paign focuses on spreading ana in the past month for the the Talk Positive message to Students celebrate Black History Month by contrituding to this collage outside the office. Photo by Jeff Devries Talk Positive campaign. The teachers mainly, but the mes- campaign is run by Illiana’s sage definitely should extend Faculty Council, whose pres- to students. ident is Spiritual Director Mr. Collage embraces Black History “We just want to try to Jordan Bivins Lance Davids. talk more positive among inconsistent. He hopes that Illiana con- ticed any celebration of Black History Davids brought up the ourselves and then in our Reporter tinues to make the celebration a yearly Month…. It’s really nice that part of idea to the Faculty Council classrooms and hopefully set This year Student Council part- occurrence. your culture gets embraced.” because he felt he needed to an example,” said Bultema. nered with Better Illiana Through Bet- Lagerwey added that he wants Some students, however, aren’t be more positive in his life. It With everything that’s going ter Understanding to put up a collage Illiana students to gain “an awareness particularly excited about the gesture was almost like a New Year’s on, said Bultema, it’s easy outside the main office for Black His- of contributions of African Americans Illiana showed. Junior Benjie Winn resolution to him, said Da- to complain and look at the tory Month. and other under-recognized groups said, “There’s so much more behind vids. negative side of things, but The collage contains posters and and an appreciation for the richness our history…. Our history has never “Talking positive is a people just need to look in the quotes from famous athletes, politi- that we have in having a variety of peo- been peaceful. We’ve been beat up.” choice you make,” said Da- good and give encouragement cians, writers, and activists in the Black ple from all different backgrounds.” He also felt the school’s administra- vids. “You can’t always con- and compliments. community on a blue spread of paper He also explained that Black History tion didn’t really care and that they trol the things that happen to The coffee mugs and post- symbolizing Martin Luther King Ju- Month is for everyone to realize how just didn’t want a repeat of last year’s you in life, but you can con- ers are meant to remind peo- nior’s reference to Amos 5:24 which many difficulties Blacks had to experi- events, where several Iliana students trol how you deal with them.” ple to talk positive, accord- says, “Let justice roll down like wa- ence in the past. tore down posters Black students put Talking positive, according to Bultema. They started ters and righteousness like a mighty Many students are happy to see on their lockers. “They only put the ing to Mr. Davids needs to be off as an idea to spread the stream.” that Illiana is finally recognizing the mural up to quiet us.” constantly be put in front of campaign around school, said Better Illiana sponsor Mr. Rob achievements of Blacks in American Better Illiana Through Better people. “It’s not going to mag- Bultema, and by January Da- Lagerwey explained that Illiana has History. Senior Johnathan Lightfoot Understanding plans to have a Black- ically happen,” said Davids. vids had gotten those things done events for Black History Month said, “I appreciate it because I’ve been History-Month-inspired chapel at the “[Talking Positive] needs to for school. in the past but such events have been here four years now and haven’t no- end of February. 2 News Inconvenient truth: vouchers are toxic t ay away from me, said Haleigh, local sick student. I’m sick. Nobody wants to hear Sthat at school. Nobody should. Why? Life shouldn’t work like that. One reason keeps many of us attending school when sick: the exam voucher, the flawed system in which nothing good ensues except for maybe a slightly higher semester grade in one class. It’s a given that under this policy, sick students will still attend school. Don’t get me wrong; the voucher incen- tivizes me to come to school Grant Gibson as well. I don’t Co-Feature Editor have to stress over or deal with an- other exam, preferably my hardest one, if I miss less Photo courtesy of Beth Boonstra than two full days of school. I fall to its tricks too, even Seniors Max Men, Paul Kamp, Jordan Miller, Payton Smit, Matthew Haak, and Johnathan Lightfoot take their seat at “The if my parents are really the ones enforcing the rule. Yard,” Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s new space, where they visited to see “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” But that doesn’t change the fact that nobody wants sickness spreading with ease around their school. Peo- ple are constantly catching colds during the late fall Seniors visit Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and early spring especially. Those times are important to everyone: ACT takers wanting to get the most out On cold winter scene when he pretended to of their tests, runners going for the gold in the 3A State morning, students pull an invisible light switch competition, or a student preparing to take the stage in and the entire theater went a musical. enjoy laughs pitch black. A sniffle will distract a student in the middle of his at ‘Midsummer Senior Nascha Hladek math portion, a cough will ruin any runner’s chances of appreciated the cool effects placing in the top ten, and a lingering virus will infect Night’s Dream’ and having fun with friends half the cast if given a chance. on the pier for lunch. But students don’t think about those things. All Beth Boonstra AP English teacher Mr. they consider is if they get to skip the Algebra II exam. Co-Editor in Chief Jeff DeVries said, “We read Meanwhile, they infect others along their path with Shakespeare because as On Friday, Feb. 2 seniors the flu. That’s the sort of selfishness our current exam much as if not more than any attended Shakespeare’s “A voucher policy encourages. other writer Shakespeare sees Midsummer Night’s Dream” Preventing illness aside, some other practical ben- into human nature. He gets at the Chicago Shakespeare efits actually accompany the ditching of our beloved- people. He gets people in a Theater on Navy Pier. Stu- by-most voucher. If we’re all obliged to take our seven variety of contexts. He gets dents also stayed for a ques- (or, depending on one’s schedule, six) exams, we’d be different kinds of people. He tion and answer session and expected to study for one more exam. On top of that, gets people in different situ- lunch on the pier. would-be vouched exams are usually more difficult ations. He tells stories in a Seniors are currently tests. Illiana’s teachers are observant enough to know way that reveals us to our- reading “Hamlet” in Eng- that a few more hours of their students’ studying for selves, which is what stories lish classes. English Teacher their hardest exams are prone to overload us too much. are supposed to do.” Many Miss Sara Johnson said, “I So, many will make their exams easier in light of the of these deeper insights of love that Chicago Shake- extra test.

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