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Knight Times
Ic catholic prep
Elmhurst, IL
Www.iccatholicprep.org
2020-2021, Volume 2
October 2020
Inside this issue:
News and Features 2
Sports and Features 3
Extras 4
ICCP’s P.E. Classes Take on COVID
By: Ava Falduto
ICCP has had to make some changes for the 2020 school year
due to COVID-19, which has brought up conflicts with physical educa-
tion. However, the P.E. department has done an exceptional job trying to
PSAT/NMSQT Testing Day
make the best out of the situation while having fun! One of the depart-
ment’s newest additions, Ms. Slavik, has kept students active while stay-
ing safe through many new activities. By: Elizabeth Groth
This is Ms. Slavik’s first year teaching at ICCP. She has a back- On October 14th our Sophomore and Junior class
ground of yoga, and she is also a health teacher here at IC. She attend- took the PSAT. The PSAT stands for The Preliminary
ed Ball State University with a major in School Health Education. Ms. SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It is a stand-
Slavik graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree. She enjoys working ardized test that is administered by the College Board and
with students and loves seeing her student’s dedication and confidence cosponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
shine through different activities. Ms. Slavik is also always up for a good It is taken once a year in the month of October and the dura-
challenge and is passionate about teaching health for the mind, body, tion of the test is around 2 hours and 45 minutes. The sec-
and spirit. In her first few months at ICCP, Ms. Slavik has been the most tions included in the test are math, evidence-based reading,
impressed with how patient and welcoming the students have been, and and writing. The minimum accumulative score is 320 and
loves the ICCP culture! the maximum accumulative score is 1520. The national av-
erage scores are 920 for 10th graders and 1010 for 11th
Over the first quarter of school, Ms. Slavik has done numerous graders. The scholarship you can receive from his standard-
activities to help engage ICCP students, such as daily walks, yoga, ized test is the National Merit Scholarship. The National Mer-
eclipse ball, pickleball, and bags. She explained how she has undertak- it Scholarship is an academic competition where you can
en a lot of work, handling both the virtual and in person classes. Going potentially get recognition and qualify for scholarships
off of that, she posts daily workouts, walks, meditation/yoga videos, as based upon your test score.
well as google forms to help students who are virtual. Sometimes, it is
difficult to come up with COVID- friendly games to play, but Ms. Slavik Two of our very own IC Catholic Prep seniors, Grace
uses her creative side and pleases her students! Some of Ms. Slavik’s Grady and Carl Knable, have been named Commended Stu-
favorite activities to do in P.E. are teaching Yoga on Fridays, and also dents in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Due
playing Bags/Cornhole outside during the Recreation Games unit. Ms. to this achievement, they will receive a Letter of Commenda-
Slavik has had to make many adjustments to her teaching schedule to tion from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corpora-
ensure the safety of all students. For example, this year she assigned tion. Around 34,000 Commended Students throughout the
lockers to the students to spread them out. She also makes sure that all nation are recognized for their extraordinary academics. The
equipment is sanitized before each class. Although her first months as Commended Students are placed among the top 50,000
an ICCP teacher have been quite different from previous times, Ms. scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the
Slavik talked about how all the staff as well as the students have wel- 2021 competition.
comed her to her new position.
Covid has made this testing difficult in other areas of
In spite of all the safety standards of today, Ms. Slavik as well as the country. In order to be able to go into school and take it,
all the other staff of ICCP have done a tremendous job at keeping every- some high school required a Covid-19 test prior to the test-
one healthy and safe. The changes to this school year are not ideal, but ing date. Not every student was able to do so in such short
Ms. Slavik has handled coming into a new teaching environment very notice, therefore losing an opportunity to get scholarships
well with big hopes for the coming months! and personalized resources to prepare for the SAT. As of
right now rather than canceling an entire test date as it did
in May and June, the College Board plans to let upcoming
test cancelations occur by location.
PAGE 2 News and Features
Spirit Week Review
Halloween in Covid By: Areana Brown & Bianca Cortez
By: Nora Kenny Unfortunately, spirit week wasn't celebrated in the usual fash-
Covid has shaken up the way we do everything and fall ion this year, but at least it's not another experience we all had to lose
festivities will have to be changed according to CDC guidelines. out on. For everyone, this experience was something new and differ-
ent. Most schools would have canceled it, but ICCP chose to put in the
The possibility of this pandemic clearing up anytime soon are effort for their students to have happy and healthy fun. Although the
slim, and in order to pre- health guidelines had students lose out on a few experiences, stu-
vent another spike in dents had fun participating in each themed day. Every day had a new
cases, vigilance is neces- theme, whether you were in person or virtual. Monday was Pajama
sary as we endure the Monday, where students could wear pajamas to school. Tuesday was
holiday season. Trick or Turning Back Time Tuesday, where students dressed up like a blast
from the past. Wednesday was Class Color Wednesday, where stu-
treating is a high risk
dents dressed up with the color student council chose for them and
activity as this requires decorated their hall in. Thurs-
kids and families to be in day was Jersey Thursday,
contact with many peo- where students wore their
ple over the course of a few hours, so the City of Elmhurst has favorite jerseys. Friday was
made plans to make sure the community celebrates safely. The Spirit Wear Friday, where stu-
biggest change comes with the green and red signs that resi- dents wore school spirit wear.
dents will need to put in their windows; green meaning the A question many people had
household is welcoming young- is," Did a Covid Spirit Week
sters seeking candy and red to live up to any expectations you had for when you entered high school?"
show that the residents are not According to one student at ICCP, "Yes, it showed that spirit still shows
passing out treats. Outdoor lights, through the school even through struggling times." Freshmen at ICCP
the typical sign of participation, assured us that, "...I thought it turned out better than what I expected."
will also be turned on or off as a Although the week was fantastic, some were a little disappointed
about losing out, "It was fun but I wish our Spirit Week ended with a
clue to trick or treaters. The football game and homecoming. For them to have a lot of restrictions
“please take one” candy bowls will they did an amazing job on the week." The student body seems to ap-
have to be nixed in favor of pass- preciate having any festivities at all, even if they miss a few of the not
ing candy out to individuals with so Covid friendly aspects of spirit
the intention of limiting high touch week.
surfaces. Everyone participating
Although kids enjoyed spirit week,
will be asked to wear cloth masks
they did miss out on a few big pieces
and adults passing out candy are of the week that unfortunately just
encouraged to wear gloves and couldn't be replaced due to health
sanitize their doorbells frequently. guidelines. So students were ques-
Respect will be stressed as physi- tioned as to, "How has Covid affect-
cal distance must be maintained ed your Spirit Week?" A sophomore
during this typically chaotic holi- responded, saying," It made it harder
to get in the spirit for homecom-
day. ing/spirit week because there would-
n't be a football game or a home-
These guidelines may not have much bearing on the high school coming dance." A freshman at IC
students of ICCP though. However, the Halloween parties that completely agreed and explained, " Covid has affected our homecom-
are more of a reality for this age group are also heavily discour- ing week a lot. The school is precautious with what events they
aged. Large gatherings of any kind put attendees at risk for con- planned, and the big dance was canceled. This isn't to say spirit week
tracting this virus, but as temperatures drop and outdoor parties was a disappointment, but there are just a few losses that just can't be
replaced.”
move indoors, the danger is even more pronounced. Alternatives
to huge Halloween bashes include carving pumpkins outside
with friends, watching clas-
sic horror movies with family,
and having costume compe-
titions over Zoom. Obviously,
this is less than ideal, but by
following the guidelines pro-
vided by the experts, the IC
community will thrive.
An Open House to Remember
By: Elizabeth Murray
From every aspect this is an open house to remember: the look, the feel and the participation from the students. Usually open
houses would look very different from the one we saw this year. ICCP is doing their part to keep the community and families safe during
this hard time. In previous years, There would be tables set up in the gym displaying all the extracurricular activities with students along-
side coaches there to talk to the families. There would be tours led by students and faculty, giving families a glimpse at what school is
like everyday. The open house being virtual has given more access to people who may not have been able to attend otherwise. Although,
it makes it harder for prospective families to interact with the people, building, and the overall community.
This year, certain Knight Ambassadors were asked to be in the building while the virtual open house was being broadcasted.
Students were asked to show the prospective families around their assigned room. Most of the faculty and staff either pre-recorded a
message or was on the broadcast ready to say what they needed to. Other Knight Ambassadors gave testimonies of their experiences at
IC, which wouldn’t have been possible without the virtual platform.
The amazing thing about this new format is that the open house can be watched at any
time. The open house being virtual is a good way to keep people safe, but still keep people in-
formed about IC. It is also a good promotional tactic because the video can be watched for years
to come. The prospective families will also be inclined to watch more than just the open house
because they will find themselves in a rabbit-hole of wanting to find out more and more infor-
mation because of the vast resources available. Nothing will stop the IC community from sharing
what they have to offer with others. They want prospective students to know about the family
atmosphere, countless possibilities, and lifelong memories that each student will encounter
throughout their high school career. It’s a good day to be a Knight!
Sports and Features PAGE 3
ICCP Boys Golf Team Finishes Season on a High Note
By: John Falduto windy conditions was not something
new to me. I have done it before, so
On Wednesday, October 14, the ICCP Boys Golf Team fin- that really helped me know how to hit
ished up its season with a 5th place finish in the IHSA Sectional the shots that were required to play
Finals at Spring Creek Golf Course in Spring Valley. well. I simply played aggressive
whenever the wind would offer me
The Knights, who placed just 3 shots off of the tie for 3rd an advantage, and played it safe
place, battled tough and windy conditions all throughout the match: when it was going to make a shot
“The conditions, no doubt, played a huge role in how we per- difficult.”
formed,” noted senior Michael Hilgart, “I often felt like I could not
control my ball in the brutal wind.” Due to Covid-19 restrictions,
there was no IHSA State Final follow-
The team was led by sophomore Jann Atendido, who shot a ing the Sectional Championship;
78 and was the outright individual champion of the match by just a nonetheless, Michael Hilgart and the
single stroke. “I got on the golf team were proud of the way that they
course with the mindset of performed in the final weeks of the
constantly thinking to myself season: “It didn’t end exactly the way we would have wanted to, but
that I would win,” said Atendi- the overall season was great.” He continued, “Jann (Atendido) was
do, who was coming off of a our best player and I was excited to see him win both Regionals
first place finish at the Region- and Sectionals.”
al Finals. He credited a large
part of his success to experi- The Knights, who are coached by Donald Sujack, will gradu-
ence in harsh weather condi- ate seniors Michael Hilgart, Carl Knable and Dave Sykora as they
tions: “Playing in extremely look to build on this year’s impressive run come next fall.
P.E. Class Spotlight: Eclipse Ball The Legacy of Eddie Van Halen
By: Kyli Katsigiannis
By: Amelia Kasper
On October 6 2020, the world received some devastating news.
Eddie Van Halen, lead guitarist of the band Van Halen had lost his
In Physical Education with Ms. Slavik, the students are playing a battle to cancer at 65. Van Halen was an American Rock Band
game called eclipse ball. Eclipse ball is a racket and ball game formed in Pasadena, California in 1972. Van Halen was known for
that was created in 1988 by Donald Beson. The game is a mix of its energetic live shows and for the work it acclaimed. This famous
volleyball and tennis. The game uses a racket and a special ball band consisted of drummer Alex Van Halen, vocalist David Lee
Roth, bassist Michael Anthony and the lead guitarist Eddie Van
used just for this game. Eclipse ball involves a lot of running
Halen. From 1979 to 1982 the band released four record breaking
around and teamwork. How the game works is first, you serve albums (Van Halen ll, Women and Children First, Fair Warning and
the ball in multiple different ways by either throwing, kicking, or Diver Down). By the early 1980s, Van Halen was one of the most
using the racket to get the ball over the net to the other side of successful rock acts of all time. The album 1984 was a commercial
the court. After the ball is successfully served over the net, the success with U.S sales of 10 million copies and four hit singles, its
eclipse ball has to bounce off the ground one time before the hit single “Jump” is the band’s U.S number one single to this day.
opponents can hit the ball back. There are no outs in eclipse On October 6 we received the news that Eddie lost his battle to lung
ball, so the game involves a lot of running and teamwork to get cancer that day. Valerie Bertinelli continued to pay tribute to her ex-
the ball back over. The maximum times the ball can hit the husband on her Instagram showcasing many memories from the
birth of their son Wolf Van Halen. She posted a heartfelt message
ground before the other team gets the point is two times. Every-
including a photo of the family with the caption: “40 years ago my
day there are different teams set up for all of the students to life changed forever when I met you. You gave me the one true light
work together with different people everyday. For the students it in my life, our son, Wolfgang. Through all your challenging treat-
is a very fun way to learn about new sports and work together. ments for lung cancer, you kept your gorgeous spirit and impish
grin. I'm so grateful Wolfie and I were able to hold you in your last
Student Council in a Pandemic moments. I will see you in our next life my love.” She also shared
photos of their relationship from Christmas 1980 and a concert in
By: Matea O’Donnell 1981. Many more important people in his life shared some heartfelt
COVID has taken a huge toll on this school year and no one is words including his son Wolfgang. Eddie impacted rock and roll his-
getting a normal high school experience. Even though nothing
has turned out to be what we planned, the student council at
tory and influenced many kids. Eddie will truly be missed. Not only
IC have been doing their best to make this school year as fun was he a great Rockstar, he shared many wise words including: “If
as possible. Mrs. Glaesser, a student council advisor and you want to be a rock star or just be famous, then run down the
teacher at IC, was kind enough to let us in on some things street naked, you'll make the news or something. But if you want
planned for this year! music to be your livelihood, then play, play, play and play! And even-
So far everything has been going smoothly with
planning new events. The council is working together and tually you'll get to where you want to be.”
collaborating on some exciting new ideas for this school year.
It's known that safety is the number one priority right now and
Mrs. Glaesser made sure of that by saying “Well, the safety of
our students has always been a top priority here at ICCP. With
the COVID guidelines, our meetings and planning time has
gone to a virtual setting. However, the students are excelling
through this change. We are also trying to plan events that
are socially distanced and safe for the students to enjoy.” So
now, all IC events will be safe and fun for all students.
The biggest challenge for them at the moment is
trying to plan large social events with maintaining the
COVID guidelines, masks, and social distancing, all while
bringing the whole school community together. They plan to
use the outdoor areas such as the north lawn and Plunkett Field so they can host
large amounts of people. A huge thank you to the Student Council for their plans
of a Movie Night. This event was a huge, socially-distant success! Everyone en-
joyed themselves with this fun, yet safe event. It is creative events like this that
will keep the IC school spirit alive. If prom and turnabout end up not happening,
Student Council is planning to replace them with fun events where distancing can
be practiced similar to the Movie night. These events help bring IC students to-
gether and promote school spirit.
PAGE 4 Extras
FarrellyPerfect
Picture Program Inspiration: Sister Megan
By: Isabella Kachiroubas
The Farrelly Program, which is run by Mrs. Angela Sebastian, is a small group pro-
gram that helps students get extra academic help and support. The Farrelly Pro-
gram is also brand new to ICCP this year and its roots connect very deeply to
ICCP. Sister Megan, who was the Assistant Principal of Curriculum at ICCP for
many years, is the inspiration for this program. She was a dedicated leader and
went above and beyond for all students to make them more successful. The Far-
relly Program is named in her memory and honor as we are trying to model our
Sister’s actions. “Wisdom was her gift and her gift was wisdom,” which was said
at her memorial service because she gave so much more than she received. She
was also a teacher, mentor, and friend to many. Sister Megan would want ICCP
students to be lifelong learners and that is why the Farrelly Program is named in
her memory and honor. “Sister was a wonderful person and teacher,” said Mrs.
Jean Field, who was a friend of Sister Megan. She lived grounded in faith and in-
tegrity and was an inspiration to everyone she came in contact with. Even when
Sister Megan was fighting her toughest fight against cancer she had strength and
faith, which is what she would want ICCP students to have. Many people appreciated the encouragement she had for all
students and the way she empowered students to stay and fight their battles and learn from them. In the end, Sister would
want ICCP students to promote relationships based on respect, embrace diversity, share responsibility, and accountability
for the common good because those are all the qualities that she had during her so humbly lived life.
Junior Retreat
By: Zoie Wilson
On September 14, 2020, consent forms were emailed Overall, the junior retreat was a success! Several stu-
out to all the parents with children in the junior class, inform- dents said they only wished they could stay longer and possi-
ing them of an upcoming junior retreat. Four weeks ago, our bly even stay the
very own ICCP junior class went to their junior retreat at La night. However, due
Salle Manor. La Salle Manor is a 5-star retreat center with to the pandemic,
beautiful scenery that was established in 1958. La Salle Man- many parents and
or has served over 250,000 people; however, all of the stu- administrators were
dents were not able to attend the facility on the same day. The against the over-
administrative team night retreat, which
decided to have cer- we all can under-
tain people go on the stand. The entire
21st, the 22nd, and junior class is honestly grateful for this opportunity; we would
the 23rd of Septem- like to thank our administration, parents, and group leaders.
ber. On this retreat, In addition, Julie Schwart
COVID precautions for being a great listener
were enforced, hand and having such a funny
sanitizer was provided, personality, Brad Kiygos,
and most importantly, for his inspirational story,
everyone had a mask. and last but not least
Students emphasized that the no contact games were Michelle Rotter for being
the highlight of the junior retreat and everyone felt as though so relatable and kind.
the retreat was the perfect place to relax and reconnect with
their peers.
Knightivation Newspaper Staff
Featured Writers
By: Kelsey Wojtalewicz
Areana Brown Kyli Katsigiannis
Entering into a new season provides an opportunity to try out so many awe-
Bianca Cortez Nora Kenny
some things. With Halloween just around the corner, there are countless fun
Ava Falduto Elizabeth Murray
things to do that go along with the spooky theme. If you have never carved a
John Falduto Matea O’Donnell
pumpkin before and are considering it, go for it! If you want to face your fears
Elizabeth Groth Zoie Wilson
and try watching a horror movie, now is the perfect time to do so. It’s better
to live your life trying new things out, otherwise things will get rather dull. Isabella Kachiroubas Kelsey Wojtalewicz
Think of it from this perspective: if you had to sit down and write a paper on Amelia Kasper
all of the exciting experiences you’ve done in your life, would you be able to?
Sitting in your room all day, scrolling through your phone, is not going to allow
you to live your life to the fullest. At the end of the day, we only live once, so Moderator
now is the time to start living life to its capacity. However, you will not be able Ms. Doyle
to live your best life if you are the type of person to always be caring about
what others think of you. Trust me on this, it’s only awkward if you make it Online PDF Version of the Knight Times is
awkward yourself. In the long run, it’s you that’s living your life, not someone available on the school website under
else. If you want to do something, but you are afraid that others may judge “student life.”
you for it, do it anyways. If you do catch people judging you for being yourself,
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