Recognition
Term 1 Honor Roll
Click HERE to view the Term 1 Honor Roll. Congratulations to these students and job well done! Keep up the great work!
FBLA earns highest attendance award at conference
For the fifth year in a row, Mundelein High School had the largest number of delegates at the FBLANovember 3-6.Fall Leadership Conference, which was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Mundelein had 92 registered members. The students attended workshops about leadership, technology, communication, business etiquette, and may other topics.
“It was great for members to learn things typically not taught within the school day, and reflect on what it is to be a leader,” said FBLA adviser Chris Hoster. “The students were energized and inspired by the presenters.”
FBLA is the largest student business organization in the world. Members run the Mustang Nation Spirit Store, attend leadership conferences, complete volunteerism projects, and compete in academic events.
Student musicians chosen for District music festivals
A number of Mundelein High School musicians will participate in the Illinois Music Education
The following students will represent the MHS music department: Band: Eric Butler, clarinet; Paige Eifert, trumpet; Carl Schoenfield, euphonium; Hannah Speer, trombone; and Isaac Walker, tuba. Orchestra: Karl Kirkpatrick, trombone; Joshua Larson, cello. Jazz: Karl Kirkpatrick, trombone; Paige Eifert, trumpet; Ben Holly, trumpet; Anna Desfor, vibes; Noah Sioson, bass; Anna Balla, trumpet; Hannah Speer, trombone. Choir: Thomas Ferro, bass 1; Dominic Cappuccilli, tenor 2.
Andrew Sturgeon and Jerald Shelato direct the instrumental music program while Cory Thompson and Stevee Bellas direct the vocal music program.
Activities
A timely political satire for Mundelein Theatre
When Mundelein Theatre director Jonathan Meier was selecting the theatre season for this school year, he noticed that their fall play would be opening just two days after the presidential election. He knew immediately which play he would choose.
The political satire, The Best Man, by the celebrated American writer, essayist and commentator Gore Vidal, will be presented by Mundelein Theatre on November 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. in the MHS Auditorium. There will also be an after-school matinee on November 11 at 3:45 p.m. which is free for MHS students. Tickets are a recommended donation of $5 for students and seniors and $7 for adults. Tickets may be purchased at the door 30 minutes prior to each performance.
Leading the cast are Thomas Ferro (William Russell), Dan Haller (Joe Cantwell), Emily Parduhn (Alice Russell), Ginny Zundel (Mabel Cantwell), Brenden Paul (Arthur Hockstader) and Hannah Weiss (Mrs. Gamadge). Others in the cast are Maddie Martorana (Dede Jensen), Henry Dumblauskas (Don Blades), David West (Senator Carlin), Jacob Horvat (Sheldon Marcus), Dominic Cappuccilli (Dr. Artinian) and Bella Canela (Katherine). Rounding out cast are Brianna Moderhack, Ryan Story, George Stedman, Jenna Panos, Alex Frumkin and Robbie Iraburo-Cochran. Payton Cousins is the Stage Manager.
Business Incubator students ready to launch product
One of the new courses offered at Mundelein High School this year is the Business Incubator Laboratory course. The facilities for this course are housed in the newly-completed addition and offer a simulated business environment to give students the “feel” for how businesses operate. One of the groups of students is just about ready to begin marketing their product, the U-Click Hairbrush.
“As a group we kicked around a number of ideas before we settled on the U-Click Hairbrush,” said McKenzie Theis, one of five students working on this product. “We settled on this product because it solves an age-old problem and we expect that it will be very popular,” she explained.
The U-Click Hairbrush is a brush with a detachable base that ensures a hygienic and easy way to keep a brush clean. The product includes the brush and separate piece which fits over the brush. It was designed with simplicity in mind. “By pressing two buttons on each side of the brush, a custom plastic accessory that is fitted to the base is removed to ease the process of removing excess hair,” said Mitchell Zaprzalka, another member of the group. “Once the hair is removed, the base is cleaned and then it simply clicks right back on.”
According to New York City dermatologist Francesca Fuscoin, if a brush is not cleaned regularly, “residue, dead skin cells and oil colonize the brush,” attracting bacteria and yeast. “We learned that cleaning a brush once a week prevents hair and oil buildup,” said Kyle Combetto, another group member.
The students have been involved in a process of setting up their own business and have help from their instructor, Amy Amber, along with coaches and mentors from local businesses. What they learn and experience in class are researching a topic, looking at ways to create a new product, formulating a prototype, consumer trials, making a “pitch” to business professionals, marketing their product and possibly getting a professional to back them up. Their pitch is done in a similar manner as the popular television show, Shark Tank.
The group has now created its own website for the product, www.uclickhairbrush.com, and has a physical product ready to go.
“This has been a great experience and I’m glad I am part of this class,” said Luke Schorr, another group member. “I’m interested in business as a career and this is giving me a real look at how the business world operates.” Group member Denise Gonzalez echoes that comment. “This is interesting and fun at the same time,” she said.
Up next the group intends to see if they can actually sell this product. They will use trial and error to come up with the best, most practical design and also agree on target pricing. They have tentatively settled on $11.99 which includes the brush and the base. “We spoke with some stylists and salon staffs to get their reactions and we hope to use that information to develop a successful marketing plan,“ Theis explained.
State Testing
This summer the State of Illinois decided to make the SAT the state mandated accountability test. All juniors will be required to take the SAT exam on Wednesday April 5, 2017. Students will report to school at the regular start time of 7:45 am. All sophomores will be required to take the PSAT 10 (practice SAT exam) on Wednesday April 5, 2017 at 7:45 am. Seniors and freshmen will not be in attendance that day as they will not be testing.
The SAT exam consists of the following sections: reading, writing and language, math, and an essay.
- Reading - consists of multiple choice questions that assess students’ understanding of reading passages, both fiction and nonfiction
- Writing and language - contains multiple choice questions in which students have to identify grammatical errors in written statements
- Math - a mix of multiple choice and short answer questions that test students’ understanding of linear equations, problem solving, and the manipulation of complex equations
- Essay – contains a reading passage in which students explain and evaluate the author’s argument using evidence from the passage as support
According to the College Board, the 11th grade college and career ready benchmark scores for the SAT tests are 460 for reading and writing and 510 for math. The SAT exam composite score is based on a range of 400 (lowest)-1600 (highest). The essay is scored separately based on an 8 point scale. Students will receive their scores directly in the mail at their home address one to two months following the April 5th testing session.
It is important to note that Illinois and out of state colleges and universities will accept ACT or SAT scores. Due to the state mandate, we will administer the free SAT at Mundelein High School. Mundelein High School will continue to be a host site for both the National ACT and SAT testing dates. For more information regarding ACT and SAT college admissions testing please visit their respective websites.
ACT – www.actstudent.org
SAT – www.collegeboard.org
You will receive additional information about the testing logistics closer to the test date. If you have any additional questions at this time, please contact Tom Buenik with SAT questions or Stacey Gorman with PSAT (practice SAT) questions.
College and Career Resource Center
Please visit the CCRC website for resources regarding college planning and financial aid including scheduled college representative visits and scholarship information. http://www.d120.org/academics/ccrc/default.aspxWhere do MHS students apply? The top 20 locations that have received applications from our students are:
- College of Lake County
- Northern Illinois University
- Marquette University
- University of Illinois-Chicago
- Purdue University
- University of Illinois-Urbana
- Loyola University
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of Missouri-Columbia
- Northwestern
- University
- Illinois State University
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- Indiana University-Bloomington
- Carthage College
- University of Iowa
- DePaul University
- Bradley University
- Iowa State University
- Augusta College
So how does a student select which colleges to apply to? There are many factors that come into play when a student is considering where they would like to attend school. In this short intro to the college search we will only cover some of these and I strongly encourage every student to have an in-depth conversation with his or her counselor or come to the CCRC to talk about their specific situation.
Factors to consider:
1. Location: For many students, staying close enough to home to be able to visit on the weekend is incredibly important for them socially and emotionally. Financially, this can also be a factor as the travel cost to get home generally increases with distance. The ability to live at home as opposed to living on campus can also bring down the cost of attending college, though being a commuter student can have a large impact on the college experience, potentially in ways that can be negative such as missing out on campus events and scheduling study groups.
2. Majors: If a student is certain of their future career path, they want to ensure that the school they are attending will offer them that major. If a student is unsure, then they want to find a school with a wide variety of options and a plan to help them with their decision.
3. Size: The size of the school can impact a student’s decision depending on their personality and interests. Some students are searching for a large, bustling student body with a sprawling campus and are excited to sit in large lecture halls. Others are looking for a smaller, more personal feel with professors who get to know them on an individual level. Something to note here is that the number itself does not always equate to the feel of the campus, and so it is important to go on a campus visit to help get a better understanding of a school you may be interested in.
4. Activities: Does the student have a particular passion? Is he or she planning on being involved in sports, clubs, greek life, or other areas? Not every school will afford every option, and asking the right questions to see if the extracurricular options will fit can help a student to feel more comfortable when they are living on campus. One of the best ways to increase comfort on a campus is to find a group to belong to. Knowing that the right types of groups exist before selecting your school can help ease the transition and increase your chances of success.
5. Cost: Beware of sticker price! Cost is a factor that should absolutely be considered as a student could potentially be financially impacted by their decision for many years, but I caution you to wait to add this factor into the decision making process until a bit later in the game. Why? Many schools offer merit-based awards that can bring their stated tuition down tremendously and immediately, sometimes of $25,000/year or more! Beyond that, a student may receive scholarships or financial aid that will leave them with a final cost that is far less than the original “sticker price.” On the other side of this factor, be cognizant of the “hidden costs” like the travel fees to get home, the cost to have a vehicle on campus, textbooks and other general “life” costs that won’t be written into the brochures.
6. Academic fit: A student’s GPA, class rank, and standardized test scores (ACT and SAT) may be used to determine their potential of being admitted into specific schools. Some schools are highly selective, accepting only 5-6% of all applicants. Others may accept the majority of students who apply. Students should be aware of where they fall in the academic selectivity range of the college they are considering applying to. I encourage all students to try to find schools that “fit” their academic profile perfectly: a “match” school, along with a “reach” school that could be slightly outside of their academic range but still within their potential and a “safe” school that falls slightly below their academic range but still provides the environment that will support and encourage them.
We have many resources to help students with their search, including their Naviance account, with a wonderful search tool called the SuperMatch, and the CCRC webpage that has links to external websites with search capabilities (under additional resources, college planning websites). We also host activities during the day and students and parents can make appointments with their counselor or Mrs. Rusk, the college counselor, at any time to receive more information.
Remember: in the end the selection process is personal and each student is encouraged to put considerable time into making their choice to ensure that they are finding the best fit possible. Ask questions, have conversations, go on visits, stop in to see the college representatives at Mundelein High School and more. It is never too early to start planning.
Cafeteria News
Quest will be hosting a Pasta Toss in the cafeteria on Thursday, November 17. The Pasta Toss includes your choice of beef or chicken, and your choice of alfredo or marinara sauce. This also included a breadstick and lemonade for $5.50. Mangia!
Athletics
Girls Swimming/DivingThe girls swim/dive team competed in the Conference tournament.
The top 6 finishers in Conference:
Maggie Franz- Diving -2nd place
Angela Bowes- 100 Backstroke- 3rd place
200 Medley Relay- 5th place- Kate Hay, Angela Kordik, Angela Bowes, Molly Mishler
200 Free Relay-5th place- Molly Mishler, Mikayla Gruber, Angela Kordik, Angela Bowes
400 Free Relay-5th place- Molly Mishler, Abbie Lukas, Kate Hay, Mikayla Gruber
The Mustangs will compete in Sectionals this Saturday @ Lake Forest High School with diving beginning at 9am with the swim portion beginning at 1pm.
Winter sports parent/athlete meeting
Winter sports parent/player meeting will be held on November 17 at 6:15pm in the auditorium. Parents and players of boys and girls basketball, wrestling, winter guard and gymnastics should plan on attending. Boys swim parents will have theirs at a later date.
Winter sports team pictures
Winter sport team pictures will be taken on November 17th right after school. Please check with your coach for time and location. Note- Boys Swim team picture will be taken at a later date. TBA
Boys Baseball
Baseball player Brendan Murphy signed his letter of intent to play Division I baseball, in the Pac 12 conference, for the Sun Devils of Arizona State University.
In addition to baseball, Brendan also played golf and was a member of SALT during his high school career. He is looking forward to playing baseball at the university level next year.
Congratulations Brendan - we look forward to watching you for years to come!
Photos From the Week:
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| The Mundelein FBLA chapter at the National Fall Leadership Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We had 82 in attendance and received an award for the largest local chapter in attendance for the 5th year in a row. Photo from Kaitlyn Watkins |
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| Adriana C. Feijoo, Illinois FBLA State Reporter and Northern Area Vice President, with Niel Patel, FBLA National President. |
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| Determined to give less fortunate children gifts for the upcoming holiday, members of Fellowship of Christian Athletes fill and wrap Christmas boxes, Tuesday, Nov. 8, for an organization called Operation Christmas Child. Miranda Strokosch '20 and Elizabeth Bocaniciu '20 packed the boxes with toys and other trinkets before covering them in wrapping paper. Bocaniciu said, "The boxes get sent to other countries to kids for presents. It feels good to know that we're helping other kids have a good Christmas." Photo taken by Myah Strokosch |
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| While walking around Chicago, Taylor Shanahan '17 captures the beauty for her AP art class early Tuesday, November 8th. She has been working towards building her portfolio for over a year. Shanahan said, "I enjoy working with Mr Pruc". Photo taken by Jessica Marvin |
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| During the first hockey game of the season, Zachary Zentz '17 keeps focus on the ice over the excited crowd. Students from both Mundelein and Lake Zurich come to these games to cheer on their friends as it is a combined team. Fellow MHS student Justin Lawrence '17 went to the game. Lawrence said, "I love the hockey games because it's awesome watching my friends win games." Photo taken by Sophie Fiore |
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| With total concentration, Sabrina Lee '18, secretary of Student Leadership's junior class, creates a poster on Wednesday, Nov. 9, in room C211, to support and thank the veterans who served for our country in honor of Veterans Day on Friday, Nov. 11. Involved in Student Leadership for three years, National Honors Society and Link Crew, Lee takes any opportunity to give back to the community. Lee said, "I enjoy Student Leadership because I love being able to mobilize the students' voices. Planning the dances and doing community service projects are also a lot of fun. I chose to help because I think Veterans Day should be recognized and an important day to all MHS students. It felt really great being able to make the posters and to do something nice for the people who have served our country." Photo taken by Sydney Blackmer |
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| 1st Period Physical Science students present their project ideas as a solution for a real life problem. This project had students learning the same content they would have normally but also including public speaking and relevant problem solving to boot! Great work! |
