Operation Snowball, a national drug and alcohol prevention program designed by students in 1977, is a favorite among students at Stevenson. While Stevenson’s version of the event is aligned with the goal of promoting healthy risk-taking among teens, Operation Snowball is so much more than that.
“It’s important for Stevenson to give students a chance to take healthy risks. This is our mantra for Operation Snowball. But also, in a school this big, I think it’s equally important that you meet and make friends with people you don’t normally hang out with,” says Lily Upadhyay, a senior and student-leader of Operation Snowball.
Historically, Operation Snowball has been a two-night getaway retreat where students could participate in group activities throughout the day and bond with one another. Upadhyay first got involved with Operation Snowball as a freshman looking to branch out and experience something new with people she didn’t know. Little did she know how much of an impact that would have on her high school journey.
For more about Upadhyay, please check out “Stories Of Stevenson” on Facebook and Instagram.
Robotics Club Proves To Be A Top Innovator…In The World!!
There were more than 800 teams. In 10 divisions. And they came from all over the world.
And when the dust cleared at the recent, two-day VEX Robotics Worlds Competition in Dallas, the Stevenson Robotics Club was standing tall!
Team 1965Y, X-Drive, made up of senior members Andrei Nistor, Josh Neela, Neil Thakker, Iyad Hamid, Adam Taylor, and Tanmay Panchpor, received the Innovation Award for their robot. The award recognizes a team that has demonstrated a strong combination of ingenuity and innovation in designing their VEX robot. Additionally, it recognizes a specific, unique piece of engineering that exemplifies thinking outside of the box and innovative engineering design.
Journalism Students Place Well At International Competition
A large group of journalism students represented Stevenson well in the recent Youth Journalism International writing, editing, design and photography contest, which drew hundreds of entries from around the world.
The nonprofit Youth Journalism International has been educating the next generation of news professionals since 1994. It is a 501(c)(3) educational public charity.
Here are results from Stevenson’s top finishers, complete with comments from the judges:
Feature Writing, Team Reporting
- First Place: Senior Bayarmaa Bat-Erdene, junior Helen Oriatti-Bruns, junior Surya Sethi and junior Advay Voleti for “Saluting Service.”
“Well written and poignant. We learned about a certain type of student who believes strongly that service to their country is a primary part of their education. We were struck by the dedication and the practicality of these young people – paying it forward – and paying it back.”
- Honorable Mention: Junior Nick Corso, senior Victoria Feng, senior Alison Wade and sophomore Dayna Roberts for “Stepping into Stress.”
In-Depth Reporting By A Team
- Second Place: Senior Vaasu Kakuturu, junior Kelly Liu, junior Surya Sethi and junior Ava Winber for “Making Ends Meet.”
“An excellent topic that incorporated statistics well. The interviews helped bring to light an issue for a minority at the school. Well-written with a great arc that starts with the personal and then moves on to larger facts.”
Editorials
- Honorable Mention: Statesman, for “Connections, not Consequences.”
“This takes a no-nonsense approach to tackling the issue of discipline and inequity. Interesting topic, nice writing.”
Sports Feature Story, Team Reporting
- First Place: Sophomore Jennifer Huang, senior Jasmine Sun and sophomore Elizabeth Yuan for “Coaching Potential.”
“These reporters clearly took the time to merge the text with some visuals and the story and the reader benefits. Really excellent opening graph which sets up the story well. Nice work weaving in the different quotes from the director of athletics, the coach and player. We would have liked to know more about the team. How did it perform? What impact did he have on its success on and off the court?”
- Second Place: Junior Kelly Liu, junior Shannon Moser and senior Sophia Ismail for “Leveling the Playing Field.”
“We liked how Kelly used graphics to emphasize key takeaways for the reader. Good job including supporting facts to back up what some of your interview subjects said. Powerful quotes. Consider interviewing additional people such as male athletes and other coaches to provide context and balance on your story’s important topic.”
Sports News Story by a Team
- First Place: Senior Natalie King and junior Shannon Moser for “Fish Out of Water.”
“A concise and clear reflection on the consequences of the pandemic on swim teams. Very well written.”
Illustrations
- Honorable Mention: Senior Sophia Ismail for “Pursuit of Profit.”
“Sharp, clean style. The graphic nature of the illustration shows a developing mastery of digital illustration software and editorial concepts.”
Tick-Tock: Deadline To Register For Summer School Is Quickly Approaching!
If you are interested in attending summer school at Stevenson, you can still register online. However, the regular registration window has ended. Late registrations for summer school will be accepted up until 4 p.m. on June 3, on a space-available basis. Late fees will be applied.
The tuition fees (and additional lab, book, and/or field trip fees where appropriate) are listed in the course description. All fees must be paid at the time of registration. Please contact the summer school office at (847) 415-4520 or via e-mail at summerschoolreg@d125.org with questions.
Spring Band Concert Is A Two-Day Affair; Features Advanced Compositions
It’s a two-day band extravaganza, which is fitting for the final band performance of the school year. At the Spring Band Concert, held in the Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. both tonight and tomorrow, band classes will perform some of the most advanced compositions they’ve performed this year.
Tonight, members of the Concert Band and Freshman Band will explore “programmatic music.” Tomorrow, members of the Honor, Advanced Symphonic, and Symphonic Bands will tackle some of the most challenging band repertoire available. Plus a few surprises are on tap!
For those unable to attend the concerts in person, they may be viewed on the Fine Arts Vimeo Page.
Yum! Bake Sale Is Today!
Don’t miss out today! It’s the last Patriot Parent Association Bake Sale of the year! Everything is $1 and cash or Patriot Dollars are accepted, but you can make it through the line quickest with cash! The Bake Sale starts immediately after sixth period in the Glass Commons and the Wood Commons.
IGC To Take On The Streets Of New Capenna Tomorrow After School
Interactive Gamers Club will be hosting a Magic: The Gathering Sealed Event for the Streets of New Capenna Magic set tomorrow after school in Room 7116. To join, the cost is $5 (you may use your Student ID to pay), and students will receive six packs to create a deck and play against their friends. Students must be able to stay until 5:30 p.m. to participate. Please e-mail RFedewa@d125.org with any questions! New members are always welcome!
Seeking Perfection! Undefeated Badminton Team Looks For Fourth State Championship!
It’s been a season with a lot of “perfects.”
The badminton team currently sits at a perfect 16-0…after winning its sectional championship earlier this month to qualify for state, with a perfect score of 18.
Now, the Patriots, who have a total of 21 sectional titles in program history, are looking for the ultimate perfect ending to their season. They will be at Hinsdale South High School in Darien starting tomorrow and running through Saturday to compete at the IHSA State Badminton Finals.
Anvi Harish and Meha Krishnareddigari are representing Stevenson in the singles bracket while the teams of Ellie Ouyang and Nancy Zhang and Ema Akutsu and Katherine Li are representing Stevenson in the doubles bracket.
Stevenson is vying for its fourth state championship in school history. The Patriots first won in 2012 and also won state titles in 2017 and 2018 under current coach Grant Johnson. Stevenson has also finished as the state runner-up twice. In fact, the Patriots have done that in both of the most recent two state finals: 2019 and 2021.
Three Boys Gymnasts Qualify For State Meet This Weekend!
The season continues for three Stevenson gymnasts, who qualified for this weekend’s IHSA State Meet at Hoffman Estates High School!
Santi Gonzalez (still rings), Finlay Oyston (still rings, vault, and high bar) and Thor Mace (all-around, floor, pommel horse, high bar, vault, still rings, and parallel bars) are Stevenson’s qualifiers.
Individual Prelims and the All-Around Championship will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday while Team and Individual Finals will begin at Noon on Saturday. The meet will be streamed by the NFHS Network.
Tickets are $11 and can be purchased at GoFan: Friday tickets; Saturday tickets.
Get Some Stevenson Gear Today!
The Sports Boosters will be holding their annual end-of-the-year “Flash Sale” today from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hall of Fame Garden near the southwest entrance to the Stadium. Stop by on your way to watch boys volleyball against conference opponent Lake Zurich in the Sportscenter at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., or girls lacrosse in the Stadium against Warren at 6:30 p.m. Cash, check, and credit are accepted.
“We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do!” Try Out For Next Year’s Stevenson Cheer!
Want to cheer for the Stevenson Patriots? Tryout dates for the 2022-23 cheerleading teams are:
May 16: 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Incoming freshmen and rising sophomores through seniors)
May 17: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Incoming freshmen)
May 17: 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Rising sophomores through seniors)
May 18: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Incoming freshmen and rising sophomores through seniors)
May 19: 4:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Team Announcements)
** All tryouts are in the Wood Commons.
** To register for tryouts, please click here.
NOTE: Please wear black shorts, a black shirt, and athletic shoes. If you wear your hair back in a bow, it should be a black or white bow.
Nominate A Stevenson All-Time Great To The Athletic Hall Of Fame
The Athletic Department recently honored its Hall of Fame inductees for the Class of 2020 and 2021, but is already thinking about inductees for the Athletic Hall Of Fame Class of 2022. Nominations will be accepted until Sunday. Please click here to nominate.
Athletic Results
Baseball: Stevenson (22-6, 8-3) traveled to Lake Zurich and won in the final inning, 5-4. Daniel Cabrales started the game for the Patriots, allowing 2 hits and 1 run over 3⅓ innings, striking out 1 batter and walking none. Jonas Salgado threw 2⅔ innings in relief and Michael Belbot earned the win, surrendering no runs on no hits over one inning. He also finished with 2 strikeouts and no walks. Owen Housinger and Luca Morelli each collected 2 hits to lead Stevenson in the matchup. Next up for the Patriots is a doubleheader on Saturday at St. Viator, starting at 10 a.m.
Softball: The Patriots (8-9, 5-5) hosted Waukegan and won, 7-2. Aubrey Jepson pitched seven innings and surrendered 2 runs on 6 hits over seven innings, striking out 13. Abbie Lewis, Michaela Duffy, and Megan Orgler combined to drive in 5 runs. Leading the Patriots in hitting was Reagan Koenigs with 2 hits in 4 at-bats. Next up for Stevenson is a home game against Grant at 4:45 p.m. tonight.
Forget Unpaid Internships. Instead, Colleges Should Offer Work-Based Courses.
What if students could earn work experience, wages and university credits at the same time? Sounds too good to be true? Not really. Colleges have already come up with a model for this by offering work-based courses, which pair students with businesses and other organizations to solve real-world problems.
Some Rural Schools Are Dipping Into Savings To Keep Up With Inflation
The rising cost of fuel, energy and food are straining rural school districts’ already tight budgets. Many districts fear what continued inflation could mean for programming, upkeep and even staffing.
The Week Ahead
Mark your calendars for these events and see the Stevenson Calendar for details on these and future programs.
May 11-13: AP Exams
May 11-12: Spring Band Concert
May 11: PPA Bake Sale
May 11: Sports Boosters Meeting
May 13: Improv Performance
May 16: Activity Period: Counselor Visits
May 16: District 125 Board Of Education Meeting
May 17: Consortium Art Festival And Reception
Stevenson Daily Digest 