Edat, Catalyst Teammates Use Their Voices To Help Push
Congress To Pass Important Opioid Legislation Last Month
Being healthy means more to junior Thomas Edat than just working out and eating right.
He decided at a very young age that he also wants to be drug-free.
Back in middle school, Edat (pictured right) participated in Catalyst programming, and he continued that right into high school as a member of Stevenson’s Catalyst club, a leadership group dedicated to supporting and encouraging a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle for youth in the community.
“As part of Catalyst, being drug-free has just become ingrained into my consciousness,” Edat said. “I want to be a healthy person, so I don’t drink, I don’t do drugs, I don’t do anything.
“When I grow up, I want to be a doctor, and Catalyst matches my personal values. When I see someone with an addiction, it really hurts me and it’s something I want to fix and I want to make a huge impact.”
Edat and his Catalyst teammates actually made a very tangible impact in the war on addiction just before Winter Break. They were vocal in lending their support for the NOPAIN Act, and lobbying Illinois’ U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to do the same.
As Catalyst’s Director of Policy and Legislation, Edat looks for local, state and federal policies that Catalyst can champion. He recently was made aware of the NOPAIN Act that was put before Congress, and that ultimately passed on Dec. 23.
The NOPAIN (Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation) Act addresses outdated federal reimbursement policies that inadvertently incentivize the prescribing of opioids for pain management rather than non-opioids.
Edat organized a campaign in which Catalyst members e-mailed Durbin and Duckworth, and tagged them on social media posts, to encourage them to vote for the NOPAIN Act. In addition, on one morning before Winter Break, approximately 140 members of Catalyst gathered together in a large room in the Patriot Wellnes Center and made calls to the senators’ offices in support of NOPAIN.
“I wrote a script that talked about the statistics of opioids and the dangers and why we support NOPAIN, and we had so many people calling that day, leaving voicemails and messages,” Edat said. “We really supported the NOPAIN Act because opioids have become such a problem in our community and in our country. It was cheaper for hospitals to prescribe opioids, which causes drug addictions.
“The NOPAIN Act opens up more non-opioid pain management prescriptions.”
Edat says that he was thrilled, and felt so proud, when he heard the news that Congress had passed the NOPAIN Act with bipartisan support. And he said that the influence young people and groups such as Catalyst had on the effort can’t be overstated.
“We (Catalyst) made a huge difference. Seeing it at the national level that youth can make a difference is so important,” Edat said. “Some people might think that because we’re kids that we’re immature and that we don’t know what we’re doing. But we do have a voice and we do know what we’re doing. We have a youth perspective that older people sometimes can’t see. We have different challenges and hardships and we’ve got that perspective that youth can bring.
“Seeing that what we did helped and that NOPAIN passed, it made me smile because it made me so happy.”
Starting The New Year Off Right: Math Team In Top Spot!
Stevenson’s Math Team begins 2023 in the perfect spot: ranked first in the North Suburban Math League!
After the first three competitions, Stevenson leads the league with 878 points, ahead of city schools Whitney Young with 871 points and Walter Payton with 855 points. Naperville Central and Fremd High School round out the top five schools across the 50-school field.
Perfect scores from the latest meet came from seniors Ben Chen and Jack Chen, junior Eric Tsui, sophomore Jaden Chen andfreshmen Jonathan He and Michelle Zhang,
The first Math Team meeting of 2023 is next Tuesday (Jan. 17) in the 1500s Hallway and new members are always welcome to join. Freshmen will be exploring number theory concepts, sophomores will work on circle theorems, juniors are studying conics, and the senior topic is sequences and series.
For even more information about the Math Team, check out the team’s custom website!
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Check Out Stevenson’s Newest Intramural: Horseback Riding!
Stevenson’s newest intramural, Horseback Riding, will hold an informational meeting at 3:30 p.m. TODAY in the Student Activities Office (Room 1102). Students can learn about riding opportunities and meet the instructor.
Horseback Riding is open to all experience levels, provides professional coaching and involves a low level of commitment.
E-mail questions to: mheller25@students.d125.org or mshahinian@d125.org.
No School On Monday In Observance Of MLK Jr. Day!
Monday marks the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., a federal holiday and a day off of school.
King was an American Baptist minister and activist. He was a prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement until his assassination in 1968.
Here is the transcript from the famous “I Have A Dream” speech (shown in the video above) that King delivered in 1963.
To learn more about Stevenson’s Equity work, please click here.
Food Hack For Monday: Support shsHacks At Culver’s!
On your day off on Monday, visit the Lincolnshire Culver’s (anytime from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) with friends and family to support shsHacks!
Mention the fundraiser at checkout, either dine-in, carry out, or drive-through, and 25 percent of group sales will be used to support shsHacks!
shsHacks is an annual 24-hour “Hackathon” co-organized by Girls in STEAM and Computer Science Club. Students interested in coding will register and compete as teams to code solutions to thematic and relevant issues presented at the Hackathon. At the end, projects are evaluated by a professional judging panel and prizes are offered for winners.
shsHacks 2023 will take place in early March. Follow @shshacks2023 on instagram for registration information coming soon!
Seniors: Showcase Yourself In “Senior Showcase!”
Deadline To Apply Is TODAY!
“Mr. SHS” has gotten a name change. Introducing…“Senior Showcase!”
The Senior Class Board is currently taking applications for contestants for the first annual “Senior Showcase,” a talent competition that is open to everyone… as long as you are a SENIOR.
Participants will be judged in talent, theme wear, and a public speaking/Q-and-A. But don’t worry, if you don’t have a “talent,” the Senior Class Board can help you pick one!
The application is open until 3:30 p.m. TODAY, at which time it should be completed and turned into Student Activities.
Senior Showcase will be held on Friday, Feb. 17. The winner of Senior Showcase will receive two Prom tickets. The runner-up will win one Prom ticket and Mr. Congeniality will win one Prom ticket.
Buy A Yearbook Ad For Your Senior! Deadline Is TODAY!
Show your Senior some love in the 2023 Yearbook. Buy a Senior Recognition Ad.
The closing date is TODAY. Get those ads in while you still have a chance!
Sign Up For Next Week’s Tech Campus Event
Representatives from Lake County Tech Campus will be on campus Wednesday, Jan. 18 to give presentations to students interested in learning about the different programs and classes offered to junior and senior students.
Presentations will take place in the College Career Center during each lunch period (fourth, fifth and sixth periods).
Students will also learn about how Tech Campus can help them make the jump from high school to college or from high school directly into a career through dual credit and internship/networking opportunities.
Students interested in attending should sign up in advance.
Want To Work In A STEM Career?
Check Out Special Speaker Next Week
Students who are interested in careers in STEM will have the opportunity to attend a STEM Careers Presentation on Friday, Jan. 20 hosted by Dr. Todd Spohnholtz, senior technical lead at Northrop Grumman. The presentations will be hosted during the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-period lunches.
Dr. Spohnholtz is part of an advanced concepts organization that specializes in the development of solutions to challenging defense issues. He will be speaking on his journey and experiences in the field of engineering and important considerations students can take now to pave a potential pathway in STEM careers.
Students interested in attending should sign up in advance. Since this event will be taking place during lunch periods, students are more than welcome to bring their lunch to the presentation, which will be located in Room 2104 (near the Patriot Lobby).
Take A Field Trip…To College Of Lake County!
Juniors and Seniors who want to learn more about the College of Lake County are encouraged to sign up for the CLC Field Trip, which includes tours of both the Grayslake and Southlake campuses on Thursday, Jan. 26.
In order to attend, interested students must fill out a permission slip and get it fully signed before turning it into the College Career Center. Permission slips are available at the CCC and are due on Jan. 23.
Field trip participants will also attend information sessions about CLC’s various programs and hear details about the application process. Students will be excused from first through fifth periods and will return to Stevenson at Noon to eat lunch during fifth period.
Tech Campus students will be excused during 5a to eat lunch before meeting their bus for their afternoon class.
Half-Off Sale: Get Your PPA Guidebooks Now!
The Patriot Parent Association is having a sale on the 2022-2023 Guidebooks.
They will be on sale in the Patriot Superstore for $5, which is half-price.
PPA Could Use Donations For Next Week’s Bake Sale
The Patriot Parent Association will be hosting its first Bake Sale of 2023 next Wednesday (Jan. 18), and could use some help.
Families that would like to donate store-bought treats for the sale can sign up here.
If families don’t have time to shop, monetary donations can be made online.
Thank you, Patriot Families!
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Sports Notes
Spring Sports Registration: Please note that Spring Sports are right around the corner and registration is open NOW.Register for Spring Sports HERE.
Here are the Spring Sports start dates, by sport:
Monday, Feb. 13: Boys Gymnastics, Boys Track & Field and Girls Track & Field.
Monday, Feb. 27: Baseball, Softball, Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, Girls Badminton, Boys Tennis, Boys Water Polo, and Girls Water Polo.
Monday, March 6: Boys Volleyball.
Tuesday, April 3: Allied Soccer.
All Spring Sports Information can be found in this document or on the Stevenson Athletics website.
“Play For Kay/Think Pink” ~ Girls Basketball Fundraiser: The girls basketball program is doing a “Play For Kay/Think Pink” Cancer Fundraiser at its game on Jan. 31 against Lake Forest. Starting NOW, the Patriots are selling T-shirts that fans can wear at the game. The T-shirts are $10 and can be purchased online and in the name of a player in the program (a name can be entered in the comment box). The “Play for Kay/Think Pink” Cancer Research T-shirts will be distributed the week of Jan. 23 by the player you enter in the comment box. T-shirts will also be sold on Jan. 27 and Jan. 30 during the lunch periods in the Glass Commons and the Wood Commons. For more information, or to receive your T-shirt if you choose not to enter a player’s name in the comment box, please e-mail girls basketball varsity coach Ashley Graham.
Mandatory Meeting: A reminder to all Student-Athletes ~ DON’T FORGET that if you have not attended the mandatory Student-Athlete Meeting, there is one Thursday, Jan. 19 from 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. in the West Auditorium. Please be on time as the auditorium fills up quickly and we will start promptly at 9:45 a.m.
Girls Track and Field: There is an Informational Meeting about the upcoming spring season for Girls Track and Field from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26 in Room 5132.
Winter Sports Awards/ESPPA Nominations: All winter athletes and parents are invited to attend the Winter Sports Awards Night at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7 in the Sportscenter. Please take the time to nominate individuals or teams for the WINTER Exceptional Stevenson Patriot Pride Awards (ESPPA) using this Google Form. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 10. Incomplete nominations will not be considered. Nominations can be submitted by students, parents and faculty/staff/coaches.
Sports Events Ahead
TODAY ~ Competitive Dance: Stevenson will be hosting the North Suburban Conference Dance Competition starting at 6:30 p.m. on today. Tickets are available only on GoFan and are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. NSC passes will be accepted.
TODAY/SATURDAY ~ Wrestling: Tickets for the Illini Classic Wrestling tournament at Lincoln-Way Central High School today (5 p.m.) and Saturday (9 a.m.) are $6 for adult admission and $3 for students with an I.D. Tickets can be purchased through GoFan: https://gofan.co/app/school/IL15559
SATURDAY ~ Boys Basketball: IT’S A GRAY OUT!! Don’t forget to wear your gray to Saturday’s boys basketball game at the Sportscenter. The Patriots will be hosting conference rival Libertyville and tip-off is at 5:30 p.m. Stevenson will put its perfect 5-0 North Suburban Conference record on the line. Overall, the Patriots are 13-2 on the season. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens and can be purchased via GoFan.
SATURDAY ~ Boys Swimming: Tickets for the 2023 Boys Swimming Trevian Relays at New Trier High School on Saturday will be sold ONLINE ONLY at GoFan: https://gofan.co/app/events/850278?schoolId=IL15602. The fees are: $5 for adults and $2 for students. Please purchase tickets before coming to the event for ease of entry.
SATURDAY ~ Competitive Dance: For the South Elgin High School Dance Invite, starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, all spectators should enter through Door 51 (Gym Entrance). Admission for the day is $10 for adults and $5 for students with a school ID. Cash tickets will be sold but spectators can also purchase tickets through GoFan: https://gofan.co/app/events/840778?schoolId=IL68149
SATURDAY ~ Girls Gymnastics: The Lake County Invite will take place at Stevenson, starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Prices via GoFan are: $5 for adults, $3 for students and senior citizens while kids under 5 are free. Prices via cash are: $6 for adults, $4 for students and senior citizens while kids under 5 are free. NSC, Sports Boosters and Event passes will be accepted.
Sports Results
Boys Swimming And Diving: The Patriots (4-0) traveled to Mundelein for a conference matchup, winning 144-42. The 200-free relay team of Maxim Kolbunov, Kunal Rajadhyax, David Kohan, and Sam Rahimzadeh placed first with a time of 1:31.21 to contribute to Stevenson’s win right out of the gate. Colin Zhang placed first in both the 200-yard free (1:43.65) and the 100-yard backstroke (54.29). Diver Danny Solverstein placed first with a score of 282.10 in the 100-meter diving competition. And Max LaPointe St. Georges placed first in the 50-yard free with a time of 22.41. Next up for Stevenson is the New Trier Relays for the swimmers at 12 noon on Saturday and a Diving Invitational at Hinsdale Central starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Boys Bowling: Stevenson (12-4, 8-2) traveled to River Rand Bowl to take on Glenbrook North and lost its final match of the regular season, 3483 to 3398. Ender Starr is still bowling phenomenally, with a 633 series and a high game of 243. Starr was followed by Shalimar Jacobs with a series high of 619 and a high game of 228. Jackson Sher had a series 602, with a high game of 214. Jude Snider had a series high 567, Jacob Heald had a 524 series and Myles Fierer had a 453 series. Next up for the Patriots is the IHSA Regional hosted by Libertyville at Lakeside Lanes on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m.
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Mark your calendars for these events and see the Stevenson Calendar for details on these and future programs.
Jan. 16: No School: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 16:shsHacks 2023 Fundraiser
Jan. 17:Incoming Freshmen Parent Night
Jan. 18:PPA Bake Sale
Jan. 18:Consortium Jazz Festival
Jan. 19: Late Arrival Day ⏰
Jan. 19:Start Of Incoming Freshmen Course Selection Days
Jan. 19:Consortium Orchestra Concert
Jan. 20:CCC Presents ~ STEM Careers Presentation
Stevenson Daily Digest 