FINDING A WAY TO FIT IN
Nearly Bullied Out Of Hockey, Jegers Finishes Career
As One Of Stevenson’s All-Time Best
It’s the career ~ a brilliant career at that ~ that almost never was.
Senior Davis Jegers has played hockey since first grade. His name is now splashed all over the hockey record books at Stevenson.
In fact, just this winter, he became Stevenson’s all-time leading scorer with 124 points, and also set the all-time mark for goals in a season with 77. Meanwhile, he was the leading scorer in the Scholastic Hockey League this winter, was named the SHL Player Of The Year, played in the AHAI All-State Game and was named to the Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Team (pictured below with Coach Wood).
And yet, just four years ago, right before he arrived at Stevenson, Jegers nearly quit hockey.
“Just almost totally quit,” Jegers said. “I wanted nothing to do with it. There came a point in eighth grade where I didn’t want to go to practice at all, and the only reason I did was because I felt like I had to, and that’s crazy because I love hockey.
“But I was ready to quit.”
Because of bullying.
It’s hard to believe now. Jegers has a ton of friends at Stevenson. He’s one of the best athletes in the school, and one of the best high school hockey players in the state of Illinois.
But at one time, even he wasn’t immune to the relentless torture that bullying can be.
“I think people would be surprised to know that I was bullied as a kid, but I was…and it was on my travel hockey team,” Jegers said. “I’ve always been bulkier than other kids, so some of the kids would call me fat. They’d ask me on the ice if I needed a cheeseburger. I had to teach myself to block out a lot of things that were said.
“Then it got really bad, to the point where I stopped getting included in team activities, and then the other kids just cut communication with me completely. It felt like they were targeting me. And these were kids that I had been playing with for most of my life. It was such a weird situation. It was hard.”
Jegers is convinced the bullying he endured was not only personal, but also competitive in nature.
“I was in an environment where people thought it was fine to be rude and mean, just as long as they were standing out,” Jegers said “There were kids who didn’t care if they were nice to you. All they cared about was playing and getting to the next level and they would do whatever it took to do that. It was survival of the fittest. A lot of it was trying to get rid of your competition.”
Jegers did leave that team. Then the question was, should he leave hockey altogether?
As an eighth grader, grappling with his future, Jegers had some hard questions for the hockey coaches at Stevenson. He didn’t want to be on a team in high school that had the same problems as his travel team.
“The coaches at Stevenson, they invited me to a few skates, and right away, it felt like a much different environment,” Jegers said. “They told me that everyone takes you in and nobody looks at you as an outsider and that’s what drew me in. The coaches at Stevenson created a culture where everyone is your friend. And throughout the years we have built on that, especially this year and last year.”
This winter, the Patriots got to the Final Four in the state tournament. Last year, they won the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
“My four years at Stevenson have been my best four years of hockey that I’ve played,” said Jegers, a varsity starter all four years. “Team culture and friendship was important to me, so I found a team that had that, and we made sure to make it even better. I found a great friend group through hockey, so I’ve felt like I’ve fit in during high school.”
But if you don’t fit in, Jegers wants to encourage you to hang in there, and keep searching for your “people.” They ARE there.
“If bullying is happening, take a step back and say ‘What do I want to do?’ If you don’t feel like you fit in, find a sport, a club, something you enjoy, there’s so much at Stevenson. I’m sure there is something you will feel you fit in with. It might be tough at first to find that group, but there is always a group for you.”
Jegers also found comfort in his other friend group, outside of Stevenson. A big part of Jegers’ life is his Latvian heritage. Both of his parents (Kristina and Gundars) are Latvian, and all four of his grandparents were born in Latvia.
Kristina and Gundars Jegers met at a Latvian party, and have encouraged Davis (pronounced Dah-vis ~ “But almost everyone calls me Day-vis,” Jegers said with a laugh. “I don’t even bother correcting anyone about it.”) to explore his culture through Latvian camps and festivals.
Jegers (pictured left with the Latvian flag) has been going to a Latvian camp in Michigan for 10 years now. He also went to a Latvian school through seventh grade, including pre-school, and learned not only about Latvian culture but how to speak Latvian fluently.
“Our culture is super close and it’s basically your second family,” Jegers said. “The people you meet at the camp are your lifelong friends. One of my mom’s closest friends now is someone she met at the camp.”
During his darkest days of feeling picked on and alone on his travel hockey team, Jegers took solace in the idea of feeling like he belonged in his Latvian circles.
He’s just as grateful that his circle eventually expanded to include his Stevenson hockey teammates and coaches. He’s hoping to find another friendly group to share the ice with next year in college when he plays club hockey while majoring in finance. He’s narrowed his college choices to Indiana University, Miami University (Ohio) and Ohio State.
“I’m excited (for college), but I’m going to miss (hockey at Stevenson),” Jegers said. “We never thought we were the best team, but we had such close chemistry and such a close team and we trusted each other. Our culture was the most important part of our success and I really liked that part.”
SENIOR SUNRISE
SENIORS: Don’t Forget…Senior Sunrise is TOMORROW MORNING!
7:30 a.m. to 8:25 a.m., Stadium
Celebrate new beginnings TOMORROW at the Senior Sunrise! This event is about highlighting the next phase of your lives: college, career or whatever adventures you have in mind…while also reminiscing about your time at Stevenson!
CAP AND GOWN NOTE: You can also pick up your cap and gown for graduation during Senior Sunrise! Bring your ID to be able to pick up your cap and gown.
Top Dance Students Honored This Morning In West Auditorium
Dance students at Stevenson were recognized this morning in the West Auditorium for their dance scholarship, service, character and leadership as part of an induction into the National Honor Society of Dance Arts.
The National Honor Society of Dance Arts inductees are:
Senior: Julia Jasmanta
Juniors: Ariel Barshefsky, Elizabeth Bichkoff, Kamille Cortezano, Sarah Edwards, Alexandra Fairman, Maya Faust, Caroline Feng, Peiyan Jiang, Nicolette Lagen, Jadyn Pearl, Calleigh Schneider, April Tan and Lexi Trojan
Winners Of Co Curricular Dance Awards:
Joy Fei, Emily Hsiao, Elaina Kravchenko and Gloria Xing
Dancers Presented With Senior Cords:
Trisha Haria and Julie Levenshteyn
Seniors Graduating With Honors:
Emily Hsiao, Elaina Kravchenko, Julia Stencel and Nicole Spektor
Celebrate Asian Culture
TODAY: Art Event/Bake Sale!
It’s a big week for the Asian Pacific Islander & Desi American Student Council.
APIDA will be hosting Asian Pacific Islander & Desi-American Week with after-school activities all week with the goal of helping the Stevenson community better understand and appreciate Asian cultures through education and fun celebrations.
TODAY’S APIDA Activities:
After School Art Event: Looking for a safe space to relax and make arts and crafts? APIDA Student Council will be holding an after school art event in the West Staff Dining Room from 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.TODAY in honor of APIDA Week! At this event, we will include lantern making, mehndi/henna artists and origami for students to enjoy. If you want to do fun crafts and immerse yourself with APIDA culture, make sure to check it out!
Bake Sale: The APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) Student Council will be hosting a Bake Sale from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. TODAY in the Lower Sportscenter Lobby. We hope to showcase and represent the numerous cultures of Stevenson! For more information about APIDA and this special week, check out the APIDA Student Council’s custom website.
Spring Dance Concert To Feature Student Choreography
Student choreography will be on display this weekend in the Spring Dance Concert, which features the Mélange and Repertory Dance Companies and the Concert Dance Class.
There are concerts both on FRIDAY and SATURDAY, starting at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $7 apiece and available via GoFan.
Each dance was chosen via an audition process. Choreographers developed the concept and cast the dancers for their pieces under the mentorship of their directors.
The Student Choreographers are: Marielle Angeles, Maya Faust, Joy Fei, Zoe Fledderman, Fran Gao, Rowan Hite, Emily Hsiao, Elaina Kravchenko, Kacper Kurek, Nicolette Lagen, Erin Liu, Victoria Nenadovic, Sophia Perlin, Meredith Polonsky, Dowon Shim, April Tan, Nicolett Tarnorutskaya, Alyssa Weber and Gloria Xing.
There is also Guest Artist Choreography from Hot Crowd Dance.
A fundraiser is part of these concerts as well. A Bake Sale will be take place at the concert to raise funds for the Stevenson Dance Connection which sponsors dance events for the company members.
| “One Act” Shows Are All About The Students ~ From Start To Finish! The adults stepped aside. And the students took over. “One Act” is all students…and the final product that has been months in the making will be on display this weekend with two shows, one on FRIDAY and one on SATURDAY in the West Auditorium, starting at 7 p.m. each night. Student acted, directed, and produced, “One Act” is evidence of what students are capable of doing when “adults get out of their way.” The One Acts were born from a spark of creativity that led to an actual script, months of writing and rewriting, a series of workshops ~ and then rewrites. A total of 35 plays were submitted in December, and the six that were chosen are musicals, comedies, dramas…and highlight what is best in Stevenson students. Tickets are $7 and are available on GoFan. There will be fundraisers at the shows featuring concessions and T-shirts. |
A “One Act” Musical Is A Semifinalist In National Festival
Senior Shrenik Balaji (pictured left) created a musical, “tbhidk” that will not only be performed this weekend as part of Stevenson’s “One Act” shows, it has also been selected as a semifinalist in The Blank Theatre’s 31st Annual Young Playwright’s Festival.
The musical, a satire on the ways we are ineffectively communicating through abbreviations and acronyms in technology, showcases a dystopian society 10 years into the future in which the government has integrated these shorthand expressions into the education system. The musical features familial, platonic, and romantic relationships all D.B.T.N.L.O.C. (distorted by this new lack of communication).
Shrenik’s selection is the third from Stevenson in the last two years. Senior Norah Osborne had her play “ Table for Two “ selected as a semifinalist last year, and former student Wyn Thomas won the award for her play, “Stand Up Hit.”
If Shrenik’s play wins the competition, it will be produced this summer in Los Angeles.
 |
It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane…Aerospace/Aviation is BACK!
The wait is over…The Aerospace And Aviation Club is back!
After losing its sponsor a couple of years ago, the Aerospace And Aviation Club is back up and running and has a meeting TODAY after school in Room 1426.
Through the Aerospace And Aviation Club, students can learn the fundamentals of aerodynamics. Come enjoy with friends, build rockets and fly drones. Dive into the concepts of aerospace and explore career interests through the club.
For more information about the club, follow it on Instagram at @shs_aerospacaviation.
LAST CALL: Pick Up Your Illinois State Scholars Certificate NOW!
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) recently announced its 2023-24 Illinois State Scholars.
Stevenson students who are Illinois State Scholars should pick up their certificates, in the College Career Center by showing their ID.
Students with Illinois Standard Test Scores (ISTS) of 31 or higher are automatically designated as State Scholars. Students with an ISTS lower than 31 but who have a Weighted Selection Score (WSS) greater than or equal to the cutoff score of 47 are also designated as State Scholars.
TOMORROW: Frosty Friday!!
Support the Girls Water Polo team and buy a Wendy’s Chocolate or Vanilla Frosty TOMORROW in the Glass Commons outside of the Performing Arts Center from the beginning of eighth period until 4 p.m.
Frostys are $3 each.
Student Council Membership Apps Due NEXT WEEK!
Want to be a general member of Student Council next year?
Applications for 2023-2024 Student Council general membership are due on MONDAY!
The application is how all students become members of Student Council.
SNN Film Fest Coming Up Next Month; Submissions Due MONDAY!
The SNN Film Fest will be held on May 19, and submissions are still being accepted…UNTIL MONDAY (May 1).
Student filmmakers must upload their films to the SNN website or by using this link.
All filmmakers whose movies are accepted get free admission to this year’s Film Fest! Films should be under 20 minutes and school appropriate.
For more information, contact SNN@d125.org.
Dancers: Get Ready! General Auditions Are Coming Up FAST!
Mélange and Repertory Dance Company general auditions will be held on Wednesday, May 10 and Thursday, May 11 from 3:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Room 2112.
To sign up for the auditions, please click here.
General auditions assure placement within the companies as a whole. This is an AUDITION for current company members and any new students interested in joining the companies. In the beginning of the new school year, there will be placement auditions with these students to place them specifically into Mélange or Repertory. These placements will be Tuesday, Aug. 22 and Wednesday, Aug. 23.
Students should come dressed to the auditions in dance attire, hair-up, and no jewelry. Students will be e-mailed a tutorial video of a movement phrase to learn prior to the audition. On the days of the audition, students will warm up and review the movement phrase and then perform that phrase.
In addition, students should come prepared to perform a 45- to 60-second solo of their own unique and original choreography. Please stay within the styles of Jazz and Contemporary. Music is optional. Students will sign up to perform their solos for the dance faculty individually.
For more details, please click here.
 |
ACADEMICS
TOMORROW ~ Last Call To Pick Up AP ID Labels: If you missed picking up your AP ID Labels, do not worry! You can come to the Teaching & Leaning Department (Room 7096) and pick them up anytime through TOMORROW. Please do not forget to bring your School ID.
MAY 15 ~ Odyssey App/Rec Forms Due: Applications and recommendations for Odyssey 2024. Students, faculty and staff may use the Odyssey Form to suggest artists and submit workshop ideas for Odyssey.
NOW THROUGH JUNE 30: Apply for these post-secondary scholarships with deadlines ranging from now through June 30.
CLUBS
TOMORROW ~ Deadline To Order The Wit 2023: To order: Use This Link!
NOW THROUGH APRIL ~ Project Cutlery: Submit a photo of the reusable utensil you use at Stevenson through this form and be entered for a chance to WIN a solar-powered portable charger!
NOW THROUGH END OF SCHOOL YEAR ~ Shoe Donations: The Green Team and SWALCO (Solid Waste Agency of Lake County) have partnered to keep unwanted footwear out of landfills. The Green Team will take shoes in ANY condition, whether they are for athletics, formalwear, etc. A donation box is at the Point.
EVENTS
MAY 3 ~ Deadline To Register A Team For Spring Fling: Sign up for Spring Fling, an end-of-the-school-year celebration where students can socialize and build teams to go head-to-head in kickball, ultimate frisbee, volleyball and cricket! Spring Fling will be held after school on FRIDAY, MAY 19. Team registration has begun, and Captains forms need to be submitted by the new extended deadline of WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 at 11:59 p.m. Anyone can form a team with 10 to 14 total players. Teams must be co-ed. Students who are interested should visit @stucostevenson on Instagram for more information.
OPPORTUNITIES
MAY 4 ~ Deadline To Order Spirit Wear T-Shirt: The Spirit Wear T-Shirts, designed by junior Raiqa Ullah, can be pre-ordered via the webstore for $15.75 through MAY 4. After that time, there will be a limited supply available for purchase in the Patriot School Store.
ONGOING ~ Apply To Work At Camp Patriot: Camp Patriot is looking for staff for the summer! If you are a current sophomore and older, please stop by Student Activities or visit the PREP Page for more information.
ONGOING ~ Jobs, Jobs, Jobs: Stevenson has a vast array of job postings that is continuously updated with new listings. Check out the Student Career Connection page on the Stevenson website to learn more.
 |
| Seniors: Get out your calendars…you’re probably going to want to “save these dates” as these are the top “Senior Send-Off” events at Stevenson…and you won’t want to miss them! Also included are deadlines for permission slips, early-bird ticketing, etc. We will provide more detailed information here as it becomes available. Stay tuned! Note: The “Seniors: Class Of 2023” page on the Stevenson website will also be updated with all of this information as it becomes available. Save-The-Dates! TOMORROW ~ Senior Sunrise Celebrate new beginnings TOMORROW at the Senior Sunrise! The event will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. in the Stadium to celebrate the next phase of your lives: college, career or whatever adventures you have in mind! CAP AND GOWN NOTE: You can also pick up your cap and gown for graduation during Senior Sunrise! Bring your ID to be able to pick up your cap and gown. MAY 25 ~ Senior Class Party MAY 26 ~ Graduation Deadlines! NOW THROUGH MAY 4 ~ Party Time, Seniors…Buy Cruise Tickets: ATTENTION: NEW DEADLINE DATE IS MAY 4!! Tickets for “The Senior Class Party,” which is a two-hour boat cruise on Lake Michigan May 25, are available. Tickets are now $45 apiece. To complete the transaction, put your Student ID in the Promo Code. |
 |
Upcoming Sports Events
TODAY ~ Girls Track And Field Invite: Stevenson heads to Lake Zurich TODAY for the 2023 Lake County Championships! The action starts with field events at 4 p.m. and there is no cost to enter.
MAY 11 ~ Future Patriot Athletic Night: Mark your calendars, Future Patriots Athletic Night is rapidly approaching and the Athletic Department is encouraging all current sixth, seventh and eighth graders to participate. The event is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on MAY 11. Register now via the Prep Catalog.
MAY 22 ~ Spring Sports Awards: Mark your calendars, Spring Sports Awards Night will be here before you know it! Dress to impress for the event, which is at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 22 in the Sportscenter.
Sports Results
Baseball: JR Nelson drove in 4 runs as the Patriots (16-6, 6-2) defeated Lake Zurich, 13-3. Nelson drove in his runs on 3 hits with a single in the third and a double in the fifth. In the first, Chris Iannuzzi started the drive for Stevenson, drawing a walk and scoring 1 run. Taking the lead for good in the third, Stevenson got a Luca Morelli single on a 2-2 count that scored 1 run. Brandon Schultz singled, scoring 1 run and then Michael Belbot singled, scoring 1 run. Brett Gaynor pitched for the Patriots, allowing 8 hits and 3 runs over five innings, striking out 6 batters and walking just one. Overall, the Patriots tallied 16 hits from various players that also included Joe Richardson and Colin Schmitke. Next up for the Patriots is at road game at Vernon Hills at 4:45 p.m. tomorrow.
Boys Tennis: The Patriots (12-1, 4-0) were back at it against Loyola Academy, and once again dominated their matches, winning 7-0. Ashy Madhushankar in the No. 1 singles spot won his match, 6-1, 6-1 followed by Caden Zhao who won 6-1, 6-0 and Nathan Ma finished out his match, 6-2, 6-1. On the doubles side, Alex Jang and Guatham Kappaganthula won, 6-3, 6-3. In the No. 2 spot, Jonathan Wang and Tejas Sheth won 6-3, 6-4. Richard Xu and Ian Williams dominated their match, finishing 6-0, 6-0 and Akshay Maram and Vrishan Kanuri won 6-1, 6-2. Next up for Stevenson is a conference matchup against Lake Forest at 4:45 p.m. today at the Vernon Hills Athletic Complex.
Boys Volleyball: Stevenson (19-5, 4-0) hosted conference opponent Lake Forest and rolled to a 25-11, 25-12 sweep. Ramsey Engel led the way with 4 kills while accumulating 3 digs. Jason DeZutter added 3 kills for the Patriots, followed by Yugank Arora and Kian Odongo who each added 2 kills apiece. Setters Ryan Dong and James Angelos combined for 37 attempts and 14 assists. Next up for Stevenson is a home triangular on Friday against Lakes and Hononegah starting at 5 p.m. in the Sportscenter.
Girls Badminton: Stevenson (17-0, 5-0) finished up its dual matches, defeating New Trier 18-0. Each doubles team won its match convincingly, with the No. 5 team of Laasya Aduri and Riddhi Mallela winning 21-4, 21-6. On the singles side, Lindsey Wang in the No. 1 spot won her match 21-6, 21-4 while freshman Veronica Ornatsky in the No. 2 spot won her match 21-4, 21-3. Next up for the Patriots is the NSC Championships tomorrow, starting at 4:45 p.m. in the Fieldhouse.
Girls Lacrosse: The Patriots traveled to Lake Forest for a conference match and fell short. Stevenson got goals from Lili Sorenson, Maria Lukz (2), Margie Finnegan and Vanessa Magsino. The Patriots held strong on defense with 6 caused turnovers as a team and 10 saves from goalie Lilly Morrow.
Boys Lacrosse: Stevenson (2-11, 0-3) hosted Lake Forest in a conference matchup and lost, 16-0. Next up for the Patriots is a road game at Vernon Hills at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Sports Reminders
MAY 12 ~ Deadline For ESPPA Award Nominations: Spring Sports Awards Season is almost here, which means, the Athletic Department needs your nominations for the ESPPAs. Click HERE to enter your nominations for each ESPPA category. The DEADLINE is FRIDAY, MAY 12!
ONGOING ~ Register for Summer Sports Camp: For freshmen through seniors. Summer Sports Camp brochure, which is also located on the athletics webpage. Register here for Summer Sports Camp. Register early to make sure you are cleared to participate on the first day of camp.
JULY 17 ~ Baseball Golf Outing: The Stevenson Baseball Team is hosting a Golf Outing on Monday, July 17 at the Buffalo Grove Golf Course, starting at 9 a.m. Tickets can be purchased HERE to play in a foursome or to sponsor a hole. All proceeds will go to the Stevenson Baseball Program.
Mark your calendars for these events and see the Stevenson Calendar for details on these and future programs.
Apr. 27-28:Asian Pacific Islander & Desi-American Week
Apr. 27: FAN ~ Soul Shift: The Weary Human’s Guide To Getting Unstuck And Reclaiming Your Path To Joy
Apr. 28:Girls Water Polo Fundraiser ~ Frosty Friday
Apr. 28:Senior Sunrise
Apr. 28-29:One Act Plays
Apr. 28-29:Spring Dance Concert
May 1-5:AP Exams
May 2:Stevenson Styler Fashion Show
May 4:Stevenson Family Engagement Presents: What To Expect Junior Year
Stevenson Daily Digest 