Switching up from acting to passing a volleyball, freshman Roland Teivans entered his first day of high school with a solid friend group and a lot of confidence.

Teivans had always envisioned himself participating in theatre and volleyball because he was so passionate about both and knew he couldn’t just choose one.

“When I walked in, I saw my future because that’s who I am. I knew that I was going to do theatre; I had done a show with Niles West theatre in 6th grade. As for volleyball, I knew I wanted to play, but didn’t know what the competition was like so I couldn’t predict what team I’d play for,” Teivans said.

Teivans feels masculine making the JV volleyball team, as well as participating in the schools play at the beginning of the year.

“Volleyball makes me feel like I’m that much closer to becoming a man. Every time going up for a kill is extremely exhilarating. I am very excited to play for JV as well. Theatre can be just as exciting. Performing in front of a full audience is an experience that can’t be beat. It’s also great to play something completely different from yourself,” Teivans said.

Knowing he would be being a part of these activities, Teivans knew he’d still have the same friends, but expand his friend group as well, but can’t pick one activity over the other.

“I feel as thought I easily made friends with everyone. That is just the atmosphere of a school that’s on the rise. It is impossible to say that one is better than the other; the two are very different from each other. In one you are setting up for spikes, and the other you are setting up cast mates for lines and jokes,” he said.

Freshman and close friend Will Peiser has been friends with Teivans since middle school and loves watching him grow in what he does.

“He has grown so much in volleyball because he made JV and he learned to control his anger since middle school and it makes him feel good. He’s also gotten in more shows lately, “ Peiser said.

Teivans feels that theatre gets bad labels if you’re a boy and wishes to get rid f that social construct.

“Sadly, a popular comment about doing theatre is that it’s ‘gay.’ That’s completely false. It’s just a stereotype. In all honesty, doing theatre is an amazing experience, “ Teivans said.

Freshman, and teammate Hayden Kipp is proud of Teivans and will continue to support him in his extracurriculars.

“I’m proud of him, he’s one of my best friends and he always does everything his way no matter what anybody says about him, so I’m happy that he’s a multi-sport athlete as well as an avid theatre guy. I’ll continue to support him in whatever he does, like I said, he’s one of my best friends, so I’ll be with him by his side, “ Kipp said.

Tall but excited freshman Hayden Kipp walked the halls of Niles West, taking in the change that comes from being in a school with 14 students to a school with nearly ten times as many. 

Having played previous feeder sports, and planning on continuing with sports, it helped ease the transition because having that team gave off a great friend group.

“It was harder going from a school with 14 kids to about 700 [students in my grade], so I knew the basketball team and that’s about it. That quickly changed because I met sophomore Jimmy Brocar,” Kipp said.

Although Kipp was excited, instead of being all that he hoped it would be, the football season began with a rocky start due to his transition from the freshmen football team to the sophomore football team.

“A lot of the freshman hated me because I was on sophomore football instead of freshmen. It didn’t really bother me, but the other freshman didn’t like it because they thought I was betraying them because I had a choice between the teams,” Kipp said.

Brocar and Kipp became fast friends in the midst of Kipp’s struggle to be accepted by both grades. 

“I approached him during football because he was a freshman coming up to the sophomore team and I wanted to make him feel welcome. After a while, we just became really close and he is still one of my best friends that I hope to continue to play football with,” Brocar said.

Kipp is a three-sport athlete, but now being injured, volleyball season has to be put aside but Kipp hopes to get right back into the swing of things as soon as possible.

“Sports are all I do, but now I’m injured. I was playing in a travel tournament and I chased the ball out of bounds and I slammed into a wall. My coach kept me in the game and then I played another game. The people on the volleyball team don’t talk to me as much because I’m not playing. It makes me feel that being hurt is obviously better.” Kipp said.

A new friend and volleyball teammate, freshman Jack Shimabukuro got close with Hayden because of the ongoing season. 

“We got close because the team comradery brought us all together. I hope that our team still treats him like a teammate because he is a part of the team and he’s still going to be my friend,” Shimabukuro said.

Although the injury is a setback, Kipp hopes to continue playing these sports in the future throughout the rest of high school.

“I want to finish high school playing football, basketball, and volleyball with my friends. I would like to be a three-sport athlete and succeeding academically with my best friends, and teammates by my side,” Kipp said.

From being wet to being set, freshman Jack Shimabukuro swam for the varsity swim team and played freshman volleyball, things he was very nervous to do at a high school level.

Shimabukuro played club volleyball for five years, and club swimming for four year so he knew he wanted to play both sports as a freshman and throughout his high school career.

“I was very nervous about swim season, because I didn’t know if I was going to make JV or Varsity swim team. I had to train a lot more in the offseason to prepare for varsity swimming,” Shimabukuro said.

Training really helped out and prepared him for the hard, and time-consuming season.

“I ended up swimming with varsity at the end of the season. It prepared my body to swim six days a week. At the end of the season I did pretty-well. I want to continue swimming at the varsity level,” Shimabukuro said.

Besides sports, Shimabukuro is involved with clubs, and takes his academics seriously.  

“Swimming is one of my main priorities, but I focus on academics, and others clubs like Relay for Life and Freshman Cabinet. I believe in giving back to the community, it makes me feel good,” Shimabukuro said.

Swimming is more of a focus than volleyball and the clubs.

“I like swimming better because I can put in my own hard work and it pays off in the end, which you can see through your times and records,” Shimabukuro said.

Longtime friend, freshman Lexi Lee has always been friends with Shimabukuro, but high school made them grow closer.

“We’ve been friends since third grade. We’ve always been close, but we just got closer this year because we have classes together and swimming, “ Lee said.

Bleaching and shaving heads is something that has become a tradition for swimmers at West and although it isn’t required,  Shimabukuro decided to participate.

“At first it felt really awkward to do it, but then when the whole team was there and together, it was like team bonding. It made me feel like an even bigger part of the team,” Shimabukuro said.

Making friends was easy for Shimabukuro to do, he made friends in all different grades all because of swimming.

“I knew a couple of the kids coming into swimming, but I met a lot of the freshman and also got to know a lot of the upperclassmen,” Shimabukuro said.

Freshman Julia Matuszek became friends with Shmabukuro this year, and they share their growing interest for swimming.

“We always talk about things that we have in common, like swimming. I always ask him for advice on how to swim faster since I just started water polo and he always comes to my games, so it brought us closer,” Matuszek said.

As the school year is starting to wrap up, Shimabukuro already has his goals set for next year.

“I hope to beat the sophomore record for swimming for the 100 fly. I have to get a 55 seconds to beat it, but right now I have a 59, so it’ll be kinda close. I want to continue both volleyball, swimming, clubs, as well as striving in my academics,” Shimabukuro said.

Football has always played a huge role in freshman John Trinh’s life. He has always wanted to do something with his football career since he was in seventh grade.

Even though just being a freshman, Trinh has big goals for his future in football.

“I’ve grown up watching college football and the NFL. My main goal is to go to a good college and to play D1 ball. It would make my family, and me, really proud,” Trinh said.

Playing on the high school football team has always been something that Trinh has wanted to do.

“I’ve always seen my brother play and I wanted to be like him. I knew I was going to play in highschool, it’s my favorite sport so why wouldn’t I,” Trinh said.

With football having a ton of people on the team, it’s allowed for new friends to be made.

“John is a great example for a rising star, always trying to make the team better. He puts in the most work and is really dedicated to football. I became friends with him when we just started throwing a football, he was quarterback and I was a receiver so we automatically had that connection,” Josh Arguello said.

There are so many different parts of football that give off great effects.

“My favorite thing about it is the hitting and pad contact. I look forward to see my progress in my size and to just have fun with it,” Trinh said.

Freshman Mike McKay has always seen John as a great player, ready to take on a challenge.

“John and I went to football camp together, we played linebacker together and when he was the QB, he’d throw me great passes. We instantly connected as teammates. I always saw John getting better by the day. He was always ready to hit hard and by the end of the season, he was for sure the hardest hitter on the team,” McKay said.

Being able to do something that he loves is a great way to get rid of stress.

“Playing football is basically my stress reliever of everything. I enjoy every aspect of the game so it puts me in a better mood, especially with it being the beginning of the year,” Trinh said.

It’s the start of a new school year, which means a new batch of freshmen are joining us here at Niles West. The class of 2020 is roaming the halls with confused yet excited faces. Freshman Leilani Cifuentes is very excited for her first year of high school and has already joined the sport she loves most — poms.

Cifuentes made the Varsity Poms team, which is a rare accomplishment for a freshman.

“I was actually in shock. I thought I was going to make JV, so it was such a shocking moment, but I was happy,” Cifuentes said.

Cifuentes started dancing at 10 years old as a way to get distracted from the outside world and the problems it came with.

“It all started because stuff was going on in my family, so I found it [dancing] as an escape from my family problems,” Cifuentes said.

She realized she had a passion for dancing as soon as she started dancing for Studio 22 High Tek in 5th grade. Cifuentes has accomplished a lot in her dancing career. She went to nationals two times last year in January, which took place in Orlando, Florida, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. Cifuentes’s studio won second place, then went to Summit, which is the biggest competition in nation. 

Dancing is a way for Cifuentes to express herself and let her feelings out.

“I enjoy it because it’s the way I can express myself and it’s just fun,” Cifuentes said.

Cifuentes is an important member of the Niles West Varsity Poms team. She brings the team up as a whole and helps them succeed together. Cifuentes’ teammates take in all her accomplishments and appreciate what her skill can do for the team.

“Well, I mean obviously her team won nationals three years in a row and I think that bringing her on our varsity team is definitely going to up our level and make us do a lot better at competitions,” junior and varsity teammate Elizabeth Chin said.

Cifuentes has left her mark on the varsity poms team.

“She definitely brings a lot of, like, charisma to the team,” Chin said. “And she’s like obviously really good since she’s a freshman and she made varsity, and she has a lot of good technique and style and it really brings the team up.”

Having Cifuentes around on the varsity team doesn’t only impact the team’s skill, but she also brings a positive attitude to practice.

“She is just a really happy person in general, and she’s not really depressed or whatever, she’s just really fun and always happy,” junior and varsity teammate Brianna Diclementi said.

Cifuentes will continue dancing and hopes to one day be able to dance with the Chicago Luvabulls. Although Cifuentes doesn’t want dancing to be her future full-time job, she is interested in being a part-time choreographer when she is older.

As the serve flies over the net, freshman Arianna Lopez gets ready for a bump, set, and then she goes in for a kill. As the ball slams the ground, Lopez is surrounded by her teammates as she receives congratulations and as the crowd erupts into cheer. Lopez has just scored another point for the dominant Niles West girls varsity volleyball team.

Lopez is a fresh addition to the varsity team and is looking forward to creating bonds with her teammates. She has high hopes for the upcoming season.

“I think that this season is going to be an outstanding season,” Lopez said. “We all communicate on the court and I think we have a chance at getting first in the conference.”

Despite the fact that Lopez has high hopes for her upcoming season, transitioning into high school came along with some difficulties. Lopez is an alumna from Fairview South School, and admits that high school is extremely coming from a smaller school such as Fairview.

“High school is definitely a big change after coming from a small school like Fairview,” Lopez said. “It was hard at first and still is somewhat hard getting from class to class.”

Lopez believes that her accomplishment of making a varsity sport has made the change easier: she gained 13 new teammates and mentors both on and off the court. Lopez was not expecting to be pulled up to varsity; she came into tryouts calm and only hoping to do her best.

“I tried to stay as confident and calm as I could. I didn’t get pulled up to try out for varsity until the second day, but I was confident that I would do great during the tryouts,” Lopez admitted.

Lopez takes the same mentality going forth into her high school career. She is trying to stay confident and focus on her academic performance.

“Right now I’m not focused on making too many friends because I’m putting my academic work first,” she said.

Lopez’s talent and accomplishment has not gone unnoticed with freshman and boyfriend Kenji Murakami supporting her and motivating her everyday.

“The night before tryouts she was doubting herself and not believing in herself. I reminded her that she is capable of way more than she thinks and she just has to believe in herself. I’m incredibly proud of her and I’m so excited to see what she has to bring for the season,” Murakami said.  

Along with the support of her friends and boyfriend, varsity coach Stacy Metoyer believes the team and Lopez have the chance at having a really good season.

“Arianna is a very good blocker, so my hope is that she continues to get better at hitting with power. The team has a lot of talent, and I feel like the team is capable of winning a lot of matches and finishing top 3 in conference. Arianna is blessed with height and is very mobile and quick. She will help challenge other people on the team,” Metoyer said.

As the season continues, there are high hopes for the varsity girls and Lopez. Stay on the lookout as this talented team pursues a successful season. 

Most freshmen walk into Niles West with only a gigantic backpack and a terrified look on their face. Lucky for Lili Youkhana, she has two families here at West: her relatives and the cheerleaders.

“I’m really glad to have the chance to go to school with my family,” Youkhana said. “I have my cousin Jayla who’s a freshman, my cousin Eric who’s a sophomore, my sister Hannah who’s a junior, and my cousin Jessye who’s a senior. Having a lot of my family here makes it a lot less scary to be a freshman.”

Having family members in each grade means a lot of people happen to recognize Youkhana in the hallways. When she’s on her way to class, people often stop her to make sure they aren’t doing a double-take.

“A fair amount of people have come up and asked if I’m Hannah Youkhana’s sister or if I’m related to Eric Gassel, but it’s really nice to have my sister and cousins here with me,” Youkhana said.

Lili isn’t the only one that loves seeing her family around — the feeling is definitely mutual.

“Lili and I are very close. We were best friends growing up,” sophomore Eric Gassel said. “I love seeing her in school. It’s cool to see her every day.”

While most students are still getting accustomed to the routine of school, Lili has been practicing with the JV cheer team over the summer.

“It makes me really proud to cheer with such an amazing group of girls and have awesome coaches,” Youkhana said.

Teammate Kristi Bliznakov only had kind words to say about Lili.

“I can definitely say that Lili is passionate about cheer,” Bliznakov said. “She is always hard-working and helps me stay positive during practices and games. She’s the kind of person you want to cheer with.”

Lili has had an exciting start to freshman year, and she hopes that the rest of high school can stay this way. While school is important, it’s nice to know that you always have people rooting for the best in you. Along with the cheer team, her family is right there with her, screaming just as loud on the sidelines.

Being a freshman can be overwhelming at times, especially when you’re looking for new clubs and/or sports to join while simultaneously trying to stay on top of your school work. Niles West offers a great deal of activities, leaving freshmen puzzled when it comes to choosing what to join or try out for. Freshman Katie Trail had her sights set on trying out for the cheerleading team before she even stepped into Niles West.

After attending a couple of competitions when she was young, Trail knew that she wanted to try out for cheerleading.

“I decided that in high school I’d try cheerleading out, and I here I am.  I came to love it,” Trail said.

Trail made the JV cheer team this year, and she was also presented with the opportunity to be an alternate for the varsity team. Since she was given the opportunity to be on both teams, Trail has been able to meet new people and learn from cheerleaders more experienced than her.  

“It gets you involved,” Trail said, “and you get to bond with your team on a whole new level.” 

Trail’s teammates enjoy having her on the team, and even her older teammates consider her a great example.

“She gets along with the team very well, and always encourages our team to succeed. You’ll either catch her with a smile on her face or laughing,” sophomore Kalie Athans said.

Most people would think that being a freshman on a team with upperclassmen would be challenging and intimidating, but that isn’t the case for Trial. 

“She adapted really well, and she’s a good contribution to the team,” sophomore Elona Terlizzi said. “She’s influenced everyone with her positive attitude by keeping everyone motivated to do what needs to be done at practice.”

Trail finds it very important to have a bond with your team and work well together as a whole. Watching her team grow and get better everyday is something Trail is looking forward to seeing throughout the cheer season. For Trail, just being around the people who love the sport just as much as she does makes her a happier person, and she can’t wait to see what the season has in store for her and her team.

From blocking the puck on the ice to becoming one of the best female goalies in the state of Illinois, Shayna Grais has a big future ahead of her.

Grais has been playing hockey since the young age of seven years old, and instantly fell in love with the sport and knew that it was for her.

“I actually started out with figure skating, not hockey, and at first I couldn’t stand up very well, but the moment I stepped on the ice, I loved it,” Grais said.

This past July, Grais was the only goalie selected from Illinois to attend the USA Hockey Central District Development camp in St. Cloud, MN. Grais has big plans involving her future as a goalie.

“This year I plan to get a good GPA, because the scouts are already watching. My future plans are to go to a D1 college and play hockey there,” Grais said.

If that isn’t impressive enough, in April, Grais and her U14 team won the state competition, then played for a national championship in Vermont, in which they placed second. You may think that playing at this high level would affect her schoolwork, but Grais has created a strategy to balance both.

“This year I added an extra study hall to my schedule to balance my sport and school. Also, because I did so many camps this summer, I couldn’t do summer school, so I needed that extra study hall. It’s been working for me and my schedule so far,” Grais said.

Proud father and Niles West counselor Dr. Ben Grais had only positive things to say about Shayna and her abilities as a goalie.

“It’s fun to see how hard Shayna works and how it pays off,” Dr. Grais said. “Shayna is a very coachable athlete because she really tries to do all that she can to be better, and her coaches recognize that.”

Grais has qualities that have made her a better goalie, teammate and friend, and they don’t go unnoticed by her teammates and coaches. Friends and family are proud of Grais’s accomplishments, including fellow hockey player and friend Mary Clark.

“On the ice, she lives in the present. If a goal is scored on her, she remembers it, but then shakes it off as the next play begins. By doing that, she is always at her best whenever she is out on the ice. Shayna’s positivity plays a huge role in keeping the team going,” Clark said.

As the bell rings at 3:23 p.m. and students begin pouring out into the halls eager to get home, freshman Danielle Rakoncay-Harris makes her way against the hallway traffic to the Feminist Club meeting.

Like most freshman, Rakoncay-Harris had hopes and fears about the start of high school, but they were soon diminished with her outgoing personality.

“Starting freshman year, I was looking forward to meeting new friends. I love socializing and I just wanted to meet new people outside of my middle school,” Rakoncay-Harris said.

Rakoncay-Harris did have some fears and anxiety about starting her freshman year and transitioning to a much larger, more diverse school.

“I was scared of getting lost,” Rakoncay-Harris said. “I came to the school about three times just walking the schedule with my friends. I was also scared about upperclassmen, but I realized it was just like seeing my sister’s friends; she’s a senior.”

Rakoncay-Harris is very similar to most freshmen on the outside: she had both the anxiety coming to new school and seeing new people, but also hopes of meeting new friends and gaining new relationships with people of all grades. Unlike most girls of her age though, Rakoncay-Harris has a strong view on gender equality and what it means to have feminism in society.

“I just believe everyone should have equal rights and be treated well. I don’t want my potential sons growing up thinking their gender is superior to women. I wouldn’t say that only Niles West needs it, I would say that a lot of people should be aware of what it is exactly,” she said.

Sophomore Alba Note, one of Rakoncay-Harris’ closest friends, believes that Rakoncay-Harris’ outgoing and creative character will bring impact to the class of 2020 and Niles West in general.

“Danielle is just a really great person to be around. She is always smiling and in a good mood, and she makes the whole room light up,” Note said. “There’s not a time where Danielle won’t stand up for you when you need her; she’s always there and that’s what makes her such a great friend. She has always been an active supporter of not only women’s rights, but equality for everyone, so I know she will make a huge difference as a part of the club.”

Fellow freshman Salma Abu Taleb also thinks that Rakoncay-Harris’s social and fun personality benefits Rakoncay-Harris and her friendships.

“I have to say that Danielle is a very social and fun person to be around. Danielle is a good friend because she’s always there for you,” she said. “I think that Danielle brings a fun and positive attitude to the school.”

Ever since freshman Madelaine Foler was a little girl, she has been impressing almost every person she meets. Whether it was because of her beautiful voice, her gracious personality, or her impressive mind, Foler certainly does stand out from the rest of the crowd.

One of Foler’s most impressive accomplishments is her placement in a higher level math class. She has been coming to Niles West to take math classes ever since she was in seventh grade. Being two years ahead in math than an average freshmen, Foler is currently in Honors Pre-Calculus.

“The transition to high school was much easier for me than I expected, partially because this is my third year as a student,” Foler said. “I took Honors Geometry in seventh grade and Honors Algebra 2 in eighth, and those years were extremely helpful in getting to know the building and the academic expectations.”

One key aspect to Foler’s success in math is her determination to solve each problem, as her Algebra 2 teacher Ryan Geu noticed.

“One way she stood out was that she took this challenging course as an eighth grader and did really well. Another way she stood out was that on difficult problems that many students would give up on, Maddy was a competitor and would battle through until she successfully solved the problem,” Geu said.

Foler’s excellence in math is not the only skill she possesses. She also has an outstanding voice. She is one of the youngest students to be enrolled in the Concert Choir class.

“The best part of my year is probably choir. I auditioned for Mrs. Branahl last fall and she placed me into Concert Choir, with most of the students being older than me,” Foler said. “I really enjoy the challenge, and I’ve met some of the kindest and most fun people in that class.”

Perhaps the most delightful thing about Foler is her ambitious and kind personality. Her good friend, Deborah Bodansky, speaks of Foler with high regard.

“Maddy and I became friends in choir when she was in sixth grade through a shared interest in musicals and literature. She’s very kind and genuine and easy to have an intelligent conversation with. She’s also a great listener, and spending time with her is always fun because we never run out of things to talk about,” Bodansky said.

Freshman Alexis Aponte walked into her a capella audition nervous and second-guessing her every move. Her palms were sweaty, and all eyes were on her. She heard the rhythm of her heart start to get faster with every step she took, catching her breath, and when it was all over, she smiled knowing she had made the right decision in auditioning.

“I wanted to take choir, but I couldn’t because I’m in theater workshop, so I tried out hoping I would still sing someway. I didn’t think I was going to make it cause I was a freshman and I had cheer conflicts. Plus, there are so many talented people at West. I was able to work it out, and when I saw my name was in Hi-Fi, I was so excited,” Alexis Aponte said.

Aponte is the only freshman on High Fidelity, Niles West’s all girls a capella group. Some days, Aponte is at Niles West from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Right after the 3:23 p.m. bell rings, she begins cheerleading practice from 3:45-6:30p.m., then goes straight to a capella from 6:30-9p.m.

Ideally, Aponte wishes to take part in band and choir, but she wouldn’t trade her position on High Fidelity for the world. Aponte has already made a positive impact in High Fidelity and has made her mark this year.

“Alexis is an amazing singer and full of energy. She was the only freshman to make High Fidelity this year, which is hard to do. Whenever I see her she gives me a hug and is always so full of positivity. We have welcomed her into our group as basically our daughter, and our group would not be the same without her,” fellow member Marlyne Rodriguez said.

Aponte also uses her strong voice when cheering for Niles West’s cheerleading team.

“I started cheer because I always loved watching the videos of all these great stunts, pyramids, tumbling, cheers, and dances. I thought it was easy until I started but I soon realized it was a very dangerous and competitive sport,” Aponte said.

Aponte began cheerleading for the junior Wolves when she was only in fifth grade, then continued for her middle school, Lincoln Jr. High. Aponte tried out for the Niles West cheerleading team last May and has been a part of the team ever since. 

“She is a flyer in cheer and I base her. She really works hard, and I already see so much improvement. I love being her base because she is always working on getting better and it makes it so much easier to work with her,” cheer teammate Rita Ismayl said. 

Aponte is admired by many for her talent, realness, and honesty.

“Her amazing talents make her stand out. She is one of the most talented people I have ever met. I admire her honesty most. She is not afraid to say what is on her mind when it needs to be said,” friend Julia Mclemore said.

When Aponte isn’t cheering or signing for High Fidelity, she spends her free time auditioning and performing in professional theaters in Chicago.

“I do musical theater because it combines my two favorite things: acting and singing,” Aponte says.

Alexis has performed at the Marriott theater, the Lyric Opera house, and the Light Oprah Works in Chicago, and one day hopes to have the opportunity to perform in a New York City theater.

While most people run straight for the buses once the final bell rings, and others have clubs to attend every now and then, freshman Umar Chaudhry heads straight to the gym every day, changes, and runs miles with the cross country team until 5:00 p.m.

Chaudhry first found his passion for running back in sixth grade at Parkview, and he’s been doing it ever since.

Although timid when it comes to his athletic abilities, Chaudhry held his head high and joined cross country — which ended up helping him with his running abilities even more.

“I’m a runner. In the beginning of the cross country season I was very depressed in my abilities as a runner, but as the season went on, I saw myself getting better and better every day,” Chaudhry said.

Besides cross country, Chaudhry plans on joining track in January to further strengthen his running abilities.

“I definitely can say I have improved my time, stamina, and speed significantly,” Chaudhry said.

Although being on any sports team here at Niles West is a big time consumer, Chaudhry manages to be both on Cross country and Track, while maintaining good grades.

“He [Umar] wasn’t sure how his classes would be, but as the year went on, he’s doing way better than me,” admits older brother and junior Wali Chaudhry.

Most freshmen come into Niles West feeling intimidated by being in a big and unfamiliar school, but lucky for Chaudhry, his brother was there to guide him and show him his way around the halls.

“Umar at first was nervous. He didn’t know which classes to take, how they would be, or where to go, but I tried my best and convinced him to do sports — running,” Wali Chaudhry said.

Although cross country season came to an end and Chaudhry is waiting until January for track, he keeps his mind off running by keeping himself busy with other subjects.

“Currently, I’m taking Business and Tech, and I think there a lot of good things I can learn in the business field and possibly keep pursuing throughout my years at Niles West if running doesn’t work out,” Chaudhry said.

He even has his mind set to accomplish several goals after his freshman year.

“I want to become one of the best runners in state and at the top at Niles West by my senior year. I also want to look into more business classes; it’s a good field,” Chadhry said.

No matter what decision Chadhry makes, he knows he can turn to his older brother, who also is a runner, for advice whenever he needs it.

Freshmen are known to be a bit shy when it comes to high school, especially when it requires interacting with upperclassmen. This is often the case when it comes to joining clubs. Luckily, ambitious freshman Christian Mancino shatters this stereotype in a multitude of ways.

Mancino is an active member of student government, and was elected the president of the class of 2020. He strives to work hard every day in order to make a difference for his grade.

“I wanted to run for class president because I know that I can help our class very much,” Mancino said. “I was also vice president in my middle school, Parkview, and wanted to go even further in high school. I plan on making sure that our class will be heard.”

While winning his class’s presidency is a huge accomplishment, Mancino continues to impress by being an active member of DECA, Marching Band, and Mock Trial. In fact, he was recognized recently as employee of the week for DECAlicious. Sophomore Lexi Lee, a fellow DECA member and classmate of Mancino, feels that he deserves the title.

“Even though I don’t know Christian that well, I can tell that he’s really driven and a hard worker,” Lee said. “I think he makes valuable contributions to whatever he does.”

Not only is Mancino active in his extracurriculars, he has a heavy course load and does not plan on changing that.

“As a senior, I can still see myself involved in many clubs as well as fun and challenging classes. Right now I am taking all honors and one AP class,” Mancino said. “I hope that my high school classes will help me excel in college.”

Mancino admits that he cannot take full credit for all of his accomplishments, and knows that he can count on his friends for support.

“I have known Christian since grade school, so we are pretty close,” freshman Antoinette Vandenbroucke said. “He is hardworking and determined, but I give him advice when he needs it and encourage him to do his best.”

Mancino plans on continuing to represent his class as president as well as staying involved with the activities he is currently involved in. He has truly immersed himself in the West community and has a bright future ahead of him for the next four years and beyond.

With her toes touching the three point line, the leather ball leaves the tips of freshman Jayla Turchin‘s fingers as the crowd holds still. The ball swishes into the net, scoring three points for Niles West, and the crowd is up out of their seats and howling.

Turchin has had the privilege of being the only freshman to be playing girls varsity basketball this season. Turchin tried out for the team with a lot of knowledge of the game which she began playing at the age of six.

“At first, I was a little bit nervous because I barely knew a lot of my teammates. But they were really nice to me and we really bonded over time,” Turchin said. “However, I knew some of my teammates before the season began because we played together before, which helped me ease into playing with a new team more smoothly.”

Turchin has been able to handle the challenges of managing school on top of playing a varsity sport.

“During the school day, I have a study hall where I usually get all of my work done, and if not, I do it after basketball practice. The teachers at Niles West have been really nice and I’ve met a lot of new friends, so freshman year is going pretty good,” Turchin said.

Although Turchin was a fresh face coming into high school this year, she had some guidance from step-brother and sophomore Eric Gassel, who helped her with the transition into the new school.

A special bond was created between the step-siblings through basketball as they would play together growing up.

“We would always play basketball together growing up. We would work together a lot, both getting better and having fun. I would help her get better and she would do the same for me,” Gassel said. “When we play together we are always on the same page, which is why she is one of my favorite people to play with. I see way more potential in her than most people do.”

Gassel isn’t the only one who sees potential in Turchin. Teammate and friend sophomore Lidia Fakhoury saw from the first day of tryouts how much Turchin would help the varsity team succeed this season because of her raw talent and determination.

“Jayla makes things happen on the offensive side of the floor. She creates her own shot and has fit in perfectly with the flow of the varsity game. Being only a freshman, she has so much potential, especially moving forward through her years at Niles West,” Fakoury said.

Gliding across the ice with ease, freshman Mckenzie Liboy is a natural when it comes to ice skating. At the age of five, Liboy discovered a passion for figure skating and hasn’t lost it since then.

“I started skating because one day I was watching the older, more higher leveled kids skate, and something just clicked. Right then and there I asked my grandma to sign me up,” Liboy said.

Freestyle ice skating is a discipline used to show a certain level of skill a competitor has. To pass these levels, a competitive skater performs a 1-3 minute program, and the performance is usually made up of jumps and spins. Already passing nine out of ten freestyles levels, along with many other accomplishments, Liboy has reached a certain skill level your typical freshman does not.

“I am a gold medalist in moves in the field. I’ve passed freestyle nine, I’ve landed my double axel, I placed at national showcase, and I’m going to regionals for my fourth time,” Liboy said.

Being the middle child between two brothers, Liboy is surrounded by very supportive siblings and family.

“Her drive is incredible; she wakes up everyday at 5 a.m., while most people are still asleep, ready to grind knowing that my grandma will most certainly be in her ear nagging her the whole time,” brother and senior Andres Liboy said. “She’s always competed at a higher level and works everyday to perfect her craft. She’s actually a beast, but I mean she takes after me of course.”

Liboy’s hard work and talent doesn’t go unnoticed by her friends either.

“I’ve been friends with Mckenzie for eight years now. Through those years I’ve seen her grow and mature into a wonderful person,” sophomore Gianna Pauly said. “She is always very helpful not only to me but to everyone. She supports and encourages her friends no matter what especially when it comes to their struggles. When it comes to skating, she stops at nothing to succeed.”

Liboy is also a part of Niles West’s Orchesis program, which goes hand in hand with her figure skating.

“I chose to do it [Orchesis] because one of my skating coaches did it when she was younger and a few of my close friends as well, so I decided to try it out. I have learned so many different dance moves and techniques,” Liboy said.

Liboy is not only great at managing her time and being productive, but she also finds time between her busy schedule for her friends.

“She gets along with everybody really [well] and loves to be friends and make experiences with them all the time,” sophomore Isabella Simioni said.

In the future, Liboy hopes to be a skating coach and to someday be able to make it onto shows like Disney on Ice, and other shows that require traveling around the world to perform in many different kinds of programs.

Growing up in the water, it’s no surprise that freshman Brandon Fong is on the varsity swim team. Because of his dedication and passion for swimming, he was able to overcome the disadvantage of young age and make Niles West’s top team as a freshman.

Hard work is the main factor behind Fong’s success in swimming. Fong has been competitively swimming since he was eight years old, and he admits that being a swimmer is anything but easy.

“Being a swimmer is not easy, and there’s definitely a lot of hard work that goes into being one,” Fong said. “Swimming is definitely a challenging sport. There are no timeouts, breaks, or substitutes when you’re swimming. I love that it’s challenging because I’m able to push myself and my teammates to the best of our abilities.”

One of Fong’s closest friends since middle school, freshman Liliana Youkhana, is very proud of his accomplishments. She has been able to see him grow as both a swimmer and as a person during their first semester of high school.

“Brandon has been one of my really good friends since I was young. He’s always been the kid who can make anyone smile when they’re sad. He’s an amazing kid with a great sense of humor and so much kindness,” Youkhana said. “He’s an amazing swimmer and he just keeps getting better throughout the high school swim season.”

It can be hard for a freshman to fit in with a group of mostly upperclassmen, but Fong had no problem adjusting, and his teammates welcomed him with open arms.

“I’m happy to do something where everyone shares the same interests as me, and it’s been a while since I felt connected to such a supportive team,” Fong said. “The upperclassmen of the team were so friendly and welcoming when I first joined and I felt an instant connection, like we were brothers. I hope to follow in their footsteps when I become older so underclassmen can look up to me as a leader like I do to the older boys of the team.

One of Fong’s role models on the team, senior Fredrich Oribello, inspires him to work harder every day. Oribello is very impressed with Fong’s self motivation and the positive reinforcement he provides for all of his teammates.

“He’s always positive and always cheers on other teammates during their races. He brings energy to all the practices and meets that we have,” Oribello said. “He loves giving motivational speeches before practice to help pump the team up. I’ve never seen him upset; he always has a smile on his face.”

Growing up surrounded by soccer lovers, it’s no surprise that freshman Aila Durakovic found her passion for the sport at a young age. With the combination of natural talent and hard work, Durakovic’s soccer skills were quick to impress and led her to making the varsity team.

When Durakovic heard her name get called for this year’s varsity roster, she knew that all of the sacrifices she made for the sport were well worth it.

“No matter how much we’re losing or winning by, it’s the team and passion that keeps me going. I never give up because I would never let my team down. We all play and work hard for each other,” Durakovic said. “The love for the game keeps me going as well. Everyday I push myself to be better than I was before. Soccer is something that has always been apart of my life and a part of me.”

Durakovic explained that what she loves most about the game is the way it brings out her best.

“It’s a pretty aggressive sport that requires a lot of different skills. It’s just fun to go out on the field and leave everything you have out there. Everyone plays differently and every team is a new challenge, but each game you get another chance to improve your skills,” Durakovic said.

Playing a sport that is physically and mentally exhausting means it’s not easy to manage to school work after long and exhausting practices.

“It’s not easy to balance school and soccer. I take advantage of my study hall to finish my work and to get some studying done before practice. Also my friends always offer me extra help if I need it,” Durakovic said.

Having your family stand behind you is essential for success. Luckily for Durakovic, she has her older brother, Niles West alum Denis Soldo, to help guide her in soccer and in life.

“My brother is someone I really look up to. He’s always determined to to help me get better,” Durakovic said. “He’s accomplished so much in soccer and is one of the most motivated person I know.”

Durakovic is always looking to get more touches on the ball, so she’d often put in extra work with Soldo.

“She’s never good enough in her own mind, so she would ask me to go to the field with her just so she can get in extra work outside of her regular trainings,” Soldo said. “Just by seeing how hard she works and how much she wants to improve herself directly relates to her making the varsity soccer team.”

Soccer has brought Durakovic upon many new friendships.

“I’ve never seen a freshman so hard-working and dedicated to a sport. She’s a great aspect to our team this year and I’m looking forward to continue to see her grow as a player and as a person,” senior teammate Ashorena Michael said.

Durakovic’s positive energy shows on and off of the field.

“Aila is the type of person who can light up a room with just a smile, she’s so full of positive energy and she always knows how to make me laugh, even when I don’t want to,” freshman Katie Trail. “She has impacted my life for the better, she always makes me feel like I can go to her with anything. She helped me realize what a real friend is.”

Freshman Anna Urosev has been best friends with Durakovic since they were little. Even though Durakovic moved schools in fourth grade, they still kept in close contact.

“Aila means a lot to me because she is one of my oldest best friends. She’s made me a better person by always motivating me and making me want to work my hardest at everything I do in life,” Urosev said. “She is so supportive of everything  do; I am so proud of how much she has accomplished.”

With the achievement of making the varsity team as a freshman, Durakovic isn’t looking to stop there. She has already set higher goals to keep challenging herself.

“She understands the challenges ahead and isn’t comfortable with just making the team, but she wants to be one of the top players.With her hard work, I wouldn’t doubt that happening by the time she’s a junior or senior,” Soldo said.

Ever since he was five years old, freshman Jack Lochner has loved the game of baseball. This year, Lochner was fortunate enough to be the only freshman on the varsity baseball team. Since he started playing 10 years ago, Lochner has gone above and beyond to improve his skills.

Lochner’s entire family has always been in love with the game of baseball, which largely impacted the kind of player he is today.

“Baseball means a lot to me. Not only do I enjoy playing, but I also like the life lessons it teaches you,” Jack Lochner said. “I also love how all of my coaches have made me a better person.”

Senior, varsity baseball player, and older brother Bobby Lochner  is proud of everything his brother has accomplished. The two brothers will be playing on the same team this year.

“I am very proud of how much Jack has grown. Not only as a baseball player, but as a young man. He is proving to everyone that he has what it takes to play on the varsity level as a freshman,” Bobby Lochner said. “I couldn’t be prouder of what he has achieved.”

Being a freshman on any varsity team is a huge deal. When Lochner found out that he made the varsity team, all of his hard work had finally paid off.

“It means a lot to me to be the only freshman on varsity. I was honored to be asked to join such a great team. Even though there is a lot of pressure, I work through it and let it motivate me to be better,” Lochner said.

Balancing school, baseball, and a social life is tough, but Lochner has still managed to stay close with his some of his oldest and closest friends. Kevin Eslick, a freshman, and one of Lochner’s best friends, has nothing but great things to say about Lochner.

“I have known Jack since kindergarten, and the impact he has had on my life is huge,” Eslick said. “Jack has been my best friend for such a long time. All in all, Jack is a great friend to have and he has had a huge impact on my life.”

Lochner doesn’t mind being the youngest player on the team. He is given the chance to learn from the upperclassmen.

“I look up to all of my older teammates a lot. They always inspire me to be better,” Lochner said. “The best part about baseball is the team. During practices we all get along really well. I like how all of the upperclassman treat me as if I’m one of them; they don’t treat me any differently because of my age.”

Playing on the team has also allowed Lochner and his brother to become closer.

“Jack and I have grown closer this year. Being teammates has really brought us closer as brothers,” Bobby Lochner said. “It’s really fun to be on the same team. We always have something to talk about at the dinner table.”

Lochner’s goal for the future is to keep playing hard and to one day be able to play at the college level. With the help of his family and teammates, he hopes he can one day achieve his goals.