04th May2012

Lane remembers Hammies

By Sophia Swenson

“CQ CQ CQ, this is W9WKR, Whiskey Niner Whiskey Kilo Romeo, Lane Tech High School Chicago Illinois calling CQ and listening for any call.”

Up stairwell J on the fourth floor, a door stands just to the right of where the stairs end and the band room begins. Unnoticed or ignored by most students, the door leads to a room that used to house Lane’s own Ham radio station, W9WKR. Before cell phones or the internet, Lane had its own social connection to the outside world, which was used and kept up by members of the Radio Club, or “Hammies.”

“Ham radio is a hobby. It’s the only international hobby in the world except stamp collecting,” said Barry Nelson, class of 1962, and member of the 1960 and ‘61 Lane Tech Radio Club.

Ham radios are not like the radio stations you listen to in your car. A person who wants to use a Ham radio studies for a licensing exam, given by the Federal Communications Commission. Once a Ham radio license is earned, the person who passed the exam is allowed to contact other Ham radio users all over the world, either through Morse code or by speaking into a microphone.

Ham radios don’t have to be used simply for social reasons. If there is especially bad weather, or if power lines and cell phone towers do not work, Ham Radio users are still able to make contact with each other, and get help if needed.

Starting in 1910, Lane Tech’s “Wireless Club” (as it is listed in the 1910 yearbook) allowed members who were interested in wireless technology to convene and have discussions about the latest gadgets. By 1937, the Radio Club began to piece together an actual Ham Radio, which they were able to use by 1939. Licensed members were allowed to communicate via Lane’s call number, W9WKR, and gain access to other Ham Radio users from all over the world through antennas on the building’s roof. “Hammies” would then have short conversations with a “Hammie” on the other end of the receiver regarding any topic other than religion, politics or sex (a rule that all Ham Radio users have to abide by).

Nelson still uses his Ham Radio today, and remembers that Radio Club members were given the opportunity to study for their licensing exam under the instruction of students who had already received their license. None of the licensing exams were easy, and Nelson estimates that only half of the boys who took the exam actually passed. In fact, it is unknown whether any of the teachers who sponsored the club had a Radio License of any kind.

Radio Club members were separated into three different categories based on their level of experience: Beginners, Intermediates, and Advanced Hams. Although the requirements have changed, beginner licensing tests required a hopeful Hammie to tap out 13 words per minute of Morse code.

“It’s not like studying for a driving license, it’s a whole different ball game,” said Nelson. “You got to send and receive Morse code…It’s like learning German, or Spanish or French, like a whole different language.”

During the school day, Radio Club members would take a hall pass to the “Ham Shack” and use the radio until their next class began. The Radio Club room was not always in the tower by the fourth floor band room. At one point it was housed in a third floor classroom. Nelson remembers stealing hall passes from his Radio Club sponsor’s desk. He then had some friends who worked with the school’s printing presses forge the sponsor’s signature onto that stack of passes, enabling Nelson to go to the Ham Shack anytime he pleased.

“You could sit there all alone with all those radios,” said Nelson. “You were free to operate any time you wanted.”

Just like those who text “LOL” or “JK”, Ham Radio users have their own language as well.

‘CQ’ or ‘seek you’ is a general call used even today. It means ‘I am available to talk with any other ham anywhere in the world.’

“And you thought your generation had us beat with your LOL and BTW and many others. When you send Morse code you learn to use standard abbreviations like CUL, see you later, and BCNU, be seeing you, and many more,” said Nelson, who ends his conversations with a “73” which means “best regards.”

By the mid 1970s, Lane’s Radio Club became less and less popular, finally ending in 1974. Without the Radio Club, Lane’s previous call numbers W9WKR were made available for any Ham Radio user to adopt. Luckily, the historic call letters were kept within the Lane family after Barry C. Cook, a Lane Alumni, jumped at the chance to use them with his own Ham radio.

Although Lane’s antennas are no longer live with conversations between Hammies from around the world, historic call sign is far from dying out.

Category : News
Tags : , ,
04th May2012

Give Back rocks Lane auditorium

By Cody Lee

All around the school, the walls were filled with Give Back + Savanna and Charlie Kim posters. Normally people just blow past everything posted up in Lane, but apparently not this time. The debate fundraising concert generated a healthy, 150+ crowd in the auditorium on March 2.

Everyone wooed as the curtains opened to the suprisingly shimmering gold background. Soon after, Savanna Dickhut and Charlie Kim took the stage together and began with their original song “Mixed Signals.” Before long the whole audience was clapping to the beat.

“[At Lane] I feel like I can connect to the students more,” said Charlie Kim. “In open mics you don’t really know the audience, but here you see the kids everyday so it’s more personal.”

Following a few collaborative songs, Savanna left the stage to let Charlie perform a solo piece entiled “Vincent,” a song dedicated to Mr. Bertenshaw’s discussion on Vincent Van Gogh.

Savanna soon returned, and the duo closed with a cover of “It Will Rain” by Bruno Mars which induced countless numbers of “I love you guys!” from the crowd.

When Savanna and Charlie were over, a 10 minute intermission began, with a raffle that got suprisingly rowdy as kids yelled and ran to claim their winnings. The prizes included, but not limited to: a 5 pound Hershey’s bar, a photo of Zac Efron, gift cards, and a autographed picture of Christina Aguilera.

Once the intermission was done, the curtains spread again to Give Back (and their blinding stobe lights). The sound of screams and claps rattled through the auditorium. The band opened with a song that remains nameless until the release of their new EP, dropping this spring.

“It might be kind of weird since there are seats, as opposed to a normal rock show where people are up there jammin’.” said Owen Jones, drummer of Give Back.

But that did not stop the crowd from rockin’ out to this Neon Trees-esque band. Students were in their seats clapping, singing, and dancing along. There was even the stereotypical row of girls fanning themselves.

“We’ve played everywhere from basements, to really terrible bars out in the suburbs, to some pretty legit venues like the Beat Kitchen and Empty Bottle,” said Jones. “But playing at Lane is a lot different. It’s a lot more familiar and I think that’s so cool.”

The concert, was a hit amoungst students.

“I had a really great time. It was something nice to do after school, and the fact that the music was good definitely helped,” said Scott Olivares, Div. 265.

“Oh my god, Give Back was awesome! After seeing [the concert] I would definitely see them again,” said Gabby Hernandez, Div. 353.

On top of the enjoyment, the show was for a good cause.

“Obviously the money will benifit us, but [the concert] also helps get the debate program out there,” said Joey Peculis, Div. 274. “It shows that we are actually doing things like fundraising and that we’re active in the Lane community.

Since the concert was such a success, some seem to think the school could expand on the idea and have more concerts in the future.

“They should have more Lane bands do this kind of thing,” said Charlie Kim. “There’s Crash Hero, and Twin Peax, and a bunch of others. It could be awesome.”

 

Category : News
Tags : ,
04th May2012

Division to meet once a week in proposed schedule

By Ben Palmer

Division can be anything from a tight-knit group to a silent study hall. Whatever the dynamic, it is bound to change next year if the “Full School Day” plan is approved.

“We will have division once a week for 45 minutes,” said Dr. LoBosco. “It might have to be on Fridays since we have so many Mondays off.”

These days off will be significantly reduced next year, as Columbus Day, Pulaski Day, and report card pick-up become student attendance days.

LoBosco also confirmed that negotiations are still under way for the potentially longer school day

“Nothing is official yet,” LoBosco said.

LoBosco added that divisions will remain the basis for standardized testing. Divisions will also still be organized by number, teacher, and room. LoBosco said that for meetings and school functions, “division is more organized.”

Programs that operate during division, like the morning TV broadcast, will have to adjust to this change in the schedule. LoBosco said adjustments will be made to improve and lengthen the broadcast.

“I already contacted Mr. Yadao about doing a weekly longer news report,” LoBosco said.

The new morning broadcast will be “a revision of what that program is like. More current events…more like a news program,” LoBosco said.

The broadcast would be around 30 minutes once a week, if current plans are approved.

Another division-based program, the STARS Mentors, will also be effected by the less frequent division. STARS mentors visit freshman divisions twice a month. Counselor and program coordinator Ms. Dulberg says that the STARS will return next year despite the change in schedules.

“There were a couple of days when we weren’t sure what we were going to do,” said Dulberg. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to organize [the mentors], or how I was going to assign them [to divisions.]”

Dulberg is embracing the new division time table and hopes that freshmen and their mentors can spend a full 30 minutes together once a month.

“I think less visits but more time per visit would be better,” said Dulberg, who thinks that the new division schedule will not drastically affect the program. “There will still be Freshman Kick-Off, and we’ll still have our after school stuff.”

“If [mentors] only visit once a month,” LoBosco said, “it might give them more quality time.”

Dulberg said the Lane staff is “generally supportive [of the new division schedule], and excited about new opportunities.”

In addition to these changes, LoBosco confirmed that morning announcements would still be daily.

“There’s an extra four minutes that we might tack onto the end of first or the beginning of second period,” said LoBosco. “But we’re only adding 32 minutes to the day.”

Those extra 32 minutes have obviously caused a stir in the student body, but students have reacted differently to new plans for division.

Jessica Rogowiec, Div. 376, sees daily division as a social anchor.

“There are many different classes we take, and we never see those people again,” said Rogowiec. “Division everyday for four years allows you to make close friends.”

Matthew Peters and Stephanie Ortega, Div. 562, both felt that the longer division wouldn’t have a profound effect.

“Division’s boring,” said Ortega, “so I don’t know why they’d add more minutes to it.”

“We don’t do anything in division anyway,” said Peters.

Regardless of division’s value or lack thereof, if the proposed CPS schedule for next year is approved, students will be seeing a whole lot less of it.

 

Category : News
Tags : , , ,
04th May2012

Lane takes Healthier Schools Challenge

Salad bar to be added in cafeteria next year

By Diana Castro

Lane’s 2011-2012 Healthy Schools Certification Progress Report has Lane’s Wellness Committee pushing Lane to become a healthier school.

The Healthier Schools US School Challenge is a voluntary program of the USDA. The program recognizes schools that create healthier school environments with nutrition education, physical activity, and physical education. The Wellness Committee has begun working with the PTSO in hopes of gaining support of parents.

“CPS is much more responsive to parents and students,” said Carla Serantoni, Lane Health teacher and Wellness Committee member.

The Wellness Committee has been brainstorming ideas for promoting physical activity opportunities for all students before, during, and after school, not just for teams. The committee plans to explore these ideas in the upcoming months for physical activity for juniors and seniors who are not required to take a P.E. class.

Lane has already started taking steps to better their healthy school status. According to a Lane Wellness Committee bulletin released on March 14, 2012, Lane has received a grant for a salad bar in the lunchroom.

Lane has about 1,200 students who participate in the daily school lunch program. The installation of the salad bar and cafeteria staff training are scheduled to begin in the spring.

“[Lane] will now offer new fresh options for lunch,” Osada said during the PTSO meeting.

Serantoni said that some schools within CPS serve only organic food, but they receive special funding from other sources.

A new department of CPS, Health and Wellness, has made changes to promote healthier schools as well. The new CPS administration came up with new policies to promote healthier schools that reflect changes in the USDA. With these changes, two nutritional classes would be required. P.E. health classes would be the only place to integrate them. Mrs. Serantoni agrees with the new policies. Serantoni said the new fundraising policy would be the most difficult change. This year, CPS stopped approving food fundraisers inside the school building.

“Last year, [Lane] made $41,000 in profit from candy sales alone,” said Serantoni.

Food fundraisers are still acceptable but not during school hours. CPS now also frowns upon food rewards from teachers, like candy and pizza parties, in classrooms.

Serantoni has noticed these health changes around Lane, not only amongst students but in Wellness Committee meetings as well.

“I’ve noticed that at meetings they have started putting out fruits instead of doughnuts,” Serantoni said. “Teachers and administrators have to be role models.”

Ms. Lauren Osada, another Wellness Committee member, said during the latest PTSO meeting that professional development days have been healthier lately as well.

While CPS currently only has 32 schools that have the Healthy Schools Certification, Lane is striving to be next. If Lane reaches that certification, it would be honored at a public celebration and eligible for a $2,000 grant to further promote the program.

Category : News
Tags : ,
Pages:«1234567...32»
« Previous Page — Next Page »