Doctors, tigers and vampires, oh my! Spartan Spotlight with Jenna Albrecht

After graduation from St. Joseph-Ogden High School, Jenna Albrecht plans to attend Parkland College for two years and then transfer to the University of Chicago-Urbana Satellite Campus Nursing Program. If those plans don't work out, she might consider a career as a television and film critic. She could become the next Erica Abeel of the Huffington Post or The Movie Minute's Joanna Langfield.

Currently at the top of her Netflix must-see list is Tiger King.

"Hello. This is a must for everyone! Who are you if you have not binge watched Tiger King?!?" Albrecht said about the streaming show slated to be an American cult classic decades from now. "If anything can help us through a pandemic, the war between Joe Exotic and Carol Baskin can!"

More likely to tame patients in a pediatric ward than tigers, the next show on her list is Grey's Anatomy.

"I am drawn to the medical side of this 16-year series," she said before spilling the beans on her attraction to her favorite characters in the medical drama. "Or, maybe I am just secretly in love with Dr. Shepard. No... Sloan… no... Karev… no... Avery… no... Hunt... no ...Linc… who am I kidding? I love them all!"

Her final recommendation, a fangtastic personal favorite for her, stars Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley in The Vampire Diaries.

Clubs & Activities Volleyball (4 years),Track & Field (1 year) Student Council, Spanish Club, Spanish Club Leader NHS, Maroon Platoon Leader Future Spartans Mentoring Program Advisory Mentoring Program

"#TeamDamon! This show definitely keeps you on your toes," she said. "If you love vampires, and who doesn’t, and never ending drama, this is a must!"

When she isn't watching Netflix, she enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, and listening to music in her free time.

Although one has to speculate the amount of free time in her day planner is pretty limited, since the senior has been involved in two sports and seven other groups during high school. Albrecht's advice for future SJO students is one of experience: "Get involved because time goes by so fast, and do not take anything for granted."

The more involved you are as a student in high school activities and athletics, the more memories you will make. Albrecht has made and been apart of numerous moments at SJO like going to homecoming her freshmen year and being an integral part of the Spartan varsity volleyball team's third place finish last November at the IHSA state tournament.

"My senior volleyball season was one that I will never forget! The experience of advancing through each postseason game was so exhilarating!" she said. She offered additional advice for incoming freshman and underclassmen moving up to varsity spots in the SJO volleyball program. "Never underestimate what spirit can bring to your team! Whether you win or lose, whether you play or sit the bench, whether you are on the freshman team or the varsity team, attitude and spirit are what will carry the team through the ups and downs of the next four years!"

Volleyball has taught Albrecht, an idea candidate for motivational posters when it comes to mental toughness on the court, numerous lessons that she will carry through life. One of the most important is you can still find good in loss.

After epic come from behind, three-set victory to win the supersectional title over Chicago Christian, she described how she and her fellow Spartan teammates confidence and determination soared into the stratosphere.

"We were ready to bring it all home. We were ready to win it all. However, we took a hard loss in the semi-final game," she recounted, explaining how the team was shot down and brought back down the Earth after a grueling 2-1 loss to Breese Mater Dei in the SJO's Class 2A state semifinal. "It was a very difficult evening for us, but we went back to the hotel, ate some pizza, and played Just Dance. The next day, as we warmed up to play for the third-place state title, we were back on our game."

Back in the zone, the Spartans roared to a 25-11 first set victory. After falling 25-20 in the second, the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team fought valiantly to take the third and final set 25-23 to bring home the school's first state trophy in the 2019-20 school year.

"I don’t know if it’s his fun personality, kind soul, or his teaching abilities that makes him so amazing."

"We fought as hard as we could, and in the end, came out with the win!" she said. "Although, it was not the outcome we were hoping for, we were still able to find all the joy in the world for bringing home that third place state trophy."

While still remotely possible, Albrecht could very well assist in the Spartans in adding another piece of IHSA hardware to the school trophy case. Entering her second season with the girls track team, she has some unfinished business in the sport, especially competing in the triple jump.

"State was an amazing experience and I ended up within the top twenty, I didn’t make it to finals and was not quite satisfied yet," she said. Not bad when you consider she went from zero experience in her primary event to state in one season. "I had really big goals to finish on the podium this year, like many of the other girls. I don’t even think two years of track was enough for me, let alone one."

The coronavirus pandemic has put a damper on the 2020 spring sport season and like thousands of high school athletes around the country, the St. Joseph resident shares in their melancholy.

"I am extremely disappointed that there is a possibility spring sports will be canceled. Not only for myself, but also for the rest of the team," she explained. "It is very heartbreaking knowing that my last opportunity to compete in a sport may be taken away."

If, or probably a better yet, when there is another pandemic, Albrecht will likely be on the front lines in her future role in the nursing field. From the time she was a little girl she said she loved helping and caring for others. She would line up her stuffed animals and treat them as they were her patients taking care of them one by one. She credited the stories her mother, a respiratory therapist, shared with the family as her inspiration to pursue nursing as a career.

"I think America is doing everything they can right now to keep American citizens safe. Granted, we all could withstand improving our compliance with the "stay-at-home" quarantine regulations mandated by our government," she said. "(I hope) we can be better prepared for the next pandemic and educate the world rather than instill fear and panic before education.

"Having a strategy in place for the next pandemic will not only decrease the amount of fear, but have an organized plan in place for our nation to follow rather than react to."

Jenna’s favorite classes have been with Mr. Robert Glazier and English with Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer, both instructors along with Mrs. Alycn Franzen have been her favorite teachers at SJO. In middle school Mrs. Kinney was a favorite, too.

"THE. ABSOLUTE. BEST. I don’t know if it’s his fun personality, kind soul, or his teaching abilities that makes him so amazing," Albrecht said of Glazier praising his teaching style.

She really appreciated the fact that whenever anyone needed extra help understanding anything he would go back and walk through it again until they understood it.

"I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be in his class. Not only does he make his class fun, he is also very understanding of what the students have to say. I honestly find it difficult to find the right words to describe him, but I am so drawn to his gentle nature, kind soul, and fun sense of humor."

ViewPoint | Illinois political priorities are a wreck

Dear Editor:

Governor Pritzker considers marijuana "essential". He must believe that being high is fundamental to survival. Whatever his reasoning, he has done a great injustice to Illinois families, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 is a greater threat to those with a weakened immune system or impaired lung function. There’s ample evidence that regular use of marijuana lowers immunity and damages the lungs.

"There is evidence that marijuana smoke is genotoxic, immunosuppressive, and can alter endocrine function… Prolonged exposures to marijuana smoke in animals and humans cause proliferative and inflammatory lesions in the lung," research from California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

"Cellular immunity is impaired, pulmonary immunity is impaired, and the impaired ability to fight infection is now documented in humans," according to research from the The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

A "multitude of toxic microorganisms, many of which are known causes of serious lung infections, including Cryptococcus, Mucor, and Aspergillus fungi and Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria" are found in so-called "medical" marijuana, according to UC at Davis. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, titled, "A microbiome assessment of medical marijuana."

There’s also the issue of increased risk of psychosis, increased risk of traffic fatalities, increased hospitalizations, increased use by children, and the consequences go on.

Illinois political priorities are a wreck.

Kathy Valente, Director of Operations
Illinois Family Institute

Real Talk:Six questions with Taylor Wells

Spartan Taylor Wells go up for a shot against an Illinois Valley Central player in their home game in January. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Last week, The Sentinel caught up with St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore Taylor Wells for a little one-on-one. No, not the kind on the hardwood where this reporter would be schooled like a kindergartner, but about student school, sports and life in the new, and hopefully temporary, Covid world. Observing social distancing guidelines, I asked six questions to the student-athlete via Twitter.

Sentinel: What was your reaction and those of your fellow students when you first learned that schools would be closed due to the COVID-19 virus?

Wells: I was sad that I would be missing out on playing softball, competing in my AAU travel basketball tournaments, and seeing my friends.

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Sentinel: How is e-learning going? What really sucks about it?

Wells: It’s going okay. It’s not optimal. I would prefer to be in the classroom with my classmates.

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Sentinel: What do you think teachers can do to make it better?

Wells: I think the teachers are doing the best they can for us. I’m sure it’s very stressful being thrown into a situation like this.

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Sentinel: Besides shooting baskets at home, what else are you doing to pass the time?

Wells: I’ve walked a few trails at Homer Lake with my family and my dog, working out to stay in shape, and doing basketball drills.

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Sentinel: When we are done sheltering in place, and hopefully soon, name three things you are going to do the first week.

Wells: I am definitely going to hangout with my friends, go to SJO softball practice, and go to Heart of Illinois basketball practice.

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Sentinel: Looking into the future, what do you think will be the new normal as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Wells: I think people will wash their hands more often, and I think people will no longer take friends, family, and sports for granted.

SJO Senior Spotlights with Kolton Batty and Taylor Barnes

Clubs & Activities Soccer (4 years) Maroon Platoon

Batty was one of four seniors on this year's St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team. His dribbling and passing game was top shelf.

He said his most memorable season with the Spartan soccer program was when his JV soccer team went undefeated during his freshman year.

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~ Advice to new students ~

Enjoy the small things and to live every moment like it is your last.

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After high school, Kolton plans to attend Parkland College. He is going to major in aviation.

His favorite all-time teachers at SJO are Mr. Robert Glazier, who taught his freshman Physical Science class. Batty says it was his favorite class in high school. His other favorite instructor in high school is Mrs. Alisyn Franzen.

Kolton lives in St. Joseph with his mom, dad, and two brothers, Dylan and Titus. Batty's main hobby is hanging out with friends.

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Taylor Barnes

Clubs & Activities Girls’ Basketball (4 years) Volleyball (3 years), Student Council NHS, Spanish Club, Maroon Platoon

Like many of her classmates in the class of 2020, senior Taylor Barnes says her main hobby is hanging out with family and friends.

She lives near Ogden with her mother and father. She has two older siblings, a sister, Kelsie, and her brother, Nick.

Barnes' most memorable moment in high school was during the 2018-2019 girls’ basketball season. A little more than 14 months ago, she and a talented team of SJO athletes advanced to the IHSA Class 2A Girls’ Basketball State Tournament at Redbird Arena.

Then a junior, she played six minutes both games against Teutopolis and Hillsboro and was credit with a rebound in each. She finished the season with 52 points and 40 rebounds to help the Spartans to third-place state finish.

She said it was a great accomplishment that she will never forget.

The four-year basketball veteran was also a member of this season's sectional semifinal team that finished with 20 wins against 11 loses. She drained a game-high 18 points against Monticello back in January in a game where head coach Kevin Taylor said his senior "put it all together" playing exceptionally well on both ends of the court.

After high school Barnes will pursue a four-year degree at Illinois State University. There, she plans to major in exercise science.

Her advice for future SJO students is to "participate in everything and enjoy every day."

Her favorite teachers through the years are Mrs. Jeanna Kerner at St. Joseph-Ogden and Mrs. Howard at PVO. She said her favorite class at during high school was Geometry her freshman year with Mr. Kiel Duval.

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Text provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School. Photos by Clark Brooks

Spartan Spotlight: Senior Lindsey Aden's future and success

Like the rest of the Class of 2020, Lindsey Aden is living through an unprecedented time in world history. With Illinois under a shelter in place order issued by the governor, she believes the time spent confined to our homes will allow families to reconnect and grow stronger.

"With our ever changing, busy world today, I think a positive we can take out of this situation is the fact that we've been given time alone to pursue our individual hobbies and talents," said Aden, whose dream job is working as television sports analyst covering the St. Louis Cardinals. "I hope that our country will come out of this time with a better sense of how to care for others and have important empathy and kindness are in our world."

The St. Joseph-Ogden senior lives outside of Royal with her mom, dad, and older brother, Jared. How she had time for her hobbies of reading, traveling, and going to concerts, is a mystery.

Undoubtedly she has some mad, mad organization and time management skills. In addition to playing four sports during her time at SJO, she was a member of FFA,Student Council, Spanish Club, We the People, Advisory Mentoring Program and NHS. Academically gifted, Aden has earned high honor roll marks every quarter this year, too.

Above: Aden celebrates a block by a teammate during the Spartans' supersectional volleyball game against Chicago Christian. The match that punched the volleyball team's ticket to state is one of her many memorable moments in high school. Below: Aden was a vocal team motivator throughout the 2019 season. During SJO's Class 2A state third-place game against Rockford Lutheran her positive energy kept the team on an even keel on their way to a 2-1 win last November. (Photo: PhotoNews Media)

Capping her prep volleyball career as a member of this year's Class 2A volleyball squad, Aden was set to play her third season of softball this spring until Illinois was forced to shelter in place. She also wore a Spartan basketball uniform for one season and competed with the track team for one year.

"My favorite sport of the four that I played in high school was volleyball because of the memories and friendships it gave me," she said. One of her greatest high school memories will always be winning the IHSA Volleyball Super-Sectional on the road at Palos Heights where the Spartans lost the first set, but then roared back past Chicago Christian to win the next two sets, which advanced the Spartans to the IHSA State tournament at Redbird Arena creating another set of vibrant memories she will never forget.

"To play on such competitive and talented teams was amazing, but the best part was getting to know my teammates and growing as individuals with them," Aden explained. "We went through some of the saddest times and the best times together, and we were able to really grow as a group because of it. My love for the sport and my school blossomed because I had the opportunity to play this sport with these girls."

After receiving her diploma from St. Joseph-Ogden, she will attend the University of Georgia. She said the out of state school was the complete package for her career goals. In addition to double majoring in agri-business and political science, she plans to obtain a minor in Spanish.

"They have great agriculture and political science departments, which are both areas that I am planning on pursuing," she explained. "The beautiful campus, warm weather, and overall college experience that UGA will offer me is also really appealing to me. I believe that the degrees that I will receive and the networks that I will build at this school will really allow me to succeed to the best of my ability."

Those networks will probably lead to numerous opportunities for Aden to rub elbows with influential people in politics and business. When asked who she would love have at the dinner table she came up with a list of three impressive names.

"I would really want to dive into Laura Ingraham's thoughts on being a woman in politics, as this is a field that I am considering pursuing in the future," she said. "I would be really intrigued to hear about Ben Carson's transformation from surgeon to politician, as well as how he brings his faith into his everyday life."

Her final choice, a fellow who led the Clemson Tigers to national football championships in 2016 and 2018, was another smart choice.

"I'd also like to dine with Dabo Swinney because I am a huge football fan, and I would want to pick his brain about coaching at Clemson and how important his faith is to him."

Her favorite classes were Advanced Civics and American History taught by Mr. Marshall Schacht, one of two of her favorite teachers at SJO. The other is Mr. Kevin Simondsen in the science department. She also gave a shoutout to Mrs. Anderson at Prairieview-Ogden as her favorite junior high teacher.

Aden's advice to future students at St. Joseph-Ogden is simple: Enjoy every day.

Rational regard: Will shelling be the new normal?

By Clark Brooks, Editor & Publisher

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Shelling

It is the word I started using about a week or so ago in informal conversations to refer to sheltering-in-place. In our homes and apartments we are much like hermit crabs, turtles and clams safely tucked within our sanctuaries from a virus to avoid infecting or becoming infected with the coronavirus.

There are early indications that shelling may become the new normal - at least for a while longer than we all care to think about.

First, let me say I'm not a fan of shelling. I fully understand the urgent need to shelter in place to prevent family, friends and customers, as well any other American from contracting the Covid-19 virus.

Nature's predatory culling the herd of the human species is extremely disconcerting. Personally, I have no desire to inflict the severe, life-altering symptoms, or ultimately death, on and anyone. And hopefully, neither should you.

A few days ago Governor J.B. Pritzker hinted during his daily coronavirus briefing that Illinoisans may be shelling past the April 30 date established in Executive Order 16 back on April 1.

"I think everybody needs to think seriously about canceling large summer events," he said. "From my perspective today, I do not see how we are going to have large gatherings of people again until we have a vaccine, which is months and months away. I would not risk having large groups of people getting together anywhere. I think that's hard for everybody to hear, but that's just a fact."

Days before Gov. Pritzker's press conference the committee for the annual Freedom Celebration in Champaign-Urbana for 2020 was officially canceled. The decision came on the heels of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign decision to cancel all university summer camps through July 10, 2020 and all summer events held on campus until further notice.

Two days ago, Illinois State University President Larry Dietz announced that all summer camps, conferences, events, and activities held on campus scheduled through July 31, 2020 have been postponed or cancelled. Students who want to take summer classes at ISU will now take them online.

America improvises, adapts, and then overcomes. It has been what this country has done better than any other since 1776.

While Eastern Illinois University, home to the Illinois High School Association's boys and girls state track meets, has not released any information regarding campus events as of yet, it is likely administrators will follow ISU and the University of Illinois' lead and adopt the same policy through the beginning of their next fiscal year. It goes without saying should the EIU administration take the same approach, it will deliver a serious blow to the IHSA and dreams of thousands of high school track athletes throughout Illinois who continued training and held on to the hope of competing this season.

The response to COVID-19 by universities around the state, given many are the sites for IHSA sectional and supersectional contests, is just one more nail - I pray that I'm wrong - for next week's coffin to bury the spring 2020 sports season in American history.

Shelling does appear to be successful measure in the mitigation of CV-19. The spread of the Coronavirus in Champaign County had been minimal compared to other cities around the country. There have been just 21 new confirmed cases reported by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District in the last seven days. Currently there are just 40 active cases in the county with another 40 that were diagnosed with the infection, now listed as recovered. Eight people are hospitalized according the CUPHD site which is updated daily.

Already, there are 15 counties in Illinois with more than 70 confirmed cases. The Illinois Department of Public Health reports that Cook has 5,242 cases, Kane lists 339 and nearby McLean County has 75 cases.

It is neither pleasant or convenient, but shelling seems to be working for Illinois. The question is how much longer will we need to stay sheltered in place. When will things go back to normal?

Last Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence's tone was not exactly optimistic.

"No one wants to reopen America more than President Donald Trump," Pence said, hinting that reopening the country at the end of April are perhaps unrealistic. He added that the White House would consult collected data to "inform the president’s decision and timing."

While I am praying for the exact opposite, I'm confident we will still be shelling after May 1 when Illinois current executive mandate ends.

Around April 24, give or take a few days, I expect the governor to announce we will need to continue shelling for another 21 days despite a gradual decrease in confirmed cases. Logically, this move would be justifiable in light of border states like Missouri and Wisconsin started shelling about two weeks after Illinois. Then there Iowa, one of a handful of states that has not instituted a stay-at-home order, obviously banking on the herd immunity strategy to combat the spread of the virus. Contaminated individuals traveling from or transporting goods through those states could cause resurgent hot spots or flare ups in Illinois.

I think it would be wise, especially if the antibody tests or a vaccine is not made available to the general public soon, to mentally preparing oneself for the inevitable roll of several back-to-back shelter in place extensions until at least July.

If the shelling works as planned, in three months we will be able to roam the planet freely again.

We will be free to laugh in the company of friends and family at a wedding, bar or outdoor venue. Free to listen to live music with hundreds of fans. Free to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or the passing of a loved one. Free to touch, kiss and hug once again.

But, for how long? Behavior biologists, virologists and microbiologists say expect COVID-19 to make encore appearance months (may be weeks) after we reach the all clear level. Reluctantly, after the taste of fresh air and the warmth of the sun across our faces, we will be required to return to our shells once again when infections from the coronavirus rise again.

America improvises, adapts, and then overcomes. It has been what this country has done better than any other since 1776 and counting. With a little experience under our belts, returning to our shells, won't be easier, but it will probably feel almost normal.

"Hands Across Illinois" to be held April 29

The Illinois Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates is sponsoring the first-ever online "Hands Across Illinois" event on Wednesday, April 29th at 12 p.m. The organization, which is made up of community volunteers who invest their time and efforts in protecting abused and neglected children around the state, plans to join digital hands to raise awareness and draw attention to child abuse.

According to DCFS statistics, more than 36,500 youths suffered from child abuse or neglect in 2019. CASA recruits, trains and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities.

The event, hosted by the Illinois CASA branch, will be the first of its kind on the Zoom video conferencing platform. The organization hopes to support its 32 local programs located throughout Illinois, while they advocate from a distance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Hands Across Illinois" participants are encouraged to wear blue to demonstrate their support of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

For additional details visit http://tiny.cc/ILCASAHands to find out more about "Hands Across Illinois" or contact James McIntyre at 312-505-9226.

In pursuit of a dream, Spartan Spotlight on SJO senior Jillian Plotner

Clubs & Activities: Cross Country (4 years), Track and Field (4 years), Maroon Platoon

Senior Jillian Plotner started her running career long before high school. She started running competitively in the fifth grade. The choice to commit to the sport was a difficult one but one smoothed over by her dad.

"I had such a hard decision since I was choosing to either continue cheerleading or start a new sport," she explained. "With my dad's love of running, I decided to go to a few practices and that’s how I started running!"

Today, when she isn't hanging out with family or friends she is focused on training for cross country or track.

She really enjoys the close-knit feeling of the community.

"We just don’t function as a school, we function as a whole community," said Plotner, who resides in St. Joseph with her mother and father. "It's so nice to share our accomplishments as a whole community!"

Plotner runs at the 2019 Spartan Classic cross country meet. She finished the race with a carrier best time of 18:29. (Photo: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks)

"I enjoy the atmosphere of having teammates who I can proudly call my family," said Plotner, who made The News-Gazette All-Area second team this year. "They motivate me to be a better person and runner. I love them to death!"

While she enjoyed the atmosphere under the Friday night lights at St. Joseph-Ogden as spectator, her fondest memories from high school will be from one of many racing for the Spartans. At the top of the list was her role in helping her 4x800 relay squad win the state indoor title in the event in 2019.

"I helped my teammates get the lead we needed to win!" she said recounting the race her junior year. "I had a lot of spectators and teams intimidated with how I ran in that 4x800 relay! It was my peak point of showing I’m healthy again."

She added, "Another memory is just all day, everyday spending time with my teammates and coaches. It’s never dull with all of us around!"

Some of her best times include finish the 800-meter run in two minutes and 26.69 seconds and turning in a 18:29 on a three-mile course. She also ran the 1600 in five minutes and 26.33 seconds.

After graduation, in whatever form that may be due to social distancing measures in place due to stop the spread of the Coronavirus, Plotner will begin pursuing the title of Forensic Anthropologist this fall.

Forensic anthropologists analyze human remains, typically for criminal investigations, to figure out how the person died. Using various scientific testing procedures to consult forensic pathologists and coroners. Their work includes determining the age, sex, stature, ancestry and unique features of a victim as well as determining the type of trauma and how long ago it may have occurred.

"Forensic anthropology has been a dream career of mine since the 5th grade!" Plotner said. "It all started with the show 'Bones'. The show has a forensic anthropologist as the main character, Temperance, who I adored."

Plotner runs the second lap of the lead leg in 4x800 during last year's IHSA state track meet in Charleston. The junior, along with teammates Rylee Sjuts, Ashlyn Lannert and Hannah Rajlich, qualified for the finals with a time of 10:16.75. (Photo: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks)

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Like the fictional character, Plotner wants to become the leading expert in the discipline.

"She was amazing at her job, and her job became a career I want to excel in!" she added.

When asked how she thought the coronavirus will change America, Plotner's message was one of hope.

"The COVID-19 will show America that many different opportunities can be taken away from someone and we just have to come back stronger than before," she replied. "Never lose hope!"

On a much more personal note, Halloween is Plotner's favorite holiday of the year.

"I LOVE HALLOWEEN! Even with being scared of scary movies, I love seeing children and even adults dress up in creepy and eerie costumes!"