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Varsity Volleyball Adjusts to Major Changes
By Romi Sarbagil, Staff Reporter
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With the 2024 volleyball season coming to an end and regionals coming up, I decided to interview the varsity coach, Coach Chung, and the captains, Adi Zilberman and Uma Schulz. The team has been playing with a much younger varsity team than years before, and many were wondering if their success rate was declining. Although their statistics have taken a slight dip, the team's morale and determination has not let up.
While talking with Coach Chung I asked him about the new adjustments his team had to make due to injuries and varying ages, he expressed that the team has only been improving. It has taken hard work to get the girls to where they are and to get a smooth-running team, despite many players having to be out for a portion of the season. Teaching his players how to play new positions and take on new responsibilities has not been an easy task, but it has only improved their team's ability to excel.
Coach Chung also explained how their team's success wouldn't be possible if it wasn’t for their hard work and dedication to the team. They've had to make many changes, such as going from a 6-2 offense to a 5-1 offense. These changes aren't always easy, but the girls have put the work in to make it as smooth a transition as possible.
He also explained that due to these changes and having such a young team, there are growing pains as well as much learning occurring. He said that no matter how old or young the team is it takes a minute to adjust and learn to be a unified team.
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Captains Adi Zilberman and Uma Schultz explained that the returning varsity members and upperclassmen realize there's a lot more pressure on their shoulders this year since their team is younger. Zilberman explained how she comes to practice with a positive mood, hoping the rest of the team will reflect and put their best foot forward towards practice since she knows you play as you practice. They both talked about how volleyball is a team sport, so it is important for them to make bonds with the rest of the players.
Whether it's pregame pep talks or just talking about how practice went that day, they want to make sure that everybody is heard on the team, and doesn't feel like anything is holding them back. Schultz explained how everybody's kindness on and off of the court has made these bonds so much easier.
This team has gone through multiple challenges throughout their season, but nothing has stopped them from putting their best foot forward and giving it their all. The team is dedicated, hardworking, and determined to make it as far into the playoffs as they can. We are so excited to see the rest of their season progress!
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Hebrew Farm Trip
By Lilia Stutland, Staff Reporter
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When I think of the Hebrew program, farms, and corn mazes are the last things that cross my mind. Yet this year, we found ourselves wandering through the fields of Richardson Adventure Farm, a place far removed from our usual classroom setting.
On October 9th Deefield’s Hebrew program departed to go to Richardson's Farm. When we arrived, a line of tractor rides awaited us. Each Hebrew student chose a tractor and climbed onto the back. We settled into the open wagon, feeling the wooden benches squeak slightly as the tractor roared to life beneath us. The ride started with a gentle bump and soon we began. The smell of just-turned soil permeated the air, and the steady chug of the tractor's engine mingled with the sound of corn stalks rustling in the breeze.
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During the tractor ride, our tour guide shared how the farm grows its corn and other crops, giving us a glimpse into their agricultural practices. Meanwhile, our teacher taught us the Hebrew word for corn, making the experience both educational and interactive. At the end of the ride, we each got to choose a pumpkin to take home, which was a fun way to wrap up the tour.
The next activity of the day was the corn maze. While many farms have interesting corn mazes, I cannot think of another one that has the dimensions and level of detail of Richardson Adventure Farm Corn Maze. The maze is made up of four smaller mazes, each maze has a specific in-and-out route. The maze had several checkpoints that assist one in navigating through. Everyone was gathered into groups and sent to different parts of the maze.
The stalks of corn towered above our heads, forming walls of green that seemed to go on forever as we entered the enormous corn labyrinth. It was simple for us to get disoriented on the tiny dirt pathways because they twisted and turned in every direction. There was always a sense of expectation around every corner—would this be a dead end or would I eventually find the way out? By the time we found the exit my group had only made it to two checkpoints. We did not make it through much of the maze, but it was such an amazing experience to bond with the Hebrew students.
Finally, we concluded by exploring the farm's activities. They had a petting zoo and slides. My favorite part was the jumping pillow. The jumping pillow was a massive, brightly colored inflatable dome stretched out across the ground, inviting everyone to leap onto its soft, springy surface. The moment I stepped onto it, my feet sank slightly before bouncing back with an elastic push, sending me higher with each jump. People lost their balance and tumbled in gentle rolls, which was quite a funny experience. The entire pillow seemed alive, shifting under our movements, making it impossible not to smile as I soared through the air, weightless for just a moment before landing again with a buoyant bounce.
In conclusion, when I now think of the Hebrew program, I no longer picture just the classroom or familiar settings. Instead, I remember the sprawling fields and lively atmosphere of Richardson Adventure Farm, where we laughed, worked together, and grew closer. That day fostered a sense of community that carried over into our Hebrew program, creating bonds that extended back into the classroom.
The field trip was more than an outing; it deepened our connections and enriched the shared experience we brought with us into our learning.
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Unique Ice Cream
By Lexie Spector & Emmaline Carol, Staff Reporters
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! If you are sick and tired of the basic ice cream flavors--chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, we have just the solution for you. We present easy-to-access ice cream places and their most unique flavor with ratings, so you can know what spots are worth both your time and your dime.
Our rating scale, which is all out of 10, will judge the ice cream based on its taste, texture, convenience, creativity, and service. While we will include the prices for the smallest size available, it will not factor into the score. The maximum rating one ice cream can get is 50 points.
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Our first establishment is Graeter's Ice Cream in Northbrook (1347 Shermer Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062). Graeters was founded in 1870 and is a family-run business that specializes in thick and creamy ice cream. Even though we didn’t go at night, we decided the flavor ‘Midnight Snack’ was the most creative. This ice cream consisted of a malt base with brownies, chocolate-covered pretzels, and peanut butter cups. Here’s how we rated it:
- Taste: 6/10, the base wasn’t amazing but the add-ins were perfection
- Texture: 10/10, smooth an easy to go down
- Convenience: 6/10, a 12-minute drive from school
- Creativity: 9/10, an interesting blend of elements
- Service: 10/10, kind people and quick service
- Cost: $6.00
Total score: 41. Overall–worth a visit!
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Next, we visited Baskin Robbins (499 Lake Cook Rd, Deerfield, IL 60015), which was founded in 1945 by Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins.
Their signature is having 31 flavors, and a fun fact if you look at their logo, ‘31’ is highlighted in pink. We chose two flavors, our first being ‘Gold Ribbon’, which is a mixture of chocolate, vanilla, and caramel.
- Taste: 6/10, the vanilla was bland
- Texture: 6/10, the caramel swirl caused the ice cream to break apart
- Convenience: 10/10, an eight minute drive from high school
- Creativity: 6/10, We had never seen the classic flavors mixed like this
- Service: 8/10, the worker was really nice but didn’t know what seasonal flavors were
- Cost: $4.00
Total score: 36. The flavor was okay, the vanilla tasted like nothing, the chocolate was overpowering, and the caramel was a cute idea but had a bad execution.
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Our second flavor was Beach Day, which can also be found at Baskin Robbins, which was extremely creative, with its base being bright blue, having chocolate turtles and graham cracker sand woven throughout the ice cream.
- Taste: 6/10, had a funky aftertaste that left you mouth feeling cakey
- Texture: 5/10, the graham cracker sand made it extremely gritty and grainy
- Convenience: 10/10, many locations near us
- Creativity: 10/10, we have never seen anything like this!
- Service: 8/10, again the worker was really nice but didn’t know what seasonal flavors were
- Cost: $4.00
Total score: 39. Our final review is eh, not the worst, but it didn’t have the pizzazz we were looking for.
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Next, we visited Scoops and Cookies in Deerfield Square. They are devoted to serving quality ice cream. Founded in 2023, it is the newest ice cream shop in our area. The sweet shop is unique because they serve cookie dough and ice cream together. We chose to taste the flavor ‘Blue moon’. This bright–blue ice cream is ambiguous in flavor, having a sweet, bubblegum/marshmallow taste.
- Taste: 5/10, the taste wasn’t as advertised
- Texture: 9/10, could have been creamier.
- Convenience: 10/10, located in Deerfield square, which is very close
- Creativity: 10/10, this flavor was very unusual, and it was visually interesting being bright blue
- Service: 9/10, they had a good attitude but could've been friendlier
- Cost: $6.00
Total score: 41. This flavor had us at a divide… It was very hit or miss.
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Our final destination was Terry’s Toffee (1853 2nd St, Highland Park). Even though this store is known for their toffee, their ice cream is top notch. The ice cream served at Terry’s Toffee is a product of Sweet Home Gelato.
Terry’s Toffee was founded in 2002, and serves handcrafted toffee and gelato. We chose the Nutella flavor. Although the ice cream itself was a bit plain, having no add-ins, this was a flavor we hadn’t seen many times before.
- Taste: 10/10, who could go wrong with Nutella?
- Texture: 10/10, the texture was super creamy, and there were no chunks of ice or grainy bits
- Convenience: 6/10, Terry’s Toffee is in Highland Park, which is somewhat far away
- Creativity: 6/10, there were no mix-ins, which took off points
- Service: 10/10, the service was great, and the employees were super friendly!
- Cost: $6.00
Total score: 43. The texture was fabulous, and it tasted great. The service was also amazing. However, it was a bit of a hike to get to the store.
Even though they aren’t as widely available, unique and creative flavors do exist. This is your sign to look and to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. With its imaginative flavors and commitment to quality, we recommend visiting Terry’s Toffee for an unforgettable ice cream experience!
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Photos by Lexie Spector & Deerprints | | | | |
