Naperville Central High School's award-winning newspaper.

Central Times
Naperville Central High School's award-winning newspaper.

Central Times
Naperville Central High School's award-winning newspaper.

Central Times
Nathan Yuan

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief

Nathan Yuan is a senior at Naperville Central and this is his third year with the Central Times.  Nathan enjoys talking to random people he meets and is most interested in telling the stories of people in the Central community. In his free time, he enjoys solving puzzles, cooking and listening to Dolly Parton, Marty Robbins as well as the Beatles. Nathan wants to be a teacher when he grows up.

All content by Nathan Yuan
The hidden homeless: Thousands of schools are failing to identify students experiencing homelessness

The hidden homeless: Thousands of schools are failing to identify students experiencing homelessness

Nathan Yuan, Correspondent • May 26, 2023
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The hidden homeless: Understanding the under-identification of homeless youth through data

Nathan Yuan, Editor-At-Large • May 23, 2023
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Naperville North math teacher Timothy Madden was dismissed on March 7 after a District 203 investigation found he engaged in “personal, intimate and otherwise inappropriate relationships” with two then-underage female students.

Naperville North teacher fired for fostering ‘inappropriate’ relationship with two students

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • May 3, 2023
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Reporting on special needs has its challenges, but it’s necessary

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • April 6, 2023
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Blindness no obstacle to Central senior's music career, school experience

Blindness no obstacle to Central senior’s music career, school experience

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • April 6, 2023
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When detentions don't work: For some chronically truant students, detention never ends

When detentions don’t work: For some chronically truant students, detention never ends

Nathan Yuan, Editor-In-Chief • March 13, 2023
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Students may now take a day off for ‘civic events’

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • February 4, 2023
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District 203 music programs may soon require extracurricular music students to enroll in a music class

District 203 music programs may soon require extracurricular music students to enroll in a music class

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • December 25, 2022
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Arthur Xu competes on the first board against Glenbrook North High School at Hinsdale Central High School on Oct. 15.

Sophomore chess player preps for elite competition

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • December 25, 2022
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Senior Mia Hernandez

Mentorship program designed for Central

Nathan Yuan, Editor-In-Chief • December 19, 2022
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Learning support coach and FACS teacher Samantha Szopinski will be Central’s new Dean of Student Activities on Jan. 6

Samantha Szopinski named new Dean of Student Activities

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • December 9, 2022
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Freshman Marshaun Williams collects wristbands. He expects to have 100 by Christmas.

Humans of Central: Freshman wristband collector Marshaun Williams

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • December 2, 2022
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Q&A: Staff and students explain why they voted in the past election

Nathan Yuan, Aiden Lu, and Natalie Langan • December 2, 2022
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Registered voters could cast their ballots at Madison Junior High School for the midterm election on Nov. 8. All Illinois schools were closed as Election Day is now a state holiday following the passage of a state bill in 2020.

Students vote in midterm election

Nathan Yuan, Editor-In-Chief • December 2, 2022
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2022-2023 Print Archive

Nathan Yuan, Claire Yung, Jeremy Zhao, Jake Pfeiffer, Noah Rozek, Javen Oswald, Jay Deegan, Kait McHale, and Evelyn Zwicky • November 21, 2022
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Central custodian Allen Dozier started his limousine service company called Just a Dream in 2006. He has driven for families, weddings, proms, graduations.

Humans of Central: Allen Dozier

Nathan Yuan, Editor in Chief • November 4, 2022
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If the board approves the current recommendation made by school and district administrators, Latin will be phased out with Latin 1 being removed from course selections this year.

Administrators recommend removal of Latin

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • October 5, 2022
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Art by Ashley Whelchel

Naperville Central: emergency room

Ashley Whelchel and Nathan Yuan • September 29, 2022
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Dan Olandese

Central welcomes new staff members for 22-23 school year

Nathan Yuan, Editor-in-Chief • September 19, 2022
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A pilot program has introduced new source separated recycling bins to classrooms in Naperville Central.

[Photo] Pilot program brings new recycling bins to Central

Ivan Thankachen, Staff Writer • August 22, 2022
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DECA adviser steps back into role after three-year hiatus

Nathan Yuan and Cameron Rozek • May 23, 2022
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Each year, students enrolled in the Business INCubator class at Naperville Central spend the year developing a product idea and learning to market a business. In the spring, the students have the opportunity to present this product idea to a panel of investors for the chance to take thier company to the next level.

Business INCubator students present product ideas to investors at annual ‘pitch night’

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • May 22, 2022
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The Class of 2022 senior map showcases the number of students from Central going to each college as well as other postsecondary plans, such as employment, trade school and the military. The map is located in the hallway to the right of Student Services.

College & Career Center posts revised senior map

Nathan Yuan and Cameron Rozek • May 22, 2022
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Data collected through interviews conducted by Central Times

Class sizes to increase at Central, nine teachers cut at high schools following decreases in enrollment

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • May 9, 2022
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Data from Personnel 2021-2022 Board Action on Employment

Two Central teachers laid off, four others to have fewer classes to teach next year 

Ivan Thankachen and Nathan Yuan • May 8, 2022
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Natallie Duffin brought a suitcase for her school supplies to school on “anything but a backpack day” on April 12.

Garbage cans, laundry baskets and suitcases: Some bring ‘anything but a backpack’ to school

Kait McHale and Nathan Yuan • May 5, 2022
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Two Central teachers to create educational Earth science videos

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • May 4, 2022
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Hallway Headlines: March 2022

Nathan Yuan and Noah Rozek • May 3, 2022
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Maplebrook sees spike in COVID cases

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • April 29, 2022
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There’s something incredibly sad when the search results of “school news” are almost all school shootings. I write Hallway Headlines, a monthly recap of news we think is interesting for students, and as I search for news pertaining to high schools, this is what I see.

What’s more American than freedom? School shootings

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • April 25, 2022
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New athletic director announced

New athletic director announced

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • April 7, 2022
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Central debate team places third at state, four members advance to finals

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • March 26, 2022
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Nathan Dille teaches his eighth period AP Physics 1 rotation in Room 326.

[Photo] Teacher starts career at Central amidst e-learning

William Tong, Editor-in-Chief & Editorial Editor • April 2, 2022
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Locks for all rooms, such as Room 316, at Naperville Central are being upgraded. The new locks can be secured without a key and display whether they are locked or unlocked.

[Photo] Central implementing new locks for classrooms

Claire Yung, Profiles Editor & Social Media Editor • March 25, 2022
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Student freelance sports creative builds his own brand

Student freelance sports creative builds his own brand

Nathan Yuan and Katie Dalton • March 25, 2022
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Hallway Headlines: February 2022

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • March 4, 2022
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Video and images circulating on social media show police called to the St. Charles library after more than 30 individuals entered the library unmasked. No arrests were made.

More than 30 individuals enter St. Charles unmasked, protest mask policy

Nathan Yuan and Jeremy Zhao • February 24, 2022
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SAT to go digital

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • February 24, 2022
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Seniors Seth Lendzion and Suhas Medidi pose for a photo to send as evidence to senior assassin moderators.

Annual senior assassins game kicks off

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • February 16, 2022
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Lab technologist Hussein Hassanein adds the negative control to a plate of samples. A multitude of quality assurance measures increase the accuracy of SHIELD tests, however, without a positive retest policy, the rate of false positives may increase greatly. At a 1.6% positivity rate, the most up-to-date numbers for District 203, a graph by University of Illinois epidemiologist Rebecca Lee Smith shows that as much as 40%, if not more, of positive results may be false.

As much as 40% of positive SHIELD tests in District 203 may be false due to absence of positive retesting

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • February 7, 2022
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Students make use of new homeroom period to take 5Essentials survey

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • February 3, 2022
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Jackie Thornton was recently appointed as Naperville Central's new principal. She will replace retiring principal Bill Wiesbrook in July. Thornton has been an assistant principal at Central for 19 years.

[Photo] District 203 announces new principal for Naperville Central

William Tong, Editor-in-Chief & Editorial Editor • January 25, 2022
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Hallway Headlines: January 2022

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • January 24, 2022
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Hallway Headlines: December 2021

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • January 18, 2022
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Naperville Central principal and band director swap jobs for a day

Naperville Central principal and band director swap jobs for a day

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • January 13, 2022
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Kari O'leary performing with the cover band Black Cadillac. "I am positive I was born to drum," she said.

‘Teacher by day, rockstar by night’

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • December 20, 2021
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Medical technologist Mavis Kwarteng manually transfers a portion of the saliva from samples to a plate of 96 holes as part of a process to prepare saliva samples for SHIELD testing at the Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network laboratory.

Behind the scenes of SHIELD COVID-19 testing

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • December 13, 2021
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Freshman Jason Henrikson taps the test tube on his hand to move the spit sample through the funnel while SHIELD testing at Naperville Central on Dec. 6.

Four instances of contractors unable to staff schools as worker shortage affects District 203 SHIELD COVID-19 testing program

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • December 6, 2021
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District 203 joins AASA Learning 2025 Network

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • November 23, 2021
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Hallway Headlines: November 2021

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • November 18, 2021
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Naperville Central Cheerleading and Arrowettes host first ever "TRACK or TREAT" - youtube

[Photo] Naperville Central Cheerleading, Arrowettes host first ever ‘TRACK or TREAT’

Katie Dalton, Head Multimedia Editor • October 30, 2021
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The removal of the original field house floor exposed sticky, black substance described as "bubblegum."

Central field house floor replaced after 10 years

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • October 30, 2021
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Roblox must take measures against child exploitation

Roblox must take measures against child exploitation

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • October 29, 2021
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Junior petitions to change Chromebook search restrictions

Nathan Yuan and William Tong • October 29, 2021
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Hallway Headlines: October 2021

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • October 29, 2021
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Poutinerie hiring workers with special needs to open in Downtown Naperville

Poutinerie hiring workers with special needs to open in Downtown Naperville

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • October 26, 2021
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Survey shows improper student mask wearing present in most classes

Survey shows improper student mask wearing present in most classes

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • October 12, 2021
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Opinion: The Dunkin on Washington St. is the worst I’ve been to

Nathan Yuan, News Editor • October 11, 2021
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Central set to implement nine period schedule two days a week starting 2022

Cameron Rozek and Nathan Yuan • October 11, 2021
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2021-2022 Print Archive

Cameron Rozek, Nathan Yuan, Jeremy Zhao, Claire Yung, Isabel Zhou, Evelyn Krupicka, Connor McHugh, Cooper Holmberg, William Tong, Luka Sereci, and Gabe Curtis • August 30, 2021
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Naperville Central custodian works hard to keep students and staff safe in pandemic

Naperville Central custodian works hard to keep students and staff safe in pandemic

Nathan Yuan, Staff Writer • June 15, 2021
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An image of Naperville mayor Steve Chirico with his family attending wedding celebrations in Florida unmasked, reportedly taken by one of the wedding attendees, has been circulating social media, prompting backlash from local residents. The mayor has stood by his decision to travel and attend the wedding.

Opinion: Mayor Chirico: Own up, apologize, then pass a mask mandate

Nathan Yuan, Staff Writer • December 19, 2020
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Many local businesses, like downtown restaurant Fat Rosie's, are looking for ways to weather the new restrictions' economic effects.

Amid pandemic restrictions, half of Naperville restaurants fear closure in 5 months, survey says

Nathan Yuan, Correspondent • December 7, 2020
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Modular energy exchange units across the roof of the building, like the one pictured above, are responsible for filtering and climate control in different areas of the school.

Upgrades make airborne infections spread by Naperville Central’s ventilation system unlikely

Nathan Yuan, Correspondent • November 16, 2020
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