The Spectrum Newspaper June 2022 by Spectrum Newspaper

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SPECTRUM

“Your Voice in Print”

blakespectrum.org

Filming confuses students, faculty; legality questioned Rowan Wallin | Managing Editor

n May 12, students arrived at assembly in the Juliet Nelson Auditorium (JNA) wondering why Lora McManus-Graham, Chair of Equity and Instruction, had emailed some students and not others. One day before this assembly, McManus-Graham emailed BIPOC students to let them know that she had “reserved seats in the front of the JNA for you all. We invite you to sit in these seats, rather than with your advisors.” Upon reading this, Nam Truong ‘23 thought, “Who is Lora McManus-Graham?” Truong continued, “Race-based seating was outlawed during the Civil Rights Era. This email sounded like segregation.” According to the email, there would be “a special assembly centered around identity and belonging.” At the assembly, she explained the “MySpace” project would create virtual reality (VR) videos to convey a reality in which one had to “code-switch and navigate white-dominant culture.” McManus-Graham remarked, “It’s called ‘MySpace’ to be a pun on the old ‘MySpace’ which no one uses anymore, to my knowledge.” In fact, the “old ‘MySpace’” is currently functional, active, and trademarked. Additionally, McManusGraham utilized a graphic during her presentation similar to a graphic called “the Diversity Wheel” copyrighted by Johns Hopkins University, using the same text as the copyrighted graphic but different colors and order of text. The use of this graphic is direct copyright infringement. McManus-Graham stated, “Usually, VR projects like this center trauma narratives. Our project is different and would contribute to our information and would act as a counter-balance or another perspective.” Ironically, this exercise created more harm than belonging for students. Altogether, the “MySpace” project filmed four scenes across Blake.

Blake Lifers reflect on their time in lower school. Cynthia Hechter explains, “I am heartsick that Highcroft is closing. I think everyone who works at Highcroft is heartsick about that.” In-Depth: Pages 8-9

Wednesday | June 1 | 2022

Issue VII

The Blake School

National “Identity & Belonging” Project Fails in JNA Rowan Wallin

Thompson sings “Lift Every Voice and Sing” which is commonly known as the Black national anthem. To Thompson’s right is the American flag, which is rarely on stage during assembly. Students were instructed to stand and direct their attention to the front, as if they were listening to the “Star Spangled Banner.” Students and faculty were filmed for a national project.

Rowan Wallin

This graphic shown in assembly, the “Diversity Wheel,” uses terms such as “age, income, family,” etc. The Spectrum Staff has decided not to show the original image to avoid copyright infringement.

First, Umut Gürsel’s Algebra II class filmed a video in which Gürsel spoke in Turkish while students sat blankly in confusion. Gürsel declined to give a statement for this article. Carson Clark ‘25, a student in this particular class, expressed, “Most of my classmates were like ‘Why are we doing this?’ We asked and didn’t get a clear answer so we just went on with it.” McManus-Graham explained, “This was supposed to be an aspirational example of what might it be like if the world revolved around your norms or my norms rather than the norms of white-dominant culture.” However, this exercise didn’t need to use expensive cameras and the derailment of the Algebra II curriculum; students could have just as easily joined a Chinese class (included in Blake’s tuition) to experience non “whitedominant culture” norms. Moreover, fifth graders made a vision board to honor Kamala Harris. Affinity groups played UNO during lunch together. The assembly’s audience was filmed as they listened and stood for the Black national anthem. All of these four scenes were filmed by REM5, a Twin Cities-based company which creates educational VR content.

During assembly, McManus-Graham described the project’s overall audience, “This will be shared nationally. This is bigger than us. This is bigger than Blake. This is bigger than us as individuals.” Anne Stavney, Head of School, added, “[McManus-Graham] has partnered with a number of people who are in the National Association of Independent Schools which is a national body.” However, in a later interview, McManusGraham said, “Blake will have ownership of this video and will be used primarily internally for ourselves.” This ambivalence is extremely concerning. The 2021-22 Family Handbook addresses the use of images: “External – public relations/ media, advertising, the website, online photo gallery, social media, etc.” for external communication on behalf of the school; however, the Family Handbook does not address the use of video recorded for REM5 or other outside organizations. Students started to ask questions about parental consent to filming. Stavney noted, “As a parent myself, I would want to know when my child is going to be in a film.” However, Stavney’s understanding is that faces are not to be used in the film. To put it kindly, the project was not received well by the audience that day in the JNA. Several faculty members expressed confusion. Anil Chandiramani, English teacher, reflected, “I was definitely puzzled, I was trying to find out the purpose of this assembly.” McManus-Graham’s email was sent to any student whose VeraCross profile indicated that they were BIPOC, but not all BIPOC students

The benefits of a summer camp vary for each person. Going to summer camp helps people learn to go out of their comfort zones and be themselves. Pictured (right) is Herzl summer camp. Perspectives: Page 12

were notified due to this technique of sending which only created division among students. In addition, the confidential LGBTQIA+ group was also asked to sit in the front rows, causing unease for these students and threatening their right to privacy. Elle Sovell ‘23, who identifies as a BIPOC but didn’t receive an email, stated, “I don’t know why they wouldn’t email me because I am a person of color. I was confused because everyone got emails and I didn’t.” Sovell was one of many students who questioned her belonging in the community. Two days prior, McManus-Graham consulted Student Diversity Leadership Council (SDLC) students for feedback on her project who warned her about many of the concerns students felt after assembly. Suzy Higuchi ‘23, SDLC member, explained, “We were like ‘Oh this seems like another one of those things where we’re making a show by putting all of the BIPOC in the front.’”

Rowan Wallin

For many students who hadn’t received the peculiar email, this message only further confused them and heightened discomfort.

Higuchi went on to say, “She told us that she consulted a lot of BIPOC adults while she was planning this all out and had originally planned for BIPOC students to sit normally with their advisories but after consulting other people, they brought up the idea to put BIPOC in the front. For [SDLC members], that explanation didn’t really reassure us because

we still thought that the exercise felt exploitative.” McManus-Graham sent the assembly email after the SDLC meeting, where many members were left feeling uneasy. After hearing further feedback the morning of the assembly, McManus-Graham then rescinded her invitation to BIPOC students in the front row of the assembly. After McManus-Graham explained the project, filming began. Students and faculty were directed to stand and face the American flag (something the Blake community rarely does) to welcome Anisa Thompson ‘22 who would sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Thompson didn’t respond to interview inquiries. McManus-Graham said, “The way that VR works is that realistically beyond about three people deep from the camera, you won’t be able to distinguish faces.” McManus-Graham intended for BIPOC students to be in the front rows of the assembly to be most visible for the VR camera; however, all were welcomed in the end. Few moved toward the camera and a handful of students moved away. Clark, who had already been filmed in math class earlier in the day, walked out. He justified, “I stand for our national anthem which represents everyone, not one particular race when we have multiple races in school. It makes everyone uncomfortable to sing a song when it only represents one race.” Thompson had to sing twice due to impatient applause from the audience. When McManus-Graham announced that Thompson

During Paul Menge’s 34 year tenure at Blake he has taken on many positions reaching the hearts of those he teaches and interacts with.

Features: Page 16

would sing a second time, the audience groaned and complained nearly unanimously. Following the assembly, most students and faculty were confused and displeased. William Connor ‘23 reflected, “If they wanted to do this, why wouldn’t they sing the Black national anthem at a sports game where we usually sing the national anthem?” Many thought this activity was a sign of disrespect to America altogether. Truong explains, “I feel like [McManus-Graham’s] delivery was almost a tactic to catch all of us at a time where we can’t leave… We were sort of like hostages who had to act out a play.” Charlie Weyerhaeuser ‘23 agreed with Truong, “The national anthem isn’t discriminatory at all… It’s literally for everyone. So why did they have to turn it into a symbol of discrimination by singing an alternate version that was supposedly less ‘whitedominant’?” McManus-Graham explained her reasoning, stating, “We were trying to make people stop and think about how US-centric they are: Other countries, cultures, and groups have national anthems too.” In the end, McManus-Graham acknowledges that the project was poorly communicated to the community. McManus-Graham even hosted an open house on May 16 for students to voice their concerns or opinions on the matter. Three students attended this open house. Chad Woerner ‘22, one of these students, said, “[McManus-Graham] apologized for her miscommunication, but not for the actual idea of separating people by race through her email and the seating.” Stavney acknowledged the turmoil that this impactful exercise has created, “The main omission here was not thinking about what was the teaching and learning experience for our Blake students in the audience at that time.” Despite the controversy, confusion, questions of consent, and the various copyright infringements, it seems the “MySpace” project is moving forward.

STAFF

NEWS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE, 1 2022 | 2

Hallas Leaves Incredible Stories 5 Day Quarantine Stirs Math teacher plans for future, reflects on teaching Mac Miller

The Blake School 511 Kenwood Pkwy Issue 7 June 1 2022

Bernadette Whitely: Editor-In-Chief Rowan Wallin: Managing Editor, News Editor Allyson Jay: Managing Editor, Features Editor Zoey Ueland: Student Life Editor Amelia Bush: Arts and Culture Editor Cleo Kilpatrick: Sports Editor Sofia Perlman: Science and Technology Editor, Persepctives Editor James Prince: Online Editor Charlotte Opp: Food Editor Evan Vezmar: Opinions Editor Julia Zhang: Business Editor Editor Emeriti: Noor Naseer, Maggie Seidel, Emily Rotenberg, Sage Marmet, Will Rosenblum Adviser: Anna Reid

STAFF WRITERS: Kaylee Chen, Ahan Devgun, Mackenzie Higgins, Gabi Marmet, Ainsley Pflaum, Kate Rekas, Andrew Richardson, Jason Rotenberg, Max Yousha, Yoni Zacks, Eva Stegic, Kevin Bizily, Uma Bhardwaj

BECOME A STAFF MEMBER: Contribute to the paper three times consecutively to be promoted to a staff writer! JOIN SPECTRUM: Spectrum meets in room 351 during both lunches every Thursday. Please come if you are interested in writing, drawing, designing, or taking pictures for the newspaper. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Disagree with something that’s in the paper? Have an opinion you want to share? Like to draw editorial cartoons? Take a stand and speak out. E-mail letters or editorial cartoons to spectrum@blakeschool.org or deliver them to room 351. Please limit letters to 400 words. MISSION STATEMENT: The primary purpose of the Blake School Spectrum is to report news and to explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community. We hope to inform, entertain and provide a school forum for the unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions. STYLE STATEMENT: Spectrum uses Associated Press (AP) Styles as of the February 2020 issue.

Corrections: Page 2: Charlotte Opp should be added as food editor. Jessica Williams last name spelled wrong. Page 4: photo caption Davin Khan’s last name spelled incorrectly Page 7: Vivien Pihlstrom last name was misspelled.

while he was in 10th grade geometry. Hallas commented that, “He was a pretty disengaged student. He was

Amelia Bush | Arts and Culture Editor

avid Hallas, a math teacher who has been teaching for 50 years total and 3 years at Blake is retiring. Now that Hallas is retiring, he is sure that, “I’ll drink lots of coffee, do a lot of reading, probably play some golf, do projects around the home and a little bit of traveling.” Hallas commented that “I like to drive rather than fly, it would be kind of cool to do a tour of the U.S and visit all 50 states so that would be pretty cool, but I don’t know if it’ll happen. I’ve been to a lot of them [states] but I haven’t been to all of them”. In his 50 years, Hallas taught Mac Miller, a famous rapper who died in 2018,

Elena Gill This picture was taken in 2019 before COVID struck. Mr. Hallas was getting ready to teach his next class!

more interested in music and writing, you know? He did some nice geometry raps. He was an interesting guy.” After his sophomore

year, his mom took him out of the private school because she felt she was wasting her tuition money, and she was. He was really interested in music and of course he became quite successful.” Hallas mentioned that the reason that Miller’s mom was wasting her money was because Miller didn’t seem to care or take advantage of his academic resources. Hallas taught Miller at a point in his life when, “He wasn’t known, I mean he was known among the students at school. He was still young and he was actually a pretty good athlete too. Even back then there was a sense that he had some drug issues.” His name was Malcom McCormick at the time, the name Miller coming from his brother’s first name. During his 50 years of teaching, he has had some crazy experiences teaching. Make sure to thank him for his time at Blake if you see him in the halls.

Stressed Students Seek Fun Activities Athletics, friendships, arts utilized for solace Jojo Arlowe | Contributing Writer

ith end-of-year final projects, essays, and AP tests, students must find time to relax and rejuvenate. Many ask themselves what are the best options? What makes us most happy? Stephan Gustafson ‘24, is a fan of exercising for fun in his free time, “[he likes] to lift heavy rocks” Stephan does this

because “it makes [him] really buff” and he likes seeing progress. Gustafson adds that homework “absolutely gets in the way” of de-stressing activities, and said that “I get really depressed and angry when I can’t workout.” He adds, “I [get my] homework done at a reasonable time and then I [go] to the gym, I’m really happy.” On the other hand, Julia Jung ‘23, notes in her free time she likes to “hang out with [her] friends, watch TV, and take naps,” due to their antistress nature and lack of overlap with school

because “They don’t cause any stress, and they have nothing to do with school.” Julia notes that it’s important that she, “find[s] little gaps in [her] day between homework to take 1530 minutes to watch a quick episode, or just facetime one of [her] friends.” Jung estimates that she spends between half an hour to an hour and a half per day doing these activities in her free time, yet similar to Gustafson, homework “absolutely” gets in the way of her happinessinducing activities.

Reactions of both relief, anxiety towards CDC guidelines Eva Redmond | Contributing Writer

n January 4, the CDC updated the quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 to a 5 day period. The CDC explains the reason for this change on their website, citing new data on the Omicron variant proving the shortened period effective. While this update isn’t new, with the recent spike in COVID cases, it’s more important than ever. Blake is recommending students wear a mask for 5 days after the end of their quarantine and notably not requiring a negative test to return to in person learning. The week of May 2, there were 12 active cases of COVID in the senior class alone. The Blake population is having mixed reactions to these guidelines. Tobin Spiller ‘22 who had COVID during the last week

Spiller feel safe after the shortened quarantine, others like Chizo Nwokocha ‘25 are still feeling nervous. She found it “kind of weird that I did not have to have a negative COVID test to come back to school” and explained that “I am continuing to wear a mask just in case.” As students spread contradicting opinions, some like Scott Hollander are leaving it up to the CDC. When asked if the quarantine period was long enough, Hollander said “I feel like I’m unqualified to know that. That’s a realm for scientists and medical people and when they have said five days of quarantine is a good amount of time, to me I’m like ‘Okay, five days is a good amount of time.” Although he believes it is enough, he did explain that he took an extra day off as “technically [his] quarantine ended on Sunday, but [he] didn’t feel good enough on Monday to come in.” Hollander concurs with Tobin’s argument that current COVID precautions are enough to safeguard against the virus, explaining, “Getting vaccinated and boosted

“I’ll have some built-in immunity afterwards and Blake’s pretty safe, I probably won’t wear a mask after the fact.”- Tobin Spiller in April explains it “wasn’t too bad” and overall feels safe enough to not wear a mask after the mandatory 5 days stating, “Considering that I’ll have some built-in immunity afterwards and Blake’s pretty safe, I probably won’t wear a mask after the fact.” While students like

and so forth, that was a contributor in me deciding that at some point, ‘Okay I don’t need to wear a mask every day in all situations.” As of May 22, there have been a total of fourreported COVID cases across all of the Blake campuses from active students.

Students React: Elon Musk Finally Buying Twitter Mixed opinions regarding morality of his actions James Prince | Arts and Culture Editor

t the end of April, outspoken billionaire Elon Musk, known for establishing electric motor vehicle company Tesla and online payment software PayPal, announced that he and the board of Twitter had agreed to a 44 billion dollar purchase agreement for Twitter. After long critiquing Twitter’s role in trying to limit disinformation and hate speech, Musk had finally followed through on his promise to purchase and remake the platform into something that followed the guidelines of free speech. Musk tweeted

following the announcement of his takeover, “By ‘free speech’, I simply mean that which matches the law.” Musk’s approach has received some praise. Henry Schmidt ‘23 believes that, “It is his right to do so and at the end of the day, Twitter is going to be Twitter and nothing is going to change. I do believe his intentions are noble. However, I don’t know if he will back up his intentions with action.” Support for Musk’s approach as a free speech crusader is reflected by Wesley Bartels ‘22 who stated that Musks’ buying of Twitter was, “Good for social media and free speech in general.” However, Musk’s brand of free speech has not been appealing to everyone. Tyler Girk ‘23

believes Musk’s takeover is not a step in the right direction for average people, saying, ”I just think it’s like

a prime example of an elite buying a social media campaign; thinking they can dictate how people can and should

use it.” Overall, the student body is divided over Musk’s takeover of Twitter and his plans to reform the platform.

Charlotte Opp

Elon Musk’s line of Tesla cars have been increasingly popular especially with the high gas prices. These cars are electrically charged and here have been more and more charging stations across the country. This Tesla was parked in a driveway and is the Model Y which is one of Tesla’s best selling cars due to its simple design along with it’s vast technology and safety features.

STUDENT LIFE | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 3

Hunger Committee, Empty Bowls Meld for Fundraiser Clubs collaborate, raise over $1000, combat food insecurity Cleo Kilpatrick | Sports Editor

n Monday, May 2, 2022 the Hunger Committee and Empty Bowls Club had a very successful char-

ity event. The event raised $1,254 for Every Meal, a non profit organization, with a mission to fight child hunger. They work to provide food programs to children who are in need, especially during summer months when school is out and many kids lack a stable food source. Chad Woerner ‘22 is a member of the Empty Bowls Club and helped out

at the event. He described his experience as, “It was really fun to see everyone from all three campuses come together and hang out with them.” A wide range of age groups attended at this event. One of the Hunger Committee chairs Daphne Dresner ‘24 says, “We had everywhere from kindergarten to 8th grade.”

Dresner explains, “The Empty Bowls club made all the bowls and they brought them over to [Seexeng] Lee’s art room in the middle school and all the kids painted them with acrylic paint then we decorated cookies. [Lisa] Sackreiter also got some rice for us to pack for Learning and Style School.” Learning and Style School is another non-profit organiza-

tion in Minneapolis which provides education in English and math to adult immigrants. Woerner expresses his favorite part of the event as being able to hangout with younger kids. He explains “They’re super funny and engaged in the art work” and continued that he also liked helping “out people in our community who don’t

Submitted by: Daphne Dresner

Truman Morseman ‘23, Grace Flikke ‘24, Davin Khan ‘24, Woerner, Kelly Deng ‘25, Eloise Walsh ‘24 and sudents across grade levels gathered in the middle school art room. Members remarked that this event was helpful in streghtening unity across campuses, something that is genrally lacking. The Hunger Committee is still accepting donations for Every Meal. You can donate at givelively.org/donate/every-meal.

have enough to eat.” Dresner similarly expresses that this event made her feel, “really happy just to see how many kids showed up. We had close to 40-50 kids and they were all engaged with the questions that we were asking them and they enjoyed learning about Learning and Style and Every Meal and what the Hunger Committee and Empty Bowls are about.”

Submitted by: Daphne Dresner

Colorful bowls were created by the Empty Bowls club and then painted in the middle school art room. They also packed rice for Learning In-Syle School.

Motorcycles Inspire Debate: Saftey, Pros, Cons Motorcyles pose alternative to traditional transport Erik Norberg & Calvin Bredesen | Contributing Writers

ecently, some students have begun to ride their motorcycles to school, upending the former ideas surrounding necessary transportation. With gas prices soaring students have begun to question if driving a motorcycle would be a good alternative for them. While it may seem that riding a motorcycle is full of benefits, there is a lot more to

it than most people realize. Driving a motorcycle puts your safety in the hands of others, and is far more dangerous than driving a car. According to Insurance Information Institute, for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled, there are 26 times more motorcycle deaths than car deaths. Oskar Holm ‘22 says that this is the reality of driving a motorcycle, “it’s like driving a manual car, but your life’s in danger every second, and you have to watch out for incompetent distracted drivers who are trying to kill you.” Despite these risks, students who decide to commit to riding mo-

Zoey Ueland

Rossalyn Moore

Uhler and Holm park their bikes out front. They explain that they wouldn’t recommend these bikes to the rest of the student body.

Security guard Rio Hansen as well as the Head of Security Gene Paulauskas also have bikes that they frequently ride to school.

torcycles see benefits from it. Oscar Uhler ‘22 notes, “It’s much more fun than driving a car, but it takes a lot more energy.”

Motorcycles also get cheaper gas that is twice the gas mileage as a car. However, Uhler does not think the student body is suitable

Forum Elections Foment Questions, Interest Elections create opportunity, increased transparency for sudents Oscar Walsh | Staff Writer & Photographer

ast week’s elections for student body president and Forum, marred by questions of insufficient notice and publicity, have raised interest in the process of nominating and becoming a candidate. The student body president and Forum representatives play an important role in communicating with the administration and parents on behalf of the student body and elections typically generate substantial candidate interest. The three candidates that receive the most votes by their respective grades become the Forum representatives for their class. A

school-wide election for the student body president is held to determine who among rising seniors will lead Forum. This year’s elections provided the class of 2023 with an opportunity for not only three Forum representatives, including the senior class president, but also the student body president. However, the opportunity to run for these positions was not publicized except at the student Service and Leadership Fair held in March as well as in assembly announcements. The lack of wide-spread public notice resulted in some students missing a chance to run for office. “We didn’t have posters, school-wide emails, or social media posts about the election,” faculty advisor to Forum, Ben Cady, explained. Students who signed up for student government opportunities at the fair, however, were informed about the

process to run for Forum. “I signed up for Forum at the club Fair. Once I got the follow-up email from Mr. Cady, it became something that I really wanted to do,” noted Alex Witzke ‘23, who ran for student body president and Forum for the first time this year. In the end, there was a large turnout of candidates and interest in the election. The topics of Forum transparency and communication were addressed by candidates in their speeches, and many students have expressed an interest in receiving more in-

Amelia Bush

Justin Krelitz ‘23 is the next student body president.

formation about the election process and Forum’s mission. The student government encourages students to attend meetings every Friday during second lunch in the small dining room, yet it is rare that students attend. Current Forum member Ben Hykes ‘23 explained, “I didn’t really understand what Forum exactly was before I ran last year.” “When I joined, the achievements I had heard of prior [were] the improvement of cup sizes and the chocolate milk they introduced as a regular drink.”

Zoey Ueland

Sofia Perri ‘23 was elected as the senior class president.

to ride motorcycles, as he puts it “they’re all [expletive] awful drivers.” This is due to the fact that most students are often distracted

by their phones while driving, and they just aren’t good at driving in general, illustrated by the sheer amount of rear endings in the parking lot. Uhler concludes, “It is more affordable, so motorcycles are less expensive vehicles than cars, maintenance is cheaper, fluids are cheaper...gas is cheaper.” However he finalizes that it is far more dangerous than any other moving vehicle, noting “people don’t pay attention to the road anymore, which makes driving very dangerous for somebody who’s in a lower profile vehicle.”

Summer Jobs! Lessons from summer jobs, new experiences Rossalyn Moore | Contributing Writer

s the 2021-2022 school year comes to a close, the summer is filled for some with summer jobs to keep them busy. Xavier Best ‘25 works as a counselor at Pedal Paddle Fish and Swim in Minneapolis to watch and guide a group of kids bike, swim in the lakes, kayak, and play. He recalls his experience working there as, “pretty lit!” Sally Countryman ‘23 will be working at Nautical Bowls in Edina, which she’s excited to begin. Countryman believes that the summer is a great time to work because of

the open time and lowered stress levels. Another Student, Haya Fine ‘22 also takes on new experiences through her summer jobs. In 2020 she worked a Bredsmith in Edina but left to better manage school. Additionally, last year she worked as a counselor at Camp Olami at the Jewish Community Center in Golden Valley. She says, “Some of the kids have never been to a real school before, so that was a challenge.”She learned how to mediate tensions between young children. Haya recommends a summer job to other people 100%! Overall, through summer jobs, Blake students have learned valuable life skills to prepare them for their futures. For more go to: https://www.blakespectrum.org/blog/category/student-life/

SCI-TECH | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 4

Spreading Microplastics Pollute Earth, Human Bodies Plastics damage all aspects of ecosystem Mackenzie Higgins | Staff Writer

or the first time ever, researchers have found microplastics in human bloodstreams. Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic in the environment that are a result of the breakdown of plastic consumer products. Microplastics are known to cause damage to the ocean and aquatic ecosystems, and they have previously been in human digestive systems, but this is the first time

that a study has shown microplastics in human bloodstreams. The study, conducted by the Vrije University Amsterdam, found that 80% of its participants’ blood contained microplastics. Of that eighty percent, half contained PET plastics (e.g. drink bottles), a third contained polystyrene (e.g. styrofoam food/product packaging), and a fourth contained polyethylene (e.g. plastic bags). The particles they found were as small as 0.0007mm. What does this mean? Humans are already known to ingest on average a credit card amount of microplastics per week. Fortunately,

Melody Lee

microplastics in the digestive system generally pass without any real significant damage. Conversely, the full health effects of microplastics on the human body are unknown, but there is definitely cause for concern. Preliminary research shows that plastic particles can travel around the body and may lodge in organs. Additionally, researchers have found that microplastics cause damage in human cells in laboratory research, so they are expected to have a similar effect while in the body. Other studies have also found that microplastics can latch on outer membranes

of red blood cells and may limit the ability to transport oxygen. What should we do? The best way to limit microplastics pollution and avoid microplastics in your body is to limit usage of products that contain or can form microplastics. Examples include synthetic clothing (e.g. athletic clothes), certain cosmetic products like exfoliating face wash and toothpaste that contain microbeads, and takeaway plates, cups, and bags. Microplastics are already everywhere. The best way to reduce the amount of microplastics is to reduce plastic product consumption as a whole.

Weather Improves, Moods Change Necessary Sunscreen Protects Skin Students experience mostly positive mood changes during spring, summer months Amelia Bush | Arts & Culture Editor

is “more motivation, it’s easier to get out of bed in the morning when you wake up with the sun shining into your room.” Another anonymous stu-

“Especially when it rains, a weird feeling comes. Sunny makes me feel very happy, also because it’s good to get sun.” For another anonymous stu-

Does your mood improve in the spring and summer?

ccording to the Mayo Clinic, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a form of depression that directly corresponds to the change in weather. Most cases of SAD occur in early late fall and early winter, but get better as the sun comes out with spring and summer. With the unpredictable Minnesota climate, mood shifts with the weather are common, but does this mean it’s SAD? Well, while bad weather can have a negative effect on emotions, SAD requires consistent negative emotions for diagnosis. But what are the effects of the unpredictable weather on students? According to a survey sent out to the student body, 76% of the 125 students that responded feel that their mood changes when the weather becomes nicer. Of this 76%, 80% stated that the change in emotion was positive. One response stated that there

As summer approaches, importance of wearing sunscreen emphasized Cleo Kilpatrick | Sports Editor

ay goodbye to your winter coats and say hello to sunscreen, your new best friend for the next four months. Usually the number one thing on everyone’s summer todo list is to get tan. Even though a nice tan can make you

One student responded that the change of seasons “bring[s] back motivation to complete my school work and self care regiments! I also notice my room is a lot cleaner and there are less empty water glasses.”

dent “smile[s] more and physically feel a weight off of me. The sun makes me feel healthier and more happy.” Felix Riedel ‘24 added

dent, the mood change “allows me to feel more joyful, optimistic, and bring about a sense of a new beginning and new possibilities.”

Cleo Kilpatrick

look great. It actually is more damaging to your skin in the long run. Getting a sunburn increases your risk of aging spots, wrinkles and cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says, “approximately 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer everyday.” Protecting your skin is of the utmost importance. Even if that summer tan looks good for a couple weeks, your skin won’t in a couple years. This is where sunscreen comes in. Dermatologists recommend creams which are best for dry skin and your face, gels which

are good for hairy areas like your scalp and chest hair, and sticks are good for around the eyes. But what they most recommend is to use the sunscreen that works best for you and what you feel most comfortable using. Dermatologists recommend using Vanicream, EltaMD, La Roche-Posay, and Supergoop, to name a few. You should apply sunscreen 30 minutes before you go outside. You should reapply ev-

Cleo Kilpatrick

ery two hours especially after swimming or sweating. It’s important to have consistent protection if you’re outside a lot.

Littering Pollutes School Campus Charlotte Opp | Food Editor

Amelia Bush

The path to Spring Lake is littered with cans.

ecently there has been an exceeding amount of trash inside of the school, in the parking lot and around the premises of the school. While most people are aware that littering isn’t good for the planet and that it’s directly disrespectful towards the custodians, it’s still been happening. Cathy Lynch states, “Like I don’t want to touch anyone’s dirty glass or plate. That’s gross!” Littering has more implications than just the disrespect it presents. Littering can lead to pollution in waterways and hurt the environment around us. For example, polluting the parking lot with a singular plastic bag could lead to an animal being suffocated by attempting to eat it and choking. Although this might not always happen, the plastic bag also ruins the cleanliness of the school and its outside surroundings. Lynch goes on to say, “I truly think that some students believe that there are people here to clean up after themselves, but Sam Tomczik that’s not the case.” And ends the conversation by stating, “Kids are kids.” WhatStudents left candy wrappers on top ever the reason may be, there’s certainly been an increase in the amount of trash of the vending machines. around the school.

ARTS & CULTURE | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 5

Best Summer Songs Best Summer Movies Text, Film Adaptation Spice up your summer with these recommendations

Sofia Perlman | Sci-Tech & Perspective Editor

iven the title, “august” by Taylor Swift is a necessity for any summer playlist. The song captures how fleeting the season can be through the lyrics “august slipped away into a moment in time.” The story “august” tells, combined with Swift’s vocals creates a masterpiece that I’m never tired of listening to. Since 2018, I’ve played “Loving Is Easy” by Rex Orange County religiously every summer. The lyrics itself are simple, depicting innocent love with no real

deeper meaning to find. Catchy and easy to listen to, this song is a must for summertime. “Down the Line” by Beach Fossils simply feels like summer. Short and simple with repetitive lyrics, this song is perfect for taking a moment to relax during a season without school, and all the responsibilities that come with it. Nothing captures the happy and carefree energy of summer more than “Let The Sun In” by Wallows. The song immediately brings me to a hot day in the middle of summer. As the title suggests, Let The Sun In is perfect to play during spring when the weather finally gets nicer, and into summertime.

Amelia Bush

The stacked records show how using a more classic approach to music is still fun.

This Target edition record of “folklore” plays “august” by Taylor Swift.

From Oscar winners to 90s films Zoey Ueland | Student Life Editor

ll summer long I watch movies. Most of these are cute rom-coms, potentially set at the beach. I like to watch them with a big bowl of popcorn in my lap after a long hazy summer day. My windows are open, I hear the birds chirping through the screen and the smell of firewood wafts in. For me this is a quintessential summer night. Here are my recommendations for a summer night-in. “Something’s Gotta Give”, originally made available in 2003 and directed by Nancy Meyers. This movie stars Diane Keaton and Jack Nicolson as what starts as a weekend in the Hamptons, post heart attack, turns into a budding romance. Diane Keaton plays a famous playwright, Nicolson stars as a music producer who smokes too much and generally dates young girls. The beach scenes, gorgeous Hamptons

homes, romance and summery outfits make this an ideal movie for a breezy summer night. “The Parent Trap” (1998) The most iconic summer movie. Lindsay Lohan, Natashia Richardson, Dennis Quaid form the holy trinity. Annie and Halle (Lindsay Lohan) are both shipped off to summer camp somewhere along the East Coast. From different backgrounds they are instant enemies until they discover they are twins via two halves of a tarnished old photograph. They bond over oreos and peanut butter, Leonardo DiCaprio, and wear cute green and white camp outfits all while doing it. They soon hatch a plan to switch places, Annie traveles to California wine country and Halle to London. An evil (almost) stepmother and gold digger attempts to thwart their plans. L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole and Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles make this movie what it is. Summer camp, popsicles and cute summer outfits. Another great movie to start summer with is “La

Arts and Music Current Projects, Events Sofia Perlman | Sci-Tech & Perspectives Editor

Rowan Wallin | Managing Editor

Amelia Bush

For the last three weeks of school, the band has been rehearsing an ensemble of songs which they will perform at commencement on June 9 in the Blake Ice Arena. Josh Smith ‘23, a trumpeter, states, “We will be playing the pieces ‘Forever Joyful’ and ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ as a band at this commencement. We will also be playing ‘Huapango del Oso,’ a piece heard before at the spring concert and legacy day. One thing we are doing uniquely this year is that the band and orchestra will be playing ‘Homeward Bound’ with the choir, something that has been traditionally only sung by them.” The band just closed their spring concert.

Sofia Perlman

In Block 3 painting with Bill Colburn, students were tasked with creating a painting inspired by the human condition. Prior to this, they had done two smaller assignments painting hands and zoomed in parts of faces. Students posed one of their classmates to paint. It was the class’ first time painting on a canvas, and they created their own by stretching and preparing them for painting. The entire assignment lasted about three weeks. Sarah Hasday-Erbsen ‘24 says “I decided I wanted to make it about how we see the cartoonish realities that we want to see, and how we choose what we want to see… not always reality.” The paintings are now finished and hung on the walls in the library.

Popular comic “Heartstopper” becomes show Uma Bhardwaj | Columnist

ueer people have a lot of sad stories out there. Vox, amongst other sources, explains the “bury your gays” trope: basically, queer characters consistently get killed off as a means to further the plot. And we all know the story of the sad, gay, best friend. “Heartstopper”, a new Netflix show based on a comic, challenges these problematic tropes while still embracing a classically predictable

tive of a gender studies teacher, the thing that I really enjoyed about it was that it didn’t just dwell on like, queer people’s trauma, it also talked about joyous things and happy things. It dealt with both, and I think that that’s more reflective of what I see in my students and in the people I care about.” The show is also super aesthetically pleasing in a similar way as the comics. It has cute animated details copied almost directly from the comics in certain moments, and includes some of the fuzzy (and not so fuzzy) daydreams that make up so much of the comics.

The show keeps the fun, young character of the comics and a similar collection of good-hearted, lovable characters, along with a soundtrack of the relatable indie music. storyline. Following the budding romance of two high school age boys, “Heartstopper” takes us through the struggles of coming out, making friends, and figuring out if those friends are more than that. However, despite the struggles that the characters go through, overall it’s a wholesome series. The show keeps the fun, young character of the comics and a similar collection of good-hearted, lovable characters, along with a soundtrack of relatable indie music (which I am listening to as I write this). Mackenzie McIlmail, social studies teacher, explains that “from the perspec-

The casting is perfect, and despite having to change out some characters for the point of efficiency and plot, the new characters are just as perfectly vibey as the originals. “Heartstopper” has also quickly created a big online community. Because of the relatable story, queer people especially have gravitated towards it, creating memes and edits that even more closely represent their experiences. Not only has this made queer youth feel more seen, but it has also given them a general topic of conversation to relate over and develop a sense of belonging based on the show.

Vivienne Westwood: Face Behind Trendy, Iconic Pearl, Gold Necklace 70s star style resurges in modern fashion Eva Stegic | Columnist

ivienne Westwood, known to Gen Z as the woman who created the viral micro trend pearl necklaces, was a fashion designer ranging from the early 70s to the present, with her influence spanning over multiple generations. Her Mini Bas Relief choker necklace has been seen recently all over the internet, a consequence of pearls becoming popular again over the course of

the pandemic. Not only did this choker gain popularity, but other brands such as Éliou, or the designer Harris Reed, introduced pearl necklaces that gained traction as well. As Westwood’s necklace gained popularity again, a resurgence of her work has been seen within the fashion industry, but has it been seen in the media? In the 1970s, as punk rock emerged in England, Vivienne Westwood was the star of the show, alongside the controversial band, The Sex Pistols; but in the beginning of her career, Westwood worked alongside English

fashion designer Malcolm McLaren, creating clothing for their boutique, Sex. Eventually, McLaren took on managing The Sex Pistols, which for their time, were a band that was completely new: breaking the social norms that had been constructed, and creating an anti-establishment statement with their hit, God Save The Queen. To The Sex Pistols, punk rock was a rejection of mainstream media, and an anti-establishment stance was the perfect way for them to express their feelings; additionally, being aided by Westwood made it easy for them to express them-

selves, while it also helped Westwood become prominent in the fashion industry. Westwood created the clothes and persona for this band, designing the iconic God Save The Queen print, alongside releasing collections that she had been doing for herself. As she was rejecting the mainstream, Westwood created the first iteration of the pearl choker (that we know and love) in 1987, as a way to defy and modernize the sleek pearls we had since up until that moment. With the resurgence of her classic necklace in 2020, came a resurgence of her work, as

more and more people began collecting and reminiscing over her old collections. Frederick Loew ‘22 says, “I feel like trends that happen really slowly are kind of exciting to make comebacks,” which is exactly what happened to Vivienne Westwood and her pearl choker. A consequence of this comeback being that of fast fashion, as he adds, “there are like a billion different fakes on Amazon.” Then this begs the question, what is the value of these items? Does the connotation change based on when they are popular? Could this necklace have just been popu-

Eva Stegic

The classic and iconic necklace that is a common accessory among Gen-Z.

lar again based on fashion trends, or does it speak to a larger desire for antiestablishment ideas and the split democracy we saw after the 2020 election? Regardless, it is exciting to see a comeback and rejuvenation of trends with a more modern twist, if it is caused by trends, or larger ideas in the media.

SPORTS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 6

Ultimate Team Keeps Growing Strong atmosphere leads to success Evan Vezmar | Opinions Editor

he sport of Ultimate Frisbee has gained in popularity at Blake over several years and has led to the establishment of a JV

congratulate each other… For my senior year, we finally get to come back and have a full, coherent season.” As popularity spread, the teams have grown in size, as the boys’ team now has 38 people, enough for a JV and a Varsity team. The girls’ team is smaller, with about 14 committed members and a mostly new

Submitted by: Leon Xue

Graham Heathcote ‘22 jumping in the air, warming up for game vs. Wazata. Boys varsity team won against Wayzata. This was a monumental win for the boys varsity Ultimate team.

and Varsity boys’ team and a girls’ Varsity team. While not part of the Minnesota State Highschool League, the association that manages most highschool sports in the state, the ultimate teams are affiliated with the Minnesota Ultimate Organization that similarly manages rules and the games. The ultimate seasons were cut short for the past couple of years due to COVID-19, but according to Tobin Spiller ‘22, one of the boys’ captains, “We’re finally back to no masks, which has been awesome. We can bring back the spirit circle so we can all come together after the game and

team. With a new team comes varying skill levels and as one of the girls’ captains, Greta Wattson ‘23, explains, “We have players that never touched a disc never before… we’ve had people who have been playing their whole life.”

Both boys’ teams have enjoyed success so far as the JV team has a winning record and the Varsity team is ranked 6th in the state and while the girls’ team has had less success, Wattson emphasizes that “because there’s not many people [on the girls’ team], the few people are very close. It’s been fun getting to know people.” Looking ahead, Spiller explains that they are playing matches for the Varsity team’s “seeding for state… we’ll have a state tournament later this spring which everyone is looking forward to, it’s always the most fun tournament of the year.” Wattson explains that “it would great if we had lots of participation, lots of people there showing support, lots of spirit, and to win a few games.” While the matches are competitive, Spiller adds that “the great part about ultimate is, it’s not so much about skill but it’s just learning to be in the right place at the right time and understanding how the field works and once you understand that, you can play at a very high level.”

Submitted by: Greta Wattson

Mattie Johnson ‘22 looking who to pass to in girls varsity game vs. White Bear Lake at Blake.

June’s Mystery Athlete

Ainsley Pflaum | Staff Writer

his month’s mystery athlete is an avid hockey and lacrosse player, described by her teammates as a competitive, dedicated, and hardworking team member. She started playing hockey in fourth grade when she first moved to Minnesota and has played defense for Blake since eighth grade. Usually she plays left in hockey, but this season out of necessity she mostly played right. She first played lacrosse in eighth grade, starting on Blake’s middle school team and later getting moved to varsity during play-offs. Her position in lacrosse is also generally defense, although she occasionally

plays in midfield. She enjoys defense because of its structure: “There is always a place where you need to be, while in offense it’s very free-flowing and more chaotic.” Her fellow lacrosse teammate Nina Bush ‘22 notes that “[she] gets every ground ball and is always aggressive in a good way. She pushes through walls of defenders and protects her stick the whole time.” Her favorite part of both hockey and lacrosse is the people she has gotten to connect with on both teams. “I don’t think everyone understands how important the friendships you make are. When you play hockey in Min-

nesota, you play hockey 24/7. That means you’re at the rink everyday with the same people and you form such a bond - they’re truly my family,” she says. The mystery athlete enjoys putting in Sam Broz’s airpods to get hyped before games. She notes that hockey and lacrosse culture are different at Blake, as hockey tends to be more competitive at Blake than lacrosse and requires complete dedication, while lacrosse is usually a more lighthearted environment. One of the athlete’s favorite memories of her athletic career was when Blake took Edina into overtime in hockey and won. Evan Vezmar & Cleo Kilpatrick

Athletes Use Break to Improve for Upcoming Seasons Students staying active over summer Jason Rotenberg | Staff Writer

she “progress[es] more in the summer alone because it’s individual rather than one coach with twenty people.” Palestrini partakes in these practices “a couple times a week for an hour.” These practices are “mildly” intense. In the summer, the lacrosse team had pasta dinners, and have

[and] for football they are five days a week and for hockey they are three days a week.” Although many students have a large vacation from school, they stay dedicated to the sports they love in order to prepare for the upcoming sports seasons.

t ri ck

gone to Applebees once. During the winter, the lacrosse team has winter training and captains practice where they do seven v. seven in a winter league. Grady Rannow ‘24 partakes in “team lifts in the morning” for football and a “summer training program through Blake” for hockey. Rannow describes these practices as “an in-season practice without strategizing for any of the games, it’s just working on technical stuff…get[ing] better at the little things.” He also says, these practices last “from an hour to an hour and a half

a C le o Kilp

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highschool swimming as well.” Between the two seasons March says, high school season was sprint based compared to summer revolving more around endurance. Overall, March believes, “summer swimming is like grind time. Most of the guys are trying to put the work in for fall and winter season which is highschool, and also the big meets, like state.” Sports like tennis also have summer training options. Lola Palestrini ‘24 “play[s] tennis in the summer because the season [for tennis] is fall and [she] does private lessons.” Palestrini believes

Ja s

easons are ending, and summer is starting. Student athletes have busy plans to train. Many students play various summer sports that prepare them for the upcoming seasons. During the summer, many swimmers train for the upcoming season. Josiah March ‘24 says he swims for “Aquajets, which is a club team.” March explains They practice 6 times every week, and some days he has

doubles. At these morning practices, the club team does IM sets in the morning and recovery and drill work on the doubles days, where [they] can recover a little bit so [they] can get ready for the next morning practice.” March describes the summer as “basically like a season…but it is preparing for

What You’ve Missed In Sports...

Jackie Wethington

Cleo Kilpatrick | Sports Editor The Girls’ varsity Golf team won their match against St.Paul Academy on Thursday May 19. Although the spring weather has caused delays in their season, the team has still been able to build a strong team atmosphere. Audrey Anderson ‘23 describes the team: “I like how chill it is, the coach is really nice and he cares about everyone no matter if you’re very much a beginner like myself. I also like all the girls on the team, I’m sad some of them are going to be graduating but like the social aspect is also fun.”

Jackie Wethington

SPORTS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 7

Bears Crush Mustangs First Annual Event Varsity Baseball wins 9-8 vs Breck Kate Rekas | Staff Writer

he Defend th Den event on May 16th was considered a success by its organizers as well as the Blake Boys baseball team. Not only did Blake beat Breck in a nail-biter that ended with a score of 8-7, but teachers and students from all grades showed up to support the team and enjoy the spring sunshine. Apart from the baseball game, which was the main focal point of the event, apart from athletics there were also concessions, a bear wear booth, and games during each inning of the baseball game.

The Defend the Den event was the culmination of Sophomore Forum representative Sam Hardy’s ‘24 effort to bolster school spirit in the Blake community. Hardy’s goal for this year was “just to get a start, get the idea of this day out there and get people engaged.” Hardy continues, “School spirit has been really down since COVID so [its] kind of getting everyone here to celebrate Blake and this rivalry that we have with Breck.” In terms of the origins of the event, Hardy cites his East coast roots as inspiration stating, “All the East coast prep schools do this kind of rivalry day, they all have this whole day centered around sports and bringing people together through games. It’s always

been something I’ve wanted to bring back to Minnesota.” Hardy and his fellow Forum reps have “high hopes for what this is going to bring.” Hardy hopes to plan a full day of sport events that “embody school spirit.” Currently he already has plans for next year, aiming to have a “boys lacrosse game, girls lacrosse game, softball game and baseball game all on the same Friday afternoon.” Defend the Den was not only a new experiment for Forum but for the Boys Baseball team as well. Varsity shortstop on the Baseball Team Nick Emptage ‘23 shares his thoughts on the event, speaking to the presence of fans that the games usually lack. He says, “It was

Zellie Olson

Rossalyn Moore ‘25 and Eva Redmond ‘25 are in full spirit mode to support the bears.

fun, we had good energy, it was the first time we ever really had fans.” Emptage adds that the more crowded atmosphere “added some pressure” as did “knowing your classmates are there and they’ve never seen you play.” In the larger scheme of school sporting events in general, Emptage still thinks “there’s more school spirit at football and hockey games” but agrees that these games are not only more fun to watch but easier to cheer for because of their faster pace. Despite not having as much fanfare as other sporting events, overall Defend the Den seemed like a winwin, as the bears beat the mustangs (AKA the horsies) and a decent portion of the student body showed up to enjoy the game and sunny

Despite Loss Tight Team Bond Golf Starts Slow Boys Lacrosse lose 7-8 vs Bloomington Jefferson Charlotte Opp | Food Editor

his season the Boys Lacrosse Team has been a tough competitor against many teams and

ally good leadership from the captains. They always hype us up for games.” Zach Weiner ‘23 agrees by stating, “The captains have been really good at giving us energy, especially Eli [Daniel ‘22]. He makes sure that we all have that alpha mentality.” The social dynamic of a team is critical in order to perform

of guys returning from last year so it was easier to build relationships.” He continues to say, “We all get along really well so it helps us play together and for each other on the field.” As a team sport, it is key to find a way to work collaboratively towards a common goal. Learning to play for your teammates, rather

timism, “We weren’t a second half team today, but I think this loss is necessary because it will help us learn from our mistakes and turn things around for the next game.” Remembering to learn from your mistakes is the best thing you can do when something doesn’t go your way. Whether it’s a win or a

Weather has caused delays in season

Andrew Richardson | Staff Writer

“T

he weather has been absolutely atrocious.” Jason Gelb ‘22, senior captain of the golf team, sums up the season thus far with these words, which seems to define every spring in Min-

have found their season heavily shortened and their game significantly affected. However, as the weather and scores start to improve, the Bears are excited for what’s to come. Regarding his goals for the season, Ramsey, a JV golfer, looks to “play some golf matches, have fun with [his] friends, and just have a good time.” On the other hand, the varsity team has very

Winnie Ulland

Oscar Walsh

Harrison Oxford ‘23 taking a swing at conference match versus St.Paul Academy, Breck, Minnehaha Acadmey, Providence Acadmey and Mounds Park Academy. Boys varsity won conference overall.

Submitted by: Sam Hardy

Winnie Ulland

Top, team huddles during game against Orono. Bears beat Orono 8-4. Right, Rhys Willoughby ‘23 checking Orono player in the mid field. Left, Sam Hardy ‘24 on defense gaurding an Orono player.

was undefeated for a total of 9 games before losing to Bloomington Jefferson, a top team. Currently, the team is at a record of 10-2 and is working hard towards even more wins. A lot of the team’s success can be attributed to the leadership from the captains. Grady Rannow ‘24 explains, “There’s re-

well and can be the factor that makes or breaks the outcome of the season. Luckily, this team thrives when it comes to their social dynamic. With help from the captains and the friendships made while playing together, this team is very close. Captain Max Hubler ‘22 explains, “We have a lot

than just for yourself, has been a huge factor of the team’s success. Although the team has been doing well, this doesn’t mean that they haven’t faced any challenges. After a loss against Bloomington Jefferson, which ended the team’s undefeated streak, Weiner offers some op-

loss the team continues forward. Hubler notes, “I think the biggest thing is not putting too much pressure on ourselves and managing expectations.” A loss won’t stop this team from working hard towards their goal of going to state and coming home with a victory.

nesota. At the start of the season, Blake Boys’ Golf found themselves inside on simulators, unable to play “real golf” as Max Ramsey ‘23 puts it. When they were finally able to transition outside, they played in near-freezing temperatures with 2030 mph winds. Harrison Oxford ‘23 adds that the courses “have been absolutely terrible. Balls have been plugging into the ground. There have been moments where there [is] no grass.” Due to these conditions, the players

high expectations for the season; they hope to make the state tournament. The Bears are looking very strong, as they just beat section rival Breck by 16 strokes. Furthermore, they are at the top of the IMAC conference, even though they have been missing star freshman Ian Friederichs ‘25 for the whole season due to injury. With Friederichs returning soon, Gelb displays great confidence in the team, encouraging people to “pop out to state when we make it.”

INDEPTH | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 8

The lowe Teachers Retire, Share Experiences Closing Highcroft causes long-time teachers to leave Mackenzie Higgins | Staff Writer

he impending closure of the Highcroft campus and the subsequent opening of the Early Learning Center has brought a lot of attention to Blake’s lower school. The extensive list of lower school teachers retiring are among the many changes that the lower school community will face over the next few years. For Cynthia Hechter, who has been Highcroft’s theater teacher for the past 28 years, the closure of Highcroft is sad to think about. She explains, “I am heartsick that Highcroft is closing. I think everyone who works at Highcroft is heartsick about that... I definitely understand that it makes sense for the school. I can see that this is a good opportunity for Blake as an institution.” Similarly, many of the retirees have mixed feelings

about leaving teaching and the new change it will bring to their lives. Anne VanderVorste, a Hopkins kindergarten teacher in her 31st year at Blake, explains, “Even though I’m looking forward to retiring, it’s bittersweet... I’ll miss the sense of having my space and having my class.” David Burton, a Hopkins second grade teacher for the past 29 years, agrees. He says, “It’s amazing to watch the growth that happens in

RETIREES:

Cynthia Hechter Anne VanderVorste David Burton Martha Long William Watkins Jane Johnson Deb Sanderson Perry Andrews the nine months of school… I’m sure I will miss it. Right now, leaving feels really bittersweet.” While some retirees have plans in place for the future, many are unsure how they will fill the void after stepping away from teaching. Martha Long, a Hopkins fifth grade

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teacher in her 24th year at Blake, says she needs to find something to occupy her new free time, she explains, “I’m not the kind of person that can stay home and read all day. You have to have a purpose in life and that is what teaching has brought me.” Hechter wants to continue learning through retirement, she adds, “You know how we say we prepare the students to be lifelong learners, I’m trying to encourage myself to be a lifelong learner now that I’m stepping away from the very regimented school schedule.” A common theme amongst the retirees was a sense of gratitude for the time they have spent at Blake. Hechter describes, “It’s been a wonderful time at Blake and I will

go forth into the world being a very much richer person for all of my experiences at Blake. I feel that sincerely.” Burton concurs, “It’s been a joyful career here at Blake... I can’t imagine having done anything differently. I feel so The exterior of Blake’s Highcroft Campus in Wayzata includes large glass windows and various geom areas. Outside of the pre-kindergarten classrooms in the spring, there are large sunflowers that grow, incredibly fortunate that I was able to do this gig.”

Highcroft opened in

1958

“The homelike, n ment...are tailore ers. Students en grounds, green s grounds.” - B

Bernadette Whitely

Sara Derus, second grade teacher, and Andrea Schemel, teaching assistant, instruct second graders in room number 225 at the Highcroft campus. The students work on their tablets while assistance is offered. Engaged in the work at hand, the students remain focused and concentrated.

Bernadette Whitely

Lower school art teacher Jackie Quinn allows students to explore their creativity with drawing and origami-style projects. In class, she had students work independently on homemade gifts The library is located on the lower level of the Highcroft Campus in room 118. The library is a beautif school librarian, is shown above reading a book to a pre-kindergarten class using an updated screen t for Mother’s Day.

INDEPTH | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 9

er School:

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Seniors Tell Memories, Traditions

Back

Class of ‘22 shares beloved sentiments from lower school Cleo Kilpatrick | Sports Editor Reporting by: The Spectrum Staff

s seniors end their high school careers, many reflect on their cherished memories and traditions from lower school. From the fifth grade play to Olympic Day, many students share similar sentiments surrounding their favorite times in lower school. Annabelle Swigert ‘22 says, “My favorite lower school memory was definitely the fourth and fifth grade buddies. Having a buddy gave me a sense of responsibility and I loved playing with the younger kids.” Fourth and fifth grade buddies served as an opportunity for students of varying ages to conBernadette Whitely nect and spend time with other. Moreover, metric shapes. The campus is surrounded by greenery including trees, large playgrounds, and wooded each this acted as a chance to w, adding to the beauty of the campus. be a leader for the older students. Another common highlight from lower school was Olympic Day. One day in the spring, kindergarten, first, and second grade students would travel to the Highcroft campus. Meanwhile, third, fourth, and fifth graders would stay at the Blake campus to participate in fun events like hurdles or the 50-meter

nuturing environed to young learnnjoy the wooded spaces, and playBlake website

Current enrollment

240 students

dash. Will Rosenblum ‘22 liked this event because “it was just kind of fun to compete and it was outside and the whole school was there.” This event was an excellent time for the two campuses to connect and celebrate. Lucio Bollettieri ‘22 reflects on his favorite memory, stating, “In the winter there would be this section of forest that kinda separated the edge of the Blake property from the parking lot and that’s where, when they would plow the parking lot, they would push all the snow there and we called it snow mountain. The faculty would let us get on and play and run around on this mound of snow.” Continuing, Bollettieri shares how his class got imaginative, “Sometimes there would be ice on the mountain and we would shave it off and it would be money. So you would go mining for these chunks of ice and you would trade. So yeah, snow mountain was just this really long ten-foot hill.” Bollettieri adds that another one of his favorite memories was the lower school news skits, describing, “It would be the comings and goings of lower school and there would be a bunch of skits... like announcements and everyone hyped it up so much.” He explains, “They would go to a class and interview the teacher and

interview the students. It was adorable and the fifth graders would be excited because they’re making it.” Ben Lim ‘22 reminisces on one of his favorite memories, stating, “[In] Fifth grade when we got to do a kickball game against the teachers at the Blake campus, we were like the first grade to win because we were cool.” The kickball game consisted of the fifth graders being split into four teams against the teachers, which created a fun form of competition. Emily Rotenberg ‘22 says her favorite memory was “doing the fifth grade play because it was funny watching everybody act because not everybody had done that before and we got to bond over it and it was just something fun that we got to do.” The fifth grade play is a capstone that both campuses participate in. The Blake campus and Highcroft campus put on the same plays at different times. It’s a great time for the fifth graders to work together before heading off to middle school. In the end, it is clear that lower school holds key memories for many members of the class of 2022. As graduation gets closer and the closing of the Highcroft campus is on many people’s minds, it is essential to share and reflect on these memories.

Bernadette Whitely

Pictured above is Dennis Gilsdorf’s and Jane Gleeson’s pre-kindergarten class of 2008-2009 Bernadette Whitely from the Highcroft Campus. As current seniors come the end of their high school careers, ful space with large, open window and plenty of space to relax and read. Ariana Hussain, the lower many lifers are reflecting on their fourteen years at Blake. From young kids to college freshman, time has flown by. that displays the book for all students to see. Students appear intrigued and focused on the story.

OPINIONS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 10

Over enrollment affects community, classes Blake Bubble Hurts Diversity of Opinions !"#$%&"'& ()%&*(+''

or the past several years, grade sizes have steadily been climbing. In the 2000s, class sizes were an average of 119 students. In the early 2010s, the average class size was about 127 students and although the sizes only grew to about 130, Director of Admissions, Joe Silvestri, explains that the school is not overenrolled but rather “fully enrolled.” Even so, students and teachers have felt a difference, reporting larger classroom numbers, cramped communal spaces, and most importantly, a loss of communication and community. From the outset, two areas where the whole school should be able to meet, the Juliet Nelson Auditorium (JNA) and the lunchroom, have reached their limits. This has forced half of the sophomore class into the Carlson Commons for assembly and freshmen into the gym for lunch due to a lack of space. The separation from the rest of the student body aggravates the students, not only because of the loss of tradition of holding assembly in the JNA or eating with one’s friends in the cafeteria, but because of a diminishing feeling of community.

The problem of overenrollment continues in other aspects of the school, as class sizes have grown from about 15 students on average in the early 2000s to around 18 or 19. While three extra students in a class may not seem to affect the education a student receives, teachers are increasingly required to divide their time between each student, and vital oneon-one time may be cut short. Therefore, for many students, the best time to meet with a teacher is either during office hours before school or FLEX after school. However, often students are joined by other students, resulting in large groups, making it difficult to work individually with a teacher. So, how do we address the problem of overenrollment and potentially shift the thinking of our school to rediscover our community? The problem is more challenging than believed because we cannot reduce the number of students in each grade or classroom. Therefore, the changes have to come from elsewhere, starting with the school schedule. First, a shift in the daily schedule to include a tutorial time after lunch or shortened advisory on Wednesdays will allow students to meet with a teacher and encourage more students to seek out

individualized instruction. In addition, a culture shift is needed. Students who come to seek help in the morning often see doors closed and teachers talking amongst themselves and they frequently feel that they are not welcome to bother teachers for help. Conversely, teachers feel that students rarely come to ask for help and are thus not expected to be present all the time in their classrooms. To mitigate the lack of understanding between teachers and students, open communication is needed. Teachers should continue to encourage students to come to office hours and be more receptive to students with literal open doors and a schedule that indicates when the best times a student can ask for help. Students should also understand that office hours is a time to be utilized for help and that they are expected to reach out for help if they need it. In all, while overenrollment has created problems within the community and the classroom, it is important that we do not simply complain about the difficulties. Instead, we must actively work together between students, teachers, and administrators to create a better environment for learning and collaboration.

Slow Down in Fast-Moving High School Why appreciating high school matters Bernadette Whitely | Editor-in-Chief

hen I started to write this article, I was going to offer some hopefully wise pieces of advice that I have learned from being at Blake since PreK. However, as I began to write, it felt like I followed a generic formula. I was planning to include advice along the lines of taking classes you enjoy, balancing school work and social

four years on the paper and being at Blake for most of my life. Aside from random pieces of advice that I have picked up throughout my time at Blake, one of the biggest things I have learned, especially in the last year, is how fast high school goes by. When I was a freshman, I remember my four older siblings telling me to slow down and enjoy high school while I could because before I knew it, it would be over. At the time, I ignored this cliché advice, only to realize three years later

The one solid piece of advice I can offer is to slow down, at least for a little bit. life, not spending time with people who don’t treat you well, and so on. Although these are solid pieces of advice, they feel slightly obvious and honestly a little overdone. It felt ingenuine to have my last article filled with surface-level advice after

that they were right. I didn’t fully understand my siblings’ advice until my senior year when I realized that growing up is an incredibly weird feeling that you can’t prepare for. It’s a confusing mix of both excitement and fear for the future. This

feeling was amplified as graduation got closer and suddenly, growing up no longer felt abstract or far away. Unfortunately, there isn’t a step-by-step method to prepare for the future and all of the unexpected turns that will inevitably show up. However, the one solid piece of advice I can offer is to slow down, at least for a little bit. High school goes by incredibly fast and before you know it, you will be forced to make semi-adult choices, like college decisions. For a long time, I took high school for granted and secretly wished the time away. I didn’t take time to truly appreciate everything around me and instead, I was constantly looking to the future. But, after all of that, I learned that in the end, you can just let yourself be, even in the uncertainty, fear, and change. You don’t have to fix and solve everything. You can still find peace and grow in the wild of changing times.

Conversations with differing voices discouraged Sam Tomczik | Staff Writer lake strives to be a pluralistic community, representative of many different perspectives. Yet, its community seems to not be able to have conversations fully inclusive of all opinions. While conversations about this lack of differing viewpoints aren’t uncommon, it’s a topic that, despite being critical of the community, continues to be discussed. While Blake strives in many areas for diversity that mirrors the diversity of its surrounding areas, it does not contain the same ideological diversity. In this, Blake creates a bubble that separates its community from the general population. This is noticeable, as while constructive conversations about varying political topics are encouraged, they often result in a singular perspective being echoed. Furthermore, as unpopular, but not harm-

ful, views are shared, the community does not produce an ideologically diverse conversation. This isn’t a reflection of the students abilities to have a more nuanced discussion, rather it’s exemplary

opinions unpopular within Blake, administration has made efforts to hold balanced conversations with an array of varying views. Blake provides resources to be well educated on the topic discussed, yet

of the culture at Blake. This culture, revolving around particular political perspective being clearly seen as popular, leads to people feeling that they may not be fully accepted if they share their opinion that they know to be less popular. This further contributes to this cycle of popular and unpopular opinions, which creates an environment at Blake that to many, feels like a bubble compared to other communities. This is not to say that Blake does not strive to create constructive conversations. After events which have highlighted

many seem to forgo these in order to stick to their pre-existing notions. Moreover, the problem of ideological diversity at Blake is that it has been built by the students rather than by administration. The problem lies within many people not being open minded to new or opposing perspectives, leading to, those who find that their views are contrary to the majority opinion, feeling scared to fully express their ideas. This is contrary to what Blake attempts to provide, a diverse community, open to varying educated viewpoints and people.

The problem of ideological diversity at Blake is that it has been built by the students rather than by administration.

Immunocompromised Remain at Risk A lack of protections for at-risk people Samantha Singh | Contributing Writer

fficials at the World Health Organization (WHO) have recently encouraged continuous masking to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, despite the absence of the mask mandate. While the Blake administration updated the masking protocol to optional masking around three months ago, the Blake administration has yet to address the safety and well-being of at-risk and immunocompromised students. This blatant disregard for immunocompromised individuals already exacerbates the pre-existing lack of support educational institutions have offered prepandemic. Evaluating the vulnerability of our students, teachers, and families of Blake is a necessary measure to ensure the safety of our community. Community care involves wearing your mask, staying home if you’re sick, and getting tested regularly. It is also important to note that even though you may be vaccinated, you do not necessarily have immunity against subsequent infections. Being responsible about your transmission, as it poses significant risk to

vulnerable people, is most important. Vaccination has been proven to significantly decrease chances of longCOVID, a long-term form of COVID with symptoms like migraines and permanent vision and taste loss, among many more. They have also been proven to have less efficacy within immunocompromised individuals. Despite this, the Blake administration has not initiated any immunocompromised accommodations that we are aware of, nor

never reached out to her or her family in order to prioritize their safety after the mitigation requirements were lifted at Blake, such as the mask mandate. She states “I do wear a mask to protect her because I don’t know what I would do if [my mother] got sick again. I was pretty upset when the mask mandate got lifted because I know my mom’s immune system isn’t where it used to be, so this puts her at an even bigger risk for getting CO-

This blatant disregard for immunocompromised individuals... exacerbates the pre-existing lack of support educational institutions have offered pre-pandemic. have they provided any accommodations for students and teachers living with young, elderly, or immunocompromised individuals. Though these individuals may have not been eligible for disability accommodations pre-pandemic, they now find themselves with grossly inadequate protection, as the Blake administration continuously fails to prioritize their protection. Jahnvi Chopra ‘23 lives with her mother who has beaten breast cancer. The Blake administration has

VID.” She wants students, teachers, and administrators who ignorantly celebrated the mask mandate being lifted to know that “their selfishness is taking away from others.” The administration was far too quick to promote the “new normal” that disregarded the safety and well-being of immunocompromised individuals in the Blake community. Now, they have yet to prioritize the needs of these individuals, as they continuously fail those disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

OPINIONS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 11

22 Pieces of Advice from the Class of 2022 If you don’t want to take an AP class, don’t take it. You have to realize that all the classes we take are college preparatory. I know this sounds bad, but that already looks good on a college application. Don’t dress up for anyone because you’re probably better looking than most people so don’t even think about what you’re wearing.

Take a semester away if you’re able to. It will change your life, mine sure did. You’ll make friendships deeper than anything you’ve known before. There’s a semester/year long program for everyone. I promise you it’s worth it. Don’t expect that you will be Take a semester to figure able to senior slide, because out what study strategies you won’t. work for you.

Take time and slow down. High school goes by extremely fast and you don’t realize until you’re a second semester senior so make sure to spend time with friends and don’t let your life become consumed by homework and tests. Be yourself because you don’t have to prove yourself to anybody else.

Search for nuance and for injustice; the administration and people around you, you will realize, can care more about their personal privilege than your rights and the rights of the oppressed. Definitely jump in freshman year and join clubs immediately that you are interested in. Enjoy your freshman and sophomore years. Juniors, finish your college applications as early as possible because the next year will be stressful.

If you’re going to regret it, don’t do it. If you think you’ll regret not doing it, do it. Just have fun. Take the classes that genuinely interest you. Don’t cave to APs just because it says AP in the course description. Do something that you’ll enjoy

In your final year, take classes that you want to take, not what might look good for colleges.

Form good relationships with your teachers! It has been so beneficial for me to have an adult or two in the building that I know I can just talk to about whatever is on my mind. Join clubs that you enjoy. Make sure to surround yourself with people that you actually enjoy. Don’t waste your time Don’t procrastinate your work! with people who don’t treat you well.

Just because you’re good at or like one science, doesn’t mean it’ll be the same for another.

Don’t always stress about the “bigger picture”, just focus on the day to day stuff and you’ll achieve whatever your bigger picture is.

All you need to do is be bold, be brave, and be you because quite frankly there’s no need to give in to this school that everyone is conforming to.

NO MATTER WHAT. GO TO BED AT 10 PM!!!!!! If you need to, just get up early. Your health matters more than any grade. Teachers will understand if you need to take an extension or need a break.

Reporting by: Zoey Ueland, Ali Hecker, and Amelia Bush Melody Lee

Overturning ‘Roe v. Wade’ Endangers, Harms Marginalized To Say What The Law Is Denial of rights will lead to unsafe abortions Bernadette Whitely | Editor-in-Chief

n May 2, Politico published a story about a leaked draft majority opinion from the Supreme Court that would strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. The draft opinion is a total rejection of the 1973 decision, which guaranteed federal constitutional protections of abortion rights, and a subsequent 1992 decision, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, that largely maintained the right. Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the draft opinion, stated, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.” He writes, “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled.” In other words, Alito proposes that abortion rights and laws should be up to the discretion of each state rather than federal ruling. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” Alito writes. To understand Alito’s process, it is essential to know that although abortion has constitutional stature, it is not directly written in the text. However, the Ninth Amendment acknowledges the existence of these laws, stating that “enumeration in

the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” Despite this, Alito reasons that because the right to an abortion is not directly written in the Constitution, it should not be legal, therefore overturning Roe v. Wade. This allows individual states to create laws

nization, unsafe abortions are the cause of 70,000 maternal deaths each year, which is equivalent to one in eight pregnancy-related deaths. That translates to seven people per hour. Naomi Solan ‘23 explains her fear when hearing this news, stating, “I almost like threw up at the knowledge of

surrounding the legality of the procedure. Overturning Roe v. Wade is incredibly dangerous, especially for low-income people and people of color. In a country that offers no universal healthcare or childcare, no paid family leave, no free birth control, nor mandatory, comprehensive sex education, while continuing to target marginalized communities, it takes unimaginable levels of violence and hatred for politicians to fight for forced pregnancy and birth. Moreover, banning abortions does not reduce the number occurring. Instead, it eliminates safe abortions and inevitably results in more patient deaths. In fact, according to the World Health Orga-

how many people can possibly just die from this bill, especially from like home-done abortions or shady ones.” Continuing, Naomi states that “They [the Supreme Court] have been building up for this for years,” expressing that although she is deeply upset, she does not find it surprising. Along with the concerns surrounding the dangerous outcomes of overturning Roe v. Wade, the discussion of which unwritten rights will be upheld creates worry. For example, the court could implement similar logic used in overturning Roe v. Wade to also threaten decisions like Obergefell v. Hodges, which secured the right to samesex marriage in 2015. This is

In a country that offers no universal healthcare or childcare... It takes unimaginable levels of violence and hatred for politicians to fight for forced pregnancy and birth.

also the case with the right to same-sex sexual intimacy recognized in 2003, the right to contraception recognized in 1965, and the legalization of interracial marriage in 1967. It would be foolish not to see that all of these rights are now in danger, along with the people these decisions protect. Naomi comments on the possibility and fear of these bans spreading, “The Fourteenth Amendment also covers the right to privacy and if you look right now, reproductive rights being removed by the right of privacy... then [they can get] rid of gay marriage, they can get rid of as much as they want... it’s worrying that it’s going back to state’s rights because I have heard that phrase from day one and it is my least favorite thing to hear. I know it is definitely going to turn back. Like we are going to have another Stonewall.” While politicians are supposedly entrusted with people’s “best interests,” it is abundantly clear that robbing people of their bodily autonomy and basic human rights is far from that ideal. The overturning of Roe v. Wade is a direct attack on people’s safety and ability to make choices for their own health. With this decision, the Supreme Court has effectively put the lives of endless people in danger.

Judge offers explanation of written briefs Kevin Bizily | Law Columnist

hile the oral argument at trial captures the public’s attention, most of the work in a legal case, including judge’s opinions and rulings, is actually done using written briefs. Brief writing is the foundation of a good case and can apply broadly across a variety of other disciplines. During my conversation with Judge James B. Loken of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in March, we discussed successful techniques used in briefs and opinions. Legal writing usually begins with an overview of the argument and case. Judge Loken notes this is a key segment of both briefs and opinions. From the outset, legal writing must be forceful, concise, and clearly communicate the most important points and details in the initial paragraphs. This is critical because it allows them to determine whether the brief will be useful. When giving detailed argumentation, Judge Loken advises writers to lead with the strongest

arguments to ensure clarity, even if this approach is not chronological. A journalistic approach with impartial language throughout legal writing is effective. While this technique is especially important to highlight a judge’s unbiasedness in written opinions, it can also be beneficial for attorneys. In briefs, it is essential that all the rhetoric is consistent and coherent, and one must avoid contradictory arguments that could support a lawyer’s goal. When contradicting themselves, attorneys damage their entire case, and judges could reverse their ruling. When drafting briefs, lawyers need to know their audience. Knowing the readers’ paradigm, especially if the reader is a judge, allows writers to adjust their argument and even incorporate them into their work. Lastly, overly technical diction can be distracting and make it hard for even experts to work with briefs. The language used must be appropriate for the case without becoming difficult to understand. Even if all these techniques are followed, success isn’t guaranteed. Nonetheless, these methods are essential to constructing a persuasive written argument and strengthening your case.

PERSPECTIVES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 12

What is the Best Way to Spend Summer? Summer Allows Time to Work Ahead Relaxing After School Year Proves Vital Internships, jobs, and classes over the summer reap benefits Maggie Seidel | Editor Emeritus

he three months of summer vacation offer the opportunity to explore your extracurricular interests in the professional sector and are the ideal environment to refine your own personal interests. This past summer, I worked as a Business Analyst & Marketing Intern at a woman-owned financial technology company called Spave, which had been recently acquired by the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union. It is precisely in my role that Spave where I acquired professional experience, a glance into the entrepreneurial technology field, mentorship from women leaders, and a deeper understanding of my own interests. My journey at Spave began with virtual interviews prior to getting the internship. In order to finalize my employment at Spave, I was exposed to various documents and procedures that typically accompany the process of getting a new job, such as tax information, background checks, etc. As an intern, I worked upwards of 20 hours per week. The entirety of my internship was completed online; however, I engaged frequently with my direct bosses (the Business Analyst and

Marketing Manager) via Zoom meetings. Each week, I had three standing meetings: one with the Business Analyst, one with the Marketing Manager, and a team meeting. I received my assignments from my bosses and would then participate in weekly staff meetings, where I (along

could have ever imagined. I gained fluency with a host of online platforms such as WebEx, Outlook, Google Analytics, Wordpress, etc. and learned how to graphically represent budget data, key performance indicators, and also perform competitive analysis. I now have a bud-

Needed summer recuperation after stressful year Max Yousha | Contributing Writer

tudents spend about nine months in school every year and only about three months

least 8 hours of homework per week. This doesn’t even include extracurricular activities, which could take 1, 2, 3, or 4+ hours of time every day, depending on the student. This routine schedule, which takes up two thirds of a Blake upper schooler’s life, gets really tiring, really fast. This is why when

Submitted by: Cleo Kilpatrick

Throughout the summer students are able to travel with the extra time they are not spending in school.

Submitted by: Bernadette Whitely

Summer allows time to visit college campuses, something that is not always possible during the school year.

with the entire staff) would report our weekly progress and happenings to the group. I learned the typical professional flow of these meetings and effective communications strategies, which I can certainly apply to future positions and also in academic spaces. Spave’s philanthropic mission is what initially attracted me to the organization, but I left with more than I

ding interest in business analytics and also see how my academic classes--namely economics and math--will contribute to my professional life beyond the classroom. I am so grateful to have been given the chance to intern during the summer, as I continue to reap the social, academic, professional, and organizational benefits from my three months at Spave.

Submitted by: Amelia Bush

Students use summer to relax, and partake in hobbies.

having a summer. That means that with winter and spring breaks, students are in school about two thirds of a year. In high school, that means 5 days a week of 70 minute classes, and at

summer rolls around, it becomes a valued time for relaxation. Depending on the year, summer lasts 2 and a half to 3 months, only one third of the year for Blake upper school stu-

dents. Along with that, Minnesota weather can shorten the amount of time that students are able to do usual outdoor activities that they love to do in the summer. Snow can go all the way into May sometimes, in which case the students only have one month before summer to do outdoor and summer-like activities; yet this is also the time in which there are finals, AP tests, exams, and a lot of homework for students. Because of all of this, it is important for students to take the three months of summer that they have to relax. Although students may have summer school work such as reading or math, that is required for their classes the following year. Aside from that required school work, free time during the summer should be valued. This time can be spent sleeping in, hanging out with friends, reading, and doing usual summer activities, such as swimming. Finally taking a break from a long school year is important for all high school students to do during the summer. Sam Leslie ‘24 says “I think during the summer you have more opportunities to do whatever you want with your free time, so like, playing sports, hanging out with friends, just like generally watching shows, just chilling. After a really long school year with finals and stuff, it’s pretty valuable to have a long period of time to not do anything.”

Attending Camp During Summer Creates Memorable Experiences Relationships formed, sense of community created at camp Gabi Marmet | Staff Writer

o you have a summer camp that you look forward to going to all year? I keep a countdown on my phone that tells me exactly how many days there are until I go back. Going to a camp over the summer is one of the best ways to pass time and will provide unforgettable memories and lessons that will last a lifetime. I have been going to the same summer camp

for about the past seven years, and it has become my favorite place on earth. It’s a sleep away camp called Herzl Camp and located in Webster, Wisconsin. Throughout the years, I have created tons of friendships and memories that have impacted my life and shaped who I am as a person. Some of my best

and closest friends today I met through camp and who knows if we’d have still been friends without it. The benefits of a summer camp vary for each person but one important impact of going to summer camp is that people learn to go out of their comfort zones and be themselves. Camp helps people strive

Submitted by: Gabi Marmet

to become the best version of themselves and go out of their bubbles to meet others. Camp also has an amazing energy that one can’t feel anywhere else. Everyone is always just at camp to have a good time, and doesn’t let anything get in the way of their fun. The energy of each person is very upbeat, which creates and brings a positive energy to the staff as well as campers. The community camp is amazing as well because the people are what makes camp so special, everyone is always there for each other and maintaining a positive and spirity attitude among others. Camp also helps create unbreakable friendships and memories that will last years. It can be pretty easy

Submitted by: Gabi Marmet

at a camp to find at least one person who is similar to themselves, and they can bond over these similarities and eventually become friends. Even though some of my camp friends don’t live in Minnesota or I don’t see them that often,

I still keep in touch with them throughout the school year and can’t wait to see them once again during the summer. Although one can make many friendships at summer camps, it also teaches people how to become self-sufficient and gain independence. People don’t live with their parents at camp, and there are only a few counselors per cabin, so it is necessary to learn how to fend for yourself and take independence in one’s self. There are so many lessons and memories that one can take home from their camps, which is why I recommend going to a summer camp so much. Who knows, maybe if you try out a summer camp, you will end up loving it!

GAMES & ADS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 13

JUNE CROSSWORD PUZZLE Oscar Walsh | Staff Writer Note from editor: After yet another year’s hard work, here is a nice, EASY crossword to coast into the summer. May your poor minds rest in peace.

DOWN 1. Iced tea and 3. Trip 4. Fourth of 7. Activity in water ACROSS 2. Before fall 5. 2 words. Arizona 6. Land of 10,000 8. More than warm 9. Annoying bug

FOOD | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE, 1 2022 | 14

Hot Takes on Weird Food Combinations that Prove to be Strangely Tasty idea how my grandma it but she did and it’s salty and sweet theme is between unconventional tions.

Don’t knock it ‘til you try it with these peculiar mixtures Allyson Jay | Managing Editor

Allyson Jay

ally Countryman ‘23 states that her favorite weird food combination is “a panera baguette dipped in a panera smoothie, either the green smoothie or the mango smoothie.” She elaborates, “I just think it tastes good and refreshing and I like the consistency of it. But, to make it very clear, it has to be specifically the panera baguette and a panera smoothie, otherwise it’s nasty.”

came up with so good.” The a common one food combina-

Allyson Jay

Charlotte Opp

Sometimes, funky food combinations are passed down from generation to generation. Elle Sovell ‘23 states, “I really like brown sugar and cherry tomatoes. My mom made it for me once. It’s like a healthy dessert and it’s just like sweetening a fruit but it’s really good.” Like Sovell, Petra Ekstrom ‘24 also discovered her favorite unusual food combination from her family. She reveals, “My grandma makes peanut butter and pickle sandwiches for us. I like it because you know pickles are super salty and then the peanut butter is nutty and sweet and it’s so good, I’m telling you. I have no

Ellie Morrison ‘23 notes, “I love takis and guacamole. They just work so perfectly together.” She continues by explaining, “I was out of chips one day and so I decided to dip some takis in guacamole instead. Don’t judge before you try it.” Similarly, Melody Lee ‘23 discovered her new unusual snack by accident. Lee remarks, “My weird food combination is probably kewpie mayo with cucumbers. I really like the mayo with the crunch of the cucumbers. I came up with it because I didn’t have a lot of food at my house and I wanted mayo so I just decided to dip some cucumbers in it.”

Charlotte Opp

Similar to Ekstrom, Molly Seidel ‘24 enjoys the salty-sweet combination of “goldfish and nutella and potato chips and ketchup.” Seidel elaborates, “I just think the salty and sweet combination for the nutella and goldfish is really yummy.” You never know what you might create when you run out of ingredients or decide to try something new. You might just create a yummy snack!

Different Vegetarian Brands Prove to be Appetizing in Original Ways Curiosity allows discovery for favorite veggie meat Zoey Ueland | Student Life Editor

have been a vegetarian for most of my life and originally I didn’t eat meat because of my dislike for the texture and flavor of meat. While many vegetarians have looked towards meat

Zoey Ueland

This hot dog is from the brand Field Roast. It has a very similar taste to a real hot dog with the smokey flavor and brimy consistency.

alternatives, for many years, I shied away from those options. However, as I have grown older, especially around summer months, I’ve wanted something besides watermelon and corn to eat for lunch or dinner. In terms of plant-based burgers I have always been a real veggie burger person. I love hearty patties with beans and veggies. My favorite for these burgers has always been Amy’s veggie burger and of course you can’t go wrong with homemade patties. While these burgers 100% won’t fool someone into thinking they’re meat, they are delicious in their own way and are many times a healthier alternative. However if you’re unlike me and do enjoy a real burger, the Beyond Burger is a satisfactory alternative for many plus it’s on the menu at almost every restaurant. Unlike burgers I do love a good hotdog with relish, ketchup and mustard. Some brands offer scarily close imitations to hotdogs in taste, but they don’t look like a classic hotdog. On the other hand some brands create a product that is exceedingly bland in flavor yet looks identical to a hotdog, and some brands create a product that neither tastes nor looks like a hotdog.

Out of all of the options out there, I’ve tasted my fair share. I ate Beyond Meat hotdogs at dinner with my friends last May. It was exceedingly meaty, briney and no doubt could pass like the real deal much like its burger counterpart. While it was large in size, it’s a solid option for an outdoor dinner. More recently I decided to test out a couple of options. First I tried a Field Roast hotdog. The fake meat was

surprisingly hot dog-like, and delicious. I additionally tried “Upton’s Updog.” This hot dog, although somewhat tasty, was nothing like a real hotdog, much less flavorful compared to Field Roast. I would recommend the Field Roast brand but suggest testing out other options. With all of the plant-based meat options out there now you never know what tasty dinner could be hiding in your grocery store.

Zoey Ueland

This vegan hot dog is an Upton’s Natural Updog. Although meal certainly doesn’t look like a classic hot dog, it tastes almost identical to a normal hot dog using real meat.

Simple Bases with Personalized Toppings Offer Best Breakfast Before Big Day Efficient, delicious meals to kick off your morning

lish muffins,” says Emma Sargeant ‘25. “You can put anything on english muffins and they’re easy to make.” Sargeant isn’t the only one who likes foods that can be easily topped with a multitude of condiments and flavors,

Charlotte Palmby and Sophia Peterson | Contributing Writers

veryone has their specific foods they like and dislike. Some people like salty things, some like sweet. But in the morning before school sometimes there just isn’t enough time to eat those homemade crepes that you really want. This problem leads us to the question of what is a good before school breakfast? After interviewing several classmates it has become evident that there is not one specific breakfast food that tops all, but rather foods that fall into the specific category of easy to make. These breakfasts can include foods

as Imaan Ali ‘24 states, “My go-to breakfast is eggo waffles with fruit and butter”. Eggo’s are a quick, easy and quick breakfast that can be made in a matter of minutes in the same way as oatmeal and english muffins.

Sofia Perlman

English muffins are topped with peanut butter and slices of apples to provide necessary fiber, protein and vitamin C to fuel your body.

such as muffins and fruit that are easy to grab and go. Zoë Nutsford ‘22 states, “The Trader Joe’s apple and cinnamon microwave oatmeal, with the Trader Joe’s vanilla yogurt is my favorite.” Another part of this category is not only foods that are easy to make, but also foods that offer different variations. “I like eng-

Charlotte Opp

Whole grain bread with cranberries has a spread of peanut butter over it with slices of banana ontop. This combination of peanut butter and bananas is a classic favorite that tastes amazing while providing vital potassium and protein. This breakfast took around 5 minutes to make!

FEATURES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 15

GET TO KNOW ISABELLE Nicholson shares experiences with Taher, connecting with students

them her whole life. Growing up her mom owned a bakery and Nicholson would spend her time being with her mom and

were supposed to be blondies but we ran out of that mix so we had to swap it.” Nicholson didn’t get to pick which lo-

part about working at Blake is, “I really like, well not serving, but I love seeing all of the kids outfits and I love complimenting

that in high school.” Nicholson has quickly captured the attention of the student body with her kind and thoughtful

Amelia Bush | Arts & Culture Editor

f you’ve been in the lunchroom, you have probably seen Isabelle Nicholson. The kind, bubbly server that never fails to make people around her smile with her fun compliments and attitude. Nicholson started working for Taher around a year ago to earn some money. She commented, “Last year, my mom, [who works for Taher,] worked here [at Blake] and I got my job through her actually. So that’s how I started working here but my mom doesn’t work at this location anymore.” Nicholson described her mom as “an older white woman that worked in the gym when that was a lunchroom.” The kitchen staff’s mornings start early as every morning Nicholson gets here at 7am while some of the other chefs get here at 6 or 6:30 and sometimes “earlier than that. They have to prepare everything for the whole day.” Nicholson starts her work day by washing her hands and putting her apron on. Nicholson then goes to prepare the food, stating that “We each have a sheet that says what we have to do for the day and my sheet said [today] to cut and glaze the brownies. Normally I have to cut and glaze what I prepped yesterday and then prepare the dessert for tomorrow. I normally serve, which takes up the whole time. It mostly consists of me baking and prepping for the next day.” Throughout the day she will listen to a variety of different music and help out around the kitchen wherever it’s needed. Nicholson is in charge of preparing the baked goods, which makes sense considering she has been around

Allyson Jay

Nicholson serves students and teachers everyday, typically at the counter near the sandwich station. Here, she serves and talks with Precious Jones ‘22 during first lunch.

staying in the bakery. As for Blake’s desserts though, specifically the cookies, “we order them [cookies] in bulk so I just bake them. The cookies I do make are the oatmeal raisin cookies, those I make from scratch.” After she is done making the dessert for the day and prepping for tomorrow, she will start serving. The meals in general at Blake are not picked by the kitchen staff but instead by Taher. Nicholson explained that “the district picks out what we

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make for the year or the week. Unless something goes wrong, we don’t pick out the food. Sometimes we have to adjust and swap things out…like today, the brownies

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cation she worked at, commenting that “they [Taher] assigned me here….I’ve worked here for about a year now.” Although not getting to pick the location, her favorite

people. It just makes me smile when I see you guys light up and you’re like ‘Oh my God I got this from this’ and you stand up and show your outfit because I didn’t get

compliments that make people smile. She states that the reason behind these compliments is “I just wish that somebody was there to do that for me and make me feel good. I know how highschool is, even though this is a really good school, you’re still teenagers.” Being at Blake has “really inspired me and all of the kids were talking about how the teachers all really care and it inspired me to want to be a teacher and help other kids.” Nicholson commented that once she heard “Kids

talking about their IEP [Individualized Education Program] and they were not complaining. In my high school, I would always complain about it I would always feel s**** about

it. In high school my counselor never talked to me ever”. Nicholson grew up in Minnesota and attended Southwest Highschool although she was born in Chicago and has moved “at least 11 times.” After she graduated from high school she “tried college but I realized I was not in the right mindset and that’s totally okay you don’t have to go to college right after high school. I made that mistake and tried to push myself.” After that, Nicholson ended up taking a gap year. Now, she is saving up money for college and recently bought her own place. After college, she wants to “be a teacher for kids with special needs or learning disabilities because at my high school, I was not catered to at all…It would be awesome if I could be a teacher or a museum curator, which is a person that picks out what goes in museums and picks displays.” Nicholson truly cares about the student body, which is evident through the kindness she shows to every-

Amelia Bush

Nicholson preps coconut macaroons before school.

one around her. Isabelle closed with “You guys are so lucky to be able to come here because I look and I see the teachers care, the students are good students. It’s LGBT, there are black teachers. I wish I had that opportunity and it’s so awesome to see that kids younger than me have the opportunity to go to this amazing school…it just makes me warm and fuzzy.”

FEATURES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | JUNE 1, 2022 | 16

Paul Menge Tells Tale of Teaching, Retirement Menge set to retire come end of 2022 school year, recounts life of lessons Kaylee Chen | Staff Writer

uring Paul Menge’s 34 year tenure at Blake he has taken on many positions reaching the hearts of those he teaches and interacts with. Currently, Menge serves as the assistant director at the Upper School which involves teaching one class, for Menge this is Biology. Originally, his love and pursuit of teaching was inspired by his sister, who is also a teacher. Talking about the impact she had on her students as well as the inspiration she had on Menge’s investment of working in a community,

ter who is a teacher, and his own two children, also teachers. However, Menge’s start in education did not begin at Blake. 10 years prior to Blake, Menge taught at another private school, one he had gone to as a kid, Hill Murray. In 2019 he won a distinguished alumni award at the school, as a legacy teacher. With his lengthy history at the school, Menge had decided it was time to begin a new chapter. He explained, “I realized that I needed to spread out, move on, expand. So I applied to Blake, interviewed, and felt it would be a good fit for me.” Menge was enticed by Blake’s close knit and invested community. In addition, Blake also allowed Menge to pursue different roles in education. He says, “I was able to be a teacher, I have been the department chair of science from time to time. I

was the grade dean. I was a soccer coach, and now I work as an assistant director. I’ve really been able to expand the experience I’ve had working at Blake. I’m really grateful for the opportunities Blake has given me.” Menge elaborates that Blake has not only provided him with extensive opportunities but additionally numerous people whom he worked alongside for many years. Karen Phillips, a colleague of Menge for 23 years, notes, “We had a different administrative structure, and there weren’t grade deans in the same way [there are now]...[Mr. Menge] was amongst the first that took on that role…We weren’t quite sure how that model was going to work but he really embraced that and said you know this is my grade, this is my class and worked with them in

“I also always felt like I wanted to do something that involved working with people so [teaching and working at a school] felt like something that would come naturally to me.” Menge notes “I also always felt like I wanted to do something that involved working with people so [teaching and working at a school] felt like something that would come naturally to me... I think our family has valued being in a profession where you can interact with and hopefully have an impact on people’s lives.” Menge’s family includes his brother who is a doctor, his sis-

a way that had set the tone and the model for you know for this whole change which was a really big change at the time.” Besides his love of teaching Menge is passionate about athletics. In his time at Blake he has coached both girls and boys soccer. For his first four years at Blake, Menge coached boys soc-

Menge with the girls varisty soccer team in 2018, the same year they made it to state quaterfinals. In 2019 Menge was inducted into the Minnesota Soccer Hall of Fame with career record of 481 wins, he placed 8th in the state for the most wins as a head coach.

Menge with Isabelle Hall ‘16 at commencement in 2016. Throughout his 34 years at Blake Menge has touched the hearts of many, providing lessons, jokes and wisdom.

Menge with fellow teachers Dion Crushshon ‘88 and Jen Vance. Both Menge and Vance are biology teachers and hold administrative positions.

Betsy Fries

Menge works behind his desk outside of the Senior Lounge. His office is decorated with gifts of graditude from former students. During his time at Blake he has also been a biology teacher, soccer coach, interum Upper School Director and a grade dean as well as advisor to a current junior advisory.

Photo from Reflections, the yearbook, in 1998. Captioned as, “Menge discusses sickle cell anemia.”

Submitted by: Rowan Wallin

Blake Flickr

Submitted by: Nat Gilsdorf

cer and he later moved on to coach girls varsity soccer for 27 years. For Menge, some of the most memorable times coaching girls soccer came from the years where the team made it to state. Menge says “There was a period where we won [the section tournament] five years in a row [to make it to] the state tournament. We went a total of 10 times in my time here. Won the state tournament twice in 2000 and 2011, those were certainly highlights.” Moreover other highlights from his time at Blake include building and sustaining positive relationships, one of which being the close knit bond with his advisory. Avery Schwappach ‘23, one of Menge’s advisees says, “[Mr. Menge] has been one of the kindest teachers at the school... he’s guided me through my school career. If I have any questions he’s always there.” He has brought students, even those he doesn’t teach, together with his compassion and dedication to all students. Lucky Lillygreen ‘23, another of Menge’s advisees states “The best thing about having Mr. Menge as an advisor he does the activities that we are supposed to do as an advisory but he actually always makes it

personal and he always brings his own personal stories and that allows us to just talk and hang out as an advisory. We do a lot of activities but we also just sit and talk to get to know each other through conversation. That is the best thing about our advisory. I feel like I can share anything with my advisory and with Mr. Menge.” For Schwappach the most memorable moments shared with Menge are when “Everyday I

tire from Blake following the end of the 2021-2022 school year. He says, “I’m also at a place now where my wife is retired, where I have a new grandson. I’m fortunate to have a really supporting extended family, I’d like to spend more time with things like travel or those things. The time just felt right and 44 years total in education I feel like I’ve put a good amount of time in. But I want to make clear, I’m retiring at a time I still really enjoy what I do, I just feel like it’s time to try something new, to start new endeavors.” As for his plans outside of teaching, Menge is excited to start pursuing his hobbies: biking, drumming, and lots of outdoor activities such as kayaking, landscaping, and maintaining his yard. Alongside his hobbies Menge is committed to continuing his passion for helping and supporting

“I’m retiring at a time I still really enjoy what I do, I just feel like it’s time to try something new, to start new endeavors.” stop into his office and just talk to him for like two minutes before class and [I] always just really appreciate that.” Not only is Menge attentive in his role as an advisor but equally as entertaining. Lillygreen’s memorable moments of the advisory are when “We had a member of out advisory who left to go to boarding school and during COVID-19, he’s still in our advisory snapchat group chat which is super funny and he just talks in there sometimes but, he requested to join Zoom and Mr. Menge let him in and we just had a really fun time just laughing all together so that was a funny memory.” The two both agree that Menge has been a wonderful advisor who not only supports them but also creates a fun environment in advisory. Despite his many fond memories, impact on Blake and passion for teaching, Menge has decided to re-

others around him whether that be through volunteer work or additional opportunities. Both of Menge’s advisees Schwappach and Lillygreen say it is bittersweet to see him go prior to their senior year but acknowledge that Menge is making the right decision for himself. Although the larger Blake community will certainly lack Menge’s presence in the hallway for years to come, his impactful presence has no doubt shaped the minds of countless young students and reshaped the foundation of the school. Through his dedication to education and positive light that guided so many students throughout their school career, Menge will forever have impacted the school in ways too numerous to name. Phillips concludes that, “Paul’s a thoughtful colleague. He really cares about students. He puts students first above everything and I really respect that about him.”