The Spectrum Newspaper March 2020 by Spectrum Newspaper

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Friday | March 6 | 2020

The Blake School

Issue VI

Submitted by: Zoe Feldshon and Grace Homan

Coronavirus Impacts Abroad in China, Sends Shockwaves through World Disease’s growth leads to student’s early departure from China Emily Anderson | Staff Writer

s of Mar. 3, coronavirus has affected over 70 countries including the US. Flights have been cancelled to China and Italy, as well as the stock market plunging. Zoe Feldshon ‘21, spent the first semester in China participating in an

abroad program through School Year Abroad. But, because of the sudden the breakouts of the coronavirus, Feldshon and other students were sent back home early. From the CDC, coronavirus is defined as a “large family of viruses that are common in people and many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats.” Similarly to a common cold, symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness in breath.

The majority who have died also had other health complications. However, the problem is that the symptoms might not show up for two weeks, allowing the virus to spread from person to person. Although it has not yet affected Minnesota, it has had a great impact all over the world. Feldshon had the unique experience of having a close connection to someone working the virus through one of the host families. She shares that

her “friend’s host mom worked in a hospital that had a few patients [with corona], but that is as close as I got.” Furthermore, Feldshon explains that she was surprised by how big of a concern the virus became, saying, “I really thought it would just blow over. Then you [couldn’t] travel between provinces and now international borders are being closed, so I [had] to leave the country.” Her experience in China and the impact that

corona had on her time abroad has been more difficult, as there is a lot of fear surrounding the disease, as well as it causing her year abroad to be cut in half. The closing of international borders and flight cancellations will prevent the spread of coronavirus in the US and other countries around the world. However, the CDC states that, with the virus and the global circumstances, corona could cause a pandemic. Feldshon explains

how serious the virus and causes became, explaining, “I went out on a Wednesday and everything was fine. On Thursday my host family said I couldn’t leave anymore. By that Sunday, I had a flight booked home. So it was five days of me sitting in my house being quarantined before I hopped on a plane home. And our program was cancelled a day later. It was a four day span where it went from it [being] a virus to get[ting taken] out of the country.”

Boys’ Hockey Wins Section Finals Bearstangs Win State Tournament Close bonds aid in team’s success Anisa Thompson | Staff Writer

Betsy Fries

The team celebrates after Gavin Best ‘20 makes a penalty shot that wins the game on Feb. 26. In overtime the score was 3-3 until Best made the game-winning shot.

Noor Naseer

The Bears had lost to Benilde-St. Margaret’s in the regular season. Fans erupted when the Bears won. Everyone was waving the towels left on the seats in the student and fan sections.

Laptop stickers and cases are one of the most common ways students express themselves. Many students have laptop cases because they’re protective and come in fun colors. Page 6

Betsy Fries

Put simply, the achievement gap is a difference of the academic success of students. This difference is most commonly viewed in the context of varying socioeconomic status or the ethnicities of students. Page 12-13

ollowing outstanding performances and receiving the first place title at the 2020 Minnesota State High School League Boys Section 2A Swim & Dive Championships, the BreckBlake Boys’ Swim and Dive team has won a State title for their fourth consecutive year. The boys had a 278 point lead on second-place team, which was DelanoWatertown-Mayer. Lucio Bollettieri ’22 says, “the team[’s] spirit was so present and you could feel it during every moment of the meet… the amount of energy was tangible and it was very exciting just to be there and cheering on the guys.” With the State meet being the culmination of the boys’ seasons, many experienced a lot of improvement from the beginning of the season, which

Bernadette Whitely

contributed to their success in the meet. Many of the boys had very large time improvements between the Section and State meet, which contributed to their very high score at State. At Sections, Charlie Egeland ‘23 finished his 200 yard freestyle in first place with a time of 1:45.44 and further improved, swimming around a “1:44” at State, helping the team to win another State title. Nam Truong ’23 shares, “For my 100 fly, I had major improvements from the beginning to the end of the season.” Bollettieri is looking forward to his future swimming the 500 yard freestyle, where he received second at Sections and fourth at the State meet. In addition to a successful season, the boys have formed tight bonds with each other. Bollettieri explains that “the team community that we’ve built over the years, and this year especially, keeps us

close together. We are really proud of any of us that succeed and it was just really nice to have that feeling [of success] with us.” While winning their fourth consecutive State title, the boys have also forged connections on the team that will continue to be strengthened in the seasons to come. The Breck-Blake Boys’ Swim and Dive team is very excited about their substantial win and remains in anticipation of their future seasons of successful meets and more Section and State titles. Spencer Okoronkwo ‘22 shares, “[I’m] looking forward to next year. I’m going to be one of the older people on the team just being able to help some of the younger kids, especially in middle school. Having more of a leadership role on the team I think is going to be really exciting.” The older team members will continue to carry on the legacy of close team bonds and successful seasons.

Despite the notion that swimming may feel isolating at times, Lucio Bollettieri ‘22 shares, “I really like the team. Swimming isn’t always seen as a team sport, it’s a lot of individual events.” Page 16

Andrew Chang

NEWS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 2

STAFF

Outings for Model UN

Death of an Icon

Noor Naseer | Sports Editor

Betsy Fries | Photo Editor

O The Blake School 511 Kenwood Pkwy March 6, 2020

Editor-In-Chief: Emma Martinez Sutton Managing Editors: Jack Prince | Sara Richardson Creative Director: Sage Marmet Online Editor: Jack Prince Multimedia Editor: Will Rosenblum Photo Editor: Betsy Fries Front Page Editor: Sage Marmet News Editor: Dylan Gainsley Student Life Editor: Jack Richardson

ver Presidents’ Day weekend, Model United Nations travelled to Washington, DC Although students had the same conference schedule, individuals left with unique experiences. Clara Lee Molina ‘21 participated in a historical bilingual committee set during the Spanish Civil War. “It was a bilingual committee, and it was really cool to meet other Hispanic kids and speak in Spanish.” Daria Haner ‘22 also had valuable interactions with new people: “I made a new friend and she’s really nice, she’s an exchange student from Turkey that I met...

she’s an exchange student to Washington D.C. and we really hit it off and we spoke for an hour and a half and now we text.” Andrew Chang ‘21 breaks down his committee, “It is usually three and half hours where you’re giving speeches, you’re working on writing resolutions, and you’re listening to people or other countries.” Chang shares how these committees have helped his team building skills: “[When] you go into committee you don’t know the people there, so you have to make new friends based off of your country’s policy.”

Arts & Culture Editor: Nora Fox Food Editor: Catherine Barry Features Editors: Betsy Fries | Maggie Seidel

Opinions Editors: Christina Chekerdjieva | Will Rosenblum Perspectives Editor: Emma Martinez Sutton

Adviser: Anna Reid

STAFF WRITERS: Shira Aronow, Anna Johns, Amaka Nwokocha, Ava Pihlstrom, Kendall Phillips, Kate Rekas, Emily Rotenberg, Shagun Sinha, Jenna Thrasher, Bernadette Whitely STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Elena Gill STAFF ARTISTS: Nadia Lee, Tyler May EDITORS EMERITI: Caroline Hardy, Drew Rosenblum, Zach Slavitt, Anderson Blum BECOME A STAFF MEMBER: Contribute to the paper three times consecutively to be promoted to a staff writer! JOIN SPECTRUM: Spectrum meets every Thursday in room 351 during both lunches. Please come if you are interested in writing, drawing, designing, or taking pictures for our newspaper. CORRECTIONS: Bernadette Whitely is a Staff Artist. Betsy Fries is a Features Editor and Photo Editor. 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 anonymously in 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) Style as of the February 2020 issue.

Sara Richardson | Managing Editor

Science Olympiad Creates New Opportunities Kendall Phillips | Contributing Writer

his year, one of Blake’s seemingly unknown clubs, has experienced a large influx of members reaching “over 50,” according to Eric Nystrom. These new participants, many of whom are freshmen, joined the Science Olympiad club this year. Science Olympiad as the name implies, is a science based competition in which students across the state get together to display their science abilities. Ranging from tests to active builds, the competi-

tions provide many varying ways for different students to get involved. The basis of the event is built on a “team of 15 people that compete in about 23-25 events” explained Nystrom. Each team always consists of partners and always covers many different types and categories of science. A few of these categories are physics, chemistry, ornithology, and taxonomy. The group meets during TASC mainly during semester two starting in January as their competitions at the end of January and beginning of February approach.

Because the club doesn’t meet in semester one, its minimal commitment provides an easy way for students to get involved in a fun activity at school while also not needing a lot of time. Brooke Lee ‘21 states that she competes with the

Bix says, “I think a lot of times when people like that die, there’s not enough going on in school to remember those types of people and I thought it was a really cool idea.” The two spent tutorial cutting and, pasting it together, and putting it up. Many students including Shef West ‘22 think, “It’s really sad for the sports world because he was one of the greatest of all time.” Bryant was loved by many and will be remembered as a role model and a legend.

The Problem with Dances

With the frantic spring school schedule on the horizon, It can seem as if everything seems jumbled and out of place. However, one spring event remains constant through it all. The NCAA Basketball Tournament, otherwise known as “March Madness” is a staple of not only the sporting world but the springtime itself. Sixty eight collegiate teams compete for the ultimate prize with the final being held at Mercedes Benz Arena in Atlanta Georgia. All the while, a whopping 10 million people fill out online brackets annually in hopes of predicting the outcome of each game. March Madness is unique in the fact that it spans over the course of an entire month. Unlike other collegiate championships in the tournament, there are a total of 67 games to be watched and enjoyed. Each game different than the last, John Carland ‘21 says “ I really enjoy watching March Madness because there are so many possible outcomes and exciting moments. You never really know who is going to win the games.” Cameron Farivar ‘21 agrees with Carland by saying “ Even though I don’t watch a lot of college basketball I love watching March Madness. Even though I don’t have a team I specifically root, I still enjoy watching all of the games. My favorite part are all the upsets.” Part of what makes the tournament so exciting are the upsets. They play a huge role in the tournament, the two just seem to go hand in hand with each other. Rowan Heithoff ‘23 says that “ Everybody enjoys the upsets, because who doesn’t love a good underdog story.” Overall the tournament can be viewed by many as one of if not the most exciting sporting event every year. filled with numerous storylines and America’s next crop of rising star athletes the tournament never ceases to amaze. The fair natured, high energy tournament definitely lives up to the bill, it truly is madness.

Business Manager: Keaton Rannow | Maggie Seidel

Ma d

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Sports Editors: Gabe Ganz | Noor Naseer

t’s been a month since the basketball star passed away on Jan. 26, in Calabasas, California. Basketball player Kobe Byrant, daughter Giana, and seven others were killed in a tragic helicopter crash. A collage in the art wing commemorates Byrant which was made by two seniors, David Bix ‘20 and Will Mortenson ‘20. Mortenson’s idea to memorialize Bryant stemmed from the lack of school involvement in his death.

Jack Richardson | Student Life Editor

InDepth Editor: Sara Richardson

Games Editor: Jack Prince

h c r a

team because it’s “a fun opportunity, it’s more of a club, where you can put a lot of effort in and you try very hard but also its a really good opportunity to spend time with friends.” Everyone is welcome to join, and be sure to cheer on the team at upcoming state tournaments in early March.

Eric Nystrom

Science Olympiad members compete at Regionals in Minnetonka.

ensions between the administration and students have only risen when it comes to dances. The recent dance, Snowdaze, was the lowest attendance that has been seen at a dance the past few years. The music was a large factor in the low attendance. Timo Hemphill ‘20, who has been discussing the topic of dance with Joe Ruggiero, Upper School Director. and other administrators, states, “I am trying to make the case that things need to change for dances for people to show up. I didn’t show up at Snow Daze ‘cause I just didn’t want to pay ten bucks for music I didn’t want to hear.” Although the teachers were no longer surrounding the mosh pit and no police officers were in sight during Snowdaze, students still had a problem with the music. Isa Chenitz ‘20 states, “[the music] was bad, but it was not surprising.” Before the dance, Hemphill made a playlist based off of a survey asking for requests from the student body. Hemphill says that Ruggiero did not have time to listen to the music, but students are questioning whether the playlist will be used for prom. Hemphill states, “I don’t know if things will change… I don’t think it’s fair to students to like make them pay 90 dollars to go to prom… and now everyone wasted 90 bucks to go listen to Cotton Eye Joe and Baby Shark.”

STUDENT LIFE | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 3

A Student’s Guide to the ACT: How to Game the College Board Getting comfortable with the undesirable ACT Jack Prince | Managing Editor

he ACT is one of the most over-hyped, dreadful, and laborious parts of the college application process. The test’s purpose is to put every student on a level playing field so that they can be easily compared to each other. One of the most stressful things about it

is that unlike your grades, which is a reflection of your work over a long period of time, the ACT is a snapshot of you as a student on a random Saturday morning. However, this random Saturday morning is the most crucial day in one’s high school career for most people. As someone who has gone through the experience, it would be helpful to lay out how one should approach the test. First, the most important thing to me on the

test isn’t how you do, but how you think about it. If you are worried and stress yourself out, the chances of you doing worse are drastically greater. Recently, I read an article that said someone’s happiness on the testing day could affect someone’s score by 5 points (the test is graded 0-36). This is crazy to think about because it changes the score by so much even though it isn’t triggered academically. To best prevent your score from being nega-

tively affected like this, the best thing to do is to feel relaxed and confident in yourself going into the test. Second, the other side of taking the test is purely academic. Rather than just feeling comfortable on the day of the test, preparing for it is something that can vary depending on how well you want to do. If you aren’t concerned with your score, just reviewing strategies or topics could be enough for you to study. However, it

usually takes some people a few months of preparation for a test. Over this time, I have found that the most helpful review strategy is to take practice tests. Doing practice sections over and over again helps make the test more familiar and sharpens your test taking skills. Besides the mental and academic approaches, there are a few other things to keep in mind when preparing to take the ACT or any standardized test. One thing to remember is what

you bring into the test. For the ACT, the majority of people bring watches, a drink, snack, pencils (can’t be mechanical), and a calculator. The main purpose of these, in my opinion, is to bring pencils or a calculator that you are familiar with and know how to use well. It is less of a thing to figure out on the test day. And finally, just remember that it is one test and doesn’t define you as a person. So, it isn’t worth making yourself unhappy over.

Melody Lee

A New MCL Option on the Horizon Getting Down with the Yang Gang Students lobby for Greek language class, a break from tradtional Latin Gabe Ganz | Sports Editor

fter several years, the Greek class seems as if it is finally returning. Although offered every year, lately there has been a lack of interest among the student body with regards to Greek culture. This year, however, that has changed. After talking about the general interest of the course, Benjamin Peterson ‘21, one of the leaders in the push for the return of Greek, says, “I’ve spoken to quite a few

students and I would say that the number interested is probably right around nine or ten.” Even nine or ten students is much more than the course has seen in the past, and may just be enough to get a return. Peterson also mentioned, “Students should know that there’s no max size for the class, and we’re always looking for anyone interested in exploring the language, so don’t feel afraid to sign up!” The class is always recruiting more students, and even little former Latin experience is needed. As for the content of Greek, this course is extremely unique from all other language classes. Peterson notes, “The class is meant to be an

introduction to not only the Greek language but also the culture. The course is designed to dive into Ancient Greece, exploring war as well as the Greek lifestyle.” Whereas other language classes seem to focus on the language itself, Greek offers a new focus on the culture and lifestyle of ancient Greece. This allows students to broaden their understanding of the world, without taking greatly expanding their workload. The Greek course can be compared to Latin III in terms of rigor, and, according to Peterson, “The Greek course is not designed to be extremely rigorous like an AP or honors course, but it’s not a free A either.”

America’s newest, most interesting candiate to date Christina Chekerdjieva | Opinions Editor s Andrew Yang’s face appeared from behind an American flag curtain, a room of 1,200 rose to their feet to clap and cheer him on the makeshift stage of the Downtown Des Moines Marriott’s conference room as Drake’s “God’s Plan” played, elevating the experience of the already iconic entrance. Yang’s entrepreneur background allowed for a fresh perspective in the candidate pool, with economic policies ranging from a UBI to unique methods of washing out lobbyist money in DC. Let’s run through a shortlist of pressing issues and solutions that Yang discussed in his rally. He

opened by citing the theories of celebrated economist Milton Freedman as evidence to support a Universal Basic Income, which Yang self-titled a “Freedom Dividend” of $1,000 a month to every 18+ citizen in the US. He supports a UBI because the American should be paid for the money consulting companies are making off of their data. He followed up by saying it is necessary to “distribute the swamp,” the meaning of which is still a mystery to me. I took this to Twitter, and found that the top three responses consisted of “He is a useless candidate,” “Explain pls I no understand Yang today. Send help,” and “He means move some of the government organizations from DC to all around the country.” The final seemed like the most likely answer, but I identified with the second most personally.

The issue Yang discussed for the majority of the rally is the decline of jobs available to Americans as robots become more integrated (and cheaper for large corporations) into the workforce. To finish off, he jumped into a comparison between himself and Donald Trump. In his boldest claim to date, he said that “I am the only man Donald Trump has not challenged over Twitter” and said this is because Trump sees him as a fierce opponent that could send his campaign crashing and burning. However, I argue this could be a matter of his relevance, as he ended up polling at around 1% at the Iowa Caucuses. In accordance with one of his speech slogans, he left the crowd with a final quote, saying that “The opposite of Donald Trump is an Asian man who likes math.”

Christina Checkerdjieva

Greek books and assignments found in Latin teachers Dierdre Diggins and Alita Shenk’s rooms illustrate what Greek class might just look like.

Former Democratic canidate Andrew Yang stands on a podium at the Iowa Caucus this February, discussing his own political ideas and motives in front of interested students and adults.

ARTS & CULTURE | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 4

Curatorial Team Offers an Inside Look at the Bennett Gallery Team comments on shows, aspirations, community Shira Aronow | Staff Writer

he students on the Curatorial Team beautifully and carefully curate the Martha Bennett Gallery, a gem of the school. Yeukai Zimbwa ‘20 states, “I think that we really aspire to create a community space in the gallery… where members of the Blake community can come to admire the beauty of art, to allow the art in the gallery to maybe challenge any of their notions about identity, life, love, and stuff like that.” In reflecting on one of the past shows, Nora Cornell ‘21, a first year member of the student group, agrees with Zimbwa. She says that the show, “brought people into the gallery. It made the space important and interesting to the students, which is always our goal even when it is a more

traditional art show.” While some of the team’s shows are guided by tradition, Cornell explains that the team, “gets [to choose] a few shows that are on our own. So a show we did this year was the archive show…” Cornell continued about how she enjoyed learning about the history of Blake while curating the show. Zimbwa shares a love of this particular show, as she described that, “It was the first show that us, as a curatorial team, really put together this year… and I really enjoyed that show because [we were shown many] relics of Blake in the 1900s.” Cornell states, “It wasn’t just art on the wall… we hung clothes from the ceiling so that kind of filled the space in a really neat way.” “This year we made the choice to do something different in allowing two seniors, Josh Vorbrich ‘21 and Louise Ba ‘21, to have shows that solely showcased their own art,” Zimbwa adds. Zimbwa explains, “It made a lot of sense to allow students who ap-

plied and talked to us to showcase their art if they had a vision and something that they wanted to share with the community” Cornell comments, “We realized that we need to start developing an application process. We’re hoping at the end of this year to have something out for the rest of the school for people to apply.” She hopes that the application process will help to determine the purpose and intention of each show that is curated, for example, she mentions, “Is there enough art to put on all of the walls? Is it something that The Blake School students need to see and hear and look at and interact with? And, you know, how are you going to put forward that message and that story with your work?” “[The Curatorial team has] been really valuable to me [because] we get to bounce ideas off of each other, and I think our goal is to make [the gallery] really accessible and inviting so people get to come and inter-

Shira Aronow

Cheryl Minde ‘20 works on the Reflections of Femininity exhibit, which is in the gallery right now.

act with the art as much as possible,” Cornell explains. The show that the gallery is putting on currently is about reflections on femininity, and each

member of the team is helping to design and curate a part of it. Cornell notes, “We also have the environmental show coming up. There’s a call for

climate art that’s been up on BearHug, so if you just have one piece you’d love to get in [the gallery], that would be a really cool way.”

Spring Styles Follow ‘70s Trends Traveling Sustainably is Easy Staple pieces are comfortable, stylish Jenna Thrasher | Staff Writer

hen the spring collections debuted during Fall Fashion Week 2019, many designers looked to the past for inspiration. During the 2010s, the ‘90s were all the rage. Now, the ‘70s are back and more chic than ever. The disco collar popped up on many prominent runways, such as Victoria Beckham and Louis Vuitton. Also, ‘70s floral prints made a reappearance as well, making for a bohemian twist. While interior-inspired prints are not the most versatile when it comes to

day to day dressing, the ‘70s laid-back, yet stylish vibe is perfect for school. The ‘70s trend has already become a spring wardrobe inspiration for Amanda Ward ‘21. She explains, “[For] spring and honestly for all seasons, I like really big flowy pants. I just wear a regular plain shirt and usually flowy, floral pants or big bell-bottoms.” Not only are flowy pants stylish, they are also extremely versatile. A floral print on pants, just as Ward mentioned, is a fun way to embrace both brighter colors and runway trends, while still staying comfortable. If the ‘70s are not your cup of tea, classic spring staples are always in style. While discussing her favorite essentials, Ma-

bel Chovan-Aziz ‘21 said, “I like a nice skirt because it’s getting warmer, but it’s not like crazy warm. So you can wear it with a sweater or a t-shirt and dress it up or down, and that’s important”. ChovanAziz also explained the importance of an often overlooked accessory, “I also think a good purse is so helpful when you’re just walking around because you can carry everything, and it’s just such a fun thing to have in spring. It’s an accessory that’s also useful”. Whether you decided to embrace the bohemian vibe with suede and crochet or stick to the classic essentials, spring is the perfect time to mix-up your style and embrace the warm weather.

Ugg Transforms Popular Designs Style, purpose changes over time Emily Anderson | Staff Writer

n the mid 2000s Ugg was one of the most fashionable shoe brands.. During this time, the variety of Uggs was incredible ranging from boots of varying heights and styles

to slippers. These shoes appealed to all age groups because of their variety. Their comfort attracted many adults, while kids loved the range of colors, sequins, and bows. Over the last couple years, Uggs have become less popular with their sales decreasing significantly. When asked if Uggs are still fashionable, Lauren Smith ‘20 shares, “[They are] not fashion-

able, they are functional. There is a difference.” Continued online at www. blakespectrum.org

Melody Lee

Preparing for spring break with eco-friendly travel essentials Maggie Seidel | Features Editor

ith the excitement of spring break building, many students prepare to embark on travel expeditions near and far from home. While traveling, it is necessary to focus your efforts on incorporating sustainable practices to promote healthy ecotourism. This can be a challenging feat, but there are a few simple ways to travel sustainably. According to MerriamWebster, ecotourism is defined as “the practice of touring natural habitats in a manner meant to minimize ecological impact.” Below are a few steps that are conducive to travelling more sustainably. Firstly, preparation is key as it reduces the likelihood that you may need to purchase single-use plastic while traveling. For example, try packing reusable items such as water bottles, straws, and utensils. They are not only more convenient and inexpensive, but also they are more sustainable. These items can

be found at local grocery stores such as Target, and online on websites including Amazon. Additionally instead of purchasing specific travel size products, purchase travel size containers that can be reused on multiple occasions. It is also important to reduce plastic usage. There are plastic bag alternatives on Amazon that are reusable. Personally, I

titanium dioxide offer effective sun protection and are safe for the ocean. It is necessary to beware of oxybenzone and octinoxate, as they are chemicals that harm the ocean and the environment. This harm can include the bleaching of coral reefs and can cause irreversible damage. Lastly, it is important to note that any dedicated effort to travel more sustain-

According to WasteAdvantage magazine, every flight, the standard passenger produces an average of 3.15 pounds of waste before leaving the aircraft and as air traffic increases, so does the amount of waste produced.

have found that their silicone bags are very useful. For those who are travelling to warmer seaboard destinations, sunscreen is a necessity. It is imperative, however, to look for key ingredients in the sunscreen that can be harmful to the ocean and ocean life. According to the Huffington Post, ingredients such as zinc oxide and

ably is valuable! The overwhelming task of traveling completely “green” can be challenging. Despite this, by following these feasible steps listed above, your efforts can have a lasting impact and become a sustainable habit. In the end, any action taken to be more sustainable is productive in the greater mission of travelling eco-friendly.

Arts & Culture continues online. Read more about UGGs and sustainable spring fashion at

www.blakespectrum.org

FOOD FEATURES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 5

Favorite Ethnic Dishes from Students’ Diverse Backgrounds Students explain traditional meals, widelyused ingredients Nya Manneh | Staff Writer

“ I like Khatti Dal because it has a super unique sour flavor. that you don’t get in a lot of Asian dishes.” - Mabel ChovanAziz ‘21

“

We’ve made a dish called Paksiw quite a few times, which is fish cooked in vinegar and garlic. Vinegar, vinegar, and more vinegar. As a marinade, dipping sauce, you name it. At any Asian market you’ll find at least an aisle side full of different types of vinegar.” - Audrey Ronan ‘21

In my house we eat Indian food pretty much every night, but it’s kind of all the same. There’s always some like bread element, and then there’s rice or some vegetable, or like a soup. Rice is a vital part of our culture. You can’t live without it.” - Surina Arora ‘21

“

We like a lot of tofu dishes, and I like cauliflower kung pao. My grandparents used to own a Chinese restaurant, so they made dishes such as lo mein, and a lot of fish, a LOT of rice. Vegetable dumplings and soup dumplings are really incredible as well.” - Amanda Lee Molina ‘21

“

I don’t really have a favorite dish, so the most recent dish I have had is Stir-fried Basil with Ground Pork and Rice. For this dish you can choose any type of meat you’d like. Most Thai people, frequently ask for sunny side-ups on the side to come with that dish.” Neen Jaiarj ‘21

“

Betsy Fries

There isn’t really one specific dish have any one dish that can say as my favorite, but nonetheless, a very common ingredient for Chinese is soy sauce and some sort of rice or noodles and oil. ” - Melanie Sun ‘21

Article continued online at www. blakespectrum.org

Big Bowl Flops, Ginger Hop(s) Korean Barbecue Captivates Dong Hae Grill provides tasty and fun barbecue cooked table side

Big Bowl lacks flavor, Ginger Hop surprised Lucy Wolfe & Kyra Reese | Contributing Writers

Jackie Weyerhaeuser | Staff Writer

e ventured down to Minneapolis to find Ginger Hop, an Asian foods restaurant that also has reasonable prices. We ordered both the Pad Thai and the cream cheese wontons and neither disappointed. The cream cheese wontons were godly. Their exteriors were not oily and were incredibly crispy. At the same time, the cream cheese filling tasted creamy and fresh. The Pad Thai was also very well put together on the plate and looked very appealing. The dish was complete with the addition of peanuts, lime and green onion. The noodles were lightly coated in sauce, had a delicate taste, and were incredibly flavorful. Overall, this restaurant

Lucy Wolfe

Lucy Wolfe ‘21 and Kyra Reese ‘21 tried both the wontons (left) and Pad Thai (right) from both Big Bowl and Ginger Hop.

did not disappoint as we paid $21.18 for the whole meal and the crispy wontons and beautifully plated Pad Thai made for a delicious lunch. We also tried the wontons and Pad Thai at Big Bowl Express. Initially, we were very confused as to why the noodles in the Pad Thai were crunchy, as well as completely lacking in flavor. Not only were the noodles crunchy, but they were also entirely drenched in a bath of oil which didn’t help the little flavor overall. After tasting the wontons from Ginger Hop our taste

buds were acclimated to perfection, but the $3 wontons from Big Bowl Express were, to say the least, satisfactory at best. The cream cheese filling tasted like it came from a pesticide infused cow. Also, the outside of the wontons were crunchy but were just too oily for our liking. We paid a $10.74 overall for the meal. Although the price of Big Bowl’s Pad Thai and wontons was cheaper, the overall quality was well below our expectations. The $11 more we spent at Ginger Hop was definitely more worth it.

PinKU Sushi Offers Vast Variety Despite small menu, restaurant delivers delicious meal Emma Martinez Sutton | Editor-in-Chief lthough the restaurant and menu are small, PinKU sells everything from sushi to poke to miso soup. Our food arrived shortly after we ordered at the front register. Six pieces of gyoza, a seared salmon roll, a tempura roll (the chef special), and two portions of rice were brought to us on metal trays. The

gyoza was crispy and coated in a ginger and garlic soy sauce that made it very flavorful. The sushi was sweet and fresh, but nothing too unique. The food wasn’t cheap, but the prices were reasonable and on par with many similar restaurants: $7 for sushi, $5.50 for gyoza, and a few specialty items that move into low double digits. While the food was great, what makes PinKU special is the intimate and stylish ambience coupled with their quick and attentive service. PinKU is a great option

Sara Richardson

This is the chef’s special which was a tempura roll. The name of the restaurant also signifies unity among cultures.

for anybody looking for a quick place to stop for Japanese food, but might not be somewhere to go far out of your way for.

irst of all, what is Korean barbecue? According to Wikipedia, Korean barbecue is the “method in Korean cuisine of grilling meat, typically beef, pork, or chicken. Such dishes are often prepared on either gas or charcoal grills built into the dining table itself.” I ventured downtown to Dong Hae Grill and Sushi on 1st Avenue in Minneapolis, excited to try Korean barbecue for the first time. After sitting down, I glanced over the menu and were somewhat intimidated. Dong Hae has an extensive menu with pictures of all kinds of Korean foods. I ordered the shrimp tempura as an appetizer and beef and chicken bulgogi which came with a kimchi stew. The shrimp tempura came out first. It was fried and served with a side of tentsuyu dipping sauce. The crunchy exterior of the tempura contrasted with soft, tender shrimp inside made for a well-balanced and delicious bite. After I finished the tempura, my server wheeled out a cart filled with food. She soon began placing countless sides on my table. After the grill heated up, she placed the chicken on one side and the beef

Jackie Weyerhaeuser

This was the first time Jackie Weyerhaeuser ‘21 tried Korean Barbecue and was surprised how they grill the meat at the table, but nonetheless loved the restaurant and entire experience.

on the other with an onion and a mushroom in the center. She then proceeded to walk away. I was incredibly confused. Was I supposed to flip the meat? Would my server come back? After some quick googling, I discovered that my server would in fact return to flip the meat for me and tell me when it was done. I started with the sides and deduced that some of what I had was kimchi and tofu. Both were extremely flavorful and complemented. When my server informed me that the chicken and beef had finished cooking I was already somewhat full. Nevertheless, I consumed copious

amounts of the meat. The beef was thinly sliced, and when paired with simple white rice, created a relatively basic and yet extremely flavorful taste. Similarly, the chicken had a nice browned exterior and a tender taste that paired well with the white rice as well as the side which we discovered to be tofu skins. Dong Hae certainly did not disappoint. Although the somewhat empty restaurant contributed to an interesting atmosphere, the food more than made up for this. Korean barbecue was an extremely fun experience that I would strongly encourage everyone to try.

FEATURES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 6

Betsy Fries

Amanda Ward ‘21 uses her laptop case as a way to share what is important to her. After the 2016 election, her laptop was a way of illustrating her emotions from the outcome.

Individuality Showcased on Laptop Case Students Explore Ways to Express Ideas Stickers and decorations promote self-expression Noor Naseer | Sports Editor

aptop stickers and cases are one of the most common ways students express themselves. Many students have laptop cases because they’re protective and come in fun colors. Another main reason so many laptops have cases is because stu-

her marble laptop case saying, “I think [stickers] take away from the aesthetic of the marble. It’s very simple and I think I would not choose the right stickers to compliment it.” Some people choose stickers based on their interests, or just stickers they find fun and relatable. For stickers like this, Redbubble tends to be the most popular site. Others focus on stickers that they’ve received

definitely express me, and they’re just interests I have and stickers I’ve gotten as I go about my life.” A d d i t i o n a l l y, Clare Wagner ‘22 says, “I have a Vans sticker that came with one of my pairs of Vans when I got it, and I was like ‘huh I don’t know what to do with this’ so I just put it on my laptop. And then I have a Waterparks sticker, I got it with my CD, so I was like ‘hell yeah’ I’m putting that on my

Submitted by: Alex Weisman

Alex Weisman ‘22 creates his own laptop stickers, displaying creativity and enhancing his laptop display. He made the Deer, Shark, and the“But Julian said”stickers, a reference to his work at Adventures Cardboard.

dents are not allowed to put stickers straight on their laptops. Precious Jones ‘22 doesn’t have stickers on

or stickers that are souvenirs from places they’ve visited. Alex Weisman ‘22 says, “Some of them I made myself, so those

computer.” Regardless, as Weisman says, stickers provide an opportunity for students to express themselves.

Computers show personal beliefs Jack Prince | Managing Editor

or Amanda Ward ‘21, laptop stickers are a way for her to personalize her computer. Ward says, “I like to use stickers to personalize things and make the ordinary extraordinary.” This personal touch is through stickers that help remind her of memories or mottos to live by. One of these personalized stickers is a Zermatt sticker (shown top right). When commenting on the sticker, Ward says, “I have the Zermatt sticker because I went there for Swiss Semester last year. The sticker makes it very personal and I like to be reminded of the things I did and the people I met there.” On the front of her laptop, Ward has stickers of animals that reflect the same breeds as her animals which she “really enjoys.” Even though these stickers is very personal to Ward herself, her laptop contains other stickers that

Amanda Ward

Amanda Ward ‘21 has this Zermatt Switzerland sticker on the inside of her laptop so she can always see it. The sticker reminds her time at Swiss Semester.

serve to motivate not only herself. Adjacent to the Zermatt sticker is her sticker of strong and powerful women. For Ward, it is a motivating sticker because she “can look upon [the sticker] and keep pushing through homework because [the women] are really cool.” Another sticker that is not only meant to re-

late to herself but also to others is the sticker in the middle of her case. The sticker reads, “Just be a nice human.” Ward says, “This is just like my life motto right here, so then when people see it, they can recognize their actions. Then, they can just realize that today is a good day and I’m going to be a nice human.”

Betsy Fries

Lorna Kruesel ‘21 gets her stickers from Redbubble. Some of her favorite stickers include one of her favorite movies, Lady Bird, and some political messages.

FEATURES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 7

ZOE FELDSHON SYA CHINA

ABBREVIATED Feldshon participates in a dance club with local students in China.

Feldshon’s family enjoys a traditional Chinese meal while meeting her host family at a hot pot restaurant in Beijing.

YET IMPACTFUL Zoe Feldshon ‘21 visits the Chengde for a weekend trip. Chengde is situated in the Hebei Province, northeast of Beijing.

Exploring all aspects of being abroad in China Caroline Hardy | Editor Emerita

“

You could feel the stress in the air. But the minute we landed, the skies were blue, which we were told was not going to happen and the air felt clean, so it was like ‘okay, I can do this’,” remembers Zoe Feldshon ’21, recalling the 14 hour flight with 14 of her new classmates for a year of immersed learning in the world’s eighth largest city, Beijing, China. Feldshon was one of 24 mostly American students who participated in School Year Abroad China, the Chinese branch of an organization offering immersion experiences for high schoolers around the world. While in Beijing, Feldshon lived with a host family and attended school at the second high school attached to Beijing Normal University. Feldshon’s interest in the possibility of studying abroad began after freshman year, and she applied during the late winter of her sophomore year. After being accepted to the program, Feldshon was nervous, but equally excited. She explains, “I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I was contacting people who had done SYA China previ-

ously, and they had all said, ‘just go in with an open mind, because all of your expectations will be wrong’...So, I kind of just packed a suitcase and was like ‘okay, let’s go on an adventure.’” Every morning during the program, Feldshon would throw on her school uniform, a “blue track suit, nice and cute,” eat breakfast, which was “very different than American breakfast, [as it usually consisted of] ramen… or Chinese KFC” and head to class on the sixth floor of the school. Feldshon explains that “ultimately we were isolated on our own floor because we didn’t speak enough Chinese to sit in on their classes,” but there were days where SYA students got to shadow and meet Chinese students. Feldshon explains that “you go to their classes and you get to meet all of the kids who are your counterparts and you find your similarities, your differences, and you talk to them outside of school and they help you find fun things and you hang out with them, but you also have your SYA friends on the top floor.” After class, SYA students were able to explore the city of Beijing until curfew at 9 p.m. on weeknights. With over 19 million people who call Beijing home, Feldshon explains that “transition-

Submitted by: Zoe Feldshon

Feldshon, second from the left, visits the Great Wall of China with fellow School Year Abroad students.

ing to city life, I also didn’t know what to expect. Minneapolis is a city, but most of us live in the suburbs.” With so much freedom came the necessity of responsibility. Feldshon explains that “there was a lot of independence, which also meant that you needed to be on top of your stuff. So, you could go out every night if you wanted to, but you also needed to make sure that you turned in your home-

birthday, “on Thursday morning, my host mom came into my room and was like, ‘you can’t leave the house. You’re going to get sick.’ Throughout each day, it would progress. My host grandma and grandpa would come downstairs every day and not leave because they didn’t want to go in the elevator. My host family didn’t want me to go in the elevator to put my suitcase in the car when I was leaving.” Feldshon

work because the amount of Chinese load you have every night is so much.” This freedom was abruptly taken away with the arrival of Coronavirus, a flu like disease that has, according to The New York Times, sickened over 87,500 people and spread to at least 60 countries. After going to dinner and karaoke on Wednesday night for a friend’s

continues, “It was chaotic, but not in the sense that everyone was running around. It was almost like you were going crazy in your own head.” Five days into the quarantine, Feldshon booked a flight home, unsure of the future of the SYA program. Later that night, the program was cancelled completely.“Everyone was frantic, calling their par-

“IT WAS CHAOTIC, BUT NOT IN THE SENSE THAT EVERYONE WAS RUNNING AROUND. IT WAS ALMOST LIKE YOU WERE GOING CRAZY IN YOUR OWN HEAD” -ZOE FELDSHON ‘21

ents and trying to get a flight because we knew that flights were starting to get cancelled. We knew that we just needed to get out in case international borders closed, because if one of us got Corona, the Chinese government would take over this group of 26 Americans and then we have no control. Or, we get stuck in China and there are so many problems in that,” recalls Feldshon. “We tried to do it in the most organized way possible, but it’s only so organized when you book a flight one day and then are on it the next. No one’s expecting that,” continues Feldshon. All 26 students from SYA China were able to safely return to the United States, though many were placed in quarantine for two weeks upon landing. The close group is “always in contact so it’s almost like we never left, but there’s still this sense of ‘I didn’t get to say goodbye to you,’” reflects Feldshon. Feldshon made the difficult decision to finish out her junior year at Blake. Upon telling people about her experience, Feldshon remarks that “a lot of people are really insensitive about it. It’s a lot of ‘I’m really glad you’re safe.’ But it’s not about me being safe. It’s about what can we do to help China. My

host family can’t buy any more masks. They are completely sold out everywhere. So, how can we help China defeat an epidemic instead of joking about it and making it a social media meme… know your facts, know what’s going on. This is actually affecting people personally. It’s not just a meme on Instagram. It’s a real thing that’s happening.” Looking back at her entire experience, however, Feldshon is remarkably self-aware and retrospective. She believes that her most unrealistic expectation of spending a year abroad was “that it was going to be rainbows and butterflies and the best experience of my life. It was the best experience of my life, but there were hardships that people don’t talk about in China. It’s really hard to be away from your family, communicating with them like once every two or three days. Forming a relationship with a new family and leaving all of your friends that you’ve known your whole life behind.” Despite the challenges, Feldshon explains that she will always look back favorably bittersweet on her five months in Beijing: “The hardships make all of the good moments ten times better. It makes the whole experience more memorable.”

INDEPTH | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 8

Stress of a College Prep Students Should Take Electives More Seriously can School Affects Courses Electives help introduce

Is it worth it to sign up for the four AP classes? Nora Fox | Arts & Culture Editor

Catherine Barry | Food Features Editor

oo often, when students talk about classes, they discuss what the “easiest” course is. Students often try to pick their classes based on the difficulty of other students’ opinions. However, electives are just as crucial as AP and honors classes and should be taken with the same seriousness. Usually, electives are more focused on one topic that isn’t necessarily the mainstream courses of physics or AP US history. But, many times, students take electives as a fun class or a break from their more rigorous courses. When students do not take the class seriously, they hinder the class experience for the other students. No matter the course, whether it is calcu-

lus or ceramics, it requires focus. Electives can expand your horizons and passions. You may become more informed of careers that you can have in the future. And high school is a perfect time to explore your interests and strengths, and taking electives is a great way to do this. Alice Jin ‘20 states, “I have taken multiple electives and GOA courses. Some of these courses have helped me find my passion for economics and

computer The vaelectives fer a new that a w o u l d thought

science.” riety of can ofpassion student not have about

before. Electives teach as many life skills as any other class. These classes can expose a particular student’s skill set that might not be evident in your traditional math or history class. While you might not be

t a college prep school, the end goal for most students is getting accepted into a “good” college. While everyone’s definition of “good” is different, many students set high goals for themselves, and will do anything to achieve them. Typically, prestigious colleges value the rigor of a student’s course load, so fulfilling this requirement is a strong motivation for students when choosing classes. Consequently, this places the focus on taking the hardest classes instead of the ones a student is most interested in. I’ve consistently heard this message at Blake: “the more rigorous your course load is, the better your highschool transcript will look.” Even though this isn’t necessarily true, it definitely influences students’ decision making. This could be why students overload themselves with honors and AP classes, even to the extent where it is unhealthy.

new passions

M Tyler

In a perfect world, students’ should feel free to pursue their interests and not be afraid of messing up their transcript. However, because college is valued so highly, it can overshadow students’ values and interests, and pressure them to take classes that they aren’t actually interested in. If you aren’t interested in the class you’re taking, you’re more likely to procrastinate and lose motivation. Most classes at Blake are already advanced and challenging, so by taking a non-honors or AP class, students’ would already be receiving an adequate level of challenge. Students should take the classes that they are most interested in whether they are AP/honors or not. When you’re learning about something you’re interested in, you’re more likely to be happier and work harder. When choosing classes for next year, you may be inclined to take an AP/honors class. However, take a moment and consider your life without it. Are you happier and more well rested? Do you have more time to hang out with your friends and family? Are you actually passionate about what you’re learning? Now think again. Do you still want to take that AP/honors class?

getting the extra AP, the knowledge about your interests and the world is far more beneficial. Students should stop solely discussing classes based on difficulty and title. Instead, try a course based on your interest in the description or the desire to try something new. Take that ceramics or computer-programming source, and you might find your future career.

Registering

How to create a

New English Classes Create Commotion Among Upperclassmen Adding new electives constructs good change Emma Martinez Sutton | Editor-in-Chief

hen students registered for classes for next year, they were met with a majorly reworked English course selection. In the 2020-2021 school year, nine new English electives will be offered and Ancient Roots, an option for freshmen, will be removed. Although a couple new English courses each year is normal, the English department met this year to make more holistic changes. Rick Cawood, the English Language Arts Department Chair, describes the changes as, “renewal– just sort of thinking why are we doing what we’re doing and how can we make that even better... That’s sort of the driving force... what would we do if we just wiped everything clean and started afresh?” English teacher Scott Hollander says, “I think

it’s great that we’re not taking anything for granted as a department, and that we’re all embracing a change... I think one of the most important challenges as a teacher is staying in the reality of teaching individual people... not teaching a course, a group of students... so that means staying focused, staying fresh, and staying creative,” which he believes the change of classes will encourage teachers to be. Members of the

students, and the patterns they see in students’ mistakes to improve English curriculum. The English department also gained inspiration from other independent schools across the country and the types of courses they offer. After exploring many possibilities, the department worked to balance their ideal vision with a system that will allow teachers to be invested in

Roots. For the past several confident years, incoming freshmen that the new have been able to choose courses will provide between World Literature and Ancient Roots, diverse but the latter will now be integrated into World Literature. Cawood students. says, “[Ancient Natalie Roots] was less Sabes of an absolute ‘21 says, option for students and more “I was excited for of just something that was offered two periods of the the senior electives and inbecause I feel like they were more teresting experipersonalized... ences for all for my whole students. Cawood highschool says, “I know career I’ve that there might been hearbe some concern ing about among students these fun about, ‘well oh English this course that day so it was determined e l e c t i v e s I’ve heard so Cremore off your schedule.” like much about is no For this reason, the two ative Writlonger there,’ but all of classes will be rolled into ing that are those courses too that have one to create “a unified what I looked forward to become favorimmediately course that gives everyone and ites of the curwhen I get to the same skills base and rent seniors, all take them they powerful experience.” of those courses vanish.” Of course, the were new at one Teachers, abundant changes come however, are time too.” with some resistance from

“ALL OF THOSE COURSES TOO THAT HAVE BECOME FAVORITES OF THE CURRENT SENIORS, ALL OF THOSE COURSES WERE NEW AT ONE TIME.” - RICK CAWOOD English department met during two half days this year to rethink the curriculum and propose new ideas. Cawood says, “It wasn’t just content– it was also the manner in which students want to learn.” Teachers reflected on different learning styles, the perceived interests of

all their classes. Cawood says, “We can’t change 100% of everything... we can make broad and deep changes but they should be manageable and intentional.” Along with the new upperclassmen electives, another notable change is the removal of Ancient

INDEPTH | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 9

What Seniors Wish They Knew When They Were Underclassmen? Seniors give tips on what they know now about classes Noor Naseer | Sports Editor

“Focus on what is interesting to you [...] if you’re able to get a really good grade in a class that you’re interested in, even if it’s not the AP course because it’s more interesting, then you’re going to be happier and your grades might re ect that more too because if you’re successful in the class.” - Ruth Goldenberg ‘20 “Take a lot of free blocks second semester, for sure two free blocks. Don’t take super hard classes just to take super hard classes.” - Sophia Cosentino ‘20

“I feel like I took good classes, but if I could do it again I’d probably take more classes that primarily interest me instead of taking more APs.”-Charlie Nowak ‘20 “I wish I had known how to manage my time better and what teachers to have [for] classes because it took me three years to gure out which teachers I like, and so senior year I signed up for classes with all the teachers who I’ve enjoyed a lot and who teach in a way that I learn best, so this year it’s for sure been easier because of that.” - Sarah Yousha ‘20 “I’d say don’t be afraid to take classes that you know your friends aren’t taking necessarily. For me, that was choir, I was going into it alone, and I didn’t know anyone before going into it, but it was really something I enjoyed, and I wish had done band also but I didn’t because I was scared because I didn’t know anyone.” -Lauren Smith ‘20 Henry Ericson

g for Success

a ful lling, manageable schedule Interets Should Lead In Choosing Classes, Not Teachers or Difficulty Advisories use Wayfinder to map out their interests Bernadette Whitley & Emily Rotenberg | Staff Writers

hen registering for courses many students gather opinions on classes based on other students’ past experiences with certain teachers. Although students think it is beneficial to sign up for classes based on their teachers, Jim Mahoney, college counselor and English teacher, says otherwise, “it should be about the course, not the teacher because you can have new experiences with teachers.” Most of the time when teachers don’t reveal who’s teaching what classes it’s mainly because “we just don’t know.” Mahoney goes on to say, “I can give an example, I’m teaching English next year but I have no idea what classes I’m teaching. They have changed a ton of electives

so I just don’t know.” The main reason students want to take classes based on previous teachers is usually because of their previous connection or teaching style. This can be problematic because it prevents students from creating connections with new teachers and participating in new learning styles. Choosing classes based on the teacher limits the number of classes students can choose from, which ultimately may lead them to choose classes that aren’t the right fit. Similarly, many students choose classes based on what they think colleges want to see on their resumes rather than what they are interested in. A device that was used this year to help sophomores register for classes were Wayfinder activity books. WayFinders were introduced to all sophomore advisories and contain different exercises that ask you to draw, write, or build in order to collaborate with one another and find your interests.

Julia Zhang

The Wayfinder books are supposed to help students in discovering what is most important to them and therefore choose the best classes for their schedules. Although this was the original intent, many sophomores find Wayfinder did not help them register for classes. Kelly Dayton ‘22 said, “I think that advisory time talking about the courses is good but Way-

finder distracts from that because it makes the process take so much longer and it’s just unnecessary.” The types of questions and activities have very little correlation with course registration. While Wayfinders are relatively new, Jen Vance, ninth grade dean and Biology teacher, hopes that “the work with Wayfinder helps you understand who you are and

the messages that you get and having that opportunity to be still and reflect a little bit helps in the decision making of courses.” Although the Wayfinders didn’t necessarily help register for classes, the activities helps with finding interesting outside an academic setting. When students add too many difficult classes to their schedules, it leaves no time to

do things that they enjoy. Vance says, “Really it’s about developing you as a whole person and the stuff you do outside of your classes is really important so make time for that.” Ultimately, course registration is a very different process for everyone and while it is important to do well academically, it is equally as important to do things you enjoy.

OPINIONS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 10

Policies in Green New Deal Aim to Tackle Climate Change in US Green New Deal marks emergence of interest in sustainable practices Lexie Dietz | Columnist

The Green New Deal isn’t exactly a policy proposal, but rather a first step in addressing how the United States should combat climate change. It isn’t a bill that can be passed and made into a law. Instead, it is a writ-

pages long and is comprised of two main parts. The first part sets the stage by explaining that humans cause climate change and it currently results in rising sea levels, extreme weather disasters, wildfires, and more disas-

rom the Iowa caucus to the general election, politics have increasingly surrounded Blake’s community. Watching different debates and speeches, many candidates have proposed different environmental policies they would hope to implement if elected into office. One of these propositions is the Green New Deal, which is a radical proposal to address climate change; several candidates feel this is a necessary step to address our environmental crisis. However, there is some confusion surrounding the Green New Deal – specifically about what it will entail and its purpose.

Teens make handmade signs depicting the issues they care about most at the MN Climate Strike.

ten proposal that consolidates a shared understanding of what climate change is and what the U.S. government needs to do to address it. The resolution is only 14

trous events. It highlights the possible costs of climate change for the United States, with numbers as high as $500 billion in lost economic input” by the year 2100 and “a risk

TikTok Poses Security Threat Censorship laws affects app’s integrity Nathan Blum | Contributing Writer

et’s be honest, we all know about TikTok and its meteoric rise to being the most popular app in the United States. However, not many know of its dark background in connection to the Chinese government. TikTok is a video sharing platform that allows users to post brief videos of dances, funny situations, and everything in-between. However, a

major problem with the app lies within the Chinese government’s mishandling of videos that are in disagreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s communist ideology. The platform censors users and suppresses minority groups, all while presenting a threat to American democracy. The Chinese media conglomerate that runs TikTok has been widely accused by American staff of censoring anti-communist sentiment on the website. Another great threat the app presents is the possibility of influencing American elections. The

Is reality TV rotting your brain?

hat better way to start the week than by watching an episode of the Bachelor, where women tear each other down for a man they think they are in love with? Reality TV follows the lives of real people; however, they usually don’t show true “reality.” Instead, the producers ensure the episode is as dramatic as possible for the entertainment of the viewer. The rising trend of Youtube “vloggers” in the last decade creates a new type of reality TV, but both are significantly different because the vlogger can choose which side of themselves to present to the viewer, while the network can por-

tray someone’s character however want in reality TV. As people our age consume more content from Youtube, we need to keep in mind that vlogs are usually only the exciting and nice parts of someone’s day. Now, we ask the question of whether reality TV is rotting our brains. Well, not scientifically, one will not have a lower IQ from watching Love Island every week. But with the wrong mindset, reality TV can be harmful when the viewer sees the show as an authentic representation of the real world. As long as you go into the show as an educated viewer, knowing it’s not reality, they are

app has the ability to use a calculated algorithm to make certain videos pop up in the main feed of a user. If desired, the company could endorse any party by circulating videos associating a positive connotation to a certain political affiliation. In conclusion, be aware. Make sure you look up the app and its parent company before downloading it. Government staff aren’t even allowed to have the app on their phones as it has been identified as a possible risk to national security. Make sure you know what’s on your phone.

VOICE OF THE STAFF perfectly fine to watch. Reality TV doesn’t always provide the most hopeful and positive messages. For example, in the Wife Swap, two mothers from different backgrounds trade families and the viewer can watch them stress over their completely different lifestyle in the next two weeks of their lives. But, no one forced them on the show and ultimately they will be getting reimbursed with a paycheck. Reality TV shows are funny and sometimes a little stupid, but as long as the viewer knows this, it’s not genuinely rotting their brains away.

of damage to $1 trillion of public infrastructure and coastal real estate in the United States” as the resolution states. After asserting these facts, the call to action is to move the U.S. away from fossil fuels by 2050 “to sustainably meet the challenges of the 21st century.” The resolution plans to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gases “as much as technologically feasible” while “meeting one hundred percent of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources.” The second part of the resolution recognizes that moving away from fossil fuels also requires moving away from certain industries that employ many Americans. Thus, the second half of the Green New Deal recognizes that in this quick and dramatic decarbonization, many Americans will suffer. It aims to answer the question of

how we can transition to a more sustainable future in a way that doesn’t leave citizens completely helpless. This means prioritizing minorities and communities generally left behind in political scenarios and prioritiz-

drawbacks. Obviously, this requires a dramatic shift for many that could lead to unemployment and struggle during the U.S.’s transition to green alternatives. In understanding this resolution, there lies the question of what we

Protestors at the Climate Strike advocate for Green New Deal.

ing aid such as universal health care and free higher-education for all. Though the Green New Deal may be the best bet at addressing the climate crisis, there are still some

must prioritize: adequately addressing the climate crisis while risking the health of the economy or continuing with “businessas-usual” while risking the health of our planet?

On Our Block: Crumley’s Lunchbox Why you should give Crumley’s LunchBox a shot Scott Klinefelter & Julia Lucas | Contributing Writers

rumley’s LunchBox is one of the biggest mysteries of the Blake community. The familiar block letters and trademark red lunchbox intrigue passerby. However, obviously not enough, as none of us paid enough attention to realize its real name is actually Blake Deli. You’d think that a store with the same name as our school would be a lot more pertinent to our Blake community, but instead of exploring this unique and remarkable institution, most students speak

of it only in whispers. However, if you desire new experiences and crave the unexpected, Crumley’s is the ideal adventure for you. Upon entering Crumley’s, affectionately known to Crumley’s aficionados as “The Box,” you might encounter convenient single sleeves of Ritz crackers, “ten minutes powder hair color with herbs,” a 50 pound bag of yellow corn meal, and a ten gram bag of “pure glucose.” Despite this variety of unusual products, “The Box” has an excess of space, as many shelves aren’t stocked and most fridge space goes unused. Upon self reflection we realized that, as Blake students, we don’t necessarily appreciate the beauty of the overlooked. While the lack of shelves packed with the commercial norm of brightly

colored snacks and eye catching advertisements was initially off-putting, it slowly taught us that simplicity is liberating. Why require shelves upon shelves of different products when a few simple options can satisfy our needs far more than the overwhelming and repetitive excess of product typical of the commercial industry? Crumley’s offers what we really need: unique inventory, such as camel chunks, that expand our horizons and our palates. The virtues of trying new things are exemplified by Crumley’s clear passion for the unconventional. So we urge you, take advantage of this local gem and come visit “the Box,” and know that any empty fridge space is just more room for love.

Emma Martinez-Sutton

Crumley’s is located at 8400 Excelsior Blvd, Hopkins and is open between 11am-late afternoon.

OPINIONS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 11

What is the Best Piece of Advice You Have Ever Heard? “THIS TOO SHALL PASS” -GRACE JOHNSON ’22

Sharing various advice throughout the community Sara Richardson | Managing Editor

e hear advice from all over, but do we do anything with this? You’re probably not thinking “think before you

speak” every time you say something or “be yourself” as you’re making new friends. Sometimes, it is easier to give advice than to receive it. But, it’s important to be able to listen to the wise adult figures around you. It might just be helpful for the future. From talking with a variety of students, we asked for the best advice they heard and used.

“NOBODY IS BETTER THAN YOU AND YOU AREN’T BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE” -KENNEDY RUPERT ‘20

“SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE ONE STEP BACK TO TAKE “BE YOURSELF” TWO STEPS FORWARD” -ISHAN KHURANA ‘22 -ROBERT GRACE IV ’21 “THERE ARE STUPID PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, AND YOU CAN’T TRUST ANYBODY HERE” -AVA OXFORD ’21

Student Involvement Sparks SnowDaze Disappointment Lack of enthusiasm drives low turnout Sonia Baig | Contributing Writer

n Feb. 8, a record low turnout of Blake students poured into the Middle School gym to kick off the Snow Daze Dance. Whether stu-

dents attended because dances are a quintessential part of the high school experience or because they were hopeful that the DJ would finally get better, they experienced the unspirited music and low attendance that have become characteristic of Blake dances. Bella Suk ‘22 reflects, “I expected it to be terrible, but I was slightly hopeful going into it that it would be better

than last year. It was probably worse than last year because less people showed up.” Annabelle Swigert ‘22 adds, “I was excited because it’s fun to get dressed up and be with your friends… but [the music] is just not music you can get hyped to.” Despite Snow Daze’s similarities to previous dances, attending students were determined to make it a good time. Swigert

continues, “I had fun with my friends. It’s as fun as you make it. If everyone showed up and got excited about it, it would have been more fun.” To boost attendance and improve the dance experience, Timo Hemphill ‘20 has been working around the administration’s restrictions to improve music selection. Hemphill says, “It seems like the administration concurs

that there are certain things that cannot be included in the music at all. My opinion continues to be that if someone is offended by the music at the dance, they are going to be offended by the books we read in English. We can still embody our values even if the music doesn’t.” However, until the administration comes around, it’s up to the student body to make the

most of school dances. While the administration and students are working on improving the school dances, our community ultimately has the choice to make school dances a spirit-building experience. Swigert says, “You have to let the students know that if they want to have fun dances, it’s their responsibility to show up and do it.”

Modern Activism Falls Flat

Trying Hard Leads to Benefits

Social media changes activism in the modern generation

Exploring common stigmas associated with hard work

Meara Sullivan | Staff Writer

lack Lives Matter, Time’s Up, Never Again MSD, and the Me Too Movement all came to life on social media. Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms have contributed to the strength of movements and orginizations like thsese, many of which have translated to actual change as policy makers begin to listen to the young eager minds who initiated this revolution. But, the underlying principle seems to be that despite the strength of virtual activism, there is no doubt that physical protests are far more influential. Frankly, it seems ignorant to believe that the number of posts, tags, or shares on a screen, will ever be equivalent to seeing real people standing in front of you, asking, begging, protesting, for change. The greatest appeal to this virtual political activism, may be the anonymity. Unlike with physical protests, the views of marginalized groups, which otherwise may be punished, are shielded from behind a screen. But while this

is a strength, it is also a great downfall. Generally, activism videos are reactive and emotive, which, while moving and powerful, don’t allow users to learn about the underlying cause of an issue. Further, this new age of activism requires strategic

al faux pas,” usually distract people from the truly important issues. In order for the new age of political activism to flourish, it is crucial that steps beyond liking a post are taken to deepen the conversation about the truly important issue that initiated

“DESPITE THE STRENGTH OF VIRTUAL ACTIVISM, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT PHYSICAL PROTESTS ARE FAR MORE INFLUENTIAL” patience and is not suited for those who want immediate change. The new age of technology has brought immense amounts of division. Botfarm comments, for example, which spread misinformation, often interrupt this activism, furthering the common “cultural boycotts”, which ensue when an influential figure is canceled for committing, as put by The Atlantic, a “cultur-

the post. The success, or lack thereof, that has been generated from these online movements has created a surplus of activism on various social media platforms. However, the most effective way to create change may not be via social media, but rather, by standing in front of the capitol or by reaching out to local representatives.

Jack Prince | Managing Editor

tryhard is someone who does excessive work in order to be perfect or to be perceived as perfect. Even though tryharding has its benefits, there is a social stigma that comes along with the trait. This is flawed because someone should not be viewed negatively for caring too much about their work. I believe that the negative effects of the strong social stigma is outweighed by the benefits. One positive outcome

of being a tryhard is that you do your work more thoroughly. A tryhard will likely try to complete each task to the best of their ability so that they write down the correct thing every time. The key to being successful with this mindset is not thinking perfect because nobody can be perfect, but instead trying to understand something to the best of your ability. Having a better outcome is so important because not only will you receive a better grade, but with your focus and passion for the work, you will walk away with a better understanding of the material than other students. Even though I believe being somewhat of a tryhard

is helpful in school, I would be foolish to think that it doesn’t come along with its downsides. One of these is getting more wrapped up in the grade than the learning process. A tryhard may be inclined to prefect the wrong type of outcome. Yes, getting a good grade would be great, but walking away knowing the material and applying it is more important to me. However, a tryhard could easily miss trying to prefect this and instead just become gradeobsessed. If others just dropped the stigma surrounding it, maybe more people would be inclined to focus almost too passionately on one subject--in essence become a tryhard.

Aletta Bertok ‘23 hard at work at the sunwashed tables outside of the OECE office.

PERSPECTIVES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 12

Defining the achievement gap in Minnesota Caroline Hardy | Editor Emerita

imply put, the achievement gap is a difference in the academic success of students. This difference is most commonly viewed in the context of varying

socioeconomic statuses or nesota the distinction of ethnicities of students. The having one of the worst Minnesota Department of achievement gaps in the Education found in a sur- United States, according to vey from 2010 to 2013, the a 2019 study performed by graduation rate of all en- the Federal Reserve Bank rolled high school students of Minneapolis. increased by an average of This data only 5%. However, the gradua- applies to Minnesota pubtion rate of students who lic schools, excluding inidentified as white was dependent school such 85.27%, while this number as Blake. At these indewas 57.75% for students pendent schools, achievewho identified as black. ment gaps look different, This disparity earned Min- as there are many fewer students and often a de-

mographic of students that is non-congruent with the makeup of the rest of the state. Achievement gaps rise out of school and community influenced factors. While exact causes vary on a case-by-case basis, systemic and ingrained biases and racism leading to lower expectations for students of color heavily contribute to this gap, in addition to the inability of overwhelmed and overworked teachers to give adequate attention to each student. According to

the Minnesota Department of Education, resolving these gaps requires all students to improve over time, with those that are behind accelerating to catch up to those who are already performing well. While this gap may not be glaringly obvious at Blake, the existence of such a gap is still valid, especially as a prominent independent school in Minnesota, a state that continues to struggle with acknowledging and working to resolve these disparities in the success of its students statewide.

Definition: the disparity in academic performance between groups of students, typically racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups

Bernadette Whitely

Redistricting Helps, does not Solve the Root of the Gap Long history, complicated factors of gap make progress difficult Sage Marmet | Front Editor

ven though the achievement gap may seem like an issue far away, affecting far away people, one of the cities with the largest disparity between low and high performing students is our very own Minneapolis. This complex, multifaceted issue can be traced back to the post civil war era, where slavery became abolished, leading to many freed slaves migrating north. While it may have

seemed that racism only affected the South, that is actually inaccurateâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;it just took a slightly different form in the North. In Minneapolis, neighborhoods created racial covenants, which eventually provided loopholes around anti-segregation laws. These covenants would ban all except white citizens from inhabiting certain neighborhoods, leading to clustered, segregated areas all throughout Minneapolis. In addition to racial covenants, many banks refused to offer anyone other than white citizens mortgages on their houses. This fed into the racial divide in Minneapolis, as poorer people were lumped

together in neighborhoods, and eventually into poorer performing schools because of the lack of tax funding from the respective neighborhoods. This created a large divide between higher and lower performing schools that corresponds to the socioeconomic backgrounds of the taxpayers from each district. There is a wide variety of proposed solutions to this issue, many of which are being discussed throughout Minnesota Public School Districts. Schools have started looking into redistributing which neighborhoods will feed into which schools in order to desegregate the schools and even out their funding.

While I think that this is a good start to try and solve this issue, many people will be dissatisfied with switching from their preferred school to the newly-designated school. Another solution would be to try and integrate each neighborhood more, but this proves difficult as people do not always have the financial means to move or would like to move, in order to change around the school districts. Working at the source of the problem, the neighborhoods, may eventually solve the problem, but is made very difficult because of gentrification. If the neighborhoods that feed into lower-performing schools are gentrified,

many of the families will be unable to afford their homes, leading to the problem being moved elsewhere, or the students having lower performance from stress in their home life. This is another facet of the issue, as children with unstable homes will often perform lower academically. The achievement gap is a very serious issue in Minneapolis, as it affects the whole population and the future leaders of the city. Children are not given equal opportunities at different schools, due

to the lack of funding, segregation, bad home situations, and school placement, leading to a growth in the disparity between childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s academic performances. There is not one good solution for an issue of this volume, which proves it very hard to try and mitigate. Without the openness to change from all families and people, this problem will be nearimpossible to solve, but with cooperation and new, innovative ideas, I believe that this problem can be solved and an equal, free education can be possible for all students in Minneapolis.

PERSPECTIVES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 13

Private Schools Have Less Obvious Gaps, Greater Ability to Address Students reflect on the division they feel Anna Johns | Staff Writer

onsidering Minnesota’s notoriously large academic achievement gap, how might that manifest itself in a private school like Blake? Many students in affinity groups at Blake asserted that such a gap exists, but perhaps not in a manner that mirrors Minnesota as a whole. When asked about a potential achievement gap at Blake, Yolanda Pauly ‘21—member of SHADES

and Latinos Unidos affinity groups—asserted, “I think it’s present everywhere honestly.” Pauly followed this by adding that while she personally doesn’t see the achievement gap at Blake, she thinks that it definitely has a presence. But while Pauly, a highcroft alum, mainly focused on the internal factors on the Blake educational experience, Hannah Saeed ‘21, a Blake student since 9th grade, mentioned how external factors, such as a student’s educational experience before they come to Blake play into their Blake academic experience. Saeed states,

“People who come from ulum and the teachers and consensus that in scenarios schools outside of Blake the funding of the schools where any such achievement gap manifests itself, might have an achievement Blake actively seeks to close it. Pauly spoke towards Blake’s role in her academic career as it relates to her identity as a minority, stating, “I definitely feel like, in terms of being supported, as someone of a minority, I feel like there are definitely many people who have reached out just to make sure that there isn’t as much of an - HANNAH SAEED ‘21 achievement gap, that there is less of one.” gap that you know already they went to before they Drawing on her expericomes with the package got to Blake.” ence as a new Blake stubefore they even get here Furthermore, both Pau- dent freshman year, Saeed like considering the curric- ly and Saeed arrived on a felt Blake’s active involve-

“ I JUST REALLY THINK ALL THE DEANS TRY THEIR BEST TO MAKE THAT GAP SMALLER IN ANY WAY THEY CAN”

ment in the issue from early on. Saeed stated, “I just really think all the deans try their best to make that gap smaller in any way they can, especially if you come here in high school.” Pauly and Saeed also brought up other instances in which Blake acts as a platform for discourse on diversity, whether it be in the texts we discuss in class or displays in the art gallery such as Louise Ba ‘20’s recent showing. As Pauly stated, “I think that Blake is consistently and actively reaching for a small achievement gap, almost a zero achievement gap.”

Teachers Fight Legacy of Systems that Favor Certain Cultures, Learning Styles History of schooling system is very unicultured Will Rosenblum | Opinions Editor

lthough the achievement gap mainly surrounds students, one important facet is the aspect of the teaching influence. Traditionally, the use of such strategies like straight rowed desks and bells aimed to produce factory workers during the 19th century. Despite the recent emphasis on critical thinking, Beth Calderone, Social Studies Department Chair, argues “those structures

haven’t really changed, we still have schooling you compulsory do from eight to three and you show up a, it feels [like a] factory.” Furthermore, Blake’s emphasis on college preparation creates a narrow definition of success that relies on ranking individually. Calderone continues, “The SAT was not to see how smart or how well you achieved, it was to rank people… [the letter grade] system creates an environment that sets up a culture that values individual achievement over everyone else’s collective.” This ranking that sets up a system that values the individual over the col-

lective could allow some cultures to thrive and others to struggle. Calderone says, “There are a lot of communities, where that success is not as highly valued.” When reflecting on a Blake-specific level, Anil Chandiramani, English teacher, pinpoints “students that come in with three or four learning differences... I don’t have the training to sometimes work with those kids.” As numbers have risen for students diagnosed with learning disabilities to nearly 33% in the current Freshman class, this specific issue has increased in urgency. He proposes,

Number of Students of Color per Blake Campus Lower School Highcroft Campus

“I think [solving the issue] would require more learning specialists... and more content support.” Culturally speaking, Chandiramani says “[faculty] will get a special note about Jewish holidays… or Muslim holidays, but I have never gotten such an email for a Hindu holiday… In fact we had conferences one year on Diwali which is the most sacred Hindu day.” Moreover, often students suffer due to having to study during a religious holiday. Chandiramani proposes “more guidelines around holidays and work” to end hard deadlines for Beth Calderone stands at the whiteboard, teaching a assignments or tests. Microeconomics class to juniors and seniors.

In the 2019-2020 school year,

35% of students Identify as STUDEnts of color.

Lower School Blake Campus

23% of students recieve

Middle School

need-based financial aid.

Upper School

Left to right: information from the student application for admission and the optional, annual family update forms collected by Information Suport Services; information from the Office of Admissions.

Redrawing Public School District Lines Creates Equality of Education New districts help desegregate Nora Fox | Arts & Culture Editor

well educated public is essential to the success and prosperity of our communities at home and abroad. However, due to the achievement gap, many students aren’t receiving the proper quality of education to make this goal a reality, and consequently, are falling behind in school. This inequality in students’ education could be detrimental to our country’s future if it isn’t addressed. According to a report

from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Minnesota’s achievement gap is one of the worst in the country. Although there have been some efforts by Alan Page and others to make constitutional reforms, the issue is far from solved. More direct action is needed from school boards/districts and the local government to get to the heart of it. The achievement gap affects students of color, but it is a socioeconomic problem as well. In impoverished areas, students aren’t getting the same quality of education as

those in wealthier areas. In to the center of the city, general, wealthier neighbor- reconfiguring grade levels, hoods are less diverse, and redrawing school atso the sociotendance lines. I n

economic and racial inequalities are somewhat connected. In order to address these inequalities, Minneapolis Public Schools is proposing to relocate its schools

doing so, Minneapolis Public Schools hope to offer equal access, decrease the number of high poverty schools, and reduce the number of racially segre-

gated schools. MPS hopes that through integration, the achievement gap will become smaller. Another possible solution is mixing kids up among different school districts through forced busing or another similar method. However, this proposed solution is risky as forced busing has sparked opposition in the past. I think that redrawing school district lines would be most beneficial and instigate the least opposition. In Minneapolis, neighborhoods are both racially and economically segregated, causing school districts to be

segregated as well. According to The Atlantic, the number of Minneapolis schools where fewer than one in ten students is white has increased sevenfold since 2000 and the number of high-poverty neighborhoods has tripled since that time. By mixing high and low poverty neighborhoods among school districts, high-poverty students’ would have a better chance of reaching their full potential. All people should have the opportunity to reach their full learning potential no matter their race or ZIP code. Minneapolis Public Schools proposed solutions, seem to be the most effective in achieving this goal.

GAMES & ADS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 14

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD Richie Pihlstrom & Joe Gustaferro | Contributing Writers

Across: 1. Red dune crumbled and survived (7) 5. Tied up with backward decal (5) 8. Drifted and drove recklessly (5) 9. Dorothy, off screen, wore a floral wreath (7) 10. Confused caterer is on the patio (7) 11. In a taxicab overhead (5) 12. Add Charlemange’s crown to offer for treasure chest (6) 14. Lose among 400 Romans or get shut down (6) 18. Botticelli’s subject born to play tennis (5) 20. Average cut produced carrot cousin (7) 22. Student of titleless Shakespeare play with near loss of the third character (7) 23. Be very proficient with Microsoft Program (5) 24. Het met disorder during blackout, for example (5) 25. The Spanish trade was modified (7)

Difficulty Level: Advanced

Down: 1. Irregular car tire (7) 2. Sounds like Ada Cross’s letters match those from Delaware City (5) 3. Ruby with recording is bureaucratic (3,4) 4. Blade makes A&M-er lose an eye in the outskirts of Denver (6) 5. Grub eaten by stellar valedictorian (5) 6. Can Rosy mess up her drawers? (7) 7. Avoid initial Department of Defense general’s edicts (5) 13. Trumpet blow to fuel ticket price (7) 15. Three leaders of Germany are in last despite size of economy in comparison to the rest of Europe (7) 16. Spotted apple in Dunkin’ Donuts (7) 17. Art in spa of Greek city (6) 18. Veterans Affairs heads allowed restaurant service (5) 19. Detect scents, I hear (5) 21. French soccer club with right forward is more pleasant (5)

Visit www.blakespectrum.org for crossword answers, all other articles

SPORTS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 15

Ultimate Flexibility for Students Why Won’t Fans Show Up? Fans lackluster attendance questions school spirit

Flexibility of ultimate frisbee atrracts players

Ben Lim | Contributing Writer

Zach Slavitt | Editor Emeritus

ltimate Frisbee, one of Blake’s fastest growing sports teams, is preparing for another season. They look to build off of last year’s successful run. The Frisbee team graduated several seniors last year so several players must take a step this season for them to have the same success. Captain David Bix ‘20 encourages students of all levels to sign up for the team. Bix says, “Ultimate Frisbee has the most freedom of any sport here at Blake and with relatively low commitment, I hope to see a great turnout this year.” Bix estimates about 25 boys players and about 12 girls players. The girls and boys have separate teams. The season begins in the spring and will have three practices every week with games on Thursdays and tournaments on sev-

Submitted by: David Bix

The Ultimate Frisbee Team gathers for a team huddle before last year’s state tournament matchup with the defending state champs, the Hopkins Royals.

eral weekends. Frisbee has much more flexibility in commitment than any of the other spring sports making it worth trying regardless of skill level. Brett Witzke ‘20 is contemplating joining the team, saying, “Great moments are born from great opportunities and that’s what ultimate frisbee gives us day in and day out. I’ve spent count-

less hours in the pitch with some of my great friends and there’s nothing I would not trade for one more toss of the disc with my teammates.” Witzke currently plays for the lacrosse team but is adamant about giving frisbee a chance, and with the flexibility it offers, he might just be able to do it.

ne of the biggest parts of sports, besides the actual sport, is the fans. Most sports would not be relevant today if it weren’t for the fans. Sports not only give fans an outlet to connect with other fans, but they are also a great opportunity for people to take a break from their everyday life. But with sports and fans, come the super fans. The MerriamWebster dictionary defines super fans as being: an extremely enthusiastic or dedicated fan. With that

Betsy Fries

Fan section cheers as the Boys Hockey Team beats Edina 5-1 to advance to the Section Finals.

Boys’ Hockey Finds Success With 2A Boys’ hockey looks to make a historic run at state Catherine Barry | Food Features Editor

he Boys’ Hockey team has had a very successful season thus far with their new Head Coach Rob McClanahan. McClanahan was on the U.S. Olympic team in 1980 and a part of the team that beat the Soviet Union who had held the gold metal for many years prior. He is a well-known hockey player and now uses his skills and love of the game to coach the

Boys’ Varsity team this year. McClanahan originally stepped into the coaching position as an interim coach this year, while the Athletic Directors were going to take the season to find a replacement, but it was recently announced that Mcclanahan will be coming back next season and staying on as the head coach. Despite having a brand new head coach this year, Thomas Nelson ‘21 says, “I think our team has definitely gotten closer, we only lost two seniors last year so pretty much everyone else was together last year, and Coach [Mcclanahan] does a very good job of encouraging teamwork

and team building activities.” Many on the team hope that this close knit group of guys and past success this season will help them do well in sections as they faced tough competitors such as Edina and Benilde Saint Margrets. The team’s recent win over Edina will go down in the Boys Hockey history as it was the first time that the boys had beaten them in years. Nelson says, “beating Edina was amazing, they ended our season last year and they are always an incredibly hard team to beat, in playoffs especially.” Ryan Ressemann ‘21 adds that “beating Edina means ev-

Besty Fries

The Boys’ Hockey Team celebrates their 4-3 overtime victory against the BSM Red Knights in the Section Championship. The team advanced to their first ever state tournament in AA.

in mind, does Blake athletics have super fans? Senior Cheryl Minde ‘20, when asked what the usual attendance rate was to girls basketball games, responds, “Unfortunately girls basketball tends to be overlooked, so we don’t a lot of beyond parent turn out. We get maybe, max, ten students.” While this is a very low number, only about .02% of the student body, that was one of the higher student counts. Girls hockey player Kylie Gage ‘21 expresses, “For girls hockey this year, compared to past years, its definitely gone down. Where there are at least three students [this year] in the stands sometimes none.”

erything to us.” The team’s success over Edina partly stemmed from high expectations for the team that McClanahan has instilled as a part of the team culture as head coach this year. Nelson says, “there is definitely an encouraging environment and we all want to see each other succeed. Everyone is currently very focused on our common goals and how to achieve them together.” Ressemann says, “we are all taking it one game at a time.” Many on the team believe that the transition to a new head coach this year proved to be more or less a seamless process and appreciate the fact McClanahan has been a Blake parent, so he understands what it means to be a student athlete at Blake. Ressemann adds, “Coach Mac pushes us every day to get better and it has helped us this year.” The team’s energetic nature and supportiveness along with a brand new and dedicated coach has allowed for the team to have a very successful season so far. Ressemann adds, “We are always pushing each other to get better in practice and in games and I think it has shown. When it comes down to it, we are always there for each other.”

Boys hockey player, Jake Svenddal ‘22 comments on a similar problem, “it’s usually a lot of the girls team” making up the crowd. Getting students to come to games seems to be a universal problem for winter sports. But for boys basketball getting fans to come isn’t as much of a problem. Basketball player Theo Liu ‘21 said, “anywhere from 0 to 50-ish.” Compared to the other sports this is a huge leap. But looking at it statistically that is from 0% to 10% of the student body coming out to cheer on their team. Also, that is a big range and doesn’t mean that 50 students are going to every game. Sufficient to say Blake sports are struggling to keep consistent numbers of fans to be worrying about having super fans. That being said Blake sports have fans outside of the student body. Eric Nystrom says, “I am actually a fan of all the sports. I enjoy checking out how people are doing. I like to highlight sports that don’t get noticed.”

Jasper’s Mystery Athlete Mystery athlete looks to continue team’s success into postseason Jasper Liu | Contributing Writer

his month’s mystery athlete is a member of the Blake Girls’ Basketball team. As a starter, she has helped lead the team to a 16 and 9 record, as well as second place in the IMAC Conference. She said, “This year has been more fun because it feels more inclusive because our team is super small and we all are together all the time, so there is more teamwork and everyone generally cares about each other.” According to MN Girls Basketball Hub, the mystery athlete is averaging 3.2 points a game while adding 4.1 rebounds per game

This athlete has helped BGB reach a 4 seed in sections, their highest in years.

as of Feb. 19. Her impact, however, goes far beyond what is in the box score, she says “For me, it’s not necessarily about having those big stats, but giving support to the other players and making the game more fun for the girls around me. I understand my role on the team and I have fun filling my role to help the team win.” The mystery athlete’s teammate Cate Moe ‘21 says, “She always brings such a fun and positive energy to games and practices that lightens up the mood of the whole team.” Clearly, this mystery athlete provides far more for the team than what is shown on the court, but she can’t do it without her favorite pre-game meal of Chipotle and Jamba Juice.

SPORTS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | MARCH 6, 2020 | 16

Alpine Skiers Use Time Off the Slopes to Aid Performance Skiers use bus rides, long hours to create a close team community Anna Johns | Staff Writer

fter winning conferences and placing at the Buck Invite, the Alpine Ski team finished their team’s season at sections while Ava Pihlstrom ‘22 and Will Rekas ‘21 advanced to state. However, while Alpine’s

success is shown in its impressive rankings, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes. While its long practices might seem to take away from the fun of the sport, captain John Erlandson ‘21 says, “you really get to know the team a lot better, you know the long bus rides every day, it’s not like everybody driving in their cars or whatever to just go practice and run drills. And you know you have lines waiting to get on the

course and chairlifts so you get to talk to friends there… everyone’s sort of in that struggle together of like not getting home until really late.” Payton Crosby ‘21 shared Erlandson’s outlook on the perks of the sport: “Skiing is like— technically the teams are split by boys and girls— but you practice and you race together basically all the time so you’re always a co-ed team which is really fun because you’re not segregated by gender.”

Vivien Pihlstrom

Left to right: Payton Crosby ‘21, Chaucer Countryman ‘21, and Ava Pihlstrom ‘22 jump for joy at their sections race.

Athlete Spotlight: Bearstangs Swimmer Lucio Bollettieri Sophmore swimmer sees improvements in times, sets ambitious goals Nya Manneh | Staff Writer ucio Bollettieri ‘22 has been a member of the Breck-Blake boys’ swim team, the Bearstangs, since seventh grade. After going through a few club teams, he’s now part of the Hurricane swim team in Hopkins and swims for the Bearstangs during the high school season. Despite the notion that swimming may feel isolating at times, Bollettieri shares, “I really like the team. Swimming isn’t always seen as a team sport, it’s a lot of individual events, but on both of the teams that I’m on,

just the group and the friends on the team are really important to me. And also just within the sport itself, there’s a lot of visual progress, you can very easily see if you’re improving ‘cause you’re just losing time. So you can see that you’re improving, and I think that helps get me motivated.” To keep himself motivated, Bollettieri set goals for himself to reach during his swimming career. Currently, he aims to make a nationals relay for the nationals meet in Orlando in the upcoming spring. He has qualified for a meet in Wisconsin as well, so he hopes to perform well there and win the nationals cup. When asked about struggles he’s had to overcome to reach his goal, he says time management has been his biggest issue: “I like to think that

Andrew Chang

Lucio Bollettieri ‘22 is a distance swimmer, mainly swimming the 200 free, 500 free, 1000 free, and the mile. He placed fourth at state for the 500 free.

I have good time management, and so I find time to do all of my homework and get all of my assignments done and swim, but it definitely takes a lot of sense of balance to figure out when, like if I have an essay due in two days, when I have to skip practice just because there’s too much.” Looking back on this season as well as past ones, Bollettieri says, “This season has been slow but steady progress, I’d say. In the past, I’ve seen a lot more, just, quick jumps and faster times, but I’ve been slowly dropping time in my key events, and that’s nice to see, but I’m starting to get to the point where I have to look for very small things to change to drop time. I think this season I’ve been the most focused and engaged. This season,

I think is when I’ve been most into swimming, and most actually focusing on the sport, rather than just doing it for physical exercise or just for fun. I’ve been very focused on getting these times this season.” He also says that one of his biggest accomplishments has been making the cut for the sectionals team in the spring and being able to go to his first big meet where he can see how far he can go for the future. The question remains as to whether he will continue his swimming career after high school. Bollettieri shares that he will “probably not make a profession out of swimming, but I have thought about swimming in college, I can see myself doing that, but I have not put a ton of effort into thinking about it.”

Athletes Prepare for Spring Girls’ Hockey Season Ends Post-season cut short in section semi-final loss

Captains and athletes share how they prepare for spring sports

Betsy Fries | Photo Editor

Kate Rekas | Staff Writer

reseason training and captains’ practices allow students to learn a sport, improve skills, and interact with younger and older students. Payton Crosby ‘21, a captain of the Girls’ Lacrosse team states that captains practices are important because “everybody gets to meet each other [and the team can] “get [their] skills a little less rusty before the season starts.” No matter what the sport, staying in shape also seems to be a key factor for a successful season. Conditioning is an important part of several captains’ practices; many teams do conditioning like sprints, and stamina building excercises.

Catherine Barry

Jackie Weyerhaeuser ‘21 celebrates during a Sunday morning lacrosse captains’ practice in the gym at the Hopkins campus. The team has been hosting these practices since January.

One of the captains of the track team, Shef West ‘22 shares that he runs by himself “Six days a week” in order to stay in shape. He also says that “[captains’ practices are] important to have some fun with the team before we get more serious.” The Softball team is having a new experience during this preseason. Amanda Ward ‘21, a member of the team shares “We

kind of had to reform our whole program because a bunch of our coaches quit and we got a brand new coach.” The team is looking forward to continue building on their growth. Amanda says, “I think we definitely grew as a team last year but I hope that we continue on [with our] progress.” It seems like many teams are eager to begin their seasons and begin training hard.

n Feb. 12, the Girls’ Hockey team lost against the Wayzata Girls’ team. Blake was initially seeded second in the section, based off of their in season game outcomes. Suzy Higuchi ‘23, claims that “[the team] was supposed to win.” With a difficult first period, a comeback in the second, and finally letting in two goals, it was a tough defeat for the team; the section semi-final game ended a season full of ups and downs, with a 4-2 loss. Georgia Pettygrove ‘21 shares her feelings: “Going into sections, I know every one of my teammates [and I were] ready to give it our all so we could go to State. The seniors set a really good example of hard work and dedication not only in

this game but throughout the entire season.” Adding more insight, Higuchi says, “I feel like some of us didn’t come to play and I feel like we were definitely hoping and focusing on the Edina championship game more. We were focusing

As the season has come to a close, the head coach, Shawn Reid, stepped down to fill the role of Associate Director of the Athletic Department. Pettygrove is “grateful for all he has given to Blake Girls’ Hockey. He built one of the strongest

“SOME OF US DIDN’T COME TO PLAY AND I FEEL LIKE WE WERE DEFINITELY HOPING AND FOCUSING ON THE EDINA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME” -SUZY HIGUCHI ‘23 on ‘if we beat Edina,’ then we would go to State [the tournament]. We weren’t really focusing on [the Wayzata game].” Many players were disappointed, but are hopeful for better outcomes and more success in the future.

girls’ hockey programs in the state and [she’s] proud to be a part of it.” While Pettygrove is sad to lose the team’s head coach, she is glad that he will still be close by and present in BGH in the future in a different way.