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Benilde-St. Margaret’s - St. Louis Park, MN - bsmknighterrant.org
FALL 2020
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1
Hello there! Whew! Here we go. The first KEQ produced entirely during the era of COVID-19. With our staff cut in half between the two quarters of the semester, Knight Errant writers, editors, and advisors had to work extra hard on this edition. While each issue of the KEQ typically follows a singular theme, such as fashion, numbers, or age, this magazine instead serves as a “replacement” for the monthly print editions that we unfortunately were not able to publish this quarter. The stories featured in this edition were written at various times throughout the quarter and cover a variety of topics important to the BSM community. If you’re wondering how COVID has adjusted BSM’s class structure, check out Page 4. On Page 8, a teacher calls for sustainability efforts within the community. Page 10 highlights the student of color experience at BSM, and Page 14 features… an egg debate? I hope this magazine is able to properly summarize the important subjects at BSM for the past few months. Thank you to all of our writers and editors for contributing to the Knight Errant as we figure out how to navigate through COVID roadblocks. Big thanks to Jackie Bucaro for writing an impressive piece on the important topic of racial equity, despite not actually being enrolled in the Knight Errant course this quarter. Finally, huge shoutouts to both Ms. Kari Koshiol and Emily Barron for being Knight Errant’s sole advisor and graphic designer respectively this quarter. We couldn’t have pulled together this magazine if it weren’t for your leadership and artistic talents. Thank you, and enjoy! Connor Rahill, Knight Errant Editor-in-Chief 2 KEQPG2-3.indd 2
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find out what’s new!
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COVID-RELATED CHANGES AFFECT THE STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT BSM.
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s the 1,183 BSM students return to the halls, there is no doubt that the learning and in school experience will be different for all. BSM’s cohort-based and hybrid educational design model have enabled the student body to return in some capacity, but while most students are excited to be back, changes have clearly been made. Raising the question: “Is it working?” One significant change is the switch from eight periods per day to four and the split of the schedule into quarters. This shifting of the course workload raises some concerns, such as class balancing. Some students have struggled with the adjustment as their classes have not been distributed equally between the two quarters. Students who have all of their “hard” classes in the first quarter are concerned about implications for college. “Honestly, it feels unfair that some people have an easier time applying to colleges because of their schedules,” senior Adam Foe said. Yet, the new freedom of only four classes has been liberating for some. “It’s nice to only focus on four [classes] at a time,” junior Justin Dalum said. COVID-19 has affected many students and teachers' ways of teaching and learning. For example, going outside allows students to take a break from masks and get some fresh air has become popular. “I like that Ms. Bevington is giving us breaks; we go outside for them,” freshman Kiya Gilliand said. The new schedule and procedures have also shaken up traditional BSM schedule privileges and consistencies. For example, many “senior privileges,” such as parking in the senior lot as well as coming and leaving early/late, have been given to all. However, administration has remedied this by giving seniors with fifth or third hour free the ability to leave during the day. “I love having fifth hour free; it's so nice to be able to leave and get some free time,'' senior Jonny Schiefert said. Another shake up that has occurred as a result of the cohort system––the shifting of friend groups. As students adjust to seeing half the people they normally would, friend circles are changed. “It’s definitely
an adjustment not being able to see everyone,” sophomore Annie Juckiness said. However, some appreciate the change of pace. “Seeing less of your friends can cause you to branch out, which I really like,” senior Charlie Juckiness said. While the upperclassmen are either hybrid or all virtual, the majority of freshmen are in school full time. “I like seeing my friends and being at school,” freshman Olivia Olson said. Though they are at school full time, there are still changes for the ninth graders. For example, classrooms can’t hold a full
Sometimes working in the hallway can come with many distractions. For example, during 5th hour, other students will be walking in the hallways going to lunch. “I guess during 5th period [it is distracting,]” freshman Lara Depauw said. If the freshmen who are in school everyday had to choose to be hybrid or all online, they say they would prefer hybrid because going into school allows students to feel less isolated and gives them the ability to socialize. “[With hybrid,] I can get to know more people,” freshman
“HONESTLY, IT FEELS UNFAIR THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE AN EASIER TIME APPLYING TO COLLEGES BECAUSE OF THEIR SCHEDULES.” - ADAM FOE classs of students, which means some students have to go to overflow virtual learning spaces at school. “For science, I go to the theater, and I like that, but for health, I go in the hallway, and I don’t like that,” freshman Lauren Hillins said.
Grace Horejsi said. While most students wish they could have normal school back. No one is denying the fact that they love being in school. “I’m just glad we’re back in any capacity,” senior Finn Murphy said.
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New boys' varsity basketball coach Damian Johnson comes to the court with expectations and plans.
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he BSM basketball community is getting a new addition this year. Damian Johnson is the newly hired boys’ basketball coach replacing coach Hans Hoeg. The change comes a season after a less-than-glamorous record of 5-21. While the team has not been the best in recent years, Johnson is not phased by it. “[We] need to set standards and build a culture. We are gonna work hard while holding ourselves to high expectations,” Johnson said. For players, the expectations reach outside of practices because of the need to improve. With the last couple of seasons being rough, Johnson wants the mindset of these players to change. “We need a culture where kids just want to be in the gym no matter what time it is, and we are coming off a bad year, so we need to work to catch up with everyone else,” Johnson said. The changes to the season due to COVID-19 could be what helps the team catch up, but they have also caused some mixed feelings for Johnson and his team. These outside forces will help them with developing the mindset they need to focus on things other than basketball. A downside though is that the changes will affect the energy at games due to a lack of fans. “I like the idea of less games which gives us more practice time and gives the guys more time for more things like school work. I am not the biggest fan of having no fans in the stands because you can use your fans to get energy, but I also do understand we
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are going through a pandemic and need to decrease the spread,” Johnson said. While the schedule has not come out yet and the opponents will be limited to conference teams, Johnson is ready to see the Red Knights play and show their improvement. While only being at BSM since June, he thinks there is going to be a lot of improvement within the team. “I am excited to see the growth of everyone, and since my start here in June what the guys have done is impressive,” Johnson said. He is also excited to see leadership from newly appointed senior captain Charlie Hansen. “He is a real hard worker and a really good kid,” Johnson said. Before coming to BSM, Johnson has had a lengthy basketball career playing and coaching. First attending the University of Minnesota on a basketball scholarship, then getting to play professionally in the United States and abroad. After his professional career playing basketball (2005-2014), he then went on to coach. “My first coaching position was a varsity assistant at Eden Prairie (2014-2016) and then had my first head coaching position at North Saint Paul High school (2017-2020),” Johnson said. While he’s a coach now, Johnson first tried a corporate job at Cargill. “I was inside the Cargill headquarters for a while and got a chance to see the other side of it, but coaching is just something I am a lot more passionate about. It’s something I really want to do,” Johnson said. Eventually wanting to coach college or professional basketball, Johnson wanted to start at the high school level. ”I want to
start here while my kids are still young and learn how to be a better coach before I take a swing at college or pro basketball,” Johnson said. In addition to being a basketball coach, Johnson wants to further his education in the business world. “[After attending the University of Minnesota,] I started at Walden University working on my Masters in Business Administration, but it had to be put on hold while my wife and I had kids,” Johnson said. This summer, Johnson also started working at BSM as an admissions counselor where he will help prospective students become Red Knights.
Writer: Ethan Tureson Photographer: Sam Best Designer: Andrew Lyons
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Writer Megan Cornell Designer Emily Barron Photo BY NICK FEWINGS On Unsplash
A call for
sustainability BSM’s new Sustainability Club calls students to do their part to save the planet.
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s the climate deteriorates, the call for sustainability is being sounded louder than ever. Increased frequency and longevity of natural disasters, uptick in disease, unpredictable weather patterns, depletion of water sources, and a surge in hunger are all imminent effects of climate change. To combat these deadly effects, BSM students are called to take a look at their lifestyle and begin implementing small sustainable changes. BSM choir teacher Ryan Werdon researched the horrific effects of climate change and initiated a sustainability movement at BSM this year. By educating students on the dire climate situation, Werdon hopes to inspire them to focus on the benefits of sustainable living. His goal is helping students discover simple changes they can make to their lifestyle that have a tremendous impact on the environment. “I think it encompasses the mission of the school… to look at all the impacts that our school has in every way. I wanted to be a spark to have progress toward initiatives both student led and staff/teacher led,” Werdon said. In order to fully be sustainable, everyone in the school community needs to be on board, including students. Werdon’s newly formed Sustainability Club helps students take action for themselves; he hopes that his project will eventually be transformed into a student-run program. Kira Berglund, a Hennepin County worker who focuses on recycling in schools, says the most successful sustainability programs involve student-run education. “Education is really important, especially when students can train other students….any education that other students
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would respond to is awesome,” Berglund said. Sustainability covers a vast array of environmental practices; with this project Werdon is honing in on improving BSM’s waste stream. He hopes to show students the impact their waste has on other people’s lives. As soon as a piece of waste is thrown in the garbage, the burden of the waste is placed on someone else’s shoulders. Landfills and incineration centers have to deal with how to dispose of the waste, and sorting facilities have to decide which pieces of waste to take and which to leave behind. Werdon emphasized the importance of education to avoid contamination in BSM’s recycling and compost sorting bins. “There are a lot of issues with the waste stream in general, not just specific to our school, with general lack of knowledge,” Werdon said. Wish-cycling is the practice of throwing a piece of trash in the recycling without knowing its recyclability. When a piece of trash contaminates the recycling bin, other recyclable items are polluted and end up in the landfill. To avoid further wish-cycling at BSM, Werdon played a video made by the Sustainability club about sorting waste into trash, recycling, and compost in homerooms. “Think before you toss. Take ten seconds a day to properly sort your waste, and do your part to help BSM in stewardship, sustainability, and responsibility,” the video said. To combat wish-cycling, Saint Louis Park waste specialist Emily Barker distributes pamphlets educating students and teachers about the importance of disposing of waste correctly. Barker recommends that BSM institutes a similar plan. A key part to educating students on wish-cycling is continuity; the project has to outlive a graduating class of seniors so incoming students can stay engaged and interested in recycling and composting. “Having that student buy-in is really important,” Barker said. Saint Louis Park schools also utilize technology and social media to spread awareness about wish-cycling. Posting a few key reminders on social media is an easy way for thousands of students, parents, staff, and alumni to put sustainability at the forefront of their mind. “We put stuff on social media for different messages; we have e-newsletters,” Barker said. Recycling is a key component to operating a sustainable school. Recycling has countless benefits for the environment; recycling paper alone can save trees and water, two valuable natural resources. It is estimated that 1 billion trees worth of paper is thrown away each year. Along with providing homes to creatures, purifying the air, and providing drinking water, trees also take in carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that heats the atmosphere. When greenhouse gasses are released, they trap heat in the atmosphere. Trees are helpful because they trap this harmful gas and stop it from heating the environment. Other recyclable items like paper, cans, certain plastics, cups, and other items can be made into new products. “It really comes down to using resources and making sure we are able to use things again… we are saving a lot of energy and water, it takes much less water to make paper from recyclables than from trees,” Berglund said. Composting is another vital element to eliminating waste. The food in the landfill is compressed until flat; this process releases a powerful greenhouse gas called methane into the atmosphere. When released, methane absorbs the sun’s heat and warms the atmosphere. However, when food is composted instead of thrown away, the food releases carbon dioxide back into the soil, creating fertilizer for budding plants and a remarkable habitat for worms. At BSM, Taher uses compostable tupperware and napkins, and all food is compostable. “All our containers [are compostable],” Lynn Lynch, cafeteria manager, said. Throwing food in the trash when it could be composted harms the earth when it could be helped. “If we are sending our food waste to a landfill, it’s creating methane, which traps heat even better than carbon dioxide. This connects to a larger issue, recycling and composting can also help us meet our goals on combating climate change,” Berglund said. Sustainability does not always have to be a chore. To spark interest in sustainability, Berglund suggests BSM try out competitions. Grade by grade level competitions of “who has the least amount of waste” or “who can recycle the most accurately” spark a competitive side that pushes students to go sustainable. Barker recommends that BSM implement “Wasteless Wednesdays” or other themed days that encourage students and staff to cut down waste. Even just going sustainable one day a week cuts down on the school’s waste-production. “If [BSM] were to switch to reusable lunches one day a week, that would help cut down by 20 percent,” Barker said.
Think before you toss. Take
10
seconds a day to
properly
sort your waste, and do your part to
help
BSM
READ MORE ABOUT BSM SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS ONLINE @ BSMKNIGHTERRANT.org
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WRITER J A C K I E B U C A R O PHOTOGRAPHER C O N N O R R A H I L L DESIGNER E M I LY B A R R O N
TO START:
THREE SENIORS REFLECT ON THEIR EXPERIENCES AS STUDENTS OF COLOR AT BSM.
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enilde-St. Margaret’s students of color have spoken about their difficult experiences at BSM in years past, with published accounts of their struggles at a majority-white school appearing in 2012, 2015, and 2020. This year, as BSM makes strides towards true racial equity within our school with its updated DEI plan, three seniors reflect on their experiences as students of color at BSM. At BSM, racism or racial insensitivity doesn’t generally appear as bold-faced racial slurs and race-based bullying; it is more often found in racially insensitive jokes. Comments considered borderline are often brushed off as jokes rather than genuine sentiments. “[Students] know when to be sly and sneaky and put those comments in, where the teacher won’t hear… Their timing is just perfect… the names, and stuff like that. And people saying things and calling it a joke, or saying it’s not a big deal,” senior Xela Gunvalson said. These insensitive comments may come from a place of racism, but often, students find that they
come from a place of apathy. Some white students do not feel they have any obligation to understand the experiences of their person of color (POC) peers. “There are [some] students who don’t care, and they make it known that they don’t care and think the whole idea of discussing diversity is stupid. I heard students during our Black History Month speeches last year whining to their classmates… that dismissal of the POC experience, I’ve heard that a lot,” senior Sophie Coleman said. Of course, not every white student at BSM is apathetic to understanding the student of color experience. Many demonstrate their support by involving themselves in groups designed to discuss societal issues, often touching on racial problems in the nation and beyond. “A group of younger students has started the Red Knights for Human Rights club, which is awesome, [and] that also encompasses other disenfranchised and oppressed groups, like the LGBTQ+ community,” Coleman said. BSM’s Affinity Group, which is entering its sixth year, has traditionally been a place for BSM’s students of color to spend
time with other POC students around BSM. The club has been a place for self-expression, mentorship, and development for its members. “[Affinity Group] was… one of the few places at Benilde that I felt like I belonged. It helped me in my true development. The teachers in Affinity helped me get back on track when I was falling behind. They gave me many opportunities to develop as a person but also to help me with my own identity,” senior Johan Dominguez-Lopez said. This year, Affinity Group is shifting its focus from purely a student of color group to become a group dedicated to community-wide dialogue about racial issues at BSM. “Based on student feedback… there’s a desire to bring the conversation to the larger community. We’re hoping that one Tuesday a month will be a community-wide conversation… [to] understand everyone’s point of view,” Affinity Group coordinator and Spanish teacher Matthew McMerty-Brummer said. Expanding the dialogue about race to the entire community is the goal for many students of color at BSM, not just the goal of a single club. In fact, some feel that breaking apathetic white students out of their echo chambers is the first step towards true racial equity at BSM. “[Some students] shelter themselves, cut themselves off. They’re not willing to listen, that’s the thing. They kind of just joke around, make fun… Some of them… create their own narrative on people like me, which is completely opposite to what I am,” Dominguez-Lopez said. Although some students are unwilling to engage in discussions about race, students of color have found great support in many teachers and faculty members around BSM. “I know a teacher in every single department I can go and talk to. It’s not, like, every single teacher. It’s the ones that you’ve built up relationships with, the teachers that you’ve talked to… they’ll just listen, which I appreciate,” Dominguez-Lopez said. In the past, students of color have felt frustrated about their time at BSM. The general perception of the administration in years past has been of a system that sides with white students in nearly every incident. “I don’t want to drag BSM through the mud here, but I also need to make sure my words aren’t misconstrued. BSM’s past reactions, I do think have been very poor… and BSM recognizes that. Especially regarding disciplinary action… an example
needs to be set. They dealt with it quietly, which I understand, but at the same time, people of color needed to know that you’re on their side,” Coleman said. The new 2020 DEI Plan is a major step for students of color at BSM. The updated inclusion efforts began over the summer, with discussions between students of color and DEI consultant Ms. Kendra Dodd. These discussions later expanded into community-wide discussions, including white students. As the plan kicks into action, the only regret of students of color is that it didn’t happen sooner. “Right now, they’re going on decent progress. I was part of the group interviewing certain candidates, like Kendra Dodd… At this point, we’re making good progress, but I feel like it could’ve happened sooner, one hundred percent,” Dominguez-Lopez said. BSM’s students of color have had both positive and negative experiences at BSM, but as these three seniors prepare to graduate, they each offer words of encouragement to future generations. Some remind younger students to hold onto their identities. “Do not be afraid of who you are. Just because you may be excluded by other groups of students … for [your mannerisms], for slang, your skin color, or your culture… it’s not strange, it’s your identity, so do not forget that,” Dominguez-Lopez said. Others encourage future students of color to remember the upsides of a BSM education, especially at a time when BSM is actively working to support its students of color. “I would say that the opportunities are really great… there are so many options that you can do, the education is so advanced, stuff like that. I would say, building relationships with your teacher… They’re very understanding when you get to know them, and they can help you with anything you need,” Gunvalson said. Still others remind students of color that although their experience may be spotted with struggles and setbacks, they are by no means invisible or alone at BSM. “Understand that you don’t have to do it alone. There are other students of color you can talk to, there are upperclassmen of color, there are teachers and faculty members who are one hundred percent willing to talk with you and help you. Use your voice… If you see something that needs to change, go for it; don’t be shy about it… As students of color, it is our job to leave [BSM] much better than we found it,” Coleman said.
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The Knight Errant stands with students of color. On August 19, 2020, City Pages published an article which has become infamous within the BSM community. The article highlighted the gross mistreatment of minorities at BSM as alumni of color retold their heartbreaking experiences. The article quickly gained traction, and the spotlight was placed on BSM’s administration as all parts of the community awaited their response. Since the article’s publication, BSM has taken a refreshing role in responding to concerns from POC students and alumni. Specifically, the administration hired private consultant Ms. Kendra Dodd to assist BSM in leading listening sessions. These sessions show that BSM is clearly taking strides to make the school a more comfortable place for students of color. It’s great that the administration is addressing these issues, but the negative POC experience at BSM has been reported in the past through the Knight Errant and social media platforms, and the administration is just now taking considerable action? After years of enduring demeaning jokes from their white peers, POC students are just now shown a symbol of improvement? We understand that the administration can’t change the past, but it’s important to remember our school’s history so that we’re able to quickly identify and resolve any hardship that certain groups of students may face in the future.
While it’s important that BSM’s administration takes action to tackle this issue, the student body is also responsible for standing up for themselves. This year, some students have stepped up and are playing an active role in fighting for equal treatment. A pair of sophomores co-founded the Red Knights for Human Rights club dedicated to reporting the mistreatment of human rights. Additionally, a group of seniors organized a demonstration on BSM’s campus raising awareness of police brutality. These actions show that there are people in BSM’s community who are not only thinking about racial injustice, but are doing something to combat it. The Knight Errant stands with students of color. It always has. As the Black Lives Matter movement grows in our racially diverse society, conflict arises. Those who oppose equity and fair representation, or simply lack care for these values, will hopefully see the error of their ways and make steps towards equality, just as BSM is doing. We support the administration’s recent action to make the school a better place for all people and hope that other schools and organizations follow BSM’s example. This staff editorial is the opinion of the entire editorial board of the Knight Errant.
Publication Policy
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Connor Rahill Jackie Bucaro
Editorial Staff:
KE Staff
The role and goal of the Knight Errant staff is to inform and entertain their readers through accurate and factual reports. The KEQ magazines are distributed throughout the school for free. Nine hundred magazines are printed per issue. The Knight Errant aims to be accurate, fair, and impartial in its coverage of all issues. The staff strives to report all issues in a legal, objective, accurate, and ethical manner, according to the NSPA Code of Ethics for High School Journalists. KEQ is written and produced by journalism students at Benilde- St. Margaret’s School. The views expressed in this magazine are the opinions of the writers and not necessarily these of the Knight Errant staff, advisers, or BSM administrators. The Knight Errant welcomes letters to the editors and general commentaries and expressly reserves the right to edit those letters due to space limitations, copyright laws, or journalistic ethics. Letters should adhere to the same requirements as found in the online comment policy. To contact the staff, please email KnightErrant@bsmschool.org.
Editors-in-Chief:
Grace Cochrane Ava Krueger Emily Barron Flint Frohman Claudia Scherer Mason McGonigle Andrew Lyons
Designers:
Emily Barron Grace Cochran Lauren Hawkinson Andrew Lyons Mason McGonigle
Q1 Writers:
Emma Boedeker Sam Decker Caroline Forster Charles Hansen Lauren Hawkinson Julia Schwartz Ethan Tureson Alli Voss Sam Best Megan Cornell Charlie Damberg Grace Eigner Mary Koby Michael Paulison Colin Strauss Brady Wine Courtney Kallas
Advisers: Tiffany Joseph KariKoshiol
11/18/20 11:37 AM
Rants & Raves Airpods Pro Rant (Lauren Hawkinson): I mean seriously Airpods Pro, don’t act all high and mighty by calling yourself a “Pro”. What are you even a “pro” at? Well, I can tell you. You’re a set of earbuds that are pro at not being able to stick in the ears of your users. I don’t want to ram a piece of plastic into my eardrum just so that it can stay in. I can’t tell you how many people have taken them out of their ears and have managed to fill the entire thing with earwax. I guess I have a second thing... they’re “pro” at: being a q-tip for those in need of extracting the dirt from their ears. I’m sorry to rain on your parade Airpods Pro enthusiasts, but I am a firm believer that you should always stick to the original. Airpods for the win! Rave (Sam Decker) : Airpods Pro are the greatest; sleek and refined with many advances over the original Airpods, they are the sensible choice for anyone with taste. The Airpods Pro are so advanced that they make the originals look like cassette players. What’s that? You can’t hear yourself think because your ancient Airpods don’t have noise cancellation? That’s too bad, and even worse you can’t work out in them because if you do, they’ll break from sweat damage! As someone who has owned both types I can say with confidence that the Airpods Pro is the professional grade compared to the amatuer Airpods.
Designer: Lauren Hawkinson Photographer: Sam Decker
iPhone 12 Rant (Alli Voss): Another iPhone? Come on now, how many iPhones do we need? Who really wants to spend $800 on a new phone that’s just like the last one? The iPhone 11 functions the same, has the double camera, and is $200 less expensive. And why is there a choice of a mini option too? Let’s be serious here, why would you want to be watching Netflix or YouTube on such a tiny screen? It may be compatible to fit in a girls jeans pocket, but with bad eyesight, what does a tiny screen do for you? The iPhone 12 Mini also costs $100 more than the iPhone 11, and the iPhone 11 is bigger! You’re practically paying more for less. Plus, looking at the shape of this new phone, it’s like they are going back to the iPhone 4. All I got to say is don’t waste your money on the new iPhone 12. Rave (Charlie Damberg): Anyone who hates on the new iPhone 12 is simply unaware of the fact that in twelve months, they will be typing their iPhone 13 rant from an iPhone 12. The new iPhone’s most impressive feature is the 5G capability, which totally is safe for you and definitely won’t cause any long lasting/permanent damage to your health. Regardless, we have sold our souls for a better internet connection and there’s nothing you can do about it, so you might as well get the new iPhone. It even stands up on its own now because of the straight sides that give off nostalgic iPhone 5S vibes. Finally, they’ve somehow stuck a LiDAR camera on the phone, which is totally creepy and can see through walls. But it’s new!
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CrackingOpen EggThe protein-rich egg might be apart, of your daily diet but how should it best be prepared?
W
KING
hen conversing with a student recently, the provocative subject of how one consumes their eggs came up. I, of course, displayed maturity and civility when I explained that I preferred my eggs scrambled, over easy, or sunny side up. The young man then demonstrated that he was on the verge of lunacy, claiming raw eggs were the best. After hearing this, I now can relate to those who endured the Red Scare in the 50’s and 60’s. Chills went down the back of my spine at this radical thought, how could you eat raw eggs in the 21st century? Mankind has gone to space and traveled the world, yet someone who lives in a nice home with countless luxuries would choose to eat raw eggs? The issue with raw eggs boils down to the issue of health and taste. Frankly eating raw eggs speaks volumes of one’s character; it demonstrates a lack of care in taste as well as a disregard for health and safety. Raw eggs can even cause death
through salmonella. It’s not just that eating raw eggs is ridiculous; it’s the sheer number of better alternatives that adds to this alarm. A scrambled egg for instance can be done a variety of ways, but at its most distilled state, it is a clean presentation of a healthy breakfast. It is also a versatile addon to other meals. One can eat them with toast, steak, hash browns, cheese, peppers, mushrooms, salt, pepper, oregano, tomatoes and bacon; the possibilities are endless. Due to its versatility, I would say the scrambled egg is the best one can get. While the scrambled egg is the Swiss Army knife of the egg a good over easy egg can add the spice that some are looking for. The over easy egg is a different style of preparation with the yolk being allowed to sit in the pan and harden. This lack of scrambling allows the egg white to shine through as a part of the meal. The over easy egg is a slightly more adventurous version of the egg that still shows maturity and understanding of the egg’s importance. It can be served with
Side Up Pixabay Eggs Sunny reative Commons Fried, Pixabay, C
Writer Sam Decker Designer Emily Barron
cOOKED EGGS ARE toast, hash browns, and bacon. The last type of notable egg is the sunny side up. If you were to put levels of egg adventurousness on a scale from 1-10, this egg preparation would be a BANANAS, nine. It is prepared similarly to the over easy egg; however, it is cooked less, and therefore, the yolk is left runny. Puncture the soft yellow center, and you will find a river of yolk on your plate in seconds. While I can only send the most daring of you to go try it, I have to say the reward can be quite nice. With a subtle hint of salt and pepper, this egg dominates headlines. Those who eat it are given the red carpet everywhere they go. When eating it, they often have a side of toast to sweep up the spilled yolk. After reviewing these options, the raw egg is not only uncivilized but it’s just unnecessary. Given how far mankind has come why must we be held back by the consumers of raw eggs.
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g-celle`nt Truth Two seniors get into a heated-eggument when proposing different preparations.
er Photo by Sam Deck
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rule
ar too often, modernity lends itself to the illusion that what is normal is good and what is good is normal. It is imperative, both to our humanistic, post-enlightenment ethos and Roman Catholic identity, to consistently reexamine the basis of our subconscious acceptance of societal norms in our lifelong mission to live in truth. Common among these acceptances is the diet patterns of the twenty-first century. Recently, a Knight Errant writer released a hit-piece defending the phantasm of egg-cooking--demeaning and dismissing the ancient tradition of eating eggs, usually raw. The article failed to mount a legitimate argument against the idea of raw eggs and simply dismissed the practice as “lunacy” and “uncivilized” in unsubstantiated ad-hominem attacks. Of course, the fervor with which this author blindly condemned rawism only shows the extent to which the masses are being brainwashed into habits that neither help their health nor protect their posterity. Raw eggs have been
used for generations among those willing to endure the persecution of herd mentality. Anecdotal reports of rawism promoting longevity are usually swept under the rug by the deep state. While the sheep sleep, the woke feast upon raw eggs. Just ask Rocky Balboa. A common trope in this debate is over the different bioavailability, or absorption, of nutrients between each method of consumption. A 1998 study found the body only digests 50% of the nutrients in raw eggs versus 90% in cooked eggs due to enzymatic denaturation that occurs when cooked. That being said, many of those nutrients are also reduced by cooking, some as much as “50 percent [are reduced] when the eggs are fried or boiled, and reduced even more if they’re microwaved.” When you do the math, 90% absorption of 50% of nutrients equates to roughly 45% of total nutrient intake, while the raw egg yields 50% of the total. By the way, yolk oxidation caused by being cooked is linked to chronic inflammation. “But, like, bro. You get more protein in cooked eggs.” Don’t worry about
Writer Charles Damberg Designer Emily Barron
rAW EGGS
it. The vast majority of people in America consume enough protein already. Odds are you do too, unless you’re the writer of the pro-cooked eggs article. According to the New York Times, “most American adults eat about 100 grams of protein per day, or roughly twice the recommended amount.” So what if we eat a lot of protein? Well, some studies (see 8.1) show that there are consequences to eating too much protein, as there are for most nutrients. “But, uh, my mom said that I can’t eat cookie dough because it has raw eggs in it.” Of the 69 billion eggs produced each year, an estimated average of 0.000959% resulted in human illness. No, that is not a typo. Pasteurized eggs are safe to eat. Practically speaking, raw eggs are also better simply because of how easy they are to consume. Just crack them into a glass, stir, and put them down the hatch. You don’t have to clean a whole pan, and frankly, cooked egg whites have a much worse texture than the raw liquid form. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!
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P h oto by M at h i e u l e r o u x o n U n s p l a s h
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TWIN CITIES
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t 14,000 acres, Lake Minnetonka is definitely the largest lake in the immediate Twin Cities. This lake isn’t just known for the large houses on the lake, the yachts, the many people partying on the lake, tubing, wake surfing, water skiing, etc… Lake Minnetonka is also known for its fishing. As one of the best bass fishing lakes in the Twin Cities, many bass fishing tournaments take place on this lake. Bass fishing on Lake Minnetonka is quite amazing. This lake offers endless bays, each one full of bass all connected by channels offering endless forage for largemouth bass and plenty of room to grow some monsters! Largemouth bass 2-3 pounds are definitely common on Lake Minnetonka, with bass 4-6 pounds readily caught out here, too. A few local favorite fishing techniques for these bass are jigs and a soft plastic worm, any Texas-rigged plastic, and wacky-rigged soft plastic worms. Focusing on the weed lines and weed beds makes for the best bass fishing. The endless docks along the entire shoreline offer some amazing bass fishing as well. Deep schools in depths of 15-25 feet are readily available and can actually produce the best numbers of fish. Bass fishing on Lake Minnetonka is definitely a must. Bryant Lake Bryant Lake, though small and not well known, is a good fishing spot. It is not intimidating and is a great lake for novice fishermen. Fish in Bryant Lake are readily available pretty much anywhere in the lake, so everyone has their secret spots. Bryant Lake offers an easy opportunity to catch bluegill, crappie, and bass from just about anywhere for any angler, new or experienced. Bryant Lake also has some quite large bass in the lake. With 4-6 pounders being caught out of here quite a bit, 2-3 pound bass are abundant in this lake. Although the overgrowth of weeds in this lake limits fishing techniques to topwater, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits for bass, the lake seems to still produce some great bass fishing. Mississippi River Pool 2 The Mississippi River Pool 2 offers a very unique fishing experience to those who live in the Twin Cities. Right in the heart of the Twin Cities is surprisingly a great fishery. The Mississippi offers year round fishing for game species, although there is a trade off that all walleye and bass must be catch-and-release only. The Mississippi River offers a different fishing experience compared to the lakes in the area. The river offers species like channel catfish, white bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskie, walleye, sauger, yellow perch, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, sheepshead, common carp, and sturgeon. With all these species in the river, it allows for the opportunity to catch all these different species in one spot, and you’ll never know what’s on the end of your line. Lake Harriet Lake Harriet, right in the heart of Minneapolis, is a well known lake by many throughout the state. Lake Harriet is known for the bandshell restaurant, sailing, swimming, and walking your dog around the lake, and yet, this seemingly busy lake might surprise you. The lake is a great fishery and is actually spring fed. Despite not being a very large lake and being quite round in shape, Lake Harriet makes up for it with its depth. With Lake Harriet reaching a max depth of 85 feet, it is a surprisingly deep lake for the area. Fishing in Lake Harriet can oftentimes be very rewarding. Lake Harriet gets a lot of fishing pressure yet still holds many fish. Lake Minnewashta Lake Minnewashta, being a not-so-known lake, has some good fishing potential. Minnewashta is the perfect lake to take younger children out fishing in because of the incredible panfish fishing. The bluegill and crappie on Minnewashta continue to prove close to amazing. With panfish fishing being the best in the springtime, crappies from 10-13 inches are readily available, with an occasional 1415 inch catch. Large numbers of bluegills are also abundant in Minnewashta. Right outside of the boat launch tends to be an amazing panfish fishing spot. By the beach in the sandy area is where the crappies usually spawn. On the western side of the lake, the points tend to hold large numbers of bluegills and crappies as well.
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WRITER GRACE EIGNER D E S I G N E R E M I LY B A R R O N KNIGHT ERRANT FILE PHOTO
GOOD OLE’ FASHIONED RADIO PLAY THIS YEAR THE BSM D R A M A D E PA R T M E N T DECIDED TO PRESENT THE TRADITIONAL FA L L P L AY A S A R A D I O P L AY.
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espite these changing times putting restrictions on many aspects of daily life, BSM’s drama department has not let this discontinue their annual fall play. This year’s play is a radio version of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Although it’s unfortunate that audiences is not able to watch in person, the cast and director, Mr. Jake Mahler, is making the most out of this unique situation. “I thought that that would be a perfect story to tell this year, given the climate and given how polarized the world has become… and how beautiful a story that can be to remind us all what good we can do for each other if we put that focus on helping each other,” Mahler said.
Since there won’t be much of a need for singing and dancing, Mahler came up with other ways to conduct the story. “You’ll see the actors have microphones, you’ll see the foley artists, we’re going to call them, making the sound effects… so when they’re walking down the street the actors aren’t going to be moving, they’ll be standing right at their microphone, but you’ll see somebody with a pair of shoes making the sound at a different microphone, which can be a lot of fun,” Mahler said. He knew there had been previous productions of “It’s a Wonderful Life” that had been written specifically to be radio plays, so he seized this perfect opportunity to refocus the energy of these negative times and
portray a story about a community coming together to save one person. “We are trying to be able to do things that are socially distanced but still have the capacity to tell a moving story... with the yearning for some sense of normalcy in the world… I figured that something that might help with that is the nostalgia of the old fashion radio play where families would sit together around the radio and listen to a story,” Mahler said. The production is live-streamed via audio, but the drama department is working on having visual options as well. One benefit of having it recorded is that it can be enjoyed again and again. Originally taped sometime around Friday, November 13, the recording is available for stream-
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ing. “It’s also a Christmas play, so I think it might be kind of fun to not necessarily have it streamed that day, but a couple of weeks later after Thanksgiving maybe you want to listen to it or watch it after Thanksgiving with your family,” Mahler said. One disadvantage is that it was difficult to allow the cast to connect, as opposed to previous years where kids could be closer and connect on stage. Despite this, Mahler is looking on the bright side and has pointed out that this new format allows the cast to explore different abilities, such as their voices. “It forces you to deal with your attention to detail in a different way. You have to think about how am I using different actor tools that they haven’t nec-
essarily needed when you were in a straight play. It kind of forces you to be a little more creative with some of that aspect, which I like,” Mahler said. Sophomore, Jillian Petty, is a member of the cast and plays a radio show producer named Jordan Spanks. She looked forward to the performance and was ready to take on the challenges of this new style of acting. “Some challenges the actors have are really getting into our roles and feeling the scenes when we aren't within six feet of each other. Really, it's just hard to have an emotional scene if you aren't looking at the person,” Petty said. Even though it’s not the same as previous plays with singing, dancing, and an
audience, Petty holds on to the excitement of this new task. “I'm looking forward most to making others laugh. It's always been a goal of mine to make others happy and to have a good time,” Petty said. The cast and director have eagerly taken on this new format and the challenges it presents. “I have no strong emotions for the new format one way or the other. I find it fine and new. It's exciting to take on the radio show challenge,” Petty said.
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APOTHEOSIS Lite
At the end of each school year, the Apotheosis publishes a collection of literary artwork created by BSM students, including 2D art, 3D art, poetry, prose, music, and video. The publication of the 2020 Apotheosis was halted due to COVID-19; therefore, a select few of the submitted pieces are instead being featured in this magazine.
Strings
By Bella Bolin ‘21
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Uncle Sam
By Alana Kabaka, ‘21
how to place a child in a casket step-by-step guide step one birth a black boy from a black womb and raise it in a black family with the knowledge of the world teach him to be good to be sweet and humble kind and composed remind him to be scared because the world is scary because uncle sam ain’t looking out and he’s not really your uncle and teach him to keep his hands out of his pockets and his hood down and his head up and not to look at nobody and to keep his arms crossed and his eyes closed and to grow comforted in his child-sized coffin step two let your child be a child and people will find a way to turn to turn boys into men
and turn black hands into weapons and put bullets into melanin-pantied backs because i guess that’s where they belong step three let the world do its thing and it will put black bodies in caskets put bullets in backs and babies in body bags take a child’s childhood and make it a game of cops and robbers step four say goodbye and remember that this was bound to happen because he’s black and breathing and alive look down in his casket tell him you love him even before his brains bashed into cold concrete carry his weight on your back and let his name find camp in your eardrums and let memories play like movies in your mind take a step back look into his eyes one more time then shut the child-size casket step five repeat.
An Alluring Wonder Clare Meyer, ‘22
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Skeleton’s Birthday By Riley Leonard, ‘21
The Wendingo By Alice Petty, ‘20
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Many teenagers have set philosophies many philosophies are different from parents’ many parents don’t understand their kids kids struggle to express themselves and healthy ways ways that become destructive to one another another option could be words words they don’t know or how to use use social media to make stealthy attacks attacks on each other to make one feel better better places their time could be wasted wasted on new releases and tickets tickets to show off an artist they think they know know that products won’t make you new new persona that they play play a game and choose their character characters that may or may not be customizable customizable choices that lead down the same path path that they wish they hadn’t taken taken from family because they’re too absorbed absorb in their game, friends, and phones phones that break awkward silence silence that they’re too good to overcome overcome the 21st fear of socializing socializing with another human human nature shouldn’t be restoring to our devices devices we created to advance our capabilities capabilities that are going down the drain because of our philosophy philosophy of a conforming child too scared to be themselves themselves are hiding what they truly feel online to the rest rest is something they long to obtain because being someone else is tiring tiring to have to put on a mask and remember your lines lines from a play that they didn’t audition for for who knows whether a person is playing a part part of my conscience says that I do everyday to appeal appeal to the greater good of the school administrators and teachers teachers are great once you build a relationship but starting starting to open yourself up to an adult you just met met once in a while and you realize they’re cool and informative informative on a subject and skills needed to live a happy life life were often confused on how to handle and where to go go tell your parents you love them and give them a hug hug someone be physical affection is necessary necessary for human to display love in some way or other other than likes that drive this degrading lust lust that contains people, products and drugs drugs that don’t make sense to me why ruin something something that God made and your parents raised raise to a better standard because this isn’t working
Articulate
By Xela Gunvalson, ‘21
Interested in seeing more great art? Check out --> bsmapotheosis.org
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FIRST đ&#x;“ą quarter
OPEN
JAMS T
his quarter has been one of the weirdest times ever. Going back to school with masks on and staying six feet apart has not been ideal, but we will all remember this forever––and music can make times memorable. Here is a Spotify playlist containing a compilation of songs from a variety of BSM students. From Harry Styles to BTS to Trippie Redd, this playlist will supply nostalgia for students to remember this unusual time. Listen to this playlist to hear some of your classmates’ favorite songs as well as reminisce to remember the first quarter of the 2020-2021 school year. “COVID has been a really hard time for me, as with many other people. One thing that’s really helped me through it is music. I love sharing music with my friends and listening to happy songs can really cheer me up,� junior Clare Meyer said.
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