KEQ - The Internet Issue - Summer 2016

KEQ

volume 3 issue 4

internet issue

cover 4 option YES.indd 3

5/2/16 6:14 PM

LETTER FROM THE EDIT Hi Readers, This is it. The last magazine of the year.

It’s about the internet, a really huge, allencompassing, interconnecting thing that permeates every second of our lives––the soul of the phones we won’t be caught dead without. The cover is supposed to display a few of the things the internet replaces...only a few. To begin with, we had a list of over thirty objects rendered almost useless by internet access.

I’m excited for you to read this issue, but I’m also sad it’s my last one. When I’m done writing this, my job as an EIC is practically over. I will miss the magazine and its staff.

Let’s raise a glass of BSM bottled water...here’s to a great three years with the Knight Errant. The memories I’ve gained from being a part of this class are impossible to pay back, and I’ve loved every second of my time with KE and KEQ. Also,

PUBLICATION POLICY

KEQ is written and produced by the journalism students at BenildeSt. Margaret’s School. The views expressed in this magazine are the opinions of the writers and not necessarily those of the Knight Errant staff, advisers, or BSM administrators. KEQ is produced with the support of anonymous donors. It is distributed for free to all BSM high school students.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s School 2501 Highway 100 South St. Louis Park, Minnesota 55416 Contact at kkoshiol@bsmschool.org

good luck next year, Carolina and Grace; I believe in you!

In conculsion, thanks for everything; I won’t forget you when I’m famous.

Over and Out, Editor-in-Chief, Rachel Lyons

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4

P

CONTEN

4

THREE TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES WITH DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY & THE INTERNET

16

EXPLORING TH SOCIAL MEDIA OF BSM STUDE

14

AN IN-DEPTH PROFILE OF BSM’S VERY OWN BILL CHENEY

8

A LOOK AT THE CONTROVERSY GOVERNMENT

KEQ4_Pages2-3.indd 2

5/5/16 12:25 PM

DITOR

28

ON DEMAND AND OUT OF CONTROL

Photo by: Bella Szarzynski

STAFF

Cover By: Keenan Schember and Ashly Ortizcazarain Page Designer: Rachel Lyons

ENTS

Editor-in-Chief: Rachel Lyons Photography Editor-in-Chief: Keenan Schember Graphic Editors: William Keivit, Tyler Matson, Anna von Kampen Writers: Grace Gyolai, Gunnar Lundberg, Grace Hedin, Maya Berg, Peter Linder, Lucas Latterell, Elizabeth Kupchella, James Libbey, Kathryn Sohm, Julia Feld, Abby Letscher, Mark Racchini, Andrew Plouff, Henry Bird, Christopher Jones, Elizabeth Ambre Photographers: Elle Ryan, Sisay Shannon-Tamrat, Katie Ercolani Designers: Charlie Peavey, William Krane, Bennett Delgado, Noah Shields

NG THE ROLE OF EDIA IN THE LIVES TUDENTS

30

STUDENTS’ PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE INTERNET

T THE LAYERS OF VERSY SURROUNDING MENT SURVEILLANCE

10

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE ROLE SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYS IN COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

KEQ4_Pages2-3.indd 3

5/5/16 12:25 PM

Life Unplug Mr. Tom Backen What was your life like with or without the internet?

“I remember my first computer was a Mac, an ugly, square thing. But before we had computers, we went to the library to look up information. I was on the debate team in high school, so we did a lot of our research that way. It was a lot slower and harder to do than with the internet.

For plane tickets, people would usually go to a travel agency, and they would order the tickets. Printing has changed. It used to be a teacher would have to type up something and then use a mimeograph machine, which made like a carbon copy, and then it went through this cycle of things and then printed them out. Very archaic by today’s standards.”

Mr. Mike Jeremiah What was your life like with or without the internet?

“Back in the olden days, before internet, there were these things called maps. There were books that you could buy that showed you directions and how to get to different places. It’s so much easier today. I can’t even remember how many times I got lost over the years trying to find places because there was no MapQuest or GPS system. Everything was so labored back then.

To look up things, we used encyclopedias and reference books.

When I first started [at BSM], we had ditto machines that ran off copies. You could not wait until the last minute to make a copy.

You had to do things way in advance. I think the word ‘labored’ is very appropriate because everything took so much time.”

Mr. Michael Becker

4 KEQ4_Pages4-5.indd 2

Writer: Grace Hedin Designer: Emmett Ziaja Photographer: Ashley Ortizcazarin

What was your life like with or without the internet?

“When I was really young, we didn’t have the internet, but then once I got into late elementary and middle school, we got the dialup internet, which was connected to the landline. So you could go on the internet, but it took you ten minutes to connect and then anytime anyone called the home phone, it disconnected, so then you had to wait until they hung up. Once I got into high school, we finally got wireless.

In elementary school, middle school, and high school, we had computer labs, so we didn’t have any sort of one-toone program. It made things a lot more complicated, and as a teacher, I take that for granted, having the easy access today.”

5/2/16 4:06 PM

gged Internet. Blessing or curse?

“I do think it’s a good thing, the information we have at our fingertips. You could be sitting in your room and literally almost travel the world––not literally, but it’s as close as possible. You can visit museums online that in the olden days you had to go to first hand. So, I think education is totally changing because of it. We’re learning that we don’t have to remember all of these things, we just need to know how to find the answers.

I think the drawback is that people talk a lot about bullying and negative comments and how prevalent they are. I think that behavior is hurtful and can be worse on the internet with social media. So, the internet is like anything, it has to be used responsibly.”

Internet. A blessing or a curse?

“I think it’s a great asset because it opens the world to students.

Prior to the internet, there were borders that you couldn’t cross because there were certain areas you couldn’t research. But I think now the internet just opens the world to students. With our mission here at BSM of training servant leaders and people who will make a difference in the world, I think the internet only enhances that.

My one drawback to texting and cell phones is that they have taken us away from real, interpersonal communication. Like when I go out to restaurants, people [are] sitting at tables and everyone at the table is texting. Socially, I think the internet and technology have been a real detriment.”

Internet. A blessing or a curse?

“I think the internet is a good thing, if you approach things from the standpoint that there are good and bad sources out there.

But I would say I am somewhere in the middle. In terms of education and learning, it is a true asset. With the one-to-one program, being able to assign something and have somebody work on it right then, right there in the desk, without having to move to a different space, without the extra organizational tools, I think it is a blessing. I think the curse of the internet comes from the way we as a society communicate with each other. When you take away face-to-face communication, you lose a lot of the non-verbal communication and that makes for a lot of miscommunication.”

KEQ4_Pages4-5.indd 3

5 5/2/16 4:04 PM

sound m

any students across the country strongly disagree with their school’s phone policy. I am one of those students. I personally believe that BSM’s phone policy should be changed to adapt with the times; in other words, the school should permit phone use during certain time periods such as a student’s free hour, passing time, or lunch.

The most common reason given as to why we can’t use our phones during the day is that they are an extra distraction; this is assuming that we would be able to use them all day without restrictions. I think this argument is invalid because most people don’t necessarily want phone use during class. In fact, many students are only asking to be able to use them during their free hour or passing time.

There are many schools across the country that allow phone use during the day––sometimes during class or sometimes at the discretion of the teacher. Even more schools have a no-phone policy, but they don’t enforce it as much as BSM does. I really don’t think that BSM’s policy is all that effective; we all know at some point or another, we have used our phones when we were not supposed to.

We are often told to “just ask when you need to use your phone,” but that usually only works if we are texting Mom or Dad for an emergency. Many students will often just say they are texting a parent to get permission to use a phone when in reality many students aren’t actually going to text their parent. Most students resort to using their phone secretly without permission, typically during lunch or their free hour. The rules should be changed so that during students’ free time they should no longer have to use their phone secretly and be able to use it openly and freely. (christopher jones)

Should BSM change its

“The rules should be changed so that during students’ free time they should no longer have to use their phone secretly and be able to use it openly and freely. ”

-Christopher Jones

6 KEQ4_PAGES 6-7.indd 2

designer: will keivit

5/4/16 12:24 PM

nd off

ge its cell phone policy?

i

, like most teens these days, spend an excessive amount of time on my phone. And honestly, school is a nice break from it. Were there no rules regarding phones in school I WOULD constantly be posting Instagrams, making Snapstreak and checking Twitter. I’m not saying that phone rules are enjoyable, but they definitely are a necessary evil.

Also, it is important to clarify that almost every teacher will allow students to whip out their phones and text a parent or “text a parent” if asked. This is the easiest way out of an offense so students in my opinion shouldn’t be caught with their phones––all they need to do is ask.

Since everything that a student wishes to do on his or her phone can be done on a laptop, the complaints about the rule against phones seem unfounded. Instagram, IMessage, Facebook, Twitter, Photos, Gmail and even Facetime can be accessed on the Macbook Airs.

Just as important is the fact that the phone fine has been removed. You no longer need to pay thirty dollars to retrieve your phone. Now, a simple slap on the wrist and a day spent phoneless is the price for breaking the rule. Students are warned of these rules multiple times, and they shouldn’t be a surprise.

Overall, I love my phone, and outside of the hours I spend in class, we are inseparable. However, I find the mandatory break and regulations keep me focused and give me a sacred chance to talk face-to-face with my peers instead of over iMessage. (claudia elsenbast)

“The mandatory break and regulations keep me focused and give me a sacred chance to talk face-to-face with my peers instead of over iMessage.”

-Claudia Elsenbast

7 KEQ4_PAGES 6-7.indd 3

5/4/16 12:24 PM

The topic of government surveillance has sparked heated debate across the country as Americans seem to lose privacy every day.

PRI VACY

Writer: Lucas Latterell Photographer: Ashley Ortizcazarin Designer: Vivian Lu

I

n May of 2013, NSA contractor Edward Snowden released documents revealing extensive government surveillance programs, previously unknown to the vast majority of Americans. These leaks have ignited a fierce debate among Americans about how much surveillance we should allow the government to conduct, and how much privacy is guaranteed to private citizens.

Recently this debate has intensified with major tech giants Apple and Microsoft clashing with the US government over privacy of consumer data.

Apple fought the FBI and the Department of Justice when they demanded a “back door” to circumvent Apple’s encryption of data on the phone of the San Bernardino shooter. Microsoft is now suing the US government over the right to inform consumers when the government is viewing their emails and personal information.

All of this heated debate has placed Americans into two main categories: those who support extensive government surveillance, and those who want it completely gone.

Those in favor of surveillance argue that it is necessary in order to prevent terrorist attacks, and is also a valuable tool for law enforcement to stop crime. Surveillance defenders also rally behind the phrase “You don’t have to worry if you have nothing to hide,” referencing how surveillance only targets those dangerous to society.

People opposed to surveillance fear abuse of the system and want to have their data remain private. They feel that this isn’t necessary to stop crime, especially since terror attacks still occur even with surveillance, and that everyone does have something to hide. Ultimately, they fear an Orwellian surveillance state where the government knows what you are doing at all times.

Junior Evan Eliason is fairly knowledgeable about what the government

KEQ4_Pages8_17_22-23.indd 1

knows about him, and is pretty supportive of surveillance. “I think that the government should be able to harvest [my data], but they shouldn’t be able to look at it without a warrant,” Eliason said. “I mean, anything that I want to keep private I have ways of keeping private. Like using tor or something else. I don’t really have anything to hide because I don’t do drugs or alcohol, and I’m definitely not part of Al Qaeda.”

While some like Eliason are well informed about government surveillance, many Americans are less so, knowing that surveillance is happening, but not really seeing it as something to be very worried about. Math teacher Max Johnson is one of these people, who knows that he is probably being watched, but doesn’t really think that it’s that big of a deal. “I’m probably not as aware as I should be. I think in the back of your head you think that they might, but you don’t really think about it as much.

You’re pretty much connected all of the time. I have two laptops and a phone; you’re connected all the time so its kinda normal,” Johnson said. He doesn’t try to avoid surveillance, and is fairly comfortable being in the same boat as everyone else. He stresses the importance of people knowing that your information can be subject to scrutiny, just by virtue of being on the internet. “I don’t know, there’s good people and bad people out there and you want people to be accountable, but at the same time if your personal privacy is compromised it leaves you with a weird feeling. But I would rather have people doing bad things get caught. To me, it’s worth it,” he said.

Even though he supports surveillance, Eliason is still concerned about the government knowing too much. “I don’t like the government being able to track you on your phone. I don’t think that they should be able to know where you are at all times.

I mean I never signed anything waiving my right to have them know where I am. I mean if I want to be in the desert, unknown, eating cactus, I should be able to do that. I think the NSA should have to get a warrant for that,” Eliason said. He also raised concerns about data leaks compromising his information, and about surveillance being a step towards more government involvement in his life.

The surveillance issue is one of the defining issues of our time, and the debate about it is still going strong. Regardless of the various positions on the issue, we can all agree that surveillance is having an impact on the world around us, meaning we won’t hear the end of this conversation anytime soon. The fact that we are being watched will undoubtedly occupy our minds, and our screens, for years to come.

5/4/16 12:15 PM

REC

DIY FAME

From gaming, to advocacy, to education and makeup, YouTube has allowed people to access information an entirely new way.

A

s online entertainment has grown in popularity, today’s teens have been looking in new places for their role models. The rise of YouTube stardom has changed what it means to be famous.

There are several ways YouTube fame sets itself apart from conventional popularity. First of all, YouTube fame can be easily measured. If people enjoy the content that a creator produces they can subscribe to that creator’s channel. As of now, PewDiePie has the most subscribers with 43,251,654.

PewDiePie’s specialty is recording himself playing video games. Other popular creators in this field include Markipiler and Evan Fong of VanossGaming. “I don’t know what it is, but there is something so entertaining about watching other people play video games,” sophomore Joseph Rickman said.

But gaming is only one aspect of the diverse content on YouTube; popular fields range from makeup tutorials to mini-courses. For example, popular creators like Michelle Phan, Bethany Mota and Zoella provide product reviews and beauty tips. There is also the comedy portion of YouTube where creators like Jenna Marbles, Lilly Singh and Smosh have found their niche. Whether it’s stand up comedy, prank videos, or one of Smosh’s most famous videos––“If Video Games are Real” which as of now has over 37 million views––the comedy realm of YouTube is expansive. There are even educational channels which have begun to be used within the classroom.

CrashCourse, a channel created by John and Hank Green, current-

ly has over four million subscribers. This channel has series ranging all the way from psychology to world history. “I can use videos from CrashCourse to either sum up or to act as a launching pad for a time period ... John Green is a recognizable name, and he presents info in a fast pace way,” history teacher Ms. Megan Kern said.

YouTube also has a serious side to it, often serving as a medium through which individuals explore social issues. Several YouTubers have used their platform to talk about issues that they find important. Creators Markipiler and Zoella have made several videos about their experiences with mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety. Several YouTubers including Ingrid Nilsen, Joey Graeffa and Connor Franta have all made Coming Out videos in an effort to share their stories and provide support with those struggling with their identity.

“I think it’s really cool that they’re putting their experiences out there and using their own stories to help their viewers,” sophomore Michelle Wyley said.

YouTube has and will continue to impact the entertainment industry. Whether it’s through education or humor, the versatility of YouTube is what makes it a sustainable entertainment outlet.

It has provided people across the world with new stories and new role models. “YouTube has completely changed entertainment. It has given everyday people an audience to share information with.

Because of YouTube, there are so many more voices out there to listen to,” senior Riley Simonetti said.

“I don’t know what it is, but there is something so entertaining about watching other people play video games.”

- Joseph Rickman

Writer: Sophie Herrmann Designer: Maggie Condon

KEQ4_Page9.indd 3

9 5/3/16 12:40 PM

Writer: Gunnar Lundberg Designer: Andrew Cadle

Leaving a Trail

I placed my sleek grey MacBook Air on the cool laminate table in front of me. I easily overcame the slight magnetic resistance to open the screen as its mellow gleam illuminated my face. There was no audible heavy breathing over my shoulder, or nosy onlooker peeking at my screen, but as I sat in the empty coffee shop perusing my twitter, facebook, and instagram, I was vaguely aware of the looming eyes following my every post, like, and retweet.

In this new digital age people are becoming more and more conscious about their social media presence. As online profiles become more and more relevant in today’s culture, it’s important to know who’s really looking at your online presence, and more importantly, how it affects college admissions or job opportunities.

Parents no longer have the luxury of simply grounding their teens for the weekend and expecting them to stay out of trouble; with the plethora of social media sites and mobile apps available, teens can tarnish their future from the comfort of their own room.

However, social media isn’t necessarily the omen some people make it out to be–– it’s a helpful tool just as much as it’s an Achilles heel.

For starters, let’s take a look at who’s not checking social media

10

KEQ4 Online Footprint.indd 2

for information–– colleges. That’s right, and it may be surprising because teens are often encouraged to tightly monitor their social media with the assumption that admissions officers will see it. However, the majority of colleges don’t look at a student’s social media, but in no way does it mean no colleges do. Every university is different, and applying to different types of colleges like, state, private, and highly selective, all have different admissions procedures.

The majority of schools seem to follow the same path as Marquette University, which may view online material, but only after directed to do so by the student. “To be honest we do not consider social media in our application review process. Occasionally students will point to online websites, news stories, etc. in their application and we will take a look at that type of online presence but not without direction to do so by the student,” Lauren Eierman, an admissions director from Marquette University, said.

That being said, some schools, like St. Olaf, will only peek at a student’s profile if they tag or comment on any of the school’s social media accounts. “The only case in which we would see applicants’ social media is if they engage with us, like tag us in an Instagram

5/5/16 7:41 AM

post, comment on Facebook, or enter our Instagram hashtag contest for admitted students,” Maggie Matson, a member of the St. Olaf admissions committee, said.

Engaging with a school is a great way to get noticed, but it’s important to make sure the school’s attention is drawn to something positive. However, not all of the interactions are beneficial: “In a few cases, our college’s social media manager has alerted us to Tweets that he sees through the St. Olaf filter -- so, heads up, if you decide to tweet using St. Olaf and include inappropriate language or incorrect information, it will be seen by at least a few staff members at St. Olaf,” Matson said.

Most public state schools, like the University of Minnesota, simply receive too many applications to spend time investiating the online background of each student. “We receive over 40,000 applications and do not have time to investigate students outside of their application. Our review factors are limited to what we receive as part of the student’s application,” Samuel Fox, an assistant admissions officer for the University of Minnesota, said.

In fact, out of all the colleges KEQ contacted, the only one that openly admitted to checking applicants’ social media was Harvard University. “Whenever necessary or useful we look at social media presence where we have access to it. It is not possible to say more than that, as each case is different,” Tia Ray, a Senior Admissions Officer from Harvard, said.

Unless planning to apply to a highly selective school, social media doesn’t seems to factor into the admission decision. However, that doesn’t give teens a free pass to post whatever they wish. Colleges may not be looking at social media, but employers definitely are.

When asked if social media plays a large role in the job field, Joey Konkel, an Executive Assistant at a Twin Cities advertising agency, had this to say: “The short answer is yes, absolutely. More times than not though, we gravitate towards your LinkedIn page, which most people should know by now is a professional platform to present yourself in the best way possible. Facebook is a closer number two. We can see what you look like, and what kind of things

KEQ4 Online Footprint.indd 3

you post if your profile is open,” Konkel said.

Just as a negative profile can hurt an applicant’s chances, professional and engaging social media can be a huge help. “ We aren’t looking for anything in particular; we just want to get a feel for what kind of person you are and how you present yourself to the world.

Red flags would obviously consist of racist posts, derogatory words, and pictures of you doing sexually charged things. Keep it classy,” Konkel said.

Managing social media can be an essential skill, especially if involved in a field like advertising. “The industry thrives on creative individuals who think outside the box. Be yourself, but be appropriate,” Konkel said.

Social media can help employers determine what kind of person you are, not necessarily your beliefs and political alignments, but rather your presentation and how you carry yourself. Kelley Houlihan, an Account Executive at Pandora, detailed what employers are and aren’t looking for: “I’m not looking to make sure they are super conservative with their postings or their profile.

Rather, are they self aware enough to know that this information is publicly available and people can form opinions of them, real or imagined, before they even get a chance to meet and make an actual first impression? How you protect yourself can say a lot about how you would behave with our company’s information. Also, if you were hired, you then represent our brand by extension – will you take that seriously?” Houlihan said.

The social media craze has transcended being labeled as a “fad,” and has permanently altered the way people interact and connect with each other. Although colleges may not be keeping tabs on all the digitally documented teenage angsts, employers will take a look to ensure that employees will be able to represent their brand with integrity. Sorry parents, but keeping teens off social media isn’t doing them a favor, because a well run social media account can boost the chances of getting into a selective school or scoring a dream job. However, it’s important to monitor postings and make sure that everything appears clean, creative, and professional. If it’s difficult to determine whether to post something or not, just think– would I want my future boss to see this?

11 5/5/16 7:42 AM

Workin’ for the Like the sewing machine and assembly line, the internet has transformed the professional field by both providing and taking away jobs.

12 KEQ_Issue4_2016Internet.indd 2

5/4/16 2:31 PM

e Web I

n today’s society, digital technology has easily become so now all of our important files are in a server, and then we can one of the most powerful tools available. From comput- update it whenever we see the patient next,” Pendergrass said. ers to phones to tablets, new technology has been created Although this may seem convenient, it actually causes the medon many different platforms. Throughout the years, as ical staff to take more time to upload the information needed, which technological advances have been made, they also influence how in turn disrupts their schedule. “It probably takes me an extra 5-10 jobs work. minutes to get every patient done with computers. Although that One profession that has been severely affected is that of a li- may not seem like a lot of time, it really slows down our process, brarian. Before the internet, if someone needed to do a research and since we have to see so many patients per day, just a few minproject or find a book to read, the library was one of the few place utes can be the difference,” Pendergrass said. to go. “Back when I was in high school, if you needed to do a reWhile technology has definitely impacted jobs, it has also search project, you had to go to the library to get increased and created jobs within your information. There really wasn’t any other the field of science and technology. option,” school librarian Laura Sylvester said.

“In the medical field, we “When I had just finished school and As time has progressed, people are starting to looked for a new job, I realized that wouldn’t have had turn to digital devices, such as Kindles and Nooks, there had been an increase for my in order to buy or rent books. “The first digital progression if we didn’t opportunities. I had heard that it was book service was created in 1998, and it was called adapt, so we have to hard in the past, but in this current an e-reader. As more of these digital devices have time period, as technology usage has learn how to use these increased, so are job opportunities for been invented, there has been a decrease in the number of people who go to the library. It’s sort new advancements to people in my field of interest,” James of been a gradual decrease, but it’s definitely been Sugar, an aspiring engineer, said. our own benefit” significant,” Sylvester said.

In the future, many other job Because of this cultural shift, many libraries fields will have to adapt to new tech-Roxanna Pendergrass are either losing most of their business, or are closnological advancements. “Although ing down all together. Here at BSM, the library only has a limited using computers at work can be frustrating, at the end of the day, number of books, and rarely do they get checked out. “The irony you have to just adapt to it. In the medical field, we wouldn’t have about our library is that it doesn’t really have a lot of books. We had progression if we didn’t adapt, so we have to learn how to use used to have a decent selection, but now we only have a few books, these new advancements to our own benefit,” Pendergrass said. and people don’t usually check them out,” Sylvester said.

However, as these advances are made, it is important that soAnother field that has been affected by technology is the medi- ciety doesn’t rely solely on digital devices for their needs. “Many cal profession. Before the days of computers, doctors and nurses people have reported that they prefer physical books over digital, had to rely on hand-written documents to provide medical infor- so I think physical books will be around for a long time, and I hope mation. “When I first started working, all of our documents were people continue to use them,” Sylvester said. hand-written and kept on file. Whenever, we saw a patient, we took out their file, and everything that we needed would be there,” Roxanna Pendergrass, a nurse practitioner for Partners in Pediatrics clinic, said.

Writer: Andrew Plouff Designer: William Krane Now, many hospital and clinics are starting to use personal Photographer: Ruby Strommen computers in place of documents. “Within the past few years, all of [the doctors and nurses] have gotten our own personal computers,

KEQ_Issue4_2016Internet.indd 3

5/4/16 2:32 PM

Bill

Writer: Elizabeth Ambre Designer: Anna von Kampen Photographer: Collins Jones

KEQ4_pages14-15.indd 2

5/4/16 12:18 PM

Y

ou’ve dropped your laptop down the stairs, witnessed your mouse turn into the spinning wheel of death or felt the need to find a place to catch up on March Madness: where do you turn? The help desk. The help desk is the epitome of problem solving and holds BSM’s technological messiah, Bill Cheney.

Cheney is entering his sixth year working for the BSM help desk. In the help desk he takes on the role of ultimately ensuring that all of the technical aspects of BSM’s educational tools are working correctly and managed properly. “The name of my role is the Help Desk Coordinator. I run the help desk and that entails setting up all the computers and setting up what kind of software we use. That also means we also take care of the classrooms’ technology; we take care of projectors, assist with the new TVs, set up ACS computers, set up the new P.A. system. Anything that plugs into a wall, we have a great handle on,” Cheney said.

Cheney was originally contracted to BSM through another company he worked for called First Tech Computer, an Apple store in Uptown. He did repair jobs there and worked there for four to five years. When BSM decided to incorporate more technology in the classroom, they bought white unibody Macbook computers for all BSM students. The administration wanted someone with experience to be able to work on site to manage technical difficulties with more technology, so Cheney was one of the experts picked to come work at BSM. “Not only has my understanding of laptops and other technical equipment expanded, but I’ve learned a lot about working with different people through my work at BSM. Some people have little computer problems, and others are completely devastated by computer issues, and it knocks them off their day. I’ve really had to

learn how to treat people's personalities differently; my job is a job that requires a lot of people skills,” Cheney said.

Since laptops were upgraded to MacBook Airs in 2014, more smartboards and other technological tools are being used in classrooms, and the help desk has had a higher demand for fixing all the technical issues that come with so much technology. With this demand, BSM has given students the opportunity to work in the help desk with Cheney. “We have student workers this year, which is new. There are kids working in here almost every period throughout the day. They take care of the easier tasks like computer restarts and printing jobs to allow me to keep busy and on task with bigger jobs,” Cheney said.

Cheney may be an expert when it comes to technical difficulties at BSM, but he’s also one of the most beloved and friendly faces at BSM; students constantly flow in and out of the help desk with the intention of simply talking sports or catching up with Cheney.

Working at BSM since 2012, Cheney has felt like he’s grown with students while having the opportunity to see the seniors today start their BSM careers as seventh graders all the way through high school. “It’s really cool to be able to just follow everyone’s story and to see kids mature and really take off with their future. Having the privilege to see these kids as seventh graders evolve into who they are and who they want to be is something that I love about my job,” Cheney said.

Cheney is an amazing coordinator in the help desk and does an extraordinary job managing all the technical chaos of BSM. There are only so many people who have such a positive attitude towards each day, and Cheney is a true illustration of such enthusiasm.

No matter the computer issue, no matter the internet problem, BSM’s very own Help Desk Genius, Bill Cheney, will solve it.

15 KEQ4_pages14-15.indd 3

5/4/16 12:19 PM

#obsessed S

ocial media is no stranger to Benilde-St. Margaret’s students. When a phone sounds in the middle of class, it’s often the result of a social media notification.

Sophomore Jack Feld has had Snapchat for about six months now. As his sister, senior Julia Feld explained, “He is constantly on Snapchat; it’s insane.” Jack uses Snapchat for the social aspect of it. “I mainly use it for talking to friends, and it’s fun to snap them,” Feld said.

Feld also loves Snapstreaks, viewing them as a competitive game. “It’s kind of fun to start streaks and see how high of a number you can get,” Feld said.

In addition to keeping streaks, Feld loves the ability to see the people he communicates with. “I feel like it gives a more personal connection to communication,” Feld explained.

Recently, Snapchat added many great features, such as new filtrs, which make the experience on the app even more enjoyable. “I love the new features, and it is awesome because they continue to come out with more,” Feld said.

Another social media app that many students use is Twitter.

Senior Peter McCague loves this app. McCague started using Twitter in 2012, and his goal was and is to make funny tweets. “I use it to tweet funny jokes and things that make me laugh. It is kind of a game to me to see how many favorites I can get on a tweet,” McCague said.

Humor can be hard to get across in just 140 characters, but McCague loves the challenge. “You are forced to fit the joke in 140 characters which forces you to make it into a short witty comment, and that's my sense of humor,” McCague said.

McCague’s favorite tweet was a joke about Taher lunch trays.

“I said, ‘If this gets 50 retweets, the lunch trays will be DRY next week,’ with a picture of Bruce Taher...it was pretty funny,” Mc-

Cague said.

McCague, who is also an aspiring musician, uses Twitter to promote his songs. “While I normally stick to a special Facebook page for my music, I tweeted a couple of times about my Krazy Kat Tour in order to promote it further,” he explained.

While McCague enjoys making his own tweets, he also likes seeing the humor his friends come up with. “I really enjoy reading and retweeting other people’s tweets because they say a lot of funny things,” McCague said.

While social media can be used for humor and fun on Twitter and Snapchat, it can also be used for social activism on Facebook.

Junior Zip Kaffey now primarily uses her Facebook account as a way to gain knowledge and raise awareness about social justice issues she finds most important. “There’s a lot of activists that I follow, and they are always updating on the news and on different injustices that are happening to the black community. I also use it for advocacy. I’m sure anyone that follows my page knows that I post a lot about Black Lives Matter and things that I am passionate about,” Kaffey said.

Reasons why Kaffey uses Facebook as her main tool for advocacy include the accessibility of the site and the speed at which posts can go viral. “I think because it’s so instantaneous and there’s so many different types of people on Facebook [is why] things can go viral very quickly. Also everyone has access because it’s there on their phones,” Kaffey said.

Social media is a great way for people like Feld, McCague, and Kaffey to have a fun time with friends and spread awareness about issues they’re passionate about. While the methods of communication are different, all three find ways to share their thoughts and hear what others think. Just remember to keep your phone on silent while Kaffey, McCague and Feld blow up your phone.

153 likes

bsmknighterrant obasilewis

KEQ4_page16.indd 2

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter! @obasilewis @michaelhunter Writers: Michael Hunter and Obasi Lewis Designer: Anna von Kampen

5/4/16 12:20 PM

Writer: Griffin Ehlen Designer: Vivian Lu

plagiarism F

inding information is becoming easier and easier as technology continues to improve. With this easy access, students find a greater urge to copy and paste information to simplify their homework load.

With information at the tips of their fingertips, students are finding websites where the work is already done for them. English classes particularly see this when students are looking for important quotations from literature. “Students can easily search for quotes online and the analysis on the quotes,” English teacher Anna Overbo said.

Students have found new ways to gather information online and not get caught. “I see it happening less in papers, but more in presentations; more in getting things together, like bullet points on a power point. Also in things like blending in and out of the copyand-pasted work––changing it up just a little bit so it doesn’t sound like the website,” she said.

Teachers use online resources to help them, such as Turnitin. com, to detect when students “copy and paste” information directly from websites. If teachers do see that someone has plagiarized, consequences can vary. Yet students believe that a severe punishment is needed in order to deter cheaters. “Without a larger consequence [students] aren’t learning anything. By taking other’s work and making it your own you’re not retaining what you should be, you’re only checking it off your list,” sophomore Maddie Stokes said.

Using someone else’s ideas is just as much plagiarism as copying someone’s work word-for-word. Although students may not be caught, they are still losing the benefit and purpose of doing an assignment. “It’s one thing to use somebody’s work if they give you permission to, but when somebody spends a ton of time on something, and then you steal it without giving them credit is bogus,” Wolfe said.

One department that has seen plagiarism becoming more of a problem each year is math. With many websites popping up that have the answers and worked out solutions, teachers get stressed out trying to finding assignments that don’t come off of websites like Calchat or Slader. But math teacher Dan Bowler doesn’t try to fight it, instead he simply sees how students do on the tests. “It is a little bit frustrating, but I know kids who use those as a learning tool rather than a cheating tool. So they can actually be very helpful for kids, and I cannot police how they are being used. I can tell, however, on the tests, by how kids perform even if they do all their homework,” he said.

From the standard “copy and paste” plagiarising, to websites that have all the answers, students are finding ways to make their workload easier. But even as it may be making life easier for the students, Overbo thinks this they also hurting themselves as well. “[Plagiarism is] worse for the kids. They lose the purpose of learning about the higher order things and skip that to get to information online,” Overbo said.

17 KEQ4_Pages8_17_22-23.indd 2

5/5/16 8:47 AM

Political Clicks

KEQ4_Pages18-19.indd 2

5/3/16 12:17 PM

This year is an election year, and the internet will play a crucial role in the outcome. From fights to facts, what happens online doesn’t stay online.

W

hen logging onto Twitter or Facebook, political advertisements saturate the sidebar, promoting any one of the many presidential candidates. As the general election slowly approaches, the magnitude of internet politics increases phenomenally, to a point where avoiding it is nearly impossible.

Before the internet, presidential candidates addressed their messages to the American public though grand speeches in front of gathered crowds, on television, and in printed newspapers. While these methods continue today, the internet creates a new crutch that all candidates rest on.

Due to the attention they gain through hashtags, controversial Twitter posts and childish “name calling,” the road to election looks more like the Real Housewives of the White House. “The ability to communicate with more people via social media expands awareness other than just using the radio and TV. However, sometimes candidate’s comments are unmonitored,” history teacher Ms. Megan Kern said.

The internet does provide an easy, accessible source to discover the world of politics. People can not only become more informed about important issues but can also receive immediate details of breaking news. Today, politicians use the internet and

social media as an outlet to promote their campaigns. While this may seem like a reasonable way to market to a society absorbed in social media, it can also create many detrimental effects, some of which manifest at Benilde-St. Margaret’s. “In some ways, the increase of politics on the media has contributed more to the BSM struggle. It has become more common in some classrooms where some commentary sounds defensive of the majority race. And sometimes when a student is trying to defend their candidate, they offend someone,” Kern said.

Social media outlets allow all Americans to practice freedom of speech relentlessly, including politicians. “Due to how easily accessible social media is, some candidates are not as qualified and can publish offensive things,” Kern said.

Additionally, the internet can sometimes act as a barrier between a candidate and his or her voters. Presidential candidates use social media outlets to express their opinion and let everyone see it; however, these messages may be misinterpreted because they don’t always originate directly from the candidate. Independent news organization, Mother Jones, went through multiple accounts of information through Twitonomy.com and concluded

that Donald Trump only wrote 3% of his last three-thousand tweets.

Despite its potential pitfalls, candidates rely on the internet because they know their audience. All candidates realize that the future generation is growing up in an era of technology and these candidates must adapt if they want to be captivating.

According to The Washington Post, the average American teenager spends at least seven and a half hours invested in technology including watching TV, listening to music, surfing the web, scrolling through social media networks, and playing video games.

By confirming that at least one aspect of their campaign is solely advertised through the internet, candidates hope to catch the attention of their youngest voters.

Writer: Molly Keady Designer: Alex Kang

KEQ4_Pages18-19.indd 3

5/3/16 12:17 PM

ILLEGAL DOWNLOADS Ethical lines are blurred in the debate over internet downloads.

M

usic, movies, and TV shows are huge parts of any teenager’s life. Consequently, almost every teenager has some experience with illegally downloading content and piracy. Some people don’t think twice before downloading an entire album or season of a TV show. However, recently there has been an outcry from the entertainment industry for these downloads to stop. This discussion has resulted in many people hesitating to steal from creators.

The most popular mindset that allows people to continue illegally downloading anything, whether it be music, movies, or television shows, is that it doesn’t hurt anyone. Many people see the big production companies as untouchable. “When people look at the companies, as opposed to the creators, they won’t feel as bad when illegally downloading content,” sophomore Kylie Nevells said.

A large argument against illegal down-

KEQ4_Pages20-21.indd 2

loads is that it damages the industry. Stealing from indie artists and independent filmmakers is hurtful because they aren’t making much money to begin with. They need all the support they can get. “If you steal from independent creators, it discourages other creators to get into the industry,” Nevells said.

Besides illegal downloads being, you know, illegal, it diminishes the value of the work creators put into their products. Illegal downloads are a widely accepted form of stealing. “I feel like a lot of people don’t think that illegal downloads are serious because they are so common,” Nevells said.

However, when it comes to movies, illegal downloads are much less common. Most people have some sort of streaming service like Netflix or Hulu, so it is easier to watch movies legally. “I think people believe movies have more value because they assume more goes into making one,” Nevells said.

Different types of media can also af-

5/4/16 12:07 PM

S fect how people perceive illegal downloads.

Downloading one or two songs doesn’t seem horrible because they are at most $1.29 per song, where as movies cost a lot more. “The biggest problem is when people get free movies from the internet,” Brown said.

When people illegally download music or movies, they don’t take the crime seriously. The viewpoint is that plenty of other people will be illegally downloading the content, so one more person won’t hurt. Beyond that, the victims of the crime receive very little sympathy because there is no one person or one group of people who are hurt. “It isn’t a bad thing unless a greater amount of people get hurt,” junior Kristina Brown said.

People also tend to consider downloading the content less severe of a crime compared to posting the content to be downloaded. “People shouldn’t get in trouble for [illegally] downloading the content, the original person who posted it should,”

Brown said.

Those who give others access to illegal downloads are the people who deserve most of the blame. For the most part, one person downloading one song doesn’t make a difference. However, someone uploading an album onto the internet for the sole purpose of allowing people to bypass paying the company that made the album makes a huge difference. “Sometimes people download free music, but that doesn’t really hurt anybody,” Brown said.

It seems that as long as people don’t download all of their music from an illegal source, it won’t have a huge effect on any one artist. When it comes to illegal downloads, the severity of the crime often seems subjective.

Credits Writer: Abigail Letscher Designer: Noah Shields, Carson Jacobsen Photographer: Keenan Schember

KEQ4_Pages20-21.indd 3

5/4/16 12:07 PM

Writer: Grace Gyolai Designer: Vivian Lu

O v e r Y o u r

Shoulder Teachers use LanSchool to monitor students’ computers and keep them on task. However, the program has yet to be used to its full extent.

KEQ4_Pages8_17_22-23.indd 4

5/4/16 12:35 PM

I

n 2010, the BSM made the decision to equip each student in the school with Apple laptops.

This has undoubtedly given students immense educational opportunities, but many parents and administrators alike worry about protecting the student body as internet use increases. To control website access and protect students, the school uses programs like LanSchool to monitor the computer screens of students while they are on school grounds. Many argue that this observation is an invasion of privacy, but the school administration argues that it is a necessary step to insure student education. It raises the question: as technology grows, does freedom shrink due to programs like LanSchool, or are there a necessary precaution?

Many students at BSM think of LanSchool as the eye always watching their screens, and while this is one use of the program, there is more to the surveillance program than observing students during class. “There are two different ways to monitor students; one way is for individual teachers to do it in their classroom. Every teacher has a channel, and they can pull students into that channel. Teachers can do that to watch students, but it’s not just that. They can use LanSchool to show students’ screens.

That way instead of walking up to the projector, the teacher can just display the students screen,” Director of Technology and Learning Mr. Stephen Pohlen said.

LanSchool has the ability to be a monitoring system and a teaching tool, but the school has run into technological issues that deter teachers from using it to its full potential. “It’s a collaborative tool. You can have your own screen as a teacher and push it onto the students screens, or teachers could type a question and have it shoot up onto every screen and every student could answer. Because we have had some technological difficulties, a lot of teachers haven’t adopted it,” Pohlen said.

While not every teacher at BSM is using LanSchool, there are some who consider it a valuable tool in their everyday class. Theology teacher Mr. Matthew Brounstein uses LanSchool nearly everyday when his students use their laptops. “I use LanSchool pretty much every day, and I use it basically to limit where students can go on the internet. You enter in the websites that you allow the students to access, and everything else is lost,” Brounstein said.

Many students and adults alike view this internet

“

limitation as a violation of privacy, but teachers like Brounstein see it as a way to keep students on track and maximize their learning. “It helps students focus, and it helps remind them to be honest about what we are trying to do in the classroom. To me as a teacher, they should be focused on the task at hand,” Brounstein said.

Not every student is staunchly against LanSchool and its uses. BSM junior, Chaz Linder, works in the help desk as a Teacher’s Assistant, and while he cannot monitor fellow students’ screens, he still understands the practical uses of LanSchool. “I think my peers see LanSchool as something we use to stalk them, but in hindsight, Bill uses LanSchool to keep students safe. Though it may seem like we are creeping through your computer on the surface, it’s really something that is helping you without you knowing,” Linder said.

The help desk uses LanSchool for more than just stopping students from playing games. It is able to protect students in a variety of ways.

“If the help desk sees you doing bad things, we could potentially save you from posting bad things on social media, or getting caught with a bunch of games. I think students just get the wrong idea of it,” Linder said.

In a school with as much attention to technology as BSM, it becomes necessary to focus on the problems that arise as dependency on the internet grows. “Most of our issues now are online. Whether it’s bullying, or being on sites —Chaz Linder you shouldn’t be, they are not physical things that happen.

We have to pay attention to these things,” Pohlen said.

While LanSchool does play a key role at BSM in offering protection from the dangers that the internet poses, Pohlen admits that it is not 100% effective. “We are randomly surveying what happens, and we can’t watch every screen all the time. It is more of a deterrent. We think [LanSchool] does enough to make people think twice,” Pohlen said.

LanSchool is just one example of ‘privacy invasion,’ and perhaps it’s not the worst one in our daily lives. “We’ve given up our privacy in so many other ways through Google searches, Twitter feeds, or Google Maps, and a lot of people don’t even think about it. I’m not surprised people are opposed to LanSchool, but we do have a responsibility to the parents and the students to insure that this is a secure environment,” Pohlen said.

Though it may seem like we are creeping through your computer on the surface, it’s really something that is helping you without you knowing.”

KEQ4_Pages8_17_22-23.indd 5

5/4/16 12:35 PM

DISTRACTED Drivers can hold the whole world in their hands; the results can be deadly.

One of the most common clichés that circulates around millennials regards their obsession with cell phones, and how this alleged addiction distracts them from their day-to-day lives. Although many teenagers would either disagree with this statement or not care about the implications, there is one large problem with not only teenagers, but people in general, when it comes to being distracted by their phones: distracted driving.

When driving, it is always important to have complete focus on the road. However, there are many distractions that occur every time one drives. For a long time, the only distractions that plagued drivers were other people in the car or the radio. Now, with the invention of smartphones, distractions are more common and even more dangerous.

“Because of smartphones, people have the internet at their fingertips, and this leads to a stronger pull towards distracted driving,” social studies teacher Mr. Keith Jones said.

This sentiment can be seen by people texting, calling, or even using FaceTime in the car. Senior Layla Duda explains how common it is to use her cell on the road:

“Sometimes I’ll just find my phone in my hands, and I don’t know how it got there.

I normally use FaceTime when there’s no one on the road and it’s not nighttime.”

Overall, distracted driving is a large problem in the United States, and it is greatly increased by the use of smartphones on the road. In 2014, the Official US Government Website for Distracted Driving reported that over 3,000 people died because of distracted driving with over 400,000 people being injured because of it.

Despite this issue’s severity, many people argue about what constitutes distracted driving. In fact, states have varying laws about distracted driving: some states rule most forms of distracted driving illegal, while some have almost no laws surrounding the controversy.

Using a map takes people away mentally from their driving, so some consider it distracted driving. “Looking at a speedometer is just glancing at something and seeing a number. That doesn’t require a lot of mental effort. On the other hand, looking at a map to gather data requires a lot more effort. You have to get data from it by seeing where you are, where you’re going, and

where you need to turn,” Guidance Counselor Mr. Fran Roby said.

Others think that just looking at a map may not be dangerous. “I don’t think looking at a map is too distracting because you only really need to glance at it. It’s like looking at a speedometer,” Jones said.

Another problem that comes with this is that limiting hand-held devices does not cover all types of distracted drivers. There are many different kinds of distractions while driving, which can be categorized as mental, manual, and visual. Mental distractions apply to anything that takes attention away from driving. Manual distractions are distractions that physically take hands away from driving, while visual distractions are distractions that take a driver’s vision away from the sight of the road. “Even with banning hand held devices, people can still be distracted by using Bluetooth to call people on their phone or by looking at a map that is built into their car,” Roby said.

With distractions at every turn, it’s become quite hard to stay focused on the ro–– causing more danger with every text.

Writer: Henry Bird Designer: Anna von Kampen Photographer: Ashley Ortizcazarin

KEQ4_pages24-25.indd 2

5/4/16 12:27 PM

DRIVING

25 KEQ4_pages24-25.indd 3

5/4/16 12:27 PM

N

Ingrid Lundberg explains the complicated subject of Net Neutrality. What is it? How does it work? And, why should you care?

She answers all of these questions and more in hopes of sparking conversation about a controversial topic no one is talking about.

et Neutrality: the complex internet issue that no one is talking about. According to a survey conducted by Hart Research, more than 75 percent of Americans have never heard of the term “Net Neutrality” or what it refers to.

This is a problem because Net Neutrality impacts everyone who uses the internet, and without it in place, the internet would look a lot different.

To first understand what Net Neutrality is, someone needs to understand what bandwidth is. bandwidth is the maximum data transfer rate of a network or internet connection; basically anytime someone says something like: “my internet has a speed of 4.5 megabits per second,” take the word “speed” and replace it with ‘bandwidth.” The bandwidth allowed 4.5 megabits per second to transfer from a network to the computer. bandwidth is important, because it’s what is being fought over in the Net Neutrality debate.

Net Neutrality is the term used to describe an open internet, which is the type of internet the U.S. has right now. Every website and video gets the same speed, regardless of the amount of bandwidth used. Think about this in terms of utility water. Everyone everywhere has the option to receive the same amount of water regardless of how the customer uses it. The same principle goes for all utilities like; electricity, and now in 2016 the internet is viewed to be a basic utility.

Net Neutrality hasn’t always been in effect. In fact, the issue is continuously in a tug a war between ISPs (Internet Service Providers, like Comcast) and the FCC (the Federal Communication Commission). In 2010, the FCC created the Open Internet Order legally allowing Net Neutrality, but they forgot to classify ISPs as common carriers (a legal named used to describe companies that handle providing necessities). This was a major issue because the 2010 law was written for common carriers. This gap in the loophole allowed ISPs a chance to fight back. In 2014, Verizon caught on and basically said, “wait a minute, if we’re not common carriers than we don’t have to listen to that law.” Verizon went on to challenge the 2010 ruling in the court of appeals and won. That decision created major repercussions.

Without Net Neutrality, the internet can be manipulated by the ISPs. If a customer is on a website that is very democratic, but their

26 KEQ_Issue4_2016Internet.indd 4

5/4/16 2:22 PM

What’s Net Neutrality?

ISP is republican, the ISP could purposely slow or even block the website just because it wanted to. Another serious issue that comes into play is video streaming. In 2014, after Net Neutrality was taken away. Comcast purposely slowed Netflix’s streaming capabilities.

Comcast wanted Netflix to have to pay up for all the bandwidth their website uses. On the surface that may seem like a good idea.

Netflix does use up a majority of bandwidth, but if Netflix suddenly has to pay to keep the same service it already had, the company will have to charge more money for its service. That $7.99 a month could turn into $19.99 or even higher because Netflix’s company relies completely on ISPs. Without the internet there is no Netflix. This could completely create an era where a company and their website is fully submissive to an ISP. The ISP could slow and block any website that they don’t like or didn’t pay up. Now, this may seem all theoretical, but in reality it actually happened. In 2014 when Net Neutrality was taken away, Comcast forced Netflix to pay an undisclosed amount of money to keep up the streaming service the company already had.

Netflix and video streaming are important, but something much more important could be at stake if Net Neutrality is gone: education. All levels of schools use some sort of internet in their teaching whether it’s a Youtube video or online databases. If Youtube were to be charged huge fees from ISPs it could cause the website to no longer be free. Imagine a Youtube where every time you wanted to watch a video you would have to put in your credit card information, that could happen if Net Neutrality were to be taken away. Schools everywhere would suddenly have to be paying more money to keep their internet. This could even cause colleges to become even more expensive.

Luckily in 2015 the FCC finally decided to classify ISPs as common carriers and put Net Neutrality into effect, but the issue still isn’t over. ISPs have recently tried to repeal that current stance and take Net Neutrality away again. The fight for a free internet is never over.

Writer: Ingrid Lundberg Designer: William Krane

KEQ_Issue4_2016Internet.indd 5

27 5/4/16 12:26 PM

On demand and out of control Service prefrence

T

Comedy

TV?

he world we live in today is constantly being inundated with new technology and ways to carry out our favorite pastimes. With the steep price that cable service brings, more and more people are turning to online streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu to satisfy their need for entertainment.

Throughout the halls of BSM, Netflix reigns supreme with Amazon Prime HBO nearly 85% of students preferring it over any other streaming service. Among popular answers as to why Netflix is the favorite, reHulu volve almost exclusively around ease of use and parents who pay for their kids’ subscriptions. “Netflix [is my favorite] because my parents pay for it, and I don’tOther have to,” junior Maya Berg said.

Binge watching a TV show is a popular pastime for many avid TV fans and very popular among BSM students. Over 73% students prefer to binge watch a show over waiting to watch it as it comes on. “[binge.] It helps me procrastinate more,” Berg said.

When asked, 24 of 343 BSM students said “The Office” was their current favorite show, the most votes for any one show. “Grey’s Anatomy” as well as “Criminal Minds” also provedNetflix popular among BSM students. “‘The Office’ [is my favorite]; it’s relatable and it’s hilarious,” senior Simon Guzan said.

Comedy and drama are the two favorite genres of TV among What do BSM students, accounting for you nearly use 60% ofto thewatch vote, when combined. your favorite shows

BEST DEVICE FOR WATCHING SHOWS? Other

Laptop

Netflix.indd 2

Do BSM STUDENTS’ Binge or Wait?

Wait

Neve

Yes Binge

What is your favorite show to watch?

How many hours would you guess you spend on Netflix a week?

TV

28

Do you w

Billy Pannek: “Parks and Rec” because I am April Ludgate Kyle Clacko: “Game of Thrones” Because the plot is pretty intense Michelle Wyley, Sophie Hathaway, and Sammi Tarnowski (all at once) : “The Blacklist” Because It’s action-packed and intense

Phone

s

Binge or nah?

Kristina Brown: Between 5 and 10 Frankie Gormley: an hour a day, on the weekends more.

Zach Bigelbach: 14 hours a week

Writer: Julia Feld Designer: Will Keivit Data from a survey of 343 BSM students

5/4/16 12:27 PM

Decoding the Code

101100 1100101110010000111101001001 00111010001010100100100101101010101010 110100010010110010100010101110100010101010011 011101001010010111001010100010110100101101001101001 1010010100110111010011100100101101001001001011010010010 10010110101001010110100100101100010111010101110010010101010 10010011010101011001010010101010100010110101001010100010101010 1011011100101110010000111101100110010111001000011110100100100111 010001010100100100101101010101010110100010010110010100010101110100 0101010100110100010110100101101001101001101001010011011101001110010 0101101001001001011010010110101010001011010100101010001010101010100 1001001110100010101001000010110101010101011010001001011001010001010 111010001010101001101101001001001011010010010100101101010010101101 0010010110001011101010111001001010101010010011010101011001010010 101010100010110101001010100010101010101100010010010110101 0101010101101110100010010110010100010101110100010101 0100110111010010100101110010101000101101001011010011 01001101001010011011101001110010010110100100100101 1010010010100101101010010101101001001011000101 1101010111001001010101010010 01101010101100101001010101 01000101101010010101000 101010101001011101010 1001 01100 10101

It may not seem like it, but behind every website, blog, and news article is an extensive chain of code that controls every aspect of every page on the web. Coding is incredibly important for any career or line of work involving technology, but is a subject that isn’t part of most schools’ core curriculum.

Here at BSM, coding isn’t a class option for students interested in it. In the junior high, there used to be a coding club run by math teacher Mr. Fred Hennen, but there isn’t anymore. However, Hennen still uses his class time to give his students exposure to coding to hopefully get them interested enough to continue on their own.

“We participate in the Hour of Code event each year in December, which is a huge promotion nationwide to get kids interested in coding. I also provide extra credit opportunities throughout the year through Codecademy, where they can learn HTML language and Javascript,” said Hennen.

Using games and fun activities to get the students interested and engaged is Hennen’s strategy for getting kids curious about the whole realm of computer programming. “I like to keep it light and introduce it with kids to get them interested in it. If it’s too hard or complicated, it’s really easy for them to give up and never come back

KEQ4_Page24.indd 1

to it. It’s all about opening doors and getting them exposure to something that our school doesn’t offer yet,” said Hennen.

While coding isn’t yet a class at BSM, next year there will be a class available for freshmen where they can learn about coding and computer programming that will be taught by Mr. Bill Cheney. There are some issues regarding where the elective will fit and whether or not it will take away from other classes.

“Coding could really go into three different departments: math, science, or language.

The math and science components are pretty obvious, but HTML and Javascript are really different languages that are now global thanks to the internet. The issue is that we don’t want to take away from the engineering program or other electives, and in my opinion it shouldn’t be a core class because not everyone is interested in going into that field,” said Hennen.

Mr. Stephen Pohlen agrees that there are potential scheduling issues with the class, and since all students have signed up for next year’s classes it could be somewhat of a sacrifice to take the class. “We have

some concerns with wondering about what people have to give up because we don’t want to take away from other electives, like art or business. It’s hard to produce things that students want to take while maintaining a balance of lots of different disciplines.

We can’t have all science and math electives; we need broad experiences with English and art and such,” Pohlen said.

This class will be more of a pilot class to see if it gets put into the full class registration for the following year. Pohlen and Cheney are developing it and are planning on selecting a group of students for next year who have expressed interest in the junior high or at previous schools in computer programming or coding. “We want to make it more about coding in the real world as opposed to just looking at a screen.

We want to incorporate teamwork and collaborative discussions about the projects to make it a more applicable experience to the real world. It should be more of a product development cycle kind of thing,” Pohlen said.

While they’re not entirely sure of what the class will be, they know that they want to have some physical component to the class to make it more than numbers on a screen. “One idea we have is to have the code they create on their screens have an immediate physical impact on something, like lighting up a scoreboard or turning on a machine for moisture reading or automated watering, for some examples,” Pohlen said.

As technology advances, new realms of learning are being implemented.

Writer: Cara Vollbrecht Designer: Andrew Cadle

5/4/16 12:09 PM

Tomorrow’s Trends Members of the BSM community make predictions about the future of technology and the internet.

O

ver the past decade, technology has continued to progress into new and ever-changing innovations.

The 1985 movie, “Back to the Future,” correctly predicted handheld tablets, hoverboards, video conferencing, wallmounted TV’s, to name just a few. The internet has created new opportunities and made our daily tasks even more efficient. Advancements in technology will continue as scientists become smarter. Ten years from now, how different will our world be?

Some think that in the future, cars will be self-driving. “I think automated cars will be one of the biggest advancements in the next ten years. You take away car accidents, speeding tickets, it helps maintenance on roads, and insurance goes down. That can be such a big difference that can be overlooked because we take it for granted. If you think about the drunk drivers, taxis, Ubers, accidents on a daily basis...if we can eliminate all of that, I feel that is a very big thing that could change for mankind in general,” help desk coordinator, Mr. Bill Cheney said.

Another idea is that physical stores will be run out of business by online stores like Amazon. “I can see services, like Amazon, continuing to grow and ultimately starting to put other mega stores out of business. I see people completely shopping off of Amazon for almost everything because of the convenience and pricing,” senior Joey Jason said.

According to some predictors, retail stores wouldn’t be the only business out of luck. “I think something popular in today’s world that will be irrelevant is grocery stores. I think there will be technology that will bring food and supplies to your home. I think this because there is already technology that has just come out that does this,” senior Taylor Gelling said.

Another type of store that could be gone soon is the book store.

30 KEQ_Issue4_2016Internet.indd 6

“I think book stores will be gone in ten years. Just like movie stores, I think book stores will be run into the ground by Amazon,” senior Cole Jacob said.

Cheney seemed to agree. “I think electronic stores will be irrelevant in ten years. I don’t think there will be Best Buys. If you want something, you go online. That’s the first place you look. It is very rare that you go to a storefront to buy things. You’ve seen the evolution in how Nike sells sneakers. They have an app that you can raffle, and you can win shoes on there, you can NikeID them straight from the internet and get them shipped straight to your house. There is going to be less need for us to go out and do any type of shopping and looking at devices without leaving the house,” Cheney said.

Besides the disappearance of “shopping ‘till we drop,” predictions include thoughts ranging from credit cards to cancer cures.

“I think credit and debit cards will be irrelevant in ten years. I see things like Apple Pay sprouting up early and I believe that like most other things in our society, it will be streamlined to a screen. I think our phones will be able to do almost everything,” Jason said.

“In ten years I think doctors will have developed a healthy and effective cure for cancer,” Gelling said.

The world could be very different in ten years, but there is also the chance that it will be almost identical to the world we live in today. After all, we still don’t have flying cars.

Writer: Payton Miller Designer: William Krane Photographer: Ginny Lyons

“[The internet] will be on some whole different scientific level. I think everybody will have access to wifi.”

-Nia Garret

“[The internet government fun South Korea. Peop seeing it as a necessity of hum -Isaac We

5/4/16 12:27 PM

“I think with the way the country is going now, either the internet will become heavily restricted, or new trends will open up.”

-Luis Mojica

“There will be another big Instagram or Facebook or something. There’s always something new that people are obsessed with. Facebook is going downhill. Either Instagram will become bigger than it is now, or there will be a new social media app.”

-Erin Lerch

“I see [the internet] as being mostly in control of our lives. I see the it becoming more accessible for everyone.”

-Emma Paquette

“I see [the internet] splitting into multiple parts even more so than it is today With commercial information and entertainment, you would be able to decipher more easily between them.”

-Nathan Parece

ternet] will be nt funded, like in a. People will start it as a basic of human life.” ac Welsch

7 KEQ_Issue4_2016Internet.indd 7

5/4/16 12:27 PM

cover 4 option YES.indd 2

5/2/16 5:13 PM