February Issue

STATESMAN

Artwork by Carly Wheeler

FEBRUARY ISSUE

MOON TO MARS kaden fossum pg. 28

STATESMAN

FEBRUARY

ISSUE

The Statesman’s purpose is to inform and entertain with an honest and accurate approach.

The opinions of students, staff members and faculty are expressed in a tasteful manner. The Statesman is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and the Journalism Education Association. The Statesman was awarded a Pacemaker in 2007 and was nominated for the 20122013 year. The Statesman has received Superior and best newspaper in the state of South Dakota.

The editors and adviser take responsibility for the content of the Statesman.

Editors-in-Chief: Taylor Ericson, Timothy Stolp, Genna Sheriff, Carly Wheeler & Cathleen Weng Feature Editors: Cameron Rhode & Kathryn Sweeter Entertainment Editors: Chloe Houwman, Nyah Thaemert & Nicole Schmitz Sports Editors: Landon DeBoer, Morgan McDonnel & Spencer Wasmund Perspectives Editors: Daniel Bethke, Sara Croghan & Slater Dixon Photographers: Jaida Sorensen & Chloe Harbaugh Business Managers: Cameron Rhode & Jazlyn White Staff Writers: Grace Adler, Ree Baireddy, Avery Blackman, Olivia Brost, Kyla Clark, Abbie DeKramer, Anna Engels, Lilli Eppinga, Mara Fendrich, Kaden Fossum, Henry Haft, Chloe Hartje, Hunter Hauck, Caleb Hiatt, Madeleine Kemper, Anna Langseth, Charley Lockwood-Powell, Alexis Miller, Avery Nelson, Easton Plourde, Brita Quello, Adyson Sand, Taylor Schmitz, Molly Wetsch, Carson Woods Adviser: Katie Kroeze

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UNSUITABLE- slater dixon

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BEST OF 2019- avery blackman & ree baireddy

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RECYCLE OR PERISH- taylor ericson

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CHILDHOOD MEMORIES WE ALL FORGOT- jaida sorensen & chloe harbaugh

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NON-SLED SLEDDING- hunter hauck & spencer wasmund

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OLD DISNEY VS. NEW DISNEY- lilli eppinga

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APPLE MUSIC VS. SPOTIFY- morgan mcdonnel & anna langseth

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STATESBUDS BREAKFAST EDITION- brita quello & chloe robinson

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BALD BONTE- easton plourde

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PAGES TO SCREENS- kathryn sweeter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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BEST NEW ARTISTS OF 2019- nicole schmitz

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MOON TO MARS- kaden fossum

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NFL RECAP- charley lockwood-powell

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NEW LAWS COMING IN 2020- chloe hartje

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YEA FOR ERA- landon deboer

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UNCOMMON CENSUS- timothy stolp

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WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO BE AMERICAN- madeleine kemper

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JOSIAH’S OWNERS TAKE NEW JOURNEY- nyah thaemert

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TIME IS MEASURED IN PEOPLE- sara croghan

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BEATURY IS PAIN- chloe houwman

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IT HAPPENS HERE- carly wheeler

by Slater Dixon 4 STATESMAN PHOTO PROVIDED BY ADOBE SPARK

In mid-December LHS theater teacher Brian Hardie was preparing for One Act, a drama competition between schools across the state. His selection was, “She Kills Monsters,” a play about Agnes, a highschool cheerleader who begins to explore the world of Dungeons and Dragons after the death of her nerdy freshman sister, Tilly.

Instead of focusing on Tilly’s death, the play focuses on how Agnes learns to cope with it. As the narrator states at the start of the play, “...this isn’t the story of that tragedy. No, this is the story of how Agnes the Average learned to finally fight and kill monsters.”

From Hardie’s perspective, “She Kills Monsters” was not only a stirring tale of two sisters, but a powerful depiction of the grieving process. However, the Sioux Falls School District (SFSD) found the events of the play unsuitable for LHS. Because Tilly’s character dies in a car accident (the incident is referred to briefly during the prologue), the administration wrote that the play was inappropriate “...due to recent loss at Lincoln High School,” (as paraphrased by Hardie). As a result, the submission was rejected.

Any Sioux Falls high-school production must be first approved by the SFSD. Drama teachers are required to fill out a form that confirms their selection meets a variety of standards. These standards are comprehensive, mandating that plays represent a variety of genres, have literary importance and provide an appropriate educational experience for the students.

If the District deems that repertoire (play selections) violates these guidelines, a school cannot put on a production of the show. “...it is important to consider the play’s artistic and educational merit as well as appropriateness for public school student performers and audiences of all ages,” said Fine Arts Coordinator Dr. Boyd Perkins, the administrator who decided that “She Kills Monsters” did not meet District guidelines.

“Repertoire selected at the K-12 level serves as an educational tool.”

One source of confusion in the process is that most of the guidelines are subjective, especially those dictating, “Suitability for Participants and Audience.” “She Kills Monsters” was rejected because it was not considered suitable for the community.

However, it is not the only example of the SFSD rejecting a play based on these standards.

In September 2019, WHS theater teacher Bryan Aukerman planned to present a play written by a college professor in Sioux Falls, with the writer providing insight on the process. District officials, however, were uncomfortable with the controversial content of the play.

“Due to our current political tension, there is too much risk for negative experiences for our potential audience in a K-12 setting,” said Aukerman when paraphrasing the language used by the District. Aukerman’s suggestion was eventually rejected.

The SFSD treads lightly when it comes to plays with a controversial subject matter.

One factor that likely overshadows the decision-making process is the backlash after RHS performed “The Foreigner” in March 2018. Although the comedy is a pointed critique of xenophobia and race, it’s a controversial play due to the fact that the antagonists are members of the Ku Klux Klan, donning Klan robes at different points throughout the show.

The backlash began after a local group called Establishing Sustainable Connections (ESC) publicly decried RHS’s selection on their Facebook page.

“In today’s political climate, the imagery of KKK robes and hoods furthers the racial tension and divide in our community,” wrote the group.

ESC received some pushback on the post from community members as a result of their declaration. “This play depicts the KKK as the bad guys. in no way shape or form is this play harmful,” commented Lexi Ronning, a former member of the RHS theater program. However, after Newsweek wrote an article proclaiming, “South Dakota Students Perform Play Dressed in KKK Attire,” (the selected image was a real KKK member), it was clear that the SFSD had a PR disaster on their hands. District administrators apologized for the play, writing in a statement that, “We sincerely regret this and will continue to take action in our quest to be a culturally responsive school community.”

SFSD officials are eager to make sure that a Foreigner-type situation never happens again. According to SFSD standards, plays must be “...appropriate within the current local, state, and national climate.” It’s clear that “The Foreigner” pushed these standards to their limit, and many would argue that it broke them. Since then, however, it is clear that the SFSD has steered away from plays with the potential for controversy, even when the content is less provocative than that of shows like “The Foreigner.” “[High-school theater] does contrast the role of repertoire performed in collegiate, community, or professional organizations... their mission is not necessarily theater education,” said Perkins. “These organizations are performing for adult audiences with adult performers and seeking to advance the state of the art form by performing new repertoire or repertoire which is often intended to expand or challenge society’s conditions.”

Because professional actors aren’t in an educational setting, argues Perkins, they have more latitude to tackle contentious issues. Drama teachers, however, don’t see the disconnect between tackling controversial issues and theater education.

Aukerman cites WHS’s 2016 performance of “And Then They Came For Me,” as an example of a production that allowed the students to explore uncomfortable themes.

The work centers around Eva Schloss, a Holocaust survivor who coincidentally spoke at Augustana University in late 2019. “[The play] speaks to how easy it is to let fear burble up around us, letting fear of ‘the other’ become an excuse to scapegoat, hate and harm our neighbors,” said Aukerman.

“Students got to hear from the very people they were portraying [about] how powerful their work was and how important the story they are telling is. Those controversial or difficult issues that create tension in-themoment are not made better by avoiding them.”

While they appreciate the concerned effort that the District has made to listen to its staff, drama teachers also hope that administrators will be mindful when choosing which topics are too controversial for high-school students.

For theater teachers, one of the most meaningful educational experiences that they can provide is one that encourages a conversation about real, relevant issues that reflect our changing world. “...theater has the potential to...create an environment for a shared experience and [hopefully] productive conversation in order to bring these very issues into the light,” said Aukerman.

Hardie expressed a similar sentiment: “...we can never control what our audience brings to [uncomfortable shows], but we do it respectfully,” Theater teachers are confident in the ability of their productions to provide a meaningful educational experience through the exploration of controversial topics.

It’s up to the SFSD to decide how valuable those experiences are.

“For anyone to be given the responsibility of judging an artistic expression such as theatre to be either acceptable or rejectable, the responsibility must be met with open discussion, debate, and ultimately criticism or no one in public education, emphasis on the public, is doing his or her full responsibility,” said RHS theater teacher Randall Hanzen.

“Our duty as practitioners of theatre is to tell the story,” said Hardie. “So, it’s a matter of them deciding which stories are appropriate to be told to the audience that we have.”

STATESMAN 5

Photos provided by LHS StUdents

Best of 2019

LHS EDITION

In this article, we curated a list of the best aspects of the 2019 LHS school year. We chose people, events and stories that stood out as exciting, unique and just overall memorable.

These 15 things are favorites for LHS students, teachers and staff alike, and best summarize 2019 for everyone.

6 STATESMAN

by Avery Blackman & Ree Baireddy

TEACHER MOMENT

photo provided by LHS Pats Twitter

For high school sports, it is the norm for coaches to remain on the sidelines to support their athletes.

However, at a track meet in Fargo, ND during the ‘19 season, this was not the case. The final event of the day was a coach’s medley relay. The LHS team consisted of four track coaches: Trey Naasz, Jim Jarovski, Marshall Byrd and anchor Jordan Strand. Strand led the team to victory with his 400 m split of 50.9 seconds. A video of the relay went viral on Twitter with over 1.7 million views and almost 10,000 likes on the video. It was also retweeted by other accounts with millions of followers, such as Barstool Sports.

“I hadn’t competed for a while,” said Strand. “The students really helped me gain some motion, and it was quite exhilarating.”

ROAD TRIP

For many LHS students, sitting in the student section and cheering on their fellow classmates is one of the most exciting parts of their high school experience. For the athletes, the most important part of their season is the State championship.

In 2019, the volleyball team punched their ticket to the State tournament for the first time in a few years, and many students, both upperclassmen and underclassmen, made the five hour drive to Rapid City. LHS senior Chase Helland has particularly fond memories of the weekend.

“My favorite part of the trip was making a fool of myself in front of the whole state,” said Helland. “I love being noisy and loud.”

SCHOOL CLUB In 2015, a few LHS students formed a group called Environmental Ingenuity Club. The purpose is to help create a cleaner and healthier environment at LHS. The original group of students organized a rock concert which raised enough money to install bottle-filling stations to some drinking fountains around the school.

The current members, including LHS senior Sienna Syverson, decided to revive the club in 2019.

“It’s really cool to meet a lot of new people that have the same interests as me and also want to make their lives a little greener,” said Syverson.

The club has organized multiple bake sales and ways to fundraise money. They donated all proceeds to sanctuaries and organizations that help endangered animals.

OPEN LUNCH SPOT Slim Chickens, or “Slims,” as many high schoolers call it, offers plates of both chicken tenders and chicken wings, with a wide variety of sauces. Part of the appeal for Slim Chickens, which opened in the summer of 2017, is its proximity to LHS. Located on Minnesota Ave, it is a five minute drive, at most, from school, making it the optimal destination for a 50-minute open lunch period.

As another added bonus, the restaurant offers a student discount on Tuesdays, where you can show your student ID and get 20% off of your meal.

SCHOOL LUNCH

Some school lunches have become favorites among the student body of LHS. Sophomore Aidan Hauff believes that the spicy chicken tenders can be considered superior to other lunch options. Served with scalloped potatoes, the tenders have become a sensation for most students. Along with the meal of the day, students can choose from multiple other dishes. According to the LHS cafeteria employees, the meal of the day can range from a multitude of foods.

Students usually prefer chicken nuggets and tenders.

photo provided by LHS Girls Basketball

SPORTS MOMENT

The 18-19 LHS girls basketball team was undeniably successful both during their season and at the State tournament. They ended with a record of 16 wins and seven losses. Their success was accomplished through grit and ability to push through the hardest of competitors.

In the beginning of their season, they competed against WHS; the game was close. LHS was down by two points with only a few seconds left on the scoreboard. After WHS scored a free throw, LHS senior Morgan Hansen passed the ball to fellow LHS senior Emma Osmundson, who scored the winning three-pointer. This was one of the most memorable moments for the student body in 2019.

“I was happy that we won that comeback and pretty shocked by it going in,” said Osmundson. “The bench and student section went so crazy, and it was just so hype.”

STATESMAN 7

SOCIAL MEDIA

Every day, LHS students are informed about upcoming school events through the morning announcements. However, the themes and times of sports events are often forgotten by students, and they may need reminders. With the use of the Lincoln Crazies account, mostly used through Instagram and Twitter, students are informed about games. The account, run by multiple anonymous LHS seniors, is helpful to the student body and is supportive of all LHS clubs and activities.

“The best part is celebrating after a win with a funny post,” said one of the account’s owners. photo by Sara Croghan

VACATION

Vacations are arguably the best part of anyone’s year. Few people, especially high schoolers, can say that they have been to multiple countries, let alone continents.

LHS Junior Jacob VanBuskirk and his family journeyed farther than the typical family, spending their 2019 Christmas in Australia. Not only that, he was also able to ring in the new year on the other side of the earth. During his trip “down under,” VanBuskirk stayed in Sydney and on Hamilton Island, both of which offered him and his family plenty of exciting things to do.

Sydney, which is the biggest city in Australia, is home to the iconic Sydney Opera House, and has plenty of beaches, aquariums and museums. Hamilton Island is located adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, which is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

SUMMER ACTIVITY

Everyone dreams of a summer spent at the beach, swimming in the ocean and tanning under the sun.

However, living in South Dakota, the ocean is fairly hard to come by.

There is an alternative, however: a lake. These bodies of water are scattered all over the Midwest, the two most popular for Sioux Falls residents being Lake Madison and Lake Okoboji. High school students with cabins at these respective lakes have long argued over which destination is better. However, this debate has finally been put to rest with a poll from LHS students. The poll revealed that students prefer Lake Okoboji, the lake which received exactly two-thirds of the votes.

HIGH SCHOOL JOB

photo provided by Jacob VanBuskirk

WINTER ACTIVITY During the winter months, it can be difficult to find things to do other than lounge around at home, especially in South Dakota, where the temperatures often dip below zero degrees. However, there are plenty of ways to use the cold temperatures to your advantage and enjoy the outdoors, one of which is sledding. Children and adults alike can bundle up and journey to their neighborhood snow hill to experience the thrill of sledding down a makeshift mountain. During the coldest months of winter, this seemingly childish activity can surely bring joy to anyone who participates.

8 STATESMAN

In Sioux Falls, there are many part-time jobs that are appealing to LHS students. Whether it is serving at a restaurant or mowing lawns, having a job during high school is a great way for teens to learn responsibility, as well as make some extra cash.

Lifeguarding is a popular occupation for LHS students during the summer. LHS junior Katie Timmer was a lifeguard during the 2019 summer, and thought it was a positive experience.

“It was a natural step because I swim,” said Timmer. “It’s fun to be outside and not have to work inside when it’s so nice. Plus, when I’m outside all day I can get a good tan.”

Although the average high school student has less free time during the winter than they do in the summer, there are still plenty of possibilities for a winter job. LHS junior Finley Ziebarth works at Great Bear, where he teaches snowboarding lessons. There were many aspects of the job which drew in Ziebarth, who is an avid snowboarder himself.

“I like the creativity of snowboarding and getting to interact with different people,” said Ziebarth. “Everyone has a different way of going about the sport; no one is really the same- I think that’s really cool.”

BAND

When current LHS seniors, Johnathan Smith and Garrett Masters, started playing in orchestra together during middle school, they were only interested in covering songs like “Stacy’s Mom.” Today, they have an official band, called Shoot the Moon, which has achieved some level of fame at LHS. For Masters, playing in this band allows him to step outside of his comfort zone, recording music he would not traditionally play on his own.

“Most of the music I make is beats for SoundCloud rappers,” said Masters. “It’s cool to switch it up and play music that’s a little bit more fun.”

ART PIECE

LHS senior Jada Carlson has been recognized for her artistic talent at LHS throughout her high school years. In 2019, Carlson achieved a new level of prestige when she won an award from The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for her photo, “Quiet.”

“I loved how natural it all came together,” said Carlson, about her self-portrait. “I didn’t set aside time to take the photo, I just kind of got up and did it randomly.” In order to receive this award, Carlson traveled to New York City with a few of her teachers.

“Actually, seeing the photo in a gallery in New York City was really cool,” said Carlson.

FASHION TRENDS

photo provided by “Shoot the Moon”

In 1982, Nike released the Air Force 1, which ended up being the most popular Nike shoe in history. In 2019, people discovered a new way to revamp the basic shoe which is traditionally completely black or white. Although Nike has produced their own designs and remakes of the shoes, students like LHS senior Avella Dill modify their shoes using paint or other methods to add their own design elements. Dill stood out amongst the flood of LHS students at the 2019 President’s Bowl with her customized shoes.

“I like to make my outfits fun and different,” said Dill. “I saw the shoes on Pinterest, and I thought they looked really cool, so I made them too.”

BUSINESS LHS junior Owen Monahan defies expectations and runs a full-fledged business that sells refurbished clothing and shoes. Monahan started this business at 14-years-old after he got the idea from other people doing it on YouTube. His business gained a lot of popularity in a couple of years, due to his website and Instagram account with over 16,000 followers.

“The best part about [my company] is the time it takes and the connections I make with people,” said Monahan.

photo provided by Avella Dill

STATESMAN 9

RECYCLE OR PERISH.

BY TAYLOR ERICSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

From the time we were in elementary school, we have been combated with the phrase, “Reduce, reuse, recycle.�

The overuse of this phrase often times leads us to look past the importance of recycling, seeing it as a burden rather than a way to help the environment. It may seem as though we are not doing anything productive when we place items in the recycling bin rather than the trash, but that is simply not the case. According to the University of Southern Indiana, if all our newspaper was recycled, it would result in about 250 million trees being saved each year. This high number demonstrates only a small fraction of the large impact that each and every one of us can have by simply placing an item in the recycling rather than the trash.

Aside from the abundant amount of wood, there are other natural resources that can be reused, helping to decrease energy usage and pollution, a few of these items

include aluminum, steel, glass and water. When we decide to recycle one of these items, it can be reused in a more efficient manner, saving both energy and money while simultaneously creating less waste. According to the National Institutes of Health Environmental Management System, a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, it takes 95% less energy to reprocess aluminum than to create it from raw materials. If we decide to recycle items it allows for less natural resources to be depleted such as sand for glass, oil for plastic and ore rocks for metals.

Not only does recycling have positive effects on the environment but it also leads to a better economy.

When we recycle, that is one less item brought to the landfill and as the rate of recycling increases, the need for large landfills diminishes alongside it. When fewer items are brought to the landfills, less money is spent on them. Manufacturing costs also lessen as a result of recycling because it costs significantly less to

manufacture recycled materials than virgin ones.

Although there is indeed money to be saved as a result of recycling, that is not the only way that reusing products helps the economy. Many employment opportunities are created as a result. According to epa. gov, 757,000 jobs are created in a single year as a result of recycling.

This number comes from many different businesses including steel mills, paper and glass manufacturers and collection centers.

It may seem as though placing recyclables in the correct bin every once in a while will suffice, but if we truly want to see change, it must become a consistent action.

We will not see true advancements unless everyone does their part.

According to uspirg.org, only 34.7% of Americans actually recycle; a number that is far too small. The first step to recycling is knowing what we can and cannot recycle in our own city followed by the assurance that we put in the effort to continue the recycling of goods every single day.

STATESMAN 11

CHILDHOOD memories we all forgot about

by Jaida Sorensen & Chloe Harbaugh

CLIFFORD

Remember your favorite dog? He was a giant beast with a giant heart.

BARNEY

“I love you. You love me.

We’re a happy family.”

The friendly dinosaur was sure to make your sad day a happy one.

LITTLE CRITTERS

The mischievous little weave is the namesake of the Little Critter Series. He is troublesome, but he makes it better!

(Sometimes)

SUPER WHY!

“Hip, Hip Hooray. The Super Readers save the day!” Wyatt is the everyday reading hero!

Have you ever seen something that brought you back to your childhood that you forgot about until that moment? Well… luckily for you, this whole page is about to make you miss being young again.

SPONGEBOB

The friendly sponge who lived in a pineapple under the sea taught us that, “F is for friends who do stuff together!”

TOM & JERRY

Remember when you didn’t know how to talk? This is probably the cartoon you watched. These two were the epitome of frenemies.

CAILLOU COOKIE MONSTER

Cookie Monster teaches kids to not take things too seriously. “Today, I will live in the moment. Unless it’s unpleasant, in which I’ll eat a cookie!”

No matter if you remember Caillou as the fascinating kid-next-door or the whiny friend your parents wouldn’t let you play with, his adventures will go down in history.

BY HUNTER HAUCK AND SPENCER WASMUND

PHOTOS BY ANNA LANGSETH AND MORGAN MCDONNEL

As we enter another long stretch of winter, a lot of recreational activities are limited by the cold and snow.

These winter elements make way for much more exciting pastimes such as sledding, snowboarding and skiing. While these activities may require more expensive equipment, they allow for a much more creative component.

Whether or not you’re a proficient skier or snowboarder, everyone has the ability to sled despite financial limitations. Here are some of the things we tried.

Cardboard:

For being the most affordable option, the cardboard performed quite well. And while

it may only be effective on ice rather than snow, the rough texture does provide some drag which allows for more control than the other options. The cardboard offers the most leisurely ride of the four, however, it offers little protection to the hindquarters in the event of rough terrain.

Cookie Sheet:

You won’t just be moving with speed, but you will be saying to yourself , “I am speed.”

The cookie sheet felt the fastest out of all the things we tried. It provided a frictionless ride that makes the rider feel as though they are moving at the speed of light. Because of the lack of restraints, the ride also becomes very dangerous as the

speed is increasing, even to the point where the sheet will come out from under the rider. I recommend going out and purchasing a cookie sheet if you are looking for a thrilling, but dangerous, ride.

Tote Lid:

The tote lid is yet another convenient option as it can be obtained by nearly everyone and has enough space for multiple riders. In hindsight, the lid is probably the safest option because it has no risk of flipping the rider onto their head and has the most padding, outside of the kayak.

Overall, we give the lid the safest ride.

Kayak:

The kayak was far and

away the best non-sled sled that we tested out.

You feel as though you are in a Formula One racecar as you fly down the hill attempting to guide the kayak and keep it straight to deter any sort of flipping or tumbling from happening. The lack of safety is made up for in the excess excitement and adrenaline that is produced from taking a ride in a speeding death boat down the icy winter hills of Tuthill Park. If you happen to have a kayak just sitting around, and you just can’t seem to think of anything to do with it, take it to a big hill, bring a helmet and gear up for the thrill ride of a lifetime.

OLD

by L E illi ga ppin

When I was younger, after I came home from school, I would sling my backpack across the room, fling off my shoes and find a comfortable spot on the couch just in time to catch the end of “Hannah Montana.” My point is, as a 2003 baby, Disney Channel was a huge part of my childhood and it will always have a special place in my heart. Shows like “Wizards of Waverly Place,” “Good Luck Charlie,” “Hannah Montana,” “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” “Sonny with a Chance” and “Phineas and Ferb” are what I grew up on. The devastating reality is that as we grew up, so did our favorite childhood actors, which gradually brought the best shows to an end. Because I have two younger brothers, I am aware of the drastic change Disney Channel has taken as time has progressed and I am not a fan.

Watching Disney shows now just is not the same, and I have noticed that some of them even have bad messages that they are teaching kids.

Yes, I know they are not terrible, but for example, the show “Andi Mack” is giving 13-year-old girls the impression that it is okay to have a cell phone and a boyfriend at such a young age. Even before the age of 10, girls are begging for an iPhone and think they are in desperate need of a boyfriend. The show “Bizaardvark” is all about two best friends creating online videos and fighting their way to the top of the blogger totem pole 18 STATESMAN in order to become online celebrities.

While old shows were majorly based on whimsical creativity, the life of kids or talent-driven success, these shows seem to hinge on technology and popularity being the biggest factor of fame. Was it the simple fact that I had grown up that made this new Disney Channel so hard to watch, or is it just that bad? Maybe it is not the fact that my humor has matured because after all, my friends and I still rewatch our favorites— “Hannah Montana,” “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” “Wizard of Waverly Place”—with the same excitement.

We still laugh at the corny jokes and sing along to the theme songs. I truly believe it is because the characters were more genuine, the actors were more convincing and the shows contained more heartfelt messages underneath the surface. Just look at Disney’s ratings, which have dropped radically within the last decade.

‘90s and 2000s babies who remember Disney at its best have easy access to our old childhood favorites. Although sadly, those who are still growing up will never experience TV at its prime. Kids are better off ditching the TV and finding ways to stream—like the new Disney+ —and watch the original shows we all remember best.

R.I.P. old Disney, you are missed.

NEW STATESMAN 19

by Anna Langseth

On the basis of quality, usability and the overwhelming popular support amongst students and faculty at LHS, Apple Music is undoubtedly the superior streaming service. I use Apple Music, although the first streaming service I ever used was Spotify.

Switching was one of my greatest ideas.

There are a lot of small bits that set Apple Music apart from its competitors. First off, for people with Apple products, if you purchase music from the iTunes store, it is stored in the same app as Apple Music.

Some artists require the listener to purchase the album to listen to it, which can be an issue. If you were to use a different streaming service, your music would exist in two separate places and would be very inconvenient too.

Another feature that people seem to enjoy is the easily shared music 20 STATESMAN

and playlists. This can be through one of Apple’s Family Plans or simply entering in your friend’s names in the search bar, or through synching your contacts.

“My favorite part of [Apple Music] is that I get to look at other people’s music and steal it,” said sophomore Elle Dobbs.

This feature spans across all ages, and even teachers are in on it.

“I use Apple Music because I have an Apple device, my wife and I have the family plan,” said LHS history teacher Ken Doyle.

Some students even share plans together, making the music sharing process even easier.

“Apple Music is easier because its already on my phone. I have five business associates on my account, and it works really well with that. We can see all the music everyone downloads and see the playlists they make,”

said LHS senior Noah McDonald.

Apart from the tangible reasons that make Apple Music superior to Spotify, something about Spotify seems to feel off for many students, making it the less appealing choice.

“My reasoning is that I’ve always used Apple Music you know, it’s how I roll, Spotify just doesn’t seem like it works well,” said LHS senior Sam Fawcett.

“My dad just got Apple Music that’s why I use it.

Spotify is weird. It has weird ads, you know what I’m talking about,” said LHS senior Alex Oppold.

However, like most things in life, if you’re not the one responsible for paying for it and it works just fine, it’s really not that big of a deal. This phenomenon is summed up well by Oppold, “My dad’s paying for it so I’m not complaining.”

VS

An ongoing argument between users of Spotify and Apple Music continues to stir up controversy between many. These days, it is almost seen as a personality trait being a “Spotify user” or someone with Apple Music. Being that the apps are so similar and yet different, app users are bound to feel strongly about whichever app they use.

Downloading Spotify over five years ago was a very wise decision on my part. Throughout the years, the app has continued to improve and update. Not only has it become more efficient and user friendly, the overall look of the app consistently stays fresh and continues to be visually pleasing.

Students at LHS have

by Morgan Mcdonnel

split opinions on the two apps but both have valid reasons to back up the app they have.

“If I had to choose, Spotify is better because my whole family and my friends can use it so we can share albums easily,” said LHS junior Eli Olson.

“I also think Spotify is better because I have a Samsung.”

Spotify is a superior app just in the fact that it does not exclude against various brands of phones whereas Apple Music is limited to just iPhones, constricting many people.

The app provides a social aspect allowing users to follow other users as well as artists. Playlists can be split by two users with songs contributed by both people resulting in a joint playlist. Spotify also creates weekly and

random personalized playlists, pulling songs for each individual user based on the typical music and genres they commonly listen to.

The 16-year-old app has acquired many members and artists as time has gone on. Some have been with the app since it launched, and some are just now realizing how much it has to offer.

“I have used Spotify from the beginning, and I have countless hours invested into my playlists and I have been completely happy with the service that I have received,” said LHS Social Studies teacher Steve Blankenship. “I look at it, I’m encouraged every time I see that Pearl Jam is my number one listened to artist, so I know I’m doing things right.”

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PHOTOS BY BRITA QUELLO & CHLOE ROBINSON

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Be Be the D

BALD

BONTE

by Easton Plourde

LHS has a reputation of being a powerhouse of sports. With winning the past six KELO Cups, the numbers speak for themselves.

A lot of hard work goes into winning each KELO Cup which goes unnoticed and is stuck in the background of all the wins. One important component that leads to the immense success of LHS sports teams is the weight room that gives any athlete the opportunity to improve their athleticism.

The weight room is run by LHS trainer Brady Bonte who has committed himself to improving the performance of all LHS athletes. Bonte has a pretty impressive athletic resume himself.

In high school, he was a four-sport athlete at Garretson High School participating in football, wrestling, baseball and track.

Bonte committed to Dakota Wesleyan University where

he started as a linebacker for four years. He became quite an accomplished football player at DWU securing a few accolades. He was a three-time All-GPAC, twotime All American and nominated for the Cliff Harris award, which honors the best small school defensive player in the nation.

Having such an accomplished athlete as the trainer at LHS is a great source for our program and athletes to take advantage of.

“I was attracted to Lincoln because I wanted to help high school athletes start their careers the right way, hopefully helping facilitate success in college and further,” said Bonte.

An athlete like Bonte knows what it takes for someone to reach their potential and become the best they can be. He tries to get his point across and has embeded certain routines so players can be

at the peak of their performance.

Bonte has one major principle that he stresses: “The #1 thing I push is consistency and LHS has been awesome with it,” said Bonte.

Even though Bonte had an amazing football career, he is still human and is not perfect. He strives to become a better trainer every day, which includes evolving the program more and more throughout the years.

“I’d say adjusting each individual program to fit their specific needs is something I’m doing really well now that I wasn’t doing before,” said Bonte.

Having someone like Bonte to be able to pass on his athletic experiences will play a big part in our program. Hopefully he will help lead LHS to its next KELO Cup.

TO SCREENS

by Kathryn Sweeter

Many people have favorite movies that they have seen so many times they can recite lines of the movie by heart. However, what they may not know is that many of these movies are derived from novels. This year, several paper-to-film adaptations will be released.

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

FROM PAPER

In 2018, Netflix fans instantly fell in love with the Netflix Original movie “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” based on Jenny Han’s 2014 novel of the same name. The story is focused on Lara Jean (Lana Condor) when she gets noticed by a character named Peter (Noah Centineo). The teenagers fall in love after Lara’s letter about her interest in Peter accidentally gets mailed to him instead of staying hidden away in her closet.

On Feb. 12, 2020, the sequel “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” was released to eager Netflix fans waiting to see how the love story of Lara and Peter continues. This adaptation to the 2015 novel will expand on Lara and Peter’s relationship but will also show Lara reuniting with another one of her love letter recipients.

The Outsider

In 2018, Stephen King, a popular author known for writing horror novels, released his book “The Outsider.” Many of King’s novels have been adapted to movies including “It,” “The Shining” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” On Jan. 12, 2020, the TV show “The Outsider” that is based on King’s novel was released. This HBO series will be available on Hulu. This series follows an investigation that turns out to be more complicated than expected when a young boy is murdered by a cop. The investigators soon question everything they believe when a supernatural force works its way into the case. This show is recommended for those who enjoy watching horror and thriller films.

The Woman in the Window

Based on A.J. Finn’s 2017 novel of the same name, the movie “The Woman in the Window” will be released on May 15, 2020 and will follow the same storyline. In the novel, Anna Fox (Amy Adams) lives alone in a New York City home and spends her days watching old movies, reflecting on past times and spying on her neighbors. When the Russell family, consisting of a mother, father and teenage son, moves into the house across from her, Fox sees something that she should not. She starts to question what is real, what is imagined, who is in danger and who is in control. This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat as you embark on the journey to answer Fox’s questions.

The Irishman

Charles Brandt’s novel, written in 2004, has received an adaptation 15 years after it was first published. The movie “The Irishman” was adapted from the novel “I Heard You Paint Houses” and is based on a true story about an Italian-American Mafia. The movie is centered around Frank Sheeran’s memories of his work done as a hit man for The Bufalino crime family in Philadelphia. Sheeran quickly becomes one of the top hit men and works for Jimmy Hoffa, a powerful Teamster connected to organized crime.

This movie was released on Nov. 1, 2019 to the public and was added to Netflix on Nov. 27, 2019.

26 STATESMAN

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY WIKIPEDIA

BEST NEW ARTISTS OF 2019

BY NICOLE SCHMITZ

As yet another year comes to a close, we are presented with the opportunity to write another music review. 2019 brought us an abundance of new artists with varying styles of music. According to LHS students, these are some of the best new artists of 2019.

Lizzo, although crafting her hit “Truth Hurts” in 2017, gained immense popularity from the song in 2019. Lizzo is known for incorporating sass and self-confidence into her songs. Her upbeat music and motivating lyrics have inspired women and young girls around the country.

“Lizzo inspires you to be the best version of yourself. In one of her songs, ‘Truth Hurts,’ she sings about how to accept your beauty and how anyone who thinks otherwise is holding you back,” said freshman Nancy Peter. “Lizzo helps you understand that you don’t need anyone to be happy. She is a major female role model for many of her listeners.”

Other recognizable songs by Lizzo include “Good as Hell,” “Juice” and “Water Me.” Calpurnia, an indie rock band from Vancouver, Canada starring “Stranger Things” actor, Finn Wolfhard, emerged into the spotlight in 2019. Their most popular song, “City Boy,” reached number one on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 playlist in late 2018 and set a platform for their songs that followed in 2019.

“Their sound makes you think that they are an old 60’s rock band until you are reminded that it is made up of a bunch of Canadian teenagers,” said sophomore Molly Baumeister. “Calpurnia is able to capture the essence of the 60’s rock while adding their own flavor to it.”

More hits by Calpurnia are “Cell,” “Wasting Time” and “Blame.”

Another star that came out of 2019 was Billie Eilish. Her music style contains alternative pop, dark pop, EDM, electropop, indie pop and pop genres. She implements strong emotions and thoughts into her songs, making her music relatable to her fans.

“Her music is really different. Each and every one of her songs gives me a different vibe,” said sophomore Marisa Weinzetl. “Any emotion I’m feeling she has a song to fit. You want a bop? Listen to ‘bad guy.’ You want a song to cry to? Listen to ‘Lovely.’”

Additional songs by Billie Eilish are “when the party’s over,” “i love you” and “everything i wanted.”

There is no denying that these artists, and so many more that gained popularity through their music this past year, have influenced their fans immensely. As we step into 2020, we are only able to dream of what music artists will produce this year. Who are your top artists for 2020?

Moon to Mars

by Kaden Fossum

For years, NASA has led the world in revolutionizing the space program, and their goals for the future keep becoming closer to reality.

In the past 60 years, NASA has had many great accomplishments, including the Apollo 11 mission and the Mars Science Laboratory mission. The Apollo 11 mission sent the first man to the Moon, and the Mars Science Laboratory mission put the first U.S. rover on Mars. The last time someone stepped foot on the moon was in 1972, the Apollo 17 mission.

Recently NASA released a YouTube video titled “NASA 2020,” which announced that NASA will start doing commercial science trips back to the moon around 2024. NASA will also have a rover start drilling for water on the surface of the moon. If NASA is successful in finding these water reserves, it could mean a huge leap in the advancement of the spaceflight industry. Not only could these reserves be collected to help run and sustain a life support system for future lunar colonies, but the water could also be split into hydrogen and oxygen and used as rocket fuel for new kinds of rockets.

But that raises the question: why are we wasting time and resources going to the moon instead of working towards the first human on Mars? At the Human to Mars summit, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said, “We are doing both the Moon and Mars in tandem, and the missions are supportive of each other.”

In going to the Moon, NASA is placing the foundation that will ultimately allow human exploration of Mars. The Moon will provide a spot to test technologies and find resources that will take humans to Mars and beyond, including building sustainable, reusable architecture.

While NASA is getting closer to reaching Mars 28 STATESMAN every day, there are still some missing pieces of

the puzzle that need to be accomplished or tested.

For instance, NASA is creating a new generation of spacesuits for the Artemis missions, which are the new lunar missions. The new suits are called Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or xEMU for short. The suit also is built to endure temperature extremes of minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade and up to 250 degrees in the sun. Now more than ever, NASA knows the terrain of the moon. For instance, the lunar surface soil is composed of tiny glass-like shards, which pose a great threat to the suits of the astronaut, or at least they used to. Now, the new suit has a suite of dust-tolerant features to prevent inhalation or contamination of the suit’s life support system.

The new suits also provide enhanced mobility and communications. The torso of the spacesuit includes advanced materials and joint bearings that allow bending and rotating at the hips, increased bending at the knees and hiking-style boots with flexible soles. The helmet of the suit will also offer a quick swap visor, which is used for a sacrifi­cial shield that protects the pressurized bubble from any wear and tear from the dirt of any planet. This means it will be easy to replace the visor after a spacewalk instead of sending it back to Earth for repairs.

NASA’s next big step for Mars before human interaction will be its new helicopter, which will travel with the agency’s Mars 2020 rover mission, currently scheduled to launch in July 2020, to demonstrate the viability and potential of heavierthan-air vehicles on the Red Planet.

“The idea of a helicopter flying the skies of another planet is thrilling,” said Bridenstine. “The Mars Helicopter holds much promise for our future science, discovery, and exploration missions to Mars.”

The helicopter includes features that will help

s

   

with its success on Mars, solar cells to charge its lithium-ion batteries and a heating mechanism to keep it warm through the cold Martian nights.

The rover will have geological assessments of its landing site on Mars, assess the habitability of the environment, search for signs of ancient Martian life and assess natural resources and hazards for future human explorers. The rover will be attached to the belly pan of the new Mars rover, which will launch in July of 2020.

If for whatever reason you are interested in going to Mars, it might be your lucky day. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently tweeted out his plans of having a city of one million people on Mars by the year 2050. Musk is known for his electric cars and is now making a name for himself in the space program with his SpaceX company that is working on reaching Mars as well. Musk has big plans in the colonization of Mars: rockets that have the architecture of a huge spaceship are called Starships, which Musk has said will be capable of carrying up to 100 people, and a giant rocket named Super Heavy. Both vehicles will be reusable. Musk eventually wants an average of three starships per day launched and to make it available for anyone, rich or poor. “[The program] needs to be such that anyone can go if they want, with loans available for those who don’t have money,” said Musk.

Musk also hopes to create job opportunities on Mars.

Nasa is creating groundbreaking work for the next generation of space travel; this work will eventually lead humans to Mars and beyond. The Red Planet is just the beginning of a much larger picture of overall space exploration.

PHOTOS PROVITED BY NASA, TESLARATI & GIZMODO

STATESMAN 29

30 STATESMAN

As the NFL regular season has ended, fans take a look back at teams from each division and how their 2019-2020 season played out. Looking back, there are some ‘top tier’ teams that need to be highlighted. Some of the teams were not so good and others surprised viewers this season.

AFC NORTH:

NFC NORTH:

AFC WEST:

NFC WEST:

AFC EAST:

NFC EAST:

AFC SOUTH:

NFC SOUTH:

The Cleveland Browns had the opposite of a stellar season, finishing with a 6-10 record. The Browns were expected to be a power-house because of the talent they had aquired during the offseason. They were led by their second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield and veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr, both of whom had below-average seasons. Mayfield had 22 touchdowns but had just as many interceptions to go with it. Beckham was hurt most of the season but played through his injury because he did not want to sit out. The quarterback ended the season with only completing four touchdowns. The Browns once again did not make the playoffs for the 18th year in a row.

The Kansas City Chiefs had a great season with a 12-4 record and winning their division by five games. The Chiefs were led by standout quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the speedy slot receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill ended the season with 860 yards and added seven touchdowns to the mix, while Mahomes had over 4,000 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. The Kansas City Chiefs were crowned champions when they beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl by a score of 31-20.

The Patriots have been dominant over the last decade and were once again led to the playoffs by their future hall of fame quarterback Tom Brady. Leading the AFC East, the Patriots finished the regular season with an astounding 12-4 record giving them the division title. They were expected to be Super Bowl contenders but surprisingly had an early exit to the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card game. Despite speculations of Tom Brady retiring, he has made a statement that he is not done yet and will be back for another season in the NFL.

The Houston Texans surprised a lot of people with their 10-6 record, winning the AFC South. The Texans were led by the young, prosperous quarterback Deshaun Watson, who totaled over 3,800 yards and 26 touchdowns. His main target was receiver Deandre Hopkins, who was able to blow by defenders and snag the ball out of the air with ease. Hopkins ended the season with over 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns, which puts him in the company of some of the most elite wide receivers in the NFL. Even with this talent, the Texans lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional round.

The Vikings once again had an exceptional regular season, ending the season with a 10-6 record, getting second in the NFC North behind the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Kirk Cousins had an extraordinary season ending with around 3,600 yards and 26 touchdowns. Along with Cousins, the Vikings had two exceptional wide receivers in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.

The Vikings were eliminated in the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers, letting down Vikings’ fans with Super Bowl hopes.

The 49ers bounced back from an awful season last year and ended up with the first seed in the NFC playoffs, with a 13-3 record. Their smash-mouth playstyle helps them drill down defenders and then take them down with their rushing game.

The best part about this team is their defense which had 12 interceptions this year and also had a great defensive line. Led by the star defensive end Nick Bosa, they are known for pressuring the quarterback and giving them no time to throw to receivers.

Even with their dominating defense, the 49ers fell short of being crowned champions, and lost to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.

The Dallas Cowboys had a mediocre season finishing with an 8-8 record. They were well below what they were expected to be.

The Cowboys were led by quarterback Dak Prescott and monster running back Ezekiel Elliot. Prescott threw for over 4,900 yards and 30 touchdowns, while Elliot rushed for over 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns. While both of these players had pretty amazing seasons the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs. After the season ended, head coach Jason Garrett was fired for not being able to bring the Cowboys any Super Bowl chances while coaching them for nine years. This may give the Cowboys what they need to be a Super Bowl contender in the years to come.

Leading the NFC South, the New Orleans Saints had an astounding season, closing the regular season with a 13-3 record.

Brees ended the season with over 2,900 yards and 27 touchdowns even with an injury that sidelined him for part of the season.

The Saints lost to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card, ending their playoff hopes and possibly marking the end of Brees’ career.

STATESMAN 31

New laws coming in

2 0 2 0

by Chloe Hartje

As the new decade unfolds, a wave of new laws will bring changes big and small across the nation. From hair discrimination to marijuana, here is what to expect in 2020.

In late Dec. of 2019, President Donald Trump signed a bill that bans anyone under the age of 21 from buying tobacco and vape products. This was part of a spending bill that puts off the possibility of a government shutdown until next fall.

“It will include 12 weeks Paid Parental Leave, gives our troops a raise, importantly creates the SPACE FORCE, SOUTHERN BORDER WALL FUNDING, repeals “Cadillac Tax” on Health Plans, raises smoking age to 21! BIG!” said Trump in a tweet posted on his Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump.

The bill also combats another issue: youth vaping. With the recent outbreak of vapingrelated lung issues, the American Lung Association advocated for increasing the age of sale for tobacco products to help save lives.

Because 18 and 19-year-olds are often the suppliers to younger kids, this law could reduce the number of high schoolers who vape.

Another widely discussed issue is the legalization of marijuana.

South Dakota can expect to see medical marijuana on the 2020 ballot as Initiated Measure 26. The initiative was put in by Melissa Mentele, the executive director of New Approach South Dakota.

More than 30,000 signatures were submitted, which earns it a spot on the ballot.

“What we have is a bill

for patients, by patients,” said Mentele. “It allows home cultivation, it allows dispensaries, it allows an industry to be built in South Dakota, so we are also creating jobs and providing medicine.”

Even more substantial is Constitutional Amendment A, which places recreational marijuana on the ballot as well.

This would legalize marijuana to individuals 21 years and older, allowing them to possess and distribute up to one ounce. Under the amendment, marijuana sales would be taxed by 15%.

Although the federal government still classifies cannabis as illegal, 33 states have legalized medical marijuana and 11 have legalized it for recreational purposes. South Dakota will be the first state to vote on medical and recreational in the same election.

There is also good news for workers. On Jan. 1, South Dakota raised the minimum wage from $9.10 to $9.30 an hour. But recently, the House passed the Raise the Wage Act, which would set the federal minimum at $15 by 2025. The bill still has to pass the Senate and the president’s desk, but it would be a win for many workers, including high schoolers.

It would help to lift struggling workers and their families out of poverty, and in turn, boost the economy.

Advocates have been pushing for higher wages, arguing that the stagnated federal wage is not keeping up with the rising cost of living. The federal minimum wage has remained unchanged since 2009, at $7.25 an hour. But, if the Raise the Wage Act were to be

passed, the minimum wage would increase by about $1.10 per year until 2025.

On another note, California is the first state to ban employers and school officials from discriminating against people because of their natural hair. The CROWN Act (Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair) makes it illegal to enforce dress codes or grooming policies against hairstyles like afros, braids, twists and locks. Protection is extended to both the FEHA (California Fair Employment and Housing Act) and the California Education Code.

The law was primarily designed for African American students and employees, especially since women with kinky and curly hair are sometimes subjected to unequal treatment. Many will even change their natural hair to look more “professional” for a work environment or fit better into the social norms.

“This law protects the right of black Californians to choose to wear their hair in its natural form, without pressure to conform to Eurocentric norms,” said state Sen. Holly Mitchell. “I am so excited to see the culture change that will ensue from the law.”

Hopefully, the laws that will unfold in 2020 and years to come will only bring good and security to both South Dakota and the U.S. as a whole, whether that is through higher wages or hair equality.

STATESMAN 33

YEA for ERA

BY LANDON DEBOER

According to Inequality.org, in 2017, women in the U.S. earned 82 cents to every dollar men earned.

American women are more likely to live in poverty.

U.S. women are underrepresented at the top as CEOs, and they make up the large majority of minimum wage workers at the bottom of the economy. These shocking statistics show one gaping hole in the values of a country that is supposed to promote equality, liberty and justice for all, and this void is the fact that women are not yet truly equal in the U.S. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) aims to help find solutions for these issues by giving women equal rights in the U.S. Constitution. The ERA seems simple in the idea that it gives equal rights to all regardless of sex, but the issue has become highly debated. Although 38 states have ratified the amendment by now, allowing it to be added to the U.S. Constitution, three states, including South Dakota, are suing to block the ERA. This begs the question: why?

The story of the ERA is long and complicated, so here’s a brief rundown of the uphill battle that the ERA has faced since it was first proposed in 1923. After being shot down multiple times in Congress, the ERA was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate in 1972, and the amendment was given a seven-year deadline to be ratified by 38 states and officially be added to the U.S. Constitution. After the 1979 deadline was up, fewer than 38 states had ratified 34 STATESMAN

the amendment, so Congress extended the deadline to give states until 1982 to pass the ERA. In 1982, the ERA was deemed dead when only 35 states had passed the amendment. Recently, there are new ways that the ERA could be passed into law. One of the most popular strategies to pass the ERA is the threestate strategy. This approach requires three states that didn't pass the ERA before the 1982 deadline to pass the amendment at any time after the deadline expires.

It also requires Congress to wipe the deadline away in order for the ERA to become part of the Constitution.

Even if Congress doesn’t wipe the deadline away, the ERA could still get passed through a Supreme Court decision.

The three-state strategy finally culminated with Virginia ratifying the amendment on Jan. 15, 2020, meaning that 38 states have ratified the amendment, hitting the three-fourths threshold needed to amend the U.S. Constitution. Ratification of the ERA led to the South Dakota lawsuit to block the passage of the amendment.

South Dakota passed the ERA in 1973, but after it didn’t meet the threshold to pass as an amendment, it voted to revoke its decision to ratify the ERA. Because of this, some South Dakotans believe its ratification is non-binding after the 38 states had failed to pass the amendment by 1979, even though under the Constitution it states that a state may not rescind its ratification of a Constitutional amendment. This will now force a decision from the Supreme Court

in the near future on whether or not deadlines on an amendment are Constitutional or not. South Dakota’s lawsuit to halt the ERA from being added to the Constitution is a joint lawsuit with Alabama and Louisiana, and it is intended to block National Archivist David Ferriero from adding such an amendment to the Constitution.

In looking at this lawsuit from these three states, it forces us to ask the question: what’s the big deal with passing the ERA? According to NPR, those who oppose such legislation cite religious reasons in believing that it could be used as a source to protect abortion rights and advance the rights of people in the LGBTQ community. The main reason, however, that some people oppose the ERA is that they feel it is unnecessary to add to the Constitution because there are already some laws such as Title VII and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment that grant protection from sex discrimination in certain areas. Although these amendments do some work in providing protection based on sex, they are still difficult to rule on. An ERA would help fully protect equal rights based on sex and ensure they cannot be removed with a single vote from legislators, which basic legislation can do.

Even with some in opposition to the amendment, an overwhelming 94 percent of Americans support an ERA, according to a 2016 poll commissioned by the National ERA Coalition, and 80 percent of Americans don’t know that women are not guaranteed equal

rights in the U.S. Constitution. In fact, the only right in the U.S. Constitution that explicitly applies equally to women and men is the right to vote.

By passing an ERA, the U.S. Constitution would grant the same freedoms to all regardless of sex. This guarantee of gender equality would help women gain rights in many different areas. According to NPR, the ERA would be a force in getting women equal pay, helping victims of gender-based violence seek justice and protecting against pregnancy discrimination. With the amendment, these problems will be able to be addressed in court and ruled in a more timely manner, bringing justice for all instead of justice only for the privileged.

The ERA will be a big step for the U.S. in the advancement of women’s rights. From the early 1920s to today, equal rights leaders have been fighting for equality regardless of sex. This long and drawn out fight for equality is quite frankly embarrassing, as for many years it has been disregarded and put to the side.

For a country that prides itself on having equality, the U.S. must make it a law that explicitly grants such a claim. So please, support the ERA, political candidates that support the amendment and inform others on the importance of the ERA. As a community, state and nation, we must be better in ensuring equality to all.

This is not a political issue; it is an issue of whether or not the U.S. is ready to move forward and guarantee equal freedoms regardless of one’s sex.

“Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

-Section 1, Equal Rights Amendment

UNCOMMON CENSUS

by Timothy Stolp, Editor-In-Chief Artwork by Carly Wheeler

The U.S. census, the official population count of the nation taken every 10 years, is already happening across the country. But with the 2020 census being the most hotly contested and ill-managed modern census, it’s unlikely that the results will be anything near perfect.

The U.S. has conducted its decennial report of the population at the turn of each decade since 1970. Now, the 2020 census is well underway. The information gathered will be used to distribute about $600 billion in funds to state and local governments for education, Medicaid and other health programs, highways, housing, law enforcement and much more.

The census may be more important to Americans than they realize. And South Dakotans are no exception: inaccurate information could negatively affect our state. Every response from a South Dakota resident means $1,000 for our state coming from the federal government.

Each census has had its fair share of issues, both in preparation and execution. However, the 2020 census faces its problems at a larger expense to the American public. There are two significant concerns this goaround: the implementation of an underfunded, undertested onlineresponse program and fear from within minority communities about the Trump administration’s push for a citizenship question and its rhetoric surrounding topics like race and immigration. These concerns may cause both a lack of participation and outreach, and consequently, a highly inaccurate census, with large swaths of people undercounted.

The story of this year’s census begins 10 years back. While the Obama administration handled the first six years of planning, they faced significant pushback from Congress, which capped their budget at roughly $12.5 billion. In its strategy to cut back, the Census Bureau laid off hundreds of office workers and temporary staffers who were replaced

by technology. Because of this, the Census Bureau was unable to test and/or implement new and critical tactics to reach and accurately count people in remote areas. In doing so, the Bureau has unfortunately resigned the personalized approaches that would help to contact minority groups, especially those living in hard-to-reach or underdeveloped locations.

Then, in 2016, the Census Bureau saw further, and perhaps more drastic, changes internally after the transfer of power to the Trump administration.

Then, Director of the Census Bureau, John Thompson, resigned in May of that year. With this change, leadership was left in a volatile position as the final two years of preparation took place. Now, its current leaders are still considered to be placeholders.

As NYT national correspondent Michael Wines writes of issues with the census thus far, “At least as worrisome as funding is concern over the Trump administration’s impact on the 2020 count.” The Trump administration’s use of fear tactics during the Census planning period has led to concern that certain groups would be undercounted by their lack of participation.

When the Department of Commerce, which oversees the Census Bureau, tacked a citizenship question onto the drafts for the 2020 census, criticism mounted swiftly.

Much of that disapproval was aimed at Department Director Wilbur Ross, Trump’s appointee, and at the Commander-in-Chief himself, who vehemently defended the addition of the question. It was apparent that the question would have definitive sway for Republicans and shifted federal funding for a decade.

“Officials at the Census Bureau itself have said that including the question would lead to an undercount of noncitizens and minority residents,” writes Wines. “As a result, areas with more immigrants, which tend to vote Democratic, could have lost both representation and federal funding.”

In July 2019, the issue reached the Supreme Court and the citizenship question was rejected. The Department of Commerce continued to argue that the question would protect the rights ensured by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. However, it is suspected that the motivations for their efforts were more partisan. With the incriminating evidence that a Trump adviser had emailed the administration files, including studies showing how the citizenship question would be critical in increasing Republican power, the courts decided against the question.

Both the Trump administration and the Department of Commerce stated their disagreement with the ruling but backed off the fight. Immediately, the census was finally printed off, excluding the question.

The problem with the citizenship question doesn’t stop there, however.

The “chill,” as the Urban Institute calls it, that has spread throughout Hispanic and Latinx communities because of the citizenship question, may lead to a decrease in participation.

Despite the fact that the citizenship question will not be on the census, many Hispanic/Latinx families and immigrants are unlikely participate out of fear. Add onto that the Trump administration’s attitude towards immigrants and Hispanic/Latinx people and it isn’t hard to see why the Urban Institute argues that the 2020 census will undoubtedly see lowered numbers among these groups. Indeed, participation among all minority groups is expected to be lowered as political tensions rise. And with the self-response censuses having moved to the Internet, the groups who are easiest to count (those with reliable Internet access) may see an improvement in numbers. In contrast, outreach to the communities that are harder to reach has been severely undermined both in terms of funding and a damaging political climate.

The fear that the question was intended to induce will have impacts regardless of the fact that it has been

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

‘50

Left: Interviewer taking the 1950 census. Self-response methods were not utilized until the 1970 census.

Above: Enumerators prepare for the first count of the 2020 Census, taken in Toksook Bay, AL on Jan. 21, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

removed. Hansi Lo Wang, a national correspondent for NPR, reports on the impacts this may have on individual states.

“At the state level, these trends mean that states with more historically undercounted groups— including people of color and renters— are more likely to have inaccurate population counts in 2020,” writes Wang. “While California, Texas and Nevada face high undercount risks, states with older populations that are more likely to be white and owning homes— including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia— have the greatest potential for being overcounted…”

Take for instance our own state.

South Dakota’s reservations are at high risk for undercounts that could leave some 1,800 Native Americans uncounted, according to the Urban Institute’s risk estimations. And that’s just the Native American population.

It’s no small irony that at the state and local levels funding may not

reach the very areas that need help.

It resembles the benefits-received principle that has defined this administration: the idea that those who utilize government resources most must also give back the same in return. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that the people who need the most government assistance are unlikely to be able to gain financial stability enough to repay the debts they may “owe” the government under a system that requires them to give back all they were given too quickly.

From here, we must remain proactive about the political process.

Understanding how a President and their administration feels about the Census is much more important of an issue than it may seem, and it reveals the whole scope of their agendas. Obama handled the census by reacting in response to blows from Congress, but ultimately taking a traditional approach in trying to remain unbiased. Though he may have

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misstepped, Obama certainly did not act reductively. From Trump’s dealings with the Census, it became clear our President is concerned with pushing a partisan agenda at a redactive price point.

Ask candidates— not just for President, but for Congress— how they plan to handle the next census and you will get a pretty clear picture of what their motives are. The census is perhaps the most telling exercise in political action the federal government regularly takes. Thus, staying informed on what is happening surrounding the census and how this will impact the following decade is an important political decision individuals can make.

As for now, it still remains to be seen what will come of the 2020 census. If the Government Accountability Office reports that the 2020 census is still considered high risk, the results will likely be wildly biased and unrealistic.

What it truly means to be an American

BY MADELEINE KEMPER

Since the U.S. was discovered in the 18th century, Americans have defined themselves not by their racial, religious or ethnic identity, but by their common values and their belief in individual freedoms.

The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Our country was founded on these unalienable rights, meaning that they are unable to be taken away. Many other countries don’t give the same constitutional rights to their citizens, making these rights characteristically American. These opening lines of the Declaration embodies an open-armed, American welcome 40 STATESMAN

to those who wish to seek a better life, much like the original colonists did many years ago.

For centuries, settling in America has meant new job opportunities and a chance to escape from a corrupt government or simply to reconnect with family.

Immigrants have often described the American way as being “paved with gold.” However, in the modern world, many see this statement as more of an ideal than an actualization. Ideally, foreigners should not be met with opposition, because their identity lies not in the color of their skin, but in their core values.

Hostility towards immigrants in this country started surfacing on a national scale in the 19th century. Two of the most notable examples of hostilities in the 1800s were the anti-immigration sentiments towards the Irish

and the Chinese Exclusion Act. More recently, widespread hatred of Muslims broke out after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Hostilities towards foreigners continued in 2016 when the rhetoric of President Donald Trump encouraged discrimination against Mexicans. His campaign to build a wall along the MexicanAmerican border made many citizens feel like they needed to keep others out in order to preserve the unity of the nation.

In 2019, a Gallup survey recorded that over 65 million Americans think that immigration is bad for our country today, which seems odd for a nation made up mostly of immigrants. According to the U.S. Migration Policy Institute, one in seven U.S citizens is foreign born.

This large number of those who disapprove of immigration is due to the widespread belief

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOHN MOORE

held by citizens that immigrants are taking away jobs or that they are abusing the welfare system.

Director of Immigration Studies for the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Alex Nowrasteh, has refuted these claims saying, “Immigrants likely compete most directly against other immigrants so the effects on less-skilled native-born Americans might be very small or even positive.” His research shows that immigrants are typically attracted to growing regions and they actually increase supply and demand within the economy, expanding employment opportunities despite what others may think. The complaint about welfare abuse is also widely misunderstood, as legal immigrants do not have access to welfare their first five years here (with few exceptions) and illegal immigrants do not have access at all.

Most immigrants coming to America have one desire: to live a more prosperous life than the one left behind. This wish should not be denied to anyone because doing so would contradict the Declaration of Independence, the very same document that our country was founded on.

No one should have the right to decide who is more or less of an American based on one’s physical appearance or country of origin.

Today, more than one fifth of the total U.S. population is made up of immigrants, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. While some may see this large number and become fearful that foreigners are taking over the American identity, I respond with this: We do not have one identity as Americans. Everyone that has immigrated to America should be allowed to exercise their freedom to choose either to assimilate into

American culture or to continue to practice their own customs.

This hate, discrimination and exclusion that is running rampant in our streets is keeping America from its original ideals, but I do not believe these actions of hate are the true American way. Clearly as a country we have made mistakes, but I still believe, like many others, that we have the ability to redeem ourselves. If we keep an open mind and treat others with kindness instead of indifference, then we can set positive examples for future generations. We are not people of hate and fear. We are hard workers, big dreamers, firm believers and we understand the value of freedom. Anyone who embodies these ideals is truly an American, no matter their ethnicity or the country that they were born in.

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by Nyah Thaemert

Ever since Josiah’s opened in downtown Sioux Falls, the café has been quite a success. Due to the restaurant being well-known and in a prime location, Josiah’s easily found new owners to keep business booming.

The previous owners, Steve Hildebrand and Mike Pierce, confidently sold Josiah’s with a new journey in sight.

“We sold Josiah’s because we want to focus on the foundation we started called The Promising Futures Fund,” said Hildebrand. “[The foundation] is working with 14 public schools in Sioux Falls that have very high rates of poverty.”

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In an interview with Sioux Falls Business, Hildebrand addressed the logistics of donations. The money is being donated by the Billion family, who donated a total of $1 million to the foundation. $600,000 will be donated to the Sioux Falls School District to help establish a reading program for early elementary students. Another $250,000 will be donated to help fund scholarships for children to attend preschool.

Some of the money, $150,000, will be used as funds for books, winter clothing, field trips and classroom parties.

“The idea behind all of this, our program trying to be the leading voice for early childhood education and reading, is that a kid in poverty has a great likelihood they never had a parent read to them. They might never have picked up a book,” said Hildebrand in the Sioux Falls Business interview. “Our hope

is that we can get these kids off on the right foot in life to perform well in school and in life.”

Hildebrand has made a positive influence in the community with his productivity with Josiah’s, and he will continue to influence others with his current work within the school district. His success with the restaurant will continue to be captured because of the hard work that he has put into it.

Although Hildebrand has set the standards high with his work at Josiah’s, he is excited to see what the new owners, Kibbi Mccormick and Tom Pepper, establish with the café.

“We are confident the new owners will build on all that is great about Josiah’s and bring new energy,” said Hildebrand. “They have good experience to take over where we left off.”

DESIGN CREATED WITH CANVA

time is measured in people

by Sara Croghan

PHOTOS & ART BY SARA CROGHAN

I

have been dancing in retrospect and perhaps a bit of introspect. I have been waltzing through childhood snapshots.

I have been shuffling through regrets. I have been skipping through past smiles. And I have been swaying through old tears; a nostalgic viewer to a supercut of my life. Through this, I have noticed a gradual evolution of myself, a change I credit to the inevitable seasons of my life. By seasons, I mean periods of my life characterized by certain people, places, habits, happenings, attitudes, etc. For example, there was the time in my life that I spent enamored with the countryside, when I was around 10 or 12. I spent hours scouring my grandparents’ barn for stray cats and would bounce happily while riding shotgun in my uncle’s truck, satisfied with my “duty” of checking cows. Tears streamed down my face during the car ride back home to the disgusting city (as much as Sioux Falls qualifies as a city). My existence yearned for the country.

Ask me now, and I am forever thankful I grew up driving a car and not a tractor to school. But the truth is, the timelines of these phases are not cut and dry. I did not wake up one day cured of my country fever.

These phases intertwine and overlap, some blending, others ending in a sheer cutoff. I mourn some of these seasons, while others have slipped from my conscious. The pinnacle of all these periods in my life has never been the place, or even my age, it has been the people in them. It was my grandparents, cousins, aunt and uncle that inspired my lust for the country, and as I have grown up and grown more distant from them, their

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influence is no longer a prevalent force. I have begun to realize, these seasons, these phases, their unit of measure is not seconds, months or years. It is people. Up to this point in my life, time has been measured and defined by people. And, I think, and hope, it will stay that way.

There are people that pass our seconds, others our hours, some progress our weeks, fewer define our months and only a handful, at best, remain stagnant through years. The ebb and flow of people, whether we realize it or not, erodes at our beings, leaving us sometimes permanently, sometimes insignificantly, altered.

There are the obvious proponents to change: parents, long-term friends and relationships, the occasional teacher. People whose mannerisms, humor, tendencies and lifestyles we adopt, often unintentionally. People whom we sneakily, unknowingly grow dependent upon. It is these people who define our months, years, even decades.

When thinking of the people who have influenced us the most, we often credit the long term residents in our life: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, siblings and friends. While the people in this category do have very strong positions in my life, they are not the only ones that wield the wand of influence. The people that have made up my seconds, minutes, days and sometimes weeks have sculpted me in unimaginable, undetectable ways. Passersby, table partners in class, row mates on an airplane and so many more.

These people are insignificant to me, and I to them. They do not particularly care about me, and to them I am no more than a presence.

They do not care to influence me, and yet it has been some of these

people who have bestowed on me some of my most profound memories and lessons. A part of me feels indebted towards these people, obligated to return the favor.

Another part thinks it’s unnecessary to be indebted to someone for just existing.

Nevertheless, these short-term individuals still make up our life, and for me define striking moments.

Even though the number of seconds in our life seems abundant, there are some moments some minutes and therefore some people, while brief in passing, that will be forever vivid. These seconds, and in my unit of measure, people, happen upon us without warrant or expectation but stay with us for eternity when in reality their presence was fleeting.

So, here is to the taxi driver a few years back. I do not remember the name of my kindergarten teacher or sometimes even my father’s birthday, but I remember your voice, your words, your car, the daughter you spoke of and the struggles you faced so humbly, so transparently. Your words were not spoken with the sort of grandeur, suggesting they were intended to stick with me forever. They were spoken absentmindedly, perhaps aimed at procuring a tip or breaking an awkward silence. And yet, I remember them with piercing clarity.

Here is to the waitress from L.A. I worked with this summer. The quaint and quiet girl with purple and black hair. Frankly, I did not want anything to do with you, or any of the other suspect servers, yet somehow you wormed yourself into my favor. You offered conversation and passive advice, nothing of demanding importance, but it was soothing and amusing, nonetheless.

You turned my dread for work into complacency and unknowingly soothed my frustrated and hectic mind.

Here is to the elderly couple at a crab shack in Maine. You so kindly offered the extra seats at your table without even being asked but the greater gesture was your simple conversation. You offered up, in a brief summary, your life story. Not to grasp for pity or affirmation, but just to talk and I remember every word.

There was nothing groundbreaking, but your mere act, the immediate trust and faith you showed to strangers was so truly, although clichĂŠ, moving.

Here is to my lab partner freshman year, my 8th grade PROTime teacher, that girl on my 8th grade basketball team and so many more whose faces have slipped my memory yet shaped my character.

There are some moments I wish could last forever, and even more so; some people I wish I could hold onto for an eternity. But, there is only one thing as sure as the passing of time: the inevitable changing of people.

They grow, they transform, they live and they wander in and out of your life. People will grace your life for varying periods of time, but when that second, hour, minute or year is over, they have to go. And when they go, all we know is that we were lucky to have had a time so great that it hurts so much to see it go.

time is measured in people

by Sara Croghan

EMINEM DARKNESS PHOTO PROVIDED BY YOUTUBE

SHINING A LIGHT ON GUN VIOLENCE

by Dani Koang

E

minem, or Marshall Mathers, if you will, has never been one to shy away from the light of controversy. The 47-year-old rapper is known for speaking his mind.

The artist has been getting things off his chest from the very beginning of his career.

He does what he wants – regardless of any and all potential backlash. While many would still agree that his talent remains unmatched, in recent years, some would argue that his relevance is depleting On Jan. 17, Mathers dropped his surprise album “Music to be Murdered By.” The LP contains the artist’s featured single “Darkness,” expressing Mathers’ political views on the advocacy of gun control in the U.S. The track has received mixed reviews from listeners all over.

Some view Mathers’ political approach as a poor excuse to become ‘relevant’ again by hopping on the political bandwagon in an attempt to gain attention from the mainstream media, while others argue that Eminem’s expression is an oeuvre of artistic genius – sheer poetry. And much like those fans, I would have to agree.

“Darkness,” in particular, is an example of Mathers’ lyrical mastermind as he speaks his own truth about a personal struggle with substance abuse, mental

“DARKNESS,” IN PARTICULAR, IS AN EXAMPLE OF MATHERS’ LYRICAL MASTERMIND AS HE SPEAKS HIS OWN TRUTH ABOUT A PERSONAL STRUGGLE WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL ILLNESS AND PERFORMANCE ANXIETY...”

Here Mathers is trying to communicate illness and performance anxiety; all the to his listeners the problem behind the lack while slipping into the mind of the 2017 of gun control in the U.S. He explains that Las Vegas shooter through a series of regardless of any motive or signs of mental double entendres. In the opening of the illness, there are no restrictions stopping record, Mathers begins his storytelling anyone from committing these heinous by sharing with listeners his feelings atrocities. Why? Because it does not make of loneliness in a sense of darkness. To a difference either way. add to feelings of melancholy, the song At the end of the frequently features THE DETAILS song, a number of the haunting melodic • “Music to be Murdered By” is live news broadcasts lines “Hello, Darkness, the 11th studio album released can be heard my old friend” and

by Eminem. reporting only a the occasional “I’ve • Features Black Thought, Q-Tip, small portion of the come to talk with you again” from Simon & Juice Wrld, Ed Sheeran, Young mass shootings that Garfunkel’s song “The M.A., Skylar Grey, Don Toliver, have taken place in numerous states Sound of Silence,” Anderson .Paak and more. across the country. throughout the track.

• “Darkness” debuted at #1 on According to While Mathers tells the Billboard. gunviolencearchive. his tale, he includes • The album has received mixed org, there were 418 details of the case to positive reviews. mass shootings in behind the Vegas 2019 alone, and 14 shooter. He mentions already so far in 2020. the shooter’s legal gun license and the Marshall Mathers may be hot-headed, shortfall of any convictions, as well as cocky, controversial and aged. But the absence of any evidence supporting a irrelevant? I think not. If anything, his case of mental illness. Mathers also raps opinion is just as valid as anyone else’s, and about the use of valium and booze, as well he has a right to voice it. His willingness to as the lack of explanation or motive — use his platform to express his views and only a paper marked with target distance calculations. These all begin to point in the shine a light on the “touchier” subjects, regardless of what anyone has to say about direction of a deeper meaning… it, further proves his authenticity as an “Truth is I have no idea I am just as stumped, no signs of mental illness artist.

Just tryin’ to show ya the reason why we’re so ###### ‘Cause by the time it’s over, won’t make the slightest difference” STATESMAN 47

BEAUTY IS PA I N

by Chloe Houwman

When I hear the phrase, “beauty is pain,” I remember the time I have spent with my grandmother. She used the phrase whenever I would complain about my feet hurting because of the dress shoes I had to wear, whenever I would complain that my church dress was too itchy and whenever she would pluck my eyebrows. With each painful moment, the phrase, “beauty is pain,” was uttered under her breath. But what is that supposed to mean? Are we supposed to put ourselves and our bodies through painful and harmful experiences to achieve a certain standard of beauty?

One of the most common efforts that people make to achieve our societies commonly unrealistic standard of beauty are unhealthy diets.

Community and Clinical Dietitian of the Avera Heart Hospital, Lauren Cornay, emphasizes the importance of nutrition in one’s life.

“As a dietitian who works with weight loss clients every day, I cannot stress enough the importance of establishing a healthy relationship with food,” said Cornay.

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According to Cornay, many food insecurities develop in one’s youth. Diets might have started as an innocent attempt to lose some weight, but they can be harmful both physically and mentally.

“Food for our bodies is often compared to fuel for a car,” said Cornay. “The higher the quality of food or fuel, the better our bodies or car run. The more we exercise, or rev our engine, the more fuel we will need.”

Cornay stresses the importance of taking in enough food for our bodies. If we take in too little, our bodies will adapt and run on less fuel. This means that weight management will become even more challenging as one ages.

However, more extreme approaches can be taken in order to lose weight. For some of us, it might be the sudden urge to lose a few pounds to look good on the beach or to fit into the formal dress that we are dying to wear. These approaches often involve cutting out substantial amounts of calories, not compensating for extra activity and even taking concerning amounts of supplements.

“More extreme approaches to weight loss also have a higher risk,” said Cornay. “Cutting out entire food groups can mean our bodies will not get all the nutrients they need for proper growth and development.”

According to Cornay, iron and vitamin B12 are found mostly in plant and animal proteins. When we eliminate these proteins, we are eliminating these important substances from our diets. When we cut out grains, we are cutting out our primary source of soluble fiber and many of the other B vitamins.

In terms of physical harm, diets that are extremely low in calories can lead to muscle loss.

According to Cornay, even heart muscle can be

lost if restricting substantial amounts of calories goes on long enough.

In addition to restricting calories, Cornay also said that vomiting and the use of laxatives can cause lasting changes and damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Vomiting may feel like an easy, or the only option, but the damaging effects on one’s mental health, body and internal organs far outweigh any short term or perceived benefits.

Through social media and other communication networks, we are always hearing about all the new diets that will give you your desired results in no time, but do they do more harm than good?

“Instead of the trendy diet fad that might help you lose a little weight, and also hurt your relationship with food, try building habits that will help maintain your weight and health throughout your life,” said Cornay.

A few easy to follow examples provided by Cornay are: choosing to drink water, always including a vegetable at lunch and dinner, incorporating whole grains such as brown rice or whole-wheat bread and listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.

So, maybe now I can respond by saying, “beauty is not pain.” Yes, it is difficult to listen to what one’s body is telling them but taking care of one’s physical and mental health is more important than losing weight. Beauty should not be a pain-filled experience. Beauty is not pain.

M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N :

For more of the “Beauty is Pain” series, further read Part(s) II (maybe III if I hear back) where the longterm effects of tanning and hair coloring are brought into perspective. These additional articles can be found at www.lhsstatesman.com.

STATESMAN 49

it happens

H ER E ...

by Carly Wheeler, Editor-in-Chief

I

have always lived in Sioux Falls, and I have always felt safe here. As I got older and had the opportunity to stretch beyond my southeast Sioux Falls bubble, it was bizarre to me how parents from other, bigger cities did not allow their kids to walk a couple of miles to school by themselves or go to the mall without a parent.

Some of the independence I got at a fairly early age growing up in Sioux Falls is regarded as a serious safety concern in other cities.

With an average of 46 children in America being trafficked each day, it is easy to see why parents are hesitant to let their children out of their sight. But things like abduction and human trafficking don’t happen in Sioux Falls, right?

On Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, 20-year-old Sioux Falls woman Pasqalina Badi was abducted from the parking lot of the Walmart near Arrowhead Parkway when she was leaving work. After being reported missing on Monday morning, Badi’s body was found in a ditch on the outskirts of Southern Sioux Falls Monday afternoon. Badi’s death sheds light on the unsettling reality that these ineffable tragedies do happen in Sioux Falls and can happen anywhere.

Sitting in the living room and listening to Badi’s fatal story on the news was a serious wake-up call for not only me, but my parents as well. I cannot even begin to count the number of times I have stopped at a Walmart or Target by myself on my way home from a late babysitting job or school activity. I think back to these times and remember reassuring myself

with one specific thought: “What’s the worst thing that can happen on the eastside of Sioux Falls?” My naive question was answered with Badi’s case, and the worst thing that can happen in Sioux Falls is not something to simply brush off.

The frightening stories we typically see on national news are always from cities much bigger than Sioux Falls, or at least I thought. As I started researching and planning for this article, I was taken aback by the sheer number of people that live in Sioux Falls.

Recently, our population officially surpassed 190,000, making Sioux Falls the largest city in South Dakota by over 100,000 people.

It’s hard for me to imagine that many people living in the same city that my grandparents have told stories about from back when the population was no more than about 65,000 residents. My grandpa sometimes talks about the now-booming neighborhoods of southeast Sioux Falls and the bustling areas surrounding the Empire Mall being nothing more than cornfields about 50 years ago, back when he was a high school student at LHS. Sioux Falls may still have its small-town charm to some, but the reality is that our city is growing rapidly.

Inevitably, with an increase in population comes an increase in crime and danger. There is no need to live in fear, but there is an obligation to acknowledge that as more people move to Sioux Falls, our safety awareness needs to progress.

“Things like what happened at Walmart [with Badi], those happen in very small towns, just not very often,” said one of the LHS Resource Officers, Robert Draeger. “Once every 30 years, maybe. In a bigger city, you’re going to have those things happen more frequently. The town has gotten more violent just because we have more people. As the city grows, you get a greater percentage of problems; that’s just the way it is.”

Devastating crimes happen everywhere. The lesson to learn

from cases such as Badi’s isn’t to be paranoid, but rather to be prepared. Sioux Falls is a beautiful, bustling city, but the need to be cautious comes with the territory of a growing and ever-changing community.

“Not to make anybody feel bad about ‘I didn’t think it could happen here,’ but you have to look at the world with open eyes and realize what’s out there,” said LHS Resource Officer, Jason Larsen.

“If you don’t ever prepare for it mentally, then you’re not going to have a plan in place for when it does happen. I’m not saying be paranoid, but I’m saying have a plan and be prepared.”

I will always feel comfortable in Sioux Falls, but that doesn’t mean I should brush off safety concerns.

There isn’t anything wrong with being prepared and aware, even if it’s in a city you know like the back of your hand. There are steps that every student at LHS can easily take to keep themselves safe.

“It doesn’t have to be all selfdefense, hold your keys in between your fingers,” said Draeger. “It’s just the common sense of being aware of your surroundings. Park where it is light. Use the buddy system. Never let someone take you away in a car. Make sure somebody knows where you are at and where you are going.”

Ignoring the fact that alarming incidents can occur in Sioux Falls and not taking steps to protect ourselves against them opens us up to the possibility of detrimental consequences. It’s simple actions like the ones mentioned by Officer Draeger that limit the chances of something happening to you.

Simply turning a blind-eye to risks doesn’t prevent them.

Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a tragedy, such as the abduction and homicide of Badi, for people to come to terms with how relevant and important an issue may be to them. It could have been anyone in that Walmart parking lot the morning of Jan. 5: You, me, the people you sit next to in your classes. Because yes, things like ‘that’ do happen in Sioux Falls.

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