October 2019 Issue

STATESMAN STATESMAN the october issue 2019

PHOTO BY MIKA GOCHAL

Timothy Stolp

Madeleine Kemper

As we know it

Are youth sports getting out of hand?

upcoming events

calendar

by Nyah Thaemert & Nicole Schmitz

October 26

State Cross Country in Huron, State Dance & State Cheerleading in Aberdeen ACT @ 7:30 a.m.

31

First Football playoff game Halloween Statesman Scare Affair (pay $1 to dress up during the school day)

NOVEMBER 1

All State Chorus & Orchestra @ 7 a.m.

2

All State Chorus & Orchestra @ 7 a.m.

4-5

Indoor Marching Show @ 6 p.m.

SAT @ 8 a.m.

8

11

15

Football playoff game The Young Artist Gallery @ The Washington Pavilion

No School (Veteran’s day)

Football State Championship

21-23 State Volleyball in

25 Orchestra (@ 6

27-29

Rapid City “The Real Inspector Hound” Theatre show

p.m.) & Band (@ 7 p.m.) Fall concert

No School (Thanksgiving break)

ART PROVIDED BY THE NOUN PROJECT

Mondays are for

by Chloe Hartje & Abbie DeKramer

ghost hunting

PHOTOS BY ABBIE DEKRAMER

In the spirit of Halloween, we decided to take a trip north to Pipestone, MN to visit the Historic Calumet Inn. The Inn is said to be one of the most haunted locations in Minnesota and has been featured on Gordan Ramsey’s “Hotel Hell” TV series.

The original Calumet Inn was built in 1883 but on one fateful night on Dec. 16, 1886, at 1:30 a.m., the Inn burned to the ground. The owners rebuilt in 1888 and put the past behind them, but the ghosts of those who were lost to the fire still live on in today’s standing Calumet Inn. One of the fatalities that still rains terror onto visitors and staff at the hotel is Charles Herschberger, otherwise known as “Charlie”. Charlie was burned alive during the historic fire in Room 308, in which paranormal activity is reported the most.

Guests have had several strange experiences while staying at the hotel. Reports of these occurrences, like lights and TV turning on and off at random and feelings of not being alone in the room, are kept safe in a binder along with other guest experiences.

“I was staying in Room 308 for two weeks, and nothing happened,” said one anonymous account. “Our last couple days I got out of the shower, and my roommate went into the bathroom after and noticed something eerie, ‘get out’ was written on the mirror.”

Housekeeping also reports that items will be moved around the room while they are cleaning.

On a Monday after school, we took our road trip to experience the supposed haunting for ourselves. The Inn did not give a good first impression: the brick exterior was fading, and the interior lobby was filled with dolls. The two haunted rooms are 207 and the aforementioned 308. Unfortunately, due to

weather damage, Room 207 was no longer available. The manager handed us our keys for Rooms 307 and 308.

The stairs climbed through the center of the hotel as it was one of the highlights of the Calumet Inn. On every floor, there were dolls, rocking chairs, eerie art and other strange objects strewn about.

When we reached the third floor and opened Room 308, a flood of cold air hit us at the doorway. Now, this could just be the air conditioning on full blast for a more haunting effect, but nevertheless it didn’t feel quite right, especially since this is a sign of a paranormal presence.

We took a look around the room; there were two beds, a bathroom, kitchen, closet and also decorations devoted to Charlie.

Since he was a cartographer (a mapmaker), there was a compass, a globe, and a picture of him creating a map, all adding to the feeling that he was there with us.

We closed the shades, switched off all the lights and turned the TV set on. Nothing.

The next step was to use the camera to look for orbs, which some believe will show a spirit.

After taking a multitude of photos, all with no orbs, we said goodbye to Charlie and headed over to Room 307.

In the room, there was a large bed, a wardrobe, bathroom and chair with curtains around it. We went through the same process, using the cameras and other resources we brought with us, but there was nothing more than that ghostly feeling.

After our investigation, we went back downstairs to talk with the manager about his own experiences working at the Inn. He does believe in Charlie and the other ghosts of Calumet, but he views Charlie as more of a practical joker than of a demonic figure. Charlie has moved the

manager’s pen all around the hotel, and since these incidences, he never puts his pen down.

One of the employees, Ashleigh Deurchy, was playing the role of “The Lady in the Red Dress” during one of the ghost tours.

While she was hiding in one of the closets, she took a selfie, the photo glitched and, in the bottom left corner, a woman in a red dress with blonde hair and red lipstick appeared.

The new owner of the Calumet Inn has also fallen victim to these ghostly pranks. When closing the Inn one night, she locked the bar and headed upstairs. Once upstairs, the music in the bar began to blare very loudly. The owner went back downstairs to try to turn it off when the music began to play from upstairs. The maid and the owner proceeded to go upstairs to one of the rooms on the fourth floor, the music still blaring from the room. The music would not stop playing by any means until the phone rang. The owner answered the phone in distress, saying, “Hello?!”, and at that moment, all of the music stopped. For the rest of the night, the employees stayed together, careful not to go anywhere without somebody by their side in fear that something worse would happen.

This is not the end of the haunted history of Pipestone, MN. The manager informed us about the Pipestone Paranormal Weekend on Oct. 11 and 12, which takes place every year before Halloween. Actual paranormal investigators come out to this small town in Minnesota to ghost hunt as well as anyone else who is interested in having their own ghost story.

Although we did not encounter any ghosts on our visit, we suggest you take a trip up north to experience the haunting for yourselves.

All work, all play (ground)

By Slater Dixon

A

s the sun began to set on a cool Monday night, the LHS band prepared for a three-hour practice. They had just placed seventh at a regional Bands of America (B.O.A.) competition that weekend, but there were less than three weeks until the final B.O.A. competition in mid-October. While the drum-line thundered through their warm-ups at the end of the track, the section leaders circled together for a brief meeting. “Saturday night was a good baseline,� said director Sam Anderson, who then emphasized the need for each section leader to push their individual group. The goal was to make their final show in St. Louis, MO as perfect as possible.

In season, marching band typically practices for three hours on Monday evenings and one hour each morning starting at 6:55 a.m. Tuesday through Friday. Combined with the time commitment of SPAT camp during the summer, the marching band is one of the most involved activities at LHS. “We practice so much because it pays off,” said LHS junior Gavin Fischer, a snare in the drum-line. “It’s so nice to get the output we get...When we go to competitions, we make finals and we get 7th place or, [like] last year [when] we got 15th place out of 70 bands.”

Later in the season, most of the work involves fine-tuning specific sections of the show.

After about an hour of the band, color guard and drumline warming up and practicing separately, the whole group does a full run-through of the performance, complete with Director Dan Carlson addressing the drum majors from the top of the stands exactly like competition, shouting “Drum majors, is your band ready?”

After the run-through, the whole marching band works out snags in the show, a process which the directors call “cleaning.”

“Stuff regresses and we always try to not only maintain a level but [make] things better,” said

PHOTO BY SLATER DIXON

Carlson. “If people are missing their spot by three inches then it dirties up the waters and makes it unreadable...We want to make sure that we’re very consistent.”

Carlson gives notes on the band’s balance of tone and volume, as well as how the musicians move their instruments. The directors have many variables to be mindful of. At competition, six judges critique both visuals and music on an individual, section and general level. The band can even lose points for not getting on and off the field fast enough, something that can be hard for this year’s show, which involves several cumbersome props.

“Bringing a 3,000-pound merry-go-round onto the field is a challenge...You’re not just picking something up and moving it. You try to convey childlike behavior on the playground,” said Carlson. “The challenge is it’s like creating an eight and a half minute dance routine and choreographing every single second of that for every single individual. That’s tough with three directors and 220 students.”

The band is rehearsing music that they learned in May, so sometimes practice can become a little tedious. To occupy themselves, many band members have their own “audibles,” or phrases they shout out to count rests in the music. Audibles can depend on the section or even the person, and a lot of the time they are based on inside jokes.

“Mr. Carlson was describing how our form was supposed to look and he said ‘It’s supposed to be like a seasonal squash’, so now we made that an audible,” said junior Adam Monson, an alto saxophone. “We say it in every [practice]. Instead of saying 1-2-3, we say SEASONAL-SQUASH.”

PHOTO BY KEITH LAPOUR

Audibles provide some muchneeded comedic relief during practices. Combined with the pressure of competition and the exhaustion from morning practice, there are other hardships that band members must endure.

“Your socks are constantly [getting] wet before school,” said Monson. “...you go through two pairs...a day, so you have to double up on your laundry.”

Despite the grueling schedule and increase in laundry, each member must remain focused on performing well at competition.

One crucial factor the band is judged on is “general effect” or the overall impression that the show leaves on the audience. The final few bars of the performance have evolved throughout the season in order to make it as impactful as possible.

“The ending of the show is such a powerful moment because it’s when everything comes together,” said Fischer. “It’s a bold point...because everyone’s standing there and you’re getting your music out and you just have that feeling like ‘We’re done, this is our show.’ It’s such a great feeling to know that [practicing] was worth our time.”

G-TOWN

by Ree Baireddy

Head coach Jared Fredenburg believes that Robinson is a committed teammate that continuously puts in the needed effort in each practice.

After the fourth week of football, Robinson is ranked at number 3 on the leaderboard for touchdowns as a running back.

“Isaiah is really tough for only being 5’6” and brings a lot of energy and effort to the team and will have a really great season,” said Fredenburg.

Eric Struck, LHS’ new offensive coordinator, transferred from WHS and brought new energy to the offense line. Robinson and the rest of the running backs work close with Struck and have all gained respect for one another.

“Robinson and the rest of the offensive team bring a whole new dynamic I have never seen, and I really think we have a statewinning line right here,” said Struck.

As the season comes to an end, the team bonding, dinners, and practice amounted to much more for the players.

“The football team is more than just a team, it will always be my second family,” said Robinson.

PHOTOS BY REE BAIREDDY & SARA CROGHAN

LHS’ victory against OGHS in their fourth week of football led them to their first back-toback Metro Conference games won since 2014 in their State championship run. LHS’ recent success can be attributed to the team’s rekindled hunger to win, the dedication of the coaches and the effort that each player puts into every practice.

In 2019, LHS gained a new student from Garretson, junior Isaiah “G-Town” Robinson, who has made great contributions to the team. Robinson has been playing football since third grade and started on varsity as a freshman at Garretson High School. Robinson then wanted to further football career at LHS because of the larger atmosphere and energy.

“Lincoln seemed like the best school in the district, and the players really proved to me that the school would fit me and my interests,” said Robinson.

Robinson easily created friendships with the football team during their daily summer workouts. As a running back, he quickly befriended the linemen and the quarterback since they worked together at every practice.

“As soon as he came from Garretson, he engaged himself in the team and put in the work with the boys,” said LHS junior Ty Schafer.

EMERGING FASHION TRENDS by

Spencer Wasmund & Hunter Hauck

Fashion is neither tangible nor consistent, and because it is so abstract, people are constantly dressing differently. With this fluctuation, many people resort to the advice of fashion magazines to stay updated, magazines in which they are often misdirected. A lot is neglected by socalled “fashionistas,” like culture and practicality. However, these emerging men’s fashion trends of the fall season take advantage of what has been so long neglected.

Disclaimer: All sources used in this article are completely fictional as this article was written solely for satirical purposes.

Bow ties and neckties have become the staple for basic and uncultured men around the world. The bland designs and overuse of these ties implore that there be another option.

“I never was a fan of bow ties and neckties,” said goose farmer, Floyd “Big Tex” Williams.

“When I see grown…men wearing them, they look about as bad as 10 miles on a dirt road!”

In order to gain a little bit of personality, bold men like Williams have begun to take advantage of the emblazoned jewels and designs that make the bolo tie so culturally enriching. Whether it is a casual or formal event, toss on a bolo tie to turn some heads, and it’s guaranteed that the results will be pleasing.

Do you ever find yourself annoyed with your pant pockets, as your phone constantly falls out and hits the floor? This revolutionary accessory that just recently hit the runway is turning some heads and may just be able to solve your pocket issues. Phone holsters are in, and if you want to reach the maximum clout level, they are a must have.

“I don’t know what I would do without my phone holster,” said wet leisure attendant, Bertram Smith. “My drip game would be slackin’. Your girlfriend has probably hit me up on snap after seeing my phone holster.”

As you strut around town with your phone holster, you may find yourself surrounded by the honeys as they flock to you just to catch a sight of your accessory. No longer will you have to reach into your pocket to answer calls and reply to snaps from your buddy’s girlfriend.

PHOTOS BY HUNTER HAUCK & SPENCER WASMUND

Disclaimer: The phone holster is not for everyone. This immense amount of swag may be too much to handle for those unfamiliar with these types of fashion trends.)

Regular shorts are just not cutting it anymore and jeans get way too hot to stay comfortable. Jorts are on the come up, so prepare yourself. They are the perfect look for any time of the year—keeping you cool in the summer and stylin’ all the way into the winter. Not only are jorts perfect for any season, but they also work great for just about any occasion from weddings all the way to business meetings.

“It really do be like that with the jorts,” said exorcist, Ahmed Thakur. “I wear the same pair every day to work and to bed, they just never get old. The best part about them is that you don’t even need to wash them since nobody will ever get close enough to you to smell them, as nobody will want to talk to you since you’re wearing jorts.”

Everyone loves jorts. They are an undeniably handsome look that will be the perfect way to display how cultured one can be. What woman could ever say no to a guy who is wearing jorts?

by Anna Langseth

English teacher Xavier Pastrano introduced titles like “All American Boys” and “A Letter to My Nephew” into the first unit his students had this year. The students took to it immediately; class discussions were vibrant and their interest in the topics was obvious.

“It can be difficult to discuss a topic about people… being killed or beaten by police officers, and it becomes a question of why?” said Pastrano. “Why are these incidents happening, and how are our unconscious biases and stereotypes fueling these behaviors?”

For his students’ final project, Pastrano assigned his students a very broad task.

“I told them that your objective is to create any project that utilizes the content we discussed and will

ARTWORK BY KYLA CLARK

generate a discussion and selfreflection about race in America, and then I got some...‘deer-in-theheadlights’ looks.” said Pastrano.

Even though this initial reaction from his students radiated confusion and some shock, they all pulled through and the result was numerous impressive projects.

With projects ranging from board games to interviews with cops, Pastrano was happily surprised by his freshman students. “[Through this,] they became much more aware of some of their peers’ experiences,” said Pastrano.

“I think it made them a little more empathetic and understanding to those around them.”

Unconscious bias is one of the main points that were discussed in Pastrano’s classrooms and is arguably what could have been the

start of the man on the bicycle’s outrageous verbal attack.

Willete A. Capers is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Augustana University. She has a master’s in English Literature and Higher Education and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in higher education administration. Her research is centered around black women in higher education and how unconscious, implicit, explicit bias affects these women.

“Unconscious biases are the ‘unknown unknowns’ that you don’t know that you have,” said Capers. “It can be an innate thing that develops in you that you don’t even realize.”

It’s uncommon for anyone to not have any kind of bias. In this time of constant exposure to screens, we are subject to messages that we

may not want in our heads or do not even know are being put there.

“These things that you have seen could change how you react when you’re walking down the street at night and you see a black man, so you unconsciously move to the other side or you clutch your purse,” said Capers. “You might not even realize that you’re doing it, it’s almost like muscle memory.”

In order to challenge systemic problems like racism and bias, there has to be a conscious effort from people across the board to notice and intervene when they see themselves or others participating in unfair acts.

“The main thing is that when you see something, say something like ‘do you notice you do this when we’re with this group’, or ‘do you notice that you say these things,”

said Capers. “It’s about being an advocate and ally for the voiceless.”

It is equally important to continue to have conversations and dialogues about these topics, and the earlier, the better. What Pastrano did in his classes was exactly that: opened a dialogue for his young students, that hopefully contributes to their betterment.

“The reality is that racism is everywhere and ultimately at the end of the unit the question the students had to answer is ‘What is your role in this fight against racism, or in spite of discrimination?’” said Pastrano.

There is no obvious or quick fix to this kind of problem, but there are still actions that we as a society and as a student body can take to work towards a solution. Whether that is stepping up in a situation

like the one that happened downtown, or discussing it in class and gaining a better understanding of our peers’ experiences.

“It’s those unique qualities that we have that make us centrally us, that help us to thrive and to help us get different perspectives,” said Capers. “...when we notice that there are judgments on somebody being uniquely them, what happens to that society?”

LHS SOFTBALL

STATE CHAMPS

by Landon DeBoer After a tough 7-6 loss at the hands of the RHS softball team in the championship last year, LHS avenged its defeat with a 10-2 victory over the Rough Riders this season in the State championship.

With valuable experience from the self-proclaimed “super six” seniors, Abbie and Annie Klatt, Jada Mindt, Millie Mueller, Emma Osmundson and Taylor Raak, LHS softball was able to claim its first State championship since 2007. The senior leadership on the team was invaluable as LHS had seniors up and down the lineup to lead the underclassmen. “[The seniors] were leaders and we had a close relationship with other players on the field, like the juniors and sophomores,” said Raak. “We each had a time where we could step up in a big part of the game with two outs. One of us would always step up and it was good to show the underclassmen what it was to be a leader.”

Before and during the season, the team worked hard with the sole purpose of flipping the script and coming out on top with their secondever State title.

“Before our first games, we practiced really hard,” said Raak. “We went through situations that were similar to last year’s championship game, so we knew what was coming. We practiced hitting tough pitches we might see during the season and we remained calm and kept a good attitude knowing that anything could happen at the end of the season.”

With this winning mentality, the LHS softball team was able to finish the season (including the tournament) with an astounding 27-1 record. The 7-6

loss against RHS the previous season was the main fuel to the team’s run.

They even hung up a sign in the dugout that read “7-6 Play like a champion,” showing the team’s dedication to reversing the tides and winning State.

Throughout the season, the team was able to overcome almost any deficit (in the rare case they were losing), including one in its second game at the State tournament against Rapid City Central.

“We never panicked when we were losing,” said Mindt. “We just knew we could come back and we did.”

Along with this winning mindset, the team made sure to keep a calm and confident disposition without being too arrogant.

“I’m proud because we finally pulled off a win and we were confident about it,” said Raak. “We weren’t cocky, we just remained humble and knew that whatever happened it was our last year, so we tried our hardest to go out with a win.”

Although the team is happy with winning State, it will be difficult to let go of the seniors and rebuild for next season. With the junior varsity team claiming third at its State tournament and many sophomores and juniors returning next season, LHS may once again be in contention for a title.

“The main thing that’s bittersweet is that you won’t be able to play with your friends anymore,” said Mindt. “Us six seniors had fun and we were close… but the super six will live on.”

The 2019 “super six” and the LHS softball team will go down in the history books, bringing life to a program in a championship drought.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LHS SOFTBALL

photos by Sara Croghan

photo by Sara Croghan

Dani Koang, Cat Paul, Avery Store, Elizabeth Trygstad

Dakota Sanger, Juana Simon Esteban

Danyelle Brown

Emma Johnson and Eve Meyers

Morgan Hansen and Mitch Eichacker

n

er

homecoming in review

...

by Brita Quello

This year’s Homecoming exceeded all expectations and past Red Letter Days. Even though the week was only made up of four school days, the week was a success. The theme was “ Crazie Dayz ,” which encouraged students to be innovative and experiment with unique outfit options. From shaved heads to full on costumes, the LHS Crazies made the 2019 “ Crazie Dayz ” iconic.

Tuesday: The first day of Homecoming week started off strong with Yee-Yee Day. Students came dressed as cows, cowboys, cowgirls

and corn. The creativity and commitment shown by the LHS student body is something you cannot find at any other school. The Patriot spirit was then brought to the volleyball game that night, when the LHS Patriots faced the OGHS Knights. Although the scoreboard did not reflect a win, the Patriots showed up in full force filling the entire student section, while OGHS only filled a few rows. One could say we won in spirit.

Wednesday: Wednesday got wacky. A few wore miss matched patterns, cross-dressed, shaved their heads and dyed their hair. The craziness was endless. The devoted Crazie, Chase Moulton, was the one to rock the bald stripe.

“I don’t regret shaving my head; it is my last year here so I wanted to do something memorable,” said Moulton.

Thursday: Past decades were in full force on Thursday. The Greeks, Greasers, 70s, 80s and 90s were all represented. That night, Corona-

tion and the Variety Show were held in the auditorium. The display of talent was outstanding, parallel with the well-rounded students that served as LHS’s homecoming royalty. During coronation, Hanna Beshai and Jake Randle took home the crown. Afterward, during the RLD Variety Show, each student displayed their expertise. Jennifer Fitz performed for the first time in the LHS Variety Show.

“I wanted to do the Variety Show this year because I am a senior, and my friends pushed me to do it,” said Fitz. “The LHS variety show is special because of the Patriot spirit, and you get to see people perform that you have been walking around the halls with for four years.”

Friday: Finally, Friday rolled around: spirit day. Most LHS students consider this day to go down in history as being the best day of the

school year. Students got to enjoy the Pep Rally and the Variety Show during the school day. After school activities consisted of the football game and Patriot party, both filled with Patriot spirit. The seniors won the spirit stick for the fourth year in a row, and the football team then defeated the Brandon Lynx 26-21. In review, one could say that this year’s homecoming was a hit.

photos by Morgan McDonnel & Chloe Robinson

Chase Moulton

Tyler Hiatt

Sophie Siegel

Brooklyn Kellenberger, Lillian Kellar, Julie Akins, Jimena Hernandez, Isaac Smith

BATHROOM LHS passes

OF

by Kathryn Sweeter

As you walk through the halls of LHS, you may see students carrying strange objects as they head towards the bathroom. Many teachers have been getting creative with their classroom bathroom passes.

CLIPBOARD

Brad Newitt

This year, Brad Newitt, a physics teacher, decided to use a clipboard as his bathroom pass. By using a large object, he hopes it will always return back to his classroom and will not get lost. Newitt believes the clipboard will stay sanitary throughout the year, as it is not an object that will absorb germs.

COMICAL SAYINGS

Travis Aukerman If a bright orange sign is seen in the hallway, it probably came from Travis Aukerman’s classroom.

Aukerman has 25 bathroom passes that have different comical sayings on them. These laminated signs have been used for 11 out of the 12 years he has been a psychology teacher at LHS.

WOODEN PLAQUE

Joshua Tuttle

For many students, when they think about Joshua Tuttle, his unique mustache is what comes to mind. Tuttle’s bathroom pass this year is a wooden plaque with a mustache and his name carved on it.

This ideal bathroom pass was made for him by one of his former students.

STYROFOAM BLOCK

Steve Ortmeier Students from Steve Ortmeier’s classroom can be seen carrying a styrofoam block through the hallways. For the past six years, Ortmeier has used the same type of bathroom pass, but has switched it out with new ones to maintain cleanliness. Ortmeier does his best to reduce, reuse and recycle by using styrofoam that would otherwise sit in the science department’s storage closet.

FOAM FINGER

Michael Jones

Michael Jones, a personal finance teacher, has a bathroom pass that shows some LHS spirit. His bathroom pass of choice is a foam finger with “GO PATS” written on it. Jones has used a foam finger as his bathroom pass for the past two years but switches it out every semester to eliminate germs.

AXTEL SIGN

Sarah

Winterscheidt This bathroom pass has more sentimental value than most. Sarah Winterscheidt’s bathroom pass is a sign with the Axtel Park lion on it, passed down from her mother when she passed away. The sign has been utilized for over two decades, being used for five years at LHS

by Winterscheidt and 18 years at Axtel Park by her mother.

METAL SIGN

Matt Daly

The two-year-old bathroom pass in Matt Daly’s classroom is heavy and indestructible. Daly’s bathroom pass is a metal sign created for him by a previous student.

“The sign has no moral significance. It is a piece of scrap metal with my name on it,” said Daly.

ATLAS

Regan Meyer

After her bathroom passes last year (styrofoam earths attached to a lanyard) were thrown throughout the hallways, Regan Meyer decided to use a bathroom pass that was not as easy to swing around. When a LHS librarian was ready to throw out several atlases, Meyer decided to turn the covers into bathroom passes as a way to keep her own memories of using these same atlases alive.

LHS

TAILGATING HITS

DIFFERENT

by Charley Lockwood-Powell

True Crazies go to the football games not only for the game itself but for the hype tailgates beforehand. LHS tailgates are like no other because we really know how to get every Crazie hype before games.

Overall, tailgating with the Lincoln Crazies is amusing and a great way to meet other students.

There will always be smiles on peoples’ faces and fun games to play, so if an LHS student ever has nothing to do on a Friday night, they should come out to an LHS tailgate and get hype with the Crazies before the football game!

Tailgates are all about having a good time. You don’t hear students complaining about how much homework they have or how they are going to prepare for their next chemistry quiz; it is just students letting loose and having fun. There are some students who go above and beyond on making the tailgates extra special. Tailgates are not put on by staff or other faculty members. Instead, they are put on by the senior class, and they make sure the tailgates are enjoyable for all ages. They make the tailgates friendly by grilling food for everyone and having a variety of entertaining games to play.

“It is necessary to have the couch, basketball hoops and most importantly Max Burchill grilling the hotdogs,” said LHS senior Emily Hall.

A junior can also make a difference to make the tailgates even more exciting.

“I bring spike ball, two speakers, a charcoal grill, a table, drinks, a TV and a generator in my car,” said LHS junior Nick Jensen.

It is no lie that all of those fun games and snacks play a huge role in making the tailgates great, but it is also a great way to make friends.

“At tailgates, I love hanging out with friends and meeting new people,” said Jensen.

The best part about the tailgates has to be the memories Crazies make and the friends they meet there. Nothing makes a better friendship than when you meet someone after crushing them in bags.

“My favorite part about tailgating is being able to get hype with my friends before games, especially getting to hang out with everyone around the couches,” said Hall.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LINCOLN CRAZIES

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by Alexis Miller

or some students, Halloween is feared. The haunted houses, horror movies and dreadful costumes are enough to instill fright from this spooky holiday.

Despite the terror that reigns over our town on the last day of October, there is also a sense of excitement for the activities to begin.

My personal favorite is the classic movies.

Throughout the month of October, there are reruns galore. Disney Channel will be playing their rendition of Monstober; 31 nights of our old childhood faves, such as: “Hotel Transylvania,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Goosebumps,” and more! For those that

F

may enjoy a flashback to their younger years, “Halloweentown” is a great way to remember those good old days.

It is a well-known film with plenty of sequels and die-hard fans. “‘Halloweentown’ is the best Halloween movie ever created. No cap,” said LHS junior Alazar Negash.

Movie watching is a crucial element to the holiday, but snacks are a must-have too.

You could lean in the direction of the typical grocery store treats; if so, I suggest Walmart.

Their Halloween candy bags are ridiculously cheap… stock up! For those of you looking to spice things up a bit, maybe try some satisfying fall flavors. For example,

carved pumpkins come with an excellent hidden snack! Roasted pumpkin seeds provide a salty, savory taste. If you have a sweet tooth, the apple orchard can provide you with amazing apples; they are perfect for dipping in caramel.

Speaking of orchards, the Harrisburg Country Apple Orchard is a great way to get outdoors during this chilly season. Movies might not be your thing, especially horror or Halloween films, but you are in luck, the pumpkin patch and apple orchard serve you with another fall activity. Picking the perfect pumpkin, enjoying a ripe apple, or simply admiring

the view, the Country Apple Orchard is the place for you! Although the area is known for its scenery and picture taking elements, that is not all that it brings; the orchard has funfilled days throughout the next month.

Inflatables, hayrides and animals will all be a part of the festivals.

Perhaps the orchard is a little too ‘girly’ for you; too many photographs, sweaters and ripped jeans in the mix. Maybe movies aren’t your thing and you certainly do not have a hunger for the snacks that come alongside them. Well then, I have a solution for you, another activity that may bring some fright into your night.

Are youth sports getting too out of hand?

by Madeleine Kemper

I first entered the world of competitive sports when I was 11 years old. I had been playing softball for six years prior and had decided that the recreational league was no longer challenging enough for me.

On my first competitive team, we had parent coaches, but by the time I was 13, we had moved to paid coaches.

At an early team meeting that I will never forget, our coach told us that if we were unsure about playing softball in college, we shouldn’t even bother

playing anymore.

Sentiments like these are becoming more commonplace across all sports, which has led many to question if youth sports programs are still being run in the direction that is best for our youth.

As an adult who has had the opportunity to be around numerous athletes and the environment that creates them, LHS athletic director, Joey Struwe, still believes that youth sports continue to hold immense value.

“By and large, I think youth sports are great programs,” said Struwe. “Most people who run them do a great job, but of course like everything else, there are exceptions.”

Unfortunately, these exceptions are becoming less exceptional. This past summer, I was involved in running a skills camp for eight-year-old players. At the end of the camp, one of the parents in charge pulled all the campers aside and informed them about the numerous hours of practice, the sacrifices, and the intensity that is needed in order to make it at the next level.

May I remind you that the audience was a group of 8-year-olds that probably don’t have a clue about what they want their future to look like.

These kinds of experiences drive out the wonderment and fun for many players. As a result, more of them are walking away from youth sports. According to the Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, “80 percent of youth athletes quit sports by age 15.”

This overwhelmingly large number is starting to make sense. The adults in charge of fostering these programs are often pressuring kids to make long-term commitments before they can even decide if it’s something they truly love.

The journal goes on to explain that there is a distinction to be made between the child’s desire to have fun and the misconception that the child’s success somehow correlates to that of the parents’ own achievements.

What really is the “next level” anyway? This term is defined differently for every athlete based on how long they continue to participate in sports. Telling eight-year-olds what they must dedicate the next 15 years of their life to diminishes what these programs are all about.

“You have fun with it, you learn the lessons of life that come with it and you learn how to deal with them,” said Struwe. “Learn how to win humbly and lose graciously and all of the adversity that comes in between.”

As someone who has participated in club sports for many years, I understand the need to separate the competitive league from the recreational league. However, when the separation becomes so intense that the other end of the spectrum falls off the balance entirely, we need to ask ourselves whether it is worth it.

“It’s a game,” said Struwe.

“We want to be competitive, but that doesn’t mean we have to be blind to the fact that it’s a game.”

Not everyone can be Michael Jordan or Serena Williams, and they shouldn’t try to be. What makes both of these athletes exceptional is that not many can do what they do. However, no one should feel like they must measure up to their level of talent in order to

keep participating in sports.

One can only continue to do anything if they have the passion, and passion is nothing if we take the fun out of it. Playing for the love of the game is so much more important than trying to prepare for the so-called “next level” that might not ever come.

It will take the right kind of people with good intentions to remind those who have lost sight of what youth sports are all about and remedy this situation.

“We need to prepare our children for the path ahead of them, not [prepare] the path for our children,” said Struwe.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY NATASHA SINEGINA AND MOHAMED HASSAN

NUT S

by Avery Blackman

The PB&J sandwich has been a staple of school lunches since the beginning of time. Remember 3rd grade, sitting in your elementary school cafeteria. As you unzip your lunchbox, packed that morning by your mom, chances are that it is a PB&J. The LHS cafeteria has sold Welch’s PB&J Jamwiches for many years. During my freshman year, I ate this prepackaged sandwich practically every day, as did most of my friends. A PB&J was always

available, and always a popular choice, until this fall, when the decision was made to no longer serve them in the LHS cafeteria.

The Welch’s PB&J that was previously sold at LHS contains not only peanuts, but hazelnuts as well, which are a type of tree nut.

Tree nuts are a common allergen among students at LHS. To be more specific, 29 students: 14 freshmen, 10 sophomores, three juniors and two seniors. With these numbers demonstrating that underclassmen have a much higher number of

nut allergies, a change had to be made. This is not just a trend in Sioux Falls; there has been a rise in peanut allergies all across America.

According to a CDC survey, “from 1997-2002, incidences of peanut allergies have doubled. In the last 13 years, they have quadrupled.”

LHS junior Tori Raveling is one of the few upperclassmen with a tree nut allergy. Her symptoms of a mild allergic reaction include heaviness of breath, an itchy throat and a swollen tongue. However, Raveling has never had a severe

reaction. Even after eating in the school cafeteria for her freshman and sophomore years, Raveling has yet to have an allergic reaction during the school day.

Although it may seem as though LHS students with nut allergies are too small of a minority for any action to be taken in their defense, it is much better to be safe than sorry. For some people, even the tiniest bit of exposure can cause a reaction; this includes inhaling peanuts or being touched by someone who has just eaten them.

In some cases, a reaction can even be fatal.

Even though I personally do not eat in the school cafeteria anymore, as I have been blessed with the gift of open lunch, my heart aches for the many students who no longer have the sweet luxury of buying a simple Jamwich at school. Never again will a student be able to rely on a single purchase to not only pleasure both their savory and sweet palettes, but to supply them with enough protein to last the rest of the long, strenuous afternoon.

Being an avid peanut butter lover myself, I can’t imagine going a week— let alone an entire school year— without satisfying my PB&J cravings during the day.

Not being able to buy a PB&J at school will certainly be a difficult adjustment for many students to make, but nonetheless their removal was necessary for the safety of our student body.

Mental health doesn’t care about your fantasy football team...

And it shouldn’t by

Recently, star NFL quarterback Andrew Luck made headlines by announcing his retirement from football at the age of 29. Luck made the decision to leave the Indianapolis Colts due to mental health reasons.

This decision comes as a shock to many, as Luck had a promising career with multiple seasons over 4,000 yards passing, four Pro Bowl selections and an over 60 percent completion percentage, according to Pro Football Reference.

Although Luck had these impressive stats while playing his six seasons with the Colts, injuries piled up and took a toll on his overall mental health. Throughout his career, Luck faced many injuries from a sprained shoulder, a lacerated kidney, a calf strain and multiple other injuries, according to CBS Sports.

Even with all the setbacks Luck has faced, his decision to call it quits was a tough one, as he loves

the game. The quarterback made his decision with Colts GM, Jim Irsay, and, as information leaked about his retirement, Luck was forced to have an impromptu press conference discussing his decision after the Colts’ preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Before the game was over, however, fans in the stadium got word of Luck’s decision and decided to boo him as he exited the field. This disgusting act shown by Colts fans was not deserved, as Luck risked his physical and mental health to serve his team.

“This is not an easy decision,” said Luck, according to ESPN. “It’s the hardest decision of my life. But it is the right decision for me.”

Even with some people making negative comments about Luck, calling him soft and cowardly for hanging up the cleats, there is nothing cowardly about Luck.

Luck was willing to put up with the physical and mental toll

Landon DeBoer

football puts on a person for the six years he was with the Colts.

Luckily, the spectators who booed Luck do not represent most NFL fans and players. After Luck’s announcement, many players came out to publicly support Luck’s personal decision to leave the league for his own mental health.

This decision has brought light to the fact that the NFL can have a major toll on a player’s mental health. Because of Luck’s ability to be honest and open about his mental health, he has paved the way for other players to make the same difficult decision.

Whatever the decision, there will be haters, people who care more about themselves for selfish reasons than caring about everyone in the search for a greater good. And to those who were mad because they picked Luck in fantasy football, guess what… mental health doesn’t care about your fantasy football team.

ARTWORK BY LANDON DEBOER

THE BLIND

MAN’S

by Sara Croghan

There once was a blind man. Pitch black blind since birth, the sweet light of day had never graced his vision. The blind man yearned for the delicacy everyone around him had, and grasped for any low hanging bits of information he could.

His most immanent fascination: color. As a young boy he was told by his all-knowing and kind mother that the grass was green, the sky was blue, their house was yellow, his favorite shoes were orange, and apples were purple.

Ah yes, purple. His mother was sweet, but colorblind.

He loved learning the colors of things and did not shy away from informing anyone and everyone about his knowledge of the color gracing his surroundings.

Unfortunately, he was not able to see the looks of confusion and sympathy when he would prattle on about the brilliant

purple color of the apple in his hand. Every so often a poor soul would try and correct him, but he would not tolerate this blasphemy—what he had originally been told, some 20 years ago now, was right! Why would his dear mother lead him wrong?

Apples were purple and he would take this fact to his grave.

What a fool! What a stubborn man. Why in the world would he believe such an outrageous thing?

Why did he not listen to people who told him otherwise? What kind of fool stubbornly believes the first thing they are told? That poor man, bless his soul. Even though he did not know better, his closed mind still could not be attributed to his sightlessness.

There once was a boy (or girl, it does not matter). He was smack dab in the middle of his high school years and had

S APPLE yet to be exposed to so much of the world. The boy is like the blind man (the fool). However, in this case, the boy’s eyes were not blinded, but rather his mind was. He was a stubborn boy. He, much like the rest of his peers, had gone whole hog in favor of the first political opinions he saw as desirable. It was love at first sight, the rest was history. Those who argued otherwise were idiots. How dare anyone disagree with him? The boy did not realize, much like the blind man, what he did not know. How could he? Sixteen did not allow for much more than a provincial life. There was so much of the world yet to experience, yet to shape his view. The naive boy liked to appear worldly, and by his standards he was.

This presents the problem. Both the blind fool and him feasted

on the satisfaction that accompanied their faux knowledge. In actuality, they were sipping on brandy, not codeine.

And so, they chose to believe what they were told, not what they had experienced, not what they had learned by opposition, and not by facts. Some may call these two idealists, dreamers or inspirational in their blind faith. Others (myself), however, call them fools.

Not foolish for having opinions, or even believing what they were told, but for swearing by what they had not seen, what they had not experienced.

The boy saw himself as a cosmopolitan (quite the city mouse, someone surely worthy of a credible opinion). However, he was much more like The National Enquirer (a very country mouse).

Why high schoolers and people with such limited views of the world

think their opinions are irrefutable (especially those of us who write about it) is beyond me. At least the blind man had the excuse he really was blind.

But these heathens, what is their excuse? Perhaps they are practicing for politics. I am not saying those of high school age should not have opinions— in which case, of course, you would not be reading this— but at our young age let us not turn a blind eye toward that which we have not seen. Perhaps before we roast the whole hog and serve it up for dinner (with a side of purple apples), we ourselves should look outside to see if the sky really is blue. Some days, it is not.

If I hear one more debate in the hallway over whether or not oranges are pink or blue I am going to lose my mind.

Go to a vineyard and see before talking. Scurvy is becoming a real problem.

R THE

eality of

retail therapy

by Chloe Houwman Have you ever been so stressed that the only thing that could possibly calm you down is a new pair of sneakers (or platforms, in my case)? This method of coping is known as retail therapy.

According to an article published in SELF, “Shopping has been shown to boost our dopamine, a brain chemical responsible for making us feel pleasure, what some researchers call the ‘shopping high.’” Most people think that retail therapy is just a fool’s excuse to spend money, but in reality, there is so much more to it than that.

“Shopping can be a rich source of mental preparation,” according to Kit Yarrow, Ph.D. of Psychology Today. “As people shop, they’re naturally visualizing how they’ll use the products they’re considering, and in doing so, they’re also visualizing their new life. And, as many great athletes will attest, visualization is a performance booster and anxiety reducer,” said Yarrow. Even if you’re just scrolling through your favorite clothing

websites online, you are still picturing yourself in those items.

I don’t know about you, but that is something that never fails to boost my spirits. Retail therapy is a valid form of relaxation and should not be overlooked.

When times get difficult one tends to lose the feeling of personal control, and retail therapy can help restore that lost sense. When you’re shopping you get to exercise your ability to choose; you get to choose where to shop, what to try on and what to buy. This can help one feel grounded and in control.

In 2011, a study by Psychology and Marketing proved that retail therapy can have positive effects on your mood or behavior. Typically, when someone is sad, they need something to cheer them up; when one pampers themselves, they tend to relax and focus on what they’re doing at that moment. Whether it be looking for a new pair of jeans or a new sweater, you’re focusing on finding the perfect item, not on the issues that may be occurring

outside of your retail therapy getaway.

I am not one to advocate running to the mall to get away from your problems—because they will eventually need to be faced—but that does not mean you can’t take a brief vacation to your favorite shops to step away and relax.

Retail therapy has a bad reputation because it can be seen as a waste of time and money, but as stated in Forbes, “[Retail therapy] is an effective mood booster. If you choose to indulge, just be sure to do so carefully so you don’t overspend.” Shopping can get out of hand if you cannot afford the amount you are spending. If indulging in purchases isn’t in your budget, two great alternatives are browsing online or window shopping. You simply need to take control of overspending before it takes control of you.

To end, I leave you with one simple question, “Would you be happier with that irresistible pair of sneakers?”

IS RESPECT EARNED OR DESERVED?

IS RESPECT

earned or deserved?

by Taylor Ericson, Editor-in-Chief

You walk into a room of young children and see the boys playing with building blocks and toy trucks while the young girls braid the hair of their dolls. Naturally, you don’t think twice because this is how it has always been. Males are the ones who are interested in building, experimenting and solving equations, and the idea of females being interested in those same subjects is unnatural.

The stereotype that men are the only sex that belongs in the STEM field is prevalent and leads women to feel inferior to their counterparts, resulting in limited female involvement in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. According to the National Girls Collaborative Project, women make up 50 percent of the college-educated workforce but only 28 percent of the science and engineering workforce.

Some may argue that this significant underrepresentation is justified--that women are naturally not as gifted in terms of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as men, that is--but

that is not the case. According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, males and females perform similarly on mathematics tests, proving that it is not the lack of ability that is leading to inequality in these fields.. The Council states that the main factor that leads to the difference in involvement is the lack of confidence that females have in terms of mathematics.

This observation makes complete sense. From their earliest years, females are forced to confront the idea that males are the ones who are meant to be involved in the STEM realm. They look around them, whether it be on TV, billboards or their phones and see the stereotypical photos of men in lab coats, solving equations. That picture of men working in the STEM field often sticks with them and leads them to believe that men are the only ones who belong in the field. When a woman feels a slight interest in science, engineering, technology or mathematics, they convince themselves that they are not worthy to succeed in that particular field, because they are not the standard candidate.

The females’ lack of confidence is not the sole reason for their insufficient involvement in the STEM workforce. According to a study done by Chicago Booth Professor Luigi Zingales, despite the demonstration of equal ability, STEM employers are twice as likely to hire a man than a woman.

This study verifies that there is indeed discrimination that exists towards women in the STEM department. In order to increase women’s involvement in the STEM workforce, society must take note of the real problem that was represented in this study and work to diminish the gender bias that is preventing more females from thriving in this workforce.

In the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, females feel as though they have to prove their intelligence in order to earn the same amount of respect that males are initially given. In order for this phenomenon to change, society needs to encourage women’s involvement in the STEM field and ensure that males provide respect to females that they deserve.

AS WE KNOW IT

by Timothy Stolp, Editor-In-Chief PHOTO BY MIKA GOCHAL

I was relatively unaware of “climate change” until high school. Before then the issue of environmentalism and ecological disturbance had been brought up peripherally.

However, the language and concern surrounding the problem was largely mollified or diminished. It’s time for that to change.

“We are facing a disaster of unspoken sufferings for enormous amounts of people,” said Greta Thunberg in her rallying monologue recorded for the opening track of the band The 1975’s upcoming album. “Now is not the time for speaking politely or focusing on what we can or cannot say. Now is the time to speak clearly.”

The 16 year-old Swedish native has become something like the face of the modern environmental movement; she is so synonymous with the cause that she’s often called by her first name alone. Greta, alongside many other young voices, has pushed for radical changes in systems that are currently in place that have caused and continue to cause irreparable damage to the global environment. The catch is: it’s no longer radical. In other words, these changes are necessary to the point at which the word “radical” becomes equivalent to “the only possibility.”

It’s this kind of paradigm shift which has stirred real panic in both the journalistic communities as well as the general public. We are grappling with how to word

the problems that we face so as not to connote ease nor fear. However, as Greta advocates, one must recognize the moment we are in and “speak clearly.”

I fear climate reporting has been remiss in not addressing its own inabilities. In a previous article for the Statesman, I myself neglected to reflect the sense of urgency that was needed to convey the message of a then-recent climate report.

Shifting wording to properly evince our message is critical in a situation as macroscopic as this.

Recently, The Guardian updated its language on the topic: instead of calling the issue “climate change,” the publication will favor “climate emergency, breakdown or crisis.”

For the purpose of this article, I will be utilizing similar phrasing.

Furthermore, the current common portrayal on the subject has minimized the urgency of the climate crisis and downplayed its causes. A recent example is the movement to ban plastic straws.

It’s not going to completely solve the issue nor is plastic at the root of the problem. In fact, our problem predates plastic or the machines by which we created plastic.

the Colombian Exchange; the legacy of these transfers lives on, philosophically and ecologically.

Though colonialism did not originate during the Columbian period, the expansion of subjugation into this second part of the world disrupted a balance with nature, especially in the West, that harmonized human and animal populations. With little exception, the Eastern and Western Hemispheres had not been in contact for centuries. For the first time, the world stood witness to unprecedented changes in the global environment. Invasive species (plants and animals unchecked by the lack of predators in the new environment) disrupted delicate food webs, while the search for gold and precious materials subjugated not only the people of the land in the Americas, but the land itself. All was done in the name of “civilizing the savagery.”

As research by Richard Groves, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, in his paper for the Harvard International Review argues, the concept of sustainability is not a new phenomenon either.

Indeed, early colonizers concerned themselves with the longevity of resources. But, their concerns were From a biological perspective, predicated on the growth of an the Columbian Exchange is the economic system which favored most explosive “moment” in them. terms of disruption of the global It never went away; on the environment. The transference whole, humans have never been of plants, animals and diseases less selfish. Manifest Destiny, the across the Eastern and Western imperialist era of the early 1900s, hemispheres is largely historicized increased involvement in global as the killing agent of indigenous control systems: the list goes on, populations of America and a cash- at the hands of a select group of crop treasure trove for the colonists. global superpower nations who However, this analysis only skims exert control over “less-developed” the surface of the impacts of nations.

Yesterday

Today, we see this philosophy in practice in massive, multinational corporations protected by imperialistic governments whose lone concern is economic growth. The spirit of colonialism is still alive and well in the global stranglehold over the general public’s time, money and effort.

Mass consumption subjugates workers around the world, especially in the global South, in an effort to “modernize the outdated.” Unfortunately, without conscious consideration, the general population of global powers have followed suit in choosing luxury over sustainability. In effect, we immediately hurt those in underdeveloped nations and eventually ourselves.

Tomorrow Previously I mentioned the fight to end plastic use and I dismissed it, but to be certain: I did not dismiss it wholly. It can still be a valid effort to reform the current waste cycles we contribute to, if we redirect the concern toward reforming the recycling system, for instance. In fact, the entire reusable utensils and kitchenware movement is valuable and productive if it comes as a jumping off point to larger lifestyle changes. Little changes do matter, as has been proven in other movements as well if they resolve for increased progress. I think of the first brick at Stonewall, the first student to sit at a lunch counter in Alabama.

If it is still so disheartening that these efforts seem microscopic in an issue as grand as this, we need to look at it from a new angle.

Abandoning all pursuits of a more eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle for

fear of not being part of any crucial change would be making a decision without even trying. Perhaps it went without saying, but you’ll never know if you never try.

Skills and resources that can be utilized in a world that no longer focuses on economic growth but the wellbeing of the public are important ones to have, whether you believe in the science or not.

That being said, I am not nor is any one in the environmentalism community asking you to change the way you go about your daily life in an instant. They are still asking you to change as efficiently as possible, within reason for your circumstances. While the weight of climate guilt should not be an individual burden as there is much more at play than what you alone are doing, we each must continue to make strides in personal change.

To reiterate: Do not get complacent.

Incremental change can still make an impact, just don’t claim it as perfection.

Often the type of fear that reporting to this point has instilled in readers is the one I previously mentioned. I have fallen victim to this fear myself, especially within a news cycle that is hellbent on its own non-bias. For fear of losing viewers both to the implications they produce and to the climate crisis deniers, news organizations have shied from connecting with the public.

Today I have been afraid to write for weeks, journalistically or otherwise.

As I’ve researched the climate crisis, I have felt uneasy. Reporting on the subject is hard, both in terms of gathering information and

disseminating it productively. The powers that be would rather not have their foreclosure notice posted in the headlines.

I am with you if you feel that it is scary, scary on a level you have never felt before. We are confronted with mortality on a scale unprecedented in history.

On Friday, Sept. 20, students, workers, sympathizers from around the globe participated in the Global Climate Strike. The act was coordinated by various organizations centered around environmental ingenuity around the globe in solidarity with Greta’s Fridays for Future School Strike for Climate. That week was Greta’s 57th in which she striked from school in protest of the Swedish government’s lack of effort to help solve the crisis.

The movement, clearly, has since turned global.

“Act locally, think globally,” said Sara Telahun, President of Augustana University’s Augie Green organization, at the Sioux Falls strike. This statement perfectly summarizes the growth pattern of the movement.

Days later, Greta spoke at the UN Climate Action Summit in NYC on Monday, Sept. 23.

“This is all wrong,” said Greta.

“I shouldn’t be up here; I should be in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet, you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!”

The speech is one of the first times Greta expressed her own frustration with the current environmental movement.

“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words, and yet I am one of the lucky ones,” said Greta. “People are suffering; people are dying; entire ecosystems are collapsing; we are in

the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth.”

Later in the speech she discusses what she considers the lack of maturity of older generations to call the crisis like it is.

As I finished listening to the speech, I felt heard for the first time. How dare powerful people sit and watch as the world I wanted to inherit and leave to my kids is crumbling, out of fear! How dare you leave me questioning the motive for writing if a future seems next-to-impossible! How dare you!

Greta closed the speech triumphantly.

“Right here, right now is where we draw the line,” said Greta. “The world is waking up and change is coming, whether you like it or not.

In 1987, R.E.M. released their hit track, “It’s the End of the World as We Know We It (And I Feel Fine).” The song decries global political and social problems with a sardonic attitude. Sitting here, 22 years later, we face the end of the world—at least, as we know it—but I don’t feel fine. I feel sick to my stomach.

Then, “How dare you!” rings in my head. And for a second, I feel hope.

ARTWORK BY LANDON DEBOER

ARTWORK BY LANDON DEBOER