Issue 7, March 24 by SLP Echo

Thursday, March. 24, 2022 Volume 95 Issue 7 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426

To mask or not to mask? WHAT’S INSIDE? Moving past the mask PAGE 3 Women’s History Month elicits plea for equality PAGE 6 In-Depth: The art of creativity PAGE 8 Sneakers as a staple in the fashion industry PAGE 15

TABLE OF CONTENTS Thursday, March 24, 2022 ECHO

Editors

NOTE

slpecho St. Louis Park Echo The St. Louis Park Echo St. Louis Park Echo

STAFF LIST

Editors-in-chief: !"#$%&'(%)%&$*' (+)),'-./+./%0 Managing editors: 1&.+2'3/&24%*' 5+24&6'3/&24% Photo editors:'!7&'!6/2,*'!,%)%0'8$+00&6 Assistant photo editor: 1&.+2'8%$69,: Copy editors:'5%"94"';,&)#&06&"<*'' =%>%0$4?6'@?$<%6*'(+#%60,'(&"4+"*'A7&"' B&":' News editor: C/&$'8$4&#:& Features editor: (&$%"'D4)6%,' In-Depth editor: C%.%'1%"6%" Sports editor: 3&04%'E%)6+" Opinion editor: F)%"&'G$049 Entertainment editor: 1+/&""&'3&H)&" Design editors: I4)4&';+"9&)%9*'I4),' E?<0%$%"' Business editor: E&J>&'K?66%4"' Web editor: C+)4"'C&"&#&, Social media editor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rincipal:!I&E46/&'8&##+.: Printer: E+$0/'-0&$'(%#4& Adviser: I+$4'3%%:)%, Awards: NSPA Hall of Fame member; 2006-2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 NSPA Print Pacemaker Finalist; 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021 National Print Pacemaker Award recipient; 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 Online Pacemaker Finalist; 2013, 2015, 2016, 2020, CSPA Gold Crown; 2015, 2020, 2022 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown; 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 CSPA Silver Crown; JEM All State Gold Award print and online. Art on cover: Lilia Gonzalez-Baldwin

Photo: used with permission from Sheryl Schochet Flowering times: Seniors Andrea Melear and Molly Schochet pose for photos before their junior Prom. Prom took place at the ROC May 14, 2021.

It is hard to believe that this is already our seventh issue of the year, and we only have two more to go. Throughout this cycle we have had many changes, both inside and outside of Echo. We are very excited to have welcomed four new editors to our editorial staff and are continuously working on recruiting new staffers. In the middle of this cycle, we covered the School Board’s decision to make masking recommended and not required on page 3. On page 4, we followed up our past coverage on incidents involving New Prague’s racist actions. In this story, we captured more student reaction to Park’s decision to halt competition against New Prague as we head into the spring season. Our entertainment spread covers everything from a review of the new Batman movie on page 14 to an analysis of the ethics of award shows on page 16. One ethical situation we worked through was whether to include the name and photo of someone caught by the hallway reset. Since it was a disciplinary issue, we reached out to the person in the photo and got their permission to use both their name and photo. With spring break approaching, we are very proud of all the work our staff has put in inside and outside of Echo to be able to end this cycle on a strong note before break. As we look forward to our final two cycles we will strive to maintain the same level of high quality content we have worked to present this year. As always, we thank everyone for the support and resources they give us to be able to produce our content.

Table of

CONTENTS

NEWS 3 Moving past the mask 4 Park demands action 5 Latecomers locked out

FEATURES

6 Women’s History Month elicits plea for equality 7 Get a kick out of Action Thursday 8 In-Depth: The art of creativity

SPORTS

12 Everyone gets a shot 13 Synchro pops up in new water

Photo by Ayelet Prottas In the deep end: Junior Rachel Katzovitz treads water while warming up at practice March 17. To read about girls’ synchro, visit page 13.

OPINIONS 10 Point counterpoint: the debate on mask mandates 11 serves as reminder to recognize women’s achievments in history

ENTERTAINMENT 14 ‘The Batman’ back in business 15 Sneakers as a staple in the fashion industry 16 Ethical dilemma surrounds award shows

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NEWS ECHO Thursday, March 24, 2022

The idea is good. If you want to wear a mask, you should continue to wear one and if you don’t want to wear one you don’t have to.”

Brooke Morhauser, sophomore

Moving past the mask School Board decision invokes conversation Molly Schochet

espite feeling uncomfortable by the new optional masking guidelines, senior Nora Jeftenic said she has seen the student body grow closer. “It’s weird because I’m not used to it, and we all wore masks for like two years now,” Jeftenic said. “But it’s a feeling of freedom and also it’s a feeling of being together and being closer to each other.” In a March 8 meeting, the School Board decided to update the district’s masking policy. While originally all students and staff where required to mask at all times, Policy 808 now states masking is only “strongly recommended” as long as the building’s COVID-19 cases remain below 5 percent of the building’s population. According to sophomore Erik Lindel, this new policy gives the decision to mask or not to the sudents and staff. “I feel like that’s the right decision. It’s okay for people to decide on their own if they want to wear masks or not.” Lindel said. Principal LaNisha Paddock said the decision came after reviewing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Minnesota Department of Health. “It’s relatively appropriate for some folks to be apprehensive about taking off their masks and that’s fair,” Paddock said. “This new policy allows folks to make a decision that’s best for them.” For some students, deciding whether to mask comes with social pressure from what their friends are doing. Jeftenic said it is important to respect others’ decisions. “I see students asking teachers ‘why are you wearing your mask?’ Like that’s stupid, it’s your own choice,” Jeftenic said.

Photo by Ayelet Prottas A breath of fresh air: Freshmen Ruby Fadell and Zara Fakir sit unmasked in class March 17. Ever since the mask mandate was

Lindel said he understands both arguments regarding masking. “It’s because most other people are wearing masks and I’m just being a sheep basically,” Lindel said. According to assistant principal Jessica Busse, although there are no more QR codes in the lunchroom, contact tracing will still occur in the event of a positive COVID-19 test. “We will be doing the same thing that we’ve been doing and that’s interviewing the individuals that may come positive and talking to them about who they’ve been in contact with for more than 15 minutes.” Busse said.

New masking guidelines Mask are not required to be worn at any district buildings or trasportation, but some mask wearing will be required in the following instances: Students in early childhood programs COVID-19 Infographic by Demetrius Burges Source: District website

COVID-19 tests provided to students, staff Testing kits given to mitigate viral spread Jacob Khabie

W Photo by Molly Schochet Free tests: English teacher Christopher Nordmark hands out COVID-19 tests to his Park Connections class. DESIGN BY Char Priadka, Jacob Khabie

hen he heard that the district was providing free COVID-19 tests to all students and staff, senior Aiden McDonald said he appreciated the steps Park was taking in order to prevent another wave of COVID-19. “It’s a really good idea, especially to have

us do them before we come back from spring break, so that we can make sure that if we have COVID, we don’t bring it back into the school,” McDonald said. All Park students and staff were provided with COVID-19 tests in Park Connections March 15. Each testing kit contains two tests that can be taken at home. In flyers distributed with the tests, the district recommends testing twice, once on April 2 and again on April 7, in line with the dates of return from spring break. However, testing is not a

requirement to return to school after spring break. The benefit of the tests, according to assistant principal Jessica Busse, is to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 after a time where students or staff may be more prone to exposure than they normally are. “We have seen that there’s been surges after every break and every like holiday period because you’re with large groups during holidays and breaks,” Busse said. “It’s to benefit the community and prevent more spread.”

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NEWS Thursday, March 24, 2022 ECHO

As an African-American man, racism is bad. It hurts me personally and should be stopped.”

Yonathan Getachew, senior

WEB PREVIEW

Photo by Abby Meisler

Spanish club unites community At the Spanish club meeting Feb. 17, teacher Hanna Anderson led the club in a session of “Cien Mexicanos,” a Spanish adaptation of the popular game Family Feud, where students learn more about Mexican culture.

Park demands action Photo by Rachel Arkis

Storiole releases new gear After the loss of its previous adviser, the Storiole class is going through some big changes. Senior and Storiole staffer Murphy Fries said that although the loss had a big impact on the store, the class and their new adviser are working to return the store to its former glory.

Photo by Nina Miller

Quiz Bowl moves to nationals Moving on to the final round of the state Quiz Bowl competition, let alone placing second in the state and moving on to nationals, was not the outcome senior Quiz Bowl team captain Jacy Demcisak thought was going to occur.

DESIGN BY

Char Priadka

Athletes await progress from New Prague before engaging in competition Maren Wilsey Tobias Khabie

s the spring sports season kicks off, one school is noticeably missing from the schedule. According to Park athletic director Andy Ewald, Park has decided until the safety of spectators can be guaranteed, Park will not compete against New Prague. “We’ve communicated directly with New Prague that we’re not going to compete with them head-to-head until we’re comfortable and assured that our fans, our parents and most importantly, our students aren’t going to be victimized by racism,” Ewald said. “They have their work that they need to do — it’s not our job to do their heavy lifting for them.” After several incidents involving the use of racial slurs, Park has decided to indefinitely halt individual competition with New Prague. One of the allegations, according to the Star Tribune, is that students made monkey noises toward Robbinsdale Cooper students, which New Prague officials have since denied. Senior Stanley Regguinti, one of the tar-

gets of the racist remarks, said he still hasn’t received any acknowledgment of the incident from New Prague. “I haven’t gotten an apology or anything. I’d like to hear one just to know that they’re trying to make it better,” Regguinti said. New Prague superintendent Tim Dittberner said the district put together a three-part plan to address the incident and prevent future ones like it. The plan includes creating a task force of students, staff and parents to create a more inclusive community, providing more adequate resources, and working with leaders in athletics. “The mission will (be to) assess our district needs and help provide an inclusive environment for all,” Dittberner said. “Whatever we have been doing obviously is not good enough. We can’t sit here and blame or make excuses — we simply have got to do better.” In the midst of discussions on reform, another accusation of racism from New Prague students arose at the boys’ state hockey meet over the alleged use of white power hand gestures. Halley said this reaffirmed her support of Park’s choice to cancel individual competition with them. “The fact that they have been called out for it and continue to do it is just really disappointing,” Halley said. “(It) makes me feel even better about our decision to not play them because they’re clearly not changing.”

Photo by Molly Schochet

For the win: Junior Shantell Harden boxes out a New Prague player to get the rebound. Girls’ basketball beat New Prague 8665 Jan. 7. STUDENT VOICE Do you think it was a good idea to no longer play New Prague?

“There’s no point in trying to please anyone if your school isn’t up to standard. I understand not playing a team if your school is racist.”

Anisa Farah, sophomore

“I think it was a great decision. I think that’s a good step to follow through because the things they said were really rude. I know they have problems with other schools so I think it’s a good thing for them to learn from it.”

Jenna Piehl, sophomore

“There’s a lot of tension between New Prague and St. Louis Park right now. I than starting more racist incidents.”

Jamar Hester, freshman

“

I think it will increase attendance but at the same time kids will get mad and they will have a lot of negative feedback about it.”

ECHO

NEWS Thursday, March 24, 2022

Demarcus Diamond, junior

Latecomers locked out Administration enforces new tardy policy Andrea Melear

xpecting to arrive at her class at the same time as always, senior Nora Gardner said her daily routine was halted by the hallway reset March 21. “I was not under the impression that I was late and then felt like I was made late by the fact that I had to wait in that line to sign in,” Gardner said. “I felt like I was just going with my own routine and not at all trying to be sneaky.” Hallway resets began being implemented March 17. Students that are found being late to class, receive a warning and an email. According to assistant principal Jessica Busse, the goal of the resets is to communicate with students and work on their punctuality in going to class. “If you’re not in class on time, we are bringing (students) down to the Auditorium so that we can help discuss why we are not going to class on time,” Busse said. Although bothered by the process she had to

go through while walking in, freshman Rowan Jansen said she understands the reasoning behind the new system. “It’s a good way to implement (consequences on) being late but, for some people it’s hard because it’s hard not knowing when it is or if they need to go to the bathroom before class,” Jansen said. While he understands the effectiveness of doing resets in the morning, senior Daniel Lainsbury said resets in the afternoons might discourage students from going to class. “Maybe in the morning, it’s fine, but during the day if they’re just gonna make me do something like that, I might just not go to class,” Lainsbury said. Gardner recognizes the importance of proper attendance, but she dislikes the unexpectedness of the hallway resets. “I fully understand the idea behind it. People being on time 100% needs to be more enforced. It’s just the fact that it’s so random,” Gardner said. “If it’s first hour especially, it doesn’t make sense at all.” Busse said she hopes to maintain the constancy of attendance that she has seen since the

Photo by Molly Schochet Late Slip: Signing her name on the spreadsheet, junior Sigalit Cassuto works her way through the line to get to class March 21. Hallway resets are a new enforced tardy policy. start of the hallway resets. “Attendance has gotten much better in the hallways. It’s much calmer and quieter and students are actually going to class on time,” Busse

said. “They just need to be reminded, it’s kind of like when you get pulled over for speeding. Sometimes you just need to be reminded a little bit that there’s a speed limit.

Echo celebrates sixth Gold Crown Award Publication wins highest national honor from CSPA Sergei Bovee

Photo by Jacob Perszyk Treats: While at Echo’s late night, sophomore Abby Keller reaches for a cupcake March 21. Late nights occur a few

edition and this year’s website, which can be found at slpecho.com. Applications are still being accepted for the 2022-23 school year. These are available outside C275.

fter Echo won a Hybrid Gold Crown Award, senior and copy editor Tenzin Gyaldatsang said the recognition shows the hard work put in by the editors and staffers. “Many people on our staff have been working here for years and it feels amazing to be commended on this award that we have worked through,” Gyaldatsang said. According to adviser Lori Keekley, Echo has won six gold crowns and six silver crowns since 2006, and has also won Pacemaker awards and First Amendment Press Awards. “(The awards) just show as a student newspaper how hard we work,” Keekley said. Since Echo’s establishment in 1916, it has produced issues monthly and has published online since 2004, Keekley said. According to senior and co-editor-in-chief Andrea Melear, it shows the students’ hard work and commitment. “It just makes me proud, even though we

would continue doing this without the award, it just highlights all the work our staffers do on a daily basis,” Melear said. Gyaldatsang said the staff does a remarkable job of producing quality while also balancing grades and other activities. “Echo is an in- and out-of-school type of class and we work on a little of everything,” Gyaldatsang said. “We are a student newspaper and we release a newspaper every month while managing other clubs and getting good grades.” Echo competes with schools across the United States when being judged by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Melear said Echo was the only Minnesota school to win the Hybrid Gold Crown this year. “We are the only school in Minnesota to win the Gold Award this year. Others have won the Silver Award such as Benilde,” Melear said. According to Keekley, student journalism has struggled nationally due to the impact of COVID-19, however, Echo still produced award-winning content. “I am very proud of our staff ’s work,” Keekley said. “Getting information to the student body is important and the fact that Echo does it so well means a lot to me.”

What is the Gold Crown? It’s the highest award CSPA gives to student news media What is it for? Excellence in scholastic journalism Can I still join Echo? Yes, just apply and sign up for the class What if I’m not good at writing? Not a problem — we need artists, designers, photographers., podcasters and videographers How? Get an application outside of C275. These are due today. DESIGN BY

Char Priadka

FEATURES Thursday, March. 24, 2022

“

ECHO

I don’t think (Park) is handling (Women’s History Month) well. I have not heard anything about what they’re doing, we have no unit on it, we don’t even have posters about it. It’s just not enough.”

Calvin Zimmerman, sophomore

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Abigail Christiansen explores art in many forms Abigail Christianson Junior What kind of art do you do? I do a couple different types. I mostly do digital art, but I also do some traditional pen and paper or pencil and paper (artwork). I’ve also done a bit of painting. Over the years I’ve tried a fair number of different kinds of mediums, but I still mostly stick with digital art. What inspired you to start doing art?

Do you like digital or traditional art better? I don’t actually have too much of a preference between the two. But the reason why I do a lot of digital art in comparison to on-paper artwork is that it’s just really convenient. Especially for things like painting or drawing with colored pencils, those materials can get really expensive for some artists. Some artists spend a ton of money on brand name colored pencils for their traditional work. I prefer to just buy a program for a one time small purchase, and then I can make whatever I want on that. What advice would you give to people who want to try out doing art? My biggest piece of advice is just make sure you’re enjoying the process, more than anything else. Even if you want to be really good at it, the most important part is that you enjoy doing it. If you enjoy doing it, you’re going to keep working on it and you’re going to keep practicing and improving. You can’t get anywhere without some sort of passion and enjoyment of the process. How does doing art make you feel? It’s really peaceful for me, especially with a longer piece, where I can get into the flow of it when I’m working on it long enough. And I can sit and do it and not even think about it. I can do it during class or something and still pay attention to what’s going on because it’s just mindless. Danny Shope

Illustration by Ayelet Prottas

Women’s History Month elicits plea for equality Women shed light on their experiences Sophia Curran-Moore t’s easy to get caught up in the everyday routine and forget about those who made sacrifices to work toward equality. According to senior and Girls United member Nora Gardner, history months are important because they show the resiliency of groups who face oppression. “It’s definitely important to take time to appreciate groups of people that have notoriously been looked down on and not gotten the same opportunities as others,” Gardner said. “That should be happening all the time, but kicking off the month thinking about groups of people like that is important.” According to the National Women’s History Alliance, March was first declared by Congress as National Women’s History Month in 1987. The month honors women’s historical and present achievements. Library assistant Nancy Vecerra said emphasizing women’s progress, both inside and outside of Park, is crucial to understanding women’s rights in the present.

“In the education system, I’ve seen how drastically it’s changed. It was just men, and now it’s more women that you see,” Vecerra said. “It’s really important to highlight the many great things women have done and how we got to where we are today.” Vecerra said learning about female historical figures inspired her to create a display of multiracial women in the Media Center. “It was really cool to learn about the women scientists in the movie ‘Hidden Figures.’ There’s also a woman who helped out with the Farmers’ Union. Her name is Dolores, learning about a Latina activist was really cool. It helps women know we can also achieve those things,” Vecerra said. “I tried to make (the Media Center display) racially diverse. Learning about other people’s perspectives (is important),” According to freshman and Natural Helpers member Chloe Lorentz, people should support women by being respectful and by educating themselves and others. “Learn about things that are done by women. Respect the women in your school and respect everyone, no matter anything,” Lorentz said. “Also, spread awareness.”

What do you know about Women’s History? Black woman elected to

1) Shirley Chisholm, 2) Alice Paul, 3) 1923, 4) 1976 5) Sojourner Truth

I’ve been doing it since I was really young. My family’s really artsy overall — my parents are, and my siblings are. I started drawing when I was really young, but I think I got into it seriously in fifth grade. That’s when I started drawing all the time because I wanted to draw characters from the books I liked.

Infographic by Maren Wilsey Source Texas Tech University DESIGN BY Maren Wilsey

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My Action Thursday is board games and we play Uno. Every time we win we get Jolly Ranchers.”

ECHO

FEATURES Thursday, March. 24, 2022

Lucas Jones, sophomore

WHAT'S THE POINT? Older students unwilling to take advice from freshman

Get a kick out of Action Thursday

Sarah Kluckhohn

Sisterhood uplifts Black women

Photo by Ayelet Prottas

Nice shot: Dribbling a ball down the court, freshman Noah Gips plays soccer March 17. The Open Gym Action Thursday allows students to free play.

Photo by Najma Hussein

Discussion: Senior Janaii

Najma Hussein

Watkins participates in a group discussion March 17. Sisterhood, focuses on empowering Black women.

isterhood is an all Black girls group focused on making a safe space for young girls to tell their stories of discrimination For senior Fatima Mohamed, the class has offered her security at school.

“I wanted to have a safe space for Black girls to talk about issues we have at school,” Mohamed said. “For us to have awareness about the fact that Black people are not treated the same as white people.”

Naptime gives time to reset Cianny Belen

aptime is an action Thursday class dedicated to the missed 30 minutes we took in preschool to take a snooze. Helping students, nap time is a great way to aid classmates in getting through a tough school day or tough school week, Naptime adviser Maggie

No big deal Henry Harper

very Thursday physics teacher Dan Ruzek hosts a place for students to dive into board games. From trivia games, to classic games like Go Fish and Monopoly, Ruzek said that this Action Thursday activity allows students get in to small groups and have fun for the class period. Photo by Ayelet Prottas “I hope kids bring games or tell me what to DESIGN BY Maren Wilsey

f I’m being entirely honest, I became a writing coach this semester to look good on resumes and college applications. I still assumed that by being there I could still help other students with their writing. However, after starting, I realized that was not the case. As a freshman, I have a lot less experience with writing and school in general than most of the other coaches, who are juniors and seniors. A lot of the students that come in don’t want my help once they realize my age. They’re not wrong to think that: I myself struggle to see what I bring to the program that other, older students don’t already. I believe I’m a good writer, but that’s subjective. I get good grades in advanced classes, but they’re still freshman classes. I am simply not a better writer than a senior in an WHAT’S AP or IB class. In the THE POINT? most recent shift I did, One we visited a creative freshman writing class to help writing with an assignment coaches they were working on. concern The class was open for sophomores and up, so it felt horribly awkward to ask what they were working on and if they needed any help. I could imagine myself in their position – an eighth grader walking up to me and asking if I needed help. I would be offended. Even if I needed help, I wouldn’t want it from someone younger than me. Part of the mission statement of the writing coach program is to help students as an equal instead of a teacher. I find it hard to help “as an equal” when there’s a 1-4 chance by grade that the person I’m coaching either knows more than me or is too embarrassed to ask for help. So, I’m wondering why the position was opened up to freshmen in the first place? I appreciate the opportunity, but I’m unsure of the value we bring to the program. I don’t know if it’s just my insecurity or the result of assumptions of coaches being based on age, but I don’t like being there just to do nothing. I believe there are other options for freshmen – we could help middle schoolers, for example, via Zoom or Google Docs comments. Or, we could change the program for freshmen so they sign up and work during Park Connections to help the students in their class. This could ensure they are only helping where they are needed and where they are viewed as equals.

tudents would be able to choose one activity to participate in for the entire quarter, and would be able to sign up for a new activity for fourth quarter. As we approach the end of third quarter, students should begin to consider which new activity to participate in. Teachers are offering a multitude of choices, which are available to view on the Student Support Time App.

Photo by Abby Bartleson

Catching Z’s: Arranged naptime March 17. The Naptime Action Thursday gives students time to recharge. Arends said. “I feel like they just zone out and put their heads down. An additional time to just chill out would help,” Arends said. “It’s a helpful thing just built into your day.”

bring, the more the kids are in to it the better,” Ruzek said. Students view Action Thursdays as a means to relieve stress and bring happiness to the students for the period. Senior Whitman Christopher said board game lovers like himself use this time to play quick, competitive games with their friends. “I like playing games and having fun with my friends. We chose this together, and it’s one of my favorite [classes],” Christopher said.

IN-DEPTH Thursday, March 24, 2022

“

ECHO

I like using art as an outlet to express what I am feeling.”

Alyssa Johannes, freshman

The art of creativity Art serves as a means of self-expression Lily Nugteren Tobias Khabie

or those who have trouble conveying their thoughts and feelings, art has become an increasingly popular form of self-expression. Whether it be through drawing, painting, sculpting or other materials, being creative is a fitting way to express one’s feelings and how they see the world.

Expressing emotions through art As the hardships of the pandemic wore down freshman Libi Ackerman, she said she turned to art as an outlet for expression. “Over quarantine it was a way for me to get away from the world,” Ackerman said. “It allows me to clear my head and let go of stress for a little bit.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, students have found that art serves as a perfect means for self-expression. Sophomore Mae Turman said art provides her with a channel to convey her thoughts and emotions. “I just draw what I’m feeling,” Mae Turman said. “If I’m feeling sad, I would probably draw a person in the rain or something like that, because it gives off sad vibes. And if I were happy, I would definitely include lots of bright colors.” Adam Turman, an acclaimed Twin Cities artist, said as a high schooler he used art as a way to relay his experiences and emotions. “I did a lot of drawing when I was in high school. I

drew all sorts of different things. Most of it was kind of like me growing up as a teenage boy and all the things that teenage boys go through,” Adam Turman said. Not only does art provide an outlet for expression, it also serves as a way for the brain to engage in a variety of activities such as sculpting or coloring, according to art teacher Martha Ortman. “It’s how some people can translate their emotions into art,” Ortman said. “It’s a mental break to do something physical, to do something with your hands.” Mae Turman said creating art can serve as a way to amplify voices for those who can’t articulate their feelings in any other manner. “Some people don’t know how to express it any other way,” Mae Turman said. “There are lots of unique ways of expressing yourself. Art is just one of those ways.” According to Ortman, using art as a means of self-expression provides a sense of mental stability for those who have trouble conveying their feelings. “It’s like therapy in a way. All therapy is acknowledging fellings, validating someone’s own thoughts and feelings,” Ortman said. “Expressing yourself is a form of therapy. It gets things out and some people have a very cathartic feeling afterward where they feel healed. It’s an ability to communicate in a different way.”

St. Louis Park has been making an effort to increase the amount of art around town with murals and sculptures popping up on nearly every corner including Texa Tonka Shopping Center and Sota Clothing Company. Adam Turman said the Minneapolis area has been a huge inspiration for him and his art. “I thought the buildings along the mill district, like Gold Metal Flour and the Grain Belt Beer sign downtown was the coolest, so I started doing artwork that

was based off really bold, re to make art th Along wit lates the hallw work on disp techniques to “It’s really other student Ortman said.

Resources f

For buddi mends lookin “If you can a little help, lo play music,” A Adam Tur at other artist media. “I use Inst influences. I w I will research types of art,” A Mae Turm of their comfo expand their “Try new like it, and if y Students s art classes off they can serv by other class “School ca environment classes and aft people to let o said.

“

I really like to draw the emotions that I am feeling.”

ECHO

IN-DEPTH Thursday, March 24, 2022

Mae Guttenfelder, freshman

Students at work

Photo by Ayelet Prottas Fuelled by creativity, senior Shelby Lund works on her clay sculpture in an advanced pottery class March 18. Begining Potters create mugs, vases and works of their choice.

ff of those buildings, industrial, historic, eally graphic,” Adam Turman said. “I try hat ultimately makes people happy.” th murals around the city, art also popuways at Park. Ortman said having student play can inspire other students to apply o their own art and take other art classes. y cool because students can just see what ts do and it might give them ideas,” .

for getting started

ing artists, Ackerman said she recomng to peers for guidance. n just start, that’s great, but if you need ook for friends who can draw or sing or Ackerman said. rman said even professionals tend to look ts for inspiration, especially on social

tagram a lot, so when I’m looking for will oftentimes check out Instagram and h different hashtags, and I’ll try different Adam Turman said. man said she encourages others to go out ort zone and explore new mediums to means of expression. things, and if you don’t like it, you don’t you do, that’s great,” Mae Turman said. should take advantage of the variety of ffered at Park, according to Ackerman, as ve as a break from the stressors provided ses. an be a really stressful and negative for a lot of kids, and having those artistic fter school activities is a great way for off some steam and destress,” Ackerman

DESIGN BY Molly Schochet

ways to be creative

follow through Be imperfect Take a nap Put down the eraser Keep at it

Photo by Tobias Khabie Junior Ruby Livon works on a painting of a landscape March 21. Art teacher Martha Ortman said participating in art can act as a form of therapy through self expression.

Let your brain rest Be bold and Tap into your imagination Seek feedback Infographic Cece Jensen Source New York Times

Photo by Tobias Khabie Junior Jack Thyne practices his watercolor skills March 21. According to freshman Libi Ackerman, it is important for budding artists to try new mediums.

OPINIONS Thursday, March 24, 2022

Generation Z lacks empathy Cece Jensen

“

ECHO

ids today will often receive their first smartphone before the age of 10 and considering the fact that Gen Z is constantly immersed in social media, these young children are being exposed to the harsh and disrespectful humor of teens. Being so unsheltered to the conflicts of the world leads children and teens of Gen Z to become used to hearing about such bad news. When confronted with global conflicts, it is common for people to feel anxious or scared for what might come. Gen Z, on the other hand, tends to make memes or TikTok videos making fun of the situation at What’s the hand. Using the current POINT? Russia-Ukraine conflict Coping as an example, there mechanism have been countless needs jokes made on social adjustment media about World War III and being drafted. Rather than offering any kind of support or help to the people affected by this conflict, Gen Z found a way to make it about themselves and use humor in a time of crisis. Going through COVID-19 at a considerably young age gave rise to a loss of empathy and contributed to an ignorant attitude toward many worldly conflicts. This attitude leads to insensitive remarks and inappropriate jokes at the expense of others. What some may argue is “just a joke” or “not a big deal” can be very hurtful and disrespectful to many people. The reasoning behind these cruel comments is that Gen Z is using humor as a coping mechanism. Emotions that could otherwise be dealt with in a healthy manner are instead being expressed through comedy. This dark humor provides a distraction and an outlet for pent up emotions. While these jokes are not meant to directly offend anyone, they can still come off as very insensitive. Teens need to find a way to be more empathetic to those going through hard times and offer more support. Looking at the harsh realities of the world through a comical lens is easier to face than reflecting upon and analyzing these tendencies and encouraging growth for oneself and the entirety of Gen Z. This lack of sympathy and compassion is not the right response to topics such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict—it is important to not take the humor too far.

Reactions on the revised COVID-19 mask mandate

Was making the mandate optional a good idea?

I don’t think it’s that bad — I respect people’s opinions by wearing a mask and not wearing a mask.”

Maree Lasala, senior

Do you feel comfortable removing your mask at school?

Yes

53%

47%

48%

52.8%

When would you feel comfortable removing the mandate? Now 46%

Next Soon year 27% 27%

Source: Poll of 250 students Infographic by Elena Ortiz

POINT COUNTERPOINT Mask decision left to students following revised School Board policy Mask mandate needed as precaution for COVID-19

STUDENT VOICES

Alex Geretz

t’s admirable how great of a leap toward being “back to normal” the school has tried to achieve, but no matter how tired of wearing masks I am, this Band-Aid has been ripped off too soon. No matter how confident we are right now that there’s no real risk of a COVID-19 breakout in school, even the smallest misjudgment on the school’s part toward safety could very well lead to another outbreak of Omicron — or some potentially worse variant. The most worrying part about the school’s handling of the new ruling is that it seems even they aren’t confident with its safety. With all focus now on the mask mandate lifting, many failed to notice the school removing the QR codes from lunch table — Park’s most comprehensive form of contact tracing. Without any way to reliably track COVID-19 infections at school, I see it as Park making an attempt at taking eyes off of the school’s negligence to keep the community safe. This may show Park’s overall reluctance to take accountability for whatever downsides might come with discarding the mask mandate. Park ignoring all the reasons masks are actually meant to be worn might cause the school to create a larger problem than there was in the first place. The mask mandate should have stayed as it was for the last two years.

Was it a good idea to make the mask mandate optional?

“I don’t like masks, but at the same time, I don’t think it’s the best since COVID is still a thing.”

Davontay Hamilton, freshman “It’s cool, because now it’s easier to do things like choir and band, but the rest of the time it’s concerning when half of your class isn’t wearing their mask.

Rose Huse, junior

Decision appropriately made due to low infection rate Noah Leventhal

or the past two years, the pandemic has forced everyone to change how they live. Some people have been more affected than others — but almost everyone has worn masks. As the number of COVID-19 infections dropped sharply, some mask mandates have started to be lifted. Hennepin County lowered its mandate and at the School Board followed at its March 8 meeting, Concerns have arisen about the legitimacy and safety of these mandates. “Why can we suddenly stop wearing masks now?” Or, “is it really safe to not wear masks anymore?” In reality, now that COVID-19 cases have dropped, it’s relatively fine to not constantly be wearing masks anymore according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). COVID-19 cases in mid-January of this year were at all time highs at just over 1 million in the United States per day. Now, there’s just about 7,000, and rapidly dropping each day. With this in mind, it makes sense that we can start lifting our restrictions. In Minnesota, just about 70 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. The vaccine prevents hospitalization from COVID-19, and its spread. This again supports the argument against masks, implying most people are already vaccinated, lowering the need for masks. The School Board is right by removing the mandate. COVID-19 cases are going down, the CDC lifted its restrictions.

PARK TRAIL Matt Kanyinku NELSON OPEN THE DOOR, I’M BEING CHASED!

Knock Knock Who’s there?

“Nelson open the door I’m being chased” who?

Benny?

DESIGN BY Elena Ortiz

“

As a bare minimum, recognizing (Women’s History Month,) or somehow incorporating it into the curriculum. Instead of just completely not acknowledging it. It feels like people don’t care, which isn’t great.”

ECHO

OPINIONS Thursday, March 24, 2022

Gwendolyn Rockler-Gladen, junior

STAFF ED

Follow footsteps to inclusion for Eid, Rosh Hashanah Grace Stillman

Failure to address Women’s History Month disappointing

any women work behind the scenes, contributing to history in ways that are never recognized. The Echo Editorial Board unanimously believes Park should do more to teach about women’s impacts on history. Each year, the month of March is dedicated to honoring women’s past and present accomplishments. According to the National Women’s History Alliance, the 2022 theme is “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” Other than a display in the Media Center that feels more performative than productive, the Board is not aware of any efforts from the school to acknowledge Women’s History Month. Given our principal and many of our teachers are women, the lack of communication from the school around Women’s History Month is disheartening. The Board feels that curricula and textbooks also fail to acknowledge important female historical figures. Textbooks tend to be written from the male perspective. On the rare occasions when textbooks mention women, they often focus on how history affected women, rather than how women affected history. Teachers often gloss over portions of the curriculum that focus on women to save

Photo Illustration by Abby Keller Supporting women: Looking at a display in the Media Center, senior Sophia Curran-Moore reads a book March 21. This display was curated to celebrate Woman’s History Month.

time for other topics that are considered to be more important. While white women’s accomplishments are often unnoticed, the Board feels that BIPOC women’s achievements are especially prone to being overlooked. When learning about women’s history, the achievements of BIPOC women should be emphasized. We should learn about the difficulties BIPOC women face, but we should also celebrate their resilience and successes. Memorializing their triumphs inspires us to become better people. Although some teachers and students are encouraging learning about women’s history, the Board believes the responsibility of addressing these issues should not fall on a few individuals. There should be unified action as a school.

The Board acknowledges that teachers face an unprecedented workload this year with COVID-19 and other factors creating adversity for staff. Teachers have to stick to a rigid curriculum and have a limited amount of time to cover many subjects. However, teaching and learning about women’s history shouldn’t be a burden — it should be a given. Park is failing to acknowledge Women’s History Month and it has failed to address other awareness months, such as Black History Month. Utilizing Park Connections to address Women’s History Month would allow women to be recognized without taking instructional time away from teachers and students. Those in charge of Park Connections should bring up Women’s History Month and other awareness months.

MEDIA POLICIES The publications are designated public forums for student expression in which students make all decisions

Journalists should avoid a real or perceived conflict of

must be signed and should be no longer than 250

interest as well.

words and may be e-mailed t or submitted in room

of content without prior review from school officials or

The publications will not shy away from covering

the public. The adviser will not act as a censor. Students

newsworthy controversial issues of importance to stu-

name does not know the identity of the writer will not

have the final decision on all content.

dents. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel,

be printed.

Prior review does not teach students how to produce higher quality journalism. The only way to teach

obscenities, innuendo or invasions of privacy. The publications will avoid electronic manipula-

C275. Anonymous letters wherein the publication

In the event of an error being reported by readers or noticed by staffers, students should first check to

students to take responsibility for their decisions is to

tion that alters the truth of a photograph unless clearly

see if the information is erroneous. If students deem

empower them to make decisions freely.

labeled as a photo illustration.

the material to be incorrect, they should alter any

Content represents views of the students and not

News publication staff editorials represent the

online content to reflect the correction and then print a

school officials. The publications will work to avoid bias

opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion

and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage

and will not be bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion

and content meaningful and interesting to all our read-

of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect

nothing will be taken down unless it’s proven factually

ers. In order to strive for objectivity, journalists should

the views of the staff or administration as a whole.

false or otherwise legally deficient as of the time it was

avoid covering stories of which they are involved.

DESIGN BY Elena Ortiz

The publications welcome reader input. Letters

correction in the next edition. In regard to material appearing on the websites,

published.

oth Hopkins Public Schools and Minneapolis Public Schools have added Eid, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to their calendars, canceling classes when the holidays fall on a school day. This allows their Muslim students to celebrate the end of Ramadan and their Jewish students to celebrate the two holiest holidays of the year, all without worrying about what they might be missing in school. As a Jewish student at Park, during the past four years I’ve had to worry about what I’m missing at school while I’m sitting in synagogue, when I’m supposed to be observing the two holiest days of the year. Not only are these holidays, they are days of rest, meaning I’m not able to work on the homework given to me ahead of What’s the time, or study for the quiz or test that I will POINT? Altering likely have to reschedule calender because they were given makes school that day. accessible Historically, the for all scheduling of important school events clashes with various religious holidays. Last year, Prom was on Eid and currently the school sanctioned ACT test is during Ramadan. The first day of school this year was originally planned on the first day of Rosh Hashanah until there was an outcry of concern from Park’s Jewish student population and their families. The first day was eventually rescheduled to the second day of Rosh Hashanah, meaning a portion of the Jewish students still could not attend. The Muslim and Jewish communities are making the simplest of requests: to be included. Park has very large Muslim and Jewish populations — an example being Park’s infamous nickname, “St. Jewish Park.” Considering these are such large groups in the community, the lack of representation is simply unthoughtful, unfair and has a negative impact on the education and learning experience of these students. If Eid, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not taken into account in creating future district calendars, these two communities will continue to be under-supported and ignored. In order to respect the diverse community at Park, administration should take the dates of Eid, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur into account when constructing the district calendar in the future. Park should follow the footsteps of Hopkins and Minneapolis schools in allowing their Muslim and Jewish students to practice their religion without fear of repercussions. In this case, inclusion is the bare minimum.

SPORTS Thursday, March 24, 2022

“

ECHO

Sports are a little too expensive because many sports do not require the same amount of equipment as others do.”

Nadia Kovalchuk, junior

OUT OF THE PARK Swift measures needed against racism Mya Stanberry

hen I first checked my lacrosse schedule there was a game scheduled against New Prague, before Park decided to not play them. Because of previous incidents, I was scared of the possible discrimination and remarks I could receive. I was mad at New Prague, since some had disrespected more than one school including Park. It angered many schools, students and parents. In an event where my team was discriminated against, I would hope action would be taken and that is what the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) needs to do. I believe that the MSHSL shouldn’t let these inexcusable acts continue without reprimand. Park, along with other schools, has experienced racial discrimination in sports recently and decided to not play against New Prague in the upcoming season. What’s the Much of the racism came from New Prague POINT? players, their student section and parents who made racist gestures toward the players. Action is needed from the MSHSL because no one should have to deal with racism. Rules should be made to ensure players practice good sportsmanship and fair play during sporting events. The MSHSL can prevent more racial incidents from happening to schools by suspending the school that caused the problems. Sports are a major deal in many schools and the MSHSL has a responsibility to make sure their athletes are respected, team plays fairly and everyone is able to have fun. Furthermore, athletic departments can follow Park’s direction and refuse to play another school. Teams that cause harm should suspend problematic players and team’s experiencing racism should listen to athlete’s opinions on actions — since it’s ultimately about the students. In my experience, many schools make excuses for their racist action, or are not punished for it. If it is noticed, it’s not dealt with as fast as it should be. I’ve seen firsthand both of the external and internal racism that infects Park, so I know the dire effects that racism can have on anyone. I’ve always learned that no matter what, having fun and building relationships with a team is the most important aspect of athletics.

Close contact: Sophomore Keegan Hartford drives toward the basket for a layup against Edina, with Park securing a 76-74 win on Feb. 26. The cost for participating in basketball is currently set at $205. Jumping for joy: Sophomore Addison Chenvert and junior Abby Ellingson celebrate a good play against Park Center Aug. 26. Volleyball is another sport that costs $205, with hockey being the only sport to cost extra at $255.

Everyone gets a shot Leo Justesen Tobias Khabie

igh school athletics have been a staple in the lives of high schoolers, serving as a place to create friendships and memories. However, some potential athletes face financial hardships that would dissuade them from joining sports. Athletic director Andrew Ewald said Park ensures no athlete will ever be excluded due to financial conditions. “There are enough things in this world where there’s haves and there’s have nots,” Ewald said. “We don’t believe that a family’s financial situation should be a measurement (that) should allow or not allow them to participate.” Park currently prices all sports at $205, besides hockey, which is $255. However, according to Ewald, students who qualify for free or reduced lunch will not face the same prices. Ewald said those who don’t qualify for price reduction are eligible for

assistance from the athletic office. “In my 22 years being here, if a family or student came in who needed assistance and they didn’t qualify for free or for reduced, we found a way to make things work,” Ewald said. Sophomore Simar Singh said having price reductions available allows for more financial freedom for athletes. “Depending on your income, if you have free and reduced lunch, it decreases the price,” Singh said. “That gives a lot of flexibility to low-income students.” Senior Evan Donesky, who’s played basketball throughout high school, said the opportunity to reap the benefits of playing a sport should not be hindered by financial status. “It’s just a great thing to do in terms of building discipline,” Donesky said. “That’s why everyone should be able (to) do it.” Ewald said compared to other schools in the Twin Cities, Park offers lower prices for all of its sports and balances affordability to the best of its ability. “As a district, we don’t want to raise our fees too much to the point where people stop participating,” Ewald said. “We want everyone to participate.” Sophomore Cameron Bruns said another difficulty athletes from low-income

Photos by: Ayelet Prottas

Average price of sports in Metro West St. Louis Park

$208

Robbinsdale Cooper

$210

Bloomington Schools

$221

Hopkins $230

Edina

$242 Source: Infographic by:

households may face is the cost in sports equipment. “The cost of sports (equipment) is too expensive, like shoes are really expensive,” Bruns said. “It can be harder to participate if you don’t have the right equipment.” Because of this, Ewald said the athletic department receives donations that can provide equipment. “We have people donate money or supplies,” Ewald said. Everybody understands that people might not be as fortunate as other people, but the ability to participate shouldn’t be dictated by somebody’s financial ability.” DESIGN BY

Ayelet Prottas, Katie Nelson

“

SPORTS ECHO Thursday, March 24, 2022

The coaches are very inspirational because they are St. Louis Park alumni, and it’s great to have them back in the game.”

Mae Turman, sophomore

Synchro pops up in new waters

MEET THE ATHLETE Margaux Pollock Sophomore, Lacrosse What made you start playing lacrosse?

New coaches bring perspective, skill

My brother. — All of my sports I’ve ever played, my brother has always played first, then I’ve always done it after him. Then some of my really close friends played (lacrosse) too. That’s why I started and then it’s branched out from there.

Elena Ortiz-Fishman

ith the resignation of former coaches Jessica Gust, Linda Gust and Rose Evensen, the girls’ synchronized swimming team was faced with finding new coaches to fill the empty spots. Stepping into the role will be head coach Carolyn Guddal — a previous assistant coach — with Savannah Kjaer, Lily Kulevsky and Claire Olson. “It’s exciting that we’re starting a new chapter,” Guddal said. “I’m only the fourth head coach in SLP synchro history. I recognize it is quite the legacy I’m stepping into — but I’m really excited to see where we can go.” After graduating from Park in 2015, this will be Guddal’s seventh season as a coach for synchro. Guddal said she feels confident to kick-start a successful season. While the team felt the impact of losing its long-standing head coaches, senior and captain Ada Turman said she is looking forward to starting fresh with returning alumnae. “We had a complete shift of coaches. The only person who is the same is Carol. It’s nice to have her because she has experience with the team,” Turman said. “Having assistant coaches that I’ve swam with before is really cool because I can be on the team with them in a different respect. It’s nice to have a younger perspective.” According to assistant coach Savannah Kjaer, listening to athletes this season will be prioritized after all the challenges that came with the pandemic. “It’s really exciting to have a new opportunity for cleaning things up a bit in the program. The team is smaller, which I think has happened to lots of sports coming out of COVID-19,” Kjaer said. As her senior season approaches, Turman said she wants to enjoy her last one to the fullest with her team. “Carol is looking to focus on team dynamics and mental health more than last year,” Turman said. “We just want to DESIGN BY Ayelet Prottas, Katie Nelson

What was your lacrosse experience before becoming a captain? Last season we had an older team, so they were all seniors. It was hard at first because I was the one of the youngest on the team and it was kind of awkward for me. But then having cliques with older girls made me feel like they brought me under their wings and it just made me feel guided through the team. How did you become captain? I got chosen because they told me that my leadership was very good and because I’m another varsity player. I was not really shocked (but) at the same time I was also very shocked because there were two other girls that were up for running with it, but I was really excited because I get to take all these girls under my wings for the next couple of years.

Making a splash: Junior Rachel Katzovitz launches out of the water, perfecting her routine during meet was March 22 at St. Louis Park High School.

Important dates: Figures meets: April 6

April 12

Routine meets: April 22 April 28

Dress rehearsal: May 17

Source: GoPark.org Infographic by: Katie Nelson

Photo by: Ayelet Prottas have a fun season and bring everybody together, this is our last year on the team. We’re trying to perform well at State and Sections so we can rebuild our reputation after losing Sections last year.” As many of the new coaches have previously been swimmers, Kjaer said this offers valuable knowledge going forward with the team. “I was on the team with the entire staff at one point, so it’s exciting to get us all back together,” Kjaer said. “It’s going to be really exciting having women coaching who have been swimming recently. Even things going through the pandemic, we have a good understanding having been swimmers ourselves of all the work and chaos that goes into being high school students and athletes.” To be successful, Turman said it’s important to strengthen new bonds with the coaches. “When the Gusts and Rose left, those connections and relationships had been established over years,” Turman said.

What is your role as captain? We get to pick all of our designs for merch, which is one of my favorite parts. We get to run captain’s practice, we get to coordinate team bonding things and be the girls’ biggest role models on and off the field. How does it feel to be an underclassman captain? There’s definitely been some reactions to that from parents and students. I think that being an underclassmen captain can (allow for) other opinions, as I am younger, so that it gives the younger girls opinions and not necessarily just upperclassmen opinions. If we are making decisions instead of having all of the seniors and juniors deciding, we also have the role of sophomores and freshmen deciding because of me being an underclassman. What do you hope to achieve this season? I hope we will win a bunch of games and we can go through the season as one, not separated, and all just like one big family. I hope that the girls can become comfortable coming to all of us captains as one. Jacob Khabie

ENTERTAINMENT Thursday, March 24, 2022

“

ECHO

It looked really cool, dark and sinister. (‘The Batman’) was really intresting.”

REVIEW

Highest grossing

back in business The renowned vigilante returns after a decade Colin Canaday

decade after the 2012 release of “The Dark Knight Rises,” the first Batman film to earn $1 billion — and arguably one of the most ambitious films involving Batman to date, the beloved vigilante has returned in the 2022 release of “The Batman.” The film lives up to the expectations set by previous films. Starring Robert Pattinson, I initially didn’t have high hopes for the film. My only point of reference to Pattinson’s acting came from knowing he starred in “Twilight” — a film with little appeal to me. Even so, this weariness was misplaced; PatDESIGN BY Tenzin Gyaldatsang

tinson wonderfully portrayed and continued the Batman legacy, and, perhaps specifically because I knew so little of his other work, the connection of him being the new face of Batman was seamless. Hosting a nearly three-hour runtime, this film is not short by any means. Although I initially struggled to understand the reason for such a long runtime, assuming it was filled with unnecessary exposition, I was pleasantly surprised by the easy-to-follow flow of the movie. As I had guessed, the movie, like most, was filled with unnecesary exposition — but in no way did I ever feel like it bogged down or took away from the movie. While some films may focus too heavily on ensuring viewers understand some plot-point, I found that “The Batman” trusts its audience to follow the plot, only gently and briefly explaining mildly confusing segments. As the plot, at least partly, revolves around

1. ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ 2012 $1 billion 2. ‘The Dark Knight’ 2008 $988.6 million 3. ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ 2016 $872.4 million 4. ‘The Batman’ 2022 $599.6 million 5. ‘Batman’ 1989 $411.3 million

Infographic Tenzin Gyaldatsang Source

Fair use from DC Films demasking and catching the Riddler — what one would assume would be an incomprehensible, difficult-to-follow, task — the ease at which the plot unfolded and was demonstrated was a breath of fresh air and quite surprising. Another element of the film I very much enjoyed was the music. Tracks like “Something In The Way” by Nirvana provide a dark tone that complements the gloominess of Gotham in the rain, while newly composed tracks add suspense while not taking away from what is happening on screen. Composed by Michael Giacchino, whose work has appeared in films such as Inside Out, Spider-Man, Star Trek — and many, many other notable blockbuster films — the success of this soundtrack is of no surprise. The ending of the film perfectly falls in line with the themes present in the rest of the film — mystery and intrigue. While there is certainly a resolution to the conflicts in the films, the ending drives home the point that there is still much work to be done in Gotham. With this obvious foreshadowing to future films, I am excited to see where these new characters and plotlines will take us.

“

ENTERTAINMENT ECHO Thursday, March 24, 2022

(Students) all have the same kind of shoes. They all look similar, and they really focus on the brands.”

Lynn Starkweather, junior

The evolution of sneakers: Photos by Nina Miller, Lilia Gonzalez

How shoes became a staple in the fashion world Cianny Belen

rom Skechers to Nike, sneakers have begun to play a huge role in fashion culture to express people’s individuality. Though some view shoes as just something to keep your feet from touching concrete, many treat shoes as a fashion choice to make a powerful statement or compliment a colorful outfit. There are a variety of different shoe brands. A lot of brands have gained popularity as they produced more intricate and creative designs. Some have flopped while others have caught the eyes and attention of many people — especially younger generations. A lot of individuals have taken to the bright and detailed shoes that you wouldn’t have seen back in the ’80s and ’90s. Back then, those types of shoes were reserved for the famously wealthy and wealthily famous. Normal individuals didn’t walk around with those types of exuberant footwear. However, in recent years, there’s a sense of empowerment that comes with wearing shoes not normally seen on a common person’s feet. It gives a sense of power and conviction, binding away old stereotypes about people or shoes in general.

Generation Z is known as the leading generation for change. With the bringing back of clothing such as flared jeans and clawed hair clips, it’s not too much of a surprise Gen Z would lead the shoe revolution. Even hair hasn’t been left out of their purge of drab fashion choices. Sneakers are just one of many trends they have claimed in making new statements and inhabiting interesting personas. Younger generations are all about change. Despite that, they cannot get the full credit for starting this showy trend of fashion evolution. TV shows and movies play a big part in the things people wear, or the way people act. Sneakers are no different. For example, in the cult-classic film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” Sean Penn’s character sports Vans checkered slip-ons. These shoes then went on to become widely popular due to the success of the film. Movies aren’t the only culprit to sneakers’ rise in traction, nor the demand for certain shoes or brands. Even old sneakers have come back to consumers’ admiration. This is thanks to star basketball players and celebrities. As much as people love the flamboyant, they also love simplicity. A simple redesign of Nike’s 1973 blazer basketball shoe came back as a more modern

DESIGN BY Lilia Gonzalez-Baldwin, Johanna Kaplan

Sneaky fashion: Sneakers allow students another avenue to display their fashion choices. From TV shows to basketball pop culture has been a major impact on sneaker fashion.

Top manufacturers in the United States: Nike — $38.7 billion annual revenue Best selling shoe: Nike Air Force 1 VF Corp. — $12.3 billion annual revenue Best selling shoe: Vans Sk8-Hi “Black/ White” Under Armour — $5.2 billion annual revenue Best selling shoe:

Infographic by Johanna Kaplan Sources Thomasnet.com, Nike, Vans, Under Armour

version, and proved that no matter how old the sneaker, it can still gain popularity. George “The Iceman” Gervin was responsible for the Blazers rise in popularity. His nickname was given to him for his ice cold talent of scoring dunks. Coincidentally, he did so sporting some Nike basketball blazers, his signature shoe. His interest in these shoes sparked the interest of Nike to the general public for the first time, along with that specific style of shoe. The point is not if these influences motivate people to wear fashionable shoes. Celebrities and TV give us a newfound confidence to express our originality in ways we never thought to before. Besides the fact that they look cool, shoes also tell you a bit about someone’s colorful personality, and how unapologetically they are flaunting that trait. If eyes are the window into someone’s soul, shoes are the doorway into someone’s head. Many teenagers have abandoned the normal concept of shoes, and adopted the many variations and eccentric designs these shoe brands have offered. Sneakers are more than just shoes. They are also a gateway to many arguments and issues, and getting a point across silently and subtly.

“

ENTERTAINMENT ECHO Thursday, March 24, 2022

(They are unfair because) all shows and movies are worked hard on and all the actors have to work hard to do it.”

Grace Sumpter, freshman

Ethical dilemma surrounds award shows Modesty Manion

Upcoming events prove problematic for some viewers

ntil the 1980s, most television sets only had fewer than 10 channels. Because of these limited entertainment options, glamorous events filled with celebrities were extremely exciting to viewers. Enter award shows. At the time, people mainly watched nominated films at theaters, and music awards were based on record sales. So, with the creation of music and TV streaming services, and the vast increase in the sheer amount of this type of event, the dynamic of award shows has drastically changed. Because of this wide selection, I can’t help but wonder; are any of these award shows worth watching anymore? “And the Oscar goes to…”: Announced by various A-list celebrities for nearly a century, the statement is used at the Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars. Set to air March 27, this annual event intends to recognize the very best in the world of acting and filmmaking. The music equivalent of the Oscars is the Grammys, which similarly gives awards

to the most creative and talented artists, writers and videographers. Other notable award shows include the Emmys, Tony Awards, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, Film Independent Spirit Awards, iHeart Radio Awards, MTV Awards — and the list goes on. At first, award shows were viewed simply as a way to celebrate high achieving artists for their work. In the last few years, however, many of these celebrations have become redundant. There are so many, in fact, that one may start to question the validity of the awards themselves. In the United States, there are over 30 film and over 10 music award shows. Why are there so many shows all judging the same things? The main culprit is capital gain. Although these events started with only creative interests in mind, they have now turned into money-making affairs. The main purpose is to create a big commercial for their respective industries. Advertising pulls in millions of viewers, and TV and commercial deals help rake in tens of millions of dollars annually. The judging of such exaggerated awards can get both biased and racist. At the 2020 Grammys, artist Tyler, The Creator won Best Album in the previously named “Urban Contemporary” catego-

ry. During an interview at the show, he bashed the Academy for putting his album “IGOR” in such a category, saying, “When I hear that, I’m just like why can’t we be in pop? Half of me feels like the rap nomination was just a backhanded compliment. Like, my little cousin wants to play the game. Let’s give him the unplugged controller so he can shut up and feel good about it — that’s what it felt like a bit.” This kind of racial organization has been present in the music industry for years, but has no place in the 2020s. Frank Ocean and Kanye West have boycotted the Grammys for racial inequality. In 2015 and 2016, the Oscars got a lot of backlash for having mostly white nominees. Especially considering that, according to Barron’s, the voting committee consisted of 93 percent white members at the time, it makes sense that people of color have issues with the credibility of these awards. Sometimes, the voting committee at the Academy will compensate for this by choosing a predominantly non-white group of nominees, as if to say, “Hey look! We aren’t racist, look how many people of color we nominated!” All award shows are problematic, and many have become redundant. If you plan on watching any, prepare yourself.

Award show voters and nominees demographics Voters at the BRIT Awards 83% White

Voters at the Oscars 17%

84%

16%

POC

White

POC

Nominees at the BRIT Awards

Nominees at the Oscars

58%

42%

White

POC

89%

11%

White POC Infographic by Lilia Gonzalez-Baldwin Sources statistica.com, pearnkandola.com, insider.com

Johanna Kaplan Fair use from Warner Records, The Recording Academy, Records DESIGN BY Lilia Gonzalez-Baldwin

April 1

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April 8

April 14

Releasing its 12th studio album, acclaimed band “Red Hot Chili Peppers” is making an awaited comeback. “Unlimited Love” comes out April 1.

The largest music event of the year — The Grammys — airs on CBS April 3. The event was supposed to take place in January but COVID-19 intervened.

“Ambulance” is the latest action-thriller release from Michael Bay. Starring Jake Gyllenhal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, this film will keep you at the edge of your seats.

On April 14, the Twin Cities welcomes teen pop icon Olivia Rodrigo. She will be performing her album “Sour” at The Armory.