udents can not leave classes as frequently as they once could, due to a policy change. Earlier this semester, each teacher was given two new laminated passes. One for the bathroom and one for specific places in the school, according to grade level coordinator (GLC) Greg Whittle. Whittle said the goal of this change is to limit the amount of passes given out. “There was an overflux of passes being used and some students may not have been doing w h a t they are suppose to be doing,” Whittle said. N o w with the new policy students are not allowed in the halls without a laminated pass from their classroom. Another change is if a student is late to school and isn’t called in, they don’t get an excused pass, according to GLC Joe Yaeger. Some students don’t believe this change will make a difference, including junior Kamisha Coller. “The new policy is unnecessary. People can still skip class,” Coller said. “There is no way that everyone in the hallways without a pass can be caught.” However, Whittle said he believes this change is a step in the right direction and will help keep kids in class. “I have seen a decrease in the number of kids in the hallways during class,” Whittle said. “The new policy doesn’t seem like a big issue, and it’s effective.”
he administration’s decision to censor the N-word from the choir musical “Ragtime” has fueled an emotional response. According to interim principal Scott Meyers, the decision to omit the N-word from the choir musical was made last fall after consulting with African-American community members. “We came back together probably more toward November, I believe. When we talked in November, it was decided that we probably shouldn’t use the word,” Meyers said. Superintendent Rob Metz said he believes at that point cast members understood they could not use the N-word. “They started out using the word ‘Negro’ as I understand it, and then it got changed to ‘boy,’ but everybody knew they couldn’t use the N-word in the dialogue,” Metz said. Several cast members said they were not informed of the decision until much later on, showing a discrepancy between administrative and student perspectives. Sophomore Santyne Thornton said the cast believed the N-word was to be used up until the day of the first performance. “We practiced using the N-word, but then the day of the first performance, Mr. Meyers changed it,” he said. Meyers said the desire not to offend audience members shaped the decision.
“People have lived it, experienced it, and don’t necessarily feel like they need to experience the word to know what it means,” Meyers said. Students responded strongly to the decision to remove the N-word. A public service announcement (PSA) read before the show voiced the cast’s disagreement with the censorship. However, the administration decided to censor the content of the PSA as well. Metz said he told writer senior Amira Warren-Yearby to remove one part of the announcement he felt unnecessary. “There was one line in there that I thought was inappropriate, I thought it was mean, and I bumped into a student who had a hand in writing it and suggested that they change that line,” Metz said. With censorship focusing on one racial slur, some students felt as though their own cultures and beliefs were devalued. Junior Ethan Fogel said he was offended by the decision to censor the N-word but leave in place other derogatory slurs. “As a Jewish person, the fact that there are slurs left in for Jewish people and the other word (N-word) is censored makes me feel as if my history as a Jewish person is less important and not as respected,” Fogel said. Metz said he thinks the N-word alone was censored because it had the strongest potential to upset viewers. “I think in today’s society it rises above the rest as a word that could cause misunderstanding and conflict,” Metz said. Choir director John Myszkowski declined to comment for this story.
he middle school commemorated the one-year anniversary of the loss of a well-liked and accomplished student, according to middle school principal Les Bork. Seventh grader Abdullahi Charif, 12, passed away March 1, 2014 after drowning during gym class, according to Bork. Bork said students put together cards, made posters and engaged in class discussions to acknowledge the anniversary Feb. 27. “It was really a marking point for us,” Bork said. “Our purpose was to honor Abdullahi’s life and acknowledge his death for our learning community, our school.” According to communications manager Sara Thompson, extra counselors were made available to middle school students the week leading up to and the day of the anniversary. Bork said many students took advantage of the support. “We had students off and on all day access the services,” he said. B o r k said the support and activities offered an opportunity to reflect on C h a r i f ’s life. “I think it’s another stage in the grief and healing process,” Bork said. “That is really what our intent was.” Senior Nadia Mohamed said acknowledging the life and death of Charif is of great importance. “It’s not something you can forget after a year,” Mohamed said. “I hope no one forgets.” Bork said the formation of a group to deal with tragedy in the community is under way. “A blue ribbon task force is being pulled together that is larger than just the people at St. Louis Park Middle School,” Bork said. For now, Bork said what is most important is that no one forgets the incredible person Charif was. “Abdullahi was a wonderful young man, a good student, well liked by teachers and by students, his peers alike, accomplished,” Bork said. “He loved to play basketball, that was his passion, and he’s missed by the community.”
tudent teachers at Park are finding places to train for future careers despite a statewide decrease in the demand for teachers, according to the Minnesota Department of Education. However, the number of student teachers at Park has stayed constant in recent years, according to Carol Johnson, the principal’s secretary. One of Park’s current student teachers, Andrés Hernández, is a student at Saint Mary’s University. He works with Hanna Anderson in her Spanish classes. Hernández is from Colombia and said that plays a big role in how he teaches. “When you are teaching a language, you are not only teaching the language itself, you are teaching the background and culture,” he said. “Right now, I’m representing my country, so my purpose is to help students understand that there are different things out there.” Freshman Kayla Furuli is in seventh hour Spanish, a class Hernández and Anderson teach together. “Everything just goes by faster,” Furuli said. “We just recently had to record him for his college class, and he taught the whole class. It was fun.” Kinsey Allen, a University of Minnesota student, is one of two student teachers in the science department. She works with Patrick Hartman and
hen faced with the task of choosing next year’s classes, sophomore Mike Donneley said he tried to find a balance between preparing for his future and taking care of his mental health. “I had a mix between preparing for college and my sanity,”
Jessica Gust, teaching environmental science and biology. Allen said she was surprised by the amount of work she has to do as a teacher but is learning to keep organized. “It’s a lot more work than you’d think,” Allen said. “I know that my first year of teaching will be difficult, but the earlier you put in the work the better.” Dan Ahlm, the other student teacher in the science department, is also at the University of Minnesota. He teaches honors/IB chemistry with Jenny Magdal. Ahlm said his intent as a teacher is to help students think more broadly. “I’ve been trying to incorporate (that) into classes, actual interaction, lots of time in the lab whenever possible,” Ahlm said. Magdal said she hopes she is giving Ahlm information that will stick with him during the rest of his career. “It is exciting to me to be able to pass on the things that I’ve learned over the last 10 years that will hopefully be meaningful to him and his teaching in many years to come,” Magdal said.
Donneley said. “I didn’t take some certain classes, because I wanted a lighter workload.” Counselor Barb Nelson said she believes students need to register for classes that don’t overwhelm them, rather than follow the path their classmates are taking. “I think the biggest thing for kids is looking at the level of course that they can handle. A lot of times I think kids get so wrapped up in ‘what are my friends doing?’” Nelson said. “They really need to look inward.” Although students are required to do all honors or none in ninth grade, students are able to transfer into honors for the rest of high school, according to Nelson. “We hope that families, kids, parents make the right decision about placement just looking at the big picture, but that is always a stumbling block,” Nelson said. “But then in 10th, 11th and 12th it’s more independent where they can pick and choose courses where their strengths are and
where they want to do well.” Students can still succeed in honors if they chose not to do the block during their freshman year, according to Nelson. “There are ninth graders who were in no honors and they take the full load in 10th grade and then all the way through high school,” Nelson said. “Kids are certainly still prepared, but that’s also part of that balance, knowing if they should take one or two or more than that.” This year, the counselors did presentations in classrooms and computer labs to help students register. This helps avoid last year’s confusion of registering at home, according to Nelson.
Donneley said he thinks last year’s registration process was too rushed and is glad they are doing it in school this year. “Last year all the teachers came to my class and talked to the whole class about it,” Donneley said. “I didn’t feel like I had enough time.” According to Nelson, registration should be wrapped up soon so administration can look closer at numbers to see what classes may or may not be offered. Once those classes are chosen, students affected will be notified and can change their schedule. Any additional questions can be answered in the counseling office, according to Nelson.
n a time where there’s an app for everything, one company has taken advantage of this to put an end to drunken driving. Founded in 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, Uber is a rideshare app created to make cities more accessible through the touch of a button. The app utilizes GPS and electronic payment, so all users have to do is set their pickup location, enter in their destination and within seconds they are matched up with a personal driver and given an estimated arrival time and price for their ride. While Uber can be utilized in a variety of situations, one of its main objectives is offering another way to get home as opposed to drunken driving, according to its website. A student, who has used Uber multiple times while intoxicated and preferred to remain unnamed, said its convenience makes the experience go smoothly. “I think it’s a really great and safe way to be able to get to and from places, especially when you’re not able to drive yourself,” she said. “It’s affordable too. So I think it’s a really good thing for students to have access to instead of struggling to find a ride.” According to a joint report conducted in January by Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), 78 percent of people surveyed across the country said since Uber came to their city their friends are less likely to drive after drinking. Additionally, 88 percent of those surveyed over the age of 21 agreed with the statement: “Uber has made it easier for me to avoid driving home when I’ve had too much to drink.” Moshe Weiss, an Uber driver in the
Twin Cities area, said he thinks the app is not only a positive alternative for teenagers, but also for parents themselves, knowing that their child has a way to get home safe. “Just speaking to kids themselves, the choice is much easier to make and for parents also. They can just sign up and then their kids can use it whenever they want,” Weiss said. “It has increased the possibility of keeping these kids safe.” One criticism of the app is anyone can join Uber and become a driver as opposed to a traditional taxi service where drivers are hired. Junior Aerial Lark-Ingram said she thinks this aspect of the app makes its safety questionable. “I don’t think it’s safe, because it can be anybody that can just come pick you up. It’s just somebody random who has a car and is trying to do it,” she said. However, according to Weiss, an independent company outside of Uber conducts background checks on all drivers in addition to conducting car inspections to ensure the safety of all drivers and passengers. The anonymous student also said she never found the experience unsafe, and believes the service is much more appropriate for teens compared to a traditional taxi service. “In all of the experiences I’ve had they’ve come in five minutes or less, which has been very convenient; more convenient than standing outside especially in the winter months as a drunk teen,” she said. “It’s so much easier to get. You don’t have to try to find one on the street. They just come to you.” Weiss said he agreed on the app’s convenience based on his experiences. He also said he thinks because of the prominence of phones among society today, the availability of the app is unparalleled. “You know, a lot of kids don’t even bring their wallets to even have a credit card,” Weiss said. “But it’s very rare that someone’s going to lose their phone. You lose everything else. Your keys to your car, your wallet, your pants, but very rarely do kids today or adults today lose their phone.”
hen I was a little girl at parades I saw little representation of ethnic people on parade floats. The St. Louis Park Ambassador program has allowed me to be that representative. June 14, 2014, I was crowned one of the two young adult ambassadors. It has been both rewarding and challenging. Being an ambassador is truly more than a crown and gown. The program teaches me many life skills such as public speaking and time management. In addition, I didn’t have many plans for the summer and it provided me activities throughout the school year. With my involvement I have found it is also a great way to give back to the community. My community service project took place at Towerlight Senior Living Center. Talking with the seniors while doing arts and crafts or seeing them smile and sing along to songs at the piano recital was a rewarding feeling, because I knew I impacted someone’s day for the better. Without the program I don’t think I would have been in the Aquatennial parade or participated in a spaghetti eating contest in Hudson Wisconsin, which was my favorite event so far. I wouldn’t have my ambassador family, as well as friends from other ambassador programs. It has become a common trend lately for people at events to ask me where I got my crown, thinking I just bought it somewhere, completely ignoring the little girls in outfits matching mine. I respond telling them I’m an ambassador but that’s usually followed by a question asking if it’s a pageant. I usually respond with a more in-depth answer. I tell them we represent St. Louis Park at various parades, coronations in Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin and do community service projects. The program is more about community and building relationships. I’ve built many of these relationships at parades and coronations. On a typical parade day after the float is set up, we take that time to take photos and socialize with other ambassador and royalty groups. Then finally the parade starts. Soon I’m in between two rows of people smiling and waving, and in return I smile and wave back while dancing to the music on the float. It is an amazing feeling, to know that I’m representing the diversity of St. Louis Park and I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to be the change I wanted to see.
ophomore Genesis Buckhalton said she has never been treated inequitably by a teacher or student, but she fears that she could based on the color of her skin. Buckhalton and others met to discuss the issue of equity in the school Feb. 20. Students from all grades gathered in room B233 to discuss the issue of any sort of equality in the school.
The discussion was led by Oscar Reed, a former restorative practitioner and group leader brought to Park by Cory Lawrence. “This is the third circle I have led with the school, but before this I have done a number just with Ms. Lawrence’s class,” Reed said. Reed opened the circle with a question that had been discussed during the previous meeting Feb. 18. The question was: “Do you think that every student is treated equitably or the same in this school?” There were a variety of answers to this question, but most of the
reg Goddard, social studies teacher, IB coordinator and boys’ golf team coach will pack his bags and clubs and move to Ghana. Goddard and his wife, Sally, an English teacher at Park Spanish Immersion, have both signed three-year contracts with an American school in Accra, Ghana called The Lincoln Community School. Goddard will work half-time as the school’s IB coordinator and half-time as assistant principal while Sally will work with sixth graders through seniors as academic support. In 1999, before the Goddards had any children, Sally and Greg spent three years teaching in a similar American school in Tunisia. Just like the last trip, he said they hope they’ll return to Park with a renewed vigor and retooled approach for education. “When we came back from Tunisia we brought back a sense of global-mindedness, and best practices from a very different teaching setting,” Greg Goddard said. “We’re not doing this because we dislike our jobs here, quite the contrary; we love our jobs. We’re excited to bring back these skills to Park.”
students in the room agreed overall, students are treated equally by teachers, but not necessarily by classmates. Buckhalton is among those who believe so. “I see students being treated inequitably amongst peers more so than teachers,” Buckhalton said. After everyone had answered the first question Reed proposed a second question to the group. He asked: “If you feel like you are not being treated equally in a class how does that affect your work and effort you put into the class?” Buckhalton said she believes even though students and teachers treat her equitably, she constant-
Senior AP psychology student Crista Ocampo said she believes Goddard’s departure will be a bittersweet one. “I really like the classroom vibe he creates. It’s going to be hard to see him go but hopefully it’s for the best,” Ocampo said. The Goddards have wanted to go abroad for a while now, but only during the past year were formal plans arranged. “We’ve been talking about this for five or six years. We just could never get the stars to align until now,” Greg Goddard said. Greg said he believes the move to Africa will be a bit of a culture shock for his two children, but they’re looking forward to it. “Owen plays hockey, and there’s not a lot of ice in Ghana,” Goddard said. “They’re coming at it now at a point of positivity. They’re sad to say goodbye to their friends and some of the amenities they’ve become accustomed to.” Boys’ golf team member junior Luke Cichoski said team members are sad to see their coach leave. “The whole team is sad to see him go,” Cichoski said. “Everyone feels a deep connection with him. He’s definitely a role model to us.”
ly worries this treatment could change because of the color of her skin. “I am treated pretty equally by all of my teachers and they care that I am learning, but I always have the fear that I will be treated differently because I’m black,” Buckhalton said. Reed said he has seen progress after three meetings and encourages continued discussions. “The more we have these circles the more people become comfortable talking about their experiences and it’s bringing us closer to equality,” he said. “I have seen improvements in the discussion even just after three meetings.”
Sophomore Danny Decker uses meditation to relieve stress and connect with his inner self.
My dad is an acupuncturist, so he’s into all of that sort of new-age stuff. He meditates every day, and he taught me. Me and all my brothers meditate now.
On and off when I was a toddler, but in eighth grade I started to meditate a lot more.
There’s different types of meditation that focus on different things. There’s a type of meditation that is a kind of a form of martial arts called qigong that me and my dad do some mornings, which is just taking on the well-being and feeling of your body.
Like: ‘Does your right arm feel heavier than your left arm?’ Just being aware of your body.
I think it’s a healthy practice. There are a lot of studies that show meditation helps with a lot of stuff, for example if you meditate you’re less likely to suffer from depression.
Yeah, definitely. I think a lot of people
are super stressed about all this stuff they have piled up, when they should be focusing more on themselves. It can really help relieve stress.
Just sit down for a couple of minutes each day and try to be aware of your surroundings. Like: ‘How heavy do my feet feel or what noises do I hear?’ Just checking into how you feel.
f all political debates, the issues in the Middle East are some of the most hotly debated in today’s society. Such divisive issues are often avoided in school settings and discussions, but a new student club intends to change that. The Israel advocacy club started by sophomore Sam Orloff aims to increase student’s civic engagement and discussion by giving them a new method to express themselves, placing it in a pro-Israel context. “Our goal is to bring civic engagement to high school,” Orloff said. “I wanted to pick a bipartisan issue that everyone could be involved in, so I picked Israel.” Despite focusing on a specific issue, the club intends to appeal to a broad range of Park students, according to its founder. “Anyone who cares about politics, with any opinion, should join,” Orloff said. Other students including freshman Abdul Ibrahim agreed with his idea behind the club. “It’s a good issue to talk about,” Ibrahim said. “There is a lot of debate going on. We should help to find a solution.” However, some students such as freshman Brooklyn Donelson found the issue strange for an after school activity. “You’re raised not to talk about politics with friends because it raises problems,” Donelson said.
I use an app called Headspace. It’s a meditation app that was created by a former monk. There are a bunch of different meditations that can teach you how to meditate and there are meditations for different situations. Like, you can meditate on relationships or health. There are also productivity meditations that can help you be productive for a longer amount of time, which I think could help students.
The club is not intended to serve as just a model policy group, according to Orloff. “We’re not model or mock. This is the real deal,” Orloff said, referencing Model UN and Mock Senate clubs. The club will contain both political discussion and political action at its meetings, including sending letters and emails to congressmen on i s s u e s within the club’s focus, according to Orloff. “The benefit is unders t a n d ing how things (in our government) work. It’s a look at how politics work,” Orloff said. The club’s first issue is the upcoming nuclear deal between the United States and Iran. The club plans to write letters supporting specific legislation dealing with the issue. Through the club, Orloff hopes to bring its members together through the issue he sees as bipartisan. “We support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. It’s a bipartisan American issue,” Orloff said. The club has not started regular meetings yet. For more details contact Jeff Cohen in room C361.
randy Siddiqui, the adviser Eastern student group, rem when she first converted to did they speak to her again. This situation is not uniq of Americans had an unfavorable attitud cording to the Arab American Institute. According to a report published in 20 erty Law Center, anti-Islamic hate crimes in 2010. Yasmine Taeb, the Islamophobia proje ter for American Progress, said Islamopho against Muslims, but also includes the va tions and individuals that fuel hatred and “There’s a network of organizations, fu dits who are essentially spreading misinfo hatred of Muslims and Islam in the United Junior Chanice Davis said she sees this “I think people are hypocrites. They li gions and races, but when it happens to th been wronged,” Davis said.
enior Amran Nur said she feels peo because they have heard descriptio Muslims are supposed to look like “I feel like when people first meet me, dia’s told them so they automatically ha am,” Nur said. “The media outlet shows somehow you’re grouped with them. You of them.” One of the problems with Islamophobi ten doesn’t treat it as legitimate discrimina This can be advantage to an Islamophobi because people don’t see it as a problem a bat its effects. “(Islamophobia) is just as heinous and er discrimination against any community as such,” Taeb said. “The problem right n it the same.” Senior Ladan Abdi said the media’s con as a terrorist religion makes people believ be involved in terrorism. “I feel like people, when they see the ‘oh, you’re a terrorist,’” Ladan Abdi said. reason why people think Muslims are ter
r of the African Middlemembers losing friends o Islam. Only years later
que. In 2014, 73 percent de toward Muslims, ac-
013 by the Southern Povs increased by 50 percent
ect manager at the Cenobia is not only prejudice ast network of organizadiscrimination. unders, activists and punormation (and) irrational d States,” Taeb said. discrimination in society. ike to hate on other relihem they feel like they’ve
ople often stereotype her, ons in the media of what e. they know what the meave this picture of who I these radical people and u’re paint-brushed as one
ia is the general public ofation, according to Taeb. ic organization, she said, and are less likely to com-
condemnable as any othand it should be treated now is that we don’t treat
nstant portrayal of Islam ve that all Muslims must
e hijab, just assume that “The media is the whole rrorists, and obviously if
you keep hearing that, you’re going to think that all Muslims are terrorists.” Ladan Abdi also said the Islamic terrorism shown by the media causes the fear of Muslims in the United States. “Terrorism has been given a name, a religion, a group of people, and an exact look,” Ladan Abdi said. “(The media) labeled what terrorism is.” Taeb said the media’s impact on youth can be strong, and education is the only way to counteract its effects. “People start forming their opinions (at a young age) about various issues. If you’re constantly in the media seeing people spouting hate, that’s eventually going to have a huge impact on you,” Taeb said. Junior Alexis Baker said she believes non-Muslims stereotype other Muslims because they associate them with the terrorists. “I think people just generalize and just assume that just because some of the terrorists are Muslims, other people must be too,” Baker said. Cawo Abdi, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota, said anti-Islamic beliefs come from the idea that their loyalties are somehow different than non-Muslim Americans. “The majority of Muslims are citizens of this country. They are taxpayers. They are working,” Cawo Abdi said. “The idea that these people have different loyalties that threaten our security is illogical.” Another cause of Islamophobia, Cawo Abdi said, is the lack of interaction between Muslims and non-Muslim Americans. “Many Americans have never encountered a Muslim, so the Muslim turns into someone who is different than us,” Cawo Abdi said. “The whole construction in the media makes the Muslim someone who doesn’t look like us, who doesn’t think like us, and that creates fear.” Siddiqui said religion is often practiced differently based on the culture of the individual and this difference can cause problems. “What people don’t understand is that just like the way an Irish Catholic practices Catholicism is going to be very different from how a Mexican Catholic practices Catholicism. (Muslims) are very different in the way that they practice,” Siddiqui said.
ccording to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in 2012 almost 1,400 people reported experiencing a religiously motivated hate crime, 18.7 percent of the total number of hate crimes. These offenses included murder, rape, aggravated assault, intimidation, arson, vandalism and theft. The FBI states on their website, however, it does acknowledge a large number of hate crimes go unreported. Corey Saylor, director of the Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia at the Council on American-Islamic Relations said another manifestation of Islamophobia is the anti-Islamic legislation banning “foreign law,” a thin disguise to prevent the implementation of Sharia laws — Islam’s religious code. Sharia laws regulate day-to-day life in countries such as Saudi Arabia. He said these anti-Sharia laws violate the Constitution because of the First Amendment right to practice any religion freely. “Not only are (legislators) contributing to Islamophobia, but they are also contributing to the erosion of the Constitution,” Say-
lor said. “The First Amendment clearly says you don’t treat one faith differently than another. The intention of these bills, whether they say it or not, is to vilify Islam.” Cawo Abdi said other stereotypes surrounding Muslim women focus on their relationships with their husbands or fathers and the way they choose to dress. “Many Muslim women experience the stereotype that they are all oppressed — that they are all subject to male domination,” Cawo Abdi said. “It’s very possible that some of these women might be pressured by their parents or families to dress certain ways, but we are all pressured by our society and our communities.” Cawo Abdi also said when Muslim women are not seen as anything but what they wear, barriers are formed between people, preventing connections and conversations. “We tend to reduce (Muslim women) to the veil, and it creates the otherness. It creates distance instead of getting to know each other,” Cawo Abdi said. Siddiqui said people generalize her with their own image of what they think Muslim women should look like and are often wrong. “Someone told me I wasn’t very religious because I don’t cover my hair,” Siddiqui said. “Well, no, you don’t get to tell me if I’m
religious or not. I just have a different interpretation of it.” aylor said preventing the spread of Islamophobia today will protect our country in the future by making it unacceptable to discriminate based on religion, race or any other demographic. “The second you allow (Islamophobia), that tells you that yes, today it may be Muslims, but give it 20 years, and it’ll be somebody else,” Saylor said. “If we don’t protect a hated minority today, it makes it easier to pass laws that target more groups in the future.” According to Siddiqui, this can be done by people being more accepting of religions and practices different from their own, without generalizing other people’s experiences. “Everyone’s going to do their own thing, (and) do you get to question somebody’s faith because they don’t do things the way you think they’re doing them?” Siddiqui said. Students can combat Islamophobia by standing up for their Muslim classmates when anti-Islamic attitudes surface in their communities, Taeb said. “If you see classmates, if you see teachers, if you see anyone in your school that is spreading fear mongering or hate against Muslims, then your responsibility would be to push back,” Taeb said. Taeb also said another step students can take to prevent Islamophobia is to educate themselves and their peers. “If you start educating yourself about the issue, that’s a very powerful statement to these (Islamophobic) groups that think they can just spread their misinformation anywhere and be successful,” Taeb said. Nadia Mohamed said she no longer cares about fitting in because she is starting to accept herself for who she really is. “People are staring because I am wearing a hijab, and it makes you feel like you’re standing out. It’s always been believed that you have to fit in,” Nadia Mohamed said. “Now I am realizing it’s not a bad thing to stand out. It’s who you are.”
was supposed to be a sports superstar. It’s in my genes. My parents were successful high school athletes and they still wake up at 5 a.m. to run more miles than I drive in my car on a daily basis. As a high energy, first-born child, my parents were eager to watch me succeed in any sport that would have me running out of energy. I was encouraged to find where I fit best. I tried out soccer first. I anxiously tested out the position of goalie, but I was more concerned with perfecting my cartwheel and dodging the ball threatening to grant me a bloody nose than keeping the goal clear. In elementary school I joined a summer tennis camp with my best friend. The racket seemed to be a natural extension of her arm. I assumed it would be as easy for me as it was for her, but after countless swings and misses, my divaself wrinkled her nose and refused to go back. I tried track and field, which I didn’t like as much as I thought I would. I was heaving too hard to be able to talk to anyone on the long, boring runs. F i n a l l y, I decided to give lacrosse a try. It helped me funnel my aggression by slyly knocking others over when the referee turned his head, something I really enjoyed, but I never fit in on the team. One day the realization hit me: I had already found my niche in junior high. Hello, my name is Noa Raasch and I am an active participant in musical theater. People turn their head and snicker when I announce what I do for physical activity, but I know they just don’t understand. They can judge me after they endure six hour dance rehearsals, which have me sweating through my clothes, singing until my throat is raw and actively spewing all of my energy out in two hour periods night after night. Sure, musical theater isn’t regularly covered in the sports pages of city newspapers and announcers aren’t present at matinees, but I believe anything involving sweaty, passionate people should be considered serious physical activity. Actors are athletes too.
rom the Balasana pose to the Uttanasana pose, forms of meditation and yoga prove to have positive effects on the body, according to IB sports health teacher Jessica Gust. Sophomores Ethan Brown and Daniel Decker said they see meditation as a method for reducing stress and have decided to start a club to promote a healthy way for students to manage their stress levels. “We decided to start the club because we both love to meditate and believe it will be a really
ith last year’s season record of 139, the boys’ baseball team hopes to continue its success with the addition of a fourth team while competing in the Metro West conference. Head coach Jim Nunn said switching to a new conference will be difficult since the opposition will be harder to beat. “It is a little different, because there’s an unknown this year going into a new conference,” Nunn said. “It’s going to be a tougher conference, so if we go out and play consistent baseball in a new conference, it will help us get ready for playoffs.” Senior captain Joey Jaramillo said the increase in players will help to create a stronger baseball program and improve overall performance. “Last year we didn’t have enough players to make four competitive teams, so we needed to cut some players, which was unfortunate,” Jaramillo said. “I think this year we
useful tool for students to have, whether they’re stressed out with life or just need a place to go and relax,” Brown said. The meditation club is expected to meet three times a week. Each meeting will start with five minutes of discussion and instruction on helpful tips while meditating, meditate for 10-20 minutes and then follow up with a discussion about the meditation. “The goal is really to give students a place to relax and get in touch with themselves,” Brown said. “Meditation has definitely helped both Danny and I with managing stress in everyday life and we want to give others a chance at that same goal.” Brown thinks this form of yoga is beneficial for students to learn and have as a coping mechanism. Other forms of yoga have
will have more kids coming to try out, so we should be able to get four strong teams this spring.” Jaramillo said having a new team will benefit younger players who did not get the chance to compete last year. “I think it is a good thing so the younger kids don’t have to sit out a year because they didn’t make a team, and now they get to play
also proven to be beneficial to students. Studies have found a direct correlation between yoga and the concentration of athletes during their sporting events, according to a recent article from ScienceDaily. As well as meditation, yoga serves as another method for relaxation and a stress reducer, according to Gust. “There are so many benefits to adding a yoga practice to an athlete’s repertoire,” Gust said. “From a physical standpoint, learning proper muscle activation and developing better proprioception (awareness of where your body parts are in space) are just a few.” According to Gust, yoga is not all about working out, it is a lifestyle that has many benefits including relieving stress through the use of meditation.
and get better,” Jaramillo said. Nunn said having more players will give the coaches a better selection during tryouts. “I think it will be great having more kids playing,” Nunn said. “There will be more to choose from.” Tryouts begin March 16. Its first varsity game is at 4:30 p.m. April 7 at Carlson Field versus Bloomington Kennedy.
irls’ synchro team anticipates another season full of victories with a large incoming class of swimmers. Head coach Jessica Gust said she is excited to start the season in the new Metro West conference considering the old conference had no other synchro teams. “The new conference actually has a couple of teams that have synchro, so we’ll swim against
ead coach Al Wachutka said his goals for the softball team doesn’t just entail a successful start, but a successful season. In order for this to happen, all players need to perform well during tryouts, Wachutka said. Wachutka said tryouts are the beginning of the team’s season, where players can show off their skills. “Tryouts are three days long. I will decide on teams and then there will still be movement after that be-
Richfield, Bloomington and Prior Lake,” Gust said. “This is exciting because our previous conference didn’t have any other synchro teams.” Sophomore Emma Breyak has been on varsity since seventh grade and is excited for the new additions to the team. “The junior high girls in club have done a great job recruiting more girls, so we will end up having more people than last year,” Breyak said. “The dynamic of the team will definitely change because of this but in a good way.” Although the girls’ team lacks numbers compared to teams such as Edina, they make up for it with
cause people make mistakes and injuries come into play,” Wachutka said. Wachutka said the players perform activities that mimic what they do during their games. “We look at throwing, hitting and catching skills because those are the kinds of things you do in games,” Wachutka said. Wachutka said there are three teams this year: varsity, junior varsity and ninth grade. The ninth grade team will consist of players in grades seven through nine. Anyone can tryout for the other teams. Varsity player and junior Shea Swanson said she has high hopes and pros-
practices, according to Breyak. “The team we are closest to in the conference is Edina and even though they have more girls than us we have more practices. I think that is what gives us better scores,” Breyak said. These extra practices and good scores all help to contribute to the girls’ synchro team placing well in the conference. “We have a really good chance to be conference champs in general, and we’ve never lost the section meet,” Gust said. The season officially started March 2. Its first meet will be March 20 at home versus Bloomington Jefferson.
perous goals for this upcoming season because of new leadership and more personalized coaching. “I think we will do a lot better than our last season. We started off really strong and then somewhere it started to go downhill,” Swanson said. “Hopefully this season we have more wins than losses.” According to Wachutka, the new conference will not influence the team’s performance to a high extent. “I expect them to compete more effectively than they have in the past against more of our opponents,” Wachutka said. The season officially started March 9 with the beginning of tryouts.
I did some dancing at PSI from second to sixth grade and some other dance classes here and there, but I’ve been dancing with the Minneapolis Performing Arts Center since January.
We start with stretching and then we learn some ballet moves and techniques. Sometimes we do ballet technique with classical music, but other times she puts the ballet technique to modern music. The classes are once a week and are usually an hour and a half.
I really enjoy it, and it’s a good form of exercise. I do it for fun and it’s a good way to pass the time and meet people you wouldn’t find at school.
I drove by it with my mom one day and we decided to check it out. We went in and signed up for lessons that day.
No not really, not any classes. I might continue to dance for fun but not with a company.
The dance instructor just started the company last fall so we don’t know if we will perform anywhere yet.
It is a pretty small class. Me and one other student from Park do it.
I will practice more dancing at home and get as much as I can from each lesson. Also telling myself that I can improve will help me with this.
I’d like to really improve and push myself as far as I can as a dancer. It would also be cool if we could give some performances of what we have learned.
St. Louis Park Senior High School 6425 West 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426 Peter Johnson Ivy Kaplan Madisen Lynch Natalie Vig Zach Tronson Noa Grossman, Noah Robiner & Erin Wells Jackson Eilers, Hannah Goldenberg, Jonah Kupritz & Emily Tifft Carolyn Guddal Harry Steffenhagen & Cedar Thomas Harrison Barden, Zoe Kedrowski, Heather Westwood & Natalie Sanford Andy Magill, Albie Sher, & Amira Warren Emily Melbye Sara Tifft Maddy Bremner Max Kent & Shoshana Leviton John Kinney Hannah Bernstein Hannah Goldenberg & Celene Koller Neda Salamzadeh Ori Etzion & Amina Mohamud Adna Aideed, Mara Bacig, Joe Brandel, Kaylee Chamberlain, Brigid Duffy, Zoë Eilers, Shayan Gilbert Burke, Malik Grays, Sari Hattis, Abby Hickstein, David Hope, Jamie Halper, Kate Huber, Brita Hunegs, Josh Mesick, Julia Nathan, Polina Pekurovsky, Conrad Phelan, Noa Raasch, Loni Rutherford, Olivia Sieff & Daniel Vlodaver Allison Cramer Scott Meyers
ontroversy over the “Ragtime” choir musical recently surged when administration censored the use of the N-word. This word, although offensive, is part of our history, and censoring it is denying the past of our country. The administration knew about the play in November, and made the decision to censor the word the day of opening night. Descrepancies exist between the students and the administration regarding the timeline.
Administration also said discussions about race, equality and the use of this word would need to happen before they would allow the use of the word in a school play. This is unfair to the cast because it impacts the performance. The cast of the play discussed racial issues throughout the process of the production. Students of many races came to the unanimous decision to keep the word. Students in the play confronted interim principal Scott Meyers the day before the open-
embers of any community have the responsibility to help prevent others from contracting disease by getting vaccinated. Not immunizing yourself is dangerous. By failing to comply, you are risking the health of yourself and everyone you come in contact with. Refusing vaccination prevents herd immunity, the ability of a community to protect itself from disease. According to PBS, herd immunity is a barrier between disease and health; the more people immune, the stronger the shield is. There are only two ways to become immune. One is to contract the disease and the other is to become vaccinated against it. Because the latter prevents the possibility of damage to your body or
possibly death, it is clearly the better option. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2014 an overwhelming amount of unvaccinated people caused the largest outbreak of measles since it was eliminated in the United States from 2000-2001. The United States is again experiencing a massive outbreak of the disease, which has been linked to an amusement park in California. According to the Mayo Clinic, the dangers of this infection can be grave. Complications stemming from measles include bronchitis and laryngitis, pneumonia and encephalitis. The disease kills more than 100,000 people a year, most of whom are young children. According to the CDC, certain diseases such as mumps and rubella require vaccinations every three to five years. Students should take the initiative to keep their vaccinations up to date, in order to protect themselves and their peers.
ing night and turned in a petition to keep the word with 540 student signatures. However, the decision remained to censor it. Meyers claims they were not aware other words meriting censorship were in the play. This is not an excuse for poor decisions. They should have been informed before making the decision. The “Ragtime” cast wrote a PSA to read to the audience, in order to voice their opinion about the censorship. The administration requested a line be taken out
because it portrayed them poorly. The administration censored the N-word, but it is completely within the rights of the cast to speak out against this decision they feelwhich propagates racism. The administration said discussions about racism need to be formed. These conversations already exist, with the equity coaches, equity circles and SOAR. Joining these discussions and actively participating will benefit our community as a whole.
Quad Graphics Lori Keekley
The Echo is the official student-produced newspaper of St. Louis Park Senior High School. It is published tri-weekly for the school’s students, staff and community. The Echo will not be reviewed by school administrators prior to distribution, and the adviser will not act as a censor. Content represents views of the student staff and not school officials. The Echo will work to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful and interesting to all our readers. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Echo staff or administration as a whole. The Echo welcomes reader input. Letters to the editor and suggestions may be emailed to slpecho@gmail.com or submitted in room C275. Letters must be signed and should be no longer than 250 words. Emailed letters must be verified prior to publication. We will not necessarily publish all letters received and reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Anonymous letters wherein the Echo does not know the identity of the writer will not be printed.
To the Israel club: My craving for pita and hummus Is-real.
To censorship: Why can’t we say ******?
Advertisements will be sought from local businesses. We maintain the right to reject any ads we believe to be false, misleading, inappropriate or harmful. The Echo does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered in these advertisements. NSPA All-American and Hall of Fame member; NSPA 2011, Print Pacemaker Finalist, 2013, 2014 National Print Pacemaker Award Recipient; 2014 Online Pacemaker Finalist, JEM All-State; CSPA Gold Medalist; 2012, 2014 CSPA Silver Crown, 2013 CSPA Gold Crown, 2015 CSPA Hybrid Crown Finalist.
hile the failed attempt of reinserting the N-word back into “Ragtime” was a disappointing choice on the administration’s part, the most important part of the debate was how the students approached it. A petition with about 500 signatures was signed and submitted to the principal.
This shows our democracy is not dead. That is what is the key here in this protest. We live in a country in which we are free to petition things we do not like and students take advantage of these wonderful opportunities that we are blessed with. This gives me hope for our generation to succeed and prosper
because we understand the type of nation we live in. The main takeaway from this debate should not be the administration’s failure to promote justice rather it should be a future generation exercising their rights as Americans ensuring a better tomorrow.
To Uber: This must be why strange men keep getting in my car.
B.H., D.H., N.G.
veryone has heard the story; an innocent college freshman ready to take on the world attends a party and wakes up in the local hospital the following morning with no memory of the previous night. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2009, 72 percent of high school seniors reported drinking alcohol at some point in their lives. This suggests almost three fourths of high schoolers have experimented with alcohol before graduation. Changing the legal drinking age will allow parents to feel more comfortable when confronting the topic of drinking, lowering the number of accidents involved. This way, students can ask for certain things such as a ride home in order to avoid drinking and driving. Some of the biggest hazards
involved with drinking are alcohol poisoning and alcohol-related injuries, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Since the bill is aimed at drinking in bars and restaurants, there will be many factors aimed at increasing safety. Bartenders and restaurant owners have the right to cut off a customer if they are being unsafe, so 18-year olds will not be permitted to binge drink legally. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the rate of traffic accidents and fatalities in the United States is not nearly as low as that of European countries, which have a legal drinking age of 18. Because drinking is ingrained in European culture as something casual and acceptable, we are able to see there are not as many alcohol induced crashes because of a more responsible approach to the substance. The consumption of alcohol is something that is very real for a large portion of the student population and keeping alcohol taboo will continue to inhibit safety.
hile some people feel at home in a church, mosque, temple or other religious institution, others do not. Until recently, the homeless population in Minneapolis has had no choice but to make these temporary shelters their homes. Currently, homeless shelters existing outside of downtown Minneapolis are only allowed to operate out of religious institutions.
However, officials are looking to remove this law and separate homeless shelters from places of worship. This is a smart decision, especially considering the large number of homeless people in Minnesota. A survey conducted in 2012 by Wilder Research estimates nearly 40,000 adults and 5,100 teens (aged 17 or younger) in Minnesota experienced homelessness at least once during the course of a full year, and 22 percent of homeless adults have been turned away from shelters because of lack of bed spaces. Homelessness is a problem that is even present at Park. Accord-
he legal drinking age is not just a number State Congresses randomly pick and enforce throughout the respective state. It is an age specifically chosen based on the risks and benefits it provides. With 21 as the legal drinking age in Minnesota, young adults, along with everyone else, are kept safe for three important reasons. First, 21 keeps people safe on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a drinking age of 21 saves 900 lives annually since being implemented in 1975. The American Medical Association also stated the number of alcoholrelated youth deaths among drivers has decreased 63 percent since 1982. Furthermore, medical research has shown the prefrontal cortex,
ing to Lynda Stanley, student data specialist at Park, currently 30 students are homeless at the high school (as of March 5). This accounts for roughly 2 percent of the student body. While churches and other religious buildings have functioned up to this point as an emergency housing option, they don’t have the proper assets in place to support a large number of people. This is why they serve as only temporary shelters, which doesn’t help the homeless have a safe and constant place to seek help. Because of this, the homeless who are turned away are left with nowhere to turn. This proposal
would allow for adequate housing facilities to be built that can support a large number of people comfortably, as well as provide other resources. These include amenities such as employment centers, case manager offices and health clinics. Ultimately, the most important part of building new shelters is removing all religious affiliation. The importance of this change cannot be emphasized enough. No homeless person, whether they be a student or adult, should have no choice but to spend the night at a ill-equipped religious facility; especially one that goes against their own personal beliefs.
which controls judgments, weighs good and bad decisions, does not fully develop until the early to mid-20s. This means that by 18, people may legally be adults but make decisions like children. Giving somebody alcohol who does not have a fully evelopedbrain increases their chances of making harmful decisions, even in a public setting. Finally, studies show a lower drinking age increases the number of high school students who drink frequently. In 1978, the National Study of Adolescent Drinking Behavior showed in states with lower drinking ages, sophomores and seniors were less likely to abstain from alcohol than teenagers in states with higher drinking ages. Lowering the drinking age will make alcohol more readily available to the younger population of teens under 18, along with increasing teenage alcohol consumption. While a younger drinking age may seem appealing, higher drinking ages provides safety for youth, those on the road and the rest of the population.
t may be tough to fly around the world to get a taste of different cultures, but with these diverse local venues, diners have the opportunity to sample a variety of international dishes without a passport.
Family-owned since 1989 and located on Eat Street in Minneapolis, Quang serves up authentic Vietnamese food in a fast-paced, yet cozy setting.
Wait time is generally very short and seating happens almost immediately. Upon sitting down, customers can enjoy the art and sculptures reminiscent of Vietnam.
Spring rolls are a great starter to any meal at Quang. Bound by rice paper and loaded with shrimp and pork, these sweet and savory appetizers are a must. The lemongrass chicken has a tangy flavor, with just the right amount of spice at the end of each bite. Piping hot bowls of Pho are a Quang specialty. They come served with all the fixings; bean sprouts, basil, lime and a squeeze of sriracha.
Walking into the restaurant, customers are welcomed by the smell of pleasant spice. Tables and booths are placed wall to wall as hungry eaters await their food in the fast-paced environment.
Located down the block from Quang, Marissa’s Bakery is a hotspot for well priced and delicious Mexican bakery items.
Murals encircle the walls of the restaurant, as vibrant colors coat the remaining wall space.
The bakery offers a pound cake with sprinkles that is a sweeter alternative to a traditional poundcake. The bakery specializes in Concha bread, a Mexican sweet bread with a sugar shell pattern on the top. The bread comes in a variety of colors including pink, yellow and white.
Sweet smells of pastries and bread fill the air and envelop entering customers.
The restaurant, located on University Avenue in Minneapolis, offers outdoor seating to diners.
The Caspian is a Persian grocery store and restaurant. It has the appearance of an authentic Persian market.
The Finnish Bistro, located on Como Avenue in St. Paul, is home to a variety of Finnish cuisine, ranging from authentic desserts to flavorful entrees.
Upon walking into the restaurant, a cool and casual dining area, decorated with hints of Scandinavian culture greets customers.
The Caspian’s filet mignon kabob is accompanied by basmati rice and an assortment of grilled vegetables. The Persian grocery store offers goodies that include Turkish delights, pistachios, olives, yogurt drinks and many different fruit drinks and snacks.
The almond kringle is a pastry topped with sliced almonds and creamy frosting. It is one of the Finnish Bistro’s most popular baked goods. The Finnish “Pulla” bread is a traditional braided bread coated with icing, raisins and almonds.
The Caspian has a spacious dining area surrounded by Middle Eastern art and sculptures. Murals on the walls depict images of Persian culture.
At least once a week at the Finnish Bistro, various musical guests provide background music for diners.
Artists from all walks of life will be performing at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts’s “Rock the Ordway” event, celebrating the new concert hall. Admission varies for each show.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream arrives at the Wurtele Thrust Stage at the Guthrie Theater. Student tickets for March 15 are $10. Admission for other dates vary with location of seat.
The New Century Theater in downtown Minneapolis presents “Girls Only: The Secret Comedy of Women,” a two-woman stand-up comedy show. Student tickets are $20.
“Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience” opens at the Science Museum of Minnesota, detailing the history and future of space travel and an Omnitheater film. Admission is $24-31.