Cub Issue 10 2014-2015

uperintendent Robert Metz described current interim principal Scott Meyers as a caring individual and a good listener as he recommended him as next year’s principal to the school board at its meeting May 11.

According to Metz, his decision was the last step in the principal selection process.

The search officially ended when the School Board members unanimously voted at their meeting to follow Metz’s recommendation, making Meyers next year’s principal. “(The principal search) has gone very well. I’m happy with how we did it,” Metz said. “The process brought us two finalists who both could have done the job well. He is the best fit for the school at the time.”

Metz said he looked at comments and input submitted by students, staff and community members involved in the search before making his final decision on the recommendation.

“He’s the right kind of person in that the school, students and community are his top priorities,” Metz said. “He’s a good listener and has a long history here.”

Junior Tyra Grieger said she was happy to hear Metz’s announcement May 7, recommending Meyers as principal, because she has known Meyers since seventh grade.

“He used to be my science teacher, and he’s a great leader,” Grieger said. “He knows how to treat all students equally.”

Grieger said she participated in the principal search by giving the district her

hile shooting people is typically frowned upon, according to senior Graham Larson, assassins delivers adventure and entertainment.

Larson, leader of this year’s game of assassins, said students form teams to “kill” others, without getting killed themselves.

“The main premise of the game is to ‘kill’ the players on your kill list and eliminate as many others as possible be-

fore the end date,” Larson said.

The game started April 27 and generated a lot of conversation around school, according to junior Alex Voigt.

Voigt, who is still alive in the game, said he enjoys passing the time after school playing assassins and hanging out with friends.

“It’s fun to hang out with friends,” Voigt said. “And it’s cool to shoot your friends.”

Larson said he believes assassins gives students an entertaining activity to do after school, especially as the school year comes to an end and stresses are high.

“Since everyone’s pretty sick of school at this point, it’s something to pass the time and to focus on besides

input about the qualities she wanted to see in next year’s principal.

Sara Thompson, director of communications and community relations, said Meyers was offered the position May 6 and had to accept before the announcement was made public.

Thompson said Meyers will not have the official title until the end of his interim principal contract.

His contract expires June 30, according to Thompson.

Thompson said there was a meeting May 7 before school to inform teachers about Metz’s decision and a public announcement during the school day to notify students.

Thompson said the announcement was made to inform stakeholders.

Meyers said he is excited for the opportunity to move forward with clear goals in mind.

“I learned a lot as interim this year.

I will be able to continue to build upon that and move into a planning and action mode,” Meyers said. “Some of the most valuable information I got as interim was building relationships with the people I’ll be working with.”

Meyers said his role as assistant principal did not give him enough insight into the job of principal. He said his work this year better prepared him.

“As interim, I got to look at these (aspects) and see what I should maintain and look for areas of improvement,” Meyers said. “I want to have (the school) progressing in a positive direction.”

homework and tests,” Larson said.

Assistant principal Kari Schwietering said the administration is not involved in the game, but she approves of students meeting new people and enjoying free time by playing the game.

“I am certainly for getting to know others in the school and I am certainly for relieving stress,” Schwietering said.

Freshman Devin Raynor said she did not participate in this year’s assassins, but thinks the game is great for students.

“Everyone really gets into the game, which allows you to meet a lot of new people,” Raynor said.

According to Larson, the last day of assassins is May 29, when the winners of this year’s game will be announced.

he family of Abdullahi Charif, a 12-year-old boy who drowned during a seventh grade swim class at the middle school last year Feb. 27, reached a settlement with the school district this month.

Charif was found at the bottom of the pool by physical education teacher James Bigot, according to the lawsuit filed by Ali Warsame, Charif’s father.

The motion alleged there was conscious disregard for safety rules, which would have saved Abdullahi’s life, according to a press release from Eric Hageman, the family’s attorney.

Students in the swim class were given a day of free play.

During this time, many students, including Charif, who was known

by Bigot to be a non-swimmer, engaged in a game of king of the hill, according to the lawsuit.

At some point during or after the game, Charif sunk to the bottom of the pool. According to Hageman, this claim is supported by six medical drowning experts.

“The medical experts we used wrote comprehensive reports evaluating what happened in the pool that day and noting the violations of the standard of care,” Hageman said. “Those were factors which influenced the settlement as well, because they would have been testifying at trial as expert witnesses.”

Thompson said Bigot has been on paid administrative leave since the incident.

A $3 million settlement was reached between the Charif family and the school district.

According to Sara Thompson, director of communications and community relations for the district, the money was taken from an account separate from the dis-

trict’s general operating fund.

“The settlement won’t have any impact on the normal functioning of the school district,” she said.

In regard to the settlement, Hageman said it was a way for the family to avoid pain.

“In cases like this where there’s a lot of emotion involved in the case, a settlement does allow parties to avoid the emotional toll that a trial would take,” he said. “It’s difficult to go to court every day in a trial that’s about the death of your child.”

According to Thompson, the district is taking steps toward creating an aquatics policy.

“What will happen now that the lawsuit is settled is the policy committee will start meeting again,” Thompson said.

According to Thompson, the committee will discuss if swimming should be taught as part of physical education class and what safety rules should be in place.

While the policy is under re-

hen DECA president Dave Herrera, a senior, sashayed down the catwalk at the opening of the Shoppes at Knollwood, he said it was something he had never experienced before.

“It was interesting with modeling,” Herrera said. “It was something different and that I have never done before.”

Herrera said the main attraction of the event was the Real People of St. Louis Park fashion show, which show-

view, swimming will not be part of the physical education course, according to Thompson. However, the middle school pool has remained open for community and sport team use.

According to Lisa Greene, director of community education, the use and operation of the six community pools fall under the control of two separate policies.

“One policy is specifically around the usage of our spaces and the other one is about the safety procedures, which is currently under review,” she said.

Greene also said a Red Cross certified lifeguard must be present during pool use.

The Charif family declined to comment. However, in a press release, Warsame expressed his reason for filing the lawsuit.

“Our family’s goal is to be a part of the solution to the problem of pool safety and to make those who supervise pools aware that children’s lives are in their hands,” he said.

cased people of all ages and sizes.

“I think it was just kind of to let people know that the new Knollwood is opening and they have more stores,” Herrera said. “I think it was a great idea and people did show up.”

In addition to modeling clothes from the newly opened stores, DECA adviser Sophia Ross said members helped out the organizers of the event.

“What DECA did is we recruited models during the fashion show for the grand opening, along with volunteers to pass out gift bags and swag bags,” Ross said.

DECA members were invited to help organize the reopening by Nancy Whitelaw, president of Highland Innovations Inc. She said she included

DECA members in order to increase teenage awareness of the opening.

“I wanted to involve the students in the community because they love to shop at Knollwood,” Whitelaw said.

“It seemed like a match to reach out to (Ross) to work with new students on this type of event.”

Herrera said the event brought people to Knollwood and raised awareness about DECA. “I feel like the community doesn’t know what DECA is,” Herrera said.

“It’s great to be able to get DECA’s name out there.”

The reopening of the newly remodeled Shoppes at Knollwood took place May 9 in celebration of new clothing, home, dining and beauty stores.

enior Eva Rose agonizes over her weekend plans, worrying she will be left without anything to do. Above all, she wonders what her friends are doing.

“I stress about my plans if I have don’t have any

by Thursday, and I get anxious if plans end up falling through,” Rose said. “I feel upset when I don’t get invited places. It makes me feel like I’m not wanted there, and I’m missing out.”

Rose is not alone. According to Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University who has studied the impact of technology on people for the past 30 years, the fear of missing out (FOMO) is most prominent among heavy smartphone users, which many teenagers are considered.

In a study Rosen conducted, he found that more time spent away from phones led to heightened anxiety.

“We found that taking away phones makes moderate and heavy smartphone users anxious,” Rosen said.

Freshman Kyle Hedblom said he suffers from FOMO. “FOMO can cause me to stress about things I don’t necessarily need to worry about and will cause me to overthink things,” Hedblom said.

According to junior counselor Heidi Cosgrove, FOMO is not something students can escape by going home and isolating themselves from others because it is constantly in our faces.

Cosgrove said she believes social media is an increasing concern, especially for teenagers, because of the easy access to many social media platforms.

“You have a gazillion-and-one apps that just add to the frenzy and anxiety of missing out,” Cosgrove said.

Rosen said he found social media has created a constant cycle of users eager to know what is always happening.

“Social media has given us all many more ways to connect and many more sites that we have to check constantly to assure ourselves that we look good,” Rosen said. “This has created a never-ending loop of having to check often.”

Rose said she believes social media increases FOMO because teenagers constantly see what their friends are doing without them.

“You can see what you’re missing out on by what people are posting and how much fun they are having,” Rose said.

Hedblom said he thinks it’s an ongoing problem spiked by social media’s popularity.

“I think social media plays a big part in FOMO because you can see who’s there, and then you begin thinking about what they could be doing and what you’re missing out on,” Hedblom said.

According to Rosen, the FOMO generated by social media tends to create situations that lead to anxiety and depression.

“When you do not allow someone to check in (on social media) then they start to feel anxious about what they might miss and that can make them depressed and anxious,” Rosen said.

Rosen said his findings prove to be true because many high schoolers feel anxious when they know they are missing out.

Even the night before a test, Rose said she felt anxious knowing her friends were out having fun while she was at home studying.

“I felt anxious the night before the ACT because

all my friends were hanging out and posting about it and I had to stay home and study,” Rose said.

Cosgrove said she has trouble imagining the anxiety students are going through when she, as an adult, struggles with the same fear and anxiety.

“If I have anxiety about (putting away my tablet at night), what is a high schooler feeling?” Cosgrove said.

“I think a lot of anxiety has been heightened due to the constant fear of missing out. Students jump on their phone to see what their friends are doing and wonder why they were not invited or included, “ Cosgrove said.

Cosgrove said she personally has felt the fear of missing out within her own friend group.

“When one of my friends posts that her and a group of moms got together for something I was like, ‘oh, I wasn’t there’,” Cosgrove said.

Junior Shea Swanson said she experiences FOMO to a greater extent because of the various social media platforms she connects with.

“It feels really bad, like your friends may not want to be with you,” Swanson said. “I also think that with social media, people can make it look like they’re having more fun than they are or make other people think things are true that aren’t.”

or many, winter break is a time to relax, but for me, it included a stressful trip to Washington, D.C. The 2014 Saban Leadership Seminar focused on training college students to be effective proIsrael supporters on college campuses across the country.

I received an invitation to the seminar hosted by a number of national pro-Israel organizations as an up-and-coming political advocate due to my prior political experiences.

All expenses associated with the trip were paid for, making the situation appear even better.

The seminar provided me with an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As proud as I was about the invitation, I became somewhat hesitant as I contemplated traveling alone to the seminar in Washington, D.C. I arrived early in Washington, D.C. and waited in the hotel lobby for a few hours until registration began. I checked in and found myself in a hotel room with four college upperclassmen I had never met before. I tried to fit in, but it was hard to relate to students so much older than me.

O f course, the weekend included a few awkward moments, but as the training commenced, I began to relax.

As the seminar progressed, the benefits became more and more apparent.

I started to think about the possibility of starting a political advocacy club at the high school level.

The knowledge I had acquired gave me confidence to push forward toward that goal.

Upon my return from Washington, D.C., I focused my efforts on founding the Israel Advocacy Club.

I found myself better prepared to support any cause as a result of the conference. I learned the skills needed to effectively meet with members of congress, a major focus of the club.

I saw the results of this firsthand when I had the opportunity to deliver letters we had written to the offices of members of congress.

I look forward to building the skill sets of other students to prepare them to be effective advocates both now and on college campuses in the future.

I realize that had I not taken the opportunity presented, I may not have ever achieved my goal.

Even with the occasional moments of discomfort, the rewards are well worth the risks.

Junior Kim Tran travels to Vietnam to visit her family and experience Vietnamese culture every other year. Tran will begin to take Vietnamese lessons this summer.

surrounded by a soft bread.

or the first time, students will be wearing masks at Prom, according to Student Council adviser Sarah Lindenberg.

Lindenberg said Prom will be at the American Swedish Institute.

She said the venue has historical and castle-like aspects to it.

Students now can buy their tickets at lunch and receive a mask to go with the masquerade theme. The masks come in a vari-

ety of colors and styles, according to Lindenberg.

Lindenberg said Student Council chose the theme by voting on a few different options.

“They latched on to the idea of masquerade, and it was the one that everyone landed on and agreed on,” Lindenberg said.

Senior Anline Lezama, Student Council vice president, said the masquerade-themed Prom will appeal to the seniors as they were major proponents of the idea.

“We chose the masquerade theme because a lot of the upperclassmen had been mentioning that it was something they wanted to see,” Lezama said.

Lindenberg said she believes providing the masks will keep

hen hearing his team made it to the national tournament, senior Elliot Schwartz said he felt excited the team was considering attending the tournament for the first time in years.

By qualifying for the Burnsville state tournament Feb. 19, quiz bowl’s A team also qualified for the national tournament in Chicago May 29-31, according to adviser Bruce McLean.

“We have always qualified, but we have never gone usually because kids didn’t want to go or we didn’t have the money to pay the entry fee,” McLean said.

According to McLean, teams participate in around six games in the preliminary rounds. The teams with winning records will advance to the playoffs. However, he said Park’s quiz bowl A team is just participating in the tournament for the experience itself.

“We are surely not going to go and win it or anything like that.

We will go to compete and have

fun,” McLean said.

Schwartz said he feels excited to attend nationals as he never has attended before.

“I think the fact we are considering it, or are actually planning on going is just a testament to how involved people are this year,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz said he looks forward to competing against players from across the nation.

“There are always interesting people who play quiz bowl. I think we are pretty weird people, but we are comparatively normal for people who play quiz bowl,” he said. “It would definitely be interesting to see what it is like in other parts of the country.”

McLean said he thinks the team has a good chance at nationals.

“I think we would do OK because we have done well in Minnesota and Minnesota usually does OK,” McLean said. “I would say we are probably one of the top five teams in Minnesota.”

McLean said no matter how the team does, he is proud of all the hard work they have put in.

“I think they would have fun.

I think it is just to go to Chicago, hang out, play quiz bowl and have a good time,” McLean said.

things equal for students.

Senior Autumn Ballesteros said she likes the idea of a masquerade theme.

“You can dance with everyone, and you’re not categorized,” Ballesteros said.

According to Lezama, students can’t bring their own masks because of security issues. Lezama said the theme created a conflict, but Student Council worked to resolve it.

“After going through approvals we were able to get the theme approved and are hoping it will increase attendance,” Lezama said.

Prom takes place 9 p.m. to midnight May 16 at the American Swedish Institute.

We travel every other year. This summer I will be going July 27, and we will be going there for three weeks. Usually we are in Saigon at my family’s apartment, and then we go to Ho Chi Minh at my dad’s family’s house.

The food is really good. It is all really fresh, and they use natural ingredients. My favorite thing to eat is Banh Mi, a light bun filled with meat and sometimes an egg

We will probably go hiking again in the mountains in Ho Chi Minh.

It is a really beautiful place to hike.

You get to see a lot of different animals and monkeys scattered around. It is a great way to see the wildlife and different plants.

It is a really great place to travel, but at the same time there is a lot of poverty there. It is a very

beautiful, yet ugly, country. There is a lot of poverty surrounded by beautiful nature. We occasionally give money to those selling on the streets.

I connect with family and learning a little bit about the language and how they speak in Vietnam.

My parents translate for me. (The

language barrier) is definitely difficult. Sometimes I do not know what they are saying, so I have to infer by the context.

I want to understand what my family members are saying, but also there are sites at temples where there is a lot of neat writing.

If I took lessons, I would be able to understand them, which would be really cool because it is like traveling to the past to understand my country’s history. There are also a lot of neat murals and

stories written on the temples.

I really like the food. They use a lot of spices and herbs. Food is really important in Vietnam. A lot of people talk about food all the time. It is a way of living for them.

I am looking forward to exploring more of the countryside. We have not been able to travel much to shorelines or lakes, so we will be able to travel there.

n sophomore An day of kindergart a word of English a Russian-speakin thing from makin around was a challenge. Howev later, she was already familiar wi The ability to communicate in es is called bilingualism, accordin associate professor emeritus at th nesota, who specializes in bilingu “There are various degrees of be more speaking, or more re Downing said. “You have all th languages in your brain and avai Nearly 15 percent of students guage other than English in thei cent of students participate in an language class, according to Lyn tomated reporting student system Sirotin said she sees her bilin yond knowing more than one lan “There’s more to you than side,” Sirotin said. “You also ha to you.”

unior Maggie Coleman w Immersion, where she beca More recently, she has also man said learning French was mu already a proficient Spanish-spea “When it comes to Spanish an words are the same or at least sim said. “I can pick up on what a w French and English speakers wou know where to begin to translate

ngelica Sirotin’s first ten, she barely spoke h. After growing up in ng household, everyng friends to getting ver, just a few weeks ith the language. two or more languagng to Bruce Downing, he University of Minualism. bilingualism. It could eading and writing,” he components of two ilable to use.” s at Park speak a lanir home, and 4.4 pern English as a second nda Stanley, Park’s aum coordinator. ngualism as going benguage. n just your American ave a whole other side

went to Park Spanish ame fluent in Spanish. studied French. Coleuch easier since she is aker. nd French, a lot of the milar roots,” Coleman word means when just uldn’t necessarily even e that word.”

Learning a third or fourth language is much easier once you have already learned a second, according to Downing.

“I think the basic thing that it does for a person is that they become more aware of what language is and how it works because they become aware of the differences of two languages,” Downing said.

According to Kendall King, professor of second languages and cultures at the University of Minnesota, being bilingual can strengthen the mind.

“One of the things that’s happening is both languages are always active and what a speaker is doing is suppressing the language that is not in use,” King said.

“We think bilingual minds are in some ways stronger, because they have all that practice focusing on the language that they’re using and suppressing the language that they’re not.”

Coleman said knowing multiple languages has transformed her way of thinking.

“There’s a whole thing about being able to think differently because you know more languages, and I think that definitely applies,” Coleman said.

The benefits of being bilingual can go beyond speaking another language. Downing said bilingualism can also affect the way a person thinks and problem solves.

“Some research has shown a kind of flexibility in thinking among bilinguals that goes beyond understanding language better,” Downing said.

Junior Danny Campos, who speaks English and Spanish, said her bilingualism affects her dreams.

“I dream in both, and I also think in both, depending on whom I am with,” Campos said.

rom 2000 to 2012, the United States foreignborn population grew 31.2 percent, according to the Center for American Progress.

More than one in five people over the age of 5 speak a language other than English in their home, according to the American Community Survey. This number is projected to increase in the coming years, according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.

Spanish has become increasingly prevalent in the United States in recent years. More than 37 million people in the United States over the age of 5 speak Spanish, according to the 2011 United States Census Bureau.

According to Downing, Spanish is a language that will continue to be useful in the years to come. The Hispanic population in the United States has grown 592 percent since 1970 and is expected to reach 106 million people in 2050, according to a December 2014 study by the Pew Research Center.

“There are definitely opportunities to speak other languages in the United States, especially Spanish,” Downing said.

Campos said she sees her bilingualism as an advantage as the United States becomes an increasingly globalized country.

“This country runs on both languages now,” Campos said. “Almost everything going on around me is in either one.”

According to Richard Kreyer, district director of human resources, bilingualism can be a determining factor in hiring practices.

“When two candidates come and they’re roughly equal, and one person brings that second language, they know that that person is going to be able to serve customers better,” Kreyer said. “They can reach people in ways and communicate in a home language that a person will feel a warm welcome and appreciated,” Sophomore Ernesto Garcia is fluent in Spanish and learned English in first grade at Eisenhower Elementary School in Hopkins. Garcia said he believes his bilingualism helps him at his job at Old Navy.

“It helps me communicate with more people,” Garcia said. “At work there were a couple of people who didn’t speak English and I went over and helped them since I was the only one that spoke Spanish.”

anguage can open up many doors outside of the classroom, according to Downing.

“Language can be a gateway to the culture,” Downing said. “If you interact with people and see how they talk and what they talk about, you can better get to know people. Language is an aspect of culture, and it is a way to immerse yourself in it.”

Senior Ikran Ali grew up speaking Somali and learned English when she started attending preschool.

She said as her interest in other languages grew, she began learning Spanish.

“I’m learning Spanish right now, and I just love learning about languages, because when you learn about languages, you learn about cultures,” Ali said.

“I’m planning on minoring in Spanish in college.”

Sophomore Kim Brandt, who attended a German immersion school from first to seventh grade and whose mother is German, said she has plans to use her German skills beyond high school. As a senior, she plans to take post secondary enrollment options classes for German.

“I also want to go to college in Germany, because it’s free,” Brandt said.

Sirotin said she is grateful for her bilingualism.

Speaking Russian helped her make her first group of friends in elementary school when the other Russianspeaking students also had trouble communicating with their English-speaking classmates.

“I value the fact that I am able to communicate with my relatives and other friends of mine who can’t speak English as well,” Sirotin said.

ince I started long distance running three years ago, I’ve often had bad days.

These are the days where my legs are so heavy, they feel like stone. These are the days where it is so hard to breathe I feel like a fish out of water.

These are the days where no matter how much I push myself, I need to slow down.

Days when, no matter how hard I try, I cannot perform to the best of my ability.

When I run into these days, I find I am often too hard on myself and I have a negative train of thought. This makes it difficult to reach my full potential –– it’s a lot harder to run well when all I can think about is how bad I am doing.

When I first experienced these bad days, I tried to make excuses for myself. I tried to blame it on factors like dehydration or the amount of sleep I got the night before.

At a track meet, I once found myself inexplicably finishing my 800-meter race with a terrible time of 2:38.

Those two laps around the Benilde-St. Margaret’s track were some of the worst I’ve ever run.

I spent the remainder of the day being hard on myself and obsessing over how I had possibly produced such a bad time.

The truth is, these days typically happen for no actual reason. They are simply a part of life.

Over time I have learned it’s best to let it go and not beat myself up if I wasn’t performing at my full potential for reasons I can’t control.

It’s far more productive to plan how I can perform better next time than to spend time reflecting on how badly I did.

Coming to terms with and accepting these bad days is a skill that is essential when it comes to succeeding in everyday life.

After I learned how to deal with bad days in sports, I realized I could apply that same technique to other situations like homework, tests and my job.

The next time you practice your serve countless times but lose your tennis match anyway or you put hours into mastering your golf swing but end up shooting a double bogey, learn what you can from the situation and move on.

any inaugural members of the boys’ ultimate team graduated last year, forcing the team to rebuild with 14 new players.

Last season included numerous victories, culminating with the team’s win at the Division II state championship.

This season, the team won only two of its first five games.

Sophomore team member Jacob Raatz said he attributes the team’s current record to changes in the makeup of the team from previous years.

“We lost about 80 percent of our team this season. We have been very reliant on new recruits, especially sophomores,” Raatz said.

Many team members and coach Charlie Landis, who has coached the team since its founding, share this attitude.

“Having to go back to year one for a lot of these guys can be challenging at times,” Landis said.

Landis said he sees the team’s future as a bright one, predicting it will make its way to the state championship in upcoming years.

“There is a lot more athletic ability this year, and this team has progressed a ton in the past month to the point where they are now adult ultimate Frisbee players,” Landis said.

Senior captain Sam Olson

said he feels that, thanks to the team’s youth and the small number of seniors, graduation will not affect the team as much this year.

“The team is super young.

There are hardly any seniors on the team,” Olson said.

Many team members have high hopes for the future because the team will retain many current players for the following season.

The team’s season continues until the state championship May 30.

he flooding of the Meadowbrook Golf Course last summer caused problems, which continue to affect golfers this season.

The girls’ golf team was forced to change practice locations because of course conditions.

According to co-head coach Zach Strouts, the girls are practicing at the Brookview Golf Course this year in place of the Meadowbrook Golf Course.

“The girls that were used to (Meadowbrook Golf Course) last year will get used to (Brookview Golf Course) as they play on it more,” Strouts said.

Strouts said the location of

the course is also better for the girls as it offers a closer practice location.

“The course is much closer so we will be able to put in more practice time,” Strouts said. “We won’t have to worry about driving time anymore.”

Senior Anna Huber was on the team her freshman year when the girls practiced at Eagle Lake.

“The traffic was always bad and it took forever to drive out there and back,” Huber said.

“Brookview is nicer and more convenient.”

Huber also said she got to know the Theodore Wirth Golf Course, the new home course for the girls’ team, after playing at it a few times.

Strouts said the new practice course is not only more conveniently located, it also benefits the team with a course more equipped to all golfers.

“Brookview is great because it has a driving range and it is a par three,” Strouts said. “It will allow the girls to get in game-like scenarios.”

Compared to the girls’ practice course last year, Strouts said the new course better prepares the team as a whole for its matches.

After playing in her first match at Theodore Wirth Golf Course, freshman Lillie Albright said she had a lot of fun on the

new course and felt prepared going into it.

“It was a lot of fun and we got to learn a lot of the rules,” Albright said. “Practicing the par three at Brookview helped me get an idea of what a match would be like.”

The next varsity golf match will be at 7:30 p.m. May 18 at Rush Creek Golf Course.

I’ve been doing club synchro since third grade and high school since seventh grade.

I did swim lessons and I really liked it, so I decided to try it.

ith one new freshman and 19 new middle schoolers, the synchronized swimming team trains new members and prepares for sectionals.

After losing eight graduating seniors last year, the synchro team obtained a number of new recruits for this year’s season.

Many of the new recruits are underclassmen and middle schoolers, according to head coach Linda Gust.

Gust said the new dynamic contrasts with last year’s team.

“We lost some strength at the top, because we had eight seniors

last year that were all very talented,” Linda Gust said.

Junior Mimi Wyland has participated in synchro for five years. Wyland said despite losing seniors last year, the team has come together to grow as a team.

In the past, Wyland said the team has had problems staying focused and being professional.

However, she said they have overcome these challenges and are working toward a successful year by taking steps to refocus.

“We had a conversation about being professional. This means being on task and being efficient with our time,” Wyland said.

“It has definitely helped the team. I think everyone has more or less taken it to heart,” Wyland said.

Wyland said the enthusiasm and willingness of the new mem-

s freshman varsity softball player Meghan Perkins stole second base in her game April 14, she slid in with her left leg forward, hitting the shortstop on the opposing team.

Perkins said she broke the tibia and fibula in her left leg and needed surgery.

“During my surgery they put a rod in my tibia to straighten it out so it could be aligned properly and heal,” Perkins said.

“I have two screws in the upper part of the bar and two screws by my ankle or the lower part of the bar inside my bone.”

Perkins said she is out for the season but is trying to regain her strength, and will recover at the earliest by the end of August, when she will be able to run again.

“I go to physical therapy three times a week at the U of M or Park Nicollet,” Perkins said. “I regain strength in my leg and work on the muscles in my lower leg and ankle.”

Head coach Al Wachutka said Perkins’ injury had a negative effect on the team’s performance in its game.

“In the game in which her injury hap-

bers helps the team succeed.

“The younger team is doing so well. We have never had a short team that is so wonderful and enthusiastic about synchro,” Wyland said.

The combination of the girls enthusiasm and hard work is all panning out to contribute to their success at sections, according to assistant coach Jessica Gust.

“They have made a ton of progress,” Jessica Gust said.

“Their skills have continued to improve over the season and their routines look really good.

We are looking for them to be placing pretty high in sections.”

Wyland said she is confident in the team’s ability.

“We have done a lot to grow together,” Wyland said. “I think we are really going to knock sectionals out of the park.”

pened, we were very flat afterward. We did not compete very well and people felt bad for her injury so we displaced our competitive edge,” Wachutka said.

Wachutka said Perkins’ absence creates a loss of speed on the base paths, but the team can still have a prosperous season without her if they work together.

“The team understands that if we continue to play as a team, regardless of who the nine individuals are on the field, we can be successful,” Wachutka said.

Perkins said even though she is upset she cannot play this season, she hopes her absence opens new doors for other players.

“The team (shifts players) which gives other players the opportunity to play left field, which is my position,” Perkins said. “(My absence) gives freshmen and JV players the opportunity to play up.”

Perkins said her injury affects her high school softball career negatively by holding her back from training and improving.

“This is definitely a step back because before the season I was working on a different way of hitting to try to break old habits, and now that I can’t play anymore, next season I will probably start with the same old habits,” Perkins said.

Wachutka said Perkins continues to show her support for the team through her appearances at home games.

We have morning practice everyday and we also do weightlifting.

We also do lap swimming. I do strength and conditioning in the offseason.

Yes, I do club synchro September through May with Minnesota Aquafins.

Because it’s a team sport you don’t want to let your teammates down.

We do a lot of team parties, and we all get along so when we hang out together outside of practice it’s just like hanging out with friends. Meets are also fun because you get to spend all day with your teammates.

I like that it combines the athleticism of swimming, but it’s also artistic.

I’d like to keep doing club and high school. There are very few colleges that have synchro, but that would be nice.

In the morning we have practice for an hour everyday. After school we have two hours of pool time and then after that we stay after and practice our routines on our own.

I’d like to think that I bring a positive attitude. We all spend so much time together it’s hard to keep everyone positive.

I’m really excited to go this year.

We’ve qualified in the past, but we’ve never actually competed before this year.

St. Louis Park Senior High School 6425 West 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426 Allison Cramer Kaylee Chamberlain Jackson Eilers Hannah Goldenberg Hannah Bernstein, Abby Hickstein & Jonah Kupritz Harry Steffenhagen & Cedar Thomas Harrison Barden, Celene Koller, Julia Nathan & Heather Westwood Zoë Eilers & Albie Sher Shoshi Leviton Sari Hattis & Emily Tifft Jamie Halper Joe Brandel & Neda Salamzadeh Olivia Sieff Polina Pekurovsky Shayan Gilbert Burke, Max Kent & Conrad Phelan Brigid Duffy Kate Huber Amina Mohamud Deanna Afremov, Aisha Ali, Jane Anderson, Maggie Bahnson, Elise Bargman, Max Blackburn, Ethan Brown, Genesis Buckhalton, Samuel Crary, Jada Csikos-Monroe, Emma Dietz, Emily Doss, Daniella Etzion, Raphael Gendler, Sydney Hall, Zack Hatcher, Ruth Hope, Will Huyck, Tenzin Jangchoop, Annika Johnson, Sophie Kedrowski, Adah Koivula, Ndunzi Kunsunga, Alyssa LeMay, Emily Melbye, Alissa Meredith, Zach Nelson, Sam Orloff, Katie Orton, Alec Pittman, Elise Riley, Mira Swartz, Sophia Skinner, Jayne Stevenson, Paige Steward, Lauren VonEschen, Ilana Weinstein, Sophie Yarosh, Calvin Youngren

outh should take back their lives and escape the fear of missing out by learning to be less absorbed in other people’s experiences.

The obsessive nature of social media means teens are involved constantly in the activities of others. This addiction leads to a new form of loneliness: the fear of missing out (FOMO).

Documented by youth testimony, FOMO is increased by the constant exposure to social media. Teens can combat FOMO by realizing the artificial nature of the posts they see.

Rather than becoming fixated on how interesting friends’ lives may be, focusing on what is happening in real life will be more beneficial in the long run.

Sitting at home and checking Facebook every five minutes and then feeling upset over parties or events they were not invited to is not a productive use of students’ time.

Teens should be mindful of their own sharing habits. They are contributing to the massive flow of information over social media just as much as the Snapchat story they just opened.

Instead of being mindless media consumers,

youth should be aware not all posts or pictures are what they seem.

Often, people’s experiences look better through the screen of a phone than they would in real life. Teens must realize the events they see online do not mean everyone’s life is a party.

Just because people appear to be having fun on Snapchat does not mean they are busier or more important.

Students can work on placing more value on their own experiences rather than on what they see from others.

Instead of comparing their lives to the Twitter posts they read, teens would benefit from more in-person experiences and conversations.

While constantly having a window into other people’s lives might seem entertaining, often media consumers strive to find faults in posts they see in order to make themselves feel better.

Instead of criticizing, teens should work on taking these posts less personally and reducing time spent insulting others behind the mask of social media.

By increasing their own awareness of how they use social media, teens will feel more secure in their own lives.

When students realize their lives should not be defined by how interesting or exciting other people’s lives may seem, they will be happy, involved and present members of society.

& Carlos Zeigle Mara Bacig Scott Meyers 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.

Advertisements will be sought from local businesses. We maintain the right to reject any ads

rom fighting sexism in Seneca Falls, New York, to fighting racism in Selma, Alabama, United States voting laws are steeped in history. To honor those who fought for suffrage, Minnesota must continue to improve its voting laws by passing a youth preregistration bill.

The bill would allow teens 16 and older to preregister to vote, so they’d be automatically registered when they turn 18.

On the surface, the bill, which costs next to nothing to implement, appears to be a mundane administrative change. However, the implications are much broader.

If the bill passes, schools could incorporate voter registration information into their social studies curriculum for upperclassmen.

It only makes sense to teach curriculum that helps students take their opinions from the classroom to the polls. This would also promote more political education

for young people.

By implementing this bill, Minnesota would join eight states and the District of Columbia, which already allow teens to preregister once they turn 16.

According to an article in the American Journal of Political Science, preregistration increases voter turnout among young adults by 8 to 13 percent.

The study also found preregistration laws increase the voter turnout for young adults of both parties the same amount and the bill is supported by both parties, making it bipartisan.

According to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau, eligible young adults ages 18-29 voted at a turnout rate 20 percent lower than eligible older adults in Minnesota in the 2012 presidential election.

When fewer young adults turn out to vote, politicians pay less attention to their needs, since doing so won’t win them any additional votes. When politicians start ignoring young people, youth lose their incentive to vote, creating a vicious cycle that silences their voices. A preregistration bill would reverse that cycle and give

youth the opportunity to participate in the political sphere.

Minnesotan teens still wouldn’t be able to vote until they turn 18, but the bill would grant them some lobbying power. Since today’s teens will be tomorrow’s voters, any politician hoping to stay in office for more than one term will have to pay attention to what teenagers want.

By having youth more involved in politics, it provides them with more opportunities to make changes pertinent to their future.

For example, the long-term effects of global warming and fighting discrimination.

A study published in The American Political Science Review found people who start voting at a younger age are more likely to make it a lifelong habit. If youth begin learning about the voting process now, the overall turnout rate will increase significantly.

Not only would this bill encourage youth to participate in politics, it would increase civic involvement as a whole. With this bill, Minnesota is passing the torch of democracy on to the next generation.

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,

To FOMO: It’s OK. I didn’t want to hang out with you either.

To Prom: The average family spends $100 on Prom. And that’s before the baby.

To Assassins: I never thought school would be my safe zone.

2013 CSPA Gold Crown, 2015 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown.

A.P., D.A., A.P.

espite increased use of electronic cigarettes, further regulation to prevent their distribution is a pointless measure.

What needs to be understood is electronic cigarette (e-cig) use diverts teens from the use of conventional cigarettes. While both are harmful, conventional cigarette use has been proven to damage, whereas the use of e-cigs hasn’t.

A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2015 discovered the use of e-cigs by teens in high schools nationwide has tripled. A similar survey from the CDC in 2014 found 6.7 percent of teens had tried a conventional cigarette in the last month, a number down from 8.5 percent in 2013.

The regulation on the purchase or acquisition of e-cigs by minors is also debated by those against their usage. While it’s a valid topic, there isn’t much more to do.

An age limit is already in place

on the purchase of e-cigs, which is 18-years old, and stores are required to abide by that law.

A possibility at hand is to criminalize the use or carrying of e-cigs by minors, which is extreme. While e-cigs may have harmful effects, law enforcement should be far more worried about other issues at hand. Important teen issues, for example, truancy or underage drinking, are more concerning than e-cig use among young adults.

The last point to consider is the e-cig market. According to a recent Wells Fargo study, when the e-cig industry began, it recorded yearly profits at about $500 million. As of 2014, e-cig profits spiked to $1.4 billion in a few years. More regulation would stunt a booming industry.

While little information on ecigs and their effects exists, there are worse things for teens to be doing such as hard core drugs.

E-cigs may be harmful, but as the numbers show, they’re pulling teens away from the use of more damaging conventional cigarettes. The legislation already placed on e-cigs is sufficient. Less time should be spent worrying about e-cigs compared to more important issues that plague teens.

lectronic cigarettes are dangerous, and strict regulation is necessary to limit potential harm.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are a drug delivery system. Nicotine, the addictive component of e-cigs, can negatively affect brain development in adolescents, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, according to a study conducted by the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California Los Angeles.

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making.

Individuals with poorly developed prefrontal cortexes are more susceptible to other addictions in addition to a continued addiction to nicotine.

E-cigs vaporize a liquid containing nicotine. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from April 2014 highlights the dangers of this substance. It can poison individuals

who swallow it, smoke it or come into contact with it on their skin or eyes. This liquid can be purchased independently in various flavors, including candy and fruit flavors, which has led many children to ingest it accidentally.

Many people believe e-cigs are safer than conventional tobacco products. However, the Food and Drug Administration stated it does not have enough research to determine all of the risks of e-cigs. The perception they are safe simply because of a lack of evidence encourages the use of a potentially harmful product.

E-cigs may or may not be safer than traditional tobacco products, but they are certainly not harmless.

Other drugs and drug delivery systems undergo countless tests and studies before becoming available to the public. Unfortunately, many companies already sell e-cigs even though no one knows how safe they are. At this point, it’s too late to take them off the market, which is why more regulation is required.

Until scientists and medical professionals know more about e-cigs, stricter legislative regulation would limit the potential negative impact they could have.

he shortage of teachers of color in society harms minority teenagers, creating a lack of representation in the teaching profession.

According to Education Week, as the nation’s population grows more diverse, the teaching force continues to whiten.

This trend is creating a huge gap between the two groups that grows wider every day.

According to The Huffington Post, more than 20 states have gaps of 25 percentage points or more between the diversity of their teachers and students.

At Park, the statistics show a significant gap between minority teachers and white teachers, according to Richard Kreyer, district director of human resources. He said Park’s teaching population is 91 percent white and last year about 20 percent of the teachers hired were people of color.

According to Kreyer, 40 percent of all students district-wide belong to a minority, compared to teachers, which are about 9 percent of all teachers in the district.

The shortage of minority teachers in Park’s schools is because of the low number of minority teachers to begin with.

According to the Center for American Progress, black and Latino teachers represent only about 14.6 percent of the teaching workforce nationally. The numbers represent the lack of minority influence in the community that could open eyes to new possibilities.

At Park Spanish Immersion, a school with teachers from around the world, the teachers embrace different cultures because of their backgrounds.

According to ABC News, more than 80 percent of the bachelor’s degrees in education awarded during the 2009-10 school year were to white students. This leaves a small percentage of bachelor’s degrees going to minorities.

Minorities need to pursue careers in teaching so that the younger generation is not left without valuable interactions. With communities becoming more diverse as time goes on, the need for teachers of a different race has become more urgent than ever before.

il painter Sarah Thornton highlights the importance of art in her life as she prepares for her eighth showing at Art-AWhirl.

Art-A-Whirl is a weekend-long open studio tour throughout Northeast Minneapolis’ Arts District where guests can observe galleries and meet artists.

From painting to metalwork and pottery to graphic design, the Northeast Minneapolis Art Association (NEMAA) will, for the 20th year, showcase the Minneapolis art community, which USA Today recently named best in the country.

According to junior Amina Dedefo, art involvement benefits students.

“It gives (students) a visual perspective on things,” Dedefo said.

The festival will feature more than 500 artists using more than 20 mediums, according to Pelinka.

Many artists will have live demonstrations and mini workshops, where guests can see artists’ work and learn their techniques.

NEMAA expects between 30,000 and 50,000 people to attend the studio tour, according to Pelinka.

The Guthrie Theatre showcases “The Crucible,” a play written

by Arthur Miller centering around the Salem witch hunts.

Admission is $15-30 with a student discount.

Freshman Brooke Purowitz said she thinks students should take an interest in the arts.

“It’s important to be artistic, and it helps get your mind off other things,” Purowitz said.

According to Pelinka, many artists worked in the Minneapolis Warehouse District in the 1980s.

Because of expenses like studio leases, they were unable to stay in their previous locations, and migrated to Northeast Minneapolis, which is now a thriving arts district.

The goal of Art-A-Whirl, according to Pelinka, is to create a relationship between artists and community members. Pelinka said Art-A-Whirl is an important opportunity to feature the strong art community many aren’t aware of.

Art-A-Whirl and the Northeast Arts District benefits the local community, according to Pelinka.

“The large concentration of artists builds on the vibrancy of the community and impacts the economy greatly,” Pelinka said.

Pelinka said many guests will eat at local restaurants and support local shops.

Pelinka said Art-A-Whirl promotes the originality of the community. “(Art-A-Whirl) showcases what an asset we have in Northeast. It is valuable for teens to understand and explore their surroundings, and be curious about their community’s art,” Pelinka said.

Art-A-Whirl takes place May 15-17 in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. The event is free and open to the public, and Metro Transit is providing free transportation during the weekend.

Students can learn more about Art-A-Whirl at nemaa.org.

The Weisman Museum showcases “Big Bridges,” brought

by Target Studio for Creative Collaboration. It focuses on the structural and sculptural nature of bridges. Admission is free.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum presents “Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks,” an exhibit featuring LEGO sculptures inspired by nature. Admission is free.

Hennepin Theatre Trust presents “Intersections: Made Here,” an outdoor art exhibit launched at Marin Restaurant and Bar, featuring local artists. Admission is free.