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NEWS
Echo Friday, April 28, 2017
WEB PREVIEW
Photo Emma Kempf
Temple strives to be inclusive
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pon entering Wat Thai, St. Louis Park’s new Buddhist temple, visitor Christine Laube said guests were greeted with a floral necklace and the smell of Thai street food. According to temple treasurer Wasda Schneider, Wat Thai Buddhist temple aimed to create a welcoming environment for St. Louis Park residents by hosting an open house April 9. Jenna Cook slpecho.com
Photo Caroline Green
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You have to voice your opinion about science and government and especially with this whole political system that has just come into office. Ava Martinsen, junior
ParkSci, continued from page 1
Metz said at the School Board meeting the district plans to make $1.2 million in cuts, including ParkSci. “I think the next five years in Minnesota, not just St. Louis Park, but all public schools are going to be a little tighter,” Metz said. “We just won’t get as much (money) from the legislature as we usually do. Politically it’s not as good of a time for public institutions coming up, so we just have to get ready for that.” Metz said he made the final decisions about the financial plan with some advising from others in the district. “Normally if we made budget reductions we would have all kinds of stakeholders and a long process — this one wasn’t that way,” Metz said. “It was mostly me. I consulted the principals, of course, of all the schools and then also my cabinet, people that work for me in the district
office.” Miller said because elementary schools invested time into ParkSci, their IB curriculums require resources only available through the program. “Right now, I feel terrible because the ParkSci is embedded in (elementary schools’) IB program,” Miller said. “So now, if it goes away, we have set those teachers up for failure because they don’t have the supplies, they don’t have the knowledge. We have all the materials (at the high school).” According to Hartman, the benefits of ParkSci were just beginning to affect students in the program. “Having the kids show up as ninth graders and they (already) know one third to one half of the science department, they’ve met the teachers already. I think it’s going to bring up some kids’ comfort with science,” Hartman said. Gemilere said he sees
Photo Kailey DeLozier Fight for it: Science teachers Patrick Hartman and Kristen Moravetz speak out against the decision to cut the ParkSci program, while science department chair Mark Miller holds a sign detailing the curriculum.
tunity, that is one child less who may have otherwise had their interest in education and exploration sparked by this outstanding program. According to School Board chair Jim Yarosh, a finalized budget must be accepted by June 30.
ParkSci’s defunding as possibly dangerous to young students’ interest in science. “If (Park loses) the program, even if one child less is unable to receive this program, I will consider it a tragedy,” Gemilere said. “Because even if only one child is deprived of this oppor-
March for Science unites thousands of Minnesotans
No planet B: Minnesotans begin their march from Cathedral Hill Park to the State Capitol, April 22. Approximately 40,000 Minnesotans attended the March as a part of a world-wide movement to advocate for science.
Girls’ golf preps for first match
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unior Carly Livingston winds up for a chip shot at the Theodore Wirth golf match April 13. Junior golf player Julia Austad said the weather posed a challenge at the dual match against Benilde-St. Margaret’s “Because it was raining, the course was super damp, so when you would hit the ball (it) wouldn’t roll as much as you would expect,” Austad said. Alex Balfour & Sophie Yarosh alexbalfour@slpecho.com sophieyarosh@slpecho.com
Photo Grace Farley
Walker art center to host annual Teen Takeover night
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rt teacher Martha Ortman said art is a huge aspect in teaching people how to think and utilize information. “You can have all the knowledge in the world, but if you’re not creative, you don’t know what to do with it,” Ortman said. The Walker Art Center plans to host Teen Takeover in late April, a night for Minnesota teens to express and define themselves. Grace Farley gracefarley@slpecho.com For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho
Activism at Capitol promotes science knowledge Max Bechtold maxbechtold@slpecho.com
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uring the Minnesota March for Science, an estimated 40,000 people marched to the Minnesota State Capitol, including biology teacher Julie Schilz, who said the march was full of passion and support for science. “The march had a really positive feel, everybody was really excited about science and the advancement of scientific research,” Schilz said. “People were also in favor of climate change and dispelling myths about climate change being a hoax.” Sophomore Isaac Swartz said he attended the march because he thought it united the city and reinforced science. “(The march) is really cool
Photo Max Bechtold
and supportive and it’s great that the city came to support science together,” Swartz said. Environmental science teacher Patrick Hartman said the march informed people about science and changed their point of view. “I think (the march) is a show of solidarity. It (got) a lot of news coverage and that will send a message,” Hartman said. “I hope people against science will change their opinions.” Hartman said he went to the march to counter ‘anti-science’ voices and express opposition to Trump regarding scientific findings related to political issues. “Recently a culture of ‘antiscience’ has been created and I think it’s important to send a message that science is important and it is a real thing,” Hartman said. “After the November election, people have gotten into power and are saying things like ‘alternative facts’ and denying real things.”
According to CNN Health, supporters of science marched in Germany, Switzerland, Australia, England and Antarctica. Swartz said he wants to see the government acknowledge scientific findings and provide more funding to research. “I want the government to have more recognition toward scientific issues and fund science more because the U.S. needs to be a leader in science again,” Swartz said. Schilz said she marched because she wants to see more support for science from the government. “I hope the march helps bring (attention to) the need for more scientific funding and support for scientific organizations,” Schilz said. “There are a lot of people trying to get support right now and it was cool to see that much support for science and those people at the march.” Hartman said he wants to see
About the March for Science 40,000 people marched to show support of higher education and the discovery, access and understanding of scientific information. Countries participating Supporters of science marched in Germany, Switzerland, Australia, England and Antarctica. Infographic Sam St. Clair Source CNN Health & March For Science - MN
STEM curriculum enhanced in the United States. “We are sorely behind Europe when it comes to science. You can talk to a person (in Europe) and they are much more science-literate than in the U.S.,” Hartman said. “Science is more of a normal thing to them and not so unattainable like (it is) here.”