Echo
NTA OPENS THRIFT STORE
TEAM MAKES SPLASH
EXHIBIT DISPLAYS PAST
Group plans to sell clothes at competitive prices PAGE 5
Boys’ swimming team succeeds at State PAGE 8
History Center shows oldschool dioramas PAGE 12
Tuesday, March 8, 2016 Volume 87 Issue 8 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Presentation creates discussion
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ophomore Avia Kaner-Roth left the Auditorium with her friends after seeing the Black History Month presentation. She said she was intrigued by everything she learned. “We talked about how we haven’t really known any of this stuff before and how it was interesting that we only heard about (black history) then,” Kaner-Roth said. Presentation coordinator Chris Weaver said he heard positive feedback from students who attended. He said he felt the show, which included a video, was very educational. “I am happy with the response of the people who came,” Weaver said. “I think there was some new learnSophie Yarosh ing for people (and) there was a lot of sophieyarosh@slpecho.com stuff that people didn’t know, probably some perspectives that had never been heard before.” Freshman Brahim Bouzrara said he enjoyed watching the video and its insight about the Black Panthers. “I liked the section of the video about the Black Panthers, learning about how they worked and how
Black History Month aimed to educate, leave impact
the government was plotting against them,” Bouzrara said. Weaver said he hopes to hear students and staff discussing the presentation’s content beyond the Auditorium. “Hopefully, it will help spark some conversation, and I’ve been hearing teachers talking about it, students talking about it and that they’re planning stuff in their classes,” Weaver said. Sophomore participant Doreen Moranga said race issues still occur at school. “In world history, we don’t learn about Black History Month. We don’t learn about the blacks and how they were treated,” Moranga said. “We just learn about the whites and how they came to be, so if we’re going to learn about one race we should learn about all.” Kaner-Roth said she thinks racial issues still occur at Park. “We had a discussion in one of my classes and some of the black students said that they were treated differently by their teachers,” Kaner-Roth said. “The teachers just expected less from them.”
SLPECHO.COM
Moranga said she hopes people reflect on the presentation to help bring awareness to racism. “The whole (presentation) in general just had a lot of good information that (students) could take into their lives,” Moranga said. “If they want a better world for everyone who is on Earth, they might as well use some information to change their way of life to make things better for others.” Senior Zoya Block said the Black History presentation benefits people from all walks of life. “I feel like black history isn’t really talked about in school as much as it should be,” Block said. “It’s an educational thing for everyone, including black people, because even black people lack knowledge of our own history.”
Raise student awareness: Seniors Zoya Block and Sharon Moranga act as masters of ceremony during the event Feb. 29.
Community remembers junior’s personality, life Chloe Amundson’s memory lives on Chloe Amundson
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Kaylee Chamberlain kayleechamberlain@ slpecho.com
unior Chloe Amundson passed away March 3 from an incident that occurred during her recovery from pneumonia. Nancy Leitch, Amundson’s mother, said she remembers her individuality. “I want people to remember that she was not afraid to be herself,” Leitch said. “She was unique. She was funny. She was loving (and) generous.” Junior Leah Hulett, a close friend of
Amundson’s, said she hopes people remember her in a positive way. “I just want people to know that she was such a great person,” Hulett said. “She was so great to be around, and she made everyone happy.” Hulett said Amundson had a carefree attitude and loved to explore. “She didn’t really care what people thought about her,” Hulett said. “She was funny and really goofy and outgoing and she liked to adventure.” Junior Ingrid Larson, a close friend of Amundson’s, said her honesty, fun personality and loyalty made her a great friend. “Every time we hung out was an adventure,” Larson said. “She was so open to meeting new people, and she wasn’t judgmental at all.”
Junior Brin Feltl, another close friend of Amundson’s, said her energy was evident in everything she did and spread to those around her. “She always lived each day to the fullest, and each day was a new adventure for her,” Feltl said. “You could never keep a smile off your face when you were with her.” Leitch said her daughter was always very bold. “What everyone probably knows about her is that she was pretty sassy,” Leitch said. Leitch said from the time Amundson was in kindergarten, she was always dyeing her hair different colors. “One thing she was always very insistent about was having wild hair,” Leitch said. “She had her hair pink stripes, purple
stripes; she had her hair all red, she had her hair all purple.” Larson said Amundson had a strong personality and was a loving friend. “Chloe was a sassy person, she was so sassy,” Larson said. “If you get to know her, she was super sweet.” Scott Miller, Amundson’s history teacher, said he will miss her in the classroom. “She sat in the same seat for both semesters, so it’s going to be tough to look back there,” Miller said. “She will be missed, no doubt about it.” Leitch said she will miss Chloe dearly. “She was really special to me,” Leitch said. “We had a really close relationship.” The funeral will be 11 a.m. March 9 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church. Visitation begins one hour before the service.
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NEWS
Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
WEB PREVIEW
(Not having an honors block) is a great idea because it’s a great stress reliever and reaches out to more students. Kaitlin Cole, senior
Election 2016: MN Caucus Results
Photo Harrison Barden
Boys’ hockey ends successful season Junior Park hockey player Grant Plender waits for a pass as he skates wide open at the game against Edina Feb. 18. Head coach Terry Keseley praised the team after ending its 2015-16 regular season with a winning record. “We were 14-11 in our regular season which is even more exciting because we played some of the hardest teams this year for the first time,” Keseley said. Brigid Duffy brigidduffy@slpecho.com
Republican Caucuses Marco Rubio Ted Cruz
Congressional District Winners 1 Marco Rubio — 31.9% 2 Marco Rubio — 37.8% 3 Marco Rubio — 44.3% 4 Marco Rubio — 45.1% 5 Marco Rubio — 47.5% 6 Ted Cruz — 33.7% 7 Ted Cruz — 33.3% 8 Ted Cruz — 32.9%
Photo Ruthie Hope
Rubio, Sanders win Minnesota caucuses Voters deviate from nationwide Super Tuesday trend Raphy Gendler raphygendler@slpecho.com
S Photo Adam Johnson
MCAD showcases two exhibits
The feminist group the Guerrilla Girls recently included the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in its local takeover of the Minneapolis art scene. Junior Sofia Jacobsson said she believes the “Self Concept” exhibit will attract a lot of people because of the artistic promotion of change. “I think it’s important to bring everyone’s ideas together to make a solid stance and to be able to express that through art is amazing,” Jacobsson said. Alissa Meredith alissameredith@slpecho.com
Democratic Caucuses Bernie Sanders Hillary Clinton
Congressional District Winners 1 Bernie Sanders — 66.3% 2 Bernie Sanders — 58.2% 3 Bernie Sanders — 53.3% 4 Bernie Sanders — 58.2% 5 Bernie Sanders — 64.9% 6 Bernie Sanders — 62.4% 7 Bernie Sanders — 63.2% 8 Bernie Sanders — 65.2% Infographics Jamie Halper Sources Huffington Post, Associated Press
Speaking out: Junior Dotan Appelbaum speaks in support of Marco Rubio at the Golden Valley Republican caucuses at 7 p.m. March 1 at Meadowbrook Elementary. Rubio won the Minnesota GOP caucus with a nearly eight point lead.
t. Louis Park voters packed caucus sites to cast ballots for the presidential nomination. The majority of Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) members caucused for Bernie Sanders and Republican (GOP) voters for Marco Rubio March 1, according to The Associated Press (AP). After campaigning heavily throughout the state, Rubio picked up his first victory of the primary season. Senior Sam Miller said he supports Rubio because their
policy views align. “We both lean right but agree with some left-wing policies,” Miller said. According to the AP, Rubio won 36.5 percent of GOP votes in Minnesota, and Ted Cruz won second with 29 percent. Sanders won about 62 percent to Clinton’s 38 percent. Sophomore Elliot Schochet said he was excited when Sanders won Minnesota’s caucuses. “I was proud to be a Minnesotan, proud to be a state that really values progressive ideas,” Schochet said. Schochet said he supports Sanders because of shared values. “I choose (Sanders) over Hillary because the issues he prioritizes, like Wall Street and
healthcare, are issues I prioritize,” Schochet said. Senior Madison Vignes said she felt disappointment when Sanders won Minnesota. “Both the Democratic candidates are great options, but I felt that Hillary embodied more of the things I felt the country really needed,” Vignes said. Senior Kyle Redelsheihmer said he enjoyed caucusing and supported Trump. “It was a good experience. I like just voting and being a part of the whole process,” Redelsheihmer said. Nationwide, Trump won seven Super Tuesday states on the Republican side. Cruz won three and Rubio won one. Clinton won seven states to Sanders’ four.
Current candidate delegates Democrats — 3,136 total*
1,130
Clinton
Republicans — 1,585 total
384
Trump
499
Sanders
300
Cruz
151
Rubio
37
Kasich
*Includes superdelegates, delegates not officially pledged to vote for a candidate
Freshman honors, support blocks eliminated Photo Abby Hickstein
Theater prepares spring play
Director Jodi Hatzenbeller reads rules and requirements to audition for the upcoming spring play at a meeting Feb. 29. “I always give an overview of the show and in this case, talk about how we are going to do it differently from the original script, and led people on how to audition and how to sign up for crew,” Hatzenbeller said. Park’s theater program will put on the production “12 Angry Jurors” April 29-May 1. Abby Hickstein abbyhickstein@slpecho.com For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho
Ninth graders to choose number of honor classes Makagbe Kuyateh makagbekuyateh@slpecho.com
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hen freshman Claire Middleton found out the school will allow next year’s freshmen to decide the honors classes they want to take, she hoped for more balanced schedules. “I think it’s a good idea because some people don’t work well with having all three honors classes and they might have different strengths and weaknesses,” Middleton said. Ninth grade counselor Barb Nelson said the school representatives discussed the lack of diversity in honors classes for the past few years. “We have talked a lot about it in the past two to three years and felt like the timing was right
to try to encourage more students to try one or two (honors) classes,” Nelson said. Freshman Reagan Brown, an honors student, said she wished she had the opportunity to select her honors courses. “I didn’t like that I couldn’t pick and choose my classes. It’s better for students to choose classes they are good at,” Brown said. Nelson said the school may keep blocks but change the scheduling and configuration. “There actually still may be a block or team that is all honors — it just depends on the numbers that sign up for each class,” Nelson said. Nelson said the benefits of allowing freshmen to choose their honors classes include decreased workload and higher grades. “I am hopeful that it will bring more balance to students, and we will be seeing less students so stressed out by
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their academic load,” Nelson (Not having an honors said. “We are allowing them to block) is actually a good take the amount of high-level decision. Some kids courses they want so they can be might be really good at one subject like successful, which should lead to environmental science better results.” but then Ninth grade honors civics they might teacher Brad Brubaker said he stink at thinks the change may have honors some shortcomings. English. “My concern is really getting rid of the blocking and team Ben Romain, sophomore teachers. (The current system) the students were students of decreases student failing rate color, so it is not representative and we would, as a team, talk our of student body.” to students who are struggling,” Nelson said she hopes to exBrubaker said. periment with changes this fall. Nelson said the school also “We are going to see how plans on getting rid of the supmany kids sign up in each area port block next year because and then work to arrange the it tends to racially separate blocks or teams of students,” students. Nelson said. “Once students “The main reason for dismantling the support, or applied turn in summer homework and we have final numbers, we will block, as we started calling it, was that it was racially segregat- see how easy or difficult this task may be. I am confident with ing our students,” Nelson said. our administration.” “This year especially almost all
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It’s a great thing to give back to people who are struggling through a hard time such as cancer.
STUDENT LIFE Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Arielle Vlodaver, sophomore
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Wear the cure: Sophomores Carly Livingston and Hannah Leff showcase Love Your Melon hats. The brand is run by college students across the country with the mission to give a hat to every child fighting cancer. The hats became an increasingly popular trend among youth and adults. Photos Hannah Wolk
Love Your Melon gives back to children battling cancer Local company expands nationwide by donating hats Brigid Duffy brigidduffy@slpecho.com
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enior Alta Weisbrod said she adores her Love Your Melon hat that keeps both her and kids battling cancer warm. According to Love Your Melon event director Alex Meysman, the company’s mission is to make sure every kid fighting cancer in the nation gets a hat. “In April of 2015 we made a goal that every kid battling cancer in the country gets a hat as well as to raise $1 million for cancer research,” Meysman said. Weisbrod said she loves the hats and their meaning. “I got a hat because I love hats, and I love the company’s mission to give a hat to every child fighting cancer and their purpose to donate to kids who are enduring their own battle,” Weisbrod said. “I wear my hat all the time.”
Sophomore Philip Djerf said he sees many people wearing the hats since they became increasingly popular over social media. “I hadn’t seen them until this fall and winter, but they’re all over Instagram and a lot of people have them at school,” he said. According to Meysman, the company first started at the University of St. Thomas in 2012 and spread nationwide. She said college ambassadors from numerous universities plan events to meet and interact with kids undergoing cancer treatment. “It started at St. Thomas as a class project for an entrepreneurial program to build a business. There were originally 400 hats made, 200 to sell and 200 to give to kids with cancer,” Meysman said. “It grew from there and has become bigger than we could have ever imagined.” Djerf said he thinks Love Your Melon hats are such a popular item because of their message to support childhood cancer. “I like that they support children who are fighting. I think that is what really separates them from other companies because they are giving back in such a positive and impactful way,” Djerf said.
Many universities nationwide have started their own Love Your Melon Crew to spread the company’s message, according to Meysman. “The crew members are responsible for donating hats to kids battling cancer dressed as superheroes, to promote our organization and what we do, but to also tell their own personal stories in their community,” Meysman said. “We’re a national organization but we help kids locally.” Weisbrod said she plans to join the Love Your Melon Crew in college. “I signed up to be a part of the Love Your Melon Crew next year at Iowa State University, and I’m really excited,” Weisbrod said. “It’s great to know that I’ll be helping those who are in need.” According to Meysman, the company is in high demand to restock hats, specifically
Organizations supported by Love Your Melon Pinky Swear Foundation
Cure Search for Children’s Cancer
15,000 children are given cancer diagnoses each year
50% of net proceeds are donated to cancer 45,000 hats have already been donated Infographic Elise Riley Source Love Your Melon
beanies and other apparel. “We sell out in less than an hour or so usually every time we restock and our beanies are our most popular item and since they are all handmade it is hard to meet the demand,” Meysman said. Students can support the company by buying apparel and telling their friends about it, as well as joining a Love Your Melon Crew in culture.
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Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
For what it’s WORTH Adah Koivula adahkoivula@ slpecho.com
Happiness first
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FEATURES
bout a month ago, my uncle said I should stop talking about football like I know what I am doing. He continued to say girls shouldn’t talk about football like they know anything about sports and “guy stuff.” He said I was too young, uneducated and a female to talk about politics. It stung. These are things I really enjoy, and I’m told that my vagina makes me unable to be interested? I knew then that I didn’t have a place in my life for that negativity. I have always been a family person. Growing up with 18 aunts and uncles, and as the oldest of 37 cousins, my life revolved around family. I grew up thinking that if you have no family, you have nothing. I love my family, and will always feel so blessed to have so many people who love me. But, growing up in a society where women are not valued beyond their ability to birth children and quickly recover to their “pre-baby body” is degrading. I grew up watching women have child after child, exhausted and miserable with their husbands barely looking at them or helping with their children. It is oppressive living among people who don’t think women are smart in math, science or politics. Men can What’s the do and POINT? say what Negative family they want, members have while the women are no place in expected to your life. make dinner in the kitchen and remain uninvolved in discussions. That’s ridiculous and outdated. When I started to notice this gap between women and men, I couldn’t ignore it. I am everything a female is not expected or allowed to be, and I knew I couldn’t change who I was. I started to remove myself from situations in family gatherings where I would feel like a lesser human because of my gender — in essence, pushing family members away. Cutting ties with my family has made me a happier and more confident person. I will always love my family, and they will always be my family. But family supports one another, and the family I was born with does not. I don’t have space in my life for sexist, bigoted jerks, regardless if they are related. It is crucial to put your own happiness first. Your family will always be part of who you are, but removing yourself from a unsupporting group of people is key to personal success. You cannot be a confident woman surrounded by bigots who only tear women down.
It is cool a teacher is competing at this level and inspirational that he is going to continue to compete. Matthew Meyer, junior
In the SPOTLIGHT
Senior molds her body for competition Clara Slade, senior
What are bikini competitions? Bikini (competitions are) more similar to pageants than figure and physique because bikini is not that muscular. The idea is that girls could diet for a couple months and then you can walk on stage. Any girl could do it if they have the self control. What I’ll be judged on is symmetry, like how proportionate my legs are to my body: my right side being proportionate to my left side. What’s the name of your competition? The NPC Gopher State Classic. NPC stands for National Physique Committee. How do the bikini competitions work? Basically you are doing poses to show off all the work you’ve put into the gym. They judge us on muscle and body definition. Why did you decide to compete? I wanted to get stronger because I realized I was very weak, so I wanted to get as strong as I could, and I’m now getting stronger. Then I wanted to form a goal, and since I’m not strong enough for a powerlifting competition, I went for a bodybuilding competition. How has your family reacted to these competitions? I get judged a lot. My father has always been really behind me because he saw that this was my passion and my love. My mom took a little more convincing, since going up there
Photo Emily Tifft
Muscle gains: Senior Clara Slade performs a bent-over row while she works out Feb. 25 in preparation for her first bikini competition. Slade’s next competition, called The NPC Gopher State Classic, is April 2 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. you are being objectified. I know I am, and I’ve accepted it. I don’t care anymore because I’ve never been so happy. What is the main goal of your training? The goal is to grow muscle mass and be lean enough to show it off. Bodybuilding is more about having muscle size and muscle development in general. Strength would be more powerlifting and Olympic lifting. What have you learned? I have learned that food tastes really good and you should eat it slowly because you want to enjoy the taste. I’ve also learned that your body can do more than you think, but a lot of what you do is mental and you have to learn self control. Also, there’s budgeting, because you have to budget your macros and your money. Budgeting is a huge deal with this.
What do you like the most about preparing for the competition? Seeing my body do new things. I never thought I would be able to lift significantly more than I weigh. When I started I could barely (bicep) curl five pounds. But now I can curl 17-20 pounds for reps. I have gained so
much strength that I just feel empowered now. Is competing worth it? So far, yes. I definitely think it’ll be worth it overall because I have gained so much respect for myself. This is a lot of work and I can balance it with everything I’m doing right now. I can do anything. Is there anything you find particularly difficult? When people bring things like cookies (around me). You don’t realize how much you love food before you can only eat certain foods. The hardest thing is to not eat that bag of Cheetos that’s sitting right next to you. What do you think will be the greatest benefit of this experience? Learning appreciation for yourself, the people around you. You find the people who really care for you and will support you. But there are so many benefits. You get so strong, especially when bulking that you just think, “wow I can do this.” Then you feel so healthy. Also, you can find other things that you love. Ndunzi Kunsunga ndunzikunsunga@slpecho.com
Math teacher races in Olympic trials Mason Frank competes in Los Angeles marathon Elise Riley eliseriley@slpecho.com
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ith his race number attached to his singlet, math teacher Mason Frank ran the streets of Los Angeles with more than 150 other competitors in the Olympic trials. Frank said he enjoyed his experience in the marathon Feb. 13. “The atmosphere was electric. The crowd was awesome. I felt like I was a celebrity out there because everyone was yelling and waving American flags and taking pictures,” Frank said. Senior Dorothy Slater, who has participated in five marathons, said she thinks it’s impressive that Frank competed with the top runners in the country. “To have someone that’s from a smaller town that also has that same dedication and talent and work ethic is really cool and I think he can be a really good motivator for students,” Slater said. Frank said he dropped out of the marathon after mile 14 because of a knee injury. “Things were a little iffy for me if I was even going to finish (the marathon) because I hurt my knee back in late December,” Frank said. “Most of January was dedicated to trying to heal my knee and to stay in shape at the same time.”
Frank said although he wanted to finish the race, he prioritized his health. “I told myself if my knee started to act up at all I was going to drop out, because I didn’t want to risk being injured for the next year just to finish this race,” Frank said. Frank said his fan section consisted of his parents, relatives and a few friends. “It was nice to have those cheering sections that would be there for me when I needed them,” Frank said. Frank said the marathon helped him realize how far his hard work has brought him. “I belong there. All my work that I do is not just for nothing. I belong in that group of elite marathon runners,” Frank said. According to Frank, his goals for the future include getting a running coach, upping his mileage per week once his knee heals and returning to the Olympic trials in four years. Frank said he encourages other athletes with injuries to let their bodies fully heal before returning to activity. “People are so focused on the short term, but if you don’t let your body heal you might not be able to do your sport when you’re 35 or 40 years old,” Frank said. Slater said she believes runners need to value their bodies in order to avoid injury. “If it’s just one time it’s not worth pushing yourself if that could end up impacting a long term goal,” Slater said. “It’s very important to treat your body with respect so it will con-
Used with written permission by Mason Frank
Race interrupted: Mason Frank runs in a Run n Fun marathon. Frank had to stop running in the Olympic trials Feb. 13 due to a knee injury. He plans to return to the next Olympic trials in four years. tinue to be able to have fun and work hard.” Frank said he felt honored by the opportunity to race at such a high level. “It was just really cool being surrounded by the people who the running community talks about all the time — the top marathoners in the country right now — and I was one of them,” Frank said.
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A lot of people will be mindful of what food they waste knowing about the hunger that we have.
FEATURES Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Tahyvion Malone, senior
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STEP to hold annual Empty Bowls event Gathering intends to educate, involve community Jayne Stevenson jaynestevenson@slpecho.com
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t first glance, people may not notice the problem of hunger in St. Louis Park. Through a bowl of soup and bread, the grassroots project Empty Bowls intends to educate and fight hunger within communities, according to Derek Reise, executive director of STEP. Reise said the March 10 Empty Bowls represents the 15th year of the event in St. Louis Park. “It is part of an international approach to educating people about hunger in their communities that goes back to the early 1990s,” Reise said. “The purpose of it is really to engage communities to understand and to take action to combat hunger right in their community.” Sophomore Liz Acosta said she supports the Empty Bowls event and has previously volunteered many places, including Feed My Starving Children. “I’ve supported some other people (that deal with hunger),” Acosta said. “I’ve volunteered with treehouse. Treehouse is a youth group. It’s where teens can come together — they have support groups where (people) share about their weeks.” Because St. Louis Park offers most of STEP’s (St. Louis Park Emergency Program) support
through donations, food drives and volunteering, Empty Bowls offers an opportunity to involve and educate the community on battling hunger in the city, according to Reise. “We’ve existed for 40 years combatting food insecurity by providing food to people in St. Louis Park who need it. We rely on most of our support from the community. We do not get large amounts of government funding,” Reise said. “(Empty Bowls) is an opportunity for us to really engage the community in a strong way to educate the real need of combatting hunger in St. Louis Park.” Junior Saamiya Amin said she believes Empty Bowls has importance for the community if it can help those who need food. “There’s a lot of people that don’t eat every day, and if this can help them, like in some type of way — I think that’s actually really important,” Amin said. Reise said along with the meal, the event includes a program discussing hunger in St. Louis Park and entertainment. He said the type of food served represents the challenges people face to obtain basic foods. “The idea is to have a really simple meal that is accessible to everyone and is really easy to do, but also to underscore that even though food is plentiful in our community, sometimes it’s even a struggle for people to have the simplest foods,” Reise said. Amin said Empty Bowls can
Photo Julia Nathan
Eliminate hunger: People of all ages gather at the Eisenhower Community Center Feb. 28 to glaze bowls for the annual Empty Bowls event, taking place March 10 at Westwood Lutheran Church. Empty Bowls aims to bring attention to hunger in St. Louis Park by providing a free meal to all who come. help eliminate hunger in St. Louis Park through uniting the community and showing what people can do to fight the issue of hunger in their city. “It will probably bring a lot of people together and show what they can do to help and some probably will help and others might need the help,” Amin said. Reise said the event is relevant to students because youth represent around 44 percent of the 4,000 people STEP serves each year. “Poverty disproportionately
impacts young people and is present in our schools and this is really something that a lot of peers and students themselves are dealing with,” Reise said. The Empty Bowls event takes place at 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. for lunch, and 4:30-7 p.m. for a dinner March 10 at Westwood Lutheran Church. Attendees will receive a locally made bowl to show gratitude and signify the need to fight hunger in the community. While the event is free for the public, donations are accepted.
Empty bowls filled
44%
of the 4,000 people STEP serves each year are youth
Infographic Alyssa Lemay Source Derek Reise
Non-Traditional Academy sets up thrift store through service
Clothes Closet seeks skillbuilding, community service Jonah Kupritz jonahkupritz@slpecho.com
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or three days, students in the Non-Traditional Academy program set up a stand in the lunchroom and waited for donations of gently used clothing. According to Non-Traditional Academy (NTA) coordinator Chris Weaver, students began to collect clothing Feb. 17. Since then, they have received a variety of items. “It’s a little bit of everything — girls’ clothes, boys’ clothes, some accessories,” Weaver said. “Like most places we’ll probably have more women’s stuff than men’s.” According to Weaver, NTA students have nearly finished the process of washing and sorting donated clothing. Senior Yunita Thomas, a NTA stuYunita Thomas, senior dent, said she decided
I just hope that people decide to do the right thing and give away the clothes they don’t need.
to call the project the “NTA Clothes Closet.” “I just hope that people decide to do the right thing and give away the clothes they don’t need,” Thomas said. Weaver said he created the project with the objective of giving NTA students experience in community service, community outreach and skill-building. “The first (goal) for us was how can we provide a space for kids to get clothing if they’re in need,” Weaver said. “Second, provide our NTA students with a community service project.” On top of what NTA students gain through the project, Weaver said he hopes the Clothes Closet makes a positive impact. “It’s a place where kids in need can get high-quality clothing at a low price,” Weaver said. Weaver said there’s an incentive added for seniors with unexcused absences to donate clothing. “We’re still accepting donations. I will still give community service hours — one a piece up to 15 hours,” Weaver said. Senior Amy Gradoz, who helped wash and sort the clothes, said she takes pride in the condi-
Photo Mara Bacig
Donations collected: NTA seniors Sharon Moranga, Yunita Thomas and Amy Gradoz collect clothing in the lunchroom Feb. 18. Students can purchase and donate clothing Tuesday and Thursday mornings beginning March 10 outside the Media Center.
tion of the clothes received so far. “We noticed some of the items still had tags on them,” Gradoz said. “It’s not just used clothes. It’s also new clothes that other people haven’t worn.” Weaver said students can purchase and donate clothing from 8:10 to 8:40 Tuesday and Thursday mornings beginning March 10 outside of the Media Center classroom in the C1 circle.
What to donate to NTA Clothes Closet Donated clothes are washed and sold to students
Girls’ Clothing Boys’ Clothing Accessories Coats Infographic Anna duSaire & Alyssa LeMay Source Chris Weaver
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IN-DEPTH
Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
We need more people watching over students and making sure they’re safe. Jeferry Orbinson, sophomore
Togetherness in times of tragedy provides strength to carry on Hannah Bernstein & Jonah Kupritz hannahbernstein@slpecho.com jonahkupritz@slpecho.com
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fter losing her close friend of many years in ninth grade, senior Shea Swanson said she knows all too well what it’s like to deal with tragedy. Carly Christenson died in 2013 because of complications of the flu. Swanson said the experience threw her into disarray. “It was just so shocking, and then after that obviously it was really crazy and there was a lot of crying and just confusion and that entire day felt like chaos,” Swanson said. While the St. Louis Park community may understand tragedy better than most schools, principal Scott Meyers doesn’t want to focus on the past: instead, he said he sees loss as a way to help others in the future. Meyers said he understands why people in the community often comment on Park’s ongoing experiences with death, especially following junior Chloe Amundson’s passing March 3. Meyers said Park can be there down the road for other communities in their time of need. “You definitely have those questions of, ‘is this fair or not fair,’” Meyers said. “I think it’s more a situation of, ‘it’s our turn and we’re going to take what we learn from this turn and share it with others.’” Spanish teacher Jane Hudacek knew Andrew Dudley, a student who died in a bike accident in 2012. She said she encourages her students to attend funerals in the community. “I do tell my students to never miss an opportunity to go to a funeral. It’s important not only to the family, but to process the importance of this person and to honor what they brought to the community,” Hudacek said. By learning from this tragedy, Meyers said the community can remain strong.
Personal experiences
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ocial worker Daniel Perez said grief aff different ways, even in students withou the person who passed away. After ma Park community, Perez said it’s important to r on everyone. “Even if (students) weren’t necessarily conn grief, over any life experience that we’ve had, Perez said. “Sometimes people feel like, ‘why didn’t even know (Amundson) — well, many ents, sometimes parents, friends.” Perez said everyone must understand new h emotions because of past tragedies. “We’ve had a lot of deaths and tragedies h feel guilty over having their own emotions,” P impacted when tragedies happen.” Freshman Ayanlee Mohamed said while he personally, her passing brought back painful m of his close friend Abdullahi Charif, the seven during physical education class in 2014. “(Amundson’s passing) kind of brings back said. “I was trying to forget about it, trying to body has passed — I don’t even know her, but Meyers said in order to support everyone, that grief manifests itself differently in each pe “This is, unfortunately, a natural part of lif experience, but it disrupts people in different Perez said a blanket definition of grief does “There’s not a universal way of grieving. S some people will get overwhelmed and cry,” P versal, but the ways in which people grieve ar As a close friend of Christenson, senior Cla dealt with her grief by reaching out to loved o “I tried to spend as much time with my frie said. “I tried to keep myself busy so I wasn’t t her as much.”
s differ
fects people in many ut a direct relationship to any losses in the St. Louis recognize the toll it takes
nected to (Amundson), can come at any time,” am I having a response,’ I of us have lost grandpar-
hardships may bring up
here so people shouldn’t Perez said. “We are all
e didn’t know Amundson memories of the death nth grader who drowned
k Abdullahi,” Mohamed o be myself. When somet it’s still sad.” it’s crucial to understand erson. fe that we’re going to ways,” Meyers said. sn’t exist. Some people shut down, Perez said. “Grief is unire not the same.” aire McNary said she ones. ends as I could,” McNary thinking about missing
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With all the losses, honoring them will help bring the community together.
Perez said grief can be a healthy response to a loss. “Grieving appropriately is actually self-care,” Perez said. “It is OK to cry. It is OK to write things down. It is OK to talk about Chloe, making sure that we care for ourselves — sleeping well, eating well, drinking enough liquids, getting out of the house.” Meyers said he wants students to know that there are support systems in the school for everyone. “The most important piece for students to know is that there are supports in place and there are people to talk to,” Meyers said.
Hope for the future
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IN-DEPTH
Dashaun Emerson, sophomore
ssistant principal Kari Schwietering said that while she wishes such tragedies did not always happen, seeing how the community responds gives her hope. “It’s a reminder of how supportive and amazing this community is — how supportive and resilient our students are, our staff, our families and our entire community,” Schwietering said. Although she still feels the pain of losing her friend, Swanson said time has helped to distance her from the initial feelings of grief. “It’s important to take care of yourself in a time like this, and it’s OK to be sad,” Swanson said. “It eventually does get easier with time.” Meyers said through each experience, he learns even more about the value of people and communal grief. “I am amazed by the abilities of people, the resilience of people. It’s just so complex, our interactions with each other, and I think that I learn something new about how both wonderful and sad it can be at the same time,” Meyers said. Meyers said as he looks forward to the future, he hopes Park, as well as each individual, can take these experiences and support others if tragedy occurs again. “What we learn and what we gather can be a real strength and a gift to other people,” Meyers said. “It definitely doesn’t feel like that right now and nobody wants to be there, but I think looking at it in terms of the span of life, and being able to support people when it’s their time.”
Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
How you can help someone grieve • Listen • Don’t try to fix it • Silence is OK • Make emotional space • It is OK to not be OK Infographic Maggie Bahnson Source Social worker Daniel Perez
Art Emma Dietz
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SPORTS
Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
The (swimmers) put a lot of hard work into it. They were determined to win. Amber Tran, freshman
Out of the PARK Alec Pittman alecpittman@ slpecho.com
Prioritize team first
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hroughout my younger years, I played baseball as my core sport and loved it more than any other activity. When I began to swim, I understood I would have to give up baseball for swimming. I knew the season I turned 14 would be my last on the baseball team. Our team remained very strong from the previous season and soon we were in the championship. I arrived at the championship game late because of a swim meet, but luckily, my team was ahead. I missed a ground ball and struck out within the first 10 minutes of arriving. I chose to be negative after this, even with one of my good friends coming up with a clutch hit. I began to cry when the game ended. My teammates said it What’s the was OK POINT? and that we won. Pushing All that through mattered was that failure builds character and the team succeeded. resilience However, I continued to cry and remained very upset. I didn’t even attend the end-of-the-year party. I let my personal thoughts on failure take precedence over the happiness of a great season with an amazing team. My parents continued to congratulate me on two very great seasons in both baseball and swimming. I didn’t care at all about my successes and focused only on how poorly I played in the final game, clouding my accomplishments with the small things I did wrong. My choice to remain frustrated carried over into the end of my summer, diluting exciting experiences with feelings of disappointment. My dad decided it was time to talk to me about how I was feeling. He mentioned that even the greatest of people are allowed to fail, but what makes them great is how strong they return after being defeated. He said that for me to be great, I needed to push pass my failures. Reflecting on the situation now, I should have been happy my team won and that we had a great season. The big picture often ends up being what matters in the end, not the little blemishes along the way. This will put everything in a positive light and move from the idea of selfishness to the idea of selflessness.
Swimmers medal: Junior Nils Rykken received a second place medal Feb. 27 at the boys’ swimming section meet at Edina Community Center. Rykken advanced to the meet March 4 in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. Photo Malaika Bigirindavyi
Swimmers exceed expectations at State
Boys’ team ends season ranked 27th at State Mara Bacig marabacig@slpecho.com
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oys’ swimming coach Amanda Forsberg said she couldn’t be happier with how the season ended for the team members March 5 at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. “The boys all moved up places and everyone dropped time. Captain Nate Stone broke his own team record, and we rebroke the 200 free relay time we got at sections,” Forsberg said. Stone, a junior, credits these times to the atmosphere at State. “The captains didn’t have to do much to pump up the team
because the State meet energy got people pumped enough,” Stone said. Stone seeded 10th in his 100 fly but ended in sixth with a time of 51.89 seconds and the team’s 200 free relay originally seeded 20th and ended 15th with a time of 1:30.30, according to Forsberg. “I think we moved up places, because we got more excited and pushed harder than before,” Stone said. According to Forsberg, these changes in seed placement are quite common. “It’s very common, for a big meet like this, for the seeds to change, like with (Stone’s) fly. He went into finals seeded eighth and ninth place and ended up finishing sixth,” Forsberg said.
The meet was so close that according to the app Meet Mobile there were multiple swim offs, which only happen in the case where two swimmers get the exact same time, down to the hundredth. Stone was the only swimmer in the 2016 season who made it to State. He said he felt proud of the boys for their swimming performance and for making it there in the first place. “Holding your taper that long (from Sections to State) is pretty tough, but day one times were awesome. The whole team had a lot of fun and I was really glad to finally have a full team there,” said Stone. Forsberg said she believes that what determines the winners of the State races comes down to two aspects.
Team records 400 free relay 200 free relay
Individual records Junior Nate Stone 100 fly Junior Nils Rykken 100 breaststroke Infographic Sophia Skinner Source Amanda Forsberg
“When you get to state it really becomes all about who can hold their taper and who wants it the most,” said Forsberg. The boys’ season ended with a 6-1 record, second in Sections and 27th in State with one relay and one individual moving onto day two.
Team aims to unify runners Captains prioritize building up energy as season begins Max Kent maxkent@slpecho.com
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Photo Heather Westwood
Warming up: Junior Sammi Baer and freshman Ellie Kent begin a short run through the parking lot outside the Fieldhouse during a captains’ practice March 7. The season will officially begin at 3:30 p.m. March 14 in the Fieldhouse. Captains’ practices are through March 11. The first meet takes place at 3:30 p.m. April 11 at Bloomington Kennedy High School.
enior captain Madeline Djerf walked toward the hallway outside the weightroom to join the other girls’ track captains, hoping this week’s captains’ practices will create team unity. “Hopefully we connect the team more, especially between the sprint and distance team,” Djerf said. “Getting to know and familiarize with each other before the season starts is the biggest part of captains’ practices.” Djerf said captains’ practices do not entail excessive activity, but aim to create excitement for the upcoming season. “Every year we want to create a competitive and supportive atmosphere because we want people to feel motivated to run,” Djerf said. “Nothing we do is super intense. We try to ease
everyone into the season.” Coach Christine Tvrdik is in her fourth year as head coach at Park and said unlike past years, she hopes to foster a more competitive drive within the team in order to promote success and motivation. “A difference this year is that as coaches, we want to have a more competitive mindset,” Tvrdik said. “We want kids to enjoy the experience, but we also want to be successful.” Tvrdik said she wants to build a foundation beforehand that will lead to more success throughout the entirety of the season. “Building up to the conference meet is really important because it is the largest team competition of the season, so being successful there should be our biggest goal,” Tvrdik said. According to Tvrdik, the season officially starts at 3:30 after school March 14 in the Fieldhouse. For more details, visit the athletic office in the B1 hallway to register.
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If they put the time in and earn it, (the athena nominees) should be acknowledged.
SPORTS Echo Tuesday, March 8 2016
Aramis Nolen, sophomore
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Meet the ATHLETE
Girls’ basketball focuses on details Senior night celebrates team’s progress Alec Pittman alecpittman@slpecho.com
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osing by just one point on her senior night, senior captain Mara Henderson couldn’t help but feel upset about the
game. Henderson said she enjoyed the activities after the game. “We had a good game but the other team just had one more point than us,” Henderson said. “I’m grateful for my basketball family. They put together a nice senior night.” Girls’ varsity coach Brian Massie said the team played a close game on senior night. “The only thing that could have went better is getting the victory,” Massie said. “The girls played well and it was emotional at times. We didn’t get the win but we played hard. I know that.” Henderson said she recalls how much she has grown since her first season on the team. “I now definitely feel more experienced than when I first started,” Henderson said. “I also feel like a completely different person.” According to junior captain Stephanie Reuter, she put lots of time into coordinat-
Who Billy Nichols Grade Sophomore Sport Golf
Photo Harrison Barden
Full speed: Sophomore Te’jah Marie charges through a Bloomington Kennedy player Feb. 5. The Orioles lost 39-62 at home. ing senior night. “Hannah Ellingson and I have been planning gifts for the seniors. We also have a dinner after the game,” Reuter said. “We then do presents and gifts for the seniors after dinner.” According to Massie, the team will begin to focus on the smaller aspects of their gameplay in preparation for sections. “We are trying to keep things the same but we are also going a little more detail oriented. We have a little bit more time to prepare so that will be a huge difference,”
Massie said. “We will be able to get a little more film in and some more detail.” Reuter said the team began to incorporate visualization in practice to prepare for sections. “We have been doing mental preparation,” Reuter said. “We either spend five minutes by ourselves or with teammate talking. We talk about what we are doing to prepare and what can happen in a game.” The Orioles lost their first section game against Wayzata 63-30 March 3, which ended their season.
Athena athletic award nominees announced
Joe Brandel joebrandel@slpecho.com
Elena Basill Hockey three-time All Conference honorable mention, once All Conference, senior captain Lacrosse senior captain Who is your most influential coach? Charlie McChesney, because he picked our team up my junior year and dealt with a lot of adversity. Also, Jessica Gust, even though she was never my coach, she trained me in the weight room and helped my mental game become stronger. What does it mean to you to be nominated for this award? To be recognized for my hard work and leadership means a lot.
Mackenzie Evenson Softball two-time All Conference honorable mention, All Sections 2015, senior captain Volleyball senior captain Who is your most influential coach? Alan Wachutka because he has taught me the most about softball and how to take charge of situations. What does it mean to you to be nominated for this award? All the early morning practices, teammates and coaches and hard work has paid off to get me nominated for this award. It means a great deal to me.
Brigid Duffy Golf All Conference, two-year captain Hockey Academic All Conference, senior captain Tennis Academic All Conference, senior captain Who is your most influential coach? All of my coaches have pushed me in different ways and are all valuable to me in different aspects and because of that, I don’t think I can choose just one. What does it mean to you to be nominated for this award? I feel extremely honored to even be nominated. All the girls are extremely deserving of this award.
Heather Westwood Swimming six All Conference, four All State, Academic All Conference, three-time Conference Champs, individual records in 200 medley relay and 400 free relay, team records in 400 free relay, 200 medley relay, and 200 medley relay, senior captain
Zoë Eilers Nordic four All Conference, five All Conference honorable mentions, MVP, Academic All Conference, Conference champ, threeyear captain Lacrosse MVP, Academic All Conference, two-year captain Who is your most influential coach? All of the coaches that I have ever had in my athletic careers have had a huge influence on me. What does it mean to you to be nominated for this award? It’s extremely humbling for all the work I have put in for all the sports that I do. I’m happy that I got recognized.
Grace Williams Track All Conference honorable mention, All Conference, senior captain Cross country two-time All Conference honorable mention, four-time All Conference, two-year captain
Who is your most influential coach? Both Amanda Forsberg and Joe Yaeger helped me through a lot of hardship. I can turn to them any time.
Who is your most influential coach? Kelly Brown is a huge inspiration and role model for the cross country team. Also Rachel Hoffman, who coached me for cross country since seventh grade.
What does it mean to you to be nominated for this award? I think it’s really cool to be recognized for my athletic achievements.
What does it mean to you to be nominated for this award? It means that person is talented, dedicated, hard working and a great role model.
How long have you played? I have played golf for the high school since seventh grade. Why did you start playing golf? I started playing because a few of my friends played and my grandpa had a membership to a country club. I would go out and play with him more and more as I got older. What is your goal for the team this season? My goal for the team is for most of us to qualify for the second day at sections. What is your goal for yourself this season? My goal is to maintain playing the No. 2 seed all year. How do you train during the off-season? It is hard to get out in the winter because of hockey but usually I hit balls at Braemar Dome and Golden Valley Chip and Putt. What is the hardest part of playing golf? The hardest part is definitely the mental part of the game and keeping a level head and positive attitude throughout the round. What is your favorite memory from high school golf? My favorite memory is competing in sections last year as a freshman. Who was the most impactful person to your learning? A coach I had when I started playing, Ryan Paulson. He taught me the swing and technical aspects of the game, and also course management and having a good mentality. Do you want to continue playing golf after high school? Yes, I do want to. There are lots of opportunities to play in college. Do you want to say anything to people considering playing golf this year? You should play because you get to spend time with friends, get out of a lot of school and have fun playing the game of golf.
Joe Brandel joebrandel@slpecho.com
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OPINIONS Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Echo
St. Louis Park Senior High School 6425 West 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426 Print editor-in-chief: Hannah Bernstein Web editor-in-chief: Kaylee Chamberlain Managing editors: Jackson Eilers, Hannah Goldenberg, Jamie Halper & Shoshi Leviton Copy editors: Jonah Kupritz, Jayne Stevenson & Emily Tifft Assistant copy editors: Sam Orloff & Alec Pittman Design editor: Harry Steffenhagen Assistant design editors: Maggie Bahnson & Lauren VonEschen Art editor: Alyssa LeMay Photo editors: Harrison Barden, Celene Koller, Julia Nathan & Heather Westwood Assistant photo editor: Mira Swartz Video editors: Albie Sher & Paige Steward News editor: Ethan Brown Student life editors: Daniella Etzion, Ruthie Hope & Sophie Yarosh Features editors: Sari Hattis & Abby Hickstein In-Depth editor: Olivia Sieff Sports editor: Polina Pekurovsky Opinions editors: Adah Koivula & Elise Riley Entertainment editor: Mimi Fhima Diversity editor: Makagbe Kuyateh Social media editors: Jane Anderson, Brigid Duffy, Zoë Eilers & Alissa Meredith Staff: Mara Bacig, Malaika Bigirindavyi, Max Blackburn, Joe Brandel, Sam Crary, Jada CsikosMonroe, Emma Dietz, Anna duSaire, Izzi Gilbert Burke, Raphy Gendler, Josh Halper, Kate Huber, Sydney Hall, Ruthie Hope, Will Huyck, Adam Johnson, Max Kent, Ndunzi Kunsunga, Katie Orton, Devin Raynor, Hanna Schechter, Peter Sherno & Hannah Wolk Business manager: Genesis Buckhalton
The media makes (a woman’s virginity) seem like something bad when it’s not.”
Majestic Caradine, junior
OUR PERSPECTIVE
Park must become more racially aware
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B English teacher Julianne Herbert said she wishes her seniors had the opportunity to attend the Black History Month show Feb. 29. Because of the rigor of the IB Programme and the fact that she only had approximately two months left with her students before the IB exam, she chose to miss the performance. However, it is essential for all students to attend the Black History Month show, especially those whose classes lack diversity. Herbert and many other teachers at the high school experience classes with students absent very often, because of myriad school and extracurricular activities. Though she wished she was able to bring her classes to the performance, she couldn’t sacrifice more class time and decided to put the class curriculum above the performance. The Black History Month performance featured a video about the history of prominent black leaders, ranging from Beyonce to the Black Panther Party. The show educated students who attended about topics they previously may not have understood, and created discussion regarding race issues in the Park community.
Black History Month performance educates students: Seniors Johnathan Ayele and Block celebrate during the Black History Month show. Photo Mira Swartz
The show aimed to increase awareness about issues regarding racial equality, and it is therefore important for students of all backgrounds to attend. Although many classes like Herbert’s couldn’t attend either showtime, it is essential for students to become educated on these topics in order to make progress on racial issues. Part of the video presented at the show explained the Black Panther Party’s actions, brought to the world’s attention with Be-
yonce’s performance at the Super Bowl. The video shed light on the Party’s approach to achieving racial equality, including challenging police brutality in Oakland, CA. Without attending, it is unlikely students would have access to these racial discussions, as many history classes skip learning about the Black Panther Party and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement. Teachers should not be allowed to choose whether to have their classes attend the performance.
They are required to cover the content of their classes, but it is also important to be educated about racial inequality. Attendance at the performance should be mandatory. By requiring students to attend the show, they can experience an extension of their classroom learning. All students, regardless of class rigor, should be required to attend the Black History Month performance to increase racial awareness in the Park community.
Principal: Scott Meyers Printer: Quad Graphics Adviser: Lori Keekley
MEDIA POLICIES The Echo is the official student-produced newspaper of St. Louis Park Senior High School.
How young adults 18-24 feel about virginity
It is published triweekly for the school’s students, staff and community. The Echo is a designated forum for student expression in which students make all decisions of content without prior review from school officials. The adviser will not act as a censor, but will
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on all content. The Echo will work to avoid bias and/or and content meaningful and interesting to all our readers.
say it is acceptable for someone their age to be a virgin
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 unless clearly labeled as a photo illustration.
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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.
feel respect for someone their age who is a virgin
The Echo welcomes reader input. Letters to the editor and suggestions must be signed and should be no longer than 250 words and may be emailed to slpecho@gmail.com or submitted in room C275. Emailed letters must be verified prior to publication. We will not necessarily publish all
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letters received and reserve the right ask the writer 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 and school clubs and sports. We maintain the right to reject any ads we believe to be false, misleading, inappropriate
Women’s sexual activity does not belong on a pedestal Olivia Sieff oliviasieff@slpecho.con
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advise students. Students have the final decision
favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage
Concept of virginity creates unfair standard
say they do not give virginity a second thought Source The National Campaign to End Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy Infographic Devin Raynor
ex is a common feature in society. It’s on the radio, TV and movie screens — it’s everywhere. Yet there’s a taboo surrounding virginity, specifically a woman’s virginity, that people refuse to discuss. For centuries, civilizations placed enormous emphasis on a woman’s virginity, with some cultures seeing it as a sign of innocence, and others seeing losing one’s virginity as a rite of passage. Numerous cultures highly value female virginity, sometimes even trusting it with certain religious beliefs or rituals. This is seen throughout Christianity, most prominently with the Virgin Mary, who’s virginity is highly valued. But in other societies, as in the current Western culture, a woman’s virginity separates her from her male counterparts, either making her pure or tainted — a prude or a whore. In many societies, when a girl To virginity: if we talk about it one more time I’m gonna lose it.
or harmful. The Echo does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered in these advertisements. NSPA All-American and Hall of Fame member; 2011 NSPA Print Pacemaker Finalist; 2013, 2014, 2015 National Print Pacemaker Award Recipient;
loses her virginity before marriage, she becomes a whore. People see her as impure and slutty. Society has made women believe no man wants to be with someone who “gets around.” Yet, guys have no taboo surrounding their virginity; they celebrate when they finally “become a man,” as does the rest of Western society. This creates unequal, unobtainable standards to which girls are held. Society says “if you have sex, you’re a slut, but you should still be able to put out for a guy when he wants it.” This view of a woman based solely on her sexual activity not only places unrealistic expectations in today’s age, but turns a woman into a commodity. That being said, virginity is a social construct created by society and used to hold women to a higher standard than men. This forces women to conform to what a society says they should be. Society should not judge a woman based on the status of her virginity, especially when men are not held to the same social construct. In some cultures, including some Arab and Hispanic ones, To Apple’s FBI beef: now I don’t need to know my own password.
women have to prove their virginity before and even on their wedding night in order to be considered “acceptable” brides. If a woman doesn’t “pass” this test, she’s treated as an outsider or as unfit for marriage. Societies use the existence of the hymen, the thin membrane across the vagina, as a way to prove virginity, when in fact, it can have nothing to do with sexual activity. According to Palo Alto Medical Foundation, the hymen can break or thin out by adolescence because of normal activity such as riding bikes or using tampons. Therefore, expecting a woman’s hymen to be intact by the time she’s an adult is absurd. But despite many efforts to change this concept, including many modern-day films, female sexuality is still frowned upon and suppressed. So, how does society change this long-set standard? Stop calling a girl a whore just because her hymen isn’t intact and stop viewing a woman’s virginity as more sacred than a man’s. No gender’s virginity is more valuable than another’s. Sorry Western culture, but no woman’s vagina is someone’s business or jurisdiction. To “Suburbia” exhibit: I can just drive through Minnetonka to see that.
2014, 2015 Online Pacemaker Finalist; CSPA Gold Medalist; 2013 CSPA Gold Crown; 2015 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown; 2012, 2014 CSPA Silver Crown; JEM All-State.
Art Alyssa LeMay
O.S. K.O. A.K.
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(The honors block) teaches kids what they can and can’t handle and it challenges them the first year.”
OPINIONS
Lindsey Prestholdt, sophomore
Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
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POINT COUNTERPOINT
Dispersion of block schedules creates discussion
Previously, freshmen chose between an “honors” block and “non-honors” block, each containing higher-level or regularlevel social studies, science and English classes. New freshmen will choose classes without an all-or-nothing structure.
Functionality, organization found in block scheduling
Flexibility to select classes beneficial for students’ success Students should have a voice in choosing schedule Brigid Duffy brigidduffy@slpecho.com
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t’s important to remove the honors block to give students freedom to choose their classes based on their interests. Flexibility is key to meeting every student’s needs and giving every student the means to succeed. Allowing students to choose their classes starting freshman year could provide the stepping stone to a successful track. Freshman year can be frightening on its own, without the added weight of having to choose all honors or nothing. Grouping students together in the “honors” and “non-honors” blocks further divides students and pressures them to excel in classes they may not have otherwise chosen to take, or that they may struggle in. The current all-or-nothing policy discourages students from signing up for honors and pushing themselves to excel because they may feel like they can’t perform in all of the high-level classes.
The block schedule perpetuates an achievement gap between students who choose to take higher-level classes and those who don’t. The block schedule restricts accessibility, as it places those who take all honors classes on the competitive end of the spectrum and those who don’t take honors completely at the other end. This furthers the achievement gap in that students are not given the chance to take one or two honors classes to test out whether they fit well in an upper-level class. According to ninth grade counselor Barb Nelson, with the divide of honors and support blocks, the honors block became predominantly white and the support and non-honors blocks predominantly consisted of students of color. What a student chooses to take freshman year could set their track in high school in a completely different direction. Pressure should not be put on students to take classes they aren’t ready for yet. The freedom to choose classes freshman year based on a student’s strengths and interests is important in fostering personal growth and success during a student’s high school career.
Students choose without restrictions
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Registration changes to create disorder, confusion Elise Riley eliseriley@slpecho.com
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A.P.E.S.
Honors English
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Honors Civics/ Econ.
Science 9
Civics/ Econ.
Survey of 220 freshmen at the beginning of the 201516 school year about which classes they would choose if able to select individually. Infographic Maggie Bahnson Source Barb Nelson
hough intentions behind the absolvement of the honors block may be thoughtful, this registration change will only hinder students wanting to take fastpaced, higher-level courses. The dismantling of the honors block will create dysfunctionality, as students who learn at different paces with different commitment to studies will end up in classes together. The setup of honors classes in previous years reinforced strong decision-making, as students would sign up for three classes at the same time. Students put consideration into which block they would sign up for, ensuring a well-contemplated decision. The honors block provided an accelerated group of classes for students up to the challenge, while the non-honors block allowed students wanting to move through the material at a standard pace to learn in classes where they would
Apple’s refusal to hack iPhone protects user security FBI wrongly ordered technology giant to invade privacy Peter Sherno petersherno@slpecho.com
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he FBI crossed a serious line in terms of consumer privacy when they asked Apple to unlock the iPhones of two suspected terrorists. By telling Apple to create software to extract data from personally locked iPhones, the FBI sets a dangerous precedent for digital security. The order, sent Feb. 16, crosses a line regarding individual privacy. The terrorists in question, Syed
PARK TRAIL
Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, allegedly opened fire and attempted a bombing at a holiday party in San Bernardino, California, Dec. 2, 2015, killing 14 and injuring 24 before they were killed by police. The FBI wants Apple to code new software to unlock Farook’s iPhone because it wants to know who he communicated with and what he searched leading up to the attack. This would allow the government to gain access to the private information on iPhones in the future, because once this software is made, it’s out there for good. In a testimony before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee,
Emma Dietz emmadietz@slpecho.com
Apple’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel Bruce Sewell said that district attorney Cyrus Roberts Vance plans to use this unlocking software to access 175 iPhones from unrelated cases. Many people carry around some of the most intimate details of their lives on their iPhones, from health and banking information to personal text messages and thousands of photos. The creation of this software could jeopardize people’s privacy in criminal cases and in ordinary daily life. When in the wrong hands, this software could be used by practically anyone to crack into an iPhone and extract secure information.
Someone with access to this program could see any information stored on a device without the owner’s permission. Apple’s resistance in this case doesn’t indicate that it does not cooperate with law enforcement. Apple already aided the FBI by providing important information such as the iCloud backups from Farook’s iPhone. Asking Apple to go as far as unlocking the phone, giving access to the information not included on the iCloud backups, will cause damage in the future. Apple has simply drawn a line to protect the personal safety and security of millions of people who own iPhones.
not fall behind. Both blocks allowed students to independently challenge themselves. In either block, students were allowed to stay at the same level as the classmates in the same block. Teacher communication inside each block allowed teachers to make sure they weren’t all giving tests on the same day, which greatly reduced stress on students. Teachers facilitating the same block were also able to take a team approach to communicating with struggling students. The new system will hinder the ability to easily plan and communicate. Block scheduling pushed students to succeed in all areas of study. Taking the honors block motivated students to improve upon their weaknesses if they struggled in a particular subject. Block scheduling kept students from prioritizing one block class over another, because they were all the same level. This assisted students in college preparation because they had to focus on their classes equally, creating a strong foundation in each subject. The block system benefitted students by putting them in an environment where they could learn at the level best for them.
Apple’s fight to protect privacy
286,074 iOS devices were sold in 2015 “The government is asking Apple to hack our own users.”
- Tim Cook
Infographic Mira Swartz Source Apple Inc.
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12 ENTERTAINMENT
Echo Tuesday, March 8, 2016
I’d like to go (to “Suburbia”), because it would be cool to see how our city came to be. Esther Gendler, sophomore
City highlights: Visitors explore the kitchen featured at the “Suburbia” exhibit in St. Paul. The kitchen is interactive and includes a sink, oven, refrigerator, appliances and plastic food, allowing the public to experience home life after World War II.
EXPLORE
‘SUBURBIA’
Peek into modernity: Contemporary kitchen and household appliances are displayed at the exhibit. Records and a music player are also showcased.
Minnesota History Center provides glimpse into the past Hannah Goldenberg hannahgoldenberg@slpecho.com
F
Walk through history: A ranch-style house offers a view into the post-war suburban era. The home echoes a sense of security, possibility and accomplishment present during this time.
Photos Hannah Wolk
Exhibit on wheels: A 1956 Chevrolet lets visitors discover new opportunities available to citizens in this era. The auto industry popularized parking lots, shopping malls, drive-in restaurants and movie theaters.
METRO AT A GLANCE
Mimi Fhima mimifhima@slpecho.com Photos used with permission from Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett, Julie Buffalohead, thedivergentseries.com and the Macy’s Flower Show.
or Kate Roberts, senior exhibit developer at the Minnesota History Center, walking through the Southdale Shopping Center portion of the “Suburbia” exhibit brings back memories. “I have so many memories of Southdale at so many different points in my life going there. It was really interesting for me to learn that there is a long history of that building,” Roberts said. “I think that is what we hear from a lot of our visitors — that they like going to the exhibit and then they connect with something from their own lives.” Roberts said the exhibit consists of four sections, beginning with “Building Suburbia,” where visitors walk through the construction of the suburbs. Visitors then enter “Living in Suburbia,” a model home that features the structure of family life following World War II. “Shopping in Suburbia” transports visitors to the Southdale Shopping Center when it opened in 1956. “Future of Suburbia” ex-
plores what’s next for the suburbs. “The exhibit is like all other of our exhibits in that it is sort of meant to really engage people in history through storytelling, through hands-on activities and through great objects,” Roberts said. “Specifically in this exhibit, what we want to do is take people through the time in history after World War II when many of the Twin Cities suburbs were getting developed.” According to Roberts, the exhibit intends to show visitors the desire of Minnesotans during this time period to move to the suburbs and establish a home of their own. “All the way through we are explaining how, at the time, all of these things were coming together in really both shaping people’s lives,” she said. For sophomore Kelly Thompson, the portion regarding the Southdale Shopping Center interests her because she said she enjoys to shop. “I think it would be interesting to go to see how (people) first started out shopping,” Thompson said. Roberts said she hopes “Suburbia” teaches visitors the lesson of paying attention to their environments. “I mean when you look at houses, when you look at neigh-
borhoods and when you look at Knollwood Mall, there is a reason why those things got built,” Roberts said. “This exhibit will give you a take on your community and its history.” Additionally, Roberts said she wants visitors to walk away from the exhibit reflecting on their own lives for a little bit. “I think it is important to learn about the history because when you are looking into your own future and how you want to live and Cost $6 ages 5-17 and where you want $19 for adults to live and why Where you make the choices you do, Minnesota History it is interesting to Center have information When about the choices Tuesday 9 a.m.-8 p.m. people made in the past,” RobWednesday-Saturday erts said. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thompson Source said she encourMinnesota History Center ages students to attend the exhibit to see how the landscape of the Twin Cities changed over time. “Someone would want to go to learn about the history of the area they are living in,” Thompson said. “It seems really cool to learn where you started, where the area started out and ended.”
The exhibit
March 8-May 22
March 8-April 1
March 18
March 20-April 3
The Weisman Art Museum presents “Clouds, Temporarily Visible.” This exhibit highlights cloud paintings by artist Jon Schueler. Admission to the museum is free.
As a part of the Guerrilla Girls Twin Cities takeover, the Inez Greenberg Gallery presents “Sinew: Female Native Artists of the Twin Cities.” The exhibit is free and located in Bloomington.
Summit Studio produces “Allegiant.” The third movie in the Divergent series features Shailene Woodley (Tris) and Theo James (Four). The movie plays at the Mann Theater. Prices vary.
Macy’s presents the Macy’s Flower Show, “America the Beautiful.” This event includes bouquets and gardens, celebrating main features of the American landscape. The event is free.