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FEATURES Echo Wednesday January 11, 2017
For what it’s WORTH Atticus Raasch atticusraasch@ slpecho.com
Appreciation creates new viewpoint
History Day provokes learning
It is beneficial to have free ACT classes because some people cannot afford them. Susanna Hu, sophomore Researching history: Sophomore Ryan Harnanan works on a computer researching information relating to his History Day project during his World History class Jan. 9. History Day takes place during the day Feb. 1 at Park. Minnesota state History Day occurs April 24.
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he concept of a new attitude on life had little meaning throughout my life until I was almost 13 years old. In the winter of 2012, my family joined a program called Safe Families for Children, a crisis care program designed to assist struggling families in their time of need. Members take in young children for weeks or months at a time to feed them, play with them and give them a place to call home until their guardian is able to get back on their feet. At 12 years old, I was not fully aware of what my family was doing. We babysat all the time, but when one of the kids we were taking care of stayed for over a month and through Christmas, I started to feel frustrated about what we were doing. I felt as though Christmas was a day for just our family. Why was it our job to take care of these kids? What did we have to do with it? After six different kids came through our house, I finally understood what we were doing. I realized this after overhearing my parents discussing the situation a child was in before he came to our home. This was What’s the the first POINT? time I had Recognize heard of mature, what you have and give real life issues like accordingly unemployment or homelessness. It was then I started to learn more about the program, and why it was so important. This was a slap in the face. It really opened my eyes. I, a child born into a family where I was lucky enough to not worry about basic needs, remember feeling so awful about my selfishness and my obvious ignorance. Previously, I had volunteered and worked with people far less fortunate than I, and I always felt an immense sense of pride and accomplishment during my service, so I was even more confused as to how I could possibly have felt the way I did. Today, with over 40 different kids having come in and out of my home, I always love to think about the impact that a simple realization made. The stories my mom and dad have told me about struggling parents getting back on their feet, and being able to reunite with their children never ceases to put a toothy grin on my face. Perspective is everything in life. It takes a changing view to grow as an individual and as a community so helping others never seems like an inconvenience or a chore.
Photo Alexis Machoka
Project allows research about passion Sophie Yarosh sophieyarosh@slpecho.com
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s senior Anna Zirkes brainstormed ideas for her History Day project, she said Rachel Carson came to mind because of her interest in environmental science and Park History Day hearing about her in her freshman science Feb. 1 class. St. Louis Park High Zirkes said she School wanted to research MN State Competition someone who studied in a field she is April 29 passionate about. University of Minnesota, “In college I Twin Cities really want to study environmental sciNational Competition ence, and so I really wanted to pick a June 11-15 topic that I’m inUniversity of Maryland, terested in because College Park I just think that’s Infographic Jacob Stillman easier,” Zirkes said. Source education.mnhs.org
History Day Dates
ACT practice offered through Sylvan Learning
Free prep classes offered on Tuesdays Hannah Leff hannahleff@slpecho.com
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ccording to career and college coordinator Kara Mueller, Park offered a free ACT practice test to juniors on Dec. 19 through Sylvan Learning, a tutoring and college prep organization. Mueller said Counseling intern Lauren Keyes runs an ACT prep class on Tuesdays after school for any student interested. “The actual curriculum is from (Peterson’s) but who facilitates it is our counselling intern Lauren
“I chose Rachel Carson just because I remember hearing about her in (AP environmental science) but then I just never really learned much besides that and so I wanted to dig deeper.” According to social studies department head and history teacher Carley Kregness, History Day is an annual event taking place Feb. 1 this year, where students can choose their projecttype and can work alone or with other people. “History Day is a national program where students complete a research project and they create a product that they enter in a competition,” Kregness said. “(Students) can make an exhibit, they can make a website, they can make a documentary movie, they can write a paper or create a performance.” Kregness said the History Day theme this year is “taking a stand in history.” “The goals of their presentation are to have in depth historical analysis and to relate it to a theme, and to use primary sources to help tell their story,” Kregness said. Junior Karon Adams said he thinks the History Day project benefits his learning and prepares him for the future, along with allowing him to express his creativity.
(Keyes) and so every Tuesday we pay for her to be the facilitator of the class,” Mueller said. According to junior Rachel Laing, going to the classes obligates her to study. “It’s a good way to prep for the ACT because if you go to the class it forces you to study for an hour every week,” Laing said. According to Keyes, the class is taught through an online curriculum from Peterson’s, a college and graduate school prep organization. “I think students come in thinking I’ll be standing at the front of the classroom and going over specific problems, but it is all online,” Keyes said. According to Laing, the sessions are beneficial because of the resources they offer without any expenses. “I think it’s helpful because you can take practice tests but also you can take these online courses where it reviews and teaches you each subject which is really helpful,” Laing said.
“(The project is) very informative. I’m learning a lot about Mormons,” Adams said. “What (Scott) Miller told us was it is kind of like preparing us for things we have to do for college.” Adams said he thinks History Day is beneficial to his learning because of the extensive research he is completing and the information he is gaining from his classmates. “I feel like I’m learning a lot from doing my project and seeing other people’s projects,” Adams said. “The research has been helping to dig in more.” Zirkes said History Day allows her to focus on her specific interests and learn about someone who inspires her every day. “(History Day is) a good chance to dig deeper in something that I’m passionate about outside of the classroom,” Zirkes said. Kregness said any student can participate in History Day, even if their social studies class is not participating in it. “We’ll work with anybody, they just have to let me know that they’re making a project and if they want help I’ll help them,” Kregness said. Kregness said History Day takes place during the day Feb. 1 at Park.
St.Mane
SPORTING GOODS 4159 28th Ave S. MPLS 612-722-1447 Photo Ruthie Hope
Practice tests: A Sylvan Learning representative speaks to parents about the reults of the practice ACT on Jan. 5.
Free ACT classes
When: Tuesdays after school,
Thursdays after school once 2nd semester begins Where: B225
How to attend: No need to sign up, just show up.
Infographic Genesis Buckhalton Source Kara Mueller
Keyes said after the first semester ends, the class will be on Thursdays and will be taught by Natalie Swiler, another Counseling intern.
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Using technology in the classroom helps people learn better because it is more accessible. Ethan Deetz, freshman
FEATURES
Echo Wednesday, January 11, 2017
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In the SPOTLIGHT
Senior honors grandmother Zosha Skinner changes first name in memory of relative Zosha Skinner, senior What was your name before and what is your name now? I go by Zosha right now, and then the name before that I went by was Sophia, the name on my birth certificate. How long ago did you change your name? I changed my name just at the beginning of this (school) year — August or September. Why did you change your name? There are several different factors that came into choosing my name. One of them was that there’s a plethora of Sophias all over the place. (Also), my great-grandmother used to call me Zosha, and she recently passed away this last summer, and so in honor of her memory I’m going by Zosha, the name she used to call me. In addition to that, (Zosha) is also the Polish version of Sophia and my greatgrandmother was Polish. Are you planning on changing your name legally? Yes, it just costs money, so I haven’t done it yet. Have their been any challenges? Not really, just with people who I’ve known for a really long time. I’m not going to get mad and throw a rampage if they don’t call me Zosha, but they’ve had a hard time because they’ve called me Sophia for years.
Used with permission from Michael Skinner
Family ties: Senior Zosha Skinner enjoys time with her late great-grandmother Frances Maki. Zosha took her greatgrandmother’s name after her passing to honor her and her Polish heritage. Was it a hard transition? No, I was actually really surprised. I think it’s because there are so many people who go through changes with their gender that people are really used to transitioning with that type of name thing. So it was actually surprising to me that the switch over was so easy and everybody just respected that I was going by Zosha and started calling me by that name. It’s really cool. Are you glad you changed your name? I am glad that I changed it because I feel like it’s a name that really suits me. Your parents give you a name and then that name kind of is a container for who you are as a person for a really long time. I feel like both my brother and I chose to change our names, he now goes by Elliot instead of Sam and now I’m going by Zosha instead of Sophia, because I feel like it is a description of who you are as a person.
Were you surprised by how others reacted? I was surprised by how others reacted. I thought it would be really difficult since I’ve been at this school for (over two) years now, (and) that it would be difficult for people to begin calling me Zosha. But it wasn’t difficult for anybody at all, everyone was very respectful and started using the name that I had suggested right away. What is one of your favorite memories with your great-grandmother? I got this book that was supposed to be all about her, so it had questions in it about her past. I sat with her for like half a day and just filled out this book and she told me all about her life growing up on a farm, and her parents and cousins and the games that she used to play. Nicole Sanford nicolesanford@slpecho.com
Teachers recognized for use of technology
TIES Exceptional Teachers awarded to Park staff Nicole Sanford nicolesanford@slpecho.com
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ith the availability of alternate teaching styles, Park teachers Lisa Yepes and Christine Tvrdik were recognized for technology use in their classrooms. According to Superintendent Rob Metz, two teachers from Park won the Technology and Information Education Services (TIES) Exceptional Teachers Award this past year. “The TIES organization, a technology education organization in Minnesota, honors teachers from across Minnesota at their state conference each year who are exceptional users of technology,” Metz said. Park special education teacher Christine Tvrdik said the use of technology every day contributed to her receiving the award. “I think the biggest thing is having the SMART Board in the class, we use that pretty much daily,” Tvrdik said. “Also, in the last couple of years SLP schools got Gmail accounts for students. I really pushed that with my class to do more, not only learning new skills around emailing and social media, but also just doing assignments.” According to Lisa Yepes, a K-5 Spanish teacher at Aquila Elementary School, the TIES Exceptional Photo Nathaniel Sturzl Teachers Award recognizes teachers who actively Teach it: Special education teacher Christine Tvrdik writes on the use technology to help them teach in their everyday whiteboard. She has a SMART board she uses to teach her students. classroom.
“From what I understand, (the TIES Award is) based on that you use technology a lot because TIES is a group that’s all about educational technology and incorporating technology in the classroom,” Yepes said. Yepes said although she uses technology with students everyday she did not expect to win the award. “I had no idea,” Yepes said. “I’ve just found that (technology is) the most helpful tool for me to teach language. (It’s a) much more interactive and fun way to learn vocabulary and to be able to learn phrases to speak to each other. I use it every class, every day basically.” One of Tvrdik’s special education students, senior Bre Dickens, said Tvrdik’s use of technology makes her class enjoyable. “She is the best teacher in the world and I love her,” Dickens said. “I like math because she teaches me (and students) like the white board and the iPads. We learned to send emails and do photo stuff.” Tvrdik said her motivated students make teaching enjoyable. “I have the best students in the school, they just make my job easy because they’re excited about learning,” Tvrdik said. “(My students) are pretty excited anytime (learning) involves computers or technology.” Metz said the teachers who won the award deserve the title. “(The winners) both found creative ways to use technology that benefit their kids and were nominated by their principals,” Metz said. “I’m proud of them and they deserve their honor for sure.”