Issue 5, June 1

Tuesday, June 1, 2021 Volume 94 Issue 5 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426

INSIDE

4

Graduation to be in-person

12 Synchro heads to State

16

Review: Olivia Rodrigo new album ‘Sour’

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS Tuesday, June 1, 2021 ECHO

slpecho St. Louis Park Echo The St. Louis Park Echo St. Louis Park Echo Echo Newspaper

STAFF LIST Editors-in-chief !"#$"%&$''"()*%+%,"--$)% ./0(11) Managing editors: 2"3*$)#%4"5#"6%+%&$##7% .1*"108"6 Photo editors: 966"%:)6$'0);<%9337%=*)'1> 0?#-1%+%97)#)1%=*?11"' Design editors:%.?50$)%&$@$6A'1?6%+%B887% =)"*'?6 Copy editors: 9-"8%2$5'<%!)6C$6%27"#> -"1'"6A<%D?0"66"%4"5#"6%+%B#)6"%E*1$C>F$'0> 8"6 News editor: !?3$"'%40"3$) Features editor: D"7-)%G#"('')6 96-*)"%,)#)"* In-Depth editor: ,?##7%./0?/0)1% Sports editor: 4"1)%./06)$-)* Opinion editor: ,"*$"%=)*)C>:"**$A" Assistant opinions editor: 9$'0"%H)*'$ Entertainment editor: :)6%."6I?*Business editor: ."8%.J$'0)* Web editor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rinter: N?*10%.1"*%,)-$" Adviser: &?*$%4));#)7 Awards: NSPA Hall of Fame member; 2011,

2016, 2017 NSPA Print Pacemaker finalist; 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020 National Print Pacemaker Award recipient; 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 Online Pacemaker; 2013, 2015, 2016 CSPA Gold Crown; 2015 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown; 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 CSPA Silver Crown; JEM All State.

Editors

NOTE

W

e are so happy to present you with our final edition of the Echo newsmag for the 2020-21 school year.

While this year has been full of ups and downs, we hope we were able to keep you up to date on the events in our community and the constantly changing state of our world.

Taking on the role of chief was not something we had been prepared to do during a pandemic. Not being able to print for the majority of the school year was an additional struggle. Engaging with the student body and staff is a vital part of Echo, and trying to find ways to communicate with our audience was a struggle. However, we are so thankful we were able to get out a few print editions before the end of the year.

Changing from a newspaper to newsmagazine was an additional challenge, but one that proved to be worth it.

The newfound creativity in our designs has been a great outlet for many staffers during an incredibly challenging year. We were happy to hear positive feedback about our new format as well from people around the school.

In our last edition, we will wrap up with the memorial of George Floyd at the high school May 25 on page 5, and plans for Graduation on page 4.

The long-awaited senior spread will go from pages 7 to 10, listing the post secondary plans of every senior that we could get in contact with.

As always, we want to remind students and staff to know that their voice is what we aim to honor with our coverage. Any issues with a lack of coverage or a problem with the way in which something has been covered are always encouraged to be brought to us. It is always our goal to work with our peers to uplift their voices.

Photo: Kate Schneider Last Echo trip: Seniors Maddie Schutte and Talia Lissauer pose in front of the U.S. Capitol Nov. 20, 2019.

There is still time to apply to join Echo for next fall.

Applications can be found outside of C363 and are due June 8. We encourage anyone with an interest in writing, videography, photography, design and more to join Echo.

We strive to be a welcoming community, and we would love to have you.

And finally, we would like to congratulate the new editorial staff for next year. We are confident that we will leave Echo in great hands, and are so proud of how much everyone has grown since joining staff.

Media

POLICIES

T

he Echo is the official student-produced news media of St. Louis Park Senior High School. It is published 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 advise students. Students have the final decision on all content.

The Echo will work to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful and interesting to all our readers.

We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy.

We will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph unless clearly labeled as a photo illustration.

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

Want your voice heard?

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. administration as a whole.

The Echo welcomes reader input. Emailed letters must be verified prior to publication.

We will not necessarily publish all letters received and reserve the right to 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 or harmful.

The Echo does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered in these advertisements.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ECHO Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Table of

CONTENTS

3

NEWS Photo Abby Prestholdt

4 Graduation to be in-person

Performing: Freshman Mae Turman poses in her solo performance May 18.

5 Community honors George Photo Oliver Smith

FEATURES 6

7

strives to educate community In-Depth: Spreading our wings

13 comes to an end

12

Synchro heads to State

ENTERTAINMENT

OPINIONS

SPORTS 11

Speak up: Freshman Myriah Humphrey responds to another student during the George Floyd memorial May 25.

14

COVID-19 restrictions bring hope Point counterpoint: Assassins raises safety concerns

15

rated movies

16

Rodrigo new bad aftertaste

JOIN ECHO Want to do art, design, photography, podcasts, videography or write for Echo?

an application to join our

4

“

NEWS Tuesday, June 1, 2021 ECHO

to normal, and it’d be fun to actually have an somewhat normal Graduation.”

Marcos Alvarez, senior

WEB PREVIEW SCAN TO VIEW QR code Photo: Anna Benishek

Dakota-Edgewood bridge to feature Native artwork The new Dakota-Edgewood bridge is set to feature pieces from Dakota artists, as well as artwork from Peter Hobart students. The bridge is predicted to be completed in the fall.

SCAN TO VIEW

Art Sophie Livingston

Minnesota keeps all 10 votes After the 2020 census results came back, Minnesota was able to keep its 10 electoral votes by a mere 26 residents. While most states’ votes stayed the same, California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia all lost votes.

SCAN TO VIEW

Photo: Tobias Khabie

Walz removes mask mandate Gov. Tim Walz announced May 14 that the state-wide mask mandate that has been in place since July is now lifted. The announcement came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced May 13 fully vaccinated people were not required to wear masks.

Tip: scan QR codes by opening phone camera and hover over the code For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho

Graduation to be in-person Students thankful for more tradtional ceremony Molly Schochet mollyschochet@slpecho.com File photo Anna Benishek

A

fter an unprecedented year, senior Kristi Thompson said she is glad she and her classmates will be able to celebrate their graduation in-person.

“It’s nice because for a lot of people graduation is a really big thing, and it’s a big accomplishment that we got through high school, and whatever people are doing next year,” Thompson said.

As new COVID-19 guidelines come out assistant principal Jessica Busse said she is working to see how they will affect COVID-19 guidelines at Graduation.

“We are working with the Minnesota Department of Health to figure out all the requirements and as things change, we are trying to change with them,” Busse said.

Graduation will be June 8 at the stadium. Each student will be given a total of eight tickets

Congratulations: Graduate Morgan Graves walks across the stage to receive her Ceremonial Diploma June 23, 2020. to invite loved ones and friends to the ceremony. In order to stay, graduates and guests will be asked to social distance and wear masks at all times.

Having in-person Graduation not only affects students but also to their families, Thompson said.

“I feel like for a lot of kids, Graduation is super important and so having this opportunity is wonderful for them,” Thompson said.

Even though Park has increased the amount of tickets from two to eight, senior Erik Perez still feels like that is not enough for some students who have bigger families.

“I honestly don’t like the fact that it’s only eight tickets because I have like my whole family and it’s a bunch of them. It’s like 16 to 18 people that are coming,” Perez

said.” “So it’s pretty hard to bring everyone along.

Perez said he is excited to graduate to start the next chapter of his life. “(I am excited to be) able to go on with the second part of my life and being able to tell other people that I was able to do what many can’t,” Perez said. “It’s very, I wouldn’t say inspiring, but it’s like a compliment for me.”

After a year like she has never seen before, Busse said she is looking forward to being able to watch the senior class celebrate their accomplishments.

“I’m excited to be on the field together, and will be able to have their Graduation that they want ...

Everybody talks about their graduation, the class of 2020 missed out on that experice,” Busse said.

Important Dates for Seniors June 2

June 4

June 8

June 9

Cap and gown pick up

Senior sunset

Graduation

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

Diploma pickup

Time determinded by last name

DESIGN BY

Jacob Khabie & Andrea Melear

“

I feel like (students) really got the chance to understand what the severity and the impact of what actually happened. And I hope that most of them got impacted or more than most of them got impacted.”

NEWS ECHO Tuesday, June 1, 2021

5

Symone Morrison, junior

Round of Applause: Seniors Hannah Howell and Sadie Yarosh and freshman Josie Bohrod applaud a speaker during the George Floyd anniversary memorial organized

by SOAR. The memorial took place May 25.

Stand up: Freshman Calvin Zimmerman watches as freshman Ruth Kanyinku responds to another student.

Photo Armoni Monroe

George Floyd square: Community members gathered at George Floyd square on the one-year anniversary of his death.

Photo Oliver Smith

Community honors George Floyd on anniversary SOAR hosts school-wide assembly in auditorium Talia Lissauer & Jacob Khabie talialissauer@slpecho.com jacobkhabie@slpecho.com

A

fter a large number of students showed up to the George Floyd memorial, freshman Calvin Zimmerman said he felt it was crucial to continue to hold conversations to improve society.

“We can’t stay silent, especially as people of color we can’t stay silent. We have to speak what’s on our mind and speak out against things that are wrong,” Zimmerman said.

On May 25, the club Students Organized for Anti-Racism (SOAR) held a reflection and memorial assembly honoring George Floyd one year after his murder at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Students were invited to speak, and to answer prompts given by SOAR. DESIGN BY

Tobias Khabie & Talia Lissauer

While she came as a way to discuss and listen to student perspectives on racism in school, after hearing a student say he felt it was selfish for protesters to riot, freshman Myriah Humphrey said she decided to speak because she did not agree. She said it made her happy to hear all the students that stuck together in response to that comment.

“I’m here because I am tired of all this racism going on and (how) it is affecting our schooling,” Humphrey said.

Even after the student spoke to clarify his point, his comment motivated many students to speak about the value of a human life, which Zimmerman said he appreciated due to the number of people who spoke up.

“Because of (the comment), we got more people to speak up about the situation and actually speak their truth which is what we’re always for, first and foremost,” Zimmerman said.

For the final part of the memorial, everyone took a 9 minute and 29 second moment of silence, repre-

senting the amount of time Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd’s neck. According to senior Olivia Krueger, this moment was an appropriate way to end. “(The moment of silence) made everyone uncomfortable, and that’s what we all needed,” Krueger said.

Even though she hasn’t seen much of a change in the year since Floyd’s death, Humphrey said she would like to see a major change to the education system. “(I would like to see) better education, more history about Black history, they need to feel comfortable to talk about color,” Humphrey said.

One prompt given by SOAR facilitators asked students how they want to see Park hold itself accountable. Moving forward, Zimmerman would like to see Park staff members speak about racism in classrooms, without needing guidance from administration in order to do so. “(I’d like to see) teachers not just reading off of scripts but talking from their heart, expressing how they feel about these situations,” Zimmerman said.

6

WHAT’S THE POINT Going maskless is freeing Gabriel Kaplan gabrielkaplan@slpecho.com

I

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FEATURES Tuesday, June 1, 2021 ECHO

knew the pandemic was coming to an end when she sneezed into my mouth.

I had just finished shopping at Costco.

She was the cashier and I was the customer, both vaccinated and both maskless.

We were schmoozing over olive oil when she spewed tens of thousands of little droplets into my face after failing to cover.

It was disgusting, I won’t lie, but also a reminder of how far we have come in the last year. Mass vaccination gives us the chance to hold these normal conversations again — and to get sneezed and coughed on. A trade I’m more than happy to make after a year of hyper-vigilance and isolation.

The Costco visit, along with maskless strolls through Trader Joe’s and Target, felt tantamount to crossing the coronavirus finish line. It was relieving to feel like a normal person again. However, I still found myself glaring at other maskless What’s the shoppers out of habit and caught a POINT? few frowns myself.

Enjoy your That is to be expectvaccine ed, though. It took and drop months to habituate to masked life, and the face it will take many covering more months to emerge from it.

I know plenty who struggle to accept the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ruling the vaccinated can lose their masks, which is understandable. But this is freedom! If you have been inoculated, you are as safe as you are ever going to be. New strains may emerge, yes. The unvaccinated are still at risk, yes. But that is out of our control. Let the man-baby anti-vaxxers risk their own lives and enjoy your newfound safety from the virus. Your young family and friends who cannot yet get the shot are at low risk of serious illness, so there is no reason to fret. (Of course, they should still throw on a face covering).

Going forward, I plan to mask up from time to time. I haven’t been sick since the pandemic began, in part due to ubiquitous face coverings. I also very much enjoy not getting sneezed at. But when I’m with friends and family or grabbing a meal or at college next year, I can’t wait to go mask and COVID-19 free.

I think (the anti-racist book club) is a great opportunity to learn about things we wouldn’t neccessarily learn about in other places in school.”

Noam Halpern, freshman

Anti-racist book club strives to educate community Club reads “How to be Antiracist” Anna Benishek annabenishek@slpecho.com

J

uniors Semona Robel and Jack Westrup founded the anti-racist book club in hopes of offering new perspectives on race and identity to students in the community.

According to Westrup, the objective of the anti-racist book club is to provide students with different points of views about racism and captialism.

“The purpose of our club is to educate people on an anti-racist prepective from an anti-captialist perspective because I believe the two go hand and hand,” Westrup said.

“The material we’re going over right now is actually ‘How to be an Antiracist’ and it ties directly into those goals.”

Robel said they started the book club to help the community grow to become open-minded and maintain a safe environment to acquire information.

“We did it mainly because we wanted to see change in our school and our community in general. With everything going on in Minnesota with the death of George Floyd and Daunte Wright, we noticed this trend of people not educating themselves,” Robel said. “We thought that it would be a great idea to sort of provide that space for people to learn and discuss.”

Junior Gracia Rettig said it’s a great environment to talk about controversial topics and be open to different opinions.

“Having a space like this, judgment

Photo illustration Anna Benishek free, where we’re just all kind of coming to learn and understand better is super healthy and super productive,” Rettig said.

“It’s also helpful to be reading the book because then it’s different and it’s not just hearing people talk to you.”

According to Robel, having clubs like this is beneficial for Park and the community to educate people about racism.

“St. Louis Park is a fairly liberal area and fairly diverse,” Robel said. “A lot of schools near us don’t necessarily have that diversity and it’s harder for them to actually understand racism, anti-racism and capitalism and the way the two sort of interact with each other. And it’s really important to learn about those two things.”

According to Westrup, having the anti-racist book club is important to have

The current book “How to be an Antiracist” Ibram X. Kendi

out how one can counteract individual and systemic instances of racism and whitesupremacy throughout their life.

in schools because it introduces people to a new standpoint.

“I felt that it would be a good counterpart to SOAR, not only because we’re educating people, but because it also kind of ties into it,” Westrup said.

Robel said it’s necessary to educate everyone about these topics and hopes her club will grow within the community.

“I feel like I’m making a difference. It might not be a huge thing now or this year but (I) certainly wish it continues to grow, and establish itself in the community,” Robel said. “I truly think that it’s really important for not only high school kids, but also younger children as well to get a anti-racist education. I only hope it continues to grow, and we just continue to make a difference.”

Scan to follow the anti-racist bookclub Instagram Use phone camera to scan QR code

Infographic Gabriel Kaplan Source Semona Robel Art Emmy Pearson

DESIGN BY Grace Schultz

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IN-DEPTH ECHO Tuesday, June 1, 2021

I’m going to school in Chicago, which is a big city, so I’m excited to experince somewhere else and a bigger enviorment where I can meet more people.

7

Maya Lee, senior

Spreading our wings The future of Park seniors

Midwest

Photo Ayelet Prottas Cheer: Seniors Zoe Bohrod, Raegan Alexander, Kendall Coley, Sadie Yarosh, Faith Johnson and Maya Betzer pose while cheering for Park’s football team.

The University of Iowa

The College of St. Scholastica

Jade Shionoya

Elijah Seehof-Flory

Indiana

Kansas

Yaakov Koby Davis

Illinois

Cailee Byrd Ella Atlas Greta Kulevsky

Jamillah Berry Anavey Jean Hosack Maryam Abdirahman

Ashley Rodriguez

Michigan

Marcos D. Alvarez Maya Lee

Samuel Swisher

Ryan Barnett

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Indiana University Bloomington

Aurora University Depaul University Dominican University Illinois Institute of Technology

University of Kansas

Hillsdale College Michigan Technical University Mark Gabel

Macy Martinson

Elizabeth Grassley Jack Fredrickson

Abigail Meyer

Minnesota

Ariana Catania Andrews

Helen Tefera Alanna Lisa Franklin Stecy Darlens Adelin Alena Michelle Jaranilla Janiah Davis Rahwa Berhane Tegest Muluken Asmare

Lake Forest College Northern Illinois Univeristy Isabelle Segal

University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign Elliot Salmon

Iowa

Augsburg University

Drake University

Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Minneapolis

Davis Bye Oliver Macdonald

Janett Bekius Grace Kanyinku

Isabella Steward

Leah Recknagel Justin Colon

Grinnell College Iowa State University Megan Lynn Raatz

Luther College

Bemidji State University Carleton College

Sophie Lydia Yakes

Elizabeth Madigan Gabriel Kaplan

I’sis Brown

Abdifatah Said

North Iowa Area Community College

Century College

Concordia University, St. Paul

Dunwoody College of Technology Jordan Moore Gooden Cameron Donahue Cristian Musito Garcia Julian Hollins

Gustavus Adolphus College Elizabeth Orton Michael Broad Darbi Shae Beebe

Hamline University Jamie Enright Erick Gabriel Perez-Tigre Faith Acacia Johnson Lily Pearson Hamsa Abdirisak Osman

Hennepin Technical College Angel Diaz Carter Johnson

Macalester College Anna Jensen Zoe Frank

Minneapolis Community and Technical College Pistis Lokenye Ashuema Andrea Martinez Casey Hunter John Garcia-Valle Ayub Idiris Hassan Abdibasid Abdi Miski Ali Amal Muhidin Ali Cynthia Bjornrud Vasquez Muna Abdullahi Sharif

Nayeli Martinez

Minneapolis College of Art and Design Gabrielle Beilke

Minnesota State University - Mankato Olivia Krebs Jackson Thoe Ty’Shawn Lyons Benjamin Joseph Katzovitz Brynn Langaard

Minnesota State University-Moorhead Zachary James Anderson Julia Herring Raegan Alexander Chloe Flynn Rosalina Sanchez

Normandale Community College Samuel Ortiz Fishman Cole Smith Ikram Osman Dayton Rowland Joelle Jean Sheffield Gavriela Channah Silberfarb Drew Boyum De’vale Lashawn Wesson-Kirk Ebo Mohamed Ladan Abduraham Ismail ZamZam Shafi

North Central University Lydia Hammond

North Hennepin Community College Roselyne Iwundu Abdullahi Moalim

St. Mary’s University Derric Standifer

St. Olaf College Fynn Hammer Maria Perez-Barriga Lillian Strathman

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IN-DEPTH Tuesday, June 1, 2021 ECHO

St. Louis Park has taught me a lot of valuable lessons, and I feel like I am ready to take what Park has taught me and apply it to the real world.

Ellie Keller, senior

2021 Valed

Play hard: Senior Tyshawn Lyons dribbles toward the hoop for a contested layup Jan. 21. Park lost to Cooper 78-61.

Emma Amon Joshua Krueger Thorwald Anderson Elizabeth Madigan Keely Berntsen Photo Jane Pupeza Set for success: SLP girls Volleyball celebrates after scoring another point against Bloominton Kennedy during the Oct. 13 match. Park won Photo Henry Harper

St. Paul College

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Nimo D Abdullahi

Carina Lopez Segura Isaac Adrian Alexander Ruiz Shimada Iqra Abdi Thorwald Anderson Katherine Casey Maxwell James Gohman Sophia Anne Livingston Elizabeth Kniser Jacob Holm Levi Larson Gabrielle Kruse Joshua David Krueger Hattie Watts Heiland Ayan Hassan Colby Hoeschen Nicholas Henry Perszyk Zachary Samuel Segal Zaid Abdullahi Yusuf Claire Grace Diamond-Wheeler Leo Dworsky Ruth Erist Evan Nelson Suhabe Jama Liam O’Gara Kathryn Elizabeth Gage Daniel Walsh Abigail Prestholdt Ari Ben Braverman Benjamin Cantor Diriye Osman John Harrison Kroells Clayton Horstman Olson Jason Chu Benjamin St. Clair Charles Youngren Samewel Nyagaka

St. Cloud Technical & Community College Melisa Quiroz Dominguez

St. Catherine University Samira Mohamed

St. Cloud State Univeristy Nayeli Tinoco Vazquez Dare Kroeten

St. Johns University Kathryn Schug

St. Thomas University Mike J Omalanga Luca Giovannelli Josie Lynn Briant Grace Elizabeth Loveland Samiya Mohamed Raquel Wallin Elizabeth Miller Madeleine Grace Schutte Evelyn Gutzke Owen Rounds

Transisitons Plus Devan Alderson Amanda Donnay

University of Minnesota - Crookston Ellen Payne

University of Minnesota - Duluth Sean Hanson-Brown Maxwell Wyatt Ivy Houts Olivia Nelsen Caleb Stokes Jarielyz Lopez-Barrera

University of Minnesota - Morris Ethan Matthew Schmitz Iris Ann Wallestad

Badhasa Wako Yaakov Aaron Buchbinder Alexander Staib Izra D. Bereket Evelyn Carolina Burgara Lara Filsan Mahdi Omar Sadiq Suleiman Ran Joseph Quinn McIndoo

Julia Salita Jonah Smith Maya Betzer Keely Berntsen Esther Putzier Lily Metzler

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Ohio

Jasper Hoff Lucy Zumbrunnen Marissa Boettcher

Sadie Yarosh

Missouri

Benjamin Sanford

Noah Orloff

Nebraska

Carly Joseph

The Ohio State University Otterbein University

University of Nebraska Lincoln Kendall Coley Brianna Dahl

Nebraska Wesleyan University Phoebe McKinney

Gregrurich Plumbing Colby Wessling

Wisconsin

Northland College

Washington University Southeast Missouri State University

North Dakota

North Dakota State University Courtney Hanson Natasha Thompson Malayah Griffin

University of North Dakota Mohammad Azem

South Dakota

Audrey Long

Augustana University

Madigan Doherty

South

St. Norbert College Marquette University Selene Olmen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Connor Coleman

Flordia

Kristi Thompson Ella Weinmann Anna Benishek Evangelos Koronaios Arylin Nord

University of Tampa

Bella Kaplan Emmy Pearson

Clark Atlanta University

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Olivia Lainsbury

Georgia

University of Georgia Lauren Whiteman Aminah Kamara

Ben Kath Oliv Jac Dan Ann

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IN-DEPTH ECHO Tuesday, June 1, 2021

I am studying for a bachlors degree in music and English. Music has always been really important to me, and I am majoring in English becuase acadamia is very important and I want to continue my education. “

Leo Dworsky, senior

dictorians

njamin Cantor herine Casey via Etz ck Fredrickson niel Goldenberg na Jensen

Act: Seniors Annica Schultz and Phoebe McKinney rehearse their lines for the fall musical last year, “legally Blonde. This past year’s production of “Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play” is now available to stream.

Gabriel Kaplan Elizabeth Kniser Dahlia Krebs Julia Salita Kathryn Schug

Atlanta Technical College HeavenLee Henderson

Savannah State Mykayla Balsimo

Mississippi

Alcorn State University T’Naye Griffin

Texas

Rice University Daniel Goldenberg

West Oregon

Photo

Utah

University of Utah Olivia Etz

Arizona

Arizona State University

Fashion Institute of Technology - NYC Mira Malka

Massachusetts Boston University Talia Lissauer

Europe

Kaylee Quick

Coltrane Kanne

Maine

Military

Zoe Madison Bohrod Michael Lamontt Boxley-Harmon Anna Holden Elizabeth Keller Rachel Stein

Ella Slaby

Guilford College

Airforce

Ainsley Preston Pepperall

Miles Massie

North Carolina

Marines

University of Arizona

Colorado

University of Colorado-Boulder

Bowdoin College

North Carolina A&T State University Hannah Howell Lauryn Hill

Maddie Olson

Lily Johnson

Liberty Power

Vermont

John Falzone

East

Eden Swartz

Claire Bargman

Washington DC

California

Isabel Gredler

University of Oregon University of Puget Sound

University of San Diego Emma Heinzen

Anna Bauer

George Washington University

New Jersey

Hayden Zheng

Stevens Institute of Technology

Tamar Gewirtz

New York

Helen Krull

Erin Brousseau

Samantha Michelle Herrera Reyes

Kate Schneider

Stanford University University of California - Los Angeles University of California - Santa Cruz El Camino College

Midreshet Lindenbaum Dahlia R. Krebs

Emmanuel College-Boston

United States Air Force Academy

Meredith Reise Elizabeth Hodges Emma Brown Maya Halpern

Israel

Isabella Lien Olivia Krueger Maia Lane Seidel Mikayla Tomasko Austin Timothy Amelse

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Lewis & Clarck College

McGill University Henry Brettingen

Leah Richardson

Syracuse University Fordham University

University of Vermont

Virgina

University of Virgina Emma Amon

Pennsylvania

Penn State University Lucille Jensen

Abroad Canada University of Manitoba Ciera Skelly

Denzel Thomas Jonathan Galt Peterson

Undecided Megan Hoenie Tiara Jackson Nicholas Lanoux Benjamin David Hamm Rodolfo Zarate Jr. Sabirin Gayre Asad Mohamed Kahrder Lynelle Schmitt Benjamin Lubka Ryan Brodie Shepherd Shanelle Jackson Musab Abdulle Siachintatu Akawak Umukhayr Ali Ayuub Ahmed Aidan Hartnett Malik Plourde Josiah Wright Rodo Abdallah Shire Bario Andrew Grossman Marcos Tapia Vizcarra

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IN-DEPTH Tuesday, June 1, 2021 ECHO

I always knew I wanted to go to college, and it has always been encourged so I looked for colleges in the area and with reciprocity to Minnesota and then chose my favorite.

Plans by Percentages out of all seniors in spread (362)

Midwest 56.9% West 6.9% East 4.1% South 1.9% Gap Year 7.5% Working 2.2%

Military 0.8% Athletics 1.1% Abroad 1.1% Undecided 6.1% Unknown 11.3%

Kristi Thompson, senior

Attendence by region Midwest 81.4%

West 9.9%

East 5.9%

South 2.8%

out of all students attending college in the U.S (253)

Unknown Foziya Ahmed Reynell Randle Nimco Hussein Hassan Uthman Adam Mohammad Rafat Rizeq Hope Nyokabi Kihanya Miguel Salas Rea John Alex Truelson Aaliyah Brown Jalen Jamar Witherspoon Latareona Imani Brocks Mekhi Scurlock Billie Davenport Riley Golden Jocelyn Herrarte Navas Gavin Koenen Robert Hetland Hawa Mahamed Ethiopia Haile Kebede David Smith Daniel Tarrios Cazales Miguel Valenzuela Ramirez Anny Mai Raven Wilburn Abyan Moge Bushra Muse Elizabeth Ortiz Muna Ibrahim Kendall Donelson Paris Johnson Jr. Darrian Ka Yehoshua Leib Leahy Lucas Lee

Trinity Leiran Xiomara Leon Vega Ziham Mahamed Yasir Mohamed Victoria Palma Juarez Theodore Thalhuber Matthew Tucker Jr Sophia Francesca Wasvick

Gap Year Alexa David Matthew Powell William Hoikka Steven Applequist Julia Rauchman Spencer Kastl Cole kaupang Mars Matisse Alenea Green Isela Perez-Kauhaihao Grace Schultz Jayde Claussen Samuel Baudhuin John Robb Gary Hitt III Isaac Scott Owen Theodore Christiansen Eastyn Samoy Clara DeForge Brandon Lee Antwon Dionta Lymas Jr Nehemie Ngeleka Miteo Rochelle Jania Jackson

Raina Golda Kronfeld Kylie Marie Furuli Emily Turnquist Hannah Lyubeznik Andrew Thanh Fung Zachary Affeldt Grace Hanson Abraham Rincon Montes Luke Friederichsen Raizl Borg

Infographics Molly Schochet & Emmy Pearson

Athletics North American Hockey League Corpus Christi IceRays Jack Matthew Wandmacher

Fairbanks Ice Dogs McCabe Dvorak Samuel Berry

Manitoba Junior Hockey League DauphinKings Lucas Hand

Working Andrea Revolorio-Beltran Cristina Garcia Carlos Acevedo Saavedra James Peterson Suelie Isabell Yang Kia Vang Adin Elijah Zweigbaum Nydia Murphy

Information provided by Counsling through Instagram Direct Messages and email.

This spread was orginized by Molly Schochet & Emmy Pearson

“

SPORTS ECHO Tuesday, June 1, 2021

We reached seventh seed in Sections, which is pretty good for us. Everyone did pretty well, stayed positive. We had a positive record.”

Johnny Falzone, senior

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OUT OF THE PARK Challenges of playing two sports

Anna Benishek annabenishek@slpecho.com

A Photo Henry Harper Ready: Junior Liam Rapp sets himself up in ready position in order to receive the serve in the game May 21. Park ended up losing the match 7-0 against Blake.

Photo Henry Harper Hit it: Junior Robert Perelman serves a ball to score in his match May 21.

Boys’ tennis season comes to an end Park loses to Blake 7-0 in Sections match Henry Harper henryharper@slpecho.com

A

fter many matches and practices, the boys tennis team played its last match May 21. Junior James Vournakis said the team played to its strengths, regardless of the outcome.

“It was our last match and we knew we were playing some of the best kids in the state. Even though we technically lost badly, we played to our ability. I’m proud of us for that,” Vournakis said.

Junior Marcus Hosfield said there was very little the team could do to win. He said tennis isn’t a sport of many upsets, and the better team almost always wins.

“We put in a lot of effort today. Even though the scoreboard doesn’t show that, we did. I’m happy with how we all played regardless,” Hosfield said.

Coach David Breitenbucher said he’s proud of the team’s performance, and the match was excellent practice that prepared them for the next level of tennis.

“Blake is a really, really, good tennis team, and we knew that coming into it. I’m not mad by any means at how we played at all. They’re some of the best in the state, and it showed the guys what the next level is,” Breitenbucher said.

With the season now over for boys’ tennis, Vournakis said the team had a

DESIGN BY Talia Lissauer

great season overall, and he’s never been on a team that improved so much in one season.

“We’re a pretty new team with a good amount of new players. This year I saw all of them try their best to get as good as they could, and I feel it showed. I’m super proud and happy of how this season went overall,” Vournakis said.

Hosfield said he felt very accomplished over the season, and believes many of his teammates feel the same way.

“At the end of the day tennis is an individual sport. Without the time and practice you put in on your own, you won’t see the results you want. With all that being said, I feel like this year’s team put in the work and it showed,” Hosfield said.

Breitenbucher said regardless of the game’s outcome they ended in a good place.

“We ended at the seven seed, which is really good for Park. We’re playing teams way bigger than us so seventh is actually really good. But as a coach, the standings aren’t what I’m most proud of,” Breitenbucher said.

“Through this whole season I’m the most proud of the players’ attitudes. All of them come to every practice with a smile, work their butts off to get better and do it everyday,” he said.

Vournakis said with tennis now over, his plans for the summer remain the same, to practice and get ready for next year.

“The season for tennis is very short.

We only get seven weeks to come play for the team, if we don’t practice regularly we won’t be able to compete for next year.

Through these next few months I know I’ll be practicing a lot and I’m sure I can speak for others when I say they will as well,” Vournakis said.

Brietenbucher said he’s going to encourage play during the offseason.

“During this next offseason we need the guys to be hitting a lot. Tennis has a really short season, so without the time and effort put in over summer, there’s really limited growth the guys can make.

With that being said I know the guys will organize together and play a bunch as they’re all really into the game,” Breitenbucher said.

“It was our last match and we knew we were playing some of the best kids in the state. Even though we technically lost badly, we played to our ability and I’m proud of us for that.”

James Vournakis, junior

s the ultimate season started up this year, I debated joining. Ever since freshman year, I’ve been eager to be a part of the team, however, soccer has held me back from playing.

With the circumstance of COVID-19, my other responsibilities were less demanding and since it’s my senior year, it was the right time to finally play ultimate.

Compared to playing soccer, ultimate is a completely different experience on and off the field. The concepts of both sports are similar because we’re cutting all the time and making runs, but the environment of ultimate is positive and laid-back.

Everyone is supportive of one another, even players from the opposing team. For example, if the other team scores a point on us, we congratulate them. I have never experienced this once in soccer, so it was a bit of a surprise What’s the to me. This creates POINT? a positive culture Finding that includes evbalance eryone no matter what. between Balancing both sports sports can be a bit tricky and sometimes the schedules conflict with each other, but somehow I make it work. Having the chance to do ultimate during my senior year has been the best choice. Throughout the season, I’ve met so many new people and reconnected with a lot of players from the team.

Although I love playing, sometimes it’s hard to have the motivation to go to both practices. Practicing for three and half hours a day can be exhausting, and I usually don’t get home until 9 p.m.

Getting my school work done can be a struggle, especially if I’m tired from a long day of school. I solved this by doing most of my work at school, so I don’t have a lot to do late at night.

Even though the sports are complete opposites, I love the adrenaline from soccer and how easygoing ultimate is. Though it was hard to adjust at first, I feel fortunate that I was able to play this year and be a part of the ultimate family.

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“

SPORTS Tuesday, June 1, 2021 ECHO

Despite the unusual circumstances we have had a pretty successful season.

Although we didn’t win Sections this year, I still feel good about what we were able to accomplish.

Ada Turman, junior

MEET THE ATHLETE Michael Broad, senior Track

How long have you been doing track?

I have been running track in school since sixth grade and seriously outside of school since the summer after sixth grade.

Why did you decide to do track?

I joined a club team for about a year when I was in like second grade and it was kind of fun.

But then I quit it for a while and then I decided to do it in middle school, and I got really into it. It’s a really great way to keep me in shape, make friends, I love the atmosphere.

What races do you run?

I run the 100m, 200m, 400m and any of those relays.

What is your favorite memory from track?

My favorite memory from track is going to the U.S.A. Track and Field National Meet in the summer after eighth grade in Sacramento. That was super fun.

Photo Abigail Presthodlt Emerge: Seniors Bella Steward and Maya Lee pop out of the water during a dress rehearsal May 18. The synchronized swimming team competed in sections May 22.

How has it been being a captain this season?

It’s been fantastic. It’s an opportunity I was kind of robbed of last year because of COVID. I’m really happy to finally have a leadership position in order to be able to teach the young guys some stuff, make sure the team is able to continue the culture when I’m gone. I just really like being at the forefront.

What has been the highlight of the season?

I would say the highlight of the season so far is seeing how many people we got to turn out.

Our turnout is still drastically less than it’s been in past years, but there was a much larger turnout than I would have expected this year.

Especially a lot of young guys, so that really gives me hope that the team is still going to be able to continue as it’s been.

How are you feeling about running track in college?

I’m feeling fantastic, I’m hoping to get much better in college. Some guys I know are going to schools close to me, so I’m still going to be able to see them, which will be good.

“So many people have improved so much this year that it’s actually sort of mindblowing to think back to the beginning of the season.”

Jessica Gust, synchro coach

Synchro heads to State Team places second in Sections Kate Schneider kateschneider@slpecho.com

A

fter a challenging season due to COVID-19, sophomore Rachel Katzovitz said the synchronized swim team worked its hardest and came together to support each other at Sections May 22.

“Overall, it was really successful. Everyone had good swims, and we were just all there for each other as a team and encouraging each other,” Katzovitz said. “It was a really difficult year, but we worked really hard. I’m really proud of how everyone did.”

According to coach Jessica Gust, having every swimmer on the team make it to State surpassed her highest expectations.

“I think it went great. We had the best swims of the season for almost every routine — 16 of our 19 routines qualified through to State, which is

amazing. It’s the best outcome we could’ve imagined,” Gust said.

Katzovitz said it was exciting seeing the newer swimmers perform so well.

“Some of the highlights would definitely be our newer swimmers on the short team, because they had a lot going on this year with being in middle school and back in-person,” Katzovitz said. “Then with joining synchro and learning the sport, they were given a bunch of small routines and a difficult team routine and they pulled it off and placed really well.”

With this season being the first for so many on the team, Gust said the progress they made was astonishing.

“So many people have improved so much this year that it’s actually sort of mindblowing to think back to the beginning of the season and where people were at, especially our brand new kids,” Gust said. “We had one girl, who was brand new at the beginning of the season, take

second place in her short solo and qualified to go to State.

So it’s really exciting to see the amount of improvement that everyone’s had.”

Freshman Lucy Hammerstrand said she was looking forward to State after how well the team did at sections.

“It feels great, getting all of our swimmers to qualify so they can have that experience,” Hammerstrand said. “I’m excited to watch all the routines and see how much they improved from when they first started.”

Gust said before heading into State, she wants to make the routines as close to perfect as possible, so the swimmers can reach their full potential at the last meet of the season.

“I think one of the things we’ll take a look at is where do we have a little room left to improve before we head into State and for each routine that’s going to be slightly different,” Gust said. “That’s a conversation we’ll have at practice to see how much more we can leverage each routine to get the best performance we can at State.

DESIGN BY Jordyn Deschamps & Emmy Pearson

“

OPINIONS ECHO Tuesday, June 1, 2021

It’s super great to have a normal year, I know last year people really liked (the previous Graduation ceremony) so I kind of on the edge of having a normal Graduation.”

Megan Hoenie, senior

13

WHAT’S THE POINT

STAFF ED

District should continue providing Chromebooks Danny Shope dannyshope@slpecho.com

T

File photo Abigail Prestholdt

Celebrating: Graduate Elliot Rickert greets friends and family during the car parade June 23. St. Louis Park celebrated the graduates in the high school parking lot. This year Park will return to a more traditional Graduation.

Staff Editorial: Lifted COVID-19 restrictions bring hope Restoration of normal Graduation

A

fter Gov. Tim Walz’s announcement May 6 concerning COVID-19 restrictions, plans have changed that would allow for a close to normal graduation.

Students were originally given two tickets to bring guests, but after new COVID-19 regulations were announced, students are now allowed to bring up to eight guests.

Students are able to request additional tickets, which is helpful for those with larger families or those who have friends that would like to come.

DESIGN BY Jacob Khabie

Park is now able to host up to 3,000 guests at its June 8 Graduation.

All seniors will be walking at the Graduation ceremony.

The Echo Editorial Board believes it will be low-risk to have a large gathering outside as long as students follow the guidelines and procedures.

Students are excited about the change in permitted guests since many of them would like to have more than two people attend their Graduation.

This also provides an opportunity for other students, such as underclassmen, who wish to see their senior friends graduate.

Throughout the year,

many had let go of the hope for a normal Graduation, but now that feeling is restored for many.

Having a close to normal Graduation will make it so seniors who had their last two years of high school majorly impacted by COVID-19 be able to have a traditional ending. This rite of passage is something many have looked forward to since kindergarten.

Many students are already fully vaccinated, or in the process of it, which still provides some protection.

Students and staff, especially those who are not vaccinated, should comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s reccomendations to keep a safe

environment in school.

Hopefully, this will reduce the risk for several seniors to miss out on Graduation if they need to quarantine.

Seniors have received the suggestion to be in distance learning if they are not able to be fully vaccinated by Graduation to ensure they, and others, remain safe for Graduation.

The Echo Editorial Board encourages students to be responsible and honest in the weeks leading up to Graduation.

Non vaccinated students who have been exposed to COVID-19 during the two weeks leading up to Graduation should be honest so as to not put other seniors and their families at risk.

he pandemic has wreaked havoc on every aspect of our lives, including working, shopping and having fun. Education has also changed immensely — with students going to school from home, the district has been forced to explore ways to make sure all students have access to technology.

Many students do not have a computer or stable internet connection, which are vital for success in distance learning. In response to this problem, the school has issued Chromebooks to students who need them.

These technology issues have come into focus during the past year, but they have actually always existed. Not having access to a computer is a huge handicap.

Would it be possible to perform as well What’s the as you do now? It’s no POINT? surprise that students without access to Technology technology get lower access is scores on standardvital for ized tests.

But this is only success one measure of achievement. Outside of school, it’s likely that technology access impacts work, communication and leisure.

In terms of the pandemic, many of us are now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel — we are returning to school, seeing our friends and attending small events. However, for those without stable access to technology, the future may not look so bright. As in-person schooling reopens, many may worry that the district will focus less on technology resources.

However, the school has demonstrated throughout the pandemic that it has the power to supply students with the right technology resources. Why stop now? Computer and internet access have always contributed to an opportunity gap, where some students have more chances to succeed than others.

After this pandemic has run its course, technology will be even more crucial for academic success. Next year, the district should continue to have Chromebooks available for all students at the middle school and high school. This relatively small investment would play a tremendous role in bringing opportunities to more students.

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“

OPINIONS Tuesday, June 1, 2021ECHO

WEB PREVIEW

I think that as long as people continue to get vaccinated, and those who aren’t vaccinated follow the guidelines set for them, we will have a really good transition back into more normal times."

Liz Madigan, senior

POINT COUNTERPOINT

SCAN TO VIEW

Game causes controversy yearly in school, community STUDENT VOICES

Assassins brings students together

Art: Sophie Livingston

Staff editorial: Time to wind down COVID-19 restrictions Gov. Walz announced the end of most pandemic restrictions by May 28 — including the mask mandate by July 1. Considering the continuous decline in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, the Echo Editorial Board believes this is the right decision.

SCAN TO VIEW

Photo: William Givens

School walkouts prove effective The best way to have people come together is a peaceful rally where people speak about the situation going on, and express how they feel or think. School walkouts are very good and they allow for a teen in high school to express how they feel about any issues or situations going on.

SCAN TO VIEW

Photo: Johanna Kaplan

Standardized testing needs to go Standardized exams have faced a lot of criticism recently. Specifically for high school students, these tests are a cause for concern. They are stressful, time-consuming and do a bad job of assessing students’ knowledge. Standardized tests are stressful and not worth the time and energy students put into them.

Should students be allowed to play assassins?

Jordyn Deschamps jordyndeschamps@slpecho.com

A

fter a entire year apart, the game assassins help to bring students back together. This game should stay, as it brings back a sense of long overdue unity.

Assassins started May 3. The game has students form teams of six, and the teams are given a “hit list.” Students then you go around shooting the people on their list with a Nerf gun.

I was ultimately impressed with how everyone was following the guidelines and rules.

I feel like people are actually starting to have fun again, and a little bit of normalcy is coming back after what COVID-19 has taken from us. We couldn’t do the assassins game last year so it's great that we can do it now.

Another benefit about the game is it can help with meeting new people. With the game providing a random list of people on the hit list, you won't know everyone who is on your list, so you meet new people when you take a picture with them.

You also get to bond with your friends.

I have many friends who I know signed up just to have fun with their peers and make memories.

The assassins game brings people together. It also brings a great feeling of being in a group and being a part of something, after being apart from everyone and everything for a very long time.

“Supposedly it is supposed to be something fun ... but as a black person I don’t like the game, and it’s not fun for me. I wouldn’t feel comfortable and happy playing the game as a policeman might think I’m shooting these people. It’s just going to be stressful for me, not a happy game.

Helen Tefera, senior “It's a really nice and competitive game, but I think being able to buy yourself back into it is kind of unfair.”

Ayub Mohamed, sophomore

Assassins game is disruptive, dangerous Maren Wilsey marenwilsey@slpecho.com

I

f you’ve been keeping up with school events, chances are you’ve heard about Assassins. While I think it’s a fun tradition, there are just too many negative factors involved.

One of the first rules of the game is that school grounds are off limits. This leaves players to race around the metro area hoping to get the chance to kill someone off their hit list, no matter the cost.

Another of the biggest issues with this tradition is how dangerous it is. Google, “high school Nerf wars,” and a slew of articles pop up regarding injuries, accidents and deaths that have resulted.

A few years ago, two students at Lakeville South were killed in a car accident while playing the game. While there are rules in place to try and prevent accidents like these, there's no way of enforcing them. And most games are student organized with no official ties to the school, so little is done to step in and control it.

Aside from the danger of playing the game, the nature of the Nerf wars poses threat to safety as well. It is a bunch of teenagers running around with guns. It's escalated to a point where police departments release warnings when it’s time for the games to begin. But the thing is, the issue isn’t the nature of the game, it’s the actions the people playing it take that make it so dangerous.

PARK TRAIL Emmy Pearson Being an oriole has been great but...

I think we’re ready to...

senior spread our

leave the oriole nest!

Tip: scan QR codes by opening phone camera and hover over QR code For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho

DESIGN BY Jacob Khabie

“

ENTERTAINMENT ECHO Tuesday, June 1, 2021

“The best “bad movie” of all time is Quentin Tarantino, “From Dusk Till Dawn.”

Shelby Lund, junior

15

The best Badly Rated Movies Ben Sanford bensanford@slpecho.com

Low ratings prove irrelevant

mother!

Critics VS. Ben

2017

D

irector Darren Aronofsky’s allegorical film “mother!” starring Jennifer Lawrence is a dark look into humankind. The film received mediocre critic reviews. I find myself riveted with this film with its insightful religious symbols and innovative directing.

The film graphically depicts violent atrocities throughout history. The intense imagery of the movie’s climax paints an overwhelming but

nuanced conclusion, with interesting statements of religion and environmentalism.

The stellar acting by Jennifer Lawrence makes the film more compelling. Despite much of the film containing little dialogue, the emotion she displays is heartbreaking.

The film “mother!” is like none other, with deeply rooted metaphors, powerful commentaries and specific direction from Aronofsky.

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Mother!

Rotten Tomatoes: 68% Audience: 51% Ben:

We’re the Millers 2013

D

espite its low ratings, “We’re the Millers’’ is one of the comedies I find myself rewatching. The film is made great by its unique plot, all-star cast and situational humor.

“We’re the Millers” is a successful film because it never takes itself too seriously. The jokes are creative, and the actors lean into the comedy of the film.

Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis do an amazing job pushing forward the plot throughout the film. They have electric chemistry with one another, playing off of each other’s jokes and facial expressions with the perfect amount of subtly. Their snarky attitudes bring about an exciting atmosphere throughout the film.

2

We’re the Millers

3

Venom

Rotten Tomatoes: 48% Audience: 72% Ben:

Venom 2018

A

fter seeing the critic Rotten Tomatoes score of 29% for “Venom,” my expectations couldn’t have been lower. However, I found the film to be enjoyable, with the comedy and action in the film complimenting each other.

Tom Hardy’s ability to act both as Eddie and the extraterrestrial symbiote is impressive and exciting to watch, with physical gags between the characters are hilarious and creative. He was

successful and transitioned from the villainous character voice of Venom to the physical comedy of Eddie’s interactions with him.

This film added a very interesting tone in its adaptation from the comics, making the protagonist more an anti-hero than a full-out hero. Filling the movie with comedy completely reframed the “Venom” from the comics, which added something new and enticing.

Rotten Tomatoes: 29% Audience: 81% Ben: Infographic Johanna Kaplan Source rottentomatoes.com & Ben Sanford

DESIGN BY Johanna Kaplan

16

ENTERTAINMENT

“

ECHO

I love her album because a lot of it is really musically complicated, which is

Carly Joseph,

Olivia Rodrigo’s new album ‘Sour’ won’t leave a bad aftertaste her debut album Anna Benishek annabenishek@slpecho.com

O

livia Rodrigo’s release of “drivers license” was a pop culture reset, leaving her song at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks.

Rodrigo didn’t stop there and released two more songs, “deja vu” and “good 4 u.” All three singles correspond well with each other, showing us her feelings after a serious breakup.

Rodrigo started as an actress on the show “Bizaardvark” on Disney Channel. When “Bizaardvark” ended, she starred in a new series called “High School Musical: The

Ben Sanford bensanford@slpecho.com Fair use from ViacomCBS, Marvel Museum of Fort Worth

DESIGN BY Grace Schultz

Musical the Series.”

The new album “Sour” tells us a story of her journey going through a rough breakup, and it was even better than my expectations.

I thought Rodrigo might have a few good songs, but I was amazed with the entire album. It’s important that you listen to everything without skipping a song to get a deeper understanding of Rodrigo’s feelings.

As the album gets closer to the end, we can see Rodrigo’s progress in her self discovery. In the beginning, Rodrigo talks about the struggles of trying to move on from an ex-boyfriend and how watching him move on quickly is painful.

However, near the end of the album she finally finds herself and starts to push forward from the toxic relationship. “Sour” is a graceful album which I enjoy being able to listen to Rodrigo’s vulnerable side.

One aspect I didn’t like about the album is that there were no upbeat songs except “good 4 u” and “brutal”; most of them were depressing and I was hoping for a bit more happy songs.

Her lyrics during every song are captivating and extremely powerful, proving she’s not afraid to say what she’s feeling.

My favorite song from the album is “happier.” I love the meaning behind the song and how Rodrigo presents herself — it gives me chills every time. The lyrics and instruments are mesmerizing, and I find myself getting lost in the song. In “happier,” her voice glistens in the song, which compliments it very well.

Rodrigo is still a young artist in the making and has a bright future ahead. Hopefully, she’ll be able to come out with more projects like “Sour” and keep creating elegant music.

Timeline 2019-2021

16

Olivia stars in Disney show

17

Releases hit song "drivers license"

18

album, "Sour"

years old

years old

years old

Now-March 3 The year-long MIA exhibit “Rituals of Resilience” is an accumulation of music, photos and other art created to highlight the work of Black and African artists.

The new Disney+ series “Loki’’ will follow the God of Mischief creating a new timeline after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” The series is the first to follow the infamous anti-hero.

Pixar’s newest movie “Luca” tells the story of two mythical underwater creatures exploring Italy. The coming of age animated film will be filled with culture, magic and more.

Billie Eilish’s second studio album explores a slightly more acoustic sound with nuanced lyrics similar to her debut album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”