unior Mellissa Clarke said she was relieved when she finished her driving requirements before a new law took effect. The law changes the application process for a road test, making it more time consuming. Minnesota now requires 50 hours of supervised driving, in addition to the six hours of behind-the-wheel training, before taking the road test. Teenage drivers must show this completion through a log sheet signed by a parent or guardian to turn in on the day of their provisional license road test, according to Allison Luskey, a driver’s education teacher. “In the past it has been recommended to complete these hours, but this law is a way to back up the recommendation and make sure kids are getting enough practice time with the supervised driver,” Luskey said. Driving time is reduced to 40 hours if a parent or guardian of the applicant attends a 90-minute parent learning class set up by the applicant’s driver’s education teacher. This is the only method of reducing the required hours of driving with their permit, according to Luskey. “I think what the state is asking for is for the kids to have more practice time and show and take responsibility for the amount of hours
sing student surveys, the kitchen staff is hoping to change up lunches and please more students. According to Tami Borgen, the kitchen production manager, the surveys help the nutrition office to make more effective changes. Borgen also said it has been hard to get students involved. “I don’t know how many people notice (us). There’s a lot of kids that walk past that don’t
even want to take it,” Borgen said. “A lot of kids say ‘I don’t eat the lunch.’” Sophomore Rachael Leadholm hasn’t taken a survey and said she wasn’t aware they were happening. She said taking a survey would allow her to share her opinion about the food. “I like how they’re cooked right, and I like their pizzas, (but) the food here is so expensive,” Leadholm said. “I would have more of a voice (about that) when I take a survey.” Sarah Antell, head cook, said one of the major changes the kitchen has made based on the survey results was bringing dis-
continued items back. “We’ve brought some items back that they wanted, such as the fettuccine,” Antell said. Borgen said the kitchen staff have made other additions such as the salad bar and the new pizza. “The salad bar has been in motion since the beginning of the school year,” Borgen said. “We had to wait for the first of the year to get that going, but that seems to be going very well.” According to Antell and Borgen, around 40-50 students have taken the surveys each time. They said they hope to increase those numbers in the future through more awareness.
they are in the car practicing,” Luskey said. Luskey said she believes this law will make drivers more prepared in the future. “The more hours of practice with a supervised driver in the car the better,” Luskey said. “It’s not like there are perfect drivers out there, but the more time a student has behind the wheel and practicing in different situations, the better drivers they will be.” Clarke said she plans on taking the road test to receive her provisional license within the next month. She said she believes the law will lower the risk associated with teen driving. “There are so many accidents with people under 18 so more rules are being enforced to help younger people be better drivers,” Clarke said. Although the law benefits teenage drivers, it may be excessive, according to Clarke. “It’s a little annoying to complete all these hours, it means more time on your hands to prepare for the test,” Clarke said. Sophomore Nate Stone said he believes this new requirement will hurt some teenagers’ abilities to take the road test but the change is a positive addition. “While the abrupt change may have been difficult for some to make up, the overall effect should be a good thing,” Stone said. Stone said he believes the new law will aid in the safety of teenage drivers. “If a driver is more prepared on day one of having their license, they will be better and safer drivers,” Stone said.
or some students, visiting the dentist is no big deal financially. Children’s Dental, a non-profit organization, provides dental services to students who are unable to afford the cost of dental work. Junior Lexie McChesney, who regularly goes to her recommended dentist appointment every six-eight months, said the opportunity Children’s Dental offers to students is beneficial for those who cannot pay for dental insurance. “A lot of people don’t give oral health the credit it deserves and this organization opens up opportunities for those who want dental care, but have never been able to afford it,” McChesney said. Children’s Dental provides low cost and free oral care to students on Fridays once a month out of their Central Community Center location. Childrens’ main clinic, located in Northeast Minneapolis since 1919, operates as a non-profit organization. It provides all types of dental work: simple c l e a n ings, cavity fillings and root canals at minimal cost. P a r k Dental dentist Dr. Ira Rabinowitz said services dentists provide are more than can be done at home with a toothbrush, mouthwash and occasional floss. “The main reason to visit the dentist is because dentists have specialized equipment designed to remove plaque, tartar and bacteria all around the tooth,” Rabinowitz said. Close partner with Children’s Leigh Abrahamson said as a retired high school social worker this ability to receive low-cost dental care is a rare opportunity for students. “I know that it is very hard to find low cost dental service in the area, and Children’s is the only program in the Twin Cities that does this,” Abrahamson said. Students who are interested in scheduling an appointment with Children’s Dental can register in the counseling office, or call the clinic at (612)-746-1530.
he sound of babies crying and children screaming are heard in doctors offices across the country as many receive their annual flu vaccination. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, an influenza A subtype is the most prevalent strain this year. Other strains include influenza A (H3), influenza B, H3N2 and H1N1, although these strains are less prevalent. Sam Abelson, medical doctor at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, said the virus mutated this season. He said the flu virus can change from season to season, meaning vac-
cinations will not always be completely effective against the virus. “Immunizations usually cover four to five different flu viruses,” Abelson said. “This year the strain mutated, so the immunization doesn’t cover this season’s strain as well.” According to Abelson, vaccination against the flu is still important as it will provide protection against some of the prevalent flu strains this year and other unknown strains. Sophomore Amira Stone said she gets the flu shot every year as a way to prevent illness. “I think there’s no reason not to get the vaccine as long as there is no harm in it,” Stone said. Immunizations defend against illness by injecting those who get it with dead cells of the virus, which builds the immune system’s defenses against that virus. Recently, the flu reached an epidemic level with 46 states reporting widespread flu activity, according to the CDC website.
he St. Louis Park City Council is considering building a new community center to bring residents together. In November 2012, the City Council’s Community Recreation Facility Task Force recommended the city consider including specific amenities, such as a gym, child-care services, a common gathering place, and a coffee or food shop. St. Louis Park operations and recreation director Cindy Walsh said she believes the athletic facilities of the new community center would be helpful for high school athletes, because they would provide a quality gym experience at no cost. “I think the strength and fitness facilities would be a great resource for students,” Walsh said. “I also think the community center would be a great place for kids to gather and spend time.” The goal of the community center project is to demonstrate the city’s commitment to remaining involved and connected, according to Walsh. Junior Ridwan Said said she believes a new community center would foster a sense of community in St. Louis Park. “I feel like a new community center would bring people together,” Said said. “Everybody would get to meet different ethnicities and different cultures.” Walsh said community members have expressed a desire for a better gathering place in St. Louis
Abelson said he recommends everyday tasks besides immunizations to prevent the flu and other illnesses during the peak of a specifically dangerous flu season. These everyday tasks include washing hands often and avoiding contact with anybody who may appear to be sick. If sick, stay home to recover and limit contact with others to keep the flu from spreading. Abelson recommends to continue getting vaccinated as it could protect against strains not yet identified in addition to the strains it’s supposed to protect against. For students who have not yet received any form of immunization this year, Park Nicollet offers free flu immunization to all children at any of its locations. The Central Clinic located in the Central Community Center building also offers free immunizations to students without insurance. Students need their guardians to fill out a consent form to receive the free immunization. Forms can be found online at www. parknicollet.com/foundation under “community connectivity.”
Park for years, based on City Council surveys. “The community told us that they wanted a gathering place, somewhere people could come together,” Walsh said. “I think the community center will provide a facility where people can gather at all times of the year with a multitude of things to do.” After two years of planning, city staff presented a design including all the elements previously identified by the Task Force for the facility to the City Council in October 2014. The community center would be located next to the St. Louis P a r k R e c C e n ter and would cost approximately $48 million to build. At a City Council Study Session Oct. 27, a majority of Council Members requested the discussion on the new community center project be delayed until early 2015 so as to better understand the City’s financial situation in relation to the Southwest Light Rail Transitway project. The City Council is expected to consider its next steps in January 2015. These next steps would likely involve an outreach effort to receive feedback on the possibility of a new community center.
hile discussing sexual health and sex positivity can often be an uncomfortable experience for teens, the founders of a new sexual education club hope to change that. Senior Shoshi Fischman is one of the three students starting Sexual Health Education Club (SHEC), which aims to educate teens on sexual health. Fischman said she hopes the club will give teens the education they need and provide a space to discuss sex openly. “I hope that this club will make talking about sex less taboo,” Fischman said. Fischman, along with seniors Brita Hunegs and Dave Herrera, created the club because of their desire to advocate sexual health. Fischman said she believes the club will help give students a more positive view on sex and increase their knowledge of sex positivity. “It’s a very beneficial way of thinking in today’s society because with all the media promoting sex in such a negative way. It’s good to hear things that aren’t so negative and promote individuality and human nature,” Fischman said. Sex positivity is defined as being comfortable with a person’s own sexuality and with sexuality in general, but has expanded to a movement that advocates for safe sex, consent and sexual education. Staff adviser Allison Luskey said she believes students have a greater desire to discuss sexuality and sexual health because
of a variety of factors, including increased exposure in the media. “There’s so much sexuality in the media and society in general, and not everyone is comfortable talking about it. There is this huge elephant in the room, but yet there are lots of students that want to talk about sexual health education,” Luskey said. Luskey said she believes the student-run group will provide a sense of privacy and safety to talk about the uncomfortable subject. “We wanted to create a space where if there were questions or concerns about sexual health. This club could be a safe space for that,” Luskey said. Herrera said he believes having a sexual health club will not only impact the high school, but also the community. “During a time that sex has become more of a free thing, it’s good for kids to know how to have sex safely, and maybe spread the word about it,” Herrera said. Sophomore Karla Garcia said SHEC will be a great addition for the students. “Not many parents think sex is necessarily okay, so it’s a good thing to have so at least kids know what’s going on and how to be protected before they have sex,” Garcia said. Tim Post of Minnesota Public Radio recently interviewed SHEC’s founders Dec. 25 because of the club being the first of its kind in the state. The story is published on MPRnews.org. Luskey said she believes this new club is a great addition because it will focus on the positive aspects of sexual health and not necessarily the negative aspects of it. “It’s about sexual education and choices,” Luskey said. “We’re sexual beings, so we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it.”
live in a world not meant for someone my size. At 5-feet tall on a good day, I’m constantly on my tip toes, unable to reach the top shelf and looking up to see people’s faces. I’m surprised I don’t have neck problems. In the hallways I stare at the backs of my peers, closely following someone bigger than me in order to maneuver through. I worry someone three times my size will eat me in one gulp. In the car, I am forever stuck sitting in the middle back seat because “I’m the only one small enough to fit there.” It is a rare and special occasion when my feet touch the floor when I sit on a chair. But I’ve gotten used to it. My height is most bothersome when I am in public. My age is constantly questioned by salespeople and strangers, who don’t take me seriously just because I don’t look like a senior in high school. Additionally, I can recall many times being at movie theaters or plays and Hugey McTallguy decides to sit right in front of me, completely blocking my view. Obviously I have no control over my height. My mom is barely 5-foot-1, so my genes don’t leave me with much to work with. Because I stopped growing in eighth grade, there’s no point in wallowing in the fact that I am the size of an average sixth grader. While I will never reach my dream height of 5-foot-4, my friends point out how lucky I am to be so small. They tease me that “life is so hard when you’re a size 0.” It’s only because if I wore a size 6, I would be tripping over the lengths of fabric underneath me. With this, being my size has its perks. I can buy clothes and shoes in the kids’ section at stores, which are almost half the price of normal clothes. I can fit and nuzzle up into almost any place, which also makes me excellent at hide-andseek. And I never have to worry about not having enough leg room. Inevitably, everyone has something that makes them different from others, whether it be height, skin color or freckles. You may or may not like it, however, it is what makes you unique from every other human and should be celebrated. Although living a life meant for the average height has its woes, it has to be someone’s job to make 12-year olds feel good about themselves.
he theater’s latest production “Infinite Black Suitcase” strings together tragedy and comedy into a three-part story line featuring three families and their battles with death. Some humor adds a lighthearted feeling to the play according to Jodi Hatzenbeller, director of the production. She said the cast has been able to overcome the wide emotional spectrum. “It’s definitely emotional, and we have to focus on being really believable in those emotions,”
Hatzenbeller said. “The cast is mature and I think they are really committed to telling these stories.” Senior and stage manager Anne Lambert said the play deals with hard topics, but the actors do a good job of lightening the mood. “It’s been really hard sometimes to deal with the emotions. I have even seen Hatz get teary during scenes,” Lambert said. Senior and thespian president, Charis Tshihamba said the play is different from any others the theater has done, and all of the feeling involved builds a great play. “I think it’s a really good play, and it’s filled with a lot of emotion,” Tshihamba said. “It shows people as they mourn and deal with death. It’s not usually the type of play we choose.” To support the three differ-
ent story lines, the crew has been working on different set pieces to help the story transition. Hatzenbeller said the changes take the audience from story to story. “There could be a five minute scene and then we change it to a different situation, and then we change it back,” Hatzenbeller said. The theater is also participating in a One-Act competition Jan. 29. Hatzenbeller said the theater competes to showcase their talent in high school theater. “It’s an honor to do well, but it is more about seeing other schools and celebrating theater than being a competition,” she said. The home performance will take place 7 p.m. Jan. 16 and 17 and 2 p.m. Jan. 18 in the Auditorium. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.
Junior Charlie Berg is a filmmaker.
I’m in the process of making my final film for the IB film class. Over the summer I also worked as a production assistant for an indie film.
I’m drawn to art in general, and film spoke to me since I was little. When I was 4 or 5 I made a film with my friend (junior) Jens Albright with the help of our dads.
I really like all the different elements there are to it. I like being involved, from writing to editing.
I’ve been really interested in art in general and I see film as a way to converge all these art forms into something I can create and share with people.
I mostly did intern type stuff for an indie film called “Dragonfly.”
But I also got to get really good insight into how real filmmaking is done. It’s rare to get an opportunity like that for someone as young as myself.
I plan to start making films more seriously. With IB film there were always time or content restrictions, so I hope to get more creative with it. I’m also in the process of creating a film club with a few of my friends.
We want to create an environment where we can talk about movies in a more meaningful way, and give people opportunities for more insight.
My goal in life is to become a professional filmmaker, whether it be big budget or independent. I plan on going to school for it after I graduate from high school.
n the face of recent social unrest prompted by the non-indictment of police officers, students took action, according to senior Destiny Hulke, one of the group’s three leaders. The Student Organization Against Racism (SOAR) formed during a student-led meeting at the St. Louis Park library after the student walk-out Dec. 1, Hulke said. “In the group meeting we had at the library, a couple of students had made the suggestion that we should start a club,” Hulke said. Hulke, senior Charis Tshihamba and junior Cedar Thomas stepped up as leaders during the meeting. Hulke said all leaders share a common belief. “We are students who are tired of institutional racism, racism in general, and we are taking a stand on it through this club,” she said. Sophomore Callia Blake participated in the walk-out and said she plans on joining the group to
deal with racism because of the injustice her family has faced being black. She said her relative was shot by the police, who then failed to call for help. Blake said she needed to feel she was making a change, and wants to deal with systematic racism in places like the classroom. “If a white kid interrupts during class, he is either laughed at or told ‘please quiet down,’ but if a black kid interrupts during class, he is automatically seen as some bad kid who all he does is interrupt,” Blake said. According to Arika Mareck, the staff adviser of the group, Blake is not alone. Mareck expects more
than a dozen students are ready to participate. Mareck said she hopes to help these students represent themselves. “I made a goal with myself to do something to get more student voices and also for me to have more of a connection with students,” Mareck said. Mareck said she wants to see the group bring about positive change so all students feels like they are worth something. “The biggest change we’re going to get in education is in the voices of students,” Mareck said. “I want every kid to feel connected to this school and feel like they
ith the addition of the new sexual health club, the Gender Equality Club will combine with the Gay Straight Alliance. This will become the Gender Sexuality Alliance, according to group adviser Kyle Sweeney. It will be meeting Tuesdays at 7:45 a.m. “The GEC (Gender Equality Club) started last year, and a lot of the people in it were seniors, so this year they had trouble getting started,” Sweeney said. “Because GEC and GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) talk about similar topics, although gender and sexuality are different, they decided to merge.” Sophomore Elise Bargman, who proposed the merger, said she suggested it to join their activism efforts. “On Tuesdays when the GEC used to meet, the new SOAR club and sexual health club are meeting,” Bargman said. “I felt that in a club already struggling for members, we
have value and a place.” Principal Scott Meyers said he hopes students can use this group to thoughtfully discuss racial issues. “I hope that it provides an identified space for conversation,” Meyers said. Hulke said the group is open to all students who want to discuss and deal with issues of racism in the Park community and beyond. “It’s not just for black people, or just for minority people. It’s for everybody,” Hulke said. “If you are white, latino, asian, black, it doesn’t matter who you are, you can come because you believe in this topic.
shouldn’t compete with other clubs.” Senior Layna Crandell, who helped set up the GEC, said students can get involved simply by showing up. “We are meeting at 7:45 or 8 a.m. depending on when students get to school, in Madame Sweeney’s room because she is the adviser for both,” Crandell said. “If (students) are interested, they can just show up.” Sophomore Willy Poulter said he thinks the merger was discussed enough, and he fears one club will consume the other. “I feel it wasn’t a very inclusive decision,” Poulter said. “My fear is that one half of the club will be blocked out.”
# A fresh year is the ideal time to make a change, and almost half of Americans planned on making a New Year’s resolution in 2015 according to a Marist Poll. Common resolutions include losing weight, being a better person, spending less money, performing better in school, and spending more time with loved ones. However, only 8 percent of people completely succeed in achieving their resolution, according to a study conducted by the University of Scranton. Makayla Pappas, a therapist for David Hoy & Associates, who works with children, adolescents and their families on developing social skills at home or school, said she believes setting unspecific or unrealistic goals is a common mistake. “You want to be as specific as possible, so that you’re able to know exactly what needs to be completed by a certain amount of time,” Pappas said. To set a specific goal, avoid making generalizations and decide on exact criteria for success. For example, the goal: “to get at least a B+ in all classes next semester,” is a lot more specific than the goal: “to get better grades.” A goal should also be measurable, meaning its progress can be tracked. When Pappas works with clients on large goals, she encourages them to set small objectives along the way to measure their progress. “We help our clients to be able to identify the issues or the problems they are having and then help them to come up with smaller objectives to work on in order to create a goal or to obtain their main goal,” Pappas said.
According to Pappas, it’s i “If a goal is too large or ju for anybody it can be frust Junior Mumtazz Osman goals for themselves becaus “I get too lazy to accom don’t make them,” Osman Junior Cynthia Narine s to stop procrastinating on “I’m pacing myself mor to succeed, I need to not pu Measuring the progress focus attention on the com urgency and discourages pr Freshman Elliot Schoch resolutions. “I think New Year’s resolu goals for yourself that you’re His opinion reflects the ty The low rate of success indica ting or following through on ing to Pappas. However, she said writing it is achievable and realistic. According to a study cond write down their goals are mo simply think about them. Another action that increa lic commitment, such as telli cording to the Dominican Un you create accountability by s friend. “We always encourage ou to use family and friends as everyone loves encouragemen next to you.” For some people, it can b way for completing steps of a a homework assignment. Pappas said she believes g is an effective reward because and provides support from a “Celebrating reaching a sm and your self-esteem and then you to keep going,” Pappas s Whether a goal for the we ting a goal using these meth likelihood of accomplishment
important to set an achievable goal as well. ust not attainable in a certain amount of time, trating,” Pappas said. n said she believes students might not make se they are too much work. mplish my goals sometimes, so that’s why I n said. said she recently set a New Year’s resolution n her school work in order to be less stressed. re. Or I’d like to be,” Narine said. “In order ut off my school work.” s of a goal with time helps to motivate and mpletion of the goal; it establishes a sense of rocrastination, according to Pappas. het said he has little confidence in New Year’s
utions are stupid, because it’s just setting fake never going to accomplish,” Schochet said. ypical success rate of New Year’s resolutions. ates that perhaps many students are not setgoals as effectively as they could be, accorddown your goal can help determine whether
ducted at Dominican University, people who ore likely to complete them than people who
ases the likelihood of goal completion is pubing a supportive friend about your goal, acniversity study. This is even more effective if setting up weekly progress reports with your
ur clients, and high schoolers can do it too, support for a goal,” Pappas said. “I think nt from other people and just that support
be useful to set up small rewards along the a goal, such as a piece of candy for finishing
going out to dinner or a movie with a friend e this helps celebrate getting closer to a goal loved one. mall objective can increase your motivation n you’re able to do the rest and it encourages said. eek or one to achieve before graduation, sethods will promote productivity and increase t according to Pappas.
hen someone asks me to tell them a little bit about my life, the first thing I think is that I play hockey. It has consumed my life since I was 5 years old. Stepping on to the ice this year, one fact was clear: this would be my last season of organized hockey ever. I will not be playing varsity hockey next year in college. The first time I stepped on the ice to play hockey, was inspiring. Ending this chapter of my life is the most bittersweet moment I have had. Hockey has not only been an enjoyable activity for me, but has also become a major de-stressor, a place where I can forget all of my problems and live in the moment. My teammates, past and present, are part of my family; unchosen and people I wouldn’t know or talk to if not for our sharing seemingly endless hours at the rink. The times when coach would scream, and yell at each one of us individually or as a group, threatening to bench certain people; the days when we w e r e n ’t allowed pucks for a practice and just conditioned on the ice, we were there to pick each other up. When we had any success, including losing to Benilde — a hockey powerhouse — only by nine goals, was celebrated. These are the ladies who sometimes get on my last nerve and then save me from huge mistakes on the ice. To see it all coming to an end is devastating, because it has been such a huge part of my life for so long, but also I’m gaining some part of my life and time back. Through the years, I have learned so much from the sport about life, including discipline, accountability and respect. The girls’ hockey team has seen little success during the last five years while I have been on the team. Despite the frustration, I always find myself yearning for the ice. I often find myself looking back at this time and wishing I had taken better advantage of the ice that I wasted to become a better player before my final year.
he boys’ swim team is off to a good start to the season with many swimmers dropping time, partly due to dryland and weight lifting training. According to head coach Amanda Forsberg, the team hopes to continue dropping time from its early swims of this season. “Usually in swimming you hit a little bit of a plateau just because it’s hard to do all that training and not see a flat line in the times. But I have been
thoroughly impressed so far and I hope it continues,” Forsberg said. To help swimmers get past this plateau, dryland and weight training is a part of the swimmers’ training regimen. Assistant coach Joe Yaeger, said they do a variety of exercises that works various muscle groups “We do a ton of lunges, squats, squat jumps and core activities,” Yaeger said. The training done outside the pool shows when the swimmers get back in the pool. “We see a lot of benefits on strength off the starts, turns, underwater kicks and endurance in the pool due to the dryland and weight training,” Yaeger said. Freshman David Salamzadeh
said he has been on the swim team since seventh grade and remembers all the dryland and weights practices. “Every time we do something a little bit different. We work on our legs mainly, and you can feel it even as you’re walking back to the locker room,” Salamzadeh said. According to Salamzadeh, some swimmers have thrown up in the past while doing dryland training. “No one has thrown up yet this season but usually once every season someone does,” Salamzadeh said. The boys’ swim team hopes to see the effort pay off in its next meet 6 p.m. Jan. 27 at home against Watertown Mayer.
s the gymnasts split into groups, some go to the bar, others to beam and the rest practice their routines in preparation for their next meet Jan. 16. Assistant coach Jenna Lehr said their upcoming meet is different than previous meets because it doesn’t have as many teams competing. “A lot of our meets so far have been invites, so this is one of our first couple dual meets,” Lehr said. “Invites have more than two teams, and this one doesn’t, and we have girls competing with new skills.” Lehr said their season is coming to an end soon, which helps the girls compete at a higher level. “It will be senior night, so a lot of people like to come, which puts a lot of pressure on the girls. But I think it’s good for them to rise to the pressure.” Lehr said because of the tension, a couple gymnasts are able to perform at a higher level. “Sophomores Audrey Scalici and Ta-
lia Simonett will stand out at the meet because they can rise with pressure instead of crumble under it,” Lehr said. Simonett said in terms of rivalry, their competitor St. Anthony Village is about even in skill level. “They are definitely a good competitor. They have a few girls on their team who have a higher skill level than us, but we can definitely put up a good fight.” Simonett said since the upcoming meet is at home, the team will hopefully perform better. “At home meets, the gymnasts are more comfortable, because it is our equipment that we have been training on all year,” Simonett said. “But we are more excited at away meets, because it is a new environment.” Lehr said she anticipates a rise in the team’s final score because of its previous meet improvement records. “From our first meet to our second meet, we went from a 113 score to a 119 score, which is a lot in gymnastics,” Lehr said. The next meet is at 6 p.m. Jan. 16 home at the Central Community Center against St. Anthony Village.
fter placing second in State last year, the boys’ Nordic skiers hope to win sections and possibly State, according to head coach Doug Peterson. “We’ve had three races, and we’ve done pretty well,” Peterson said. “Our boys are ranked pretty high in the state.” The boys’ Nordic team is ranked second in the state. Senior Sean Cork is ranked second individually in the state as well. Both Nordic teams raced at the Mesabi East Invitational Jan. 10. Cork won the classic race, while se-
ore than halfway through its season, the girls’ hockey team can look back with pride as they finish one of its most successful seasons in over five years. According to junior Elena Basill, the girls’ have done better than people expected based off of the team’s past record. “At the beginning there were a lot of younger players but we’ve become more of a team,” Basill said. “We’ve created a bond and that has improved our team play.” At this point in the season, the girls’ have a record of 9-11-0 with a recent second place finish in a tournament in Waseca.
nior Liam Schmelzle won the skate race. Schmelzle is ranked 10th in the state. Senior captain Sam Olson said he feels very confident going into conference and sections races. “I am very proud to be a part of a great team this year,” Olson said. “Everybody pulls their own weight and having two Mesabi champions on the team helps.” Peterson said while the girls’ team does not have as high of a chance of qualifying for the State meet as the boys’ team, it has a chance at winning conference. “The girls have a really good shot at winning conference if they keep skiing the way they are, and if they stay healthy,” he said. “Sections will be more difficult, but we have two girls who could possibly qualify for the state meet.” Freshman Annie VanPilsum-John-
Coach Charlie McChesney said he believes the girls have improved throughout the season because of the hard work and positive attitudes they bring to the ice. “Early in the season we played Holy Angels and lost 2-8 but after a recent game against them we lost 0-2,” McChesney said. “Our attitude has really improved, which has driven people to work hard.” During their recent tournament, the hard work the girls have put in became evident with their second place finish. “They played really well and outshot all of their opponents by at least 20 shots,” McChesney said. “In the final we lost a close game to a team we beat last year.” As season comes to a close, the girls still have some goals they wish to accomplish before the end of the season. Senior captain Sophia Noreen
son said the coaching this year has contributed toward their success. “The coaches have made sure to pay attention to all different levels of skiers and not just the top athletes,” she said. “It helps the team to grow as a whole and make it so all the skiers feel included in a team sport.” According to VanPilsum-Johnson, the team will continue to improve until the end of the season to get ready for the big races. “To prepare for sections we will most likely keep up what we have been doing,” she said. “We do different workouts each day such as intervals, distance work and technique along with morning practices that focus on strength.” The team’s next conference meet is Jan. 21, at Theodore Wirth Park. Sections take place Feb. 4 at Theodore Wirth Park.
I have been on the team since seventh grade but I started gymnastics when I was 2 years old. I enjoy it, because it’s a good workout. It’s fun to overcome barriers when learning a new skill, and I enjoy meeting new people.
My favorite event is bars, because I like to challenge myself and I always like getting new skills.
Because I have done it since I was little and I give it my all
Surprisingly no. I’ve never broken or sprained anything. I’ve been lucky.
Just making mistakes in front of everyone while doing my routine. For instance, I was on the beam once and doing a jump and one foot missed the beam, so I just sat down on the beam. And I love supporting my teammates.
I enjoy spending time with all of the girls. And in gymnastics we all get really close because we spend so much time together.
Making new friends and getting new skills.
said she is happy with the record and the second place win but hopes to improve a little bit more. “We hope to win a few more games to get in the double digits,” Noreen said. “We haven’t won a section game in a while, and we are hoping to win one to show
how much we have improved.” McChesney also hopes to play competitively against conference teams, all of which are AA teams. The next conference game starts at 3 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Bloomington Ice Garden against Bloomington Jefferson.
It has made me do things that I am scared to do and to push myself.
St. Louis Park Senior High School 6425 West 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426 Peter Johnson Ivy Kaplan Madisen Lynch Natalie Vig Zach Tronson Noa Grossman, Noah Robiner & Erin Wells Jackson Eilers, Hannah Goldenberg, Jonah Kupritz & Emily Tifft Carolyn Guddal Harry Steffenhagen & Cedar Thomas Harrison Barden & Natalie Sanford Andy Magill, Albie Sher, & Amira Warren Emily Melbye Sara Tifft Maddy Bremner Max Kent & Shoshana Leviton John Kinney Hannah Bernstein Shayan Gilbert Burke, Jamie Halper & Olivia Sieff Neda Salamzadeh Ori Etzion & Amina Mohamud Adna Aideed, Mara Bacig, Joe Brandel, Kaylee Chamberlain, Sean Cork, Brigid Duffy, Zoë Eilers, Malik Grays, Sari Hattis, Abby Hickstein, David Hope, Kate Huber, Brita Hunegs, Celene Koller, Josh Mesick, Julia Nathan, Polina Pekurovsky, Conrad Phelan, Noa Raasch, Loni Rutherford, Amina Mohamud, Miranda VanPilsum-Johnson, Daniel Vlodaver, Heather Westwood & Zoe Kedrowski
innesota legislators recently added extra supervised driving hours to the amount needed to earn a driver’s license. Receiving a driver’s permit was once part of Park’s health curriculum. Students now have to sign up for a driver’s education class and stay after school for the program. The class takes more time than when it was provided in school and students often have to miss sports or other extracurricular activities to take driver’s education after school hours. The Minnesota law also extended the amount of hours of supervised driving. Students earning their license are required to log their 50 hours of supervised driving on an official sheet that will include their parent or guardian’s signature to attempt to regulate the completion of hours. Without the sheet regulating drivers’ hours, teens can potentially receive their licenses if they lie about the hours they’ve driven or risk the consequence of miscalculating. Requiring a written log will add legitimacy and responsibility for new drivers. Minnesota should be requiring more supervised driving hours and requiring drivers and their legal
guardians to regulate and record all driving hours. New drivers will have plenty of supervised experience with less chance of incomplete hours, hopefully lowering car accident rates. Students will also be more aware of how their vehicle functions and have more time to ask questions about their car or road laws if an experienced driver is present in the car for longer. Students need to take their
driving preparation seriously for the added hours to be worthwhile. If students regulate and organize their driving hours, they will be earning their license while learning how to take control of their own skill education. Extended hours allow extra opportunities for students to have supervised drives in the winter when ice and snow commonly cause crashes and car accidents with new drivers.
By logging hours carefully, working hard on improving their driving skills and understanding the responsibility of being able to drive a car, students will benefit and become safer and better drivers. Minnesota’s new license regulations will help Minnesota roads become safer because of the longer road hours, the amount of preparation and the organization it asks for from its drivers.
Allison Cramer Scott Meyers Quad Graphics Lori Keekley
The Echo is the official student-produced newspaper of St. Louis Park Senior High School. It is published tri-weekly for the school’s students, staff and community. The Echo will not be reviewed by school administrators prior to distribution, and the adviser will not act as a censor. Content represents views of the student staff and not school officials. The Echo will work to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful and interesting to all our readers. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Echo staff or administration as a whole. The Echo welcomes reader input. Letters to the editor and suggestions may be emailed to slpecho@gmail.com or submitted in room C275. Letters must be signed and should be no longer than 250 words. Emailed letters must be verified prior to publication. We will not necessarily publish all
s our generation continues to become more connected, users on sites such as Twitter and Facebook have created a new movement often referred to as “slacktivism.” Users now use these sites as a medium for participating in social activism by liking pages and voicing their opinions, claiming they’re spreading awareness. While this may be true, there are many more productive and efficient ways to support a cause. A study by the Intelligence Group showed two out of three Millennials believe “a person on a computer, being aware and spreading the word” is capable of sparking more change than “a
person on the street, rallying and protesting.” This is the problem. While actively spreading awareness about a controversial topic is not harmful or counterproductive, going out and getting your hands dirty and creating a tangible change will yield a bigger difference. Here at Park, students have already taken action on social issues aside from using social media, by creating the Student Organization Against Racism. This is a great way to make a change, by organizing a group of people with similar ideas who can together come up with a plan and discuss the topic at hand. While many “slacktivists” claim they wouldn’t be a part of certain social movements if it weren’t for blogs and social media, according to a study by the Journal of Sociological Science, the majority of people who “like” a Facebook page for a cause don’t
take further action or donate. This type of activism is creating a way for people to show their support with a click of a mouse, but without the reliability of actually following up with their money or time. While it would be nice to think social media, which reaches one in four people worldwide, motivates people to leave their computer screen and engage in their community, it creates a false sense of change. While this social media activism shouldn’t stop, our generation needs to be encouraged to donate their time and money to the cause in which they believe. Joining an organization, protesting on the streets and volunteering are monumentally more productive than posting, blogging, hashtagging or “liking.” We are a very globally aware generation; all we need is the realization that real change is possible without a computer.
Up to ice castles. It’s the perfect setting for my “Frozen” live action role play.
Down to New Years resolutions. I hate the casuals at my gym.
letters received and reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Anonymous letters wherein the Echo does not know the identity of the writer will not be printed. Advertisements will be sought from local businesses. We maintain the right to reject any ads we believe to be false, misleading, inappropriate or harmful. The Echo does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered in these advertisements.
Up to sexting. I wonder how our parents did it.
NSPA All-American and Hall of Fame member; NSPA 2011, Print Pacemaker Finalist, 2013, 2014 National Print Pacemaker Award Recipient; 2014 Online Pacemaker Finalist, JEM All-State; CSPA Gold Medalist; 2012, 2014 CSPA Silver Crown, 2013 CSPA Gold Crown, 2015 CSPA Hybrid Crown Finalist.
B.H., J.M., J.M.
lthough it seems unfair for a teen with bad judgment to be registered as a sex offender for sexting, the implementation is effectively not deterring the teen sexting. To fix this issue, the problem itself should be tackled from a moral standpoint . According to director at the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center, Elizabeth Englander, both social and legal consequences to teenage sexting are not as readily apparent. In fact, criminal prosecutions generally are focused on more “aggravating circumstances” such as adult-to-teen sexting. Because of the minimal legal threat, lessening the crime for teen-to-teen sexting would render useless. The natural rise of ignorance
among teens in a rapidly advancing technology-centered social setting has lent the value in youthful dating to be artificially virtualized and psychologically unhealthy. This October, a comprehensive study published in online journal “Pediatrics” concludes sexting was a significant precursor of adolescent sexual activities. Although some may not see this as a problem, normalizing sexting as the “first base” of youth relationships errodes the entire concept of dating and replaces it with an unpredictable virtual environment for attraction. As a result, getting to truly know someone is replaced by sending a few kinky Snapchats or texts that not only hold no deeper value but can be easily shared with others. Overall, because of the aimless “hook-up nature” of teen sexting, to even consider lessening the perceived legal consequences, it should be mandated in health classes, students be taught the utter stupidity of using technology to advance their sexual desires.
very two seconds someone in the United States is in need of blood and more than 41,000 blood donations are needed everyday, according to the Red Cross. Even with these numbers the FDA is still turning away donors on irrelevant bases. On Dec. 23, the FDA decided to revise the ban, inhibiting them
from giving for a year after having sex. However, continuing any restrictions will perpetuate the message gay people are second class citizens. Since 1977, the FDA has banned homosexual men, defined as those who have had sex with another man at least once in their life, from donating, according to the Human Rights Campaign. The creation of this regulation was sparked by fear in the early years of the AIDS epidemic. During this time the disease was closely linked with the gay community which led to heavy homophobia. According to the FDA blood is
exual exploration is both normal and healthy for adolescents, and it has been so since before any psychology existed to explain why. Sexting is simply a modern form of sexual exploration, brought on by a technology-oriented society. Because of the ease at which this technology allows for sharing, posting and favoriting, sexting has been given a negative connotation. In the state of Minnesota, anyone who distributes or possesses a sexually explicit image of a minor may be prosecuted under the state’s child pornography laws, according to state legislation. A minor who receives a sext from another minor, under any circumstances, can potentially
not transfused unless all infectious disease testing is found to be negative, showing the basis for this rule is illegitimate. High schools and colleges make up 20 percent of all donated blood every year. Park hosts one drive per semester. Teens questioning their sexuality are given the message their sexuality may be harmful to others. With all blood being tested this law is unwarranted. Students can visit the Blood Drive Campaign for Donor Equality website for ideas on how to help change be realized for this issue.
face jail time, fines and the need to register as a sex offender. Currently, 20 states have laws in place regarding underage sexting. These laws serve to separate sexting from child pornography and outline less-harsh legal ramifications for first time offenders. Although these laws are successful in looking at sexting as less serious crime, they make no distinction based on circumstance. These laws criminalize natural behavior by not differentiating sexting between two teens in a committed relationship from sexting involving someone in a pressurized situation where a photo or text was later distributed. It is also unhelpful to define sexting as a crime when 54 percent of students surveyed admit to sexting, according to a study by Drexel University. This ‘trend’ is too common to criminalize. Instead of locking kids up for sexual experimentation, the law should outline and define what constitutes as crossing the line when it comes to sexting.
tanding on top of the ice castle, site manager Blake Hawbaker shivers as he picks up his ice axe, counts to three and starts pounding the ice. After allowing more water to freeze on the structure each night, workers pound the newly frozen areas to create walkways for people to experience the castle. The sculpture, brought to Minnesota by Utahbased company Ice Castles LLC, made its debut Jan. 9. According to Hawbaker, 20 million pounds of ice were used in the making of the Ice Castle, located in Eden Prairie’s Miller Park. “It’s been six weeks of building with ice, and we’ve been out here planning since October. It’s 20 feet now, but we’re growing,” Hawbaker said. Built by hand, the castle required more than 5,000 icicles each day, according to Hawbaker. “We run almost two miles of water lines under the ice.
There’s about 60 sprinkler heads, which is how we get that icicle look,” Hawbaker said. “We’re just trying to push our personal best.” The castle is an unusual hangout place to go with friends, according to Hawbaker. “You can take your senior picture here, and it’s a great place for a date. We see a lot of couples,” Hawbaker said. Freshman Laura Moforngu said she would love to go, despite the winter weather. “Making a castle with ice is a beautiful sight, even though I like summer more than winter, seeing all the ice sculptures is beautiful,” Moforngu said. The Ice Castle also offers other activities for visitors such as fire performances by trained artists, “Frozen” characters, stargazing and food vendors. “We have a princess here. She looks like the one from ‘Frozen’. We also have guys that come in and do fire performances,” Hawbaker said. Sophomore Mawardi Ali said she would be thrilled to go to the Ice Castle. “I would really like to go because I think it would make me feel like I’m in ‘Frozen’,” Ali said. Freshman Madeleine Deforge also said she would like to go see the other activities the ice castle has to offer. “I’ve never seen a fire performance before, so it’d be awesome to see one,” Deforge said. The Ice Castle is open seven days a week, with $9.95 admission on weekdays and $12.95 on weekends.
The Landmark Center in St. Paul is featuring a new exhibit, “All Geared Up: Artwork That Moves.” Pieces include clocks and mechanical sculptures. Admission is free.
St. Paul is hosting its annual Winter Carnival complete with parades, live entertainment and food at Rice Park and ice sculpting shows. Admission is free to all events.
The City of Lakes Loppet Ski Festival is a three-day winter event including outdoor activities such as skiing and snowshoeing. It is open to the public but participation costs vary.
The Music Box Theatre presents “Triple Espresso,” a show starring three men who reunite in a coffee shop to reminisce years after a failed comedy trio. Tickets cost $31-36.