Issue 1 2020-2021

Monday, January 25, 2021 Volume 94 Issue 1 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426

The reality of COVID-19 pods

The bubble you think you have vs.

The bubble you actually have See why on page 5

INSIDE

Masks mandated for sports 12

Review: ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ 15

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS Monday, January 25, 2021 ECHO

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

STAFF LIST Editors-in-chief !"#$"%&$''"()*%+%%,"-.

-$)%/01(22) Managing editors: 3"4*$)#%5"6#"7%+% &$##8%/2*"219"7 Photo editors: :448%;*)'21<#-2%+%:8)#)2% ;*<22"' Design editors: =998%;)"*'<7%+% /<61$)%&$>$7?'2<7 Copy editors: @<#$7%@"7"-"8A%:-"9% 3$6'%+%!)7B$7%38"#-"2'"7?

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Assistant opinions editor: :$'1"%F)*'$ Entertainment editor: D)7%/"7G<*Video/broadcast editor: 3*"0)%%/01(#2B Business editor: /"9%/H$'1)* Web editor: @<#$7%@"7"-"8 %:$-)7%@(##(94)*A%:9"#$"%I$'01)*A% :7-8%,)#)"*A%:>"%:'148A%D"1"J"%:#$'"1"#A% =#)7"%K*2$B%I$'19"7A%3$##$"7%5"6$7<'A% F"**$'%5))E#)8A%F)7*8%F"*6)*A%L'"4)#% M"21"7A%L'*"%,<1"9)-A%C"0E%5*<)##'A% C"0<4%51"4$)A%C"7)%;(6)B"A%C)77"%D)74<HA% C<*-87%N)'01"96'A%&"7$8"1%!1<*72<7A% &"(*)7%!1<7A%&$#$"%3<7B"#)BA%M<*"%F"##A% K#$>)*%/9$21A%/"9()#%&$'2$"EA%/1"8-$%I"#.

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Printer: M<*21%/2"*%,)-$" Advisor: &<*$%5))E#)8 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

A

s we reach the end of our first semester on Zoom, we are so proud to present not only our first virtual-only issue but our first newsmagazine. Although it may be a little different, this semester we have continued to cover the students and staff of Park. Once it became clear that this year was not going to be a typical school year, we knew it was time to transition to a newsmagazine.

Our staff has spent hours on Zoom collaborating on pages, stories and teaching new staffers how to write, design, make videos and take photos. The past couple months have been dedicated to learning how to present our content in this new format through trial and error. Especially being without the in-person experience Echo would normally have, the staff has had to work even harder than normal. We are so proud of this hard-working staff who took initiative in creating and learning something new and valuable.

Switching to a newsmagazine has given us the ability to display our content in a more creative outlet — displaying content in infographics and photos, not just the typical story and headlines. A newsmagazine also has a longer shelf life, which is more useful this year, as not all students will come to school on the same day when we return to hybrid learning.

We are so grateful to students, staff and families who view our content and who motivate us

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

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

to continue doing what we do throughout the craziness that has been this school year. We hope our content throughout this year can hopefully give some normalcy to the rapidly changing state of the world. Thank you for viewing our content and we hope you enjoy our first newsmagazine and what’s in store for the future.

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 administration as a whole.

The Echo welcomes reader input. Letters to the editor and suggestions must be signed and should be no longer than 250 words and may be emailed to slpecho@gmail.com or submitted in room C275.

Emailed letters must be verified prior to publication. We will not necessarily publish all 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 Monday, January 25, 2021

Table of

CONTENTS NEWS

FEATURES

SPORTS

7

4

8

5

12

6

OPINIONS

IN-DEPTH

ENTERTAINMENT

13

15

14

16

3

4

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NEWS Monday, January 25, 2021 ECHO

We’re always there for our teammates, and we’ll do whatever we can to help them out in any way we can. We’re like a family.

Stefano Giovannelli, sophomore

WEB PREVIEW SCAN TO VIEW

Photo: Lilia Gonzalez

Gov. Walz loosens COVID-19 restrictions for some venues Gov. Tim Walz announced a dial back on COVID-19 restrictions Jan. 6. Restaurants can open at 50% capacity. Gyms, bowling alleys, museums and movie theaters may open at 25% capacity.

SCAN TO VIEW

Photo: Ava Ashby

Photo: Jane Pupeza

Holocaust education excluded standards The Minnesota Department of Education excluded Holocaust education from the first drafts for the social studies standards. Many believe that including this information is necessary.

SCAN TO VIEW

Football team comes together to support teammate Players conduct fundraisers to help shooting victim Tobias Khabie tobiaskhabie@slpecho. com

Photo: Lauren Thon

After school help offers academic guidance After school help sessions have been created for students seeking support. The goal is to help students stay engaged during the school year.

For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho

A

fter hearing a fellow player was involved in a shooting, some football team members came together to support their teammate. According to junior and captain Christian Arteaga, the team worked to prepare a care package for their “brother.”

“After we heard what happened, our coach texted all the captains, including

me, giving the idea to put together this little care package for him,” Arteaga said.

Senior and captain Michael Boxley organized the fundraisers. He felt it was an obligation for the group to come together to help support their teammate.

“I’d want to be taken care of, if I was in that situation, by my teammates because it’s a brotherhood, it’s like a family,” Boxley said.

Boxley attributed the unity of the team to the bonds they formed as a result of distance learning.

As players were limited to only seeing each other, their relationships strengthened.

“This year because we weren’t able to be in school, we really bonded on the field,” Boxley said. “Because we are distanced from the world, it is easier to get along with your teammates.”

A GoFundMe account was opened to the team and their families. Boxley received public donations via his Venmo account.

Arteaga said the camaraderie of the players showed up when their teammate needed them.

“We have so many different backgrounds of people, but while playing we spend so much time together and eventually we get to create this brotherhood,” Arteaga said. “We can come together as something beyond teammates, as brothers, when one is in need of help. If one of us is down, everybody else as a family, we’re going to pick them up.”

Teamwork: Football varsity assistant Rob

“If one of us is down, everybody else as a family, we’re going to pick them up.”

Christian Arteaga, junior

DESIGN BY Emmy Pearson

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NEWS ECHO Monday, January 25, 2021

My friend group kind of (has a pod), we have about three or four people that we see exclusively.

Meshach Mandel, sophomore

5

The reality of COVID-19 pods Safe pods require complete dedication to one group

FAST FACTS

Molly Schochet & Talia Lissauer mollyschochet@slpecho.com talialissauer@slpecho.com

38.2 per 10,000

cases in Hennepin County

S

ince the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, some Park students have formed pods amongst their friends to allow for social interaction while staying safe. To ensure her pod is safe as it can be, senior Leah Richardson only sees a limited number of her friends outside but feels others have a different definition of what a pod means.

“It’s frustrating how me and my friends have been really careful and we can’t go in each other’s houses so it’s hard to always be outside especially now that it’s getting colder,” Richardson said. “It’s just frustrating to see how we’re doing all of this while other people just are ignoring everything we’re trying to work toward.”

In order for a pod to work, all members must be faithful to the pod by eliminating their contact with others.

According to epidemiologist Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and member of President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board, when people from different pods interact, even if this interaction is with an immediate family member, that pod is broken.

“If the two of you have four other friends and that’s all you ever get together with, but you each get together with your own families and you have a brother who happens to have a lot of friends who he goes and watches football games at their house and so forth. You don’t have a pod anymore,” Osterholm said.

After limiting in-person contact, junior Anna Overall said she continues to notice a lack of precautions taken by other students.

She said she wishes those who choose to not

DESIGN BY Johanna Kaplan

7.4%

of cases in Hennepin County are ages 15–19

The bubble you think you have vs.

The bubble you actually have

94,378

Art: Sophie Livingston & Emmy Pearson create small pods would partake in outdoor activities and wear masks.

“There’s definitely various groups of people within each age group that are just not social distancing, they’re not keeping a limited amount of friends and they’re going to varieties of different friend groups each day,” Overall said. “Obviously there’s certain people that are like ‘I can’t pick one friend’ and I understand that, but people need to keep it to a limit.”

Although the majority of young adults who contract COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms, 10–20 percent of that population will go on to experience “long haulers disease,” which can be debilitating, according to Osterholm.

When air is shared by people in different pods, both pods are broken, according to Osterholm. While nothing can completely eliminate this risk, taking precautions is vital in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“I can’t emphasize enough, now is the time, even if you can’t be completely podded up, just keep remembering the more you can limit your risk of transmission, the safer it will be for everyone,” Osterholm

said.

While in-person social interaction may be unsafe right now, there are still many other ways to interact through technology, according to Overall.

“I do think that it’s important to either have your friends online, do some group FaceTimes, play some games or just overall try to stay in contact with people,” Overall said.

While normal social interaction is important, healthy and natural to teens, Osterholm said using social media and other digital methods to stay connected and keep everyone safe.

“This is not about anyone trying to punish anybody (for) where we’re at. We’re trying to deal with a health crisis,” Osterholm said. “We’re trying to deal with helping your mom and dad and your grandpa and grandma, your other family members and your friends from developing a very serious illness and potentially dying.”

cumulative cases in Hennepin County Source Hennepin County COVID-19 Public Dashboard Updated as of Jan. 25, 2021

Transmission Chances

Infected

when less than six feet apart

Hi

gh

Healthy

w

o Infected L

Art: Johanna Kaplan Infographic Emmy Pearson Source Washington State Dept. of Heath

6

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NEWS Monday, January 25, 2021 ECHO

3 1.

junior

things to know

regarding Park’s learning plan

Opt-in pass/no-credit grades Students may choose completed by 3 p.m. Jan. 28.

F’s D’s Source

2.

Photo: Oliver Smith Hanging in the nest: Sophomore Henry Eaton does make-up work at the Oriole Study Nest Jan. 13. The Oriole Study Nest is open to all students.

to read the

Photo: Jacob Khabie Welcome back: Math teacher Chad Austad talks with students during hybrid learning Oct. 27. Park returned to distance learning Nov. 16.

to read the

Photo: Lauren Thon Study time: Sophomore Maren Wilsey works at the Oriole Study Nest Dec. 17.

Students can sign up for the Study Nest using the Student Support Time app.

to read the

Hybrid learning in consideration Feb. 22 Jan. 25.

50%

capacity.

Source

3.

Asynchronous Jan. 25

seven-period

Student Support Time app Source

DESIGN BY Emmy Pearson

“

FEATURES ECHO Monday, January 25, 2021 Raizl Borg, senior

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Businesses around Park adapt to survive

Spanish teacher brings new voices into curriculum Hanna Anderson Spanish teacher

Lack of students affects local businesses

Why did you decide to change the IB Spanish language and literature curriculum?

Sam Swisher samswisher@slpecho.com

IB had a new curriculum (this year), which gave us the flexibility to work on a greater variety of literary works than before. Therefore during my IB training this year, I was lucky to meet with other teachers around the world who were also working on preparing this new curriculum. I was able to work with like-minded teachers who actually teach students in the United States, and who wanted to teach about topics that are relevant to us and to our students.

L

ooking back on a pandemic that has lasted almost a year, The Block manager Mary Rohr said innovating has been essential to try to bring in business that has been lost.

“The biggest struggle has been trying to stay afloat. There are so many restaurants that have closed down because of the pandemic,” Rohr said. “Coming up with new and creative ways to get people either in the building or order from us has been key.”

According to senior Johnny Falzone, before the pandemic he was a frequent visitor of restaurants around the high school.

“I went to local restaurants two to three times a week before the pandemic,” Falzone said.

“They provided me with really good food, as well as a fun place to hang out with friends.”

Mexico City Cafe owner Julio Margalli said the loss of students’ business has forced him to change his business plan.

“When students were here before the pandemic, I didn’t have very many but I did have some through the lunch hour,” Margalli said. “There were times when there were a lot of students sitting here and eating, and that’s impacted my business.”

Rohr said she’s seen a drop in the number of students coming since students went back to virtual learning.

DESIGN BY

7

Photo: Lilly Strathman Come on over: Senior Claire Diamond-Wheeler organizes menus at The Block Jan. 15. The Block is now open for indoor dining and takeout.

Ways to help local businesses

restaurant stores Shout out your

Infographic Source

“Right now during the week, I’m not seeing as many as we did over the summer,” Rohr said. “The dynamic has definitely changed now that students are back to school online.”

According to Margalli, the loss of students has forced him to look to other sources for business.

“Since students aren’t here, I have to find ways to recover those numbers,” Margalli said. “Sometimes I have a really good number of teachers, but other days, those teachers are working from home, which makes it even harder.”

Falzone said to keep local businesses in the community, people need to support them.

“It’s important to support local businesses because some local restaurants could have the best in town,” Falzone said. “But they might not really be well known, or if a few people go there, then they’re going to have to shut down and you lose that food, which is a shame really.”

What has the student reaction been to the new curriculum?

Students are engaged and they are making connections with their lives, and I think this shows students are responding positively — it’s not only about or reading the book and answering the questions, but they are consciously trying to find connections that apply to them.

Why are you teaching about racism from a global perspective?

There is so much discussion about race in our country that sometimes we don’t think that people are having these discussions all over the world. So, what kind of discussions are going on all over the world?

cussions in the classroom?

I always start with respect, and it’s always important that with respect, we’re assuming good intentions. I don’t know it all. I’m not expected to know it all. But I can do better. And I can do better by starting to listen and learn about other people.

8

FEATURES

“

ECHO

Grace Kanyinku,

club supports through Instagram

Adam Gips adamgips@slpecho.com

Zoe Frank,

A

fter beginning distance learning March of last year, the student tech club was created to aid students on virtual platforms.

Since its creation, it has developed the @slp_hybrid_learning Instagram page: an account posting the newest information and suggestions for students.

According to Spanish teacher and student tech club adviser Hanna Anderson, people believed the students were tech-savvy. But, Anderson said students were visibly scattered after distance learning began.

“Last year, all of a sudden it became obvious that tech was such an important piece of distance learning. Teachers were all over the place,” Anderson said. “With technology, knowledge and mastery of all these apps, we sometimes assume for students that they know tech. But no, students are also all over the place.”

Sophomore Rachel Katzovitz said currently, the account is essential to keep Park on the same page with the constant changes and announcements.

“It’s important because especially in the distance setting, communication through teachers, students, the school and the families (needs) to run as smoothly as it can,”

Ella Miller,

Sophie Yakes,

Katzovitz said. “It also is needed so everyone can get the most out of what’s going on right now in the pandemic and learning.”

According to senior Ella Miller, who runs the hybrid learning Instagram account, the page has continued to be an asset for students with Park’s recent shifts in its types of learning.

“Transitioning to distance learning, we wanted a way to try and reach out to as many students as possible, to help them use those resources,” Miller said. “But continuing from going to hybrid learning to distance learning, the page has continued to evolve and change to where (it’s most) needed and useful for students.”

According to Katzovitz, since students are already on social media, it makes it simple for them to access the information.

“It’s a central place because if you’re using it for your own personal social media, then that information is already going to be on there so you don’t have to switch between different platforms to look for the information you need,” Katzovitz said. “That’s nice, easy and something the students can connect with.”

Anderson said the club’s goals for the future are to listen to the needs of the students and respond to them.

“There are two goals in mind or vision with two missions: to give students tech support as needed and to get student feedback,” Anderson said. “We really want this to be all about students. It’s been fun to have this collaboration.”

Need tech help? @Slp_hybrid_learning Denly Linderman,

Infographic Source

Photo: Jenna Benbow

DESIGN BY

“

ECHO Megan Hoenie, senior

SpectatorforRules attending sporting events

Boys’ swimming:

Photo: Anna Benishek Eyes on the ice: Sophomores Anna Hodges, Jamie Kraft, Arika Barth and Eliana Hammond watch the boys’ hockey game Jan. 14 at Braemar Arena.

Nordic, Basketball, Hockey 10 minutes masks

Nordic:

socially distance Girls’ hockey:

Boys’ hockey:

Girls’ gymnastics:

Boys’ basketball:

Girls’ basketball:

Photo: Lauren Thon Tune in: Junior Asher Danicic practices his breaststroke Jan. 20. ParkTV will be broadcasting home boys’ swim meets during the season.

Boys’ swimming, Girls’ gymnastics Infographic Source

OUT OF THE PARK Mandatory masks during practice cause big adjustment

G

G

ov. Tim Walz allowed the return of high school sports practices Jan. 4 and games Jan. 14. Basketball, hockey and Nordic skiing are allowed limited spectators at competitions, while no spectators are allowed at boys’ swimming and girls’ gymnastics meets. Below are the rules for those who attend events.

Upcoming Competitions

9

Isra Mohamed isramohamed@slpecho.com

Kate Schneider kateschneider@slpecho.com

DESIGN BY

SPORTS

No spectators masks Infographic Source

ov. Tim Walz allowed high school sports to resume Jan. 4 with masks having to be worn at all times during practices and games. This has taken some time to get used to but I am still grateful to have a basketball season.

One of the first aspects to get used to was the discomfort of the masks while I was heavily breathing after running for a while.

I found myself keeping the mask below my nose so I could control my breathing. It was challenging to run with a mask because I felt like I could not breathe fully. After a few weeks, I have become used to it and breathing has improved.

I have noticed wearing a mask improperly is basically the same as not wearing a mask, although some people do not realize it. I noticed a lot of my teammates and I wearing our masks below our nose as we POINT? did various exercises. It Wearing was kind of masks causes frustrating inconvenience, having to pull it up but worth it every few minutes, which was really distracting especially when scrimmaging.

During games, the masks threw off our communication because we could not read what our teammates were saying to us since their mouths were covered. We would miscommunicate, causing us to not play as well as we would have wanted. Having signs we could throw up helped us get to where we need to be on the court.

Although playing and practicing with masks on has been a tough adjustment to make, I understand we need to protect each other from COVID-19. The masks decrease the spread of this terrible disease so we will continue to do what is right by wearing our masks. It has been an interesting season, to say the least, but I am making the best of this situation.

10

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IN-DEPTH Monday, January 25, 2021 ECHO

Turning things in physically, at least for me, is really important in terms of staying motivated and not being able to do that can kind of leaves this sort of disconnect.

Nora Gardner, junior

WHAT’S THE POINT

Unintentional c

The draining reality of distance learning Grace Schultz graceschultz@slpecho.com

D

istance learning has proved to have many struggles for my mental and physical health. It’s still a new way of learning that I’ve had a hard time adjusting to.

I find it especially hard to motivate myself from home. My bedroom is also my classroom, so there are many distractions. To my right is art supplies, to my left is my sister doing her school work. I find myself gravitating toward creative outlets before my homework.

When learning at school, there’s a separation between homework and school work—now they’re combined.

It’s all homework in the sense that all school is done from home via Zoom.

I’ve also found learning in general much more difficult. I need in person connection with a teacher to ask questions immediately and see What’s the the answer drawn on a POINT? white board.

I find Adapting myself getting to changes easily frustrated because I’m unsure how to do assignments. Frustration leads me toward a negative spiral, ending with me being to worked up to do assignments. Like many others, I’m still working on finding a healthy amount of discomfort and frustration in order to make progress on my assignments.

Distance learning also comes with its physical impacts. Sitting in front of a screen all day drains me of energy.

I get much more tired than I would if I were in a physical school setting, especially from sitting in the same spot all day. My eyes get heavy, and I’m ultimately left tired and unmotivated.

I try to take as many breaks as I can.

Taking my dog out is about the most time outside I get.

Though there are many struggles with virtual school, it is doable for the time being. It is still a newer form of learning and it’s far from perfect, but that doesn’t mean school can just come to a halt. I’m hopeful that my peers and I will continue to find ways to adjust.

How-to

Infographic Emmy P Source psychologyto

Photo: Ava Ashby

Excess screen time collides with mental, physical health Adam Gips & Talia Lissauer adamgips@slpecho.com talialissauer@slpecho. com

A

s sophomore Sophia Nagorski sits at home in her virtual classes, she stares at her teacher and a slew of black boxes before her. The discomfort of the few students with their cameras on combined with Zoom’s isolated environment has made Nagorski feel secluded.

“I struggle getting out of my bed. I do my first two Zoom classes in bed. Then I get up and shower and do the rest of my classes but I don’t really go outside that much besides walking my dogs,” Nagorski said.

The mental impact According to Children’s Minnesota licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker Amy Moeller, distance learning has increased anxiety and depression among teens.

“It’s the isolation. It’s hating distance learning, it’s doing everything online — there’s no social interaction, there’s no seeing your friends in the hall,” Moeller said. “It’s just an abnormal way to learn that most kids don’t like because we’re not used to that; we’re used to somebody writing on the board and having that interaction with the teacher.”

Although freshman Camille Ramberg said she feels she has an advantage during distance learning as she gets her work done without outside support, her motivation has been deteriorating as time goes on.

“Even though I feel like I self-motivate myself, it definitely feels like it has gone down. I think it is because of the lack of socialization that I have,” Ramberg said.

Between trying to balance assignments and

Mean Screen: Sophomore Dayvion Freeman attends Zoom class at the Oriole Study Nest.

Distance learning has led many students to feel the

“Assignments just stack up and then we’re rushing to do them and getting them done on time … All that combined with work and maintaining Sophia Nagorski, junior

DESIGN BY Molly Schochet

“

IN-DEPTH ECHO Monday, January 25, 2021

My physical health is probably not as good, but I try to get a walk in everyday.

Ben Newpower, freshman

11

consequences

emerge during virtual learning

o-lessen:

Pearson oday.com

Fatigue

1. Meet with people over the phone, not on FaceTime

keep in touch with friends, Nagorski said she feels overwhelmed.

“Assignments just stack up and then we’re rushing to do them and getting them done on time,” Nagorski said. “All that combined with work and maintaining friendships.”

The physical impact The effects of distance learning go beyond losing motivation, according to Ramberg, as it affects her physically as well.

“I’m just tired all the time. I get Zoom fatigue, I get really tired from working and on calls most of the day,” Ramberg said. “I don’t get headaches, which is just so nice, but my neck, my back and everything (else) hurts.”

A number of physical effects have accompanied the increasing cases of depression, according to Moeller.

“With depression also comes quite a bit of physical symptoms. For example, either sleeping too much or not sleeping enough … kids are sleep deprived, which is never good. That causes all kinds of problems — that lowers our immune system, that makes us crabby and cranky and interferes with our ability to focus,” Moeller said. “Headaches and stomach aches are common things we see with depression that we’re seeing with this (pandemic).”

For junior Brady Truett, he said he gets headaches from the excess screen time and the stress of certain classes.

“I get a headache every now and then. It could be five minutes or it could be the whole class period. A DESIGN BY Molly Schochet

2. Work in a

3. Schedule breaks

4. Wear blue light

well lit area

from screens

glasses

few of my classes have been really stressing me out,” Truett said.

Since Nagorski is feeling exhausted, she said she is only completing a portion of the amount of work she normally would.

“I’m definitely more tired and my eyes start to hurt because of me staring at the screen. I leave my homework for such a late time,” Nagorski said. “Last night I was doing my homework at 1 a.m., I’m like ‘what am I doing? I have to wake up at 7:30 (a.m.).’”

Being apart from one another is a factor in teen depression and anxiety levels, according to Moeller.

“It’s fair to say that the increase in depression and anxiety that we’re seeing is probably less about screen time and more about the isolation and all of the changes that have come with COVID-19,” Moeller said.

Ramberg said she is having trouble moving around during the day as she wants to complete the work given during her given class time.

“I feel like the school wants and thinks we get up (during) our asynchronous classes, but I just can’t do that because they give us work and I want to do that work right away,” Ramberg said. “I can get up for like five minutes because I’m in the basement. I have to get upstairs for everything — that’s been difficult.”

Tips to manage excess screen time To cope with the increase in screen time, Moeller said it is vital for students to exercise.

“Not enough can be said about the importance of exercise. It releases endorphins in our brain, which are

feel-good chemicals that help our mood, (that) help us sleep better,” Moeller said.

To battle the physical side effects of screens, Truett said he does his best to go outside.

“I try to get out for at least an hour a day, whether that’s running or going over to Theodore Wirth and doing an hour of skiing. And then I come back and try to balance it out and try to do other stuff throughout the day,” Truett said.

Nagorski has found several ways to help manage her workload including participating in class and staying organized.

“Recently, I’ve been drinking Sleepytime tea so I go to bed at a better hour. I’ve been making these little lists and that’s really helpful for me to manage (and) put all my assignments from each class to keep up to date with them,” Nagorski said.

According to Moeller, the light coming off a screen is similar to the sunlight telling people’s bodies to wake up. To help students sleep better with the increase in screen time, students should avoid using screens at night. To avoid that, students should leave electronics outside of their bedrooms.

To help herself stay organized and motivated, Ramberg said she dedicated her desk to schoolwork. She also has a specific notebook for each class and writes down what she needs to get done in her calendar.

“The calendar helps so I don’t have to go back to Schoology or PowerSchool and see what I have to do.

It’s all just right there,” Ramberg said. “Having all my schoolwork at my desk is like a psychological thing.

So my brain thinks when I’m at my desk I’m doing schoolwork and nothing else.”

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SPORTS Monday, January 25, 2021 ECHO

Sadie Yarosh, senior

MEET THE ATHLETE Abby Meyer, senior Hockey & Lacrosse

What do you like the most about playing hockey and lacrosse?

I just love it. I don’t know how to explain it, I just really like it. It’s fun. It’s kind of the same as hockey. It’s just fun to be out there.

Fun to be moving around and getting work in. I really love being on a team and being able to meet other girls and talk to them and create friendships through that.

How long have you played hockey and lacrosse?

(For hockey) this is my 10th year (playing).

I think coming up on eight years now, probably when I was nine or 10 (is when I started playing lacrosse).

Why did you decide to play hockey?

My dad never got the chance to play when he was a kid but he started playing in a hockey league for older men and that kind of got me into it.

What position do you play in hockey and lacrosse?

I’m the defensemen. Midfield (in lacrosse).

What are you looking forward to the most this season for hockey?

I just committed to playing college. I am just excited to get back on the ice and to get ready for that coming up. I am also happy to see my teammates and hang out with them.

What are you looking forward to the most this season for hockey?

We went on a Duluth trip as a team last year and that was really fun. We stayed in the hotel overnight and we got to walk around and play.

Any advice for someone who would like to play hockey or lacrosse?

Just put yourself out there nobody is going to judge for anything. It’s high school; everybody’s at different levels, so it really doesn’t matter if you are not as good or bad as anyone else.

Photo: Ava Ashby

Masks mandated for sports

Mask up: Junior Ellie Austad attempts to steal the ball Jan. 19. Park won 56-51 against Warm up: Freshman Cavan McDonald skis on the track Jan. 4. The team has split up into pods of less than 25.

Walz, MSHSL releases guidelines on pods, events Jacob Khabie jacobkhabie@slpecho.com

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hen senior and hockey captain Erin Brousseau and her teammates heard about the new mask mandate surrounding the return of high school sports Jan. 4, they were concerned about how wearing a mask would affect their playing ability.

“It seems like a big adjustment for a lot of people, and it’s going to be hard to navigate, especially in games when you start breathing really hard,” Brousseau said.

The Minnesota Department of Health released new COVID-19 related sports guidelines Dec. 28.

Brousseau said while wearing a mask may be uncomfortable, she’d be willing to accept it in exchange for playing hockey.

“The mask mandate is the tradeoff for like the ability to be able to play

Photo: Ayelet Prottas

“The mask mandate is the trade-

indoor Erin Brousseau, senior

your indoor sport,” Brousseau said.

According to Delorme, he sees the masks as a necessary safety measure, regardless of how inconvenient they might be.

“Even though it may be uncomfortable with running up and down the court, it’s going to get hard to breathe, but I’d rather not get COVID(-19),” Delorme said.

Brousseau said as a captain she sees it as her job to keep her team safe, while trying to maintain a positive outlook.

“I’m just going to try to set a good example … not complaining that like, ‘oh, this is uncomfortable,’” Brousseau said. “(I’m going to) come with the knowledge that those things aren’t going to be how they were in years past, but make the best of it and try to look on the bright side of most things.”

DESIGN BY Emmy Pearson

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OPINIONS ECHO Monday, January 25, 2021

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Alasia Thammavongsa, sophomore

WEB PREVIEW

POINT COUNTERPOINT

Application of zeros in grade book varies Zeros used as reminder, cause students stress Putting in zeros serves as

Adam Gips adamgips@slpecho.com

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ith distance learning, many teachers can’t decide whether to put in zeros for missing assignments. To remind students and prioritize accountability, teachers should put them in.

While putting in zeros may stress students out, it can serve as a reminder to complete assignments. Students can prioritize work because they can see the impact on their grades.

Many students don’t communicate with their teachers; some teachers reach out through email or Schoology to check in with students, but many students forget or don’t respond. A zero is a powerful tool; it can effectively remind and communicate with a struggling student.

Putting in zeros directly after due dates gives students valuable time to complete the assignment. If a teacher waits until the unit is done, a student may forget and have a zero permanently. Filling in zeros beforehand is temporary, not something ingrained in a transcript.

Teachers putting in zeros after the due date serves as a communication tool. Zeros don’t have to stress students; they may be temporary. Zeros can change anytime the assignment is turned in if the teacher still allows — it is that simple.

PARK TRAIL Jaida Puentes

DESIGN BY Sophie Livingston

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STUDENT VOICES What are your thoughts on teachers putting zeros after an assignment’s deadline?

“I think there are better ways to remind a student (of a missing assigment).”

Iqra Abdi, senior “I like it as a reminder, but also I get very pressured especially if I ment and it’s not graded in the next week.”

Anna Overall, junior

SCAN TO VIEW

Putting in zeros on missing

Photo Illustration: Ava Ashby

Social media isn’t a news source Colin Canaday colincanaday@slpecho.com

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ven before the pandemic, students were under constant stress. And with the pandemic, this stress has only been exacerbated. Because of this, it is important that teachers only put in zeros for a student’s assignment when it is a final resort.

Getting a zero on an assignment is typically just a reminder to get work in. It is not likely the student has forgotten about the assignment. In that case, it is preferable to contact the student or their parent directly, rather than cause unnecessary stress by putting in a zero.

Communication is key in distance learning. Although it may be easier to simply put in a zero instead of reaching out to the student beforehand, by putting in that extra bit of work, there is the potential to save a lot of stress on the student’s end.

More leeway is needed from teachers in distance learning. If a student still hasn’t turned in an assignment after contacting them, it is important to keep in mind the burdens of distance learning and a possible extenuating circumstances that preventing the completing of an assignment.

Only after all of the aforementioned points have been examined should a teacher put in a zero for an assignment.

Many students turned to social media Jan. 6. When scrolling through social media, it is crucial to understand the difference between a journalist and someone with a social media account.

SCAN TO VIEW

Photo: Anna Benishek

Social media needs to start establishing inclusiveness The Instagram account @slpbracketrevamped was created anonymously to rate freshman girls by their appearance. This is appalling and people giving the account is unacceptable.

SCAN TO VIEW

Photo:

Staff Editorial: Student Support Park created student support time to help students outside of class. The Echo Editorial Board believes this is promising but should be publicized more.

slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho

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OPINIONS Monday, January 25, 2021 ECHO

(The Capitol raid is) one of the craziest things I’ve seen so far. It’s also how the Trump party storming the Capitol.”

Willis Goman, freshman

WHAT’S THE POINT Capitol raid embarrasses Americans

STAFF ED

Laniyah Thornton laniyahthornton@slpecho.com

A

s an American, Jan. 6 was an embarrassing day. I and thousands of others watched live coverage of the Capitol being raided and destroyed by Trump supporters.

The past four years have been filled with hatred and heartbreak. I know the man behind it is none other than Donald Trump.

Trump encouraged his supporters to go to the Capitol to “support” the women and men in Congress debating and certifying the election. His supporters then marched to the Capitol to disrupt the peace. When things began to get out of hand, Congress members sent out messages to the world, but, mainly to Trump, to stop the violence.

The insurrection continued into the nightfall; all Trump had done What’s the to disperse the POINT? massive crowd was tell them to Check your “Go home.” He even said, “We privilege love you. You’re very special.”

Unlike others, Trump didn’t put in any effort to stop the insurrection.

Many tried, but the only one who could’ve helped control the crowd was Trump. People pleaded to him for help, but he underlyingly supported the protest. I felt disappointed in this country as I watched the news. The person who is supposed to protect and serve the people let America down.

What happened at the Capitol is a perfect example of white privilege; we saw a majority white crowd get minimum repercussions but this summer when a diverse group protested for the right to live, people were beaten, arrested and some murdered.

This showed what America truly is.

America is viewed as this wonderful place, but in harsh reality, it’s one of the more unstable places in the world. People lose their lives fighting for justice and others get a free pass over an election loss. This is America.

This is our home. Instead of ignoring it, we need to reflect on what happened and do better in the future.

Photo: Ayelet Prottas Trouble in the bubble:

Students should reevaluate their pods Importance in keeping people safe in small numbers

A

s the pandemic has progressed the strictness and size of pods have loosened for some and now opinions vary in what a pod entails. The Echo Editorial board believes a pod is defined as a group of people that you spend time with.

This is now complicated with students returning to sports and work. Because of this, the amount of contact students have with others will increase. This poses a risk to community members. For families who have multiple students in sports or working, their pods have grown and increased the chances of a spike in cases. This accompanied with some students hanging out with large friend groups poses serious risks to the community.

While a small friend group may seem fine, many people don’t take into account who their friends seeing outside of the pod. This paired with the scary reality that many people are asymptomatic for a few days after contracting the virus presents a serious problem.

On social media platforms, people from Park and other surrounding schools are posting about hanging out with friends. This normalizes this dangerous activity and negates any precautions they may take like socially distancing and mask wearing.

Throughout the pandemic, the problem has stayed the same, but people are growing restless and beginning to publicly disregard COVID-19 precautions. Some people have pods consisting of 20 people and others have pods consisting of five. The smaller the pod the less likely you are to contract or spread the virus.

For students who decide to hang out with a larger group of friends, changes can be made to pose fewer risks and slow the spread of COVID-19. For students with a larger pod, you should minimize your pod and implement proper safety precautions.

Also, have discussions with pod members about how they are staying safe. Remember it’s important to wear a mask and observe social distancing protocol. If you are participating in a sport or work, follow any additional guidelines to ensure the safety of you and your peers.

Everyone plays a role in preventing the spread and the Echo Editorial board believes taking precautions now will keep you and your family safe against the virus.

Follow COVID-19 guidelines and stay in your house.

Students should follow COVID-19 guidelines and regulate how many people they see.

DESIGN BY Emmy Pearson

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ENTERTAINMENT ECHO Monday, January 25, 2021

(‘Wonder Woman 1984’ is) pretty cool, but I like Superman and Batman better.

Desiree Meringdall, sophomore

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REVIEW

‘WONDER WOMAN 1984’

fails to rope in audience

STUDENT OPINIONS

41%

Would recommend the movie to their friends

Excessive plotlines cause confusion Talia Lissauer talialissauer@slpecho.com

F

inally being released one year late, “Wonder Woman 1984” hit the screens unlike any other superhero movie has before. With an option of no lines or strangers to distract, “Wonder Woman” continues to break barriers on screens and in the real world all from the comfort of the couch.

Starting off strong, young Diana Prince (Lilly Aswell) is seen learning a valuable life lesson while proving she has always been as smart as she is strong. Aswell does a great job in the opening scene portraying Prince’s ambition and the roller coaster of emotions she experiences only within a few minutes.

After one scene it jumps into the future to the older Prince (Gal Gadot). Just as she did three years ago, Gadot continues to bring a character full of kindness, power, ambition and love to life.

The movie fell short on many aspects of

DESIGN BY Emmy Pearson

a typical superhero movie, creating a unique addition to the DC Extended Universe. The movie is fueled by ordinary people attaining their greatest desires, but at a cost of what they value most. It’s a superhero movie built on individual people’s greed, instead of a typical fight between hero and villain. It makes sense that the movie featured more of Prince than Wonder Woman, however, as well intented as it was, there is not enough Wonder Woman content to fill the film’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime.

Along with the lack of Wonder Woman content, DC mistakenly took one of its few major female superheroes and revolved her personality around a man. In the beginning, she is continuing to grieve 74 years after her boyfriend Steve Trever (Chris Pine) died.

What makes this so frustrating is she shares she never goes out and isn’t happy because she misses him so much. She comes from a place where men don’t exist, yet so much of her existence revolves around the first man she ever met.

Although Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) feels like an unnecessary addition to the already very long movie, the villain’s human persona, Barbara Minerva, has an intriguing plotline that nicely compliments Prince’s.

2.69/5 Average rating of “Wonder Woman 1984”

46%

Are excited for the next movie in the series Infographic Emmy Pearson Source Echo Instagram Poll

“DC mistakenly took one of its few major female superheros and revolved her personality around a man.”

Talia Lissauer, senior

Fair use from Warner Bros While both characters are seen constantly being sexualized by men, Minerva is also seen feeling insecure and powerless compared to Prince. More time should have been spent watching the once hilariously awkward Minerva develop into the aggressive and dark character of Cheetah.

Despite the length of the movie, there isn’t enough time to get to know each character. From catching up with Prince or Steve Trever (Chris Pine) to meeting Minerva or Maxwell Lorde (Pedro Pascal), the movie is constantly in a rush, creating a predictable storyline with an unsatisfying ending. After a super-strong start, there were just too many characters and worldwide plotlines to successfully cover everything leaving many plot lines to disappear.

“Wonder Woman 1984” taught the valuable lesson that sometimes someone’s greatest desires could become their downfall. Instead of focusing on Prince’s powers as a Goddess, it focused on her fragile emotional state, intelligence and kindness.

While those aspects are important, more of a balance is needed as Wonder Woman is in the title of the movie. Even though it was not truly a superhero movie, it was still enjoyable to watch for the holiday season.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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ECHO

Murphy Fries, junior

REVIEW

‘evermore’ — an enchanting collection of new music

STUDENT OPINIONS

68%

folklore

Album incorporates songwriting, vocal skills Johanna Kaplan johannakaplan@slpecho.com

G

32% Fair use from Taylor Swift With the release of “evermore” Swift ventures further into the alt-folk scene, distancing herself from the peppy pop of her past albums. In “cowboy like me” this is most evident. For this song, Swift brings back some of her long-lost country vocals. The last time she’s released anything like this was almost a decade ago. This sound really suits her and I am glad she’s gone back to it.

My favorite song in the album is the opening track, “willow.” This song is both beautifully written and catchy. The score at the beginning of the song is almost spell-binding in its peaceful rhythm. “willow” does a wonderful job of setting the

tone for the rest of the album. Through its enticing tune, “willow” transfers you into the mystical setting of “evermore.”

Although I do love this album, I have one problem with “evermore”: all the songs sound nearly the same. Every song has its own story and personality but lacks vocal and acoustic individuality. The repetitive nature of this album gets a bit old as you continue listening. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between songs.

Despite its lack of variety, Taylor Swift’s “evermore” has proved itself another triumph. I adore this album and would recommend it to anyone who likes Swift.

evermore

iven all the chaos of 2020, Taylor Swift offers an escape through her alluring new music. Swift released yet another surprise album following the release of “folklore” Dec. 11.

“Evermore” perfectly embodies Swift’s poetic writing alongside woodsy, mystical acoustics.

She has a talent for creating a vivid and emotional scene for each song. Every song is a story of its own. In “Ivy,” Swift describes an affair between a man and a married woman.

She sings this story in such a gentle voice, which fits the poetic writing of this song.

In “long story short” Swift blends haunting lyrics with upbeat acoustics. Morbid lyrics are presented in such a light note that you don’t quite realize how dark they are until you read them. I love this contrast, and I love how she can pull it off so well.

Fair use from Taylor Swift Infographic Source

Ben Sanford bensanford@slpecho.com Fair use from Records

DESIGN BY

Disney+’s “WandaVision” continues to release episodes of the Marvel Original series for the next month-and-a-half. The series will have a big effect on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Season two of the TNT series “Snowpiecer” premieres Jan. 25. This dystopian series takes place on a moving train in a post-apocalyptic ice age.

The Minneapolis Institute of Art is set to reopen to the public at the end of January. Due to the coronavirus the museum has shut down and moved its exhibits online.

Madison Beer is set to release her first studio album “Life Support.” Beer has gained an extremely large fan base following the release of her EP “As She Pleases” in 2018.