Echo
STaRTINg FRESH
Orioles implement defensive and offensive changes with eight new varsity players. pagE 2
HaNgINg aROUND
Hammock trend booms in summer and will remain popular into fall and winter. pagE 4
Tuesday, September 8, 2015 Volume 87 Issue 1 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426
SlpEcHO.cOm
Omg.
law cRackS DOwN ON DISTRacTION Texting while driving fine increased for repeat offenders Jayne Stevenson jaynestevenson@slpecho.com
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enior Tyra Ramsey said she remembers a shocking experience during driver’s education when she heard stories of those who were killed by someone who was texting while driving. “While I was at driver’s ed, there were all these people talking about how their daughters or their sons were killed by somebody who was texting while driving, and that really opened my eyes,” Ramsey said. Three main types of distracted driving occur: visual, manual and cognitive. Texting while driving incorporates all three and raises the chance of a motor vehicle crash, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Distracted driving is involved in one in four crashes in Minnesota, according to Donna Berger, director of the Office of Traffic Safety at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS).
According to the MDPS, the increased fine for repeat texting while driving offenders in Minnesota went into effect Aug. 1. This law builds on a previous law, adding a $275 fine for second or subsequent offenses to the initial $50 fine, along with court costs, Berger said. “There was a current law that prohibited the use of wireless communication devices to compose, read or send an electronic message when the vehicle is in motion, or part of traffic, and most people really think of that as the texting law,” Berger said. “This law is an enhancement, which adds an additional fine to the existing fine for a second and subsequent offense.” According to Berger, the bill was an agency initiative, and the process involved recommendations and approval from the commissioner’s office, the governor’s office and the legislature. “There’s a lot of hearings, a lot of testimonies, a lot of educating legislators on why the bill is necessary,” Berger said. “We also had personal impact speakers, families that had been impacted by the loss of a loved one due to a distracted driving crash.” The bill also had to be authored by a senator and a representative, according to Berger. “Other representatives could sign on, but (Rep. Frank Hornstein) was the leading author on the House side,
and Sen. Jim Carlson was the author on the Senate side,” Berger said. Junior Zach Conati said he thinks the law will help prevent people from texting while driving to an extent. “I think it will help,” Conati said. “But it’s not going to completely eliminate it.” Conati said he would not text and drive knowing the amount he would have to pay if he got caught. “Hopefully (drivers) will realize they don’t want to pay almost $300 for a stupid text,” Conati said. “Maybe they’ll have someone else in the car do it, or just wait until they’re done driving.” According to the Washington Post, distracted driving plays a part in 58 percent of automobile crashes involving teen drivers. Berger said that in 2014, more than 70 percent of fatal crashes and 24 percent of injury crashes involved driver inattention. “It’s a preventable death,” Berger said. “It’s not worth taking those chances.” Berger said drivers have a personal responsibility to be safe and to respect other drivers. “My hope is that they will all put safety first and decide to put all distractions away,” Berger said. “Everyone has the right to speak up and feel safe in a car, whether they’re a passenger or driver.”
Photo Illustration Harry Steffenhagen, Heather Westwood & Cedar Thomas
$7.75 $7.25
Minimum wage continues to rise Previous legislation goes into effect for all workers
$6.50
$4.90 $4.25
Mara Bacig marabacig@slpecho.com
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1997
2005
2014
2015
2016
Youth minimum wage Minnesota legislation passed in 2014 will increase the minimum wage for youth to $7.75 Aug. 1, 2016.
Infographic Jane Anderson Source www.dli.mn.gov
rom 2005 until 2014, Minnesota’s minimum wage was frozen at $6.15 per hour. However, after Aug. 1, 2015, new legislation went into effect, raising the large employer minimum wage to $9 per hour and the small employer wage to $7.25 per hour. Under the previous 2005 law, Minnesota was one of four states with a minimum wage below the federal minimum of $7.25, according to the Minnesota Department
of Labor and Industry (DLI). Now, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Minnesota’s youth minimum equals the federal one, and the large employer wage tops it. Junior Emily Doss works two low wage jobs as a janitor and a Tom Thumb Donuts employee. She said she believes a higher minimum wage will help young people pay for college.` “Many of the people who are working jobs with a minimum wage are either high school students saving for college or college students paying their bills,” Doss said. James Honerman, the communications director for the DLI, said he believes the new minimum wage for teens will help the Minnesotan
economy by stimulating spending. “Putting money in teens’ pockets is good for the economy because they are active consumers,” Honerman said. “Yet those who secure a job also find value in employment far beyond financial necessity.” Senior Justin Less said he thinks the past youth minimum wage was too low and raising the minimum wage allows teens to be independent consumers. “I think it’s beneficial to raise minimum wage, because it lets kids become more self-sufficient and less reliant on their parents,” Less said. According to the DLI, in 2016 the large employer minimum wage will increase to $9.50 and the small employer wage will become $7.75. In the future, the wage will be increased in proportion to inflation.
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SPORTS
Echo Tuesday, September 8, 2015
With lots of practice and upperclassmen, I think the girls’ soccer team will do pretty well. Ruwayda Salat, freshman
Meet the ATHLETE
Who: Violet Huber Sport: Tennis How long have you been playing tennis? I’ve been playing for five years now, since I was in fifth grade. What do you like about playing tennis? I love how it is a very competitive and fast-paced sport. I also love bonding with all my friends on the team. Do you participate in any offseason tennis practices to improve your game? I play for the Minikahda Club in summer, and I play for Lifetime Fitness in the winter and spring. Do you play doubles? I play both doubles and singles, but just doubles for varsity. How do you work with your teammates? I try to communicate while I’m playing and in between points so my teammates and I can stay on the same page. How do you feel about being on varsity as a freshman? I feel proud that all the work I’ve done has paid off. Sometimes it can be a little scary since I am one of the younger girls and haven’t had as much experience with this type of competition. What role does tennis play in your life? It plays a pretty big role. It’s the only sport I play, so I’m pretty focused on it. It keeps me fit and is a fun hobby. How has tennis helped you since you started playing? Tennis has helped me grow by making me dependent on myself, especially with playing singles. I’m the only one there and it’s a mental game. You need to be mentally tough in order to succeed. Do you have any goals for tennis after high school? I haven’t thought that far ahead yet but I for sure can see it playing a role in my life in the future. I’ll for sure be playing at least just for fun. What are you looking forward to this season? I am looking forward to seeing how we fill in the spots that were left and I am hoping we can place top three in our conference and have a winning season. Sam Crary samcrary@slpecho.com
Excitement rises: The girls varsity soccer team members cheer on sophomore Alex Balfour before their game against Hopkins Sept. 1. They lost 1-0. Photos Kaylee Chamberlain
Team adapts to challenges Girls’ soccer works on new formation Alec Pittman alecpittman@slpecho.com
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atigue sets in as the girls recover from another offensive attack from the opposing team, but their practice prepared them for this, according to head coach Benjy Kent. Kent added that a difficult season faces the girls this year. He said the girls play many excellent teams in their conference and are trying a new formation to improve defensive ability. Kent said traditionally, there are three lines of players: defenders, midfielders and forwards.
This setup usually has anywhere from three to four defenders, three to five midfielders and one to three forwards. “This formation has four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three attacking midfielders and one forward,” Kent said. The team has practiced this formation to adjust to the challenging games ahead. The upcoming schedule includes games against Minneapolis Southwest, Chaska, Minneapolis South and Roseville. “We have a tougher schedule, so I don’t know if our record will be the same, better or worse,” Kent said. “If we can be tough and focused enough defensively to keep ourselves in the game, the longer we stay in the game the more dangerous we become.”
Freshman Anna Jennissen said she looks forward to the season. “It’ll be great to see how we all improve as a whole,” Jennissen said. “I want us to put everything we have onto the field every time we play.” Kent said another challenge lies in overcoming more developed programs larger schools have because of their numbers. “Our kids like the challenge and the benefit is we have a lot of kids that can do other things. Some of our best players have to play more minutes than they might otherwise,” Kent said. According to Kent, the amount of work required for success in this type of play is hard but needed. “It’ll be important to mentally and physically be tough enough
Warming up: Sophomore Malaika Bigirindavyi kicks long balls before the game Sept. 1. to compete with some of these good teams,” Kent said. The next game will be against the Minneapolis Southwest Lakers. The game will take place 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at Minneapolis Southwest High School.
Football modifies defensive structure Team simplifies playing style Ethan Brown ethanbrown@slpecho.com
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unior quarterback Logan Romero laces his cleats and grabs his helmet before heading to the field. Orioles football is in full swing. Romero said he wants to improve on the team’s 5-5 record from the 2014 football season. With eight new faces on varsity, Romero said this year’s game plan will be different. “We’re going to have a smaller offensive line this year,” Romero said. “We’re going to need to get rid of the ball much quicker and be a lot more efficient with getting the ball where it needs to be.” Romero said he praises the team’s willingness to change after three of last year’s five varsity of-
fensive linemen graduated. “We’ve had a lot of young guys step up, as well as some upperclassmen being willing to change their position in order to help with the team’s needs,” Romero said. Coach Ben Wolfe said he’s making major defensive changes, hoping to produce better numbers in his third season as coach. “We’ve switched our defense from a 4-2-5 defense into a 3-4 defense,” Wolfe said. “We wanted to simplify some offensive concepts, so we’ve changed up a few things there as well.” Wolfe said he realizes the future challenges the team faces because of the talent present in the rest of the conference. “We do play in a tough conference with some tough opponents, but our biggest obstacle to overcome is playing mistake-free football, staying within ourselves
Photo Harrison Barden
Break through: Sophomore Jonny Sorenson runs the ball through his defenders during a practice play at practice Aug. 26. and playing our best game,” Wolfe said. Senior defensive back Tahyvion Malone said in order to win this season, coming together as a team is a key to success. “If we want to improve, we need to grow as a team,” Malone said. “We need to believe in ourselves and trust each other.” The next home game takes place against Robbinsdale Cooper High School 7 p.m. Sept. 11 at the stadium.
3-4 defense
x x xx x x x
Defense
Offense
This formation offers extra defensive back for pass coverage. It is used to stop short passing.
x
= 1 defensive player Infographic Cedar Thomas Source active.com
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(The texting and driving law) is making the roads safer, and it’s making less accidents happen.
OPINIONS Echo Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Aerial Lark-Ingram, senior
Echo
St. Louis Park Senior High School 6425 West 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426 Print editor-in-chief: Allison Cramer Web editor-in-chief: Kaylee Chamberlain Print managing editor: Jackson Eilers Web managing editor: Hannah Goldenberg Copy editors: Hannah Bernstein, Abby Hickstein & Jonah Kupritz Design editors: Harry Steffenhagen & Cedar Thomas Photo editors: Harrison Barden, Celene Koller, Julia Nathan & Heather Westwood Video editors: Zoë Eilers & Albie Sher News editor: Shoshi Leviton Features editors: Sari Hattis & Emily Tifft In-Depth editor: Jamie Halper Sports editors: Joe Brandel & Neda Salamzadeh Opinions editor: Olivia Sieff Entertainment editor: Polina Pekurovsky Beats editor: Brigid Duffy Social media editor: Kate Huber Staff: Deanna Afremov, Aisha Ali, Jane Anderson, Maggie Bahnson, Max Blackburn, Ethan Brown, Genesis Buckhalton, Sam Crary, Jada CsikosMonroe, Emma Dietz, Anna DuSaire, Daniella Etzion, Mimi Fhima, Raphy Gendler, Sydney Hall, Zack Hatcher, Ruthie Hope, Will Huyck, Tenzin Jangchup, Sophie Kedrowski, Max Kent, Adah Koivula, Ndunzi Kunsunga, Makagbe Kuyateh, Alyssa LeMay, Alissa Meredith, Sam Orloff, Katie Orton, Conrad Phelan, Alec Pittman, Elise Riley, Mira Swartz, Sophie Skinner, Jayne Stevenson, Paige Steward, Lauren VonEschen, Ilana Weinstein, Sophie Yarosh, Calvin Youngren & Carlos Zeigle Business Manager: Mara Bacig Principal: Scott Meyers Printer: Quad Graphics
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OUR PERSPECTIVE
Law takes step toward safety
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ore than 3,000 people lost their lives because of distracted driving in 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), a small number considering how many people engage in this risky behind-the-wheel behavior. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals nearly one in two high school students 16 years or older texts or emails while driving. What happens when the eyes of these untold millions of people who only recently got their licenses say “BRB” to the road so they can “LOL” for a bit? A USDOT study showed engaging in visual-manual subtasks, such as texting while driving, increased the risk of getting into a crash by nearly three times. Clearly, texting while driving poses a great problem to road safety and becomes even more concerning when teens attempt to pull it off. That’s why all should welcome legislation enacted Aug. 1 across Minnesota to increase the fine for repeat offenders from $50 to $275.
Any step toward safer roads is a step in the right direction, but studies of similar cases in the past indicate there exists a right way to progress. Studies conducted in Hartford, Connecticut and Syracuse, New York on the effectiveness of highway safety laws described in an article from the Highway Loss Data Institute revealed a noticeable decline in texting while driving only when these laws were coupled with strong enforcement efforts. Like in Hartford and Syracuse, traffic police in Minneapolis must combine strong enforcement with the recent fine increase if they hope to see positive results. Advertisements telling stories of children made motherless and mothers made childless from texting while driving should air on television. The Minnesota Department of Transportation should line the sides of roads and highways with billboards reminding motor vehicle operators not to text while driving. Primarily enforced texting laws, like the one recently enacted in Minnesota, in which po-
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Photo Illustration Harry Steffenhagen & Heather Westwood
lice officers can pull over drivers simply for texting, were associated with a 3 percent reduction in traffic fatalities among all age groups, according to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While any prospect of increasing road safety and saving lives is a good one, the effort should not end here. Legislators should continue to push for further research in effective ways to combat distracted driving and support any regulations that show promise for
preventing injury and loss of life. Students can take action now, however, to do what may take lawmakers longer. First and foremost, stop texting and driving. Next, tell your friends and loved ones not to text while driving because you value their lives and would never want them to end prematurely. As for passengers, if the driver of the vehicle you are in texts while driving, or engages in any other behavior that makes you feel uncomfortable, speak up.
Adviser: Lori Keekley
MEDIA POLICIES The Echo is the official student-produced newspaper of St. Louis Park Senior High School. It is published triweekly for the school’s students, staff and community. The Echo is a designated forum for student expression in which students make all decisions of content without prior review from school officials. The adviser will not act as a censor, but will advise students. Students have the final decision on all content. The Echo will work to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful and interesting to all our readers. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph unless clearly labeled as a photo illustration. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Echo staff or 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 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.
Echo Policies 2015-2016 Who’s in charge of the Echo? The Echo is the official student-produced newspaper of St. Louis Park Senior High School. Students make all decisions of content without prior review from school officials or censorship from the adviser. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board, consisting of the Echo editors. Additionally, the editorial board should discuss coverage concerns, ensure their voice represents the student body and should be mindful of creating an inclusive environment for all staff members. Because students learn more when they make publication choices, prior review or restraint does not teach students to produce higher quality journalism. The only way to teach students to take responsibility for their decisions is to empower them to make those decisions freely. Additionally, democracy depends on students understanding all voices have a right to be heard and knowing they have a voice in their school and community.
What are our ethical guidelines? The Echo will work to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful and interesting to all our readers. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph unless clearly labeled as a photo illustration. In order to strive for objectivity, journalists should avoid covering stories of which they are involved. Journalists should avoid a real or perceived conflict of interest as well. The publications will not shy away from covering newsworthy controversial issues of importance to students. Journalists should work
We maintain the right to reject any ads we
to cover these topics robustly. Reporting in scholastic media that omits essential pieces of information because of review or restraint is an indirect form of fabrication. It destroys not only truth but credibility and reliability.
What happens if we make a mistake? While journalists strive for accuracy, we know errors can occur. In the event of an error being reported by readers or noticed by staffers, students should first check to see if the information is erroneous. If students deem the material to be incorrect, they should alter any online content to reflect the correction and then print a correction in the next edition. Students should be careful not to restate the error, but to correct the erroneous information. In regard to material appearing on the website, nothing will be taken down unless it’s proven factually false or otherwise legally deficient as of the time it was published.
What would we do in the event of a tragedy? In the event of the death of a student or staff member at St. Louis Park High School, a standard, obituary-type recognition will commemorate the deceased in the newspaper and online news site. A school-portrait type photo is preferable. A maximum one-fourth page feature, or similar length for each obituary, should be written by a staff member and placed on the website within 24 hours and in the newspaper at the bottom of page one. Web and print coverage should include school and community reaction as it happens. For those unofficially affiliated with the district, the editors-in-chief should determine appropriate coverage, but should not include an official obituary.
Additional policies are described to the left.
believe to be false, misleading, inappropriate or harmful. The Echo does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered in these advertisements.
Down to hammocks. Another place to watch people hook up in public.
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,
Up to texting and driving. Texting my friends deets to my funeral.
Down to minimum wage. Mo’ money, mo’ problems.
2013 CSPA Gold Crown, 2015 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown.
Art Alyssa LeMay
E.T., B.D., H.S.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Echo Tuesday, September 8, 2015
I think (hammocking) is relaxing and people do it to spend time outdoors. Donovan Hill, freshman
’Mocking makes its mark
Popularity of nylon hammocks increases Brigid Duffy brigidduffy@slpecho.com
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hile walking around the lakes, checking the latest Snapchat story or scrolling through Instagram, it’s common to see an Eno hammock hanging between the branches of a tree. Sophomore Eva Arago said she believes the hammock fad grew rapidly this summer. “I have noticed that they became very popular this summer because of how nice the weather has been,” Arago said. “People just want something to relax on outside.” Junior Peter Sherno said he believes social media and word-of-mouth has contributed to the popularity of the hammocks. “People see the hammocks Eno hammock around and ask what they are and where they can get them,” prices Sherno said. “I see a lot of Single Nest $59.95 people posting hammockPro Nest $64.95 related media.” Jungle Nest $99.95 Arago said hammocks are Infographic Daniella Etzion abundant on social media beSource eaglenestoutfitters.com cause they photograph well. “This trend is displayed on social media like Snapchat and Instagram, because people often set up their hammocks when they are in a beautiful place with a good view,” Arago said. “It makes for a great picture.” The increase in popularity doesn’t exist only on social media. According to Bloomington REI sales manager Barb Anseth, Eno hammocks have had a record-breaking year. “We started carrying Eno hammocks five years ago but we have noticed a boom in sales this year. This made it the highest selling year,” Anseth said. “It has been a challenge to keep up with all the sales this year. We think this will continue and become a hot holiday item.” The attraction of the hammocks stems from their comfort and mobility, Sherno said. “They are really portable and can be wrapped up really tightly so people can take them anywhere, but they are also very cozy,” Sherno said. Anseth said she saw a rise in the amount of young people buying the hammocks for their many uses and color variety. “I have seen a lot of high schoolers come in and buy hammocks and put them up in parks,” Anseth said. “The hammocks have an assortment of colors and also include cool accessories like lights and bug nets and the price is affordable for many people.”
Sit back and relax: Seniors Nora Sylvestre, Martha Sutter, Mara Bacig and Emily Hinz sway in their Eno hammocks Aug. 29 at the Lake Harriet Rose Garden. Photo Heather Westwood
METRO AT A GLANCE Polina Pekurovsky polinapekurovsky@slpecho.com Photos used with written permission from Anna DuSaire, the Weisman Art Museum, Meet Minneapolis and St. Mary’s Orthodox Greek Church.
Sept. 8-20
Sept. 8-Feb. 14
Sept. 10
Sept. 11-13
The Russian Museum presents “Romance in Soviet Art,” an exhibit featuring 40 paintings portraying love and marriage dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. Admission is free.
The “Black and White” exhibit at the Weisman Art Museum features printed pieces from the 1960s and 1970s related to segregation and Apartheid in South Africa. Admission is free.
The Creative City Market festival, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, will feature Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine, live music, art creation and a movie. Admission is free.
The 27th annual Taste of Greece festival will take place at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church. It will offer authentic Greek food, live music and cultural experiences. Admission is free.