Issue 4, Jan. 26

slpecho St. Louis Park Echo

STAFF LIST

Editors-in-chief: Elena Ortiz

Fishman, Katie Nelson

Photo editors: Mya

Stanberry, Halima Bigirindavyi, Jacob Perszyk

Copy editors: Johanna Kaplan, Alex Geretz, Ivan Zank

News editor: Abby Keller

Features editor: Abby Bartleson

Profiles editor: Cianny Belen

In-Depth editor: Alicia Mainjeni

Sports Editor: Maren Wilsey

Opinion editor: Anya Panday

Entertainment Editor: Modesty

Manion

Web editor: Char Priadka

Staff: Rachel Arkis, Serena Bovee, Cole Denham, Crystal Diaz, Eliah Fink, Alexander Geretz, Jamar

Hester, John Hunter, Lex Lee, Noah Leventhal, Ari Lissauer, Jacob Martenson, Ena Mekic, Maya Nieves, Sarah Peterson, Scott Schmidt, Aidan Shafton, Taylor Voigt, Roberto Alvarez, Yesseiri

Belen, Charlotte Cox, Lilly Fandel Thompson, Jana Faust, Dahlia Herman, Cece Jensen, Leo Justesen, Anisa Kahin, Nafisa Kahin, Sarah Kluckhohn, Owen McColgan, Abby Meisler, Ashley Reyes Castillo, Cole Taylor, Anna Williams, Liz Williams, Ivan Zank, Zoe Ziessman.

Principal: LaNisha Paddock

Printer: North Star Media

Adviser: Andrew Wilkes

Awards:

NSPA Hall of Fame member; 2006-2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014,

2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019,

2020, 2021 NSPA Print Pacemaker

Finalist; 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021 National Print

Pacemaker Award recipient; 2014,

2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 Online Pacemaker Finalist:

2013, 2015, 2016, 2020 CSPA Gold

Crown: 2015, 2020, 2022 CSPA

Hybrid Gold Crown: 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 CSPA Silver

Crown: JEM

All State Gold Award print and online.

Table of CONTENTS NEWS

3 Advanced classes for the masses

4 The dirt on snow days, There’s snow place like Sno Daze

FEATURES

5 CNA takes a trip into the field

IN-DEPTH

6,7 A for accuracy

Editors

NOTE

As finals and the end of the semester looms, our main solace has been working away in the Pub. Cycle four has been our longest yet — and we are so excited to present the last print edition of the semester. While the new semester will bring fresh challenges and stories, we look forward to facing them with a new, hot-off-the-press editorial staff. In this edition, check out our dubbed “snow days/daze,” spread on page 4, which covers the duality of the Snow daze dance coming up in February, and the preeminence of snow days as the weather worsens. Along with the onslaught of icy streets, and an overflowing parking lot, endof-semester grades have become a common worry. Next, our in-depth on page 4 covers the failures and successes of the usual grading process. More information on the accessibility of honors classes can also be found on page 3, as students look into building their schedule for next year. Lastly, enter this new semester by enjoying what’s next in music — the K-pop genre — and its top album recommendations on page 12.

SPORTS

8 Brawl for the ball, Park turns North Shore south

9 All gas, no brakes in the City Of Lakes

OPINIONS

10 Texting temptation: The age of screenagers

11 Staff Editorial: Honors classes only honor some

12 Once you K-pop, you can’t K-stop

Tropical: Senior Editors in-chiefs Elena Ortiz-Fishman and Katie Nelson pose after a dinner at Rainforest Cafe Aug. 5. The dinner was held to celebrate the fake birthday of Maren Wilsey.

Photo by Maren Wilsey

There needs to be some kind of effort to make (AP & IB classes) more inclusive.”

Web Preview

Youth in Government offers unique learning experience

As a way for students to get more of an insight into government and how it works, Park students received the opportunity to experience what it’s like dealing with everyday politics at a local conference Jan. 5-8.

Advanced classes for the masses

District strives for inclusivity in advanced courses

Where are all the teachers?

Park has been struggling with multiple teachers leaving throughout the school year. As a result, some teachers have been making adjustments to their schedules to fill in for students.

‘Hunters’ season two disappoints

In January 2023, the second and final season of David Weil’s “Hunters” was released on Amazon Prime. Set in the 1970’s, the first season follows Jonah (Logan Lerman) as he attempts to bring his grandmother’s murderer to justice and is thrust into a battle beyond belief  to hunt and kill Nazis living in the United States. Led by the mysterious Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino), Jonah and a group of mercenaries work throughout the season to foil a Nazi-led doomsday plan.

In a post made to the Park Communicator Dec. 15, Superintendent Astein Osei established a district goal of ensuring every student takes at least one AP, IB, or Concurrent College Course during their time at Park.

To reach this, Osei said through an analysis of educational delivery, Park decided to revise its advanced learning programs in 2021 — starting with its youngest learners.

“The first group of new data analysts (did) their research around disproportionality in advanced course taking,” Osei said. “They gave us several different recommendations, which led us to really change the way that we looked at gifted and talented at the elementary levels specifically. But we moved to what is called a talent development mode.”

As a part of talent development mode, Patrick Duffy said every student will be given the opportunity to enrich their learning through various courses, while remedial programs have been removed. This deviates from the past years when Gifted and Talented only catered to select students.

“We hired eight gifted and talented teachers in our district. We eliminated all remedial programming grades K-8. Every child in our district — whether they are a child served in special education, whether you’re a multilingual learner, regardless of their background — receives talent development in science, technology, education and human development, the arts and math,” Duffy said.

A main hindrance to diversifying higher-level classrooms is the lack of representation in these environments, according to teacher Alexander Polk.

“At Park, if students are thinking about taking an advanced class — especially students of color — and they look into a class and see all white students, they may not feel like that’s a spot for them. It might be that they’ve never had a teacher who looks like or who has had similar experiences to them. Historically, schools have not been kind to students of color,” Polk said.

Osei said he also hopes to emphasize the importance of

creating a community of educators dedicated to inclusion, which in turn promotes diverse classrooms.

“I can’t come to work and just be like, ‘I’m going to lean into the diverse needs of all of the people that are in front of me in the classroom and then go home, in my personal life and live a completely different lifestyle that’s disconnected from equity,’” Osei said. “We were trying to create a culture where people that choose to work in St. Louis Park, do so because they recognize that the work that we’re doing is really important for the overall success of our democracy and that they are not only doing this when they’re at work, but this is a part of who they are — it’s both personal and professional.”

For sophomore Antonio Brayboy, seeing advanced classes with predominantly white students and teachers may discourage students of color from taking those classes.

“It can make students of color who want to take the class nervous. It’s hard to be in a room of only two people who look like you compared to a mixed, diverse class. It can scare some people away,” Brayboy said.

Polk said the most effective way to get students to enroll in advanced classes is to actively recruit students and affirm their ability to succeed in those environments.

“It’s really important to actively recruit students that not necessarily ‘have the potential’ but to realize that everybody is capable. But there needs to be active recruitment from the teacher who is teaching the class and from the administration to promote the class,” Polk said. “If you don’t have someone who’s like, ‘you can be successful in this class,’ then you don’t always assume that you can be successful.”

Assistant principal Alyssa Gardner said Park plans to utilize Naviance to pinpoint student interests and set students on a path to take advanced classwork to fit their aspirations and academic needs as well as fulfill this goal.

“We’re going to be using Naviance course planner software for students to plan out their four years and it can shift and adjust as their interests shift. Giving students the opportunity to build out goals and plans gives us as adults a lot of inroads to have conversations like, ‘well, you seem really interested in going into the engineering or the math and science pathway — have you considered there are the different advanced math options,’” Gardner said. “Just that holistic view of what’s going to make a great high school experience for the student and we can use that to build an advanced coursework suited to the student’s needs.”

According to senior Alicia Narais, students of color don’t get actively recruited for advanced classes and aren’t given the proper information to enroll, which can make POC students feel out of place.

“Some people don’t even get pushed into it, or when you’re signing up for classes, (they should) give more information about the class and everything so that they know what they’re getting into,” Narais said. “A lot of POC students feel like they shouldn’t be there. And also, some of the teachers that do teach advanced classes, aren’t as accepting.”

Photo by: Roberto Alvarez

Photo by: Zoe Ziessman

Photo: Fair Use from Prime Video

DESIGN BY Abby Keller

Amira Abdirahman, senior

Study session: Students work on assignments in IB History HL. There have been recent discussions by the district over the lack of diversity in advanced classes at Park.

Photo by: Aidan Shafton

Roberto Alvarez

Abby Meisler

Sarah Kluckhohn

Katie Nelson Elena Ortiz Anya Panday

The dirt behind the snow

An inside look at how snow days are decided

This year Minnesota has gotten an extreme amount of snow. From Jan. 2-5, Minnesota’s storm (Big Mess) came in #24 for the top 24 snowfalls since 1884. There has only been one snow day and few early releases and late starts.

According to sophomore Ryan Steinberg, who recently received his license, it’s best to have a snow day whenever possible. He said that road conditions can be extremely dangerous, especially for new drivers.

“This is the first winter that I’ve had my license and driving with the snow has been a big challenge,” Steinberg said. “It was a big relief to my parents and I when school was canceled, because we had been worried about the roads being icy.”

While the decision to have a snow day is ultimately Superintendent Astein Osei’s decision, he said he meets with a team to help decide what is best for the district.

There’s snow place like Snow Daze

Winter dance reinstated after three years

Maren Wilsey

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Park has seen a whirlwind of events and activities come and go. One such event is the winter Snow Daze dance. Park’s version of the “Sadie Hawkins” dance has not been held since early 2020, but after three years, the student council has decided to bring the tradition back.

According to student council advisor Emily Rennhak, since the affair hasn’t been held in so long, the planning committee is looking to similar ones they’ve experienced themselves for inspiration.

“(We’re) rebuilding based off of things they’ve liked from dances in more recent years,” Rennhak said. “Students haven’t planned this dance for so

If its snowing for three hours straight, there should be no school.”

“The severe weather team comes together during the winter. Depending on what’s happening, we could meet multiple times a day,” Osei said. “For example, earlier one week we made a decision in the morning to do an early dismissal, a staggered early release to try to ensure that students could keep the buses on schedule and try to beat some of the weather.”

Steinberg also said late starts give students more time to safely get to school and still complete a nearly full day.

“Late starts as well as early releases can be helpful, especially if the snow will be easier to drive on at that time. If reports are showing that driving at that time will cause less accidents and admin still wants to get in most of the school day, that’s a great idea and will help with people staying safe on the roads,” Steinberg said.

Math teacher Anson Opara said that Park should utilize its resources to do school work from home as this is something other schools have been exploring

when the weather isn’t safe to come in.

“I wonder sometimes if we could possibly use the distance learning model because everybody has access to devices now. Instead of making people come into school if it’s questionable, just defaulting to that would be good and lots of other schools are doing that now,” Opara said.

According to Osei, another main factor playing into the decision to have a snow day is inconveniencing parents and families.

“For some of our youngest learners in the district, (closing school) has significant implications for parents when they find out either the night before or early in the morning that their child’s not going to school,” Osei said. “We want to make sure that we’re not making decisions that are negatively impacting caregivers’ ability to get to work and provide for their families.”

Best shops to win best dressed

- Lulus

- Cider

- Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack

many years, so we’re leaning a lot on what we did for homecoming — growing and expanding off that.”

Senior and student council co-president Micah Davis said that while the planning comes with challenges, collaborating with the rest of the student body has helped to make it as successful as possible.

“Introducing all the things we want to do for Snow Daze is a new step and a learning process,” Davis said. “On top of that, we’re getting a lot of student feedback from previous dances like homecoming, so being able to bounce off those and understand what we can do better with the Snow Daze dance will make it more fun for all the other students.”

Along with the dance itself, the student council is planning several activities in the week leading up to the event. Rennhak said she is most looking forward to the dress codes and pep fest activities.

“I am really excited for the spirit days. The

- Macy’s

- Dry Goods

- Lucy in the sky

Infographic by Anya Panday

students came up with some new ideas and I think they’re going to be really funny,” Rennhak said. “One thing I’m excited for with the pep fest is we’re going to have a student versus staff volleyball game. That’s something new we haven’t done before — I’m excited to see that play out.”

According to senior Lauren Thon, something she is looking forward to is the decision to select a student DJ rather than hiring one.

“I think that it is super cool that they’re doing a student DJ,” Thon said. “I know it’s been really requested by the student body and many, many people. I think that listening to the request — fulfilling the student DJ, I think that’s super dope.”

The Snow Daze dance will take place from 7-10 p.m. Feb. 11 in the high school field house. More information can be found on the student council Instagram.

DESIGN BY Abby Keller, Serena Bovee

Mahamud Mohamud, junior

Follow the yellow brick road: Students taking the bus were greeted with fresh snow Dec. 16. On days like this, students are always waiting for the news of an early release.

Photo by: Taylor Voigt

Maya Nieves

CNA takes a trip into the field

Class experience gives students medical practice

Abby Meisler

Students in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class took a trip to a local nursing home for a real world nursing experience Jan. 18 and 19. One of the requirements for becoming a CNA is having clinical experience outside of the classroom.

Allison Luskey, who teaches the class, said she was looking forward to providing the students with a direct encounter to the medical field.

“It provided real life experience with real patients and real people and so it allowed them to get that fuller experience. These are real people with real lives who need our help and our care but also our compassion and our empathy too. So being able to see that and get the hands on experience of what it really is like on the job,” Luskey said.

Senior Alana Weiser said she was nervous going into the trip as she wasn’t sure what to expect.

“I didn’t really know what to expect and I was a bit nervous because I wasn’t sure that I would be prepared … it was interesting to see all the things we’ve learned in class being done in a real world situation,” Weiser said.

Although the trip was required for the course, Luskey said she was grateful to be able to provide this clinical opportunity for her students.

“It is truly an honor to teach the class because what I get to see every day and what I think I especially saw from my students during that clinical experience, especially is their empathy and their compassion,” Luskey said. “You can be the smartest person in the world, but if you don’t have the empathy and the compassion to care for another person, you’re

WHAT’S THE POINT?

Onboard the longest flight out of the Midwest

Johanna Kaplan

Out of all 61 international destinations Chicago’s O’Hare Airport flies to, Auckland, New Zealand is the longest haul. I recently flew this exact flight twice, both going out and returning. It took 17 hours to arrive in Auckland after stepping foot on the aircraft, but only 15 hours on the return flight.

I flew with New Zealand Air, which impressed me with its reliability. I’ve always heard all these horror stories about traveling internationally — like an airline losing luggage or leaving customers stranded after canceling a flight. I am eternally grateful that I didn’t wind up in one of these nightmare situations. There are definitely going to be people out there that are complaining about New Zealand Air, but there will be fewer of them than what I’d expect for other airlines.

If you look at the route to New Zealand, most of it is over a seemingly endless ocean. We flew over only one actual piece of land after leaving North America. Normally, I like turbulence, but this was one of the first times that I’ve experienced turbulence and genuinely been scared. There is nothing quite like flying over the deepest, darkest depths of our planet.

not going to do well.”

Senior Saynab Mohamud said she got a better perspective and understanding of how nursing homes function.

“It was eye opening. It was different. Not what I expected and it was just not the same as in class,” Mohomud said. “These nursing homes are people’s homes and that should be respected. It’s just a job for some people, but for the patients it is their everyday life.”

In addition, Luskey said she wants her students to see that a career as a CNA is not the only option for students interested in pursuing a medical career.

“We met many nursing assistants, but we also met social workers, RN’s, LPN’s, administrators and the director of nursing. It also is important for students to see that the nursing assistant role isn’t the end all be all,” Luskey said.

Mohamud said she was captivated by the skillful impacts of the CNA class that were reflected in the field.

“We were talking a lot about how in nursing school you can tell the difference between people who did take the CNA course and we did that because they were more prepared and they knew more,” Mohamud said.

Overall, Luskey said she was happy with how her students handled this trip and is looking forward to seeing what her students are capable of.

“At the end of the day, we have to have the skills and also the heart for it, and I’m just so proud of my students — I could not be more proud,” Luskey said.

What CNA students did:

- Took vital signs

- Tranferred patients to/ from bed

- Provided catheter care

- Weighed and fed residents

Source: CNA students

Infographic by: Elena Ortiz

WHAT’S THE POINT?

What it’s like to fly non-stop Chicago to New Zealand

On the way to Auckland, I was lucky to have an empty seat in my row. This allowed for an unexpectedly roomy seating situation — one that would’ve otherwise been beyond cramped. The flight crew immediately adjusted to New Zealand time, which is 19 hours ahead of Central Standard Time (CST). Essentially what that means is that they’re passing out meals according to the time in New Zealand and they are adjusting the lights in order to acclimate passengers to the new time zone. That helped a lot because when I actually did get to Auckland, I was fully adjusted to the time. I couldn’t have imagined a better situation in economy seating on a long-haul flight. Admittedly, my expectations were so low that just about any experience that wasn’t downright miserable would have blown me away.

The food was also a good deal better than what I had in mind. None of the food blew me away, but it was definitely better than I’d expected. It felt like an elevated version of the food in Park’s cafeteria.

As far as drinks go, they offered the usual selection of sodas, teas and coffees — but there was nothing notable. What was unusual about the flight was the unlimited alcohol included. My best guess is that the airline offers this because they know that most people aren’t going to get drunk on the plane. Most everybody there is on their way to go home, see family or travel for work. When they were passing around the alcohol, few people went for it. I can’t imagine they’re losing that much money on it, but people appreciate the gesture.

One of the more disappointing aspects of my flight would be the movie options onboard. There were around 20 films available, but I’d already seen most of them. To be honest, few of the film options were ones that I ever liked much in the first place, so rewatching them wasn’t in the cards for me. If I needed a sign to cut down on my Netflix screen time, this would be it.

The most entertaining part of my flight was watching “Captain Underpants” on the six-year-old kid’s screen in front of me. I’ve never seen anyone’s eyes light up so quickly before. His mother fell asleep early on — little did she know that her son spent upwards of five hours binging this show.

Design by Abby Bartleson

I liked meeting new old people, they were really nice — talking to them.”

Khayria Yusuf, senior

Cover up: Junior Victoria Taylor and senior Amina Mohamed practice with a mannequin Jan. 23. Students work hands-on to prepare for the CNA certification test.

“I learned how CNA’s actually perform their jobs and got to see real life situations instead of working with mannequins.”

- Alana Weiser

Photo by: Owen McColgan

There is no real standard on the timing of how (assignments) are spread out. Generally, teachers do a good job of making sure the grade reflects the work you did.”

Isaiah Brown, sophomore

A for accuracy

Double-edged sword of grading

Anna Williams, Ivan Zank, Modesty Manion

For students, the grades they receive can be a measure of success — idolized as a stepping stone for the future. Marks received in class provide a scale for knowledge on a subject, though it is less clear if it is a reflection of intelligence, as bias and motivation play into its role.

Do grades measure intelligence?

According to senior Sophia Earle, grades accurately showcase student academic achievement but aren’t a measure of intelligence.

“Grades can be a good measure of academic performance, but they do not directly measure intelligence,” Earle said. “Grades often show my dedication to grow academically, (but) a grade only shows one part of my life — academics. Intelligence is not solely about academics. It is also about unique individual learning experiences.”

English teacher Andrew Carlson said test results can be disappointing for students and don’t

accurately show what a student can bring to the table. Carlson said students coming from middle school are often discouraged after a negative experience on a test.

“I’ve had students who had a bad score on an MCA test or an AP test and when they come in, they think they’re dumb,” Carlson said. “(They don’t) realize that a test is a snapshot of one day, one moment in time.”

Junior Hanna Wilsey said she feels Park’s grading system only reflects a student’s ability to excel in academic settings.

“A grade should be a reflection of your intelligence, but our school is set up so that your grade is less of a reflection of what you know and more of a reflection of you can do school,” Wilsey said.

According to social studies teacher Scott Miller, a change in traditional grading may be an effective way to measure student ability, but switching from conventional grading to a new method may affect how colleges see students and read their transcripts.

“The danger about not having more of a

traditional form of grade is: what does that do to students who are trying to go on to a hard fouryear college, and how would that be measured and compared to a student that went to a different high school?” Miller said. “That’s the only thing I would worry about.”

Many students will try and get as many points as they can to get an A in the class without actually absorbing any of the information or learning more about the topic, according to Carlson. He said part of the reason students are so hard on themselves is the unhealthy environment in schools.

“Part of the problem with the environment that has been created (in education) is that there’s a lot of students that are so focused on the number of points that they’re getting that they’re less focused on what they’re learning,” Carlson said. “You cannot learn without failure.”

Impact of bias on grades

There are many factors that can impact grading, though Superintendent Astein Osei said he isn’t sure if disparities in grading are necessarily due to the grading system in place.

“Just because we may have spaces where we don’t see disparities, doesn’t necessarily mean that grading is consistent. From department to department there’s sometimes some slight variations between that, but I don’t necessarily know if it’s the grading itself,” Osei said.

For some, racial bias may be a factor in grading — sophomore Kiran Alwy said that she has seen racially motivated grading and treatment within Park.

“I’ve definitely watched students who are white or female be favored and get treated better and have better grades versus kids who are trying equally as hard,” Alwy said.

Grading bias can also occur based on a teacher’s opinion of a student. Sophomore TJ Brayboy said a grade can be altered based on the teacher-student relationship.

“Teachers may have a bias depending on what students they like. Say in English you write an essay the teacher can relate to, I think they will be a little biased when grading,” Brayboy said. Osei said that if criteria is given more straightforward, then it will build less inconsistency within grading.

STUDENT VOICES: Does the grading system

“

(The grading system) is based on a specific type of person and how they work because some people don’t work well with strict deadlines. If you’re having a down day, you’re screwed over by the grading system.”

Alison House, senior

DESIGN BY Alicia Mainjeni Sarah Kluckhon

A lot of the time I’ll be doing really good in a class and I’m putting in a lot of effort, but maybe I have a bad day and I mess up my test. That can drop my grade by a lot.”

Jonah Schmieg, senior

“In places where there are clearly defined rubrics and standards for what grades mean, I think we’ll see more consistency.”

How grading affects student motivation

According to a study done by REL Northwest, test scores can morph into a reflection of students’ attitude, motivation and focus, which are influenced by the grades they feel they are defined by — a positive feedback loop. However, this presents challenges when the grades do not accurately represent a student or their work.

Osei said that grading is authentic feedback that has the potential to be either effective or ineffective at helping students succeed.

“Having a robust system to provide students feedback on their work is really important to school success,” Osei said. “I am being very intentional about the word ‘feedback,’ because certainly, that is what grades are. However, I don’t think all grades are necessarily effective feedback. There are going to be disparities because you have different people using their own understanding and making a determination around the value of somebody else’s work.”

According to junior Mae Turman, the grades she receives affect her motivation toward schoolwork.

“When I get a good grade, I am excited about what I am learning, and when I get a bad grade, I am more disappointed in myself,” Turman said. “However, it does encourage me, because if I get a bad grade, I am motivated to study more and try to get a better one.”

Earle said, that although grades are effective and motivating for getting work done by a deadline, they make students only focus on the letter they receive — not their own learning needs.

“Grades make school less about learning and more about memorizing facts,” Earle said. “Knowing I will get graded on course material helps me learn it faster, but puts stress on learning it in a course-set time frame. If grades were not a thing, I would be able to focus more on classroom discussions. I would be able to take my time to learn new things.”

Source: The Education Trust Infographic By Alicia Mainjeni, Sarah Kluckhon

Do students do work to pass/get an A, or learn the material?

24 students — to learn the materials

226 students — to get an A or Pass

accurately reflect student ability?

“There’s a lot we can improve on. The difference between advanced classes and regular classes. You can get an A in a regular class, but be failing a more advanced class that doesn’t mean you’re a worse student.”

“

If you miss school or have an off day or didn’t prepare for a test enough, there’s just so much that could go wrong that will just trash your grade. Also how we weight tests, they are not weighted fairly.”

Tory Kennedy, senior

DESIGN BY Alicia Mainjeni Sarah Kluckhon

Domi Mora Zengel, sophmore

Barriers Black and Latino students face when entering advanced cources: Lack of access to diverse educators Lack of communication with families regarding home languages and student opportunity Consistent assesment and grading biases

Source: Park Student Poll of 250 Students

Infographic By Alicia Mainjeni, Anna Williams

I’m excited to hang out with my teammates. I’m trying to get better and win more games.”

WHAT’S THE POINT?

New team, new opportunity

Jana Faust

Skiing has always been a very important part of my life. I started skiing when I was little, and it has been something that has stuck with me.

In sixth grade, I joined a recreational race team. The next year I joined the Four Degrees Alpine Race Team, where I’ve been racing for about five years now. I see skiing as a great way to get outside and connect with people. Racing is a way to spend more time skiing and experience the competitive aspect of the sport.

In high school, when I started taking things more seriously with the sport, I learned that Park didn’t have an alpine race team. This was disappointing because at club races, I was competing against girls who would later go to state while I didn’t have the opportunity to even race in high school races. I had always been jealous of the athletes that could represent not only themselves, but their school when racing.

Brawl for the ball

Positive mindset remains despite loss

Zoe Ziessman

Abby

Bartleson

During the preparation process, sophomore Marley Curtis said a lot of the practices dialed into conditioning and stamina.

WHAT’S THE POINT?

Alpine team opens doors

Park’s new ski team brings forth lots of new opportunities, one of which is establishing a relationship with Eden Prairie alpine. The partnership with Eden Prairie paved a path towards success in creating a team here. We share coaches and lane space. The partnership not only gives Park skiers a team, but also the opportunity to make new friends.

I love the partnership and have made some amazing friends because of it. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to compete at sections and possibly even state. Skiing has brought many great things into my life, and I hope it continues to do so.

John

Hunter

After a back-and-forth, bustling game against rival Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Park was defeated 85-61 Jan. 20. Regardless of the loss, sophomore Micah Curtis said the game was a good learning opportunity for future games.

“Tonight we took a step in the right direction despite the loss,” Micah Curtis said. “We’re still figuring things out and we’re a young team. In terms of defense, we’re just learning to play better with one another.”

According to junior Julian Lambe, the biggest factor that led to the teams’ downfall was lack of organization and communication throughout the game.

“We can definitely improve our turnovers, actually listening to the coach and sticking to a game plan next time,” Lambe said. “Our plays weren’t being executed right and the coach ended up coming over like 15 times throughout the game because no one could get it right.”

“Before the game, we did a lot of running, so much running we didn’t even touch the basketball a couple practices, mostly to get us mentally prepared and conditioned,” Marley Curtis said.

Even though the score didn’t reflect the effort, Micah Curtis said he was satisfied with how the team played for the most part but there are other components that needed to be revised.

“The game started off well and we were all working hard, but there was no communication, so we started to get flat towards the end,” Micah Curtis said. “We can always do better at being less selfish and there more for each other.”

According to Lambe, the spirit of the team was lifted and the team is excited for the next couple of games.

“Even though we lost, everyone is still in a pretty good mood and our motivation is lifted,” Lambe said. “We’re going to come out hungry for our next game and we’re going to go up from there.”

Boys’ basketball is geared up to face Chanhassen 7 p.m. Jan. 27 at Chanhassen High School.

Park turns North Shore south

Girls’ hockey pulls off 2-1 win

Katie Nelson

Abby Bartleson

After tying 1-1 going into the third period, Girls’ hockey pulled off a 2-1 victory against North Shore Jan. 21. For head coach Ryan St. Martin, the third period comeback was a highlight of the game for the team.

“Overall, we had a good, consistent game. In the second period, we could have had a bit more energy, but we definitely came back in the third and that was a plus for us. It was a challenge at times but we came through,” St. Martin said.

Despite the win, which takes the team to a 9-11 winloss record, junior Camryn Witham believes it could have been a greater margin of victory.

“The game went okay and I’m happy that we won, but I think they could have been playing better,” Witham said. “I don’t think it should have been as close as it was.”

Sophomore Rowan Jansen said the team needs to work

on consistency for its upcoming games.

“We definitely need to work on putting in all our energy during every period because sometimes we fall short,” Jansen said. “We should have started off a little bit stronger, our second period wasn’t great and we were playing sloppy.”

A lack of energy throughout the whole game is a skill that Witham said she also believes can be improved upon.

“We need to be playing three periods instead of only two. We started getting tired during the second period which prevented us from getting more goals,” Witham said.

Going forward, St. Martin said he hopes to focus on individual ability to elevate the team’s performance.

“We try to internally get better every day with either our confidence, skill, or knowledge of what we’re doing, as well as having good relationships. When we try to get individually better, as a collective (that) helps us out,” St. Martin said.

Park faces off against North St.Paul/Tartan at 7 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Minnetonka Ice Arena.

Graham Riggs, freshman

Maren Wilsey DESIGN BY

Good luck puck: Junior Camryn Witham skates with the puck into the Hopkins-Park offensive zone. The Park Girls’ hockey team had a successful win against North Shore Jan. 21.

Photo by: Lilly Fandel Thompson

Up in the air: Sophomore Micah Curtis jumps for the ball Jan. 20. Park lost against Benilde-St. Margaret’s 85-61.

Photo by: Abby Bartleson

All gas, no brakes in the City of Lakes

Annual festival holds outdoor activities

Aidan

Every year, the Loppet Foundation holds a festival called the “City of Lakes Loppet Winter Festival.” This festival takes place throughout the Twin Cities metro area, much of it on various lakes around the city and in Theodore Wirth park. The festival consists of a variety of events over a two-day period: Feb. 4–5. The events this year include cross-country skiing, fat-tire biking, skijoring and snowshoeing events — with both competitive races and casual tours, and activities for many.

The most popular event of the festival, a lights festival called the Luminary Loppet, takes place on Lake of the Isles. People from all over come to

Festival schedule

When did you start gymnastics?

I started gymnastics when I was around four. I would do cartwheels and handstands at my house, and after my parents saw me tumbling, they got me into the sport.

What was your gymnastics experience like before coming to Park?

Before, I was at a club gym that I would compete for. My gymnastics experience was a little different there

participate, making their way around the candlelit lake, whether that be by foot, ski or snowshoe. Originally set to take place on the evening of Saturday Feb. 4, the Luminary Loppet was rescheduled to the evening of Saturday, Feb. 18 due to existing weather conditions and their effects. More information on the rescheduling can be found on their website.

Marketing and communications manager for the Loppet Foundation, Devin Sundquist, said the foundation’s goal is to grow people’s love for the outdoors by holding competitions that anyone is able to participate in.

“Our mission is connecting people to the outdoors through experiences that grow community,” Sundquist said. “We want everyone to come together in a way that makes sense for them. So you don’t need to be an incredible athlete, you don’t need to be an absolute newbie, but we’re going to have something for everyone. It’s a really cool way to get people connected to the outdoors.”

Pat Hartman, assistant Nordic ski coach at Park, said he appreciates the accessibility of skiing in such a large city like Minneapolis, which the festival embraces.

“It’s really cool that in a major metropolitan area, we are able to ski this much,” Hartman said. “There’s so many people that ski in this big metropolitan area and we embrace it. That’s what this festival is centered around.”

because practices were more rigorous. We would condition for 30 minutes, stretch, focus on two events and condition again.

How has the season been going so far?

It has been going great. I have made a lot of connections and relationships with everybody on the team.

What is the best advice you’ve been given? What is the best advice you’ve received?

My advice to other gymnasts or athletes is to never give up and challenge yourself constantly. Challenge yourself on some skills and don’t be afraid to try them. The best advice I have received would be to not compare myself to other gymnasts.

Junior Nordic skier Hanna Wilsey said she is most excited for the Luminary Loppet, as it is a good teammate bonding experience, as well as an opportunity to indulge in a complimentary hot treat.

“I’m looking forward to going to the Luminary Loppet, which is super fun,” Wilsey said. “I go out there with my cross country ski team usually, and I’m especially looking forward to the free hot chocolate.”

According to Sundquist, the festival can be accessible and entertaining for anyone wanting to participate, no matter their level of experience.

“The fun thing about the Winter Festival is that there’s really an event for anyone. It’s not just something where all of a sudden you’re jumping in and doing a 37-kilometer race.” Sundquist said, “If you want to go snowshoeing, if you want to skijor or if you want to be on your fat bike. If skiing and orienteering is your thing that’s really awesome,”

The City of Lakes Loppet Winter Festival takes place Feb. 4–5, and the Luminary Loppet on Feb. 18.

Are you proud of any specific accomplishment in the sport this year?

I’m proud of my beam dismount, which is a cartwheel arabian. I’ve never done it in a competition before. I’m proud of placing second on bars at the (Minnestoa Girls Gymnastics Officials Association) meet.

Who or what has been your biggest inspiration in the years you have been doing this sport?

My biggest inspiration was one of my old coaches. I really looked up to her because she did an amazing job coaching me. She pushed me and because of it, I would be 10 times better than before. She was more of a harsh coach and that motivated me to be the best that I could be.

Veronica Jones Freshman, gymnastics

I like all the activities they host on the lake, as well as skiing on the lake.”

Snow much fun: A crowd gathers at the Theodore Wirth Trailhead for skiing Jan. 23. The City of Lakes Loppet Winter Festival takes place at many locations across the Twin Cities, including Theodore Wirth.

Photo by: Maren Wilsey

Infographic by Noah Leventhal Source loppet.org

“ Sometimes texting is bad for teens because after a long period they can get addicted, which is not good.”

Ami Davis, freshman

POINT COUNTERPOINT

Texting temptation: The age of screenagers

Does texting hinder people’s social skills?

Texting is effective and convenient

Taylor Voigt

As technology and the world in general advances, there’s always controversy about “the way things should be.”

Ever since cell phones and texting have become more accessible, people have questioned whether or not they’re used too much. Teens are some of the biggest users of cell phones and messaging, and while there are valid reasons to be concerned, it can still be very helpful for that age group.

A lot of communication that happens through teens’ phones is small — making plans with friends, letting someone know that they arrived safely and asking parents what’s for dinner are just some examples. These messages don’t need a full phone call and most of the time can’t wait until they see that person face-to-face. Even for things that could be discussed over the phone, texting allows teens to tell that person whenever they need, instead of having to wait for a moment when both people are available to talk. Using texting as a main form of communication is not only convenient, it’s timely.

For longer conversations, many teens still prefer texting because it allows them to think about what they send before they send it. Especially for more introverted teens, this can take a lot of stress away from longer discussions with friends or family. When in-person or on a phone call, people are forced to come up with responses in seconds, and it’s very easy to make mistakes or say things before thinking about them. While it doesn’t seem like a big deal to many people, this can be alarming for introverted or socially-anxious teens.

While texting can raise concerns, such as having less experience with face-to-face conversations, it does more good than bad. It’s not extremely harmful to teens and it makes sense for it to be their main way of communication in the world we live in. From sending quick messages to being more comfortable having long conversations, texting is one of the most effective ways to communicate.

Texting hinders communication, social skills

Modesty Manion

Texting has become one of the biggest technological advancements in the way that we communicate. It has grown to be a part of our daily life, especially as the world becomes more and more revolved around technology. However, there are negative ramifications that come along with texting being our main form of communication.

The biggest issue with our increased dependency on texting is how it detracts from our vital social skills. Being able to send a text to someone instead of calling them or talking to them in person is convenient, but it also makes it more difficult for younger people to interact with those around them. The most prominent example I’ve seen of this is in the situation of ordering a pizza. I have friends who are scared to make a phone call to order a pizza, and would rather not get a pizza at all than have to order it. Although this seems insignificant, the implications that small roadblocks like this have on a person’s communication abilities become more impactful later in life.

Our reliance on texting has even made its way into the dating scene, where couples are breaking up over text rather than in person. By hiding behind their screen, they are able to

MEDIA POLICIES

Publications are designated public forums for student expression in which students make all decisions of content without prior review from school officials or the public. The adviser will not act as a censor, but will advise students. Students have the final decision on all content.

Prior review does not teach students how 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.

Content represents views of the student and not school officials. The publications will work to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and cowntent meaningful and interesting

DESIGN BY Anya Panday

What is your average screen time?

4 - 7 Hours: 138

1 - 4 Hours: 89

7 - 9 Hours: 35

10+ Hours: 15

Source: Poll of 277 students

Infographic by: Elena Ortiz

STUDENT VOICES

avoid the confrontation, circumventing that important skill of confrontation. Because the person doesn’t have to see their partner’s reaction, it almost dehumanizes the action, which is why it’s happening at an increasing rate.

A big part of normal human interaction that is lost in texting is non-verbal communication. Things like facial expressions, tone, eye contact, gestures and body language heavily influence how we interpret the way things are said. Texting eliminates all of these aspects. This creates an impersonality within conversation, and oftentimes leads to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. The biggest example of this that I have experienced is the “oh ok” text. In the texting world, these two words can mean a variety of different things, but the inflection of the statement is up to the interpretation of the reader rather than the sender. It can be perceived as nonchalant, sorrowful or even arrogant. This can result in unintended hurt feelings or just general miscommunication, which is never easy to navigate. When talking in person, these issues can easily be avoided or resolved, but texting does not provide that level of mutual understanding.

to all our readers. 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. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo or invasions of privacy.

The publications will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph unless clearly labeled as a photo illustration. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or administration as a whole.

The publications welcome reader input. Letters

Texting is appopriate at certain times. If you’re quarantined at home it can be helpful, but if you’re in a group it makes no sense. Just start a conversation with someone.”

Texting is a good form of communication for teens. It helps them connect with others and gives them easier access to their friends.”

must be signed and should be no longer than 250 words and may be e-mailed or submitted in room C275. Anonymous letters wherein the publication name does not know the identity of the writer will not be printed.

In the event of an error being reported by reawders 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.

In regard to material appearing on the websites, nothing will be taken down unless it’s proven factually false or otherwise legally deficient as of the time it was published.

Hayden Kasica, Sophomore

Declan Gaines, Sophomore

STAFF EDITORIAL:

HONORS CLASSES ONLY HONOR SOME Park should encourage honors classes

WHAT’S THE POINT

Teachers leaving, classrooms struggling

Ashley Reyes

Recently Park has been struggling with teacher shortages, which can affect students’ learning and their missing out on important engagement, especially with the end of semester one coming up.

When my English teacher left, it was really difficult for me and other students to cooperate and be able to do assignments with no curriculum being left behind for students. This has caused students to struggle jumping back into the feeling of having a new teacher.

Ever since the new teacher was introduced to the class, it was hard for the continuation of the classwork to begin. It was difficult having to start over with building a connection with the teacher, especially since some people had a stronger connection with the previous teacher. Not only did students have to readjust their way of learning, but they also had to get used to how assignments were structured.

Honors classes give students opportunities in high school, postsecondary education and beyond. These classes allow students to push themselves more on an academic level to meet a goal. They give students a glimpse of the academic rigor they may experience in college. That being said, honors classes can be overbearing and not all students are interested, or have time to take the courses.

While honors classes are beneficial, they should not be required. The Echo Editorial Board believes that students should continue to be given the choice of deciding the classes they take. The classes one takes has an immense impact on a student’s life. Park should continue to offer honors classes to those who want the challenge.

The Echo Editorial Board believes that honors classes lack diversity in students, although it is not because the classes are inaccessible. The presentability and long lasting stereotypes regarding advanced courses often leads students to believing they are not smart enough to take them. That being said, students are also made to feel bad about not taking honors classes and it is perceived as weak or lacking. Staff at Park have potential to better this issue by doing a more adequate job of student encouragement. Motivating all students rather than selective groups of them to reach further academically is one way to diversify the students taking advanced courses such as honors classes.

Students often shy away from taking honors classes because there is not equal opportunity offered. The content that honors classes cover

PARK TRAILS

is often outdated and focused on primarily Euro-centric themes. Honors classes struggle to create a space where all students can learn about themselves. Advanced classes are also visibly white, and Park is struggling to adapt content relevance to motivate students to take the courses.

Choosing to take an honors class is not always a choice students make in their best interest. In some cases, students are not mentally ready to take honors classes, but make the decision to do so to show colleges that they can take on the challenge. Other students take advanced courses because it gives them a glimpse of a college workload. Choosing to take an honors class is heavily impacted by the desire to earn college credit and college perception.

The time consuming workloads that honors classes require have strong effects on the lives of students. Homework is a necessary element of classes, but does not help all students learn. The Echo Editorial Board believes that those who struggle to meet deadlines are more likely to struggle with an intense schedule filled with advanced classes. Vigorous schedules often lead to students having to choose academic priorities due to lack of time in a day to focus on homework, self care, family and attain a social life.

Honors classes are exceptional opportunities that should be taken into consideration for all students who have time to attempt the challenges advanced courses require. The Echo Editorial Board unanimously believes that the administration should improve on the ways they encourage students to take honors classes.

What’s the POINT?

Mid-year disruption affects classes

Meanwhile, as the new English teacher was getting settled in, he tried figuring out how much the class had learned and what we’ve been over with my old teacher. As days passed, it slowly started to feel like I wasn’t actually learning or even progressing in the class. Although the teacher created lessons for us to do, the classroom was very unresponsive to his efforts, which caused me to feel unmotivated in the class — it felt disorganized.

During that period, he also made attempts at resetting the class many times by allowing us to choose and change units and assignments. But in the end, this just resulted in things being abandoned.

To be more efficient, Park should continue to look more into the teachers they hire since it’s important to keep teachers. They should keep looking for better alternatives instead of having different substitute teachers each day. That way, if they ever come upon an issue with students being unresponsive, teachers can individually offer solutions.

This would avoid the problem of the teachers feeling like they can’t direct their classes. If Park implements this, they will have better support with students and teachers in general.

One thing that was positive from this experience was the leniency of grading. One of my teachers is in charge of grading for the whole overall class and I really appreciated how understanding he was because he sees and comprehends students’ perspectives and how it can impact students’ grades with the teacher leaving things empty in the gradebook. This creates an opportunity for students to be able to adjust and fix their grade before the semester ends.

“

If you have the capability or think you can manage the workload, honors classes can be very beneficial. They can make you much more prepared and also go indepth on interesting topics.”

Study buddies: Sophomores Sophia Mavis and Ashley Berry study for IB Chemistry on Jan. 11. The two strive to work and better themselves in this higher level class.

Photo by: Leo Justesen

Char Priadka

I think K-pop is a really creative and unique way to express yourself, unlike typical eastern pop music.”

Nadia Kovalchuk, senior

Once you K-pop, you can’t K-stop

Top 5 K-pop songs of the past year

Nafisa Kahin

The K-pop industry has never failed to succeed when it comes to music. 2022 was a huge year for ‘K-pop’ and just recently debuted ‘K-pop’ idols and groups. I will give my own ratings on these songs that were made in 2022 so I can name my top five favorite ‘K-pop’ songs of 2022. I’m talking about soloists, girl groups, boy groups and artists old or young.

Stray

Kids – ‘Case 143’

This ‘K-pop’ group will never fail to amaze me, especially their newest song Case 143. Their vocals are unmatched and top tier. Stray Kids fans are called Strays and I find that so adorable considering I’m a fan. Stray Kids energy is so hype and that’s what puts the entire song together. They’re never embarrassed to be called ‘too much’ or ‘extra’ because they can never be too much to their fans. Their lyrics in this song seems like a love letter kids write in high school and it’s so adorable because it’s a straightforward love song. “Why do I keep getting attracted? I only think of you, I cannot explain this emotion. ONE-FOUR-THREE I Love You”

(G)-DLE — ‘Nxde’

This group debuted back in 2018 and their ages range from 22 to 25-years-old. Let’s talk about their newest song ‘Nxde.’ It’s so chilling how well their vocals go with the music. ‘Nxde’ was inspired by Marilyn Monroe and Banksy. This song always gives me the idea that I can stand on top of the world. The lyrics are kind of explicit but some lyrics talk about their experience on the stage while performing, “It’s so absurd to this insincere story, audience

BIBI – ‘BIBI VENGEANCE’

This song is so heavenly to my ears and never ceases to amaze me. The emotions coming from this song are so chill and will always stop me in my tracks. The vibes remind me of a secret spy mission because of how vibrant this song is to my ears. BIBI is a soloist that debuted in 2019. The lyrics of ‘BIBI VENGEANCE’ are about BIBI getting back on her feet and becoming the woman she’s always been under the surface.

Overall my opinion may not be shared by most, but the K-pop songs of 2022 are so good and will always be a favorite. Most students don’t listen to K-pop as much as others, but my advice to the non-listeners is to at least give it a try and add to your 2023 listening playlists. I hope you can see why many listen to this genre.

Fair use from Stray Kids Global

Modesty Manion

Fair use from First Avenue, Fueled By Ramen, Marvel Studios, Warner Music UK

Design

by

Modesty Manion

Claire Rosinkranz has blown up after her 2020 Tiktok hit “Backyard Boy.” Now, she will stop at the Fine Line for an all ages show Feb. 3 while on her North American tour.

Hayley Williams has reunited with her band Paramore to release their newest album, “This Is Why.” The band’s first album since 2017’s “After Laughter” drops Feb. 10.

Marvel is back at it again with the third Ant-Man movie, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”

Releasing Feb. 17, the new film will kickstart the next phase in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Phase 5.

Their first album in three years, the cartoon band Gorillaz will release “Cracker Island” Feb. 24. The album is said to include features from big artists such as Beck, Stevie Nicks, Bad Bunny and Tame Impala.