The Eyrie, March 2017

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[The Eyrie] March 2016

Staff Policies

Carter Aakhus Tala Alfoqaha Alaina Alwin Sophie Brandser Elizabeth Buse Adam Chao Ally Cottrell Allison Fenske Sawyer Hilt Emilee Jacobson Rachel Johnson Anna Larionova Addie Markinske Kelly Pu Inika Shetty Kate Stager Emma Swanson Oliver Taylor Gabby Thomas Mickey Venkateswaran Dustin Wolf Advisor: Jodie Flolid

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Mission Statement The Eyrie strives to be an accurate, informative and entertaining publication for the students and faculty of EPHS. Letters The Eyrie encourages all students and faculty to share their views with the school. All letters must be signed; however, names may be withheld in certain situations. Once received, the Eyrie reserves the right to edit letters for length or content.

Editorials Staff Editorials are staff-written and approved by a two-thirds majority of the staff. All other opinion pieces reflect the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication, student body, faculty or administration.

Multi-media To follow the Eyrie on Twitter, use the Twitter handle the_eyrie.

For daily content and school updates, visit theeyrie.org Printer The Eyrie is printed by the Eden Prairie Schools Printing Services, 17185 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, MN, 55346

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PASS tutors Parkour Tattoos Staycation

Letter from the editors As spring break approaches, an array of fresh content was opened up to our Eyrie staff members. This issue covers the depth of body issues, a closer look into second chances and even a day with Cwod (not just in the classroom). We believe that this might be our best issue yet, so we can’t wait for you to read it too! Take a break from your March Madness bracket and pick up a copy today!!

Lots of love,

COVER ILLUSTRATION & DESIGN BY TALA ALFOQAHA

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Paper airplanes: tutoring across borders

BY EMMA SWANSON Violence and injustice are sadly common throughout our world today, as seen in Syria where civil war has plagued the country for the last six years. The problems are so large that while many want to help, they do not feel as if their contribution will make an impact.

And being a world away from many of these conflicts, people do not feel as if they can truly connect and make a difference. But that is where technology has come into bridge the gap.

Eden Prairie High School alum and current student at Carleton college Sam Schnirring is one of the managers of a program called Paper Airplanes, a non-profit organization that utilizes Skype for tutoring Syrians in English. Learning English is essential to many students in Syria so they can get better paying jobs and advance to higher levels of education.

The program was created by Carleton student Bailey Ulbricht.

“It began as a campus extracurricular and eventually grew beyond Carleton to become a non-profit organization,” said Schnirring. As a manager of Paper Airplanes, Schnirring checks in with the tutoring pairs weekly and helps to answer questions people have.

There are few requirements for becoming involved with the program, and many of the current tutors have not had any past experience. “Having Arabic language skills is a huge plus, but we have a large number of tutors that have no experience with Arabic,” said Schnirring.

Amnesty Club has been in contact with Schnirring, and the club is looking for students at Eden Prairie who are interested in being a tutor for Paper Airplanes. One of Amnesty Club’s leaders, Ben Fox, explained that Schnirring reached out to Craig Hollenbeck, the teacher for APCP and Middle East Conflict and Crisis, to find students to be part of the program. Hollenbeck has put Amnesty Club in charge of organizing the students who are interested.

“We invited all of our members plus anyone else who wanted to join,” said Fox and they now have a list of many students who want to be tutors.

However it is still unclear how Paper Airplanes will operate here. “We generally only accept college students and older,” said Schnirring, and she explained that the setup for EPHS will deviate from their common arrangement. Fox said that “Sam wants to pair up the school with a camp or a school [in Syria].” This is still a new development and the plans are not final yet, more information will be coming soon.

While the purpose of Paper Airplanes is to teach Syrians English, the tutors also learn a lot about Syrian culture and what it is like to live in a war-torn country. “I’ve had a lot of memorable experiences,” said Schnirring, “I had a student message me as I was on my way to the Women’s March in D.C to tell me about his experience protesting the government in Syria and how he had to leave the country because he feared arrest. I had a student tell me about crossing the border into Jordan and how they had to lay in silence for hours so that they wouldn’t be detected.”

Paper Airplanes hopes to create relationships and understanding between Americans and Syrians. Connecting with a person who has been affected by the civil war in Syria puts a face to many of the statistics. Schnirring said that overall what she has learned from Paper Airplanes is “the whole humanization of the Syrian conflict.”

She believes that “it’s so easy to see the number of casualties and not really understand the impact of the devastation because those numbers are so impersonal.”

Schnirring’s experiences with Paper Airplanes have led to lasting friendships with her students. All of her students are now at school and out of Syria, “so they have enough of an internet connection to Snapchat and Facebook message me regularly with updates about their life, which is really fun,” said Schnirring.

Something as simple as an education can change a person’s life, and in America this is often taken for granted. There are opportunities here that some will never get, but Paper Airplanes has made it possible to fix part of the problem.

EPHS passing knowledge

BY KELLY PU

“When we started, we didn’t think it would be this success. We literally were like, ‘Okay, if we get four tutors, we’ll be so happy,’” said senior Nadia Shaarawi when asked about PASS’s success. In just two years, the program has grown to 30 tutors and has become an integral part of CMS. Started last school year by Shaarawi and senior Quynh Vu, PASS is a tutoring program that connects EPHS students to middle schoolers at CMS. High school students apply for the program. If they are accepted, they are expected to tutor at least twice a week.

“Our purpose is to help middle school kids with basic school work along with preparing them for high school,” said junior Sanji Seethamaraju, who tutors twice a week through PASS. On Mondays through Thursdays after school, about 30 high school students go to Central Middle School to tutor seventh and eighth graders for about an hour.

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Throughout the week, about 40 middle schooler are tutored.

Vu and Shaarawi got the idea for PASS after volunteering with the summer school program at CMS for several years. They contacted counselors at CMS in October of 2015 and quickly worked to set up a program.

Vu and Shaarawi focused on creating a program with structure, accountability, and communication. “It was filling a niche that they had, something that needed to be filled in that school,” said Vu, “because before they had a tutoring program, but they needed a redesigned one to make sure that tutors were on task and students were on task.”

Although the program just started last year, PASS has a large impact on the community. It helps middles schoolers get excited about learning. It also helps them feel more connected to high schoolers and prepare them for high school.

“It helps them when they come high school that they’re already ready to learn the material,” said Vu.

Protesting in Minnesota

BY MICKEY VENKATESWARAN After President Trump’s inauguration, many different groups of people around the US gathered to protest some of Trump’s policies, general American sentiment, and to shed light on issues that aren’t always represented by the elected representatives.

A multitude of EPHS students have participated in these protests to advocate for issues they care about. Senior Caleb Martin has attended a few anti-Trump protests in Minneapolis to advocate for LGBT rights. “I went for many different reasons, but most importantly because of President Trump’s Vice President, Mike Pence. I wanted to stand up against his anti-LGBT stance on issues,” said Martin. Battling against the social stances and policies of the current executive branch was the purpose for these protests.

Fueling their anger at the outcome of the election, students looked to the various protests occurring almost weekly since the election. “I’ll be honest, I was really angry directly after the election and I wanted to do something, anything. I didn’t know what else to do besides go to the protests and I was lucky enough to have friends that came with,” said Martin. Students usually attend the protests in groups and student clubs such as Women’s Rights Club and Young Democrats have even tried to organize groups to attend protests together.

“I saw tons of different people at the protests, people from all over. There were even little kids and families, as well as one or two

PHOTO BY KATHRYN BERGES

dogs,” said Martin. Though there was great variety in the people that attended, they all gathered for one underlying reason: to speak up and be heard. To be a part of their democracy. “I want to be a part of my democracy, I fancy the idea of making a difference,” said sophomore Katie Berges.

One of the biggest protests, the Women’s March on Washington, was a nation-wide march advocating for, among many things, human rights, LBTQ+ rights, and racial equality. “I went to the women’s march to advocate for feminism and against Donald trump, the crowd was so cool, the best energy I have been around in a long time. So positive,” said Berges. Supporters for the many issues represented by the march organized first in Washington, but the movement spread even internationally. Over 600 marches took place around the world.

Protests will likely take place weekly throughout the election cycle. “I would love to go to more in the future, if I have a valid reason for going. I most likely won’t go just to make noise; something would have to happen that I felt passionate about to do something. I don’t know for sure which I would go to, it’s usually a pretty spur of the moment thing,” said Martin.

Whatever you political stance, our democracy functions best when the most people participate in it. “If I don’t stand for what I believe in, who will?” said Berges.

on to CMS For the tutors, it is amazing to see how dedicated the middle schoolers become. “[junior Jenny Tran] and I were discussing a pizza party at the end of the year, and the kid I was tutoring asked if he could come. I said he can only come if he doesn’t miss any of his assigned dates. From that day on he hasn’t missed one,” said Seethamaraju.

Next year, PASS will be led by Seethamraju and juniors Inika Shetty, Jenny Tran, and Monica In. They plan on expanding PASS to not only tutoring struggling kids but also kids who need help on school work in general.

“In the future, we want to see students at CMS wanting to go to PASS, not having to be signed up,” said Shaarawi.

They also want expand funding to ge supplies needed to help the middle schoolers be successful. Although they are currently not accepting tutors, interested students can fill out an application in the Outreach Room in case tutoring spots open up this school year. They are also encouraged to apply next year.

PHOTO BY EMMA SWANSON

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Spring Showcase:

‘The Madwoman of Chaillot’

BY INIKA SHETTY The Spring Showcase this year, titled “The Madwoman of Chaillot,” is enriched with political satire and comical fantasy. The play is a combination of poetic and comic fable set in the district of Paris. A group of corrupt promoters plot to tear up the Paris streets for oil. However, a seemingly insane woman becomes knowledgeable about such elaborate plans. This is the Madwoman of Chaillot. She is an essential part of the practicality of the world and hopes to right the world of the evildoers.

“The Madwoman of Chaillot” was written by Jean Giraudoux, adapted

by Maurice Valency and will be directed by Laurel Nebeker. The cast is composed of seven men and 13 women, with the main role going to a female lead.

Nebeker almost decided against picking this production as the spring showcase because of the political undertones that are relevant to current affairs, even though the work was written during World War II. However, the play proved to be a good decision, especially in the strong parts for women. “It holds a universal message that applies to multiple eras, but it is not heavy with that message. Our primary goal is to tell a story,” Nebeker said.

In addition, Nebeker touched upon themes within the show. The essence of madness is called into question multiple times throughout the production. The woman of Chaillot and her acquaintances are all coined “mad;” however, there is the trope that the mad women are more sane than the characters who seem normal. And they are more likeable.

“The Madwoman of Chaillot” is a showcase that exemplifies the idea that powerful people can be overcome by unlikely vagabonds. While the characters and people may not seem to have political power, they are able to triumph by taking advantage of human greed.

Various students auditioned to be a part of the Spring Showcase and showed enthusiasm for the productions that are produced by the school. Junior Anika Pai explained the experience auditioning for this year’s plays saying, “The audition process is called an open call. You do not have to sign up for an audition or specific time.You just show up in the auditorium with everybody with a minute to minute and a half monologue prepared. The monologue can be comedic or dramatic, and you go up to perform for two directors and everyone.”

Senior Taylor Moran explained her favorite experience being part of productions put on by the high school drama department: “I get excited learning about the different plays chosen this year that I did not know existed.” Moran said that during rehearsal season everyone grows closer due to the ties of their common passion. It is a time of bonding and excitement.

“I love the first laugh. You work on it for months and when the curtain goes up opening night and you get that first laugh [. . . ] the actors unconsciously get livelier without breaking character,” said Nebeker.

“There’s a lot of energy that comes from the audience responding to the show.”

These final staff-directed productions of this school year will take place during April 27, 28, and 29 in the PAC. For “The Madwoman of Chaillot” that first laugh should be you.

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‘Are You R.U.R? You Are!’ EPHS reinvents play for the stage

BY CARTER AAKHUS Sophomore James Wilkins is in the cast and agrees that the way the production has been structured is unique. “I’m not going to be showing up to rehearsals until I get called in after Spring Break. It’s strange to not really know what you are in for. It makes for an interesting challenge when there isn’t a script.”

Olson said, “The audience can expect to see a science fiction play that will make people think. It raises a lot of questions about humanity’s technological aspirations. The tone of the show is serious with some fairly dark humor.”

Without a script, “Are You R.U.R? You Are!” is coming together through improvisation and creativity from cast and crew alike. Make plans for your Thursday, May 4, to be spent in the auditorium at 7:30 p.m.. Other show times are May 5 and 6 at 7:30.

R.U.R. cast adapts the play

PHOTOS BY INIKA SHETTY

“Are You R.U.R? You Are!” is the title of this year’s spring play. It is based on a play by Karel Capek titled simply “R.U.R.” The story is described in the promotional materials as an “apocalyptic meditation on humanity’s self-destructive pursuit of ease, comfort, efficiency, consumerism, profit, and self-interest. Spoiler alert: the robots are not robots and the humans aren’t completely humane.”

The show will be opening on May 4.

The play is directed by Rolf Olson, who has wanted to direct it for years. “In college, a professor of mine gave me an anthology called ‘Masterworks of World Drama.’ It had a science fiction play from Eastern Europe called ‘R.U.R.’ in there that was really interesting. I’ve been waiting for a chance to direct it for a long time.”

“Are You R.U.R? You Are!” is a loose adaptation of the original. “Part of what makes this show unique is that it is a departure from the script. Characters and dialogue will be changed and improvised. The cast will develop material. This is the first play I’ve done this way,” said Olson.

To prepare for this unique acting experience, cast members have been meeting to xxx two versions to the play. The are reworking characters and scenes to make them more relvant to a contemporary audience. Actors will improvise during performances.

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Khalid meets world

BY SOPHIE BRANDSER

to give off. In his second verse of the song, Khalid said “What’s fun about commitment? When we have our life to live.” This lyric says that On March 3rd, Khalid came out with his album named “American people, especially the younger audience, should live their lives to the Teen.” This album features fifteen of his R&B styled songs. His voice on fullest. Throughout the rest of the song, he sings about living a money this album is refreshing, but reminiscent of an ‘80s type of feel. constrained lifestyle, which is the situation of many high school and The name of Khalid’s album, “American Teen,” captures his life as college students. a youth. Khalid is only 19 years old, and his music in this album exAs with many developing artists, his production quality could presses his experiences in his life so far. Though he is young, he seems improve. It still sounds like he is straight off of Soundcloud, which he significantly more experienced than other artists his age. is. Some of the songs on the album felt too mainstream and a lot of “Location” is one of the most popular songs on Khalid’s new album. the beats felt tired. “American Teen” is a good example of this, the beat The song was actually released in August as a single on Soundcloud, seems like a typical pop beat. The music all starts to sound the same but it was also released on his album. This song expresses how import- after awhile. ant communication is. The beat is extremely catchy and the song easily Overall, I would rate this album at a solid 7.5/10. People who gets stuck in my head. enjoy laid back, chill R&B music will enjoy this album. Khalid will be Another song that caught my attention was “Young Dumb & performing at the Fine Line Music Cafe on March 29th (18 and over), Broke.” The lyrics exemplify the high school vibe that Khalid seems so get tickets soon!

Review:

Is Kong the King this time?

BY CARTER AAKHUS

I was lucky enough to win tickets to a press screening of this film over a week before its release date. Going in blind, I was hoping to get a really “Kong: Skull Island is the second film in Warner Bros’ so-called entertaining, well-made monster movie that I would love due to the trailers “Monster-Verse,” after 2014’s “Godzilla.” That film was decent with some being great. Now that I have seen it, I can confidently say that “Kong: Skull awe-inspiring moments and I can’t say that “Kong” is much different.

Island” was a let-down.

The movie stars Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John The setting of this movie is 1973, rather than the previous famous Goodman and John C. Reilly. The plot centers around John Goodman’s incarnations of King Kong that typically take place in the 1930s. I thought character, Bill Randa, who is a representative for Project Monarch, a secret that this would be an interesting new backdrop for the big ape franchise: organization that deals in uncovering the existence of monsters. soldiers going back to the jungle after a major loss in Vietnam to fight He manages to convince a helicopter squadron to escort him to Skull something they’ve never seen before.

Island to investigate, where all hell breaks loose for them when they discov- It was an interesting choice, but the idea gets ruined by the over-abundance er that the island is host to the gigantic, titular ape along with a gang of of Creedence Clearwater Revival and other early 1970s rock music that is other terrifying creatures. just thrown in there to further convince the audience of the time period.

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SKULL ISLAND continued on pg. 9>>

Split over ‘Split’

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Review:

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It mostly comes off as forced and out of place.

The absolute weakest point of the movie is the characters. There are so many characters played by well-known actors, but really only two of them are even slightly memorable. These two are the ones played by Samuel L. Jackson and John C. Reilly. Jackson plays an Army Colonel who leads the expedition and later makes it his obsessive mission to destroy Kong after his squadron is mostly killed. This is interesting because of his devotion toward his team and his newfound hatred of Kong.

John C. Reilly plays a World War II veteran who has been marooned on the island for 28 years. His character had moments of humor and emotion that made him a likeable character. Every other character in this film is bland or forgettable.

Despite the negatives, this movie is entertaining and, at parts, epic. The scenes where Kong is fighting other creatures or attacking the heroes are stunning to watch.

Go see this movie if you are looking for an entertaining popcorn movie that you can go to and just turn your brain off for two hours, otherwise, keep your hopes low on this one.

BY ADAM CHAO The recent psychological thriller, “Split,” by M. Night Shyamalan, director of “The Sixth Sense,” and, “Unbreakable,” has broken Shyamalan’s streak of duds. “Split” broke the box office, gaining almost $195 million.

While this movie offers high-quality acting, suspense, and cinematography, it occasionally lacks in story.

The story follows three young girls who are captured by a man, Kevin (James McAvoy), who suffers from multiple personality disorder. Unsure of his intentions, the girls are trapped in a small, windowless room. Two of the girls suggest overpowering their captor, but Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy), the odd one out, needs more information to act upon. Casey’s past is revealed through a series of flashbacks, which show her uncle abusing her

after her father died. Gradually, the girls discover Kevin’s disorder, and try to take advantage of the weaker ones. After many failed attempts, the girls are separated in different rooms. Meanwhile, Kevin’s therapist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley), discovers that Kevin is developing a 24th identity, which overpowers the other 23.

I enjoyed the main idea of the story, with a psychopath that has multiple personality disorder, but was disappointed by the twist at the end. M. Night Shyamalan is famous for his unexpected plot twists, but this time, it seemed too supernatural for me. I enjoy the idea of the film because it is something that could really happen in the real world, which is why the ending was a disappointment. The acting, namely by James McAvoy, was very well executed. Overall, I would recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of psychological thrillers and science fiction. Rating: 7/10.

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Investing in his future [ 10 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

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w e r And g n a y

BY TALA ALFOQAHA started investing at around six or seven years old,” said senior Andrew Yang nonchalantly. At this point in the interview (mere minutes in), I had to ask Yang to backtrack for a couple moments just to confirm that I had heard him correctly--6 or 7 years old?

Yang hadn’t misspoken, and I hadn’t misheard. From a young age, Yang exhibited a unique strain of curiosity and self-motivation that led him to everything from building up an impressive stock portfolio by the age of 17 to volunteering in Africa for a team of surgeons.

“I would always ask questions,” said Yang, “and that’s how I first discovered investing.” While most kids were busy amassing puffles in Club Penguin (note: this topic did not surface in the interview but Yang may have also done this), Yang was building up an economic empire. With the help of his parents, first-grade Yang pooled together his life savings--about $500--and invested in a certificate of deposit. The notion that he could make money with virtually no risk or effort fascinated him, and he quickly began researching other forms of investment until he set his sights on Wall Street and, aided by his father’s stock account, began trading stocks.

In retrospect Yang remembers that the “big picture” of stocks eluded him until about sophomore year during the Greek debt crisis when he realized that he could use his knowledge of politics to inform his stock decisions.

“That was when stocks really took off for me,” said Yang, “The idea that I could use knowledge I already had motivated me to become more methodical in my approach.” Now, Yang spends much of his free time keeping updated on current trends in the stock market and gathering background information. Although this may not be everyone’s idea of fun, Yang shrugs, “I enjoy it.”

Yang’s stock portfolio propelled him to intern with Saudi Aramco, Middle-Eastern oil giant, during the summer prior to his senior year. “It was a valuable experience that taught me how it feels working for a big business,” recalls Yang. After sending his resumé and landing the internship, Yang was flown to Dubai by himself where he spent several weeks shadowing and working with business professionals.

His knowledge of stocks also proved helpful in starting his own business (yes, you read that right). As a freshman in debate camp, Yang met an equally ambitious young man from California who pitched the idea to him, and together, yet over a thousand miles apart, the two students launched Kappa Kapps, a business specialized in selling keyboard parts. Both business transactions and meetings between the two students are conducted online-they skype each other at least once a week. “There was a market for it and we seized it,” said Yang. “The hardest part is having a self-driven mentality because you’re your own boss.”

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Self-motivation definitely seems paramount in navigating his rigorous schedule. On top of balancing AP’s, classes at the University of Minnesota, a business, a stock portfolio, and other basic high school and human time-consumers such as maintaining a social life and sleeping enough to remain functional, Yang also runs TRACE Tutoring, an organization that he founded with a now-graduated student to replace ACE. Under the leadership of Yang, TRACE blossomed from a club with only six tutors to one with well over 150, and tutors students from all over the district in subjects ranging from Algebra to APCP. “I’m glad we got to where we are,” contends Yang, “I just hope TRACE leaves a lasting legacy and continues on after I leave.”

Yang also hopes to leave a legacy outside the high school. While volunteering at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya with a team of highly trained surgeons for two weeks, he grew fixated with the lack of adequate medical supplies and traced a solution back to the surplus of single-use medical supplies in the US that are promptly thrown away.

With Paul Sorajja, a doctor at the Mayo Clinic, Yang is currently assisting in setting up a non-profit dedicated to sterilizing, sending, and reusing certain medical equipment from the U.S. to the Tenwek Hospital.

In his free time, Yang also enjoys normal teenage activities such as reading and photography. “I do it for leisure. I like expressing myself through art.”

His plans for the future? “I don’t really know yet,” says the 17-year-old business owner, stockholder and club founder with a reticent smile. Beneath the impressive resumé lies a student who just wants to make a difference.

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Are we FAKE NEWS?!

“Just because something is in all caps does not mean that it is true”

BY ALLY COTTRELL

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n February 17, President Trump tweeted, “The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!”

On February 24, he also prevented CNN, The New York Times, Politico and The Los Angeles Times from attending an off-camera briefing with Sean Spicer.

Seeing the president of the United States vilify legitimate news organizations to the extent that he has, painting it as an illegitimate enemy to him and his administration, terrifies me. The media is a vital check on power the public possesses, not some outside third party out to get both the public and those in power. We need to utilize it as an instrument for good, and the president needs to respect that. The president does not decide which media is true, nor has he ever had the right to.

Just because something is in all caps does not mean that it is true. President Trump’s tactic of demeaning legitimate news organizations by calling them FAKE NEWS repeatedly in contexts that

don’t make sense is unacceptable.

Using this phrase to label legitimate news organizations like The New York Times and CNN shouldn’t hold any weight. For a little perspective, both of these would be legitimate sources to use in an academic research paper, as I have. The news organizations that Trump has shown preference for would definitely raise some red flags in any academic setting. “Breitbart,” the propagator of such headlines as “There’s not hiring bias against women in tech, they just suck at interviews,” should be questionable when used in any setting.

When I learned about logical fallacies in English as a junior, I did not think I would know more on the subject than the leader of the country.

But, I think that Trump has committed every logical fallacy, or error in reasoning, there is. I understand that other presidents have also committed to this line of thinking on specific topics, but I don’t think it has ever been so overwhelmingly present.

If Trump chose to attack news organizations for their bias, I would have no complaints. Every

Does my anxiety offend you?

BY EMILEE JACOBSON If you looked at me from afar, you’d probably think my life is pretty great.

You definitely aren’t wrong. I have all I could ask for and more, but I do lack the mentality that allows me to believe it on a daily basis. When I say, “I have anxiety,” it doesn’t mean, “I’m stressed about my test next hour, but will be fine when it’s over.” We all feel anxious, but we don’t all have diagnosed anxiety. Anyone who has felt the burden of the disorder itself or seen the ones they love battle its reality can understand its complexity.

I don’t qualify anxiety as an excuse, but if I did, it would be a pretty good one. Anxiety isn’t something people can push away on a daily basis or only feel at certain times. It guides the way you live, feel and act. People often lack understanding that I sincerely can’t just “chill out” as hard as I may try. Sometimes the only way to “chill” is to isolate yourself from it all.

My anxiety is like a post-it note on my forehead that says “make me worry” at the strangest of times. Not only does it hold the power to worry, but it also has the ability to depress me for little to no reason at all. Anxiety rarely exists as the only problem within an imbalanced mind. It usually stands hand-inhand with depression as they co-exist together in harmony by making my life a mixture of fear and sadness. It’s a never-ending cycle of lifting myself up only to be knocked down again.

Just when you think it can’t get any worse, you put the word “social” in front of anxiety. The constant fears of everything become so overwhelming that often you feel like you’ve lost the power to breathe. Being near new people, new discussions and new environments can become so frightening within a matter of seconds. That’s where my habit of what everyone calls “bailing” and sometimes “quitting” began.

“Bailing” on things has been a common trend in my life, ever since I was

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source contains some inherent bias, whether that be in which stories they focus on or the sources they chose to use within those stories. Bias is both real and opinionated and is a legitimate reason for a real and opinionated response. But, if you complain about the bias in a source, you also have to be ready for a retaliation with the same complaint of other sources.

“Fake news,” by inherent definition, is false. It has no place in complaints against institutions of the certified caliber like The New York Times, the winner of 119 Pulitzer prizes since its inception in 1851. “Fake news” stories should be just clickbait titles of celebrity deaths that never occurred.

On February 18, President Trump tweeted, “Don’t believe the mainstream (fake news) media.

The White House is running VERY WELL. I inherited a MESS and am in the process of fixing it.”

According to President Trump, all media he slightly disagrees with should be inherently “fake news.” If he were to read this magazine, we might fall into his label as well, and that is terrifying.

little. My parents never understood why. Whether it was sports, friends or math problems, I couldn’t face them. My parents thought they bred me to quit, but I emotionally just couldn’t handle the pressure. Thoughts always sat in the back of my mind telling me that I couldn’t do it or that guy right behind me would be laughing if I did.

I remember when I first began avoiding social events and sometimes even contact. The isolation itself brought me down to a new level. Friends never really understood why I couldn’t leave the house that night. They thought I was being irrational and would say things like, “will it matter a year from now?” No, it probably wouldn’t. That still didn’t give me any motivation to go. Sometimes, to me, it was better to stay at home; it was better to avoid the people and all of the thoughts at the end of the day.

I remember the first few times I started to question myself when I spoke.

The snickers of classmates in the classroom led to years of keeping my hand down. It was hard to be myself around friends and sometimes still is. Sometimes it’s just hard to speak at all, I feel like I have to be so cautious with every word.

Some days are harder than others, but in the end, I have to choose my mental-health over anyone or anything as much as it hurts. I’ll always question who I would be at the end of the day if anxiety wasn’t controlling my every move, but there really is no way to find that answer.

I could say I’ll get better at showing up, but I’m not sure what days will be better than others. So, when I make the decision to say I can’t do it or can’t come, I almost always mean it. I could give you an excuse about how my ever so lenient parents won’t let me go out tonight, or how I’m grounded, but, that’s too far from my truth of it all. The truth is, I’m anxious. Pills can help the problem, but they don’t always have the power to solve it. I do. Eventually I could try, but at the moment, I probably don’t want to. So when you critique my loyalty and drive to be there, take a step in my mind and tell me how easy it is for you to emotionally or physically do the same. I might not always GRAPHIC BY RACHEL JOHNSON show up, but I promise I wish I was there.

Mickey’s Clubhouse

Tolerating intolerance

BY MICKEY VENKATESWARAN Over the past election cycle, the left and right have both become increasingly intolerant of each other. This intolerance totally undermines the ideals of bipartisanship that we initially founded ourselves upon.

The House of Representatives and Senate, on both the state and national level, are elected representatives, representing the ideals of the party and their constituency through policy making. Allowing the continuance of this trend of intolerance can become very dangerous rather quickly as it leads to gridlock in policy making made by these representatives or even that constant policies are passed that contradict each other. Citizens belonging to opposing parties and even representatives need to become more open-minded when evaluating policies and ideas of the other party.

The idea that an idea is discredited solely due to its emergence from the other party is frankly ridiculous, but unfortunately, is the sad reality of current society, and both parties have participated in this occurrence.

The Democratic party’s intolerance has seemed to be significantly more violent than the Republican party’s, which is probably due to the fact that Republicans are in power in both houses, have the Supreme Court leaning their way, and have the presidency. For example, during President Trump’s inauguration, protesters in DC broke windows and the police had to show up on the scene and even violently act on these protesters. Again in February, protesters gathered against conservative speaker Milo Yiannopolous at University of California while he was trying to defend his right to free speech. Protesters lit fires and raised serious danger concerns to the college campus. Not only is this violence pointless, but it only wreaks havoc in the areas and takes away from the point of the protest. Citizens will only view them as immature and stupid.

Though the Democratic party’s intolerance has shown on a larger scale, the Republican establishment has also participated. Especially before Trump’s election, Republicans in Congress were very tentative to pass any legislation or candidate that was proposed by the Democratic side. When Obama tried to appoint even a moderate Supreme Court justice, Republicans in Congress simply rejected him.

Intolerance and undermining of bipartisanship are activities that both sides are guilty of. Addressing this issue especially over the course of Trump’s presidency will be vital to the continuance of peaceful, efficient American politics.

CHECKOUT

BY INIKA SHETTY The first step is acknowledging you have a problem. My name is Inika Shetty, and I confess to being an online shopaholic. It has affected my private life, my public life and my financial life. I can no longer check my account balance without feeling growing guilt and questioning my economic status as a high school junior. My parents do not know about my problem, and it is a burden I have carried for two years. I anxiously wait by the door to stow away the packages that increasingly grow in size. It is my hope that others will not go through the experiences of addiction I have undergone.

Online shopping is a growing addiction that has destructive consequences on your financial accounts and mental sanity. Compulsive shopping is increased by the convenience of the Internet and the rise of e-commerce sites. These online stores strategically entrap customers through various methods of marketing strategies that draw the attention of the weak-hearted and tempt the strong.

The quick thrills that come from clicking the “Checkout” button are amplified by the arrival of the package(s). Given there is a strong chance that you will be satisfied with your product and the sizing, online shopping is a gamble many are willing to take.

For teenagers, shopping provides both a quick release and a reward after a hard test or a difficult break up. All the classic movies point to a necessary makeover for character development and improving social acceptability.

Online shopping is the fastest way to achieve those romantic ideals while staying at home. There is also no need to waste money on gas when you are staying in one position, most likely your bed or school desk.

I believe that online shopping should be frowned upon just as severely as any other. It is time to rise up against these enticing websites and officially, permanently check out. Website by website, clear the baskets and log off from your account. Flag the spam emails of promised discounts and unsubscribe from the unnecessary rewards programs. Unfollow their social media pages and no longer bookmark the site as a favorite on your devices.

Addiction is hard to overcome; it is a battle of will.

In my personal experience, online shopping has become an addictive hobby that utilizes the vast world of e-commerce for personal and material gratification. In boredom or emotional distress, people turn to computer screens and thoughtless shopping that becomes a growing burden. Even when individuals have acknowledged their problems, it is still a struggle to stop shopping and loading carts. Because ultimately, seemingly against their will, they hit “Checkout.”

E-books are just better

BY ANNA LARIONOVA I don’t understand why everyone hates e-books considering paper books are outdated and pointless.

Not only can I whip out “Les Miserables” from my phone or Kindle, but, I can buy books from my house in minutes. Bookstores are time consuming and often more expensive, especially if you take into account hardcover books. Sure, it’s fun to flip through dozens of books, but I hate people and have a life, so I’m not going to drive to a bookstore to buy one book. It’s quicker to just browse through the Internet and find a book that fits my fancy.

These days, Nooks and Kindles are the new thing. I’m all for supporting paper book businesses, but certain companies have already mastered efficiency. Although e-readers can be quite expensive, both the Nook and Kindle being around $50, the

immediate benefit of time outweighs the cost. If I can afford to buy countless books every year, I can afford to buy an e-reader.

Not only is there a time and money aspect, but space is a significant factor. As someone who owns two full bookshelves, I have nowhere to put books. Books don’t look as pretty on my floor, so having one book-sized e-reader to hold dozens of books is better than ugly book covers staring up at me.

Besides, the whole aesthetic component to physical books is backwards. I don’t want to spend time making rainbows with book spines on my bookshelf, and I certainly don’t want to go to a bookstore just to sniff paper. In fact, I buy books to read them.

When I buy e-books, my intention isn’t to get a physical book as a prize or medal. I read for the story, and eBooks offer the same story with less trouble, money and time.

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Mind

Schools killing creativity

BY DUSTIN WOLF

Almost every student thinks school is a nuisance. Maybe students are trying to tell their schools something. It’s no doubt that school improves academic performance, but what about creativity? You might think, “Well there are art classes so of course school improves creativity.” In reality, that’s not necessarily the case.

Art classes tell students to create something for a grade, so they might just take someone else’s idea and change it just a little. Art classes are graded on a rubric and how well students shade inside the lines. Art classes should be graded on someone’s creative ability and how well they explore that idea.

School as a whole tells students to pick a career path, go to a good college, and get a nine to five job after. School systems set you up for an average life with very little excitement. If you don’t listen to what school says you should do, you might just live a more interesting and fulfilling life.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s important to be educated, but I think schools are doing it in the wrong way.

The schools use a very old educational system. If we were to modernize the school system, we could maximize the potential for retaining knowledge. What I mean by that is if we were to

“Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s important to

be educated, but I think schools are doing it in the wrong way.”

keep students who learn the same way together, classes could be more efficient with time. But that possesses another problem: classes. What should classes be teaching? They should be teaching individual thought. Maybe they should make classes about philosophy and success.

Listen, I know these class ideas are stupid or seem like they won’t work, but hey, I’m only a high school student with an idea for a better school environment. Let me explain some of these classes.

A success class would help the student understand what they want to get out of life. It would help them set goals and decide what to do after they achieve those goals. This class wouldn’t be graded in any way, otherwise students will force themselves to create a crappy, unoriginal goal.

Also, if schools implemented some type of philosophy class, it would spark a creative mindset early.

If one of the school-required classes were to teach students about mindfulness meditation and how to effectively use that technique, there would be a lot less stressed students in schools.

Scientific studies have shown that it appears the amygdala, the primary region associated with fear and emotion, shrunk after an eight week course of mindful meditation.

This class, based on teaching and using an effective technique of mindfulness meditation, would greatly reduce the number of stressed out and depressed student. Ultimately, increasing the potential for retaining knowledge.

Imagine a school that has not one student struggling with depression. It seems like a fairytale but it could become a reality if we make a change.

[ 16 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

Tala

DESIGNED BY INIKA SHETTY

Talks

Views from the backseat

BY TALA ALFOQAHA Finally. After eight hours of driving (read: drifting in and out of consciousness in the passenger seat), the fabled skyline had finally materialized. And it was just as beautiful as every postcard had suggested. Skyscrapers glistened in the sunlight against a baby blue sky, growing larger and larger through the windshield until our car was enveloped in the cooling embrace of their shadows. Yet as we glided smoothly over the interstate, my eyes drifted from the view of the Emerald City ahead (more commonly known as Chicago, Illinois) towards a much more sobering scene.

Underneath the raised I-94, dilapidated buildings, abandoned houses, cramped suburbs, and overall desolation flitted past us, all, in the most literal sense, overlooked.

However, like the (shameless) tourist I was, I pushed those scenes out of my mind and satiated myself in the mind-numbing attractions of the self-styled “Magnificent Mile.” When an Uber driver began naming all the neighborhoods and sections of Chicago to avoid, I heeded his advice without a second thought.

When a headline boasted that “Chicago goes 4 days without a fatal shooting,” I laughed at the absurdity and moved on. All around me, poverty and gun violence ran rampant, yet not rampant enough to actually affect me, not close enough to make me care.

Chicago boasts a poverty rate that hovers around 33% (keep in mind that compared to the Economic Policy Institute’s basic family budget, the federal poverty rate only accounts for 41% of the cost of being poor in Chicago). Of course, it’s no secret that urban areas have high poverty rates compared to suburban and RURAL areas, yet by combining the statistics of both the affluent and impoverished areas within these big cities, even these alarming rates fail to provide a complete picture of the XXXX destitution that persists in Chicago and other large cities.

For example, more than 60% of all the residents in the Riverdale area of Chicago live below the poverty line, and about one in four live in deep poverty (officially defined as an income with less than half of the federal poverty line). A deeper look at the situation reveals even more startling facts: these communities are neatly segregated from more affluent ones on not only geographic lines, but also on racial ones.

96% of the Riverdale population is African American. Of the 10 Chicago communities with poverty rates over 40%, every single one of them is 92 to 99% African American. Chicago’s index of dissimilarity, a number that measures segregation in census tracts, found that 72% of African American or white residents would have to move in order to even out the racial distribution, as opposed to New York’s 65% and Philadelphia's 63%. The average household income for a white family in Chicago is $100,700 while the average household income of an African American family in Chicago stands at $44,400. And the disparity has only increased throughout the years.

Poverty is just one of a litany of issues--gun violence, education inequality, and overall subpar quality of life--that have ravaged Chicago and other urban tourist hubs. And yet these problems are so heavily concentrated in specific, peripheral areas that rather than shifting our focus towards these places that desperately need it, we’ve looked away, choosing to fill our vision with the view of proverbial skyscrapers instead. It’s time America shed it’s green-tinted glasses and realized that our Emerald Cities aren’t actually as green as they seem.

The pipe hype Stand with the Dakota Access Pipeline

Native Americans deserve equal respect

BY MUKUND VENKATESWARAN

BY SAWYER HILT

The Dakota Access Pipeline has received a lot of controversy over the past year or so for its potential effects on the environment. The pipeline is a project by the Energy Transfer Partners to move oil, an essential energy source in the U.S., from oil fields in North Dakota southeast to Illinois.

The main argument against building the pipeline is environmental. People are scared that the pipeline will leak and cause damage and will threaten the water supply of many people downstream. Although this may seem like a significant concern, the Dakota Access Pipeline would be the most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly pipeline built, totally erasing any environmental concerns people may have about the pipeline. Additionally, there are already existing pipelines built following almost the same path, and the DAPL promotes safer transport of the same oil.

Another argument is that the pipeline is being built on Native American reservation land. The United States Army Corps of Engineers held meetings with over 50 tribes to discuss the path that the pipeline would take. The current path of the pipeline crosses 99.98% privately owned land and the other .02% is owned by the federal government. The only concerns that the Native American populations would have would be if the pipeline were to break, which is extremely unlikely as stated before.

Building the Dakota Access Pipeline would greatly stimulate the economy, as it is expected to create between 8,000 and 12,000 jobs and pump money into industries manufacturing the materials used for the project. According to a professor at Georgetown University, building the pipeline alone would bring nearly $130 million to local and state governments and more annually in property and sales taxes after being built.

This revenue would be put towards better school systems, roads, and infrastructure by the state governments where the Dakota Pipeline will exist.

Current oil transportation between the two sites is currently limited to significantly worse pipelines as well as transportation through railway and trucks, which federal statistics have shown to be significantly less safe. Pipeline is currently the safest method of transportation of oil. Building the DAPL will allow the replacement of other more hazardous methods of oil transportation.

The efficiency of the new pipeline will allow the U.S. to be less dependent on foreign resources and will stimulate our domestic economy.

Moving oil through the DAPL pipeline is more efficient and will be safer than any other pipeline that has built before. Rather than mindlessly citing environmental damage as a reason not to, we should make the smarter choice and build the pipeline.

The Dakota Access Pipeline, otherwise known as DAPL was one of the most controversial topics in the Midwest, and even in the nation. While the pipeline is currently being built, it is still important to note the complete lack of consideration shown to Native Americans living near the pipeline.

The pipeline originally was planned to cross through the Missouri River. However the city it was originally routed to cross through objected to the construction through protest. Bismarck, North Dakota, the city the pipeline was originally routed for, was informed of the process throughout, and thus their protest was possible. The people of Bismarck were given the right to object, and their community was shown respect when the pipeline was moved.

“The Sioux Nations deserve as much respect as the rest of us.”

However, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe was not shown respect when the pipeline was chosen in close proximity to them, despite the pipeline’s known environmental hazards. Dave Archambault II, the Chairman of the Standing Rock Tribe, said, “We seek the same consideration of those citizens.”

By building DAPL, Energy Transfer Partners have demonstrated a complete lack of consideration for the Sioux Nations.

Although the pipeline is being built over seventy feet from the reservation, buried under the Missouri River. If the pipeline were to rupture, it would hugely affect the Sioux along the river.

Though a rupture is rare, if the pipeline ruptured under the Missouri River, it would be disastrous for nearby tribal land and farms and cities downstream.

The Obama Administration blocked construction of the pipeline shortly before President Donald Trump took office.

As expected, his administration reversed the decision. Tribal members have said that they were not contacted before the new order was made.

The Sioux Nations deserve as much respect as the rest of us.

When the town of Bismarck objected to the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners moved the potentially hazardous pipeline in close proximity to the Sioux Tribes, displaying a clear lack of consideration for the tribe.

GRAPHIC BY ANNA LARIONOVA

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Stand up for your country

BY KATE STAGER

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

You recognize this quote right? It is one of the many tasks which is completed in the beginning of the day when you get to school. For us, it’s in Connections. Usually maybe half of the class stands up and says the pledge, and the other half sit down and pay no attention, to anything other than their computers. I do not understand how you could find it so hard to stand up out of respect towards our men and women who put themselves on the line for our freedom.

In grade school, we would all drop whatever we were doing to say these words, and never even questioned why. However, despite this moment being so integral, many students don’t understand what the purpose of reciting these words is. I think we should all stand for the pledge. We should be proud to live in a free country.

Let’s make it clear that the Pledge of Allegiance is NOT a pledge of loyalty to our government, but to our nation which is made of WE, the People.

There are so many men and women who drop everything to go to war for this country. I think that teachers should encourage students to stand up and recite the pledge at the beginning of connections. To the ones who think sitting during the pledge of allegiance is no big deal, think again.

Global warning

BY TALA ALFOQAHA Global warming. It’s here. It’s real (depending on whether you abide by alternative facts or not). And It’s bad. And yet part of me can’t help but rejoice in its implications. Nothing compares to the sheer joy of checking my weather app in the middle of winter only to be greeted by a little sun accompanied by a number over 40. I can’t help but rip off my jackets, boots and clunky outerwear that often obscures a meticulously planned outfit and dance lovingly in the soft embrace of sweet, sweet sunlight (okay, dramatized for persuasive purposes but still).

I understand that global warming is a serious issue, but imagine attending a funeral held in a bouncy house--you can’t help but enjoy yourself a little bit, maybe do a somersault or two. In this case, we’re just mourning the death of the earth . Woo!

It’s not okay

BY OLIVER TAYLOR As I became embroiled in the silence of the room, I clenched my brain and channeled all my focus into the test before me. I mentally prepared myself for the battle ahead and set my eyes on the first question. But suddenly, before I had a second to think, I heard an overwhelming snort from across the room.

A fellow student had opted to share the pleasant sound of the mucus in his nose traveling through his sinus and into his mouth. The simple solution would be to go get a tissue and deal with the issue in a far more polite manner, but as far as one can see, no one chooses that strategy.

Blowing your nose into a tissue is an easy task that is purely common courtesy. Yet, it is a task that is seemingly too much to ask of most people, especially during tests. I hate to be the barer of bad news, but that ghastly sound is disgusting.

There are small steps that we can all take to make the world a better place. Blowing noses into a tissue is one of those. Spread the message.

Busy work vs. homework

BY ELIZABETH BUSE There is a huge difference between busy work and homework, and I don’t think some teachers understand it. Homework is the work I actually need to know for the test or class. Most of the time I only need one or two examples of this. Not 20. Busy work is when you are doing repeated problems over and over when you already understood it 15 problems ago.

I understand how to do the problem and don’t want to keep doing it over and over. It is a waste of my time. If I don’t understand it then I’ll go back if I need too. But I shouldn’t be graded on how many I do. I should be graded on the quality. If students had less homework it would be quality over quantity. They would spend time getting one right, rather sliding their way through 20. Assigned homework should not last more than an hour, and if it does than it is busy work.

After school is supposed to be free time away from school. If students go to school for seven hours a day, they should not be expected to go home and do more work. Especially if it’s busy work assigned to us just because we should have “homework” every night.

Teens are already extremely busy and would rather spend less time with something more beneficial. Chances are with busy work that you won’t even do it because you either don’t have time or don’t want to. So please stop with this busy work. We have limited time and don’t want to waste it.

Shut your pie-hole

BY RACHEL JOHNSON

GRAPHIC BY RACHEL JOHNSON

[ 18 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

The crunch of your Flaming Hot Cheeto, the squish of your peanut butter sandwich, or the slurp of your straw is most likely driving me insane. You are probably a lovely person to converse with, but I will not hear a word. The chomp of your jaw easily distracts me from focusing on anything but the unappealing sounds leaving your mouth.

Seriously, how difficult is closing your mouth as you chew the mouthful of pizza? As you drone on about some uninteresting story about your goldfish, I am only able to focus on the food filling your cheeks.

Let us not forget the worst type of loud eaters: gum smackers. The minty freshness of your breath does not balance out the sound and sight of your spitty gum. The repetitive nature of chewing gum allo2ws the distraction to continue for an entire class period. Fine, blow a bubble to hear the snap of the pop, but my goodness, please keep your food to yourself.

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APPEARANCES

DIGGING DEEPER INTO EATING DISORDERS

A

BY ANNA LARIONOVA

bout 3 percent of the U.S. population has an eating disorder, and it doesn’t discriminate based on race, gender, class or age, according to The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. In fact, 13 percent of women above the age of 50 engage in eating disorder behaviors, and five to ten percent of people with an eating disorder are male.

Most people know that skipping meals and comments about feeling “fat” are signs of an eating disorder, which can be true, but eating disorders are trickier than that. Anorexia might involve dramatic weight loss and excessive exercise, according to the National Eating Disorders Association, but weight gain and anxiety are also signs. Weight gain is a sign for binge eating disorder, and constantly going to the bathroom after eating anything can be a sign of bulimia.

Sometimes none of the signs are visible. “It’s pretty secretive,” said school nurse Carolyn Henning. “Typically, there’s underlying depression and anxiety.

They’re kids that are tightly wound and perfectionistic.” She warned that students will wear baggier clothing, steal food or hide their disorder in any way possible.

Students can go on for months and years without revealing or treating their eating disorder. Junior Beth Kutina developed bulimia as a freshman and anorexia as a sophomore. Her battle with her body was both emotional and physical, and she did show symptoms. “I was super underweight, and I couldn’t focus on my studies, and I was tired and my hair was falling out,” said Kutina.

She said that, at one point, “I just remember thinking ‘I can’t do this anymore, I need to get help.’” Her process for recovery was not easy and took years, including a month in inpatient treatment. Kutina was aware of her eating disorder almost the entire time and sought out treatment on her own by approaching her

parents.

“Most of the time they’re aware of it,” said health teacher Kjerstin Ostrem.

However, Ostrem did mention that it takes students a while to open up and admit that they have an eating disorder, which means that some may need a push in the right direction.

Approaching a friend or family member who might have an eating disorder is a serious and tough situation to be in. There’s really no right answer because everyone is different, but Kutina said that “it’s important to just be real with them.”

Staying away from words that describe physical appearance and focusing on well-being is the best way to approach someone as a friend, according to Park Nicollet. As a friend or teacher, the best thing to do is to encourage the person to talk to his or her parents, and parents should firmly suggest seeing a physician.

Forcing someone into rushing or getting help is the wrong way to approach someone, though. “They’re going to get defensive,” said Ostrem. She also said that friends need to go to an adult if extreme signs are shown because “as a peer, you don’t have as much access to those resources.”

Once the person does finally get help, there are multiple places to go to get professional help. Kutina went to Melrose in St. Louis Park for a month where she stayed and worked on her mental health and eating habits. Ostrem said that some people prefer calling hotlines because confronting someone about such a sensitive subject is too hard. Either way, there are places to go for help and treatment. Henning said that every year there are usually five or six students at EPHS who are being treated for an eating disorder.

Ostrem, Henning and Kutina agree that people should get treatment as soon as they’re ready. “It becomes obsessive, like an addiction,” said Henning. Addictions need to be treated, so eating disorders do too.

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T Y P E BINGE EATING S Source: Park Nicollet

ANOREXIA NERVOSA

Self-starvation and excessive weight-loss, usually 15% below one’s recommended body weight and signs include hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, reduced body temperature, dizziness, slowed heart rate and low blood pressure. Women will often miss their periods, and men will experience low testosterone.

DISORDER

Title

Compulsive binge eating without the use of behaviors to counter over-eating, which can lead to obesity or losing and regaining weight due to back and forth dieting.

BULIMIA NERVOSA

SHRINKING IN PLAIN SIGHT

A cycle of binge eating followed by purging, which changes one’s body chemistry and can lead to a stroke or heart attack. Physical signs are swollen glands on the jaw and cheeks, tooth decay, headaches and dehydration.

TREATMENT CENTERS

Melrose Center, St. Louis Park, 3525 Monterey Dr 952-993-6200 Roger’s Behavioral Health, Minneapolis, 6442 City W Pkwy #200 763-318-2800 The Emily Program, St. Paul, 1449 Cleveland Ave N 651-645-5323

H E L P

HOTLINES

National Eating Disorders Association: 800-931-2237 National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorders: 630-577-1330 Crisis Call Center: 800-273-8255

[ 22 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

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BY RACHEL JOHNSON

t five feet tall, I have always been thin, but I never felt tiny enough. Shorter than most everyone else, I constantly felt that I should have been thinner like losing another inch off my waist would finally validate my entire being.

Suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, I just wanted something I could control, and my weight seemed like the perfect way to add structure to that chaos. In ninth grade, I used my intake of food as a way to express control on the one and only thing that I felt I could.

I have a gorgeous sister who is incredibly athletic and able to eat whatever she wishes without any obvious effects. She had always been the fitter of the two of us, I hoped to thin out to the point where I could be just like her. The trouble with this train of thought was the unhealthy way I went about achieving a “fitter” body.

As a freshmen, I lied to my friends when they commented on my size. I habitually had the excuse that I was sick and just didn’t feel like eating. My eating disorder got to the point where when I ate anything of substance beside dry cereal, I actually felt ill. According to my doctor, my stomach shrank as I neglected to eat full meals.

I pushed away from the people who cared enough to ask questions and deflected by worrying about everyone around me. My ninth grade friends were clueless to my situation, and my family simply noticed a decrease in my appetite. Something about no one else knowing made the eating disorder seem invalid.

My perception of myself did not improve as my hip bones became more and more defined. In fact, as I grew skinnier, I began to grow more anxious and desperate for other things to control. As I grew skinner, I became more anxious. This anxiety only increased my desire for new methods of control. Nothing seemed to make me good enough even through constant attempts of greatness.

Confidence has never been a forte of mine. I strived to be good enough, but I have come to realize I did not feel good enough for myself. The standards I held were unachievable.

On days where I wore dresses, I felt self-conscious and nervous to be around people. I felt better when I wore oversized sweaters that reached nearly to my knees.

The danger of eating disorders can be the act of ignoring the signs. I dealt with one for months without labeling myself, and it was easy to deny the symptoms.

The more I neglected the idea, the less I ate, and the bigger issue it became.

During the months of malnutrition, I couldn’t open my eyes knowing what I was doing was damaging my self-worth more than ever. Then one day my mom remarked that I looked like a skeleton. I glanced in the mirror and couldn’t even refute that statement.

I was too skinny for even my warped image of myself that I thought I was perfecting. I had a problem.

Now as a senior, I am not the picture of pristine mental health or self image, but I am certainly better than my ninth grade self. Don’t get me wrong, some days I still hide in a baggy sweatshirts and avoid mirrors.

The weight loss came at the price of extreme exhaustion and heightened anxiety. Throughout the months of struggling to accept myself, I leaned heavily on the support of my sister and my mom. I realized that healing from an eating disorder was more men-

PHOTOS BY TALA ALFOQAHA

tally than physically. Years later I still place extreme pressure on myself to be perfect and still don’t feel good enough.

I realized that my OCD mixed with being a perfectionist would not be cured by starving myself and being in control would never come from counting calories. Mental and physical health should be valued over a dress size or the feeling of complete control.

discovery of various websites that contained informa- a greater amount of food to nourish my body and grow. Therefore, the truth is the burger and fries is tion on a variety of diets; all of these diets proclaimed following its rigid guidelines would lead to the optimal the “healthy” option instead of the salad. Don’t get me wrong, the salad is a great option with a tremendous health. As I read about each diet, the ideals of the diets made sense to me, and the supporting “scientific amount of nutrients and vitamins. However, eating a 100-calorie pile of leaves won’t give your body the evidence” seemed to prove that these diets were the answer I was wanting. However, with all these different energy it needs to survive. Easy solution: Add dressing, meat or other protein, cheese, bread/roll/croutons and perspectives from the various diets, many views were eat it with something else if it’s not enough. It really contradictory and the restrictions overlapped. This was dangerous territory for someone looking to eat the boils down to listening to your body and feed it what perfect “healthy” diet. Each diet demonized a different it wants (cravings). Also, it is important to know that ALL food fits. If you want a piece of cake or some ice food group, macronutrient, or ingredient. From the

BY JOEY EKHOLM cream, go ahead; it’s healthy and a part of a normal information I gathered, I started limiting carbs, fats, diet (as long as you don’t eat a massive portion of it and any other food that was claimed to be “unhealthy” hat is “healthy”? Truly, think about when I Googled it. It seemed the only thing I couldn’t every day). The key is a variety of foods in moderait. What makes something “healthy” tion. You can follow any diet you want, but variety find harsh criticism for were proteins. Well, this left or not? The word “healthy” is so in moderation for food and not always needing to be me with a small target area of foods to eat. undefined, yet everyone seems to Since I didn’t have the perfect foods that I thought active and exercising is what I’ve learned from various know exactly where the line is between were “healthy” to eat, I would just eat as little as possi- psychiatrists, physicians and dieticians. And remem“unhealthy” and “healthy.”

For example, if I say salad, everyone would proba- ble of the foods I had but thought weren’t “healthy.” As ber, what matters is that you enjoy your life.

To conclude my personal struggle with my eating bly agree that is “healthy.”.Then if I say burger and fries, you could imagine, when you eat very little and limit disorder, I have been able to make large strides in my entire food groups and macronutrients, I lost weight most would agree that this meal is “unhealthy.” Where recovery. During out-patient treatment, I was doing did we learn these standards? Is it really such a cut and and all my body fat. All day everyday was absorbed better, but my eating disorder still continued to control by and dedicated to my obsession with my “healthy” dried thing? And if it is, why do so many people still eat these “unhealthy” foods daily? Maybe it’s based on eating. This obsession later developed the other aspect my life and dominate my mind. So I decided to dediof being “healthy”: exercise. With the idea of the more cate two weeks for partial treatment at my treatment calories. If that was true, then wouldn’t eating as few center. This meant full days of addressing my disorder the better, I took advantage of every opportunity to calories as possible be the ultimate “healthiest” way and challenging my ingrained beliefs. These two weeks do exercise, doing anything anywhere. After I lost to go? Obviously not because you wouldn’t be able to changed my life. Although I used up the last week of a lot of weight and was visibly self-destructing and sustain this deprived lifestyle. So what is the basis of my winter break and the first week back, I would not isolating, I was brought to a specialist and diagnosed measurement for “healthy”? have changed this decision. If you are reading this Over the past year and a half, the question of what with Anorexia Nervosa, a condition characterized by and relate to what I have gone through or just want to the fear of gaining fat and obsession about food and “healthy” actually meant entangled my mind and slowdiscuss the healthy lifestyle, I would be happy to talk ly dominated my life. As a perfectionist, I tend to make exercise - very fitting for my condition. I then began with you. Everyone is deserving of recovery and being out-patient treatment for my eating disorder.

During a goal or decision and then go all out and fully commit their true self. my time in treatment, I was able to learn the true myself to this goal or decision. Therefore, when I Rachel is an Eyrie staff member and Joey is a guest meaning of “healthy.” decided to pursue a “healthy” lifestyle, this meant a writer.

So what does “healthy” mean?

Truly, it is a very full-scale approach. I began researching and investigatrelative term. If I’m a hungry, growing teenager, I need ing how to eat “healthy.” This investigation led to the

“HEALTHY” LIFESTYLE

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people and making friends,” Konkoly said with hope for her last year on the team.

The team is stronger than ever and the captains don’t see it going downhill for at least a while. The coaches continually push the girls to do their best which has kept synchro afloat for the last multiple seasons.

“The captain my 7th grade year has since graduated and is now coaching our team. [Lexi] is so influential to the whole team,” Condit said about their coach Lexi Holsten.

Condit and Konkoly have been swimming together for many years and have been working tirelessly to deliver the same experience they had when they was new to the sport. They have recruited many underclassmen to keep the team going after they graduate and introduce a variety of girls to the sport they love so much.

“A lot of these girls were on the team as seventh graders,” Holsten said. “I spent a few years in college and the turnover of girls who are dedicated is really amazing to see.”

With ardent captains, devout teammates and respected coaches, the entire team is enthusiastic for the season ahead.

Synch or sink?

Synchronized swim team stays afloat

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PHOTOS AND STORY BY ALLISON FENSKE

ynchronized swimming is an arduous sport that many people don’t even know about, and its obscurity could damage the sport for the people invested in it. “Synchro is super unique,” said senior Ibolya Konkoly, who is one of the captains on EPHS’s Synchro team. “Minnesota is one of the three states that offers synchro as a high school sport.”

The lack of recognition for the surprisingly challenging sport could cause synchronized swimming to fall off the grid at Eden Prairie High School. With a team of less than twenty girls, the funding for synchro could be jeopardized in years to come, which greatly disappoints the other team captain, junior Alix Condit. “Even if synchro gets cut after I graduate, I’d be so upset,” Condit said. “We’ve all been so devoted to this team for so many years.”

During the informational meeting on February 16, many new girls came looking to see if synchro would be a good way to spend the spring season starting March 6. This includes senior exchange student from France, Agnes Jusselme, and quite a few younger girls from middle school.

“Our team might be bigger this year, which is good,” Konkoly said about her experience on the team. “Last year, it was really small and it made things kind of challenging,” she said.

Despite the small size of the team, swimmers are only brought closer together throughout the season. “I’m looking forward to meeting new

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Hardcore parkour

BY KATE STAGER

On a Saturday afternoon, it’s typical for seniors Tommy Heil, Tommy Hoag, and Peter Hegland to go out, explore and flip off cliffs and rocks while hanging out. According to senior Tommy Heil, parkour is “the act of moving from point A to point B using the obstacles in your path to increase your efficiency and speed.” Doesn’t that sound like a fun game?

Everybody has their own definition of parkour, but to senior Tommy Hoag, parkour is a way to push your body into ways of moving and training yourself to test your body to the limits. He likes it because “you can always get better, and it pushes you both physically and mentally.” Hoag says that parkour would be considered non-competitive, because “it’s really about having fun and trying new things. Not about winning or losing.”

When asked why he likes parkour so much, Heil said “Parkour is a form of art that is beautiful. I like it because I can feel adrenaline and also do cool moves.” Although the sport is not considered competitive, there are competitions. “We get scored by how efficiently one can move and how well it is done with style points.” Heil is sponsored by two companies, and went to the world championships in 2012 and 2013.

Parkour can be quite dangerous for amateurs. Someone even as skilled as senior Peter Hegland knows the dangers that come with this lifestyle, he knocked out three of his front teeth. “While doing flips off of a cliff by the Minnesota River, I decided to try a triple sideflip off of that cliff onto the dirt.

Unfortunately, i landed on my neck and kneed myself in the face.” Hegland doesn’t do the sport as much now.

The word parkour comes from the French “parcours,” which means, “the way through”, or “the path”. What we know as “parkour” with a “k” began as a training method in France (where it originated). The United States is not as involved as much in comparison to a lot of European countries

PHOTO SUBMITTED

that practice the sport. In France, they have “Parkour Parks” which are similar to skate parks in America. Although the sports development largely initiated in European countries, parkour is now an international control with men and women practicing all over the world. Male participants are usually called “traceurs” and female participants, “traceuses.”

“People get involved for all sorts of reasons, but often just for the sheer enjoyment and pleasure of moving and using the body the way it has evolved to be used,” Hoag said. Fundamentally, Parkour is a way of life, a philosophy. It is a way of looking at any obstacle and challenging it.

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have varying perspectives about this.

“I practiced for hours after school, and it was a big time commitment,” said Grant Glaeser, a former varsity football player and college freshman at the University of Minnesota. Glaeser said that he misses his teammates, but is relieved to have more time for himself.

Senior Alanna Jason has been swimming on the varsity team for the past two years. She made the difficult decision to quit the varsity swim team because she was not going to compete in college and she wanted to enjoy more free time.

She doesn’t regret the amount of time she dedicated to swimming, but “the extra free time allows me to enjoy the rest of my senior year.” Jason said that she will miss her teammates the most.

The biggest takeaway she learned was how to work hard and push herself. Swimmer Parker Hewitt, a senior, has a similar perspective as Jason. Hewitt, who swam at the high school and club level, said that the sport helped him “learn discipline and how to push myself.”

He noted how the camaraderie with his teammates was the most PHOTO BY ALLISON FENSKE valuable thing he gained.

Glaeser said he doesn’t regret the time he dedicated to football in high school, but he’s glad that he has more time to spend on his artistic endeavors and other sports. He also doesn’t have to worry about health problems as much, as sports-related injuries aren’t relevant anymore. He now has time to run outdoors and through the city paths. Glaeser is inspired by the artistic streets of Minneapolis.

BY ADAM CHAO He takes photographs all around the campus and by lakes. Additionally, he plans on using his newfound free time by focusing on his or as long as you can remember, you have been playing your sport. Each year, you start a new season, at the same time of the year, with most of the same teammates. mechanical engineering major.

The students will undoubtedly miss the experiences that high You develop a sense of camaraderie with your teammates. The sport is a part of your school sports provided them, but the lessons learned from hours of life. Suddenly, the next year rolls around, and you realize that you’re done with that sport forever. What kind of impact does this have on you? How do you feel? Students practice will guide them through new ones.

The finish line A look at life after sports

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Cold-blooded competition

Offcourt with

Oliver

Committing crimes against humanity

BY OLIVER TAYLOR PHOTO BY ALLY COTTRELL

Ice baths increase athlete performance

BY SOPHIE BRANDSER

“I take ice baths because Lebron does, it makes me feel like an NBA player,” said senior Glen Birman. Many professional athletes have joined the trend in taking ice baths and conducting cryotherapy due to the various benefits that come of it.

Birman said he takes ice baths for long term health rather than for short term benefits during his spring ball season. The theory behind ice baths is to combat micro traumas, small tears in muscle tissue, and soreness. The ice bath constricts blood vessels, which reduces tissue breakdown and swelling.

Some students who take ice baths said that it can be difficult to get into the bath and it can be painfully uncomfortable. Senior Kellie Fuhs said that her coach is usually the one to tell them to take an ice bath, and that she would not do it regularly. “I usually start with cold water and gradually add ice. It makes it less uncomfortable,” said Fuhs, “they are helpful when I have multiple games in one day and I definitely notice a difference the next morning.”

Ice baths are most commonly used for long distance runners.

Constant impact onto hard surfaces can wreak havoc on runners’ legs. Senior cross country captain Justin Young said, “Many runners on the varsity team use ice baths to recover after meets, and to be prepared for the next day of competition.” The ice baths are a vital part of the team’s recovery and recuperation.

Use of cryotherapy and ice baths have become more prevalent not only on the professional scale, but also in high school and college sports. New, innovative ideas to improve and aid in the body’s will emerge, but ice baths seem to be the current trend.

[ 26 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

The obscene level of leniency given to athletes that commit domestic violence crimes is not only disgusting, but also an undisputed travesty. This is something that has to change.

There is no realistic explanation towards the amount of lackluster action taken. Domestic violence is something that has no place in society, let alone sports.

Collegiate star running back Joe Mixon, currently attending the University of Oklahoma, is set to enter the 2017 NFL Draft. However, in 2014, a video of Mixon punching a woman surfaced. There are varying opinions on how teams will view the severity of Mixon’s actions, but in reality, there should be no uncertainty.

As a result of the incident, Mixon received a year-long suspension from the football team, still remaining enrolled at Oklahoma. On the other hand, the female student that was hit received broken bones in her face and a wired-shut jaw.

Mixon is only one example of millions of transgressions.

Every year, there are countless examples of unacceptably light punishments for domestic violence. In 2016, NBA point guard Darren Collison plead guilty to domestic battery. As a result, Collison was handed a measly eight game suspension by the NBA and was able to avoid the mandatory 20-day jail sentence.

If there were consequences equal to the severity of the action, there would be no need for debate, but the consequences of domestic violence are close to nonexistent. Cases of domestic violence will arise and they will be hurriedly swept under the carpet, a reality that can no longer be tolerated.

It is beyond pivotal that a far firmer, stricter and punishing system is installed by the NFL, NBA and every other professional sports league. The looseness in consequence for domestic violence crime demotes the severity of the acts. The magnitude of the fines and suspensions should be dramatically increase. Permanent prohibition from sports is necessary for constant offenders.

Join the Great Clips Team Are you looking to make some extra money?

Are you enthusiastic and enjoy working with people in a fun, upbeat environment?

Well you’re in luck! Great Clips is currently hiring for part-time receptionists at both of our Eden Prairie locations! This is your chance to join an energetic team in an exciting, fast paced atmosphere!

Contact Whitney at (612) 719-6152 to schedule an interview today!

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Planning a

Staycation?

Don't worry - we've got you covered.

STORIES AND PHOTOS BY CARTER AAKHUS, ADDIE MARZINSKE, AND GABBY THOMAS

TWIN CITIES. Here’s a vacation that doesn’t involve airport security, long lines, and cramming into a tiny seat next to that snoring guy. Grab your friends for a 30 minute car ride to explore what Minneapolis has to offer. Being a tourist in your own city is one of the best ways to understand the history and all that it has to offer.

Here’s some places to get you started: • Guthrie Theater • Foshay Tower observation deck • Wild Rumpus Bookstore • Lake Calhoun • Museums: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Walker, Science Museum, Gold Medal Flour Museum • Zoos: Minnesota Zoo, Como Zoo • Restaurants: Young Joni, Chino Latino, Melting Pot, The Bachelor Farmer, Smack Shack, Red Cow, Union, Stella’s, Sota Roll • Coffee shops: Spyhouse Coffee, Analace Coffee, Diamonds Coffee Shoppe,

The Como Zoo The Bachelor Farmer

[ 28 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

Diamonds Coffee Shoppe

BINGE WATCH LIST.

You're welcome.

If you aren’t looking to travel to find excitement, there are plenty of things to do at home. One of which is binging TV shows and movies on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.

Here are some great shows that I couldn’t recommend to you enough suited to your personality: • “Breaking Bad”: This gripping drama is one of the best of all-time. A show for everyone.

• “Lost”: Enjoy twists, turns, adventure, thrills and romance? Look no further.

• “The X-Files”: Are you a paranoid conspiracy theorist? This “X” marks the spot for you.

• “The Newsroom”: Enjoy watching loud, fast-paced arguments? You’ve found your new passion • “Seinfeld”: If you are a sarcastic know-it-all with a penchant for witty comedy, “Seinfeld” is for you • “The Office”: For fans of dry, deadpan and hilarious comedy • “The Walking Dead”: A great drama chock full of blood, guts, gore and intrigue • “Parks & Recreation”: A show similar to The Office, some could argue that it is even funnier • “Daredevil”: Looking for a superhero show similar in tone to The Dark Knight? This gritty Netflix adaptation is well-written, exciting, and action-packed.

Graphic from Creative Commons

Graphic from Creative Commons

DULUTH. Maybe you want something to make you feel like you’re really on vacation, but you can’t go out of the state, try escaping up North. Duluth has so many wonderful sights and attractions, • The Aerial Lift Bridge • Lighthouses at Canal Park • Shopping • Hiking • Tour Glensheen Mansion • Duluth rose garden • The Great Lakes Aquarium • Duluth Zoo • The Edgewater Hotel and Waterpark

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INKED Students wearing their hearts on their skin

BY OLIVER TAYLOR Tattoos can often be misconstrued as rash teenage mistakes. But, tattoos often possess an extremely personal message.

Senior Adam Daggs has a variety of tattoos, all with equally interesting backstories. Perhaps the most intriguing of all are the pair of wolves on his right arm, a tattoo that he drew himself. In the shape of the yin and yang symbol, the tattoo comes with two primary meanings.

The first meaning comes with the shape of the tattoo. The yin and yang structure symbolizes how darkness and brightness go hand in hand. “There is some dark in the light and then there’s some light in the dark,” Daggs said.

The second meaning of the tattoo is family. Daggs described how “the wolves represent family. I want to become the peacemaker of my family”.

Senior Pate Hansen also has a symbolic tattoo. Three years ago, his grandma passed away from cancer.

Subsequently, Hansen decided to get a tattoo of her birthdate. Hansen was clear about his affection, “I got it because my grandma is a big part of my life,” he said.

The most personal part of the tattoo is what it’s made of. “We sent my grandma’s ashes and got it mixed into the ink of the tattoo,” Hansen said. Hansen will have a permanent reminder of the love he has for his grandma.

Michaela Meink, also a senior, got a tattoo in February. The tattoo, just below the right side of her ribcage, reads “Be Still,” with the letter “t” in the shape of a cross. The words come from the Bible verse Psalm 46:10.

The verse reads “Be still, and know that I am God.” Meink discussed her struggles with her anxiety and how the verse is something that she can take refuge in. “I can keep it as a reminder that when life gets overwhelming, to just be still and know that everything is okay,” she said.

These examples are the furthest that one can get away from a rash teenage mistake. Every tattoo is individualized. The meanings of the tattoos lie far deeper than the ink in the skin.

Top left: Senior Pate Hansen.

Photo submitted by Hansen.

Top right: Senior Michaela Meink. Submitted by Meink.

Bottom left: Senior Adam Daggs. Photo by Dustin Wolf.

Bottom right: Senior Adam Daggs’ drawing. Photo by Dustin Wolf.

[ 30 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

Parks and Recreation Employment Opportunities

Join our team.

Part-time and seasonal roles available.

• Camp Counselors • Water Safety Instructors • Lifeguards • Tennis Instructors

Text EP EMPLOYMENT to 468311 or like and follow the City of Eden Prairie on Facebook and Twitter to receive text message updates when jobs are posted.

• Parks Maintenance • And more

edenprairie.org/employment

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Chances

Rescue dogs find hope

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BY ELIZABETH BUSE

very time junior Beth Kutina walks in the door, her dog Zadie ecstatically greets her at the door. Kutina describes zadie as an “energetic shark”. Rescuing dogs gives them a second chance at life. Junior Beth Kutina rescued Zadie, a playful Catahoula boxer beagle mix when she was three months old at the human society. Kutina plays with Zadie everyday outside and has become close to her. Kutina explains how she has loved to see the bond between her dog and her family from the time she rescued her up until now.

Zadie came from a puppy mill in the South. Puppy mills are large scale commercial dog breeding companies. Dogs are often mistreated because their profit is valued over their well being.

Female dogs are being forced to reproduce at every chance with no recovery time. Millions of dogs are in puppy mills without homes.

These mills are dirty and overcrowded with many dogs squished into one cage.

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“Fostering dogs is one of the best decisions I have ever made,” said senior Blair McGibbon. McGibbon fosters dogs through a company called Safe Hands Rescue. Safe Hands Rescue picks up dogs off the streets of Kentucky, feeds and rehabilitates them to get them ready for adoption. McGibbon said, “It is inspiring to see the transformation of the dog from the day we found them to the day they get their new home.”

Safe Hands Rescue ships from 50-100 dogs each week to foster families. McGibbon explains that there are so many dogs that need homes. In some states if dogs do not find homes, they are killed.

McGibbon highly recommends fostering dogs because there are so many that need safe homes.

Senior Brynn Boston has had eight rescue dogs in her life.

Currently she has three dogs. Splash, a retired racer, is a greyhound rescue dog from Indiana. Her second pup, Skye, is a beagle mix who unfortunately lost one of her legs from a car accident and was brought to MN through Safe Hands. Her third dog is a husky mix

BullyBox New app promotes anonymous reporting of bullying

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY BRYNN BOSTON

BY EMILEE JACOBSON

named Phoebe. Phoebe is foster dog who also log one of her legs in an accident.

Boston said, “I begged my dad to keep her, even cried for three days”.

Boston loves rescuing dogs and giving them hope and love after they have been neglected. She explains that they have had some complications with the dogs because they have been neglected and are traumatized from the life they had before. Boston gives these dogs a sense of hope and love by giving them a home.

She explains how it can be difficult for some rescue dogs, but in the end it is very rewarding.

Kutina explains that it is rewarding knowing that she has helped Zadie by giving her a better and safer home. She recommends rescuing dogs because there are so many that need a home. Kutina said, “They are just as good as any dog, if not better.”

Rescuing animals gives the animal and the owner a sense of hope and belonging.

Foster and rescue animals come from hard lives, but these students give these dogs a safe place to live. Not only are these students giving their dogs a second chance, they are gaining a best friend.

Over 3.2 million students are victims to bullying each year, yet this is just the number reported. Although EPHS uses a tolerance policy for bullying, not every incident is reported. Over two-thirds of students across the country believe that their school’s faculty reply poorly to bullying, creating the usual stigma that filing a report won’t solve the problem. A new app, BullyBox, hopes to create a solution to a widespread problem throughout the country.

Rather than relying on students to come to the office and report an incident, the app anonymously allows student to send reports which are then to be forwarded straight to district administrator’s emails to be reviewed and taken action upon. The survey includes questions such as the location of the incident, the name of the victim and the things said or done. This app finally gives students a chance to promote change rather than receive the constant negativity spread online, according to the developers of the app.

Although dean Kim Kane wasn’t aware of the app BullyBox, she found it to be an interesting option, “I do think it’s a nice idea to link technology in a positive way that allows students that don’t want to report bullying do it anonymously,” said Kane.

The program allows bystanders and victims to make a voice for themselves without necessarily being affiliated with the conflict itself.

While it’s alternative method has its pros, it also has its cons. The current system at EPHS would require a student to report an incident face-to-face with a faculty member or send an email directly to.

This app exacerbates a common trend of young students hiding behind a screen to send a message, but differs with the intention of doing so. Instead of creating a problem, it is used to report one. Even with good intentions, this loss of social interaction in an app such as BullyBox could lead to misinterpretations between faculty and students, Kane said. “I don’t know the tone of the person talking. I don’t know if they’re feeling desperate or angered. I feel that I cannot provide the same support compared to if the student came in my office,” she said.

BullyBox takes a different approach to counter bullying, but in a more comfortable way for some. With intentions of facilitating information between faculty and students, BullyBox allows students to reveal information without worrying about the consequence, claim the creators. Although this might provide comfort to students, it also has the potential to allow big conflicts to fall through the cracks.

“A disadvantage of the app would be if that it remains anonymous, we wouldn’t be able to extend further support to the victim. I worry about that,” said Kane.

Words become less emotional and feelings are not revealed, therefore not exemplifying the extremity of the situation.

“Working with students anonymously is difficult because I would rather be able to try to work with the bully and victim and find the reason behind it,” said Kane. “If there was a way to facilitate that step, I would really like that.”

The app is free for students on electronic devices to download once a school district adopts and purchases its program.

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FRESHMAN SENATOR

A detailed look into Cwodzinski's new career

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BY SAWYER HILT

ypically, I leave home at around 6:30, and if I’m lucky, I get there around 7:15,” said state Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, a retired EPHS government teacher, of his daily drive to St. Paul. While the commute to the State Senate Building from Eden Prairie is a grind, Cwodzinski says the job sure isn’t. Though he did not expect the long hours, the job “never gets boring,” he said.

A relative political newcomer, Cwodzinski won the election in State Senate District 48 this past November against seasoned competitor and incumbent David Hann. Cwodzinski was sworn in as a state senator in January.

“There is no such thing as an average day,” said Cwodzinski of his new career. Typically, at 8:30 a.m. he will go to his first committee meeting, which will last an hour-and-a-half to twohours. Designed to research, discuss and recommend courses of action to Congress regarding a particular subject, they can meet anywhere from once a month to two or three times a week. Senators in these committees will identify key issues that face K-12 education in Minnesota, then gather information regarding these issues and recommend a course of action to the State Senate.

Meeting constituents is another key part of being a state senator, and Cwodzinski will usually fit in four to eight of these meetings after his first committee meeting. The meetings can last anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours, giving

[ 34 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

Cwodzinski the opportunity to meet with his constituents and discuss issues important to them. He may also take this time to meet with lobbyists, who are individuals organized through the private sector or activist groups that attempt to influence legislators.

Daily Sessions is another part of any state senator’s schedule. Sessions meets at noon each day, and can last anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours.

After Daily Sessions, Cwodzinski typically will attend another committee meeting. The E-12 Policy Committee meetings, which he is a member of, take place on most Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Thursday March 2, the E-12 Policy meeting took place and discussed special education teacher licensure and teacher licensure.

Within the E-12 education committee, Cwodzinski proposed his first bill in February. His first proposed bill was a requirement for high school graduation in Minnesota being a civics class. The bill did not pass because other senators did not want the state to control education standards. Cwodzinski’s inspiration for the bill was based on student and parent feedback after taking his civics courses at EPHS. Cwodzinski’s other main focuses are “mental health, especially in young people, and guns,” he said.

While Cwodzinski’s job being a state senator may have long hours and a long commute, he definitely seems to be enjoying it.

Before

After

Spring

cleaning

PHOTOS AND STORY BY ADDIE MARZINSKE

We all are guilty of letting time get the best of us, saying “I’ll clean that later,” or “I’ll find a better home for those papers tomorrow”, but somehow tomorrow just never comes. So here’s a few tips and ideas to help clean and declutter your room so maybe you won’t have to put it off any longer.

My first tip is whenever you are cleaning always start from the top and work your way down! Thanks to Pintrest and Ablissfulnest.com here are a few cleaning tips everyone can try. When cleaning your bedroom, you’ll want to make sure to clean everything. This is supposed to be a place to relax and rejuvenate for the next day to come, but that can’t be very easy to do in a messy room.

Organizing a small closet

Some of us have big ones, some of us have mediums, and unfortunately some of us have small ones. Small closets are the worst, and they are so difficult to organize. But I’m here to help. Here are a few tips on how to organize and finally clean out that tiny little closet and make it look just a little less cramped.

1.

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Start by going through rack by rack and remove everything you haven’t worn in the past year and everything you can’t see yourself wearing in the coming year.

If you still feel like this is something you just can’t get rid of, box it up and bring it down stairs or to a hallway closet, anything to get it out of yours.

Any trash or non-clothing items items being stored in your closet should be sorted and possibly tossed as well.

Remove all shoes or anything at the bottom of your closet and sweep or vacuum to eliminate dust and dirt Once you’ve sorted and cleaned, reorganize your closet by using shelves and the new spaces on your racks If you feel confident that the cold is gone for at least the next few months, you could even create some more space in your closet by moving your winter clothing

Organzing under the bed When you have a small room, you learn to find space to put things even when there’s just no space to be found. Now whether this space is the most convenient and or the best location for these things is questionable, but it works and over time you’ll learn that’s all you need. But here are a few tips from divaofdiy.com to help clean up that new found space and maybe help make some more.

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Find cheap boxes or bins to use as storage and make sure they’re capable of fitting under your bed.

Divide up the things you find into first two piles: things to toss and things to keep.

After deciding what you to keep, begin separating this pile into several others, or into as many storage containers you have.

Once you’ve finished separating things, label these bins or boxes just to make finding them later a little easier.

Before putting your new storage bins back under your bed make sure to clean under there too. Move the bed and vacuum under there. Dirt and dust piles up after many years.

Now, place your new storage bins under your bed and be proud of your new decluttered room.

For more tips and photos go to @www.theeyrie.org

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Conspiracy Theories

DESIGNED BY RACHEL JOHNSON

The Truth is Out There

BY ALLISON FENSKE

UFO and aliens Much of our universe is shrouded in mystery. There is an infinite space beyond what we can even see with technology. It’s crazy to think that extraterrestrials resemble us at all as “little green men” and have visited Earth multiple times. Is it crazy that we share the universe with extraterrestrials at all?

• • • • • • •

“False.” Annie Lee, Junior “There is extraterrestrial life but they aren’t flying around Earth in a spaceship.” Misha Korolev, junior “Aliens don’t exist. Alien conspiracy theorists are just guys that sit in their basement and are bored of their life.” Lauren Murphy, sophomore “I think that there is definitely some sort of alien on different planets. We can’t be the only planet that supports life.” Isabelle Felton, junior “If they are real, they’re cool. But who knows if they’re real?”

Joe Guggisberg, junior “They don’t exist.” Allie Fuja, junior “Something else exists on other planets, but I’m not sure if they have come to Earth.” Hannah Scherer, junior

Mandela Effect

The Mandela Effect is a series of evidence that seems to point towards the existence of multiple universes or realities. Did Nelson Mandela die twenty years ago or just recently in 2013? It is “The Berenstein Bears” or “The Berenstain Bears”? Did two universes somehow collide causing certain people to remember different things or do people just have strangely vivid false memories?

• • • • •

“That’s dumb. He wasn’t dead, people are just stupid.” Misha Korolev, junior “There’s some examples where I definitely remember it being a thing.” Isabelle Felton, junior “That’s just kinda weird. That just seems unlikely.” Lauren Murphy, sophomore “If it’s real, it’s crazy.” Allie Fuja, junior “There are some examples where I’m sure I remember seeing certain things.” Hannah Scherer, junior

Ally tries to be funny

[The truth is out]

BY ALLY COTTRELL On February 15, President Trump tweeted, “The fake news media is going crazy with their conspiracy theories.” I don’t know if he intended us under that umbrella of fake news, but I’m going to assume yes. Because apparently this is what we’re supposed to write, here is a conspiracy theory that is totally true. Don’t even question it.

To begin with, we’re going to build some vectors in threedimensional space because all truly great conspiracy theories begin with some solid vectors. It’s one of the basic rules in life. There are eight letters in “The Eyrie,” so that is our x-coordinate. There are three horizontal lines in the capital “E,” so the y-coordinate is negative three, the negative coming from the fact that they are horizontal. There is once space in those two words, so one is the z-coordinate.

Our second vector is more simple. We are located in room 208. In descending order, our next vector would have an x-coordinate of eight, y-coordinate of two and z-coordinate of zero. The dot product of these two vectors is 58. If you’ve had the pleasure of taking Calc 3, you’ll know that by itself, this number means nothing. However, when you subtract out the 20 Eyrie staffers, you get 38.

[ 36 ] · theeyrie.org · March 2017

The 38th state is Colorado. If you go to the ever-reliable website Planetware, you’ll know that Lana Law wrote an article about the best things to do in Colorado. According to her, the third-best thing to do in Colorado is go see the Garden of the Gods, a series of stone towers jutting up 300 feet from the Earth.

If you were to see this article and be so impressed at its copious amount of information on the state of Colorado, you would also be able to share this discovery on Facebook with a handy button right on the webpage.

Facebook was founded in Cambridge, MA. At this point in this overly-long explanation for something that doesn’t matter in the slightest, you may be wondering why I am writing this. I am also wondering. If you know, feel free to let me know, because I still have zero clue.

Anyways, the shortest driving distance with respect to time between Cambridge, MA, and the Garden of the Gods road is 2,035 miles. So, the world will end in the ever-approaching year 2035. You heard it here first.

Also, because there are three letters in “Flo,” the Garden of the Gods is 300 feet tall and there are three sides in a triangle, it will be the Illuminati.

Going back to the number 38 we derived from the original vectors, the 38th parallel separating North and South Korea prior to the Korean War. To wrap everything up, the Illuminati will bring an end to the world in 2035 on the 38th parallel. Do I have any basis for this? No. Is it obviously different than the media Trump is referencing? Hopefully. Did I still spend too much time and had too much fun thinking about conspiracy theories?

Definitely.

What type of vacation fits your personality?

BY EMMA SWANSON 1. What type of weather do you most enjoy?

a. Hot and sunny

b. Cold and snowy

c. Mild and rainy

d. No preference

e. Who would want to leave the indoors?

2. What strange food would you be willing to eat?

a. Poke (raw fish salad)

b. Rocky mountain oysters (deep fried bull or pig testicles)

c. Escargot (snails)

d. Coda alla vaccinara (cow tail)

e. Whatever is both closest to you and edible 3. Pick the word that describes you the best:

a. Relaxed

b. Adventurous

c. Bubbly

d. Intelligent

e. Lazy 4. What is your favorite activity?

a. Swimming

b. Sledding

c. Eating

d. Boating

e. Surfing the internet 5. What is the coolest animal?

a. Seal

b. Moose

c. Deer

d. Whale

e. Common squirrel 6. What would your ideal day look like?

a. Having fun at the beach

b. Skiing and drinking hot chocolate

c. Sightseeing and taking artsy photos

d. Visiting old buildings and learning their history

e. 24 hour Netflix marathon

A B C D E

If you answered A the most, then your best vacation spot would be Hawaii! You are laid back and you don’t have time for people who want to bother you with their problems. You feel the best in the sun and when it is warm.

If you answered B the most, then your best vacation spot would be skiing in Colorado! You are a thrill seeker and are always up to a challenge. You don’t mind temperatures or situations that others might find unappealing.

If you answered C the most, then your best vacation spot would be Paris, France! You are always full of energy and up to trying new things.

If you answered D the most, then your best vacation spot would be Venice, Italy! You love to learn about new things and different cultures. You are the person that everyone goes to for homework help and you are always ready to make a study group.

If you answered E the most, then your best vacation spot is your couch! You are super lazy and see moving in general as a huge inconvenience.

Social Detox Deal with it

BY EMILEE JACOBSON As time passes, individuals change and adapt to their surroundings and ideals. So much growing takes place during a child’s adolescent years, intellectually and physically. But, once hitting their preteen years, people often rely on a false sense of stability around them. Since everything changes, including themselves, individuals are more likely to rely on other individuals for comfort. What they don’t realize is, this reliance doesn’t always contribute positively to their life. A toxic relationship or person isn’t literally “toxic.” But they’re someone who has the potential to ruin days, months, or even years of a happy life because you just don’t have the power to choose you over them.This person becomes a setback rather than a friendship or relationship. If you have to put more work into someone else than yourself, it isn’t a mutual deposit.

“I stayed in a toxic relationship because I was a new student at a new school and I only had two friends here. I didn’t want to be alone or feel like an outsider from everyone else,” said senior Sophie Riebling.

Our generation is especially dependent on others, blind to the fact that in the end they won’t necessarily be the ones by our sides. It’s great to be social and to have close friends and relationships. But when you’re changing for the better and someone close to you is ten steps behind, do you stay back too?

“It’s draining and you deal with it because you don’t want to take the hard route and face the repercussions of ending the friendship,” said senior Briana Collins.

Often what’s questioned is whether you remain “loyal” to others, or true to yourself. When the realization is faced, many people are too afraid to abandon a relationship they once felt was beneficial for themselves. ““I stayed in it because this person was friends with all of my friends and I guess l felt like the good times we had seemed to outweigh the bad,” said senior Pate Hansen.

It’s a crossroad when someone must decide whether they turn left or right. While it’s important to always remember the golden rule, in the end, it’s your decision to stick by someone who makes you less than the potential you have. Relationships are sticky no matter what, but ruining yourself to maintain one is not only not worth it, but also sad.

“Once I broke ties with the relationship, I realized who the person really was. It allowed me to see their true colors,” said Riebling.

Finding people who provide a real sense of stability to your life is tricky, but also worth it the end. While abandoning those you love and care about seems impossible, it allows you to gain a new perspective on relationships as a whole.

“It’s sad not having that person in your life no matter what, but you definitely learn to grow from it and gain perspective on who your true friends are,” said Collins.

It isn’t a realistic expectation to believe you’ll be happy every moment in a relationship, there are always bumps down the road.

But, you should have the expectation that as a whole the person will contribute positively to your life. It’s important to have healthy relationships that provide you with constant support and kindness. If not, it’s time to debate whether the relationship is truly worth it in the end.

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DESIGNED BY GABBY THOMAS

Thorp Building.

1620 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis ft. Peyton Johnson & Gabby Thomas

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