THE EYRIE vol. 55 || no. 3
FEBRUARY ISSUE
Eden Prairie High School
ISLAMOPHOBIA
CONCUSSIONS
MN NICE
CASINOS
Muslim students share their thoughts on a prominent world issue
One athlete’s personal experience with a head injury
An opinion on what this Minnesota tradition really is
Gambling gaining more and more appeal to the seniors turning 18
pg. 10
pg. 18
pg. 26
pg. 36
What does it mean to be homeless? pg. 20
CONTENTS Staff
Editors-in-chief Elizabeth Kenyon Max Chao
Silly pets pg. 37
Managing Editor Andrew Donohue Business Manager Anthony Rosa Website Editors Andrew Donohue Claire Hassler Website Assistant Editors Anya Otterson Zenab Kashif Photography and Graphics Staff Anya Otterson Sawyer Hilt Tala Alfoqaha Dustin Wolf Zenab Kashif Greta Frye Rachel Johnson Arts & Entertainment Editor Elizabeth Kenyon Arts and Entertainment Assistant Editor Tala Alfoqaha Cover Story Editor Kristina Briant
Coloring book craze pg.8
Feature Editor Yasmine Chavez Feature Assistant Editor Anya Otterson
Kylie sings pg. 30
News Editor Max Chao News Assistant Editor Sawyer Hilt Opinion Editor Claire Hassler Opinion Assistant Editor Emilee Jacobson Profile Editor Murphy Hullet-Nelson Sports Editor Abbey Mertz Sports Assistant Editor Kayla Albers Columnists Calder Sell Arun Pargal Anthony Rosa Staff Writers Mukund Venkateswaran Sara Michael Sophie Brandser Advisor Jodie Flolid
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Policies
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. To find us on facebook, search for 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
THE EYRIE vol. 55 || no. 3
FEBRUARY ISSUE
Eden Prairie High School
ISLAMOPHOBIA
CONCUSSIONS
MN NICE
CASINOS
Muslim students share their thoughts on a prominent world issue
One athlete’s personal experience with a head injury
An opinion on what this Minnesota tradition really is
Gambling gaining more and more appeal to the seniors turning 18
pg. 10
pg. 18
pg. 26
pg. 36
What does it mean to be homeless? pg. 20
Cover Illustration by Anya Otterson Cover Design by Elizabeth Kenyon
Hitting the slopes pg. 16
Islamophobia pg. 10 Sacrificing selfies pg. 25
Letter from the Editors Another term, another issue. Third quarter is particularly special for all you diehard Eyrie fans because, unlike every other term, we publish two whole issues. Please, try to control yourselves. Our writers and editors worked hard on this issue to make it the best one yet; catch up on current events, new movies and restaurants and even one staff member’s experimentation with stunt journalism. In other (arguably more exciting) news, the weather is lightening up and so are our spirits... right? Anyway, We out!
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 3
A&E
ILLUSTRATION BY TALA ALFOQAHA
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THOUSANDS OF LISTENS
Students express their vocal talents on music sharing app BY KRISTINA BRIANT Original, innovative and exceptional are words used to describe the music-sharing site called SoundCloud. SoundCloud enables users to upload, record, promote and share their originally created sounds. It is an even playing field for musicians to create and post their work. As an added benefit, up to two hours of uploaded content is free and additional space costs between $55-$135 a year. SoundCloud was founded in August of 2007 in Stockholm, Sweden, but did not gain popularity in the United States until 2012. SoundCloud was created with the initial idea for musicians to share recordings with each other, but it later turned into a unique publishing tool for musicians to distribute their music tracks. Senior Jenna Barbari started using SoundCloud in ninth grade to post covers of her favorite songs, as well as her own original music. She said she wants to try not to post as many covers, but “It is much more terrifying posting your own original music.” Barbari said music and creating her own songs keeps her driven and involved with music in her daily life. From starting to sing at a young age and being involved in school musicals, Barbari has had a lot of success with her music and wants to continue to share her talents with anyone who will listen. For senior Haylee Scholz, SoundCloud “is a cool platform to post something you love without having to do it in front of people; it is just you and your voice.” Scholz has loved singing for many years and it has always been a passion of hers. She will teach herself songs
on her piano by finding the chords online. Music and singing are her getaways from any stress in her life. Like Barbari, Scholz also got involved with SoundCloud in ninth grade. She first used it for listening to music and making playlists. When Scholz sang at some school events, her friends encouraged her to post her own singing. The first post that Scholz made on SoundCloud was a cover of the song “Lost Boy” by Ruth B. For her, the song “Lost Boy” has a lot of meaning because it reminds her of the last couple months she got to spend with her one of her closest friends, Sydney Galleger. Scholz and Galleger would often drive together with the song playing in the background. The song is a tribute to Peter Pan and is about one of the “lost boys” from Neverland who escapes reality and goes to a land where kids never grow up. “It’s a song about a carefree life, where there is not a worry in the world,” said Scholz. Scholz’s post for the song “Lost Boy” has reached over 30,000 listens on SoundCloud. Her talent has touched many people and continuously inspires people to believe in their own talents. Scholz is really proud of herself for all of the positive feedback she has gotten from her posts on SoundCloud. “I like being able to move people through my singing and to have an influence over people,” she said. Scholz found her passion with singing and has used SoundCloud to share that passion with others. She said she wants to continue using SoundClound and post more sounds in the near future.
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 5
the reviews
Pastas, tascas, piadas, oh my!
190 Lake Drive E Chanassen, MN 55317 952.934.6581
STORY AND PHOTO BY ANYA OTTERSON I’m going to be honest, I come here a lot. I am a huge fan of Piada, to the point where I figured it was worth it to drive there in a full-on blizzard. Granted, I don’t live far away from it. The easiest way to describe Piada is like an Italian Chipotle with a little Noodles and Company thrown in. It has a clean, modern look with wooden tables, Italian-themed photographs, and an assembly-style ordering area. There’s a menu of specific pastas, salads, piadas (essentially Italian burritos) and tascas (Italian sandwiches) that you can order, or you can build your own. Due to my partiality for build-you-own options, I went for grilled chicken paired with spicy Tuscan sauce and a variety of veggies. Although I didn’t get them this time, I can vouch for the deliciousness of both the garlic
dough and cannoli chips--I’m sure the other sides are also awesome. The garlic dough is a piece of piada dough folded with garlic in the middle, and the cannoli chips are best described as cookies absolutely covered in powdered sugar with a cream-and-chocolatechip dipping sauce. On top of the casual, relaxing vibe and great food is the additional benefit of the low price-range. The majority of the menu is
BRIGHTEN
The humorous, witty glory days of Hollywood BY ANDREW DONOHUE The famous directors the Coen Brothers have released a new film, “Hail Caesar,” that explores Hollywood during its glory days. The main character, Eddie, is the manager of a studio that is producing a movie featuring the most famous actor of the day, Bair Whitlock. However, Bair gets kidnapped and Eddie is forced to try to track him down, while deceiving the press about the reason for Bair’s absence. I enjoyed the movie, but was very confused several times throughout the viewing. I think the directors tried to jam in too many ideas and some of them fell flat. The story arc involving Channing Tatum’s character in particular seemed somewhat convoluted. This did not distract from the overall appeal of the film, though. The humor and wit of the characters played beautifully off of each other and made it a treat for the audience. If you like somewhat complicated plots as well as laughter and excellent acting, “Hail Caesar” is the film for you.
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around the same price as a Chipotle burrito, making Piada well worth your money. It’s on the Eden Prairie-Chanhassen border, making it a convenient stop after school or during an open hour. Overall, if your dream was always to have an Italian version of Chipotle, or even if it wasn’t, I would definitely recommend Piada. It’s a simple, yet creative, take on Italian food with options for everyone.
This app doesn’t Brighten my day BY CLAIRE HASSLER
FLICKR PHOTO
“You’re really pretty.” This is something you would see on the new compliment app Brighten, where people with low self esteem go to fish for compliments. Brighten is a new type of social media that has become very popular among teens. Users create a profile and add friends. Then they can leave anonymous compliments on their friends’ walls. Brighten claims posts are supposed to be compliments only, and there may be some regulation on what they allow you to post, but it seems unrealistic that they would be able to screen everything. Anything anonymous online is usually a bad idea. The intention is to create positivity, sure, but there’s no guarantee that users will follow this policy. The door is probably wide open for less-than-positive comments regardless of the well-intentioned purpose of this ridiculous app. At its core, Brighten is nothing more than another way for millennials to avoid real life. Not only that, but it’s desperate. Compliments from strangers are meaningless if the entire purpose is simply to give them. Perhaps the problem doesn’t lie with the app; perhaps the real issue is the blatant lack of self-esteem.
Heartwarming family story with a narrative twist BY SOPHIE BRANDSER Garth Stein’s “The Art of Racing in the Rain” became a New York Times bestseller when it was released in 2008, and it stayed on the charts for 156 weeks. I can see why it was on the charts for so long. This book is captivating and kept my interest. “The Art of Racing in the Rain” takes place in modern day Seattle. Enzo, the family dog, narrates the story. It starts off with Enzo and his owner, Denny. They are best friends. Denny gets married to Eve, and they have one daughter named Zoë. Throughout the book the family grows together and apart. They face many struggles with sickness, money and ownership. Enzo has a human-like soul and believes that he will be reborn as a man. Enzo gets frustrated during the book because he is unable to communicate with his family. He wishes that humans and dogs could communicate. If they could, he would have told
Eve that she was sick before it was too late. After Eve’s passing, Denny struggles to managing his time with car racing, and Zoë. Zoë’s grandparents insist on taking her to live with them. Denny does not want this. The grandparents and Denny eventually go to court to fight for Zoë. He struggles with not having enough money to go to court, because he spent a lot of it on the hospital bills. Denny almost breaks under these tough circumstances. The best part about “The Art of Racing in the Rain” is that it portrays a realistic story, but is in the unique point of view of a dog. I liked that this book showed what the dog was thinking. I did not like that this book was sad and frustrating at times, but I thought it was interesting. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something that is entertaining and easy to read. If you are not looking for a book that is sad, stay away from this book.
FLICKR PHOTO
Tell me something new FLICKR PHOTO
BY KAYLA ALBERS I do not know a whole lot about critiquing an album and I certainly am a fan of some of Cage the Elephant’s songs, but I was not the biggest fan of their new album “Tell Me I’m Pretty.” In case you aren’t familiar with their music, they are an alternative rock band from Bowling Green, Kentucky. Their lead singer, Matt Shulz, has a unique voice that can reach all kinds of ranges in his music, though in this album his voice didn’t change all that much in a lot of the songs. Overall, the songs in the album seemed repetitive in both their sound and their lyrics. Halfway through listening to the album for the first time I found myself getting bored because
it felt like same song was played ten different times. Given, some of the songs did sound different from the rest and had intriguing lyrics, like Cold Cold Cold said, “Doctor, look into my eyes I’ve been breathing air but there’s no sign of life. Doctor, the problem’s in my chest my heart feels cold as ice but it’s anybody’s guess.” This specific lyric started off the song with a cold message, but definitely caught my attention. This song ended up being my favorite on the album. The songs that I found to be more unique than the rest of the album were Cold Cold Cold, Trouble and Too Late to Say Goodbye. This was because they had more thoughtful messages and weren’t just talking about how love is hard, or love hurts, which is pretty cliché. Cold Cold Cold had more of a darker tone and sounded much different from their other songs, which was really enjoyable. The lyrics talked about being cold and dead inside, not knowing who you are or what you want to be. Trouble and Too Late to Say Goodbye were mellow and had good chill vibes that could be good to listen to while doing homework.
The lyrics to both Trouble and Too Late to Say Goodbye talked about rough patches in relationships, which is cliché, but they did so using metaphors and words that made you think. This is shown perfectly in Too Late To Say Goodbye which said, “Now I’m under your spell, trapped in a lie, shouldn’t have stood that close to the fire, no turning back, no where to run, no where to hide, it’s too late to say goodbye.” Another song that gives the same type of message in the same type of way is Punchin’ Bag which says, “Oh no ain’t it a drag, everywhere you go, better watch your back, cause I’m not your punchin’ bag.” The rest of the songs on the album felt repetitive and the band did not vary the sound of their songs enough. The guitar parts sounded the same and the vocals sounded a lot like yelling most of the time. Though I enjoy the band, there could have been more variation in the melody and lyrics of the songs. After listening to the album over and over, I have picked out my favorite songs and now know that I would have been unhappy had I bought the whole album.
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 7
Senior Omie Spielman often uses adult coloring books to relieve stress PHOTO BY ZENAB KASHIF
COLORING BOOK CRAZE BY SOPHIE BRANDSER Coloring has been popular with kids for years, but lately there has been a rise in adult coloring books. This craze has adults all around the world coloring with colored pencils and markers. These are not just ordinary coloring books though; these coloring books have thick pages and a high quality cover. The main reason why people are so involved in this activity is because it is relaxing. “It helps me when I’m stressed out,” said senior Omie Spielman. Coloring can help people take their focus off of what is stressing them out. This allows them to feel calm and not worry their problems. This recent craze has been especially popular for women, but anyone can color. These coloring books have designs for everyone. Ranging from mandalas to nature scenes. Books are being sold with the names of Secret Garden, Tropical World, Enchanted Forest and many more. These books have
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an artistic design that will catch the eye of a customer. Higher quality coloring books can be bought at Barnes & Noble, Michaels or even online on websites like amazon. “I started off with childish coloring books, and then I got cooler ones from Barnes & Noble,” Spielman said.Spielman started coloring with a 64-pack of crayons, and a coloring book that was for beginners. As she kept coloring, she realized that she liked doing this activity, so she decided to buy a nicer book that would fit her needs. It might not seem like it, but coloring takes a long time. A lot of the higher quality coloring books have very small areas to color. Spielman said the average time it takes for her to color a page “depends on the size of the picture. It can take hours, or even days.” Coloring is a great way for people to de-stress. There is a variety of coloring book themes and types of coloring pages to fit anyone’s needs.
spotlight artist
My sketch of Charlie Bradley STORY AND PHOTO BY CALDER SELL This issue’s spotlight artist focuses on someone who does not consider himself an artist at all. I conducted an interview on Charlie Bradley, a high school senior who recently had a piece of art hung up at the Capitol building. His modest demeanor in the interview gave me the impression that the opportunity to have art in the Capitol was an opportunity open to anyone in his Drawing I class. It suppressed my expectations of the quality of his piece of work. However, when I finally did see his drawing, I was mesmerized. His capturing of shadows and light in a black and white drawing impressed me greatly. This particular drawing is a portrait of Bradley’s brother. Bradley mainly enjoys drawing figures. Figures, he has an eye for them. I simply could not stop staring
at the portrait, not only because it was a great drawing, but also because a friend who never spoke of his artistic talents produced it. Even when I asked Bradley if he would do an interview for this story, he asked me if I wanted to be redirected to someone who is “actually talented”. Bradley’s drawing gave me a new view on people and art. I learned that anyone I see walking down the hall could be an artist; they may just be hiding their ability. Bradley never thought of himself as much of an artist but everyone else who sees his works comments on his talent. He is a walking example of someone with an artist inside that is rarely seen. So, I challenge you to find and celebrate an inner artist that may be hiding within a peer, or possibly even yourself.
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 9
NEWS
Islamophobia
EPHS students share their experiences facing the national fear BY TALA ALFOQAHA Islamophobia on the rise: It’s a phrase that’s been circulating through the media, yet what exactly does it entail for the average Muslim? According to senior Saad Abdulkadir, Islamophobia is what happens when people group the overwhelming majority of lawabiding and peaceful Muslims such as himself together with an infinitesimal minority of violent extremists. Statistics show that after every lone attack perpetrated by someone claiming to be Muslim (usually in affiliation with a terrorist group), Muslims worldwide end up paying the price. In other words, 1.6 billion must
Sophomore Maryam Ibrahim repeatedly assume the blame for the actions of a few. Abdulkadir explained that this culpability comes in many different forms, “I’ve definitely experienced it. Sometimes it’s as small as staring, yelling “Allahu akbar” when I pass by, other times it’s more damaging.” While Abdulkadir hasn’t personally experienced the most “damaging” forms of Islamophobia, many other Muslims have. According to The Guardian, London witnessed
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a 70% rise in the amount of Islamophobic attacks this past year, a number that spiked to 300% following the weeks after the Paris attacks. Here in America, hate crimes began occurring after the Paris attacks and San Bernardino shooting with a fervency that left many Muslims fearful of leaving the house. Sophomore Toka Hassan has firsthand experience of this fear. “After the Paris attacks,” Hassan said, “my parents didn’t want me to leave the house. I wear a hijab, so my religion goes wherever I do. There was no hiding it.” Anti-Muslim rhetoric from political pundits such as Donald Trump have added fuel to this wave of Islamophobia Other Muslim students such as sophomore Maryam Ibrahim recounted tips they’ve heard Muslims use to stay safe in a country that’s increasingly hostile towards Islam. “Some of my hijab-wearing friends wear hoods or baseball caps when they drive so people can’t tell that they’re wearing a headscarf,” said Ibrahim. Perhaps the most unwelcoming place to be a Muslim nowadays is online. “People say things on social media that they wouldn’t normally say in person. I try to stay away from that negativity,” said Abdulkadir. Hassan explained that she used to engage Islamophobic people online in an attempt to educate them, yet soon gave up. “There was no point,” said Hassan, “They didn’t want to change.” She explained that people often targeted her online due to her religion, messaging her insults that she had done nothing to receive. To her, being called a terrorist was the least offensive slur relative to the other pejorative terms people have branded her with. So how is Eden Prairie High School handling Islamophobia? Currently, EPHS houses a chapter of the Muslim Student Association, a club that meets weekly to discuss issues relating to being a Muslim youth in America and offers an outlet for Muslim students to voice concerns. “At this school, it’s not too bad. People handle it pretty well and I find that most are understanding. At least if someone is Islamophobic, they don’t say it to your face,” said Abdulkadir. Other Muslim students arrived at the same consensus: at least in person, people are not overtly Islamophobic. Unfortunately, just because the sentiment isn’t always expressed,
doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. “I think in general people at our school are uneducated about the topic of Islam and what being a Muslim means but are too scared to actually ask a Muslim to explain. Instead they accept whatever the media tells them,” said Hassan. Principal Conn McCartan agrees that isolated incidents of Islamophobia do happen at our school, yet doesn’t believe that a “pervasive culture exists.” A recent incident of Islamophobia in our district was an anonymous letter that was floating around during last fall’s school board election in which a parent in the Eden Prairie School District lamented about the horrors of
Sophomore Toka Hassan PHOTOS BY ANYA OTTERSON
electing a Muslim man to the school board, with the listed consequences ranging from pork being banned to the implementation sharia law. At the insistence of the MSA, McCartan wrote a response condemning this letter. While Islamophobia at Eden Prairie seems like a non-issue on the surface, it continues to play a prominent and damaging role behind the scenes. Rather than ignore this sentiment, it’s time EPHS had a conversation addressing these feelings.
“Vaping” on the rise among teenagers BY ARUN PARGAL Nicotine has always found its way into advertising. Most controversially, with young generations. However, with the government imposing a lot of regulations about how companies can advertise to the youth population cigarette usage is decreasing steadily. Nicotine advertising is still finding its way into the paths of young people, however. E-cigarettes, which are used for “vaping”, are growing in popularity amongst high schoolers. In a recent study put out by the CDC, researchers found that seven out of ten kids have been exposed to e-cigarette advertising and nearly 14% of high schoolers in the U.S are regular users. Officials are worried that all their work to decrease cigarette usage via health classes and advertising, will go to waste. E-cigarettes have the potential to hook the young generation on nicotine. This would mean that the gradual decline of smoking rates. E-cigarettes aren’t without their benefits however. They make it easier for adult smokers to stop using cigarettes which contain tar and other chemicals that e-cigarettes don’t have. That said, they are still harmful to kids because nicotine harms the brain’s development. According to Principal Conn McCartan, the school has had, “Very minimal use so far
You Should Probably Know:
Chipotle food poisoning
News for teenagers, by teenagers: breaking down current events in ways you’ll understand. BY ELIZABETH KENYON Chipotle is under attack by not one, not two, but three (yes, three!) different food borne illness outbreaks. The crazy thing is that, despite the fact that Chipotle tested all 64 ingredients they use, they couldn’t find the origin of the widest of the three outbreaks: E. coli. A whopping 53 people in nine different states were infected late last year. The worst of it was in Washington and Oregon, with several locations even closing. The whole sordid affair is quite… unusual. In other high-profile cases of foodborne illness, the source of the illness is usually
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SAWYER HILT
this year based on seeing use or finding e-cig items on students.” McCartan also stated that, “While our sense of drug use in and around school remains low, we can’t attribute that to anything in particular, like e-cig use.” Although drug use at EPHS is low, that doesn’t mean that it is nonexistent. The trend of vaping hasn’t missed us completely. An anonymous student was willing to give some insight to the vaping culture at EPHS. He said that “the appeal for me is convenience, they
are relatively small and easy to hide.” He also said, “I usually take a hit every hour during school” and “if anything it helps my focus and I make sure to take a big hit before tests.” This is because, like caffeine, nicotine is a stimulant which can help students to focus and stay awake. Overall, vaping is not a huge problem at EPHS, at least not yet. As more and more information is learned about this trend, students will be able to make better choices about their use of it.
discovered relatively quickly. In this case, it wasn’t discovered at all, and probably never will be. It’s officially become one of those disconcerting “mysteries of life” and about this close to becoming some alien conspiracy theory. The other two outbreaks were much easier to pin down. Two locations, one in California and one in Massachusetts, spread the norovirus, a group of viruses that cause inflammation in the stomach and lining of the large intestine, to a few hundred customers. Most of the victims were college students who probably weren’t expecting the reason behind their frequent trips to the toilet to be from food. Anyway, this tale has a plot twist: The outbreak wasn’t caused by the food. The norovirus was spread through infected employees. Gross. Another outbreak, this one of salmonella, was only found in Minnesota. Uh-oh! Unlike the elusive E. Coli, which manages to disappear every time they look for it, the salmonella was quickly linked to tomatoes. Nine people have been hospitalized. Not to worry, however. This outbreak, at least, is over. The company switched tomato suppliers and removed all potentially infected tomatoes from its restaurants.
But wait, there’s more! Chipotle Inc. hired a food safety consultant to develop a plan that will ensure, well, better food safety. The point is, they have a plan, and everybody can stop freaking out. Chipotle isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And on February 8, all stores across the country were temporarily shut down in order for employees to attend a muchneeded food safety briefing. Still, it was a pretty hard hit for a company that prides itself on organic, non-GMO ingredients, and their stock has definitely taken a dip. But now things are looking bright for this beloved burrito business.
CREATIVE COMMONS GRAPHIC
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 11
NEWS
PHOTO BY ANYA OTTERSON
New baseball field makes miracles in Eden Prairie board, Dave Espe of it. He then came forward with the idea to the school board and city council. In the summer of 2011, Eden Prairie’s AAA baseball team watched their first Miracle From that moment on, The Miracle Field would proceed to be a five-year long building League game. The Miracle League allows disprocess. “It’s important to note that the vision abled kids to play baseball on fields specially built to accommodate them. The field was also of the Miracle Field (was) the work of several of our junior EP ball players. They are ones who built to be accessible for all children with wheel chairs; it has a softer surface so kids can’t be pushed for this ‘miracle’ to happen,” said Dave hurt as easily compared Espe. The boys spent months of their time fundraising and to an actual baseball “It’s important to note that the field. They boys were vision of the Miracle Field (was) the brainstorming of ways for the touched by the amount work of several of our junior EP ball children to use this field to the of fun the players, who players. They are ones who pushed best of their ability. normally wouldn’t be As a way of fundraising, for this ‘miracle’ to happen,” able to play, were having. an online website gave families -Mike Espe After seeing the the option to “buy a brick.” The bricks would eventually be engraved with game, they wondered what they could do in their names on them and placed on the field’s order to allow Eden Prairie kids and adults to have the same opportunity. After thinking over patio when completed. The team also hosted wiffle ball tournaments in hopes of raising their plan and speaking to their parents about more. Eventually the boys reached their goal of the idea, they decided to inform Eden Prairie parent of a AAA player and on EP school $250,000: just enough to build the field. Most BY EMILEE JACOBSON
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donations came from Eden Prairie baseball player families; others came from large corporate partners like Best Buy. The field gives children and adults with disabilities a very large opportunity. The boys came up with a plan that includes a buddy system: a volunteer for every player with a disability so they can have the most enjoyable and safe experience possible on the field. The transition from an idea, to an actual field itself was very heartwarming for all boys on the team. Junior Logan McCarthy said, “I like being able to give kids an opportunity to do the things that I enjoy that they might not be able to do otherwise.” The field on Flying Cloud is currently planned to open this spring 2016; fulfilling a five-year dream from a set of, now, junior EP students and baseball players. “I hope kids who are less fortunate have the ability to play something they love, and enjoy themselves while doing it,” said McCarthy.
EYRIE EXPLAINS:
Leaving behind “No Child Left Behind” BY ANTHONY ROSA The US Government is leaving behind the No Child Left Behind Act, or NCLBA. The act was notorious for forcing a top-down approach to education as the federal government set one-size-fits-all policies that states were forced to implement. One of these policies was the “accountability system” that set quotas for math and reading scores that schools had to meet to receive funding. This is largely responsible for the culture of over testing that is so prevalent in our education department. The Every Student Succeeds Act that will begin implementation this year will replace the NCLBA. It will achieve full implementation in the 2017 school year. The ESSA will give
more power back to the states, allowing them to design their own accountability systems and teacher training programs. A federal testing schedule will still be in place, but it will less rigorous than the previous one. States will also be required to send in all testing statistics that their schools conduct to the federal government so the achievement gap can be continually tracked. The ESSA most importantly includes early childhood education for the first time and allots 250 million dollars in scholarships for said program. The ESSA is predicted to be a big success as it passed with both bipartisan and presidential support. Senator Patty Murray explained, “It’s not the bill I would have written or the bill Republicans would have written. That is what we need more of in Congress.” So, what does this all mean for EPHS
Students? According to EPHS Principal Conn McCartan, “I don’t know for sure yet: nobody does.” Minnesota was already using a waiver program in its educational system so, as far as federal accountability, “we were already moving away from that,” said McCartan. This is because one of the key ways that the federal government enforced the accountability system was through Title 1 funds. However, McCartan explains “we aren’t a Title 1 school, so not everything in No Child Left Behind applied to us.” Essentially, EPHS students will be expected to see slightly less testing and a shift towards college readiness programs. Most of these changes are not intended to affect kids on student-by-student level though, and EPHS will not face massive changes in school.
Reckless Driving in the A-Lot
GRAPHIC ANYA OTTERSON
BY SARAH MICHAEL There has been a lot of talk about the reckless driving that takes place in the A-Lot. Students are aimlessly and aggressively trying to make their way to class on time and eagerly trying to many make their way home or to after school activities.The traffic is only supplemented by the many EPHS parents are also trying to commute their children to and from school at the same time. Junior Annika Peterson said that although A lot allows for a quick walk in and out of school, the parking is awful because everyone parks terribly and drives recklessly. “Students are just whipping into parking spots and not paying attention,” said Peterson. She said that
she has witnessed a lot of reckless driving in A Lot. “It’s also really dangerous because no one looks when they pull out” said Peterson. Peterson reports that parent drivers are also an issue at EPHS; “When parents are dropping off and picking up their kids they abruptly change lanes without using their turn signals,” said Peterson, “It’s crazy.” Peterson said she witnesses an accidents almost occurring everyday. “People are so concerned about getting out of school so quickly that they are putting everyone else and themselves at risk,” she said. “People just need to slow down and relax,” said Peterson. “A-Lot is always so busy, I swear people aren’t paying attention 50% of the time, ” said senior Kate Rydland. Rydland recalled a time
where she was almost rear ended coming out of school because some teenager was trying to speed up to say hi to a fellow classmate. “There are some accidents that occur in A Lot that I hear of here and there,” said dean Brian Loge. He said that there is a security monitor in the parking lot to assure that things run smoothly. Security monitors occupy the parking lot multiple times a day to assure that procedures are being run efficiently and students and parents are following the rules . Loge said that the school gets enough complaints to know A Lot is an issue. “Nothing can be done concerning the parking lot as of now but we will evaluate conditions at the end of the school year” Loge said.
February 2016-- theeyrie.org | 13
SPORTS
Sweepers sweep in front of the rock to send it further down the ice. PHOTOS BY ANYA OTTERSON
Sweeping away traditional sports BY KAYLA ALBERS
turns sliding heavy, granite stones (called rocks) across sheets of ice. The object of the game is to get your rock as close to the center of a target It is common to talk about traditional sports like football, basketball, at the end of the ice as you can. Two members of the team, sweepers, baseball and so on, but what about the sports not a lot of people talk will sweep the ice in front of the rock after it is thrown to increase the about? Curling is an uncommon winter sport that just so happens to temperature of the ice, reducing friction and allowing the rock to slide be pretty popular throughout the north. In farther down the ice track. December, the Chaska community opened up a The game is played with ten rounds, or curling center as a unique addition to their city. as they are called in curling, ends. Each team The Chaska Curling Center offers six different will throws eight rocks across the ice, and the types of curling leagues for all genders, ages team with their rock closest to the center of the and abilities. They have the Men’s, Women’s, target earns points for the end. The team earns Mixed, Beginner Open, Experienced Open one point for every rock that makes it onto the and Open leagues. The Curling Center also target. In the Olympics, curling is played with offers beginner programs for those who are ten ends. In less competitive matches, typically unfamiliar with the sport. A team consists of four six or eight ends are played. The team with the people, so as long as there are enough people, most points by the end of the 6-10 ends is the you can start a curling team. Teams are able to winning team. participate in any of the six leagues the Chaska The Chaska Curling Center has been Curling Center has to offer. doing much better than expected with over Curling center manager and two time 162 teams currently playing at the center and A granite stone called a rock USA Olympic curler Jeff Isaacson said that in between 900 and 1,000 registered members. used for curling. December they received over 1,000 people who Isaacson said, “I would guess that the Chaska tried a learn to curl class. “We have been getting Curling Center is one of the busiest in the large volumes of people using the ce every day. country and we are doing our best to provide a It is great that everything we tried to stress and teach in learn to curls is quality curling experience for our customers.” happening on the ice,” said Isaacson. At the Chaska Curling Center they With a new curling center doing so well near by, it might be have professional curlers like Isaacson there every day to help with new worth stopping by to check it out. Whether just stopping by to watch or curlers as they embark in their curling journey. trying it out for yourself, it is a busy place with a lot to do and see. For So, what exactly is curling? Curling is a sport played with two teams a sport that not a lot of people know about, the Chaska Curling Center competing for the most points to win. The teams of four players take sure is a hit.
14 | SPORTS
Fueling
for excellence
BY KRISTINA BRIANT Eating the right foods is as equally important as the physical training athletes complete on a daily basis. “Athletic performance is more than just a matter of training and skill development. Your body needs a fueling and hydration plan for training, performing, recovering and building muscle,” said Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Jana Dengel. Dengel has worked with the EPHS Cross-Country, Track and Field, Football, Nordic Ski, Soccer, Gymnastics, Dance, and the Boys Varsity Hockey Team. She specializes in fueling high school and professional athletes in the Twin Cities area by making practical recommendations based on scientific evidence that can help improve performance. Dengel has worked as a sports nutritionist for seven years, and one of her favorite parts of her job is working with the Eden Prairie Boys Varsity Hockey Team. She started working with the Boys Varsity
Hockey team in 2008 when Nick Leddy (Mr. Hockey and Stanley Cup Winner) was a junior at EPHS. Coach Lee Smith was looking for a way to help the athletes gain muscle, improve performance and stay healthy during the season. Senior Defensemen, Gray Erwin said, “Every hockey practice and game is played at such a high intensity that it is important to make sure you are eating as many, if not more, calories as you expend. This is so you do not lose weight and become weaker as the season goes on. “ To do so, Dengel recommends to the hockey team specific meal plans for each individual athlete. For some, it may mean to increase their portion sizes, for others, it may mean to eat certain proteins and carbohydrates to increase their performance before a game or practice. “A sound fueling plan can really be the difference between that good athlete and a great athlete,” said Dengel.
Nutrition Tips: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Jana Dengel provided student athletes looking for a winning edge a plan for optimal nutrition with these tips: Eat Breakfast: Skipping breakfast is a common mistake for high school athletes. Eating a healthy breakfast helps you get ready for training for afternoon practice and help increase your metabolism. Try one of these breakfast ideas if you are short on time. High Energy Berry Smoothie: Blend 1 cup frozen berries, 1 cup of 100% juice and 6 oz. Greek yogurt. Sports Bag Breakfast: Pack low fat chocolate milk (DynoMoo is a great nutritious choice), a granola bar and fresh fruit. Portable breakfast: Whole grain bagel with peanut butter, banana and milk. Eat a Balanced Lunch: Eating a balanced lunch will help you feel great and get you through a tough practice. Here are examples of a balanced lunch meal to power your practices. Bagel, turkey slices, apple, carrots, milk Spaghetti, meatballs, tomato sauce, salad, yogurt Burrito with rice, beans, meat, grapes, milk Brown rice, baked chicken, broccoli, yogurt, berries Bring a Water Bottle and Snack: Athletes should eat every 3-4 hours for optimal energy. Bring a snack and drink fluids throughout the day to optimize your performance during practices and competition. Some suggestions include string cheese plus with grain crackers, energy bar with yogurt, almonds, apricots, or a peanut butter and banana sandwich. During Workouts: A hydration plan is important for student athletes looking to get the most of their workouts. Drink 16-24 ounces/hour as a general rule of thumb. For workouts lasting more than 1 hour, include a sports drink with carbohydrate. Because each athlete has different needs, a customized plan is recommended to determine the correct amount for hydration plan.
PHOTO BY GRETA FRYE
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 15
BY CALDER SELL One look down at the task he has trained to conquer, and senior captain Michael Richter clears his mind of all thoughts. Meanwhile, fellow senior captain Carly Rogers is singing to herself songs like “Stayin’ Alive” and “Love Yourself,” making sure she is pumped up as well as staying alive and loving herself no matter how the race goes. Everyone has his or her own way to deal with the mental torture that is presented in the sport of alpine. Rogers focuses on each turn down the hill while Richter saves the thinking for after the race. This sport is unique in that the athletes are unable to hear cheering during the actual race. It is simply the skier against the hill and the elements. One mistake, one slip-up and the skier’s run might as well be thrown out, placing even more pressure on the skier’s second and final run down the hill. Once the skier crosses the finish line, they can sigh with relief or scoff with frustration. No matter what the reaction, waiting at the bottom of
the hill is the ultimate support team. The first wave of support comes from teammates. The only people that can relate to the mental torture of the hill, can survive the long bus rides to races, and can get away with pranks such as “saran wrapping everyone’s shoes and putting them in a basketball hoop”. Rogers says, “My teammates are awesome because they’re always cheering me on in the start, carrying my coat down for my run, or waiting at the bottom. They push me to be better and I couldn’t do it without them.” The second wave of support comes from families. This section contains the people that will fight off the biting cold weather to stand and encourage through the wipeouts and triumphs. The final wave of support thaws in the chalet because they underestimated the bitter cold but still want to enjoy an awesome, underappreciated sport. The girls’ alpine team had a very impressive season, earning
BY ARUN PAGAL The Nordic season started in December but it is quite difficult to ski with any success if there is no snow on the ground. Although places like Hyland import snow, and with so many teams trying to get practice in, it is difficult to find time. The Nordic team often had to practice at 5:30 in the morning before school in order to get adequate practice time. After many weeks of snowless torture, Mother Nature took pity on skiers and gave Minnesota some snow. All of the early mornings and hard work have been paying off for both the boys and girls Nordic teams at EPHS. The girls team, lead by captains Caroline Frischmon, Hannah Stenoien, and Maxine Fusaro have overcome many injuries to their top two skiers. They placed third in the conference championships. The boy’s side, lead by captains Kevin Jeter, Jacob Hammer, and Alec Tauer has had a successful season so far. They have won three out of their six races and placed second in the other three. They placed second in their conference championships as well. Both teams have been ranked constantly throughout the season, and many of their individuals have been in the top 25 in the state. The state tournament took place on February 11th at Giants Ridge, in Biwabik. The boys finished 6th place in the state and Kevin Jeter got 10th individually. The girls team finished in 11th place in the state.
16 | SPORTS
Alpine: the up downhill battle first place in the Lake Conference meet and 8th in the state tournament. This was the first time the girls’ team finished first in their conference since 2002. The boys’ team finished in 4th place in their conference meet.
Senior Kelly Cullen carving the course SUBMITTED PHOTO
Consistence is key The inside scoop on the boys and girls Nordic teams
PHOTO BY ARUN PAGAL
Johnson-Patterson guiding the team on the court
Coach Faith Johnson-Patterson giving a pep talk to #15, Nicole Miller.
Girls basketball team puts faith in new coach BY MAX CHAO After having the same coach for the past five years, the EPHS girls’ basketball team had to search for a new head coach when their previous coach took a position at Minnetonka. They needed to find a coach who could handle the team which was ranked within the top 10 in the state during the 2014-2015 season. They found what they were looking for in girls’ high school basketball veteran Faith Johnson Patterson. “I got a call one day,” said Johnson Patterson, “and they asked if I would be interested in coaching the team,”. She had just ended her sixth season with De La Salle High School when she took the position at Eden Prairie. During her time there, De La Salle
PHOTOS BY GRETA FRYE
made two state championship appearances, them a little longer to realize that there’s a new and had one victory. At her previous position at staff- it’s different. How they respond and react Minneapolis North, her teams won a total of 10 when you’ve had another coaching staff, for state championships in 14 years. a number of years for some of them, can be All of this success is attributed to her drive difficult,” said Johnson Patterson. to succeed. “Coach Johnson is very passionate Although a new coach can take some about the game of basketball, and it shows in getting used to, her players can’t deny her her energy that she “What I enjoy is seeing kids dedication to her students. “Her brings to practice and her staff care about us as grow, getting better and and games,” said senior more than just players, but as getting better as a person.” individuals both on and off the captain Mackenzie Krumm. court,“ said Krumm. While having such an accomplished coach While victories and championships are can benefit the players, it can also be difficult important, they aren’t the most important to adjust to a new coach’s style. Because things to Johnson Patterson. “What I enjoy is Johnson Patterson had switched schools seeing kids grow, getting better and getting before, she has seen the challenges that face better as a person,” she said. “That’s the most players when they switch coaches. “It takes important thing.”
February 2015 -- theeyrie.org | 17
Protect your head Awareness grows for traumatic brain injuries
BY ANYA OTTERSON They’re gaining attention- there’s an entire Will Smith movie about them- and for good reason. Concussions, unfortunately common traumatic brain injuries, require special attention when it comes to the healing process and preventing them in the first place. “You don’t feel like yourself,” said senior Mena Youssef, who has sustained six concussions in a year and a half. “I would walk through the halls and just be in a completely different world.” All of Youssef’s concussions except one involved a volleyball hitting her in the head. For the first three, she worked with Gary Smith of the Institute for Athletic Medicine, who works as a medical observer for the NFL and Big 10 schools in addition to helping injured students recover at EPHS. Smith explained that a concussion is essentially a “brain bruise” caused by the brain moving in the fluid that encompasses it and hitting the skull wall. They can be caused not only by direct head impacts but also by whiplash and shock that travels to the brain, meaning that car accidents and daily activities gone wrong can spur them, not just sports. As he shone a light into his eyes to show how pupils normally react versus the the scattered and delayed reactions of a concussed person, Smith said that symptoms of this type of injury fall in a gray area rather than a black-and-white one. Although there’s no official concussion test, questions and a sheet with indicators such as headache, dizziness
and drowsiness ranked on a scale of zero to seven. It’s important to be honest about how you’re feeling, to allow for a swifter recovery. The road to recovery from a concussion includes no electronics, reading or general brain stimulation for at least 24 hours. Doing these things while recovering can prolong the process. Next is therapy: running and exercising just enough to get the heart rate up to see how the brain handles it. If the symptoms return, then the athlete goes through another 24 hour rest period, and the cycle repeats until the symptoms don’t return. Only then is he or she given the go-ahead to return to play, which for the most people is within a week. “School is one of the worst stressors, with all the noise and the bright lights and staring at the whiteboard,” said Smith, adding that teachers are very willing to help concussed students to avoid having them fall behind. Coaches and trainers are also teaching athletes to avoid putting their heads in precarious positions and working on neck strengthening to help dissipate shock to the head. “It’s something we’re bringing more attention to,” said Smith. “We’re doing a better job of identifying them.” After the concussions, Youssef is no longer able to play competitive volleyball and instead was a manager for the girl’s varsity volleyball team this past season. In the end, it taught her patience and how to deal with trauma. Offering a piece of concussion advice for other students, she said, “Protect your head, you need it.”
“I felt lost, and I wasn’t mentally in school. School was a blur when I had my concussions,” said senior Mena Youssef. PHOTO BY ANYA OTTERSON
18 | SPORTS
• Other issues that can result in some concussionlike symptoms: dehydration, not eating, stress • Second Concussion Syndrome: the magnified symptoms produced by multiple concussions occurring close together or at the same time • SCAT: test that assesses concussion symptoms • Really no test that categorizes concussions • 2011 Minnesota law requiring student athletes to be pulled from the game upon showing signs of head injury
The play book BY ANDREW DONOHUE There has been a lot of angst in Minnesota basketball this season. Both the Gophers and the Timberwolves have been among the worst teams in their respective leagues. They also have not been competitive in most of their games. The low point so far for the Timberwolves might have been losing to the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that is actively trying to lose games, in a game featuring Ish Smith as the leading scorer. Ish Smith, a player who has been cut by nine different teams including the 76ers, ran rampant over the Timberwolves defense. The Gophers are not exempt from this kind of shame as well. The Gophers lost to not just South Dakota, but also South Dakota State. This broke a 47 game nonconference home winning streak. Further losses to Milwaukee
Live fit BY GRETA FRYE Fitness- it’s what motivates us to become stronger, healthier people. It’s a multi-million dollar industry that keeps growing, with new apparel and products coming out and some are endorsed by big-time athletes. Now, in the 21st century, social media has an influence on the products we buy, the services we use and the clothes we wear. The new fitness craze is the Fitbit. In May 2013 a new exercise technology came out called the Fitbit. A Fitbit is a wristband with wireless technology that connects to your phone, computer or tablet to track your steps just like a pedometer would. Not only does it track your steps, but it can actually track your sleeping patterns, calories burned, distance and heart rate. Each day you can set yourself a goal and your Fitbit keeps it set for you. The Fitbit is basically personal trainer that is on your wrist. The Fitbit company has been coming out with new technology and different styles of wristbands that cater to people’s needs. They have a collection of seven different styles of wristbands. The Fitbit has become so popular that even fashion designers such as Tory Burch
Future ballers: the rise of Minnesota basketball
as well as a six game losing streak to start Big Ten play featuring multiple 20 point blowouts have drastically increased tensions around the program. Rumors are flying that Coach Richard Pitino may be on the hot seat if things don’t improve quickly. However, all is not lost. There are legitimate reasons for why these teams are so awful, and reason to believe that the future is bright. The Timberwolves feature an incredibly young lineup that needs time to grow and develop. The NBA is not something that you instantly excel at although, Karl-Anthony Towns is doing his best to disprove that notion. He is almost averaging a double-double, something almost unheard of for a rookie. The Timberwolves also boast other impressive young talent. All three of the team’s leading scorers are under 21 and are only going to get better. The crown jewel of the team is
Andrew Wiggins, who was acquired in the Kevin Love trade that will eventually prove to be a heist in the Timberwolves favor. I fully expect the Timberwolves to take a massive step forward next year and challenge for playoff contention. The dynamic duo of Wiggins and Towns may eventually lead the Timberwolves to the promised land of an NBA title. There is a similar story concerning the Gophers. The team is very freshman and sophomore heavy after losing several key contributors from the previous year. These players are gaining valuable experience playing against Big Ten opponents and should be vastly improved next year. They will also be helped by Richard Pitino’s best recruiting class yet featuring Hopkins’ Amir Coffey as the cornerstone. The young Gophers may have some more growing pains next year, but soon they will gel into an NCAA tournament team that can contend for Big Ten titles.
Fitbit bands become a popular gym accessory
PHOTO BY GRETA FRYE
has come out with accessories to make it more of a fashion statement then it looking like an ankle monitor for your wrist. The bracelet has been found to be a motivational tool for people just starting to be active or for the total fitness pro. Junior
Olivia Zarth says, “the Fitbit wants you to get 30 minutes of exercise each day.” The Fitbit works well for school too. Some athletes at our school use them for sports or just to keep up with their training.
February 2015 -- theeyrie.org | 19
Cover
GRAPHIC BY TALA ALFOQAHA
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Teen homelessness: What it means and what is being done BY CLAIRE HASSLER AND ABBEY MERTZ On any given night, 4,000 youth in Minnesota are homeless and unaccompanied by an adult, according to Wilder Foundation’s research. Teen homelessness is not just a big-city issue; it occurs in suburbs like Eden Prairie as well. There are a variety of organizations who have made efforts to create safe places for teens and young adults to stay, including local churches and organizations such as The Bridge and Teens Alone. A homeless shelter for teens in Chanhassen just opened, and plans are underway for one in Eden Prairie. The word “homeless” often draws to mind an old man with a scraggly beard sitting on a city street corner holding up a cardboard sign. However, this is not always the case. “There is a lack of knowledge about what homeless kids look like, who they are and how they behave. They can be anybody, it can be any kid. There is a lot of stigma attached to it,” Kim Rathjen, Director of Outreach at Immanuel Lutheran Church, said, “Just because a kid is homeless doesn’t mean they’re a criminal, it doesn’t mean they have bad morals or anything, they’re just in a traumatic situation.” Principal Conn McCartan’s broad definition of homelessness, which is applicable to most students at EPHS who deal with this issue, is “not knowing where you’re going to go at the end of the school day.” This is a situation that deans and counselors regularly assist students with according to McCartan. If counselors are notified of a student in need of housing support, they GRAPHIC BY TALA ALFOQAHA
TEEN HOMELESSNESS continued on pg. 22>>
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 21
<<TEEN HOMELESSNESS from pg. 21 refer the student to the school social worker, Dru Taylor. “The teens at EPHS, Hopkins High School, Saint Louis Park High biggest struggle is that we don’t have much in this area as far School, Wayzata High School and Mainstreet High School as short-term and long-term housing, or crisis housing. Kids who are homeless or couch hopping. that go to school here want to continue to go to school here,” These large numbers have become a problem because Taylor said. the nearest emergency shelters for youth in Hennepin Almost all situations are different when it comes to homeCounty are in Uptown or Downtown. They are full every lessness. “There is no one cause of teen homelessness,” said night and are challenging to access for youth from the Sarah Granger, Program Director at Teens Alone. “Sometimes southwest suburbs. This makes it incredibly difficult for it is that the family loses their housing and the older kids have teens who live in these areas to find a place to go. Suburto find their way. Sometimes families break apart because of ban teens in need of a place to stay are reluctant to go to too much conflict.” shelters in the city because “that takes them out of their An anonymous EPHS student left violence at home and community, where everything they know exists: friends, “bounced” from place to place including the homes of school, sports, etc,” Granger said. friends and relatives before finding a permanent solution. “I As suburban communities are becoming more aware don’t consider myself homeless, and when I hear that term of teen homelessness, steps are being taken to aid teens it’s not me because I don’t live on the streets. in need. A new emergency shelter in Chanhassen, That name is not warm and inviting, especially known as The Bridge for Youth, opened on Januwhen you’re a teen,” said the student. ary 4, 2016. This residential home provides a safe “There is a lack of knowledge Homelessness makes the teenage years even environment for six youth in need of a place to about what homeless kids more difficult than they already are. McCartan stay. Here, healthy meals are prepared and school explained the impact homelessness has on transportation is provided. look like, who they are and students by referencing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Several nearby churches that are members of Needs. “It’s a relatively foundational thing, ‘I have how they behave. They can be the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative have a place to go.’ When that is disrupted, everything come together to assist those in need. Immanuel, anybody, it can be any kid.” above that is impacted,” McCartan said. The along with 60 other churches in the western EPHS student said homelessness affected his suburbs, take turns hosting four to five families daily life because he needed to work after school in order to through a program called Families Moving Forward. The provide for himself, which cut into his study time. program gives families a safe place to stay at night from There are three different types of youth shelters: emer6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. in the church. They give them the gency shelters, transitional shelters, and supportive housing, items they need on a daily basis, and they also offer meals according to Rathjen. Emergency shelters are for young to the families. people ages 10 to 17 with a goal of giving young people a While these efforts have been successful, a shelter in safe place to stay while a more permanent housing solution is Eden Prairie would be most beneficial to teens in need. worked out. Transitional shelters serve young adults ages 17 “The need for transitional shelters is huge. There are no to 21 and provide a stable place for them to live for several open spaces virtually,” said Rathjen. “As soon as a space months while they find a job and other means to support opens up in a transitional shelter, it’s filled.” themselves. Supportive housing also provides for older kids In fact, Immanuel has been developing plans for buildand is typically a house or an apartment where the kids can ing a transitional youth shelter. “I think if we were to make stay for three to five years and learn how to live on their own. a transitional shelter in Eden Prairie, it would serve a wider If a young person is desperate for a place to stay, couch community,” Rathjen stated. hopping is a temporary solution. Couch hopping means The idea of the project launched this past fall, but it is sleeping on a couch at a friend or family member’s house for still very early along in the planning process. Rathjen came days and sometimes weeks. This is almost never a permanent up with the idea when a house across the street from the solution for a young person. church went up for sale. “Being a person of faith, the voice Granger said that on any given day, there are about 30 in my head said ‘buy that house’ and I say that’s God that
“The Bridge” Transitional Shelter in Chanhassen: Youth emergency shelter providing free crisis counseling, and a safe, short-term place to stay for young people ages 10-17. It is located at 3010 West 78th Street Chanhassen, MN 55331. PHOTOS BY ANYA OTTERSON
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was telling me that,” said Rathjen. Even though Immanuel won’t be pursuing this specific house, they are looking for another house that would be ideal for the shelter. The church is in the midst of creating a non-profit organization which would fundraise, provide structure and develop the project. Another organization that is dedicated to young people who are at risk of losing their house is Teens Alone. Teens Alone helps teens find shelter and apply for long-term housing. They also provide free family and teen crisis counseling to those who need it most, especially in the Western suburbs. EPHS students can contact a Teens Alone representative by setting up an appointment through Student Center East. A counselor from Teens Alone may come to the school to meet on a weekly basis, or they can meet in the community or at their office. “Teens Alone has a drop in center that is open Monday through Thursday from 2:30-5:00 p.m., where youth can come in without an appointment and get a snack or a hot meal, help with housing, employment, or whatever they need,” said Granger. The drop-in center, located in Hopkins, will be hosting an event called “Teen Night” on Friday, February 26 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. There will be a variety of food, games, and information about the organization. All teens are welcome. Even though homelessness is difficult for young people, there is always hope for an improved life. The EPHS student’s advice to those struggling is “to be very hopeful that things will get better. Don’t give up! Even though the situation was really bad, I never gave up. I was very grateful for the people that were helping me. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help, but don’t be afraid.”
Resources for students in need: •
Teens Alone drop-in center: Provides free family and youth counseling for young people ages 12-24, helps them find a safe place to stay and offers free meals at their drop in center. It is located at the Eisenhower Community Center 1001 Highway 7, Room 237 Hopkins, MN 55305. You can reach the center at (952) 988-TEEN (8336) and the drop in hours are Monday through Thursday, 2:30 to 5 p.m.
•
“The Bridge” Transitional Shelter in Chanhassen: Youth emergency shelter providing free crisis counseling, and a safe, short-term place to stay for young people ages 10-17. It is located at 3010 West 78th Street Chanhassen, MN 55331. If you care ever find yourself in an emergency to find shelter for the night and need help, call 612-377-8800 or text 612-400-SAFE (7233). For nonemergent situations, you can reach them at 612-230-6601.
•
Families Moving Forward (Immanuel Lutheran Church): Another form of shelter for families hosted by churches in the Western suburbs.. The Hennepin Program Center is located at 1808 Emerson Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411. Their phone number is 612-529-2185.
•
Student Center East: Your counselor will refer you with the school social worker Dru Taylor who can connect you with outside agencies and support.
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 23
OPINION
Staff Editorial: Islamophobia Islamophobia is real, and is a problem. Perhaps the term is overused; all criticism of Muslims is not necessarily islamophobia, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anti-Muslim sentiment in the world. In fact, Muslims face unjustified persecution every day because of damaging stereotypes that are exaggerated and biased. Since 2001, Islamophobia has been a growing problem in the country. Every time there is a new terrorist attack, the greater Muslim community is used as a scapegoat for a small group of radicals. Islamophobia is further perpetuated by some political figures. Anti-muslim rhetoric in politics is more damaging than it appears-Trump’s ability to make islamophobic comments w/ minimal backlash and virtually no consequence to his campaign demonstrates the normalization of this sentiment. Islamophobia may not be visible where we are in our community, but that does not make it a non-issue. Most people may not explicitly express that they are islamophobic, but their opinions may be demonstrated through their actions and treatment of others. Another issue is that most major news sources don’t report on normal muslims doing normal human things, muslims only make headlines when an
Being politically active
Why democracy depends on you
GRAPHIC BY RACHEL JOHNSON
24 | OPINION
attack is perpetrated in the name of islam--understandable given that a muslim leading a quiet, normal life isn’t newsworthy, but people should be able to understand that the extremists portrayed on the news are the exceptions and outliers, not the norm. Those who argue that islamophobia does not exist in Eden Prairie are not examining the facts and refuse to face reality. A blatant example of Islamophobia occured in the past local election, a parent expressed concern about potentially having a Muslim elected to the school board. This parent assumed the candidate would attempt to force their religion on the entire school district simply because he was Muslim. Many people wonder why more Muslims don’t condemn attacks done in the name of their religion. While all Muslims shouldn’t be expected to carry the blame for something they had nothing to do with, most Muslims and major Muslim organizations do publicly condemn these attacks, they’re just not given an outlet that reaches the masses. Islamophobia is real. We need to accept that it’s a problem and find ways to fix it. As a society, it seems that we’re progressing in some aspects and regressing in others. We should strive to be more accepting of all differences--sexualities, cultures, and religions, including Islam.
BY ANDREW DONOHUE Our country is beginning to swing into election season. The primaries have begun and campaigns are slinging attacks back and forth desperate to gain any ground in the polls. However, if you listened to the chatter in the EPHS hallways, you would barely know that there is a presidential election this year. Students seem more concerned with what music artist is coming to town than who is going to be the next president. I know it may seem somewhat ridiculous that I am imploring you to pay attention to what is going on in politics. Politics can be boring and hard to understand to someone who doesn’t normally follow them. In that sense, they are like sports. However, not knowing who is on track to be the number one seed in the NFC does not affect anyone else, not having interest in politics does. This type of disinterest not only harms the individual, but also our society as a whole. Our democracy is based upon the principle that everyone has a voice and is represented in the government. When you actively choose to disengage from the political process, you are ensuring that the government is not, in fact, representative. It is impossible for you to be accurately represented when you do not know who the candidates are or what they stand for. The level of democratic government is directly dependent on the education of its people. In order to be a good citizen, you need to be knowledgeable about the government. It provides a check on power and makes certain that the representatives are not just representing a small portion of the populace, but everyone. As Thomas Jefferson said, “Whenever people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” So this is my plea to you. Care about what is happening in politics. Research the different candidates’ policies and how they affect you. Do not just rely on some online quiz to determine your compatibility with a candidate, make that decision for yourself. An algorithm does not decide where your loyalties lie. Get involved in a campaign. Go door knocking, or if that is too cold for you, go to a phone bank. Become passionate about an issue and push for change. Remember your duty as a citizen, do not let others decide who will make decisions impacting your life without having your own say. And most of all, vote. It is the one thing that ensures you are represented.
Rosa
RANTS
The Missing Wage Gap BY ANTHONY ROSA
PHOTO BY ANYA OTTERSON
Selfies don’t solve poverty
W
BY ANYA OTTERSON
hat happened to charity trips that weren’t such narcissistic, ego-building events? This “I went to Haiti and played soccer with kids for a week, yay me” mission trip and ‘voluntourism’ nonsense has got to stop. Hauling a group of at least decently well-off people to a country to hand out bags of food and build houses doesn’t help in the long run. Does that bag of food help communities feed themselves for more than a few days? No. Does that house help the family who moves in learn the skills needed to get lasting jobs and a better socioeconomic status? No. Do selfies with kids help them beat poverty and fulfill their potential? *Gasp* No. It creates dependency as communities wait for humanitarians wearing blinders to come bring them food and fix their buildings badly, even though local workers in need of jobs would gladly do it to feed their families. One of the biggest problems with voluntourism is one of its biggest selling points: orphans. Well-meaning voluntourists pay companies to go volunteer at sad orphanages with sad children, then leave, creating a fast-growing industry. Cambodia, for instance, saw a 75% increase in orphanages from 2005 to 2010. In Ghana, a government study found eight registered orphanages. You want to know how many orphanages were known in Ghana? 148. Let’s not forget that same study also found that 90% of the “orphans” had at least one living parent. People have discovered that nothing empties wallets better than unfortunate-looking kids, and relentlessly search for usable kids to pry from families. By trying to help orphans, voluntourists are inadvertently building up a scam. Breezing in and out hurts kids too. They form attachments to tourists, tourists leave, and they are left with a string of broken relationships and difficulty forming future relationships as the cycle continues. So while you may feel great about the 14,000 selfies you took with “orphans,” you are teaching them that their value is in their orphan status and aside from that, who they are doesn’t matter. Want to actually help? Stay for a longer period of time, say, a year. Learn to build things properly. Find sustainable solutions to poverty and hunger. Use volunteer tourist agencies and orphanages that genuinely do want to help people (because they are out there). And, for the love of life, please stop taking selfies. No one needs that. I’m glad you feel good about yourself. Don’t fuel the system. Fix it.
The media frequently mentions the statistic “women make 79 cents for every dollar a man makes!” So, is it true? In short, not even a little. The statistic refers to the cumulative median wealth difference among men and women in the United States. It has nothing to do with equal pay for equal work. The reason women make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes is they choose to go into lower paying fields such as teaching, whereas men tend to go into fields like engineering. This reflects a mere difference in preference between the sexes, not wage discrimination. But what about actual wage discrimination, does that exist? Once again, no. Despite countless feminist organizations pushing the idea, there is little to no evidence that it exists. Don’t just take my word for it; The Wall Street Journal, Time, The Washington Examiner, Slate Magazine, Prager University, The American Enterprise Institute, The University of Chicago, and The Congressional Budget Office have all posted articles or studies debunking the wage gap myth. Christina Sommers from the American Enterprise Institute claims that a gender wage gap against women doesn’t even make empirical sense. If businesses could pay women $12 an hour to do the same job a man could do for $13 an hour, women would be hired instead of men and companies would enjoy an enormous market advantage. That is not the case, though. While it doesn’t make sense for women to be paid less than men, it might make sense for the inverse to be true. A 2005 study conducted by the director of the CBO, June O’Neill, looked at the largest 198 cities in the US. She found that women with the same family situation and education made the same amount of money as men for the same job. She also found that single women were being paid 8% more than men due to “diversification measures.” Need more proof? Two labor economists conducted a study at the University of Chicago and found no evidence that women were being paid less than their male counterparts for equal work. Why do Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders want an Equal Pay Act if wage discrimination doesn’t exist? Purely for political reasons. How do I know this? Because there already is an Equal Pay Act, it’s called the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Any woman or man who feels they got cheated on their check can file a free report with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for review. So, why isn’t this tool being used? Because it doesn’t need to be.
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 25
Sleeping for success
Students celebrate sleep deprivation BY ZENAB KASHIF What do most high school students have in common? Apart from the obvious heavy workload from classes and daily stresses, most students are sleep deprived. Recently, the reputed National Sleep Foundation released a study that stated that a typical high school student needs eight to 10 hours of sleep each day. Their study found that only 15% of students reported sleeping for this much on school nights. We all have different reasons to be awake at 2 a.m. Some are awake to finish their paper due the next day. Some of us stay up trying to finish an entire season of “Friends” in one night. Regardless of the reasons there are to stay up, the following day at school there is always a conversation about who got the least sleep. It is the main topic students talk about when walking through the hallways every morning before class. I get it- there’s a status with being so busy that you had to stay up late at night. We actively hear these conversations, and even take a part in them. But we fail to realize that there is an automatic assumption now that those who get the least sleep deserve more respect for it. Sleep deprivation has become a competition; a race that every student wants to win. I’m not going to sugar coat it: Sleep deprivation should not be celebrated. It is not a joke or race; it is killing us. The consequences for not getting sleep are greater than the pride you get from being the one who got the least amount of sleep at night. Without sleep, students are much more sluggish the next day. They cannot focus on work and they will usually rely on some sort of caffeine to keep them awake. They push through the entire school day to get
PHOTO BY ZENAB KASHIF
home and take a long nap. This not only wastes their daylight, but also creates a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation that will not end on its own. Trust me, I also consider sleeping a hassle and have trouble getting enough each night. But, the days I do get enough sleep, I am much more alert throughout the day and don’t feel the need to nap for five hours after getting home from school. Sleep is a worthwhile goal and it is proven to help you in all ways possible.
“MN nice” is not
Passive aggressive state mistakenly labeled “nice” BY ELIZABETH KENYON
Google “Minnesota Nice” and this flattering description results: “Minnesota Nice is the stereotypical behavior of people born and raised in Minnesota to be courteous, reserved and mild-mannered.” Now look the term up on the Urban Dictionary and you’ll find less flattering definitions. I wasn’t born in Minnesota, so I’m going to be straightforward with you. “Minnesota Nice” should be renamed “Minnesota PassiveAggressive,” and we all know it. Sure, it may be courteous to let another
26 | OPINION
GRAPHIC BY SAWYER HILT
driver go first at a four-way stop. But if you’re swearing at them under your breath while you do it, can it really be considered “nice?” I think not.
There was an article in the Star Tribune about how hard it is for newcomers to break through the ice. (Figurative ice, that is). The article contained accounts from several transplants from other states. One’s neighbors never introduced themselves for two years after she moved into the neighborhood; another was told to “tone it down” at work for being so direct. Come on guys, we’re already a generation that appreciates straightforwardness more than ever before. That’s one of the reasons why we all love Jennifer Lawrence so much, right? She tells it like it is and everyone goes nuts over how refreshing it is. Well, take a cue from her and just be straight with people. Don’t hide your real feelings under a mask of forced politeness. Yes, there is a fine line between being straightforward and being rude, but I’d take the latter over wondering if I did something wrong any day. I don’t know about you, but I like knowing where I stand. If you were born and raised in this wholesome state, simply add a little warmth, subtract your inherited passive-aggression and you’ve got something newcomers can truly call “nice.”
point/counterpoint
Digital education in our lives How much do laptops truly cost?
F
BY TALA ALFOQAHA
irst period has begun. A classroom of students sits noiselessly at their desks, shoulders hunched over slim, school-issued MacBooks, faces illuminated by images flickering across screens, eyes cast downwards. To a spectator standing at the front of the class, this scene exudes discipline and obedience, a testament to the success of digital education. To anyone in a position to witness the subject of this intense focus, a different reality is revealed. The chances that anyone is actually browsing a school-related site are astronomically low. Scenes from the third season of Orange is the New Black flash across one screen, a blue bird rests upon another. Groupchat is open in some form on virtually every laptop, and the occasional Octagon addict viciously pounds on his keyboard. As a teenager living in an era dominated by social media, I enjoy the laptops that EPHS indiscriminately doles out at the beginning of each year--how could I possibly scorn a free device that readily offers access to sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Netflix? However, as a student who simply wants to learn and complete her schoolwork in the most effective and efficient way possible, I find the laptops to be a distracting and unnecessary addition--or subtraction, if you take the estimated $1.5 million price tag into consideration--to our curriculum. After the initial euphoria of having a free MacBook wore off, it immediately became clear that the integration of technology into our coursework was, at best, nonexistent, and, at worst, contrived and inconsequential. Teachers included laptops because they had to, not because they fit naturally or enhanced students’ ability to absorb the material. Perhaps the most prominent role that these devices have played was alleviating the burden of carrying textbooks and readings by offering online alternatives. However, even this apparent advantage has negative
implications for our learning that far outweigh the benefits: a study conducted in 2014 by Norway’s Stavanger University found that reading online copies of a book results in significantly lower comprehension and long-term memory of the text. Other studies have linked reading paper copies with improved sleep, faster reading times and a heightened sense of empathy--all perks that are lost when switching to digital articles and textbooks. Interestingly enough, the Star Tribune stated that our district predicts to recover the $1.5 million lost mainly by reallocating funds once reserved for textbooks. Furthermore, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, an international organization with membership spawning across 34 countries, analyzed how technology impacted student achievement in over 70 different countries, only to find that students who used laptops frequently during school performed worse on standardized tests. They concluded that schools which invested in technology witnessed “no noticeable improvement.” Even more futile have been the district’s attempts to expose elementary and intermediate schoolchildren to technology by providing each student with an iPad from as early as kindergarten and allowing them to be taken home from as early as fourth grade. Research has proven that technology in large doses inhibits a child’s development, and the natural order of the world maintains that giving a child unlimited and largely unregulated access to devices with addicting games engineered towards children will only generate higher scores in Temple Run. While technology is undoubtedly a helpful tool and should be utilized in an increasingly technocentric society, the fiscal burden that buying each student a laptop poses outweighs any practical benefits. As John G. Palfrey once said, “The most important thing schools can do is not to use technology in the curriculum more, but to use it more effectively.”
An investment in the future
D
BY MAX CHAO igital education gains more and more prominence in our education system as technology evolves. New websites, programs and apps bring new potential for learning. In recent years, the number of school districts that utilize digital education has grown to 75% according to the National Education Association. The increase in its use can even be seen in the microcosm that is EPHS. As a senior who has been a student at the high school since before the new laptops were distributed in 2012, I have seen how quickly digital education has taken over the curriculum, and how the amount of technology used in the classroom has grown at a rapid pace. Technologies like Schoology, Google Docs and iTunes U are all relatively new tools, and help students collaborate with each other at any time, allow for teachers to record lessons for students to view, and give teachers a better way to manage their courses. These resources are used daily by thousands of students thanks to the laptops. While many of these tools were already in use before 2012, some students did not have access to a home computer and had to go to either a library or stay at school to finish online assignments. It is easy to forget that many of our students do not fit the EPHS stereotype of being
“rich.” Since the laptops were distributed to each and every student at EPHS, any advantages that would have been given to the students who had access to a home computer were negated. Despite these facts, some people believe that the laptops are an unnecessary luxury that distract students from their learning more than they enhance it. While it is true that some students misuse their laptops, it is also true that technology is becoming more and more important to our society. Even if the district decided to get rid of the laptops, the prominence of digital education would continue to grow. We should be embracing new technology with open arms rather than clinging to our old ways. The internet is the backbone of modern society, and if we don’t learn how to use these tools effectively, we will be unprepared for the real world. If we never integrated new tools into our learning system, our children would still be doing math problems with a chalkboard and an abacus. While the use of some technology may seem unnecessary to people now, there is no doubt that it will continue to become a bigger and bigger part of the way we do things. Digital education is the next stage in educational evolution, and if we don’t do everything that we can to learn how to use it, we will be left in the dust.
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 27
Hatin’ on Hill BY MURPHY HULLETT-NELSON What appears in your mind when you think of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? Do you see the first lady or perhaps the Secretary of State under the Obama Administration? Many millennials see Clinton as a “try-hard” or even call her a “Republican in disguise.” Insulting Clinton by making fun of her appearance and of her trying to connect to youth is distracting from who she really is. Clinton supports immigration
reform, gay rights, and taxing the rich. Clinton has changed her position on some of these topics in recent years, and people also use this as an attack strategy. Politicians change their opinions; in fact, Obama changed his position on gay marriage in his recent term. While Clinton has changed many of her opinions, she holds fast to her beliefs. I have never seen so much slander against a candidate than the blatant misogynistic mud being thrown on Clinton.
Modern day gentleman BY DUSTIN WOLF The term “gentleman” refers to a courteous, honorable and polite man. Many may believe that a true modern day gentleman may have become extinct. I’m here to tell you that the modern day gentleman does, in fact, still exist. Chivalry is a term once used to describe the perfect gentleman. Chivalry is the modern day gentleman’s code of conduct. Chivalry may have different meanings depending on your opinion of the perfect gentleman. Here are a few examples of what the GRAPHIC BY modern day gentleman
RACHEL JOHNSON
means to me. Be on time for appointments, meetings and especially, dates. Compliment your date and never insult her. Hold doors open for everyone, because it’s just a nice thing to do. Always look good, stand tall and be fit. Groom yourself like a man and don’t apologize for it. Make good eye contact with the person you’re speaking to. Do your best to not put anyone down, speak ill of someone and by all means, don’t bully anyone. Treat every woman with the same amount of respect as you would your mother. Call, when you say “I’ll call you tomorrow,” text back promptly and never underestimate the power of chocolate.
Why iPhone? BY MUKUND VENKATESWARAN Passionate Android users usually support their phone choice by stating that Android has much more customizable software compared to that of iPhones. But that leaves the question: what are phones supposed to be used for? For me, simplicity and intuitivity go a long way when dealing with software, especially on a smartphone. People generally use their phones to text, call, check social media, and possibly take the occasional picture. You want your software to make these features as easily accessible as possible. iOS, especially when compared to Android, runs smoothly and consistently. Often times, Android has skins and bloatware over the origi-
28 | OPINION
nal software, which leads lagging issues. The software on iPhone, although less complex, is much cleaner. Additionally, Apple fosters a prevailing media ecosystem. Features such as iMessage and Facetime allow iPhone users to easily connect with each other at faster rates because it runs through internet instead of general cell phone signal. Apps made for iOS are specifically made for the iPhone whereas apps on the Google Play Store are made to fit hundreds of different Android phones. Overall, I think that iOS apps offer a better experience than Android counterparts. The simplicity of the software and depth of the ecosystem are what draw me towards the iPhone.
I’m just joking BY EMILEE JACOBSON We all know what it’s like to be messing around with our friends one minute, and hear dead silence the next. There’s a fine line between teasing and bullying, but do we really know how to make the distinction? Most kids in high school don’t. Some of us are lucky enough not to be victims of what we define as actual “bullying.” But at the same time, maybe we have and we just don’t recognize it. We always hear that small words make a big difference, but do we even understand what those words are? Often, I hear and see people throwing derogatory terms in casual conversations. What I don’t understand is how we throw these words around without any reaction. GRAPHIC BY DUSTIN WOLF They’ve become almost socially acceptable inside a variety of different environments, first being inside of friend groups. They’ve been added in our vocabulary without any concern of the actual effects of the words themselves. What’s even weirder is the fact that these words aren’t targeted at anyone special. They’re included in general conversations with general people. This is what I believe to be a form of casual bullying. A form that doesn’t require you to go out of your way to hurt someone, instead it’s a way to slip sly and hurtful comments within day-to-day conversations. There’s no consequence when your friends are just “messing around” with you. When using the method of casual bullying, it can intentionally OR unintentionally hurt someone. Almost everyone has been guilty of doing one or the other at some point. But, do we really acknowledge the power of what we say? It’s one thing to have someone who barely knows you tell you who you are, how you look, etc., but to have a friend do this without remorse? It’s worse. It’s time that we understand how our words affect others. “Bullying” has many forms, and casual needs to be recognized more often as one. If there’s no direct consequence from it for you, remember the consequence it holds for others. The golden rule exists for a reason, follow it.
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PROFILE
PHOTO BY SAWYER FREDRICKS 30 | PROFILE
Home Schooled Harmony Home schooled junior Kylie Pederson is singing at EPHS
“I’ve
Story by: Tala Alfoqha
never done homework before sophomore year,” said Kylie Pedersen nonchalantly. This statement that would send most students into fits of envy and admiration wasn’t spoken by the world’s largest slacker nor biggest procrastinator, rather an affable junior now enrolled at both Normandale Community College for PSEO and EPHS for choir. So how did she manage to successfully evade the bane of every student’s existence for 10 years? The answer is really quite simple: homeschooling. Ever since preschool up until sophomore year, Kylie Pedersen was homeschooled. Forgoing a formal classroom setting in pursuit of an education was a decision first made for her oldest brother, Logan. Initially, Pederson’s parent’s had attempted to enroll Logan in a public school, yet were turned away and instructed to return after a year due to Logan’s late birthday. Instead of waiting, Pedersen’s parents decided to give homeschooling a try for the year. They ended up liking it so much that rather than returning to enroll him in public school after 12 months, they continued to homeschool him, Kylie’s other brother, and Kylie herself. “In reality, homeschooling isn’t exactly how most people imagine it to be,” said Pedersen, “My parents don’t sit down with me every day and teach me each subject. I have to use workbooks and teach myself.”
>>HARMONY CONT PG. 32
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 31
<<HARMONY CONT. FROM PG. 31 Typically, Pedersen woke up around 8 a.m. and did schoolwork roughly from 9am to 2pm, yet these hours were always subject to change. She had different workbooks for each subject and a daily checklist of the subjects she needed to complete. She also attended a handful of classes specifically for homeschooled kids that met once a week, such as French, Spanish, Algebra II, and literature. The independence and freedom that homeschooling entails posed both the most prominent difficulty and the largest advantage. “It was hard to find motivation because I never got report cards or grades,” said Pedersen, “I had to try because I wanted to, not because I had to.” She explained that homeschooling required a strong drive and desire to learn, as there was no bell that dictated her schedule and no formal repercussions for slacking. This versatility also proved to be an asset by providing a more individualized pace for Pedersen. “It’s really flexible, so I can devote more time to traveling and doing other things that I like.” By the time she was 11, Pedersen had been able to visit 46 of the 50 states. She had also just recently returned to a trip from Nashville. Outside of school, Pedersen has involved herself in many activities. “The social aspect of being homeschooled is a downside,” said Pedersen, “You don’t get that daily face-to-face interaction that people who go to regular school do.” In order to overcome this difficulty, Pedersen participated in many activities growing up, ranging from soccer to basketball to floor hockey, and is currently a member of EPHS’s women’s concert chorale. She also frequently volunteered at church and counseled at Spirit in the Pines. Many myths about homeschooling still persist. Pedersen said that people often assumed that she was disconnected from the rest of society and automatically associated being homeschooled with being socially awkward and living in an old-fashioned and strict household. “I’ve met some interesting people in the weekly classes I used to go to,” said Pedersen, “This one kid always wore a cape and I once witnessed two people get into a lightsaber fight. But in reality, we’re a lot more normal than you think.”
“It was hard to find motivation because I never got report cards or grades”
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32 | PROFILE
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 33
FEATURE
Giving a helping hand
Students dedicate their time giving back to their community and helping others
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BY YASMIN CHAVEZ
hat first began as volunteering a couple hours at the science museum has expanded to spending countless hours volunteering at hospitals, school carnivals, and the prop shop. Now, sophomore Ashwin Senthilkumar finds himself dedicating his time at the Fairview hospital in Southdale. He spends his time transferring blood, discharging/transporting patients, and bringing flowers to the patients in the hospital. Senthilku=mar is one of the many students at EPHS students who dedicate their time helping others and has even be given the President’s Volunteer Service Award for giving back to his community. Including Senthilkumar, several students were awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award this year for being outstanding volunteers in their community and dedicating hours helping others in need. In order to win this award, students were required to submit their hours and fill out an application. Once this information was submitted, the students’ applications were revised to see if they were qualified to receive the award. “I heard about the presidential award
34| Feature
through the outreach room and it seemed like a good incentive for me to work on getting my hours,” said sophomore Ashwin Senthilkumar. Senthilkumar first started volunteering at the science museum and from there he looked at other places to volunteer such as the prop shop, school carnivals and Fairview hospital. From his hours of volunteering, Senthilkumar has learned what it means to give back to his community. “It gives a lot of moral satisfaction and motivates me to continue volunteering,” said Senthilkumar. Junior Sreya Kappagantula was also awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award. She dedicated most of her time volunteering at the Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. She has also participated in other events such as helping around her hospital and volunteering at the Cedar Ridge carnival, but Kappagantula mostly dedicates her time at the hospital. “Volunteering at a hospital has definitely changed my perspective on life. I have learned that you should be thankful for what you have and honestly be sincere of what you have,” said Kappagantula. One of her favorite experience from volunteering came from her time at the
Upcoming Volunteering Opportunities Eden Prairie Schools 11th Annual K-12 Science Fair: Saturday, March 5th Early Childhood Family Educatiion Classroom Assistants: Tuesdays and Thursdays Taste of Eden Prairie: February 26-28 Run and Ride Race Series at Valleyfair: May 13-15 Cedar Ridge Elementary School Carnival : Friday, February 26th Childcare helpers: February 22nd or 29th; March 14th, 21st, or 25th; April 11th; and May 23rd For more information and volunteer opportunities visit the Outreach Room
Children’s hospital. On this specific day, Kappagantula remembers that her job was to take care of abused child that was around three to four years old. During lunchtime, Kappagantula sat by this child and kept him company as he ate. This child kept offering Kappagantula his food and even after Kappagantula turned down his offer multiple times, the child was persistent. At this point, Kappagantula began tearing up because this child had nothing; yet, he was still offering her his food. “I literally started crying because you don’t experience that on a daily basis and that’s something I’ll keep with me for the rest of my life,” said Kappagantula. At EPHS, there are a wide variety of opportunities for students to give back to their community. There are several clubs that involve volunteering which provide students with opportunities to help their community and others. These clubs include Key Club and the National Honors Society. EPHS also provides students with a resource room known as the outreach room where students can find different volunteer opportunities within their community that they can possibly participate in. Given these many opportunities, hundreds of students have strived to help others by joining these clubs and by visiting the outreach room. Given the various resources and opportunities at EPHS, each student has the opportunity to give back to their community. By volunteering, you can gain different life experience and experience personal growth. It leaves a lasting impact on others as well as yourself. To learn more about the different volunteer opportunities available, visit the outreach room that is located by the cookie store.
Junior Sreya Kappagantula and sophomore Ashwin Senthilkumar were both awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award this year for being outsiding volunteers in their community.
Humor Column
Old man and the spelling bee BY ARUN PARAGAL AND CALDER SELL A light magenta flyer stuck to an old paint-peeled lamppost, slowly undulating in the breeze. Just then, an old man scampered by as if he was trying to run away from someone...or something. He would have completely missed the flyer if it weren’t for its stunning coral font. The old man froze in his tracks. The flyer read: 7TH GRADE SPELLING BEE COMPETITION. COME SHOW OF YOUR TALENT. The old man was filled with excitement. He always wanted to participate in a competition, and this seemed like the perfect one to try. Anyways, he already had an idea. The old man went to his favorite beehive. He felt that he really had a shot not just at participating but winning this competition. This beehive was no ordinary beehive. This was a massive beehive. There had to have been at least 14 bees living in there. The old man felt that because of this huge population, there was a high possibility that one of them knew how to spell. The old man did not know how to approach the bees with his question. Suddenly, however, the old man remembered the banana he had in his pocket and came up with an idea. He took out the banana and said to the bees, “Do any of you bees know how to spell ‘banana’?” He was so nervous that his palms were sweaty, his knees were weak, and his arms were heavy. He accidentally dropped the banana and the banana split. The bees were furious, swarmed the old man, and chased him far away. The old man felt so discouraged. He was about to give up the dream when a stroke of ingenuity struck the old man. Luckily for him he always carried a backup pocket banana for instances such as these. There was a twinkle in his eye as he scurried back to the hive. He placed the banana between his teeth to show he came in peace and squeezed his head back into the hive. But before he could croak a word, a bee with a crazed look in his eye flew at him with its stinger pointed straight at him. The stinger pierced the banana and the banana split. The rest of the bees took this as a kind of call to arms and sped towards him with the enthusiasm of a little child wanting ice cream. They swarmed him with such vigor that the hive fell from the tree and the hive split. Clinging to life, he was out of bananas and out of ideas. The old man was beat down and swollen, yet he still had a small iota of hope. He approached the hive one last time and asked the bees in his most polite voice, “Oh kind bees, please, if any of you know how to spell ‘be’ could you spell it for me?” After a moment of silence, the old man sighed and turned around to walk away. All of sudden, in the midst of the collective buzzing sprang a voice spelling, ”B-E-E.” The old man slowly spun his body toward the hive. With an exasperated voice, the old man replied, “Nice try, Curtis, but I need a bee that can spell words correctly” and walked away.
PHOTOS BY ZENAB KASHIF
February 2016 -- theeyrie.org | 35
Hit or Stay? PHOTO BY ANYA OTTERSON
Students turn to gambling BY ARUN PARGAL Most seniors at EPHS will turn 18 before they graduate and marking a big step from childhood to adulthood. There are many privileges that open up upon turning 18. Getting a tattoo, buying fireworks, voting and skydiving are just some of the opportunities that are available. However, it seems that the most attractive of these new activities is gambling. The main appeal for students like senior Alex LaVone, is “to both make money and have a good time with friends.” Students mainly direct their attention and money towards the blackjack tables. Blackjack is a
simple game in which the players bet on the cards they are dealt and try to reach a score as close as possible to 21 without going over. The players compete against the dealer. LaVone uses a strategy called “card counting” to give himself an advantage against the dealer. The type of card counting that LaVone uses is different from the style you see in the movies which usually involves complex had signals or code words between partners. The style LaVone uses is a combination of quick probability and using percentages in order to tell him weather it is in his best interest to “hit” or “stay” when dealt different card
combinations. He claims that he can keep track of all the cards on the table in his head, which gives him an advantage over most other players. Senior Jake Beaver, however, doesn’t buy into LaVone’s tactics. A self proclaimed “casino connoisseur”, Beaver believes that nobody can do the mental calculations fast enough to be effective at the blackjack table. Beaver relies on instinct and experience to make his decisions. He has been going to the casino on a weekly basis since turning 18 and has made a profit of almost $400. LaVone and Beaver usually limit themselves to spending “between $20-40”. This strategy allows them to leave the casino without a serious dent in their bank accounts if they happen to be unlucky that day. However, limiting gambling money is difficult for some and it isn’t uncommon for students to leave the “nino” down over $200. Weather they buy into the tactics and are in it just for the money, or are just going for a good time, the casino seems to have a pull on the new 18-year-old population. The appeal seems to be the exclusivity. Students who go to casinos can brag to their younger friends about how much fun they’re having making money playing games. Taking precautions not to spend too much money is important because casinos are set up to make customers addicted. “People just have to know when to stop” says LaVone. Casinos try to appeal to people’s sense of pride and hatred of losing in order to keep them hooked and spending money. “Walking away is way better than losing all your money” says Beaver. While casinos are a great way to pass the time with friends while possibly making a little dough on the side, gambling addiction is a concern and it is important to be careful.
Ghosting: How relationships die BY EMILEE JACOBSON Here’s the situation: You’ve been talking to someone. You might have even been sort of “dating.” The relationship may have even lasted a while. Things seemed to be going well, but then one day, boom, the other person disappears. No texts, no calls, no hanging out. We never had a word for this scenario. Recently, our generation has created one. It’s called ghosting. It’s the newest and easiest way to avoid a breakup (at least one way around). A clean exit as some would call it. But is it really? The true definition of ghosting is one person ending a relationship by simply disappearing, leaving the other person wondering and asking themselves a series of questions. Is he dead? Did his phone get taken away? Did I do something wrong? “He stopped replying to my texts and then blocked me on all social media,” junior Annika Peterson said.
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The “ghost” has the advantage of leaving with no explanation. When the person they’ve ghosted tries to reach out to them, the response is always the same: Ignore. Some people believe ghosting is easier than a breakup. Others, like senior Allie Wilke, don’t. “Ghosting is worse than a break-up because there’s no reason or explanation for it,” said Wilke. Instead of just saying, “Hey, this isn’t working”, ghosting can leave people with a month’s worth of self-esteem issues. As if breaking up wasn’t hard enough, but having to wonder why? That could be worse. There are lots of ways to break up, this is just another. Ghosting has the potential to break a heart, or save one. You have the power to set things straight, or leave without a trace. In the end, it’s up to you.
GRAPHIC BY RACHEL JOHNSON
Quit complaining
Eyrie staffer quits complaining for a week
BY ANYA OTTERSON
Day 0: Let’s be honest, in our safe suburban bubble of Eden Prairie, we complain more than we probably should. I complain endlessly about A Tale of Two Cities (which took me seven months to read) and pre-calc graphs. In an attempt to see past myself, I’m going to quit complaining for a few days. I doubt I’ll be able to just stop complaining, but if I can filter myself to only complain about the things that really do affect my life, I’ll be satisfied. By taking take the small bits of negativity out of our lives, we can better focus on what matters and appreciate what we have. Day 1: I’m having an internal debate over what actually counts as a complaint- does “it’s so cold out” count, or is that title reserved for things like “this weather needs to go away.” I’ve been trying to use silver linings, like when I was walking in and I was so cold that I was numbexcept my hands were fine! As I’m coming to realize, not complaining at all can be really hard, but the silver lining moves you away from
a 100% negative thought to one that you can be okay with. Day 2: I’ve noticed people complaining more, probably because I’m more aware of it and can’t join in. Some of it I definitely resonate with, but some of it not so much. Listening to people complain about not having time to go to Starbucks in the morning, I feel like there are more pressing concerns to worry about. It’s a little hard to not complain about complaining though, but I just keep going with my life. In a way it’s kind of nice. By not adding to that kind of negativity, you can do a better job of avoiding it. Day 3: Soul-searching. Day 4: After hearing about some things that happen to other people, like loss and injury, I feel uncomfortable complaining about random things like forgetting to bring Naked juice to school. By comparison, it doesn’t matter at all. However, we all do have genuine grievances that shouldn’t be written off.
Everything is relative, but small things like that that won’t affect us in the long run really aren’t worth complaining about. Day 5: Not complaining for a few days is a lot harder than it seems. In the end, I don’t think completely swearing off complaining is practical or worth it. Venting provides an effective way to express emotions. For the average high school student, an overflowing workload, stress about the future and balancing relationships creates a strong foundation for complaints. Add silver linings, be selective about what you complain about, know that venting can be a good thing, and when in doubt, quit complaining for a few days. It’s a great way to rethink life.
Living with quirky pets BY RACHEL JOHNSON While many students have cats and dogs waiting for them at home, several students have more unique animal friends. Whether you have a goldfish or something much more unique, there are as many pet options as the personalities of the people that own them.
SUMBITTED PHOTOS
Freshman Nadia English rescued her two leopard geckos, Lizzie and Gold. English said she “always liked lizards and I think they are cute even though not a lot of people do.”
Sophomore A.J. Kraemer owns six horses and her personal horse is named Dixon. The blue-eyed horse competes with Kraemer by memorizing riding patterns Kraemer participates in riding competitions with Dixon where she guides her horse through the patterns.
Junior Justin Young owns a four-foot long corn snake named Jaden. Although Young got the snake because of his brother getting the Reptile Merit badge, he has cared for the snake for nine years. The Reptile Merit Badge has several requirements including identifying types of reptiles and amphibian and taking care of one for at least a month.
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