Volume 33, Issue 6
WAYZATA HIGH SCHOOL
December 5, 2014
the trojan tribune
THE
PEOPLE ISSUE
ANNA FRENCH A n n a SPORTS EDITOR French (12) has been one of Wayzata High School’s most decorated athletes, and now that she is in her final year at the high school level, she hopes to continue her success. French is a three-sport athlete, excelling in cross countr y, Nordic skiing and track and field. French deferred on signing early and will sign later in the year for both cross countr y and track and field. “In the offseason I do Nordic Skiing. Five of the seven girls on our state and nationBy HAYDEN FARMER
als cross countr y team are on the ski team as well. I really enjoy skiing and it is fun to be able to continue competing in the winter,” said French. French has been running and skiing varsity since freshmen year. “I deal with the pressure by not getting concerned with rankings and focusing on the process rather than the outcome,” said French. Managing both school and sports can be a tricky process for most students; however, French balances her AP curriculum as well as being a captain of the cross countr y
team. French’s success has been a product of the great support she has felt from her friends and family. “My family comes to all my races to cheer me on and support me,” French said. French began her running career at the age of seven when she took part in her ver y first five kilometer run and then later joined the cross countr y team in seventh grade. According to French, before big meets she loves to get all her homework done so she has a clear head, get a good night’s sleep and eat
spaghetti the night before her race, to give her energ y. At the Nike Heartland Regionals, French placed fifth overall for women running a 17.38 in the five kilometer event. In the 2013 Nationals, French placed eighth running a 17.43.2 and the girls team overall won first place. French’s place on the leaderboard looks promising as she heads to nationals on December 6th to compete along with her fellow XC girl and guys.
ELLY AND MADDY MORRISON S i s t e r s Maddy (11) EDITOR IN CHIEF and Elly (9) Morrison are known for their diving skills, which they have taken across the world. Maddy and Elly have been diving since a young age, and they didn’t let their family’s move to the Netherlands stop them. According to Maddy, the move was intimidating at first due to the language barrier. “At first moving was really scary because nobody spoke English and I couldn’t understand Dutch, but school was nice because it was all in English,” said Maddy. “An obstacle I had to overcome was learning the language. [Dutch] is so different and pretty difficult to learn in the beginning, but eventually, it all got easier,” Elly said. According to Maddy, the accent that the Dutch have is very strong, and it is hard to do for non-native speakers. “Talking to strangers is hard enough, so having to do it in a different language was even worse,” Maddy said. “Diving was really hard at first because the Dutch are quite private people, so it was not easy getting to know the people on the team. Once I started learning small phrases in Dutch and they did the same for English, diving became really fun.” “[Competitions] are different from competing in America because all of the dives and scores were announced in Dutch,” Maddy said. Other than that, the competitions were quite similar. “My favorite competitions were the international ones, such as the Eindhoven Diving Cup. It was fun getting to hear many different languages like Italian and French, as well as meeting people from all over Europe.” “I competed in a lot of diving competitions, including the Dutch Nationals,” said Elly. According to Elly, the competitions By HANA KASSEM
were similar, but it felt odd to be competing at different pools with so many different people. “There were only 40 kids in my grade in the Netherlands, so switching to Wayzata was terrifying at first. Once I found some friends I realized it is not so scary after all,” said Maddy. “The transition was hard at first, but I am very happy to be back now. On the other hand, Elly felt her transition back to Minnesota went smoothly. “Even though competing on a high school team was very different and new to me, the team made me very comfortable and helped me understand how everything worked,” said Elly. “Competing on the swim and dive team is my favorite part of school,” Maddy said. “I think everyone on the team is amazing. It is so fun getting to compete with and get to know all of them. The small competitions that we have weekly are usually much more low key than they were in the Netherlands, which I like a lot.” This past season while competing for Wayzata, Maddy placed 5th at sections and Elly placed 9th at state. Both Maddy and Elly felt that their experiences living overseas were very valuable. “I think my experience in the Netherlands was very enriching. I feel that it made me a lot more open to everything. I experienced so many different cultures by traveling around Europe which made me realize how every culture has different customs and their own way of doing things,” said Elly. “Overall I think it was an incredible experience and I’m really grateful for it,” Maddy said. “Getting to see all of the different cultures has made me look at everything in a new way. Now, I am very happy to be home in the United States.”
MAX ZIMMER “ I went S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R to the hospital in the middle of the night freshman year. My parents woke up to me having a seizure,” says Max Zimmer (11). “At the hospital, they had an IV in me, with fluids containing sugar to get my blood sugar levels back up.” Zimmer suffers from diabetes, a By MADELINE ORZESKE
health condition that affects nearly 382 million people worldwide. However, unlike about 90% of diabetics, Zimmer has had this condition for most of his life which classifies it as Type 1 diabetes. At the age of two and a half, his parents noticed that he was constantly thirsty and fatigued which led to his diagnosis. Zimmer has never known life without this condition.
(Top) Elly Morrison (9) competes at the Amsterdam Diving Cup. (Bottom) Maddy Morrison (11) dives at a high school meet. Photos courtesy of Maddie and Elly Morrison
Type one diabetes occurs in bodies that don’t produce enough insulin to function independently. For Zimmer, this means that he has to manually inject insulin through a site attached to his leg 3-4 times per day to regulate the high amount of sugar in his bloodstream. Every three days, he puts a new site in his leg to prevent infection. Though he is more aware of his diet than a typical teenager, he
is not restricted from eating any specific food. As a varsity hockey player, Zimmer has not let his diabetes limit his abilities. In fact, he sees it as having a positive effect on his athletic performance. “If anything, it makes me better because it makes me more responsible and conscious of my health,” says Zimmer of his condition.
Developing cellulosic fuels By MELISSA TROUT
S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Henr y Altschuler (12) worked in a lab at the Universit y of California-Berkeley last summer. For a month and a half, he worked within the Energ y Biosciences Institute (EBI), an organization that par tners with global energ y company BP. His project aimed to develop cellulosic fuels and fossil fuel microbiolog y. According to EBI, the program was funded in 2007 for ten years with $500 million to suppor t its studies. A few months ago, Altshuler ’s dad, patent attorney for EBI, informed him of the one-person position. “It was a great oppor tunit y and not reall y one I could pass up. W hen you’re appl ying for colleges they ’ ll look for things like that,” said Altschuler. As a par t of the experiment, Altschuler inser ted three different mutations into E. Coli cells before placing the E. Coli cells into a yeast
cell. “ The goal was to find out if the mutations would make the yeast form better,” said Altschuler. “I would get up at 7am and get on a train system to work. It was about an hour and a half commute and then I would get star ted at 9 and work until 5 or so, five days a week,” said Altschuler. “Collaborating with all the researchers and seeing how they think and accomplish their tasks was my favorite par t. I reall y appreciated them taking the time to simplify their ideas for me to understand,” Altschuler said. “My super visor was ver y stern and blunt. If I didn’t do what he wanted me to do, he would definitel y let me know and sometimes not in the nicest way,” said Altschuler. One of the challenges Altschuler faced was the way he was perceived by others during his time there. From the star t, there were lower expectations set for him, which
pushed him to be as thorough as possible. “Under that pressure, you don’t want to scre w things up. I had to make sure I quadr uple checked. At the same time, I also didn’t want to ask too many questions since I didn’t want to annoy them,” said Altschuler. According to Altschuler, living so far away helped him decide that he wants to stay near home for college. “It was hard to be away from my friends for so long. I stayed in a one-bedroom apar tment with my dad and it got to be a bit repetitive af ter some time,” said Altschuler. “I think that it ’s a great thing to experience [working] at a young age, and others should tr y to do such. I was onl y 17. Working in an office of 200 employees and striving to stand out was a valuable lesson,” said Altschuler.
Young scientist helps find the link between zebrafish and cancer By HANA KASSEM EDITOR IN CHIEF
Anna Gonikman (12) is on track to having a successful future in the medical field. Gonikman does research ever y week at the Universit y of Minnesota in a medical lab dedicated to c ancer research. Gonikman works with z ebrafish--a tropical freshwater fish that matures faster than mice and are significantl y less expensive. “Right now, my project inc ludes dumping embr yos of the z ebrafish into two t ypes of chemicals. These two chemicals, cadaverine and putrescine, are present when they die naturall y. W hen I dump them into the chemicals, I wait for them to die, and then I find a death cur ve,” said Gonikman. A death cur ve is the point where 50% of the sample of the fish have died. “I had to r un a ton of different samples, wait for the fish to die or live, and then see what concentration of the chemical was present. I would then see if the concentration is realistic in nature,” Gonikman said.
Gonikman’s work not onl y benefits the other scientists in the lab with her, but helps to find a connection with cancer research too. “ The researchers are using these z ebrafish to tr y and find a link for cancer research,” Gonikman said. “ W hen one z ebrafish embr yo dies, the rest in the tank drop dead too. The point of this project is to see how much of the chemical is present to help the other scientists who work with z ebrafish to better control their research,” Gonikman said. Gonikman found the oppor tunit y to work in a research lab when she signed up for the Honors Mentor Connection c lass last year, a c lass available to juniors and seniors at Way z ata. It is a selective c lass that inc ludes students from other schools, and for that reason, an inter vie w process is required to gain admittance into the c lass. The goal of the c lass is for students to find a mentor in the field of study a student is interested in.“I kne w I wanted to do something in the medical field,” said Gonikman. “I found a doctor who is a physician
Photo courtesy of Henry Altshuler
Henry Altschuler (12) in the lab.
Anna Gonikman (12) studying zebrafish em
and has a research lab. They asked me to stay for the summer, and then they asked me to stay again this school year.” “I want to work in the medical field, but not necessaril y in a lab. A lab means white walls for hours. I want to do something more with people,” said Gonikman. “I learned a lot about the scientific process and about research in a work environment,” Gonikman said. “ W hat we learn in c lass does help and I applied a lot of it in the lab.” According to Gonikman, all the reading she has had to do for her research can be a challenge. “ The scientists dump ar tic les on me all the time, but they are mainl y about background info about my project.” “My favorite par t has been realizing that what we learn in school can be applied in a job in the medical field. I enjoy being able to learn about different t ypes of research,” said Gonikman.
Photo court
mbryos
tesy of Anna Gonikman
Pranav Maddula (10) Photo by Naomi Liew
Interning at Google By ELLIE RONNING
S O P H O M O R E S TA F F W R I T E R
Current Way zata High S chool sophomore Pranav Maddula has been an intern at Google, an American internet company most famous for their search engine, for the duration of the past two years. “ There reall y isn’t much of a stor y to how I got my internship,” said Maddula. “I entered an open coding competition over the summer of eighth grade and I scored prett y highl y.” According to Maddula af ter this competition the people at Google offered him an internship at the company and he took it. “It thought it would be a good and interesting experience that would let me improve my skills,” said Maddula. “It reall y caters to my interests in computers, computer science, and my love for learning and tr ying out new things and sol ving problems,” said Maddula. According to Maddula he al ways
loved computers, and has even built a fe w of his own. He found working at Google to be a good way to expand and build upon this interest. “ The work that they have me do is mainl y just writing code, basic par ts for the search engine and other programs,” said Maddula. “I also do some system administration for them.” “For system administration I simpl y set up ser vers and maintain and update the already existing systems and ser vers,” said Maddula. According to Maddula he does some of this work in Mountain V ie w, California, where Google is headquar tered. “I do most of my work remotel y, here in Minnesota, but when I’m in California I do get to go to their headquar ters and spend time there,” said Maddula. According to Maddula he reall y enjoys the Google facilit y in California, and finds the atmosphere to be laid back.
“I would like to work for Google in the future, hopefull y as an engineer or as an executive,” said Maddula. According to Maddula this internship has reall y helped him grow in his programming skills and has allowed him to meet people in the job force. “I’ve made a lot of real wor ld contacts that I can use in the future from this internship,” said Maddula. “It will give me some good resume experience and some contacts for the job market,” said Maddula. “I also have a job there at Google when I get older if I want.” “As far as I know there are around twent y or thir t y other people my age doing what I do scattered around the US and Europe,” said Maddula. Maddula said, “I took [the internship] because I thought it would be a fun experience that would let me improve my skills, and it has.”
Y
BRAVE TEEN SURVIVES HOMELESSNESS By MAGGIE HARLESS S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Poverty, homelessness, sickness, and depression are all words that may make the average student cringe, but Brighton Magnuson knows them well. This senior started his schooling at Redeemer Lutheran where he was bullied out of the school in 3rd grade. He continued at Beacon Academy where he was once again bullied until 6th grade. At this same time Magnuson moved around a lot--six times to be exact--when he finally ended up at St. Mary’s homeless shelter because of mold in their house that was effecting his and his mother’s health. Magnuson stayed at the shelter with his mother for six months. “It felt like a prison.
The rooms were very cramped and everything was on lockdown at 10:00 p.m.,” said Magnuson. “There was a game room though, with some video games and pool tables. Every week there was a pool tournament and the winner got ten dollars,” said Magnuson. And at the same time that this was going on, Magnuson also had to deal with a scare. “I was playing outside and a mole of mine started to bleed. We got it removed and found out that it was cancerous. I had to see a lot of specialists, but luckily it did not spread, I just had to have half year checkups for a long time,” said Magnuson. In 7th grade, Magnuson and his mother moved and he went to East Middle School. According to Magnuson, this was a major turning point in his life. “Things started to get better, and I made some good friends,” said Magnuson. Shortly after
moving Magnuson found his passion: writing books. “In 8th grade I started writing, but I am currently editing a fantasy book that I started in 10th grade,” said Magnuson. Unfortunately, at this same time Magnuson had a monster of his own to deal with: depression. Magnuson’s depression progressed for a long time until he hit an extreme low his sophomore year and decided to take matters into his own hands before it was too late and admitted himself to the hospital. He was in the hospital for a week and was diagnosed with seasonal affect disorder (SAD) as well as depression. After therapy, medication to regulate serotonin levels, and a light box to help with SAD, Magnuson once again found his footing. Few could stay as resilient as Magnuson through such trying times, but he has proven that through determination and passion one can get through anything.
c W i c t t o d r b
Brighton stands with a crucial part of his support system - his mom.
w A t H h a w
s n t w g e d h p t “ Nathan (left) and Jacob (right) take on lifes struggles together.
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RITTER TWINS FIND STRENGT
Sophomores Nathan Ri and Jacob Ritter are comp By GRACE LEINBERGER S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R itive twin brothers who b enjoy sports, playing pia and chess. Both happen have been born with muscular dystrophy. Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited disorders that invo muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue that gets worse over tim For Nathan and Jacob muscular dystrophy causes them to have ma ly arm and leg weakness. “We cannot run or walk long distances, cause we get tired easily. We also have leg tightness so we wear braces to stretch out legs,” said Jacob. But instead of being down about their disability, the Ritters life to the fullest. They have been playing piano for 9 years and in their fr time teach kids how to play chess. They both enjoy their power hoc team and have b playing years. Wh they were 13 t joined the Minnes Power Hockey League.
STUDENT RETURNS TO RUNNING AFTER TRAGIC ACCIDENT It was a normal “spring” S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R afternoon in Minnesota: cold air was swirling, snow was falling, and Wayzata Track & Field runners were practicing. A group of five such athletes came to a crosswalk during a recovery run and followed the standard procedure: stop, wait for traffic to pause, look both ways, and safely run to the other side of the road. On that fateful March day in 2013, the final step - literally - of the routine was thwarted by a speeding school bus. The first runner made it across. The second was clipped. The third wasn’t so lucky. Junior Alec O’Connell was hit head-on, a contact that created a shocking and resounding thud. His right leg was pinned under one of the vehicle’s front wheels and remained that way for a few of the longest minutes those involved will ever endure. Ambulances arrived at the scene after what seemed like an eternity. They brought O’Connell to the hospital, where he stayed for more than a week and began his long journey toward recovery. He underwent multiple surgeries - one on the day of the accident, another on the following day, and one more a few days later. A titanium rod was inserted into his femur, which had been broken into three pieces. Several screws went into his knee and thigh area. Finally, skin was transplanted, or “grafted,” onto his calf area. Before all of those complicated surgeries, however, a much less complex one had to be By DREW CARTER
done. “In the first surgery, I think they had to, kind of, place the leg back in the leg hole,” said O’Connell (who is not a certified doctor). “Because it was... out.” The surgeries were successful, and O’Connell left the hospital to start working toward full strength. He was running again within five months, just in time for the cross country season to start - pretty remarkable, considering that his leg had been underneath the tire of a ten-ton vehicle less than half a year prior. O’Connell struggled, understandably, through that first season. “Cross Country season was pretty brutal. I was just kind of limping along in 100 degree heat. It was miserable; I saw no progress.” Track & Field season was a different story. After months of hard work and trekking through the winter snow, Alec had returned to full strength. By season’s end, O’Connell was running faster than he ever had before the injury. “It was awesome. I felt really good that I could finally be on track.” O’Connell cites the support he received as a huge aid in his recovery. Many of his coaches and fellow runners visited him in the hospital. “Coach Miles and Jahn were there; that’s actually the first thing I remember after waking up from the event,” said O’Connell. “Having support from other schools was great, too.” The coaches went above and beyond, guiding O’Connell through every step of his recovery. When he started walking again, Miles joined him for long walks around the track. “It was pretty interesting having long one on one conversations with him,” said O’Connell.
“It has made a huge TH THROUGH RELIGION impact on our lives be-
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cause we’ve been able to meet other people with disabilities and it is a lot of fun to play,” said Jacob. Both were selected to play in the North American Power Hockey Cup. This is an international hockey tournament for those in wheelchairs. According to Nathan and Jacob they both have 4.0 GPA’s. Some things in school come naturally to them but they still work very hard to receive their good grades. Both Nathan and Jacob enjoy history and want to be teachers in the future. According to Nathan, the best thing he has done in the past year was go to Hawaii on his Make a Wish trip and fulfill his love for history by seeing Pearl Harbor. “Besides my love for history, Pearl Harbor was interesting because I got to go on a battleship, which I’ve never done before, and because the day Pearl Harbor was bombed, it was one of the most tragic days ever for America,” said Jacob. Even having so many positives in their lives, having muscular dystrophy does make life more difficult for them. “I can’t do things other people can, and sometimes people stare,” said Nathan. “It’s hard not being able to do things other people can. I’m a huge sports fan but can’t do normal sports, I’ve never been able to run,” said
“It was cool for him to take the time to do that.” Miles and assistant coach Brandon Heebink also tutored O’Connell in math and science to help the student get caught up on what he had missed while restricted to his hospital bed. “The coaches really went the extra mile to help me and I am very grateful for that,” said O’Connell. O’Connell received a great deal of attention - he even did a few interviews - but says it wasn’t over w helming. “The weird thing is, other people always know about it more than I do, because I d o n ’ t remember anyt h i n g ,” said O’Connell. “So, it’s almost like it kind of just appeared out of nowhere for me.” “It’s just something I had to deal with. I guess it’s another obstacle you have to go through,” said O’Connell. “It was just difficult, but I’ve kind of pushed through it. It took a lot of hard work, but I think it has paid off.” O’Connell doesn’t cringe when he remembers the accident. He doesn’t crawl into a shell; he doesn’t flash back. Rather, he flashes forward: to his last few seasons as a Wayzata runner, his final year as a Wayzata student, and his future as a Wayzata alum.
Jacob. Both Nathan and Jacob are inspired by their dad. “My dad is a really hard worker who always wants to help out even though he doesn’t have much free time,” said Nathan. “My dad is so inspiring because he is a hard-worker, he is a strong Christian role model, and because he is upbeat. My dad works hard to provide for our family and he shovels the driveway for our wheelchairs to be able to maneuver in the snow,” said Jacob. Jacob is also inspired by baseball player Lou Gehrig, who had ALS, even memorizing his famous speech. One quote that really stands out to Jacob is “I might have been given a bad break but I’ve got an awful lot to live for.” said Gehrig According to Nathan and Jacob their faith is what really gets them through their disability. When asked how they overcome challenges in their life Jacob said “I look to Jesus, I would be really mad about this bad break, but just knowing there is a place we are going and a place I will run and a future without pain gets me through it.” Nathan Ritter wants to be remembered as “A follower of Jesus who makes a positive impact regardless of difficult circumstances,” said Nathan. According to Nathan and Jacob their faith in Jesus and watching the Vikings win are their sources of strength in day to day living.
Koepsell takes her designs viral By MADELINE ORZESKE S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Inspired by a puff-painting tradition in Wayzata’s Bel Canto Choir, Koepsell’s idea for her business came last spring while she was taking Graphic Design 1. “[In Bel Canto], we have this tradition where we puff-paint shorts that we wear under our choir robes during concerts,”
sign my shorts. From there, the idea grew into what is now my business.” Koepsell has hundreds of sketches, ranging from character designs to cartoon animals. Her first design for her business was the treble clef dragon, which incorporates both her love of dragons and of music. Another tribute to her passion for music is the Bel Canto Songbird, a choir-inspired design that she created. “Graphic Design allowed me to go further with my art and show people who I am. [It] is an avenue in which I can do something I feel is meaningful,” said Koepsell. The method that Koepsell uses to print her designs on water bottles and iPhone Senior Katherine Koepsell has made her cases is called dye sublimation, which emsketchbook come off the page -- literally. ploys heat to transfer dye onto materials. It For Koepsell, owning a small business is allows her to make more products in less isn’t something that has to wait until after time as compared to screenprinting, which high school. Several weeks ago, the young had been her initial method. artist, musician, and now businesswoman Koepsell attributes her business to her launched an online graphic design busiexperiences at Wayzata High School. “The ness after creating a website and modiKoepsell’s creations, featuring her line of zodiac designs. whole idea of it would have never come fying her designs over the summer. She Graphics courtesy of Katherine Koepsell about if it weren’t for the choir communow sells water bottles and iPhone cases nity whose encouragement has helped with her designs printed on them, and according to her website she will be adding says Koepsell. “When I took Graphic De- me through the process,” says Koepsell. t-shirts to her product line in the next few sign 1 a few months [after designing the She also credits Graphic Art teacher Lea shorts], I decided that using the printing Anne Jasper “for always encouraging [her] weeks. equipment…would be a perfect way to de- to add [her] own personal touch to [her]
art and pushing [her] to experiment more and take risks,” and Digital Design Teacher Scott Tordeur for “giving [her] access to printing materials and equipment and supporting [her] through the process.” “Since starting my business I’ve realized that my true passion is Game Development, which is designing the characters and environments for video games. But this experience will definitely be helpful in the future,” says Koepsell. She sees her background in Graphic Design as a means of “broadening her perspective” on video games and merchandising. Regarding students with their own unique passions, Koepsell’s advice is adamant: “Follow through, take chances, and don’t give up. Just because you think you aren’t the best at something, doesn’t mean that you can’t make a difference. I I’ve also wanted to give up... because I thought people wouldn’t care what I have to say or my designs wouldn’t appeal to others. I just wanted to do something for others and find some meaning in my high school career.” “Now that I’ve built my business I can appreciate the fact that I didn’t give up and I now have an unforgettable experience to look back on in the future,” Koepsell said.
Kostanecki gets in touch with tradition By MAGGIE HARLESS S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Photo courtesy of Adam Kostanecki Kostanecki posing with his dance coach in tradtional Polish dance clothing
Wayzata High School may be full of first, second, and third generation students, but few are as in touch with their heritage than Adam Kostanecki. This Polish junior has been involved with a traditional Polish folk dance group for over 7 years. “My whole family is Polish, and there’s actually a big Polish community in northeast Minneapolis,” said Kostanecki. Kostanecki did not really become committed to his dancing until after 6th grade. “I started to really like the dancing, and it’s cool to be a part of a classic dance in this day and age. There are so many varieties. My passion grew over the years,” said Kostanecki. According to Kostanecki, rehearsal is not only a great workout for him, but it’s a lot of fun, helps immensely with coordination, and it is also how he met his girlfriend of now two years. Every three years there is a gathering in Poland of traditional dance groups from all over the world and Kostanecki is looking forward to participating in the years to come. The group does performances in the Minneapolis area including festivals such as the Twin Cities Polish festival and Kra-
marczuk’s. The group also partners up with elder homes to dance for them. “It’s really heartwarming to dance for the elders. It takes them back to when they were young and partner dancing was prevalent,” Kostanecki said. According to Kostanecki, the festivals are rich with food and dance, and everyone loves the folk groups and it often brings them closer to their heritage. One of these special festivals is the Festival of Nations. It is one of the first weekends in May every year and folk groups of the Twin Cities gather to dance, perform, sell food, and set up kiosks. “The food is phenomenal, and the bazaar where they sell products is so cool,” said Kostanecki. Adam is often known as “that Polish guy,” but it doesn’t bother him anymore-he embraces it. “At first there was definitely a stigma with me being a male dancer, but then when people found out that it is all partner dance and I got to dance with girls they were way more perceptive. People are pretty cool about it now,” said Kostanecki. “I think liking what you’re doing regardless of what people think is so important.”
Rethwisch under the lights By KENDALL GARVEY J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Bobby Rethwisch is a man of many talents. Not only is he phenomenal guitarist, he sings and dances as well. Currently in two bands, Liposuction and Justin Tiberethwisch & BurnsAngeles Bunch, he spends around two hours each night practicing the guitar. He has come a long way from when he first picked up the instrument in fourth grade. “I had gotten very good at guitar hero and decided I would try the real thing,” Rethwisch said. Being experimental and courageous with his song choices throughout the years has been beneficial to Bobby. “When I started playing guitar, one of the first songs I tried to learn was Eruption by Van Halen, which is incredibly challenging. I was probably terrible at it, but I thought I was amazing. That gave me the confidence to attempt any song.” Rethwisch stated. Over the summer, Bobby had the chance to improve his talent at Berklee College of Music located in Boston. He was one of
200 to get into the music program, and was one of 50 to earn scholarship money due to his extraordinary talent. “My week at Berklee was definitely the best week of my life. Spending a week surrounded by teenaers that share the same passion as me was a very valuable experience. It really put into perspective where my strength and weaknesses lie.” Rethwisch said. The expertise the program provided was extremely useful and helped Bobby improve immensely, “It was great to be taught music by some of the best musicians in the world.” Rethwisch said. Over the week Bobby grew a love for the city. He even had the chance to see his favorite guitar player Tommy Emmanuel live which was a highlight of the trip. “The city inspired me in so many ways and it’s definitely a goal of mine to live there at some point” Rethwisch said. He claims that his biggest strength is his bravery in trying arduous pieces of music, “My practice time recently has gone towards improvisation, which is an area that terrifies all teenage guitar players, including
me at times, but I’ve made more progress in the past few months than ever before” Bobby said. Bobby has entered multiple guitar competitions over time. This was Bobby’s second year competing in the McNally Smith Teen Competition, “The competition is extremely nerve-wracking, but very exciting.” Bobby said. Practicing the same song hundreds of times paid off for Bobby. He received second-place in the competition against the most talented teenage musicians in the Minneapolis area, “I had a greater understanding of what to expect, so I spent a lot more time preparing a more difficult song. It was very helpful to be exposed to other good players my age that live outside of the Wayzata school district.” Rethwisch said. Bobby has been involved with the Shedunga blowout concerts for about a year now. The latest Shedunga was held in late November, and Bobby performed in five bands that night. “My favorite part of the night for me was my performance in Justin Timberethwisch. The audience was used to moshing rather than dancing, so they didn’t
really know what to do with their bodies during Justin Timberethwisch at first. But by the end of the set we had them all moving, which was awesome.” Bobby said. Over the years Rethwisch has had the chance to perform in front of audiences all around the city. Whether he is performing for judges, or simply playing in front of his peers he loves nothing more than to gratify his audience. “There’s nothing more satisfying than playing a good show and winning over an audience.” Bobby said. Picking up the guitar in Elementary school was a life changing experience for Bobby, he continues to play daily and is often seen at school events playing the guitar when needed. He recently assisted multiple contenders of Wayzata Idol and played for the most recent musical Spamalot. “Playing guitar over the years has had a profound impact on my confidence and my lifestyle. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t bought a guitar.” Bobby said.
Rethwisch performing with his bands.
Photo courtesy of Isabel Milano
Photos by Sonia Neculescu Milano posing in one of her cosplay costumes.
Milano finds her passions in cosplay By STELLA WANG
S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
“I went into cosplay as an isolated, anxious person, and have been able to grow drastically over the years.” Cosplay is more than just a hobby for Isabel Milano (12), it is her passion and has made a significant impact on her life. Milano defines cosplay as “the art of dressing as a character, and acting as that character while in costume.” Milano’s interest in cosplay began with her cousins, who began cosplaying years before her.
“I was always amazed by the costumes they could produce,” said Milano. “ When I started to show interest, they were extremely supportive of me. They bought me my first wigs, showed me what fabrics to use, they even bought me a ticket for my first anime convention.” With the support of her cousins, Milano found herself in a new community, where she was surrounded by people who also loved cosplay. “Cosplay has helped me tackle my self-es-
teem issues, and it ’s encouraged me to expand my horizons,” said Milano. Milano has mastered many abilities due to cosplay, including the ability to make her own costumes and various other strengths. “Cosplay has helped me massively in refining my photography skills, as it teaches me new ways to capture the human form.” Mostly, Milano loves the community of cosplayers that she is apart of. “It ’s allowed me to really branch out and meet new people,” said Milano.
“I have been to several conventions over the years, all in the Minneapolis area,” said Milano. “I have met most of my friends through conventions and cosplay.” Although Milano enjoys many aspects of cosplay, it is the tight knit community that makes the experience that much more enjoyable, “If I had to pick one thing I love the most, it ’s the community as a whole.”
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Stern
Reviews by Andrew Stern
at the Cinema BIRDMAN or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): Although Michael Keaton claims that “In terms of parallels, I’ve never identified less with a character than with Riggan,” there are some obvious comparisons between Michael Keaton and Riggan Thomson, Keaton’s character in Birdman. Riggan is a Hollywood actor whose career seems to have peaked with three “Birdman” comic book movies, similar to Keaton being remembered for his Batman movies. Trying to achieve artistic validation, he is adapting, directing, and starring in a Broadway show based off of the Raymond Carver short story “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”. When one of the actors is injured during a runthrough, he is replaced by Broadway superstar Mike Shiner (Edward Norton - no stranger to the superhero genre with 2008’s The Incredible Hulk). Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the story takes us through the play’s troubled production, previews, and opening night. One of the more novel aspects of the film is that it was filmed in such a way where a majority of the film appears to unfold in one continuous shot. This idea allows for the film to move continuously through the story, which creates an incredibly immersive experience. This is executed remarkably well, with the cuts only becoming apparent if you’re looking for them and have a reasonable amount of production knowledge. Not only this, but unlike many other films that have attempted this concept, Birdman utilizes its full potential by shooting on multiple locations. Somehow, the cinematography manages to be gorgeous the whole way through. This is insanely impressive. Making a movie like this, there is very little room for error, and Birdman makes no mistakes. The performances here are some of the best of the year. Michael Keaton not only plays Riggan, but also plays a physical and metaphorical embodiment of Birdman, who taunts Riggan constantly throughout the film. Keaton holds the film together in a way that not many actors would be able to do, creating a character so three-dimensional that it’s almost as if he isn’t acting. Mike Shiner makes things difficult for his co-stars in the play due to his complete devotion to method, an interesting parallel considering Edward Norton is often cited as being hard to work with. Norton creates a magical blend of annoying charisma in the film, and is absolutely captivating every frame he’s on screen. Emma Stone (who is a part of the recent Spider-man reboot) plays Riggan’s daughter and a recovering drug addict, and demonstrates some fantastic range she has yet to show in her career. Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, and Andrea Riseborough round out the supporting cast, each being given proper time to create fully-developed characters. Another unique facet of this film is that the entire score is performed on a drum set. This creates a sort of frenetic energy that ensures the film maintains a fast pace and allows Keaton’s character to seem all the more desperate. It also enhances the surrealistic atmosphere that is present throughout the rest of the film. The film likes to toy with your perception as an audience member by showing you fantastical events and then bringing things rapidly back to reality, allowing you to establish what really happened. The movie ends on one of these surreal notes that lets you figure out for yourself what exactly happened. While some people may have been turned off by the small and large surrealistic elements of the film, I thought that it added another fascinating layer to the story that will likely allow for numerous viewings. On a personal level, I really enjoyed the themes that were explored with this film. I really appreciated the exploration about the idea of what makes art valid, and I really liked the commentary that the film provided on art criticism. Birdman also talks a lot about the state of the superhero genre, and that’s a topic that I have a lot of interest in. I loved everything about this film. I haven’t seen a film so masterfully crafted and unique in a very long time. It’s an instant classic.
10/10
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY:
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 is the third film in the dystopian young adult franchise about archer extraordinaire Katniss Everdeen. Mockingjay is the final book in the trilogy, and in true young adult adaptation spirit, it’s being split into two parts. Unfortunately, not enough happens in the book to truly warrant a second movie, and there’s no clear place to end the film, so the movie ends up feeling a lot like an overly-long episode of a TV show. The fact that this film isn’t self-contained really harms the impact and sustainability it has on the audience. At the end of the day, the film never really leads up to anything, and ends up feeling like just a waste of time. The story continues directly where Catching Fire ended, with Katniss recovering after destroying the 75th annual Hunger Games. It is decided that she will be the “Mockingjay” for the rebellion, meaning that she will be the symbol to spur morale amongst the rebelling districts. There is also a lot of relationship drama in the film, as Gale is comforting Katniss and has to deal with the fact that Katniss is interested in Peeta, who is in the hands of the Capital. Other than this, nothing really happens in the film. You could take out any scene of this film and it would be essentially the same movie. The same points are repeated over and over for the sake of extending the run-time, if nothing else. The attempts at humor are cringe-worthy, and there’s an incredibly uncomfortable portion of the film with Jennifer Lawrence singing a capella. There’s not really any significant character development in the film either. The character archetypes that are established early on in this film or previous films are hardly expanded on. The film just feels like it’s meandering around. Here’s the thing. The whole point that the previous books/films have been trying to make is that these “Hunger Games” are absolutely atrocious and we should be ashamed if we’re intrigued by them. The problem with this is that the games have been so tame (due to the necessary PG-13 ratings) that we’re not shown the brutality of the situation, and we’re just left fantasizing about what we would do if we were in this situation. This is especially a problem because the games become the only interesting things the story has to offer. Without the games in this movie, all we’re left with is bad political commentary. People who say they watch The Hunger Games for the political commentary are lying, because all the movies essentially have to say is “Corruption bad. Equality good.” On a production level, Mockingjay - Part 1 is competent enough. The performances are okay and special effects are done well enough, but there’s no sense of satisfaction in the film. When the movie ends, it doesn’t feel like you just finished a movie, it just feels like there are credits midway through the film and then the film stops. The payoff is in the next movie, and that makes this movie forgettable at best, a time-waster at worst.
4/10
SAVING CHRISTMAS:
Between Heaven is Real and God’s Not Dead, this year has been a big year for Christian movies. Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas is one of such films, though it pains me to call it an actual movie. Clocking in at 80 minutes, the film has enough material to comfortably fill up 15. The movie opens with Kirk Cameron drinking imaginary cocoa and talking to the camera about how much he likes Christmas. After that enthralling introduction, the majority of the film takes place in a car as Kirk Cameron talks about how the materialism of Christmas is actually a Christian thing. That’s the whole movie. It’s padded out with awful attempts at humor, so much slow-motion that Zack Snyder would cringe, and a barely choreographed musical number at the end of the film. The credits are even stretched out with the inclusion of the least interesting outtakes imaginable. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Does Kirk Cameron save Christmas? Definitely. He deflects logic with so much skill and precision that it’s honestly astounding. The stretches that are taken to prove his points are almost as long as this movie feels. When defending against the argument that the Christmas tree is a Pagan symbol, Cameron begins with, “Well, when God made the earth, he made all of the trees...” This movie is truly special. It is entirely incompetent of any dramatic structure and lacks any sense of self-awareness. This is likely the worst movie I’ve ever seen, and definitely the worst movie I’ve seen that has gotten a theatrical release. This isn’t a B-movie, it’s not even a z-movie. This should have never seen the light of day.
0/10
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
SPORTS 12
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014
2014 Turkey Trot showcases a strong Lake Conference On the week- said Sorenson. Later in the period, Mark packed with fans and it never hurts to beat end of No- Senden (11) earned another goal. Maple Grove for the second year in a row,” S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R vember 21, the Third period came along and Paterson fin- said Paterson. Wa y z a t a boys’ varsity hockey team hosted their season opening tournament at the Plymouth Ice Center. “It was a great first weekend and we learned a lot about our season’s potential,” said Coach Pat O’Leary. Both game days, the PIC was packed with families, friends, alumni, and a larger student section than the arena has seen in recent years. “We’ve waited eight months for this and to play in that type of atmosphere is something special to us. It was a great way to start off the year and it’s an honor to be able to lead the team. A lot of great players have been where I am now and I can’t wait to see where we end up this season,” said captain Alex Stevens (12). The tournament started with the Trojans facing off against Maple Grove, a long-time section rival. Maple Grove Photo by Dan Gustafson started strong scoring right away in the first period. Shortly after, Wayzata came Nathan Dingmann (12) and Mark Senden (11) celebrate Dingmann’s second goal against Edina. Edina won in back with a goal from Jack Fetrow (12). shootout 2-1. Hank Sorenson (10) started off the second period with a goal bringing Wayzata to ished off the team’s goals for the night. “ScorThe final score was 4-1 for Wayzata. Earlier the lead. “My buddy Luke Paterson (11) fed ing in the season opener was a feeling like no in the night, Edina beat Holy Family 11-0. me the assisting pass for me to get the shot,” other. It made it even better that the rink was The following Saturday, the Trojans would By Melissa Trout
Wayzata XC heads to Nationals Almost a month after Last year at Nike both the girls and boys By MADELINE ORZESKE Cross Nationals the cross country teams S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R boys team came in 15th placed first at Nike and the girls team came Heartland Rein a surprise gionals, the Way- Photo by Kriag Lungstrom first place overzata runners are all. Of the seven looking ahead to girls who raced strong perforat Nationals last mances at Nike year, four graduCross Nationals ated, leaving this weekend. several spots for The 11th annew top runners. nual Nike Cross Those spots were Nationals held filled by talented in Portland, Oryoung runners egon will feature this season, leavtop teams from ing the girls with eigth regional yet again a good qualifying meets shot at a strong nationwide. Two performance seven-person this weekend. teams from each Anna French is of the eight rethe only returngions have qualiing senior on the fied to race at Connor Olson (12) finishes first in the 5000 meter girl’s team. nationals, in ad- race at the Minnesota State High School League The boys dition to four meet on October 30th. have six of their at-large clubs. seven runners There will be a who raced at Natotal of 22 clubs plus 45 individuals tionals in 2013 returning to Portland racing in Portland. this year, four of the returning runAt Nike Heartland Regionals, the ners being seniors. The boys are curtop female runner for Wayzata was rently ranked second in the nation senior Anna French (12) placing and will be looking to take the top fifth overall and the top male runner spot on the leaderboard. for the Wayzata boys team was senior A live webcast of the races will start Connor Olson (12) who placed sev- at 9:30 am on Sunday, December 6th. enth overall.
Rams -2 @ Washington
DREW’S PICKS OF THE WEEK
In the last edition of Drew’s Picks, I basically said the Rams would get shellacked by the Broncos. Well, that was stupid. Not only did they cover the huge spread, they won the game! By 15 points! St. Louis is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, coming off the biggest blowout win of the season. Yes, it was against the Raiders, but the Rams have shown flashes of brilliance this year, defeating the Seahawks, 49ers, and those Broncos. Meanwhile, Washington continues to be a pathetic excuse of a franchise. Could their fans be ticked off enough to boo so much that the Rams actually get a road field advantage? Colt “All I Do is Win” McCoy scares me a little, but not enough to shy away from a red hot squad giving only two points to a team that best resembles a dumpster fire.
face the 2013 and 2014 Class AA State title champions. On Saturday, everyone at the Plymouth Ice Center could feel the tension on the rink. Edina took control of the game quickly with a goal. Edina would find the back of the net for a second consecutive goal before Wayzata would start an offensive drive. Nathan Dingmann (12) made the first two goals in the comeback followed by Hank Sorenson’s second goal of the tournament. The game was tied 3-3 by the end of the game leading to sudden-death overtime. The overtime was scoreless and resulted in a five player shootout. The nerve wracking event came to a devastating end for Wayzata. Edina won 2-1 in the shootout resulting, officially, as a tie on both the teams’ records. “It was a lot of fun playing. The fans were great and we played well against two really good teams. The boys are always excited to start the season at the Turkey Trot. We now know we have a good team and we’re all excited for the rest of the season,” said goaltender Alex Schilling (11). “There are many new faces in different roles and the experience we gained in the two games will be valuable for us as the season moves on,” said O’Leary.
Boys basketball: kings of the comeback
After a 22-point GUEST WRITER comeback win on November 25th against Eagan, the Wayzata boys basketball team shocked the defending state champions Lakeville North winning 68-66 on December 2nd. The Trojans hosted Lakeville and finished the first half down by nine. As the second half got under way, the Trojans tightened up their man defense, running a switch ever ything type of man defense. A switch ever ything defense is supposed to open up options to help the weak side and open up more possibilities for a turnover. With less than 3 minutes to play, the Trojans generated a turnover and Johnny Beeninga took the ball coast to coast, dribbled past one defender and finished with a spin-move layup to extend their lead back to three and brought the crowd to their feet with a standing ovation. The Trojans would finish the game sticking to their tough defense and overcoming foul trouble, winning 68-66. “O ur team and our toughness kind of make us who we are. We never give up. These last two games, we have been down at the half, but persevere and end up winning. We make sure ever ything we do is to By AUSTIN RUSH
Falcons @ Packers +12
I really don’t know how high this line would have to be for me to consider taking the Falcons. Aaron Rodgers, at the helm of a full-strength Green Bay team, at Lambeau, in primetime. The Pack should have this line covered in the first quarter. Rodgers is just otherworldly right now. If Davante Adams, who broke out last week with 121 yards against the Patriots, can be a legitimate weapon in this blitzkreig-esque offense, I seriously question if anyone can stop them. On the other side of the ball, Green Bay’s rejuvenated defense hasn’t allowed over 21 points since their Week Nine bye. The Falcons have only won one game against a non-NFC South opponent. But this isn’t about Atlanta. It’s about the unstoppable force that wears green and gold.
the best of our ability,” said Captain Ty Gelinske (11). “ We knew we could come back. We did it the last game so we knew we could again,” said Captain Johnny Beeninga (11). As usual the Wayzata fan group, the Trojan Troops, was in attendance. They cheered on the boys and maintained an electric atmosphere. After the game Trojan Troop member Hayden Farmer (12) said, “It ’s great being able to support this team, they are a bunch of great guys and I love watching them thrive.” After the final buzzer and the post-game handshake the troops stormed the floor and celebrated in triumph with the victors. The boys’ basketball team has a new look this year, with their second head coach in two seasons and no returning seniors. The team led by junior captains, Johnny Beeninga and Ty Gelinske, looks to carr y this team to someplace they have not been in quite some time: the Target Center. The team has started off with two convincing wins and appears to have entered a groove that will make them hard to beat. After winning seven games all of last year, the Trojans appear to be on their way to a winning season with a new coach and young talent. Back to back games resulting in comeback victories have shown that these boys can play with anyone on any night.
Steeler +3.5 @ Bengals
This division is harder to solve than a Rubik’s Cube, but I’ll give it a shot. The Bengals have won three in a row, all of which have come on the road. While Cincy is heating up, their AFC South rival Steelers are cooling down, and Big Ben’s consecutive six-TD games seem like a distant memory. Pittsburgh’s defense hit rock bottom last week, allowing Drew Brees to shred them for five touchdowns. Everything points to a comfortable Bengals win. Well, when all signs point to something happening in this division, the opposite usually happens. For me, this comes down to Roethlisberger vs. Dalton. Give me the two-time Super Bowl champ getting the points.