THE WAYZATA HIGH SCHOOL TROJAN TRIBUNE, APRIL 28TH, 2014
OUT OF AFRICA INTO ENGLAND AND BACK AGAIN AUTHOR Hana Kassem GRAPHICS Katie Talerico
Senior Annika Halverson was born in Boston, Mas- with broken glass on top and electric wires to ensure bors very well because of the high security surroundsachusetts, moved to Plymouth, Minnesota when no one would break in. Every window and door in- ing every house, but they still made friends through she was one year old, then to Cheshire, England cluded metal bars and there was a panic button in ev- church and school. when she was seven. The family then moved again ery room of the house. The family had a guard as well. Halverson was able to experience holidays in an into Wayzata, Minnesota, when she was nine, then to “My home in Tanzania was actually bigger than it is teresting, if not planned, way as well. Only Tanzanian Dar es Salaam, Tanzania at age ten, all before moving here,” said Halverson. holidays from the main religions were celebrated at back to Wayzata when she was 13. “I have gone to The home had marble her international school. four different elementary schools and lived on three floors, cement walls, and She spedifferent continents before sixth grade,” said Halv- a lot of space, but was cifically erson. very cheaply made. The rememHer father’s jobs have taken the family around the bars on all the windows, bers one world. Her father’s time at Cargill moved the family doors, and other openThanksgivto Boston, Minnesota, and England. He then began ings to prevent r o b ing spent working for the African Development Foundation bers in Tanza(ADF), which moved the family to o r nia when, Tanzania. Halverson’s any halfway father through n o w the school works day, an for Land alarm starto’ Lakes. ed sounding Out of and the enall the tire school p l a c e s gathered at Hal verson the soccer has lived, fields. The her favorstaff moved ite has been all 600 stuTa n z a n i a , dents around hands down. the campus “I absolutely until they “In this photo, we are at Amani Beach. Amani loved Tanzania found a spot is Swahali for ‘peace.’ Thi our favorite getaway spo s was t for a vacation, and wh and sometimes deep in shrubere we spent our time dri ing mango smoothies and nkjumping off of sand dun es,” Halverson said. I would rather bery and hidlive there than den by palm here! Something trees where , Serengeti ght e th about living in no one would n o i u safar e tho ring our ur car. W a third-world be able to see found du et away from o rson. e w n o li e fe imba, a n while ture,” said Halv S country really unwanted compathem. A securiw o is sh is “ Th teeth a pic pen and snapped d brings families and ny from entering the ty company came and cut a hole in the wall bordering a d y mouth o nny, so m it was fu friends close tohouse were welded the campus, and the students had to go through it. gether. Although it into pretty shapes to make it seem “Our parents were told to come pick us up. No was dangerous and less prison-like. one knew what was going on and I remember not frustrating at times, I wouldn’t “We were fortunate enough to have running wa- being too worried, just happy that I had gotten my trade my experience there for anything. I know ter that had a filtration system in one of the faucets, Thanksgiving break. The next day we had found out that I would not be the person I am today without which was the only faucet that we could drink out there had been a bomb threat from a fired employee,” living there,” said Halverson. of,” said Halverson. Many of the Halversons’ friends Halverson said. Halverson contracted plasmodium falciparum, had running water, but it was too risky to drink, so “Christmas in Tanzania was always interesting but the deadliest and most common version of malaria. they had to buy bottled water. The Halversons had 2007 takes the cake,” said Halverson. Her family de“Thankfully I didn’t get the type that stays with you an oven, refrigerator, washing machine, and dryer, cided to do something truly Tanzanian for Christforever,” said Halverson. “I lost a ton of weight, my whereas many of their friends did not, so the Halv- mas and go on a safari, but their vacation quickly skin turned yellow, all of my joints hurt and I had ab- erson home was the meeting place for parties and turned into a nightmare when they got to their hotel. solutely no energy to the point where walking up the get-togethers. “Apparently there were no available rooms except stairs was fatiguing and I had to lay down to catch “We lived in the city and had neighbors. Our neigh- for a glorified mud hut. The next day we started our my breath after I had done so. It’s a very treatable bors were usually expats from foreign countries or safari only to find no animals and a lot of beetles. No disease and all the parasites were out of my blood wealthier Tanzanians. One of our neighbors was the one told us that it was the worst beetle season in ten stream in a week, but it took months to fully gain my ambassador from Morocco and another was Jackie years. The heat was unbearable -- 90 to 110 degrees energy back.” Robinson’s son, David Robinson! I never got to know every day. My sister Ingrid got stung by a blister beeSecurity was a big issue in Tanzania. The Halver- him but my dad did a little,” Halverson said. The tle, which left scars on her neck, and we hardly saw sons’ home was surrounded by a 12-foot cement wall Halversons were unable to get to know their neigh- any animals,” Halverson said. Although that trip was
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a disaster, Halverson admits other be pretty good friends with some safaris were far better. “But other of them.” safaris were a blast! We saw hippos, Halverson left Dar es Salaam, elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, Tanzania, when she was thirteen rhinos, zebras, flamingos, you name years old. She not only experiit!” enced culture barriers in TanHalverson says her whole perspeczania, but in England as well tive on life has changed. Her eyes when she was seven years old. were opened to poverty and she was “Although the British speak the able to see how a majority of the same language, our cultures are world’s population lives. very different,” said Halverson. “There are three billion people livOn her first day of school in Ening on less than two dollars a day,” gland, no one could pronounce said Halverson. “I was a little young her name properly. to fully understand what people “It was weird having to wear a were actually going through, but school uniform and being the looking back now, I can’t believe only person with an American how absolutely terrible the living accent. I asked to go to the bathconditions were for a majority of room and the whole class erupted the population. Looking out my with laughter. My teacher told window each morning was a daily me, ‘We don’t have baths at this reminder to be thankful for what I school.’ have.” There are tons of different words The water outages, power outages, and phrases that would be conlanguage barriers, horrendous traffic sidered weird here. I had to get and tropical heat made every day a used to saying ‘Pardon?’ instead of challenge. “The power outages were ‘What?’, ‘rubbish’ means garbage, probably the worst because at least ‘snogging’ means making out, twice a week and sometimes daily, ‘dungaree’s’ mean overalls, and the entire city would shut down, ‘bloody’ and ‘bugger’ are swear and without air conditioning it was words. In the end I adjusted pret“My Grandma named this elephant George Bush, because the elephant is the symbol for impossible to sleep.” ty quickly and I even picked up the Republican Party. We found him in Ruaha National Park,” said Halverson. The Halversons also raised money a British accent myself. I made to put in a water well for Madala amazing friends and I still keep Village, a village they went to every in touch with a couple today.” Saturday to do ministry and play Halverson says she would go soccer with the kids. “Some of the back to Tanzania in a heartbeat. villagers had their first sip of clean “I would live in England again water ever and their reaction was as well, but I want to live somefriends with many Tanzanians. priceless!” Halverson said. where where I’ve never been before. I’m always up There are many tribes in Tanzania, the Maasai be“I admire the culture in Tanzania. The people there ing the leading tribe. They dress in red plaid covers, for an adventure. I would really like to live in Africa find joy in the simplest things, things that we often wear tons of beads, stretch out their earlobes for fash- again. It just captured my heart and I know that I’ll take for granted,” Halverson said. Cultural differenc- ion, and wear cut up car tires as shoes. “They are the get back there someday.” es were only a slight barrier for her and she is still friendliest people you will ever meet and we got to
THE MORNING RUSH: For many students like Asia Blanford (12), a quick trip to the Breakfast Nook has become a morning routine. Their prices and locations are competitive with Culinary Express.
THE NOOK: BREAKFAST FOR SOME, EMPLOYMENT FOR OTHERS By Taylor Cranfield The Lakers Breakfast Nook is, quite possibly, the best part of first block. Although it sounds hyperbolic, I’m perfectly serious. The Lakers Breakfast Nook is a student run business serving gourmet coffee and healthy foods. In essence, the Breakfast Nook, working out of the Special Education room on the first floor, serves low-price breakfast food to students, while giving Special Education students the opportunity to gain usable skills for the workforce. The Lakers Breakfast Nook started this year, after the popularity of the Lakers breakfast cart rose. Demand for breakfast items at a great price has risen over the past couple of years and the Lakers needed another way to make a profit, said Michelle Howe, a Special Education teacher at the school and coordinator for the Breakfast Nook. The concept was easy: give students in the Special Education program skills that they would need for future jobs -- greeting customers, delivering orders, and counting change. Sam, a student working in the Lakers program, was delivering goods to students in a fourth floor classroom. He was new to the job, said Howe, as students switch jobs every term. Yet, despite the fact that his job was new, Sam
was great with delivery. As the students crowded to the door at the prospect of food, Sam greeted them with a smile and a wave. He found their orders and handled their money, counting out the change and handing it back with a smile and a “Thank you!” Howe was patient, helping Sam with the bills and assisting him with handing large orders. After the run was done, she made sure to stop the cart and turned to Sam with a smile. “Great job, Sam,” she said. She was encouraging and patient, the embodiment of what every teacher should be. Back at the Breakfast Nook, Howe explained that the operation isn’t just limited to breakfast items. In addition to bagels, the Lakers sell lanyards, candy, and bracelets. The most impressive part of the Nook is the opportunity it gives to students. Without the experience provided by the Nook, students would be at a disadvantage in the workplace. The students are learning the skills that they need to help them succeed in the workforce later. One student, Howe told me, was able to call a teacher and deliver a message all by herself.
Those students who are made uncomfortable by the chaos of the classroom are accommodated with assignments helping serve the school by vacuuming the carpets with custodians. The Lakers Nook is entirely self-sufficient. Everything from their food (which costs about $500 a week) to their vacuums were funded by their own profits. They even take field trips to Central Middle School to help the students become more familiar with other buildings in the district. Another perk of visiting the different middle schools is showing the incoming freshmen how fun it is to work at the Breakfast Nook. “My favorite part [of Breakfast Nook] are the incoming ninth-graders,” said Howe. In the end, it isn’t the great food that makes Breakfast Nook special: it’s the students. On the surface, the Nook is a well-run organization that provides students with delicious food that doesn’t cost a fortune. Behind the door is even better: there is a heartfelt community dedicated to making students’ lives better. So, pick up a muffin and a coffee next time you’re around. You’re positively impacting some amazing students in doing so.
KEVIN ZHENG Kevin Zheng (12) has contributed to two universities thus far: University of Minnesota and Stony Brook University in New York, and he has made great strides in environmental science, chemistry, and physics. Zheng said that he always found himself curious in all of his science classes about the techniques that were actually used in labs. “I wanted to see the scientific method put into action...I got in contact with the lab I worked in via email, and found their work really interesting,” said Zheng. Zheng used his curiosity to gain a spot in a U of M lab studying environmental science and organic chemistry. “The project I did at the U of M last year was basically finding new materials for solar cells and solar panels...I characterized two new materials for solar panels,” said Zheng. At Stony Brook, Zheng was able to make a pulse laser, a laser that compresses continuous power with respective time. Essentially, this means the laser can cut through things using a concentrated source of power. However, these discoveries required hard work and an entirely different learning method. “You need to be able to learn quickly and be independent...At the U of M, my project involved a spectra of various chemicals using spectrometers...The lab I was in used a kind of laser technique to probe chemical reactions in real time,” said Zheng. To clarify, this meant the scientists utilized short bursts of light to study how the chemical reactions were occurring. Research can be a big commitment, and according to Zheng, he worked an 8 hour week for U of M and 40 hours a week for 7 weeks at Stony Brook University. Being in the lab was not only a great experience for Zheng in high school, but also a big advantage in college and beyond. “I was exposed to how science research really worked, and I accomplished my goals...I’d like to go to a research university and study applied physics, so it’s nice to be able to tell professors you’ve had experience in the lab,” said Zheng. Yet Zheng’s true motivation and takeaway was making way for new scientific discoveries. “The best part of the project was knowing I’m helping discover new things...It’s something unique when you can hold something in your hands and know you were the first one to discover it,” said Zheng.
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“DIELECTRIC MIRRORS utilize thin film interference to reflect laser light very efficiently, and are key in any optics lab setup. They generally can reflect above 99.999% of incident light, compared to about 95% for silver/gold mirrors. I used dielectric mirrors to create a laser cavity, and reflect the laser output to where I needed it.” -Kevin Zheng
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APEKSHYA PANDA
AUTHORS Nicole Stephan and Anna Rodriguez PHOTOS Katie Talerico GRAPHICS Carmen Santana
LLIAM ZENG
“FORCEPS are used in dissecting mice brains. We used these brains to study Alzheimers.” -Apekshya Panda
12) has been using his knowledge of genetics to conch on a device used for heart failure. ng how the insertion of a left-ventricular assist device ffect gene expression,” said Zeng. used to help patients in end-stage heart failure; howesult in internal bleeding. ct analyzes the changing gene expressions in the result from LVAD implantation to see if I can find a m behind the bleeding,” said Zeng. owed up on interests he found in Wayzata’s sciences cially in the biology department, and wanted to exh new equipment and techniques. procedures like polymerase chain reaction and gel n class, and it made me want to do them in real life. t I learned in science class when I do research,” said
part of this project is the fact that it’s using bioinforatics is using computers to aid in biological research, the human genome. Bioinformatics will likely be the search. so I’m glad I was able to use it,” said Zeng. g, he is constantly anticipating whether or not he will ry that could potentially help patients with LVADs. Zeng has received recognition for his breakthroughs, himself for college at Stanford. project in 10th grade, I qualified to go to the InterEngineering Fair as an alternate. It also helped me e High School Honors Science Program, a summer chigan State University,” said Zeng. conducting further research in college and he is hoprience gives him an edge in getting into graduate or
n’t as busy at the lab, but he is still focusing on getting
t doesn’t have me going to the lab much, but when often do bench work (running procedures for my my research paper, or attending meetings,” said Zeng.
“MICROPIPETTES are used to transfer very precise amounts of liquid, as precise as 1 microliter (10-6 L). It is a staple tool in wet lab, used for just about every procedure.” -William Zeng
Apekshya Panda’s (12) research has led her to important findings about both Alzheimer’s and her plans for the future. Since sophomore year, Panda has been visiting the University of Minnesota laboratory and conducting important research regarding neurological disorders. “I just started emailing people and said ‘Oh, neuroscience seems cool.’ I emailed 19 people and 1 responded,” said Panda. Since the beginning of her time at the lab, Panda has played a role in making exciting discoveries about Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders. “I’ve been doing a bunch of things. Our lab studies Alzheimer’s disease. We take different sections of mice brains and look at them,” Panda said. “I also learned how to do embryonic cell cultures,” said Panda. She explained that this is a process of taking embryos out of pregnant mice and examining the brains of the embryos. In addition to embryonic cultures, Panda has also performed neuron cultures. Panda said, “It’s really different because each brain is different and no equipment is involved.” This time spent in the lab is invaluable to Panda. She helps it will aid her as she plans to study it at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this coming fall. Panda cites the lack of public knowledge about neurological disorders and the impacts they have on families as reasons for her interest in the field. “A bunch of neurological disorders don’t have any treatments or cures. We still don’t know a lot about the brain and nervous system,” said Panda. The experience is something that Panda is really grateful for. “It’s rare that a lab would let someone inexperienced work for them.” Panda said, “I think it’s amazing having the opportunity to learn from these types of people. It’s not textbook learning. You’ll screw up, but it’s a totally different type of learning.”
AT THE
CIRCUS AUTHOR MEREDITH JOHNSON
You’re close to 25 feet in the air, standing on a narrow platform, and getting ready to swing across the gap that separates you from the hands of your partner. If you miss, you fall to the net below you, but if you manage to clasp hands with your partner, you’ve comwpleted the trick and the crowd will erupt in applause. This is the lifestyle of Michaela Diamond (12) and Claire Poppendeck (11) as they work to perfect their circus performing. Diamond ’s passion lies in trapeze performing, which she started three years ago when she started performing in festivals both in and out of Minnesota. “I started at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts in the Catskills of New York. I also participated in circus schools such as Juventas in St. Paul, Xelias in Minneapolis, and the Twin Cities Trapeze Center in St. Paul,” said Diamond. Pursuing trapeze wasn’t in Diamond ’s original plans; she went to French Woods for theater classes, but once she saw the circus, she knew she had to tr y it. “I fell in love with it immediately. Two of my cousins were also involved in circus when they were younger, so having a natural talent for it helped,” said Diamond. “ Trapeze isn’t the only act I perform. I do Spanish web, silks, hoops, corde, and swinging trap as well,” said Diamond. The Spanish web is an aerial circus performance that involves hanging from a long braided rope, or corde lisse, that is hung from the ceiling. From there, the performer would wind the rope in various knots around themselves, then do different drops and locking positions. Aerial silks is close to Spanish web in that the performer hangs from silks hung to the ceiling, and then performs aerial acrobatics. Being a part of circus performing has helped Diamond meet people from all across the world, and has allowed her to feel free whenever she performs. “Performing trapeze in the circus makes me feel unique, and helps me stand out from the crowd. The people involved are crazy and weird, but also accepting, like me. I enjoy sharing accomplishments with the people I’ve met from all over because ever yone is ver y supportive. Circus is my home and I feel no need to be perfect,” said Diamond. The audience plays a direct role in the excitement of the performance due to the difficulty and the possibility that the performer could get hurt. The fact that this isn’t a common pastime also helps because people haven’t seen these acts before. According to Diamond, the audience is always on the edge of their seats, caught up in the anticipation of whether or not someone is going
to pull off a trick. This reaction helps Diamond and other performers to keep up their energ y. “Circus is such a rare activity that the smallest things excite the audience. It ’s great to have that energ y out there to keep our adrenaline up because long routines are ver y tiring,” said Diamond. D uring the summer when Diamond performs for large audiences is when she gets the most adrenaline. “I feel invincible. Sometimes I often don’t even realize I’ve gotten an injur y until after the performance. I just look down and realize my foot is bleeding,” said Diamond. Poppendeck said that she has not always been flexible. “I was flexible only when I was little. W hen I reached 7th grade I decided I wanted to be able do the splits again. To reach this goal I stretched for hours each day and just became really flexible,” said Poppendeck. This is how Poppendeck got back into circus performing. The actual circus work started when Po p p e n d e c k started taking classes at Circus Juventas at age
twelve. T h a t turned into strictly summer camps for a while, but then two years ago Poppendeck started classes back up again. “I picked it up again with contortion and silks classes at Circus Xelias. However I only take classes during the summer and fall because the rest of the year I’m busy with skiing and synchro,” said Poppendeck. Sometimes it ’s hard just to jump right into classes again from being gone for six months, but a lot of the skills that I learn in circus help me in my other sports too,” said Poppendeck. Once she started, Poppendeck gained more from contortion than she thought she would. “In contortion I learned more than just flexibility—I learned teamwork, strength, and balance as well.
Graphic by Carmen Sa nta
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PASSING TIME CONVERSATIONS: Priya Tuttle (12) laughs with friends in the hallway. Like many students, Tuttle doesn’t use the lockers to store her backpack, but instead as a place to gather with friends between classes.
Why are there lockers in the first place?
“There were huge changes between the 1996 and 1997 school years,” said Dr. Craig Paul, the principal of Wayzata High School from 1993-2008. Dr. Paul orchestrated Wayzata High School’s move from its old building, now Central Middle School, to its current location. Besides the new building, changes included banning hats in school, revoking the open-campus privileges, and replacing the 6-period day with block scheduling. “When we moved to the new building, we became a four-year high school, instead of only 10th-12th grades. So the very first year, we had our new sophomores coming in, but the 9th graders were brand new to the high school as well. Those [two grades] coming from junior high preferred to have lockers,” said Paul. He explained that the decision to include lockers was a compromise made by the planning committee of teachers, parents, students, and administrators. Teachers wanted students to come to class prepared. If students were allowed to carry their backpacks, they would always have their books with them, and they wouldn’t
have an excuse to leave class to go to their lockers, Paul said. “In 2003/2004, nationally, a lot of schools were banning backpacks or requiring that they be clear plastic bags, and putting in metal detectors. We didn’t want that kind of atmosphere at Wayzata, so we decided to keep backpacks,” Paul said.
Remove the Lockers?
“There were no plans to remove lockers – there was never much clamor to take the lockers out. Kids would hang out around the locker bays between classes. The lockers still serve a functional purpose, even if not as storage,” said Paul. He said that putting in couches or lounge chairs raises even more issues. “Who gets those and who doesn’t? We deliberately did not do that because there wouldn’t be enough,” Paul said.
Other ideas for replacement have floated around as well, but have also been dropped in favor of keeping lockers. “We have talked about putting more classrooms where the lockers are now. We are running out of classroom space; in fact, we are already short three rooms for next year. However, we still need the lockers because if we said no to backpacks, where would everyone’s stuff go? I don’t see that decision happening now, but we need to be ready for unforeseen circumstances,” said WHS Principal Mike Trewick. Paul explained that due institution of block scheduling, students had fewer textbooks to carry around. Students no longer had to go to their lockers between classes to exchange books, because they could painlessly carry the books on their shoulders. “If it turned out that people didn’t like the block schedule and we returned
[to a 6-period day], where would everyone’s materials go?” said Paul.
Not Enough Lockers
“We opened [the new building] with 2400 kids in 1997, and we anticipated to eventually reach 3200, although that number has now been surpassed, of course. But we knew there would be growth there. We made the decision to have lockers knowing that we wouldn’t have enough room for lockers for all the students,” said Paul. “In 2006, we did end up running short on lockers, so we created an opt-in program for juniors and seniors. We would have needed to put in even more lockers, and this helped us avoid having to add more,” said Paul. The opt-in program is still in place – juniors and seniors, instead of being automatically assigned a locker at the beginning of the year, can request one if they choose. “We used to charge a ‘9th grade fee’ of $2 for a locker. But we found out that was not legal. So then we cut the fee and now provide lockers free to all underclassmen,” said Trewick. “But if everyone requested a locker, I’m not sure we would have enough.”
Senior Isabel Rayas speaks English, Spanish, French, and German. Even though Rayas just started learning German in February 2013, she now often finds herself thinking in German. From September to January, Rayas did her best to immerse herself in the German culture. Her main goal was to learn the language, done no better way than studying abroad in Germany. During first semester, Rayas stayed with a family in Neustadt, a rural town of 14,230, in the German state of Sachsen, about an hour from Dresden and 6 miles from the Czech Republic. “I stayed with a girl whom my family hosted for a year three years ago, so I already knew them. She’s an only child and I lived with her, her mom, and their dog,” said Rayas. Every morning Rayas woke up at 6:00 am to catch the city bus at 6:30. The bus arrived to her school at 7:00, just in time for class to start at 7:15 am. Rayas said, “There are 3 types of ‘high schools’ in Germany - you can choose to graduate after 9th, 10th, or 12th grade. I went to a Gymnasium, which goes from 5th to 12th grade, and there are only 490 students. Needless to say, everyone knows everyone, which is a huge change from Wayzata.” “[German] students take 14 subjects a week all year, every year,” said Rayas. Rayas said students don’t get to choose which subjects they take, except in 11th grade when they specify their study. Students can specialize in either math, history and politics, or German (communications). “I got hardly any homework. I spent maybe half an hour a week doing homework. Homework isn’t integrated into your grade, because the only things that make up your grade are quizzes and tests, which they have about 4 big tests a year in each subject and about eight quizzes,” Rayas said. The grading scale at the school Rayas studied at ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being the highest and 10 being the lowest possible grade. In addition, their grade depends on discipline. The grading system wasn’t the only
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difference in comparison to German schools; Rayas had a different schedule each day. For example, on Monday, Rayas had the equivalent of a Wayzata High School block of German, a 20 minute “breakfast break,” a block of private German lessons, followed by another break of 15 minutes. Rayas then had a block of Geography, a 45 minute lunch break, and a block of English. “On other days some classes were just 45 minutes long, and some days I didn’t have class until third hour, or I was done before lunch break,” said Rayas. Rayas said that on those days, “I took the bus home where I ate lunch, the big meal of the day.” “They eat breakfast like we do, but instead of having the ‘big meal of the day’ for dinner like most people in the United States, they have a big, warm lunch,” said Rayas. Following lunch, Rayas typically worked on homework or talked to family and friends back in the U.S., who were just waking up. Dinner in German is called “abendbrot,” which means evening bread. For abendbrot, Rayas usually ate bread and butter with cheese or meat. “The food here is very hearty. People take their breads very seriously; there are bakeries everywhere, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you could eat a different bread every day of the year,” said Rayas. Though there were a lot of differences between German and American meals, Rayas noticed that the clothes were pretty similar. “I’ve been told that shirts that say things in German are considered ‘uncool,’ but not if they say something in English,” Rayas said. “Entertainment [in Germany] was
also similar to the United States. People go hang out at friends’ houses, go to the movies, or to Dresden, and have parties on the weekends. In Germany, however, you’re allowed to drink beer and wine at age 16, so they go out to bars/clubs, too,” Rayas said. A major difference between the U.S. and Germany that Rayas noticed was size. “Everything here is smaller. Towns are smaller, streets are smaller, houses and cars are smaller. I wouldn’t be surprised if the people were smaller. However, the big cities [like Dresden] are pretty similar to some big cities in the United States, just older,” said Rayas. Rayas went sightseeing in Dresden, Leipzig, Nuremberg, and Hamburg as well. “The big cities are very historical, as opposed to the cities that people go to visit in the United States, which are modern and were built not too long ago.” Not only did Rayas spend time throughout Germany, she was fortunate enough to travel to Spain, the Netherlands, and France during her stay in Europe. “Before coming to Germany, I had only visited Mexico and Canada,” said Rayas. For two weeks during her fall break, Isabel visited her aunt in Barcelona. “In Barcelona, you could definitely tell the difference [from Germany] in the weather and culture. The Latin influence there makes it more relaxed than in Germany.” Rayas spent New Years with family friends in Grenoble, a city in the southeast of France where the Alps begin. She also spent time sightseeing in Paris, where she visited the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and
Versailles. Though the sights were gorgeous and the food was delicious, it was the people she met and the cultures she experienced that made her travels most rewarding. “Most of us have spent our whole life in the U.S., and a lot of us just in Minnesota. But the world is so much bigger than that, and people live so differently in one place compared to the next. I find it really interesting to experience these differences firsthand, and my trip to Germany has been especially remarkable because I’ve not only seen them, but I’ve actually lived them, too.” In order to meet more people and experience more cultures, Rayas hopes to travel to other parts of Europe, Australia and South America in the future. Rayas said, “I am definitely planning on studying abroad in college. That’s something very important to me. I originally planned on going to France, but I might come back to Germany, and even still, who knows where I’ll want to go in the next few years? All I know is that this experience has been awesome and I can’t wait to have another one like it.”
LIVING IN GERMANY: During first semester, Isabel Rayas (12) studied in Neustadt (above), in eastern Germany. For over five months, Rayas learned the language and absorbed the culture.
ETTORE COLA Padua, Italy
By SOPHIE MILSTEIN All the way from Padua, a city in northern Italy, Ettore Cola has immersed himself in the 2014 senior class. Through his school’s exchange program, Cola has recently traveled to France and Slovakia. Depending on the organization, a student attempting to study abroad must be deemed eligible to do so. “You must do an English test and an aptitude test to be eligible [to travel through my program],” said Cola. “Otherwise, it can be very expensive.” In Italy, there are a variety of schools to choose from: “Scientific schools, musical schools and more, but within them, you can’t choose your own classes.” Cola attends a scientific school, in hopes to attend medical school in Italy after graduation. His classes include astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, math, and English. At Wayzata, Cola has taken AP Art History, British Literature, Physics X, and Chemistry X. Cola still has one year left of high school when he returns to Italy this June. At Cola’s school, they have classes the same group for all five years of high school. Cola’s tight-knit classes at home have allowed him to establish close relationships with the 20 kids he’s been with for five years.
OMAR MOHAMMED Malindi, Kenya
By KATE CARROLL Twaha (Omar) Mohammed came to Minnesota this August from Malindi, Kenya. “The coldest weather I had ever experienced was 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the coldest I’ve experienced in Minnesota was -43.” “Life in Kenya was cool, I went to a boarding school, and we woke up at 4AM to go to morning class preparation from 4:30 until breakfast at 5:40. The wakeup times for Wayzata seem a whole lot better compared to that.“
Mohammed stands, hands on hips, in front of an overshadowing Mt. Rushmore.
Pictured here with Kate Carroll (12) and Elizabeth Hannigan (12), Cola attended the homecoming dance this year with a group of friends. Although Cola misses his closest friends back home, he’s made plenty of friends here. In comparison, Cola notices that Wayzata students don’t care much for style, but in Italy style is a priority. “Everyone here is just nice, and they really care how they look inside of school, but in Italy everyone cares how they look outside of school because we only have school for 5 hours a day. [Outside of school] they all wear expensive brands like Abercrombie.” Cola practiced English weeks before he came to the United States, which has helped him to adjust to the language. Cola has made Minnesota his second home, but hopes to travel the world throughout his life.
The biggest cultural difference for Mohammed was how connected people were to their traditions. “In Kenya, more people still value their traditions, and you can tell if someone is from a certain culture. I was from a town with Arabian and African culture,” Mohammed said. “In America, you can go a week without seeing your neighbors. In Kenya, people would go outside around 5 or 6 and visit with their neighbors. They were people that you saw every day,” he said. Mohammed has done his best to take advantage of the Minnesota winter. “I joined the Nordic team, and went snowboarding and roller skiing.” “The American education system is much easier than the Kenyan system,” he said. “We only have 9 tests a year, because of trimesters and we start in January, not September.” “We don’t do the ACT or SAT. We take a test at the end of our senior year, and what you got on that test tells you what college you will be attending.” Mohammed has met his fair share of athletes while here, including Timberwolves Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio. Mohammed hopes to become a dual citizen between Kenya and the United States. He hopes to stay in the U.S. after he graduates from college and aspires to become a doctor. “I’m working on a project to empower women in Kenya,” said Mohammed. “It’s kind of like a fundraiser. We want women to become entrepreneurs. Because some women who live in the countryside of Kenya they don’t go to school. We are trying to help them getting to businesses instead of just staying home.”
ELISE LYBAEK Namsos, Norway By SARAH NELSON Now 5,000 miles away from home, senior Elise Lybaek has traveled from her Norwegian roots to live as an exchange student at Wayzata. Though the Norwegian climate and food are similar to America, there are several cultural differences. “Norwegians are more closed and don’t talk to strangers. People are more open and nice here,” Lybaek said. Lybaek’s favorite place in Norway is the capital and most populous city, Oslo. “It’s one of the biggest cities in Norway and there’s so many things to do there compared to my town. My favorite memory of Oslo is when my friend and I stayed there for a week last year.” As for schooling, there are drastic differences between the United States and Norway. “Sometimes our first class starts at eight, and sometimes at noon. It depends on the day,”
Lybaek with her host sister Megan Ruhland (11) and host mother before the homecoming dance. Lybaek said. “We don’t have school sports. We also can’t choose the classes we want to take. Each class has its own classroom so the teachers have to walk around instead of the students.” Even homework is different for Norwegian students. “We have less homework, so there’s more time to hang out with friends on school days.” Being used to brutal and snowy winters, climate was no problem for Lybaek. Her biggest challenge in coming to the United States was adapting to the American lifestyle. Already seven months into the school year, Lybaek has a month until the end of her year at Wayzata.