tt
WAYZATA HIGH SCHOOL
trojan tribune VOLUME 32, ISSUE 11
MARCH 7, 2014
ANOTHER GOLDEN VICTORY FOR THE TROJANS The boys in the blue spandex brought home yet another state title last weekend. They follow the girls Swim and Dive team, who also won state.
top news HEARTWEEK RAISES $16,000 The money will go to the Miracles of Mitch Foundation. NEWS 3
HOCKEY FALLS SHORT OF SECTION TITLE, LOSES TO BENILDE SPORTS 12
GAYATHLETES
How will they change the face of sports? OPINION 8
LEV AMI The Wayzata Idol runner-up has recorded a full length album of original songs. ENTERTAINMENT 5
TEACHER SUPERLATIVES PAGES 6 & 7
Boys finish state swim sweep
By EMILY BERG & DIAMOND SAMPSON S P O R T S E D I T O R A N D J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
@emilyberg26 / @diamondsampson
The boys swim and dive team made history when they won the Class AA state championship on March 1st. The boys won with a score of 237 points with East Ridge coming in second place with a score of 194 points. Their state championship is a huge accomplishment as the boys finished 10th at the state meet last year. “At the preliminary meet, we all knew what we needed to do to position ourselves well for finals and executed,” senior captain Miles Tracey said. “Going into finals we knew we had a good shot at winning the state title, but we stayed focused all the way up to the very end. I can’t say any one person we relied on most during the season because we had so much depth in different events. Our key to success at state was taking it one swim at a time,” Tracey said. “Our preparation for state was essentially lots of hard work, then some rest before the competition so we were ready to perform at our peak,” senior captain Christopher Carlstrom said.
“This year [at state] the playing field was fairly even. There were a lot of teams that had an opportunity to win the state title including East Ridge, Eden Prairie, and Minnetonka,” Carlstrom said. “Our coach, David Plummer, did a great job of training, inspiring and tapering us and I don’t think we could’ve won state without him,” Tracey said. “Coaching has a huge impact on how the team performs, good coaching can make all the difference.” said Christopher Carlstrom (12) “There were a lot of seniors on the team this year which means the team is going to lose a lot of talent next year. Despite this loss, the team still has a lot of talent and a lot of young swimmers with a lot of potential to succeed,” Carlstrom said. “This is the first time in our history that we have won the state title. In the past, we have been conference and section champs, but this is the first time we have gone all the way to win state,” Carlstrom said. “All I could think about is the history our team was a part of,” said senior diver Caleb Zarns.
SAT plans overhaul for 2016 tests The SAT is making some drastic changOPINION EDITOR es for the 2016 tests. @kjcarroll4 This is the second round of significant changes to the SAT in the last fourteen years. Freshmen, you’re in luck. The College Board is dropping a required essay and returning to a 1600 point grading system. The changes to the test are part of a larger redesign to “focus more on the important academic skills” said David Coleman, President of the College Board. Coleman is a major player in the construction of the common core curriculum which creates uniform studies across teachers and classes. The changes to the SAT are more aligned with the common core, currently adopted by 45 states. In addition to the changes, the College Board announced a partnership with Khan Academy to provide instructive videos on old test problems at no cost. This is part of a larger initiative championed by the White House to assist and encourage lower income level students to apply to top tier colleges. Eligible families can now apply to four colleges for free, this includes the pricey CSS Profile [College Scholarship SerBy KATE CARROLL
vice], which is run by the College Board and is being required by an increasing amount of schools as part of the financial aid process. The SAT will continue to lower the importance of “buzzword vocabulary”, but they are emphasizing certain parts of the math section, specifically: data analysis, problem solving and algebra. The questions now known as “sentence completion’ will be dropped from the test, and current questions will be merged with a new analysis emphasis on history, science and social studies texts. According to the New York Times “each version of the test will include a passage from documents crucial to the nation’s founding, or core civic texts” Major complaints surrounding the essay section of the test drove the changes, “As a predictor of student success, a 25-minute essay isn’t going to tell us a great deal,” said Stephan J. Handel in a New York Times interview. Another speculated catalyst is the increasing popularity of the rival ACT, the College Board denies market share playing a role in the changes. It is hard to deny the statistics, the number of OVERHAUL ACT testers now outnumCont’d page 4
Sleep Out raises nearly $2 million
This year, the Interfaith COP Y EDITOR @jaredography Outreach & Community Partners’ annual Sleep Out campaign has raised nearly $1.8 million to help thousands of people in the Twin Cities area, and WHS students have played a role. Senior Jake Strom participated in the Sleep Out last year. “I did it with my church,” he said. “Then we went to the IOCP building and did some activities there, and had some soup.” The goal of the Sleep Out is to simulate the conditions of being homeless to raise awareness of similar community issues. “It’s fun to be with friends, but you also get the experience of sleeping in a box in the cold,” said Strom. How did the Sleep Out begin? 18 years ago, in the winter of 1996, local shoe repairman Bob Fisher wanted to help out his community, so he slept in a tent for two weeks until he had raised enough money to buy Thanksgiving dinners for 100 families. Over the years, the Sleep Out has grown. Since its beginning, over 3200 community members have slept outdoors in the winter, and have raised upwards of $17 million for IOCP. In an interview posted on IOCP founder LaDonna Hoy’s blog, Fisher wrote, “I think it’s the kids’ involvement that charms me most. …seeing all those wonderful kids engaged and the adult kids who have grown up doing this who are in their 20s from when it started, and how they’ve drawn their parents and the whole community in. It’s amazing.” “I think if you counted all the nights [I have slept out] consecutively, it would have been 9 or 9.5 months straight,” wrote Fisher. “Really, the only two things I wanted to do were to raise awareness and get the community involved. I feel really good about that… Wondrous things are afoot – if you’ll pardon the expression,” Fisher wrote. “I would definitely recommend the Sleep Out, to experience what people in poverty go through,” said Strom. “It lets you appreciate what you have. Plus, it raises money for a good cause.” By JARED KAUFMAN
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
NEWS 2
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014
The Bad Parking Phenomenon
To many WHS students, parking between the lines is an elusive art. By ANNA RODRIGUEZ J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Arriving at the Wayzata High School parking lot after a light dusting of snow is a interesting site. Instead of finding finely lined rows of a mix of luxury sedans, old beaters, and SUVs, you will see a scene of chaos and confusion. One car is pulled up three feet too far, the one next to it three feet behind. Some are parked at a slant,
others barely in the parking lot at all. Cars in the senior lot are forced to create makeshift spots. Entire rows of parking spaces are lost because of the piles of snow. This is a problem students face yearly, and as the snow continues to fall space to park will continue to diminish. Students are having difficulty seeing parking markers, which in some minds is the primary cause of the terrible execution of parking. “ With piles of snow taking up space everywhere finding an open parking spot is like finding a needle in a haystack,” said Jake Luecke (12). It has also caused big problems for Wayzata staff. “It ’s made an impact on time for the grounds crew. “They have to work overnight,”
said head custodian Kirk DeCamp. When you add together bad weather and new drivers, you have a recipe for disorganization, even danger. “I’m embarrassed by the parking skills of many students at Wayzata High School,” said Ben Yost (12). Leah Novik (11) said, “I don’t care about the parking because I understand why they park horribly. People can’t see the lines and they try their best.” “Personally I leave early enough to get a good spot, but I think there should be a way to clear the snow since we have so many kids parking in places that aren’t even spaces,” said Maddy Johnson (11). “In the lot people park wherever they want, inside the lines or outside the lines. Finding a good place to park so I’m
not diagonal is really tough,” said Seth Kline (11). DeCamp said, “There’s nothing you can do. It ’s just Mother Nature and snow piles.” “With piles of “It happens at snow taking up all schools,” said space everyDeCamp. where, finding For students an open parking just making it spot is like findin the school ing a needle in a at the last ding haystack,” of the first bell, -Jake Luecke finding space in the crowded lot may be tricky. As winter drags on and the snow builds up finding a space to park will become an even greater challenge for Wayzata students.
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
NEWS 3
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014
Wayzata Debate aims to take TOC By DAVANTE WASHINGTON NEWS EDITOR
Wayzata’s Debate performs at the top of their game and hopes to continue that success into the next month “Personally I only have 1 more tournament left-the TOC or Tournament of Champions,” said Tiffany Haas (11). In order to qualify for the tournament of Champions a single team must obtain two ‘bids.’ A team will receive a bid after reaching certain levels into knockout national tournaments, said Gehling. A bid can be received for placing within the top 16, or even the top 4, it all depends on the tournament, said Haas. This year Wayzata Debate has two teams qualified for the Tournament of Champions. Tiffany Haas and Haley Larsen, and the pair of Kate Gehling and Priyanka Narayan, said Kate Gehling (11). There is a third team that could potentially attend the Tournament of Champions in April. The partnership of Blaize DePass and Nikhil Krishnan are still working to
acquire the ‘bids’ needed to buy in to the tournament, said Gehling. “We are going to apply for an ‘at large’ for me and my partner. That means we have one bid and we will see if they think we deserve to go,” said Blaize DePass (12). This is done by a committee who uses a variety of factors from bid rounds, success rate, to the number of qualified teams we’ve beaten. The Tournament of Champions is a culmination of the best teams that compete at the national level. The TOC is regarded as the most prestigious debate tournament of the year and will not be taken lightly by the Wayzata Debate team, said Haas. The team has only a few more weeks to prepare as the April 26th start date draws near. “We expect everyone to work hard and contribute to a positive team atmosphere. Obviously it’s wonderful to experience competitive success, but I don’t go into any tournament expecting to win. It’s all about improving and learning from your mistakes,” said Haas. “Our goals at the end of the year are to
attend the Tournament of Champions and hopefully do well. Only the top teams in the country qualify to debate at the TOC, so it’s very difficult to have success and requires a lot of preparation in the preceding months,” said Gehling. Haas and her partner Haley Larson (12) have more than qualified receiving six bids this year for the tournament. We qualified back in November, said Larsen. “My goal is to feel like I contributed positively to the Photo by: Kate Carroll Coach Sheila Peterson guides school debate team and the her team to yet another win. debate community. I came into the year hoping to win at least 1 speaker award, and clear at one major tournament, and I definitely surpassed that goal,” said Haas.
No bangs for your buck
Plymouth has been using a cheaper, stronger type of asphalt to fill potholes
By MEREDITH JOHNSON F E AT U R E S E D I T O R
As the seasons change, all Minnesotans know that one simple factor makes driving in the spring just as unbearable as driving in the winter, and that factor would be potholes. Potholes are formed by groundwater under the pavement freezing and melting, which causes the pavement to contract and crack. Then when cars drive over these spots on the road, the pavement cracks away and is eventually ripped up. For a city like the City of Plymouth, fixing potholes is something they are used to doing every spring. For a process done regularly, they have developed a system of priority. “During the winter months where we would use cold patch, it has to be about 3 to 4 inches in depth to allow for proper
bonding. When we use hot mix, we fill one half inch holes or deeper. Wheel busters are first priority,” said City of Plymouth Street Supervisor Torrey Keith. According to an article published by EZ Street, a cold asphalt company, cold patch or cold asphalt is a relatively new product that was developed in 1995. Cold patch is a material that has some components of the regular hot asphalt mix, but is much easier to apply. The factor that makes this product much easier to apply is the fact that it can be applied right out of the container without any heating. With the ability to pour it right out of the container, rolling machines and applicators aren’t needed, which ends up saving the city time and money. The final product of this cold patch is a patched up surface with better strength than regular asphalt, and a cheaper investment. In 2012, the City of Plymouth spent
$632,103 on concrete and asphalt repair and maintenance, whereas in 2013 they spent $500,000 all according to their 20142015 Biennial Budget. One could make an inference that the cheaper product of cold patch made a difference, as well as different weather conditions. Other factors such as traffic flow are considered when in comes to patching up the potholes in Plymouth as well. “Our main and secondary roads make up first priority, then all the residential streets are considered,” said Keith. When it comes to pothole reduction, Keith said that it all depends on how much moisture is accumulated during the winter months. More frequent overlays on roads or reconstruction would also benefit the reduction of potholes for the city said Keith. With a winter such as this year’s, everyone should prepare themselves for a long spring of bumpy car rides and construction.
Heartweek raises nearly double last year
By SAMANTHA KROETEN S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Student council is gearing up to host their third annual Wayzata survivor week in an effort to raise money for the Fund-ANeed program. The program is aimed to help WHS students in need of financial aid. In Wayzata survivor, students and teachers are tested over the course of a week in numerous challenges displaying their physical, cognitive, and social skills. During survivor week contestants spend the night at the school. As far as the voting process, students and teachers meet every night and decide who should be voted off. Once a contestant is gone they’re gone, no all-star reunions, nothing. Everyone is able to be a part of Wayzata survivor by simply donating to the contestant that they think deserves to be the next Wayzata survivor. One condition that is sure to make the contestants go crazy is the use of no electronics. Contestants are completely cut off from the rest of the world to maintain focus. The event will be broadcasted on newsbreak, and students and staff will be able to follow the progress of their favorite contestants.
Photo by Kevin Zheng This year’s Heartweek Fundraiser raised $16,000 for the Miracles of Mitch Foundation.
By QUINN CULLUM J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Heart Week is National Honor Society’s annual celebration of Valentine’s Day in which they raise money for a charity. The money raised this year will go to the Miracles of Mitch Foundation, which helps relieve the financial burden placed on children with cancer and their families. “We raised just about $16,000 this year,” said NHS advisor Kristin Lindahl. “Last year I think we raised seven or eight thousand dollars,” adds Lindahl. So why was this year twice as successful? No one really knows. “Maybe the story of Miracles of Mitch resonated more with people, maybe it was better to have the collection boxes in fourth block rather than first block, Singo-grams totally sold out this year, and Mr. Wayzata sold out,” said Lindahl. “We won’t be able to donate $16,000, we’ll probably donate $14,000 after taking out the costs of the carnival rentals, some of
the prizes, and the candies,” said Lindahl. So will the changes to Heart Week this year remain the same next year? “That’s up to NHS, [the advisors] don’t ever dictate what kids do for Heart Week. This summer the officers said they wanted to try a carnival night. Mrs. Minnick and I leave everything up to the students. It’s not our organization, it’s the students’ organization,” said Lindahl. There will be changes to the scheduling of Heart Week next year, however. “The dates will probably get shuffled around for next year so that we don’t have Mr. Wayzata on the same night as curriculum night. It’s a busy school, so it is hard to find a night with the least amount of conflicts,” said Lindahl. Whatever NHS did this year, it worked. And Miracles of Mitch and children impacted by cancer will benefit from their work. Lindahl adds “I don’t know what it was, but we raised a significant amount more this year. We’re really happy about it!”
ask jared: WRONG PLACE AND THE WRONG TIME
Q: Why is the time on the school scrolling TVs always over 15 minutes late, e.g. the TVs say it’s 2:35 when it’s actually 2:20? A: A few weeks ago, I spoke with the building maintenance staff about the time difference, but, unlike the new digital clocks, those clock overlays were not a custodial matter. I then talked to a technology department representative who assured me that the staff was looking into the matter. Last week, when the clock overlays disappeared from the announcement screens, I checked back with the technology department. In cooperation with the athletics department, I was told, the decision was made to simply eliminate the time graphic because it was covering up some of the text on the announcement screens. Mystery solved!
Think you can stump me? Submit any questions you have about maintenance, school policy, trivia, and more to trojanopinion@gmail.com to Ask Jared.
Shaking Up the Art Syllabus New 3D Design teachers introduce challenging projects to students By ANNA RODRIGUEZ J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Mixed Media has taken on a new identity. Now named 3D Design, the course has made changes in all aspects, including teachers, projects, and materials. For starters, the class has a new instructor. “I started teaching this year,” said the new 3D Design teacher Andy Juelich. “I’m a former Wayzata student myself.” Juelich is eager to implement changes in the course. “There are different projects taking place. The order of the projects is to help students moving from easier to harder materials.” Juelich said he was particularly excited about the new paper sculpture project. “It replaced the boxes you may have seen in the past,” he said. The class takes students through the process of making an art piece. “It’s more than about just art itself. It’s about going through the creative process. It’s about looking at an idea or question. Then it goes into building practice versions and then looking at practice pieces and refining so you can create the best finished product,” said Juelich Of course, as an art teacher, he stresses the importance of art classes. “In math class, there’s one correct answer. In art, we give you a question or a problem and there are a million possibilities,” Juelich said. “It’s an important thing because you have to stretch and think outside of the box. There are so many different answers.” In addition, he has won various awards in the past. Juelich said, “I’ve been recognized for teaching in many different subjects.” His love for art began far before he began teaching. “I took five levels of pottery and went to St. John’s University to continue in ceramics. Then I continued my education through an apprenticeship,” Juelich said. “It’s an older style of learning.”
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
NEWS 4
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014
What does it really take to be a custodian at Wayzata? We took on the job for a night to find out.
By KATIE TALERICO & KATE CARROLL EDITOR IN CHIEF AND OPINION EDITOR
Chris Michaelson has been working eight years in the Wayzata School District. In that time, he’s had to deal with more cases of vomit, thrown food, overflowing toilets, and lost retainers than most of us will ever have to deal with in our lifetimes. He is the unsung hero of this school: a custodian. To find out what the job of a custodian truly entails, editors Kate Carroll and Katie Talerico took a peek in the janitor’s closet, and donned ourselves some custodial staff garb before we could really get down and dirty.
Michaelson starts his evening shift by checking in with Kirk DeCamp, Head Custodian, or Pat Olson, the night lead. They’ll tell you what’s going on in the school, if there’s any special events to be wary of, anything big that needs to be fixed, or any huge messes that need to be cleaned. If the messes of the night aren’t abnormal, next comes sweeping the halls and stairs. After that you’ve got to “trash” the rooms (used here in a manner that’s the opposite of what we might usually expect). Michaelson, who is in charge of first floor C wing, starts at the office GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY “The worst part of cleaning up is the food on the walls,” said custoand then moves toward the dian Chris Michaelson. “It’s surprising how often that happens.” end of the wing near the caf(the first four hours of his shift) and half maintenance. eteria. “[I do] whatever needs fixing,” said Michaelson. “ElectriHe then moves to the bathrooms, and cleans those completely. After the toilets are scrubbed and all paper towels cal ballast, plumbing, the doors, some welding, the hardare picked up off the floor, he heads to the horseshoes to ware, and anything the staff requests us to come in for.” Michaelson cranks the music when he’s cleaning, betrash everything there, then goes back and vacuums. Vacuuming is, in fact, much more difficult than it sounds, cause nothing puts you more in the cleaning mood than and that’s not just the Wayzata in us talking. When you a little hard rock. The grossest thing that he’s had to clean up? Probably have to maneuver through 30 desks, the job becomes increasingly difficult. You start to notice the seats where kids puke “because it always smells bad,” said Michaelson. Before coming to the high school, Michaelson worked ate in class because the vacuum’s static hum gets higher and louder. That, and they tend to leave their wrappers on at Birchview Elementary, where he said the messes were the floor. Not even the industrial vacuums of Wayzata can much worse. “The kids smear poop on the walls of the bathroom,” he said. handle your discarded Lays bag. The weirdest mess he’s had to clean up? Dog pee. We After vacuuming comes the fun part: the scrubber. To keep our hall floors from getting beaten up, every night don’t know how that got there either. His ideal situation would be doing maintenance full time. Michaelson runs them with the scrubber, going up and down the halls and through the locker banks, sitting on Michaelson is currently going to school to get a degree in his scrubbing machine. If that’s not the relaxing part of his marine motorsports and outdoor power equipment, mostly small engines. night we don’t know what else is. His other hobbies include motorcycling. Michaelson reIf there’s any time left, Michaelson cleans the windows, tabletops, and lockerbanks. By the time he’s done with that builds and tinkers with them to get the motorcycles back list, it’s nearly eight o’ clock, and four hours have passed to prime operating. Riding them to the High School is the highlight of going to work in the warmer months. since the start of his shift. As a custodian, Michaelson’s job is half janitorial work
Major changes for SAT test soon to come in 2016 • SAT story continued from page one The SAT will continue to lower the importance of “buzzword vocabulary”, but they are emphasizing certain parts of the math section, specifically: data analysis, problem solving and algebra. The questions now known as “sentence completion” will be dropped from the test, and current questions will be merged with a new analysis emphasis on history, science and social studies texts. According to the New York Times, “each version of the test will include
a passage from documents crucial to the nation’s founding, or core civic texts” Major complaints surrounding the essay section of the test drove the changes, “As a predictor of student success, a 25-minute essay isn’t going to tell us a great deal,” said Stephan J. Handel in a New York Times interview. Another speculated catalyst is the increasing popularity of the rival ACT. The College Board denies
market share playing a role in the changes. It is hard to deny the statistics; the number of ACT testers now outnumber the amount of SAT test takers. The College Board is a forprofit corporation. Coleman said, “The College Board cannot stand by while some test-prep providers intimidate parents at all levels of income into the belief that the only way they can secure their child’s success is to pay for costly test preparation and coaching. If we be-
lieve that assessment must be a force for equity and excellence, it’s time to shake things up.” Regardless of changes, the SAT will be a major source of stress for high school juniors and seniors across the nation. I would attest these feelings to separation anxiety because of the cell phone prohibition. Overachievers, I’m sorry that your “humble brags” of “I got a 2350” will sound less impressive now with the 1600 scale.
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014
CULTURE 5
beautiful IT’S A
MADNESS Lev Ami has been making music all of his life, but it took a bout of inspiration and the blessing of free time to inspire him to record an album.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
dle of the song. The song changes halfway majority of the album. through from an easygoing, melodic tune to In It Took Only Seconds, Ami reminds lisa more rhythm-driven rock feel, then back teners of his strength in writing lyrics: storyagain to wrap itself up nicely. telling. Ami isn’t some sappy, romantic juThe lyrics are a little forced at times, and nior writing about his teenage angst. In his Ami gets a little too particular with the songs, he recounts fictionalized experiences words he’s choosing: “Go after her or him... but it is the music that makes them truthful. or whoever or whomever.” It’s chewy and Though the song is all acoustic, with only doesn’t flow. his voice and his guitar, Ami’s complicated The next two songs, Cancer Love and See melodies make the song feel fuller and more Saw, are more acoustic guitar songs with the layered. excellent playing Amnesia is a song we would expect about a man who’s I took my 4S, put it on my lap, from Ami. They been in a car accident each take on a who loses his memomade a drum track, plugged tone very different ry, and while the story headphones in, sat down with from that of the is a cliche, Ami emthe guitar, recorded that, and first song’s, which braces that and takes then stood in my room with lyris advanced for a it on with a light tone. ics and recorded the vocals. young artist. The next track, Hair In See Saw, we on My Wrist, is where first recognize the I feel the album starts problems with to get a little bit lazy. Lev’s simple reAmi tries to spice up cording setup. When the guitar hits deep, the editing by adding an echoic layer to his reverberating chords they come across as ir- vocals, and while that works because it’s regular and stand out within the piece. subtle, the guitar loop gets repetitive and The fourth track, Time Around the Sun, boring. Ami is able to save it with some incombines Ami’s piano playing with his soul- teresting improvisations, but it’s still unsatful voice. It attempts to make a movement, isfactory. but it’s just not as dramatic as it could be. I have problems with the editing in The The piano on the recording isn’t full, and Raven’s Crow as well. The added drum track that’s simply a consequence of the record- sounds artificial (which it is) and is annoying methods. The piano is refreshing, a break ingly bouncy, like a basketball continuously from the acoustic guitar that makes up the being dribbled throughout the song. It’s
“
“
If you happen to run into @k_talerico Lev Ami (11) in the hallways, he’s certain to be carrying one thing: his guitar. This year’s Wayzata Idol runner up has had his hands busy this winter with recording his album, It’s a Beautiful Madness, comprised almost entirely of original songs. “The songs have been written over the span of about a year,” said Ami. “I never wrote them for the purpose of having an album. The album is more just a compilation,” said Ami. “I came home Wednesday of last week and just decided to take my simple acoustic songs and record the guitar with a drum track. Thursday I stuck on vocals, roughly mixed it, and burned it onto discs,” said Ami. “It was a spontaneous decision.” The entire album was recorded using only Ami’s iPhone. If you’re anything like me when I first heard this, you’ll be thinking to yourself, “An iPhone? Doesn’t he mean an iMac?” “Nope, iPhone,” said Ami. “I took my 4S, put it on my lap, made a drum track, plugged headphones in, sat down with the guitar, recorded that, and then stood in my room with lyrics and recorded the vocals.” Whatever Floats Your Boat, the first track on the album, is a light starter piece, an appetizer before the full course meal. It’s classic Lev Ami, with guitar improvisations in the midBy KATIE TALERICO
there to keep the song from being completely acoustic, which I understand was done to keep the tracks lively, but the song would have been better without. The final song on the album is a cover of Coldplay’s The Scientist. It starts off with a long electric guitar solo, and ends that way too. In total, the song runs for 6 minutes and 51 seconds, yet it doesn’t feel that long at all. Ami is a guitar player before singer, but he doesn’t let you dwell on that for too long in his album. When he sings, he gives everything away. His voice is simple, and easy to listen to, more so than Bob Dylan but less than Bruce Springsteen, a music idol of Lev’s. “I learned to write songs with a story from Springsteen,” said Ami. Springsteen was a massive influence to him as he was just starting to play guitar. Ami also plays the violin in addition to piano and guitar. Given the recording methods Ami used, the album is surprisingly solid except for a few noted places, and I would have never guessed it had been recorded on an iPhone. Though the lyrics left something to be desired, I enjoyed myself listening to It’s a Beautiful Madness. The title seems a little dark for something I don’t find to be particularly heavy. The album’s notable features are its storytelling, guitar, and relentless vocals, something Ami can stand behind. Worth checking out? Absolutely. You’ll be impressed by what one can do with an iPhone. There’s not an app for talent-that’s just Lev.
Bookcase The
The Twin Cities' Oldest Independent bookstore.
est. 1963
◆ Over 12,000 books in stock ◆ ◆ Special orders arrive within days ◆ ◆ Book Signings • Live Music ◆
824 East Lake Street, Wayzata (952) 473-8341 www.bookcaseofwayzata.com
• Yes, your teachers went to High School once‑and some of them were pretty darn good at it MOST LIKELY TO BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME In October of his senior year, Psycholog y teacher Mr. Johnson was hit by a car. “I was traveling via bike west on Highway 7 with five friends, going to get breakfast after a ‘sleepover,’” said Johnson. “ The next thing I remember, I’m looking up at one of my friends faces, and I’m on the opposite side of the highway.” “I heard an ambulance, and then I was in the hospital,” said Johnson. He flew 100150 feet, and was not wearing a helmet. “ There was nothing broken,” Johnson said. “ W hat saved me was my blue jeans and my blue jean jacket… imagine that picture.” Johnson also didn’t have the greatest luck when it came to finding a prom date. “Senior year I met a girl on New Years Eve who wound up being my wife. We ended up dating for a couple of months, and then she dumped me right before the prom,”
said Johnson. Instead of going for her sister or best friend, Johnson decided that asking his former girlfriend would inflict the most pain. “I dialed her number, and when I heard the girl’s voice on the other end of the line I started asking Karen to prom. The only problem was that I accidentally called my most recent girlfriend who had just dumped me instead of my other former girlfriend, and asked her to prom. I ended up mixing up the numbers,” said Johnson.
MOST LIKELY TO BECOME A TEACHER World History teacher Bootsie Anderson was not a good student in high school. She went to an all -girls Catholic high school, and was “kind of alone.” “I hadn’t learned a lot of study skills, and it doesn’t take long to convince yourself, ‘You’re dumb! You’re going to be in high school forever!’” She would prove herself correct for the latter of those two statements, but that’s not always what she had planned. “I thought I was going to be a fashion designer,” said Bootsie. “I was really into sewing and designing outfits. Everything I owned other than my school uniform, I had made, even prom dresses.” She applied to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York and even did an interview there. “At the time, FIT did not have any dorms. You were totally on your own, had to find an apartment by your own means,” said Anderson. She decided she couldn’t commit to that kind of lifestyle. “A friend of my mother’s who was an artist told me that there are thousands of people out there who want the same thing that I did,” said Anderson. “‘Do you really have what it takes?’ he asked me.” “But I didn’t have a competitive bone in my body,” said Anderson. She had another thing going for her, though. She wanted to be a teacher. “My home-ec teacher had to have surgery one year, and she let me take over her classes,” said Anderson. “It was weird to teach a class with my peers, but the other kids trusted me. Everyone had a project to work on, I just had to keep them on track.” “There were six black kids at my school, and we didn’t get a lot of respect, but when the nuns told them that’s the way it was going to be, that’s the way it was,” Anderson said. Her home-ec teacher provided her with constant encouragement. “That was about the time I woke up and said, ‘I do have a brain,’” said Bootsie.
MOST LIKELY TO GET AWAY WITH SOMETHING Back in 1996 S p a n i s h teacher Monica Vlach was the president of her school’s Spanish Club, but one day decided to play hooky and skip Spanish class. “My one act of civil disobedience was when I went out to breakfast one morning and missed half of Spanish class. I got in trouble and got called down to the office,” said Vlach. D ue to her representation in school, ever ything ended up working out for Vlach in the end. “ W hen the principal saw me there, they sent me back to class because they thought that someone had put my name on the list by mistake,” said Vlach. Unfortunately things didn’t go so well for Vlach’s friends. “My friends all got after school detention, and they were pretty mad at me. I was never so scared in my life when they called me down to the office,” said Vlach.
By Katie Talerico and Meredith Johnson
LEAST LIKELY TO GRADUATE English teacher Mrs. Decker moved to Texas from IowaNovember of her junior year. She had done well in high school, and was even on the honor roll. “I wasn’t interested in school. I just stopped going to class,” Decker said. “I still did well in school, I just would have rather stayed home most days and read.” “When I moved to Texas, I met with my new counselor. The school lowered my GPA by .5 since they believed their school was better than the one in Iowa. They were going to make me do a bunch of freshman level classes as a senior, like Health and Keyboarding and even Spanish 1 which I’d taken in junior high,” Decker said. Decker said, “I told my dad at the end of my junior year that I would not be going to that school next year. My dad said, ‘Why don’t you just start college?’” So she went to college a year early without her high school diploma. “I was also probably not the best student there…” Decker said. “When I eventually went back to school to become a teacher, everyone I’d known asked, “You?”’
MOST IMPULSIVE Science teacher Amy Campbell was your typical perfectionist in high school, stressing about grades, tests and college apps at the beginning of freshman year. She didn’t come to ever find herself in the party scene, and was ready to leave high school way before it ended. “I felt ready for college around my junior year, so I felt a little trapped in high school. I had a very small group of close friends that were all like me. We didn’t go to parties or get in trouble, just got good grades,” said Campbell. One time Campbell did something completely out of character, something very impulsive… she stole a car. “I stole a car once, which is even funnier considering what a
goody-two-shoes I was,” said Campbell. “My friend who later went to Yale and I got up in the middle of the night and took her neighbor’s car. She had a house key, which we used to get the car keys. The car was an old bug convertible,” said Campbell. Unfortunately for them, the car was a manual, which her friend Katie didn’t know how to drive. “Every time we needed to stop, the car would quit because we didn’t know you needed to put it in first gear. As we were driving, there was a stop sign. I told Katie to just go through it so that the car wouldn’t quit. Just as she rolled through the stop sign, we saw lights behind us,” said Campbell. What happened next was a long ride home in the back of a squad car, and a long grounding sentence.
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED WITHOUT REALLY TRYING French teacher Mr. Tuura grew up in a small Minnesota town called Esko, and was third in his class of 100 students. “In senior year math, every day a friend and I would sleep during the lecture, then she and I would work on homework during the last ten minutes of class, and finish then,” Tuura said. “It didn’t get any harder in college,” said Tuura. He graduated summa cum laude from UMD and went on to get an M.A. in French Language and Civilization at NYU in France. “I had a class at college called ‘Art Today’ with 120 students. The teacher had a stack of cards with everyone’s names that he had to call every day,” said Tuura. “The teacher shut off the lights and went through slides on the projector, and I would sleep.” “When it was time for the final, I didn’t read the book, just the bold words, a few topic sentences and captions, and still got an A in the class,” Tuura said.
LEAST LIKELY TO GO OUT ON THE WEEKEND Back in the eighties at Chaska High School, English teacher Kathryn Kottke was more focused on her school work than anything else. “I was a complete science nerd, and pretty clueless about things that mattered to most high school students. I was on the travelling Quiz/ Knowledge Bowl team, for which I lettered, and I participated in the Science Olympics and what is now called KMO or 321,” said Kottke. With her work ethic, one would think that stressing about grades would be something Kottke did often, but she did quite the opposite. “I didn’t really pay attention to grades or points or things like that. I wasn’t aware of the concept of a GPA until my senior year when someone told me I was on the honor roll,” said Kottke. School was strictly for learning; no high school social events caught the attention of Kottke who preferred to spend her time participating in the many math and science clubs she was a part of, or with her boyfriend.
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
OPINION 8
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014
Opinion Exchange TROJAN TRIBUNE EDITORIAL STAFF Editor in Chief Katie Talerico News Editor Davante Washington Feature Editor Meredith Johnson Sports Editor Emily Berg Opinion Editor Kate Carroll Photo Editor Sadie Bell Copy Editor Jared Kaufman Advertising Manager Taylor Cranfield Advisor David Motes
MISSION STATEMENT MISSION STATEMENT
To address issues that Wayzata High School is facing; to investigate with courage, persistence and passion; to report the news with accuracy and without bias; to encourage thought, investigate events which incite praise and those which incite criticism; and to make connections between people in this community.
EDITORIAL POLICY
Editorial policies and content decisions are made by the student editorial board. The opinions expressed in the editorials, columns, and opinion pieces are those of the Trojan Tribune staff and are not necessarily the opinions of the advisor, administration, students, faculty, or District 284. The Trojan Tribune follows the guidelines of the Associated Press Stylebook and is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association.
ADVERTISING
Contact the Trojan Tribune with questions regarding ads. We accept ads that provides goods and services for the age group this publication serves, as long as they conform to the school and district regulations. Inquire for an ad sheet.
The Trojan Tribune works jointly with the advanced television production class to produce Wayzata NewsBreak. Comments concerning NewsBreak may be sent to the address below. This publication is committed to providing a limited forum within the community of Wayzata High School, and one in which opinions, discussion, and input are always welcomed and encouraged. Comments, questions, thoughts, and ideas may be addressed to: The Trojan Tribune 4955 Peony Lane Plymouth, MN 55446 Room C117
trojantrib14@gmail.com
Defending Gay Athletes The Gay Rights Movement has seen significant gains in recent years, it is quickly writing itself into history books. Seventeen states have already made it legalized By MATT JOHNSON gay marriage and S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R that number is intended to rise. Gays have been socially accepted in nearly all settings across the United States, but professional sports have always been an exception as a hyper masculine environment. At the beginning of 2014 the “big four” professional sports commissions (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL) had never seen an openly gay athlete play. Jack Burkman, a Washington lobbyist believes that the NFL should ban homosexuals from the NBA. “We are losing our decency as a nation, imaginwe your son being forced to shower with a gay man. That’s a horrifying prospect for every mom in the country. What in the world has this nation come to?” he said in New York Daily News interview. There is so much wrong with this statement that it cannot be described in a moral way. I’ll try my best to reason with the neanderthal logic of Mr. Burkman. To start, it’s hard to understand where exactly we are losing our decency. There is no doubt that there could be awkwardness if gay and straight people shower together after a game or practice. His last note about the ‘horrifying prospect’ for every mom is almost comical to listen to. If it is your responsibility to satisfy your mother by avoiding gays then you may as well call yourself Norman Bates. University of Missouri Defensive End Michael Sam came out in early February. He was anticipated to be the first openly gay athlete, but the Brooklyn Nets said otherwise. NBA center Jason Collins was a free-agent last spring when he announced that he was gay after playing 12 seasons in the NBA. Collins was still looking for a team in mid-February when the Nets offered him with a contract. Collins signed his way back into the NBA and on February 23rd, he made history by being the first openly gay athlete to play in the NBA.
Sure, many gay athletes have come and gone under the radar in professional sports, but none of them confessed in the midst of their careers. Discrimination is feared by any closeted gay, but the commissions have made their support for gays rights relevant. The attention that Jason Collins is getting has never been seen before. On the court Collins is nothing special, but he currently has the highest selling jersey in the NBA since signing with the Nets. The NBA is donating all of the proceeds from sales of his jersey to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and the Matthew Shepard Network. Players, such as Kobe Bryant, are tweeting and expressing their respect for Collins stating the ‘domino effect’ that his confession creates. Many others quietly think differently. In the NFL Michael Sam was projected to be a 3rd round pick in this years draft. Could his open sexuality affect his draft stock? It may not be because Michael Sam is gay, many teams do not want the media attention that comes with drafting the first openly gay NFL athlete. According to Sports Illustrated, an NFL assistant coach called Sam’s decision “not a smart move,” as he said it “legitimately affects [his] potential earnings.” As harsh as it sounds, the reality is that Sam’s near future has been affected. His draft stock will fall, the attitude in the locker room will change, and people will criticize his decision. To not allow gay people to compete in professional sports would be a tragedy to this nation. If they were banned, would we have to segregate them to gay leagues only? A segregated professional sports league hasn’t existed since the 1960’s. It would be a step in the complete opposite direction and poorly reflect the integrity of this country. In a survey conducted by ESPN, 86% of NFL players would approve of having a gay teammate and 76% would be comfortable showering with that teammate. In today’s NFL those are good numbers to support gay rights, as you might know Jackie Robinson became the first black professional baseball player with nearly no support.
Snowflake Shenanigans When evaluating special events, high schools must balance disruption with morale. To be ideal, an event must do less harm than good or the deal’s off. Senior silent snowflakes do disrupt, but no more than By DAVID MOTES Sing-O-Grams or EN G LI S H T E AC H ER the odd pepfest. The game sometimes calls for a bit of extra classroom management but that’s all. The energy students display in getting and defending snowflakes proves that some of them are having fun. But this game does way more harm than good, and we should drop it. Intended or not, Snowflakes is a thin allegory for sexual conquest. It reminds me of a fertility festival, such as the Roman Lupercalia you might remember from Julius Caesar. It spurs behavior that is ugly, sexist, and demeaning. It spawns unintended consequences, bandwagon bad behavior, and a bunch of snarky carnal irony. On snowflake day, every time a boy speaks to a girl I hear the oily undertones of seduction by deception. Every squawking dispute over who said what to whom sounds like one of those vicious whispered intermarital squabbles you hear in the cereal aisle at Cub Foods. And any three girls together are likely to be rousing themselves to indignant happy outrage over some boy’s flattering, thrilling subterfuge. We can find better ways to have fun. Boys—you can win! Just cross some smoove lounge-lizard one-liners with strong Simon Sez skills. Women: are you cheerful and friendly, open and confident? You lose! Want to be treated as an equal? Give it up! To preserve it, ladies, you must be canny, cynical, hostile. The men and women of the Snowflake game exist only in bad movies and seedy discos. Soon the boys will be on defense, but that only makes it worse. Two dirty jokes do not make one atmosphere of mutual respect and support. I heard that the boys’ avatar changes to a shamrock this year--maybe the sexual conquest allegory isn’t just a figment of my puritanical imagination. I know, I know: students aren’t compelled to participate, and only the boldest and cleverest dare to wear their virtue on their sleeve. I know, I know: moral scoldry does not change the behavior of the young. I know. But the snowflakes aren’t funny and they aren’t clever. We don’t learn anything. Nobody gains and it isn’t really fun. Drop it.
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
FRIDAY MARCH 7, 2014
#1: Learning
OPINION 9
#2: Getting Yelled At
#3: Surfing Netflix
#4: Shopping Online
By LEE BARNETT
By MAVRIK JOOS
By DIAMOND SAMPSON
By PENNY KERNYAISZKY
W H S T E AC H ER
S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
The act of learning is never a waste of time, but it is definitely an incredible time waster (I don’t think that’s a contradiction). The greater my list of responsibilities becomes, the greater my thirst for knowledge grows. Unfortunately, there’s rarely a direct connection between what I’m learning and what I need to accomplish. For instance, in the process of typing this mini article, I have learned about the Latin roots of the word procrastination (loosely translates to “forward to tomorrow”). I also started thinking of some other Latin phrases that are commonly used in the mathematics, such as “quod erat demonstrandum.” I then needed to research why this Latin phrase appears in most English translations of Euclid’s Elements when Euclid wrote in Greek. According to Wikipedia, Euclid actually used the Greek phrase “ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.” I’m not entirely sure how that’s pronounced, so I better spend some time studying the Greek alphabet… Wait, was there something I was supposed to be doing?
The biggest waste of my time is getting yelled at by my parents. I mean, what do they think I’m going to do? Listen to them? I would rather be spending my time throwing down hammers on my fingerboard park or starting to plan my March Madness bracket. Who do they think they are? There’s an uprising in Ukraine and all my parents can talk about is ways they think they should punish me. Just take away my car, phone or friends already, I’m getting sick of listening to you ramble. How selfish! Mom, no one wants to hear your yelling when innocent citizens are being unjustly punished in foreign countries! If you want me to listen to you so much, you could text me or something. This is the 21st century, you know.
J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Netflix is the best way to waste time. There are are so many shows and movies to watch; Dexter, Scandal, Texas chainsaw Massacre, and High School Musical. It is incredibly easy to open up your laptop or watch TV on your cell phone so the movies follow you everywhere. You can have movies mailed to your house and there’s no late fees like redbox. If you don’t feel like doing your homework you can take a break and watch one episode of your favorite series or finish that movie you started the night before. You can add movies and shows to your queue as you find them or you can take them away when you finish them. Netflix is so easy and convenient to use and thats why millions of people use it as a way to waste time.
I love online shopping. It’s easy. You can do it any day, any time, in any mood, and anywhere. Online shopping is a great thing to do when there is simply nothing else to do. You can find anything you want, from cute dresses, jeans, and tops, to specific fashion items like jewelry and hats, to tech items like phone cases. There are so many advantages of staying at home and shopping online: you can look scrappy, be a couch potato, and not even have to worry about getting dressed. Let’s not forget about the great deals and endless clothing that online stores like Forever 21, H&M, ASOS.com, HauteLook.com, Foreign Exchange, Victoria’s Secret, and many others offer. If you like to save money on clothes but still like to shop, online stores are a great waste of time for you.
#5: Watching Documentaries By ANNA RODRIGUEZ J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
The internet is good for a lot of things. Cute cat videos, stalking your classmates, and perusing Forever 21 are just a handful of ways you can occupy yourself online. But one of the most effective ways to waste hours that could otherwise be used productively is by watching documentaries on obscure and bizarre topics back-to-back. If you thought reality television was entertaining, you clearly have not delved into the world of online documentaries. If you have Netflix, or are willing to venture off into less-thanlegal parts of the internet, be prepared to learn more than you ever wished about topics like Russia’s prisons or the lives of prostitutes. Like a car accident, you will not be able to stop watching. Suddenly it’s 3:30 in the morning and you have done no work at all. Try to console yourself, because, hey, at least it was more educational than a thirtyminute Epic Cats compilation.
#10: Browsing News By KATE CARROLL OPINION EDITOR
There’s no better way to waste time than mindlessly browsing news websites. One second you’re reading an article about the “political capital of secondterm presidents,” and five clicks later you discover that some celebrity is pregnant. How did that even happen? My favorite addictive news sites are the Washington Post and Mother Jones. The New York Times would be #1, but they have a pesky paywall that stops my mindless browsing after 10 articles. Heartbreaking, I know, but I’m doing just fine with my liberal media sources. The ‘suggested articles’ at the bottom of those news pages are just too enticing not to take a gander!
#9: Painting Nails
#6: Creeping on Someone on Social Media
By POSIE BUFFINGTON S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
There isn’t anything more frustrating than scuffing up your nicely-polished nails after you just spent 40 minutes carefully painting your fingernails and toenails. You try to avoid that situation by sitting there with your fingers spread apart, constantly blowing on your nails. While you’re busy doing that, your mom yells, “Empty the dishwasher!” or “Fold the laundry!” Sounding like a valley girl, you reply with the excuse, “Uh mom, nails!” Just when you think it’s safe to complete chores or other tasks, your nail polish gets smudged before you even have time to say “butternut squash.” Ask any girl with chipped, smudged, or fingerprinted nails why their nails are like that. She’ll probably say, “Ain’t nobody got time for that.” If you were aiming for a perfect, clean look, you might as well give up, remove everything, and accept the fact that nothing’s perfect. Let’s be honest, you’re better off not losing your temper over your nail polish. Whenever I get fingerprints or scuffs on my wet nails, I just think “hey, at least now they have character!” I’ll give it a day before they chip off and I spend my night painstakingly redoing them.
S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
By SAMANTHA KROETEN S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
#8: Crafting
#7: Taking “Breaks”
By MEAGHAN DECKER
By JARED KAUFMAN
W H S T E AC H ER
COP Y EDITOR
When I’m weary, feeling small, when tears are in my eyes…okay, I don’t really cry much. But when I can’t bring myself to grade one more paper or fold another load of laundry, my solution is gettin’ crafty. I’m not very good at just sitting around; whenever I try it, I wind up rearranging the furniture. So I usually go in my work room in the basement, cutting, gluing, nailing, and jamming things together. My craft of choice is paper collage, and I like more conventional activities like painting and woodworking, but I also hate throwing away anything that might someday have a use. Instead of turning into a frightening hoarder, however, I make stuff no one really wants and then force those gifts on my loved ones, who have to at least pretend that they like them in order to be sociable.
In my life, time wastes itself. I have to put in no extra effort to waste time. In fact, my life is basically a DirecTV “Get Rid of Cable” ad. When I do my homework at the kitchen table, I get hungry. When I get hungry, I get up to go get some food. When I get up to go get some food, I turn on the TV. When I turn on the TV, I make it into a nice five-minute break. When I make it into a nice five-minute break, it turns into an equally-as-nice 15-minute break. When it turns into an equally-as-nice 15-minute break, it takes me a while to get back into the groove of homework. And when it takes me a while to get back into the groove of homework, I realize it’s 10:30 pm and I haven’t started writing that paper. Don’t end up late at night with an unfinished paper.
Stalking someone on social media is a great way to waste time, and it’s also a good way to get to know someone without ever having to talk to them. While that may sound a little creepy, most people like to know someone’s personality and interests before actually having to meet them. Others are stuck at home because they’re grounded, so they sit in their room glued to their phone, waiting for someone to upload a selfie from that huge party to know if they are really missing out. Now that I am getting ready to go off to college, I can relate to many WHS seniors who have been busy online looking for a roommate who sounds just right, or at least one that’s a little tolerable. So as crazy as it sounds, I think most of us can admit to wasting time by doing a little “stalking.” Without a doubt I’m looking at your pictures and words with judgment. Did you seriously post a duck face selfie? Is this the seventh grade? I constantly question my peers definitions of “socially acceptable. “Creeping is all fun and games until you realize that people are doing it to you too. Even worse, when you’re applying for a job or to college; they’re also looking at your profiles. Social media is my favorite way to be judgy and that’s just human nature.
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
SO
AT
CULTURE 10
CHIC:
THE
OSCARS By SADIE BELL PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
@mssadiebell
Some say it’s vain that we spend over an hour gawking at celebrities on the Red Carpet before the Oscars, but I see it as a recognition of the arts. It’s a recognition of fashion as an art form; of the incredible work in the film industry. The films nominated for Best Costume Design made distant eras come back to life. They gave meaning to their wardrobe and what it meant to dress in that period. By their costumes, characters’ deepest desires, strengths, and insecurities were easily revealed. Costume designers prove clothes aren’t just something that’s pretty to look at though, they’re art that has purpose and meaning. Best Costume Design winner Catherine Martin resurrected the modernity of the 1920s that gave “The Great Gatsby” it’s glamor. With the help of Miuccia Prada’s archives, Martin crafted a wardrobe that embellished the genuine glamor of the decade. Martin disregarded clichés and instead created an “unexpected” 1920s, or what felt modern for the time. “The Great Gatsby” features liberating, vibrant pieces that feed to each character’s confidences and insecurities, truly speaking to the era. Best Costume Design nominee Michael Wilkinson made the decade often labeled as trashy, glamorous. In “American Hustle,” Wilkinson brought 1970s glamor to the big screen and illustrated how the characters saw their clothing as a part of their identity and another way to hustle. Wilkinson gave Amy Adam’s character Sydney Prosser the confidence to identify as someone she’s not through plunging necklines and extravagant gowns. Wilkinson juxtaposed Sydney’s confidence through the wardrobe of Jennifer Lawrence’s character, insecure Long Island housewife Rosalyn Rosenfeld. Wilkinson also artfully illustrates character growth through Rosalyn’s iconic white dress and Bradley Cooper’s character’s change in wardrobe throughout the film as he struggles with more and more power. Wilkinson ignored platform shoes and polyester disco suits to create a more meaningful 1970s. Artistic fashion didn’t only appear on the screen, it walked the Red Carpet. Presenter Emma Watson wore Vera Wang and looked edgy in a modest, all black gown with almost cap sleeves on top that tapered out to a mermaid skirt. Presenter Kate Hudson’s Atelier Versace gown differed in almost every aspect from Watson’s, but was just as gorgeous. Hudson wore a white gown with a plunging neckline that was tight along the torso and then flowed out, paired with a shall to contrast the neckline. Though many stars wore staple colors like Watson and Hudson, Best Supporting Actress nominee, Jennifer Lawrence, and winner of Best Supporting Actress, Lupita Nyong’o, brought
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014
m o v i e
r e v i e w
NON-STOP Airplanes are a very prolific FILM REVIEWER subgenre in the disaster film category, as shown by Airport (1970) – which grossed over $100 million, spawned three sequels, and was the basis of parody movie Airplane! (1980). It’s a very understandable fear. At 30,000 feet in the air, nobody wants to hear that their plane is crashing. When you combine this with the McGuffin from The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), the results should be promising. Especially when you have all-star actors like Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, and Scoot McNairy. However, in the case of Non-Stop, an uninspired script prevents the film from really taking flight. The beginning of the movie starts out slow. Liam Neeson’s character, Bill, is a federal air marshal – a controversial job as his car radio reminds you. The events that lead to the takeoff are tedious and clichéd, with the film going so far as to include a bit about Bill being afraid of the plane’s takeoff. However, once the transatlantic flight begins, things get interesting. Bill gets a text threatening to kill a passenger every 20 minutes unless $150 million is transferred into a bank account. The bank account is Bill’s though, and as the story begins to unfold, Bill is set up to appear as if he is hijacking the plane. The middle 50% of the film is intense and wildly entertaining. Unfortunately though, in the end, when the movie tries to explain itself, By ANDREW STERN
it falls flat. With numerous plot-holes and a downright cringe-worthy motivation for the villain, Non-Stop leaves you feeling unfulfilled. Liam Neeson doesn’t do anything astounding in this film, but he gives a solid performance. His supporting cast does well with what they’re given, but at times what they’re given isn’t all that much. There aren’t too many awkwardly-delivered lines, and the extras (who, as most of the film takes place inside of a plane, were on set for weeks) all seem to be committed. Julianne Moore is great as always, and Scoot McNairy adds dimension to an otherwise cartoonish character. Recent Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o even has a bit part. Setting the majority of a film in a confined space can lead to a claustrophobic feel, which is very effective for the bulk of the story. However, when the movie transitions from a thriller to an action film, the lack of space leads to bad fight choreography and an inability to see what is going on. The quick cuts only worsen the situation. Walking out of the film, you’ll begin to notice an increasing amount of plot-holes and conveniences. While watching the movie, you’ll need to turn your brain off partially so as to not be distracted by the sheer ridiculousness, but not so much that you aren’t invested in the story. Non-Stop is an enjoyable film, but also pretty stupid.
5/10
bella C I B O
BUTTERMILK
PANCAKES By LAUREN BEHRNS FOOD COLUMNIST
@lauren_behrns 1 cup of buttermilk 1 egg 2 Tbs butter, melted 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup of all-purpose flour 2 Tbs sugar 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until it is light and frothy. Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla: stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Slowly add the dr y mixture to the bowl of liquids to incorporate (do not over-stir them or your pancakes will be bricks). L et the pancake batter sit for 1015 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a griddle over medium-high heat and grease with butter. Spoon the pancake batter on the griddle, forming 4-inch diameter cakes. Reduce the heat to medium: when bubbles form in the middle of the cake, flip to the other side and cook until it ’s golden brown.
For more recipes, look for Lauren’s cookbook coming out this year! bright colors to the Carpet. Lawrence looked striking in a red Dior gown that had a touch of peplum to give the dress uniqueness. In a Tiffany blue, Grecianlooking Prada gown, Lupita Nyong’o looked like a vision. The 2014 Oscars truly illustrated what fashion can say about the individual. Each star on the Red Carpet was dressed to the nines and each nominee for Best Costume Design equally deserved their nomination. The fashion and the film industry will forever be entwined by the single component that brings them together: art.
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
SPORTS 11
Girls basketball closing out a tough season
Photos by Vandy Johnson GIRLS BASKETBALL: The Trojan girls are having a tough season. The team is young as it is made up of mostly sophomores and juniors. Their last game of the scheduled season is on Thursday, March 6th against Centennial.
T h e J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R girls basketball team has had an interesting season this year. With a record of 3-22, the girls are 0-8 in the Lake Conference. Their only wins this season have been to Blaine, Robbinsdale Cooper, and Totino-Grace. The girls have not had the best season this year. At the end of the day they are By DIAMOND SAMPSON
a team, a family no matter what they will stick together. “We are a very young team this season,” said Annie Robertson (10). Robertson is one of the few sophomores on the varsity team this year. “It is a honor, but also kind of intimidating being a sophomore on the varsity team,” said Robertson. In her mind no matter how intimidating being so young might
be, the team is still all growing together and trying to be the best they can be together. They all have strong support for one another. “Right when I feel like I can’t get another rep in I can hear someone cheer for me and it makes me want to be a better player for my team,” said senior captain Stacy Siewert said. The girls support each other in the weight room
and on the court during a game. Not only are the girls connecting with each other they are connecting with other teams within the girls basketball program. “We have “sisters” within the program that we exchange gifts with on game days throughout the season. It’s really cool to be a part of something in which everyone contributes,” junior Ali Larson said.
Boys basketball falls short The boys varsit y S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R basket bal l wrapped up their season with a section loss to the top-10-ranked Osseo Orioles on Thursday, February 27th. The Trojan boys dug themselves into a hole in the first half, and were unable to force a comeback, marking the end of their season. “It is hard to believe it’s over,” said seBy MATT JOHNSON
nior captain Will Beeninga. “It’s a bummer because I feel like we were getting to the point of playing our best basketball,” Benninga said. Even if Wayzata had pulled off the upset, it would have been a tough road to state due to powerhouse teams such as Hopkins and Apple Valley. Although it didn’t work out this year, expectations are high for the coming years of this varsity team. Johnny Beeninga, only a
sophomore, led the team in points, assists, and rebounds per game throught the season. This year the team is losing only two players to graduation (Will Beeninga and Jake Strom). “Wayzata basketball will be a powerhouse,” said Beeninga. “We have a lot of kids in the program right now that will turn us into a successful and consistent program. Coach Tibesar has done a great job developing our young talent in
his first year as head coach, and I can’t wait for them to become one of the top teams in the state,” said Benninga. Coach Tibesar will be back next season to try and lead the youth movement in Wayzata’s basketball program. With two more seasons still left in his basketball career, Johnny Beeninga will be the ‘franchise player’ for the Trojans. “I really think that the next few years will prove to be some of the best teams
Better Scores. Better Choices.
$100 OFF
AN ACADEMIC EVALUATION
The Huntington Advantage:
Photo courtesy of the Sun Sailor
1-1 instruction
WRESTLING: Senior Nick O’Brien wrestles at the state meet (above). O’Brien placed 5th in the 132 pound weight class.
Critical reading, writing, English, math & science Test-taking strategies
Tangled at state T h e wrestling boys By MAVRIK JOOS S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R finished their season strong this past weekend at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. On February 27th the boys individually competed for their own state titles. Senior Collin Sohn managed to place 5th in the 182 pound weight class after pinning his rival from Mound, Bryan Tierney (12). Nick O’Brien (12) also managed to place 5th in the 132 pound weight
class. Although the day went well, it was a hard day for the seniors. Senior captain Jordan Porteous said, “We stepped it up as a team when it mattered.” “We have shown a lot of progress from where we started this year, it was great to be a part of it.” Jordan congratulates his teammates but was disappointed with his own performance, “I came up short with my personal goals but every goal I didn’t meet taught me a valuable lesson that I can carry on with me.”
Flexible scheduling Experienced teachers Proven success since 1977
SAT and ACT prep for students seeking dramatic score improvements.
1-TO-1 PRIVATE TUTORING FOR
SAT/PSAT/ACT PREP
1-800 CAN LEARN Yorkdale Shoppes York Ave. S Edina 952-922-3000
Call Today!
®
Waterford Plaza Hwy. 169 & Hwy. 55 Plymouth 763-542-0000
Accredited by North Central Association Independently owned and operated. ©2011 Huntington Mark, LLC. SAT and PSAT are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. The College Entrance Examination Board and ACT, Inc. were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this program.
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
SPORTS 12
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014
Photos by Cathy Roth G Y M N A S T I C S : T h e g i r l s g y m n a s t i c s t e a m f i n i s h e d t h i r d a t s t a t e b e h i n d R o s e v i l l e a n d N o r t h f i e l d . T h i s y e a r, t h e t e a m w i l l g r a d u a t e t h r e e s e n i o r s .
Gymnastics places third at state The gymnastics team placed third at state with a team score of 148.650, their best score yet this season. They placed behind Roseville and Northfield as they took first and second. “For many years in a row, Northfield and Roseville have placed as the top two teams at state. Going into state, we didn’t really expect to beat those top two teams, but we were hoping to finally get on the podium with a third place finBy NICOLE STEPHAN J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
ish,” said Claire Lorbiecki (11). On top of this, many gymnasts placed individually, including Hannah Roth (12) taking 6th overall, Lorbiecki taking 11th, and Breanna Ruegg (12) taking 12th. “Our strengths were our confidence and more than half the varsity team has been to state before this year. It was so much fun and we loved the energy throughout the place,” said Roth. Wayzata dominated the regular season ending with a record of 132-0 overall, placing first in their
conference, and took first place in sections. “This has been one of the most successful years for Wayzata gymnastics, so we knew going into state that we had a chance to do much better than we had in past years. Other top teams started to see us as more of a competition this year,” said Lorbiecki. However, this year three seniors (Roth, Ruegg, and Kasey McCarthy) will graduate, all of whom are high-scoring varsity gymnasts, said Lorbiecki.
“State this year for me was a lot more emotional than I thought it would be. Knowing it would be my last time competing with such an awesome team was and still is very sad to think about. I wanted to do so well to show people what Wayzata gymnastics truly was this year,” said Roth. “It will be hard to make up for that next year, but our team has a lot of depth, so I think we will be very successful in years to come,” said Lorbiecki.
Boys Hockey eXed out early by Benilde W ith so much on S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R the line @Johnson47M and expectations at their highest, the boys’ varsit y hockey team failed to advance to state af ter falling to Benilde-S t Margaret ’s in the section semifinals on Febr uar y 22. The boys dug a hole for themsel ves in the 2nd period when they went down 2-0. “ We didn’t do a great job generating offense against Benilde,” said captain Brian Machut (12). “ The game was prett y e ven throughout, and I give a lot of credit to them for play ing about as well as they possibl y could have,” Machut said. As time ticked away in the 3rd period, a late goal by Alex S tevens (11) cut the lead to just one goal with onl y a minute remaining. The Trojans failed to complete the comeback, and came up shor t with a final score of 2-1. “It is hard to belie ve it ’s over af ter playing my whole life,” said Alec Hemenway (12). “I’ve al ways looked for ward to coming back next season and I don’t think it has sunk in yet that there won’t be a next season,” Hemenway said. As hard as it is for the senior boys to walk from the game, they look back on what was a tremenBy MATT JOHNSON
Photos by Naomi Liew
dous season. The Trojans finished the season with a 19-5-1 record and fought their way to a first seed ranking in the section playoff s. They outscored their opponents by over 50 goals while allowing onl y 1.28 goals per game. “I take a lot away from this season, and obviousl y it sucks to not make it to the tourney. I grew as a leader and person and had a lot of fun over the year,” said Hemenway. Despite not meeting their goals, Machut says he is proud of the way ever yone competed throughout the season. “I told all of my teammates how much I loved playing with them over the years,” said Machut. “And how I’ ll never forget the memories made in the Trojan uniform with them.” L ooking for ward to next year for the Trojan boys, onl y good words are coming from the staff and senior players. Notable players such as Matthew Freytag (11), S tar Tribune first-team all-metro pick Vaughan Ahrens (11), and Max Zimmer (10) will all be returning next year to represent the Way zata Trojans at the P l ymouth Ice Center. “ This team has a bright future. There are a lot of young guys with a lot of talent and the coaching staff is great. They will do well in the upcoming years,” said Hemenway.